bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prolonged Infusion of Cycloheximide Does Not Block Mossy Fiber Sprouting in a Model of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy
Authors: Toyoda Izumi , Buckmaster Paul S.
Published: June 2005

Summary:  Purpose: The role of protein synthesis in mossy fiber sprouting is unclear. Conflicting reports exist on whether a single dose of the protein synthesis–blocker cycloheximide administered around the time of an epileptogenic injury can block the eventual development of mossy fiber sprouting.

Methods: In rats, osmotic minipumps and cannulae were implanted to deliver 8 mg/ml cycloheximide to one dentate gyrus and vehicle to the other. This method has been used to block protein synthesis in the infused region for up to 5 days with minimal neurotoxic effects (Taha and Stryker, Neuron 2002;34:425–36). After 2 days of infusion, rats were treated with pilocarpine to induce status epilepticus. Pumps were removed 3 days later. Thirty days after pilocarpine treatment, rats were perfused, and hippocampal sections were processed for Timm staining.

Results: Timm staining revealed aberrant mossy fiber sprouting in the inner molecular layer regardless of whether hippocampi were treated with cycloheximide or vehicle. Cycloheximide‐treated hippocampi displayed more aberrant Timm staining and more tissue damage around the infusion site than did vehicle‐treated hippocampi.

Conclusions: Prolonged infusion of cycloheximide, spanning the period of pilocarpine treatment, did not block mossy fiber sprouting. This finding suggests that protein‐dependent mechanisms around the time of an epileptogenic injury are not necessary for the eventual development of synaptic reorganization.
A Comparison of Two fMRI Protocols for Eliciting Hippocampal Activation
Authors: Binder Jeffrey R. , Bellgowan Patrick S. F. , Hammeke Thomas A. , Possing Edward T. , Frost Julie A.
Published: June 2005

Summary:  Purpose: Previous research suggests that the hippocampus is modulated both by stimulus novelty and by the extent to which relational processing (formation of associations) occurs during episodic encoding. The aim of this study was to compare hippocampal activation patterns measured by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) during encoding protocols emphasizing either novelty or relational processing.

Methods:
fMRI was performed on 32 healthy volunteers while they encoded complex visual scenes or unrecognizable scrambled versions of the same scenes. In the Novelty contrast, encoding of novel scenes was compared with encoding of a repeated pair of scenes. In the Relational Processing contrast, semantic encoding of novel scenes was compared with structural encoding of scrambled scenes.

Results: Both protocols elicited bilateral hippocampal activation. Overall mean activation values were similar for the two protocols, but the Relational Processing protocol resulted in a larger volume of hippocampal activation. The pattern of activation along the longitudinal hippocampal axis differed for the two protocols. The Novelty contrast produced stronger activation in the posterior hippocampus, whereas the Relational Processing contrast produced stronger activation in the anterior hippocampus.

Conclusions: Hippocampal activation is determined by both stimulus novelty and degree of relational processing during encoding. Given the importance of anterior hippocampal pathology in temporal lobe epilepsy, an approach emphasizing modulation of relational processing may be preferable for clinical fMRI of the medial temporal lobes.
Characteristics of Slow Waves on EEG Associated with Epileptic Spasms
Authors: Kobayashi Katsuhiro , Oka Makio , Inoue Takushi , Ogino Tatsuya , Yoshinaga Harumi , Ohtsuka Yoko
Published: June 2005

Summary:  Purpose: The high‐voltage slow waves (HVSs) on EEG associated with epileptic spasms were investigated to clarify their characteristics and their relation to the pathophysiology of spasms in West syndrome and related disorders.

Methods: In 14 patients, digitally recorded EEG segments showing the ictal HVSs were extracted and their traces were overlaid by using an average reference. The ictal HVSs were also averaged to build maps for investigation of the pattern of potential distribution over the scalp.

Results: In a total of 685 recorded spasms, 346 (50.5%) with minimal artifacts were selected to demonstrate that the ictal HVSs had a largely consistent waveform and distribution in each patient. The ictal HVSs were symmetrical in 10 patients and asymmetrical in the other four, and were relatively negative over the posterior region and positive over the frontal or temporal regions in 11 patients. Two symptomatic patients showed a marked deviation of the distribution of HVSs to the pathologically more involved hemisphere. An infant with Aicardi syndrome had two different types of spasms, each type showing a consistent pattern of HVSs with a lateralized distribution.

Conclusions: The patterns of distribution of the ictal HVS may be related to the abnormal activation of the brain in the generation of spasms.
Epilepsy and Neurocysticercosis in Rural Bolivia: A Population‐based Survey
Authors: Nicoletti Alessandra , Bartoloni Alessandro , Sofia Vito , Bartalesi Filippo , Chavez Josè Rosado , Osinaga Rimberto , Paradisi Franco , Dumas Jean‐Luc , Tsang Victor C. W. , Reggio Arturo , Hall Andrew J.
Published: June 2005

Summary:  Purpose: To evaluate the frequency of neurocysticercosis (NCC) in a well‐defined prevalent cohort of epilepsy patients in the rural area of the Cordillera province.

Methods: We carried out a two‐phase door‐to‐door neuroepidemiologic survey in a sample of 10,124 subjects in a rural area of the Cordillera Province, Bolivia, to detect the prevalence of the most common neurologic disorders including epilepsy. A team of health workers administered a standard screening instrument for neurologic diseases; subjects found positive at the screening phase underwent a complete neurologic examination. Epilepsy patients were diagnosed according to the definition proposed by the International League Against Epilepsy (ILAE, 1993). Epilepsy patients identified this way underwent electroencephalographic recording, computed tomography (CT) scan, and serologic evaluation to detect antibodies against Taenia solium by enzyme‐linked immunoelectrotransfer blot.

Results: At the end of the survey, we detected 124 defined prevalent epilepsy patients. On the basis of the classification proposed by the ILAE in 1981, partial seizures were the most common type diagnosed (66 patients, 53.3%). Of the 124 patients, 105 underwent CT scan, and a serum sample was taken to detect antibodies against T. solium in 112 patients; for 97 patients, both neuroradiologic and serologic data were available. Considering radiologic, serologic, and clinical features, of these 124 patients, 34 (27.4%) fulfilled the diagnostic criteria for definitive or probable NCC proposed in 2001. Of these 34 patients 24 (70.6%) had partial seizures.

Conclusions: Our data confirm a high frequency of NCC among a well‐defined prevalent cohort of epilepsy patients.
Sintering Kinetics of Undoped and Mn‐Doped Zinc Oxide in the Intermediate Stage
Authors: Han Jiaping , Mantas P. Q. , Senos A. M. R.
Published: June 2005

The intermediate stage sintering kinetics of undoped ZnO and ZnO doped with 0.1–1.2 mol% Mn were investigated. It was found that the densification in the initial and intermediate stages is affected by surface diffusion in both undoped and Mn‐doped ZnO, and that this contribution increases with the increase in the Mn content. The surface diffusion causes an initial pore growth, a more significant grain growth, and an apparent increase in the activation energy for densification at lower densities. Further kinetic analysis showed that the densification process in the intermediate stage is dominated by volume diffusion in all the compositions. The calculated values of the diffusion coefficients are consistent with the ones obtained by the tracer diffusion measurements of Zn in ZnO crystals in other works. The origin of the increase of the surface transport is discussed, together with its effect on the second phase mobility.
Dedifferentiation of enterochromaffin‐like cells in gastric cancer of hypergastrinemic cotton rats
Authors: FOSSMARK REIDAR , ZHAO CHUN‐MEI , MARTINSEN TOM C. , KAWASE SHIRO , CHEN DUAN , WALDUM HELGE L.
Published: June 2005

The role of enterochromaffin‐like (ECL) cells in gastric carcinogenesis is not fully understood. Spontaneous tumours developing in hypergastrinemic female cotton rats have an adenocarcinoma phenotype, but numerous cells in the dysplastic mucosa as well as in the carcinomas are positive for neuroendocrine markers. In the present study of female cotton rats with 2 and 8 months' hypergastrinemia, the oxyntic mucosa of the stomach was examined histologically and immunolabelled for histidine decarboxylase (HDC) and pancreastatin, and hyperplastic and neoplastic ECL cells were evaluated by electron microscopy. These animals developed hyperplasia of the oxyntic mucosa in general and of the ECL cells in particular after 2 months and dysplasia and carcinomas after 8 months. The immunoreactivity of the ECL cells in the oxyntic mucosa was increased at 2 months and declined at 8 months. These histological changes were associated with progressive loss of secretory vesicles and granules in ECL cells. We suggest that ECL cells in hypergastrinemic cotton rats dedifferentiate with time and that the gastric carcinomas may develop from ECL cells.
Serum concentrations of GM‐CSF and G‐CSF correlate with the Th1/Th2 cytokine response in cystic fibrosis patients with chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection
Authors: MOSER CLAUS , JENSEN PETER Ø. , PRESSLER TACJANA , FREDERIKSEN BIRGITTE , LANNG SUSANNE , KHARAZMI ARSALAN , KOCH CHRISTIAN , HØIBY NIELS
Published: June 2005

The inflammation in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients with chronic Pseudomonas aeruginosa lung infection is dominated by polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs). There seems to be a relationship between the PMN‐dominated inflammation, pronounced antibody production and a Th2‐dominated response. Apart from mobilizing monocytes and PMNs from the bone marrow, GM‐CSF, G‐CSF and IL‐3 select subsets of dendritic cells, which subsequently induce distinct Th responses. Therefore, the present study examines the correlation between the mobilizing cytokines in serum and the Th responses. The IFN‐γ and IL‐4 production by peripheral blood mononuclear cells, and the concentrations of GM‐CSF and G‐CSF in serum as well as lung function, were determined in 37 CF patients with and 6 CF patients without chronic P. aeruginosa lung infection. The GM‐CSF/G‐CSF ratio correlated both with the IFN‐γ production and good lung function. In addition, an inverse correlation between IL‐3 and IFN‐γ was observed. The results indicate involvement of endogenous GM‐CSF, G‐CSF and IL‐3 in the skewed Th response in CF, and change to a Th1‐dominated response might be achieved with GM‐CSF treatment.
Activation and relocalization of caspase 3 during the apoptotic cascade of human mesothelioma cells
Authors: SOINI Y. , KAHLOS K. , SORMUNEN R. , SÄILY M. , MÄNTYMAA P. , KOISTINEN P. , PÄÄKKÖ P. , KINNULA V.
Published: June 2005

Apoptosis plays an important role in cancer biology. We investigated the expression of caspases 3 and 8 in malignant mesothelioma and malignant mesothelioma cell lines and putative changes in their ultrastructural expression prior and after exposure to epirubicin. Further studies were conducted to compare these changes to the localization and expression of the bcl‐2 group of proteins bcl‐X, bax and mcl‐1, and Fas – Fas ligand in the same cells. In the histological samples, caspase 3 and 8 immunoreactivity was seen in 27/37 (73%) and 16/37 (43%) of the mesotheliomas. The immunostaining was cytoplasmic diffuse, granular, and occasionally nuclear. All six mesothelioma cell lines expressed caspases 3 and 8 by immunoblotting. After exposure to epirubicin the extent of apoptosis was increased in all cell lines investigated, being weakest in the most resistant M38K cell line. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed immunogold labeling for caspases 3 and 8 in the mitochondria with the accumulation of caspase 3 in the apoptotic bodies, while the mitochondrial localization of the bcl‐2 proteins appeared to be very stable. Fas receptor could be detected by flow cytometry, whereas the most resistant cell line (M38K) lacked Fas ligand when assessed by RT‐PCR. These results suggest the importance of caspase 3 during the apoptotic process of mesothelioma cells and indicate that epirubicin‐induced apoptosis is independent of the mitochondrial pathway.
Effect of non‐surgical periodontal treatment with or without doxycycline on the periodontium of type 1 diabetic patients
Authors: Llambés Fernando , Silvestre Francisco‐Javier , Hernández‐Mijares Antonio , Guiha Rami , Caffesse Raúl
Published: June 2005

Aim: The present investigation was performed to study how type 1 diabetics responded to non‐surgical periodontal treatment with and without adjunctive doxycycline.

Method: Sixty diabetic type 1 patients (mean age 35.3±9 years) with moderate‐to‐severe periodontal disease were selected and divided into two groups of 30 patients each. Both groups were sex and age matched and had similar amounts of periodontal destruction. Plaque index (PI), bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD) and clinical attachment levels (CAL) were recorded. Group 1 (30 patients) was treated with oral hygiene instruction, scaling and root planing, chlorhexidine rinses twice a day and doxycycline (100 mg/day for 15 days). Group 2 (30 patients) had the same treatment but without doxycycline. After 12 weeks their periodontal condition was reevaluated.

Results: After treatment, both groups had a significant improvement in all periodontal parameters, since PI, BOP, probing pocket depth (PPD) and CAL were significantly reduced. However, the reduction in PD in pockets 6 mm and in BOP were more evident when doxycycline was used (group 1). Differences between groups for these parameters were statistically significant (p=0.03).

Conclusion: Although both periodontal treatment regimens are effective in type 1 diabetics, the use of doxycycline as an adjunct, provided more significant results when good plaque control was achieved.
Haemangiopericytoma of the maxillary gingiva: report of a case
Authors: Petrone Giovanna , Perrotti Vittoria , Fioroni Massimiliano , Rubini Corrado , Piattelli Adriano
Published: June 2005

Aim: Haemangiopericytoma (HPC) represents approximately 3% of all tumours in the head and neck. This tumour is a soft tissue tumour derived from mesenchymal cells with pericytic differentiation. We present the clinicopathological findings of a case.

Materials and Methods: A 69‐year‐old man was referred to our Department for a mass located on the right pre‐molar maxillary gingiva; this mass caused problems during chewing, but was otherwise asymptomatic.

Results: Clinical examination revealed a nodular, pink lesion, 3.5 cm in diameter, which was lined with normal mucosa. The lesion was mobile in relation to the deep and superficial tissues. Microscopic analysis of the neoplasm showed a vascular rich pattern, constituted by vessels covered with flat endothelium and surrounded by abundant spindly cells. On the basis of these histological and immunohistochemical findings, the final diagnosis was HPC.

Conclusions: HPC is an uncommon vascular tumour for which the biological behaviour is difficult to predict. In our patient, no recurrences or distant metastases were present at a 4 years follow‐up.
Unconventional Secretory Routes: Direct Protein Export Across the Plasma Membrane of Mammalian Cells
Authors: Nickel Walter
Published: June 2005

The vast majority of extracellular proteins are exported from mammalian cells by the endoplasmic reticulum/Golgi‐dependent secretory pathway. For poorly understood reasons, however, a heterogenous group of extracellular proteins has been discovered that does not make use of signal peptide‐dependent secretory transport. Both the release mechanisms and the molecular identity of the secretory machines involved have remained elusive. Recent studies now have established a subgroup of unconventional secretory proteins capable of translocating from the cytoplasm directly across the plasma membrane to get access to the exterior of eukaryotic cells. This review aims to focus on a detailed comparison of the subcellular site of membrane translocation of various unconventional secretory proteins such as the proangiogenic molecule fibroblast growth factor‐2 (FGF‐2) and Leishmania hydrophilic acylated surface protein B (HASP B). A potential link between membrane translocation and quality control as an integral part of unconventional secretory processes is discussed.
Activation of the Lysosome‐Associated p61Hck Isoform Triggers the Biogenesis of Podosomes
Authors: Cougoule Céline , Carréno Sébastien , Castandet Jerôme , Labrousse Arnaud , Astarie‐Dequeker Catherine , Poincloux Renaud , Le Cabec Véronique , Maridonneau‐Parini Isabelle
Published: June 2005

Haematopoietic cell kinase (Hck) is a protein tyrosine kinase of the Src family specifically expressed in phagocytes as two isoforms, p59Hck and p61Hck, present at the plasma membrane and lysosomes, respectively. We report that ectopic expression of a constitutively active mutant of p61Hck (p61Hckca) triggered the de novo formation of actin‐rich rings at the ventral face of the cells that we characterized as bona fide podosome rosettes, structures involved in cell migration. Their formation required the adaptor domains and the kinase activity of p61Hck, the integrity of microfilament and microtubule networks and concerted action of Cdc42, Rac and Rho. Podosome rosette formation was either abolished when p61Hckca was readdressed from lysosomes to the cytosol or triggered when p59Hckca was relocalized to lysosomes. Lysosomal markers were present at podosome rosettes. By stimulating exocytosis of p61Hckca lysosomes with a calcium ionophore, the formation of podosome rosettes was enhanced. Interestingly, we confirm that, in human macrophages, Hck and lysosomal markers were present at podosomes which were spatially reorganized as clusters, a foregoing step to form rosettes, upon expression of p61Hckca. We propose that lysosomes, under the control of p61Hck, are involved in the biogenesis of podosomes, a key phenomenon in the migration of phagocytes.
Digit ratio (2D:4D) and behavioral differences between inbred mouse strains
Authors: Bailey A. A. , Wahlsten D. , Hurd P. L.
Published: June 2005

Digit ratio (2D:4D) is a trait, which is sexually differentiated in a variety of species. In humans, males typically have shorter second digits (2Ds) (index fingers) compared to fourth digits (4Ds) (ring fingers) whereas females' fingers are more equal in length. Smaller, more masculine, digit ratios are thought to be associated with higher prenatal testosterone levels, greater sensitivity to prenatal androgens or both. Men with more masculine digit ratios have shown increased ability, achievement and speed in sports and tend to report that they are more physically aggressive. Previous research has shown the same sexually differentiated pattern in the hind paws of laboratory mice as in human hands, males have lower 2D:4D than females. We measured hind paw digit ratio in mice of eight inbred strains. These measurements were made while blind to strain, sex and whether the paw was from the left or right side. We found large differences in digit ratio between the strains and suggest that inbred mice are a promising system for investigating the correlation between digit ratio and behavioral traits.
Genetic variation in heroin‐induced changes in behaviour: effects of B6 strain dose on conditioned reward and locomotor sensitization in 129‐B6 hybrid mice
Authors: Szumlinski K. K. , Lominac K. D. , Frys K. A. , Middaugh L. D.
Published: June 2005

Substantial interindividual variability exists in the propensity to develop opiate addiction. Genetic variation in opiate reward may contribute to this variability. A large body of evidence indicates genetic variation in mice for several effects of opiate drugs. The present study examined heroin‐induced place conditioning and locomotor sensitization in the two strains of mice employed most frequently in the generation of transgenic animals, C57BL/6J (B6) and 129X1/sVJ (129), as well as in groups of B6‐129 hybrid mice, differing in their amount of B6 genetic background. Four pairings of 100 µg/kg of heroin elicited robust place conditioning and locomotor sensitization in B6 controls and in N10 congenic B6‐129 hybrid mice. In comparison, the identical treatment produced no locomotor sensitization and induced place aversion in 129 controls. No heroin‐induced changes in the behaviour of N3 congenic B6‐129 hybrid mice or F5‐8 non‐congenic B6‐129 hybrid mice were observed. The expression of place conditioning was not facilitated in any group by the administration of a heroin‐priming injection prior to testing. These data indicate that genetic variation exists in mice for the rewarding and locomotor‐sensitizing effects of heroin and that the capacity of heroin to induce conditioned reward and locomotor sensitization can be modulated in a B6 strain dose‐dependent manner in B6‐129 hybrid mice. Thus, strain differences in heroin responsiveness should be considered when examining transgenic lines on B6‐129 backgrounds for opiate‐induced changes in behaviour that may be relevant for addiction.
Variations in the behaviors to novel objects among five inbred strains of mice
Authors: Kim D. , Chae S. , Lee J. , Yang H. , Shin H.‐S.
Published: June 2005

Novelty stimuli cause various behavioral responses, such as exploration and avoidance, and contextual variables may contribute to the behavioral outputs. Here, we tried to compare the behavioral responses to novel objects of five inbred strains of mice (C57BL/6J, 129/svJae, C3H/HeJ, BALB/cJ and DBA/2J) by using a modified novel object test where a small light‐weight cube wrapped with paper was presented to mice in a home cage without beddings. In response to these objects, the C57BL/6J, 129/svJae and C3H/HeJ mice showed mild exploratory behaviors, such as approaching, sniffing or brief contact. In striking contrast, the BALB/cJ and DBA/2J mice, which have been known to show high avoidance/low exploration in other behavioral paradigms, exhibited play‐like secondary reactions toward the objects after initial primary exploratory behaviors. Specifically, DBA/2J mice would move the object around in the cage, holding it with their mouths, and BALB/cJ mice would gnaw the object, eventually stripping off the wrapping paper. Such behaviors decreased when similar objects were presented repeatedly. The present results suggest that active manipulations of novel objects may be a relevant parameter for measuring novelty‐induced behaviors in mice and appear to be strongly influenced by genetic factors.
Angiotensin II induces apoptosis in vivo in skeletal, as well as cardiac, muscle of the rat
Authors: Burniston Jatin G. , Saini Amarjit , Tan Lip‐Bun , Goldspink David F.
Published: June 2005

Our previous work has established that angiotensin II is cardiotoxic. Here we sought to investigate whether skeletal muscle is similarly susceptible to damage. Male Wistar rats were either given a single subcutaneous injection of angiotensin II (range 1 μg kg−1 to 10 mg kg−1) or only the vehicle and killed 7 h later, or implanted with preconditioned osmotic pumps dispensing 1 mg kg−1 day−1 angiotensin II and killed 9 or 18 h later. Apoptotic (caspase 3 positive) myocytes were counted on cryosections of the heart, soleus, tibialis anterior and diaphragm muscle. Single injections of 100 μg kg−1 to 10 mg kg−1 angiotensin II induced significant (P < 0.05) myocyte apoptosis (per 104 viable myocytes) in the heart and this was heterogeneously distributed, peaking (5.7 ± 0.6; P < 0.05) at a point 6 mm from the apex, i.e. approximately three‐quarters of the way towards the base. The slow‐twitch soleus muscle was also damaged significantly (peak = 2.6 ± 0.4; P < 0.05), while only the administration of 1 mg kg−1 induced significant (P < 0.05) apoptosis in the fast‐twitch tibialis anterior muscle (peak = 1.2 ± 0.3). Infusion of 1 mg kg−1 day−1 angiotensin II induced more myocyte apoptosis than a single bolus administration of the same dose, and in general there was a higher incidence of apoptosis in muscles harvested after 18 than after 9 h. Infusion of 1 mg kg−1 day−1 angiotensin II over 18 h induced significant (P < 0.05) myocyte apoptosis in the heart (3.3 ± 0.4), soleus (3.9 ± 1), tibialis anterior (5.9 ± 0.4) and diaphragm (19.8 ± 5.6) muscle. Depending on the muscle type, angiotensin II induces myocyte apoptosis in skeletal muscle to a similar or greater extent as in cardiac muscle, supporting the hypothesis that angiotensin II is generally toxic to all striated muscles.
SOLVABLE MONOIDS WITH COMMUTING IDEMPOTENTS
Authors: DELGADO MANUEL , FERNANDES VÍTOR H.
Published: June 2005

The notion of Abelian kernel of a finite monoid extends the notion of derived subgroup of a finite group. In this line, an extension of the notion of solvable group to monoids is quite natural: they are the monoids such that the chain of Abelian kernels ends with the submonoid generated by the idempotents. We prove in this paper that the finite idempotent commuting monoids satisfying this property are precisely those whose subgroups are solvable.
Modulation of tyramine signaling by osmolality in an insect secretory epithelium
Authors: Blumenthal Edward M.
Published: June 2005

The control of water balance in multicellular organisms depends on absorptive and secretory processes across epithelia. This study concerns the effects of osmolality on the function of the Malpighian tubules (MTs), a major component of the insect excretory system. Previous work has shown that the biogenic amine tyramine increases transepithelial chloride conductance and urine secretion in Drosophila MTs. This study demonstrates that the response of MTs to tyramine, as measured by the depolarization of the transepithelial potential (TEP), is modulated by the osmolality of the surrounding medium. An increase in osmolality caused decreased tyramine sensitivity, whereas a decrease in osmolality resulted in increased tyramine sensitivity; changes in osmolality of ±20% resulted in a nearly 10-fold modulation of the response to 10 nM tyramine. The activity of another diuretic agent, leucokinin, was similarly sensitive to osmolality, suggesting that the modulation occurs downstream of the tyramine receptor. In response to continuous tyramine signaling, as likely occurs in vivo, the TEP oscillates, and an increase in osmolality lengthened the period of these oscillations. Increased osmolality also caused a decrease in the rate of urine production; this decrease was attenuated by the tyraminergic antagonist yohimbine. A model is proposed in which this modulation of tyramine signaling enhances the conservation of body water during dehydration stress. The modulation of ligand signaling is a novel effect of osmolality and may be a widespread mechanism through which epithelia respond to changes in their environment.
Expression of pro-Muclin in pancreatic AR42J cells induces functional regulated secretory granules
Authors: De Lisle Robert C. , Norkina Oxana , Roach Eileen , Ziemer Donna
Published: June 2005

It is not clear how protein cargo is sorted to and retained in forming regulated secretory granules (RSG). Here, the sulfated mucin-type glycoprotein pro-Muclin was tested for its ability to induce RSG in the poorly differentiated rat pancreatic cell line AR42J. AR42J cells express RSG content proteins, but they fail to make granules. Adenovirus-pro-Muclin-infected AR42J cells store amylase, accumulate RSG, and respond to hormonal stimulation by secreting the stored protein. Expression of pro-Muclin combined with the inducing effect of dexamethasone resulted in a significant enhancement of the efficiency of regulated secretion. The effect of pro-Muclin was a strong decrease in constitutive secretion compared with dexamethasone-induction alone. A pro-Muclin construct missing the cytosolic tail domain was less effective at improving the efficiency of regulated secretion compared with the full-length construct. Increased expression of cargo (using adenovirus amylase) also modestly enhanced regulated secretion, indicating that part of pro-Muclin's effect may be due to increased expression of cargo protein. Overall, the data show that pro-Muclin acts as a sorting receptor that can induce RSG, and that its cytosolic tail is important in this process.
Respiratory control stability and upper airway collapsibility in men and women with obstructive sleep apnea
Authors: Jordan Amy S. , Wellman Andrew , Edwards Jill K. , Schory Karen , Dover Louise , MacDonald Mary , Patel Sanjay R. , Fogel Robert B. , Malhotra Atul , White David P.
Published: June 2005

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is two to three times more common in men as in women. The mechanisms leading to this difference are currently unclear but could include gender differences in respiratory stability [loop gain (LG)] or upper airway collapsibility [pharyngeal critical closing pressure (Pcrit)]. The aim of this study was to compare LG and Pcrit between men and women with OSA to determine whether the factors contributing to apnea are similar between genders. The first group of 11 men and 11 women were matched for OSA severity (mean ± SE apnea-hypopnea index = 43.8 ± 6.1 and 44.1 ± 6.6 events/h). The second group of 12 men and 12 women were matched for body mass index (BMI; 31.6 ± 1.9 and 31.3 ± 1.8 kg/m2, respectively). All measurements were made during stable supine non-rapid eye movement sleep. LG was determined using a proportional assist ventilator. Pcrit was measured by progressively dropping the continuous positive airway pressure level for three to five breaths until airway collapse. Apnea-hypopnea index-matched women had a higher BMI than men (38.0 ± 2.4 vs. 30.0 ± 1.9 kg/m2; P = 0.03), but LG and Pcrit were similar between men and women (LG: 0.37 ± 0.02 and 0.37 ± 0.02, respectively, P = 0.92; Pcrit: 0.35 ± 0.62 and −0.18 ± 0.87, respectively, P = 0.63). In the BMI-matched subgroup, women had less severe OSA during non-rapid eye movement sleep (30.9 ± 7.4 vs. 52.5 ± 8.1 events/h; P = 0.04) and lower Pcrit (−2.01 ± 0.62 vs. 1.16 ± 0.83 cmH2O; P = 0.005). However, LG was not significantly different between genders (0.38 ± 0.02 vs. 0.33 ± 0.03; P = 0.14). These results suggest that women may be protected from developing OSA by having a less collapsible upper airway for any given degree of obesity.
Characteristic Membrane Potential Trajectories in Primate Sensorimotor Cortex Neurons Recorded In Vivo
Authors: Chen Daofen , Fetz Eberhard E.
Published: June 2005

We examined the membrane potentials and firing properties of motor cortical neurons recorded intracellularly in awake, behaving primates. Three classes of neuron were distinguished by 1) the width of their spikes, 2) the shape of the afterhyperpolarization (AHP), and 3) the distribution of interspike intervals. Type I neurons had wide spikes, exhibited scoop-shaped AHPs, and fired irregularly. Type II neurons had narrower spikes, showed brief postspike afterdepolarizations before the AHP, and sometimes fired high-frequency doublets. Type III neurons had the narrowest spikes, showed a distinct post-AHP depolarization, or “rebound AHP” (rAHP), lasting nearly 30 ms, and tended to fire at 25–35 Hz. The evidence suggests that an intrinsic rAHP may confer on these neurons a tendency to fire at a preferred frequency governed by the duration of the rAHP and may contribute to a “pacemaking” role in generating cortical oscillations.
Role of Primate Visual Area V4 in the Processing of 3-D Shape Characteristics Defined by Disparity
Authors: Hegdé Jay , Van Essen David C.
Published: June 2005

We studied the responses of V4 neurons in awake, fixating monkeys to a diverse set of stereoscopic stimuli, including zero-order disparity (frontoparallel) stimuli, surfaces oriented in depth, and convex and concave shapes presented at various mean disparities. The responses of many V4 cells were significantly modulated across each of these stimulus subsets. In general, V4 cells were broadly tuned for zero-order disparity, and at any given disparity value, about four-fifths of the cells responded significantly above background. The response modulation by flat surfaces oriented in depth was significant for about one-quarter of cells, and the responses of about one-third of the cells were significantly modulated by convex or concave surfaces at various mean disparities. However, we encountered no cells that unambiguously distinguished a given three-dimensional (3-D) shape independent of mean disparity. Thus 3-D shapes defined by disparity are unlikely to be represented explicitly at the level of individual V4 cells. Nonetheless, V4 cells likely play an important role in the processing of 3-D shape characteristics defined by disparity as a part of a distributed network.
On the range of the derivative of a smooth mapping between Banach spaces
Authors: Deville Robert
Published: June 2005

We survey recent results on the structure of the range of the derivative of a smooth mapping f between two Banach spaces X and Y. We recall some necessary conditions and some sufficient conditions on a subset A of ℒ(X, Y) for the existence of a Fréchet differentiable mapping f from X into Y so that f′(X) = A. Whenever f is only assumed Gâteaux differentiable, new phenomena appear: for instance,
there exists a mapping f from ℓ1(ℕ) into ℝ2, which is bounded, Lipschitz‐continuous, and so that for all x, y ∈ ℓ1(ℕ), if x ≠ y, then ‖f′(x) − f′(y)‖ > 1.
A generalized σ‐porous set with a small complement
Authors: Tišer Jaroslav
Published: June 2005

We show that in every Banach space, there is a g‐porous set, the complement of which is of ℋ1‐measure zero on every C1 curve.
On Lipschitz ball noncollapsing functions and uniform co‐Lipschitz mappings of the plane
Authors: Maleva Olga
Published: June 2005

We give a sharp estimate on the cardinality of point preimages of a uniform co‐Lipschitz mapping on the plane. We also give a necessary and sufficient condition for a ball noncollapsing Lipschitz function to have a point with infinite preimage.
Iterative schemes with some control conditions for a family of finite nonexpansive mappings in Banach spaces
Authors: Jung Jong Soo , Cho Yeol Je , Agarwal RP
Published: June 2005

The iterative schemes with some control conditions for a family of finite nonexpansive mappings are established in a Banach space. The main theorem improves results of Jung and Kim (also Bauschke). Our results also improve the corresponding results of Cho et al., Shioji and Takahashi, Xu, and Zhou et al. in certain Banach spaces and of Lions, O'Hara et al., and Wittmann in a framework of a Hilbert space, respectively.
Fixed points of multimaps which are not necessarily nonexpansive
Authors: Shahzad Naseer , Lone Amjad
Published: June 2005

Let "Equation missing" be a nonempty closed bounded convex subset of a Banach space "Equation missing" whose characteristic of noncompact convexity is less than "Equation missing" and "Equation missing" a continuous "Equation missing"- "Equation missing"-contractive "Equation missing" map (which is not necessarily nonexpansive) from "Equation missing" to "Equation missing" satisfying an inwardness condition, where "Equation missing" is the family of all nonempty compact convex subsets of "Equation missing". It is proved that "Equation missing" has a fixed point. Some fixed points results for noncontinuous maps are also derived as applications. Our result contains, as a special case, a recent result of Benavides and Ramírez (2004).
Positive solutions of some three-point boundary value problems via fixed point index for weakly inward "Equation missing" -proper maps
Authors: Infante Gennaro
Published: June 2005

We use the theory of fixed point index for weakly inward "Equation missing"-proper maps to establish the existence of positive solutions of some second-order three-point boundary value problems in which the highest-order derivative occurs nonlinearly.
A degree theory for a class of perturbed Fredholm maps
Authors: Benevieri Pierluigi , Calamai Alessandro , Furi Massimo
Published: June 2005

We define a notion of degree for a class of perturbations of nonlinear Fredholm maps of index zero between infinite-dimensional real Banach spaces. Our notion extends the degree introduced by Nussbaum for locally "Equation missing"-contractive perturbations of the identity, as well as the recent degree for locally compact perturbations of Fredholm maps of index zero defined by the first and third authors.
Asymptotic fixed points for nonlinear contractions
Authors: Chen Yong-Zhuo
Published: June 2005

Recently, W. A. Kirk proved an asymptotic fixed point theorem for nonlinear contractions by using ultrafilter methods. In this paper, we prove his theorem under weaker assumptions. Furthermore, our proof does not use ultrafilter methods.
Drag and pressure fields for the MHD flow around a circular cylinder at intermediate Reynolds numbers
Authors: Sekhar T. V. S. , Sivakumar R. , Kumar T. V. R. Ravi
Published: June 2005

Steady incompressible flow around a circular cylinder in an
external magnetic field that is aligned with fluid flow direction
is studied for Re (Reynolds number) up to 40 and the
interaction parameter in the range 0 ≤ N ≤ 15 (or 0 ≤ M ≤ 30), where M is the Hartmann number related to N by the
relation , using finite difference method.
The pressure‐Poisson equation is solved to find pressure fields in
the flow region. The multigrid method with defect correction
technique is used to achieve the second‐order accurate solution of
complete nonlinear Navier‐Stokes equations. It is found that the
boundary layer separation at rear stagnation point for Re = 10
is suppressed completely when N < 1 and it started growing again
when N ≥ 9. For Re = 20 and 40, the suppression is not
complete and in addition to that the rear separation bubble
started increasing when N ≥ 3. The drag coefficient decreases
for low values of N(<0.1) and then increases with increase
of N. The pressure drag coefficient, total drag coefficient, and
pressure at rear stagnation point vary with . It is also found that the upstream and downstream pressures on the surface of
the cylinder increase for low values of N(<0.1) and rear pressure inversion occurs with further increase of N. These results are in agreement with experimental findings.
Jacobi‐weighted orthogonal polynomials on triangular domains
Authors: Rababah A. , Alqudah M.
Published: June 2005

We construct Jacobi‐weighted orthogonal polynomials
, on the triangular domain T. We show that these polynomials over the triangular domain T satisfy the following properties: , r = 0, 1, …, n, and for r ≠ s. And hence, , n = 0, 1, 2, …, r = 0, 1, …, n form an orthogonal system over the triangular
domain T with respect to the Jacobi weight function. These
Jacobi‐weighted orthogonal polynomials on triangular domains are
given in Bernstein basis form and thus preserve many properties of
the Bernstein polynomial basis.
Upper semicontinuity of the attractor for lattice dynamical systems of partly dissipative reaction diffusion systems
Authors: Abdallah Ahmed Y.
Published: June 2005

We investigate the existence of a global attractor and its
upper semicontinuity for the infinite‐dimensional lattice
dynamical system of a partly dissipative reaction diffusion
system in the Hilbert space l2 × l2. Such a system
is similar to the discretized FitzHugh‐Nagumo system in
neurobiology, which is an adequate justification for its study.
Moving interfacial Griffith crack between bonded dissimilar media
Authors: Mukherjee S. , Das S.
Published: June 2005

The plane strain problem of determining strain energy release
rate, crack energy, and crack‐opening displacement (COD) for a
moving Griffith crack at the interface of two dissimilar
orthotropic half‐planes is considered. The problem is reduced to a
pair of singular integral equations of second kind which have
finally been solved by using Jacobi polynomials. Graphical plots
of the strain energy release rate, crack energy, and crack‐opening
displacement for the problem in different particular cases are presented.
Combining Information From Multiple Data Sources to Create Multivariable Risk Models: Illustration and Preliminary Assessment of a New Method
Authors: Samsa Greg , Hu Guizhou , Root Martin
Published: June 2005

A common practice of metanalysis is combining the results of numerous studies on the effects of a risk factor on a disease outcome. If several of these composite relative risks are estimated from the medical literature for a specific disease, they cannot be combined in a multivariate risk model, as is often done in individual studies, because methods are not available to overcome the issues of risk factor colinearity and heterogeneity of the different cohorts. We propose a solution to these problems for general linear regression of continuous outcomes using a simple example of combining two independent variables from two sources in estimating a joint outcome. We demonstrate that when
explicitly modifying the underlying data characteristics (correlation coefficients, standard deviations, and univariate
betas) over a wide range, the predicted outcomes remain reasonable estimates of empirically derived outcomes (gold standard). This method shows the most promise in situations where the primary interest is in generating predicted values as when identifying a high‐risk group of individuals. The resulting partial regression coefficients are less robust than the predicted values.
Contextual Multiple Sequence Alignment
Authors: Gambin Anna , Otto Rafał
Published: June 2005

In a recently proposed contextual alignment model, efficient algorithms exist for global and local pairwise alignment of protein sequences. Preliminary results obtained for biological data are very promising. Our main motivation was to adopt the idea of context dependency to the multiple‐alignment setting. To this aim the relaxation of the model was developed (we call this new model averaged contextual alignment) and a new family of amino acids substitution matrices are constructed. In this paper we present a contextual multiple‐alignment algorithm and report the outcomes of experiments performed for the BAliBASE test set. The contextual approach turned out to give much better results for the set of sequences containing orphan genes.
Protein Coding Sequence Identification by Simultaneously Characterizing the Periodic and Random Features of DNA Sequences
Authors: Gao Jianbo , Qi Yan , Cao Yinhe , Tung Wen-wen
Published: June 2005

Most codon indices used today are based on highly biased nonrandom usage of codons in coding regions. The background of a coding or noncoding DNA sequence, however, is fairly random, and can be characterized as a random fractal. When a gene‐finding algorithm incorporates multiple sources of information
about coding regions, it becomes more successful. It is thus highly desirable to develop new and efficient codon indices by simultaneously characterizing the fractal and periodic features of a DNA sequence. In this paper, we describe a novel way of achieving this goal. The efficiency of the new codon index is evaluated by studying all of the 16 yeast chromosomes. In particular, we show that the method automatically and correctly identifies which of the three
reading frames is the one that contains a gene.
Finding Groups in Gene Expression Data
Authors: Hand David J. , Heard Nicholas A.
Published: June 2005

The vast potential of the genomic insight offered by microarray technologies has led to their widespread use since they were introduced a decade ago. Application areas include gene function discovery, disease diagnosis, and inferring regulatory networks. Microarray experiments enable large‐scale, high‐throughput investigations of gene activity and have thus provided the data analyst with a distinctive, high‐dimensional field of study. Many questions in this field relate to finding subgroups of data profiles which are very similar. A popular type of exploratory tool for finding subgroups is cluster analysis, and many different flavors of algorithms have been used and indeed tailored for microarray data. Cluster analysis, however, implies a partitioning of the entire data set, and this does not always match the objective. Sometimes pattern discovery or bump hunting tools are more appropriate. This paper reviews these various tools for finding interesting subgroups.
Functional Clustering Algorithm for High‐Dimensional Proteomics Data
Authors: Bensmail Halima , Aruna Buddana , Semmes O. John , Haoudi Abdelali
Published: June 2005

Clustering proteomics data is a challenging problem for any traditional clustering algorithm. Usually, the number of samples is largely smaller than the number of protein peaks. The use of a clustering algorithm which does not take into consideration the number of features of variables (here the number of peaks) is needed. An innovative hierarchical clustering algorithm may be a good approach. We propose here a new dissimilarity measure for the hierarchical clustering combined with a functional data analysis. We present a specific application of functional data analysis (FDA) to a high‐throughput proteomics study. The high performance of the proposed algorithm is compared to two popular dissimilarity measures in the clustering of normal and human T‐cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV‐1)‐infected patients samples.
Objective Clustering of Proteins Based on Subcellular Location Patterns
Authors: Chen Xiang , Murphy Robert F.
Published: June 2005

The goal of proteomics is the complete characterization of all proteins. Efforts to characterize subcellular location have been limited to assigning proteins to general categories of organelles. We have previously designed numerical features to describe location patterns in microscope images and developed automated classifiers that distinguish major subcellular patterns with high accuracy (including patterns not distinguishable by visual examination). The results suggest the feasibility of automatically determining which proteins share a single location pattern in a given cell type. We describe an automated method that selects the best feature set to describe images for a given collection of proteins and constructs an effective partitioning of the proteins by location. An example for a limited protein set is presented. As additional data become available, this approach can produce for the first time an objective systematics for protein location and provide an important starting point for discovering sequence motifs that determine localization.
Factors affecting aesthetic success and improvement in creativity: a case study of the musical genres of Mozart
Authors: Kozbelt Aaron
Published: June 2005

Factors predicting the aesthetic success and possible career-long improvement in quality of 610 musical compositions by W.A. Mozart were examined. Aesthetic success was measured by counts of available recordings and aesthetic significance ratings of each work. In Study 1, a work’s year of composition, duration, and genre were found to be significant predictors of aesthetic success. Concurrent productivity was not a stable predictor. In Study 2, the quality of works judged as masterpieces as well as the proportion of masterpiece-level music composed each year were found to increase over time, even during Mozart’s maturity. Improvement mainly occurred in large-scale compositions: sonata form instrumental works, operas, and choral works. The results suggest Mozart became more creative and perspicacious as his career progressed, even after the onset of compositional maturity.