bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Preventing Interaction with the Proteasome
Authors: Gough Nancy R.
Published: March 2008

Steroid receptor coactivator 3 (SRC-3) interacts with estrogen receptors to promote estrogen-mediated transcription and genetic amplification, and overexpression of SRC-3 has been associated with various cancers, including breast cancer. Phosphorylation by p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase or glycogen synthase kinase 3β has been associated with enhanced degradation of SRC-3. Yi
et al
. sought to determine whether other kinases regulated SRC-3 activity or abundance and, through cotransfection experiments, identified atypical protein kinase C, both aPKCζ and PKCι, as kinases that when coexpressed with tagged SRC-3 and the estrogen receptor ERα increased the abundance of SRC-3. The stabilized SRC-3 was functional and stimulated estrogen-dependent gene expression both in transfected cells and in an in vitro transcription assay. Knockdown experiments with siRNAs confirmed that endogenous SRC-3 abundance was decreased in cells in which abundance of both aPKCs was decreased. The ability of aPKCζ to increase the abundance of SRC-3 depended on ERα and estrogen and did not occur when the cells were cotransfected with the ERβ estrogen receptor. Coimmunoprecipitation experiments showed that both ERα and SRC-3 interacted with aPKCζ. Although the ability of aPKCζ to stabilize SRC-3 required ERα and estrogen and SRC-3 mutants that did not bind ERα were not stabilized by aPKCζ, the interaction between SRC-3 and aPKCζ did not require the presence of ERα. Instead, in vitro kinase assays suggested that ERα promoted the phosphorylation of SRC-3 by aPKCζ. Mutation analysis indicated that the aPKC-mediated stabilization of SRC-3 involved an acidic region in the C-terminal region of SRC-3. SRC-3 interacted with the C8 subunit of the 20
S
proteasome in glutathione
S
-transferase pull-down experiments, and SRC-3 isolated from cells cotransfected with ERα and aPKCζ exhibited reduced interaction with this proteasomal subunit. Proteasomal degradation can be mediated by ubiquitin-dependent and -independent mechanisms, the latter involving a REGγ complex. In vitro assays for ubiquitin-dependent or REGγ-dependent proteasomal degradation showed that SRC-3 from cells cotransfected with ERα and aPKCζ was resistant to degradation. The authors suggest that phosphorylation of SRC-3 by aPKCs leads to a conformational change that exposes the acidic region and prevents the interaction between SRC-3 and the C8 proteasomal subunit.

P. Yi, Q. Feng, L. Amazit, D. M. Lonard, S. Y. Tsai, M.-J. Tsai, B. W. O'Malley, Atypical protein kinase C regulates dual pathways for degradation of the oncogenic coactivator SRC-3/AIB1.
Mol. Cell
29
, 465-476 (2008).
[PubMed]
A BACK PROPAGATION BASED REAL-TIME LICENSE PLATE RECOGNITION SYSTEM
Authors: HUANG YO-PING , CHANG TSUN-WEI , CHEN YEN-REN , SANDNES FRODE EIKA
Published: March 2008

License plate recognition systems have been used extensively for many applications including parking lot management, tollgate monitoring, and for the investigation of stolen vehicles. Most researches focus on static systems, which require a clear and level image to be taken of the license plate. However, the acquisition of images that can be successfully analyzed relies on both the location and movement of the target vehicle and the clarity of the environment. Moreover, only few studies have addressed the problems associated with instant car image processing. In view of these problems, a real-time license plate recognition system is proposed that recognizes the video frames taken from existing surveillance cameras. The proposed system finds the location of the license plate using projection analysis, and the characters are identified using a back propagation neural network. The strategy achieves a recognition rate of 85.8% and almost 100% after the neural network has been retrained using the erroneously recognized characters, respectively.
A DIRECTIONAL APPROACH TO FINGERPRINT CLASSIFICATION
Authors: LIU LI-MIN , HUANG CHING-YU , HUNG D. C. DOUGLAS
Published: March 2008

In this article, we present a new fingerprint classification algorithm. Singular points are first extracted from enhanced fingerprint direction images with a resolution of 2 × 2 pixels by the modified SEA algorithm. Based on the number of singular points, fingerprints are categorized into types of "arch", "whorl", and "solitary". Solitary fingerprints are properly rotated and then further processed to generate direction patterns that lead to establishment of individual direction template. Direction constraints are formed and derived from pattern descriptors by their structural layout. Decision rules are then established and pattern templates are classified into three more types: "right loop", "left loop", and "tented arch". NIST-4 database was used for an experimental test, and our classification accuracy was 91.62% with 1.55% rejection on the five-class system (94.38% on the four-class system), which is the best result on the five-class system to-date. An additional experiment on NIST-14 database reports 89.15% accuracy with 3.07% rejection.
DENSITY OF MEASURE-THEORETIC DIRECTIONAL ENTROPY FOR LATTICE DYNAMICAL SYSTEMS
Authors: COURBAGE M. , KAMIŃSKI B.
Published: March 2008

The density of the measure-theoretic directional entropy for the lattice dynamical system is introduced and it is shown that for a lattice dynamical transformation commuting with the shift transformation the density coincides with the entropy of the ℤ2-action generated by these two transformations, i.e. it is a constant function with respect to the direction. It is also proved that in the noncommutative case this result fails to be true.
FURTHER RESULTS ON MASTER-SLAVE SYNCHRONIZATION OF GENERAL LUR'E SYSTEMS WITH TIME-VARYING DELAY
Authors: SOUZA FERNANDO O. , PALHARES REINALDO M. , MENDES EDUARDO M. A. M. , TÔRRES LEONARDO A. B.
Published: March 2008

In this paper, a new approach to analyze the asymptotic, exponential and robust stability of the master-slave synchronization for Lur'e systems using time-varying delay feedback control is proposed. The discussion is motivated by the problem of transmitting information in optical communication systems using chaotic lasers. The approach is based on the Lyapunov–Krasovskii stability theory for functional differential equations and the linear matrix inequality (LMI) technique with the use of a recent Leibniz–Newton model based transformation, without including any additional dynamics. Using the problem of synchronizing coupled Chua's circuits, three examples are given to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
DELAY-DEPENDENT ASYMPTOTIC STABILITY OF NEURAL NETWORKS WITH TIME-VARYING DELAYS
Authors: XU SHENGYUAN , LAM JAMES , HO DANIEL W. C.
Published: March 2008

This paper considers the problem of stability analysis for neural networks with time-varying delays. The time-varying delays under consideration are assumed to be bounded but not necessarily differentiable. In terms of a linear matrix inequality, a delay-dependent asymptotic stability condition is developed, which ensures the existence of a unique equilibrium point and its global asymptotic stability. The proposed stability condition is easy to check and less conservative. An example is provided to show the effectiveness of the proposed condition.
VIBRATION AND STABILITY OF GEOMETRICALLY NONLINEAR COLUMN SUBJECTED TO GENERALIZED LOAD WITH A FORCE DIRECTED TOWARD THE POSITIVE POLE
Authors: TOMSKI L. , UZNY S.
Published: March 2008

Considered herein is the vibration and stability problems of a slender column subjected to generalized load with a force directed toward the positive pole. The load is developed by heads composed of circular profile elements. The geometrically nonlinear problem of stability and free vibrations is formulated on the basis of Hamilton's principle, and due to nonlinearity, the problem is solved by applying the small parameter method. Vibration and stability results show the influence of chosen parameters that characterize the considered column (including initial prestressing). The assumed mathematical model is validated by experimental results.
TSUKAHARA'S VAULT AND FOSBURY'S FLOP: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF TWO GREAT INVENTIONS
Authors: BAR-ELI MICHAEL , LOWENGART ODED , TSUKAHARA MITSUO , FOSBURY RICHARD DOUGLAS
Published: March 2008

Studies on innovation and creativity have been quite rare, thus far in the sport management literature. In this study, a comparative analysis was conducted between two great inventions — Tsukahara's Vault and Fosbury's Flop. Mitsuo Tsukahara and Dick Fosbury responded to open-ended questions designed to capture various dimensions in the development of their innovations. A content analysis was conducted on the data obtained through this semi-structured interview technique. The comparison between these two cases revealed an amazingly similar pattern in the structure of the innovative process. The major conclusion drawn from this analysis is that the principles of optimisation and creativity-enhancement should be conceived as being complimentary, in the promotion of innovative processes in various areas.
Distinct Modes of the East Asian Summer Monsoon*
Authors: Wu Bingyi , Zhang Renhe , Ding Yihui , D’Arrigo Rosanne
Published: March 2008

Resolution of a complex Hermitian matrix derived from monthly mean 850-hPa wind fields during the summer season (June–August) from 1968 to 2004 revealed four different modes of East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) variability. The leading EASM mode, accounting for 19.6% of the variance, is characterized by two different modes (M11 and M12) or their combination. Both portray a closed cyclonic or anticyclonic circulation anomaly over the western North Pacific (WNP), South China Sea (SCS), and southeastern China; corresponding anomalous geopotential height fields show a wave train structure from the WNP across Japan, the Okhotsk Sea, and Alaska to North America. Thus, the leading EASM mode characterizes the teleconnection pattern of the WNP-EASM. The correlation between M11 (M12) and the dynamic index for the WNP-EASM is 0.85 (0.51). M11 has leading spectral peaks at 15 and 3 yr, whereas M12 displays a predominant peak at 2 yr. It is found that M11 has interdecadal variations, with the transition years being circa 1973 and 1989, respectively. M11 is closely related to air–sea interactions in the SCS and the northwestern Pacific, and its association with the convective heat source over the northwestern Pacific is secondary. In contrast, M12 is closely related to the tropical convective heat source rather than tropical western Pacific sea surface temperature (SST).

The second EASM mode, accounting for 12.8% of the variance, is identified and characterized by two distinct and alternating modes or their linear combination (M21 and M22). One mode (M21) closely relates to the dual blocking high pattern detected in anomalous sea level pressure (SLP) and 500-hPa geopotential heights over the Ural Mountains and the Okhotsk Sea. The other (M22) corresponds to a dipole blocking anomaly in anomalous SLP and geopotential heights, with opposing anomalous centers in the south of Japan and the Korean peninsula, and the area between Lake Baikal and the Okhotsk Sea. M22 shows significant correlations with summer mean rainfall in southern and southeastern China. Thus, a single index of EASM is inappropriate for investigating and predicting the EASM.
Downscaling and Projection of Winter Extreme Daily Precipitation over North America
Authors: Wang Jiafeng , Zhang Xuebin
Published: March 2008

Large-scale atmospheric variables have been statistically downscaled to derive winter (December–March) maximum daily precipitation at stations over North America using the generalized extreme value distribution (GEV). Here, the leading principal components of the sea level pressure field and local specific humidity are covariates of the distribution parameters. The GEV parameters are estimated using data from 1949 to 1999 and the r-largest method. This statistical downscaling procedure is found to yield skill over the southern and northern West Coast, central United States, and areas of western and eastern Canada when tested with independent data.

The projected changes in covariates or predictors are obtained from transient climate change simulations conducted with the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis (CCCma) Coupled General Circulation Model, version 3.1 (CGCM3.1) forced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) A2 forcing scenario. They are then used to derive the GEV distribution parameters for the period 2050–99. The projected frequency of the current 20-yr return maximum daily precipitation for that period suggests that extreme precipitation risk will increase heavily over the south and central United States but decrease over the Canadian prairies. The difference between the statistical downscaling results and those estimated using GCM simulation is also discussed.
Improved Physical Processes in a Regional Climate Model and Their Impact on the Simulated Summer Monsoon Circulations over East Asia
Authors: Yhang Yoo-Bin , Hong Song-You
Published: March 2008

This paper documents the sensitivity of the modeled evolution of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) to physical parameterization using the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) Regional Spectral Model (RSM). To this end, perfect boundary condition experiments driven by analysis data are designed for August 2003 to investigate the individual role of the surface processes, boundary layer, and convection parameterization on the simulated monsoon. Also, 10-yr June–August (JJA) simulations from 1996 to 2005 are performed to evaluate the overall impacts of these revisions on the simulated EASM climatology.

The one-month simulation for August 2003 reveals that the experiment with a realistic distribution of land use conditions and vegetation and smaller thermal roughness length simulates higher temperature and geopotential height. On the other hand, in the experiment with an improved boundary layer scheme, the rainfall amount is slightly decreased due to reduced vertical mixing. The simulation with revised subgrid-scale processes in the cumulus parameterization scheme reproduces a rainband over the subtropics, which is weakly simulated by the default package. The overall large-scale distribution from the experiment, which includes all three revised physics processes, shows the same direction as that of the revised convection run in the middle and upper troposphere, but is improved further when other newly enhanced processes are combined. These improvements are also achieved in a 10-yr summer simulation. It is distinct that the revised physics package improves the large-scale patterns by strengthening the intensity of the North Pacific high and reducing the intensity of the lower-level jet, which are critical components in the EASM. The general patterns of the interannual and intraseasonal variation of precipitation are also improved, in particular, over land.
Multidecadal Climate Variability in Observed and Modeled Surface Temperatures*
Authors: Kravtsov Sergey , Spannagle Christopher
Published: March 2008

This study identifies interdecadal natural climate variability in global surface temperatures by subtracting, from the observed temperature evolution, multimodel ensemble mean based on the World Climate Research Programme's (WCRP) Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3 (CMIP3) multimodel dataset. The resulting signal resembles the so-called Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO) and is presumably associated with intrinsic dynamics of the oceanic thermohaline circulation (THC). While certain phases of the oscillation are dominated by the anomalies in the North Atlantic region, other phases are characterized by global teleconnections to the North Pacific Ocean, tropical Atlantic Ocean, as well as the Southern Ocean. In particular, natural variability of sea surface temperature in the Atlantic hurricanes’ main development region has a peak-to-peak amplitude comparable in magnitude to this region’s surface temperature increase over the past century, for all seasons. Evidence suggests that the AMO influence on secular trends in the global-mean surface temperature can arise via direct, regional contribution to the surface temperature evolution, as well as via an indirect route linked to variability of the oceanic uptake of CO2 associated with AMO-related THC changes.
Mental Hygiene Reaches the People
Authors: Calver Grace
Published: March 2008

In I94I the Central Council for Health Education offered a prize for the best programme or programmes of future work submitted by any of its Affiliated Societies. The conditions of the grant were that all schemes sub mitted should be related to present-day conditions, outside the ordinary work of the Society, though in the same sphere of activity, and a piece of pioneer work in Health Education.

The competition was won by the National Association for Mental Health, the Child Guidance Council and the National Council for Mental Hygiene who submitted a joint programme for Rural Mental Health Education.

These Societies drew up a syllabus of four talks upon "Understanding Our selves and Our Children" and with the co-operation of the Medical Officers of Health these lectures were offered to Women's Institutes, Maternity and Child Welfare Centres and other groups in different parts of the country.

Dr. Grace Calver describes her experiences when lecturing under this scheme.
Ten Years of F.A.O
Authors: Turner J.E.B.
Published: March 2008

The tenth anniversary of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations fell on October 16, 1955. Though many of the problems of F.A.O. seem a bit remote from the English scene, most people will agree that in raising the health standards of the world its work is as important as that of the World Health Organiza tion. Problems of nutrition throughout most of the world are the fundamental problems, and with increasing survival due to better preventive medicine, the nutritional problems in many areas are becoming more, rather than less, pressing.
The organisation and evaluation of an anti-smoking clinic
Authors: de Bruin Janet
Published: March 2008

This was an experimental clinic run as a pilot scheme by the Health Department of the London Borough of Barking. The intention was to record the procedures required in the setting up of an Anti-Smoking Clinic, to make a preliminary evaluation of the resources used in relation to the service given and make recommendations. It was run with the minimum of expense and a great deal of dedication and energy on the part of the staff concerned. The experiment proved undoubtedly that the need for, and the demand for such clinics exists, and that the method used in this instance was successful initially, but that the success was not wholly sustained for six months.
A clean food campaign in the North Riding of Yorkshire
Authors: Langmaid W.L.
Published: March 2008

A clean food campaign was carried out in the North Riding of Yorkshire between September 1972 and April 1973. The aim of the campaign was to make food traders and housewives aware of the nature of food poisoning and the importance of good food hygiene. Food traders were reached by means of a one day seminar for senior manage ment, eight courses for managers, which were held on local authority premises and a further 29 staff training courses on food premises. Housewives were reached mainly by a poster campaign, where poster designs, sub mitted by a schoolboy in response to a school competition were used and by lectures which were carried out in 88 women's organizations in the County. Self standing displays were arranged in 35 sites, 40,000 leaflets were distributed and three broadcasts were put out on the local radio. Secondary school girls-future housewives, were reached by means of a project scheme which to date has involved 25 schools.
Life Cycle: The Saga of the Incredible Shrinking Man
Authors: Vialls Arthur
Published: March 2008

'Life Cycle' is a series of broadcasts for children in school in the age range 11-13. The subject is indeed the life cycle as it proceeds from conception to old age, and, in the course of the series, the children are introduced to some of the basic ideas of human biology. They are conducted through some of the stages by the 'Incredible Shrinking Man.'
Social Ethics of Landscape Change
Authors: Glover Troy D. , Stewart William P. , Gladdys Katerie
Published: March 2008

Understanding stakeholder values is crucial to the development of a community-based model of landscape change. Be that as it may, engagement techniques are still in their infancies, and land-use planners are struggling for tools to facilitate discourse on public values related to landscape change. Accordingly, this article responds to urgent needs to define planning processes that represent the values of stakeholders, empower communities, and lead to landscape changes that maintain and enhance a community's sense of place. It does so by exploring the combination of photo elicitation and narrative as a form of civic science aimed at engaging citizens in the planning process. Findings from a study incorporating these techniques are used to show the merits of this participatory form of inquiry. The authors argue the use of stories, unlike traditional public engagement techniques, allows the landscape-change process to be situated within the social meanings relevant to a community.
Uniformly Efficient Importance Sampling for the Tail Distribution of Sums of Random Variables
Authors: Glasserman Paul , Juneja Sandeep
Published: March 2008

Successful efficient rare-event simulation typically involves using importance sampling tailored to a specific rare event. However, in applications one may be interested in simultaneous estimation of many probabilities or even an entire distribution. In this paper, we address this issue in a simple but fundamental setting. Specifically, we consider the problem of efficient estimation of the probabilities P(Sn ≥ na) for large n, for all a lying in an interval 𝒜, where Sn denotes the sum of n independent, identically distributed light-tailed random variables. Importance sampling based on exponential twisting is known to produce asymptotically efficient estimates when 𝒜 reduces to a single point. We show, however, that this procedure fails to be asymptotically efficient throughout 𝒜 when 𝒜 contains more than one point. We analyze the best performance that can be achieved using a discrete mixture of exponentially twisted distributions, and then present a method using a continuous mixture. We show that a continuous mixture of exponentially twisted probabilities and a discrete mixture with a sufficiently large number of components produce asymptotically efficient estimates for all a ∈ 𝒜 simultaneously.
Asymptotically Optimal Admission Control of a Queue with Impatient Customers
Authors: Ward Amy R. , Kumar Sunil
Published: March 2008

We consider a GI/GI/1 queue with impatient customers in heavy traffic. We use the solution of an approximating singular diffusion control problem to construct an admission control policy for the queue. The approximating control problem does not admit a so-called pathwise solution. Hence, the resulting admission control policy depends on second-moment data. We prove asymptotic optimality of the constructed policy using weak-convergence methods.rh
Heritability and Shared Genetic Effects of Asthma and Hay Fever: An Italian Study of Young Twins
Authors: Fagnani Corrado , Annesi-Maesano Isabella , Brescianini Sonia , D'Ippolito Cristina , Medda Emanuela , Nisticò Lorenza , Patriarca Valeria , Rotondi Daniela , Toccaceli Virgilia , Stazi Maria Antonietta
Published: March 2008

A number of studies have provided evidence of a significant familial aggregation for both asthma and hay fever, and have reported a substantial comorbidity between the two conditions. However, far fewer, especially in Italy, have aimed at clarifying the origins of such comorbidity. The main aims of the present study were (a) to estimate heritability of asthma and hay fever, (b) to measure the association between asthma and hay fever at the individual level, and (c) to assess the extent to which genetic and environmental factors, shared by the two conditions, mediate this association. The twin method was used. The study sample was derived from the Italian Twin Registry, and included 392 twin pairs aged 8 to 17 years. Data collection was performed through parent self-administered questionnaire. Bivariate structural equation twin modeling was applied to asthma and hay fever. Genetic factors accounted for 92% and 78% of the variance in liability to asthma and hay fever, respectively, with the remaining contributions due to unique environmental influences. The within-individual association between asthma and hay fever was substantial. The genetic correlation between the two conditions was .58, whereas no evidence of overlapping unique environmental effects was found. In conclusion, this study showed a high heritability of asthma and hay fever in the Italian child and adolescent population. It also indicated that asthma and hay fever share, to a large extent, a common genetic background, and environmental factors are not relevant to explain the comorbidity.
Sex Ratios in Twin Families: Commentary on Fellman and Eriksson
Authors: James William H.
Published: March 2008

Fellman and Eriksson (2008) wondered whether there is variation in the probability that a human birth will be male. Accordingly, they examined the sexes of sibs of index MM, MF, and FF twin pairs. For this purpose they used 19th century German data published by Geissler and Lommatsch. In these data, the sex ratio (proportion male at birth) of sibs of MM pairs was significantly high; while that of MF pairs was normal and that of FF pairs was significantly low (as contrasted with contemporaneous live birth sex ratios). Accordingly Fellman and Eriksson concluded that there is, indeed, variation across couples in the probability of producing a son. Here it will be noted that though there are external grounds supporting this conclusion, there is nevertheless some reason to suspect a form of systematic error in the data cited by these authors. (In Geissler's data, there is very substantial unexplained variation of sex ratio of the sibs preceding index twins by the sex and birth order of the twins). Both these points will be addressed here. In addition, evidence is adduced that (1) the sex ratio of MZ twins is low, and (2) the sex ratios of DZ twins and of their sibs are high. Lastly, appeals are made for (a) data that would test the reliability of the data of Geissler and Lommatsch on the point questioned above, and (b) data on the sex ratios of offspring of twins by the sex and zygosity of the twin parents.
Proclaiming Liberation: The Historical Roots of LGBT Religious Organizing, 1946–1976
Authors: White Heather Rachelle
Published: March 2008

The intersection of queer identities and religious allegiance has constituted a lively source for emerging new religious movements. This article examines the roots of the contemporary flourishing of religious fellowships for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) practitioners, focusing on the "gay church movement" of the late 1960s and early 1970s. These predominantly gay religious fellowships initiated models for religious organizing that facilitated continued proliferation across religious affiliation.
To Be Christian and Homosexual: From Shame to Identity-Based Claims
Authors: Gross Martine
Published: March 2008

This paper draws on a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews to explore how gay and lesbian Christians in France deal with their dual identities. The journey of those who leave a traditional church to join an inclusive church is like an act of conversion. From such participants' testimonies, it is apparent that they go through various phases: entanglement, break with the past, and a search for a new meaning. As in any act of conversion, they must free themselves from their old ties; in this case, they must break free from submission to a religious institution they previously saw as the only legitimate body representing Christianity. Not all of them are necessarily ready to do so. Many stay in traditional churches, which accounts for the small number of inclusive churches in France. Respondents in this study demonstrate many of the same identity negotiation strategies found by other researchers, some of which seem to be experiences in a way that is particular to France, due to the hegemony of Roman Catholicism.
Ghrelin levels are suppressed and show a blunted response to oral glucose in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
Authors: Barber Thomas M , Casanueva Felipe F , Karpe Fredrik , Lage Mary , Franks Stephen , McCarthy Mark I , Wass John A H
Published: March 2008

Objective

Abnormal ghrelin regulation may influence the development of obesity-associated conditions including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Our aim was to compare ghrelin regulation between PCOS cases and controls.

Design

We compared serum ghrelin (total) levels, fasting and 30-min post-oral (75 g) glucose load, between 50 PCOS cases and 28 female controls, including 22 body mass index (BMI)/fat mass-matched pairs. All subjects were of UK British/Irish origin.

Methods

Measurements included serum ghrelin (RIA technique (LINCO Research, St Charles MO, USA)), fat mass, serum testosterone, fasting serum insulin and plasma glucose levels. Insulin sensitivity was calculated as the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA2 IR).

Results

Fasting serum ghrelin levels were significantly lower in PCOS cases versus BMI/fat mass-matched controls (geometric mean (s.d. range), 1104 pg/ml (764–1595) vs 1756 pg/ml (1314–2347) respectively;P=2.3×10−4). Ghrelin suppression following oral glucose load was significantly blunted in PCOS cases versus BMI/fat mass-matched controls (geometric mean ghrelin suppression (s.d. range), 160 pg/ml (88–289) vs 424 pg/ml (220–818) respectively;P=2.0×10−4). Whole-group comparisons (50 PCOS cases versus 28 controls) adjusted for fat mass and age revealed similar results. In PCOS cases, there was a significant negative correlation between fasting serum ghrelin and HOMA2 IR (r2=−0.40,P=5.7×10−3). Following adjustment for HOMA2 IR, fat mass and age, comparisons between the whole groups of PCOS cases and controls revealed attenuated but significant differences in fasting serum ghrelin (P=1.3×10−3) and ghrelin suppression (P=1.8×10−3).

Conclusions

In women with PCOS, serum ghrelin levels are suppressed, showing a negative relationship with HOMA2 IR and a blunted response to oral glucose.
Retinol-binding protein 4 is associated with insulin resistance, but appears unsuited for metabolic screening in women with polycystic ovary syndrome.
Authors: Möhlig Matthias , Weickert Martin O , Ghadamgahi Elham , Arafat Ayman M , Spranger Joachim , Pfeiffer Andreas F H , Schöfl Christof
Published: March 2008

Objective

Adiposity, insulin resistance (IR), and hyperandrogenism are features of polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Retinol-binding protein 4 (RBP4) secreted from adipose and liver tissues has been linked to IR. The impact of RBP4 on IR in PCOS and its usability to identify women with metabolic syndrome (MS) or impaired glucose tolerance ((IGT) or diabetes) were investigated.

Design

Plasma RBP4 was determined in 115 consecutive PCOS women. Associations with IR, body composition, and hyperandrogenemia were investigated by correlation and multiple linear regression analyses in 110 non-diabetics. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to evaluate RBP4 as a parameter for identifying MS and IGT or diabetes.

Results

RBP4 increased over tertiles of IR (P=0.009). RBP4 correlated with HOMA %S (R=−0.286,P= 0.002), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) (R=0.233,P=0.034), and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)-lean body mass (R=0.282,P=0.016) but not with body mass index (BMI), DEXA-total or -trunk fat mass, hsCRP, free testosterone, DHEAS, androstenedione, and 17β-estradiol. Adjusted for age, BMI, smoking, and IGT, the association between RBP4 and HOMA %S remained significant (P=0.032). RBP4 explained 4.6% of the variation in HOMA %S. RBP4 was higher in MS and IGT or diabetes, but its ability to identify these women was low (area under the curve, AUC=0.631,P=0.041 or AUC=0.660,P=0.016).

Conclusions

In PCOS, RBP4 has a small independent impact on IR. It is not correlated with hyperandrogenemia, 17β-estradiol, other adrenal steroids, or with markers of adiposity in general. Furthermore, RBP4 does not appear suitable for screening MS or impaired glucose metabolism (IGT or diabetes).
Avaliação participativa online e off-line
Authors: Leite Denise , Leite Maria Cecília Loréa , Genro Maria Elly Herz , Polidori Marlis Morosini , Edelwein Mônica Pagel , Escott Clarice , Félix Glades , Pires Regina Céli Machado , Machado Renata Silva , Reis Marieta
Published: March 2008

Este é um trabalho de pesquisa coletiva que vem sendo construído por várias mãos no espaço da parceria. O texto apresenta a revisão de literatura, metodologia e resultados parciais de uma investigação que entende Avaliação Participativa (AP) em seu acoplamento com Tecnologias da Informação e da Comunicação (TICs), um tema sobre o qual as pedagogias ainda não produzem respostas suficientes e adequadas. Mostra como foram captadas (observação e mini-estudos etnográficos), registradas (protocolos e estudos de caso) e analisadas (referenciais) as formas de avaliação que foram praticadas em cenários universitários, educação presencial e não presencial, educação a distância (EAD) e em cenários de ações sociais e educação não formal, praticadas em periferias urbanas (ONG).
From a water resource to a point pollution source: the daily journey of a coastal urban stream
Authors: Rörig LR. , Tundisi JG. , Schettini CAF. , Pereira-Filho J. , Menezes JT. , Almeida TCM. , Urban SR. , Radetski CM. , Sperb RC. , Stramosk CA. , Macedo RS. , Castro-Silva MA. , Perez JAA.
Published: March 2008

The aim of this study was to understand how a stream ecosystem that flows from its fountainhead to its mouth inside a city, changes from a water resource to a point pollution source. A multidisciplinary descriptive approach was adopted, including the short-term temporal and spatial determination of physical, chemical, biological and ecotoxicological variables. Results showed that water quality rapidly decreases with increasing urbanization, leading the system to acquire raw sewage attributes even in the first hundred meters after the fountainheads. Despite the tidal circulation near the stream mouth being restricted by shallowness, some improvement of the water quality was detected in this area. The multidisciplinary evaluation showed to be useful for obtaining a more realistic understanding of the stream degradation process, and to forecast restoration and mitigation measures.
The risk of fetal loss following a prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 13 or trisomy 18
Authors: Morris Joan K. , Savva George M.
Published: March 2008

The objective of this study is to determine the risk of fetal loss (spontaneous abortion or stillbirth) following a prenatal diagnosis of trisomy 13 (T13; Patau syndrome) or trisomy 18 (T18; Edwards syndrome). Five regional congenital anomaly registers in England and Wales provided details on the outcomes of 198 pregnancies prenatally diagnosed with T13 and 538 prenatally diagnosed with T18. For each pregnancy the time from prenatal diagnosis until birth, miscarriage or termination occurred was calculated and these times were analyzed using Kaplan–Meier survival functions. Our results showed that between 12 weeks gestation and term an estimated 49% (95% CI: 29–73%) of pregnancies diagnosed with T13 and 72% (61–81%) of pregnancies diagnosed with T18 ended in a miscarriage or stillbirth. Between 18 weeks and term the proportions were 42% (18–72%) for T13 and 65% (57–79%) for T18 and between 24 weeks and term the proportions were 35% (5–70%) for T13 and 59% (49–77%) for T18. Male fetuses with T18 appeared to be more likely to be lost than female fetuses. These are the most precise estimates currently available for the risk of loss in a general population. These estimates should be useful in counseling women who are carrying an affected fetus and knowing the risk of fetal loss is essential to compare the performance of prenatal screening programs occurring in the first and second trimester. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analysis of X chromosome inactivation in autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Gong Xiaohong , Bacchelli Elena , Blasi Francesca , Toma Claudio , Betancur Catalina , Chaste Pauline , Delorme Richard , Durand Christelle M. , Fauchereau Fabien , Botros Hany Goubran , Leboyer Marion , Mouren‐Simeoni Marie‐Christine , Nygren Gudrun , Anckarsäter Henrik , Rastam Maria , Gillberg I. Carina , Gillberg Christopher , Moreno‐De‐Luca Daniel , Carone Simona , Nummela Ilona , Rossi Mari , Battaglia Agatino ,   The International Molecular Genetic Study of Autism Consortium (IMGSAC), Jarvela Irma , Maestrini Elena , Bourgeron Thomas
Published: March 2008

Autism spectrum disorders (ASD) are complex genetic disorders more frequently observed in males. Skewed X chromosome inactivation (XCI) is observed in heterozygous females carrying gene mutations involved in several X‐linked syndromes. In this study, we aimed to estimate the role of X‐linked genes in ASD susceptibility by ascertaining the XCI pattern in a sample of 543 informative mothers of children with ASD and in a sample of 163 affected girls. The XCI pattern was also determined in two control groups (144 adult females and 40 young females) with a similar age distribution to the mothers sample and affected girls sample, respectively. We observed no significant excess of skewed XCI in families with ASD. Interestingly, two mothers and one girl carrying known mutations in X‐linked genes (NLGN3, ATRX, MECP2) showed highly skewed XCI, suggesting that ascertainment of XCI could reveal families with X‐linked mutations. Linkage analysis was carried out in the subgroup of multiplex families with skewed XCI (≥80:20) and a modest increased allele sharing was obtained in the Xq27‐Xq28 region, with a peak Z‐score of 1.75 close to rs719489. In summary, our results suggest that there is no major X‐linked gene subject to XCI and expressed in blood cells conferring susceptibility to ASD. However, the possibility that rare mutations in X‐linked genes could contribute to ASD cannot be excluded. We propose that the XCI profile could be a useful criteria to prioritize families for mutation screening of X‐linked candidate genes. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Calibration of credibility of agnostic genome‐wide associations
Authors: Ioannidis John P.A.
Published: March 2008

Genome‐wide testing platforms are increasingly used to promote “agnostic” approaches to the discovery of gene variants associated with the risk of many common diseases and quantitative traits. The early track record of genome‐wide association (GWA) studies suggests that some proposed associations are replicated quite consistently with large‐scale subsequent evidence from multiple studies, others have a more inconsistent replication record, some have failed to be replicated by independent investigators and many more early proposed associations await further replication. An important question is how to calibrate the credibility of these postulated associations. A simple Bayesian method is applied here to achieve such calibration. The variability of the estimated credibility is examined under different assumptions. Empirical examples are drawn from existing GWA studies. It is demonstrated that the credibility of different proposed associations can cover a very wide range. The credibility of specific associations usually remains relatively robust when different plausible assumptions are made (within a reasonable range) for the prior odds of an association being true, or the magnitude of the anticipated effect size for genetic associations. Heterogeneity and bias assumptions can have a more major impact on the credibility estimates and thus they need very careful consideration in each case. Credibility calibration may be used in conjunction with qualitative criteria for the appraisal of the cumulative evidence that take into consideration the amount, consistency, and protection from bias in the data. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A reanalysis of 409 European‐Ancestry and African American schizophrenia pedigrees reveals significant linkage to 8p23.3 with evidence of locus heterogeneity
Authors: Holliday E.G. , Mowry B.J. , Nyholt D.R.
Published: March 2008

The detection and replication of schizophrenia risk loci can require substantial sample sizes, which has prompted various collaborative efforts for combining multiple samples. However, pooled samples may comprise sub‐samples with substantial population genetic differences, including allele frequency differences. We investigated the impact of population differences via linkage reanalysis of Molecular Genetics of Schizophrenia 1 (MGS1) affected sibling‐pair data, comprising two samples of distinct ancestral origin: European (EA: 263 pedigrees) and African‐American (AA: 146 pedigrees). To exploit the linkage information contained within these distinct continental samples, we performed separate analyses of the individual samples, allowing for within‐sample locus heterogeneity, and the pooled sample, allowing for both within‐sample and between‐sample heterogeneity. Significance levels, corrected for the multiple tests, were determined empirically. For all suggestive peaks, stronger linkage evidence was obtained in either the EA or AA sample than the combined sample, regardless of how heterogeneity was modeled for the latter. Notably, we report genomewide significant linkage of schizophrenia to 8p23.3 and evidence for a second, independent susceptibility locus, reaching suggestive linkage, 29 cM away on 8p21.3. We also detected suggestive linkage on chromosomes 5p13.3 and 7q36.2. Many regions showed pronounced differences in the extent of linkage between the EA and AA samples. This reanalysis highlights the potential impact of population differences upon linkage evidence in pooled data and demonstrates a useful approach for the analysis of samples drawn from distinct continental groups. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Gene expression profiling in porcine maternal infanticide: A model for puerperal psychosis
Authors: Quilter Claire R. , Gilbert Colin L. , Oliver Gina L. , Jafer Osman , Furlong Robert A. , Blott Sarah C. , Wilson Anna E. , Sargent Carole A. , Mileham Alan , Affara Nabeel A.
Published: March 2008

The etiology of mental disorders remains largely unclear. Complex interactions between genetic and environmental factors are key to the development of such disorders. Puerperal psychosis is the most extreme form of postnatal mood disorder in women. Similarly, parturition in the pig can trigger extreme behavioral disturbances, including maternal infanticide. In this study, we have used a targeted cDNA microarray approach using the pig as a model to understand the genes and genetic pathways that are involved in these processes. Two subtracted cDNA libraries from porcine hypothalamus were constructed, which were enriched for genes that were over‐expressed and under‐expressed in the aberrant behavioral phenotype, compared to the matched control. In addition to this, a normalized library was constructed from hypothalamus and pituitary samples taken from pigs in a variety of reproductive states. The libraries were partially sequenced and combined represented approximately 5,159 different genes. Microarray analysis determined differences in gene expression between hypothalamus samples from nine matched pairs of infanticidal versus control animals, using a common reference design. Microarray analysis of variance (MAANOVA) identified 52 clones as being differentially expressed (P ≤ 0.002) in the infanticide phenotype, a second analysis with friendly statistics package for microarray analysis (FSPMA) identified 9 genes in common to MAANOVA, and a further 16 genes. A rapid cross‐species screen onto a human oligonucleotide array confirmed 3 genes and highlighted 61 more potential candidates. Some of these genes and the pathways in which they are involved were also implicated in a parallel QTL study on maternal infanticide. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Association of PTPRB gene polymorphism with drug addiction
Authors: Ishiguro Hiroki , Gong Jian‐Ping , Hall F. Scott , Arinami Tadao , Uhl George R.
Published: March 2008

Several lines of evidence support the involvement of protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type beta (PTPRB) in addiction. Generally, PTPs interact with both neuronal receptors and cell adhesion molecules, and appear to play roles in neurite growth and neuronal differentiation. We previously identified a role of the cell adhesion molecule NrCAM in polysubstance abuse vulnerability in humans, as well as in the rewarding effects of abused drugs in animals. Furthermore, we have identified genomic regions containing several cell adhesion molecules as polysubstance abuse vulnerability loci by whole‐genome association study. The present study of human chromosome 12 loci revealed that the Ser127Gly polymorphism in PTPRB is associated with substance abuse vulnerability in three independent case‐control samples (European‐American from COGA families, USA, n = 177, P = 0.047; European‐American from Maryland, USA, n = 650, P = 0.018; and African‐American from Maryland, USA, n = 331, P = 0.009). However, this polymorphism was not associated with alcoholism in Japanese subjects (n = 1,599, P = 0.37). To confirm the importance of PTPRB in responses to drugs of abuse the expression of Ptprb in mouse brain was examined after chronic morphine treatment and found to be up‐regulated in some brain regions. Thus, PTPRB is an addiction‐associated and drug‐regulated gene whose variants may affect substance abuse vulnerability. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Family based association study of pediatric bipolar disorder and the dopamine transporter gene (SLC6A3)
Authors: Mick Eric , Kim Jang Woo , Biederman Joseph , Wozniak Janet , Wilens Timothy , Spencer Thomas , Smoller Jordan W. , Faraone Stephen V.
Published: March 2008

The dopamine transporter gene (SLC6A3) is a compelling candidate for pediatric bipolar disorder because (a) it has been associated with ADHD, (b) bipolar comorbidity with ADHD has been hypothesized to be an etiologically distinct familial subtype (c) blockade of the dopamine transporter with psychostimulants can induce mania in susceptible individuals and (d) previous studies have implicated the gene in bipolar disorder in adults. We conducted a family‐based association study of SLC6A3 in 170 affected offspring trios defined by a child (12.9 ± 5.3 years of age)with DSM‐IV Bipolar‐I disorder. Twenty‐eight tag SNPs were chosen from the CEU (European) population of the International HapMap project (www.hapmap.org). Results indicated nominally positive association for 4 SNPs (rs40184, rs11133767, rs3776512, and rs464049), but only rs40184 survived correction for multiple statistical comparisons (P = 0.038). This is the first examination of the association with SLC6A3 and bipolar disorder in children and, like previous findings in adults with bipolar disorder, we found evidence of association with SNPs in the 3′ region of the gene. These data provide suggestive evidence supporting a role for SLC6A3 in the etiology of pediatric bipolar disorder. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Technology, genres, and value change: Literary authors and artistic use of information technology
Authors: Paling Stephen
Published: March 2008

Information technology provides resources with which human actors can change the patterns of social action in which they participate. Studies of genre change have been among those that have focused on such change. Those studies, however, have tended not to focus on creative genres. Producers in creative genres often produce their work in an atmosphere with little or no central control and tend to hold values that set their work apart from work found in commercial settings. This study focuses on information technology use by literary authors and asks whether literary authors are likely to use information technology in ways that will reinforce or alter the traditional values seen in American literary publishing.