bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Genetic counseling for the 22q11.2 deletion
Authors: McDonald‐McGinn Donna M. , Zackai Elaine H.
Published: March 2008

Because of advances in palliative medical care, children with the 22q11.2 deletion syndrome are surviving into adulthood. An increase in reproductive fitness will likely follow necessitating enhanced access to genetic counseling for these patients and their families. Primary care physicians/obstetric practitioners are in a unique position to identify previously undiagnosed patients as they reach reproductive age and to refer them for genetic counseling. To date, most deletions are de novo, secondary to homologous recombination between low‐copy repeat sequences located within 22q11.2. Nonetheless, both somatic and germ line mosaicism has been observed giving unaffected parents a small risk of recurrence. Once present though there is a 50% chance for a person with this contiguous deletion to have an affected child. With this in mind, a variety of prenatal monitoring techniques, as well as, preimplantation genetic diagnosis are available depending on the specific level of risk. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Dev Disabil Res Rev 2008;14:69–74.
Velo‐cardio‐facial syndrome: 30 Years of study
Authors: Shprintzen Robert J.
Published: March 2008

Velo‐cardio‐facial syndrome is one of the names that has been attached to one of the most common multiple anomaly syndromes in humans. The labels DiGeorge sequence, 22q11 deletion syndrome, conotruncal anomalies face syndrome, CATCH 22, and Sedlačková syndrome have all been attached to the same disorder. Velo‐cardio‐facial syndrome has an expansive phenotype with more than 180 clinical features described that involve essentially every organ and system. The syndrome has drawn considerable attention because a number of common psychiatric illnesses are phenotypic features including attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder. The expression is highly variable with some individuals being essentially normal at the mildest end of the spectrum, and the most severe cases having life‐threatening and life‐impairing problems. The syndrome is caused by a microdeletion from chromosome 22 at the q11.2 band. Although the large majority of affected individuals have identical 3 megabase deletions, less than 10% of cases have smaller deletions of 1.5 or 2.0 megabases. The 3 megabase deletion encompasses a region containing 40 genes. The syndrome has a population prevalence of approximately 1:2,000 in the United States, although incidence is higher. Although initially a clinical diagnosis, today velo‐cardio‐facial syndrome can be diagnosed with extremely high accuracy by fluorescence in situ hybridization and several other laboratory techniques. Clinical management is age dependent with acute medical problems such as congenital heart disease, immune disorders, feeding problems, cleft palate, and developmental disorders occupying management in infancy and preschool years. Management shifts to cognitive, behavioral, and learning disorders during school years, and then to the potential for psychiatric disorders including psychosis in late adolescence and adult years. Although the majority of people with velo‐cardio‐facial syndrome do not develop psychosis, the risk for severe psychiatric illness is 25 times higher for people affected with velo‐cardio‐facial syndrome than that of the general population. Therefore, interest in understanding the nature of psychiatric illness in the syndrome remains strong. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Dev Disabil Res Rev 2008;14:3–10.
Developmental downregulation of GABAergic drive parallels formation of functional synapses in cultured mouse neocortical networks
Authors: Klueva Julia , Meis Susanne , de Lima Ana D. , Voigt Thomas , Munsch Thomas
Published: March 2008

Networks of cortical neurons in vitro spontaneously develop synchronous oscillatory electrical activity at around the second week in culture. However, the underlying mechanisms and in particular the role of GABAergic interneurons in initiation and synchronization of oscillatory activity in developing cortical networks remain elusive. Here, we examined the intrinsic properties and the development of GABAergic and glutamatergic input onto presumed projection neurons (PNs) and large interneurons (L‐INs) in cortical cultures of GAD67‐GFP mice. Cultures developed spontaneous synchronous activity already at 5–7 days in vitro (DIV), as revealed by imaging transient changes in Fluo‐3 fluorescence. Concurrently, spontaneous glutamate‐mediated and GABAA‐mediated postsynaptic currents (sPSCs) occured at 5 DIV. For both types of neurons the frequency of glutamatergic and GABAergic sPSCs increased with DIV, whereas the charge transfer of glutamatergic sPSCs increased and the charge transfer of GABAergic sPSCs decreased with cultivation time. The ratio between GABAergic and the overall charge transfer was significantly reduced with DIV for L‐INs and PNs, indicating an overall reduction in GABAergic synaptic drive with maturation of the network. In contrast, analysis of miniature PSCs (mPSCs) revealed no significant changes of charge transfer with DIV for both types of neurons, indicating that the reduction in GABAergic drive was not due to a decreased number of functional synapses. Our data suggest that the global reduction in GABAergic synaptic drive together with more synaptic input to PNs and L‐INs during maturation may enhance rhythmogenesis of the network and increase the synchronization at the level of population bursts. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Develop Neurobiol, 2008
Transthoracic echocardiography for suspected pulmonary embolism in the intensive care unit: Unjustly underused or rightfully ignored?
Authors: Stawicki S. Peter , Seamon Mark J. , Meredith Denise M. , Chovanes John , Paszczuk Anna , Kim Patrick K. , Gracias Vicente H.
Published: March 2008

Transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is an established part of modern medical practice, and its use in documenting cardiac disorders has long been recognized. Since the introduction of 2‐dimensional TTE, the right‐sided heart chambers have become amenable to fairly accurate analysis, enabling the evaluation of morphologic and functional abnormalities associated with many cardiopulmonary diseases, including pulmonary embolism (PE). The availability of small, portable echocardiographic units combined with an increasing number of intensive care specialists trained in echocardiography makes TTE an attractive modality for the diagnosis of PE in the intensive care unit (ICU). In the ICU setting, prompt decision‐making and appropriate triage of critically ill patients can facilitate early institution of therapy for PE while awaiting patient stabilization and further definitive testing. Although several prior reviews incorporate TTE in the overall approach and clinical decision algorithms pertaining to the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary embolism, no dedicated review exists that focuses purely on TTE. We attempt to fill that gap by reviewing the available literature pertaining to use of TTE in the diagnosis of suspected PE, and by better defining the use of TTE in the ICU setting. Emphasis is placed on the use of TTE as a clinical triage tool for suspected PE. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound, 2008.
Cloning, sequence, and function analyses of giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) CD9 gene
Authors: Tang Yang , Tan Xue‐Mei , Yue Chang‐Wu , Li Cai‐Xia , Fan Zhao‐Xin , Zhang Yi‐Zheng
Published: March 2008

CD9 is a member of the tetraspanin family proteins and has recently been shown to be essential for sperm–oocyte fusion in mice. The giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca) CD9 (gpCD9) cDNA was amplified for the first time by RT‐PCR from ovary total RNA and cloned, sequenced and analyzed. The result revealed that the open reading frame (ORF) of gpCD9 was 681 bp, which has the same length as that of mouse. Sequence analysis and structure prediction displayed that the amino acid sequence of gpCD9 is over 80% identity to those of mammals with the conserved structures, including the four transmembrane domains (TM) and certain characteristic residues. The results of sperm–egg fusion experiments demonstrated that giant panda CD9 large extracellular loop (LEL) significantly inhibited (P < 0.05) the mouse gamete fusion when the recombinant protein was added. However, when three amino acid residues TVT (173–175) of the gpCD9 were mutated to AAA, the large extracellular loop (LELM) of mutated protein was rarely inhibiting the gamete fusion of mice. Our results may be useful in improving an insight into understanding the potential mechanism of gamete fusion and genetic characteristics of giant panda. Mol. Reprod. Dev. 75: 1418–1425, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mathematical modeling of boundary conditions for laser‐molecule time‐dependent Schrödinger equations and some aspects of their numerical computation—One‐dimensional case
Authors: Lorin Emmanuel , Chelkowski S. , Bandrauk A.D.
Published: March 2008

This article deals with boundary conditions for time‐dependent Schrödinger equations for molecules excited by intense and ultrashort electric fields. On the basis of Volkov wavefunctions, we propose an original boundary condition design that allows to reduce spurious reflections at the domain boundary and allows to take at least partially, plasma effects into account. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2009
Variational formulation of the material failure process in solids by embedded discontinuities model
Authors: Juárez Gelacio , Ayala Gustavo
Published: March 2008

This work presents a variational formulation of the material failure process, idealized as strain or displacement discontinuities, by weak, strong, or discrete embedded discontinuities into a continuum. It is shown that the solution of the proposed variational formulation may be approximated by different types of finite elements with embedded discontinuities. The developed displacement approximation of a finite element split by the discontinuity leads to a symmetric stiffness matrix, which considers not only the continuity of tractions but also the rigid body relative motions of the portions in which the element is split. The variational formulation of a continuum with more than one discontinuity in its interior is developed. It is shown that this formulation may lead to finite elements with embedded discontinuities that can be classified as displacement, force, mixed, and hybrid models. To show the effectiveness of the proposed formulation, the classical example of a bar under tension is solved using one and 2D finite element approximations. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Numer Methods Partial Differential Eq, 2009
Preparation and characterization of compatible thermoplastic dry starch/poly(lactic acid)
Authors: Wang Ning , Yu Jiugao , Ma Xiaofei
Published: March 2008

In the presence of glycerol and formamide, one‐step extrusion processing was used to prepare poly(lactic acid) (PLA)/thermoplastic dry starch (DTPS) blends (50/50 wt%) in a single‐screw extruder. The rheological study proved that formamide could improve the fluidity of DTPS and DTPS/PLA blends. With increasing the fluidity of DTPS, a highly dispersed and compatible DTPS/PLA could be achieved by scanning electron microscope (SEM). It was also certain that the plasticization of DTPS was improved. At the same time, Fourier transform infrared (FT‐IR) spectroscopy proved that formamide not only weakened the interaction of starch molecules, but also improved the interaction between DTPS and PLA. So that the blend could achieve more thermal stability in a compatible blend, as shown in TGA. The improvement of compatible in DTPS/PLA blends was also proved by tensile test and Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) in this article. POLYM. COMPOS., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
Dielectric and conduction properties of polyimide/silica nano‐hybrid films
Authors: Zhang Ming‐Yan , Zeng Shu‐Jin , Fan Yong , Zhang Pei‐Hong , Lei Qing‐Quan
Published: March 2008

Dielectric and conduction properties of polyimide/silica nano‐hybrid films were investigated with the silica content and the testing frequency, using a small electrode system. The hybrid films were prepared through sol‐gel process and thermal imidization, by using pyromellitic dianhydride and 4,4′‐oxydianiline as polyimide precursors, and tetraethoxysilane and methyltriethoxysilane as silica precursors. The dielectric coefficient of PI/SiO2 films was monotonically increased with increasing silica content, and decreased with increasing testing frequency. The dielectric loss of PI/SiO2 films had no obvious changes with increasing silica content, but monotonically increased with increasing testing frequency. These can be contributed to the different quantity and migration chunnels of current carriers, which were mainly influenced by a few of complicated factors. There were remarkable differences between conduction property of PI/TEOS‐SiO2 films and PI/MTEOS‐SiO2 films because of the different size and dispersion status of silica particles in the polyimide matrix. POLYM. COMPOS., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
Synthesis and characterization of poly(trimethylene terephthalate)/polyhedral oligomeric silsesquixanes nanocomposites
Authors: Kim Kap Jin , Ramasundaram Subramaniyan , Lee Jong Soon
Published: March 2008

This article reports the preparation of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT)– polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) nanocomposites through in situ polymerization. The chemical structure of the PTT–POSS nanocomposites was characterized with Fourier‐transform infrared and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies and the presence of POSS was further confirmed by the elemental analysis. The crystal structures as well as the position of POSS in the nanocomposites were ascertained by the X‐ray diffraction (XRD) studies. Thermal characterization studies showed the gradual decrease in the glass transition and melt crystallization temperatures. Though the thermal stability of the PTT was not affected by the incorporation of POSS, the amount of residues obtained from thermal degradation process was increased with an increase in the content of POSS. The tensile studies showed that the values of initial modulus and breaking strength were dramatically decreased with an increase in the content of POSS. POLYM. COMPOS., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
A comparative study on mechanical properties and water absorption behavior of fiber‐reinforced polypropylene composites prepared by OCC fiber and aspen fiber
Authors: Ashori Alireza , Nourbakhsh Amir
Published: March 2008

Fiber‐reinforced polymers have received considerable attention from industry in recent years. Due to the sharp ecological damage, worldwide shortage of trees in many areas and the global demand for fibrous material, there has been growing interest in the use of recycled wood fiber as an alternative or substitute fiber source. The present study investigates the tensile, flexural, Izod impact, and water absorption behavior of Old Corrugated Container (OCC) and aspen (AS) reinforced polypropylene (PP) composites as a function of fiber content. The surface of AS and OCC fibers was modified through the use of MAPP coupling agent. From the studies it was found that mechanical properties increase with increase in fiber loading in both cases. However the addition of wood fibers resulted in a decrease in impact strength of the composites. The water absorption property at varying fiber loading were evaluated and found maximum for the OCC/PP composites. The weight gains for all specimens were less than 3.5%. Finally, the results showed the usefulness of OCC fiber as a good alternative and reinforcing agent for composite. POLYM. COMPOS., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
Effect of mold temperature on the long‐term viscoelastic behavior of polybutylene terepthalate
Authors: Banik K. , Mennig G.
Published: March 2008

The effect of mold temperature variation during injection molding on the long‐term viscoelastic behavior of polybutylene terepthalate (PBT) was studied by dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) and flexural creep tests. The time–temperature superposition (TTS) principle was applied to the experimental data and the master curves were created to predict their long‐term behavior. The WLF and Arrhenius models were verified for the shift data in the investigating temperature range and the activation energies for the deformation process were calculated based on the Arrhenius equation. Further a four‐element Burger model was applied to the creep results to represent the creep behavior of the PBT processed at two different mold temperatures and to better understand the deformation mechanism. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and density measurements were accomplished to characterize the process‐dependent microstructures. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
Gas‐assisted injection molded polypropylene: The skin‐core structure
Authors: Zheng Guo‐Qiang , Yang Wei , Yang Ming‐Bo , Chen Jing‐Bo , Li Qian , Shen Chang‐Yu
Published: March 2008

In this article, gas penetration‐induced skin‐core structure of isotactic polypropylene(iPP), which is molded by gas‐assisted injection molding at different gas pressures, was investigated. For comparison, the counterpart was also molded by conventional injection molding (CIM) using the same processing parameters but without gas penetration. They were characterized via PLM, DSC, and SEM. And the crystal morphology at different gas pressures was principally concerned. For the GAIM parts, highly oriented structure is formed in the skin zone, and much less oriented structure in the inner zone (near the gas channel surface). Furthermore, it is suggested that the naked shish structure can be developed in the skin zone of GAIM part, which is molded at higher gas pressures, and shish‐kebab structure is mainly formed in the skin zone of that, which is molded at lower gas pressure. However, for the CIM part, from the skin to the core zone, the dominant morphological feature is spherulite. In a word, the presence of gas penetration notably enhances the oriented structure formation and gives rise to the skin‐core structure. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
Semiconductive composites from ethylene 1‐octene copolymer and polyaniline coated nylon 6: Studies on mechanical, thermal, processability, electrical, and EMI shielding properties
Authors: Bhadra Sambhu , Singha Nikhil K. , Khastgir Dipak
Published: March 2008

In‐situ coating of polyaniline (PAni) on nylon 6 filaments was carried out by oxidative emulsion polymerization of aniline in presence of nylon 6 filaments. The semiconducting composites were prepared by mixing polyaniline coated Nylon 6 (PN6) with a polyolefinic thermoplastic elastomer namely ethylene 1‐octene copolymer (EN). The effect of composition on different mechanical, dynamic mechanical, thermal, electrical properties, morphology, processability, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding efficiency (SE) of these composites were investigated. The results revealed that the increased incorporation of PN6 in EN caused increase in modulus, hardness, glass transition temperature (Tg), apparent shear viscosity, electrical properties, EMI SE but caused decrease in the tensile strength, elongation at rupture, damping character, and die‐swell during injection molding. There are linear increase in AC conductivity and exponential decay in relative dielectric constant with the increase in applied pressure on composites. When a composite is subjected to electron beam (EB) radiation some cross‐links are formed. Mechanical properties of the composite after radiation treatment found to improve. Flow behavior shows the material is pseudo‐plastic in nature. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers
Synthesis and applications of water‐dispersible microspheres containing arborescent PAMAM surfaces
Authors: Jin Lan , Liu Hongbo , Yang Wuli , Wang Changchun , Yu Kui
Published: March 2008

This manuscript reports on a novel synthetic approach to engineer water‐dispersible microspheres with short poly(amidoamine) (PAMAM) chain grafted on their surface. These core‐shell polymeric microspheres have a large amount of amine groups on their surface obtained via “starburst” reactions. First, monodispersed poly (methyl methacrylate)‐co‐poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (P(MMA/GMA)) microspheres were prepared by surfactant‐free emulsion polymerization. Afterwards, Michael reaction and subsequent amidation reactions were carried out repetitively to synthesize arborescent PAMAM chains grafted on the surface of the P(MMA/GMA) microspheres. The resulting PAMAM‐grafted microspheres exhibit good dispersibility in aqueous environments. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) demonstrate the successful grafting; furthermore, the crosslink degree of the P(MMA/GMA) microspheres as well as the PAMAM chain length affect the stability of the resulting core‐shell microspheres, as experimentally tested by heat treatment and acidic treatment. Easily, the PAMAM chains are protonated at low pH, and are thus able to effectively adsorb negatively‐charged magnetic nanoparticles. Bright photoluminescent (PL) water‐dispersible polymeric microspheres are fabricated readily via the reaction of the surface amine groups and traditional fluorescent molecules, namely fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC). © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 2948–2959, 2008
Synthesis and self‐assembly of helical polypeptide‐random coil amphiphilic diblock copolymer
Authors: Kuo Shiao‐Wei , Lee Hsin‐Fang , Huang Chih‐Feng , Huang Cheng‐Jynn , Chang Feng‐Chih
Published: March 2008

Three amphiphilic rod‐coil diblock copolymers, poly(2‐ethyl‐2‐oxazoline‐b‐γ‐benzyl‐L‐glutamate) (PEOz‐b‐PBLG), incorporating the same‐length PEOz block length and various lengths of their PBLG blocks, were synthesized through a combining of living cationic andN‐carboxyanhydride (NCA) ring‐opening polymerizations. In the bulk, these block copolymers display thermotropic liquid crystalline behavior. The self‐assembled aggregates that formed from these diblock copolymers in aqueous solution exhibited morphologies that differed from those obtained in α‐helicogenic solvents, that is, solvents in which the PBLG blocks adopt rigid α‐helix conformations. In aqueous solution, the block copolymers self‐assembled into spherical micelles and vesicular aggregates because of their amphiphilic structures. In helicogenic solvents (in this case, toluene and benzyl alcohol), the PEOz‐b‐PBLG copolymers exhibited rod‐coil chain properties, which result in a diverse array of aggregate morphologies (spheres, vesicles, ribbons, and tube nanostructures) and thermoreversible gelation behavior. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 3108–3119, 2008
Green polymer chemistry: Telechelic poly(ethylene glycol)s via enzymatic catalysis
Authors: Puskas Judit E. , Sen Mustafa Y. , Kasper Joseph R.
Published: March 2008

This article reports our discovery that poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) can quantitatively be functionalized by transesterification using Candida antarctica lipase B (Novozyme 435) as the catalyst. α‐ω telechelic PEG‐methacrylates and PEG‐acetates were successfully prepared using commercially available PEGs with both narrow and broad molecular weight distribution. 1H and 13C NMR together with MALDI‐TOF mass spectroscopy verified the expected structures. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 46: 3024–3028, 2008
Akt down‐modulation induces apoptosis of human prostate cancer cells and synergizes with EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors
Authors: Festuccia Claudio , Gravina Giovanni Luca , Muzi Paola , Millimaggi Danilo , Dolo Vincenza , Vicentini Carlo , Bologna Mauro
Published: March 2008

BACKGROUND

PTEN is a well‐characterized tumor suppressor that negatively regulates cell growth and survival through the modulation of PI3K/Akt pathway.

METHODS

In this paper, we investigated the effects of an PI3K/Akt inhibitor, perifosine, in human prostate cancer (PCa) cells analyzing cell proliferation, apoptosis, and the synergy with EGFR inhibitors.

RESULTS

Clinically achievable concentrations of perifosine, as well as Akt gene knockdown, induced a G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis in PTEN defective PCa cells. Although PTEN introduction was able to restore the control of Akt activity and to reduce cell proliferation, the manipulation of PTEN gene was not able alone to influence apoptosis. Perifosine induced apoptotic program also in PTEN positive cells when Akt activity was augmented by EGF suggesting the possibility that this drug could be used in combination with EGFR inhibitors. The combination treatment between erlotinib and pharmacological or molecular Akt knockdown, indeed, showed synergistic effects. This is the first demonstration that a pharmacological compound against Akt activity can restore the efficacy against EGFR inhibitors in PCa and has important therapeutic fallout since EGFR inhibitors have demonstrated very low effectiveness in PCa patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Taken together our data have an important clinical relevance in the treatment of advanced prostate tumors. However, further studies in the setting of combination therapies in advanced PCas are necessary. Prostate 68:965–974, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Characterization of PacMetUT1, a recently isolated human prostate cancer cell line
Authors: Troyer D.A. , Tang Y. , Bedolla R. , Adhvaryu S.G. , Thompson I.M. , Abboud‐Werner S. , Sun L.‐Z. , Friedrichs W.E. , deGraffenried L.A.
Published: March 2008

BACKGROUND

Existing prostate cancer cell lines have limitations.

METHODS

Cells were characterized using Western blotting, immunohistochemistry, invasion into Matrigel, and by studying xenograft tumors.

RESULTS

We describe a cell line (PacMetUT1) isolated from a lymph node of a 57‐year‐old male with prostate cancer. Compared to existing prostate cancer cell lines, the growth rate of PacMetUT1 xenograft tumors is slower with tumors occurring at injection sites and with metastases to lung and liver. Androgen receptor (AR) was detected in vivo by Western blotting and the cells responded to methyltrienolone (R1881). PacMetUT1 cells are more invasive in Matrigel than DU‐145, PC‐3, and LNCaP cells, and showed greater anchorage‐independent growth in soft agar. The cells do not express prostate specific antigen (PSA) in vitro or in xenografts. However, the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene was introduced and stably expressed in PacMetUT1 cells, allowing tumor imaging in vivo. Xenograft tumors show epithelial features and are positive for keratin, epithelial membrane antigen, EGF receptor, and E cadherin. In contrast, fibroblast markers vimentin, desmin, and Factor VIII, were negative. Karyotyping showed losses of 6p, 7q, 8p, 18q, and 22q, and gains of 8q and 9q; additional genetic material was observed at 2q and 12p.

CONCLUSION

The PacMetUT1 cell line allows metastases to be assessed using a single animal model. Because of its slower growth, PacMetUT1 more closely mimics the human disease. Studies of tumor progression or metastasis can be conducted over a longer period of time. Prostate 68:883–892, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Upregulation of Arc mRNA expression in the prefrontal cortex following cue‐induced reinstatement of extinguished cocaine‐seeking behavior
Authors: Zavala Arturo R. , Osredkar Tracy , Joyce Jeffrey N. , Neisewander Janet L.
Published: March 2008

Cocaine‐associated cues acquire incentive motivational effects that manifest as cue‐elicited craving in humans and cocaine‐seeking behavior in rats. Here we examine the hypothesis that neuronal processes associated with incentive motivational effects of cocaine cues involve increased expression of the plasticity‐associated gene, Arc. Rats trained to self‐administer cocaine subsequently underwent extinction training, during which cocaine‐seeking behavior (i.e., responses without cocaine reinforcement) progressively decreased. Rats were then tested for cocaine‐seeking behavior either with or without response‐contingent presentations of light/tone cues that had been previously paired with cocaine infusions during self‐administration training. Cues elicited reinstatement of cocaine‐seeking behavior and were accompanied by increased Arc mRNA levels in the orbitofrontal, prelimbic, and anterior cingulate cortices, suggesting Arc involvement in conditioned plasticity associated with incentive motivational effects of cocaine cues. Additionally, rats with a history of cocaine self‐administration and extinction exhibited upregulation of Arc expression in several limbic and cortical regions relative to saline‐yoked controls regardless of cue exposure condition, suggesting persistent neuroadaptations involving Arc within these regions. Synapse 62:421–431, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Small effect of dopamine release and no effect of dopamine depletion on [18F]fallypride binding in healthy humans
Authors: Cropley Vanessa L. , Innis Robert B. , Nathan Pradeep J. , Brown Amira K. , Sangare Janet L. , Lerner Alicja , Ryu Yong Hoon , Sprague Kelly E. , Pike Victor W. , Fujita Masahiro
Published: March 2008

Molecular imaging has been used to estimate both drug‐induced and tonic dopamine release in the striatum and most recently extrastriatal areas of healthy humans. However, to date, studies of drug‐induced and tonic dopamine release have not been performed in the same subjects. This study performed positron emission tomography (PET) with [18F]fallypride in healthy subjects to assess (1) the reproducibility of [18F]fallypride and (2) both D‐amphetamine‐induced and α‐methyl‐p‐tyrosine (AMPT)‐induced changes in dopamin release on [18F]fallypride binding in striatal and extrastriatal areas. Subjects underwent [18F]fallypride PET studies at baseline and following oral D‐amphetamine administration (0.5 mg/kg) and oral AMPT administration (3 g/70 kg/day over 44 h). Binding potential (BP) (BPND) of [18F]fallypride was calculated in striatal and extrastriatal areas using a reference region method. Percent change in regional BPND was computed and correlated with change in cognition and mood. Test–retest variability of [18F]fallypride was low in both striatal and extrastriatal regions. D‐Amphetamine significantly decreased BPND by 8–14% in striatal subdivisions, caudate, putamen, substantia nigra, medial orbitofrontal cortex, and medial temporal cortex. Correlation between change in BPND and verbal fluency was seen in the thalamus and substantia nigra. In contrast, depletion of endogenous dopamine with AMPT did not effect [18F]fallypride BPND in both striatum and extrastriatal regions. These findings indicate that [18F]fallypride is useful for measuring amphetamine‐induced dopamine release, but may be unreliable for estimating tonic dopamine levels, in striatum and extrastriatal regions of healthy humans. Synapse 62:399–408, 2008. Published 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Amyloid imaging in aged and young macaques with [11C]PIB and [18F]FDDNP
Authors: Noda Akihiro , Murakami Yoshihiro , Nishiyama Shingo , Fukumoto Dai , Miyoshi Sosuke , Tsukada Hideo , Nishimura Shintaro
Published: March 2008

[11C]PIB and [18F]FDDNP were examined on five aged and five young adult male rhesus macaques using positron emission tomography. Both tracers showed increased accumulation in the striatum, thalamus, cingulate and pons in the aged group. Compared to [11C]PIB, [18F]FDDNP showed higher accumulation in the cortical regions of aged animals as well as young animals. Although [18F]FDDNP may have possible usefulness for imaging, including other proteins, [11C]PIB may be better for amyloid imaging owing to lower non‐specific binding. Synapse 62:472–475, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
In vivo electrophysiology of dopamine‐denervated striatum: Focus on the nitric oxide/cGMP signaling pathway
Authors: Galati Salvatore , D'angelo Vincenza , Scarnati Eugenio , Stanzione Paolo , Martorana Alessandro , Procopio Teresa , Sancesario Giuseppe , Stefani Alessandro
Published: March 2008

Within the striatum, the gaseous neurotransmitter nitric oxide (NO) is produced by a subclass of interneurons containing the neuronal NO synthase (nNOS). NO promotes the second messenger cGMP through the activation of the soluble guanyl cyclase (sGC) and plays a crucial role in the integration of glutamate (GLU) and DA transmission. The aim of this study was to characterize the impact of 6‐hydroxyDA (6‐OHDA) lesion of the rat nigrostriatal pathway on NO/cGMP system. In vivo extracellular single units recordings were performed under urethane anesthesia to avoid any potentially misleading contributions of cortically‐driven changes on endogenous NO. Hence, no electrical extrastriatal stimulation was performed and great attention was paid to the effects of 3‐morpholinosydnonimine (SIN‐1, a NO donor), N(G)‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME, a nonselective NOS inhibitor) and Zaprinast (a PDE inhibitor) delivered by iontophoresis upon the main striatal phenotypes. The latter were operationally distinguished in silent medium spiny‐like neurons (MSN), with negligible spontaneous activity but displaying glutamate‐induced firing discharge at rest and spontaneously active neurons (SAN), representing to a large extent nonprojecting interneurons. SANs were excited by SIN‐1 and Zaprinast while MSNs showed a clear inhibition during local iontophoretic application of SIN‐1 and Zaprinast. In 6‐OHDA animals, SIN‐1‐induced excitation in SANs was significantly increased (on the contrary, the inhibitory effect of L‐NAME was less effective). Interestingly, in DA‐denervated animals, a subclass of MSNs (40%) displayed a peculiar excitatory response to SIN‐1. These findings support the notion of an inhibitory modulatory role exerted by endogenous NO on control striatal projection cells. In addition, these findings suggest a functional cross‐talk between NO, spontaneously active interneurons, and projection neurons that becomes critical in the parkinsonian state. Synapse 62:409–420, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
“Don't You Miss Patient Care”
Authors: Yanick Marilyn , Podobinkar Nancy Smith
Published: March 2008

Being wheeled into the operating room may be the most frightening experience in a person's life. Recognizing this, the nurse in the operating room must compress effective reassurance into the patient's few moments of awareness. Moreover, she must see and hear things the way he does, and when he is helpless, look after his needs for safety, fluid and nutrition, and oxygen. If he is awake during the surgery, she can help him participate in it and thus retail his identity as a person rather than as an object. Such high‐fidelity nursing awareness and action is here termed “instant” care.
Proposed Amendments to AORN Bylaws
Authors: Sanches Ruby T. , Allen Leora I. , Mock Nellie M.
Published: March 2008

These proposed amendments to the Bylaws, prepared by the National Bylaws Committee in consultation with qualified parliamentarians, will be brought before the House of Delegates at the Fifteenth Annual Congress in Boston. The proposed amendments deal with Article VIII, Section 3, regarding credentials, and Article X, regarding the collection of dues. Both the current Bylaws and the proposed amendments are printed side by side, with the proposed amendments appearing in the tinted areas.

A discussion of the reasons for the proposed amendment on collection of dues and the advantages it offers to the membership follows in detailed outline.

The Bylaws Committee presents this data in detail here in order that every member will have an opportunity to review, study and weigh the changes suggested and the advantages contemplated. We ask you to seriously examine these amendments and to be prepared to instruct your delegates to act at the Congress. These amendments will be presented to the House of Delegates at the first meeting on Sunday and voted upon at the second meeting of the House of Delegates on Wednesday.

The Bylaws Committee urges your consideration and support in this matter.
Black Market Medicine
Authors: Rogers Caroline
Published: March 2008

Black Market Medicine by Margaret Krieg, 304 pages, Prentice‐Hall, Inc., Engle‐wood Cliffs, N. J., May, 1967. Price $5.95.
Nurses' Guide to Diagnostic Procedures
Authors: Marie Sister William
Published: March 2008

Nurses' Guide to Diagnostic Procedures second edition, by Ruth M. French, McGraw‐Hill Book Company, New York, 1967. Price $5.95.
Surgical Research Coordinated with the Treatment of Battle Casualties
Authors: Phillipi Eugene , James Paul M. , Levitsky Sidney , Fink Robert , Collins John
Published: March 2008

A surgical research team attached to a surgical hospital actively engaged in the treatment of war casualties in the Republic of Vietnam provided a unique opportunity to study the physiological effects of severe trauma. The immediate application of information obtained from a sophisticated laboratory in a hospital deployed in the field has obvious benefit to the patients treated. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the clinical problems encountered, some attempts to solve them, and the results obtained.
Statistics for Nurses
Authors: Crawford Mabel
Published: March 2008

STATISTICS FOR NURSES Jeanne S. Phillips, Ph.D., and Richard F. Thompson, Ph.D., The Macmillan Co. Price $8.95.
Doctors of the Old West: A Pictorial History of Medicine on the Frontier
Authors: Crawford Mabel
Published: March 2008

DOCTORS OF THE OLD WEST: A PICTORIAL HISTORY OF MEDICINE ON THE FRONTIER by Robert F. Karolevitt, Superior Publishing Company, Seattle, Washington, 1967, 192 pages. Price $12.95.
In the Mail
Authors: Childers J. , Ludwig Dorothy M. , Draper Harriett , Lidwina Sister M. , Keeney Vivian M.
Published: March 2008

Letters to the Editor should be kept as brief as possible. Anonymity will be preserved, if requested, provided the writer's name and address is given.
Operating Room Practices
Authors: Marie William
Published: March 2008

Operating Room Practices by Frances Ginsberg, R.N., McGraw‐Hill Publications, reprinted from Modern Hospital magazine, 1968, 160 pages. Price $3.95.
Nurses, Patients and Social Systems
Authors: Crawford Mabel
Published: March 2008

Nurses, Patients and Social Systems, Edited by James M. A. Weiss, 205 pages, University of Missouri Press, Columbia, Missouri, 1968. Price $4.50.
The Art of Readable Writing
Authors: Crawford Mabel
Published: March 2008

THE ART OF READABLE WRITING, by Rudolf Flesch, Ph.D., 237 pages, Collier Books, New York, 1944. Price $.95 Paperback (also available in hardcover).
Hospital Sanitation: An Administrative Program
Authors: Sullivan Catherine
Published: March 2008

HOSPITAL SANITATION: AN ADMINISTRATIVE PROGRAM, by Bertha Yanis Litsky, M.T., B.S., M.P.A., 167 pages, Clissold Publishing Company, Chicago, Ill., 1966. Price $10.00.
Disinfection, Sterilization and Preservation
Authors: Le Duc Melina
Published: March 2008

DISINFECTION, STERILIZATION AND PRESERVATION, by Carl A. Lawrence, Ph.D., and Seymour S. Block, Ph.D., 808 pages, Lea & Febiger, Philadelphia, 1968. Price $30.00.
Sickness and Society
Authors: Fisher Leona M.
Published: March 2008

SICKNESS AND SOCIETY, by Raymond S. Duff, M.D., and August B. Hollingshead, Ph.D., Harper and Row, New York, 390 pages. Price $12.50.
Multilingual Guide for Medical Personnel
Authors: Marie Sister William
Published: March 2008

MULTILINGUAL GUIDE FOR MEDICAL PERSONNEL by Bernard Finch, 160 pages, Medical Examination Publishing Company, 65–36 Fresh Meadow Lane, Flushing, New York. Price $2.00.
Ionospheric variability from an incoherent scatter radar long‐duration experiment at Millstone Hill
Authors: Zhang Shun‐Rong , Holt John M.
Published: March 2008

An incoherent scatter radar experiment at Millstone Hill covering 30 consecutive days in September 2005 has enabled this study of day‐to‐day ionospheric variability. This was a period of low solar activity with few magnetically disturbed periods. Our discussion focuses on ionospheric variability during quiet magnetic activity in the 100–500 km height range, with emphasis on its height variation at noon. (1) Very large midday variability is present for the ion temperature Ti near 120 km, which is verified by two other 30‐d experiments at Millstone Hill. This is not apparently associated with solar flux and magnetic activity. The percentage variability in the midday electron density Ne changes with height, being smaller between 150 and 250 km and larger in the topside. (2) With increasing solar flux, Ne decreases between 170 km and the F2 peak and increases elsewhere, being essentially unchanged near the F2 peak. With increasing magnetic activity, Ne decreases between 160 and 325 km. Ti increases with solar flux and magnetic activity, in particular in the F2 region. (3) There is a time lag of ionospheric responses, varying with height, to changes in solar‐geophysical conditions: In the E region, the lag is almost zero; above the F2 peak, both Ne and Ti respond to F10.7 with a 2–3‐d delay. The delay in response to 3‐hourly ap index changes for Ne above the F2 peak can be 9–12 h and between 160 km and the F2 peak can be 0–3 h. The time delay for Ti is 6–9 h. (4) We estimate that the majority of the topside variability in Ti and Ne can be explained in terms of solar flux F107 and magnetic activity ap effects. Near the F2 peak, Ne variability seems to be complicated, and nearly one half (10%) of it cannot be ascribed directly to F10.7 and ap effects.
Solar forced Dansgaard‐Oeschger events and their phase relation with solar proxies
Authors: Braun H. , Ditlevsen P. , Chialvo D. R.
Published: March 2008

North Atlantic climate during glacial times was characterized by large‐amplitude switchings, the Dansgaard‐Oeschger (DO) events, with an apparent tendency to recur preferably in multiples of about 1470 years. Recent work interpreted these intervals as resulting from a subharmonic response of a highly nonlinear system to quasi‐periodic solar forcing plus noise. This hypothesis was challenged as inconsistent with the observed variability in the phase relation between proxies of solar activity and Greenland climate. Here we reject the claim of inconsistency by showing that this phase variability is a robust, generic feature of the nonlinear dynamics of DO events, as described by a model. This variability is expected from the fact that the events are threshold crossing events, resulting from a cooperative process between the periodic forcing and the noise. This process produces a fluctuating phase relation with the periodic forcing, consistent with proxies of solar activity and Greenland climate.
Erythropoiesis‐stimulating agents and other methods to enhance oxygen transport
Authors: Elliott S
Published: March 2008

Oxygen is essential for life, and the body has developed an exquisite method to collect oxygen in the lungs and transport it to the tissues. Hb contained within red blood cells (RBCs), is the key oxygen‐carrying component in blood, and levels of RBCs are tightly controlled according to demand for oxygen. The availability of oxygen plays a critical role in athletic performance, and agents that enhance oxygen delivery to tissues increase aerobic power. Early methods to increase oxygen delivery included training at altitude, and later, transfusion of packed RBCs. A breakthrough in understanding how RBC formation is controlled included the discovery of erythropoietin (Epo) and cloning of theEPOgene. Cloning of theEPOgene was followed by commercial development of recombinant human Epo (rHuEpo). Legitimate use of this and other agents that affect oxygen delivery is important in the treatment of anaemia (low Hb levels) in patients with chronic kidney disease or in cancer patients with chemotherapy‐induced anaemia. However, competitive sports was affected by illicit use of rHuEpo to enhance performance. Testing methods for these agents resulted in a cat‐and‐mouse game, with testing labs attempting to detect the use of a drug or blood product to improve athletic performance (doping) and certain athletes developing methods to use the agents without being detected. This article examines the current methods to enhance aerobic performance and the methods to detect illicit use.

British Journal of Pharmacology(2008)154, 529–541; doi:fn1; published online 24 March 2008
Flurazepam effect on GABAergic currents depends on extracellular pH
Authors: Wójtowicz T , Wyrembek P , Lebida K , Piast M , Mozrzymas J W
Published: March 2008

Background and purpose: Benzodiazepines (BDZs) are widely used in clinical practice and are known as positive modulators of GABAergic currents. BDZs increase binding affinity and recently they were found to affect GABAA receptor gating, including desensitization. Binding and desensitization are also strongly modulated by extracellular pH, a factor that may be severely altered in a pathological brain. It is thus of interest to examine the combined action of BDZ and protons.

Experimental approach: Pharmacokinetic analysis was based on patch clamp recordings of miniature IPSCs (mIPSCs) and current responses to GABA applications in rat cultured hippocampal neurons. High temporal resolution of currents evoked by exogenous GABA was achieved by using an ultrafast perfusion system (exchange time ca. 80 μs).

Key results: At acidic pH, flurazepam produced a stronger enhancement of mIPSC amplitudes than at physiological pH. At low GABA concentrations, flurazepam markedly enhanced current amplitudes both at normal and acidic pH, but at the latter, the relative effect was larger. In contrast, at saturating GABA concentrations, flurazepam reduced current amplitudes at both pH 7.2 and 6.0. The slowing of deactivation kinetics by flurazepam decreased with GABA concentration, but at pH 6.0, this trend was shifted toward a higher GABA concentration.

Conclusions and implications: Acidification of extracellular medium may significantly affect the susceptibility of phasic and tonic components of GABAergic currents to modulation by BDZs. Quantitative analysis and model simulations indicate that protons and flurazepam additively affect binding and desensitization of GABAA receptors.
Photodynamic therapy: novel third‐generation photosensitizers one step closer?
Authors: Josefsen L B , Boyle R W
Published: March 2008

Photodynamic sensitizers are drugs activated by light of a specific wavelength and are used in the photodynamic therapy (PDT) of certain diseases. Second‐ and third‐generation photosensitizers with improved PDT properties are now under investigation. In this issue of the British Journal of Pharmacology, Leung et al. have described the synthesis and investigation of a second‐generation photosensitizer (BAM‐SiPc) targeted towards the cells of HepG2 and HT29 tumours. BAM‐SiPc is selectively functionalized with bis‐amino groups and has demonstrated potent PDT activity in a small animal model. However, it also exhibited non‐selective distribution and accumulation in multiple animal (small mouse) organs and tissue. These issues highlight the importance and need for good biodistribution and localization properties for an efficacious photosensitizer. The lack of tumour specificity may have a significant impact on the potential BAM‐SiPc has in clinical PDT.