bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A Proliferation‐inducing Ligand (APRIL) is Expressed by Astrocytes and is Increased in Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Thangarajh M. , Masterman T. , Hillert J. , Moerk S. , Jonsson R.
Published: November 2006

A proliferation‐inducing ligand (APRIL) is a newly described member of the tumour necrosis factor (TNF) superfamily that was first identified as a factor favouring tumorigenesis. APRIL is also important for several immune functions, including B‐cell survival. Multiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory, demyelinating disease of the central nervous system (CNS) that is commonly diagnosed in early adulthood. Several TNF superfamily members have been identified in brains of patients with MS, although their exact function within the CNS is presently unknown. To investigate whether APRIL is expressed in the CNS, we studied APRIL protein expression by immunohistochemistry in MS patients and controls. Morphologically, APRIL‐positive cells appeared to be astrocytes. A two‐colour immunohistochemistry revealed that APRIL expression was cytoplasmic, granular and restricted to GFAP‐positive cells. Conversely, HLA class II‐positive microglial cells were negative for APRIL expression. APRIL‐positive cells were fewer in brains of controls compared with those with MS. We further corroborated our findings by studying APRIL protein expression in several glioblastoma cell lines, and found APRIL to be expressed by most cell lines analysed. APRIL's binding partner syndecan‐1 (CD138) was detected in brains of neither MS nor control patients. Furthermore, B cells were detectable in the brain of one of five patients with MS. We conclude that APRIL is expressed by reactive astrocytes in MS and may be of relevance in gliotic scar formation.
A survey of recruitment and retention issues for occupational therapists working clinically in mental health
Authors: Hayes Robyn , Bull Belinda , Hargreaves Kevin , Shakespeare Kate
Published: November 2006

Background:  Mental health services Australia‐wide have difficulty recruiting and retaining clinical occupational therapists.

Methods:  A survey of occupational therapists to identify factors that could influence their retention or loss from clinical mental health practice was undertaken.

Results:  Typically, respondents were female, aged 30 years or younger, working full‐time at a grade 2 or 3 level, and had worked entirely in mental health. The main positive aspects that respondents identified about their positions were the ‘social/emotional environment’, ‘aspects/nature of their roles’, and ‘using occupational therapy skills’. The main position constraints were ‘insufficient time/workload’ and ‘insufficient use of occupational therapy skills/generic nature of work’.

Conclusions:  Recruitment and retention strategies are required to retain occupational therapists in clinical mental health positions.
Reliability of the original and revised versions of the Assessment of Living Skills and Resources
Authors: Kuo Jeanie , Fleming Jennifer , Dermer Beth , Cullen Christine , Jack Chloe , Bacon Emma , O'Shea Katherine
Published: November 2006

Background/Aim:  The Assessment of Living Skills and Resources (ALSAR) measures instrumental activities of daily living in the older population and has some established reliability estimates. The study aimed to examine the interrater reliability of the original ALSAR in an Australian context and develop revised scoring criteria that were examined in a second interrater reliability study.

Method:  Seven occupational therapists rated a total of 20 clients over 65 years of age, with 10 clients in each study.

Results:  Using the original criteria, the ALSAR had relatively low interrater reliability across all scores (ICC range 0.253–0.756). The revised version yielded improved interrater reliability on all scores (ICC range 0.541–0.896).

Conclusion:  Detailed scoring criteria increased the interrater reliability of the ALSAR, enhancing its usefulness for clinical practice and research.
Indexing stance: Reported speech as an interactional evidential1
Authors: Clift Rebecca
Published: November 2006

The notion of linguistic stance as a non‐grammaticalized form of evidentiality is here explored through an investigation of reported speech in English interaction. Reported speech is found to be one of a variety of resources with which speakers lay claim to epistemic priority vis‐à‐vis recipients. Such resources are not identifiable as stance markers independently of the sequential contexts in which they appear; sequential position is shown to be central in providing at once a constraint on what can be said and a resource to exploit in saying it. Resources dependent on sequential position to index stance are deemed to be interactional evidentials to distinguish them from the well‐documented stand‐alone evidentials. Interactional and stand‐alone evidentials, as forms of deixis, are directed to the orientations of epistemic authority and accountability respectively; their distinct means of marking evidentiality are grounded in the motivation to be explicit with regard to accountability and inexplicit with regard to authority.
Girls and guys, ghetto and bougie: Metapragmatics, ideology and the management of social identities1
Authors: Brown David West
Published: November 2006

This case study explores the metapragmatic awareness of a young, academically successful, African American, female speaker. It describes some of the identities and orientations that the speaker performs through language and the perceived role of linguistic style in such performances. This study suggests that these linguistic performances are a complex negotiation of ethnicity, gender and class that both draw from and resist the macrosocial indexing of social categories. Further, the understood role of language in the social negotiations of the speaker serves as an illustration of the relationship among metapragmatics, ideology and identity and also highlights the dynamism of identity management as individuals position themselves in allegiance with, or opposition to, various groups that populate their social landscape.
Isolation and characterization of polymorphic microsatellite loci for the study of paternity and population structure in the little penguin Eudyptula minor
Authors: BILLING T. M. , GUAY P.‐J. , PEUCKER A. J. , MULDER R. A.
Published: November 2006

We isolated and characterized eight novel microsatellite loci in the little penguin Eudyptula minor, using nonradioactive polymerase chain reaction‐based techniques to screen GA and GAAA repeats from enriched genomic DNA libraries. All eight loci were polymorphic and seven were variable in our main study population (mean HE = 0.613, mean NA = 7.14). Cross‐amplification using a microsatellite primer developed in Spheniscus demersus (African penguin) yielded one additional polymorphic locus. This locus combined with six of the little penguin loci is suitable for paternity assignment in little penguins (exclusion probability for seven unlinked loci = 0.993).
Valvular heart disease in a patient taking benfluorex
Authors: Noize P. , Sauer M. , Bruneval P. , Moreau M. , Pathak A. , Bagheri H. , Montastruc J.L.
Published: November 2006

The authors describe a case of valvular heart disease in a 48‐year‐old woman receiving benfluorex (150 mg t.i.d. for 8 years) and leading to surgical mitral valve replacement. Examination showed severe dyspnea with severe mitral regurgitation associated with tricuspid regurgitation. No other common disease known to affect mitral valves nor intake of other drugs (ergot derivatives or appetite suppressant drugs) was found. The paper discusses the imputability of benfluorex, a drug used as an adjuvant in hypercholesterolemia, structurally related to amphetamines.
Possible role of exogenous cAMP to improve vascular endothelial dysfunction in hypertensive rats
Authors: Shah Dhvanit I. , Singh Manjeet
Published: November 2006

The study has been designed to investigate the effect of 8‐Br‐cAMP, an activator of protein kinase A, in hypertension‐induced vascular endothelial dysfunction. Rats were uninephroctomized and desoxycortisone acetate (DOCA) (40 mg/kg, s.c.) was administered to rats to produce hypertension (mean arterial blood pressure > 140 mmHg). Vascular endothelial dysfunction was assessed using isolated aortic ring preparation, electron microscopy of thoracic aorta and serum concentration of nitrite/nitrate. The expression of mRNA forp22phoxandeNOSwas assessed by using reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction. Serum thiobarbituric acid reactive substances concentration and aortic superoxide anion concentration were estimated to assess oxidative stress. 8‐Br‐cAMP (5 mg/kg, i.p.) or atorvastatin (30 mg/kg, p.o.) prevented hypertension‐induced attenuation of acetylcholine‐induced endothelium‐dependent relaxation, impairment of vascular endothelial lining, decrease in expression of mRNA for endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), serum nitrite/nitrate concentration and increase in expression of mRNA for p22phox, superoxide anion and serum TBARS. The ameliorative effect of 8‐Br‐cAMP was prevented byN‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester (25 mg/kg, i.p.) and glibenclamide (30 mg/kg, i.p.). It may be concluded that 8‐Br‐cAMP may stimulate expression and activity of eNOS and suppress expression of p22phox subunit of NADPH oxidase to reduce oxidative stress and subsequently improve vascular endothelial dysfunction.
Parental Expertise, Trustworthiness, and Accessibility: Parent‐Adolescent Communication and Adolescent Risk Behavior
Authors: Guilamo‐Ramos Vincent , Jaccard James , Dittus Patricia , Bouris Alida M.
Published: November 2006

A communication framework of persuasion and attitude change was utilized to analyze parent‐adolescent communication about adolescent risk behavior. Three parent dimensions were deemed important: (a) perceived expertise, (b) perceived trustworthiness, and (c) perceived accessibility. Data were collected in surveys from 668 mother‐adolescent dyads in economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in New York City (N= 668). Results showed weak correspondence between how expert, trustworthy, and accessible mothers thought they were on the one hand and how their sons and daughters characterized them on the other. All dimensions were related to how often adolescents said they talked with their mothers about a risk behavior, which, in turn, was predictive of lower levels of adolescent risk behavior. Implications for future research are discussed.
Parenting Practices and Adolescents’ Friendship Networks
Authors: Knoester Chris , Haynie Dana L. , Stephens Crystal M.
Published: November 2006

Using data on 11,044 adolescents from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health, we examine the relationship between parenting practices and the composition of an adolescent’s friendship network. In general, parent‐child relationship quality, selecting a neighborhood because of its schools, and parents’ supervision are negatively associated with having a more delinquent friendship network but positively associated with having a more prosocial network. These results suggest that parents have the capacity to shape the characteristics of their child’s friendship networks, even after taking into account the likelihood that adolescents have friends who are similar to themselves.
Mycobacterium tuberculosis secreted antigen (MTSA‐10) modulates macrophage function by redox regulation of phosphatases
Authors: Basu Sandip K. , Kumar Dhiraj , Singh Dinesh K. , Ganguly Niladri , Siddiqui Zaved , Rao Kanury V. S. , Sharma Pawan
Published: November 2006

Macrophages are the primary host cells for Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Although macrophages can mount a strong inflammatory response to dispose of invading microbial pathogens, the immune dysfunction of the Mtb‐infected macrophage constitutes the hallmark of mycobacterial pathogenesis. A 10‐kDa, Mtb secretory antigen (MTSA‐10), encoded by ORF Rv3874, is one of the predominant members of the ‘region of difference 1’ locus of Mtb genome that has been strongly implicated in mycobacterial virulence. In this study, we investigated the possible role of MTSA‐10 in modulating the macrophage dysfunction in a mouse macrophage cell line J774.1. We found that recombinant MTSA‐10 caused extensive protein dephosphorylation in J774.1 cells as revealed by two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis analysis. We also observed that MTSA‐10 treatment downregulated the reactive oxygen species levels in the cells leading to activation of cellular protein phosphatases putatively responsible for the dephosphorylation phenomenon. This implied a direct role of MTSA‐10 in the disruption of host cell signaling, resulting in downregulation of transcription of several genes essential for macrophage function.
WHAT SUSTAINS AUTHORITARIANISM? FROM STATE‐BASED HEGEMONY TO CLASS‐BASED HEGEMONY DURING THE PARK CHUNG HEE REGIME IN SOUTH KOREA
Authors: Yang Myung‐Ji
Published: November 2006

The long‐standing stability of the Park Chung Hee regime (1961–1979) in South Korea rests on the construction of political consent through appeasing the middle classes at the expense of the working class. In the 1960s, both working class and middle class were the beneficiaries of a rapid economic developmental project and hegemony was formed corresponding to the rapid expansion of the entire economy. In the 1970s when income disparity deepened and political repression grew severe, however, we witnessed divergent reactions to the state between middle and working class. While the working class began to challenge state policy, the urban middle class tacitly supported the Park regime and remained indifferent towards the opposition movement. Even when antiregime worker mobilization intensified, the urban middle class opted for the status quo, aligning itself with state ideology. Working‐class exclusion and middle‐class inclusion constituted the central mechanism for the generation of regime hegemony that blocked democratization.
GROUPS WITH INDEXED CO-WORD PROBLEM
Authors: HOLT DEREK F. , RÖVER CLAAS E.
Published: November 2006

We investigate co-indexed groups, that is groups whose co-word problem (all words defining nontrivial elements) is an indexed language. We show that all Higman–Thompson groups and a large class of tree automorphism groups defined by finite automata are co-indexed groups. The latter class is closely related to dynamical systems and includes the Grigorchuk 2-group and the Gupta–Sidki 3-group. The co-word problems of all these examples are in fact accepted by nested stack automata with certain additional properties, and we establish various closure properties of this restricted class of co-indexed groups, including closure under free products.
Elementary education majors experience hands-on learning in introductory biology
Authors: Goodman Barbara E. , Freeburg Elizabeth M. , Rasmussen Katherine , Meng Di
Published: November 2006

Faculty members from the University of South Dakota attended the Curriculum Reform Institute offered by the University of Wisconsin at Oshkosh, WI, during the summer of 2002 to design a course sequence for elementary education majors that better meets their needs for both content and pedagogy based on the science education standards. The special section of introductory biology that resulted from this workshop is designed to use laboratories and activities that either help students learn major concepts in the life sciences or model how to teach these concepts to their future K–8 students. This study describes how the active, hands-on learning opportunity for preservice teachers with its emphasis on both content and performance-based assessment was implemented in an introductory biology course for elementary education majors during the spring of 2004. During the initial offering of this course, student perceptions about what helped them to learn in the special section was compared with their nonscience major peers in the large lecture-intensive class that they would have taken. Each group of students completed early and late web-based surveys to assess their perceptions about learning during the courses. After the completion of the course, students in the special section appreciated how the relevance of science and conducting their own scientific experimentation helped them learn, enjoyed working and studying in small groups, valued diverse class time with very little lecture, were more confident in their abilities in science, and were more interested in discussing science with others. This course format is recommended for science classes for preservice teachers.
Ghrelin has novel vascular actions that mimic PI 3-kinase-dependent actions of insulin to stimulate production of NO from endothelial cells
Authors: Iantorno Micaela , Chen Hui , Kim Jeong-a , Tesauro Manfredi , Lauro Davide , Cardillo Carmine , Quon Michael J.
Published: November 2006

Ghrelin is an orexigenic peptide hormone secreted by the stomach. In patients with metabolic syndrome and low ghrelin levels, intra-arterial ghrelin administration acutely improves their endothelial dysfunction. Therefore, we hypothesized that ghrelin activates endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) in vascular endothelium, resulting in increased production of nitric oxide (NO) using signaling pathways shared in common with the insulin receptor. Similar to insulin, ghrelin acutely stimulated increased production of NO in bovine aortic endothelial cells (BAEC) in primary culture (assessed using NO-specific fluorescent dye 4,5-diaminofluorescein) in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Production of NO in response to ghrelin (100 nM, 10 min) in human aortic endothelial cells was blocked by pretreatment of cells with NG-nitro-l-arginine methyl ester (nitric oxide synthase inhibitor), wortmannin [phosphatidylinositol (PI) 3-kinase inhibitor], or (d-Lys3)-GHRP-6 (selective antagonist of ghrelin receptor GHSR-1a), as well as by knockdown of GHSR-1a using small-interfering (si) RNA (but not by mitogen/extracellular signal-regulated kinase inhibitor PD-98059). Moreover, ghrelin stimulated increased phosphorylation of Akt (Ser473) and eNOS (Akt phosphorylation site Ser1179) that was inhibitable by knockdown of GHSR-1a using siRNA or by pretreatment of cells with wortmannin but not with PD-98059. Ghrelin also stimulated phosphorylation of mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase in BAEC. However, unlike insulin, ghrelin did not stimulate MAP kinase-dependent secretion of the vasoconstrictor endothelin-1 from BAEC. We conclude that ghrelin has novel vascular actions to acutely stimulate production of NO in endothelium using a signaling pathway that involves GHSR-1a, PI 3-kinase, Akt, and eNOS. Our findings may be relevant to developing novel therapeutic strategies to treat diabetes and related diseases characterized by reciprocal relationships between endothelial dysfunction and insulin resistance.
Extracellular signal-regulated kinase activation by parathyroid hormone in distal tubule cells
Authors: Sneddon W. Bruce , Yang Yanmei , Ba Jianming , Harinstein Lisa M. , Friedman Peter A.
Published: November 2006

The PTH receptor (PTH1R) activates multiple signaling pathways, including extracellular signal-regulated kinases 1 and 2 (ERK1/2). The role of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) transactivation in ERK1/2 activation by PTH in distal kidney cells, a primary site of PTH action, was characterized. ERK1/2 phosphorylation was stimulated by PTH and blocked by the EGFR inhibitor, AG1478. Upon PTH stimulation, metalloprotease cleavage of membrane-bound heparin-binding fragment (HB-EGF) induced EGFR transactivation of ERK. Conditioned media from PTH-treated distal kidney cells activated ERK in HEK-293 cells. AG1478 added to HEK-293 cells ablated transactivation by conditioned media. HB-EGF directly activated ERK1/2 in HEK-293 cells. Pretreatment of distal kidney cells with the metalloprotease inhibitor GM-6001 abolished transactivation of ERK1/2 by PTH. The role of the PTH1R COOH terminus in PTX-sensitive ERK1/2 activation was characterized in HEK-293 cells transfected with wild-type PTH1R, with a PTH1R mutated at its COOH terminus, or with PTH1R truncated at position 480. PTH stimulated ERK by wild-type, mutated and truncated PTH1Rs 21-, 27- and 57-fold, respectively. Thus, the PTH1R COOH terminus exerts an inhibitory effect on ERK activation. EBP50, a scaffolding protein that binds to the PDZ recognition domain of the PTH1R, impaired PTH but not isoproterenol or calcitonin-induced ERK activation. Pertussis toxin inhibited PTH-stimulated ERK1/2 by mutated and truncated PTH1Rs and abolished ERK1/2 activation by wild-type PTH1R. We conclude that ERK phosphorylation in distal kidney cells by PTH requires PTH1R activation of Gi, which leads to stimulation of metalloprotease-mediated cleavage of HB-EGF and transactivation of the EGFR and is regulated by EBP50.
Analysis of an uncertain volatility model
Authors: Di Francesco Marco , Foschi Paolo , Pascucci Andrea
Published: November 2006

We examine, from both analytical and numerical viewpoints, the uncertain volatility model by Hobson-Rogers in the framework of degenerate parabolic PDEs of Kolmogorov type.
Comparison of two common estimators of the ratio of the means of independent normal variables in agricultural research
Authors: Qiao C. G. , Wood G. R. , Lai C. D. , Luo D. W.
Published: November 2006

This paper addresses the problem of estimating the ratio of the
means of independent normal variables in agricultural research.
The first part of the research examines the distributional
properties of the ratio of independent normal variables, both
theoretically and using simulation. The second part of the
research evaluates the relative merits of two common estimators of
the ratio of the means of independent normal variables in
agricultural research, an arithmetic average and a weighted
average, via simulation experiments using normal distributions.
The results are then tested using research data from rice breeding
multi-environment trials in Jilin Province, China, in 1994. These
data are used to demonstrate the diagnostic approach developed for
assessing the “safe” use of the arithmetic and the weighted
average methods for estimating the ratio of the means of
independent normal variables.
Effective utilization of idle time in an (s, S) inventory with positive service tim
Authors: Krishnamoorthy A. , Deepak T. G. , Narayanan Viswanath C. , Vineetha K.
Published: November 2006

We deviate from the Berman et al. models in inventory
with positive service time. We establish a necessary and sufficient condition for system stability. Several performance measures are computed. An optimisation problem is discussed. Our analysis suggests that it is optimal to place the replenishment order when the inventory level is positive (even in the zero lead time case). Numerical illustrations are provided.
Convergence of iterative algorithms to common random fixed points of random operators
Authors: Beg Ismat , Abbas Mujahid
Published: November 2006

We prove the existence of a common random
fixed point of two asymptotically nonexpansive random operators through
strong and weak convergences of an iterative process. The necessary and
sufficient condition for the convergence of sequence of measurable functions
to a random fixed point of asymptotically quasi‐nonexpansive random
operators in uniformly convex Banach spaces is also established.
Forty-two Thousand and One Dalmatians: Fads, Social Contagion, and Dog Breed Popularity
Authors: Herzog Harold
Published: November 2006

Like other cultural variants, tastes in companion animals (pets) can shift rapidly. An analysis of American Kennel Club puppy registrations from 1946 through 2003 (N = 48,598,233 puppy registrations) identified rapid but transient large-scale increases in the popularity of specific dog breeds. Nine breeds of dogs showed particularly pronounced booms and busts in popularity. On average, the increase (boom) phase in these breeds lasted 14 years, during which time annual new registrations increased 3,200%. Equally steep decreases in registrations for the breeds immediately followed these jumps in popularity. The existence of extreme fluctuations in preferences for dog breeds has implications for understanding changes in attitudes toward companion animals, veterinary epidemiology, and canine evolution.
Host status of six major weeds to Meloidogyne chitwoodi and Pratylenchus penetrans, including a preliminary field survey concerning other weeds
Authors: Kutywayo Vhukile , Been Thomas H.
Published: November 2006

A glasshouse experiment was carried out to investigate the host status of six
important weeds in intensive agricultural cropping systems to Meloidogyne
chitwoodi and Pratylenchus penetrans. Senecio vulgaris L., Capsella
bursa-pastoris (L.) Medic. and Solanum nigrum L. were hosts of M. chitwoodi
with reproduction factors of 2.5, 2.6 and 7.8, respectively. Echinochloa
crusgalli (L.) Beauv. and Stellaria media (L.) Vill. were non-hosts for M.
chitwoodi as no galls or eggs were observed. Galinsoga parviflora Cav. is
considered a poor host with one out of eight plants producing an egg mass,
but maintaining significantly higher population densities in the soil than
were recorded in the fallow pots. Echinochloa crusgalli, S. nigrum and S.
vulgaris were hosts of P. penetrans with multiplication factors of 1.6, 1.82
and 4.29, respectively. The multiplication rate of P. penetrans on S.
vulgaris was similar to the one recorded on maize, the susceptible control.
Galinsoga parviflora, S. media and C. bursa-pastoris were non-hosts as no
specimen of the target nematode was found in the roots. After 16 weeks, only
1.22 and 0.08% of the original population was still alive for P. penetrans
and M. chitwoodi, respectively. In conjunction with the pot experiment, a
field survey was conducted at two sites, each of which was known to be
highly infested with either M. chitwoodi or P. penetrans. Based on the
survey results, Cirsium arvense Scop. and C. bursa-pastoris can also be
considered to be hosts of M. chitwoodi, whilst Cirsium arvense, Chenopodium
album L. and Polygonum convolvulus L. were recorded as hosts of P.
penetrans. These results call attention to the possibility of weeds acting
as carriers and point sources of possible high population densities of
plant-parasitic nematodes. It emphasises the importance of adequate weed
control in an integrated programme for management of M. chitwoodi and P.
penetrans and the possible failure of the successful use of non-host crops
and fallow in crop rotations when weed control is inadequate.
Bursaphelenchus antoniae sp. n. (Nematoda: Parasitaphelenchidae) associated with Hylobius sp. from Pinus pinaster in Portugal
Authors: Penas Ana Catarina , Metge Kai , Mota Manuel , Valadas Vera
Published: November 2006

Bursaphelenchus antoniae sp. n. is described and illustrated. Dauer juveniles
were isolated from the body of the large pine weevil, Hylobius sp.,
collected from maritime pine (Pinus pinaster) stumps, in Portugal.
Bursaphelenchus antoniae sp. n. was reared and maintained in P. pinaster
wood segments and on Petri dish cultures of the fungi Botrytis cinerea and
Monilinia fructicola. The new species is characterised by a relatively small
body length of ca 583 μ m (females) and 578 μ m (males), a lateral field
with two incisures, presence of a small vulval flap and a conoid female tail
with a rounded or pointed terminus. Males have stout spicules with a
disc-like cucullus and seven caudal papillae arranged as a single midventral
precloacal papilla, one precloacal pair and two postcloacal pairs. In the
character of the lateral field, B. antoniae sp. n. comes close to B.
abietinus, B. rainulfi and B. hylobianum, whilst spicule characters place it
within the piniperdae-group sensu Ryss et al. Morphologically, B. antoniae
sp. n. is closest to B. hylobianum; the spicules of these two species having
flattened, wing-like, alae on the distal third of the lamina.
Bursaphelenchus antoniae sp. n. is distinguished from B. hylobianum on the
arrangement of the caudal papillae (two vs three pairs). ITS-RFLP profiles
and the failure to hybridise support the separation of the two species.
Phylogenetic analysis of the new species, based on the 18S rDNA sequence,
supports the inclusion of this new species in the B. hylobianum-group sensu
Braasch. Sequence analysis of the 28S rDNA D2/D3 domain did not place the
new species in a definite group.
Studies on nematodes of the family Aulolaimoididae (Nematoda: Dorylaimida) with descriptions of five new species
Authors: Mushtaq Peerzada , Baniyamuddin Md , Ahmad Wasim
Published: November 2006

Five new and two known species belonging to the family Aulolaimoididae are
described and illustrated from India and Costa Rica. Adenolaimus minor sp.
n. is characterised by the short body (L = 0.38-0.46 mm), stoma supported by
minute ribs, monoopisthodelphic female genital system with a small
pre-uterine sac, obtusely rounded tail and male with slender spicules.
Adenolaimus loofi sp. n. is characterised by the 0.66-0.72 mm long body;
stoma and pharyngeal walls supported by minute rib-like structures; truncate
lip region; 4.0 μ m long odontostyle; odontophore with basal flanges;
mono-opisthodelphic female genital system with anterior uterine sac 0.7-1.0
times corresponding body diam. long; short hemispheroid tail and males with
two, spaced, ventromedian supplements. Adenolaimus clavatus sp. n. is
characterised by the 0.90-1.01 mm long body; stoma and pharyngeal walls
supported by minute rib-like structures; continuous, rounded, lip region;
5.5-6.0 μm long odontostyle; odontophore with basal flanges;
mono-opisthodelphic female genital system with a small anterior uterine sac
and short clavate tail. Adenolaimus tropicus sp. n. is characterised by the
0.75-0.80 mm long body; lip region rounded and offset by depression; 5 μm
long odontostyle; pharyngeal bulb not constricted; anterior genital branch
reduced to an uterine sac and short hemispherical tail. Oostenbrinkia parva
sp. n. is characterised by the small body (L = 0.440.49 mm); 4.0 μm long
odontostyle with forked base, flanged odontophore; post-median vulva; vagina
with two slender sclerotised pieces; amphidelphic genital system and short,
hemispheroid, tail. Two known species, Aulolaimoides elegans and Adenolaimus
orthus are redescribed and the generic diagnosis of Oostenbrinkia is
emended. A species compendium and key to the genera and species of
Aulolaimoididae are provided.
On Being a Couple: A Dialogal Inquiry
Authors: SayreLamboNavarre GeorgeDeborahHeather
Published: November 2006

An expanded conceptualization of the dialogal research methodology was used to gain a deeper understanding of the dyadic experience of Being a couple. Twenty-two committed couples from a variety of backgrounds were interviewed, responding to the question: “What does it mean to ‘Be’ a couple?” The interviews were videotaped, allowing the researchers to engage with both verbal and nonverbal interpersonal expression. The authors describe the dialogal process used, and identify and discuss three core themes expressed by the couples regarding the meaning of being a couple: commitment, morphogenesis, and transcending paradox through witness.
The Management of Nationalism during the Jiang Era (1994–2002) and Its Implications On Government and Regime Legitimacy
Authors: Esteban Mario
Published: November 2006

This paper aims to provide a detailed explanation of how the promotion of different nationalist discourses in China entails distinct repercussions on both government and regime legitimacy, looking for the rationale of governmental appeal to both affirmative and assertive nationalism within the context of general legitimacy crisis suffered by communism in the last years.Through the analysis of case studies including the return of Hong Kong and Macao under Chinese sovereignty and the success of Beijing's bid for hosting the 2008 Olympic Games, this paper regards the rise of affirmative nationalism as beneficial for the legitimacy of both the Jiang government and the CCP regime as a whole. However, the increasing relevance of assertive nationalism, discussed with reference to the Diaoyu dispute with Japan, and the diplomatic crisis with the US after the bombing of the Chinese embassy in Belgrade and the unauthorised landing of a US surveillance plane on Hainan, has put a challenge on Jiang's government, since it has been effectively used by the leftist wing of the party for gaining more leverage within the CCP with regard to the reformists. At the same time, assertive nationalism has reinforced regime legitimacy, providing effective ammunition to criticise the liberals.
Settlement of Disputes Relating to the Delimitation of the Outer Continental Shelf: The Role of International Courts and Arbitral Tribunals
Authors: Rangel Vicente Marotta
Published: November 2006

This presentation gives an assessment of the actual judicial control concerning the delimitation of the continental shelf. Before interpreting the role of International Courts and Arbitral Tribunals, the author gives a brief overview over the different categories of delimitation, the coastal state's rights over its continental shelf and outlines historic precedents of international disputes. Today, the Convention provides an comprehensive dispute settlement system. This system will be illuminated and reviewed by the presentation with special reference to the judicial control over the Commission's recommendations.
Encoding the Ins and Outs of Circadian Pacemaking
Authors: Kuhlman Sandra J. , McMahon Douglas G.
Published: November 2006

The SCN of the mammalian hypothalamus comprises a self-sustained, biological clock that generates endogenous ca. 24-h (circadian) rhythms. Circadian rhythmicity in the SCN originates from the interaction of a defined set of “clock genes” that participate in transcription/translation feedback loops. In order for the SCN to serve as an internal clock that times an internal day corresponding to the external solar day, the intracellular molecular oscillations must be output as physiological signals and be reset by appropriate environmental inputs. Here, the authors consider the mechanisms by which the SCN circadian pacemaker encodes rhythmic output and light input. In particular, they focus on the ionic mechanisms by which SCN neurons encode clock gene output as circa-dian rhythms in spike frequency, as well as cellular and molecular mechanisms by which SCN neurons encode circadian light input through phase heterogeneity in the SCN network. The authors propose that there are 2 distinct classes of ionic mechanisms supporting spike frequency rhythms output—modulation of basal membrane potential and conductance versus modulation of spike production—whereas light input is transformed by cellular communication within the SCN network and encoded by the relative phase relationships among SCN neurons.
Neurobiology of the Sleep-Wake Cycle: Sleep Architecture, Circadian Regulation, and Regulatory Feedback
Authors: Fuller Patrick M. , Gooley Joshua J. , Saper Clifford B.
Published: November 2006

This mini-review article presents the remarkable progress that has been made in the past decade in our understanding of the neural circuitry underlying the regulation of sleep-wake states and circadian control of behaviors. Following a brief introduction to sleep architecture and physiology, the authors describe the neural circuitry and neurotransmitters that regulate sleep and cortical arousal (i.e., wakefulness). They next examine how sleep and wakefulness are regulated by mutual inhibition between sleep-and arousal-promoting circuitry and how this interaction functions analogously to an electronic “flip-flop” switch that ensures behavioral state stability. The authors then discuss the role of circadian and homeostatic processes in the consolidation of sleep, including the physiologic basis of homeostatic sleep drive (i.e., wake-dependent increase in sleep propensity) and the role of the SCN in the circadian regulation of sleep-wake cycles. Finally, they describe the hypothalamic circuitry for the integration of photic and nonphotic environmental time cues and how this integration allows organisms to sculpt patterns of rest-activity and sleep-wake cycles that are optimally adaptive.
The revised International Prognostic Index (R-IPI) is a better predictor of outcome than the standard IPI for patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma treated with R-CHOP
Authors: Sehn Laurie H. , Berry Brian , Chhanabhai Mukesh , Fitzgerald Catherine , Gill Karamjit , Hoskins Paul , Klasa Richard , Savage Kerry J. , Shenkier Tamara , Sutherland Judy , Gascoyne Randy D. , Connors Joseph M.
Published: November 2006

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a heterogeneous entity, with patients exhibiting a wide range of outcomes. The addition of rituximab to CHOP chemotherapy (R-CHOP)has led to a marked improvement in survival and has called into question the significance of previously recognized prognostic markers. Since randomized controlled trials of R-CHOP in DLBCL have included select subgroups of patients, the utility of the International Prognostic Index (IPI) has not been reassessed. We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with DLBCL treated with R-CHOP in the province of British Columbia to assess the value of the IPI in the era of immunochemotherapy. The IPI remains predictive, but it identifies only 2 risk groups. Redistribution of the IPI factors into a revised IPI (R-IPI) provides a more clinically useful prediction of outcome. The R-IPI identifies 3 distinct prognostic groups with a very good (4-year progression-free survival [PFS] 94%, overall survival [OS] 94%), good (4-year PFS 80%, OS 79%), and poor (4-year PFS 53%, OS 55%) outcome, respectively (P < .001). The IPI (or R-IPI) no longer identifies a risk group with less than a 50% chance of survival. In the era of R-CHOP treatment, the R-IPI is a clinically useful prognostic index that may help guide treatment planning and interpretation of clinical trials.
Acquisition of antigen presentasome (APS), an MHC/costimulatory complex, is a checkpoint of memory T-cell homeostasis
Authors: Mostböck Sven , Catalfamo Marta , Tagaya Yutaka , Schlom Jeffrey , Sabzevari Helen
Published: November 2006

Immunologic memory is associated with the activation and expansion of antigen-specific T cells, followed by clonal deletion and survival of a small number of memory T cells. This study establishes that effector and rested memory T cells can acquire major histocompatibility complex (MHC)/CD80 molecules (antigen presentasome [APS]) upon activation in vitro and after vaccination in vivo. We demonstrate for the first time that acquisition of APS by rested memory T cells is correlated with increased levels of apoptosis in vivo and up-regulation of caspase-3, bcl-x, bak, and bax in our in vitro studies. Moreover, our results demonstrate that memory T cells with acquired APS can indeed become cytotoxic T lymphocytes and kill other cells through perforin-mediated lysis. In addition, they retained the production of interferon γ and T-helper 2 (Th2) type cytokines. The acquisition of APS by memory T cells might be an important checkpoint leading to the clonal deletion of the majority of effector T cells, possibly allowing the surviving cells to become long-term memory cells by default.
An optimized grapevine RNA isolation procedure and statistical determination of reference genes for real-time RT-PCR during berry development
Authors: Reid Karen E , Olsson Niclas , Schlosser James , Peng Fred , Lund Steven T
Published: November 2006

Background

Accuracy in quantitative real-time RT-PCR is dependent on high quality RNA, consistent cDNA synthesis, and validated stable reference genes for data normalization. Reference genes used for normalization impact the results generated from expression studies and, hence, should be evaluated prior to use across samples and treatments. Few statistically validated reference genes have been reported in grapevine. Moreover, success in isolating high quality RNA from grapevine tissues is typically limiting due to low pH, and high polyphenolic and polysaccharide contents.

Results

We describe optimization of an RNA isolation procedure that compensates for the low pH found in grape berries and improves the ability of the RNA to precipitate. This procedure was tested on pericarp and seed developmental series, as well as steady-state leaf, root, and flower tissues. Additionally, the expression stability of actin, AP47 (clathrin-associated protein), cyclophilin, EF1-α (elongation factor 1-α), GAPDH (glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase), MDH (malate dehydrogenase), PP2A (protein phosphatase), SAND, TIP41, α-tubulin, β-tubulin, UBC (ubiquitin conjugating enzyme), UBQ-L40 (ubiquitin L40) and UBQ10 (polyubiquitin) were evaluated onVitis viniferacv. Cabernet Sauvignon pericarp using three different statistical approaches. Although several of the genes proved to be relatively stable, no single gene outperformed all other genes in each of the three evaluation methods tested. Furthermore, the effect of using one reference gene versus normalizing to the geometric mean of several genes is presented for the expression of an aquaporin and a sucrose transporter over a developmental series.

Conclusion

In order to quantify relative transcript abundances accurately using real-time RT-PCR, we recommend that combinations of several genes be used for normalization in grape berry development studies. Our data support GAPDH, actin, EF1-α and SAND as the most relevant reference genes for this purpose.
Serial Analysis of Gene Expression in the Rat Striatum Following Methamphetamine Administration
Authors: CAI NING SHENG , MCCOY MICHAEL T. , LADENHEIM BRUCE , LYLES JOHNALYN , ALI SYED F. , CADET JEAN LUD
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  Methamphetamine (METH), a highly addictive drug, can cause degeneration of monoaminergic terminals and neuronal apoptosis in the mammalian brain. In the present article, we have used serial analysis of gene expression (SAGE) to investigate patterns of gene expression in the striata of rats that were given a neurotoxic dose of the drug. SAGE libraries were generated from animals treated with either saline or METH (40 mg/kg) and sacrificed 2 h later. A total of 315 transcripts were differentially expressed between the two libraries (P < 0.05), with 179 (56%) being upregulated and 136 (44%) being downregulated by the METH injection. Of these, CAATT enhancer‐binding protein homologous protein (CHOP)/GADD153 (growth arrest‐ and DNA damage‐inducible gene 153) was found to be upregulated by about threefold. Analysis of the expression of genes downstream of CHOP (DOCs) revealed significant METH‐induced increases in their expression. Because DOC1 is an analog of carbonic anhydrase (CA) which is involved in the interconversion between carbon dioxide and the bicarbonate ion, we also measured the effects of METH on the expression of several CAs. These were significantly upregulated by METH in a time‐dependent fashion. These results indicate that METH toxicity is mediated, in part, by drug‐induced perturbations of physiological processes that are dependent on normal pH and CO2 homeostasis.
Dopamine Quinones Activate Microglia and Induce a Neurotoxic Gene Expression Profile
Authors: KUHN DONALD M. , FRANCESCUTTI‐VERBEEM DINA M. , THOMAS DAVID M.
Published: November 2006

Abstract: Methamphetamine (METH) intoxication leads to persistent damage of dopamine (DA) nerve endings of the striatum. Recently, we and others have suggested that the neurotoxicity associated with METH is mediated by extensive microglial activation. DA itself has been shown to play an obligatory role in METH neurotoxicity, possibly through the formation of quinone species. We show presently that DA‐quinones (DAQ) cause a time‐dependent activation of cultured microglial cells. Microarray analysis of the effects of DAQ on microglial gene expression revealed that 101 genes were significantly changed in expression, with 73 genes increasing and 28 genes decreasing in expression. Among those genes differentially regulated by DAQ were those often associated with neurotoxic conditions including inflammation, cytokines, chemokines, and prostaglandins. In addition, microglial genes associated with a neuronally protective phenotype were among those that were downregulated by DAQ. These results implicate DAQ as one species that could cause early activation of microglial cells in METH intoxication, manifested as an alteration in the expression of a broad biomarker panel of genes. These results also link oxidative stress, chemical alterations in DA to its quinone, and microglial activation as part of a cascade of glial–neuronal crosstalk that can amplify METH‐induced neurotoxicity.
Short‐Term Effects of Adolescent Methylphenidate Exposure on Brain Striatal Gene Expression and Sexual/Endocrine Parameters in Male Rats
Authors: ADRIANI WALTER , LEO DAMIANA , GUARINO MARIA , NATOLI ALESSIA , DI CONSIGLIO EMMA , DE ANGELIS GIOVANNA , TRAINA ELSA , TESTAI EMANUELA , PERRONE‐CAPANO CARLA , LAVIOLA GIOVANNI
Published: November 2006

Abstract:  Exposure to methylphenidate (MPH) during adolescence is the elective therapy for attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) children, but raises major concerns for public health, due to possibly persistent neurobehavioral changes. Rats (30‐ to 44‐days old) were administered MPH (2 mg/kg, i.p once daily) or saline (SAL). At the end of the treatment we collected plasma, testicular, liver, and brain (striatum) samples. The testes and liver were used to evaluate conventional reproductive and metabolic endpoints. Testes of MPH‐exposed rats weighed more and contained an increased quantity of sperm, whereas testicular levels of testosterone (TST) were markedly decreased. The MPH treatment exerted an inductive effect on enzymatic activity of TST hydroxylases, resulting in increased hepatic TST catabolism. These findings suggest that subchronic MPH exposure in adolescent rats could have a trophic action on testis growth and a negative impact on TST metabolism. We have analyzed striatal gene expression profiles as a consequence of MPH exposure during adolescence, using microarray technology. More than 700 genes were upregulated in the striatum of MPH‐treated rats (foldchange >1.5). A first group of genes were apparently involved in migration of immature neural/glial cells and/or growth of novel axons. These genes include matrix proteases (ADAM‐1, MMP14), their inhibitors (TIMP‐2, TIMP‐3), the hyaluronan‐mediated motility receptor (RHAMM), and growth factors (transforming growth factor‐β3 [TGF‐β3] and fibroblast growth factor 14 [FGF14]). A second group of genes were suggestive of active axonal myelination. These genes mediate survival of immature cells after contact with newly produced axonal matrix (laminin B1, collagens, integrin alpha 6) and stabilization of myelinating glia‐axon contacts (RAB13, contactins 3 and 4). A third group indicated the appearance and/or upregulation of mature processes. The latter included genes for: K+ channels (TASK‐1, TASK‐5), intercellular junctions (connexin30), neurotransmitter receptors (adrenergic alpha 1B, kainate 2, serotonin 7, GABA‐A), as well as major proteins responsible for their transport and/or anchoring (Homer 1, MAGUK MPP3, Shank2). All these genes were possibly involved in synaptic plasticity, namely the formation, maturation, and stabilization of new neural connections within the striatum. MPH treatment seems to potentiate synaptic plasticity, which is an age‐dependent developmental phenomenon that adolescent rats are very likely to show, compared to adults. Our observations suggest that adolescent MPH exposure causes only transient changes in reproductive and hormonal parameters, and a more enduring enhancement of neurobehavioral plasticity.