bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Predictive factors of ultrasonographic involution of prenatally detected multicystic dysplastic kidney
Authors: Rabelo Eli Armando S. , Oliveira Eduardo A. , Silva Guilherme Souza , Pezzuti Isabela Leite , Tatsuo Edson Samesina
Published: March 2005

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate possible predictive factors of involution on ultrasonography (US) or disappearance of a prenatally detected multicystic dysplastic kidney (MCDK).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Forty‐five children with unilateral MCDK detected by prenatal ultrasonography between 1989 and 2002 were analysed. All patients except one had99mTc isotopic scintigraphy to confirm the absence of renal function in the MCDK. All children were managed conservatively with follow‐up visits every 6 months, with US 6‐monthly during the first 2 years of life and yearly thereafter. Survival was analysed using the Kaplan‐Meier method to evaluate the involution of the MCDK, with differences between subgroups assessed using the two‐sided log‐rank test. Cox's regression model was applied for the multivariate analysis.

RESULTS

The mean (range) follow‐up was 50 (12–167)  months; in all, 279 ultrasonograms were taken, the mean (range) number per patient being 6 (3–10). US showed partial involution of the MCDK in 30 (67%) cases and complete involution in nine (20%). The absolute MCDK length remained almost unchanged in six children (13%). Univariate analysis showed that four variables were possibly associated with complete involution of the MCDK (gender, impalpable kidney, renal length at admission using two thresholds, 62 and 78 mm). After adjusting by Cox's model only a renal length at diagnosis of <62 mm remained associated with complete involution (relative risk 8, 95% confidence interval 0.98–68;P = 0.05).

CONCLUSION

These results suggest that only a renal length of <62 mm on initial US was predictive of complete involution of the MCDK during the follow‐up.
Effect of melatonin administration on parameters related to oxidative damage in hepatocytes isolated from old Wistar rats
Authors: Castillo Carmen , Salazar Veronica , Ariznavarreta Carmen , Vara Elena , Tresguerres Jesus A. F.
Published: March 2005

Abstract: Aging induces changes in several organs and tissues, such as the liver, and this process might be due to oxidative damage caused by free radicals and inflammatory mediators. Melatonin is a secretory product with well‐known antioxidant properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of melatonin administration on age‐induced alterations in hepatocytes. Twenty‐two‐month old male Wistar rats were treated with oral melatonin for 10 wk. At the end of the treatment, hepatocytes were isolated and cultured, and different parameters were measured in both cells and medium. Aging induced a significant increase in lipid peroxidation, nitric oxide, carbon monoxide and cyclic guanosyl‐monophosphate, as well as a reduction in adenosine triphosphate content and phosphatidylcholine synthesis when compared to young animals. Melatonin administration significantly ameliorated all these age‐related changes in males. Melatonin administration seems to exert beneficial effects against age‐induced changes in hepatocytes.
Melatonin ameliorates bladder damage induced by cyclophosphamide in rats
Authors: Topal Turgut , Oztas Yesim , Korkmaz Ahmet , Sadir Serdar , Oter Sukru , Coskun Omer , Bilgic Hayati
Published: March 2005

Abstract: Cyclophosphamide (CP), an alkylating antineoplastic agent, has potential urotoxicity including causing hemorrhagic cystitis (HC). HC is now accepted as a non‐infectious inflammation and the pathogenesis of HC includes cytokine production which leads to inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) induction. Moreover, overproduction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) during inflammation leads to extensive oxidative stress, cellular injury and apoptosis/necrosis via several mechanisms. Based on these facts, the aim of this study was to evaluate the protective effects of melatonin as an antioxidant, iNOS inhibitor and peroxynitrite scavenger against CP‐induced urinary bladder damage. A total of 30 male Sprague–Dawley rats were divided into four groups. Three groups received a single dose of CP (100 mg/kg) intraperitoneally with the same times. Group 2 received CP only, group 3 received 5 mg/kg/day and group 4 received 10 mg/kg/day melatonin before and the day after CP administration. Group 1 served as the control. Increased iNOS induction, bladder malonyldialdehyde (MDA) levels and urinary nitrite–nitrate excretion were encountered in the CP‐only group leading to severe cystitis. Melatonin exhibited significant protection against CP‐induced cystitis by diminishing bladder oxidative stress and blocking iNOS and peroxynitrite production. Oxidants may have a major role in the pathogenesis of CP‐induced cystitis and iNOS is an important mediator leading to peroxynitrite production. Melatonin ameliorates bladder damage induced by CP.
Pinealectomy exaggerates and melatonin treatment suppresses neuroma formation of transected sciatic nerve in rats: gross morphological, histological and stereological analysis
Authors: Turgut Mehmet , Uyanıkgil Yiǧit , Baka Meral , Tunç Ayten Türkkanı , Yavaşoǧlu Altuǧ , Yurtseven Mine Ertem , Kaplan Süleyman
Published: March 2005

Abstract:  At present, an intensive effort for prevention of neuroma formation following peripheral nerve section continues. It has been recently suggested that surgical pinealectomy (Px) induces elevation of the collagen content in the granulation tissue of a wound, while melatonin application after Px suppresses elevation of the collagen accumulation in the tissue. The aim of the present study was to assess whether melatonin had the ability to suppress collagen production and neuroma formation following peripheral nerve transection. A total of 40 male rats (four groups of 10) were left intact (intact controls) or sham operated (sham group), were Px, or were Px and given melatonin (Px + melatonin group). All animals underwent a surgical intervention consisting of right sciatic nerve neurectomy. After 4 wk, the animals were killed following intracardiac perfusion. Gross morphology of neuroma formation in the proximal nerve segment was examined and proximal neuroma evaluated. Macroscopic and microscopic findings revealed that Px caused a proliferation of connective tissue and large neuroma formation at the proximal ends of transected nerves. Stereological analysis showed that there was a statistically significant reduction in connective tissue content of the same region in Px animals treated with melatonin (P < 0.005). The results achieved in a rodent model of sciatic nerve neuroma formation showed that there was a positive correlation between macroscopic and microscopic observations, and that melatonin enhanced axonal regeneration presumably due to its inhibitory effect on neuroma formation.
A comparison of the action of amifostine and melatonin on DNA‐damaging effects and apoptosis induced by idarubicin in normal and cancer cells
Authors: Majsterek Ireneusz , Gloc Ewa , Blasiak Janusz , Reiter Russel J.
Published: March 2005

Abstract:  Amifostine is a well‐known cell protector and its actions involve free radical scavenging, which is also considered as a mechanism underlying the protective actions of melatonin, a secretory product of the pineal gland. In this work we compared the action of 14 mm amifostine and 50 μm melatonin on DNA damage and apoptosis induced by idarubicin in normal human lymphocytes, leukemic K562 cells and HeLa cancer cells. We employed the alkaline comet assay and pulse‐field gel electrophoresis to estimate DNA damage. Apoptosis was evaluated by caspase 3 activity assay assisted by the comet assay to evaluate DNA fragmentation and DAPI staining for detection of morphological changes in chromatin. We found that idarubicin induced apoptosis in normal and cancer cells and its level was correlated with the extent of DNA strand breaks. Amifostine reduced apoptosis and DNA damage in normal cells, but it potentiated these effects in cancer cells in this in vitro study. Melatonin protected both normal and cancer cells against genotoxic treatment and apoptosis induced by idarubicin. We conclude that despite its recognized potential as an antioxidant, melatonin should be considered with caution when used in combination with cancer chemotherapy agents, especially in the case of leukemias.
Serious parasport injuries in Auckland, New Zealand
Authors: Christey Grant R
Published: March 2005

Objectives:  ‘Parasports’ comprise parachuting, skydiving, paragliding, parapenting, parascending, parasailing and hang‐gliding, and may involve rapid deceleration on landing. The aims of this study were to determine the spectrum of parasport‐related trauma presenting to Auckland City Hospital and to make recommendations to reduce further injury.

Methods:  The Auckland City Hospital Trauma Registry was used to identify all patients requiring admission with serious injury as a result of parasport incidents over an 8‐year period. Demographic and injury‐related data were then analysed.

Results:  Parachuting/skydiving was responsible for 66% of all serious parasport injuries and 96% of patients were men. Fractures of the lower limbs and lumbar spine were the predominant injuries. Misjudgement of landing speed and attitude resulting in injurious landing forces were the usual causes of injury.

Conclusions:  The magnitude of serious parasport‐related trauma is greater than that indicated by previous studies in New Zealand. Appropriate use of protective clothing and close attention to safe flight planning and landing techniques may reduce the injury rate without degrading the experience of flight.
Age-Related Neurodegenerative Changes and How They Affect the Gut
Authors: Wade Paul R. , Hornby Pamela J.
Published: March 2005

The enteric nervous system (ENS) is the division of the autonomic nervous system that regulates gastrointestinal (GI) function. Although large numbers of enteric neurons may be lost with age, the GI tract remains surprisingly functional. Exceptions to this generality include swallowing disorders and reduced colonic motility in the elderly. Evidence of age-related neurodegenerative changes in structure and function of the ENS is briefly reviewed in this Perspective.
Structural Insights into the Activity of Enhancer-Binding Proteins
Authors: Rappas Mathieu , Schumacher Jorg , Beuron Fabienne , Niwa Hajime , Bordes Patricia , Wigneshweraraj Sivaramesh , Keetch Catherine A. , Robinson Carol V. , Buck Martin , Zhang Xiaodong
Published: March 2005

Activators of bacterial σ
54
–RNA polymerase holoenzyme are mechanochemical proteins that use adenosine triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis to activate transcription. We have determined by cryogenic electron microscopy (cryo-EM) a 20 angstrom resolution structure of an activator, phage shock protein F [PspF
(1-275)
], which is bound to an ATP transition state analog in complex with its basal factor, σ
54
. By fitting the crystal structure of PspF
(1-275)
at 1.75 angstroms into the EM map, we identified two loops involved in binding σ
54
. Comparing enhancer-binding structures in different nucleotide states and mutational analysis led us to propose nucleotide-dependent conformational changes that free the loops for association with σ
54
.
Widespread Parallel Evolution in Sticklebacks by Repeated Fixation of Ectodysplasin Alleles
Authors: Colosimo Pamela F. , Hosemann Kim E. , Balabhadra Sarita , Villarreal Guadalupe , Dickson Mark , Grimwood Jane , Schmutz Jeremy , Myers Richard M. , Schluter Dolph , Kingsley David M.
Published: March 2005

Major phenotypic changes evolve in parallel in nature by molecular mechanisms that are largely unknown. Here, we use positional cloning methods to identify the major chromosome locus controlling armor plate patterning in wild threespine sticklebacks. Mapping, sequencing, and transgenic studies show that the Ectodysplasin (EDA) signaling pathway plays a key role in evolutionary change in natural populations and that parallel evolution of stickleback low-plated phenotypes at most freshwater locations around the world has occurred by repeated selection ofEdaalleles derived from an ancestral low-plated haplotype that first appeared more than two million years ago. Members of this clade of low-plated alleles are present at low frequencies in marine fish, which suggests that standing genetic variation can provide a molecular basis for rapid, parallel evolution of dramatic phenotypic change in nature.
Lipid Microdomains and Insulin Resistance: Is There a Connection?
Authors: Ikonen Elina , Vainio Saara
Published: March 2005

The potential contribution of lipids to insulin signaling has excited interest because of the notion that cholesterol and sphingolipids form functional microdomains—lipid rafts—in cell membranes and that these domains may affect signal transduction. In this Perspective, we discuss the evidence suggesting that cholesterol-sphingolipid rafts play a role in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance. The data relating insulin signaling to lipid rafts in the main insulin target tissues are briefly summarized, including partially controversial findings on the role of caveolae versus other types of rafts. In addition, recent results pointing toward the importance of raft perturbations in the pathogenesis of insulin resistance are discussed. Notably, several studies suggest a correlation between membrane lipid composition and insulin sensitivity. We put forward the idea that the dyslipidemic changes typically associated with insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome may impair the functionality of rafts in insulin target cells, thereby promoting insulin resistance.
Expression of cell adhesion molecules in oesophageal carcinoma and its prognostic value
Authors: Nair K S , Naidoo R , Chetty R
Published: March 2005

Oesophageal carcinoma remains a disease of poor prognosis. Surgical cure rates are compromised by the fact that most patients are diagnosed at a late stage of disease because of the delayed onset of symptoms, by which time metastases and organ infiltration may have already occurred. Thus, invasion and metastases play a key role in influencing patient survival, and the search for novel treatments may therefore hinge on gaining insight into the mechanisms controlling these processes. It has been established that the initial step in the metastatic cascade is the detachment of tumour cells from the primary tumour via dysregulation of normal cell–cell and cell–matrix interactions. Distinct proteins known as cell adhesion molecules (CAMs) mediate these interactions. In recent years, a plethora of information has contributed to the in depth understanding of these molecules. This review provides a brief description of five families of CAMs (cadherins, integrins, CD44, immunoglobulin superfamily, and selectins) and highlights their altered expression in relation both to prognosis and tumour behaviour in squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the oesophagus.
Recurrent severe hyperandrogenism during pregnancy: a case report
Authors: Holt H B , Medbak S , Kirk D , Guirgis R , Hughes I , Cummings M H , Meeking D R
Published: March 2005

This report describes the case of a 28 year old woman with virilisation occurring in two successive pregnancies. Recurrent maternal virilisation is rare (seven previous reports) and this case is unique in its severity. Differential diagnoses include ovarian disease and fetal aromatase deficiency. New techniques to exclude a fetal cause were used in this case. This patient presented during the third trimester of her first pregnancy with rapid onset of hirsuitism, increased musculature, and deepening voice. A blood hormone profile revealed significant hyperandrogenism (testosterone, 72.4 nmol/litre; normal range, 0.5–3.0). She delivered a normal boy and maternal androgen concentrations returned rapidly to normal (testosterone, 0.8 nmol/litre). She presented two years later, during her second pregnancy, with similar symptoms and biochemistry (testosterone, 47.5 nmol/litre). Again, she delivered a healthy normal boy and androgens returned immediately to normal (serum testosterone, 2.0 nmol/litre). Ultrasonography revealed no evidence of ovarian (or adrenal) masses in either pregnancy. Umbilical cord venous blood sampling and placental assays revealed no evidence of fetal aromatase deficiency. Recurrent hyperandrogenism during pregnancy is rare. Ovarian luteoma rarely recurs and hyperreactio luteinalis does not lead to such pronounced androgen concentrations. Therefore, this patient has a unique ovarian condition that could be harmful to offspring and mother.
Pilot study for the development of a new campylobacter selective medium at 37°C using aztreonam
Authors: Thomas G D
Published: March 2005

Aims:To overcome contamination and temperature inhibition by isolating campylobacter at 37°C.

Methods:The β lactam antibiotic aztreonam was included in a selective medium because of its inhibitory activity against Gram negative organisms but not againstCampylobacter jejuni. Vancomycin and amphotericin were added to inhibit Gram positive bacteria and yeasts.

Results:The aztreonam amphotericin vancomycin (AAV) experimental campylobacter selective medium showed growth microaerobically at 37°C ofC jejuni,C coli,C lari,C hyointestinalis,C fetus subsp. fetus, andC jejuni subsp. doyleiafter 24 to 48 hours of incubation. Six campylobacter NCTC strains demonstrated a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ⩾ 256 mg/litre for vancomycin and aztreonam, whereasC upsaliensisand two “campylobacter-like” strains now reclassified under genus helicobacter—H cinaediandH fennelliae—had a MIC of 4 mg/litre for vancomycin and aztreonam. In the pilot study (150 samples), AAV medium (37°C) had a higher sensitivity for isolating campylobacters: 14 were isolated on AAV compared with 10 on modified CDA (43°C) over three days, and nine were isolated on AAV medium compared with five on modified CDA (43°C) after 24 hours of incubation. Contamination rates remained low.

Conclusion:The medium was devised in a pilot study performed between 1990 and 1993; however, this is the first report of AAV medium used as a selective medium capable of growing six campylobacters of pathogenic importance at 37°C. Further studies are indicated.
Immunodetection of SV40 large T antigen in human central nervous system tumours: Figure 1
Authors: Sabatier J , Uro-Coste E , Benouaich A , Boetto S , Gigaud M , Tremoulet M , Delisle M-B , Galateau-Sallé F , Brousset P
Published: March 2005

Background/Aims:DNA sequences from Simian virus 40 (SV40) have been previously isolated from various human tumours of the central nervous system (CNS). This study aimed to investigate a series of tumours of the CNS for the expression of the SV40 large T antigen (Tag), which is an oncogenic protein of the virus.

Methods:A French series of 82 CNS tumours was investigated for Tag expression using a monoclonal antibody and immunohistochemistry. A Tag positive hepatocellular carcinoma cell line from transgenic mice and a kidney biopsy from a patient infected by SV40 were used as positive controls.

Results:None of the tumours (20 ependymomas, 20 glioblastomas, 12 oligodendrogliomas, three plexus choroid adenomas, two plexus choroid carcinomas, 15 meningiomas, and 10 medulloblastomas) contained SV40 Tag positive cells.

Conclusions:The lack of SV40 Tag in 82 CNS tumours of various types is at variance with previous studies from different countries, and suggests that the virus may not be an important factor in CNS tumorigenesis, at least in French cases.
Inflammation and cytokeratin 7/20 staining of cardiac mucosa in young patients with and withoutHelicobacter pyloriinfection
Authors: Oksanen A , Sankila A , von Boguslawski K , Sipponen P , Rautelin H
Published: March 2005

Background:BothHelicobacter pyloriand gastro–oesophageal reflux disease (GORD) may cause inflammation in cardiac mucosa. Intestinal metaplasia (IM) is found more often in GORD associated inflammation than in inflammation caused byH pylori, especially in young individuals.

Aim:To examine morphological differences in chronic inflammation in these two conditions by immunohistochemistry.

Patients/Methods:Tissue blocks from cardiac mucosa of patients <45 years were available as follows: 10 patients with chronic inflammation of cardiac mucosa (carditis) andH pylorigastritis (group 1); 10 patients with (possibly GORD related) carditis, but normal antrum and corpus (group 2); and 10 patients with non-inflamed cardiac mucosa and normal antrum and corpus (group 3). Haematoxylin and eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining for various inflammatory cells were performed for patients in groups 1 and 2 as follows: CD20 (B cells), CD3 (T cells), CD4 (T helper cells), CD8 (T suppressor cells), CD163 (macrophages), CD138 (plasma cells), and CD117 (mast cells). For all patients, cytokeratin 7/20 (CK7/20) staining was performed.

Results:No clear differences were seen in the morphology of chronic inflammation between groups 1 and 2. In both, plasma cells were most abundant. CK7/20 staining showed no differences between these groups.

Conclusion:Helicobacter pylorinegative (possibly GORD associated) andH pylorirelated carditis cannot be distinguished on a morphological basis. The stronger tendency towards IM in the first entity cannot be explained by differences in the type of inflammation. Barrett-type CK7/20 staining seems typical for cardiac mucosa, irrespective of the type of inflammation or presence of IM.
The cardioprotective effect of dual metallopeptidase inhibition: respective roles of endogenous kinins and natriuretic peptides
Authors: Dumoulin Marie-Josée , Adam Albert , Burnett John , Heublein Denise , Yamaguchi Nobuharu , Lamontagne Daniel
Published: March 2005

The objective of the present study was to assess the cardioprotective effect of dual NEP–ACE inhibition in relation to endogenous cardiac bradykinin (BK), its active metabolite des-Arg9-BK, endogenous brain natriuretic peptides (BNP), and cGMP. Rats were treated with the dual metallopeptidase inhibitor, omapatrilat, or the ACE inhibitor, ramipril, for 7 d (1 mg·kg–1·d–1). Hearts were then isolated and subjected to a zero-flow ischemia and reperfusion (except controls), in the absence or presence of either a B2-receptor antagonist (Hoe-140), a B1-receptor antagonist (Lys-Leu8-des-Arg9-BK), or the GC-A/GC-B-receptor antagonist (HS-142-1). Chronic omapatrilat and ramipril increased the amount of endogenous BK collected upon reperfusion, but only ramipril increased that of des-Arg9-BK. Only omapatrilat increased both peak BNP and peak cGMP upon reperfusion, those increases being blocked by Hoe-140. Chronic omapatrilat (but not ramipril) decreased the total noradrenaline and lactate dehydrogenase release during the reperfusion period. Importantly, only omapatrilat improved the functional recovery of the ischemic reperfused heart, with a reduced left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, and improved developed left ventricular pressure. All cardio protective effects of omapatrilat were blocked by Hoe-140 and by HS-142-1, but not by the B1-receptor antagonist. In conclusion, a chronic treatment with a dual metallopeptidase inhibitor demonstrated a cardioprotective action not observed with an ACE inhibitor in a context of severe ischemia in rat isolated hearts, which was mediated by both endogenous BK and BNP.Key words: ACE inhibitors, omapatrilat, bradykinin, natriuretic peptide, ischemia, reperfusion.
Repeated daily injections and osmotic pump infusion of isoproterenol cause similar increases in cardiac mass but have different effects on blood pressure
Authors: Hohimer A Roger , Davis Lowell E , Hatton Daniel C
Published: March 2005

We found in mice that repeated single daily subcutaneous (s.c.) isoproterenol (ISO) injections, like constant infusions using osmotic minipumps, caused increased biventricular mass or weight relative to body weight (VW/BW). We found that 5 (1/d) s.c. injections of 2, 10, or 20 µg/g body weight caused equivalent VW/BW increases as compared with 5-d infusions at 20 µg/(g·d)). While it is often presumed that ISO elicits hypertrophy by a direct effect on the myocytes, growth may also be secondary to systemic hemodynamic effects. The 2 modes of ISO administration had different effects on mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) and heart rate. Using telemetry we observed that single injections of ISO (0, 0.5, 2, and 10 µg/g) were associated with hypotension and tachycardia with a duration but not a magnitude that was dose dependent. MABP dropped rapidly to 60 mm Hg for more than 2 h at the highest dose. Constant s.c. infusion of ISO at 20 µg/(g·d) initially lowered MABP to about 70 mm Hg for 24 h. At 48 h MABP was normal, but rose 10 mm Hg higher than baseline by day 5. Thus, different routes of administration of ISO that cause comparable increases in VW/BW had different effects on MABP. Thus when evaluating mouse models of ISO-induced cardiac hypertrophy, both repeated daily injections or infusions can cause similar increases in VW/BW, but the daily doses that are required are not the same. Furthermore, these different routes of administration have different hemodynamic sequelae and could potentially evoke different cardiac phenotypes.Key words: C57BL6 mouse, hypotension, heart rate, cardiac hypertrophy, β-adrenergic.
A CELLULAR AUTOMATON MODEL FOR THE TRAFFIC FLOW IN BOGOTÁ
Authors: OLMOS L. E. , MUÑOZ J. D.
Published: March 2005

In this work, we propose a car cellular automaton model that reproduces the experimental behavior of traffic flows in Bogotá. Our model includes three elements: hysteresis between the acceleration and brake gaps, a delay time in the acceleration, and an instantaneous brake. The parameters of our model were obtained from direct measurements inside a car on motorways in Bogotá. Next, we simulated this model with the flux-density fundamental diagram for a single-lane traffic road and compared it with experimental data. Our simulations are in very good agreement with the experimental measurements, not just in the shape of the fundamental diagram, but also in the numerical values for both the road capacity and the density of maximal flux. Our model reproduces, too, the qualitative behavior of shock waves. In addition, our work identifies the periodic boundary conditions as the source of false peaks in the fundamental diagram, when short roads are simulated, that have also been found in previous works. The phase transition between free and congested traffic is also investigated by computing both the relaxation time and the order parameter. Our work shows how different the traffic behavior from one city to another can be, and how important to determine the model parameters for each city.
Cytoskeletal interactions regulate inducible L-selectin clustering
Authors: Mattila Polly E. , Green Chad E. , Schaff Ulrich , Simon Scott I. , Walcheck Bruce
Published: March 2005

L-selectin (CD62L) amplifies neutrophil capture within the microvasculature at sites of inflammation. Activation by G protein-coupled stimuli or through ligation of L-selectin promotes clustering of L-selectin and serves to increase its adhesiveness, signaling, and colocalization with β2-integrins. Currently, little is known about the molecular process regulating the lateral mobility of L-selectin. On neutrophil stimulation, a progressive change takes place in the organization of its plasma membrane, resulting in membrane domains that are characteristically enriched in glycosyl phosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchored proteins and exclude the transmembrane protein CD45. Clustering of L-selectin, facilitated by E-selectin engagement or antibody cross-linking, resulted in its colocalization with GPI-anchored CD55, but not with CD45 or CD11c. Disrupting microfilaments in neutrophils or removing a conserved cationic motif in the cytoplasmic domain of L-selectin increased its mobility and membrane domain localization in the plasma membrane. In addition, the conserved element was critical for L-selectin-dependent tethering under shear flow. Our data indicate that L-selectin’s lateral mobility is regulated by interactions with the actin cytoskeleton that in turn fortifies leukocyte tethering. We hypothesize that both membrane mobility and stabilization augment L-selectin’s effector functions and are regulated by dynamic associations with membrane domains and the actin cytoskeleton.
Object, Space, and Object-Space Representations in the Primate Hippocampus
Authors: Rolls Edmund T. , Xiang Jianzhong , Franco Leonardo
Published: March 2005

A fundamental question about the function of the primate including human hippocampus is whether object as well as allocentric spatial information is represented. Recordings were made from single hippocampal formation neurons while macaques performed an object-place memory task that required the monkeys to learn associations between objects and where they were shown in a room. Some neurons (10%) responded differently to different objects independently of location; other neurons (13%) responded to the spatial view independently of which object was present at the location; and some neurons (12%) responded to a combination of a particular object and the place where it was shown in the room. These results show that there are separate as well as combined representations of objects and their locations in space in the primate hippocampus. This is a property required in an episodic memory system, for which associations between objects and the places where they are seen are prototypical. The results thus provide an important advance by showing that a requirement for a human episodic memory system, separate and combined neuronal representations of objects and where they are seen “out there” in the environment, is present in the primate hippocampus.
Visually Induced Auditory Expectancy in Music Reading: A Behavioral and Electrophysiological Study
Authors: Schön Daniele , Besson Mireille
Published: March 2005

The general aim of this experiment was to investigate the processes involved in reading musical notation and to study the relationship between written music and its auditory representation. It was of main interest to determine whether musicians are able to develop expectancies for specific tonal or atonal auditory events based on visual score alone. Can musicians expect an “atonal” event or will it always sound odd? Moreover, it was of interest to determine whether the modulations in amplitude of a late positive component (P600) described in previous studies are linked to a general mismatch detection process or to specific musical expectancies. Results showed clearly that musicians are able to expect tonal auditory endings based on visual information and are also able to do so for atonal endings, although to a smaller extent. Strong interactions seem to exist between visual and auditory musical codes and visual information seems to influence auditory processing as early as 100 msec. These results are directly relevant for the question of whether music reading is actually music perception.
Functional Connectivity: Integrating Behavioral, Diffusion Tensor Imaging, and Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging Data Sets
Authors: Baird Abigail A. , Colvin Mary K. , VanHorn John D. , Inati Souheil , Gazzaniga Michael S.
Published: March 2005

In the present study, we combined 2 types of magnetic resonance technology to explore individual differences on a task that required the recognition of objects presented from unusual viewpoints. This task was chosen based on previous work that has established the necessity of information transfer from the right parietal cortex to the left inferior cortex for its successful completion. We used reaction times (RTs) to localize regions of cortical activity in the superior parietal and inferior frontal regions (blood oxygen level-dependent [BOLD] response) that were more active with longer response times. These regions were then sampled, and their signal change used to predict individual differences in structural integrity of white matter in the corpus callosum (using diffusion tensor imaging). Results show that shorter RTs (and associated increases in BOLD response) are associated with increased organization in the splenium of the corpus callosum, whereas longer RTs are associated with increased organization in the genu.
How Position, Velocity, and Temporal Information Combine in the Prospective Control of Catching: Data and Model
Authors: Dessing Joost C. , Peper C. (Lieke) E. , Bullock Daniel , Beek Peter J.
Published: March 2005

The cerebral cortex contains circuitry for continuously computing properties of the environment and one's body, as well as relations among those properties. The success of complex perceptuomotor performances requires integrated, simultaneous use of such relational information. Ball catching is a good example as it involves reaching and grasping of visually pursued objects that move relative to the catcher. Although integrated neural control of catching has received sparse attention in the neuroscience literature, behavioral observations have led to the identification of control principles that may be embodied in the involved neural circuits. Here, we report a catching experiment that refines those principles via a novel manipulation. Visual field motion was used to perturb velocity information about balls traveling on various trajectories relative to a seated catcher, with various initial hand positions. The experiment produced evidence for a continuous, prospective catching strategy, in which hand movements are planned based on gaze-centered ball velocity and ball position information. Such a strategy was implemented in a new neural model, which suggests how position, velocity, and temporal information streams combine to shape catching movements. The model accurately reproduces the main and interaction effects found in the behavioral experiment and provides an interpretation of recently observed target motion-related activity in the motor cortex during interceptive reaching by monkeys. It functionally interprets a broad range of neurobiological and behavioral data, and thus contributes to a unified theory of the neural control of reaching to stationary and moving targets.
Behavioral Change and Its Neural Correlates in Visual Agnosia After Expertise Training
Authors: Behrmann Marlene , Marotta Jonathan , Gauthier Isabel , Tarr Michael J. , McKeeff Thomas J.
Published: March 2005

Agnosia, the impairment in object and face recognition despite intact vision and intelligence, is one of the most intriguing and debilitating neuropsychological deficits. The goal of this study was to determine whether S.M., an individual with longstanding visual agnosia and concomitant prosopagnosia, can be retrained to perform visual object recognition and, if so, what neural substrates mediate this reacquisition. Additionally, of interest is the extent to which training on one type of visual stimulus generalizes to other visual stimuli, as this informs our understanding of the organization of ventral visual cortex. Greebles were chosen as the stimuli for retraining given that, in neurologically normal individuals, these stimuli can engage the fusiform face area. Posttraining, S.M. showed significant improvement in recognizing Greebles, although he did not attain normal levels of performance. He was also able to recognize untrained Greebles and showed improvement in recognizing common objects. Surprisingly, his performance on face recognition, albeit poor initially, was even more impaired following training. A comparison of preand postintervention functional neuroimaging data mirrored the behavioral findings: Face-selective voxels in the fusiform gyrus prior to training were no longer so and were, in fact, more Greeble-selective. The findings indicate potential for experience-dependent dynamic reorganization in agnosia with the possibility that residual neural tissue, with limited capacity, will compete for representations.
An Event-related Potential Study of Selective Auditory Attention in Children and Adults
Authors: Coch Donna , Sanders Lisa D. , Neville Helen J.
Published: March 2005

In a dichotic listening paradigm, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded to linguistic and nonlinguistic probe stimuli embedded in 2 different narrative contexts as they were either attended or unattended. In adults, the typical N1 attention effect was observed for both types of probes: Probes superimposed on the attended narrative elicited an enhanced negativity compared to the same probes when unattended. Overall, this sustained attention effect was greater over medial and left lateral sites, but was more posteriorly distributed and of longer duration for linguistic as compared to nonlinguistic probes. In contrast, in 6-to 8-year-old children the ERPs were morphologically dissimilar to those elicited in adults and children displayed a greater positivity to both types of probe stimuli when embedded in the attended as compared to the unattended narrative. Although both adults and children showed attention effects beginning at about 100 msec, only adults displayed left-lateralized attention effects and a distinct, posterior distribution for linguistic probes. These results suggest that the attentional networks indexed by this task continue to develop beyond the age of 8 years.
The Russian Federation Supreme Court and Constitutional Practice in the Courts of General Jurisdiction: Recent Developments
Authors:   Krug
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
The Legal Treatment of Foreign Investment under Kazak Legislation: An Overview
Authors:   Basin,   Chentsova
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
The Reality of Models: Reflections on the CIS Model Law on the Limited Liability Company
Authors:   Dragneva
Published: March 2005

No Abstract
Torques and the Related Meridional and Vertical Fluxes of Axial Angular Momentum
Authors: Egger Joseph , Hoinka Klaus-Peter
Published: March 2005

The budget equation of the zonally averaged angular momentum is analyzed by introducing belts of 1000-km width to cover the meridional plane from pole to pole up to an altitude of 28 km. Using ECMWF Re-Analysis (ERA) data the fluxes of angular momentum are evaluated as well as the mountain and friction torques per belt. Generalized streamfunctions and velocity potentials are introduced to better depict the fluxes related to the angular momentum transferred at the ground during an event of mountain or friction torque.

The variance of the total flux divergence per belt is one order of magnitude larger than those of the torques. All variances peak at midlatitudes. As a rule, the structure of the generalized streamfunctions changes little during an event; that is, the structure of the nondivergent part of the fluxes is stable. That of the divergent part, as represented by the velocity potential, undergoes a rapid change near the peak of a torque event. Positive friction torque events in midlatitude belts are preceded by a divergence of angular momentum fluxes in that belt, which is linked to the anticyclonic mass circulation needed to induce the positive torque. The divergence in the belt breaks down shortly before the torque is strongest. Angular momentum is transported upward from the ground after that. Much of the angular momentum generated in a midlatitude belt by positive mountain torques is transported out of the domain, but there is also a short burst of upward transports. Angular momentum anomalies linked to torque events near the equator tend to be symmetric with respect to the equator. Related fluxes affect the midlatitudes of both hemispheres.
Fast Spherical Harmonic Transform Routine FLTSS Applied to the Shallow Water Test Set
Authors: Suda Reiji
Published: March 2005

The fast spherical harmonic transform algorithm proposed by Suda and Takami is evaluated in the solutions of the shallow water equation test set defined by Williamson et al. through replacing the Legendre transforms of the NCAR spectral transform shallow water model (STSWM) with routines of the fast Legendre transform with stable sampling (FLTSS), which is the first implementation of the Suda–Takami algorithm. The Suda–Takami algorithm is an approximate algorithm with the computational complexity O(T 2 log T log ɛ−1), with T being the maximum wavenumber and ɛ the accuracy parameter of the FLTSS. The influence of the approximation errors of the FLTSS upon the numerical solutions is investigated. For all test cases of the Williamson et al. test set, the FLTSS stably solved the equations with the results that can be explained well with the accuracy ɛ. The stability in longer time integrations is also assessed, where test case 7 of an analyzed atmospheric initial condition was stably integrated for 1 yr. The FLTSS was faster than the STSWM at T170 and had higher resolutions on an Intel Mobile Pentium 4, where the lower space complexity (memory requirements) of the FLTSS was advantageous in addition to the lower computational complexity.
Observations of Transient Linear Organization and Nonlinear Scale Interactions in Lake-Effect Clouds. Part I: Transient Linear Organization
Authors: Miles Natasha L. , Verlinde Johannes
Published: March 2005

The cold-air outbreak of 13–14 January 1998 during the Lake-Induced Convection Experiment was characterized by large positive buoyancy flux and moderate wind shear. Although theory predicts only cellular organization in these conditions, transient linear organization was observed. Time series of vertical velocity obtained with the Pennsylvania State University 94-GHz vertically pointing cloud radar, which is sensitive to cloud droplets and ice crystals, were used to document the changes in organization that occurred during this wintertime lake-effect event. The cloud radar was deployed on the downwind shore of southern Lake Michigan and measured high-temporal-resolution vertical velocity data at several in-cloud heights. The duration of the event was 18 h, encompassing three cycles of linear organization switching to cellular organization.

In Part I of this two-part series the authors document the transient nature of the linearly organized convection and evaluate the role of atmospheric conditions in the mode switching between linear and cellular organization. Within the limits of the available measurements, no correlation was found with mean or low-level shear, surface fluxes, or stability parameters. The mode switching in this case does not appear to be controlled by the atmospheric indicators typically associated with linearly organized convection, suggesting that other factors must have played an important role.
Toward a (De)constructive Psychology of African American Men
Authors: Laubscher Leswin
Published: March 2005

Recent psychological theory and research about African American men are overwhelmingly cast in crisis terms. Within such theory and research, the experimental mainstream and Afrocentric psychology seem diametrically opposed to each other with respect to causes and reasons for the crisis as well as strategies for intervention and remediation. The author argues that, such surface differences notwithstanding, both proceed from an unquestioned assumption of an essentialized, endangered, and embattled African American masculinity, the consequence of an epistemological similarity that is deeply implicated in the representational politics and discursive construction of African American men. In response, theau-thor presents an outline of a discursive and cultural psychological alternative to studying and understanding African American men.
Strategies for Enhancing Student Interaction and Immediacy in Online Courses
Authors: Conaway Roger N. , Easton Susan S. , Schmidt Wallace V.
Published: March 2005

The increased demand for Internet courses, especially in schools of business, has raised questions about instructional interaction and teacher-student immediacy, which online courses may lack. Because current research suggests immediacy behaviors may indeed be present, we developed a strategy for measuring immediacy in an online MBA course and related the results to student grades on final team projects in the course. Learner-to-learner, noncontent-related statements showed minimal affective behavior, but that lack did not have a negative effect on grades. The study suggests that students do not automatically provide supportive feedback, compliment each other, and express appreciation or agreement unless the instructor builds a learning community and transfers interactive roles to the students themselves.
Student Assessment of Learning Gains (SALGains)
Authors: Vogt Gayle , Atwong Catherine , Fuller Jean
Published: March 2005

Student Assessment of Learning Gains (SALGains) is a Web-based instrument for measuring student perception of their learning in a variety of courses. The authors adapted this instrument to measure students’ achieved proficiency in analyzing cases in an advanced business communication class. The instrument showed that students did achieve a high level of proficiency and that they did so equally in both traditional and online classes.
The Challenge of Extended, Continuous Collaboration
Authors: Butler Dennis J. , Turkal Nick W.
Published: March 2005

Most collaborative relationships between psychologists and physicians are of a time-limited, episodic nature because they focus on specific clinical problems. This article describes a longitudinal clinical collaboration that transcended the traditional model because of shifting clinical needs over a continuous, extended period. The collaboration progressed through phases, and because the purpose of treatment changed, it was necessary for the collaborating clinicians to redefine goals, responsibilities, and boundaries. At times, the focus was on medical developments, and at times, treatment was primarily psychological. What began as a routine consultation about stress management developed into a complex collaborative approach that required a biopsychosocial orientation. This article delineates the phases of treatment and identifies factors that facilitated, challenged, and created dilemmas in the collaborative process.
The Collaborative Role of the Psychologist and Physician on an Interdisciplinary Pain Rehabilitation Team
Authors: Pape Deborah A. , Rafiullah Mohammed
Published: March 2005

Pain is the most common reason individuals seek medical attention. Pain can be classified as either acute or chronic. Patients suffering from chronic pain deal with a mixture of physical, emotional, and social issues that makes the management of these patients very complex. Because of this complexity, a team treatment approach is imperative. One of these types of cases is described here, within the context of an interdisciplinary pain rehabilitation program. The collaborative role of the psychologist and physician in treatment planning is highlighted in this case presentation. The described case focuses on an individual dealing with a chronic painful condition, who also has a history of domestic abuse. Literature has shown that self-reported abuse may be an important prediction of chronic pain and supports the idea that abuse may indirectly or directly be implicated in the “chronification” of pain. Implications related to treatment are further explored in the case presentation and discussion.