bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overexpression of human transferrin in two oligodendroglial cell lines enhances their differentiation
Authors: Paez Pablo M. , García Corina I. , Campagnoni Anthony T. , Soto Eduardo F. , Pasquini Juana M.
Published: May 2005

We have previously demonstrated that the addition of apotransferrin (aTf) to oligodendroglial cell (OLGc) primary cultures accelerates their maturation. Cells treated with aTf developed a multipolar morphology and displayed increased expression of mature OLGc markers. In this work, we studied the effect of Tf overexpression in two OLGc lines, N19 and N20.1. The former cells exhibit characteristics of OLGc precursors (O2A), while N20.1 cells express markers of more mature OLGcs. Using the complete cDNA of the human Tf gene, we obtained clones overexpressing Tf in both cell lines. These clones were evaluated for the expression of OLGc differentiation markers. In agreement with our previous results, we found that in the cells overexpressing Tf, there was an increased O4, GC, and MBP immunoreactivity. To study the myelinogenic potential of these cells, we co‐cultured N19 and N20.1 Tf‐transfected cells together with cortical neurons. There was a dramatic increase in the morphological differentiation of the OLGcs accompanied by enhanced GC and MBP expression. The OLGcs appeared to establish contact with neurites and extend their processes along them. Only two MBP isoforms were detected in Tf‐overexpressing clones, while all the isoforms were present in the co‐cultures, suggesting that there was a modulation of MBP expression by neurons. Concomitantly, we found an increase in several proteins involved in axon–glia interaction, such as MAG, N‐CAM, and F3/Contactin. This co‐culture system represents a potentially powerful tool to study neuron–glia interactions that occur during myelinogenesis and the role of Tf in this process. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Tracing transplanted oligodendrocytes during migration and maturation in the shiverer mouse brain
Authors: Gansmuller A. , Clerin E. , Krüger F. , Gumpel M. , Lachapelle F.
Published: May 2005

Fragments of neural tissue from normal newborn mouse were stained with Hoechst 33342 dye before transplantation into the newborn shiverer mouse brain. Combination of this technique with immunohistochemistry demonstrated that, after transplantation, these cells are able to survive as long as unstained cells and to myelinate in the shiverer mouse host brain. Stained cells express the normal sequence of differentiation in terms of chronology of differentiation marker expression [04, galactocerebroside (GalC), myelin basic protein (MBP)], as normal cell do in situ. It has thus been possible by this technique to show the migration pathways of transplanted cells and to correlate them with the expression of specific markers: long distance migration along white matter axonal pathways occurs when cells are o4‐positive, GalC‐negative. By contrast, only GalC‐positive cells are able to migrate across the grey matter in the absence of radial glia. Finally, it has been possible to propose a migration and differentiation sequence of these cells, suggesting that MBP‐positive oligodendrocytes divide after migration in the target zone.
Soluble factor(s) produced in injured fish optic nerve regulate the postinjury number of oligodendrocytes: Possible role of macrophages
Authors: Sivron T. , Cohen A. , Hirschberg D. L. , Jeserich G. , Schwartz M.
Published: May 2005

Mammalian central nervous system (CNS) axons are virtually incapable of regenerating after injury. However, CNS neurons of lower vertebrates, such as fish and amphibians, are endowed with a high regenerative capacity. Lately, the glial cells have been credited with the regenerative ability of any specific CNS. We have previously demonstrated that many oligodendrocytes are recovered in cultures of injured rat optic nerve, while only a few oligodendrocytes are recovered from injured fish optic nerve in culture. We further demonstrated that medium conditioned by regenerating fish optic nerves (CM), which has been shown to cause axonal elongation in injured rabbit optic nerves, causes a decrease in the number of oligodendrocytes in rat glial cultures. In the present study, we demonstrate that soluble factors in the CM are capable of reducing the number of fish oligodendrocytes in fish optic nerve cultures. In addition, an inverse relationship was found between the number of macrophages and the number of oligodendrocytes. These results thus suggest that macrophages and/or activated resident microglial cells are directly or indirectly responsible for the presence of these soluble factor(s) that regulate the postinjury number of oligodendrocytes in the fish optic nerves.
Determination of the membrane potential of cultured mammalian schwann cells and its sensitivity to potassium using a thiocarbocyanine fluorescent dye
Authors: Hargittai P. T. , Youmans S. J. , Lieberman E. M.
Published: May 2005

The membrane potential of cultured rat sciatic nerve Schwann cells was determined with conventional microelectrode and voltage‐sensitive fluorescent dye, Di‐S‐C3(5), optical techniques. The value for membrane potential obtained with microelectrodes was −42.1 ± 4.7 mV (n = 8). Using optically determined fluorescent intensity changes caused by changes in external potassium ion concentration, in the presence or absence of valinomycin (null point method), the membrane potential was estimated at −45.7 ± 6.2 mV (n = 7); with a gramicidin and valinomycin double ionophore method it was −52.2 ± 9.1 (n = 4). The membrane potential of Schwann cells was found to be potassium sensitive at and above the physiological range of [K+] at 27.5 mV/10 × Δ[K+], which is approximately half the Nernstian value. This result suggests that other ion permeabilities strongly influence the resting membrane potential of cultured Schwann cells. Since Na+ had little effect on the membrane potential, it is concluded that Cl− is a likely candidate for the other permeant ionic species. The optical method has been shown to be a useful tool for the systematic study of the membrane potential of Schwann cells in culture and for the characterization of its ionic basis and regulation.
Ca2+ influx into leech neuropile glial cells mediated by nicotinic acetylcholine receptors
Authors: Hochstrate Peter , Schlue Wolf‐Rüdiger
Published: May 2005

The effect of cholinergic agonists and antagonists on the intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) of leech neuropile glial cells was investigated by use of iontophoretically injected fura‐2. In neuropile glial cells, cholinergic agonists induced a marked increase in [Ca2+]i that was inhibited by d‐tubocurarine, α‐bungarotoxin, strychnine, and atropine. The efficacy of the various agonists and antagonists indicates that the [Ca2+]i increase is mediated by the nicotinic acetylcholine (ACh) receptors that have been characterized previously in these cells by using electrophysiological methods. In the presence of high agonist concentrations, [Ca2+]i partly recovered, suggesting that the ACh receptors desensitize.

The [Ca2+]i increase induced by cholinergic agonists was abolished in Ca2+‐free solution, which indicates that it is caused by Ca2+ influx from the external medium. The agonist‐induced [Ca2+]i increase was partly preserved in Na+‐free solution, whereas the agonist‐induced membrane depolarization was strongly suppressed. The agonist‐induced [Ca2+]i increase was also partly preserved in the presence of 5 mM Ni2+, which almost abolished the K+‐induced [Ca2+]i increase mediated by voltage‐dependent Ca2+ channels. It is concluded that at low agonist concentrations the [Ca2+]i increase in leech neuropile glial cells is mediated exclusively by the ion channels associated with the nicotinic ACh receptors. At high agonist concentrations, voltage‐dependent Ca2+ channels activated by the concomitant membrane depolarization also contribute to the agonist‐induced Ca2+ influx. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Potassium currents in endfeet of isolated Müller cells from the frog retina
Authors: Skatchkov Serguei N. , Vyklicky Ladislav , Orkand Richard K.
Published: May 2005

Voltage dependent potassium currents were recorded using the whole‐cell mode of the patch‐clamp technique for the first time from endfeet of Müller cells dissociated from the frog retina. Recordings from intact cells and isolated endfeet indicate that the inward rectifier potassium channel is the dominant ion channel in these cells and that the density of these channels is highest in the endfoot as has been previously reported for several other species. The present study uses rapid changes in [K+]o to understand the behavior of these channels in buffering [K+]o in the retina. With rapid changes in [K+]o, it was found that, at a membrane potential of −90 mV, which is close to EK, increasing [K+]o from 3 to 10 mM produced an inward K+ current 5.48 ± 0.89 SD (n = 9) times larger than outward current induced by decreasing [K+]o from 3 to 1 mM. The outward current was maximal at a holding potential of about −80 mV and exhibited inactivation at more positive potentials. At −40 mV both the inward and outward currents are markedly reduced. The current voltage curve for the inward current was linear at holding potentials from −50 mV to −140 mV. Using 20 mV voltage steps, it was found that the voltage dependent K+ currents were unaffected by the addition of 2 mM Cd2+, a blocker of Ca2+‐activated potassium currents, decreasing [Cl−]o from 120 mM to 5 mM or the substitution of 30 mM Na+ by TEA. The addition of 5 mM [Cs+]o blocked only the inward current. Both the outward and inward currents disappeared in the absence of intracellular and extracellular K+; 0.3 mM [Ba2+]o blocked the inward current completely and strongly inhibited the outward current in a time and voltage dependent manner. We conclude that at physiological [K+]o and membrane potential, the K+ channels in the Müller cell endfoot are well suited to carry K+ both inward and outward across the membrane as required for spatial buffering. © 1995 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Neural correlates of the misattribution of self‐generated speech
Authors: Allen Paul P. , Amaro Edson , Fu Cynthia H.Y. , Williams Steven C.R. , Brammer Michael , Johns Louise C. , McGuire Philip K.
Published: May 2005

Auditory hallucinations are thought to arise through the misidentification of self‐generated verbal material as alien. The neural mechanisms that normally mediate the differentiation of self‐generated from nonself speech are unclear. We investigated this in healthy volunteers using functional MRI. Eleven healthy volunteers were scanned whilst listening to a series of prerecorded words. The source (self/nonself) and acoustic quality (undistorted/distorted) of the speech was varied across trials. Participants indicated whether the words were spoken in their own or another person's voice via a button press. Listening to self‐generated words was associated with more activation in the left inferior frontal and right anterior cingulate cortex than words in another person's voice, which was associated with greater engagement of the lateral temporal cortex bilaterally. Listening to distorted speech was associated with activation in the inferior frontal and anterior cingulate cortex. There was an interaction between the effects of source of speech and distortion on activation in the left temporal cortex. In the presence of distortion participants were more likely to misidentify their voice as that of another. This misattribution of self‐generated speech was associated with reduced engagement of the cingulate and prefrontal cortices. The evaluation of auditory speech involves a network including the inferior frontal, anterior cingulate, and lateral temporal cortex. The degree to which different areas within this network are engaged varies with the source and acoustic quality of the speech. Accurate identification of one's own speech appears to depend on cingulate and prefrontal activity. Hum Brain Mapp, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Functional interactions between oculomotor regions during prosaccades and antisaccades
Authors: Miller Lee M. , Sun Felice T. , Curtis Clayton E. , D'Esposito Mark
Published: May 2005

Human behavior reflects a continual negotiation of automatic and directed actions. The oculomotor network is a well‐characterized neural system in which to study this balance of behavioral control. For instance, saccades made toward and away from a flashed visual stimulus (prosaccades and antisaccades, respectively) are known to engage different cognitive processes. Brain regions important for such controlled execution include the presupplementary motor area (pre‐SMA), frontal eye fields (FEF), and intraparietal sulcus (IPS). Recent work has emphasized various elements of this network but has not explored the functional interactions among regions. We used event‐related fMRI to image human brain activity during performance of an interleaved pro/antisaccade task. Since traditional univariate statistics cannot address issues of functional connectivity, a multivariate technique is necessary. Coherence between fMRI time series of the pre‐SMA with the FEF and IPS was used to measure functional interactions. The FEF, but not IPS, showed significant differential coherence between pro‐ and antisaccade trials with pre‐SMA. These results suggest that the pre‐SMA coordinates with FEF to maintain a controlled, preparatory set for task‐appropriate oculomotor execution. Hum Brain Mapp, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hippocampal theta activity and behavioral sequences in a reward‐directed approach locomotor task
Authors: Sinnamon H.M.
Published: May 2005

Hippocampal rhythmic slow wave activity (theta) has been implicated in the processing of stimuli associated with movement. This study determined whether the theta rhythm showed phase relationships or changes in amplitude and frequency with the onset of stimuli and behavioral sequences in a skilled locomotor approach task. Rats with bipolar electrodes spanning CA1 approached a stall, turned to enter it, approached and depressed a treadle, waited 1.35 s, and approached a milk reward located forward either to the right or to the left. Auditory cues indicated the location of the reward during the waiting period and at the reward onset. A video capture system (20‐ms sampling) was synchronized to the hippocampal recording system (10‐ms sampling). Behavioral events identified by motion analysis were used to generate averages of hippocampal slow wave activity, theta peak amplitudes, and intervals between peaks. Theta activity at 8–10 Hz was almost continuous during the behavioral sequences. Phase relations with stimuli or movement onsets occurred infrequently and were not consistent across the four subjects. Theta peak amplitude and frequency decreased as the rat slowed locomotion in the stall and reached the treadle. Onset of locomotion directed to a reward location occurred on a positive peak of averaged theta activity. When locomotion had short latencies, increases in theta frequency appeared after the onset but, when it had longer latencies, frequency increases appeared 200 ms before onset. The results indicate that the execution of instrumental movement modulates both theta amplitude and frequency, and that the preparation for locomotion modulates theta frequency. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Retrieval of autobiographical memory in Alzheimer's disease: Relation to volumes of medial temporal lobe and other structures
Authors: Gilboa Asaf , Ramirez Joel , Köhler Stefan , Westmacott Robyn , Black Sandra E. , Moscovitch Morris
Published: May 2005

The representation of autobiographical memory is distributed over a network of brain structures, with the medial temporal lobe (MTL) at its epicenter. Some believe that, over time, all memories become independent of their MTL component (“consolidation theories”). Others have suggested that this is true only of semantic memory, while episodic aspects of autobiographical memories are dependent on the MTL for as long as they exist, such as multiple trace theory (MTT). In the present study, the volumes of 28 brain regions, including the MTL, and their relation to autobiographical memory were investigated in a group of patients with Alzheimer's disease with varying degrees of retrograde memory loss as assessed by the Autobiographical Memory Interview (AMI). We used the multivariate analysis method of partial least squares (PLS) to assess patterns of atrophy that can lead to retrograde amnesia. We found that different aspects of autobiographical memory were associated with different patterns of tissue loss. Personal semantics were related to a pattern of bilateral anterior and posterior lateral temporal cortex degeneration, more pronounced on the left, as well as right frontal degeneration. Autobiographical event memory (“episodic”) was associated with combined atrophy in bilateral MTL and anterior lateral temporal neocortex, more pronounced on the right. This pattern was invariant for memories from childhood, early adulthood, and recent memories, in line with the predictions of MTT, suggesting that MTL tissue is crucial for retrieval of episodic memories regardless of their age. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
MDSIMAID: Automatic parameter optimization in fast electrostatic algorithms
Authors: Crocker Michael S. , Hampton Scott S. , Matthey Thierry , Izaguirre Jesús A.
Published: May 2005

MDSIMAID is a recommender system that optimizes parallel Particle Mesh Ewald (PME) and both sequential and parallel multigrid (MG) summation fast electrostatic solvers. MDSIMAID optimizes the running time or parallel scalability of these methods within a given error tolerance. MDSIMAID performs a run time constrained search on the parameter space of each method starting from semiempirical performance models. Recommended parameters are presented to the user. MDSIMAID's optimization of MG leads to configurations that are up to 14 times faster or 17 times more accurate than published recommendations. Optimization of PME can improve its parallel scalability, making it run twice as fast in parallel in our tests. MDSIMAID and its Python source code are accessible through a Web portal located at http://mdsimaid.cse.nd.edu. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem 26: 1021–1031, 2005
Peptide sequencing through N‐terminal phosphonylation and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry
Authors: Bao Jiangyin , Ai Huiwang , Fu Hua , Jiang Yuyang , Zhao Yufen , Huang Cheng
Published: May 2005

Peptides were phosphonylated at their N‐termini by reacting with ethoxyphenylphosphinate in the presence of triethylamine and tetrachloromethane under mild conditions. The phosphonylated peptides were analyzed by tandem electrospray ionization mass spectrometry. N‐Terminal phosphonylation selectively increased the intensities of bn‐type ions relative to other ion types. The resulting simplified mass spectra clearly show the sequential loss of amino acid residues from the C‐termini of peptides, providing a convenient and rapid method for peptide sequencing. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Selenoketene (H2CCSe)+• and selenoketyl cumulene (HCCSe)+ ions and their neutral counterparts: a tandem mass spectrometric and computational study
Authors: Nagi Reddy P. , Srikanth R. , Bhanuprakash K. , Srinivas R.
Published: May 2005

Dissociative electron ionization (70eV) of selenophene (C4H4Se) generates m/z 106 ions of composition [H2, C2, 80Se]+• and m/z 105 ions of [H, C2, 80Se]+. From tandem mass spectrometric experiments, Density Functional Theory (DFT) and ab initio calculations, it is concluded that these ions have the structure of selenoketene H2CCSe+• (1a+• )and selenoketyl HCCSe+ (2a+) ions respectively. The calculations predict that selenoketene ion 1a+• is separated by high energy barriers from its isomers selenirene (H$\catcode`@=11 \def\overlsqmatrix#1{\null\vbox{\normalbaselines\m@th \ialign{\hfil$##$\hfil&&\quad\hfil$##$\hfil\crcr \mathstrut\crcr\noalign{\kern-\baselineskip} #1\crcr\mathstrut\crcr\noalign{\kern-\baselineskip}}}} \newdimen\rulwidth \def\downsqbrace#1{\setbox1=\hbox{#1} \rulwidth=\wd1\advance \rulwidth by -6pt \raise3pt\hbox{$\overlsqmatrix{\vrule height5pt\kern-0.5pt\raise5pt\hbox to \rulwidth{\hrulefill}\kern-0.5pt\vrule height5pt\cr\noalign{\vskip-3pt}\hbox{#1}\cr\noalign{\vskip-5pt}}$}} \catcode`@=12 \downsqbrace{{\rm CCHS}}$e)+• 1b+•, ethyne selenol (HCCSeH)+• 1c+•, (CCHSeH)+• 1d+• and (CCSeH2)+• 1e+•. The selenoketyl ion 2a+ is separated by high barriers from its isomers (CCHSe)+ 2b+, and (CCSeH)+ 2c+. Neutralization‐reionization mass spectra (NRMS) of these structurally characterized ions confirmed that the corresponding neutral analogues, selenoketene H2CCSe 1a and selenoketyl radical HCCSe 2a• are stable in the rarefied gas phase. The relative, dissociation, and isomerization energies for selenoketene and selenoketyl ions and neutrals studied at B3LYP/6–31G(d,p) and G2/G2(MP2) levels are used to support and interpret the experimental results. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Functional expression of the ecto‐ATPase NTPDase2 and of nucleotide receptors by neuronal progenitor cells in the adult murine hippocampus
Authors: Shukla Varsha , Zimmermann Herbert , Wang Liping , Kettenmann Helmut , Raab Sabine , Hammer Klaus , Sévigny Jean , Robson Simon C. , Braun Norbert
Published: May 2005

An astrocyte‐like cell population corresponding to residual radial glia represents the neuronal progenitors of the adult mammalian hippocampus. We show that radial glia‐like cells of the dentate gyrus express surface‐located ATP‐hydrolyzing activity and are immunopositive for NTPDase2. This enzyme hydrolyzes extracellular nucleoside triphosphates such as ATP and UTP to their nucleoside diphosphates and is thus involved in the control of signaling via P2 receptors. NTPDase2 is expressed from embryonic day 17 onward. In the hippocampus, the embryonic pattern of NTPDase2 expression mirrors that of the dentate migration of neuroblasts. Double‐immunolabeling revealed that NTPDase2 is associated with subpopulations of glial fibrillary acidic protein‐, nestin‐ and doublecortin‐positive radial cells. It is absent from mature granule cells or S100‐positive astrocytes. NTPDase2‐positive cells proliferate. Furthermore, after mitosis, progenitor cells preferentially reveal an NTPDase2‐positive phenotype. Patch‐clamp analysis demonstrates functional nucleotide receptors in progenitor cells expressing nestin promotor‐driven green fluorescent protein. Our results identify the ecto‐nucleotidase NTPDase2 and functional P2X receptors at hippocampal progenitor cells. We infer that signaling pathways via extracellular nucleotides may play a role in the control of hippocampal neurogenesis. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Alkylthiol gold nanoparticles in sol‐gel‐based open tubular capillary electrochromatography
Authors: Yang Li , Guihen Elizabeth , Glennon Jeremy D.
Published: May 2005

A novel open‐tubular capillary electrochromatography (OTCEC) column was prepared by immobilizing dodecanethiol gold nanoparticles on prederivatised fused‐silica capillary columns with sol‐gel technology. 3‐Mercaptopropyl‐trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) was selected as sol‐gel precursor to develop a sol‐gel layer on the inner wall of the capillary, prior to assembly of dodecanethiol gold nanoparticles onto the generated sol‐gel layer through specific interaction between the gold nanoparticles and surface terminating thiol groups. The electrochromatographic behaviour of the sol‐gel gold nanoparticle capillary was compared with a gold nanoparticle capillary prepared via MPTMS surface functionalisation, through variation of the percentage of the organic modifier, pH, and separation voltage. Efficient separation for a “reversed‐phase” test mixture of thiourea, naphthalene, and biphenyl and for selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was obtained on the sol‐gel based gold nanoparticle capillaries. OTCEC separations of three selected drug substances (propiophenone, benzoin, and warfarin) were also demonstrated. Scanning electron microscopy was used for the characterization of the sol‐gel gold nanoparticle capillary surface. The results confirm that dodecanethiol gold nanoparticles, bound on the sol‐gel‐based inner layer of fused‐silica capillary, can provide sufficient solute‐bonded phase interactions for OTCEC with reproducible retention as well as characteristic reversed‐phase behaviour.
Investigation on the effect of various surface preparations on corrosion performance of powder coated steel by EIS
Authors: Attar M. M. , Naderi R. , Moayed M. H.
Published: May 2005

Powder coating systems have been considered for different purposes since they have many advantages in use. The performance of the different powder coating systems needs to be examined by various methods. In this paper, a polyester powder coating was applied on various pretreated mild steel panels. Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) measurements were used to study the durability of the coating on pretreated mild steels upon immersion in 3.5% w/w NaCl solution at ambient temperature for 7 and 50 days. Various elements of the equivalent circuit are proposed for the different metal/coating systems. The lowest coating and double layer capacitances were measured for acid pickled followed by phosphating pretreated steel panel while the coating and charge transfer resistance were the highest for this system. It revealed an improvement of coating durability on the substrate by phosphating pretreatment. This can be attributed to decreasing ingress of water, dissolved oxygen and ions into the coating.
Korrosionserscheinungen beim Herstellen von Betonfertigteilen in Stahlschalungen
Authors: Meyer D. , Triebert J. , Schulz W.‐D.
Published: May 2005

Es wurden Ursachen für die Korrosion an Stahlschalungen bei der Herstellung von Betonfertigbauteilen untersucht, insbesondere der Einfluss von Werkstoffoberfläche (verzundert, geschliffen), Wasser/Zement (W/Z)‐Wert (0,4 bis 0,8), Aushärtetemperatur (Raumtemperatur, 50°C), Chloridgehalt im Beton, Trockendauer (24 h, 72 h) und von Schalöl (niedrig‐hochviskos) ohne und mit Inhibitorzusatz. Es wurde gefunden, dass optimale Bedingungen vorliegen bei mittleren W/Z‐Werten bzw. Einsatz hochviskosen Schalöls. Positiv wirken sich auch Inhibitoren aus, ein Absenken des Chloridgehaltes und der Einsatz verzunderten Materials.
Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy analysis on aluminum alloys in EXCO solution
Authors: Cao F.‐H. , Zhang Z. , Su J.‐X. , Zhang J.‐Q.
Published: May 2005

Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) of Al‐Zn‐Mg‐Cu alloy in EXCO solution has been investigated. The results show that the impedance spectroscopy of the investigated electrode consists of two capacitive loops in the high and middle frequency domain respectively and an inductive loop in the low frequency domain at the first 30 h of immersion; the inductive arc disappears between 30 h and 60 h while it takes on at the low frequency domain at the last 36 h of the immersion time. A model based on the corrosion mechanism of the aluminum alloy and corroding morphology was proposed and applied to analyze the EIS results.
Cover Picture: Macromol. Rapid Commun. 10/2005
Authors: Tomatsu Itsuro , Hashidzume Akihito , Harada Akira
Published: May 2005

Cover: The cover picture shows a gel‐to‐sol transition using the interaction of α‐cyclodextrin (α‐CD) with dodecyl (C12) side chains attached to poly(acrylic acid). An aqueous solution of a C12‐modified poly‐ (acrylic acid) behaves as a gel because polymer chains form a network structure through hydrophobic associations of C12 side chains. When the α‐CD is added to the gel, the gel is converted to a sol mixture, because hydrophobic interactions of the C12 side chains are dissociated by the formation of inclusion complexes of α‐CD with C12 side chains. Further details can be found in the Communication by I. Tomatsu, A. Hashidzume, and A. Harada* on page 825.
Evaluation of acupuncture in the treatment of Parkinson's disease: A double‐blind pilot study
Authors: Cristian Adrian , Katz Meredith , Cutrone Eileen , Walker Ruth H.
Published: May 2005

As many as 40% of patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) use some form of complementary medicine during the course of their illness, and many try acupuncture. One nonblinded study of the effects of acupuncture in PD suggested that it might be helpful for some aspects of PD. We performed a double‐blind, randomized, pilot study comparing acupuncture to a control nonacupuncture procedure to determine the effects of acupuncture upon a variety of PD‐associated symptoms. Fourteen patients with Stage II or III PD received acupuncture or a control nonacupuncture protocol. Before and after treatment, patients were evaluated using the Motor subscale of the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS), the Parkinson's Disease Questionnaire (PDQ‐39), and the Geriatric Depression Scale. There were no statistically significant changes for the outcomes measured. In the patients who received acupuncture, nonsignificant trends toward improvement were noted in the Activities of Daily Living score of the PDQ‐39, the PDQ‐39 Summary Index, and the Motor subscale of the UPDRS. © 2005 Movement Disorder Society
Determination of non‐starch polysaccharides in cereal grains with near‐infared reflectance spectroscopy
Authors: Blakeney Anthony B. , Flinn Peter C.
Published: May 2005

Cereal grains contain variable amounts of non‐starch polysaccharides, such as arabinoxylans and (1→3),(1→4)‐β‐glucans (β‐glucans), which are associated with their cell walls. The type and composition of these polysaccharides is of increasing interest in both human and animal nutrition. Reference analysis for these polysaccharides requires the use both enzymic and monosaccharide methods. To evaluate fully the non‐starch polysaccharides present in grains, some analysts further distinguish between the soluble and insoluble fractions of these components. Near‐infrared reflectance (NIR) spectroscopy provides fast, inexpensive analysis. It is, however, a comparative technique that relies on multivariate calibration of sample spectra and accurate reference analysis. It has the potential to be exploited as a rapid analytical method for nutritionally important polysaccharides. The calibration statistics for arabinoxylans and β‐glucans obtained in this study suggest that NIR can be used in plant breeding, nutritional and product studies to obtain simple and rapid estimates of non‐starch polysaccharides. The occurrence of wheats with high cell wall contents together with barleys with high β‐glucan contents is well known. However, to date, this genetic variation has not been extensively exploited for the production of grains for use as human food ingredients.
Eomesodermin is expressed in mouse oocytes and pre‐implantation embryos
Authors: McConnell Josie , Petrie Linda , Stennard Fiona , Ryan Kenneth , Nichols Jennifer
Published: May 2005

T‐box genes are a highly conserved family of genes encoding transcription factors, which share a conserved DNA binding domain (the T‐box). Appropriate temporal and spatial expression of this gene family is critical for gastrulation and organogenesis in a number of species. The T‐box containing gene Eomesodermin was first identified in Xenopus, where it plays a critical role in mesoderm formation. In situ analyses in mice have described the expression patterns of the mouse ortholog of this gene mEomesodermin (mEomes) at the time of implantation and during fetal development. Additional studies involving the disruption of the mEomes gene, have demonstrated an additional role for mEomes in trophoblast formation. However, these analyses did not address the possibility that maternally encoded or pre‐blastocyst zygotic transcription of mEomes may also contribute to embryonic development. We show here that mEomes mRNA is present prior to blastocyst formation, and that the protein product of mEomes is associated with nuclear DNA during oocyte development and persistently localizes within all nuclei of the preimplantation embryo until the early blastocyst stage. mEomes protein is associated with the meiotic spindle in the unfertilized egg and with the mitotic spindle at each cell division. Our results are consistent with mEomesodermin having a role in early preimplantation development and inner cell mass formation in addition to its function in the trophoblast lineage. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Approximating nondominated sets in continuous multiobjective optimization problems
Authors: Martín Jacinto , Bielza Concha , Insua David Ríos
Published: May 2005

Many important problems in Operations Research and Statistics require the computation of nondominated (or Pareto or efficient) sets. This task may be currently undertaken efficiently for discrete sets of alternatives or for continuous sets under special and fairly tight structural conditions. Under more general continuous settings, parametric characterisations of the nondominated set, for example through convex combinations of the objective functions or ε‐constrained problems, or discretizations‐based approaches, pose several problems. In this paper, the lack of a general approach to approximate the nondominated set in continuous multiobjective problems is addressed. Our simulation‐based procedure only requires to sample from the set of alternatives and check whether an alternative dominates another. Stopping rules, efficient sampling schemes, and procedures to check for dominance are proposed. A continuous approximation to the nondominated set is obtained by fitting a surface through the points of a discrete approximation, using a local (robust) regression method. Other actions like clustering and projecting points onto the frontier are required in nonconvex feasible regions and nonconnected Pareto sets. In a sense, our method may be seen as an evolutionary algorithm with a variable population size. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2005.
Maturation of dendritic architecture: Lessons from insect identified neurons
Authors: Libersat Frederic
Published: May 2005

The highly complex geometry of dendritic trees is crucial for neural signal integration and the proper wiring of neuronal circuits. The morphogenesis of dendritic trees is regulated by innate genetic factors, neuronal activity, and external molecular cues. How each of these factors contributes to dendritic maturation has been addressed in studies of the developing nervous systems of animals ranging from insects to mammals. This article reviews our current knowledge and understanding of the role of afferent input in the establishment of the architecture of mature dendritic trees, using insect neurons as models. With these model systems and using quantitative morphometry, it is possible to define the contributions of intrinsic and extrinsic factors in dendritic morphogenesis of identified neurons and to evaluate the impact of dendritic maturation on the integration of identified neurons into functional circuits subserving identified behaviors. The commonly held view of dendritic morphogenesis is that general structural features result from genetic instructions, whereas fine connectivity details rely mostly on substrate interactions and functional activity. During early dendritic maturation, dendritic growth cone formation produces new branches at all dendritic roots. The second phase is growth cone independent and afferent input dependent, during which branching is limited to high order distal dendrites. During the third phase, activity‐dependent synaptic maturation occurs with limited or subtle remodeling of branching. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 64: 11–23, 2005
Gonadal hormone modulation of dendrites in the mammalian CNS
Authors: Cooke Bradley M. , Woolley Catherine S.
Published: May 2005

This review focuses on the effect of gonadal steroid hormones, androgen and estrogen, on dendrites in the adult rat central nervous system (CNS). Four hormone‐responsive nuclei are considered: The spinal nucleus of the bulbocavernosus (SNB), the medial nucleus of the amygdala (MeA), the ventromedial nucleus of the hypothalamus (VMN), and the CA1 region of the dorsal hippocampus. Particular emphasis is placed on the mode of hormone action in each nucleus. In the SNB, VMN, and hippocampus, hormones appear to mediate their effects indirectly, via cells other than those that display morphological plasticity. In the MeA, estrogen and/or androgen appears to act primarily on those cells whose dendrites are modulated by the hormone. Importantly, increasing levels of gonadal hormones do not simply result in increases in dendritic parameters. In the VMN, high levels of estrogen associated with proestrus increase dendritic spine density in one subset of cells and reduce spine density in another subset. The pyramidal cells of dorsal CA1 also undergo phasic changes in dendritic spine and synapse density across the estrous cycle. The estrogen‐induced excitatory synapses connect with preexisting axonal boutons that also form synapses with other CA1 cells, thereby increasing the divergence of excitatory afferents to dorsal CA1. These findings indicate that gonadal steroids have a profound impact on the morphology of dendrites and patterns of synaptic connectivity. Consequently, the experimental manipulation of hormone levels is a powerful tool to study structure–function relationships in the mammalian brain. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 64: 34–46, 2005
Plasticity of dendritic excitability
Authors: Frick Andreas , Johnston Daniel
Published: May 2005

Dendrites are equipped with a plethora of voltage‐gated ion channels that greatly enrich the computational and storage capacity of neurons. The excitability of dendrites and dendritic function display plasticity under diverse circumstances such as neuromodulation, adaptation, learning and memory, trauma, or disorders. This adaptability arises from alterations in the biophysical properties or the expression levels of voltage‐gated ion channels—induced by the activity of neurotransmitters, neuromodulators, and second‐messenger cascades. In this review we discuss how this plasticity of dendritic excitability could alter information transfer and processing within dendrites, neurons, and neural networks under physiological and pathological conditions. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 64: 100–115, 2005
Dendritic spine morphogenesis and plasticity
Authors: Lippman Jocelyn , Dunaevsky Anna
Published: May 2005

Dendritic spines are small protrusions off the dendrite that receive excitatory synaptic input. Spines vary in size, likely correlating with the strength of the synapses they form. In the developing brain, spines show highly dynamic behavior thought to facilitate the formation of new synaptic contacts. Recent studies have illuminated the numerous molecules regulating spine development, many of which converge on the regulation of actin filaments. In addition, interactions with glial cells are emerging as important regulators of spine morphology. In many cases, spine morphogenesis, plasticity, and maintenance also depend on synaptic activity, as shown by recent studies demonstrating changes in spine dynamics and maintenance with altered sensory experience. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 64: 47–57, 2005
Regulation of dendritic development by neuronal activity
Authors: Chen Yachi , Ghosh Anirvan
Published: May 2005

Proper development of dendrites is essential for the establishment of neuronal circuitry. The elaboration of the dendritic tree is a highly dynamic and regulated process, which involves the formation of new branches as well as the maintenance or elimination of pre‐existing branches. This review describes recent advances in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms of activity‐dependent dendritic development. Neuronal activity triggers calcium‐mediated signaling events that affect the structural components of dendrites and adhesion molecules. These calcium‐induced signaling pathways also target nuclear transcription factors thereby controlling expression of genes required for dendritic development. Thus, a coordinated response to calcium‐regulated signaling pathways mediates activity‐dependent dendritic development. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 64: 4–10, 2005
Remodeling dendrites during insect metamorphosis
Authors: Williams D.W. , Truman J.W.
Published: May 2005

The genesis of dendritic shape during development sets in place key characteristics of a neuron's physiology and connectivity. During this construction, a cell interprets intrinsic cell‐specific developmental programs and cues from the environment to generate its final phenotype. In insects that undergo complete metamorphosis certain neurons function in the larval nervous system and then remodel to generate an adult‐specific arbor. By studying the dendrites of neurons that undergo such a cellular metamorphosis, one can explore the mechanisms that underlie both stereotyped pruning and local remodeling. Live imaging techniques in intact Drosophila have been especially useful in examining the outgrowth of the adult‐specific dendritic arbors in remodeling dendritic arborizing (da) sensory neurons. These neurons show an initial scaffold‐building phase during which the cell establishes the overall shape of the arbor and then switch to an elaboration phase where the arbor is filled out with higher order branches. The cellular machinery employed during these two phases is different, with branch retraction being a prominent feature of the scaffold building phase but absent from the elaboration phase. The transition between these two modes does not appear to be “hard‐wired” but is plastic and under the extrinsic control of developmental hormones. This transition in branch dynamics may also involve changes in calcium signaling in the growing arbor. The potential relationship between hormone‐induced transcriptional change and the calcium dynamics in dendritic morphogenesis is discussed. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 64: 24–33, 2005
Rho GTPases, dendritic structure, and mental retardation
Authors: Newey Sarah E. , Velamoor Vanisree , Govek Eve‐Ellen , Van Aelst Linda
Published: May 2005

A consistent feature of neurons in patients with mental retardation is abnormal dendritic structure and/or alterations in dendritic spine morphology. Deficits in the regulation of the dendritic cytoskeleton affect both the structure and function of dendrites and synapses and are believed to underlie mental retardation in some instances. In support of this, there is good evidence that alterations in signaling pathways involving the Rho family of small GTPases, key regulators of the actin and microtubule cytoskeletons, contribute to both syndromic and nonsyndromic mental retardation disorders. Because the Rho GTPases have been shown to play increasingly well‐defined roles in determining dendrite and dendritic spine development and morphology, Rho signaling has been suggested to be important for normal cognition. The purpose of this review is to summarize recent data on the Rho GTPases pertaining to dendrite and dendritic spine morphogenesis, as well as to highlight their involvement in mental retardation resulting from a variety of genetic mutations within regulators and effectors of these molecules. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 64: 58–74, 2005
Computational modeling of dendrites
Authors: Kath William L.
Published: May 2005

Computational methods have been part of neuroscience for many years. For example, models developed with these methods have provided a theory that helps explain the action potential. More recently, as experimental patch‐electrode techniques have revealed new biophysics related to dendritic function and synaptic integration, computational models of dendrites have been developed to explain and further illuminate these results, and to predict possible additional behavior. Here, a collection of computational models of dendrites is reviewed. The goal is to help explain how such computational techniques work, some of their limitations, and what one can hope to learn about dendrites by modeling them. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Neurobiol 64: 91–99, 2005
Effect of guided participation on feeding competencies of mothers and their premature infants
Authors: Pridham Karen , Brown Roger , Clark Roseanne , Limbo Rana K. , Schroeder Michele , Henriques Jeffrey , Bohne Elisabeth
Published: May 2005

The effect of guided participation (GP) on premature infant and maternal feeding competencies was examined, controlling for infant, maternal, and family conditions. Competencies were examined longitudinally and within age (1, 4, 8, and 12 months post‐term age) for 42 mother–infant pairs randomly assigned to either GP or Standard Care (SC) groups. The hypothesized GP effect on competencies across infant age received support for infants (at 1 and 8 months) and for mothers (at 4 months). The hypothesized contribution of conditions was most strongly supported by the negative relationship between family poverty status and the two maternal competency variables. The hypothesized GP moderator effect on the relationship between depressive symptoms and maternal competency variables was supported for regulation of negative affect and behavior at 8 months. Despite study limitations in power and sensitivity to detect effects, findings indicate that further study of the GP intervention is merited. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 28: 252–267, 2005
Clusters of problem behaviors in adolescents
Authors: Bartlett Robin , Holditch‐Davis Diane , Belyea Michael
Published: May 2005

This study was designed to examine clusters of problem behaviors in a sample from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health at two time points. The technique employed was a person‐oriented approach, cluster analysis. Three clusters were identified, a normal behaviors cluster, a problem behaviors cluster, and a deviant behaviors cluster. The clusters were tested for stability and for their relationships to the demographic variables gender, race, age, and socioeconomic status. The mean values for most of the problem behaviors in the problem behaviors cluster were higher than for those in the normal behaviors cluster and lower than for those in the deviant behaviors cluster. Selling drugs and weapon use distinguished the deviant behaviors cluster from the other two. Different interventions probably will be required to address the needs of those in each of the different clusters. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 28: 230–239, 2005
Prevalence and characteristics of nursing homes residents requiring light‐care
Authors: Grando Victoria T. , Rantz Marilyn J. , Petroski Gregory F. , Maas Meridean , Popejoy Lori , Conn Vicki , Wipke‐Tevis Deidre
Published: May 2005

Rising nursing home (NH) costs and the poor quality of NH care make it important to recognize elders for whom NH care may be inappropriate. As a first step in developing a method to identify these elders, we examined the characteristics of NH residents requiring light‐care and changes in their care level from NH admission to 12‐months. Using data from the Missouri Minimal Data Set electronic database, we developed three care‐level categories based on Resource Use Groups, Version III (RUG‐III) and defined light‐care NH residents as those requiring minimal assistance with late‐loss ADLs (bed mobility, transfer, toilet use, or eating) and having no complex clinical problems. Approximately 16% of Missouri NH residents met the criteria for light‐care. They had few functional problems with mobility, personal care, communication, or incontinence; approximately 33% had difficulty maintaining balance without assistance; and 50% of those admitted as light‐care were still light‐care at 12‐months. Findings suggest that many NH residents classified as light‐care by these criteria could be cared for in community settings offering fewer services than NHs. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Res Nurs Health 28: 210–219, 2005
Wealth transfer estimates for African American households
Authors: Havens John J. , Schervish Paul G.
Published: May 2005

Between now and 2055, the amount of wealth to be transferred by African American households will be small compared to the aggregate transfer from all households. This relative scarcity places a special emphasis on wise allocation of financial resources and an equal burden on the organizations that receive charitable donations to honor the gifts by using them wisely.