bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In vitro Study of Antiviral Activity of Mycophenolic Acid on Brazilian Orthobunyaviruses
Authors: Livonesi Márcia Cristina , Moro de Sousa Ricardo Luiz , Moraes Figueiredo Luiz Tadeu
Published: February 2007

Objective: Oropouche, Caraparu, Guama, Guaroa and Tacaiuma are ssRNA viruses that belong to the genus Orthobunyavirus and have been associated with human febrile illnesses and/or encephalitis. In this study, we evaluated the antiviral action of mycophenolic acid (MPA) on theseorthobunyaviruses to achieve a therapeutic agent to treat the diseases caused by these viruses. Methods: The in vitro antiviral evaluation to MPA was done by using plaque assay at different periods of treatment. Results: Results showed that MPA at a concentration of 10 µg/ml has significant antiviral activity on Tacaiuma virus when treatment was initiated either 24 h before or 2 h after viral infection. Moreover, MPA has an inhibitory effect on Guama virus replication, but only when treatment was initiated before cell infection. Addition of guanosine in the culture reverted the inhibitory effect of MPA on Tacaiuma and Guama viruses, suggesting that the antiviral activity of this substance was via depletion of the intracellular guanosine pool. Conclusion: Our results suggest that MPA would not be a good therapeutic agent to treat the diseases caused by Oropouche, Caraparu, Guama, Guaroa, and Tacaiuma viruses.
Arginine Vasotocin Promotes Calling Behavior and Call Changes in Male Túngara Frogs
Authors: Kime Nicole M. , Whitney Tina K. , Davis Ellen S. , Marler Catherine A.
Published: February 2007

In the túngara frog, Physalaemus pustulosus, males alter calling behavior with changes in their social environment, adding ‘chucks’ to their advertisement calls in response to the calls of conspecific males. Other studies demonstrate that adding chucks increases the attractiveness of calls to females but also increases the risk of bat predation. In the current study, subcutaneous injections of the neuropeptide hormone arginine vasotocin (AVT) significantly increased chuck production in male túngara frogs. The effects of AVT on chuck production did not depend on the presence of playback stimuli, suggesting that AVT increased either the males’ general motivation to produce chucks or their responsiveness to the calls of distant males. Injections of AVT also increased the probability that males would call and decreased the latency to call after injection, supporting the hypothesis that AVT influences motivation to call. Finally, AVT inhibited a drop in call rate after the termination of a playback stimulus and increased call rate at a lower dose of AVT. The effects of AVT on chucks and call rate appear to be independent of each other, as there was no correlation between change in chuck production and change in call rate in individual males. We conclude that AVT may play an important role in socially-mediated call changes that result from competition for mates. The behavioral changes induced by AVT might increase a male’s attractiveness to females, and also may be consistent with an aggressive response to another túngara frog male.
Neurosurgical Technique of the Dorsal Root Entry Zone Operation
Authors: Nashold Jr. Blaine S.
Published: February 2007

The dorsal root entry zone operation was introduced in 1976 to relieve the pain of brachial plexus avulsion. Since then it has been applied to pain treatment in paraplegia, postherpetic pain, phantom limb pain and other types of deafferentation pain. Over 400 operations have been done at the Duke Uniyersity Medical Center with overall good results in 60% of pain patients.
Successful Treatment of Phantom Pain with Dorsal Root Entry Zone Coagulation
Authors: Saris Stephen C. , Iacono Robert P. , Nashold Jr. Blaine S.
Published: February 2007

We studied 22 patients with amputation due to trauma, gangrene, or cancer. All developed postamputation pain, underwent a dorsal root entry zone (DREZ) procedure, and were followed from 6 months to 4 years after surgery. Overall, only 8 (36%) of these 22 patients had pain relief. However, good results were obtained in 6 (67%) of 9 patients with phantom pain alone, and in 5 (83%) of 6 patients with traumatic amputations associated with root avulsion. Poor results were obtained in patients with both phantom and stump pain, or stump pain alone. The DREZ procedure has a well-defined, but limited role in the treatment of postamputation pain.
Functional Microsurgical Partial Callosotomy in Patients with Secondary Generalized Epilepsies
Authors: Ragazzo P.C. , Manzano G.M. , Marino Jr. R.
Published: February 2007

Fourteen patients with secondary generalized epilepsy suffering from multiform seizures (MS) not amenable to medication were submitted to partial section of the corpus callosum. In all patients, there was a partial disruption of the previous generalized bilateral synchronous epileptiform discharges (GBSD). The electroencephalographic findings after callosal section are discussed with respect to their implications in furthering our understanding of the mechanisms subserving the organization of GBSD.
Functional Microsurgical Partial Callosotomy in Patients with Secondary Generalized Epilepsies
Authors: Ragazzo P.C. , Manzano G.M. , Marino Jr. R. , Gronich G.
Published: February 2007

Eight patients with secondary generalized epilepsy not alleviated by medical treatment underwent partial callosotomy. During the surgical procedure, they had mesial surface ECoG recordings taken from both frontal and parietal lobes, using large flat multilead platinum electrodes, and simultaneously recordings from a number of scalp positions, using needie electrodes. In all cases studied, this approach demonstrated one or, more commonly, several focal areas of epileptiform activity discharging independently over the mesial aspects of one or both hemispheres. The findings were correlated with the pre- and postoperative EEG patterns, in the light of current concepts of generalized epilepsies.
Trigeminal Neuralgia in a Patient with Multiple Sclerosis Treated with High Cervical Spinal Cord Stimulation
Authors: Barolat Giancarlo , Knobler Robert L. , Lublin Frederick D.
Published: February 2007

A 42-year-old male with advanced multiple sclerosis had severe left-sided trigeminal neuralgia in the maxillary and mandibular divisions that was extremely difficult to control with medications. Glycerol injection in the gasserian cystern provided only temporary results. Two electrodes were implanted epidurally at the C1–2 level, one in the midline and the other to the left of midline. Electrical stimulation produced complete relief from the painful paroxysms.
Young People,Time Horizons and Planning
Authors: Brannen Julia , Nilsen Ann
Published: February 2007

In a recent article in Sociology, Anderson et al. (2005) explore the plans Scottish young adults formulated for their future lives, drawing largely on survey evidence. They do so in the context of taking issue with qualitative research conducted by Brannen and Nilsen (2002) concerning how British young people and young Norwegians think about the future.This article compares the respective studies in greater depth. First, it examines the different aims of the respective studies and their conceptualizations. Second, it looks at issues of methodological difference.
Drug-related Deaths and the ‘Special Deaths’ of Late Modernity
Authors: Guy Philip , Holloway Margaret
Published: February 2007

The literature on dying and bereavement has long recognized that the features of some deaths make them especially difficult to grieve.The defining features of such deaths and bereavement are that there is often a high level of trauma, they may be socially stigmatizing or existentially problematic, and the grief is frequently ‘disenfranchized’. These deaths are special because they occur outside of attempts to create ontological security that have been suggested as a central feature of late modernity. In this article we argue that drug-related deaths represent one example of special deaths. Our argument is illustrated through three case studies taken from a small scale empirical study conducted by one of the authors. From this, a beginning typology for the ‘special deaths’ of late modernity is suggested. It is argued that better understanding of these deaths is a necessary feature of the theoretical revision of death in late modernity.
The Role of Personal Agency Beliefs in Academic Self-Regulation: An Asian Perspective
Authors: Chong Wan Har
Published: February 2007

This study examines the role of self beliefs in the self-regulatory engagement of 1,304 middle school students in Singapore. Developing academic self-regulatory skills is particularly critical for these students when the syllabi are more cognitively demanding and regulation of one’s behaviour towards effective learning is increasingly called upon at the middle school level. However, such skills alone will not contribute much if students do not apply them persistently in the face of difficulties. Self-regulatory processes should be considered within the context of personal agency processes, such as self-efficacy and self-concept, which are conceptualized and grounded in Western individualistic frameworks. However, some research suggests that East Asian students in collectivistic yet achievement-oriented societies may be motivated more by the fear of failure. The relationships between the self beliefs of self-efficacy, self-concept and fear of failure and their respective role in academic self-regulation are evaluated in a country which is extensively exposed to Western individualistic ideologies but is at the same time rooted in Asian values.
Information Seeking Behavior of Health Sciences Faculty at the College of Health Sciences, University of Ghana
Authors: Sulemani Solomon Bayugo , Katsekpor Seth Agbeko
Published: February 2007

Reports on a survey of convenient access to, and use of, electronic databases (CD-ROM and online) including full text journals and their effect on information seeking behavior of health sciences faculty at the College of Health Sciences of the University of Ghana Medical School. The survey documented preferences between print and electronic resource use, and the specific databases and full text journals that faculty have particularly found useful. The results showed faculty lack of awareness and use of the two most resourceful full text journal databases available at the library (HINARI and PERI), hence they resorted to PUBMED as their source of access to full text articles. Concludes that most faculty now prefer using electronic access to information (CD-ROM/online) than traditional print indexes and abstracts. Includes recommendations for more functional and effective use of these electronic databases and full text journals that are available at the library.
The Ethics of Peace and Justice in International Order
Authors: Lienemann Wolfgang
Published: February 2007

The question is: How is a global peace order possible in the shape of an international legal system? The article focuses on the problems of international law within the present system of the UN and tries to actualise the Kantian concept of perpetual peace (1795), with regard to positions of international lawyers. A peaceful international order must have the means to protect against unlawful violence, even by armed forces, e.g. to intervene against gross violations of fundamental human rights. It is necessary that even the great powers are obliged to act only within this legal framework. Unilateralism must be abolished in a continuing process. ‘Good leadership under law, not above the law’ (J. Delbrück).
Exploring an ensemble approach to estimating skill in multiproxy palaeoclimate reconstructions
Authors: van der Schrier G. , Osborn T. J. , Briffa K. R. , Cook E. R.
Published: February 2007

This paper describes an approach that gives an estimate of the reconstructive skill of a proxy-based palaeoclimatological reconstruction. Uncertainties in proxy data are likely to be reflected in variations in reconstructive skill of the proxy-based climatic reconstructions. The method is based on making an ensemble of reconstructions, providing a probability distribution of each reconstruction estimate. The relative breadth of the distribution for a particular reconstructed value should give an indication of the reconstructive skill. The ensemble reconstruction approach draws on the ensemble prediction system as used for operational weather forecasting.

The ensemble reconstruction approach is tested using a recent multiproxy reconstruction of the winter North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index. It is shown that the ensemble approach provides a representation of the degree of certainty associated with the reconstructed NAO-index values.
Harnessing the potential of pupils to influence school development
Authors: Watts Ruth , Youens Bernadette
Published: February 2007

The recent focus on pupil involvement in all aspects of education, including the school improvement agenda, has led to an increasing number of pupils being consulted on various aspects of school life and involved in a range of peer support schemes. Accompanying the proliferation of pupil involvement has been the development of training initiatives to provide pupils with the necessary skills to carry out their new roles. In this article, we focus on how schools can further develop pupil involvement beyond the current level, which generally consists of school councils, peer mentoring projects and supporting student teachers. The article is based on the experience of one secondary school which embraced pupil voice initiatives and then recognized that there was a population of skilled and articulate ‘professional pupils’ in the school. The potential benefits and challenges to the school in harnessing the skills of this group of pupils in future school development are discussed.
Mentoring is not for you!: mentee voices on managing their mentoring experience
Authors: Russell Lisa
Published: February 2007

Learning mentoring programmes can be effective tools for increasing social, personal and educational development for young people. This article explores the views of girl mentees who experienced difficulty managing their mentoring programme within their school. Mentoring can be employed in different ways with different pupils to help the overall academic reputation of the school as well as helping individuals work through social and academic issues. The overarching finding from this research is that mentoring programmes can benefit relatively high achieving girls as well as those who may be defined as a ‘problem’ for the school. Schools that bring in outside agencies to assist those pupils considered in need of some extra support need to clearly communicate the mentor’s role and purpose to all members of school staff to ensure that effective mentoring can take place and sit comfortably within the school’s social inclusion policy.
Caged birds and cloning machines: how student imagery ‘speaks’ to us about cultures of schooling and student participation
Authors: Leitch Ruth , Mitchell Stephanie
Published: February 2007

With the advent of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), there is an increasing requirement that schools ensure children and young people’s views are voiced, listened to and taken seriously on matters of significance. Encouraging these shifts by law is one thing; changing the culture in schools is another. For a significant proportion of schools, actively engaging students’ voices on how they experience education poses a significant challenge, and crucial gaps may exist between the rhetoric espoused and a school’s readiness for genuine student involvement. This ethnographic study illuminates tensions that persist between headteachers’ espoused views of how students are valued and students’ creative images of their actual post-primary schooling experience. If cultures of schooling are to nurture the true spirit of democratic pupil participation implied by changes in the law, there is a need to develop genuine processes of student engagement in which students and staff can collaborate towards greater shared understandings of a school’s priorities.
The resistible rise of Islamophobia
Authors: Poynting Scott , Mason Victoria
Published: February 2007

This article compares the rise of anti-Muslim racism in Britain and Australia, from 1989 to 2001, as a foundation for assessing the extent to which the upsurge of Islamophobia after 11 September was a development of existing patterns of racism in these two countries. The respective histories of immigration and settlement by Muslim populations are outlined, along with the relevant immigration and ‘ethnic affairs’ policies and the resulting demographics. The article traces the ideologies of xenophobia that developed in Britain and Australia over this period. It records a transition from anti-Asian and anti-Arab racism to anti-Muslim racism, reflected in and responding to changes in the identities and cultural politics of the minority communities. It outlines instances of the racial and ethnic targeting by the state of the ethnic and religious minorities concerned, and postulates a causal relationship between this and the shifting patterns of acts of racial hatred, vilification and discrimination.
Implementation, change management and benefit realization: investigating the utility of ethnographically enriched process maps
Authors: Jenkings K. Neil
Published: February 2007

Following developments in the use of ethnographies in systems design, this article illustrates an investigation into using ethnography for healthcare system implementation, change management and benefits realization. The article illustrates the possibility of creating ethnographically enriched process maps. These are process maps that are created for specific implementation sites to facilitate the locally situated work of implementation, change management and benefits realization teams. The simple premise is that, to change and improve what you are doing, you need to know what you are currently doing. Reported are the pros and cons of a potential solution and, importantly, why it was not adopted. While not producing a definitive solution, this approach to looking at the problems, and using ethnographically enriched process maps, does suggest itself as an area for further development
The Author, the Text and the Canon
Authors: How Alan R.
Published: February 2007

The role of the classic text in the social sciences has come under fire in recent years. The authority of classics has been challenged on the grounds that they conceal a variety of ideological assumptions, tensions and discontinuities as well as being far removed from our experience of contemporary life. Drawing on Gadamer’s account of the ‘classical’ in Truth and Method, the article contests these views, arguing that classic texts are a source of intellectual vitality and should not be jettisoned. Following the introduction the article divides into two main sections. The first deals with the issue of authorship, arguing that while ‘names’ remain intrinsic to sociology, attention should remain with the text. The second employs Gadamer’s ideas to show why classic texts persist. The claim that subsequent historical horizons elicit from the text truths that continue to resonate is illustrated with Weber’s Protestant Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism.
Fabrication of Superhydrophobic Surface on Magnesium Alloy
Authors: Liang Jun , Guo Zhiguang , Fang Jian , Hao Jingcheng
Published: February 2007

A stable biomimetic superhydrophobic surface on magnesium alloy was fabricated by microarc oxidation pretreatment and followed by chemical modification based on lotus effect. The as-prepared surface showed an interesting micro- and nanoscale binary structure, exhibiting a good superhydrophobic property with a water contact angle larger than 150° and a water sliding angle less than 8°.
Probing the architecture of the B. subtilis RNase P holoenzyme active site by cross-linking and affinity cleavage
Authors: Niranjanakumari Somashekarappa , Day-Storms Jeremy J. , Ahmed Mahiuddin , Hsieh John , Zahler Nathan H. , Venters Ronald A. , Fierke Carol A.
Published: February 2007

Bacterial ribonuclease P (RNase P) is a ribonucleoprotein complex composed of one catalytic RNA (PRNA) and one protein subunit (P protein) that together catalyze the 5′ maturation of precursor tRNA. High-resolution X-ray crystal structures of the individual P protein and PRNA components from several species have been determined, and structural models of the RNase P holoenzyme have been proposed. However, holoenzyme models have been limited by a lack of distance constraints between P protein and PRNA in the holoenzyme–substrate complex. Here, we report the results of extensive cross-linking and affinity cleavage experiments using single-cysteine P protein variants derivatized with either azidophenacyl bromide or 5-iodoacetamido-1,10-o-phenanthroline to determine distance constraints and to model the Bacillus subtilis holoenzyme–substrate complex. These data indicate that the evolutionarily conserved RNR motif of P protein is located near (<15 Å) the pre-tRNA cleavage site, the base of the pre-tRNA acceptor stem and helix P4 of PRNA, the putative active site of the enzyme. In addition, the metal binding loop and N-terminal region of the P protein are proximal to the P3 stem–loop of PRNA. Studies using heterologous holoenzymes composed of covalently modified B. subtilis P protein and Escherichia coli M1 RNA indicate that P protein binds similarly to both RNAs. Together, these data indicate that P protein is positioned close to the RNase P active site and may play a role in organizing the RNase P active site.
Vitamin K Deficiency From Long-Term Warfarin Anticoagulation Does Not Alter Skeletal Status in Male Rhesus Monkeys
Authors: Binkley Neil , Krueger Diane , Engelke Jean , Suttie John
Published: February 2007

Vitamin K (K) inadequacy may cause bone loss. Thus, K deficiency induced by anticoagulants (e.g., warfarin) may be an osteoporosis risk factor. The skeletal impact of long-term warfarin anticoagulation was evaluated in male monkeys. No effect on BMD or bone markers of skeletal turnover was observed. This study suggests that warfarin-induced K deficiency does not have skeletal effects.

Introduction: The skeletal role of vitamin K (K) remains unclear. It is reasonable that a potential role of vitamin K in bone health could be elucidated by study of patients receiving oral anticoagulants that act to produce vitamin K deficiency. However, some, but not all, reports find K deficiency induced by warfarin (W) anticoagulation to be associated with low bone mass. Additionally, epidemiologic studies have found W use to be associated with either increased or no change in fracture risk. Such divergent results may imply that human studies are compromised by the physical illnesses for which W was prescribed.

Materials and Methods: To remove this potential confounder, we prospectively assessed skeletal status during long-term W anticoagulation of healthy nonhuman primates. Twenty adult (age, 7.4–17.9 yr, mean, 11.7 yr) male rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) were randomized to daily W treatment or control groups. Bone mass of the total body, lumbar spine, and distal and central radius was determined by DXA at baseline and after 3, 6, 9, 12, 18, 24, and 30 mo of W treatment. Serum chemistries, urinary calcium excretion, bone-specific alkaline phosphatase, and total and percent unbound osteocalcin were measured at the same time-points. Prothrombin time and international normalized ratio (INR) were monitored monthly. Serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D was measured at the time of study conclusion.

Results: W treatment produced skeletal K deficiency documented by elevation of circulating undercarboxylated osteocalcin (8.3% W versus 0.4% control, p < 0.0001) but did not alter serum markers of skeletal turnover, urinary calcium excretion, or BMD.

Conclusions: In male rhesus monkeys, long-term W anticoagulation does not alter serum markers of bone turnover or BMD. Long-term W therapy does not have adverse skeletal consequences in primates with high intakes of calcium and vitamin D.
Dual-Level Afferent Control of Growth Hormone-Releasing Hormone (GHRH) Neurons in GHRH–Green Fluorescent Protein Transgenic Mice
Authors: Baccam Nelly , Alonso Gérard , Costecalde Thomas , Fontanaud Pierre , Molino François , Robinson Iain C. A. F. , Mollard Patrice , Méry Pierre-François
Published: February 2007

The organization of the peptidergic neurons of the hypothalamic arcuate nucleus is not fully understood. These include growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) neurons involved in growth and metabolism. We studied identified GHRH neurons of GHRH–green fluorescent protein transgenic mice using patch-clamp methods and focused on gender differences, which govern the physiological patterns of GHRH release. Both the spontaneous firing rates and the intrinsic properties of GHRH neurons were similar in males and females, although higher glutamatergic currents were noticed in females. Surprisingly, marked gender differences in GHRH neuronal activity were observed in response to the muscarinic agonist carbachol (CCh). In females, CCh enhanced action potential firing in all GHRH neurons. In males, CCh enhanced action potential firing in two-thirds of GHRH neurons, whereas it decreased firing in the remainders. M1agonist McN-A343 (10 μm) mimicked, and M1antagonist pirenzepine (3 μm) blocked the effects of CCh. In both genders, CCh did not change the intrinsic properties of GHRH neurons, although it strongly increased the frequency of glutamatergic currents, in the presence or absence of tetrodotoxin. In males only, CCh enhanced the frequency of GABAergic currents, and this modulation was antagonized by tetrodotoxin. Thus, the muscarinic regulation involved differential control of afferent inputs at short and long distances in male and female mice. The dual-level control could be a mechanism whereby the selective modulation of the GHRH system (short-distance control) is adjusted to the integrated regulation of arcuate nucleus activity (long-distance control).
The Median Preoptic Nucleus Reciprocally Modulates Activity of Arousal-Related and Sleep-Related Neurons in the Perifornical Lateral Hypothalamus
Authors: Suntsova Natalia , Guzman-Marin Ruben , Kumar Sunil , Alam Md. Noor , Szymusiak Ronald , McGinty Dennis
Published: February 2007

The perifornical–lateral hypothalamic area (PF/LH) contains neuronal groups playing an important role in control of waking and sleep. Among the brain regions that regulate behavioral states, one of the strongest sources of projections to the PF/LH is the median preoptic nucleus (MnPN) containing a sleep-active neuronal population. To evaluate the role of MnPN afferents in the control of PF/LH neuronal activity, we studied the responses of PF/LH cells to electrical stimulation or local chemical manipulation of the MnPN in freely moving rats. Single-pulse electrical stimulation evoked responses in 79% of recorded PF/LH neurons. No cells were activated antidromically. Direct and indirect transynaptic effects depended on sleep–wake discharge pattern of PF/LH cells. The majority of arousal-related neurons, that is, cells discharging at maximal rates during active waking (AW) or during AW and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, exhibited exclusively or initially inhibitory responses to stimulation. Sleep-related neurons, the cells with elevated discharge during non-REM and REM sleep or selectively active in REM sleep, exhibited exclusively or initially excitatory responses. Activation of the MnPN via microdialytic application ofl-glutamate or bicuculline resulted in reduced discharge of arousal-related and in excitation of sleep-related PF/LH neurons. Deactivation of the MnPN with muscimol caused opposite effects. The results indicate that the MnPN contains subset(s) of neurons, which exert inhibitory control over arousal-related and excitatory control over sleep-related PF/LH neurons. We hypothesize that MnPN sleep-active neuronal group has both inhibitory and excitatory outputs that participate in the inhibitory control of arousal-promoting PF/LH mechanisms.
Hierarchical Regulation of Odorant Receptor Gene Choice and Subsequent Axonal Projection of Olfactory Sensory Neurons in Zebrafish
Authors: Sato Yuki , Miyasaka Nobuhiko , Yoshihara Yoshihiro
Published: February 2007

In bothDrosophilaand mice, olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs) expressing a given odorant receptor (OR) project axons to specific glomeruli in the antennal lobe or olfactory bulb (OB), developing a topographic odor map. To gain insights into the modes of OR expression and axonal projection in zebrafish, we generated a bacterial artificial chromosome transgenic line carrying an OR gene cluster in which two OR-coding sequences,OR111-7andOR103-1, were replaced with yellow fluorescent protein (YFP) and cyan fluorescent protein (CFP), respectively. In the transgenic embryos, YFP and CFP signals appear in small populations of OSNs at an early stage of development when OR expression is first observed. Time-lapse imaging of living embryos revealed that both YFP- and CFP-expressing OSNs project axons to the medial portion of the OB. This pattern of axonal projection is maintained in the adult transgenic fish, in which fluorescently labeled OSN axons target a topographically fixed cluster of glomeruli in the medial OB. Because the OR-coding sequences were replaced with fluorescent reporter genes, we examined which OR genes are expressed in YFP/CFP-expressing OSNs and found that the OR choice is mostly restricted to OR members within the same subfamily of the cluster. Furthermore, we found that the one receptor–one neuron rule is not always applicable to zebrafish OSNs and that multiple receptors–one neuron is true for a subpopulation of OSNs in both wild-type and transgenic fish. These data demonstrate two distinct modes of OR expression and suggest a model of the hierarchical regulation of OR gene choice and subsequent axonal projection in the zebrafish olfactory system.
Manifest Socialism: The Labor of Representation in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (1956––1959)
Authors: Maclean Ken
Published: February 2007

A close examination of archival documents and other materials from the state-controlled press reveals there to have been at least five competing modes for organizing labor on public works projects in the Democratic Republic of Vietnam during the mid to late 1950s. Each of these modes is examined to illustrate how ideological concerns and bureaucratic struggles shaped not only the postwar reconstruction of infrastructure but also efforts to "build socialism" following the land reforms. The materials discussed indicate that disruptions, false starts, and counterproductive policy modifications, including fierce competition between different state agencies, were the norm rather than the exception.
Investigation of simulated tectonic deformation in fossils using geometric morphometrics
Authors: Angielczyk Kenneth D. , Sheets H. David
Published: February 2007

Tectonic deformation is an important part of the taphonomic histories of many fossils. Although the effects of deformation, and methods to remove those effects, have been a subject of inquiry for over a century, systematic testing under known parameters has never been used to determine how the effects of deformation and the performance of retrodeformation techniques might vary. Comparative studies of morphology depend on the accurate estimation of variance-covariance structure, so an understanding of the effects of retrodeformation on covariance structure is important in assessing the utility of these methods. Here we address these issues by using geometric morphometric simulations. Nondeformed data sets were generated from specimens of the extant turtle Emys marmorata, which were known by definition to be nondeformed, and which possess a known ontogenetic signal. Deformation was simulated by applying a combination of uniform shear and uniform compression/dilation to the data. Data were retrodeformed by reflection and averaging of bilaterally symmetric landmarks, use of a principal components analysis to identify a deformation component of shape variation, and removal of the affine component of shape variation among specimens. Deformation increased the amount of variance in the data, as well as altering the variance structure. However, low to moderate levels of deformation did not prevent the confident recovery of the known ontogenetic signal in some cases. The tested retrodeformation techniques did not work well. They either removed too little or too much variance from the data, and provided little improvement in variance structure. Retrodeformation often did not improve our ability to extract the ontogenetic signal from the data, and in some cases introduced an arti-factual relationship between size and shape. All of the scrutinized methods showed some properties, such as reducing variance or producing visually appealing images of specimens, that could make them appear to be working in cases where the correct biological signal is not known. This emphasizes the need for simulation testing in the development and evaluation of retrodeformation techniques.
A novel amphibian tier 2 testing protocol: A 30-week exposure of Xenopus tropicalis to the antiandrogen flutamide
Authors: Knechtges Paul L. , Sprando Robert L. , Porter Karen L. , Brennan Linda M. , Miller Mark F. , Kumsher David M. , Dennis William E. , Brown Charles C. , Clegg Eric D.
Published: February 2007

In 1996, the U.S. Congress mandated the development of a screening program for endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) using validated test systems. Subsequently, the Endocrine Disruptor Screening and Testing Advisory Committee recommended the development of a standardized amphibian assay for tier 2 testing of EDCs. For that reason, a tier 2 testing protocol using Xenopus (Silurana) tropicalis and a 30-week, flow-through exposure to the antiandrogen flutamide from stage 46 tadpoles through sexually mature adult frogs were developed and evaluated in this pilot study. The endpoints for this study included measurements of frog body lengths and weights, liver weights, ovary/egg mass weights, testicular and ovarian histopathology, plasma vitellogenin levels, and notes on any abnormalities observed at necropsy. Increasing exposure concentrations to flutamide caused significant increases in frogs with no recognizable gonadal tissue and increased body and liver weights in male frogs, whereas the body lengths and weights decreased significantly in female frogs. Important issues must be resolved before a tier 2 amphibian assay can be further developed and validated, including the establishment of baseline values in the controls for the parameters under study; the maintenance, measurement, and timing of exposure concentrations; and the development of additional biomolecular markers of effect. This study demonstrated the feasibility of conducting long-term EDC exposure studies using X. tropicalis.
Effects of methamidophos on the predating behavior of Hylyphantes graminicola (Sundevall) (Araneae: Linyphiidae)
Authors: Deng Lingling , Dai Jiayin , Cao Hong , Xu Muqi
Published: February 2007

The effects of an organophosphorous insecticide, methamidophos, on the pest control potential of the spider Hylyphantes graminicola (Sundevall) (Araneae: Linyphiidae) were investigated in the laboratory with the fruit flies (Drosophila melanogaster Meigen). The influence of methamidophos on predation by H. graminicola was very obvious in female spiders, which preyed on fewer prey in the 8 h after exposure to the insecticide but subsequently recovered. On the other hand, the predation rates in male spiders were not affected by the insecticide within 24 h of treatment. However, a 10% lethal dose (LD10) of methamidophos resulted in an enhanced predation rate per day for male spiders, whereas a 50% lethal dose reduced the predation rate. In addition, it was shown that the functional response of H. graminicola to the fruit fly was a type II response, and the type of functional response of insecticide-treated females changed from type II to type I, with no change in the response of male spiders. The attack rate of males treated with the LD10 dosage of insecticide was significantly higher than the controls, which suggests that the insecticide stimulates the performance of spiders. Prey utilization of males treated with low doses of insecticide was lower than the control, which indicates that the insecticide did not result in these spiders eating more prey, but killing more.
Genistein inhibits the contact-stimulated migration of prostate cancer cells
Authors: Miękus Katarzyna , Madeja Zbigniew
Published: February 2007

The results of several epidemiological studies have suggested that a soybean-based diet is associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer. We investigated the effect of the soy isoflavone genistein on the proliferation and contact-stimulated migration of rat prostatic carcinoma MAT-LyLu and AT-2 cell lines. Genistein almost completely inhibited the growth of both MAT-LyLu and AT-2 cells in the concentration range from 25 to 100 μM, but the addition of 1 μM genistein to the medium significantly stimulated the proliferation of both cell lines. Additionally, at concentrations above 25 μM, genistein showed a potent cytotoxic effect. However, the central finding of this study is that at physiologically relevant concentrations (1 μM and 10 μM), genistein inhibits the motility of prostate cancer cells stimulated by homo-and heterotypic contacts. These results show that at physiological concentrations, genistein exerts an inhibitory effect on the migration of prostate cancer cells and suggest that it may be one of the factors responsible for the anti-metastatic activity of plant isoflavonoids
Crystallization effects on autoclave foaming of polycarbonate using supercritical carbon dioxide
Authors: Mascia L. , Re G. Del , Ponti P. P. , Bologna S. , Giacomo G. Di , Haworth B.
Published: February 2007

In this study, the conditions leading to the formation of cells and to the onset of crystallization of polycarbonate were examined with the use of supercritical carbon dioxide for the production of foams from preforms. Small plaques cut from extruded sheets were treated with supercritical carbon dioxide in an autoclave at temperatures varying from 60 to 200°C and from 4.5 to 30 MPa pressure. Visual observations and stereoscan electron microscopy examination revealed that penetration of supercritical carbon dioxide takes place via the advancing layer mechanism and that, for the particular grade of polycarbonate used in this study, the nucleation of the cells can take place at temperatures as low as 60°C. It requires, however, long treatment times and high pressures, and the growth of foam cells is severely restricted. Nucleation and growth of cells occurred much more readily at somewhat higher temperatures. With treatments at around 80°C, the onset of crystallization started to impose considerable hindrance to the formation of uniform and evenly distributed cells. This becomes increasingly evident at higher temperatures, between 100 and 180°C, owing to the formation of large spherulitic crystalline domains. A very effective nucleation and growth mechanism for the formation of cells was obtained, on the other hand, with treatments at 200°C due to the absence of crystallization phenomena. The degree of crystallinity increased with increasing treatment temperature, and the resulting morphology gave rise to two broad melting peaks. These are displaced to higher temperatures and become closer, merging into one peak with a low‐temperature shoulder. These events were monitored by thermal analysis and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction examinations. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 25:225–235, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20075
Three‐dimensional numerical simulation of injection mold filling with a finite‐volume method and parallel computing
Authors: Zhou Jian , Turng Lih‐Sheng
Published: February 2007

This paper presents a finite‐volume approach with a hybrid flexible distributed/shared memory parallel programming model to simulate the injection mold filling process. The simulation program deals with a three‐dimensional nonisothermal, non‐Newtonian flow with moving interfaces. The finite‐volume method is implemented to solve the governing equations, while a compressive interface capturing scheme for arbitrary meshes (CICSAM) is used to track the advancing melt fronts. For parallel computing, the program implements the “greedy algorithm'' as the domain decomposition method to distribute the computational work equally among the different computational nodes, and the message passing interface is used to communicate and exchange information between the computational nodes. For the symmetric multiprocessing nodes, OpenMP directives are integrated in the application's loop constructions. This approach effectively improved the solution efficiency in terms of computational time and accuracy. Three‐dimensional mold filling examples, which were used to verify and validate the numerical implementation and to demonstrate its performance and capabilities, are presented. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 25:247–258, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20076
Numerical prediction and experimental validation of viscoelastic annular swell
Authors: Huang Han‐Xiong , Miao Yan‐Sheng , Li Dong
Published: February 2007

Both swell and sag determine the parison dimensions in a viscoelastic annular extrusion. So, it is highly desirable to be able to predict the swell of an annular parison under the effect of sag during its extrusion. Numerical simulations on the parison extrusion at the conditions corresponding to industrial blow molding applications were carried out by adopting a finite element method and the Kaye–Bernstein–Kearsley–Zapas (K‐BKZ)‐type constitutive equation in the present work. Five dies were used to study the effect of die geometry (mainly die inclination angle) on the parison swells. The results show that the swellings continue to increase with increasing die inclination angle, which is explained according to stress distributions and exit pressure in the die. Reasons for the difference between the numerically predicted and the experimentally measured swells are analyzed. Then, the sensitivity of the predicted swells to the values of material constants appearing in the K‐BKZ model is examined. It is suggested that the material constants should be chosen in accordance with the die geometry to reflect its contribution to the shear and extensional deformation of the polymer melt inside the die. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 25:259–269, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20077
Microwave‐assisted depolymerization of poly(ethylene terephthalate) [PET] at atmospheric pressure
Authors: Nikje Mir Mohammad Alavi , Nazari Fatemeh
Published: February 2007

Microwave‐assisted hydroglycolysis of poly(ethylene terephthalate) using an excess of methanol, ethanol, 1‐butanol, 1‐pentanol, and 1‐hexanol in the presence of different simple basic catalysts, namely, potassium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide, sodium acetate, and zinc acetate, is reported. Reactions were performed at short times without any side reactions, namely, oxidation of ethylene glycol. The products terephthalic acid and ethylene glycol were obtained in their pure form with sufficiently high yields with potassium hydroxide. The purified product was characterized by IR and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The process of hydroglycolysis reported here is economically viable since yields of recycled products are high, and it has potential for further improvement to produce useful products. This process is of economic interest because much of the raw materials can be recovered and used for virgin PET resin synthesis. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Adv Polym Techn 25:242–246, 2006; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/adv.20080
Acquired pure megakaryocytic aplasia: Report of a single case treated with mycophenolate mofetil
Authors: Bulchandani Deepti , Nachnani Jagdish , Belt Robert , Hinton Stuart
Published: February 2007

Acquired pure megakaryocytic aplasia (APMA) is a rare disorder in the field of hematological diseases. We report the case of a patient with APMA treated with mycophenolate mofetil and review the literature associated with this. Until today, very few cases of APMA have been reported and the disease etiology still seems to be unclear. There have been no reported cases of treatment of APMA treated with mycophenolate mofetil. Am. J. Hematol., 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
HLA Genes associated with rheumatoid Arthritis. Identification of susceptibility alleles using specific oligonucleotide probes
Authors: Nepom Gerald T. , Byers Patricia , Seyfried Christine , Healey Louis A. , Wilske Kenneth R. , Stage David , Nepom Barbara S.
Published: February 2007

We examined the association of individual HLA genes with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), using oligonucleotide probes that identified both DR4‐associated and non–DR4‐associated genes. Two distinct HLA–DRβ alleles (Dw4 and Dw14) were found in DR4+ RA patients compared with controls (Dw4 50% versus 17%; Dw14 35% versus 5%; total DR4 73% versus 30%), indicating that these 2 alleles are independent susceptibility genes. Remarkably, the majority of the DR4– RA patients also demonstrated a linear DNA sequence, apparently “shuffled” between different susceptibility alleles, identified with an oligonucleotide probe to a key portion of the Dw14 gene.
Infectious complications of cyclophosphamide treatment for vasculitis
Authors: Bradley John D. , Brandt Kenneth D. , Katz Barry P.
Published: February 2007

Fifteen patients with Wegener's granulomatosis, polyarteritis nodosa, or isolated angiitis of the central nervous system were treated with cyclophosphamide according to a widely used regimen. Seventeen clinical episodes of infection were observed over 201 patient‐months of cyclophosphamide therapy, and 2 patients died of pneumonia. Notably, neither the incidence of leukopenia nor the dosage or duration of cyclophosphamide or corticosteroid therapy correlated well with infection, which occurred most frequently in men over 60 years of age. Patients with Wegener's granulomatosis appeared to be at greater risk of infection than those with the other forms of vasculitis. These results suggest that this treatment regimen may not be as safe as was previously thought.
Racial differences in antinuclear antibody patterns and clinical manifestations of scleroderma
Authors: McNeilage L. Jane , Youngchaiyud Uriwan , Whittingham Senga
Published: February 2007

The profile of antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in 49 Thais with scleroderma (systemic sclerosis) was compared with that in 68 white Australians with scleroderma. Forty‐eight (98%) of the Thais and all (100%) of the white Australians were positive for ANA, with the majority (100% and 97%, respectively) showing a diffuse speckled pattern of nuclear fluorescence. The distribution of the patterns was different in the 2 races; 35 (71%) of the Thais and 17 (25%) of the Australians showed staining of the nucleolus, and 1 (2%) of the Thais and 35 (51%) of the Australians showed staining of the centromeres. The frequency of precipitating antibodies to extractable nuclear antigens was also strikingly different: 86% in Thais and 26% in Australians (P < 0.001). Precipitating antibodies to Scl‐70 (topoisomerase I), the predominant extractable nuclear antigen in patients with scleroderma, were detected in 37 (76%) of the Thais and 18 (26%) of the Australians, and these were shown by Western blotting to react with the Scl‐70 (topoisomerase I)–associated polypeptides. Differences in the frequencies of the ANA specificities in the 2 races were consistent with differences in the clinical manifestations of scleroderma; all of the Thai patients, in contrast to 15% of the Australian patients, had diffuse scleroderma with widespread skin involvement. This suggests that environmental or genetic factors may influence the expression of scleroderma.