bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On oscillation‐based test structures of active RC filters
Authors: Zarnik Marina Santo , Novak Franc
Published: August 2002

The recently proposed oscillation‐based test structures of active RC filters assume ideal opamps and test switches. In this letter, feasibility case study of the oscillation‐based test structure of the resonant bandpass filter is presented in which non‐ideal characteristics of the employed opamps and MOS switches are considered. Based on the dominant pole model for the opamps, we derive expression for the minimum value of the resistance required to put the filter stage into oscillation and expression for the frequency of the undamped pole. Derived expressions describe the conditions for the implementation of the oscillation‐based test in practice. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Defective neuronal sprouting by human apolipoprotein E4 is a gain‐of‐negative function
Authors: Teter B. , Xu P‐T. , Gilbert J.R. , Roses A.D. , Galasko D. , Cole G.M.
Published: August 2002

The apolipoprotein E (apoE) epsilon 4 allele (apoE4) is a major risk factor for neurodegenerative conditions, including Alzheimer's disease (AD). A role for apoE in regeneration of synaptic circuitry after neural injury has been shown in several in vitro studies in which apoE3 supports neuronal sprouting better than apoE4. We evaluated sprouting in an in vitro mouse organotypic hippocampal slice culture system derived from transgenic mice expressing apoE3 or apoE4, in which apoE‐dependent granule cell mossy fiber sprouting in the presence of apoE4 is only 51% of the level of apoE3. Sprouting supported by apoE4 had a dose response opposite that by supported by apoE3: although increasing E3 expression increased sprouting, increasing E4 expression decreased sprouting, suggesting that the defect in E4 in supporting neuronal sprouting is a gain‐of‐negative activity. These results may have important pharmacogenomic implications for AD therapies that modulate apoE expression levels. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of amyloid β‐peptide on permeability transition pore: A comparative study
Authors: Moreira Paula I. , Santos Maria S. , Moreno António , Rego A. Cristina , Oliveira Catarina
Published: August 2002

A potentially central factor in neurodegeneration is the permeability transition pore (PTP). Because of the tissue‐specific differences in pore properties, we directly compared isolated brain and liver mitochondria responses to the neurotoxic Aβ peptides. For this purpose, the following parameters were examined: mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm), respiration, swelling, ultrastructural morphology, and content of cytochrome c. Both peptides, Aβ25–35 (50 μM) and Aβ1–40 (2 μM), had a similar toxicity, exacerbating the effects of Ca2+, although, per se, they did not induce (PTP). In liver mitochondria, Aβ led to a drop in ΔΨm and potentiated matrix swelling and disruption induced by Ca2+. In contrast, brain mitochondria, exposed to the same conditions, demonstrated a higher capacity to accumulate Ca2+ before the ΔΨm drop and a slight increase of mitochondrial swelling compared with liver mitochondria. Furthermore, mitochondrial respiratory state 3 was depressed in the presence of Aβ, whereas state 4 was unaltered, resulting in an uncoupling of respiration. In both types of mitochondria, Aβ did not affect the content of cytochrome c. The ΔΨm drop was reversed when Ca2+ was removed by EGTA or when ADP plus oligomycin was present. Pretreatment with cyclosporin A or ADP plus oligomycin prevented the deleterious effects promoted by Aβ and/or Ca2+. It can be concluded that brain and liver mitochondria show a different susceptibility to the deleterious effect of Aβ peptide, brain mitochondria being more resistant to the potentiation by Aβ of Ca2+‐induced PTP. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
c‐Jun regulation in rat neonatal motoneurons postaxotomy
Authors: Casanovas Anna , Ribera Joan , Hager Gerhard , Kreutzberg Georg W. , Esquerda Josep E.
Published: August 2002

Motoneurons respond to peripheral nerve transection by either regenerative or degenerative events depending on their state of maturation. Since the expression of c‐Jun has been involved in the early signalling of the regenerative process that follows nerve transection in adults, we have investigated c‐Jun on rat neonatal axotomized motoneurons during the period in which neuronal death is induced. Changes in levels of c‐Jun protein and its mRNA were determined by means of quantitative immunocytochemistry and in situ hybridization. Three hours after nerve transection performed on postnatal day (P)3, c‐Jun protein and mRNA is induced in axotomized spinal cord motoneurons, and high levels were reached between 1 and 10 days after. This response is associated with a detectable c‐Jun activation by phosphorylation on serine 63. No changes were found in the levels of activating transcription factor ‐2. Most of dying motoneurons were not labelled by either a specific c‐Jun antibody or a c‐jun mRNA probe. However, dying motoneurons were specifically stained by a polyclonal anti c‐Jun antibody, indicating that some c‐Jun antibodies react with unknown epitopes, probably distinct from c‐Jun p39, that are specifically associated with apoptosis. J. Neurosci. Res. 63:469–479, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Differential DM20 mRNA expression distinguishes two distinct patterns of spontaneous recovery from murine autoimmune encephalomyelitis
Authors: Mathisen Peter M. , Kawczak Julie A. , Yu Min , Johnson Justin M. , Tuohy Vincent K.
Published: August 2002

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an animal model for multiple sclerosis (MS) mediated by T cells responding to CNS myelin proteins. Immunization of SWXJ mice with the immunodominant p139‐151 peptide of myelin proteolipid protein (PLP) results in a relapsing‐remitting pattern of EAE characterized by incomplete remyelination during clinical recovery. In the present study we observed two distinct clinical patterns of spontaneous remission during recovery from EAE, viz., sustained remission involving continuous neurologic improvement and aborted remission involving modest transient clinical improvement. We hypothesized that the ability to recover from autoimmune demyelination was directly linked to remyelination events that recapitulated developmental processes. Quantitative immunocytochemistry of CNS tissue showed decreased demyelination in mice undergoing sustained remission compared to mice undergoing aborted remission. Quantitative RT‐PCR analysis showed elevated expression of DM20, the developmental isoform of PLP, in CNS tissue from mice undergoing sustained remission compared to mice undergoing aborted recovery. Moreover, DM20 expression was similarly elevated in CNS tissue from mice undergoing sustained recovery from EAE relapse. Our data indicate that expression of the developmental DM20 isoform of PLP is intimately associated with decreased demyelination and sustained clinical recovery from EAE. Thus, DM20 gene expression may provide an appropriate molecular target for promoting CNS remyelination and may serve as a useful marker for predicting clinical outcome and assessing the effectiveness of strategies aimed at promoting CNS tissue repair during autoimmune demyelinating disease. J. Neurosci. Res. 64:542–551, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Dorsal root ganglia neurite extension is inhibited by mechanical and chondroitin sulfate‐rich interfaces
Authors: Yu Xiaojun , Bellamkonda Ravi V.
Published: August 2002

Glial scar formation plays a critical role in the regenerative failure in the central nervous system of adult mammals through the formation of mechanical or biochemical barriers as a result of its molecular composition. In this study, we report an in vitro model to study growth‐cone behavior at controlled 3D interfaces using layered agarose hydrogels. The behavior of growth cones from embryonic day 9 (E9) chick dorsal root ganglia (DRGs) at interfaces that were mismatched in terms of their elasticity or chondroitin sulfate content was quantitatively determined. A mechanical barrier formed by the elasticity mismatch of layered agarose gels greatly influenced the ability of neurites from E9 DRGs to cross the 3D interface. To form chondroitin sulfate‐rich interfaces, chondroitin sulfate B was covalently coupled to agarose hydrogel. Compared with unmodified agarose gels, the presence of CS‐B‐modified agarose gels at the interface significantly inhibited E9 DRGs neurites. After treatment of CS‐B‐modified agarose gels with chondroitinase ABC, the inhibitory effects of CS‐B at the interface were significantly decreased. The effect of doping CS‐B gels with laminin 1 (LN‐1)‐coupled agarose gels was investigated as a potential strategy to overcome inhibitory interfaces. When CS‐B agarose gels were doped with LN‐1‐coupled agarose gels, DRG neurite's ability to cross 3D interfaces was significantly enhanced compared with that of non‐LN‐1‐containing interfaces presenting equivalent CS‐B. Our in vitro model may be used to study the influence of individual components of glial scar on inhibition as well as to design strategies to overcome this inhibition. J. Neurosci. Res. 66:303–310, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sex proportion and performance evaluation among high‐ranking military officers
Authors: Pazy Asya , Oron Israela
Published: August 2002

This field study examined the relationships between sex proportion and performance evaluation among 3014 high‐ranking officers (Majors and Lieutenant Colonels) in the Israeli Defense Forces. Women's performance was rated lower than that of men when the women were token members of their units. However, the performance of women was rated higher than that of men when they constituted a higher proportion. Men's overall performance did not co‐vary with proportion. In addition, the interaction of sex with proportion had a significant effect on the dimensions of Operational and Analytic Competence. The pattern of findings supports Kanter's framework of skewed and tilted groups. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A tree‐ring reconstruction of past precipitation for Baja California Sur, Mexico
Authors: Díaz Sara C. , Touchan Ramzi , Swetnam Thomas W.
Published: August 2002

There is great interest in the climatic variability of Baja California and the Sea of Cortes, but long‐term information is limited because instrumental climate records begin in the 1940s or 1960s. The first tree‐ring chronology of Pinus lagunae was developed from the southern part of the Baja California Peninsula and the chronology is used to reconstruct the history of precipitation variations. A September–July precipitation reconstruction is developed for the period AD 1862–1996 (R=0.71, p<0.0001, n=56, cross‐validation=0.68). This reconstruction is used to assess precipitation variability over the past two centuries, including the relationship with ENSO events. The reconstructed precipitation series indicates a long drought period from 1939 to 1958. It also shows that 1983, one of the strongest El Niño events of the 20th century, is the wettest year. El Niño events during the 20th century are associated with above‐normal precipitation, whereas La Niña events are characterized by below‐normal precipitation. Four of the most extreme wet years occurred in association with these warm events (1905, 1912, 1919 and 1983). Seventy‐one percent of La Niña events are characterized by below‐normal precipitation. Sixty‐two percent of El Niño events are characterized by above‐normal precipitation. Tree‐ring growth of P. lagunae is most strongly correlated with winter precipitation in Sonora, Sinaloa and southern Baja California Sur. Precipitation data from meteorological stations in northern Baja California do not correlate well with the tree‐ring chronology because this zone has a Mediterranean climate, which differs from the rest of northwest Mexico. Copyright © 2001 Royal Meteorological Society
Extreme daily precipitation in Western Europe with climate change at appropriate spatial scales
Authors: Booij M. J.
Published: August 2002

Extreme daily precipitation for the current and changed climate at appropriate spatial scales is assessed. This is done in the context of the impact of climate change on flooding in the river Meuse in Western Europe. The objective is achieved by determining and comparing extreme precipitation from stations, reanalysis projects, global climate models and regional climate models. An extreme value reduction methodology based on extreme precipitation correlation structure and surface area is used to deal with the transformation between different spatial scales. It appeared that return values are simulated quite well by the regional climate models and CSIRO9, but are underestimated by the reanalyses and overestimated by CGCM1 and HadCM3. The models simulated an average increase in extreme precipitation with climate change of about 18%, which is in the same range as the average model error and intermodel differences. The appropriate spatial scale for representing extreme precipitation was estimated at 20 km, when the bias permitted in the estimation of extreme precipitation is set at 10%. Downscaling modelled extreme precipitation to this appropriate scale results in considerable differences between reanalysis and GCM scale and appropriate scale return values. It is therefore obvious that return values at these appropriate scales should be used instead of at their original scales. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society.
Prospects for seasonal forecasting of summer drought and low river flow anomalies in England and Wales
Authors: Wedgbrow C. S. , Wilby R. L. , Fox H. R. , O'Hare G.
Published: August 2002

Future climate change scenarios suggest enhanced temporal and spatial gradients in water resources across the UK. Provision of seasonal forecast statistics for surface climate variables could alleviate some negative effects of climate change on water resource infrastructure. This paper presents a preliminary investigation of spatial and temporal relationships between large‐scale North Atlantic climatic indices, drought severity and river flow anomalies in England and Wales. Potentially useful predictive relationships are explored between winter indices of the Polar–Eurasian (POL) teleconnection pattern, the North Atlantic oscillation (NAO), North Atlantic sea surface temperature anomalies (SSTAs), and the summer Palmer drought severity index (PDSI) and reconstructed river flows in England and Wales. Correlation analyses, coherence testing and an index of forecast potential, demonstrate that preceding winter values of the POL index, SSTA (and to a lesser extent the NAO), provide indications of summer and early autumn drought severity and river flow anomalies in parts of northwest, southwest and southeast England. Correlation analyses demonstrate that positive winter anomalies of T1, POL index and NAO index are associated with negative PDSI (i.e. drought) across eastern parts of the British Isles in summer (r < 0.51). Coherence tests show that a positive winter SSTA (1871–1995) and POL index (1950–95) have preceded below‐average summer river flows in the northwest and southwest of England and Wales in 70 to 100% of summers. The same rivers have also experienced below‐average flows during autumn following negative winter phases of the NAO index in 64 to 93% of summers (1865–1995). Possible explanations for the predictor–predictand relationships are considered, including the ‘memory’ of groundwater, and ocean–atmosphere coupling, and regional manifestations of synoptic rainfall processes. However, further research is necessary to increase the number of years and predictor variables from which it is possible to derive rules that may be useful for forecasting. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society.
Droughts and extreme events in regional daily Italian precipitation series
Authors: Brunetti Michele , Maugeri Maurizio , Nanni Teresa , Navarra Antonio
Published: August 2002

This paper proposes a methodology to study daily precipitation series that include a significant proportion of missing data, without resorting to completion methods based on randomly generated numbers. It is applied to a data set consisting of 75 station records (1951–2000) covering the Italian territory. They are clustered by principal component analysis into six regions: the north‐west, the northern part of the north‐east, the southern part of the north‐east, the centre, the south and the islands (i.e. Sicily and Sardinia). Complete annual and seasonal regional average series are obtained from the incomplete station records, and analysed for droughts and extreme precipitation events. Droughts are identified by means of two indicators: the longest dry period and the proportion of dry days. The most remarkable result is a systematic increase in winter droughts over all of Italy, especially in the north, due mainly to the very dry 1987–93 period. Extreme events are analysed considering 5 day regional totals. In this case, however, an attempt to search for a statistically significant trend is not successful because of the scarcity of events in such a short period. The reliability of the regional series is checked by computing some basic statistics concerning total precipitation, rainy days and precipitation intensity and comparing them with the same statistics computed for regional series obtained by station records completed with methods based on random number generators. Copyright © 2002 Royal Meteorological Society.
Identification and differentiation of ancient and modern European porcelains by Raman macro‐ and micro‐spectroscopy†
Authors: Colomban Philippe , Treppoz Françoise
Published: August 2002

Selected porcelain representative of the different production technologies used from the eighteenth to the twentieth century at the French Royal Manufacture, which became The Imperial Manufacture and now the Manufacture Nationale de Sèvres, were studied by non‐destructive Raman macro‐ and/or micro‐spectroscopy: French soft paste (‘pâte tendre’ or ‘frit ware’), English‐like (bone China), the latest soft pastes made from glass (silica‐rich soft paste, Vögt soft paste), and ancient hard (PDA) and new hard (PDN) pastes. Analyses were made directly on the glazed and unglazed regions of the bodies. The presence of a strong β‐wollastonite and/or tricalcium phosphate peak makes it easy to differentiate a soft‐paste body from a hard‐paste body on Raman spectra. The different components of the spectra also allow the identification of the different types of glaze (with stannic, lead or boron oxide or feldspars as the main fluxing materials). Numerical analysis (2D correlation method) was applied to identify the glaze and highlight the relationship between different samples. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Raman intensity and conjugation with participation of ordinary σ‐bonds
Authors: Leites Larissa A. , Bukalov Sergey S.
Published: August 2002

This review covers Raman investigations over a wide range, but focused on the problem of conjugation with participation of ordinary σ‐bonds. The results show that σ–σ conjugation in a novel class of polymers, polydiakylmetallanes of the type [R2M]n, M = Si, Ge, Sn, studied recently, and σ–π conjugation in some organometallic compounds of Si, Ge and Sn, studied long ago, both manifest themselves in the Raman spectra qualitatively in a similar way to π–π conjugation in polyenes and lead to a significant increase in intensity of the lines, corresponding to stretching vibrations of the conjugated bonds, the effect being strongly dependent on mutual orientation of the latter. It was found that pre‐resonant enhancement of some lines in the Raman spectra of polymetallanes is exhibited only by macromolecules having a planar zig‐zag all‐anti conformation of the backbone. Less ordered conformations do not show this effect, in spite of the proximity of the position of their lowest energy electronic absorption band νe to the exciting line ν. Thus, proximity of νe to ν in the resonance denominator is shown to be necessary but not sufficient for the pre‐resonant increase in Raman intensity to occur. These experimental findings are in good accord with Shorygin's general views on the conjugation phenomenon and with his semi‐classical treatment of the Raman intensity problem, confirming an important role of the derivative ∂νe/∂Qi that reflects the specificity of molecular electronic structure. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Raman scattering properties of GaN thin films grown on sapphire under visible and ultraviolet excitation
Authors: Feng Z. C. , Wang W. , Chua S. J. , Zhang P. X. , Williams K. P. J. , Pitt G. D.
Published: August 2002

Raman scattering properties from various GaN thin films grown on sapphire by metalorganic chemical vapor deposition were studied. Visible micro‐Raman measurements show different mode behaviors with different laser incidence configurations. Raman lineshape analyses through two sets of equations led to the monitoring of the sample quality and stress and the optical determination of electrical properties of GaN films. An approximate 3 cm−1shift in theE1(LO) mode wavenumber is observed across the GaN film from the sapphire/GaN interface to the GaN surface, indicating the spatial variation of strains along the film growth direction within a few microns thickness range. Combined Raman and PL spectra were obtained under UV excitation, and interesting high‐order resonance Raman features were observed using a sensitive UV–Raman–photoluminescence microscope. A new way to characterize p‐type GaN is introduced. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Vibrational properties of ferroelectric hexagonal tungsten bronzes ABxW3−xO9, where A = K, Rb, Cs and B = Nb, Ta, Zr, Cr
Authors: Ma̧czka M. , Hanuza J. , Majchrowski A.
Published: August 2002

Powder x‐ray diffraction, Raman and IR studies were performed for a number of ferroelectric hexagonal tungsten bronzes of the formula ABxW3−xO9, where A = K, Rb, Cs and B = Nb, Ta, Zr and Cr. The observed vibrational modes were assigned to the respective motions of atoms in the unit cell. The x‐ray data revealed that the partial substitution of W atoms by atoms with lower valence results in shortening of the W—W distances within the xy plane and elongation in the z direction. These changes in the crystal structure were correlated with the vibrational data. The measured spectra indicated also the presence of some kind of ordering in the potassium–and rubidium–zirconium bronzes, and the presence of a large number of defects for the chromium bronzes. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Methyl jasmonate reduces chilling injury symptoms and enhances colour development of ‘Kent’ mangoes
Authors: González‐Aguilar G A , Buta J G , Wang C Y
Published: August 2002

Treatment of mango (Mangifera indica cv ‘Kent’) fruits with methyl jasmonate (MJ) vapour for 20 h at 20 °C reduced chilling injury (CI) symptoms and enhanced skin colour development. MJ at 10−4 M was the most effective concentration for reducing CI and decay in fruits stored at 5 °C followed by 7 days at 20 °C (shelf‐life period). The use of 10−5 M MJ enhanced yellow and red colour development of mangoes stored at 20 °C. These fruits possessed higher L*, a* and b* values than untreated fruits and those treated with 10−4 M MJ. Ripening processes were inhibited by cold storage (5 °C) in control fruits. After cold storage and shelf‐life period, fruits treated with 10−5 M MJ ripened normally and contained the highest total soluble solids (TSS). These fruits also maintained higher sugar and organic acid levels than fruits subjected to other treatments. We concluded that MJ treatment could be used to reduce decay and CI symptoms and also to improve colour development of mango fruits without adversely affecting quality.

© 2001 Society of Chemical Industry
Treatment of neoplastic diseases of the sacrum
Authors: Raque George H. , Vitaz Todd W. , Shields Christopher B.
Published: August 2002

Sacral neoplasms constitute a wide range of pathological entities including primary and metastatic as well as benign and malignant conditions. Often these lesions are large at the time of initial diagnosis and surgical cure may be difficult. Nonetheless, surgery may be indicated for a wide range of reasons including tissue diagnosis, palliation of pain, preservation of neurological function, or attempts for curative resection. There are numerous surgical approaches to lesions of this area which require a complete understanding of the neural, pelvic, and bony anatomy. For this reason we utilize a multidisciplinary team approach when treating these lesions. This allows for the combination of expertise from areas such as general surgery, orthopedic surgery, and neurosurgery that optimizes the treatment of these patients. In this article we review the basic techniques of diagnosis and treatment of these lesions. This overview includes the relative anatomy, symptoms, diagnosis, imaging, operative indications, surgical approaches, and potential complications. J. Surg. Oncol. 2001;76:301–307. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Recurrence of thymoma: Clinicopathological features, re‐operation, and outcome
Authors: Haniuda Masayuki , Kondo Ryoichi , Numanami Hiroki , Makiuchi Akiko , Machida Emi , Amano Jun
Published: August 2002

Background

Even after complete resection, recurrence of thymoma is not infrequently observed, and treatment of recurrent thymoma remains controversial.

Study Design

One hundred and twenty‐six patients underwent surgically complete resection for thymoma, and 24 of them had a recurrence. Surgical treatment of recurrent thymoma was attempted in 15 patients for a total of 18 times. In the present study, the relevance of clinicopathological features and the re‐operation on the survival rate after the recurrence were determined.

Results

The most frequent recurrent type was pleural dissemination (92%), with local recurrence observed in 5%. Overall 5‐ and 10‐year survivals after recurrence were 37 and 16%, respectively. Disease‐free interval after initial operation and complication of myasthenia gravis had no significant effect on postrecurrent survival. The use of postoperative mediastinal irradiation had no effect on reducing the recurrence rate or improving survival after recurrence. Two of 15 patients who underwent re‐operation died of major complications after It. pleuropneumonectomy for severe pleural dissemination. In the present study, the re‐operation was not significantly effective for prolongation of postrecurrence survival.

Conclusion

Our study showed that re‐operation should not be attempted for all patients with recurrent thymoma. Because effect of subtotal resection for severe pleural recurrence is disappointing, total resection for minimal pleural dissemination or small local recurrence will be undertaken to improve postrecurrent survival. Careful follow‐up for > 10 years will increase the chance of the total resection of the recurrent thymoma. J. Surg. Oncol. 2001;78:183–188. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Health ecology, land degradation and development
Authors: Collins A. E.
Published: August 2002

Increasing awareness of the health implications of environmental change in developing areas demands ongoing evaluation of the composition and context of unique human and environmental systems. The relationship between the ecology of emergent and resurgent infectious disease and land degradation is an uncertain aspect of environmental influences on human health that varies in different development contexts. An approach for examining a dynamic health and environment nexus is suggested based on combining ideas about health ecology with notions of sustainable development. The rationale is derived from the experience of research on changing diarrhoeal disease endemicity and epidemicity in central Mozambique, recent moves towards poverty reduction through food and livelihood security in Zambézia province, and the development of a geographic health information system to control malaria. Themes include analysing the influence of land degradation on incidence of infectious diseases, situating human health in land‐based notions of sustainable development, and communality between environmental health care and land‐based poverty reduction policies. The paper emphasizes that environmental health surveillance and care must be responsive to changing health ecologies in varying development landscapes and that common policy directives should be sought in avoiding both human ill‐health and land degradation. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Does new photosensitizer improve photodynamic therapy in advanced esophageal carcinoma?
Authors: Maier Alfred , Tomaselli Florian , Matzi Veronika , Rehak Peter , Pinter Hans , Smolle‐Jüttner Freyja M.
Published: August 2002

Background and Objective

Polyhematoporphyrin (Photosan®) as sensitizers for photodynamic therapy (PDT) in advanced esophageal cancer carry the risk of prolonged photosensitivity of the skin. New sensitizers such as 5‐aminolaevulinic acid (ALA) with low rates of skin phototoxicity appear to be promising alternatives. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ALA compared to Photosan® for PDT in advanced esophageal carcinoma regarding phototoxicity of the skin, reduction of dysphagia, tumor stenosis, and tumor length and Karnovsky performance status.

Study Design/Materials and Methods

After diagnostic work‐up, photosensitization was done in 22 patients with ALA (60 mg/kg body weight, oral, 6–8 hours prior to PDT) and in 27 patients with Photosan® (2 mg/kg body weight, i.v., 48 hours before PDT). The light dose was calculated as 300 J/cm fibre tip. Light at 630 nm was applied using a pumped dye laser. In both groups, additional hyperbaric oxygenation was applied at a level of 2 absolute atmospheric pressure.

Results

Improvement regarding dysphagia, stenosis diameter, and tumor length could be obtained in both treatment arms with a significant difference in favour of the Photosan®‐group, P = 0.02; P = 0.0000; and P = 0.000014, respectively. The Karnovsky performance status also improved in both groups and showed no significant difference (P = 0.12). The median survival time for the ALA‐group was 8.0 months, compared with 9.0 months for the Photosan® group. No sunburn or other major treatment related complication occurred in both treatment arms. Thirty‐day mortality was 0%.

Conclusion

Despite the limitations of a non‐randomized study, photosensitzation with Photosan® seems to be more effective in PDT of advanced esophageal carcinoma compared to ALA. Lasers Surg. Med. 29:323–327, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
What if your dentist looked like Tom Cruise? Applying the match‐up hypothesis to a service encounter
Authors: Koernig Stephen K. , Page Albert L.
Published: August 2002

Research in advertising suggests the positive effects of spokesperson attractiveness only enhance consumers' attitudes if the attractiveness of the spokesperson matches up with the image of the product (Kahle & Homer, 1985; Kamins, 1990; Parekh & Kanekar, 1994). This study examines the effects of service provider physical attractiveness and tests the application of the match‐up hypothesis to the service encounter. Provider physical attractiveness (high, moderate, low) and service type (related or unrelated to attractiveness) were varied in a 3 × 2 factorial design. The experimental results suggest that when service‐provider attractiveness is congruent with the image of the service, consumers' ratings of service quality and their attitudes toward the service provider will be maximized. The results are explained with the use of a schema‐based information‐processing paradigm. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Loss of heterozygosity, microsatellite instability, and mismatch repair protein alterations in the radial growth phase of cutaneous malignant melanomas
Authors: Hussein Mahmoud R. , Sun Min , Roggero Eduardo , Sudilovsky Eulalia C. , Tuthill Ralph J. , Wood Gary S. , Sudilovsky Oscar
Published: August 2002

Little is known about genomic alterations during development of the radial growth phase (RGP) of cutaneous malignant melanomas (CMMs). In this investigation polymerase chain reaction–based microsatellite assays were applied to analyze 13 RGP‐CMMs with 18 microsatellite markers at six chromosomal regions: 1p, 3p, 4q, 6q, 9p, and 10q. Loss of heterozygosity (LOH) was found in eight cases (62%), at 9p22, 1p36, and 10q11, suggesting the presence of tumor‐suppressor genes at these regions. LOH was encountered frequently at the interferon‐α (31%) and D10S249 loci (15%). Low‐level microsatellite instability (MSI) (11–16% of investigated loci unstable) was noted in three cases (23%). Two MSI banding patterns were seen: band shift and the presence of additional bands. To investigate the underlying mechanisms of the low‐level MSI pattern, we analyzed the lesions for expression of mismatch repair (MMR) proteins with immunoperoxidase methods and mouse monoclonal antibodies. The average percentages of positively stained cells for human MutL homolog 1 (hMLH1), human MutS homolog 2 (hMSH2), and human MutS homolog 6 (hMSH6) in RGP‐CMM (75.6 ± 3.4%, 67.20 ± 7.71%, and 76.6 ± 2.1%, respectively) were reduced compared with benign nevi. No statistically significant differences in MMR protein expression were found between microsatellite‐stable and low‐level MSI lesions (P = 0.173, P = 0.458, and P = 0.385 for hMLH1, hMSH2, and hMSH6, respectively). There was a direct correlation between values for percentages of positively stained cells for hMSH2 and hMSH6 (r = +0.9, P = 0.03), suggesting that common mechanisms regulate their expression. In conclusion, LOH, MSI, and reduced MMR protein expression appear to be present in at least some RGP‐CMMs and may play a role in their pathogenesis. Further studies are necessary to support these finding and to determine their diagnostic and prognostic significance. © 2002 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
On‐line solvent evaporator for coupled normal phase‐reversed phase high‐performance liquid chromatography systems: Heavy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons analysis
Authors: Moret Sabrina , Cericco Vanì , Conte Lanfranco S.
Published: August 2002

An on‐line system for coupling a normal phase liquid chromatography (LC) column to a reversed‐phase LC column is described. The interface consists of an on‐line solvent evaporator working on the principles of concurrent eluent evaporation and vapor overflow, and two additional 10 port valves. Optimization of the on‐line procedure as well as recoveries, repeatability and linearity characteristics were tested in a simplified system simulating determination of heavy polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in edible oils. An application on a real extra virgin olive oil sample is also reported. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Micro Sep 13: 13–18, 2001
The European single market and the regulation of the legal profession: an economic analysis
Authors: Stephen Frank H.
Published: August 2002

The article analyses the effect of removing barriers between two autarkic legal markets with different technologies. Firms using the more efficient technology penetrate the other market. The result is mergers between firms from the efficient jurisdictions and those in the inefficient jurisdictions. Social welfare increases from reduced resource costs in the production of legal services even if prices remain regulated. This leads to pressure for prices for legal services to be reduced. Recent trends in the penetration of EU legal markets by English solicitors firms are discussed, particularly recent mergers involving English and German law firms. Implications for future market regulation are drawn. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Deficits of temporal discrimination in dystonia are independent from the spatial distance between the loci of tactile stimulation
Authors: Tinazzi Michele , Fiaschi Antonio , Frasson Emma , Fiorio Mirta , Cortese Feliciana , Aglioti Salvatore M.
Published: August 2002

To assess whether spatial variables influence deficits of temporal somesthetic discrimination in dystonic patients, 10 patients with idiopathic dystonia and 12 healthy controls were tested with pairs of non‐noxious electrical stimuli separated by different time intervals. Stimuli were delivered: (1) to the pad of the index finger (same‐point condition), (2) to the pad and to the base of the index finger (same‐finger condition), and (3) to the pad of the index and ring fingers (different‐finger condition). Subjects were asked to report whether they perceived single or double stimuli in the first condition and synchronous or asynchronous stimuli in the second and third conditions. Somesthetic temporal discrimination thresholds (STDTs) were obtained by computing the shortest time interval at which stimuli, applied to the left or the right hand, were perceived as separate in the first condition or asynchronous in the second and third conditions. STDTs were significantly higher in dystonic patients than controls in all three conditions. In both dystonia patients and controls, STDTs resulted highest in conditions whereby stimuli were maximally separated in space. Results extend current knowledge of deficits of somesthetic temporal discrimination in dystonia by showing that temporal deficits are not influenced by spatial variables. © 2002 Movement Disorder Society.
Trunk movement in Parkinson's disease during rising from seated position
Authors: Nikfekr E. , Kerr K. , Attfield S. , Playford E.D.
Published: August 2002

Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with particular difficulties rising from a seated position. Little is known about the mechanisms of sit‐to‐stand in this condition. We sought to define trunk movement during sit‐to‐stand in a group of patients with PD. Six patients and seven normal volunteers were studied using a six camera ELITE motion analysis system (BTS, Milan, Italy), which permitted data collection in the coronal, sagittal, and transverse planes. Retroreflective markers were positioned along the spine at C7, T3, T6, T9, T12, L3, and the sacrum. Whole‐trunk kinematics and the movement at the six different trunk markers were recorded during rising. PD patients have a significantly greater degree of trunk flexion than controls, showing a significant increase in angular velocity of the trunk in the sagittal plane. The total range of movement of trunk rotation was significantly smaller in the PD group, but lateral movement in the trunk was greater than normal. These data suggest that patients with early PD compensate for their difficulties rising from a chair by generating greater trunk flexion at higher angular velocity, thus developing greater forward momentum. This process results in a decrease in the duration of the unstable transitional phase of sit‐to‐stand, allowing PD patients to reach the upright position as easily and safely as possible. Small rotational movements are an effective way to maintain the centre of mass within the base of support during sit‐to‐stand. This mechanism appears to be denied to the PD patients who may use increased movements in the coronal plane as an alternative strategy. © 2002 Movement Disorder Society
Randomized trial comparing primidone initiation schedules for treating essential tremor
Authors: O'Suilleabhain Padraig , Dewey Richard B.
Published: August 2002

Early side effects are common when primidone is used to treat essential tremor, with as many as one‐third of patients failing to tolerate the tablets. Lower doses can be prescribed initially using a suspension formulation. We suspected suspension initiation would result in fewer early side effects, allow better acclimatization, and improve compliance. Forty patients with essential tremor were randomized to begin primidone treatment using either 2.5 mg doses in the suspension form or 25 mg doses in the tablet form. Doses gradually increased over 3 weeks to 150 mg/day. This was a double‐blind, double‐dummy trial. Medication cessation due to side effects was designated the primary end‐point. Four patients in the suspension group and two in the tablet group dropped out due to early side effects, resulting in a relative risk of 1.9 (95% confidence interval 0.4 to 9.2). Side effects in the first 48 hours of treatment were equally common, affecting seven subjects in each group. Treatment benefits were the same in both groups. We concluded that use of a very low initial dose and a graduated titration schedule in suspension formulation did not appear to improve primidone tolerability. If anything, compliance tended to be worse when compared with the tablet formulation, though the study was under‐powered to reject the null hypothesis of equivalence. © 2002 Movement Disorder Society.
Statins and progressive renal disease
Authors: Buemi Michele , Senatore Massimino , Corica Francesco , Aloisi Carmela , Romeo Adolfo , Cavallaro Emanuela , Floccari Fulvio , Tramontana Domenico , Frisina Nicola
Published: August 2002

Thanks to the administration of hypocholesterolemic drugs, important advances have been made in the treatment of patients with progressive renal disease. In vitro and in vivo findings demonstrate that statins, the inhibitors of HMG‐CoA reductase, can provide protection against kidney diseases characterized by inflammation and/or enhanced proliferation of epithelial cells occurring in rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis, or by increased proliferation of mesangial cells occurring in IgA nephropathy. Many of the beneficial effects obtained occur independent of reduced cholesterol levels because statins can directly inhibit the proliferation of different cell types (e.g., mesangial, renal tubular, and vascular smooth muscle cells), and can also modulate the inflammatory response, thus inhibiting macrophage recruitment and activation, as well as fibrosis. The mechanisms underlying the action of statins are not yet well understood, although recent data in the literature indicate that they can directly affect the proliferation/apoptosis balance, the down‐regulation of inflammatory chemokines, and the cytogenic messages mediated by the GTPases Ras superfamily. Therefore, as well as reducing serum lipids, statins and other lipid‐lowering agents may directly influence intracellular signaling pathways involved in the prenylation of low molecular weight proteins that play a crucial role in cell signal transduction and cell activation. Statins appear to have important potential in the treatment of progressive renal disease, although further studies are required to confirm this in humans. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Med Res Rev, 22, No. 1, 76–84, 2002
A novel dual‐band printed inverted‐F antenna
Authors: Kuo Yen‐Liang , Chiou Tzung‐Wern , Wong Kin‐Lu
Published: August 2002

This paper proposes a novel dual‐band printed inverted‐F antenna, and a constructed prototype suitable for applications in the WLAN (2400–2484 MHz) and HIPERLAN (5150–5350 MHz) systems is presented. The antenna consists of two stacked inverted‐F strips printed on a dielectric substrate, and sharing a common shorting pin which short circuits the two strips to the ground plane on the other side of the dielectric substrate. The proposed antenna can easily be fed by a 50 Ω microstrip line printed on the same substrate. Details of the proposed antenna and experimental results of the constructed prototype are presented. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 31: 353–355, 2001.
An experimental analysis of the advantages of polarization diversity in indoor scenarios at 1.8 and 2.5 GHz
Authors: Loredo Susana , Torres Rafael P.
Published: August 2002

This letter presents the results of a set of measurements carried out in order to research the behavior of a scheme of polarization diversity in indoor environments in the 1.8 and 2.5 GHz bands. To this end, parameters such as the cross‐correlation coefficient and the cross‐polarization discrimination between the individual signals received in each of the combiner branches are analyzed. By simulating various types of combiners, it is also possible analyze the improvement produced by the combination in the statistical behavior of the signal, and the decrease of the bit‐error rate after the combination. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 31: 355–361, 2001.
E‐polarized beam scattering by an open cylindrical PEC strip having an arbitrary “conical‐section” profile
Authors: Oğuzer Taner , Nosich Alexander I. , Altintaş Ayhan
Published: August 2002

Two‐dimensional (2‐D) scattering of waves by a conducting strip with a canonical profile is simulated in theE‐polarization case. This analysis is performed by reducing a singular integral equation (IE) to the dual‐series equations, and making their analytical regularization. Furthermore, the incident field is taken as a complex source point (CSP) beam. This is an extension of our previous studies about circular and parabolic reflector antennas. The algorithm features are demonstrated. Far‐field characteristics are presented for quite large‐size curves strips of elliptic, parabolic, and hyperbolic profiles. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 31: 480–484, 2001.
On the impedance bandwidth of a planar inverted‐F antenna for mobile handsets
Authors: Wu Tzuenn‐Yih , Wong Kin‐Lu
Published: August 2002

Significant effects of ground‐plane dimensions on the impedance bandwidth of a planar inverted‐F antenna for a UMTS (1920–2170 MHz) mobile handset are presented. Experimental results show that, by varying the ground‐plane length, the antenna studied can have an impedance bandwidth (10 dB return‐loss bandwidth) varying from about 150 to 490 MHz, a variation of more than 300%. Similar behavior has also been observed for the case of varying the ground‐plane width. Details of the experimental results are presented and discussed. © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 32: 249–251, 2002.
Perceptual model for images transferred through the DAVID satellite system
Authors: Pratesi Marco , Betti Silvello , Santoboni Mauro , Ruggieri Marina , Bonifazi Carlo
Published: August 2002

The DAVID satellite mission of ASI will pioneer the use of W‐band for collection of high data volume and their forwarding to the Internet. Various data types will be transferred by DAVID, including digital images. The image quality evaluation is considered, stressing the human visual system‐related aspects. A neural network‐based approach is proposed for a clever quality estimation through a suitable combination of results provided by literature methods. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 33: 335–338, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10314
New spur reduction fractional‐N frequency divider
Authors: Boon C. C. , Do M. A. , Yeo K. S. , Ma J. G.
Published: August 2002

A spur reduction technique for fractional‐N frequency synthesis is proposed. This technique can fully suppress the fractional spurs. Furthermore, it provides a simple solution to spur reduction and requires only two 2‐to‐1 multiplexers added to the conventional fractional‐N frequency divider. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 33: 355–358, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10320
Novel technique to detect rancidity of oils using microwave microstrip ring resonator
Authors: Sofin R. G. Sumesh , Karekar R. N. , Aiyer R. C.
Published: August 2002

The present article presents a novel technique to study the rancidity of oils at microwave frequencies through measurements of microwave dielectric properties of liquids. CaCO3(chalk) was used as a noninteracting medium (matrix) to hold the liquids within and is used to perturb the microwave microstrip ring resonator (MMRR). The rancidified oils exhibit high dielectric constants, giving higher changes in resonating frequencies. The method is found to be repeatable. Coconut oil (Cocos nucifera), sunflower oil (Helianthus annuus), rancidified coconut oil and rancidified sunflower oil were studied using this technique. The resonant frequency was measured using a scalar network analyzer (SNA, HP 8757C). The method shows noticeable differences in resonating frequency (few tens of MHz) between fresh oil and rancidified oil. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 33: 377–379, 2002; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10327