bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
11(R),12(S),15(S)-trihydroxyeicosa-5(Z),8(Z),13(E)-trienoic acid: an endothelium-derived 15-lipoxygenase metabolite that relaxes rabbit aorta
Authors: Gauthier Kathryn M. , Chawengsub Yuttana , Goldman Daniel H. , Conrow Raymond E. , Anjaiah Siddam , Falck J. R. , Campbell William B.
Published: January 2008

Previous studies indicate that 11,12,15-trihydroxyeicosatrienoic acid (11,12,15-THETA), an endothelium-derived hyperpolarizing factor in the rabbit aorta, mediates a portion of the relaxation response to acetylcholine by sequential metabolism of arachidonic acid by 15-lipoxygenase, hydroperoxide isomerase, and epoxide hydrolase. To determine the stereochemical configuration of the endothelial 11,12,15-THETA, its activity and chromatographic migration were compared with activity and migration of eight chemically synthesized stereoisomers of 11,12,15( S)-THETA. Of the eight isomers, only 11( R),12( S),15( S)-trihydroxyeicosa-5( Z),8( Z),13( E)-trienoic acid comigrated with the biological 11,12,15-THETA on reverse- and normal-phase HPLC and gas chromatography. The same THETA isomer (10−7–10−4 M) relaxed the rabbit aorta in a concentration-related manner (maximum relaxation = 69 ± 5%). These relaxations were blocked by apamin (10−7 M), an inhibitor of small-conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels. In comparison, 11( S),12( R),15( S),5( Z),8( Z),13( E)-THETA (10−4 M) relaxed the aorta by 22%. The other six stereoisomers were inactive in this assay. With use of the whole cell patch-clamp technique, it was shown that 10−4 M 11( R),12( S),15( S),5( Z),8( Z),13( E)-THETA increased outward K+ current in isolated aortic smooth muscle cells by 119 ± 36% at +60 mV, whereas 10−4 M 11( R),12( R),15( S),5( Z),8( Z),13( E)-THETA increased outward K+ current by only 20 ± 2%. The 11( R),12( S),15( S),5( Z),8( Z),13( E)-THETA-stimulated increase in K+ current was blocked by pretreatment with apamin. These studies suggest that 11( R),12( S),15( S)-trihydroxyeicosa-5( Z),8( Z),13( E)-trienoic acid is the active stereoisomer produced by the rabbit aorta. It relaxes smooth muscle by activating K+ channels. The specific structural and stereochemical requirements for K+ channel activation suggest that a specific binding site or receptor of 11,12,15-THETA is involved in these actions.
Expression and coupling of neurokinin receptor subtypes to inositol phosphate and calcium signaling pathways in human airway smooth muscle cells
Authors: Mizuta Kentaro , Gallos George , Zhu Defen , Mizuta Fumiko , Goubaeva Farida , Xu Dingbang , Panettieri Reynold A. , Yang Jay , Emala Charles W.
Published: January 2008

Neuropeptide tachykinins (substance P, neurokinin A, and neurokinin B) are present in peripheral terminals of sensory nerve fibers within the respiratory tract and cause airway contractile responses and hyperresponsiveness in humans and most mammalian species. Three subtypes of neurokinin receptors (NK1R, NK2R, and NK3R) classically couple to Gqprotein-mediated inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate (IP3) synthesis and liberation of intracellular Ca2+, which initiates contraction, but their expression and calcium signaling mechanisms are incompletely understood in airway smooth muscle. All three subtypes were identified in native and cultured human airway smooth muscle (HASM) and were subsequently overexpressed in HASM cells using a human immunodeficiency virus-1-based lentivirus transduction system. Specific NKR agonists {NK1R, [Sar9,Met(O2)11]-substance P; NK2R, [β-Ala8]-neurokinin A(4–10); NK3R, senktide} stimulated inositol phosphate synthesis and increased intracellular Ca2+concentration ([Ca2+]i) in native HASM cells and in HASM cells transfected with each NKR subtype. These effects were blocked by NKR-selective antagonists (NK1R, L-732138; NK2R, GR-159897; NK3R, SB-222200). The initial transient and sustained phases of increased [Ca2+]iwere predominantly inhibited by the IP3receptor antagonist 2-aminoethoxydiphenyl borate (2-APB) or the store-operated Ca2+channel antagonist SKF-96365, respectively. These results show that all three subtypes of NKRs are expressed in native HASM cells and that IP3levels are the primary mediators of NKR-stimulated initial [Ca2+]iincreases, whereas store-operated Ca2+channels mediate the sustained phase of the [Ca2+]iincrease.
ErbB4 deletion leads to changes in lung function and structure similar to bronchopulmonary dysplasia
Authors: Purevdorj Erkhembulgan , Zscheppang Katja , Hoymann Heinz G. , Braun Armin , von Mayersbach Dietlinde , Brinkhaus Maria-Jantje , Schmiedl Andreas , Dammann Christiane E. L.
Published: January 2008

Neuregulin is an important growth factor in fetal surfactant synthesis, and downregulation of its receptor, ErbB4, impairs fetal surfactant synthesis. We hypothesized that pulmonary ErbB4 deletion will affect the developing lung leading to an abnormal postnatal lung function. ErbB4-deleted lungs of 11- to 14-wk-old adult HER4heart mice, rescued from their lethal cardiac defects, were studied for the effect on lung function, alveolarization, and the surfactant system. ErbB4 deletion impairs lung function and structure in HER4heart mice resulting in a hyperreactive airway system and alveolar simplification, as seen in preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia. It also leads to a downregulation of surfactant protein D expression and an underlying chronic inflammation in these lungs. Our findings suggest that this animal model could be used to further study the pathogenesis of bronchopulmonary dysplasia and might help design protective interventions.
Novel Blood-Based, Five-Gene Biomarker Set for the Detection of Colorectal Cancer
Authors: Han Mark , Liew Choong Tsek , Zhang Hong Wei , Chao Samuel , Zheng Run , Yip Kok Thye , Song Zhen-Ya , Li Hiu Ming , Geng Xiao Ping , Zhu Li Xin , Lin Jian-Jiang , Marshall K. Wayne , Liew Choong Chin
Published: January 2008

Purpose: We applied a unique method to identify genes expressed in whole blood that can serve as biomarkers to detect colorectal cancer (CRC).

Experimental Design: Total RNA was isolated from 211 blood samples (110 non-CRC, 101 CRC). Microarray and quantitative real-time PCR were used for biomarker screening and validation, respectively.

Results: From a set of 31 RNA samples (16 CRC, 15 controls), we selected 37 genes from analyzed microarray data that differed significantly between CRC samples and controls (P < 0.05). We tested these genes with a second set of 115 samples (58 CRC, 57 controls) using quantitative real-time PCR, validating 17 genes as differentially expressed. Five of these genes were selected for logistic regression analysis, of which two were the most up-regulated (CDA and MGC20553) and three were the most down-regulated (BANK1, BCNP1, and MS4A1) in CRC patients. Logit (P) of the five-gene panel had an area under the curve of 0.88 (95% confidence interval, 0.81-0.94). At a cutoff of logit (P) >+0.5 as disease (high risk), <−0.5 as control (low risk), and in between as an intermediate zone, the five-gene biomarker combination yielded a sensitivity of 94% (47 of 50) and a specificity of 77% (33 of 43). The intermediate zone contained 22 samples. We validated the predictive power of these five genes with a novel third set of 92 samples, correctly identifying 88% (30 of 34) of CRC samples and 64% (27 of 42) of non-CRC samples. The intermediate zone contained 16 samples.

Conclusion: Our results indicate that the five-gene biomarker panel can be used as a novel blood-based test for CRC.
Who is sitting next to me? Relatedness between next neighbours in common lizards
Authors: Hofmann Sylvia
Published: January 2008

Several lizard species have been shown to exhibit kin recognition, including green iguanas (Iguana iguana), three Australian Scincid species (Egernia stokesii, E. striolata and Tiliqua rugosa) and common lizards (Lacerta vivipara). Thus, observations of close neighboured individuals of the common lizard that consist of differently or same-aged individuals at a given site may generate speculation about the relatedness structure of such combinations and putative “social” patterns of this species. A total of 682 lizards were sampled from a population in a nature reserve near Leipzig, Germany. Relatedness statistics were calculated using five microsatellite DNA loci. The relatedness of individuals that were sighted or captured together was compared by grouping them on sex and age. The results showed that pairs of adults and juveniles were significantly more related than all other combinations, with adults showing the lowest mean values of relatedness, followed by a similar low level of relatedness between subadults. Most “pairs” were found in juveniles. Pairs of subadults and juveniles as well as of adults and juveniles consisted mainly of females. In subadults and adults, males were non-related. Little evidence was found to indicate that relatedness is relevant to the spatial distance between individuals. The relatedness patterns of associated individuals may arise from male sex-biased dispersal rather than from active kin preferences based on kin discrimination.
Is melanism adaptive in sea kraits?
Authors: Bonnet Xavier , Lorioux Sophie , Brischoux François , De Crignis Margot
Published: January 2008

Ontogenic melanism (progressive darkening of the skin) has been documented in snakes. Black coloration of the skin often compromises the cryptic effects associated with other patterns (e.g. zigzags) and exposes individuals to predation; however, the mortality risk can be balanced, for example by a thermoregulatory advantage during sun basking. Such adaptive context has been proposed to explain the appearance and the maintenance of melanism within snake populations. Based on a very large captures and re-captures sample (>8000 observations) gathered on two species of sea-kraits (Laticauda saintgironsi and L. laticaudata in New Caledonia), we observed that melanism occurred in only one species (L. laticaudata), was infrequent and concerned adult snakes solely. None of three adaptive hypotheses respectively linked to thermoregulation, predation, or protection against sun radiations, provided a satisfactory account for the occurrence of melanism in our study populations. Therefore, we suggest that melanism was a fortuitous phenomenon.
Estimating altitude in distribution records of Amphibians and Reptiles: a comparative study between topographic maps and Remote Sensing data
Authors: García-Meléndez Eduardo , Ribeiro Raquel , Brito José Carlos , Sillero Neftalí
Published: January 2008

Altitude is an important factor when explaining species distributions. However, many biogeographical studies register altitude directly through topographic maps; a time-consuming manual process prone to mistakes. Currently, GIS and DEMs allow this work to be done more efficiently. Two methods for registering altitude for locations of amphibians and reptiles in the Iberian Peninsula were compared in order to evaluate their efficiency and similarity: manually through topographic maps, and automatically with a GIS, where two DEMs were analysed: the SRTM DEM and a DEM generated through topographic maps. The SRTM altitudes were similar to those recorded by the manual method (only Rana perezi presented differences), whereas the other DEM had differences in almost all amphibians and three reptiles. The differences between both DEMs corresponded mostly to rivers and band effect of radar sensor. The GIS method was faster, efficient and no time was consumed in searching and correcting human errors.
Phalangeal formulae and ontogenetic variation of carpal morphology in Testudo horsfieldii and T. hermanni
Authors: Hitschfeld Ellen , Auer Markus , Fritz Uwe
Published: January 2008

We compared variation in phalangeal and carpal morphology of the Central Asian Testudo horsfieldii, a burrow-digging tortoise species, with its sister taxon T. hermanni, a Mediterranean species without extensive digging behaviour. Thirty-two Testudo horsfieldii kazachstanica shared the same phalangeal formula (0-2-2-1-1). The distal carpal 1 and metacarpal I as well as the pisiform were consistently lacking, sometimes also the medial centrale. Phalangeal morphology was more variable in Testudo hermanni hermanni. In 29 specimens four phalangeal formulae were found that differed with respect to the reduction of digit 1 (1-2-2-2-1, M-2-2-2-1, D-2-2-2-1, 0-2-2-2-1). The pisiform develops late in ontogeny and is lacking in very most juveniles and subadults. In contrast to T. h. kazachstanica, the medial centrale is always present. In both T. h. kazachstanica and T. h. hermanni carpalia increasingly fuse with age and size. The underlying morphological patterns differ however. The extreme character state in aged T. h. kazachstanica is one large solid bone element, formed by the fused intermedium, ulnare and both centralia. Aged T. h. hermanni have, in contrast, two separate larger carpal elements, one formed by the fused lateral and medial centralia and the other by the fused distal carpalia 1 and 2; the intermedium and ulnare never fuse with one another or with other carpalia. While a partial or complete loss of digit 1 seems to be characteristic for all Testudo species, we propose that the extensive fusion of carpal elements in T. horsfieldii is correlated with its natural history because a rigid manus could be advantageous for burrow-digging. Also the reduction of digit 4 (one phalanx present), a rare character among testudinids and not occurring in other Testudo species, could be linked with its mode of life.
Population density in Podarcis lilfordi (Squamata, Lacertidae), a lizard species endemic to small islets in the Balearic Islands (Spain)
Authors: Pérez-Mellado Valentín , Martín-Vallejo Javier , Brown Richard , Picornell Antonia , Castro José , Ramón María Misericordia , Terrassa Bárbara , García-Díez Teresa , Hernández-Estévez José Ángel
Published: January 2008

The Balearic lizard, Podarcis lilfordi, is present in 43 insular populations in the Cabrera archipelago and around the coasts of Mallorca and Menorca islands (Spain). We studied lizard densities over the entire range of distribution, analyzing observed differences of density in relation to island area, habitat diversity, availability of resources, presence of predators, competitors and human disturbances. The density of the Balearic lizard varies from less than 35 to almost 8000 lizards ha–1, with an average of around 1500 lizards ha–1. In some very small islets we detected no more than 10 individuals. Using a subsample of nine coastal islets (Menorca) we did not find any significant correlation between ground arthropod biomass and lizard density. The combination of island area and its maximal altitude, its so-called biotic capacity, was also uncorrelated with lizard density. In addition, neither degree of island accessibility nor presence/absence of seagull breeding colonies, were able to explain lizard densities. Islands without ship rats (Rattus rattus) showed a significantly higher lizard density, but islands in which rat eradication programs were launched during the study period, showed lower densities than those with rats but no eradication actions. Genetic variability was significantly higher on bigger lizard populations, lacking a correlation with lizard densities. No single independent variable can explain density differences among populations under study. Our results are discussed in the light of available hypotheses on factors affecting population densities.
Intergroup Attributions and Ethnocentrism in the Indian Subcontinent
Authors: Khan Sammyh S. , Liu James H.
Published: January 2008

Predictions of Pettigrew's ultimate attribution error were investigated among 148 Indians (91 Hindus and 57 Muslims) and 145 Pakistanis (107 Muslims and 38 Hindus) in the Indian subcontinent. Using hypothetical scenarios, the first prediction, that negative behavior would be attributed more to dispositional than situational factors for out-group compared to in-group actors, received little support. The second prediction, that positive out-group behavior would be attributed more to situational circumstances, received considerable but not total support. Hindu participants attributed in-group actors as more competent but also warmer in Pakistan, whereas Muslim participants attributed in-group actors as being warmer in both countries. Autostereotypes (rather than heterostereotypes) of competence and warmth consistently mediated ethnocentric intergroup attributions. Collective self-esteem mediated ethnocentrism among both groups in Pakistan but only among Muslims in India, whereas social dominance orientation mediated majority group biases in both countries. Overall, the ultimate attribution error received mixed support, and results supported an in-group favoring more than out-group derogating pattern.
Brain Wave Concomitants of Cross-Cultural Differences in Scores On Simple Cognitive Tasks
Authors: Sonke Corine J. , Van Boxtel Geert J.M. , Griesel Dev R. , Poortinga Ype H.
Published: January 2008

Interpretations of cross-cultural differences in performance on cognitive tasks tend to rely on broad concepts, such as general intelligence or cultural modes of thinking. In this study, the authors examine two proximate parameters, stimulus complexity and task exposure, using reaction time (RT) and event-related brain potentials (ERPs) recorded during various tasks. Five tasks differed in complexity but had similar stimulus content; one task had stimuli of different appearance. Test trials were administered across three days. Participants were trained on most tasks for two days. There were three samples, rural Venda youngsters in South Africa with little schooling, Venda university students, and Dutch university students. Cross-cultural differences in RT increased with task complexity and decreased with exposure. Substantial correspondence was found between patterns of RT and latency of the N2, an ERP component related to stimulus categorization. Our results fit an explanation in terms of task familiarity. Implications for culture-cognition relationships are discussed.
Reserve Soldiers as Transmigrants
Authors: Lomsky-Feder Edna , Gazit Nir , Ben-Ari Eyal
Published: January 2008

This article suggests a new perspective for examining the particular social and organizational characteristics of military reserves forces and the special experiences of serving in the reserves. To illustrate the unique social position of reservists, the authors develop a theoretical model that likens them to transmigrants. Accordingly, the authors suggest that society may benefit from looking at reserves both as sorts of social and organizational hybrids or amalgams—they are soldiers and civilians, they are outside yet inside the military system, and are invested in both spheres—and as continual migrants journeying between military and civilian spheres. The authors end by suggesting that it may be fruitful to study three segments of the military, each of which has its own dynamics: regulars, conscripts, and reserves. This differentiation allows society to examine different patterns of motivation, cohesion, political commitment and awareness, and long-term considerations that characterize each segment.
Could You Mind Your Language?
Authors: Douglas Karen M. , Sutton Robbie M. , Wilkin Katie
Published: January 2008

Three experiments that examine communicators' ability to inhibit linguistic bias are reported. Research has shown that communicators use more abstract language (e.g., “Jamie is affectionate” vs. “Jamie kisses Rose”) to describe more expected behavior. Recent research has shown that this bias may be overwhelmed by goals to put a “spin” on actions or to manipulate audiences' impressions of actors. Similarly, the present experiments show that people who wish to communicate without bias may often be able to do so. Inhibition occurred when participants selected descriptions from a list of alternatives and when they freely described both expected and unexpected behaviors. However, inhibition failed when participants were asked to freely describe either expected or unexpected behaviors alone.
Understanding the Influence of the Users' Context in AmI
Authors: Roibás Anxo Cereijo
Published: January 2008

This article explores the use of ethnographies to understand the contextual influence on the user experience of ambient intelligent (AmI) systems in public environments. To do this, consolidated and experimental field studies to explore how users interact in real contexts with pervasive systems are discussed. The scope is to analyze, in a holistic way, how the system integrates into the users' physical and social environment and can be responsive to their emotions and feelings. These studies, as part of a participatory design approach can potentially contribute to enhance the reliability and relevance of the results.
Composing Group-Level Constructs From Individual-Level Survey Data
Authors: van Mierlo Heleen , Vermunt Jeroen K. , Rutte Christel G.
Published: January 2008

Group-level constructs are often derived from individual-level data. This procedure requires a composition model, specifying how the lower level data can be combined to compose the higher level construct. Two common composition methods are direct consensus composition, where items refer to the individual, and referent-shift consensus composition, where items refer to the group. The use and selection of composition methods is subject to a number of problems, calling for more systematic work on the empirical properties of and distinction between constructs composed by different methods. To facilitate and encourage such work, the authors present a methodological framework for addressing the distinction between and the baseline psychometric quality of composed group constructs, illustrated by an empirical example in the group job-design domain. The framework primarily represents a developmental tool with applications in multilevel theory building and scale construction, but also in meta-analysis or secondary analysis, and more general, the validation of group constructs.
Phagocytosis and intracellular killing of MD-2 opsonized Gram-negative bacteria depend on TLR4 signaling
Authors: Jain Vishal , Halle Annett , Halmen Kristen A. , Lien Egil , Charrel-Dennis Marie , Ram Sanjay , Golenbock Douglas T. , Visintin Alberto
Published: January 2008

Both Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)– and MD-2–deficient mice succumb to otherwise nonfatal Gram-negative bacteria inocula, demonstrating the pivotal role played by these proteins in antibacterial defense in mammals. MD-2 is a soluble endogenous ligand for TLR4 and a receptor for lipopolysaccharide (LPS). LPS-bound MD-2 transmits an activating signal onto TLR4. In this report, we show that both recombinant and endogenous soluble MD-2 bind tightly to the surface of live Gram-negative bacteria. As a consequence, MD-2 enhances cellular activation, bacterial internalization, and intracellular killing, all in a TLR4-dependent manner. The enhanced internalization of MD-2–coated bacteria was not observed in macrophages expressing Lpsd, a signaling-incompetent mutant form of TLR4, suggesting that the enhanced phagocytosis observed is dependent on signal transduction. The data confirm the notion that soluble MD-2 is a genuine opsonin that enhances proinflammatory opsonophagocytosis by bridging live Gram-negative bacteria to the LPS transducing complex. The presented results extend our understanding of the role of the TLR4/MD-2 signaling axis in bacterial recognition by phagocytes.
Acute severe mitral regurgitation: consideration of papillary muscle architecture
Authors: Czarnecki Andrew , Thakrar Amar , Fang Tielan , Lytwyn Matthew , Ahmadie Roien , Pascoe Edward , Jassal Davinder S
Published: January 2008

We present a case of an individual who presented with acute severe mitral regurgitation in the setting of an inferior ST elevation myocardial infarction. Both transthoracic and transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated a posteriorly directed eccentric jet of severe mitral regurgitation with flail anterior mitral valve leaflet attached presumably to the anterior papillary muscle. Intraoperative findings demonstrated rupture of the postero-medial papillary muscle attached via chords to the anterior mitral valve leaflet. This case serves to remind us that both the anterior and posterior leaflets of the mitral valve are attached to both papillary muscle heads. The direction and eccentricity of the mitral regurgitant jet on echocardiography helps to locate the leaflet involved, but not necessarily the coexisting papillary muscle pathology.
Synchronous multiple small bowel intussusceptions in an adult with blue rubber bleb naevus syndrome: Report of a case and review of literature
Authors: Lee Clement , Debnath Debasish , Whitburn Tara , Farrugia Mark , Gonzalez Federico
Published: January 2008

Background

Blue rubber bleb naevus syndrome (BRBNS), is an uncommon condition characterised by cavernous haemangiomas of skin and gastrointestinal tract. The most common complication of this syndrome is gastrointestinal bleeding. Intussusception of bowel, although a known complication, has rarely been reported.

Case presentation

We report the case of a 37-year-old man who presented with multiple intussusceptions of small bowel. He required an urgent laparotomy and bowel resections. He suffered from BRBNS. This is the first reported case of multiple synchronous intussusceptions affecting both jejunum and ileum, secondary to haemangiomas occurring in an adult with BRBNS. The underlying conditions of acute abdomen in patients with BRBNS may include intramural haemorrhage, infarction, volvulus or intussusception of bowel. Treatment options include pharmacological manipulation, bowel resection, and interventions such as sclerotherapy, angiographic embolisation, endoscopic ligation, electrocautery and laser photocoagulation for visceral lesions.

Conclusion

A high index of suspicion is required whilst dealing with acute abdomen in patients with BRBNS. Clinical trials may provide some answers as to the preference of treatment in individual cases, as the current level of evidence does not offer a clear choice of optimal treatment.
Crucial role of neutrophils in the development of mechanical inflammatory hypernociception
Authors: Cunha Thiago M , Verri Waldiceu A , Schivo Ieda R , Napimoga Marcelo H , Parada Carlos A , Poole Stephen , Teixeira Mauro M , Ferreira Sergio H , Cunha Fernando Q
Published: January 2008

Neutrophil migration is responsible for tissue damage observed in inflammatory diseases. Neutrophils are also implicated in inflammatory nociception, but mechanisms of their participation have not been elucidated. In the present study, we addressed these mechanisms in the carrageenan-induced mechanical hypernociception, which was determined using a modification of the Randall-Sellito test in rats. Neutrophil accumulation into the plantar tissue was determined by the contents of myeloperoxidase activity, whereas cytokines and PGE2 levels were measured by ELISA and radioimmunoassay, respectively. The pretreatment of rats with fucoidin (a leukocyte adhesion inhibitor) inhibited carrageenan-induced hypernociception in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Inhibition of hypernociception by fucoidin was associated with prevention of neutrophil recruitment, as it did not inhibit the hypernociception induced by the direct-acting hypernociceptive mediators, PGE2 and dopamine, which cause hypernociception, independent of neutrophils. Fucoidin had no effect on carrageenan-induced TNF-α, IL-1β, and cytokine-induced neutrophil chemoattractant 1 (CINC-1)/CXCL1 production, suggesting that neutrophils were not the source of hypernociceptive cytokines. Conversely, hypernociception and neutrophil migration induced by TNF-α, IL-1β, and CINC-1/CXCL1 was inhibited by fucoidin, suggesting that neutrophils are involved in the production of direct-acting hypernociceptive mediators. Indeed, neutrophils stimulated in vitro with IL-1β produced PGE2, and IL-1β-induced PGE2 production in the rat paw was inhibited by the pretreatment with fucoidin. In conclusion, during the inflammatory process, the migrating neutrophils participate in the cascade of events leading to mechanical hypernociception, at least by mediating the release of direct-acting hypernociceptive mediators, such as PGE2. Therefore, the blockade of neutrophil migration could be a target to development of new analgesic drugs.
Exhausting Ennui: Bellow, Dostoevsky, and the Literature of Boredom
Authors: Leroux Jean-François
Published: January 2008

The following essay reexamines Saul Bellow's much discussed relationship to Dostoevsky by focussing on the genealogy of boredom, with its dual origins as source of lyrical expression and/or prison of moral ambivalence. Specifically, though Bellow criticism past and present has argued by turns, and sometimes simultaneously, that Bellow is a disciple of Dostoevsky the moralist or of his "polyphonic" art, it finds upon closer inspection that what Bellow truly strives to envisage in/through the glass of Dostoevsky's "Eastern" art is a harmonious resolution to the paradox inherent in this alliance of apparently incompatible ideals—the artist's creed of disinterestedness and the moralist-polemicist's commitment to self-realization through conviction and action. However, where Bellow and his critics see concord, Dostoevsky and his critics see discord. And with reason, since Bellow's desire to reconcile the artist and the moralist in Dostoevsky (and in himself) leads him to ignore boredom's moral-intellectual antecedents in the literature of Western Enlightenment and consequently assert his bias as a "spokesman for our culture . . . a defender of the Western cultural tradition" (Clayton 1979, 3). Conversely, but by the same token, the "constant conflict . . . between the propagandist and creative artist" (Magarshak 1975, 311) enacted in Dostoevsky's oeuvre points to his polemic not only with the West but, of course, with himself.
John Steinbeck's Sweetheart: The Cosmic American Bus
Authors: Halverson Cathryn
Published: January 2008

In contrast to the close attention accorded its train and car counterparts, the bus is a neglected site of cultural interpretation in American studies. "John Steinbeck's Sweetheart: The Cosmic American Bus" opens a long overdue discussion about the "meanings" of the bus in American culture. It also offers a new perspective on an overlooked novel, The Wayward Bus. Focusing on issues of gender, race, and class, the essay examines Steinbeck's representation of buses and bus travel in The Wayward Bus and situates it among other bus portrayals. Although often only fleetingly, buses perpetually appear in American literature, music, and film, associated with urban and rural extremes; minutely mapped city spaces and unknowably vast (often western) open ones; working-class transformation and middle-class disorientation. Signifying a nation huge in size but local in character, the bus is a class-loaded symbol of America that at once evokes the mundane and the extraordinary.
Melville and Balzac: The Man in Cream-Colors
Authors: Haydock John
Published: January 2008

This article offers a definite example of Herman Melville's still widely unacknowledged dependence on French author Honoré de Balzac for devising his narrative structures, ontology, and scheme of characterization. After demonstrating that Melville had ample opportunity to have experienced significant awareness and analysis of Balzac's massive La Comédie humaine by 1857, the author compares specific narrative and linguistic elements between Balzac's "Christ in Flanders" and Melville's The Confidence-Man to demonstrate the extent of this reliance. In the process, the essay offers an explanation for several unanswered questions about the novel, particularly the meaning of the inserted critical chapters on original characters, the ontological nature of the satiric tale, and the ferryboat resetting of what has assumed to have been inspired by an urban incident. The article concludes that it was Balzac's influence and achievement that drove Melville throughout his career to attempt to create a sociological corpus of American literature.
How Do Stories Convince Us? Notes Towards A Rhetoric of Narrative
Authors: Rodden John
Published: January 2008

This essay posits the conceptual rudiments of "rhetoric of narrative."  Approaching contemporary narrative theory according to the classical trivium, the essay explores what and how stories mean and argue.   It focuses on the relevance and value of the rhetorical tradition for illuminating distinctive features of a "rhetoric of narrative," showing how a "rhetoric" of narrative builds upon a "grammar" and a "logic" of narrative.  Ultimately the essay posits that narratives can be positioned at some point along a continuum represented by poles roughly characterized as "aesthetic" and "ideological," with propagandistic argument lying at the latter extreme.  The chief literary example for applying the conceptual distinctions emerging from our investigations is George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.
Through the Looking Glass: Reflexivity, Reciprocality, and Defenestration in Hitchcock's Rear Window
Authors: Howe Lawrence
Published: January 2008

The importance of the gaze in Rear Window has been appreciated for quite some time, and many interpretations of Hitchcock's film and career note how the framing of multiple narratives implicates the spectator in the ethics of watching. This article draws upon the insights of previous studies of this phenomenon, but it also emphasizes the ways in which seeing and being seen are important reciprocal processes within the social dynamic. Examining the voyeur's resistance to being seen, its impact on his interpersonal relationships, and the implications of that resistance on the structure of urban life, this article's analysis will show how urban spaces are figured as zones of subjectivity and objectification that the voyeur relies on to maintain his privileged position as observer. When he is finally dislodged from his safe position as subject, he is able to overcome his resistance to being seen by others and to be interpersonally connected to others.
William S. Burroughs and the Maya Gods of Death: The Uses of Archaeology
Authors: Wild Paul H
Published: January 2008

William S. Burroughs thematized Maya priests as gods of death in texts from Junky to The Job. Ah Pook Is Here takes its title from a Maya god of the dead, Ah Puch. Burroughs had many valid reasons to cast Maya priests as emblems of control and death even though he contradicted the mid-century archaeological view of the Maya as a benevolent theocracy. In recognizing the violence in Maya culture Burroughs was remarkably prescient. In the mid-1980s, however, came a radical change in archaeological interpretation which contradicts many of Burroughs's Maya appropriations: priests have all but disappeared from the archaeological record to be replaced (ironically) by scribes, the codices are not books of the dead, and hieroglyphic "picture" writing can not circumvent the Word virus. Burroughs's centipede symbol recalls the Senders of Interzone who, like his Maya priests, turn into giant centipedes.
Economic Hauntings: Wealth and Class in Edith Wharton's Ghost Stories
Authors: Jacobsen Karen J
Published: January 2008

When discussing Edith Wharton's ghost stories, scholars tend to emphasize themes of repressed sexuality and gender, in particular the struggles of women to overcome the traditional roles that threaten to imprison them. While sexual and gender politics undoubtedly inhabit the haunted space of Wharton's stories, a remarkable number of the stories also exhibit anxiety over money and class. In some of the ghost stories, this anxiety is plainly visible, reflecting Wharton's sharp critique of the corrupt nouveau riches and the decaying aristocracy. In other tales, however, less noticed ghosts expose the depth of Wharton's anxiety over class power and inherited money, raising uncomfortable questions about the legitimacy of the class system on which Wharton depended for her own wealth. A close examination of the ghost stories reveals Wharton's participation in and response to America's anxious debate over wealth and class during the rapidly changing economic landscape of the early twentieth-century.
A.S. Byatt's "Morpho Eugenia": Prolegomena to Any Future Theory
Authors: Lackey Michael
Published: January 2008

In a recent essay, Michael Levenson compellingly claims that A.S. Byatt's novella "Morpho Eugenia" dramatizes the crucial nineteenth-century intellectual debates that anticipate contemporary theory. According to Levenson, Byatt responded to the nineteenth-century crisis in knowledge by constructing a reinvigorated realism, which is based on a fluid theory of language as incarnation. By contrast, I contend that the nineteenth-century crisis led Byatt to distinguish two separate rhetorical stances, one that takes into account the role that anthropomorphism plays in the construction of knowledge, and one that either dismisses or ignores the role of anthropomorphism in the construction of knowledge. For Byatt, since anthropomorphism is inescapable, it is impossible to overcome it. Therefore, instead of trying to overcome anthropomorphism by reinvigorating realism, humans should learn how to interact responsibly with others and the world given the inevitability of the anthropomorphic. Such is the primary lesson to be learned from the nineteenth century crisis in knowledge, according to Byatt.
Effects of Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor Administration on Vascular Changes in Wound Healing of Rat Palates
Authors: Hata Yuichiro , Kawanabe Hitoshi , Hisanaga Yutaka , Taniguchi Kunihisa , Ishikawa Hiroyuki
Published: January 2008

Objective:

The purpose of this study was to investigate the vascular changes induced by mucoperiosteal denudation of rat palate and to elucidate the effects of basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) administration on the palatal vascular network in wound healing.

Methods:

A total of 117 male Wistar rats were used for the study on their 20th postnatal day. The animals were divided into three groups: a scar formation group, a basic fibroblast growth factor group, and a control group. The scar formation and basic fibroblast growth factor groups had lateral mucoperiosteum excised from the palate. In the basic fibroblast growth factor group, a solution of basic fibroblast growth factor was injected into the operated area 1 week after excision. At 6, 8, and 10 weeks postoperatively, palatal vascular changes were investigated by immunohistochemical staining and corrosion cast techniques.

Results:

Throughout the experimental period, there were significantly fewer vessels in the scar formation group than in the control and basic fibroblast growth factor groups. In the basic fibroblast growth factor group, the elongation of new vessels and capillary proliferation proceeded, and after 10 weeks a highly organized vascular network was established. The scar formation group showed few Volkmann's canals that were shrunken or closed, whereas the basic fibroblast growth factor group evidenced Volkmann's canals with arterioles or venules, as seen in the control.

Conclusions:

The results suggested that injection of basic fibroblast growth factor into palatal wounds improves the vascular supply to the operated mucosa and underlying bone during and after palatal wound healing, which may contribute to tissue remodeling of the palate during growth.
Derivation of Neurons with Functional Properties from Adult Limbal Epithelium: Implications in Autologous Cell Therapy for Photoreceptor Degeneration
Authors: Zhao Xing , Das Ani V. , Bhattacharya Sumitra , Thoreson Wallace B. , Sierra Jorge Rodriguez , Mallya Kavita B. , Ahmad Iqbal
Published: January 2008

The limbal epithelium (LE), a circular and narrow epithelium that separates cornea from conjunctiva, harbors stem cells/progenitors in its basal layer that regenerate cornea. We have previously demonstrated that cells in the basal LE, when removed from their niche and cultured in reduced bond morphogenetic protein signaling, acquire properties of neural progenitors. Here, we demonstrate that LE-derived neural progenitors generate neurons with functional properties and can be directly differentiated along rod photoreceptor lineage in vitro and in vivo. These observations posit the LE as a potential source of neural progenitors for autologous cell therapy to treat photoreceptor degeneration in age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Adipogenic Human Adenovirus Ad-36 Induces Commitment, Differentiation, and Lipid Accumulation in Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells
Authors: Pasarica Magdalena , Mashtalir Nazar , McAllister Emily J. , Kilroy Gail E. , Koska Juraj , Permana Paska , de Courten Barbora , Yu Minghuan , Ravussin Eric , Gimble Jeffery M. , Dhurandhar Nikhil V.
Published: January 2008

Human adenovirus Ad-36 is causatively and correlatively linked with animal and human obesity, respectively. Ad-36 enhances differentiation of rodent preadipocytes, but its effect on adipogenesis in humans is unknown. To indirectly assess the role of Ad-36-induced adipogenesis in human obesity, the effect of the virus on commitment, differentiation, and lipid accumulation was investigated in vitro in primary human adipose-derived stem/stromal cells (hASC). Ad-36 infected hASC in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Even in the presence of osteogenic media, Ad-36-infected hASC showed significantly greater lipid accumulation, suggestive of their commitment to the adipocyte lineage. Even in the absence of adipogenic inducers, Ad-36 significantly increased hASC differentiation, as indicated by a time-dependent expression of genes within the adipogenic cascade—CCAAT/Enhancer binding protein-β, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ, and fatty acid-binding protein—and consequentially increased lipid accumulation in a time- and viral dose-dependent manner. Induction of hASC to the adipocyte state by Ad-36 was further supported by increased expression of lipoprotein lipase and the accumulation of its extracellular fraction. hASC from subjects harboring Ad-36 DNA in their adipose tissue due to natural infection had significantly greater ability to differentiate compared with Ad-36 DNA-negative counterparts, which offers a proof of concept. Thus, Ad-36 has the potential to induce adipogenesis in hASC, which may contribute to adiposity induced by the virus.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Genes Involved in Post-Transcriptional Regulation Are Overrepresented in Stem/Progenitor Spermatogonia of Cryptorchid Mouse Testes
Authors: Orwig Kyle E. , Ryu Buom-Yong , Master Stephen R. , Phillips Bart T. , Mack Matthias , Avarbock Mary R. , Chodosh Lewis , Brinster Ralph L.
Published: January 2008

Gene expression and consequent biological activity of adult tissue stem cells are regulated by signals emanating from the local microenvironment (niche). To gain insights into the molecular regulation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs), gene expression was characterized from SSCs isolated from their cognate niches of cryptorchid (stem cell-enriched), wild-type, and busulfan-treated (stem cell-depleted) mouse testes. Quantitative assessment of stem cell activity in each testis model was determined using an in vivo functional assay and correlated with gene expression using Affymetrix MGU74Av2 microarrays and the ChipStat algorithm optimized to detect gene expression from rare cells in complex tissues. We identified 389 stem/progenitor spermatogonia candidate genes, which exhibited significant overlap with genes expressed by embryonic, hematopoietic, and neural stem cells; enriched spermatogonia; and cultured SSCs identified in previous studies. Candidate cell surface markers identified by the microarray may facilitate the isolation and enrichment of stem and/or progenitor spermatogonia. Flow cytometric analyses confirmed the expression of chemokine receptor 2 (Ccr2) and Cd14 on a subpopulation cryptorchid testis cells (α6-integrin+, side scatterlo) enriched for SSCs. These cell surface molecules may mark progenitor spermatogonia but not SSCs because Ccr2+ and Cd14+ fractions failed to produce spermatogenesis upon transplantation to recipient testes. Functional annotation of candidate genes and subsequent immunohistochemistry revealed that proteins involved in post-transcriptional regulation are overrepresented in cryptorchid testes that are enriched for SSCs. Comparative analyses indicated that this is a recurrent biological theme among stem cells.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Comparative Analysis of the Frequency and Distribution of Stem and Progenitor Cells in the Adult Mouse Brain
Authors: Golmohammadi Mohammad G. , Blackmore Daniel G. , Large Beatrice , Azari Hassan , Esfandiary Ebrahim , Paxinos George , Franklin Keith B. J. , Reynolds Brent A. , Rietze Rodney L.
Published: January 2008

The neurosphere assay can detect and expand neural stem cells (NSCs) and progenitor cells, but it cannot discriminate between these two populations. Given two assays have purported to overcome this shortfall, we performed a comparative analysis of the distribution and frequency of NSCs and progenitor cells detected in 400 μm coronal segments along the ventricular neuraxis of the adult mouse brain using the neurosphere assay, the neural colony forming cell assay (N-CFCA), and label-retaining cell (LRC) approach. We observed a large variation in the number of progenitor/stem cells detected in serial sections along the neuraxis, with the number of neurosphere-forming cells detected in individual 400 μm sections varying from a minimum of eight to a maximum of 891 depending upon the rostral-caudal coordinate assayed. Moreover, the greatest variability occurred in the rostral portion of the lateral ventricles, thereby explaining the large variation in neurosphere frequency previously reported. Whereas the overall number of neurospheres (3730 ± 276) or colonies (4275 ± 124) we detected along the neuraxis did not differ significantly, LRC numbers were significantly reduced (1186 ± 188, 7 month chase) in comparison to both total colonies and neurospheres. Moreover, approximately two orders of magnitude fewer NSC-derived colonies (50 ± 10) were detected using the N-CFCA as compared to LRCs. Given only 5% of the LRCs are cycling (BrdU+/Ki-67+) or competent to divide (BrdU+/Mcm-2+), and proliferate upon transfer to culture, it is unclear whether this technique selectively detects endogenous NSCs. Overall, caution should be taken with the interpretation and employment of all these techniques.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
2007 Wallace Foundation Distinguished Lecture—What Makes Education Research “Educational”?
Authors: Ball Deborah Loewenberg , Forzani Francesca M.
Published: January 2008

Education research is plagued by skeptics who doubt its quality and relevance. Inhabitants of schools of education have been among the sharpest critics, and internal battles rage over method and rigor. Yet often lacking is research that explains causes or examines the interplay at the heart of educational practice and policy. This article argues for a conception of research in education that deliberately presses into what is called here the instructional dynamic. Using a sample of studies that exemplify this quintessentially educational perspective, the authors unpack key features of research that probes inside education. They discuss how such research complements in essential ways the other kinds of scholarship that examine and inform education.