bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Alterations of Rat Corticostriatal Synaptic Plasticity After Chronic Ethanol Exposure and Withdrawal
Authors: Xia Jian Xun , Li Jing , Zhou Rong , Zhang Xiao Hu , Ge Yin Bing , Ru Yuan Xiao
Published: April 2006

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of chronic ethanol exposure (CEE) and withdrawal on corticostriatal plasticity in rats.

Methods: We established an animal model of alcoholism using the method of Turchan et al. (1999). A synaptic model of long‐term memory (long‐term depression, LTD) was used as an index and the striatum, which is related to habit learning, was selected as a target region in the present study. The effects of CEE and withdrawal on the LTD were studied in striatal slices of ethanol‐dependent rats using the extracellular recording method.

Results: A stable LTD can be induced after high‐frequency stimulation (HFS) in the slices of control rats. Chronic ethanol exposure and withdrawal suppressed the induction of corticostriatal LTD to different extents, with the strongest suppressive effects on LTD occurring in the slices of rats exposed to ethanol for 10 days and in those withdrawn from ethanol for 1 day. Notably, 3 days of withdrawal resulted in the shift of corticostriatal synaptic plasticity from LTD to long‐term potentiation, and the peak latencies of the population spikes were obviously shortened compared with those of control rats. After 7 days of withdrawal, ethanol's effects tended to disappear.

Conclusions: These results suggest that the alterations of corticostriatal synaptic plasticity produced by CEE and withdrawal may play a prominent role in alcohol abuse and alcoholism.
Increased Consumption but Not Operant Self‐administration of Ethanol in Mice Lacking the RIIβ Subunit of Protein Kinase A
Authors: Ferraro Frank M. , Sparta Dennis R. , Knapp Darin J. , Breese George R. , Thiele Todd E.
Published: April 2006

Background: Accumulating evidence indicates that adenosine monophosphate (cAMP)‐dependent protein kinase A (PKA) is involved in the neurobiological responses to ethanol. Previous reports indicate that mice lacking the RIIβ subunit of PKA (RIIβ−/−) voluntarily consume more ethanol than wild‐type controls (RIIβ+/+) using 2‐bottle testing procedures. Although such procedures primarily measure consummatory behavior, operant self‐administration procedures allow analysis of consummatory as well as appetitive or “ethanol‐seeking” behavior (i.e., lever pressing is required to gain access to the ethanol solution). Therefore, we determined whether the high ethanol consumption characteristic of RIIβ−/− mice would be complemented by increased appetitive ethanol‐seeking behavior in an operant paradigm.

Methods: RIIβ−/− (n=8) and RIIβ+/+ (n=8) mice were initially sucrose‐faded until they were lever responding for nonsweetened ethanol (10, 14, and 18%). Following the self‐administration testing, RIIβ+/+ and RIIβ−/− mice were given access to 2 bottles, one containing water and the other ethanol to replicate the voluntary ethanol drinking data previously from our laboratory. Finally, immediately after voluntary consumption all mice were again tested for self‐administration of 10% ethanol. Alterations in the reinforcement schedule were also explored as RIIβ+/+ and RIIβ−/− mice were tested for self‐administration of 10% ethanol at FR‐3 and FR‐5 schedules.

Results: The RIIβ−/− mice displayed lower operant responding for ethanol and food reinforcement compared with RIIβ+/+ controls. However, this effect was driven by a significant increase in lever responses made by female RIIβ+/+ mice. When the excessive lever responses of the female RIIβ+/+ mice are accounted for, the RIIβ−/− mice show ethanol lever responses comparable to controls. Following operant self‐administration testing, RIIβ−/− mice of both sexes consumed more ethanol solution compared with RIIβ+/+ mice during 2‐bottle testing.

Conclusions: Increased ingestion of ethanol by RIIβ−/− mice is likely the result of altered PKA activity within neuronal pathways that control ethanol‐consummatory behaviors. Conversely, the RIIβ subunit of PKA appears not to play a critical role in neuronal pathways that regulate appetitive behaviors directed at obtaining ethanol. Finally, increased operant self‐administration of food and ethanol by female wild‐type mice was absent in female RIIβ−/− mice, suggesting that normal PKA signaling may be part of a general, and sex‐dependent, mechanism involved with reinforcement‐seeking behavior.
Genetic Polymorphism of CYP2E1 and Digestive Tract Alcohol Damage Among Polish Individuals
Authors: Cichoż‐Lach Halina , Partycka Jadwiga , Nesina Irina , Wojcierowski Jacek , Słomka Maria , Celiński Krzysztof
Published: April 2006

Background: Genetic polymorphism of enzymes involved in alcohol metabolism plays a relevant role in etiopathogenesis of alcohol disease. The aim of the present study was to find in the Polish population the CYP2E1 genotypes that are likely to be responsible for higher susceptibility to alcohol disease of the liver and chronic alcohol pancreatitis.

Methods: The CYP2E1 genotype and c1 and c2 alleles frequency were examined in 198 patients. Genotyping of the CYP2E1 was performed using polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism methods on white cell DNA.

Results: In the examined population encompassing 198 subjects, the c2 allele was present only in 1.5% of patients. It was found only in patients abusing alcohol. In the group of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis, it was present in 3.5% of cases, whereas in patients with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis, in 2.3%. The genotype c1/c2 was present in 3% of subjects. The genotype c2/c2 was not found in any patient. Heterozygotes c1/c2 were present only in patients consuming excessive amounts of ethanol; in 7% of patients with alcoholic cirrhosis and in 4.5% of those with chronic alcoholic pancreatitis. The c2 allele occurred only in men. None of the examined women had the genotype c1/c2.

Conclusions: Our studies suggest that the frequency of the c2 alleles in Polish population is low. Because of their rare frequency, it is difficult to conclude explicitly that the presence of the c2 allele promotes alcoholic damage to alimentary organs among Poles. It seems, however, that they pose the risk of alcoholic cirrhosis; their role in chronic alcoholic pancreatitis is difficult to assess.
Factors influencing the decision to donate: racial and ethnic comparisons
Authors: Glynn Simone A. , Schreiber George B. , Murphy Edward L. , Kessler Debra , Higgins Martha , Wright David J. , Mathew Sunitha , Tu Yongling , King Melissa , Smith James W. ,   Retrovirus Epidemiology Donor Study
Published: April 2006

BACKGROUND:  Understanding factors that encourage different racial and ethnic groups to donate is crucial for donor recruitment and retention.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:  A 28‐item self‐administered questionnaire was completed in 2003 by 1862 Asian, 1479 black, 1641 Hispanic, and 2940 White US donors who had given whole blood within the past year. With a 1 to 5 scale, donors were asked to rate the importance of 17 factors in their last donation decision. Logistic regression was conducted to compare the odds of a factor being important or very important (score of 4 or 5) in one’s decision to donate between race or ethnic groups, stratified by first‐time and repeat status.

RESULTS:  More than 90 percent of each respondent group cited a desire, responsibility, or perceived duty to help others as an important or very important motivator. Being asked to donate at work was also an important motivator for all race and ethnic groups (56‐70%). Getting the results of a health screen appealed to many (approx. 30% found it important or very important) and was most important to Black and Hispanic donors (odds ratios of 1.3‐1.9 compared to White donors; p < 0.003).

CONCLUSION:  Recruitment and retention programs should build on people’s sense of social responsibility. Direct requests to donate are particularly effective motivators. Of a variety of incentives evaluated, offering more comprehensive health screens may motivate many donors, especially Black and Hispanic donors.
Na+“Fuzzy Space”: Does It Exist, and Is It Important In Ischemic Injury?
Authors: BARRY WILLIAM H.
Published: April 2006

Work is reviewed which provides evidence for the presence of a subsarcolemmal microdomain, in which the [Na+] is influenced by Na+ influx via the Na+ channel and the activity of the Na pump. The sarcolemma adjacent to this microdomain, which has been referred to as “Na+ fuzzy space,” appears to include Na‐Ca exchangers, and thus alterations of [Na+] in this space may influence Ca2+ influx and efflux, and thus Ca2+ loading, more directly than do alterations of bulk cytoplasmic [Na+]. The degree of Ca2+ loading is an important determinant of contractility in heart muscle, and therefore alterations in fuzzy space [Na+] may be important in mediating the positive inotropic effects of Na pump inhibitors, such as digitalis, and the negative inotropic effects of Na+ channel blockers such as disopyramide. During ischemia, myocyte Ca2+ overload can contribute to ATP depletion by activation of Ca2+‐dependent ATPases and by induction of the mitochondrial permeability transition, and thus is an important contributor to myocyte dysfunction and injury. Hypoxia associated with ischemia can induce Na+ influx via a persistent opening of the Na+ channel. It is likely that this Na+ influx elevates [Na+] in the fuzzy space, and thus increases Ca2+ influx via Na‐Ca exchange, and increases Ca2+ loading. Inhibition of the persistent Na+ current with a resulting decrease in Ca2+ loading by drugs such as tetrodotoxin (TTX) and ranolazine may be a mechanism by which these agents produce a cardio‐protective effect during ischemia.
Automatic Crystal Size Determination in the Micrometer Range from Spotty X‐Ray Diffraction Rings of Powder Samples
Authors: Rodriguez‐Navarro Alejandro B. , Alvarez‐Lloret Pedro , Ortega‐Huertas Miguel , Rodriguez‐Gallego Manuel
Published: April 2006

Crystal sizes can be calculated from peak intensities of spotty diffraction rings produced by a polycrystalline sample. Such patterns are collected using a small X‐ray beam and an area detector. Peak intensities can be automatically measured using specially designed software. Crystal sizes can be determined from peak intensities after calibration using samples of the same material whose sizes are already known. This technique is independent of the aggregation state of the material. Also, crystal sizes of different mineral phases present in a sample can be analyzed independently. The present paper analyzes the potential of this methodology as applied to crystal size characterization of crystalline powder materials. Graded SiC and α‐Al2O3 abrasive powders were selected as test material for this study. A high correlation was found between parameters determined by X‐ray diffraction and crystal size determined by means of optical microscopy and laser diffraction. The crystal sizes determined ranges from 3 to 80 μm, a much larger range than that obtained by conventional X‐ray line‐broadening analyses. Additionally, upper and lower size ranges of applicability of this technique can be extended further by using different collimator diameters. The estimated error in crystal size measurements was within 5%.
Lead‐Free Primer Residues: A Qualitative Characterization of Winchester WinClean™, Remington/UMC LeadLess™, Federal BallistiClean™, and Speer Lawman CleanFire™ Handgun Ammunition*
Authors: Oommen Zachariah , Pierce Scott M.
Published: April 2006

ABSTRACT: The elemental composition and postfiring residues of several “lead‐free” or “nontoxic” centerfire handgun ammunition types currently available to the general public were examined. Offerings from Winchester, Remington/UMC, Federal and Speer were obtained from retail sources in both .45 ACP and 9 mm when possible. A total of 112 postfiring residue samples (SEM pins) were collected at varying distances from the muzzle, at two distances from target and from the shooter's hands. An additional 20 samples were collected by direct ignition of primers. Qualitative determinations were carried out using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/electron dispersive spectrometry (EDS) analysis. All types tested contained aluminum (Al), silicon (Si), copper (Cu), and zinc (Zn). Most contain traces of sulfur and calcium. Winchester WinClean™ and Remington LeadLess™ contained potassium as the principle ingredient. Federal BallistClean™ contained barium, while Speer Lawman CleanFire™ contained strontium. In the main, these compared favorably with manufacturers' MSDS publications and patents granted. The characterizations undertaken here will be of use to the forensic electron microscopist as these formulations gain popularity.
A Technique to Capture, Analyze, and Quantify Anterior Teeth Rotations for Application in Court Cases Involving Tooth Marks
Authors: Bernitz Herman , Van Heerden Willie F.P. , Solheim Tore , Owen Johanna H.
Published: April 2006

ABSTRACT: Anterior teeth within the human dentition have a specific numerical rotation value. Bite marks show an array of angled indentations, abrasions, microlacerations, and contusions. These marks generally represent the incisal surfaces of the suspect's dentition reflecting the rotation values of the teeth in the dental arch. This study described a method for capturing and analyzing anterior dental rotations. The rotations of individual anterior teeth within the study population were categorized as common, uncommon, and very uncommon according to Allen's classification. In the absence of a large number of incisal patterns present in a bite mark, a single but heavily weighted tooth rotation could be of equal discriminatory potential to several common rotation values. No prevalence studies quantifying individual tooth rotations are available. The measurement of each individual tooth rotation together with its individual discrimination potential will enhance the evaluation of the concordant features observed in bite marks.
Forensic Analysis of Bicomponent Fibers Using Infrared Chemical Imaging
Authors: Flynn Katherine , O'Leary Robyn , Roux Claude , Reedy Brian J.
Published: April 2006

ABSTRACT: The application of infrared chemical imaging to the analysis of bicomponent fibers was evaluated. Eleven nominally bicomponent fibers were examined either side‐on or in cross‐section. In six of the 11 samples, infrared chemical imaging was able to spatially resolve two spectroscopically distinct regions when the fibers were examined side‐on. As well as yielding characteristic infrared spectra of each component, the technique also provided images that clearly illustrated the side‐by‐side configuration of these components in the fiber. In one case it was possible to prepare and image a cross‐section of the fiber, but in general the preparation of fiber cross‐sections proved very difficult. In five of the 11 samples, the infrared spectra could be used to identify the overall chemical composition of the fibers, according to a published classification scheme, but the fiber components could not be spatially resolved. Difficulties that are inherent to conventional “single‐point” infrared spectroscopy, such as interference fringing and sloping baselines, particularly when analyzing acrylic type fibers, were also encountered in the infrared chemical image analysis of bicomponent fibers. A number of infrared sampling techniques were investigated to overcome these problems, and recommendations for the best sampling technique are given. Chemical imaging results were compared with those obtained using conventional fiber microscopy techniques.
Alligator Attacks in Southwest Florida
Authors: Harding Brett E. , Wolf Barbara C.
Published: April 2006

ABSTRACT: The American alligator inhabits bodies of fresh water in Florida and other southeastern states. Although attacks on pets are frequent, alligator attacks on humans are relatively rare because of the animal's natural fear of man. Because of the rarity of attacks on humans, the pathologic findings and pathophysiology of death in such cases have not been well characterized in the literature. We report three cases of fatal alligator attacks that occurred in southwest Florida, each with different pathologic findings and mechanisms of death. Although the cause of death in each case was attributed to the alligator attack, the mechanisms of death differed and included exsanguination because of amputation of an extremity, overwhelming sepsis, and drowning. These cases illustrate the varied pathophysiologies associated with deaths due to alligator attacks on humans and the features that distinguish alligator bites from those of other aquatic predators.
Estimating food demand in Paraguay from household survey data
Authors: Alfonzo Leonardo , Peterson Hikaru Hanawa
Published: April 2006

We estimate a food demand system in Paraguay based on the 1997 national household survey, considering 12 food categories. To obtain demand elasticity estimates from household survey data accounting for quality effects, measurement errors, and censored observations, price indexes are obtained from ordinary least squares predictions of changes in unitary values caused by spatial and temporal variations, and the two‐step estimation procedure (Shonkwiler and Yen, 1999) is applied. Our approach yields reasonable estimates of combined quantity and quality responses with respect to price. Results suggest distinct consumption behavior in urban and rural areas, particularly for chicken, eggs, dairy, and fats and oils, which are likely because of differences in the food distribution system and availability of nonmarket food sources.
Hydrops lysosomalis generalisatus – an underestimated side effect of hydroxyethyl starch therapy?
Authors: Schmidt‐Hieber Martin , Loddenkemper Christoph , Schwartz Stefan , Arntz Gesine , Thiel Eckhard , Notter Michael
Published: April 2006

Abstract:   Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) is usually considered to be associated with limited side effects. Generalized foamy cell macrophage syndrome after HES therapy has rarely been reported since Schaefer first described it as ‘hydrops lysosomalis generalisatus’ in 1982. We present a 19‐yr‐old male who received large amounts of HES. A bone marrow and a liver biopsy were performed because of persistent thrombocytopenia and liver dysfunction. We found severe infiltration of foamy cell degenerated macrophages in both organ systems, indicating that sequelae of HES therapy have to be included in the differential diagnosis of bone marrow and liver dysfunction.
Does seasonality explain the evolution and maintenance of delayed implantation in the family Mustelidae (Mammalia: Carnivora)?
Authors: H. Ferguson Steven , W. Higdon Jeff , Larivière Serge
Published: April 2006

Understanding the evolutionary pressures that may have led to the development and retention of delayed implantation in mammals remains an enigmatic puzzle for evolutionary ecologists. Recent studies suggest a strong role of environmental conditions but other attributes of species, notably body size and life history traits, may obscure primary mechanisms. Following the recommendation of Lindenfors et al., we examined environmental correlates related to the evolution of delayed implantation and its subsequent maintenance or loss in the family Mustelidae (Mammalia: Carnivora). We focused on the Mustelidae because evolution and subsequent loss of delayed implantation occurred most commonly within this group. Data on 34 species of mustelids from around the world suggest that delayed implantation may have evolved when optimal times for mating and birthing are separated by more than a gestation period, characteristic of environments with long winters that reduce the opportunities to find mates. Environmental characteristics (seasonality, temperature, snow, latitude, and primary productivity) were highly intercorrelated but seasonality was the best predictor of the evolution or loss of delayed implantation via population traits. Here, structural equations on phylogenetic independent contrasts revealed that high seasonality was correlated with low population density and large individual home range size, which in turn was correlated with presence/absence of delayed implantation. We argue that the evolution of delayed implantation provides the reproductive means to mate during the season (summer) with the greatest prospects for females to ‘choose’ mates when living in high‐latitude seasonal environments that generally reduce these opportunities (i.e. low population density and large ranges). Body mass of female mustelids did not differ between species with and without delayed implantation, refuting the hypothesis that loss of delayed implantation is an evolutionary by‐product of evolving to smaller size. We conclude that understanding the environmental selection pressures responsible for the evolution of life history traits related to density and spacing behaviour allows for a more complete picture of the evolution and subsequent loss of delayed implantation.
Site fidelity and the demographic implications of winter movements by a migratory bird, the harlequin duckHistrionicus histrionicus
Authors: A. Iverson Samuel , Esler Daniel
Published: April 2006

Understanding the degree of demographic connectivity among population segments is increasingly recognized as central to the fields of population ecology and conservation biology. However, delineating discrete population units has proven challenging, particularly for migratory birds as they move through their annual cycle. In this study, radio telemetry was used to assess movement rates among habitats by harlequin ducksHistrionicus histrionicusduring the non‐breeding season in Prince William Sound, Alaska. A total of 434 females were outfitted with radio transmitters over six years of data collection, and their signals tracked by aircraft. Using a spatially nested design, it was determined that 75% of radioed females remained in the bay or coastline area where they were originally trapped, 94% remained on the same island or mainland region of Prince William Sound where they began the winter period, and 98% remained within the 4500 km2study area as a whole. Home range analyses corroborated these findings, indicating that the scale of individual movements was small, with 95% kernel home range estimates averaging only 11.5±2.2 km2. A simple demographic model, which incorporated estimates for population size, survival, and movement rates, was used to infer the degree of independence among population segments. Immigrant females were found to contribute little to population numbers in most areas, accounting for only 4% of the adult female population at a scale of approximately 100 km2. These results have important implications for the scale of conservation action for the species and demonstrate that winter movements can have a strong influence local population dynamics.
GABAB receptor‐mediated modulation of hypocretin/orexin neurones in mouse hypothalamus
Authors: Xie Xinmin , Crowder Tara L. , Yamanaka Akihiro , Morairty Stephen. R. , LeWinter Robin D. , Sakurai Takeshi , Kilduff Thomas S.
Published: April 2006

Hypocretin/orexin (Hcrt) is a critical neurotransmitter for the maintenance of wakefulness and has been implicated in several other functions, including energy metabolism and reward. Using whole‐cell patch‐clamp recordings from transgenic mice in which enhanced green fluorescent protein was linked to the Hcrt promoter, we investigated GABAergic control of the Hcrt neurones in hypothalamic slices. Bath application of GABA or muscimol caused an early hyperpolarization mediated by Cl− and a late depolarization mediated by the efflux of bicarbonate. These GABAA receptor‐mediated responses were blocked by picrotoxin and bicuculline. Under the GABAA blockade condition, GABA produced consistent hyperpolarization, decreased firing rate and input resistance. The selective GABAB agonist (R)‐baclofen caused a similar response with an EC50 of 7.1 μm. The effects of (R)‐baclofen were blocked by the GABAB antagonist CGP 52432 but persisted in the presence of tetrodotoxin, suggesting direct postsynaptic effects. The existence of GABAB modulation was supported by GABAB(1) subunit immunoreactivity on Hcrt cells colabelled with antisera to the Hcrt‐2 peptide. Furthermore, GABAB receptor activation inhibited the presynaptic release of both glutamate and GABA. (R)‐Baclofen depressed the amplitude of evoked excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) and inhibitory synaptic currents (IPSCs), and also decreased the frequency of both spontaneous and miniature EPSCs and IPSCs with a modest effect on their amplitudes. These data suggest that GABAB receptors modulate Hcrt neuronal activity via both pre‐ and postsynaptic mechanisms, which may underlie the promotion of non‐rapid eye movement sleep and have implications for the use of GABAB agonists in the treatment of substance addiction through direct interaction with the Hcrt system.
Enhanced Impingement Heat Transfer: The Influence of Impingement X/D for Interrupted Rib Obstacles (Rectangular Pin Fins)
Authors: Andrews G. E. , Hussain R. A. A. Abdul , Mkpadi M. C.
Published: April 2006

Impingement flat wall cooling, with 15.2 mm pitch square hole arrays, was investigated in the presence of an array of interrupted rib obstacles. These ribs took the form of rectangular pin-fins with a 50% blockage to the cross flow. One side exit of the air was used, and there was no initial cross flow. Three hole diameters were investigated, which allowed the impingement wall pressure loss to be varied at constant coolant mass flow rate. Combustor wall cooling was the main application of the work, where a low wall cooling pressure loss is required if the air is subsequently to be fed to a low NOx combustor. The results showed that the increase in surface average impingement heat transfer, relative to that for a smooth wall, was small and greatest for an X∕D of 3.06 at 15%. The main effect of the interrupted ribs was to change the influence of cross flow, which produced a deterioration in the heat transfer with distance compared to a smooth impingement wall. With the interrupted ribs the heat transfer increased with distance. If the heat transfer was compared at the trailing edge of the test section, where the upstream cross flow was at a maximum, then at high coolant flow rates the increase in heat transfer was 21%, 47%, and 25% for X∕D of 4.66, 3.06, and 1.86, respectively.
Flip-Flopping Fractional Flux Quanta
Authors: Ortlepp T. , Ariando  , Mielke O. , Verwijs C. J. M. , Foo K. F. K. , Rogalla H. , Uhlmann F. H. , Hilgenkamp H.
Published: April 2006

The
d
-wave pairing symmetry in high–critical temperature superconductors makes it possible to realize superconducting rings with built-in π phase shifts. Such rings have a twofold degenerate ground state that is characterized by the spontaneous generation of fractional magnetic flux quanta with either up or down polarity. We have incorporated π phase–biased superconducting rings in a logic circuit, a flip-flop, in which the fractional flux polarity is controllably toggled by applying single flux quantum pulses at the input channel. The integration of p rings into conventional rapid single flux quantum logic as natural two-state devices should alleviate the need for bias current lines, improve device symmetry, and enhance the operation margins.
CT Scans vs. X-rays
Authors: Senechal Marjorie
Published: April 2006

Shadows of Reality
. The Fourth Dimension in Relativity, Cubism, and Modern Thought.
By Tony Robbin
. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT, 2006. 151 pp. $40, £30. ISBN 0-300-11039-1.

Distinguishing between slicing and projection models of the fourth dimension, the author explores the histories, uses, and misuses of each in art, physics, and popular culture.
Toward Rational Education Policy
Authors: DeHaan Robert L.
Published: April 2006

Moderating the Debate
. Rationality and the Promise of American Education.
By Michael J. Feuer
. Harvard Education Press, Cambridge, MA, 2006. 145 pp. $49.95. ISBN 1-891792-70-9. Paper, $24.95. ISBN 1-891792-69-5.

Combining cognitive science, behavioral economics, and organization theory, the author examines the promise and pitfalls of education research and policy-making.
Carbohydrate intake and tennis: are there benefits?
Authors: Kovacs M S
Published: April 2006

Carbohydrate supplementation in prolonged aerobic exercise has been shown to be effective in improving performance and deferring fatigue. However, there is confounding evidence with regard to carbohydrate supplementation and tennis performance, which may be due to the limited number of studies on this topic. This evidence based review, using database searches of Medline and SPORTDiscus, summarises the limited relevant literature to determine if carbohydrate supplementation benefits tennis performance, and, if so, the appropriate amounts and timing. Although more research is required, it appears that it may be beneficial in tennis sessions lasting more than 90 minutes.
Unforced errors and error reduction in tennis
Authors: Brody H
Published: April 2006

Only at the highest level of tennis is the number of winners comparable to the number of unforced errors. As the average player loses many more points due to unforced errors than due to winners by an opponent, if the rate of unforced errors can be reduced, it should lead to an increase in points won. This article shows how players can improve their game by understanding and applying the laws of physics to reduce the number of unforced errors.
Endothelial stroma programs hematopoietic stem cells to differentiate into regulatory dendritic cells through IL-10
Authors: Tang Hua , Guo Zhenhong , Zhang Minghui , Wang Jianli , Chen Guoyou , Cao Xuetao
Published: April 2006

Regulatory dendritic cells (DCs) have been reported recently, but their origin is poorly understood. Our previous study demonstrated that splenic stroma can drive mature DCs to proliferate and differentiate into regulatory DCs, and their natural counterpart with similar regulatory function in normal spleens has been identified. Considering that the spleen microenvironment supports hematopoiesis and that hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) are found in spleens of adult mice, we wondered whether splenic microenvironment could differentiate HSCs into regulatory DCs. In this report, we demonstrate that endothelial splenic stroma induce HSCs to differentiate into a distinct regulatory DC subset with high expression of CD11b but low expression of Ia. CD11bhiIalo DCs secreting high levels of TGF-β, IL-10, and NO can suppress T-cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, CD11bhiIalo DCs have the ability to potently suppress allo-DTH in vivo, indicating their preventive or therapeutic perspectives for some immunologic disorders. The inhibitory function of CD11bhiIalo DCs is mediated through NO but not through induction of regulatory T (Treg) cells or T-cell anergy. IL-10, which is secreted by endothelial splenic stroma, plays a critical role in the differentiation of the regulatory CD11bhiIalo DCs from HSCs. These results suggest that splenic microenvironment may physiologically induce regulatory DC differentiation in situ.
The effect of pre-pregnancy body mass index and gestational weight gain on pregnancy outcomes in urban care settings in Urmia-Iran
Authors: Yekta Zahra , Ayatollahi Haleh , Porali Reza , Farzin Azadeh
Published: April 2006

Background

Nutritional status of women has been considered an important prognostic indicator of pregnancy outcomes. Few studies have evaluated patterns of weight gain and pre-pregnancy body mass index in developing regions where malnutrition and poor weight gain as well as maternal obesity have significant influences on the pregnancy outcome. This study aims to show effect of pregnancy body mass index and the corresponding gestational weight gain on the outcome of pregnancy.

Methods

On a prospective cross sectional study, two hundred and seventy women from urban areas of Northwest Iran were recruited for participation during their first eight weeks of pregnancy. Body mass index (BMI) was categorized and gestational weight gain was divided into two groups of normal and abnormal based on recommendations of Institute of Medicine (IOM) published in 1990. Chi square and one way ANOVA were used in the univariate analysis of the association between weight gain and corresponding adverse outcomes including cesarean, preterm labor and low neonatal birth weight. Adjusted odds ratios for adverse outcomes were determined by multiple logistic regression models, while controlling for the following factors: maternal age, parity, and education.

Results

Both pre-pregnancy BMI < 19 and abnormal weight gain during pregnancy were found to be associated with low neonatal birth weight defined as < 2500 g. Abnormal weight gain, during pregnancy was not related to an increased risk of preterm labor or cesarean delivery but it was highly associated with low birth weight (LBW)(P < 0.05).

Conclusion

Low pre-pregnancy BMI is an established risk factor for LBW. Abnormal gestational weight gain may further complicate the pregnancy as an additional risk factor for neonatal LBW. All women, regardless of their pre-pregnancy BMI may be at risk for abnormal weight gain and hence low birth weight. Pre-pregnancy and gestation nutritional assessments remain significant part of all prenatal visits.
Are there differences in all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality between immigrants in Sweden and in their country of birth? A follow-up study of total populations
Authors: Gadd Malin , Johansson Sven-Erik , Sundquist Jan , Wändell Per
Published: April 2006

Background

Mortality from cardiovascular diseases is higher among immigrants than native Swedes. It is not clear whether the high mortality persists from the country of birth or is a result of migration. The purpose of the present study was to analyse whether all-cause and coronary heart disease mortality differ between immigrants in Sweden and in the country of birth.

Methods

Two cohorts including the total population from Swedish national registers and WHO were defined. All-cause and CHD mortality are presented as age-adjusted incidence rates and incidence density ratios (IDR) in eight immigrant groups in Sweden and in their country of birth. The data were analysed using Poisson regression.

Results

The all-cause mortality risk was lower among seven of eight male immigrant groups (IDR 0.39–0.97) and among six of eight female immigrant groups (IDR 0.42–0.81) than in their country of birth. The CHD mortality risk was significantly lower in male immigrants from Norway (IDR = 0.84), Finland (IDR = 0.91), Germany (IDR = 0.84) and Hungary (IDR = 0.59) and among female immigrants from Germany (IDR = 0.66) and Hungary (IDR = 0.54) than in their country of birth. In contrast, there was a significantly higher CHD mortality risk in male immigrants from Southern Europe (IDR = 1.23) than in their country of birth.

Conclusion

The all-cause mortality risk was lower in the majority of immigrant groups in Sweden than in their country of birth. The differences in CHD mortality risks were more complex. For countries with high CHD mortality, such as Finland and Hungary, the risk was lower among immigrants in Sweden than in their country of birth. For low-risk countries in South Europe, the risk was higher in immigrants in Sweden than in South Europe.
Measuring social capital in a known disadvantaged urban community – health policy implications
Authors: Taylor Anne W , Williams Carmel , Dal Grande Eleonora , Herriot Michelle
Published: April 2006

Background

To assess the social capital profile of a known disadvantaged area a large cross-sectional survey was undertaken. The social capital profile of this area was compared to data from the whole of the state. The overall health status of the disadvantaged area was assessed in relation to a wide variety of social capital related variables. Univariate and multivariate analysis were undertaken.

Results

In the univariate analysis many statistically significant differences were found between the respondents in the disadvantaged area and the state estimates including overall health status, perceived attributes of the neighbourhood, levels of trust, community involvement and social activities. In the multivariate analysis very few variables were found to be statistically significantly associated with poorer health status. The variables that jointly predicted poorer health status in the disadvantaged area were older age, lower income, low sport participation, non-seeking help from neighbours and non-attendance at public meetings.

Conclusion

Measuring social capital on a population level is complex and the use of epidemiologically-based population surveys does not produce overly valuable results. The inter-relational/dependence dichotomy of social capital is not yet fully understood making meaningful measurement in the broader population extremely difficult and hence is of questionable value for policy decision making.
Androgen Receptor Ligand-Binding Domain Interaction and Nuclear Receptor Specificity of FXXLF and LXXLL Motifs as Determined by L/F Swapping
Authors: Dubbink Hendrikus J. , Hersmus Remko , Pike Ashley C. W. , Molier Michel , Brinkmann Albert O. , Jenster Guido , Trapman Jan
Published: April 2006

The androgen receptor (AR) ligand-binding domain (LBD) binds FXXLF motifs, present in the AR N-terminal domain and AR-specific cofactors, and some LXXLL motifs of nuclear receptor coactivators. We demonstrated that in the context of the AR FXXLF motif many different amino acid residues at positions +2 and +3 are compatible with strong AR LBD interaction, although a preference for E at +2 and K or R at +3 was found. Pairwise systematic analysis of F/L swaps at +1 and +5 in FXXLF and LXXLL motifs showed: 1) F to L substitutions in natural FXXLF motifs abolished AR LBD interaction; 2) binding of interacting LXXLL motifs was unchanged or increased upon L to F substitutions; 3) certain noninteracting LXXLL motifs became strongly AR-interacting FXXLF motifs; whereas 4) other nonbinders remained unaffected by L to F substitutions. All FXXLF motifs, but not the corresponding LXXLL motifs, displayed a strong preference for AR LBD. Progesterone receptor LBD interacted with some FXXLF motifs, albeit always less efficiently than corresponding LXXLL motifs. AR LBD interaction of most FXXLF and LXXLL peptides depended on classical charge clamp residue K720, whereas E897 was less important. Other charged residues lining the AR coactivator-binding groove, K717 and R726, modulated optimal peptide binding. Interestingly, these four charged residues affected binding of individual peptides independent of an F or L at +1 and +5 in swap experiments. In conclusion, F residues determine strong and selective peptide interactions with AR. Sequences flanking the core motif determine the specific mode of FXXLF and LXXLL interactions.
Use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Measure Facial Soft Tissue Depth
Authors: Pluym J. Vander , Shan W. W. , Taher Z. , Beaulieu C. , Plewes C. , Peterson A. E. , Beattie O. B. , Bamforth J. S.
Published: April 2006

Objective:

To investigate the feasibility of using magnetic resonance imaging to estimate facial tissue depth at standard anthropological facial landmarks.

Design:

Standard facial landmarks were marked with magnetic resonance imaging opaque markers on 10 normal subjects. Three observers estimated facial tissue depth at these landmarks on up to three separate occasions, and comparisons were made among the observers.

Setting:

The study was conducted with volunteers at the University of Alberta Biomechanical Engineering unit.

Participants:

The volunteers were healthy individuals of both sexes between the ages of 18 and 30 years.

Main Outcome Measures:

The technical error of measurement among observers was used as the main indicator of precision of measurement.

Results:

Measurements of tissue depth showed tolerable technical error of measurement and were precisely measured within and among observers.

Conclusions:

Magnetic resonance images can be used to estimate tissue depth in human faces with precision.
From Cicero to lasso: Humanism and the Education of the Novarese Parish Clergy (1565-1663)
Authors: Deutscher Thomas B.
Published: April 2006

This study argues that the parish clergy of the northern Italian diocese of Novara benefited from a dramatic increase in educational institutions in the decades following the Council of Trent (1545- 63) and that their formation was rooted in the humanist program of grammar, letters, poetry, history, rhetoric, and moral philosophy, inculcated through the reading of classical authors. Employing the acts of visitations conducted between 1616 and 1663, it is based on comments made by the priests themselves about their education and on an analysis of the secular books in their personal libraries. It concludes that a number of the Novarese priests developed a lifelong interest in humanist and secular works, while some of them employed their humanist training as schoolmasters in the towns and villages of the diocese.
Sport, War, and Contest in Shakespeare's Henry VI*
Authors: Colón Semenza Gregory M.
Published: April 2006

Whereas sport had been justified since antiquity for providing soldiers with the physical training they would require in battle, its utilitarian function waned with the English military's gradual adaptation of firearms during the Renaissance. As a result, sports were increasingly condemned as idle and superfluous phenomena — nothing more than futile competitions between men. In Shakespeare'sHenry VI, sport figures as a metaphor for war itself, also condemnable as a result of the historical shift from the politics of chivalric idealism to the “politics of reality.” Throughout the trilogy, Shakespeare indicts modern warfare as mere sport for ambitious and corrupt nobles.
The Hypnerotomachia Poliphili, Image, Text, and Vernacular Poetics
Authors: Trippe Rosemary
Published: April 2006

Illustration and text in theHypnerotomachia Poliphili(Venice, 1499) have been long considered intricately related yet the book's ornate, invented language has made study of such interaction difficult. This essay reconsiders their connections through a close analysis of two woodcuts and accompanying text in light of the poetical-rhetorical conventions of contemporary Petrarchan imitation in Italy. This reveals how Francesco Colonna visually and textually adapted, in a playful way, traditional subjects of vernacular lyric poetry: the beauty of the poet's beloved, and the lover's own emotions, characterized through metaphor and other tropes.
Authorship and the Royal “I”: King James VI/I and the Politics of Monarchic Verse
Authors: Herman Peter C.
Published: April 2006

In this essay, I will show how James's position as monarch governed both the writing and the reception of his verse. Using James's previously ignored sonnet to Elizabeth, enclosed in a letter to her and so far as one can tell, intended for her eyes alone, his elegy for Sir Philip Sidney, printed in a commemorative volume, and the mini-epic, theLepanto, I will show that James always writes as a monarch and never as a mere poet. The first two poems demonstrate how James used (or, more accurately in the case of the Elizabeth sonnet, tried to use) verse as an instrument of diplomacy. For theLepanto, I will examine the parallels between the poem's (literal) ambivalence and James's foreignl religious diplomacy along with the resonances of James's decision to republish theLepantoas a separate piece when he became king of England in 1603. Insodoing, we will also see how the publication history of theLepantocontributes to the history of authorship and how James took advantage of the growing authority of print authorship.
Tasso's God: Divine Action in Gerusalemme Liberata
Authors: Gregory Tobias
Published: April 2006

This essay examines a subject largely ignored in Tasso criticism: the role of supernatural powers in the epic action of theLiberata. Tasso introduces divine characters, notably God and Satan, at several crucial moments. The presence in the epic plot of an intervening God who is at once partisan and omnipotent brings to the fore certain narrative and theological problems; these problems are not Tasso's alone, but inhere in the attempt to construct a Christian supernatural on the classical epic model. The divine action of theLiberatasheds light on the religious ideology of the poem, and on an issue of broader significance: the uneasy marriage of monotheism and epic narrative.
The Slave-Trade in the Spanish Colonies of America: The Assiento
Authors: Scelle G.
Published: April 2006

President Monroe in his famous message to Congress, December 2, 1823, aimed both at the attempts at colonization which Europe might be led to make upon American soil, and the efforts which Spain might make to place its emancipated colonies again under her yoke. Europe saw with displeasure that the watch-word "America for the Americans," by which phrase they briefly and incompletely condensed the purport of the message, had a double significance, political above all for the United States, but one almost exclusively economic for the countries of Latin-America, which adopted it with enthusiasm.
The Sanction of International Law
Authors: Root Elihu
Published: April 2006

One accustomed to the administration of municipal law who turns his attention for the first time to the discussion of practical questions arising between nations and dependent upon the rules of international law, must be struck by a difference between the two systems which materially affects the intellectual processes involved in every discussion, and which is apparently fundamental.
The Legal Nature of International Law
Authors: Scott James Brown
Published: April 2006

International law — to use Bentham's innovation of 1789, which has found favor with the public, instead of the older, more expressive term, law of nations—has been variously denounced and praised as international morality or ethics; international courtesy or convention in the social sense of the word; comity as distinguished from rule of law; or merely and finally as the foreign policy, such as the Monroe Doctrine, which at a particular time happens to catch the fancy of nations. If admitted as law in general or as possessing some of the elements of ordinary municipal law, the principle that pinches is declared not to be law and to have no binding force whatever, because there is no supreme court of nations in which the dispute may be litigated and no sheriff to execute the decree, supposing that one had actually been delivered. But the judgment of a municipal court is not self-executing, as, for instance, when President Jackson stamped his foot, saying: “John Marshall has made the decision; now let him execute it!” The executive officer of the court, the sheriff or marshal, did not enforce it, and that, forsooth, changed the nature of the transaction! Suppose the sheriff meets resistance in performing the mandate of the court, the armed force of the nation may be called upon and in final result the nation is in the field.
The Influence of the Law of Nature Upon International Law in the United States
Authors: Reeves Jesse S.
Published: April 2006

The political philosophers of the eighteenth century might have been surprised if told that their favorite doctrine of natural rights was the intellectual successor of certain theories of the Roman law and of the scholasticism of Saint Thomas Aquinas. Yet the “ state of nature,” which filled so large a place in the discussion of natural rights, has been called “ an exaggerated perversion of what, in traditional system, was quite a subordinant point” From Locke to Hooker, and back through the scholastic philosophy, the germ of natural rights has been traced to the jus naturœ and the jus gentium of the Roman law. Grotius and his successors preserved the tradition in another and more direct line. The continuity of Grotius with the doctrine of the Roman law was complete. “ The law of nature,” said Holland, “ is the foundation, or rather the scaffolding, upon which the modern science of International Law was built up by Gentilis and Grotius. The change in the meaning of jus gentium made by Grotius and his successors, and the influence which the jus naturœ had in forming the new conception of the law of nations can only be referred to here.