bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
High‐rate pulmonary involvement in autoimmune pancreatitis
Authors: Hirano K. , Kawabe T. , Komatsu Y. , Matsubara S. , Togawa O. , Arizumi T. , Yamamoto N. , Nakai Y. , Sasahira N. , Tsujino T. , Toda N. , Isayama H. , Tada M. , Omata M.
Published: December 2005

Autoimmune pancreatitis (AIP) has extrapancreatic complications such as Sjögren's syndrome, retroperitoneal fibrosis and sclerosing cholangitis. We studied 30 patients with AIP. Of these, we identified pulmonary involvement in four patients during follow up. Among them, two patients had respiratory failure. They showed good response to steroid therapy, but a higher dose of prednisolone was necessary to maintain remission than that required in biliary involvement. Elevation of immunoglobulin G4 and Krebs von den Lungen‐6 levels were characteristic of pulmonary involvement. They may be useful for early detection of pulmonary complication.
Removal of selenate from sulfate‐containing media by sulfate‐reducing bacterial biofilms
Authors: Hockin Simon , Gadd Geoffrey M.
Published: December 2005

A biofilm‐selected strain of a Desulfomicrobium sp. removed selenate from solution to sub‐micromolar concentrations during growth on lactate (or hydrogen) and sulfate. Under sulfate‐limited growth conditions, selenium was enzymatically reduced to selenide. Under excess sulfate conditions, selenate removal was primarily by enzymatic reduction to elemental selenium. Sequestration by biofilms was greater under the latter condition. Experiments with washed cell suspensions showed that high sulfate concentrations inhibited cell‐specific selenate reduction, but when growing cells were exposed to selenate, the biomass increase achieved during incubations with abundant sulfate resulted in more rapid selenate removal. The addition of small amounts of sulfite, or thiosulfate, ameliorated this inhibition. Nitrate also inhibited selenate reduction in washed cell suspensions, apparently due to a general oxidizing effect. These results suggest that where biofilm‐based sulfate‐reducing bacteria (SRB) bioreactors are considered for the treatment of mixed metalliferous wastes that contain selenium oxyanions, adequate selenate removal should be achievable under a range of environmental conditions. The form and fate of the precipitated product will, however, be influenced by the dominant reduction pathway, which is controlled by environmental variables.
Distribution of the Mycobacterium community and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) among different size fractions of a long‐term PAH‐contaminated soil
Authors: Uyttebroek Maarten , Breugelmans Philip , Janssen Mieke , Wattiau Pierre , Joffe Boris , Karlson Ulrich , Ortega‐Calvo Jose‐Julio , Bastiaens Leen , Ryngaert Annemie , Hausner Martina , Springael Dirk
Published: December 2005

Mycobacterium is often isolated from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)‐contaminated soil as degraders of PAHs. In model systems, Mycobacterium shows attachment to the PAH substrate source, which is considered to be a particular adaptation to low bioavailability as it results into increased substrate flux to the degraders. To examine whether PAH‐degrading Mycobacterium in real PAH‐contaminated soils, in analogy with model systems, are preferentially associated with PAH‐enriched soil particles, the distribution of PAHs, of the PAH‐mineralizing capacity and of Mycobacterium over different fractions of a soil with an aged PAH contamination was investigated. The clay fraction contained the majority of the PAHs and showed immediate pyrene‐ and phenanthrene‐mineralizing activity upon addition of 14C‐labelled pyrene or phenanthrene. In contrast, the sand and silt fractions showed a lag time of 15–26 h for phenanthrene and 3–6 days for pyrene mineralization. The maximum pyrene and phenanthrene mineralization rates of the clay fraction expressed per gram fraction were three to six times higher than those of the sand and silt fractions. Most‐probable‐number (MPN)‐polymerase chain reaction demonstrated that Mycobacterium represented about 10% of the eubacteria in the clay fraction, while this was only about 0.1% in the sand and silt fractions, indicating accumulation of Mycobacterium in the PAH‐enriched clay fraction. The Mycobacterium community composition in the clay fraction represented all dominant Mycobacterium populations of the bulk soil and included especially species related to Mycobacterium pyrenivorans, which was also recovered as one of the dominant species in the eubacterial communities of the bulk soil and the clay fraction. Moreover, Mycobacterium could be identified among the major culturable PAH‐degrading populations in both the bulk soil and the clay fraction. The results demonstrate that PAH‐degrading mycobacteria are mainly associated with the PAH‐enriched clay fraction of the examined PAH‐contaminated soil and hence, that also in the environmental setting of a PAH‐contaminated soil, Mycobacterium might experience advantages connected to substrate source attachment.
Rapid analysis of two food‐borne microbial communities at the species level by Fourier‐transform infrared microspectroscopy
Authors: Wenning Mareike , Theilmann Vera , Scherer Siegfried
Published: December 2005

The species composition of microbial communities in natural habitats may be extremely complex and therefore a quantitative analysis of the fraction each species contributes to the consortium has proven to be difficult. During recent years, the identification of bacterial pure cultures based on their infrared spectra has been established. Fourier‐transform infrared microspectroscopy now proceeds a step further and allows identification of microorganisms directly plated from community dilutions. Infrared spectra of microcolonies of 70–250 µm in diameter can be recorded without producing a pure culture of the isolate. We have applied this novel technique for quantitative comparative analysis of two undefined, geographically separated food‐borne smear cheese microbial consortia of limited complexity. Due to the high degree of automation, up to 200 microcolonies could be identified in 1 day and, in total, 3170 infrared spectra of microcolonies were recorded. The results obtained have been verified by Fourier‐transform infrared macrospectroscopy and 16S rDNA sequencing. Interestingly, although the communities were unrelated, Staphylococcus equorum, Corynebacterium casei, Arthrobacter casei and Brevibacterium linens were found to be part of both consortia, however, with different incidence. In addition, Corynebacterium variabile, Microbacterium gubbeenense, Brachybacterium alimentarium, Enterococcus faecalis and an unknown species were detected in either one of the consortia.
Outcome of Headache Frequency in Adolescence
Authors: Laimi K , Metsähonkala L , Anttila P , Aromaa M , Vahlberg T , Salminen JJ , Sillanpää M
Published: December 2005

Only a few studies have been published of the outcome of adolescent headache (HA). The aim of this study was to examine the predictors of the outcome of headache frequency. A population-based sample of 13-year-olds with or without HA ( N = 228) was followed to the age of 16 years. HA was classified on the basis of a face-to-face interview and clinical examination. The outcomes of monthly HA (>1/month) and non-frequent HA (0-1/month) were studied. Frequent use of analgesics, female gender and multiple non-headache pain predicted the persistence of monthly HA (>1/month). Significant predictors for worsening non-frequent HA (from 0 to 1/month to >1/month) were female gender, consistent migraine and high basic educational level of one parent. Adolescents frequently using analgesics constitute a risk group for a poor outcome of HA. Especially girls meeting this criterion should be considered a target group in the planning and implementing of preventive measures.
Efficacy and Tolerability of Diclofenac Potassium Sachets in Migraine
Authors: Diener H-C , Montagna P , Gács G , Lyczak P , Schumann G , Zöller B , Mulder LJMM , Siegel J , Edson K ,   on behalf of the Study Group
Published: December 2005

A randomized, controlled, cross-over trial compared single doses of 50 mg diclofenac potassium sachets and tablets with placebo in 328 patients with migraine pain, treating 888 attacks. For the primary endpoint 24.7% of the patients were pain free at 2 h postdose with sachets, 18.5% for tablets and 11.7% for placebo. Treatment differences were significant for sachets vs. placebo ( P < 0.0001), tablets vs. placebo ( P = 0.0040) and for sachets vs. tablets ( P = 0.0035). The numbers needed to treat compared with placebo to achieve pain free at 2 h were 7.75 [95% confidence interval (CI) 5.46, 13.35] for sachets and 15.83 (95% CI 8.63, 96.20) for tablets. Sachets were also statistically superior to tablets for sustained headache response, sustained pain free and reduction in headache intensity within the first 2 h postdose measured on a visual analogue scale ( P < 0.05). Onset of analgesic effect was 15 min for sachets and 60 min for tablets. Fewer patients needed rescue medication, and there were marked improvements in accompanying symptoms and working ability with both sachets and tablets vs. placebo. No safety issues were identified. This study demonstrates that sachets offer patients suffering from migraine pain a more effective treatment with a faster onset of analgesia when compared with tablets.
Construction of a genetic linkage map of Thlaspi caerulescens and quantitative trait loci analysis of zinc accumulation
Authors: Assunção Ana G. L. , Pieper Bjorn , Vromans Jaap , Lindhout Pim , Aarts Mark G. M. , Schat Henk
Published: December 2005

Zinc (Zn) hyperaccumulation seems to be a constitutive species‐level trait in Thlaspi caerulescens. When compared under conditions of equal Zn availability, considerable variation in the degree of hyperaccumulation is observed among accessions originating from different soil types. This variation offers an excellent opportunity for further dissection of the genetics of this trait.

A T. caerulescens intraspecific cross was made between a plant from a nonmetallicolous accession [Lellingen (LE)], characterized by relatively high Zn accumulation, and a plant from a calamine accession [La Calamine (LC)], characterized by relatively low Zn accumulation.

Zinc accumulation in roots and shoots segregated in the F3 population. This population was used to construct an LE/LC amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP)‐based genetic linkage map and to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) for Zn accumulation. Two QTL were identified for root Zn accumulation, with the trait‐enhancing alleles being derived from each of the parents, and explaining 21.7 and 16.6% of the phenotypic variation observed in the mapping population.

Future development of more markers, based on Arabidopsis orthologous genes localized in the QTL regions, will allow fine‐mapping and map‐based cloning of the genes underlying the QTL.
Comparison of the life history strategies of three Dysdercus true bugs (Heteroptera: Pyrrhocoridae), with special reference to their seasonal host plant use
Authors: KOHNO Katsuyuki , BUI THI Ngan
Published: December 2005

The life history strategy and seasonal host plant use of three Dysdercus bugs (D. cingulatus, D. poecilus and D. decussatus) were compared based on 2 years of twice monthly observations on Ishigaki‐jima Island (24°N, 124°E) in the southernmost part of Japan. Dysdercus poecilus reproduced almost year round, exclusively on Sida rhombifolia, which bears fruit and/or seeds almost year round. Dysdercus cingulatus reproduced successively on various malvaceous and bombacaceous plant species, according to their seasonal fruiting cycles. Its robust reproduction was observed on Hibiscus makinoi during winter months and on Chorisia speciosa and Bombax ceiba in early summer, whereas small‐scale reproduction was observed on various malvaceous plant species during the summer and autumn months. Dysdercus decussatus reproduced on Hibiscus tiliaceus and Thespesia populnea during the summer months, when these host plants bear abundant fruit and/or seeds, and its adults formed conspicuous aggregations without copulation on the underside of the leaves of those plants from November to the subsequent May. Each Dysdercus species showed a species‐specific life history strategy according to the differences in the phenology of their host plants.
Identification of soldier‐specific genes in the nasute termite Nasutitermes takasagoensis (Isoptera: Termitidae)
Authors: HOJO Masaru , KOSHIKAWA Shigeyuki , CORNETTE Richard , MATSUMOTO Tadao , MIURA Toru
Published: December 2005

In almost all species of termites (Isoptera), there is a distinct soldier caste that specifically plays a defensive role. In many termite species, soldiers defend the colony mechanically with their mandibles. However, nasute soldiers in the subfamily Nasutitermitinae (family Termitidae) use chemical defense, projecting repellent substances synthesized in frontal glands present within the head. As the nasute soldiers always synthesize a large amount of defensive secretion after soldier differentiation, many genes involved in the biosynthesis of this secretion should always be expressed. To identify and isolate the genes related to chemical defense, we compared the gene expression profiles in the heads of soldiers and workers in a nasute termite, Nasutitermes takasagoensis, by fluorescent differential display (FDD). The ratio of soldier‐specific bands was relatively high (6.9%) compared with that of mandibulate soldiers. The distinct soldier‐specific bands were excised, and 21 sequences of cDNA fragments were cloned. Of these, only seven candidates had homologous sequences to known genes (eukaryotic initiation factor 4A‐I, 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase/isomerase family, alkaline phosphatase homolog, GTP‐binding protein, ribosomal protein S13, family 4 cytochrome P450 and an unknown protein). To exclude false positives of the FDD analysis, semi‐quantitative reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction was carried out for all 21 candidates. Only eight gene candidates (only one showed sequence homology) showed significantly higher expression levels in soldiers than in workers.
Cryptic species of the subgenusMorphnosomaLutshnik (Coleoptera: Carabidae; genusPterostichus) from Japan
Authors: SASAKAWA Kôji , KUBOTA Kôhei
Published: December 2005

Pterostichus thunbergiMorawitz and its related species of Japan are revised based on the structure of membranous parts of their genitalia for the first time, under the name of thethunbergispecies group. This species group is monophyletic and is placed in the subgenusMorphnosomaLutshnik. The monotypic subgenusMoritapterusBerlov, erected forP. thunbergi, is synonymized withMorphnosoma. Comparative study of the endophallus revealed thatP. thunbergi michinokuNakane is a junior synonym ofP. habuiand that four species should be recognized in this group. Three of them are sympatric withP. thunbergiand one of them,Pterostichus (Morphnosoma) robustistylis, is described as a new species. Molecular phylogeny based on the COI gene (mitochondrial [mt]DNA) supported its independence as a distinct species. The resultant trees of mtDNA and comparative study of morphology revealed thatP. thunbergiis probably non‐monophyletic. In the present study we suggest the presence of further cryptic species ofMorphnosomain Japan.
Parallel formation of hybrid swarms of ground beetles in the genusCarabus(Coleoptera: Carabidae) in adjacent river basins
Authors: UJIIE Masayuki , KUBOTA Kohei , SOTA Teiji , ISHIKAWA Ryosuke
Published: December 2005

Populations of forms intermediate betweenCarabus (Ohomopterus) insulicolaandCarabus (Ohomopterus) arrowianusoccur at the boundaries between the two species in the Kiso Valley, Nagano Prefecture, central Honshu, Japan. Morphological and mitochondrial DNA analyses revealed that these populations are derived from a hybrid swarm established as a result of secondary contact between the two species. A similar hybrid swarm has been reported in the Ina Valley, an adjacent river basin separated by the Kiso Mountain Range, where the two species are distributed parapatrically. The hybrid swarm individuals in the two valleys show parallelism in the morphological evolution of the male genitalia upon secondary contact and subsequent formation of hybrid swarms between the twoCarabusspecies.
Taiwan experience suggests that RhD typing for blood transfusion is unnecessary in southeast Asian populations
Authors: Lin Marie
Published: December 2005

BACKGROUND:  The high frequency of RhD (D) antigen among Taiwanese persons (99.67%) often imposes unnecessary risks of undertransfusion on D– patients awaiting D– blood. Also because of the rare occurrence of anti‐D among Taiwanese persons, routine pretransfusion D typing has been discontinued in the Mackay Memorial Hospital since 1988. This report is the retrospective evaluation of the outcome of abolishing RhD typing for Taiwanese.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:  More than 10 years of alloantibody data at Mackay Memorial Hospital Blood Bank were reviewed. The cases with anti‐D were further used to analyze the potency of D antigen and to observe whether there were differences in the incidence of anti‐D before and after discontinuation of routine D typing among Taiwanese individuals.

RESULTS:  The incidence of anti‐D before and after discontinuation of routine pretransfusion D typing has remained unchanged. The immunogenicity of D and “Mia” in Taiwanese persons is found to be similar. In terms of opportunity for immunization, however, the “Mia” antigen (phenotype frequency 7.3% in Taiwanese persons) has become the most important blood group antigen in Taiwan.

CONCLUSION:  The results strongly support the exclusion of D typing from routine compatibility testing for individuals of Taiwanese origin. Because the low incidence of D– and relatively high incidence of “Mia”+ phenotypes are common findings throughout southeast Asia, and because a population genetic study revealed that the Taiwanese people are genetically related to southern Asian populations, it is suggested that RhD typing for blood transfusion is unnecessary among southeast Asian populations.
The how and why of exocytic vesicles
Authors: Greenwalt Tibor J.
Published: December 2005

The purpose of this review is to draw the attention of general readers to the importance of cellular exocytic vesiculation as a normal mechanism of development and subsequent adjustment to changing conditions, focusing on red cell (RBC) vesiculation. Recent studies have emphasized the possible role of these microparticles as diagnostic and investigative tools. RBCs lose membrane, both in vivo and during ex vivo storage, by the blebbing of microvesicles from the tips of echinocytic spicules. Microvesicles shed by RBCs in vivo are rapidly removed by the reticuloendothelial system. During storage, this loss of membrane contributes to the storage lesion and the accumulation of the microvesicles are believed to be thrombogenic and thus to be clinically important.
Assessment of the frequency of additional cancers in patients with splenic marginal zone lymphoma
Authors: Iannitto Emilio , Minardi Viviana , Callea Vincenzo , Stelitano Caterina , Calvaruso Giuseppina , Tripodo Claudio , Quintini Gerlando , De Cantis Stefano , Ambrosetti Achille , Pizzolo Giovanni , Franco Vito , Florena Ada M. , Abbadessa Vincenzo
Published: December 2005

Abstract:  Objectives: Solid second primary cancers (SPC) have become an issue of extensive research. The purpose of the present study was to estimate the standardised incidence ratio (SIR) and the absolute excess risk (AER) of SPC in patients with splenic marginal zone lymphoma (SMZL).Methods: We investigated the incidence of additional cancers in 129 patients consecutively diagnosed with SMZL in three Italian haematological centres, asking the cooperating doctors for additional information on initial and subsequent therapies and on the onset and type of second cancers.Results: Twelve SPC were recorded (9.3%); the 3‐ and 5‐yr cumulative incidence rates were 5.5% and 18.3% respectively, with an SIR of 2.03 [95% confidence interval (CI): 1.05–3.56; P < 0.05; AER = 145.81]. Of 12 SPC observed, four were urinary tract neoplasms (SIR, 3.70; 95% CI: 1.01–9.48; P < 0.05; AER = 70.06), four were lung cancers (SIR, 9.16; 95% CI: 1.41–13.25; P < 0.05; AER = 85.50) and the other four were hepatic carcinoma, endometrial cancer, breast cancer and colorectal cancer. Conclusions: Our findings evidence a high frequency of additional cancers in patients with SMZL and suggest that the incidence rate of SPC is significantly different from that expected in the general population. The frequency of cases with urinary tract and lung malignancies in our series is higher than expected. Although confirmatory data are needed, it is our opinion that SMZL patients are at risk of second cancer and should be carefully investigated on diagnosis and monitored during the follow‐up.
Sphingosylphosphorylcholine‐induced ERK activation inhibits melanin synthesis in human melanocytes
Authors: Kim Dong‐Seok , Park Seo‐Hyoung , Kwon Sun‐Bang , Park Eun‐Sang , Huh Chang‐Hun , Youn Sang‐Woong , Park Kyoung‐Chan
Published: December 2005

Sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC) is emerging as a potent signaling‐lipid mediator. In this study, we investigated the effects of SPC on melanogenesis using cultured human melanocytes. Our results show that SPC significantly inhibits melanin synthesis in a concentration‐dependent manner, and further that it reduces the activity of tyrosinase, the rate‐limiting melanogenic enzyme. SPC treatment was also found to induce short‐thick dendrites in human melanocytes, but not to reduce tyrosinase activity in a cell‐free system, whereas kojic acid directly inhibited tyrosinase. These results suggest that SPC reduces pigmentation by indirectly regulating tyrosinase. In further experiments, SPC was found to downregulate microphthalmia‐associated transcription factor (MITF) and tyrosinase, and Western blotting showed that SPC induces the activations of extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) and 90 kDa ribosomal S6 kinase (RSK‐1). Moreover, the specific ERK pathway inhibitor, PD98059, blocked the hypopigmentation effect of SPC, and abrogated the SPC‐mediated downregulation of MITF. These results suggest that the ERK pathway is involved in the melanogenic signaling cascade, and that ERK activation by SPC reduces melanin synthesis via MITF downregulation.
LUMBOSACRAL TRANSITIONAL VERTEBRAE IN DOGS: CLASSIFICATION, PREVALENCE, AND ASSOCIATION WITH SACROILIAC MORPHOLOGY
Authors: DAMUR‐DJURIC NATASCHA , STEFFEN FRANK , HÄSSIG MICHAEL , MORGAN JOE P. , FLÜCKIGER MARK A.
Published: December 2005

The prevalence of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LTV) was determined by reviewing the pelvic radiographs of 4000 medium‐ and large‐breed dogs of 144 breeds routinely screened for canine hip dysplasia. An LTV was seen in 138 (3.5%) dogs. The prevalence was higher in German Shepherd dogs and Greater Swiss Mountain dogs than in the other breeds, suggesting a genetic predisposition. There was no gender predisposition. The transverse processes of the LTV were divided into three types based on their morphological characteristics: lumbar type or type 1; intermediate type or type 2; and sacral type or type 3. In a symmetric LTV, both transverse processes are of the same type, while in an asymmetric LTV they are not. The frequency of occurrence of symmetric and asymmetric LTV was similar. In symmetric LTV, intermediate‐type transverse processes predominated. Most of the asymmetric LTV had an intermediate‐type transverse process combined with a lumbar or sacral type, respectively. Highly asymmetric LTV were often angled relative to the adjacent vertebrae. We hypothesize that an LTV is not the result of transformation of a lumbar into a sacral vertebra or vice versa, but rather is an autonomous intermediate type of vertebra. It occurs when the point of contact of the pelvis with the vertebral column is slightly cranial or caudal to its normal position. The resulting formative stimulus on the vertebral ossification centers, sagittally still separated, causes the various morphologies seen in LTV including the asymmetric variations.
COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE OF RADIOGRAPHY AND COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHY IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF MIDDLE EAR DISEASE IN 31 DOGS
Authors: ROHLEDER JACOB J. , JONES JERYL C. , DUNCAN ROBERT B. , LARSON MARTHA M. , WALDRON DON L. , TROMBLEE TONYA
Published: December 2005

The purpose of this study was to compare computed tomography (CT) and radiography for diagnosing the presence and severity of middle ear disease in dogs with a history of chronic otitis externa. Thirty‐one dogs undergoing a total ear canal ablation and bulla osteotomy were studied. Three normal dogs served as controls. All dogs were examined using radiography and CT. Three radiologists independently evaluated imaging studies in random order. A visual analog scale method was used for scoring certainty and severity of middle ear disease. Surgical findings were recorded intra‐operatively. Bulla lining samples were submitted for histopathologic evaluation and scored by a single pathologist who also used a visual analog scale system. Findings from both imaging modalities agreed more closely with surgical findings than with histopathologic findings. With either surgical or histopathologic findings as the gold standard, CT was more sensitive than and as specific as radiographs for predicting presence and severity of middle ear disease. Observer performance with CT was more consistent than the performance with radiographs in the detection of changes that occur with middle ear disease. Both radiography and CT were more accurate for predicting the severity of the disease than its presence. Findings indicate that CT is more accurate and reliable than radiography in diagnosing middle ear disease for dogs having concurrent otitis externa, but only when severity of disease is moderate or high. With low severity of disease, diagnostic certainty for both modalities becomes more variable.
THE EFFECT OF POSITIONING ON THE APPEARANCE OF SELECTED CRANIAL THORACIC STRUCTURES IN THE DOG
Authors: KIRBERGER ROBERT M. , AVNER AVI
Published: December 2005

In this retrospective study the effect of thoracic positioning on the visibility and size of selected cranial thoracic structures in dogs was investigated. Dorsoventral (DV), ventrodorsal (VD) as well as left lateral recumbent (LLR) and right lateral recumbent (RLR) thoracic radiographs of 17 large, 15 medium, and 10 small skeletally mature dogs were evaluated. The craniodorsal and cranioventral mediastinum, the cupula pleura and sternal lymph nodes were examined. The effect of obesity was also evaluated. The craniodorsal mediastinum was better delineated on DV radiographs and was wider on VD radiographs. The craniodorsal mediastinal width: width of T2 cranial end‐plate on VD radiographs was 2.41 for all groups combined and obesity significantly influenced this value. The cranioventral mediastinum was more visible in RLR and VD radiographs. A normal sternal lymph node soft tissue opacity was seen most commonly in RLR in large breed dogs and had a mean length of 30 mm. The pulmonary cupula extended beyond the first rib on all views and extended more cranially and was better visualised on VD than DV views.
CALVARIAL hYPEROSTOSIS SYNDROME IN TWO bULLMASTIFFS
Authors: McCONNELL J. F. , HAYES A. , PLATT S. R. , SMITH K. C.
Published: December 2005

Two bullmastiffs with calvarial hyperostosis syndrome are described and are the first documented examples in females. The clinical and radiologic features were similar to those previously reported in males. Magnetic resonance (MR) imaging findings have not previously been reported. One dog underwent MR imaging and abnormalities included thickening of the frontal bones with loss of normal fat signal and changes in the overlying soft tissues. In one of the dogs, long bone changes were seen in the femora and resembled those seen with craniomandibular osteopathy.
SMOOTH MUSCLE NEOPLASIA OF THE URINARY BLADDER WALL IN THREE DOGS
Authors: HENG HOCK GAN , LOWRY JENNIFER E. , BOSTON SARAH , GABEL CARLA , EHRHART NICOLE , STOCKER GULDEN SILVIA M.
Published: December 2005

Smooth muscle origin neoplasia of the urinary bladder wall is rare in dogs. This report describes the ultrasonographic features of two bladder wall leiomyomas and one bladder wall leiomyosarcoma. All three dogs had a single, smoothly marginated, round, hypo to mixed echogenicity intraluminal mass in the urinary bladder. Based on color Doppler examination of the masses, there was no visible blood flow.
RADIOGRAPHIC AND ULTRASONOGRAPHIC FINDINGS OF EMPHYSEMATOUS CYSTITIS IN FOUR NONDIABETIC FEMALE DOGS
Authors: PETITE AUDREY , BUSONI VALERIA , HEINEN MARIE‐PIERRE , BILLEN FRÉDÉRIC , SNAPS FRÉDÉRIC
Published: December 2005

The urinary bladder of four dogs with emphysematous cystitis was assessed radiographically. Ultrasonography was also performed using a 7.5‐MHz microconvex probe in dorsal recumbency and in a standing position. Ultrasonographically there were bright echoes and reverberations typical of gas in all dogs. This was entrapped in the bladder wall as it appeared in the same location in recumbent and standing positions. Bladder size was reduced and bladder content was echogenic in all dogs. In only one out of the four dogs was a gas stripe seen in the bladder on radiographs. Proteus mirabilis was isolated from the urine of all patients. Diabetes was ruled out on the basis of urine and blood analysis. A small amount of gas can be difficult to detect on radiographs. Ultrasonography appears to be a more sensitive technique for detection of gas within the bladder at an early stage of emphysematous cystitis. Prevalence of emphysematous cystitis may be underestimated if only radiographs are made.
A Method for Evaluating Horizontal Well Pumping Tests
Authors: Langseth David E. , Smyth Andrew H. , May James
Published: December 2005

Predicting the future performance of horizontal wells under varying pumping conditions requires estimates of basic aquifer parameters, notably transmissivity and storativity. For vertical wells, there are well‐established methods for estimating these parameters, typically based on either the recovery from induced head changes in a well or from the head response in observation wells to pumping in a test well. Comparable aquifer parameter estimation methods for horizontal wells have not been presented in the ground water literature. Formation parameter estimation methods based on measurements of pressure in horizontal wells have been presented in the petroleum industry literature, but these methods have limited applicability for ground water evaluation and are based on pressure measurements in only the horizontal well borehole, rather than in observation wells. This paper presents a simple and versatile method by which pumping test procedures developed for vertical wells can be applied to horizontal well pumping tests. The method presented here uses the principle of superposition to represent the horizontal well as a series of partially penetrating vertical wells. This concept is used to estimate a distance from an observation well at which a vertical well that has the same total pumping rate as the horizontal well will produce the same drawdown as the horizontal well. This equivalent distance may then be associated with an observation well for use in pumping test algorithms and type curves developed for vertical wells. The method is shown to produce good results for confined aquifers and unconfined aquifers in the absence of delayed yield response. For unconfined aquifers, the presence of delayed yield response increases the method error.
Ground Water Flow Parameterization of an Appalachian Coal Mine Complex
Authors: Winters William R. , Capo Rosemary C.
Published: December 2005

We examined a large (240 km2) northern Appalachian bituminous coal basin (Irwin Syncline, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania) comprising 27 mine complexes with nine major (> 2.5 × 103 L/min) discharges. The synclinal basin was divided into seven subbasins based on equilibrium hydraulic relationships established during the past 25 years. Recharge rates, mine pool velocity, and residence times respond to hydraulic changes in the overburden induced by mine subsidence. The estimated maximum depth for subsidence fractures is 60 m (30 times mined thickness) with recharge rates decreasing significantly in subbasins with thicker overburden (> 75 m). Calculated subbasin recharge rates range from 2 to 6 × 10−4 L/min/m2 and are significantly lower than the previously used rate for the basin. Residence time of ground water in the Irwin subbasins calculated using average linear velocity ranged from one to five years and were more consistent with field observations than estimates obtained using discharge and basin volume area. A positive correlation (r2= 0.80) exists between net alkalinity of the mine water‐impacted discharges and residence time in the mine pools. Our results for the Irwin coal basin suggest that use of a subbasin approach incorporating overburden depth, mining methodology, and the extent of postmining inundation will lead to improved determination of ground water flow parameters in mined watersheds in northern Appalachia and elsewhere.
Scale Effect and Calibration of Contaminant Transport Models
Authors: Wang Fuli , Bright John
Published: December 2005

The influence on solute transport of the small‐scale spatial variation of aquifer hydraulic conductivity (K) was analyzed by comparing results from fine‐grid (2 m by 2 m) simulations of a synthetic heterogeneous aquifer to those from coarse‐grid (8 m by 4 m) simulations of an equivalent homogeneous aquifer. Realizations of the K field of the heterogeneous aquifer were generated, using the Monte Carlo approach, from a lognormal distribution with mean log K of 2 (K in m/d) and three levels of log K variance of 0.1, 0.5, and 1.0. Numerical simulation results show that the average standard deviation of point concentrations increased from 1.21 to 5.78 when the value of log K variance was increased from 0.1 to 1.0. The average discrepancy between modeled concentrations (obtained from a coarse‐grid deterministic numerical simulation) and the actual mean point concentrations (obtained from fine‐grid Monte Carlo numerical simulations) increased from 0.91 to 4.23 with the increase in log K variance. The results from this study illustrate the uncertainty in predictions from contaminant transport models due to their inability to simulate the effects of heterogeneities at scales smaller than the model grid.
Transport of Pharmaceutically Active Compounds in Saturated Laboratory Columns
Authors: Scheytt Traugott , Mersmann Petra , Leidig Marcus , Pekdeger Asaf , Heberer Thomas
Published: December 2005

Occurrences of pharmaceutically active compounds in surface water and sewage water have been widely reported. Investigations show the presence of several classes of pharmaceuticals such as antirheumatics (e.g., diclofenac), analgesics (e.g., propyphenazone), and blood lipid regulators (clofibric acid), even in ground water. Compared to their occurrences in surface water, however, the reported incidences of drugs in ground water are much rarer. This may be due to the input, but also to transport processes and degradation in the aquifer.

In field studies investigating ground water sampled at a bank infiltration site at Lake Tegel, Berlin, Germany, clofibric acid was found at concentrations up to 290 ng/L, and propyphenazone up to 250 ng/L, whereas concentrations of diclofenac were around the detection limit.

The aim of this study was to investigate the ground water transport behavior of the pharmaceuticals clofibric acid, propyphenazone, and diclofenac with a laboratory soil column experiment. Results show that clofibric acid exhibits no degradation and almost no retardation (Rf= 1.1). Diclofenac (Rf= 2.0) and propyphenazone (Rf= 1.6) are retarded, whereas significant degradation was not observed for both pharmaceuticals under the prevailing conditions in the soil column. We conclude that the concentration distribution of the pharmaceuticals at the bank filtration site at Lake Tegel is controlled by sorption, desorption, and input variation, rather than by degradation.
A Tracer Dilution Method for Fracture Characterization in Bedrock Wells
Authors: Brainerd Richard J. , Robbins Gary A.
Published: December 2005

This investigation was undertaken to develop an integrated method of downhole fracture characterization using a tracer. The method presented can be used to locate water‐bearing fractures that intersect the well, to determine the ambient fracture flow rate and hydraulic head, and to calculate fracture transmissivity. The method was tested in two fractured crystalline bedrock wells located at the University of Connecticut in Storrs. The method entails injecting a tracer (uranine dye) into the well, while at the same time water is pumped out of the well. After steady‐state conditions are reached, a borehole tracer concentration profile is developed. The dilution of the tracer is used to locate the inflowing fractures and to determine their flow rate. The fracture flow rate, plus the drawdown in the well, is then used to determine the fracture hydraulic head, transmissivity, and ambient flow rate.
Regulation of neuronal type genes in congestive heart failure rats
Authors: Andersson K. B. , Florholmen G. , Winer L. H. , Tønnessen T. , Christensen G.
Published: December 2005

Aim:  After myocardial infarction (MI), complex changes in the heart occur during progression into congestive heart failure (CHF). This study sought to identify regulated genes that could have a functional role in some of the changes seen in CHF.

Methods:  Myocardial infarction was induced by ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) in Wistar rats. Gene expression changes in 1‐ and 7‐day MI left ventricular myocardium was analysed using complementary DNA (cDNA) filter arrays. Regulated genes were identified by repeated measurements and a ranked ratio analysis method.

Results:  A total of 135 genes were identified as differentially expressed. A few genes were robustly regulated at 1‐day MI. In 7‐day CHF hearts, changes in the expression of neuronal type genes was prominent (32%, n = 28). Eleven of these genes with no described association with CHF were selected for validation. One gene failed the validation. In CHF hearts, the expression of the muscarinic m4 (Chrm4) and nicotinic α4 (Chrna4) acetylcholin receptors, the ATP receptor P2rx4, nerve growth factor receptor (Ngfr), discoidin domain receptor 1 (Ddr1), neuronal pentraxin receptor (Nptxr), peripheral myelin protein Pmp‐22, leukocyte type 12‐lipoxygenase (Alox15), cytochrome P450 4F5 (Cyp4F5) and cardiac Kcne1 were all increased (range 1.6–6.0‐fold, P < 0.01 for all genes). The lack of significant regulation of these genes at 1‐day post‐MI, suggests that the induction of these genes at 7‐day post‐MI is not a short‐term response induced by the infarct itself.

Conclusion:  These neuronal type genes may participate in underlying processes that affect contractility, intracardiac nerve function and development of arrhythmias in CHF hearts.
ECL cell histamine mobilization and parietal cell stimulation in the rat stomach studied by microdialysis and electron microscopy
Authors: Fykse V. , Solligård E. , Bendheim M. Ø. , Chen D. , Grønbech J. E. , Sandvik A. K. , Waldum H. L.
Published: December 2005

Aim:  Gastrin stimulates acid secretion by mobilizing histamine from enterochromaffin‐like (ECL) cells that occur predominantly at the base of the gastric glands. The parietal cells occur higher up in the glands nearer to the gastric lumen. The present study was performed to assess whether histamine is transported from the ECL cell via the microcirculation (endocrine route) or local diffusion (paracrine route).

Methods:  Totally isolated, vascularly perfused, rat stomachs were examined both in basal and gastrin‐stimulated state. Histamine concentrations, determined by radioimmunoassay in venous effluent and microdialysate from an indwelling probe in the submucosa, were monitored over a period of 240 min. Gastrin‐17 was infused through an arterial catheter for 120 min. The parietal cells were examined by electron microscopy, and the percentage of actively secreting parietal cells (displaying secretory canaliculi) in four regions along the glands (basal to surface, zones I–IV) was determined.

Results:  Gastrin stimulated acid secretion and histamine release as well as parietal cell activation. Upon gastrin stimulation, histamine concentration in the microdialysate was 2.5‐fold higher than in the venous effluent (P = 0.008). The parietal cells in the upper part of the gland (zone III) were found to be activated the most.

Conclusion:  As the histamine concentrations were higher in the tissue (microdialysate) than in blood, histamine seems to reach the parietal cells via the paracrine route. The fraction of active parietal cells seems to depend more on the age of the parietal cells than on the distance from the ECL cell.
Fluctuations in carotid arterial distensibility during the menstrual cycle do not influence cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity
Authors: Hayashi K. , Miyachi M. , Seno N. , Takahashi K. , Yamazaki K. , Sugawara J. , Yokoi T. , Onodera S. , Mesaki N.
Published: December 2005

Aim:  Fluctuations in autonomic nervous functions throughout the menstrual cycle and the underlying mechanism concerning them are not well known. This study was designed to test the hypothesis that fluctuations in cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) throughout the menstrual cycles of young women are due to fluctuations in carotid arterial distensibility.

Methods:  In eight eumenorrhoeic healthy young women (18–24 years), we determined the variations in the carotid arterial distensibility coefficient (DC; via simultaneous ultrasonography and applanation tonometry), cardiovagal BRS (phase IV of the Valsalva manoeuvre and the sequence method; up‐ or down‐sequence spontaneous BRS), and serum oestradiol and progesterone concentrations at five points in the menstrual cycle (menstrual = M, follicular = F, ovulatory = O, early luteal = EL, and late luteal = LL).

Results:  Serum oestradiol and progesterone levels were consistent with the predicted cycle phases. Carotid arterial DC fluctuated cyclically, increasing significantly from the M (52.4 ± 4.9 × 10−3 kPa−1, mean ± SE) and F (52.7 ± 4.4) phases to the O (57.6 ± 4.4) phase and declining sharply in the EL (46.0 ± 4.0) and LL (45.1 ± 3.0) phases (F = 6.37, P < 0.05). Contrary to our prediction, however, cardiovagal BRS by the Valsalva manoeuvre (P = 0.73) or sequence method (up‐sequence spontaneous BRS; P = 0.84: down‐sequence spontaneous BRS; P = 0.67) did not change significantly during the menstrual cycle.

Conclusion:  The results suggest that, although carotid arterial distensibility fluctuates with the changes in ovarian hormone levels that occur during the menstrual cycle, the fluctuations in carotid arterial distensibility do not influence cardiovagal BRS.
Using neutral landscapes to identify patterns of aggregation across resource points
Authors: Lancaster Jill
Published: December 2005

Many organisms are aggregated within resource patches and aggregated spatially across landscapes with multiple resources. Such patchy distributions underpin models of population regulation and species coexistence, so ecologists require methods to analyse spatially‐explicit data of resource distribution and use. I describe a method for analysing maps of resources and testing hypotheses about how resource distribution influences the distribution of organisms, where resource patches can be described as points in a landscape and the number of organisms on each resource point is known. Using a mark correlation function and the linearised form of Ripley's K‐function, this version of marked point pattern analysis can characterise and test hypotheses about the spatial distribution of organisms (marks) on resource patches (points). The method extends a version of point pattern analysis that has wide ecological applicability, it can describe patterns over a range of scales, and can detect mixed patterns. Statistically, Monte Carlo permutations are used to estimate the difference between the observed and expected values of the mark correlation function. Hypothesis testing employs a flexible neutral landscape approach in which spatial characteristics of point patterns are preserved to some extent, and marks are randomised across points. I describe the steps required to identify the appropriate neutral landscape and apply the analysis. Simulated data sets illustrate how the choice of neutral landscape can influence ecological interpretations, and how this spatially‐explicit method and traditional dispersion indices can yield different interpretations. Interpretations may be general or context‐sensitive, depending on information available about the underlying point pattern and the neutral landscape. An empirical example of caterpillars exploiting food plants illustrates how this technique might be used to test hypotheses about adult oviposition and larval dispersal. This approach can increase the value of survey data, by making it possible to quantify the distribution of resource points in the landscape and the pattern of resource use by species.
Body mass changes in Brünnich's guillemots Uria lomvia with age and breeding stage
Authors: J. Gaston Anthony , Mark Hipfner J.
Published: December 2005

Body mass of Brünnich's guillemots Uria lomvia breeding at Coats Island, Canada, was measured during incubation and chick‐rearing in 1988–2001. In most years, mass increased during incubation and fell after hatching, leveling off by the time chicks were 18 d old, close to the age at which chicks departed. Mass during incubation increased with age up to about 12 yr, but the mass of birds brooding chicks was not related to age. The trend towards increasing mass during incubation was mainly a consequence of mass increases of young breeders as older birds maintained a constant mass. The variation in adult mass with age during incubation seems likely to reflect age‐related variation in foraging ability, but the loss of mass after hatching, being greater for older birds, appears best explained as a response to the demands of provisioning chicks, with older birds transferring their accumulated reserves to their chicks via higher provisioning rates.
High frequency of extrapair copulation with low level of extrapair fertilization in the Lanyu scops owlOtus elegans botelensis
Authors: Hsu Yu‐Cheng , Li Shou‐Hsien , Lin Yao‐Sung , Philippart Mark T. , Severinghaus Lucia Liu
Published: December 2005

The genetic mating system is known for only a few species of owls. Most of them are genetically monogamous. The Lanyu scops owlOtus elegans botelensisbreeds in high density in the forests of Lanyu (Orchid Island), southeast of Taiwan. Because extra‐pair copulations (EPCs) have frequently been observed, we suspected a high degree of extra‐pair fertilizations (EPFs). Through intensive field observations we quantified both within‐pair and extra‐pair copulations of this owl, and used a set of microsatellite loci to assign the parentage of 200 offspring from 108 families collected between 1999 and 2004. Among copulations for which we could identify both participants, 19.77% were EPC. However, no EPC was observed in the period just before egg laying. We found only two cases of parentage mismatch among 108 broods. The first case was most likely a case of brood usurpation, which would be the first case reported in the Strigidae. The second case was an EPF resulting in one offspring. Our study found that parentage mismatch in the Lanyu scops owls to be extremely low, therefore reproductive success can be estimated accurately by simply counting chicks in nests.
All Atoms Are (About) the Same Size
Authors: Swartz Clifford
Published: December 2005

At our mother's knee we all learned that a mole of ideal gas at STP occupies a volume of 22.4 liters. Given the opportunity, we can recite that number right after saying x = −b ± b2 − 4ac2a or C2 = A2 + B2. How big is a liter? Maybe there ought to be a box in each classroom labeled 22.4 l. It's a project for a rainy afternoon. 22.4 l = 22.4 × 103 cm3. One side of such a cube would equal 322.4 × 10 cm = 28 cm.