bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
P2X2receptors on ganglion and amacrine cells in cone pathways of the rat retina
Authors: Puthussery Theresa , Fletcher Erica L.
Published: April 2006

Extracellular ATP is known to mediate fast, excitatory neurotransmission through activation of ionotropic P2X receptors. In this study, the localization of the P2X2receptor (P2X2R) subunit was studied in rat retina by using immunofluorescence immunohistochemistry and preembedding immunoelectron microscopy. The P2X2R was observed in large ganglion cells as well as in a subset of amacrine cells. Double labeling revealed that 96% of all P2X2R‐immunoreactive amacrine cells showed γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) immunoreactivity. Subsets of P2X2R‐immunoreactive amacrine cells expressed nitric oxide synthase and substance P; however, no colocalization was observed with choline acetyltransferase, vasoactive intestinal peptide, or tyrosine hydroxylase. Nearest‐neighbor analysis confirmed that P2X2Rs were expressed by a heterogeneous population of amacrine cells. The synaptic connectivity of P2X2R amacrine cells was also investigated. It was interesting that P2X2R‐immunoreactive amacrine cell dendrites stratified in the sublaminae of the inner plexiform layer occupied by cone, but not rod bipolar cell axon terminals. Immunoelectron microscopy revealed that P2X2‐immunoreactive amacrine cell processes were associated with cone bipolar cell axon terminals as well as other conventional synapses in the inner plexiform layer. Taken together, these data provide further evidence for the involvement of extracellular ATP in neuronal signaling in the retina, particularly within cone pathways. J. Comp. Neurol. 496:595–609, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
EphA7‐ephrin‐A5 signaling in mouse somatosensory cortex: Developmental restriction of molecular domains and postnatal maintenance of functional compartments
Authors: Miller Katherine , Kolk Sharon M. , Donoghue Maria J.
Published: April 2006

Members of the Eph family of receptor tyrosine kinases and their ligands, the ephrins, are expressed in distinct patterns in the forming cortex. EphA7 is expressed early in cortical development, becoming concentrated in anterior and posterior domains, whereas ephrin‐A5 is expressed later in corticogenesis, highest in the middle region that has low levels of EphA7. The EphA7 gene produces full‐length and truncated isoforms, which are repulsive and adhesive, respectively. Analysis of cortical RNA expression demonstrates that proportions of these isoforms change with time, from a more repulsive mix during embryogenesis to a more permissive mix postnatally. To examine how EphA7 and ephrin‐A5 influence the formation of cortical regions, EphA7−/− mice were analyzed. Within the cortex of EphA7−/− mice, the distribution of ephrin‐A5 was more extensive, encompassing its usual medial domain but also extending more posteriorly toward the occipital pole. Moreover, relative levels of ephrin‐A5 along the cortex's anatomical axes changed in EphA7−/− animals, creating less striking shifts in ligand abundance. Furthermore, in vivo functional studies revealed that EphA7 exerts a repulsive influence on ephrin‐A5‐expressing cells during corticogenesis. In contrast, EphA7 appears to mediate permissive interactions in the postnatal cortex: the area of somatosensory cortex was significantly reduced in EphA7−/− mice. A similar reduction was present in ephrin‐A5−/− animals and a more pronounced decrease was observed in EphA7/ephrin‐A5−/− cortex. Taken together, this study supports a role for EphA7 and ephrin‐A5 in the establishment and maintenance of certain cortical domains and suggests that the nature of their interactions changes with cortical maturity. J. Comp. Neurol. 496:627–642, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Subpopulations of neurons expressing parvalbumin in the human amygdala
Authors: Pantazopoulos Harry , Lange Nicholas , Hassinger Linda , Berretta Sabina
Published: April 2006

Amygdalar intrinsic inhibitory networks comprise several subpopulations of γ‐aminobutyric acidergic neurons, each characterized by distinct morphological features and clusters of functionally relevant neurochemical markers. In rodents, the calcium‐binding proteins parvalbumin (PVB) and calbindin D28k (CB) are coexpressed in large subpopulations of amygdalar interneurons. PVB‐immunoreactive (‐IR) neurons have also been shown to be ensheathed by perineuronal nets (PNN), extracellular matrix envelopes believed to affect ionic homeostasis and synaptic plasticity. We tested the hypothesis that differential expression of these three markers may define distinct neuronal subpopulations within the human amygdala. Toward this end, triple‐fluorescent labeling using antisera raised against PVB and CB as well as biotinylated Wisteria floribunda lectin for detection of PNN was combined with confocal microscopy. Among the 1,779 PVB‐IR neurons counted, 18% also expressed CB, 31% were ensheathed in PNN, and 7% expressed both CB and PNN. Forty‐four percent of PVB‐IR neurons did not colocalize with either CB or PNN. The distribution of each of these neuronal subgroups showed substantial rostrocaudal gradients. Furthermore, distinct morphological features were found to characterize each neuronal subgroup. In particular, significant differences relative to the distribution and morphology were detected between PVB‐IR neurons expressing CB and PVB‐IR neurons wrapped in PNNs. These results indicate that amygdalar PVB‐IR neurons can be subdivided into at least four different subgroups, each characterized by a specific neurochemical profile, morphological characteristics, and three‐dimensional distribution. Such properties suggest that each of these neuronal subpopulations may play a specific role within the intrinsic circuitry of the amygdala. J. Comp. Neurol. 496:706–722, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sex differences in the anatomical and functional organization of the periaqueductal gray‐rostral ventromedial medullary pathway in the rat: A potential circuit mediating the sexually dimorphic actions of morphine
Authors: Loyd Dayna R. , Murphy Anne Z.
Published: April 2006

Previous studies have demonstrated that morphine, administered systemically or directly into the periaqueductal gray (PAG), produces a significantly greater degree of antinociception in males in comparison with females. Because the midbrain PAG and its descending projections to the rostral ventromedial medulla (RVM) constitute an essential neural circuit for opioid‐based analgesia, the present studies were conducted to determine whether sex differences in the anatomical organization of the PAG‐RVM pathway, and its activation during persistent inflammatory pain, could account for sex‐based differences in opioid analgesia. In the rat, retrograde tracing was combined with Fos immunocytochemistry to investigate sexual dimorphism in the organization of the PAG‐RVM circuit and its activation by persistent inflammatory pain induced by intraplantar injection of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA). The ability of morphine to suppress the activation of the PAG‐RVM circuit was also examined. Sexually dimorphic retrograde labeling was observed within the dorsomedial and lateral/ventrolateral PAG at all rostrocaudal levels, with females having significantly more PAG‐RVM output neurons in comparison with males. While no sex differences were noted in the activation of the PAG by persistent inflammatory pain, significantly more PAG‐RVM cells were activated in males in comparison with females. Systemic administration of morphine significantly suppressed CFA‐induced Fos in the PAG in males only. The results of these studies demonstrate that both the anatomical organization and the functional activation of the PAG‐RVM circuit are sexually dimorphic and may provide the anatomical substrate for sex‐based differences in morphine analgesia. J. Comp. Neurol. 496:723–738, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Analysis of individual data from bead‐based assays (“bead arrays”)
Authors: Jacobson James W. , Oliver Kerry G. , Weiss Christy , Kettman John
Published: April 2006

Introduction:

Typically, bead‐based assays (“bead arrays”) use the mean or median value of a population of measurements to judge ligand binding or other activity, which results in a change in fluorescence intensity. Individual bead measurements are used here to calculate population parameters integral to the measurement of a bead array.

Methods:

Using a commercially‐available instrument designed for bead array measurements, a set of beads were labeled with biotin and then titrated with PE‐Streptavidin. Data were collected under normal machine conditions as well as variations.

Results:

The “sensitivity” of the measurements was determined using parametric and nonparametric statistical methods as well as regression analysis over a limited range of the titration (concentration vs. response profile).

Conclusions:

Results at low ligand concentrations suggest that precise measurements with bead array systems require a large number of individual bead measurements to be acquired. Individual bead measurements should be used to determine the mean and confidence intervals for the calculated measurements. These results also apply to regression analysis of concentration‐response profiles. Furthermore, features of the instrument can be manipulated to achieve increased sensitivity and detection of lower amounts of ligand bound to the bead populations. © 2006 International Society for Analytical Cytology
SPLAT: a unified SIP services platform for VoIP applications
Authors: Singh Aameek , Acharya Arup , Mahadevan Priya , Shae Zon‐Yin
Published: April 2006

The steady improvements in the networking infrastructure and ever increasing broadband penetration has fueled the resurgence of voice‐over‐IP (VoIP). One of the important contributors to this growth has also been the development and wide acceptance of the session initiation protocol (SIP). However, the current usage of SIP requires a per‐application deployment (each application using its own SIP stack). In addition to shared port number problems, this leads to a narrow development of SIP based services, even though SIP, as a protocol, offers incredible opportunities for enabling various applications simultaneously.

In this paper, we propose SPLAT—a unified SIP platform, consisting of a client‐side SIP service and supporting network infrastructure blocks, that provide unified mechanisms to execute generic SIP functions through an exported higher level API. Applications can leverage the API and ready‐made building blocks for creating richer interfaces without significant and often repeated development effort, e.g. a conferencing server coupled with a gaming server can provide context‐aware audio conferencing between occupants of a particular game room. Importantly, the SPLAT framework is available to all applications including the ones not inherently based on SIP and thus presents a great opportunity for enhancing such applications. The SIP service API is designed to be extensible and provides novel higher level functional primitives like ad hoc conferencing and seamless transition of sessions. In addition, it also exports a low level interface for specialized applications that need direct access to SIP call flows. Another feature of the service is that it allows a user to plug‐in an end device (softphone, IP phone, PSTN phone) of his/her choice on a per‐session basis. We demonstrate the richness of the API by describing prototypes for enhancing various applications as well as new converged applications. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Scalable and efficient QoS support for SIP‐signalled voice calls
Authors: Molina Maurizio , Quittek Jürgen , Brunner Marcus , Melia Telemaco
Published: April 2006

This paper proposes an extension of the functionality of a SIP proxy server for providing QoS to SIP‐signalled voice over IP calls in a scalable and efficient way. The basic concept lies in aggregating SIP calls into bandwidth‐provisioned trunks and on admitting calls on trunks only within the limit of their bandwidth. The SIP proxy server derives bandwidth requirements of SIP calls directly from parsed SIP messages. The bandwidth of the logical trunks can be dynamically changed. With a moderate trunk over‐sizing, the trunk resizing rate can be kept much lower than the call arrival process. The approach scales well in a scenario where a centralized entity (bandwidth broker) is in charge of managing all the trunks of a given domain. We present simulation results that confirm this good scalability. The functionality and scalability of the proposed approach is compared with other ones currently discussed in the IETF or in the literature. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Folate fortification, plasma folate, homocysteine and colorectal adenoma recurrence
Authors: Martínez María Elena , Giovannucci Edward , Jiang Ruiyun , Henning Susanne M. , Jacobs Elizabeth T. , Thompson Patricia , Smith‐Warner Stephanie A. , Alberts David S.
Published: April 2006

In 1996, the US Food and Drug Administration mandated the fortification of grain products with folic acid, a nutrient that has been associated with lower risk of colorectal neoplasia. We assessed the relation of plasma folate and homocysteine and colorectal adenoma recurrence separately in 2 studies: the first involved an intervention of a cereal supplement that contained folic acid, wheat bran fiber (WBF), and the second was conducted primarily during postfortification of the food supply using ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA). Analyses were stratified for multivitamin use. Results show that plasma folate and homocysteine concentrations were associated with adenoma recurrence among nonusers of multivitamins only. Among nonmultivitamin users, the odds ratio [OR] (95% confidence interval [CI]) for those in the highest versus the lowest folate quartile was 0.65 (0.40–1.06) for the WBF study and 0.56 (0.31–1.02) for the UDCA; likewise, individuals in the highest versus the lowest quartile of homocysteine had higher odds of adenoma recurrence, in both the WBF (OR = 2.25; 95% CI = 1.38–3.66) and UDCA (OR = 1.93; 95% CI = 1.07–3.49) populations. Analyses comparing multivitamin users to different plasma folate concentrations among nonusers show that odds of recurrence for supplement users was lower only when compared to nonusers who had lower concentrations. Our results show that higher plasma folate or lower homocysteine levels are associated with lower odds of recurrence among nonusers of multivitamins in both studies. Our finding, suggesting that multivitamins or supplemental folate only benefit individuals with lower plasma folate concentrations, should be taken into consideration when designing and interpreting results of intervention studies. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
No association between HPV infection and the neoplastic progression of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma: Result from a cross‐sectional study in a high‐risk region of China
Authors: Gao Guo‐Fu , Roth Mark J. , Wei Wen‐Qiang , Abnet Christian C. , Chen Feng , Lu Ning , Zhao Fang‐Hui , Li Xin‐Qing , Wang Guo‐Qing , Taylor Philip R. , Pan Qin‐Jing , Chen Wen , Dawsey Sanford M. , Qiao You‐Lin
Published: April 2006

Esophageal cancer is a leading cause of cancer death, especially in developing countries. In high‐risk regions, squamous cell carcinoma is the most common type of esophageal cancer, and its etiology remains poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between human papillomavirus (HPV) infection and esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and related precursor lesions in a high‐risk area of China. We conducted a cross‐sectional study among adult inhabitants of Linxian, China. All subjects were interviewed about potential risk factors, had the length of their esophagus sampled by a balloon cytology examination and underwent endoscopy with mucosal iodine staining and biopsy of all unstained lesions. A multivalent HPV hybridization probe, Digene Hybrid Capture II (Gaithersburg, MD), which recognizes high‐risk types 16, 18, 31, 33, 35, 39, 45, 51, 52, 56, 58, 59 and 68, was used to determine the HPV infection status of the cytologic specimens, and the endoscopic biopsies were used to classify each subject's esophageal disease. 740 subjects completed the cytologic and endoscopic exams, and 702 had adequate cytologic and biopsy specimens. Using a cutpoint of ≥3.0 pg/ml of HPV DNA to define a positive test, HPV positivity was identified in 13% (61/475) of subjects without squamous dysplasia, 8% (8/102) with mild dysplasia, 7% (6/83) with moderate dysplasia, 16% (6/38) with severe dysplasia and zero (0/4) with invasive ESCC. Changing the cutpoint defining a positive test did not change the association of HPV infection and dysplasia grade. In this high‐risk population, infection of esophageal cells with high‐risk HPV types occurs in 13% of asymptomatic adults with no evidence of squamous dysplasia and a similar proportion of individuals with mild, moderate or severe dysplasia. This suggests that HPV infection is not a major risk factor for ESCC in this high‐risk Chinese population. Further studies are warranted to determine if infection with this agent is associated with neoplastic progression in a subset of cases. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Interference with O‐glycosylation in RMA lymphoma cells leads to a reduced in vivo growth of the tumor
Authors: Chen Liying , Sundbäck Jonas , Olofsson Sigvard , Jondal Mikael
Published: April 2006

Carbohydrate processing in cancer cells can influence the growth, metastatic potential, vascularization and immune recognition of such cells. Interference with N‐glycosylation has been shown both to reduce the membrane expression of MHC class I and to increase the in vitro sensitivity of tumor cells to NK cell killing. We investigated the effect of O‐glycosylation inhibition on the in vivo growth, phenotype and NK sensitivity of RMA lymphoma cells using benzyl N‐acetyl‐α‐D‐galactosamide (BAG). BAG‐treated cells were found to have a strongly reduced local growth potential in vivo. However, inhibition of O‐glycosylation caused this effect without any significant downregulation of MHC‐I and increase in sensitivity to NK killing as seen after inhibition of N‐glycosylation using Castanospermine. BAG treatment of RMA cells resulted in the removal of larger O‐linked glycans and a high expression of the T‐antigen (GalGalNAc), a target for natural antibodies (NAs) induced by the gastrointestinal bacterial flora. Whether the loss of larger O‐linked glycans, and associated functions, or of biological effects of NA contributed to the antitumor effect remains to be established. The results support the idea that inhibitors of O‐ as well as N‐linked glycosylation may be useful for the treatment of cancer, given that they can be specifically targeted to the tumor tissue. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Low prevalence of (pre) malignant lesions in the breast and high prevalence in the ovary and Fallopian tube in women at hereditary high risk of breast and ovarian cancer
Authors: Hermsen Brenda B.J. , van Diest Paul J. , Berkhof Johannes , Menko Fred H. , Gille Johan J.P. , Piek Jurgen M.J. , Meijer Sybren , Winters Henri A.H. , Kenemans Peter , Mensdorff‐Pouilly Silvia von , Verheijen René H.M.
Published: April 2006

To analyse the prevalence of (pre) malignant lesions occurring in breast and adnexal tissue at prophylactic surgery in women at hereditary high risk of breast and/or ovarian cancers. Tissue was obtained from 85 women who underwent prophylactic bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy (pBSO) and from 59 women who underwent prophylactic mastectomy (pM). Control tissue samples were obtained from women undergoing breast reduction surgery (N = 99) or adnexal surgery for benign reasons (N = 72). In women with a BRCA1/2 mutation, the prevalence of a (pre) malignant adnexal lesion was 50% (95% CI 26–74) if older than 40 years and 14% (95% CI 0–58) if younger. The prevalences of (pre) malignant breast lesions in women older than 40 years, with and without a BRCA1/2 mutation, were 0% (95% CI 0–16) and 47% (95% CI 21–73), respectively. No association was found between (pre) malignant lesions in breast and adnexal tissue occurring in 28 women who underwent surgery on both organs (R = 0.155, p = 0.432), but the prevalence of lesions was significantly higher in adnexal tissue than in the breast (p = 0.023). Compared to controls, women at hereditary high risk had a higher chance of (pre) malignant lesions in the breast and an even higher chance of such lesions in the adnexal tissue. There was no indication for concomitant presence of such lesions in both organs at the time of prophylactic surgery. The high frequency of (pre) malignant lesions in the adnexal tissue stresses further the importance of pBSO from the age of 40 onwards in women at hereditary high risk. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of light‐curing method on marginal adaptation, microleakage, and microhardness of composite restorations
Authors: Ritter André V. , Cavalcante Larissa M. , Swift Edward J. , Thompson Jeffrey Y. , Pimenta Luiz A.
Published: April 2006

The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of different light‐curing methods on microleakage, marginal adaptation, and microhardness of composite restorations. Slot‐type preparations were made in bovine teeth, with gingival margins on dentin. Specimens were divided into 12 groups (n = 12) according to composite‐light‐curing unit (LCU) combinations. Three composites were used: Filtek Supreme, Herculite XRV, and Heliomolar. All restorations were placed using the same adhesive. Four LCUs were used: a quartz‐tungsten‐halogen (QTH) LCU (Optilux 501), a first‐generation light‐emitting diode (LED) LCU (FreeLight 1), and two second‐generation LED LCUs (FreeLight 2 and Translux Power Blue). After finishing and polishing, specimens were subjected to mechanical load cycling (100,000 cycles). Gingival margin adaptation was determined as a function of gap formation using epoxy replicas. Microleakage was evaluated by measuring dye penetration across the gingival wall in cross‐sectioned specimens. Microhardness was measured as Knoop Hardness number (KHN) at different occluso‐gingival locations in cross‐sectioned specimens. Data were analyzed for statistical significance (p = 0.05) using appropriate statistical tests. Marginal adaptation was affected by load‐cycling in most specimens, but no significant differences were observed among composites and LCUs. Microleakage was not affected by LCU, except for Heliomolar specimens which when cured with Optilux 501 resulted in higher microleakage scores than those obtained with the other LCUs. For microhardness, Translux Power Blue generally produced the highest values and the FreeLight 1 produced the lowest. The performance of the second‐generation LED LCUs generally was similar to that of the QTH control, and better than that of the first‐generation LED unit. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2006
Microstructures of beta‐titanium orthodontic wires joined by infrared brazing
Authors: Iijima Masahiro , Brantley William A. , Kawashima Isao , Baba Naoki , Alapati Satish B. , Yuasa Toshihiro , Ohno Hiroki , Mizoguchi Itaru
Published: April 2006

The microstructures and interdiffusion in brazed beta‐titanium orthodontic wires were investigated by scanning electron microscopy and electron probe microanalysis, respectively. Beta‐titanium wire (Ti‐11Mo‐6Zr‐4Sn) with cross‐section dimensions of 0.032 in. × 0.032 in., titanium‐based braze alloy (Ti‐30Ni‐20Cu), and silver‐based braze alloy (Ag‐22Cu‐17Zn‐5Sn) were selected for the study. Brazing was performed using infrared radiation (RS‐1) under an argon atmosphere. Specimens were etched with two solutions (2.5% HF + 2.5% HNO3 + 95% H2O; 25% HN4OH + 30% H2O2 + 45%H2O). It was found that the silver‐based braze alloy has a eutectic structure. In the diffusion layer between the beta‐titanium wire and this silver‐based braze alloy, Cu and Ti were enriched on the wire side, and Sn and Ti were enriched on the braze alloy side. The titanium‐based braze alloy has a dendritic structure. Beta‐titanium wire specimens brazed with the titanium‐based braze alloy had a thicker intermediate area compared to the silver alloy; Ti in the diffusion layer had an irregular concentration gradient, and the braze alloy side had higher Ti concentration. The original microstructure of the beta‐titanium wire was not altered with the use of either braze alloy. Infrared brazing of beta‐titanium orthodontic wire is acceptable for clinical use, since the wire microstructure did not deteriorate with either the titanium‐based or silver‐based braze alloy. The differing microstructures of the joint regions for the two braze alloys suggest that the joint strengths may also differ. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2006
Confocal laser scanning microscopy as a tool for imaging cancellous bone
Authors: Smith I. O. , Ren F. , Baumann M. J. , Case E. D.
Published: April 2006

Understanding the bimodal structure of cancellous bone is important for tissue engineering in order to more accurately fabricate scaffolds to promote bone ingrowth and vascularization in newly forming bone. In this study, confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) was used to create detailed images of the bimodally porous intertrabecular space of defatted and deproteinized cancellous canine bone taken from the epiphysis of the humerus. The bimodal pore structure was imaged using both reflective and fluorescent modes in CLSM, resulting in four different, but complementary image types: (1) a Z‐stack overlay, (2) a ϕ–Z scan, (3) a topographical map, and (4) a contour map. Submerging the bone in rhodamine B dye prior to fluorescent imaging enhanced the pore surface details, giving a more accurate pore size measurement. The average macropore diameter was found to be 260 ± 97 μm while the average micropore diameter was 13 ± 10 μm. When compared with common techniques, including microcomputed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, scanning electron microscopy, and environmental scanning electron microscopy, for imaging cancellous bone, CLSM was found to be an effective tool, given its ability to nondestructively image the surface and near‐surface pore structure. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 2006
Heterotopic pancreas presenting as gastric submucosal cyst on endoscopic sonography
Authors: Yen Hsu‐Heng , Soon Maw‐Soan , Soon Anny
Published: April 2006

A 50‐year‐old Chinese woman with vague epigastric discomfort underwent upper gastrointestinal endoscopy that revealed a saddle‐shaped submucosal tumor in the antrum along the greater curvature. Endoscopic sonography showed that the tumor consisted of two cystic lesions. Because of persisting symptoms, the tumor was resected 8 months later. Pathological examination revealed scattered heterotopic pancreatic acini and ducts in the submucosa and muscularis propria. We suggest that heterotopic pancreas, though rare, should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cystic lesions of the gastric wall. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 34:203–206, 2006
Choledochocele demonstrated on conventional sonography
Authors: Kishino Tomonori , Haradome Hiroki , Mori Hideaki , Takahashi Shin'ichi , Ishida Hitoshi , Watanabe Takashi
Published: April 2006

Choledochocele is the least common form of choledochal cyst. We report a rare bile duct cyst diagnosed in a 63‐year‐old woman via CT cholangiography. Although conventional sonography initially failed to reveal abnormal findings, a subsequent detailed study clearly depicted the lesion. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of choledochocele unambiguously demonstrated on transabdominal sonography. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 34:199–202, 2006
Sonographic diagnosis of toddler's fracture in the emergency department
Authors: Lewis David , Logan Peter
Published: April 2006

We describe 3 cases of toddler's fracture of the tibia that were diagnosed via sonographic examination. In cases, initial radiographs did not show the fracture, whereas sonographic examination revealed a layer of low reflectivity superficial to the tibial cortex and an elevated periosteum, suggesting a fracture hematoma. The diagnosis was confirmed at 2–3 weeks with radiographs demonstrating periosteal reaction. Both fractures were treated with cast immobilization for 4 weeks and made a full recovery. The third case was diagnosed via sonography and was confirmed by the initial radiographs. These results strongly suggest that sonography can detect the presence of a fracture hematoma and thus may help diagnose this injury earlier. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 34:190–194, 2006
How do genes make teeth to order through development?
Authors: Mitsiadis Thimios A. , Smith Moya M.
Published: April 2006

This introduction to new patterning theories for the vertebrate dentition outlines the historical concepts to explain graded sequences in tooth shape in mammals (incisors, canines, premolars, molars) which change in evolution in a linked manner, constant for each region. The classic developmental models for shape regulation, known as the ‘regional field’ and ‘dental clone’ models, were inspired by the human dentition, where it is known that the last tooth in each series is the one commonly absent. The mouse, as a valuable experimental model, has provided data to test these models and more recently, based on spatial‐temporal gene expression data, the ‘dental homeobox code’ was proposed to specify regions and regulate tooth shape. We have attempted to combine these hypotheses in a new model of the combinatorial homeobox gene expression pattern with the clone and field theories in one of ‘co‐operative genetic interaction’. This also explains the genetic absence of teeth in humans ascribed to point mutations in mesenchymally expressed genes, which affect tooth number in each series. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 306B, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Initiation of apoptosis and autophagy by photodynamic therapy
Authors: Kessel David , Vicente M. Graça H. , Reiners John J.
Published: April 2006

Background and Objectives

This study was designed to examine modes of cell death after photodynamic therapy (PDT).

Study Design

Murine leukemia L1210 cells and human prostate Bax‐deficient DU145 cells were examined after PDT‐induced photodamage to the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Phase contrast, fluorescence and electron microscopy were used to identify changes in cellular morphology, chromatin condensation, loss of mitochondrial membrane potential, and formation of phagolysosomes. Western blots were used to assess the processing of LC3‐I to LC3‐II, a marker for autophagy. Inhibitors of apoptosis and/or autophagy were used to delineate the contributions of the two pathways to the effects of PDT.

Results

Both apoptosis and autophagy occurred in L1210 after ER photodamage with the latter predominating after 24 hours. In DU145 cells, PDT conditions causing comparable cytotoxicity only initiated autophagy. PI3‐kinase inhibitors suppressed autophagy in both cell lines as indicated by inhibition of vacuolization and LC3 processing.

Conclusions

Both autophagy and apoptosis were observed in L1210 cells following ER photodamage. In the Bax‐deficient DU145 cell line only autophagy was observed. Current information suggests that autophagy can function as either a survival or death pathway. We propose that in the context of PDT, this may also be true. Lasers Surg. Med. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Shear Mechanical Properties of Main Chain Liquid Crystalline Elastomers
Authors: Rogez Daniel , Brandt Holger , Finkelmann Heino , Martinoty Philippe
Published: April 2006

Summary:The behavior of the complex shear modulusG = G′ + iG″of a main chain liquid crystalline elastomer film oriented with the director in the plane of the film is investigated for the first time by shearing the film in a direction perpendicular or parallel to the director. The film exhibits a small mechanical anisotropy around the N‐I transition, which disappears slightly aboveTNI. A hydrodynamic softening of bothG′⟂andG′∥(symbols ∥ and ⟂ refer to the direction of the director parallel, respectively perpendicular, to the shear displacement) is observed in the isotropic phase nearTNIwhich is ascribed to the reorientation of the SmC domains revealed by X‐rays. These SmC domains are frozen‐in the temperature range investigated. They relax with a characteristic time which is deduced from the frequency dependence of the mechanical response of the film. It is shown that the time‐temperature superposition method does not apply and that there is no indication in favor of soft or semi‐soft elasticity. The influence of a static compression induced either mechanically on the film or by the shape change of the film as a function of temperature is also investigated. Data on the polydomain analogue complement this study.

Temperature dependence ofG′∥andG′⟂at 0.2 Hz for the monodomain film.

image

Temperature dependence ofG′∥andG′⟂at 0.2 Hz for the monodomain film.
Resonance phenomena in compound cylindrical waveguides
Authors: Heinzelmann Günter , Werner Peter
Published: April 2006

We study the large time asymptotics of the solutions u(x,t) of the Dirichlet and the Neumann initial boundary value problem for the wave equation with time‐harmonic right‐hand side in domains Ω which are composed of a finite number of disjoint half‐cylinders Ω1,…,Ωr with cross‐sections Ω′1,…,Ω′r and a bounded part (‘compound cylindrical waveguides’). We show that resonances of orders t and t1/2 may occur at a finite or countable discrete set of frequencies ω, while u(x,t) is bounded as t→∞ for the remaining frequencies. A resonance of order t occurs at ω if and only if ω2 is an eigenvalue of the Laplacian −Δ in Ω with regard to the given boundary condition u=0 or ∂u/∂n=0, respectively. A resonance of order t1/2 occurs at ω if and only if (i) ω2 is an eigenvalue of at least one of the Laplacians for the cross‐sections Ω′1,…,Ωr′ with regard to the respective boundary condition and (ii) the respective homogeneous boundary value problem for the reduced wave equation ΔU+ω2U=0 in Ω has non‐trivial solutions with suitable asymptotic properties as | x | →∞ (‘standing waves’). Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Simple and accurate synthesis formulas obtained by using a differential evolution algorithm for coplanar strip lines
Authors: Yildiz Celal , Akdagli Ali , Turkmen Mustafa
Published: April 2006

In this work, a simple, fast, and accurate optimization approach based on a differential evolution (DE) algorithm is presented to obtain closed‐form formulas for the synthesis of coplanar strip (CPS) lines. The results obtained from the synthesis formulas proposed in this work are compared with the results of quasi‐static analysis and the other synthesis formulas previously published in the literature. The accuracy of the proposed synthesis formulas is found to be better than 1.22% for 2524 CPS samples. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 1133–1137, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21559
Internal DTV antenna for folder‐type mobile phone
Authors: Wong Kin‐Lu , Chi Yun‐Wen , Chen Brian , Yang Sam
Published: April 2006

By using the upper and lower ground planes of a folder‐type mobile phone, a novel internal shorted dipole antenna for digital television (DTV) signal reception in the 470–806‐MHz band is presented. The shorted dipole antenna further comprises an internal matching circuit, which includes a chip capacitor and two narrow metal strips, for achieving improved impedance matching over the DTV band of 470–806 MHz. The proposed DTV antenna was constructed and studied. The measured return loss for the operating frequencies over the DTV band is better than 2.5:1 VSWR. In addition, good radiation characteristics are also obtained. Design considerations of the proposed internal DTV antenna are described. A parametric study of the internal matching circuit on the impedance matching of the antenna is also presented. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 48: 1015–1019, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.21587
Leaching of PVP from polyacrylonitrile/PVP blending membranes: A comparative study of asymmetric and dense membranes
Authors: Wan Ling‐Shu , Xu Zhi‐Kang , Wang Zhen‐Gang
Published: April 2006

Poly(N‐vinyl‐2‐pyrrolidone) (PVP) has been often used as an additive to improve the structure and performances of asymmetric membrane. In this work, we examined the leaching of PVP from polyacrylonitrile/PVP asymmetric membranes regarding the effect of leaching time, PVP content, and the molecular weight of PVP. Also, comparative studies of dense membranes were performed. It was found that the water contact angle on the dense membrane surface is very low compared with that on the asymmetric membrane surface. Results from X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy‐attenuated total reflection (FTIR‐ATR) showed that more amount of PVP exists at the surface layer of the dense membrane than at the asymmetric one. If the dense membrane was immersed into water for several hours and then dried in the air, the water contact angle increases and closes to that on the asymmetric membrane surface. Although leaching time was extended from 2 h to 15 days, PVP leaches out little from the asymmetric membrane. The leaching of PVP mainly occurs during the phase‐inversion process. Furthermore, the surface features were examined by atomic force microscopy and field emission scanning electron microscopy, respectively. In comparison with PVP K30, more PVP K90 remains in the asymmetric membrane based on the FTIR‐ATR spectra. However, it can be concluded from the results of XPS that at the most outer surface of the asymmetric membrane (e.g., in depth about 1∼2 nm), the residual PVP K90 is almost the same with PVP K30. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 1490–1498, 2006
Using trajectories from a bivariate growth curve as predictors in a Cox regression model
Authors: Dang Qianyu , Mazumdar Sati , Anderson Stewart J. , Houck Patricia R. , Reynolds Charles F.
Published: April 2006

An important research objective in most psychiatric clinical trials of maintenance treatment is to find predictors of recurrence of illness. In those trials, patients are first admitted into an open treatment period also called acute treatment. If they respond to the treatment and are considered to have stable remission from the illness, they enter the second phase of the trial where they are randomized into different arms of the ‘maintenance treatments’. Often, more than one response variable is measured longitudinally in the acute treatment phase to monitor treatment responses. Trajectories of these response measures are believed to have predictive ability for recurrences in the maintenance phase of the trial. By using a bivariate growth curve from two such longitudinal measures, we developed a method to use the estimated trajectories of each subject in a Cox regression model to predict recurrence in the maintenance phase. To adjust for the parameter estimation errors, we applied a full likelihood approach based on the conditional expectations of the predictors. Simulation studies indicate that the estimation error corrected estimators for the Cox model parameters are less biased when compared to the naive regression estimators without accounting for these errors. The uniqueness of this method lies in estimating trajectories from bivariate unequally spaced longitudinal response measures. An illustrative example is provided with data from a maintenance treatment trial for major depression in an elderly population. Visual Fortran®90 programs were developed to implement the algorithm. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A new discipline in the era of knowledge economy: material flow science and technology
Authors: Xu Shou Bo
Published: April 2006

The paper puts forward a new Chinese concept of ‘Wu Liu’ (material flow) which is different from the concepts of logistics and physical distribution popular in the West and Japan in four aspects: characteristics, contents, properties and applications. The paper points out that the research on material flow science and technology in China has lagged far behind, especially in the application aspect of material flows which is not in line with the position that material flow holds as the third biggest backbone industry group of the national economy. The paper also discusses issues in researching material flow in economic development, social development, as well as natural sciences. At the end, a framework of material flow science and technology is proposed which includes four components: disciplines supporting material flow science and technology, engineering and technological disciplines supporting material flow science and technology, theoretical disciplines supporting material flow science and technology, and other disciplines supporting material flow science and technology. About forty disciplines are related to material flow science and technology which need to be either built or enhanced. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Integrating knowledge management and ERP in enterprise information systems
Authors: Xu Lida , Wang Chengen , Luo Xiaochuan , Shi Zhongzhi
Published: April 2006

Knowledge is considered as an enterprise's invisible assets. Surviving in today's highly competitive and ever expanding global economy requires efficiently managing corporate knowledge. Increasing requirements for extended enterprises have stimulated the integration of knowledge management (KM) function into ERP systems for knowledge asset management. So far enterprise information systems such as ERP systems are developed and implemented for mainly managing physical assets of an enterprise since 1990s. Due to the fact that both types of assets need to be properly managed, the integration of KM and ERP becomes a strategic initiative for providing competitive advantages to enterprises. This paper discusses how to deploy KM and ERP concurrently in the framework of enterprise information systems, with a discussion of the interaction of KM and ERP systems in systems perspectives. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A knowledge management system for ERP implementation
Authors: Li Yuan , Liao Xiu Wu , Lei Hong Zhen
Published: April 2006

An enterprise resource planning (ERP) is an enterprise‐wide application software package that integrates all necessary business functions into a single system with a common database. Its implementation is a complex process in terms of technology preparation and organizational change management. Although the importance of knowledge management (KM) in ERP implementation has been recognized, how to conduct knowledge management has not received deserved attention till now. The main objective of this paper is to develop a KM system to manage the knowledge of ERP implementation process. To accomplish this, the article first identifies the types of knowledge in ERP implementation. It then summarizes various KM activities based on a six‐stage model. At last, it proposes a KM system that consists of cooperative working platform, consulting platform, individual KM platform, organizational KM platform, and knowledge transfer platform. This system can effectively manage knowledge and provide support for the successful implementation of an ERP system. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Theory and practice of systems methodology in ERP implementation
Authors: Zhang Li , Li Yue Chuan
Published: April 2006

The application and evolution of MRP II/ERP can be roughly divided into three stages: the introduction stage, the growth stage, and the maturity stage. A successful ERP implementation requires knowledge on both ERP systems and business management. In implementing ERP, the business processes of those enterprises adopted ERP systems need to be examined. It is important to understand the ERP system itself and the business processes involved with the ERP systems and the enterprises‐adopted ERP systems. In order to resolve issues that may appear in the process of implementing ERP system, this paper proposes that a systematic analysis of those significant factors involved with implementing ERP systems is a necessity, especially if such analysis is conducted in the framework of systems science. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhancing competitive edge through knowledge management in implementing ERP systems
Authors: Li Ling , Zhao Xiping
Published: April 2006

Using data from 170 manufacturing companies, we identified five facilitators for knowledge management in an ERP environment. Additionally, we examined the relationship between knowledge management and manufacturing companies' competitive advantages in the E‐business environment. The result of the study suggests that adopting organizational preparation for KM, employee education and learning, information and data network, knowledge sharing process and knowledge scanning as knowledge management facilitators will have a synergistic positive effect on firms' competitive advantages. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reduced phosphatase activity of SHP‐2 in LEOPARD syndrome: Consequences for PI3K binding on Gab1
Authors: Hanna Nadine , Montagner Alexandra , Lee Wen Hwa , Miteva Maria , Vidal Michel , Vidaud Michel , Parfait Béatrice , Raynal Patrick
Published: April 2006

LEOPARD (LS) and Noonan (NS) are overlapping syndromes associated with distinct mutations of SHP‐2. Whereas NS mutations enhance SHP‐2 catalytic activity, we show that the activity of three representative LS mutants is undetectable when assayed using a standard protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTP) substrate. A different assay using a specific SHP‐2 substrate confirms their decreased PTP activity, but also reveals a significant activity of the T468M mutant. In transfected cells stimulated with epidermal growth factor, the least active LS mutants promote Gab1/PI3K binding, validating our in vitro data. LS mutants thus display a reduced PTP activity both in vitro and in transfected cells.
Comparative analysis of iron regulated genes in mycobacteria
Authors: Yellaboina Sailu , Ranjan Sarita , Vindal Vaibhav , Ranjan Akash
Published: April 2006

Iron dependent regulator, IdeR, regulates the expression of genes in response to intracellular iron levels inM. tuberculosis. Orthologs of IdeR are present in all the sequenced genomes of mycobacteria. We have used a computational approach to identify conserved IdeR regulated genes across the mycobacteria and the genes that are specific to each of the mycobacteria. Novel iron regulated genes that code for a predicted 4‐hydroxy benzoyl coA hydrolase (Rv1847) and a protease dependent antibiotic regulatory system (Rv1846c, Rv0185c) are conserved across the mycobacteria. AlthoughMycobacteriumnatural‐resistance‐associated macrophage protein (Mramp) is present in all mycobacteria, it is, as predicted, an iron‐regulated gene in only one species,M. aviumsubsp.paratuberculosis. We also observed an additional iron‐regulated exochelin biosynthetic operon, which is present only in non‐pathogenicMycobacterium,M. smegmatis.
PERCEIVED INSUFFICIENT MILK AS A BARRIER TO OPTIMAL INFANT FEEDING: EXAMPLES FROM BOLIVIA
Authors: McCANN MARGARET F. , BENDER DEBORAH E.
Published: April 2006

In its recently adopted Global Strategy on Infant and Young Child Feeding, the World Health Assembly called for urgent action in addressing the barriers to optimal feeding practices. This paper examines mothers’ concerns about milk insufficiency as a major contributor to suboptimal infant feeding decisions, using survey data from periurban areas of two Bolivian cities. Mothers in the lowland modernizing city of Santa Cruz were more likely than mothers in the highland traditional city of Cochabamba to express concern about insufficient milk, and also less likely to feed their infants according to international recommendations. Furthermore, perceived milk insufficiency was particularly common among mothers of infants younger than 6 months of age – an age at which infants are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of breast-feeding cessation and complementary feeding initiation. The paper concludes with policy, programme and research recommendations to address the critical problem of perceived insufficient breast milk.