bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Precategorical Spatial-Data Metamodel
Authors: Roberts Steven A , Hall G Brent , Calamai Paul H
Published: October 2006

Increasing recognition of the extent and speed of habitat fragmentation and loss, particularly in the urban fringe, is driving the need to analyze qualitatively and quantitatively regional landscape structure for decision support in land-use planning and environmental-policy implementation. The spatial analysis required in this area is not well served by existing spatial-data models. In this paper a new theoretical spatial-data metamodel is introduced as a tool for addressing such needs and a new formalism is presented for spatial-data models on the basis of ideas from mathematical graph theory and category theory. Additionally, this formalism is used to describe a specific spatial-data model useful within the problem domain of decision support for socioecological systems. This model explicitly includes the notion of graph duality.
A neuroinductive biomaterial based on dopamine
Authors: Gao Jin , Kim Yu Mi , Coe Herna , Zern Blaine , Sheppard Barbara , Wang Yadong
Published: October 2006

Chemical messengers such as neurotransmitters play an important role in cell communication, differentiation, and survival. We have designed and synthesized a bioactive biomaterial that derived its biological activity from dopamine. The resultant biodegradable polymer, PCD, has pendent groups bearing dopamine functionalities. Image analysis demonstrated that nerve growth factor-primed rat pheochromocytoma cells (PC12) and explanted rat dorsal root ganglions attached well and displayed substantial neurite outgrowth on the polymer surface. Furthermore, PCD promoted more vigorous neurite outgrowth in PC12 cells than tissue culture polystyrene, laminin, and poly(
d
-lysine). The histogram of neurite length of PC12 cells showed distinctive patterns on PCD that were absent on the controls. A subset of PC12 cells displayed high filopodium density on PCD. The addition of dopamine in culture medium had little effect on the differentiation of PC12 cells on tissue culture polystyrene. Tyrosine, the precursor of dopamine, did not exhibit this ability to impart specific bioactivity to an analogous polymer. Thus, the dopamine functional group is likely the origin of the inductive effect. PCD did not cause nerve degeneration or fibrous encapsulation when implanted immediately adjacent to the rat sciatic nerves. This work is a step toward creating a diverse family of bioactive materials using small chemical messengers as monomers.
Fluorescence correlation spectroscopy shows that monomeric polyglutamine molecules form collapsed structures in aqueous solutions
Authors: Crick Scott L. , Jayaraman Murali , Frieden Carl , Wetzel Ronald , Pappu Rohit V.
Published: October 2006

We have used fluorescence correlation spectroscopy measurements to quantify the hydrodynamic sizes of monomeric polyglutamine as a function of chain length (N) by measuring the scaling of translational diffusion times (τD) for the peptide series (Gly)-(Gln)N-Cys-Lys2in aqueous solution. We find that τDscales withNas τoNνand therefore ln(τD) = ln(τo) + νln(N). The values for ν and ln(τo) are 0.32 ± 0.02 and 3.04 ± 0.08, respectively. Based on these observations, we conclude that water is a polymeric poor solvent for polyglutamine. Previous studies have shown that monomeric polyglutamine is intrinsically disordered. These observations combined with our fluorescence correlation spectroscopy data suggest that the ensemble for monomeric polyglutamine is made up of a heterogeneous collection of collapsed structures. This result is striking because the preference for collapsed structures arises despite the absence of residues deemed to be hydrophobic in the sequence constructs studied. Working under the assumption that the driving forces for collapse are similar to those for aggregation, we discuss the implications of our results for the thermodynamics and kinetics of polyglutamine aggregation, a process that has been implicated in the molecular mechanism of Huntington's disease.
Task-Relevance Modulates the Effects of Peripheral Distractors
Authors: Lichtenstein-Vidne Limor , Henik Avishai , Safadi Ziad
Published: October 2006

The current study investigated whether task-relevant information affects performance differently from how information that is not relevant for the task does when presented peripherally and centrally. In three experiments a target appeared inside the focus of attention, whereas a to-be-ignored distractor appeared either in the periphery (Experiments 1 and 2) or at the centre (Experiment 3) of attention. In each trial the distractor carried both task-relevant and irrelevant information. The results confirmed the “task relevance” hypothesis: Task-irrelevant information affected performance only when it appeared at the centre of attention, whereas task-relevant information affected performance when it appeared inside as well as outside the main focus of attention. The current results do not support suggestions that spatial stimuli (e.g., arrows) draw attention automatically regardless of task relevance.
Working Memory, Strategy Execution, and Strategy Selection in Mental Arithmetic
Authors: Imbo Ineke , Duverne Sandrine , Lemaire Patrick
Published: October 2006

A total of 72 participants estimated products of complex multiplications of two-digit operands (e.g., 63 × 78), using two strategies that differed in complexity. The simple strategy involved rounding both operands down to the closest decades (e.g., 60 × 70), whereas the complex strategy required rounding both operands up to the closest decades (e.g., 70 × 80). Participants accomplished this estimation task in two conditions: a no-load condition and a working-memory load condition in which executive components of working memory were taxed. The choice/no-choice method was used to obtain unbiased strategy execution and strategy selection data. Results showed that loading working-memory resources led participants to poorer strategy execution. Additionally, participants selected the simple strategy more often under working-memory load. We discuss the implications of the results to further our understanding of variations in strategy selection and execution, as well as our understanding of the impact of working-memory load on arithmetic performance and other cognitive domains.
“They” as a gender-unspecified singular pronoun: Eye tracking reveals a processing cost
Authors: Sanford Anthony J. , Filik Ruth
Published: October 2006

The plural pronouns they and them are used to refer to individuals with unknown gender and when a random allocation of gender is undesirable. Despite this apparently felicitous usage, “singular they/them” should raise processing problems under the theory that pronouns seek gender- and number-matched antecedents. Using eye-tracking, we investigated whether there was any processing cost associated with using singular they/them. There was a clear cost of number incompatibility for they/them. Thus, although singular they/them is in current usage, it does not appear that they/them is immediately tolerant of a plural antecedent, though such may be rapidly accommodated. The data are consistent with the search account of pronoun resolution and preserve the semantics of they/them as denoting plurality.
Spatial codes in dendritic BC1 RNA
Authors: Muslimov Ilham A. , Iacoangeli Anna , Brosius Jürgen , Tiedge Henri
Published: October 2006

BC1 RNA is a dendritic untranslated RNA that has been implicated in local translational control mechanisms in neurons. Prerequisite for a functional role of the RNA in synaptodendritic domains is its targeted delivery along the dendritic extent. We report here that the targeting-competent 5′ BC1 domain carries two dendritic targeting codes. One code, specifying somatic export, is located in the medial-basal region of the 5′ BC1 stem-loop structure. It is defined by an export-determinant stem-bulge motif. The second code, specifying long-range dendritic delivery, is located in the apical part of the 5′ stem-loop domain. This element features a GA kink-turn (KT) motif that is indispensable for distal targeting. It specifically interacts with heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein A2, a trans-acting targeting factor that has previously been implicated in the transport of MBP mRNA in oligodendrocytes and neurons. Our work suggests that a BC1 KT motif encodes distal targeting via the A2 pathway and that architectural RNA elements, such as KT motifs, may function as spatial codes in neural cells.
IL-23 stimulates epidermal hyperplasia via TNF and IL-20R2–dependent mechanisms with implications for psoriasis pathogenesis
Authors: Chan Jason R. , Blumenschein Wendy , Murphy Erin , Diveu Caroline , Wiekowski Maria , Abbondanzo Susan , Lucian Linda , Geissler Richard , Brodie Scott , Kimball Alexa B. , Gorman Daniel M. , Smith Kathleen , de Waal Malefyt Rene , Kastelein Robert A. , McClanahan Terrill K. , Bowman Edward P.
Published: October 2006

Aberrant cytokine expression has been proposed as an underlying cause of psoriasis, although it is unclear which cytokines play critical roles. Interleukin (IL)-23 is expressed in human psoriasis and may be a master regulator cytokine. Direct intradermal administration of IL-23 in mouse skin, but not IL-12, initiates a tumor necrosis factor–dependent, but IL-17A–independent, cascade of events resulting in erythema, mixed dermal infiltrate, and epidermal hyperplasia associated with parakeratosis. IL-23 induced IL-19 and IL-24 expression in mouse skin, and both genes were also elevated in human psoriasis. IL-23–dependent epidermal hyperplasia was observed in IL-19−/− and IL-24−/− mice, but was inhibited in IL-20R2−/− mice. These data implicate IL-23 in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and support IL-20R2 as a novel therapeutic target.
Longin‐like folds identified in CHiPS and DUF254 proteins: Vesicle trafficking complexes conserved in eukaryotic evolution
Authors: Kinch Lisa N. , Grishin Nick V.
Published: October 2006

Eukaryotic protein trafficking pathways require specific transfer of cargo vesicles to different target organelles. A number of vesicle trafficking and membrane fusion components participate in this process, including various tethering factor complexes that interact with small GTPases prior to SNARE‐mediated vesicle fusion. In Saccharomyces cerevisiae a protein complex of Mon1 and Ccz1 functions with the small GTPase Ypt7 to mediate vesicle trafficking to the vacuole. Mon1 belongs to DUF254 found in a diverse range of eukaryotic genomes, while Ccz1 includes a CHiPS domain that is also present in a known human protein trafficking disorder gene (HPS‐4). The present work identifies the CHiPS domain and a sequence region from another trafficking disorder gene (HPS‐1) as homologs of an N‐terminal domain from DUF254. This link establishes the evolutionary conservation of a protein complex (HPS‐1/HPS‐4) that functions similarly to Mon1/Ccz1 in vesicle trafficking to lysosome‐related organelles of diverse eukaryotic species. Furthermore, the newly identified DUF254 domain is a distant homolog of the μ‐adaptin longin domain found in clathrin adapter protein (AP) complexes of known structure that function to localize cargo protein to specific organelles. In support of this fold assignment, known longin domains such as the AP complex σ‐adaptin, the synaptobrevin N‐terminal domains sec22 and Ykt6, and the srx domain of the signal recognition particle receptor also regulate vesicle trafficking pathways by mediating SNARE fusion, recognizing specialized compartments, and interacting with small GTPases that resemble Ypt7.
Assessment of blood chemistry normal ranges in rainbow trout
Authors: Manera M. , Britti D.
Published: October 2006

Blood chemistry normal ranges in rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss were assessed using an automated blood analyser. Non‐haemolysed serum from the caudal vessel of 45 clinically healthy, randomly selected fish (standard length, mean ±s.e. = 25·82 ± 0·68 cm; body mass, mean ±s.e. = 240·10 ± 19·40 g) were analysed for the following blood chemistry variables: glucose, urea, creatinine, total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1), alanine aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.2), alkaline phosphatase (EC 3.1.3.1), creatine phosphokinase (EC 2.7.3.2), lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27), gamma‐glutamyl transferase (EC 2.3.2.2), total protein, albumin, triglycerides, cholesterol, Ca, P, Mg, Na, K and Cl. The analytical method performed failed to assess serum gamma‐glutamyl transferase. Descriptive statistics, normality assessment by means of Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Gaussian range (mean ± 1·96σ), Gaussian range after square root and logarithmic transformation, 2·5th–97·5th percentile range were computed for each variable. With regard to data distribution, 12 variables out of 19 (glucose, total bilirubin, aspartate aminotransferase, total protein, albumin, triglycerides, cholesterol, Ca, P, Mg, Na and K) were normally distributed. Irrespective of distribution type, 2·5th–97·5th percentile range appeared to be a reliable method in normal range evaluation. Estimates obtained were compared with previously reported ranges. General agreement was noted with some exceptions (glucose, alkaline phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine phosphokinase, P and K) possibly due to different acclimation (17–22° C) and analytical (37° C) temperature and to methodology (serum v. plasma; caudal vessel withdrawal v. cardiac puncture). The blood automated analyser proved to be a valuable and reliable instrument for the estimation of blood chemistry over normal ranges in rainbow trout, although caution should be taken when comparing estimates obtained using different analytical techniques and acclimation temperatures, using plasma rather than serum or using different withdrawal methods.
Seasonal variation in egg production and batch fecundity of European hake Merluccius merluccius (L.) in the Bay of Biscay
Authors: Murua H. , Lucio P. , Santurtún M. , Motos L.
Published: October 2006

Sexually mature female hake Merluccius merluccius with hydrated ovaries were sampled on a monthly basis in the Bay of Biscay, from May 1996 to October 1997 and from March to April 1998. The batch fecundity was positively related to total length. The relative batch fecundity (FBrel) varied significantly among months and years, but not between areas, i.e. International Council for the Exploration of the Sea Divisions VIIIa and VIIIb within the Bay of Biscay. Two levels of FBrel were found in 1997: the highest between January and April (mean ±s.e. 167 ± 5 eggs g−1) and the lowest from May to October (112 ± 3 eggs g−1). Population condition factor and gonado‐somatic indices (IG) followed the expected trend in relation to the monthly changes in FBrel during 1997. The FBrel variation between years was 9% for 1996–1997 and 28% for 1997–1998, and the difference of the IG was c. 14 and 36%, respectively. Population relative egg production varied from a high value in January to March (985 eggs g−1) to a low egg production between April and October 1997 (445 eggs g−1).
Thermal tolerance of a northern population of striped bass Morone saxatilis
Authors: Cook A. M. , Duston J. , Bradford R. G.
Published: October 2006

Thermal tolerance of age 0+ year Shubenacadie River (Nova Scotia, Canada) striped bass Morone saxatilis juveniles (mean ±s.e. fork length, LF, 19·2 ± 0·2 cm) acclimated in fresh water to six temperatures from 5 to 30° C was measured by both the incipient lethal technique (72 h assay), and the critical thermal method (Cm). The lower incipient lethal temperature ranged from 2·4 to 11·3° C, and the upper incipient lethal temperature (IU) from 24·4 to 33·9° C. The area of thermal tolerance was 618° C2. In a separate experiment, the IU of large age 2+ year fish (34·4 ± 0·5 cm LF) was 1·2 and 0·6° C lower (P < 0·01) than smaller age 1+ year fish (21·8 ± 0·5 cm LF) at acclimation temperatures of 16 and 23° C. Using the Cm, loss of equilibrium occurred at 27·4–37·7° C, loss of righting response at 28·1–38·4° C and onset of spasms at 28·5–38·8° C, depending on acclimation temperature. The linear regression slopes for these three responses were statistically similar (0·41; P > 0·05), but the intercepts differed (25·3, 26·0 and 26·5° C; P < 0·01). The thermal tolerance of this northern population appears to be broader than southern populations.
Anaesthetic effects of clove oil on seven species of tropical reef teleosts
Authors: Cunha F. E. A. , Rosa I. L.
Published: October 2006

The anaesthetic potential of the clove oil was tested on the following species of tropical reef fishes:Abudefduf saxatilis,Stegastes variabilis,Pareques acuminatus,Acanthurus chirurgus,Sparisoma axillare,Lutjanus apodusandBathygobius soporator. Induction and recovery times from anaesthesia were compared using various concentrations (20, 30, 40, 50 and 60 mg l−1). Induction and recovery times were not affected by variations in fish total length. When exposed to any of the five tested concentrations of clove oil, specimens achieved a deep state of anaesthesia, with induction and recovery times of <180 and <300 s, respectively. Nevertheless, to maximize safety and reduce fish mortality and stress, the lowest concentration (20 mg l−1) is recommended during field sampling.
Mutational analyses of WNT7A and HDAC11 as candidate tumour suppressor genes in sporadic malignant pancreatic endocrine tumours
Authors: Lindberg Daniel , Åkerström Göran , Westin Gunnar
Published: October 2006

Objective  We and others have reported loss of heterozygosity (LOH) on chromosome 3p25 in sporadic malignant pancreatic endocrine tumours (PETs). A common region of deletion on chromosome 3p25 contains numerous genes, including VHL and PPARγ, that have been excluded previously as candidate tumour suppressor genes by DNA sequencing analysis. We have analysed whether WNT7A or HDAC11 was biallelically inactivated in a group of well‐characterized PETs.

Patients and design  Ten PETs from eight patients were selected from a previous study, where LOH on chromosome 3p25 was found in 11 out of 22 sporadic PETs. These tumours were examined for inactivating mutations of WNT7A and HDAC11 by direct sequencing of all exons and intron–exon boundaries. Inactivation of WNT7A expression by aberrant CpG island methylation and WNT7A protein expression were evaluated by methylation‐specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and immunohistochemistry, respectively. HDAC11 protein expression was also examined.

Results  No point mutations, deletion or insertions were detected in either WNT7A or HDAC11 in any of the PETs. Two polymorphisms were identified in the third exon of the WNT7A gene. CpG methylation of the WNT7A gene was not detected and the WNT7A and HDAC11 proteins were normally expressed.

Conclusion  The absence of tumour‐specific somatic events in WNT7A and HDAC11 suggests that these genes are unlikely to have a classical tumour suppressor gene role in sporadic malignant PETs. The putative 3p25 tumour suppressor remains to be identified.
Characterization of the protective T‐cell response generated in CD4‐deficient mice by a live attenuated Mycobacterium tuberculosis vaccine
Authors: Derrick Steven C. , Evering Teresa H. , Sambandamurthy Vasan K. , Jalapathy Kripa V. , Hsu Tsungda , Chen Bing , Chen Mei , Russell Robert G. , Junqueira‐Kipnis Ana Paula , Orme Ian M. , Porcelli Steven A. , Jacobs William R. , Morris Sheldon L.
Published: October 2006

The global epidemic of tuberculosis, fuelled by acquired immune‐deficiency syndrome, necessitates the development of a safe and effective vaccine. We have constructed a ΔRD1ΔpanCD mutant of Mycobacterium tuberculosis (mc26030) that undergoes limited replication and is severely attenuated in immunocompromised mice, yet induces significant protection against tuberculosis in wild‐type mice and even in mice that completely lack CD4+ T cells as a result of targeted disruption of their CD4 genes (CD4–/– mice). Ex vivo studies of T cells from mc26030‐immunized mice showed that these immune cells responded to protein antigens of M. tuberculosis in a major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II‐restricted manner. Antibody depletion experiments showed that antituberculosis protective responses in the lung were not diminished by removal of CD8+, T‐cell receptor γδ (TCR‐γδ+) and NK1.1+ T cells from vaccinated CD4–/– mice before challenge, implying that the observed recall and immune effector functions resulting from vaccination of CD4–/– mice with mc26030 were attributable to a population of CD4– CD8– (double‐negative) TCR‐αβ+, TCR‐γδ–, NK1.1– T cells. Transfer of highly enriched double‐negative TCR‐αβ+ T cells from mc26030‐immunized CD4–/– mice into naive CD4–/– mice resulted in significant protection against an aerosol tuberculosis challenge. Enriched pulmonary double‐negative T cells transcribed significantly more interferon‐γ and interleukin‐2 mRNA than double‐negative T cells from naive mice after a tuberculous challenge. These results confirmed previous findings on the potential for a subset of MHC class II‐restricted T cells to develop and function without expression of CD4 and suggest novel vaccination strategies to assist in the control of tuberculosis in human immunodeficiency virus‐infected humans who have chronic depletion of their CD4+ T cells.
Student nurses’ knowledge, skills and attitudes towards the use of portfolios in a school of nursing
Authors: Nairn Stuart , O'Brien Elisabeth , Traynor Victoria , Williams Glenn , Chapple Mary , Johnson Stacy
Published: October 2006

Aims.  The aims of this study are to examine the knowledge, skills and attitudes of student nurses about the value and purpose of portfolios and their relevance for professional development.

Background.  Portfolios have become an integral aspect of student centred learning within nursing. The literature is generally positive about the benefits of portfolios but questions remain about their effective implementation.

Method.  A questionnaire was used to survey student nurses about the use of portfolios as a learning tool. The questionnaire was developed specifically for this study and was structured around a knowledge skills and attitude framework.

Results.  The sample was 413 preregistration student nurses in one school of nursing in the UK across course, year of study and branch of nursing. The main findings reveal that students are unclear but positive about the purpose and use of portfolios. Specifically, academic tutors do not provide sufficient direction in the development of their portfolios. There is also evidence that students found portfolios more useful for exploring the ‘art’ of nursing, rather than the ‘technical’ skills of nursing. Students also reported that they would welcome a dedicated portfolio module.

Conclusion.  Students struggle with what is useful about portfolios and are unsure about its purpose. Nonetheless, they are positive towards portfolios as a learning tool and seem to acknowledge the usefulness of portfolios for professional development.

Relevance to clinical practice.  The importance of portfolios for professional development is now being emphasized but how academic tutors and clinical mentors support their development remains unclear. This study provides understanding about what support students would value.
Integrative treatment in persons with intellectual disability and mental health problems
Authors: Dosen A.
Published: October 2006

Background  Clinical experience has proven thus far that a monodisciplinary treatment approach to behavioural and psychiatric problems in persons with intellectual disability (ID), such as psychotropic medication or behaviour modification programmes, has yielded limited success. It is clear that the complexity of behavioural and psychiatric problems in this population calls for a treatment approach from different perspectives.

Methods  A multidimensional treatment approach to the persons with ID who suffer from behaviour problems and psychiatric disorders is described.

Results  Four dimensions – biological, psychological, social and developmental – are represented as well in an integrative diagnosis as in an integrative treatment, embodied by cooperation of different professionals, such as a psychiatrist, psychologist, pedagogues, social worker, nurse and, where possible, the person’s caretakers. The developmental dimension receives a salient attention of assessors. By introducing the developmental dimension in diagnostics and treatment, the bio‐psycho‐social dimensions are set in a new context, more appropriate for persons with ID.

Conclusion  The integrative treatment should not be primarily directed towards the symptoms of the disorder but towards restoring a person’s mental well‐being. The disorder is combated through treatment of the underlying processes that have led to its onset. Different treatment methods from different perspectives may be applied. Strategy and methodological procedures of an integrative treatment are discussed by way of case presentations.
What symptoms predict the diagnosis of mania in persons with severe/profound intellectual disability in clinical practice?
Authors: Matson J. L. , González M. L. , Terlonge C. , Thorson R. T. , Laud R. B.
Published: October 2006

Background  While researchers have attempted to address the difficulties of diagnosing affective disorders in the intellectually disabled population, diagnosing bipolar disorder in an individual with severe intellectual disability (ID) remains a challenge. The aim of this study was to identify what symptoms can predict a diagnosis of mania in the intellectually disabled population.

Methods  Three groups of persons with ID participated in this study: (1) individuals with a bipolar diagnosis who were currently manic; (2) individuals with an Axis I diagnosis other than bipolar disorder; and (3) individuals without an Axis I diagnosis. Two recognized measures of mania (i.e. Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped‐Revised and Parent Version of Young Mania Rating Scale) were used to evaluate symptoms of mania. A logistical regression procedure was conducted on mania items to identify which items correctly identify persons with ID who were currently manic.

Results  Psychomotor agitation, decreased sleep, changes in mood and aggression were significantly related to the diagnosis of mania. Further, psychomotor agitation and disturbed sleep were significant predictors of a diagnosis of mania.

Conclusions  Problems of sleep and psychomotor agitation should alert clinicians that further assessment of bipolar symptomatology is warranted. Focusing on observable behaviours based on Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorder‐IV criteria can be useful in formulating a diagnosis of bipolar disorder in persons with ID.
Fault slip and Coulomb stress variations around a pressured magma reservoir: consequences on seismicity and magma intrusion
Authors: Gargani J. , Geoffroy L. , Gac S. , Cravoisier S.
Published: October 2006

Pressure variations in a magma reservoir may cause deformation at the surface and a redistribution of the stress in the surrounding rock. In this study, we use two‐dimensional numerical models and elaborate how magma chamber inflation and deflation affect the stress field around and surface displacement. We test how a pre‐existing normal fault near the magma reservoir may influence the pattern of stress. We demonstrate the possibility of initiating both normal and reverse slip on faults during the inflation of the magma reservoir. The Coulomb failure stress changes are calculated during the periods of pressure variation. An increase of Coulomb failure stress can be predicted above and below the magma chamber during increasing magma chamber pressure that may encourage earthquakes. This process can produce cracks and fault growth encouraging magma propagation along the cracked zone. A different distribution of the stress change is expected in the case of subsequent deflation of the overpressured magma reservoir. In this case, seismicity is expected on a plane at equal depth than the magma chamber, laterally offset from the extent of the magma chamber. Magma could propagate laterally from the magma reservoir into zones where cracks have been generated, but only if the resolved shear stress on the fault is small compared with the excess magma pressure.
Lateral popliteal sciatic nerve block: a single injection targeting the tibial branch of the sciatic nerve is as effective as a double‐injection technique
Authors: Arcioni R. , Palmisani S. , Della Rocca M. , Romanò S. , Mercieri M. , De Blasi R. A. , Ronconi P. , Pinto G.
Published: October 2006

Background:  Evidence indicating that single‐ and double‐injection techniques for inducing a sciatic nerve block via a posterior subgluteal approach yield a similar success rate prompted us to investigate whether the two anesthetic techniques yield a similar success rate via a lateral approach. We also hypothesized that, owing to the peculiar anatomic features of the sciatic nerve at the popliteal level, a single injection via the lateral approach might induce effective anesthesia by targeting the tibial nerve only.

Methods:  Ninety‐six patients undergoing popliteal sciatic nerve block via a lateral popliteal approach for foot surgery were randomized to receive a single 30‐ml injection of ropivacaine 7.5 mg/ml to block the tibial nerve (TN group, n= 32) or the common peroneal nerve (CPN group, n= 32), or two separate 15‐ml injections (TN + CPN group, n= 32), after stimulation to evoke motor responses from the target nerves.

Results:  The mean time to obtain a complete sensory blockade (surgical anesthesia) was shorter in the TN group than in the CPN and TN + CPN groups (14 ± 7 min vs. 23 ± 17 and 21 ± 14 min, respectively; P < 0.05). The success rate was similar in the TN and TN + CPN groups (94%) and, 25 min after the initial injection, was already better in these groups than in the CPN group (94% vs. 75%; P < 0.05).

Conclusions:  A lateral popliteal sciatic nerve block obtained with a single 30‐ml injection of ropivacaine 7.5 mg/ml after electrostimulation to locate the tibial nerve is as effective as multiple TN + CPN stimulation and injection, and local anesthesia has a significantly shorter onset time.
Haemangioendothelioma on the conjunctiva of the upper eyelid
Authors: Cho Sang Hyoung , Na Kyoung Sool
Published: October 2006

Abstract

A 62‐year‐old man visited the authors’ clinic complaining of a mass on the palpebral conjunctiva of the right upper eyelid. The 2.0 cm × 1.2 cm sized, red and painless mass underwent incision and biopsy for histopathological examination. The mass was confirmed to be Kaposiform haemangioendothelioma characterized by densely packed spindle cells. These cells were positive to vimentin, CD31 and factor VIII‐related antigen by immunohistochemical stain. The mass was completely resolved by oral steroid therapy and has not recurred through the presentation. Kaposiform haemangioendothelioma generally occurs in infant and adolescent periods and is characterized by rapid progression and invasion to adjacent tissue. Herein, an unusual case of Kaposiform haemangioendothelioma affecting the conjunctiva of the upper eyelid on a middle‐aged man is reported.
Multiple identifications and the dialogical self: urban Maori youngsters and the cultural renaissance
Authors: Van Meijl Toon
Published: October 2006

The renaissance of Maori culture and tradition has played a significant role in the political campaigns of New Zealand's indigenous population over the past few decades. At the same time, however, it has brought to light that many Maori youngsters are unable to construct a cultural identity in terms of the discourses of culture and tradition that dominate the political arena. This article analyses the experience of urban Maori youngsters in ceremonial settings (marae) by examining the question of how they mediate different representations of their cultural identity within the self. It demonstrates that many young Maori people are engaged in a psychological dialogue between, on the one hand, the classic model for a Maori identity that prescribes them to embrace traditional culture and, on the other hand, their personal identification as outcasts in daily practices of New Zealand society.
Making War on Terror? Global Lessons from Northern Ireland
Authors: Campbell Colm , Connolly Ita
Published: October 2006

In place of the simple modelling employed in anti‐terrorist legal discourse, this article posits an interactive model of the relationship between the state and violent political actors, exploring law's role in both the repression and mobilisation of challengers. Drawing on social movement theory, it hypothesises a process of ‘legally implicated mobilisation’ which takes account both of law's presence and its partial absence in ‘legal grey zones’ during violent conflict, and it suggests how law may impact upon key elements of the mobilisation process. The hypothesis is applied to qualitative data from Northern Ireland on violent challengers. The data point to the importance of ‘messaging’ about law in the state of exception, supporting claims that law can have a ‘damping’ effect on violent conflict. The relationship between repression and violence is partly symbiotic, and in the global ‘war on terror,’ prisoner‐abuse may have a mobilising effect on violent challengers.
Visual P300s in Long‐Term Abstinent Chronic Alcoholics
Authors: Fein George , Chang Maria
Published: October 2006

Background: Evidence of reduced P3b amplitudes in chronic alcoholics and individuals at risk for developing alcoholism suggest that the P3b may be an endophenotypic marker for alcoholism. If this is the case, then long‐term abstinent alcoholics (LTAAs) should exhibit reduced P3b amplitudes. Thus far, P3b studies on chronic alcoholics have focused primarily on samples with relatively short‐term abstinence (less than 15 months). This study examines the amplitude and latency of the P3b and P3a event‐related brain electrical components in LTAAs compared with normal controls (NCs) and whether these measures are related to alcohol use and other subject variables.

Methods: Electroencephalographs (EEGs) were recorded on 48 LTAAs (mean abstinence=6.7 years) compared with 48 age‐matched and gender‐matched NCs during a visual P300 experiment consisting of standard, target, and rare nontarget conditions. This paradigm elicited the P3b (target condition) and the P3a (rare nontarget condition) components.

Results: Long‐term abstinent alcoholics had reduced P3b amplitudes and increased P3b latencies in comparison with NCs. Long‐term abstinent alcoholics also exhibited delayed P3a components, but no P3a amplitude reductions. Alcohol use variables, a family history of alcohol problems, and the duration of alcohol abstinence were not associated with any amplitude or latency variables.

Conclusions: Even after very prolonged abstinence, reduced P3b amplitudes are present in chronic alcoholics and are not associated with any family history or alcohol use variables. These results provide equivocal support for reduced P3b amplitude being an endophenotypic marker for alcoholism, but are also consistent with P3b being affected by a threshold of alcohol abuse, with the effect not resolving over long periods of abstinence.
Development of an Alcohol Deprivation and Escalation Effect in C57BL/6J Mice
Authors: Melendez Roberto I. , Middaugh Lawrence D. , Kalivas Peter W.
Published: October 2006

Background: Relapse‐like drinking has been studied through the expression of the alcohol deprivation effect (ADE), which is measured by a pronounced increase in ethanol preference and consumption after imposed abstinence. No studies have characterized the ADE in C57BL/6J (B6) mice. The present study examined the effects of length and number of deprivations on the expression of the ADE in B6 mice.

Methods: Adult male B6 mice received 24‐hour continuous access to ethanol and water for 6 weeks (baseline). Experiment 1 determined the ADE in mice receiving weekly access to 15% ethanol (i.e., exposed 1 day a week and deprived during the other 6 days) for a total of 10 weeks. Experiments 2 and 3 determined the ADE after a single 2‐week deprivation period in mice receiving a single concentration of 15% ethanol or multiple concentrations of 7.5, 15, and 30% ethanol, respectively, followed by weekly access to their respective ethanol solutions for 10 weeks. Experiment 4 determined the ADE after a single 2‐week deprivation period, followed by daily access to 15% ethanol. Mice never deprived of ethanol (i.e., continuous access) were used as age‐matched drinking controls.

Results: The ADE was observed after the initial 6‐day deprivation period and was profoundly enhanced (i.e., escalation of the ADE) following weekly reexposure to 15% ethanol. Compared with a single concentration of 15% ethanol, concurrent access to multiple ethanol concentrations resulted in a near 2‐fold increase in baseline ethanol consumption. Regardless of having access to single or multiple concentrations of ethanol, the ADE was not observed immediately after a 2‐week deprivation period. The ADE was observed (although to a lesser magnitude and duration) following weekly reexposure to single or multiple concentrations of ethanol. Alternatively, following a 2‐week deprivation period, mice receiving daily access to 15% ethanol showed a significant decrease in ethanol intake and preference (i.e., negative ADE).

Conclusions: Short‐term deprivations followed by repeated intermittent (weekly) reexposure to ethanol produces a robust ADE in B6 mice. Increasing the initial deprivation length to 2 weeks produces various opposing effects, including erasure of an initial ADE, diminished expression and magnitude of the ADE following weekly exposure, and complete reversal of the ADE following daily exposure to ethanol.
Leishmania infection in a 51‐year‐old woman with sarcoidosis
Authors: CHIANURA LEONARDO , CIRASINO LORENZO
Published: October 2006

Patients with sarcoidosis are at risk of opportunistic infections both from the sarcoidosis itself and from steroid therapy. Steroid therapy by reducing cell‐mediated immunity increases the risk of infection with intracellular organisms. We present a case of Leishmania infection in a 51‐year‐old Italian woman receiving prednisone for sarcoidosis. The patient lives in Liguria, a region in the northwest of Italy that is considered highly endemic for leishmaniasis. We would postulate that even though leishmaniasis is seen relatively infrequently in connection with sarcoidosis, the occurrence of this opportunistic infection is possible in patients living in areas endemic for such protozoa.
Dynamics of gut colonization and source of intestinal flora in healthy newborn infants
Authors: TAPIAINEN TERHI , YLITALO SAMULI , EEROLA ERKKI , UHARI MATTI
Published: October 2006

The aim of the study was to evaluate the dynamics of gut colonization and the main source of intestinal bacterial flora in infancy in a quantitative manner using computerized analysis of bacterial cellular fatty acid (CFA) profiles. Each stool was collected from 10 healthy newborn infants during their first 2–7 days of life and a follow‐up sample at 6 months of age. Stool samples were collected from mothers and nurses for comparison. Gas‐liquid chromatography of the 159 stool samples was used to produce bacterial cellular fatty acid (CFA) profiles by means of a previously developed computerized program. The CFA profiles for the infants fluctuated from hour to hour during the first days of life and resembled those for both the mothers and the nurses, doing so all the more in the case of the five infants examined 6 months after birth. Gut colonization fluctuated markedly from hour to hour in the perinatal period. The effect of the maternal flora on the initial gut colonization may be less than expected as the fecal flora of infants started to resemble both the fecal flora of the mother as well as that of the first nurse.
Enhancement of cell migration by corticotropin‐releasing hormone through ERK1/2 pathway in murine melanoma cell line, B16F10
Authors: Yang Yoolhee , Park Hyunjeong , Yang Young , Kim Tae Sung , Bang Sa Ik , Cho Daeho
Published: October 2006

Abstract:  Melanoma is a malignant skin cancer that displays a high rate of tumor cell migration and metastasis. This study examined how corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) affects the migration of melanoma cells in order to further understand the relationship between stress and tumor cell migration. The migration assay data showed that CRH treatment increased the level of B16F10 cell migration in a dose‐ and time‐dependent manner. To determine whether the extracellular signal‐regulated protein kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathway is involved in the upregulation of melanoma migration, cells were pretreated with an inhibitor of ERK1/2 (PD098059). The pretreatment of PD098059 blocked the increase in cell migration. Furthermore, CRH induced the phosphorylation of ERK1/2. The maximum activation of ERK1/2 by CRH was observed at 15 min. Taken together, these results suggest that CRH is an important mediator that regulates the migration of melanoma cells in the skin during stress through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway.
Characterization of wheat puroindoline proteins
Authors: Day Li , Bhandari Dhan G. , Greenwell Philip , Leonard Steven A. , Schofield J. David
Published: October 2006

Puroindoline proteins were purified from selected UK‐grown hexaploid wheats. Their identities were confirmed on the basis of capillary electrophoresis mobilities, relative molecular mass and N‐terminal amino acid sequencing. Only one form of puroindoline‐a protein was found in those varieties, regardless of endosperm texture. Three allelic forms of puroindoline‐b protein were identified. Nucleotide sequencing of cDNA produced by RT‐PCR of isolated mRNA indicated that these were the ‘wild‐type’, found in soft wheats, puroindoline‐b containing a Gly→Ser amino acid substitution (position 46) and puroindoline‐b containing a Trp→Arg substitution (position 44). The latter two were found in hard wheats. Microheterogeneity, due to short extensions and/or truncations at the N‐terminus and C‐terminus, was detected for both puroindoline‐a and puroindoline‐b. The type of microheterogeneity observed was more consistent for puroindoline‐a than for puroindoline‐b, and may arise through slightly different post‐translational processing pathways. A puroindoline‐b allele corresponding to a Leu→Pro substitution (position 60) was identified from the cDNA sequence of the hard variety Chablis, but no mature puroindoline‐b protein was found in this or two other European varieties known to possess this puroindoline‐b allele. Wheats possessing the puroindoline‐b proteins with point mutations appeared to contain lower amounts of puroindoline protein. Such wheats have a hard endosperm texture, as do wheats from which puroindoline‐a or puroindoline‐b are absent. Our results suggest that point mutations in puroindoline‐b genes may confer hard endosperm texture through accumulation of allelic forms of puroindoline‐b proteins with altered functional properties and/or through lower amounts of puroindoline proteins.
Design of expression vectors for RNA interference based on miRNAs and RNA splicing
Authors: Du Guangwei , Yonekubo Joshua , Zeng Yue , Osisami Mary , Frohman Michael A.
Published: October 2006

RNA interference (RNAi) mediates sequence‐specific post‐transcriptional gene silencing in many eukaryotes and is used for reverse genetic studies and therapeutics. RNAi is triggered by double‐stranded small interfering RNAs (siRNAs), which can be processed from small hairpin RNAs generated from an expression vector. In some recently described vectors, the siRNAs are expressed from synthetic stem‐loop precursors of microRNAs (miRNAs) driven by polymerase II promoters. We have designed new RNAi vectors, designated pSM155 and pSM30, that take into consideration miRNA processing and RNA splicing by placing the miRNA‐based artificial miRNA expression cassettes inside of synthetic introns. Like the original miRNA vectors, we show that the pSM155 and pSM30 constructs efficiently down‐regulate expression of firefly luciferase and an endogenous gene, phospholipase D2. Moreover, the expression of a coexpressed fluorescent marker is substantially improved by this new design. Another improvement of these new vectors is incorporation of two inverted BsmBI sites placed internal to the arms of the new miRNA‐based vectors, so oligos used for cloning are shorter and the cost is reduced. These RNAi vectors thus provide new tools for gene suppression.
The Effect of Combined Administration of Ethanol and Gabapentin on Rabbit Electroencephalographic Activity
Authors: Pietrzak Bogusława , Czarnecka Elżbieta
Published: October 2006

Abstract:The central effect of ethanol is mainly connected with the effect on GABAergic, glutamatergic, serotonergic and opioid transmission. The mechanism of gabapentin effect suggests that it may alleviate the rewarding effect of ethanol, which may be used in the treatment of addiction. We decided to examine the interaction of ethanol with gabapentin by a pharmaco‐electroencephalographic (EEG) method. The influence of gabapentin on the effect of ethanol on EEG of rabbits (midbrain reticular formation, hippocampus, frontal cortex) was tested. Gabapentin was administered at a single dose (25 and 100 mg/kg orally) or repeatedly twice a day at a total dose of 25 mg/kg for 14 days. Ethanol was injected at a dose of 0.8 g/kg 60 min. after gabapentin treatment. Ethanol caused an increase in the slow frequencies (0.5–4 Hz) in the recording, as well as a marked decrease of the fastest frequencies (13–30 and 30–45 Hz). Gabapentin lead to changes in rabbit EEG recording suggesting an depressant effect on the CNS (increase of slow and decrease of fast frequencies). The effects were less pronounced after repeated doses, which may indicate adaptative changes in the receptors. Gabapentin administered both in a single dose and for 7 days markedly enhanced the effect of ethanol on EEG recordings in rabbits. Repeated doses of gabapentin decrease the sensitivity of the hippocampus to the effect of ethanol.
Neuropharmacological Analysis of Caffeic Acid in Rats
Authors: Pereira Patrícia , De Oliveira Paulo Alexandre , Ardenghi Patrícia , Rotta Liane , Henriques João Antonio Pêgas , Picada Jaqueline Nascimento
Published: October 2006

Abstract: The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of intraperitoneal administration of caffeic acid (0.5, 1, 2, 4 or 8 mg/kg) on elevated plus‐maze and open field tasks in rats and its possible neuroprotection/neurotoxicity using the comet assay. Caffeic acid at 1 mg/kg increased the number of entries and the time spent in the open arms on plus‐maze, suggesting an anxiolytic‐like effect when used in lower doses without affecting locomotion and exploration on the open field. Furthermore, a protective effect against hydrogen peroxide‐induced oxidative damage on brain tissue was observed through the treatment with caffeic acid at 1 and 8 mg/kg. However, in the highest dose, caffeic acid induced DNA damage in brain tissue.
Effect of the Food Flavour Cinnamaldehyde on the Antioxidant Status of Rat Kidney
Authors: Gowder Sivakumar J. T. , Devaraj H.
Published: October 2006

Abstract: Cinnamaldehyde, a food flavour, has a high potential for human consumption in India. In this study, we evaluated the effect of cinnamaldehyde on the antioxidant status of the rat kidney. Rats were given cinnamaldehyde orally by gavage at dose levels of 2.14, 6.96, 22.62 and 73.5 mg/kg body weight/day for the period of 10, 30 and 90 days. The non‐enzymatic antioxidants ascorbic acid, α‐tocopherol and reduced glutathione were decreased while the antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione‐s‐transferase were increased. Catalase was decreased and thiobarbituric acid‐reactive substances were increased only in the kidney of rats treated with cinnamaldehyde at the dose level of 73.5 mg/kg body weight/day during an exposure period of 90 days and not in the kidney of other cinnamaldehyde‐treated rat groups. Thus, cinnamaldehyde has an effect on the antioxidant status of rat kidney and its effect is time‐ and dose‐dependent.