bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Altered MAP kinase phosphorylation and impaired motor coordination in PTPRR deficient mice
Authors: Chirivi Renato G. S. , Noordman Yvet E. , Zee Catharina E. E. M. Van der , Hendriks Wiljan J. A. J.
Published: February 2007

The neuronal protein tyrosine phosphatases encoded by mouse gene Ptprr (PTPBR7, PTP‐SL, PTPPBSγ‐42 and PTPPBSγ‐37) have been implicated in mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) kinase deactivation on the basis of transfection experiments. To determine their physiological role in vivo, we generated mice that lack all PTPRR isoforms. Ptprr−/− mice were viable and fertile, and not different from wildtype littermates regarding general physiology or explorative behaviour. Highest PTPRR protein levels are in cerebellum Purkinje cells, but no overt effects of PTPRR deficiency on brain morphology, Purkinje cell number or dendritic branching were detected. However, MAP kinase phosphorylation levels were significantly altered in the PTPRR‐deficient cerebellum and cerebrum homogenates. Most notably, increased phospho‐ERK1/2 immunostaining density was observed in the basal portion and axon hillock of Ptprr−/− Purkinje cells. Concomitantly, Ptprr−/− mice displayed ataxia characterized by defects in fine motor coordination and balance skills. Collectively, these results establish the PTPRR proteins as physiological regulators of MAP kinase signalling cascades in neuronal tissue and demonstrate their involvement in cerebellum motor function.
Lorenzo Tornabuoni's History of Jason and Medea series. Chivalry and classicism in 1480s Florence
Authors: Campbell Caroline
Published: February 2007

This article examines the set of spalliera panels representing the Greek legend of Jason and Medea, which were commissioned by the Florentine patrician Giovanni Tornabuoni to commemorate his marriage to Giovanna degli Albizzi in 1486. Unlike Medea, Giovanna degli Albizzi was famed for her chaste virtues, and modern art historians have devised theories of increasing complexity and ingenuity to explain such a choice of subject. However, detailed iconographic analysis suggests that these panels depicting an ancient story are not based on ancient sources. Instead their origins can be found in several late medieval chivalric texts, Guido delle Colonne's Historia destructionis Troiae and Raoul Lefèvre's Histoire de Jason (the latter was written for the Burgundian court, celebrating the origins of the Order of the Golden Fleece). Thus Lorenzo Tornabuoni's Jason and Medea spalliera series elides the two most prestigious cultural value systems of late fifteenth‐century Florence: Greek and Roman antiquity and chivalry. The paintings still vividly celebrate the complex interaction and mingling of classicism and chivalry that was such a salient, but still underestimated, characteristic of Florentine culture in the Vasarian ‘Golden Age’ of the 1470s and 1480s.
Functional Capacity After Traditional Chinese Medicine (Qi Gong) Training in Patients With Chronic Atrial Fibrillation: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Authors: Pippa Lucio , Manzoli Lamberto , Corti Itala , Congedo Gabriele , Romanazzi Luigi , Parruti Giustino
Published: February 2007

Evidence indicates that low energy expenditure protocols derived from traditional Chinese medicine may benefit patients with cardiac impairment; therefore, the authors carried out a randomized controlled trial to test a 16‐week medically assisted qi gong training program for the physical rehabilitation of patients with stable chronic atrial fibrillation and preserved left ventricular function. Functional capacity variation was evaluated using the 6‐minute walk test, which was performed at baseline, at the end of the intervention, and after 16 weeks. Thirty men and 13 women (mean age, 68±8 years) were randomized to the intervention protocol or to a wait‐list control group. Qi gong training was well tolerated and, compared with baseline, trained patients walked an average 114 meters more (27%) at the end of treatment (P<.001) and 57 meters more (13.7%) 16 weeks later (P=.008). Control subjects showed no variation in functional capacity. These results seem promising and deserve confirmation with further research.
Impact of External Counterpulsation Treatment on Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations in Refractory Angina Patients With Left Ventricular Dysfunction
Authors: Soran Ozlem , Kennard Elizabeth D. , Bart Bradley A. , Kelsey Sheryl F.
Published: February 2007

Patients with refractory angina and left ventricular (LV) dysfunction exert an enormous burden on health care resources primarily because of the number of recurrent emergency department (ED) visits and hospitalizations. Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) therapy has emerged as a treatment option for patients with angina and LV dysfunction and has been shown to improve clinical outcomes and LV function. Improvements in symptoms and laboratory assessments in these patients, however, do not necessarily correlate with a reduction in ED visits and hospitalizations. This is the first study to assess the impact of EECP therapy on ED visits and hospitalization rates at 6‐month follow‐up. This prospective cohort study included 450 patients with LV dysfunction (ejection fraction ≤40%) treated with EECP therapy for refractory angina. Clinical outcomes, number of all‐cause ED visits, and hospitalizations within the 6 months before EECP therapy were compared with those at 6‐month follow‐up. Despite the unfavorable risk profile, refractory angina patients with LV dysfunction achieved a substantial reduction in all‐cause ED visits and hospitalization rates at 6‐month follow‐up. EECP therapy appears to offer an effective adjunctive treatment option for this group of patients.
Using Learning Style Instruments to Enhance Student Learning
Authors: Hawk Thomas F. , Shah Amit J.
Published: February 2007

The emergence of numerous learning style models over the past 25 years has brought increasing attention to the idea that students learn in diverse ways and that one approach to teaching does not work for every student or even most students. We have reviewed five learning style instruments (the Kolb Learning Style Indicator, the Gregorc Style Delineator, the Felder–Silverman Index of Learning Styles, the VARK Questionnaire, and the Dunn and Dunn Productivity Environmental Preference Survey) in this article in order to describe the learning style modes or dimensions measured in the instruments; find the common measures and the differences; report on research on instrument validity, reliability, and possible improvement in student performance; suggest classroom activities that work with the different student learning styles; and recommend selection of models under several conditions. We also review one additional learning style instrument, the Revised Approaches to Studying Inventory, as a complementary approach to using one or more of the first five learning style instruments.
Comparison of Different Methods of ST Segment Resolution Analysis for Prediction of 1‐Year Mortality after Primary Angioplasty for Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Przyluski Jakub , Karcz Maciej , Kalińczuk Łukasz , Kruk Mariusz , Prȩgowski Jerzy , Kaczmarska Edyta , Petryka Joanna , Bekta Paweł , Deptuch Tomasz , Kȩpka Cezary , Witkowski Adam , Rużyłło Witold ,   On behalf of ANIN Myocardial Infarction Registry
Published: February 2007

Background: Resolution of ST segment elevation corresponds with myocardial tissue reperfusion and correlates with clinical outcome after ST elevation myocardial infarction. Simpler method evaluating the extent of maximal deviation persisting in a single ECG lead was an even stronger mortality predictor. Our aim was to evaluate and compare prognostic accuracy of different methods of ST segment elevation resolution analysis after primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) in a real‐life setting.

Methods: Paired 12‐lead ECGs were analyzed in 324 consecutive and unselected patients treated routinely with primary PCI in a single high‐volume center. ST segment resolution was quantified and categorized into complete, partial, or none, upon the (1) sum of multilead ST elevations (sumSTE) and (2) sum of ST elevations plus reciprocal depressions (sumSTE+D); or into the low‐, medium‐, and high‐risk groups by (3) the single‐lead extent of maximal postprocedural ST deviation (maxSTE).

Results: Complete, partial, and nonresolution groups by sumSTE constituted 39%, 40%, and 21% of patients, respective groups by sumSTE+D comprised 40%, 39%, and 21%. The low‐, medium‐, and high‐risk groups constituted 43%, 32%, and 25%. One‐year mortality rates for rising risk groups by sumSTE were 4.7%, 10.2%, and 14.5% (P = 0.049), for sumSTE+D 3.8%, 9.6%, and 17.6% (P = 0.004) and for maxSTE 5.1%, 6.7%, and 18.5% (P = 0.001), respectively. After adjustment for multiple covariates only maxSTE (high vs low‐risk, odds ratio [OR] 3.10; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11–8.63; P = 0.030) and age (OR 1.07; 95% CI 1.02–1.11; P = 0.002) remained independent predictors of mortality.

Conclusions: In unselected population risk stratifications based on the postprocedural ST resolution analysis correlate with 1‐year mortality after primary PCI. However, only the single‐lead ST deviation analysis allows an independent mortality prediction.
Bone healing at implants with a fluoride‐modified surface: an experimental study in dogs
Authors: Berglundh T. , Abrahamsson I. , Albouy J.‐P. , Lindhe J.
Published: February 2007

Objectives: The aim of the present experiment was to study early stages of osseointegration to implants with a fluoride‐modified surface.

Material and methods: Six mongrel dogs, about 1‐year old, were used. All mandibular premolars and the first mandibular molars were extracted. Three months later, mucoperiosteal flaps were elevated in one side of the mandible and six sites were identified for implant placement. The control implants (MicroThread™) had a TiOblast surface, while the test implants (OsseoSpeed™) had a fluoride‐modified TiOblast surface. Both types of implants had a similar geometry, a diameter of 3.5 mm and were 8 mm long. Following installation, cover screws were placed and the flaps were adjusted and sutured to cover all implants. Four weeks after the first implant surgery, the installation procedure was repeated in the opposite side of the mandible. Two weeks later, biopsies were obtained and prepared for histological analysis. The void that occurred between the cut bone wall of the recipient site and the macro‐threads of the implant immediately following implant installation was used to study early bone formation.

Results: It was demonstrated that the amount of new bone that formed in the voids within the first 2 weeks of healing was larger at fluoride‐modified implants (test) than at TiOblast (control) implants. It was further observed that the amount of bone‐to‐implant contact that had been established after 2 weeks in the macro‐threaded portion of the implant was significantly larger at the test implants than at the controls.

Conclusion: It is suggested that the fluoride‐modified implant surface promotes osseointegration in the early phase of healing following implant installation.
Integrated morphogen signal inputs in γδ versus αβ T‐cell differentiation
Authors: Melichar Heather , Kang Joonsoo
Published: February 2007

Summary:  Morphogens, a class of secreted proteins that regulate gene expression in a concentration‐dependent manner, are responsible for directing nearly all lineage fate choices during embryogenesis. In the thymus, morphogen signal pathways consisting of WNT, Hedgehog, and the transforming growth factor‐β superfamily are active and have been implicated in various developmental processes including proliferation, survival, and differentiation of maturing thymocytes. Intriguingly, it has been inferred that some of these morphogen signal pathways differentially affect γδ and αβ T‐cell development or maintenance, but their role in T‐cell lineage commitment has not been directly probed. We have recently identified a modulator of morphogen signaling that significantly influences binary γδ versus αβ T‐cell lineage diversification. In this review, we summarize functions of morphogens in the thymus and provide a highly speculative model of integrated morphogen signals, potentially directing the γδ versus αβ T‐cell fate determination process.
Nonpeptide antigens, presentation mechanisms, and immunological memory of human Vγ2Vδ2 T cells: discriminating friend from foe through the recognition of prenyl pyrophosphate antigens
Authors: Morita Craig T. , Jin Chenggang , Sarikonda Ghanashyam , Wang Hong
Published: February 2007

Summary:  Human Vγ2Vδ2 T cells play important roles in mediating immunity against microbial pathogens and have potent anti‐tumor activity. Vγ2Vδ2 T cells recognize the pyrophosphorylated isoprenoid intermediates (E)‐4‐hydroxy‐3‐methyl‐but‐2‐enyl pyrophosphate (HMBPP), an intermediate in the foreign 2‐C‐methyl‐d‐erythritol 4‐phosphate (MEP) pathway, and isopentenyl pyrophosphate (IPP), an intermediate in the self‐mevalonate pathway. Infection with bacteria and protozoa using the MEP pathway leads to the rapid expansion of Vγ2Vδ2 T cells to very high numbers through preferential recognition of HMBPP. Activated Vγ2Vδ2 T cells produce proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines, kill infected cells, secrete growth factors for epithelial cells, and present antigens to αβ T cells. Vγ2Vδ2 T cells can also recognize high levels of IPP in certain tumors and in cells treated with pharmacological agents, such as bisphosphonates and alkylamines, that block farnesyl pyrophosphate synthase. Activated Vγ2Vδ2 T cells are able to kill most tumor cells because of recognition by T‐cell receptor and natural killer receptors. The ubiquitous nature of the antigens converts essentially all Vγ2Vδ2 T cells to memory cells at an early age. Thus, primary infections with HMBPP‐producing bacteria are perceived by Vγ2Vδ2 T cells as a repeat infection. Extensive efforts are underway to harness these cells to treat a variety of cancers and to provide microbial immunity.
The acceptability of variations in smile arc and buccal corridor space
Authors: Parekh S , Fields HW , Beck FM , Rosenstiel SF
Published: February 2007

Structured Abstract

Authors –  Parekh S, Fields HW, Beck FM, Rosenstiel SF

Objectives –  To evaluate the esthetic acceptability range of computer‐generated variations in smile arc and buccal corridor.

Design –  Web‐based descriptive study using available subjects.

Setting and Sample Population –  The World Wide Web. Subjects for the main study included 115 lay and 131 orthodontist raters.

Experimental Variables –  Buccal corridors and smile arcs, each presented for a female and a male image. Buccal corridors were presented as none, ideal and excessive. The smile arc was presented as flat, ideal and excessive. The nine male and female variations, as combinations of the above variables, were each presented twice to evaluate reliability.

Outcome Measure –  Acceptability of buccal corridors and smile arcs using the web‐based instrument. An arbitrary super majority threshold of acceptability was set at 67% approval.

Results –  Both laypersons and orthodontists showed good reliability (k ≥ 0.70). There was a broad range of acceptability, but laypersons and orthodontists showed no significant differences on the two variables tested. While orthodontists and laypersons both found smiles with excessive buccal corridors to be significantly less acceptable than those with ideal or absent buccal corridors, they were still acceptable over 70% of the time. Flat smile arcs were only acceptable 50–60% of the time, while smiles with ideal and excessive smile arcs were significantly more acceptable 84–95% of the time. When examining buccal corridors and smile arcs together, excessive buccal corridors were significantly less acceptable than ideal or absent buccal corridors regardless of the smile arc. A flat smile arc significantly reduced the acceptability of any buccal corridor to below the threshold of acceptability.

Conclusions –  Laypersons and orthodontists have similar preferences when acceptability of buccal corridors and smile arcs are considered. Flat smile arcs are more detrimental to smile esthetics than variations in buccal corridors. Clinicians must realize that although attractiveness may be reduced by variations in buccal corridors and smile arcs, the result may still be acceptable to a majority of people.
Abuse of anabolic‐androgenic steroids and bodybuilding acne: an underestimated health problem
Authors: Melnik Bodo , Jansen Thomas , Grabbe Stephan
Published: February 2007

Abuse of anabolic‐androgenic steroids (AAS) by members of fitness centers and others in Germany has reached alarming dimensions. The health care system provides the illegal AAS to 48.1 % of abusers. Physicians are involved in illegal prescription of AAS and monitoring of 32.1 % of AAS abusers. Besides health‐threatening cardiovascular, hepatotoxic and psychiatric long‐term side effects of AAS, acne occurs in about 50 % of AAS abusers and is an important clinical indicator of AAS abuse, especially in young men 18‐26 years of age. Both acne conglobata and acne fulminans can be induced by AAS abuse. The dermatologist should recognize bodybuilding acne, address the AAS abuse, and warn the patient about other potential hazards.
Maxillary Implants Loaded at 3 Months after Insertion: Results with Astra Tech Implants after up to 5 Years
Authors: Steveling Helmut , Roos Johan , Rasmusson Lars
Published: February 2007

Background: To date, clinical studies have mainly focused on early loading of mandibular implants. Recently, there has also been considerable interest in early loading of maxillary implants.

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to report the outcome of maxillary implants loaded after a 3‐month healing period and followed up to 5 years.

Materials and Methods: Seventeen patients (11 males and 6 females) received 44 Astra Tech implants (Molndal, Sweden) for treatment of single‐tooth (13 cases) and partial edentulism (9 cases). The patients were followed up to 5 years after implant placement:50% of the implants were followed for 3 years and 16% have been followed throughout the observation period. Preoperatively, bone height and width were assessed on radiographs. Marginal bone loss was recorded on intraoral radiographs annually.

Results: No implant was lost during the observation period. The average marginal bone loss was 0.5 ± 0.7 mm after 1 year, 0.6 ± 0.7 mm after 3 years, and 0.9 ± 1.6 mm after 5 years. There were no soft‐tissue or prosthetic failures recorded during the observation period.

Conclusion: Early loading of Astra Tech implants was highly successful in maxillary partial and single‐tooth cases followed up to 5 years in function.
Implant‐Supported Fixed Prostheses for the Rehabilitation of Periodontally Compromised Dentitions: A 3‐Year Prospective Clinical Study
Authors: Yi Seung‐Won , Ericsson Ingvar , Kim Chon‐Kwan , Carlsson Gunnar E. , Nilner Krister
Published: February 2007

Background: The application of a strict hygiene maintenance care protocol following rehabilitation of periodontally compromised dentitions by means of tooth‐supported fixed partial dentures has demonstrated excellent long‐term treatment outcome.

Purpose: A clinical and radiographic study was performed to document and evaluate the short‐ and medium‐term result of occlusal rehabilitation by means of implant‐supported fixed prostheses (ISFPs) in patients treated for advanced peri‐odontal disease.

Materials and Methods: Forty‐three consecutive patients were included. All patients were referred because of advanced periodontal disease. Before the implant therapy was initiated, periodontal treatment was performed and the outcome evaluated during at least a 6‐month period. An individual maintenance care program was designed for each patient. All 125 implants were placed using a two‐stage surgical approach. Following installation of the ISFPs, all patients underwent a baseline examination including evaluation of oral hygiene, periodontal or peri‐implant conditions, and radiographs. These examinations were repeated annually during the 3‐year observation period.

Results: No single implant was lost during the 3‐year follow‐up period. The percentages of plaque‐harboring surfaces and bleeding units on probing were found to be low (< 10%), and no soft‐tissue complications were recorded. The mean marginal bone resorption during the observation period amounted to 0.21 mm. In a few patients, apposition of marginal bone was observed. Bone loss amounting to 0.5 mm or less was found around 81% of the implants (101/125 implants). The amount of bone loss around the remaining 24 implants (19%) varied between 0.5 and 2.0 mm.

Conclusions: The present clinical trial demonstrates that, at least during a 3‐year period, the ISFP is an acceptable and predictable treatment option for rehabilitation in patients who have lost their teeth because of periodontal disease. This observation seems to be valid in edentulous and partially dentate jaws. A prerequisite to reach such a favorable treatment outcome is possibly the combination of the strict maintenance care program and the careful design of the ISFPs.
The Hong Kong Bridge Protocol. Immediate Loading of Mandibular Brånemark Fixtures Using a Fixed Provisional Prosthesis: Preliminary Results
Authors: Chow James , Hui Edward , Liu Jerry , Li Douglas , Wat Peter , Li William , Kwong Yau Yi , Law Henry
Published: February 2007

Background: The Brånemark System Classic is well documented for its successful and predictable results in dental implant rehabilitation. However, the classic two‐stage protocol is associated with problems, such as long treatment time and high treatment cost. To overcome these problems, new developments, including early functional loading protocol and Brånemark System Novum, have been introduced by various groups of researchers. In Hong Kong, a protocol has been developed to immediately load the Brånemark System fixtures with a fixed provisional prosthesis.

Purpose: The goal of this prospective study was to present the Hong Kong Bridge protocol and report the short‐term evaluation of this protocol in a group of patients who had undergone dental implant treatment for their edentulous mandibles.

Materials and Methods: Twenty‐seven consecutive patients being treated at the Hong Kong Osseointegration Implant Centre between June 1998 and December 2000 were included in this study. A total of 123 Brånemark System fixtures were installed and regularly followed up for 3 to 30 months. The prosthesis stability and the marginal bone level were regularly evaluated clinically and radiographically, respectively, after the implant surgery.

Results: Fifteen of the 27 patients had been followed up for 1 year or longer. Two patients with eight fixtures were withdrawn from the study. Two of the 115 remaining fixtures failed, resulting in an overall implant survival rate of 98.3%. The mean marginal bone change was reported on 49 fixtures that had passed the 1‐year review. The mean marginal bone loss was 0.60 mm (p <.05) after 1 year of functional loading.

Conclusions: To load the mandibular Brånemark System fixtures immediately according to the Hong Kong Bridge protocol was a predictable and simple method with good results during this preliminary study period.

CONCLUSION During the preliminary period of this study, 115 immediately loaded Brånemark System fixtures were regularly recalled over 3 to 30 months. The overall implant survival rate of 98.3% demonstrates that immediate loading of mandibular Brånemark System fixtures using a fixed provisional prosthesis can be performed successfully with a predictable outcome.
Immediate Occlusal Loading of Brånemark Implants Applied in Various Jawbone Regions: A Prospective, 1‐Year Clinical Study
Authors: Glauser Roland , Ree Andreas , Lundgren AnnaKarin , Gottlow Jan , Hammerle Christoph H.R. , Scharer Peter
Published: February 2007

Background: The original protocol for dental implant treatment ad modum Brånemark was based on submerged healing prior to loading. For patients, immediate implant function could reduce cost and increase attractiveness of implant treatment.

Purpose: The goal of this study was to evaluate the short‐term success rate of immediately loaded implants placed in various regions of the jaws.

Materials and Methods: Forty‐one patients received a total of 127 immediately loaded implants (76 maxillary and 51 mandibular). Seventy‐one percent of the patients received their prosthetic restoration the same day and the others within 11 days. All prosthetic constructions were in full contact in centric occlusion. Clinical follow‐up examinations were performed at 1 week, 2 weeks, and at 1, 2, 3, 6, and 12 months after implant loading. The study was completed 1 year after loading.

Results: Twenty‐two implants were lost in 13 patients (including 7 maxillary implants lost in 1 patient). The cumulative success rate of the implants was 82.7% after 1 year of prosthetic loading. All sites with implant losses were re‐implanted, using a two‐stage technique, with no further complications reported. Ninety‐one percent of implants placed in regions other than the posterior maxilla were successful compared with 66% of implants placed in the posterior maxilla. Implants in patients with a parafunctional habit (bruxers) were lost more frequently than those placed in patients with no para‐function (41% vs. 12%). Implants subjected to guided bone regeneration were more successful compared with those not subjected to regeneration procedures (90% vs. 67%).

Conclusions: The immediate loading concept is a realistic treatment alternative in various jawbone regions except for the posterior part of the maxilla. High occlusal loads should be considered a risk factor. On the other hand, implants in combination with bone defects frequently are penetrating cortical layers to a higher extent, thereby contributing to implant stability during the healing phase and consequently do not inevitably jeopardize the treatment result. However, further controlled clinical studies with larger sample sizes need to be performed to evaluate the influence of different parameters on treatment outcome.
Modelling Soil Erosion by Grazing: Recent Developments and New Approaches
Authors: THORNES JOHN B.
Published: February 2007

Grazing is still widely held responsible for land degradation. The interaction between grazing and erosion is still rather poorly understood. As a consequence, counter‐measures and associated management techniques have been slow to develop in southern Europe compared with Australia. Developments in ecological and economic‐ecological modelling have improved our understanding of the processes and enhanced management capacity. Some of these developments are reviewed and two applications are described. One is a model for semi‐extensive grazing in dry Mediterranean mountain conditions in which the shepherds, on random paths, seek to optimise resources use for economic benefit. The other is a spatial optimisation of vegetation canopy to minimise erosion rates.
Calpain activation causes a proteasome‐dependent increase in protein degradation and inhibits the Akt signalling pathway in rat diaphragm muscle
Authors: Smith Ira J. , Dodd Stephen L.
Published: February 2007

The role of the calpain proteases in skeletal muscle atrophy is poorly understood. One goal of these experiments was to clarify whether calpains act upstream of the ubiquitin–proteasome pathway (UPP). Calpain activation may also inhibit the anabolic signalling of Akt, since a molecular chaperone previously shown to mediate Akt activity, heat shock protein 90 (HSP 90), is a calpain substrate. Thus, an additional objective was to determine whether calpain activation affects the Akt signalling pathway. Ex vivo experiments were conducted using isolated rat diaphragm muscle. Calpain activation increased total protein degradation by 65%. Proteasome inhibition prevented this large rise in proteolysis, demonstrating that the proteasome was necessary for calpain‐activated protein degradation. In addition, calpain activation increased proteasome‐dependent proteolysis by 144%, further supporting the idea of sequential proteolytic pathways. Calpain reduced Akt and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation by 35 and 50%, respectively, and activated glycogen synthase kinase‐3 beta (GSK‐3β) by 40%. Additionally, calpain activation reduced HSP 90β and mTOR protein content by 33 and 50%, respectively. These data suggest that calpains play a dual role in protein metabolism by concomitantly activating proteasome‐dependent proteolysis and inhibiting the Akt pathway of protein synthesis.
Strength and Buoyancy Analyses of Floating Roof With Continuous Beams and Dome Frames Under Rainwater Loading
Authors: Sun Xiushan , Liu Yinghua , Cen Zhangzhi , Lin Shutian
Published: February 2007

In this paper, the strength and buoyancy problems of the floating roof with continuous beams and dome frames are analyzed by the finite element method (FEM) and model experiment method. The modified-loading method with relationship between deflection and load is developed to carry out the FEM analysis of the floating roof under rainwater loading, and a model experiment is also configured to prove the reasonability of the numerical method and to assist the analysis. The deflections, strains, and sinking problems of the floating roof with continuous beams and dome frames are simulated by the present FEM and tested by the experiment, respectively. The floating roof without beams, ribs, or frames is also simulated by the present FEM. The numerical results are compared to the corresponding experimental ones. According to these results, the problems of strength and buoyancy of the floating roof with continuous beams and dome frames are also investigated and discussed. These results will provide some available references to designs and studies in the industry.
Optical Monitoring of Bolt Tightening Using 3D Electronic Speckle Pattern Interferometry
Authors: Nassar Sayed A. , Meng Aidong
Published: February 2007

An optical method is presented for the real-time monitoring of the bolt tightening process that provides the necessary clamping force in bolted assemblies. The method uses the 3D electronic speckle pattern interferometry (ESPI) technique to measure and monitor the joint deformation and strain fields in the joint around the tightened fastener, and establish a reliable correlation with the clamp load provided by the fastener tightening. Because the relationship between the clamp load and joint deformation is independent of the frictional variables of the fastener, the direct monitoring of the deformation and strain fields in the clamped joint would provide a more reliable measure of the clamp load level, as compared to the conventional reliance on the tightening torque to predict the resulting clamp load level. This technique is beneficial, especially for monitoring, with high precision, the proper tightening of critical bolted connections such as those used in many pressure vessels in the nuclear power industry. The validity of the optical technique is also ascertained by comparing the results to that obtained by using finite element analysis and other classical mechanics of materials methods.
Fluid-Structure Interaction Effects Modeling for the Modal Analysis of a Nuclear Pressure Vessel
Authors: Sigrist Jean-François , Broc Daniel , Lainé Christian
Published: February 2007

The present paper deals with the modal analysis of a nuclear reactor with fluid-structure interaction effects. The proposed study aims at describing various fluid-structure interaction effects using several numerical approaches. The modeling lies on a classical finite element discretization of the coupled fluid-structure equation, enabling the description of added mass and added stiffness effects. A specific procedure is developed in order to model the presence of internal structures within the nuclear reactor, based on periodical homogenization techniques. The numerical model of the nuclear pressure vessel is developed in a finite element code in which the homogenization method is implemented. The proposed methodology enables a convenient analysis from the engineering point of view and gives an example of the fluid-structure interaction effects, which are expected on an industrial structure. The modal analysis of the nuclear pressure vessel is then performed and highlights of the relative importance of FSI effects for the industrial case are evaluated: the analysis shows that added mass effects and confinement effects are of paramount importance in comparison to added stiffness effects.
Thermal Shock Cracking: Design and Assessment Guidelines
Authors: Price John W. H.
Published: February 2007

Repeated thermal shock cracking is common in the operation of pressure equipment where water and steam are present. Surprisingly, it is not fully covered in the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel code nor in fitness-for-purpose recommended practice such as API 579. An example of thermal shock stresses occurs when hot surfaces are exposed to splashing of cold water. This eventually may lead to crack nucleation and crack growth. However, not all thermal shock cracks lead to failures (such as rupture, leak, or, in more brittle material, fragmentation), indeed the most frequent situation is that the cracking arrests at a depth of a few millimeters. This paper presents a unique experimental study and analysis of the information being gained from this study in terms of design guidelines and crack growth mechanisms. In the experiments, cracks are initiated and then grown in low carbon steel specimens exposed to repeated thermal shock. The test-rigs achieve large thermal shocks through the repeated water quenching of heated flat plate specimens. The effect of steady state loads on the growth and environmental effects due to the aqueous nature of the testing environment are found to be major contributors to the crack growth kinetics. The most important findings are that the conditions leading to both the initiation and the arrest of cracks can be identified and that the depth of a starter notch contributes little to the crack propagation.
Use of Duplex Stainless Steel in Economic Design of a Pressure Vessel
Authors: Veljkovic Milan , Gozzi Jonas
Published: February 2007

Pressure vessels have been used for a long time in various applications in oil, chemical, nuclear, and power industries. Although high-strength steels have been available in the last three decades, there are still some provisions in design codes that preclude a full exploitation of its properties. This was recognized by the European Equipment Industry and an initiative to improve economy and safe use of high-strength steels in the pressure vessel design was expressed in the evaluation report (Szusdziara, S., and McAllista, S., EPERC Report No. (97)005, Nov. 11, 1997). Duplex stainless steel (DSS) has a mixed structure which consists of ferrite and austenite stainless steels, with austenite between 40% and 60%. The current version of the European standard for unfired pressure vessels EN 13445:2002 contains an innovative design procedure based on Finite Element Analysis (FEA), called Design by Analysis-Direct Route (DBA-DR). According to EN 13445:2002 duplex stainless steels should be designed as a ferritic stainless steels. Such statement seems to penalize the DSS grades for the use in unfired pressure vessels (Bocquet, P., and Hukelmann, F., 2001, EPERC Bulletin, No. 5). The aim of this paper is to present an investigation performed by Luleå University of Technology within the ECOPRESS project (2000-2003) (http://www.ecopress.org), indicating possibilities towards economic design of pressure vessels made of the EN 1.4462, designation according to the European standard EN 10088-1 Stainless steels. The results show that FEA with von Mises yield criterion and isotropic hardening describe the material behaviour with a good agreement compared to tests and that 5% principal strain limit is too low and 12% is more appropriate.
Mesoscale Iron Enrichment Experiments 1993-2005: Synthesis and Future Directions
Authors: Boyd P. W. , Jickells T. , Law C. S. , Blain S. , Boyle E. A. , Buesseler K. O. , Coale K. H. , Cullen J. J. , de Baar H. J. W. , Follows M. , Harvey M. , Lancelot C. , Levasseur M. , Owens N. P. J. , Pollard R. , Rivkin R. B. , Sarmiento J. , Schoemann V. , Smetacek V. , Takeda S. , Tsuda A. , Turner S. , Watson A. J.
Published: February 2007

Since the mid-1980s, our understanding of nutrient limitation of oceanic primary production has radically changed. Mesoscale iron addition experiments (FeAXs) have unequivocally shown that iron supply limits production in one-third of the world ocean, where surface macronutrient concentrations are perennially high. The findings of these 12 FeAXs also reveal that iron supply exerts controls on the dynamics of plankton blooms, which in turn affect the biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, silicon, and sulfur and ultimately influence the Earth climate system. However, extrapolation of the key results of FeAXs to regional and seasonal scales in some cases is limited because of differing modes of iron supply in FeAXs and in the modern and paleo-oceans. New research directions include quantification of the coupling of oceanic iron and carbon biogeochemistry.
Rtt109 Acetylates Histone H3 Lysine 56 and Functions in DNA Replication
Authors: Han Junhong , Zhou Hui , Horazdovsky Bruce , Zhang Kangling , Xu Rui-Ming , Zhang Zhiguo
Published: February 2007

Acetylation of histone H3 lysine 56 (H3-K56) occurs in S phase, and cells lacking H3-K56 acetylation are sensitive to DNA-damaging agents. However, the histone acetyltransferase (HAT) that catalyzes global H3-K56 acetylation has not been found. Here we show that regulation of Ty1 transposition gene product 109 (Rtt109) is an H3-K56 HAT. Cells lacking Rtt109 or expressing
rtt109
mutants with alterations at a conserved aspartate residue lose H3-K56 acetylation and exhibit increased sensitivity toward genotoxic agents, as well as elevated levels of spontaneous chromosome breaks. Thus, Rtt109, which shares no sequence homology with any other known HATs, is a unique HAT that acetylates H3-K56.
Dimensions of Mind Perception
Authors: Gray Heather M. , Gray Kurt , Wegner Daniel M.
Published: February 2007

Participants compared the mental capacities of various human and nonhuman characters via online surveys. Factor analysis revealed two dimensions of mind perception, Experience (for example, capacity for hunger) and Agency (for example, capacity for self-control). The dimensions predicted different moral judgments but were both related to valuing of mind.
Structural and Regulatory Genes Required to Make the Gas Dimethyl Sulfide in Bacteria
Authors: Todd Jonathan D. , Rogers Rachel , Li You Guo , Wexler Margaret , Bond Philip L. , Sun Lei , Curson Andrew R. J. , Malin Gill , Steinke Michael , Johnston Andrew W. B.
Published: February 2007

Dimethyl sulfide (DMS) is a key compound in global sulfur and carbon cycles. DMS oxidation products cause cloud nucleation and may affect weather and climate. DMS is generated largely by bacterial catabolism of dimethylsulfoniopropionate (DMSP), a secondary metabolite made by marine algae. We demonstrate that the bacterial gene
dddD
is required for this process and that its transcription is induced by the DMSP substrate. Cloned
dddD
from the marine bacterium
Marinomonas
and from two bacterial strains that associate with higher plants, the N
2
-fixing symbiont
Rhizobium
NGR234 and the root-colonizing
Burkholderia cepacia
AMMD, conferred to
Escherichia coli
the ability to make DMS from DMSP. The inferred enzymatic mechanism for DMS liberation involves an initial step in which DMSP is modified by addition of acyl coenzyme A, rather than the immediate release of DMS by a DMSP lyase, the previously suggested mechanism.
Otherness--When Killing Is Easy
Authors: Ash Caroline
Published: February 2007

The Altruism Equation
. Seven Scientists Search for the Origins of Goodness.
By Lee Alan Dugatkin
. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ, 2006. 202 pp. $24.95, £15.95. ISBN 9780691125909.

Conflict
.
Martin Jones and A. C. Fabian, Eds.
. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2006. 184 pp. $40, £25. ISBN 9780521839600. Darwin College Lectures.

The books offer two contrasting perspectives to the themes of conflict and cooperation in human behavior: a series of essays emphasizing the importance of the former and an exploration of altruism through the work of seven scholars over the past 200 years.
Abortive Infection Mechanisms and Prophage Sequences Significantly Influence the Genetic Makeup of Emerging Lytic Lactococcal Phages
Authors: Labrie Simon J. , Moineau Sylvain
Published: February 2007

In this study, we demonstrated the remarkable genome plasticity of lytic lactococcal phages that allows them to rapidly adapt to the dynamic dairy environment. The lytic double-stranded DNA phage ul36 was used to sequentially infect a wild-type strain of
Lactococcus lactis
and two isogenic derivatives with genes encoding two phage resistance mechanisms, AbiK and AbiT. Four phage mutants resistant to one or both Abi mechanisms were isolated. Comparative analysis of their complete genomes, as well as morphological observations, revealed that phage ul36 extensively evolved by large-scale homologous and nonhomologous recombination events with the inducible prophage present in the host strain. One phage mutant exchanged as much as 79% of its genome compared to the core genome of ul36. Thus, natural phage defense mechanisms and prophage elements found in bacterial chromosomes contribute significantly to the evolution of the lytic phage population.
Controlled Clinical Comparison of BacT/ALERT Standard Aerobic and Standard Anaerobic Blood Culture Bottles Inoculated Directly or after Transport in Sodium Polyanethol Sulfonate Tubes
Authors: Pien Brian C. , Mirrett Stanley , Crews Betty R. , Reller L. Barth , Woods Christopher W.
Published: February 2007

To assess relative performances in the BacT/ALERT blood culture system, we compared results from the direct inoculation of standard media and inoculation after the transport of blood samples in Vacutainer tubes with sodium polyanethol sulfonate. No significant differences in yields or times to detection were found for 387 clinically important isolates from 4,306 blood culture sets.
Type IV Neonatal Early-Onset Group B Streptococcal Disease in a United States Hospital
Authors: Puopolo Karen M. , Madoff Lawrence C.
Published: February 2007

Group B streptococcus (GBS) serotypes causing neonatal disease vary by geographic region. Surveillance at the Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts, revealed a case of neonatal early-onset sepsis caused by type IV GBS. Neonatal type IV disease occurs in the Middle East but has not recently been described in U.S. infants.
Capsid Protein of Eastern Equine Encephalitis Virus Inhibits Host Cell Gene Expression
Authors: Aguilar Patricia V. , Weaver Scott C. , Basler Christopher F.
Published: February 2007

Eastern equine encephalitis virus (EEEV) causes sporadic but often severe cases of human and equine neurological disease in North America. To determine how EEEV may evade innate immune responses, we screened individual EEEV proteins for the ability to rescue the growth of a Newcastle disease virus expressing green fluorescent protein (NDV-GFP) from the antiviral effects of interferon (IFN). Only expression of the EEEV capsid facilitated NDV-GFP replication. Inhibition of the antiviral effects of IFN by the capsid appears to occur through a general inhibition of cellular gene expression. For example, the capsid inhibited the expression of several reporter genes under the control of RNA polymerase II promoters. In contrast, capsid did not inhibit expression from a T7 RNA polymerase promoter construct, suggesting that the inhibition of gene expression is specific and is not a simple manifestation of toxicity. The inhibition correlated both with capsid-induced phosphorylation of eukaryotic initiation factor 2 alpha and with capsid-mediated inhibition of cellular mRNA accumulation. Mapping analysis identified the N terminus as the region important for the inhibition of host gene expression, suggesting that this inhibition is independent of capsid protease activity. Finally, when cell lines containing EEEV replicons encoding capsid were selected, replicons consistently acquired mutations that deleted all or part of the capsid, for example, amino acids 18 to 135. Given that the amino terminus of the capsid is required to inhibit host cell gene expression, these data suggest that capsid expression from the replicons is ultimately toxic to host cells, presumably because of its ability to inhibit gene expression.
Degrons at the C Terminus of the Pathogenic but Not the Nonpathogenic Hantavirus G1 Tail Direct Proteasomal Degradation
Authors: Sen Nandini , Sen Adrish , Mackow Erich R.
Published: February 2007

Pathogenic hantaviruses cause two human diseases: hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS) and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome (HFRS). The hantavirus G1 protein contains a long, 142-amino-acid cytoplasmic tail, which in NY-1 virus (NY-1V) is ubiquitinated and proteasomally degraded (E. Geimonen, I. Fernandez, I. N. Gavrilovskaya, and E. R. Mackow, J. Virol.
77:
10760-10768, 2003). Here we report that the G1 cytoplasmic tails of pathogenic Andes (HPS) and Hantaan (HFRS) viruses are also degraded by the proteasome and that, in contrast, the G1 tail of nonpathogenic Prospect Hill virus (PHV) is stable and not proteasomally degraded. We determined that the signals which direct NY-1V G1 tail degradation are present in a hydrophobic region within the C-terminal 30 residues of the protein. In contrast to that of PHV, the NY-1V hydrophobic domain directs the proteasomal degradation of green fluorescent protein and constitutes an autonomous degradation signal, or “degron,” within the NY-1V G1 tail. Replacing 4 noncontiguous residues of the NY-1V G1 tail with residues present in the stable PHV G1 tail resulted in a NY-1V G1 tail that was not degraded by the proteasome. In contrast, changing a different but overlapping set of 4 PHV residues to corresponding NY-1V residues directed proteasomal degradation of the PHV G1 tail. The G1 tails of pathogenic, but not nonpathogenic, hantaviruses contain intervening hydrophilic residues within the C-terminal hydrophobic domain, and amino acid substitutions that alter the stability or degradation of NY-1V or PHV G1 tails result from removing or adding intervening hydrophilic residues. Our results identify residues that selectively direct the proteasomal degradation of pathogenic hantavirus G1 tails. Although a role for the proteasomal degradation of the G1 tail in HPS or HFRS is unclear, these findings link G1 tail degradation to viral pathogenesis and suggest that degrons within hantavirus G1 tails are potential virulence determinants.