bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Augmentation Increases Vesicular Release Probability in the Presence of Masking Depression at the Frog Neuromuscular Junction
Authors: Kalkstein Jonathan M. , Magleby Karl L.
Published: December 2004

Synaptic augmentation is a short-term component of synaptic plasticity that increases transmitter release during repetitive stimulation and decays thereafter with a time constant of ∼7 sec. Augmentation has typically been observed under conditions where there is little or no depression because of depletion of synaptic vesicles from the readily releasable pool (RRP) of transmitter. We now study augmentation under conditions of pronounced depression at the frog neuromuscular junction to gain additional insight into mechanism. If augmentation reflects an increase in the size of the RRP of transmitter, then augmentation should not be present with depression. Our findings using four different experimental approaches suggested that augmentation was still present in the presence of pronounced depression: mathematical extraction of augmentation from the changes in transmitter release after repetitive stimulation, identification of augmentation with Ba2+, correction of the data for the measured depletion of the RRP, and identification of an augmentation component of residual Ca2+. We conclude that the augmentation machinery still acts to increase transmitter release when depression reduces the RRP sufficiently to mask obvious augmentation. The masked augmentation was found to increase transmitter release by increasing the probability of releasing individual vesicles from the depressed RRP, countering the effects of depression. Because augmentation and depression have similar time courses, either process can mask the other, depending on their relative magnitudes. Consequently, the apparent absence of one of the processes does not exclude that it is still contributing to short-term synaptic plasticity.
Visually Guided Movements Suppress Subthalamic Oscillations in Parkinson's Disease Patients
Authors: Amirnovin Ramin , Williams Ziv M. , Cosgrove G. Rees , Eskandar Emad N.
Published: December 2004

There is considerable evidence that abnormal oscillatory activity in the basal ganglia contributes to the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease. However, little is known regarding the relationship of oscillations to volitional movements. Our goal was to evaluate the dynamics of oscillatory activity at rest and during movement. We performed microelectrode recordings from the subthalamic nucleus (STN) of patients undergoing deep brain stimulation surgery. During recordings, the patients used a joystick to guide a cursor to one of four targets on a monitor. We recorded 184 cells and 47 pairs of cells in 11 patients. At rest, 26 cells (14%) demonstrated significant oscillatory activity, with a mean frequency of 18 Hz. During movement, this oscillatory activity was either reduced or completely abolished in all of the cells. At rest, 18 pairs (38%) of cells in five patients exhibited synchronized oscillatory activity, with a mean frequency of 15 Hz. In 17 of the 18 pairs, both of the cells exhibited oscillations, and, in one pair, only one of the cells was oscillatory. These synchronized oscillations were also significantly decreased with movement. There was a strong inverse correlation between firing rates and oscillatory activity. As the firing rates increased with movement, there was a decrease in oscillatory activity. These findings suggest that visually guided movements are associated with a dampening and desynchronization of oscillatory activity in STN neurons. One possible explanation for these observations is that the increased cortical drive associated with movement preparation and execution leads to a transient dampening of STN oscillations, hence facilitating movement.
High-Dose Methamphetamine Acutely Activates the Striatonigral Pathway to Increase Striatal Glutamate and Mediate Long-Term Dopamine Toxicity
Authors: Mark Karla A. , Soghomonian Jean-Jacques , Yamamoto Bryan K.
Published: December 2004

Methamphetamine (METH) has been shown to increase the extracellular concentrations of both dopamine (DA) and glutamate (GLU) in the striatum. Dopamine, glutamate, or their combined effects have been hypothesized to mediate striatal DA nerve terminal damage. Although it is known that METH releases DA via reverse transport, it is not known how METH increases the release of GLU. We hypothesized that METH increases GLU indirectly via activation of the basal ganglia output pathways. METH increased striatonigral GABAergic transmission, as evidenced by increased striatal GAD65 mRNA expression and extracellular GABA concentrations in substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr). The METH-induced increase in nigral extracellular GABA concentrations was D1 receptor-dependent because intranigral perfusion of the D1 DA antagonistSCH23390(10 μm) attenuated the METH-induced increase in GABA release in the SNr. Additionally, METH decreased extracellular GABA concentrations in the ventromedial thalamus (VM). Intranigral perfusion of the GABA-A receptor antagonist, bicuculline (10 μm), blocked the METH-induced decrease in extracellular GABA in the VM and the METH-induced increase in striatal GLU. Intranigral perfusion of either a DA D1 or GABA-A receptor antagonist during the systemic administrations of METH attenuated the striatal DA depletions when measured 1 week later. These results show that METH enhances D1-mediated striatonigral GABAergic transmission (1), which in turn activates GABA-A receptors in the SNr (2), leading to a decrease in GABAergic nigrothalamic activity (3), an increase in corticostriatal GLU release (4), and a consequent long-term depletion of striatal DA content (5).
Inferior Olive Oscillations Gate Transmission of Motor Cortical Activity to the Cerebellum
Authors: Marshall Sarah P. , Lang Eric J.
Published: December 2004

Inferior olivary (IO) neurons display spontaneous oscillatory activity, yet the importance of these oscillations for shaping the responses of this system to its afferents is uncertain. We used multiple electrode recording of crus 2a Purkinje cell complex spikes (CSs) in ketamine-xylazine-anesthetized rats to investigate olivocerebellar responses to activation of motor cortico-olivary pathways. Trains of electrical stimuli were applied to the motor cortex at frequencies between 4 and 30 Hz. Various frequency-response curves were observed, with the most common types being unimodal with a maximum at 9.5 ± 2.3 Hz and bimodal with peaks at 8.9 ± 1.0 and 15.1 ± 1.3 Hz. To determine whether IO oscillatory properties underlie the resonance peaks in the frequency-response curves, apamin and charybdotoxin were injected into the IO. These toxins, which weaken and enhance spontaneous IO oscillations, respectively, had corresponding effects on the sharpness of resonance peaks. Next, the variation of CS entrainment patterns with frequency was investigated to characterize the nature of the IO oscillator. Low-frequency (4 Hz) stimulation was relatively ineffective in entraining CS activity. Between 4 and 30 Hz, two predominant entrainment patterns emerged. For low-frequency (4-6 Hz) and high-frequency (17-30 Hz) ranges, a 1:2 entrainment dominated, whereas in the intermediate range (6-17 Hz), 1:1 entrainment was most prevalent. These results indicate that IO neurons respond as nonlinear oscillators to afferent signals.
Contested Terrain: History, Museums, and the Public
Authors: Gardner James B.
Published: December 2004

How does the public understand and use the past? What role should historians and historical scholarship play in the public's understanding of the past? How do we as historians address our responsibilities to the public and still remain advocates for history and scholarly integrity? How do we make the difficult choices that are our responsibility to make? This essay argues that historians working in museums must be advocates for both history and our visitors, negotiating the gap between our understanding of the past as historians and the public's.
Charge‐Transfer Induced Large Nonlinear Optical Properties of Small Al Clusters: Al4M4 (M: Li, Na, and K).
Authors: Datta Ayan , Pati Swapan K.
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Vilsmeier—Haack Synthesis of Aromatic Aldehydes Using Bis‐(Trichloromethyl) Carbonate and Dimethylformamide.
Authors: Shan W. G. , Shi X. J. , Su W. K.
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Synthesis of 1,3,5‐Trinitrosobenzene.
Authors: Klyuchnikov O. R. , Khairutdinov F. G.
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Synthesis and Trimethylaluminum Additions on γ‐Hydroxy‐δ‐sulfinyl and Sulfonyl Enoates.
Authors: Carreno M. Carmen , Sanz‐Cuesta M. Jesus , Colobert Francoise , Solladie Guy
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Highly Enantioselective Cu‐Catalyzed Asymmetric 1,4‐Addition of Diphenylzinc to Cyclohexenone.
Authors: Pena Diego , Lopez Fernando , Harutyunyan Syuzanna R. , Minnaard Adriaan J. , Feringa Ben L.
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Reaction of Silyl Ketene Acetals with Epoxides: A New Method for the Synthesis of γ‐Butanolides.
Authors: Maslak Veselin , Matovic Radomir , Saicic Radomir N.
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
A Convenient Synthesis of Some New 2‐Oxazolidone Derivatives.
Authors: Hussaini Syed Sulaiman , Sriraman V. , Huq C. A. M. A.
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Efficient Reduction of tetrakis(2‐Cyanoethyl)cyclen with Sodium—Toluene and Synthesis of Carboxymethyl‐ and Hydroxyethyl Functionalized Second Generation Pendant Arms Appended Cyclens.
Authors: Jebasingh B. , Alexander V.
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Sesquiterpene Aminoquinones, from a Marine Sponge, Induce Erythroid Differentiation in Human Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia, K562 Cells.
Authors: Aoki Shunji , Kong Dexin , Matsui Kouhei , Rachmat Rachmaniar , Kobayashi Motomasa
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Synthesis of a Bis‐amino Acid that Creates a Sharp Turn.
Authors: Habay Stephen A. , Schafmeister Christian E.
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Acetylenes in Catalysis: Enantioselective Additions to Carbonyl Groups and Imines and Applications Beyond
Authors: Cozzi Pier Giorgio , Hilgraf Robert , Zimmermann Nicole
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Nucleophilic Catalysis by 4‐(Dialkylamino)pyridines Revisited — The Search for Optimal Reactivity and Selectivity
Authors: Spivey Alan C. , Arseniyadis Stellios
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Directly Linked Porphyrin Arrays with Tunable Excitonic Interactions.
Authors: Kim Dongho , Osuka Atsuhiro
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Catalysis of Acid/Aldehyde/Alcohol Condensations to Ketones
Authors: Dooley Kerry M.
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Spin Crossover— An Overall Perspective
Authors: Guetlich Philipp , Goodwin Harold A.
Published: December 2004

For Abstract see ChemInform Abstract in Full Text.
Improving the reproducibility of diagnosing micrometastases and isolated tumor cells
Authors: Cserni Gábor , Bianchi Simonetta , Boecker Werner , Decker Thomas , Lacerda Manuela , Rank Fritz , Wells Clive A. ,   for The European Working Group for Breast Screening Pathology
Published: December 2004

BACKGROUND

The latest edition of the tumor‐lymph node‐metastasis (TNM) classification of malignant tumors distinguishes between isolated tumor cells (pN0) and micrometastases (pN1mi). The reproducibility of these categories has not been assessed previously.

METHODS

Digital images from 50 cases with low‐volume lymph node involvement from axillary sentinel lymph nodes were circulated twice for evaluation (Evaluation Rounds 1 and 2) among the members of the European Working Group for Breast Screening Pathology, and the members were asked to categorize lesions as micrometastasis, isolated tumor cells, or something else and to classify each case into a pathologic lymph node (pN) category of the pathologic TNM system. Methods for improving the low reproducibility of the categorizations were discussed between the two evaluation rounds. κ Statistics were used for the assessment of interobserver variability.

RESULTS

The κ value for the consistency of categorizing low‐volume lymph node load into micrometastasis, isolated tumor cells, or neither of those changed from 0.39 to 0.49 between Evaluation Rounds 1 and 2, but it was slightly lower for the pN categories (0.35 and 0.44, respectively). Interpretation of the definitions of isolated tumor cells (especially with respect to their localization within the lymph node), lack of guidance on how to measure them if they were multiple, and lack of any definitions for multiple simultaneous foci of lymph node involvement were listed among the causes of discordant diagnoses.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of the current study indicated that the definitions available have minor contradictions and do not permit a reproducible distinction between micrometastases and isolated tumor cells. Refinement of these definitions, therefore, is required. One refinement that may improve reproducibility is suggested in this report. Cancer 2005. © 2004 American Cancer Society.
Kinetics and Film Properties of Boron Nitride Derived from Trimethoxyborane/Ammonia by Chemical Vapor Deposition
Authors: Strakov H. , Hackl G. , Popovska N. , Gerhard H.
Published: December 2004

The kinetics of the CVD of boron nitride from trimethoxyborane (TMOB) and ammonia (NH3) under atmospheric pressure was investigated by varying the following process parameters: temperature, residence time of the reactants, molar fraction of TMOB, and the NH3/TMOB ratio, γ. A kinetic power law equation was derived, that describes the experimental results with good accuracy. The reaction order with respect to TMOB is found to be 0.9 and – 0.2 with respect to NH3. Between 800 °C and 950 °C, the deposition rate is controlled by the surface reaction kinetics with apparent activation energy of 115.1 kJ mol–1. The deposited BN films were characterized by IR spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The microstructure of the deposits depends on the nature of the substrates used. Turbostratic boron nitride (t‐BN) was deposited on graphite, and hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) on alumina substrates. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analyses show nearly stoichiometric BN films for deposition temperatures in the range 850–950 °C for high amounts of ammonia (100 < γ < 150) in the feed gas.
Multiobjective optimization for performance‐based seismic design of steel moment frame structures
Authors: Liu Min , Burns Scott A. , Wen Y. K.
Published: December 2004

The performance‐based seismic design of steel special moment‐resisting frame (SMRF) structures is formulated as a multiobjective optimization problem, in which conflicting design criteria that respectively reflect the present capital investment and the future seismic risk are treated simultaneously as separate objectives other than stringent constraints. Specifically, the initial construction expenses are accounted for by the steel material weight as well as by the number of different standard steel section types, the latter roughly quantifying the degree of design complexity related additional construction cost; the seismic risk is considered in terms of maximum interstory drift demands at two hazard levels with exceedance probabilities being 50% and 2% in 50 years, respectively. The present formulation allows structural engineers to find an optimized design solution by explicitly striving for a desirable compromise between the initial investment and seismic performance. Member sizing for code‐compliant design of a planar five‐story four‐bay SMRF is presented as an application example using the proposed procedure that is automated by a multiobjective genetic algorithm. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Functionalization of dental implant surfaces using adhesion molecules
Authors: Schliephake H. , Scharnweber D. , Dard M. , Sewing A. , Aref A. , Roessler S.
Published: December 2004

The aim of the present study was to test the hypothesis that organic coating of titanium screw implants that provides binding sites for integrin receptors can enhance periimplant bone formation. Ten adult female foxhounds received experimental titanium screw implants in the mandible 3 months after removal of all premolar teeth. Four types of implants were evaluated in each animal: (1) implants with machined titanium surface, (2) implants coated with collagen I, (3) implants with collagen I and cyclic RGD peptide coating (Arg‐Gly‐Asp) with low RGD concentrations (100 μmol/mL), and (4) implants with collagen I and RGD coating with high RGD concentrations (1000 μmol/mL). Periimplant bone regeneration was assessed histomorphometrically after 1 and 3 months in five dogs each by measuring bone implant contact (BIC) and the volume density of the newly formed periimplant bone (BVD). After 1 month, BIC was significantly enhanced only in the group of implants coated with the higher concentration of RGD peptides (p = 0.026). Volume density of the newly formed periimplant bone was significantly higher in all implants with organic coating. No significant difference was found between collagen coating and RGD coatings. After 3 months, BIC was significantly higher in all implants with organic coating than in implants with machined surfaces. Periimplant BVD was significantly increased in all coated implants in comparison to machined surfaces also. It was concluded that organic coating of machined screw implant surfaces providing binding sites for integrin receptors can enhance bone implant contact and periimplant bone formation. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater 73B: 88–96, 2005
Where you stand depends on who you're standing with
Authors: Goldsmith Marshall
Published: December 2004

Leaders need to understand people with very different perspectives and cultures.
Does the customer come first in your boardroom?
Authors: Quelch John A. , McGovern Gail
Published: December 2004

Ensuring that the company's strategic plans are customer driven.
A mouse of change, a lion of resistance
Authors: Clark Timothy R.
Published: December 2004

Look at the personal cost of change.
Strategies for building and communicating trust in electronic banking: A field experiment
Authors: Yousafzai Shumaila Y. , Pallister John. G. , Foxall Gordon R.
Published: December 2004

The strong association between the high levels of trust and the banking sector has not yet been translated in the electronic world to its full potential. For the future growth of e‐banking the issues of security and privacy must be removed. In an experimental setting, this study examines the effectiveness of potential trust‐building strategies for e‐banking and their impact on on‐line customers' perceptions of trustworthiness of the bank, by specifically focusing on the information clues presented on the bank's Web site. Structural assurance and situational normality mechanisms both had an impact on customers' trustworthiness perceptions, suggesting that banks need to use a portfolio of strategies to build the customer's trust. The results further suggest that communication of meaningful and timely information has the potential to influence customers' trusting intentions. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Curing kinetics and reaction‐induced homogeneity in networks of poly(4‐vinyl phenol) and diglycidylether epoxide cured with amine
Authors: Su Chean Cheng , Woo E.M. , Huang Yin Ping
Published: December 2004

Mixtures of diglycidyl ether of bisphenol‐A (DGEBA) epoxy resin with poly(4‐vinyl phenol) (PVPh) of various compositions were examined with a differential scanning calorimeter (DSC), using the curing agent 4,4′‐diaminodiphenylsulfone (DDS). The phase morphology of the cured epoxy blends and their curing mechanisms depended on the reactive additive, PVPh. Cured epoxy/PVPh blends exhibited network homogeneity based on a single glass transition temperature (Tg) over the whole composition range. Additionally, the morphology of these cured PVPh/epoxy blends exhibited a homogeneous network when observed by optical microscopy. Furthermore, the DDS‐cure of the epoxy blends with PVPh exhibited an autocatalytic mechanism. This was similar to the neat epoxy system, but the reaction rate of the epoxy/polymer blends exceeded that of neat epoxy. These results are mainly attributable to the chemical reactions between the epoxy and PVPh, and the regular reactions between DDS and epoxy. Polym. Eng. Sci. 45:1–10, 2005. © 2004 Society of Plastics Engineers.
Model structure analysis through graph theory: partition heuristics and feedback structure decomposition
Authors: Oliva Rogelio
Published: December 2004

The argument of this article is that it is possible to focus on the structural complexity of system dynamics models to design a partition strategy that maximizes the test points between the model and the real world, and a calibration sequence that permits an incremental development of model conﬁdence. It further argues that graph theory could be used as a basis for making sense of the structural complexity of system dynamics models, and that this structure could be used as a basis for more formal analysis of dynamic complexity. After reviewing the graph representation of system structure, the article presents the rationale and algorithms for model partitions based on data availability and structural characteristics. Special attention is given to the decomposition of cycle partitions that contain all the model's feedback loops, and a unique and granular representation of feedback complexity is derived. The article concludes by identifying future research avenues in this arena. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Potential antidepressant LY 367265 presynaptically inhibits the release of glutamate in rat cerebral cortex
Authors: Wang Su‐Jane
Published: December 2004

Abnormality of glutamate, one of the excitatory neurotransmitters, has been implicated in psychiatric disorders such as depression. In this study, the effect of the potential antidepressant LY 367265, an inhibitor of the 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT) transporter and 5‐HT2A receptor antagonist, on the release of endogenous glutamate was investigated in nerve terminals purified from rat cerebral cortex using an on‐line enzyme‐coupled fluorimetric assay. LY 367265 inhibited the release of glutamate evoked by 4‐aminopyridine (4AP) in a concentration‐dependent manner; no effect was seen on KCl‐evoked glutamate release. Examination of the effect of LY 367265 on cytosolic [Ca2+] revealed that the attenuation of glutamate release could be attributed to a reduction in Ca2+ influx. The inhibition of Ca2+ influx by LY 367265 was most likely due to it decreasing synaptosomal excitability because LY 367265 significantly reduced the 4AP‐evoked depolarization of the synaptosomal plasma membrane potential. Glutamate release induced by the Ca2+ ionophore ionomycin was not affected by LY 367265, indicating that LY 367265‐mediated inhibition of glutamate release is not a direct interference in the release process at some point subsequent to Ca2+ influx. Together, these results suggest that LY 367265 effects a decrease in the nerve terminal excitability, which subsequent attenuates the Ca2+ entry through voltage‐dependent Ca2+ channels to cause a decrease in evoked glutamate release. Additionally, compared with the clinically effective antidepressant fluoxetine, a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, LY 367265 seems to have a more potent inhibition on 4AP‐evoked glutamate release. Furthermore, the finding that LY 367265 and fluoxetine responses were additive suggests that the simultaneous blockade of 5‐HT2A receptors and 5‐HT uptake transporters might have greater therapeutic efficacy than either action alone. Synapse 55:156–163, 2005. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Are identity styles important for psychological well‐being?
Authors: Vleioras Georgios , Bosma Harke A.
Published: December 2004

A successful identity formation is related to being psychologically well (Erikson, 1963). This link seems to be lost in the identity style literature that focuses either on the maturity of the identity styles, or on adaptive and maladaptive behaviour correlates of identity styles. In this study, we address this lost link. We administered the Identity Style Inventory (Berzonsky, 1992a) and the scales of Psychological Well‐Being (Ryff, 1989) to 230 Hellene (Greek) University students. The Hellenic (Greek) translations of the scales functioned appropriately. The findings suggest that avoiding facing identity issues is negatively related to psychological well‐being, while, when such issues are faced, the way of facing them is not important.
Structural basis of eukaryotic gene transcription
Authors: Boeger Hinrich , Bushnell David A. , Davis Ralph , Griesenbeck Joachim , Lorch Yahli , Strattan J. Seth , Westover Kenneth D. , Kornberg Roger D.
Published: December 2004

An RNA polymerase II promoter has been isolated in transcriptionally activated and repressed states. Topological and nuclease digestion analyses have revealed a dynamic equilibrium between nucleosome removal and reassembly upon transcriptional activation, and have further shown that nucleosomes are removed by eviction of histone octamers rather than by sliding. The promoter, once exposed, assembles with RNA polymerase II, general transcription factors, and Mediator in a ∼3 MDa transcription initiation complex. X‐ray crystallography has revealed the structure of RNA polymerase II, in the act of transcription, at atomic resolution. Extension of this analysis has shown how nucleotides undergo selection, polymerization, and eventual release from the transcribing complex. X‐ray and electron crystallography have led to a picture of the entire transcription initiation complex, elucidating the mechanisms of promoter recognition, DNA unwinding, abortive initiation, and promoter escape.
Structure of the Bordetella trematum LPS O‐chain subunit
Authors: Vinogradov Evgeny , Caroff Martine
Published: December 2004

Analysis of the O‐chain subunit of the lipopolysaccharide (LPS, endotoxin) isolated from Bordetella trematum, a recently identified human pathogen, was undertaken. The polysaccharide (PS) moiety was shown to contain only two O‐chain subunits, which differed in the anomeric bond of their first sugar. A trisaccharide fragment resulting from the cleavage of a FucNAc glycosidic bond was isolated after treatment of the PS with anhydrous HF. Nitrous deamination of the LPS led to the release of the following heptasaccharide corresponding to two trisaccharide subunits linked to an anhydromannitol residue. β‐ManNAc3NAmA‐(1‐4)‐β‐ManNAc3NAmA‐(1‐3)‐α‐FucNAc‐(1‐4)‐β‐ManNAc3NAmA‐(1‐4)‐β‐ManNAc3NAmA‐(1‐3)‐β‐FucNAc‐(1‐6)‐2,5‐anhManol.
PCDM: a decision support modeling methodology for supply chain, product and process design decisions
Authors: Blackhurst Jennifer , Wu Tong , O’Grady Peter
Published: December 2004

While there is considerable pressure to improve the operation of supply chains, their inherent complexity can make modeling a supply chain a difficult task. This difficulty is compounded when the need to model the effects of product and process design changes are also considered. Yet there could be considerable benefits in designing supply chains taking into account the operation of the supply chain as well as the design of the product and the design of the manufacturing processes used in the supply chain. This paper aims to address the central research issue of developing a methodology that can assist a manager in making decisions by modeling both the operation of a supply chain design and the effects of product and process design decisions. The proposed methodology, called Product Chain Decision Model (PCDM), is presented in this paper. This uses an abstracted network to model supply chain systems. Finally, an industry example of joint supply chain and product design is described to illustrate the application of PCDM.
The influence of power driven buyer/seller relationships on supply chain satisfaction
Authors: Benton W.C. , Maloni Michael
Published: December 2004

Research on supplier satisfaction in buyer–supplier relationships has been primarily conceptual. One purpose of the research described in this paper is to empirically test the influences of supply chain power on supplier satisfaction. Exploration of the effects of power on factors of supplier satisfaction will provide the key to understanding the power‐satisfaction link in supply chain relationships. This paper shows how the buyer–seller relationship affects supplier satisfaction. In doing so, previous satisfaction and power literature is pulled together to demonstrate that the power‐satisfaction variable must be included in any examination of supply chain partnerships. The three primary objectives of this research are to establish how the different “bases of power” affect the satisfaction of selling firms, investigate how power driven relationships affect supplier satisfaction, and measure the effect of power influences on supplier satisfaction in the automobile industry. Each of these research objectives was achieved. This study establishes the first empirical evidence for the measurement of power‐driven supplier satisfaction. In each of the nine models studied, the power‐affected buyer–supplier relationship was found to have a significant positive effect on both performance and satisfaction. The paths between performance and satisfaction, however, were consistently found to be non‐significant.
Coordinating product design, process design, and supply chain design decisions
Authors: Forza C. , Salvador F. , Rungtusanatham M.
Published: December 2004

Complementing Part A which appeared in an earlier issue, Coordinating product design, process design, and supply chain design decisions. Part B. coordinating approaches, tradeoffs, and future research directions introduces four additional papers that belong to this special issue. These four papers seek to provide answers to the following two questions: “What mechanisms allow product design, manufacturing process design, and supply chain design decisions to be coordinated?” and “Why should decisions with respect to product design, manufacturing process design, and supply chain design be coordinated?” Each of the four papers compiled in Part B provides, foremost, an approach to coordinate decisions across the domains of product design, manufacturing process design, and supply chain design. The proposed coordinating mechanisms range from a network‐based modeling approach to an assessment procedure for evaluating product architectures to the integration of relevant suppliers into the new product development (NPD) process to a goal programming modeling approach. The fourth paper in Part B, in fact, deploys the proposed goal programming modeling approach to identify and formalize the potential tradeoffs among decisions across the three domains. Part B completes the special issue by identifying future research opportunities, beyond those highlighted within the seven papers that form Part A and Part B of this special issue on Coordinating product design, process design, and supply chain design decisions.
Build‐to‐order and just‐in‐time as predictors of applied supply chain knowledge and market performance
Authors: Christensen William J. , Germain Richard , Birou Laura
Published: December 2004

The research increases our understanding of a build‐to‐order supply chain (BOSC) by examining the effects of two distinct yet related strategies on applied supply chain knowledge and market performance: a build‐to‐order (BTO) and a just‐in‐time (JIT) strategy. The results show that a BTO strategy positively affects market performance through its influence on the application of supply chain knowledge downstream with customers. Although a JIT strategy does affect the upstream application of knowledge with suppliers, the latter does not predict market performance. Theoretical and managerial implications are presented.
Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene transfer enhances surgical revascularization of necrotic bone
Authors: Katsube Kosuke , Bishop Allen T. , Simari Robert D. , Ylä‐Herttuala Seppo , Friedrich Patricia F.
Published: December 2004

Avascular necrosis of bone is a relatively common clinical condition caused by inflammatory conditions, steroid or other drug use, and trauma that affect many different sites in man. Revascularization of the necrotic bone is slow to occur, often resulting in bone resorption and eventual collapse of the involved bone. Rapid revascularization and subsequent bone remodeling may lead to improved outcomes.

Surgical revascularization with arterovenous bundles (AV bundles) or vascularized bone grafts results in neoangiogenesis and bone remodeling. Gene transfer of an angiogenic factor to the vessel wall may be an additional strategy to further accelerate this process. In this study, we examined the effectiveness of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene transfer to augment surgical revascularization of necrotic bone. An adenoviral vector, either with the VEGF gene (VEGF‐A) or identical virus without the cDNA VEGF insert (ADV‐ΔE1) was used to transduce endothelial cells in rabbit saphenous arteries. The artery was then placed with its venae comitantes as an AV bundle into necrotic iliac crest bone in vivo. Angiogenesis in the necrotic bone was quantified by bone blood flow measurement and assessment of vessel density following microangiography. The extent of neoangiogenesis was significantly greater in the VEGF group than the control group at 1 week postoperatively. © 2004 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Rat supraspinatus muscle atrophy after tendon detachment
Authors: Barton Elisabeth R. , Gimbel Jonathan A. , Williams Gerald R. , Soslowsky Louis J.
Published: December 2004

Rotator cuff tears are one of the most common tendon disorders found in the healthy population. Tendon tears not only affect the biomechanical properties of the tendon, but can also lead to debilitation of the muscles attached to the damaged tendons. The changes that occur in the muscle after tendon detachment are not well understood. A rat rotator cuff model was utilized to determine the time course of changes that occur in the supraspinatus muscle after tendon detachment. It was hypothesized that the lack of load on the supraspinatus muscle would cause a significant decrease in muscle mass and a conversion of muscle fiber properties toward those of fast fiber types. Tendons were detached at the insertion on the humerus without repair. Muscle mass, morphology and fiber properties were measured at one, two, four, eight, and 16 weeks after detachment. Tendon detachment resulted in a rapid loss of muscle mass, an increase in the proportion of fast muscle fibers, and an increase in the fibrotic content of the muscle bed, concomitant with the appearance of adhesions of the tendon to surrounding surfaces. At 16 weeks post‐detachment, muscle mass and the fiber properties in the deep muscle layers returned to normal levels. However, the fiber shifts observed in the superficial layers persisted throughout the experiment. These results suggest that load returned to the muscle via adhesions to surrounding surfaces, which may be sufficient to reverse changes in muscle mass. © 2004 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Editorial
Authors: Miskin Christine
Published: December 2004

Hurrah! Law librarians or rather “Legal Information Managers”, “Knowledge Managers” and “Directors of Information Services”, have at last received a good press from no less than our old friends Sweet & Maxwell, with subsequent coverage in The Times. It seems that they have conducted a survey of library and information services within the top 100 law firms and have discovered that the position and prospects of law librarians have improved greatly over the last few years and particularly since the advent of Knowledge Management, with over twenty per cent of us now reporting either directly to the Managing Partner or sitting on the management board. This is very good news for us professionally and makes a welcome change from the not too distant past when redundancies were the order of the day.
Report on the Annual BIALL Conference 2004 in Edinburgh
Authors: Crowhurst Jonathan
Published: December 2004

As Bob Dylan says, times they are a-changing. This theme was central to the weekend in the fair city of Edinburgh, hosts of the 35th Annual BIALL Conference. To be honest I was not sure what to expect from a law librarianship conference. The first manifestation of this was in packing for the event where I could not decide between a formal or a somewhat dressed down approach to my sartorial collection. I have been to conferences in other fields when at university for my first degree – namely the Classical Association Conferences and the British Association for the Advancement of Science conference. Both were pretty informal affairs (classicists having little requirement for suits generally).
Mythen und Paradoxien der klassischen Testtheorie (I)
Authors: Yousfi Safir
Published: December 2004

Zusammenfassung. Aus der klassischen Testtheorie (Spearman-Brown-Formel) wird gewöhnlich die Empfehlung abgeleitet, Tests aus möglichst vielen Items zusammenzustellen. Anhand mathematischer Ableitungen wird im folgenden Beitrag gezeigt, dass die Reliabilität und Validität einer Skala nur unter sehr strengen Voraussetzungen (Parallelität bzw. Rasch-Homogenität) zwingend mit zunehmender Testlänge ansteigen. Sind diese Voraussetzungen nicht erfüllt, so kann die Verlängerung eines Tests durchaus zu Einbußen bei den Gütekriterien führen. Auch bei zufälliger Itemselektion hängt es von den Eigenschaften des jeweiligen Itempools ab, ob mit zunehmender Testlänge Einbußen oder Verbesserungen der Testgüte zu erwarten sind. Ein negativer Zusammenhang der Testlänge mit der Reliabilität und Validität kann sich demnach nicht nur bei gezielter Auswahl der Items ergeben.
Recombinant human mast‐cell chymase: an improved procedure for expression in Pichia pastoris and purification of the highly active enzyme
Authors: Lockhart Brent E. , Vencill Jessica R. , Felix Cherise M. , Johnson David A.
Published: December 2004

Human mast‐cell chymase (EC 3.4.21.39) is a chymotrypsin‐like serine protease that is stored in and released from mast‐cell granules. This enzyme has been expressed in Pichia pastoris by homologous recombination of the cDNA coding for the mature active chymase into the Pichia genome. Cells producing the highest levels of recombinant human chymase were selected by activity screening and they were grown in a fermentor. Methanol induction resulted in the secretion of active chymase into the Pichia growth media and increasing levels of enzyme were detected in the media for 5 days. Active enzyme was purified from the culture media with a 22% yield of activity by a simple two‐step procedure involving hydrophobic‐interaction chromatography followed by affinity chromatography on immobilized heparin. The major peak from the heparin column contained a single band of 30.6 kDa on SDS/PAGE. The purified recombinant human chymase was 96% active and the yield was 2.2 mg/l of growth media.
Computational‐fluid‐dynamics (CFD) analysis of mixing and gas–liquid mass transfer in shake flasks
Authors: Zhang Hu , Williams‐Dalson Wellae , Keshavarz‐Moore Eli , Shamlou Parviz Ayazi
Published: December 2004

CFD (computational fluid dynamics) techniques were used to predict mixing and gas‐liquid mass transfer in a 250 ml shake flask operating over a range of shaking frequencies between 100 and 300 rev./min, shaking diameters between 20 and 60 mm, and fill volumes between 25 and 100 ml. Interfacial area, a, volumetric mass‐transfer coeffcient, kLa, and the power input per unit volume, ηv, of the liquid were predicted to be 300<a<800 m2·m−3, 10<kLa<100 h−1 and 40<ηV<600 W·m−3 respectively. These values are significantly different from the reported range for laboratory and pilot‐scale bioreactors used in the fermentation of bacterial and fungal micro‐organisms (100<a<300 m2·m−3, 100<kLa<400 h−1 and 1000<ηV<3000 W·m−3). Our analysis showed that, at the highest shaking frequency and amplitude of operation, the specific power input in the shake flask was much lower than in laboratory bioreactors. Bacterial and fungal micro‐organisms require dissolved oxygen concentrations typically in the range 50–250 mmol of O2·h−1·litre−1, corresponding to volumetric mass‐transfer coefficients, kLa, in the range of 250–400 h−1. Poor mixing and dissolved‐oxygen limitation in shake flasks may limit their use in process design and media optimization in fermentation. In contrast, mammalian cells have relatively low demand for oxygen and consequently require a lower specific power input, this being typically between 1 and 10 W·m−3, allowing efficient operation in shake flasks. Experimental data presented as part of the present study showed that mammalian cell growth in shake flasks was essentially independent of the specific power input, the maximum specific cell growth rate being 0.056 h−1. The corresponding maximum oxygen‐uptake rate was 0.74 mmol of O2·h−1·litre−1 for a viable cell count of 1.3×106 cells·ml−1. These values are comparable with reported values for laboratory and pilotscale bioreactors. This analysis suggests that growth of mammalian cells in shake flasks (and hence in laboratory bioreactors) is not limited by the gas–liquid mass‐transfer rate. In mammalian cell cultures, the requirement for good mixing is driven by other considerations, including the need for good cell suspension and reduction in heterogeneity, for example, in pH, temperature, nutrient concentration, osmolality and lactate/glucose ratio.
Human protein phosphatase 5 dissociates from heat-shock proteins and is proteolytically activated in response to arachidonic acid and the microtubule-depolymerizing drug nocodazole
Authors: ZEKE Tamás , MORRICE Nick , VÁZQUEZ-MARTIN Cristina , COHEN Patricia T. W.
Published: December 2004

Ppp5 (protein phosphatase 5) is a serine/threonine protein phosphatase that has been conserved throughout eukaryotic evolution. In mammalian cells, FLAG-tagged Ppp5 and endogenous Ppp5 are found to interact with endogenous Hsp (heat-shock protein) 70, as well as Hsp90. Incubation of cells with arachidonic acid or the microtubule-depolymerizing agent, nocodazole, causes loss of interaction of Hsp70 and Hsp90 with FLAG-tagged Ppp5 and increase of Ppp5 activity. In response to the same treatments, endogenous Ppp5 undergoes proteolytic cleavage of the N- and C-termini, with the subsequent appearance of high-molecular-mass species. The results indicate that Ppp5 is activated by proteolysis on dissociation from Hsps, and is destroyed via the proteasome after ubiquitination. Cleavage at the C-terminus removes a nuclear localization sequence, allowing these active cleaved forms of Ppp5 to translocate to the cytoplasm. The response of Ppp5 to arachidonic acid and nocodazole suggests that Ppp5 may be required for stress-related processes that can sometimes cause cell-cycle arrest, and leads to the first description for in vivo regulation of Ppp5 activity.
CD83 is preformed inside monocytes, macrophages and dendritic cells, but it is only stably expressed on activated dendritic cells
Authors: CAO Weiping , LEE Szu Hee , LU Jinhua
Published: December 2004

Human DCs (dendritic cells) express surface CD83 upon activation. Comparing the surface induction of CD83 with the upregulation of CD40, CD80 and CD86 during LPS (lipopolysaccharide)-induced DC maturation showed that CD83 induction occurred more rapidly. Despite the lack of CD83 on immature DCs, it was detected in these cells by Western blotting and flow cytometry. Indirect immunofluorescence revealed CD83 inside immature DCs in perinuclear regions. CD83 was absent on monocytes and macrophages, but it was detected inside these cells and found to be rapidly surface-expressed upon LPS-induced activation. Whereas CD83 expression on activated DCs was sustainable, its expression on monocytes and macrophages was transient. Optimal interleukin-4 co-stimulation during DC generation from monocytes was found to be essential for stable CD83 surface expression. CD83 was detected as 37 and 50 kDa forms in transfected 293T cells. Macrophages and immature DCs expressed the 37 kDa form, whereas mature DCs predominantly expressed the 50 kDa form. In monocytes, CD83 was detected as a 22 kDa detergent-insoluble form. The rapid CD83 surface induction on DCs and macrophages was blocked by brefeldin A, but not by cycloheximide, showing that fresh CD83 synthesis was not essential. Tunicamycin inhibited the expression of the 50 and 37 kDa CD83 forms, and also blocked CD83 surface expression on DCs and macrophages. PNGase F (peptide N-glycosidase F) digestion reduced the 37 and 50 kDa CD83 forms to 28 kDa. In summary, monocytes, macrophages and immature DCs contain preformed intracellular CD83, and its rapid surface expression upon activation is post-translationally regulated in a process involving glycosylation.
Involvement of a cytoplasmic-tail serine cluster in urotensin II receptor internalization
Authors: PROULX Christophe D. , SIMAAN May , ESCHER Emanuel , LAPORTE Stéphane A. , GUILLEMETTE Gaétan , LEDUC Richard
Published: December 2004

Most G-protein-coupled receptors that undergo agonist-dependent internalization require the presence of specific cytoplasmic-tail residues to initiate interactions with proteins of the endocytic machinery. Here we show that the UT receptor (urotensin II receptor) undergoes internalization, and that specific serine residues of the receptor's cytoplasmic tail participate in this process. We first observed a time-dependent increase in internalization of the UT receptor expressed in COS-7 cells following binding of the agonist urotensin II. This sequestration was significantly reduced in the presence of sucrose, demonstrating that the agonist-activated UT receptor is internalized in part by clathrin-coated pits. Moreover, the sequestered receptor was co-localized in endocytic vesicles with β-arrestin1 and β-arrestin2. To assess whether specific regions of the receptor's cytoplasmic tail were involved in internalization, five UT receptor mutants were constructed. In four constructs the receptor's cytoplasmic tail was truncated at various positions (UTΔ367, UTΔ363, UTΔ350 and UTΔ336), and in the other four adjacent serine residues at positions 364–367 were replaced by Ala (Mut4S). Each mutant, except UTΔ367, demonstrated a significantly reduced internalization rate, thereby revealing the importance of specific serine residues within the cytoplasmic tail of the UT receptor for its ability to be internalized efficiently.