bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HOW ENVIRONMENTAL HEALTH RISKS CHANGE WITH DEVELOPMENT: The Epidemiologic and Environmental Risk Transitions Revisited
Authors: Smith Kirk R. , Ezzati Majid
Published: October 2005

▪ Abstract  Transition frameworks are used to envision the important changes that occur during economic development from poor to middle-income or rich countries. We explain the derivation of and use data from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) and Comparative Risk Assessment (CRA) projects of the World Health Organization (WHO) to explore the classic epidemiologic transition framework, which describes the changes in causes of illness and death during economic development. We provide the first full empirical test of the environmental risk transition framework, which describes the shift in environmental risks during development from household, community, and global risk factors. We find that the simplistic conclusions commonly drawn about the epidemiologic transition, in particular the increase in chronic diseases with development, are not supported by current data; in contrast, the conceptual framework of the environmental risk transition is broadly supported in a cross-sectional analysis. We also describe important kinds of environmental health risks and diseases that are not well estimated using current methods.
DESIGN AND FUNCTION OF SUPERFAST MUSCLES: New Insights into the Physiology of Skeletal Muscle
Authors: Rome Lawrence C.
Published: October 2005

▪ Abstract  Superfast muscles of vertebrates power sound production. The fastest, the swimbladder muscle of toadfish, generates mechanical power at frequencies in excess of 200 Hz. To operate at these frequencies, the speed of relaxation has had to increase approximately 50-fold. This increase is accomplished by modifications of three kinetic traits: (a) a fast calcium transient due to extremely high concentration of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR)-Ca2+ pumps and parvalbumin, (b) fast off-rate of Ca2+ from troponin C due to an alteration in troponin, and (c) fast cross-bridge detachment rate constant (g, 50 times faster than that in rabbit fast-twitch muscle) due to an alteration in myosin. Although these three modifications permit swimbladder muscle to generate mechanical work at high frequencies (where locomotor muscles cannot), it comes with a cost: The high g causes a large reduction in attached force-generating cross-bridges, making the swimbladder incapable of powering low-frequency locomotory movements. Hence the locomotory and sound-producing muscles have mutually exclusive designs.
FROM MICE TO MEN: Insights into the Insulin Resistance Syndromes
Authors: Biddinger Sudha B. , Kahn C. Ronald
Published: October 2005

▪ Abstract  The insulin resistance syndrome refers to a constellation of findings, including glucose intolerance, obesity, dyslipidemia, and hypertension, that promote the development of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and other disorders. Defining the pathophysiological links between insulin resistance, the insulin resistance syndrome, and its sequelae is critical to understanding and treating these disorders. Over the past decade, two approaches have provided important insights into how changes in insulin signaling produce the spectrum of phenotypes associated with insulin resistance. First, studies using tissue-specific knockouts or tissue-specific reconstitution of the insulin receptor in vivo in mice have enabled us to deconstruct the insulin resistance syndromes by dissecting the contributions of different tissues to the insulin-resistant state. Second, in vivo and in vitro studies of the complex network of insulin signaling have provided insight into how insulin resistance can develop in some pathways whereas insulin sensitivity is maintained in others. These data, taken together, give us a framework for understanding the relationship between insulin resistance and the insulin resistance syndromes.
PUBLIC REPORTING OF PROVIDER PERFORMANCE: Can Its Impact Be Made Greater?
Authors: Robinowitz David L. , Dudley R. Adams
Published: October 2005

▪ Abstract  Public reporting of provider performance is becoming increasingly commonplace. In this chapter, we first review studies of prior public reports (or report cards) that show real but small impact on provider attempts to improve quality, on consumers' impressions of providers, and even on consumer selection of providers. Among other factors, two potential explanations for the low level of impact are that, in most early reports, the large majority of providers have been labeled “average” and consumers may have had difficulty understanding the statistical assessments. In response, some current report card producers are using or considering a variety of methods to increase the number of distinctions among providers and the ease of comprehension of the labels used. Therefore, we also consider the advantages and disadvantages of several novel approaches to analyzing and reporting provider performance.
A contraction theorem in fuzzy metric spaces
Authors: Razani Abdolrahman
Published: October 2005

A fixed point theorem is proved. Moreover, fuzzy Edelstein's contraction theorem is described. Finally, the existence of at least one periodic point is shown.
Fixed point theorems for a family of hybrid pairs of mappings in metrically convex spaces
Authors: Imdad M , Khan Ladlay
Published: October 2005

The present paper establishes some coincidence and common fixed point theorems for a sequence of hybrid-type nonself-mappings defined on a closed subset of a metrically convex metric space. Our results generalize some earlier results due to Khan et al. (2000), Itoh (1977), Khan (1981), Ahmad and Imdad (1992 and 1998), and several others. Some related results are also discussed.
Existence of extremal solutions for quadratic fuzzy equations
Authors: Nieto Juan J , Rodríguez-López Rosana
Published: October 2005

Some results on the existence of solution for certain fuzzy equations are revised and extended. In this paper, we establish the existence of a solution for the fuzzy equation "Equation missing", where "Equation missing", "Equation missing", "Equation missing", and "Equation missing" are positive fuzzy numbers satisfying certain conditions. To this purpose, we use fixed point theory, applying results such as the well-known fixed point theorem of Tarski, presenting some results regarding the existence of extremal solutions to the above equation.
Programming of the generalized nonlinear paraxial equation for the
formation of solitons with Mathematica
Authors: Osman Frederick , Beech Robert
Published: October 2005

We present the nonlinearity and dispersion effects involved in the
propagation of optical solitons which can be understood by using a numerical routine to solve the generalized nonlinear paraxial equation. A sequence of code has been developed in Mathematica to explore in depth several features of the optical soliton's formation and propagation. These numerical routines were implemented through the use of Mathematica and the results give a very clear idea of this interesting and important practical
phenomenon.
Regulation of S100A8/A9 (Calprotectin) Binding to Tumor Cells byZinc Ion and Its Implication for Apoptosis‐Inducing Activity
Authors: Nakatani Yuichi , Yamazaki Masatoshi , Chazin Walter J. , Yui Satoru
Published: October 2005

S100A8/A9 (calprotectin), which is released by neutrophils under
inflammatory conditions, has the capacity to induce apoptosis in
various cells. We previously reported that S100A8/A9 induces
apoptosis of EL‐4 lymphoma cells via the uptake of extracellular
zinc in a manner similar to DTPA, a membrane‐impermeable zinc
chelator. In this study, S100A8/A9‐induced apoptosis was examined
in several cell lines that are weakly sensitive to DTPA,
suggesting S100A8/A9 is directly responsible for apoptosis in
these cells. Since zinc inhibits apoptosis of MM46, one of these
cells, the regulation by zinc of the capacity of S100A8/A9 to bind
MM46 cells was studied. When MM46 cells were incubated with
S100A8/A9 in standard or zinc‐depleted medium, the amounts of
S100A8/A9 bound to cells was markedly lower at 3 h than at
1 h. In contrast, when MM46 cells were incubated with
S100A8/A9 in the presence of high levels of zinc, binding to cells
was the same at 1 and 3 h. When the cells were permeabilized
with saponin prior to analysis, a larger amount of cell‐associated
S100A8/A9 was detected at 3 h. The amount was further
increased in cells treated with chloroquine, suggesting that
S100A8/A9 was internalized and degraded in lysosomes. Although it
has been reported that S100A8/A9 binds to heparan sulfate on cell
membranes, the amount of S100A8/A9 bound to MM46 cells was not
reduced by heparinase treatment, but was reduced by trypsin
treatment. These results suggest that S100A8/A9 induces apoptosis by
direct binding to MM46 cells, and that this activity is regulated
by zinc.
Ischemia‐Reperfusion Injury of Adipofascial Tissue: An Experimental Study Evaluating Early Histologic and Biochemical Alterations in Rats
Authors: Coban Yusuf Kenan , Kurutas Ergul Belge , Ciralik Harun
Published: October 2005

Fat necrosis remains a serious complication in reconstructive flaps. In clinical setting, it is well known that fat tissue is more susceptible to ischemic events. We aimed to evaluate early histological and biochemical changes of adipofascial tissue in an experimantal model. An epigastric flap model in rats was used to evaluate the effect of ischemia‐reperfusion (I‐R) injury on adipofascial tissue. Two groups of animals (one with ischemia alone and other ischemia‐reperfusion group) were used to evaluate the degree of histological edema, congestion and extravascular bleeding, and early biochemical alterations within the adipofascial flaps. The biochemical parameters included glutathione (GSH) and malondialdehyde (MDA). In each group, contralateral groin subcutaneous adipose tissue served as control. These evaluations were compared to normal unmanipulated, contralateral abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue. The ischemia‐reperfused flap group showed histologically significantly much edema congestion and bleeding than the control groups (P<
.0001). The control group showed less edema in fat tissue than the ischemia‐alone group (P < .05). All of the flaps in the ischemia‐only group showed significantly less bleeding and edema than I‐R group (P< .001). The ratio of MDA/GSH was 33 in control, 37 in ischemia alone, and 82 in ischemia‐reperfusion groups, respectively. This study confirms that significant histologic and biochemical alteration occurs after ischemia and ischemia‐reperfusion events in adipose tissue. Marked drop in adipose tissue antioxidant levels after I‐R suggested that preemptive measures to this decrease should be undertaken in clinical settings.
A Mouse Caries Model and Evaluation of Aqp5–/– Knockout Mice
Authors: Culp D.J. , Quivey R.Q. , Bowen W.H. , Fallon M.A. , Pearson S.K. , Faustoferri R.
Published: October 2005

Current techniques to alter gene expression in mice allow direct analysis of the net role of a host factor in caries development. Towards this goal we first established protocols to induce and score caries in NFS/N mice and determined caries susceptibility in mice with targeted deletion of the gene encoding aquaporin-5 (Aqp5–/–), a water channel involved in the production of saliva. In the NFS/N strain of mice total sulcal caries and severity scores were consistent between experiments, whereas smooth surface caries scores were lower, more variable but distributed fairly evenly among the buccal, lingual and sulcal surfaces. In Black Swiss/129SvJ mice (genetic background of Aqp5–/– mice) caries scores were 50–75% lower compared to NFS/N mice, suggesting strain variation in caries susceptibility under our experimental conditions. In Aqp5–/– mice, in which the volume of total salivary secretion is reduced by 60–65%, there was a significant increase in caries, primarily on the buccal and sulcal surfaces. Results indicate that caries susceptibility increases with a reduced salivary flow that is associated with decreased water content of saliva.
Cariogenicity of the Probiotic Bacterium Lactobacillus salivarius in Rats
Authors: Matsumoto M. , Tsuji M. , Sasaki H. , Fujita K. , Nomura R. , Nakano K. , Shintani S. , Ooshima T.
Published: October 2005

Probiotic bacteria such as lactobacilli and bifidobacteria are considered to be non-pathogenic and non-toxigenic on the basis of long years of safe usage. However, some species of lactobacilli are thought to be associated with the development of dental caries. The purpose of the present study was to examine the cariogenicity of the probiotic bacterium Lactobacillus salivarius in rats. Rats were divided into six groups, and infected with L. salivarius LS1952R and/or Streptococcus mutans MT8148R. L. salivarius LS1952R became established in the oral cavity of rats and induced significant level of dental caries even when infected for only 5 days from 18 to 22 days of age. In addition, the caries scores of rats superinfected with both Streptococcus mutans MT8148R and L. salivarius LS1952R from 18 days of age were significantly higher than those infected with either L. salivarius LS1952R or S. mutans MT8148R alone. Since strain LS1952R can adhere to saliva-coated hydroxyapatites, it is concluded that L. salivarius strain LS1952R possesses an inherent cariogenic activity following adherence to the tooth surface.
Effect of Fluoride-Releasing Filling Materials on Underlying Dentinal Lesions in vitro
Authors: Exterkate R.A.M. , Damen J.J.M. , ten Cate J.M.
Published: October 2005

Fluoride-releasing materials placed over carious tissue are assumed to enhance remineralisation of the underlying lesion. This remineralisation, however, also depends on the availability of calcium and phosphate, which may be supplied by the pulpal fluid. The aim of this study was to measure the fluoride release of glass ionomer cements (GICs) into underlying dentin and to measure the effect of the released fluoride on the remineralisation of the underlying dentinal lesions using transversal microradiography. Discs of fluoride-releasing GIC were placed on top of dentinal lesions in an in vitro model. The discs and the dentin slabs were covered completely by a protective layer of nail varnish, leaving only the pulpal side of the dentin slab open, and hence the dentinal tubules as the pathway for the incubation fluid to the GIC disc. Specimens were incubated in a remineralisation buffer. The materials tested were a conventional GIC, an experimental GIC that was designed to have a high fluoride release, and an inert material. Fluoride was found to penetrate through the dentin slab into the surrounding fluid. Fluoride uptake from the experimental GIC was higher than from the conventional GIC. Mineral content-depth profiles after 10 weeks’ remineralisation revealed that in the outer 30 µm of the lesion a higher mineral deposition occurred for the experimental GIC than in both other groups. No differences in the overall change of integrated mineral loss were found for the tested materials. We conclude that high fluoride release from filling materials only results in superficially increased remineralisation of underlying demineralised dentin.
Measurement of Thirteen Biological Markers in CSF of Patients with Alzheimer’s Disease and Other Dementias
Authors: Blasko Imrich , Lederer Wolfgang , Oberbauer Harald , Walch Thomas , Kemmler Georg , Hinterhuber Hartmann , Marksteiner Josef , Humpel Christian
Published: October 2005

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biological markers may be of valuable help in the diagnosis of dementia. The aim of the present study was to evaluate CSF levels of 13 potential biomarkers in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), frontotemporal lobe dementia, alcohol dementia, major depression and control patients without any neuropsychiatric disease. The study was performed using β-amyloid 1–42 (Aβ42), total tau and phosphorylated tau-181 (P-tau181) as core markers. The ratio P-tau181/Aβ42 could significantly distinguish AD patients from all other diagnostic subgroups. CSF levels of 5 growth factors (HGF, GDNF, VEGF, BDNF, FGF-2) and 3 cytokines/chemokines (TNF-α, TGF-β1, MIP-1α) did not significantly differentiate between the studied groups. However, depending on the degree of neurodegeneration (as expressed by the ratio P-tau181/Aβ42), patients with AD displayed significantly increased CSF levels of nerve growth factor (NGF) as compared to healthy controls. CSF levels of monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1) were found to be significantly increased with age in all groups but did not distinguish AD patients from healthy controls. The results confirmed the suitability of the ratio P-tau181/Aβ42 for the diagnosis of AD, while CSF levels of NGF and MCP-1 are less specific and reliable for AD. It is suggested that the increase in NGF depends on the extent of neurodegeneration of the AD type and the increase in MCP-1 on age.
Elevation of Cytokine Concentrations in Asphyxiated Neonates
Authors: Okazaki Kaoru , Nishida Akira , Kato Masahiko , Kozawa Kunihisa , Uga Naoki , Kimura Hirokazu
Published: October 2005

Background: Various cytokines are reportedly associated with many neonatal diseases. Asphyxia is considered to result in ischemia-reperfusion injuries and induces abnormal inflammatory responses involving excessive cytokine production. Objectives: To evaluate alteration in sera levels of various cytokines/chemokines in case of perinatal asphyxia at birth. Methods: In orderto determine the concentrations of various cytokines/chemokines in sera, we used a highly sensitive fluorescence microsphere method. We measured the concentration of 8 types of cytokines/chemokines in sera obtained from 17 cases of asphyxia, 10 normal neonates, and 6 healthy adults. Results: The concentrations of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 in the sera of asphyxiated neonates were higher than those in the normal neonates. Irrespective of the presence or absence of asphyxia, sera concentrations of IL-2, IL-4, IFN-γ, and TNF-α were higher in the neonates than those in the adults. The concentration of IFN-γ in the asphyxiated neonates was lower than that in the normal neonates. Sera levels of IL-10 were higher in the asphyxiated cases than those in the normal neonates. The sera levels of IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10 in asphyxiated neonates with either a poor outcome or death were higher than those without poor outcomes. Conclusions: The concentrations of various types of cytokines/chemokines were different in neonatal sera and some of them increased drastically during asphyxia. The concentration of an anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was elevated in asphyxiated neonates immediately after birth, thereby suggesting that IL-10 might be associated with neuroprotective functions.
Chemoarchitecture of the Monotreme Olfactory Bulb
Authors: Ashwell Ken W.S.
Published: October 2005

The cyto- and chemoarchitecture of the olfactory bulb of two monotremes (shortbeaked echidna and platypus) was studied to determine if there are any chemoarchitectural differences from therian mammals. Nissl staining in conjunction with enzyme reactivity for NADPH diaphorase, and immunoreactivity for calcium binding proteins (parvalbumin, calbindin and calretinin), neuropeptide Y, tyrosine hydroxylase and non-phosphorylated neurofilament protein (SMI-32 antibody) were applied to the echidna. Material from platypus bulb was Nissl stained, immunoreacted for calretinin, or stained for NADPH diaphorase. In contrast to eutherians, no immunoreactivity for either the SMI-32 antibody or calretinin was found in the mitral or dispersed tufted cells of the monotremes and very few parvalbumin or calbindin immunoreactive neurons were found in the bulb of the echidna. On the other hand, immunoreactivity for tyrosine hydroxylase in the echidna was similar in distribution to that seen in therians, and periglomerular and granule cells showed similar patterns of calretinin immunoreactivity to eutherians. Multipolar neuropeptide Y immunoreactive neurons were confined to the deep granule cell layer and underlying white matter of the echidna bulb and NADPH diaphorase reactivity was found in occasional granule cells, fusiform and multipolar cells of the inner plexiform and granule cell layers, as well as underlying white matter. Unlike eutherians, no NPY immunoreactive or NADPH diaphorase reactive neurons were seen in the glomerular layer. The bulb of the echidna was comparable in volume to prosimians of similar body weight, and its constituent layers were highly folded. In conclusion, the monotreme olfactory bulb does not show any significant chemoarchitectural dissimilarities from eutheria, despite differences in mitral/tufted cell distribution.
Cyto- and Chemoarchitecture of the Monotreme Olfactory Tubercle
Authors: Ashwell Ken W.S.
Published: October 2005

This study was undertaken to determine whether the olfactory tubercles of two monotremes (platypus and echidna) showed cyto- or chemoarchitectural differences from the tubercles of therian mammals. Nissl staining was applied in conjunction with enzyme reactivity for NADPH diaphorase and acetylcholinesterase, and immunoreactivity for calcium binding proteins (parvalbumin, calbindin and calretinin) and tyrosine hydroxylase (echidna only). Golgi impregnations of the tubercle were also available for the echidna. The olfactory tubercle is a poorly laminated structure in the echidna, despite the pronounced development of other components of the echidna olfactory system, and the dense cell layer of the olfactory tubercle was found to be discontinuous and irregular. Granule cell clusters (islands of Calleja) were present, but were small, poorly defined and did not show the intense NADPH diaphorase activity seen in marsupial and placental mammals. A putative small island of Calleja magna was seen in only one echidna out of four. In Golgi impregnations of the echidna olfactory tubercle, the most abundant neuron type was a medium-sized densely spined neuron similar to that seen in the olfactory tubercle of some therians. Large spine-poor neurons were also seen in the polymorphic layer. In the platypus, the olfactory tubercle was very small but showed more pronounced lamination than the echidna, although no granule cell clusters were seen. In both monotremes, the development of the olfactory tubercle was poor relative to other components of the olfactory system (bulb and piriform cortex). The small olfactory tubercle region in the platypus is consistent with poor olfaction in that aquatic mammal, but the tubercle in the echidna is more like that of a microsmatic mammal than other placentals occupying a similar niche (e.g., insectivores).
Relative Medial and Dorsal Cortex Volume in Relation to Sex Differences in Spatial Ecology of a Snake Population
Authors: Roth Eric D. , Lutterschmidt William I. , Wilson Donald A.
Published: October 2005

In non-avian reptiles the medial and dorsal cortices are putative homologues of the hippocampal formation in mammals and birds. Studies on mammals and birds commonly report neuro-ecological correlations between hippocampal volume and aspects of spatial ecology. We examined the relationship between putative homologous cortical volumes and spatial use in a population of the squamate reptile, Agkistrodon piscivorus, that exhibits sex differences in spatial use. Do male A. piscivorus that inhabit larger home ranges than females also have larger putative hippocampal volumes? Male and female brains were sectioned and digitized to quantify regional cortical volumes. Although sex differences in dorsal cortex volume were not observed, males had a significantly larger medial cortex relative to telencephalon volume. Similar to studies on mammals and birds, relative hippocampal or medial cortex volume was positively correlated with patterns of spatial use. We demonstrate volumetric sex differences within a reptilian putative hippocampal homologue.
Spinal Nerve Innervation to the Sonic Muscle and Sonic Motor Nucleus in Red Piranha, Pygocentrus nattereri (Characiformes, Ostariophysi)
Authors: Onuki Atsushi , Ohmori Yasushige , Somiya Hiroaki
Published: October 2005

The red piranha, Pygocentrus nattereri, produces sounds by rapid contractions of a pair of extrinsic sonic muscles. The detailed innervation pattern of the sonic muscle of the red piranha was investigated. The sonic muscle is innervated by branches (sonic branches) of the third (S3so), fourth (S4so), and fifth (S5so) spinal nerves. The average total number of nerve fibers contained in the right sonic branches (n = 5; standard length, SL, 71–85 mm) was 151.8 (standard deviation, SD, 28.3). The occipital nerve did not innervate the sonic muscle. The sonic motor nucleus (SMN) in the piranha was identified by tracer methods using wheat germ agglutinin-conjugated horseradish peroxidase; labeled sonic motor neurons were only observed on the side ipsilateral to the sonic muscle injected with the tracer. In the transverse sections, the labeled sonic motor neurons were located in the dorsal zone (mainly large and medium neurons) and in the ventral zone (mainly small neurons) of the ventral horn. In the horizontal sections, the labeled neurons formed a rostrocaudally elongated SMN from the level of the caudal part of the second spinal nerve root to the intermediate region between the fifth and sixth spinal nerve roots. The average number of the labeled neurons (n = 5; SL, 64–87 mm) was 152.6 (SD, 7.3). We conclude that the sonic muscles of the piranha are innervated by approximately 300 sonic motor neurons located only in the spinal cord.
The Spectrum of Allergens in Ragweed and Mugwort Pollen
Authors: Wopfner Nicole , Gadermaier Gabriele , Egger Matthias , Asero Riccardo , Ebner Christof , Jahn-Schmid Beatrice , Ferreira Fatima
Published: October 2005

Ragweed and mugwort are important allergenic weeds belonging to the Asteraceae or Compositae plant family. Pollen of mugwort is one of the main causes of allergic reactions in late summer and autumn in Europe and affects about 10–14% of the patients suffering from pollinosis. Ragweed pollen represents the major source of allergenic protein in the United States, with a prevalence of about 50% in atopic individuals. In Europe, ragweed allergy is now rapidly increasing particularly in certain areas in France, Italy, Austria, Hungary, Croatia, and Bulgaria. Amb a 1 and Art v 1, the major allergens of ragweed and mugwort, respectively, are unrelated proteins. Amb a 1 is an acidic 38-kDa nonglycosylated protein. The natural protein undergoes proteolysis during purification and is cleaved into a 26-kDa alpha chain, which associates noncovalently with the beta chain of 12 kDa. The two-chain form seems to be immunologically indistinguishable from the full-length molecule. Art v 1 is a basic glycoprotein comprising two domains: an N-terminal cysteine-rich, defensin-like domain and a C-terminal proline/hydroxyproline-rich module. The proline/hydroxyproline-rich domain was recently shown to contain two types of glycosylation: (1) a large hydroxyproline-linked arabinogalactan composed of a short β1,6-galactan core substituted by a variable number (5–28) of α-arabinofuranose residues forming branched side chains with 5-, 2,5-, 3,5-, and 2,3,5-substituted arabinoses, and (2) single and adjacent β-arabinofuranoses linked to hydroxyproline. As described for other pollen, ragweed and mugwort pollen also contain the pan-allergen profilin and calcium-binding proteins, which are responsible for extensive cross-reactivity among pollen-sensitized patients.
Epidemiology of Oral Cavity Cancer in Taiwan with Emphasis on the Role of Betel Nut Chewing
Authors: Lin Yaoh-Shiang , Jen Yee-Min , Wang Bill-B. , Lee Jih-Chin , Kang Bor-Hwang
Published: October 2005

This article reports the epidemiological characteristics and the possible contributing etiology of oral cavity cancer in Taiwan. Data on oral cavity cancer from the period between 1986 and 1997 were compiled from the Taiwan Cancer Registry Annual Report. The amount of average annual consumption per person of cigarettes, alcohol and betel nut were extracted from the Annual Report of Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly Bureau and the Agriculture Counsel of Taiwan. The incidence of oral cavity cancer increased annually. Both the total and male incidence have increased substantially since 1993. Regarding the peak incidence, most cases were seen in the sixth to eighth decades of life. Multiple regression models indicated that 86.2% variation in the incidence of oral cavity cancer was explained by the annual average betel nut consumption per person. These results imply that those who chew betel nut belong to a high-risk group and require special consideration and attention regarding health education and health promotion.
Change in Cognitive Function in Alzheimer’s Disease in African-American and White Persons
Authors: Barnes Lisa L. , Wilson Robert S. , Li Yan , Gilley David W. , Bennett David A. , Evans Denis A.
Published: October 2005

Few studies have examined the association of race with change in cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We studied the rate of decline in global and specific measures of cognitive function in a cohort of 410 older African-Americans and whites with clinically diagnosed AD. Persons were examined annually for an average of 3.5 years, and follow-up participation among survivors exceeded 90%. In mixed-effects models that controlled for age, gender, education, and premorbid reading activity, African-Americans scored lower than whites at baseline on a composite measure of global cognition and on specific measures of visuoconstruction and naming. However, they experienced less rapid decline in episodic memory (p < 0.01), with similar but not quite significant effects for global cognition (p = 0.06), perceptual speed (p = 0.07) and naming (p = 0.08). The results suggest that the rate of cognitive decline in AD is slower in African-Americans compared with whites, particularly for episodic memory.
Relation of Blood Pressure to Risk of Incident Alzheimer’s Disease and Change in Global Cognitive Function in Older Persons
Authors: Shah Raj C. , Wilson Robert S. , Bienias Julia L. , Arvanitakis Zoe , Evans Denis A. , Bennett David A.
Published: October 2005

Purpose: To examine the relation of systolic and diastolic blood pressure to incident Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and rate of cognitive change. Methods: Longitudinal cohort study with annual clinical evaluations. At baseline, blood pressure was measured, apolipoprotein E (APOE) genotyping was performed, and medications were reviewed. Results: 824 older Catholic clergy members without baseline dementia were recruited from across the United States. During a mean of about 6 years of observation, 151 persons developed AD. In a proportional hazards model adjusted for age, sex and education, neither systolic (relative risk = 0.995; 95% CI: 0.986, 1.004, p = 0.249) nor diastolic (relative risk = 1.000; 95% CI: 0.985, 1.015, p = 0.975) blood pressure was related to AD incidence. In mixed effects models, neither systolic nor diastolic blood pressure was related to level or to annual rate of change on a global measure of cognition. These results did not change in subsequent models that accounted for the use of medications with antihypertensive properties or for the possession of an APOE ε4 allele. Conclusions: In a cohort of older persons with a majority taking medications with antihypertensive properties, we did not find a relationship between blood pressure and risk of AD or cognitive decline.
Notes toward a Loos-ian Theory of Religion in Modernity
Authors: Grimshaw Mike
Published: October 2005

This work is concerned with developing a theory of religion in modernity using the work of the architect and critic Adolf Loos. It is an inter-textual re-reading of Loos and critical readings of Loos, seeking to posit a developing Loosian theory as a possible new methodology for re-reading the tensions toward religion evidenced in modernity.
Multitemporal Analysis of Degraded Forests in the Southern Brazilian Amazon
Authors: Souza Carlos M. , Roberts Dar A. , Monteiro AndréL.
Published: October 2005

In this study, statistical multitemporal analysis was applied to evaluate the capability of reflectance, vegetation indices [normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and soil adjusted vegetation index (SAVI)], normalized difference infrared indices (NDII5 and NDII7), and fraction images, derived from spectral mixture analysis (SMA), to distinguish intact forest from four classes of degraded forests: nonmechanized logging, managed logging, conventional logging, and logged and burned. For this purpose, a robust time series dataset of Landsat Thematic Mapper 5/Enhanced Thematic Mapper (TM/ETM+) images was used in conjunction with forest inventory transects and data on disturbance history. The study area is located near two important sawmill centers—Sinop and Claúdia, in Mato Grosso State—in the southern Brazilian Amazon. Most of the remote sensing measures tested to distinguish intact forest from degraded forests showed statistically significant changes. Fraction images, particularly green vegetation (GV) and nonphotosynthetic vegetation (NPV), were the most effective means tested for identifying conventional logging and logged and burned forest in the region. The GV change, detected from intact forest to conventional logging and logged and burned forest classes, persists no more than 1 yr, but the NPV change is still significantly different for up to 2 yr. In the second and third years following a degradation event, a significant regeneration change signal was observed in reflectance and fraction images, which can be useful for identifying these types of forest disturbances in areas where optical satellite images cannot be acquired every year.
Surface Boundary Conditions for Mesoscale Regional Climate Models
Authors: Liang Xin-Zhong , Choi Hyun I. , Kunkel Kenneth E. , Dai Yongjiu , Joseph Everette , Wang Julian X. L. , Kumar Praveen
Published: October 2005

This paper utilizes the best available quality data from multiple sources to develop consistent surface boundary conditions (SBCs) for mesoscale regional climate model (RCM) applications. The primary SBCs include 1) fields of soil characteristic (bedrock depth, and sand and clay fraction profiles), which for the first time have been consistently introduced to define 3D soil properties; 2) fields of vegetation characteristic fields (land-cover category, and static fractional vegetation cover and varying leaf-plus-stem-area indices) to represent spatial and temporal variations of vegetation with improved data coherence and physical realism; and 3) daily sea surface temperature variations based on the most appropriate data currently available or other value-added alternatives. For each field, multiple data sources are compared to quantify uncertainties for selecting the best one or merged to create a consistent and complete spatial and temporal coverage. The SBCs so developed can be readily incorporated into any RCM suitable for U.S. climate and hydrology modeling studies, while the data processing and validation procedures can be more generally applied to construct SBCs for any specific domain over the globe.
Alcohol reversibly disrupts TNF-α/TACE interactions in the cell membrane
Authors: Song Kejing , Zhao Xue-Jun , Marrero Luis , Oliver Peter , Nelson Steve , Kolls Jay K
Published: October 2005

Background

Alcohol abuse has long been known to adversely affect innate and adaptive immune responses and pre-dispose to infections. One cellular mechanism responsible for this effect is alcohol-induced suppression of TNF-α (TNF) by mononuclear phagocytes. We have previously shown that alcohol in part inhibits TNF-α processing by TNF converting enzyme (TACE) in human monocytes. We hypothesized that the chain length of the alcohol is critical for post-transcriptional suppression of TNF secretion.

Methods

Due to the complex transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation of TNF in macrophages, to specifically study TNF processing at the cell membrane we performed transient transfections of A549 cells with the TNF cDNA driven by the heterologous CMV promoter. TNF/TACE interactions at the cell surface were assessed using fluorescent resonance energy transfer (FRET) microscopy.

Results

The single carbon alcohol, methanol suppressed neither TNF secretion nor FRET efficiency between TNF and TACE. However, 2, 3, and 4 carbon alcohols were potent suppressors of TNF processing and FRET efficiency. The effect of ethanol, a 2-carbon alcohol was reversible.

Conclusion

These data show that inhibition of TNF-α processing by acute ethanol is a direct affect of ethanol on the cell membrane and is reversible upon cessation or metabolism.
Patterns of reduced nipple aspirate fluid production and ductal lavage cellularity in women at high risk for breast cancer
Authors: Higgins Susan A , Matloff Ellen T , Rimm David L , Dziura James , Haffty Bruce G , King Bonnie L
Published: October 2005

Introduction

Nipple aspiration is a noninvasive technique for obtaining breast fluids from the duct openings of the nipple for the evaluation of abnormalities associated with breast cancer. Nipple aspirate fluid (NAF) can be elicited from 48 to 94% of healthy women, and its production has been linked to an increased relative risk for breast cancer development. NAF production has been used in studies to guide the selection of ducts for ductal lavage, a procedure in which ducts are cannulated and flushed with saline to collect cells. In a previous multicenter trial to evaluate intraductal approaches in women at high-risk for breast cancer, NAF production was observed in 84% of the subjects. However, we observed a significantly lower proportion of fluid-yielding subjects in a similar series of high-risk women. The purpose of the present study was to identify variables associated with this reduction.

Method

Nipple aspiration was performed on 33 high-risk women (defined as having a 5-year Gail model index of more than 1.7, a personal or family history of breast cancer, and/or a BRCA1 or BRCA2 germline mutation) to identify ductal orifices for lavage procedures. Lavage was performed on all fluid-yielding ducts and on nine non-fluid-yielding ducts.

Results

Fluid-yielding ducts were identified in 12 of 33 (36%) of the subjects in the present series, compared with 16 of 19 (84%) of the subjects undergoing identical procedures at our facility during a multicenter trial (P = 0.001). Reduced NAF yields were associated with postmenopausal status (P = 0.02), BRCA germline mutations (P = 0.004), and risk reduction therapies, including bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy (BSO) and/or selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs; P = 0.009). All nine (100%) of the ductal lavage specimens collected from non-fluidyielding ducts were acellular, in comparison with 3 of 13 specimens from fluid-yielding ducts (P < .001).

Conclusion

Analysis of high-risk women in the present series revealed patterns of reduced NAF production and ductal lavage cellularity compared with a previous multicenter trial. The present series included more BRCA-positive women, many of whom had undergone BSO and/or were using SERMs. Our data suggest that endocrine mechanisms associated with these risk-reducing therapies may be related to patterns of diminished breast fluid production.
A common missense variant in BRCA2 predisposes to early onset breast cancer
Authors: Górski Bohdan , Narod Steven A , Lubiński Jan
Published: October 2005

Introduction

Mutations in the BRCA2 gene are one of the two major causes of hereditary breast cancer. Protein-truncating mutations of BRCA2 are usually deleterious and increase the risk of breast cancer up to 80% over a lifetime. A few missense mutations in BRCA2 are believed to have a similarly high penetrance, apart from more common neutral polymorphisms. It is often difficult to classify a particular sequence variant as a mutation or a polymorphism. For a deleterious variant, one would expect a greater allele frequency in breast cancer cases than in ethnic-matched controls. In contrast, neutral polymorphic variants should be equally frequent in the two groups.

Methods

We genotyped 3,241 cases of breast cancer diagnosed at under 51 years of age, unselected for family history, from 18 hospitals throughout Poland and 2,791 ethnic-matched controls for a single BRCA2 C5972T variant.

Results

The variant was present in approximately 6% of the Polish population. In the study, 13 women (11 cases and two controls (OR = 4.7; p = 0.02)) were homozygous for the variant allele. The overall odds ratio for breast cancer in women with a single copy of the BRCA2 C5972T variant was 1.1 (p = 0.7); however, the effect was significant for patients diagnosed at or before age 40 (OR = 1.4; p = 0.04). We reviewed the association between the BRCA2 variant in different histologic subgroups and found the effect most pronounced in women who had ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) with micro-invasion (OR = 2.8; p < 0.0001).

Conclusion

The BRCA2 C5972T allele is a common variant in Poland that increases the risk of DCIS with micro-invasion. The homozygous state is rare but increases the risk of breast cancer five-fold.
A Neural Network Model for Attribute‐Based Decision Processes
Authors: Usher Marius , Zakay Dan
Published: October 2005

We propose a neural model of multiattribute‐decision processes, based on an attractor neural network with dynamic thresholds. The model may be viewed as a generalization of the elimination by aspects model, whereby simultaneous selection of several aspects is allowed. Depending on the amount of synaptic inhibition, various kinds of scanning strategies may be performed, leading in some cases to vacillations among the alternatives. The model predicts that decisions of a longer time duration exhibit a lower violation of the simple scalability law, as opposed to shorter decisions. Furthermore, the model is suggested as a general attribute‐based decision module. Accordingly, various decision strategies are manifested depending on the module's parameters.
The Beginnings of Expertise for Ballads
Authors: Rubin David C. , Wallace Wanda T. , Houston Barbara C.
Published: October 2005

To study the beginning stages of expertise, 14 students, who were inexperienced with ballads, heard and recalled a series of 5 ballads over the course of 5 weeks. Compared with their first recall of the first ballad, their first recall of the fifth ballad had one and a half times as many words, two times as many rhyming words, and three times as much line structure evident in the written recall protocols. Compared with novices, the 14 beginning experts more often filled in blank spaces in novel ballads with words of the correct number of syllables and more often chose the original stanza of a novel ballad that was paired with a changed version of the stanza. The beginning experts were also able to compose, in 20 min, ballads about two thirds as long as the 10‐stanza ballads they learned. Thirty characteristics were identified in the set of the five learned ballads. The ballads composed by the beginning experts used over half of these. The beginning experts also explicitly stated about one quarter of these 30 characteristics, but there was no statistical relationship between the characteristics used and the characteristics stated. Memory expertise is viewed as a pervasive aspect of cognition in which people make use of a variety of regularities in the material to be learned.
TCE Removal from Porous Media Using an Ozone-saturated Solvent
Authors: Alcántara-Garduño Martha Elena , Okuda Tetsuji , Nishijima Wataru , Okada Mitsumasa
Published: October 2005

A new technique for rapid and complete removal of trichloroethylene (TCE) from porous media was developed on the basis of chemical decomposition by ozone added to flushing solvent. The rate of TCE removal by the combination process of ozone with acetic acid flushing was from 1.2 to 2.5 times as high as the flushing process without ozone due to the chemical decomposition of TCE not only dissolved in the solution but also adsorbed on the porous media.
Structural Characterization of Ruthenium–Dioxolene Complexes with RuII–SQ and RuII–Cat Frameworks
Authors: Fujihara Tetsuaki , Okamura Rei , Tanaka Koji
Published: October 2005

The structural and electronic properties of [RuII(trpy)(ClSQ)(PPh3)]+ (trpy = 2,2′:6′,2″-terpyridine; ClSQ = 4-chlorobenzosemiquinonate) and [RuII(trpy)(ClCat)(PPh3)] (ClCat = 4-chlorocatecholate) have been characterized by X-ray diffractometry, UV–vis spectroscopy, ESR, and electrochemistry.
Application of Mixed Polymer Langmuir–Blodgett Films with Poly(3-hexylthiophene) to a Hole-injection Layer for Organic EL Devices
Authors: Aoki Atsushi , Maeda Shin-nosuke , Kawai Yasuyuki , Tanaka Toshiki , Miyashita Tokuji
Published: October 2005

Performance of the mixed poly(3-hexylthiophene) (PHT) Langmuir–Blodgett (LB) films on hole-injection for organic electroluminescent (EL) devices was investigated. Onset voltage of EL devices using PHT LB films decreased with increasing number of layers because of reduction of energy barrier of hole injection from indium-tin-oxide (ITO) anode to PHT films. Current efficiency was improved at the monolayer PHT LB film EL devices.
Transshipment and Its Impact on Supply Chain Members’ Performance
Authors: Zhang Jun
Published: October 2005

This note extends some of the key results of Dong and Rudi (2004) to general demand distributions. This generalization is achieved in two steps. First, we build on the analysis of Dong and Rudi to demonstrate that an inventory problem with transshipment is equivalent to a newsvendor problem with an adjusted demand. Then, we study the impact of transshipment by comparing the adjusted demand with the original demand. In addition to extending the results in the existing literature, this note presents a novel approach for analyzing the impact of risk pooling.
Bundling with Customer Self-Selection: A Simple Approach to Bundling Low-Marginal-Cost Goods
Authors: Hitt Lorin M. , Chen Pei-yu
Published: October 2005

With declining costs of distributing digital products comes renewed interest in strategies for pricing goods with low marginal costs. In this paper, we evaluate customized bundling, a pricing strategy that gives consumers the right to choose up to a quantity M of goods drawn from a larger pool of N different goods for a fixed price. We show that the complex mixed-bundle problem can be reduced to the customized-bundle problem under some commonly used assumptions. We also show that, for a monopoly seller of low marginal cost goods, this strategy outperforms individual selling (M = 1) and pure bundling (M = N) when goods have a positive marginal cost or when customers have heterogeneous preferences over goods. Comparative statics results also show that the optimal bundle size for customized bundling decreases in both heterogeneity of consumer preferences over different goods and marginal costs of production. We further explore how the customized-bundle solution is affected by factors such as the nature of distribution functions in which valuations are drawn, the correlations of values across goods, and the complementarity or substitutability among products. Altogether, our results suggest that customized bundling has a number of advantages—both in theory and practice—over other bundling strategies in many relevant settings.
Hub Arc Location Problems: Part I—Introduction and Results
Authors: Campbell J. F. , Ernst A. T. , Krishnamoorthy M.
Published: October 2005

Hub networks play an important role in many transportation and telecommunications systems. This paper introduces a new model called the hub arc location model. Rather than locate discrete hub facilities, this model locates hub arcs, which have reduced unit flow costs. Four special cases of the general hub arc location model are examined in detail. We provide motivation for the new models, and present examples and optimal solutions, using data for U.S. air passenger traffic. Results are used to compare optimal costs, hub locations, and hub arc locations with corresponding hub median optimal solutions. The results reveal interesting spatial patterns and help identify promising cities and regions for hubs. A companion paper (Campbell et al. 2005) presents integer programming formulations and solution algorithms for the new hub arc problems. It also provides details and computation times for these solution algorithms.