bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trends in ship wind speeds adjusted for observation method and height
Authors: Thomas Bridget R. , Kent Elizabeth C. , Swail Val R. , Berry David I.
Published: August 2007

Globally averaged wind speeds from archived ship reports show an increasing trend since the 1940s, which previous studies attributed to the gradual shift from visually estimated to anemometer‐measured winds, and an increase in mean anemometer height. To test this hypothesis, adjustments to account for these changes were applied to individual ship wind observations in the International Comprehensive Ocean–Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS). Annual means calculated from adjusted reports were compared to reanalysis near‐surface winds in consistently well‐sampled regions for the period 1958–2002.

The adjustments to individual ship wind reports for known biases improve the homogeneity over the entire period and remove trends, prior to the early 1980s. However, for the 21‐year period 1982–2002, trends remain in the annual mean spatially averaged adjusted winds, of 0.4 ms−1 decade−1 (6% decade−1) for estimated speeds, and of 0.2 ms−1 decade−1 (3% decade−1) for measured speeds. In contrast, co‐located reanalysis near‐surface wind speeds show little change, 1% decade−1 or less. Anemometers were installed on increasing numbers of ships during the period of study, even as many of these ships continued to report estimated winds. Part of the trend in estimated wind speeds is probably spurious, most likely a result of observers being increasingly influenced by readings from anemometers located well above 10‐m. This influence is indicated by the gradual reduction in the tendency to underestimate nighttime marine winds. Results confirm earlier findings that reanalysis near‐surface winds were biased low. The paper summarizes methods that could be employed to account for remaining inhomogeneities and thereby improve the quality of the marine wind climate record. Copyright © 2007 Crown in the right of Canada. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Changes in temperature extremes over Italy in the last 44 years
Authors: Toreti Andrea , Desiato Franco
Published: August 2007

Changes in temperature extremes over Italy from 1961 to 2004 were evaluated on the basis of minimum and maximum temperatures measured by 49 synoptic stations uniformly distributed over the country. A set of extreme temperature indices of the Commission for Climatology/Climate Variability and Predictability (CCl/CLIVAR) Working Group on Climate Change Detection was calculated and statistically analysed in order to detect the presence of trends and quantify the variations of the indices for different time periods. Most of the indices, averaged over all stations, show a cooling trend until the end of the 1970s followed by a more pronounced warming trend in the last 25 years. The net variation of the indices reflects an increase in the extremes of the temperature distribution. Among the most significant results, an average increase of 12.3 summer days and 12.4 tropical nights in the overall 44 years are estimated. No significant differences between northern, central and southern Italy are found for most indices, indicating that the trends originate from large‐scale climate features; however, the largest increase of tropical nights is observed at coastal stations. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
Trends in the boreal summer regional Hadley and Walker circulations as expressed in precipitation records from Asia and Africa during the latter half of the 20th century
Authors: Zhao Hongxu , Moore G. W. K.
Published: August 2007

West African summer rainfall, north China summer rainfall and a new climate proxy, snow accumulation from the Dasuopu ice core in the southern Himalaya, have all experienced decreasing trends during the latter half of the 20th century. In this paper, we investigate the existence of a common mechanism that explains these geographically dispersed trends during the boreal summer. In particular, we explore the hypothesis that these trends are related to changes in the regional Hadley and Walker circulations. We show that the divergent circulation in the NCEP reanalysis indicates the existence of trends in these circulations that are consistent with the observed changes in the precipitation records. In addition, the regressions of the divergent circulation in the NCEP reanalysis against these precipitation records indicate that a similar globally coherent signal is associated with the time series and their linear trends while the regressions against the de‐trended residuals do not contain statistically significant large‐scale signals. These similarities lead us to conclude that the decreasing trends in the three precipitation time series during the latter half of the 20th century are consistent with large‐scale changes in the global overturning circulation during the boreal summer. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
Suspended dust over southeastern Mediterranean and its relation to atmospheric circulations
Authors: Dayan Uri , Ziv Baruch , Shoob Tova , Enzel Yehouda
Published: August 2007

The Middle East deserts are often subjected to dust, which reduces horizontal visibility to 5 km, and sometimes even to < 1 km. The present study examines the annual and inter‐annual occurrences of dust events based on 37 years of visibility observations from Hazerim (near Beer Sheba) correlated with PM10 dust concentration. The visibility data was converted to PM10 dust concentration, using concurrent data for three years. We then analyse the linkage between dust and synoptic‐ to global‐scale weather systems.

The monthly data indicate that the dust season starts in October and ends in May, with a maximum in March. More than 89% of the total annual dust is accumulated between December and May, the ‘high dust season’. The annual totals vary as much as an order of magnitude from year to year.

The synoptic system that produces the majority of the dust over the northern Negev is the Cyprus Low, contributing 2/3 of both the total yearly dust yield and of the number of dust observations. This suggests that a positive relationship exists between the dust in the Negev and rainfall in north Israel, both of which are generated by Cyprus Lows. Indeed, a significant (at 0.05 level) correlation of + 0.30 was found between the two. Correlation maps evidence that in dust‐rich years the cyclonic activity over the Mediterranean is abnormally high and in poor‐dust years it is low. A highly significant negative correlation (−0.66) was found between the dust yield and the intensity of the North Atlantic oscillation (NAO), which modulates the cyclonic activity over Europe and the northern Mediterranean. This may also imply that periods in which more dust accumulated as loess in the northern Negev may indicate the existence of negative NAO phase, and concurrently, warmer conditions over the Sahara, colder conditions over Europe and enhanced rainfall over the Mediterranean Basin. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
Phenological data series of cherry tree flowering in Kyoto, Japan, and its application to reconstruction of springtime temperatures since the 9th century
Authors: Aono Yasuyuki , Kazui Keiko
Published: August 2007

Changes in springtime temperature in Kyoto, Japan, since the 9th century were reconstructed, using the phenological data series for cherry tree (Prunus jamasakura), deduced from old diaries and chronicles. Phenological data for 732 years was made available by combining data from previous studies. The full‐flowering date of cherry trees fluctuates in accordance with temperature conditions during February and March. Full‐flowering dates were closely related to the March mean temperature by means of a temperature accumulation index, in which plant growth is considered to be an exponential function of temperature. Calibration enabled accurate estimation of temperatures in the instrumental period, after 1880; the root mean square error (RMSE) of temperature estimates was determined to be within 0.1 °C, after smoothing by local linear regression over time spans of 31 years. The results suggested the existence of four cold periods, 1330–1350, 1520–1550, 1670–1700, and 1825–1830, during which periods the estimated March mean temperature was 4–5 °C, about 3–4 °C lower than the present normal temperature. These cold periods coincided with the less extreme periods, known as the Wolf, Spoerer, Maunder, and Dalton minima, in the long‐term solar variation cycle, which has a periodicity of 150–250 years. The sunspot cycle length, a short‐term solar variation cycle, was also compared with the temperature estimates, with the result that a time lag of about 15 years was detected in the climatic temperature response to short‐term solar variation. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
Urgency assessment in the evaluation of overactive bladder (OAB)
Authors: Starkman Jonathan S. , Dmochowski Roger R.
Published: August 2007

Overactive bladder (OAB) is a highly prevalent urinary condition with a profound affect on quality of life. Urinary urgency is the cornerstone symptom that defines OAB and drives all subsequent OAB symptoms. The clinical assessment and measurement of urgency has been limited by its definition, limited understanding of well‐defined pathophysiology, and psychometric measurement properties. This review outlines the important issues relevant to the clinical assessment and measurement scales commonly used to evaluate and measure urinary urgency. This will have important implications toward further understanding and advancing the field of overactive bladder. Neurourol. Urodynam. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Reduced intensity and non‐myeloablative allogeneic stem cell transplantation in children and adolescents with malignant and non‐malignant diseases
Authors: Satwani Prakash , Morris Erin , Bradley M. Brigid , Bhatia Monica , van de Ven Carmella , Cairo Mitchell S.
Published: August 2007

Allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplant (AlloSCT) from related or unrelated histocompatible donors has been well established as potentially curative therapy for children and adolescents with selected malignant and non‐malignant diseases. In the malignant setting non‐myeloablative (NMA)/reduced intensity (RI)‐AlloSCT eradicates malignant cells through a graft versus malignancy effect provided by alloreactive donor T‐lymphocytes and/or natural killer cells. In patients with non‐malignant diseases NMA/RI AlloSCT provides enough immunosuppression to promote engraftment and correct underlying genetic defects. In children, myeloablative AlloSCT is not only associated with acute short‐term toxicities but also long‐term late complications such as growth retardation, infertility, and secondary malignancies. NMA/RI‐AlloSCT in children may be associated with reduction in use of blood products, risk of infections, transplant‐related mortality, and length of hospitalization. Despite the success of RI‐AlloSCT in adults, large prospective and/or randomized multicenter studies are necessary in children and adolescent recipients to define the appropriate patient population, optimal conditioning regimens, cost‐benefits, survival and differences in short‐term and long‐term effects compared to conventional myeloablative conditioning. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:1–8. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prediction of second malignant neoplasm incidence in a large cohort of long‐term survivors of childhood cancers
Authors: Dinu Irina , Liu Yan , Leisenring Wendy , Mertens Ann C. , Neglia Joseph P. , Hammond Sue , Robison Leslie L. , Yasui Yutaka
Published: August 2007

Background

The ability to predict adverse‐event occurrences accurately in long‐term survivors of childhood cancer is of high importance in late effects research, both clinically and methodologically.

Procedure

This article considers a statistical prediction of future events in a cohort, taking second malignant neoplasm (SMN) incidence in a large cohort of long‐term childhood cancer survivors as an example. The method consists of dividing the follow‐up period of the cohort into two non‐overlapping periods, using the first period as “training data,” with which we model the patterns of SMN occurrences in the cohort, and the subsequent period as “testing data,” with which we validate the model based on the training data. Future predictions are also applied beyond the testing‐data period to calculate the SMN incidence of the cohort in the next five years for overall and specific types of SMNs.

Results

The proposed statistical prediction is shown empirically to perform well with respect to the prediction accuracy. Overall, the models were able to predict the future second cancers rates very well, with exceptions of a few cancer types that had very small observed counts in the testing period.

Conclusions

Our proposed statistical method predicts future events in a cohort of long‐term childhood cancer survivors and, as such, is a useful tool for late effects research on childhood cancer survivors. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:1026–1031. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Intensive chemotherapy followed by consolidative myeloablative chemotherapy with autologous hematopoietic cell rescue (AuHCR) in young children with newly diagnosed supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (sPNETs): Report of the Head Start I and II experience
Authors: Fangusaro Jason , Finlay Jonathan , Sposto Richard , Ji Lingyun , Saly Monirath , Zacharoulis Stergios , Asgharzadeh Shahab , Abromowitch Minnie , Olshefski Randal , Halpern Steven , Dubowy Ronald , Comito Melanie , Diez Blanca , Kellie Stewart , Hukin Juliette , Rosenblum Marc , Dunkel Ira , Miller Douglas C. , Allen Jeffrey , Gardner Sharon
Published: August 2007

Background

Children with newly diagnosed supratentorial primitive neuroectodermal tumors (sPNET) have poor outcomes compared to medulloblastoma patients, despite similar treatments. In an effort to improve overall survival (OS) and event‐free survival (EFS) and to decrease radiation exposure, the Head Start (HS) protocols treated children with newly diagnosed sPNET utilizing intensified induction chemotherapy (ICHT) followed by consolidation with myeloablative chemotherapy and autologous hematopoietic cell rescue (AuHCR).

Procedures

Between 1991 and 2002, 43 children with sPNET were prospectively treated on two serial studies (HS I and II). After maximal safe surgical resection, patients on HS I and patients with localized disease on HS II were treated with five cycles of ICHT (vincristine, cisplatin, cyclophosphamide, and etoposide). Patients on HS II with disseminated disease received high‐dose methotrexate during ICHT. If the disease remained stable or in response, patients received a single cycle of high‐dose myeloablative chemotherapy followed by AuHCR.

Results

Five‐year EFS and OS were 39% (95%CI: 24%, 53%) and 49 (95%CI: 33%, 62%), respectively. Non‐pineal sPNET patients faired significantly better than those patients with pineal sPNETs. Metastasis at diagnosis, age, and extent of resection were not significant prognostic factors. Sixty percent of survivors (12 of 20) are alive without exposure to radiation therapy.

Conclusions

ICHT followed by AuHCR in young patients with newly diagnosed sPNET appears to not only provide an improved EFS and OS for patients who typically have a poor prognosis, but also it successfully permitted deferral and elimination of radiation therapy in a significant proportion of patients. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:312–318. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Phase 2 study of docetaxel in the treatment of childhood refractory acute leukemias: A Children's Oncology Group report
Authors: Franklin Janet L. , Seibel Nita L. , Krailo Mark , Fu Cecilia , Adamson Peter C. , Reaman Gregory
Published: August 2007

Background

To determine the response rate and toxicity of docetaxel when administered as a 60 mg/m2 dose by 1 hr intravenous (IV) infusion weekly × 3 weeks in children with relapsed acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) or acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

Procedure

Patients who were under the age of 22‐year‐old at the time of the original ALL or AML diagnosis and in a second relapse were accrued from August 2002 to May 2005 for this Children's Oncology Group (COG) phase 2 study (ADVL0023). Ten patients with ALL and two patients with AML were enrolled.

Results

There were no complete or partial responses observed. The most common grade 3 or 4 toxicities were hematologic followed by febrile neutropenia. One patient developed a dose limiting elevation in serum bilirubin, but no other significant hepatotoxicity was observed.

Conclusions

Docetaxel was not effective therapy for children with relapsed ALL at the dose and schedule tested. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;50:533–536. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Modeling the structure of mAb 14B7 bound to the anthrax protective antigen
Authors: Sivasubramanian Arvind , Maynard Jennifer A. , Gray Jeffrey J.
Published: August 2007

The anthrax protective antigen (PA) is a key component of the tripartite anthrax toxin. Monoclonal antibody (mAb) 14B7 and its engineered, affinity‐matured variants have been shown to be effective in blocking PA binding to cellular receptors and mitigating anthrax toxicity. Here, we perform computational structural modeling of the mAb 14B7‐PA interaction. Our objectives are to determine the structure of the 14B7‐PA complex, to deduce a structural explanation for the affinity maturation from the docking models, and to study the effect of inaccuracies in the antibody homology model on docking. We used the RosettaDock program to dock PA with the mAb 14B7 crystal structure or homology model. Our simulations generate two distinct binding orientations consistent with experimental residue mutations that diminish 14B7‐PA binding. Furthermore, the models suggest new site‐directed mutations to positively identify one of these two solutions as the correct 14B7‐PA docking orientation. The models indicate that PA regions 648–660 and 712–720 may be important for 14B7 binding in addition to the known PA epitope, and the binding interfaces are similar to that seen in the PA complex with cellular receptor CMG2. Antibody residues involved in affinity maturation do not contact the antigen in the docking models, suggesting that affinity maturation in the 14B7 family does not result from direct enhancements of antibody–antigen contacts. Docking the homology model produces low‐resolution representations of the crystal structure docking orientations, but homology model docking is frustrated by antibody H3 loop conformation errors. This work demonstrates the usefulness and limitations of computational structure prediction for the development of antibody therapeutics, and reemphasizes the need for flexible backbone docking algorithms to achieve high‐resolution docking using homology models. Proteins 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
RosettaDock in CAPRI rounds 6–12
Authors: Wang Chu , Schueler‐Furman Ora , Andre Ingemar , London Nir , Fleishman Sarel J. , Bradley Philip , Qian Bin , Baker David
Published: August 2007

A challenge in protein–protein docking is to account for the conformational changes in the monomers that occur upon binding. The RosettaDock method, which incorporates sidechain flexibility but keeps the backbone fixed, was found in previous CAPRI rounds (4 and 5) to generate docking models with atomic accuracy, provided that conformational changes were mainly restricted to protein sidechains. In the recent rounds of CAPRI (6–12), large backbone conformational changes occur upon binding for several target complexes. To address these challenges, we explicitly introduced backbone flexibility in our modeling procedures by combining rigid‐body docking with protein structure prediction techniques such as modeling variable loops and building homology models. Encouragingly, using this approach we were able to correctly predict a significant backbone conformational change of an interface loop for Target 20 (12 Å rmsd between those in the unbound monomer and complex structures), but accounting for backbone flexibility in protein–protein docking is still very challenging because of the significantly larger conformational space, which must be surveyed. Motivated by these CAPRI challenges, we have made progress in reformulating RosettaDock using a “fold‐tree” representation, which provides a general framework for treating a wide variety of flexible‐backbone docking problems. Proteins 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A regularization approach for a vertical‐slice model and semi‐Lagrangian Störmer–Verlet time stepping
Authors: Hundertmark T. , Reich S.
Published: August 2007

In this paper, we provide a systematic derivation of regularized equations for a non‐hydrostatic and compressible vertical‐slice model of the dry atmosphere. The derivation is based on an analysis of a semi‐implicit discretization of the equations of motion and a recent regularized formulation is obtained as a special case. An implementation of the regularized equations, using a recent second‐order, centred‐in‐time, two‐time‐level semi‐Lagrangian Störmer–Verlet method, is discussed and a series of numerical experiments is conducted. Copyright © 2007 Royal Meteorological Society
Effects of habitat fragmentation on the three‐way interaction among ants, aphids and larvae of the giant purple emperor, Sasakia charonda (Hewitson), a near‐threatened butterfly
Authors: Kobayashi Takato , Kitahara Masahiko , Tanaka Eri
Published: August 2007

Survival rates of both early and middle instar larvae of the nymphalid butterfly, Sasakiacharonda, were estimated to be lowest on test trees planted in a meadow (site A), intermediate in a small, narrow secondary deciduous broadleaf forest (small patch, site B) and highest in a large secondary deciduous broadleaf forest (large forest, site C). The larval mortality rates due to predation by tree‐climbing predators from the ground (tree climbing predator) such as ants and the larvae of carabids were estimated to be greater at sites A and B than those at site C. The number of predatory ants climbing test trees was significantly greater at sites A and B than at site C, and the ants harvested honeydew from aphids living on tree leaves at those two sites. Aphid densities were significantly higher on trees at sites A and B than at site C, and aphid densities and numbers of predatory ants were significantly and positively correlated at sites A and B. In an experiment controlling aphid density per branch on test trees, the numbers of ants and the mortality rates of S.charonda larvae were greater on branches with high aphid densities than on those with low aphid densities at both sites A and B. These results suggest that the aphid density per host tree was higher in the meadow and the small patch than in the large forest; at both sites these higher aphid densities attracted higher numbers of predatory ants to test trees, and as a result, mortality rates of S.charonda larvae were increased.
Cloning of Flax Oleic Fatty Acid Desaturase and Its Expression in Yeast
Authors: Krasowska Anna , Dziadkowiec Dorota , Polinceusz Anna , Plonka Aneta , Łukaszewicz Marcin
Published: August 2007

Fatty acid desaturases dehydrogenate acyl chains, which results in the formation of a double bond. Using PCR on flax genomic DNA, we cloned a putative Δ12 fatty acid desaturase (Fad2) gene encoding a 378 amino acid protein. Heterologous expression of this protein in yeast as an N‐terminal fusion to GFP showed its localization within endoplasmic reticulum. Analysis of membrane lipids revealed the production of dienoic fatty acids, decreased levels of FAD2 substrates and an increased concentration of longer fatty acids. Higher peroxidation of lipids in FAD2‐containing strains is not reflected by any visible phenotype in YPD medium. However, FAD2‐containing strains with deleted superoxide dismutase genes exhibited significant growth reductions under oxidative stress.
Urea‐Modified Soy Globulin Proteins (7S and 11S): Effect of Wettability and Secondary Structure on Adhesion
Authors: Zhang Zhonghui , Hua Yufei
Published: August 2007

This investigation characterized wettability and adhesive properties of the major soy protein components conglycinin (7S) and glycinin (11S) after urea modification. Modified 7S and 11S soy proteins were evaluated for gluing strength with pine, walnut, and cherry plywood and for wettability using a bubble shape analyzer. The results showed that different adhesives had varying degrees of wettability on the wood specimens. The 7S soy protein modified with urea had better wettability on cherry and walnut. The 11S soy protein modified with 1M urea had better wettability on pine. The 1M urea modification gave 11S soy protein the greatest bonding strength in all the wood specimens. The 3M urea modification gave 7S soy protein stronger adhesion on cherry and walnut than did 11S protein; but with pine, 11S soy protein had greater adhesion strength than 7S soy protein. Measurement of protein secondary structures indicated that the β‐sheet played an important role in the adhesion strength of 3M urea‐modified soy protein in cherry and walnut, while random coil was the major factor reducing adhesion strength of 7S soy protein modified with 1M urea.
Depression and survival in chronic heart failure: Does gender play a role?
Authors: Faller Hermann , Störk Stefan , Schowalter Marion , Steinbüchel Thomas , Wollner Verena , Ertl Georg , Angermann Christiane E.
Published: August 2007

Background:

Data regarding the influence of depression on outcome in chronic heart failure are conflicting and neglect possible gender differences.

Aims:

To investigate prevalence and prognostic importance of depression in a cohort of patients with symptomatic heart failure and to compare findings in males and females.

Methods:

Depression was measured at study entry using a self‐reported 9‐item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ‐9) in 231 consecutive outpatients. The median follow‐up time was 986 (IQR=664–1120) days.

Results:

The prevalence of suspected major depression was 13% (minor depression, 17%) and was not different between the sexes. Major (but not minor) depression was associated with an increased mortality risk (hazard ratio [HR]=3.3, 95% confidence interval=1.8–6.1, p<0.001). This relationship remained significant after adjustment for other prognostically relevant factors as age, sex, heart failure aetiology, degree and type of left ventricular dysfunction, and New York Heart Association functional class. However, testing the effect of the interaction between gender and depression failed to reach significance (p=0.37).

Conclusion:

Our data confirm a high prevalence of depression in chronic heart failure. Further, they prove an independent prognostic impact of major, but not minor, depression. Possible gender differences regarding the prognostic impact of depression require further investigation in a larger patient cohort.
General practitioner sickness absence certification for low back pain is not directly associated with beliefs about back pain
Authors: Watson Paul J. , Bowey Julia , Purcell‐Jones Gari , Gales Tom
Published: August 2007

Recent research has demonstrated a relationship between healthcare practitioner beliefs about low back pain and recommendations about activity, work restrictions and work absence. None of the research to date has looked at the relationship between practitioner beliefs and actual behaviour. This study investigated the internal consistency of the pain attitudes and beliefs scale (PABS) and if general practitioner (GP) beliefs about back pain were more predictive of sickness certification for non‐specific low back pain (NSLBP) than a general predisposition to sick certify patients with other non‐specific conditions (common mental illness and non‐specific upper respiratory disorders). Ninty‐four eligible general practitioners were invited to participate in the study and data from 83 (88.3%) were included in the full analysis. Evaluation of the internal consistency of the PABS found the biomedical subscale was good (α=0.781) but the psychosocial subscale was poor (α=0.396) after item elimination both subscales improved; biomedical α=0.790, psychosocial α=0.602. GP sickness certification behaviour for 1 year was gathered from the Department of Employment and Social Security database. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that neither the biomedical nor the psychosocial subscale of the PABS predicted the number of sickness certificates issued even after controlling for the time employed as a GP, number of hours worked per week and the number of NSLBP patients seen. Certification for other conditions was predictive of NSLBP certificates issued. These results demonstrate that sickness absences certification for NSLBP is predicted by sickness certification behaviour in general and not by scores on the PABS.
A minimal element in 5′UTR of insulin mRNA mediates its translational regulation by glucose
Authors: Muralidharan Bhavana , Bakthavachalu Baskar , Pathak Anuj , Seshadri Vasudevan
Published: August 2007

Glucose induced translation of insulin in pancreatic beta cells is mediated by the 5′UTR of insulin mRNA. We determined the minimal sequence/structure in the 5′UTR of rat insulin gene1 for this regulation. We show that specific factors in the pancreatic islets bind to the 5′UTR of the insulin mRNA upon glucose stimulation. We identified a minimal 29‐nucleotide element in the 5′UTR that is sufficient to form the complex, and confer glucose mediated translation activation. Conserved residues in the predicted stem loop region of the un‐translated region (UTR) seem to be important for the complex formation and the translation regulation.
Presence of robust circadian clock oscillation under constitutive over‐expression of mCry1 in rat‐1 fibroblasts
Authors: Yamanaka Iori , Koinuma Satoshi , Shigeyoshi Yasufumi , Uchiyama Yasuo , Yagita Kazuhiro
Published: August 2007

In mammals, mCRY proteins are essential and are major negative elements in circadian feedback loops. In this study, robust circadian clock oscillation was present even under conditions with constitutive over‐expression of mCry1 in rat‐1 cells. Rat‐1 cells were produced to stably express mPer2 promoter‐driven luciferase reporter, in which mCry1 was overexpressed under a tetracycline‐dependent gene expression (Tet‐On) system. Using these cells, we show that circadian clock oscillations in rat‐1 fibroblasts persist when the mCRY1 protein constitutively accumulates in the nuclei.
The interaction between endogenous calcineurin and the plasma membrane calcium‐dependent ATPase is isoform specific in breast cancer cells
Authors: Holton Marylouisa , Yang Di , Wang Weiguang , Mohamed Tamer M.A. , Neyses Ludwig , Armesilla Angel L.
Published: August 2007

Plasma membrane calcium/calmodulin‐dependent ATPases (PMCAs) are high affinity calcium pumps that extrude calcium from the cell. Emerging evidence suggests a novel role for PMCAs as regulators of calcium/calmodulin‐dependent signal transduction pathways via interaction with specific partner proteins. In this work, we demonstrate that endogenous human PMCA2 and ‐4 both interact with the signal transduction phosphatase, calcineurin, whereas, no interaction was detected with PMCA1. The strongest interaction was observed between PMCA2 and calcineurin. The domain of PMCA2 involved in the interaction is equivalent to that reported for PMCA4b. PMCA2–calcineurin interaction results in inhibition of the calcineurin/nuclear factor of activated T‐cells signalling pathway.
Cocoa and health: a decade of research
Authors: Cooper Karen A. , Donovan Jennifer L. , Waterhouse Andrew L. , Williamson Gary
Published: August 2007

It has been over 10 years since the first mention in a medical journal about cocoa and chocolate as potential sources of antioxidants for health. During this time, cocoa has been found to improve antioxidant status, reduce inflammation and correlate with reduced heart disease risk; with these results, and its popularity, it has received wide coverage in the press. However, after 10 years of research, what is known about the potential health benefits of cocoa and what are the important next steps in understanding this decadent source of antioxidants?
Biomarkers of the intake of dietary polyphenols: strengths, limitations and application in nutrition research
Authors: Spencer Jeremy P. E. , Abd El Mohsen Manal M. , Minihane Ann-Marie , Mathers John C.
Published: August 2007

In order to establish firm evidence for the health effects of dietary polyphenol consumption, it is essential to have quantitative information regarding their dietary intake. The usefulness of the current methods, which rely mainly on the assessment of polyphenol intake using food records and food composition tables, is limited as they fail to assess total intake accurately. This review highlights the problems associated with such methods with regard to polyphenol-intake predictions. We suggest that the development of biological biomarkers, measured in both blood and urine, are essential for making accurate estimates of polyphenol intake. However, the relationship between dietary intakes and nutritional biomarkers are often highly complex. This review identifies the criteria that must be considered in the development of such biomarkers. In addition, we provide an assessment of the limited number of potential biomarkers of polyphenol intake currently available.
Terminal Cambrian and lowest Ordovician succession of Mexican West Gondwana: biotas and sequence stratigraphy of the Tiñu Formation
Authors: LANDING ED , WESTROP STEPHEN R. , KEPPIE JOHN D.
Published: August 2007

The Tiñu Formation of Oaxaca State is the only fossiliferous lower Palaeozoic unit between the Laurentian platform in northwest Mexico and Gondwanan successions in Andean South America. The Tiñu traditionally has been referred to the Lower Ordovician (Tremadoc) and regarded as having a provincially mixed fauna with Laurentian, Avalonian, and Gondwanan elements. Bio- and lithostratigraphic re-evaluation demonstrates that the Tiñu is a Gondwanan, passive margin succession. It includes a lower, thin (to 16 m), condensed, uppermost Cambrian Yudachica Member (new). The Yudachica nonconformably overlies middle Proterozoic basement as a result of very high late Late Cambrian eustatic levels. The Yudachica changes from storm-dominated, but slightly dysoxic, shelf facies (fossil hash limestone and shale) in the south to an upper slope facies with debris flows 50 km to the north. Three biostratigraphically distinct depositional sequences comprise the Yudachica. The Yudachica has Gondwanan-aspect trilobites with low-diversity conodonts characteristic of unrestricted marine/temperate facies. The upper Tiñu, or Río Salinas Member (new), is a Lower Ordovician (Tremadoc) depositional sequence that records strong early, but not earliest, Tremadoc eustatic rise marked by graptolite- and olenid-bearing dysoxic mudstones. Higher strata shoal upward into shell-hash limestones and proximal tempestite sandstones with upper lower Tremadocian unrestricted marine/temperate conodonts. New taxa includeOrminskia rexroadaeLanding gen. et sp. nov. from theCordylodus andresiZone; this euconodont is related to hyaline coniform genera best known from Ordovician tropical platform successions.Cornuodus?clarkeiLanding sp. nov. resembles the coeval, upper lower Tremadoc tropical speciesScalpellodus longipinnatus(Ji & Barnes).
Potential role of rhizobacteria isolated from Northwestern China for enhancing wheat and oat yield
Authors: YAO T. , YASMIN S. , HAFEEZ F. Y.
Published: August 2007

The present investigation was designed to assess the range of growth-promoting activities of various rhizosphere bacteria on wheat and oat growing in Lanzhou, China. Detection of the N-fixing bacteria by the acetylene reduction assay-based most probable number (ARA-based MPN) method indicated the presence of significant numbers of N-fixing rhizobacteria, i.e. 5·8×106bacteria/g dry weight of root in association with Chinese wheat varietyV4. A total of 24 rhizobacteria was isolated from wheat and oat grown in Lanzhou, China. These bacterial isolates were studied for growth characteristics, nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization and indole acetic acid (IAA) production. All the isolates were motile and gram negative. Acetylene reduction activity was detected in all isolates ranging from 124·6 to 651·6 nmol C2H2reduced/h/vial while almost all isolates produced IAA ranging from 0·2 to 5·1 μg/ml. Only two isolates, ChW1 and ChW6, formed clear zones on Pikovskaia's medium, showing the ability to solubilize phosphates. ChW1 and ChW6 were used to develop fluorescent antibodies to check the cross reactivity of the isolates. Inoculation of these bacterial isolates resulted in higher plant biomass, root area and total N content on Chinese wheat varietyNingchun 2and Pakistani oat varietySwanunder controlled conditions. Among the wheat isolates, ChW5 was the best in promoting wheat growth by increasing its root length, root area, shoot dry weight and total N content. Among oat isolates, ChO3, ChO5 and ChO6 showed significant effects on different growth parameters of their host plants. Using the15N isotope dilution method, the highest N fixation contribution (0·73 of total plant N) was observed in the wheat plants inoculated with isolate ChW5. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis of seven selected isolates showed that the variation within the isolates from different host crops grown in the same soil was quite large and helpful not only in defining the bacterial strains associated with different host crops but also in defining the distances of isolates from standard strains of rhizobacteria used. In conclusion, the present results indicate that the selected bacterial isolates did promote the growth of wheat and oat in ways that could be harnessed to practical benefit for the farmer and consistent with sustainable agricultural practices in China.
Declining rapeseed yields in Finland: how, why and what next?
Authors: PELTONEN-SAINIO P. , JAUHIAINEN L. , HANNUKKALA A.
Published: August 2007

Average seed yields per hectare of Brassica oilseed crops in Finland, mainly summer turnip rape (Brassica rapa L. var. oleifera subvar. annua), which covers 0·93–0·99 of the total oil crop cultivation area depending on year, have fallen dramatically during the last 15 years. This downward trend is contrary to those in other temperate regions, where rapeseed yields have increased or levelled off after reaching a relatively high level. The 5-year moving averages for Finland show that seed yield started to diminish gradually after reaching its highest level of over 1700 kg/ha in the early 1990s. By 2005 it had fallen to 1270 kg/ha. The present study evaluated the possible reasons for the recorded collapse in Finnish turnip rape yields. All the statistical analyses were based on large, previously produced, datasets from multi-location Agrifood Research Finland (MTT) Official Variety Tests, Finnish Food Safety Authority (EVIRA) Seed Testing datasets and the Information Centre of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Finland (TIKE) national production datasets. Results from MTT trials indicated that the latest turnip rape cultivars were more sensitive to elevated temperatures at late seed set and during seed fill – and such temperatures often occurred during the years of greatest yield reduction. When taking into account how commonly sown these cultivars were at national level during the last 10 years, increased sensitivity contributed to up to two thirds of the recorded yield reduction. Even though the growing area of turnip rape has slightly exceeded 100 000 ha, after long being 60 000–70 000 ha, by extending cultivation to more northern areas of Finland, such changes do not explain the yield collapse according to data from TIKE. Furthermore, lower national yields do not stem from larger, but rather are associated with narrower within year variation in seed yield. Additional empirical work is needed to understand the causes of increased temperature sensitivity in modern cultivars (e.g. possible linkage to drought, diseases and/or drastically increased seed energy content). Furthermore, a national survey is essential for a thorough and up-to-date picture of the prevalence of pests and diseases in turnip rape and their contribution to reduced yields.
Real-time video recording of eye movements – an inexpensive system
Authors: Nandi R , Pajaniappane A , Palaniappan R
Published: August 2007

Analysis of eye movements is essential for investigating vestibular disturbances. Video-oculography, although expensive, is a valuable and sensitive tool that allows accurate estimation of eye movements. We describe a simple and inexpensive method of recording as well as analysing eye movements using a commercially available miniature digital video surveillance camera and an MP4 digital media recorder.
Expression and clinical significance of Ki-67, oestrogen and progesterone receptors in acoustic neuroma
Authors: Cafer S , Bayramoglu I , Uzum N , Yilmaz M , Memis L , Uygur K
Published: August 2007

Objective:

The objective was to assess the presence of Ki-67, and oestrogen and progesterone hormone receptors as well as their clinical correlates in acoustic neuroma.

Methods:

Medical records of 59 patients who were operated on for acoustic neuroma between 1995 and 2003 were evaluated retrospectively. Formaldehyde-fixed paraffin-embedded archival acoustic neuroma specimens of the patients were used for immunohistochemical assessments of oestrogen and progesterone hormone receptors, and Ki-67 proliferative marker.

Results:

Tumour sizes were small (<19 mm), medium (20–39 mm) and large (>40 mm) in 21, 35 and 3 patients, respectively. On immunohistochemistry, all samples were (+) for progesterone receptor and (–) for oestrogen receptor staining. Ki-67 staining was encountered in 34 of 59 (57.6 per cent) patients, and Ki-67 values ranged from 0 per cent to 10.9 per cent (mean 1.36 per cent). There was no correlation between Ki-67, gender, tumour size and symptoms of the patients (p > 0.05).

Conclusion:

Oestrogen is not an important hormone in acoustic neuroma due to the absence of oestrogen receptor expression in the tissue samples. Since the progesterone receptor is expressed in all acoustic neuroma samples, further studies are necessary to find out about the inhibitory effect of antiprogesterone treatment on acoustic neuroma growth, which may be important particularly in elderly people or high-risk patients. Although Ki-67 is expressed in the majority of acoustic neuromas, it is not an important marker in clinical practice due to a lack of any correlation with the clinical parameters.
Preservation of residual hearing following cochlear implantation: comparison between three surgical techniques
Authors: Berrettini S , Forli F , Passetti S
Published: August 2007

The preservation of residual hearing is becoming a high priority in cochlear implant surgery. It allows better speech understanding and ensures long-lasting and stable performance; it also allows the possibility, in selected cases, of combining electro-acoustic stimulation in the same ear.

We present the results of a retrospective study of the conservation of residual hearing in three different groups of patients who had undergone cochlear implantation using three different cochlear implant electrode arrays, combined with three different surgical techniques for the cochleostomy. The study aimed to evaluate which approach allowed greater preservation of residual hearing.

The best residual hearing preservation results (i.e. preservation in 81.8 per cent of patients) were achieved with the Contour Advance electrode array, using the Advance Off-Stylet technique and performing a modified anterior inferior cochleostomy; this combination enabled reduced trauma to the lateral wall of the cochlea during electrode insertion.
Treatment of piriform fossa sinuses with monopolar diathermy
Authors: Ahmed J , De S , Hore I D B , Bailey C M , Hartley B E J
Published: August 2007

Introduction:

Embryological remnants of third or fourth branchial pouches are a rare but important cause of recurrent neck abscesses in children. They are characterised by an internal opening in the piriform fossa. Traditional management involves surgical excision of the entire tract. We present our experience with the use of monopolar diathermy applied to the internal sinus opening as a treatment modality for this condition.

Materials and methods:

A retrospective, case report review was performed.

Results:

Four cases of piriform fossa sinus were treated with monopolar diathermy to the sinus opening via an endoscopic approach. The first three cases were treated in this way for recurrence, following external tract excision, while the fourth case had simultaneous excision of the tract and diathermy to the piriform fossa opening. There were no serious complications and no recurrence within a follow-up period ranging from nine to 27 months.

Discussion:

Obliteration of the internal opening of these sinuses by endoscopic diathermy is a safe and effective management option for this condition, either as an alternative to or as an adjunct to external surgical excision of the tract.
Frontoethmoidal encephalomeningocoele with colpocephaly: case report and clinical review
Authors: Bhattacharjee Abhinandan , Chakraborty A , Purkaystha P
Published: August 2007

Frontoethmoidal encephalomeningocoele is a rare congenital disease in which an intracranial mass protrudes through a midline defect from the anterior cranial fossa into the facial skeleton. The condition affects patients in South East Asian countries, such as Thailand, Burma, Malaysia and Indonesia, with frequency of 1 in 5000. The pathogenesis of encephalocoeles may be regarded as a ‘late’ neurulation defect during the fourth gestational week.

We present a case of frontoethmoidal encephalomeningocoele with corpus callosal agenesis and colpocephaly; this may well be the first report of this combination. The patient had a bulging mass in the middle frontonasal area, with broadening of the nasal bridge and hypertelorism. Computed tomography scans delineated the skull defect and associated brain anomalies. A one-stage, combined transfacial–transcranial approach, correctional procedure was performed. We present here a discussion of the findings, with special reference to the condition's pathogenesis, morphological classification and evolving surgical treatments.

Early diagnosis and referral, involving multidisciplinary teamwork, are of paramount importance because of the distorting influence of the extruding mass on facial growth.
Role of limited parotidectomy in management of pleomorphic adenoma
Authors: Johnson J T , Ferlito A , Fagan J J , Bradley P J , Rinaldo A
Published: August 2007

There is continued controversy over the extent of parotidectomy required for removal of a benign pleomorphic adenoma from the parotid gland. Currently, consensus exists that the integrity of the facial nerve must be preserved when the tumour is totally removed.

As a result of experience gained in the first half of the twentieth century, it was recommended that superficial parotidectomy with facial nerve dissection should be the minimal biopsy for pleomorphic adenoma. Since that time, however, research has indicated that partial parotidectomy or extracapsular dissection of benign pleomorphic adenoma can be accomplished with preservation of the facial nerve without an increase in tumour recurrence. Partial parotidectomy or extracapsular dissection results in impaired cosmetic results and a lower incidence of Frey's syndrome, and thus may be the preferred approach when undertaken by experienced surgeons.