bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Autosomal Dominant Inheritance of Centrotemporal Sharp Waves in Rolandic Epilepsy Families
Authors: Bali Bhavna , Kull Lewis L. , Strug Lisa J. , Clarke Tara , Murphy Peregrine L. , Akman Cigdem I. , Greenberg David A. , Pal Deb K.
Published: July 2007

Summary

Purpose: Centrotemporal sharp (CTS) waves, the electroencephalogram (EEG) hallmark of rolandic epilepsy, are found in approximately 4% of the childhood population. The inheritance of CTS is presumed autosomal dominant but this is controversial. Previous studies have varied considerably in methodology, especially in the control of bias and confounding. We aimed to test the hypothesis of autosomal dominant inheritance of CTS in a well‐designed family segregation analysis study.

Methods: Probands with rolandic epilepsy were collected through unambiguous single ascertainment. Siblings in the age range 4–16 years underwent sleep‐deprived EEG; observations from those who remained awake were omitted. CTS were rated as present or absent by two independent observers blinded to the study hypothesis and subject identities. We computed the segregation ratio of CTS, corrected for ascertainment. We tested the segregation ratio estimate for consistency with dominant and recessive modes of inheritance, and compared the observed sex ratio of those affected with CTS for consistency with sex linkage.

Results: Thirty siblings from 23 families underwent EEG examination. Twenty‐three showed evidence of sleep in their EEG recordings. Eleven of 23 recordings demonstrated CTS, yielding a corrected segregation ratio of 0.48 (95% CI: 0.27–0.69). The male to female ratio of CTS affectedness was approximately equal.

Conclusions: The segregation ratio of CTS in rolandic epilepsy families is consistent with a highly penetrant autosomal dominant inheritance, with equal sex ratio. Autosomal recessive and X‐linked inheritance are rejected. The CTS locus might act in combination with one or more loci to produce the phenotype of rolandic epilepsy.
Increased Fast ripple to ripple Ratios Correlate with Reduced Hippocampal Volumes and Neuron Loss in Temporal Lobe Epilepsy Patients
Authors: Staba Richard J. , Frighetto Leonardo , Behnke Eric J. , Mathern Gary W. , Fields Tony , Bragin Anatol , Ogren Jennifer , Fried Itzhak , Wilson Charles L. , Engel Jerome
Published: July 2007

Summary

Purpose: To determine whether hippocampal sclerosis might form an anatomical substrate for pathological high‐frequency oscillations in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE).

Methods: Intracerebral wide bandwidth electroencephalogram was recorded in patients with medically intractable complex partial seizures. A computer‐automated program detected interictal normal ripples (80–150 Hz) and pathologic fast ripples (FR, 151–500 Hz) from microelectrodes within hippocampus, entorhinal, and subicular cortices. Hippocampal MRI volumetric analysis and cell density measurements were correlated with rates of FR and ripple discharge.

Results: In all 13 patients, higher rates of FR (p = 0.03) and ratios of FR to ripple discharges (p = 0.02) were observed in sites ipsilateral to seizure onset compared with rates within contralateral nonictal sites. Higher ratios of FR to ripple discharge were associated with smaller ipsilateral hippocampal volumes (p = 0.02) and lower fascia dentata (FD; p = 0.02) and Ammon's horn (p = 0.0005) neuron densities. While reduced FD and Ammon's horn neuron densities correlated with higher ratios of discharges, stepwise multiple regression analysis revealed that decreased neuron densities within CA1 and prosubiculum regions most strongly predicted ratios of FR to ripples (r2= 0.78, p = 0.008).

Conclusions: In surgical patients with TLE, higher ratios of FR to ripple discharges are associated with histopathologic changes found in hippocampal sclerosis. These findings support the hypothesis that pathological alterations linked with hippocampal cell loss and synaptic reorganization promote FR and reduce ripple generation.
Comparative Study of In Vitro Caries‐Like Lesions and Natural Caries Lesions at Crown Margins
Authors: Arnold Wolfgang H. , Sonkol T. , Zoellner Axel , Gaengler Peter
Published: August 2007

Purpose:
Secondary caries at crown margins and the influence of preparation techniques are major clinical problems. It was therefore the aim of this study to compare natural caries lesions at crown margins with experimental caries lesions.

Materials and Methods:
Five extracted caries‐free human molars were restored with gold cast crowns and afterwards covered with wax leaving a 3 × 3 mm window at the crown margin. These teeth were then incubated in acidified gel (pH 4.7) for 50 days. After incubation these teeth and five other crowned extracted teeth exhibiting natural caries lesions were embedded in Technovit 9100. Serial sections with a thickness of 80 μm were cut through the lesions and investigated with polarized light microscopy (PLM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) combined with energy dispersive X‐ray (EDX) analysis for quantitative element analysis of Ca, P, and C. The results of the quantitative element analysis were statistically evaluated using the nonparametric ANOVA test for repeated measurements.

Results:
PLM of the experimental lesions showed homogeneous lesions with no transparent zone, or dead tracts. The natural caries lesions exhibited a demineralized zone, translucent zone, and dead tracts. Quantitative element analysis showed a statistically significant difference (p < 0.01) of Ca, P, and C between sound dentin and demineralized dentin in natural and experimental caries lesions.

Conclusion:
The experimental model reproduces the demineralization pattern of secondary caries but does not simulate the vital dentin reactions of peritubular and intratubular mineralization.
Mechanical Properties of Dual‐Cured Resin Luting Agents for Ceramic Restoration
Authors: Yoshida Keiichi , Tsuo Yukiko , Meng Xiangfeng , Atsuta Mitsuru
Published: August 2007

Purpose:
The aim of the present study was to evaluate mechanical properties, including surface hardness, flexural strength, and flexural modulus, of two dual‐cured resin luting agents [Clearfil Esthetic Cement (CEC) and Variolink II (VLII)] irradiated through four thicknesses of leucite ceramics (0, 1, 2, and 3 mm) and to evaluate their shear bond strength to zirconia ceramic (Cercon) using each ceramic primer.

Materials and Methods:
Knoop hardness was measured on a thin layer of resin luting agent on the ceramic surface. Three‐point bending tests were performed after 24 hours of storage at 37°C. Two differently shaped zirconia ceramic specimens with or without sandblasting with alumina were treated with each primer. The specimens were then cemented together with each resin luting agent. Half of the specimens were stored in water at 37°C for 24 hours and the other half were thermocycled 5000 times.

Results:
VLII revealed statistically higher Knoop hardness and flexural modulus than CEC for each thickness of ceramic. No significant differences in flexural strength were observed between VLII and CEC for each ceramic spacer. Reduction of the mechanical properties with increase of ceramic thickness varied for each property; however, these properties were similar in the two materials. Blasting with alumina was significantly effective for increasing shear bond strength of both resin luting agents before and after thermal cycling. The use of Clearfil Ceramic Primer showed the highest shear bond strength and maintained bond durability after 5000 thermocycles.

Conclusion:
Mechanical properties of CEC dual‐cured resin luting agent appear adequate for ceramic restorations.
Phase Evolution in Yttria‐Stabilized Zirconia Thermal Barrier Coatings Studied by Rietveld Refinement of X‐Ray Powder Diffraction Patterns
Authors: Witz Grégoire , Shklover Valery , Steurer Walter , Bachegowda Sharath , Bossmann Hans‐Peter
Published: August 2007

One failure mechanism of thermal barrier coatings composed of yttria‐stabilized zirconia (YSZ) has been proposed to be caused, in part, by the transformation of the tetragonal phase of YSZ into its monoclinic phase. Normally, studies of phase evolution are performed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and by evaluating the intensities of a few diffraction peaks for each phase. However, this method misses some important information that can be obtained with the Rietveld method. Using Rietveld's refinement of XRD patterns, we observed, upon annealing of YSZ coatings, an increase of cubic phase content, a reduction in as‐deposited tetragonal phase content, and the appearance of a new tetragonal phase having a lower yttria content that coexists with the as‐deposited tetragonal phase of YSZ.
Thermodynamically Stable SixOyCz Polymer‐Like Amorphous Ceramics
Authors: Varga Tamas , Navrotsky Alexandra , Moats Julianna L. , Morcos R. Michelle , Poli Fabrizia , Müller Klaus , Saha Atanu , Raj Rishi
Published: July 2007

Carbon can be used to create unusual nanostructures of Si–C–O by controlled pyrolysis of silsesquioxane organics. Unlike silica, these ceramics resist crystallization at ultrahigh temperatures. Their structure has been compared with that of polymers, where crosslinked chains of polymers in organics are replaced by crosslinked networks of graphene in the ceramics. The network sequesters nanoscale domains of SiO4 tetrahedra. The resistance to crystallization of these nanodomain networks has been attributed to kinetic factors, namely obstruction of long‐range diffusion of silica. In this work, we identify a thermodynamic hindrance to crystallization. Calorimetric measurements of heats of dissolution in a molten oxide solvent show that these ceramics possess a negative enthalpy relative to their crystalline constituents (silicon carbide, cristobalite, and graphite). The thermodynamic stability of the nanodomain structure is explained by a low free energy of the graphene–silica interfaces, perhaps related to the presence of mixed bonds of silicon bonded to both carbon and oxygen.
Low‐Temperature Fine‐Grained Alumina–Aluminum Titanate Composites Produced from a Titania‐Coated Alumina Precursor
Authors: Mani Jayasankar , Ananthakumar Solaiappan , Mukundan Poothayil , Warrier Krishna Gopakumar
Published: July 2007

A method for the preparation of alumina–aluminum titanate (AT) composites, which can be sintered to high density with a fine‐grained microstructure at <1450°C, is reported. The composite precursor is alumina particles coated by sol–gel‐derived titania, which reacts during sintering to form AT in situ at temperature as low as 1300°C. The composite can be sintered at 1350°C to 98% density with 1.5–2.0 μm grain size. Other composites containing 5–50 wt% AT are also investigated.
Local Structures of Bismuth Ion in Bismuth‐Doped Silica Glasses Analyzed Using Bi LIII X‐Ray Absorption Fine Structure
Authors: Ohkura Takashi , Fujimoto Yasushi , Nakatsuka Masahiro , Young‐Seok Seo
Published: July 2007

Local structures around a bismuth ion in bismuth‐doped silica glasses (BiSG) are analyzed using a Bi LIII X‐ray absorption fine structure (XAFS). The XAFS spectrum of crystalline α‐Bi2O3 was also measured for comparison with BiSG whose first peaks are about 0.1 Å less than α‐Bi2O3 in radial structure functions. According to curve‐fitting results using FEFF 8.2, the Bi–O distances of the first and second neighboring coordination spheres are estimated to be 2.1 and 2.3 Å, respectively. The former corresponds to Bi5+–O bonding and the latter to Bi3+–O bonding compared with the Bi–O distances in typical crystals including Bi3+ and Bi5+ ions. The above results show that Bi ions in BiSG exist as both Bi3+ and Bi5+ states, which is also supported by X‐ray absorption near the edge structure spectra of BiSG.
R Curves and Crack‐Stability Map: Application to Ce‐TZP/Al2O3
Authors: Kaur Sarbjit , Shetty Dinesh K. , Cutler Raymond A.
Published: July 2007

The concept of a crack‐stability map is developed by considering the interaction between the crack‐driving force and the rising crack‐growth resistance of a toughened ceramic. The map plots normalized transition crack length as function of the ratio of the crack‐initiation fracture toughness and the plateau toughness to delineate regimes of stable and unstable crack growth. The plot is used to analyze R curves and fracture stresses of a transformation‐toughened Ce‐TZP/Al2O3. It is shown that the fracture stress and the small scatter measured for this ceramic are consistent with its R‐curve behavior, which enables stable growth of surface cracks from flaws (pores and second‐phase particles), leading to a flaw‐insensitive ceramic.
Optic disc size in a population‐based study in central India: the Central India Eye and Medical Study (CIEMS)
Authors: Nangia Vinay , Matin Arshia , Bhojwani Krishna , Kulkarni Maithili , Yadav Monica , Jonas Jost B.
Published: July 2007

Purpose:  To determine optic disc size and its associations in an adult population in central India.

Methods:  The Central India Eye and Medical Study (CIEMS), Part 1 is a population‐based, cross‐sectional cohort study and included 1000 subjects out of 1314 (76.1%) subjects from a rural area of Maharasthra/India, aged 30+ years, invited to participate. Confocal laser scanning tomographic optic disc images were morphometrically examined.

Results:  Mean optic disc area (2.25 ± 0.51 mm2, range 1.12–4.61 mm2) was significantly correlated with myopic refractive error (p < 0.001) and axial length (p < 0.001), whereas gender (p = 0.14), body height (p = 0.44) and best corrected visual acuity (p = 0.59) were not significantly associated in multiple regression analysis.

Conclusions:  Mean optic disc area is larger in the central Indian population than in White people. Axial length and myopic refractive error are independent factors that influence optic disc size.
Surgical effects and complications of indocyanine green‐assisted internal limiting membrane peeling for idiopathic macular hole
Authors: Nagai Norihiro , Ishida Susumu , Shinoda Kei , Imamura Yutaka , Noda Kousuke , Inoue Makoto
Published: July 2007

Purpose:  To compare the surgical outcomes and complications of vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) peeling with or without indocyanine green (ICG) staining in eyes with an idiopathic macular hole.

Methods:  This study involved a non‐randomized, single‐centre, retrospective, interventional case series. Rates of anatomical closure, visual acuities (VAs) and postoperative complications in 35 eyes of 31 patients who underwent ICG‐assisted ILM peeling during macular hole surgery (stained group) were compared with those in 18 eyes of 16 patients who underwent the same procedure without ICG staining (non‐stained group).

Results:  Macular holes were closed following the initial surgery in 97% of the stained group and 94% of the non‐stained group (p > 0.999). There was no significant difference in mean final VA between the stained and non‐stained groups, but there was a lower percentage of eyes with postoperative vision > 20/25 in the stained group (15%) than in the non‐stained group (44%) after 2 years (p = 0.036). Posterior retinal pigment epithelium atrophy, retinoschisis and visual field defects were observed only in the stained group.

Conclusions:  The difference in mean final VA between the two groups was not significant. However, a lower percentage of eyes obtained VA ≥ 20/25 and a higher incidence of postoperative complications occurred in the stained group. These results indicate that some consideration should be made before ICG is used in macular hole surgery.
Comparison of a bupivacaine 0.5% and lidocaine 2% mixture with levobupivacaine 0.75% and ropivacaine 1% in peribulbar anaesthesia for cataract surgery with phacoemulsification
Authors: Borazan Mehmet , Karalezli Aylin , Oto Sibel , Algan Cengiz , Aydin Akova Yonca
Published: July 2007

Purpose:  To compare a bupivacaine and lidocaine mixture with levobupivacaine and ropivacaine in terms of safety, efficacy and blocking quality in peribulbar anaesthesia for phacoemulsification.

Methods:  A total of 105 patients scheduled for cataract surgery with peribulbar anaesthesia were randomly allocated into three groups of 35 patients each, to receive 5 ml of, respectively, a 1 : 1 mixture of bupivacaine 0.5% and lidocaine 2% (group 1), levobupivacaine 0.75% (group 2), or ropivacaine 1% (group 3). Ocular movement scores were evaluated at 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 mins after injection. Intraoperative and postoperative analgesia were evaluated by verbal pain scores. Duration of surgery, need for supplementary anaesthesia, haemodynamic parameters and the incidence of perioperative complications were recorded.

Results:  The ocular movement score in min 2 was significantly lower in group 1. There was no significant difference between groups 2 and 3. Ocular movement scores at mins 4 and 6 were significantly decreased in group 1 and 2 compared with group 3. There was no significant difference among the groups in ocular movement scores at mins 8 and 10. Verbal pain scores in postoperative hour 4 were highest in group 3, but scores for the intraoperative period and postoperative hours 1 and 2 were similar among the groups. Duration of surgery and haemodynamic parameters did not differ among the groups.

Conclusions:  All agents were considered to be convenient for clinical use in cataract surgery with peribulbar anaesthesia. Although the ocular movement scores in the ropivacaine group were higher than in the other groups at mins 4 and 6, this did not imply any clinical significance.
Dissociation of rod and cone sensitivity by acute localized retinal pigment epithelium loss
Authors: Krøyer Kristian , La Cour Morten , Larsen Michael
Published: July 2007

Purpose:  To assess the impact of acute retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) loss on photopic and scotopic sensitivity.

Methods:  A 68‐year‐old woman who had been followed for drusenoid RPE detachment in age‐related macular degeneration presented with an acute spontaneous retinal pigment epithelium tear. Three months later, she was seen for routine follow‐up and was examined by manual photopic and scotopic threshold perimetry (a static 0.46‐degree‐diameter 660 nm stimulus under photopic conditions; then, following 25 min of dark adaptation, a static 0.46‐degree‐diameter 532 nm stimulus under scotopic conditions). The stimuli were applied over the RPE defect and at reference points of similar eccentricity in the opposite vertical haemifield of the same eye where the RPE remained present.

Results:  Acute RPE loss was associated with only a marginal reduction of photopic sensitivity (−1.5 dB) but a pronounced loss of scotopic sensitivity (−19.5 dB).

Conclusion:  Our observations show that RPE is essential for scotopic but not for photopic retinal function, supporting the theory that cone photopigment regeneration occurs within the human neurosensory retina independently of the RPE.
Diagnostic accuracy of PET/CT in patients with extranodal marginal zone MALT lymphoma
Authors: Perry Chava , Herishanu Yair , Metzer Ur , Bairey Osnat , Ruchlemer Rosa , Trejo Leonor , Naparstek Elizabeth , Sapir Einat Even , Polliack Aaron
Published: July 2007

Background:  18Fluoro‐2‐deoxyglucose (18FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) is widely used for initial staging and follow‐up in patients with malignant lymphoma. While earlier studies suggested a limited role for PET in extranodal marginal zone mucosa‐associated lymphoid tissue (MALT) lymphoma patients due to their non‐FDG avidity, more recent reports have suggested that the issue is controversial. In the present study, we evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of PET integrated with CT (PETCT) in patients with MALT lymphoma and assessed its reliability in clinical staging and monitoring response.

Methods:  Thirty‐three patients with biopsy proven MALT lymphoma in 37 sites, who underwent PET/CT at diagnosis, were enrolled. Medical records, PET/CT findings and data obtained by other diagnostic procedures were reviewed.

Results:  Common sites of MALT lymphoma were the stomach (18), lung (5), orbit (4), and parotid gland (3). PET/CT detected active disease in 18 of 33 patients (54.5%) at diagnosis. Sensitivity in gastric MALT (38.9%) was lower when compared with non‐gastric MALT (75%). PET/CT detected active disease in 100% patients with advanced disease (stage III–IV) but only in 42.3% with early stage disease (I–II). The incidence of gastric FDG uptake was higher in patients showing gastric ulcer on gastroscopy than in subjects with minimal or no macroscopic findings. Of the 33 patients in the study cohort, 12 had a follow‐up PET/CT which detected relapse in three patients.

Conclusions:  These data suggest that PET/CT is a useful tool for both, initial staging and follow‐up after therapy in patients with MALT lymphoma. Its sensitivity depends on disease location and stage at initial diagnosis.
Colonization pattern of periodontal bacteria in Japanese children and their mothers
Authors: Kobayashi N. , Ishihara K. , Sugihara N. , Kusumoto M. , Yakushiji M. , Okuda K.
Published: August 2007

Background and Objective:  The purpose of this study was to determine the time of infection by anaerobic gram‐negative rods associated with periodontal disease, and to clarify their transmission from mother to child.

Material and Methods:  Seventy‐eight Japanese children (including 10 siblings), aged from 3 to 9 years, and 68 mothers, were enrolled in this study. Colonization by 11 periodontal bacterial species was determined using polymerase chain reaction amplification of samples of subgingival plaque obtained from the children and their mothers.

Results:  The detection rates of Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythensis and Treponema denticola increased in children after the age of 6 years. We found a high consistency in colonization by P. gingivalis, T. denticola, Prevotella intermedia and Prevotella nigrescens in 9 of the 10 siblings. The average number of bacterial species in plaque samples harboring Fusobacterium nucleatum and/or Fusobacterium periodonticum was significantly greater than in those without, in both children and mothers. Kappa statistical analysis revealed that the detection of Capnocytophaga gingivalis, Capnocytophaga ochracea, Campylobacter rectus and T. denticola in children was consistent with that in the mother.

Conclusion:  Periodontal bacterial colonization in Japanese children increased with age and was associated with F. nucleatum and/or periodonticum, and the bacterial flora in children was similar to that in their mothers.
Immunohistochemical study of fibroblasts and mast cells in chronic submandibular sialadenitis
Authors: Epivatianos A , Zaraboukas T , Poulopoulos A , Harrison JD
Published: July 2007

Aim:  To further our understanding of the processes involved in fibrosis that occurs in chronic submandibular sialadenitis by investigating the distribution of myofibroblasts, CD34‐positive fibroblasts and tryptase‐containing mast cells.

Materials and methods:  Thirty specimens of chronic submandibular sialadenitis with varying degrees of fibrosis and five normal submandibular glands were examined immunohistochemically for the presence of CD34, α‐smooth‐muscle‐actin, desmin and tryptase.

Results:  Myofibroblasts were not demonstrated by the techniques for α‐smooth‐muscle‐actin or desmin. CD34‐positive fibroblasts were found around normal and moderately atrophic acini, but were not found around extremely atrophic acini and duct‐like structures or in periductal and interlobular fibrous tissue. Tryptase‐containing mast cells were found around vessels in normal submandibular glands. They were found in increased numbers in chronic submandibular sialadenitis, particularly in glands with widespread fibrosis, in which they were found in the fibrous tissue, and in which the increase was statistically significant.

Conclusions:  The results of this investigation suggest that tryptase‐containing mast cells are likely to be involved in the fibrosis of chronic submandibular sialadenitis, but myofibroblasts and CD34‐positive fibroblasts are not.
Get moving! Physical activity counseling in primary care
Authors: Peterson Jane Anthony
Published: August 2007

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to present strategies to improve the effectiveness of physical activity counseling for adults in primary care settings. Adoption of physical activity can be part of a healthy lifestyle to prevent or manage many chronic and debilitating conditions, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and obesity.

Data sources: Original research articles reporting results from descriptive studies and clinical trials testing the effectiveness of physical activity counseling in primary care. Journal articles and Web sites are cited as patient and professional resources.

Conclusions: Despite conflicting research findings on the effectiveness of physical activity counseling in primary care, the importance of an active lifestyle in promoting health and well‐being is well known. Yet, only one third of all Americans attain adequate daily physical activity. Implementing physical activity counseling in primary care is one method to promote active lifestyles. Some strategies to promote physical activity counseling in primary care settings are identified, including use of the Five A’s approach and printed materials. Suggestions to manage the barriers primary care providers experience with physical activity counseling include brief counseling sessions involving all members of the health team.

Implications for practice: The implementation of a brief physical activity counseling intervention in primary care settings is presented as a promising method to promote physical activity in adults. Nurse practitioners can deliver this counseling in a succinct, well‐planned session to promote physical activity and reduce the potential devastating consequences associated with a sedentary lifestyle.
DISTINGUISHING CHARACTERISTICS OF EFFECTIVE AND INEFFECTIVE AFTER‐SCHOOL PROGRAMS TO PREVENT DELINQUENCY AND VICTIMIZATION*
Authors: GOTTFREDSON DENISE C. , CROSS AMANDA , SOULÉ DAVID A.
Published: July 2007

Research Summary:

Using multi‐level modeling techniques, this study explores characteristics of 35 after‐school programs (ASPs) that criminological research and theory predict should be related to problem behavior outcomes. Controlling for individual‐level predictors of problem behavior and for the composition of the participating ASPs, several ASP characteristics were found to be related, as predicted, to victimization, substance use, and delinquent behavior.

Policy Implications:

This study extended previous findings that providing structured programming and small program size are important for reducing problem behavior through ASPs. Our study also found that two characteristics of the program staff are related to reductions in problem behavior: More highly educated staff and a higher percentage male staff were related to reductions in levels of both delinquent behavior and victimization. The study concludes that program structure, staffing, and size are important in producing more positive behavioral outcomes.
Hand‐rearing Roe deer Capreolus capreolus: practice and research potential
Authors: WALLACH A. , INBAR M. , LAMBERT R. , COHEN S. , SHANAS U.
Published: July 2007

Four ♀ Roe deer Capreolus capreolus were hand‐reared and released into a 10 ha enclosed natural habitat. This paper describes the hand‐rearing procedure, nutrition and development, which we compare with other documented cases. We illustrate the handling techniques that enabled us to maintain a close relationship with the hand‐reared Roe deer in their adulthood and study them under semi‐free‐ranging conditions. The benefits of conducting research with hand‐reared Roe deer are described, together with possible biases that must be taken into consideration when planning a research programme. The Roe deer were hand‐reared in order to conduct a detailed feasibility study for the Roe deer reintroduction programme in Israel, where they have been locally extinct for 100 years.
Avian influenza H5N1: a review of the current situation and relevance to zoos
Authors: REDROBE S. P.
Published: July 2007

The current outbreak of avian influenza H5N1 began in South‐east Asia in 2003 and by 6 February 2007 had caused outbreaks in birds in 53 countries resulting in the deaths of 166 humans, and 200 million poultry (the latter mostly culled under disease control measures). H5N1 rarely infects humans but is a highly infectious fatal disease of poultry with an unknown epidemiology in zoo bird species. Concern about the potential for this virus to mutate and create a human pandemic has fuelled public concern. The spread of the disease around the world has been attributed to migratory birds and poultry movements. Bird vaccination for zoo collections is available in some countries although its effectiveness in many zoo species is as yet unknown. Protection of zoo stock should therefore be based upon strict biosecurity balanced against the welfare of the birds. The future of vaccinated birds is not certain; they may not be permitted to be released to the wild and some countries may ban their entry resulting in a detrimental effect on the future of captive‐breeding and release programmes. This paper reviews the recent history of the epidemic and some of the issues that this disease raises for zoological collections.
The role of zoos in biosurveillance
Authors: McNAMARA T.
Published: July 2007

Zoos are ideally placed to act as epidemiological monitoring stations because for decades, many have been building up detailed collections of serum banks, tissue banks and medical record‐keeping systems that could be mined for information that would be beneficial to public health. For example, in 1999 wild Crows Corvus brachyrhynchos in the United States of America started to die of unknown causes but it was not until some died in the grounds of a zoological institution that West Nile virus, which is a threat to both human and animal health, was identified. There is a serious disparity in the type and amount of biosurveillance provided for humans, agricultural livestock and wildlife agencies, often driven by economic factors. There is an argument for public‐health entities to contribute funds to the cost of managing serum‐banks and testing stations within zoos to enhance biosurveillance in urban settings, in a cost‐effective and mutually beneficial manner. The key to sustainable and integrated biosurveillance lies in public‐health professionals working with zoo professionals, who care for wild animals on a day‐to‐day basis, to create electronic surveillance networks. This could be of utmost benefit to everyone.
West Nile virus
Authors: O'DONNELL C. R. , TRAVIS D. A.
Published: July 2007

The first identifiable case of West Nile virus (WNV) appeared in Uganda in 1937. Since then, WNV has been recorded in all six inhabited continents. In 1999, the first case in North America appeared in New York State; this heralded a new, more virulent chapter in the natural history of this virus. The spread of this arthropod‐borne disease occurs primarily through the bite of the blood‐feeding mosquitoes, although transmission has been shown to occur (rarely) by several other routes (faecal‐oral, carnivory and blood‐borne). In North America, WNV has demonstrated the ability to infect a broad host range of birds, reptiles and mammals, including humans. Increases in mosquito populations can serve as useful indicators of increased WNV activity. Therefore, controlling mosquito populations (larvicide and adulticide) is useful in reducing the risk for WNV infection. For prevention in animals, two vaccines are currently approved in the United States (no information on approval in other countries was collected) but have not been validated across a broad array of species. More research must be carried out to characterize the effects of the uses and misuses of the vaccines and other WNV control and prevention methods. Perhaps most telling in the case of this ‘new’ WNV (as with the introduction of many emerging diseases) in North America is the amount of information we still do not have on its ecology and natural history. As such, this chapter is not an attempt to provide an integrated worldwide view of this issue to readers in all parts of the globe; it is an attempt to summarize, or provide reference to, the important points of the North American experience to zoological managers around the world so that each will know the basics and integrate this information into her/his own particular risk‐management scenario.
Cerebellar cortical degeneration with selective granule cell loss in Bavarian mountain dogs
Authors: Flegel T. , Matiasek K. , Henke D. , Grevel V.
Published: July 2007

Three Bavarian mountain dogs aged between 18 and 20 months, not related to each other, were presented with chronic signs of cerebellar dysfunction. On sagittal T2‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging brain images, the tentative diagnosis of cerebellar hypoplasia was established based on an enlarged cerebrospinal fluid space around the cerebellum and an increased cerebrospinal fluid signal between the folia. Post‐mortem examination was performed in one dog and did show an overall reduction of cerebellar size. On histopathologic examination, a selective loss of cerebellar granule cells with sparing of Purkinje cells was evident. Therefore, the Bavarian mountain dog is a breed where cerebellar cortical degeneration caused by the rather exceptional selective granule cell loss can be seen as cause of chronic, slowly progressive cerebellar dysfunction starting at an age of several months.
Moving Toward Security
Authors: Chyba Christopher F.
Published: August 2007

Bomb Scare
. The History and Future of Nuclear Weapons.
By Joseph Cirincione
. Columbia University Press, New York, 2007. 222 pp. $27.95, £17.50. ISBN 9780231135108.

Cirincione provides a concise review of the development and spread of nuclear weapons and the challenges of reducing nuclear risks in the new century.
Private Lives: Reflections and Challenges in Understanding the Cell Biology of the Immune System
Authors: Mellman Ira
Published: August 2007

The immune system comprises a variety of cell types whose activities must be carefully regulated to act as a coherent unit for the purpose of host defense. To perform their autonomous functions, immune cells must rely on the same basic organizational features that apply to all cells, although immune cells often exhibit remarkable degrees of specialization and adaptation. The study of these specializations has lagged behind advances in understanding the immune response and cell biology individually. As a result, there are great opportunities, but also great challenges, for new conceptual discoveries by taking a more cell-biological approach to probing the function of the immune system.
Capillary Wrinkling of Floating Thin Polymer Films
Authors: Huang Jiangshui , Juszkiewicz Megan , de Jeu Wim H. , Cerda Enrique , Emrick Todd , Menon Narayanan , Russell Thomas P.
Published: August 2007

A freely floating polymer film, tens of nanometers in thickness, wrinkles under the capillary force exerted by a drop of water placed on its surface. The wrinkling pattern is characterized by the number and length of the wrinkles. The dependence of the number of wrinkles on the elastic properties of the film and on the capillary force exerted by the drop confirms recent theoretical predictions on the selection of a pattern with a well-defined length scale in the wrinkling instability. We combined scaling relations that were developed for the length of the wrinkles with those for the number of wrinkles to construct a metrology for measuring the elasticity and thickness of ultrathin films that relies on no more than a dish of fluid and a low-magnification microscope. We validated this method on polymer films modified by plasticizer. The relaxation of the wrinkles affords a simple method to study the viscoelastic response of ultrathin films.
Aspartate Biosynthesis Is Essential for the Growth of
Streptococcus thermophilus
in Milk, and Aspartate Availability Modulates the Level of Urease Activity
Authors: Arioli Stefania , Monnet Christophe , Guglielmetti Simone , Parini Carlo , De Noni Ivano , Hogenboom Johannes , Halami Prakash M. , Mora Diego
Published: July 2007

We investigated the carbon dioxide metabolism of
Streptococcus thermophilus
, evaluating the phenotype of a phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase-negative mutant obtained by replacement of a functional
ppc
gene with a deleted and inactive version,
Δppc
. The growth of the mutant was compared to that of the parent strain in a chemically defined medium and in milk, supplemented or not with
l
-aspartic acid, the final product of the metabolic pathway governed by phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase. It was concluded that aspartate present in milk is not sufficient for the growth of
S. thermophilus
. As a consequence, phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase activity was considered fundamental for the biosynthesis of
l
-aspartic acid in
S. thermophilus
metabolism. This enzymatic activity is therefore essential for growth of
S. thermophilus
in milk even if
S. thermophilus
was cultured in association with proteinase-positive
Lactobacillus delbrueckii
subsp.
bulgaricus
. It was furthermore observed that the supplementation of milk with aspartate significantly affected the level of urease activity. Further experiments, carried out with a p

ureI

-
gusA
recombinant strain, revealed that expression of the urease operon was sensitive to the aspartate concentration in milk and to the cell availability of glutamate, glutamine, and ammonium ions.
Thermal Inactivation of Foot-and-Mouth Disease Viruses in Suspension
Authors: Kamolsiripichaiporn Somjai , Subharat Supatsak , Udon Romphruke , Thongtha Panithan , Nuanualsuwan Suphachai
Published: July 2007

The heat resistance of foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) strains isolated from outbreaks in Thailand was investigated in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) at 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100°C. The first-order kinetic model fitted most of the observed linear inactivation curves. The ranges of decimal-reduction time (
D
value) of FMDV strains at 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and 100°C were 732 to 1,275 s, 16.37 to 42.00 s, 6.06 to 10.87 s, 2.84 to 5.99 s, 1.65 to 3.18 s, and 1.90 to 2.94 s, respectively. The heat resistances of FMDV strains at lower temperature (50°C) were not serotype specific. The effective inactivating temperature is approximately 60°C. Heat resistances of FMDV strains at 90 and 100°C were not statistically different (
P
> 0.05), while the FMDV serotype O (OPN) appeared to be the most heat resistant at 60 to 80°C. The other observed inactivation curves were linear with shoulder or tailing (biphasic curves). The shoulder effect was mostly observed at 90 and 100°C, while the tailing effect was mostly observed at 50 to 80°C. The adjusted
D
values in the case of shoulder and tailing effects did not affect the overall estimated heat resistance of these FMDV strains, so even unadjusted
D
values of deviant inactivation curves were legitimate. The z values of FMDV serotypes O, A, and Asia 1 were 21.78 to 23.26, 20.75 to 22.79, and 19.87°C, respectively. The z values of FMDV strains studied were not statistically significantly different (
P
> 0.05). The results of this study indicated that the heat resistance in PBS of FMDV strains from Thailand was much less than had been reported for foreign epidemic FMDV strains.
Comparison of Different Denaturing Gradient Gel Electrophoresis Primer Sets for the Study of Marine Bacterioplankton Communities
Authors: Sánchez Olga , Gasol Josep M. , Massana Ramon , Mas Jordi , Pedrós-Alió Carlos
Published: July 2007

An annual seasonal cycle of composition of a bacterioplankton community in an oligotrophic coastal system was studied by denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE) using five different primer sets. Analysis of DGGE fingerprints showed that primer set 357fGC-907rM grouped samples according to seasons. Additionally, we used the set of 16S rRNA genes archived in the RDPII database to check the percentage of perfect matches of each primer for the most abundant bacterial groups inhabiting coastal plankton communities. Overall, primer set 357fGC-907rM was the most suitable for the routine use of PCR-DGGE analyses in this environment.
Identification of the Cadmium-Inducible
Hansenula polymorpha SEO1
Gene Promoter by Transcriptome Analysis and Its Application to Whole-Cell Heavy-Metal Detection Systems
Authors: Park Jeong-Nam , Sohn Min Jeong , Oh Doo-Byoung , Kwon Ohsuk , Rhee Sang Ki , Hur Cheol-Goo , Lee Sang Yup , Gellissen Gerd , Kang Hyun Ah
Published: July 2007

The genomewide gene expression profiling of the methylotrophic yeast
Hansenula polymorpha
exposed to cadmium (Cd) allowed us to identify novel genes responsive to Cd treatment. To select genes whose promoters can be useful for construction of a cellular Cd biosensor, we further analyzed a set of
H. polymorpha
genes that exhibited >6-fold induction upon treatment with 300 μM Cd for 2 h. The putative promoters, about 1,000-bp upstream fragments, of these genes were fused with the yeast-enhanced green fluorescence protein (GFP) gene. The resultant reporter cassettes were introduced into
H. polymorpha
to evaluate promoter strength and specificity. The promoter derived from the
H. polymorpha SEO1
gene (Hp
SEO1
) was shown to drive most strongly the expression of GFP upon Cd treatment among the tested promoters. The Cd-inducible activity was retained in the 500-bp deletion fragment of the Hp
SEO1
promoter but was abolished in the further truncated 250-bp fragment. The 500-bp Hp
SEO1
promoter directed specific expression of GFP upon exposure to Cd in a dose-dependent manner, with Cd detection ranging from 1 to 900 μM. Comparative analysis of the
Saccharomyces cerevisiae SEO1
(Sc
SEO1
) promoter revealed that the Sc
SEO1
promoter has a broader specificity for heavy metals and is responsive to arsenic and mercury in addition to Cd. Our data demonstrate the potential use of the Hp
SEO1
promoter as a bioelement in whole-cell biosensors to monitor heavy metal contamination, particularly Cd.
Fungal Communities Associated with Degradation of Polyester Polyurethane in Soil
Authors: Cosgrove Lee , McGeechan Paula L. , Robson Geoff D. , Handley Pauline S.
Published: July 2007

Soil fungal communities involved in the biodegradation of polyester polyurethane (PU) were investigated. PU coupons were buried in two sandy loam soils with different levels of organic carbon: one was acidic (pH 5.5), and the other was more neutral (pH 6.7). After 5 months of burial, the fungal communities on the surface of the PU were compared with the native soil communities using culture-based and molecular techniques. Putative PU-degrading fungi were common in both soils, as <45% of the fungal colonies cleared the colloidal PU dispersion Impranil on solid medium. Denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis showed that fungal communities on the PU were less diverse than in the soil, and only a few species in the PU communities were detectable in the soil, indicating that only a small subset of the soil fungal communities colonized the PU. Soil type influenced the composition of the PU fungal communities.
Geomyces pannorum
and a
Phoma
sp. were the dominant species recovered by culturing from the PU buried in the acidic and neutral soils, respectively. Both fungi degraded Impranil and represented >80% of cultivable colonies from each plastic. However, PU was highly susceptible to degradation in both soils, losing up to 95% of its tensile strength. Therefore, different fungi are associated with PU degradation in different soils but the physical process is independent of soil type.
Ecological Constraints Limit the Fitness of Fungal Hybrids in the
Heterobasidion annosum
Species Complex
Authors: Garbelotto Matteo , Gonthier Paolo , Nicolotti Giovanni
Published: July 2007

The ability of two closely related species to maintain species boundaries in spite of retained interfertility between them is a documented driving force of speciation. Experimental evidence to support possible interspecific postzygotic isolation mechanisms for organisms belonging to the kingdom Fungi is still missing. Here we report on the outcome of a series of controlled comparative inoculation experiments of parental wild genotypes and F
1
hybrid genotypes between closely related and interfertile taxa within the
Heterobasidion annosum
fungal species complex. Results indicated that these fungal hybrids are not genetically unfit but can fare as well as parental genotypes when inoculated on substrates favorable to both parents. However, when placed in substrates favoring one of the parents, hybrids are less competitive than the parental genotypes specialized on that substrate. Furthermore, in some but not all fungus × plant combinations, a clear asymmetry in fitness was observed between hybrids carrying identical nuclear genomes but different cytoplasms. This work provides some of the first experimental evidence of ecologically driven postzygotic reinforcement of isolation between closely related fungal species characterized by marked host specificity. Host specialization is one of the most striking traits of a large number of symbiotic and parasitic fungi; thus, we suggest the ecological mechanism proven here to reinforce isolation among
Heterobasidion
spp. may be generally valid for host-specialized fungi. The validity of this generalization is supported by the low number of known fungal hybrids and by their distinctive feature of being found in substrates different from those colonized by parental species.
Advanced Environmental Surveillance and Molecular Analyses Indicate Separate Importations Rather than Endemic Circulation of Wild Type 1 Poliovirus in Gaza District in 2002
Authors: Manor Y. , Blomqvist S. , Sofer D. , Alfandari J. , Halmut T. , Abramovitz B. , Mendelson E. , Shulman L. M.
Published: July 2007

An improved sewage surveillance algorithm (sample acquisition, processing, and molecular analysis) for wild and vaccine-derived polioviruses was developed and validated. It was based on plaque isolation with sensitive and high-throughput methods. The molecular analysis included sequencing; a comparison of the type, rate, and distribution of nucleotide substitutions with a profile for outbreaks evolving from a single progenitor; and phylogenetic analysis for relative similarity. The analyses revealed that two environmental wild type 1 isolates from the Gaza district in 2002 were imported separately, most likely from Egyptian southern governorates, and were not linked by endemic circulation. These findings illustrate the continuous spreading potential of wild-type poliovirus and underscore the value of extensive environmental surveillance employing advanced molecular analysis to monitor wild poliovirus in poliomyelitis-free regions.