bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Transcriptomic and Phenotypic Analyses Suggest a Network between the Transcriptional Regulators HrcA and σBinListeria monocytogenes
Authors: Hu Yuewei , Oliver Haley F. , Raengpradub Sarita , Palmer M. Elizabeth , Orsi Renato H. , Wiedmann Martin , Boor Kathryn J.
Published: October 2007

Listeria monocytogenesHrcA and CtsR negatively regulate class I and III stress response genes, respectively, while σBpositively regulates the transcription of class II stress response genes. To define the HrcA regulon and identify interactions between HrcA, CtsR, and σB, we characterized newly generatedL. monocytogenesΔhrcA, ΔctsRΔhrcA, and ΔhrcAΔsigBstrains, along with previously described ΔsigB, ΔctsR, and ΔctsRΔsigBstrains, using phenotypic assays (i.e., heat resistance, acid resistance, and invasion of human intestinal epithelial cells) and performed whole-genome transcriptome analysis of the ΔhrcAstrain. ThehrcAandsigBdeletions had significant effects on heat resistance. While thehrcAdeletion had no significant effect on acid resistance or invasion efficiency in Caco-2 cells, a linear regression model revealed a significant (P= 0.0493) effect of interactions between thehrcAdeletion and thectsRdeletion on invasiveness. Microarray-based transcriptome analyses and promoter searches identified (i) 25 HrcA-repressed genes, including two operons (thegroESLanddnaKoperons, both confirmed as HrcA regulated by quantitative real-time PCR) and one gene directly repressed by HrcA, and (ii) 36 genes that showed lower transcript levels in the ΔhrcAstrain and thus appear to be indirectly upregulated by HrcA. A number of genes were found to be coregulated by either HrcA and CtsR (2 genes), HrcA and σB(31 genes), or all three regulators (5 genes, e.g.,gadCB). Combined with previous evidence that σBappears to directly regulatehrcAtranscription, our data suggest that HrcA and σB, as well as CtsR, form a regulatory network that contributes to the transcription of a number ofL. monocytogenesgenes.
Cross-Ocean Distribution of
Rhodobacterales
Bacteria as Primary Surface Colonizers in Temperate Coastal Marine Waters
Authors: Dang Hongyue , Li Tiegang , Chen Mingna , Huang Guiqiao
Published: October 2007

Bacterial surface colonization is a universal adaptation strategy in aquatic environments. However, neither the identities of early colonizers nor the temporal changes in surface assemblages are well understood. To determine the identities of the most common bacterial primary colonizers and to assess the succession process, if any, of the bacterial assemblages during early stages of surface colonization in coastal water of the West Pacific Ocean, nonnutritive inert materials (glass, Plexiglas, and polyvinyl chloride) were employed as test surfaces and incubated in seawater off the Qingdao coast in the spring of 2005 for 24 and 72 h. Phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene sequences amplified from the recovered surface-colonizing microbiota indicated that diverse bacteria colonized the submerged surfaces. Multivariate statistical cluster analyses indicated that the succession of early surface-colonizing bacterial assemblages followed sequential steps on all types of test surfaces. The
Rhodobacterales
, especially the marine
Roseobacter
clade members, formed the most common and dominant primary surface-colonizing bacterial group. Our current data, along with previous studies of the Atlantic coast, indicate that the
Rhodobacterales
bacteria are the dominant and ubiquitous primary surface colonizers in temperate coastal waters of the world and that microbial surface colonization follows a succession sequence. A conceptual model is proposed based on these findings, which may have important implications for understanding the structure, dynamics, and function of marine biofilms and for developing strategies to harness or control surface-associated microbial communities.
Orthopoxvirus Detection in Environmental Specimens during Suspected Bioterror Attacks: Inhibitory Influences of Common Household Products
Authors: Kurth Andreas , Achenbach John , Miller Liljia , Mackay Ian M. , Pauli Georg , Nitsche Andreas
Published: October 2007

After terrorists attacked the United States in 2001, the appearance of letters and other objects containing powdery substances with unknown potentials for biological threat focused attention on the speed, sensitivity, and reliability of diagnostic methods. This study summarizes the abilities and limitations of real-time PCR, electron microscopy (EM), and virus isolation when used to detect potential bioweapons. In particular, we investigated the inhibitory influences of different common household products present in environmental specimens on PCR yield, EM detection, and virus isolation. We used vaccinia virus as a model for orthopoxviruses by spiking it into specimens. In the second part of the study, we describe modifications of diagnostic methods to overcome inhibitory effects. A variety of PCR amplification enhancers, DNA extraction protocols, and applications of internal controls were evaluated to improve diagnostic simplicity, speed, and reliability. As a result, we strongly recommend using at least two different frontline techniques in parallel, e.g., EM and PCR. A positive result obtained by any one of these techniques should be followed by a biological method to confirm the putative diagnosis. Confirmatory methods include virus isolation followed by an agent-specific immunofluorescence assay to confirm the presence of replication-competent particles.
Characterization of Nucleotide Pools as a Function of Physiological State in
Escherichia coli
Authors: Buckstein Michael H. , He Jian , Rubin Harvey
Published: October 2007

Using a modified method that involves minimal manipulation of cells, we report new information about nucleotide pool sizes and changes throughout the
Escherichia coli
growth curve. Nucleotide pool sizes are critically dependent on sample manipulation and extraction methods. Centrifugation and even short (2 min) lapses in sample preparation can dramatically affect results. The measured ATP concentration at three different growth rates is at least 3 mM, well above the 0.8 mM needed to saturate the rRNA promoter P1 in vitro. Many of the pools, including ATP, GTP, and UTP, begin to decrease while the cells are still in mid-log growth. After an almost universal drop in nucleotide concentration as the cells transition from logarithmic to stationary phase, there is a “rebound” of certain nucleotides, most notably ATP, after the cells enter stationary phase, followed by a progressive decrease. UTP, in contrast, increases as the cells transition into stationary phase. The higher UTP values might be related to elevated UDP-glucose/galactose, which was found to be at higher concentrations than expected in stationary phase. dTTP is the most abundant deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP) in the cell despite the fact that its precursors, UDP and UTP, are not. All dNTPs decrease through the growth curve but do not have the abrupt drop, as seen with other nucleotides when the cells transition into stationary phase.
Mapping the Transcription Start Points of theStaphylococcus aureus eap,emp, andvwbPromoters Reveals a Conserved Octanucleotide Sequence That Is Essential for Expression of These Genes
Authors: Harraghy Niamh , Homerova Dagmar , Herrmann Mathias , Kormanec Jan
Published: October 2007

Mapping the transcription start points of theeap,emp, andvwbpromoters revealed a conserved octanucleotide sequence (COS). Deleting this sequence abolished the expression ofeap,emp, andvwb. However, electrophoretic mobility shift assays gave no evidence that this sequence was a binding site for SarA or SaeR, known regulators ofeapandemp.
Broad-Host-Range
Yersinia
Phage PY100: Genome Sequence, Proteome Analysis of Virions, and DNA Packaging Strategy
Authors: Schwudke Dominik , Ergin Asgar , Michael Kathrin , Volkmar Sven , Appel Bernd , Knabner Dorothea , Konietzny Antje , Strauch Eckhard
Published: October 2007

PY100 is a lytic bacteriophage with a broad host range within the genus
Yersinia
. The phage forms plaques on strains of the three human pathogenic species
Yersinia enterocolitica, Y. pseudotuberculosis
, and
Y. pestis
at 37°C. PY100 was isolated from farm manure and intended to be used in phage therapy trials. PY100 has an icosahedral capsid containing double-stranded DNA and a contractile tail. The genome consists of 50,291 bp and is predicted to contain 93 open reading frames (ORFs). PY100 gene products were found to be homologous to the capsid proteins and proteins involved in DNA metabolism of the enterobacterial phage T1; PY100 tail proteins possess homologies to putative tail proteins of phage AaΦ23 of
Actinobacillus actinomycetemcomitans
. In a proteome analysis of virion particles, 15 proteins of the head and tail structures were identified by mass spectrometry. The putative gene product of ORF2 of PY100 shows significant homology to the gene
3
product (small terminase subunit) of
Salmonella
phage P22 that is involved in packaging of the concatemeric phage DNA. The packaging mechanism of PY100 was analyzed by hybridization and sequence analysis of DNA isolated from virion particles. Newly replicated PY100 DNA is cut initially at a
pac
recognition site, which is located in the coding region of ORF2.
Archaeal Transcription: Function of an Alternative Transcription Factor B from
Pyrococcus furiosus
Authors: Micorescu Michael , Grünberg Sebastian , Franke Andreas , Cramer Patrick , Thomm Michael , Bartlett Michael
Published: October 2007

The genome of the hyperthermophile archaeon
Pyrococcus furiosus
encodes two transcription factor B (TFB) paralogs, one of which (TFB1) was previously characterized in transcription initiation. The second TFB (TFB2) is unusual in that it lacks recognizable homology to the archaeal TFB/eukaryotic TFIIB B-finger motif. TFB2 functions poorly in promoter-dependent transcription initiation, but photochemical cross-linking experiments indicated that the orientation and occupancy of transcription complexes formed with TFB2 at the strong
gdh
promoter are similar to the orientation and occupancy of transcription complexes formed with TFB1. Initiation complexes formed by TFB2 display a promoter opening defect that can be bypassed with a preformed transcription bubble, suggesting a mechanism to explain the low TFB2 transcription activity. Domain swaps between TFB1 and TFB2 showed that the low activity of TFB2 is determined mainly by its N terminus. The low activity of TFB2 in promoter opening and transcription can be partially relieved by transcription factor E (TFE). The results indicate that the TFB N-terminal region, containing conserved Zn ribbon and B-finger motifs, is important in promoter opening and that TFE can compensate for defects in the N terminus through enhancement of promoter opening.
Protein kinase C isoform expression as a predictor of disease outcome on endocrine therapy in breast cancer
Authors: Assender J W , Gee J M W , Lewis I , Ellis I O , Robertson J F R , Nicholson R I
Published: October 2007

Background:

Although in vitro breast cancer models have demonstrated a role for protein kinase C (PKC) α and δ isoforms in endocrine insensitivity and resistance respectively, there is currently little clinical evidence to support these observations.

Aims:

To define the pattern of PKC α and δ expression using breast cancer cell lines, with and without endocrine resistance, and also breast cancer samples, where expression can be correlated with clinicopathological and endocrine therapy outcome data.

Methods:

PKC isoform expression was examined in tamoxifen responsive, oestrogen receptor positive (ER+), ER+acquired tamoxifen resistant (TAM-R) and oestrogen receptor negative (ER−) cell lines by western blotting and immunocytochemical analysis. PKC isoform expression was then examined by immunohistochemistry in archival breast cancer specimens from primary breast cancer patients with known clinical outcome in relation to endocrine response and survival on therapy.

Results:

ER+breast cancer cell lines expressed considerable PKC-δ but barely detectable levels of PKC-α, whereas ER−cell lines expressed PKC-α but little PKC-δ. ER+acquired TAM-R cell lines expressed substantial levels of both PKC-α and δ. In clinical samples, high PKC-δ expression correlated to endocrine responsiveness whereas PKC-α expression correlated to ER negativity. PKC-δ was an independent predictor of duration of response to therapy. Patients showing a PKC-δ+/PKC-α−phenotype had a six times longer endocrine response than patients with the PKC-δ+/ PKC-α+phenotype (equating to tamoxifen resistance in vitro).

Conclusions:

Levels of PKC-α and δ expression appear to be indicative of response to anti-oestrogen therapy and could be useful in predicting a patient’s suitability for endocrine therapy.
Best practice in primary care pathology: review 11
Authors: Smellie W S A , Vanderpump M P J , Fraser W D , Bowley R , Shaw N
Published: October 2007

This eleventh best practice review examines two series of common primary care questions in laboratory medicine: (i) thyroid testing, and (ii) hypercalcaemia and hypocalcaemia. The review is presented in the same question–answer format as in the previous reviews. These questions and answers deal with common situations in men and non-pregnant women. The recommendations represent a précis of guidance found using a standardised literature search of national and international guidance notes, consensus statements, health policy documents and evidence-based medicine reviews, supplemented by Medline Embase searches to identify relevant primary research documents. In the case of the thyroid series, the recommendations are drawn from the 2006 guidelines published by the Association for Clinical Biochemistry, the British Thyroid Association and the British Thyroid Foundation. They are not standards but form a guide to be set in the clinical context. Most are consensus rather than evidence based. They will be updated periodically to take account of new information.
Intercomparison of Odin–SMR ozone profiles with ground-based millimetre-wave observations in the Arctic, the mid-latitudes, and the tropics
Authors: Kopp G , Belova A , Diez y Riega V E , Groß J , Hochschild G , Hoffmann P , Murtagh D , Raffalski U , Urban J
Published: October 2007

The sub-millimetre radiometer (SMR) on board the Odin satellite measures signatures of ozone in two bands centred at 501.8 and 544.6 GHz. From the measurements, ozone volume mixing ratio profiles in the stratosphere and lower mesosphere are retrieved using the Optimal Estimation Method. In this paper, the ozone profiles measured by Odin–SMR (level-2 data ver. 2.1 and 2.0, respectively) are compared to measurements taken by ground-based millimetre wave radiometers in the Arctic; at Kiruna, Sweden; in the mid-latitudes on the Zugspitze, Germany; and in the tropics at Mérida, Venezuela. The Kiruna Microwave Radiometer (KIMRA) covers the frequency range 195–224 GHz, and the Millimeter Wave Radiometer MIRA 2, which was operated on the Zugspitze and at Mérida, measures in the frequency band 268–281 GHz. From the measurements, ozone profiles in the vertical range between approximately 15–65 km were retrieved using the Optimal Estimation Method. Since the ground-based measurements have a lower vertical resolution than those of Odin the latter were degraded using the averaging kernels of the ground-based retrievals. The comparison of the resulting profiles to the ground-based data enables the identification of biases in the Odin measurements and their possible latitudinal variation. In general, a good agreement between satellite and ground-based measurements for the 501.8 GHz band was found in the stratosphere except for a negative bias in the Odin data of about 10–15% in the tropical measurements. The Odin measurements taken at 544.9 GHz yielded systematically 20–30% lower ozone mixing ratios in the middle stratosphere than the ground-based measurements at all sites.

PACS No.: 92.60.hd
The impact of sea-glint upon limb radiance
Authors: Degenstein D A , Bourassa A E , Llewellyn E J , Lloyd N D
Published: October 2007

A simple radiative transfer model is developed to calculate the contribution of sea-glint to limb radiance. It is shown that the absolute sea-glint signal peaks between 70° and 80° solar zenith angle. Sea-glint can contribute 10–15% of the total limb radiance at wavelengths greater than 600 nm, which is several times brighter than an equivalent 5% reflecting Lambertian ocean surface. A test case was identified over the Arabian Sea in October 2002 and the model results compared to limb observations from the Optical Spectrograph and Infra-Red Imaging System (OSIRIS) on-board the Odin satellite.

PACS Nos.: 94.10.Gb, 93.85.+q, 42.68.Ay, 42.68.Mj
Status of the Odin/OSIRIS stratospheric O3 and NO2 data products
Authors: Haley C S , Brohede S
Published: October 2007

This paper describes the status of the stratospheric ozone and nitrogen dioxide data products from the Optical Spectrograph and InfraRed Imager System (OSIRIS) instrument on the Odin satellite. The current version of the data products is 3.0, covering the period from November 2001 to the present. The O3 and NO2 retrieval methods are reviewed along with an overview of the error analyses and geophysical validation status.

PACS Nos.: 07.05.Kf, 07.87.+v, 42.68.Mj, 92.60.hd, 92.60.Ta, 92.60.Vb, 92.70.Cp, 95.75.Fg, 95.75.Rs
A stratospheric NO2 climatology from Odin/OSIRIS limb-scatter measurements
Authors: Brohede S , McLinden C A , Berthet G , Haley C S , Murtagh D , Sioris Christopher E
Published: October 2007

A climatology of stratospheric nitrogen dioxide (NO2), in terms of mean and standard deviation, as a function of latitude (5° bins); altitude (10–46 km in 2 km bins); local solar time (24 h); and month is constructed based on the Odin/OSIRIS limb-scattering data from 2002–2005. The measured profiles, given at specific local solar times, are scaled to all 24 h using a photochemical box model. The Odin orbit gives near global coverage around the equinoxes and hemispheric coverage elsewhere, due to lack of sunlight. The mean NO2 field at a specific local solar time involves high concentrations in the polar summer, peaking at around 25 km, with a negative equatorward gradient. Distinct high levels between 40–50° latitude at 30 km in the winter/spring hemisphere are also found, associated with the so-called {Noxon-cliff}. The diurnal cycle reveals the lowest NO2 concentrations just after sunrise and steep gradients at twilight. The 1σ standard deviation is generally quite low, around 20%, except for winter and spring high latitudes, where values are well above 50% and stretch through the entire stratosphere, a phenomenon probably related to the polar vortex. It is also found that NO2 concentrations are log-normally distributed. Comparisons to a climatology based on data from a (REPROBUS) chemical transport model for the same time period reveal relative differences below 20% in general, which is comparable to the estimated OSIRIS systematic uncertainty. Clear exceptions are the polar regions in winter/spring throughout the atmosphere and equatorial regions below 25 km, where OSIRIS is relatively higher by 40% and more. These discrepancies are most likely attributable to limitations of the model, but this has to be investigated further.

PACS Nos.: 92.60.hd, 95.75.Rs, 95.55.Fw, 95.40.+s
Examination of the 2002 major warming in the southern hemisphere using ground-based and Odin/SMR assimilated data: stratospheric ozone distributions and tropic/mid-latitude exchange
Authors: Bencherif H , Amraoui L El , Semane N , Massart S , Charyulu D Vidyaranya , Hauchecorne A , Peuch V -H
Published: October 2007

Following an exceptionally active winter, the 2002 Southern Hemisphere (SH) major warming occurred in late September. It was preceded by three minor warming events that occurred in late August and early September, and yielded vortex split and break-down over Antarctica. Ozone (O3 and nitrous oxide (N2O) profiles obtained during that period of time (15 August – 4 October) by the Sub-Millimetre Radiometer (SMR) aboard the Odin satellite are assimilated into MOCAGE (Modélisation Isentrope du transport Mésoéchelle de l'Ozone Stratosphérique par Advection), a global three-dimensional chemistry transport model of Météo-France. The assimilated algorithm is a three-dimensional-FGAT built by the European Centre for Research and Advance Training in Scientific Computation (CERFACS) using the PALM (Projet d'Assimilation par Logiciel Multi-méthode) software. The assimilated O3 and N2O profiles and isentropic distributions are compared to ground-based measurements (LIDAR and balloon-sonde) and to maps of advected potential vorticity (APV). The latter is computed by the MIMOSA (Modélisation Isentrope du transport Mésoéchelle de l'Ozone Stratosphérique par Advection) model, a high-resolution advection transport model, using meteorological fields from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF). It is found that O3 concentrations retrieved by the MOCAGE–PALM assimilation system show a reasonably good agreement in the 20–28 km height range when compared with ground-based profiles. This altitude range corresponds to the intersection between the MOCAGE levels (0–28 km) and SMR O3 retrievals (20–50 km). Moreover, comparison of N2O assimilated fields with MIMOSA APV maps indicates that the dramatic split and subsequent break-down of the polar vortex, as well as the associated mixing of mid- and low-latitude stratospheric air, are well resolved and pictured by MOCAGE–PALM. The present study demonstrates also that the tremendous dynamics and associated polar vortex deformations during the 2002-austral-winter have modified ozone and nitrous oxide distributions not only at the vicinity of the polar vortex, but over topics and subtropics as well.

PACS Nos.: 92.60.H–, 92.60.Hd, 92.70.Cp, 92.70.Gt
Methanol electro-oxidation at Ptx Ru(1–x)Oy electrodes — An in situ FTIR study
Authors: Profeti Luciene PR , Hahn Françoise , Kokoh Kouakou B , Olivi Paulo
Published: October 2007

In this work we investigated the nature of the intermediates adsorbed during the electrooxidation of methanol on PtxRu(1–x)Oy electrodes, where 0.5 < x < 0.9, prepared by the decomposition of polymeric precursors. Thin layer electrodes with different compositions were prepared directly on a gold substrate by thermal decomposition of ethylene glycol – citric acid solutions containing the precursor salts at 400 °C. In situ IR reflectance spectra were obtained using the SPAIRS (single potential alteration infrared reflectance spectroscopy) and SNIFTIRS (subtractively normalized interfacial Fourier transform IR reflectance spectroscopy) techniques. For all the investigated compositions, the SNIFTIRS and SPAIRS spectra displayed three main bands, which were attributed to CO species in the linear (COL) and bridged (COB) forms adsorbed over Pt and linearly adsorbed over Ru. Formation of CO2 carbonyl species was also detected. The spectra features were analyzed in terms of the applied potential and they were compared with those reported for Pt–Ru electrodes prepared by other methods.Key words: methanol, electrocatalytic oxidation, in situ infrared reflectance spectroscopy, PtxRu(1–x)Oy, adsorption
Homoallylic ketones and pyrroles by way of copper-catalyzed cascade additions of alkyl-substituted vinyl Grignard reagents to esters
Authors: Dörr Aurélie A , Lubell William D
Published: October 2007

Exploring the scope of the copper-catalyzed cascade addition of vinyl Grignard reagents to carboxylic esters, a set of substituted homoallylic ketones (γ,δ-unsaturated ketones) have been synthesized in 11%–94% yields from treatment of methyl 4-methoxybenzoate and methyl N-Boc-β-alaninate with different methyl-, dimethyl-, and phenyl-substituted vinyl Grignard reagents in the presence of catalytic amounts of CuCN in THF. The respective 2,4-di-, 2,3,5-tri-, and 2,3,4,5-tetrasubstituted pyrroles were obtained in 47%–93% yields from the homoallylic ketones by a sequence featuring ozonolysis followed by Paal–Knorr condensation with ammonium formate.Key words: copper-catalyzed cascade addition, homoallylic ketone, alkyl-substituted vinyl Grignard reagents, ozonolysis, pyrrole, γ,δ-unsaturated ketone.
An Individual Variation Study of Electroacupuncture Analgesia in Rats Using Microarray
Authors: Gao Yu-Zhen , Guo Shi-Yu , Yin Qi-Zhang , Hisamitsu Tadashi , Jiang Xing-Hong
Published: October 2007

The aim of the present study is to probe candidate genes which were involved in the electroacupuncture (EA) analgesia and to understand the molecular basis of the individual difference of EA analgesia in rats. We compared hypothalamus transcriptional profiles of responders with those of non-responders after 1 Hz EA treatment at ST36 acupoint for 1 hour by using oligonucleotide microarray. Responders and non-responders were determined by tail flick latency (TFL). A real-time quantitative RT-PCR was applied to validate the differential expressed genes. Our study provided a global hypothalamus transcriptional profile of EA analgesia in rats. We found that 63 and 3 genes were up- and down-regulated in the responder group, respectively. Half of the differentially expressed genes were classified into 9 functional groups which were ion transport, sensory perception, synaptogenesis and synaptic transmission, signal transduction, inflammatory response, apoptosis, transcription, protein amino acid phosphorylation and G-protein signaling. Glutamatergic receptors, ghrelin precursor, melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4-R) and neuroligin 1 were found to be up-regulated in the responder group which may become new targets for nociceptive study and deserve further investigation for developing new acupuncture therapy and intervention of pain modulation.
Acupuncture Stimulation at Baihui Acupoint Reduced Cerebral Infarct and Increased Dopamine Levels in Chronic Cerebral Hypoperfusion and Ischemia-Reperfusion Injured Sprague-Dawley Rats
Authors: Chuang Chin-Min , Hsieh Ching-Liang , Li Tsai-Chung , Lin Jaung-Geng
Published: October 2007

The Baihui acupoint has three Yang and five convergences; it is needled in order to activate spirit and resuscitate the brain in traditional Chinese medicine. Therefore, the purpose of the present study is to investigate the effect of acupuncture stimulation at the Baihui acupoint on cerebral infarct and dopamine levels. A chronic cerebral hypoperfusion animal model was established by permanent ligation of both common carotid arteries; a cerebral infarct animal model was established by blocking the blood flow of both common carotid arteries and the right middle cerebral artery for 90 min followed by reperfusion in Sprague-Dawly (SD) rats. The Baihui acupoint was stimulated for 20 min 3 days per week for 4 weeks. The cognitive and memory functions were evaluated by measuring the successful rates for rats to negotiate an 8-arm radial maze test; the test was performed after operation once a week for 4 weeks. Finally, the rats were sacrificed and their brains were removed; the dopamine levels in brain tissue were measured and the percentage of right to left hemisphere area was calculated. The results indicated that acupuncture stimulation (AS) did not increase the success rate of performing the 8-arm radial maze in chronic cerebral hypoperfusion and cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injured rat models. AS increased dopamine levels in the right cerebral cortex and hippocampus in the chronic cerebral hypoperfusion rats, and increased dopamine levels of the cerebral cortex in the cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injured rat's models. The neurological deficit score was similar between control and AS groups 24 hours after reperfusion, whereas the AS group comprised of ischemia-reperfusion injured rats had a greater percentage of right to left hemisphere area than the control group.

In conclusion, AS at the Baihui acupoint for 4 weeks increased dopamine levels in the brain tissue of chronic cerebral hypoperfusion rats and of cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injured rats. The AS also reduced brain atrophy after cerebral infarct, suggesting that AS at the Baihui acupoint acts as neuroprotector. However, regular stimulation at the Baihui acupoint enhances cognition and memory functions need further study.
Chikuyou-Sekkou-To, a Traditional Chinese Herbal Medicine, Modulates Eating Behavior and Thermal Response Induced by Tumor Necrosis Factor-α in Rats
Authors: Chiba Seiichi , Sakata Toshiie , Yoshimatsu Hironobu
Published: October 2007

We investigated the effects of Chikuyou-Sekkou-To (TJS-167), a traditional Chinese herbal medicine, on changes in eating behavior and rectal temperature induced by administration of tumor necrosis factor-α ( TNF -α) in rats. Infusion of TNF -α into the third cerebral ventricle in doses of 1 to 4 μg/rat suppressed 24-hour cumulative food and water intake dose-dependently, compared to an infusion of phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) (p < 0.05 for each). The infusion of 2 μg/rat TNF -α into the third cerebral ventricle elevated rectal temperature compared to PBS controls (p < 0.05). In rats fed diets containing TJS-167 (1.38 g/kg/day) for 1 week, the suppressive effect of TNF -α (2 μg/rat) on food intake was alleviated significantly, compared to rats fed a standard diet (p < 0.05). The elevation of rectal temperature induced by TNF -α was attenuated significantly in the TJS-167-treated group compared to the control (p < 0.05). These results indicate that oral administration of TJS-167 may be effective in preventing or reducing TNF -α-induced inflammatory responses, such as appetite loss and elevation of body temperature.
In vitro Antimicrobial Activity of Plants used in Cambodian Traditional Medicine
Authors: Chea Aun , Jonville Marie-Caroline , Bun Sok-Siya , Laget Michèle , Elias Riad , Duménil Gérard , Balansard Guy
Published: October 2007

The purpose of the present study was to screen 27 plant species used in the traditional medicine of Cambodia for in vitro antibacterial and antifungal activities. Thirty-three methanolic extracts were tested against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, Mycobacterium smegmatis and Candida albicans. Screened by disk diffusion assay, the extracts showed antimicrobial activity especially on Gram-positive bacteria. None of the crude methanolic extracts showed activity against P. aeruginosa. Twenty-five selected extracts were evaluated using a micro-dilution test. Harrisonia perforata (roots) and Hymenodictyon excelsum (bark) exhibited a bactericidal effect against S. aureus at a concentration of 500 μg/ml. Azadirachta indica (bark), Harrisonia perforata (roots and stem) and Shorea obtusa (roots) exhibited a bactericidal effect against M. smegmatis at 250 μg/ml.
Free Radical Scavenging and Antioxidant Enzymes Activation of Polysaccharide Extract from Nostoc sphaeroides
Authors: Tang Jun , Hu Zheng-Yu , Chen Xin-Wen
Published: October 2007

Nostoc sphaeroides Kuetzing has been used as a traditional medicine in China to treat a variety of ailments. This research identified the antioxidant activities of polysaccharide extract from Nostoc sphaeroides. The extract, which contains 46.2% carbohydrates, exhibited an effective scavenging capability on superoxide radical, hydroxyl radicals in non site-specific as well as site-specific assays, and also performed lipid peroxidation inhibition in a dose-dependent manner. Polysaccharide extract had no 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging potential at all test concentrations. Activities of superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase in human embryo kidney 293 cells were increased effectively when Nostoc sphaeroides extract was applied. These results suggested that the use of N. sphaeroides in treating ailments may be based on the antioxidant capacities of polysaccharide composition.
ELECTRONIC TRANSPORT PROPERTIES OF A FOUR-TERMINAL MESOSCOPIC STRUCTURE WITH A RING
Authors: ZHANG Y. , XIAO J. L.
Published: October 2007

In this paper, the electronic transport properties of a four-terminal mesoscopic structure with a ring are studied by quantum waveguide theory. We show that the transmission coefficients of the three outgoing exits oscillate periodically with the distance between nodes and the magnetic flux threading the loop, and they share a common periodicity. However, there are differences in the magnitude and the position of their peaks. The transmission coefficient of the outgoing exit nearest to the incident port accounts for the greatest contribution to the total transmission coefficient.
MESOSCOPIC ORBITAL MAGNETISM IN AN INTEGRABLE SYSTEM
Authors: LOU M. X. , WICKRAMASINGHE J. M. A. S. P. , SEROTA R. A.
Published: October 2007

We study the mesoscopic orbital magnetism of a free electron gas in a rectangular box in the zero-temperature limit. We find that, as in weakly disordered systems, it can be well-described by the van Vleck susceptibility that couples just two size-quantized energy levels: the Fermi (last occupied) level and the first unoccupied level. Large fluctuations of the off-diagonal matrix elements of the angular momentum and, more importantly, of the nearest level spacings — level bunching characteristic of classically integrable systems — are responsible for the absence of effective self-averaging in this system. We develop a detailed analytical description and conduct extensive numerical simulations based on a combined averaging over the energy spectrum, and over the aspect ratio of rectangles with equal areas.
OPTIMAL ENERGIES FOR ION-ASSISTED GROWTH OF IVA THIN FILMS
Authors: MA Z. Q.
Published: October 2007

Based on a modified interaction potential and experimental results, an extensive study of ion-energy-correlative thin film growth is presented, As a result, an analytical model for ion energy dissipation into top surface layers is proposed. The proposed model extends previously published models and includes analytical expressions for lattice damage by atomic displacement in surface and subsurface layers. Theoretical calculation indicated that there were three distinctive ion energy regimes within which the different processes occur to the condensed adatoms. The medium energy region (in tens of eV) is a favorite "energy window" from which the pre-deposited atoms or atomic clusters on the substrate can be stimulated further to be rearranged by absorbing the effective energy from an energetic ion beam, leading to uniform film growth. However, over the energy region, the ion can penetrate deeply into the film, and more damage will be caused in the subsurface layer or bulk in this case, which results in the growth of poor-quality or amorphous films. When the ion energy is lower than the "energy window", there is no driving effect for adatoms in both surface and subsurface layers. The molecular dynamic simulations and experimental results have verified the validity of the proposed analytical model and optimal ion energy regimes.
HAZARDOUS MATERIAL IDENTIFICATION USING A NEUROFUZZY METHODOLOGY
Authors: BIAN JUNGUO , GAO RONG , TSOUKALAS L. H.
Published: October 2007

A novel neurofuzzy methodology for detecting hazardous material is presented in this paper. This methodology can be used to detect chemical agents at very low level of concentrations. Despite the presence of heavy noise, the presented methodology can enhance the Signal/Noise Ratio (SNR) and increase the confidence level of the material identification decision. The material spectrum is first distinguished from background spectrum by a data validation system; subsequently the spectrum is fitted by a non-linear least square method after appropriate preprocessing and features of peaks are extracted; the features extracted serve as input to the material identification system, and then the decision is made using data fusion techniques. Neural networks and fuzzy logic are used synergistically in this methodology. The test results demonstrated that the current methodology can identify the test material reliably and has a very high detection rate. The false positive rate for this system is less than five percent.
NONLINEAR OPTICAL PROPERTIES OF ACID ORANGE 10 DYE BY Z-SCAN TECHNIQUE USINGAr+LASER
Authors: NOORALDEEN AHMAD Y. , DHINAA A. N. , PALANISAMY P. K.
Published: October 2007

Nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of the aqueous solution of Acid Orange 10 dye have been studied using the closed aperture and open aperture Z-scan technique at different concentrations and various powers of Ar+laser at 488 nm wavelength. The nonlinear refractive index (n2) shows negative nonlinearity for all concentrations studied, and it is measured to be -13.5 × 10-9cm2/ W at 0.05 mM concentration. Moreover, the nonlinear refractive index is found to vary with intensity and concentration. The nonlinear absorption coefficient (β) is measured to be -3.8 × 10-4cm/W . Optical limiting behavior has been demonstrated for this dye. These results show that Acid Orange 10 dye has potential applications in nonlinear optics.
PROJECTION OF HOLOGRAMS FROM PHOTOREFRACTIVE OASLMs
Authors: TRUSHKEVYCH OKSANA , COLLINGS NEIL , CROSSLAND WILLIAM A. , WILKINSON TIMOTHY D. , GEORGIOU ANDREAS , MILNE WILLIAM I.
Published: October 2007

Liquid crystals doped with fullerenes and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) act as good optical nonlinear materials. We have used these materials to build optically-addressed spatial light modulators (OASLMs). The devices comprise a single layer of doped liquid crystal acting as an active layer. Undoped LC devices with surfaces coated with fullerenes are also studied. Such OASLMs allow recording of phase holograms, and we record by imaging pre-calculated pre-recorded holograms. Writing is performed at normal incidence and reading at 45° oblique incidence. Both transmission and reflection modes of operation are used. Experimental results as well as comparison with commercially available OASLMs are presented.
OSCILLATIONS IN GRANULAR DYNAMICS
Authors: LOGUINOVA NADEJDA , VLASOV YURI
Published: October 2007

A new effect of granular dynamics in a bounded domain is reported. Oscillations arise when the system evolves from a given (non-equilibrium) initial state. The oscillations obtained are of importance for vibrated granular systems since they reveal some kind of fundamental frequencies and they lead to resonant frequencies under vibration.
CHAOTIC GRAPH THEORY APPROACH FOR IDENTIFICATION OF CONVECTIVE AVAILABLE POTENTIAL ENERGY (CAPE) PATTERNS REQUIRED FOR THE GENESIS OF SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS
Authors: CHAUDHURI SUTAPA
Published: October 2007

Severe thunderstorms are a manifestation of deep convection. Conditional instability is known to be the mechanism by which thunderstorms are formed. The energy that drives conditional instability is convective available potential energy (CAPE), which is computed with radio sonde data at each pressure level. The purpose of the present paper is to identify the pattern or shape of CAPE required for the genesis of severe thunderstorms over Kolkata (22°32′N, 88°20′E) confined within the northeastern part (20°N to 24°N latitude, 85°E to 93°E longitude) of India. The method of chaotic graph theory is adopted for this purpose. Chaotic graphs of pressure levels and CAPE are formed for thunderstorm and non-thunderstorm days. Ranks of the adjacency matrices constituted with the union of chaotic graphs of pressure levels and CAPE are computed for thunderstorm and non-thunderstorm days. The results reveal that the rank of the adjacency matrix is maximum for non-thunderstorm days and a column with all zeros occurs very quickly on severe thunderstorms days. This indicates that CAPE loses connectivity with pressure levels very early on severe thunderstorm days, showing that for the genesis of severe thunderstorms over Kolkata short, and therefore broad, CAPE is preferred.
The role of British and German women in early 19th-century geology: a comparative assessment
Authors: Kölbl-Ebert M.
Published: October 2007

The history of the geosciences has largely been interpreted as a history of male scientists, but the inclusion of their social frame into historical research makes clear how women in various roles have participated in and shaped the history of geosciences.

The beginning of geological research in a modern sense occurred around 1800. In Germany, the early professionalization of geology and a rigid female gender model, idealizing female household duties and motherhood in a climate that was hostile to intellectual women, effectively precluded the collaboration of women, whereas in the largely non-professional culture of natural sciences in the United Kingdom, women were not excluded from participation.

In the United Kingdom at that time, wives, daughters and sisters, or even non-related female acquaintances, were an integral part of the infrastructure of British geology. They were often encouraged by leading scientists. As a result, there have been many female contributors, especially to palaeontology, in the early 19th century in the United Kingdom, forming a framework of assistants, secretaries, collectors, painters and field geologists to the leading figures in the geological sciences, thereby adding to and shaping their work.

Problems, however, arose, where women aspired to work on their own research programmes as independent female geologists.
Marie Stopes and the Fern Ledges of Saint John, New Brunswick
Authors: Falcon-Lang H. J. , Miller R. F.
Published: October 2007

Marie Stopes (1880–1958) is best known for her controversial writings on sex, marriage and birth control, but during her 20s and 30s she carved out a successful career as a palaeobotanist. Here, we discuss her work on the Fern Ledges of Saint John, New Brunswick. The age of these fossil beds had long been shrouded in controversy. The eminent 19th-century geologist, Sir William Dawson, had argued that they were Devonian and represented remains of the oldest known terrestrial ecosystem. In 1910, Stopes was commissioned by the Geological Survey of Canada to reassess the taxonomy and age of this fossil flora. We provide the first detailed chronology of this 18-month long research project and highlight some of the most important aspects of the study. Her outstanding monograph, characterized by precise observation and interpretation, cut through decades of muddled thinking to prove that the beds were, in fact, Pennsylvanian. In addition, her palaeoecological inferences were well ahead of their time and also had biostratigraphical implications. Although she continued to intermittently publish geological works until the mid-1930s, the Fern Ledges project, which coincided with her disastrous first marriage to Reginald Gates, marked the beginning of the end of her palaeobotanical career and the start of her more extraordinary and enduring contribution to society.
Maria Matilda Ogilvie Gordon (1864–1939): a Scottish researcher in the Alps
Authors: Wachtler M. , Burek C. V.
Published: October 2007

Maria Ogilvie Gordon was one of the most prolific researchers of the later 19th century. Born and bred in Scotland she was the first woman to obtain a DSc from the University of London and a PhD from Munich University. Much of her research was in the Tyrol, in the high Alps between Austria and Italy. By 1900 she had published over 19 papers, many of them in German. However, it was not until later in life that she received recognition for her work. This paper explores her background, context and the work she undertook, and the contribution she made to the advancement of structural geology and palaeontology in the Alps.
A simple device to apply equibiaxial strain to cells cultured on flexible membranes
Authors: Rana Obaida R. , Zobel Carsten , Saygili Esra , Brixius Klara , Gramley Felix , Schimpf Thomas , Mischke Karl , Frechen Dirk , Knackstedt Christian , Schwinger Robert H. G. , Schauerte Patrick , Saygili Erol
Published: October 2007

The biomechanical environment to which cells are exposed is important to their normal growth, development, interaction, and function. Accordingly, there has been much interest in studying the role of biomechanical forces in cell biology and pathophysiology. This has led to the introduction and even commercialization of many experimental devices. Many of the early devices were limited by the heterogeneity of deformation of cells cultivated in different locations of the culture plate membranes and were also attached with complicated technical/electronic efforts resulting in a restriction of the reproducibility of these devices. The objective of this study was to design and build a simple device to allow the application of dose-dependent homogeneous equibiaxial static stretch to cells cultured on flexible silicone membranes to investigate biological and biomedical questions. In addition, cultured neonatal rat atrial cardiomyocytes were stretched with the proposed device with different strain gradients. For the first time with this study we could demonstrate that stretch up to 21% caused dose-dependent changes in biological markers such as the calcineurin activity, modulatory calcineurin-interacting protein-1, voltage-gated potassium channel isoform 4.2, and voltage-gated K+channel-interacting proteins-2 gene expression and transient outward potassium current densities but not the protein-to-DNA ratio and atrial natriuretic peptide mRNA. With both markers mentioned last, dose-dependent stretch alterations could only be achieved with stretch up to 13%. The simple and low-cost device presented here might be applied to a wide range of experimental settings in different fields of research.
Sympathetic nerve responses to muscle contraction and stretch in ischemic heart failure
Authors: Koba Satoshi , Xing Jihong , Sinoway Lawrence I. , Li Jianhua
Published: October 2007

Congestive heart failure (CHF) induces abnormal regulation of peripheral blood flow during exercise. Previous studies have suggested that a reflex from contracting muscle is disordered in this disease. However, there has been very little investigation of the muscle reflex regulating sympathetic outflows in CHF. Myocardial infarction (MI) was induced by the coronary artery ligation in rats. Echocardiography was performed to determine fractional shortening (FS), an index of the left ventricular function. We examined renal and lumbar sympathetic nerve activities (RSNA and LSNA, respectively) during 1-min repetitive (1- to 4-s stimulation to relaxation) contraction or stretch of the triceps surae muscles. During these interventions, the RSNA and LSNA responded synchronously as tension was developed. The RSNA and LSNA responses to contraction were significantly greater in MI rats ( n = 13) with FS <30% than in control animals ( n = 13) with FS >40% (RSNA: +49 ± 7 vs. +19 ± 4 a.u., P < 0.01; LSNA: +28 ± 7 vs. +8 ± 2 a.u., P < 0.01) at the same tension development. Stretch also increased the RSNA and LSNA to a larger degree in MI ( n = 13) than in control animals ( n = 13) (RSNA: +36 ± 6 vs. +19 ± 3 a.u., P < 0.05; LSNA: +24 ± 3 vs. +9 ± 2 a.u., P < 0.01). The data demonstrate that CHF exaggerates sympathetic nerve responses to muscle contraction as well as stretch. We suggest that muscle afferent-mediated sympathetic outflows contribute to the abnormal regulation of peripheral blood flow seen during exercise in CHF.