bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mediating the Good Life: Prostitution and the Japanese Woman's Christian Temperance Union, 1880s–1920s
Authors: Mihalopoulos Bill
Published: March 2009

This article examines how the Japanese Woman's Christian Temperance Union, in the name of promoting liberty and rights of women in their relations with men, constructed hierarchies to ascribe value to themselves through moral condemnation. The JWCTU used extramarital sex as a political issue to strengthen the position of the legal wife in the household as opposed to the concubine and prostitute. Their efforts to prohibit Japanese women from going abroad as prostitutes, while understood as an attempt to end a system of slavery that violated the inherent rights of Japanese womanhood, was actually a desire to regulate the behaviour of the poor. The JWCTU based its moral reform agenda on the importance of premarital chastity, strict monogamy and the obligation to work for the good of the nation. Its construction of prostitution as evil represents an important strand in the history of the relationship between prostitution and family as a socio‐political issue in modern Japan.
Telling Stories about the Colonies: British and French Women in Algeria in the Nineteenth Century
Authors: Rogers Rebecca
Published: March 2009

This article recounts the stories told about Véronique Eugénie Allix‐Luce and her school for Muslim girls founded in Algiers in 1845. Drawing on English feminist writings, including correspondence and travel narratives, it explores how women, such as Barbara Bodichon and Bessie Rayner Parkes, constructed this French schoolteacher as a modern day heroine. French colonial authorities and women's travel narratives provide a more complicated portrait and reveal the weight of cultural and gender politics within the French ‘civilising mission’ that ultimately erased the memory of this initiative. By retelling the story of Mme Luce's school through the double perspective of British and French contemporaries, the article offers insight into the disappearance of women's roles in the French story of Algerian colonisation.
Rebelles with a Cause: Women in the Haitian War of Independence, 1802–04
Authors: Girard Philippe
Published: March 2009

This article studies the role of white, black and mulatto women during the last two years of the Haitian War of Independence, also known as the Haitian Revolution (1802–04). It might be expected that women's contribution was limited in wartime, but this article concludes otherwise. Desirable women were sought as prizes symbolic of a man's status in colonial society, or actively used their appeal to obtain political favours. Women of colour contributed to the rebellion in the fields of logistics, espionage and even combat. They also experienced martyrdom when convicted of aiding the rebel army. White women, in turn, were considered such an integral part of the colonial order that the rebels, led by Toussaint Louverture and Jean‐Jacques Dessalines, targeted them, as well as other civilians, during the fighting, then proceeded to exterminate all surviving whites after the rebel victory.
Club Talk: Gossip, Masculinity and Oral Communities in Late Nineteenth‐Century London
Authors: Milne‐Smith Amy
Published: March 2009

Gossip is not only a guilty pleasure; it is also an important tool of social control. Nowhere is this more evident than in the nineteenth‐century gentlemen's clubs of London. This article looks at the private lives of elite men whose gossip helped shape class and gender ideals. Archival documents, private memoirs and periodical literature provide both an insider and outsider vision of a very private world. Looking at how men gossiped points to codes of gentlemanly behaviour, the importance of homosocial life, and the place of oral culture in a modern, literate age.
‘If the Teacher were a Man’: Masculinity and Power in Stalinist Schools
Authors: Ewing E. Thomas
Published: March 2009

This article explores questions about identity among Soviet men teachers, about the construction of masculinity in the Stalinist context and more broadly about the significance of power in structuring gender identities. By examining the personal experience, classroom practices and political perspectives of a man teacher in a ‘women's profession’, this article demonstrates how masculine identity involved the exercise of power even in the context of a repressive political system. Focusing on the multiple layers embedded in the identity of one teacher makes possible a gender analysis of the political processes, social relations, and educational practices characteristic of the Soviet Union in the 1930s. Using an interview to understand the formation of masculinity illustrates how individual agency and subjectivity shaped and were shaped by the broader patterns and processes characteristic of Stalinism.
The Universal Principle of Grace: Feminism and Anti‐Calvinism in Two Seventeenth‐Century Women Writers
Authors: Apetrei Sarah
Published: March 2009

This article presents one of the theological contexts for early feminist thought in England in the late seventeenth century. It argues that an emerging universalist soteriology in Platonist and radical thought had a positive impact on discourses about sexual equality, and shows how two female writers (the Quaker Elizabeth Bathurst and the visionary M. Marsin) combined their critique of the doctrine of limited atonement – in other words, the idea of an exclusive elect – with a confident assertion of women's calling to preach and teach in the Church.
Women and Guilds: Corporations and Female Labour Market Participation in Early Modern Holland
Authors: Schmidt Ariadne
Published: March 2009

Recently, historians have suggested that the economic role of Dutch women and the remarkable economic development of the Dutch Republic are related. Guilds are said to have played an important role. This article analyses the female admission to guilds in early modern Holland in order to assess how guilds affected female labour participation. A classification of guilds according to their admittance of women reveals significant variations in the extent of incorporation of women. Gender norms were not rigid and were applied with flexibility. Thus, guilds formed no obstacle for women in contributing to the flourishing economy of the Dutch Republic.
African Dust-Laden Atmospheric Conditions Activate the Trigeminovascular System
Authors: Doganay H , Akcali D , Goktaş T , Çaglar K , Erbas D , Saydam C , Bolay H
Published: March 2009

It has been recently noticed that dust originating from deserts can be transported to other continents by the atmosphere and has an adverse effect on public health, such as increased asthma attacks. Dust originating from the Saharan Desert could initiate a series of reactions upon contact with cloud water and results in the formation of reduced iron (Fe2+), oxalate and various basic amino acids. We aimed to evaluate whether the simulation of Saharan dust-containing atmospheric conditions could trigger the trigeminovascular system. Freely moving rats incubated within simulated atmospheric conditions containing (i) Saharan dust, (ii) Co60 gamma ray-treated Saharan dust (sterilized) and (iii) dust-free air, were investigated for the presence of c-fos expression in trigeminal nucleus caudalis (TNC) and for NOx (nitrate+nitrite) levels in blood samples. Atmospheric samples were analysed for microorganisms. Saharan dust-containing atmospheric conditions induced c-fos expression in nociceptive neurons within TNC. The number of c-fos+ neurons in superficial lamina of TNC was significantly higher in the Saharan dust group (32.9 ± 5.3, P = 0.0001) compared with dust-free air (11.02 ± 2.7) or Co60-treated Saharan dust groups (15.01 ± 2.4). An increase in NOx levels was detected in blood samples of rats exposed to Saharan dust-containing atmosphere. This study has revealed an unknown environmental factor as a possible trigger for headache. It is the first time that transport of Saharan dust with the atmospheric air stream has been documented to be able to trigger the trigeminovascular system in animals. Further studies are needed to explore the mechanisms and molecules that mediate the nociceptive effect and to guide new treatment strategies.
Spoor density as a measure of true density of a known population of free‐ranging wild cheetah in Botswana
Authors: Houser A. M. , Somers M. J. , Boast L. K.
Published: March 2009

Knowledge of the abundance of animal populations is essential for their management and conservation. Determining reliable measures of abundance is, however, difficult, especially with wide‐ranging species such as cheetah Acinonyx jubatus. This study generated a correction factor to calculate true cheetah density from spoor survey data and subsequently tested its accuracy using the following season's data. Data were collected from October 2005 to December 2006 on a known population of wild, free‐ranging cheetah in the Jwana Game Reserve, Botswana. The cheetahs in the area were captured, tagged and photographed. The reserve was divided into twelve 9 km transects covering all vegetation types and prey densities. The total sampling distance was 8226 km, with a spoor density of 2.32 individual cheetah spoor per 100 km2. To determine a precise and accurate spoor density, it was necessary to sample for a longer period during the dry season (April–September) than during the wet season (October–March). This difference may be due to cheetah behavioural changes with seasonal variations in habitat and prey. The true density was 5.23 cheetahs  per 100 km2 ranging from 3.33 to 7.78 at the low and high points of the population, respectively. A positive linear correlation between spoor and true density was observed. This relationship differed in the wet and dry season and required refinement with the following season's data. Correction factors may be viable, but require further testing taking the behavioural responses to seasonal, habitat and prey variations into consideration.
Can a spider web be too sticky? Tensile mechanics constrains the evolution of capture spiral stickiness in orb‐weaving spiders
Authors: Agnarsson I. , Blackledge T. A.
Published: March 2009

Orb‐weaving spiders rely on sticky capture threads to retain prey long enough to be located and attacked. The evolution of viscid silk is associated with the high diversity of araneoid orb‐weaving spiders, in part because it is cheaper to produce than the primitive dry cribellate fibrous adhesive used by deinopoid orb‐weaving spiders. Unlike cribellate threads, viscid glue contributes little to the tensile strength of the capture spiral it decorates. However, viscid silk utilizes a unique suspension bridge mechanism, absent in cribellate silk, which increases total stickiness by recruiting the adhesion of multiple glue droplets. Here, we analyze the relationship between stickiness of viscid silk and various biomechanical and architectural features of webs that may influence its evolution, across a sample of 17 ecribellate orb‐weaving species. The force required to break capture spiral fibers is the single most important factor explaining about 90% of the variation in stickiness among orb spiders. Stickiness increases linearly with capture spiral strength, but with a significant safety factor because stickiness is always less than the force required to break the silk. Our results thus indicate that evolutionary changes in the stickiness of the capture spiral are largely constrained by the strength of the fiber the glue is placed on rather than by the chemistry of the glue itself. This implies that orb webs function optimally when threads are able to detach and adhere repeatedly to struggling prey.
Can separation along the temperature niche axis promote coexistence between native and invasive species?
Authors: Priddis Edmund , Rader Russell , Belk Mark , Schaalje Bruce , Merkley Steven
Published: March 2009

Aim Western mosquitofish (Gambusia affinis) have been linked with the decline of native fish and amphibians throughout the world. Separation along the temperature niche axis may promote the long‐term coexistence of introduced western mosquitofish, with native species in temperate regions. Recent research has shown that western mosquitofish can reduce the recruitment of native least chub (Iothichthys phlegethontis) endemic to the Bonneville Basin. We tested the hypotheses that cold temperatures (≤ 15 °C in the summer, freezing winters) would: (1) reduce the aggressive and predatory effects of western mosquitofish on least chub, and (2) eliminate the overwinter survival and recruitment of western mosquitofish while having little effect on least chub recruitment.

Location Bonneville Basin of Utah, USA.

Methods We used short‐term tests in the laboratory at the level of individuals and manipulated temperature (warm, cold and seasonal treatments) in long‐term experiments using mesocosms at the population level.

Results Cold temperatures (≤ 15 °C) reduced the aggression and predation of western mosquitofish on least chub at the level of individuals. At the population level, however, cool summers (≤ 15 °C) eliminated recruitment in both species because they required warm summers (c. 20–30 °C) to survive freezing winters. Although least chub had an overwinter advantage in survival (75% least chub, 45% western mosquitofish), it was overwhelmed by the rapid reproduction of western mosquitofish as temperatures increased in the summer.

Main conclusions Studies at the level of populations are necessary to understand the ultimate effects of introduced species on native taxa. Separation along the temperature niche axis was not sufficient to promote coexistence between these species in habitats with warm summers (c. 30 °C). Although coexistence may be possible in habitats with cool summers (≤ 20 °C) and freezing winters, the ability of niche separation to promote long‐term coexistence between native and introduced species may ultimately depend on their respective rates of evolution. Long‐term coexistence may not be possible if introduced species can adapt to new environmental conditions faster than native species can evolve mechanisms to reduce their harmful effects.
Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase imparts human endothelial cells with extended replicative lifespan and enhanced angiogenic capacity in a high glucose environment
Authors: Borradaile Nica M. , Pickering J. Geoffrey
Published: March 2009

Endothelial dysfunction is a characteristic of aging‐related vascular disease and is worsened during diabetes. High glucose can impair endothelial cell (EC) function through cellular accumulation of reactive oxygen species, an insult that can also limit replicative lifespan. Nicotinamide phosphoribosyltransferase (Nampt), also known as PBEF and visfatin, is rate‐limiting for NAD+ salvage from nicotinamide and confers resistance to oxidative stress via SIRT1. We therefore sought to determine if Nampt expression could resist the detrimental effects of high glucose and confer a survival advantage to human vascular EC in this pathologic environment. Human aortic EC were infected with retrovirus encoding eGFP or eGFP‐Nampt, and FACS‐selected to yield populations with similar, modest transgene expression. Using a chronic glucose exposure model we tracked EC populations to senescence, assessed cellular metabolism, and determined in vitro angiogenic function. Overexpression of Nampt increased proliferation and extended replicative lifespan, and did so preferentially during glucose overload. Nampt expression delayed markers of senescence and limited reactive oxygen species accumulation in high glucose through a modest increase in aerobic glycolysis. Furthermore, tube networks formed by Nampt‐overexpressing EC were more extensive and glucose‐resistant, in accordance with SIRT1‐mediated repression of the anti‐angiogenic transcription factor, FoxO1. We conclude that Nampt enables proliferating human EC to resist the oxidative stress of aging and of high glucose, and to productively use excess glucose to support replicative longevity and angiogenic activity. Enhancing endothelial Nampt activity may thus be beneficial in scenarios requiring EC‐based vascular repair and regeneration during aging and hyperglycemia, such as atherosclerosis and diabetes‐related vascular disease.
Airfield closures and air defence reorientation in Britain during the Cold War and its immediate aftermath
Authors: Blake Ronald
Published: March 2009

Since the ending of the Cold War, over one‐third of Britain's home military airfields have closed, leaving fewer than 50 in active flying use. An historical review of air force contraction since 1945 provides the context for this significant land‐use change. Contrasting scales of abandonment at regional level suggest where the impacts of closures on the environment and society have been strongest. Spatial shifts in the key military airfield functions (combat, air support, training and aircraft supply) indicate a strategic reorientation of the nation's defences. Location and role data for 75 airfields either closed during the past 20 years or still active in 2008 are tabulated to assist future geographical research on British aviation and defence.
“There Must Be a Reason”: Osama, Saddam, and Inferred Justification
Authors: Prasad Monica , Perrin Andrew J. , Bezila Kieran , Hoffman Steve G. , Kindleberger Kate , Manturuk Kim , Powers Ashleigh Smith
Published: March 2009

One of the most curious aspects of the 2004 presidential election was the strength and resilience of the belief among many Americans that Saddam Hussein was linked to the terrorist attacks of September 11. Scholars have suggested that this belief was the result of a campaign of false information and innuendo from the Bush administration. We call this the information environment explanation. Using a technique of “challenge interviews” on a sample of voters who reported believing in a link between Saddam and 9/11, we propose instead a social psychological explanation for the belief in this link. We identify a number of social psychological mechanisms voters use to maintain false beliefs in the face of disconfirming information, and we show that for a subset of voters the main reason to believe in the link was that it made sense of the administration's decision to go to war against Iraq. We call this inferred justification: for these voters, the fact of the war led to a search for a justification for it, which led them to infer the existence of ties between Iraq and 9/11.
Humorous Assaults on Patriarchal Ideology*
Authors: Case Charles E. , Lippard Cameron D.
Published: March 2009

Humor is a significant weapon in interpersonal and intergroup conflict and competition. Over the centuries, males have used humor and jokes to create and perpetuate patriarchal ideals, relationships, and structures. Today, feminists and other proponents of gender equality use humor to deconstruct patriarchal ideologies and sexist stereotypes. This exploratory study analyzes a collection of over 1,700 jokes identified as feminist and women's humor to discover what these jokes suggest with regard to the male‐dominant structure in society and how these jokes are subversive in attempting to disrupt gender stereotypes and roles. We find that the humor of women and feminists seeks, in part, to discredit assumptions of males’ superiority, masterfulness, sexual prowess, and extraordinary value to women and society. These jokes may, however, also work to reinforce stereotypes associated with men and women:

“If they could send a man to the moon, why not just send all of them?”
Glycogen synthase kinase 3: more than a namesake
Authors: Rayasam Geetha Vani , Tulasi Vamshi Krishna , Sodhi Reena , Davis Joseph Alex , Ray Abhijit
Published: March 2009

Glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3), a constitutively acting multi‐functional serine threonine kinase is involved in diverse physiological pathways ranging from metabolism, cell cycle, gene expression, development and oncogenesis to neuroprotection. These diverse multiple functions attributed to GSK3 can be explained by variety of substrates like glycogen synthase, τ protein and β catenin that are phosphorylated leading to their inactivation. GSK3 has been implicated in various diseases such as diabetes, inflammation, cancer, Alzheimer's and bipolar disorder. GSK3 negatively regulates insulin‐mediated glycogen synthesis and glucose homeostasis, and increased expression and activity of GSK3 has been reported in type II diabetics and obese animal models. Consequently, inhibitors of GSK3 have been demonstrated to have anti‐diabetic effects in vitro and in animal models. However, inhibition of GSK3 poses a challenge as achieving selectivity of an over achieving kinase involved in various pathways with multiple substrates may lead to side effects and toxicity. The primary concern is developing inhibitors of GSK3 that are anti‐diabetic but do not lead to up‐regulation of oncogenes. The focus of this review is the recent advances and the challenges surrounding GSK3 as an anti‐diabetic therapeutic target.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2009) doi:10.1111/j.1476‐5381.2008.00085.x
β‐1 and β‐2, but not α‐1 and α‐2, adrenoceptor blockade delays rat cutaneous wound healing
Authors: Romana‐Souza Bruna , Santos Jeanine S. , Monte‐Alto‐Costa Andréa
Published: March 2009

The sympathetic nervous system plays an important role in wound healing, but its mechanism of action is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of β‐ and α‐adrenoceptor blockade on cutaneous wound healing. Male rats were treated with propranolol (β1‐ and β2‐antagonist), atenolol (β1‐antagonist), or phentolamine (α1‐ and α2‐antagonist) dissolved in drinking water. A full‐thickness excisional lesion was created and the wound area was measured. Fourteen days after wounding, lesions and adjacent skin were removed, formalin‐fixed, and paraffin‐embedded. Sections were stained with hematoxylin–eosin and toluidine blue, and immunostained for α‐smooth muscle actin and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Wound contraction was delayed in propranolol‐ and atenolol‐treated animals but not in phentolamine‐treated animals. Reepithelialization was decreased only in propranolol‐treated animals. β1‐ and β2‐adrenoceptor blockade delayed leukocyte migration, epidermal and connective tissue cell proliferation, myofibroblastic differentiation, and mast cell migration. The volume density of blood vessels was increased in the propranolol‐ and atenolol‐treated animals compared with controls. The levels of matrix metalloproteases (MMP‐2 and MMP‐9) decreased in the propranolol‐ and atenolol‐treated animals. α1‐ and α2‐adrenoceptor blockade only affected leukocyte migration, epithelial and connective tissue cell proliferation, and pro‐MMP‐9 levels. In conclusion, β‐1 and β‐2, but not α‐1 and α‐2, adrenoceptor blockade delays cutaneous wound healing.
Migration of bone marrow‐derived mesenchymal stem cells induced by tumor necrosis factor‐α and its possible role in wound healing
Authors: Fu Xiaobing , Han Bing , Cai Sa , Lei Yonghong , Sun Tongzhu , Sheng Zhiyong
Published: March 2009

We aimed to investigate the effect of tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) on the expression of intercellular adhesion molecule‐1 (ICAM‐1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule‐1 (VCAM‐1) in the migration ability of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in the context of wound healing. We also explored the role of p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) signaling pathways in the migration of MSCs. MSCs were isolated from the bone marrow and cultured. Immunocytochemistry, Western blotting, and reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction were used to observe the effect of TNF‐α on the expression of ICAM‐1 and VCAM‐1 in MSCs. The chemotaxis effect of TNF‐α on MSCs was investigated by the trans‐well system and the inhibition effect of TNF‐α using its antibody. Western blotting analysis was used to observe the activation of JAK‐STAT and mitogen‐activated protein kinase signaling pathways, and ERK was inhibited with PD98059 and p38 with SB203580 to observe the effect of TNF‐α on MSC migration and ICAM‐1 expression. The expression of ICAM‐1 could be up‐regulated by 50 μg/L TNF‐α (p<0.05), whereas that of VCAM‐1 remained unchanged (p>0.05). Also, TNF‐α showed a chemotaxis effect by enhancing the migration ability of MSCs (p<0.05). TNF‐α at 50 μg/L increased the expression of phospho‐ERK and phospho‐p38, and SB203580, but not PD98059, could suppress the chemotaxis effect and up‐regulation of ICAM‐1 induced by TNF‐α in MSCs (p<0.05). Thus, TNF‐α could up‐regulate the expression of ICAM‐1 in MSCs and enhance the cells' migration ability, and the p38 signaling pathway might be involved in the TNF‐α–induced migration ability for a role in wound repair and regeneration.
Circulating monocytes have the capacity to be transdifferentiated into keratinocyte‐like cells
Authors: Medina Abelardo , Brown Erin , Carr Nicholas , Ghahary Aziz
Published: March 2009

Transdifferentiation is a process in which the original commitment of a cell is changed to give rise to unexpected peripheral mature cells. Our previous report showed that circulating stem cells can generate keratinocyte‐like cells (KLCs). However, it remains to be determined whether or not other peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) subsets have the potential to follow the same cell fate. In this study, the cell transdifferentiation of circulating CD14+ monocytes into KLCs and their regulatory effect on matrix metalloproteinase‐1 (MMP‐1) expression in dermal fibroblasts were evaluated. The results showed that monocytes isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells have the capacity to generate KLCs. These transdifferentiated cells exhibited, along with a keratinocyte‐like morphology, a characteristic profile consisting in stratifin+, cytokeratins+ (types I and II), CD14low, and involucrin+ on day 21 in culture. Similar to keratinocyte‐conditioned media, KLC‐derived conditioned media were able to induce an increase in the MMP‐1 expression in dermal fibroblasts. This effect was significantly reduced by using 14‐3‐3 protein‐depleted KLC‐conditioned media. Our findings show the potential transdifferentiation of circulating CD14+ monocytes into KLCs and their regulatory effect on MMP‐1 expression in dermal fibroblasts.
Negative pressure wound treatment with polyvinyl alcohol foam and polyhexanide antiseptic solution instillation in posttraumatic osteomyelitis
Authors: Timmers Michael S. , Graafland Niels , Bernards Alexandra T. , Nelissen Rob G. H. H. , Van Dissel Jaap T. , Jukema Gerrolt N.
Published: March 2009

In a retrospective, case–control cohort study an assessment was made of the clinical outcome of patients with osteomyelitis treated with a new modality of negative pressure wound therapy, so called negative pressure instillation therapy. In this approach, after surgical debridement, a site of osteomyelitis is treated with negative pressure of at least 300 mmHg applied through polyvinyl alcohol dressing. The polyvinyl alcohol foam is irrigated through the tubes three times a day with a polyhexanide antiseptic solution. In 30 patients (14 males; mean age 52 [range, 26–81]) admitted between 1999 and 2003 with osteomyelitis of the pelvis or lower extremity, we assessed time to wound closure, number of surgical procedures and rate of recurrence of infection as well as need for rehospitalizations. For comparison, a control group of 94 patients (males, 58; mean age 47 [range, 9–85]), matched for site and severity of osteomyelitis, was identified in hospital records between 1982 and 2002. These patients underwent standard surgical debridement, implantation of gentamicin polymethylmethacrylate beads and long‐term intravenous antibiotics. In the Instillation group the rate of recurrence of infection was 3/30 (10%), whereas 55/93 (58.5%) of the controls had a recurrence (p<0.0001). Moreover, in those treated with instillation the total duration of hospital stay was shorter and number of surgical procedures smaller as compared with the controls (all p<0.0001). We conclude that in posttraumatic osteomyelitis negative pressure instillation therapy reduces the need for repeated surgical interventions in comparison with the present standard approach.
Effects of negative pressure wound therapy on cellular energetics in fibroblasts grown in a provisional wound (fibrin) matrix
Authors: McNulty Amy K. , Schmidt Marisa , Feeley Teri , Villanueva Patricia , Kieswetter Kris
Published: March 2009

Negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) using reticulated open cell foam dressing (ROCF) is effective for treatment of recalcitrant wounds; however, the effects of this therapy on cellular metabolism remain to be elucidated. The effect of two different subatmospheric pressure applications on the cell energetics of human fibroblasts grown in a 3D fibrin matrix was studied using two different pressure‐manifolding materials, an ROCF or gauze under suction (GUS). It was found that levels of cytochrome c oxidase, energy charge, and adenosine triphosphate/adenosine diphosphate were significantly increased following the application of NPWT using ROCF vs. GUS (p<0.05). Increases in these parameters likely reflect an improved energetic status. In addition, levels of transforming growth factor‐β and platelet‐derived growth factor (α and β isoforms) were significantly increased (80 and 53%, respectively; p<0.05) over static control cultures following treatment with NPWT using ROCF but not following GUS. These growth factors are known to be important during wound healing. Clearly, both the material used as the dressing to manifold the subatmospheric pressure and the pressure used have a dramatic effect on cellular response.
The spatio‐temporal dynamics of ligament healing
Authors: Chamberlain Connie S. , Crowley Erin , Vanderby Ray
Published: March 2009

Ligament injury commonly occurs with no effective treatment to restore its original state. Numerous studies have examined wound healing after injury, reporting a provisional matrix and scar formation within the wound. Few studies however report the inflammatory, proliferative, and remodeling process during ligament healing in a spatio‐temporal manner. Our goal was then to more completely elucidate this process in a rat medial collateral ligament (MCL) healing model. In this study, medial collateral ligaments were surgically transected and allowed to heal. At 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, and 28 days postinjury ligaments were collected and examined with microangiography or immunohistochemistry. We demonstrate that neutrophils and mitotic cells peak between 1 and 5 days postinjury. The majority of factors crest between 5 and 9 days postinjury, including circulating macrophages, resident macrophages, T lymphocytes, hematopoietic cells, vascular endothelial growth factor, and blood vessels. The apoptotic cells predominate from day 9 to the end of the study (day 28). Initially, most assayed markers localize to the epiligament and to granulation tissue at the site of damage. Later, the healing region with its granulation tissue and cells continues to expand into the uninjured tissue. From these results, we have expanded current descriptions of ligament healing and offer a more complete representation of the healing process.
Real Options, Product Market Competition, and Asset Returns
Authors: AGUERREVERE FELIPE L.
Published: March 2009

We study how competition in the product market affects the link between firms' real investment decisions and their asset return dynamics. In our model, assets in place and growth options have different sensitivities to market wide uncertainty. The strategic behavior of market participants influences the relative importance of these components of firm value. We show that the relationship between the degree of competition and assets' expected rates of return varies with product market demand. When demand is low, firms in more competitive industries earn higher returns, whereas when demand is high firms in more concentrated industries earn higher returns.
Income Risk and Portfolio Choice: An Empirical Study
Authors: ANGERER XIAOHONG , LAM POK‐SANG
Published: March 2009

This paper investigates the relationship between portfolio choice and labor income risk in the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1979 Cohort. Permanent income risk (variability of shocks to income that have permanent effect) significantly reduces the share of risky assets in the household's portfolio, while transitory income risk (variability of shocks with no lasting effect) does not. This result provides strong evidence that households' portfolio choices respond to labor income risks in a manner consistent with economic theory.
Catheter Ablation of Atrial Tachycardia Following Atrial Fibrillation Ablation
Authors: WEERASOORIYA RUKSHEN , JAÏS PIERRE , WRIGHT MATTHEW , MATSUO SEIICHIRO , KNECHT SÉBASTIEN , NAULT ISABELLE , SACHER FREDERIC , DEPLAGNE ANTOINE , BORDACHAR PIERRE , HOCINI MÉLÈZE , HAÏSSAGUERRE MICHEL
Published: March 2009

Atrial tachycardias represent the second front of atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation. They are frequently encountered during the index ablation for patients with persistent AF and are common following ablation of persistent AF, occurring in half of all patients who have had AF successfully terminated. An atrial tachycardia is rightly seen as a failure of AF ablation, as these tachycardias are poorly tolerated by patients. This article describes a simple, practical approach to diagnosis and ablation of these atrial tachycardias.
Long‐Term Clinical Follow‐up after Sirolimus‐Eluting Stent versus Bare Metal Stent Implantation in Patients with Acute Coronary Syndrome
Authors: OGITA MANABU , NAKAMURA TOMOHIRO , FUJIWARA NAOKI , SAKAKURA KENICHI , FUNAYAMA HIROSHI , SUGAWARA YOSHITAKA , KUBO NORIFUMI , AKO JUNYA , MOMOMURA SHINICHI
Published: March 2009

Background and Objective: Drug‐eluting stents have been shown to reduce the incidence of restenosis and target vessel revascularization (TVR) compared with bare metal stents (BMSs); however, the long‐term efficacy of sirolimus‐eluting stent (SES) implantation in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) has not been well established. We have investigated the long‐term clinical outcome of SES in patients with ACS.

Methods: Consecutive 245 patients with ACS treated by primary stenting within 24 hours after onset were enrolled. There were 128 patients treated with SES and 117 patients were treated with BMS. We evaluated the incidence of major cardiac events (MACE; total death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, TVR) at 3 years, comparing with 8‐month clinical outcome.

Results: Eight‐month clinical follow‐up shows a significantly lower incidence of TVR in the SES group, 3.1% in the SES group versus 9.4% in the BMS group (P = 0.04). At 3‐year clinical follow‐up, there was no significant difference in the rate of TVR between the two groups, 8.4% versus 12.4% (P = 0.37). Cumulative incidence of total MACE was 9.2% in the SES group compared with 15.9% in the BMS group (P = 0.18). Only one case of stent thrombosis was observed in the SES (late thrombosis), while two cases of stent thrombosis occurred in the BMS group (late and very late thrombosis; P = 0.55).

Conclusion: SES implantation in patients with ACS is associated with favorable long‐term clinical outcome with no excess of late stent thrombosis. Further long‐term clinical follow‐up will be warranted to confirm the safety and efficacy of SES.
Drug Delivery at the Aortic Valve Tissues of Healthy Domestic Pigs with a Paclitaxel‐Eluting Valvuloplasty Balloon
Authors: SPARGIAS KONSTANTINOS , MILEWSKI KRZYSTOF , DEBINSKI MARCIN , BUSZMAN PIOTR P , COKKINOS DENNIS V , POGGE REMBERT , BUSZMAN PAWEL
Published: March 2009

Background: Restenosis occurs invariably within 1 year following balloon valvulopasty in aortic valve stenosis. The mechanism of restenosis seems to involve a dynamic cellular component that could be a target for drug inhibition. We investigated the feasibility of local drug delivery at the aortic valve tissues of healthy pigs with a paclitaxel‐eluting balloon.

Methods: Aortic valvuloplasty was performed in eight anesthetized domestic pigs using paclitaxel‐eluting balloons (3 μg/mm2 balloon surface area). They were assigned to two or four times 15‐second balloon inflations and were sacrificed 30 minutes after final balloon inflation.

Results: The aortic annulus to balloon diameter ratio was 1.15 ± 0.07. The mean paclitaxel concentration in the aortic valve leaflets was 0.91 ± 1.36 μg/mL (0.34 ± 0.05 μg/mL in the two‐inflation group, 1.48 ± 1.86 μg/mL in the four‐inflation group, P = 0.23). The percentage of the total paclitaxel dose recovered in the aortic valve leaflets was 18 ± 11−6% (13 ± 6−6% and 25 ± 14−6% in the two‐ and four‐inflation group, P = 0.16).

Conclusion: Local drug delivery at the aortic valve leaflets of healthy pigs with a paclitaxel‐eluting balloon is feasible and concentrations within the therapeutic window are detected 30 minutes after the procedure. The antirestenotic potential of this treatment should be studied.
Modulation of suicidal erythrocyte cation channels by an AMPA antagonist
Authors: Föller Michael , Mahmud Hasan , Gu Shuchen , Kucherenko Yuliya , Gehring Eva‐Maria , Shumilina Ekaterina , Floride Elisa , Sprengel Rolf , Lang Florian
Published: March 2009

In neurons alpha‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methyl‐4‐isoxazolepropionic acid (AMPA) receptors are heteromeric cation channels composed of different sub‐units, including GluA1‐GluA4. When expressed without GluA2, AMPA receptors function as Ca2+‐permeable cation channels. In erythrocytes, activation of Ca2+‐permeable cation channels triggers suicidal erythrocyte death or eryptosis, which is characterized by cell shrinkage and cell membrane scrambling with subsequent exposure of phosphatidylserine at the cell surface. Activators of the channels and thus eryptosis include removal of extracellular Cl− (replaced by gluconate) and energy depletion (removal of glucose). The present study explored whether GluA1 is expressed in human erythrocytes and whether pharmacological AMPA receptor inhibition modifies Ca2+ entry and suicidal death of human erythrocytes. GluA1 protein abundance was determined by confocal microscopy, phosphatidylserine exposure was estimated from annexin V binding, cell volume from forward scatter in FACS analysis, cytosolic Ca2+ concentration from Fluo3 fluorescence and channel activity by whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings. As a result, GluA1 is indeed expressed in the erythrocyte cell membrane. The AMPA receptor antagonist NBQX (1,2,3,4‐tetrahydro‐6‐nitro‐2,3‐dioxo‐benzo[f]quinoxaline‐7‐sulfonamide) inhibited the cation channels following Cl− removal and the eryptosis following Cl− removal or energy depletion. The present study reveals a novel action of AMPA receptor antagonists and raises the possibility that GluA1 or a pharmacologically related protein participates in the regulation of Ca2+ entry into and suicidal death of human erythrocytes.
Neural progenitors derived from human embryonic stem cells are targeted by allogeneic T and natural killer cells
Authors: Preynat‐Seauve Olivier , de Rham Casimir , Tirefort Diderik , Ferrari‐Lacraz Sylvie , Krause Karl‐Heinz , Villard Jean
Published: March 2009

Neural progenitor cells (NPC) of foetal origin or derived from human embryonic stem cells (HESC) have the potential to differentiate into mature neurons after transplantation into the central nervous system, opening the possibility of cell therapy for neurodegenerative disorders. In most cases, the transplanted NPC are genetically unrelated to the recipient, leading to potential rejection of the transplanted cells. Very few data provide reliable information as to the potential immune response of allogeneic neural progenitors derived from HESC. In this study, we analyzed in vitro the allogeneic immune response of T lymphocytes and natural killer (NK) cells to NPC derived from HESC or of foetal origin. We demonstrate that NPC induce T‐cell stimulation and a strong NK cytotoxic response. NK‐cell activity is unrelated to MHC‐I expression but driven by the activating NKG2D receptor. Cyclosporine and dexamethasone previously used in clinical studies with foetal NPC did not only fail to prevent NK alloreactivity but strongly inhibited the terminal maturation from NPC into mature neurons. We conclude that allogenic transplantation of NPC in the central nervous system will most likely require an immunosuppressive regimen targeting allogenic T and NK cells, whereas possible interference with the differentiation of NPC needs to be carefully evaluated.
A rare case of atypical cellular neurothekeoma in a 68‐year‐old woman
Authors: Mertz Kirsten D. , Mentzel Thomas , Grob Martin , Pfaltz Madeleine , Kempf Werner
Published: March 2009

Cellular neurothekeoma is a benign dermal lesion of uncertain differentiation. The atypical variant of cellular neurothekeoma, characterized by features such as large size, deep penetration, diffusely infiltrative borders, vascular invasion, high mitotic rate and marked cytologic pleomorphism, has been very rarely reported in the literature. We present the clinical, histopathological and immunohistochemical profile of a new case of atypical cellular neurothekeoma in a 68‐year‐old female patient who was diagnosed with ductal breast carcinoma in situ before. An erythematous painless papule arose in her right breast, and tentative clinical diagnosis was orientated toward skin metastasis of breast cancer or fibroma. Upon histological examination, the lesion showed the histological and immunohistochemical features of atypical variant of cellular neurothekeoma with high mitotic rate, marked cellular pleomorphism and penetration into subcutaneous fat. A further unusual feature in our patient was her age, because she is the oldest patient reported in the literature with diagnosis of atypical cellular neurothekeoma so far. Prognosis remains uncertain because only few cases of atypical cellular neurothekeoma have been reported in the literature, with a very limited follow‐up time. Our report contributes to a better characterization of the clinical and morphologic features of atypical cellular neurothekeoma.
Syringomatous adenoma of the nipple occurring within a supernumerary breast: a case report
Authors: Page Robert N. , Dittrich Lee , King Roy , Boulos Fouad , Page David L.
Published: March 2009

Originally described by Rosen in 1983, syringomatous nipple adenoma (SAN) is a tumor of disputed histogenesis, which can be problematic both diagnostically and therapeutically.1 It is a benign primary tumor of breast epithelium with histology similar to that of the syringoma. In the current case, we describe a 40‐year‐old female with this lesion occurring within a supernumerary breast. This case represents, to our knowledge, the first such reported case, and represents a significant finding as its presence could lend some confusion as to whether or not this represents a benign primary process of breast or a potentially infiltrative tumor of the skin.
Topical application of green and white tea extracts provides protection from solar‐simulated ultraviolet light in human skin
Authors: Camouse Melissa M. , Domingo Diana Santo , Swain Freddie R. , Conrad Edward P. , Matsui Mary S. , Maes Daniel , Declercq Lieve , Cooper Kevin D. , Stevens Seth R. , Baron Elma D.
Published: March 2009

Background:  Tea polyphenols have been found to exert beneficial effects on the skin via their antioxidant properties.

Aims:  We sought to determine whether topical application of green tea or white tea extracts would prevent simulated solar radiation‐induced oxidative damages to DNA and Langerhans cells that may lead to immune suppression and carcinogenesis.

Methods:  Skin samples were analysed from volunteers or skin explants treated with white tea or green tea after UV irradiation. In another group of patients, the in vivo immune protective effects of green and white tea were evaluated using contact hypersensitivity to dinitrochlorobenzene.

Results:  Topical application of green and white tea offered protection against detrimental effects of UV on cutaneous immunity. Such protection is not because of direct UV absorption or sunscreen effects as both products showed a sun protection factor of 1. There was no significant difference in the levels of protection afforded by the two agents. Hence, both green tea and white tea are potential photoprotective agents that may be used in conjunction with established methods of sun protection.
Long‐term suppression of tyrosinase by terrein via tyrosinase degradation and its decreased expression
Authors: Park Seo‐Hyoung , Kim Dong‐Seok , Lee Hyun‐Kyung , Kwon Sun‐Bang , Lee Sangku , Ryoo In‐Ja , Kim Won‐Gon , Yoo Ick‐Dong , Park Kyoung‐Chan
Published: March 2009

Abstract:  Previously, we reported that a fungal metabolite, terrein, decreases melanin synthesis via downregulation of microphthalmia‐associated transcription factor (MITF). In the present study, we further investigated the long‐term hypopigmenting action of terrein in a spontaneously immortalized mouse melanocyte cell line, Mel‐Ab. Treatment with terrein at a concentration of 50 μm strongly decreased melanogenesis in a time‐dependent manner. Interestingly, the decreased tyrosinase protein levels lasted for at least 7 days, even though the MITF protein levels were restored after 3 days of treatment. In accordance with the results of Western blot analyses, the tyrosinase mRNA levels were found to be continuously decreased for at least 7 days, even though recovery of the MITF mRNA levels began after 3 days of terrein treatment. Therefore, we evaluated tyrosinase downregulation to determine if it is caused by proteasomal degradation. We found that the reduction in tyrosinase levels that was induced by terrein was clearly recovered by MG‐132, a proteasome inhibitor. Moreover, ubiquitination of tyrosinase increased following treatment with terrein in the presence of MG‐132. Taken together, these results suggest that terrein decreases melanogenesis through ubiquitin‐dependent proteasomal degradation as well as via decreased expression of its mRNA.
A method for the analysis of milk and egg allergens for the atopy patch test
Authors: Ballabio Cinzia , Fiocchi Alessandro , Martelli Alberto , Pecora Silvia , Burastero Samuele E. , Restani Patrizia
Published: March 2009

Abstract:  The patch test with food antigens (atopy patch test, APT) has been reported as a more specific method than prick or RAST for the early detection of cow’s milk and/or egg sensitizations in children. Standardization of APT extracts is a major issue on the road towards full clinical exploitation of this assay. Here, we used sodium dodecyl sulphate polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE) to characterize sensitivity and specificity of commercial preparations of APT for milk and egg allergies, which are expected to improve the reliability of this test, when compared with fresh food allergen sources. We found that: (i) SDS‐PAGE is an appropriate technique for quality control of APT and (ii) commercial milk and egg APT are equivalent to fresh food preparations in terms of allergen content. Clinical trials aimed at characterizing sensitivity and specificity of APT in the diagnosis of food allergy in children will benefit from this technique.
Evaluation of radiation‐induced hair follicle apoptosis in mice and the preventive effects of fibroblast growth factor‐1
Authors: Nakayama Fumiaki , Hagiwara Akiko , Kimura Miho , Akashi Makoto , Imamura Toru
Published: March 2009

Abstract:  Radiation‐induced hair loss is a clinically important, but under‐researched topic. The aim of the study was to develop an in vivo assay system for radiation‐induced apoptosis in hair follicles to promote hair research and exploit new radioprotectors. BALB/c mice received total body irradiation (TBI) with γ‐rays at doses in the range from 8 to 16 Gy at 6 days after depilation. Pathological changes were detected progressively in the hair follicles over the time course after TBI and the dystrophy was evaluated on the basis of stage‐specific parameters reported previously, which were found to be well‐suited for classification of the radiation‐induced hair follicle dystrophy. As a result, regression from anagen to catagen was determined in these follicles after irradiation. In addition, radiation‐induced apoptosis was a good early dystrophic parameter. In this system, it was found that fibroblast growth factor‐1 effectively prevented hair follicle apoptosis in mice.