bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Clock Gene Evolution and Functional Divergence
Authors: Tauber Eran , Last Kim S. , Olive Peter J.W. , Kyriacou C. P.
Published: November 2004

In considering the impact of the earth’s changing geophysical conditions during the history of life, it is surprising to learn that the earth’s rotational period may have been as short as 4 h, as recently as 1900 million years ago (or 1.9 billion years ago). The implications of such figures for the origin and evolution of clocks are considerable, and the authors speculate on how this short rotational period might have influenced the development of the “protoclock” in early microorganisms, such as the Cyanobacteria, during the geological periodsin which they arose and flourished. They then discuss the subsequent duplication of clock genes that took place around and after the Cambrian period, 543 million years ago, and its consequences. They compare the relative divergences of the canonical clock genes, which reveal the Per family to be the most rapidly evolving. In addition, the authors use a statistical test to predict which residues within the PER and CRY families may have undergone functional specialization.
It’s All in the Timing: Many Clocks, Many Outputs
Authors: Panda Satchidananda , Hogenesch John B.
Published: November 2004

It is thought that circadian regulation of physiology and behavior imparts survival advantages to organisms that use clocks. In mammals, a master clock resident in the SCN synchronizes other central and peripheral oscillators to evoke this regulation. This master oscillator consists of interlocking transcriptional-translational feedback loops, and it regulates both core clock genes necessary for oscillator maintenance as well as specific output genes that directly or indirectly mediate physiology under circadian control. It is now clear that both neuroanatomic and molecular outputs of the clock are necessary for proper circadian clock function. Recent technology has improved our understanding of these processes, elucidating the anatomic outputs of the SCN, as well as the molecular outputs of both central and peripheral oscillators that mediate observed physiological changes.
Circadian Timing Mechanism in the Prokaryotic Clock System of Cyanobacteria
Authors: Iwasaki Hideo , Kondo Takao
Published: November 2004

Cyanobacteria are the simplest organisms known to exhibit circadian rhythms and have provided experimental model systems for the dissection of basic properties of circadian organization at the molecular, physiological, and ecological levels. This review focuses on the molecular and genetic mechanisms of circadian rhythm generation in cyanobacteria. Recent analyses have revealed the existence of multiple feedback processes in the prokaryotic circadian system and have led to a novel molecular oscillator model. Here, the authors summarize current understanding of, and open questions about, the cyanobacterial oscillator.
The Neurospora Circadian System
Authors: Dunlap Jay C. , Loros Jennifer J.
Published: November 2004

The eukaryotic filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa has proven to be a durable and dependable model system for the analysis of the cellular and molecular bases of circadian rhythms. Pioneering genetic analyses identified clock genes, and beginning with the cloning of frequency ( frq), work over the past 2 decades has revealed the molecular basis of a core circadian clock feedback loop that has illuminated our understanding of circadian oscillators in microbes, plants, and animals. In this transcription/translation-based feedback loop, a heterodimer of the White Collar-1 (WC-1) and WC-2 proteins acts both as the circadian photoreceptor and, in the dark, as a transcription factor that promotes the expression of the frq gene. FRQ dimerizes and feeds back to block the activity of its activators (making a negative feedback loop), as well as feeding forward to promote the synthesis of its activator, WC-1. Phosphorylation of FRQ by several kinases leads to its ubiquitination and turnover, releasing the WC-1/WC-2 dimer to reactivate frq expression and restart the circadian cycle. Light resetting of the clock can be understood through the rapid light induction of frq expression and temperature resetting through the influence of elevated temperaturesin driving higher levels of FRQ. Several FRQ- and WC-independent, noncircadian FRQ-less oscillators (FLOs) have been described, each of which appears to regulate aspects of Neurospora growth or development. Overall, the FRQ/white collar complex feedback loop appears to coordinate the circadian system through its activity to regulate downstream-target clock-controlled genes, either directly or via regulation of driven FLOs.
What Is Violence Against Women
Authors: Kilpatrick Dean G.
Published: November 2004

Violence against women (VAW) is a prevalent problem with substantial physical and mental health consequences throughout the world, and sound public policy is dependent on having good measures of VAW. This article (a) describes and contrasts criminal justice and public health approaches toward defining VAW, (b) identifies major controversies concerning measurement of VAW, (c) summarizes basic principles in identifying and measuring VAW cases, and (d) recommends changes to improve measurement of VAW. In addition to reviewing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Workshop on Building Data Systems for Monitoring and Responding to Violence Against Women and the World Health Organization World Report on Violence and Health, the article concludes that changes are needed in the FBI Uniform Crime Reports and National Crime Victimization Survey to improve measurement of rape and sexual assault.
Issues Related to Defining and Measuring Violence Against Women
Authors: Saltzman Linda E.
Published: November 2004

This paper asserts that although there is considerable agreement in the U.S. and internationally about the importance of uniform terminology and measurement related to violence against women, we need a strategy for choosing standardized definitions and measures. Responding to Kilpatrick’s comments at the October 2003 national research conference on violence against women, the author stresses the importance of developing and using uniform terminology related to violence against women, and discusses the lack of a formal mechanism to achieve uniformity of definitions and measurement. Uncertainty about the impact of context on survey findings and the lack of agreement about the optimal scope of measurement are discussed. The author also comments on some difficulties associated with implementing Kilpatrick’s proposed modifications to existing measures of rape and sexual assault.
Violence Against Women
Authors: Briere John , Jordan Carol E.
Published: November 2004

This article reviews the major forms of violence against women, including sexual assault, intimate-relationship violence, and stalking and outlines the known psychological effects of such victimization. Also discussed are a number of variables that combine to determine the effects of such victimization, including type and characteristics of the assault; victim variables such as demographics, psychological reactions at the time of the trauma, previous victimization history, current or previous psychological difficulties, and general coping style; and sociocultural factors such as poverty, social inequality, and inadequate social support. The implications of this complexity are explored in terms of psychological assessment and the frequent need for multitarget, multimodal treatment approaches.
Researcher-Advocate Collaborations to End Violence Against Women
Authors: Williams Linda M.
Published: November 2004

This article relies on literature from the field and on research conducted by the National Violence Against Women Prevention Research Center to describe the difficulties encountered in collaborations between researchers and advocates working on the prevention of violence against women. The article summarizes guidelines for collaboration that have been suggested by many researchers and advocates, and it makes the claim that a feminist approach to liberating methodologies for action research is needed to increase the likelihood of successful collaborations.
An Open Treatment Trial of Venlafaxine for Elderly Patients With Dysthymic Disorder
Authors: Devanand D. P. , Juszczak Nicole , Nobler Mitchell S. , Turret Nancy , Fitzsimons Linda , Sackeim Harold A. , Roose Steven P.
Published: November 2004

Treatment response and side effects of venlafaxine were evaluated in an open-label trial of elderly outpatients with dysthymic disorder (DD). Patients received flexible dose (up to 300 mg/d) venlafaxine (Effexor XR) for 12 weeks. Of 23 study patients, 18 completed the trial. Fourteen (60.9%) were responders in intent-to-treat analyses with the last observation carried forward, and 77.8% were responders in completer analyses. Nearly half the sample (47.8%) met criteria for remission. In the intent-to-treat sample, increased severity of depression at baseline was associated with superior response, and the presence of cardiovascular disease was associated with poorer response. Venlafaxine open-label treatment was associated with fairly high response rates and generally good tolerability in elderly patients with DD. These results indicate that in elderly patients with DD, placebo-controlled trials of a dual reuptake inhibitor such as venlafaxine would be needed to assess its efficacy or to compare its efficacy to that of other antidepressants.
Methodology and Preliminary Results From the Neurocognitive Outcomes of Depression in the Elderly Study
Authors: Steffens David C. , Welsh-Bohmer Kathleen A. , Burke James R. , Plassman Brenda L. , Beyer John L. , Gersing Kenneth R. , Potter Guy G.
Published: November 2004

A methodology is presented for following a cohort of older depressed patients to examine neurocognitive outcomes of depression. A total of 265 depressed individuals and 138 healthy, nondepressed controls age 60 and older who completed at least 1 year of follow-up data underwent periodic clinical evaluation by a geriatric psychiatrist. A subset of 141 patients and 137 controls had neuropsychological testing. A consensus panel of experts reviewed 63 depressed subjects with suspected cognitive impairment. Twenty-seven individuals in the depressed group were assigned diagnoses of dementia, including 11 with Alzheimer’s disease, 8 with vascular dementia, and 8 with dementia of undetermined etiology. In addition, 25 individuals had other forms of cognitive impairment, and 11 were considered cognitively normal. Among elderly controls, 2 developed substantial cognitive impairment with clinical diagnoses of dementia. Among the depressed group, the incidence rates for dementia for this age are much higher than would be expected. These results are consistent with prior evidence linking depression and later dementia. Future studies are needed to examine neuroimaging and genetic, clinical, and social predictors of neurocognitive decline in depression.
Images of Influence
Authors: Buchanan David , Huczynski Andrzej
Published: November 2004

Whereas films are widely used as instructional tools, applications tend to be under-theorized, limited to illustrating ideas and motivating students. Our perspective draws on narrative theory, organizational representation, and processual theory, to develop an approach to the critical interrogation of film as thesis. Film selection criteria are identified, and two films are considered: 12 Angry Men and Thirteen Days. These films advance a thesis concerning interpersonal influence and decision making. Research-based accounts of influence are decontextualized, dyadic, episodic, apolitical, and practical. These films depict interpersonal influence as a multi-layered phenomenon, shaped by contextual, temporal, processual, social, political and emotional factors. Rather than presenting a trivialized, sensationalized, glamorous account, these films demonstrate the complex integration of issues typically covered discretely by mainstream texts.
Response to Wright’s Analysis of When “Delayed” Integrity Occurs
Authors: Shapiro Debra L.
Published: November 2004

The author extends the conclusions made by Wright regarding why his student cheater chose to unmask himself. She argues that “delayed” integrity (i.e., confessing a dishonest act belatedly) cannot occur in the absence of felt guilt, and therefore, an understanding of antecedents to guilt are essential for predicting when delayed integrity will occur. In addition, the author highlights that “guilt triggers” are at the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and organizational levels, and thus, interventions aimed at motivating delayed integrity must also be at each of these levels. When one tries to describe how each of these interventions might be operationalized, three types of justice concerns emerge. This suggests that perhaps the most parsimonious explanation for when delayed integrity (or any positive work behavior) will occur is this: People will generally behave fairly and responsibly when they have experienced a community of justice ; therefore, a guilty conscience needs no accuser, but a justice-oriented community.
Moving Molecules: mRNA Trafficking in Mammalian Oligodendrocytes and Neurons
Authors: Smith Ross
Published: November 2004

Numerous mRNA molecules are localized in regions of the dendrites of neurons, some moving along dendrites in response to synaptic activity. The proteins encoded by these RNAs have diverse functions, including participation in memory formation and long-term potentiation. Recent experiments have shown that a cytoplasmic RNA trafficking pathway described for oligodendrocytes also operates in neurons. Transported RNAs possess a cis-acting element that directs them to granules, which are transported along microtubules by the motor proteins kinesin and dynein. These RNA molecules are recruited to the cytoplasmic transport granules by cooperative interaction with a cognate trans-acting factor. mRNAs containing the 11-nucleotide A2RE11 or 21-nucleotide A2RE sequences bind heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins A2 and A3, which are abundant in the brain. Mutations in this cis-acting element that weaken its interaction with hnRNP A2 also interfere with RNA trafficking. Several dendritically localized mRNAs, including those encoding calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II α subunit and neurogranin, possess A2RE-like sequences, suggesting that they may be localized by interaction with these heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoproteins. Calcium-calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II α subunit is of particular interest: Its RNA is transported in depolarized neurons, and the protein it encodes is essential for establishing long-term memory. Several other cis-acting sequences and trans-acting factors that participate in neuronal RNA localization have been discovered.
5-HT1A Receptors, Gene Repression, and Depression: Guilt by Association
Authors: Albert Paul R. , Lemonde Sylvie
Published: November 2004

The serotonin system is implicated in major depression and suicide and is negatively regulated by somatodendritic 5-HT1A autoreceptors. Desensitization of 5-HT1A autoreceptors is implicated in the 2- to 3-week latency for antidepressant treatments. Alterations in 5-HT1A receptor levels are reported in depression and suicide, and gene knockout of the 5-HT1A receptor results in an anxiety phenotype, suggesting that abnormal transcriptional regulation of this receptor gene may underlie these disorders. The 5-HT1A receptor gene is negatively regulated in neurons by repressors including REST/NRSF, Freud-1, NUDR/Deaf-1, and Hes5. The association with major depression, suicide, and panic disorder of a new functional 5-HT1A polymorphism at C(-1019)G that selectively blocks repression of the 5-HT1A autoreceptor by NUDR further suggests a causative role for altered regulation of this receptor in predisposition to mental illness. The authors review evidence that altered transcription of the 5-HT1A receptor can affect the serotonin system and limbic and cortical areas, leading to predisposition to depression. NEUROSCIENTIST 10(6):575-593, 2004. DOI:
The Synaptotagmins: Calcium Sensors for Vesicular Trafficking
Authors: Yoshihara Motojiro , Montana Enrico Sakai
Published: November 2004

The synaptotagmin family of vesicle proteins is believed to mediate calcium-dependent regulation of membrane trafficking. Detailed biochemical and in vivo studies of the most characterized isoform, synaptotagmin 1 (syt 1), have provided compelling evidence that it functions as a calcium sensor for fast neurotransmitter release at synapses. However, the function of the remaining isoforms is unclear, and multiple roles have been hypothesized for several of these. Recent evidence in Drosophila has given insight into the function of some of the remaining synaptotagmin family members. Of the five evolutionarily conserved isoforms in Drosophila, only two, syt 1 and syt 4, localize to most, if not all, synapses. The former is localized to presynaptic terminals, whereas the latter is predominantly postsynaptic. This suggests an intriguing possibility that syt 4 may mediate a postsynaptic vesicle trafficking pathway, providing a molecular basis for an evolutionarily conserved bidirectional vesicular trafficking communication system at synapses.
Recruiting Future Neuroscientists: What Asking the Recruits Can Teach Us
Authors: Willcockson Irmgard U. , Phelps Cynthia L.
Published: November 2004

Many different strategies are used to recruit students into scientific research careers, including neuroscience research. These strategies are rarely based on knowledge about students; instead, activities are selected based on their ease of implementation. The goal of the LEARN Project is to encourage high school students into mental health science research using the theme of learning and memory. One intervention the authors developed is five Web-based biographies introducing students to contemporary neuroscientist role models studying learning and memory. To guide the design of this intervention, the authors created a survey to determine where students obtain career information and who and what influences their career selection. In a convenience sample of 124 students, the authors found that almost all students use the Internet for information about careers, in addition to consulting family members and teachers. Students’ career selections are influenced most by family members, teachers, and people already in the field. The most important factors students look for in their future career are money, fun, and a good match between current interests and future careers. The data affirm the value of outreach efforts that go beyond students to include a broader audience of parents and teachers who play a critical role in career selection.
Communication in Latin America
Authors: Conaway Roger N. , Wardrope William J.
Published: November 2004

The format and structure of 150 Spanish-language letters written by business administrators in Guatemalan firms were analyzed to help determine how Latin American business writers organize and present information in various types of routine letters. Findings suggest that Latin American businesspeople follow some, but not all, of the format conventions typical of those used in the United States; that they tend not to use buffers to present bad news; and that they do not consistently place topic sentences at any particular part of business letters. Understanding the differences between U.S. and Latin American business communication practices as illustrated by this study should help instructors to prepare their students to communicate successfully with their future counterparts in all parts of the Western Hemisphere.
Implication versus Inference
Authors: Jameson Daphne A.
Published: November 2004

The narrative concepts of the implied author and implied reader elucidate how business texts represent writers and readers. It is important, though, to distinguish carefully between writers’ implications and readers’ inferences. Instructors should contrast implied versus inferred writers and readers, provide multiple ways to comprehend these concepts, and illustrate them with examples (e.g., those provided in this article from Citigroup, Andersen, and Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia). The meaning-as-event analytical method, from reader-response narrative theory, reveals specific language features through which business texts manifest readers and writers. To help writers plan and readers analyze such texts, instructors may use the teaching suggestions, sample assignments, prewriting heuristics, and evaluation criteria provided in this article.
A Panel Study of Media Effects on Political and Social Trust after September 11, 2001
Authors: Gross Kimberly , Aday Sean , Brewer Paul R.
Published: November 2004

The authors examine the relationship between media consumption and political trust, social trust, and confidence in governmental institutions in the year following the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001. This period provides a unique opportunity to explore the effects of media use on trust, given that political and social trust surged in the immediate aftermath only to decline in the months that followed. Using data from a panel survey, the authors find that television news use was associated with higher levels of trust in government and confidence in institutions during the surge that followed the terrorist attacks. Individual-level change in trust and confidence over the year that followed was not, however, attributable to media use or changes in media use. In the case of social trust, the results suggest that television news and newspaper use were not associated with social trust in the immediate aftermath but were associated with individual-level change in social trust over the course of the following year. Specifically, those who watched television news exhibited declines in social trust and those who read newspapers exhibited increased social trust between fall 2001 and late summer 2002. The authors conclude by discussing how coverage in fall 2001 and changes in coverage over the following year may help to explain these results.
In Search of Europe
Authors: Peter Jochen , de Vreese Claes H.
Published: November 2004

This study is a cross-national comparative content analysis of the coverage of European Union politics in British, Danish, Dutch, French, and German television news. The study identifies key characteristics of the coverage and investigates influences shaping the coverage. In the majority of countries studied, EU politics was marginally represented in national television news. EU officials, too, were absent in the news. However, if the EU was covered, EU politics was more prominently presented than other political news. Three influences were found to positively contribute to the amount and prominence of EU news: it was more prominent in public broadcasting news programs, in countries with higher levels of public satisfaction with democracy, and during periods around EU summits. The visibility of EU officials in television news was highest in public news programs. The findings suggest that, with EU coverage being of limited visibility and without protagonists, the Europeanization of television news coverage is more an illusion than reality.
Framing Affirmative Action
Authors: Richardson John D. , Lancendorfer Karen M.
Published: November 2004

A content analysis of U.S. newspaper editorials ( N = 158) examined framing of U.S. Supreme Court rulings on affirmative action at the University of Michigan. Results showed that remedial action and no preferential treatment, frames dominating affirmative action discourse in news media from the 1960s through the mid-1990s, were overshadowed in 2003 newspaper editorials by diversity, a frame asserting that a mix of racially and ethnically different people serves to strengthen organizations and society. The Newsroom Diversity Index (the ratio of the proportion of minorities professionally employed by the newspaper to the proportion of minorities living in its market) was positively associated with choosing the diversity frame and negatively associated with choosing the no preferential treatment frame.
Integrating Traditional Beliefs and Modern Medicine: Filipino Nurses’ Health Beliefs, Behaviors, and Practices
Authors: Ordonez Rosalia V. , Gandeza Noemi
Published: November 2004

As the diversity in the patient population is growing, there is also an increasing number of diverse caregivers. Among them are the Filipino health care providers, most of whom are nurses. Understanding the culture, health care beliefs, and practices of Filipino nurses is important, as it affects the way they assess the needs and provide care for their clients. This article provides a general profile of the health care beliefs, behaviors, and practices of Filipino nurses in the United States within the context of the general Filipino culture. Like any other ethnic group, Filipinos have become acculturated at various levels after coming to work and live in this country over the years. It is the integration of their cultural beliefs, values, and behaviors that affects their caregiving attitudes and practices.
Job Satisfaction Among Nurses in China
Authors: Hu Jie , Liu Huaping
Published: November 2004

This study examined job satisfaction among nurses in China. A nationwide survey was conducted with 403 nurses employed at hospitals in 16 provinces in China using the Job Descriptive Index Scale. The findings indicated that, overall, nurses were dissatisfied with work, pay, and promotions. Pay was rated as the least satisfying aspect of work followed by promotions. Nurses with more years of experience, higher professional titles, and more opportunities to attend continuing education programs were more likely to have a high level of job satisfaction than nurses with fewer years of experience, lower professional titles, and fewer opportunities to attend continuing education programs. Nurse managers should pay close attention to nurses’pay, career advancement opportunities, and promotions. They should recognize nurses’ achievements and provide opportunities for continuing education programs and independent work with emphasis on critical thinking and decision making, autonomy, accountability, and delegation.
Geothermal Care and Treatment: An Icelandic Perspective
Authors: Gingerich Barbara Stover
Published: November 2004

International and cultural approaches to care and treatment provide a perspective and expanded understanding of care possibilities. This article provides a glimpse at the use of thermal pools created by volcanic geographic formations to treat psoriasis and arthritic conditions. These hot, liquid pools are made up of chemicals, seawater, and freshwater. Expansion is planned to the existing dermatology clinic and facility to accommodate the growing numbers of individuals choosing this course of treatment. The community health nurse’s role is an important part of this treatment plan with the facility employing several full-time professional nurses on its staff.
Cultural Diversity and Populations at Risk: Social Work Education and Practice
Authors: Dyeson Timothy B.
Published: November 2004

The purpose of this article is to inform the reader how the social work profession prepares its practitioners to serve those who experience discrimination and oppression. This article describes how issues of cultural diversity and populations at risk are infused throughout the social work curriculum leading to the bachelor’s and master’s degree in social work. Applications to home health care are made.
A Model for Enhancing Intercultural Communication in Nursing Education
Authors: Xu Yu , Lippold Krista , Gilligan Aaron , Posey-Goodwin Patricia , Broome Barbara
Published: November 2004

Based on real-world experience, this article constructs a model to improve intercultural communication in nursing education. First, a framework of cultural variability is described to provide a conceptual lens through which to examine the experience that led to this article. Second, accounts of an event during a clinical nursing course that caused misunderstanding are presented. Third, through contextual analysis, the discrepancies of the perceived reality between two involved faculty are bridged with commentaries from other faculty colleagues. These commentaries provide footnotes and insight into cultural nuances surrounding the event and are supplemented by a rebuttal by the two involved faculty. Consequently, a better understanding of the other party’s perspective is gained, and a model for enhancing intercultural communication emerged. Finally, implications of applying the proposed model in nursing education are elaborated.
Giant Hemangioma
Authors: Sallee Kimberly
Published: November 2004

Hemangioma is the most common benign tumor affecting the liver; however, the giant hemangioma is very rare. Hepatic hemangiomas are mesenchymal (embryonic precursor of connective tissue, lymph and blood vessels) in origin and are usually solitary. 1Hemangiomas are composed of masses of blood vessels that are atypical or irregular in arrangement and size. Etiology remains unknown.
The Silent Revolution
Authors: Powis Raymond L. , Moore G. Wayne
Published: November 2004

Although a remarkable signal-processing evolution has been going on in the sonograph, a more silent revolution has been going on within the scanhead with the development of composite multielement transducers (CMETs). This article examines the current state of CMET development and explores what these changes mean to basic beam formation and focusing. The discussion reveals some of the technologies that are part of contemporary CMET design, including transducer poling, connectivity, and coupling. In addition, this discussion includes some quality assurance (QA) techniques that can test these new transducers for proper function and determine what is happening beneath the scanhead housing. Finally, the authors propose a list of measurements needed to test CMETs, including element sensitivity, element center operating frequency, element fractional bandwidth, pulse shape, pulse duration, and element and cable capacitance, and they provide a QA testing protocol for the CMET.
Prospective Observational Study to Assess Value of Prostate Cancer Diagnostic Methods
Authors: Lopez-Saez Juan-Bosco , Otero Milagros , Senra-Varela Avelino , Ojea Antonio , MartÍn JosÉluis SÁez , MuÑoz Borja Duran , Fuentes Juan Vieito
Published: November 2004

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of analytical and imaging methods for diagnosing prostate cancer in northwest Spain. The authors investigated prospectively two groups of patients with a pathological digital rectal examination (DRE) or prostate-specific antigen (PSA). Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, receiver operating characteristics curves, and other analyses were performed to determine the relative contributions of PSA, DRE, gray-scale transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS), color Doppler ultrasound (CDUS), symptoms, and patient age to cancer prediction. The presence of prostatic disease symptoms did not distinguish between subjects with and without cancer. The most sensitive (98%) was total PSA (> 4 ng/mL), and the most specific (78%) was DRE and TRUS (65%). The contribution of PSA, DRE, and TRUS to the diagnosis of prostate cancer was significant. In patients with a PSA between 4 and 10 ng/mL, PSA specificity increased, using a free/total PSA ratio of 15%. The PSA continues to be the most sensitive method for prostate cancer diagnosis. DRE tends to be more negative at early stages of cancer detection. Comparing the conventional TRUS echography with the CDUS, the latter is a better detector in the diagnosis of cancer.
An Asymptomatic Giant Right Coronary Artery Aneurysm Mimicking a Mass of the Right Atrium
Authors: Viduetsky Alexander , Goodman Robert , Emrani Afsine , Gharavi Mohammad , Grusd Ronald
Published: November 2004

The authors describe an asymptomatic aneurysm of the right coronary artery. Initial transthoracic echocardiography revealed a mass-appearing lesion situated on the free wall of the right atrium. Transesophageal echocardiogram and coronary angiography were administered. As a result, a huge aneurysm of the right coronary artery was diagnosed. Resection of the aneurysm and coronary artery bypass to the right coronary artery were performed.
Acute Appendicitis
Authors: Schuveiller Michael , Stading Robin
Published: November 2004

Appendicitis is the most common cause of acute abdominal pain requiring surgery. Approximately 250,000 appendectomies are performed annually in the United States. Sonography and computed tomography have both proven to be reliable imaging options for evaluating patients presenting with right lower quadrant pain and possible appendicitis. The authors report a case of acute appendicitis incidentally discovered during routine transvaginal sonography (TVS). Although TVS is not the standard imaging technique for evaluating the acute appendix, it is important for sonographers and sonologists to recognize the pathology when it is encountered and the value of the transvaginal approach.
Synthesis of Nickel Nanocrystallites with Hexagonal Flake-like Morphology from Nickel Dimethylglyoximate
Authors: Ni Xiaomin , Chen Lifu , Zheng Huagui , Zhang Dongen , Zhao Qingbiao , Song Jimei
Published: November 2004

Nickel nanocrystallites with hexagonal flake-like morphology with a side length of 200–400 nm and a thickness of 20–30 nm were prepared by reduction of nickel dimethylglyoximate with hydrazine hydrate in a solution. Selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern revealed that the flakes were single crystals. It was found that the precursor, nickel dimethylglyoximate, played an important role for the formation of these flakes. Magnetic properties of the product were measured by a vibration sample magnetometer (VSM).
Apoptosis – a significant cause of bone cell death in osteonecrosis of the femoral head
Authors: Calder J. D. F. , Buttery L. , Revell P. A. , Pearse M. , Polak J. M.
Published: November 2004

Osteonecrosis of the femoral head usually affects young individuals and is responsible for up to 12% of total hip arthroplasties. The underlying pathophysiology of the death of the bone cells remains uncertain. We have investigated nitric oxide mediated apoptosis as a potential mechanism and found that steroid- and alcohol-induced osteonecrosis is accompanied by widespread apoptosis of osteoblasts and osteocytes. Certain drugs or their metabolites may have a direct cytotoxic effect on cancellous bone of the femoral head leading to apoptosis rather than purely necrosis.
Factors associated with nonunion in conservatively-treated type-II fractures of the odontoid process
Authors: Koivikko M. P. , Kiuru M. J. , Koskinen S. K. , Myllynen P. , Santavirta S. , Kivisaari L.
Published: November 2004

In type-II fractures of the odontoid process, the treatment is either conservative in a halo vest or primary surgical stabilisation. Since nonunion, requiring prolonged immobilisation or late surgery, is common in patients treated in a halo vest, the identification of those in whom this treatment is likely to fail is important.

We reviewed the data of 69 patients with acute type-II fractures of the odontoid process treated in a halo vest. The mean follow-up was 12 months. Conservative treatment was successful, resulting in bony union in 32 (46%) patients. Anterior dislocation, gender and age were unrelated to nonunion. However, nonunion did correlate with a fracture gap (> 1 mm), posterior displacement (> 5 mm), delayed start of treatment (> 4 days) and posterior redisplacement (> 2 mm).

We conclude that patients presenting with these risk factors are unlikely to achieve bony union by treatment in a halo vest. They deserve careful attention during the follow-up period and should also be considered as candidates for primary surgical stabilisation.
Fractures of the calcaneum
Authors: Paul M. , Peter R. , Hoffmeyer P.
Published: November 2004

We have assessed the long-term results after operative and non-operative treatment of undisplaced and displaced calcaneal fractures.

At a mean of 6.5 years, we reviewed 70 patients with a calcaneal fracture who were divided into four groups: group 1, 18 patients with undisplaced fractures and a normal Böhler’s angle (BA) who had been treated non-operatively; group 2, 23 with intra-articular fractures and a BA < 10° who had been treated non-operatively; group 3, 13 with intra-articular fractures and a BA > 10° who had been treated surgically; and group 4, 16 with intra-articular fractures and a BA < 10° who had been treated surgically.

The results were assessed by a clinical score considering pain, return to work, return to physical activity, change in shoe-wear and the requirement for subtalar arthrodesis.

Patients with undisplaced calcaneal fractures had a good outcome. Those with displaced fractures treated surgically who presented at follow-up with a BA > 10° had a satisfactory functional outcome and those with displaced fractures who had non-operative treatment had a poor outcome. The poorest outcome was consistently seen in patients who were treated operatively without restoration of BA. Open reduction and internal fixation of intra-articular calcaneal fractures can only be expected to benefit those patients in whom nearly anatomical reconstruction is obtained.
Mild phenotype in two unrelated patients with a partial deletion of 21q22.2‐q22.3 defined by FISH and molecular studies
Authors: Ehling Daniela , Kennerknecht Ingo , Junge Annelore , Prager Bettina , Exeler Rita , Behre Beate , Horst Juergen , Schmitt‐John Thomas , Bartsch Oliver , Wirth Jutta
Published: November 2004

We describe two unrelated patients with cytogenetically visible deletions of 21q22.2‐q22.3 and mild phenotypes. Both patients presented minor dysmorphic features including thin marfanoid build, facial asymmetry, downward‐slanting palpebral fissures, depressed nasal bridge, small nose with bulbous tip, and mild mental retardation (MR). FISH and molecular studies indicated common deleted areas but different breakpoints. In patient 1, the breakpoint was fine mapped to a 5.2 kb interval between exon 5 and exon 8 of the ETS2 gene. The subtelomeric FISH probe was absent on one homologue 21 indicating a terminal deletion spanning ∼7.9 Mb in size. In patient 2, the proximal breakpoint was determined to be 300–700 kb distal to ETS2, and the distal breakpoint 2.5–0.3 Mb from the 21q telomere, indicating an interstitial deletion sized ∼4.7–7.3 Mb. The 21q‐ syndrome is rare and typically associated with a severe phenotype, but different outcomes depending on the size and location of the deleted area have been reported. Our data show that monosomy 21q of the area distal to the ETS2 gene, representing the terminal 7.9 Mb of 21q, may result in mild phenotypes comprising facial anomalies, thin marfanoid build, and mild MR, with or without signs of holoprosencephaly. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Phase separation structure in the polymer blend of fluorocarbon elastomer and hydrogenated nitrile rubber
Authors: Hirano Kousei , Suzuki Ken , Nakano Kenji , Tosaka Masatoshi
Published: November 2004

Hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR) and a ternary copolymer of vinylidene fluoride, tetrafluoropropylene, and perfluoromethyl vinyl ether (FKM) were blended and vulcanized rubbers that have the excellent low temperature characteristics and oil resistance were successfully obtained. The results of dynamic mechanical analysis demonstrated the great improvement of low temperature characteristics for one of the polymer blend materials (FKM/HNBR = 30/70). Subsequently, the structures of the polymer blends were analyzed by using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results of AFM and TEM showed that the polymer blend materials have phase‐separated structures with the sea‐island morphology. The sea regions were HNBR and the island regions were FKM for the samples containing less than 50% of FKM. On the other hand, the sea region was FKM for the sample containing 70% of FKM. Even in the stretched polymer blend, no gap or crazing was observed at the interface of FKM and HNBR. Therefore, some kind of strong bonding was presumed to exist between the two types of phases. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 95: 149–156, 2005
Chondrocyte terminal differentiation, apoptosis, and type X collagen expression are downregulated by parathyroid hormone
Authors: Harrington Erik Kern , Lunsford Leif E. , Svoboda Kathy K.H.
Published: November 2004

Parathyroid hormone (PTH) regulates calcium and phosphate homeostasis through the endocrine system. Parathyroid hormone‐related peptide (PTHrP) is a heterogeneous polypeptide with sequence homology to PTH in its first 13 amino acid residues. Both bind and activate a common receptor, the type 1 PTH/PTHrP receptor (PTH1R). Activation of this G‐protein‐coupled receptor by PTHrP has been shown to regulate chondrogenesis in a manner that attenuates chondrocyte hypertrophy. Here, we report the dose‐response (10−7 to 10−15 M) effects of PTH on chondrogenesis using an avian sternal organ culture model. PTH increased cartilaginous tissue length and downregulated the deposition of type X collagen and its mRNA expression. In addition, PTH increased chondrocyte cell diameter in prehypertrophic and proliferative regions while decreasing chondrocyte apoptosis in the hypertrophic zone. In conclusion, these experiments demonstrate that PTH regulates cartilage growth, chondrocytic apoptosis, deposition of type X collagen protein, and expression of type X collagen mRNA. Type X collagen mRNA expression was downregulated by PTH in this organ culture model, but cell size, another marker for terminal differentiation, increased. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
No influence of 20 and 400 µT, 50 Hz magnetic field exposure on cognitive function in humans
Authors: Delhez Marie , Legros Jean‐Jacques , Crasson Marion
Published: November 2004

The aim of the present study was to investigate cognitive effects of a continuous, vertical extremely low frequency (ELF) magnetic field (MF) of 20 and 400 µT 50 Hz in healthy young men during performance on cognitive tests. Thirty‐two volunteers (20–30 years old, mean 22.6 ± 2.2 years) participated in this double blind study. The test protocol consisted of a set of tests: divided attention, flexibility, memory updating, digit span, digit span with articulary suppression, and time perception. The total duration of the exposure was 65 min. Participants were assigned four sessions: three conditions in the helmet (sham exposure, 20 and 400 µT) and one condition out of the helmet (to control the expectancy effect). No effect of MF exposure was observed on performance. Bioelectromagnetics 25:592–598, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Theoretical and experimental analysis of analyte transport in a fiber‐optic, protein C immuno‐biosensor
Authors: Tang Liang , Kwon Hyun J. , Kang Kyung A.
Published: November 2004

Protein C (PC) is an important anticoagulant in human blood plasma, and early diagnosis of PC deficiency is critical for preventing dangerous thromboembolic complications. A fiber‐optic PC immuno‐biosensor has been under development in our research group for real‐time PC‐deficiency diagnosis. The sensor has demonstrated a good sensitivity and specificity for quantifying PC in buffered solutions. However, for plasma samples, with a limited sample reaction time, the sensor produced only 30% of the signal intensity of PC in buffer. The high plasma viscosity (1.9 cP) was speculated as the major reason for signal intensity reduction. In this investigation, the sensing performance of the fiber‐optic PC biosensor is systematically characterized in terms of physical and chemical properties of the sample media. Theoretical and experimental analyses indicate that the reduced diffusion rate of PC molecules in viscous samples caused the sensing system to be more mass‐transfer‐limited. Convective flow of sample/reagent solutions during immunoreactions can increase the rate of the analyte mass transport from the bulk solution to the sensor surface, with reaction kinetics changing from mass‐transfer‐limited to reaction‐limited as flow velocity increases. It was shown that PC sensor performance was significantly improved for plasma samples with convection. The effect of the flow velocity and incubation times for samples and reagents on the sensor performance was also systematically analyzed to optimize the assay protocol for PC sensing. Currently, a 6‐cm‐long immuno‐biosensor is capable of quantifying PC in plasma (1 mL) in the heterozygous PC deficiency range (0.5 to 2.5 μg/mL) within 5 minutes, at an average signal‐to‐noise ratio of 50. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Fast Detection of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) by Primer Elongation with Monitoring of Supercritical‐Angle Fluorescence
Authors: Krieg Alexander , Laib Stephan , Ruckstuhl Thomas , Seeger Stefan
Published: November 2004

We describe the rapid detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) by real‐time observation of primer elongation. The enzymatic elongation of surface‐bound primers is monitored by detecting the increase of surface‐bound fluorescence caused by the incorporation of Cy5‐labelled deoxycytidine 5′‐triphosphate residues (Cy5‐dCTPs) into the corresponding strand. In order to discriminate against the fluorescence from unbound Cy5‐dCTPs, the detection volume was restricted to the surface by collecting supercritical‐angle fluorescence. The efficiency of enzymatic double‐stranded DNA synthesis is governed by the complementarity of the primer and template. An SNP in the sequence of the primer obstructs its elongation increasingly with decreased distance of the mismatch to the 3′ end of the primer. By real‐time fluorescence detection during primer elongation, SNPs can be detected within a few minutes, which is significantly faster than in experiments where the fluorescence is measured after completion of the reaction. We demonstrate the efficiency of the method by detecting an SNP in the ErbB2 gene that is involved in causing a higher risk of breast cancer.
Pax6 guides a relay of pioneer longitudinal axons in the embryonic mouse forebrain
Authors: Nural Hikmet F. , Mastick Grant S.
Published: November 2004

We have characterized a system of early neurons that establish the first two major longitudinal tracts in the embryonic mouse forebrain. Axon tracers and antibody labels were used to map the axon projections in the thalamus from embryonic days 9.0–12, revealing several distinct neuron populations that contributed to the first tracts. Each of the early axon populations first grew independently, pioneering a short segment of new tract. However, each axon population soon merged with other axons to form one of only two shared longitudinal tracts, both descending: the tract of the postoptic commissure (TPOC), and, in parallel, the stria medullaris. Thus, the forebrain longitudinal tracts are pioneered by a relay of axons, with distinct axon populations pioneering successive segments of these pathways. The extensive merging of tracts suggests that axon–axon interactions are a major guidance mechanism for longitudinal axons. Several axon populations express tyrosine hydroxylase, identifying the TPOC as a major pathway for forebrain dopaminergic projections. To start a genetic analysis of pioneer axon guidance, we have identified the transcription factor Pax6 as critical for tract formation. In Pax6 mutants, both longitudinal tracts failed to form due to errors by every population of early longitudinal axons. Taken together, these results have identified potentially important interactions between series of pioneer axons and the Pax6 gene as a general regulator of longitudinal tract formation in the forebrain. J. Comp. Neurol. 479:399–409, 2004. © 2004 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.