bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Closure of a Large Palatal Fistula with Maxillary Segmental Distraction Osteogenesis in a Cleft Palate Patient
Authors: Alkan Alper , Baş Burcu , Özer Mete , Bayram Mehmet
Published: June 2006

Various techniques have been proposed for the repair of palatal clefts. The first surgical closure technique that should be kept in mind is the use of adjacent mucosal flaps. When the palatal cleft is too large to close with adjacent mucosal flaps, distant flaps such as from the tongue or nasolabial region may be considered. This report presents a cleft patient who had previously undergone an unsuccessful palatal cleft repair with a tongue flap. The size of the large palatal fistula was reduced by approximating the segments to each other with maxillary anterior segmental distraction osteogenesis to make it more manageable using conventional mucosal flaps.
Advanced Oxidation Processes in Azo Dye Wastewater Treatment
Authors: Papić Sanja , Koprivanac Natalija , Božić Ana Lončarić , Vujević Dinko , Dragičević Savka Kučar , Kušić Hrvoje , Peternel Igor
Published: June 2006

The chemical degradation of synthetic azo dyes color index (C.I.) Acid Orange 7, C.I. Direct Orange 39, and C.I. Mordant Yellow 10 has been studied by the following advanced oxidation processes: Fenton, Fenton‐like, ozonation, peroxone without or with addition of solid particles, zeolites HY, and NH4ZSM5. Spectrophotometric (UV/visible light spectrum) and total organic carbon measurements were used for determination of process efficiency and reaction kinetics. The degradation rates are evaluated by determining their rate constants. The different hydroxyl radical generation processes were comparatively studied, and the most efficient experimental conditions for the degradation of organic azo dyes solutions were determined.
Kinetics of Phenol Degradation in an Anaerobic Fixed‐Biofilm Process
Authors: Lin Yen‐Hui , Lee Kwang K.
Published: June 2006

A mathematical model was developed to describe phenol degradation in an anaerobic fixed‐biofilm process. The model incorporates the mechanisms of diffusive mass transport and Monod kinetics. The model was solved using a combination of the orthogonal collocation method and Gear's method. A pilot‐scale column reactor was used to verify the model. Batch kinetic tests were conducted independently to determine the biokinetic parameters used in the model, while shear loss and initial thickness of biofilm were assumed so that the model simulated the substrate concentration results well. The removal efficiency for phenol was approximately 98.5% at a steady‐state condition. The model accurately described the effluent substrate concentrations and the sequence of biodegradation in the reactor. The model simulations are in agreement with the experimental results. The approaches presented in this paper could be used to design full‐scale anaerobic fixed‐biofilm reactor systems for the biodegradation of phenolic substrates.
Effect of the Location of the Inlet and Outlet Structures on Short‐Circuiting: Experimental Investigation
Authors: Agunwamba J. C.
Published: June 2006

The location of the inlet and outlet structures in a treatment plant (e.g., waste stabilization pond) may affect its hydraulic efficiency by increasing short‐circuiting. Therefore, in this paper, the effect of the location of inlet and outlet structures was investigated in three laboratory channels of different lengths. Nine different combinations of inlet and outlet locations were considered for each channel under varying rates of flow. Results showed that the placement of the inlet and outlet structures close to the surface and the bottom of the pond, respectively, gave the minimum value of short‐circuiting. This location was, therefore, judged to be the optimum among the nine combinations considered. The short‐circuiting index was found to increase both with the dispersion number and the actual flow velocity, giving correlation coefficients of 0.3186 to 0.9258 and 0.8057 to 0.9972, respectively.    Although minimization of short‐circuiting will result in higher hydraulic efficiency, it may not necessarily result in higher effluent quality unless the temporal and vertical fluctuations of the water column are also considered.
Anaerobic Codigestion of Municipal, Farm, and Industrial Organic Wastes: A Survey of Recent Literature
Authors: Alatriste‐Mondragón Felipe , Samar Parviz , Cox Huub H. J. , Ahring Birgitte K. , Iranpour Reza
Published: June 2006

Codigestion of organic wastes is a technology that is increasingly being applied for simultaneous treatment of several solid and liquid organic wastes. The main advantages of this technology are improved methane yield because of the supply of additional nutrients from the codigestates and more efficient use of equipment and cost‐sharing by processing multiple waste streams in a single facility. Many municipal wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) in industrialized countries currently process wastewater sludge in large digesters. Codigestion of organic wastes with municipal wastewater sludge can increase digester gas production and provide savings in the overall energy costs of plant operations. Methane recovery also helps to reduce the emission of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere. The goal of this literature survey was to summarize the research conducted in the last four years on anaerobic codigestion to identify applications of codigestion at WWTPs. Because the solids content in municipal wastewater sludge is low, this survey only focuses on codigestion processes operated at relative low solids content (slurry mode). Semi‐solid or solid codigestion processes were not included.    Municipal wastewater sludge, the organic fraction of municipal solid waste, and cattle manure (CAM) are the main wastes most often used in codigestion processes. Wastes that are codigested with these main wastes are wood wastes, industrial organic wastes, and farm wastes. These are referred to in this survey as codigestates. The literature provides many laboratory studies (batch assays and bench‐scale digesters) that assess the digestibility of codigestates and evaluate the performance and monitoring of codigestion, inhibition of digestion by codigestates, the design of the process (e.g., single‐stage or two‐stage processes), and the operation temperature (e.g., mesophilic or thermophilic). Only a few reports on pilot‐ and full‐scale studies were found. These evaluate general process performance and pretreatment of codigestates, energy production, and treatment costs.
Use of Hydrophilic and Hydrophobic Microfiltration Membranes to Remove Microorganisms and Organic Pollutants from Primary Effluents
Authors: Modise Claude M. , Bendick John A. , Miller C. J. , Neufeld Ronald D. , Vidic Radisav D.
Published: June 2006

Primary‐effluent wastewater from the Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (Pennsylvania) was used as a surrogate for combined‐sewer‐overflow waters contained in the sewershed. Pathogens contained in combined‐primary‐effluent wastewaters or combined‐sewer overflows (CSOs) may pose a human‐health threat to those coming in contact with such receiving waters. Polymeric ultra‐ and nano‐membranes can be used to capture these microorganisms from CSOs. This research investigates the ability of polymeric hydrophobic and hydrophilic membranes, ranging in pore size from 0.2 to 0.8 μm, to remove pathogen‐indicator organisms (Escherichia coli, enterococcus, and fecal coliforms). Membranes, with pore size 0.45 μm and smaller, were able to reduce the bacteria levels to nondetectable levels, with the sole exception of one membrane with pore size 0.3 μm.
Taking Advantage of Aerated‐Anoxic Operation in a Full‐Scale University of Cape Town Process
Authors: Park Hee‐Deung , Whang Liang‐Ming , Reusser Steve R. , Noguera Daniel R.
Published: June 2006

To evaluate the potential benefits or limitations of aerated‐anoxic operation in high‐rate biological nutrient removal processes, we conducted a full‐scale experiment in a University of Cape Town (UCT)‐type wastewater treatment plant by reducing oxygen supply and increasing flowrates within one treatment train so that aerated‐anoxic conditions (i.e., zones that receive oxygen but maintain dissolved oxygen concentrations below 0.5 mg/L) could be implemented in a section of the aerated zone. With this retrofitted configuration, total nitrogen removal increased from 54 to 65%, but was limited by the organic carbon available for denitrification. Furthermore, the significant reduction in dissolved oxygen concentrations in the aerated zone did not negatively affect enhanced biological phosphorus removal, demonstrating that the implementation of an aerated‐anoxic zone within a UCT‐type reactor can contribute to a reduction in operational costs and a slight improvement in total nitrogen removal, without compromising the extent of phosphorus removal.
Ultraviolet and Chlorine Disinfection of Mycobacterium in Wastewater: Effect of Aggregation
Authors: Bohrerova Zuzana , Linden Karl G.
Published: June 2006

Mycobacteria naturally aggregate in water, a characteristic that may serve to protect them against disinfection in wastewater. Secondary effluent was spiked with Mycobacterium terrae (M. terrae), sequentially filtered through 100‐, 41‐, and 20‐μm nylon filters to partition aggregate sizes, confirmed using particle‐size analysis and microscopy. Each sample was exposed to doses of UV light (10 to 60 mJ/cm2 at 254 nm) and free chlorine (27 to 150 mg‐min/L at 4°C). Inactivation of M. terrae in wastewater was initially rapid, with 2.5 log reduction at 14 mJ/cm2 and 56 mg‐min/L for UV and free chlorine, respectively. However, in effluent and 100‐μm filtered wastewater, spiked M. terrae was present to the highest doses evaluated. Interestingly, M. terrae passed through 41‐ and 20‐μm filters were inactivated rapidly, with no survivors after moderate disinfection doses. Inactivation of Mycobacteria in wastewater may be compromised by aggregates larger than 41 microns.
Pharmacokinetic interaction between fluoxetine and metoclopramide in healthy volunteers
Authors: Vlase Laurian , Leucuta Adrian , Farcau Dorin , Nanulescu Mircea
Published: June 2006

The pharmacokinetic interaction of fluoxetine with metoclopramide in healthy volunteers was evaluated. A dose of 20 mg metoclopramide in combination with 60 mg fluoxetine was administered to 24 healthy male volunteers in a two treatment study design, separated by 8 days in which the fluoxetine alone was administered as a single p.o. dose daily. Plasma concentrations of metoclopramide were determined during a 24 h period following drug administration. Metoclopramide plasma concentrations were determined by a validated HPLC method. Pharmacokinetic parameters of metoclopramide were calculated using non‐compartmental analysis. In the two periods of treatment, the mean peak plasma concentrations (Cmax) were 44.02 ng/ml (metoclopramide alone) and 62.72 ng/ml (metoclopramide after pre‐treatment with fluoxetine). The times taken to reach Cmax and tmax, were 1.15 h and 1.06 h, respectively. The total areas under the curve (AUC0–∞) were 312.61 ng.h/ml and 590.62 ng.h/ml, respectively. The half‐life values (t1/2) were 5.52 h and 8.47 h. Statistically significant differences were observed for both AUC0–∞ and t1/2 of metoclopramide when administered alone or after 8 days treatment with fluoxetine. The experimental data demonstrate the pharmacokinetic interaction between fluoxetine and metoclopramide and suggest that the observed interaction may be clinically significant, but its relevance has to be confirmed. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A midpoint assessment of the American Cancer Society challenge goal to halve the U.S. cancer mortality rates between the years 1990 and 2015
Authors: Byers Tim , Barrera Ermilo , Fontham Elizabeth T. H. , Newman Lisa A. , Runowicz Carolyn D. , Sener Stephen F. , Thun Michael J. , Winborn Sara , Wender Richard C. ,   on behalf of the American Cancer Society Incidence and Mortality Ends Committee
Published: June 2006

BACKGROUND.

The American Cancer Society has challenged the U.S. to reduce cancer mortality rates 50% over the 25 years from 1990 to 2015. The current report is an analysis and commentary on progress toward that goal through 2002, the midpoint of the challenge period.

METHODS.

Cancer mortality rates were examined from 1990 through 2002, and projections to the Year 2015 were made. Cancer deaths that were prevented or deferred by the declining death rates were expressed as the difference between the observed and projected numbers of deaths and the numbers that would have been observed over that period had the 1990 death rates persisted.

RESULTS.

Since 1990, cancer mortality rates have been declining in the U.S. by approximately 1% per year. Trends especially have been favorable for cancers of the breast, prostate, and colorectum and for lung cancer among men. Should this rate of decline continue over the coming decade, death rates from cancer will be approximately 23% lower in the Year 2015 than they were in 1990, and approximately 1.8 million deaths from cancer will have been prevented or deferred.

CONCLUSIONS.

At this midpoint of the 25‐year challenge period, it appears that fully reaching the goal will require substantial breakthroughs in cancer early detection and/or in cancer therapy. Between now and 2015, however, many more cancer deaths can be averted by concerted action to control tobacco and obesity, by redoubling efforts in mammography and colorectal screening, and by enacting policies to close gaps in access to cancer detection and treatment services. Cancer 2006. ©2006 American Cancer Society.
On the threshold of a dream
Authors: Marks James S. , Orleans C. Tracy , Gerlach Karen K.
Published: June 2006

With steadily declining mortality rates, progress in the 35‐year War on Cancer in the U.S. deserves celebration as a tangible and hard‐won achievement. The tremendous progress and increasing opportunity outlined in this issue of Cancer by Byers et al. thrust the cancer community and its far‐reaching objectives into the middle of the national dialogue on how to fix the health care system so that everyone can benefit from what has been learned.
Sheared Zonal Flow ExB Drifts Predicted from Emissive Probes and Measured by Laser‐Induced Fluorescence
Authors: McWilliams R. , Edrich D.
Published: June 2006

An electron beam sheet injected into a plasma created regions of oppositely‐directed electric fields above and below the sheet. An emissive probe was used to measure the spatial structure of the plasma potential from which the electric field could be deduced. Laser‐induced fluorescence (LIF) was used to measure the spatial structure of the ion zonal flow velocity. The ExB velocity flow field predicted from the emissive probe results is compared to the LIF observations. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Comparative Study of Flat and Round Collectors Using a Validated 1D Fluid Probe Model
Authors: Peleman P. , Jachmich S. , Van Schoor M. , Van Oost G. , Knaepen W. , Boucher C.
Published: June 2006

In the literature two different types of Gundestrup‐like probe designs are proposed: design with flat and with round collectors. In this paper we study the influence of different collector shapes of Gundestrup‐like probes on the accuracy of the measurement of the parallel and perpendicular flows. A one dimensional fluid probe model is used for deducing both Mach numbers of the unperturbed flow from the probe data. An analytical expression relates the plasma flow to the measured ion saturation currents collected at the upstream and downstream collecting surfaces of the probe. For flat collectors, the analytical model is validated by comparing it to a two dimensional quasi‐neutral Particle In Cell (PIC) simulation code. An extension of the theoretical model then allows us to study round collectors. We performed an accuracy study which showed that systematic errors are introduced when round collectors are employed for determination of the perpendicular flow which is systematically overestimated. The error can reach more than 70% when the perpendicular flow increases and when the angle of the collecting surface with respect to the magnetic field (θ → 0)is small. The correct analytical expression is applied to experimental data from Gundestrup probe measurements with round collectors on the CASTOR tokamak. The analysis shows that for these measurements the error introduced by using the expression for flat collectors remains negligible, supporting our former use of the model for flat collectors. A new advanced Gundestrup‐like probe design and the motivation for the choice of flat collectors are presented. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Evaluation of growth quantification methods for modelling the growth of Penicillium expansum in an apple‐based medium
Authors: Marín Sonia , Morales Hector , Ramos Antonio J , Sanchis Vicente
Published: June 2006

Penicillium expansum isolates were grown on an apple concentrate‐based medium modified to different water activity levels (0.83–0.99), and incubated at 3–29 °C for up to 14 days. The diameters of the growing colonies were measured and colonies were extracted for determination of ergosterol and N‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucosaminidase activity. Results showed good correlation of measured diameters in the repeated treatments, but slightly lower repeatability for the ergosterol determination, and poor repeatability for the determination of N‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucosaminidase activity. Primary and secondary models were built for colony diameter and ergosterol content of the colonies, which were similar for both isolates tested. Growth was prevented at low water activity values (0.83–0.85) outside the range 10–23 °C. However, given an unpreserved apple or apple product (aw > 0.97) left at room temperature growth may occur in a time as short as 1 day, probably leading to mycotoxin accumulation in a few days in the event of mycotoxigenic strains. This issue also highlights the importance of shortening the time of transport and storage operations when considering the use of culled apples unfit for other, higher quality and higher profit purposes to obtain apple by‐products such as puree, juices or jam. Copyright © 2006 Society of Chemical Industry
Stem cells and cancer: an intimate relationship
Authors: Burkert J , Wright NA , Alison MR
Published: June 2006

Tumour‐wide ‘omics’ approaches have long held sway as the approach to identifying useful therapeutic targets. This view is changing with the realization that many, if not all, cancers contain a minority population of self‐renewing stem cells, the cancer stem cells, which are entirely responsible for sustaining the tumour as well as giving rise to proliferating but progressively differentiating cells that are responsible for much of the cellular heterogeneity that is so familiar to histopathologists. Moreover, although many tumours probably have their origins in normal stem cells, persuasive evidence from the haematopoietic system suggests that genetic alterations in more committed progenitor cells can reactivate the self‐renewal machinery, resulting in a further source of cancer stem cells. Thus, the bulk of the tumour is not the problem, and so the identification of cancer stem cells and the factors that regulate their behaviour are likely to have an enormous bearing on the way that we treat neoplastic disease in the future. Copyright © 2006 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
UK drug analysis prints and anaesthetic adverse drug reactions
Authors: Holdcroft Anita
Published: June 2006

Purpose

Anaesthetic drugs were selected from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency Drug Analysis Prints in order to determine the number and types of reported reactions and associated mortality.

Methods

The chosen drug groups were the intravenous induction agents, the neuromuscular blocking drugs and neostigmine, the inhalational anaesthetic agents and nitrous oxide, local anaesthetic agents and a selection of analgesics agents, naloxone and midazolam and its antagonist flumazenil. From each drug file, the number and type of reactions were analysed. Mortality was calculated as a percentage of the number of deaths against patient reports.

Results

A total of 11 199 reactions were analysed from 6603 patients of whom 620 (9%) died. Few drug records reported reactions from multiple constituent formulations. The majority of reactions were not allergic. The highest mortality was in the inhalational anaesthetic group. Although the greatest number of fatal events was associated with halothane, this drug is no longer used. Nevertheless the percentage remains high because cardiovascular mortality is still being reported. Local anaesthetic use was associated with the smallest percentage mortality (3%). The highest reported number of reactions was associated with the intravenous induction agents and idiosyncratic neurological and peripheral vascular reactions were linked with the use of etomidate.

Conclusions

The reporting of allergic reactions was low. The data demonstrate that induction of anaesthesia presents the highest risk of adverse drug reaction; there is also mortality from newer drugs for example, desflurane, remifentanil as well as from drugs for which there is no alternative, for example, suxamethonium. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microstructural characterization of terpolymers of leucine, β‐benzyl aspartate, and valine
Authors: Wamsley Andrea , Phiasivongsa Pasit , Jasti Bhaskara , Li Xiaoling
Published: June 2006

Three different characterization methods—13C NMR spectroscopy, a terminal terpolymerization model, and a probability analysis based on the Poisson distribution—were used to determine the microstructure of random terpolymers. The methods were used to determine the amino acid sequence distribution of random terpolymers prepared from the polymerization of N‐carboxyanhydrides that contained L‐leucine, β‐benzyl‐L‐aspartate, and L‐valine. Poly(L‐leucine‐L‐aspartic acid‐L‐valine) [poly(LDV)] was designed as a target specific substrate for the α4β1 integrin that recognizes the tripeptide sequence leucine‐aspartic acid‐valine (LDV). The presence of the tripeptide sequence LDV within the polymer was determined to be eight LDV triad sequences on average in terpolymers of approximately 100 kDa. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 44: 4328–4337, 2006
Simulation of p‐type diffusion in compound semiconductor: the case of beryllium implanted in InGaAs
Authors: Saad A. , Fedotov A. , Velichko O. , Pachynin V. , Davydko A.
Published: June 2006

A system of equations describing transient enhanced diffusion of beryllium in InGaAs due to kick‐out mechanism or due to formation, migration, and dissociation of the pairs “beryllium atom–group III self‐interstitial” is proposed and analyzed. Simulation of coupled diffusion of beryllium atoms and self‐interstitials in InGaAs during rapid thermal annealing was done for the case of dual implantation. For the experiment under consideration the first ion implantation of phosphorus atoms produced the region of extended defects that led to “uphill” diffusion of implanted Be in the defect region and in the vicinity of the surface. The suggested reason of “uphill” diffusion could be related to the nonuniform distribution of group III self‐interstitials that was formed due to the absorption of point defects on the extended defects and on the surface of a semiconductor. The calculated dopant profile agreed well with the experimental one and a comparison with the experimental data resulted in obtaining the values of beryllium diffusivity and other parameters describing Be diffusion in InGaAs. Further improvements of the model are also discussed. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The role of process improvement in IT departments: experiences and lessons learned
Authors: Salvaneschi Paolo , Grasso Daniele , Besurga Maurizio
Published: June 2006

This article presents the experience gained and the lessons learned during the process assessment and improvement of the IT department of a large retail company. The characteristics of the company and the IT department are discussed shortly. The business motivations and the main approaches and results of the assessment process are presented and discussed. The assessment led to an improvement in the project that is currently running. We highlight the improvement process and finally discuss some aspects that may be useful for assessing and improving similar types of organizations. Among them is the role of the global service provider in IT departments, the relevance of communication and knowledge management processes and the need for assessment tailoring and people involvement. We also discuss the role of the ISO 9001:2000 certification approach in the improvement process and the need for a blend of technical and organizational aspects as well as communication and training/mentoring actions. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dating, sex, and substance use as correlates of adolescents’ subjective experience of age
Authors: Arbeau Kelly J. , Galambos Nancy L. , Mikael Jansson S.
Published: June 2006

This study examined in a random community‐based sample of 664 12–19‐year‐olds, the relation of subjective experience of age (SEA) with chronological age, dating experience, sexual activity, and substance use. The results revealed a positive linear relation between SEA and chronological age: individuals who were chronologically older felt subjectively older than their actual age. Several possible sources of interindividual differences in SEA were identified. Adolescents who were dating an older partner felt older compared to other dating adolescents. Sexually experienced adolescents felt older than their non‐experienced counterparts. Smoking (in boys), higher alcohol use, and higher drug use were also related to an older SEA. These results suggest an increasing discrepancy between SEA and chronological age across the teen years as young people experience the normative changes associated with adolescence. Dating, sexual, and substance use activities may figure importantly in the way that adolescents experience their age.
The sustained benefits of long‐term neurostimulation in patients with refractory chest pain and normal coronary arteries
Authors: de Vries Jessica , DeJongste Mike J.L. , Durenkamp Ans , Zijlstra Felix , Staal Michiel J.
Published: June 2006

Objectives: To assess the long‐term efficacy of neurostimulation for treating refractory angina pectoris‐like chest pain, we followed patients, treated with either transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) or spinal cord stimulation (SCS).

Methods: Neurostimulation was judged successful and subsequently continued when initial pain was reduced at least 50%. All patients started with TENS, but if skin irritation occurred during TENS, a SCS system was implanted. The quality of life was measured at baseline and follow‐up with the Seattle Angina Questionnaire. Additional information was gathered concerning anti‐anginal medication, complaints, and physical condition.

Results: Of 36 patients treated successfully with neurostimulation, we identified 24 patients after a mean (SD) follow‐up period of 5.08 (3.86) years; 12 patients dropped out of the study. In 13 of the remaining 24 patients, TENS induced skin irritation. Eight of these 13 patients received successful SCS, while five refused implantation. In the 24 patients, a mean pain reduction of 57% was achieved in conjunction with an increased exercise capacity of 30% and walking distance increased from 0.73 (0.83) to 1.62 (1.62) (p=0.018). Within the Seattle Angina Questionnaire the domain ‘disease perception’ improved from 38.89 (16.61) to 49.31 (21.83) (p=0.004), the domain ‘physical limitation’ improved from 29.89 (15.10) to 40.97 (22.63) (p=0.001) and ‘anginal frequency’ improved from 41.67 (24.08) to 55.00 (23.03) (p=0.005). In addition, nitroglycerin consumption was reduced from 7.85 (8.49) to 1.98 (2.19) (p=0.001).

Conclusion: Neurostimulation techniques should thus be of widespread value for treating angina pectoris‐like chest pain in patients who are refractory to medication.
Contextual cognitive‐behavioral therapy for severely disabled chronic pain sufferers: Effectiveness and clinically significant change
Authors: McCracken Lance M. , MacKichan Fiona , Eccleston Christopher
Published: June 2006

Interdisciplinary pain management programs have an established record of significantly improving the functioning of persons disabled with chronic pain. There is a group of pain sufferers, however, who have difficulty accessing these programs and for whom the effectiveness of these treatments in unknown, these are patients whose mobility and self‐care deficits leave them unable to meet the practical demands of many treatment environments. The purpose of this study was to examine the results of a treatment program designed to meet the needs of these highly disabled individuals (n=53) in comparison to results obtained from a standard less‐disabled group attending treatment at the same facility (n=234). Results from the highly disabled patients showed statistically significant change after treatment in eight of nine outcome variables, including improvements in pain‐related distress, disability, depression, pain‐related anxiety, daytime rest, and performance during an activity tolerance test. Effect size calculations showed a number of large treatment effects, for psychosocial disability, depression, and acceptance of pain. Analysis of reliable change and clinical significance demonstrated that results were not merely statistically significant but clinically meaningful. Results appeared stable at three months following treatment. This research plays an important part in establishing an evidence base to inform service development, ensuring that chronic pain services do not exclude people on the basis of the severity of their disability.
Social class and type of schizophrenia
Authors: Gallagher B.J. , Jones B.J. , McFalls J.A. , Pisa A.M.
Published: June 2006

Objective

Current and past research strongly indicates a high prevalence of schizophrenia in the lower class in the USA and other stratified societies. To date, no study has tested for a connection between type of schizophrenia and socioeconomic status (SES). We tested for an interrelationship between schizophrenic subtype, SES and race.

Methods

Positive and negative symptom scales were used to evaluate 436 schizophrenic patients at a state hospital in the USA. All patients were also diagnosed by DSM standards. Social class of origin was assessed by the Occupational Classification Distributions of the U.S. Bureau of the Census. Multivariate analysis was conducted with the likelihood ratio chi-square.

Results

We uncovered a distinct propensity for deficit schizophrenia to be elevated among the poor. The finding presents as a pure SES effect since the likelihood of deficit schizophrenia does not vary by race when social class is held constant.

Conclusion

The finding is potentially an important new insight into the epidemiology of schizophrenia. It offers a better understanding for poor outcome among lower class patients in stratified societies such as the United States. It is also consistent with longitudinal research by European investigators.
Dimethylsulphoxide as a tool to increase functional expression of heterologously produced GPCRs in mammalian cells
Authors: Shukla Arun Kumar , Reinhart Christoph , Michel Hartmut
Published: June 2006

High‐level overexpression of G protein‐coupled receptors GPCRs in mammalian cells remains a difficult task inspite of newly developed virus based expression systems. Here, we show that the functional expression level of the recombinant bradykinin receptor (B2R) in mammalian cells can be increased up to sixfold just by the addition of dimethylsulphoxide in the culture medium. Total expression level, cellular localization and binding affinity of the recombinant receptor for its endogenous ligand remains unaltered. The strategy presented here, with recombinant B2R as a case example, is applicable to other GPCRs and provides a generic tool to improve the functional expression level of recombinant GPCRs in mammalian cells.
Leucine zipper‐like domain is required for tumor suppressor ING2‐mediated nucleotide excision repair and apoptosis
Authors: Wang Yemin , Wang Jing , Li Gang
Published: June 2006

The plant homodomain (PHD) of ING2 was shown to regulate p53‐dependent apoptosis through phosphoinositides signaling. However, the role of a predicted leucine zipper‐like (LZL) motif in N‐terminus of ING2 is unclear. Here, we show that LZL motif is critical for the proper functions of ING2 in DNA repair, apoptosis and chromatin remodeling after UV irradiation. Deletion of LZL domain also abrogated the association between ING2 and p53, but not between ING2 and p300, suggesting that ING2 modulates p53‐dependent chromatin remodeling, apoptosis and DNA repair by functioning as a scaffold protein to mediate the interaction between p53 and p300.
Differential regulation of the intrinsic pathway of apoptosis in brain and liver during ageing
Authors: Stoka Veronika , Turk Vito , Bredesen Dale E.
Published: June 2006

The intrinsic (mitochondria‐dependent) pathway of apoptosis is one of the major pathways leading to cell death. We evaluated cytochrome c/apoptotic protease activation factor‐1 (Apaf‐1)‐dependent activation of caspase‐3 in brain and liver of different strains of rodents at different stages of development. In cell‐free extracts from brain and liver of Sprague‐Dawley rats, caspase was activated by cytochrome c/2′‐deoxyadenosine 5′‐triphosphate at both neonatal and adult stages. In adult brain extracts from Wistar rats, no activation of caspase was observed while extracts from neonatal brain and liver and from adult liver were activated. In CD‐1 mouse, only neonatal extracts were activated. Alteration in levels of endogenous inhibitors of apoptosis were not responsible for the lack of activation observed. Instead, decrease in the content of Apaf‐1 and caspase‐3 and some degradation of caspase‐9 during brain ageing were observed. These results suggest that a decrease in apoptosis activation during ageing is not tissue‐specific, but rather displays a complex dependence on species and strains of animals.
Crystal structure of oxidized cytochrome c6A from Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Chida Hirotaka , Yokoyama Takeshi , Kawai Fumihiro , Nakazawa Aiko , Akazaki Hideharu , Takayama Yasuhiko , Hirano Takako , Suruga Kohei , Satoh Tadashi , Yamada Seiji , Kawachi Ryu , Unzai Satoru , Nishio Toshiyuki , Park Sam-Yong , Oku Tadatake
Published: June 2006

Compared with algal and cyanobacterial cytochrome c
6, cytochrome c
6A from higher plants contains an additional loop of 12 amino acid residues. We have determined the first crystal structure of cytochrome c
6A from Arabidopsis thaliana at 1.5 Å resolution in order to help elucidate its function. The overall structure of cytochrome c
6A follows the topology of class I c‐type cytochromes in which the heme prosthetic group covalently binds to Cys16 and Cys19, and the iron has octahedral coordination with His20 and Met60 as the axial ligands. Two cysteine residues (Cys67 and Cys73) within the characteristic 12 amino acids loop form a disulfide bond, contributing to the structural stability of cytochrome c
6A. Our model provides a chemical basis for the known low redox potential of cytochrome c
6A which makes it an unsuitable electron carrier between cytochrome b
6
f and PSI.
Parasitic castration by the digenian trematode Allopodocotyle sp. alters gene expression in the brain of the host mollusc Haliotis asinina
Authors: Rice Tamika , McGraw Elizabeth , O'Brien Elizabeth K. , Reverter Antonio , Jackson Daniel J. , Degnan Bernard M.
Published: June 2006

Infection of molluscs by digenean trematode parasites typically results in the repression of reproduction – the so‐called parasitic castration. This is known to occur by altering the expression of a range of host neuropeptide genes. Here we analyse the expression levels of 10 members of POU, Pax, Sox and Hox transcription factor gene families, along with genes encoding FMRFamide, prohormone convertase and β‐tubulin, in the brain ganglia of actively reproducing (summer), non‐reproducing (winter) and infected Haliotis asinina (a vetigastropod mollusc). A number of the regulatory genes are differentially expressed in parasitised H. asinina, but in only a few cases do expression patterns in infected animals match those occurring in animals where reproduction is normally repressed.
Effects of signal peptide exchange on HIV‐1 glycoprotein expression and viral infectivity in mammalian cells
Authors: Pfeiffer Tanya , Pisch Thorsten , Devitt Gerard , Holtkotte Denise , Bosch Valerie
Published: June 2006

In certain cell systems, exchange of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) Env signal peptide (SP) sequence with that of heterologous SPs has been shown to increase gp120 transport and secretion. Here we demonstrate that exchange of the HIV‐Env‐SP with those from erythropoietin or tissue plasminogen activator in the proviral context does not increase wild‐type membrane‐bound Env expression or incorporation into released virions. In fact, virion infectivities were decreased. These infectivity decreases were largely due to effects on Env transport and/or function and only to a minor extent to cis effects as a result of the sequence exchanges themselves. Thus, in fact, it is not advantageous to employ heterologous SPs to achieve high‐level expression of functional cell surface membrane‐ or virion‐associated HIV‐Env.
Silencing of the human microsomal glucose‐6‐phosphate translocase induces glioma cell death: Potential new anticancer target for curcumin
Authors: Belkaid Anissa , Copland Ian B. , Massillon Duna , Annabi Borhane
Published: June 2006

G6P translocase (G6PT) is thought to play a crucial role in transducing intracellular signaling events in brain tumor‐derived cancer cells. In this report, we investigated the contribution of G6PT to the control of U‐87 brain tumor‐derived glioma cell survival using small interfering RNA (siRNA)‐mediated suppression of G6PT. Three siRNA constructs were generated and found to suppress up to 91% G6PT gene expression. Flow cytometry analysis of propidium iodide/annexin‐V‐stained cells indicated that silencing the G6PT gene induced necrosis and late apoptosis. The anticancer agent curcumin, also inhibited G6PT gene expression by more than 90% and triggered U‐87 glioma cells death. Overexpression of recombinant G6PT rescued the cells from curcumin‐induced cell death. Targeting G6PT expression may provide a new mechanistic rationale for the action of chemopreventive drugs and lead to the development of new anti‐cancer strategies.
Enterolithiasis in a cat
Authors: Yuki Masashi , Sugimoto Noriko , Takahashi Kuniaki , Ohtsuka Hiromi , Nishii Naohito , Suzuki Kiyomi
Published: June 2006

An 8-year-old female Persian cat was brought in for evaluation of chronic vomiting. The presence of opaque enteric foreign bodies and intestinal obstruction along with azotaemia, hyperphosphataemia, moderate anaemia and peritoneal fluid were revealed following appropriate diagnostic work-up. Exploratory laparotomy confirmed jejunoileal dilation, ileocaecal stenosis, and numerous foreign objects in the jejunoileum. These foreign objects and ileocaecal stenosis were surgically removed, and intestinal resection and anastomosis was performed. The patient recovered favourably. Analysis revealed that the foreign objects were composed of calcium phosphate and calcium carbonate. Intestinal inflammation and stenosis secondary to enterolithiasis may have developed following ingestion of cat litter or a previous unrelated surgical intervention. We were unable to delineate the inciting pathogenesis in this particular case.
Gross and Histological Analysis of Healing After Dog Flexor Tendon Repair with the Teno Fix™ Device
Authors: SU B. W. , RAIA F. J. , QUITKIN H. M. , PARISIEN M. , STRAUCH R. J. , ROSENWASSER M. P.
Published: June 2006

The purpose of this study was to examine the in vivo characteristics of the stainless-steel Teno Fix™ device used for flexor tendon repair. The common flexor digitorum superficialis tendon was transected in 16 dogs and repaired with the device. The animals were euthanized at 3, 6, or 12 weeks postoperatively. Difficulties with cast immobilization led nine of 16 animals to be full weight bearing too early, leading to rupture of their repairs. The seven tendons with successful primary repairs (gap <2 mm) underwent histological examination. This in vivo study demonstrates that use of the Teno Fix™ in “suture” of dog flexor tendons did not lead to scarring at the tendon surface, does not cause an inflammatory reaction within the tendon and does not interfere with tendon healing.
Late Holocene paleoenvironment in northern New Caledonia, southwestern Pacific, from a multiproxy analysis of lake sediments
Authors: Wirrmann Denis , Sémah Anne-Marie , Chacornac-Rault Magali
Published: June 2006

Lithostratigraphic and palynological analysis of two cores recovered from the ‘Grand Lac’ (New Caledonia), combined with 35 14C AMS dates, yields a paleoenvironmental record spanning the last 2000 yr. The lithology is represented mainly by clayey or laminated layers. A catastrophic event, which is marked by very coarse deposits, occurred probably between ca 1070–960 cal yr B.P. and possibly is associated with an unusually severe La Niña event. Before and after this event, a similar combination of the two main sediment types is recorded. The repeated alternation of laminated and clayey layers is interpreted as the response to local hydrologic forcing, which may reflect a shift from relatively wet to relatively drier conditions, respectively. Variable amount of micro-charcoal is detected all along the profile. Without additional evidence, notwithstanding the initial local human settlement documented since ca 2900 14C yr B.P., micro-charcoal occurrence and variability cannot be linked directly to an anthropogenic origin. No distinct palynological zonations in relation to the lithology are observed, and the vegetation changes may only represent minor transitions across environmental limits.
Climate variability over the last 9900 cal yr BP from a swamp forest pollen record along the semiarid coast of Chile
Authors: Maldonado Antonio , Villagrán Carolina
Published: June 2006

We present a fossil pollen analysis from a swamp forest in the semiarid coast of Chile (32°05′S; 71°30′W), at the northern influence zone of southern westerly wind belt. A ∼10,000 cal yr BP (calendar years before 1950) palynological sequence indicates a humid phase characterized by dense swamp forest taxa dated between ∼9900 and 8700 cal yr BP. The presence of pollen-starved sediments with only scant evidence for semiarid vegetation indicates that extreme aridity ensued until ∼5700 cal yr BP. The swamp forest recovered slowly afterwards, helped by a significant increase in moisture at ∼4200 cal yr BP. A new swamp forest contraction suggests that another slightly less intense drought occurred between ∼3000 and 2200 cal yr BP. The swamp forest expansion begins again at ∼2200 cal yr BP, punctuated by a highly variable climate. Comparisons between the record presented here with other records across the region imply major variations in the extent of the southern westerlies during the Holocene. This variability could have been caused either by latitudinal displacements from the present mean position of southern westerlies wind belt or by changes in the intensity of the South Pacific Subtropical Anticyclone, both of which affect winter precipitation in the region.
Response of the mid‐altitude cusp to rapid rotations of the IMF
Authors: Pitout F. , Escoubet C. P. , Bogdanova Y. V. , Georgescu E. , Fazakerley A. N. , Rème H.
Published: June 2006

On 12 August 2003, the four Cluster spacecraft crossed the mid‐altitude cusp one after the other a minute or two apart. Shortly after the cusp crossing, two of the Cluster observed three structures poleward of the cusp that appeared and grew in successive satellite passes. In these structures, high fluxes of low‐energy magnetosheath‐like ions and electrons are observed. The analysis of particle and magnetic field data reveals that it is the cusp region that moved back and forth over the spacecraft. We show that the cusp reacts extremely fast to rotations of the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) and that each of the three northward turnings of the IMF is accompanied by a poleward displacement of the cusp. The latitudinal component of the cusp velocity at ∼5 Re altitude is estimated to be of the order of 30 km/s.
Temporal evolution of a magmatic dike system inferred from the complex frequencies of very long period seismic signals
Authors: Kumagai Hiroyuki
Published: June 2006

I present a detailed description of temporal variations in the complex frequencies of very long period (VLP) events observed in association with an earthquake swarm that occurred beneath Hachijo Island, Japan. The individual VLP signals show simple, decaying, harmonic oscillations with periods near 10 s, and they last for about 300 s. The VLP activity began on 20 August 2002 and continued until 2 April 2003. Spectral analysis of the VLP waveforms identifies two spectral peaks, of which the complex frequencies show systematic temporal variations at the beginning of the VLP activity. The Q values of both the peaks show increasing trends from roughly 15 to 35 in the time period between 22 and 26 August. The frequency of one peak shows a decreasing trend from 0.1 to 0.09 Hz, while the frequency of the other peak shows an increasing trend from 0.128 to 0.136 Hz during this time. After these systematic variations, the frequencies and Q values of the two peaks remain roughly constant. Waveform simulations based on a fluid‐filled crack model indicate that the observed systematic temporal variations can be reasonably explained by gradual expansion of a crack containing a basalt‐gas mixture. The roughly constant frequencies and Q values of the two peaks after these systematic variations suggest that the magmatic dike persistently existed beneath Hachijo Island for more than 6 months. Mass and heat advection is required to sustain the dike system, implying magmatic flow and convection in the dike and magma chamber beneath this island.
Synthesis of vector wave envelopes in three‐dimensional random elastic media characterized by a Gaussian autocorrelation function based on the Markov approximation: Plane wave case
Authors: Sato Haruo
Published: June 2006

High‐frequency seismograms of microearthquakes observed at long travel distances have longer apparent durations than the source durations caused by scattering due to lithospheric inhomogeneity. Frequency dependence of the peak delay from the onset and the broadening of seismogram envelope well reflect the spectra of random velocity inhomogeneity. Here we propose a formulation for the envelope synthesis of vector waves in three‐dimensional random elastic media in the case that wavelengths are smaller than the characteristic scale of random inhomogeneity. A stochastic master equation for the two‐frequency mutual coherence function (TFMCF) of potential field is derived on the basis of the Markov approximation, which is a stochastic extension of the phase screen method for solving the parabolic wave equation. From the Fourier transform of TFMCF at a given travel distance, we are able to synthesize the mean square traces of three vector wave components. For the incidence of an impulsive plane P wavelet to random elastic media characterized by a Gaussian autocorrelation function, the mean square envelope of each component at a long travel distance is analytically written by using an elliptic theta function. Each synthesized envelope shows peak delay from the onset and broadening with travel distance increasing; however, the peak delay of the transverse component is larger than that of the longitudinal component. For the same fractional velocity fluctuation, the envelope broadening for S waves is larger than that for P waves.