bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Inhibition of IKK down-regulates antigen + IgE-induced TNF production by mast cells: a role for the IKK-IκB-NF-κB pathway in IgE-dependent mast cell activation
Authors: Peng Yongde , Power Melanie R , Li Bo , Lin Tong-Jun
Published: March 2005

Mast cells (MC) are major effector cells for allergic diseases. Cross-linking of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and its high-affinity receptor, FcɛRI, by antigen initiates a cascade of signaling events leading to nuclear factor (NF)-κB activation and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) production. Here, we demonstrated that inhibition of inhibitor of κB (IκB) kinase (IKK) by a peptide IKK inhibitor or by four individual chemical IKK inhibitors including 15-deoxy-prostaglandin J2, BMS-345541, SC-514, or sulindac significantly blocked IgE + trinitrophenyl (TNP)-induced TNF production by mouse bone marrow-derived MC (BMMC). Moreover, IgE + TNP induced a rapid phosphorylation of IKKα but not IKKβ in BMMC. IgE + TNP-induced phosphorylation of IKKα was accompanied with phosphorylation and degradation of IκBα, subsequent NF-κB activation, and TNF production. Inhibition of IKK by sulindac decreased IKKα phosphorylation, IκBα phosphorylation and degradation, NF-κB activation, and TNF production by BMMC. It is interesting that IgE + TNP stimulation also induced a prominent synthesis of IKKα and IκBα. Inhibition of NF-κB activity by pyrrolidine dithiocarbomate (PDTC) blocked IgE + TNP-induced IκBα synthesis. NF-κB activity and TNF production were also inhibited when PDTC was used even after IgE + TNP stimulation, suggesting a potential role for the newly synthesized IκBα in MC activation. In addition, IgE + TNP-induced IKKα and IκBα phosphorylation was inhibited by a protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitor Ro 31-8220. Taken together, our results support a role for the IKK-IκB-NF-κB pathway, which likely involves PKC in IgE-dependent TNF production by MC. Thus, IKK may serve as a new target for the regulation of MC function in allergy.
Cilia-driven fluid flow in the zebrafish pronephros, brain and Kupffer's vesicle is required for normal organogenesis
Authors: Kramer-Zucker Albrecht G. , Olale Felix , Haycraft Courtney J. , Yoder Bradley K. , Schier Alexander F. , Drummond Iain A.
Published: March 2005

Cilia, as motile and sensory organelles, have been implicated in normal development, as well as diseases including cystic kidney disease,hydrocephalus and situs inversus. In kidney epithelia, cilia are proposed to be non-motile sensory organelles, while in the mouse node, two cilia populations, motile and non-motile have been proposed to regulate situs. We show that cilia in the zebrafish larval kidney, the spinal cord and Kupffer's vesicle are motile, suggesting that fluid flow is a common feature of each of these organs. Disruption of cilia structure or motility resulted in pronephric cyst formation, hydrocephalus and left-right asymmetry defects. The data show that loss of fluid flow leads to fluid accumulation, which can account for organ distension pathologies in the kidney and brain. In Kupffer's vesicle,loss of flow is associated with loss of left-right patterning, indicating that the `nodal flow' mechanism of generating situs is conserved in non-mammalian vertebrates.
Components of the transcriptional Mediator complex are required for asymmetric cell division inC. elegans
Authors: Yoda Akinori , Kouike Hiroko , Okano Hideyuki , Sawa Hitoshi
Published: March 2005

Asymmetric cell division is a fundamental process that produces cellular diversity during development. In C. elegans, the Wnt signaling pathway regulates the asymmetric divisions of a number of cells including the T blast cell. We found that the let-19 and dpy-22 mutants have defects in their T-cell lineage, and lineage analyses showed that the defects were caused by disruption in the asymmetry of the T-cell division. We found that let-19 and dpy-22 encode homologs of the human proteins MED13/TRAP240 and MED12/TRAP230, respectively, which are components of the Mediator complex. Mediator is a multi-component complex that can regulate transcription by transducing the signals between activators and RNA polymerase in vitro. We also showed that LET-19 and DPY-22 form a complex in vivo with other components of Mediator, SUR-2/MED23 and LET-425/MED6. In the let-19 and dpy-22 mutants, tlp-1, which is normally expressed asymmetrically between the T-cell daughters through the function of the Wnt pathway, was expressed symmetrically in both daughter cells. Furthermore, we found that the let-19 and dpy-22 mutants were defective in the fusion of the Pn.p cell, a process that is regulated by bar-1/β-catenin. Ectopic cell fusion in bar-1 mutants was suppressed by the let-19 or dpy-22 mutations, while defective cell fusion in let-19 mutants was suppressed by lin-39/Hox mutations, suggesting that let-19 and dpy-22 repress the transcription of lin-39. These results suggest that LET-19 and DPY-22 in the Mediator complex repress the transcription of Wnt target genes.
Role of the hindbrain in dorsoventral but not anteroposterior axial specification of the inner ear
Authors: Bok Jinwoong , Bronner-Fraser Marianne , Wu Doris K.
Published: March 2005

An early and crucial event in vertebrate inner ear development is the acquisition of axial identities that in turn dictate the positions of all subsequent inner ear components. Here, we focus on the role of the hindbrain in establishment of inner ear axes and show that axial specification occurs well after otic placode formation in chicken. Anteroposterior (AP) rotation of the hindbrain prior to specification of this axis does not affect the normal AP orientation and morphogenesis of the inner ear. By contrast, reversing the dorsoventral (DV) axis of the hindbrain results in changing the DV axial identity of the inner ear. Expression patterns of several ventrally expressed otic genes such as NeuroD, Lunatic fringe (Lfng)and Six1 are shifted dorsally, whereas the expression pattern of a normally dorsal-specific gene, Gbx2, is abolished. Removing the source of Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) by ablating the floor plate and/or notochord,or inhibiting SHH function using an antibody that blocks SHH bioactivity results in loss of ventral inner ear structures. Our results indicate that SHH, together with other signals from the hindbrain, are important for patterning the ventral axis of the inner ear. Taken together, our studies suggest that tissue(s) other than the hindbrain confer AP axial information whereas signals from the hindbrain are necessary and sufficient for the DV axial patterning of the inner ear.
Nuclear import of the histone acetyltransferase complex SAS-I inSaccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Schaper Sigrid , Franke Jacqueline , Meijsing Sebastiaan H. , Ehrenhofer-Murray Ann E.
Published: March 2005

The protein complex SAS-I links histone acetylation to the assembly of repressed chromatin in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Sas2p, the histone acetyltransferase subunit of SAS-I, forms a complex with Sas4p and Sas5p, which are both required for maximal complex activity. In this study, we found that Sas4p was the central subunit of the SAS-I complex, bridging Sas2p and Sas5p. We demonstrated that the nuclear import of Sas2p and Sas5p was mediated by two karyopherins/importins, Kap123p and Pse1p, and both were associated in vivo with these importins. By contrast, Sas4p was not a substrate of Kap123p or Pse1p, suggesting that the nuclear import of the SAS-I subunits occurred independently of each other. Several other non-essential karyopherins were not involved in the nuclear import of SAS-I subunits. When the putative nuclear localization signal (NLS) of Sas2p was deleted, nuclear accumulation of Sas2p was significantly decreased. By contrast, deletion of the proposed NLS of Sas4p had no influence on its nuclear localization. An unknown signal region was located in the N-terminal domain of Sas5p and was responsible for the nuclear import by Kap123p and Pse1p. We found a striking similarity between the NLS sequences of Sas2p and those of histones H3 and H4, which were recently reported to be further import substrates of Kap123p and Pse1p. A database search based on the aligned consensus sequence revealed potential new import substrates of the Kap123p and Pse1p nuclear import pathways, which are connected to chromatin function.
Distinct Roles of Calcineurin-Nuclear Factor of Activated T-Cells and Protein Kinase A-cAMP Response Element-Binding Protein Signaling in Presynaptic Differentiation
Authors: Yoshida Tomoyuki , Mishina Masayoshi
Published: March 2005

Synaptic vesicle accumulation and morphological changes are characteristic features of axon terminal differentiation during synaptogenesis. To investigate the regulatory mechanism that orchestrates synaptic molecules to form mature presynaptic terminals, we visualized a single axon terminal of zebrafish olfactory sensory neuronsin vivoand examined the effects of the neuron-specific gene manipulations on the axon terminal differentiation. Synaptic vesicles visualized with vesicle-associated membrane protein 2 (VAMP2)-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) fusion protein gradually accumulated in axon terminals, whereas the axon terminals visualized with GAP43 fused with EGFP remodeled from complex shapes with filopodia to simple shapes without filopodia from 50 h postfertilization (hpf) to 84 hpf. Expression of dominant-negative protein kinase A (PKA) or cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) suppressed the VAMP2-EGFP punctum formation in axon terminals during synaptogenesis. Consistently, constitutively active PKA or CREB stimulated VAMP2-EGFP puncta formation. On the other hand, cyclosporine A treatment or suppression of nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) activation prevented the axon terminal remodeling from complex to simple shapes during synaptogenesis. Consistently, expression of constitutively active calcineurin accelerated the axon terminal remodeling. These results suggest that calcineurin-NFAT signaling regulates axon terminal remodeling, and PKA-CREB signaling controls synaptic vesicle accumulation.
After Colonialism: Imperial Histories and Postcolonial Displacements; Orientalism and the Postcolonlal Predicament: Perspectives on South Asia
Authors: Peabody Norbert
Published: March 2005

After Colonialism: Imperial Histories and Postcolonial Displacements. GYAN PRAKASH, ed. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1995. viii + 352 pp., notes, contributors, index.

Orientalism and the Postcolonlal Predicament: Perspectives on South Asia. CAROL A. BRECKENRIDGE and PETER VAN DER VEER, eds. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 1993. viii + 355 pp. notes, references, contributors, index.
Bridges to Humanity: Narratives on Anthropology and Friendship
Authors: Reed‐Danahay Deborah E.
Published: March 2005

Bridges to Humanity: Narratives on Anthropology and Friendship. BRUCE GRINDAL and FRANK SALAMONE. Prospect Heights, IL: Waveland Press, 1995. 260 pp., references.
Language and Communicative Practices
Authors: Hill Jane H.
Published: March 2005

Language and Communicative Practices. WILLIAM F. HANKS. Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 1996. xvi + 335 pp., figures, tables, bibliography, Index.
From the Enemy's Point of View: Humanity and Divinity in an Amazonian Society
Authors: Schmidt Donatella
Published: March 2005

From the Enemy's Point of View: Humanity and Divinity in an Amazonian Society. EDUARDO VIVEIROS DE CASTRO. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1992. xx + 407 pp., maps, tables, notes, index.
Risky Rivers: The Economics and Politics of Floodplain Farming in Amazonia
Authors: Ortiz Sutti
Published: March 2005

Risky Rivers: The Economics and Politics of Floodplain Farming in Amazonia. MICHAEL CHIBNIK. Tucson: University of Arizona Press, 1994. xx + 267 pp., figures, tables, appendix, glossary, references, index.
Traditional Beluga Drives of the lñupiat of Kotzebue Sound, Alaska
Authors: Niezen Ronald
Published: March 2005

Traditional Beluga Drives of the lñupiat of Kotzebue Sound, Alaska. CHARLES V. LUCIER and JAMES W. VANSTONE. Chicago: Field Museum of Natural History, 1995. Fieldiana, 25. Illustrations, references.
Caste and Capitalism In Colonial India‐ The Nattukottal Chettlars
Authors: Hancock Mary
Published: March 2005

Caste and Capitalism In Colonial India; The Nattukottal Chettlars. DAVID WEST RUDNER Berkeley and Los Angeles: University of Callfornia Press, 1994. xix + 341 pp., figures, plates, tables, appendixes, glossary, notes, references, index.
Of songs and signs: Audiocassette poetry, moral character, and the culture of circulation in Yemen
Authors: Miller Flagg
Published: March 2005

A problematic of authorial subjects, character (tibāc) has long provided a generative reflexive template in Yemeni textual practice. As contemporary vernacular poets and singers consider the benefits and costs of an audio‐recording industry for the integrities of political speakers, they use a graphic alienation inherent to a trope of character to articulate moral ambivalences over, and expressive possibilities of, authorial iteration. In this article, I propose a framework for considering the moral entailments of a culture of circulation.
Higher Echoes of the Past in the Finale of Schumann's 1842 Piano Quartet
Authors: Hedges Brown Julie
Published: March 2005

Critics have long emphasized the stylistic distanced between Robert Schumann's early piano music and the more traditional works of the early 1840s. This essay clarifies-precisely by questioning-this seeming divide, showing how the finale of the 1842 Piano Quartet in Eb Major, Op. 47, interacts with Schumann's compositional and personal histories in multifarious and previously unexplored ways: (1) by reworking the effect of a lyrical arabesque within a sonata-form movement to a more "redemptive" end (thus deflecting a formal strategy for the first movement of the 1836 Fantasie, Op. 17); (2) by readopting the "parallel forms" of his earlier piano sonatas; and (3) by alluding to the fifth piece of Schumann's 1838 Novelletten, Op. 21, an idea that introduces within both works a play between private and public moments that echoes aspects of Robert and Clara's life as it evolved from their early betrothal to married life in 1842. The article also demonstrates links to the works of two significant predecessors: Schubert's F-Minor Impromptu, Op. 142, and Bb-Major Piano Trio, Op. 99, and Beethoven's "Hammerklavier" Sonata, Op. 106, works evoked by the finale in ways that gauge Schumann's affinity for, yet also distance from, his precursors.
Notch/Delta4 Interaction in Human Embryonic Liver CD34+ CD38− Cells: Positive Influence on BFU-E Production and LTC-IC Potential Maintenance
Authors: Dando Jonathan S. , Tavian Manuela , Catelain Cyril , Poirault Sonia , Bennaceur-Griscelli Annelise , Sainteny Françoise , Vainchenker William , Péault Bruno , Lauret Evelyne
Published: March 2005

We investigated whether Notch signaling pathways have a role in human developmental hematopoiesis. In situ histochemistry analysis revealed that Notch1, 2, and 4 and Notch ligand (Delta1–4, and Jagged1) proteins were not expressed in the yolk sac blood islands, the para-aortic splanchnopleure, the hematopoietic aortic clusters, and at the early stages of embryonic liver hematopoiesis. Notch1–2, and Delta4 were eventually detected in the embryonic liver, from 34 until 38 days postconception. Fluorescence-activated cell sorter analysis showed that first-trimester embryonic liver CD34+CD38low cells expressed both Notch1 and Notch2. When these cells were cultured on S17 stroma stably expressing Delta4, a 2.6-fold increase in BFU-E number was observed at day 7, as compared with cultures with control stroma, and this effect was maintained for 2 weeks. Importantly, exposure of these cells to Delta4 under these conditions maintained the original frequency and quality of long-term culture-initiating cells (LTC-ICs), while control cultures quickly resulted in the extinction of this LTC-IC potential. Furthermore, short-term exposure of embryonic liver adherent cells to erythropoietin resulted in a dose-dependent increase in Delta4 expression, almost doubling the expression observed with untreated stroma. This suggests that Delta4 has a role in the regulation of hematopoiesis after a hypoxic stress in the fetus.
Breast cancer vaccines: maximizing cancer treatment by tapping into host immunity
Authors: Emens L A , Reilly R T , Jaffee E M
Published: March 2005

Optimizing standard treatment modalities for breast cancer has improved the outlook for women afflicted with it, but the fact that 40% still ultimately die from the disease highlights the need for new therapies. Remarkable advances in molecular immunology and biotechnology have created a unique opportunity for developing active vaccination strategies that engage the patient’s own immune system in the fight against breast cancer. Early clinical trials have established the safety and bioactivity of some breast cancer vaccine approaches, with a hint of clinical response. They have also highlighted the importance of elucidating the pharmacodynamic interactions between established therapies for breast cancer, such as tamoxifen, aromatase inhibitors, chemotherapy, the HER-2/neu-specific monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin), and breast cancer vaccines. Preclinical studies have simultaneously defined the importance of developing targeted approaches for circumventing established immune tolerance to breast cancer during the vaccination process. The first strategies targeting the negative influence of CD4+CD25+T regulatory cells and the CTLA-4 signaling pathway are just entering clinical testing in combination with tumor vaccines. Developing the most potent approach for activating antitumor immunity while maintaining the efficacy of standard approaches to breast cancer management will ensure that active immunotherapy is successfully integrated into the standard of care.
Molecular changes associated with the agonist activity of hydroxy-tamoxifen and the hyper-response to estradiol in hydroxy-tamoxifen-resistant breast cancer cell lines
Authors: Vendrell J A , Bieche I , Desmetz C , Badia E , Tozlu S , Nguyen C , Nicolas J C , Lidereau R , Cohen P A
Published: March 2005

The aim of this study was to explore the pharmacological response to 4-hydroxy-tamoxifen (OH-Tam) and to estradiol (E2) in three cell lines: MVLN, a human breast carcinoma cell line derived from MCF-7, and two MVLN-derived OH-Tam-resistant (OTR) cell lines, called CL6.8 and CL6.32. The OH-Tam response in the OTR cells was associated with the development of both an agonist activity of the drug on cell proliferation and the resistance of the cells to OH-Tam-induced apoptosis. The OTR cells also developed an increased sensitivity to the E2 growth-stimulating activity. To delineate the genes that determine such responses, we combined a mini-array-based gene-selection approach and an extensive real-time quantitative PCR exploration in the MVLN and OTR cell lines exposed to three pharmacological conditions: a 4-day treatment with E2, OH-Tam or both E2 and OH-Tam. Compiled data revealed a hyper-response to E2 and a modification of the OH-Tam pharmacological response (loss of antagonist action and agonist activity) at the gene-expression level. The proteins encoded by the genes selected in this study have been reported to be involved in the regulation of cell proliferation, cell transformation, DNA repair and apoptosis, or belong to the ErbB/epidermal growth factor receptor-driven pathway. Our data also provide evidence of changes in transcriptional co-regulator expression, elevated mitogen-activated protein kinase activity and increase in the phosphorylation status of estrogen receptor α on serine residue 118 in the OTR cell lines, suggesting the possible involvement of such mechanisms in the agonist activity of OH-Tam and/or the hyper-response of cells to E2. Taken together, our study should enhance our knowledge of the multifactorial events associated with the development of Tam resistance in two independent cell lines issued from the same selection process and should help in the identification of potential molecular targets for diagnosis or therapy.
Rate based modeling of a sulfite reduction bioreactor
Authors: Ebrahimi S. , Picioreanu C. , Kleerebezem R. , Heijnen J. J. , van Loosdrecht M. C. M.
Published: March 2005

A novel biological sulfite/sulfate reduction process has been evaluated using a rate‐based mathematical model. The principle of this process is that sulfate reducing bacteria reduce sulfate or sulfite to sulfide using H2 and CO2 as energy and carbon source under anaerobic conditions. The H2S gas resulting from the biological sulfate reduction is simultaneously stripped off and, in a separate stage, absorbed and oxidized to elemental sulfur. In this novel process, the biological sulfate/sulfite reduction reaction is accompanied by absorption of H2 and CO2, chemical reactions in the liquid phase and the subsequent desorption of the volatile reaction product, H2S. As a result of the complicated nature of this process, accurate simulation of the system is essential for the precise design, parameter estimation and control of the process. The proposed model adopts the film theory and includes both instantaneous equilibrium reactions and reactions with finite rates. Mass transfer resistance in the gas phase is also taken into account. The rate based process model was implemented in a packed‐bed bioreactor model to obtain reactor dimensions as a function of operational variables. A sensitivity analysis was conducted on the mathematical model to define the key parameters of the process design and performance, and to establish the optimal reactor operational conditions. © 2005 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 2005
A statistical approach to class separability
Authors: Zighed Djamel A. , Lallich Stéphane , Muhlenbach Fabrice
Published: March 2005

We propose a new statistical approach for characterizing the class separability degree in ℝp. This approach is based on a non‐parametric statistic called ‘the cut edge weight’. We show in this paper the principle and the experimental applications of this statistic. First, we build a geometrical connected graph like Toussaint's Relative Neighbourhood Graph on all examples of the learning set. Second, we cut all edges between two examples of a different class. Third, we compute the relative weight of these cut edges. If the relative weight of the cut edges is in the expected range of a random distribution of the labels on all the neighbourhood of the graph's vertices, then no neighbourhood‐based method provides a reliable prediction model. We will say then that the classes to predict are non‐separable. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
On‐line learning for very large data sets
Authors: Bottou Léon , Le Cun Yann
Published: March 2005

The design of very large learning systems presents many unsolved challenges. Consider, for instance, a system that ‘watches’ television for a few weeks and learns to enumerate the objects present in these images. Most current learning algorithms do not scale well enough to handle such massive quantities of data. Experience suggests that the stochastic learning algorithms are best suited to such tasks. This is at first surprising because stochastic learning algorithms optimize the training error rather slowly. Our paper reconsiders the convergence speed in terms of how fast a learning algorithm optimizes the testing error. This reformulation shows the superiority of the well designed stochastic learning algorithm. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Results and follow‐up after implantation of four or more sirolimus‐eluting stents in the same patient
Authors: Iakovou Ioannis , Sangiorgi Giuseppe M. , Stankovic Goran , Corvaja Nicola , Vitrella Giancarlo , Ferraro Massimo , Colombo Antonio
Published: March 2005

The aim of this study was to assess the safety and effectiveness of ≥4 sirolimus‐eluting stent (SES; Cypher, Cordis, Johnson and Johnson) implantation. The safety of implantation of ≥4 SESs in the same patient and setting has not been established. Furthermore, it has been hypothesized that sirolimus administration with the use of multiple stents may diminish the platelet inhibitory effects of clopidogrel and may trigger drug‐drug interactions. We identified 96 consecutive patients (96 procedures) who underwent implantation of ≥4 SESs in 365 lesions (438 stents) during the same procedure. All patients received aspirin indefinitely and clopidogrel or ticlopidine for at least 1 year postprocedure; 57% and 47% of the patients were on calcium channel blocker and statin therapy, respectively. All stents were successfully deployed and glycoprotein IIb/IIIa inhibitors were used in 50% of the procedures. There were no in‐hospital deaths, Q‐wave myocardial infarction (MI), urgent bypass surgery, or repeat percutaneous coronary intervention; 18 patients (19%) suffered non‐Q‐wave MI (defined as CK‐MB elevation >3 times the upper limit of normal). At 30‐day follow‐up, there was one (1%) subacute thrombosis resulting in target lesion revascularization. At mean follow‐up time of 15.4 ± 6.2 months, the frequency of target lesion revascularization, target vessel revascularization, and major adverse cardiac event rates were 12%, 16%, and 18%, respectively. No other notable clinical events that might have been attributed to the possible drug‐drug interactions or discontinuation of concomitant antithrombotic, statin, or calcium channel blocker therapy were reported. Multiple (≥4) SES implantation appears safe with no increase in major adverse cardiac events. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2005;64:436–439. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Treating chronic total occlusions using subintimal tracking and reentry: The STAR Technique
Authors: Colombo Antonio , Mikhail Ghada W. , Michev Iassen , Iakovou Ioannis , Airoldi Flavio , Chieffo Alaide , Rogacka Renata , Carlino Mauro , Montorfano Matteo , Sangiorgi Giuseppe M. , Corvaja Nicola , Stankovic Goran
Published: March 2005

Successful recanalization of coronary total occlusions (CTOs) remains an area where improvements are needed. We propose an approach similar to the one utilized in treating some peripheral artery occlusions and aimed to create a subintimal dissection with distal reentry. A 0.014′ hydrophilic wire with a J‐configuration is utilized for this purpose. We applied this technique to CTO of native coronaries in 31 patients where previous attempts failed in 21 of them (67%). The right coronary artery (RCA) was the index vessel in 87% of patients. Recanalization of the vessel and of most of distal branches was achieved in 21 patients; patency of at least one major distal branch was achieved in 9 patients. Drug‐eluting stents (DESs) were implanted in 53% of patients. Three patients had intraprocedural vessel perforation without consequences. Five patients (16%) had in‐hospital non‐Q‐wave myocardial infarction. No other adverse events occurred at a mean follow‐up of 5.1 ± 3.7 months except for one noncardiac death. Angiographic follow‐up was performed in 21 (67%) patients and 53% of them developed restenosis. Reintervention on the target vessel was performed in 11 patients (52%). Complete success with the procedure was originally obtained in 8 of the 10 patients who did not develop restenosis and in 8 of them DESs were originally implanted. This technique appears a promising approach to recanalize difficult total occlusions, particularly the ones localize on the RCA, which has the most important side branches located distally. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2005;64:407–411. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Intermediate‐term results of percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy in children less than 12 years of age
Authors: Kothari Shyam S. , Ramakrishnan S. , Kumar Chanakya K. , Juneja Rajnish , Yadav Rakesh
Published: March 2005

The objectives of this study were to review the efficacy of percutaneous transvenous mitral commissurotomy (PTMC) in young children less than 12 years of age and to provide intermediate‐term follow‐up data. There is a paucity of information regarding the long‐term efficacy of PTMC done in children less than 12 years of age. The data of 100 consecutive children less than 12 years of age (mean, 11.1 ± 1.2 years) who underwent PTMC using Inoue balloon were analyzed retrospectively. Serial clinical and echocardiographic follow‐up information of more than 6 months was available in 94 patients. The procedure was successful in 94 patients. The mean calculated mitral valve area (MVA) increased from 0.72 0.14 to 1.7 0.35 cm2 (P 0.0001). Echocardiographic restenosis (MVA ≤ 1 cm2 or > 50% gain loss) occurred in 14 of 94 patients (16%) over a mean follow‐up of 34.4 25.9 (range, 2–115) months. The improvement in New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional class was maintained in most patients (from a mean of 2.87 0.5 pre‐PTMC to 1.42 0.6 at follow‐up). Seven out of 14 patients with restenosis underwent a re‐PTMC. The actuarial rate of good functional status (survival, no repeat interventions, and NYHA class 1 or 2) at 100 months was 75.4% 8.7%. PTMC provides excellent intermediate‐term palliation even in young children with rheumatic mitral stenosis. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2005;64:487–490. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
N‐acetylcysteine prophylaxis significantly reduces the risk of radiocontrast‐induced nephropathy: Comprehensive meta‐analysis
Authors: Duong Michael H. , MacKenzie Todd A. , Malenka David J.
Published: March 2005

The objectives of this study was to assess the overall effect of N‐acetylcysteine (NAC) in preventing radiocontrast‐induced nephropathy (RCIN) using all available data in the literature. RCIN is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Existing randomized trials of NAC are small and show inconsistent results. Prior meta‐analyses do not include data from the most current studies. We used standard search protocols to identify all published articles and abstracts of prospective trials using NAC with fluid hydration compared to hydration alone in patients with chronic renal insufficiency undergoing contrast procedures. A rise in serum creatinine by 0.5 mg/dl or 25% above baseline at 48–72 hr after contrast exposure was used as the primary outcome. We identified 14 trials of NAC with 1,584 patients published as full‐text articles. Using a random‐effects model, the use of oral NAC resulted in a significant reduction in the risk for developing RCIN (RR = 0.57; 95% CI = 0.37–0.84; P = 0.01). This finding did not significantly change in a fixed‐effect model (RR = 0.55; 95% CI = 0.42–0.73) or when the data were reanalyzed using only randomized trials in all forms (i.e., articles and abstracts; RR = 0.67; 95% CI = 0.47–0.95). We identified only one important difference between the positive and the negative studies: the cumulative exposure to contrast media (174 vs. 152 ml). Metaregression did not show a significant relationship between contrast volume and the RR of developing RCIN (P > 0.10). In the trials showing benefit for NAC, the treated patients' postprocedure creatinine unexpectedly decreased by 0.21 mg/dl (95% CI = 0.33–0.08). Prophylaxis with NAC significantly reduces the risk for RCIN. The reasons for improvement in serum creatinine in patients treated with NAC are unclear, but may include improved renal blood flow due to NAC and/or vigorous hydration. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2005;64:471–479. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Wnt10a is involved in AER formation during chick limb development
Authors: Narita Tomohiro , Sasaoka Shunsuke , Udagawa Kiyoshi , Ohyama Takahiro , Wada Naoyuki , Nishimatsu Shin‐ichiro , Takada Shinji , Nohno Tsutomu
Published: March 2005

The apical ectodermal ridge (AER) is indispensable for vertebrate limb development and requires Wnt/β‐catenin signaling for induction and maintenance. We report identification and involvement of Wnt10a in AER formation during chick limb development. Chicken Wnt10a has 82% identity with mouse Wnt10a in the amino acid sequence. The Wnt10a gene was expressed broadly in the surface ectoderm from as early as stage 10. By stage 15, the expression was restricted to the surface ectoderm overlying the lateral plate mesoderm. Wnt10a expression became intensified in the presumptive limb ectoderm during AER formation, and subsequently intense expression signals persisted in the AER. Wnt10a misexpression led to ectopic Fgf8 expression in the developing limb ectoderm and induced translocation of β‐catenin in chick embryo fibroblasts. These results suggest that Wnt10a is involved in AER formation in the chick limb bud through the Wnt/β‐catenin signaling pathway. Developmental Dynamics 233:282–287, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A Novel Two‐Dimensional Layer Structure Built from a Tetracobalt(II)‐p‐sulfonatothiacalix[4]arene Cluster Unit
Authors: Yuan Daqiang , Xu Yanqing , Hong Maochun , Bi Wenhua , Zhou Youfu , Li Xing
Published: March 2005

The novel coordination polymer [Co4(TCAS)(μ4‐SO4)(4,4′‐Hbipy)2]n (TCAS = the octaanion of p‐sulfonatothiacalix[4]arene) (1) has been synthesized hydrothermally and characterized. X‐ray diffraction analyses reveal a two‐dimensional (2D) layer structure built from the [Co4(TCAS)(μ4‐SO4)]2– unit. The tetranuclear cobalt(II) clusters bridged by the μ4‐SO42– and phenoxy groups of the same TCAS provide a unique trapeziform magnetic mode; magnetic studies in the temperature range 2–300 K show weak antiferromagnetic interactions between the four cobalt(II) centers. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)
Iron‐Assisted Oxidative Radical C–C Bond Cleavage
Authors: Bénisvy Laurent , Chottard Jean‐Claude , Marrot Jérôme , Li Yun
Published: March 2005

The N2SO ligand, bis(N‐methylimidazol‐2‐yl)‐2‐methylthioethanol (L), when coordinated to Fe3+ or Fe2+, undergoes a radical C–C bond cleavage in air, to form bis(N‐methylimid‐azol‐2‐yl) ketone (Me2‐BIK). (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)
Structural Studies of Rare Earth/Transition Metal Complex Ion Systems as a Basis for Understanding Their Thermal Decomposition to Mixed Oxides
Authors: Brayshaw Philippa A. , Hall Annegret K. , Harrison William T. A. , Harrowfield Jack M. , Pearce Dierdre , Shand Todd M. , Skelton Brian W. , Whitaker Claire R. , White Allan H.
Published: March 2005

Thermal decomposition in air of the series of complexes [Co(NH3)6][Ln(dipic)3]·x H2O, [Cr(en)3][Ln(dipic)3]·y H2O and [Cr(urea)6][Ln(dipic)3]·z H2O (Ln = La – Lu, excluding Pm but plus Y; dipic = 2,6‐pyridinedicarboxylate) to give oxide phases has been examined. The products were characterised by powder X‐ray diffraction, magnetic and surface area measurements. From the Co‐containing species, either Co3O4 + Ln2O3 or perovskite (CoLnO3) products result, while the Cr‐containing species provide CrLnO4 phases in addition, the monazite form of CrNdO4 being detected for the first time in this way. Underpinning consideration of the solid state decomposition mechanisms, single‐crystal X‐ray structure de‐terminations have been performed on [Co(NH3)6][Ln(dipic)3]·n H2O across the Ln series, defining differing phases (alltriclinic P$\bar {1}$) for n = 5 (encompassing Ln = La–Pr), n = 8(.5) (Ln = Tm – Eu) and n = 10 (Ln = Pr – Er, including Y), and also on one of the low‐temperature decomposition products, [Co(NH3)6]Cl·dipic·2 H2O (1). The structure of 1 provides evidence that conventional π‐stacking of the dipicolinate anions may be of some importance in determining the solid state array, whereas consideration of all structures involving [Ln(dipic)3]3– anions indicates that “edge‐to‐face” interactions between dipicolinate ligands of adjacent complex anions may also be determinants of the formation of sheet‐like arrays of the trianions commonly observed in these compounds. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)
Chiral Iron(II) and Cobalt(II) Complexes with Biphenyl‐Bridged Bis(pyridylimine) Ligands – Syntheses, Structures and Reactivities
Authors: Vedder Christoph , Schaper Frank , Brintzinger Hans‐Herbert , Kettunen Mika , Babik Sebastian , Fink Gerhard
Published: March 2005

A new class of iron(II) and cobalt(II) complexes with neutral, tetradentate bis(pyridylimine) chelate ligands bridged by a chiral 6,6′‐dimethylbiphenyl backbone has been synthesized. Their dihalogen derivatives gave spectral, magnetic and X‐ray diffraction results in agreement with a C2‐symmetric, approximately octahedral geometry with cis‐positioned halide ligands and high‐spin d‐electron configuration. 1H NMR signals of these paramagnetic complexes were assigned by correlating line widths with reciprocal proton‐metal distances. Methyl substitution in 6‐position of the pyridyl rings lead to a different, presumably square‐pyramidal coordination geometry under dissociation of one chloride ion. FeII dimethyl and diisocyanide derivatives were shown to have low‐spin configuration and C1‐symmetric geometry. With respect to MAO‐activated olefin polymerization, significant catalytic activities were reproducibly obtained only under conditions, where the original complex structure was degraded. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)
Alternative Coordination Modes in Palladium(II)‐Diimino‐Bispyridine Complexes with an Axially Chiral Biphenyl Backbone
Authors: Kettunen Mika , Vedder Christoph , Brintzinger Hans‐Herbert , Mutikainen Ilpo , Leskelä Markku , Repo Timo
Published: March 2005

The chiral biphenyl‐bridged diimino‐bispyridine ligandsN,N′‐(6,6′‐dimethylbiphenyl‐2,2′‐diyl)bis(2‐pyridylmethyl)‐diimine(1)and N,N′‐(6,6′‐dimethylbiphenyl‐2,2′‐diyl)bis[(6‐methyl‐2‐pyridyl)methyl]diimine (2) react with Pd(COD)Cl2 to give, depending on the reaction conditions, either mono‐ or binuclear PdCl2 complexes. In the binuclear complex 1‐(PdCl2)2, the Pd nuclei are held at a distance of 3.37 Å by the ligand backbone. N,N′‐(6,6′‐dimethylbiphenyl‐2,2′‐diyl)bis[(5‐methyl‐2‐furyl)methyl]diimine (3), with furyl instead of pyridyl rings, gives mononuclear, C2‐symmetric complexes only. Reactions of [Pd(NCCH3)4]2+ (BF4–)2 with ligand 1 or 3 give the C2‐symmetric cations [1‐Pd]2+or [3‐Pd(NCCH3)2]2+, respectively, as their BF4– salts. Solid‐state structures of the chloride complexes 1‐PdCl2, 1‐(PdCl2)2 and 3‐PdCl2, and of the complex cations [1‐Pd]2+ and [3‐Pd(NCCCH3)2]2+ with tetradentate and bidentate ligand coordination, respectively, all show square‐planar coordination, with some distortion toward tedrahedral geometry due to the twisted biaryl‐backbone. Preliminary observations on norbornene polymerization with the catalysts 1‐PdCl2/MAO, 2‐PdCl2/MAO and [(3‐Pd(NCCH3)2]2+ suggest that a certain degree of stereoregularity of the polymers is induced by these chiral catalysts. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2005)
A novel procedure for the measurement of the kinetics of styrene biodegradation in a biofilter
Authors: Jorio Hasnaa , Brzezinski Ryszard , Heitz Michèle
Published: March 2005

A novel procedure for the study of the biodegradation kinetics of styrene is proposed in this paper. Microbial growth tests in the presence of styrene were performed using suspensions of microorganisms prepared from samples of filter bed material. This material had been directly withdrawn previously from an operating biofilter employed for the removal of styrene vapours from air. The kinetics tests were initiated immediately after transfer of filter bed samples from the active styrene filter bed to sealed flasks containing a mineral‐based medium, and were performed in such a manner that no enrichment technique or lag phase treatment was necessary to activate the desired biodegradation of styrene. The complete biodegradation of freshly introduced styrene was observed within a few hours of the filter bed's initial contact with the active microbial suspension. A novel theoretical development, as proposed in this study, has provided us with the means for estimating the yield coefficient of the biomass with respect to the styrene consumed and the kinetic coefficients of the growth rate without having to perform any analyses of the liquid phase after start‐up of the growth tests. Only monitoring of the styrene and carbon dioxide concentrations in the liquid and gas phases in the test flasks was necessary. The Haldane model, with inhibition expected at high styrene concentrations, was found to be the best to represent the biodegradation kinetics of styrene in this environment. Copyright © 2005 Society of Chemical Industry
End binding protein‐1 (EB1) complements microtubule‐associated protein‐1B during axonogenesis
Authors: Jiménez‐Mateos Eva M. , Paglini Gabriela , González‐Billault Christian , Cáceres Alfredo , Avila Jesús
Published: March 2005

The different strains of microtubule‐associated protein (MAP)‐1B‐deficient mice that have been generated appear to express different phenotypes. This variability could be the consequence of the distinct genetic backgrounds of the animals used to generate these lines. Certain proteins might be able to complement the deficit of MAP1B function in these mice. Therefore, we examined whether the concentrations of potential compensatory proteins varied among these mutant strains. In this way, we identified significant differences in the amounts of the microtubule‐associated EB1 protein between two of these strains. Furthermore, in transfection studies, we demonstrated that the overexpression of end binding protein‐1 (EB1) could facilitate axonogenesis in MAP1B–/– cells in which EB1 is normally weakly expressed. Thus, we suggest that EB1 could complement MAP1B function during neural development. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Frequency‐dependent recruitment of inhibition mediated by stellate cells in the rat cerebellar cortex
Authors: Rancillac A. , Barbara J.G.
Published: March 2005

In the cerebellum, dendritic inhibition of Purkinje cells (PCs) is mediated by stellate cells (SCs). These inhibitory interneurons are critically involved in the cerebellar network; they control the timing and firing frequency of PCs, the only output cells of the cerebellar cortex. However, the underlying properties of parallel fiber (PF) to SC excitatory synapses have not been fully determined. To characterize the conditions favoring the recruitment of SCs in the cerebellum, we analyzed evoked and spontaneous excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) recorded from SCs of rat cerebellar slices. We found that SC EPSCs evoked with single suprathreshold‐intensity stimulations were mostly unitary, with a large amplitude and variable latencies, and failed with a high rate. Increasing the frequency of stimulation above 60 Hz significantly reduced failures, whereas mean SC EPSC amplitude was increased by less than 20%. Decreasing failures at PF‐SC synapses experimentally enhanced the number of asynchronous SC EPSCs per stimulation but, again, moderately increased the mean SC EPSC amplitude. Finally, brief presynaptic bursts transiently depressed synaptic transmission. This depression resulted from the release of endocannabinoids and might act as a negative‐feedback mechanism. Thus, we conclude that SC EPSCs evoked with single suprathreshold‐intensity stimulations are mostly unitary and that PF‐SC synapse efficacy is highly regulated by the presynaptic temporal pattern of activity and the frequency of afferent inputs. Such synaptic properties may control the responsiveness of SC synapses to the frequency of PF stimulations, which may control the spatial extent and duration of the recruitment of inhibition in the cerebellar cortex. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
On the median residual lifetime and its aging properties: A characterization theorem and applications
Authors: Lillo Rosa E.
Published: March 2005

This paper is devoted to study several aspects of the median residual life function (MERLF). In reliability studies, it is well known that, although the MERLF have several advantages over the mean residual life function (MRLF), the MRLF has the good property of uniquely determine a life distribution whereas either the median residual life function (MERLF) or an α‐percentile residual life do not have such good property. We shall give a characterization result where knowledge of both the MERLF and the survival function on an interval does uniquely determine the distribution. Moreover, in order to apply this characterization in practical situations, we propose a method to estimate the necessary information of the survival function. Relationships between analytical properties of the survival function and its associated MERLF are also obtained. Bryson and Siddiqui [J Am Statist Assoc 64 (1969), 1472–1483] proved relationships among seven criteria for aging, out of which two contained the MRLF (decreasing MRLF and net decreasing MRLF). In this paper, we prove that the same pattern of relationships holds if the MRLF is replaced by the MERLF. We also examine the aging criteria corresponding to an increasing MERLF and show that there is no relation between the behavior (increasing or decreasing) of the MERLF and of the MRLF. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2005
Force identification of dynamic systems using genetic programming
Authors: Yang Y. W. , Wang C. , Soh C. K.
Published: March 2005

One obvious limitation of the traditional force identification techniques is that they are unable to obtain the explicit expression of the force. Moreover, some techniques need both the displacement and velocity data of all freedoms, and some need the Markov parameters from numerical calculation or experimental test before the force identification can be carried out. This paper presents a genetic programming (GP) based method for excitation force identification of dynamic systems to overcome these traditional methods' disadvantages. GP is employed as a search and optimization method to obtain the optimal, if not the best, force expression from the known dynamic response. One obvious merit of the proposed method is that it can obtain the explicit expression of the unknown force. Another advantage is that it only needs the dynamic response data at one point, i.e. displacement or velocity or acceleration of one freedom. Illustrative examples demonstrate that the GP based method is able to identify the excitation force of a single‐degree, a three‐degree dynamic systems and a frame structure, depicting its potential for force forecast problems. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Pathophysiologic mechanisms of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn
Authors: Dakshinamurti S.
Published: March 2005

Persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn (PPHN), among the most rapidly progressive and potentially fatal of vasculopathies, is a disorder of vascular transition from fetal to neonatal circulation, manifesting as hypoxemic respiratory failure. PPHN represents a common pathway of vascular injury activated by numerous perinatal stresses: hypoxia, hypoglycemia, cold stress, sepsis, and direct lung injury. As with other multifactorial diseases, a single inciting event may be augmented by multiple concurrent/subsequent phenomena that result in differing courses of disease progression. I review the various mechanisms of vascular injury involved in neonatal pulmonary hypertension: endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, hypoxia, and mechanical strain, in the context of downstream effects on pulmonary vascular endothelial‐myocyte interactions and myocyte phenotypic plasticity. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.