bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization and synaptic connectivity of melanopsin‐containing ganglion cells in the primate retina
Authors: Jusuf Patricia R. , Lee Sammy C. S. , Hannibal Jens , Grünert Ulrike
Published: November 2007

Melanopsin is a photopigment expressed in retinal ganglion cells, which are intrinsically photosensitive and are also involved in retinal circuits arising from rod and cone photoreceptors. This circuitry, however, is poorly understood. Here, we studied the morphology, distribution and synaptic input to melanopsin‐containing ganglion cells in a New World monkey, the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus). The dendrites of melanopsin‐containing cells in marmoset stratify either close to the inner nuclear layer (outer stratifying), or close to the ganglion cell layer (inner stratifying). The dendritic fields of outer‐stratifying cells tile the retina, with little overlap. However, the dendritic fields of outer‐stratifying cells largely overlap with the dendritic fields of inner‐stratifying cells. Thus, inner‐stratifying and outer‐stratifying cells may form functionally independent populations. The synaptic input to melanopsin‐containing cells was determined using synaptic markers (antibodies to C‐terminal binding protein 2, CtBP2, for presumed bipolar synapses, and antibodies to gephyrin for presumed amacrine synapses). Both outer‐stratifying and inner‐stratifying cells show colocalized immunoreactive puncta across their entire dendritic tree for both markers. The density of CtBP2 puncta on inner dendrites was about 50% higher than that on outer dendrites. The density of gephyrin puncta was comparable for outer and inner dendrites but higher than the density of CtBP2 puncta. The inner‐stratifying cells may receive their input from a type of diffuse bipolar cell (DB6). Our results are consistent with the idea that both outer and inner melanopsin cells receive bipolar and amacrine input across their dendritic tree.
Variations of the internal pudendal artery as a congenital contributing factor to age at onset of erectile dysfunction in Japanese
Authors: Kawanishi Yasuo , Muguruma Hiroshi , Sugiyama Hiroaki , Kagawa Junichirou , Tanimoto Syuji , Yamanaka Masahito , Kojima Keiji , Numata Akira , Kishimoto Tomoteru , Nakanishi Ryoichi , Kanayama Hiro‐omi
Published: November 2007

Associate Editor

Michael G. Wyllie

Editorial Board

Ian Eardley, UK

Jean Fourcroy, USA

Sidney Glina, Brazil

Julia Heiman, USA

Chris McMahon, Australia

Bob Millar, UK

Alvaro Morales, Canada

Michael Perelman, USA

Marcel Waldinger, Netherlands

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the relationship between variations of the pelvic artery arrangement and the age at erectile dysfunction (ED) onset, as some men develop ED while relatively young, while others maintain erectile function into old age despite having cardiovascular diseases, thus congenital factors might be involved.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We examined 290 units of internal iliac arteries (IIA) in 145 patients showing repeated incomplete erectile response to intracavernosal injections with prostaglandin E1. Patients with cardiovascular risk factors, neurological disease or pelvic injury were excluded. The pelvic artery arrangement, evaluated by three‐dimensional computed tomographic angiography, was classified anatomically into five types: Type 1 (normal or basic type), in which the internal pudendal artery (IPA) originates from the anterior trunk at the level between the linea terminalis and the major ischial notch; Type 2, the IPA originates from the anterior trunk of the IIA at the level of the major ischial notch or more distally; Type 3, the IPA originates directly from the IIA at a level proximal to the linea terminalis; Type 4, the IPA originates together with the superior and inferior gluteal artery within 1 cm of each other; and Type 5, the penile blood supply is dependent on arteries other than the IPA, such as the obturator artery.

RESULTS

Among the 290 units, eight could not be classified due to poor image quality. There were no statistically significant differences in blood flow parameters among the types of IIAs, but there was a statistically significant difference in the IPA type at the age of onset of ED. Type 1 (153 units or 53%) anatomy, was more common in patients who developed ED at an advanced age. Types 2, 3 and 4 were more common in patients with onset of ED at an early age (log‐rank test P < 0.001, P = 0.044, P < 0.001, respectively). Compared with patients with the common type of IIAs bilaterally, patients with any of the variations bilaterally are at risk of early onset of ED (log‐rank test: P = 0.002).

CONCLUSION

In these anatomical studies, nearly half of all internal artery units are variations in type. Congenital factors might contribute to the development of ED. If a man has bilateral variation from the common type (Type 1), he might develop ED ≈10 years earlier than those who are identical in every way except for their IPA (Type 1) arrangements.
Immunocytology in the assessment of patients with painless gross haematuria
Authors: Schmitz‐Dräger Bernd , Tirsar Lenuta A. , Schmitz‐Dräger Claudia , Dörsam Joachim , Bismarck Ekkehardt , Ebert Thomas
Published: November 2007

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate, in a prospective study, the role of immunocytology in assessing patients with gross haematuria. Due to the high prevalence of urothelial cancer in this population, a thorough assessment is mandatory to identify all patients with tumours.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

We used Ucyt® (DiagnoCure Inc., Quebec, Canada), a commercially available immunocytological assay based on the microscopic detection of tumour‐associated antigens on the membrane of urothelial cells by immunofluorescence. Between October 2000 and March 2007, 61 consecutive patients with a first episode of painless gross haematuria, but no previous transitional cell carcinoma, were included. Urine samples were obtained from all patients and examined cytologically and immunocytologically.

RESULTS

Clinically (by physical examination, laboratory tests, endoscopy and imaging) there was bladder cancer in 17 patients (28%); further diagnoses were benign prostatic enlargement (20, 33%), urinary tract infection (seven, 12%), urolithiasis (two, 3%), and ‘further conditions’ (seven, 12%). In 10 patients (16%) the reasons for haematuria were not disclosed. Of the 61 samples, 59 (97%) were assessable by cytology and immunocytology. For cystoscopy, immunocytology and conventional urine cytology the sensitivity was 76%, 88% and 47%, and the specificity 100%, 77% and 95%, respectively. Two bladder tumours were not detected by cystoscopy and immunocytology (one each), and two upper urinary tract tumours were diagnosed by imaging and immunocytology.

CONCLUSIONS

The combination of cystoscopy and immunocytology gave 100% sensitivity, while combining cystoscopy and cytology only marginally improved the sensitivity of cystoscopy alone. As sensitivity appears to be of key relevance in assessing patients with gross haematuria, we suggest adding immunocytology to the diagnostic protocol in this situation.
Lipids, lipoproteins and the risk of benign prostatic hyperplasia in community‐dwelling men
Authors: Parsons J. Kellogg , Bergstrom Jaclyn , Barrett‐Connor Elizabeth
Published: November 2007

OBJECTIVE

To examine the associations of serum lipids and lipoproteins with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) in community‐dwelling men.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

This analysis was conducted within the Rancho Bernardo Study, a prospective, community‐based cohort study. BPH was defined as a history of prostate surgery for other than cancer, or a medical diagnosis of BPH. Logistic regression modelling, with adjustments for age and stratification by diabetes diagnosis, was used to estimate the odds ratio (OR) of BPH associated with fasting serum concentrations of total cholesterol, high‐density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, low‐density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, triglycerides, and the triglyceride to HDL ratio.

RESULTS

Among 531 eligible participants, 259 (48%) reported BPH and 272 (52%) reported no BPH. Men with BPH, with a mean (range) age of 75.8 (76.1–80.1) years, were older than men without BPH , at 72.7 (72.4–74.0) years. There were no significant associations of total cholesterol (P trend, 0.52), HDL cholesterol (0.56), triglycerides (0.30), or triglyceride to HDL ratio (0.13) with the risk of BPH. In a subset analysis in men with diabetes, those in the highest tertile (>133 mg/dL) of LDL cholesterol, compared with those in the lowest tertile (<110 mg/dL), were four times more likely to have BPH (odds ratio 4.00, 95% confidence interval 1.27–12.63, P trend 0.02). These results were not explained by the use of statins.

CONCLUSIONS

In these community‐dwelling men, higher serum LDL was associated with a greater risk of BPH among diabetics. These data suggest that diabetic men with increased LDL cholesterol are at greater risk of BPH. This observation is consistent with the concept that cardiac risk factors are involved with the pathogenesis of BPH.
African NGOs: The New Compradors?
Authors: Hearn Julie
Published: November 2007

In the course of the last twenty‐five years, Africa has witnessed an astounding growth in the number and influence of non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) in general, and more recently of African NGOs in particular. Initially, the literature on this was dominated by the concerns of the policy‐making and NGO communities, drawing on liberal pluralist theory. Lately, an independent, critical literature has developed based on substantial empirical research. Its findings make for uncomfortable reading. They document the essential lack of autonomy of local non‐state actors and their very close relationship to Northern governments. This essay argues that the position of NGOs must be theorized within the wider context of the global political economy of the continent. With this in mind, it investigates the rationale for using a comprador perspective to understand the contemporary role of African NGOs.
Imperial Geopolitics and the Promise of Democracy
Authors: Slater David
Published: November 2007

In the context of the growing interest in questions of Empire, this essay sets out to explore certain elements of the significant relation between imperial geopolitics and the promise of democracy. The conceptual and historical setting is focused on the United States and its relations with Latin America. The essay has three sections: first there is a discussion of some of the salient specificities of the US with regard to its encounters with the Latin South; second, the phenomenon of geopolitical interventionism is considered as a key reflection of imperial power; and thirdly the complex relations between geopolitics and democracy are briefly explored.
Globalization from Below: Free Software and Alternatives to Neoliberalism
Authors: Schoonmaker Sara
Published: November 2007

This article explores one of the central struggles over the politics of globalization: forging alternatives to neoliberalism by developing new forms of globalization from below. It focuses on a unique facet of this struggle, rooted in the centrality of information technologies for global trade and production, as well as new forms of media and digital culture. The analysis has four main parts: examining the key role of software as a technological infrastructure for diverse forms of globalization; conceptualizing the contradictory implications of three software business models for realizing the utopian potential of digital technology to develop forms of globalization from below; exploring how three free and open source software business models were put into practice by Red Hat, IBM and the Free Software Foundation; and analysing Brazilian software policy as a form of globalization from below that challenges the historical dominance of the global North and seeks to develop new forms of digital inclusion and digital culture.
Overcoming technology resistance
Authors: Smart Bryce A. , Desouza Kevin C.
Published: November 2007

All companies must deal with employees who balk at using new technology. Bryce Smart and Kevin Desouza have studied the best IT managers in small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises to learn how they kept “resisters” from pulling the plug on techno‐progress.
Against PersonP
Authors: Harbour Daniel
Published: November 2007

Abstract. Emphatic verb doubling, developed as a diagnostic of T‐to‐C movement in Classical Hebrew, demonstrates that discontinuous agreement is not a consequence of movement to between hypothetical Person and Number phrases.
EMOTIONS THAT BUILD NETWORKS: GEOGRAPHIES OF HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENTS IN ARGENTINA AND BEYOND
Authors: BOSCO FERNANDO J.
Published: November 2007

Social movement activists perform emotional labour that helps create and mobilise networks of collective action. The emotions of activism often contribute to social movements’ different organisational geographies. Two grassroots networks of human rights activists that originated in Argentina (the Madres de Plaza de Mayo and HIJOS) developed different emotional geographies over time. Both human rights movements were formed by relatives of victims of past human rights abuses and operated throughout Latin America and beyond. The movements incorporated activists and supporters who were linked by shared emotional bonds and by a common interpretation of the emotions of their activism. Activists in the two networks strategically deployed and framed the emotions of their activism in order to sustain it and to enhance possibilities for building broader networks of collective action. The comparison of these two human rights activist groups demonstrates that social movements’ organisational and geographic trajectories are often related to activists’ shared emotional connections and to the emotional labour that they perform through their networks.
PATTERNS OF PROMISING ENTREPRENEURIAL ACTIVITY IN EUROPEAN REGIONS
Authors: BOSMA NIELS , SCHUTJENS VERONIQUE
Published: November 2007

There is much attention for the role of entrepreneurship in enhancing regional or national growth. However, an absence of empirical entrepreneurship studies (i) including both national and regional measures of entrepreneurship and (ii) acknowledging the variation in types of entrepreneurship causes a gap in understanding the determinants and consequences of entrepreneurial behaviour and the actual spatial level involved. In this contribution we provide a first step towards bridging this gap. We use a large database from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) to create several indicators on regional, early‐stage entrepreneurial activity and map these for 125 regions in Europe. Our preliminary results confirm the importance of making a distinction between low and high ambition entrepreneurship. We find, however, that regional variation in high ambition early‐stage entrepreneurial activity is less pronounced as compared to overall early‐stage entrepreneurial activity. This suggests that national forces are more important to growth and innovation aspirations than to general early stage entrepreneurship.
Being Crypto‐Jewish in Colonial Brazil (1500–1822): Brushing History against the Grain
Authors: SIMMS NORMAN
Published: November 2007

This paper consists of two parts. In the first, I am going to review and synthesise the history of Jews — or rather various versions of Fuzzy Jews1— who settled in Brazil during the time it was a Portuguese colony, including a brief period when part of the nation passed under Dutch control. This overview probably adds nothing new to the history of this topic, except insofar as it stresses the details necessary to develop the argument in the next section. The second part turns to a more difficult and in many ways speculative kind of history, that of the emotional and psychological experience of being a Jew — again in several versions of nominal Catholicism. Here is where I bring to bear insights from psychohistory and the history of mentalities in order to interrogate the sources in Inquisitional archives and archaeological studies in Brazil and elsewhere in South America.
Faith, Ethics, and Communication: Some Recent Writing in Philosophical Theology
Authors: MAY JOHN D’ARCY
Published: November 2007

Four very different books on the relationship between faith and ethics are reviewed from the point of view of coping morally and intellectually with difference. Marty focuses on the stranger in pluralist societies and finds that more than mere tolerance is needed as a response to religious difference. Humility and hospitality draw more deeply on the resources of the religions as a basis for true civility. Muers explores the communicative possibilities of silence: how can one speak of God's self‐communication without silencing others? She draws conclusions for sensitive questions such as the right to privacy. Schweiker identifies “spaces of reasons” in which the religions can be moral resources in a “time of many worlds.” Burrell sets up an inter‐religious dialogue across the ancient world, bringing thinkers as diverse as Aquinas, al‐Ghazali, and Maimonides into conversation about the relationship between creator and creature.
The Impact of Managerial Entrenchment on Agency Costs: An Empirical Investigation Using UK Panel Data
Authors: Florackis Chrisostomos , Ozkan Aydin
Published: November 2007

This paper empirically investigates the relationship between managerial entrenchment and agency costs for a large sample of UK firms over the period 1999–2005. To measure managerial entrenchment, we use detailed information on ownership and board structures and managerial compensation. We develop a managerial entrenchment index, which captures the extent to which managers have the ability and incentives to expropriate wealth from shareholders. Our findings, which are based on a dynamic panel data analysis, show that there is a strong negative relationship between managerial entrenchment and our inverse proxy for agency costs, namely asset turnover ratio. There is also evidence that short‐term debt and dividend payments work as effective corporate governance devices for UK firms. Finally, our findings reveal that agency costs are persistent over time. The results are robust to a number of alternative specifications, including varying measures of managerial entrenchment and agency costs.
Learning to perform? A comparison of learning practices and organizational performance in profit‐ and non‐profit‐making sectors in the UK
Authors: Birdi Kamal S. , Patterson Malcolm G. , Wood Stephen J.
Published: November 2007

To date, much of the research on employee development activities and organizational performance has been conducted in private sector organizations, with the largely untested assumption that the same findings will apply to other sectors. This paper addresses the deficit by describing a study comparing differences in the use of employee learning practices between profit‐making and non‐profit‐making organizations, and examining the relationship between these learning practices and multiple dimensions of organizational performance. The study data was gathered through conducting structured telephone interviews with senior training and development managers in 368 UK organizations from a range of sectors. It was found that non‐profit‐making organizations had greater engagement in individual employee learning practices than profit‐making organizations, but no differences were found in terms of team learning practices or engagement in strategic needs analysis and evaluation activities. The analyses also indicated that individual learning practices showed a stronger relationship with performance in the non‐profit‐making organizations, whereas team learning practices were more significant for the profit‐making companies. The learning practices collectively accounted for greater variance in organizational performance in the non‐profit‐making organizations. The study implies that the functional aims of organizations need to be taken into account when examining the learning practice–organizational performance relationship.
Steering the Union. The Impact of the EU Presidency on Legislative Activity in the Council*
Authors: WARNTJEN ANDREAS
Published: November 2007

Their term in office as the Council Presidency offers Member States a unique opportunity to steer the Union's legislative activity according to their national priorities. This article offers evidence in the field of environmental policy for the period 1984 to 2001.
Bugs with backpacks deter vision‐guided predation by jumping spiders
Authors: Jackson R. R. , Pollard S. D.
Published: November 2007

As a case study of how insects use masks as a defence against vision‐guided predators, an experimental study was carried out usingAcanthaspis petax, a reduviid bug (‘ant bug’) that covers itself with a ‘mask’, or ‘backpack’, made from carcasses of its preferred prey (ants), and three salticid spider species,Hyllussp.,Plexippussp. andThyenesp., salticids being predators with exceptionally acute vision. The ant bugs and the salticids were from the Lake Victoria region of East Africa. In each test, a salticid was presented with a live bug or a lure made from a dead bug, with the mask removed (‘naked’) or intact (‘masked’). Salticids made predatory responses to naked bugs significantly more often than to masked bugs. These findings suggest that salticids readily identify naked bugs as prey, but fail to identify masked bugs as prey.
Depolarization‐induced differentiation of PC12 cells is mediated by phospholipase D2 through the transcription factor CREB pathway
Authors: Banno Yoshiko , Nemoto Satoshi , Murakami Masashi , Kimura Masashi , Ueno Yoshihito , Ohguchi Kenji , Hara Akira , Okano Yukio , Kitade Yukio , Onozuka Minoru , Murate Takashi , Nozawa Yoshinori
Published: November 2007

The present study examined the role of phospholipase D2 (PLD2) in the regulation of depolarization‐induced neurite outgrowth and the expression of growth‐associated protein‐43 (GAP‐43) and synapsin I in rat pheochromocytoma (PC12) cells. Depolarization of PC12 cells with 50 mmol/L KCl increased neurite outgrowth and elevated mRNA and protein expression of GAP‐43 and synapsin I. These increases were suppressed by inhibition of Ca2+‐calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII), PLD, or mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase (MEK). Knockdown of PLD2 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) suppressed the depolarization‐induced neurite outgrowth, and the increase in GAP‐43 and synapsin I expression. Depolarization evoked a Ca2+ rise that activated various signaling enzymes and the cAMP response element‐binding protein (CREB). Silencing CaMKIIδ by siRNA blocked KCl‐induced phosphorylation of proline‐rich protein tyrosine kinase 2 (Pyk2), Src kinase, and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK). Inhibition of Src or MEK abolished phosphorylation of ERK and CREB. Furthermore, phosphorylation of Pyk2, ERK, and CREB was suppressed by the PLD inhibitor, 1‐butanol and transfection of PLD2 siRNA, whereas it was enhanced by over‐expression of wild‐type PLD2. Depolarization‐induced PLD2 activation was suppressed by CaMKII and Src inhibitors, but not by MEK or protein kinase A inhibitors. These results suggest that the signaling pathway of depolarization‐induced PLD2 activation was downstream of CaMKIIδ and Src, and upstream of Pyk2(Y881) and ERK/CREB, but independent of the protein kinase A. This is the first demonstration that PLD2 activation is involved in GAP‐43 and synapsin I expression during depolarization‐induced neuronal differentiation in PC12 cells.
Nicotinic acid in the treatment of hyperlipidaemia
Authors: Drexel Heinz
Published: November 2007

Nicotinic acid has been in use as a lipid‐lowering drug for five decades now. It is effective in lowering low‐density lipoprotein (LDL)‐cholesterol, triglycerides, and lipoprotein (a), and in increasing high‐density lipoprotein (HDL)‐cholesterol. All these effects are pronounced, and at present greater increase of HDL‐cholesterol cannot be obtained by any other drug. Patients with hypertriglyceridaemia/low HDL‐cholesterol are the most suitable candidates for being treated with this drug. This pattern is typical for type 2 diabetic patients, for patients with metabolic syndrome, and for those with impaired glucose tolerance. From a few studies, there is evidence that nicotinic acid is effective in reducing cardiovascular events. Although overall safety is good, the unpleasant side effect of flushing, albeit not harmful, precludes many patients from taking the drug. New formulations of intermediate release or a combination with anti‐flush compounds should increase the compliance with the drug.
Glitazones in the treatment of diabetes mellitus: clinical outcomes in large scale clinical trials
Authors: Charbonnel Bernard
Published: November 2007

Only one large scale cardiovascular outcome study has been completed and published for the thiazolidines‐iones in type 2 diabetes, the PROactive study which demonstrates a strong trend in favour of a specific cardioprotective effect of pioglitazone. The other available data, published as meta‐analyses, suggest that there is a difference in this regard between pioglitazone and rosiglitazone.
Setting a new standard in achieving superior efficacy: ezetimibe + simvastatin
Authors: Farnier Michel
Published: November 2007

Ezetimibe with simvastatin in combination inhibits both the absorption and production of cholesterol. This dual mechanism of inhibition substantially increases the capacity to decrease levels of atherogenic low‐density lipoproteins, compared with that observed when either drug is used alone. Ezetimibe/simvastatin is more effective than atorvastatin or rosuvastatin monotherapy treatments in low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol lowering and getting more patients to goals. Ezetimibe/simvastatin offers an important treatment alternative to patients who respond inadequately even to high‐dose statin therapy.
The ARMYDA trials (Atorvastatin for Reduction of MYocardial Damage during Angioplasty) at Campus Bio‐Medico University: rationale, results and future horizons
Authors: Di Sciascio Germano
Published: November 2007

Myocardial protection by atorvastation pretreatment was found in several trials applied to percutaneous coronary intervention by the ARMYDA study group. This article reviews those studies and explores future avenues.
Calibration of a Speckle Interferometry Full‐Field Strain Measurement System
Authors: Whelan M. P. , Albrecht D. , Hack E. , Patterson E. A.
Published: November 2007

Abstract:  This study describes the calibration of a full‐field speckle interferometry strain measurement system using the calibration specimen and protocol defined in the Standardisation Project for Optical Techniques of Strain measurement (SPOTS) standard. The specimen was based on the monolithic embodiment of a four‐point bending test and was manufactured from aluminium following the SPOTS design. Strain‐gauge rosettes attached to the upper and lower faces of the beam were used to derive two correction factors of an analytical expression that predicted the strains generated in the gauge section of the beam. Following the SPOTS protocol, the comparison of measured and predicted strains yielded two fit parameters and their associated uncertainties for each of three displacement‐load steps which indicated the closeness of the data sets. An acceptable calibration was achieved for the single normal component of in‐plane strain considered in this study, for each load step employed. For the highest load range, which generated a maximum strain of approximately 810 μstrain in the gauge section, the overall calibration uncertainty was found to be 35.3 μstrain, which in relative terms can be expressed as 2.2% of the strain measurement range for which the instrument was calibrated.
Evaluation of the gene for inducible nitric oxide synthase as a radiosensitizer under hypoxic and oxic conditions
Authors: Turek M. , Padilla M. , Argyle D. J.
Published: November 2007

The radiosensitizing effect of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) was evaluated, in vitro, in a feline vaccine‐associated sarcoma (VAS) cell line and a canine osteosarcoma cell line (D17). The gene encoding the human iNOS was cloned into an expression plasmid under the control of a cytomegalovirus immediate early promoter. Transient transfections were performed in feline VAS cells and D17 cells. Nitric oxide was measured in the supernatant media 48 h later as an indirect measurement of iNOS expression. Cells were irradiated using cobalt‐60 under hypoxic or oxic conditions, and clonogenic assays were used to evaluate the effects of gene transfer on the sensitivity of cells to radiation. The results demonstrated that iNOS had no significant effect on improving the radiosensitivity of cells under oxic conditions. However, under hypoxic conditions, iNOS gene transfer significantly improved radiosensitization in osteosarcoma cells. These results demonstrate the feasibility of improving the outcome of radiotherapy in dogs with large bulky tumours using iNOS gene therapy.
Establishing the P–T path for Alpine Schist, Southern Alps near Hokitika, New Zealand
Authors: VRY J. K. , POWELL R. , WILLIAMS J.
Published: November 2007

Pressure–temperature pseudosections for ‘greyschist’ (metamorphosed greywacke and argillite) from the Alpine Schist (Haast Schist group) near Hokitika (Southern Alps, New Zealand) are used to gain new insights into its metamorphic history. The rocks were metamorphosed at relatively low‐grade conditions associated with the first appearance and initial growth of garnet in the stability field of albite. The measured and predicted garnet compositional zoning data are used to construct an overall P–T path by combining P–T path results from nearby rocks that have a range of MnO contents. The P–T path obtained is steep from ∼380 °C/2.5 kbar up to ∼490 °C/8.5 kbar, then recurves sharply with garnet growth continuing during early decompression to ∼500 °C/6.5 kbar. Most garnet growth in the study area took place in the stability field of albite, with oligoclase appearing only during decompression, when the peristerite gap was entered. On appearance of oligoclase, there is a marked decrease in the CaO content of garnet. The preservation of mineral assemblages from near‐peak temperature conditions can be understood in terms of the P–T path subsequently becoming tangential to water content contours, during cooling with further decompression.
Vegetation Colonization in a Restoring Tidal Marsh: A Remote Sensing Approach
Authors: Tuxen Karin A. , Schile Lisa M. , Kelly Maggi , Siegel Stuart W.
Published: November 2007

Although remote sensing offers the ability to monitor wetland restoration, few have tested automated methods for quantifying vegetation change. We implemented a semiautomated technique using color infrared aerial photography and a common vegetation index, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), to document vegetation colonization in a restoring salt marsh. Change in vegetation over a period of 10 years was analyzed using a postclassification comparison technique where each image year was classified individually into vegetated and nonvegetated areas using NDVI thresholds and then differenced between years to identify areas of vegetation change. Vegetated and nonvegetated areas were identified using this technique, as were areas and time periods of vegetation change. By comparing classified NDVI imagery, we calculated that 90% of our study site was vegetated 10 years after restoration. This study demonstrated that high‐resolution remotely sensed data can be analyzed with common geospatial software to monitor change in a rapidly vegetating wetland and that long time frames with yearly image acquisition are needed to quantify plant colonization rates. This method was effective at detecting change in vegetation over time in a variable tidal marsh environment using imagery that had inconsistent specifications and quality across years. Inconsistencies included interannual climate variation, phenology, and presence of algae, as well as differences in pixel size and image brightness. Our findings indicate that remote sensing is useful for postrestoration monitoring of tidal marsh ecosystems.
Distal Embolization during Native Vessel and Vein Graft Coronary Intervention with a Vascular Protection Device: Predictors of High‐Risk Lesions
Authors: EL‐JACK SEIF S. , SUWATCHAI PORNRATANARANGSI , STEWART JAMES T. , RUYGROK PETER N. , ORMISTON JOHN A. , WEST TEENA , WEBSTER MARK WI
Published: November 2007

Objective: We sought to define clinical and angiographic variables that may predict patients and lesions at increased risk for distal embolism during percutaneous intervention (PCI), as assessed by debris retrieval from a distal‐protection filter device. Background: Distal thrombo‐ and atheroembolism may contribute to periprocedural myocardial necrosis during PCI, which may in turn affect long‐term outcomes. Distal protection devices have been used to reduce this occurrence with variable outcomes depending on lesion and patient subsets. Methods: 194 consecutive patients in whom the FilterWire® device (FW) [Boston Scientific Corp., Natick, MA] was used for native coronary vessel (n =129) or vein graft (n = 65) PCI were studied. FW debris was visually analyzed using a semi‐quantitative grading score. Patients with “significant” debris (particles ≥ 1 mm diameter) were compared with those with “nonsignificant” debris (no debris or particles <1 mm) with respect to clinical (age, gender, coronary disease risk factors, clinical presentation, periprocedural medications), and angiographic (vessel treated, vessel size, lesion length, lesion characteristics, angiographic thrombus and TIMI flow before and after PCI) variables. Results: Significant debris was retrieved in 55% of patients, more frequently from vein graft (69%) than native vessel lesions (48%, p = 0.006). No clinical characteristics predicted significant debris retrieval. Angiographic predictors of significant debris by multivariate analysis were longer stent length and final TIMI flow <3 (p = 0.009 and 0.007, respectively). Conclusion: Longer stent length, likely reflecting increased lesion length and plaque burden, predicted significant distal embolism during PCI in native vessel and vein graft lesions, as assessed by debris collected in a distal vascular protection device. This suggests that use of vascular protection devices should be considered during PCI of long lesions.
Towards the construction of place‐specific measures of deprivation: a case study from the Vancouver metropolitan area
Authors: BELL NATHANIEL , SCHUURMAN NADINE , OLIVER LISA , HAYES MICHAEL V.
Published: November 2007

There have been numerous attempts to measure population health outcomes using socio‐economic indicators. Few investigations have utilized a survey‐based approach. This article develops a new means for identifying key socio‐economic indicators of relative health outcomes within greater Vancouver, British Columbia (BC). The index, referred to as the Vancouver Area Neighbourhood Deprivation Index (VANDIX), was constructed from a survey of provincial Medical Health Officers (MHOs). The MHOs were asked to rank socio‐economic indicators selected from the 2001 National Census by their relative influence on health outcomes throughout the province. Response consistency was evaluated with a weighted Kappa test statistic. The VANDIX score was assigned to Census Dissemination Areas and Census Tract administrative geographies. The scores were then compared to a subset of the 2003 Canadian Community Health Survey (CCHS) Cycle 2.1 database on self‐assessed health. Outcome scores between the
Measuring biological heterogeneity in the northern mixed prairie: a remote sensing approach
Authors: ZHANG CHUNHUA , GUO XULIN
Published: November 2007

Biological heterogeneity, defined as the degree of dissimilarity between biological variables (e.g., biomass, green vegetation and Leaf Area Index [LAI]), is one of the most important and widely applicable concepts in ecology due to its close link with biodiversity. To investigate grassland biological heterogeneity, we selected three transects extending from upland to valley grasslands at Grasslands National Park (GNP), Canada, representing the northern mixed grassland. For the purposes of our analysis, three types of data were collected: remote sensing ground level hyperspectral data, biological data (LAI, biomass, and vegetation cover) and environmental data (soil moisture, organic content, and bulk density). Methodologically, field‐level remote sensing data were used to calculate spectral vegetation indices. These indices, plus the biological variables, were then used in regression analyses with the goal of assessing the feasibility of using remote sensing data to study biological heterogeneity. The results indicate that it is feasible to use ground‐level remote sensing data to represent biological variables. These indices can explain about 40–60 percent of the biological variation. Semivariogram analyses were further applied on these data to investigate their range of spatial variation. Spatial variations in the
Pseudoglandular‐type melanoma: a rare melanoma variant
Authors: Tarlow Mordechai M. , Nemlick Alfred S. , Rothenberg Jerry , Schwartz Robert A
Published: November 2007

We describe a 64‐year‐old man with a primary nodular melanoma showing unusual histologic features. It consisted entirely of markedly atypical melanocytes arranged in a well‐structured glandular pattern. These atypical melanocytes were positive for S‐100. This is only the second report of such histology in melanoma, and to our knowledge, the first such case consisting entirely of these features. We review the literature on this rare variant of melanoma.
Diu rîche vrouwe Dîdô (v. 7558): Dido as Exemplar in the Erec‐Romance of Hartmann von Aue
Authors: McDonald William C.
Published: November 2007

Hartmann's narrator reports that Enite rides on an ornamental saddle engraved with scenes from the life of Aeneas, including his tragic liaison with Dido, the Carthaginian queen. A similar, but much truncated scene appears in Erec et Enide of Chrétien de Troyes. Hartmann relies on a sophisticated audience, able to recognize analogies and to draw conclusions. He is indebted both to Ovid and to John of Salisbury, the former identifying Dido as an abandoned woman at the mercy of the wily Aeneas. According to the Ovidian interpretation, Dido's only crime is that she loves to excess. The latter views Dido as the very model of bad governance; she is a failed queen whose slide into amatory idleness has a profound negative effect on her subjects. Critics dispute the significance of the German Dido allusions, uncertain whether the ekphrastic fragments convey an overt message that is relevant to interpreting the text. Most believe that Hartmann aims here to create a resemblance between Enite and Dido; thus Aeneas and Erec would be analogically paired. I argue in this paper that the reverse is true. The images of Dido on Enite's saddle have direct application to Erec, heir to a kingdom, who is meant to learn from Dido's obsessive love what to imitate in her political career, and what to avoid. Erec, like Dido, confounds the public and private spheres, withdrawing after his marriage to Enite from the world of knighthood to a hermetic realm of regal inaction. Dido's image on Enite's saddle is meant to remind Erec of the time when he followed her into erotic idleness, and to point to the future when he, unlike Dido, will follow his sense of honor to thrive as an active monarch.
Prolonged EGFR Signaling by ERBB2‐Mediated Sequestration at the Plasma Membrane
Authors: Offterdinger Martin , Bastiaens Philippe I.
Published: November 2007

We have analyzed the spatial–temporal regulation of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) phosphorylation by the orphan erbB2 receptor. It is shown that EGFR association with erbB2 is sufficient to prolong and enhance the net phosphorylation of EGFR, independent of the kinase activity of erbB2. This enhanced EGFR signaling was rather caused by erbB2‐mediated retention of phosphorylated EGFR at the plasma membrane (PM), thereby preventing EGFR dephosphorylation and signal termination by endomembrane‐bound protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTPs). EGF‐induced EGFR internalization was indeed blocked in the presence of high levels of erbB2 or if cbl binding of EGFR was impaired. This erbB2‐mediated blockage of the entry of activated EGFR into clathrin‐coated vesicles could be alleviated by antibody‐mediated disruption of the interaction between EGFR and erbB2. These results identify erbB2‐mediated dominant trapping of phosphorylated EGFR at the PM as a mechanism that prolongs EGFR signaling, by sequestration of activated EGFR away from intracellular sites of high PTP activity.
An 8‐year follow‐up of a fractured endodontically treated incisor restored with a modified laminate veneer
Authors: Giachetti Luca , Bertini Fabio , Bambi Claudia
Published: November 2007

Abstract –  This clinical report describes the restoration of a left maxillary first incisor using an all‐ceramic one‐piece coronal post and a laminate veneer feature. This proposed restoration technique represents an alternative to traditional restoration procedures such as metal‐ceramic restorations, all ceramic crowns and porcelain laminate veneers. This restoration preserves the remaining tooth structure, re‐establishes function and offers good esthetic results.
Immediate post‐traumatic upper incisor reconstruction using composite resin materials
Authors: Panduric Vlatko , Gabric Dragana , Negovetic‐Mandic Visnja
Published: November 2007

Abstract –  Single visit reconstruction of the fractured crown can be completed with composite resins if there is no bleeding due to the soft tissue injury. Clinical inspection revealed a complex crown fracture of the central incisor as well as a simple horizontal fracture of the lateral incisor crown of the enamel‐dentin type. Vertical fracture separated the palatal enamel wall from the rest of the lateral incisor crown. After the completion of the endodontic sanitation, root canals were prepared for prefabricated composite posts and crown reconstructions were performed with the Finger Tip Technique by using composite resin materials. The advantage of this kind of reconstruction is preservation of the hard dental crown tissue removed in case of prosthetic therapy, especially in younger patients. Reconstruction can be finished in one visit, without the need for a dental technician and laboratory.
Genetic and phenotypic effects of phonological short‐term memory and grammatical morphology in specific language impairment
Authors: Falcaro M. , Pickles A. , Newbury D. F. , Addis L. , Banfield E. , Fisher S. E. , Monaco A. P. , Simkin Z. , Conti‐Ramsden G. ,   The SLI Consortium
Published: November 2007

Deficits in phonological short‐term memory and aspects of verb grammar morphology have been proposed as phenotypic markers of specific language impairment (SLI) with the suggestion that these traits are likely to be under different genetic influences. This investigation in 300 first‐degree relatives of 93 probands with SLI examined familial aggregation and genetic linkage of two measures thought to index these two traits, non‐word repetition and tense marking. In particular, the involvement of chromosomes 16q and 19q was examined as previous studies found these two regions to be related to SLI. Results showed a strong association between relatives’ and probands’ scores on non‐word repetition. In contrast, no association was found for tense marking when examined as a continuous measure. However, significant familial aggregation was found when tense marking was treated as a binary measure with a cut‐off point of −1.5 SD, suggestive of the possibility that qualitative distinctions in the trait may be familial while quantitative variability may be more a consequence of non‐familial factors. Linkage analyses supported previous findings of the SLI Consortium of linkage to chromosome 16q for phonological short‐term memory and to chromosome 19q for expressive language. In addition, we report new findings that relate to the past tense phenotype. For the continuous measure, linkage was found on both chromosomes, but evidence was stronger on chromosome 19. For the binary measure, linkage was observed on chromosome 19 but not on chromosome 16.
Association of blood pressure, obesity and serum homocysteine levels in healthy children
Authors: Papandreou D , Rousso I , Makedou A , Arvanitidou M , Mavromichalis I
Published: November 2007

Aim: Obesity, hypertension and total serum homocysteine levels are well‐known risk factors for cardiovascular disease in adults. However, there is limited data on the relation of these risk factors in children.

Methods: Five hundred twenty‐four healthy school children aged 6–15 years participated in the study. BMI were used to categorize our subjects in normal overweight and obese groups based on Internationally Obesity Task Force criteria.

Results: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was 21.1% and 8.4% for boys and 17.6% and 7.3% for girls, respectively. Diastolic blood pressure (DBP), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and waist circumference (WC) were significantly higher in overweight and obese group compared to normal ones, whereas for homocysteine levels no difference was observed. Based on the results derived from the multiple regression analysis, BMI was positively related to energy intake (beta = 0.247, p < 0.001) and WC (beta = 0.014, p < 0.001). Both SBP and DBP were positively related to age ([beta = 0.251, p < 0.001] and [beta = 0.301, p < 0.001, respectively]), and BMI ([beta = 0.096, p < 0.001] and [beta = 0.022, p < 0.001], respectively).

Conclusion: The current study revealed an association of blood pressure and WC with overweight and obesity in children, and even though these children may not have increased homocysteine levels, they still have enough reasons to reduce weight in order to avoid cardiovascular disease in their life later on.
The effect of awareness on the outcome of oral health performed by home care service providers
Authors: Shimoyama Kazuhiro , Chiba Yumi , Suzuki Yoriko
Published: November 2007

Objectives:  The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlations amongst factors, such as knowledge, attitude, practice and oral health behaviour, in caregiver managers so as to improve the oral health of the dependent elderly.

Methods:  Data were collected from a sample of 102 caregiver managers from home care service providers using a questionnaire. The respondents were divided into two groups: the group who were aware of effective oral care (A group) and the group who were unaware of effective oral care (U group). The evaluations were frequency distribution tables followed by chi‐squared tests of independence and Fisher’s exact test.

Results:  Ninety percent of the respondents thought that dependent elderly needed to be provided with oral care and 77% had been trained in oral care. However, only 44% thought that they could provide appropriate oral care and only 52% had experienced its effect on oral health and general health. There was a significant difference in training by dental hygienists between the A group (36%) and the U group (11%). There was also a significant difference in learning of oral care skills.

Conclusion:  The results suggested a high oral care awareness amongst caregiver managers and an inadequate oral care training system. To improve oral health of the dependent elderly, theoretical teaching alone is not sufficient when providing oral health education and a positive contact with the dental team, especially dental hygienists, is an important factor which supports oral care provided by caregivers.