bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Audio–vocal interaction in the pontine brainstem during self‐initiated vocalization in the squirrel monkey
Authors: Hage Steffen R. , Jürgens Uwe , Ehret Günter
Published: June 2006

The adjustment of the voice by auditory input happens at several brain levels. The caudal pontine brainstem, though rarely investigated, is one candidate area for such audio–vocal integration. We recorded neuronal activity in this area in awake, behaving squirrel monkeys (Saimiri sciureus) during vocal communication, using telemetric single‐unit recording techniques. We found audio–vocal neurons at locations not described before, namely in the periolivary region of the superior olivary complex and the adjacent pontine reticular formation. They showed various responses to external sounds (noise bursts) and activity increases (excitation) or decreases (inhibition) to self‐produced vocalizations, starting prior to vocal onset and continuing through vocalizations. In most of them, the responses to noise bursts and self‐produced vocalizations were similar, with the only difference that neuronal activity started prior to vocal onset. About one‐third responded phasically to noise bursts, independent of whether they increased or decreased their activity to vocalization. The activity of most audio–vocal neurons correlated with basic acoustic features of the vocalization, such as call duration and/or syllable structure. Auditory neurons near audio–vocal neurons showed significantly more frequent phasic response patterns than those in areas without audio–vocal activity. Based on these findings, we propose that audio–vocal neurons showing similar activity to external acoustical stimuli and vocalization play a role in olivocochlear regulation. Specifically, audio–vocal neurons with a phasic response to external auditory stimuli are candidates for the mediation of basal audio–vocal reflexes such as the Lombard reflex. Thus, our findings suggest that complex audio–vocal integration mechanisms exist in the ventrolateral pontine brainstem.
Cross‐inhibitory interactions between GABAAand P2X channels in myenteric neurones
Authors: Karanjia Rustum , García‐Hernández Luz M. , Miranda‐Morales Marcela , Somani Nureen , Espinosa‐Luna Rosa , Montaño Luis M. , Barajas‐López Carlos
Published: June 2006

Inhibitory interactions between GABAA[induced by γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)] and P2X [activated by adenosine 5′‐triphosphate (ATP)] receptors of myenteric neurones from the guinea pig small intestine were characterized using whole‐cell recordings. Currents induced by GABA (IGABA) or ATP (IATP) were inhibited by picrotoxin or pyridoxalphosphate‐6‐azophenyl‐2′,4′‐disulphonic acid, respectively. Currents induced by GABA + ATP (IGABA+ATP) were only as large as the current induced by the most effective transmitter, revealing current occlusion. This occlusion requires maximal activation of at least one of these receptors. Sequential applications of neurotransmitters, and kinetic and pharmacological properties of IGABA+ATPindicate that they are carried through both GABAAand P2X channels. ATP did not affect IGABAin neurones: (i) in which P2X channels were not present; (ii) after inhibiting P2X channels with Ca2+(iii) in the presence of pyridoxalphosphate‐6‐azophenyl‐2′,4′‐disulphonic acid, a P2X receptor antagonist; (iv) after P2X receptor desensitization or (v) at IATPreversal potential. Similarly, GABA did not affect P2X‐mediated currents in neurones: (i) in which GABAAchannels were not present; (ii) in the presence of picrotoxin, a GABAAchannel blocker; (iii) after GABAAreceptor desensitization or (iv) at the IGABAreversal potential. Current occlusion occurred as fast as current activation and it was still present in the absence of Ca2+, at 11 °C, after adding to the pipette solution a cocktail of protein kinase inhibitors (staurosporine + genistein + K‐252a), after substituting the GTP in the pipette with GDP‐β‐S and after treating the cells withN‐ethylmaleimide. Taken together, all of these results are consistent with a model of cross‐inhibition between GABAAand P2X.
Differential expression of GABAA and glycine receptors in ALS‐resistant vs. ALS‐vulnerable motoneurons: possible implications for selective vulnerability of motoneurons
Authors: Lorenzo Louis‐Etienne , Barbe Annick , Portalier Paule , Fritschy Jean‐Marc , Bras Hélène
Published: June 2006

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating motoneuronal degenerative disease, which is inevitably fatal in adults. ALS is characterized by an extensive loss of motoneurons in the cerebrospinal axis, except for those motoneurons that control eye movements and bladder contraction. The reason for this selectivity is not known. Systematic differences have been found in the organization of excitatory synaptic transmission in ALS‐resistant vs. ALS‐susceptible motor nuclei. However, although motoneurons express high levels of glycine receptors (GlyR) and GABAA receptors (GABAAR), no such studies have been carried out yet for inhibitory synaptic transmission. In this study, we compared the subunit composition, patterns of expression, density and synaptic localization of inhibitory synaptic receptors in ALS‐resistant (oculomotor, trochlear and abducens) and ALS‐vulnerable motoneurons (trigeminal, facial and hypoglossi). Triple immunofluorescent stainings of the major GABAAR subunits (α1, α2, α3, and α5), the GlyR α1 subunit and gephyrin, were visualized by confocal microscopy and analysed quantitatively. A strong correlation was observed between the vulnerability of motoneurons and the subunit composition of GABAAR, the GlyR/GABAAR density ratios and the incidence of synaptic vs. extrasynaptic GABAAR. These differences contrast strikingly with the uniform gephyrin cluster density and synaptic GlyR levels recorded in all motor nuclei examined. These results suggest that the specific patterns of inhibitory receptor organization observed might reflect functional differences that are relevant to the physiopathology of ALS.
Huntingtin inclusions do not down‐regulate specific genes in the R6/2 Huntington's disease mouse
Authors: Sadri‐Vakili G. , Menon A. S. , Farrell L. A. , Keller‐McGandy C. E. , Cantuti‐Castelvetri I. , Standaert D. G. , Augood S. J. , Yohrling G. J. , Cha J.‐H. J.
Published: June 2006

Transcriptional dysregulation is a central pathogenic mechanism in Huntington's disease (HD); HD and transgenic mouse models of HD demonstrate down‐regulation of specific genes at the level of mRNA expression. Furthermore, neuronal intranuclear inclusions (NIIs) have been identified in the brains of R6/2 mice and HD patients. One possibility is that NIIs contribute to transcriptional dysregulation by sequestering transcription factors. We therefore assessed the relationship between NIIs and transcriptional dysregulation in the R6/2 mouse, using double‐label in situ hybridization combined with immunohistochemistry, and laser capture microdissection combined with quantitative real‐time PCR. There was no difference in transcript levels of specific genes between NII‐positive and NII‐negative neurons. These results demonstrate that NIIs do not cause decreases in D2, PPE and PSS mRNA levels in R6/2 striatum and therefore are not involved in the down‐regulation of these specific genes in this HD model. In addition, these observations argue against the notion that NIIs protect against transcriptional dysregulation in HD.
Cardiovascular and respiratory responses to a panicogenic agent in anaesthetised female Wistar rats at different stages of the oestrous cycle
Authors: Brack K. E. , Jeffery S. M. T. , Lovick T. A.
Published: June 2006

In urethane‐anaesthetised female Wistar rats, intravenous injection of the panicogenic CCKB receptor agonist pentagastrin (0.002–80 µg/kg) evoked a dose‐related increase in blood pressure, heart rate and ventilation. The response was blocked in the presence of the selective CCKB receptor antagonist CR2945 (1 mg/kg i.v.). The same pattern of cardiovascular and respiratory changes was evoked by microinjection of pentagastrin (0.3 nmol in 250 nL) into the dorsal half of the periaqueductal grey matter (PAG). The effect of intra‐PAG administration of pentagastrin was also abolished following injection of CR2945 (1 mg/kg, i.v.). Responsiveness to systemically administered pentagastrin was enhanced in rats in late dioestrus. At the highest dose tested (80 µg/kg), the pressor response, tachycardia and tachypnoea evoked in rats in late dioestrus was significantly higher than rats in proestrus. For rats in oestrus, the pressor response and tachycardia but not tachypnoea were also significantly larger than the response evoked in rats in early dioestrus. The results suggest that the dorsal half of the PAG (dPAG) plays a key role in mediating the cardiovascular and respiratory responses evoked by systemically administered CCKB agonists. The enhanced responsiveness to panicogenic agents during late dioestrus may be related to changes in the functional responsiveness of γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic circuitry in the dPAG due to plasticity of GABAA receptor subunit expression as a consequence of falling progesterone levels.
From Coherence in Theory to Coherence in Practice
Authors: Hammerness Karen
Published: June 2006

Historically, one of the central concerns that has plagued the field of teacher education is the observation that fragmentation characterizes the experience of learning to teach. Too often, university-based teacher education programs consist of a set of disconnected individual courses; separate clinical work from coursework; and lack a vision of teaching and learning. Therefore, some teacher educators have argued that creating structurally and conceptually coherent programs will result in more powerful learning for prospective teachers. Yet, although empirical work on such programs is growing, there is little research on the nature of coherence and on how it might develop. To that end, this article documents one teacher education program's efforts to become more coherent, focusing on the ways in which the program tries to become more coherent and on the challenges of coherence. The article concludes with implications for teacher education program design and evaluation, with a focus on the power, complexity, and problems of coherence.
Paul Goodman, 30 Years Later: Growing Up Absurd; Compulsory Mis-education, and The Community of Scholars; and The New Reformation—A Retrospective
Authors: Kaminsky James S.
Published: June 2006

This article is a retrospective account of the legacy of Paul Goodman's major educational works: Growing Up Absurd; Compulsory Mis-education, and The Community of Scholars; and The New Reformation. It is argued here that what remains of interest in Goodman's work is to be found in the tropes and the anarchic Zeitgeist of his work. The legacy of Goodman's educational writing is its art and the nostalgic romantic humanism that holds together its various educational tropes. Goodman's contribution to educational thought was the awakening that he brought to some elements of America's mythology—that is, freedom, liberty, individuality, and human rights. Although many of the recommendations for education in his books seem more than somewhat out of touch with today's educational issues, Goodman's texts still assert a romantic anarchic humanism coloring an educational counterstory that is a refreshing alternative to the politically correct educational agendas of conservatives and liberals alike.
An Empirical Exploration of the Who, What, and how of School Care
Authors: Schussler Deborah L. , Collins Angelo
Published: June 2006

This study examines how care exists in one alternative high school for students at risk of dropping out. Specifically, this article empirically explores who is involved in caring relationships at the school, what those relationships look like, and how the organization of the school affects the existence of care. Data were collected during the 2000–2001 school year and included observations, faculty interviews, and in-depth interviews with 16 students. From these data, a construct of care was created that includes five caring relationships, pervasive elements that exist throughout these relationships, and specific structural and ideological aspects that enable the existence of care. Suggestions for how schools can organize to create caring communities and directions for further research are also discussed.
Worldview of One Black Family in a Middle School Inclusion Program: An Ethnographic Study
Authors: Xu Jianzhong
Published: June 2006

A growing number of schools have implemented inclusion programs for students with disabilities. Yet, there is hardly any acknowledgment of the presence of minorities in the inclusion implementation literature. This article uses ethnographic data to examine the experiences of one Black family in an urban middle school inclusion program. The study revealed that the school and the family held quite different worldviews regarding (a) academics versus social growth, (b) physical safety versus psychological safety, and (c) roles of the family, the child, and the school. In addition, the study revealed that the family's reactions were influenced by the inclusion program directly and by the school's desire to create an overall inclusive environment and that these parental reactions were further shaped by cultural lens and the power differential that existed between the family and the school. This article points to the critical importance of expanding the circle of current discourse on the realization of inclusion to include culturally diverse families, particularly because the data suggest that the longstanding power differential between the school and these families may intensify in inclusive settings.
The progress of child protection in South Africa
Authors: September Rose L.
Published: June 2006

Child abuse in South Africa is a serious and escalating problem. In this article, the writer reflects on the response of the South African government and civil society organisations to the problems experienced by practitioners in their management of child abuse during the past decade. This response must be understood within the context of South Africa's transition from a past characterised by state‐enforced discrimination, exclusion and inequity. The article focuses on the child protection service system and draws attention to a review conducted in the nine provincial departments of social development across the country. It discusses the recommendations of the review in light of international literature on child welfare and lessons learnt over the past ten years. Despite the progress in policy formulation, implementation remains a major problem regarding child protection in South Africa.
Complex Segregation Analysis Accounting for GxE of Bone Mineral Density in European Pedigrees Selected Through a Male Proband with Low BMD
Authors: Pelat C. , Van Pottelbergh I. , Cohen‐Solal M. , Ostertag A. , Kaufman J.‐M. , Martinez M. , De Vernejoul M.‐C.
Published: June 2006

Osteoporosis is a common multifactorial disorder characterized by low bone mass (BMD) and high susceptibility to low‐trauma fractures. Family and twin studies have found a strong genetic component in the determination of BMD, but the mode of inheritance of this trait is not yet fully understood. BMD is a complex trait whose expression is confounded by environmental influences and polygenic inheritance. Detection of potential gene‐environment interactions is of great interest in the determination of bone health status. Here we have conducted segregation analyses, using the regressive class D models, in a sample of 100 European pedigrees (NEMO) with 713 subjects (524 measured for phenotypes) identified via a male with low BMD values at either the Lumbar Spine or the Femoral Neck. Segregation analyses were conducted on the residuals of LS‐BMD and FN‐BMD adjusted for gender, age and BMI. We tested for gene‐covariate (GxE) interactions, and investigated the impact of significant GxE interactions on segregation results. Without GxE a major effect was found to be marginally significant in LS‐BMD and highly significant in FN‐BMD. For both traits the Mendelian hypothesis was rejected. Significant Age × gene and BMI × gene interactions were revealed. Accounting for GxE increased statistical evidence for a major factor in LS‐BMD, and improved the fit of the data to the Mendelian transmission model for both traits. The best fitting models suggested a codominant major gene accounting for 45% (LS‐BMD) and 44% (FN‐BMD) of the adjusted BMDs. However, substantial residual correlations were also found, and these remained highly significant after accounting for the major gene.
Phosphorylation of rat brain mitochondrial voltage‐dependent anion as a potential tool to control leakage of cytochrome c
Authors: Banerjee Jyotirmoy , Ghosh Subhendu
Published: June 2006

Apoptosis is a controlled form of cell death that participates in development, elimination of damaged cells and maintenance of cell homeostasis. Also, it plays a role in neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer's disease. Recently, mitochondria have emerged as being pivotal in controlling apoptosis. They house a number of apoptogenic molecules, such as cytochrome c, which are released into the cytoplasm at the onset of apoptosis. When rat brain mitochondrial voltage‐dependent anion channel (VDAC), an outer mitochondrial membrane protein, interacts with Bcl‐2 family proteins Bax and tBid, its pore size increases, leading to the release of cytochrome c and other apoptogenic molecules into the cytosol and causing cell death. Regulation of this tBid‐ and Bax‐induced increase in pore size of VDAC is a significant step to control cell death induced by cytochrome c. In this work, we have shown, through bilayer electrophysiological experiments, that the increase in VDAC conductance as a result of its interaction with Bax and tBid is reduced because of the action of cyclic AMP‐dependent protein kinase A (PKA) in the presence of ATP. This indicates that the increase in the pore size of VDAC after its interaction with Bax and tBid is controlled via phosphorylation of this channel by PKA. This, we believe, could be a mechanism of controlling cytochrome c‐mediated cell death in living cells.
Common molecular mechanisms in explicit and implicit memory
Authors: Barco Angel , Bailey Craig H. , Kandel Eric R.
Published: June 2006

Cellular and molecular studies of both implicit and explicit memory suggest that experience‐dependent modulation of synaptic strength and structure is a fundamental mechanism by which these memories are encoded and stored within the brain. In this review, we focus on recent advances in our understanding of two types of memory storage: (i) sensitization in Aplysia, a simple form of implicit memory, and (ii) formation of explicit spatial memories in the mouse hippocampus. These two processes share common molecular mechanisms that have been highly conserved through evolution.
Enhanced cortical and accumbal molecular reactivity associated with conditioned heroin, but not sucrose‐seeking behaviour
Authors: Koya E. , Spijker Sabine , Voorn Pieter , Binnekade Rob , Schmidt E. Donne , Schoffelmeer Anton N. M. , De Vries Taco J. , Smit August B.
Published: June 2006

Re‐exposure to drug‐related cues elicits drug‐seeking behaviour and relapse in both humans and laboratory animals even after months of abstinence. Identifying neural and molecular substrates underlying conditioned heroin‐seeking behaviour will be helpful in understanding mechanisms behind opiate relapse. In humans and animals, brain areas activated by natural reward‐related stimuli (e.g. food, sex) do not show a complete overlap with those activated by stimuli associated with drugs of abuse, suggesting the involvement of different circuitry. To that end, we investigated neural reactivity by measuring immediate early gene (IEG) expression patterns in mesocorticolimbic system target areas following cue‐induced reinstatement of heroin seeking and compared those IEG expression patterns to what was measured during natural reward (sucrose)‐seeking behaviour. Animals were trained to administer heroin associated with a compound audio‐visual cue. Re‐exposure to the cue after 3 weeks of withdrawal reinstated heroin‐seeking behaviour, which resulted in IEG expression of ania‐3, MKP‐1, c‐fos and Nr4a3 in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), and of ania‐3 in the orbital frontal cortex (OFC) and nucleus accumbens core (NAC). The expression patterns for heroin‐seeking behaviours did not generalize to sucrose‐seeking behaviours, indicating that the two behaviours involve different connectivity pathways of neuronal signalling.
GRK1 and GRK7: Unique cellular distribution and widely different activities of opsin phosphorylation in the zebrafish rods and cones
Authors: Wada Yasutaka , Sugiyama Junichi , Okano Toshiyuki , Fukada Yoshitaka
Published: June 2006

Retinal cone cells exhibit distinctive photoresponse with a more restrained sensitivity to light and a more rapid shutoff kinetics than those of rods. To understand the molecular basis for these characteristics of cone responses, we focused on the opsin deactivation process initiated by G protein‐coupled receptor kinase (GRK) 1 and GRK7 in the zebrafish, an animal model suitable for studies on retinal physiology and biochemistry. Screening of the ocular cDNAs identified two homologs for each of GRK1 (1A and 1B) and GRK7 (7–1 and 7–2), and they were classified into three GRK subfamilies, 1 A, 1B and 7 by phylogenetic analysis. In situ hybridization and immunohistochemical studies localized both GRK1B and GRK7‐1 in the cone outer segments and GRK1A in the rod outer segments. The opsin/GRKs molar ratio was estimated to be 569 in the rod and 153 in the cone. The recombinant GRKs phosphorylated light‐activated rhodopsin, and the Vmax value of the major cone subtype, GRK7‐1, was 32‐fold higher than that of the rod kinase, GRK1A. The reinforced activity of the cone kinase should provide a strengthened shutoff mechanism of the light‐signaling in the cone and contribute to the characteristics of the cone responses by reducing signal amplification efficiency.
Gene–environment interactions in sporadic Parkinson's disease
Authors: BenMoyal‐Segal Liat , Soreq Hermona
Published: June 2006

Much has been learned in recent years about the genetics of familial Parkinson's disease. However, far less is known about those malfunctioning genes which contribute to the emergence and/or progression of the vast majority of cases, the ‘sporadic Parkinson’s disease', which is the focus of our current review. Drastic differences in the reported prevalence of Parkinson's disease in different continents and countries suggest ethnic and/or environmental‐associated multigenic contributions to this disease. Numerous association studies showing variable involvement of multiple tested genes in these distinct locations support this notion. Also, variable increases in the risk of Parkinson's disease due to exposure to agricultural insecticides indicate complex gene–environment interactions, especially when genes involved in protection from oxidative stress are explored. Further consideration of the brain regions damaged in Parkinson's disease points at the age‐vulnerable cholinergic‐dopaminergic balance as being involved in the emergence of sporadic Parkinson's disease in general and in the exposure‐induced risks in particular. More specifically, the chromosome 7 ACHE/PON1 locus emerges as a key region controlling this sensitive balance, and animal model experiments are compatible with this concept. Future progress in the understanding of the genetics of sporadic Parkinson's disease depends on globally coordinated, multileveled studies of gene–environment interactions.
Hypoxic damage to the periventricular white matter in neonatal brain: role of vascular endothelial growth factor, nitric oxide and excitotoxicity
Authors: Kaur Charanjit , Sivakumar Viswanathan , Ang Lin Stella , Sundaresan Alamelu
Published: June 2006

The present study examined factors that may be involved in the development of hypoxic periventricular white matter damage in the neonatal brain. Wistar rats (1‐day old) were subjected to hypoxia and the periventricular white matter (corpus callosum) was examined for the mRNA and protein expression of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF‐1α), endothelial, neuronal and inducible nitric oxide synthase (eNOS, nNOS and iNOS), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor subunit 1 (NMDAR1) between 3 h and 14 days after hypoxic exposure by real‐time RT‐PCR, western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Up‐regulated mRNA and protein expression of HIF‐1α, VEGF, NMDAR1, eNOS, nNOS and iNOS in corpus callosum was observed in response to hypoxia. NMDAR1 and iNOS expression was found in the activated microglial cells, whereas VEGF was localized to astrocytes. An enzyme immunoassay showed that the VEGF concentration in corpus callosum was significantly higher up to 7 days after hypoxic exposure. NO levels, measured by colorimetric assay, were also significantly higher in hypoxic rats up to 14 days after hypoxic exposure as compared with the controls. A large number of axons undergoing degeneration were observed between 3 h and 7 days after the hypoxic exposure at electron‐microscopic level. Our findings point towards the involvement of excitotoxicity, VEGF and NO in periventricular white matter damage in response to hypoxia.
Genetic vitamin E deficiency does not affect MPTP susceptibility in the mouse brain
Authors: Ren Yong‐Ri , Nishida Yoichiro , Yoshimi Kenji , Yasuda Toru , Jishage Kou‐ichi , Uchihara Toshiki , Yokota Takanori , Mizuno Yoshikuni , Mochizuki Hideki
Published: June 2006

Oxidative stress is involved in the degeneration of the nigrostriatal dopaminergic system in Parkinson's disease (PD). Vitamin E (alpha‐tocopherol) is a potent antioxidant in the cell membrane that can trap free radicals and prohibit lipid peroxidation. The retention and secretion of vitamin E are regulated by alpha‐tocopherol transfer protein (TTP) in the brain and liver. Dysfunction of TTP results in systemic deficiency of vitamin E in humans and mice, and increased oxidative stress in mouse brain. In this study, we investigated the effect of vitamin E deficiency in PD development by generating an 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) mouse model of PD using TTP knockout (TTP–/–) mice. Vitamin E concentration in the brains of TTP+/– mice was half that in TTP+/+ mice, and in TTP–/– mice, was undetectable. MPTP treatment tended to decrease striatal dopamine, but the effect was comparable and not significant in any of the three genotypes. Furthermore, the extent of loss of dopaminergic cell bodies in the substantia nigra did not differ among the groups. One the other hand, oral administration of vitamin E resulted in the partial protection of striatal dopaminergic terminals against MPTP toxicity. Our results suggest that vitamin E does not play a major protective role in MPTP‐induced nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurodegeneration in the brain.
Intrinsic and extrinsic determinants of ion channel localization in neurons
Authors: Hedstrom Kristian L. , Rasband Matthew N.
Published: June 2006

Neurons are an extremely diverse group of excitable cells with a wide variety of morphologies including complex dendritic trees and very long axons. The electrical properties of neurons depend not only on the types of ion channels and receptors expressed, but also on where these channels are located in the cell. Two extreme examples that illustrate the subcellular polarized nature of neurons and the tight regulation of ion channel localization can be seen at the axon initial segment and the node of Ranvier. The axon initial segment is important for initiation of action potentials in the axon, whereas the node of Ranvier is required for the rapid, faithful and efficient propagation of action potentials along the axon. Given the similarity of their functions it is not surprising that nearly every protein component of the axon initial segment is also found at the node. However, there is one very important difference between these two sites: nodes require extrinsic, glial‐derived factors in order to form, whereas the axon initial segment is intrinsically determined by the neuron. This mini‐review discusses recent results that have begun to clarify the intrinsic and extrinsic mechanisms underlying formation of nodes and axon initial segments, and poses several important unanswered questions regarding their unique mechanisms of formation.
The effects of stress on muscarinic receptors. Heterologous receptor regulation: yes or no?
Authors: Mysliveček J. , Kvetňanský R.
Published: June 2006

1 Stress is usually comprehended as an event affecting mainly the catecholaminergic system, the hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenocortical (HPA) axis and the receptor systems connected to these neurotransmitters/hormones. Other neurotransmitter/hormone systems can be affected too. Here we review the available data on the effects of different stressful stimuli (physical, chemical, psychological/social, cardiovascular, affecting multiple system) on muscarinic receptors (MR).

2 The data suppose the existence of specific mechanisms that regulate the signalization through MR during different type of stress.

3 Physical stressors (coldvs. heat) reveal opposite type of changes on peripheral‐tissue MRs. Chemical stressors (oxidative stress) are tightly connected with MR and it is especially interesting that the sensitivity of MR to oxidative stress is subtype‐specific. It is also suggested that heterologous regulation can occur with psychological/social stressors on the organism. Cardiovascular system‐disturbing stressors cause disbalance between autonomic receptors or down‐regulate MR in the peripheral tissue. Immobilization caused opposite effects on MR in the central nervous system and periphery, where the changes are supposed to be due to heterologous regulation between receptor systems.

4 In conclusion, some data indicate that in specific conditions MR are regulated as a consequence of other changes rather than as a primary effect of stress. On the contrary, in some situations, MR are the first targets to respond to the stress.

5 These findings on stress‐induced activity of the cholinergic system and changes in muscarinic receptors support the view that stress is a specific response of the organism.
Muscarinic stimulation of the mouse isolated whole bladder: physiological responses in young and ageing mice
Authors: Lagou M. , Gillespie J. , Kirkwood T. , Harvey I. , Drake M. J.
Published: June 2006

1 Peripheral autonomous bladder activity is an incompletely understood property that may be important both in normal bladder function and in functional problems of the lower urinary tract. We describe how a muscarinic agonist, arecaidine, influences intravesical pressure and intramural bladder contractions in the isolated mouse and how response varies in ageing mice.

2 A group of 12 mice aged 3–4 months was compared with an ‘ageing’ group of 12 mice age 28–34 months. Bladders were microsurgically removed and mounted in whole organ tissue baths. The effects of the muscarinic agonist arecaidine on intravesical pressure and intramural contractions were performed at different bladder volumes.

3 In normal mice, arecaidine elicited tonic and phasic contractions, the latter showing a more substantial increase in amplitude with bladder distension. Localized ‘micromotion’ contractions were seen in the bladder wall, with regional differences arising after exposure to arecaidine. A background release of acetylcholine was inferred from the pressure increase induced by the cholinesterase inhibitor physostigmine.

4 Both micromotion activity and the phasic component of the arecaidine response were substantially reduced in ageing mice; the tonic component was preserved in the same specimens.

5 We conclude that the enhanced pressure fluctuations seen at high bladder volumes may act as a peripheral determinant of bladder capacity, and that changes in such activity may contribute to altered functional capacity and lower urinary tract symptoms in ageing individuals.
Microdialysis for myocardial metabolic surveillance: developing a clinical technique
Authors: Mantovani Vittorio , Kennergren Charles , Goiny Michel , Ungerstedt Urban , Lönnroth Peter , Sala Andrea , Berglin Eva
Published: June 2006

Metabolic surveillance of the myocardium is of great interest in cardiac surgery. Microdialysis allows sampling of chemical substances from the interstitial fluid for immediate analysis. The two objectives of this study were to develop a technique for simple and safe implantation of a commercially available microdialysis probe (CMA‐70) into the myocardium and to obtain reference data for further use and metabolic control. Eighteen pigs were used in an experimental ischaemic heart model where the left anterior descending coronary artery was occluded for 20 min. Microdialysis was performed proximally as well as distally to the arterial occlusion site corresponding to a control and an ischaemic area in the heart. Two techniques were tried for probe implantation, using either a pacemaker wire attached to the probe tip or a needle introducer. Metabolic substrates (glucose, lactate, glycerol and pyruvate) were collected before, during and after ischaemia, for up to 6 h. Both techniques were highly effective in registering metabolic changes due to ischaemia with sharp time resolution, but the needle introducer was superior regarding probe durability. It is concluded that the CMA‐70 microdialysis probe implanted with the needle introducer allows for an accurate monitoring of myocardial metabolism during a prolonged period of time. Future studies in the human heart are warranted to further validate the technique.
Reference values for respiratory system impedance by using impulse oscillometry in children aged 2–11 years
Authors: Dencker M. , Malmberg L. P. , Valind S. , Thorsson O. , Karlsson M. K. , Pelkonen A. , Pohjanpalo A. , Haahtela T. , Turpeinen M. , Wollmer P.
Published: June 2006

The forced oscillation technique makes it possible to evaluate the mechanical properties of the respiratory system with a minimum of cooperation. The method is therefore especially useful in children. Impulse oscillometry (IOS) is a commercially available version of this technique. There is, as yet, limited information on reference values for IOS in children. The aim of this study was to extend the reference values for IOS variables and to study their correlation with height, weight and age in healthy children. A sample (n = 360) of children (age 2·1–11·1 years) was measured by using impulse oscillometry (IOS; Jaeger, Würzburg, Germany). The sample was based on children attending kindergarten in Finland and children attending primary school in Sweden. Measurements of respiratory resistance (Rrs) and reactance (Xrs) at 5, 10, 15 and 20 Hz, total respiratory impedance (Zrs) and the resonance frequency (Fr) were made. All variables were related to body height. Most of them were also weakly related to weight. Reference equations for children (height 90–160 cm) are presented.
A Simple and Inexpensive Molecular Method for Sexing and Identification of the Forensic Samples of Elephant Origin
Authors: Gupta Sandeep K. , Thangaraj Kumarasamy , Singh Lalji
Published: June 2006

ABSTRACT: The population of the Asian elephant is being dramatically reduced due to poaching of the ivory from the male. As poaching occurs in remote forests, it often takes weeks or longer for it to be discovered and it is therefore often very difficult to determine the sex of the decomposed body. Data suggest that in the recent past, over 2000 male elephants have been poached in South India. We have developed a technique based on molecular markers to determine that the carcass is an elephant and that it is a male. Using DNA sequence information from Genbank, we have developed two primer pairs: one for the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) and the other for the sex‐determining region of Y chromosome (SRY) gene of the Indian elephant. After PCR amplification of known elephant DNA, we found that the mtDNA was common in both males and females, whereas the SRY‐specific amplicon was observed only in the male.
Gelatine Lifting, a Novel Technique for the Examination of Indented Writing*
Authors: De Koeijer Jan A. , Berger Charles E.H. , Glas Wendy , Madhuizen Henk T.
Published: June 2006

ABSTRACT: The limitations of the examination of indented writing impressions using electrostatic detection are often paper related. Paper types such as glossy paper, paper of high basis weight, and lithography or gravure‐printed papers often give rise to problems resulting in a decrease in sensitivity or a lack of detection altogether. In this paper, a novel technique for the examination of indented writing is presented, which is in a sense complimentary to the technique of electrostatic detection as it is especially suitable for glossy‐coated and printed paper types and can in some instances also deal with paper types of higher basis weight. Indented writing grooves will normally contain more particles than the surrounding nonindented areas due to damage of the surface layer resulting in a build‐up of filler powder. The method presented uses black gelatine lifter slabs to lift the paper dust image off the surface of the paper. This image can quite easily be photographed using near‐to‐coaxial lighting.

The gelatine lifting method outperforms oblique lighting for the detection of indented writing and is almost as sensitive as electrostatic detection if compared on the types of paper where both perform well. The main advantage of this new technique is, however, that it is especially suitable for those types of paper where electrostatic detection fails and is therefore a welcome addition to the range of methods available to a forensic document examiner for the examination of indented writing.
Reliability in Age Determination by Pulp/Tooth Ratio in Upper Canines in Skeletal Remains
Authors: Cameriere Roberto , Brogi Giuseppe , Ferrante Luigi , Mirtella Dora , Vultaggio Claudia , Cingolani Mariano , Fornaciari Gino
Published: June 2006

ABSTRACT:Estimation of age of skeletal remains is one of the most complex questions for anthropologists. The most common macroscopic methods are based on dental wear and histological evaluation of bone remodeling. These methods are often qualitative, require great technical expertise, and have proved inexact in the estimation of ages over 50 years. Certain dental methods investigate the apposition of secondary dentine, in the study of tooth cross‐sections, and X‐rays to study width, height, and pulp area. The primary author previously proposed a method of estimating the age of a living person based on the pulp/tooth ratio (PTR) method in the upper canines. The aim of the present study is to verify whether the PTR method can also be used to estimate the age at death of skeletal remains. This paper investigates the study of historical samples of known age as a means to validate the proposed method.
Divergent, genetically based feeding behaviour of two sympatric Arctic charr,Salvelinus alpinus(L.), morphs
Authors: Klemetsen A. , Knudsen R. , Primicerio R. , Amundsen P.‐A.
Published: June 2006

Abstract – Arctic charr,Salvelinus alpinus(L.), is one of the several northern fishes that show resource polymorphisms in postglacial lakes. Two reproductively isolated morphs of Arctic charr coexist in distinct ecological niches in the subarctic lake Fjellfrøsvatn, North Norway. Offspring of the two morphs (termed littoral charr and profundal charr) were reared separately but under identical conditions. Their feeding behaviour was compared experimentally using different kinds of live prey. The fishes had no experience with natural prey before the experiments. The littoral morph were more effective in eating live plankton (Daphnia) and littoral benthos (Gammarus), and had a higher attack rate against pleuston (surface prey,Gerris) compared with the profundal morph. The two morphs behaved in accordance with expectations from theirin situniche utilisation towards the three prey types. This indicates a case of incipient ecological speciation where divergence in resource utilisation in contrasting niches has evolved adaptations in feeding behaviour by natural selection.
Prediction and monitoring the therapeutic response of chronic dermal wounds
Authors: Moore Keith , McCallion Roisin , Searle Richard J. , Stacey Michael C. , Harding Keith G.
Published: June 2006

A significant proportion of chronic wounds fail to heal in response to treatment of underlying pathologies combined with good wound care practice. Current prognostic tests to identify these wounds rely on the use of algorithms based on clinically measurable parameters such as wound dimensions and wound duration. Venous leg ulcers may be stratified into healing/non healing at 24 weeks of compression therapy and diabetic foot ulcer treatment outcome assessed using a 3‐parameter algorithm. Accurate and reproducible measurement of wound area is required for these algorithms to have clinical utility. Whilst a number of attempts have been made to develop computerised wound‐assessment techniques, wound tracing by clinicians combined with planimetry remains the standard methodology. Once treatment has been initiated, it is important to continuously monitor the wound to assess efficacy of treatment. This can be achieved by measuring wound area change over the first weeks of treatment to identify whether re‐assessment of treatment strategy is required. A number of algorithms for assessing rate of wound area change have been evaluated to determine a surrogate endpoint for healing. Retrospective analysis of large patient groups indicates that approximately 75% correct prediction of healing outcome can be achieved.
The use of gauze: will it ever change?
Authors: Jones Vanessa J
Published: June 2006

Although the benefits of healing in a moist environment have been published worldwide, the use of woven gauze as a wound contact material still prevails in many countries. This article traces the history of gauze and problems associated with usage against the introduction of one of the first modern materials, the hydrocolloid. Why this revolution in dressing material did not herald an immediate change of practice away from gauze is examined. Since the 1970s, the range, availability and sophistication of these and other moisture‐retentive dressings have increased dramatically, and yet it seems that some practitioners remain unconvinced. The processes that underpin personal and organisational change that may contribute to this reluctance are also considered.
Effect of sink on carbohydrate metabolism in stems and roots of the phasey bean (Macroptilium Lathyroides (L.) Urb.) during regrowth
Authors: Asano Yoki , Tobisa Manabu , Shimojo Masataka , Masuda Yasuhisa
Published: June 2006

The objectives of this study were to investigate the changes in the effect of sink on storage carbohydrate content and the relationship between amylase activity and storage carbohydrate content in stems and roots of the phasey bean (Macroptilium lathyroides (L.) Urb.) following defoliation. Plants were grown for 53 days after sowing in pots and then cut at a height of 10 cm. One lateral bud remaining by selective trimming at the cotyledonary node (N0), the second leaf node (N2), or the fourth leaf node (N4) was regrown under dark conditions at 22°C, and new shoot production, carbohydrate content and amylase activity in the stems and roots were measured 0, 1, 3, 6 and 10 days after defoliation. Plants having upper buds produced higher new shoots on day 10 post‐defoliation, indicating that the growth of buds correlated with sink demand and affected dry weight production. Fructose, glucose and sucrose contents decreased in the stems and roots after defoliation and correlated negatively with sink demand especially in the stems. Starch content decreased more than sugar contents in stems and roots, and more considerably in the plants having upper buds (higher sink tissues) especially in stems. Total amylase and α‐amylase activities changed slightly, and α‐glucosidase activity decreased in stems and roots after defoliation. The lack of increase in α‐amylase with the decrease in starch under sink demand indicates that starch content could fluctuate without changes in α‐amylase activity during phasey bean regrowth.
Dry matter production and in vitro digestibility in BC1 progeny of bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) regenerated from suspension culture
Authors: Saleng Kamaruddin , Sawai Akira , Nagatani Takeshi , Tateyama Yoshio , Mochidome Nobuo , Niimi Mitsuhiro , Akashi Ryo , Kawamura Osamu
Published: June 2006

In a previous experiment, regenerated plants of bahiagrass (Paspalum notatum Flugge) derived from a suspension culture were observed to be higher in digestible cell wall content than compared to the control cultivar (cv. Pensacola). This suggested that somaclonal variation, mediated from suspension culture, could be a tool to induce improved feeding value of bahiagrass. In this study, dry matter production and digestibility of backcross 1 (BC1) progeny derived from this earlier study were examined in field conditions. The field study indicated that more than half of the BC1 individuals were higher in dry matter yield than the regenerated plants (RP), while most of the BC1 individuals were lower in dry matter yield than the original Pensacola cultivar (PEN). However, some strains of the BC1 exhibited a dry matter production that was comparable with PEN. Overall, in vitro dry matter digestibility (IVDMD) was generally higher in RP than in PEN. Although there was not a distinct difference in IVDMD between the BC1 and PEN, some BC1 individuals exhibited a higher IVDMD than PEN throughout the experiment. From these results, it is suggested that strains with higher digestibility could selected from BC1 progenies of bahiagrass following suspension culture and that trait is expressed in field conditions.
INTERVAL METHODS IN KNOWLEDGE REPRESENTATION
Authors: Kreinovich Vladik
Published: June 2006

This section is maintained by Vladik Kreinovich. Please send your abstracts (or copies of papers that you want to see reviewed here) to vladik@utep.edu, or by regular mail to: V. Kreinovich, Department of Computer Science, University of Texas, El Paso, TX 79968, USA.
SOME ALMOST CONVERGENT SEQUENCE SPACES OF FUZZY NUMBERS GENERATED BY INFINITE MATRICES
Authors: SAVAS EKREM
Published: June 2006

In this paper we define some almost convergent sequence spaces of fuzzy numbers by using the A-transforms and we also examine topological properties and some inclusion relations for these new sequence spaces.
Some results on cascade discrete‐time systems
Authors: Bai Xiao-Ming , Li Hui-Min , Yang Xiao-Song
Published: June 2006

We present sufficient conditions for global asymptotic stability of cascade discrete‐time systems. Considering failure of the global asymptotic stability in some cascade systems, we give an estimate of the region of attraction of the systems.
Weak convergence of an iterative sequence for accretive operators in Banach spaces
Authors: Aoyama Koji , Iiduka Hideaki , Takahashi Wataru
Published: June 2006

Let "Equation missing" be a nonempty closed convex subset of a smooth Banach space "Equation missing" and let "Equation missing" be an accretive operator of "Equation missing" into "Equation missing". We first introduce the problem of finding a point "Equation missing" such that "Equation missing""Equation missing" where "Equation missing" is the duality mapping of "Equation missing". Next we study a weak convergence theorem for accretive operators in Banach spaces. This theorem extends the result by Gol'shteĭn and Tret'yakov in the Euclidean space to a Banach space. And using our theorem, we consider the problem of finding a fixed point of a strictly pseudocontractive mapping in a Banach space and so on.