bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of the penetration profiles of topically applied substances by laser scanning microscopy
Authors: Martschick A , Teichmann A , Richter H , Schanzer S , Antoniou Ch , Sterry W , Lademann J
Published: December 2006

Tape stripping in combination with spectroscopic measurements is a suitable method for the non-invasive determination of the dermatopharmacokinetics of topically applied substances. The penetration profiles obtained by these methods represent a cut to the stratum corneum, where the distribution of the topically applied substances is shown. For the penetration of these penetration profiles knowledge regarding the penetration pathways is necessary. Laser scanning microscopy is a well-suited method for the analysis of the penetration pathways. In the present paper, the results obtained by the combined tape stripping method and laser scanning microscopy were compared for the interpretation of penetration profiles concerning the penetration pathways of the topically applied substances.
Pinocembrin triggers Bax‐dependent mitochondrial apoptosis in colon cancer cells
Authors: Kumar M. A. Suresh , Nair Mangalam , Hema P.S. , Mohan John , Santhoshkumar T.R.
Published: December 2006

Bioflavanoids are the major pigments in plants with multitude of biological activities including inhibition of proliferation or induction of apoptosis in tumor cells. Eventhough the safety records of most flavanoids are exceptional, its therapeutic use is still in its infancy. We have isolated pinocembrin (5,7‐dihydroxyflavanone) from Alpinia galanga that showed cytotoxicity against a variety of cancer cells including normal lung fibroblasts with relative nontoxicity to human umbilical cord endothelial cells. The compound induced loss of mitochondrial membrane potential with subsequent release of cytochrome c and processing of caspase‐9 and ‐3 in colon cancer cell line HCT 116. Processing of caspase‐8 was minimal. The initial trigger for mitochondrial apoptosis appears to be by the translocation of cytosolic Bax protein to mitochondria. Overexpression of proapoptotic Bax protein sensitized the colon cancer cells to pinocembrin‐induced apoptosis and Bax knockout cells were resistant to pinocembrin‐induced apoptosis. Antiapoptotic protein Bcl‐XL only partially prevented apoptosis induced by this compound. The Bax‐dependent cell death involving classical cytochrome c release and processing of caspase‐9 and ‐3 suggests that pinocembrin is a classical mitochondrial apoptosis inducer. But the failure of Bcl‐XL overexpression to completely prevent apoptosis induced by this compound suggests that pinocembrin is capable of triggering mitochondrial‐independent cell death that needs to be clarified. The existence of cell death upon Bcl‐XL overexpression is a promising feature of this compound that can be exploited against drug resistant forms of cancer cells either alone or in combination with other drugs. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The presence of BRAF point mutation in adult papillary thyroid carcinomas from atomic bomb survivors correlates with radiation dose
Authors: Takahashi Keiko , Eguchi Hidetaka , Arihiro Koji , Ito Reiko , Koyama Kojiro , Soda Midori , Cologne John , Hayashi Yuzo , Nakata Yoshihiro , Nakachi Kei , Hamatani Kiyohiro
Published: December 2006

In papillary thyroid carcinogenesis, the constitutively activated mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) kinase signaling pathway caused by a genetic alteration such as RET/PTC rearrangement or mutation of RAS and BRAF genes, is thought to be a major early event. Among these, the recently identified BRAFV600E mutation has been found at high frequency in adult patients with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). However, the association between this mutation and radiation exposure in adult PTC is still unknown. In this study, we examined the BRAFV600E mutation in 64 PTCs among adult atomic bomb survivors in Hiroshima, Japan, comprising 17 nonexposed (0 mGy) and 47 exposed patients who developed the carcinoma after the bombing, and assessed the association of BRAFV600E mutation with clinico‐pathological and epidemiological variables. The median radiation dose in PTCs with the BRAFV600E mutation was significantly lower than that without the mutation (18.5 vs.156.9 mGy, Wilcoxon rank‐sum test, P = 0.022). A significant difference was found in the median latency period (years elapsed from atomic bombing to diagnosis) between exposed patients with and without BRAFV600E mutation (29 vs. 21 yr, Wilcoxon rank‐sum test, P = 0.014). These findings were further confirmed by logistic regression analysis with BRAFV600E mutation status as a dependent variable and taking into account possible interactions between the variables. We found that the log‐transformed radiation dose and latency period were independently associated with the BRAFV600E mutation (P = 0.039 and P = 0.010, respectively). These results suggest that involvement of BRAF mutation in thyroid carcinogenesis in exposed people may differ from that in the nonexposed people. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Angiotensin I‐converting enzyme insertion‐related genotypes and allele are associated with higher susceptibility of endometriosis and leiomyoma
Authors: Hsieh Yao‐Yuan , Lee Cheng‐Chun , Chang Chi‐Chen , Wang Yu‐Kuo , Yeh Lian‐Shun , Lin Chich‐Sheng
Published: December 2006

Endometriosis and leiomyoma display features similar to malignancy, requiring neovascularization to proliferation and growth. Altered vascular‐related genes might be related to the development of endometriosis and leiomyoma. Polymorphisms of the angiotensin‐converting enzyme (ACE) insertion/deletion (I/D) genes have been linked with some vascular diseases. This study investigates whether ACE I/D gene polymorphisms could be used as markers of susceptibility in endometriosis and leiomyoma. Women were divided into three groups: (1) endometriosis (n = 125); (2) leiomyoma (n = 120); (3) normal controls (n = 128). Genomic DNA was obtained from peripheral leukocyte. ACE I/D gene polymorphisms in intron 16 were amplified by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) Genotypes and allelic frequencies in both groups were compared. We observed the genotype distribution and allele frequency of ACE I/D gene polymorphisms in both groups were significantly different. Proportions of ACE*I homozygote/heterozygote/D homozygote in both groups were: (1) 50.4/24/25.6%; (2) 25/23.33/51.67%; (3) 10.2/29.7/60.1%. Proportions of I/D alleles in each group were: (1) 62.4/37.6%; (2) 36.7/63.3%; (3) 25/75%. We concluded that ACE*I/D gene polymorphisms are associated with endometriosis and leiomyoma susceptibilities. ACE*I‐related genotypes and allele are strongly related to the occurrence of endometriosis and moderately related to the occurrence of leiomyoma. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 74: 808–814, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Requirement for, and patterns of, pyruvate and glutamine metabolism in the domestic dog oocyte in vitro
Authors: Songsasen N. , Spindler R.E. , Wildt D.E.
Published: December 2006

Supplementation of energy substrates to culture medium is essential for resumption and completion of meiosis in vitro for many mammalian species. Objectives were to study the dog oocyte, specifically the influences of pyruvate and glutamine on maturation and the utilization of these two substrates at various developmental stages and incubation times. Ovarian oocytes (n=681) were obtained from spayed bitches and cultured for 48 hr in TCM 199 medium containing various concentrations of pyruvate (0–2.5 mM) and glutamine (0–4 mM) before being assessed for nuclear status. For analyzing metabolic activity, 259 dog oocytes were cultured for 0, 12, 24, 36, or 48 hr, assessed for pyruvate and glutamine metabolism using the hanging drop method and then evaluated for nuclear status. Neither pyruvate nor glutamine had influence (P > 0.05) on oocyte maturation in vitro (IVM). However, both culture interval and meiotic status influenced pyruvate uptake (P < 0.05). Specifically, pyruvate uptake declined as the oocyte progressed from the germinal vesicle (GV) to metaphase II (MII) stage. Glutamine oxidation decreased as culture duration progressed (P < 0.05). In summary, pyruvate or glutamine is not required to promote successful IVM of dog oocytes. But, both substrates are being metabolized, and in patterns different to the domestic cat, another carnivore species. Pyruvate played an important role earlier in the maturational process, and less glutamine was oxidized as the oocyte neared nuclear maturation. These variations emphasize the importance of defining species specificities in carnivores before expecting consistently successful IVM/IVF. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 74: 870–877, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The PLAC1 protein localizes to membranous compartments in the apical region of the syncytiotrophoblast
Authors: Fant Michael , Barerra‐Saldana Hugo , Dubinsky William , Poindexter Brian , Bick Roger
Published: December 2006

PLAC1 is a trophoblast‐specific gene that maps to a locus on the X‐chromosome important to placental development. We have previously shown that PLAC1 gene expression is linked to trophoblast differentiation. The objective of this study was to define the localization of the PLAC1 polypeptide as a prerequisite to understanding its function. Polyclonal antibodies specific for the putative PLAC1 polypeptide were generated. The subcellular localization of PLAC1 in the trophoblast was examined by immunohistochemical analysis of human placenta complemented by immunoblot analysis of subcellular fractions. Brightfield immunohistochemical analysis of placental tissue indicated that the PLAC1 protein localizes to the differentiated syncytiotrophoblast in the apical region of the cell. Deconvlution immunofluorescence microscopy confirmed localization to the apical region of the syncytiotrophoblast. Its distribution included both intracellular compartments as well as loci in close association with the maternal‐facing, microvillous brush border membrane (MVM). These findings were supported by immunoblot analysis of subcellular fractions. A 30 kDa band was associated with the microsomal fraction of placental lysates but not the mitochondrial, nuclear, or soluble fractions, suggesting PLAC1 is targeted to a membrane location. Plasma membranes were obtained from the fetal‐facing, basal surface (BM) and the maternal‐facing, MVM of the syncytiotrophoblast membrane. PLAC1 immunoreactivity was only detected in membrane fractions derived from the apical MVM consistent with immunohistochemical analyses. These data demonstrate that the PLAC1 protein is restricted primarily to the differentiated trophoblast, localizing to intracellular membranous compartment(s) in the apical region of the syncytiotrophoblast and associated with its apical, microvillous membrane surface. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 74: 922–929, 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Simulation of front end loader bucket–soil interaction using discrete element method
Authors: Nezami Erfan G. , Hashash Youssef M. A. , Zhao Dawei , Ghaboussi Jamshid
Published: January 2007

The design of earthmoving equipment requires reliable estimates of resisting forces from the soil or rock to be manipulated. A series of discrete element simulations with polyhedral particles designed to replicate a series of bucket–soil interaction experiments are presented. The experiments involve manipulation of a pile of gravel, consisting of angular and sub‐rounded particles, with a prototype of a front end loader bucket. The geometry of the soil pile and the trajectory of the bucket from each experiment are simulated using discrete element method (DEM). A single set of DEM model properties, including inter‐particle contact friction angle estimated from the initial configuration of the soil pile prior to the start of the experiments, are used for all simulations. The total soil reaction forces acting on the bucket in both horizontal and vertical directions are calculated from each simulation and are compared to measured forces from the corresponding experiment. The results show both qualitative and quantitative agreement between simulations with polyhedral particles and experiments with angular and sub‐rounded particles. The major source of discrepancy is attributed to the large particle sizes in the simulation compared to the experiments. Using smaller particles improves the results and provides a better match with the experiments. Other sources of discrepancy are also discussed. The simulations demonstrate that DEM with polyhedral particles can be used to reliably simulate bucket–soil interaction and to estimate force feedback into earthmoving equipment. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Homogenized constitutive laws for rocks with elastoplastic fractures
Authors: Marmier R. , Jeannin L. , Barthélémy J. F.
Published: January 2007

This work deals with the development of a constitutive law for fractured rocks. Fractures are considered as penny‐shaped inclusions, whose constitutive law is deduced from an interface law and a regularization procedure. Such a method is applied to linear and non‐linear interface behaviours in order to reproduce effects such as an increase in stiffness during fracture closing, dilatancy or asperity surface degradation. Then, considering the fractured rock as a composite material, we use a Mori–Tanaka method to estimate the homogenized properties of the rock. Numerical experiments illustrate the interest of the proposed homogenization procedure. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
2D and 3D upper bound solutions for tunnel excavation using ‘elastic’ flow fields
Authors: Klar Assaf , Osman Ashraf S. , Bolton Malcolm
Published: January 2007

This paper presents 2D and 3D upper bound solutions for the problem of tunnel excavation in soft ground. The solution invokes the use of incompressible flow fields derived from the theory of elasticity and the concept of sinks and sources. Comparison is made with previously published results. For some geometries the current calculation results in lower (better) upper bound values; however, the results were generally close to previously published values. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Social axioms and values: a cross‐cultural examination
Authors: Leung Kwok , Au Al , Huang Xu , Kurman Jenny , Niit Toomas , Niit Kaisa‐Kitri
Published: January 2007

The relationships between social axioms, general beliefs that people hold about the social world, and values, defined as desirable goals for life, were examined in five cultural groups. Results show that the correlations between social axioms and Schwartz's (1992) values are generally low, suggesting that they represent two distinct types of construct. Based on a structural equation modelling approach, results further show that generally speaking, the five axiom dimensions are related to the value types in a meaningful and interpretable manner, and that these relationships are generally similar across the five cultural groups. Implications of these results and directions for future research are discussed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Personality, threat and affective responses to cultural diversity
Authors: Van der Zee Karen , Van der Gang Ineke
Published: January 2007

The present study tried to reconcile assumptions from Terror Management Theory that individual differences in openness to diversity are enhanced by existential threat with own recent findings suggesting that individual differences are diminished by threat. A model was supported assuming that it is the nature of the threat that determines which pattern will hold. We predicted that for stress‐related but not for social traits, threat enhances individual differences in reactions to diversity. Students were confronted with a videotaped meeting of a homogeneous versus diverse work group. Threat was induced using a Terror Management Intervention. Indeed, whereas for Emotional Stability individual differ ences in responses to diversity were restricted to conditions of threat, for Social Initiative, individual differences solely occurred under normal circumstances. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Temporal relationship of asthma to acute chest syndrome in sickle cell disease
Authors: Sylvester Karl P. , Patey Richard A. , Broughton Simon , Rafferty Gerrard F. , Rees David , Thein Swee Lay , Greenough Anne
Published: December 2006

Acute chest syndrome (ACS) is an important cause of mortality and morbidity in children with sickle cell disease (SCD). An association between asthma and ACS has been reported. Our aims were to determine whether asthma was more common in SCD children than controls and the relationship of the timing of the SCD children's first ACS episode to a diagnosis of asthma. One hundred and sixty‐five SCD children median age 8.2 (range 0.3–17.3) years and 151 similar ethnic origin and aged controls were prospectively recruited into the study and a detailed history was taken from all of the children to determine if they were taking anti‐asthma medication. The medical records of the SCD children were examined to assess whether they had an ACS episode, the age this episode occurred and when any diagnosis of asthma had been made. A similar proportion of the SCD children and controls were taking anti‐asthma medication (7% and 9%). Thirty‐three SCD children had at least one ACS episode. More of the children who had an ACS compared to those who had not were taking anti‐asthma medication (P = 0.02). The ACS children had been diagnosed as asthmatic at a median of 3.5 (range 0.5–7) years prior to their first ACS episode. In conclusion, these results suggest asthma exacerbations may predispose to ACS episodes. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2007; 42:103–106. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A systematic review of psychological interventions for children with asthma
Authors: Yorke Janelle , Fleming Sharon L. , Shuldham Caroline
Published: December 2006

Aim:

Psychological factors may influence the symptoms and management of asthma in children in many ways. It is, therefore, suggested that psychological interventions may be appropriate for this population. This paper reports a systematic review assessing the efficacy of psychological interventions in improving health outcomes for children with asthma.

Methodology:

A review of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCT) was designed. RCTs assessing the effects of a psychological intervention in child participants were included in the review. Outcome measures included healthcare utilization, lung function, asthma symptoms, and psychological health status. The search was conducted until April 2005.

Results:

Twelve studies, involving 588 children, were included in the review; however, study quality was poor and sample sizes were frequently small. A meta‐analysis was performed on two studies, examining the effects of relaxation therapy on PEFR which favored the treatment group (SD 0.82, CI 0.41–1.24). No other meta‐analysis could be performed due to the diversity of interventions and the outcomes assessed. In addition, many studies reported insufficient data.

Conclusions:

This review was unable to draw firm conclusions for the role of psychological interventions for children with asthma. We recommend that valid outcome measures for evaluating the effectiveness of psychological interventions for children with asthma need to address adjustment to and coping with asthma, as well as other psychological indicators. The absence of an adequate evidence base is demonstrated, highlighting the need for well‐conducted RCTs in this area. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2007; 42:114–124. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Peripheral airway involvement in CF and asthma compared by inert gas washout
Authors: Gustafsson Per M.
Published: December 2006

Multiple‐breath N2 washouts were performed before and after bronchodilation in 15 patients with moderately severe asthma (mean age 13 years), and in 11 patients with cystic fibrosis (CF; mean age 16 years) matched for FEV1. Eighteen healthy subjects (mean age 15 years) were studied before bronchodilation. The lung clearance index (LCI) was determined from the washout curve and gas trapping was assessed from five subsequent large breaths. Analysis of the progression of the concentration normalized phase III slopes (SnIII) over the washout was used to determine inhomogeneity in the conducting airways (Scond) and inhomogeneity close to or within the gas exchange zone (Sacin). Before bronchodilation all washout indexes were abnormal in the CF group, and all but Sacin in the asthma group. Two indexes were higher in CF than in asthma: LCI (11.5 (3.3) vs. 8.7 (1.3); P < 0.01), and Sacin (0.307 (0.207) vs. 0.142 (0.071); P < 0.01), while gas trapping indexes and Scond (0.151 (0.071) vs. 0.127 (0.041)) did not differ significantly. After bronchodilation, all indexes improved in asthma and only Scond remained abnormally elevated. In CF, only a modest but statistically significant Sacin improvement was seen and all indexes stayed abnormal. The study shows that overall ventilation inhomogeneity and particularly inhomogeneity in or close to the gas exchange zone are more pronounced in CF than in asthma matched for FEV1, while inhomogeneity in the conducting airway zone is similar. After bronchodilation, residual abnormalities of airway function are seen all through the airway tree in CF but only in the conducting airways in asthma. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2007; 42:168–176. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
X‐ray structure of the T. Aquaticus Ftsy:GDP complex suggests functional roles for the C‐terminal helix of the SRP GTPases
Authors: Gawronski‐Salerno Joseph , Coon V John S. , Focia Pamela J. , Freymann Douglas M.
Published: December 2006

FtsY and Ffh are structurally similar prokaryotic Signal Recognition Particle GTPases that play an essential role in the Signal Recognition Particle (SRP)‐mediated cotranslational targeting of proteins to the membrane. The two GTPases assemble in a GTP‐dependent manner to form a heterodimeric SRP targeting complex. We report here the 2.1 Å X‐ray structure of FtsY from T. aquaticus bound to GDP. The structure of the monomeric protein reveals, unexpectedly, canonical binding interactions for GDP. A comparison of the structures of the monomeric and complexed FtsY NG GTPase domain suggests that it undergoes a conformational change similar to that of Ffh NG during the assembly of the symmetric heterodimeric complex. However, in contrast to Ffh, in which the C‐terminal helix shifts independently of the other subdomains, the C‐terminal helix and N domain of T. aquaticus FtsY together behave as a rigid body during assembly, suggesting distinct mechanisms by which the interactions of the NG domain “module” are regulated in the context of the two SRP GTPases. Proteins 2007. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Length dependence of polarization in spontaneous edge emissions from InGaN/AlGaN MQWs laser diodes
Authors: Jia Chuanyu , Yu Tongjun , Hu Xiaodong , Zhang Bei , Yang Zhijian , Xu Ke , Zhang Guoyi
Published: January 2007

The polarization of spontaneous edge‐emitting electroluminescence from near‐UV LDs with different cavity lengths (from 400 μm to 1000 μm) was studied. It was found that TE mode dominates in InGaN/AlGaN MQWs LDs, which is consistent with the theoretical calculation results of similar MQWs. An obvious polarization decrease from P = 0.57 to 0.42 as the LD cavity length changed from 400 μm to 1000 μm was also observed, corresponding to a ratio r changing from 3.67 to 2.43, which indicated that, the TE mode attenuated more grievously than the TM mode with increasing cavity length. This is due to the inherent property of polarization selective emission from the alloys. The optical loss coefficient of TE mode was determined to be 35 cm–1, while, 10 cm–1 for TM mode, which is in good agreement with the results obtained from other methods. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The growth and rare‐earth doping of GaN quantum dots on AlxGa1–xN layer by plasma‐assisted molecular beam epitaxy
Authors: Hori Y. , Andreev T. , Bellet‐Amalric E. , Oda O. , Le Si Dang D. , Daudin B.
Published: January 2007

We report on the self organized growth of GaN quantum dots deposited on Alx Ga1–x N layer by plasma‐assisted molecular beam epitaxy. It is found that the relaxation of Alx Ga1–x N layer on AlN depends on Al composition and thickness. The measurement of the variation of lattice parameter indicated that GaN quantum dots do not relax completely on Alx Ga1–x N layer. Optical properties of undoped and Eu‐doped quantum dots on AlGaN layer were studied. Visible light emission from Eu3+ ions has been observed and showed strong thermal stability. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Low frequency noise in InGaN/GaN MQW‐based photodetector structures
Authors: Navarro A. , Rivera C. , Cuerdo R. , Pau J. L. , Pereiro J. , Muñoz E.
Published: January 2007

Noise characteristics of InGaN/GaN multiple‐quantum‐well (MQW) photodiodes (PD) and photoconductors (PC) were studied. 1/f ‐type noise was examined in MQW PDs as a function of reverse bias, In content and temperature. Superposed multilevel Random Telegraph Signal Noise was observed under reverse and forward biases. The dominant presence of this type of noise in MQW PCs seems to indicate that its origin was related to localization effects in the InGaN QWs. Detectivity of the MQW PDs was determined at various voltages for a wide range of temperatures. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Recommended criteria for the mass spectrometric identification of target peptides and proteins (<8 kDa) in sports drug testing
Authors: Thevis Mario , Loo Joseph A. , Loo Rachel R. Ogorzalek , Schänzer Wilhelm
Published: January 2007

Mass spectrometry has become an invaluable tool for the identification of prohibited peptide hormones and proteins in doping control analysis. Regulatory authorities have established criteria for identifying banned drugs in doping control specimens, but these criteria do not address the specific issues for high molecular weight protein drugs such as molecular weight determination of multiply charged molecules, analysis of chemically or enzymatically derived degradation products, identification of amino acid sequence tags, etc. Technical considerations such as sample preparation methods (e.g. immunoaffinity purification), resulting analytes (e.g. intact compounds vs. chemically or enzymatically derived peptides), ionization modes, analyzer resolution, and the information provided by respective techniques are discussed in light of sports drug testing requirements using typical application examples. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effective teaching results in increased science achievement for all students
Authors: Johnson Carla C. , Kahle Jane Butler , Fargo Jamison D.
Published: December 2006

This study of teacher effectiveness and student achievement in science demonstrated that effective teachers positively impact student learning. A general linear mixed model was used to assess change in student scores on the Discovery Inquiry Test as a function of time, race, teacher effectiveness, gender, and impact of teacher effectiveness in prior years, over a 3‐year period. Effective teaching was identified through a series of classroom observations using the Local Systemic Change Classroom Observation Protocol (Horizon Research, 1999). This study found that effective teaching increases student achievement and closes achievement gaps for all students. Findings from this study provide evidence that effective teaching each year may be the key to eliminating achievement gaps in science. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 91:371–383, 2007
Striving for equitable classroom assessments for linguistic minorities: Strategies for and effects of revising life science items
Authors: Siegel Marcelle A.
Published: December 2006

Striving for equitable assessments that can contribute to classroom learning for linguistic minorities is a goal of increasing importance as the national population of English language learners continues to rise. This study investigated classroom assessments for English learners in middle school life science courses in two California schools. A framework for equitable classroom assessments, “McCes—Sounds like Success,” was used to refine and evaluate assessments in the study. Ways to improve two written assessments for advanced English learners were developed through teacher research and tested with a pretest/posttest design. Eleven changes to the items were developed, such as adding visual supports and dividing prompts into smaller units. Regression analyses of raw and Rasch modeled data from the pretest/posttest showed that both English only students and advanced English learners scored significantly better on the modified classroom assessments. A new perspective on validating equitable classroom assessments as opposed to standardized assessments for English learners is discussed. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Res Sci Teach 44: 864–881, 2007
Immediate and long‐term outcomes in children with prenatal diagnosis of selected isolated congenital heart defects
Authors: Fuchs I. B. , Müller H. , Abdul‐Khaliq H. , Harder T. , Dudenhausen J. W. , Henrich W.
Published: January 2007

Objectives

To compare the immediate postinterventional and long‐term outcomes of children with a prenatal and those with a postnatal diagnosis of isolated congenital heart defects.

Methods

This was a retrospective study of 257 children admitted over a 10‐year period to our pediatric cardiology unit with one of four different cardiac lesions: transposition of the great arteries, atrioventricular canal defect, tetralogy of Fallot and pulmonary atresia; 208 were diagnosed postnatally and 49 prenatally. Management was identical in the two patient groups.

Results

The median age at admission was 22 days in the postnatal group and 10 days in the prenatal group. In the prenatal group there was a higher median preoperative O2 saturation level (P = 0.07), fewer cases of preoperative cardiac failure (P = 0.03), fewer cases of preoperative closure of the duct (P = 0.04), a shorter median duration of postoperative mechanical ventilation (P = 0.03), less need for resurgery (P = 0.02) and a shorter median duration of stay in the intensive care unit (P = 0.05). Postoperative survival was 96% in the prenatal group and 90% in the postnatal group. Assessment of long‐term survival revealed a longer catheter intervention‐free interval in the prenatal group (P = 0.03). At the 1‐year follow‐up, residual impaired cardiac function was less frequent in the prenatal than in the postnatal group (P = 0.04). Overall survival at maximum follow‐up was 92% in the prenatal and 84% in the postnatal group.

Conclusions

Prenatal diagnosis of isolated congenital heart defects allows admission for surgery in a more stable condition and is associated with lower short‐term and long‐term morbidity and mortality. Copyright © 2007 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Targeted therapy for threatened preterm labor based on sonographic measurement of the cervical length: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Alfirevic Z. , Allen‐Coward H. , Molina F. , Vinuesa C. P. , Nicolaides K.
Published: January 2007

Objective

False positive diagnosis of preterm labor is common. As a consequence, medications including corticosteroids to promote fetal lung maturity and tocolysis are prescribed unnecessarily. We tested the hypothesis that management of threatened preterm labor based on measurement of cervical length by ultrasonography can reduce the number of women who receive inappropriate treatment.

Methods

Forty‐one women with threatened preterm labor for whom a clinical decision was made to prescribe antenatal corticosteroids and tocolysis were randomized to have their cervical length measured by transvaginal ultrasound (n = 21) or to receive therapy as planned (n = 20). Fourteen women in the ultrasound group had a cervix longer than 15 mm and the therapy was withheld, while the other seven with a short cervix were managed in the same way as the control group.

Results

Three women (14%) in the ultrasound group were treated inappropriately with antenatal corticosteroids because they remained undelivered for more than a week. This compared favorably with the control group where 18 out of 20 (90%) received corticosteroids unnecessarily (relative risk (RR) 0.16; 95% confidence interval (CI), 0.05–0.39). Tocolysis was given to only seven women (33.3%) in the ultrasound group compared with 20 (100%) in the control group (RR 0.3; 95% CI, 0.15–0.54). There were no babies in either group who were born prematurely without being given a full course of antenatal corticosteroid therapy.

Conclusion

Women with threatened preterm labor and cervical length more than 15 mm should not receive tocolysis. The issue of the safety of withholding corticosteroid therapy in this clinical scenario warrants further study. Copyright © 2007 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Carbon–nitrogen stoichiometry in the tritrophic food chain willow, leaf beetle, and predatory ladybird beetle
Authors: Kagata Hideki , Ohgushi Takayuki
Published: December 2006

Although plant quality can indirectly increase the performance of the third trophic level by bottom‐up cascading effects, the mechanisms of this indirect effect are still unclear. In this study the carbon–nitrogen stoichiometry in a tri‐trophic system consisting of the willow, a leaf beetle, and a predatory ladybird beetle were examined to determine the mechanisms of the bottom‐up cascading effect. The bottom‐up cascade is initiated by increasing leaf nitrogen, because of artificial cutting of willow trees. The relative growth rate (RGR) of the leaf beetle increased when fed on cut willow leaves, because of the high leaf nitrogen in the cut willows. Ladybird beetle RGR also increased when fed on leaf beetles fed on cut willow leaves. The increased RGR of the ladybirds cannot be explained by the quality of the prey, however, because leaf beetle nitrogen was not affected by host plant quality. Thus, the carbon–nitrogen stoichiometry could not be a mechanism of the bottom‐up cascade through multiple trophic levels.
Adolescent adjustment disorder: Precipitant stressors and distress symptoms of 89 outpatients
Authors: Pelkonen Mirjami , Marttunen Mauri , Henriksson Markus , Lönnqvist Jouko
Published: December 2006

Objective

Research on adolescent adjustment disorder (AD) is scarce. We characterized adolescent outpatients with AD in psychosocial background and treatment received compared with patients with other non-psychotic disorders (OND). Furthermore, we explored precipitant stressors, distress symptoms and behavioral problems among males and females with AD.

Method

Data were collected prospectively on 290 consecutive psychiatric outpatients, aged 12–22 yrs, at a secondary care clinic in Finland. DSM-III-R diagnoses were assigned, based on all available information, at the end of treatment.

Results

AD was the second most common diagnosis among non-psychotic patients (31% of 290). Compared to OND-patients, those with AD were predominantly female and had less severe psychosocial impairment. In multivariate comparisons school-related stressors, problems with law and restlessness characterized males, and parental illness and internalizing symptoms females with AD. Intensity and duration of treatment of AD-patients varied widely.

Conclusions

Adjustment disorder comprised a common clinical entity among adolescent outpatients. Psychiatric assessment and treatment should be individually targeted by taking into account gender-specific stressors and distress symptoms among young people with AD.
A history of research in service operations: What's the big idea?
Authors: Chase Richard B. , Apte Uday M.
Published: December 2006

The purpose of this paper is to trace the history of research in service operations. After discussing the role of services in national economies and the importance of research in service operations, we discuss major trends in service operations research. For simplicity of exposition, this discussion is organized in terms of big ideas that have proved to be influential in setting the research agenda in service operations. In the final section, we identify high‐potential research areas where research needs are particularly urgent in the near future.
Plio-Pleistocene climatic transition and the lifting of the Teton Range, Wyoming
Authors: Leopold Estella B. , Liu Gengwu , Love J. David , Love David W.
Published: December 2006

Fine-grained lacustrine, riverine and ash-fall sediments of the Shooting Iron Formation, whose late Pliocene age is established by Blancan gastropods and vertebrates, yield a pollen flora that is essentially similar in composition to the modern pollen rain in the Jackson Hole area. The Pliocene assemblage suggests a climate like that of the Jackson valley and foothills today. These spectra also resemble a Pliocene pollen flora from Yellowstone Park dated at ∼ 2.02 Ma. However, the underlying Miocene Teewinot sediments differ by containing pollen of four exotic deciduous hardwoods (Tertiary relicts) that suggest a summer–moist climate, unlike that of today. The Shooting Iron sediments lie with an angular unconformity on and above the Miocene lake sediments of the Teewinot Formation. Both of these deposits probably preceded the main uplift of the Teton Range based on the absence of Precambrian clasts in the Tertiary valley deposits. Because the Pliocene floras were modern in aspect, a Plio-Pleistocene transition would be floristically imperceptible here. The sequence denotes a protracted period of relative stability of climate during Teewinot time, and a shift in vegetational state (summer–wet trees drop out) sometime between the latest Miocene and latest Pliocene. The Pliocene spectra suggest a dry, cooler climate toward the end of Shooting Iron time.
The Mamonia Complex (SW Cyprus) revisited: remnant of Late Triassic intra-oceanic volcanism along the Tethyan southwestern passive margin
Authors: LAPIERRE H. , BOSCH D. , NARROS A. , MASCLE G. H. , TARDY M. , DEMANT A.
Published: December 2006

Upper Triassic volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the Mamonia Complex in southwestern Cyprus are exposed in erosional windows through the post-Cretaceous cover, where the Mamonia Complex is tectonically imbricated with the Troodos and Akamas ophiolitic suites. Most of these Upper Triassic volcanic rocks have been considered to represent remnants of Triassic oceanic crust and its associated seamounts. New Nd and Pb isotopic data show that the whole Mamonia volcanic suite exhibits features of oceanic island basalts (OIB). Four rock types have been distinguished on the basis of the petrology and chemistry of the rocks. Volcanism began with the eruption of depleted olivine tholeiites (Type 1) and oceanic island tholeiites (Type 2) associated with deep basin siliceous and/or calcareous sediments. The tholeiites were followed by highly phyric alkali basalts (Type 3) interbedded with pelagic Halobia-bearing limestones or white reefal limestones. Strongly LREE-enriched trachytes (Type 4) were emplaced during the final stage of volcanic activity. Nd and Pb isotopic ratios suggest that tholeiites and mildly alkali basalts derived from partial melting of heterogeneous enriched mantle sources. Fractional crystallization alone cannot account for the derivation of trachytes from alkaline basalts. The trachytes could have been derived from the partial melting at depth of mafic material which shares with the alkali basalts similar trace element and isotopic compositions. This is corroborated by the rather similar isotopic compositions of the alkali basalts and trachytes. The correlations observed between incompatible elements (Nb, Th) and εNd and Pb isotopic initial ratios suggest that the Mamonia suite was derived from the mixing of a depleted mantle (DMM) and an enriched component of High μ (μ = 238U/204Pb, HIMU) type. Models using both Nd and Pb isotopic initial ratios suggest that the depleted tholeiites (Type 1) derived from a DMM source contaminated by an Enriched Mantle Type 2 component (EM2), and that the oceanic tholeiites (Type 2), alkali basalts (Type 3) and trachytes (Type 4) were derived from the mixing of the enriched mantle source of the depleted tholeiites with a HIMU component. None of the Mamonia volcanic rocks show evidence of crustal contamination. The Upper Triassic within-plate volcanism likely erupted in a small southerly Neotethyan basin, located north of the Eratosthenes seamount and likely floored by oceanic crust.
A Short Half-Century: Fifty Years of Women at Harvard Divinity School
Authors: Braude Ann
Published: December 2006

President Summers, Dean Graham, esteemed colleagues, honored guests, students and graduates of the Divinity School, new and old. It is a great pleasure to address you on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the admission of women to Harvard Divinity School. I am particularly honored by the presence of those of you who were here in 1955 when women first enrolled as students. For some of us who were not, 1955 may seem long ago—part of an archaic past of the Cold War, McCarthyism, and racial segregation, when women were welcome in few professional settings and ordained by few denominations.
From Jesus to Shylock: Christian Supersessionism and “The Merchant of Venice”
Authors: Heschel Susannah
Published: December 2006

In 1943 the SS Gauleiter, “district administrator,” of Vienna, Baldur von Schirach, commissioned a performance of The Merchant of Venice at the famed Burgtheater to celebrate the deportation of allthe Jews;Vienna had become Judenrein “cleansed of Jews.” When Werner Krauss, the Nazis'leading actor, first appeared on stage as Shylock, he made the audience shudder. According to the newspaper account:With a crash and a weird train of shadows, something revoltingly alien and startlingly repulsive crawled across the stage…. The pale pink face, surrounded by bright red hair and beard, with its unsteady, cunning little eyes;the greasy caftan with the yellow prayershawl slung round; the splay-footed, shuffling walk; the foot stamping with rage; the claw-like gestures with the hands; the voice, now bawling, now muttering—all add up to a pathological image of the East European Jewish type, expressing all its inner and outer uncleanliness, emphasizing danger through humor.
Ekklesial Work: Toward A Feminist Public Theology
Authors: Carbine Rosemary P.
Published: December 2006

Religion is deeply implicated in contemporary U.S. public life, as demonstrated in the increasing analysis of faith in any given presidential, congressional, or judicial candidate's political viewpoints; in ongoing presidential executive orders that approve government support and funding for faith-based initiatives; and in the continued lobbying by religious groups about a variety of moral and social justice issues such as euthanasia and immigration, to name a sample of recent flashpoint issues. What role do religious claims play in U.S. public life? How does Christian theology help clarify that role? What is the particular contribution of Christian feminist theology to understanding and rethinking that role?
New perspectives in the use of the Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings equation for aeroacoustic analysis of rotating blades
Authors: IANNIELLO S.
Published: January 2007

The Ffowcs Williams–Hawkings equation represents a standard approach in the prediction of noise from rotating blades. It is widely used for linear aeroacoustic problems concerning helicopter rotors and aircraft propellers and over the last few years, through the use of the so called porous (or permeable) surface formulation, has replaced the Kirchhoff approach in the numerical solution of nonlinear problems. Nevertheless, because of numerical difficulties in evaluating the contribution from supersonic sources, most of the computing tools are still unable to treat the critical velocities at which the shock delocalization occurs. At those conditions, the attention is usually limited to the comparison between the noise prediction and the experimental data in the narrow time region where the pressure peak value is located, but there has been little attention paid to the singular behaviour of the governing equation at supersonic speeds. The aim of this paper is to couple the advantages of the porous formulation to an emission surface integration scheme in order to show if and how the singularities affect the noise prediction and to demonstrate a practical way to remove them. Such an analysis enables an investigation of some interesting and somewhat hidden features of the numerical solution of the governing equation and suggests a new solution approach to predicting the noise of a rotor at any rotational velocity.
Motion of a particle near a rough wall in a viscous shear flow
Authors: CHARRU F. , LARRIEU E. , DUPONT J.-B. , ZENIT R.
Published: January 2007

The motion of a spherical particle along a rough bed in a simple shear viscous flow is studied experimentally for a wide range of parameters, varying the particle size and density, the fluid viscosity and the shear rate γ. The instantaneous particle velocity is calculated in the stream, transverse and vertical directions, using a high-speed video imaging system. It is found that the normalized streamwise mean particle velocity U/US, where US is the Stokes settling velocity, depends only on the dimensionless shear rate μ γ/(Δ ρ g d), this relationship being independent of the particle Reynolds number Rep. This result holds for small Rep, which was the case in our experiments (Rep < 10). The characteristic amplitude and frequency of the velocity fluctuations are also given and discussed. A model is then proposed for the mean streamwise velocity, based on ideas of Bagnold (Proc. R. Soc. Lond. A, vol. 332, 1973, p. 473) and calculations of Goldman et al. (Chem. Engng Sci., vol. 22, 1967b, p. 653) for the velocity of a particle close to a smooth plane. From this model an equivalent bed roughness and an effective friction coefficient are deduced.
Three-dimensional stability of a horizontally sheared flow in a stably stratified fluid
Authors: DELONCLE AXEL , CHOMAZ JEAN-MARC , BILLANT PAUL
Published: January 2007

This paper investigates the three-dimensional stability of a horizontal flow sheared horizontally, the hyperbolic tangent velocity profile, in a stably stratified fluid. In an homogeneous fluid, the Squire theorem states that the most unstable perturbation is two-dimensional. When the flow is stably stratified, this theorem does not apply and we have performed a numerical study to investigate the three-dimensional stability characteristics of the flow. When the Froude number, Fh, is varied from ∞ to 0.05, the most unstable mode remains two-dimensional. However, the range of unstable vertical wavenumbers widens proportionally to the inverse of the Froude number for Fh ≪ 1. This means that the stronger the stratification, the smaller the vertical scales that can be destabilized. This loss of selectivity of the two-dimensional mode in horizontal shear flows stratified vertically may explain the layering observed numerically and experimentally.
Direct Payments in England: Factors Linked to Variations in Local Provision
Authors: FERNÁNDEZ JOSÉ-LUIS , KENDALL JEREMY , DAVEY VANESSA , KNAPP MARTIN
Published: December 2006

Direct payments have moved to the heart of the government's drive for increased user choice. At the same time, implementation has remained disappointing. This article explores the demand, supply and related factors associated with patterns of local variability in uptake and intensity of care package provision. Statistical analyses are conducted for key client groups – people with physical disabilities, older people, people with learning disabilities and people who use mental health services – using data for England from 2000–01 to 2002–03. The results suggest that direct payments variability reflects a complex array of factors, both within and beyond the control of local public actors. In particular, while local policy preferences appear to shape the extent of direct payments growth, the results also demonstrate that understanding levels of activity requires attention to local circumstances.

I see direct payments, personal cash budgets, and other ways of extending choice and control as key to developing social care for the twenty-first century (Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Community Care, Department of Health, 2004).