bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Newspaper coverage of residential fires: an opportunity for prevention communication
Authors: Clegg Smith Katherine , Cho Juhee , Gielen Andrea , Vernick Jon S
Published: April 2007

Background:Worldwide, fire-related burns are a major cause of unintentional injury, morbidity and mortality, with the majority of deaths occurring in developing countries. In the US, as in other countries, most fatal fires occur in the home. Effective prevention strategies for residential fires are, however, currently underutilized. The news media is one available communication channel to promote such strategies, and analyzing current news coverage is a first step towards incorporating media advocacy into injury prevention efforts related to residential fires.

Methods:Four daily newspapers circulating widely in Maryland were monitored for 1 year. Articles describing residential fires were coded for measures of prominence, content and frame. Analysis focused on measures of issue newsworthiness, reporting of causation and consequences of fires, and inclusion of public health context and conveyance of prevention messages.

Results:The data indicate that fires are newsworthy, with 374 relevant news articles in a 1-year period, 32% of which appear on the first page of a section. Coverage generally concerned recent local fire events. Most articles discussed the consequences of fires (88%), and identified a causal factor (58%). Only 36%, however, included prevention information, and less than one-quarter set residential fires in a public health context.

Conclusion:The newsworthiness of residential fires provides a clear opportunity for widespread communication around injury prevention. Improving media advocacy will entail framing discussion of recent fire events in such a way as to support inclusion of prevention strategies and a public health context in news coverage.
CONTINUOUS FAMILIES OF HYPERFINITE SUBFACTORS WITH THE SAME STANDARD INVARIANT
Authors: BISCH DIETMAR , NICOARA REMUS , POPA SORIN
Published: April 2007

We construct numerous continuous families of irreducible subfactors of the hyperfinite II1factor which are non-isomorphic, but have all the same standard invariant. In particular, we obtain 1-parameter families of irreducible, non-isomorphic subfactors of the hyperfinite II1factor with Jones index 6, which have all the same standard invariant with property (T). We exploit the fact that property (T) groups have uncountably many non-cocycle conjugate cocycle actions on the hyperfinite II1factor.
CRITERION OF PROPER ACTIONS ON HOMOGENEOUS SPACES OF CARTAN MOTION GROUPS
Authors: YOSHINO TARO
Published: April 2007

The Cartan motion group associated to a Riemannian symmetric space X is a semidirect product group acting isometrically on its tangent space. For two subsets in a locally compact group G, Kobayashi introduced the concept of "properness" as a generalization of properly discontinuous actions of discrete subgroups on homogeneous spaces of G. In this paper, we give a criterion of properness for homogeneous spaces of Cartan motion groups. Our criterion has a similar feature to the case where G is a reductive Lie group.
HARTOGS' SEPARATE ANALYTICITY THEOREM FOR CR FUNCTIONS
Authors: LAWRENCE MARK G.
Published: April 2007

We show that moments on vertical and horizontal affine slices of certain perturbations of the boundary of the ball are sufficient to detect the existence of a holomorphic extension to the interior. For one domain, the result is proved for L∞ functions.
MODULAR CALABI–YAU THREEFOLDS OF LEVEL EIGHT
Authors: CYNK SLAWOMIR , MEYER CHRISTIAN
Published: April 2007

In the studies on the modularity conjecture for rigid Calabi–Yau threefolds several examples with the unique level 8 cusp form were constructed. According to the Tate conjecture, correspondences inducing isomorphisms on the middle cohomologies should exist between these varieties. In the paper, we construct several examples of such correspondences. In the constructions elliptic fibrations play a crucial role. In fact we show that all but three examples are in some sense built upon two modular curves from the Beauville list.
CONFORMALLY FLAT HYPERSURFACES WITH CYCLIC GUICHARD NET
Authors: HERTRICH-JEROMIN UDO , SUYAMA YOSHIHIKO
Published: April 2007

We classify the 3-dimensional conformally flat hypersurfaces with cyclic principal Guichard net. The orthogonal surfaces of the cyclic system turn out to be linear Weingarten surfaces in suitable ambient space forms and we provide explicit parametrizations for the conformally flat hypersurfaces.
STRUCTURAL AND OPTICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF BORON–NITROGEN-DOPED AMORPHOUS CARBON FILMS DEPOSITED BY r.f. PECVD
Authors: PODDER J. , RUSOP M. , SOGA T. , JIMBO T.
Published: April 2007

Boron–nitrogen-doped amorphous carbon (a-C:H:B:N) films have been deposited onto glass and n-type Si(100) substrates by radio frequency (r.f.) plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition at a frequency of 13.56 MHz at room temperature using CH 4 as precursor of carbon source and H2 as a carrier gas. The film deposition was performed in the presence of crystalline boron source at different flow rates of 0, 6, 8, 10, 12 sccm of nitrogen under constant r.f. power and fixed partial pressure of mixed CH 4, N 2, and H 2 gases. Effects of boron and nitrogen doping on the bonding states, growth kinetics and optical properties of the as-deposited films have been examined by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy. The experimental results show that the incorporation of boron and nitrogen has a considerable effect on the properties of the deposited films. FTIR spectra show that the nitrogen is bonded to carbon and hydrogen as C=N , N–H and C–H bonding configurations in the as-deposited film. The incorporation of boron and nitrogen shifts the G-peak towards the higher wave number and an increase in the I D /I G ratio demonstrating the graphitic character of the a-C:H:B:N films. Optical band gap is found to be reduced from 1.62 to 1.35 eV with the increase in nitrogen concentration in the presence of boron.
VAPOR-REDISSOLUTION TECHNIQUE FOR REDUCTION OF POLYMER/Si ARRAYED WAVEGUIDE GRATING LOSS
Authors: ZHANG HAIMING , ZHANG DAMING , QIN ZHENKUN , MA CHUNSHENG
Published: April 2007

An efficient vapor-redissolution technique is used to greatly reduce sidewall scattering loss in the polymer arrayed waveguide grating (AWG) fabricated on a silicon substrate. Smoother sidewalls are achieved and verified by scanning electron microscopy. Reduction of sidewall scattering loss is further measured for the loss measurement of both straight waveguides and AWG devices. The sidewall loss in straight polymer waveguide is decreased by 2.1 dB/cm, the insertion loss of our AWG device is reduced by about 5.5 dB for the central channel and 6.7 dB for the edge channels, the crosstalk is reduced by 2.5 dB, and 3-dB bandwidth is narrowed by 0.05 nm after the vapor-redissoluton treatment.
STRUCTURAL, MAGNETIC, TRANSPORT, AND ELECTRONIC PROPERTIES OF RNi4B AND RNi4Al COMPOUNDS (R = RARE EARTH)
Authors: TOLIŃSKI T.
Published: April 2007

We review the results of our studies on the R Ni 4X compounds, where X = B or Al and R = Y or rare earth. Additionally, many new data are provided in the case of R Ni 4 Al . However, the magnetic, structural, electronic, and transport properties are shown in order to highlight the tendencies and the behavior as a function of the f-occupancy rather than to present the detailed experimental data. We concentrate mainly on the mixed-valence and Kondo-like behavior in the CeNi 4X and the magnetic moments and phase transitions in the ferromagnetic representatives of the R Ni 4X compounds. A variety of the experimental techniques has been used in the investigations: magnetometry, neutron and X-ray diffractometry, X-ray photoemission spectroscopy as well as electrical resistivity and the specific heat measurements.
A NOVEL CCII-BASED TUNABLE INDUCTANCE AND HIGH FREQUENCY CURRENT-MODE BAND PASS FILTER APPLICATION
Authors: SALEM SAMIR BEN , MASMOUDI DORRA SELLAMI , LOULOU MOURAD
Published: April 2007

In this paper, we introduce an implementation of a CCII-based grounded inductance operating in class AB. In order to get tunable characteristics of the design, a translinear CCII configuration is used as a basic block for its high level of controllability. A frequency characterization of the translinear CCII is done. In order to optimize its static and dynamic characteristics, an algorithmic driven methodology is developed ending to the optimal transistor geometries. The optimized CCII has a current bandwidth of 1.28 GHz and a voltage bandwidth of 5.48 GHz. It is applied in the simulated inductance design. We first consider the conventional topology of the grounded inductance based on the generalized impedance converter principle. Making use of the controllable series parasitic resistance at port X in translinear CCII, we design tunable characteristics of the inductance. The effect of current conveyor's nonidealities has been taken into account. A compensation strategy has been presented. It is based on the insertion of a high active CCII-based negative resistance and a very low passive resistance. The compensation strategy does not affect the inductance tuning process. Simulation results show that the proposed inductance can be tuned in the range [0.025 μH; 15.4 μH]. The simulated inductance has been applied in a fully integrated tunable high frequency band pass filter to illustrate the versatility of the circuit. The filter is electrically tunable by controlling the conveyor's bias current.
COIFLET BASED METHODS FOR RANGE IMAGE PROCESSING
Authors: DJEBALI M. , MELKEMI M. , MELKEMI K. , SAPIDIS N.
Published: April 2007

In industry applications, the range images are generally huge points arrays and are additively noised. They usually represent surfaces of 3D objects and are used for reverse engineering process in CAD/CAM domains. To compute the geometrical model of each surface present in the range image, we denoise and sub-sample the raw range data. Denoising allows us to avoid the adverse effects of the noise on the obtained result. Sub-sampling the raw range data leads to a low image processing overheads like those of segmentation process. Based on interpolation properties of particular wavelets named coiflets, we propose a method for smoothing noisy range images. The smoothed image keeps invariant the "topological characteristics" of the represented surfaces. Thereafter, we propose a method for sub-sampling dense range images which leads to the reduction of the amount of raw data by a factor of four. This method eliminates the "redundant" information, thus the obtained result describes the essential details (as the shape of the physical surface) of the initial range image. The smoothing and sub-sampling methods are designed to be easily integrated in any reconstruction algorithm to improve its result and reduce its overhead in spite of its high complexity.
FULLY BOUNDED NOETHERIAN RINGS AND FROBENIUS EXTENSIONS
Authors: CAENEPEEL S. , GUÉDÉNON T.
Published: April 2007

Let i: A → R be a ring morphism, and χ: R → A a right R-linear map with χ(χ(r)s) = χ(rs) and χ(1R) = 1A. If R is a Frobenius A-ring, then we can define a trace map tr: A → AR. If there exists an element of trace 1 in A, then A is right FBN if and only if AR is right FBN and A is right noetherian. The result can be generalized to the case where R is an I-Frobenius A-ring. We recover results of García and del Río, and Dǎscǎlescu, Kelarev and Torrecillas on actions of group and Hopf algebras on FBN rings as special cases. We also obtain applications to extensions of Frobenius algebras, and to Frobenius corings with a grouplike element.
CONSTRUCTING FULL BLOCK TRIANGULAR REPRESENTATIONS OF ALGEBRAS
Authors: BIRMAJER DANIEL
Published: April 2007

Every finite dimensional representation of an algebra is equivalent to a finite direct sum of indecomposable representations. Hence, the classification of indecomposable representations of algebras is a relevant (and usually complicated) task. In this note we study the existence of full block triangular representations, an interesting example of indecomposable representations, from a computational perspective. We describe an algorithm for determining whether or not an associative finitely presented k-algebra R has a full block triangular representation over [Formula: see text].
RIGHT SELF-INJECTIVE RINGS IN WHICH EVERY ELEMENT IS A SUM OF TWO UNITS
Authors: KHURANA DINESH , SRIVASTAVA ASHISH K.
Published: April 2007

A classical result of Zelinsky states that every linear transformation on a vector space V, except when V is one-dimensional over ℤ2, is a sum of two invertible linear transformations. We extend this result to any right self-injective ring R by proving that every element of R is a sum of two units if no factor ring of R is isomorphic to ℤ2.
CHARACTERIZATIONS OF WEAK LIFTING AND LIFTING MODULES
Authors: TRIBAK RACHID
Published: April 2007

The aim of this paper is to prove that the study of lifting and weak lifting modules over commutative noetherian rings reduces to the case of coatomic modules, radical artinian Kirby-p-coprimary modules and radical minimax Kirby-p-coprimary modules with [Formula: see text] over local rings.
DETERMINANTAL IDEALS AND MONOMIAL CURVES IN THE THREE-DIMENSIONAL SPACE
Authors: BARILE MARGHERITA
Published: April 2007

We show that the defining ideal of every monomial curve in the affine or projective three-dimensional space can be set-theoretically defined by three binomial equations, two of which set-theoretically define a determinantal ideal generated by the 2-minors of a 2 × 3 matrix with monomial entries.
ARTIN PRESENTATIONS FROM AN ALGEBRAIC VIEWPOINT
Authors: CALCUT J. S.
Published: April 2007

Artin presentations are certain group presentations intimately related to pure braids and manifolds of dimensions two, three, and four. This paper studies combinatorial group theoretic properties of Artin presentations as interesting objects in their own right with subtle and pertinent problems.
Differential effects of β-arrestins on the internalization, desensitization and ERK1/2 activation downstream of protease activated receptor-2
Authors: Kumar P. , Lau C. S. , Mathur M. , Wang P. , DeFea K. A.
Published: April 2007

β-Arrestins-1 and 2 are known to play important roles in desensitization of membrane receptors and facilitation of signal transduction pathways. It has been previously shown that β-arrestins are required for signal termination, internalization, and ERK1/2 activation downstream of protease-activated-receptor-2 (PAR-2), but it is unclear whether they are functionally redundant or mediate specific events. Here, we demonstrate that in mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) from β-arrestin-1/2 knockout mice, Gαq signaling by PAR-2, as measured by mobilization of intracellular Ca2+, is prolonged. Only expression of β-arrestin-1 shortened the signal duration, whereas either β-arrestin-1 or 2 was able to restore PKC-induced receptor desensitization. β-arrestin-1 also mediated early, while β-arrestin-2 mediated delayed, receptor internalization and membrane-associated ERK1/2 activation. While β-arrestin-1 colocalized with a lysosomal marker (LAMP-1), β-arrestin-2 did not, suggesting a specific role for β-arrestin-1 in lysosomal receptor degradation. Together, these data suggest distinct temporal and functional roles for β-arrestins in PAR-2 signaling, desensitization, and internalization.
Normoxic stabilization of HIF-1α drives glycolytic metabolism and regulates aggrecan gene expression in nucleus pulposus cells of the rat intervertebral disk
Authors: Agrawal Amit , Guttapalli Asha , Narayan Srinivas , Albert Todd J. , Shapiro Irving M. , Risbud Makarand V.
Published: April 2007

The nucleus pulposus is an aggrecan-rich, avascular tissue that permits the intervertebral disk to resist compressive loads. In the disk, nucleus pulposus cells express hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α, a transcription factor that responds to oxygen tension and regulates glycolysis. The goal of the present study was to examine the importance of HIF-1α in rat nucleus pulposus cells and to probe the function of this transcription factor in terms of regulating aggrecan gene expression. We found that HIF-1α protein levels and mRNA stability were similar at 20 and 2% O2; there was a small, but significant increase in HIF-1α transactivation domain activity in hypoxia. With respect to HIF-1α target genes GAPDH, GLUT-1, and GLUT-3, mRNA and protein levels were independent of the oxygen tension. Other than a modest increase in 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-biphosphatase reporter activity, the oxemic state did not change GAPDH, GLUT-1, and GLUT-3 promoter activities. Treatment of cells with 2-deoxyglucose (2-DG), a glycolytic inhibitor, resulted in a significant suppression in ATP synthesis in normoxia, whereas treatment with mitochondrial inhibitors did not affect ATP production and cell viability. However, measurement of the rate of fatty acid oxidation indicated that these cells contained functioning mitochondria. Finally, we showed that when HIF-1α was suppressed, irrespective of the oxemic state, there was a partial loss of aggrecan expression and promoter activity. Moreover, when cells were treated with 2-DG, there was inhibition in aggrecan promoter activity. Results of this study indicate that oxygen-independent stabilization of HIF-1α in nucleus pulposus cells is a metabolic adaptation that drives glycolysis and aggrecan expression.
Effect of temperature and prolonged anoxia exposure on electrophysiological properties of the turtle (Trachemys scripta) heart
Authors: Stecyk Jonathan A. W. , Paajanen Vesa , Farrell Anthony P. , Vornanen Matti
Published: April 2007

Cardiac activity of the turtle ( Trachemys scripta) is greatly depressed with cold acclimation and anoxia. We examined what electrophysiological modifications accompany and perhaps facilitate this depression of cardiac activity. Turtles were first acclimated to 21°C or 5°C and held under either normoxic or anoxic (6 h at 21°C; 14 days at 5°C) conditions. We then measured cardiac action potentials (APs) using spontaneously contracting whole heart preparations and whole cell current densities of sarcolemmal ion channels using isolated ventricular myocytes under appropriate normoxic and anoxic conditions. Compared with 21°C-acclimated turtles, 5°C-acclimated turtles exhibited a less negative resting membrane potential (by 18–29 mV), a 4.7- to 6.8-fold slower AP upstroke rate, and a 4.2- to 4.9-fold greater AP duration. Correspondingly, peak densities of ventricular voltage-gated Na+( INa) and L-type Ca2+currents and inward slope conductances of inward rectifier K+( IK1) channel current were ∼1/7th (Q10= 3.4), 1/13th (Q10= 5.0), and one-half (Q10= 1.4) of those of 21°C-acclimated ventricular myocytes, respectively. With anoxia at 21°C, peak INadensity doubled and ventricular AP duration increased by 47%, a change proportional to the reported ∼30% reduction of intrinsic heart rate. In contrast, with anoxia at 5°C, ventricular AP characteristics were unaffected; of the ion currents investigated, only the inward conductance via IK1changed significantly (reduced by 46%). The present findings indicate that cold temperature, more so than prolonged anoxia, results in substantial modifications of cardiac APs and reduction of ventricular ion current densities. These changes likely prepare cardiac muscle for winter anoxia conditions.
Increasing or stabilizing renal epoxyeicosatrienoic acid production attenuates abnormal renal function and hypertension in obese rats
Authors: Huang Hui , Morisseau Christophe , Wang JingFeng , Yang Tianxin , Falck John R. , Hammock Bruce D. , Wang Mong-Heng
Published: April 2007

Since epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (EETs) affect sodium reabsorption in renal tubules and dilate the renal vasculature, we have examined their effects on renal hemodynamics and sodium balance in male rats fed a high-fat (HF) diet by fenofibrate, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-α (PPAR-α) agonist and an inducer of cytochrome P-450 (CYP) epoxygenases; by N-methanesulfonyl-6-(2-proparyloxyphenyl)hexanamide (MSPPOH), a selective EET biosynthesis inhibitor; and by 12-(3-adamantane-1-yl-ureido)dodecanoic acid (AUDA), a selective inhibitor of soluble epoxide hydrolase. In rats treated with fenofibrate (30 mg·kg−1·day−1 ig) or AUDA (50 mg/l in drinking water) for 2 wk, mean arterial pressure, renal vascular resistance, and glomerular filtration rate were lower but renal blood flow was higher than in vehicle-treated control rats. In addition, fenofibrate and AUDA decreased cumulative sodium balance in the HF rats. Treatment with MSPPOH (20 mg·kg−1·day−1 iv) + fenofibrate for 2 wk reversed renal hemodynamics and sodium balance to the levels in control HF rats. Moreover, fenofibrate caused a threefold increase in renal cortical CYP epoxygenase activity, whereas the fenofibrate-induced elevation of this activity was attenuated by MSPPOH. Western blot analysis showed that fenofibrate induced the expression of CYP epoxygenases in renal cortex and microvessels and that the induction effect of fenofibrate was blocked by MSPPOH. These results demonstrate that the fenofibrate-induced increase of CYP epoxygenase expression and the AUDA-induced stabilization of EET production in the kidneys cause renal vascular dilation and reduce sodium retention, contributing to the improvement of abnormal renal hemodynamics and hypertension in HF rats.
Processing of Bile Salt Odor Information by Single Olfactory Bulb Neurons in the Channel Catfish
Authors: Rolen S. H. , Caprio J.
Published: April 2007

A chemotopic map of biologically relevant odorants (that include amino acids, bile salts, and nucleotides) exists in the olfactory bulb (OB) of channel catfish, Ictalurus punctatus. Neurons processing bile salt odorant information lie medially within this OB map; however, information as to how single neurons process bile salt odorant information is lacking. In the present report, recordings were obtained from 51 OB neurons from 30 channel catfish to determine the excitatory molecular receptive range (EMRR) of bile salt responsive neurons. All recordings were performed in vivo within the medial portions of the OB using extracellular electrophysiological techniques. Excitatory thresholds to bile salts typically ranged between 0.1 and 10 μM. The bile salt specificity of OB neurons were divided into three groups: neurons excited by taurine-conjugated bile salts only (group T), neurons excited by nonconjugated bile salts only (group N), and neurons excited by at least one member of each of the three classes of bile salts tested (group G). In addition to the conjugating group at C24 of the side-chain, OB neurons discriminated bile salts by the molecular features present at three other carbon positions (C3, C7, and C12) along the steroid backbone. These data suggest that OB neurons are selectively excited by combinations of molecular features found on the side-chain and along the steroid nucleus of bile salt molecules.
Action Potential Timing Precision in Dorsal Cochlear Nucleus Pyramidal Cells
Authors: Street Sarah E. , Manis Paul B.
Published: April 2007

Many studies of the dorsal cochlear nucleus (DCN) have focused on the representation of acoustic stimuli in terms of average firing rate. However, recent studies have emphasized the role of spike timing in information encoding. We sought to ascertain whether DCN pyramidal cells might employ similar strategies and to what extent intrinsic excitability regulates spike timing. Gaussian distributed low-pass noise current was injected into pyramidal cells in a brain slice preparation. The shuffled autocorrelation-based analysis was used to compute a correlation index of spike times across trials. The noise causes the cells to fire with temporal precision (SD ≅ 1–2 ms) and high reproducibility. Increasing the coefficient of variation of the noise improved the reproducibility of the spike trains, whereas increasing the firing rate of the neuron decreased the neurons' ability to respond with predictable patterns of spikes. Simulated inhibitory postsynaptic potentials superimposed on the noise stimulus enhanced spike timing for >300 ms, although the enhancement was greatest during the first 100 ms. We also found that populations of pyramidal neurons respond to the same noise stimuli with correlated spike trains, suggesting that ensembles of neurons in the DCN receiving shared input can fire with similar timing. These results support the hypothesis that spike timing can be an important aspect of information coding in the DCN.
Human Visuospatial Updating After Noncommutative Rotations
Authors: Klier Eliana M. , Angelaki Dora E. , Hess Bernhard J. M.
Published: April 2007

As we move our bodies in space, we often undergo head and body rotations about different axes—yaw, pitch, and roll. The order in which we rotate about these axes is an important factor in determining the final position of our bodies in space because rotations, unlike translations, do not commute. Does our brain keep track of the noncommutativity of rotations when computing changes in head and body orientation and then use this information when planning subsequent motor commands? We used a visuospatial updating task to investigate whether saccades to remembered visual targets are accurate after intervening, whole-body rotational sequences. The sequences were reversed, either yaw then roll or roll then yaw, such that the final required eye movements to reach the same space-fixed target were different in each case. While each subject performed consistently irrespective of target location and rotational combination, we found great intersubject variability in their capacity to update. The distance between the noncommutative endpoints was, on average, half of that predicted by perfect noncommutativity. Nevertheless, most subjects did make eye movements to distinct final endpoint locations and not to one unique location in space as predicted by a commutative model. In addition, their noncommutative performance significantly improved when their less than ideal updating performance was taken into account. Thus the brain can produce movements that are consistent with the processing of noncommutative rotations, although it is often poor in using internal estimates of rotation for updating.
Standardized Assessment of Psychopathology by Relatives of Mentally Disordered Patients
Authors: Nitsche Ines , Kallert Thomas W.
Published: April 2007

Background: For optimizing the validity of diagnoses of mental disorders, several sources of information should be used to assess psychopathological symptoms. Among these are relatives of patients with mental illness. The very low number of empirical studies examining the assessment of psychopathology by relatives of adult, nondemented mentally ill patients stands in significant contrast to the clinical importance of this source of information, however. Sampling and Methods: Using the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS), researchers asked 163 relatives of patients with the main clinical ICD-10 diagnosis of schizophrenic, recurrent depressive or bipolar disorders to rate the current symptoms of the patients at the time of outpatient community-oriented treatment. Results: On average, severity of symptoms was rated as absent or minimal, although anxiety, depression and passive/apathetic social as well as emotional withdrawal, motor retardation, poor attention, and disturbance of volition were clearly rated above the PANSS mean total score for all patients. A six-factor structure identified by factor analysis better illustrates the significant differences in the assessments of the three main diagnostic groups than the three established PANSS scales. With the exception of ‘problematic social behavior’, differences among the diagnostic groups appeared in all factors and were particularly pronounced for ‘delusional beliefs’ and ‘motor impairments’. Conclusions: The results of this study showed that the use of standardized instruments such as PANSS for the assessment of psychopathology by relatives is not only practical, but produces adequately reliable results. The use of PANSS for this purpose, however, requires interviewing of relatives by trained experts able to explain technical terms. Because this study did not sufficiently explore the validity of this approach, further research on this specific issue is urgently needed and should, for example, assess the concordance of ratings between professionals and relatives as well as correlation with suitable external criteria.
Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity in Balanced Random Networks
Authors: Morrison Abigail , Aertsen Ad , Diesmann Markus
Published: April 2007

The balanced random network model attracts considerable interest because it explains the irregular spiking activity at low rates and large membrane potential fluctuations exhibited by cortical neurons in vivo. In this article, we investigate to what extent this model is also compatible with the experimentally observed phenomenon of spike-timing-dependent plasticity (STDP).

Confronted with the plethora of theoretical models for STDP available, we reexamine the experimental data. On this basis, we propose a novel STDP update rule, with a multiplicative dependence on the synaptic weight for depression, and a power law dependence for potentiation. We show that this rule, when implemented in large, balanced networks of realistic connectivity and sparseness, is compatible with the asynchronous irregular activity regime. The resultant equilibrium weight distribution is unimodal with fluctuating individual weight trajectories and does not exhibit development of structure. We investigate the robustness of our results with respect to the relative strength of depression.

We introduce synchronous stimulation to a group of neurons and demonstrate that the decoupling of this group from the rest of the network is so severe that it cannot effectively control the spiking of other neurons, even those with the highest convergence from this group.
A Novel Generic Hebbian Ordering-Based Fuzzy Rule Base Reduction Approach to Mamdani Neuro-Fuzzy System
Authors: Liu Feng , Quek Chai , Ng Geok See
Published: April 2007

There are two important issues in neuro-fuzzy modeling: (1) interpretability—the ability to describe the behavior of the system in an interpretable way—and (2) accuracy—the ability to approximate the outcome of the system accurately. As these two objectives usually exert contradictory requirements on the neuro-fuzzy model, certain compromise has to be undertaken. This letter proposes a novel rule reduction algorithm, namely, Hebb rule reduction, and an iterative tuning process to balance interpretability and accuracy. The Hebb rule reduction algorithm uses Hebbian ordering, which represents the degree of coverage of the samples by the rule, as an importance measure of each rule to merge the membership functions and hence reduces the number of the rules. Similar membership functions (MFs) are merged by a specified similarity measure in an order of Hebbian importance, and the resultant equivalent rules are deleted from the rule base. The rule with a higher Hebbian importance will be retained among a set of rules. The MFs are tuned through the least mean square (LMS) algorithm to reduce the modeling error. The tuning of the MFs and the reduction of the rules proceed iteratively to achieve a balance between interpretability and accuracy. Three published data sets by Nakanishi (Nakanishi, Turksen, & Sugeno, 1993), the Pat synthetic data set (Pal, Mitra, & Mitra, 2003), and the traffic flow density prediction data set are used as benchmarks to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Good interpretability, as well as high modeling accuracy, are derivable simultaneously and are suitably benchmarked against other well-established neuro-fuzzy models.
Genesis xv: Sequence and Unity
Authors: Fidler Ruth
Published: April 2007

Genesis xv has puzzled many generations of readers. It exhibits leitmotifs and structural features that suggest unity, but also inconsistencies and doublets that suggest the opposite. Rather than gloss over the latter or play down the former, this investigation tries to account for both. A trans-position of the two major promise themes, offspring and land, reveals a coherent narrative: vss. 1a, 7-18, 3-6. Comparison of complex promise speeches in "P" with their "non-P" counterparts shows that the present offspring-land sequence is a great favourite with "P", while "non-P" uses the land-offspring sequence whenever it suits the context. A P-inspired redactor was probably responsible for moving the offspring-centered dialogue to the beginning of Genesis xv, reworking it as a separate episode (vv. 1-6). is hypothesis is further supported by an examination of transposition and redactional practice elsewhere, particularly in Gen. xxxv 9-12.
Two Laws in the Sotah Passage (Num. v 11-31)
Authors: Jeon Jaeyoung
Published: April 2007

The law of the Sotah (Num. v 11-31), which appears to be an ordeal law accompanied by a ritual, was edited from two laws of a suspected adulteress: the water ordeal law (original stratum) and the ritual-oath law (editorial stratum). The water ordeal law stipulates that in the case in which a woman is accused of adultery by the public she must undergo a water ordeal, whereas the ritualoath law stipulates a less severe case in which a husband only doubts his wife and the wife may be released with only an oath as a part of a ritual. The two laws strikingly parallel the Laws of Hammurapi 131 and 132 respectively. A linguistic analysis carried out on the two strata reveals that they exhibit different literary styles, and that this stylistic difference reflects the linguistic contexts of earlier and later periods. Although the water ordeal stratum belongs to P, several distinct features of the editorial ritual-oath stratum are best explained by I. Knohl's theory in relation to the Holiness School.
Steck's Five Stories of the Servant in Isaiah lii 13-liii 12, and Beyond
Authors: Joachimsen Kristin
Published: April 2007

Bernhard Duhm's Servant Song thesis from 1892 has had a paradigmatic status for more than a century. Gottesknecht has become a technical term, Ebed-Jahwe-Lied a genre, Stellvertretung an established theological concept, and "Servant Song Research" a particular discipline within Old Testament scholarship. is article investigates of Odil Hannes Steck's reading. Steck outlines an intra-Isaianic reception of the songs on five levels dating from 539 to 270 BCE. In the original version, the servant of Isa. liii is identified individually as the prophet. On the remaining four redactional levels, the servant is identified collectively as Zion, as those who have returned from exile, as those who remained at home in Judah, and as the true Israel (which includes other peoples). After a presentation of Steck's reading, features of reading related to historicising, theologising, and textualising are discussed. Finally, a narrative reading of Isa. liii is offered, with a focus on the literary trope of personification.
Antimetabolite therapy for lesser-risk B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia of childhood: a report from Children's Oncology Group Study P9201
Authors: Chauvenet Allen R. , Martin Paul L. , Devidas Meenakshi , Linda Stephen B. , Bell Beverly A. , Kurtzberg Joanne , Pullen Jeanette , Pettenati Mark J. , Carroll Andrew J. , Shuster Jonathan J. , Camitta Bruce
Published: April 2007

Pediatric Oncology Group (POG) protocol 9201 enrolled children with lesser-risk B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) defined by age (1-9), white blood cell count (WBC) less than 50 × 109/L (50 000/μL), DNA findings of trisomies 4 and 10 (or DNA index > 1.16), and lack of overt central nervous system (CNS) leukemia. After vincristine, prednisone, and asparaginase induction, 650 of 653 eligible patients attained remission (3 induction deaths) and received 6 courses of intravenous methotrexate (1 g/m2) with daily mercaptopurine. Weekly intramuscular methotrexate was added during maintenance; pulses of vincristine and prednisone were administered with periodic intrathecal chemotherapy. Treatment duration was 2.5 years. No alkylators, epipodophylotoxins, anthracyclines, or radiation were given. The 6-year event-free survival (EFS) was 86.6% with overall survival (OS) of 97.2%. Patients with less than 5% marrow blasts on induction day 15 had superior EFS. A difference not reaching conventional statistical significance (P = .068) was noted for superior outcomes in patients with trisomies of chromosomes 4 and 10 versus those lacking double trisomies. Sex, ethnicity, CNS status, and WBC were not predictive. This indicates the great majority of children with lesser-risk B-lineage ALL are curable without agents with substantial late effects.
Modulation of dendritic cell maturation and function by the Tax protein of human T cell leukemia virus type 1
Authors: Jain Pooja , Ahuja Jaya , Khan Zafar K , Shimizu Saori , Meucci Olimpia , Jennings Stephen R , Wigdahl Brian
Published: April 2007

Human T cell leukemia virus type 1-associated myelopathy/tropical spastic paraparesis (HAM/TSP) is characterized by the generation of an intense CTL cell response directed against the viral transactivator protein Tax. In addition, patients diagnosed with HAM/TSP exhibit rapid activation and maturation of dendritic cells (DC), likely contributing to the robust, Tax-specific CTL response. In this study, extracellular Tax has been shown to induce maturation and functional alterations in human monocyte-derived DC, critical observations being confirmed in freshly isolated myeloid DC. Tax was shown to promote the production of proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines involved in the DC activation process in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, Tax induced the expression of DC activation (CD40, CD80, and CD86) and maturation (CD83) markers and enhanced the T cell proliferation capability of DC. Heat inactivation of Tax resulted in abrogation of these effects, indicating a requirement for the native structure of Tax, which was found to bind efficiently to the DC membrane and was internalized within a few hours, suggesting that extracellular Tax may possess an intracellular mechanism of action subsequent to entry. Finally, inhibitors of cellular signaling pathways, NF-κB, protein kinase, tyrosine kinase, and phospholipase C, were shown to inhibit Tax-mediated DC activation. This is the first study reporting the immunomodulatory effects of extracellular Tax in the DC compartment. These results suggest that DC, once exposed to Tax by uptake from the extracellular environment, can undergo activation, providing constant antigen presentation and costimulation to T cells, leading to the intense T cell proliferation and inflammatory responses underlying HAM/TSP.
New Modes of Exchanger Regulation
Authors: REEVES JOHN P. , CONDRESCU MADALINA , URBANCZYK JASON , CHERNYSH OLGA
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Exchange activity is regulated principally by cytosolic Na+, Ca2+, and PIP2. However, the properties of these modes of regulation that have emerged from excised patch studies appear to be poorly suited to regulating exchange activity on a beat‐to‐beat basis. Here we summarize recent findings from our lab indicating that (a) allosteric activation by Ca2+ exhibits hysteresis, (b) elevated concentrations of cytosolic Na+ induce a mode of activity that no longer requires regulatory Ca2+ activation, and (c) the requirement for PIP2 is reduced or eliminated after allosteric Ca2+ activation. Our results suggest that exchange activity in cardiac myocytes may be regulated by the time‐integral of Ca2+ transients occurring over multiple beats.
Cleavage of the Plasma Membrane Ca+ATPase during Apoptosis
Authors: PÁSZTY KATALIN , ANTALFFY GÉZA , HEGEDÜS LUCA , PADÁNYI RITA , PENHEITER ALAN R. , FILOTEO ADELAIDA G. , PENNISTON JOHN T. , ENYEDI ÁGNES
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Maintenance of Ca2+ homeostasis is essential for normal cellular function and survival. Recent evidences suggest that Ca2+ is also an important player of apoptosis. We demonstrated that the plasma membrane Ca2+ ATPase (PMCA) isoform 4b, a key element of cellular Ca2+ homeostasis, was cleaved by caspase‐3 during the course of apoptosis. This cleavage of PMCA removed the entire regulatory region from the C terminus, leaving behind a 120‐kDa catalytic fragment. Since loss of PMCA activity could lead to intracellular Ca2+ overload and consequently necrotic cell death, an important question is whether the apoptotic fragment of PMCA retains full activity or it is inactivated. To address this question, we constructed a C‐terminally truncated mutant that corresponded to the caspase‐3 fragment of PMCA4b and showed that it was fully and constitutively active. This mutant was targeted properly to the plasma membrane when it was expressed stably or transiently in several different cell lines. We followed truncation of PMCA during apoptosis induced by mitochondrial or receptor‐mediated pathways and found that a similar fragment of 120 kDa was formed and remained intact for several hours after treatment. We have also demonstrated that the caspase‐3 cleavage site is an important structural element of PMCA and found that the accessibility of the caspase‐3 site depended strongly on the conformational state of the protein.
Rapid Downregulation of NCX and PMCA in Hippocampal Neurons Following H2O2 Oxidative Stress
Authors: KIP SERTAC N. , STREHLER EMANUEL E.
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Na+/Ca2+ exchangers (NCXs) and plasma membrane Ca2+ pumps (PMCAs) are crucial for intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis and Ca2+ signaling. Elevated [Ca2+]i is a hallmark of neurodegenerative disease and stroke. Here we studied the short‐term effect of oxidative stress on the plasma membrane Ca2+ extrusion systems in hippocampal neurons (HN) and found that after 2–3 h exposure to 300 μM H2O2, all NCXs and PMCAs were significantly downregulated at the RNA (NCX) and protein (PMCA) level. Rapid internalization and aggregation of the PMCA was also observed. Our data show that the plasma membrane calcium extrusion systems are sensitive early targets of neurotoxic oxidative stress.
Functional Importance of PMCA Isoforms in Growth and Development of PC12 Cells
Authors: ZYLINSKA LUDMILA , KOZACZUK ANNA , SZEMRAJ JANUSZ , KARGAS CHRISTOS , KOWALSKA IWONA
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Intracellular Ca2+ in neuronal cells is an essential regulatory ion responsible for excitability, synaptic plasticity, and neurite outgrowth. Plasma membrane calcium ATPase (PMCA) is the most sensitive enzyme in decreasing of the Ca2+ concentration. The diverse PMCA isoforms composition in the membranes suggests their specific function in the cell, and whereas PMCA1 and 4 appear to be ubiquitous, PMCA2 and 3 are characteristic isoforms for excitable cells. The aim of our study was to elucidate if and how the elimination of neuron‐specific isoforms affects the pattern of cell growth and development. We have obtained stable‐transfected PC12 cell lines with a suppressed expression of PMCA2, PMCA3, or both neuron‐specific isoforms. The modified profile of PMCA generated considerable changes in morphology of examined PC12 lines, suggesting the activation of a differentiation process to pseudoneuronal phenotype. Experiments with Fura‐2/AM‐loaded cells revealed an increased cytosolic Ca2+ concentration in the cell lines with blocked PMCA2 isoform. The suppression of PMCA2 concomitantly altered expression of sarco/endoplasmic Ca2+‐ATPase 2 isoform (SERCA2) at the protein level. Comparative flow cytometry analysis, using Annexin V/PI conjugate, showed the difference in the mean percentage of apoptotic cells in modified PC12 lines. Our data suggest that specific PMCA isoforms presence can regulate the intact cell development; however, it may involve multiple unidentified yet signaling pathways.
Some Biochemical Properties of the Upregulation of the Squid Nerve Na+/Ca2+ Exchanger by MgATP and Phosphoarginine
Authors: BERBERIÁN GRACIELA , DiPOLO REINALDO , BEAUGÉ LUIS
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  In squid nerve MgATP upregulation of Na+/Ca2+ exchange requires a soluble cytosolic regulatory protein (SCRP) of about 13 kDa; phosphoarginine (PA) stimulation does not. MgATP‐γ‐S mimics MgATP. When a 30‐10‐kDa cytosolic fraction is exposed to 0.5 mM [32P]ATP in the same solution used for transport assays, and in the presence of native membrane vesicles, a 13‐kDa and a 25‐kDa band become phosphorylated. Membrane vesicles alone do not show these phosphorylated bands and heat denaturation of the cytosolic fraction prevents phosphorylation. Moreover, staurosporine, a general inhibitor of kinases, does not affect MgATP + SCRP stimulation of the exchanger or the phosphorylation of the 13 kDa but prevents phosphorylation of the 25‐kDa cytosolic band. The 30‐10‐kDa fraction phosphorylated in the presence of staurosporine stimulates Na+/Ca2+ exchange in vesicles in the absence of ATP but with Mg2+ in the medium. The 30‐10‐kDa fraction is not phosphorylated by PA. In membrane vesicles two protein bands, at about 60 kDa and 70 kDa identified as the low molecular weight neurofilament (NF), are phosphorylated by PA, but not by MgATP. This phosphorylation is specific for PA, insensitive to staurosporine (similar to the PA‐stimulated fluxes), and labile. In addition, co‐immunoprecipitation was observed between the NF and the exchanger protein. Under the conditions of these experiments no phosphorylation of the exchanger is detected, either with MgATP or PA.
In Bovine Heart Na+/Ca2+ Exchanger Maximal Ca2+i Affinity Requires Simultaneously High pHi and PtdIns‐4,5‐P2 Binding to the Carrier
Authors: POSADA VELIA , BEAUGÉ LUIS , BERBERIÁN GRACIELA
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Na+i‐dependent Ca2+ uptake, Na+‐dependent Ca2+ release, and PtdIns‐4,5‐P2 binding to Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX1) as a function of extravesicular (intracellular) [Ca2+] were measured. Alkalinization increases Ca2+i affinity and PtdIns‐4,5‐P2 bound to NCX1; these effects are abolished by pretreatment with PtdIns‐PLC and are insensitive to MgATP. Acidification reduces Ca2+i affinity. MgATP reverts it only partially despite the fact that the PtdIns‐4,5‐P2 bound to NCX1 reaches the same levels as at pH 7.8. Extravesicular Na+‐stimulated and Ca2+‐dependent Ca2+efflux indicate the Ca2+ regulatory site is involved. Therefore, to display maximal affinity to Ca2+i, PtdIns‐4,5‐P2 binding and deprotonation of NCX1 are simultaneously need.
Analysis of Calcium Changes in Endoplasmic Reticulum during Apoptosis by the Fluorescent Indicator Chlortetracycline
Authors: CERELLA CLAUDIA , MEARELLI CRISTINA , DE NICOLA MILENA , D'ALESSIO MARIA , MAGRINI ANDREA , BERGAMASCHI ANTONIO , GHIBELLI LINA
Published: April 2007

Abstract:  Many studies suggest that endoplasmic reticulum (ER) Ca2+ pool rather than cytosolic Ca2+ may play a crucial role in triggering apoptosis. In this study, we performed an image analysis of cells loaded with the fluorescent dye chlortetracycline (CTC) to in situ analyze Ca2+ changes within the ER in apoptosing promonocytic U937 cells. The results, validated through the use of thapsigargin (THG) as ER Ca2+ depletor, confirm the findings that apoptotic cells have a Ca2+‐depleted ER, in contrast with treated but still viable cells.