bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The rate of hepatitis B and C virus infections and the importance of HBV vaccination in children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Tavil Betul , Cetin Mualla , Tuncer Murat , Gumruk Fatma , Yuce Aysel , Demir Hulya , Aytac Selin , Kuskonmaz Baris , Unal Sule , Yetgin Sevgi
Published: May 2007

Aim: The aim of the study was to evaluate the rate of hepatitis B and C virus infection and emphasize the importance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccination in leukemic children.

Methods: One hundred and sixty children who were treated for acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) at Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Pediatric Hematology Unit were included in the study. They were 71 (44.4%) girls and 89 (55.6%) boys with a mean age of 6.45 ± 3.87 years.

Results: Of these 160 children, 22 (13.8%) were anti‐HBs‐positive and 138 (86.2%) were anti‐HBs‐negative at the diagnosis of ALL. Among the 138 anti‐HBs‐negative children, 67 (41.9%) were vaccinated for HBV during maintenance chemotherapy, and 71 (44.3%) could not be vaccinated. Two (2.9%) vaccinated and 22 (30.9%) unvaccinated children developed HBV infection during the follow‐up period (P < 0.001). Among 160 children treated for ALL, 24 (15.0%) had HBV, three (1.9%) had hepatitis C virus (HCV) infections, and 29 (18.1%) had toxic hepatitis. The majority of patients with HBV or HCV infections had high risk (HR) protocol, whereas most of the patients with toxic hepatitis had low risk (LR) protocol, especially St Jude Total XIII LR protocol.

Conclusion: Viral hepatitis and toxic hepatitis were observed more commonly in the HR and LR group, respectively, of ALL patients. This could be explained by intensive chemotherapy and more heavy blood product administration in the HR group and the chemotherapeutic agents of methotrexate and 6‐mercaptopurine, basic drugs used in the LR group. In respect to protection from these complications, periodical liver function tests, serological tests for HBV and HCV, and vaccination for HBV should be performed for all children with ALL.
Lamivudine treatment‐related morphological changes of esophageal varices in patients with liver cirrhosis
Authors: Koga Hiroyuki , Ide Tatsuya , Oho Kazuhiko , Kuwahara Reiichiro , Hino Teruko , Ogata Kei , Hisamochi Akiko , Tanaka Kazuo , Kumashiro Ryukichi , Toyonaga Atsushi , Sata Michio
Published: May 2007

Aim:  Many studies have reported the therapeutic effects of lamivudine on cirrhotic patients with hepatitis B; however, no study has investigated the morphological changes of esophageal varices after lamivudine treatment.

Method:  The morphological changes of esophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis were retrospectively compared between 12 patients treated with lamivudine and six historical untreated patients.

Results:  In the treated group, the HBV DNA and hyaluronic acid (HA) levels in the serum were significantly lower than those in the untreated group (P = 0.013 and P = 0.009, respectively) at the end of follow‐up, with a significant improvement in the Child–Pugh–Turcotte score (P = 0.022). In the treated group, the disappearance or reduction of esophageal varices was observed in six (50%) of the 12 patients. In three (25%) of the 12 patients, esophageal varices worsened. In the remaining three patients (25%), there were no changes in esophageal varices. In the untreated group, all patients showed the worsening of esophageal varices during the follow‐up period, with a significant difference between this group and the treated group (P = 0.009). The serum HA level decreased in the nine treated patients without worsening of esophageal varices. However, in the three patients with worsening, the HA level significantly increased.

Conclusion:  Lamivudine treatment for patients with cirrhosis improves not only liver function but also esophageal varices.
The Importance of the
Compatibility of Nonlinear Constitutive Theories With Their Linear
Counterparts
Authors: Quintanilla Ramon , Saccomandi Giuseppe
Published: May 2007

We show, by considering a special class of nonlinear viscoelastic materials, that consistency of a mechanical model with classical linear viscoelasticity, may be a fundamental condition to ensure a mathematical and physical well-posedness behavior. To illustrate our arguments we use a rectilinear class of shear motions that we investigate in the static and quasistatic case in the framework of a simple boundary value problem and the classical recovery phenomenon.
Single Degree of Freedom Model for Thermoelastic Damping
Authors: Rajagopalan Jagannathan , Saif M. Taher A.
Published: May 2007

Finding the thermoelastic damping in a vibrating body, for the most general case, involves the simultaneous solving of the three equations for displacements and one equation for temperature (called the heat equation). Since these are a set of coupled nonlinear partial differential equations there is considerable difficulty in solving them, especially for finite geometries. This paper presents a single degree of freedom (SDOF) model that explores the possibility of estimating thermoelastic damping in a body, vibrating in a particular mode, using only its geometry and material properties, without solving the heat equation. In doing so, the model incorporates the notion of “modal temperatures,” akin to modal displacements and modal frequencies. The procedure for deriving the equations that determine the thermoelastic damping for an arbitrary system, based on the model, is presented. The procedure is implemented for the specific case of a rectangular cantilever beam vibrating in its first mode and the resulting equations solved to obtain the damping behavior. The damping characteristics obtained for the rectangular cantilever beam, using the model, is compared with results previously published in the literature. The results show good qualitative agreement with Zener’s well known approximation. The good qualitative agreement between the predictions of the model and Zener’s approximation suggests that the model captures the essence of thermoelastic damping in vibrating bodies. The ability of this model to provide a good qualitative picture of thermoelastic damping suggests that other forms of dissipation might also be amenable for description using such simple models.
A Complete Perfectly Plastic Solution for the Mode I Crack Problem Under Plane Stress Loading Conditions
Authors: Unger David J.
Published: May 2007

A continuous stress field for the mode I crack problem for a perfectly plastic material under plane stress loading conditions has been obtained recently. Here, a kinematically admissible velocity field is introduced, which is compatible with the continuous stress field obtained earlier. By associating these two fields together, it is shown that they constitute a complete solution for the uncontained plastic flow problem around a finite length internal crack, having a positive rate of plastic work. The yield condition employed is an alternative criterion first proposed by Richard von Mises in order to approximate the plane stress Huber-Mises yield condition, which is elliptical in shape, to one that is composed of two intersecting parabolas in the principal stress plane.
The Lure of the Mean
Axes
Authors: Meirovitch Leonard , Tuzcu Ilhan
Published: May 2007

A variety of aerospace structures, such as missiles, spacecraft, aircraft, and helicopters, can be modeled as unrestrained flexible bodies. The state equations of motion of such systems tend to be quite involved. Because some of these formulations were carried out decades ago when computers were inadequate, the emphasis was on analytical solutions. This, in turn, prompted some investigators to simplify the formulations beyond all reasons, a practice continuing to this date. In particular, the concept of mean axes has often been used without regard to the negative implications. The allure of the mean axes lies in the fact that in some cases they can help decouple the system inertially. Whereas in the case of some space structures this may mean complete decoupling, in the case of missiles, aircraft, and helicopters the systems remain coupled through the aerodynamic forces. In fact, in the latter case the use of mean axes only complicates matters. With the development of powerful computers and software capable of producing numerical solutions to very complex problems, such as MATLAB and MATHEMATICA, there is no compelling reason to insist on closed-form solutions, particularly when undue simplifications can lead to erroneous results.
On the Shear Modulus of Two-Dimensional Liquid Foams: A Theoretical Study of the Effect of Geometrical Disorder
Authors: Kruyt N. P.
Published: May 2007

The shear modulus of two-dimensional liquid foams in the dry limit of low liquid content has been studied theoretically. The focus is on the effect of geometrical disorder on the shear modulus (besides the influence of surface tension). Various theoretical predictions are formulated that are all based on the assumptions of isotropic geometrical characteristics, incompressible bubbles, and negligible edge curvature. Three of these predictions are based on a transformation of Princen’s theory that is strictly valid only for regular hexagonal bubbles. Another prediction takes into account variations in bubble areas by considering the foam as consisting of approximately regular hexagonal bubbles with varying areas. Two other predictions are solely based on the characteristics of the bubble edges. The first of these is based on the assumption of affine movement of bubble vertices, while the second accounts for nonaffine deformation by considering the interaction with neighboring edges. The theoretical predictions for the shear modulus are compared with the result from a single foam simulation. For the single simulation considered, all predictions, except that based on affine movement of bubble vertices, are close to the value obtained from this simulation.
Comparison of hydrologically based instream flow methods using a resampling technique
Authors: Caissie Daniel , El-Jabi Nassir , Hébert Cindie
Published: May 2007

The protection of fish habitat against the impact of water extraction in rivers is a recurring problem in water resources management. As such, a wide range of methodologies is available for the calculation of instream flows. This study focuses on historical streamflow methods that rely solely on hydrometric data for instream flow evaluation. The objectives of the study are to compare different historical streamflow methods and use a jackknife resampling technique to assess the variability of instream flow estimates. Results showed that methods based on a percentage of mean annual flow (MAF) generated higher levels of instream flow protection and showed low spatial and sample size variability. Low spatial variability makes the MAF methods more suitable for calculations of instream flows for ungauged basins. The Q50 method provided relatively high levels of instream flow protection; however, spatial and sample size variability were higher than those for the MAF methods. Lastly, the results showed that some methods generated low instream flow protection (namely, the Q90, 7Q2, and 7Q10 methods), especially for small streams, and thus are not recommended for use.Key words: instream flow, aquatic habitat, water withdrawal, impact assessment.
Suspended sediment prediction using two different feed-forward back-propagation algorithms
Authors: Ardıçlıoğlu Mehmet , Kişi Özgür , Haktanır Tefaruk
Published: May 2007

IIn this paper the capability of two different feed-forward back-propagation neural network algorithms, namely Levenberg-Marquardt and gradient-descent, in solving complex nonlinear problems is utilized for suspended sediment prediction. The monthly streamflow and suspended sediment data from two stations, Palu and Çayağzi, in the Firat Basin in Turkey are used as case studies. The first part of the study involves the prediction of sediment data for the two stations. The second part of the study focuses on the prediction of the downstream station sediment data using upstream data. The effect of the periodicity on model performance is also investigated in each application.Key words: suspended sediment, neural networks, multilinear regression, prediction.
Characteristics of free overfall for supercritical flows
Authors: Tokyay Nuray Denli , Yildiz Dilek
Published: May 2007

The characteristics of supercritical flow at a vertical drop in a rectangular channel are studied experimentally to obtain information that would be valuable to designers of hydraulic structures. The relationship between the ratio of brink depth to the depth of upstream supercritical flow (i.e., end-depth ratio) and the Froude number is determined. Downstream from the vertical drop, the physical characteristics of the falling jet are examined, such as the height of the standing water behind the jet, the maximum horizontal distance of the jet hitting the floor downstream, the height and length of the splashing water, and the horizontal distance where the downstream flow gains uniformity. The energy loss between the drop and stable downstream flow is also studied.Key words: supercritical flow, brink depth, free fall.
An integrated methodology for collecting, classifying, and analyzing Canadian construction court cases
Authors: Chehayeb Amir , Al-Hussein Mohamed , Flynn Peter
Published: May 2007

Construction contracts are becoming more complicated, and the increase in complexity of construction processes, documents, and conditions of contracts has contributed to a higher possibility of disputes and conflicting interpretations. The judicial system has been the means for dispute resolution for claims that cannot be solved through other means such as negotiation and arbitration. Knowledge of previous outcomes of judicial processes will both inform participants in a dispute and increase the likelihood of a less-expensive out-of-court dispute-resolution process. This paper presents a methodology to classify, categorize, and analyze Canadian case-law construction claims. In total, 567 Canadian construction court cases have been collected from 10 different sources and are classified into 12 categories that follow the Canadian Construction Documents Committee (CCDC) standard construction contract document CCDC 2-1994. The proposed methodology is implemented in a computer-integrated system called the Canadian construction claim tracker (CCCT), which consists of one central database and three modules, namely a statistical module, a prediction module, and a classification module. The CCCT provides its users with easy and quick access to past case-law claim information.Key words: construction courts, claims, litigation, artificial neural networks, Canadian Construction Documents Committee.
Real-time PCR and enzyme-linked fluorescent assay methods for detecting Shiga-toxin-producingEscherichia coliin mincemeat samples
Authors: Stefan A. , Scaramagli S. , Bergami R. , Mazzini C. , Barbanera M. , Perelle S. , Fach P.
Published: May 2007

This work aimed to compare real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) with the commercially available enzyme-linked fluorescent assay (ELFA) VIDAS ECOLI O157™ for detecting Escherichia coli O157 in mincemeat. In addition, a PCR-based survey on Shiga-toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) in mincemeat collected in Italy is presented. Real-time PCR assays targeting the stx genes and a specific STEC O157 sequence (SILO157, a small inserted locus of STEC O157) were tested for their sensitivity on spiked mincemeat samples. After overnight enrichment, the presence of STEC cells could be clearly determined in the 25 g samples containing 10 bacterial cells, while the addition of five bacteria provided equivocal PCR results with Ct values very close to or above the threshold of 40. The PCR tests proved to be more sensitive than the ELFA-VIDAS ECOLI O157™, whose detection level started from 50 bacterial cells/25 g of mincemeat. The occurrence of STEC in 106 mincemeat (bovine, veal) samples collected from September to November 2004 at five different points of sale in Italy (one point of sale in Arezzo, Tuscany, central Italy, two in Mantova, Lombardy, Northern Italy, and two in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, upper-central Italy) was less than 1%. Contamination by the main STEC O-serogroups representing a major public health concern, including O26, O91, O111, O145, and O157, was not detected. This survey indicates that STEC present in these samples are probably not associated with pathogenesis in humans.
THE MEMBERSHIP PROBLEM IN FINITE FLAT HYPERGRAPH ALGEBRAS
Authors: KUN GÁBOR , VÉRTESI VERA
Published: May 2007

The membership problem asks whether a finite algebra belongs to the variety generated by another finite algebra. In some sense the β-function is the measure of the complexity of the membership problem. We investigate the β-function for finite flat hypergraph algebras and prove that in general it is not bounded by any polynomial.
WADA'S REPRESENTATION IS OF BURAU TYPE
Authors: ABDULRAHIM MOHAMMAD N.
Published: May 2007

We consider the Magnus representation of the image of the braid group under a representation discovered by Wada. We first investigate the question about the reducibility of this representation and show that it is of Burau type. Next, we show that the images of the generators of the braid group under that representation are unitary relative to a hermitian matrix. This is similar to the well known result by Squier that asserts that the Burau representation of the braid group is unitary.
ON A NEW APPROACH TO THE DUAL SYMMETRIC INVERSE MONOID $\mathcal{I}_{X}^{\ast}$
Authors: MALTCEV VICTOR
Published: May 2007

We construct the inverse partition semigroup[Formula: see text], isomorphic to the dual symmetric inverse monoid[Formula: see text], introduced in [6]. We give a convenient geometric illustration for elements of [Formula: see text]. We describe all maximal subsemigroups of [Formula: see text] and find a generating set for [Formula: see text] when X is finite. We prove that all the automorphisms of [Formula: see text] are inner. We show how to embed the symmetric inverse semigroup into the inverse partition one. For finite sets X, we establish that, up to equivalence, there is a unique faithful effective transitive representation of [Formula: see text], namely to [Formula: see text]. Finally, we construct an interesting [Formula: see text]-cross-section of [Formula: see text], which is reminiscent of [Formula: see text], the [Formula: see text]-cross-section of [Formula: see text], constructed in [4].
A SEMI-IMPLICIT APPROACH FOR FLUID-STRUCTURE INTERACTION BASED ON AN ALGEBRAIC FRACTIONAL STEP METHOD
Authors: QUAINI A. , QUARTERONI A.
Published: May 2007

We address the numerical simulation of fluid-structure interaction problems characterized by a strong added-mass effect. We propose a semi-implicit coupling scheme based on an algebraic fractional-step method. The basic idea of a semi-implicit scheme consists in coupling implicitly the added-mass effect, while the other terms (dissipation, convection and geometrical nonlinearities) are treated explicitly. Thanks to this kind of explicit–implicit splitting, computational costs can be reduced (in comparison to fully implicit coupling algorithms) and the scheme remains stable for a wide range of discretization parameters. In this paper we derive this kind of splitting from the algebraic formulation of the coupled fluid-structure problem (after finite-element space discretization). From our knowledge, it is the first time that algebraic fractional step methods, used thus far only for fluid problems in computational domains with rigid boundaries, are applied to fluid-structure problems. In particular, for the specific semi-implicit method presented in this work, we adapt the Yosida scheme to the case of a coupled fluid-structure problem. This scheme relies on an approximate LU block factorization of the matrix obtained after the discretization in time and space of the fluid-structure system.

We analyze the numerical performances of this scheme on 2D fluid-structure simulations performed with a simple 1D structure model.
Quantitative analysis of liver metabolites in three stages of the circannual hibernation cycle in 13-lined ground squirrels by NMR
Authors: Serkova Natalie J. , Rose James C. , Epperson L. Elaine , Carey Hannah V. , Martin Sandra L.
Published: May 2007

Thirteen-lined ground squirrels and other circannual hibernators undergo profound physiological changes on an annual basis, transitioning from summer homeothermy [body temperature (Tb) ∼37°C] to winter heterothermy (Tbcycling between 0°C and 37°C). We hypothesize that these physiological changes are reflected in biochemical changes that provide mechanistic insights into, and biomarkers for, hibernation states. Here we report the results of an NMR-based metabolomics analysis of liver extracts from ground squirrels in three distinct physiological states of circannual hibernation: summer active (SA), late torpor (LT), and reentering torpor (Ent) after one of the euthermic arousals. Of the 43 identified and quantified metabolites, 36 differed among these three states and fell into two patterns of variation: 1) SA differed from both of the two winter states; or 2) the two winter states differed from each other, but one of the two was not different from SA. Concentrations of hepatic glucose, lactate, alanine, succinate, β-hydroxybutyrate, glutamine, and betaine were identified as robust hepatic biomarkers that together distinguish among animals in these three states of the circannual hibernation rhythm. These data are consistent with a proposed two-switch model of hibernation, in which setting the summer-winter switch to winter enables expression of a distinct torpor-arousal switch. The summer-winter switch is characterized by the metabolites associated with the well-known switch from carbohydrate to lipid fuel utilization during hibernation. The torpor-arousal switch is characterized by the accumulation of metabolites of nitrogen (glutamine) and phospholipid (betaine) catabolism in LT with the capacity to act as protective osmolytes.
Expression of Interleukin-17F in a Mouse Model of Allergic Asthma
Authors: Suzuki Shintaro , Kokubu Fumio , Kawaguchi Mio , Homma Tetsuya , Odaka Miho , Watanabe Shin , Ieki Koshi , Matsukura Satoshi , Kurokawa Masatsugu , Takeuchi Hiroko , Sasaki Yoshiko , Huang Shau-Ku , Adachi Mitsuru , Ota Hidekazu
Published: May 2007

Background: Interleukin (IL)-17F is a recently discovered cytokine and is derived from a panel of limited cell types, such as activated CD4+ T cells, basophils, and mast cells. IL-17F is known to induce several cytokines and chemokines. However, its involvement in airway inflammation has not been well understood. To this end, the expression of IL-17F and the inhibitory effects of glucocorticoids on its expression in a mouse model of asthma were examined. Methods: Five-week-old BALB/c male mice were sensitized by intraperitoneal injection (i.p.) of ovalbumin (OVA) with alum, and challenged by daily inhalation of aerosolized 1% OVA. 24 h after last challenge (OVA/OVA), the expression of IL-17F was examined in lung tissues by immunohistochemistry and reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Control mice were sensitized and challenged with saline (Sham/Sham). In addition, a group of OVA-sensitized mice received i.p. injection of water-soluble dexamethasone (DEX) in saline 1 h before OVA challenge (OVA/DEX). Results: In sham-challenged mice, IL-17F was not expressed in the lungs, while, in contrast, IL-17F was predominantly expressed in bronchial epithelial cells in addition to the infiltrating inflammatory cells in OVA/OVA mice. Further, the expression of IL-17 F was significantly attenuated by the treatment of mice with DEX. Conclusion: These results suggest that bronchial epithelium-derived IL-17F may represent a new pharmacological target for glucocorticoids and may play a role in allergic asthma.
Galvanic Vestibular Stimulation
Authors: Swaak A.J.G. , Oosterveld W.J.
Published: May 2007

In order to gain insight into the origin of the eye movements provoked by galvanic vestibular stimulation, experiments were conducted in rabbits. The animals were subjected to a small galvanic stimulation and to a vestibular stimulation (rotation and sinusoidally changing linear accelerations). Application of several stimuli at the same time shows that the effects on the eye movements of each stimulus given separately are summated. Electric stimulation provoked vestibular reflexes; a stronger effect was observed in unilaterally and in bilaterally labyrinthectomized rabbits. This suggests that there is not only an impact of the oculomotor system but of the peripheral vestibular organs too. The conclusion is drawn that electric stimulation of the vestibular system gives information on the functioning of the labyrinths and also about the side where a labyrinthine lesion is located.
Electromyographic Investigations in Torticollis
Authors: Vasilescu C. , Dieckmann G.
Published: May 2007

In 13 patients with torticollis, the electromyographic (EMG) activity in the neck muscles at rest was investigated before, during and after stimulation of the H1 bundle (in horizontal torticollis) and inner part of oral ventral nucleus (in the rotatory form), as well as after their coagulation. Three EMG types of torticollis –spasmodic, myoclonic and mixed – could be differentiated. During the 8-, 25- and 50-Hz stimulations, a diminution in the amplitude and frequency of muscle potentials, followed by electric silence, was most often obtained; in general, the electric silence was preceded by a rhythmic activity of grouped potentials. Following coagulation, no spontaneous EMG activity was any longer recorded in the neck muscles, in the majority of the cases.
Statistical Model Map of the Spinal Cord and its Use
Authors: Zlatoš J. , Čierny G.
Published: May 2007

The present study demonstrates the following points. (1) The possibility of a practical application of a statistical model of the spinal cord obtained by measuring a significant amount of human material and by processing the measurements by means of mathematical methods. (2) It is possible to apply the calculated numerical data grouped in the tables directly to operations in accessible structures of the spinal cord. (3) In order to perform a spinal cord operation on the desired structure, it is sufficient to measure one datum, i.e., half-transverse diameter in the appropriate segments. (4) Possible utilization of modern calculation techniques in additional research in anatomy is described.
Effects of Secobarbital on Performance upon Arousal from Stage 4 Sleep
Authors: Potvin A.R. , Salamy J.G. , Crosier W.G. , Jones K.W. , Doerr J.A.
Published: May 2007

Secobarbital or placebo was administered to six subjects in a random double-blind crossover design. The subjects were interrupted from stage 4 sleep and required to perform a battery of tests. Compared to control scores the results indicate that secobarbital had (1) a negligible effect (less than 5%) on hand tapping coordination and dynamic steadiness; (2) a slight (5–10%) performance decrement on hand tapping speed, critical tracking ability, step reaction time, step movement time, and mental arithmetic; (3) a moderate decrement (20–40%) on visual plus auditory tracking ability, and auditory tracking ability, and (4) a 12% improvement on static steadiness. Few changes were statistically significant. Performance was near normal upon morning awakening. Secobarbital appeared to adversely affect performance primarily on those tasks requiring fast reactions and skilled hand-eye coordination ability in response to unpredictable events.
Peripheral Influences on VPM-VPL Thalamic Nuclei in the Human A Study on Evoked Potentials
Authors: de Divitiis E. , Giaquinto S. , Signorelli C.D.
Published: May 2007

Thalamic evoked potential (TEP) was recorded in VPM-VPL nuclei following ulnar and sciatic stimulation in humans. The latencies of the early positive deflection were found respectively at 9.6±1.5 and 21.2±3.1 msec for stimulation at the elbow and at the popliteal fossa. It was proved that TEP is not produced by muscular activity and is unaffected by attention or distraction. Stimulation of low threshold afferent fibers of the ulnar nerve was followed by TEP, even in the absence of EMG responses. Their nature is discussed. No clear evidence was found that group I afferent fibers of the sciatic nerve project to the thalamus. Group II cutaneous fibers project to the thalamus also through a fast route; late components of TEP (40–45 msec for the ulnar nerve stimulation) are assigned to group III excitation.
Somatomotor Response in Torticollis
Authors: Podivinský F.
Published: May 2007

The effect of the basal ganglia lesion in 13 patients with torticollis on the somatomotor response in the neck muscles was studied. The somatomotor response here shows some characteristics quite different from those in controls. The response amplitudes were larger in patients with torticollis when compared with control responses. The spontaneous muscle activity as well as the evoked SMR did not disappear on cessation of stretch of the neck muscles, and they were still present during muscle relaxing manoeuvres. The findings support the idea that there is an increased static activity in torticollis probably involving both static γ2-motoneurons and static α2-motoneurons. It is hypothetically assumed that the striatal lesion in torticollis may manifest itself by the removal of neostriatal inhibitory output not only in centripetal direction (demonstrated previously), but also in centrifugal descending direction to the brainstem reticular formation resulting in the marked facilitation of static motoneuron activity. The effect of ‘tricks’ on the spontaneous muscular activity and on the SMR, often successful in alleviating torticollis, may be explained on the basis of the interaction between the proprioceptive and the cutaneous impulses (inhibition of the former by the latter). This inhibitron perhaps takes place in the brainstem reticular formation as well as in the centrum medianum and other intralaminar nuclei of the thalamus so that activation of a large number of synapses belonging to certain subcortical proprioceptive-motor circuits of the extrapyramidal system can be prevented. The possibility of excluding muscle contamination in the evaluation of the evoked cortical potentials was discussed in torticollis; in which there is excessive tonic contraction of the neck muscles.
Some Comments on Psychophysics
Authors: Kuhlenbeck H.
Published: May 2007

The basic concepts of psychophysics pertaining to measurable relationships between stimulus and sensation are discussed from the viewpoint of neurological epistemology. Since measurability depends on observation, and observation of an event implies its presence in the space-time system of the server, only such events as occur in one and the same space-time system are considered commensurable. The procedures of psychophysics essentially involve the measuring of physical stimuli by means of standard methods, and the recording of particular responses to these stimuli by the central nervous system. The responses are graded or evaluated quamagnitude or intensity, and the obtained results are then processed in accordance with methods using suitable quantitative terms. On the basis of semantic formulations pertaining to (1) a behavioristic, (2) a mechanistic (materialistic), and (3) a Berkeleian idealistic standpoint, 3 different interpretations of psychophysics and its measurements are considered.
Oral Erythrodiapedesis at the Onset of Cerebrovascular Accidents
Authors: Stoica E. , Iliescu M. , Chimion D.
Published: May 2007

The oral erythrodiapedesis was studied by estimating the number of erythrocytes in the sediment of oral washing fluid. The investigation was performed in the acute period of cerebrovascular accidents. Most of the patients with cerebral infarct (84%) displayed a low oral erythrodiapedesis similar to that noticed in controls. On the contrary more than half of the cerebral hemorrhage patients exhibited a high oral erythrodiapedesis. The authors assume that the cerebral hemorrhages associated with enhanced oral erythrodiapedesis are caused by some general humoral disturbances with repercussion both on cerebral and other capillaries. They feel that the investigation of oral erythrodiapedesis is a reliable test for differentiation between hemorrhagic and ischemic cerebral accidents.
An Atypical Case of Steinert’s Disease (Myotonia dystrophica) in lnfancy
Authors: Negri S.
Published: May 2007

Description of a case of myotonic dystrophy appearing in infancy, the salient feature being a permanent global contracture of the facial musculature. It is not easy to explain the contrast between this contracture of clearly myotonic origin and the absence of clinical myotonia, active or passive, in muscles in which there was very intense EMG evidence of myotonic activity; the latter was, however, less massive and, more important, less persistent than that recorded from the facial muscles. The case seems to be unique.
Chronic Rhinitis with Nasal Polyposis Associated with Sodium Glutamate Intolerance
Authors: Asero Riccardo , Bottazzi Gianna
Published: May 2007

The study reports a case of perennial rhinitis with bilateral polyposis. A careful diagnostic workup revealed that the disorder was caused by sodium glutamate intolerance. This is the first study showing an association between intolerance to food additives and nasal polyposis.
A Proposed Number System for the 107 Cortical Areas of Economo and Koskinas, and Brodmann Area Correlations
Authors: Triarhou Lazaros C.
Published: May 2007

In their Atlas of Cytoarchitectonics of the Adult Human Cerebral Cortex, Economo and Koskinas defined 54 ‘ground,’ 76 ‘variant,’ and 107 ‘modification’ areas. The 107 modifications are topographically distributed as 35 frontal, 13 superior limbic, 6 insular, 18 parietal, 7 occipital, 14 temporal and 14 inferior limbic (or hippocampal). One way to make the Economo-Koskinas system more practical is to encode the complex symbol notations of the 107 cortical areas with numbers EK 1 through EK 107. The present study does that, and it further correlates Economo-Koskinas areas with Brodmann areas, based on an overview of the classical and modern neurohistological literature.
Changes in Plasma Amino Acid Levels Do Not Predict Satiety and Weight Loss on Diets with Modified Macronutrient Composition
Authors: Koren Mikhail S. , Purnell Jonathan Q. , Breen Patricia A. , Matthys Colleen C. , Callahan Holly S. , Meeuws Kaatje E. , Burden Verna R. , Weigle David S.
Published: May 2007

Objective: Serotonin mediates satiety in the central nervous system. Brain serotonin content depends on the plasma ratio of tryptophan (Trp) to large neutral amino acids (LNAA) and may be affected by diet composition. We examined whether high-carbohydrate or high-protein diets induce satiety and weight loss by altering plasma concentrations of these amino acids. Methods: In study 1 (n = 16, BMI = 27.0 ± 2.3), we compared plasma Trp and LNAA concentrations averaged over 24 h after 2 weeks of consuming isocaloric diets containing either 45 or 65% of total energy as carbohydrate. In study 2 (n = 19, BMI = 26.2 ± 2.1), we made the same measurements following diets containing either 15 or 30% of total energy as protein. To assess satiety in both studies, we recorded caloric intake and weight changes during a subsequent 12-week period of ad libitum consumption of the experimental diets. Results: Ad libitum caloric intake fell by 222 ± 81 kcal/day with a 3.7 ± 0.6 kg weight loss at 12 weeks in study 1. Ad libitum caloric intake fell by 441 ± 63 kcal/ day with a 4.9 ± 0.5 kg weight loss at 12 weeks in study 2. The 24-hour averaged plasma concentration of Trp and the Trp:LNAA ratio were unaffected by the isocaloric increase in carbohydrate or protein consumption that preceded the ad libitum administration of the 2 diets. Conclusion: An increase in either carbohydrate or protein intake increases satiety and leads to significant weight loss, however, these effects are not mediated by an increase in plasma concentration of Trp or the Trp:LNAA ratio.
Magnetic Stimulation of the Right Visual Cortex Impairs Form-specific Priming
Authors: Pobric Gorana , Schweinberger Stefan R. , Lavidor Michal
Published: May 2007

Recent evidence suggests that priming of objects across different images (abstract priming) and priming of specific images of an object (form-specific priming) are mediated by dissociable neural processing subsystems that operate in parallel and are predominantly linked to left and right hemispheric processing, respectively [Marsolek, C. J. Dissociable neural subsystems underlie abstract and specific object recognition. Psychological Science, 10, 111–118, 1999]. Previous brain imaging studies have provided important information about the neuroanatomical regions that are involved in form-specific and abstract priming; however, these techniques did not fully establish the functional significance of priming-related changes in cortical brain activity. Here, we used repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) in order to establish the functional role of the right occipital cortex in form-specific priming [Kroll, N. E. A., Yonelinas, A. P., Kishiyama, M. M., Baynes, K., Knight, R. T., & Gazzaniga, M. S. The neural substrates of visual implicit memory: Do the two hemispheres play different roles? Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience, 15, 833–842, 2003]. Compared to no TMS and sham TMS, rTMS of the right occipital cortex disrupted immediate form-specific priming in a semantic categorization task. Left occipital rTMS, on the other hand, had no converse effect on abstractive priming. Abstract priming may involve deeper semantic processing and may be unresponsive to magnetic stimulation of a single cortical locus. Our TMS results show that form-specific priming relies on a visual word-form system localized in the right occipital lobe, in line with the predictions from divided visual field behavioral studies [Marsolek, 1999].
Conducting End-of-Life Studies in Pediatric Oncology
Authors: Hinds Pamela S. , Burghen Elizabeth A. , Pritchard Michele
Published: May 2007

Improving our ability to prevent or diminish suffering in dying children and adolescents and their families is dependent on the completion of high-quality pediatric end-of-life studies. The purpose of this article is to provide useful evidence-based strategies that have been used to implement and complete clinically useful pediatric end-of-life studies in oncology. The article describes specific peer-review and methodological challenges and links those to evidence-based solutions. The challenges and solutions described in this article are from eight end-of-life studies involving pediatric oncology patients. It is hoped that the solutions described here will benefit others in their efforts to implement pediatric end-of-life studies so that clinically useful findings will result and will improve the care of dying children and adolescents.
Assent of School-Age Bilingual Children
Authors: Holaday Bonnie , Gonzales Orlando , Mills Debra
Published: May 2007

This article discusses the issue of assent of school-age bilingual children to participate in a research study. The article reviews cognitive, cultural, and linguistic factors influencing verbal and nonverbal concept formation in bilingual children. At the applied level, the focus of the article is on methodological considerations in using this information to obtain assent from a child who is bilingual and speaks English as a second language. Recommendations for the assessment of the child's language dominance, language proficiency, and the development of the assent form are provided. Language diversity and its potential effects on the assent process need to be formally acknowledged and appropriately addressed.
Testing the Acceptance of Asthma Model With Children and Adolescents
Authors: Kae Kintner Eileen
Published: May 2007

Older school-age children and early adolescents with asthma have demonstrated and verbalized difficulty in accepting their condition. Although researchers have explored adult acceptance, few have explored child or adolescent acceptance. The purpose was to explore the fit of the data to a specified latent variable acceptance of asthma model. School-age children and early adolescents ( N = 118), ages 9 to 14 years enrolled in Grades 4 to 9, diagnosed with asthma and their parents completed self-report instruments. EQS was used for structural equation modeling analyses. The specified model was a good fit to the data and accounted for more than 70% in the explained variance of vigilance, 30% of participation in life activities, 25% of taking control, and 20% of asthma health behaviors. Support for the model possess implications for development of theory-based education and counseling interventions to support participation in life activities by targeting cognitive, behavioral, and psychosocial aspects of living with the asthma.
Photocuring Reaction of Poly(Glycidyl Methacrylate-Co-N,N'-Dimethyl Acrylamide) using Photogenerated Amine from Bis(4-Formyl Aminophenyl ) Methane for Photoresist Applications
Authors: El-Demerdash Abdel-Ghaffar
Published: May 2007

Photo initiated cross linking of epoxides is very promising from the viewpoint of application to photocurable coating and photoresist. Although amines are known to be useful as crosslinkers for epoxides, only a few studies on the photoinitiated formation of amines are reported. This work describes the synthesis and characterization of copolymer comprised of one sort of material to induce water solubility such as N, N'-dimethyl acrylamide (DMAC); and another material to give the photoactive response such as glycidyl methacrylate (GMA). Various copolymers were prepared by free-radical solution polymerization typically in chloroform and azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as initiator at 60—63°C. Photocrosslinking reaction was induced using bis (4-formylaminophenyl) methane (FAPM) as a photobase generator. It was found that poor image pattern profile has been obtained after exposure to UV radiation with λmax = 250 and 420 nm.
Low-dose arsenic trioxide sensitizes glucocorticoid-resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells to dexamethasone via an Akt-dependent pathway
Authors: Bornhauser Beat C. , Bonapace Laura , Lindholm Dan , Martinez Rodrigo , Cario Gunnar , Schrappe Martin , Niggli Felix K. , Schäfer Beat W. , Bourquin Jean-Pierre
Published: May 2007

Incorporation of apoptosis-inducing agents into current therapeutic regimens is an attractive strategy to improve treatment for drug-resistant leukemia. We tested the potential of arsenic trioxide (ATO) to restore the response to dexamethasone in glucocorticoid (GC)–resistant acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). Low-dose ATO markedly increased in vitro GC sensitivity of ALL cells from T-cell and precursor B-cell ALL patients with poor in vivo response to prednisone. In GC-resistant cell lines, this effect was mediated, at least in part, by inhibition of Akt and affecting downstream Akt targets such as Bad, a proapoptotic Bcl-2 family member, and the X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP). Combination of ATO and dexamethasone resulted in increased Bad and rapid down-regulation of XIAP, while levels of the antiapoptotic regulator Mcl-1 remained unchanged. Expression of dominant-active Akt, reduction of Bad expression by RNA interference, or overexpression of XIAP abrogated the sensitizing effect of ATO. The inhibitory effect of XIAP overexpression was reduced when the Akt phosphorylation site was mutated (XIAP-S87A). These data suggest that the combination of ATO and glucocorticoids could be advantageous in GC-resistant ALL and reveal additional targets for the evaluation of new antileukemic agents.
2B4 inhibits NK-cell fratricide
Authors: Taniguchi Ruth T. , Guzior Dustin , Kumar Vinay
Published: May 2007

2B4 (CD244) and its ligand, CD48, are expressed on all natural killer (NK) cells. In studies using 2B4-deficient, CD48-deficient, or wild-type NK cells with blocking antibodies, we found that in the absence of 2B4-CD48 interactions, activated murine NK cells kill each other. We also show that NK-NK fratricide in the absence of 2B4-CD48 interaction is dependent on perforin both in vitro and in vivo. 2B4 has been reported to have activating, costimulatory, and inhibitory functions on murine NK cells. 2B4-mediated inhibition of NK-cell fratricide explains some of the paradoxes of 2B4 function reported in studies of murine NK cells. We show that in the absence of 2B4 signaling, activated NK cells have defective cytotoxicity and proliferation because of fratricide and not due to the absence of a 2B4-dependent activation signal.
Correlates of exercise motivation and behavior in a population-based sample of endometrial cancer survivors: an application of the Theory of Planned Behavior
Authors: Karvinen Kristina H , Courneya Kerry S , Campbell Kristin L , Pearcey Robert G , Dundas George , Capstick Valerie , Tonkin Katia S
Published: May 2007

Background

Despite evidence of the benefits of exercise in cancer survivors, exercise participation rates tend to decline after treatments. Few studies have examined the determinants of exercise in less common cancer sites. In this study, we examined medical, demographic, and social cognitive correlates of exercise in endometrial cancer survivors using the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).

Methods

A mailed survey was completed by 354 endometrial cancer survivors (1 to 10 years postdiagnosis) residing in Alberta, Canada. The study was cross-sectional. Exercise behavior was assessed using the Godin Leisure Time Exercise Questionnaire and the TPB constructs were assessed with standard self-report scales. Multiple regression analyses were used to determine the independent associations of the TPB constructs with intention and behavior.

Results

Chi-square analyses indicated that marital status (p = .003), income level (p = .013), and body mass index (BMI) (p = .020) were associated with exercise. The TPB explained 34.1% of the variance in exercise behavior with intention (β = .38, p < .001) and self-efficacy (β = .18, p = .029) being independent correlates. For intention, 38.3% of the variance was explained by the TPB with self-efficacy (β = .34, p < .001) and affective attitude (β = .30, p < .001) being the independent correlates. The TPB mediated the associations of marital status and BMI with exercise but not income level. Age and BMI moderated the associations of the TPB with intention and behavior.

Conclusion

The TPB may be a useful framework for understanding exercise in endometrial cancer survivors. Exercise behavior change interventions based on the TPB should be tested in this growing population.
Lack of association between celiac disease and dental enamel hypoplasia in a case-control study from an Italian central region
Authors: Procaccini Maurizio , Campisi Giuseppina , Bufo Pantaleo , Compilato Domenico , Massaccesi Claudia , Catassi Carlo , Muzio Lorenzo Lo
Published: May 2007

Background

A close correlation between celiac disease (CD) and oral lesions has been reported. The aim of this case-control study was to assess prevalence of enamel hypoplasia, recurrent aphthous stomatitis (RAS), dermatitis herpetiformis and atrophic glossitis in an Italian cohort of patients with CD.

Methods

Fifty patients with CD and fifty healthy subjects (age range: 3–25 years), matched for age, gender and geographical area, were evaluated by a single trained examiner. Diagnosis of oral diseases was based on typical medical history and clinical features. Histopathological analysis was performed when needed. Adequate univariate statistical analysis was performed.

Results

Enamel hypoplasia was observed in 26% cases vs 16% in controls (p > 0.2; OR = 1.8446; 95% CI = 0.6886: 4.9414). Frequency of RAS in the CD group was significantly higher (36% vs 12%; p = 0.0091; OR = 4.125; 95% CI = 1.4725: 11.552) in CD group than that in controls (36%vs12%). Four cases of atrophic glossitis and 1 of dermatitis herpetiformis were found in CD patientsvs1 and none, respectively, among controls.

Conclusion

The prevalence of enamel hypoplasia was not higher in the study population than in the control group. RAS was significantly more frequent in patients with CD.