bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The induction of oral tolerance to Actinomyces viscosus in mice
Authors: Sosroseno W , Bird PS , Gemmell E , Seymour GJ
Published: June 2006

Objectives:  To determine whether oral tolerance with the oral bacterium Actinomyces viscosus was inducible in mice.

Materials and methods:  Mice were intragastrically (i.g.) and then intraperitoneally (i.p.) immunized with heat‐killed A. viscosus. A control group of mice received only saline. A delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) response and the levels of isotype specific antibodies were assessed. Spleen cells from mice that were i.g. immunized with A. viscosus were transferred to A. viscosus‐primed mice in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, mice were i.g. immunized with saline or A. viscosus and then challenged i.p. with saline, A. viscosus, or Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Results:  Intragastric immunization with A. viscosus suppressed both DTH and serum specific antibodies to A. viscosus. DTH suppression lasted until week 4, while serum immunoglobulin (Ig)A and both IgG and IgM specific antibody levels remained suppressed up to week 8 and 12 respectively. IgG specific antibody suppression was transferable. The DTH response and serum antibodies specific to A. viscosus were suppressed in mice after i.g. challenged with A. viscosus but not P. gingivalis.

Conclusion:  Mucosal presentation of A. viscosus in mice led to the suppression of immune response to this bacterium in an antigen‐specific fashion. Tolerance of DTH response was short lived, while suppression of antigen‐specific IgG antibodies in mucosally tolerized mice was long‐lasting.
Oral candidosis and oral hairy leukoplakia as predictors of HAART failure in Brazilian HIV‐infected patients
Authors: Miziara ID , Weber R
Published: June 2006

Introduction:  Oral candidosis (OC) and hairy leukoplakia (OHL) are important markers of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection immune status.

Objectives:  to evaluate if OC and/or OHL should be considered clinical predictors of immune and virologic failure on HIV‐infected Brazilian adults undergoing Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy (HAART).

Methods:  124 HIV‐infected patients who used HAART for a minimum of six months were prospectively evaluated. All of them under‐took oral examination and serum CD4+ count and viral load (VL), being divided in two groups, P and A, respectively according to the presence or absence of OC and/or OHL. During a six month period, patients belonging to group A were followed. They were re‐examined for new oral lesions. New blood samples were collected and they were subdivided into groups P6 and A6. CD4+ count and VL were compared between groups at baseline and after the six months period. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV) and relative risk (RR) were obtained in order to assess the accuracy of using OC and OHL as predictors of immune and virologic failure, at baseline and after a six month period.

Results:  At baseline and after six months, patients with OC and OHL have mean CD4+ count lower and mean VL higher than patients of group A and A6 (p < 0.001). OC had high PPV for immune failure and a moderated PPV for virologic failure. OHL had low PPVs for both measures.

Discussion and Conclusions:  OC and OHL still indicate low serum CD4+ count and high VL, but OC seems to be a better predictor of immune and virologic failure in patients undergoing HAART than OHL.
The distribution of oral mucosal pH values in healthy saliva secretors
Authors: Aframian DJ , Davidowitz T , Benoliel R
Published: June 2006

Objectives:  To establish the normal range of oral mucosal pH and to correlate these measurements to salivary flow rate in healthy individuals according to age and gender.

Subjects and methods:  Measurements of pH levels using a flat pH meter and salivary secretion rates were established in eight mucosal sites from a total of 50 healthy individuals.

Results:  The mean pH (±s.d.) of all sites was 6.78 ± 0.04 with significant differences between mean pH values in the palate (7.34 ± 0.38), the floor of the mouth (6.5 ± 0.3), the buccal mucosa (6.28 ± 0.36) and the tongue (6.8 ± 0.26). A significant correlation was found between age and pH at palatal and tongue sites but no gender effects were noted.

Conclusions:  This method is easy and relatively quick to manipulate, and may offer many diagnostic possibilities for oral related diseases and disorders such as oral malodour, mouth breathing, dysgeusia, acidic diet consumption and gastrointestinal disorders affecting the mouth.
The homeobox HOXB13 is expressed in human minor salivary gland
Authors: Cazal C , Sobral APV , De Almeida FCS , Das Graças Silva‐Valenzuela M , Durazzo MD , Nunes FD
Published: June 2006

Background:  Homeobox are a family of developmental genes involved in morphogenesis and cellular differentiation. Participation of homeobox within normal and malignant tissue has been recently discussed in the literature.

Objective:  To analyze the presence of HOXB13 transcript expression in human minor salivary gland.

Material and methods:  Ten‐micrometer sections from frozen samples were evaluated employing non‐radioactive in situ hybridization technique and HOXB13 mRNA probes.

Results:  HOXB13 was found to be expressed in ducts and mucous acini but not in serous acini.

Conclusions:  Results suggest that HOXB13 transcripts are differently expressed in normal mucous and serous acini, and it may possibly reflect a different role in salivary gland carcinogenesis.
Stem cells in the periodontal ligament
Authors: Ivanovski S , Gronthos S , Shi S , Bartold PM
Published: June 2006

The ability to identify and manipulate stem cells has been a significant advancement in regenerative medicine and has contributed to the development of tissue engineering‐based clinical therapies. Difficulties associated with achieving predictable periodontal regeneration, means that novel techniques such as tissue engineering need to be developed in order to regenerate the extensive soft and hard tissue destruction that results from periodontitis. One of the critical requirements for a tissue engineering approach is the delivery of ex vivo expanded progenitor populations or the mobilization of endogenous progenitor cells capable of proliferating and differentiating into the required tissues. By definition, stem cells fulfill these requirements and the recent identification of stem cells within the periodontal ligament represents a significant development in the progress toward predictable periodontal regeneration. In order to explore the importance of stem cells in periodontal wound healing and regeneration, this review will examine contemporary concepts in stem cell biology, the role of periodontal ligament progenitor cells in the regenerative process, recent developments in identifying periodontal stem cells and the clinical implications of these findings.
COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF ANATOMIC AND PATHOLOGIC VARIATIONS IN THE FELINE NASAL SEPTUM AND PARANASAL SINUSES
Authors: REETZ JENNIFER A. , MAÏ WILFRIED , MURAVNICK KATE B. , GOLDSCHMIDT MICHAEL H. , SCHWARZ TOBIAS
Published: June 2006

The purpose of this study was to compare the prevalence of nasal septal deviation and variations of the paranasal sinuses in normal and diseased cats. Prevalence of nasal septal deviation was 86.7%, 68.4%, and 71.4% in cats with rhinitis, neoplasia, and normal cats, respectively, with no statistically significant difference (P=0.244). There was a statistically significant difference (P=0.01) in the magnitude of nasal septal deviation between cats with and cats without nasal disease, using a cutoff value of 1 mm for maximum distance of deviation from midline. There was a statistically significant difference (P=0.019) between cats with rhinitis and neoplasia when comparing the presence of a mass (7.7% and 53.8%, respectively), but not when comparing for lysis of the septum. Deviation of the frontal sinus septum occurred in 27.7% of all cats, while the sphenoid septum was oblique and eccentric in 96.6% of all cats. The mean length of the frontal sinus was longer in male cats than female cats. The presence of nasal septal deviation alone cannot be used as a criterion to diagnose nasal disease, but cats with rhinitis or neoplasia have more marked deviation than normal cats. The presence of a mass and lysis of the septum were only seen in cats with nasal disease and a mass is more likely to be seen with neoplasia than rhinitis. Male cats have a longer frontal sinus than female cats. Almost all cats have an oblique, eccentric sphenoid septum.
PERIPHERAL PULMONARY ARTERY STENOSIS IN A FOUR‐MONTH‐OLD WEST HIGHLAND WHITE TERRIER
Authors: MACGREGOR JOHN M. , WINTER MATTHEW D. , KEATING JOHN , TIDWELL AMY S. , BROWN DONALD J.
Published: June 2006

A 4‐month‐old West Highland White Terrier was evaluated for dyspnea. Severe cardiac silhouette enlargement was present radiographically. Severe right ventricular hypertrophy and dilation with a dilated pulmonary trunk and a stenosis of the right pulmonary artery were diagnosed via echocardiography. Additional areas of peripheral pulmonary artery stenosis were diagnosed with nonselective computed tomography (CT) angiography and selective fluoroscopic angiography. Balloon dilation therapy was unsuccessful and the imaging findings were confirmed at necropsy.
COMPARATIVE ULTRASONOGRAPHIC INVESTIGATIONS OF THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT AND THE LIVER IN HEALTHY AND DISEASED PIGEONS
Authors: PEES MICHAEL , KIEFER INGMAR , KRAUTWALD‐JUNGHANNS MARIA‐ELISABETH , FILIPPICH LUCIO , KIEFER JUERGEN , OECHTERING GERHARD
Published: June 2006

The use of ultrasound as a diagnostic tool in birds has been documented for cardiac, urogenital, and liver disease. However, its use in gastrointestinal tract disease is not defined. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the ultrasonographic findings of the intestine and liver of six healthy racing pigeons with those of six racing pigeons with gastrointestinal disease. The echogenicity of the liver was significantly different between the two groups. Pigeons with gastrointestinal disease had less homogeneous liver echogenicity with focal heterogeneous areas and the hepatic blood vessels were visible and dilated. The duodenum was visualized and its mean diameter of 7.2±0.3 mm in the diseased pigeons was significantly wider (P≤0.001) than the 5.7±0.2 mm in healthy birds. The thickness of the duodenal wall in healthy and diseased pigeons was 1.6±0.1 and 2.4±0.1 mm, respectively, and they were significantly different (P≤0.001). We defined baseline measurements for the duodenal loop in pigeons and provided evidence that ultrasound can be a useful diagnostic tool for investigating intestinal disease in pigeons.
ULTRASONOGRAPHY OF THE LIVER, SPLEEN, AND URINARY TRACT OF THE CHEETAH (ACINONYX JUBATUS)
Authors: CARSTENS ANN , KIRBERGER ROBERT M. , SPOTSWOOD TIM , WAGNER WENCKE M. , GRIMBEEK RICHARD J.
Published: June 2006

Diseases of the abdomen of the cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus) include those affecting the liver, spleen, and urinary tract. The most common diseases of captive‐bred cheetah are gastritis, gastric ulceration, glomerulosclerosis, and hepatic veno‐occlusive disease, and are the most frequent causes of mortality in these animals. The purpose of this study was to describe the ultrasonographic anatomy of the normal liver, spleen, kidney, and urinary bladder of the anesthetized captive‐bred cheetah. Twenty‐one cheetahs were examined. Eight of the 21 animals had subclinical evidence of either gastritis or chronic renal disease. The ultrasonographic appearances of the liver, gall bladder, common bile duct, and spleen were evaluated and various measurements made. Statistical analyses of the measurements were performed on all the healthy and subclinically ill animals taking sex, age, mass, and anesthetic protocol into account. There were no significant differences in any parameters between the healthy and subclinically ill animals (P>0.25) and data were combined for statistical analyses. The mean mass was 41.1 kg (±8.8) and the mean age was 5.0 years (±2.2). The mean thickness of the liver medial to the gall bladder was 67.0 mm (±14.8) and the liver was within the left costal arch in 75% of animals, extended caudal to the right costal arch in 50% of animals for an average of 30 mm, and extended caudal to the sternum in 63% of animals for an average of 32.5 mm. The maximum mean hepatic vein diameter at the entrance to the caudal vena cava was 8.6±2.8 mm; the mean diameters of the portal vein at the hilus and that of the caudal vena cava as it entered the liver were 7.5±1.6 and 9.9±4.1 mm, respectively. The mean diameter of the caudal vena cava was significantly affected by the type of anesthetic used (P<0.10). The mass of the animals was significant in explaining the variance in maximum portal vein diameters (P<0.10). The mean maximum velocity of the hepatic vein flow at the entrance to the caudal vena cava was 25.3±2.8 cm/s (n=4), the hilar portal vein was 11.7±3.3 cm/s (n=7), and the caudal vena cava was 33.8±19.8 cm/s (n=5). The mean maximum gall bladder length and width, and the mean common bile duct diameters were 44.6 mm (±10.4), 23.3 mm (±5.0), and 8.1 mm (±2.4), respectively. Age was significant in explaining the variance in gall bladder lengths (P<0.10). Urinary tract ultrasonography was performed only in animals that had normal urea and creatinine levels (n=13). Renal cortico‐medullary distinction was present in all kidneys and a cortico‐medullary rim sign was seen in 21 of 26 kidneys. Mean kidney length, height, and width was 63.9±5.7, 38.1±5.2, and 42.1±5 mm, respectively. The average resistivity index was 0.58 (n=5). Mean urinary bladder length, height, and width were 57.0, 19.2, and 34.9 mm, respectively.
TWINKLING ARTIFACT IN SMALL ANIMAL COLOR‐DOPPLER SONOGRAPHY
Authors: LOUVET ARNAUD
Published: June 2006

Twinkling artifact is a recently described color‐Doppler phenomenon that has not been studied in the veterinary field. Our purpose was to assess the grade of the artifact in vitro with varying urolith compositions, and to evaluate its potential role in clinical practice. Five canine and feline uroliths types of 100% mineral composition were studied in vitro with color‐Doppler sonography, and a prospective study was performed in 41 patients with renal, bladder, gallbladder, or digestive focal hyperechogenicities. The images were analyzed for the presence and the grade of the artifact. Phantom study demonstrated the constant occurrence of the artifact regardless of the mineral composition of uroliths. Mottled and rough surfaced stones produced higher grades of twinkling artifact. High‐grade, color‐twinkling artifact generated by stones occured frequently in vivo. Bladder crystalluria was more frequently detected by artifact visualization than sample urinalysis performed by cystocentesis. In veterinary medicine, twinkling artifact may thus be considered an additional sonographic feature of urinary stones, and can lead to a more appropriate management of patients presenting gray‐scale sonographic focal hyperechogenicities.
SURVEY OF THE USE OF RADIOGRAPHY VS. ULTRASONOGRAPHY IN THE INVESTIGATION OF GASTROINTESTINAL FOREIGN BODIES IN SMALL ANIMALS
Authors: TYRRELL DAYLE , BECK CATHY
Published: June 2006

A question frequently asked by clinicians who are treating small animals suspected of having gastrointestinal foreign bodies is whether one imaging test such as survey radiography or ultrasonography is sufficient to make the diagnosis. A study was undertaken to try and answer this question. Survey abdominal radiography and ultrasonography was performed on 16 small animals (11 dogs, five cats) with clinical signs of an obstruction because of a confirmed gastrointestinal foreign body. The majority of the foreign bodies (14/16) were confirmed by surgical removal and were located in the small intestine. A gastric foreign body was retrieved endoscopically and a colonic foreign body was passed in the feces. Radiographically identifiable foreign bodies were evident in nine animals. Small intestinal overdistension was present radiographically in seven animals. Ultrasonography detected a foreign body in all 16 animals. The foreign bodies were identified by their distal acoustic shadowing and variable degrees of surface reflection. An intestinal perforation was detected sonographically but not radiographically. The value of additional sonographic findings including thickening of the gastrointestinal wall and loss of layering, free peritoneal fluid, and lymphadenopathy in these animals is discussed. The findings in this series suggest that in a small animal with a gastrointestinal foreign body, ultrasonography alone could be used to make the diagnosis and may be a more appropriate choice than survey radiography.
An Overview of Contemporary Chicano/a Literature
Authors: De Pinedo Eva Fernández
Published: June 2006

This paper aims to review and highlight the main themes and ideas of contemporary Chicano/a literature. Given that the awakening of this literature is closely connected with the Chicano Movement, the early literature reflects a similar socio‐political agenda, with an emphasis on the recuperation of historical memory. Despite a rich literary production since the 1960s, the last two decades have witnessed the appearance of writers such as Gloria Anzaldúa and Sandra Cisneros who have placed Chicano/a writing on the literary map. Thus my paper analyses in more detail this later literature, arguing that it foregrounds gender and (homo)sexuality, issues previously ignored during the male‐dominated era of the 1960s and 1970s. This later production is characterised by individualistic and self‐critical voices such as that of Richard Rodriguez who open up the boundaries and contribute to the creation of a more multifaceted literature.
The Cultural Geographies of Early Modern Women’s Writing: Journeys Across Spaces and Times
Authors: Chedgzoy Kate
Published: June 2006

This essay reviews the ways in which recent studies of early modern women’s writing have both extended the geographical scope of that canon, and have increasingly sought to situate it in relation to expansive, detailed and complex cultural geographies of the period. This broadening of the canon requires scholars to confront unfamiliar genres, new scholarly challenges and novel critical concerns, and thus demands that we think about fresh ways of reading these texts. How can paying new attention to the metaphorical and literal places and journeys of early modern women’s writing help the field to respond to this demand for growth, in terms of both content and methodology? To address this question, I review the body of work that is already taking up these challenges, and suggest some directions for further exploration that would enable us to develop a properly internationalist, Atlantic and comparative approach to early modern British women’s writing.
The More Things Stay the Same: African American Literature and the Politics of Responsibility
Authors: Eaton Kalenda
Published: June 2006

Within the African American literary tradition, several writers of the nineteenth and twentieth centuries have expressed concerns about the methods through which their work is categorized and/or read as part of the American literary canon. This essay traces the discussions and debates between preeminent writers and “leaders” within the African American community at‐large who have defined the practice of creative expression in diverse ways. By assessing the relationship between art and politics, the essay examines if the desire to create work that is inexcusably “political” is in direct opposition to intellectual and creative activity, or if both ideological frameworks can indeed exist simultaneously.
Executive‐Judicial Interaction as a Factor in Explaining Presidential Policy Making
Authors: GRAHAM BARBARA L.
Published: June 2006

This study analyzes the nexus between the executive and judicial branches in understanding presidential success in domestic policy making from a system of separated powers perspective. The author investigates the nature of the interaction between the solicitor general and the Supreme Court's rulings in cases in which the federal government participated in the subissue area of civil rights during the Kennedy administration. The author found that the administration's civil rights litigation stralegy was highly succesful before the Warren Court. However, a content analysis of the solicitor general‘s briefs revealed a more complex and cautious approach to the civil rights cases. I conclude by suggesting that an insightful line of inquiry into understanding presidential influence in domestic policy making should include, not exclude, the Supreme Court.
“Reflections of Yesterday”: George H. W. Bush's Instrumental Use of Public Opinion Research in Presidential Discourse
Authors: Hall Wynton C.
Published: June 2006

This essay employs archival data and myriad interviews with principals from the Bush administration to explore how George Herbert Walker Bush used public opinion research in the process of rhetorical invention throughout his presidency. The author argues that Bush's aversion to political marketing, disdain for rhetoric, and bifurcation between campaigning and governance created a president whose instrumental poll usage for rhetorical purposes was much less than his predecessor, and intentionally so.

I believe that President Bush's attitude toward polls must have been about the same as it was toward speeches. that it was not legitimate, that it was not real leadership, that it was somehow phony and artificial.
Projecting Presidential Personas on the Radio: An Addendum on the Bushes
Authors: SIGELMAN LEE , WHISSELL CYNTHIA
Published: June 2006

We expand our recent analysis of the Saturday morning radio addresses of Presidents Reagan and Clinton to include Presidents George H. W. Bush and George W. Bush. The Busbes’broadcasts contrast sharply and in some unanticipated ways with those of Reagan and Clinton.
The Law: When Presidential Power Backfires: Clinton's Use of Clemency
Authors: FISHER LOUIS
Published: June 2006

Although President Bill Clinton possessed exclusive authority to exercise the power over pardons and clemencies, his use of that authority greatly damaged his presideny. By circumventing established procedures within the D OJ (as he was free to do), he simultaneously maximized the freedom to do what he wanted and maximized the risk of political and legal error. The consequences of his actions in the Marc Rich pardon are still being felt in the courts. A grandjury in New York is looking into the conduct of five attorneys who, over a period of two decades, gave assistance to Rich. Future presidents will look upon Clinton's understanding and use of the pardon power as something to avoid.
The Polls: Policy‐Specific Presidential Approval, Part 1
Authors: COHEN JEFFREY E.
Published: June 2006

Although foreign policy has enormous implications for public support of the president, the research on the dynamics of presidential approval emphasizes the impact of economics and tends to downplay the impact of foreign affairs. Data limitations have impeded the incorporation of a more refined sense of the impact of foreign affairs on presidential approval. In this article, the author discusses these limitations and presents a methodology that allows one to compare the public's assessment of presidential job performance of both economic and foreign affairs. The data, which span the Clinton years, display the similarities and differences in over time movement of economics and foreign affairs approval.
The Basic Dynamics of the Presidential Nomination Process: Putting the 2000 Races in Perspective
Authors: MAYER WILLIAM G.
Published: June 2006

This article provides a broad overview of the presidential nomination process, focusing on how it finally settles on a candidate. In nomination races since 1980, two pieces of information have a very good track record for predicting the eventual nominee: the nomination preferences of national party identifiers, as recorded in public opinion polls, and bow much money each candidate had raised during the “invisible primary ”period that precedes the actual delegate selection process. In seven of the past ten races, in fat, the eventual nominee was leading in the polls for at least a year before the first delegates were selected, Finally, the article examines the effect of the Iowa caucuses and the New Hampshire primary. It concludes that while a victoy or even a second‐place finish in New Hampshire has a substantial impact on a candidate's long‐run fortunes, the effect of Iowa is much smaller and more contingent.
The Role of Issues in the 2000 U. S. Presidential Election
Authors: MILLER ARTHUR H. , KLOBUCAR THOMAS F.
Published: June 2006

Between 1992 and 2000, the concerns of the public shifted from economic to domestic issues. Despite perceptions of prosperity, Gore could not capitalize on the economic improvements that occurred under the Clinton‐Gore administration. Similarly, George Bush was not able to take advantage of the moral issue based on claims of growing distrust of government grising from scandals in the Clinton‐Gore administration. With no single burning issue facing the electorate, broader enduring issues carried more sway in the election outcome. Bush gained an advantage on issues such as defense spending, investing social security funds in the stock market, and the role of government in assistance to minorities. Gore was advantaged by issues dealing with spending on government services and women's righs. Gore was slightly advantaged by the issues, but the public was almost evenly dividedon those most relevant to vote choice, helping to explain why the election turned out so close.
Rhetorical Convergence and Issue Knowledge in the 2000 Presidential Election
Authors: WALDMAN PAUL , JAMIESON KATHLEEN HALL
Published: June 2006

In 2000, George W. Bush and Al Gore described their policy positions in ways that made distinctions difficult to discern. The candidates’ambiguity was mirrored in public knowledge, as awareness of their issue positions was extremely low. Public ignorance of the candidates’actual positions was particularly damaging to Gore, since many voters were unaware that they agreed with the Democrat on a variety of issues. Since Gore's positions were more popular, the election can be understood in part as a successful effort by Bush to limit understanding of issue distinctions and an unsuccessful effort by Gore to clarify those distinctions.
The Clinton 2000 Effect in Perspective: The Impact of Retiring Presidents on Their Parties’Chances of Retaining the White House
Authors: WATTENBERG MARTIN P.
Published: June 2006

There has been much debate about whether Al Gore made the proper decision to keep Clinton's profile low during the 2000 campaign. Some believe that he could have capitalized more on Clinton's high approval ratings and the strength of the economy during the Clinton presidency. Others counter that Clinton's character problems were so pervasive that by bringing him into the spotlight, Gore would have lost more votes than he gained. This article employs 2000 National Election Study data to analyze how voters viewed Clinton and what impact it had on their decisions. It also compares these data to similar data regarding previous presidents. The findings indicate that Clinton was an albatross for the Gore campaign, just as Truman was to Stevenson in 1952 and Johnson was to Humphrey in 1968.
Presidential Election Polls in 2000: A Study in Dynamics
Authors: WLEZIEN CHRISTOPHER
Published: June 2006

Much research shows that voters behave in understandable ways on election day and that election outcomes themselves are quite predictable. Even to the extent we can predict what voters do at the very end of the campaign, we know relatively little about how electoral preferences evolve over time. The U. S. presidential race in 2000 offers a fairly unique opportunity. The volume of available poll data for this particular election allows us to examine the dynamics of voter preferences in great detail for much of the election cycle. Analysis of the poll results in 2000 reveals that underlying electoral preferences changed quite meaningfully during the course of the campaign. The analysis also provides evidence that a significant portion of these changes in preferences actually persisted over time to affect the outcome on election day. Based on these results, it appears that the 2000 presidential election campaign mattered quite a lot.
The Contemporay Presidency: Postpresidential Influence in the Postmodern Era
Authors: SCHALLER THOMAS F. , WILLIAMS THOMAS W.
Published: June 2006

How influential are former American presidents? Though entitled to salary, staff, and security, on leaving office ex‐presidents lose all formal governing powers. The power of ex‐presidents therefore resides in their capacity to exercise indirect and informal influence in a political system over which they no longer have direct, formal control. The authors argue that the opportunities to exercise postpresidential power are greater than ever and may be expanding. Case studies of the postpresidential activities of former presidents Richard Nixon through Bill Clinton lead the authors to conclude that a new era of postpresidential influence is under way.
The Law: President Bush's First Executive Privilege Claim: The FBI/Boston Investigation
Authors: TIEFER CHARLES
Published: June 2006

President George W. Bush staked out an array of positions in protection of government secrecy, including his first use of executive privilege in a congressional investigation. He invoked privilege in a House committee inquiry in December 2001, with respect to Justice Department deliberative documents bearing on serious abuses by the Boston Federal Bureau of Investigation. The ensuing dispute came to a climax in a March 2002 bearing at which the committee invited this author to analyze previous parallel oversight situations. Soon thereafter, the Bush administration effectively surrendered its attempted executive privilege claim and provided the key documents that bad been withheld.
Source Material: “Does This Constitute a Press Conference?” Defining and Tabulating Modern Presidential Press Conferences
Authors: KUMAR MARTHA JOYNT
Published: June 2006

The presidential press conference has demonstrated the way in which both sides have adapted to their own environments. By studying the frequency, format, location, and participants, we can see the ways in which a president responds to reporters’needs for information and the president's own need to present himself and his programs but to do so in an environment where the risk level is manageable. In this article, the author is looking at the variations in the basic elements of the press conference as seen in the modern era conferences of Presidents Lyndon Johnson, Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George H. W. Bush, Bill Clinton, and George W. Bush. This piece is restricted to looking at the at the classification of press conferences and exploring their variety as expressed in the number of the locations where they are held and the assortment of participants in addition to the president.
The Joy of Power: Changing Conceptions of the Presidential Office
Authors: ELLIS RICHARD J.
Published: June 2006

Political scientist James David Barber (1972) built bis well‐known theory of presidential character on the premise that psychological health could be measured by whether a president enjoys the exercise of political power. Although this psychological theory may predict presidential success in the twentieth century, the theory fails to illuminate the behavior of eighteenth‐ and nineteenth‐century presidents. None of the great or near great nineteenth‐century presidents gave the appearance of having fun in the White House. To behave in such a way would have seemed conduct unbecoming of the president of the United States. Presidents in the nineteenth century largely experienced presidential power as a burden and a duty not because they were psychologically unsuited to the office but because powerful cultural norms and expectations told them that was how a president should experience the exercise of power.
Reassessing Public Opinion Polling in the Truman Administration
Authors: ROTTINGHAUS BRANDON
Published: June 2006

Amending popular, scholarly, and primary source accounts of the utilization of public opinion polling in the Truman White House, evidence uncovered at the Truman Library indicates that public opinion polling was consulted by the administration staff on selected issues primarily to adapt rhetorical strategy, maintain political information on key electoral and governing groups, and shape campaign strategy during the 1948 election. This evidence is critical in evaluating and explaining the development and institutionalization of public opinion polling in the administrative apparatus of the White House and in showing the progression toward a poll‐driven White House.
The Contemporary Presidency: Communications Operations in the White House of President George W. Bush: Making News on His Terms
Authors: KUMAR MARTHA JOYNT
Published: June 2006

White House operations reflect the president whom the staff serve. His strengths are theirs and his weaknesses are mirrored in the organization. To understand the communications operation in the George W. Bush administration, one has to begin with the president's management approach because his style is reflected throughout all White House operations. In the system the president and senior advisers set in place, there are several core elements: a presidential management system with three central features–set the goals, establish how to get from point A to point B, and assign specific tasks and responsibilities to staff members; a compartmentalized White Home operation where each communications unit and staff member has specific responsibilities; a three‐tier communications operation focused on strategy, operations, and implementation; four and later two additional units carrying out tasks associated with publicity operations; White House control over the appointment of departmental public affairs officers; and regular coordination with those officers.
Source Material: Toward the Study of the First Lady: The State of Scholarship
Authors: WATSON ROBERT P.
Published: June 2006

Historically, the first lady has largely been omitted form consideration by presidential scholars. As such, the lion's share of textbook on the presidency, biographies of presidents, and scholarly conferences in political science and bistory failed to seriously consider the potential influence first ladies had on their husbands and White House decision making. Yet, a subfield of study is rapidly developing, and a compelling case exists for the systematic study of the presidential spouses. So too do many questions remain in regards to the direction and nature of the “field” of study. This article examines the current state of first lady scholarship and the challenges facing those doing research on the first ladies and offers proposals to guide further study.
Inhibitory effects of nontoxic protein volvatoxin A1 on pore‐forming cardiotoxic protein volvatoxin A2 by interaction with amphipathic α‐helix
Authors: Wu Pei‐Tzu , Lin Su‐Chang , Hsu Chyong‐Ing , Liaw Yen‐Chywan , Lin Jung‐Yaw
Published: June 2006

Volvatoxin A2, a pore‐forming cardiotoxic protein, was isolated from the edible mushroom Volvariella volvacea. Previous studies have demonstrated that volvatoxin A consists of volvatoxin A2 and volvatoxin A1, and the hemolytic activity of volvatoxin A2 is completely abolished by volvatoxin A1 at a volvatoxin A2/volvatoxin A1 molar ratio of 2. In this study, we investigated the molecular mechanism by which volvatoxin A1 inhibits the cytotoxicity of volvatoxin A2. Volvatoxin A1 by itself was found to be nontoxic, and furthermore, it inhibited the hemolytic and cytotoxic activities of volvatoxin A2 at molar ratios of 2 or lower. Interestingly, volvatoxin A1 contains 393 amino acid residues that closely resemble a tandem repeat of volvatoxin A2. Volvatoxin A1 contains two pairs of amphipathic α‐helices but it lacks a heparin‐binding site. This suggests that volvatoxin A1 may interact with volvatoxin A2 but not with the cell membrane. By using confocal microscopy, it was demonstrated that volvatoxin A1 could not bind to the cell membrane; however, volvatoxin A1 could inhibit binding of volvatoxin A2 to the cell membrane at a molar ratio of 2. Via peptide competition assay and in conjunction with pull‐down and co‐pull‐down experiments, we demonstrated that volvatoxin A1 and volvatoxin A2 may form a complex. Our results suggest that this occurs via the interaction of one molecule of volvatoxin A1, which contains two amphipathic α‐helices, with two molecules of volvatoxin A2, each of which contains one amphipathic α‐helix. Taken together, the results of this study reveal a novel mechanism by which volvatoxin A1 regulates the cytotoxicity of volvatoxin A2 via direct interaction, and potentially provide an exciting new strategy for chemotherapy.
Characterization ofmyo‐inositol hexakisphosphate deposits from larvalEchinococcus granulosus
Authors: Casaravilla Cecilia , Brearley Charles , Soulé Silvia , Fontana Carolina , Veiga Nicolás , Bessio María I. , Ferreira Fernando , Kremer Carlos , Díaz Alvaro
Published: June 2006

The abundant metabolitemyo‐inositol hexakisphosphate (InsP6) can form vesicular deposits with cations, a widespread phenomenon in plants also found in the cestode parasite,Echinococcus granulosus. In this organism, the deposits are exocytosed, accumulating in a host‐exposed sheath of extracellular matrix termed the laminated layer. The formation and mobilization of InsP6deposits, which involve precipitation and solubilization reactions, respectively, cannot yet be rationalized in quantitative chemical terms, as the solids involved have not been formally described. We report such a description for the InsP6deposits fromE. granulosus, purified as the solid residue left by mild alkaline digestion of the principal mucin component of the laminated layer. The deposits are largely composed of the compound Ca5H2L·16H2O (L representing fully deprotonated InsP6), and additionally contain Mg2+(6–9% molar ratio with respect to Ca2+), but not K+. Calculations employing recently available chemical constants show that the precipitation of Ca5H2L·16H2O is predicted by thermodynamics in secretory vesicle‐like conditions. The deposits appear to be similar to microcrystalline solids when analysed under the electron microscope; we estimate that each crystal comprises around 200 InsP6molecules. We calculate that the deposits increase, by three orders of magnitude, the surface area available for adsorption of host proteins, a salient ability of the laminated layer. The major inositol phosphate in the deposits, other than InsP6, ismyo‐inositol (1,2,4,5,6) pentakisphosphate, or its enantiomer, inositol (2,3,4,5,6) pentakisphosphate. The compound appears to be a subproduct of the intracellular pathways leading to the synthesis and vesicular accumulation of InsP6, rather than arising from extracellular hydrolysis of InsP6.
Characterization of natural vasostatin‐containing peptides in rat heart
Authors: Glattard Elise , Angelone Tommaso , Strub Jean‐Marc , Corti Angelo , Aunis Dominique , Tota Bruno , Metz‐Boutigue Marie‐Hélène , Goumon Yannick
Published: June 2006

Chromogranin A (CGA) is a protein that is stored and released together with neurotransmitters and hormones in the nervous, endocrine and diffuse neuroendocrine systems. As human vasostatins I and II [CGA(1–76) and CGA(1–113), respectively] have been reported to affect vessel motility and exert concentration‐dependent cardiosuppressive effects on isolated whole heart preparations of eel, frog and rat (i.e. negative inotropism and antiadrenergic activity), we investigated the presence of vasostatin‐containing peptides in rat heart. Rat heart extracts were purified by RP‐HPLC, and the resulting fractions analyzed for the presence of CGA N‐terminal fragments using dot‐blot analysis. CGA‐immunoreactive fractions were submitted to western blot and MS analysis using the TOF/TOF technique. Four endogenous N‐terminal CGA‐derived peptides [CGA(4–113), CGA(1–124), CGA(1–135) and CGA(1–199)] containing the vasostatin sequence were characterized. The following post‐translational modifications of these fragments were identified: phosphorylation at Ser96, O‐glycosylation (trisaccharide, NAcGal‐Gal‐NeuAc) at Thr126, and oxidation at three methionine residues. This first identification of CGA‐derived peptides containing the vasostatin motif in rat heart supports their role in cardiac physiology by an autocrine/paracrine mechanism.
The Saccharomyces cerevisiae orthologue of the human protein phosphatase 4 core regulatory subunit R2 confers resistance to the anticancer drug cisplatin
Authors: Hastie C. James , Vázquez‐Martin Cristina , Philp Amanda , Stark Michael J. R. , Cohen Patricia T. W.
Published: June 2006

The anticancer agents cisplatin and oxaliplatin are widely used in the treatment of human neoplasias. A genome‐wide screen in Saccharomyces cerevisiae previously identified PPH3 and PSY2 among the top 20 genes conferring resistance to these anticancer agents. The mammalian orthologue of Pph3p is the protein serine/threonine phosphatase Ppp4c, which is found in high molecular mass complexes bound to a regulatory subunit R2. We show here that the putative S. cerevisiae orthologue of R2, which is encoded by ORF YBL046w, binds to Pph3p and exhibits the same unusually high asymmetry as mammalian R2. Despite the essential function of Ppp4c–R2 in microtubule‐related processes at centrosomes in higher eukaryotes, S. cerevisiae diploid strains with homozygous deletion of YBL046w and two or one functional copies of the TUB2 gene were viable and no more sensitive to microtubule‐depolymerizing drugs than the control strain. The protein encoded by YBL046w exhibited a predominantly nuclear localization. These studies suggest that the centrosomal function of Ppp4c–R2 is not required or may be performed by a different phosphatase in yeast. Homozygous diploid deletion strains of S. cerevisiae, pph3Δ, ybl046wΔ and psy2Δ, were all more sensitive to cisplatin than the control strain. The YBL046w gene therefore confers resistance to cisplatin and was termed PSY4 (platinum sensitivity 4). Ppp4c, R2 and the putative orthologue of Psy2p (termed R3) are shown here to form a complex in Drosophila melanogaster and mammalian cells. By comparison with the yeast system, this complex may confer resistance to cisplatin in higher eukaryotes.
Structural study of the catalytic domain of PKCζ using infrared spectroscopy and two‐dimensional infrared correlation spectroscopy
Authors: Sánchez‐Bautista Sonia , Kazaks Andris , Beaulande Melanie , Torrecillas Alejandro , Corbalán‐García Senena , Gómez‐Fernández Juan C.
Published: June 2006

The secondary structure of the catalytic domain from protein kinase C ζ was studied using IR spectroscopy. In the presence of the substrate MgATP, there was a significant change in the secondary structure. After heating to 80 °C, a 14% decrease in the α‐helix component was observed, accompanied by a 6% decrease in the β‐pleated sheet; no change was observed in the large loops or in 310‐helix plus associated loops. The maximum increase with heating was observed in the aggregated β‐sheet component, with an increase of 14%. In the presence of MgATP, and compared with the sample heated in its absence, there was a substantial decrease in the 310‐helix plus associated loops and an increase in α‐helix. Synchronous 2D‐IR correlation showed that the main changes occurred at 1617 cm−1, which was assigned to changes in the intermolecular aggregated β‐sheet of the denaturated protein. This increase was mainly correlated with the change in α‐helix. In the presence of MgATP, the main correlation was between aggregated β‐sheet and the large loops component. The asynchronous 2D‐correlation spectrum indicated that a number of components are transformed in intermolecularly aggregated β‐sheet, especially the α‐helix and β‐sheet components. It is interesting that changes in 310‐helix plus associated loops and in α‐helix preceded changes in large loops, which suggests that the open loops structure exists as an intermediate state during denaturation. In summary, IR spectroscopy revealed an important effect of MgATP on the secondary structure and on the thermal unfolding process when this was induced, whereas 2D‐IR correlation spectroscopy allowed us to show the establishment of the denaturation pathway of this protein.
The Sun's interior metallicity constrained by neutrinos
Authors: Gonzalez Guillermo
Published: June 2006

Observed solar neutrino fluxes are employed to constrain the interior composition of the Sun. Including the effects of neutrino flavour mixing, the results from Homestake, Sudbury and Gallium experiments constrain the Mg, Si and Fe abundances in the solar interior to be within a factor of 0.89 to 1.34 of the surface values with 68 per cent confidence. If the O and/or Ne abundances are increased in the interior to resolve helioseismic discrepancies with recent standard solar models, then the nominal interior Mg, Si and Fe abundances are constrained to a range of 0.83 to 1.24 relative to the surface. Additional research is needed to determine whether the Sun's interior is metal-poor relative to its surface.
Alcohol dependence and depression: Advance practice nurse interventions
Authors: Fowler Tracey L.
Published: June 2006

Purpose: To identify alcohol dependence, depression, and their comorbidity as common health problems in the United States. To emphasize advance practice nurse (APN) interventions including screening, treatment, and outcome evaluations for individuals and their families suffering with alcohol dependence and depression.

Data sources: Scientific literature on alcohol dependence, depression, and their comorbidity as well as general systems theory.

Conclusions: APNs have the opportunity to successfully intervene with individuals and their family with alcohol dependence, depression, and their comorbidity. These complex health conditions need to be screened for, treated, and evaluated to ensure positive outcomes for the individual and their family system.

Implications for practice: APNs are in an excellent position to intervene at every contact with the individual and family with alcohol dependence and depression. Interventions aimed at the individual and family system are detailed in order to assist the individual and family to optimal health.
An exploration of nurse practitioner care to homebound frail elders
Authors: Dick Karen , Frazier Susan C
Published: June 2006

Purpose:To identify and classify care activities of nurse practitioners (NPs) providing primary care for frail homebound elders and to describe NPs’ perceptions of the outcomes of their care activities.

Data sources:Three focus groups were held with 24 NPs with at least 1‐year experience in caring for frail homebound elders to elicit NPs’ descriptions of their practice. In addition, individual interviews with 10 NPs and participant observation of 2 NPs visiting elders in their homes validated the data. The total sample size was 36 NPs. Field notes and audiotapes were transcribed for analysis and coded using Brykczynski’s existing domains and competencies of NP practice.

Conclusions:Most of the care activities of NPs providing primary care to frail elders in their home involve management of patient health and illness, case management, and the teaching–coaching function. The NP informants believe that they prevent medication errors, falls, emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and even death. They reported that they improve their patients’ quality of life and help to provide a peaceful death when death is imminent.

Implications for research:Further refinement of the proposed model is needed in order to examine the effectiveness of NP care on clinically relevant patient outcomes.