bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparative RB1 gene mapping in Homo sapiens, Pithecia pithecia, Macaca sylvana, and Cercopithecus aethiops tantalus
Authors: Tihy F. , Lemieux N. , Lombard M. , Dutrillaux B.
Published: May 2008

The chromosomal localization of the gene for retinoblastoma (RBI), which has been mapped to band 13q14 in man, was studied by in situ hybridization on metaphase chromosomes of selected primates, including Pithecia pithecia, Macaca sylvana, and Cercopithecus aethiops tantalus. The results allowed us to determine the position of the bands homologous to human chromosome band 13ql4 in these species. Hybridization analysis corroborated the results of previous studies that defined the chromosome homologous to human chromosome 13 (HSA 13) in these species. By comparing RB1 localizations and banding patterns, it is shown that the rearrangement separating HSA 13 from its homologous chromosome in Cercopithecidae is not a pericentric inversion, as suggested by earlier studies. Since the banding pattern and RB 1 localization are not changed, the modification of the centromeric index is explained by a centromeric shift or by two inversions, one pericentric and one paracentric.
The rat genes encoding the pancreatitis-associated proteins I, II and III (Pap1, Pap2, Pap3), and the lithostathin/pancreatic stone protein/regeneration protein (Reg) colocalize at 4q33→q34
Authors: Stephanova E. , Tissir F. , Dusetti N. , lovanna J. , Szpirer J. , Szpirer C.
Published: May 2008

Using fluorescence in situ hybridization, we determined that the three rat PAP genes, and the related REG gene map in the same chromosome region, namely 4q33→q34. This rat chromosome region is thus homologous to the human 2p12 region, which also contains the PAP gene, the REG1A gene, and a REG-related gene (REGL).
Microdeletions in interval 6 of the Y chromosome detected by STS-PCR in 6 of 33 patients with idiopathic oligo- or azoospermia
Authors: Stuppia L. , Mastroprimiano G. , Calabrese G. , Peila R. , Tenaglia R. , Palka G.
Published: May 2008

It has been proposed that interval 6 of the human Y chromosome contains the gene or genes that control spermatogenesis (AZF, azoospermia factor). We have studied this region in 33 patients with oligo- or azoospermia, using PCR amplification of the YRRM1 (RBM1) gene and of 13 sequence-tagged sites (STSs), all mapping within interval 6. Six of the 33 patients showed no amplification of specific STSs, whereas there was no failure of amplification in normal male controls. We deduce that these six patients had microdeletions in interval 6 of the Y chromosome that correlated with the oligo- or azoospermia of these individuals. On biopsy of the testis, two of these patients showed a low number of germ cells, and four showed arrest with spermatides. We conclude that PCR amplification of Y-specific regions is a powerful and very sensitive tool for screening infertile men.
Reassignment of the 92-kDa type IV collagenase gene (CLG4B) to human chromosome 20
Authors: Linn R. , DuPont B.R. , Knight C.B. , Plaetke R. , Leach R.J.
Published: May 2008

The collagenase type IV B gene (CLG4B) was previously mapped to human chromosome 16 by hybridization of a cDNA probe to DNAs from a somatic cell hybrid panel. We have relocalized CLG4B to chromosome 20 based on three different lines of evidence: screening a somatic cell hybrid mapping panel, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and linkage analysis using a newly identified polymorphism.
Assignment of the human β-microseminoprotein gene (MSMB) to chromosome 10q11.2
Authors: Sasaki T. , Matsumoto N. , Jinno Y. , Niikawa N. , Sakai H. , Kanetake H. , Saito Y.
Published: May 2008

Beta-microseminoprotein (MSP) is one of the major proteins secreted by the prostate, and its biological role in tumorigenesis of the prostate has been postulated. We assigned the human MSP gene (MSMB) to 10q11.2 with fluorescence in situ hybridization using a phage clone that has an MSP gene insert. Our mapping data shows that the gene is outside the previously identified LOH-regions (10p and 10q24→qter) in prostate cancer cells and indicates that MSMB can be ruled out as a candidate for a tumor suppressor gene localized to those regions.
Cloning and mapping of a human novel cDNA (NHP2L1) that encodes a protein highly homologous to yeast nuclear protein NHP2
Authors: Saito H. , Fujiwara T. , Shin S. , Okui K. , Nakamura Y.
Published: May 2008

We have isolated a novel human cDNA that encodes a protein highly homologous to NHP2, a nuclear protein of yeast, that is thought to have an essential physiological function for cell viability. The 1,493-bp cDNA sequence includes an open reading frame of 384 bp. This gene (NHP2L1) was expressed in all human tissues examined, and was localized to chromosome band 12q24.3 by fluorescence in situ hybridization.
Cloning, expression and chromosomal mapping of a novel cyclophilin-related gene (PPIL1) from human fetal brain
Authors: Ozaki K. , Fujiwara T. , Kawai A. , Shimizu F. , Takami S. , Okuno S. , Takeda S. , Shimada Y. , Nagata M. , Watanabe T. , Takaichi A. , Takahashi E. , Nakamura Y. , Shin S.
Published: May 2008

We isolated a human cDNA clone encoding a novel protein homologous to cyclophilins, specific cellular targets of cyclosporin A, which are conserved in species ranging from human to prokaryotes. This cDNA, designated hCyPX, contained an open reading frame of 498 nucleotides encoding 166 amino acids. Computer analysis indicated that its predicted amino acid sequence had 41.6%, 40.4%, and 39.2% homology to those of human, bovine, and Drosophila cyclophilins, respectively. Northern blot analysis indicated ubiquitous expression in adult human tissues, but most abundant expression in heart. Fluorescence in situ hybridization to human metaphase chromosomes localized this gene (PPIL1, peptidylprolyl isomerase [cyclophilin]-like 1) to chromosome bands 2p23.3→p23.1.
HDL-Associated Lysosphingolipids Inhibit NAD(P)H Oxidase-Dependent Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 Production
Authors: Tölle Markus , Pawlak Alicja , Schuchardt Miriam , Kawamura Akira , Tietge Uwe J. , Lorkowski Stefan , Keul Petra , Assmann Gerd , Chun Jerold , Levkau Bodo , van der Giet Markus , Nofer Jerzy-Roch
Published: May 2008

Objectives—

High-density lipoprotein (HDL) levels are inversely proportional to the risk of atherosclerosis, but mechanisms of HDL atheroprotection remain unclear. Monocyte chemoatractant protein-1 (MCP-1) constitutes an early component of inflammatory response in atherosclerosis. Here we investigated the influence of HDL on MCP-1 production in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and rat aortic explants.

Methods and Results—

HDL inhibited the thrombin-induced production of MCP-1 in a concentration-dependent manner. The HDL-dependent inhibition of MCP-1 production was accompanied by the suppression of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which regulate the MCP-1 production in VSMCs. HDL inhibited NAD(P)H oxidase, the preponderant source of ROS in the vasculature, and prevented the activation of Rac1, which precedes NAD(P)H-oxidase activation. The HDL capacity to inhibit MCP-1 production, ROS generation, and NAD(P)H-oxidase activation was emulated by sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and sphingosylphosphorylcholine (SPC), two lysosphingolipids present in HDL, but not by apolipoprotein A-I. HDL-, S1P-, and SPC-induced inhibition of MCP-1 production was attenuated in VSMCs pretreated with VPC23019, an antagonist of lysosphingolipid receptors S1P
1
and S1P
3
, but not by JTE013, an antagonist of S1P
2
. In addition, HDL, S1P, and SPC failed to inhibit MCP1 production and ROS generation in aortas from S1P
3
- and SR-B1-deficient mice.

Conclusion—

HDL-associated lysosphingolipids inhibit NAD(P)H oxidase-dependent ROS generation and MCP-1 production in a process that requires coordinate signaling through S1P
3
and SR-B1 receptors.
Role of Advanced Glycation End Products With Oxidative Stress in Resistance Artery Dysfunction in Type 2 Diabetic Mice
Authors: Su Jun , Lucchesi Pamela A. , Gonzalez-Villalobos Romer A. , Palen Desiree I. , Rezk Bashir M. , Suzuki Yasuhiro , Boulares Hamid A. , Matrougui Khalid
Published: May 2008

Objective—

Type 2 diabetes is associated with increased advanced glycation end product (AGE) formation and vasculopathy. We hypothesized that AGEs contribute to resistance artery dysfunction.

Methods and Results—

Type 2 diabetic db
−
/db
−
(diabetic) and nondiabetic db
−
/db
+
(control) mice were treated with the AGE inhibitor (aminoguanidine: 50 mg/Kg/d) for 3 months. Isolated mesenteric resistance arteries (MRAs) were mounted in an arteriograph. Pressure-induced myogenic tone (MT) was increased in diabetic mice but was unaffected by aminoguanidine treatment. Phenylephrine-induced contraction and nitric oxide donor-induced endothelium-independent relaxation were similar in all groups. In diabetic mice, endothelium-dependent relaxation in response to shear-stress or acetylcholine was altered and was associated with reduced eNOS protein and mRNA expression. Aminoguanidine treatment improved endothelial function and restored eNOS expression. AGE formation and hypoxia markers (plasminogen activator inhibitor 1 and Bnip3) were increased in MRA from diabetic mice and normalized with Aminoguanidine. Primary cultured endothelial cells (ECs) isolated from resistance arteries subjected to high glucose for 48 hours showed decreased eNOS expression and phosphorylation in response to calcium ionophore. High glucose decreased antioxidant protein (MnSOD) and increased prooxidant proteins (gp91phox) expression leading to increased oxidative stress generation, as assessed by DHE staining and endothelial NADH/NADPH oxidase activity. The preincubation of ECs with aminoguanidine restored eNOS-phosphorylation and expression as well as the balance between pro- and antioxidant factors induced by high glucose.

Conclusions—

We provide evidence of a link between AGEs, oxidative stress, and resistance artery EC dysfunction in type 2 diabetic mice. Thus, AGEs and oxidative stress may be a potential target for overcoming diabetic microvessels complications.
Nitric Oxide–Mediated Zinc Release Contributes to Hypoxic Regulation of Pulmonary Vascular Tone
Authors: Bernal Paula J. , Leelavanichkul Karanee , Bauer Eileen , Cao Rong , Wilson Annette , Wasserloos Karla J. , Watkins Simon C. , Pitt Bruce R. , St. Croix Claudette M.
Published: May 2008

The metal binding protein metallothionein (MT) is a target for nitric oxide (NO), causing release of bound zinc that affects myogenic reflex in systemic resistance vessels. Here, we investigate a role for NO-induced zinc release in pulmonary vasoregulation. We show that acute hypoxia causes reversible constriction of intraacinar arteries (<50 μm/L) in isolated perfused mouse lung (IPL). We further demonstrate that isolated pulmonary (but not aortic) endothelial cells constrict in hypoxia. Hypoxia also causes NO-dependent increases in labile zinc in mouse lung endothelial cells and endothelium of IPL. The latter observation is dependent on MT because it is not apparent in IPL of MT
−/−
mice. Data from NO-sensitive fluorescence resonance energy transfer–based reporters support hypoxia-induced NO production in pulmonary endothelium. Furthermore, hypoxic constriction is blunted in IPL of MT
−/−
mice and in wild-type mice, or rats, treated with the zinc chelator
N
,
N
,
N
′,
N
′-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)-ethylenediamine (TPEN), suggesting a role for chelatable zinc in modulating HPV. Finally, the NO donor DETAnonoate causes further vasoconstriction in hypoxic IPL in which NO vasodilatory pathways are inhibited. Collectively, these data suggest that zinc thiolate signaling is a component of the effects of acute hypoxia-mediated NO biosynthesis and that this pathway may contribute to constriction in the pulmonary vasculature.
Holding the Centre
Authors: Pillay Devan
Published: May 2008

The 2006 South African local election results confirm the approximately two-thirds support the African National Congress (ANC)-led Alliance — with the Congress of SA Trade Unions (COSATU) and the SA Communist Party (SACP) — received from those who voted in previous elections, a level of support that is also consistently reflected among COSATU members in surveys held during 1994, 1998 and 2004.1 However, the low voter turnout means less than a quarter of all eligible voters voted for the ANC. As tensions between the ANC leadership under Thabo Mbeki and its working class allies mounted, this should ordinarily have presented an opportunity to build a Left alternative among a disgruntled working class majority — except that the basis for such an alternative, organized workers, seem resistant to an independent `working class politics'. Instead, they put all their energies into replacing the Mbeki leadership with that of his deputy, Jacob Zuma. By remaining within the Alliance, are the increasingly outspoken COSATU and SACP leadership being constrained by a relatively conservative union membership, arguably one of the beneficiaries of the democratic transition; or are workers merely responding to signals from a (largely compromised) leadership that `working class hegemony' can only be realized through a `popular-democratic' politics within the Alliance?
Sector-wide Approaches and Mainstreaming Gender in Education in Ghana
Authors: Sinha Geeta , Shankar Nayak Bhabani
Published: May 2008

The article aims to provide a brief overview of the gender perspective in the Sector-wide Approaches (SWAp) and its ability to integrate gender equality concerns in education in Ghana. This approach has been strategically adopted by various aid agencies as an effective and efficient tool to ensure mainstreaming gender in different fields. In this article, we will try to analyse some of the ways in which mainstreaming gender has taken place through SWAp in the field of education in Ghana. It analyses the extent to which SWAp as a strategy has been able to mainstream gender in education in Ghana.
African Quest and Struggle for High Schools in Colonial Kenya
Authors: Wamagatta Evanson N.
Published: May 2008

By 1925, 30 years after Kenya became a British colony, there were no high schools for Africans in the colony. In 1926, the Africans decided to build their own high schools through their Local Native Councils (LNCs) but the Government refused to sanction the building of the schools and this led to a protracted struggle. The Kiambu LNC's abortive high school at Githunguri is used as a case study to examine not only why the Government vetoed the building of the schools, but also to show how this greatly undermined the expansion of African higher education in subsequent years.
Micromechanical Modeling of Stretch Broken Carbon Fiber Materials
Authors: Lee Keejoo , Lee Sung W. , Ng Stanley J.
Published: May 2008

A micromechanical model is developed to characterize the constitutive behavior of stretch broken carbon fiber (SBCF) materials. The model takes into account the characteristics of the viscous resin materials and the effect of randomly distributed discontinuous fibers. The predicted force-to-stretch (FTS) values for uniaxial stretching of SBCF prepreg tapes favorably compare with experimental data.
Reinforced Thermoplastic Natural Rubber Hybrid Composites with Hibiscus cannabinus, L and Short Glass Fiber — Part I: Processing Parameters and Tensile Properties
Authors: Anuar H. , Wan Busu W.N. , Ahmad S.H. , Rasid R.
Published: May 2008

Hybrid composite of thermoplastic natural rubber (TPNR) reinforced with Hibiscus cannabinus, L fiber (kenaf fiber: KF) and short glass fiber (GF) were prepared via melt blending method using internal mixer, at various temperatures, speed and time. TPNR matrix is a blend of polypropylene (PP), liquid natural rubber (LNR) and natural rubber (NR) at a ratio of 70 : 10 : 20. Processing parameters were determined from the tensile strength based on fiber content with 50: 50 ratios of GF and KF. Using the optimum processing parameters, tensile test was carried out for reinforced TPNR—KF—GF hybrid composites (0—20% by volume), with and without addition of silane coupling agent and maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP). The result of tensile strength has shown that the increasing in kenaf fiber content substantially reduced the tensile strength and modulus. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) has shown that the composite, with coupling agent or compatibilizer, promotes better fiber—matrix interaction.
Mode II Interlaminar Fracture and Damage Evaluation of GFRP Woven Laminates at Cryogenic Temperatures using the 4ENF Specimen
Authors: Shindo Yasuhide , Sato Takashi , Narita Fumio , Sanada Kazuaki
Published: May 2008

This article focuses on understanding the Mode II interlaminar fracture and damage behavior of glass fiber reinforced polymer (GFRP) woven laminates at cryogenic temperatures. A four point bend, end notched flexure (4ENF) test is performed at room temperature (RT), liquid nitrogen temperature (77 K) and liquid helium temperature (4K), and an R-curve characterization is conducted for determining the mode II cryogenic fracture properties of GFRP woven laminates. The test configuration is also analyzed by finite element analysis coupled with damage. The damage distributions within the 4ENF specimens are predicted, and the effect of damage on the Mode II energy release rate is examined. This work is the first application of failure criteria (Hoffman criterion and maximum strain criterion) to the description of the R-curve behavior and interlaminar fracture toughness values of woven laminate ENF specimens at cryogenic temperatures.
Manganese and Antimony Doped Lead Zirconate Titanate Ceramic Fibers and Fiber/Epoxy 1—3 Composites
Authors: Kun Li  , Jianling Li  , Dahu Cao  , Li Jin-Hua
Published: May 2008

Manganese and antimony doped lead zirconate titanate [Pb(Sb2/3 Mn1/3)0.08(Zr0.52Ti0.48) 0.92O3, PSM—PZT] fibers were prepared by the sol-gel method. The micrographs obtained using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) show that the diameter of the fibers was about 50 μm. The crystalline grains size was 3 ~ 12 μm depending on the sintering temperature. X-ray diffraction patterns show that PSM-PZT ceramic fibers sintered at 1285°C have a pure perovskite structure. The ceramic fiber/epoxy 1—3 composites were fabricated by filling the ceramic fiber bundle with epoxy. The dielectric permittivity ε, electromechanical coefficient kt and the piezoelectric constant d33 of 1—3 composites with 50% fiber loading were 760, 0.67, and 178pC/N, respectively. The hysteresis loop of the composites was measured by a Radiant ferroelectric test system. The results show that the composites could withstand an electric field of 8 kV/mm at room temperature. The effect of pre-poling on symmetry of the hysteresis loop was investigated.
Experimental Investigation of the Controlled Atmospheric Pressure Resin Infusion (CAPRI) Process
Authors: Niggemann Christian , Young Seok Song  , Gillespie John W. , Heider Dirk
Published: May 2008

Controlled atmospheric pressure resin infusion (CAPRI) is a variation of the vacuum-assisted resin transfer molding (VARTM) process. The CAPRI process increases the fiber volume fraction of the preform prior to infusion via debulking and applies a reduced pressure gradient during infusion to minimize thickness gradients during processing. This study experimentally investigates the effect of debulking and reduced pressure gradient on the incoming material parameters, process behavior and final dimensional tolerances. The effect of debulking on fabric permeability and compaction behavior has been investigated and shows a significant impact on the infusion time and final fiber volume fraction. Several E-glass plain weave preforms have been infused and flow, pressure and thickness data has been recorded and compared to traditional VARTM processing. A previously developed model uses the experimentally obtained permeability data and good agreement of the flow behavior is observed, the CAPRI process decreases thickness gradients to less than 1% while increasing fiber volume fraction by 5% in the composite part.
The Australian Labour Market in 2007
Authors: O'Brien Martin , Valadkhani Abbas , Townsend Keith
Published: May 2008

Both global and domestic economic growth remained robust in 2007 resulting in historically low unemployment and high labour force participation in Australia. However, these favourable labour force statistics were overshadowed for much of the year by a number of other issues such as the continuing drought, high oil and petrol prices and associated inflation and interest rate pressures, a November federal election, and the first full year of the operation of the Work Choices legislation. This article will address each of these issues by presenting an analysis of the macroeconomy and labour market, and reviewing the labour market implications of the Work Choices legislation in Australia.
The Danish Model of Industrial Relations: Erosion or Renewal?
Authors: Due Jesper , Madsen Jørgen Steen
Published: May 2008

The Danish model represents one of the most solidly-based industrial relation (IR) systems in Europe, and is today internationally regarded as an exemplar owing to its effective combination of flexibility and security in labour-market regulation. But in an increasingly globalized world even this model has come under pressure. The pressure comes from three different directions: (1) from EU regulation; (2) from the national political system; and, (3) from the parties at enterprise level. The organized or centralized decentralization of the collective bargaining system that was seen as the answer to the increased competitive pressure of internationalization would appear to have reached its limit and to have been replaced by a trend towards multi-level regulation. Whether this trend will lead to renewal or erosion of the Danish model will be revealed over the coming years. There are signs that indicate the model's continued robustness, but there are also signs of weakening. The outcome is not only of national interest, but also has international relevance, since Denmark can be seen as the IR model par excellence. As a critical case the development of the Danish model is an indicator of the traditional IR system's future prospects in general.
A Survey Evaluation of the Reliability of Visual Inspection and Functional Analysis Graphs
Authors: Danov Stacy E. , Symons Frank J.
Published: May 2008

Visual inspection is the primary method used to analyze graphed behavioral data produced by functional analyses of problem behavior. The purpose of this study was to examine rater reliability of functional analysis graphs using visual inspection. Forty-three participants responded to a one-time anonymous survey ( N = 454) mailed to graduate programs accredited in applied behavior analysis ( N = 11). Respondents were instructed to classify single-subject data arrays depicted in multielement graphs from published studies. Classification was based on function categories by Hagopian, Fisher, Thompson, and Owen-DeSchryver. Three indices based on overall inter-rater agreement, the consistency of individual raters across graphs, and the aggregate performance of raters per graph were calculated and compared. Results for all three indices of rater performance were moderate to low. Results confirm prior preliminary work indicating relatively low levels of reliability and are discussed in relation to research, training, and practice issues.
Fit for purpose: OASys assessments and parole decisions — a practitioner's view
Authors: Mehta Anisha
Published: May 2008

This article is a practitioner's response to Wendy Fitzgibbon's article `Fit for Purpose: OASys Assessments and Parole Decisions' published in the March 2008 edition of Probation Journal. Fitzgibbon undertook a small research study of 72 cases before the parole board. The majority of these cases fell into four main categories of offences: violent offences, sexual offences, robbery and drug offences. The focus of Fitzgibbon's article is whether parole board decisions and the risk assessments that inform them adequately protect the public from the risk of serious harm.
An examination of the potential impact of the Drug Rehabilitation Requirement on homeless illicit drug-using offenders
Authors: Hollingworth Melanie
Published: May 2008

The aim of this literature review is to examine the potential impact of the introduction of the Drug Rehabilitation Requirement (DRR) on homeless drug-using offenders. There is however, little research into either the recently introduced DRR, or court-ordered treatment imposed upon people who are homeless. The article is, therefore, confined to reviewing research and literature into the predecessor of the DRR — the Drug Treatment and Testing Order (DTTO). The article will then explore how DRRs may perform similarly or differently to DTTOs and what issues emerge for people who are homeless.
Prevalence of Tibiofemoral Osteoarthritis 15 Years after Nonoperative Treatment of Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury
Authors: Neuman Paul , Englund Martin , Kostogiannis Ioannis , Friden Thomas , Roos Harald , Dahlberg Leif E.
Published: May 2008

Background

The occurrence of osteoarthritis (OA), associated meniscal injuries, meniscectomy, and patient-related measures for patients treated nonoperatively after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries have not been well described in the literature in terms of natural history.

Hypothesis

Patients with ACL injury can achieve a low occurrence of tibiofemoral OA and good knee function when treated without ACL reconstruction.

Study Design

Cohort study (prognosis); Level of evidence, 2.

Methods

One hundred consecutive patients with an acute, complete ACL injury were observed for 15 years. All patients were primarily treated with activity modification and without ACL reconstruction. To achieve improved functional stability, supervised physical therapy was initiated early after injury. The patients were examined using anteroposterior weightbearing radiography. The Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) was used to quantify knee-related symptoms and knee function.

Results

Seventy-nine patients consented to radiographic examination and 93 completed the KOOS questionnaire. Thirteen patients (16%), all of whom were among the 35 patients whose knees were meniscectomized, developed radiographic tibiofemoral OA. In contrast, none of the remaining nonmeniscectomized and radiographed knees developed OA (n = 44) ( P < .0001). Sixty-three patients (68%) had an asymptomatic knee. Twenty-two patients (23%) had undergone ACL reconstruction with a mean time of 4 years after injury.

Conclusion

The study had a favorable long-term outcome regarding incidence of radiographic knee OA, knee function and symptoms, and need for ACL reconstruction. Although risk factors for posttraumatic OA are multifactorial, the primary risk factor that stood out in this study was if a meniscectomy had been performed. Early activity modification and neuromuscular knee rehabilitation might also have been related to the low prevalence of radiographic knee OA. In patients with ACL injury willing to moderate activity level to avoid reinjury, initial treatment without ACL reconstruction should be considered.
Prospective Evaluation of Concurrent Meniscus Transplantation and Articular Cartilage Repair
Authors: Rue John-Paul H. , Yanke Adam B. , Busam Matthew L. , McNickle Allison G. , Cole Brian J.
Published: May 2008

Background

Recognition of the symbiotic relationship between the meniscus and articular cartilage is critical to the success of meniscal allograft transplantation. Simultaneous combined meniscal allograft transplantation and cartilage restoration procedures have been proposed for patients with a symptomatic postmeniscectomy knee with a focal chondral defect that would have traditionally been considered a contraindication to meniscal allograft transplantation.

Hypothesis

Combined meniscal allograft transplantation and cartilage restoration procedures can be used to neutralize traditional contraindications to meniscal allograft transplantation with results comparable to either procedure performed in isolation.

Study Design

Case series; Level of evidence, 4.

Methods

Thirty patients underwent 31 combined meniscal allograft transplantation and cartilage restoration procedures between 1997 and 2004. These patients were prospectively studied, and completed standardized outcome surveys (including Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee, and Short Form-12 scales) preoperatively and annually thereafter for a minimum of 2-year follow-up. Patients were grouped according to concomitant procedure: 16 (52%) underwent meniscal allograft transplantation combined with autologous chondrocyte implantation; 15 (48%) had meniscal allograft transplantation combined with an osteochondral allograft. Two patients were lost to follow-up, leaving 29 procedures for review.

Results

As a combined group, statistically significant improvements were observed in all standardized outcomes scores and satisfaction scales, except Short Form-12 mental, at a mean 3.1-year follow-up. Excluding the 2 lost to follow-up, 76% of all study participants (80% autologous chondrocyte implantation; 71 % osteochondral allograft) reported that they were completely (31 %) or mostly (45%) satisfied with their results. Overall, 48% of patients (60% autologous chondrocyte implantation; 36% osteochondral allograft) were classified as normal or nearly normal at their most recent follow-up using the International Knee Documentation Committee examination score. Ninety percent of patients would have the surgery again.

Conclusion

Combined meniscal allograft transplantation and cartilage restoration offers a safe alternative for patients with persistent symptoms after meniscectomy and focal cartilage injury. Results of combined procedures were comparable to published reports of these procedures performed in isolation. Long-term follow-up is needed to define the survivorship of these procedures in a young patient population.
Mapping social capital across Europe: findings, trends and methodological shortcomings of cross-national surveys
Authors: Adam Frane
Published: May 2008

Two sets of issues are elaborated and reflected on. The first one concerns the distribution of stocks of social capital across European (EU) nations. Using the conventional proxies like trust and associational involvement on the basis of data from cross-national surveys (European Values Study and European Social Survey as well as from Eurobarometer), the main tentative trends and patterns are outlined. The second set of issues refers to the quality and credibility of data. Concerning the first issue, it is possible to speak of four groups of countries with regard to the distribution of social capital at the European level. In contrast to authors who argue that there are no large differences in mean scores across the national patterns, this analysis arrived at more differentiated conclusions. Between the first and fourth groups, a very clear borderline can be drawn, while differences between the second and third groups are not so pronounced. In the context of the thematizing and critical reflection of the validity and comparability of the empirical evidence, some errors and inconsistencies were found. It seems that they appeared in part due to the inappropriate technical design of cross-national surveys and in part because of the countries-specific semantic-cultural as well as institutional factors, which did receive much attention either in the stage of preparing and conducting the survey or in the phase of interpreting and generalizing of the data.
The lexicon of emotion in the neo-Latin languages
Authors: Galati Dario , Sini Barbara , Tinti Carla , Testa Silvia
Published: May 2008

This article represents the conclusion of a wide-ranging European project concerning the lexical structure of emotion in the neo-Latin languages: Italian, French, Spanish, Catalan, Portuguese and Romanian. Intended to bring to light common features in these languages, as well as any peculiarities, the research project selected representative samples of emotional terms from the dictionaries of the six languages studied and analysed the similarity between these words using Scaling procedures. The graphic outputs of the Scaling procedures appear to organize the neo-Latin emotion lexicons in respect of three major dimensions that are similar to those already found in other languages: `hedonic value', `potency' and `physiological activation'. Interesting peculiarities emerged in relation to the salience of the dimensions, mainly for Romanian and Portuguese.
Genome Streamlining Results in Loss of Robustness of the Circadian Clock in the Marine Cyanobacterium Prochlorococcus marinus PCC 9511
Authors: Holtzendorff Julia , Partensky Frédéric , Mella Daniella , Lennon Jean-François , Hess Wolfgang R. , Garczarek Laurence
Published: May 2008

The core oscillator of the circadian clock in cyanobacteria consists of 3 proteins, KaiA, KaiB, and KaiC. All 3 have previously been shown to be essential for clock function. Accordingly, most cyanobacteria possess at least 1 copy of each kai gene. One exception is the marine genus Prochlorococcus, which we suggest here has suffered a stepwise deletion of the kaiA gene, together with significant genome streamlining. Nevertheless, natural Prochlorococcus populations and laboratory cultures are strongly synchronized by the alternation of day and night, displaying 24-h rhythms in DNA replication, with a temporal succession of G1, S, and G2-like cell cycle phases. Using quantitative real-time PCR, we show here that in Prochlorococcus marinus PCC 9511, the mRNA levels of the clock genes kaiB and kaiC, as well as a few other selected genes including psbA, also displayed marked diel variations when cultures were kept under a light-dark rhythm. However, both cell cycle and psbA gene expression rhythms damped very rapidly under continuous light. In the closely related Synechococcus sp. WH8102, which possesses all 3 kai genes, cell cycle rhythms persisted over several days, in agreement with established cyanobacterial models. These data indicate a correlation between the loss of kaiA and a loss of robustness in the endogenous oscillator of Prochlorococcus and raise questions about how a basic KaiBC system may function and through which mechanism the daily “lights-on” and “lights-off” signal could be mediated.
The Endogenous Circadian Pacemaker Imparts a Scale-Invariant Pattern of Heart Rate Fluctuations across Time Scales Spanning Minutes to 24 Hours
Authors: Kun Hu  , Scheer Frank A. J. L. , Buijs Ruud M. , Shea Steven A.
Published: May 2008

Heartbeat fluctuations in mammals display a robust temporal structure characterized by scale-invariant/fractal patterns. These scale-invariant patterns likely confer physiological advantage because they change with cardiovascular disease and these changes are associated with reduced survival. Models of physical systems imply that to produce scale-invariant patterns, factors influencing the system at different time scales must be coupled via a network of feedback interactions. A similar cardiac control network is hypothesized to be responsible for the scale-invariant pattern in heartbeat dynamics, although the essential network components have not been determined. Here is shown that scale-invariant cardiac control occurs across time scales from minutes to ~24 h, and that lesioning the mammalian circadian pacemaker (suprachiasmatic nucleus; SCN) completely abolishes the scale-invariant pattern at time scales >~4 h. At time scales <~4 h, the scale invariance persisted following SCN lesion but with a different pattern. These results indicate previously unrecognized multiscale influences of the SCN on heart rate fluctuations that cannot be explained by a simple pacemaker of 24-h rhythmicity. The conclusion is that the SCN serves as a major node in the cardiac control network and imparts scale-invariant cardiac control across a wide range of time scales with strongest effects between ~4 and 24 h. These results demonstrate that experimental manipulations (e.g., SCN lesion) can be used to begin to model and understand the origin of scale-invariant behavior in a neurophysiological system.
Behavioral Responses of Vipr2–/– Mice to Light
Authors: Hughes A.T.L. , Piggins H.D.
Published: May 2008

Vasoactive intestinal polypeptide and its receptor, VPAC2 , play important roles in the functioning of the dominant circadian pacemaker, located in the hypothalamic suprachiasmatic nuclei (SCN). Mice lacking VPAC 2 receptors ( Vipr2–/–) show altered circadian rhythms and impaired synchronization to environmental lighting cues. However, light can increase phosphoprotein and immediate early gene expression in the Vipr2–/– SCN demonstrating that the circadian clock is readily responsive to light in these mice. It is not clear whether these neurochemical responses to light can be transduced to behavioral changes as seen in wild-type (WT) animals. In this study we investigated the diurnal and circadian wheel-running profile of WT (C57BL/6J) and Vipr2–/– mice under a 12-h light:12-h complete darkness (LD) lighting schedule and in constant darkness (DD) and used 1-h light pulses to shift the activity of mice in DD. Unlike WT mice, Vipr2–/– mice show grossly altered locomotor patterns making the analysis of behavioral responses to light problematic. However, analyses of both the onset and the offset of locomotor activity reveal that in a subset of these mice, light can reset the offset of behavioral rhythms during the subjective night. This suggests that the SCN clock of Vipr2–/– mice and the rhythms it generates are responsive to photic stimulation and that these responses can be integrated to whole animal behavioral changes.
The Development of Day-Night Differences in Sleep and Wakefulness in Norway Rats and the Effect of Bilateral Enucleation
Authors: Gall Andrew J. , Todd William D. , Ray Baisali , Coleman Cassandra M. , Blumberg Mark S.
Published: May 2008

The suprachiasmatic nucleus exhibits circadian rhythmicity in fetal and infant rats, but little is known about the consequences of this rhythmicity for infant behavior. Here, in experiment 1, the authors measured sleep and wakefulness in rats during the day and night in postnatal day (P)2, P8, P15, and P21 subjects. As early as P2, day-night differences in sleep-wake activity were detected. Nocturnal wakefulness began to emerge around P15 and was reliably expressed by P21. The authors hypothesized that the process of photic entrainment over the 1st postnatal week, which depends on the development of connectivity between the retinohypothalamic tract (RHT) and the SCN, influences the later emergence of nocturnal wakefulness. To test this hypothesis, in experiment 2 infant rats were enucleated bilaterally at P3 and P11, that is, before and after photic entrainment. Whereas pups enucleated at P11 and tested at P21 exhibited increased wakefulness at night, identical to sham controls, pups enucleated at P3 and tested at P21 exhibited the opposite pattern of increased wakefulness during the day. Pups tested at P28 and P35 exhibited this same pattern of increased daytime wakefulness. All together, these results suggest that prenatal and postnatal experience modulates the development of species-typical circadian sleep-wake patterns. Moreover, the authors suggest that visual system stimulation, via the RHT's connections with the SCN, exerts an organizational influence on the developing circadian system and, consequently, contributes to the emergence of nocturnality in this species.
Les Visiteurs and the Quixotic Text
Authors: Mcmorran Will
Published: May 2008

The article offers a comparative analysis of two stories of knights in anachronistic conflict with the modern world: Cervantes' Don Quixote, a novel that continues to live a rich afterlife in contemporary Western culture, and Poiré's Les Visiteurs, the most successful French film comedy of the 1990s. It explores parallels between Cervantes' parodying of chivalric romance and Poiré's engagement with heritage cinema, and finds a common ambivalence in these texts towards both the romanticised past and the mundane present.
Finding France on Film
Authors: Durham Carolyn A.
Published: May 2008

Three contemporary films, Lasse Hallström's Chocolat (2000), Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Le Fabuleux Destin d'Amélie Poulain (2001), and James Ivory's Le Divorce (2003), provide an especially promising context in which to explore the complex nature of cultural representation and reception at a time of renewed conflict and misunderstanding between France and the United States. All three films raise important questions related to national identity and to audience response. All three also confirm that the romantic comedy set in a picturesque Paris or a quaint rural village is one place where we can still expect to find France on film, whether the film is made in the United States or in France.
Of GMOs, McDomination and Foreign Fat: Contemporary Franco-American Food Fights
Authors: Willging Jennifer
Published: May 2008

This essay examines some recent developments in the food market and in eating habits in France and the anxieties that these developments — blamed by many on the forces of `Americanisation' — appear to be provoking among many French men and women. The specific developments it discusses are (1) the increasing pressure by the American government to force France and the European Union to import genetically modified organisms and hormone-treated beef; (2) the astonishing growth of the fast-food industry in France over the last several years in particular; and (3) the equally astonishing increase over the same period in the obesity rate there, especially among children. This essay argues that the presumed Americanisation of one of the most emphatically and enduringly French aspects of that nation's identity, its cuisine (and perhaps, more importantly, its culinary customs) has proven even more difficult for the French to `swallow' than that of other national domains, such as industry, cinema or even politics. This is so because this particular American `invasion' seems to constitute a penetration not only of national and local borders and public and private spaces, but also, more alarmingly, of individual, biological bodies.
The Alliance Française, Empire and America
Authors: Gosnell Jonathan
Published: May 2008

The Alliance Française was founded more than a century ago and is the largest non-profit-making cultural institution in the world. Its longstanding mission has been to foster global understanding of the French language and to promote increased dialogue between French and other cultures. Since 1902, the Federation of Alliances Françaises USA has facilitated American access to French language and culture. The American Alliance has been marked by the republican and colonial ethos of the late nineteenth-century organisation. A network of Alliance chapters was established within postcolonial Francophone communities in the United States in the early twentieth century. The institution might be thought of, consequently, as helping to preserve a French cultural heritage dating back four hundred years. By giving voice to different constituencies within the French diasporic family, and by creating spaces for cultural exchange, the Alliance has helped to define the contours of New World Francophone identities.
Students With Psychiatric Disabilities in Higher Education Settings
Authors: Kiuhara Sharlene A. , Huefner Dixie S.
Published: May 2008

College students with psychiatric disabilities face multiple challenges. Judicial rulings under the Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) of 1990 have generated outcomes that are sometimes more harmful than helpful. To reduce discrimination against persons with disabilities requires, among other things, a cultural shift in how psychiatric disabilities are viewed. This article examines (a) challenges that students with psychiatric disabilities face on higher education campuses; (b) the definition of disability under the ADA, with a focus on major life activities that may be substantially limited for people with psychiatric disabilities; (c) the implications of judicial rulings under the ADA for students with psychiatric disabilities; and (d) recommendations for accommodating students with psychiatric disabilities in higher education settings.
Integrated Enterprise Concurrent Engineering: A Framework and Implementation
Authors: Tong Wu  , Blackhurst Jennifer , O'Grady Peter
Published: May 2008

Concurrent Engineering (CE) is concerned with improving the product development process by the consideration, during the early stages of product design, of the disparate factors associated with the life cycle of the product. An extensive body of research has emerged in CE focused mainly on the internal operations of an enterprise. However, early participation of suppliers and customers in CE, in what may be termed integrated enterprise CE, is generally considered to be of significant benefit. While integrated enterprise CE may be of considerable advantage, there still remains the need for a methodology for modeling the integrated enterprise CE process, connecting suppliers, manufacturers and customers as a seamless network. Such a methodology for modeling the integrated enterprise CE process will give insights on how to improve the system performance. What is giving added urgency to the need for such a methodology are the recent developments in communications, primarily based on Internet technologies, that readily allow for the linking of information systems between organizations. This paper aims to address this need for a methodology by describing an approach to modeling integrated enterprise CE, called Trans-Nets, that allows for an abstraction of information, removing many of the complexities, while retaining the ability to analyze the more important characteristics of the system. The computer implementation of the Trans-Nets approach, in a system called Trans, is then described. Finally, an industry example is presented to illustrate how Trans-Nets can be applied to integrated enterprise CE.
Challenges for Local Communities and Livelihoods to Seek Sustainable Forest Management in Indonesia
Authors: Takahashi Shimako
Published: May 2008

With the growing potentialities and respect of traditional knowledge for sustainable forest management, community-based forest management (CBFM) has been advocated in the mainstream discussion of forest management and sustaining livelihood of local communities. Forest certification has emerged as an experimental system for new forest governance beyond the state and mechanisms that combine legality with market incentives for producers and retailers. Yet there have been few case studies on its implementation and impact, particularly in developing countries. This article presents a case study of CBFM-certified Indonesian villages and discusses how CBFM has been practiced in the context of the multifaceted challenges of the community, linked with a forest certification scheme under the umbrella of sustainable forest management. Because this was the first village-based forest management case to be granted forest certification in Indonesia, this study's findings provide a model for other communities that seek forest certification and promote sustainable forest management.