bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Human culture and monkey behavior: assessing the contexts of potential pathogen transmission between macaques and humans
Authors: Fuentes Agustín
Published: August 2006

An in‐depth understanding of the contexts and patterns of human–macaque interactions can play an important role in assessing and managing the potential for pathogen transmission. The Padangtegal Monkey Forest in Bali, Indonesia, and the Upper Rock Nature Reserve in Gibraltar are two sites that have been relatively well studied in regard to human–macaque interactions. This article presents an overview of interaction patterns between humans and macaques at these sites along with a description of the cultural, demographic, and contextual differences between local and nonlocal humans at the sites. Differences in these two sites' interaction patterns included bite rates, the role of food in aggressive interactions, and the context in which the interactions took place. Similarities included overrepresentation by adult male macaques in interactions and a substantial impact by local cultural and demographic factors. These similarities and differences are interpreted as resulting from differences in macaque species and behaviors, and human demography, culture, and behavioral patterns. Am. J. Primatol. 68:880–896, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Clinical response decision tree for the mountain gorilla (Gorilla beringeii) as a model for great apes
Authors:   Decision Tree Writing Group
Published: August 2006

Disease is one of the main threats to the remaining great ape populations of the world. The decision to intervene in the health of the great apes for population sustainability is controversial. Humans' increasing negative influence on great ape health has mandated the reevaluation of current management policies. The Mountain Gorilla Veterinary Project (MGVP) has been making health intervention decisions since 1986. The decision to intervene has often been made subjectively due to poorly defined criteria that are often influenced by emotion. This paper provides a consistent framework for evidence‐based health intervention decision‐making. The decision tree is a five‐tier process consisting of routine sentinel health observation, intensive follow‐up veterinary health observation, outbreak assessment, risk assessment, and risk management. Although this paper focuses on the mountain gorillas, it serves as a basis for evidence‐based decision‐making in other species. Am. J. Primatol. 68:909–927, 2006.© 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cystatin C in cerebrospinal fluid and multiple sclerosis
Authors: Hansson Sara F. , Simonsen Anja Hviid , Zetterberg Henrik , Andersen Oluf , Haghighi Sara , Fagerberg Inger , Andréasson Ulf , Westman‐Brinkmalm Ann , Wallin Anders , Rüetschi Ulla , Blennow Kaj
Published: August 2006

Objective

A recent study using surface‐enhanced laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight analysis of cerebrospinal fluid identified a 12.5kDa truncated isoform of cystatin C (CysC) as a specific biomarker for multiple sclerosis (MS).

Methods

Surface‐enhanced laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight analysis of cerebrospinal fluid samples from 43 MS patients and 46 healthy control subjects.

Results

Full‐length CysC (13.4kDa) concentration was similar in MS and control samples. The 12.5kDa CysC protein was produced from full‐length CysC by N‐terminal cleavage during storage at −20°C.

Interpretation

The 12.5kDa CysC isoform is a storage‐related artifact and is not useful as a diagnostic marker for MS. Ann Neurol 2007;62:193–196
Web links and search engine ranking: The case of Google and the query “jew”
Authors: Bar‐Ilan Judit
Published: August 2006

The World Wide Web has become one of our more important information sources, and commercial search engines are the major tools for locating information; however, it is not enough for a Web page to be indexed by the search engines—it also must rank high on relevant queries. One of the parameters involved in ranking is the number and quality of links pointing to the page, based on the assumption that links convey appreciation for a page. This article presents the results of a content analysis of the links to two top pages retrieved by Google for the query “jew” as of July 2004: the “jew” entry on the free online encyclopedia Wikipedia, and the home page of “Jew Watch,” a highly anti‐Semitic site. The top results for the query “jew” gained public attention in April 2004, when it was noticed that the “Jew Watch” homepage ranked number 1. From this point on, both sides engaged in “Googlebombing” (i.e., increasing the number of links pointing to these pages). The results of the study show that most of the links to these pages come from blogs and discussion links, and the number of links pointing to these pages in appreciation of their content is extremely small. These findings have implications for ranking algorithms based on link counts, and emphasize the huge difference between Web links and citations in the scientific community.
Total rain accumulation and rain‐rate analysis for small tropical Pacific islands: a case study of Suva, Fiji
Authors: Kumar Vickal V. , Deo Ravinesh C. , Ramachandran Visagaperuman
Published: August 2006

Rain‐rate analyses using hourly data from 1990 to 2002 predict rain occurrence for ∼15% of the year while minute data for the period Apr '02–Mar '03 resolve rain‐rate more accurately and show rain occurrence of ∼2% of the year. It is estimated that <1% of the rain at the site is mainly convective. Rainfall analysis confirms its dependence on El Niño Southern Oscillation and convergence zones. Copyright © 2006 Royal Meteorological Society
Luftionen in Gebäuden – elektroionisches Mikroklima
Authors: Jokl Miloslav V.
Published: August 2006

Im atmosphärischen elektrischen Feld der Erde werden Luftionen gebildet, sie sind Bestandteil der Umwelt. Der Mensch ist ihnen ausgesetzt und sein Allgemeinbefinden wird von ihnen beeinflußt. Der Beitrag beschreibt die elektrostatischen Eigenschaften der Raumluft und ihre Auswirkungen auf den Menschen sowie die Funktionsweisen von Luftionisatoren.
The impact of industrial biotechnology
Authors: Soetaert Wim , Vandamme Erick
Published: August 2006

In this review, the impact of industrial (or “white”) biotechnology can have on our society and economy is discussed. An overview is given of industrial biotechnology and its applications in a number of product categories ranging from food ingredients, vitamins, bio‐colorants, solvents, plastics and biofuels. The use of fossil resources is compared with renewable resources as the preferred feedstock for industrial biotechnology. A brief discussion is also given of the expected changes in society and technology, ranging from the shift in the supply of resources, the growing need for efficiency and sustainability of the production systems, changing consumer perception and behaviour and changing agricultural systems and practices. Many of these changes are expected to speed up the transition from a fossil‐based to a bio‐based economy and society.
White Biotechnology: Ready to partner and invest in
Authors: Kircher Manfred
Published: August 2006

It needs three factors to build an industry: market demand, product vision and capital. White biotechnology already produces high volume products such as feed additive amino acids and specialty products like enzymes for enantioselective biocatalysis. It serves large and diverse markets in the nutrition, wellness, pharmaceutical, agricultural and chemical industry. The total volume adds up to $ 50 billion worldwide. In spite of its proven track record, white biotechnology so far did not attract as much capital as red and even green biotechnology. However, the latest finance indicators confirm the continuously growing attractiveness of investment opportunities in white biotechnology. This article discusses white biotechnology's position and potential in the finance market and success factors.
Propagation of fluorescent viruses in growing plaques
Authors: Alvarez Luis J. , Thomen Philippe , Makushok Tatyana , Chatenay Didier
Published: August 2006

To study virus propagation, we have developed a method by which the propagation of the Lambda bacteriophage can be observed and quantified. This is done by creating a fusion protein of the capsid protein gpD and the enhanced yellow fluorescent protein (EYFP). We show that this fusion allows capsid formation and that the modified viruses propagate on a surface covered with host bacteria thus forming fluorescent plaques. The intensity of fluorescence in a growing plaque determines the distribution of phages. This provides a new tool to study the propagation of infection at the microscopic level. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;96: 615–621. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Co‐immobilization of different enzyme activities to non‐woven polyester surfaces
Authors: Nouaimi‐Bachmann Meryem , Skilewitsch Olga , Senhaji‐Dachtler Saida , Bisswanger Hans
Published: August 2006

Co‐immobilization was applied to combine complementary enzyme reactions. Therefore, trypsin was co‐immobilized together with both, lipase and α‐amylase, onto the surface of non‐woven polyester material. The progress of the immobilization reaction was directly monitored by investigating covalent fixation of the enzymes to the polyester flees using1H‐MAS‐NMR. Co‐immobilization of the different types of enzymes to the polyester support showed retained enzymatic activity. However, a competition of binding to the support was observed. Increasing amounts of one type of enzyme reduced the degree of immobilization for the other type. In order to investigate the distribution of trypsin and α‐amylase on the polyester support, the flees was treated with a mixture of rhodamine isothiocyanate labeled with anti‐trypsin antibodies and fluorescein isothiocyanate labeled with anti‐α‐amylase antibodies. Using fluorescence microscopy, the co‐immobilization was analyzed by selective excitation of both chromophores at 480 and 530 nm, respectively. In addition, fluorescence spectroscopy was applied by direct labeling of trypsin and lipase prior to co‐immobilization to the polyester support. A special prism of plexiglass was constructed, which fit into a 10 × 10 mm fluorescence cuvette in that way that a diagonal plane was formed within the cuvette. The non‐woven support was fixed in the cuvette and fluorescence spectra were obtained to characterize the amount of different enzymes linked to the support. Using FRET it was demonstrated that a uniform distribution of the various enzyme species was achieved, where the different enzyme activities are bound on the support in close neighborhood to one another. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;96:623–630. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Significance of micrometastases on the survival of women with T1 breast cancer
Authors: Maibenco Douglas C. , Dombi George W. , Kau Tsui Y. , Severson Richard K.
Published: August 2006

BACKGROUND

The most important factor in predicting survival among women with newly diagnosed breast cancer is the status of the axillary lymph nodes. Although straightforward to define, the impact of micrometastases on survival remains to be completely determined.

METHODS

A review of data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Program of the National Cancer Institute was performed using 43,921 cases diagnosed from January 1988 through December 2001. Among women with invasive breast carcinomas ≤2 cm undergoing a resection of the primary malignancy and an axillary lymph node dissection, there were 42,197 cases without lymph node metastases and 1724 cases with micrometastases. Survival differences among these 2 groups were evaluated and are reported here.

RESULTS

Survival at 12 years was modestly affected by the presence of either solitary (5.0%) or multiple lymph nodes (3.6%) with micrometastases when compared with lymph node‐negative cases. In subgroup analyses, the decreased survival associated with micrometastases was inconsistent. The most significant survival disadvantage associated with micrometastases was found in cases with Grade 3 carcinomas.

CONCLUSIONS

The modest and variable impact of micrometastases on long‐term survival indicates that micrometastases are an important, but not a dominant, prognostic indicator. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma
Authors: Liu Jeffrey , Singh Bhuvanesh , Tallini Giovanni , Carlson Diane L. , Katabi Nora , Shaha Ashok , Tuttle R. Michael , Ghossein Ronald A.
Published: August 2006

BACKGROUND

There is continuous debate regarding the optimal classification, prognosis, and treatment of the follicular variant of papillary thyroid carcinoma (FVPTC). The objective of this study was to assess the behavior of FVPTC, especially its encapsulated form, and shed more light on its true position in the classification scheme of well differentiated thyroid carcinoma.

METHODS

All patients with FVPTC, follicular thyroid adenoma (FTA), and follicular thyroid carcinoma (FTC) who were diagnosed between 1980 and 1995 were reviewed and reclassified according to the currently accepted definition of FVPTC. The tumors were separated into encapsulated and nonencapsulated (infiltrative/diffuse) types. Encapsulated tumors were subdivided further into tumors with or without capsular/vascular invasion. These different subtypes of FVPTC were correlated with outcome and with other clinicopathologic parameters.

RESULTS

After review by 4 pathologists, 78 patients were included in the study. Sixty‐one of 78 patients (78%) had encapsulated tumors (18 invasive, 43 noninvasive), and 17 patients had nonencapsulated tumors (infiltrative/diffuse). The gender distribution, age at presentation, and tumor size did not differ between patients with encapsulated and nonencapsulated FVPTC. Patients who had encapsulated FVPTC had a significantly lower rate of marked intratumor fibrosis (18%), extrathyroid extension (5%), and positive margins (2%) compared with patients who had nonencapsulated tumors (88%, 65%, and 50% respectively; P < .0001). Regional lymph node metastases were present in 14 of 78 patients (18%), and no patients had distant metastases. The lymph node metastatic rate was significantly higher in patients who had nonencapsulated tumors (11 of 17 patients; 65%) compared with patients who had encapsulated neoplasms (3 of 61 patients; 5%; P < .0001). In addition, lymph node metastases were not detected in any noninvasive, encapsulated FVPTCs. With a median follow‐up of 10.8 years, only 1 patient developed a recurrence, which occurred in an encapsulated FVPTC that had numerous invasive foci. None of the patients with noninvasive, encapsulated FVPTCs developed recurrences, including 31 patients who underwent lobectomy alone, with a median follow‐up of 11.1 years.

CONCLUSIONS

FVPTC appeared to be a heterogeneous disease composed of 2 distinct groups: an infiltrative/diffuse (nonencapsulated) subvariant, which resembles classic papillary carcinoma in its metastatic lymph node pattern and invasive growth, and an encapsulated form, which behaves more like FTA/FTC. Patients who had noninvasive, encapsulated FVPTCs did not develop lymph node metastases or recurrences and could be treated by lobectomy alone. If the current findings are confirmed, then strong consideration should be given to reclassifying encapsulated FVPTC as an entity that is close to the FTA/FTC class of tumors. Cancer 2006. © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Decay estimates for the wave and Dirac equations with a magnetic potential
Authors: D'Ancona Piero , Fanelli Luca
Published: August 2006

We study the electromagnetic wave equation and the perturbed massless Dirac equation on ℝt × ℝ3:

where the potentials A(x), B(x), and V(x) are assumed to be small but may be rough. For both equations, we prove the expected time decay rate of the solution

where the norm ‖f‖X can be expressed as the weighted L2‐norm of a few derivatives of the data f. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Impact of Redhat IPv6 router on heterogeneous host connections
Authors: Syed Mohamed Sulaiman , Buhari M. I. , Badhusha Akbar
Published: August 2006

Internet's popularity has been expanding on dramatic pace and the number of people getting connected to it multiplies regularly. With this high demand, the current Internet Protocol (IPv4) has reached its limits. The next generation Internet Protocol version6 (IPv6) has been incorporated into various operating systems. The motivation behind this work is how well IPv6 co‐operates with various operating systems. The performance of the IP stack, together with the behaviour of the OS greatly affects the efficiency of network applications built on top of it. The acceptance of IPv6 implementations on various operating systems heavily relies on the end‐user performance. In this paper, we propose to analyse these various IPv6 implementations for its host and router‐level supports. In this paper, we investigate the impact of Redhat‐based IPv6 router on IPv6 stacks of three different operating systems namely, Windows2003, Redhat Linux 9.0 (Redhat9.0) and FreeBSD4.9. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mathematical framework towards the analysis of a generic traffic marker
Authors: Rikli Nasser‐Eddine
Published: August 2006

DiffServ architecture has been widely adopted for the provision of QoS over the Internet. This makes the full understanding of its operation imperative. We believe that only mathematical analysis may have the power of such goal. As the heart of a DiffServ router is the token bucket algorithm, a generic one, with two‐colours marking, is to be considered here. A mathematical framework will be first developed for its analysis. Then, assuming an input traffic with Poisson arrivals and Exponential packet lengths, and a memoryless token bucket system, the two types of generated streams will be statistically characterized through their distributions and averages. This analysis will be carried out for two types of buckets, one with infinite size and a second with finite size. It will be shown how the derived equations will allow the prediction of the output traffic streams for given bucket and input traffic stream parameters. The paper will be then complemented by conclusions and suggestions. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Evaluation of authentication interworking methods among multiple WLAN service providers
Authors: Lee Wan Yeon , Lee Heejo
Published: August 2006

The interworking technologies to combine multiple WLANs into a single virtual system have not been studied extensively, particularly for legacy wireless networks. In this paper, we study how to provide the inter‐domain authentication among multiple WLAN service providers with minimum overhead. We introduce five inter‐domain authentication methods, referred to as Info‐Sharing, AP‐Seq, AP‐Con, AS‐Seq and AS‐Con, which are designed in the form of an extension to the standard IEEE 802.1x and EAP protocols. In order to evaluate these methods, we compare their authentication time, implementation cost, confidentiality, flexibility and increment of messages. From the evaluation with analysis and experiments, we show that the AS‐Con method can provide the authentication interworking function with minimal overhead on legacy network equipments. Also it is shown that, even though the authentication of AS‐Con takes longer than the previous method, their difference is under one second and insensitive to users. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dynamic buffer management using per‐queue thresholds
Authors: Gazi B. , Ghassemlooy Z.
Published: August 2006

Shared buffer switches consist of a memory pool completely shared among output ports of a switch. Shared buffer switches achieve low packet loss performance as buffer space is allocated in a flexible manner. However, this type of buffered switches suffers from high packet losses when the input traffic is imbalanced and bursty. Heavily loaded output ports dominate the usage of shared memory and lightly loaded ports cannot have access to these buffers. To regulate the lengths of very active queues and avoid performance degradations, threshold‐based dynamic buffer management policy, decay function threshold, is proposed in this paper. Decay function threshold is a per‐queue threshold scheme that uses a tailored threshold for each output port queue. This scheme suggests that buffer space occupied by an output port decays as the queue size of this port increases and/or empty buffer space decreases. Results have shown that decay function threshold policy is as good as well‐known dynamic thresholds scheme, and more robust when multicast traffic is used. The main advantage of using this policy is that besides best‐effort traffic it provides support to quality of service (QoS) traffic by using an integrated buffer management and scheduling framework. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Worm‐like artifacts in exfoliative cytology
Authors: Martínez‐Girón Rafael , González‐López José Rafael , Esteban José‐Guillermo , García‐Miralles María Teresa , Álvarez‐de‐los‐Heros Carlos , Ribas‐Barceló Andrés
Published: August 2006

The presence of worms in cytological smears is occasionally reported, although various other structures exist that may be confused with such parasites. We present eight worm‐like artifacts observed in routine Papanicolaou smears. Recognition of these structures is important to avoid overvaluation or confusion with true worms. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2006;34:636–639. © 2006 Wiley–Liss, Inc.
A case of mucinous spherulosis of the breast diagnosed retrospectively in FNA material
Authors: Laforga Juan B.
Published: August 2006

We describe for the first time the cytologic features of mucinous spherulosis (MS), a variant of collagenous spherulosis (CS) of the breast characterized by cribiform structures containing lightly basophilic material, embedded in a loosely mucinous acellular background. Histologically, the lesion was part of a complex hyperplasia containing foci of sclerosing adenosis, and foci of atypical ductal hyperplasia (ADH). Immunohistochemical study showed reactivity with smooth muscle actin and focally for cytokeratin 14. Cytologic features of MS were recognized retrospectively and consisted of intermediate to large round hyaline spherules, naked or surrounded by myoepithelial cells. A fibrillary radial appearance was observed with Diff‐Quick stain.

We draw attention to the importance of recognizing these features because they can easily pose problems either by being overlooked or overdiagnosed as mucinous carcinoma. Differential diagnosis is briefly discussed. Diagn. Cytopathol. 2006;34:626–630. © 2006 Wiley–Liss, Inc.
αN‐catenin deficiency causes defects in axon migration and nuclear organization in restricted regions of the mouse brain
Authors: Uemura Masato , Takeichi Masatoshi
Published: August 2006

αN‐catenin is a cadherin‐binding protein, widely expressed in the nervous system; and it plays a crucial role in cadherin‐mediated cell‐cell adhesion. Here we report the effects of αN‐catenin gene deficiency on brain morphogenesis. In addition to the previously reported phenotypes, we found that some of the axon tracts did not normally develop, in particular, axons of the anterior commissure failed to cross the midline, migrating, rather, to ectopic places. In restricted nuclei, a population of neurons was missing or their laminar arrangement was distorted. The ventricular structures were also deformed. These results indicate that αN‐catenin has diverse roles in the organization of the central nervous system, but only in limited portions of the brain. Developmental Dynamics, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Summary of ‘Interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing practices in ambulatory care’
Authors: Milne Andrea
Published: August 2006

This is a summary of a Cochrane review, published in this issue of EBCH, first published as: Arnold SR, Straus SE. Interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing practices in ambulatory care. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD003539. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003539.pub2.

Further information for this Cochrane review is available in this issue of EBCH in the accompanying Expert Commentary and Characteristics and Key Findings Tables articles. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Commentary on ‘Interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing practices in ambulatory care’
Authors: Robinson Joan L.
Published: August 2006

This is a commentary on a Cochrane review, published in this issue of EBCH, first published as: Arnold SR, Straus SE. Interventions to improve antibiotic prescribing practices in ambulatory care. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 4. Art. No.: CD003539. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD003539.pub2.

Further information for this Cochrane review is available in this issue of EBCH in the accompanying EBCH Summary and Characteristics and Key Findings Tables articles. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characteristics and key findings for ‘Antibiotics for acute pyelonephritis in children’
Authors: van Dalen Elvira , Offringa Martin , Kremer Leontien
Published: August 2006

These are the characteristics and key findings for a Chochrane review published in this issue of EBCH, first published as: Bloomfield P, Hodson EM, Craig JC. Antibiotics for acute pyelonephritis in children. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 1. Art. No.: CD003772. DOI: 10.1002/14651858. CD003772.pub2.

Further information for this Cochrane review is available in this issue of EBCH in the accompanying EBCH Summary and Expert Commentary articles. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Summary of ‘Neuromuscular paralysis for newborn infants receiving mechanical ventilation’
Authors: Milne Andrea
Published: August 2006

This is a summary of a Cochrane review, published in this issue of EBCH, first published as: Cools F, Offringa M. Neuromuscular paralysis for newborn infants receiving mechanical ventilation. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD002773. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD002773.pub2.

Further information for this Cochrane review is available in this issue of EBCH in the accompanying Expert Commentary and Characteristics and Key Findings Tables articles. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Summary of ‘Interventions for promoting the initiation of breastfeeding’
Authors: Milne Andrea
Published: August 2006

This is a summary of a Cochrane review, published in this issue, first published as: Dyson L, McCormick F, Renfrew MJ. Interventions for promoting the initiation of breastfeeding. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2005, Issue 2. Art. No.: CD001688. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001688.pub2.

Further information for this Cochrane review is available in this issue of EBCH in the accompanying Expert Commentary and Characteristics and Key Findings Tables articles. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
High‐precision texture mapping on 3D free‐form objects
Authors: Iwakiri Yuya , Kaneko Toyohisa
Published: August 2006

Cultural heritage objects such as historical buildings and sculptures are being lost every year due to such causes as earthquakes and fires, so that the need of preserving such objects digitally is becoming widely recognized. Digital preservation is carried out by measuring both 3D shape and optical property of an object of interest. The shape is usually measured with a laser scanner while the optical property is measured with a digital camera. It has been found to be difficult to match textures on the object surface exactly. Matching is carried out usually via camera parameters associated with the digital camera employed. Such camera parameters are usually derived based upon object silhouettes or perimeters. This paper proposes utilization of both silhouettes and textures for a more precise match of textures on the object surface. Furthermore, it proposes an algorithm to derive an optimal set of camera positions to realize a constant overlapping ratio. The proposed methods were applied to two examples, resulting in excellent matching. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electron Comm Jpn Pt 2, 89(9): 24–32, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/ecjb.20302
Overexpression of ICAT highlights a rolefor catenin‐mediated canonical Wnt signalling in early T cell development
Authors: Pongracz Judit E. , Parnell Sonia M. , Jones Terry , Anderson Graham , Jenkinson Eric J.
Published: August 2006

Transcription factors of the T cell factor/lymphoid enhancing factor (Tcf/Lef) family are key regulators in the development of T cell precursors to the CD4+8+ stage. These factors are known targets of the canonical Wnt signalling pathway, and regulate transcription of Wnt target genes following interaction with the armadillo repeat‐containing protein β‐catenin. However, as recent studies show normal thymocyte maturation in the absence of either β‐catenin or its homologue γ‐catenin, the role of Wnt signalling in Tcf/Lef activation during T cell development is controversial. To directly investigate the importance of catenin‐mediated Wnt signalling in early thymocytes, we have compared the expression of β‐ and γ‐catenin and analysed distinct stages of T cell precursor maturation following overexpression of inhibitor of β‐catenin and Tcf (ICAT), which inhibits Wnt signalling by preventing binding of armadillo repeat‐containing proteins to Tcf/Lef. By direct retroviral gene targeting of CD4–8– and CD4+8+ precursors, we show that ICAT overexpression inhibits the CD4–8–‐to‐CD4+8+ transition, but not the CD4+8+‐to‐CD4+8– or ‐CD4–8+ transition. Collectively, our data support a model in which canonical Wnt signalling influences T cell development in the thymus by playing an essential role in the maturation of CD4–8– but not CD4+8+ thymocytes.
Human ILT2 receptor associates with murine MHC class I molecules in vivo and impairs T cell function
Authors: Liang Siyuan , Zhang Wei , Horuzsko Anatolij
Published: August 2006

Immunoglobulin‐like transcript 2 (ILT2/LILRB1/LIR1/CD85j) is an inhibitory receptor broadly expressed on leukocytes and antigen‐presenting cells that recognizes HLA‐class I and human cytomegalovirus UL18 proteins. The function of this receptor is to generate negative signals or to inhibit positive signals. Here, we demonstrate the model to study the function of ILT2 in vivo using a newly generated transgenic mouse expressing the human inhibitory receptor on T, B, NK, and NKT cells. ILT2 expression affects thymocyte development and targets the proximal TCR signaling pathway, resulting in long‐term survival or acceptance of skin allografts. The phenotype and constitutive tyrosine phosphorylation of ILT2 in transgenic mice illustrate the possible existence of a murine ligand. We report here that H‐2Db, a murine MHC class I molecule, associates with human ILT2 in vivo. This engagement with ILT2 directs effects on thymocyte development, negative regulation of TCR signaling, T cell activation, and alloimmune responses. Our finding provides support for an important inhibitory function of ILT2 in T cells in vivo and opens up strategies for targeting proximal TCR signaling for prevention of allograft rejection.
Stereoselective Disposition of the Geminal Dimethyl Group in the Cyclization of Geranyl Acetate under Zeolite Confinement Conditions
Authors: Tsangarakis Constantinos , Stratakis Manolis
Published: August 2006

The stereochemistry in the acid‐catalysed biomimetic cyclization of [8,8,8‐D3]geranyl acetate was examined in solution and under conditions of zeolite Y confinement. In the intrazeolite reaction the gem‐allylic methyl group adopts a diastereoselective disposition in the cyclization product (64 % dr). In contrast, the gem‐dimethyl disposition in a homogeneous medium (ClSO3H/2‐nitropropane) proceeds with negligible diastereoselectivity (dr < 5 %). The enhanced diastereoselection within the zeolite is attributed to the proximity of the nucleophilic double bond to the intermediate carbocation, as a result of confinement (entropy effect). (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Unexpected Highly Chemoselective Anodic ortho‐Coupling Reaction of2,4‐Dimethylphenol on Boron‐Doped Diamond Electrodes
Authors: Malkowsky Itamar M. , Griesbach Ulrich , Pütter Hermann , Waldvogel Siegfried R.
Published: August 2006

Anodic conversion of 2,4‐dimethylphenol on boron‐doped diamond (BDD) electrodes under solvent‐free conditions results in an unusual highly selective formation of the desired 2,2′‐biphenol, representing the best electrochemical synthesis for this particular compound. (© Wiley‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2006)
Optical and Bioelectrochemical Characterization of Water‐Miscible Ionic Liquids Based Composites of Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes
Authors: Tao Wenyan , Pan Dawei , Liu Qian , Yao Shouzhuo , Nie Zhou , Han Buxing
Published: August 2006

Acidic treated multiwalled carbon nanotubes (AMWNTs) were ground with water‐miscible room temperature ionic liquids, 1‐butyl‐3‐methylimidazolium tetrafluoroborate ([bmim]BF4), and resulted in AMWNTs‐[bmim]BF4 composite. Its electrical‐ionic conductivity and optical properties were compared with the other two types of carbon materials‐[bmim]BF4 composites: pyrolytic graphite powder (PGP), pristine multiwalled carbon nanotubes (PMWNTs), through the ac impedance technology and Raman spectroscopy. The impedance data show that AMWNTs‐[bmim]BF4 composite exhibits the highest conductivity. Raman spectra study exhibits that the [bmim]BF4 can form gel with PMWNTs and AMWNTs but only form a viscous liquid with PGP. AMWNTs‐[bmim]BF4 gel modified GC electrode was applied in direct electrochemistry of heme proteins (Hb and HRP) and it catalysis to the reduction of H2O2 was investigated.
On the Suitability of Hydrous Ruthenium Oxide Supports to Enhance Intrinsic Proton Conductivity in DMFC Anodes
Authors: Scheiba F. , Scholz M. , Cao L. , Schafranek R. , Roth C. , Cremers C. , Qiu X. , Stimming U. , Fuess H.
Published: August 2006

Hydrous ruthenium oxides have been investigated as novel support materials for fuel cell electrocatalysts for use in DMFC applications. These oxides were chosen in particular due to their potential intrinsic proton conductivity. Pt nanoparticles have been deposited onto the new support, and the resulting catalysts characterized both structurally and electrochemically. The Pt nanoparticles are sized between 3–4 nm and are highly dispersed on the support. Transmission electron micrographs show that the individual Pt nanoparticles are covered by an amorphous coating layer – probably hydrous ruthenium oxide, in good agreement with the XPS data. Electrochemical measurements on model electrodes indicate that proton conductivity of the supporting material is strongly affected by interdiffusion of methanol. Nevertheless, initial tests on membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) showed improved performance, particularly with respect to internal resistance, when compared to Pt‐Ru black. The catalyst showed very high activity in CO stripping experiments performed on a full MEA, suggesting high catalyst utilization, despite the comparatively low Nafion® content used in the electrode layer.
A Porous Silicon‐Based Ionomer‐Free Membrane Electrode Assembly for Miniature Fuel Cells
Authors: Pichonat T. , Gauthier‐Manuel B.
Published: August 2006

Previous work showed the pertinence of using grafted porous silicon as the proton exchange membrane for miniature fuel cells. One of the limitations was the membrane‐electrodes assembly, which required an ionomer, in the current study a 5% Nafion®‐117 solution, to ensure a proton‐conducting link between the commercial carbon cloth electrodes and the membrane. Here, new developments for this fuel cell, with a totally Nafion®‐free process, are reported. The Pt catalyst is sputtered and electrodeposited onto the surface of the proton conducting porous silicon membrane. The initial performance of this fuel cell is shown and demonstrates the validity of the technique.
Discussing resuscitation preferences with patients: Challenges and rewards
Authors: Chittenden Eva H. , Clark Susannah T. , Pantilat Steven Z.
Published: August 2006

Discussing preferences regarding resuscitation is a challenging and important task for any physician. Understanding patients' wishes at the end of life allows physicians to provide the type of care patients want, to avoid unwanted interventions, and to promote patient autonomy and dignity. Hospitalists face an even greater challenge because they are often meeting a patient for the first time in a crisis situation. Despite the frequency with which clinicians have these conversations, they typically fall short when discussing code status with patients. In this evidence‐based review, we discuss physician barriers to conducting effective discussions, offer a variety of approaches to enhancing these conversations, and review important communication techniques. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2006;1:231–240. © 2006 Society of Hospital Medicine.
Frequency response of pig intervertebral disc cells subjected to dynamic hydrostatic pressure
Authors: Kasra Mehran , Merryman W. David , Loveless Kristen N. , Goel Vijay K. , Martin James D. , Buckwalter Joseph A.
Published: August 2006

The pathogenesis of vibration‐induced disorders of intervertebral disc at the cellular level is largely unknown. Dynamic loads with frequencies close to that of the in vivo human spine resonant frequency (4–6 Hz) have a destructive effect, which may induce extracellular disc matrix (ECM) degradation. To investigate this issue, three‐dimensional (3D) alginate cultures of normal pig intervertebral disc nucleus and inner annulus cells were tested under dynamic hydrostatic loading. Alginate cultures of each region were divided into six groups; five groups were exposed to cyclic hydrostatic pressures of frequencies 1, 3, 5, 8, and 10 Hz with the same amplitude (1 MPa), and group 6 was the control group (no loading). Cultures of different groups were loaded for 3 days (30 min daily) in a hydraulic chamber. Effects of loading frequency on disc collagen and protein metabolism were investigated by measuring 3H‐proline–labeled proteins associated with the cells in the extracellular matrix and release of 3H‐proline–labeled molecules into culture medium. The results indicated a poor synthesis rate and more degradation near the 5 Hz frequency. The repeatability of experiments was verified by performing two experiments with the same protocol. Both experiments indicated that a threshold frequency of around 5 Hz disrupted protein metabolism. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. © 2006 Orthopaedic Research Society. Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Orthop Res 24:1967–1973, 2006
Seasonal variations in proximate and elemental composition of pearl oyster (Pinctada radiata, Leach, 1814)
Authors: Gokoglu Nalan , Gokoglu Mehmet , Yerlikaya Pinar
Published: August 2006

Pearl oysters (Pinctada radiata) were investigated for proximate and elemental composition throughout the year. Oysters were collected bimonthly by hand during scuba diving from the Gulf of Antalya. Ranges of dry matter, protein, fat and ash contents were 144.7–209.8, 65.9–160.4, 4.3–10.9 and 4.6–27.0 g kg−1, respectively. While the highest protein and fat values were found in the summer months, the highest dry matter and ash contents were found in the winter months. The highest element contents were found in the spring and autumn months. Cadmium and zinc were found to be over the legislative limits, while copper was below, throughout year. The highest concentration among the elements was obtained for zinc. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Effect of correlations on feedback control of atoms
Authors: Ivanova T Yu , Ivanov D A
Published: August 2006

We discuss the influence of atom-atom correlations on the collective feedback of atoms trapped in an 1D optical lattice. Analytically deriving the dynamics of these correlations we consider a series of feedback steps and analyze the average energy change as a measure of the feedback efficiency. It is demonstrated that the correlations strongly affect the feedback process, so that without destroying them the energy of the system can not be effectively reduced. The situations when a correlation-destroying mechanism operates are discussed as well.
Singular integral operators in weighted spaces of continuous functions with non‐equilibrated continuity modulus
Authors: Samko Natasha
Published: August 2006

We show that singular integral operators with piecewise continuous coefficients may gain massive spectra when considered in weighted spaces of continuous functions with a prescribed continuity modulus (generalized Hölder spaces Hω (Γ, ρ )), a fact known for example for Lebesgue spaces Lp (Γ, ρ ) in the case of general Muckenhoupt weights ρ or bad‐behaved curves Γ. In the case under consideration the appearance of “lunes” generating massivity of the spectra is due to the presence of a general (non‐equilibrated) continuity modulus ω . These lunes arise when the Boyd‐type indices of the function ω (h ) do not coincide. Thus, the massive spectra may appear in the non‐weighted case and on nice curves, a situation similar to Orlicz spaces. The main problems arising in the investigation are the nature of non‐equilibrated continuity moduli ω and the failure of the density of “nice” functions in Hölder‐type spaces. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Heterogeneous ‘Organoclick’ Derivatization of Polysaccharides
Authors: Hafrén Jonas , Zou Weibiao , Córdova Armando
Published: August 2006

Summary: A simple method for the direct catalytic heterogeneous modification of polysaccharides is presented. The novel method is exemplified by the combination of organic acid‐catalyzed esterification and copper‐catalyzed Huisgen reaction (click chemistry) to attach a fluorescent probe to solid cellulose. The heterogeneous ‘organoclick’ derivatization of cellulose allows for a mild, highly modular surface modification of cellulose under environmentally benign reaction conditions.

Schematic of the combined organic acid‐catalyzed esterification and copper‐catalyzed Huisgen reaction (click chemistry) to modify a polysaccharide with a fluorescent probe.

magnified image

Schematic of the combined organic acid‐catalyzed esterification and copper‐catalyzed Huisgen reaction (click chemistry) to modify a polysaccharide with a fluorescent probe.
Three‐dimensional fracture simulations based on the SDA
Authors: Feist C. , Hofstetter G.
Published: August 2006

A numerical model within the framework of a non‐symmetric strong discontinuity approach (SDA) suitable for fracture simulations of plain concrete is presented. The model is based on the fixed crack concept and is formulated within the framework of elements with embedded discontinuities. Discontinuity segments of individual elements are considered to form a C0‐continuous surface. Enforcement of continuity of the crack surface across adjacent elements is established by the so‐called partial domain crack tracking algorithm (PDTA). Orientation of individual crack segments is derived from a non‐local strain field. Within the present work emphasis is put on the formulation for the three‐dimensional case. The implications on the respective algorithms are highlighted. The capabilities of the model are shown by means of numerical examples. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Bladder volume sensitivity of isovolumetric intravesical pressure
Authors: van Mastrigt R. , Huang Foen Chung J.W.N.C.
Published: August 2006

Aims

Recently, methods have been introduced for non‐invasively measuring the isovolumetric bladder pressure. This pressure can also be measured invasively using a stop test. In itself, the isovolumetric pressure is a measure of urinary bladder contractility, by combining it with maximum urinary flow rate it can be used to diagnose infravesical obstruction. We have studied the (possible) volume dependence of this pressure in order to enhance the accuracy of this type of measurements and to explore its physiological background and possible diagnostic relevance.

Materials and Methods

In 1,020 healthy subjects, recruited for an ongoing longitudinal study of changes in bladder contractility secondary to prostatic enlargement, we measured the isovolumetric bladder pressure using the condom catheter method. In each subject, voiding was repeatedly interrupted. The resulting pressure–volume relations were normalized and averaged.

Results and Conclusions

There is an optimum bladder volume for isovolumetric pressure measurements, averaging 264 ± 122 ml (mean ± SD). Measurements should be taken at or above the optimum volume. At volumes below the optimum volume, the pressure decreases by approximately 5% for each 10% of volume decrease. At bladder volumes smaller than 247 ml pressure readings in 50% of subjects are suboptimal. The optimum volume for isovolumetric pressure generation is only marginally related to voiding diary parameters. Probably it represents mechanical properties of the bladder, whereas voiding diary parameters more likely represent neurophysiological properties. However, the optimum volume does not reflect the optimum (smooth) muscle length for force generation of the bladder wall: during normal voiding bladder smooth muscle always operates at a suboptimal length for force generation. Neurourol. Urodynam. 25:744–751, 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Using hierarchical Cartesian grids with multigrid acceleration
Authors: Silva Santos Carlos M. , Greaves Deborah M.
Published: August 2006

This paper describes the use of a multigrid strategy on hierarchical Cartesian grids for the simulation of small amplitude inviscid waves in a tank. Quadtree grid generation by recursive subdivision is described and the grid storage system discussed along with the associated grid operations, such as neighbour finding and identification of empty cells. A multigrid strategy using a novel global approach is discussed with respect to its application to quadtree grids. A comparative study is presented of the performance of multigrid parameters, such as number of iterations at each level, grid visiting schedules and different prolongation operators. It is shown that quadtree grids are ideally suited to a multigrid strategy when the solution of the elliptic Laplace's equation is sought, with savings of the order of 90% in CPU time with respect to a non‐multigrid solution. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficient robust design via Monte Carlo sample reweighting
Authors: Fonseca José R. , Friswell Michael I. , Lees Arthur W.
Published: August 2006

A novel probabilistic method for the optimization of robust design problems is presented. The approach is based on an efficient variation of the Monte Carlo simulation method. By shifting most of the computational burden to outside of the optimization loop, optimum designs can be achieved efficiently and accurately. Furthermore by reweighting an initial set of samples the objective function and constraints become smooth functions of changes in the probability distribution of the parameters, rather than the stochastic functions obtained using a standard Monte Carlo method. The approach is demonstrated on a beam truss example, and the optimum designs are verified with regular Monte Carlo simulation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.