bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transplantation of Human Neural Stem Cells Exerts Neuroprotection in a Rat Model of Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Yasuhara Takao , Matsukawa Noriyuki , Hara Koichi , Yu Guolong , Xu Lin , Maki Mina , Kim Seung U. , Borlongan Cesario V.
Published: November 2006

Neural stem cells (NSCs) possess high potencies of self-renewal and neuronal differentiation. We explored here whether transplantation of human NSCs cloned by v-mycgene transfer, HB1.F3 cells, is a feasible therapeutic option for Parkinson's disease.In vivo, green fluorescent protein-labeled HB1.F3 cells (200,000 viable cells in 3 μl of PBS) when stereotaxically transplanted (same-day lesion-transplant paradigm) into the 6-hydroxydopamine-lesioned striatum of rats significantly ameliorated parkinsonian behavioral symptoms compared with controls (vehicle, single bolus, or continuous minipump infusion of trophic factor, or killed cell grafts). Such graft-derived functional effects were accompanied by preservation of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) immunoreactivity along the nigrostriatal pathway. Grafted HB1.F3 cells survived in the lesioned brain with some labeled with neuronal marker mitogen-activated protein 2 and decorated with synaptophysin-positive terminals. Furthermore, endogenous neurogenesis was activated in the subventricular zone of transplanted rats. To further explore the neuroprotective mechanisms underlying HB1.F3 cell transplantation, we performed cell culture studies and found that a modest number of HB1.F3 cells were TH and dopamine and cAMP-regulated phosphoprotein 32 positive, although most cells were nestin positive, suggesting a mixed population of mature and immature cells. Administration of the HB1.F3 supernatant to human derived dopaminergic SH-SY5Y cells and fetal rat ventral mesencephalic dopaminergic neurons protected against 6-hydroxydopamine neurotoxicity by suppressing apoptosis through Bcl-2 upregulation, which was blocked by anti-stem cell factor antibody alone, the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt inhibitor LY294002 [2-(4-morpholinyl)-8-phenyl-1(4H)-benzopyran-4-one] alone, or a combination of both. These results suggest that HB1.F3 cell transplantation exerts neuroprotective effects against dopaminergic depletionin vitroandin vivobecause of trophic factor secretion and neuronal differentiation.
Neural Coding of Tactile Decisions in the Human Prefrontal Cortex
Authors: Pleger Burkhard , Ruff Christian C. , Blankenburg Felix , Bestmann Sven , Wiech Katja , Stephan Klaas E. , Capilla Almudena , Friston Karl J. , Dolan Raymond J.
Published: November 2006

The neural processes underlying tactile decisions in the human brain remain elusive. We addressed this question in a functional magnetic resonance imaging study using a somatosensory discrimination task, requiring participants to compare the frequency of two successive tactile stimuli. Tactile stimuli per se engaged somatosensory, parietal, and frontal cortical regions. Using a statistical model that accounted for the relative difference in frequencies (i.e., Weber fraction) and discrimination accuracy (i.e., correct or incorrect), we show that trial-by-trial relative frequency difference is represented linearly by activity changes in the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC), the dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, and bilateral anterior insular cortices. However, a circumscribed region within the left DLPFC showed a different response pattern expressed as activity changes that were monotonically related to relative stimulation difference only for correct but not for incorrect trials. Our findings suggest that activity in the left DLPFC encodes stimulus representations that underlie veridical tactile decisions in humans.
The Taphonomy of Disaster and the (Re)Formation of New Orleans
Authors: DAWDY SHANNON LEE
Published: November 2006

Using observations from recent participation in post‐Katrina recovery efforts in New Orleans, I make the case in this article that taphonomic processes such as trash removal, deposition, earthmoving, and demolition are a primary medium through which individuals and communities reconstitute themselves following a disaster. Taphonomy, or the formation of the archaeological record, does not simply reflect social processes, it is a social process. The taphonomic processes currently underway through the clean‐up and rebuilding efforts in New Orleans dramatically illustrate this point. I recommend that both ethnographers and archaeologists undertake a fine‐grained ethnoarchaeology of disaster. I engage with the literature of disaster to illustrate the potentials I see for this type of study, particularly as it pertains to the culture–nature nexus, perceptions of vulnerability, and the revelatory power of disasters.
Declaration of Taking Twice: The Fazendeville Community of the Lower Ninth Ward
Authors: JACKSON JOYCE MARIE
Published: November 2006

The Fazendeville Village was a residential community founded during the Reconstruction era in 1867 on the land where the Battle of New Orleans (1815) was fought during the War of 1812 in what is now Chalmette, LA. The entire community was displaced and their homes were razed in 1964 to provide more land for the National Historical Park to commemorate the battle. Most of the residents moved to the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans and now, 42 years later, they are displaced again and their homes (those that are still standing) will be razed because of the devastation of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and the floods. Previous research has proven that vernacular networks affect the exodus, return, recovery, and rebuilding of certain communities after traumatic situations. In this study, I suggest that in the Fazendeville community during past trauma, the maintenance of cultural livelihood was caused by communality, spirituality, and traditionality. In addition, I propose that these are also the vernacular networks that are catalyst for community renewal and empowerment—after hurricanes, floods, and historic displacement by the federal government. My ultimate goal is to transform ethnographies into a praxis capable of making the community present and not marginalized or excluded from history and the strategic plan for rebuilding New Orleans.
Bearing Witness: Assumptions, Realities, and the Otherizing of Katrina
Authors: ETHRIDGE ROBBIE
Published: November 2006

As post‐Katrina rebuilding of Louisiana and Mississippi proceeds, we should heed the lessons from anthropologists and others studying aid and development in other parts of the world who point out that aid is often predicated on poorly examined assumptions about beneficiaries and local conditions. Hence, as the recovery after Katrina continues, assumptions about the U.S. South and about poverty, race, and class in the United States must be exposed and examined as well as assumptions about disaster victims and relief. Drawing on personal experiences, I examine here some of the assumptions with which I operated as a small group of friends and I organized an unofficial relief team to provide whatever aid we could to people on the Mississippi Gulf coast in the first few weeks after Hurricane Katrina. I recount the disconnections between my assumptions and the local conditions as relayed by Katrina survivors or that members of the team and I witnessed firsthand.
The Gilded Age and Working‐Class Industrial Communities
Authors: SHACKEL PAUL A. , PALUS MATTHEW M.
Published: November 2006

In the United States, industrial management techniques shifted from strong paternalistic controls to absentee forms of ownership in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Tracing the change of industrial management techniques in a mill community that survived through the Gilded Age shows the impact of industrialization on consumerism and health in working‐class households. Initial examination of the archaeological record shows that the domestic material world of workers' households became similar to each other while consumer goods increased significantly. We suggest that with the transition of management techniques from minimal paternalism to absenteeism, a trend developed toward homogenization of some everyday material culture. However, living in a marginal geography promoted a countertrend among workers and their families, and alternatives to market‐oriented consumption allowed for “insurgent” forms of citizenship. Understanding the historical consequences of industry for workers and their families is relevant for understanding the situation of marginalized labor today.
Re/Making La Negrita: Culture as an Aesthetic System in Costa Rica
Authors: SHARMAN RUSSELL LEIGH
Published: November 2006

In this article, I examine the production of meaning in the veneration of La Negrita, the black Madonna and patroness of Costa Rica. Both an apparition and an icon, La Negrita is a 20‐centimeter, dark‐colored statue of the Virgin Mary that appeared to a mulata girl on the outskirts of the colonial city of Cartago in 1635. Throughout the ensuing 400 years, La Negrita has been remade in the image of hegemony, even as the experience of her perceived power has challenged that ideological and coercive project. Through an analysis of this historical progression, I argue for a theory of culture as an aesthetic system, where the egalitarianism of experience is always in conflict with the authoritarianism of meaning.
Cloth, Gender, Continuity, and Change: Fabricating Unity in Anthropology
Authors: BRUMFIEL ELIZABETH M.
Published: November 2006

In this article, I compare backstrap‐loom weaving in three cultural contexts: the ancient Maya, the ancient Aztecs, and 20th‐century Mesoamerica. Although continuities are present, important differences exist in the ways that weaving was situated historically. Among the Classic Maya, weaving defined class; in Aztec Mexico, weaving defined gender; and in 20th‐century Mesoamerica, weaving defined ethnicity. A comparison of these cases suggests that historical study is a useful tool for both archaeologists and ethnographers. It promotes recognition of the diversity of practice and belief in ancient societies. It helps to define the scope of contemporary ethnographic study. It combats cultural essentialism and injects agency into our accounts. It enables us to acknowledge both the rich heritage of indigenous peoples and the fact of culture change. Comparative historical study provides a strong rationale for the continued association of archaeology and cultural anthropology as parts of a wider anthropological whole.
Report on the Eighth Goettingen International Film Festival, 2006
Authors: HEIDER KARL G.
Published: November 2006

The eighth Goettingen International Film Festival was held in May 2006 in Goettingen, Germany. Fifty‐five films (of 275 submissions) were screened. Many of the films dealt with culture change. Most of the more purely documentary films were of considerable ethnographic interest, and the more explicitly ethnographic films were notable for the innovative ways that they explored reflexivity.
The Kuhls of Kangra: Community‐Managed Irrigation in the Western Himalaya
Authors: VEDWAN NEERAJ
Published: November 2006

The Kuhls of Kangra: Community‐Managed Irrigation in the Western Himalaya.. J. Mark Baker. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2005. 272 pp.
The Osteology of Infants and Children
Authors: DEVLIN JOANNE BENNETT
Published: November 2006

The Osteology of Infants and Children. Brenda J. Baker, Tosha L. Dupras, and Matthew W. Tocheri. College Station: Texas A&M University Press, 2005. 178 pp.
Holy Intoxication to Drunken Dissipation: Alcohol among Quichua Speakers in Otavalo, Ecuador
Authors: VIATORI MAXIMILIAN
Published: November 2006

Holy Intoxication to Drunken Dissipation: Alcohol among Quichua Speakers in Otavalo, Ecuador. Barbara Y. Butler. Albuquerque: University of New Mexico press, 2006. 452 pp.
Existential Anthropology: Events, Exigencies, and Effects
Authors: HASTY JENNIFER
Published: November 2006

Existential Anthropology: Events, Exigencies, and Effects. Michael Jackson. New York: Berghan Books, 2005. 216 pp.
Unconquered Lacandon Maya: Ethnohistory and Archaeology of Indigenous Change
Authors: ROSS NORBERT O.
Published: November 2006

Unconquered Lacandon Maya: Ethnohistory and Archaeology of Indigenous Change. Joel W. Palka. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2005. 319 pp.
A Genetic and Cultural Odyssey: The Life and Work of L. Luca Cavalli‐Sforza
Authors: FINKLER KAJA
Published: November 2006

Cultural Landscapes in the Ancient Andes: Archaeologies of Place. Linda Stoneand Paul Lurquin. New York: Columbia University Press, 2005. 227 pp.
Digital Divide within Society: An Account of Poverty, Community and E-Governance in Fiji
Authors: Rahman Mohammad Habibur , Naz Rafia
Published: November 2006

The importance and potential of information and communication technologies (ICTs) to develop economies has been demonstrated through various studies around the globe. For the Pacific, especially Fiji, where development is hampered by dispersed populations, small sizes and vast ocean distances, ICT can help overcome these restrictive circumstances, of digital divide within society, by empowering the poor. An attempt is made to illustrate that, despite various initiatives and strategies designed by the governments in power, poverty in Fiji is still daunting and has in fact increased by almost 33% over the last 10 years. Therefore, it becomes prudent to look at government policies and e-governance initiatives in Fiji and analyze the reasons as to why results are not being achieved at the grass-roots level. Based on findings from a rapid appraisal among various stakeholders, the article highlights that e-governance initiative thus far could not be largely effective due to lack of participatory processes in e-governance and ICT practices. Community perception of e-governance and understanding of the issue are explored and it is argued that public awareness of e-governance is critical for projects to work. Along with this, some critical constraints facing e-governance in Fiji, with an emphasis on the role of community involvement to reduce poverty at the grass-roots level, are discussed. Solutions of citizen-centered e-governance are stressed and a down-to-earth approach to poverty is highlighted. This article asks for paradigm shifts in government's perception to see society as partners of governance and not merely recipients of state policies and service delivery systems. It raises the issue of community involvement in dialogue and decision making at the public policy and practice levels by making government departments reachable to stakeholders by harnessing the potential of ICT, new technologies and media. It also talks about the need to bridge information-data gaps and lapses which lead to inappropriate planning and decision making divorced from sharable scientific statistical data amongst the government departments and planning agencies. It emphasizes shared visions for strategies both at horizontal and vertical levels of planning and management in e-governance.
Development of the Internet in the Gambia: The Case of Nokunda
Authors: Sassi Sinikka
Published: November 2006

The global nature of the new information and communication network has been questioned because of the obvious exclusion of developing countries in the development of the contemporary structure. Leaving aside the troublesome term ‘developing countries’, it is still very obvious that the poorer southern countries are in a different position in applying new technology compared to the so-called advanced western countries. Even if there are good reasons to defend the argument for the unilateral and onesided quality of the global network, this article will tell a story of its enlargement into the Gambia, one of the poorest countries of West Africa. While not generalizing from this example because particular characteristics apply, it is still suggested that there are good reasons for the extension of the network right across the globe. The emphasis will be on the cultural and social aspects of the network and less on its policy and infrastructure side. The article looks at the everyday ways and needs of exploiting the Net which explain its current expansion.
Responses of Chinese Higher Education to the Information Society
Authors: Cai Yuzhuo , Guo Wenge
Published: November 2006

Compared to the advanced industrial countries, the use of information technology in Chinese higher education came relatively late. Nevertheless, recent Chinese practices have achieved significant progress in the country's efforts to bridge the digital divide. This article focuses special attention on the responses of Chinese higher education to the challenges of the information society. It begins by introducing essential characteristics of the information society and the challenges posed for higher education. A presentation of responses to these challenges made by Chinese higher education in terms of strategic reactions, national infrastructure development, and the actions at the institutional level follows. The article concludes with an account of ongoing problems constraining the use of modern information technology in Chinese higher education.
“Intellectual Property” and Knowledge Creation in Disorganisations
Authors: Vadén Tere
Published: November 2006

Given the current forms of economic production and corporate markets, the liberating and democratic potential of digital information is counteracted by the concentration of media ownership, as well as by policy, legislation, and the development of proprietary forms of technology. The notion of ‘intellectual property’ produces artificial scarcity where digital technology could remove it. This tension between the proprietary and non-proprietary aspects of the information society can be analysed by looking at two types of knowledge creation: organisational and disorganisational. While organisational knowledge work can benefit from a notion of ‘intellectual property’, disorganisational knowledge work is disrupted, if not destroyed, by proprietary barriers on information. This is unfortunate if and when the crucial innovations and ethical potential of the information society are connected to disorganisational communities, even though the organisational type is more visible and better represented in the traditional structures of society.
Botulinum Toxin Treatment for Oropharyngeal Dysphagia Associated With Diabetic Neuropathy
Authors: Restivo Domenico A. , Marchese-Ragona Rosario , Lauria Giuseppe , Squatrito Sebastiano , Gullo Damiano , Vigneri Riccardo
Published: November 2006

OBJECTIVE—No specific treatment for oropharyngeal dysphagia related to diabetic neuropathy has been described to date. Chemical myotomy of the cricopharyngeus (CP) muscle by botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A) has been effective in reducing or abolishing dysphagia associated with upper esophageal sphincter (UES) hyperactivity of different etiologies. In the present study, we evaluated the efficacy of BoNT/A injections into the CP muscle in diabetic patients with severe oropharyngeal dysphagia associated with diabetic autonomic and/or somatic peripheral neuropathy.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Twelve type 2 diabetic patients with severe dysphagia for both solid and liquid foods associated with autonomic and/or peripheral somatic neuropathy were investigated. Swallowing function was evaluated by clinical examination, videofluoroscopy, and simultaneous needle electromyography (EMG) of the CP and pharyngeal inferior constrictor (IC) muscles. Clinical evaluation using a four-level dysphagia severity score was performed every other day for the 1st week and thereafter every other week until week 24. Videofluoroscopy and EMG follow-up were carried out at week 1, 4, 12, 16, 18, and 24 after BoNT/A injection. BoNT/A was injected percutaneously into the CP muscle under EMG control.

RESULTS—BoNT/A induced the complete recovery of dysphagia in 10 patients and had a significant (P = 0.0001, ANOVA) improvement in 2 patients within 4 ± 1.1 days (range 3–7). Clinical improvement was confirmed by videofluoroscopy and EMG.

CONCLUSIONS—Our findings suggest a potential benefit from BoNT/A treatment in dysphagia associated with diabetic neuropathy. Randomized controlled trials are needed to confirm this observation.
Household Wealth and the Metabolic Syndrome in the Whitehall II Study
Authors: Perel Pablo , Langenberg Claudia , Ferrie Jane , Moser Kath , Brunner Eric , Marmot Michael
Published: November 2006

OBJECTIVE—The metabolic syndrome is more common in socially disadvantaged groups. Inequalities in household wealth are currently widening and may contribute to the increasing prevalence of the metabolic syndrome.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—This was a cross-sectional analysis of 1,509 women and 4,090 men (aged 45.2–68.9 years) of an occupational cohort study of 20 civil service departments located in London, U.K. Components of the metabolic syndrome were measured in 1997–1999 and defined using a modified World Health Organization definition.

RESULTS—Own income, household income, and wealth were each strongly and inversely associated with the metabolic syndrome in both sexes (Ptrend < 0.001). Within each group of household wealth, the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome was higher in men than in women. Sex differences became smaller with decreasing household wealth, with the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome rising from 12.0 and 5.7% in the wealthiest men and women, respectively, to corresponding values of 23.6 and 20.1% in the poorest group. The odds ratio (95% CI) associated with each decrease of one category in household wealth was 1.25 (1.03–1.50) in men and 1.69 (1.18–2.41) in women, adjusting for age, household members, occupational grade, education, father’s social class, personal and household income, ethnic group, smoking, alcohol intake, diet, and physical activity.

CONCLUSIONS— Household wealth, a measure of assets accumulated over decades and generations, is strongly and inversely associated with the metabolic syndrome. Future research should explore the potential mechanisms by which wealth inequalities are associated with the metabolic syndrome.
Cystic Fibrosis–Related Diabetes
Authors: Andersen Henrik U. , Lanng Susanne , Pressler Tania , Laugesen Caroline S. , Mathiesen Elisabeth R.
Published: November 2006

OBJECTIVE—Cystic fibrosis (CF)-related diabetes has been regarded as a mild form of diabetes with a low risk of severe diabetes complications. The prevalence of CF-related diabetes increases with age, resulting in a 50% prevalence of diabetes at age 30 years. We sought to investigate whether microvascular complications in CF-related diabetes appear with a relevant frequency.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Thirty-eight patients aged 30 (range 18–55) years with CF-related diabetes for 20 (0–31) years were screened for diabetes complications. Because of chronic pulmonary infections, the majority of patients were regularly treated with aminoglycoside and cyclosporine given frequently.

RESULTS—Since the pharmacological treatment of lung transplant patients could influence metabolical regulation and renal function, the results are given separately for nontransplanted (n = 29) and transplanted (n = 9) CF patients. Nine patients (27%) had retinopathy, two of which had proliferative retinopathy and needed laser treatment. Lung transplantation did not affect the prevalence of retinopathy. In nontransplanted patients, nine had hypertension, three microalbuminuria, and one elevated creatinine. None had macroalbuminuria. In transplanted patients, eight of nine had hypertension, two had microalbuminuria, and none had macroalbuminuria. Seven of nine lung transplant patients had elevated plasma creatinine, and severely reduced glomerular filtration rate was significantly more frequent.

CONCLUSIONS—A high frequency of diabetic retinopathy was found in patients with insulin-treated CF-related diabetes, stressing the need for a regular screening program as in type 1 diabetes. Severely impaired kidney function was common in lung transplant patients, probably secondary to cyclosporine treatment.
HbA1c in Early Diabetic Pregnancy and Pregnancy Outcomes
Authors: Nielsen Gunnar L. , Møller Margrethe , Sørensen Henrik T.
Published: November 2006

OBJECTIVE—To assess the association between first-trimester HbA1c (A1C) and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes in type 1 diabetic pregnancies.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—We identified all pregnant diabetic women in a Danish county from 1985 to 2003. A1C values from first trimester were collected, and pregnancy outcome was dichotomized as good (i.e., babies surviving the 1st month of life without major congenital abnormalities) and adverse (i.e., spontaneous and therapeutic abortion, stillbirth, neonatal death, or major congenital abnormalities detected within the 1st month). The prevalence of adverse outcomes was calculated according to quintiles of A1C. We computed receiver operating characteristic and lowess curve estimates and fitted logistic regression models to calculate prevalence odds ratio while adjusting for confounding by White class and smoking status.

RESULTS—Of 573 pregnancies, 165 (29%) terminated with adverse outcomes. The prevalence of adverse outcomes varied sixfold from 12% (95% CI 7.2–17) in the lowest to 79% (60–91) in the highest quintile of A1C exposure. From A1C levels >7%, we found an almost linear association between A1C and risk of adverse outcome, whereby a 1% increase in A1C corresponded to 5.5% (3.8–7.3) increased risk of adverse outcome.

CONCLUSIONS—Starting from a first-trimester A1C level slightly <7%, there is a dose-dependent association between A1C and the risk of adverse pregnancy outcome without indication of a plateau, below which the association no longer exits. A1C, however, seems to be of limited value in predicting outcome in the individual pregnancy.
Indoor exposure to chemical and biological agents and health efects in primary school children
Authors: Stosic Ljiljana , Milutinovic Suzana , Nikolic Maja , Nikic Dragana , Radulovic Olivera , Stankovic Aleksandra
Published: November 2006

The aim of this study has been to estimate effects of indoor air pollutants on children’s health. An anamnestic retrospective study was done on 1074 children aged between 7 and 11 years old who lived in Nis (Serbia). An original questionnaire was used in an interview between training physicians and children’s parents. Interview data were processed by using Microsoft Excel and Epiinfo 6. The investigation determined that children who were more often exposed to combustion by-products had respiratory and nonspecific symptoms. Parental smoking was strongly associated with wheezing, bronchitis, headache and fatigue. There was no association between health and keeping pets, apart from partial nasal congestion. Presence of insects (e.g., cockroaches) and rats in households was a significant risk factor for all symptoms and diseases estimated except for asthma and pneumonia. Homes abundant in textiles were the cause of nasal congestion, wheezing and fatigue in children. Old mattresses were associated with respiratory symptoms, bronchitis, and nonspecific symptoms. It has been concluded that indoor air quality plays a major role in children’s health. Sources of indoor air pollution are present in every home. Being aware of the risks associated with indoor air quality problems, consequently, leads to their mitigation.
Some reproductive and sexual health indicators in rape victims in Ukraine
Authors: Mogilevkina Iryna , Odlind Viveca
Published: November 2006

The objective was to study the demographics and some reproductive health indicators in Ukrainian women who reported having been raped. On the basis of responses to a questionnaire, we evaluated factors associated with a history of rape by a case-referent approach, using women reporting rape (n=177) as the dependent variable in comparison to those without such an experience (n=1444). Women reporting rape were more often younger than those without a history of rape. There was an association between a history of rape and three or more induced abortions. Rape victims were more likely to have a history of sexually transmitted infections and pelvic inflammatory diseases. A history of rape was more often associated with smoking and previous drug use. Women who had experienced rape more often reported more than one sexual partner during the last six months as well as during the previous year. On the other hand, these women reported sexual intercourse less frequently than did those without a history of rape. Rape victims more often reported sexual harassment at where they work or socialize as well as sexual abuse in childhood or within their family. Thus, a history of rape was common and associated with several negative health indicators. Sexual violence needs to be acknowledged in all parts of the Ukrainian society as a serious threat that requires urgent attention for the improvement of women’s reproductive and general health and human rights.
Robust multiple model adaptive control (RMMAC): a case study
Authors: Fekri Sajjad , Athans Michael , Pascoal Antonio
Published: November 2006

We evaluate the performance of the robust multiple model adaptive control (RMMAC) methodology by considering a mass–spring–dashpot (MSD) system subject to high‐frequency disturbances that strongly excite all its lightly damped oscillatory modes. The results demonstrate the superior performance of the RMMAC and its variant RMMAC/XI architecture for a much more difficult adaptive control problem than that designed and analysed in Reference (Int. J. Adaptive Control Signal Processing, in press). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Cover Picture: Partially Oxidized Macroporous Silicon: A Three‐Dimensional Photonic Matrix for Microarray Applications (Adv. Mater. 23/2006)
Authors: Klühr M. H. , Sauermann A. , Elsner C. A. , Thein K. H. , Dertinger S. K.
Published: November 2006

Partial oxidation of macroporous silicon membranes with different pore wall thicknesses results in a regular compartmentalized structure of SiO2 domains separated by opaque silicon, as shown on the cover. Dertinger and co‐workers report on p. 3135 that control of the experimental conditions ensures the flatness of the partially oxidized macroporous silicon. Fluorescence crossover is minimized within the photonic crystal, enabling its use as a microarray support for sensitive bioanalytic applications, such as DNA hybridization.
Parameters governing exhaustion of rare T cell‐independent neutralizing IgM‐producing B cells after LCMV infection
Authors: Zellweger Raphaël M. , Hangartner Lars , Weber Jacqueline , Zinkernagel Rolf M. , Hengartner Hans
Published: November 2006

The late appearance of neutralizing antibodies (nAb) against lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) has been attributed to various factors including immunopathology, low frequency of high‐affinity specific B cells and competition by nonspecific polyclonal B cell activation. To investigate the activation of LCMV‐nAb‐producing B cells early following infection, we performed adoptive transfers of LCMV‐specific B cells into WT recipients. By modulating parameters such as viral load, number of specific B cells and presence of T cell help, we found that a high antigen‐to‐B cell ratio led to normal IgM responses. IgG and memory response however, were impaired as most nAb‐producing B cells rapidly terminally differentiated into short‐lived IgM plasma cells. Lowering the antigen‐to‐B cell ratio, or increasing the level of T cell help, could rescue the class‐switched antibody response. Upon infection, a low frequency of LCMV‐nAb‐producing B cells, as observed in WT mice, results in a high antigen‐to‐B cell ratio and is likely to lead to terminal differentiation – and elimination – of these rare B cells.
Bcl6 controls granzyme B expression in effector CD8+ T cells
Authors: Yoshida Kazuki , Sakamoto Akemi , Yamashita Kimihiro , Arguni Eggi , Horigome Satoshi , Arima Masafumi , Hatano Masahiko , Seki Naohiko , Ichikawa Tomohiko , Tokuhisa Takeshi
Published: November 2006

Bcl6, a sequence‐specific transcriptional repressor, is important for generation and maintenance of memory CD8+ T cells. Although memory CD8+ T cells are generated from effector CD8+ T cells, a role for Bcl6 in effector CD8+ T cells is largely unknown. We show here that Bcl6 expression was transiently induced in activated CD8+ T cells and continuously up‐regulated in effector CD8+ T cells. The amount of granzyme B mRNA among effector molecules produced by effector CD8+ T cells inversely correlated with the amount of Bcl6 mRNA in CD8+ T cells. Overexpression of Bcl6 in CD8+ T cells resulted in lower killing activity at their effector phase, supporting the reduction of granzyme B expression in effector CD8+ T cells by Bcl6. We identified a putative Bcl6‐binding DNA sequence in the promoter region of the granzyme B gene. Binding of Bcl6 to the Bcl6‐binding sequence was detected in naive CD8+ T cells but not in activated CD8+ T cells by chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. Furthermore, the Bcl6‐binding sequence was required for Bcl6 to repress the luciferase reporter gene expression controlled by the granzyme B promoter. Thus, the granzyme B gene is a molecular target of Bcl6 in effector CD8+ T cells.
Role of MHC class II expressing CD4+ T cells in proteolipid protein91–110‐induced EAE in HLA‐DR3 transgenic mice
Authors: Mangalam Ashutosh , Rodriguez Moses , David Chella
Published: November 2006

MHC class II molecules play a central role in the control of adaptive immune responses through selection of the CD4+ T cell repertoire in the thymus and antigen presentation in the periphery. Inherited susceptibility to autoimmune disorders such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and IDDM are associated with particular MHC class II alleles. Advent of HLA transgenic mice has helped us in deciphering the role of particular HLA DR and DQ class II molecules in human autoimmune diseases. In mice, the expression of class II is restricted to professional antigen‐presenting cells (APC). However, in humans, class II is also expressed on T cells, unlike murine T cells. We have developed new humanized HLA class II transgenic mice expressing class II molecules not only on APC but also on a subset of CD4+ T cells. The expression of class II on CD4+ T cells is inducible, and class II+ CD4+ T cells can present antigen in the absence of APC. Further, using EAE, a well‐established animal model of MS, we tested the functional significance of these class II+ CD4+ T cells. DR3.AEo transgenic mice were susceptible to proteolipid protein91–110‐induced EAE and showed CNS pathology accompanied by widespread inflammation and demyelination seen in human MS patients, suggesting a role for class II+ CD4+ T cells in the pathogenesis.
Deficiency of tenascin C attenuates allergen‐induced bronchial asthma in the mouse
Authors: Nakahara Hiroki , Gabazza Esteban C. , Fujimoto Hajime , Nishii Yoichi , D'Alessandro‐Gabazza Corina N. , Bruno Nelson E. , Takagi Takehiro , Hayashi Tatsuya , Maruyama Junko , Maruyama Kazuo , Imanaka‐Yoshida Kyoko , Suzuki Koji , Yoshida Toshimichi , Adachi Yukihiko , Taguchi Osamu
Published: November 2006

Tenascin C (TN‐C) is an extracellular matrix glycoprotein whose expression is increased in several inflammatory diseases of the lung, including bronchial asthma. However, the exact function of TN‐C in the pathogenesis of lung inflammation remains unclear. In the present study, we compared the degree of bronchial asthma in wild‐type and TN‐C‐deficient (–/–) BALB/c mice. Bronchial asthma was induced by sensitization and challenge with ovalbumin. Littermates treated with saline were used as controls. Cytokines in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and plasma were measured by enzyme immunoassays. The number of eosinophils in the lung was significantly increased in wild‐type mice compared with TN‐C‐knockout mice. Airway hyperreactivity, NF‐κB activation and concentrations of monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1, IL‐5, IL‐13, metalloproteinase‐9 and immunoglobulin‐E in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid were significantly decreased in ovalbumin‐sensitized/challenged TN‐C‐knockout mice compared with their wild‐type counterparts. In vitro experiments disclosed that TN‐C significantly stimulates the secretion of IL‐5, IL‐13, IFN‐γ and immunoglobulin‐E from spleen lymphocytes. These observations suggest that TN‐C is involved in the pathogenesis of bronchial asthma.
Functional and structural requirements for the internalization of distinct BCR‐ligand complexes
Authors: Caballero Adriana , Katkere Bhuvana , Wen Xiao‐Yun , Drake Lisa , Nashar Toufic O. , Drake James R.
Published: November 2006

Antigen (Ag) binding to the BCR rapidly initiates two important events: a phosphorylation cascade that results in the production of secondary signaling intermediaries and the internalization of Ag‐BCR complexes. Previous studies using anti‐BCR antibodies (Ab) have suggested that BCR signaling is an essential requirement for BCR endocytosis and have further implicated lipid rafts as essential platforms for both BCR functions. However, published data from our laboratory indicate that lipid rafts and consequently raft‐mediated signaling are dispensable for BCR‐mediated internalization of Ag‐specific BCR. Therefore, we investigated the relationship between BCR signaling and endocytosis by defining the role of early kinase signaling in the BCR‐mediated internalization of a model Ag (haptenated protein). The results demonstrate that Src kinases and Syk‐mediated BCR signaling are not essential for BCR‐mediated Ag internalization. Moreover, by comparing Ag and Ab, it was determined that while both localize to clathrin‐coated pits, the internalization of Ab‐BCR complexes is more susceptible to inhibition of signaling and highly sensitive to disruption of lipid rafts and the actin cytoskeleton compared to Ag‐BCR complexes. Thus, these results demonstrate that the nature of the ligand ultimately determines the functional requirements and relative contribution of lipid rafts and other membrane structures to the internalization of BCR‐ligand complexes.
Involvement of leptin signaling in the survival and maturation of bone marrow‐derived dendritic cells
Authors: Lam Queenie Lai Kwan , Liu Shuxun , Cao Xuetao , Lu Liwei
Published: November 2006

Previous studies demonstrated that lymphocyte development is impaired in leptin receptor (Ob‐R)‐deficient db/db mice. However, it remains unclear whether or not leptin signaling plays a physiological role in dendritic cell (DC) development and function. In this study, we first detected Ob‐R expression in murine DC. Using db/db mice at a pre‐diabetic stage, we demonstrate that the total number of DC generated from bone marrow (BM) cultures is significantly lower than in WT controls. Similarly, selective blockade of leptin with a soluble mouse Ob‐R chimera (Ob‐R:Fc) inhibited DC generation in wild‐type BM cultures. The reduced DC yield in db/db BM culture was attributed to significantly increased apoptosis, which was associated with dysregulated expression of Bcl‐2 family genes. Moreover, db/db DC displayed markedly reduced expression of co‐stimulatory molecules and a Th2‐type cytokine profile, with a poor capacity to stimulate allogeneic T cell proliferation. Consistent with their impaired DC phenotype and function, db/db DC showed significantly down‐regulated activities of the PI3K/Akt pathway as well as STAT‐3 and IκB‐α. In conclusion, our findings demonstrate the involvement of leptin signaling in DC survival and maturation.

See accompanying commentary: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/eji.200636770
Risk‐based selection from the general population in a screening trial: Selection criteria, recruitment and power for the Dutch‐Belgian randomised lung cancer multi‐slice CT screening trial (NELSON)
Authors: van Iersel Carola A. , de Koning Harry J. , Draisma Gerrit , Mali Willem P.T.M. , Scholten Ernst Th. , Nackaerts Kristiaan , Prokop Mathias , Habbema J. Dik. F. , Oudkerk Mathijs , van Klaveren Rob J.
Published: November 2006

A method to obtain the optimal selection criteria, taking into account available resources and capacity and the impact on power, is presented for the Dutch‐Belgian randomised lung cancer screening trial (NELSON). NELSON investigates whether 16‐detector multi‐slice computed tomography screening will decrease lung cancer mortality compared to no screening. A questionnaire was sent to 335,441 (mainly) men, aged 50–75. Smoking exposure (years smoked, cigarettes/day, years quit) was determined, and expected lung cancer mortality was estimated for different selection scenarios for the 106,931 respondents, using lung cancer mortality data by level of smoking exposure (US Cancer Prevention Study I and II). Selection criteria were chosen so that the required response among eligible subjects to reach sufficient sample size was minimised and the required sample size was within our capacity. Inviting current and former smokers (quit ≤ 10 years ago) who smoked >15 cigarettes/day during >25 years or >10 cigarettes/day during >30 years was most optimal. With a power of 80%, 17,300–27,900 participants are needed to show a 20–25% lung cancer mortality reduction 10 years after randomisation. Until October 18, 2005 11,103 (first recruitment round) and 4,325 (second recruitment round) (total = 15,428) participants have been randomised. Selecting participants for lung cancer screening trials based on risk estimates is feasible and helpful to minimize sample size and costs. When pooling with Danish trial data (n = ±4,000) NELSON is the only trial without screening in controls that is expected to have 80% power to show a lung cancer mortality reduction of at least 25% 10 years after randomisation. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Human papillomavirus seropositivity and risks of head and neck cancer
Authors: Smith Elaine M. , Ritchie Justine M. , Pawlita Michael , Rubenstein Linda M. , Haugen Thomas H. , Turek Lubomir P. , Hamsikova Eva
Published: November 2006

We examined antibody response to VLP HPV‐16, HPV‐16 E6 and E7 antibodies as potential seromarkers of HPV‐related head and neck cancer (HNC). The study included 204 HNC cases and 326 controls evaluated for HPV presence in sera using ELISAs for anti‐HPV VLP antibodies and HPV‐16 E6 and/or E7 antibodies, and in tumor tissue using PCR and DNA sequencing. Anti‐HPV‐16 VLP was detected in 33.8% of cases and 22.4% of controls, anti‐E6 in 20.6% of cases and 0.9% of controls and anti‐E7 in 18.6% of cases and 0.6% of controls. HPV‐16 DNA was detected in 26.1% of tumors. The adjusted risk of HNC was elevated among those seropositive for HPV‐16 VLP (odds ratio (OR) = 1.7, 1.1–2.5), E6 (OR = 32.8, 9.7–110.8) or E7 (OR = 37.5, 8.7–161.2). Compared to HPV DNA‐negative/seronegative cases, tumor HPV‐16 cases had increased risk of detection with anti‐VLP antibodies (OR = 6.8, 3.1–14.9). The odds were more pronounced among cases seropositive for E6 (OR = 69.0, 19.3–247) or E7 (OR = 50.1, 14.7–171). Antibodies against E6 or E7 were associated with risk of cancer in the oral cavity (OR = 5.1, 1.2–22.4) and oropharynx (OR = 72.8, 16.0–330), and with disease characteristics: stage, grade and nodal status. Anti‐E6 and/or E7 antibodies were found in 74% of tumor HPV‐16 positive cases but in only 5% of tumor HPV‐negative cases (K =0.7, 0.6–0.8) suggesting good correlation between the serologic marker and HPV tumor status. Antibodies to HPV‐16 E6 and/or E7 represent a more specific biomarker than anti‐HPV‐16 VLP of an HPV‐related HNC. Because of the survival advantage of HPV‐related HNC, HPV‐16 E6/E7 detection may be useful in therapy targeted for HPV‐related tumors. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Retracted: In vitro and in vivo molecular evidence of genistein action in augmenting the efficacy of cisplatin in pancreatic cancer
Authors: Banerjee Sanjeev , Zhang Yuxiang , Wang Zhiwei , Che Mingxin , Chiao Paul J , Abbruzzese James L , Sarkar Fazlul H.
Published: November 2006

This article has been retracted at the request of: Editor‐in‐Chief and Author

‘In vitro and in vivo molecular evidence of genistein action in augmenting the efficacy of cisplatin in pancreatic cancer’ by Banerjee, S., Zhang, Y., Wang, Z., Che, M., Chiao, P. J., Abbruzzese, J. L. and Sarkar, F. H.

The above article and associated erratum, published online on 27 November 2006 and 6 February 2014, respectively, in Wiley Online Library (wileyonlinelibrary.com), have been retracted by agreement between the authors, the journal Editor‐in‐Chief, Professor Peter Lichter, and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. A university investigation involving the first and the corresponding author determined that several figures in this paper, including the b‐actin bands in Fig. 1C in the erratum, were re‐used, mislabeled, manipulated, or duplicated while processing/compiling the final figures assembled from the original data sources. Therefore, the authors are retracting the paper in its entirety although they maintain that these issues did not affect the major conclusions. They apologize for any inconvenience this may have caused.

ReferenceBanerjee, S., Zhang, Y., Wang, Z., Che, M., Chiao, P. J., Abbruzzese, J. L. and Sarkar, F. H. (2007), In vitro and in vivo molecular evidence of genistein action in augmenting the efficacy of cisplatin in pancreatic cancer. Int. J. Cancer, 120: 906–917. doi: 10.1002/ijc.22332; corrected by Erratum: In vitro and in vivo molecular evidence of genistein action in augmenting the efficacy of cisplatin in pancreatic cancer. Int. J. Cancer, 134: E4. doi: 10.1002/ijc.28710.
Combining high selectivity of replication via CXCR4 promoter with fiber chimerism for effective adenoviral oncolysis in breast cancer
Authors: Stoff‐Khalili Mariam A. , Rivera Angel A. , Stoff Alexander , Michael Mathis J. , Rocconi Rodney P. , Matthews Qiana L. , Numnum Michael T. , Herrmann Isabell , Dall Peter , Eckhoff Devin E. , Douglas Joanne T. , Siegal Gene P. , Zhu Zeng B. , Curiel David T.
Published: November 2006

Conditionally replicative adenoviruses (CRAds) represent novel therapeutic agents that have been recently applied in the context of breast cancer therapy. However, deficiencies in the ability of the adenovirus to infect target tumor cells and to specifically replicate within the tumor target represent key deficiencies preventing the realization of the full potential of this therapeutic approach. Minimal expression of the adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) receptor CAR (coxsackie and adenovirus receptor) on breast cancer cells represents a major limitation for Ad5‐based virotherapy. Genetic fiber chimerism is a method to alter the tropism of Ad5‐based CRAds to achieve CAR‐independent infectivity of tumor cells. Here, we describe the use of a CRAd with cancer specific transcriptional control of the essential Ad5 E1A gene using the human CXCR4 gene promoter. We further modified the fiber protein of this agent by switching the knob domain with that of the adenovirus serotype 3. The oncolytic activity of this 5/3 fiber‐modified CRAd was studied in breast cancer cell lines, primary breast cancer and human liver tissue slices from patients, and in a xenograft breast cancer mouse model. This infectivity enhanced CRAd agent showed improved replication and killing in breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo with a remarkable specificity profile that was strongly attenuated in nonbreast cancer cells, as well as in normal human breast and liver tissues. In conclusion, utilization of a CRAd that combined infectivity enhancement strategies and transcriptional targeting improved the CRAd‐based antineoplastic effects for breast cancer therapy. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.