bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anthocyanin accumulation in the hypocotyl of an ABA‐over producing male‐sterile tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) mutant
Authors: Sheoran Inder Singh , Dumonceaux Tim , Datla Raju , Sawhney Vipen K.
Published: June 2006

Anthocyanin accumulation is known to be regulated by light and plant hormones but its occurrence varies with plant species and/or organ and tissue, and it has been negatively correlated with male sterility. In this study, we have examined the light responsive changes in anthocyanin in an abscisic acid (ABA) over‐producer, male‐sterile 7B‐1 mutant and wild‐type (WT) tomato hypocotyls. The results show that light‐induced anthocyanin accumulation in the hypocotyl was more in WT compared with the 7B‐1 mutant and more so under white light (W) compared with blue light (B) or red light (R). In contrast, the chlorophyll content was greater in the mutant than in WT. Exogenous ABA caused a transitory increase in anthocyanin content in WT but a reduction in 7B‐1, both in W and B. The high level of anthocyanin in WT under light conditions was not correlated with increased mRNA levels of phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase (PAL), chalcone synthase (CHS) and dihydroflavonol 4‐reductase (DFR), some of the anthocyanin biosynthetic genes. However, the activity of PAL (EC 4.3.1.5) was higher in the WT than in 7B‐1 hypocotyls, and exogenous ABA caused an increase in PAL activity in the WT but a reduction in the mutant. The results presented show that high ABA negatively affects anthocyanin accumulation and that in the 7B‐1 mutant it is related, in part, to reduced PAL activity. The results also support the view that the 7B‐1 mutant has a defect in light perception and ABA sensitivity.
Hepatitis C virus genotype and HIV coinfection affect cytokine mRNA levels in unstimulated PBMC but do not shift the T1/T2 balance
Authors: Lee Silvia , Watson Mark W , Clark Ben , Flexman James P , Cheng Wendy , French Martyn AH , Price Patricia
Published: June 2006

Rapid progression of hepatitis C virus (HCV) disease in patients with HIV/HCV may reflect different cytokine responses and be influenced by HCV genotype. This is addressed by a study of patients with HIV/HCV coinfection and infection with HCV genotype 2 or 3 (2/3). They are compared with coinfected patients infected with genotype 1 and HCV monoinfected patients matched for HCV genotype. IFN‐γ, IL‐10, IL‐4 and IL‐4δ2 mRNA were quantified by real‐time PCR in unstimulated PBMC and after in vitro stimulation with HCV core or nonstructural 3/4A antigen. In unstimulated PBMC, levels of IFN‐γ and IL‐4 mRNA were lowest in HIV/HCV genotype 1 patients, intermediate in HIV/HCV genotype 2/3 patients and highest in HCV genotype 2/3 patients. Neither HCV genotype nor HIV affected levels of IL‐10 mRNA in unstimulated PBMC or IFN‐γ, IL‐4 and IL‐10 mRNA in PBMC stimulated with HCV antigens. Levels of IL‐4 and IL‐4δ2 mRNA correlated in mitogen‐stimulated PBMC from all patient groups but both were low in HIV/HCV genotype 1 patients. Serum soluble CD30 levels (a putative marker of a T2 cytokine environment) did not differ between patient groups. The data do not suggest a shift in the T1/T2 balance driven by HIV coinfection or HCV genotype but either may affect IL‐4 bioavailability.
Atomistic simulation of tensile strength and toughness of cracked Cu nanowires
Authors: LUQUE A. , ALDAZABAL J. , MARTÍNEZ‐ESNAOLA J. M. , SEVILLANO J. GIL
Published: June 2006

Virtual tensile experiments on cylindrical copper wires of nanometric diameter were carried out using molecular dynamics techniques based on the embedded‐atom method. Transverse, atomically sharp surface cracks with circular fronts of different depths are introduced to evaluate their effect on the mechanical strength of the nanowires. The axisymmetric z‐axis of the specimen is on the 001 direction of the nanowires. The analysis shows that, at 0 K, the cracked Cu nanowires behave in a ductile manner, their strength being determined by dislocation or twinning nucleation from the crack tip. Their calculated fracture toughness ranges from 0.6 to 3 MPa√m.
Characterization of TROY‐expressing cells in the developing and postnatal CNS: the possible role in neuronal and glial cell development
Authors: Hisaoka Tomoko , Morikawa Yoshihiro , Komori Tadasuke , Sugiyama Takuya , Kitamura Toshio , Senba Emiko
Published: June 2006

A member of the tumor necrosis factor receptor superfamily, TROY, is expressed in the CNS of embryonic and adult mice. In the present study, we characterized TROY‐expressing cells in the embryonic and postnatal forebrain. In the early embryonic forebrain, TROY was highly expressed in nestin‐positive neuroepithelial cells and radial glial cells, but not in microtubule‐associated protein 2‐positive postmitotic neurons. During the late embryonic and postnatal development, expression of TROY was observed in radial glial cells and astrocytes, whereas its expression was not detected in neuronal lineage cells. In addition, TROY was exclusively expressed in Musashi‐1‐positive multipotent/glial progenitors in the postnatal subventricular zone. To investigate the functions of TROY in neural development, we overexpressed TROY in PC12 cells and established stably expressing cell clones. As expected, the signals from overexpressed TROY were constitutively transduced via the activation of the nuclear factor‐κB and the c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase pathways in such clones. In addition, upregulation of negative basic helix–loop–helix transcription factors, HES‐5 and Id2 proteins, was observed in the TROY‐overexpressing clones. Interestingly, the overexpression of TROY in PC12 cells strongly inhibited nerve growth factor‐induced neurite outgrowth with reduction of some markers of differentiated neurons, such as neurofilament 150 kDa and neuron‐specific β‐tubulin. These findings suggest that the signaling from TROY regulates neuronal differentiation at least in part.
Cochlear damage induces GAP‐43 expression in cholinergic synapses of the cochlear nucleus in the adult rat: a light and electron microscopic study
Authors: Meidinger Markus A. , Hildebrandt‐Schoenfeld Heika , Illing Robert‐Benjamin
Published: June 2006

Recent studies suggest a potential for activity‐dependent reconstruction in the adult mammalian brainstem that exceeds previous expectations. We found that a unilateral cochlear lesion led within 1 week to a rise of choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) immunoreactivity in the ventral cochlear nucleus of the affected side, matching the lesion‐induced expression of growth‐associated protein 43 (GAP‐43) previously described. The rise of both ChAT and GAP‐43 immunoreactivity was reflected in the average density of the staining. Moreover, the number of light‐microscopically identifiable boutons increased in both stains. GAP‐43‐positive boutons could, by distinct ultrastructural features, regularly be identified as presynaptic endings. However, GAP‐43 immunoreactivity was not only found in presynaptic endings with a classical morphology, but also in profiles that suggest morphological dynamic structures by showing filopodia, assemblages of pleomorphic vesicles, large vesicles (diameter up to 200 nm) fusing with the presynaptic plasma membrane close to synaptic contacts, small dense‐core vesicles (diameter about 80 nm) and presynaptic ribosomes. Moreover, we observed perforated synapses as well as GAP‐43 immunoreactivity condensed in rafts, both indicative of growing or changing neuronal connections. Classical and untypical ultrastructural profiles that contained GAP‐43 also contained ChAT. We conclude that there is extensive deafness‐induced GAP‐43‐mediated synaptic plasticity in the cochlear nucleus, and that this plasticity is predominantly, if not exclusively, based on cholinergic afferents.
Signalling mechanisms mediated by the phosphoinositide 3‐kinase/Akt cascade in synaptic plasticity and memory in the rat
Authors: Horwood Jennifer M. , Dufour Franck , Laroche Serge , Davis Sabrina
Published: June 2006

The phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K)/Akt signalling cascade has classically been implicated in promoting cell survival but more recently has been shown to regulate a number of other cellular functions. In particular, studies have suggested that PI3K contributes to mechanisms associated with synaptic plasticity and memory processes but the function of this cascade in forms of synaptic plasticity, such as long‐term potentiation, remains controversial and the PI3K substrates which mediate these effects are poorly understood. Here we report that the PI3K inhibitor LY294002 infused i.c.v. in vivo blocked maintenance of long‐term potentiation induced in the dentate gyrus with a single tetanus to the perforant path but not with repeated tetani. This pattern of stimulation led to rapid and transient phosphorylation of the PI3K substrate Akt at Ser473 but not at Thr308. Functional readout of partial activation of Akt was demonstrated by an increase in phosphorylation of two downstream substrates, Forkhead (FKHR) and mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), in a delayed and prolonged manner at Akt‐specific phosphorylation sites. LY294002 blocked phosphorylation of Akt and the prolonged phosphorylation of FKHR and mTOR but did not impair long‐term potentiation‐induced phosphorylation of extracellular receptor kinase. In addition, the same i.c.v. concentration of LY294002 impaired long‐term consolidation of recognition memory but not short‐term recognition memory or spatial learning and repeated training in the recognition memory task overcame the deficit in consolidation. These results suggest that activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway may contribute to the mechanisms of synaptic plasticity and memory consolidation by promoting cell survival via FKHR and protein synthesis via mTOR. Importantly, only partial activation of Akt at its Ser473 residue was necessary to mediate these effects.
Pheromonal recognition memory induced by TRPC2‐independent vomeronasal sensing
Authors: Kelliher Kevin R. , Spehr Marc , Li Xiao‐Hong , Zufall Frank , Leinders‐Zufall Trese
Published: June 2006

Detection and transduction of pheromonal signals by the mouse vomeronasal organ (VNO) is critical for the formation of a persistent memory required for mate recognition in the context of selective pregnancy failure (the Bruce effect). This pregnancy block can be mediated by peptide ligands of disparate major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules, but little is known about the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect. Given the proposed key role of the transient receptor potential channel, TRPC2, in VNO signal transduction, we tested whether TRPC2 is essential for memory formation in the context of the Bruce effect. Surprisingly, the loss of the TRPC2 channel did not significantly influence memory formation, whereas surgical lesions of the VNO caused a profound deficit. Furthermore, field potential and single‐cell patch‐clamp recordings showed that TRPC2 is dispensable for the transduction of MHC peptide ligands by sensory neurons in the basal zone of the VNO. This indicates that a previously unrecognized TRPC2‐independent signal transduction mechanism in the VNO underlies the sensing of cues required for the formation of this pheromonal recognition memory.
The dynamic developmental localization of the full‐length corticotropin‐releasing factor receptor type 2 in rat cerebellum
Authors: Gounko Natalia V. , Kalicharan Dharamdajal , Rybakin Vasily , Gramsbergen Albert , Van Der Want Johannes J. L.
Published: June 2006

Corticotropin releasing factor receptor 2 (CRF‐R2) is strongly expressed in the cerebellum and plays an important role in the development of the cerebellar circuitry, particularly in the development of the dendritic trees and afferent input to Purkinje cells. However, the mechanisms responsible for the distribution and stabilization of CRF‐R2 in the cerebellum are not well understood. Here, we provide the first detailed analysis of the cellular localization of the full‐length form of CRF‐R2 in rat cerebellum during early postnatal development. We document unique and developmentally regulated subcellular distributions of CRF‐R2 in cerebellar cell types, e.g. granule cells after postnatal day 15. The presence of one or both receptor isoforms in the same cell may provide a molecular basis for distinct developmental processes. The full‐length form of CRF‐R2 may be involved in the regulation of the first stage of dendritic growth and at later stages in the controlling of the structural arrangement of immature cerebellar circuits and in the autoregulatory pathway of the cerebellum.
Power law relationships among hierarchical taxonomic categories in algae reveal a new paradox of the plankton
Authors: Passy Sophia I. , Legendre Pierre
Published: June 2006

Aim  In this continental‐scale study, the biodiversity of benthic and planktonic algal communities was explored. A recent analysis of extinct and extant tree communities by Enquist et al. (2002) showed that richness of higher taxa was a power function of species richness, invariant across temporal and spatial scales. Here we examined whether the relationships between algal richness at hierarchical taxonomic levels conform to power laws as seen for trees, and if these relationships differ between benthic and planktonic habitats.

Location  Streams from more than 50 major watersheds in the United States.

Method  A total of 3698 samples were collected from 1277 locations by the National Water‐Quality Assessment Program. Three types of stream habitat were sampled: richest targeted habitats, depositional targeted habitats, and phytoplankton. The relationships between taxonomic richness at the species level vs. all higher categories from genus to phylum across the three habitats were examined by ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions after ln‐transformation of all variables. The slopes, b, of these regressions represent the exponents of the power functions that scaled the richness of higher taxonomic levels (T) to species richness (S) in the form: T∝Sb.

Results  Algal richness at hierarchical taxonomic categories (genus to phylum) is a power function of species richness. The scaling exponent of this function, which captures the diversification of higher taxa, i.e. the rate of increase of their richness with the increase of species richness, is significantly different across environments.

Main conclusions  The differential algal diversification in the three studied habitats emphasizes the fundamental role of the environment in structuring the communities of simple organisms such as algae. The finding that the diversification of higher taxa is greater in the seemingly homogeneous planktonic environment, when compared to benthic habitats, encompassing an array of ecological niches, poses a new paradox of the plankton.
“The Turning of One's Soul”—Learning to Teach for Social Justice: The Putney Graduate School of Teacher Education (1950–1964)
Authors: Rodgers Carol R.
Published: June 2006

This article explores one teacher education program's experiment in “turning the souls” of its students to help them understand and care deeply about issues of race and social justice, including issues of environmental sustainability. The Putney Graduate School of Teacher Education (1950–1964), a small “reconstructionist” program, was based upon Deweyan principles of choice, discovery, and student-generated learning and had as its underlying tenet a commitment to change the world. These goals created a tension between student independence and the program's political commitments. Nonetheless, students discovered reasons for education that lay beyond themselves, their experiences, the classroom, and their traditional notions of school. By immersing students in experiences that moved them emotionally, students developed a willing accountability for changing their world.
Student Cohorts in Teacher Education: Support Groups or Intellectual Communities?
Authors: Seifert Kelvin , Mandzuk David
Published: June 2006

Recent initiatives in preservice teacher education have experimented with cohorts as a way to create supportive ties among peers, mutual intellectual support, and a sense of professionalism. The initiatives reflect a belief in collaboration, one expressed in educational literature supporting related forms of collaboration in education, such as descriptions of learning communities and of cooperative learning in classrooms. A review of this literature suggests a number of cautions, however, about the value and success of collaboration among colleagues, and in any case does not address the needs of cohorts in teacher education directly. To begin closing this information gap, the authors studied one particular teacher education program organized around cohorts. Sixteen students in a preservice bachelor of education program were interviewed at length about their experiences with cohort peers. Their comments were analyzed for recurring themes. Overall, they expressed a liking for cohort organization, but to varying degrees. Appreciation of the cohorts was focused almost entirely on the immediate social support provided by the cohort as a whole. It had little to do with its potential for academic stimulation, long-term professional ties, or individual personal friendships. Students reported a number of factors that affected their liking for cohorts, such as their age, prior family or job responsibilities, religion, and geographic distance of their home from the university.
The Triumph of the Market and the Decline of Liberal Education: Implications for Civic Life
Authors: Roosevelt Grace
Published: June 2006

The purpose of this article is to argue that the growing commercialization of education and the simultaneous decline of what has traditionally been called “liberal education” will limit the range of political discourse and thus have negative effects on civic life. In a context driven mainly by the profit motive, not-for-profit educational institutions have until recently provided one of the few protected spaces (besides the church) in which the profit motive itself may be openly questioned. But with today's new emphasis on marketable products, measurable outcomes, and business skills, many institutions of higher education are unlikely to expose students to visions of justice and equality that challenge the ethics of the market system. Debates over the extent to which profit making should be regulated in the public interest are crucial to the vitality of any political community. Without the political imagination and broad-based critical thinking that liberal learning has traditionally fostered, there is little hope that liberal politics can continue to survive. The article includes (1) some salient facts about the commercialization of education in the United States today, (2) a brief overview of the history of the idea of liberal education, and (3) concluding reflections about the link between liberal education and liberal politics.
Perspectives on determinants of social welfare: commentary
Authors: Bergman Lars R. , Lundberg Olle
Published: June 2006

In this commentary we discuss and elaborate on a number of topics that have been raised in the articles in this issue. The first topic treated is causality. All scientists are aware of the difficulties of making causal inferences in non‐experimental settings, and in many cases arguments are forwarded that support the causal interpretation of the reported relationships. Questions of bi‐directional causality, nonlinear relationships and the importance of omitted variables are discussed, as is the supporting evidence that in some cases comes from experimental studies. The second topic is the level of analysis employed in the empirical analyses and the difficulty of interpreting findings at a different level of aggregation than the level applied in these analyses. In this context, the importance of applying a person‐orientation is pointed out to ensure that the findings are interpretable at the level of the single individual. Even in individual‐level analyses, this can be problematic if one relies on group statistics produced within a variable‐oriented framework. The third topic concerns how to handle interactions and nonlinear relationships. The fourth topic concerns the importance of improving measurements so that a good correspondence is achieved between them and the theoretical conceptualisations. The fifth and last topic is concerned with the argument that different ways of investigating the generalisability of the results to different populations should be tried.
English and French national identity: comparisons and contrasts*
Authors: KUMAR KRISHAN
Published: June 2006

ABSTRACT.The English and the French are both former imperial peoples, and to that extent they share certain features of national identity common to peoples who have had empires. That includes a ‘missionary’ sense of themselves, a feeling that they have, or have had, a purpose in the world wider than the concerns of non‐imperial nations. I argue that nevertheless the English and the French have diverged substantially in their self‐conceptions. This I put down to a differing experience of empire, the sense especially among the French that the British were more successful in their imperial ventures. I also argue that contrasting domestic histories – evolutionary in the English case, revolutionary in that of the French – have also significantly coloured national identities in the two countries. These factors taken together, I argue, have produced a more intense sense of nationhood and a stronger national consciousness among the French than among the English.
The Legendary Commander: the construction of an Albanian master‐narrative in post‐war Kosovo*
Authors: LELLIO ANNA DI , SCHWANDNER‐SIEVERS STEPHANIE
Published: June 2006

ABSTRACT. The ongoing, post‐war construction of Albanian martyrs, memory and the nation in Kosovo has produced iconic tropes of militant resistance, unity and national independence. This critical interpretive account, based on years of the authors' ethnographic and political engagement with Albanians in post‐war Kosovo, focuses on the making of a master narrative that is centred on the ‘sublime sacrifice’ of the insurgent KLA leader Adem Jashari, known as the ‘Legendary Commander’. It also aims to trace voices of discord with this master narrative, testing contestations in terms of the rural–urban, political and gender divides in Kosovo‐Albanian society. It concludes that the narrow international view of Albanians as either ‘victims’ or ‘perpetrators’ has contributed to the consolidation of this powerful narrative, its celebration of Albanian agency in militant resistance and the closing of public debate within Albanian society.
Oxidative stress and neurodegeneration: where are we now?
Authors: Halliwell Barry
Published: June 2006

The brain and nervous system are prone to oxidative stress, and are inadequately equipped with antioxidant defense systems to prevent ‘ongoing’ oxidative damage, let alone the extra oxidative damage imposed by the neurodegenerative diseases. Indeed, increased oxidative damage, mitochondrial dysfunction, accumulation of oxidized aggregated proteins, inflammation, and defects in protein clearance constitute complex intertwined pathologies that conspire to kill neurons. After a long lag period, therapeutic and other interventions based on a knowledge of redox biology are on the horizon for at least some of the neurodegenerative diseases.
Prion diseases of humans and farm animals: epidemiology, genetics, and pathogenesis
Authors: Aguzzi Adriano
Published: June 2006

Neuronal vacuolation (spongiosis), neuronal death, and pronounced glial reactions are the hallmarks of transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs), or prion diseases. A wealth of physical, biochemical, and immunological evidence indicates that the TSE agent, termed prion, does not contain agent‐specific nucleic acid encoding its own constituents, as is the case for all other infectious pathogens. Also, no adaptive immune responses are elicited upon infection. A defining feature of TSEs is the deposition, mainly in the brain and lymphoreticular tissues, of an aggregated and structurally abnormal protein, designated PrPSc or PrP‐res, which represents a conformational isomer of the ubiquitous surface protein PrPC. Biochemical and genetic evidence link PrP and its gene to the disease. Although TSEs are by definition transmissible, a growing number of Prnp‐associated non‐infectious neurodegenerative proteinopathies are now being recognized.
The glutamate/GABA‐glutamine cycle: aspects of transport, neurotransmitter homeostasis and ammonia transfer
Authors: Bak Lasse K. , Schousboe Arne , Waagepetersen Helle S.
Published: June 2006

Neurons are metabolically handicapped in the sense that they are not able to perform de novo synthesis of neurotransmitter glutamate and γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) from glucose. A metabolite shuttle known as the glutamate/GABA‐glutamine cycle describes the release of neurotransmitter glutamate or GABA from neurons and subsequent uptake into astrocytes. In return, astrocytes release glutamine to be taken up into neurons for use as neurotransmitter precursor. In this review, the basic properties of the glutamate/GABA‐glutamine cycle will be discussed, including aspects of transport and metabolism. Discussions of stoichiometry, the relative role of glutamate vs. GABA and pathological conditions affecting the glutamate/GABA‐glutamine cycling are presented. Furthermore, a section is devoted to the accompanying ammonia homeostasis of the glutamate/GABA‐glutamine cycle, examining the possible means of intercellular transfer of ammonia produced in neurons (when glutamine is deamidated to glutamate) and utilized in astrocytes (for amidation of glutamate) when the glutamate/GABA‐glutamine cycle is operating. A main objective of this review is to endorse the view that the glutamate/GABA‐glutamine cycle must be seen as a bi‐directional transfer of not only carbon units but also nitrogen units.
Agonist and antagonist sensitivity of non‐selective cation channel currents evoked by muscarinic receptor stimulation in bovine ciliary muscle cells
Authors: Sugawara R. , Takai Y. , Miyazu M. , Ohinata H. , Yoshida A. , Takai A.
Published: June 2006

1 In the bovine ciliary muscle, stimulation of muscarinic receptors with carbachol (CCh) opens two types of non‐selective cation channels (NSCCS and NSCCL) with widely different unitary conductances (100 fS and 35 pS). Here we examined the dependence of the activity of NSCCS on the agonist (CCh) concentration by whole‐cell voltage clamp in freshly isolated bovine ciliary muscle cells. We also examined the sensitivity of CCh‐evoked NSCCS currents to several muscarinic receptor antagonists.

2 The voltage clamp experiments were carried out using Ba2+as the charge carrier, as this divalent cation is the most permeant for NSCCS of the alkali and alkaline earth metal ions hitherto examined, whereas it is relatively impermeant to NSCCL. For the dose–activation relationship obtained, the apparent dissociation constantKwas estimated to be 0.5 ± 0.2 μm(n = 31), a value of an order of magnitude smaller than the one reported for CCh‐evoked NSCCL currents in our previous experiments.

3 In the dose‐inhibition experiments we observed that the CCh‐evoked NSCCS currents were inhibited by the muscarinic antagonists with the following potency sequence: atropine ≈ 4‐DAMP >> pirenzepine > AF‐DX116, indicating that the activation of NSCCS by CCh is mediated by an M3muscarinic receptor.

4 We have previously shown by reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction that the bovine ciliary muscle contains mRNAs for several transient receptor potential channel homologues (TRPC1, TRPC3, TRPC4 and TRPC6) which are attracting attention as molecular candidates for receptor‐operated NSCCs. In the present experiments, we succeeded in visually identifying these TRPCs in the plasma membrane of cultured bovine ciliary muscle cells by immunofluorescence microscopy.
Muscarinic stimulation of the rat isolated whole bladder: pathophysiological models of detrusor overactivity
Authors: Drake M. , Gillespie J. , Hedlund P. , Harvey I. , Lagou M. , Andersson K.‐E.
Published: June 2006

1 Hypotheses as to the pathophysiological basis of bladder detrusor muscle overactivity (DO) have identified both central nervous and peripheral mechanisms as likely contributory factors. In this paper, we describe peripheral autonomous bladder activity in two animal models of DO and discuss how the differences observed between the two models support the likelihood that clinical DO has a multifactorial basis.

2 A total of 12 adult female Sprague–Dawley rats underwent obstruction or sham operation for 1 or 4 weeks. Six adult female spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were compared with normal Wistar controls. Bladders were microsurgically removed and mounted in whole organ tissue baths. Recordings of intravesical pressure in response to the muscarinic receptor agonist arecaidine were performed under standardized conditions.

3 In the partially obstructed rat bladder, the amplitude of pressure fluctuations elicited by the muscarinic agonist arecaidine was significantly increased compared with sham‐operated animals. The tonic component of the response was no different for the two groups. No difference from controls was apparent in the SHR.

4 We conclude that alterations in autonomous bladder activity in the obstructed rat model suggest that peripheral functional changes contribute to the pathophysiological abnormality. In contrast, the fundamental abnormality in the SHR appears to be at a more central level. The observations support the supposition that lesions at widely separate sites can give rise to apparently similar abnormalities of lower urinary tract function.
Muscarinic receptor function, density and G‐protein coupling in the overactive diabetic rat bladder
Authors: Stevens L. A. , Sellers D. J. , McKay N. G. , Chapple C. R. , Chess‐Williams R.
Published: June 2006

1 Bladder smooth muscle sensitivity to muscarinic agonists is increased in the overactive bladder. Treatment of rats with streptozotocin induces a diabetic state in which the bladder muscle is overactive and also supersensitive to muscarinic agonists. This study has examined bladder contraction, muscarinic receptor density and receptor/G‐protein coupling in the streptozotocin‐induced overactive bladder of the rat.

2 Diabetes was induced by a single intraperitoneal dose of streptozotocin. Seven days later contraction of isolated detrusor muscle strips was assessed in tissue bath experiments, while receptor density was assayed in saturation experiments with [3H]‐QNB (quinuclidinyl benzilate, l‐[benzilic‐4,4′‐3H]) and receptor/G‐protein coupling was determined in agonist displacement experiments with this radioligand.

3 Isolated detrusor strips from diabetic animals displayed an enhanced degree of spontaneous activity (0.060 ± 0.016 g mg−1, compared with 0.015 ± 0.004 g mg−1, P < 0.05). Carbachol produced contractile responses in tissues from both control and diabetic rats, but the diabetic tissues were more sensitive to this agonist, the pEC50 being 6.52 ± 0.17 compared with 5.93 ± 0.06 in controls (P < 0.001). Maximum responses to carbachol were similar in both groups of animals. The increase in carbachol potency was accompanied by a 40% increase in receptor density from 158 ± 5 to 221 ± 22 fmol mg−1 protein (P < 0.05), but this was not enough to fully account for the change in tissue sensitivity.

4 In the absence of GTP‐γ‐S, carbachol displaced [3H]‐QNB from two binding sites, the high‐affinity site (pKi = 7.06 ± 0.26) which represents the receptors coupled to G‐proteins made up 43.1 ± 5.9% of the total binding sites in control tissues and this value was similar (41.0 ± 4.0%) in the diabetic tissues (pKi = 6.64 ± 0.31). In the presence of GTP‐γ‐S, carbachol displaced [3H]‐QNB from a single binding site which had a low‐affinity, similar to the low‐affinity site observed in the absence of GTP‐γ‐S.

5 These data demonstrate that detrusor supersensitivity is observed after only 1 week of untreated diabetes in the rat. The overactivity is associated with an enhanced sensitivity to carbachol, which is partly explained by an increase in receptor density, but there appears to be no change in receptor/G‐protein coupling.
Measurement of expired carbon dioxide, oxygen and volume in conjunction with pretest probability estimation as a method to diagnose and exclude pulmonary venous thromboembolism
Authors: Kline Jeffrey A. , Hogg Melanie
Published: June 2006

Background:  The classical alveolar pCO2–pO2 relationship predicts that pulmonary embolism (PE) causes a low ratio of pCO2/pO2 at end expiration. Our purpose was to define a simple protocol to collect expired pCO2/pO2 to diagnose PE. Emergency department patients with suspected PE were enrolled. Clinical pretest probabilities for PE were estimated prior to diagnostic testing using the Canadian score and clinicians’ unstructured estimate. Patients provided three 30‐s periods of tidal breathing, separated by three deep exhalations. Expired pCO2, pO2 and breath volume were measured. All patients underwent standardized objective testing for PE including 90‐day follow‐up. Diagnosis (PE+) required anticoagulation for image‐proven PE within 90 days.

Results:  Of 200 patients enrolled, 178 were included in final analysis (24 PE+). The mean coefficient of variability for the deep‐exhaled and end‐tidal pCO2/pO2 ratios were 6·8 ± 6·7 and 7·5 ± 6·8%, respectively. Mean pCO2/pO2 ratios were stable throughout the collection periods in both methods. When compared with the deep‐exhaled ratio, the end‐tidal mean ratio demonstrated slightly better diagnostic utility by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. The end‐tidal ratios were divided into four interval likelihood ratios and coupled with pretest probability from the two methods to generate three sets of posttest probabilities. Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated good overall diagnostic performance (areas under the curves >0·88) for both posttest probability sets.

Conclusion:  This preliminary work demonstrates that the end‐tidal pCO2/pO2 averaged from 30 s of breathing can produce clinically relevant likelihood ratios for the diagnosis and exclusion of PE.
Evaluation of cardiac performance of the dog after induction of portal hypertension and gastric ischemia
Authors: MacPhail Catriona M. , Monnet Eric , Pelsue Davyd H. , Gaynor James S.
Published: June 2006

Objective:To determine changes in hemodynamic and cardiac energetic parameters in dogs after induction of portal hypertension and gastric ischemia. These blood flow alterations are similar to changes seen in splanchnic blood flow in dogs with gastric dilatation volvulus syndrome (GDV).

Design:Original experimental study.

Setting:Veterinary teaching hospital.

Animals:Seven purpose‐bred, intact male dogs.

Interventions:Standard midline laparotomy and median sternotomy were performed under general anesthesia. Dogs were instrumented to obtain arterial blood pressure, aortic flow, cardiac chamber pressures, central venous pressure, portal flow, and portal pressure. Colored microsphere technology was used for the determination of myocardial blood flow. Measurements and samples were obtained at baseline, following induction of portal hypertension, and after induction of portal hypertension and gastric ischemia.

Measurements and main results:Left ventricular myocardial blood flow was increased from 81.8±20.1 mL/100 g/min at baseline to 127.7±57.2 mL/100 g/min (P=0.02) after induction of portal hypertension and gastric ischemia. Myocardial oxygen consumption increased from 142.2±27.4 J/min/100 g at baseline to 219.1±33.4 J/min/100 g (P=0.003) after induction of portal hypertension and gastric ischemia, but cardiac external work remained unchanged (13.67±6.2 to 13.27±9.6 J/min;P=0.78; power=0.79). Cardiac efficiency decreased from 11.6±6.1% at baseline to 7.6±5.1% (P=0.017) after induction of portal hypertension and gastric ischemia.

Conclusions:Transfer of energy within the myocardium was less efficient after induction of portal hypertension and ischemia of the stomach wall. On the basis of these results, alterations in cardiac function associated with GDV may result from deterioration of cardiac efficiency.
Rapid and High‐Throughput Forensic Short Tandem Repeat Typing Using a 96‐Lane Microfabricated Capillary Array Electrophoresis Microdevice*
Authors: Yeung Stephanie H.I. , Greenspoon Susan A. , McGuckian Amy , Crouse Cecelia A. , Emrich Charles A. , Ban Jeffrey , Mathies Richard A.
Published: June 2006

ABSTRACT: A 96‐channel microfabricated capillary array electrophoresis (μCAE) device was evaluated for forensic short tandem repeat (STR) typing using PowerPlex 16® and AmpFℓSTR® Profiler Plus® multiplex PCR systems. The high‐throughput μCAE system produced high‐speed <30‐min parallel sample separations with single‐base resolution. Forty‐eight previously analyzed single‐source samples were accurately typed, as confirmed on an ABI Prism 310 and/or the Hitachi FMBIO II. Minor alleles in 3:1 mixture samples containing female and male DNA were reliably typed as well. The instrument produced full profiles from sample DNA down to 0.17 ng, a threshold similar to that found for the ABI 310. Seventeen nonprobative samples from various evidentiary biological stains were also correctly typed. The successful application of the μCAE device to actual forensic STR typing samples is a significant step toward the development of a completely integrated STR analysis microdevice.
High‐Performance Liquid Chromatography–Ultraviolet–Visible Spectroscopy–Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry Method for Acrylic and Polyester Forensic Fiber Dye Analysis*
Authors: Petrick Lauren M. , Wilson Trevor A. , Ronald Fawcett W.
Published: June 2006

ABSTRACT: A critical point of comparison between a fiber collected from a crime scene and a fiber from a known source is the color. Fiber dye analysis using thin‐layer chromatography or ultraviolet (UV)–visible (Vis) microspectrophotometry provides useful, although limited, data for comparison. High‐performance liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC/MS) overcomes these limitations by integrating chromatography, ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy, and mass spectrometry into a single instrument. In order to evaluate the applicability of the LC/MS to forensic fiber dye analysis, a multi‐stage chromatographic method using acidified water and acidified acetonitrile was developed that separated and identified a mixture of 15 basic and 13 disperse dye standards. The LC/MS also detected and analyzed dyes extracted from individual 0.5 cm acrylic and polyester fibers, demonstrating its applicability to this type of analysis. With regard to the analysis of disperse dyes in polyester fibers, the replacement of pyridine with acetonitrile in the extraction system allowed direct injection of the extracts into the LC/MS. The advantage of the LC/MS over other instrumental methods of textile dye analysis is demonstrated by the analysis and differentiation of three black acrylic fibers: two fibers had similar UV–Vis spectra but were differentiated with chromatography and two had similar UV–Vis spectra and chromatograms but were differentiated using the mass spectrometer.
Ultrastructure of Long‐Range Transport Carriers Moving from the trans Golgi Network to Peripheral Endosomes
Authors: Polishchuk Roman S. , Pietro Enrica San , Pentima Alessio Di , Teté Stefano , Bonifacino Juan S.
Published: June 2006

The delivery of mannose 6‐phosphate receptors carrying lysosomal hydrolases from the trans‐Golgi network (TGN) to the endosomal system is mediated by selective incorporation of the receptor–hydrolase complexes into vesicular transport carriers (TCs) that are coated with clathrin and the adaptor proteins, GGA and AP‐1. Previous electron microscopy (EM) and biochemical studies have shown that these TCs consist of spherical coated vesicles with a diameter of 60–100 nm. The use of fluorescent live cell imaging, however, has revealed that at least some of this transport relies on a subset of apparently larger and highly pleiomorphic carriers that detach from the TGN and translocate toward the peripheral cytoplasm until they meet with distally located endosomes. The ultrastructure of such long‐range TCs has remained obscure because of the inability to examine by conventional EM the morphological details of rapidly moving organelles. The recent development of correlative light‐EM has now allowed us to obtain ultrastructural ‘snapshots’ of these TCs immediately after their formation from the TGN in live cells. This approach has revealed that such carriers range from typical 60‐ to 100‐nm clathrin‐coated vesicles to larger, convoluted tubular‐vesicular structures displaying several coated buds. We propose that this subset of TCs serve as vehicles for long‐range distribution of biosynthetic or recycling cargo from the TGN to the peripheral endosomes.
Burn wound depth assessment – is laser Doppler imaging the best measurement tool available?
Authors: Mandal Anirban
Published: June 2006

Accurate early assessment of burn wound depth is increasingly important in clinical decision‐making. Clinimetric principles are absolutely mandatory while developing a new test or tool for use in the clinical setting. This article critically evaluates the clinimetrics of a powerful tool for assessment of burn depth and whether Laser Doppler Imaging can meet those criteria by virtue of differentiation between superficial and deep burns.
Phytosociological study on steppe vegetation in the vicinity of Kharkiv, Ukraine
Authors: Cheng Yunxiang , Nakamura Toru
Published: June 2006

To classify the steppe vegetation of the natural grasslands in the Ukraine from a viewpoint of phytosociology, vegetation investigation was carried out in three relatively homogeneous sites in Kharkiv Province. Plant communities were classified by their characteristic species and differential species on the basis of the floristic composition into two communities, Stipa capillata–Festuca sulcata community and Poa angustifolia–F. sulcata community, and below four lower units. Using the data of three phases of soil in each of the three sites and the detrended correspondence analysis ordination technique, the score of axis 1 correlated most closely with geographical gradient which reflected the soil water condition. This result shows that the S. capillata–F. sulcata community is more tolerant to a dry habitat of the steppe vegetation of the Ukraine.
Effects of phenylalanine fermentation byproduct and sugarcane molasses on fermentation quality and rumen degradation of whole crop barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) silage in situ
Authors: Wuisman Yimiti , Hiraoka Hiroshi , Yahaya Mohammed Sani , Takeda Motoharu , Kim Wanjae , Takahashi Toru , Karita Shuich , Horiguchi Kenichi , Takahashi Toshiyosi , Goto Masakazu
Published: June 2006

Phenylalanine fermentation byproduct (PFB) is generated by purifying phenylalanine products from microbial fermentation in the food industry. We examined the function of PFB as an ensiling agent to improve the silage fermentation and nutritive value of forage crops. We investigated the fermentation quality and rumen degradability of whole crop barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) silage in situ. We ensiled this type of silage in a laboratory scale using five compositional ratios (v/v) of PFB (20%, 40%, 50%, 60% and 80%) and a mixture of sugarcane molasses (SCM). Controls included the same volumes of water as the mixture of sugarcane molasses. The following strains Lactococcus lactis ssp. lactis (IFO12007), Leuconostoc mesenteroides ssp. mesenteroides (IFO12060), Lactobaccillus plantarum (IF014713), Pedioccocus acidilactici (IFO3858), Clostridium butyricum (IFO3858) and silage yeast (strain MY; separated from whole crop rice silage in this laboratory) were cultivated at 30°C in the recommended media containing a substituted carbon source depending on the compositional ratios of PFB and SCM mixtures. The growth of these strains was determined by measuring the optical density at 600 nm (OD600). The growth of the lactic acid bacteria significantly (P < 0.001) increased in the presence of all PFB additives as compared with the control. The growth of C. butyricum was significantly increased, whereas that of silage yeast was decreased under all conditions. The concentrations of lactate and total organic acids were significantly higher (P < 0.001) whereas those of acetate were lower in all PFB silages. These results indicated that PFB improved the silage fermentation of forage crops. With leaf and stem fractions, the neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content was significantly (P < 0.001) decreased by the PFB additive and the rumen degradability of DM and NDF in situ was also significantly increased (P < 0.01 and P < 0.001, respectively).
Leafing phenology and timing of egg laying in great tits Parus major and blue tits P. caeruleus
Authors: Nilsson Jan‐Åke , Källander Hans
Published: June 2006

To evaluate the importance of tree leafing for the start of laying and clutch size of birds, we compared the breeding phenology of great tits Parus major and blue tits P. caeruleus between one coastal and two inland sites in the same geographical region. Because of the cooling influence of the sea, trees at the coastal site were known to initiate budburst about a week later than at the inland sites. During 5 years, breeding by the tits and the leaf phenology of birch Betula pendula, and oak Quercus robur were monitored. The leaf phenology of birch and oak explained a significant part of the between‐year variation in the start of egg laying in blue and great tits, respectively. The tits started laying earlier at the sites with an early budburst, i.e. normally inland. However, leaf phenology was not an absolute cue to the start of laying, since blue tits laid earlier relative to leafing at the inland site than at the coastal site, and both tit species laid eggs earlier relative to leafing during late springs. In neither species was clutch size affected by leafing phenology. However, great tit females at the coastal site consistently produced fewer eggs than did those at the inland site. No such difference was found in the blue tits. Although leafing phenology may predict the start of laying in tits, other factors also influence its timing. These factors might include other cues, or differing life‐history trade‐offs depending on site or general climatic factors during the spring.
INNER PRODUCT BASED ENTROPY IN THE INTUITIONISTIC FUZZY SETTING
Authors: VLACHOS IOANNIS K. , SERGIADIS GEORGE D.
Published: June 2006

In this paper, an entropy formula for intuitionistic fuzzy sets is presented. The notion of the intuitionistic fuzzy vector is introduced and an entropy measure is derived based on the normalized inner product between intuitionistic fuzzy vectors in the unit intuitionistic fuzzy cube. Some considerations regarding the geometrical representations of intuitionistic fuzzy sets are also stated and a connection between the different notions of entropy in the intuitionistic fuzzy setting is established. Finally, the relation of the proposed entropy measure to the concepts of correlation and informational energy for intuitionistic fuzzy sets is revealed and a new correlation coefficient is introduced.
ON ALMOST CONVERGENT SEQUENCES OF FUZZY NUMBERS
Authors: SAVAŞ EKREM
Published: June 2006

In this paper, we study the space of almost convergent sequences of fuzzy numbers and show that it is complete metric space. We also introduce and discuss the concept of almost statistical convergence of fuzzy numbers.
Flow of electrorheological fluid under conditions of slip on the boundary
Authors: Hoppe R. H. W. , Kuzmin M. Y. , Litvinov W. G. , Zvyagin V. G.
Published: June 2006

We study a mathematical model describing flows of electrorheological fluids. A theorem of existence of a weak solution is proved. For this purpose the approximating‐topological method is used.