bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biodegradability of degradable plastic waste
Authors: Agamuthu P. , Faizura Putri Nadzrul
Published: March 2005

Plastic waste constitutes the third largest waste volume in Malaysian municipal solid waste (MSW), next to putrescible waste and paper. The plastic component in MSW from Kuala Lumpur averages 24% (by weight), whereas the national mean is about 15%. The 144 waste dumps in the country receive about 95% of the MSW, including plastic waste. The useful life of the landfills is fast diminishing as the plastic waste stays un-degraded for more than 50 years. In this study the compostability of polyethylene and pro-oxidant additive-based environmentally degradable plastics (EDP) was investigated. Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) samples exposed hydrolytically or oxidatively at 60°C showed that the abiotic degradation path was oxidative rather than hydrolytic. There was a weight loss of 8% and the plastic has been oxidized as shown by the additional carbonyl group exhibited in the Fourier transform infra red (FTIR) Spectrum. Oxidation rate seemed to be influenced by the amount of pro-oxidant additive, the chemical structure and morphology of the plastic samples, and the surface area. Composting studies during a 45-day experiment showed that the percentage elongation (reduction) was 20% for McD samples [high-density polyethylene, (HDPE) with 3% additive] and LL samples (LLDPE with 7% additive) and 18% reduction for totally degradable plastic (TDP) samples (HDPE with 3% additive). Lastly, microbial experiments using Pseudomonas aeroginosa on carbon-free media with degradable plastic samples as the sole carbon source, showed confirmatory results. A positive bacterial growth and a weight loss of 2.2% for degraded polyethylene samples were evident to show that the degradable plastic is biodegradable.
Nasreya: a treatment and disposal facility for industrial hazardous waste in Alexandria, Egypt: phase I
Authors: Ramadan Adham R. , Kock Per , Nadim Amani
Published: March 2005

A facility for the treatment and disposal of industrial hazardous waste has been established in Alexandria, Egypt. Phase I of the facility encompassing a secure landfill and solar evaporation ponds is ready to receive waste, and Phase II encompassing physico-chemical treatment, solidification, and interim storage is underway. The facility, the Nasreya Centre, is the first of its kind in Egypt, and represents the nucleus for the integration, improvement and further expansion of different hazardous waste management practices and services in Alexandria. It has been developed within the overall legal framework of the Egyptian Law for the Environment, and is expected to improve prospects for enforcement of the regulatory requirements specified in this law. It has been developed with the overall aim of promoting the establishment of an integrated industrial hazardous waste management system in Alexandria, serving as a demonstration to be replicated elsewhere in Egypt. For Phase I, the Centre only accepts inorganic industrial wastes. In this respect, a waste acceptance policy has been developed, which is expected to be reviewed during Phase II, with an expansion of the waste types accepted.
Biocompatibility of Poly(ε-caprolactone) Scaffold Modified by Chitosan—The Fibroblasts Proliferation in vitro
Authors: Mei Na , Chen Guang , Zhou Ping , Chen Xin , Shao Zheng-Zhong , Pan Luan-Feng , Wu Chun-Gen
Published: March 2005

In this study, the surface of poly("-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffold was modified by chitosan (CS) in order to enhance its cell affinity and biocompatibility. It is demonstrated by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) that when 0.5-2.0 wt% chitosan solutions are used to modify the PCL scaffold, the amount of adhesion of the fibroblasts on the chitosan-modified PCL scaffolds dramatically increase when compared to the control after 7 days cell culture. The results indicate that the chitosan-modified PCL scaffolds are more favorable for cell proliferation by improving the scaffold biocompatibility. The improvement may be helpful for the extensive applications of PCL scaffold in heart valve and blood vessel tissue engineering.
Barriers to Services for Rural and Urban Survivors of Rape
Authors: Logan TK , Evans Lucy , Stevenson Erin , Jordan Carol E.
Published: March 2005

A significant proportion of survivors of rape do not utilize formal services to cope with the aftermath of rape. Understanding victimization experiences in environments that differ on resources, such as rural versus urban areas, may be an important dimension to consider in understanding barriers. Thirty women (18 rural and 12 urban) were recruited from rape crisis centers to participate in focus groups. Study results suggest that (a) survivors of rape experience many barriers to service utilization, (b) there were some differences in barriers to service utilization that were mentioned only in rural areas and some that were mentionedonly in urban areas that may suggest that community context is important to consider in understanding barriers to service use, and (c) barriers to health and mental health services overlap with barriers to criminal justice system services.
A Formal Model of Delegation in the European Union
Authors: Franchino Fabio
Published: March 2005

This article develops a formal model of the politics of delegation in the European Union (EU) incorporating key institutional features: the legislative-executive role of the Commission, the legislative-executive role of the members of the Council of Ministers, the possible implementation of European policies by different national administrations and the variety of EU decision rules. The model generates propositions on how decision rules, policy conflict and the status quo affect the delegation of powers to the Commission and to national authorities. It demonstrates how qualified majority voting and, in some cases, codecision work as a commitment technology by facilitating the adoption of legislation that restrains national authorities, shifts powers from national administrations to the Commission and increases its discretion. More generally, it shows that, first, the negative relation between conflict and discretion may not hold in the case of many administrators and a high threshold for decision-making; and, second, a less demanding bargaining environment in the legislature may work in favor of an administrator with agenda-setting power.
Al-Jazeera: can it make it here?
Authors: Tatham Steve
Published: March 2005

Tatham, a serving officer in the Royal Navy and its spokesman during military operations in Iraq in 2003, writes: The imminent face-to-face confrontation between al-Jazeera and the big hitters among news providers in the West is one of the most fascinating media prospects of the year. Al-Jazeera's English-language service is likely to be the subject of just as much controversy as its parent organisation, although the flak it has attracted in the past has come not only from the West. Under its legend, "The opinion and the counter opinion", the channel has enraged nearly every sector of international and Arab society
Layerwise Laminate Analysis of Functionally Graded Piezoelectric Bimorph Beams
Authors: Lee Ho-Jun
Published: March 2005

A layerwise finite element formulation developed for piezoelectric materials is used to investigate the displacement and stress response of a functionally graded piezoelectric bimorph actuator. The formulation is based on the principles of linear thermopiezoelectricity and accounts for the coupled mechanical, electrical, and thermal responses of piezoelectric materials. The layerwise laminate theory is implemented into a linear beam element in order to provide a more accurate representation of the transverse and shear effects that are induced by the increased inhomogeneities introduced through-the-thickness by the functionally graded materials. The accuracy of the formulation is verified with previously published experimental results for a piezoelectric bimorph actuator. Additional studies are conducted to analyze the impact of electric and thermal loads on the deflections and stresses in a bimorph actuator. Results of the study help to demonstrate the capability of the layerwise theory to provide a more complete representation of the through-the-thickness effects that are no longer negligible even in thin piezoelectric beams. In addition, the effects of varying piezoelectric properties through-the-thickness of the beam are shown to provide additional benefits in minimizing the induced deformations and stresses.
Tuned Lamb Wave Excitation and Detection with Piezoelectric Wafer Active Sensors for Structural Health Monitoring
Authors: Giurgiutiu Victor
Published: March 2005

The capability of embedded piezoelectric wafer active sensors (PWAS) to excite and detect tuned Lamb waves for structural health monitoring is explored. First, a brief review of Lamb waves theory is presented. Second, the PWAS operating principles and their structural coupling through a thin adhesive layer are analyzed. Then, a model of the Lamb waves tuning mechanism with PWAS transducers is described. The model uses the space domain Fourier transform. The analysis is performed in the wavenumber space. The inverse Fourier transform is used to return into the physical space. The integrals are evaluated with the residues theorem. A general solution is obtained for a generic expression of the interface shear stress distribution. The general solution is reduced to a closed-form expression for the case of ideal bonding which admits a closed-form Fourier transform of the interfacial shear stress. It is shown that the strain wave response varies like sin a, whereas the displacement response varies like sinc a. Maximum coupling is achieved when the PWAS length equals the half wavelength of a particular Lamb wave mode. Since Lamb wave modes wavelengths vary with frequency, the tuning of certain modes at certain frequencies can thus be achieved. Tuning curves are derived and verified against experimental results. A particular S0 mode ‘sweet spot’ is found at 300 kHz for a 7-mm PWAS attached to a 1.6-mm aluminum plate. Crack detection via the pulse echo technique using the phased array principle and tuned S0 mode Lamb waves is demonstrated as an effective structural health monitoring method.
Use of the Child Behavior Checklist as a Diagnostic Screening Tool in Community Mental Health
Authors: Rishel Carrie W. , Greeno Catherine , Marcus Steven C. , Shear M. Katherine , Anderson Carol
Published: March 2005

Objective: This study examines whether the Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) can be used as an accurate psychiatric screening tool for children in community mental health settings. Method: Associations, logistic regression models, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis were used to test the predictive relationship between the CBCL and structured interview-derived diagnoses. Results: Associations between CBCL subscales and specific diagnoses were found, replicating results of previous research. Multivariate models and ROC scoring led to correct diagnostic predictions in a large majority of participants. Corresponding sensitivities, however, were deemed inadequate as they indicated that the screen would miss an unacceptably high number of cases. Conclusions: Using the CBCL as a diagnostic screening tool would result in a large number of cases being missed by the screen. Although the CBCL is unlikely to accurately identify children with specific diagnoses, it could be used as a triage tool to inform practitioners if an in-depth structured diagnostic interview is necessary.
Improving Older Adults' Functional Ability Through Service Use in a Home Care Program in Hong Kong
Authors: Cheung Chau-kiu , Ngan Raymond Man-hung
Published: March 2005

Objective: Despite past findings about the contribution of home care services to older users’ functional ability, the effective processes and components of the services are not transparent. Such processes appear to rely on the actual use of component services of the home care program. Method: The study gathered 116 observations during 2 years concerning 49 home care service users in Hong Kong. Results: The study shows that an older user maintained better functional ability with a longer time of using a home care program in Hong Kong using the service. The time effect, in turn, was primarily due to the increased use of seven services provided by the program. Among the service components, the home-nursing services generated a unique contribution to the user's functional ability, with its prior score controlled. Conclusions: Multidisciplinary services under case management underpin an effective home care program.
Dynamic Anti-Plane Fracture in Arbitrary Directions in a Monoclinic Anisotropic Solid
Authors: Brock L. M.
Published: March 2005

An unbounded anisotropic solid has a single plane of material symmetry, and a semi-infinite anti-plane (Mode III) crack extends at a subsonic constant speed in an arbitrary direction in that plane. The exact solution for steady motion gives a dynamic stress intensity factor on planes radiating from the moving crack edge that achieves an invariant value when the plane lies directly ahead of the crack edge. The possibility that this value is a local maximum arises only for crack planes associated with the maximum and minimum values of the shear wave speed. For such planes, increasing the degree of non-orthotropy is found to increase the disparity between the maximum and minimum speeds. Calculations for such planes, moreover, show that non-orthotropy can restrict the speeds for which extension stability arises on planes of maximum shear wave speed. On the other hand, it also enhances fracture energy dissipation rates, especially on planes of minimum shear wave speed.
Decay and Other Estimates for an Annular Elastic Cylinder in an Axisymmetric State of Stress
Authors: Flavin J. N. , Gleeson B.
Published: March 2005

This paper considers an annular circular cylinder, consisting of homogeneous isotropic linear elastic material, in a state of axisymmetric (torsionless) stress corresponding to traction-free lateral boundaries and such that the traction on every cross-section is self-equilibrated, body forces beign absent; in the main case considered, one plane end is traction-free, the other being self-equilibrated. A positive-definite cross-sectional measure of stress is defined and shown to be a convex function of the axial coordinate, and, in the main case considered, to be a function of “generalized convexity”. Interences are drawn, including a spatial decay estimate for a semi-infinite cylinder reflecting Saint-Venant's principle. The paper concludes with a discussion of the estimate obtained.
Willingness to Pay for Improved Environmental Performance of the Building Envelope of Office Buildings in Hong Kong
Authors: Leung T. M. , Chau C. K. , Lee W. L. , Yik F. W. H.
Published: March 2005

This study examines the amount of money that designers and developers are willing to pay to improve different aspects of the environmental performance of exterior envelopes by using office buildings in Hong Kong as an example. A method modified from the averting expenditure approach was applied to 16 office buildings built or tendered between 1999 and 2001. Our results show that the designers and developers considered the provision of an appropriate sensation index of outdoor connection (or window to wall ratio) for building envelopes was far more important than improvement of the environmental performance when the interiors of their buildings were open to a view showing them surrounded by other office buildings. Improvement in thermal performance of building envelopes would be considered only if an appropriate window-to-wall ratio had been fixed. Application of the method has successfully shown the amount an individual developer will invest and a designer’s willingness to pay to improve the performance of a building envelope. The methodology should be able to be extended to other building elements, components or systems after some modifications.
Exposure Assessment for Formaldehyde and Acetaldehyde in the Workplace
Authors: Cavalcante Rivelino M. , Seyffert Bianca H. , D’Oca Marcelo G. Montes , Nascimento Ronaldo F. , Campelo Clayton S. , Pinto Isis S. , Anjos Frederico B. , Costa Ana H. R.
Published: March 2005

Personal exposure and possible cancer risk to formaldehyde and acetaldehyde were appraised in 8 work places at a university in Brazil. Levels of formaldehyde measured ranged from 22.5 to 161.5 μg·m−3 and from 18.3 to 91.2 μg·m−3 for acetalde-hyde. The personal exposure, expressed as the potential dose in indoor air, was calculated to range from 129.8 to 930.4 μg·day−1 (low exposure) and 183.9 to 1318.1 μg·day−1 (medium exposure) for formaldehyde and 105.5 to 525.3 μg·day−1 (low exposure) and 149.5 to 744.2 μg·day−1 (medium exposure) for acetaldehyde. The indoor/outdoor ratio showed the existence of indoor sources of the compounds which were mainly in practical classes and research laboratories. The highest formaldehyde and acetaldehyde levels were found where chemical reagents were manipulated. Relating the levels found to the permissible limit given by the US OSHA showed there was no particular risk although some formaldehyde levels did exceed the lower exposure limit of the US agency NIOSH. Any cancer risk would be highest for female technicians and teaching researchers.
The digital divide, health information and everyday life
Authors: Wyatt Sally , Henwood Flis , Hart Angie , Smith Julie
Published: March 2005

Survey data confirms that health information is very popular with internet users yet relatively little qualitative social science research has been conducted about how people incorporate information from the internet into their everyday information practices. This article reports on an empirical study of the role of the internet in people’s efforts to inform themselves about menopause and hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the case of women, and erectile dysfunction and Viagra in the case of men. These experiences are used to interrogate the notion of the ‘digital divide’. We develop the concept of access to incorporate not only physical connection and information literacy, but also gendered and generational social relations. We also develop Barkardjieva’s concept of the ‘warm expert’ to draw attention to the different types of information that people need in order to make sense of generic medical information that is relevant to their own circumstances.
A Habermasian analysis of the deliberative democratic potential of ICT-enabled services in Swedish municipalities
Authors: Wiklund Hans
Published: March 2005

The aim of this article is to derive a critical standard against which institutional arrangements of e-government can be assessed in terms of democratic potential from Jürgen Habermas’ discursive model of deliberative democracy, and to illustrate how this standard can be applied through an assessment of the information and communication technology (ICT)-enabled services found on Swedish municipal websites. The assessment focuses on the potential of the ICT infrastructure to support deliberative democratic ideals and is based on a quantitative exploration of all 289 Swedish municipal websites. The results suggest that correctly designed ICT-enabled services have a deliberative democratic potential. But this does not overshadow the fact that the services existing today only to a limited extent support processes of social learning through rational argumentation, the core idea in Habermas’ discursive model of deliberative democracy.
Loss of Runx1 perturbs adult hematopoiesis and is associated with a myeloproliferative phenotype
Authors: Growney Joseph D. , Shigematsu Hirokazu , Li Zhe , Lee Benjamin H. , Adelsperger Jennifer , Rowan Rebecca , Curley David P. , Kutok Jeffery L. , Akashi Koichi , Williams Ifor R. , Speck Nancy A. , Gilliland D. Gary
Published: March 2005

Homozygous loss of function of Runx1 (Runt-related transcription factor 1 gene) during murine development results in an embryonic lethal phenotype characterized by a complete lack of definitive hematopoiesis. In light of recent reports of disparate requirements for hematopoietic transcription factors during development as opposed to adult hematopoiesis, we used a conditional gene-targeting strategy to effect the loss of Runx1 function in adult mice. In contrast with the critical role of Runx1 during development, Runx1 was not essential for hematopoiesis in the adult hematopoietic compartment, though a number of significant hematopoietic abnormalities were observed. Runx1 excision had lineage-specific effects on B- and T-cell maturation and pronounced inhibition of common lymphocyte progenitor production. Runx1 excision also resulted in inefficient platelet production. Of note, Runx1-deficient mice developed a mild myeloproliferative phenotype characterized by an increase in peripheral blood neutrophils, an increase in myeloid progenitor populations, and extramedullary hematopoiesis composed of maturing myeloid and erythroid elements. These findings indicate that Runx1 deficiency has markedly different consequences during development compared with adult hematopoiesis, and they provide insight into the phenotypic manifestations of Runx1 deficiency in hematopoietic malignancies.
NK-dependent DC maturation is mediated by TNFα and IFNγ released upon engagement of the NKp30 triggering receptor
Authors: Vitale Massimo , Chiesa Mariella Della , Carlomagno Simona , Pende Daniela , Aricò Maurizio , Moretta Lorenzo , Moretta Alessandro
Published: March 2005

Natural killer (NK) cells were recently shown to play a relevant role in the process of dendritic cell (DC) maturation. This function is exerted either by direct DC stimulation or through killing those DCs that did not properly acquire a mature phenotype. While killing of immature DCs is dependent on the function of the NKp30 triggering receptor, the mechanism by which NK cells induce DC maturation is still unclear. In this study, we show that also the NK-mediated induction of DC maturation is dependent on NKp30. Upon NK/DC interaction, resulting in NKp30 engagement, NK cells produced tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) (and interferon γ [IFNγ]) that, in turn, promoted DC maturation. Masking of NKp30 with specific monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) strongly reduced maturation of DCs cocultured with NK cells. In addition, supernatant from NK cells stimulated via NKp30 induced DC maturation, and this effect was neutralized by anti-TNFα antibodies (Abs). This NKp30 function is controlled by the HLA-specific inhibitory NK receptors. Accordingly, the ability to promote maturation was essentially confined to NK cells expressing the killer immunoglobulin-like receptor–negative (KIR–) NKG2Adull phenotype. Finally, the analysis of perforin-deficient NK cells allowed the dissection of the 2 NKp30-mediated NK-cell functions, since NKp30 could induce cytokine-dependent DC maturation in the absence of NK-mediated DC killing.
The antitumor immune response in HER-2 positive, metastatic breast cancer patients
Authors: Juranic Zorica D , Neskovic-Konstantinovic Zora , Stanojkovic Tatjana P , Zizak Zeljko , Srdic Tatjana , Stanojevic-Bakic Nevenka , Milosevic Dusanka , Jovanovic Danica
Published: March 2005

The aim of this study was to determine the basis for anti-tumor immune reactivity observed in patients with human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2) (3+) breast carcinoma using an in vitro model in which the role of the HER-2-specific monoclonal antibody Herceptin was also investigated. Patients with metastatic breast cancer who had their primary tumor resected were included in this study. Peripheral blood mononuclear cell (PBMC)-dependent cytotoxicity in the presence or absence of Herceptin were assessed using the survival of target breast adenocarcinoma MDA-MB-361 cells as a parameter in a (3-(4,5-dimethyl-2-thiazolyl)-2,5-diphenyl-2H-tetrazolium bromide (MTT) test. We observed a significant increase in PBMC-dependent cytotoxicity when autologous serum was introduced in the assay. Furthermore, the addition of Herceptin significantly increases their cytotoxicity. These data suggest that autologous serum constitutively contains factors that might affect PBMC-dependent cytotoxic activity against HER-2 positive cancer cells.
Modulation of macrophage functions by sheeppox virus provides clues to understand interaction of the virus with host immune system
Authors: Abu-EL-Saad Abdel-Aziz S , Abdel-Moneim Ahmed S
Published: March 2005

Background

Poxviruses encode a range of immunomodulatory genes to subvert or evade the challenges posed by the innate and adaptive immune responses. However, the inactivated poxviruses possessed immunostimulating capacity and were used as a prophylactic or metaphylactic application that efficiently reduced susceptibility to infectious diseases in different species. This fact is intensively studied in different genera of poxviruses. However, little is known about the basic mechanisms adopted by sheeppox virus (SPPV). SPPV causes an acute disease of sheep that recently, has been observed to reinfect its host in spite of vaccination.

Results

By injecting inactivated or attenuated sheeppox virus SPPV vaccine in adult male Swiss mice, SPPV was found to reduce macrophages' functions in a local event that occurs at the site of application 12 h after vaccine administration as indicated by increased level of IL-10 and decreased level of SOD from cultured peritoneal macrophages. In contrast increased levels of IL-12, and SOD activity from cultured splenic macrophages, lymphocyte response to PHA-P, and in-vivo response to T-dependant Ag were detected. These effects were observed in both attenuated and inactivated SPPV, but more prominent in attenuated one.

Conclusion

The results of this study help to elucidate, the phenomenon of existence natural SPPV infections in sheep instead of vaccination and the basic mechanisms responsible for the immunostimulating capacity of sheeppox virus. Locally, SPPV shows evidence for an immune escape mechanism that alleviates the host's immune response. Later and systemically, the virus protects the host from any fatal consequences of the immune system suppression.
NACA is a positive regulator of human erythroid-cell differentiation
Authors: Lopez Sophie , Stuhl Laetitia , Fichelson Serge , Dubart-Kupperschmitt Anne , St Arnaud René , Galindo Jean-Rémy , Murati Anne , Berda Nicole , Dubreuil Patrice , Gomez Sophie
Published: March 2005

We have previously identified the transcript encoding NACA (the α chain of the nascent-polypeptide-associated complex) as a cytokine-modulated specific transcript in the human TF-1 erythroleukemic cell line. This protein was already known to be a transcriptional co-activator that acts by potentiating AP-1 activity in osteoblasts, and is known to be involved in the targeting of nascent polypeptides. In this study, we investigate the role of NACA in human hematopoiesis.

Protein distribution analyses indicate that NACA is expressed in undifferentiated TF-1 cells and in human-cord-blood-derived CD34+ progenitor cells. Its expression is maintained during in vitro erythroid differentiation but, in marked contrast, its expression is suppressed during their megakaryocytic or granulocytic differentiation. Ectopic expression of NACA in CD34+ cells under culture conditions that induce erythroid-lineage differentiation leads to a marked acceleration of erythroid-cell differentiation. Moreover, ectopic expression of NACA induces erythropoietin-independent differentiation of TF-1 cells, whereas downregulation of NACA by RNA interference abolishes the induction of hemoglobin production in these cells and diminishes glycophorin-A (GPA) expression by CD34+ progenitors cultured under erythroid differentiation conditions. Altogether, these results characterize NACA as a new factor involved in the positive regulation of human erythroid-cell differentiation.
Microtubule nucleation and anchoring at the centrosome are independent processes linked by ninein function
Authors: Delgehyr Nathalie , Sillibourne James , Bornens Michel
Published: March 2005

The centrosome organizes microtubules by controlling nucleation and anchoring processes. In mammalian cells, subdistal appendages of the mother centriole are major microtubule-anchoring structures of the centrosome. It is not known how newly nucleated microtubules are anchored to these appendages. We show here that ninein, a component of subdistal appendages, localizes to the centriole via its C-terminus and interacts with γ-tubulin-containing complexes via its N-terminus. Expression of a construct encoding the ninein C-terminus displaced endogenous ninein and the γ-tubulin ring complex (γ-TuRC) from the centrosome, leading to microtubule nucleation and anchoring defects. By contrast, expression of a fusion consisting of the N- and C-terminal domains (lacking the central coiled-coil region) displaced endogenous ninein without perturbing γ-TuRC localization. Accordingly, only anchoring defects were observed in this case. Therefore, expression of this fusion appeared to uncouple microtubule nucleation and anchorage activities at the centrosome. Our results suggest that ninein has a role not only in microtubule anchoring but also in promoting microtubule nucleation by docking the γ-TuRC at the centrosome. In addition, we show that the γ-TuRC might not be sufficient to anchor microtubules at the centrosome in the absence of ninein. We therefore propose that ninein constitutes a molecular link between microtubule-nucleation and -anchoring activities at the centrosome.
Visualization of Synaptic Ca2+/Calmodulin-Dependent Protein Kinase II Activity in Living Neurons
Authors: Takao Keizo , Okamoto Ken-Ichi , Nakagawa Terunaga , Neve Rachael L. , Nagai Takeharu , Miyawaki Atsushi , Hashikawa Tsutomu , Kobayashi Shigeo , Hayashi Yasunori
Published: March 2005

Ca2+/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II (CaMKII) is highly enriched in excitatory synapses in the CNS and critically involved in synaptic plasticity, learning, and memory. However, the precise temporal and spatial regulation of CaMKII activity in living cells has not been well described, because of a lack of specific methods. We tried to address this by optically detecting the conformational change in CaMKII during activation using fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET). The engineered FRET probe Camuiα detects calmodulin binding and autophosphorylation at threonine 286 that renders the enzyme constitutively active. In combination with two-photon microscopy, we demonstrate that Camuiα can be used to observe temporal and spatial regulation of CaMKII activity in living neurons.
A Diet Enriched with the Omega-3 Fatty Acid Docosahexaenoic Acid Reduces Amyloid Burden in an Aged Alzheimer Mouse Model
Authors: Lim Giselle P. , Calon Frédéric , Morihara Takashi , Yang Fusheng , Teter Bruce , Ubeda Oliver , Salem Norman , Frautschy Sally A. , Cole Greg M.
Published: March 2005

Epidemiological studies suggest that increased intake of the omega-3 (n-3) polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is associated with reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease (AD). DHA levels are lower in serum and brains of AD patients, which could result from low dietary intake and/or PUFA oxidation. Because effects of DHA on Alzheimer pathogenesis, particularly on amyloidosis, are unknown, we used the APPsw (Tg2576) transgenic mouse model to evaluate the impact of dietary DHA on amyloid precursor protein (APP) processing and amyloid burden. Aged animals (17-19 months old) were placed in one of three groups until 22.5 months of age: control (0.09% DHA), low-DHA (0%), or high-DHA (0.6%) chow. β-Amyloid (Aβ) ELISA of the detergent-insoluble extract of cortical homogenates showed that DHA-enriched diets significantly reduced total Aβ by >70% when compared with low-DHA or control chow diets. Dietary DHA also decreased Aβ42 levels below those seen with control chow. Image analysis of brain sections with an antibody against Aβ (amino acids 1-13) revealed that overall plaque burden was significantly reduced by 40.3%, with the largest reductions (40-50%) in the hippocampus and parietal cortex. DHA modulated APP processing by decreasing both α- and β-APP C-terminal fragment products and full-length APP. BACE1 (β-secretase activity of the β-site APP-cleaving enzyme), ApoE (apolipoprotein E), and transthyretin gene expression were unchanged with the high-DHA diet. Together, these results suggest that dietary DHA could be protective against β-amyloid production, accumulation, and potential downstream toxicity.
Deficits in Experience-Dependent Cortical Plasticity and Sensory-Discrimination Learning in Presymptomatic Huntington's Disease Mice
Authors: Mazarakis Nektarios K. , Cybulska-Klosowicz Anita , Grote Helen , Pang Terence , Van Dellen Anton , Kossut Malgorzata , Blakemore Colin , Hannan Anthony J.
Published: March 2005

Huntington's disease (HD) is one of a group of neurodegenerative diseases caused by an expanded trinucleotide (CAG) repeat coding for an extended polyglutamine tract. The disease is inherited in an autosomal dominant manner, with onset of motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms typically occurring in midlife, followed by unremitting progression and eventual death. We report here that motor presymptomatic R6/1 HD mice show a severe impairment of somatosensory-discrimination learning ability in a behavioral task that depends heavily on the barrel cortex. In parallel, there are deficits in barrel-cortex plasticity after a somatosensory whisker-deprivation paradigm. The present study demonstrates deficits in neocortical plasticity correlated with a specific learning impairment involving the same neocortical area, a finding that provides new insight into the cellular basis of early cognitive deficits in HD.
Phosphorylation-Dependent Low-Frequency Depression at Phasic Synapses of a Crayfish Motoneuron
Authors: Silverman-Gavrila Lorelei B. , Orth Peter M. R. , Charlton Milton P.
Published: March 2005

Extremes in presynaptic differentiation can be studied at the crayfish leg extensor muscle where, on the same muscle fiber, one motoneuron makes “phasic” depressing synapses that have a high probability of neurotransmitter release and another motoneuron makes “tonic,” low-probability, facilitating synapses. The large motor axons permit intracellular access to presynaptic sites. We examined the role of phosphorylation during low-frequency depression (LFD) in the relatively little studied phasic synapses.

LFD occurs with stimulation at 0.2 Hz and develops with time constants of 4 and 105 min to reach >50% depression of transmitter release in 60 min similar to long-term depression in mammals. LFD is not associated with changes in postsynaptic sensitivity to transmitter and thus is a presynaptic event, although it is not accompanied by changes in the presynaptic action potential. Blockade of protein kinases accelerated the slow phase of LFD, but stimulation of kinases reduced depression. Blockade of protein phosphatases 1A/2A reversed the slow phase. When calcineurin was inhibited, both phases of LFD were abolished, and facilitation occurred instead. Immunostaining showed calcineurin-like immunoreactivity in synaptic terminals. Recovery from LFD occurred in ∼1 h if stimulation frequency was reduced to 0.0016 Hz. Recovery was blocked by kinase inhibition.

This study shows that phosphorylation-dependent mechanisms are involved in LFD and suggests that exocytosis is controlled by conditions that shift the balance between phosphorylated and unphosphorylated substrates. The shift can occur by alteration in the relative activities of protein kinases and phosphatases.
Intrinsic Musculoskeletal Properties Stabilize Wiping Movements in the Spinalized Frog
Authors: Richardson Andrew G. , Slotine Jean-Jacques E. , Bizzi Emilio , Tresch Matthew C.
Published: March 2005

The mechanical stability properties of hindlimb-hindlimb wiping movements of the spinalized frog were examined. One hindlimb, the wiping limb, was implanted with 12 electromyographic (EMG) electrodes and attached to a robot that both recorded its trajectory and applied brief force perturbations. Cutaneous electrical stimulation was applied to the other hindlimb, the target limb, to evoke the hindlimb-hindlimb wiping reflex. Kinematic and EMG data from both unperturbed trials and trials in which a phasic perturbation was applied were collected from each spinalized frog. In the perturbed behaviors, we found that the initially large displacement attributable to the perturbation was compensated such that the final position was statistically indistinguishable from the unperturbed final position in all of the frogs, thus indicating the dynamic stability of these movements. This stability was robust to the range of perturbation amplitudes and nominal kinematic variation observed in this study. In addition, we investigated the extent to which intrinsic viscoelastic properties of the limb and proprioceptive feedback play a role in stabilizing the movements. No significant changes were seen in the EMGs after the perturbation. Furthermore, deafferentation of the wiping limb did not significantly affect the stability of the wiping reflex. Thus, we found that the intrinsic viscoelastic properties of the hindlimb conferred robust stability properties to the hindlimb-hindlimb wiping behavior. This stability mechanism may simplify the control required by the frog spinal motor systems to produce successful movements in an unpredictable and varying environment.
The Kingdom of Individuals: An Essay on Self‐Respect and Social Obligation
Authors: Wylie Cathy
Published: March 2005

The Kingdom of Individuals: An Essay on Self‐Respect and Social Obligation. F. G. BAILEY. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1993. xiii + 231 pp., references, index.
Underground Harmonies: Music and Politics In the Subways of New York
Authors: Turino Thomas
Published: March 2005

Underground Harmonies: Music and Politics In the Subways of New York. SUSIE J. TANENBAUM. Ithaca, NY: Cornell University Press, 1995. xvi + 270 pp., photographs, notes, bibliography, index.
Medjugorje: Religion, Politics, and Violence in Rural Bosnia
Authors: Bringa Tone R.
Published: March 2005

Medjugorje: Religion, Politics, and Violence in Rural Bosnia. MART BAX. Amsterdam: VU Ultgeverij, 1995. xlx + 139 pp., maps, notes, bibliography.
Descendants de Chouans: Histolre et culture populalre dans la Vendée contemporalne
Authors: Reeo‐Danahay Deborah E.
Published: March 2005

Descendants de Chouans: Histolre et culture populalre dans la Vendée contemporalne. BERNADETTE BUCHER. Paris: Editions de la Maison des sciences de I'homme, 1995. xvi + 338 pp., photographs, tables, bibliography, index.
Showing Signs of Violence: The Cultural Polltics of a Twentieth‐Century Headhunting Ritual
Authors: Caton Steven C.
Published: March 2005

Showing Signs of Violence: The Cultural Polltics of a Twentieth‐Century Headhunting Ritual. KENNETH M. GEORGE. Berkeley: University of California Press, 1996. xv + 339 pp., appendixes, notes, bibliography, index.
Lukang: Commerce and Community in a Chinese City
Authors: Stafford Charles
Published: March 2005

Lukang: Commerce and Community in a Chinese City. DONALD R. DEGLOPPER. Albany: State University of New York Press, 1995. xiii + 293 pp., glossary, plates, notes, bibliography, indexes.
Contesting the margins of modernity: women, migration, and consumption in Thailand
Authors: Mills Mary Beth
Published: March 2005

Rural women who move to Bangkok for employment confront significant social and economic constraints as low‐wage, low‐status migrant labor; yet experiences of exploitation in the workplace are widely mediated by aspirations for and participation in new patterns of commodity consumption. In this article, I examine these consumption practices as important sites of cultural struggle in which young women seek to construct new identities and contest their marginalization within the wider society, albeit with conflicting and often ambivalent results.
Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix: Juxtaposition and Transformation "All along the Watchtower"
Authors: Zak Albin J.
Published: March 2005

A comparison of recordings of Bob Dylan's "All along the Watchtower" by Bob Dylan and Jimi Hendrix offers a vivid case study of what Samuel Floyd characterizes as "the complementary oppositions of African- and European-derived musical processes and events." The song itself draws together elements of ballad and blues traditions; and the two recordings treat this synthesis in very different ways even as they share the common ground of late 1960s rock. Dylan's is a spare, acoustic folk-rock rendition, while Hendrix's is an opulent electric spectacle whose sonic and syntactic conception unpacks the latent drama only suggested by the original. In the process, Hendrix offers an alternative answer to the song's existential dilemma implied in its lyrics and emphasized in its musical setting. This paper examines the elements and the workings of the dialogic interaction represented first of all in Dylan's song, and then in the transformation it undergoes in Hendrix's version.
Closure of a moderately large atrial septal defect with a self‐fabricated fenestrated Amplatzer septal occluder in an 85‐year‐old patient with reduced diastolic elasticity of the left ventricle
Authors: Holzer Ralf , Cao Qi‐Ling , Hijazi Ziyad M.
Published: March 2005

Percutaneous closure of an atrial septal defect (ASD) in the elderly with reduced diastolic elasticity of the left ventricle poses a significant management challenge. We report on the case of an 85‐year‐old patient who was admitted for percutaneous device closure of a moderately large secundum atrial septal defect. Hemodynamic evaluation documented an increase in left atrial pressure from a mean of 12 mm Hg to a mean of 32 mm Hg after balloon test occlusion of the ASD. Two months later, after adequate pretreatment with diuretics and afterload‐reducing substances, he underwent successful closure of the ASD using a self‐fabricated fenestrated Amplatzer septal occluder, which resulted in a postimplantation left atrial pressure of a mean of 18 mm Hg. Recovery was unremarkable and the fenestration has remained patent for 3 months since implantation of the device. This unique case highlights the feasibility of using a self‐fabricated fenestrated Amplatzer septal occluder to close interatrial communications in elderly patients with diastolic dysfunction of the left ventricle. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2005;64:513–518. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Renal failure after percutaneous coronary intervention is associated with high mortality
Authors: Gupta Ritesh , Gurm Hitinder S. , Bhatt Deepak L. , Chew Derek P. , Ellis Stephen G.
Published: March 2005

Renal failure is a marker of poor outcome in the general population. Renal failure after percutaneous coronary artery intervention (PCI) is associated with an increased hazard of in‐hospital mortality. We hypothesized that post‐PCI renal insufficiency would be a predictor of long‐term mortality in patients undergoing PCI who survive for over 30 days after the procedure. A retrospective analysis was conducted from a registry of 9,067 patients undergoing PCI at our center from 1997 to 2001. A rise in creatinine by 1 mg/dl from baseline was defined as post‐PCI renal insufficiency. Vital status was assessed using Social Security Death Index. There were a total of 996 deaths over a mean follow‐up period of 3.2 years. In a multivariate analysis, history of recent acute myocardial infarction, older age, insulin‐dependent diabetes, baseline creatinine greater than 1.5 mg/dl, and presence of mitral regurgitation were associated with post‐PCI renal insufficiency. Developing post‐PCI renal insufficiency was associated with a 4.31‐fold hazard of mortality in univariate analysis and a 1.77‐fold hazard after adjustment for known predictors of mortality after PCI. The 1‐year survival in patients with renal failure was 70.3% ± 3.91%, compared to a survival of 93.6% ± 0.27% in those without any post‐PCI renal insufficiency (P < 0.0001). Acute renal insufficiency after PCI is a strong and independent predictor of long‐term mortality in patients who survived for 30 days after the procedure. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2005;64:442–448. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Renal fractional flow reserve: A hemodynamic evaluation of moderate renal artery stenoses
Authors: Subramanian Rajesh , White Christopher J. , Rosenfield Kenneth , Bashir Riyaz , Almagor Yaron , Meerkin David , Shalman Evgeny
Published: March 2005

The objective of this study was to perform a hemodynamic evaluation of moderate (50–90%) renal artery stenosis (RAS) under conditions of rest and maximum hyperemia. Identifying patients with RAS who have hemodynamically significant stenoses and are most likely to benefit from revascularization is clinically important. Current methods used to evaluate RAS, including angiography, have limitations. Physiologic evaluation of RAS may have a role in identifying patients with hemodynamically significant stenosis. Patients with suspected renovascular hypertension due to aorto‐ostial RAS were included in the study. Hyperemia was induced by administration of intrarenal papavarine. Translesional pressure gradients were measured and renal fractional flow reserve (FFR) was calculated using a 0.014″ pressure guidewire. Thirteen patients and 14 arteries with moderately severe (50–90%) RAS were studied. The mean translesional pressure gradient rose from a baseline of 6.3 ± 3.9 to 17.5 ± 10.8 mm Hg with maximal hyperemia. The renal FFR ranged from 0.58 to 0.95. There was a poor correlation between angiographic stenosis measurement and the renal FFR (r = −0.18; P = 0.54) and the hyperemic translesional mean pressure gradient (r = 0.22; P = 0.44). There was an excellent correlation between renal FFR and the resting mean translesional pressure gradient (r = −0.76; P = 0.0016) and the hyperemic mean translesional pressure gradient (r = −0.94; P < 0.0001). Selective renal arterial papavarine administration induces maximum hyperemia, permitting the calculation of renal FFR in renal arteries with aorto‐ostial stenoses. The renal FFR correlates well with other hemodynamic parameters of lesion severity, but poorly with angiographic measures of lesion severity. Catheter Cardiovasc Interv 2005;64:480–486. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Identification of cDNAs associated with late dedifferentiation in adult newt forelimb regeneration
Authors: Vascotto Sandy G. , Beug Shawn , Liversage Richard A. , Tsilfidis Catherine
Published: March 2005

Epimorphic limb regeneration in the adult newt involves the dedifferentiation of differentiated cells to yield a pluripotent blastemal cell. These mesenchymal‐like cells proliferate and subsequently respond to patterning and differentiation cues to form a new limb. Understanding the dedifferentiation process requires the selective identification of dedifferentiating cells within the heterogeneous population of cells in the regenerate. In this study, representational differences analysis was used to produce an enriched population of dedifferentiation‐associated cDNA fragments. Fifty‐nine unique cDNA fragments were identified, sequenced, and analyzed using bioinformatics tools and databases. Some of these clones demonstrate significant similarity to known genes in other species. Other clones can be linked by homology to pathways previously implicated in the dedifferentiation process. These data will form the basis for further analyses to elucidate the role of candidate genes in the dedifferentiation process during newt forelimb regeneration. Developmental Dynamics 233:347–355, 2005. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.