bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
CYP3A4 and pregnane X receptor humanized mice
Authors: Gonzalez Frank J.
Published: August 2007

Marked species differences exist in P450 expression and activities. In order to produce mouse models that can be used to more accurately predict human drug and carcinogen metabolism, P450‐ and xenobiotic receptor humanized mice are being prepared using bacterial artificial chromosomes (BAC) and P1 phage artificial chromosomes (PAC) genomic clones. In some cases, transgenic mice carrying the human genes are bred with null‐mice to produce fully humanized mice. Mice expressing human CYP1A1, CYP1A2, CYP2E1, CYP2D6, CYP3A4, and CYP3A7 were generated and characterized. Studies with the CYP3A4‐humanized (hCYP3A4) mouse line revealed new information on the physiological function of this P450 and its role in drug metabolism in vivo. With this mouse line, CYP3A4, under certain circumstances, was found to alter the serum levels of estrogen resulting in deficient lactation and low pup survival as a result of underdeveloped mammary glands. This hCYP3A4 mouse established the importance of intestinal CYP3A4 in the pharmacokinetics of orally administered drugs. The hCYP3A4 mice were also used to establish the mechanisms of potential gender differences in CYP3A4 expression (adult female > adult male) that could account for human gender differences in drug metabolism and response. The pregnane X receptor (PXR) is also involved in induction of drug metabolism through its target genes including CYP3A4. Since species differences exist in ligand specificity between human and mice, a PXR‐humanized mouse (hPXR) was produced that responds to human PXR activators such as rifampicin but does not respond to the rodent activator pregnenalone 16α‐carbonitrile. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 21:158–162, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20173
Genes of the antioxidant response undergo upregulation in a rodent model of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis
Authors: Lickteig Andrew J. , Fisher Craig D. , Augustine Lisa M. , Cherrington Nathan J.
Published: August 2007

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease encompasses a spectrum of hepatic pathologies ranging from simple fatty liver to an inflammatory state known as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). NASH is also characterized by severe hepatic oxidative stress. The goal of this study was to determine whether genes of the antioxidant response are induced in rodent models of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. To simulate simple fatty liver and NASH, respectively, male Sprague‐Dawley rats were fed a high‐fat (HF) or a methionine and choline‐deficient (MCD) diet for 8 weeks. Key marker genes of the antioxidant response that are known to undergo upregulation via activation of Nuclear Factor Erythroid 2‐Related Factor 2 were measured using the branched DNA signal amplification assay. Messenger RNA levels of the antioxidant response, including NAD(P)H:quinone oxidoreductase‐1 (Nqo1), Glutamate cysteine ligase catalytic (Gclc), and Heme oxygenase‐1 (Ho‐1), were significantly induced in MCD rat liver but not in HF rat liver. Furthermore, Nqo1 protein expression and activity underwent significant upregulation in MCD rat liver but not in HF rat liver. These data strongly indicate that the pathology induced by the MCD dietary model of NASH results in upregulation of the antioxidant response in rats. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biochem Mol Toxicol 21:216–220, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/jbt.20177
On the Initiation of High Explosives by Laser Radiation
Authors: Rubenchik Alexander M.
Published: August 2007

The problem of laser initiation of high explosives in munitions is considered. In this situation, the laser illuminates a small spot on the casing, and lateral thermal transport affects the initiation temperature. We use a variational method to calculate the critical temperature for explosives' initiation as a function of the laser spot size for common high explosives. The effect of the dwelling time of the irradiation is then evaluated. We demonstrate that in typical situations the critical temperature is determined by the dwelling time rather than by the laser spot size.
Statistical approach to measure the efficacy of anthelmintic treatment on horse farms
Authors: VIDYASHANKAR A. N. , KAPLAN R. M. , CHAN S.
Published: August 2007

Resistance to anthelmintics in gastrointestinal nematodes of livestock is a serious problem and appropriate methods are required to identify and quantify resistance. However, quantification and assessment of resistance depend on an accurate measure of treatment efficacy, and current methodologies fail to properly address the issue. The fecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) is the practical gold standard for measuring anthelmintic efficacy on farms, but these types of data are fraught with high variability that greatly impacts the accuracy of inference on efficacy. This paper develops a statistical model to measure, assess, and evaluate the efficacy of the anthelmintic treatment on horse farms as determined by FECRT. Novel robust bootstrap methods are developed to analyse the data and are compared to other suggested methods in the literature in terms of Type I error and power. The results demonstrate that the bootstrap methods have an optimal Type I error rate and high power to detect differences between the presumed and true efficacy without the need to know the true distribution of pre-treatment egg counts. Finally, data from multiple farms are studied and statistical models developed that take into account between-farm variability. Our analysis establishes that if inter-farm variability is not taken into account, misleading conclusions about resistance can be made.
Evaluation of immunoglobulin G4 subclass antibody in a peptide-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for the serodiagnosis of human fascioliasis
Authors: TANTRAWATPAN C. , MALEEWONG W. , WONGKHAM C. , WONGKHAM S. , INTAPAN P. M. , NAKASHIMA K.
Published: August 2007

To improve the diagnosis of human fascioliasis caused byFasciola gigantica, we developed a peptide-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (peptide-based ELISA) based on the detection of specific IgG4 subclass antibody. Two identified B-cell epitopes ofF. giganticacathepsin L1 were synthesized as single synthetic peptides, acetyl-DKIDWRESGYVTELKDQGNC-carboxamide (peptide L) and acetyl-DKIDWRESGYVTEVKDQGNC-carboxamide (peptide V), and their diagnostic potential was evaluated. The sera of 25 patients infected withF. gigantica, 212 patients with other parasitic infections, 32 cholangiocarcinoma patients and 57 healthy controls were analysed. The sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and positive and negative predictive values of this assay were the same with both peptides at 100%, 99·7%, 99·7%, 96·2% and 100%, respectively. These highly sensitive and specific peptide-based ELISAs for the detection of specific IgG4 antibody could be useful for laboratory diagnosis of human fascioliasis in future large-scale surveys throughout Southeast Asia where this disease is prevalent.
Fixed points of abelian actions on S2
Authors: FRANKS JOHN , HANDEL MICHAEL , PARWANI KAMLESH
Published: August 2007

We prove that if ${\mathcal F}$ is a finitely generated abelian group of orientation preserving C1 diffeomorphisms of $\mathbb {R}^2$ which leaves invariant a compact set then there is a common fixed point for all elements of ${\mathcal F}$. We also show that if ${\mathcal F}$ is any abelian subgroup of orientation preserving C1 diffeomorphisms of S2 then there is a common fixed point for all elements of a subgroup of ${\mathcal F}$ with index at most two.
A Lipschitz regularity theorem
Authors: CLARKE FRANCIS
Published: August 2007

This paper gives a direct and elementary proof of the fact that under hypotheses of Tonelli type, solutions to the basic problem in the calculus of variations are Lipschitz when the Lagrangian is autonomous. This fact was first proved by Clarke and Vinter in 1985, using other methods.
Importance of particle formation to reconstructed water column biogenic silica fluxes
Authors: Moriceau Brivaëla , Gallinari Morgane , Soetaert Karline , Ragueneau Olivier
Published: August 2007

The particles sinking out of the ocean's surface layer are made up of a mixture of living and dead algal cells, fecal pellets, and aggregates, while the parameters used to describe the behavior of biogenic silica (bSiO2) in today's models are experimentally determined on freely suspended diatoms (FC). In a simple advection‐reaction model we combine sinking rates of FC, zooplankton fecal pellets, and aggregates with recent measurements of bSiO2 dissolution to reconstruct theoretical downward profiles of bSiO2 fluxes at eight sites in the world ocean. Statistical analyses showed that sinking and dissolution parameters for two pools of bSiO2 are required to model particle fluxes accurately. The two‐pool model results confirm the importance of seasonality for particle formation and its connection to the percentage of the bSiO2 production that reaches the seafloor. The depth of bSiO2 recycling appears to be influenced more by particle formation than by dissolution rates of bSiO2 or the ballast effect of the dense diatom frustules.
Enhancing the detection and classification of coral reef and associated benthic habitats: A hyperspectral remote sensing approach
Authors: Mishra Deepak R. , Narumalani Sunil , Rundquist Donald , Lawson Merlin , Perk R.
Published: August 2007

Coral reefs and associated benthic habitats are heterogeneous in nature. A remote sensor designed to discriminate these environments requires a high number of narrow, properly placed bands which are not currently available in existing satellite sensors. Optical hyperspectral sensors mounted on aerial platforms seem to be appropriate for overcoming the lack of both high spectral and spatial resolution of satellite sensors. This research presents results of an innovative coral reef application by such a sensor. Using hyperspectral Airborne Imaging Spectroradiometer for Applications (AISA) Eagle data, the approach presented solves the confounding influence of water column attenuation on substrate reflectance on a per‐pixel basis. The hyperspectral imagery was used in band ratio algorithms to derive water depth and water column optical properties (e.g., absorption and backscattering coefficients). The water column correction technique produced a bottom albedo image which revealed that the dark regions comprised of sea grasses and benthic algae had albedo values ≈15%, whereas sand‐ and coral‐dominated areas had albedos >30% and ≈15–35%, respectively. The retrieved bottom albedo image was then used to classify the benthos, generating a detailed map of benthic habitats, followed by accuracy assessment.
Geomorphic and stratigraphic analysis of Crater Terby and layered deposits north of Hellas basin, Mars
Authors: Wilson Sharon A. , Howard Alan D. , Moore Jeffrey M. , Grant John A.
Published: August 2007

The geologic history of Crater Terby is developed through geomorphic and stratigraphic analyses within the regional context of the Hellas basin. Terby exhibits ∼2‐km‐thick sequences of layers that consist of repetitive, subhorizontal and laterally continuous beds. The layers are predominantly fine‐grained as indicated by their ease of aeolian erosion, although a few consolidated layers weather to form rubbly talus. The grain size or composition of the deposited materials fluctuated, producing layering, but the overall properties of the deposits are similar throughout the sequence and are comparable to layered deposits in other crater basins around Hellas. The original depositional geometry, physical and geological characteristics of the layers in Terby and the other basins lead us to favor a lacustrine origin, but a loess‐like origin cannot be ruled out. The formation of the layers corresponds to a period when the circum‐Hellas region may have been occupied by a lake(s) up to 3.6 km deep. Once the lake in Hellas decreased, the layers in Terby were incised by troughs and a moat‐like depression. We attribute this erosion to scour beneath an ice cover due to a lack of integrated fluvial drainage or large aeolian deflation features. The presence of viscous flow features in a crater on Terby's northwestern rim and lobate features on Terby's crater floor are also indicative of ice. The lack of depositional features associated with the postulated glacial activity suggests there was a contemporaneous shallow (ice‐covered?) lake covering the floor of Terby that transported material into the greater Hellas basin.
Structural relaxation and self-diffusion in covalent amorphous solids: Silicon nitride as a model system
Authors: Schmidt H. , Gruber W. , Gutberlet T. , Ay M. , Stahn J. , Geckle U. , Bruns M.
Published: August 2007

Neutron reflectometry and isotope multilayers were used to investigate self-diffusion in covalent amorphous solids during isothermal annealing and its correlation to structural relaxation. Amorphous silicon nitride was chosen as a model system. Neutron reflectometry is a superior method to measure very low self-diffusivities, occurring in covalent solids, by applying only short time anneals. This allows one to determine time dependent changes of diffusivity over a broad temperature range before crystallization of the metastable solid occurs. The measured nitrogen diffusivities decrease by more than one order of magnitude during annealing between 950 and 1150 °C, while at the same time also a decrease of the atomic density is observed. We interpret this behavior as a structural relaxation of the amorphous network structure that is governed by annihilation of interstitial-like defects.
The Impact of chemical ordering on the dielectric properties of lead scandium tantalate Pb(Sc1∕2Ta1∕2)O3 thin films
Authors: Brinkman K. , Wang Y. , Su D. , Tagantsev A. , Muralt P. , Setter N.
Published: August 2007

The impact of chemical ordering on the dielectric properties of the thin film relaxor Pb(Sc1∕2Ta1∕2)O3 (PST) was investigated. It was found that the dielectric permittivity increased with increased B site order, directly opposite the behavior observed in ceramics. Highly ordered PST thin films on sapphire substrates were found to behave as conventional ferroelectrics with dielectric permittivities near 7000 and well developed polarization hysteresis loops below the phase transition temperature. In contrast, disordered thin films were found to exhibit relaxor behavior with the thin film permittivity reduced by an order of magnitude as compared to ceramic specimens. The direct experimental evidence of highly ordered films and ceramics possessing similar properties under similar processing conditions points to intrinsic differences in the thin film relaxor state as compared to the ceramic relaxor state. It is proposed that the low processing temperatures employed in thin film fabrication do not provide sufficient energy to achieve the same state of “disorder” which is found in ceramic specimens sintered at high temperatures.
Transport and magnetic properties of dilute rare-earth–PbSe alloys
Authors: Jovovic V. , Thiagarajan S. J. , West J. , Heremans J. P. , Story T. , Golacki Z. , Paszkowicz W. , Osinniy V.
Published: August 2007

Polycrystalline alloys of PbSe with rare-earth elements (Ce, Pr, Nd, Eu, Gd, and Yb) have been prepared and their magnetic susceptibility (from 4 to 120 K), galvanomagnetic and thermomagnetic transport (from 80 to 380 K) properties have been measured. Most samples are paramagnetic, and the concentration of rare-earth atoms in the PbSe lattice is deduced from fitting a Curie-Weiss law. The electrical conductivity, Hall, Seebeck, and transverse Nernst-Ettingshausen effects are interpreted in terms of the carrier density and mobility, the density of states effective mass, and the scattering exponent. In summary, Pb1−xEuxSe is a semiconductor with a wider gap than PbSe, but the carrier density is unaffected by the presence of Eu. The other rare earths, which are essentially trivalent atoms, act as donors, with a doping efficiency close to unity in the case of Ce and Nd, but much less for Gd and Yb. The mechanisms that govern the observed decrease in mobility are also discussed.
In-flight dry etching of plasma-synthesized silicon nanocrystals
Authors: Pi X. D. , Liptak R. W. , Campbell S. A. , Kortshagen U.
Published: August 2007

C F 4 -based plasma has been employed to in-flight etch silicon nanocrystals (Si-NCs) after they are synthesized by SiH4-based plasma. The authors find that the photoluminescence (PL) of Si-NCs blueshifts when they are etched, indicating the etching-induced size reduction of Si-NCs. It is demonstrated that the power of CF4-based plasma can be tuned to control the size reduction of Si-NCs. The room-temperature atmospheric oxidation of both etched Si-NCs and unetched ones slows down significantly ∼100h after production. The PL intensity of etched Si-NCs is smaller than that of unetched ones after oxidation.
Modified triphenylmethane dye for the efficient nonlinear generation of light in nanostructured materials
Authors: Vidal Xavier , Herance Jose Raul , Marquet Jordi , Bourdelande Jose Luis , Martorell Jordi
Published: August 2007

Many nonlinear photonic materials exhibit large extinction coefficients as a result of the active molecule absorption band. The authors show that it is possible to redshift the absorption resonance of such material without a significant alteration of the nonlinear response. A drastic reduction in the absorption coefficient at the wavelength of interest is obtained by adding a triple bond unit to these active molecules. In such case, the nonlinear optical response of a photonic material would be much better than the one obtained with the original molecule or by following the conventional procedure of adding a double bond unit instead.
Irradiation induced pulsations of reverse biased metal oxide/silicon structures
Authors: Fink D. , Kiv A. , Fuks D. , Tabacnics M. , de A. Rizutto M. , de O. D. Silva A. , Chandra A. , Golovanov V. , Ivanovskaya M. , Khirunenko L.
Published: August 2007

Specific electronic features have been found in structures consisting of metal oxide layers on silicon substrates upon swift heavy ion irradiation. These features are linked to the appearance of radiation-induced negative differential resistances in the structures. In the reversed bias direction they show high frequency current pulsations at around ∼10kHz frequency. Their amplitude increases with increasing applied voltage. The pulsation frequency also shows a small increase. The current amplitude depends on the ion fluence and flux.
Effect of metal organic vapor phase epitaxy growth conditions on emission wavelength stability of 1.55μm quantum dot lasers
Authors: Franke D. , Moehrle M. , Boettcher J. , Harde P. , Sigmund A. , Kuenzel H.
Published: August 2007

InAs quantum dots (QDs) on InP were implemented as active layers in laser structures completely grown by metal organic vapor phase epitaxy (MOVPE). In laser structures due to growth of the upper InP cladding layers onto the QDs, a marked blueshift of the emission wavelength and a simultaneous degradation of photoluminescence intensity were observed. This behavior was systematically investigated using thermal treatment to simulate the growth of the upper cladding layer. Using an adequate growth procedure emission behavior was achieved that has proven to be fairly insensitive to over-/regrowth steps. Broad-area 1.55μm emitting laser devices were fabricated by incorporating seven QD layers in an all-MOVPE grown structure. Transparency current densities per dot layer of 80Acm−2 were achieved which is close to values of multiple quantum well lasers processed in the same way.
Thermodynamically reengineering the listerial invasion complex InlA/E-cadherin
Authors: Wollert Thomas , Heinz Dirk W. , Schubert Wolf-Dieter
Published: August 2007

Biological processes essentially all depend on the specific recognition between macromolecules and their interaction partners. Although many such interactions have been characterized both structurally and biophysically, the thermodynamic effects of small atomic changes remain poorly understood. Based on the crystal structure of the bacterial invasion protein internalin (InlA) of
Listeria monocytogenes
in complex with its human receptor E-cadherin (hEC1), we analyzed the interface to identify single amino acid substitutions in InlA that would potentially improve the overall quality of interaction and hence increase the weak binding affinity of the complex. Dissociation constants of InlA-variant/hEC1 complexes, as well as enthalpy and entropy of binding, were quantified by isothermal titration calorimetry. All single substitutions indeed significantly increase binding affinity. Structural changes were verified crystallographically at ≤2.0-Å resolution, allowing thermodynamic characteristics of single substitutions to be rationalized structurally and providing unique insights into atomic contributions to binding enthalpy and entropy. Structural and thermodynamic data of all combinations of individual substitutions result in a thermodynamic network, allowing the source of cooperativity between distant recognition sites to be identified. One such pair of single substitutions improves affinity 5,000-fold. We thus demonstrate that rational reengineering of protein complexes is possible by making use of physically distant hot spots of recognition.
R&D progress at JAEA towards production of high power and large-area negative ion beams for ITER
Authors: Hanada M. , Inoue T. , Kashiwagi M. , Taniguchi M. , Tobari H. , Watanabe K. , Umeda N. , Dairaku M. , Ikeda Y. , Sakamoto K.
Published: August 2007

This paper reports the progress of R&D towards the ITER neutral beam (NB) system at the Japan Atomic Energy Agency (JAEA) during 2004–2006. In the accelerator development, an H−ion beam of 146 A m−2was accelerated up to 836 keV in a vacuum insulated accelerator with five acceleration stages. This is the first production of a high power density beam at MeV range energy, which is more than twice as high as those of the existing NB systems for large experimental reactors such as JT-60U and LHD. The ITER NB system requires a high voltage (HV) bushing as an electric feedthrough to the vacuum insulated accelerator from the gas insulated power supply. A full-size (1.56 m in diameter and 0.292 m in height) insulator ring made of alumina ceramic has been successfully fabricated for HV bushing, as a result of the technological development of a new cold iso-static press.

Long pulse operations of JT-60U negative ion sources with a large extraction area of 0.45 × 1.1 m2are in progress. From the two ion sources, D−ion beams of 21 A (90 A m−2), 320 keV have been produced for 21 s. As a consequence, injection of 3.2 MW D0beams was achieved. Thus, the long pulse operation of the negative ion based NB system has been demonstrated with multi-tens of ampere of D−ions extracted from the ion extraction area relevant to the ITER NB design (0.6 × 1.5 m2). For long pulse operation of such powerful beams, the negative ion uniformity over the wide extraction area is an essential issue to avoid excess power loading on the accelerator grids. By adopting a new magnetic configuration with the so-called ‘tent-shaped filter’, the uniformity of the JAEA 10 A source (extraction area: 0.13 × 0.22 m2) was improved by 8%, which fulfilled the ITER requirement.
Energy deposition of charged particles and neutrons in an inertial confinement fusion plasma
Authors: Ghosh K. , Menon S.V.G.
Published: August 2007

The energy leakage probability of charged particles from an ICF pellet has been estimated earlier using a small angle binary collision approximation for Coulomb scattering from electrons and ions. While this is the most predominant energy loss mechanism, elastic nuclear scattering is important for high density pellets at higher temperatures. In this paper, we generalize the calculation of energy leakage probability to include nuclear scattering, large angle Coulomb scattering and collective plasma effects. In general, these effects reduce the thermalization distance in the plasma and increase the fraction of energy deposited to ions. We also develop a simple approach for energy deposition by neutrons due to nuclear interaction with the ions. The same model is then used to re-evaluate the concept of internal tritium breeding in high density ICF pellets. It is found that tritium breeding improves significantly in comparison with earlier estimates.
What is good mathematics?
Authors: Tao Terence
Published: August 2007

Some personal thoughts and opinions on what “good quality mathematics” is and whether one should try to define this term rigorously. As a case study, the story of Szemerédi’s theorem is presented.
Cognition in Children With Sensorineural Hearing Loss: Etiologic Considerations
Authors: Pierson Suzanne K. , Caudle Susan E. , Krull Kevin R. , Haymond Jody , Tonini Ross , Oghalai John S.
Published: August 2007

Objectives: A considerable amount of literature has documented the impact of hearing impairment on spoken language skills in deaf children referred for cochlear implantation. Critical areas of neurocognitive development in the acquisition of visual (manual) language also appear to be impacted, although the evidence is less robust. The present study focused on the development of visual and fine motor skills in a sample of preschool‐age children diagnosed with sensorineural hearing loss with no known neurologic conditions (n = 36).

Study Design: Analysis of data collected as part of a standardized screening process for cochlear implantation at an academic medical center.

Method: Children underwent a standardized neuropsychological assessment battery. Children were classified into three groups based on the etiology of their deafness (Connexin = 15, Structural Malformation = 11, and Unknown = 10).

Results/Conclusions: Correlational analyses replicated previous research on the reduction in visual reception and fine motor skills as deaf children age. Children with genetic (Connexin) etiology exhibited a significant reduction in fine motor skills with age, whereas those with an etiology of Structural Abnormality exhibited a significant reduction in visual reception skills with age. Results of planned comparisons conducted as part of a multivariate analysis of variance (Skill × Group) indicated that the Connexin group was significantly better than the Unknown group with regard to fine motor skills. Implications for these findings and future studies are discussed.
Angiogenesis in skin aging and photoaging
Authors: CHUNG Jin Ho , EUN Hee Chul
Published: August 2007

Angiogenesis, the process of generating new blood vessels, is affected by various physiological and pathological conditions of skin. The skin aging process can be divided into intrinsic aging and photoaging. With aging, cutaneous blood vessels undergo pronounced alterations. A reduction of the cutaneous microvasculature has been observed in the skin of elderly individuals. Human skin is exposed daily to solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation, infrared rays and heat, and these stimuli are known to induce skin angiogenesis. Interestingly, although acute UV irradiation stimulates skin angiogenesis, cutaneous blood vessels are decreased in chronically photodamaged skin. The reason for the differential effects of acute and chronic UV exposure on skin angiogenesis remains to be elucidated. This review discusses the vascularization changes in intrinsically aged and photoaged human skin, the effects of UV irradiation, infrared rays and heat on skin angiogenesis, and the effects of topical retinoic acid treatment on UV‐induced angiogenesis and cutaneous vascularity in aged and photoaged human skin. An understanding of the molecular mechanisms of aging‐ and photoaging‐dependent changes of skin angiogenesis may provide us with new insights to prevent and treat the skin aging process.
Paraneoplastic pemphigus presenting as erythrodermic lichenoid dermatitis with concomitant features of pemphigus foliaceus
Authors: FUKUMOTO Takaya , SHIROYAMA Yoshimi , NIIZEKI Hironori , KOBAYASHI Nobuhiko , ASADA Hideo , ISHII Norito , HASHIMOTO Takashi , MIYAGAWA Sachiko
Published: August 2007

We describe a patient with paraneoplastic pemphigus who presented with erythrodermic lichenoid dermatitis, later developing blisters of pemphigus foliaceus type and oral erosive lesions. In addition to antibodies against the plakin family proteins, the patient's serum was positive for anti‐desmoglein 1 antibodies without coexisting anti‐desmoglein 3 activities by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, which is a very rare autoantibody profile in paraneoplastic pemphigus.
Somatically mutated immunoglobulin IGHV@ genes without intraclonal heterogeneity indicate a postgerminal centre origin of primary intraocular diffuse large B‐cell lymphomas
Authors: Malumbres Raquel , Davis Janet , Ruiz Phillip , Lossos Izidore S.
Published: August 2007

Primary intraocular lymphoma (PIOL) is a type of diffuse large B‐cell lymphoma (DLBCL) that is related to primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). Whether their pathogenesis is similar is presently unknown. Immunoglobulin heavy chain variable genes (IGHV@) somatic mutations were analysed in five patients with PIOL, one patient with concomitant PCNSL and one patient with systemic DLBCL involving the eye. Six in‐frame mutated clonal IGHV@ rearrangements were cloned from PIOL specimens. The sequences showed no evidence of antigen selection and revealed absence of intraclonal heterogeneity in four of five cases, suggesting that PIOL and PCNSL may differ in their ontogeny.
Non‐optimal animal movement in human‐altered landscapes
Authors: FAHRIG LENORE
Published: August 2007

I synthesize the understanding of the relationship between landscape structure and animal movement in human‐modified landscapes.

The variety of landscape structures is first classified into four categories: continuous habitat, patchy habitat with high‐quality matrix, patchy habitat with low‐quality matrix, and patchy, ephemeral habitat. Using this simplification I group the range of evolved movement parameters into four categories or movement types. I then discuss how these movement types interact with current human‐caused landscape changes, and how this often results in non‐optimal movement.

From this synthesis I develop a hypothesis that predicts the relative importance of the different population‐level consequences of these non‐optimal movements, for the four movement types.

Populations of species that have inhabited landscapes with high habitat cover or patchy landscapes with low‐risk matrix should have evolved low boundary responses and moderate to high movement probabilities. These species are predicted to be highly susceptible to increased movement mortality resulting from habitat loss and reduced matrix quality.

In contrast, populations of species that evolved in patchy landscapes with high‐risk matrix or dynamic patchy landscapes are predicted to be highly susceptible to decreased immigration and colonization success, due to the increasing patch isolation that results from habitat loss.

Finally, I discuss three implications of this synthesis: (i) ‘least cost path’ analysis should not be used for land management decisions without data on actual movement paths and movement risks in the landscape; (ii) ‘dispersal ability’ is not simply an attribute of a species, but varies strongly with landscape structure such that the relative rankings of species’ dispersal abilities can change following landscape alteration; and (iii) the assumption that more mobile species are more resilient to human‐caused landscape change is not generally true, but depends on the structure of the landscape where the species evolved.
Behavioural syndromes differ predictably between 12 populations of three‐spined stickleback
Authors: DINGEMANSE NIELS J. , WRIGHT JONATHAN , KAZEM ANAHITA J. N. , THOMAS DAWN K. , HICKLING RACHAEL , DAWNAY NICK
Published: August 2007

Animals often differ in suites of correlated behaviours, comparable with how humans differ in personality. Constraints on the architecture of behaviour have been invoked to explain why such ‘behavioural syndromes’ exist. From an adaptationist viewpoint, however, behavioural syndromes should evolve only in those populations where natural selection has favoured such trait covariance, and they should therefore exist only in particular types of population.

A comparative approach was used to examine this prediction of the adaptive hypothesis. We measured behavioural correlations in 12 different populations of three‐spined stickleback (Gasterosteus aculeatus) and assessed whether they indeed varied consistently according to the selective environment, where population was unit of analysis.

For a sample of fry from each population, we measured five different behaviours within the categories of (i) aggression (towards conspecifics); (ii) general activity; and (iii) exploration–avoidance (of novel foods, novel environments and altered environments).

We show that behavioural syndromes are not always the same in different types of stickleback population: the often‐documented syndrome between aggressiveness, activity and exploratory behaviour existed only in large ponds where piscivorous predators were present. In small ponds where predators were absent, these behaviours were not (or only weakly) associated.

Our findings imply that population variation in behavioural syndromes does not result from stochastic evolutionary processes, but may result instead from adaptive evolution of behaviour favouring what should prove to be optimal trait combinations.
Intravenous fluid therapy: a randomized controlled trial to investigate the effectiveness of the IV2TM flow medical device
Authors: Fraser Nesta , Snyman Jacques R , Wessels Francois , Nel George
Published: August 2007

Objectives.  To investigate the hypothetical benefits of the IV2TM flow medical device.

Background.  Intravenous fluid administration is a standard hospital procedure with assumed inadequacies. The IV‐Event Study [Fraser N, Nel G, Snyman J & Wessels F (2004) IV‐EVENT Study: Intravenous Infusion Therapy – Management and Adverse Events. Data on File: Varori International (Pty) Ltd., Centurion, South Africa] quantified these inadequacies; The ‘Stargait’ intervention trial investigated the effectiveness and possible cost‐benefit of the IV2TM flow. The IV2TM flow is intended for routine use with gravitational intravenous infusion sets. The IV2TM flow should reduce the incidence rate of adverse events and maintain a set flow rate.

Method.  Nursing staff assisted by study assessors captured relevant data. Consented patients were enrolled for the period of their prescribed infusions.

Intervention.  The Stargait Trial compared the treatment group (standard gravitational sets with the IV2TM flow) with the control group (standard gravitational infusion sets without IV2TM flow). The difference in observed events and the cost benefit derived from this were measured.

Results.  A total of 2387 drip hours were observed in 52 patients. The adverse event rates were: Control group (without IV2TM flow) 33·8%. The treatment group (IV2TM flow) 15·4%. This 55% reduction is statistically significant (p = 0·0069). Adverse event related monetary wastage (labour and consumables) is reduced by 76% for infusion bags in the intervention group (with IV2TM flow). There was a significant difference between the treatment group and control group as far as deviation in flow rate was concerned (p = 0·00818). The mean deviation of the IV2TM flow group was just more than 5 ml per hour. The standard line group had a mean deviation of more than 30 ml per hour.

Conclusion.  Gravitational intravenous therapy compromises quality of patient care. The Stargait Trial has proven the care‐effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness of the IV2TM flow.

Relevance to clinical practice.  The IV2TM flow improves quality of patient care and reduces associated wastage.
Relatives’ struggle for an improved and more just care for older people in community care
Authors: Häggström Elisabeth , Kihlgren Annica , Kihlgren Mona , Sörlie Venke
Published: August 2007

Aims and objectives.  The aim of the present study was to describe the relatives’ experience concerning older family members living in special housing facilities.

Background.  During the 21st century, the relatives of older people and their efforts related to the care and nursing of older people have been observed. The interest in these relatives is because of factors such as demographic changes, where the number of older people has increased and the increasing gap between the resources that are available for geriatric care and the care needed for older people.

Design.  The present study has a descriptive design and is part of a project including 24 specific residences, called special housing facilities.

Method.  The study focused on the narratives supplied by the relatives that were analysed using qualitative latent content analysis, an interpretative process where the researcher considers the content of the text.

Results.  The relatives’ experience of having an older person in a special housing facility that emerged from the study, was expressed in one main theme: The relatives’ struggle for an improved and just care for older people and four sub‐themes: (i)‘To trust in caregivers’; (ii) ‘To be confirmed’; (iii) ‘To trust in care’; (iv) ‘To receive the kind of care that one considers one has the right to receive’.

Conclusions.  The study shows that the relatives need more support and more opportunities, so that they can participate in the care. The study shows the relatives engagement in working for a just society's obligation towards the protection of older peoples rights and the staff's working conditions.

Relevance to clinical practice.  It is important that caregivers and management working with older people realize that they, together with them and their relatives, are a part of society and that all individuals are influenced by the discourse of that society.
Differentiation of tundra/taiga and boreal coniferous forest wolves: genetics, coat colour and association with migratory caribou
Authors: MUSIANI MARCO , LEONARD JENNIFER A. , CLUFF H. DEAN , GATES C. CORMACK , MARIANI STEFANO , PAQUET PAUL C. , VILÀ CARLES , WAYNE ROBERT K.
Published: August 2007

The grey wolf has one of the largest historic distributions of any terrestrial mammal and can disperse over great distances across imposing topographic barriers. As a result, geographical distance and physical obstacles to dispersal may not be consequential factors in the evolutionary divergence of wolf populations. However, recent studies suggest ecological features can constrain gene flow. We tested whether wolf–prey associations in uninterrupted tundra and forested regions of Canada explained differences in migratory behaviour, genetics, and coat colour of wolves. Satellite‐telemetry data demonstrated that tundra wolves (n = 19) migrate annually with caribou (n = 19) from denning areas in the tundra to wintering areas south of the treeline. In contrast, nearby boreal coniferous forest wolves are territorial and associated year round with resident prey. Spatially explicit analysis of 14 autosomal microsatellite loci (n = 404 individuals) found two genetic clusters corresponding to tundra vs. boreal coniferous forest wolves. A sex bias in gene flow was inferred based on higher levels of mtDNA divergence (FST = 0.282, 0.028 and 0.033;P < 0.0001 for mitochondrial, nuclear autosomal and Y‐chromosome markers, respectively). Phenotypic differentiation was substantial as 93% of wolves from tundra populations exhibited light colouration whereas only 38% of boreal coniferous forest wolves did (χ2 = 64.52,P < 0.0001). The sharp boundary representing this discontinuity was the southern limit of the caribou migration. These findings show that substantial genetic and phenotypic differentiation in highly mobile mammals can be caused by prey–habitat specialization rather than distance or topographic barriers. The presence of a distinct wolf ecotype in the tundra of North America highlights the need to preserve migratory populations.
GRA7 provides protective immunity in cocktail DNA vaccines against Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: JONGERT E. , DE CRAEYE S. , DEWIT J. , HUYGEN K.
Published: August 2007

In a previous study, single‐gene vaccination with GRA1, GRA7 or ROP2 was shown to elicit partial protection against Toxoplasma gondii. In this study, the contribution of each antigen in the evoked humoral and cellular immune responses was evaluated after vaccination with plasmid mixtures containing GRA1, GRA7 and ROP2. Cocktail DNA vaccinated mice developed high antibody titers against the antigens from two‐gene DNA vaccine cocktails, but lower titres when immunized with the three‐gene cocktail. High numbers of IFN‐γ secreting splenocytes were generated predominantly against GRA7. Brain cyst burden was reduced by 81% in mice vaccinated with the three‐gene mixture and they were completely protected against acute toxoplasmosis. Similar high levels of brain cyst reductions were obtained after vaccination with cocktails composed of GRA1 and GRA7 (89% reduction), or GRA7 and ROP2 (79% reduction), but not with the cocktail composed of GRA1 and ROP2. In low dose single‐gene vaccinations, IFN‐γ and strong protection could only be elicited by GRA7. Hence, the presence of GRA7 in the DNA vaccine formulation was important for optimal protection and this was correlated with GRA7‐specific IFN‐γ production. We propose GRA7 as a main component in cocktail DNA vaccines for vaccination against T. gondii.
Differential regulation of IgG subclasses and IgE antimalarial antibody responses in complicated and uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria
Authors: TANGTEERAWATANA P. , MONTGOMERY S. M. , PERLMANN H. , LOOAREESUWAN S. , TROYE‐BLOMBERG M. , KHUSMITH S.
Published: August 2007

The aim of this study was to assess the immunoglobulin (Ig)‐subclass distribution of antimalarial antibody responses in 110 and 169 Thai patients with complicated and uncomplicated Plasmodium falciparum malaria, respectively. Antimalarial plasma IgG subclasses and IgE antibody levels against a crude malaria blood stages, and antigen preparation were determined using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). On admission, the levels of anti‐P. falciparum IgG1, IgG2 and IgG3 were significantly lower in patients with complicated malaria than uncomplicated malaria (IgG1, P < 0·0001; IgG2, P < 0·0001; IgG3, P < 0·0001). The levels of antimalarial IgE were slightly lower, but not statistically significant (P = 0·389) in the complicated malaria. After adjusting all antibody levels and age, anti‐P. falciparum IgG3 levels remained significantly associated with complicated malaria. None of the other antibody concentrations showed statistically significant associations with complicated malaria. The anti‐P. falciparum IgG3 levels were related to the IgG1 as well as IgG2 levels. A correlation between anti‐P. falciparum IgG2 and IgE was observed in the complicated malaria group, and this may indicate their roles in the severity of disease. Our data suggest that anti‐P. falciparum IgG3 is associated with a reduced risk of complicated malaria and that antimalarial Ig‐subclasses are differently regulated in patients with complicated and uncomplicated malaria.
Cenozoic stratigraphy and sedimentation history of the northern Philippine Sea based on multichannel seismic reflection data
Authors: Higuchi Yu , Yanagimoto Yutaka , Hoshi Kazuyoshi , Unou Sadao , Akiba Fumio , Tonoike Kunishige , Koda Keita
Published: August 2007

Abstract  To clarify the regional distribution and characteristics of the sedimentary deposits in the northern part of the Philippine Sea, multichannel seismic reflection surveys of 26 864 km in total length were performed. The seismic reflection data were interpreted and correlated with available Deep Sea Drilling Project/Ocean Drilling Program (DSDP/ODP) data and a general stratigraphic framework of the area was established. The sedimentary deposits in this area were divided into five layers; Units I, II, III, IV and V in ascending order. Their approximate geological ages are the Early Eocene, Middle to Late Eocene, Oligocene, Miocene and Pliocene‐Pleistocene, respectively. Seismic records were classified into three seismic facies, Facies A, B and C, on the basis of their characteristics. They were judged to represent pelagic and hemipelagic sediments of non‐volcanic origin, fine pyroclastic sediments and coarse pyroclastic or volcanic sediments, respectively, by comparing them with lithological data in the DSDP/ODP holes. From the thickness and facies distributions of these sediments, a sedimentary history in the area was reconstructed as follows. The oldest sediments in the study area, Unit I, interfinger with some parts of the Daito Ridge (acoustic basement) in the Minami Daito Basin. The geological age of the unit is estimated by microfossils in the sediment and supports the idea that this part of the Daito Ridge is composed of the Early Eocene oceanic basalt. Later, a fair amount of sediments were deposited in the Minami Daito Basin in the Middle to Late Eocene age. A large volume of volcanic materials was supplied from the Paleo‐Kyushu‐Palau Ridge in the Kita Daito Basin in the Eocene and Oligocene ages. The eastern part of the Shikoku and Parece Vela basins is characterized by volcanic sediments supplied from the Nishi Shichito and West Mariana Ridges in the Miocene age. However, pelagic and hemipelagic sediments prevail in the northern part of the Shikoku Basin in the Miocene or later. In short, the area of principal sedimentation has generally shifted from west to east through geological time, reflecting the evolution of the island arc systems with the same trend in the northern Philippine Sea.
Growth history and formation environments of ferromanganese deposits on the Philippine Sea Plate, northwest Pacific Ocean
Authors: Usui Akira , Graham Ian J. , Ditchburn Robert G. , Zondervan Albert , Shibasaki Hiroshi , Hishida Hajime
Published: August 2007

Abstract  Hydrogenetic ferromanganese crusts are widespread on the floor of the northwestern Pacific Ocean, south and east of the Japanese Islands, despite vigorous tectonic activity, such as subduction and back‐arc spreading, since at least the Mid‐Paleogene over the Philippine Sea Plate region and nearby. The crusts occur mainly at water depths shallower than 3000 m, but also at greater depths of up to 6000 m. Fine‐scale 10Be/9Be dating was undertaken on several 5–10 cm thick hydrogenetic ferromanganese crusts sampled from different geological environments, including inactive submarine volcanoes, tectonic escarpments and abandoned rifts. The results indicate that the crusts have grown at relatively constant rates of 4–7 mm/my without any significant time breaks. These uniform and constant growth rates suggest that the basins have been exposed constantly to oxygenated bottom waters since their formation in the Middle Miocene (ca 15 Ma) or earlier. Local geological or oceanographic environmental changes might have slowed or increased some of the growth rates resulting in correlation of some internal structures. The Philippine Sea Plate region could have economic potential in areas of thick hydrogenetic ferromanganese crusts over a wide range of water depths.