bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stress Echocardiography: Abnormal Tissue Doppler Imaging in the Absence of Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy in Heart Transplant Recipients
Authors: Nguyen Thang , Ahmadie Roien , Fang Tielan , Lytwyn Matthew , Francis Andrew , Barac Ivan , Hussain Farrukh , Zieroth Shelley , Jassal Davinder S.
Published: November 2008

Background: The most significant predictor of long‐term survival in heart transplant patients is the development of accelerated cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV). Several studies have demonstrated the usefulness of dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) for screening CAV, by detecting regional wall motion abnormalities. Tissue Doppler imaging (TDI)‐derived indices during DSE allow for the early detection of ischemic heart disease (IHD), prior to a reduction in regional or global systolic function. These indices include a reduction in annular systolic velocity (S′), a decrease in early diastolic annular velocity (E′), and prolongation of time to E′. In cardiac transplant patients, the application of these TDI abnormalities during DSE remains unknown. Objective: The objective of this study was to evaluate the pattern of (TDI‐derived indices of systolic and diastolic function during DSE in cardiac transplant patients without evidence of CAV. Methods: A retrospective evaluation of 30 patients (mean age 54 ± 11 years) who had both DSE and coronary angiography was performed. The control group consisted of 15 patients referred to rule out coronary artery disease while the study group consisted of 15 cardiac transplant patients referred for routine annual follow‐up. During each stage of DSE, tissue Doppler measurements of systolic (S′), early (E′), and late (A′) diastolic velocities of the lateral annulus were taken. Results: All 30 patients had normal DSE based on systolic regional function and normal coronary angiograms with no stenosis >50%. There was no difference in hemodynamic parameters during the DSE at baseline and with stress. Despite normal coronaries, cardiac transplant patients demonstrated lower S′, E′, and A′ velocities at peak stress compared to the control patients. Conclusion: Dobutamine‐induced augmentation of TDI velocities of the lateral annulus, normally observed in the absence of ischemia in nontransplanted adults, is reduced in cardiac transplant recipients.
Side‐by‐Side Viewing of Anatomically Aligned Left Ventricular Segments in Three‐Dimensional Stress Echocardiography
Authors: Nemes Attila , Leung Ka Yan Esther , Van Burken Gerard , Van Stralen Marijn , Bosch Johan G. , Soliman Osama I.I. , Krenning Boudewijn J. , Vletter Wim B. , Cate Folkert J. ten , Geleijnse Marcel L.
Published: November 2008

Background: Dobutamine stress echocardiography (DSE) suffers from high interobserver and inter‐institution variability in the diagnosis of myocardial ischemia. Therefore, we developed a three‐dimensional (3D) analysis tool that makes it possible to anatomically align 3D rest and stress data systematically, to generate optimal, nonforeshortened standard anatomical cross sections and to analyse the images synchronized and side‐by‐side. Aim of the study: To investigate whether this 3D analysis tool could improve interobserver agreement on myocardial ischemia during 3D DSE. Methods: The study comprised 34 consecutive patients with stable chest pain who underwent both noncontrast and contrast 3D DSE. Two observers scored segmental wall motion using a conventional analysis and the novel analysis with the new 3D tool. Results: The two observers agreed on the presence or absence of myocardial ischemia in 81 of 102 coronary territories (agreement 79%, kappa (κ) 0.28) during noncontrast 3D imaging and 92 of 102 coronary territories (agreement 90%, kappa 0.65) during contrast‐enhanced 3D imaging. With the new 3D analysis software these numbers improved to 98 of 102 coronary territories (agreement 96%, kappa 0.69) during noncontrast 3D imaging and 98 of 102 coronary territories (agreement 96%, kappa 0.82) during contrast‐enhanced 3D imaging. Conclusion: The use of a 3D DSE analysis tool improves interobserver agreement for myocardial ischemia both for noncontrast and contrast images.
Environmental health and vulnerable populations in Canada: mapping an integrated equity‐focused research agenda
Authors: MASUDA JEFFREY R. , ZUPANCIC TARA , POLAND BLAKE , COLE DONALD C.
Published: November 2008

The uneven distribution of environmental hazards across space and in vulnerable populations reflects underlying societal inequities. Fragmented research has led to gaps in comprehensive understanding of and action on environmental health inequities in Canada and there is a need to gain a better picture of the research landscape in order to integrate future research. This paper provides an initial assessment of the state of the environmental health research field as specifically focused on vulnerable populations in Canada. We present a meta‐narrative literature review to identify under‐integrated areas of knowledge across disciplinary fields. Through systematic searching and categorization, we assess the abstracts of a total of 308 studies focused on the past 30 years of Canadian environmental health inequity research in order to describe temporal, geographical, contextual and epistemological patterns.

The results reveal that there has been significant growth in Canadian research documenting the uneven distributions and impacts of environmental hazards across locations and populations since the 1990s, but its focus has been uneven. Notably, there is a lack of research aimed at integrating evidence‐based and policy‐relevant evaluation of environmental health inequities and how they are created and sustained. Areas for future research are recommended including more interdisciplinary, multimethod and preventive approaches to resolve the environmental burden placed on vulnerable populations and to promote environmental health equity.
A Test of Three Methods for Estimating Stature from Immature Skeletal Remains Using Long Bone Lengths*
Authors: Cardoso Hugo F.V.
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  In this study, the accuracy of three methods for stature estimation of children from long bone lengths was investigated. The sample utilized consists of nine identified immature skeletons (seven males and two females) of known cadaver length, aged between 1 and 14 years old. Results show that stature (cadaver length) is consistently underestimated by all three methods (from a minimum of 2.9 cm to a maximum of 19.3 cm). The femur/stature ratio provided the least accurate estimates of stature, and predictions were not significantly improved by the other two methods. Differences between true and estimated stature were also greatest when using the length of lower limb bones. Given that the study sample children grew in less than optimal environmental conditions, compared with the children that contributed to the development of the methods, they are stunted and have proportionally shorter legs. This suggests that stature estimation methods are not universally applicable and that environmental differences within a population (e.g., socioeconomic status differences) or differing levels of modernization and social and economic development between nations are an important source of variation in stature and body proportions of children. The fallibility of stature estimation methods, when they do not consider such variation, can be somewhat minimized if stature is estimated from the length of upper limb bones.
Postmortem Skeletal Survey Practice in Pediatric Forensic Autopsies: A National Survey*
Authors: Laskey Antoinette L. , Haberkorn Kelly L. , Applegate Kimberly E. , Catellier Michele J.
Published: November 2008

Abstract:  Recommendations for the evaluation of an unexplained death in infancy include a postmortem skeletal survey (PMSS) to exclude skeletal trauma. Objectives of this study were to assess adherence to these recommendations in forensic autopsies in children equal to or less than 36 months of age, and what factors influence the use or nonuse of the PMSS. We surveyed pathologists who were members of the American Academy of Forensic Sciences. The survey included practice characteristics about where, when, and how PMSS were done. Nearly all respondents (99.6%) indicated they performed PMSS at least some of the time; however, almost a third did not use PMSS for all suspected Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS), abuse, unsafe sleep, or undetermined causes of death. Despite evidence that “babygrams” are inappropriate in a SIDS workup, 30% of pathologists use them preferentially. Despite SIDS being a diagnosis of exclusion that requires a PMSS, almost 10% of pathologists do not order a PMSS. Future research is necessary to reduce barriers to this important component of the pediatric forensic autopsy.
Reliability of reported breastfeeding duration among reproductive‐aged women from Mexico
Authors: Cupul‐Uicab Lea A. , Gladen Beth C. , Hernández‐Ávila Mauricio , Longnecker Matthew P.
Published: November 2008

Breastfed children have lower risk of infectious diseases, post‐neonatal mortality and chronic diseases later in life. Because epidemiologic studies usually rely on reported history of previous breastfeeding, data on the accuracy and precision of recalled histories allow improved interpretation of the epidemiologic findings.

We evaluated the reliability of two reported breastfeeding durations in 567 reproductive‐aged women from Mexico using information obtained from nearly identical sets of questions applied at different times after weaning. We compared differences between reports, and examined the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) for any and for exclusive breastfeeding (EBF). Logistic regression was used to evaluate the determinants of poor recall (difference between reports of >20%).

The reliability of duration of any breastfeeding was high (ICC 0.94). Overall, differences between reports of duration were usually <1 month, and for 385/567, the difference was ≤0.5 months. Predictors of poorer recall were having ≥4 children, and time between reports of >2 months. The only predictor of better recall was greater age of the baby at weaning. The reliability of EBF duration was lower (ICC 0.49).

In this population with a relatively long duration of breastfeeding, reliability of any breastfeeding duration was high. Age, education and previous breastfeeding were not important predictors of recall, in contrast to findings in earlier studies. Consistent with previous reports, however, parity and length of recall were associated with poorer recall of duration of any breastfeeding. Future studies that use reported breastfeeding duration may want to consider the effect of these variables on recall.
The history of star formation and mass assembly in early-type galaxies
Authors: Clemens M. S. , Bressan A. , Nikolic B. , Rampazzo R.
Published: November 2008

We define a volume-limited sample of over 14 000 early-type galaxies (ETGs) selected from Data Release 6 of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey. The density of environment of each galaxy is robustly measured. By comparing narrow-band spectral line indices with recent models of simple stellar populations (SSPs), we investigate trends in the star formation history as a function of galaxy mass (velocity dispersion), density of environment and galactic radius. We find that age, metallicity and α-enhancement all increase with galaxy mass and that field ETGs are younger than their cluster counterparts by ∼2 Gyr. We find negative radial metallicity gradients for all masses and environments, and positive radial age gradients for ETGs with velocity dispersion over 180 km s−1. Our results are qualitatively consistent with a relatively simple picture for ETG evolution in which the low-mass haloes accreted by a protoETG contained not only gas but also a stellar population. This fossil population is preferentially found at large radii in massive ETGs because the stellar accretions were dissipationless. We estimate that the typical, massive ETG should have been assembled at z≲ 3.5. The process is similar in the cluster and field but occurred earlier in dense environments.
Immunization with live influenza viruses in an experimental model of allergic bronchial asthma: infection and vaccination
Authors: Chirkova Tatiana , Petukhova Galina , Korenkov Daniil , Naikhin Anatoliy , Rudenko Larisa
Published: November 2008

Background  Asthmatics in particular have a need for influenza vaccines because influenza infection is a frequent cause of hospitalization of patients with bronchial asthma. Currently, only inactivated influenza vaccines are recommended for influenza prevention in asthma sufferers.

Objective  The aim of our study was to analyze and compare the effects of influenza infection and vaccination with live attenuated influenza vaccine (LAIV) on different phases of experimental murine allergic bronchial asthma (acute asthma and remission phase) and on subsequent exposure to allergen in sensitized animals.

Methods  Ovalbumin (OVA)‐specific serum IgE levels, IL‐4 production by spleen and lung lymphocytes, and histological changes in the lungs of mice infected with pathogenic virus or LAIV were studied at two phases of OVA‐induced bronchial asthma (acute asthma and remission).

Results  Infection with pathogenic virus both in acute asthma and remission led to asthma exacerbation associated with the production of OVA‐specific IgE, IL‐4 and significant inflammatory infiltration in airways. Infection, even after complete virus clearance, induced the aggravation of lung inflammation and IgE production in asthmatic mice additionally exposed to OVA. Immunization with LAIV at remission did not enhance allergic inflammatory changes in the lung, OVA‐specific IgE or IL‐4 production. Then after additional OVA exposure, histological and immunological changes in these mice were the same as in the control group.

Conclusions  Influenza infection provokes asthma exacerbation regardless of the disease phase. Immunization with LAIV during the remission phase of bronchial asthma is safe and does not interfere upon subsequent contact of asthma sufferers with allergen.
Epigenetic marks in melanoma
Authors: Richards Hunter W. , Medrano Estela E.
Published: November 2008

Melanoma is a highly heterogeneous cancer that comes in different flavors (lentigo maligna melanoma, superficial spreading melanoma, nodular melanoma, acral lentiginous/mucosal melanoma and other less common subtypes including malignant cellular blue nevus, desmoplastic melanoma, nevoid melanoma, and animal‐type melanoma) and colors (black/bluish or unpigmented). Pathologists have known for many years that melanoma displays notable changes in the nuclear architecture including thick chromatic rims, presence of mitosis, nuclear grooves, and more. It is now evident from other cancers that such changes reflect not only genomic alterations but also non‐genomic changes in both the structure of DNA and the structure of chromatin to which the DNA is bound (nucleosomes). Although aberrant gene expression resulting from DNA methylation has been known for many years, genome alterations resulting from histone modifications became evident in the current decade. In prostate and other cancers, some histone marks have clinical diagnostic and/or prognostic value. Here, we review the current data on epigenetic research in melanoma skin cancers, discuss ways to modify the epigenetic landscape of melanoma for inhibiting its growth, and propose strategies for identifying novel melanoma markers.
Development of an Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay-Based Test with a Cocktail of Nucleocapsid and Spike Proteins for Detection of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome-Associated Coronavirus-Specific Antibody
Authors: Giménez Luis G. , Rojas Jose , Rojas Almudena , Mendoza Joaquín , Camacho Ana G.
Published: November 2008

A new enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-based immunoglobulin G (IgG)-plus-IgM antibody detection test for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) has been developed by using a cocktail of four recombinant polypeptides as the antigen. These recombinant fragments were designed as parts of two different structural proteins from SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV). One recombinant polypeptide, S251-683, was designed as part of the spike glycoprotein, and the other three polypeptides comprised almost the whole nucleocapsid protein, avoiding the last 25 C-terminal amino acids. Immunization with a cocktail of these four polypeptides yielded a specific polyclonal antibody that is able to recognize SARS-CoV-infected cells by an immunofluorescence assay. This polypeptide cocktail was also used to set up an ELISA-based IgG-plus-IgM antibody detection test, which showed 99% specificity and 90% sensitivity upon evaluation using sera from 100 healthy negative controls and 20 SARS patients. Separate immunoreactivity assays with each recombinant polypeptide demonstrated that a combination of N and S protein fragments was more suitable than the individual peptides for developing a serological assay for SARS-CoV.
Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay Method for Detection of Cytomegalovirus Strain-Specific Antibody Responses
Authors: Novak Zdenek , Ross Shannon A. , Patro Raj Kumar , Pati Sunil Kumar , Reddy Meera K. , Purser Misty , Britt William J. , Boppana Suresh B.
Published: November 2008

Reliable methods for the detection of cytomegalovirus (CMV) strain-specific serological responses are lacking. We describe a simple and reliable enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method developed to detect antibodies against the polymorphic epitopes within the two envelope glycoproteins of CMV, glycoproteins H and B. This assay is useful for the detection of serologic responses to CMV strains and the identification of CMV reinfections.
Detection of Antibodies against Epidermodysplasia Verruciformis-Associated Canine Papillomavirus 3 in Sera of Dogs from Europe and Africa by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay
Authors: Lange C. E. , Tobler K. , Favrot C. , Müller M. , Nöthling J. O. , Ackermann M.
Published: November 2008

The role of papillomaviruses (PVs) in the development of canine cancers is controversial. However, recently a novel canine PV (CPV3) was detected in a dog affected with a condition reminiscent of epidermodysplasia verruciformis (EV). The aim of the present study was to investigate the seroprevalence of CPV3 by using generic enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) for the detection of antibodies against either canine oral PV (COPV) or CPV3. Therefore, the capsid proteins of both PV types were expressed as glutathioneS-transferase fusion protein antigens and adsorbed to glutathione-casein-coated ELISA plates. After showing that PV type-specific antibodies could be detected in the sera from dogs with confirmed COPV or CPV3 infection, CPV3- and COPV-seropositive samples were detected in two sets of canine sera collected in Switzerland and South Africa, respectively. We found specific antibodies against COPV and CPV3 among the tested sera and also a large number that were positive for both antigens. The seroprevalences of PV antibodies of 21.9% (COPV) and 26.9% (CPV3) among the tested dogs from South Africa were higher than those among the dogs from Switzerland at 10.5% (COPV) and 1.3% (CPV3). Our data suggest a need for further CPV-related seroepidemiological surveys in different countries, especially in the context of clinical manifestations and possible breed predispositions. For this purpose, the newly developed ELISAs can be a useful tool.
Early Pulmonary Cytokine and Chemokine Responses in Mice Immunized with Three Different Vaccines againstMycobacterium tuberculosisDetermined by PCR Array
Authors: Lim JaeHyun , Derrick Steven C. , Kolibab Kristopher , Yang Amy Li , Porcelli Steven , Jacobs William R. , Morris Sheldon L.
Published: November 2008

In this study, the early pulmonary cytokine and chemokine responses in mice immunized with either BCG vaccine, a ΔsecA2mutant ofMycobacterium tuberculosis, or a DNA vaccine expressing an ESAT6-antigen 85B fusion protein and then aerogenically challenged with a low dose ofM. tuberculosiswere evaluated by PCR array. The cellular immune responses at day 10 postchallenge were essentially equivalent in the lungs of mice immunized with either the highly immunogenic BCG vaccine or the ΔsecA2 M. tuberculosismutant strain. Specifically, 12 immune biomolecules (including gamma interferon [IFN-γ], interleukin-21 [IL-21], IL-27, IL-17f, CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11) were differentially regulated, relative to the levels for naïve controls, in the lungs of vaccinated mice at this time point. Although the vaccine-related immune responses evoked in mice immunized with the DNA vaccine were relatively limited at 10 days postinfection, upregulation of IFN-γ RNA synthesis as well as increased expression levels of CXCL9, CXCL10, and CXCL11 chemokines were detected.
Identification and Susceptibility Profile of
Candida fermentati
from a Worldwide Collection of
Candida guilliermondii
Clinical Isolates
Authors: Lockhart Shawn R. , Messer Shawn A. , Pfaller Michael A. , Diekema Daniel J.
Published: November 2008

Candida fermentati
isolates make up a small percentage of the clinical isolates of the
Candida guilliermondii
complex and have a global distribution pattern. With the exception that the MICs of micafungin were significantly lower, the calculated average MICs for
C. fermentati
were not significantly different from those for
C. guilliermondii
.
Low-pH Triggering of Human Metapneumovirus Fusion: Essential Residues and Importance in Entry
Authors: Schowalter Rachel M. , Chang Andres , Robach Jessica G. , Buchholz Ursula J. , Dutch Rebecca Ellis
Published: November 2008

Human metapneumovirus (HMPV) is a significant respiratory pathogen classified in the
Pneumovirinae
subfamily of the paramyxovirus family. Recently, we demonstrated that HMPV F protein-promoted cell-cell fusion is stimulated by exposure to low pH, in contrast to what is observed for other paramyxovirus F proteins. In the present study, we examined the potential role of histidine protonation in HMPV F fusion and investigated the role of low pH in HMPV viral entry. Mutagenesis of the three ectodomain histidine residues of the HMPV F protein demonstrated that the mutation of a histidine in the heptad repeat B linker domain (H435) ablated fusion activity without altering cell surface expression or proteolytic processing significantly. Modeling of the HMPV F protein revealed several basic residues surrounding this histidine residue, and the mutation of these residues also reduced fusion activity. These results suggest that electrostatic repulsion in the heptad repeat B linker region may contribute to the triggering of HMPV F. In addition, we examined the effect of inhibitors of endosomal acidification or endocytosis on the entry of a recombinant green fluorescent protein-expressing HMPV. Interestingly, chemicals that raise the pH of endocytic vesicles resulted in a 30 to 50% decrease in HMPV infection, while the inhibitors of endocytosis reduced infection by as much as 90%. These data suggest that HMPV utilizes an endocytic entry mechanism, in contrast to what has been hypothesized for most paramyxoviruses. In addition, our results indicate that HMPV uses the low pH of the endocytic pathway to enhance infectivity, though the role of low pH likely differs from classically described mechanisms.
Recombinant Canine Coronaviruses Related to Transmissible Gastroenteritis Virus of Swine Are Circulating in Dogs
Authors: Decaro Nicola , Mari Viviana , Campolo Marco , Lorusso Alessio , Camero Michele , Elia Gabriella , Martella Vito , Cordioli Paolo , Enjuanes Luis , Buonavoglia Canio
Published: November 2008

Four canine coronavirus type II (CCoV-II) strains were identified in the guts and internal organs of pups which had died of acute gastroenteritis. The CCoV-II strains were strictly related to porcine transmissible gastroenteritis virus (TGEV) in the N-terminal domain of the spike protein, whereas in the other parts of the genome, a higher genetic relatedness to recent CCoV-II isolates was observed. Experimental infection of dogs with a TGEV-like isolate induced mild gastroenteritis without any systemic involvement. By virus neutralization tests, antigenic differences between reference and TGEV-like CCoVs were found. Our data support the potential recombinant origin of the TGEV-like CCoVs.
Epizoology of Hepatic Neoplasia in Atlantic Tomcod (Microgadus tomcod) from the Hudson River Estuary
Authors: Dey William P. , Peck Thomas H. , Smith Charlie E. , Kreamer Guat-Lian
Published: November 2008

Atlantic tomcod (Microgadus tomcod) collected from the Hudson River estuary during the winter spawning season revealed neoplastic and preneoplastic lesions in livers from 44% of the age 1 individuals and 93% of the age 2 individuals collected. These lesions appear as a continuum ranging from basophilic foci with little cellular alterations to hepatocellular carcinoma frequently involving the entire liver. Lesions were more prevalent in larger individuals within the same age group, suggesting a relationship between growth rate and tumor expression. Atlantic tomcod from a relatively unpolluted estuary in Connecticut did not reveal a comparable prevalence of hepatic lesions. Juvenile tomcod collected from the Hudson during the summer, only 4–5 mo prior to the winter spawning season had no hepatic lesions, suggesting that these lesions form rapidly, coincident with gonadal maturation. Chemical analysis of liver tissue revealed high levels of PCBs (2.5–38.2 mg/kg) and the presence of several pesticides including DDT (and metabolites), chlordane, and dieldrin (<0.1–3.0 mg/kg) and several heavy metals (<0.1–6.5 mg/kg). These results suggest that chemical contamination of the lower estuary nursery areas, coupled with high-temperature stresses of summer, may contribute to the high levels of hepatic lesions observed.
Applications of Marine Refugia to Coastal Fisheries Management
Authors: Dugan Jenifer E. , Davis Gary E.
Published: November 2008

Marine fisheries refugia, unaltered areas that serve as sources of replenishment, can potentially compensate for recruitment and ecosystem overfishing and enhance fishery yields for some coastal stocks. The efficacy of refugia in fisheries management is virtually untested, despite the existence of many marine parks and reserves. Evidence from existing marine reserves indicates that increased abundance, individual size, reproductive output, and species diversity occurred in a variety of marine species in refuges of various sizes, shapes, and histories in communities ranging from coral reefs to temperate kelp forests. Fishery yield enhancement in areas surrounding refuges occurred in the few studies where yields were examined. The export of propagules required to enhance fisheries in areas surrounding refugia adds a level of complexity to the design of fishery refugia beyond that of terrestrial reserves. Fishery refugia design should consider species life histories, oceanographic regimes, habitat quality, and socioeconomic factors. Further evaluation of existing marine refuges and the investigation of experimental refugia over appropriate time spans will help resolve questions of optimal sizes, shapes, and distribution of fishery refugia.
Learning to Enhance Salmon Production: Lessons from the Salmonid Enhancement Program
Authors: Hilborn Ray , Winton John
Published: November 2008

We evaluate the Salmonid Enhancement Program (SEP) to determine its effectiveness at producing adult fish in the catch and its ability to learn from experience. The original goal of SEP was to produce up to 86 000 metric tons (t) of salmon per year, and it has relied primarily on three major technologies to achieve this goal: hatcheries, spawning channels, and lake enrichment. We estimate that SEP's annual production is about 12 400 t of salmon per year. Thus, the program has fallen short of its objective. We show that SEP has devoted considerable effort in evaluating individual facilities and sites: however, SEP has been unable or unwilling to evaluate overall program success and direction. Due to natural variation in survival rates, it is difficult to determine, even after 15 yr, which technologies are likely to be successful. Furthermore, there is a paucity of information on wild stocks and the extent to which these enhancement activities have an effect on their numbers. We conclude that no technology has been proven, that 15 yr is insufficient to determine which technologies to explore, and that programs like SEP must rely on outside evaluation of overall program success and outside direction for program guidance.
DEVELOPING CREATIVITY AND INNOVATION IN ENGINEERING AND SCIENCE
Authors: PERL MARTIN L.
Published: November 2008

In this talk I discuss a range of topics on developing creativity and innovation in engineering and science: the constraints on creativity and innovation such as the necessity of a fitting into the realities of the physical world; necessary personal qualities; getting a good idea in engineering and science; the art of obsession; the technology you use; and the technology of the future.
EFFICIENT RECOVERY TECHNIQUE FOR LOW-DENSITY PARITY-CHECK CODES USING REDUCED-SET DECODING
Authors: SOYJAUDAH K. M. S. , CATHERINE P. C.
Published: November 2008

We introduce a recovery algorithm for low-density parity-check codes that provides substantial coding gain over the conventional method. Concisely, it consists of an inference procedure based on successive decoding rounds using different subsets of bit nodes from the bipartite graph representing the code. The technique also sheds light on certain characteristics of the sum–product algorithm and effectively copes with the problems of trapping sets, cycles, and other anomalies that adversely affect the performance LDPC codes.
FINGERPRINT SILICON REPLICAS: STATIC AND DYNAMIC FEATURES FOR VITALITY DETECTION USING AN OPTICAL CAPTURE DEVICE
Authors: COLI PIETRO , MARCIALIS GIAN LUCA , ROLI FABIO
Published: November 2008

The automatic vitality detection of a fingerprint has become an important issue in personal verification systems based on this biometric. It has been shown that fake fingerprints made using materials like gelatine or silicon can deceive commonly used sensors. Recently, the extraction of vitality features from fingerprint images has been proposed to address this problem. Among others, static and dynamic features have been separately studied so far, thus their respective merits are not yet clear; especially because reported results were often obtained with different sensors and using small data sets which could have obscured relative merits, due to the potential small sample-size issues. In this paper, we compare some static and dynamic features by experiments on a larger data set and using the same optical sensor for the extraction of both feature sets. We dealt with fingerprint stamps made using liquid silicon rubber. Reported results show the relative merits of static and dynamic features and the performance improvement achievable by using such features together.
EMERGENCE OF A TRAFFIC FLOW CONVENTION IN A MULTIAGENT MODEL
Authors: ZANLUNGO FRANCESCO , ARITA TAKAYA , RAMBALDI SANDRO
Published: November 2008

We study the emergence of self-organized traffic flow conventions in a multiagent system. A transport system is modeled as a discrete grid, on which agents governed by a neural network can move with a velocity that depends on the quantity and directions of the agents occupying the site of the grid. We show that evolution leads to traffic flow conventions that depend on the transport system geometry. We also show that if we split the agents into different "species" that move simultaneously on the transport system but that cannot exchange genetic information, their mutual influence leads to the same traffic flow convention for all the species. Finally, we develop a very simple evolutionary dynamic model (solvable both numerically and analytically) that gives an interpretation of our results.
ASSESSING THE EVOLUTION OF INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC INTEGRATION USING RANDOM WALK BETWEENNESS CENTRALITY: THE CASES OF EAST ASIA AND LATIN AMERICA
Authors: REYES JAVIER , SCHIAVO STEFANO , FAGIOLO GIORGIO
Published: November 2008

Over the past four decades, the high-performing Asian economies (HPAE) have followed a development strategy based on the exposure of their local markets to the presence of foreign competition and on outward-oriented production. In contrast, Latin American (LATAM) economies began taking steps in this direction only in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but before this period they were more focused on the implementation of import substitution policies. These divergent paths have led to sharply different growth performances in the two regions. Yet, standard trade openness indicators fall short of portraying the peculiarity of the Asian experience, and of explaining why other emerging markets with similar characteristics have been less successful over the last 25 years. We offer an alternative perspective on this issue by exploiting recently developed indicators based on weighted network analysis. We study the evolution of the core–periphery structure of the World Trade Network (WTN) and, more specifically, the evolution of the HPAE and LATAM countries within this network. Using random walk betweenness centrality, we show that the HPAE countries are more integrated into the WTN and many of them, which were on the periphery in the 1980s, are now in the core of the network. In contrast, the LATAM economies have at best maintained their position over the 1980–2005 period, and in some cases have fallen in the ranking of centrality.
ECONOPHYSICS AND ECONOMIC COMPLEXITY
Authors: ROSSER J. BARKLEY
Published: November 2008

This paper discusses the debate between those advocating a computational and those advocating a dynamic definition of complexity, and how this relates to issues in econophysics. It then reviews the criticisms that have been raised about ways in which econophysics has been done, noting that many of these are now being dealt with. Finally, it argues that while an obvious way to resolve many of these matters is to have economists and physicists work together, the physicists should be sure to work with economists who understand the complexity critique of conventional economic theory and are thus not led astray into building models that have some of the problems of standard economics models that most econophysicists have striven to overcome.
A RANDOM-MATRIX-THEORY-BASED ANALYSIS OF STOCKS OF MARKETS FROM DIFFERENT COUNTRIES
Authors: COELHO RICARDO , RICHMOND PETER , HUTZLER STEFAN , LUCEY BRIAN
Published: November 2008

Correlations of stocks in time have been widely studied. Both the random matrix theory approach and the graphical visualization of so-called minimum spanning trees show the clustering of stocks according to industrial sectors. Studying the correlation between stocks traded in markets of different countries, we show that the random matrix theory approach is able to separate stocks according to their geographical location, provided that they are not strongly correlated. These results are compared with the results from random time series created using the market model, where the main factor is the mean of returns of the stocks of each sector.
STEADY-STATE CYCLE KINETICS OF SINGLE ENZYMES: COMPETING SUBSTRATES AND MULTI-CONFORMATIONS
Authors: GE HAO , QIAN MIN
Published: November 2008

Steady-state cycle kinetics of single enzymes with competing substrates and multi-conformations is investigated. A large set of generalized Michaelis–Menten relations with similar structures is explored by introducing reasonable concepts of specificity constants, confirming the well-known belief that the specificity constants of an enzyme could be determined by studying the different substrates separately. The simple but general rigorous mathematical method used here makes the generalization to n substrates become straightforward, whereas the traditional King–Altman method can hardly be used in such a general case. Furthermore, the simple method introduced in the present paper can also be applied to a simple enzyme model with two or more conformations. It should be emphasized that the Michaelis–Menten steady-state flux is just the reciprocal of the mean waiting time for the occurrence of individual turnovers, which can be measured directly from the single-molecule experiment. And, we also point out how to test experimentally whether these reactions of different substrates occur at the same site of the enzyme in the single-molecule experiment.
Muscarinic receptors and ligands in cancer
Authors: Shah Nirish , Khurana Sandeep , Cheng Kunrong , Raufman Jean-Pierre
Published: November 2008

Emerging evidence indicates that muscarinic receptors and ligands play key roles in regulating cellular proliferation and cancer progression. Both neuronal and nonneuronal acetylcholine production results in neurocrine, paracrine, and autocrine promotion of cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and other features critical for cancer cell survival and spread. The present review comprises a focused critical analysis of evidence supporting the role of muscarinic receptors and ligands in cancer. Criteria are proposed to validate the biological importance of muscarinic receptor expression, activation, and postreceptor signaling. Likewise, criteria are proposed to validate the role of nonneuronal acetylcholine production in cancer. Dissecting cellular mechanisms necessary for muscarinic receptor activation as well as those needed for acetylcholine production and release will identify multiple novel targets for cancer therapy.
Interaction of diet and diabetes on cardiovascular function in rats
Authors: Marsh Susan A. , Dell′Italia Louis J. , Chatham John C.
Published: November 2008

Genetic rodent models of type 2 diabetes are routinely utilized in studies of diabetes-related cardiovascular disease; however, these models frequently exhibit abnormalities that are not consistent with diabetic complications. The aim of this study was to develop a model of type 2 diabetes that exhibits evidence of cardiovascular dysfunction commonly seen in patients with diabetes with minimal nondiabetes-related pathologies. Young male rats received either control (Con), high-fat (HF; 60%), or Western (Wes; 40% fat, 45% carbohydrate) diets for 2 wk after which streptozotocin (2 × 35 mg/kg ip 24 h apart) was administered to induce diabetes (Dia). Blood glucose levels were higher in Con + Dia and Wes + Dia groups compared with the HF + Dia group (25 ± 1, 25 ± 2, and 15 ± 1 mmol/l, respectively; P < 0.05) group. Liver, kidney, and pancreatic dysfunction and cardiomyocyte lipid accumulation were found in all diabetic animals. Despite lower heart rates in Con + Dia and HF + Dia groups, arterial and left ventricular pressures were not different between any of the experimental groups. All three diabetic groups had diastolic dysfunction, but only HF + Dia and Wes + Dia groups exhibited elevated diastolic wall stress, arterial stiffness (augmentation index), and systolic dysfunction (velocity of circumferential shortening, systolic wall stress). Surprisingly, we found that left ventricular dysfunction and arterial stiffness were more pronounced in the HF + Dia than the Con + Dia group and was similar to the Wes + Dia group despite significantly lower levels of hyperglycemia compared with either group. In conclusion, the HF + Dia group exhibited a stable, modest level of hyperglycemia, which was associated with cardiac dysfunction comparable with that seen in moderate to advanced stages of human type 2 diabetes.
Fourth ventricular administration of ghrelin induces relaxation of the proximal stomach in the rat
Authors: Kobashi Motoi , Yanagihara Mamoru , Fujita Masako , Mitoh Yoshihiro , Matsuo Ryuji
Published: November 2008

The effects of fourth ventricular administration of ghrelin on motility of the proximal stomach were examined in anesthetized rats. Intragastric pressure (IGP) was measured using a balloon situated in the proximal part of the stomach. Administration of ghrelin into the fourth ventricle induced relaxation of the proximal stomach in a dose-dependent manner. Significant reduction of IGP was observed at doses of 3, 10, or 30 pmol. The administration of ghrelin (10 or 30 pmol) with growth hormone secretagogue receptor (GHS-R) antagonist ([d-Lys3] GHRP-6; 1 nmol) into the fourth ventricle did not induce a significant change in IGP. The sole administration of [d-Lys3] GHRP-6 also did not induce a significant change in IGP. Bilateral sectioning of the vagi at the cervical level abolished the relaxation induced by the administration of ghrelin (10 or 30 pmol) into the fourth ventricle, suggesting that relaxation induced by ghrelin is mediated by vagal preganglionic neurons. Microinjections of ghrelin (200 fmol) into the caudal part of the dorsal vagal complex (DVC) induced obvious relaxation of the proximal stomach. Similar injections into the intermediate part of the DVC did not induce significant change. Dose-response analyses revealed that the microinjection of 2 fmol of ghrelin into the caudal DVC significantly reduced IGP. These results revealed that ghrelin induced relaxation in the proximal stomach via GHS-R situated in the caudal DVC.
Gender differences in the effects of antenatal betamethasone exposure on renal function in adult sheep
Authors: Tang Lijun , Carey Luke C. , Bi Jianli , Valego Nancy , Sun Xiurong , Deibel Philip , Perrott James , Figueroa Jorge P. , Chappell Mark C. , Rose James C.
Published: November 2008

Exposure to clinically relevant doses of glucocorticoids during fetal life increases blood pressure in adult male and female sheep. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of prenatal exposure to betamethasone at 80–81 days of gestation on renal function in ewes and rams at 1.5 yr of age. In prenatal betamethasone-exposed males, compared with the vehicle-exposed animals, basal glomerular filtration rate (GFR) (1.93 ± 0.08 vs. 2.27 ± 0.10 ml·min−1·kg body wt−1) and the ability to excrete an acute Na+load (37.1 ± 4.4 vs. 53.7 ± 9.7%) were reduced. ( P < 0.03 and P = 0.03, respectively). In contrast, prenatal betamethasone exposure had no effect on basal GFR, Na+excretion, or the percentage of the Na+load excreted during the experiment in females. Systemic infusions of ANG-(1–7) at 9 ng·min−1·kg−1for 2 h had minimal effects on basal GFR, renal plasma flow, and Na+excretion in males but increased Na+excretion in females. However, the percentage of Na+load excreted during ANG-(1–7) infusion did not change in prenatal betamethasone-exposed females (113.1 ± 14.2 vs. 98.1 ± 12.2%) compared with the significant increase in vehicle females (139.2 ± 22.3 vs. 92.2 ± 7.5%) ( P = 0.01). The data indicate that antenatal betamethasone exposure produces gender-specific alternations in renal function and thus suggest that different mechanisms underlie the antenatal steroid-induced elevations in blood pressure in male and female offspring.
Skeletal muscle eEF2 and 4EBP1 phosphorylation during endurance exercise is dependent on intensity and muscle fiber type
Authors: Rose Adam J. , Bisiani Bruno , Vistisen Bodil , Kiens Bente , Richter Erik A.
Published: November 2008

Protein synthesis in skeletal muscle is known to decrease during exercise, and it has been suggested that this may depend on the magnitude of the relative metabolic stress within the contracting muscle. To examine the mechanisms behind this, the effect of exercise intensity on skeletal muscle eukaryotic elongation factor 2 (eEF2) and eukaryotic initiation factor 4E binding protein 1 (4EBP1) phosphorylation, key components in the mRNA translation machinery, were examined together with AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) in healthy young men. Skeletal muscle eEF2 phosphorylation at Thr56 increased during exercise but was not influenced by exercise intensity, and was lower than rest 30 min after exercise. On the other hand, 4EBP1 phosphorylation at Thr37/46 decreased during exercise, and this decrease was greater at higher exercise intensities and was similar to rest 30 min after exercise. AMPK activity, as indexed by AMPK α-subunit phosphorylation at Thr172 and phosphorylation of the AMPK substrate ACCβ at Ser221, was higher with higher exercise intensities, and these indices were higher than rest after high-intensity exercise only. Using immunohistochemistry, it was shown that the increase in skeletal muscle eEF2 Thr56 phosphorylation was restricted to type I myofibers. Taken together, these data suggest that the depression of skeletal muscle protein synthesis with endurance-type exercise may be regulated at both initiation (i.e., 4EBP1) and elongation (i.e., eEF2) steps, with eEF2 phosphorylation contributing at all exercise intensities but 4EBP1 dephosphorylation contributing to a greater extent at high vs. low exercise intensities.
Conditional gene targeting of the ENaC subunit genesScnn1bandScnn1g
Authors: Mérillat Anne-Marie , Charles Roch-Philippe , Porret Andrée , Maillard Marc , Rossier Bernard , Beermann Friedrich , Hummler Edith
Published: November 2008

Epithelial sodium channels (ENaC) are members of the degenerin/ENaC superfamily of non-voltage-gated, highly amiloride-sensitive cation channels that are composed of three subunits (α-, β-, and γ-ENaC). Since complete gene inactivation of the β- and γ-ENaC subunit genes ( Scnn1b and Scnn1g) leads to early postnatal death, we generated conditional alleles and obtained mice harboring floxed and null alleles for both gene loci. Using quantitative RT-PCR analysis, we showed that the introduction of the loxP sites did not interfere with the mRNA transcript expression level of the Scnn1b and Scnn1g gene locus, respectively. Upon a regular and salt-deficient diet, both β- and γ-ENaC floxed mice showed no difference in their mRNA transcript expression levels, plasma electrolytes, and aldosterone concentrations as well as weight changes compared with control animals. These mice can now be utilized to dissect the role of ENaC function in classical and nonclassic target organs/tissues.
Left ventricular contractile function is preserved during prolonged exercise in middle-aged men
Authors: Goodman Jack M. , Busato Gian-Marco , Frey Elizabeth , Sasson Zion
Published: November 2008

We examined left ventricular (LV) performance before, during, and following prolonged exercise (EX) in 12 healthy middle-aged men [means ± SE: age = 43.5 ± 1.9 yr; maximal O2 uptake (V̇o2max) = 51.7 ± 1.5 ml·kg−1·min−1]. Subjects cycled for 120 min at 65% V̇o2max (75% of maximal heart rate). Two-dimensional echocardiography (ECHO) to determine tissue-Doppler longitudinal myocardial strain and strain rate, LV ejection fraction (EF), end-diastolic (EDV), end-systolic (ESV), and stroke volume (SV) at baseline and after 5, 30, and 120 min of EX and following 30 min of recovery. In addition, hematocrit and plasma norepinephrine (NE) were measured. From baseline to 5 min of EX, there were significant increases in LV longitudinal strain (−23.20 ± 0.87 to −27.63 ± 1.07%; P < 0.01), strain rate (−1.50 ± 0.15 to −2.08 ± 0.14 s−1; P < 0.01), and EF (56.3 ± 2.2 to 77.1 ± 1.0%; P < 0.05) with continued increases by both at 30 min of exercise vs. SV, EDV, and ESV, which remained constant. After 120 min of EX, HR and NE increased further with reductions in SV, cardiac output, and systolic blood pressure without changes in strain or strain rate. EDV decreased after 120 min of EX (−9.2- vs. 30-min value; P = 0.05) along with a hemoconcentration (baseline = 41.3 ± 1.0 vs. EX = 45.1 ± 1.2%; P < 0001) and significant reduction in body mass despite a mean fluid consumption of 1.8 ± 0.2 liters throughout EX. After 30 min of recovery, LV longitudinal strain was depressed relative to baseline (−23.20 ± 0.87 to −19.57 ± 1.21%; P < 0.01). The reduction in LV SV during prolonged EX occurred without changes in the LV contractile state and is likely secondary to reduced LV preload. A reduction in LV contractility despite a reduced afterload following exercise may be due to factors unique to the recovery period and do not appear to contribute to a reduction in SV during prolonged exercise.