bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Allogeneic acute rejection on fetal small‐bowel graft: role of gangliosides
Authors: Montero Edna Frasson De Souza , Steffens Vânia Antunes , Manna Mônica Cecília Bochetti , Koike Márcia Kiyomi , De Almeida Carlos Eduardo Saldanha , Ferreira De Oliveira Kátia , De Jesus Simões Manuel
Published: January 2006

In previous work, it was shown that gangliosides (Gang) have an inhibitory effect on lymphocyte proliferation as well as on delayed‐type hypersensitivity response and mixed lymphocyte reaction. Therefore, we decided to examine the effect of gangliosides in acute allorejection after fetal intestinal transplantation. We used two female C57BL/6 mice on pregnancy day 19 as a source of fetal intestine. All animals were anesthetized with ketamine (70 mg/kg) and xylazine (10 mg/kg), intramuscularly. We harvested intestinal segments of 1 cm to transplant into BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice (male, weighing around 20 g) used as recipients. They were divided into groups of six animals each: isogeneic and allogeneic without treatment, or treated with tacrolimus 1 mg/kg/day, or gangliosides 3 and 9 mg/kg/day, during 7 days posttransplantation, intramuscularly. On postoperative day 7, intestinal grafts were collected and fixed in 10% formalin solution. Using an anesthetic overdose as euthanasia, we removed the intestinal grafts. Tissue samples were stained with hematoxylin‐eosin for histological analysis regarding grafts development (D) and rejection (R) aspects. Data were analyzed by the Kruskal‐Wallis test, considering P ≤ 0.05 as significant. In the isogeneic and tacrolimus groups, we observed a very good degree of development (D = 9 ± 0.5; D = 9 ± 0.4, respectively), but a severe degree of rejection (R = 15 ± 1.3) and a low degree of development (D = 1 ± 0.8) in animals without treatment. The ganglioside groups showed D = 5 ± 1.6 and R = 13 ± 3.3, and D = 7 ± 2.9 and R = 9 ± 1.9, for the 3‐mg and 9‐mg groups, respectively. There was a statistically significant difference between the ganglioside groups and allogeneic groups without treatment. Based on the above data, we conclude that avascular fetal intestine transplantation is a good experimental model for studying immunological events, and that gangliosides only partially modulate the allorejection response, allowing intestinal development, mainly at the highest ganglioside dose. Maybe immunomodulation would be better observed by using isolated types of gangliosides or association with other immunosuppressive drugs. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc. Microsurgery 26: 58–60, 2006.
Higher neutrophil infiltration mediated by osteopontin is a likely contributing factor to the increased susceptibility of females to alcoholic liver disease
Authors: Banerjee A , Apte UM , Smith R , Ramaiah SK
Published: January 2006

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a major public health problem in the United States and women are known to be more susceptible to ALD. However, the precise mechanism for increased susceptibility of females to ALD is not completely understood. The present study is based on the hypothesis that induction of osteopontin (OPN), a matricellular protein, is the likely contributing factor for higher neutrophil recruitment in females during alcoholic steatohepatitis (ASH). ASH was induced in male and female Sprague‐Dawley rats by feeding them a Lieber‐DeCarli diet containing ethanol (EtOH) for 6 weeks, followed by a single injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 10 mg/kg, ip). Liver injury, measured by plasma transaminase elevations and confirmed by haematoxylin and eosin‐stained liver sections, revealed ∼25‐fold higher liver injury in the female ASH model compared with the males. Although steatosis, necrosis, and neutrophil infiltration were evident in both male and female rats, hepatic neutrophilic necrotic foci were noted as early as 2 h after LPS injection in the EtOH‐treated female rats. Hepatic neutrophil infiltration correlated with higher expression of cleaved (cOPN) and uncleaved OPN in the EtOH + LPS‐treated female rats compared with the males. OPN secretion was localized predominantly in the biliary epithelium and females had significantly higher OPN mRNA than their male counterparts in the ASH model. The ability of OPN to attract neutrophils was further confirmed in vivo, in a peritonitis rat model, and by neutralizing OPN (nOPN) antibody experiments. Hepatic neutrophil infiltration was largely inhibited (∼50%) by nOPN antibody. Flow cytometry experiments revealed OPN‐mediated up‐regulation of the CD11b neutrophil adhesion molecule. In conclusion, these data suggest that higher hepatic expression of OPN is the likely reason for higher and early hepatic neutrophil infiltration making females more susceptible to ALD during ASH. Copyright © 2006 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differential expression of a gene signature for scavenger/lectin receptors by endothelial cells and macrophages in human lymph node sinuses, the primary sites of regional metastasis
Authors: Martens J‐H , Kzhyshkowska J , Falkowski‐Hansen M , Schledzewski K , Gratchev A , Mansmann U , Schmuttermaier C , Dippel E , Koenen W , Riedel F , Sankala M , Tryggvason K , Kobzik L , Moldenhauer G , Arnold B , Goerdt S
Published: January 2006

Sentinel lymph node biopsy for several cancers has shown that metastatic tumour cells are preferentially arrested in the lymph node sinuses. To study the molecular components of this sinusoidal trap, gene profiling of lymph node (sinuses) versus tonsil (no sinuses) was performed. Among other groups of molecules, an intriguing gene signature of scavenger and lectin‐like receptors was identified. Nine of the 13 genes were preferentially expressed in sinusoidal cells by immunohistochemistry. Using stabilin‐2 and monoclonal antibody 3A5 as exclusive endothelial cell (EC) and macrophage (Mφ) markers, respectively, lymph node sinusoidal ECs (stabilin‐2+, LYVE‐1+, DC‐SIGNR+, MARCO+, stabilin‐1+, MMR+) and sinusoidal Mφ (MMR+, DC‐SIGN+, sialoadhesin+, CD163+, stabilin‐1+ ) showed distinct, but overlapping expression patterns of the signature molecules by double labelling immunofluorescence. The number of stabilin‐1+ sinusoidal Mφ, however, varied considerably between samples, indicating turnover/differentiation dynamics in this sinusoidal cell population. In the hepatic sinuses, LYVE‐1 and CD36 were strongly up‐regulated on both sinusoidal ECs and Mφ, while DC‐SIGNR and DC‐SIGN were strongly down‐regulated; in contrast to lymph node sinusoidal ECs, MARCO was confined to Mφ (Kupffer cells) in the liver sinuses. As Mφ are not present in the wall and lumen of splenic sinuses, splenic sinuses expressed a considerably reduced repertoire of scavenger/lectin receptors lacking sialoadhesin, CD36, CD163, and MARCO; in addition, DC‐SIGNR was absent from splenic sinusoidal ECs, while DC‐SIGN and thrombomodulin were strongly expressed. Interestingly, most of the signature molecules are known to mediate tumour cell adhesion in addition to their functions as scavenger or pattern recognition receptors. This study establishes a gene and tissue database platform to test the hypothesis that additive expression of the lymph node sinus signature genes in sinusoidal ECs and Mφ may contribute to selective tumour cell metastasis in lymph nodes and liver including organ‐specific mechanisms, such as intraluminal retention or transmigration, while sparing the spleen. Copyright © 2006 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Salt stress adaptation of Bacillus subtilis: A physiological proteomics approach
Authors: Höper Dirk , Bernhardt Jörg , Hecker Michael
Published: January 2006

The adaptation to osmotic stress is crucial for growth and survival of Bacillus subtilis in its natural ecosystem. Dual channel imaging and warping of 2‐D protein gels were used to visualize global changes in the protein synthesis pattern of cells in response to osmotic stress (6% NaCl). Many vegetative enzymes were repressed in response to salt stress and derepressed after resumption of growth. The enzymes catalyzing the metabolic steps from glucose to 2‐oxoglutarate, however, were almost constantly synthesized during salt stress despite the growth arrest. This indicates an enhanced need for the proline precursor glutamate. The synthesis of enzymes involved in sulfate assimilation and in the formation of Fe‐S clusters was also induced, suggesting an enhanced need for the formation or repair of Fe‐S clusters in response to salt stress. One of the most obvious changes in the protein synthesis profile can be followed by the very strong induction of the SigB regulon. Furthermore, members of the SigW regulon and of the PerR regulon, indicating oxidative stress after salt challenge, were also induced. This proteomic approach provides an overview of cell adaptation to an osmotic upshift in B. subtilis visualizing the most dramatic changes in the protein synthesis pattern.
Poly(ortho‐phenylene ethynylene)s: Synthetic accessibility and optical properties
Authors: Khan Anzar , Hecht Stefan
Published: January 2006

Poly(ortho‐phenylene ethynylene)s (PoPEs) have been synthesized via an in situ activation/coupling AB′ polycondensation protocol. The resulting polymers have been characterized by several analytical methods and are shown to have no structural defects. Although the Sonogashira–Hagihara polycondensation reaction is less efficient than for the preparation of the corresponding meta‐ and para‐linked polymers, presumably because of steric hindrance caused by the ortho substituents, the process can be accelerated by the use of microwave irradiation. Optical spectroscopy indicates solvent‐dependent conformational changes between extended transoid and helical cisoid conformations, providing the first experimental evidence for solvophobically driven folding of the PoPE backbone. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1619–1627, 2006
Reverse atom transfer radical polymerization of butyl methacrylate in a miniemulsion stabilized with a cationic surfactant
Authors: Simms Ryan W. , Cunningham Michael F.
Published: January 2006

The miniemulsion reverse atom transfer radical polymerization of butyl methacrylate was carried out with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as the sole surfactant. The polymerizations were initiated with 2,2′‐azobis[2‐(2‐imidazolin‐2‐yl)propane] dihydrochloride and mediated with copper(II) bromide/tris[2‐di(2‐ethylhexyl acrylate)aminoethyl]amine. The living character was demonstrated by the linear increase in the number‐average molecular weight with conversion and the decreasing polydispersity index with conversion. The polymerizations were conducted at 90 °C with 1 wt % CTAB with respect to the monomer and produced a coagulum‐free latex with a mean particle diameter of 155 nm. The resulting latexes exhibited good shelf‐life stability. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1628–1634, 2006
Novel amorphous perfluorocopolymeric system: Copolymers of perfluoro‐2‐methylene‐1,3‐dioxolane derivatives
Authors: Yang Yu , Mikeš František , Yang Liang , Liu Weihong , Koike Yasuhiro , Okamoto Yoshiyuki
Published: January 2006

Perfluorotetrahydro‐2‐methylene‐furo[3,4‐d][1,3]dioxole (monomer I) and perfluoro‐2‐methylene‐4‐methoxymethyl‐1,3‐dioxolane (monomer II) are soluble in perfluorinated or partially fluorinated solvents and readily polymerize in solution or in bulk when initiated by a free‐radical initiator, perfluorodibenzoyl peroxide. The copolymerization parameters have been determined with in situ 19F NMR measurements. The copolymerization reactivity ratios are rI = 1.80 and rII = 0.80 in 1,1,2‐trichlorotrifluoroethane at 41 °C and rI = 0.97 and rII = 0.85 for the bulk polymerization. These data show that this copolymerization pair has a good copolymerization tendency and yields nearly ideal random copolymers. The copolymers have only one glass‐transition temperature from 101 to 168 °C, depending on the copolymer compositions. Melting endotherms have not been observed in their differential scanning calorimetry traces, and this indicates that all the copolymers with different compositions are completely amorphous. These copolymers are thermally stable (the initial decomposition temperatures are higher than 350 °C under an N2 atmosphere) and have low refractive indices and high optical transparency from UV to near‐infrared. Copolymer films prepared by casting were flexible and tough. These properties make the copolymers ideal candidates as optical and electrical materials. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 1613–1618, 2006
Uplifting the Iwasawa
Authors: Franzen A. , Kaura P. , Misra A. , Ray R.
Published: January 2006

The Iwasawa manifold is uplifted to seven‐folds of eitherG2holonomy orSU(3) structure, explicit new metrics for the same having been constructed in this work. We uplift the Iwasawa manifold to aG2manifold through “size” deformation (of the Iwasawa metric), via Hitchin's Flow equations, showing also the impossibility of the uplift for “shape” and “size” deformations (of the Iwasawa metric). Using results of Dall'Agata and Prezas, Phys. Rev. D69, 066004 (2004) [arXiv:hep‐th/0311146] [1], we also uplift the Iwasawa manifold to a 7‐fold withSU(3) structure through “size” and “shape” deformations via generalisation of Hitchin's Flow equations. For seven‐folds withSU(3)‐structure, the result could be interpreted asM5‐branes wrapping two‐cycles embedded in the seven‐fold (as in [1]) ‐ a warped product of either a special hermitian six‐fold or a balanced six‐fold with the unit interval. There can be no uplift to seven‐folds ofSU(3) structure involving non‐trivial “size” and “shape” deformations (of the Iwasawa metric) retaining the “standard complex structure” ‐ the uplift generically makes one move in the space of almost complex structures such that one is neither at the standard complex structure point nor at the “edge”. Using the results of Konopelchenko and Landolfi, J. Geom. Phys.29, 319 (1999) [arXiv:math.DG/9804144] [2], we show that given two “shape deformation” functions, and the dilaton, one can construct a Riemann surface obtained via Weierstraß representation for the conformal immersion of a surface inRl, for a suitablel, with the condition of having conformal immersion being a quadric inCPl‐1.
Moduli stabilization in the heterotic/IIB discretuum
Authors: Curio G. , Krause A. , Lüst D.
Published: January 2006

We consider supersymmetric compactifications of type IIB and the weakly coupled heterotic string with G resp. H‐flux and gaugino condensation in a hidden sector included. We point out that proper inclusion of the non‐perturbative effects changes the Hodge structure of the allowed fluxes in type IIB significantly. In the heterotic theory it is known that, in contrast to the potential read off from dimensional reduction, the effective four‐dimensional description demands for consistency a non‐vanishing H2,1 component if a H3,0 component is already present balancing the condensate. The H2,1 component causes a non‐Kählerness of the underlying geometry whose moduli space is, however, not well‐understood. We show that the occurrence of H2,1 might actually be avoided by using a KKLT‐like two‐step procedure for moduli stabilization. Independently of the H2,1 issue one‐loop corrections to the gauge couplings were argued to cause a not well‐controlled strong coupling transition. This problem can be avoided as well when the effects of world‐sheet instantons are included. They will also stabilize the Kähler modulus what was accomplished by H2,1 before.
Predicting the redox state and secondary structure of cysteine residues in proteins using NMR chemical shifts
Authors: Wang Ching‐Cheng , Chen Jui‐Hung , Yin Shih‐His , Chuang Woei‐Jer
Published: January 2006

We report 2D cluster analyses of 1Hα, 1HN, 13Cα, and 13C′ versus 13Cβ NMR chemical shifts (CSs) that can be used to predict the redox state and secondary structure of cysteine residues in proteins. A database of cysteine 1Hα, 1Hβ2, 1Hβ3, 1HN, 13Cα, 13Cβ, 13C′, and 15NH CSs as a function of secondary structure and redox state was constructed from BioMagResBank entries. One‐dimensional statistical analysis showed that cysteine 1Hα, 1HN, 13Cα, 13C′, and 15NH CSs reflected the secondary structure, and that cysteine Cβ CS is extremely sensitive to the redox state. In contrast, cysteine 1Hβ CS was not correlated with its redox state or secondary structure. Two‐dimensional cluster analysis revealed that 2D Cα/Cβ, C′/Cβ, HN/Cβ, and Hα/Cβ clusters were helpful in distinguishing both the redox state and secondary structure of cysteine residues. Based on these results, we derived rules using a score matrix to predict the redox state and secondary structure of cysteines using their CSs. The score matrix predicts the redox state and secondary structure of cysteine residues in proteins with ∼90% accuracy. This suggests that the redox state and secondary structure of cysteine residues in peptides and proteins can be obtained from their CSs without recourse to nuclear Overhauser effect measurements. Proteins 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Simultaneous determination of 109 pesticides in unpolished rice by a combination of gel permeation chromatography and Florisil column purification, and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry
Authors: Zhang Wei‐Guo , Chu Xiao‐Gang , Cai Hui‐Xia , An Juan , Li Chong‐Jiu
Published: January 2006

A multi‐residue method is described for the simultaneous analysis of 109 pesticides with different properties in unpolished rice. The range covers organophosphorus, organochlorine, carbamate, and synthetic pyrethroid pesticides. The pesticides were extracted from the sample using ethyl acetate. Most higher molecular weight components such as lipids in the co‐extractives were removed by gel permeation chromatography (GPC) with a Bio‐bead SX‐3 column. A Florisil column with ethyl acetate/hexane as the eluting solvents was used for further cleanup. The pesticides were finally simultaneously determined by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) in selective ion monitoring (SIM) mode. The average recoveries for most pesticides (spiked level 0.02, 0.1 and 1 µg/g) ranged from 70% to 110%, the relative standard deviation (RSD) was below 20% in every case, and the limit of detection (LOD) varied from 1 to 20 ng/g. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Citric acid traps to replace sulphuric acid in the ammonia diffusion of dilute water samples for 15N analysis
Authors: Schleppi Patrick , Bucher‐Wallin Inga , Saurer Matthias , Jäggi Maya , Landolt Werner
Published: January 2006

The analysis of 15N in aqueous samples requires the concentration of dissolved nitrogen (N) into a small volume that can be analysed by mass spectrometry. This is conveniently achieved by the NH3 diffusion technique, where NH is captured on small acidified filters enclosed in PTFE. NO can be analysed the same way by reducing it to NH with Devarda's alloy. H2SO4 is commonly used for the acidification of the filters. During combustion, however, this acid leads to the production of SO2 and elemental sulphur, which both have detrimental effects on the mass spectrometer. We propose here to replace H2SO4 with citric acid because it is combusted completely to CO2 and H2O in the elemental analyser before entering the mass spectrometer. Citric acid was found to give comparable results in terms of N recovery and 15N values, both for NH and for NO samples. Blank samples revealed that N contamination was slightly lower using citric instead of sulphuric acid as acidifier of the glass filters. NH samples first concentrated over cation‐exchange columns were strongly acidic and several methods were tested to raise the pH for the subsequent diffusion. These samples gave incomplete N recoveries, but this problem was independent of the acid used on the filters and of the final pH of the sample. Complete recovery was achieved only by increasing the volume of the eluate from the columns. Citric acid can thus generally be recommended instead of H2SO4 for ammonia diffusion. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mobile robot motion estimation by 2D scan matching with genetic and iterative closest point algorithms
Authors: Martínez Jorge L. , González Javier , Morales Jesús , Mandow Anthony , García‐Cerezo Alfonso J.
Published: January 2006

The paper reports on mobile robot motion estimation based on matching points from successive two‐dimensional (2D) laser scans. This ego‐motion approach is well suited to unstructured and dynamic environments because it directly uses raw laser points rather than extracted features. We have analyzed the application of two methods that are very different in essence: (i) A 2D version of iterative closest point (ICP), which is widely used for surface registration; (ii) a genetic algorithm (GA), which is a novel approach for this kind of problem. Their performance in terms of real‐time applicability and accuracy has been compared in outdoor experiments with nonstop motion under diverse realistic navigation conditions. Based on this analysis, we propose a hybrid GA‐ICP algorithm that combines the best characteristics of these pure methods. The experiments have been carried out with the tracked mobile robot Auriga‐α and an on‐board 2D laser scanner. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Online turnover‐free control for a mobile agent with a terrain prediction sensor
Authors: Park Jae Byung , Lee Jeong Hee , Lee Beom Hee
Published: January 2006

This paper proposes a turnover‐free control method for a teleoperated mobile agent (or vehicle) moving through uneven terrain. The teleoperated agent is primarily driven by an operator at a remote site and is able to react autonomously when a possible turnover is predicted. In order to predict the turnover, a low‐cost terrain prediction sensor has been developed using a camera vision with a structured laser light. Since it is difficult for an operator to predict the reactive motion of the agent, a force reflection technique with a force feedback joystick is employed to intuitively recognize the inconsistency between the intended motion and the reactive motion of the agent. Finally, to verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed method, experiments with the ROBHAZ‐DT (actual mobile agent) have been carried out. In the experiments, the operator could recognize the reactive motion of the agent for turnover prevention through force reflection while the agent was moving on slopped terrain. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
A demand‐based perspective on sustainable competitive advantage
Authors: Adner Ron , Zemsky Peter
Published: January 2006

We develop an approach to analyzing the sustainability of competitive advantage that emphasizes demand‐side factors. We extend the added‐value approach to business strategy by introducing an explicit treatment of how firms create value for consumers. This allows us to characterize how consumer heterogeneity and marginal utility from performance improvements on the demand side interact with resource heterogeneity and improving technologies on the supply side. Using this approach, we address a variety of questions including whether technology substitutions will be permanent or transitory; the sequence in which new technologies attack different market segments; how rents from different types of resources change over time; whether decreasing marginal utility and imitation give rise to similar rent profiles; the extent of synergies within a firm's resource portfolio; the emergence of new generic strategies; and the conditions that support strategic diversity in a market. Our focus on consumer utility and value creation complements the traditional focus in the strategy literature on competition and value capture. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Increasing the flexural modulus of rigid PVC at elevated temperatures
Authors: Wiebking Henry E.
Published: January 2006

The use of PVC building products in hot climates has demonstrated the need for formulations that exhibit increased stiffness at elevated temperatures. Talc has been used as an additive to increase flexural modulus but this approach can produce an unacceptable drop in impact strength. This report presents the results of laboratory work designed to find ways to increase the stiffness of rigid PVC compounds at elevated temperatures while maintaining their room temperature impact performance. J. VINYL. ADDIT. TECHNOL., 12:37–40, 2006. © 2006 Society of Plastics Engineers
Metabolic engineering to produce phytochromes with phytochromobilin, phycocyanobilin, or phycoerythrobilin chromophore in Escherichia coli
Authors: Mukougawa Keiko , Kanamoto Hirosuke , Kobayashi Toshikazu , Yokota Akiho , Kohchi Takayuki
Published: January 2006

By co‐expression of heme oxygenase and various bilin reductase(s) in a single operon in conjunction with apophytochrome using two compatible plasmids, we developed a system to produce phytochromes with various chromophores in Escherichia coli. Through the selection of different bilin reductases, apophytochromes were assembled with phytochromobilin, phycocyanobilin, and phycoerythrobilin. The blue‐shifted difference spectra of truncated phytochromes were observed with a phycocyanobilin chromophore compared to a phytochromobilin chromophore. When the phycoerythrobilin biosynthetic enzymes were co‐expressed, E. coli cells accumulated orange‐fluorescent phytochrome. The metabolic engineering of bacteria for the production of various bilins for assembly into phytochromes will facilitate the molecular analysis of photoreceptors.
Reconstruction of the tongue with reinnervated rectus abdominis musculoperitoneal flaps after hemiglossectomy
Authors: Liao Guiqing , Su Yuxiong , Zhang Jinming , Hou Jinsong , Chen Yiyang , Li Ma
Published: January 2006

Reconstruction of the tongue after glossectomy is a primary objective in the process of improving the life quality of patients suffering from tongue cancer. We developed a new method of surgical reconstruction of the tongue after hemiglossectomy, with reinnervated rectus abdominis musculoperitoneal flaps. The rectus abdominis musculoperitoneal flap consisted of the rectus muscle, posterior rectus sheath, peritoneum, the 10th, 11th and 12th intercostal nerves, and the deep inferior epigastric artery and veins. Five patients underwent immediate reconstruction of the tongue with rectus abdominis musculoperitoneal flaps after hemiglossectomy. The intercostal nerves were anastomosed to the descending branch of the hypoglossal nerve. All transplanted flaps survived. The peritoneum was replaced by squamous epithelium eight weeks after surgery. During the follow-up period, the contour and function of the reconstructed tongues was satisfactory. Our experience indicates that reconstruction of the tongue with rectus abdominis musculoperitoneal flaps after hemiglossectomy is a suitable, cosmetically acceptable method.
Transnasal, intracranial penetrating injury treated endoscopically
Authors: Cetinkaya Erdem Atalay , Okan Cinemre , Pelin Kesapli
Published: January 2006

Intracranial penetrating injury through the nose is uncommon. We present the case of a four-year-old girl who sustained a transnasal, intracranial penetrating injury with a sharp wooden object. We performed endoscopic removal of the foreign body and repair of the associated cerebrospinal fluid fistula.
Mucosal melanoma arising in the eustachian tube
Authors: Baek Seung Jae , Song Mee Hyun , Lim Beum Jin , Lee Won Sang
Published: January 2006

Mucosal melanoma is a very rare disease. Most cases have their origins in the head and neck region. To date, only three cases of melanoma originating from the eustachian tube have been reported. We present a case of mucosal melanoma of eustachian tube origin in which a complete excision was performed. In this case, the patient underwent adjuvant radiotherapy and the mass size greatly decreased, which aided subsequent surgical excision. Systemic chemotherapy was not utilized in this case; however, it is often used for palliative purposes. A literature review is also presented.
Inter-identity amnesia in dissociative identity disorder: a simulated memory impairment?
Authors: HUNTJENS RAFAËLE J. C. , PETERS MADELON L. , WOERTMAN LIESBETH , BOVENSCHEN LOES M. , MARTIN ROY C. , POSTMA ALBERT
Published: January 2006

Background. Although included in the current edition of the DSM, there does not seem to be consensus among mental health professionals regarding the diagnostic status and scientific validity of dissociative identity disorder (DID). This study was aimed at the detection of simulation of inter-identity amnesia in DID.

Method. A sample of 22 DID patients was included, together with a matched control sample of subjects instructed to simulate inter-identity amnesia, a guessor group that had no knowledge of the stimulus material and a normal control group. A multiple-choice recognition test was included. The rate of incorrect answers was determined. Moreover, the specific simulation strategy used was examined by providing subjects with a range of choices that varied in extent of disagreement with the correct answer and determining whether plausible or implausible answer alternatives were selected.

Results. On the recognition test DID patients selected incorrect answers above chance like simulators. Patients thus seem to use their knowledge of the correct answer in determining their given answer. They were not characterized by a well-thought-out simulating behaviour style, as indicated by the differences in selection of specific answer alternatives found between patients and simulators.

Conclusions. DID patients were found not to be characterized by an actual memory retrieval inability, in contrast to their subjective reports. Instead, it is suggested that DID may more accurately be considered a disorder characterized by meta-memory problems, holding incorrect beliefs about their own memory functioning.
Non-human animals and process theodicy
Authors: CHARTIER GARY
Published: January 2006

I argue that that the suffering of non-human animals poses some potentially knotty difficulties for process theodicy. To respond satisfactorily to the problem of evil as it involves animals, process theists will, I argue, need either to defend some form of consequentialism or make a number of potentially plausible but certainly contestable empirical claims. I begin this internal critique by explaining the nature of the process response to the problem of evil. I explain how process thought can respond with reasonable effectiveness to the general problem of the suffering of non-human animals while highlighting the special difficulty predation might be thought to pose for the process thinker. Then, I elaborate alternative consequentialist and non-consequentialist process accounts of divine goodness in the face of the harm to non-human animals caused by predation. After summarizing my analyses in the conclusion, I underscore the costs associated with these alternatives.
Why there is reason to remain sceptical of Durston's scepticism
Authors: TRAKAKIS NICK
Published: January 2006

In this reply I argue that Durston's defence of his argument from the complexity of history ought to be unacceptable to the theist as it undermines not only common theistic attitudes towards God, such as gratitude and praise, but also the rationality of our ordinary moral practices.
Exploring the time to intervene with a reactive mass vaccination campaign in measles epidemics
Authors: GRAIS R. F. , DE RADIGUÈS X. , DUBRAY C. , FERMON F. , GUERIN P. J.
Published: January 2006

The current WHO policy during measles outbreaks focuses on case management rather than reactive vaccination campaigns in urban areas of resource-poor countries having low vaccine coverage. Vaccination campaigns may be costly, or not timely enough to impact significantly on morbidity and mortality. We explored the time available for intervention during two recent epidemics. Our analysis suggests that the spread of measles in African urban settings may not be as fast as expected. Examining measles epidemic spread in Kinshasa (DRC), and Niamey (Niger) reveals a progression of smaller epidemics. Intervening with a mass campaign or in areas where cases have not yet been reported could slow the epidemic spread. The results of this preliminary analysis illustrate the importance of revisiting outbreak response plans.
Molecular characteristics of Shigella spp. isolated from patients with diarrhoea in a new industrialized area of Thailand
Authors: NA-UBOL M. , SAMOSORNSUK S. , VON SEIDLEIN L. , TAPCHAISRI P. , ALI M. , CLEMENS J. D. , CHAICUMPA W.
Published: January 2006

In this study, we used plasmid profile analysis, XbaI macrorestriction with pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE), and PCR of the ipaH gene, to study the molecular characteristics of 183 Shigella spp. isolated during May 2000 to April 2003 from rectal swabs of patients with watery and/or bloody diarrhoea in a new industrialized area of Thailand. Among the 183 isolates, 167 were S. sonnei and 16 were S. flexneri. For plasmid profile analysis, the 183 isolates revealed 16 different plasmid patterns, designated patterns A to P. The sizes of the plasmid bands were: 6, 5·5, 5, 4·5, 4, 3·25, 2·75, 2·5, 2, 1·75, 1·5 and/or 1·25 kb. The frequency of each plasmid band was 4·5 kb (165 isolates), 3·25 kb (161 isolates), 5·5 kb (129 isolates), 1·75 kb (121 isolates), 1·5 kb (35 isolates), 5 kb (21 isolates), 2 kb (16 isolates), 2·75 kb (12 isolates), 1·25 kb (9 isolates), and 6 kb (8 isolates). PFGE analysis revealed 45 different XbaI macrorestricted DNA banding patterns which could be grouped into 11 groups. All the isolates gave PCR amplicons of the ipaH gene. Plasmid profile analysis and PFGE are powerful tools for differentiation of the Shigella spp. This study provides important data on the molecular characteristics of Shigella isolates in Thailand, which could be useful as an epidemiological baseline for identifying relationships with strains that may emerge in the future.
Symbolic Conflict and the Spatiality of Tradition in Small-scale Societies
Authors: Chamberlin Matthew A.
Published: January 2006

Archaeologists have explained the spatiality and spread of traditions primarily in terms of conflict-free transfers of knowledge. This article critiques the sociospatial conceptualization of tradition implicit in many of these explanations and re-theorizes tradition as a relational process of symbolic conflict. Of particular concern are hierarchical approaches to traditional knowledge that set the more durable unconscious or ‘embodied’ elements of tradition apart from ‘symbolically invested practices’ and attribute to each a unique spatiality, with that of embodied tradition involving largely benign mechanisms of transmission. This article proposes instead that the spatiality of tradition is the outcome of continuous reflexive transformation of embodied traditional knowledge in contested social and symbolic relationships between groups. This transformation unfolds in conflict over the meaning, ownership, and value of symbolic inventories (knowledge, names, practices, symbols) within social fields. Ethnographic and archaeological data are used to argue that strategies of symbolic conflict propel traditions along the relational pathways of fields.
The Singing Neanderthals: the Origins of Music, Language, Mind and Body, by Steven Mithen. London: Weidenfeld & Nicholson, 2005. ISBN 0-297-64317-7 hardback £20 & US$25.2; ix+374 pp.
Authors: Mithen Steven , Morley Iain , Wray Alison , Tallerman Maggie , Gamble Clive
Published: January 2006

Why are humans musical? Why do people in all cultures sing or play instruments? Why do we appear to have specialized neurological apparatus for hearing and interpreting music as distinct from other sounds? And how does our musicality relate to language and to our evolutionary history?

Anthropologists and archaeologists have paid little attention to the origin of music and musicality — far less than for either language or ‘art’. While art has been seen as an index of cognitive complexity and language as an essential tool of communication, music has suffered from our perception that it is an epiphenomenal ‘leisure activity’, and archaeologically inaccessible to boot. Nothing could be further from the truth, according to Steven Mithen; music is integral to human social life, he argues, and we can investigate its ancestry with the same rich range of analyses — neurological, physiological, ethnographic, linguistic, ethological and even archaeological — which have been deployed to study language.

In The Singing Neanderthals Steven Mithen poses these questions and proposes a bold hypothesis to answer them. Mithen argues that musicality is a fundamental part of being human, that this capacity is of great antiquity, and that a holistic protolanguage of musical emotive expression predates language and was an essential precursor to it.

This is an argument with implications which extend far beyond the mere origins of music itself into the very motives of human origins. Any argument of such range is bound to attract discussion and critique; we here present commentaries by archaeologists Clive Gamble and Iain Morley and linguists Alison Wray and Maggie Tallerman, along with Mithen's response to them. Whether right or wrong, Mithen has raised fascinating and important issues. And it adds a great deal of charm to the time-honoured, perhaps shopworn image of the Neanderthals shambling ineffectively through the pages of Pleistocene prehistory to imagine them humming, crooning or belting out a cappella harmonies as they went.
Shift in the surgical treatment of non-palpable breast cancer: tactile to visual
Authors: Dowlatshahi K. , Dieschbourg J.
Published: January 2006

Increasing number of small, early-staged breast cancers are detected by screening mammography. Diagnosis and determination of the prognostic factors may be made by either ultrasound (US) or stereotactically guided needle biopsy. Approximately 2000 stereotactic tables are installed at various medical centers throughout the United States and a significant number in other countries where breast cancer is common. Many surgeons and interventional radiologists are trained in the use of this technology for diagnostic purposes. Employing the same technology, these physicians may be trained to treat selected breast cancers with laser energy percutaneously. Experimental and clinical reports to-date indicate the technique to be safe. High-resolution imaging modalities including grayscale and color Doppler US, magnetic resonance imaging, mammography and needle biopsy, when necessary, will confirm the tumor kill. Newer imaging modalities such as magnetic resonance spectroscopy may also provide additional confirmation for total tumor ablation.
Evolution of photosynthesis and biospheric oxygenation contingent upon nitrogen fixation?
Authors: Grula John W.
Published: January 2006

How photosynthesis by Precambrian cyanobacteria oxygenated Earth's biosphere remains incompletely understood. Here it is argued that the oxic transition, which took place between approximately 2.3 and 0.5 Gyr ago, required a great proliferation of cyanobacteria, and this in turn depended on their ability to fix nitrogen via the nitrogenase enzyme system. However, the ability to fix nitrogen was not a panacea, and the rate of biospheric oxygenation may still have been affected by nitrogen constraints on cyanobacterial expansion. Evidence is presented for why cyanobacteria probably have a greater need for fixed nitrogen than other prokaryotes, underscoring the importance of their ability to fix nitrogen. The connection between nitrogen fixation and the evolution of photosynthesis is demonstrated by the similarities between nitrogenase and enzymes critical for the biosynthesis of (bacterio)chlorophyll. It is hypothesized that biospheric oxygenation would not have occurred if the emergence of cyanobacteria had not been preceded by the evolution of nitrogen fixation, and if these organisms had not also acquired the ability to fix nitrogen at the beginning of or very early in their history. The evolution of nitrogen fixation also appears to have been a precondition for the evolution of (bacterio)chlorophyll-based photosynthesis. Given that some form of chlorophyll is obligatory for true photosynthesis, and its light absorption and chemical properties make it a ‘universal pigment’, it may be predicted that the evolution of nitrogen fixation and photosynthesis are also closely linked on other Earth-like planets.
An analytical model for solute transport in unsaturated flow through a single fracture and porous rock matrix
Authors: Houseworth J. E.
Published: January 2006

An exact analytical solution is presented for solute transport in an unsaturated, vertical fracture and porous rock matrix. The problem includes advective transport in the fracture and rock matrix as well as advective and diffusive fracture‐matrix exchange. Linear sorption and radioactive decay are also treated. The solution is derived under the assumptions that longitudinal diffusion and dispersion are negligible and that the fracture and rock properties are homogeneous. The water flux and saturation within the matrix are assumed to be steady and spatially uniform. The fracture flux, saturation, and wetted fracture‐matrix interface area are steady but are allowed to be spatially variable. The problem is first solved in terms of solute concentrations that result from an instantaneous point source in the fracture. An integrated form of the solution is also derived for cumulative solute mass flux at a fixed downstream position. The closed‐form analytical solution is expressed in terms of algebraic functions, exponentials, and error functions. Analyses indicate limited sensitivity to fracture porosity and fracture retardation under typical conditions but strong sensitivity to matrix diffusion, matrix retardation, and matrix imbibition.
Polar warming in the Mars thermosphere: Seasonal variations owing to changing insolation and dust distributions
Authors: Bougher S. W. , Bell J. M. , Murphy J. R. , Lopez‐Valverde M. A. , Withers P. G.
Published: January 2006

Warming of the martian lower thermosphere (100–130 km) at north polar latitudes near the perihelion/winter solstice (Ls = 270) was recently observed. No analogous warming has been observed within the south polar thermosphere during its aphelion/winter season (Ls ∼ 90). Detailed global model simulations are required to investigate the physical processes driving these seasonal variations. New simulations are conducted for conditions approximating the atmosphere during these Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) and Odyssey (ODY) aerobraking periods. Strong northern winter polar warming features are calculated near 120 km, yielding nightside mean temperatures 10–15 K warmer than observed ODY values. No southern winter polar warming trend is simulated; however, nightside mean temperatures are 20–30 K warmer than observed by MGS. The stronger interhemispheric circulation during northern winter is clearly driven by stronger insolation and dust heating near perihelion, resulting in subsidence and warmer temperatures in the northern polar night.
Impact of ship emissions on cloud properties over coastal areas
Authors: Devasthale Abhay , Krüger Olaf , Graßl Hartmut
Published: January 2006

Although land based emissions in Europe are decreasing, ship emissions continue to grow. The main emissions from ships can modulate cloud properties of coastal areas and are of direct relevance to the earth radiation budget. In this context, satellite data from AVHRR onboard NOAA‐14 are evaluated for six years (1997–02) in order to assess impact of ship emissions on cloud properties over coastal areas. Study area was chosen in such a way that it includes the English Channel and top three polluting harbours in Europe. Results present first evidence of possible impact of ship emissions on both cloud albedo and cloud top temperature over coastal areas using long‐term satellite measurements. Increase in cloud albedo (with corresponding decrease in cloud top temperature) and higher variability are observed over coastal areas. This effect is more pronounced for areas over and around harbours and the English Channel. It also confirms indirect aerosol effects.
Comparing the vertical distribution of iron in the eastern and western North Pacific Ocean
Authors: Takata Hyoe , Kuma Kenshi , Saitoh Yukiyo , Chikira Mitsuru , Saitoh Sei‐ichi , Isoda Yutaka , Takagi Shohgo , Sakaoka Keiichiro
Published: January 2006

Labile dissolved Fe (<0.22 μm) in the western (165°E) and eastern (165°W) North Pacific Ocean had nutrient‐ and apparent oxygen utilization (AOU)‐like profiles characterized by surface depletion and deep enrichment (5–3000 m depth). Dissolved Fe concentrations in the deep‐water column at the mid‐latitudes were approximately one‐half lower in the eastern region (0.5–0.8 nM) than in the western region (0.8–1.3 nM) although the dissolved Fe concentrations in the surface mixed layer in both regions were extremely depleted to 0.1–0.2 nM. Surprisingly, the labile particulate Fe concentrations (≤∼0.1 nM, total dissolvable Fe minus labile dissolved Fe) throughout the water column at low latitudes in the eastern region were extremely lower than those (∼0.5–1 nM) in the western region. It is suggested that the low Fe levels in the eastern mid‐latitude oceanic region are primarily due to the lower atmospheric Fe supply in the eastern region.
Improved description of the ocean mesoscale variability by combining four satellite altimeters
Authors: Pascual Ananda , Faugère Yannice , Larnicol Gilles , Le Traon Pierre‐Yves
Published: January 2006

Data from four satellite altimeters are combined with the aim of improving the representation of the mesoscale variability in the Global Ocean. All missions [Jason‐1, ERS‐2/ENVISAT, Topex/Poseidon interleaved with Jason‐1 and Geosat Follow‐On] are cross‐calibrated previously to produce weekly gridded maps. In areas of intense variability, the rms differences between a classical configuration of two altimeters and the scenario merging four missions can reach 10 cm and 400 cm2/s2 in SLA and EKE, respectively, which represents an important percentage of the signal variance. A comparison with surface drifters shows that the four altimeter scenario improves the recovery of mesoscale structures that were not properly sampled with Jason‐1 + ERS‐2/ENVISAT. Finally, the consistency between altimetric and tide gauge data is improved by about 25% when coastal sea level is estimated with 4 satellites compared to the results obtained with 2 altimeters.
Effects of NAO variability on the North Atlantic Ocean circulation
Authors: Bellucci A. , Richards K. J.
Published: January 2006

The ocean response to an idealised North Atlantic Oscillation‐like wind stress is evaluated as a function of the atmospheric forcing frequency. In order to elucidate the relationship between internal and forced variability, the NAO is modulated with two specific timescales, 10 and 50 years, which characterise the spectrum of the system's internal variability. Different timescales of atmospheric variability select distinct sea surface temperature (SST) and large scale circulation patterns. Under a 50 year NAO forcing period, a lagged SST response is excited in the Gulf Stream extension region, which is consistent with the spin‐up of the gyre circulation. The thermohaline circulation varies in phase with the NAO and shows a strong sensitivity to the forcing frequency: a dipole mode of the overturning is excited by a 10 year modulation of the NAO, while an enhanced overturning response emerges under a 50 year NAO. With low enough lateral mixing the ocean exhibits an irregular response to a regular NAO‐like forcing.