bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Identification of specific reachable molecular targets in human breast cancer using a versatile ex vivo proteomic method
Authors: Castronovo Vincent , Kischel Philippe , Guillonneau François , de Leval Laurence , Deféchereux Thierry , De Pauw Edwin , Neri Dario , Waltregny David
Published: March 2007

Targeting of tumoral tissues is one of the most promising approaches to improve both the efficacy and safety of anticancer treatments. The identification of valid targets, including proteins specifically and abundantly expressed in cancer lesions, is of utmost importance. Despite state‐of‐the‐art technologies, the discovery of cancer‐associated target proteins still faces the limitation, in human tissues, of antigen accessibility to suitable high‐affinity ligands such as human mAb bound to bioactive molecules. Terminal perfusion of tumor‐bearing mice or ex vivo perfusion of human cancer‐bearing organs with a reactive biotin ester solution has successfully led to the identification of novel accessible biomarkers. This methodology is however restricted to perfusable organs, and excludes most of the tissues of interest to targeted therapies, e.g. primary breast cancer and metastases. Herein, we report on the development of a new chemical proteomic method that bypasses the perfusion step and thus offers the potential to identify accessible molecular targets in virtually all types of animal and human tissues. We have validated our new procedure by identifying biomarkers selectively expressed in human breast carcinoma. Overall, this powerful technology may lay the ground not only for custom‐made therapies in cancer, but also for the development of therapies that need to be selectively delivered in a specific tissue.
Nonisothermal crystallization behavior and crystalline structure of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate)/layered double hydroxide nanocomposites
Authors: Hsu Sung‐Fu , Wu Tzong‐Ming , Liao Chien‐Shiun
Published: March 2007

X‐ray diffraction method and differential scanning calorimetry analysis have been used to investigate the nonisothermal crystallization of poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)/poly(ethylene glycol) phosphonates (PEOPAs)‐modified layered double hydroxide (PMLDH) nanocomposites. Effects of cooling rates and PMLDH contents on the nonisothermal crystallization behavior of PHB were explored. These results show that the addition of 2 wt % PMLDH into PHB caused heterogeneous nucleation increasing the crystallization rate and reducing the activation energy. By adding PMLDH into the PHB probably hinder the transport ability of the molecule chains and result in a decreasing crystallity of PHB, thus increasing the activation energy. The correlation among melting behavior, apparent crystallite size, and paracrystalline distortion of PHB/PMLDH nanocomposites has been also discussed. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 995–1002, 2007
Suggestive genetic linkage to chromosome 11p11.2‐q12.2 in hereditary prostate cancer families with primary kidney cancer
Authors: Johanneson Bo , Deutsch Kerry , McIntosh Laura , Friedrichsen‐Karyadi Danielle M. , Janer Marta , Kwon Erika M. , Iwasaki Lori , Hood Leroy , Ostrander Elaine A. , Stanford Janet L.
Published: March 2007

BACKGROUND

The Seattle‐based PROGRESS study was started in 1995 to ascertain hereditary prostate cancer (HPC) families for studies of genetic susceptibility. Subsequent studies by several research groups, including our own, suggest that HPC is a genetically heterogeneous disease. To be successful in mapping loci for such a complex disease, one must consider ways of grouping families into subsets that likely share the same genetic origin. Towards that end, we analyzed a genome‐wide scan of HPC families with primary kidney cancer.

METHODS

An 8.1 cM genome‐wide scan including 441 microsatellite markers was analyzed by both parametric and non‐parametric linkage approaches in fifteen HPC families with the co‐occurrence of kidney cancer.

RESULTS

There was no evidence for significant linkage in the initial findings. However, two regions of suggestive linkage were observed at 11q12 and 4q21, with HLOD scores of 2.59 and 2.10, respectively. The primary result on chromosome 11 was strengthened after excluding two families with members who had rare transitional cell carcinoma (TCC). Specifically, we observed a non‐parametric Kong and Cox P‐value of 0.004 for marker D11S1290 at 11p11.2. The 8 cM region between 11p11.2 and 11q12.2 was refined by the addition of 16 new markers. The subset of HPC families with a median age of diagnosis >65 years demonstrated the strongest evidence for linkage, with an HLOD = 2.50. The P‐values associated with non‐parametric analysis ranged from 0.004 to 0.05 across five contiguous markers.

CONCLUSIONS

Analysis of HPC families with members diagnosed with primary renal cell carcinoma demonstrates suggestive linkage to chromosome 11p11.2‐q12.2. Prostate 67: 732–742, 2007. Published 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Alterations in dendritic morphology of the prefrontal cortical and striatum neurons in the unilateral 6‐OHDA‐rat model of Parkinson's disease
Authors: Solis Oscar , Limón Daniel I. , Flores‐Hernández Jorge , Flores Gonzalo
Published: March 2007

We have studied the morphological changes of the dendrites of the pyramidal neurons of the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and the medium spiny neurons of the caudate‐putamen (CPu) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc) induced by the injection of 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA) into the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc). The unilateral 6‐OHDA‐induced lesion of the SNc was made in Wistar rats to produce the Parkinson model lesion. Two weeks after the injection, the testing of rotational behavior caused by amphetamine injection was done to assess the animals with lesions. Four weeks after the 6‐OHDA injection, the morphology of the pyramidal cells of Layer 5 of the PFC and the medium spiny neurons of the CPu and NAcc were quantified by modified Golgi‐Cox staining. The results showed that the length of dendrites, the branching, and the density of dendritic spines on the medium spiny neurons of the same side of the caudate‐putamen lesion were significantly decreased in rats with the unilateral 6‐OHDA‐induced lesion of the SNc. The pyramidal neurons of the PFC and medium spiny neurons of the NAcc showed a decrease in the density of dendritic spines without significant changes in dendritic length or arborization. Our data suggest that the SNc lesion with the 6‐OHDA, Hemiparkinsonism animal model may lead to altered neuronal plasticity in the CPu, NAcc, and PFC that may have participated in the emergence of the behavioral changes observed in these animals. Synapse 61:450‐458, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect on [11C]DASB binding after tranylcypromine‐induced increase in serotonin concentration: Positron emission tomography studies in monkeys and rats
Authors: Lundquist Pinelopi , Roman Magnus , Syvänen Stina , Hartvig Per , Blomquist Gunnar , Hammarlund‐Udenaes Margareta , Långström Bengt
Published: March 2007

Several research groups have demonstrated that under specific conditions, in vivo neuroreceptor binding techniques can be used to measure acute changes in the concentrations of endogenous transmitters in the vicinity of neuroreceptors. The aim of this study was to investigate whether [11C]‐3‐amino‐4‐(2‐dimethylaminomethyl‐phenylsulfanyl)‐benzonitrile ([11C]DASB) binding to the plasma membrane serotonin transporter (SERT) in the rhesus monkey and rat brain decreased after a pharmacologically‐induced increase in the interstitial serotonin (5HT) concentration. Three rhesus monkeys were given repeated single boluses of [11C]DASB in sequential positron emission tomography (PET) experiments. Rats were given the tracer as a bolus dose plus a constant infusion. In vivo binding in both models was studied before and after presumably having increased interstitial 5HT concentrations using tranylcypromine (TCP), which inhibits the enzyme (monoamine oxidase, MAO), that degrades 5HT. The rat brain tissue was analyzed using high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to determine the proportion of the PET signal comprising unchanged [11C]DASB. The binding of [11C]DASB in the thalamus decreased in both rhesus monkeys and rats after TCP administration. The possibility of using [11C]DASB as a tool for monitoring changes in endogenous serotonin concentrations merits further investigation. Synapse 61:440‐449, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of prefrontal cortex inactivation on behavioral and neurochemical abnormalities in rats with excitotoxic lesions of the entorhinal cortex
Authors: Uehara Takashi , Sumiyoshi Tomiki , Matsuoka Tadasu , Itoh Hiroko , Kurachi Masayoshi
Published: March 2007

Morphological studies report reductions in the volume of medial temporal lobe structures and the prefrontal cortex in subjects with schizophrenia. The present study was performed to clarify the role of prefrontal–temporo–limbic system in the manifestation of psychosis, using entorhinal cortical lesion rats as a vulnerability animal model. Quinolinic acid (lesion group) or phosphate buffer (sham group) was infused into the left entorhinal cortex (EC) of male Wistar rats. On the 28th postoperative day, methamphetamine (MAP; 1 mg/kg, i.p.)‐induced dopamine (DA) release in the nucleus accumbens (NAC) and the basolateral amygdala (BLA), as well as locomotor activity and prepulse inhibition (PPI), was measured following microinfusion of lidocaine or the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) into the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Lesions of the EC resulted in enhancement of MAP‐induced DA release in the NAC and BLA. Further analysis revealed that the enhancement by EC lesions of MAP‐induce DA release in the NAC was particularly evident in the lidocaine‐infused rats. EC lesions also enhanced MAP‐induced locomotor activity, especially in the lidocaine‐treated animals. By contrast, infusion of lidocaine into mPFC attenuated MAP‐induced DA release in the BLA, irrespective of the lesion status. Both EC lesions and lidocaine infusion disrupted PPI. These results indicate that inactivation of the mPFC, as well as structural abnormalities in the EC, leads to dysregulation of DAergic neurotransmissions in the limbic regions. The implications of these findings in relation to the neural basis for psychosis vulnerability are discussed. Synapse 61:391‐400, © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Differential expression of Homer 1 gene by acute and chronic administration of antipsychotics and dopamine transporter inhibitors in the rat forebrain
Authors: Ambesi‐Impiombato Alberto , Panariello Fabio , Dell'aversano Carmela , Tomasetti Carmine , Muscettola Giovanni , de Bartolomeis Andrea
Published: March 2007

Neuronal expression of immediate‐early genes in response to a drug is a powerful screening tool for dissecting anatomical and functional brain circuitry affected by psychoactive compounds. We examined the effect of dopaminergic perturbation on two Homer 1 gene splice variants, Homer 1a and ania‐3, in rat forebrain. Rats were treated with the “typical” antipsychotic haloperidol, the “atypical” quetiapine, or the selective dopamine transporter (DAT) inhibitor GBR 12909 in acute and chronic paradigms. Our results show that the high affinity dopamine D2 receptor antagonist haloperidol strongly induces Homer 1 gene expression in the caudate‐putamen, whereas quetiapine, a fast D2R dissociating antagonist, does not. This confirms that Homer 1 may be considered a predictor of “atypicality” of antipsychotic compounds in acute and also chronic regimens. Chronic treatment with GBR 12909 showed a strong induction in the parietal cortex, resembling the activation of “sensitization” circuitry by stimulants. Finally, we describe a differential spatial induction pattern of Homer 1 gene within the caudate‐putamen by typical antipsychotics and DAT blockers, and propose a novel method to quantitate it. Synapse 61:429–439, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Regulation of neuronal cdc20 (p55cdc) expression by the plasticity‐related transcription factor zif268
Authors: Conway Ann‐Marie , James Allan B. , Zang Jie , Morris Brian J.
Published: March 2007

Most forms of neuronal plasticity are associated with induction of the transcription factor zif268 (egr1). Down‐regulation of cdc20 (p55cdc)—a regulatory protein for the anaphase‐promoting complex, which controls access of specific substrates to the proteasome—was observed after transfection of a neuronal cell line with zif268. Treatment of cultured hippocampal neurones with NMDA, which elevates endogenous zif268 levels, also decreased cdc20 levels. Conversely, the levels of cdc20 were found to be increased in the cerebral cortex of mice with targeted deletion of the zif268 gene, when compared with wild‐type controls. Our findings indicate that expression of the cdc20 gene is down‐regulated by zif268 in neuronal cells, and provide new evidence that altered expression of proteasome‐regulatory genes following zif268 induction may be a key component of long‐lasting CNS plasticity. Synapse 61:463‐468, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Repair of Giant Midline Abdominal Wall Hernias: “Components Separation Technique” versus Prosthetic Repair
Authors: Reilingh T. S. de Vries , van Goor H. , Charbon J. A. , Rosman C. , Hesselink E. J. , van der Wilt G. J. , Bleichrodt R. P.
Published: March 2007

Background

Reconstruction of giant midline abdominal wall hernias is difficult, and no data are available to decide which technique should be used. It was the aim of this study to compare the “components separation technique” (CST) versus prosthetic repair with e‐PTFE patch (PR).

Method

Patients with giant midline abdominal wall hernias were randomized for CST or PR. Patients underwent operation following standard procedures. Postoperative morbidity was scored on a standard form, and patients were followed for 36 months after operation for recurrent hernia.

Results

Between November 1999 and June 2001, 39 patients were randomized for the study, 19 for CST and 18 for PR. Two patients were excluded perioperatively because of gross contamination of the operative field. No differences were found between the groups at baseline with respect to demographic details, co‐morbidity, and size of the defect. There was no in‐hospital mortality. Wound complications were found in 10 of 19 patients after CST and 13 of 18 patients after PR. Seroma was found more frequently after PR. In 7 of 18 patients after PR, the prosthesis had to be removed as a consequence of early or late infection. Reherniation occurred in 10 patients after CST and in 4 patients after PR.

Conclusions

Repair of abdominal wall hernias with the component separation technique compares favorably with prosthetic repair. Although the reherniation rate after CST is relatively high, the consequences of wound healing disturbances in the presence of e‐PTFE patch are far‐reaching, often resulting in loss of the prosthesis.
Ectopic Pheochromocytoma: Does the Rule of Tens Apply?
Authors: Madani R. , Al‐Hashmi M. , Bliss R. , Lennard T.W.J.
Published: March 2007

Introduction

The rule of “tens” is often stated to reflect the distribution and histology of pheochromocytomas, with 10% being bilateral, 10%; ectopic in origin, and 10%; malignant. The objective of this study was to review the ectopic pheochromocytomas in a tertiary endocrine center and to establish whether the rule of tens holds true.

Methods

Retrospective data were collected on all adrenalectomies and ectopic pheochromocytoma resections performed between 1993 and 2005 at our institution.

Results

In total, 77 patients had pheochromocytomas: 75%; (58/77) adrenal and 25%; (19/77) ectopic. Of the adrenal pheochromocytomas, 10%; (6/58) were bilateral. The anatomic locations of the ectopic pheochromocytomas were as follows: 26%; (5/19) adjacent to the adrenals, 53%; (10/19) in the organ of Zuckerkandl, 11%; (2/19) in the bladder, 5%; (1/19) in the mediastinum, and 5%;(1/19) in the neck.

Conclusions

Our series demonstrates an incidence of 10%; for bilateral pheochromocytoma, which is similar to that in the published reports. However, 25%; of the pheochromocytomas were ectopic. Zuckerkandl pheochromocytomas were the most common among the ectopic lesions. Rarely, these tumors present outside the abdominal cavity
Parasitism and breeding system variation in North American populations of Daphnia pulex
Authors: Killick Stuart C. , Obbard Darren J. , West Stuart A. , Little Tom J.
Published: March 2007

The Red Queen hypothesis proposes that frequency‐dependent selection by parasites may be responsible for the evolutionary maintenance of sexual reproduction. We sought to determine whether parasites could be responsible for variation in the occurrence of sexual reproduction in 21 populations of Daphnia pulex (Crustacea; Cladocera) that previous studies have shown to consist of either cyclical parthenogens, obligate parthenogens, or a mixture of both. We measured parasite prevalence over a four‐week period (which essentially encompasses an entire season for the temporary snow‐melt habitats we sampled) and regressed three different measures of sexuality against mean levels of parasite prevalence. Levels of parasitism were low and we found no relationship between levels of sexuality and mean parasite prevalence. Genetic variation with infection level was detected in 2 of the 21 populations, with several different clones showing signs of overparasitism or underparasitism. Overall, however, our results suggest that parasites are not a major source of selection in these populations and it thus seems unlikely they are responsible for maintaining breeding system variation across the study region.
The classics of ancient Chinese literature
Authors: Chengxue WU , Hongbing SHA
Published: March 2007

This essay discusses the ancient Chinese literary classics by borrowing the prospective of “canon” from the studies of Western literature. Studying the central issues of establishment, quality, type, and influence of ancient classics, the authors attempt to present their ancient history, decadent practices, and their central position in ancient literature and literary criticism. Moreover, from a broader perspective of modern theory, this essay argues that ancient classics are part of the important resources to release the tension between the traditional and the modern world.
Buddhist kepan and literary theory of the early Tang Dynasty
Authors: Bowei ZHANG
Published: March 2007

The term kepan 科判 means to divide a text into chapters and paragraphs. By explicating the context of Buddhist kepan and its influence on the explanation of Confucian classics, this paper tries to demonstrate how wide and profound this influence was on literary criticism in three aspects: literary criticism, fluency and coherence of writing, and relationships between the authors of literary theories and Buddhism in the early Tang Dynasty.
Shifting Chinese literary theory: on the recent ideological trend of “counter-West centralism” in Chinese literary theory research
Authors: Xiaoming HU
Published: March 2007

The ideological trend of “counter-West centralism” is becoming more and more obvious in the academic circle of Chinese literary theory from the 1980s to the beginning of this century. This article regards a certain number of phenomena as surveying targets, and analyzes that this ideological trend is embodied not only in evident purposes, slogans and views, but also in the re-thinking of education history and in the work of literary material and the reestablishing of criticism history. This article holds that the combination of two kinds of opposed learning trends for study and application respectively would be helpful in breaking through the barriers of single-sided logic, emphasizing native literary tradition, participating in contemporary literature practice and defining Chinese literary theory in the 21st century.
Review on Recent Trends in Rice Bran Oil Processing
Authors: Ghosh Mahua
Published: March 2007

Rice bran oil (RBO) is popular in several countries such as Japan, India, Korea, China and Indonesia as a cooking oil. It has been shown that RBO is an excellent cooking and salad oil due to its high smoke point and delicate flavor. The nutritional qualities and health effects of rice bran oil are also established. RBO is rich in unsaponifiable fraction (unsap), which contains the micronutrients like vitamin E complexes, gamma oryzanol, phytosterols, polyphenols and squalene. However, the high FFA and acetone‐insoluble content of RBO made it difficult for processing. Therefore, in recent years, research interest has been growing in RBO processing to obtain good quality oil with low refining loss. This review article deals with detailed reports on RBO processing including membrane‐based techniques from the production and quality point of view.
Isolation and characterization of Wnt pathway‐related genes from Porifera
Authors: Adell Teresa , Thakur Archana N. , Müller Werner E.G.
Published: March 2007

The Wnt signal acts by binding to Frizzled receptors, with the subsequent activation of two different signal transduction cascades, the canonical and the non‐canonical Wnt pathways, involved in cell growth, differentiation, migration and fate. The canonical pathway functions through the translocation of β‐catenin to the nucleus and the activation of TCF/LEF transcription factors; it plays an important role in developmental patterning and cell fate decisions during embryogenesis. The non‐canonical Wnt pathway is responsible for the planar cell polarity process in invertebrates, and for the convergent‐extension movements during vertebrate gastrulation. The final effect of the non‐canonical Wnt pathway is the rearrangement of the cell cytoskeleton, through the activation of the subfamily of Ras‐like small GTPases. In a recent report we described for the first time the isolation of a Wnt‐related gene, Sd‐Frizzled, from the most basal animal phylum, the Porifera. In the present study we report the isolation and phylogenetic characterization of several Wnt pathway‐related genes from the sponge Suberites domuncula: Sd‐TCF/LEF, Sd‐GSK3, a recently discovered molecule with a putative function as a Wnt regulator (Sd‐LZIC), the small Rho GTPases Sd‐RhoA, Sd‐Cdc42, and their effector Sd‐mrlc. Also the isolation of a secreted frizzled related protein sFRP from another sponge species (Lubomirskia baicalensis) is reported.
Activation of cPLA2and sPLA2in astrocytes exposed to simulated ischemiain vitro
Authors: Gabryel Bozena , Chalimoniuk Malgorzata , Stolecka Anna , Langfort Jozef
Published: March 2007

Both cytosolic PLA2(cPLA2) and secretory PLA2(sPLA2)have been implicated in pathology of cerebral ischemia. However, which of PLA2isoforms in astrocytes is responsible for arachidonic acid (AA) release contributing to their ischemic injury remains to be determined. The aim of the present study was to investigate the time‐dependent activation of cPLA2and sPLA2in astrocytes exposed to combined oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) as well as to evaluate the effectiveness of their pharmacological blockage as a method of preventing ischemic damage of the glial cells. It was shown that exposure of cultured astrocytes to OGD (0.5–24 h) causes an increase in cPLA2and sPLA2expression and activity. The role of AA liberated mainly by cPLA2in the process of apoptosis was also demonstrated. To confirm the specific role of cPLA2and sPLA2in the mechanism of cells injury by OGD exposure, the effect of AACOCF3as cPLA2inhibitor and 12‐epi‐scalaradial as sPLA2inhibitor on AA release was examined. It was proved that simultaneous pharmacological blockade of enzymatic activity of cPLA2and sPLA2during OGD by AACOCF3and 12‐epi‐scalaradial substantially improves survival of ischemic injured glial cells.
Long-term reproducibility of a food-frequency questionnaire and dietary changes in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Heidelberg cohort
Authors: Nagel Gabriele , Zoller Dorothee , Ruf Tilla , Rohrmann Sabine , Linseisen Jakob
Published: March 2007

Within a prospective cohort study, we explored the long-term reproducibility of the food-frequency questionnaire (FFQ) and dietary changes in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)-Heidelberg cohort. After a mean follow-up time of 68·8 (sd 4·1) months the dietary assessment by means of a validated FFQ was repeated in 21 462 participants in the EPIC-Heidelberg cohort. The correlation and test–retest reproducibility of both dietary intake measurements was explored. The long-term correlation coefficients ranged from 0·41 (vegetables in men) to 0·77 (alcoholic beverage consumption in women). The median intake of potatoes, added fat, sugar/confectionary, cakes and alcoholic beverages was lower in the second than in the first FFQ, whereas the median intake of fruits, vegetables, cereals/cereal products and non-alcoholic beverages were higher. Consistently for food groups, 60–70 % of the participants in both genders were re-classified to the same or adjacent quintile of intake. The results of fairly high correlation coefficients indicate good agreement between both measurements. It is acknowledged that this result reflects to a substantial extent the measurement error of the FFQ and conclusions on real changes in the diet should be drawn very carefully. For some nutrients the dietary changes were consistent with results from independent national surveys. The performance of the FFQ gives confidence in the dietary data to be used as long-term exposure variables.
Dietary non-digestible carbohydrates promote L-cell differentiation in the proximal colon of rats
Authors: Cani Patrice D. , Hoste Sophie , Guiot Yves , Delzenne Nathalie M.
Published: March 2007

One of the challenges in type 2 diabetes treatment is to ensure pancreas functionality with gut peptides such as glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). We have recently shown that the endogenous GLP-1 production is promoted by dietary non-digestible carbohydrates (oligofructose), the higher GLP-1 secretion could participate in the control of obesity and associated disorders. This experimental study was designed to highlight the mechanisms of endogenous increase of GLP-1 following non-digestible carbohydrate feeding. Male Wistar rats were fed a standard diet (70·4 g/100 g total carbohydrates; controls) or the same diet supplemented with oligofructose (10 g/100 g diet) for 4 weeks. GLP-1-producing L-cells of the colon were quantified by immunohistochemistry. GLP-1 was quantified by ELISA, and proglucagon, neurogenin 3 and NeuroD mRNA were measured in the colon by quantitative RT–PCR. The number of GLP-1-expressing cells was doubled in the proximal colon of oligofructose-treated rats, a phenomenon correlated with the increase in proglucagon mRNA and peptide content in the tissue. Moreover, oligofructose increased the number of enteroendocrine L-cells in the proximal colon by a mechanism involving up-regulation of two differentiation factors: neurogenin 3 and NeuroD. It is the first demonstration that nutrients fermented in the gut may promote L-cell differentiation in the proximal colon, a phenomenon contributing to a higher endogenous GLP-1 production. These results suggest a new mechanism by which dietary fibres may lower food intake and fat mass development.
The elimination of meat from the diet selectively decreases pancreatic elastase secretion
Authors: Walkowiak Jaroslaw , Wadolowska Lidia , Szaflarska-Poplawska Anna , Lisowska Aleksandra , Bugajewska Alina , Przyslawski Juliusz
Published: March 2007

Since the vegetarian diet lacks the substrate for pancreatic elastase-1 as an enzyme, a decreased secretion of this enzyme could be expected. We aimed therefore to assess the changes of exocrine pancreatic secretion in a prospective way in a group of healthy omnivores who modified their diet by abstaining from meat for 1 month. Twenty healthy omnivores (fourteen females and six males) were used in the study. The nutrient intake was assessed for 7 d before commencing the study (omnivore diet) and after 1 month of dietary modification (modified diet; meat excluded). Similarly, the faecal output of pancreatic enzymes (elastase-1, chymotrypsin and lipase) was assessed before and 1 month after the period of dietary modification. Statistical differences between two points of the assessment (paired data) were calculated with the use of the Wilcoxon rank test. The relationship between the changes of faecal enzyme output and the changes in nutrient intake was assessed using multiple regression analysis. The dietary changes resulted in statistically significant decrease of faecal elastase-1 output (P < 0·05), whereas for chymotrypsin and lipase no changes were observed. No significant change in stool weight was recorded. No statistically significant correlation between changes in energy and nutrient consumption and changes in faecal output of pancreatic enzymes has been found. It was concluded that the exclusion of meat from the diet for a 1-month period results in significant changes in pancreatic secretion with a selective decrease of elastase-1 output. However, the underlying factor remains unclear.
Homocysteine increases the risk of mortality in elderly individuals
Authors: González Sonia , Huerta José M. , Fernández Serafina , Patterson Ángeles M. , Lasheras Cristina
Published: March 2007

Although total plasma homocysteine (tHcy) has been extensively studied as a risk factor of CVD, longitudinal evidence on its association with mortality is scarce, especially among the elderly. The study cohort consisted of 215 subjects (eighty-eight male and 127 female), aged 60 years or older, recruited in fourteen elderly care institutions from Asturias (Spain). All participants were free of major chronic pathology and took no vitamin and/or mineral supplements. Baseline determinations included tHcy in plasma and folate, vitamin B12and Se in serum. Survival analyses were performed by quintiles of these factors after 6 years (mean follow-up time 4·3 years) by means of Cox regression models. During follow-up time sixty participants died. tHcy above 16·7 μmol/l was associated with an increased risk of mortality in the sample (relative risk 2·30 (95 % CI 1·02, 5·17)). Among the nutritional determinants of tHcy evaluated, folate and Se were not predictive of death risk of the cohort, while vitamin B12showed inconsistent results. Nevertheless, mortality was significantly lower at higher serum Se levels (upper quintile), but this effect was restricted to women. Higher tHcy in both sexes and lower serum Se in women were found to be independently associated with an increased risk of death in elderly subjects.
Hobbes's Modern Prometheus: A Political Philosophy for an Uncertain Future
Authors: Michaelis Loralea
Published: March 2007

Abstract.This paper takes the Prometheus story in chapter 12 of Leviathan as the point of entry for an examination of the importance that Hobbes assigns to the problem of an uncertain future in his political philosophy. Hobbes's thinking on human nature represents a dramatic departure from the ancients not only because his mechanistic psychology reverses the ancient conception of the relation between reason and passion but also because his understanding of the temporal situation of human beings privileges the future to an unprecedented degree. It is against the backdrop of a universe in which the problem of an uncertain future has reached intolerable proportions that Hobbes develops his portrait of human nature; it is against the backdrop of this universe that he develops his account of Leviathan as the only earthly power capable of stabilizing the horizon of expectation.

Résumé.Cet article utilise l'histoire de Prométhée au chapitre 12 du Léviathan comme introduction à l'examen de l'importance qu'accorde Hobbes au problème de l'incertitude de l'avenir dans sa philosophie politique. La pensée de Hobbes sur la nature humaine constitue une dérogation spectaculaire par rapport aux Anciens non seulement parce que sa psychologie mécaniste s'oppose diamétralement à l'ancienne conception de la relation entre raison et passion, mais également parce que sa compréhension de la situation temporelle des êtres humains privilégie l'avenir et ce, à un degré sans précédent. C'est sur la toile de fond d'un univers dans lequel le problème de l'incertitude de l'avenir a atteint des proportions intolérables que Hobbes construit son portrait de la nature humaine comme un tourbillon de passions incontrôlées; c'est sur la toile de fond de cet univers qu'il élabore son récit du Léviathan, seule force terrestre capable de stabiliser les attentes de l'avenir.
“Do Democracies Have Separation of Religion and State?”
Authors: Fox Jonathan
Published: March 2007

Abstract.While many argue that separation of religion and state (SRAS) is an essential element of democracy, others posit that religion is an essential element of democracy's moral underpinnings. This study examines the debate using data from the Religion and State (RAS) dataset, which includes 62 variables in six broader categories measuring different aspects of SRAS for all 152 states with populations of one million or more, as well as data on democracy from the Polity and Freedom House datasets. It also develops seven operational definitions of SRAS that can be constructed using this data. Overall, the results show that a clear majority of democracies do not have SRAS even when evaluating multiple operational definitions of both democracy and SRAS. However, democracies tend to have lower average levels of government involvement in religion (GIR) than do non-democracies. This is because, while most democracies do not have SRAS, there is an upper limit to the amount of GIR that is found in any democracy that does not appear to apply to non-democracies. All this indicates that the proper question regarding religion and democracy is not one of SRAS but rather one of how much and what types of GIR can democracies tolerate.

Résumé.Alors que de nombreuses personnes prétendent que la séparation de la religion et de l'État est un élément essentiel de la démocratie, d'autres avancent que la religion est un élément essentiel des fondations morales de la démocratie. Cette étude analyse ce débat en utilisant des données provenant de la base de données Religion and State, qui comprend 62 variables regroupées en 6 grandes catégories et mesurant les différents aspects de la séparation de la religion et de l'État dans les 152 pays dont la population atteint un million d'habitants ou plus, ainsi que les données sur la démocratie fournies par la base de données Polity et l'indicateur de Freedom House. L'article met aussi au point sept définitions fonctionnelles de la séparation de la religion et de l'État, que l'on peut composer à partir de ces données. Dans l'ensemble, les résultats montrent que la grande majorité des démocraties ne pratiquent pas la séparation de la religion et de l'État, même lorsque l'on prend en compte plusieurs définitions fonctionnelles de la démocratie et de la séparation de la religion et de l'État. En revanche, le niveau moyen d'engagement religieux du gouvernement tend à être plus bas dans les démocraties que dans les pays qui ne sont pas des démocraties. Cela s'explique par le fait que, bien que la plupart des démocraties ne pratiquent pas la séparation de la religion et de l'État, elles observent un plafond d'engagement religieux qu'on ne retrouve pas dans les pays qui ne sont pas des démocraties. Tout ceci indique que la question la plus appropriée concernant la religion et la démocratie n'est pas celle de la séparation de la religion et de l'État, mais plutôt celle du degré et des modèles d'engagement religieux que les démocraties peuvent tolérer de la part de leurs gouvernements.
Scope and Trade Agreements
Authors: Morgenstern Scott , Tamayo Arturo Borja , Faucher Philippe , Nielson Daniel
Published: March 2007

Abstract.With a focus on NAFTA, we offer an alternative model of trade negotiations that explains why the dominant partner is able to force concessions only on some issues. Key to our model is the concept ofscope. The environment side agreement excited wide swaths of society; thus, scope was high and international power asymmetries appear to explain the result. Power asymmetries seemed unimportant, however, when bargaining over issues that affected small portions of society, such as individual tariff levels. Finally, in issues of medium scope, such as the rules of origin for the textile industry, power asymmetries and elements of traditional bargaining models likely account for the negotiated outcomes.

Résumé.Ce texte explique pourquoi, au cours de la négociation d'une entente commerciale, le pays dominant n'a pas en général intérêt à imposer ses préférences aux pays partenaires. Le concept de “ scope ” (ou de portée) sert à distinguer entre les différents enjeux d'une négociation. La négociation du traité de l'ALENA sert ici de cadre pour l'application de notre proposition. Parce que d'importants secteurs de la société jugeaient prioritaires les enjeux soulevés par l'accord parallèle sur la coopération dans le domaine de l'environnement, l'issue des discussions a été imposée au plus haut niveau par les dirigeants américains. En revanche, les taux tarifaires appliqués aux différents produits ne concernent chacun que des groupes restreints. Sur ces enjeux, les rapports de puissance ne jouent pas. Enfin, ce n'est que sur les enjeux intermédiaires, tels que les règles d'origine pour l'industrie textile, que les processus familiers de négociations internationales rendent compte de la réalité de façon satisfaisante.
Regional Economic Voting: Russia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and the
Czech Republic, 1990–1999
Authors: Mitin Dmitri
Published: March 2007

Regional Economic Voting: Russia, Poland, Hungary, Slovakia and
the Czech Republic, 1990–1999, Joshua A. Tucker, New York:
Cambridge University Press, 2006, pp. xxii, 417.

Recognizing and predicting the patterns of voting behaviour is a
formidable task even in the case of mature and stable democracies.
Needless to say, the identification of such trends in the wake of a
fundamental political and economic restructuring, when the basic rules of
the game are still in flux, can be frustratingly elusive. In this
ambitious and methodologically sophisticated study, Joshua Tucker takes on
the challenge and suggests a fresh approach for cutting through the fog of
post-communist institutional ambiguity. The book reports on several
prominent regularities in the voting outcomes that span five countries,
several distinct institutional designs, twenty national elections and ten
years of transition. In contrast to the studies that rely on micro-level
survey data or small-n cross-country comparisons, Tucker aggregates and
analyzes the election results at the intermediate, regional level.
Cross-regional comparison provides enough resolution for detecting
systematic voting patterns shaped by local economic conditions. Explaining
the observed connection between regional economy and regional vote is the
central theme of Tucker's study.
Radical Right Parties: Voters and Parties in the Electoral Market
and Voting Radical Right in Western Europe
Authors: Ivarsflaten Elisabeth
Published: March 2007

Radical Right Parties: Voters and Parties in the Electoral
Market, Pippa Norris, Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005,
pp. 349.

Voting Radical Right in Western Europe, Terri E. Givens,
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2005, pp. 178

The growing importance of immigration politics in Western Europe
during the past two decades and the connected rise of radical right
parties have justifiably received much scholarly attention. While a first
generation of scholars treating this phenomenon were mostly concerned with
the social bases for the growing political influence of such parties,
recent studies have begun to emphasize the importance of purely political
factors, such as institutional frameworks and strategic party competition.
The books on this topic by Norris and Givens are two of the most prominent
accounts in this second generation of studies.
Beyond Japan: The Dynamics of East Asian Regionalism
Authors: Cai Kevin G.
Published: March 2007

Beyond Japan: The Dynamics of East Asian Regionalism, Peter
J. Katzenstein and Takashi Shiraishi, eds., Ithaca and London: Cornell
University Press, 2006, 325 pp., viii pp.

This edited volume presents an interesting and comprehensive
discussion of Japan's evolving relationship with the East Asian
region. A central theme that runs throughout the book is that East Asia
has moved beyond the influence of the single Japanese model toward a
region that is being jointly driven by American, Japanese, Chinese and
other national influences.
Empire and Imperialism: A Critical Reading of Michael Hardt and
Antonio Negri
Authors: Prager Carol A. L.
Published: March 2007

Empire and Imperialism: A Critical Reading of Michael Hardt and
Antonio Negri, Atilio A. Boron, London: Zed Books, 2005, pp. 141.

Michael Walzer, reflecting in a 2002 Dissent article (vol.
49, Spring) upon the compelling issues in world politics, asked “Can
there be a decent Left?” After reading Atilio A. Boron's
impassioned and derisive critique of Michael Hardt and Antonio
Negri's Empire (Cambridge MA: Harvard University Press,
2000), one wonders whether today there can be an empirically
sophisticated, coherent Left. (Negri, by the way, spent seventeen years in
Italian prisons for his involvement with the Red Brigade and the murder of
Italian politician Aldo Moro.) Boron, a professor of political theory at
the University of Buenos Aires claims, no doubt rightly, that the last
three decades, embracing the end of the Cold War, the impact of
neo-liberal policies on the “periphery” and sweeping
technological changes, have necessitated a reformulation of leftist
thinking. The influential Empire, which advances a
root-and-branch restructuring of socialist thought, though hugely popular
among anti-globalization groups and already translated into over a dozen
languages, is to Boron emphatically not it. While paying obeisance to
Hardt and Negri's “noble intentions and intellectual and
political honesty” (4–5), the author proceeds to shred
virtually all their main contentions.
Endoscopic radical antrectomy: a permanent replacement for the Caldwell–Luc operation
Authors: Abd El-Fattah H , Nour Y A , El-Daly A
Published: March 2007

Introduction:

Chronic inflammation of sinus mucosa is a multifactorial condition which sometimes results in irreversible pathological mucosal changes.

Aims:

To evaluate the efficacy of endoscopic radical antrectomy in treating chronic, hyperplastic, eosinophilic sinusitis, and to compare this procedure with classical endoscopic middle meatal antrostomy.

Materials and methods:

A randomised, controlled trial with parallel design was conducted between July 2000 and December 2004, including 119 patients who fulfilled the clinical, radiological and histopathological criteria for chronic, hyperplastic, eosinophilic sinusitis. Patients were randomly allocated to two treatment groups: classical endoscopic middle meatal antrostomy and endoscopic radical antrectomy. The main outcome measures were recorded in each subgroup at the time of the patient's last clinic visit. In each subgroup, these included subjective improvement and evaluation of the endoscopic appearance of the maxillary sinus.

Results:

Thirty-two per cent of patients in the endoscopic middle meatal antrostomy group were considered surgical failures, compared with 14.5 per cent of the endoscopic radical antrectomy group. This was statistically significant (p = 0.023). Unhealthy maxillary sinuses were significantly more prevalent in the endoscopic middle meatal antrostomy group (p = 0.029).

Conclusions:

In those patients fulfilling the criteria suggestive of chronic, irreversible sinonasal pathology, primary endoscopic radical antrectomy was significantly better than endoscopic middle meatal antrostomy, based on subjective and objective findings.
True aneurysm of the facial artery
Authors: Barraclough J , Uppal H , Silverman S , Helpert C , O'Connell J
Published: March 2007

We present a case of true facial artery aneurysm with no associated risk factors, which was non-pulsatile on presentation. This case is unique as the lesion was identified using computed tomography scanning, due to the unusual presentation. The vast majority of aneurysms of the head and neck have a traumatic aetiology, giving rise to false aneurysms; true aneurysms are extremely rare. We discuss the implications of such a lesion and its management.
Two-mode overconstrained three-DOFs rotational-translational linear-motor-based parallel-kinematics mechanism for machine tool applications
Authors: Refaat Sameh , Hervé Jacques M. , Nahavandi Saeid , Trinh Hieu
Published: March 2007

The paper introduces a family of three-DOFs translational-rotational Parallel-Kinematics Mechanisms (PKMs) as well as the mobility analysis of such family using Lie-group theory. Each member of this family has two-rotational one-translational DOFs. A novel mechanism is presented and analyzed as a representative of that family. The use and the practical value of that modular mechanism are emphasized.
Trajectory estimation of a moving object using Kalman filter and Kohonen networks
Authors: Park JaeHwei , Yun JaeMu , Lee JangMyung
Published: March 2007

A novel approach to estimate the real-time moving trajectory of an object is proposed in this paper. The object's position is obtained from the image data of a charge coupled device (CCD) camera, while a state estimator predicts the linear and angular velocities of the moving object. To overcome the uncertainties and noises residing in the input data, a Kalman filter and neural networks are utilized cooperatively. Since the Kalman filter needs to approximate a nonlinear system into a linear model in order to estimate the states, there still exist errors as well as uncertainties. To resolve this problem, in this approach, the Kohonen networks, which have a high adaptability to the memory of the input–output relationship, are utilized for the nonlinear region. In addition to this, the Kohonen network, as a sort of neural network, can effectively adapt to the dynamic variations and become robust against noises. This approach is derived from the observation that the Kohonen network is a type of a self-organized map and is spatially oriented, which makes it suitable for determining the trajectories of moving objects. The superiority of the proposed algorithm compared with the extended Kalman filter is demonstrated through real experiments.
Introduction
Authors: Fowler William R. , Beekman Christopher S. , Pickering Robert B.
Published: March 2007

Phil C. Weigand has devoted his career to the anthropology and archaeology of the most poorly known area of Mesoamerica, “an enormous area of elaborate cultural development [that] has been relegated to unimportance” (Weigand and Foster 1985:5). We refer, of course, to theOccidenteor West Mexico, roughly defined by the states of Michoacán, Colima, Jalisco, and Nayarit, often including parts of Guanajuato, Zacatecas, Sinaloa, and sometimes Guerrero. Over the course of his career, Weigand has integrated data from archaeology, ethnohistory, and ethnography to gain a better understanding of western Mesoamerica. This Special Section is anhomenajeto Phil that draws together contributions by some of his friends and colleagues who have felt his influence over the years.
Neuropathies in the older patient
Authors: Rajabally Yusuf A
Published: March 2007

Peripheral neuropathy encompasses disorders of the peripheral nervous system, affecting the axon and/or the myelin sheath. The prevalence of peripheral neuropathy increases with age. Thought to be of about 3000 per 100 000 in adults generally, this figure could be as high as 8000 above the age of 60 years. However more than half of these cases would be due to impaired glucose metabolism in its various forms. In the remainder, an aetiology may be found in about 70% of cases. The elderly population is at higher risk of peripheral neuropathy, as there is a correlation between age and impairment of the peripheral nervous system. The natural aging process affects adversely the function of peripheral nerves and of their target organs, resulting in the development of motor, sensory and autonomic symptoms in the absence of additional damage of other causes. In addition, the increased prevalence of chronic systemic disorders causing neuropathy, as well as the use of neurotoxic drugs in older patients, contribute to the onset of neuropathy.