bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human Airway Smooth Muscle Cells Express Eotaxin in Response to Signaling following Mast Cell Contact
Authors: Liu L. , Yang J. , Huang Y.
Published: November 2005

Background: Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airways. Mast-cell (MC)-derived cytokines may mediate both airway inflammation and remodeling. It has also been shown that airway smooth muscle cells (ASMC) can be a source of proinflammatory cytokines. In the human airways, MC-ASMC cell interactions may have pivotal effects on modulating inflammation. Objectives: We wanted to know whether the production of eotaxin, an important proinflammatory cytokine, through a cell-to-cell contact mechanism of human ASMC activation by MC was mediated by p38 MAPK. Methods: We cocultured normal humanASMC with a human MC line (HMC-1) and assayed for the production of eotaxin. Results: When cultured together, human ASMC and HMC-1 contact induced eotaxin secretion. Separation of HMC-1 and human ASMC by a porous membrane inhibited this induction. Coculturing of human ASMC with HMC-1 induced increased expression of eotaxin gene mRNA. HMC-1-derived cellular membranes caused an increase in eotaxin production in human ASMC. Activation of p38 MAPK was also seen in cocultures by Western blot, whereas eotaxin production in cocultures was significantly inhibited by the p38 inhibitor SB203580. Conclusion: These novel studies reveal the importance of cell-to-cell interactions in the complex milieu of airway inflammation.
A General Method of Incorporating Forecast Cost and Loss in Value Scores
Authors: Briggs William
Published: November 2005

In this note, the author shows how to incorporate cost for correct forecasts in the skill score statistical test developed by Briggs and Ruppert and how to extend this result to another value score developed by Wilks. It is then shown that both of these methods are special cases of a more general complete value score, where the loss and costs are allowed to be completely general.
Misocyclone Characteristics along Florida Gust Fronts during CaPE
Authors: Friedrich Katja , Kingsmill David E. , Young Carl R.
Published: November 2005

Multiple-Doppler radar and rawinsonde data are used to examine misocyclone characteristics along gust fronts observed during the Convection and Precipitation/Electrification (CaPE) project in Florida. The objective of this study is to investigate the observational representativeness of previous numerical simulations of misocyclones by employing a consistent analysis strategy to 11 gust fronts observed in the same region. The investigation focuses on the intensity range of misocyclones and their organization along gust fronts; the relationship between misocyclone intensity and horizontal wind shear, vertical wind shear, and static stability; and the relationship between misocyclones and convection initiation.

The intensity of misocyclones, as indicated by the maximum values of vertical vorticity, varied from 2.8 × 10−3 to 13.9 × 10−3 s−1, although all but one case exhibited values less than 6.4 × 10−3 s−1. Organized misocyclone patterns were only found along small segments of gust fronts. Within those segments misocyclones were spaced between 3 and 7 km. Results show that the intensity of misocyclones was most closely related to the strength of horizontal wind shear across the gust front. The relationship between misocyclone intensity and vertical wind shear and static stability was not as clear. Although convection was initiated along the gust front in 7 of the 11 cases, those regions were not collocated with or in close proximity to misocyclones.
Verification of Temporal Variations in Mesoscale Numerical Wind Forecasts
Authors: Rife Daran L. , Davis Christopher A.
Published: November 2005

The authors address a particular example of the general question of whether high-resolution forecasts provide additional deterministic skill beyond what can be achieved with a coarser-resolution model. To this end, real-time forecasts using the fifth-generation Pennsylvania State University–NCAR Mesoscale Model (MM5) with grid increments of 30 and 3.3 km are compared over a domain centered on the complex terrain region of southern New Mexico during the 1 June 2002 to 1 June 2003 period. The authors use time series of surface data to evaluate the relative ability of the two forecasts to capture significant temporal variations of wind. The authors hypothesize that the additional detail and structure provided by high resolution becomes a “liability” when the forecasts are scored by traditional verification metrics, because such metrics sharply penalize forecasts with small temporal or spatial errors of predicted features. Thus, a set of verification metrics is designed that is increasingly tolerant of timing errors for temporal changes of wind.

The authors find that the barrier-normal (i.e., zonal) wind component over complex terrain reveals the greatest improvement in skill due to increased horizontal resolution for the cases considered here. In addition, the fine-grid forecasts better replicate the cessation of drainage flow or onset of upslope flow near and within complex terrain. The most surprising result is the marginal benefit of the higher resolution over valley locations not in immediate proximity to the mountain slopes, even though the valley is only about 60 km across (east–west). Overall, the gains in forecast accuracy from finer grid spacing are generally incremental, but increase with greater tolerance for timing errors, culminating in the greatest improvement for forecasts of temporal variance.
Secondary Prevention Services for Clients Who Are Low Risk in Drug Court: A Conceptual Model
Authors: DeMatteo David S. , Marlowe Douglas B. , Festinger David S.
Published: November 2005

The drug court model assumes that most drug offenders are addicts, and that drug use fuels other criminal activity. As a result, drug court clients must satisfy an intensive regimen of treatment and supervisory obligations. However, research suggests that roughly one third of drug court clients do not have a clinically significant substance use disorder. For these clients, standard drug court services may be ineffective or even contraindicated. Instead, these clients may be best suited for a secondary prevention approach directed at interrupting the acquisition of addictive behaviors. Unfortunately, there are no established secondary prevention packages for adults in criminal justice settings. This article presents a conceptual framework for developing and administering secondary prevention services in drug courts and proposes a platform of prevention techniques that can be tailored in a clinically relevant manner for the sizeable population of drug court clients who are low risk.
Memories in Motion: The Irish Dancing Body
Authors: Wulff Helena
Published: November 2005

The aim of this article is to explore the Irish dancing body by combining the growing social science interest in mobility with the established area of the body as a site of culture. On the basis of ethnographic observations and interviews about dance and culture in Ireland, I will discuss the Irish dancing body in relation to the construction of social memory, the embodiment of values linked to Irish national identity, mobility, dance competitions and global touring. First, I will detail three distinct movement sequences from different dance forms in Ireland: competitive Irish dancing, dance theatre and Riverdance(the commercial Irish dance show). Second, I will look at how dance can be said to travel around Ireland, north and south, as well as back and forth to Ireland. The idea of the Irish dancing body offers an example of the unity of body and mind in dance, revealing also that abstract dance and movement communicate stories about their societies. In Irish dance, these stories feature displacement, longing and resistance, often steeped in the history. I conclude that this social memory connects a distinct Irish tradition with European modernity.
Political Appointees and the Competence of Federal Program Management
Authors: Gilmour John B. , Lewis David E.
Published: November 2005

In this article, we use the Bush administration’s management grades to analyze whether programs administered by senior executives are better managed than those administered by political appointees requiring Senate confirmation. We explain the administration’s management grading scheme and how it can be informative for evaluating comparative management quality. We explain why senior-executive-run programs should be better managed than appointee-run programs and test our claim with data on 234 federal programs. We find that political-appointee-run programs earn systematically lower grades in most management areas. We conclude that a systematic review of the proper role of political appointees in federal program management should be considered.
Acting as Fire Alarms With Law Enforcement?
Authors: Haider-Markel Donald P.
Published: November 2005

In this article, I present an exchange theory of interest group activity that specifies the incentives and constraints on interest group activity to explain the degree to which some interest groups try to influence bureaucratic activity on hate crime, the types of tactics groups use, and to assess their influence on police procedures. I test several related propositions from this theory using original survey and demographic data from a sample of anti-violence groups in the 250 largest American cities. The results of my analysis suggest that interest group attempts to influence bureaucratic action on hate crime are constrained by the group characteristics, their sources and use of financial resources, and the characteristics of the communities in which they operate.
McCormack Versus Udall
Authors: Green Matthew N.
Published: November 2005

Since the mid-1970s, little research has been undertaken on the subject of intraparty leadership challenges in Congress. In this article, I introduce a theory to explain who will most likely support a challenge to an incumbent speaker of the House. I then test this theory for one such challenge in particular, against Speaker John McCormack in 1969, using newly obtained archival data related to the contest. The results suggest that legislators are most likely to support a challenge when it promises to satisfy one or more “multiple goals.” The findings also reveal that membership in the same entering class in Congress plays an important and previously unacknowledged causal role in determining support for a challenge to the speaker.
Molecular Pathogenesis of MDS
Authors: Look A. Thomas
Published: November 2005

Clonal disorders of hematopoiesis, such as myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and myeloproliferative diseases (MPD), affect both hematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells within the erythroid, platelet and granulocytic lineages and can have devastating consequences in children and adults. The genetic features of these diseases often include clonal, nonrandom chromosomal deletions (e.g., 7q–, 5q–, 20q–, 6q–, 11q– and 13q–) that appear to inactivate tumor suppressor genes required for the normal development of myeloid cells (reviewed in Bench1 and Fenaux2). These putative tumor suppressors have proved to be much more difficult to identify than oncogenes activated by chromosomal translocations, the other major class of chromosomal lesions in MDS and MPD.3 Although MDS and MPD are almost certainly caused by mutations in stem/progenitor cells,4 the role of inactivated tumor suppressor genes in this process remains poorly understood. In a small portion of myeloid diseases, mutations have been identified in genes encoding factors known to be required for normal hematopoiesis, such as PU.1, RUNX1, CTNNA1 (α-catenin) and c/EBPα, and implicating these genes as tumor suppressors.5–7 Nonetheless, the identities of most deletion-associated tumor suppressors in these diseases remains elusive, despite complete sequencing of the human genome. The deleted regions detected by cytogenetic methods are generally very large, containing many hundreds of genes, thus making it hard to locate the critical affected gene or genes. It is also unclear whether dysfunctional myelopoiesis results from haploinsufficiency, associated with the deletion of one allele, or from homozygous inactivation due to additional point mutations or microdeletions of the retained wild-type allele. In general MDS have proved surprisingly resistant to conventional treatments. Targeted therapeutic advances in MDS will likely depend on a full comprehension of underlying molecular mechanisms, in particular the tumor suppressor genes lost through clonal, nonrandom chromosomal deletions, such as the 7q– and (del)5q.
Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma: Risk Stratification and Management of Relapsed Disease
Authors: Sweetenham John W.
Published: November 2005

The clinical factors described by the International Prognostic Index (IPI) provide a model for risk stratification in diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCLs). However, there is variability in outcome within IPI risk groups, indicating the biological and clinical heterogeneity of these diseases. Studies of gene expression profiling (GEP) in DLBCL are uncovering biological heterogeneity with prognostic significance. Various gene expression signatures with predictive value independent of the IPI are now recognized. Immunophenotypic features of DLBCL have also been shown to have prognostic value. The use of fluorodeoxyglucose–positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) scanning may provide additional predictive information when used at diagnosis or soon after initiation of treatment. Future prognostic models in DLBCL are likely to incorporate functional imaging, immunophenotype and GEPs as well as clinical data in risk stratification and choice of treatment.

Treatment of relapsed DLBCL remains a major problem. High-dose therapy (HDT) and stem cell transplantation (SCT) has been shown to produce superior overall survival (OS) compared with conventional dose salvage therapy in patients with relapsed, chemosensitive DLBCL. However, only 20% to 30% of patients are cured by this approach, and the effectiveness of HDT and SCT in patients treated with rituximab-based combinations as first-line therapy is unknown. Although new transplant techniques including non-myeloablative allogeneic SCT are being investigated, their role is unclear. New treatment strategies are needed for these patients. The use of molecular techniques such as GEP is identifying many potential new therapeutic targets in DLBCL including histone deacetylase, HLA-DR, bcl-2, bcl-6, mTOR and TRAIL.
CLL Biology and Prognosis
Authors: Dighiero Guillaume
Published: November 2005

Chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) follows an extremely variable course with survival ranging from months to decades. Recently, there has been major progress in the identification of molecular and cellular markers that may predict the tendency for disease progression in CLL patients. In particular, the mutational profile of Ig genes and some cytogenetic abnormalities have been found to be important predictors of prognosis in CLL. However, this progress has raised new questions about the biology and prognosis of the disease, some of which are addressed here. Such questions include: 1) What is the role of the B-cell receptor (BCR) in CLL pathogenesis? 2) Is CLL one disease? 3) Is CLL an accumulative disease? 4) What is the normal counterpart of the CLL B lymphocyte? 5) Have the Rai and Binet staging systems become obsolete? 6) Which is the best surrogate for Ig mutational profiles?
Targeting CD20 in Follicular NHL: Novel Anti-CD20 Therapies, Antibody Engineering, and the Use of Radioimmunoconjugates
Authors: Leonard John P.
Published: November 2005

Rituximab (chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody) is widely employed in the treatment of patients with B cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL). This agent has activity in both indolent and aggressive disease, alone and in combination with chemotherapy. Unfortunately, however, many patients develop resistant disease. Ongoing efforts to improve outcomes include changes in dose and schedule, as well as the use of other biologic agents or antibodies that may enhance activity when administered together with rituximab. A relatively new focus is the development of engineered anti-CD20 antibodies that are optimized for their capability to mediate antibody-mediated cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) or complement-dependent cytotoxicity (CDC). Human or humanized structures have also been employed to potentially improve these attributes, as well as to improve on pharmacokinetics and immunogenicity. Other studies in NHL have clearly demonstrated that radiolabeled anti-CD20 antibodies (such as I-131 tositumomab and Y-90 ibritumomab tiuxetan) may be useful in relapsed and refractory disease, and have potential utility as part of initial treatment as well. Further studies of these modified anti-CD20 antibodies are ongoing in order to optimize their use for maximal clinical benefit.
Cryoglobulinemia
Authors: Morra Enrica
Published: November 2005

Mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) type II is a disorder characterized by circulating cold-precipitable immune complexes composed of polyclonal immunoglobulin IgG and monoclonal IgM rheumatoid factor (RF). The systemic vasculitis which characterizes the disease is caused by the deposition of immune complexes on the walls of small vessels, and by the subsequent activation of the complement cascade. MC may be asymptomatic or lead to clinical manifestations characterized by a typical triad—purpura, arthralgia, and weakness—and in some cases by a more serious vasculitis with neurologic and renal involvement. In the vast majority (more than 90%) of patients, MC is associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, which is considered the triggering factor of the disease. The association between cryoglobulinemia and HCV infection, and the possible evolution to B-cell lymphomas usually after long-term follow-up, suggest the role of HCV infection both in the pathogenesis of MC and in lymphomagenesis. In fact, the virus chronically stimulates the polyclonal proliferation of B cells from which a monoclonal population may emerge. This paper also reviews the treatment strategies for MC syndrome, emphasizing the issue of the eradication of HCV, and the clinical and biological activity of ritux-imab for selective B-cell control.
Thrombosis and the Antiphospholipid Syndrome
Authors: Ortel Thomas L.
Published: November 2005

The antiphospholipid syndrome is an antibody-mediated hypercoagulable state characterized by recurrent venous and arterial thromboembolic events. Several studies have determined that the frequency of antiphospholipid syndrome in patients presenting with a venous thromboembolic event is between 4% and 14%. Because of the high risk for recurrent thromboembolism in these patients, current recommendations suggest a longer, potentially lifelong, course of antithrombotic therapy following an initial event. Although most authorities agree on an extended course of therapy, considerable controversy surrounds the optimal target therapeutic INR for patients with antiphospholipid syndrome. For an initial venous thromboembolic event, a target INR of 2.0 to 3.0 is supported by two prospective, randomized clinical trials. In contrast, relatively limited data exist for an initial arterial thromboembolic event in patients who have the antiphospholipid syndrome, and therapeutic recommendations range from aspirin to warfarin with a high target INR. Recurrent thromboembolic events can be extremely difficult to treat, and some patients may benefit from the addition of immunosuppressive therapies. Importantly, as many as 50% of the initial thromboembolic events sustained by patients with antiphospholipid antibodies occur in the setting of additional, coincident prothrombotic risk factors, indicating the importance of addressing any additional risk factors, such as hypercholesterolemia, in these patients. Prospective studies are needed to address the role of thromboprophylactic strategies in asymptomatic individuals with antiphospholipid antibodies in the absence of additional risk factors.
Practical and Ethical Issues with Genetic Screening
Authors: Wagner John E.
Published: November 2005

Clinical hematologists are faced with a growing list of new genetic-based tools for identifying a patient’s risk of disease. While many of the disease-specific tests are readily available, validation studies are required. Furthermore, genetic-based tests are being pushed to their technical limits, such as testing a single cell prior to embryo selection and transfer for couples at risk of genetic disease. As a result, misdiagnosis or misinterpretation of the data may result. As new genetic testing opportunities proliferate, the hematologist needs to be aware of the medical and legal issues surrounding their use. Furthermore, the hematologist needs to consider the psychological, ethical and social implications of this new field of genomic-based medicine.
Medical Errors
Authors: Holder Angela Roddey
Published: November 2005

Following the 2000 report of the Institute of Medicine, To Err Is Human, which documented that as many as 98,000 people in this country die of medical errors every year, medical, hospital, and governmental agencies began to consider changes in hospital systems. The report had found that errors were much more likely to result from systemic problems than from inept health care providers. Progress in reinventing hospital systems has been very slow, although some institutions have made great gains.

“Medical errors” may be of several types. Some lead to malpractice claims, many do not. Many people who have been severely injured by errors never file claims. Making a medical mistake is not necessarily “malpractice.”

There are six elements a patient must prove in order to win a malpractice case: a physician-patient relationship must exist, the care provider must owe the patient a duty of care, evidence (usually expert testimony) must be presented that there was a failure in some part of the duty of care, there must proof that the lack of care was the proximate cause of harm, and proof of evidence that harm occurred. The patient must also prove his or her assessment of damages.

Solutions to the problem of patient injuries are suggested.
Hereditary Periodic Fever Syndromes
Authors: Kastner Daniel L.
Published: November 2005

The hereditary periodic fevers are a group of Mendelian disorders characterized by seemingly unprovoked fever and localized inflammation. Recent data indicate that these illnesses represent inborn errors in the regulation of innate immunity. Pyrin, the protein mutated in familial Mediterranean fever, defines an N-terminal domain found in a large family of proteins involved in inflammation and apoptosis. Through this domain pyrin may play a role in the regulation of interleukin (IL)-1β, nuclear factor (NF)-κB, and leukocyte apoptosis. Cryopyrin/NALP3, another protein in this family, is mutated in three other hereditary febrile syndromes and participates in the inflammasome, a newly recognized macromolecular complex crucial to IL-1β activation. Somewhat unexpectedly, mutations in the 55 kDa receptor for tumor necrosis factor also give rise to a dominantly inherited periodic fever syndrome, rather than immunodeficiency, a finding that has stimulated important investigations into both pathogenesis and treatment. Finally, the discovery of the genetic basis of the hyperimmunoglobulinemia D with periodic fever syndrome suggests an as yet incompletely understood connection between the mevalonate pathway and the regulation of cytokine production. These insights extend our understanding of the regulation of innate immunity in man, while providing the conceptual basis for the rational design of targeted therapies, both for the hereditary periodic fevers themselves and other inflammatory disorders as well.
c-FLIP confers resistance to FAS-mediated apoptosis in anaplastic large-cell lymphoma
Authors: Oyarzo Mauricio P. , Medeiros L. Jeffrey , Atwell Coralyn , Feretzaki Marianna , Leventaki Vasiliki , Drakos Elias , Amin Hesham M. , Rassidakis George Z.
Published: November 2005

We hypothesized that inhibition of the FAS-mediated apoptosis pathway by FLICE-like inhibitory protein (c-FLIP) may contribute to oncogenesis in ALK+ anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALCL). Treatment with increasing concentrations of CH-11 (CD95/FAS agonistic antibody) had no effect on cell viability of 2 ALK+ ALCL cell lines, Karpas 299 and SU-DHL1, each expressing high levels of c-FLIP. However, inhibition of endogenous c-FLIP expression by specific c-FLIP siRNA in Karpas 299 and SU-DHL1 cells treated with CH-11 resulted in FAS-mediated cell death associated with increased annexin V binding, apoptotic morphology, and cleavage of caspase-8. In 26 ALK+ ALCL tumors, assessed for expression of DISC-associated proteins, CD95/FAS and c-FLIP were commonly expressed, in 23 (92%) of 25 and 21 (91%) of 23 tumors, respectively. By contrast, CD95L/FASL was expressed in only 3 (12%) of 26 ALCL tumors, although it was strongly expressed by surrounding small reactive lymphocytes. Our findings suggest that overexpression of c-FLIP protects ALK+ ALCL cells from death-receptor-induced apoptosis and may contribute to ALCL pathogenesis. (Blood. 2006;107:2544-2547)
Essential role of PI3Kδ and PI3Kγ in thymocyte survival
Authors: Swat Wojciech , Montgrain Vivianne , Doggett Teresa A. , Douangpanya Jason , Puri Kamal , Vermi William , Diacovo Thomas G.
Published: November 2005

Class 1 phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI3Ks), consisting of PI3Kα, β, γ, and δ, are a family of intracellular signaling molecules that play important roles in cell-mediated immune responses. In thymocytes, however, their role is less clear, although PI3Kγ is postulated to partially contribute to pre-TCR-dependent differentiation. We now report that PI3Kδ, in conjunction with PI3Kγ, is required for thymocyte survival and ultimately for T-cell production. Surprisingly, genetic deletion of the p110δ and p110γ catalytic subunits resulted in a dramatic reduction in thymus size, cellularity, and lack of corticomedullary differentiation. Total thymocyte counts in these animals were 27-fold lower than in wild-type (WT) controls because of a diminished number of CD4+CD8+ double-positive (DP) cells and were associated with T-cell depletion in blood and in secondary lymphoid organs. Moreover, this alteration in the DP population was intrinsic to thymocytes, because the reconstitution of p110γδ-/- animals with WT fetal liver cells restored the proportions of all thymocyte populations to those in WT controls. The observed defects were related to massive apoptosis in the DP population; TCRB expression, pre-TCR selection, and generation of DP cells appeared relatively unperturbed. Thus, class 1 PI3Ks work in concert to protect developing thymocytes from apoptosis. (Blood. 2006;107:2415-2422)
Phenytoin as a novel anti-vitiligo weapon
Authors: Namazi MR
Published: November 2005

Vitiligo is a psychologically devastating clinical conundrum which affects approximately 1% of the general population. The exact cause of the illness is an enigma, but several hypotheses about its pathogenesis are advanced.

The autoimmune hypothesis proposes an autoimmune attack against melanocytes. Although anti-melanocyte autoantibodies have been demonstrated in vitiligo, recent research casts doubt on their pathogenic role and instead supports the involvement of cell-mediated autoimmune response in the pathobiology of this disorder, which is characterized by increase of suppressor T-cells and decrease of the helper/suppressor ratio in association with the presence of type-1 cytokine secreting cytotoxic T cells in the vicinity of disappearing melanocytes.

The neural hypothesis proposes that increased release of norepinephrine, a melanocytotoxin, from the autonomic nerve endings in the microenvironment of melanocytes injures these cells. Moreover, norepinephrine induces the catecholamine degrading enzyme monoamine oxidase (MAO), which favors the formation of toxic levels of hydrogen peroxide in the vicinity of melanocytes.

Another theory suggests that abnormal permeability of melanosome membrane, which normally prevents the diffusion of toxic melanin precursors into the cytoplasm, may cause melanocyte damage.

Phenytoin, the widely-used anticonvulsant, has been employed both topically and systemically in the treatment of some dermatological disorders. The drug has been shown to significantly suppress mitogen-induced activation of lymphocytes and cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity and to polarize the immune response toward the type-2 pathway. It also significantly decreases suppressor T cells and increases the helper/suppressor ratio.

At high concentrations, the drug inhibits the release of norepinephrine and the activity of MAO. Moreover, phenytoin is suggested to interact with membrane lipids, which may promote stabilization of the membranes.

The hydantoin moiety of phenytoin exerts a direct stimulatory action on melanocytes; facial hyperpigmentation is a recognized side effect of orally administered phenytoin.

Altogether, the above evidence suggests that phenytoin could be therapeutically effective against vitiligo. As phenytoin stimulates collagen production and inhibits its breakdown, its concomitant use with topical steroids could prevent steroid-induced skin atrophy while potentiating the anti-vitiligo effect of these agents.
Experimental Seismic Response of High-Voltage Transformer-Bushing Systems
Authors: Filiatrault Andre , Matt Howard
Published: November 2005

This paper describes the shake table testing of a full-scale high-voltage electrical transformer-bushing system. The main objective of the study was to investigate the amplification between the ground motion and the motion at the base of the bushing under various ground-motion time histories and intensities. Another objective of the testing was to assess the predictions of a three-dimensional finite-element model of the transformer-bushing system. The experimental results obtained indicated that the rocking motion of the bushing and turret, facilitated by the top plate flexibility of the transformer, influenced significantly the dynamic characteristics of the bushing. The finite element model was able to predict absolute accelerations, relative displacements, and stress distributions in the systems with reasonable accuracy considering its complexity.
Comparing Observed and Predicted Directivity in Near-Source Ground Motion
Authors: Howard Jeffrey K. , Tracy Chris A. , Burns Robert G.
Published: November 2005

Accurately characterizing near-source ground motion is an important consideration for dam safety in California. Near-source ground motion can contain velocity pulses that are amplified by directivity, which is the constructive interference of S waves radiated by a propagating rupture front. Accordingly, Somerville et. al. (1997) developed an empirical model for predicting fault-normal (maximum) and fault-parallel (minimum) spectral acceleration for periods>0.5 sec. We compiled near-source ground motion records representing significant directivity and rotated them to the component with maximum overall spectral acceleration for common periods of directivity amplification (and importance to dam stability analyses, 0.5≤T≤3.0 sec), which we call SAMAX. As expected, SAMAX correlates with the orientation of a strong velocity pulse in the directivity record. Comparing the amplitude and orientation of SAMAX to Somerville's predictions, we find that strong velocity pulses produced by strike-slip faulting are reasonably aligned with the fault normal, and their corresponding SAMAX is satisfactorily predicted by Somerville's model as modified by Abrahamson. However, the orientations of strong velocity pulses in reverse-faulting records can depart significantly from fault normal, and their corresponding SAMAX can exceed Somerville's predictions appreciably.
Soil-Dependent Topographic Effects: A Case Study from the 1999 Athens Earthquake
Authors: Assimaki Dominic , Kausel Eduardo , Gazetas George
Published: November 2005

In the Ms 5.9 Athens, Greece, earthquake, surprisingly heavy damage occurred on the eastern bank of the Kifissos River canyon. To explore whether the particular topographic relief and/or the local soil conditions have contributed to the observed concentration and non-uniform damage distribution within a 300-m zone from the canyon crest, we conduct finite-element analyses in one and two dimensions, using Ricker wavelets and six realistic accelerograms as excitation. The nonlinear soil response is simulated in the time-domain using a hyperbolic stress-strain model, and also approximated using a modified equivalent-linear algorithm; results obtained by means of the two methods are discussed in detail. Our simulations show that topographic effects are substantial only within about 50 m from the canyon ridge, materializing primarily because of the presence of relatively soft soil layers near the surface of the profile. We then introduce the concept of two-dimensional/one-dimensional response spectral ratio to describe the effects of topography as a function of local soil conditions, and suggest a frequency- and location-dependent topographic aggravation factor to be introduced for the modification of design spectra in a seismic code.
Displacement-Based Fragility Functions for Low- and Mid-rise Ordinary Concrete Buildings
Authors: Akkar Sinan , Sucuoğlu Haluk , Yakut Ahmet
Published: November 2005

Fragility functions are determined for low- and mid-rise ordinary concrete buildings, which constitute the most vulnerable construction type in Turkey as well as several other countries prone to earthquakes. A hybrid approach is employed where building capacities are obtained from field data and their dynamic responses are calculated by response history analyses. Field data consists of 32 sample buildings representing the general characteristics of two- to five-story substandard reinforced concrete buildings in Turkey. Lateral stiffness, strength, and deformation capacities of the sample buildings are determined by pushover analyses conducted in two principal directions. Uncertainties in lateral stiffness, strength, and damage limit states are expressed by using statistical distributions. The inelastic dynamic structural characteristics of the buildings investigated are represented by a family of equivalent single-degree-of-freedom systems and their seismic deformation demands are calculated under 82 ground-motion records. Peak ground velocity (PGV) is selected as the measure of seismic intensity since maximum inelastic displacements are better correlated with PGV than peak ground acceleration (PGA). Fragility functions are derived separately for different number of stories, which is a prominent parameter influencing the vulnerability of existing substandard concrete buildings.
The mAKAP complex participates in the induction of cardiac myocyte hypertrophy by adrenergic receptor signaling
Authors: Pare Genevieve C. , Bauman Andrea L. , McHenry Molly , Michel Jennifer J. Carlisle , Dodge-Kafka Kimberly L. , Kapiloff Michael S.
Published: November 2005

Maladaptive cardiac hypertrophy can progress to congestive heart failure, a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the United States. A better understanding of the intracellular signal transduction network that controls myocyte cell growth may suggest new therapeutic directions. mAKAP is a scaffold protein that has recently been shown to coordinate signal transduction enzymes important for cytokine-induced cardiac hypertrophy. We now extend this observation and show mAKAP is important for adrenergic-mediated hypertrophy. One function of the mAKAP complex is to facilitate cAMP-dependent protein kinase A-catalyzed phosphorylation of the ryanodine receptor Ca2+-release channel. Experiments utilizing inhibition of the ryanodine receptor, RNA interference of mAKAP expression and replacement of endogenous mAKAP with a mutant form that does not bind to protein kinase A demonstrate that the mAKAP complex contributes to pro-hypertrophic signaling. Further, we show that calcineurin Aβ associates with mAKAP and that the formation of the mAKAP complex is required for the full activation of the pro-hypertrophic transcription factor NFATc. These data reveal a novel function of the mAKAP complex involving the integration of cAMP and Ca2+ signals that promote myocyte hypertrophy.
Histone H2AZ dimerizes with a novel variant H2B and is enriched at repetitive DNA inTrypanosoma brucei
Authors: Lowell Joanna E. , Kaiser Franziska , Janzen Christian J. , Cross George A. M.
Published: November 2005

H2AZ is a widely conserved histone variant that is implicated in protecting euchromatin from the spread of heterochromatin. H2AZ is incorporated into nucleosomes as a heterodimer with H2B, by the SWR1 ATP-dependent chromatin-remodeling complex. We have identified a homolog of H2AZ in the protozoan parasite Trypanosoma brucei, along with a novel variant of histone H2B (H2BV) that shares ∼38% sequence identity with major H2B. Both H2AZ and H2BV are essential for viability. H2AZ localizes within the nucleus in a pattern that is distinct from canonical H2A and is largely absent from sites of transcription visualized by incorporation of 5-bromo-UTP (BrUTP). H2AZ and H2BV colocalize throughout the cell cycle and exhibit nearly identical genomic distribution patterns, as assessed by chromatin immunoprecipitation. H2AZ co-immunoprecipitates with H2BV but not with histones H2B or H2A nor with the variant H3V. These data strongly suggest that H2AZ and H2BV function together within a single nucleosome, marking the first time an H2AZ has been shown to associate with a non-canonical histone H2B.
Color Tuning Based on a Six-membered Chelated Iridium(III) Complex with Aza-aromatic Ligand
Authors: Zhu Rui , Lin Jian , Wen Gui-An , Liu Shu-Juan , Wan Jun-Hua , Feng Jia-Chun , Fan Qu-Li , Zhong Gao-Yu , Wei Wei , Huang Wei
Published: November 2005

A six-membered chelated iridium complex containing aza-aromatic ligand is prepared. Emission color tuning from yellow to deep red is observed for electroluminescent devices with different doping concentrations.
Preparation of Gold Nanoplates by an Electrochemical Method
Authors: Zhou Min , Chen Shenhao , Zhao Shiyong , Ma Hongfang
Published: November 2005

Single-crystal triangular and hexangular nanoplates of gold can be obtained by electrochemical reducing AuCl4− in the presence of PVP and a small amount of H2PtCl6. With the concentration of H2PtCl6 increasing from 0 to 1 × 10−3 mol/dm3, the morphology of Au nanoparticles evolved from spheroids to triangular and hexangular nanoplates with well-defined facets.
Cyclization and Ring-expansion Reactions Involving Reductive Formation and Oxidative Ring-opening of Cyclopropanol Derivatives
Authors: Hasegawa Eietsu , Tsuchida Hiroyuki , Tamura Mutsuko
Published: November 2005

FeCl3-promoted regioselective ring-opening reactions of cyclopropyl trimethylsilyl ethers, obtained by SmI2 reduction followed by silylation with Me3SiCl of bromoalkyl ketones and acyl chloride, were performed. Eventually, the sequential reduction and oxidation reactions starting from bromoalkyl ketones to give ring-expanded enones were achieved in one-pot.
Anomalous Magnetic Field Effects Interpreted by the Relaxation Mechanism under Ultrahigh Fields of up to 28 T
Authors: Hamasaki Atom , Nishizawa Kiyoshi , Sakaguchi Yoshio , Okada Toshiyuki , Kido Giyuu , Wakasa Masanobu
Published: November 2005

Magnetic field effects on the triplet sensitization reaction of p-aminophenyl disulfide were studied in a sodium dodecylsulfate micellar solution by a nanosecond laser flash photolysis technique under ultrahigh magnetic fields of up to 28 T. The yield of the escaped p-aminophenyl thiyl radical decreased by 6 ± 2% at 28 T compared with that at 0 T.
Preparation of Mesoporous Titania Particles with Photocatalytic Activity under Visible-light Irradiation
Authors: Shibata Hirobumi , Mukai Tatsuya , Akita Takahito , Ohkubo Takahiro , Sakai Hideki , Abe Masahiko
Published: November 2005

Novel visible light-responsive photocatalytic mesoporous titania particles were prepared using the sol–gel reaction of titanium oxysulfate sulfuric acid hydrate TiOSO4·xH2SO4·xH2O in aqueous solution in the presence of lyotropic cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) liquid crystal as template. The absorption threshold of the calcined particles shifted toward the longer wavelength side and they showed a photocatalytic activity in the oxidation of gaseous 2-propanol under visible light (>440 nm) irradiation.
Facile Synthesis of Trifluoromethyl-substituted Enynes: Remarkable Reactivity and Stereoselectivity of Tributyl(3,3,3-trifluoropropynyl)stannane in Carbostannylation of Alkynes
Authors: Shimizu Masaki , Jiang Guofang , Murai Masahito , Takeda Youhei , Nakao Yoshiaki , Hiyama Tamejiro , Shirakawa Eiji
Published: November 2005

Carbostannylation of alkynes with tributyl(3,3,3-trifluoropropynyl)stannane is found to proceed at room temperature in a syn-manner, giving rise to the corresponding CF3-substituted enynes as a single stereoisomer in good yields. Both terminal and, CF3- or RO2C-substituted internal alkynes are applicable to the addition reaction. Synthetic applications of the adduct are also demonstrated.
BET-Type Adsorption Isotherms for Gaseous Mixtures
Authors: Jabłoński Maciej
Published: November 2005

A formalism for describing the adsorption of gaseous mixtures at solid surfaces was derived as an extension of the BET theory. The following additional assumptions were made; the composition of all the adsorbed layers is the same and interaction occurs between the component molecules in the adsorbed layers. The proposed equations were compared with the experimental data obtained from measurements of the adsorption of an acetone—methanol mixture onto N-type active carbon.
Factors Affecting the Adsorption of 60Co onto a Peat from China
Authors: Hongxia Zhang , Zhaowei Guo , Zuyi Tao
Published: November 2005

The work described was aimed at an analysis of the principal factors affecting the adsorption of 60Co ions onto a peat from Lin Tao County (in the south of Gansu Province, P. R. China). The adsorption of 60Co ions onto the peat was studied as a function of contact time, ratio of solution volume (V) to solid mass (m), pH, ionic strength and the initial concentration of Co ions. It was found that the relative adsorption rate was quite rapid, that adsorption gradually decreased with increasing values of V/m and that ionic strength had a moderate effect on the process. In addition, the pH value strongly influenced the extent of adsorption. Over the high concentration range, the adsorption equilibrium could be described by the Freundlich equation, with this equation being reduced to the Henry equation, i.e. a linear adsorption isotherm, over the low concentration range. No attempt has been made at understanding the mechanism of 60Co ion adsorption onto peat in the present work.
Design and Photocatalytic Activity of Mesoporous TiO2/ZrO2 Thin Films
Authors: Gnatyuk Yu. , Smirnova N. , Eremenko A. , Ilyin V.
Published: November 2005

Optically transparent, crack-free mesoporous titania and zirconia-doped titania thin films were fabricated by the sol—gel technique using the non-ionic amphiphilic triblock copolymer Pluronic P123 as the template. The structure and optical properties of these films were characterized using TEM, low-angle XRD, DTA/TG measurements, UV—vis spectroscopy and hexane adsorption investigations. It was found that addition of ZrO2 into the TiO2 matrix retarded sintering of the films, thereby increasing the specific surface area after treatment up to 500°C. The catalytic activity of the mesoporous TiO2 and TiO2/(5–30%) ZrO2 films in ethanol photo-oxidation increased with increasing specific surface area and surface acidity of the samples.
γ-Induced Graft Copolymerization onto Cellulosic Fabric Waste for Cationic Dye Removal
Authors: Hashem A. , Sokker H.H. , Halim E.S. Abdel , Gamal A.
Published: November 2005

Radiation grafting of itaconic acid (IA) onto cellulosic fabric in the presence of dimethylformamide (DMF) as a solvent by the mutual method is discussed. Factors affecting the radiation graft copolymerization were investigated. These factors include the radiation dosage, the monomer concentration and the solvent. The grafted samples were characterized using FT-IR spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Utilization of the grafted cellulosic fabric waste in the removal of Methylene Blue (MB) from aqueous solution was examined. The adsorption data showed that the maximum adsorption capacity of Methylene Blue onto grafted cellulosic fabric waste was 38 mg/g. The adsorption data also obeyed the Langmuir and Freundlich isotherms.
Calorimetric and Spectroscopic Studies of Water Adsorption onto Alkaline Earth Fluorides
Authors: Mori Toshinori , Kuroda Yasushige , Kumashiro Ryotaro , Hirata Koji , Toyota Hidehiro , Nagao Mahiko
Published: November 2005

Interactions between the surfaces of alkaline earth fluorides (CaF2, SrF2 and BaF2) and water molecules were investigated by calorimetric and spectroscopic methods. The exposed surfaces of the alkaline earth fluoride samples, with which the (100) crystalline plane is mainly associated, were found to be fully covered with strongly adsorbed water molecules, resulting in characteristic IR bands at 3684, 2561, 1947 and 1000 cm−1, respectively. This surface was homogeneous towards further water adsorption. The strongly adsorbed water molecules were almost completely desorbed from the surface on evacuating the sample up to 473 K.

The heat of immersion in water also increased with increasing pretreatment temperature; this may be attributed to surface rehydration of the alkaline earth fluorides. The state of the surface changed drastically as the pretreatment temperature was increased and stabilized towards incoming water molecules. Thus, the surface formed after evacuation at temperatures greater than 473 K was resistant to hydration even after immersion in water at room temperature. This surface was relatively heterogeneous towards water adsorption, although it behaved homogeneously towards argon adsorption.

These facts indicate that strongly adsorbed water molecules appear to be somewhat specific towards the adsorption of further incoming water molecules. The adsorption properties of the (100) plane of alkaline earth fluorides towards water and argon molecules depend strongly on both the electrostatic field strength and the extent of rehydration of the alkaline earth fluoride surface.
Adsorption Characteristics of Cr(III) Ions onto Coconut Husk from Aqueous Solution
Authors: Ahmad Rashid , Hasany Syed Moosa , Chaudhary Munawar Hussain
Published: November 2005

The adsorption of chromium(III) ions onto coconut ( Cocos nucifera) husk has been studied using radiotracer and batch techniques. Maximum adsorption (ca. 91%) of Cr(III) ions (2.59 × 10−5 M) onto the adsorbent surface from deionised water was achieved in 30 min when 100 mg coconut husk was employed. The Langmuir, Freundlich and Dubinin—Radushkevich (D—R) isotherms all provided an accurate fit of the adsorption data. The Langmuir constants, i.e. Q = 18.25 ± 0.55 μmol/g and b = (2.57 ± 0.15) x 104 l/mol, were computed. Similarly, application of the D—R isotherm led to an adsorption capacity of 0.25 ±0.03 mmol/g, a β value of −0.005352 ± 0.000360 kJ2/mol2 and an adsorption energy of 9.67 ± 0.33 kJ/mol. Use of the Freundlich isotherm allowed the constants 1/n = 0.85 ± 0.05 and A = 58.6 ± 36.8 mmol/g to be estimated. Studies of the variation of adsorption with temperature gave ΔH = 10.8 ± 0.8 kJ/mol, ΔS = 48.8 ± 2.7 J/(mol K) and ΔG = −4.6 ± 0.03 kJ/mol at 25°C. Addition of the divalent ions Ba, Co, Pb, Ni and sulphate to the aqueous solution led to an increase in adsorption whilst the presence of borate, carbonate and oxalate ions reduced the adsorption significantly. The use of Zr(IV), I(I), Se(IV) and Tc(VII) ions led to a low adsorption capacity. The results showed that coconut husk can be used to separate Cr(III) ions from all these various ions via a single or multistage operation.