bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Woody debris along an upland chronosequence in boreal Manitoba and its impact on long-term carbon storage
Authors: Manies K L , Harden J W , Bond-Lamberty B P , O'Neill K P
Published: March 2005

This study investigated the role of fire-killed woody debris as a source of soil carbon in black spruce (Picea mariana (Mill.) BSP) stands in Manitoba, Canada. We measured the amount of standing dead and downed woody debris along an upland chronosequence, including wood partially and completely covered by moss growth. Such woody debris is rarely included in measurement protocols and composed up to 26% of the total amount of woody debris in older stands, suggesting that it is important to measure all types of woody debris in ecosystems where burial by organic matter is possible. Based on these data and existing net primary production (NPP) values, we used a mass-balance model to assess the potential impact of fire-killed wood on long-term carbon storage at this site. The amount of carbon stored in deeper soil organic layers, which persists over millennia, was used to represent this long-term carbon. We estimate that between 10% and 60% of the deep-soil carbon is derived from wood biomass. Sensitivity analyses suggest that this estimate is most affected by the fire return interval, decay rate of wood, amount of NPP, and decay rate of the char (postfire) carbon pool. Landscape variations in these terms could account for large differences in deep-soil carbon. The model was less sensitive to fire consumption rates and to rates at which standing dead becomes woody debris. All model runs, however, suggest that woody debris plays an important role in long-term carbon storage for this area.
Comparison of cardiovascular responses between lower body negative pressure and head-up tilt
Authors: Kitano Asami , Shoemaker J. Kevin , Ichinose Masashi , Wada Hiroyuki , Nishiyasu Takeshi
Published: March 2005

To investigate local blood-flow regulation during orthostatic maneuvers, 10 healthy subjects were exposed to −20 and −40 mmHg lower body negative pressure (LBNP; each for 3 min) and to 60° head-up tilt (HUT; for 5 min). Measurements were made of blood flow in the brachial (BFbrachial) and femoral arteries (BFfemoral) (both by the ultrasound Doppler method), heart rate (HR), mean arterial pressure (MAP), cardiac stroke volume (SV; by echocardiography), and left ventricular end-diastolic volume (LVEDV; by echocardiography). Comparable central cardiovascular responses (changes in LVEDV, SV, and MAP) were seen during LBNP and HUT. During −20 mmHg LBNP, −40 mmHg LBNP, and HUT, the following results were observed: 1) BFbrachial decreased by 51, 57, and 41%, and BFfemoral decreased by 40, 53, and 62%, respectively, 2) vascular resistance increased in the upper limb by 110, 147, and 85%, and in the lower limb by 76, 153, and 250%, respectively. The increases in vascular resistance were not different between the upper and lower limbs during LBNP. However, during HUT, the increase in the lower limb was much greater than that in the upper limb. These results suggest that, during orthostatic stimulation, the vascular responses in the limbs due to the cardiopulmonary and arterial baroreflexes can be strongly modulated by local mechanisms (presumably induced by gravitational effects).
Molecular Analysis of Pancreatic Juice: A Helpful Tool to Differentiate Benign and Malignant Pancreatic Tumors?
Authors: Teich Niels , Mössner Joachim
Published: March 2005

Chronic pancreatitis is an important predisposing condition leading to pancreatic carcinoma. As the differential diagnosis between these diseases may be difficult in 1 patient, the detection of specific tumor markers in pancreatic juice is an attractive diagnostic tool. Many studies have investigated tumor-mediated molecular alterations of the pancreatic juice, as k-ras mutations, telomerase reactivation, or promoter methylation of the tumor-suppressor genes p16INK4a and p14ARF. In this overview, we summarize these studies and conclude that molecular analysis of pancreatic juice is not useful for everyday care today. The high specificity of molecular alterations in pancreatic cancer in some pilot studies is waiting to be reproduced in large prospective trials, and has the potential to be a strong complementary marker of malignancy in patients with a pancreatic mass of uncertain dignity.
The Stress Response of the Exocrine Pancreas
Authors: Savkovic Vuk , Gaiser Sebastian , Iovanna Juan L. , Bödeker Hans
Published: March 2005

Most attacks of acute pancreatitis display a self-limiting course. This suggests that pancreatic acinar cells may be able to protect themselves against cellular injury thus preventing further progression of the disease. In this review we describe several genes overexpressed in acute experimental pancreatitis which take part in the pancreatic stress response. We discuss the possible function of the pancreatitis-associated protein 1, the small nuclear protein p8, the glycoprotein clusterin, different heat shock proteins, the p53-dependent stress proteins TP53INP1α and TP53INP1β, the vacuole membrane protein-1, as well as the interferon-inducible protein-15, the antiproliferative p53-dependent protein PC3/TIS21/BTG2, and the pancreatitis-induced protein-49. The implications of these proteins in pathophysiological processes like apoptosis regulation, regeneration, cell cycle and growth control, regulation of inflammation, and vacuole formation are discussed. Study of the function of stress proteins expressed in response to pancreatitis could widen our understanding of the pathophysiology of the disease and enable us to develop new rational therapeutic strategies.
Chronic Parotitis: Not Another SPINKosis
Authors: Gundling Felix , Reitmeier Fabian , Tannapfel Andrea , Schütz Alexander , Weber Anette , Ussmüller Jürgen , Keim Volker , Mössner Joachim , Teich Niels
Published: March 2005

Introduction: Pancreatitis and parotitis share several etiological, pathohistological and functional similarities. It arose from recent pancreatitis research that some cases of chronic pancreatitis are associated with mutations of the serine protease inhibitor, Kazal type-1 (SPINK1). We tested the hypothesis that the pancreatitis-associated N34S mutation of SPINK1 is also a risk factor for chronic parotitis. Methods: Reverse-transcriptase polymerase chain reaction was used to investigate SPINK1 transcription in the parotid gland. Forty-five blocks of formalin-fixed, paraffin wax-embedded tissues with chronic parotitis of unknown cause were analyzed for the SPINK1-N34S mutation. Results: The SPINK1 gene is transcribed in the parotid gland. Two of the 45 patients (4.4%) with chronic parotitis carried the N34S mutation heterozygously. Of 82 healthy blood donors, 3 subjects (3.7%) were identified as carrying this mutation heterozygously (p = 0.83). Conclusion: The SPINK1-N34S mutation is not associated with chronic parotitis.
Extended Phenotype in the Transthyretin Tyr77 Familial Amyloid Polyneuropathy
Authors: Lossos Alexander , Soffer Dov , Steiner-Birmanns Bettina , Hassin-Baer Sharon , Sadeh Menachem , Sagi Michal , Linetski Eduard , Abramsky Oded , Argov Zohar , Rosenmann Hanna
Published: March 2005

The transthyretin Tyr77 variant of familial amyloid polyneuropathy (FAP) has been identified in a few North American and European patients, but the full spectrum of its clinical manifestations is still not known. We report a 3-generation family of Jewish-Yemenite origin with Tyr77 FAP presenting with atypical features. The affected individuals had sensorimotor and autonomic neuropathy and cardiomyopathy accompanied by prominent dysphagia, hearing loss and asymptomatic carpal tunnel syndrome. Brain MRI in the proband showed multifocal white matter lesions. These features extend the reported Tyr77 phenotype and support the modifying effect of additional factors on the disease expression.
The Effect of Canalith Repositioning for Anterior Semicircular Canal Canalithiasis
Authors: Kim Yoon Kyung , Shin Jeong Eun , Chung Jong Woo
Published: March 2005

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of our canalith repositioning procedure (CRP) for benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) of the anterior semicircular canal (ASC). We conducted a prospective study of 30 ASC BPPV patients to analyze the efficacy of a modified CRP. When the patient was diagnosed as having ASC BPPV by a specific provocative positioning test, a CRP was performed. The response to the treatment was categorized as grade I–IV. Of the 30 study patients, 6 were male and 24 were female with the highest incidence when the patients were in their 50s. The vertigo and nystagmus in 29 patients fully resolved (grade I). Using this maneuver, 96.7% of patients became symptom free. Overall, the maneuver needed to be performed 1.97 times to control the symptoms. Based on these findings, CRP could be one of the most effective treatment methods for ASC BPPV.
Asymptotic Hitting Time for a Simple Evolutionary Model of Protein Folding
Authors: Ladret Véronique
Published: March 2005

We consider two versions of a simple evolutionary algorithm (EA) model for protein folding at zero temperature, namely the (1 + 1)-EA on the LeadingOnes problem. In this schematic model, the structure of the protein, which is encoded as a bit-string of length n, is evolved to its native conformation through a stochastic pathway of sequential contact bindings. We study the asymptotic behavior of the hitting time, in the mean case scenario, under two different mutations: the one-flip, which flips a unique bit chosen uniformly at random in the bit-string, and the Bernoulli-flip, which flips each bit in the bit-string independently with probability c/n, for some c ∈ ℝ+ (0 ≤ c ≤ n). For each algorithm, we prove a law of large numbers, a central limit theorem, and compare the performance of the two models.
Level Crossing Ordering of Skip-Free-to-the-Right Continuous-Time Markov Chains
Authors: Ferreira Fátima , Pacheco António
Published: March 2005

As proposed by Irle and Gani in 2001, a process X is said to be slower in level crossing than a process Y if it takes X stochastically longer to exceed any given level than it does Y. In this paper, we extend a result of Irle (2003), relative to the level crossing ordering of uniformizable skip-free-to-the-right continuous-time Markov chains, to derive a new set of sufficient conditions for the level crossing ordering of these processes. We apply our findings to birth-death processes with and without catastrophes, and M/M/s/c systems.
Kalman-Bucy Filtering for Linear Systems Driven by the Cox Process with Shot Noise Intensity and Its Application to the Pricing of Reinsurance Contracts
Authors: Dassios Angelos , Jang Ji-Wook
Published: March 2005

In practical situations, we observe the number of claims to an insurance portfolio but not the claim intensity. It is therefore of interest to try to solve the ‘filtering problem’; that is, to obtain the best estimate of the claim intensity on the basis of reported claims. In order to use the Kalman-Bucy filter, based on the Cox process incorporating a shot noise process as claim intensity, we need to approximate it by a Gaussian process. We demonstrate that, if the primary-event arrival rate of the shot noise process is reasonably large, we can then approximate the intensity, claim arrival, and aggregate loss processes by a three-dimensional Gaussian process. We establish weak-convergence results. We then use the Kalman-Bucy filter and we obtain the price of reinsurance contracts involving high-frequency events.
What is Known About Robbins' Problem?
Authors: Bruss F. Thomas
Published: March 2005

Let X1, X2,…, Xn be independent, identically distributed random variables, uniform on [0,1]. We observe the Xk sequentially and must stop on exactly one of them. No recollection of the preceding observations is permitted. What stopping rule τ minimizes the expected rank of the selected observation? This full-information expected-rank problem is known as Robbins' problem. The general solution is still unknown, and only some bounds are known for the limiting value as n tends to infinity. After a short discussion of the history and background of this problem, we summarize what is known. We then try to present, in an easily accessible form, what the author believes should be seen as the essence of the more difficult remaining questions. The aim of this article is to evoke interest in this problem and so, simply by viewing it from what are possibly new angles, to increase the probability that a reader may see what seems to evade probabilistic intuition.
On Optimality of Bold Play for Primitive Casinos in the Presence of Inflation
Authors: Chen Robert W. , Shepp Larry A. , Yao Yi-Ching , Zhang Cun-Hui
Published: March 2005

Mr. G owes $100 000 to a loan shark, and will be killed at dawn if the loan is not repaid in full. Mr. G has $20 000, but partial payments are not accepted, and he has no other source of income or credit. The loan shark owns a primitive casino where one can stake any amount in one's possession, gaining r times the stake with probability w and losing the stake with probability 1 - w (r > 0, 0 < w < 1). Mr. G is permitted to gamble at the casino, but each time he places a bet, the amount of his debt is increased by a factor of 1 + α (α ≥ 0). How should Mr. G gamble to maximize his chance of reaching his (moving) target and thereby surviving? Dubins and Savage showed that an optimal strategy is to stake boldly if the primitive casino is subfair or fair (i.e. w(1 + r) ≤ 1) and the inflation rate α is 0. Intuitively, a positive inflation rate would motivate Mr. G to try to reach his goal as quickly as possible, so it seems plausible that the bold strategy is optimal. However, Chen, Shepp, and Zame found that, surprisingly, the bold strategy is no longer optimal for subfair primitive casinos with inflation if both r > 1 and α satisfies 1/r ≤ α < r. They also conjectured that the bold strategy is optimal for subfair primitive casinos with inflation if r < 1. It is shown in the present paper that this conjecture is true provided that w ≤ ½. Furthermore, by introducing an interesting notion of sharp strategy, additional results are obtained on optimality of the bold strategy.
On the Effect of Finite Buffer Truncation in a Two-Node Jackson Network
Authors: Sakuma Yutaka , Miyazawa Masakiyo
Published: March 2005

We consider a two-node Jackson network in which the buffer of node 1 is truncated. Our interest is in the limit of the tail decay rate of the queue-length distribution of node 2 when the buffer size of node 1 goes to infinity, provided that the stability condition of the unlimited network is satisfied. We show that there can be three different cases for the limit. This generalizes some recent results obtained for the tandem Jackson network. Special cases and some numerical examples are also presented.
Ageing Properties and Series System
Authors: Bon Jean-Louis , Illayk Abbas
Published: March 2005

The comparison of lifetimes has been treated extensively during the last decade. A wide variety of mathematical objects have been defined, which, in reliability theory, are used to quantify ageing properties. In this work, using the equilibrium variable, we give a new viewpoint on ageing properties. Moreover, we give new bounds on the moments of series systems.
Aromaticity and Stability of Quinodimethanes
Authors: Aihara Jun-ichi
Published: March 2005

Relatively large positive TREs for reactive non-Kekulé hydrocarbons, such as some quinodimethanes, were reasonably interpreted in terms of the extreme reactivity presumed for the polyene references.
Effects of Counter Cations in Selective Monohydrolyses of Symmetric Diesters
Authors: Niwayama Satomi , Rimkus Audrius
Published: March 2005

Monohydrolyses of symmetric diesters were carried out using several aqueous inorganic bases, LiOH, NaOH, KOH, and CsOH. The more reactive bases showed higher selectivities in the monohydrolyses of acyclic symmetric diesters.
Amphiphilic Tetrathiafulvalene Derivative: Charge-Transfer Complexation Behavior in Solutions
Authors: Naka Kensuke , Inagi Shinsuke , Uemura Takashi , Chujo Yoshiki
Published: March 2005

An amphiphilic tetrathiafulvalene (1) was prepared by condensation of tetrathiafulvalene-4-carboxylic acid with reduced Triton X-100 to avoid crystallization. Its charge-transfer (CT) complexation behaviors were examined with a strong electron acceptor, i.e., 2,3-dichloro-5,6-dicyano-1,4-benzoquinone (DDQ), in solutions. Although tetrathiafulvalene, (4-tetrathiafulvalenyl)methyl acetate (2), and methyl tetrathiafulvalene-4-carboxylate (4) reacted with DDQ to produce a dark red precipitates in CHCl3 and (4-tetrathiafulvalenyl)methyl stearate (3) with DDQ formed black red colloidal dispersions in CHCl3, an equimolar amount of DDQ with 1 in CHCl3 formed a dark red solution without any precipitates. The UV spectrum of the solution of 1 and DDQ in CHCl3 shows a broad peak in near-IR regions. The absorption maximum at 1300 nm (ε = 3.8 × 102 M−1 cm−1) that is tailing to beyond 2000 nm is derived from π-stacked arrangement of the TTF moiety and DDQ. UV–vis absorption spectra of 1 with DDQ in several organic solvents, i.e., acetonitrile, acetone, CH2Cl2, toluene, and CCl4, show that the CT complexation behavior of 1 was highly dependent on the solvent polarity.
Exposure to myeloma cell lysates affects the immune competence of dendritic cells and favors the induction of Tr1‐like regulatory T cells
Authors: Fiore Francesca , Nuschak Barbara , Peola Silvia , Mariani Sara , Muraro Michela , Foglietta Myriam , Coscia Marta , Bruno Benedetto , Boccadoro Mario , Massaia Massimo
Published: March 2005

The aim of this work was to investigate the interactions of tumor cells with dendritic cells (DC) in normal donors and patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Normal and MM DC internalized necrotic lysates derived from myeloma cell lines (MCL) with high efficiency, whereas necrotic lysates from primary myeloma cells (PMC) were internalized with significantly lower efficiency. A positive correlation was found between susceptibility to internalization and the ability to induce DC maturation. After PMC exposure, DC produced large amounts of IL‐10 and measurable amounts of IL‐4 but no detectable IL‐12. Two rounds of exposure to PMC‐treated DC generated autologous T cells with low proliferative capacity, decreased IFN‐γ production and increased IL‐10 production in the absence of IL‐4 production. These data indicate that myeloma cells can affect host immunity by priming DC towards a maturation state favoring the generation of T cells with a regulatory rather than an effector phenotype.
Transgenic overexpression of the Caspase‐8 inhibitor FLIPshort leads to impaired T cell proliferation and an increased memory T cell pool after staphylococcal enterotoxin B injection
Authors: Oehme Ina , Neumann Frank , Bösser Susanne , Zörnig Martin
Published: March 2005

The cellular homologues of the viral anti‐apoptotic v‐FLIP proteins exist as a long (c‐FLIPL) and a short (c‐FLIPS) splice variant. While c‐FLIPS and v‐FLIP are composed solely of two death effector domains, c‐FLIPL contains an (inactive) caspase‐like domain in addition to these two death effector domains, thereby structurally resembling pro‐Caspase‐8. Both c‐FLIPL and c‐FLIPS suppress apoptosis by inhibiting Caspase‐8 activation, although at different levels of pro‐Caspase‐8 processing. To analyze the consequences of deregulated c‐FLIPS expression in vivo, we established lck FLIPS‐transgenic mice overexpressing the transgene in thymocytes and in mature T cells. As expected, CD95L‐induced apoptosis was impaired in lck FLIPS‐transgenic T cells, indicating the functionality of the FLIPS transgene. Remarkably, activation‐induced cell death of transgenic T cells was unaffected, despite the observed inhibition of CD95‐induced T cell death. Thymic and splenic cell numbers as well as CD4/CD8 cellularity were normal in lck FLIPS‐transgenic animals, which in contrast to CD95‐deficient mice do not accumulate Thy1+ B220+ CD4– CD8– peripheral T cells. c‐FLIPS overexpression leads to a significant decrease in activation‐induced T cell proliferation in vitro. Despite the capacity of FLIPS to inhibit CD95‐induced apoptosis, T cell lymphomagenesis is not observed in lck FLIPS‐transgenic mice. Interestingly, the Vβ8+ memory T cell pool is enlarged upon staphylococcal enterotoxin B injections, suggesting a specific in vivo function for FLIPS in the maintenance of restimulated T cells.
CFD computations of NAL experimental airplane with rocket booster using overset unstructured grids
Authors: Togashi Fumiya , Fujita Takeshi , Ito Yasushi , Nakahashi Kazuhiro , Makino Yoshikazu
Published: March 2005

Flows around the NAL jet‐powered experimental airplane with a small rocket booster under the fuselage are computed by solving the Euler equations using the overset unstructured grid method. The main objective of the present study is to evaluate the effect of a small rocket booster, which accelerates the airplane to supersonic speed, on the aerodynamic performance of the airplane during the ascent flight and the booster separation. Two unstructured meshes, one for the airplane and one for the booster, overlap. For the accurate separation simulation, the two bodies are in contact at first, and then the booster mesh is contact mesh is moved relative to the airplane mesh to evaluate flow interactions between two bodies. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Gentamicin‐loaded bone cement with clindamycin or fusidic acid added: Biofilm formation and antibiotic release
Authors: Neut Daniëlle , de Groot Erik P. , Kowalski Rick S. Z. , van Horn Jim R. , van der Mei Henny C. , Busscher Henk J.
Published: March 2005

The formation of staphylococcal biofilms on experimental bone cements, loaded with 0.5 or 1.0 g of active gentamicin and an additional equivalent amount of gentamicin, clindamycin, or fusidic acid was investigated. The biofilms were formed in a modified Robbins device over a 3‐day time span and the influence of the additional antibiotics was quantified by expressing the number of colony forming units relative to the corresponding bone cement containing only gentamicin. Combinations of gentamicin with either fusidic acid or clindamycin reduced growth of clinical isolates of both gentamicin‐sensitive Staphylococcus aureus and gentamicin‐resistant coagulase‐negative staphylococci to approximately 28%. To determine whether adding a second antibiotic has influence on the gentamicin release, cement blocks were placed in phosphate buffer and aliquots were taken at designated sampling intervals. The influence of the additional antibiotics was quantified by expressing the percentage released of the total amount of antibiotic incorporated in the different bone cements. After 3 days, all bone cements had released similar percentages of gentamicin, whereas more clindamycin and fusidic acid were released after doubling their concentration in the bone cements. In conclusion, bone cements loaded with combinations of gentamicin and clindamycin or fusidic acid are more effective in preventing biofilm formation than bone cements with gentamicin as a single drug. In addition, the presence of clindamycin or fusidic acid in gentamicin‐loaded bone cement has no influence on the total gentamicin release. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 73A: 165–170, 2005
Biaxial failure properties of planar living tissue equivalents
Authors: Billiar K. L. , Throm A. M. , Frey M. T.
Published: March 2005

Quantification of the mechanical properties of living tissue equivalents (LTEs) is essential for assessing their ultimate functionality as tissue substitutes, yet their delicate nature makes failure testing problematic. For this study, we evaluated the validity of using an inflation device for quantifying the biaxial tensile failure properties of extremely delicate fibroblast‐populated collagen gels (CGs) and fibrin gels (FGs). Small samples were circularly clamped and then inflated until rupture. Each sample assumed an approximately spherical shape and burst at its center indicating effective clamping. After two weeks in culture, all LTEs tested were fragile, but the FGs were significantly stronger and more extensible than the CGs (ultimate tensile strength 6.0 kPa ± 2.0 kPa vs. 2.8 kPa ± 0.7 kPa; failure strain 3.5 ± 0.9 vs. 0.26 ± 0.05, n = 4). After an additional 11 days of culture, the strength of the FGs increased significantly (26.5 kPa ± 12.7 kPa), and the extensibility decreased (1.9 ± 0.8, n = 3). This study demonstrates that subtle differences in the properties of LTEs can be measured using inflation methods with minimal sample handling and without having to grow the tissues into anchors or cut the specimens. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 73A: 182–191, 2005
Is a two‐week trial of oral prednisolone predictive of target lung function in pediatric asthma?
Authors: Lex Christiane , Payne Donald N.R. , Zacharasiewicz Angela , Li Albert M. , Nicholson Andrew G. , Wilson Nicola M. , Bush Andrew
Published: March 2005

We used a 2‐week trial of prednisolone to determine “target” lung function for subsequent asthma therapy. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether some children exceed their “target” forced expired volume in 1 sec (FEV1) on subsequent visits in the following year, and whether this is associated with particular clinical or pathological features. Children (aged 6–16 years) with difficult asthma underwent spirometry and exhaled nitric oxide (FENO) measurements before and after 2 weeks of prednisolone 40 mg/day. At the end of the course, subepithelial eosinophils and reticular basement membrane thickness were assessed. The highest FEV1 obtained in a 1‐year follow‐up was compared with the poststeroid postbronchodilator (“target”) FEV1. Four of 22 children (18%) demonstrated an increase of >9% above their “target” FEV1 during follow‐up. None of these children had been prescribed additional asthma medications. Three of 7 children with persistent airflow limitation (PAL; poststeroid postbronchodilator FEV1 <80% predicted) recorded an FEV1 >80% predicted during follow‐up. The median (interquartile range) number of subepithelial eosinophils was significantly higher in children who exceeded their target FEV1 than in children who did not (12.4 (8.5–39.9) vs. 1.4 (0.0–4.8) cells/mm2, P = 0.018). In conclusion, a 2‐week course of prednisolone is not necessarily predictive of “target” lung function. Definitions such as PAL should be regularly reviewed on individual basis. Pediatr Pulmonol. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Nano‐whatever: Do we really know where we are heading?
Authors: Kroemer Herbert
Published: March 2005

The principal applications of any sufficiently new and innovative technology have always been applications that were created by that technology, rather than being pre‐existing applications, where the new technology simply provided improvements. This historical trend is likely to remain true, and it is likely to be true specifically for the emerging nanotechnology.

Applications yet to be created have been notoriously hard to predict. Historically, a rich set of new (and unforeseen) applications has almost always arisen; this is likely again to be the case in nanotechnology. Hence, nanotechnology should be expected to have a rich future with new applications, but the details of that future are resistant to prediction. The most we can do is to identify some general research directions that appear promising – and I will attempt that here – but for the ultimate outcome we will have to wait until it happens: The progress from new technology to new applications is opportunistic rather than deterministic. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Tiagabine reduces ethanol reward in C57BL/6 mice under acute and chronic administration regimens
Authors: Nguyen Shaun A. , Deleon Christopher P. , Malcolm Robert J. , Middaugh Lawrence D.
Published: March 2005

Three experiments conducted on male C57BL/6 (B6) mice examined the effects of subcutaneous injections of the GABA uptake inhibitor, tiagabine, on appetitive (lever responding) and consummatory behavior (fountain contacts) of food restricted B6 mice for 12% ethanol and water rewards (Exp‐1), and for food reward (Exp‐2) delivered on a fixed ratio 4 schedule of reinforcement. Effects of acute injections (1,3,6,9 mgkg) and chronic administration (6,9 mg/kg) was examined. Exp‐3 examined tiagabine effects on the voluntary consumption of continuously available 12% ethanol, and on the interactive effects of tiagabine and ethanol on motor activity of non‐food restricted B6 mice. Results of Exp‐1 and Exp‐2 indicated that tiagabine can reduce appetitive behavior for ethanol reward with no evidence of tolerance upon chronic exposure. Tiagabine doses that reduced ethanol reward had less effect on behavior maintained by either water or food, and had no effect on motor activity. In contrast to the absence of tolerance to its effect on appetitive behavior for ethanol, mice rapidly developed tolerance to tiagabine's initial reduction of the consummatory response for ethanol (Exp‐1), and the intake of freely available ethanol exceeded pre‐tiagabine levels after several daily injections (Exp‐3). Importantly, mice developed tolerance to tiagabine's sedative effect after three daily injections and its sedation was not enhanced when combined with ethanol, an effect consistent with the lack of a tiagabine + ethanol interaction previously reported for humans. The results of the experiments suggest that in addition to reducing alcohol withdrawal symptoms, tiagabine might also reduce the potency of ethanol‐conditioned cues that drive appetitive behavior for ethanol. Synapse 56:135–146, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Association between excessive frontal cerebrospinal fluid and illness duration in males but not in females with schizophrenia
Authors: Molina Vicente , Sanz Javier , Sarramea Fernando , Misiego José M. , Benito Carlos , Palomo Tomás
Published: March 2005

Objective

Excessive cortical cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) has been acknowledged as a possible marker of a gray matter loss. This excess in schizophrenia is found predominantly in the prefrontal and temporal regions. We hypothesized that the poorer global outcome and treatment response in males with schizophrenia are related to a greater cortical volume loss as compared to females.

Subjects and methods

In order to test this hypothesis we have used magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to study the cortical (prefrontal, temporal, and hemispheric) CSF values in a group of 85 patients with schizophrenia, of whom 56 were males and 29, females. We calculated the residual values of CSF in the patients based on the data pertaining to 45 control subjects and linear regression, from which the normal effects of age and intracranial volume were discounted. These residual scores constitute a quantitative measurement of the excess of CSF due to the disease.

Results

Males, but not females, presented a trend-level significant excess of left prefrontal CSF. The prefrontal and temporal residual values were significantly associated with illness duration in males, but not in females.

Discussion

These results conform to the worse outcome and the higher severity of structural abnormalities generally found in schizophrenia in male subjects.

Conclusion

Our data support the hypothesis of accelerated prefrontal cortical loss in males, but not in females with schizophrenia.
Direct interaction and cooperative role of tumor suppressor p16 with band 3 (AE1)
Authors: Fu Guo-Hui , Wang Yong , Xi Yu-Hui , Shen Wei-Wei , Pan Xiao-Yan , Shen Wu-Zhong , Jiang Xiao-Shu , Chen Guo-Qiang
Published: March 2005

By using the C‐terminal 112‐residue of band 3 to screen the K562 cDNA library, we find that the p16 interacts with band 3, which was confirmed both in yeast and in mammalian cells. Functional experiments show that p16 facilitates the movement of band 3 to plasma membrane with increased anion transport activity in 293t cells. Moreover, expression of endogenous p16 in 293t cells was increased at 24 and 36 h after transfection with band 3. Our findings provide a novel regulation pathway for both band 3 and p16.
Skilled birth attendance: What does it mean and how can it be measured? A clinical skills assessment of maternal and child health workers in Nepal
Authors: Carlough M. , McCall M.
Published: March 2005

The presence of a skilled birth attendant at delivery is important in averting maternal and neonatal mortality and morbidity. It has now shown that even trained traditional birth attendants (TBAs) cannot, in most cases, save women's lives effectively because they are unable to treat complications, and are often unable to refer. Qualified midwives and doctors are often not available in the rural areas and community settings where most women in developing countries deliver. Defining the minimum competency level necessary to meet the definition of skilled birth attendant is important, particularly in countries such as Nepal with limited availability of facility‐based emergency obstetric care. Maternal and child health workers are local women aged 18–35 who completed a 15‐week course in maternal and child health. As the role of MCHWs has expanded to meet the country's needs for skilled attendance, a 6‐week “refresher” course in midwifery skills is offered. The results of this clinical skills assessment of 104 randomly selected MCHWs from 15 districts across Nepal supports the premise that MCHWs with appropriate training have an acceptable level of knowledge and skill, demonstrated in a practice situation, to meet the definition of community level skilled birth attendants. Yet, competency alone will not necessarily improve the situation. To affect maternal mortality in Nepal, MCHWs must be widely available, they must be allowed to do what they are trained to do, and they must have logistical and policy support.
Foreign capital in Central Asia and the Caucasus: Curse or blessing?
Authors: Bayulgen Oksan
Published: March 2005

In developing countries, the magnitude as well as the composition of foreign capital greatly influences the political fortunes of domestic actors, and thus regime trajectory. This paper demonstrates that the states of Central Asia and the Caucasus depend heavily on external capital flows for the financing of their fiscal deficits and that the bulk of the flows go directly to authoritarian governments. This situation has empowered authoritarian rulers, provided very little financial strength to local businesses, and offered half-hearted incentives for market reforms. Moreover, the small differences among these states in terms of the composition of capital flows also explain why some of these states have moved towards a milder version of authoritarian rule while others have been stuck in hard authoritarianism.
Components of Attentional Set-switching
Authors: Rushworth M. F. S. , Passingham R. E. , Nobre A. C.
Published: March 2005

Abstract. A series of distinct event-related potentials (ERPs) have been recorded from the scalp of human subjects as they switch from one task to another. It is possible that task switching may depend on different mechanisms depending on whether the switch requires a change in attentional set, in other words the redirecting of attention to different aspects of a sensory stimulus, or whether it requires a change in intentional set, in others words a change in the way that responses are selected. To address this issue, the current study recorded ERPs while subjects switched between attentional sets and the results were compared with those of a previous investigation in which subjects switched between intentional sets. Subjects selected stimuli according to two conflicting attentional sets, each emphasizing one visual stimulus dimension (colour, shape). Pairs of stimuli, only one of which was to be attended, were presented for between eight and seventeen trials then either a switch or a stay cue was shown. The switch cue instructed subjects to switch from the current attentional set to the other set, while the stay cue instructed subjects to maintain the current set. Comparing ERPs time-locked to the switch and stay cues revealed neural correlates of the initiation of a task switch. Comparing the ERPs time locked to the first stimuli after either stay or switch cues identified neural correlates of the implementation of a task switch. A similar modulation over parietal electrodes was seen when subjects were switching between either attentional or intentional sets. While an intentional set switch began with a medial frontal modulation, attentional set switching began with a lateral frontal modulation. Implementing a new attentional set was associated with modulation of relatively early visual potentials, while implementing a new intentional set was associated with modulation of later response-related potentials. The results confirm that task switching consists of a number of constituent processes which may be taxed to different degrees depending on whether a task-switch paradigm requires subjects to change the way in which they select stimuli or responses.
Assessing the timing of greigite formation and the reliability of the Upper Olduvai polarity transition record from the Crostolo River, Italy
Authors: Roberts Andrew P. , Jiang Wei‐Teh , Florindo Fabio , Horng Chorng‐Shern , Laj Carlo
Published: March 2005

The Crostolo River section in Italy yielded a detailed record of the Upper Olduvai geomagnetic polarity transition that has been used to support the hypothesis of deep mantle control on the transitional geomagnetic field. The paleomagnetic record is carried by the authigenic iron sulphide, greigite, which was interpreted to have formed shortly after deposition. Our detailed scanning electron microscope investigations indicate the presence of at least 3 generations of pyrite, which usually forms with greigite as a precursor. This suggests that the total magnetization is a complex composite that produced a smoothed record of transitional field behaviour.
Myocardial infarction: gender differences in coping and social support
Authors: Kristofferzon Marja‐Leena , Löfmark Rurik , Carlsson Marianne
Published: March 2005

Aim. The aim of this review is to summarize current knowledge about gender differences in perceptions of coping and social support among patients who have experienced myocardial infarction.

Rationale. Women with coronary heart disease have physical, social and medical disadvantages compared with their male counterparts, which can influence their perception of recovery after cardiac events. No review has been found which focuses on gender differences in coping and social support in myocardial infarction patients.

Method. A computerized search was conducted using the keywords ‘myocardial infarction’, ‘coping’, ‘gender differences’ and ‘social support’. Forty‐one articles, published between 1990 and October 2002, were scrutinized.

Findings. Two studies report that women used more coping strategies than men. Several qualitative studies found that women used a variety of coping strategies. Women minimized the impact of the disease, tended to delay in seeking treatment and did not want to bother others with their health problems. Household activities were important to them and aided their recovery. Men were more likely to involve their spouses in their recovery, and resuming work and keeping physically fit were important to them. Women tended to report that they had less social support up to 1 year after a myocardial infarction compared with men. They received less information about the disease and rehabilitation and experienced lack of belief in their heart problems from caregivers. Further, they received less assistance with household duties from informal caregivers. Men tended to report more support from their spouses than did women.

Conclusions. Traditional gender‐role patterns may influence the recovery of patients who have experienced myocardial infarction. Caregivers may need to be more sensitive to gender‐specific needs with regard to risk profiles, social roles, and the patient's own role identity. For many women, especially older ones, household duties and family responsibilities may be an opportunity and a base for cardiac rehabilitation.
Electrocardiographic and Electrophysiologic Characteristics of Midseptal Accessory Pathways
Authors: CHANG SHIH‐LING , LEE SHIH‐HUANG , TAI CHING‐TAI , CHIANG CHERN‐EN , CHENG JUN‐JACK , LIN YENN‐JIANG , HSIEH MING‐HSIUNG , LEE KUNG‐TAI , TSAO HSUAN‐MING , KUO JEN‐YUAN , CHEN YI‐JEN , CHEN SHIH‐ANN
Published: March 2005

Background: The purpose of the present study was to investigate the electrocardiographic and electrophysiologic characteristics of right midseptal (RMS) and left midseptal (LMS) accessory pathways (APs), and to develop a stepwise algorithm to differentiate RMS from LMS APs.

Methods and Results: From May 1989 to February 2004, 1591 patients with AP‐mediated tachyarrhythmia underwent RF catheter ablation in this institution, and 38 (2.4%) patients had MS APs. The delta wave and precordial QRS transition during sinus rhythm, retrograde P wave during orthodromic tachycardia, and electrophysiologic characteristic and catheter ablation in 30 patients with RMS APs and 8 patients with LMS APs were analyzed. There was no significant difference in electrophysiologic characteristics and catheter ablation between RMS and LMS APs. The polarity of retrograde P wave during orthodromic tachycardia also showed no statistical difference between patients with RMS and LMS APs. The delta wave polarity was positive in leads I, aVL, and V3 to V6 in patients with RMS and LMS APs. Patients with LMS APs had a higher incidence of biphasic delta wave in lead V1 than patients with RMS APs (80% vs. 15%, P = 0.012). The distributions of precordial QRS transition were different between RMS APs (leads V2; n = 10, V3; n = 7 and V4; n = 3) and LMS APs (leads V1; n = 1 and V2; n = 4) (P = 0.03). The combination of a delta negative wave in lead V1 or precordial QRS transition in lead V3 or V4 had a sensitivity of 90%, specificity of 80%, positive predictive value of 95%, and negative predictive value of 66% in predicting an RMS AP.

Conclusions: Delta wave polarity in lead V1 and precordial QRS transition may differentiate RMS and LMS APs.
Effects of Circumferential Ostial Radiofrequency Lesions on Pulmonary Vein Activation Recorded with a Multipolar Basket Catheter
Authors: ARENTZ THOMAS , VON ROSENTHAL JÖRG , WEBER REINHOLD , BÜRKLE GERD , BLUM THOMAS , STOCKINGER JOCHEM , NEUMANN FRANZ JOSEF , KALUSCHE DIETRICH
Published: March 2005

Aims: Two different ablation procedures are performed to cure patients of atrial fibrillation (AF): (1) the electrophysiological pulmonary vein (PV) isolation, and (2) the anatomical circumferential ablation of all four PV ostia. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of circumferential radiofrequency lesions around the ostia on PV activation.

Methods and Results: In 34 patients with drug refractory paroxysmal (N = 22) or persistent (N = 12) AF a 31‐mm basket catheter (BC) was introduced transseptally in the PVs. After creating a circumferential ablation line around the PV ostia using a nonfluoroscopic 3D‐navigation system, electrical isolation was achieved in 46% of the PVs, and prolongation of conduction time (+39 ± 34 ms) was observed in 30%. PVs with persistent conduction (54%) were isolated by ablating the remaining conduction pathways using the BC. At 12 months follow‐up, 62% of the patients were in stable sinus rhythm without antiarrhythmic drug therapy. Six patients had developed left atrial flutter.

Conclusions: Anatomically guided, circumferential lesions around the PV ostia resulted in isolation in only 46% of the veins. At 12 months, 62% of the patients were free of AF without antiarrrhythmic drug treatment, however, 6 patients (18%) developed left atrial flutter.
State-resolved unimolecular dissociation of cis-cis HOONO: Product state distributions and action spectrum in the 2νOH band region
Authors: Matthews Jamie , Sinha Amitabha
Published: March 2005

Nascent OH fragment product state distributions arising from unimolecular dissociation of room temperature HOONO, initiated by excitation in the region of the 2νOH band, are probed using laser-induced fluorescence at sub-Doppler resolution. Phase-space simulations of the measured OH rotational distributions are consistent with the dissociation dynamics being statistical and confirm that all major features in the room temperature action spectrum belong to the cis-cis conformer. The phase-space simulations also allow us to estimate the HO–ONO bond dissociation energy of cis-cis HOONO to be D0=19.9±0.5kcal∕mol, which when combined with the known heat-of-formation data for the OH and NO2 fragments gives ΔHf0(cis-cisHOONO)=−2.5kcal∕mol. In addition to fragment energy release, spectral features in the cis-cis HOONO action spectrum are examined with respect to their shifts upon N15 isotope substitution and through ab initio spectral simulation using a two-dimensional dipole surface that takes into account the influence of HOON torsional motion on the OH stretching overtone. The two-dimensional spectral simulations, using CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ dipole surface, qualitatively reproduces features appearing in the action spectrum and suggest that the strong broad feature occurring ∼570cm−1 to the blue of the cis-cis HOONO 2νOH peak, likely involve excitation of HOON-torsion/OH-stretch combination bands originating from thermally populated excited torsional states. A closer examination of the predictions of the two-dimensional model with experiments also reveals its limitations and suggests that a more elaborate treatment, one which includes several additional modes, will likely be required in order to fully explain the room temperature action spectrum. Ab initio calculations of the HOON torsional potential at the CCSD(T)/cc-pVTZ level of theory are also presented and confirm that cis-perp configuration does not correspond to a bound localized minimum on the HOONO potential energy surface.
Spin distribution in neutral polyene radicals: Pariser–Parr–Pople model studied with the density matrix renormalization group method
Authors: Ma Haibo , Cai Fei , Liu Chungen , Jiang Yuansheng
Published: March 2005

The geometries and π electron spin distributions induced by neutral soliton defects in trans-polyacetylene radicals (from C7H9 to C49H51) are studied using Pariser–Parr–Pople (PPP) model, solved by the density matrix renormalization group (DMRG) method. Comparisons with other quantum chemical methods as well as the experimental observations on heptatrienyl (C7H9) and nonatetraenyl (C9H11) radical species show that the semiempirical PPP method is in the list of the very few theories that can give correct description of the spin distributions for such extended π-conjugated systems. By virtue of DMRG’s power in dealing with large one-dimensional systems, we predicted that the half-width of a neutral spin soliton in polyacetylene is about 14 atoms, and the spin distributions in the center of the soliton is calculated as ρ(0)=0.25, ρ(1)=−0.12 with ρ(1)∕ρ(0)=−0.48, ρ−∕ρ+=−0.52, which agree well with the results from electron-nuclear double resonance experiments.