bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Image Analysis Measurements of White Specks on U.S. Extreme Varieties of Cotton
Authors: Bel Patricia , Xu Bugao
Published: August 2006

White specks are a specific type of fiber defect that result in high financial losses to the cotton industry. Fiber entanglements are called neps. Neps that involve immature fibers do not dye properly and appear as white specks on the dyed fabric. Studies to predict white specks from bale fiber measurements are underway. Initially a reliable method for measuring white specks is needed. Several systems have been evaluated and are reported here. The systems accuracy was compared using fiber from the US Extreme Variety Study, which was grown specifically to have different levels of white specks. This paper sets out the experimental work and analysis undertaken to develop and validate a system for reliably quantifying the amount of white specks in a woven fabric. Four image analysis systems are compared. This includes two industrial imaging systems (Cambridge and Optimas)2 and two systems specifically developed for white speck analysis (Cotton Incorporated’s prototype and AutoRate). The Cambridge system was too sensitive for this application, and the Cotton Incorporated system was found to have drift in the data over time so that the problem could not be identified. The Optimas system is time consuming and not accurate enough for this application. The AutoRate system gives the most accurate measurements of white specks in the minimal amount of time, with minimal operator error, of all of the systems studied and is currently being used in developing prediction of white specks from bale fiber properties.
Creation of a Set of Reference Material for Cotton Fiber Maturity Measurements
Authors: Hequet Eric F. , Wyatt Bobby , Abidi Noureddine , Thibodeaux Devron P.
Published: August 2006

It was the goal of the authors to create a set of reference cottons for maturity measurements. To achieve this they selected 104 cotton bales representing the two principal cultivated species. The vast majority of the bales originated in the USA, but some foreign-grown cotton bales were also selected (Egypt, Uzbekistan, Pakistan, Cameroon, Syria, Benin, and Australia). A representative sample of approximately 30 kg (70 pounds) was taken from each bale. Each sample was homogenized according to the protocol used by the International Cotton Calibration Standard Committee (ICCSC) to produce reference cottons. Eight sub-samples per bale were taken and a minimum of 500 cross-sections per sub-sample were analyzed. A broad range of average values of fiber perimeter and fiber maturity for the 104 bales were obtained. Evaluation of the mathematical and statistical relationships pertinent to maturity and fineness revealed that four critical criteria for adequate calibration standards were met. Therefore, this population of bales constitutes a good base for the calibration of the indirect measurement instruments for maturity and fineness.
Calculated Risks: Why Civic Leaders (Re)Turn to Politics
Authors: Choup Anne Marie
Published: August 2006

Existing conceptualizations of civil society often emphasize its distinction from political institutions and individuals. This article argues for a systematic review of the relationships between civic and political leaders in Latin America, since many civic leaders turn (or return) to political activities in order to carry out local work better. There exist a variety of nuanced relationships between the civil and the political realms. Examples from civil–political relationships in the Dominican Republic in 1999 illustrate this variety of alliances between civic leaders and political parties and demonstrate that they are not necessarily harmful to the democratic order.
“Nibtidi mnin il-hikaya [Where are we to start the tale?]”: violence, intimacy, and recollection
Authors: Pandolfo Stefania
Published: August 2006

Based on an ethnographic fragment from the author’s anthropological research at a Moroccan psychiatric hospital, this article is a reflection on the “border zones” of theory and experience, increasingly the stuff of everyday life, which are crucial for understanding life in the indeterminacy of the normal and the pathological, of subjectivity and depersonalization, of remembrance and forgetting, of emancipation and subjugation. The article follows the trace of Freud’s insight on the enigmatic bond of mimesis and alterity, creation and destruction that he called the “affective tie”, and which is understood here as an intimate heterogeneity, an “imprint” from another world, in which both self and other are born, in a process of becoming other. It addresses these questions through a discussion of the “traumatic writing” of Palestinian author Ilyas Khouri and the story of a woman patient at a Moroccan psychiatric hospital, whose existence is shared in “cohabitation” with a jinn, at the boundary of demonological possession and biomedical reasoning.
The Wilder Shores of Power: Migration, Border Controls and Democracy in Postwar Japan
Authors: Morris-Suzuki Tessa
Published: August 2006

Japan has often been regarded as an ethnically homogeneous society whose restrictive immigration policies reflect the deep-seated cultural peculiarities of this ‘island nation’. By contrast, I shall argue that Japan’s post- 1945 cultural separation from the other countries of East Asia, and its strict border controls, were to a large extent products of Cold War politics. The postwar democratization of Japan went hand in hand with the introduction of tight restrictions on cross-border mobility: restrictions which had profound consequences for the rights of ethnic minorities in Japan (particularly Koreans and Taiwanese). An exploration of the emergence and impact of this border control regime casts new light, not just on Japan’s role in the Northeast Asian region, but also on key limitations of nation-state centred notions of liberal democracy.
Comparative Study of Water Absorption Behavior in Biopol® and Jute-reinforced Biopol® Composite using Neutron Radiography Technique
Authors: Alam M. K. , Khan M. A. , Lehmann E. H.
Published: August 2006

Water absorption behavior of Biopol® and jute-reinforced Biopol composites has been studied by adopting the CCD camera based digital neutron radiography technique. The surface of jute is pretreated with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) before composite fabrication. From the analysis of neutron transmission profile measurement, a negligible amount of water absorption is observed in both Biopol® and its composite. It has also been observed that water absorption behavior in Biopol® is less than that in its composites.
Restoring Justice Through Community Policing
Authors: Martin Margaret E.
Published: August 2006

Principles of restorative justice guide new approaches to criminal justice policy and practice worldwide; however, scant attention is paid to policing within this paradigm. This article describes the theoretical, practice, and value dimensions of restorative justice and examines these in relation to community policing ideology and practice. It presents a policy analysis of the bold Northern Ireland police reform experience and explores the central dilemmas and opportunities inherent in transforming police within communities in conflict. In spite of substantial implementation challenges, community policing may restore justice because of the demand for a sustained peace, dynamism generated when police reform is part of larger social reform, and determination elicited from the poignant recognition of prior injustice. Through police reform, there is potential for greater local democratic control and accountability of the state social control mechanism.
Testing the Level of Service Inventory–Revised (LSI-R) for Racial/Ethnic Bias
Authors: Whiteacre Kevin W.
Published: August 2006

In corrections, the use of objective offender risk classification instruments is increasing. Some observers have raised concerns that these instruments might over classify poor and minority offenders, but there is little research to support these claims. Using contingency tables to compare risk categories and program performance, this study examines the Level of Service Inventory-Revised for racial/ethnic differences in classification errors at a large federal community corrections center in the United States. The study found a tendency toward more classification errors for African Americans than Caucasians or Hispanics, though the types and rates of errors were dependent on the choice of the cutoff score and the performance measure to be predicted. These findings highlight the need for correctional facilities to conduct local tests of their classification instruments. The study provides an easy and practical model for such tests.
Tipping the Scales of Justice
Authors: Renauer Brian C. , Cunningham Wm. Scott , Feyerherm Bill , O’Connor Tom , Bellatty Paul
Published: August 2006

Rose and Clear propose that neighborhood incarceration, after a tipping-point threshold, can disrupt informal social-control mechanisms in neighborhoods producing more crime and violence. They hypothesize that the incarceration-crime relationship at a neighborhood level is curvilinear. Using suggestions from Hannon and Knapp, the authors assess curvilinearity in the incarceration-crime relationship by comparing results across three different estimation techniques (ordinary least squares, heteroscedasticity consistent covariance matrix [HCCM] for small samples, called HC3, negative binomial). Data from 95 Portland, Oregon, neighborhoods are used for the study. The results are generally consistent and supportive of Rose and Clear’s curvilinearity hypothesis of neighborhood incarceration but only for explanations of violent crime, not property crime. Moderate levels of neighborhood incarceration are related to significant violent crime rate decreases, and high levels of neighborhood incarceration are significantly related to violent crime rate increases. However, models were sensitive to estimation technique and outlying observations. Policy considerations related to concentrated neighborhood incarceration are discussed.
Environmental Resistance and the Politics of Energy Development in the Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Carvalho Georgia O.
Published: August 2006

Since the energy shortage in 2001, there has been renewed interest in energy-generation projects in Brazil. Policy options under consideration include expansion of natural gas exploration and hydropower generation in the Amazon. This article analyzes environmental opposition to two projects, the Urucu pipeline and the Belo Monte Dam. Despite significant environmental and social costs, development of energy resources is a critical political issue. Proponents tend to be politically well connected, are willing to face strong opposition, and pursue projects over a long time period. Opposition strategies have had limited effectiveness because of the project's larger context and because there are few incentives for compromise solutions. However, polarization is unlikely to lead to lasting solutions and reduced environmental impact. This may be an important consideration when fighting against other proposed high-profile regional projects with larges-scale environmental implications, such as the Madeira dams and the Transcontinental pipeline.
The Brazilian Anti-Dam Movement
Authors: McCormick Sabrina
Published: August 2006

The environmental movement has often contested and reshaped scientific knowledge to achieve its goals. However, theorists have yet to account for this social movement tactic. This research uses a case study of the anti-dam movement in Brazil, with particular reference to three instances of anti-dam activism across the country, to delineate how scientization of the state motivates environmental movements to contest science. It uses Jurgen Habermas's theory of communicative action to explicate how instrumental and communicative claims are deliberated on in collaborations between activists and researchers, resulting in new scientific conceptualizations. These results are then translated to the public through innovative movement frames. This research helps situate communicative action as a social movement strategy important in a global knowledge society.
“We Don't Really Want to Know”
Authors: Norgaard Kari Marie
Published: August 2006

Global warming is the most serious environmental problem of our time and a major issue of environmental justice. Yet meager public response in the form of social movement activity, behavioral changes, or public pressure on governments is noteworthy in all Western nations. Existing research emphasizes lack of information as a limiting factor for failed public response. This explanation cannot account for the significant population who know about and express concern for global warming. Ethnographic and interview data from a rural Norwegian community indicate that nonresponse is at least partially a matter of socially organized denial. Because Norwegian economic prosperity is tied to oil production, collectively ignoring climate change maintains Norwegian economic interests. Most environmental justice research focuses on people facing disproportionate exposure to environmental problems. This project examines wealthy citizens who perpetuate global warming as they turn a blind eye. Environmental justice implications of socially organized denial are discussed for global warming and beyond.
Exposing Enron: Media representations of ritualized deviance in corporate culture
Authors: Knottnerus J. David , Ulsperger Jason S. , Cummins Summer , Osteen Elaina
Published: August 2006

This article argues that rituals are an important part of corporate culture. However, they can involve deviance. Employing multiple media sources, this study identifies symbolic themes expressed through daily work rituals at Enron's corporate headquarters. The themes involve risk, gratification, pride, and fantasy imagery. Utilizing structural ritualization theory, this article suggests that ritualized symbolic practices expressing these themes extensively influenced Enron employees. They shaped their cognitions, patterns of behavior, and social interaction. They also led to the normalization and reproduction of deviance. The findings of this study contribute to research on organizational deviance and structural ritualization.
Hybrid history and the retrial of the painful past
Authors: Strange Carolyn
Published: August 2006

If ‘the primary impetus’ of reality television is to entertain (Holmes and Jermyn, 2004: 2), what ethical implications flow from its inherently hybrid aesthetics? This article addresses this question by examining the 2002 televised ‘retrial’ of Louis Riel, a man executed by the Canadian government in 1885. The retrial's producers encouraged viewers to vote (through a website) on the merits of Riel's conviction ‘according to the laws of Canada today’. As an aesthetic form that diverted and informed the audience, the programme was a test of ‘post-documentary's’ ethical dimensions. In this case it was not hybridity of form and intent that undermined the programme's potential to effect corrective justice; rather the deliberate insertion of false information about the death penalty's application misrepresented the criminal justice past and present.
Smad5 is dispensable for adult murine hematopoiesis
Authors: Singbrant Sofie , Moody Jennifer L. , Blank Ulrika , Karlsson Goran , Umans Lieve , Zwijsen An , Karlsson Stefan
Published: August 2006

Smad5 is known to transduce intracellular signals from bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs), which belong to the transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) superfamily and are involved in the regulation of hematopoiesis. Recent findings suggest that BMP4 stimulates proliferation of human primitive hematopoietic progenitors in vitro, while early progenitors from mice deficient in Smad5 display increased self-renewal capacity in murine embryonic hematopoiesis. Here, we evaluate the role of Smad5 in the regulation of hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) fate decisions in adult mice by using an inducible MxCre-mediated conditional knockout model. Surprisingly, analysis of induced animals revealed unperturbed cell numbers and lineage distribution in peripheral blood (PB), bone marrow (BM), and the spleen. Furthermore, phenotypic characterization of the stem cell compartment revealed normal numbers of primitive lin–Sca-1+c-Kit+ (LSK) cells in Smad5–/– BM. When transplanted in a competitive fashion into lethally irradiated primary and secondary recipients, Smad5-deficient BM cells competed normally with wild-type (wt) cells, were able to provide long-term reconstitution for the hosts, and displayed normal lineage distribution. Taken together, Smad5-deficient HSCs from adult mice show unaltered differentiation, proliferation, and repopulating capacity. Therefore, in contrast to its role in embryonic hematopoiesis, Smad5 is dispensable for hematopoiesis in the adult mouse.
Mesenchymal stem cells display coordinated rolling and adhesion behavior on endothelial cells
Authors: Rüster Brigitte , Göttig Stephan , Ludwig Ralf J. , Bistrian Roxana , Müller Stefanie , Seifried Erhard , Gille Jens , Henschler Reinhard
Published: August 2006

To explore the initial steps by which transplanted mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) interact with the vessel wall in the course of extravasation, we studied binding of human MSCs to endothelial cells (ECs). In a parallel plate flow chamber, MSCs bound to human umbilical vein ECs (HUVECs) similar to peripheral-blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) or CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors at shear stresses of up to 2 dynes/cm2. This involved rapid extension of podia, rolling, and subsequent firm adhesion that was increased when ECs were prestimulated with TNF-α. MSC binding was suppressed when ECs were pretreated with function-blocking anti–P-selectin antibody, and rolling of MSCs was induced on immobilized P-selectin, indicating that P-selectin was involved in this process. Preincubation of HUVECs with anti–VCAM-1 or of MSCs with anti–VLA-4 antibodies suppressed binding of MSCs to HUVECs but did not enhance inhibition by anti–P-selectin, indicating that both P-selectin and VCAM-1 are equally required for this process. Intravital microscopy demonstrated the capacity of MSCs to roll and adhere to postcapillary venules in vivo in a mouse model in a P-selectin–dependent manner. Thus, MSCs interact in a coordinated fashion with ECs under shear flow, engaging P-selectin and VCAM-1/VLA-4.
Role of chromosome stability and telomere length in the production of viable cell lines for somatic cell nuclear transfer
Authors: Mastromonaco Gabriela F , Perrault Steve D , Betts Dean H , King W Allan
Published: August 2006

Background

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) provides an appealing alternative for the preservation of genetic material in non-domestic and endangered species. An important prerequisite for successful SCNT is the availability of good quality donor cells, as normal embryo development is dependent upon proper reprogramming of the donor genome so that embryonic genes can be appropriately expressed. The characteristics of donor cell lines and their ability to produce embryos by SCNT were evaluated by testing the effects of tissue sample collection (DART biopsy, PUNCH biopsy, post-mortem EAR sample) and culture initiation (explant, collagenase digestion) techniques.

Results

Differences in initial sample size based on sample collection technique had an effect on the amount of time necessary for achieving primary confluence and the number of population doublings (PDL) produced. Thus, DART and PUNCH biopsies resulted in cultures with decreased lifespans (<30 PDL) accompanied by senescence-like morphology and decreased normal chromosome content (<40% normal cells at 20 PDL) compared to the long-lived (>50 PDL) and chromosomally stable (>70% normal cells at 20 PDL) cultures produced by post-mortem EAR samples. Chromosome stability was influenced by sample collection technique and was dependent upon the culture's initial telomere length and its rate of shortening over cell passages. Following SCNT, short-lived cultures resulted in significantly lower blastocyst development (≤ 0.9%) compared to highly proliferative cultures (11.8%). Chromosome stability and sample collection technique were significant factors in determining blastocyst development outcome.

Conclusion

These data demonstrate the influence of culture establishment techniques on cell culture characteristics, including the viability, longevity and normality of cells. The identification of a quantifiable marker associated with SCNT embryo developmental potential, chromosome stability, provides a means by which cell culture conditions can be monitored and improved.
Dopamine presynaptically and heterogeneously modulates nucleus accumbens medium-spiny neuron GABA synapses in vitro
Authors: Geldwert Daron , Norris J Madison , Feldman Igor G , Schulman Joshua J , Joyce Myra P , Rayport Stephen
Published: August 2006

Background

The striatal complex is the major target of dopamine action in the CNS. There, medium-spiny GABAergic neurons, which constitute about 95% of the neurons in the area, form a mutually inhibitory synaptic network that is modulated by dopamine. When put in culture, the neurons reestablish this network. In particular, they make autaptic connections that provide access to single, identified medium-spiny to medium-spiny neuron synaptic connections.

Results

We examined medium-spiny neuron autaptic connections in postnatal cultures from the nucleus accumbens, the ventral part of the striatal complex. These connections were subject to presynaptic dopamine modulation. D1-like receptors mediated either inhibition or facilitation, while D2-like receptors predominantly mediated inhibition. Many connections showed both D1 and D2 modulation, consistent with a significant functional colocalization of D1 and D2-like receptors at presynaptic sites. These same connections were subject to GABAA, GABAB, norepinephrine and serotonin modulation, revealing a multiplicity of modulatory autoreceptors and heteroreceptors on individual varicosities. In some instances, autaptic connections had two components that were differentially modulated by dopamine agonists, suggesting that dopamine receptors could be distributed heterogeneously on the presynaptic varicosities making up a single synaptic (i.e. autaptic) connection.

Conclusion

Differential trafficking of dopamine receptors to different presynaptic varicosities could explain the many controversial studies reporting widely varying degrees of dopamine receptor colocalization in medium-spiny neurons, as well as more generally the diversity of dopamine actions in target areas. Longer-term changes in the modulatory actions of dopamine in the striatal complex could be due to plasticity in the presynaptic distribution of dopamine receptors on medium-spiny neuron varicosities.
Protocol for north of England and Scotland study of tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy in children (NESSTAC). A pragmatic randomised controlled trial comparing surgical intervention with conventional medical treatment in children with recurrent sore throats
Authors: Bond John , Wilson Janet , Eccles Martin , Vanoli Alessandra , Steen Nick , Clarke Ray , Zarod Andrew , Lock Catherine , Brittain Katie , Speed Chris , Rousseau Nikki
Published: August 2006

Background

Uncertainties surrounding the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of childhood tonsillectomy for recurrent sore throat led the NHS Health Technology Assessment Programme to commission this research to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy in comparison with standard non-surgical management in children aged under 16 with recurrent throat infections. The aim is to evaluate if tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy reduces the number of episodes of sore throats among children to a clinically significant extent.

Methods/design

A simple prospective pragmatic randomised controlled trial with economic analysis and prospective cohort study of non-trial participants comparing surgical intervention with conventional medical treatment. The treatment arm will receive tonsillectomy and adeno-tonsillectomy while in the control arm non-surgical conventional medical treatment only will be used. The primary outcome measure will be reported number of episodes of sore throat over two years with secondary outcomes measures of reported number of episodes of sore throat, otitis media and upper respiratory tract infection which invoke a GP consultation; reported number of symptom-free days; reported severity of sore throats and surgical and anaesthetic morbidity. The study will take place in five hospitals in the UK. The trial population will be 406 children aged 4–15 on their last birthday with recurrent sore throat referred by primary care to the 5 otolaryngology departments. The duration of the study is seven years (July 2001- July 2008).

Discussion

As with all pragmatic randomised controlled trials it is impossible to control the external environment in which the research is taking place. Since this trial began a number of factors have arisen which could affect the outcome including; a reduction in the incidence of respiratory tract infections, marked socio-economic differences in consultation rates, the results from the National Prospective Tonsillectomy Audit and the Government's waiting list initiatives.
Localization of Small Heterodimer Partner (SHP) and Secretin in Mouse Duodenal Cells
Authors: LAM IAN P.Y. , LEE LEO T.O. , CHOI H.S. , CHOW BILLY K.C.
Published: August 2006

Abstract:  Previous studies have demonstrated the transcriptional repressive property of the atypical nuclear receptor, small heterodimer partner (SHP), on NeuroD. NeuroD is a basic helix‐loop‐helix transcription factor that has also been shown to be important in modulating secretin gene expression. The present study revealed the activation of the human secretin core promotor by overexpressing NeuroD, and the localization of SHP and secretin‐producing cells in mouse duodenal epithelium by immunohistochemical stainings. These results indicated that SHP and secretin are potentially co‐expressed and lead us to propose a novel regulatory pathway, in which SHP represses NeuroD's positive regulatory activity on secretin gene.
DNA Repair Pathways in Clinical Practice: Lessons From Pediatric Cancer Susceptibility Syndromes
Authors: Kennedy Richard D. , D'Andrea Alan D.
Published: August 2006

Human cancers exhibit genomic instability and an increased mutation rate due to underlying defects in DNA repair. Cancer cells are often defective in one of six major DNA repair pathways, namely: mismatch repair, base excision repair, nucleotide excision repair, homologous recombination, nonhomologous endjoining and translesion synthesis. The specific DNA repair pathway affected is predictive of the kinds of mutations, the tumor drug sensitivity, and the treatment outcome. The study of rare inherited DNA repair disorders, such as Fanconi anemia, has yielded new insights to drug sensitivity and treatment of sporadic cancers, such as breast or ovarian epithelial tumors, in the general population. The Fanconi anemia pathway is an example of how DNA repair pathways can be deregulated in cancer cells and how biomarkers of the integrity of these pathways could be useful as a guide to cancer management and may be used in the development of novel therapeutic agents.
Redundant roles ofSox17andSox18in postnatal angiogenesis in mice
Authors: Matsui Toshiyasu , Kanai-Azuma Masami , Hara Kenshiro , Matoba Shogo , Hiramatsu Ryuji , Kawakami Hayato , Kurohmaru Masamichi , Koopman Peter , Kanai Yoshiakira
Published: August 2006

Sox7, Sox17 and Sox18 constitute group F of the Sox family of HMG box transcription factor genes. Dominant-negative mutations in Sox18 underlie the cardiovascular defects observed in ragged mutant mice. By contrast, Sox18-/- mice are viable and fertile, and display no appreciable anomaly in their vasculature, suggesting functional compensation by the two other SoxF genes. Here, we provide direct evidence for redundant function of Sox17 and Sox18 in postnatal neovascularization by generating Sox17+/--Sox18-/- double mutant mice. Whereas Sox18-/- and Sox17+/--Sox18+/- mice showed no vascular defects, approximately half of the Sox17+/--Sox18-/- pups died before postnatal day 21 (P21). They showed reduced neovascularization in the liver sinusoids and kidney outer medulla vasa recta at P7, which most likely caused the ischemic necrosis observed by P14 in hepatocytes and renal tubular epithelia. Those that survived to adulthood showed similar, but milder, vascular anomalies in both liver and kidney, and females were infertile with varying degrees of vascular abnormalities in the reproductive organs. These anomalies corresponded with sites of expression of Sox7 and Sox17 in the developing postnatal vasculature. In vitro angiogenesis assays, using primary endothelial cells isolated from the P7 livers, showed that the Sox17+/--Sox18-/- endothelial cells were defective in endothelial sprouting and remodeling of the vasculature in a phenotype-dependent manner. Therefore, our findings indicate that Sox17 and Sox18, and possibly all three SoxF genes, are cooperatively involved in mammalian vascular development.
Farnesylated lamins, progeroid syndromes and farnesyl transferase inhibitors
Authors: Rusiñol Antonio E. , Sinensky Michael S.
Published: August 2006

Three mammalian nuclear lamin proteins, lamin B1, lamin B2 and the lamin A precursor, prelamin A, undergo canonical farnesylation and processing at CAAX motifs. In the case of prelamin A, there is an additional farnesylation-dependent endoproteolysis, which is defective in two congenital diseases: Hutchinson-Gilford progeria (HGPS) and restrictive dermopathy (RD). These two diseases arise respectively from defects in the prelamin A substrate and the enzyme (ZmpSte24) that processes it. Recent work has shed light on the roles of the lamin proteins and the enzymes involved in their farnesylation-dependent maturation. Other experimental work, including mouse model studies, have examined the possibility that farnesyl transferase inhibitors can represent effective treatment for HGPS. However, there are concerns about their use for this purpose given the potential for alternative prenylation pathways.
The Beginnings of Pharmacoepidemiology in The Annals
Authors: Hartzema Abraham G
Published: August 2006

2006 marks the 40th year of publication for The Annals. Over that time, The Annals has been an important contributor to the development of clinical pharmacy. Throughout 2006, we are publishing articles reflecting on the history of clinical pharmacy through the eyes of practitioners, including those pioneering clinical pharmacy, as well as those who have more recently entered the profession and a well-established specialty. In addition, we are also presenting articles and editorials from the early history of The Annals that have given direction and shape to the practice of clinical pharmacy (see page 1651).
Prevalence and Treatment of Metabolic Syndrome in Adolescents with Type 2 Diabetes
Authors: Sanders Brittany Harris , Lubsch Lisa M , West Donna S
Published: August 2006

Background:

The incidence of obesity and type 2 diabetes among adolescents has risen dramatically in recent years, and it is likely that many of these adolescents also have metabolic syndrome.

Objective:

To investigate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the patient population enrolled in a children's hospital type 2 diabetes clinic and to describe baseline pharmacologic treatment and adherence patterns.

Methods:

In this retrospective cohort study, the medical charts of 52 adolescents were reviewed. A data collection instrument was used to collect demographic data, laboratory values, medication lists, and documented adherence patterns from the patient's initial clinic visit. Data collected were used to identify patients with metabolic syndrome. Data were entered into a database and analyzed using SPSS 13.0.

Results:

Data were collected for 52 patients; of these, 40 (76.9%) had characteristics of metabolic syndrome meeting 3 or more of the 5 criteria, although only 8 (15.4%) were diagnosed with the metabolic syndrome. Among patients with characteristics of metabolic syndrome, 92.5% were taking a glucose-lowering drug, with 85% of those receiving metformin. Sixteen (40%) patients were receiving a blood pressure–lowering medication at baseline, and 4 (10%) were taking a lipid-lowering agent. Forty-three percent of these patients reported nonadherence to their prescribed drugs.

Conclusions:

Given these treatment patterns, pharmacologic management of metabolic syndrome in adolescents with type 2 diabetes may be suboptimal and may impact cardiovascular outcomes. It is important for clinicians to be aware of the incidence of type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome in adolescents so that treatment with lifestyle modifications and pharmacologic therapy may be implemented earlier.
Invariance of SCL‐90‐R dimensions of symptom distress in patients with peri partum pelvic pain (PPPP) syndrome
Authors: Arrindell W. A. , Barelds Dick P. H. , Janssen Irene C. M. , Buwalda Femke M. , van der Ende Jan
Published: August 2006

Objectives. There are no studies available that have examined the factorial invariance of dimensions underlying the Symptom Checklist‐90‐Revised (SCL‐90‐R) across at least three distinct samples. In the following study, we wished to determine whether a dimensional model comprising eight primary factors previously identified in psychiatric out‐patients, phobics and the general population (Arrindell & Ettema, 2003) could be extended to a homogeneous sample of pain patients comprising females suffering from peri partum pelvic pain (PPPP) syndrome (N=413). The internal consistency and discriminant validity of the dimensions were also examined.

Method. The SCL‐90‐R and measures of disability, pain‐related fear, pain intensity and fatigue were administered to the participants. The multiple group method was used to determine factorial invariance. Pearson correlations were determined between the SCL‐90‐R and aforementioned measures.

Results. The factorial invariance of an 8‐dimensional model of primary factors underlying the SCL‐90‐R, namely, agoraphobia, anxiety, depression, somatization, cognitive‐performance deficits, interpersonal sensitivity‐mistrust, acting‐out hostility and sleep difficulties, was extended with success to the present sample of PPPP patients. In spite of substantial correlations between the internally consistent SCL‐90‐R symptom dimensions, some evidence of discriminant validity was reported in that specific subscales showed different patterns of correlations with measures of disability, pain‐related fear, pain intensity and fatigue.

Conclusions. The 8‐dimensional system based on the work of Arrindell and Ettema (2003) was invariant across psychiatric patients, phobics, the general population and pain patients. The invariance of the SCL‐90‐R hostility dimensions may have implications for a re‐formulation of Watson and Clark's tripartite model of general distress, specific anxiety and specific depression.
Discrete Innervation of Murine Taste Buds by Peripheral Taste Neurons
Authors: Zaidi Faisal N. , Whitehead Mark C.
Published: August 2006

The peripheral taste system likely maintains a specific relationship between ganglion cells that signal a particular taste quality and taste bud cells responsive to that quality. We have explored a measure of the receptoneural relationship in the mouse. By injecting single fungiform taste buds with lipophilic retrograde neuroanatomical markers, the number of labeled geniculate ganglion cells innervating single buds on the tongue were identified. We found that three to five ganglion cells innervate a single bud. Injecting neighboring buds with different color markers showed that the buds are primarily innervated by separate populations of geniculate cells (i.e., multiply labeled ganglion cells are rare). In other words, each taste bud is innervated by a population of neurons that only connects with that bud. Palate bud injections revealed a similar, relatively exclusive receptoneural relationship. Injecting buds in different regions of the tongue did not reveal a topographic representation of buds in the geniculate ganglion, despite a stereotyped patterned arrangement of fungiform buds as rows and columns on the tongue. However, ganglion cells innervating the tongue and palate were differentially concentrated in lateral and rostral regions of the ganglion, respectively. The principal finding that small groups of ganglion cells send sensory fibers that converge selectively on a single bud is a new-found measure of specific matching between the two principal cellular elements of the mouse peripheral taste system. Repetition of the experiments in the hamster showed a more divergent innervation of buds in this species. The results indicate that whatever taste quality is signaled by a murine geniculate ganglion neuron, that signal reflects the activity of cells in a single taste bud.
The Long and the Short of It: Relational Memory Impairments in Amnesia, Even at Short Lags
Authors: Hannula Deborah E. , Tranel Daniel , Cohen Neal J.
Published: August 2006

Classic studies of amnesia led to characterizations of hippocampal function emphasizing involvement in long-term memory rather than short-term (or working) memory. In two experiments, we show that when memory for relations among co-occurring items is tested, hippocampal amnesia results in a deficit even at very short lags. Hence, we find evidence for hippocampal involvement in relational memory, even at short lags normally considered the province of working memory.
Plasma membranes from insect midgut cells
Authors: Terra Walter R. , Costa Rita H. , Ferreira Clélia
Published: August 2006

Plasma membranes from insect midgut cells are separated into apical and basolateral domains. The apical domain is usually modified into microvilli with a molecular structure similar to other animals. Nevertheless, the microvillar structure should differ in some insects to permit the traffic inside them of secretory vesicles that may budd laterally or pinch-off from the tips of microvilli. Other microvillar modifications are associated with proton-pumping or with the interplay with an ensheathing lipid membrane (the perimicrovilllar membrane) observed in the midgut cells of hemipterans (aphids and bugs). The perimicrovillar membranes are thought to be involved in amino acid absorption from diluted diets. The microvillar and perimicrovillar membranes have densities (and protein content) that depend on the insect taxon. The role played by the microvillar and perimicrovillar proteins in insect midgut physiology is reviewed here trying to provide a coherent picture of data and highlighting further research areas.
Surface modification of a granite building stone in central Rio de Janeiro
Authors: Baptista-Neto José A. , Smith Bernard J. , McAllister John J. , Silva Maria Augusta M. , Castanheira Fabio S.
Published: August 2006

In order to evaluate environmental controls on the soiling formation and decay of building stones a set of mapping and physical and chemical analyses were carried out on granite from a historical church in the polluted centre of Rio de Janeiro. These techniques highlight the increasing of threatening damage on generally perceived as a durable building material, caused by granular disaggregation and contour scaling in areas close to ground level. Mapping also indicated the formation of black crusts over entire building façades, concentrated on areas sheltered from rain-wash. Analyses demonstrated the influence of marine aerosols, rock and mortar composition and mostly of the atmospheric pollutants on the decay and soiling of the granite. Much of the decay is associated specifically with the presence of halite (NaCl) and gypsum (CaS04.2H2O). The fact that black, gypsum crusts are able to develop over entire façades in a humid subtropical environment is testimony to the high levels of local pollution, especially particulate deposition. Reduced rainwash, in sheltered micro-environments of narrow, canyon-like streets, overcomes the gypsum tendency to bewashed away from buildings façades. These observations further highlight that decay processes are primarily controlled by microclimatic conditions.
Contamination in mafic mineral-rich calc-alkaline granites: a geochemical and Sr-Nd isotope study of the Neoproterozoic Piedade Granite, SE Brazil
Authors: Leite Renato J. , Janasi Valdecir A. , Martins Lucelene
Published: August 2006

The Piedade Granite (~600 Ma) was emplaced shortly after the main phase of granite magmatism in the Agudos Grandes batholith, Apiaí-Guaxupé Terrane, SE Brazil. Its main units are: mafic mineral-rich porphyritic granites forming the border (peraluminous muscovite-biotite granodiorite-monzogranite MBmg unit) and core (metaluminous titanite-bearing biotite monzogranite BmgT unit) and felsic pink inequigranular granite (Bmg unit) between them. Bmg has high LaN/YbN (up to 100), Th/U (>10) and low Rb, Nb and Ta, and can be a crustal melt derived from deep-seated sources with residual garnet and biotite. The core BmgT unit derived from oxidized magmas with high Mg# (~45), Ba and Sr, fractionated REE patterns (LaN/YbN= 45), 87Sr/86Sr(t)~ 0.710, epsilonNd(t) ~ -12 to -14, interpreted as being high-K calc-alkaline magmas contaminated with metasedimentary rocks that had upper-crust signature (high U, Cs, Ta). The mafic-rich peraluminous granites show a more evolved isotope signature (87Sr/86Sr(t) = 0.713-0.714; epsilonNd(t)= -14 to -16), similar to Bmg, and Mg# and incompatible trace-element concentrations intermediate between Bmg and BmgT. A model is presented in whichMBmgis envisaged as the product of contamination between a mafic mineral-rich magma consanguineous with BmgT and pure crustal melts akin to Bmg.
Fatores envolvidos no pico de massa óssea
Authors: Brandão Cynthia M.A. , Vieira José Gilberto H.
Published: August 2006

A massa óssea de um indivíduo adulto, que está estreitamente relacionada ao risco de fraturas osteoporóticas, depende da diferença entre o pico de massa óssea alcançado no final do período de maturação sexual e esquelética, e as perdas acumuladas durante a vida. A enorme variabilidade observada no pico de massa óssea da adolescência está relacionada, principalmente, a fatores genéticos, mas também a parâmetros antropométricos, como peso e altura, hábitos dietéticas, influências hormonais diversas, atividade física, uso de medicamentos e doenças intercorrentes. A identificação dos fatores envolvidos na aquisição do pico de massa óssea na infância e adolescência e a compreensão deste longo período de maturação esquelética, permitirão a criação de estratégias para prevenção da osteoporose.
O tecido adiposo como centro regulador do metabolismo
Authors: Fonseca-Alaniz Miriam H. , Takada Julie , Alonso-Vale Maria Isabel C. , Lima Fabio Bessa
Published: August 2006

Os avanços da pesquisa sobre as propriedades metabólicas do tecido adiposo e as recentes descobertas sobre sua capacidade em produzir hormônios atuantes em processos fisiológicos e fisiopatológicos, estão revolucionando conceitos sobre a sua biologia. O seu envolvimento em processos como obesidade, diabetes mellitus tipo 2, hipertensão arterial, arteriosclerose, dislipidemias, processos inflamatórios agudos e crônicos, entre outros, indicam que a compreensão das suas propriedades funcionais contribuirão para melhorar o prognóstico daquelas doenças, cuja prevalência vem crescendo de forma preocupante. Nesta revisão, abordamos aspectos funcionais dos adipócitos, como o metabolismo, a participação na homeostase energética, a sua habilidade endócrina e a adipogênese, entendida como a capacidade de pré-adipócitos, presentes no parênquima do tecido, de se diferenciarem em novos adipócitos e reconstituírem o tecido. Além disso, estamos incluindo estudos sobre as relações entre o tecido adiposo e a glândula pineal, aspecto novo e pouco conhecido, mas, como será visto, muito promissor da fisiologia do adipócito com possíveis repercussões favoráveis para a terapêutica das moléstias relacionadas com a obesidade.
Microalbuminúria: fator de risco cardiovascular e renal subestimado na prática clínica
Authors: Zanella Maria Teresa
Published: August 2006

Embora de fácil determinação, a medida da excreção de albumina na urina tem sido pouco utilizada na identificação de indivíduos com diabetes tipo 2 (DM2), de maior risco para o desenvolvimento de doença renal e cardiovascular (CV). Tem sido demonstrado que as medidas das concentrações de albumina e creatinina (Cr) em amostras isoladas de urina, permitindo o cálculo da relação entre elas, podem ser suficientes para o rastreamento e mesmo para a avaliação da eficácia de medidas adotadas para a redução da microalbuminúria. Valores >30 mg/g de Cr ou 3,4 mg/mmol de Cr são indicativos de microalbuminúria e, em pacientes com DM2, a associação freqüente com a elevação dos níveis da pressão arterial representa condição de alto risco CV. Evidências epidemiológicas indicam que a presença de microalbuminúria prediz maior morbidade e mortalidade CV independente de outros fatores de risco. Por outro lado, a microalbuminúria mostra-se também freqüentemente associada a outros fatores de risco CV, sendo um dos componentes da síndrome metabólica. A capacidade de reduzir a pressão arterial, a pressão intraglomerular e a permeabilidade da membrana glomerular, fatores determinantes da progressão da lesão renal, explica o efeito renoprotetor dos inibidores da enzima conversora da angiotensina (IECAs) e dos bloqueadores dos receptores da angiotensina II (BRAs). No tratamento da nefropatia diabética, o uso de IECAs e BRAs associado ao controle rígido da pressão arterial, que deve ser mantida em níveis iguais ou inferiores a 130/80 mmHg, tem se mostrado como estratégia não só para promover proteção renal como também para promover proteção CV.
Tratamento das dislipidemias: como e quando indicar a combinação de medicamentos hipolipemiantes
Authors: Schulz Isio
Published: August 2006

Hiperlipidemia combinada familiar (HCF) é a forma mais comum de hiperlipidemia familial e se caracteriza por resistência à insulina, níveis baixos de HDL-C, níveis altos de triglicérides (TGC) e colesterol total associados a vários fenótipos dentro da mesma família. HCF associa-se, também, a um alto risco cardiovascular (RCV), e os níveis-alvo de tratamento das anormalidades lipídicas têm se modificado recentemente. Reduzir os níveis de LDL-C e não HDL-C devem ser os alvos da terapia. Níveis de LDL-C abaixo de 70 mg/dl têm se mostrado benéficos na RCV em pacientes de alto risco. Várias estatinas com diferentes potências e interações medicamentosas estão disponíveis no mercado. A terapia combinada de estatinas com seqüestradores de ácidos biliares ou ezetimiba pode ser necessária para se alcançar os valores-alvo de LDL-C estabelecidos pelas diretrizes. Níveis altos de TGC e baixos de HDL-C devem ser também considerados no tratamento, e freqüentemente somente o uso das estatinas se mostra insuficiente para normalizá-los. A combinação de estatinas com fibratos pode auxiliar para reduzir os níveis de colesterol e aumentar os de HDL-C, mas está associada à maior freqüência de miopatia e toxicidade hepática. Assim, a avaliação cuidadosa dos riscos e benefícios da terapia é recomendável. A associação de estatina e niacina parece ser útil para pacientes com HCF, particularmente por aumentar os níveis de HDL-C, uma vez que tem sido menos relacionada à alta freqüência de miopatia. A niacina pode ser causa de flushings que podem ser reduzidos com o uso de aspirina. O efeito pode também ser minimizado com o uso de formas de liberação lenta (Niaspan). A niacina pode também elevar os níveis de glicemia e ácido úrico. Assim, os riscos e benefícios da associação devem ser avaliados.