bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
AI in the Classroom
Authors: Bradley Jon , Allison Sam
Published: March 2024

These two opening quotations highlight the emerging dilemma faced by classroom practitioners at all levels throughout the education structure. At base, will AI turn out to be a minor irritant with relatively manageable education consequences or, on the other hand, is AI a major game changer that will fundamentally alter the overall educative process ? In the following prefatory ‘think piece’, we focus specifically on what has been identified as the most invasive conundrums that will impact all levels of society including, but not exclusively, public school classrooms.

Realistically, the issue of AI is spacious with possible fundamental implications for all learners and teachers. Further, concerns may yet to be identified and unintended consequences, both positive and negative, will no doubt emerge. Nonetheless, a review of the existing shifting research literature base has identified several broad areas of concern.
Pour une utilisation juste, éthique et responsable de l’intelligence artificielle
Authors: Tremblay Chevalier Isabelle , Poirier Julien , Bernier France
Published: March 2024

L’adoption rapide des systèmes d’intelligence artificielle (SIA) par les communautés scolaires, collégiales et universitaires affecte profondément nos stratégies d’apprentissage, d’enseignement, d’évaluation et d’organisation. En plus des enjeux pédagogiques entourant le plagiat et l’authenticité des productions des élèves, certains risques sociaux s’accentuent : inégalités, biais, discrimination, confidentialité des données, infraction au consentement et bien d’autres. Pour relever le défi de l’intégration juste, éthique et responsable de l’intelligence artificielle (IA) dans nos établissements, des travaux parlementaires et administratifs s’appuyant sur la contribution du personnel et des équipes-écoles devront être engagés. Une utilisation réussie repose sur le respect obligatoire du principe de précaution pour les entreprises qui développent les SIA ainsi que sur la mise à disposition des ressources nécessaires pour que se déploient pleinement l’expertise et l’autonomie professionnelle du personnel. Du temps libéré pour participer à des formations et pour transformer les activités d’apprentissage et d’évaluation doit aussi faire partie des moyens mobilisés.
AI and Course Work
Authors: Peters Brian M.
Published: March 2024

At John Abbott and Concordia, many departmental discussions have been started addressing the scary and very real situation pertaining to AI and student work. At Concordia, one department that I know of has already circulated a working document about AI, outlining problems and strategies—this is what we need more of for sure. The English Department at Concordia has started meetings, and many discussions are taking place at the Cegep level on both the departmental and administrative levels. Is there anything we can really do, is a major question that I feel, for now, might not have an answer. What we do need to do is figure out how to address AI, how to find it/spot-it, and via our pedagogies how to motivate students not to use AI. In short, yes, we can—solutions are popping up to detect AI and, most of all, we need to make sure we don’t overload our own work schedules trying to outsmart students who use AI. This article presents an overview of obstacles that current course instructors face, be they tenured faculty, lecturers, non-permanent/part-time faculty, or teaching-assistants ; as well, this informal discussion of such problems and findings is the beginning to a discussion on how to manage course content and time without burning out as we navigate the often confusing realities associated with AI and the internet as a source where students can readily cheat and/or plagiarize.
Navigating Bias and Ensuring Fairness
Authors: Massala Kélicia
Published: March 2024

In an evolving world driven by technology, artificial intelligence (AI) is leading
the way in bringing about changes. In the field of education, AI holds the potential to
revolutionize learning by offering curricula data-driven insights and unparalleled access to
knowledge. However, amid all the excitement surrounding these advancements, a significant
concern arises : one that addresses the implications of AI presence in our educational
landscape. This concern revolves around the possibility of biases within AI systems, which
could undermine the promise of an inclusive education for everyone.

The emergence of AI has sparked a growing awareness regarding biases that permeate
aspects of our lives from social media feeds to hiring processes. However, the realm of
education has largely remained unexplored in this regard until I decided to step forward. As
an advocate, for fairness and equal opportunities, I decided to embark on a journey to
uncover any biases embedded within the algorithms powering our virtual
classrooms.

Through an exploration of the influence of AI on education, let’s embark on a
journey, towards uncovering the reality behind prejudice navigating territories, and
ensuring that the educational landscape empowered by AI fosters inclusivity and
fairness.
L’apprentissage n’a pas de frontières
Authors: Bissonnette Marcel , Jetté Karine
Published: March 2024

À l’Université de Montréal et du monde, à l’ère de la mondialisation, le choc des idéologies culturelles qu’entraîne la diversité démographique nous amène à repenser l’école dans toutes ses dimensions. En amont d’une approche programme suscitant le décloisonnement des matières pour une meilleure intégration des apprentissages et la cohérence entre les composantes du programme, les activités pédagogiques telles que les cours et les stages ainsi que la mobilisation concrète des concepts en terrain pluriethnique, nous imposent aujourd’hui une ouverture internationale au regard de la profession. Une formation pratique néoculturelle permet de comprendre la différence plutôt que de l’ignorer ou de la rejeter. « Partir, c’est sortir de sa zone de confort » ; c’est vivre l’apprentissage là où l’espace ne retient personne.
Repenser ses pratiques d’évaluation
Authors: Béchard Nathan
Published: March 2024

À l’automne 2020, dans les pages de cette revue, j’ai proposé une réflexion sur l’évaluation et les impacts de la COVID-19 sur cette tâche particulièrement sensible du travail des enseignant.e.s. J’y ai notamment soutenu l’importance de revisiter les principes évaluatifs mis de l’avant par le Renouveau pédagogique en considérant les opportunités auxquelles ces derniers pavent la voie. Afin de rendre le tout un peu plus concret, j’ai tenté d’offrir, dans un webinaire organisé par le Conseil pédagogique interdisciplinaire du Québec (CPIQ) au mois d’avril 2021, des stratégies pour permettre aux enseignant.e.s de modifier leurs pratiques d’évaluation à l’échelle de la classe. D’autres que moi ont aussi proposé des réflexions allant en ce sens (voir par exemple : Conseil supérieur de l’éducation [CSE], 2018 ; Pasquini, 2021 ; Talbot & Gremion, 2022).
The spiritual essence of Chinese seascape art
Authors: Li Yue
Published: March 2024

The article "The Spiritual Essence of Chinese Seascape Art" explores the evolution and specifics of seascape in Chinese painting, in the context of the spiritual and cultural life of China. The genre of seascape in Chinese art began to form relatively late, at the end of the 20th century, and became significant for modern landscape painting. The article pays special attention to the rarity of the depiction of the sea and ocean in traditional Chinese painting, due to philosophical and aesthetic grounds. The changes in the perception of the sea element are analyzed, which reflect the fundamental transformations in the thinking of Chinese society. The research covers the historical period from the end of the XX century to the beginning of the XXI century, revealing the contribution of individual authors and the influence of Western art on the development of the genre. The presented analysis demonstrates how, through the study of marine painting, a unique combination of traditional Chinese and Western aesthetics is revealed, forming a new artistic language and approach to the perception of nature and the sea element.  The article uses an integrated approach, including historical and comparative analysis, stylistic interpretation, to explore the evolution of the seascape in Chinese painting and its spiritual and philosophical and aesthetic content. The article explores the spiritual essence of Chinese seascape art, describing its development as a late phenomenon in comparison with Western art and as an important element in modern Chinese painting. Special attention is paid to rethinking traditional artistic methods and approaches to depicting the sea, considering it as evidence of fundamental changes in the spiritual life of Chinese society. The article discusses how the seascape reflects philosophical and aesthetic changes, especially in the last third of the 20th and early 21st centuries. The authors analyze the works of Chinese artists seeking to find unique artistic languages by integrating traditional and Western elements. The novelty of the research lies in a deep analysis of the impact of socio-cultural changes on the formation and development of the seascape in Chinese painting, which allows for a better understanding of the uniqueness and dynamics of this genre in the context of global artistic and cultural trends.
Insights into the nutritional prevention of macular degeneration based on a comparative topic modeling approach
Authors: Jacaruso Lucas
Published: March 2024

Topic modeling and text mining are subsets of natural language processing (NLP) with relevance for conducting meta-analysis (MA) and systematic review (SR). For evidence synthesis, the above NLP methods are conventionally used for topic-specific literature searches or extracting values from reports to automate essential phases of SR and MA. Instead, this work proposes a comparative topic modeling approach to analyze reports of contradictory results on the same general research question. Specifically, the objective is to identify topics exhibiting distinct associations with significant results for an outcome of interest by ranking them according to their proportional occurrence in (and consistency of distribution across) reports of significant effects. Macular degeneration (MD) is a disease that affects millions of people annually, causing vision loss. Augmenting evidence synthesis to provide insight into MD prevention is therefore of central interest in this article. The proposed method was tested on broad-scope studies addressing whether supplemental nutritional compounds significantly benefit macular degeneration. Six compounds were identified as having a particular association with reports of significant results for benefiting MD. Four of these were further supported in terms of effectiveness upon conducting a follow-up literature search for validation (omega-3 fatty acids, copper, zeaxanthin, and nitrates). The two not supported by the follow-up literature search (niacin and molybdenum) also had scores in the lowest range under the proposed scoring system. Results therefore suggest that the proposed method’s score for a given topic may be a viable proxy for its degree of association with the outcome of interest, and can be helpful in the systematic search for potentially causal relationships. Further, the compounds identified by the proposed method were not simultaneously captured as salient topics by state-of-the-art topic models that leverage document and word embeddings (Top2Vec) and transformer models (BERTopic). These results underpin the proposed method’s potential to add specificity in understanding effects from broad-scope reports, elucidate topics of interest for future research, and guide evidence synthesis in a scalable way. All of this is accomplished while yielding valuable and actionable insights into the prevention of MD.
Comparative cytogenetics of microsatellite distribution in two tetra fishes Astyanax bimaculatus (Linnaeus, 1758) and Psalidodon scabripinnis (Jenyns, 1842)
Authors: de Sousa Rodrigo Petry Corrêa , Furo Ivanete de Oliveira , Silva-Oliveira Gláucia Caroline , Sousa-Felix Rosigleyse Corrêa de , Bessa-Brito Carla Denise , Mello Raynara Costa , Sampaio Iracilda , Artoni Roberto Ferreira , Oliveira Edivaldo Herculano Corrêa de , Vallinoto Marcelo
Published: March 2024

Background

The main cytogenetic studies of the Characidae family comprise the genera Astyanax and Psalidodon involving the use of repetitive DNA probes. However, for the microsatellite classes, studies are still scarce and the function of these sequences in the genome of these individuals is still not understood. Thus, we aimed to analyze and compare the distribution of microsatellite sequences in the species Astyanax bimaculatus and Psalidodon scabripinnis.

Methods

We collected biopsies from the fins of A. bimaculatus and P. scabripinnis to perform cell culture, followed by chromosome extraction, and mapped the distribution of 14 microsatellites by FISH in both species.

Results and Discussion

The diploid number observed for both species was 2n = 50, with an acrocentric B microchromosome in A. bimaculatus and a metacentric B chromosome in P. scabripinnis. Regarding FISH, 11 probes hybridized in the karyotype of A. bimaculatus mainly in centromeric regions, and 13 probes hybridized in P. scabripinnis, mainly in telomeric regions, in addition to a large accumulation of microsatellite hybridization on its B chromosome.

Conclusion

Comparative FISH mapping of 14 microsatellite motifs revealed different patterns of distribution both in autosomes and supernumerary chromosomes of A. bimaculatus and P. scabripinnis, suggesting independent evolutionary processes in each of these species, representing excellent data on chromosome rearrangements and cytotaxonomy.
Declining Trend of HIV Seroprevalence in Pregnant Women: A Retrospective Observational Analysis of 12 Years’ Experience at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Central India
Authors: Mishra Meena , Wanjare Varsha , Agrawal Seema , Qazi Ms , Shrikhande Sunanda , Kurhade Arvind , Ughade Suresh , Nag Soumyabrata
Published: March 2024

Introduction: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection among antenatal women has been reported throughout the country, with a relatively high prevalence in the state of Maharashtra. Data on HIV seroprevalence in antenatal women serve as an indirect indicator of the HIV epidemic's burden in the general population and aid in predicting the same in young children. Diagnostic and treatment services for HIV are concentrated in selected states and districts with high seroprevalence, making it necessary to accurately calculate the prevalence of HIV. Aim: To assess the effectiveness of Prevention of Parentto-Child Transmission (PPTCT) services and to study the effectiveness of the National Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) Control Programme (NACP) in the functioning of PPTCT services. Materials and Methods: A retrospective observational analysis of 12-year data, from January 2007 to December 2018, was conducted in the Department of Microbiology at the Government Medical College and Hospital, Nagpur, Maharashtra, representing Central India. Data collection took place from June 2019 to December 2019, and analysis occurred over the subsequent two months (January 2020 to February 2020). The total sample size was 101,865 patients. All pregnant women registered in the Antenatal Clinic (ANC) under the PPTCT Program were included in the present study, and Strategy III of the National HIV testing algorithm was followed. The women's ages, their partners' serostatus, and records of babies born to HIV seropositive mothers were obtained and analysed. The statistical analysis of the data was performed using Stata (version 10.4.2009, STATA Corp., Texas, USA) and Epi Info 7 (version 7.1.06, 2012, CDC, Atlanta, USA), employing the Chi-square test for linear trend (Extended Mantel-Haenszel). A p-value <0.05 was considered significant. Results: The seroprevalence of HIV infection among pregnant women was 1.04% in 2007, decreasing to 0.23% by 2017. In 2009, 88.9% of women were counselled, and 100% were tested for HIV, with pretest counselling steadily increasing to 100% by 2012. The trend in HIV testing, however, remained at 100% over the span of 10 years. Post-test counselling varied from 89.6% to 99.9%, whereas the trend of HIV testing among partners fluctuated from 50% to 94.44%. The overall HIV positivity among babies, after 18 months of follow-up, was 4.77%. Conclusion: The HIV seroprevalence among the pregnant population is steadily declining. More and more women are availing themselves of the facilities at Integrated Counselling and Testing Centre (ICTC). Intensive health education and the availability of diagnostic and therapeutic services across the country have reduced the burden of the HIV/AIDS problem in the country
Intraductal Papilloma of the Breast: A Case Report
Authors: Jayakar Sudhir Ramchandra , Athavale Virendra Sudhakar , Athavale Prachi Virendra , Jayakar Sheetal Sudhir
Published: March 2024

Intraductal papilloma of the breast is a rare benign tumour. The polypoid lesions arising from the nipple surface include papillomas and fibroepithelial stromal polyps. These lesions must be distinguished from malignant nipple lesions, such as Paget’s disease of the nipple or malignant breast conditions involving the nipple. Solitary papillomas (solitary intraductal papillomas) are single tumours that often grow in the large milk ducts near the nipple. They are a common cause of clear or bloody nipple discharge, especially when it comes from only one breast, and can be felt as a small lump behind or next to the nipple. Papillomas may also be found in small ducts in areas of the breast farther from the nipple. Multiple papillomas, which are growths that are less prone to generate nipple discharge, were present in this case. In papillomatosis, there are very small areas of cell growth within the ducts, but they aren’t as distinct as papillomas are. In order to distinguish between these disorders, a thorough clinical examination and imaging are essential. This case report describes a 36-year-old female who presented with swelling from the left nipple. Sonography of the left breast revealed a dilated duct in the left retro-areolar region with a focal isoechoic component within the duct {American College of Radiology Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (ACR BI-RADS 4B)}. The patient underwent core excision of the duct, and histopathological analysis confirmed the diagnosis of papilloma with changes of adenosis without atypia.
Blockbuster Laryngeal Mask Airway as a Rescue Device in Paediatric Patient with Retrognathia Posted for Microtia Reconstruction Surgery: A Case Report
Authors: Monika Madhu, , . Roopa , Chanda Himadri , Yadav Nitu
Published: March 2024

The first and second branchial arches, along with the first branchial cleft, contribute to the development of ear and mandible. Children with microtia can have retrognathia or micrognathia and have challenging airway management. Managing the airway in these patients presents a significant challenge for anaesthesiologists as they have the potential for upper airway obstruction and challenging tracheal intubation because of facial deformities. Although awake fiberoptic intubation is a well-accepted method for handling difficult intubations, it can be uncomfortable and stressful for paediatric patients. Moreover, it demands expertise and is unsuitable for patients unwilling to undergo awake intubation. This case report highlights the use of the blockbuster Laryngeal Mask Airway (LMA) in an 11-year-old retrognathic child with microtia with anterior larynx scheduled for auricular reconstruction surgery. There was a failure to secure the airway with multiple attempts at traditional intubation and the supraglottic airway device i-gel, as the child had an anterior larynx and Cormack Lehane (CL) grading of 4 on direct laryngoscopy. The blockbuster LMA, distinguished by its innovative design facilitating both ventilation and intubation through an integrated channel, emerged as a pivotal alternative. The supraglottic device is not the technique of choice, but it can definitely be an alternative and could be life-saving in situations where fiberoptic bronchoscopy and tracheostomy are not available.
Effect of Media and Photoperiod on Embryogenic and Organogenic Callus Induction from Mature Seed in Oryza sativa L.
Authors: Ekom Danielle Christelle Tinak , Piau Jean Cyrille Mouen , Abba Haïcha Diko , Memena Oungvan , Namegni Rodrigue Simonet Poueme , Wade Abel
Published: March 2024

Rice is the staple food for billions of people and a source of income for hundreds of millions. This food security crop production needs to be improved to face the projected demands of the exponentially augmenting world’s population and overcome biotic and abiotic stress in the fields. Optimized in vitro culture protocols are a prerequisite to genetic engineering which appears to be the best potential way to improve the rice plant. In this study, ‘Nerica 3’ and ‘Nerica L36’ seeds were in vitro culture tested into 4 media (m1-4), in dark and photoperiod environments. The percentage of callus induction was calculated and callus weight was recorded. Results show that callus induction was influenced by variety × environment and medium × environment interactions, with a strong influence of the environment used.  ‘Nerica 3’ showed the highest mean (88.25%) callus induction after six weeks of incubation on different media. m1 and m2 media showed greater mean callus induction (more than 86%). Higher callus induction came from m1 (82% and 91%) and m2 (81% and 93%) media, while lower rates came from m3 (73%) and m4 (69%) media for embryogenic and organogenic calli respectively. Culturing the explant in dark environment to produce embryogenic callus, resulted in greater callus weight for ‘Nerica 3’ (1.03 g) and ‘Nerica L36’ (0.79 g). This study is a contribution to the rice plant genetic improvement by proposing protocols for somatic embryogenesis of two Nerica rice varieties.
Skewed X‐chromosome inactivation is associated with primary but not secondary ovarian failure
Authors: Bretherick Karla L. , Metzger Daniel L. , Chanoine Jean‐Pierre , Panagiotopoulos Constadina , Watson Spencer K. , Lam Wan L. , Fluker Margo R. , Brown Carolyn J. , Robinson Wendy P.
Published: April 2007

Premature ovarian failure (POF) is the occurrence of menopause before the age of 40, and may present with either primary or secondary amenorrhea. Numerous cases of POF in women with X‐chromosome deletions or translocations have been reported; thus, it is possible that smaller rearrangements undetectable by conventional cytogenetics may contribute to POF in some patients. In females with an abnormal X chromosome, cells with inactivation of the normal X may be selected against, causing skewed X‐chromosome inactivation (XCI). We therefore assessed XCI by methylation sensitive restriction digestion and PCR amplification at the androgen receptor (AR) locus, in 4 primary and 55 secondary POF patients and 109 control women. In samples heterozygous at AR and therefore informative for the skewing assay, the frequency of skewed XCI among the women with secondary amenorrhea was identical to that in control women, with 4 out of 48 (8.3%) secondary ovarian failure patients and 8 out of 97 (8.2%) control women having ≥90% skewing. Notably, all three primary amenorrhea patients that were informative at AR had skewed XCI ≥90% (P = 0.001 vs. control women; Fisher's exact test). To investigate whether X‐chromosome copy number alterations were responsible, DNA from selected patients with skewed XCI was examined by high resolution DNA microarray, however no potential regions of DNA addition or deletion were confirmed by FISH or PCR. X‐chromosome abnormalities undetectable by array, or reduced follicular pool due to an early trisomic rescue event, may explain the skewed XCI observed in POF patients presenting with primary amenorrhea. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Hyperhomocysteinemia and MTHFR polymorphisms in association with orofacial clefts and congenital heart defects: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Verkleij‐Hagoort Anna , Bliek Johannes , Sayed‐Tabatabaei Fakhredin , Ursem Nicolette , Steegers Eric , Steegers‐Theunissen Régine
Published: April 2007

Several studies have reported an association between hyperhomocysteinemia, 5,10‐methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) polymorphisms and cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CLP), and congenital heart defects (CHDs). However, findings have been inconsistent. A meta‐analysis was performed of published studies until September 2006 investigating these associations in both mothers and children. Homocysteine data were provided in two CLP and three CHD studies, and MTHFR polymorphisms were reported in ten CLP and eight CHD studies. Data were analyzed using the random effects model in the Cochrane Review Manager. The pooled odds ratio (OR) of maternal hyperhomocysteinemia was 2.3 (95% CI 0.4–11.9) for CLP, and 4.4 (2.6–7.3) for CHDs. The MTHFR C677T polymorphism and CLP showed pooled ORs of 1.2 (0.9–1.5) in mothers and 1.0 (0.9–1.2) in children, whereas these estimates for the A1298C polymorphism were 1.0 (0.7–1.2) in mothers and 0.9 (0.6–1.2) in children. The MTHFR C677T polymorphism in CHD studies demonstrated a pooled OR of 1.0 (0.8–1.3) for mothers and 1.1 (0.9–1.5) for children. Two studies investigating the maternal A1298C polymorphism in CHDs demonstrated a pooled OR of 1.2 (0.8–1.8). Only one CHD study reported an OR of 1.3 (0.8–2.1) for this polymorphism in children. In conclusion, this meta‐analysis demonstrates that maternal hyperhomocysteinemia is a risk factor for CHDs. The MTHFR polymorphisms C677T and A1298C in both mothers and children are not independently associated with CLP or CHDs. Future studies should be performed to investigate the interactions between maternal hyperhomocysteinemia, B‐vitamin intake, related polymorphisms and the risk of CLP and CHDs. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Otopalatodigital syndrome type 2 in two siblings with a novel filamin A 629G>T mutation: Clinical, pathological, and molecular findings
Authors: Mariño‐Enríquez Adrián , Lapunzina Pablo , Robertson Stephen P. , Rodríguez José I.
Published: April 2007

Otopalatodigital syndrome type 2 (OPD2) is an uncommon X‐linked condition characterized by dysmorphic facies, a skeletal dysplasia affecting the axial and appendicular skeleton and extraskeletal anomalies including malformations of the brain, heart, genitourinary system, and intestines. Missense mutations of theFLNAgene, which encodes for the protein filamin A, have recently been shown to cause OPD2 and the allelic syndromes otopalatodigital type 1, Melnick‐Needles, and frontometaphyseal dysplasia. Collectively these conditions constitute the otopalatodigital spectrum disorders. We report on two sibs affected by OPD2. The diagnosis was achieved at autopsy of a macerated male stillborn with typical external and skeletal findings of OPD2. A subsequent pregnancy was terminated due to ultrasonographic findings resembling those observed in the previous sibling. Histopathological studies revealed osseus sclerosis and do not support the previously reported membranous ossification defect observed in this condition. Mutation analysis demonstrated a novel mutation, 629G>T, inFLNAthat had arisen de novo in the mother. This missense mutation predicts the substitution C210F within the second calponin homology domain of the actin‐binding domain of filamin A. The identical substitution has been recently identified in an analogous amino‐acid position within the actin binding domain of β‐spectrin leading to hereditary spherocytosis. The observation that phenylalanine is normally present in the same position in other proteins (utrophin, dystrophin) but leads to disease when present in filamin A implies that the function and/or structure of these actin binding domains are not entirely equivalent. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Prenatal diagnosis of partial trisomy 1q and monosomy X in a fetus with a congenital lung lesion and hydrops fetalis
Authors: Pressey Tracy L. , Wilson R. Douglas , Kasperski Stefanie , Bebbington Michael W. , Adzick N. Scott
Published: April 2007

We report on the prenatal diagnosis of partial trisomy 1q and monosomy X in a fetus with a congenital lung lesion and hydrops. The finding of hydrops in a fetus with a small lung lesion, congenital cystic adenomatoid malformation (CCAM) volume to head circumference ratio (CVR) 0.78, prompted cytogenetic analysis of amniotic fluid, revealing an unbalanced translocation between chromosomes X and 1 [46,X,der(X)t(X;1)(p11.2;q25 or q31)]. The incidence of chromosomal abnormalities with CCAM lesions is estimated at 1.6%. This is the first reported case of prenatally diagnosed partial trisomy 1q and monosomy X presenting as a fetal lung lesion and hydrops. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Novel syndrome of cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa, late onset deafness and sperm abnormalities: A new Usher syndrome subtype with X‐linked inheritance?
Authors: Malekpour Mahdi , Shahidi Arash , Khorsandi Ashtiani Mohammad Taghi , Motasaddi Zarandy Masoud
Published: April 2007

Tissues of the auditory, ocular and reproductive systems have some similarities in their protein families and structures. Consequently, syndromes comprising these systems are described. Hearing loss alone is a component of more than 400 known syndromes and is a common nonsyndromic congenital disorder. Here we describe a syndrome in five brothers with the distinctive presentation of late‐onset progressive hearing loss, cataracts, retinitis pigmentosa, sperm motility and shape problems in a family from the Kurdish population in Iran. The clinical findings of these patients are presented in detail and compared to the classical Usher syndromes. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Vitamin A deficiency (VAD), teratogenic, and surgical models of congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH)
Authors: Kling David E. , Schnitzer Jay J.
Published: April 2007

Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a congenital malformation that occurs with a frequency of 0.08 to 0.45 per 1,000 births. Children with CDH are born with the abdominal contents herniated through the diaphragm and exhibit an associated pulmonary hypoplasia which is frequently accompanied by severe morbidity and mortality. Although the etiology of CDH is largely unknown, considerable progress has been made in understanding its molecular mechanisms through the usage of genetic, teratogenic, and surgical models. The following review focuses on the teratogenic and surgical models of CDH and the possible molecular mechanisms of nitrofen (a diphenyl ether, formerly used as an herbicide) in both induction of CDH and pulmonary hypoplasia. In addition, the mechanisms of other compounds including several anti‐inflammatory agents that have been linked to CDH will be discussed. Furthermore, this review will also explore the importance of vitamin A in lung and diaphragm development and the possible mechanisms of teratogen interference in vitamin A homeostasis. Continued exploration of these models will bring forth a clearer understanding of CDH and its molecular underpinnings, which will ultimately facilitate development of therapeutic strategies. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of DMSO/H2O coagulation bath on the structure and property of polyacrylonitrile fibers during wet‐spinning
Authors: Dong Xing‐Guang , Wang Cheng‐Guo , Bai Yu‐Jun , Cao Wei‐Wei
Published: April 2007

The effect of coagulation bath condition on the structure and property of the nascent fibers and polyacrylonitrile fibers during wet‐spinning is studied. The best coagulation condition to produce polyacrylonitrile fibers has been found by examination of EA, XRD, SEM, and so on. The results indicated that when the coagulation bath was DMSO/H2O system, the temperature was 60°C, the concentration was 65%, the minus stretch ratio was −10%, fine crystallites and high degree of crystallization in the nascent fibers and polyacrylonitrile fibers could be achieved, and less solvents remained in the nascent fibers with circular cross section morphology. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2007
Neonatal rhabdomyoma causing right ventricular inflow obstruction with duct‐dependent pulmonary blood flow: Successful stenting of PDA
Authors: Ilina Maria V. , Jaeggi Edgar T. , Lee Kyong‐Jin
Published: April 2007

We describe an infant with the antenatal diagnosis of a large intracardiac rhabdomyoma causing tricuspid inflow obstruction. Postnatal cyanosis and arterial hypoxemia prompted commencement of intravenous prostaglandin E1 with immediate improvement in saturations. Clinical and genetic testing confirmed diagnosis of tuberous sclerosis. To secure ductal patency, two tandem coronary stents were implanted via an antegrade approach. Several episodes of long RP atrio‐ventricular re‐entrant tachycardia were observed. At 7½ months of age, the tumor was no longer obstructive to tricuspid inflow, ductal flow was highly restrictive and there was no recurrence of supraventricular tachycardia. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Na+/Cl−‐Dependent Neurotransmitter Transporters in a Membrane‐Aqueous System
Authors: Jørgensen Anne Marie , Tagmose Lena , Jørgensen Anne Marie M. , Bøgesø Klaus P. , Peters Günther H.
Published: April 2007

We have performed molecular dynamics simulations of a homology model of the human serotonin transporter (hSERT) in a membrane environment and in complex with either the natural substrate 5‐HT or the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor escitalopram. We have also included a transporter homologue, the Aquifex aeolicus leucine transporter (LeuT), in our study to evaluate the applicability of a simple and computationally attractive membrane system. Fluctuations in LeuT extracted from simulations are in good agreement with crystallographic B factors. Furthermore, key interactions identified in the X‐ray structure of LeuT are maintained throughout the simulations indicating that our simple membrane system is suitable for studying the transmembrane protein hSERT in complex with 5‐HT or escitalopram. For these transporter complexes, only relatively small fluctuations are observed in the ligand‐binding cleft. Specific interactions responsible for ligand recognition, are identified in the hSERT–5HT and hSERT–escitalopram complexes. Our findings are in good agreement with predictions from mutagenesis studies.
Identification of the neurotransmitters involved in modulation of transmitter release from the central terminals of the locust wing hinge stretch receptor
Authors: Richardson Christine A. , Leitch Beulah
Published: April 2007

The flight motor system of the locust represents a model preparation for the investigation of neuromodulation. At the wing hinges are stretch receptors important in generating and controlling the flight motor pattern. The forewing stretch receptor (fSR) makes direct cholinergic synapses with depressor motor neurons (MN) controlling that wing, including the first basalar MN (BA1). The fSR/BA1 synapse is modulated by muscarinic cholinergic receptors located on γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA)‐ergic interneurons (Judge and Leitch [1999a] J. Comp. Neurol. 407:103–114; Judge and Leitch [1999b] J. Neurobiol. 40:420–431). However, electrophysiology has shown that fSR/BA is also modulated by biogenic amines (Leitch et al. [2003] J. Comp. Neurol. 462:55–70). We have used electron microscopic immunocytochemistry (ICC) to identify the neurotransmitters in neurons presynaptic to the fSR and to determine the relative proportion of these different classes of modulatory inputs. Approximately 55% of all inputs to the fSR are glutamate‐IR, indicating that glutamatergic neurons may also play an important role in presynaptically modulating the fSR terminals. Anti‐GABA ICC confirmed that over 40% of inputs to the fSR are GABA‐IR (Judge and Leitch [1999a] J. Comp. Neurol. 407:103–114). Labelling sections with an antioctopamine antibody revealed neurons containing distinctive large, electron‐dense granules, which could reliably be used to identify them. Aminergic neurons that modulate the synapse may have very few morphologically recognizable synaptic outputs. Although putative octopaminergic processes were found in close contact to horseradish peroxidase‐filled fSR profiles, no morphologically recognizable synaptic inputs to the fSR were evident. Collectively, these data suggest that most inputs to the fSR are from either glutamatergic or GABAergic neurons. J. Comp. Neurol. 502:794–809, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
On partial differential equations of mixed type in N independent variables
Authors: Chaohao Gu
Published: April 2007

It is proved that a large class of 2‐nd order linear partial differential equations of mixed type in n independent variables can be solved by using the theory of positive symmetric systems of 1‐st order partial differential equations. Some quasilinear equations of mixed type can be treated in the same way.
Gene expression analysis of the hedgehog signaling cascade in the chick midbrain and spinal cord
Authors: Aglyamova Galina V. , Agarwala Seema
Published: April 2007

The signaling molecule Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) plays a critical role in patterning the ventral midbrain of vertebrates. Our recent studies have established that the requirement for Hedgehog (HH) signaling in the chick midbrain is modulated spatially and temporally in a complex manner across the midbrain anlage. Unfortunately, the patterns of expression of downstream regulators that might modulate the HH signal in the midbrain are not currently known. To fill this gap, we have examined across time, the expression pattern of 14 genes that function in the HH signaling cascade in the midbrain and spinal cord. Our results suggest that SHH expression in the axial mesendoderm begins before the expression of known HH receptors/HH‐binding proteins (e.g., PTC1, PTC2, HHIP, BOC, MEGALIN). In the midbrain, PTC and GLI genes are expressed and then eliminated very early from the ventral midline. However, they exhibit high and persistent expression in the midbrain region circumscribing the SHH source. Intriguingly, multiple HH‐binding proteins (BOC, MEGALIN) and HH effectors (GLI1‐3, SMO, SUFU, DZIP) are expressed in the dorsal midbrain and the midbrain–hindbrain boundary. Finally, we report for the first time that IHH is expressed in intermediate regions of the spinal cord, where its expression does not overlap with that of SHH. Developmental Dynamics 236:1363–1373, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Zebrafish dou yan mutation causes patterning defects and extensive cell death in the retina
Authors: Catalano Anne E. , Raymond Pamela A. , Goldman Daniel , Wei Xiangyun
Published: April 2007

The size of an organ is largely determined by the number of cells it contains, which in turn is regulated by two opposing processes, cell proliferation and cell death, however, it is generally not clear how cell proliferation and cell death are coordinated during development. Here, we characterize the zebrafish dou yanmi234 mutation that results in a dramatic reduction of retinal size and a disruption of retinal differentiation and lamination. The retinal size reduction is caused by increased retinal cell death in a non–cell‐autonomous manner during early development. The phenotypic defect in dou yanmi234 arises coincident with the onset of retinal neurogenesis and differentiation. Interestingly, unlike many other small eye mutations, the mutation does not increase the level of cell death in the brain, suggesting that the brain and retina use different mechanisms to maintain cell survival. Identification and further study of the dou yan gene will enhance our understanding of the molecular mechanisms regulating retinal cellular homeostasis, i.e., the balance between cell proliferation and cell death. Developmental Dynamics 236:1295–1306, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Deciphering the somite segmentation clock: Beyond mutants and morphants
Authors: Lewis Julian , Özbudak Ertuǧrul M.
Published: April 2007

The regular pattern of somite segmentation depends on a clock, the somite segmentation clock, in the form of a gene expression oscillator, operating in the presomitic mesoderm (the PSM) at the tail end of the vertebrate embryo. Genetic screens and other approaches have identified a variety of genes, including components and targets of the Notch signalling pathway, that show transcriptional oscillations in this region and appear to be necessary for correct segmentation. Mathematical modelling shows that the oscillations could plausibly be generated by a simple mechanism of delayed negative feedback, based on autoinhibition of Notch target genes of the Hes/her family by their own protein products. To move beyond plausible models to an experimentally validated theory, however, it is necessary to measure the parameters on which the proposed model is based and to devise ways of probing the dynamics of the system by means of timed disturbances so as to compare with the model's predictions. Some progress is being made in these directions. Developmental Dynamics 236:1410–1415, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Census of vertebrate Wnt genes: Isolation and developmental expression of Xenopus Wnt2, Wnt3, Wnt9a, Wnt9b, Wnt10a, and Wnt16
Authors: Garriock Robert J. , Warkman Andrew S. , Meadows Stryder M. , D'Agostino Susan , Krieg Paul A.
Published: April 2007

The Wnt family of growth factors regulate many different aspects of embryonic development. Assembly of the complete mouse and human genome sequences, plus expressed sequence tag surveys have established the existence of 19 Wnt genes in mammalian genomes. However, despite the importance of model vertebrates for studies in developmental biology, the complete complement of Wnt genes has not been established for nonmammalian genomes. Using genome sequences for chicken (Gallus gallus), frog (Xenopus tropicalis), and fish (Danio rerio and Tetraodon nigroviridis), we have analyzed gene synteny to identify the orthologues of all 19 human Wnt genes in these species. We find that, in addition to the 19 Wnts observed in humans, chicken contained an additional Wnt gene, Wnt11b, which is orthologous to frog and zebrafish Wnt11 (silberblick). Frog and fish genomes contained orthologues of the 19 mammalian Wnt genes, plus Wnt11b and several duplicated Wnt genes. Specifically, the Xenopus tropicalis genome contained 24 Wnt genes, including additional copies of Wnt7‐related genes (Wnt7c) and 3 recent Wnt duplications (Wnt3, Wnt9b, and Wnt11). The Danio rerio genome contained 27 Wnt genes with additional copies of Wnt2, Wnt2b, Wnt4b, Wnt6, Wnt7a, and Wnt8a. The presence of the additional Wnt11 sequence (Wnt11b) in the genomes of all ancestral vertebrates suggests that this gene has been lost during mammalian evolution. Through these studies, we identified the frog orthologues of the previously uncharacterized Wnt2, Wnt3, Wnt9a, Wnt9b, Wnt10a, and Wnt16 genes and their expression has been characterized during early Xenopus development. Developmental Dynamics 236:1249–1258, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Improvement of sensorless control performance for IPMSM by suppression of harmonic current using Fourier transform and repetitive control
Authors: Kim Jeong‐Seong , Doki Shinji , Ishida Muneaki
Published: April 2007

In the case of the sensorless control for the PMSM that estimates position and velocity from EMF using a model of synchronous motor with the voltage and current, it is desirable for voltage and current to be perfect sine waves. However, in reality, voltage and current contain various harmonic components, which negatively affect the estimation ability of the sensorless control.

In this paper, we propose a method of improving the sensorless control performance for the IPMSM by suppression of harmonic component in current control loop of the vector control using Fourier transform and repetitive control. To suppress harmonic components, compensation signals are acquired using Fourier transform and repetitive control, and feedforward control is implemented with the acquired compensation signals.

To evaluate the proposed system, the sensorless control system for the IPMSM is considered as an example. The system is constructed on the basis of the extended EMF disturbance observer, and the improvement potential of the sensorless control performance is demonstrated. The effectiveness of the proposed method is confirmed by experimental results. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 159(4): 76–86, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20095
Evaluation of electric power procurement strategies by stochastic dynamic programming
Authors: Saisho Yuichi , Hayashi Taketo , Fujii Yasumasa , Yamaji Kenji
Published: April 2007

In deregulated electricity markets, the role of a distribution company is to purchase electricity from the wholesale electricity market at randomly fluctuating prices and to provide it to its customers at a given fixed price. Therefore, the company has to take risk stemming from the uncertainties of electricity prices and/or demand fluctuation instead of the customers. The way to avoid the risk is to make a bilateral contract with generating companies or install its own power generation facility. This entails the necessity to develop a certain method to make an optimal strategy for electric power procurement.

In such a circumstance, this research proposes a mathematical method based on stochastic dynamic programming and considers the characteristics of the start‐up cost of an electric power generation facility to evaluate strategies of combination of the bilateral contract and power auto‐generation with its own facility for procuring electric power in a deregulated electricity market. In the beginning we proposed two approaches to solve the stochastic dynamic programming, and they are a Monte Carlo simulation method and a finite difference method to derive the solution of a partial differential equation of the total procurement cost of electric power. Finally we discussed the influences of the prime uncertainty on optimal strategies of power procurement. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 160(2): 20–29, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20296
A 21‐level (line‐to‐line) BTB system based on series connection of 16 converter cells. Experimental verification by a 200‐V, 20‐kW laboratory system
Authors: Hagiwara Makoto , Wada Keiji , Fujita Hideaki , Akagi Hirofumi
Published: April 2007

A 21‐level (line‐to‐line) self‐commutated BTB (Back‐To‐Back) system based on series connection of 16 converter cells has attractive features as follows: (i) Both active and reactive powers can be controlled independently even in transient states. (ii) The BTB system produces almost sinusoidal voltage at the AC side without performing PWM (Pulse‐Width‐Modulation) control, so that no harmonic filter is required. (iii) The BTB system provides an active power reason as high as 3 ms. This paper presents experimental verifications of the self‐commutated BTB system intended for achieving power flow control in transmission systems. Experimental results obtained by a 200‐V, 20‐kW laboratory prototype confirm effectiveness and validity of both the system configuration and the developed control strategy. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Electr Eng Jpn, 160(1): 61– 70, 2007; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/eej.20324