bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Osteochondrosis juvenilis of the medial malleolar epiphysis
Authors: Klein R. , Burgkart R. , Woertler K. , Gradinger R. , Vogt S.
Published: June 2008

Osteochondrosis juvenilis is caused by a dysfunction of endochondral ossification. Several epiphyses and apophyses can be affected, but osteochondrosis juvenilis of the medial malleolus has not been reported. We describe a 12-year-old boy with bilateral pes planovalgus who was affected by this condition. Conservative management was successful. The presentation, aetiology and treatment are described and the importance of including it in the differential diagnosis is discussed.
Injuries to the acromioclavicular joint
Authors: Fraser-Moodie J. A. , Shortt N. L. , Robinson C. M.
Published: June 2008

Injuries to the acromioclavicular joint are common but underdiagnosed. Sprains and minor subluxations are best managed conservatively, but there is debate concerning the treatment of complete dislocations and the more complex combined injuries in which other elements of the shoulder girdle are damaged. Confusion has been caused by existing systems for classification of these injuries, the plethora of available operative techniques and the lack of well-designed clinical trials comparing alternative methods of management. Recent advances in arthroscopic surgery have produced an even greater variety of surgical options for which, as yet, there are no objective data on outcome of high quality. We review the current concepts of the treatment of these injuries.
IFATS Collection: In Vivo Therapeutic Potential of Human Adipose Tissue Mesenchymal Stem Cells After Transplantation into Mice with Liver Injury
Authors: Banas Agnieszka , Teratani Takumi , Yamamoto Yusuke , Tokuhara Makoto , Takeshita Fumitaka , Osaki Mitsuhiko , Kawamata Masaki , Kato Takashi , Okochi Hitoshi , Ochiya Takahiro
Published: June 2008

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), largely present in the adult human body, represent an attractive tool for the establishment of a stem cell-based therapy for liver diseases. Recently, the therapeutic potential and immunomodulatory activity of MSCs have been revealed. Adipose tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells (AT-MSCs), so-called adipose-derived stem cells or adipose stromal cells, because of their high accessibility with minimal invasiveness, are especially attractive in the context of future clinical applications. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of AT-MSCs by their transplantation into nude mice with CCl4-caused liver injury. We observed that after transplantation, AT-MSCs can improve liver functions, which we verified by changes in the levels of biochemical parameters. Ammonia, uric acid, glutamic-pyruvic transaminase, and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase concentrations returned to a nearly normal level after AT-MSC transplantation. These results raised the question of how AT-MSCs can achieve this. To discover the possible mechanisms involved in this therapeutic ability of AT-MSCs, in vitro production of cytokines and growth factors was analyzed and compared with MSCs from bone marrow (BM-MSCs) and normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDFs). As a result we observed that AT-MSCs secrete interleukin 1 receptor α (IL-1Rα), IL-6, IL-8, granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF), granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF), monocyte chemotactic protein 1, nerve growth factor, and hepatocyte growth factor in a volume higher than both BM-MSCs and NHDFs. Thus, our findings suggest that AT-MSCs may account for their broad therapeutic efficacy in animal models of liver diseases and in the clinical settings for liver disease treatment.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Olfactory Mucosa Is a Potential Source for Autologous Stem Cell Therapy for Parkinson's Disease
Authors: Murrell Wayne , Wetzig Andrew , Donnellan Michael , Féron François , Burne Tom , Meedeniya Adrian , Kesby James , Bianco John , Perry Chris , Silburn Peter , Mackay-Sim Alan
Published: June 2008

Parkinson's disease is a complex disorder characterized by degeneration of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra in the brain. Stem cell transplantation is aimed at replacing dopaminergic neurons because the most successful drug therapies affect these neurons and their synaptic targets. We show here that neural progenitors can be grown from the olfactory organ of humans, including those with Parkinson's disease. These neural progenitors proliferated and generated dopaminergic cells in vitro. They also generated dopaminergic cells when transplanted into the brain and reduced the behavioral asymmetry induced by ablation of the dopaminergic neurons in the rat model of Parkinson's disease. Our results indicate that Parkinson's patients could provide their own source of neuronal progenitors for cell transplantation therapies and for direct investigation of the biology and treatments of Parkinson's disease.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Embryonic Stem Cells and Their Differentiated Derivatives Have a Fragile Immune Privilege but Still Represent Novel Targets of Immune Attack
Authors: Wu Douglas C. , Boyd Ashleigh Susan , Wood Kathryn J.
Published: June 2008

Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) offer an attractive potential in cell replacement therapy and regenerative medicine because of their inherent plasticity and ability to self-renew. However, the immunological response against transplanted ESC-derived allografts requires further evaluation. In this study, we showed that ESCs expressing the major histocompatibility complex class I molecule H2Kb escape immune recognition by H2Kb-reactive CD8+ T cells, irrespective of H2Kb expression levels. In the face of more robust immunological challenge, however, evidence of ESC allograft rejection becomes apparent. We further assessed the adaptive immune response against terminally differentiated insulin-producing tissue derived from an ESC source to examine the potential future applicability of this tissue as a β-cell replacement therapy for type 1 diabetes mellitus. The functional ESC-derived insulin-producing tissue was infiltrated by alloreactive T cells and rejected in immunocompetent hosts. Hence, although ESCs and their terminally differentiated derivatives may possess a fragile immune privilege, they still represent novel targets of attack by elements of the immune system and are rejected. These findings provide insight into the mechanisms of adaptive immunity toward ESCs and their derivatives.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
G9a and Jhdm2a Regulate Embryonic Stem Cell Fusion-Induced Reprogramming of Adult Neural Stem Cells
Authors: Ma Dengke K. , Chiang Cheng-Hsuan J. , Ponnusamy Karthikeyan , Ming Guo-li , Song Hongjun
Published: June 2008

Somatic nuclei can be reprogrammed to pluripotency through fusion with embryonic stem cells (ESCs). The underlying mechanism is largely unknown, primarily because of a lack of effective approaches to monitor and quantitatively analyze transient, early reprogramming events. The transcription factor Oct4 is expressed specifically in pluripotent stem cells, and its reactivation from somatic cell genome constitutes a hallmark for effective reprogramming. Here we developed a double fluorescent reporter system using engineered ESCs and adult neural stem cells/progenitors (NSCs) to simultaneously and independently monitor cell fusion and reprogramming-induced reactivation of transgenic Oct4-enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) expression. We demonstrate that knockdown of a histone methyltransferase, G9a, or overexpression of a histone demethylase, Jhdm2a, promotes ESC fusion-induced Oct4-EGFP reactivation from adult NSCs. In addition, coexpression of Nanog and Jhdm2a further enhances the ESC-induced Oct4-EGFP reactivation. Interestingly, knockdown of G9a alone in adult NSCs leads to demethylation of the Oct4 promoter and partial reactivation of the endogenous Oct4 expression from adult NSCs. Our results suggest that ESC-induced reprogramming of somatic cells occurs with coordinated actions between erasure of somatic epigenome and transcriptional resetting to restore pluripotency. These mechanistic findings may guide more efficient reprogramming for future therapeutic applications of stem cells.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Uncoupling the mechanisms that facilitate cell survival in hormone-deprived bovine mammary explants
Authors: Brennan Amelia J , Sharp Julie A , Lefèvre Christophe M , Nicholas Kevin R
Published: June 2008

Mammary explants can be hormonally stimulated to mimic the biochemical changes that occur during lactogenesis. Previous studies using mammary explants concluded that the addition of exogenous macromolecules were required for mammary epithelial cells to remain viable in culture. The present study examines the survival of mammary explants from the dairy cow using milk protein gene expression as a functional marker of lactation and cell viability. Mammary explants cultured from late pregnant cows mimicked lactogenesis and showed significantly elevated milk protein gene expression after 3 days of culture with lactogenic hormones. The subsequent removal of exogenous hormones from the media for 10 days resulted in the down-regulation of milk protein genes. During this time, the mammary explants remained hormone responsive, the alveolar architecture was maintained and the expression of milk protein genes was re-induced after a second challenge with lactogenic hormones. We report that a population of bovine mammary epithelial cells have an intrinsic capacity to remain viable and hormone responsive for extended periods in chemically defined media without any exogenous macromolecules. In addition, we found mammary explant viability was dependent on de novo protein and RNA synthesis. Global functional microarray analysis showed that differential expression of genes involved in energy production, immune responses, oxidative stress and apoptosis signalling might contribute to cell survival. As the decline in milk production in dairy cattle after peak lactation results in considerable economic loss, the identification of novel survival genes may be used as genetic markers for breeding programmes to improve lactational persistency in dairy cows.
Teaching in Technology-Rich Classrooms: Is There a Gap between Teachers' Intentions and ICT Practices?
Authors: Almås Aslaug Grov , Krumsvik Rune
Published: June 2008

The Norwegian school system gives a high priority to information and communication technology (ICT), and its ICT density is high, with one laptop per student considered desirable and being nearly accomplished. This study seeks to find the reasons for aspects of Norwegian teachers' pedagogical behaviour and choices by focusing on their thoughts and practices in technology-rich classrooms and by analysing how they explain them. It aims to enhance our understanding of how teachers in leading-edge schools appreciate the possibilities of a technology-rich environment, using theories about teachers' technological pedagogical content knowledge as a framework. The informants in this study had worked as teachers in upper secondary schools for at least five years and were categorised as digitally competent. Interviews conducted early in the study showed them struggling to explain their ICT use because teaching is a complex activity and ICT can not be isolated from it. To increase the validity of the study it was therefore necessary to employ a more composite research method, collecting data from the researchers' and the schools' reports and from development work with ICT, interviews with teachers, videotaped lessons, videotaped discussions with teachers after lessons, and videotaped discussions involving teachers sharing their reflections with colleagues. The study shows that if teachers do not feel comfortable with changes, teaching practices stay the same. At the same time these teacher have developed, and have continued to develop, a digital pedagogical content knowledge which seems to be necessary in the digitised school of today.
Reflections of Changes in Higher Education in Israel: The Case of Social Work Departments
Authors: Davidovich Nitza , Sharlin Shlomo
Published: June 2008

This study focuses on the profiles of students of social work and examines whether different profiles of students can be identified in various social work programs in Israel's institutions of higher education (Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Haifa University, Tel Aviv University and the College of Judea and Samaria). The article discusses the students' profiles in view of the unique practical nature of social work programs and their place in the higher education system. The study also examines whether students' profiles point to a system of higher education of a binary nature in which distinct programs and curricula cater to distinct target groups, or whether student profiles reflect a monistic system in which all social work programs are similar.
The Impact of Post-Secondary Privatization: The Case of Costa Rica
Authors: Espinosa Lorelle L. , Santos José L.
Published: June 2008

Between 1985 and 2000, the Central American country of Costa Rica experienced rapid and unprecedented private university growth as part of an international movement towards post-secondary privatization. Costa Rica stands apart from other developing countries in that all 50 of the nation's private universities are proprietary, resulting in a private sector that has dramatically different educational goals from that of a previously dominant public system. This article examines the impact of post-secondary privatization in Costa Rica as viewed through a neoliberal development lens and the subsequent tensions between a well-established public system and under-regulated private sector. Interviews with public and private university faculty and administrators, as well as key education officials, shed light on emergent distinctions between the two institutional types, including their respective mission and purpose, perceived educational quality, and resulting societal impact.
Sex Differences in Diabetes Risk and the Effect of Intensive Lifestyle Modification in the Diabetes Prevention Program
Authors: Perreault Leigh , Ma Yong , Dagogo-Jack Sam , Horton Edward , Marrero David , Crandall Jill , Barrett-Connor Elizabeth ,   for the Diabetes Prevention Program
Published: June 2008

OBJECTIVE—In participants of the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) randomized to intensive lifestyle modification (ILS), meeting ILS goals strongly correlated with prevention of diabetes in the group as a whole. Men met significantly more ILS goals than women but had a similar incidence of diabetes. Therefore, we explored sex differences in risk factors for diabetes and the effect of ILS on risk factors.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—Baseline risk factors for diabetes and percent change in risk factors over the first year in men versus women were compared using Wilcoxon's rank-sum tests.

RESULTS—At baseline, men were older and had a larger waist circumference; higher fasting plasma glucose concentration, caloric intake, and blood pressure; and lower HDL cholesterol and corrected insulin response than women, who were less physically active and had a higher BMI (P < 0.01 for all comparisons). Over the first year of the DPP, no sex difference in risk factors for diabetes was observed for those who lost <3% body weight. Weight loss of 3–7% body weight yielded greater decreases in 2-h glucose (P < 0.01), insulin concentration (P < 0.04), and insulin resistance (P < 0.03) in men than in women. Weight loss of >7% body weight resulted in greater decreases in 2-h glucose (P < 0.01), triglyceride level (P < 0.01), and A1C (P < 0.03) in men than in women.

CONCLUSIONS—Weight loss >3% body weight yielded greater reduction in risk factors for diabetes in men than in women. Despite the more favorable effects of ILS in men, baseline risk factors were more numerous in men and likely obscured any sex difference in incident diabetes.
Introduction
Authors: Althaus Felix R.
Published: June 2008

The presence of hormonally active chemicals ('endocrine disruptors') in the biosphere has become a worldwide environmental concern. In 1999, a report released by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) concluded that such chemicals have already left their mark on the Swiss
landscape and implicated them as a general cause of population changes in wildlife. Some of the chemicals involved, for example polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and dibenzo-p-dioxins (dioxins), have received wide media attention because of their negative health impact on humans. The
potential contribution of endocrine disruptors to the increased incidence of a number of diseases and developmental disorders in humans and animals is alarming, but the establishment of solid cause – effect relationships requires further scientific investigation. In Switzerland, the
necessity for a coordinated transdisciplinary approach to the environmental and public health problems caused by endocrine disruptors has now been widely recognized. In 2001, the Federal Government implemented a National Research Programme (NRP) on 'Endocrine Disruptors' which aimed to develop
scientific strategies to assess the risks and hazards that arise when endocrine disruptors are processed through ecosystems and cause human and animal exposure. The present issue of CHIMIA presents a selection of research highlights from this program.
VirtualToxLab – in silico Prediction of the Endocrine-Disrupting Potential of Drugs and Chemicals
Authors: Vedani Angelo , Spreafico Morena , Peristera Ourania , Dobler Max , Smiesko Martin
Published: June 2008

In the last decade, we have developed and validated an in silico concept based on multidimensional QSAR (mQSAR) for the prediction of the toxic potential of drugs and environmental chemicals. Presently, the VirtualToxLab includes eleven so-called virtual test kits for
estrogen (?/?), androgen, thyroid (?/?), glucocorticoid, aryl hydrocarbon, mineralocorticoid and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor ? as well as for the enzymes cytochrome P450 3A4 and 2A13. The surrogates have been tested against a total of 824 compounds
and are able to predict the binding affinity close to the experimental uncertainty with only six of the 194 test compounds giving calculated results more than a factor of 10 off the experimental binding affinity and the maximal individual deviation not exceeding a factor of 15. These results
suggest that our approach is suited for the in silico identification of endocrine-disrupting effects triggered by drugs and environmental chemicals. Most recently, the technology has been made available through the Internet for academic laboratories, hospitals and environmental organizations.
PPAR Disruption: Cellular Mechanisms and Physiological Consequences
Authors: Rotman Nicolas , Haftek-Terreau Zofia , Lücke Sandra , Feige Jérôme , Gelman Laurent , Desvergne Béatrice , Wahli Walter
Published: June 2008

Endocrine disruption is defined as the perturbation of the endocrine system, which includes disruption of nuclear hormone receptor signalling. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) represent a family of nuclear receptors that has not yet been carefully studied with regards
to endocrine disruption, despite the fact that PPARs are known to be important targets for xenobiotics. Here we report a first comprehensive approach aimed at defining the mechanistic basis of PPAR disruption focusing on one chemical, the plasticizer monethylhexyl phthalate (MEHP), but using
a variety of methodologies and models. We used mammalian cells and a combination of biochemical and live cell imaging techniques to show that MEHP binds to PPAR? and selectively regulates interactions with coregulators. Micro-array experiments further showed that this selectivity is
translated at the physiological level during adipocyte differentiation. In that context, MEHP functions as a selective PPAR modulator regulating only a subset of PPAR? target genes compared to the action of a full agonist. We also explored the action of MEHP on PPARs in an aquatic species,
Xenopus laevis, as many xenobiotics are found in aquatic ecosystems. In adult males, micro-array data indicated that MEHP influences liver physiology, possibly through a cross-talk between PPARs and estrogen receptors (ER). In early Xenopus laevis embryos, we showed that PPAR?/?
exogenous activation by an agonist or by MEHP affects development. Taken together our results widen the concept of endocrine disruption by pinpointing PPARs as key factors in that process.
UV Filters in the Aquatic Environment Induce Hormonal Effects and Affect Fertility and Reproduction in Fish
Authors: Fent Karl , Kunz Petra Y. , Gomez Elena
Published: June 2008

UV-absorbing organic chemicals (UV filters) are being increasingly used in sunscreens, personal care products and in the protection of materials against UV irradiation. Environmental contamination originates from direct input from recreational activities and wastewaters. Concentrations
in treated wastewaters are in the lower ?g/l range, whereas in rivers and lakes they are in the range of a few up to hundreds of ng/l. It is known that lipophilic UV filters accumulate in aquatic biota, but only little is known about their environmental fate. A large number of UV filters
elicit hormonal effects in vitro. Estrogenic activity has also been demonstrated for some UV filters in fish in vivo. Benzophenone-1 (BP1), benzophenone-2 (BP2), 3-benzylidene camphor (3BC) and ethyl-4-aminobenzoate (Et-PABA) lead to induction of vitellogenin. 3BC and BP2 cause
feminization in secondary sex characteristics of male fish, alteration of gonads in male and female fish and decrease in fertility and reproduction. The lowest observed effect concentrations for 3BC and BP2 were 3 ?g/l and 1.2 mg/l, respectively. UV filter mixtures show mainly a synergistic
activity in vitro, whether this is also reflected by the in vivo activity is under investigation. In conclusion, a hazard and risk for aquatic ecosystems cannot be ruled out for the UV filter 3BC, where histological and reproductive effects occurred in fish at low concentrations.
However for BP1, BP2 and Et-PABA an environmental risk is rather low based on current knowledge.
Endocrine Disruptors and Breast Cancer
Authors: Brisken Cathrin
Published: June 2008

Breast cancer strikes one out of eight women in Switzerland. The increase in breast cancer incidence over the past 70 years parallels an enormous increase of man-made, persistent chemicals in our environment; some of which have endocrine-disrupting properties in wildlife and/or in animal
models. Epidemiological evidence is strong that a woman's risk to get breast cancer is linked to her reproductive history and with that to the changes in her hormonal milieu. Exogenous hormones have also been shown to increase breast cancer risk, however, a causative link between exposure
to endocrine disruptors and human disease is difficult establish as many of these compounds are ubiquitous and no unexposed controls exist. The synthetic estrogen, diethylstilbestrol (DES), that was given to pregnant women for three decades, was banned because it was linked to a vaginal carcinoma
in their daughters. It has now been shown that not only women who have taken the drug themselves have increased breast cancer risk but also their daughters who were exposed in utero. This indicates that breast cancer risk can be affected by endocrine disruption not only in the adult
but already in utero. Evidence from animal models is accumulating that perinatal exposure to environmentally relevant, low doses of a related compound, bisphenol A (BPA), alters breast development and increases breast cancer risk. Given the prevalence of endocrine-disrupting agents
they deserve our attention.
In Memoriam: Albert Hofmann (1906–2008)
Authors: Finney Nathaniel S. , Siegel Jay S.
Published: June 2008

Commentary on the life achievements of Albert Hofmann (1906–2008), one of UZH's most honored alumni.
Current Management of the Cognitive Dysfunction in Parkinson’s Disease: How Far Have We Come?
Authors: Vale Salvador
Published: June 2008

Parkinson’s disease (PD) clinical features comprise both motor and nonmotor manifestations. Among the nonmotor complications, dementia is the most important. Approximately 40% of PD patients are affected by cognitive impairment. Remarkably, in addition to age, dementia is an independent predictor of mortality, whereas age at onset of PD and severity of neurological symptoms are not. In this review, I summarize the current knowledge of the pathogenesis of the PD cognitive impairment in relation to the therapies presently accessible and those that could become strategic in the near future. It is hypothesized that patients with PD show two components of cognitive dysfunction (CD): a generalized profile of subcortical dementia (PDsCD), and an overlapped pattern suggesting specific prefrontal damage with CD (PDpFCD). PDsCD is associated with structural neocortical/subcortical changes in the brain (in frontal, parietal, limbic, and temporal lobes, as well as in midbrain structures). In PDpFCD cognitive deficits comprise impairments in neuropsychological tests sensitive for frontal lobe function (discrete elements of episodic and working memory for instance), which are considered to be the consequence of dysfunction in neuronal loops connecting the prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia. Drugs reviewed for targeting PDsCD include: cholinesterase inhibitors, agents with mixed cholinergic and dopaminergic properties, antiglutamatergic drugs, mixed antiglutamatergic/dopaminergic agents; antioxidants and enhancers of mitochondrial functions, and anti-COX-2, as well as other anti-inflammatory mediators. Preliminary studies with vehicles that may target PDpFCD include piribedil, tolcapone, amantadine, and farampator. Additional agents (citicoline and neuroimmuniphilines, among others) will be outlined. A brief overview on neuroprotection and promising new biological advances in PD (deep brain stimulation, stem cells, gene therapy) also will be summarized.
The Effects of Soy Isoflavones on Obesity
Authors: Ørgaard Anne , Jensen Lotte
Published: June 2008

Over the last decades, the prevalence of obesity and related diseases has increased rapidly in the Western world. Obesity is a disorder of energy balance and is associated with hyper-insulinemia, insulin resistance, and abnormalities in lipid metabolism, and it is one of the most important risk factors in the development of Type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, atherosclerosis, and certain cancers. Because of the lower frequency of these diseases in Asian countries, attention has been turned toward the Asian diet, which consists highly of soy and soy-based products. The health benefits associated with soy consumption have been linked to the content of isoflavones, the main class of the phytoestrogens. As a result of their structural similarities to endogenous estrogens, isoflavones elicit weak estrogenic effects by competing with 17β-estradiol (E2) for binding to the intranuclear estrogen receptors (ERs) and exert estrogenic or antiestrogenic effects in various tissues. The estrogenic activities of soy isoflavones are thought to play an important role in their health-enhancing properties. Additionally, the isoflavones have been proved to exert non-ER–mediated effects through numerous other pathways. Genistein, daidzein, and glycitein are the principal isoflavones in soy. Genistein is the most thoroughly examined of these, because it is the most prevalent isoflavone in soy and the most active of these compounds, because of its higher binding affinity for the ER. Genistein and daidzein can be obtained in high levels in humans under certain nutritional conditions, and epidemiologic and laboratory data suggest that these compounds could have health benefits in human obesity. This review will focus on the latest results of research on isoflavones and their effect on obesity in cell cultures, rodents, and humans.
Regulatory Effects of Hydrogen Sulfide on IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 Levels in the Plasma and Pulmonary Tissue of Rats with Acute Lung Injury
Authors: Li Tianshui , Zhao Bin , Wang Cong , Wang Haiying , Liu Zhiwei , Li Wang , Jin Hongfang , Tang Chaoshu , Du Junbao
Published: June 2008

We examined the possible role of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) in the pathogenesis of oleic acid (OA)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) and its regulatory effects on the inflammatory response. Compared to control rats, the OA-treated rats had decreased partial pressure of oxygen in the arterial blood (PaO2) levels, an increased pulmonary wet/dry weight (W/D) ratio, increased index of quantitative assessment (IQA) score and increased frequency of polymorphonuclear (PMN) cells in the lung 2, 4 or 6 h after OA injection (0.1 ml/kg, intravenous injection). In addition, significantly increased IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10 levels together with decreased H2S levels were observed in the plasma and lung tissue of OA-treated rats compared to controls. Administration of the H2S donor sodium hydrosulfide (NaHS, 56 μmol/L, intraperitoneal injection) into OA-treated rats increased the PaO2level, reduced the lung W/D ratio and infiltration of PMN cells, and alleviated the degree of ALI (measured by the IQA score). In addition, NaHS decreased IL-6 and IL-8 levels but increased IL-10 levels in the plasma and lung tissues, suggesting that H2S may regulate the inflammatory response during ALI via regulation of IL-6, IL-8 and IL-10. Thus, the down-regulation of endogenous H2S production might be involved in the pathogenesis of OA-induced ALI in rats.
Dregea volubilisAmeliorates Concanavalin A-Induced Liver Injury by Facilitating Apoptosis of Activated T Cells
Authors: Gong Fangyuan , Shen Yan , Zhang Chaofeng , Xu Jianliang , Wu Xuefeng , Hua Zichun , Xu Qiang
Published: June 2008

Activation of T cells is a critical event in the pathogenesis of concanavalin A (Con A)-induced liver injury, and facilitating apoptosis of activated T cells may provide a strategy for the treatment. Here, we found that the ethanol extract from the stem parts of Dregea volubilis (DVE) inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis, which was selective for Con A-activated, rather than nonactivated, lymph node cells. Administration of DVE prevented mice from Con A-induced elevation of serum transaminases, liver necrosis and increased TNF-α, IFN-γ, IL-2 and IL-4 in mice sera. DVE also caused apoptosis of in vivo activated T cells. In addition, increased active fragments of caspase-3 were found in the DVE-treated cells. But DVE-induced apoptosis was Fas-independent, as it was still observed in T cells from Fas ligand-mutated gld/gld mice. These results suggest that DVE may have great potential to treat T cell-mediated diseases through facilitating apoptosis of activated T cells.
Expression of Endothelial Selectin Ligands on Human Leukocytes Following Dive
Authors: Glavas Duska , Markotic Anita , Valic Zoran , Kovacic Natasa , Palada Ivan , Martinic Roko , Breskovic Toni , Bakovic Darija , Brubakk Alf O. , Dujic Zeljko
Published: June 2008

The fact that impaired endothelial-dependent vasodilatation after scuba diving often occurs without visible changes in the endothelial layer implies its biochemical origin. Since Lewis x (CD15) and sialyl-Lewis x (CD15s) are granulocyte and monocyte carbohydrate antigens recognized as ligands by endothelial selectins, we assumed that they could be sensitive markers for impaired vasodilatation following diving. Using flow cytometry, we determined the CD15 and CD15s peripheral blood mononuclear cells of eight divers, 30 mins before and 50 mins after a single dive to 54 m for 20 mins bottom time. The number of gas bubbles in the right heart was monitored by ultrasound. Gas bubbles were seen in all eight divers, with the average number of bubbles/cm2 1.9 ± 1.9. The proportion of CD15 + monocytes increased 2-fold after the dive as well as the subpopulation of monocytes highly expressing CD15s. The absolute number of monocytes was slightly, but not significantly, increased after the dive, whereas the absolute number of granulocytes was markedly elevated (up to 61%). There were no significant correlations between bubble formation and CD15 + monocyte expression (r = − 0.56; P = 0.17), as well as with monocytes highly expressing CD15s (r = 0.43; P = 0.29). This study suggests that biochemical changes induced by scuba diving primarily activate existing monocytes rather than increase the number of monocytes at a time of acute arterial endothelial dysfunction.
The Emerging Role of Nuclear Receptor RORα and Its Crosstalk with LXR in Xeno- and Endobiotic Gene Regulation
Authors: Wada Taira , Kang Hong Soon , Jetten Anton M. , Xie Wen
Published: June 2008

Retinoid-related orphan receptors (RORs), including the α, β and γ isoforms (NR1F1–3), are orphan nuclear receptors that have been implicated in tissue development, immune responses, and circadian rhythm. Although RORα and RORγ have been shown to be expressed in the liver, the hepatic function of these two RORs remains unknown. We have recently shown that loss of RORα and/or RORγ can positively or negatively influence the expression of multiple Phase I and Phase II drug metabolizing enzymes and transporters in the liver. Among ROR responsive genes, we identified oxysterol 7α-hydroxylase (Cyp7b1), which plays a critical role in the homeostasis of cholesterol, as a RORα target gene. We showed that RORα is both necessary and sufficient for Cyp7b1 activation. Studies of mice deficient of RORα or liver X receptors (LXRs) revealed an interesting and potentially important functional crosstalk between RORα and LXR. The respective activation of LXR target genes and ROR target genes in RORα null mice and LXR null mice led to our hypothesis that these two receptors are mutually suppressive in vivo. LXRs have been shown to regulate a battery of metabolic genes. We conclude that RORs participate in the xeno- and endobiotic regulatory network by regulating gene expression directly or through crosstalk with LXR, which may have broad implications in metabolic homeostasis.
PCR-Based Methodology for Molecular Microchimerism Detection and Quantification
Authors: Pujal Josep-Maria , Gallardo David
Published: June 2008

Peripheral blood microchimerism after pregnancy or solid organ transplantation has been widely studied, but a consensus on its detection has not yet been adopted. The objective of this study was to establish a panel of reproducible molecular polymerase chain reaction (PCR)–based methods for detection and quantification of foreign cells in an individual. We analyzed length polymorphisms generated by short tandem repeat (STR) and variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) markers. Human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-A and -B polymorphisms were detected by reference strand conformation analysis (RSCA). Class II polymorphisms on HLA-DRB1 locus were analyzed both by classical PCR–sequence-specific primers (SSP) and by quantitative PCR (Q-PCR). Also, sex-determining region-y gene (SRY) gene allowed specific male donor discrimination and quantification by Q-PCR in female recipients. Binomial statistical distribution analysis was used for each molecular technique to determine the number of PCR replicates of each sample. This analysis allowed the detection of the lowest detectable microchimerism level, when present. We could detect microchimerism in more than 96% and more than 86% of cases at levels as low as 1:105 and 1:106 donor per recipient cells (DPRC), respectively, using Q-PCR for SRY or for nonshared HLA-DRB1 alleles. These techniques allowed as low as 1 genome-equivalent cell detection. Lower levels (nanochimerism) could be detected but not quantified because of technique limitations. However, classical PCR methods allowed detection down to 1:104 DPRC for HLA-DRB1 PCR-SSP. The clinical application of these techniques in solid organ transplanted recipients showed microchimerism levels ranging from 1:104 to 1:106 DPRC after kidney or heart transplantation, and 1 log higher (1:103 to 1:106 DPRC) after liver transplantation. In conclusion, the standardization of molecular microchimerism detection techniques will allow for comparable interpretation of results in microchimerism detection for diagnostic or research studies.
Animal Suffering: An Evolutionary Approach
Authors: Aitken Gill
Published: June 2008

Though much is written about animal suffering, little is said about the nature of suffering itself. Without any clarity about its conceptual nature, discussions concerning detection, prevention and reduction of suffering are seriously hampered. This paper considers – and rejects – some of the more usual understandings of suffering (such as that suffering is synonymous with either pain or negative emotions). Instead, an alternative understanding of suffering is proposed, namely that suffering is the experiencing of one's life as going badly. This notion is tied to the loss of individuals’ central life projects. It is suggested that non-human animals’ central projects are their evolved survival skills. This alternative view of suffering has major implications for animal welfare.
The Rights of Animals and the Demands of Nature
Authors: Jamieson Dale
Published: June 2008

This paper discusses two central themes of the work of Alan Holland: the relations between the natural and the normative and how our duties regarding animals cohere with our obligations to respect nature. I explicate and defend an anti-speciesist argument that entails strong moral demands on how we should live and what we should eat. I conclude by discussing the implications of anti-speciesism for rewilding and reintroduction programmes.
On the Economic Value of Ecosystem Services
Authors: Sagoff Mark
Published: June 2008

The productive services of nature, such as the ability of fertile soil to grow crops, receive low market prices not because markets fail but because many natural resources, such as good cropland, are abundant relative to effective demand. Even when one pays nothing for a service such as that the wind provides in pollinating crops, this is its ‘correct’ market price if the supply is adequate and free. The paper argues that ecological services are either too ‘lumpy’ to price in incremental units (for example, climatic systems), priced competitively, or too cheap to meter. The paper considers counter-examples and objections.
How Much is that Ecosystem in the Window? The One with the Bio-diverse Trail
Authors: Spash Clive L.
Published: June 2008

Ecosystems are increasingly characterised as goods and services to allow their valuation in monetary terms. This follows an orthodox economic approach to environmental values, but is also being undertaken by ecologists and conservation biologists. There then appears a lack of clarity and debate as to the model of human behaviour, specific values and decision process being adopted. Arguments for ecosystems service valuation are critically appraised and the case for a model leading to value pluralism is presented. The outcome is to identify the need for value articulating processes which involve open deliberative judgment rather than instantaneously stated preferences, concealed expert opinion and global cost-benefit analysis.
Nature (and Politics)
Authors: Dobson Andrew
Published: June 2008

This paper addresses the leitmotif of Alan Holland's work, which is argued here to be a defence of the existence and worth of nonhuman nature. Definitions of politics have always depended on the idea of nature as a contrasting non-political realm, usually turning on the centrality of speech. Referencing the work of Aristotle, Kant and Bentham, I suggest that the instability of the distinction between the human and the nonhuman means that politics, as ‘thing and activity', must itself be unstable. The question of whether there can be a politics without nature is explored through an analysis of the work of Latour, and the conclusion is reached that listening may well be just as important as speaking.
The massage in the medium: Transfer of connotative meaning from typeface to names and products
Authors: Doyle John R. , Bottomley Paul A.
Published: June 2008

All text must be written in some particular style of lettering, known as its typeface or font. If it is once accepted that different typefaces generate their own connotations then every written word originates two meanings. Three experiments demonstrate that people who are asked to evaluate names and products are affected by transfer of meaning from the typeface in which they are presented. The meaning of the word is pulled towards the meaning of the typeface (assimilation), rather than pushed away from it (contrast). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Syntheses, Properties and Electrochemical Activity of Carbon Microtubes Modified with Amino Groups
Authors: Wang Xiaofeng , Liu Xiaoqing , Lai Linfei , Li Siyue , Weng Jian , Zhou Zhimin , Cui Qiang , Chen Xin , Cao Minyuan , Zhang Qiqing
Published: June 2008

Amine‐modified carbon micro/sub‐microtubes that encapsulate magnetite cores have been synthesized by decomposing a ferrocene/hexabromobenzene mixture in the presence of ammonia under solvothermal conditions at 250 °C for 24 h in a one‐step process. The as‐prepared carbon microstructures (NH2‐ME‐CMTs) were 90–2000 nm in diameter and from tens to hundreds of micrometers in length that could be tuned in various solvents. The surface of the carbon microtubes can be modified with amino groups by the synthetic process, as confirmed by infra‐red (IR) spectroscopy and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Ammonia in the reaction system plays a key role in the formation of the microtube morphology and was the source of the surface functionalization groups. Fluorescent fluorescein isothiocyanate (FITC) was selected as a model compound and successively attached to the amino groups of the carbon microtubes. This result confirms the reactivity of the amino groups on the surface of the carbon microtubes. The inner magnetite cores were removed after immersion in 1 M HCl solution at room temperature over two months, and hollow carbon microtubes (NH2‐H‐CMTs) were obtained. The magnetite‐encapsulated carbon microtubes and the hollow carbon microtubes were coated on gold electrodes to prepare carbon microtube‐modified gold electrodes. The two electrodes have been used to investigate the oxidative properties of dopamine (DA) and ascorbic acid (AA). Different from the magnetite‐encapsulated microtube‐modified electrode, the hollow microtube‐modified electrode can be utilized in the selective detection of DA in the presence of a large excess of AA. The electrochemical behaviour of DA and AA on the hollow carbon microtubes modified with amino groups is similar to that on carbon nanotubes. This result suggests that the one‐step synthesis method will not change the electrochemical properties or break the backbone structure of the carbon microtubes.
Synthesis and Application of Graphitic Carbon with High Surface Area
Authors: Xia Bao Yu , Wang Jian Nong , Wang Xiao Xia , Niu Jun Jie , Sheng Zhao Min , Hu Ming Ruo , Yu Qing Chun
Published: June 2008

Nanostructured graphitic carbons have widespread applications. However, the synthesis of such materials with a high surface area is still a great challenge. In this study, we demonstrate a new approach for improving the surface area. Graphitic carbon nanocages (CNCs) are prepared by spray pyrolysis of ethanol with dissolved iron carbonyl at high temperature. Ammonium thiocyanate is added to form iron sulfide as a less active catalyst and a template with less carbon dissolution and precipitation than single‐phase Fe. This addition leads to an apparent reduction in cage size from 60 to 40 nm and wall thickness from 5–10 nm to 2–4 nm and a significant increase in surface area from 227 to 550 m2 g−1 at 800 °C. As an example of a potential application, the CNCs with a thin wall and high surface area are demonstrated to be a superb material for supporting the Pt catalyst used in low‐temperature fuel cells. It is suggested that the present approach may be integrated with previous methods for improving the surface area of graphitic carbons and their performance in many areas of interest.
Low environmental sensitive antistatic material based on poly(vinyl chloride)/quaternary ammonium salt by blending with poly(ethylene oxide)
Authors: Kuang Minxuan , Zhou Shiyi , Lei Jingxin , Li Qiman
Published: June 2008

A quaternary ammonium salt (QAS) was synthesized and characterized by 1H NMR. A low environmental sensitive antistatic plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) (PPVC) was prepared by blending with QAS and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). The structure and properties of PPVC/QAS/PEO blend were studied by scanning electronic microscope (SEM), surface resistivity, and mechanical properties tests. The results show that the surface resistivity of PPVC/QAS/PEO (100/4.5/0) blend without PEO component can be reduced to less than 3.0 × 108 Ω at 65% environmental humidity, which satisfied the antistatic property requirement related to MT113‐1995 of China. However, QAS, similar to other commercial antistatic agents, is much sensitive to environmental humidity. When a small amount of PEO is added, the surface resistivity of PPVC/QAS/PEO blend has a quite low sensitivity to environmental humidity and further reduces. An excellent antistatic property of PPVC/QAS/PEO blend under low humidity can be achieved. Its tensile strength and elongation at break are also improved with PEO addition. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
The effect of uniaxial orientation on the dielectric relaxation behavior of α‐PVDF
Authors: Ozkazanc E. , Guney H. Y. , Oskay T. , Tarcan E.
Published: June 2008

α‐crystalline phase poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) film was oriented uniaxially at different draw ratios. Morphological effects of orientation were investigated by X‐ray diffraction and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) measurements on the oriented samples. The dielectric loss factor was measured from 100 Hz to 1 MHz range between 80 and 400 K as a function of frequency and temperature. While the activation energy of the α‐relaxation transition was not affected by the orientation, it was observed that there is a linear increase in the activation energy of the β‐relaxation transition with draw ratio. The relaxation time of the β‐relaxation transition was more affected by the orientation process at lower temperatures. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Personal communication technologies as an extension of the self: A cross‐cultural comparison of people's associations with technology and their symbolic proximity with others
Authors: Vishwanath Arun , Chen Hao
Published: June 2008

Increasingly, individuals use communication technologies such as e‐mail, IMs, blogs, and cell phones to locate, learn about, and communicate with one another. Not much, however, is known about how individuals relate to various personal technologies, their preferences for each, or their extensional associations with them. Even less is known about the cultural differences in these preferences. The current study used the Galileo system of multidimensional scaling to systematically map the extensional associations with nine personal communication technologies across three cultures: U.S., Germany, and Singapore. Across the three cultures, the technologies closest to the self were similar, suggesting a universality of associations with certain technologies. In contrast, the technologies farther from the self were significantly different across cultures. Moreover, the magnitude of associations with each technology differed based on the extensional association or distance from the self. Also, and more importantly, the antecedents to these associations differed significantly across cultures, suggesting a stronger influence of cultural norms on personal‐technology choice.