bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Between Strangeness and Familiarity: Towards Gadamer's Conception of Effective History
Authors: Gander Hans-Helmuth
Published: November 2004

This essay seeks to examine the relation between selfhood and history through Gadamer's conception of hermeneutical experience, one of the cornerstones of his theory of effective history in

Truth and Method

. By setting Gadamer's project into relation with those of Heidegger and Hegel, my primary focus is to demonstrate how effective history, in its emphasis upon the finite, the partial, and the fragmented, actually turns these seeming deficiencies into advantages for human self-understanding in the current theoretical climate of plurality and diversity. I argue that the dialectical model of the relationship between self and tradition given by Gadamer serves to reveal our human limitations, and thereby allows us a space in which self-determination can be carried out through an effective-historical consciousness that avoids the pitfalls of subject-centered, all-encompassing, unified theories of history, on the one hand, and scientifically unselfconscious, ahistorical approaches to selfhood, on the other. The essay closes with an application of effective-historical consciousness to the tradition of post-holocaust German theater, where hermeneutical experience functions to provide resources for Jewish self-determination through the same tradition that had formerly excluded them.
Ethicality in Negotiation: An Analysis of Attitudes, Intentions, and Outcomes
Authors: Volkema Roger , Hofmeister-Toth Agnes , Fleck Denise
Published: November 2004

The study reported in this article examines the prediction and use of invalid information (e.g., exaggerated offers, false promises, misrepresented facts) in a two-party, property leasing negotiation in which participants from different countries negotiated seven issues via electronic mail. Prior to negotiating, attitudes and intentions towards questionable or unethical tactics were measured, and perceived behavior was measured through a post-negotiation questionnaire and compared with actual behavior and negotiated outcomes (differential and joint). The results suggest that the pre-negotiation questionnaire was a modest predictor of actual behavior, with general attitudes effective in predicting general behavior. Ethical behavior of the negotiator, ethical behavior of the other party, and perceived honesty of the other party were the best predictors of performance (perceived and actual), while likely use of unethical tactics and perceived honesty of the other party predicted whether or not an agreement was reached.
The Effect of Dutch and German Culture on Negotiation Strategy: An Exploratory Study to Compare Innovation and Operations Contexts
Authors: Ulijn Jan , Wynstra Finn , Lincke Andreas
Published: November 2004

Different business settings may induce different types of negotiation behavior. More specifically, clearly defined problems in an operations management (OM) setting may lead to different negotiation behavior than more diffuse innovation management (IM) problems. In addition, negotiators from different national cultures may react differently to such variations in business settings. This article addresses these issues through a set of experiments. The specific goal of our study is to understand whether there is a difference between German and Dutch negotiators regarding their negotiation behavior in IM and OM settings. To analyze possible cross-cultural differences, negotiations that took place in a German monocultural setting and those which occurred in a Dutch monocultural setting are compared. Two hypotheses were tested: • German negotiators are more cooperative in the OM context than in the IM context. • Dutch negotiators are more cooperative in the IM context than in the OM context. Both hypotheses were confirmed by using speech act analysis and personal pronoun analysis in a 2 × 2 experimental design. Dutch negotiators had difficulties adopting a cooperative attitude and building empathy in an OM context, whereas German negotiators encountered these problems in the IM setting.
Models of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
Authors: Groneberg David A , Chung K Fan
Published: November 2004

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major global health problem and is predicted to become the third most common cause of death by 2020. Apart from the important preventive steps of smoking cessation, there are no other specific treatments for COPD that are as effective in reversing the condition, and therefore there is a need to understand the pathophysiological mechanisms that could lead to new therapeutic strategies. The development of experimental models will help to dissect these mechanisms at the cellular and molecular level. COPD is a disease characterized by progressive airflow obstruction of the peripheral airways, associated with lung inflammation, emphysema and mucus hypersecretion. Different approaches to mimic COPD have been developed but are limited in comparison to models of allergic asthma. COPD models usually do not mimic the major features of human COPD and are commonly based on the induction of COPD-like lesions in the lungs and airways using noxious inhalants such as tobacco smoke, nitrogen dioxide, or sulfur dioxide. Depending on the duration and intensity of exposure, these noxious stimuli induce signs of chronic inflammation and airway remodelling. Emphysema can be achieved by combining such exposure with instillation of tissue-degrading enzymes. Other approaches are based on genetically-targeted mice which develop COPD-like lesions with emphysema, and such mice provide deep insights into pathophysiological mechanisms. Future approaches should aim to mimic irreversible airflow obstruction, associated with cough and sputum production, with the possibility of inducing exacerbations.
Snoring in primary school children and domestic environment: A Perth school based study
Authors: Zhang Guicheng , Spickett Jeffery , Rumchev Krassi , Lee Andy H , Stick Stephen
Published: November 2004

Background

The home is the predominant environment for exposure to many environmental irritants such as air pollutants and allergens. Exposure to common indoor irritants including volatile organic compounds, formaldehyde and nitrogen dioxide, may increase the risk of snoring for children. The aim of this study was to investigate domestic environmental factors associated with snoring in children.

Methods

A school-based respiratory survey was administered during March and April of 2002. Nine hundred and ninety six children from four primary schools within the Perth metropolitan area were recruited for the study. A sub-group of 88 children aged 4–6 years were further selected from this sample for domestic air pollutant assessment.

Results

The prevalences of infrequent snoring and habitual snoring in primary school children were 24.9% and 15.2% respectively. Passive smoking was found to be a significant risk factor for habitual snoring (odds ratio (OR) = 1.77; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.20–2.61), while having pets at home appeared to be protective against habitual snoring (OR = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.37–0.92). Domestic pollutant assessments showed that the prevalence of snoring was significantly associated with exposure to nitrogen dioxide during winter. Relative to the low exposure category (<30 μg/m3), the adjusted ORs of snoring by children with medium (30 – 60 μg/m3) and high exposures (> 60 μg/m3) to NO2 were 2.5 (95% CI: 0.7–8.7) and 4.5 (95% CI: 1.4–14.3) respectively. The corresponding linear dose-response trend was also significant (P = 0.011).

Conclusion

Snoring is common in primary school children. Domestic environments may play a significant role in the increased prevalence of snoring. Exposure to nitrogen dioxide in domestic environment is associated with snoring in children.
Oligo kernels for datamining on biological sequences: a case study on prokaryotic translation initiation sites
Authors: Meinicke Peter , Tech Maike , Morgenstern Burkhard , Merkl Rainer
Published: November 2004

Background

Kernel-based learning algorithms are among the most advanced machine learning methods and have been successfully applied to a variety of sequence classification tasks within the field of bioinformatics. Conventional kernels utilized so far do not provide an easy interpretation of the learnt representations in terms of positional and compositional variability of the underlying biological signals.

Results

We propose a kernel-based approach to datamining on biological sequences. With our method it is possible to model and analyze positional variability of oligomers of any length in a natural way. On one hand this is achieved by mapping the sequences to an intuitive but high-dimensional feature space, well-suited for interpretation of the learnt models. On the other hand, by means of the kernel trick we can provide a general learning algorithm for that high-dimensional representation because all required statistics can be computed without performing an explicit feature space mapping of the sequences. By introducing a kernel parameter that controls the degree of position-dependency, our feature space representation can be tailored to the characteristics of the biological problem at hand. A regularized learning scheme enables application even to biological problems for which only small sets of example sequences are available. Our approach includes a visualization method for transparent representation of characteristic sequence features. Thereby importance of features can be measured in terms of discriminative strength with respect to classification of the underlying sequences. To demonstrate and validate our concept on a biochemically well-defined case, we analyze E. coli translation initiation sites in order to show that we can find biologically relevant signals. For that case, our results clearly show that the Shine-Dalgarno sequence is the most important signal upstream a start codon. The variability in position and composition we found for that signal is in accordance with previous biological knowledge. We also find evidence for signals downstream of the start codon, previously introduced as transcriptional enhancers. These signals are mainly characterized by occurrences of adenine in a region of about 4 nucleotides next to the start codon.

Conclusions

We showed that the oligo kernel can provide a valuable tool for the analysis of relevant signals in biological sequences. In the case of translation initiation sites we could clearly deduce the most discriminative motifs and their positional variation from example sequences. Attractive features of our approach are its flexibility with respect to oligomer length and position conservation. By means of these two parameters oligo kernels can easily be adapted to different biological problems.
Discovery of mammalian genes that participate in virus infection
Authors: Organ Edward L , Sheng Jinsong , Ruley H Earl , Rubin Donald H
Published: November 2004

Background

Viruses are obligate intracellular parasites that rely upon the host cell for different steps in their life cycles. The characterization of cellular genes required for virus infection and/or cell killing will be essential for understanding viral life cycles, and may provide cellular targets for new antiviral therapies.

Results

Candidate genes required for lytic reovirus infection were identified by tagged sequence mutagenesis, a process that permits rapid identification of genes disrupted by gene entrapment. One hundred fifty-one reovirus resistant clones were selected from cell libraries containing 2 × 105 independently disrupted genes, of which 111 contained mutations in previously characterized genes and functionally anonymous transcription units. Collectively, the genes associated with reovirus resistance differed from genes targeted by random gene entrapment in that known mutational hot spots were under represented, and a number of mutations appeared to cluster around specific cellular processes, including: IGF-II expression/signalling, vesicular transport/cytoskeletal trafficking and apoptosis. Notably, several of the genes have been directly implicated in the replication of reovirus and other viruses at different steps in the viral lifecycle.

Conclusions

Tagged sequence mutagenesis provides a rapid, genome-wide strategy to identify candidate cellular genes required for virus infection. The candidate genes provide a starting point for mechanistic studies of cellular processes that participate in the virus lifecycle and may provide targets for novel anti-viral therapies.
A systematic review of the effectiveness of antimicrobial rinse-free hand sanitizers for prevention of illness-related absenteeism in elementary school children
Authors: Meadows Emily , Le Saux Nicole
Published: November 2004

Background

Absenteeism due to communicable illness is a major problem encountered by North American elementary school children. Although handwashing is a proven infection control measure, barriers exist in the school environment, which hinder compliance to this routine. Currently, alternative hand hygiene techniques are being considered, and one such technique is the use of antimicrobial rinse-free hand sanitizers.

Methods

A systematic review was conducted to examine the effectiveness of antimicrobial rinse-free hand sanitizer interventions in the elementary school setting. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Biological Abstract, CINAHL, HealthSTAR and Cochrane Controlled Trials Register were searched for both randomized and non-randomized controlled trials. Absenteeism due to communicable illness was the primary outcome variable.

Results

Six eligible studies, two of which were randomized, were identified (5 published studies, 1 published abstract). The quality of reporting was low. Due to a large amount of heterogeneity and low quality of reporting, no pooled estimates were calculated. There was a significant difference reported in favor of the intervention in all 5 published studies.

Conclusions

The available evidence for the effectiveness of antimicrobial rinse-free hand sanitizer in the school environment is of low quality. The results suggest that the strength of the benefit should be interpreted with caution. Given the potential to reduce student absenteeism, teacher absenteeism, school operating costs, healthcare costs and parental absenteeism, a well-designed and analyzed trial is needed to optimize this hand hygiene technique.
Validating the Time and Change test to screen for dementia in elderly Koreans
Authors: Rhee Jung-Ae , Chung Eun-Kyung , Shin Min-Ho
Published: November 2004

Background

We assessed the applicability of the T&C test as an accurate and convenient means to screen for dementia in primary care and community settings.

Methods

The study group comprised 59 patients and 405 community participants, all of who were aged 65 years and over. The time component of the T&C test evaluated the ability of a subject to comprehend clock hands that indicated a time of 11:10, while the change component of the T&C test evaluated the ability of a subject to make 1,000 Won from a group of coins with smaller denominations (one 500, seven 100, and seven 50 Won coins).

Results

The T&C test had a sensitivity and specificity of 73.0 and 90.9%, respectively, and positive and negative predictive values of 93.1, and 66.7%, respectively. The test-retest and interobserver agreement rates were both 95% (κ = 0.91) (time interval, 24 hours). The association between the T&C test and K-MMSE test was modest, while significant (r = 0.422, p < 0.001). The T&C test scores were not influenced by educational status.

Conclusions

We conclude that the T&C test is useful as supplemental testing of important domains (e.g., calculation, conceptualization, visuospatial) to traditional measures such as the MMSE. However, because T&C test is simple, rapid, and easy to use, it can be applied conveniently to elderly subjects by non-specialist personnel who receive training.
Recruiting pregnant smokers for a placebo-randomised controlled trial of nicotine replacement therapy
Authors: Coleman Tim , Antoniak Marilyn , Britton John , Thornton Jim , Lewis Sarah , Watts Kim
Published: November 2004

Background

Smoking in pregnancy is a public health problem and effective methods for reducing this are required. Although nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) is effective for smoking cessation in non-pregnant people, there is no direct evidence concerning its effectiveness in pregnancy. Despite this, clinical guidelines recommend the cautious use of NRT during pregnancy. Randomised controlled trials are needed to determine the safety and efficacy of NRT when used by pregnant women for smoking cessation, but the feasibility of recruiting women to such trials is unknown. Consequently, in this study we aimed to determine i) the feasibility of recruiting women to a RCT of NRT in pregnancy as they attend hospital antenatal ultrasound examinations, ii) the proportion of such women who are eligible for and interested in trial enrolment and iii) research staff perceptions of how one method of trial recruitment could be improved.

Methods

During a one month period, all women attending for antenatal ultrasound examination in an English teaching hospital were asked to complete a questionnaire which determined their eligibility to enrol in a proposed placebo controlled randomised trial investigating the effectiveness of NRT in pregnancy. Women who were eligible to participate were asked whether they would do so and those who accepted enrolment were offered an appointment with a smoking cessation advisor.

Results

Over 99% (851/858) of women agreed to complete a questionnaire about smoking habits whilst waiting for ultrasound examinations. 10.3% (88/851) of women attending for antenatal ultrasound fitted eligibility criteria for a proposed RCT of NRT in pregnancy, but only 3.6% [(31/851), 95% CI, 2.4 to 4.9%] indicated on the questionnaire that they would like to take part in a study involving randomisation to placebo or active patches. Researchers offered trial enrolment to 26 of these 31 women and 96% (25) accepted. Staff recruiting women believed that trial recruitment would be maximised if women attending the ultrasound department knew about trial recruitment before attending and greater staff resources were made available for this. It was also perceived that women generally under-reported the amount they smoked on questionnaires completed whilst waiting in ultrasound department areas.

Conclusions

It is feasible to recruit women for a trial of NRT in pregnancy as they wait for antenatal ultrasound examinations. Using similar recruitment methods, researchers can expect to recruit between 24 and 49 women per 1000 approached.
A two-layered mechanical model of the rat esophagus. Experiment and theory
Authors: Fan Yanhua , Gregersen Hans , Kassab Ghassan S
Published: November 2004

Background

The function of esophagus is to move food by peristaltic motion which is the result of the interaction of the tissue forces in the esophageal wall and the hydrodynamic forces in the food bolus. The structure of the esophagus is layered. In this paper, the esophagus is treated as a two-layered structure consisting of an inner collagen-rich submucosa layer and an outer muscle layer. We developed a model and experimental setup for determination of elastic moduli in the two layers in circumferential direction and related the measured elastic modulus of the intact esophagus to the elastic modulus computed from the elastic moduli of the two layers.

Methods

Inflation experiments were done at in vivo length and pressure-diameters relations were recorded for the rat esophagus. Furthermore, the zero-stress state was taken into consideration.

Results

The radius and the strain increased as function of pressure in the intact as well as in the individual layers of the esophagus. At pressures higher than 1.5 cmH2O the muscle layer had a larger radius and strain than the mucosa-submucosa layer. The strain for the intact esophagus and for the muscle layer was negative at low pressures indicating the presence of residual strains in the tissue. The stress-strain curve for the submucosa-mucosa layer was shifted to the left of the curves for the muscle layer and for the intact esophagus at strains higher than 0.3. The tangent modulus was highest in the submucosa-mucosa layer, indicating that the submucosa-mucosa has the highest stiffness. A good agreement was found between the measured elastic modulus of the intact esophagus and the elastic modulus computed from the elastic moduli of the two separated layers.
Mercury exposure, malaria, and serum antinuclear/antinucleolar antibodies in amazon populations in Brazil: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Silva Ines A , Nyland Jennifer F , Gorman Andrew , Perisse Andre , Ventura Ana Maria , Santos Elizabeth CO , de Souza Jose M , Burek CL , Rose Noel R , Silbergeld Ellen K
Published: November 2004

Background

Mercury is an immunotoxic metal that induces autoimmune disease in rodents. Highly susceptible mouse strains such as SJL/N, A.SW, B10.S (H-2s) develop multiple autoimmune manifestations after exposure to inorganic mercury, including lymphoproliferation, elevated levels of autoantibodies, overproduction of IgG and IgE, and circulating immune complexes in kidney and vasculature. A few studies have examined relationships between mercury exposures and adverse immunological reactions in humans, but there is little evidence of mercury-associated autoimmunity in humans.

Methods

To test the immunotoxic effects of mercury in humans, we studied communities in Amazonian Brazil with well-characterized exposures to mercury. Information was collected on diet, mercury exposures, demographic data, and medical history. Antinuclear and antinucleolar autoantibodies (ANA and ANoA) were measured by indirect immunofluorescence. Anti-fibrillarin autoantibodies (AFA) were measured by immunoblotting.

Results

In a gold mining site, there was a high prevalence of ANA and ANoA: 40.8% with detectable ANoA at ≥1:10 serum dilution, and 54.1% with detectable ANA (of which 15% had also detectable ANoA). In a riverine town, where the population is exposed to methylmercury by fish consumption, both prevalence and levels of autoantibodies were lower: 18% with detectable ANoA and 10.7% with detectable ANA. In a reference site with lower mercury exposures, both prevalence and levels of autoantibodies were much lower: only 2.0% detectable ANoA, and only 7.1% with detectable ANA. In the gold mining population, we also examined serum for AFA in those subjects with detectable ANoA (≥1:10). There was no evidence for mercury induction of this autoantibody.

Conclusions

This is the first study to report immunologic changes, indicative of autoimmune dysfunction in persons exposed to mercury, which may also reflect interactions with infectious disease and other factors.
Influence of oxygen tension on myocardial performance. Evaluation by tissue Doppler imaging
Authors: Frøbert Ole , Moesgaard Jacob , Toft Egon , Poulsen Steen Hvitfeldt , Søgaard Peter
Published: November 2004

Background

Low O2 tension dilates coronary arteries and high O2 tension is a coronary vasoconstrictor but reports on O2-dependent effects on ventricular performance diverge. Yet oxygen supplementation remains first line treatment in cardiovascular disease. We hypothesized that hypoxia improves and hyperoxia worsens myocardial performance.

Methods

Seven male volunteers (mean age 38 ± 3 years) were examined with echocardiography at respiratory equilibrium during: 1) normoxia (≈21% O2, 79% N2), 2) while inhaling a hypoxic gas mixture (≈11% O2, 89% N2), and 3) while inhaling 100% O2. Tissue Doppler recordings were acquired in the apical 4-chamber, 2-chamber, and long-axis views. Strain rate and tissue tracking displacement analyses were carried out in each segment of the 16-segment left ventricular model and in the basal, middle and apical portions of the right ventricle.

Results

Heart rate increased with hypoxia (68 ± 4 bpm at normoxia vs. 79 ± 5 bpm, P < 0.001) and decreased with hyperoxia (59 ± 5 bpm, P < 0.001 vs. normoxia). Hypoxia increased strain rate in four left ventricular segments and global systolic contraction amplitude was increased (normoxia: 9.76 ± 0.41 vs hypoxia: 10.87 ± 0.42, P < 0.001). Tissue tracking displacement was reduced in the right ventricular segments and tricuspid regurgitation increased with hypoxia (7.5 ± 1.9 mmHg vs. 33.5 ± 1.8 mmHg, P < 0.001). The TEI index and E/E' did not change with hypoxia. Hyperoxia reduced strain rate in 10 left ventricular segments, global systolic contraction amplitude was decreased (8.83 ± 0.38, P < 0.001 vs. normoxia) while right ventricular function was unchanged. The spectral and tissue Doppler TEI indexes were significantly increased but E/E' did not change with hyperoxia.

Conclusion

Hypoxia improves and hyperoxia worsens systolic myocardial performance in healthy male volunteers. Tissue Doppler measures of diastolic function are unaffected by hypoxia/hyperoxia which support that the changes in myocardial performance are secondary to changes in vascular tone. It remains to be settled whether oxygen therapy to patients with heart disease is a consistent rational treatment.
Treatment outcomes in locally advanced colorectal carcinoma
Authors: Harish K , Narayanaswamy YV , Nirmala S
Published: November 2004

Background

Locally advanced colorectal cancers form a distinct subgroup where contiguous organs could be involved without distant metastases and so may be amenable to curative surgical resection. It was our objective to report our experience in treating six such patients with operable locally advanced colorectal carcinomas.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed the case notes of 47 patients who were diagnosed with colorectal cancers at M S Ramaiah Medical Teaching Hospital between the years 1996 – 2001. Six patients were identified with T4 lesions, adjacent organ involvement and with no nodal involvement. The treatments and outcomes for these patients were then reviewed.

Results

Two of three patients with rectal malignancies who underwent pelvic exenteration succumbed to disease recurrence within the first 18 months. One of the three patients with colonic cancers died of non malignant causes. The other two are disease free till date.

Conclusions

Aggressive multivisceral resections for locally advanced colonic cancers might be appropriate. Rectal cancers when locally advanced may be considered for pelvic exenteration, but a more guarded prognosis may apply.
SIVdrl detection in captive mandrills: are mandrills infected with a third strain of simian immunodeficiency virus?
Authors: van der Kuyl Antoinette C , van den Burg Remco , Hoyer Mark J , Gruters Rob A , Osterhaus Albert DME , Berkhout Ben
Published: November 2004

A pol-fragment of simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) that is highly related to SIVdrl-pol from drill monkeys (Mandrillus leucophaeus) was detected in two mandrills (Mandrillus sphinx) from Amsterdam Zoo. These captivity-born mandrills had never been in contact with drill monkeys, and were unlikely to be hybrids. Their mitochondrial haplotype suggested that they descended from founder animals in Cameroon or northern Gabon, close to the habitat of the drill. SIVdrl has once before been found in a wild-caught mandrill from the same region, indicating that mandrills are naturally infected with a SIVdrl-like virus. This suggests that mandrills are the first primate species to be infected with three strains of SIV: SIVmnd1, SIVmnd2, and SIVdrl.
Laboratory measurements of water vapour continuum absorption in spectral region 5000–5600 cm−1: Evidence for water dimers
Authors: Ptashnik Igor V. , Smith Kevin M. , Shine Keith P. , Newnham David A.
Published: November 2004

In spite of decades of extensive studies, the role of water dimers (WD) in the atmospheric radiation budget is still controversial. In order to search for evidence of the dimer in the solar near infrared, high spectral resolution pure water vapour absorption spectra were obtained in laboratory conditions for two different pressures and temperatures in the spectral region 5000–5600 cm−1 (1.785 to 2 µm). The residual was derived as a difference between the measured optical depth and the calculated one for water monomer, using the modified HITRAN database and two different representations of the water vapour continuum: CKD‐2.4 (Clough–Kneizys–Davies) and the Ma and Tipping continuum. In both cases the residuals obtained are very similar to those expected from a recent theoretical calculation of the WD absorption. However, the WD band half‐width at half maximum (HWHM) and dimerization equilibrium constant, Keq, required to provide a best fit to the residual, differ for each case. To be in best agreement with the residual calculated by using the Ma and Tipping continuum, the WD bands HWHM should be ∼28 cm−1, and Keq=0.02±0.0035 atm−1 and 0.043±0.0055 atm−1 for temperatures 342 and 299 K respectively. For the residual calculated using the CKD‐2.4 continuum the fitted value of the HWHM is ∼18cm−1, and Keq=0.011±0.0025 atm−1 (342 K) and 0.018±0.003 atm−1 (299 K). It is concluded that a substantial part of the WD absorption is already implicitly included within the CKD‐2.4 continuum model. The increase in estimated clear‐sky global mean absorption of solar radiation due to WD varies from 0.5% to 2.0%, depending on the set of WD parameters used. On the basis of a comparison of the derived Keq values with others in the literature, the higher estimate is favoured. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society
SLICE‐S: A Semi‐Lagrangian Inherently Conserving and Efficient scheme for transport problems on the Sphere
Authors: Zerroukat Mohamed , Wood Nigel , Staniforth Andrew
Published: November 2004

The Semi‐Lagrangian Inherently Conserving and Efficient (SLICE) scheme developed for Cartesian geometry is generalized to spherical geometry. The spherical version, SLICE‐S, is similarly based on a Control Volume approach and multiple sweeps of a one‐dimensional O(Δs4) (where s is the spherical distance) conservative remapping algorithm along Eulerian latitudes, then along Lagrangian longitudes. The resulting conservative scheme requires no restriction on either the polar meridional or zonal Courant numbers. SLICE‐S is applied to the standard problems of solid‐body rotation and deformational flow, and results are compared with those of a standard non‐conservative and other published conservative semi‐Lagrangian schemes. In addition to mass conservation, and consistent with the performance of SLICE, the present scheme is competitive in terms of accuracy and efficiency. © Crown copyright, 2004. Royal Meteorological Society
The significance of volcanic eruption strength and frequency for climate
Authors: Miles G. M. , Grainger R. G. , Highwood E. J.
Published: November 2004

A simple physical model of the atmospheric effects of large explosive volcanic eruptions is developed. Using only one input parameter—the initial amount of sulphur dioxide injected into the stratosphere—the global‐average stratospheric optical‐depth perturbation and surface temperature response are modelled. The simplicity of this model avoids issues of incomplete data (applicable to more comprehensive models), making it a powerful and useful tool for atmospheric diagnostics of this climate forcing mechanism. It may also provide a computationally inexpensive and accurate way of introducing volcanic activity into larger climate models. The modelled surface temperature response for an initial sulphur‐dioxide injection, coupled with emission‐history statistics, is used to demonstrate that the most climatically significant volcanic eruptions are those of sufficient explosivity to just reach into the stratosphere (and achieve longevity). This study also highlights the fact that this measure of significance is highly sensitive to the representation of the climatic response and the frequency data used, and that we are far from producing a definitive history of explosive volcanism for at least the past 1000 years. Given this high degree of uncertainty, these results suggest that eruptions that release around and above 0.1 Mt SO2 into the stratosphere have the maximum climatic impact. Copyright © 2004 Royal Meteorological Society
Influence of styrene on grafting efficiency of maleic anhydride onto natural rubber
Authors: Saelao J. , Phinyocheep P.
Published: November 2004

Grafting of maleic anhydride (MA) onto natural rubber (NR) has been investigated by using a radical initiated grafting process. NR was masticated to lower molecular weight than the original NR before treatment with 0.5–1.5% by mole of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) and 5–25% by mole of MA in toluene solution. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and titration method were used to analyze the fixation of MA on the NR. The reaction temperature was varied from 60 to 80°C. The % grafting of MA was higher at higher temperatures. Compared to the reaction without styrene, the addition of 0.1% by mole of styrene in the grafting process increased % MA grafting up to two times. It is postulated that the styrene may act as a charge transfer complex for the reaction of NR with MA. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 28–38, 2005
Chemical degradation of epoxidized natural rubber using periodic acid: Preparation of epoxidized liquid natural rubber
Authors: Phinyocheep P. , Phetphaisit C. W. , Derouet D. , Campistron I. , Brosse J. C.
Published: November 2004

Oxidative degradation of epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) was effectively performed in latex phase by using periodic acid at 30°C. The ENR was prepared from the epoxidation of natural rubber in latex phase using performic acid generated in situ by the reaction of hydrogen peroxide and formic acid. The prepared ENR latex was subsequently treated with periodic acid. It was found that the higher the amount of the periodic acid employed the faster the molecular weight of the ENR decreased. Different epoxidation levels of the ENR had no significant effect on the degradation reaction. Based on 1H NMR analysis, the epoxide content in the epoxidized liquid natural rubber (ELNR) obtained was about the same as that observed in the ENR before degradation. FT‐IR analysis showed an increase in carbonyl signal after prolonged reaction time or when higher amounts of periodic acid were employed. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 6–15, 2005
Significant glomerular basement membrane thickening in hyperglycemic and normoglycemic diabetic‐prone BB Wistar rats
Authors: Carlson Edward C. , Vari Richard C. , Audette Janice L. , Finke Michelle A. , Ressler Michael J.
Published: November 2004

The diabetic‐prone BioBreeding Wistar rat (BB/DP) is an autoimmune model of insulin‐dependent diabetes mellitus. Approximately 80–90% of the animals are hyperglycemic (BB/DPh) by 90–120 days of age while those that do not become diabetic in adolescence (BB/DPn) remain normoglycemic for life. Likewise, rats in the diabetes‐resistant (BB/DR) strain are normoglycemic. Although renal morphological studies have been carried out in this model, ultrastructural observations of age‐ and diabetes‐related extracellular matrix (ECM) changes, including glomerular basement membrane (GBM) morphometry, are not available. Moreover, possible renal changes in the relatively uncommon BB/DPn control animals have not been reported. The current electron microscopic study was carried out to investigate temporal changes in detergent‐treated acellular ECM in BB/DPh rats at 2 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, and 1 year postonset of moderate hyperglycemia. Age‐matched BB/DR and BB/DPn control animals were also examined. Our data demonstrate age‐ and diabetes‐related alterations in mesangial matrix distributions and GBM widths and show for the first time significant increases in GBM thickening in both hyperglycemic (BB/DPh) and normoglycemic (BB/DPn) rats when compared to age‐matched BB/DR controls. Surprisingly, the rate of increase is greatest in BB/DPn animals. Although the pathogenesis of diabetic basement membrane disease is not completely understood, GBM thickening is widely regarded as a morphological consequence of hyperglycemia. However, data in the current investigation show that ECM alterations, including significantly increased GBM thickness, may occur in genetically diabetic animals in the absence of hyperglycemia. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Peptide‐chelating agent conjugate for selective targeting of somatostatin receptor type 1: Synthesis and characterization
Authors: Mansi Rosalba , Tesauro Diego , De Capua Antonia , Fattorusso Roberto , Caracò Corradina , Aloj Luigi , Benedetti Ettore , Morelli Giancarlo
Published: November 2004

Previously reported results suggest that the analogue of the somatostatin des‐AA1,2,5[D‐Trp8,IAmp9]‐somatostatin (CH‐275) peptide bearing chelating agents able to coordinate radioactive metals could be used for scintigraphic imaging of tumor lesions overexpressing sstr1. An efficient synthetic procedure for the preparation of the somatostatin analogue CH‐275 and its conjugate DTPAGlu–Gly–CH‐275, bearing the chelating agent DTPAGlu (DTPAGlu = N,N‐bis[2‐[bis(carboxy‐ethyl)amino]ethyl]‐L‐glutamic acid) on the N‐terminus, by solid‐phase peptide synthesis and 9‐flourenymethyoxycarbonyl (Fmoc) chemistry, is here reported. Rapid and efficient labeling of DTPAGlu–Gly–CH‐275 was achieved by addition of 111In(III) to the compound. Typical yields were greater than 97% as determined by reversed phase high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) at specific activities in the range 4–9 GBq/μmol (100–250 Ci/mmol). A preliminary biological assay of the binding ability of 111In–DTPAGlu–Gly–CH‐275 indicates, however, that the labeled compound does not display any specific interaction with somatostatin sstr1 receptors in the tested cell lines. To confirm this unexpected negative result, competition binding experiments were carried out, in which fixed tracer amounts of the 125I‐labeled somatostatin‐14 were incubated with the receptor‐expressing cells in the presence of DTPAGlu–Gly–CH‐275 or CH‐275 at concentrations ranging from 10−10 to 10−3 M. While CH‐275 shows a IC50 of 80 nM similar to that already found in displacement experiments on CHO–K1 sstr1‐transfected cells, DTPAGlu–Gly–CH‐275 displays instead very low or negligible affinity towards this receptor. The NMR solution characterization indicates that the presence of DTPAGlu does not influence the conformational and chemical features of the peptide moiety, thus suggesting that the loss in binding activity should be due to steric hindrance of either the chelating agent DTPAGlu or its indium complex. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Biopolymers (Pept Sci), 2004
Influence of cytoplasmic deletions on the filopodia‐inducing effect of syndecan‐3
Authors: Berndt Christine , Montañez Eloi , Villena Joan , Fabre Myriam , Vilaró Senén , Reina Manuel
Published: November 2004

Syndecans, transmembrane heparan sulfate proteoglycans (HSPG), mediate cell—cell and cell—matrix adhesion thereby controlling cell movement and shape. Syndecan cytoplasmic domains are very short (ca. 30 amino acids) and divided into two constant regions (C1 and C2) separated by one variable (V) region. Here we attempted to map the cytoplasmic region responsible for the filopodia‐inducing effect of syndecan‐3. We found that only the C1‐region was necessary for this effect. In addition, the deletion of the C2‐region led to extensive membrane blebbing. Nevertheless, the elimination of the entire cytoplasmic region did not affect delivery of syndecan‐3 to the plasma membrane. These results indicate that the different regions of syndecan‐3 cytoplasmic domain have different functions probably by binding to distinct proteins.
Neuropsychological assessment of chronic non‐malignant pain patients treated in a multidisciplinary pain centre
Authors: Sjøgren Per , Christrup Lona L. , Petersen Morten Aa. , Højsted Jette
Published: November 2004

The aim of the study was to investigate the influence of pain, sedation, pain medications and socio‐demographics on cognitive functioning in chronic non‐malignant pain patients. Chronic non‐malignant pain patients (N= 91) treated in a multidisciplinary pain centre were compared with age and sex matched healthy volunteers (N= 64). Furthermore four subgroups of patients were examined: Group 1 (N= 21) received no pain medications, group 2 (N= 19) were in long‐term oral opioid treatment, group 3 (N= 18) were treated with antidepressants and/or anticonvulsants and group 4 (N= 33) were treated with a combination of long‐term oral opioids and antidepressants and/or anticonvulsants. Assessments comprised pain (PVAS) and sedation (SVAS), Continuous Reaction Time (CRT) testing for sustained attention, Finger Tapping Test (FTT) testing for psychomotor speed, Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task (PASAT) testing for information processing and working memory and Mini Mental State Examination (MMSE). CRT and FTT were impaired in the total patient sample. Treatment with opioids was associated with poorer performance of PASAT. High scores of PVAS and SVAS were associated with poor performance of PASAT and CRT, respectively. MMSE seems to be too insensitive for detecting the milder forms of cognitive impairment found in chronic non‐malignant patients.
Feeding preferences of herring (Clupea harengus) and sprat (Sprattus sprattus) in the southern Baltic Sea
Authors: Casini Michele , Cardinale Massimiliano , Arrhenius Fredrik
Published: November 2004

No field studies have been performed on the selectivity of herring and sprat in the southern Baltic Sea in relation to their entire range of prey. Accordingly, we tested in the field the following hypotheses: (i) sprat and herring are selective feeders and (ii) sprat and herring selectivity is size- and season-dependent. The results show that (i) smaller herring and all size classes of sprat are strictly zooplanktivorous, selecting principally Temora longicornis and Bosmina maritima during the autumn and Pseudocalanus elongatus in winter; (ii) larger herring are essentially nektobenthos feeders, predating on Mysis mixta during the autumn and amphipods and polychaetes during the winter; and (iii) herring and sprat seem to avoid Acartia spp. in both autumn and winter. During the autumn, herring are zooplanktivorous up to 18–20 cm, whereas in winter herring feed on nektobenthos starting from 14–15 cm. Selectivity was not an absolute process but it was related to prey relative abundance in the sea and, possibly, to prey profitability (e.g. size, conspicuousness, and reaction time).
Institutional relationships in Ukraine: a stable polity?
Authors: Papadoulis Konstantinos J.
Published: November 2004

This article examines how the choice of Ukraine’s constitutional system affects both the relationship among key constitutional actors and the prospects of institutional change. It analyzes the character of the relationship between the president and parliament in the context of their competition over control of the cabinet. It then examines how and why the institutional interests and preferences of key political and public policy actors who inhabit the presidency, the legislature and the cabinet affect the prospects of maintaining or changing the constitutional status in Ukraine. It concludes that the institutional stability in Ukraine is still in a state of flux.
Exploring the energy landscape of GFP by single-molecule mechanical experiments
Authors: Dietz Hendrik , Rief Matthias
Published: November 2004

We use single-molecule force spectroscopy to drive single GFP molecules from the native state through their complex energy landscape into the completely unfolded state. Unlike many smaller proteins, mechanical GFP unfolding proceeds by means of two subsequent intermediate states. The transition from the native state to the first intermediate state occurs near thermal equilibrium at ≈35 pN and is characterized by detachment of a seven-residue N-terminal α-helix from the beta barrel. We measure the equilibrium free energy cost associated with this transition as 22
k
B
T. Detachment of this small α-helix completely destabilizes GFP thermodynamically even though the β-barrel is still intact and can bear load. Mechanical stability of the protein on the millisecond timescale, however, is determined by the activation barrier of unfolding the β-barrel out of this thermodynamically unstable intermediate state. High bandwidth, time-resolved measurements of the cantilever relaxation phase upon unfolding of the β-barrel revealed a second metastable mechanical intermediate with one complete β-strand detached from the barrel. Quantitative analysis of force distributions and lifetimes lead to a detailed picture of the complex mechanical unfolding pathway through a rough energy landscape.
RecA-dependent mutants in
Escherichia coli
reveal strategies to avoid chromosomal fragmentation
Authors: Kouzminova Elena A. , Rotman Ella , Macomber Lee , Zhang Jian , Kuzminov Andrei
Published: November 2004

RecA- and RecBC-catalyzed repair in eubacteria assembles chromosomes fragmented by double-strand breaks. We propose that
recA
mutants, being unable to repair fragmented chromosomes, depend on various strategies designed to avoid chromosomal fragmentation. To identify chromosomal fragmentation-avoidance strategies, we screened for
Escherichia coli
mutants synthetically inhibited in combination with
recA
inactivation by identifying clones unable to lose a plasmid carrying the
recA
+
gene. Using this screen, we have isolated several RecA-dependent mutants and assigned them to three distinct areas of metabolism. The
tdk
and
rdgB
mutants affect synthesis of DNA precursors. The
fur, ubiE
, and
ubiH
mutants are likely to have increased levels of reactive oxygen species. The
seqA, topA
mutants and an insertion in
smtA
perturbing the downstream
mukFEB
genes affect nucleoid administration. All isolated mutants show varying degree of SOS induction, indicating elevated levels of chromosomal lesions. As predicted, mutants in
rdgB, seqA, smtA, topA
, and
fur
show increased levels of chromosomal fragmentation in
recBC
mutant conditions. Future characterization of these RecA-dependent mutants will define mechanisms of chromosomal fragmentation avoidance.
An alternative model of amino acid replacement
Authors: Crooks Gavin E. , Brenner Steven E.
Published: November 2004

Motivation: The observed correlations between pairs of homologous protein sequences are typically explained in terms of a Markovian dynamic of amino acid substitution. This model assumes that every location on the protein sequence has the same background distribution of amino acids, an assumption that is incompatible with the observed heterogeneity of protein amino acid profiles and with the success of profile multiple sequence alignment.

Results: We propose an alternative model of amino acid replacement during protein evolution based upon the assumption that the variation of the amino acid background distribution from one residue to the next is sufficient to explain the observed sequence correlations of homologs. The resulting dynamical model of independent replacements drawn from heterogeneous backgrounds is simple and consistent, and provides a unified homology match score for sequence–sequence, sequence–profile and profile–profile alignment.

Contact:  gec@compbio.berkeley.edu