bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Intramolecular (2π + 2π) Photocycloaddition of Styrenes Tethered by Siloxanes
Authors: Maeda Hajime , Yagi Hiroaki , Mizuno Kazuhiko
Published: March 2004

Intramolecular (2π + 2π) photocycloaddition of styrenes tethered by flexible siloxane chains gave the corresponding cyclobutacyclophanes in high yields. Triplet-sensitization was found to be effective for the photocycloaddition.
High Oxide Ion Conductivity in Mg-Doped La10Si6O27 with Apatite-type Structure
Authors: Yoshioka Hideki
Published: March 2004

Structure and ionic conductivity of Mg-doped La10Si6O27 was investigated on dense ceramic samples prepared from sol–gel derived powders using two step sintering process. The conductivity was increased by the doping (from 22 to 30–39 mS cm−1 at 800 °C) because of expansion of the apatite lattice.
The “Christianization” of Israel and Jews in 1950s America
Authors: Mart Michelle
Published: March 2004

In the 1950s, the United States experienced a domestic religious revival that offered postwar Americans a framework to interpret the world and its unsettling international political problems. Moreover, the religious message of the cold war that saw the God-fearing West against atheistic communists encouraged an unprecedented ecumenism in American history. Jews, formerly objects of indifference if not disdain and hatred in the United States, were swept up in the ecumenical tide of “Judeo-Christian” values and identity and, essentially, “Christianized” in popular and political culture. Not surprisingly, these cultural trends affected images of the recently formed State of Israel. In the popular and political imagination, Israel was formed by the “Chosen People” and populated by prophets, warriors, and simple folk like those in Bible stories. The popular celebration of Israel also romanticized its people at the expense of their Arab (mainly Muslim) neighbors. Battling foes outside of the Judeo-Christian family, Israelis seemed just like Americans. Americans treated the political problems of the Middle East differently than those in other parts of the world because of the religious significance of the “Holy Land.” A man such as Secretary of State John Foster Dulles, who combined views of hard-nosed “realpolitik” with religious piety, acknowledged the special status of the Middle East by virtue of the religions based there. Judaism, part of the “Judeo-Christian civilization,” benefitted from this religious consciousness, while Islam remained a religion and a culture apart. This article examines how the American image of Jews, Israelis, and Middle Eastern politics was re-framed in the early 1950s to reflect popular ideas of religious identity. These images were found in fiction, the press, and the speeches and writings of social critics and policymakers. The article explores the role of the 1950s religious revival in the identification of Americans with Jews and Israelis and discusses the rise of the popular understanding that “Judeo-Christian” values shaped American culture and politics.
Optimal design of added viscoelastic dampers and supporting braces
Authors: Park Ji‐Hun , Kim Jinkoo , Min Kyung‐Won
Published: March 2004

This paper presents a simultaneous optimization procedure for both viscoelastic dampers (VEDs) and supporting braces installed in a structure. The effect of supporting braces on the control efficiency of VEDs is also investigated. To apply a general gradient‐based optimization algorithm, closed‐form expressions for the gradients of objective function and constraints are derived. Also, the constraint on the dynamic behavior of a structure is embedded in the gradient computation procedure to reduce the number of variables in the optimization. From numerical analysis of an example structure, it was found that when sufficient stiffness cannot be provided for the supporting braces, the flexibility of the brace should be taken into account in the design of the VED to achieve the desired performance of the structure. It was also observed that, as a result of the proposed optimization process, the size of the supporting brace could be reduced while the additional VED size (to compensate for the loss of the control effect) was insignificant. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differential regulation of gliogenesis in the context of adult hippocampal neurogenesis in mice
Authors: Steiner Barbara , Kronenberg Golo , Jessberger Sebastian , Brandt Moritz D. , Reuter Katja , Kempermann Gerd
Published: March 2004

In adult hippocampal neurogenesis, new neurons appear to originate from a cell with astrocytic properties expressing glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). Also, new astrocytes are generated in the adult dentate gyrus. Whereas the putative astrocyte‐like progenitor cells are consistently S‐100β‐negative, many new astrocytes are S‐100β‐positive. Thus, it is unclear whether the GFAP‐positive progenitor cells are astrocytes in a general sense or rather neural progenitor cells with certain astrocytic characteristics. We therefore investigated the development of GFAP‐expressing cells in the context of adult hippocampal neurogenesis. Proliferating cells could be either GFAP‐positive or doublecortin‐positive (DCX), but never both, indicating two independent populations of dividing cells in the glial and neuronal lineages. Two distinct populations of cells with astroglial properties were detected—one expressing GFAP, the other co‐expressing GFAP and S‐100β. We never found S‐100β‐cells to be in S‐phase. No overlap between neuronal and glial markers was seen at any time point. Thus, astrogenesis occurred in parallel and to some degree independent of adult neurogenesis. The uninterrupted GFAP expression in this lineage, and neuronal markers in the other lineage, argue against a late common precursor for neurogenesis and gliogenesis in the adult hippocampus. Very few newly generated microglia and no new oligodendrocytes were detected. Environmental enrichment and voluntary wheel running—two experimental paradigms with robust stimulatory effects on adult hippocampal neurogenesis—affected hippocampal astrogenesis differentially: Running, but not enrichment, strongly induced net astrogenesis (GFAP/S‐100β), but also GFAP‐positive S‐100β‐negative cells, which thus appear to be a transiently amplifiable intermediate population within the glial lineage. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mislocalization of Kir channels in malignant glia
Authors: Olsen M.L. , Sontheimer H.
Published: March 2004

Inwardly rectifying potassium (Kir) channels are a prominent feature of mature, postmitotic astrocytes. These channels are believed to set the resting membrane potential near the potassium equilibrium potential (EK) and are implicated in potassium buffering. A number of previous studies suggest that Kir channel expression is indicative of cell differentiation. We therefore set out to examine Kir channel expression in malignant glia, which are incapable of differentiation. We used two established and widely used glioma cell lines, D54MG (a WHO grade 4 glioma) and STTG‐1 (a WHO grade 3 glioma), and compared them to immature and differentiated astrocytes. Both glioma cell lines were characterized by large outward K+ currents, depolarized resting membrane potentials (Vm) (−38.5 ± 4.2 mV, D54 and −28.1 ± 3.5 mV, STTG1), and relatively high input resistances (Rm) (260.6 ± 64.7 MΩ, D54 and 687.2 ± 160.3 MΩ, STTG1). These features were reminiscent of immature astrocytes, which also displayed large outward K+ currents, had a mean Vm of −51.1 ± 3.7 and a mean Rm value of 627.5 ± 164 MΩ. In contrast, mature astrocytes had a significantly more negative resting membrane potential (−75.2 ± 0.56 mV), and a mean Rm of 25.4 ± 7.4 MΩ. Barium (Ba2+) sensitive Kir currents were >20‐fold larger in mature astrocytes (4.06 ± 1.1 nS/pF) than in glioma cells (0.169 ± 0.033 nS/pF D54, 0.244 ± 0.04 nS/pF STTG1), which had current densities closer to those of dividing, immature astrocytes (0.474 ± 0.12 nS/pF). Surprisingly, Western blot analysis shows expression of several Kir channel subunits in glioma cells (Kir2.3, 3.1, and 4.1). However, while in astrocytes these channels localize diffusely throughout the cell, in glioma cells they are found almost exclusively in either the cell nucleus (Kir2.3 and 4.1) or ER/Golgi (3.1). These data suggest that mislocalization of Kir channel proteins to intracellular compartments is responsible for a lack of appreciable Kir currents in glioma cells. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Flow cytometric isolation of endodermal progenitors from mouse salivary gland differentiate into hepatic and pancreatic lineages
Authors: Hisatomi Yuichiro , Okumura Kenji , Nakamura Kimitoshi , Matsumoto Shirou , Satoh Ayumi , Nagano Koji , Yamamoto Tetsuro , Endo Fumio
Published: March 2004

Experimental injury is useful to induce tissue stem cells, which may exist in small numbers under normal conditions. The salivary glands originate from the endoderm and consist of acinar and ductal epithelial cells, which have exocrine function. After salivary gland duct ligation, acinar cells disappear as a result of apoptosis, and duct epithelium subsequently proliferates. In this study, we analyzed the tissue stem cells induced by salivary gland duct ligation in mice using immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. We sorted the Sca-1+/c-Kit+ fraction from adult mice salivary glands by way of fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The sorted cells were apparently homogeneous and were designated mouse salivary gland-derived progenitors (mSGPs). mSGP cells differentiated into a hepatic lineage when cultured in matrigel. In spherical culture in the presence of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), these cells differentiated into a pancreatic endocrine lineage. When spheroidal bodies of mSGP, 20 to 30 μm in diameter, were transplanted into liver via the portal vein, the cells integrated into hepatic cords and expressed albumin and α1-antitrypsin, suggesting that they had differentiated into hepatic-type cells. Moreover, ductlike structures formed by mSGP cells also appeared, epithelial cells of which were positive for cytokeratin 19. In conclusion, fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) based on histologic evidence is efficient in isolating adult tissue stem cells of the salivary gland. Tissue stem cells of endodermal origin (e.g., hepatic oval cells, pancreatic epithelial progenitor cells, and salivary gland progenitor cells) have similarities in their molecular markers and tissue location. Our findings suggest the existence of common tissue stem cells in endoderm-derived organs. (Hepatology 2004;39:667-675.)
Hepatocyte proliferation and tissue remodeling is impaired after liver injury in oncostatin M receptor knockout mice
Authors: Nakamura Koji , Nonaka Hidenori , Saito Hiroki , Tanaka Minoru , Miyajima Atsushi
Published: March 2004

Oncostatin M (OSM) is a member of the IL-6 family of cytokines. Mice deficient in the OSM receptor (OSMR-/-) showed impaired liver regeneration with persistent parenchymal necrosis after carbon tetrachloride (CCl4) exposure. The recovery of liver mass from partial hepatectomy was also significantly delayed in OSMR-/- mice. In contrast to wildtype mice, CCl4 administration only marginally induced expression of tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)-1 and TIMP-2 genes in OSMR-/- mice, correlating with the increased gelatinase activity of matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 and matrix degradation in injured livers. The activation of STAT3 and expression of immediate early genes and cyclins were decreased in OSMR-/- liver, indicating that OSM signaling is required for hepatocyte proliferation and tissue remodeling during liver regeneration. We also found that CCl4 administration in IL-6-/- mice failed to induce OSM expression and that OSM administration in IL-6-/- mice after CCl4 injection induced the expression of cyclin D1 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen, suggesting that OSM is a key mediator of IL-6 in liver regeneration. Consistent with these results, administration of OSM ameliorated liver injury in wildtype mice by preventing hepatocyte apoptosis as well as tissue destruction. In conclusion, OSM and its signaling pathway may provide a useful therapeutic target for liver regeneration. (Hepatology 2004;39:635-644.)
Ursodeoxycholic acid protects against secondary biliary cirrhosis in rats by preventing mitochondrial oxidative stress
Authors: Serviddio Gaetano , Pereda Javier , Pallardó Federico V. , Carretero Julian , Borras Consuelo , Cutrin Juan , Vendemiale Gianluigi , Poli Giuseppe , Viña José , Sastre Juan
Published: March 2004

Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) improves clinical and biochemical indices in primary biliary cirrhosis and prolongs survival free of liver transplantation. Recently, it was suggested that the cytoprotective mechanisms of UDCA may be mediated by protection against oxidative stress, which is involved in the development of cirrhosis induced by chronic cholestasis. The aims of the current study were 1) to identify the mechanisms involved in glutathione depletion, oxidative stress, and mitochondrial impairment during biliary cirrhosis induced by chronic cholestasis in rats; and 2) to determine the mechanisms associated with the protective effects of UDCA against secondary biliary cirrhosis. The findings of the current study indicate that UDCA partially prevents hepatic and mitochondrial glutathione depletion and oxidation resulting from chronic cholestasis. Impairment of biliary excretion was accompanied by decreased steady-state hepatic levels of γ-glutamyl cysteine synthetase and γ-cystathionase messenger RNAs. UDCA treatment led to up-regulation of γ-glutamyl cysteine synthetase in animals with secondary biliary cirrhosis and prevented the marked increases in mitochondrial peroxide production and hydroxynonenal-protein adduct production that are observed during chronic cholestasis. A population of damaged and primarily apoptotic hepatocytes characterized by dramatic decreases in mitochondrial cardiolipin levels and membrane potential as well as phosphatidylserine exposure evolves in secondary biliary cirrhosis. UDCA treatment prevents the growth of this population along with the decreases in mitochondrial cardiolipin levels and membrane potential that are induced by chronic cholestasis. In conclusion, UDCA treatment enhances the antioxidant defense mediated by glutathione; in doing so, this treatment prevents cardiolipin depletion and cell injury in animals with secondary biliary cirrhosis. (Hepatology 2004;39:711-720)
TNF α-induced ras activation due to ethanol promotes hepatocyte proliferation independently of liver injury in the mouse
Authors: Isayama Fuyumi , Froh Matthias , Yin Ming , Conzelmann Lars O. , Milton Richard J. , McKim Stephen E. , Wheeler Michael D.
Published: March 2004

Tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) has been shown to be both proapoptotic and mitogenic for hepatocytes and necessary for alcohol-induced liver injury. Ras, a known proto-oncogene, is very important in the regulation of cellular responses to TNFα. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the role of Ras in alcohol-induced pathogenesis. Male C57Bl/6 mice were fed ethanol or high-fat control diet via intragastric cannulation for 4 weeks. Ras activity was increased significantly after 4 weeks of ethanol and correlated with an increase in pathologic features. However, in mice deficient in the receptor-type 1 for TNFα (TNFR1-/-), ethanol-induced liver injury and the increase in Ras activity were significantly blunted compared with wild-type mice. Furthermore, it was demonstrated that H-, K-, and R-Ras isoforms were increased after ethanol exposure in wild-type mice. In TNFR1-/- mice, R-Ras activity remained elevated by ethanol, whereas H-Ras and K-Ras activity was blunted significantly under these conditions. Interestingly, hepatocellular proliferation, which was elevated approximately fivefold after 4 weeks of chronic ethanol in wild-type mice, was also blunted in TNFR1-/- mice given ethanol. Inhibition of Ras with adenovirus containing a dominant-negative Ras had no effect on ethanol-induced liver injury, but significantly blunted ethanol-induced hepatocyte proliferation by more than 50%. Overexpression of mitochondrial superoxide dismutase using recombinant adenovirus blunted lipid peroxidation and attenuated hepatic injury resulting from ethanol, but had no effect on Ras activation and hepatocyte proliferation caused by ethanol. In conclusion, these data support the hypotheses that hepatocellular oxidative stress leads to cell death and that TNFα-induced Ras activation is important in hepatic proliferation in response to ethanol-induced liver injury. (Hepatology 2004;39:721-731.)
Influence of HRM practices on organizational commitment: A study among software professionals in India
Authors: Paul A. K. , Anantharaman R. N.
Published: March 2004

Although organizational commitment has been discussed frequently in organizational psychology for almost four
decades, few studies have involved software professionals. A study in India reveals that HRM practices such as
employee‐friendly work environment, career development, developmentoriented appraisal, and comprehensive
training show a significant positive relationship with organizational commitment. The study's results emphasize
the role of such HRD variables as inculcating and enhancing organizational commitment, and suggest that HRD
practitioners and researchers should further develop commitment‐oriented organization policies.
Geldanamycin, an inhibitor of the chaperone activity of HSP90, induces MAPK‐independent cell cycle arrest
Authors: Bedin Monique , Gaben Anne‐Marie , Saucier Cécile , Mester Jan
Published: March 2004

The effects of GA, an ansamycin antibiotic in development as a lead anticancer drug, were studied in mouse BP‐A31 fibroblasts and in human cancer‐derived cell lines. GA and related molecules act by inhibiting the chaperone function of the Hsp90 protein through competition for ATP binding. The antiproliferative effects of GA have been attributed to destabilization of the Raf‐1 protein, one of the targets of Hsp90, and to the resulting inhibition of MAPK. Addition of GA to BP‐A31 cells, synchronously progressing through the G1 phase, inhibited Rb hyperphosphorylation and G1/S transition irrespective of the time of addition. The G1 arrest was accompanied by a progressive decrease in Raf‐1 content, especially of the phosphorylated form; however, GA caused only partial inhibition of MAPK phosphorylation. We show that GA triggers a rapid and marked decrease in the kinase activity of the cyclin E/cdk2 complex coupled with a decline in both total and cdk2‐associated cyclin E. In transient transfection experiments, inhibition of cyclin E expression by GA was correlated with inhibition of the transcriptional activity of the cyclin E gene promoter. Inhibition of cdk4 activity by GA was observed 3 hr after addition of the drug to late G1 cells but not after a short (1 hr) exposure, as revealed by the phosphorylation of Rb on the Ser780 residue. In human cancer‐derived cell lines expressing or not a functional Rb protein, GA blocked proliferation and inhibited the transcriptional activity of the cyclin E gene promoter. In these cell lines, the antiproliferative effect of GA was not limited to the G1 phase, suggesting the existence of multiple cellular targets of the drug. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Increasing colorectal cancer incidence rates in Japan
Authors: Yiu Hoi‐Yan , Whittemore Alice S. , Shibata Atsuko
Published: March 2004

We examined trends of colorectal cancer incidence rates among Japanese (Miyagi Prefecture) and United States (US) whites (State of Connecticut) between 1959 and 1992. Age‐standardized rates in Japan have increased dramatically and are now similar to US white rates. For both colon and rectum, age‐specific rates in Japanese men born after 1930 exceed those in US whites, and the Japanese excess increases with year of birth. Similar patterns are evident for women. The current trends suggest that colorectal cancer will become a major source of morbidity and mortality in Japan, as these young Japanese age and their risks increase. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Two new tumor‐specific antigenic peptides encoded by gene MAGE‐C2 and presented to cytolytic T lymphocytes by HLA‐A2
Authors: Ma Wenbin , Germeau Catherine , Vigneron Nathalie , Maernoudt Anne‐Sophie , Morel Sandra , Boon Thierry , Coulie Pierre G. , Van den Eynde Benoît J.
Published: March 2004

We have identified 2 antigens recognized by several melanoma‐specific cytolytic T lymphocyte clones isolated from a melanoma patient with a clinical history of tumor regression after immunotherapy. Both antigens are presented by HLA‐A2 and encoded by gene MAGE‐C2, a cancer‐germline gene shown previously to be silent in normal somatic tissues and expressed in 40% of melanomas and in other tumor types. One antigen corresponds to peptide ALKDVEERV336–344, whereas the other corresponds to peptide LLFGLALIEV191–200. The CTL clones recognizing these 2 peptides also recognized allogeneic tumor cell lines expressing MAGE‐C2 and HLA‐A2. These 2 new peptides are the first known MAGE‐C antigens and represent promising targets for cancer immunotherapy. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
p53, p16 and cyclin D1: Molecular determinants of radiotherapy treatment response in oral carcinoma
Authors: Jayasurya R. , Francis Geo , Kannan S. , Lekshminarayanan K. , Nalinakumari K.R. , Abraham Thomas , Abraham Elizabeth K. , Nair M. Krishnan
Published: March 2004

Management of oral cancer by radiotherapy has witnessed promising advances in the past few years, with patient‐tailored radio fractionation regimens. Different fractionation schedules, conventional and altered regimes, have been used in curative radiotherapy. Although contribution of biological markers on radio response has been evaluated, its unique influence on various radio fractionation schemes has not been accounted so far. Our study analyses a set of proteins that previously demonstrated radio response influence for their possible prognostic value in decision‐making process between the respective fractionation schemes. Expression patterns of regulatory proteins such as p53, cyclin D1, p16, Cdk4, p21, Rb, bcl‐2 and PCNA were determined by immunohistochemistry utilizing monoclonal antibodies in 125 patients who received curative radiotherapy dose. Among these 125 patients, 90 (72%) received altered fractionation, whereas 35 (28%) received conventional fractionation. p53 over‐expression correlated with local treatment failure among the patients treated with conventional fractionation whereas cyclin D1 over‐expression and p16 underexpression were associated with local treatment failure as well as overall survival in altered fractionation treated cases. Our findings suggest that wild‐type p53 status may be an important parameter for achieving high local control in those patients undergoing conventional fractionation, where as intact p16 and cyclin D1 status may be beneficial for effective local control in patients who are treated with altered fractionation. Furthermore, it can be assumed that conventional fractionation employs p53‐mediated apoptosis, whereas altered fractionation activates the functional G1 cell‐cycle checkpoint for tumor growth suppression. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Food groups and colon cancer risk in African‐Americans and Caucasians
Authors: Satia‐Abouta Jessie , Galanko Joseph A. , Martin Christopher F. , Ammerman Alice , Sandler Robert S.
Published: March 2004

The disparities in colon cancer incidence between African‐Americans and other U.S. ethnic groups are largely unexplained. This report examines associations of various food groups with colon cancer in African‐Americans and Caucasians from a case‐control study. Incident cases of histologically confirmed colon cancer, age 40–80 years, (n = 613) and matched controls (n = 996) were interviewed in‐person to ascertain potential colon cancer risk factors. Diet over the year before diagnosis or interview date was assessed using a validated food frequency questionnaire adapted to include regional foods. Multivariate logistic regression models estimated energy‐adjusted and non‐energy adjusted odds ratios (OR). Controls generally reported higher consumption (daily amount and weekly frequency) of fruits, vegetables and dark green, deep yellow fruits/vegetables, whereas cases consumed more refined carbohydrates and fats, oils and snacks. Regardless of ethnic group or energy adjustment, high and frequent vegetable consumption (particularly dark green vegetables) was protective, consistent with 20–50% reductions in risk. In Caucasians, high refined carbohydrate and red meat consumption (amount and frequency) was associated with a statistically significant 2‐fold increased risk in non‐energy adjusted models. In African‐Americans, frequent intake of dairy foods was associated with a doubling in risk (OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.1–3.4) in non‐energy‐adjusted models, whereas frequent fruit consumption correlated with a non‐significant 30% lower risk. These findings add to growing evidence that plant foods may protect against colon cancer; however, the effects of the other food groups varied by ethnic group and energy adjustment. These results may also explain some of the ethnic differences in colon cancer incidence. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Poly(sebacic acid‐co‐ricinoleic acid) biodegradable carrier for paclitaxel: In vitro release and in vivo toxicity
Authors: Shikanov Ariella , Vaisman Boris , Krasko Michal Y. , Nyska Abraham , Domb Abraham J.
Published: March 2004

Polyesteranhydrides synthesized by the transesterification of ricinoleic acid and sebacic acid followed by anhydride polymerization were examined as potential controlled delivery carrier for paclitaxel. Solid and liquid polymers were used. Polymers containing 30% ricinoleic acid are solid whereas polymers containing 70% ricinoleic acid are liquid at body temperature and semisolid at room temperature. It was found that upon addition of the liquid polymer to water it solidifies to form a stable semisolid. Paclitaxel, a potent antitumor agent, was incorporated in the polymers (5–20% w/w) and its release in buffer solution was monitored. Paclitaxel was released for over 100 days while the polymer carrier was being degraded. The release rate was affected by the paclitaxel content; the higher the content, the slower was the release. The toxicity of the polymers and formulations with paclitaxel was examined by subcutaneous injection of liquid polymer samples or implantation of solid polymer specimens to mice for different time periods. Histopathological examination of the tissue surrounding the implant showed minor inflammation 1 week after the injection and no inflammation 3 weeks after implantation. Injection of the polymer without paclitaxel showed no adverse effects. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 69A: 47–54, 2004
Quantitative microcomputed tomography analysis of mineralization within three‐dimensional scaffolds in vitro
Authors: Cartmell Sarah , Huynh Kimberly , Lin Angela , Nagaraja Srinidhi , Guldberg Robert
Published: March 2004

Synthetic and naturally derived scaffold biomaterials in combination with osteogenic cells or bioactive factors have the potential to serve as bone graft substitutes. Porous poly(l‐lactide‐co‐dl‐lactide) (PLDL) scaffolds with mechanical properties comparable to trabecular bone and an oriented, interconnected porosity designed to enhance internal mass transport were recently developed. In this study, PLDL scaffolds were seeded with rat calvarial or rat stromal cells and cultured up to 8 weeks in media containing osteogenic supplements. Cell‐seeded human demineralized trabecular bone matrix (DTBM) scaffolds were included for comparison. All constructs were imaged weekly from 4 to 8 weeks using microcomputed tomography (micro‐CT) to nondestructively quantify the amount and distribution of mineralized matrix formation. The total mineralized matrix volume increased with time in culture for all construct groups. DTBM constructs contained significantly more mineralized matrix than PLDL constructs. However, an analysis of the acellular DTBM scaffolds exposed to osteogenic media revealed partial remineralization of the demineralized matrix whereas no mineralization was detected in acellular PLDL scaffolds. Differences in mineral distribution were also evident with cell‐mediated mineralization found throughout the PLDL constructs but localized to the periphery of the DTBM constructs for both cell types. Expression of bone marker genes indicating osteoblast differentiation was demonstrated in all groups at 8 weeks using a quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. Osteocalcin expression was significantly higher for calvarial cell constructs compared to stromal cell constructs, regardless of the type of scaffold. This study demonstrated that micro‐CT imaging may be used to nondestructively and quantitatively monitor mineralization within three‐dimensional scaffolds in vitro. PLDL scaffolds with an oriented microarchitecture were shown to support cell attachment, differentiation, and cell‐mediated mineralization comparable to natural DTBM scaffolds. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 69A: 97–104, 2004
Proliferation, differentiation, and calcification of preosteoblast‐like MC3T3‐E1 cells cultured onto noncrystalline calcium phosphate glass
Authors: Lee Yong‐Keun , Song Jin , Lee Sang‐Bae , Kim Kwang‐Mahn , Choi Seong‐Ho , Kim Chong‐Kwan , LeGeros Racquel Z. , Kim Kyoung‐Nam
Published: March 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate calcium phosphate glass as a potential biomaterial for hard tissue repair. We prepared calcium phosphate glass using the system CaO‐CaF2‐P2O5‐MgO‐ZnO and cultured MC3T3‐E1 cells onto the glass in α‐MEM with β‐glycerophosphatase and ascorbic acid. Proliferation of the cells was determined to evaluate the biocompatibility of the prepared calcium phosphate glass. The alkaline phosphatase activity was measured to examine the osteoblast differentiation. Mineralization was evaluated by staining the calcium precipitates with Alizarin red. Culture onto the calcium phosphate glass exhibited no significant influence on cell proliferation compared to the polystyrene chosen as a control in this experiment (p > 0.05). The alkaline phosphatase activity in the experimental group, however, was enhanced by the calcium phosphate glass significantly at 10–18 days after incubation than that of the control group (p < 0.05). The promotion of bone‐like tissue formation by the calcium phosphate glass was observed after 7 days and thereafter. The results of the present study indicate that the prepared calcium phosphate glass affects osteogenesis by increasing calcification of the extracellular matrix. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res 69A: 188–195, 2004
Estimating numbers of EMS-induced mutations affecting life history traits in Caenorhabditis elegans in crosses between inbred sublines
Authors: HALLIGAN DANIEL L. , PETERS ANDREW D. , KEIGHTLEY PETER D.
Published: February 2004

Inbred lines of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans containing independent EMS-induced mutations were crossed to the ancestral wild-type strain (N2). Replicated inbred sublines were generated from the F1 offspring under conditions of minimal selection and, along with the N2 and mutant progenitor lines, were assayed for several fitness correlates including relative fitness (w). A modification of the Castle–Wright estimator and a maximum-likelihood (ML) method were used to estimate the numbers and effects of detectable mutations affecting these characters. The ML method allows for variation in mutational effects by fitting either one or two classes of mutational effect, and uses a Box–Cox power transformation of residual values to account for a skewed distribution of residuals. Both the Castle–Wright and the ML analyses suggest that most of the variation among sublines was due to a few (~1·5–2·5 on average) large-effect mutations. Under ML, a model with two classes of mutational effects, including a class with small effects, fitted better than a single mutation class model, although not significantly better. Nonetheless, given that we expect there to be many mutations induced per line, our results support the hypothesis that mutations vary widely in their effects.
Salzburg Festival: Hans Werner Henze's ‘L'Upupa and the Triumph of Filial Love’
Authors: Lack Graham
Published: March 2004

An ancient tale is told by an Old Man in a tower. He experiences the story both in his dreams and as his present hopes and fears. L'Upupa appears, a mysterious hoopoe who is the sum of the Old Man's joys. Impetuously he grabs hold of her but she struggles free and manages to fly away. Left behind are a golden feather and a bleeding finger. The Old Man sends his three sons in search of the bird, knowing that neither the eldest, Gharib (‘the Untrustworthy’), nor the second son, Adschib (‘the Fanciful’), can succeed. It is Kasim (‘the Sharer’) – the youngest – who will fulfil the quest, for he is virtuous and wholly without guile. The ensuing developments in this Syrian legend may be quickly enumerated here: tasks are set, songs are sung, and potentates take and release captives, for in sending his sons on such a mission, the father has knowingly endangered their lives. Kasim returns not only with the bird, but also with an angelic Demon who has safeguarded him on his journeys, and Badi'at, a beautiful Jewish maiden. To great astonishment the old man sets free l'Upupa. And although a wedding is announced, Kasim will not stay to marry Badi'at, setting off instead to seek one of the famous red apples of Manda in order to redeem his pledge against the Demon's protection. The end is marked by the beginning, and a quest starts anew.
London, Royal Albert Hall Proms 2003
Authors: Lister Rodney
Published: March 2004

At its best, Judith Weirs's music makes use of very simple and clear musical ideas with great wit to great effect. This quality is most apparent in pieces which have some dramatic, or at least extra-musical aspect, often connected with some type of folklore or folk music. When the music becomes more abstract, it can also be less lively and less appealing. The Composer Portrait concert which was presented as a preface to the UK première at the Proms on 7 August of her orchestral piece The Welcome Arrival of Rain contained examples of both of these sides of the composer's work. Distance and Enchantment, for piano quartet, is based on Northern Irish and Scottish folk songs, worked into a beautiful and compelling instrumental texture. Sketches from a Bagpiper's Album evokes the sound of the bagpipes and the instrumental and compositional techniques associated with its repertory. Next to these works, Music for 247 Strings, for violin and piano, has much less profile and less personality. Even though it strikingly employs a texture which is a favorite of Weir's, distinctly different contrapuntal lines presented in rhythmic unison, it just doesn't seem to be about much of anything.
Shanghai in Transition: Changing Perspectives and Social Contours of a Chinese Metropolis. By Jos Gamble. [London: RoutledgeCurzon, 2003. xxvi +250 pp. £60.00; $90.00. ISBN 0-7007-1571-1.]
Authors: Wasserstrom Jeffrey N.
Published: February 2004

Jos Gamble sets himself a seemingly impossible task: to “take the city of Shanghai as a whole” as his “fieldwork site,” so that he can produce an “ethnography of a city,” as opposed to an “ethnography in a city.” To apply to any large urban centre interpretive strategies associated with studies of small-scale communities is a tall order. To apply them to Shanghai seems hubristic, given its sheer size and the dramatic changes it underwent between 1992 and 2000, the period during which Gamble made field work stays totalling over 20 months. The most striking thing about this book, then, is simply how quickly the author manages to convince the reader (this reader, anyway) that his project is not foolhardy. The “Introduction” did not dispel my doubts. I was pleased to see from its opening pages that Gamble had made a more serious effort than some of those writing about the city's recent past have done to read widely in and make use of the now vast scholarly literature on old Shanghai. But I came away from the “Structure of the book” section that concludes the “Introduction” convinced that I would end up feeling that his reach had exceeded his grasp. Midway through the next chapter, though, I got an inkling – that soon grew to a conviction – that I had in my hands the best English language work to date on Shanghai in the post-1978 era of reform.
Women, Sport and Society in China: Holding up

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than Half the Sky. By Dong Jinxia. [London and Oregon: Frank Cass Publishers, 2003. 357 pp. Hard cover £42.50, ISBN 0-7146-5235-0; paperback £17.50, ISBN 0-7146-8214-4.]
Authors: Brownell Susan
Published: February 2004

With Beijing set to host the 2008 Olympic Games, interest in Chinese sports has increased. Due to the greater successes of Chinese sportswomen in the international arena compared to Chinese sportsmen, interest in women's sports has been particularly keen. There are only a few books in English on Chinese sports, and this is the first book focusing on women's sports, and so it will be useful to journalists and instructors n sport studies seeking basic background information. The author performs the valuable service of pulling together nearly 300 Chinese articles and chapters. She reviews all of the available relevant official statistics, but – as is often true of such statistics – it is not always clear what they mean. For example, there is the tantalizing fact that Sichuan's sports system seems to have more gender parity than Guangdong's and Beijing's. This might provide good insight into the differential effects of the inland and coastal economies on women's social status, but this analysis is never fully carried out. The problem of interpreting the statistics is partly corrected by the 48 semi-structured interviews with sportswomen of varied backgrounds, but the content of the interviews is slightly disappointing, as many of the quoted responses seem to repeat the official picture without offering much in the way of deeper insights.
Defining Modernity: Guomindang Rhetorics of a New China. Edited by Terry Bodenhorn. [Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Center for Chinese Studies, 2003. 288 pp. £35.50; $50.00. ISBN 0-89264-161-4.]
Authors: Myers Ramon H.
Published: February 2004

The eight essays in this volume represent the research of a new generation of scholars examining historical change in 20th-century modern China, namely Kuomintang party-state development between 1925 and 1970. According to Ernest P. Young in the introduction, these essays describe the “cultural, ideational, and symbolic dimensions” of change in the KMT party-state activities and the response by elites and ordinary people.

If we define, as does Nobel prize-winner Douglass C. North, “institutional change” as the beliefs, ideas, rules, laws, norms, and so on that influence the motivation, choices, and actions of individuals and organizations (private and public) in society, we then say the book under review is about institutional reform and its protagonists and opponents.

Creating a new society requires at least some degree of institutional change. Those holding power resist change, clinging to old institutions. The ensuing struggle can be ferocious, with many possible outcomes. When the KMT began promoting institutional reform in 1925, it encountered great resistance, and after 1934 the resistance had not only stalled reforms, it had stirred up great social disharmony.
Angelwings: Contemporary Queer Fiction from Taiwan. Edited and translated by Fran Martin. [Honolulu: University of Hawai‘i Press, 2003. 248 pp. $18.95. ISBN 0-8248-2661-2.]
Authors: Damm Jens
Published: February 2004

This collection of ten short stories from the 1990s, translated and annotated by Fran Martin, highlights the importance of the topic “queer” in a non-Western context. Not only is the excellent quality of the translation worthy of mention; the familiarity of the author with queer theory, Taiwanese social history and Chinese literature in general is also outstanding.

In her detailed introduction, Fran Martin illustrates vividly the relevance of tongzhi-literature (tongzhi wenxue is the expression currently used to describe the same-sex discourse in the Taiwanese world) within the broader transformation of Taiwanese society in general and “in the public discourse on sexualities” in particular (p. 2). She attributes the development of tongzhi-literature and the more recent sub-genre of ku'er-literature (ku'er wenxue or “queer literature”) to the rise of postmodernism (houxiandai zhuyi) in post martial-law Taiwan (p. 4–5).
Robert Morrison and the Phonology of Mid-Qīng Mandarin
Authors: Coblin W. South
Published: February 2004

Robert Morrison (1782–1834; Chinese name: Maˇ Liˇxùn) was the London Missionary Society's first representative in China and is generally viewed as the father of Protestant missionary work there. Modern scholarly interest in him has in the main focused on his role as a Bible translator (see, for example, Zetzsche 1999, especially Chapter 2). As part of his missionary activities, Morrison studied both written and spoken Chinese; and these researches yielded grammars of both Mandarin (i.e. Guānhuà “the language of the mandarins or officials”; Morrison, 1815) and Cantonese (1815: appendix, pp. 259–280), plus a major dictionary of written Chinese (1815–1823) and a smaller lexicon of Cantonese (1828). In order to transcribe spoken Chinese, Morrison developed romanisations for both Mandarin and Cantonese. These orthographic systems shed light on the pronunciation of the underlying languages as they were spoken two hundred years ago. The purpose of the present paper is to examine Morrison's romanisation of Mandarin for clues about the pronunciation of early nineteenth-century standard Chinese.
Structural elucidation of novel phosphocholine-containing glycosylinositol-phosphoceramides in filamentous fungi and their induction of cell death of cultured rice cells
Authors: AOKI Kazuhiro , UCHIYAMA Ryosuke , ITONORI Saki , SUGITA Mutsumi , CHE Fang-Sik , ISOGAI Akira , HADA Noriyasu , HADA Junko , TAKEDA Tadahiro , KUMAGAI Hidehiko , YAMAMOTO Kenji
Published: February 2004

Novel ZGLs (zwitterionic glycosphingolipids) have been found in and extracted from the mycelia of filamentous fungi (Acremonium sp.) isolated from soil. Five ZGLs (ZGL1–ZGL5) were structurally elucidated by sugar compositional analysis, methylation analysis, periodate oxidation, matrix-assisted laser-desorption ionization–time-of-flight MS, 1H-NMR spectroscopy and fast-atom bombardment MS. Their chemical structures were as follows: GlcN(α1-2)Ins1-P-1Cer (ZGL1), Man(α1-6)GlcN(α1-2)Ins1-P-1Cer (ZGL2), Man(α1-6)Man(α1-6)GlcN(α1-2)Ins1-P-1Cer (ZGL3), PC→6Man(α1-6)GlcN(α1-2)Ins1-P-1Cer (ZGL4), and PC→6Man(α1-6)Man(α1-6)GlcN(α1-2)Ins1-P-1Cer (ZGL5) (where Cer is ceramide and PC is phosphocholine). In addition, one acidic glycosphingolipid, which was the precursor of ZGLs, was also characterized as inositol-phosphoceramide. The core structure of the ZGLs, GlcN(α1-2)Ins1-P, is rather different from those found in other fungi, such as Man(α1-2)Ins1-P and Man(α1-6)Ins1-P. Interestingly, the terminal mannose residue of ZGL4 and ZGL5 was modified further with a PC group. The presence of PC-containing glycosylinositol-phosphoceramides has not been reported previously in any organism. The ceramide constituents of both ZGLs and acidic glycosphingolipid were essentially the same, and consisted of a 4-hydroxyoctadecasphinganine (phytosphingosine) as the sole sphingoid base and 2-hydroxytetracosanoic acid (>90%) as the major fatty acid. ZGLs were found to cause cell death in suspensions of cultured rice cells. The cell death-inducing activity of ZGLs is probably due to the characteristic glycan moiety of Man(α1-6)GlcN, and PC-containing ZGLs had high activity. This study is the first to demonstrate that fungal glycosylinositol-phosphoceramides induce cell death in cultured rice cells.
Autolytic activation and localization in Schneider cells (S2) of calpain B from Drosophila
Authors: FARKAS Attila , TOMPA Peter , SCHÁD Éva , SINKA Rita , JÉKELY Gáspár , FRIEDRICH Peter
Published: February 2004

Calpain B is one of the two calpain homologues in Drosophila melanogaster that are proteolytically active. We studied its activation by Ca2+ both in vitro and in vivo, in Schneider (S2) cells. Activation involves the autolytic cleavage, at two major sites, of the N-terminal segment, the length of which was earlier underestimated. Site-directed mutagenesis at the autolytic sites did not prevent autolysis, but only shifted its sites. Calpain B mRNA was detectable in all developmental stages of the fly. In situ hybridization and immunostaining showed expression in ovaries, embryo and larvae, with high abundance in larval salivary glands. In S2 cells, calpain B was mainly in the cytoplasm and upon a rise in Ca2+ the enzyme adhered to intracellular membranes.
Biosynthesis of mycobacterial phosphatidylinositol mannosides
Authors: MORITA Yasu S. , PATTERSON John H. , BILLMAN-JACOBE Helen , McCONVILLE Malcolm J.
Published: February 2004

All mycobacterial species, including pathogenic Mycobacterium tuberculosis, synthesize an abundant class of phosphatidylinositol mannosides (PIMs) that are essential for normal growth and viability. These glycolipids are important cell-wall and/or plasma-membrane components in their own right and can also be hyperglycosylated to form other wall components, such as lipomannan and lipoarabinomannan. We have investigated the steps involved in the biosynthesis of the major PIM species in a new M. smegmatis cell-free system. A number of apolar and polar PIM intermediates were labelled when this system was continuously labelled or pulse–chase-labelled with GDP-[3H]Man, and the glycan head groups and the acylation states of these species were determined by chemical and enzymic treatments and octyl-Sepharose chromatography respectively. These analyses showed that (1) the major apolar PIM species, acyl-PIM2, can be synthesized by at least two pathways that differ in the timing of the first acylation step, (2) early PIM intermediates containing a single mannose residue can be modified with two fatty acid residues, (3) formation of polar PIM species from acyl-PIM2 is amphomycin-sensitive, indicating that polyprenol phosphate-Man, rather than GDP-Man, is the donor for these reactions, (4) modification of acylated PIM4 with α1-2- or α1-6-linked mannose residues is probably the branch point in the biosyntheses of polar PIM and lipoarabinomannan respectively and (5) GDP strongly inhibits the synthesis of early PIM intermediates and increases the turnover of polyprenol phosphate-Man. These findings are incorporated into a revised pathway for mycobacterial PIM biosynthesis.