bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Do the groups to which I belong make me me?
Authors: Splitter Laurance J.
Published: November 2007

This article discusses the implications of some current philosophical thinking about groups, culture and the politics of identity (exploring the views of Anthony Appiah, Amartya Sen and Nel Noddings, among others) for education generally, and for issues of classroom organization in particular. My basic thesis is that, when we understand the pressures and tensions which confront individuals — especially children — as they struggle to define themselves in the context of an increasingly complex and divided society, we should also realize that the organizational dimensions of schools and classrooms deserve at least as much attention as the standard concerns about literacy and numeracy. Seeking to forge a path between the well-known extremes of individualism and collectivism, the article looks critically at some prominent types of groups and associations — particularly the `large' ones of specific cultures, religions and nations — not with a view to imagining their non-existence but, rather, with a prescription for structuring teaching and learning environments as communities of inquiry .
Creative philosophizing with children
Authors: Calvert Kristina
Published: November 2007

In his influential book Dialogues with Children (1984), Gareth Matthews presents strong evidence that children as young as six can and should engage in philosophical discourse. His findings form the basis of this article, a theoretical and practical guide for parents and teachers seeking respectful and creative ways to encourage children to think philosophically. Methods discussed include the use of fables to generate metaphors with a strong philosophical content.
Integrating philosophy for children and young adults into the public schools Tales from Long Beach, California
Authors: Goering Sara , Whittaker Debbie
Published: November 2007

In this article we describe our experiences in developing and expanding a philosophy in the schools program in Long Beach, California.We point to similarities and differences between our program and other philosophy for children programs, and describe the concerns and growing pains our program has experienced in its first seven years of existence.
Rearticulating the Aunt: Feminist Alternatives of Family, Care, and Kinship in Popular Performances of Aunting
Authors: Sotirin Patty , Ellingson Laura L.
Published: November 2007

The aunt in contemporary Anglo-American culture is a deserving though oft-overlooked cultural identity for critical feminist analysis. This article examines selected performances of aunting in contemporary U.S. popular culture to illustrate how the cultural work of aunting articulates both dominant and transgressive constructions of family, care, kinship, and feminine agency. The quiet transgressions of popular aunt figures offer potent sites for progressive feminist rearticulations of family life and kinship relations.
CREB is a critical regulator of normal hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis
Authors: Cheng Jerry C. , Kinjo Kentaro , Judelson Dejah R. , Chang Jenny , Wu Winston S. , Schmid Ingrid , Shankar Deepa B. , Kasahara Noriyuki , Stripecke Renata , Bhatia Ravi , Landaw Elliot M. , Sakamoto Kathleen M.
Published: November 2007

The cAMP-responsive element binding protein (CREB) is a 43-kDa nuclear transcription factor that regulates cell growth, memory, and glucose homeostasis. We showed previously that CREB is amplified in myeloid leukemia blasts and expressed at higher levels in leukemia stem cells from patients with myeloid leukemia. CREB transgenic mice develop myeloproliferative disease after 1 year, but not leukemia, suggesting that CREB contributes to but is not sufficient for leukemogenesis. Here, we show that CREB is most highly expressed in lineage negative hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs). To understand the role of CREB in hematopoietic progenitors and leukemia cells, we examined the effects of RNA interference (RNAi) to knock down CREB expression in vitro and in vivo. Transduction of primary HSCs or myeloid leukemia cells with lentiviral CREB shRNAs resulted in decreased proliferation of stem cells, cell- cycle abnormalities, and inhibition of CREB transcription. Mice that received transplants of bone marrow transduced with CREB shRNA had decreased committed progenitors compared with control mice. Mice injected with Ba/F3 cells expressing either Bcr-Abl wild-type or T315I mutation with CREB shRNA had delayed leukemic infiltration by bioluminescence imaging and prolonged median survival. Our results suggest that CREB is critical for normal myelopoiesis and leukemia cell proliferation.
N-linked glycosylation of VWF modulates its interaction with ADAMTS13
Authors: McKinnon Thomas A. J. , Chion Alain C. K. , Millington Alexander J. , Lane David A. , Laffan Mike A.
Published: November 2007

We examined the role of N-linked glycan structures of VWF on its interaction with ADAMTS13. PNGase F digestion followed by lectin analysis demonstrated that more than 90% of VWF N-linked glycan chains could be removed from the molecule (PNG-VWF) without disruption of its multimeric structure or its ability to bind to collagen. PNG-VWF had an approximately 4-fold increased affinity for ADAMTS13 compared with control VWF. PNG-VWF was cleaved by ADAMTS13 faster than control VWF and was also proteolysed in the absence of urea. Occupancy of the N-linked glycan sites at N1515 and N1574 and their presentation of ABO(H) blood group sugars were confirmed with an isolated tryptic fragment. Recombinant VWF was mutated to prevent glycosylation at these sites. Mutation of N1515 did not alter ADAMTS13 binding or increase rate of ADAMTS13 proteolysis. Mutation of N1574 increased the susceptibility of VWF to ADAMTS13 proteolysis and allowed cleavage in the absence of urea. Mutation of N1574 in the isolated recombinant VWF-A2 domain also increased binding and ADAMTS13 proteolysis. These data demonstrate that the N-linked glycans of VWF have a modulatory effect on the interaction with ADAMTS13. At least part of this effect is conformational, but steric hindrance may also be important.
Redistribution of accumulated cell iron: a modality of chelation with therapeutic implications
Authors: Sohn Yang-Sung , Breuer William , Munnich Arnold , Cabantchik Z. Ioav
Published: November 2007

Various pathologies are characterized by the accumulation of toxic iron in cell compartments. In anemia of chronic disease, iron is withheld by macrophages, leaving extracellular fluids iron-depleted. In Friedreich ataxia, iron levels rise in the mitochondria of excitable cells but decrease in the cytosol. We explored the possibility of using deferiprone, a membrane-permeant iron chelator in clinical use, to capture labile iron accumulated in specific organelles of cardiomyocytes and macrophages and convey it to other locations for physiologic reuse. Deferiprone's capacity for shuttling iron between cellular organelles was assessed with organelle-targeted fluorescent iron sensors in conjunction with time-lapse fluorescence microscopy imaging. Deferiprone facilitated transfer of iron from extracellular media into nuclei and mitochondria, from nuclei to mitochondria, from endosomes to nuclei, and from intracellular compartments to extracellular apotransferrin. Furthermore, it mobilized iron from iron-loaded cells and donated it to preerythroid cells for hemoglobin synthesis, both in the presence and in the absence of transferrin. These unique properties of deferiprone underlie mechanistically its capacity to alleviate iron accumulation in dentate nuclei of Friedreich ataxia patients and to donate tissue-chelated iron to plasma transferrin in thalassemia intermedia patients. Deferiprone's shuttling properties could be exploited clinically for treating diseases involving regional iron accumulation.
Improved survival in multiple myeloma and the impact of novel therapies
Authors: Kumar Shaji K. , Rajkumar S. Vincent , Dispenzieri Angela , Lacy Martha Q. , Hayman Suzanne R. , Buadi Francis K. , Zeldenrust Steven R. , Dingli David , Russell Stephen J. , Lust John A. , Greipp Philip R. , Kyle Robert A. , Gertz Morie A.
Published: November 2007

Treatments for myeloma have expanded in the last decade, but it is not clear if the introduction of novel therapies and the increased use of high-dose therapy have translated into better outcome for patients with myeloma. We examined the outcome of 2 groups of patients seen at a single institution, one from time of diagnosis and the other from the time of relapse, to examine the survival trends over time. Among 387 patients relapsing after stem-cell transplantation, a clear improvement in overall survival from the time of relapse was seen, with those relapsing after 2000 having a median overall survival of 23.9 versus 11.8 months (P < .001) for those who relapsed prior to this date. This improvement was independent of other prognostic factors. Patients treated with one or more of the newer drugs (thalidomide, lenalidomide, bortezomib) had longer survival from relapse (30.9 vs 14.8 months; P < .001). In a larger group of 2981 patients with newly diagnosed myeloma, those diagnosed in the last decade had a 50% improvement in overall survival (44.8 vs 29.9 months; P < .001). In this study, we demonstrate improved outcome of patients with myeloma in recent years, both in the relapsed setting as well as at diagnosis.
DAVID Knowledgebase: a gene-centered database integrating heterogeneous gene annotation resources to facilitate high-throughput gene functional analysis
Authors: Sherman Brad T , Huang Da Wei , Tan Qina , Guo Yongjian , Bour Stephan , Liu David , Stephens Robert , Baseler Michael W , Lane H Clifford , Lempicki Richard A
Published: November 2007

Background

Due to the complex and distributed nature of biological research, our current biological knowledge is spread over many redundant annotation databases maintained by many independent groups. Analysts usually need to visit many of these bioinformatics databases in order to integrate comprehensive annotation information for their genes, which becomes one of the bottlenecks, particularly for the analytic task associated with a large gene list. Thus, a highly centralized and ready-to-use gene-annotation knowledgebase is in demand for high throughput gene functional analysis.

Description

The DAVID Knowledgebase is built around the DAVID Gene Concept, a single-linkage method to agglomerate tens of millions of gene/protein identifiers from a variety of public genomic resources into DAVID gene clusters. The grouping of such identifiers improves the cross-reference capability, particularly across NCBI and UniProt systems, enabling more than 40 publicly available functional annotation sources to be comprehensively integrated and centralized by the DAVID gene clusters. The simple, pair-wise, text format files which make up the DAVID Knowledgebase are freely downloadable for various data analysis uses. In addition, a well organized web interface allows users to query different types of heterogeneous annotations in a high-throughput manner.

Conclusion

The DAVID Knowledgebase is designed to facilitate high throughput gene functional analysis. For a given gene list, it not only provides the quick accessibility to a wide range of heterogeneous annotation data in a centralized location, but also enriches the level of biological information for an individual gene. Moreover, the entire DAVID Knowledgebase is freely downloadable or searchable at http://david.abcc.ncifcrf.gov/knowledgebase/.
Extracting gene expression patterns and identifying co-expressed genes from microarray data reveals biologically responsive processes
Authors: Chou Jeff W , Zhou Tong , Kaufmann William K , Paules Richard S , Bushel Pierre R
Published: November 2007

Background

A common observation in the analysis of gene expression data is that many genes display similarity in their expression patterns and therefore appear to be co-regulated. However, the variation associated with microarray data and the complexity of the experimental designs make the acquisition of co-expressed genes a challenge. We developed a novel method for Extracting microarray gene expression Patterns and Identifying co-expressed Genes, designated as EPIG. The approach utilizes the underlying structure of gene expression data to extract patterns and identify co-expressed genes that are responsive to experimental conditions.

Results

Through evaluation of the correlations among profiles, the magnitude of variation in gene expression profiles, and profile signal-to-noise ratio's, EPIG extracts a set of patterns representing co-expressed genes. The method is shown to work well with a simulated data set and microarray data obtained from time-series studies of dauer recovery and L1 starvation in C. elegans and after ultraviolet (UV) or ionizing radiation (IR)-induced DNA damage in diploid human fibroblasts. With the simulated data set, EPIG extracted the appropriate number of patterns which were more stable and homogeneous than the set of patterns that were determined using the CLICK or CAST clustering algorithms. However, CLICK performed better than EPIG and CAST with respect to the average correlation between clusters/patterns of the simulated data. With real biological data, EPIG extracted more dauer-specific patterns than CLICK. Furthermore, analysis of the IR/UV data revealed 18 unique patterns and 2661 genes out of approximately 17,000 that were identified as significantly expressed and categorized to the patterns by EPIG. The time-dependent patterns displayed similar and dissimilar responses between IR and UV treatments. Gene Ontology analysis applied to each pattern-related subset of co-expressed genes revealed underlying biological processes affected by IR- and/or UV- induced DNA damage.

Conclusion

EPIG competed with CLICK and performed better than CAST in extracting patterns from simulated data. EPIG extracted more biological informative patterns and co-expressed genes from both C. elegans and IR/UV-treated human fibroblasts. Using Gene Ontology analysis of the genes in the patterns extracted by EPIG, several key biological categories related to p53-dependent cell cycle control were revealed from the IR/UV data. Among them were mitotic cell cycle, DNA replication, DNA repair, cell cycle checkpoint, and G0-like status transition. EPIG can be applied to data sets from a variety of experimental designs.
Adverse health effects of low levels of perceived control in Swedish and Russian community samples
Authors: Lundberg Johanna , Bobak Martin , Malyutina Sofia , Kristenson Margareta , Pikhart Hynek
Published: November 2007

Background

This cross-sectional study of two middle-aged community samples from Sweden and Russia examined the distribution of perceived control scores in the two populations, investigated differences in individual control items between the populations, and assessed the association between perceived control and self-rated health.

Methods

The samples consisted of men and women aged 45–69 years, randomly selected from national and local population registers in southeast Sweden (n = 1007) and in Novosibirsk, Russia (n = 9231). Data were collected by structured questionnaires and clinical measures at a visit to a clinic. The questionnaire covered socioeconomic and lifestyle factors, societal circumstances, and psychosocial measures. Self-rated health was assessed by standard single question with five possible answers, with a cut-off point at the top two alternatives.

Results

32.2 % of Swedish men and women reported good health, compared to 10.3 % of Russian men and women. Levels of perceived control were also significantly lower in Russia than in Sweden and varied by socio-demographic parameters in both populations. Sub-item analysis of the control questionnaire revealed substantial differences between the populations both in the perception of control over life and over health. Logistic regression analysis revealed that the odds ratios (OR) of poor self-rated health were significantly increased in men and women with low perceived control in both countries (OR between 2.61 and 4.26).

Conclusion

Although the cross-sectional design does not allow causal inference, these results support the view that perceived control influences health, and that it may mediate the link between socioeconomic hardship and health.
Effect of Fagonia Arabica (Dhamasa) on in vitro thrombolysis
Authors: Prasad Sweta , Kashyap Rajpal Singh , Deopujari Jayant Y , Purohit Hemant J , Taori Girdhar M , Daginawala Hatim F
Published: November 2007

Background

Atherothrombotic diseases such as myocardial or cerebral infarction are serious consequences of the thrombus formed in blood vessels. Thrombolytic agents are used to dissolve the already formed clots in the blood vessels; however, these drugs have certain limitations which cause serious and sometimes fatal consequences. Herbal preparations have been used since ancient times for the treatment of several diseases. Herbs and their components possessing antithrombotic activity have been reported before; however, herbs that could be used for thrombolysis has not been reported so far. This study's aim was to investigate whether herbal preparations (aqueous extract) possess thrombolytic activity or not.

Methods

An in vitro thrombolytic model was used to check the clot lysis effect of six aqueous herbal extracts viz., Tinospora cordifolia, Rubia cordifolia, Hemidesmus indicus, Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn, Fagonia Arabica and Bacopa monnieri Linn along with Streptokinase as a positive control and water as a negative control.

Results

Using an in vitro thrombolytic model, Tinospora cordifolia, Rubia cordifolia, Hemidesmus indicus, Glycyrrhiza glabra Linn, Fagonia Arabica and Bacopa monnieri Linn showed 19.3%, 14.5%, 20.3%, 17.8%, 75.6% and 41.8% clot lysis respectively . Among the herbs studied Fagonia arabica showed significant % of clot lysis (75.6%) with reference to Streptokinase (86.2%).

Conclusion

Through our study it was found that Dhamasa possesses thrombolytic properties that could lyse blood clots in vitro; however, in vivo clot dissolving properties and active component(s) of Dhamasa for clot lysis are yet to be discovered. Once found Dhamasa could be incorporated as a thrombolytic agent for the improvement of patients suffering from Atherothrombotic diseases.
The role of voltage-gated potassium channels in the regulation of mouse uterine contractility
Authors: Smith Ryan C , McClure Marisa C , Smith Margaret A , Abel Peter W , Bradley Michael E
Published: November 2007

Background

Uterine smooth muscle cells exhibit ionic currents that appear to be important in the control of uterine contractility, but how these currents might produce the changes in contractile activity seen in pregnant myometrium has not been established. There are conflicting reports concerning the role of voltage-gated potassium (Kv) channels and large-conductance, calcium-activated potassium (BK) channels in the regulation of uterine contractility. In this study we provide molecular and functional evidence for a role for Kv channels in the regulation of spontaneous contractile activity in mouse myometrium, and also demonstrate a change in Kv channel regulation of contractility in pregnant mouse myometrium.

Methods

Functional assays which evaluated the effects of channel blockers and various contractile agonists were accomplished by quantifying contractility of isolated uterine smooth muscle obtained from nonpregnant mice as well as mice at various stages of pregnancy. Expression of Kv channel proteins in isolated uterine smooth muscle was evaluated by Western blots.

Results

The Kv channel blocker 4-aminopyridine (4-AP) caused contractions in nonpregnant mouse myometrium (EC50 = 54 micromolar, maximal effect at 300 micromolar) but this effect disappeared in pregnant mice; similarly, the Kv4.2/Kv4.3 blocker phrixotoxin-2 caused contractions in nonpregnant, but not pregnant, myometrium. Contractile responses to 4-AP were not dependent upon nerves, as neither tetrodotoxin nor storage of tissues at room temperature significantly altered these responses, nor were responses dependent upon the presence of the endometrium. Spontaneous contractions and contractions in response to 4-AP did not appear to be mediated by BK, as the BK channel-selective blockers iberiotoxin, verruculogen, or tetraethylammonium failed to affect either spontaneous contractions or 4-AP-elicited responses. A number of different Kv channel alpha subunit proteins were found in isolated myometrium from both nonpregnant and term-pregnant mice, and one of these proteins – Kv4.3 – was found to disappear in term-pregnant tissues.

Conclusion

These findings suggest a role for Kv channels in the regulation of uterine contractility, and that changes in the expression and/or function of specific Kv channels may account for the functional changes seen in pregnant myometrium.
Evaluation of the IS6110 PCR assay for the rapid diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis
Authors: Deshpande Poonam S , Kashyap Rajpal S , Ramteke Sonali S , Nagdev Khushboo J , Purohit Hemant J , Taori Girdhar M , Daginawala Hatim F
Published: November 2007

Background

Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is one of the common clinical manifestations of extra-pulmonary tuberculosis. It is difficult to diagnose due to a lack of rapid, sensitive, and specific tests. Newer methods, which are easy and reliable, are required to diagnose TBM at an early stage. Thus our aim was to evaluate the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique, using primers directed against the IS6110 gene, for the detection ofMycobacterium tuberculosisin the CSF, for the diagnosis of TBM patients.

Methods

An in-house IS6110PCR method using a specific pair of primers designed to amplify the insertion sequence, IS6110, in theM. tuberculosisgenome was used to analyze CSF. A total of 80 CSF samples from different groups of patients were studied (confirmed TBM n = 35, clinically suspected TBM n = 16, non-TBM infectious meningitis n = 12, non infectious neurological diseases n = 17).

Results

PCR gave a sensitivity of 91.4% and specificity of 75.9% for the diagnosis of TBM in patients with TBM confirmed by culture. In 16 clinically diagnosed, but unconfirmed, TBM cases PCR was positive in 10 (62.5%) cases. There were seven (24.1%) PCR-positive cases among the 29 patients with non-TBM and non-infectious neurological disease.

Conclusion

We conclude that the performance of an in-house IS6110PCR assay is valuable in the rapid diagnosis of tuberculous meningitis.
Clinical features and therapeutic management of patients admitted to Italian acute hospital psychiatric units: the PERSEO (psychiatric emergency study and epidemiology) survey
Authors: Ballerini Andrea , Boccalon Roberto M , Boncompagni Giancarlo , Casacchia Massimo , Margari Francesco , Minervini Lina , Righi Roberto , Russo Federico , Salteri Andrea , Frediani Sonia , Rossi Andrea , Scatigna Marco ,   the PERSEO study group
Published: November 2007

Background

The PERSEO study (psychiatric emergency study and epidemiology) is a naturalistic, observational clinical survey in Italian acute hospital psychiatric units, called SPDCs (Servizio Psichiatrico Diagnosi e Cura; in English, the psychiatric service for diagnosis and management). The aims of this paper are: (i) to describe the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of patients, including sociodemographic features, risk factors, life habits and psychiatric diagnoses; and (ii) to assess the clinical management, subjective wellbeing and attitudes toward medications.

Methods

A total of 62 SPDCs distributed throughout Italy participated in the study and 2521 patients were enrolled over the 5-month study period.

Results

Almost half of patients (46%) showed an aggressive behaviour at admission to ward, but they engaged more commonly in verbal aggression (38%), than in aggression toward other people (20%). A total of 78% of patients had a psychiatric diagnosis at admission, most frequently schizophrenia (36%), followed by depression (16%) and personality disorders (14%), and no relevant changes in the diagnoses pattern were observed during hospital stay. Benzodiazepines were the most commonly prescribed drugs, regardless of diagnosis, at all time points. Overall, up to 83% of patients were treated with neuroleptic drugs and up to 27% received more than one neuroleptic either during hospital stay or at discharge. Atypical and conventional antipsychotics were equally prescribed for schizophrenia (59 vs 65% during stay and 59 vs 60% at discharge), while atypical drugs were preferred in schizoaffective psychoses (72 vs 49% during stay and 70 vs 46% at discharge) and depression (41 vs 32% during stay and 44 vs 25% at discharge). Atypical neuroleptics were slightly preferred to conventional ones at hospital discharge (52 vs 44%). Polypharmacy was in general widely used. Patient attitudes toward medications were on average positive and self-reported compliance increased during hospital stay.

Conclusion

Results confirm the widespread use of antipsychotics and the increasing trend in atypical drugs prescription, in both psychiatric in- and outpatients.
Oculocutaneous albinism
Authors: Grønskov Karen , Ek Jakob , Brondum-Nielsen Karen
Published: November 2007

Oculocutaneous albinism (OCA) is a group of inherited disorders of melanin biosynthesis characterized by a generalized reduction in pigmentation of hair, skin and eyes. The prevalence of all forms of albinism varies considerably worldwide and has been estimated at approximately 1/17,000, suggesting that about 1 in 70 people carry a gene for OCA. The clinical spectrum of OCA ranges, with OCA1A being the most severe type with a complete lack of melanin production throughout life, while the milder forms OCA1B, OCA2, OCA3 and OCA4 show some pigment accumulation over time. Clinical manifestations include various degrees of congenital nystagmus, iris hypopigmentation and translucency, reduced pigmentation of the retinal pigment epithelium, foveal hypoplasia, reduced visual acuity usually (20/60 to 20/400) and refractive errors, color vision impairment and prominent photophobia. Misrouting of the optic nerves is a characteristic finding, resulting in strabismus and reduced stereoscopic vision. The degree of skin and hair hypopigmentation varies with the type of OCA. The incidence of skin cancer may be increased. All four types of OCA are inherited as autosomal recessive disorders. At least four genes are responsible for the different types of the disease (TYR, OCA2, TYRP1 and MATP). Diagnosis is based on clinical findings of hypopigmentation of the skin and hair, in addition to the characteristic ocular symptoms. Due to the clinical overlap between the OCA forms, molecular diagnosis is necessary to establish the gene defect and OCA subtype. Molecular genetic testing of TYR and OCA2 is available on a clinical basis, while, at present, analysis of TYRP1 and MATP is on research basis only. Differential diagnosis includes ocular albinism, Hermansky-Pudlak syndrome, Chediak-Higashi syndrome, Griscelli syndrome, and Waardenburg syndrome type II. Carrier detection and prenatal diagnosis are possible when the disease causing mutations have been identified in the family. Glasses (possibly bifocals) and dark glasses or photocromic lenses may offer sufficient help for reduced visual activity and photophobia. Correction of strabismus and nystagmus is necessary and sunscreens are recommended. Regular skin checks for early detection of skin cancer should be offered. Persons with OCA have normal lifespan, development, intelligence and fertility.
Angiopoietin-mediated endothelial P-selectin translocation: cell signaling mechanisms
Authors: Maliba Ricardo , Brkovic Alexandre , Neagoe Paul-Éduard , Villeneuve Louis R , Sirois Martin G
Published: November 2007

Recently identified, angiopoietin-1 (Ang1) and -2 (Ang2) bind to the tyrosine kinase receptor Tie2 and contribute to orchestrate blood vessel formation during angiogenesis. Ang1 mediates vessel maturation and integrity by favoring the recruitment of pericytes and smooth muscle cells. Ang2, initially identified as a Tie2 antagonist, may under certain circumstances, induce Tie2 phosphorylation and biological activities. As inflammation exists in a mutually dependent association with angiogenesis, we sought to determine if Ang1 and/or Ang2 could modulate proinflammatory activities, namely P-selectin translocation, in bovine aortic endothelial cells (EC) and dissect the mechanisms implicated. P-selectin, an adhesion molecule found in the Weibel-Palade bodies of EC, is translocated rapidly to the cell surface upon EC activation during inflammatory processes. Herein, we report that Ang1 and Ang2 (1 nM) are capable of mediating a rapid Tie2 phosphorylation as well as a rapid and transient endothelial P-selectin translocation maximal within 7.5 min (125% and 100% increase, respectively, over control values). In addition, we demonstrate for the first time that angiopoietin-mediated endothelial P-selectin translocation is calcium-dependent and regulated through phospholipase C-γ activation.
Seismic absorption compensation: A least squares inverse scheme
Authors: Zhang Changjun , Ulrych Tadeusz J.
Published: November 2007

The problem of instability plagues conventional inverse [Formula: see text] filtering. We formulate the deabsorption problem as an inverse problem in terms of least squares and impose regularization by means of Bayes’ theorem. The solution is iterative and nonparametric and returns a reflectivity that has been constrained to be sparse. The inverse scheme is tested on both synthetic and real data and the results obtained demonstrate the viability of the approach.
Multistep autoregressive reconstruction of seismic records
Authors: Naghizadeh Mostafa , Sacchi Mauricio D.
Published: November 2007

Linear prediction filters in the [Formula: see text] domain are widely used to interpolate regularly sampled data. We study the problem of reconstructing irregularly missing data on a regular grid using linear prediction filters. We propose a two-stage algorithm. First, we reconstruct the unaliased part of the data spectrum using a Fourier method (minimum-weighted norm interpolation). Then, prediction filters for all the frequencies are extracted from the reconstructed low frequencies. The latter is implemented via a multistep autoregressive (MSAR) algorithm. Finally, these prediction filters are used to reconstruct the complete data in the [Formula: see text] domain. The applicability of the proposed method is examined using synthetic and field data examples.
Migration/inversion for incident waves synthesized from common-shot data gathers
Authors: Bleistein Norman
Published: November 2007

Wavefield synthesis is a process for producing reflection responses from more general sources or from prescribed incident waves by combining common-shot data gathers. Synthesis can provide surveywide data sets, similar in that regard to common-offset data gathers, but with the added advantage that each synthesized data set is a solution to a single wave equation. A common-offset data set does not have this last feature. Thus, synthesized data sets can be processed by true-amplitude wave-equation migration. The output is then known to be true amplitude in the same sense as is the output of Kirchhoff inversion. That is, the peak amplitude is proportional to the ray-theoretic reflection coefficient at a determinable specular incidence angle multiplied bythe area under the frequency-domain source signature and scaled by [Formula: see text]. Alternatively, the Kirchhoff inversion of synthesized data has a Beylkin determinant that is expressed in terms of the ray-theoretic Green’s function amplitude. This is in contrast to 3D common-offset inversion, wherein the Beylkin determinant is most difficult to compute. We present a theory of data synthesis and true-amplitude migration/inversion based on the application of Green’s theorem to the ensemble of common-shot gathers and prescribed more general sources or prescribed incident waves. Specific examples include delayed-shot line sources and incident dipping plane waves at the upper surface. We also discuss two cases in which waves are prescribed at depth, back-projected to the upper surface, and then used to generate a synthesized data set.
Parsimonious migration of 3-C 3D VSP data
Authors: Agnihotri Yogesh , McMechan George A.
Published: November 2007

Conventional Kirchhoff migration can be made much faster by a priori calculation of wave arrival directions, and tracing rays back only along the measured directions; this is known as parsimonious migration. For surface seismic data, where acquisition with 2D arrays is common, the wave arrival directions can be measured by using local slant stacking to calculate the two horizontal slowness components. The vertical slowness is then deduced by using the dispersion relation. For vertical seismic profile (VSP) data, where multiline acquisition is not possible, only the vertical component of the slowness vector can be measured, which is insufficient to constrain the wave arrival direction. We overcome this limitation for three-component VSP data by polarization analysis of the incident waves. Polar and azimuth anglesare calculated at the receivers by estimating the data covariance matrix and the vertical slowness, assuming isotropic media and linear polarization of both P- and S-waves. For P-waves, the data covariance matrix defines the polarization ellipsoid, which is then used to calculate the wave arrival direction. For S-waves, an additional step is required because the polarization is orthogonal to the propagation direction. Ray tracing along only the measured propagation directions eliminates the traditional traveltime table calculation, and enhances the efficiency of Kirchhoff migration of three-component VSP data. Distortions of the polarization caused by factors such as anisotropy are assumed to be corrected independently of the migration process described here. Synthetic examples for a flat reflector and for a salt flank model demonstrate the procedure and the image quality.
Ground-penetrating radar profiles over multiple steel tanks: Artifact removal through effective data processing
Authors: Porsani Jorge Luís , Sauck William A.
Published: November 2007

This paper describes some ground-penetrating radar (GPR) results to characterize steel tanks buried in the subsoil of an urban center. Tanks were installed in the first Brazilian geophysical test site located at the Institute of Astronomy, Geophysics, and Atmospheric Science (IAG) of the University of São Paulo (USP). This paper also presents an effec-tive procedure for removal of hyperbolic artifacts associated with GPR reflections between multiple steel tanks. One hundred sixty-five GPR profiles of [Formula: see text], [Formula: see text], and [Formula: see text] (shielded bistatic antennae) were measured. The work was done in two distinct places: on the geophysical test site of the IAG/USP in the city of São Paulo, Brazil, and in an area formerly occupied by a truck cleaning, refueling, and maintenance facility, located in Oscoda, northeastern Michigan, USA. Predictive deconvolution and Kirchhoff migration were first used to improve vertical and lateral resolution. To minimize the hyperbolic artifacts caused by reflections between tanks, high-pass filtering was applied to data. Then, Hilbert transforms emphasize the location of the steel tanks in an energy cross-section form. Further GPR processing, such as vertical and depth slices, were very important to improve visualization and localization of steel tanks and pipes in the subsurface.
A Monte Carlo approach to the joint estimation of reservoir and elastic parameters from seismic amplitudes
Authors: Bosch Miguel , Cara Luis , Rodrigues Juan , Navarro Alonso , Díaz Manuel
Published: November 2007

Inversion of seismic data and quantification of reservoir properties, such as porosity, lithology, or fluid saturation, are commonly executed in two consecutive steps: a geophysical inversion to estimate the elastic parameters and a petrophysical inversion to estimate the reservoir properties. We combine within an integrated formulation the geophysical and petrophysical components of the problem to estimate the elastic and reservoir properties jointly. We solve the inverse problem following a Monte Carlo sampling approach, which allows us to quantify the uncertainties of the reservoir estimates accounting for the combination of geophysical data uncertainties, the deviations of the elastic properties from the calibrated petrophysical transform, and the nonlinearity of the geophysical and petrophysical relations. We implement this method for the inference of the total porosity and the acoustic impedance in a reservoir area, combining petrophysical and seismic information. In our formulation, the porosity and impedance are related with a statistical model based on the Wyllie transform calibrated to well-log data. We simulate the seismic data using a convolutional model and evaluate the geophysical likelihood of the joint porosity-impedance models. Applying the Monte Carlo sampling method, we generate a large number of realizations that jointly explain the seismic observations and honor the petrophysical information. This approach allows the calculation of marginal probabilities of the model parameters, including medium porosity, impedance, and seismic source wavelet. We show a synthetic validation of the technique and apply the method to data from an eastern Venezuelan hydrocarbon reservoir, satisfactorily predicting the medium stratification and adequate correlation between the seismic inversion and well-log estimates for total porosity and acoustic impedance.
Leading-order seismic imaging using curvelets
Authors: Douma Huub , de Hoop Maarten V.
Published: November 2007

Curvelets are plausible candidates for simultaneous compression of seismic data, their images, and the imaging operator itself. We show that with curvelets, the leading-order approximation (in angular frequency, horizontal wavenumber, and migrated location) to common-offset (CO) Kirchhoff depth migration becomes a simple transformation of coordinates of curvelets in the data, combined with amplitude scaling. This transformation is calculated using map migration, which employs the local slopes from the curvelet decomposition of the data. Because the data can be compressed using curvelets, the transformation needs to be calculated for relatively few curvelets only. Numerical examples for homogeneous media show that using the leading-order approximation only provides a good approximation to CO migration for moderate propagation times. As the traveltime increases and rays diverge beyond the spatial support of a curvelet; however, the leading-order approximation is no longer accurate enough. This shows the need for correction beyond leading order, even for homogeneous media.
The Effect of Resveratrol on a Cell Model of Human Aging
Authors: STEFANI MAURIZIO , MARKUS M. ANDREA , LIN RUBY C. Y. , PINESE MARK , DAWES IAN W. , MORRIS BRIAN J.
Published: November 2007

Abstract:  The natural polyphenol resveratrol stimulates sirtuins and extends lifespan. Here resveratrol inhibited expression of replicative senescence marker INK4a in human dermal fibroblasts, and 47 of 19,000 genes from microarray experiments were differentially expressed. These included genes for growth, cell division, cell signaling, apoptosis, and transcription. Genes involved in Ras and ubiquitin pathways, Ras‐GRF1, RAC3, and UBE2D3, were downregulated. The changes suggest resveratrol might alter sirtuin‐regulated downstream pathways, rather than sirtuin activity. Serum deprivation and high confluency caused nuclear translocation of the SIRT1‐regulated transcription factor FOXO3a. Our data indicate resveratrol's actions might cause FOXO recruitment to the nucleus.
Age‐Related Changes in the Liver Sinusoidal Endothelium
Authors: Le COUTEUR DAVID G. , COGGER VICTORIA C. , McCUSKEY ROBERT S. , De CABO RAFAEL , SMEDSRØD BÂRD , SORENSEN KAREN K. , WARREN ALESSANDRA , FRASER ROBIN
Published: November 2007

Abstract:  The liver sinusoidal endothelial cell (LSEC) influences the transfer of substrates between the sinusoidal blood and hepatocytes and has a major role in endocytosis; therefore, changes in the LSEC have significant implications for hepatic function. There are major morphological changes in the LSEC in old age called pseudocapillarization. These changes include increased LSEC thickness and reduced numbers of pores in the LSEC, which are called fenestrations. Pseudocapillarization has been found in old humans, rats, mice, and nonhuman primates. In addition, old age is associated with impaired LSEC endocytosis and increased leukocyte adhesion, which contributes to reduced hepatic perfusion. Given that fenestrations in the endothelium allow passage of some lipoproteins, including chylomicron remnants, age‐related reduction in fenestrations impairs hepatic lipoprotein metabolism. In old rats, caloric restriction was associated with complete preservation of LSEC morphology and fenestrations. In conclusion, pseudocapillarization of the LSEC is a newly discovered aging change that, through its effects on lipoproteins, contributes to the association between old age, dyslipidemia, and vascular disease.
Life Extension by Calorie Restriction in Humans
Authors: EVERITT ARTHUR V. , Le COUTEUR DAVID G.
Published: November 2007

Abstract:  Long‐term reduction in energy intake in the diet (calorie restriction [CR]) extends the life of the laboratory rat by about 25%. However, in humans there are no life‐long studies of CR, but only short‐term trials which indicate that 20% CR acting over periods of 2–6 years is associated with reduced body weight, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, and blood glucose—risk factors for the major killer diseases of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In addition, recent research has shown that CR for 6 months is able to improve biomarkers for longevity (deep body temperature and plasma insulin) and thus should increase life expectancy. The magnitude of the life‐extension effect of CR in humans can only be estimated. The Okinawans, the longest‐lived people on earth, consume 40% fewer calories than the Americans and live only 4 years longer. Similarly, women in United States consume 25% fewer calories than men and live 5 years longer. From the survival studies of overweight and obese people, it is estimated that long‐term CR to prevent excessive weight gain could add only 3–13 years to life expectancy. Thus the effects of CR on human life extension are probably much smaller than those achieved by medical and public health interventions, which have extended life by about 30 years in developed countries in the 20th century, by greatly reducing deaths from infections, accidents, and cardiovascular disease.
Age Identity, Age Perceptions, and Health
Authors: DEMAKAKOS PANAYOTES , GJONCA EDLIRA , NAZROO JAMES
Published: November 2007

Abstract:  This study explores the association between age identity, perceptions of age, and health. It uses data from the first and second waves of the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA). The sample consists of 8780 men and women. Four independent variables were used: perceptions of when middle age ends and old age starts, and the ages respondents would like to be and felt they were (desired and self‐perceived ages). The outcomes variables were: self‐assessed health, self‐reported limiting long‐standing illness or disability, hypertension, and diabetes. Statistical analysis included descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate tests. A series of logistic regression models were estimated, which were adjusted for age, sex, marital/cohabitation status, and socioeconomic position. The analysis showed that self‐perceived age and perceived chronological end of middle age related to all four health outcomes over and above other covariates. In contrast, desired age did not relate to any of the outcomes, while perceived start of old age related only to self‐reported health dimensions. These findings indicate the importance of age identity and age perceptions for health in old age.
Retirement Planning and Expectations of Australian Babyboomers
Authors: HUNTER WENDY , WANG WEI , WORSLEY ANTHONY
Published: November 2007

Abstract:  The “babyboomer” generation, those who were born between 1946 and 1965, account for over 30% of the population in Australia, and it is no surprise that the government is concerned about the financial implications for future healthcare costs. While many babyboomers are more financially secure than previous generations have been on account of compulsory superannuation contributions made over the past 15 years, there are still some who are financially vulnerable and expect to rely on government pensions and welfare assistance. Changes to family structures and job security also mean that those who are less financially secure will need social support. Using an ecological framework model
, we explored the retirement expectations and experiences of some Australian babyboomers through focus groups and individual interviews to identify key issues and their plans to address these issues. Four main themes are reported in this paper: retirement attitudes and expectations, finances, health, and food. The results suggested that for many persons retirement equated freedom. Little future planning was undertaken for retirement other than contributing to superannuation schemes, and expectations were reported in general terms, such as wanting to remain independent and healthy and to have time to socialize and travel.
Affordable Rental Housing for Older People in Australia
Authors: CARTWRIGHT COLLEEN MARIA
Published: November 2007

Abstract:  This study aims to determine the perspectives of older community members and service providers in relation to design and location of affordable rental housing in a coastal retirement area of NSW, Australia. This was achieved by holding focus groups and interviews with older community members (n = 21) and service providers (n = 43). All participants reported a shortage of affordable rental housing suitable for older people in the area. The preferred option was for cluster units, possibly with an on‐site carer, located in or close to town. Participants agreed that if choice was limited to “one‐bedroom with large living area” or “two‐bedrooms with small living area,” the majority of single older people would choose the former option, provided there was adequate storage. The importance of asking the “right” question was demonstrated by responses to options for one‐ or two‐bedroom units. Further research is needed to identify what baby boomers think will meet their need for future affordable housing.