bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Release of antimicrobial actives from microcapsules by the action of axillary bacteria
Authors: Kromidas L. , Perrier E. , Flanagan J. , Rivero R. , Bonnet I.
Published: March 2006

Synopsis

We describe the use of unique microcapsules that may be degraded by the actions of bacteria. These microcapsules are approximately 35 μm in diameter, are composed of natural protein, and may be filled with a variety of actives. We describe the use of antimicrobial actives such as farnesol and methylparaben to demonstrate that their release by the degradative actions of axillary bacteria such as Corynebacterium minutissimum, C. urealyticum, and Staphylococcus epidermidis leads to their demise. These microcapsules may be used in consumer products such as deodorants and antiperpirants that may, under actual use conditions, control malodor.
Transfollicular delivery of linoleic acid in human scalp skin: permeation study and microautoradiographic analysis
Authors: Raufast V. , Mavon A.
Published: March 2006

Synopsis

There are a large number of studies on the pharmacological activity of lineolic acid (LA) on the skin; however, very little work has been carried out to determine how LA targets the follicular structure. The aim of this study was to identify the preferred route of penetration of LA and to localize the molecule, using a microautoradiographic technique associated with a compartmental approach. In an in vitro test using topical application of 0.05 g of a formulation containing 1% of LA, 10% of the total recovery was found in the stratum corneum and dermis after 6 h. Microautoradiographic analysis of a ‘virtual’ slide showed most of the silver grains, i.e. LA, at the hair sheath, and none in the dermal compartment, confirming the diffusion of LA through a preferred transfollicular route. These results show, for the first time on human scalp skin, that the combination of compartmental analysis and microautoradiography points to a preferred transfollicular route of diffusion of topically applied LA. Thanks to its high‐resolution, microautoradiography offers the advantage of providing detailed in situ information on the delivery of LA in the skin, including the cellular location of the molecule.
Nanoscale imaging and quantification of the impact of covalently linked lipids on the hair's surface
Authors: Luengo G. S. , Hallegot P. , Leroy F.
Published: March 2006

The role of 18‐methyleicosanoic acid was explored using atomic force microscopy techniques. Treatment with a delipidating agent (hydroxylamine) did not change the hair's morphology but dramatically changed its surface tribological properties, providing a high resolution mapping of the delipidation effect and confirming the importance of the presence of this fatty acid. Using nanolithography we were able to gently scratch the outermost surface layer of hair. The obtained depth of penetration remained constant (12–45 Å) and was very close to the average length of the 18‐methyl‐eicosanoic acid molecule, supporting the assumed model of an ordered monolayer of 18‐methyleicosanoic acid on the surface. Taken together, our results suggest that the lipid covering or its grafting strength may not be evenly distributed over the hair surface. The possibilities of combining nanolithography and an analytical method like time of flight secondary ion mass spectroscopy (ToF‐SIMS) are discussed.
Comparative topical absorption and antioxidant effectiveness of two forms of coenzyme q10 after a single dose and after long‐term supplementation in the skin of young and middle‐aged subjects
Authors: Vinson J. , Anamandla S.
Published: March 2006

Coenzyme Q10 is an endogenous antioxidant found in the skin along with vitamins A, C and E. Coenzyme Q10 is used increasingly in cosmetic products and is advertised as a skin energizer, protector against skin aging, skin repairer and an anti‐wrinkling agent. As the outermost layer of skin, the stratum corneum is the interface between the body and the environment and requires antioxidants to protect it and the epidermis and dermis below it. Nutrient levels in the stratum corneum correlate with those in the skin. Two forms of coenzyme Q10 (pure coenzyme Q10 and a yeast‐based coenzyme Q10) were investigated in a commercial vehicle. Two groups of subjects were tested aged 21–29 and 51–70, respectively. Coenzyme Q10 absorption in the stratum corneum was determined after a 1‐h application and ethanol extraction. Significantly more yeast coenzyme Q10 was absorbed than the pure coenzyme Q10 and the middle‐aged subjects absorbed about twice as much coenzyme Q10 as did the younger subjects. Skin antioxidants were significantly increased by yeast coenzyme Q10 but not by pure coenzyme Q10. Peroxides declined in the stratum corneum after twice daily application of coenzyme Q10 with both forms but the decrease was greater with the yeast form. The older subjects had significantly higher baseline levels of lipid peroxides than did the younger group, indicating an increase in skin oxidative damage with age. The yeast coenzyme Q10 is the superior form of coenzyme Q10 for human skin application.
An interlaboratory comparison of methods used to assess antioxidant potentials1
Authors: Buenger J. , Ackermann H. , Jentzsch A. , Mehling A. , Pfitzner I. , Reiffen K.‐A. , Schroeder K.‐R. , Wollenweber U.
Published: March 2006

Synopsis

Many analytical methods are used to measure the antioxidative activity of substances yet little is known about the comparability of the test results between laboratories. After an initial evaluation of a broad range of methods conducted by one laboratory, the 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, the trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC) assay, the lipid assay (or 2,2′‐azobis(2‐aminepropane) (ABAP) assay) and the thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay were selected to be evaluated in the interlaboratory study. The antioxidative potentials of trolox, tocopherol, lipochroman‐6, ascorbic acid, 4‐methyl‐brenzcatechin, and/or 3,5‐di‐tert‐butyl‐4‐hydroxytoluene (BHT) were assessed using each of the methods. These methods were then evaluated in respect of their reproducibility and classification properties. Based on the results of this study, the DPPH assay followed by the TEAC assay yielded the best results based on reproducibility and sensitivity both within one laboratory and between laboratories. The results of the interlaboratory study were then compared with the single center results obtained from the commercially available photochemolumiescence (PCL) kit. To assess the transferability of chemical data to biological systems, they were also compared with the single center results obtained using the cell‐based Dichlorodihydrofluoresceine (DCFH) assay.
PRICING EQUITY DERIVATIVES SUBJECT TO BANKRUPTCY
Authors: Linetsky Vadim
Published: March 2006

We solve in closed form a parsimonious extension of the Black–Scholes–Merton model with bankruptcy where the hazard rate of bankruptcy is a negative power of the stock price. Combining a scale change and a measure change, the model dynamics is reduced to a linear stochastic differential equation whose solution is a diffusion process that plays a central role in the pricing of Asian options. The solution is in the form of a spectral expansion associated with the diffusion infinitesimal generator. The latter is closely related to the Schrödinger operator with Morse potential. Pricing formulas for both corporate bonds and stock options are obtained in closed form. Term credit spreads on corporate bonds and implied volatility skews of stock options are closely linked in this model, with parameters of the hazard rate specification controlling both the shape of the term structure of credit spreads and the slope of the implied volatility skew. Our analytical formulas are easy to implement and should prove useful to researchers and practitioners in corporate debt and equity derivatives markets.
PORTFOLIO OPTIMIZATION WITH DOWNSIDE CONSTRAINTS
Authors: Lakner Peter , Ma Nygren Lan
Published: March 2006

We consider the portfolio optimization problem for an investor whose consumption rate process and terminal wealth are subject to downside constraints. In the standard financial market model that consists of d risky assets and one riskless asset, we assume that the riskless asset earns a constant instantaneous rate of interest, r > 0, and that the risky assets are geometric Brownian motions. The optimal portfolio policy for a wide scale of utility functions is derived explicitly. The gradient operator and the Clark–Ocone formula in Malliavin calculus are used in the derivation of this policy. We show how Malliavin calculus approach can help us get around certain difficulties that arise in using the classical “delta hedging” approach.
MULTIDIMENSIONAL PORTFOLIO OPTIMIZATION WITH PROPORTIONAL TRANSACTION COSTS
Authors: Muthuraman Kumar , Kumar Sunil
Published: March 2006

We provide a computational study of the problem of optimally allocating wealth among multiple stocks and a bank account, to maximize the infinite horizon discounted utility of consumption. We consider the situation where the transfer of wealth from one asset to another involves transaction costs that are proportional to the amount of wealth transferred. Our model allows for correlation between the price processes, which in turn gives rise to interesting hedging strategies. This results in a stochastic control problem with both drift‐rate and singular controls, which can be recast as a free boundary problem in partial differential equations. Adapting the finite element method and using an iterative procedure that converts the free boundary problem into a sequence of fixed boundary problems, we provide an efficient numerical method for solving this problem. We present computational results that describe the impact of volatility, risk aversion of the investor, level of transaction costs, and correlation among the risky assets on the structure of the optimal policy. Finally we suggest and quantify some heuristic approximations.
DISUTILITY, OPTIMAL RETIREMENT, AND PORTFOLIO SELECTION
Authors: Jin Choi Kyoung , Shim Gyoocheol
Published: March 2006

We study the optimal retirement and consumption/investment choice of an infinitely‐lived economic agent with a time‐separable von Neumann–Morgenstern utility. A particular aspect of our problem is that the agent has a retirement option. Before retirement the agent receives labor income but suffers a utility loss from labor. By retiring, he avoids the utility loss but gives up labor income. We show that the agent retires optimally if his wealth exceeds a certain critical level. We also show that the agent consumes less and invests more in risky assets when he has an option to retire than he would in the absence of such an option.

An explicit solution can be provided by solving a free boundary value problem. In particular, the critical wealth level and the optimal consumption and portfolio policy are provided in explicit forms.
CHILD LABOUR IN VIETNAM
Authors: Rosati Furio Camillo , Tzannatos Zafiris
Published: March 2006

Abstract.  The paper tests the explanatory power of a theoretical model of household decisions about child labour and school enrolment and analyses the determinants of child labour in Vietnam, a country that is experiencing a rapid transition toward a market economy. The theoretical framework, used as a benchmark, is in the spirit of the ‘new household’ economics and links household decisions about schooling and child labour to intergenerational altruism and to human capital investment. On this basis, we analyse the evolution and determinants of child labour using two household surveys (1993 and 1998) for Vietnam.
INCOME DISPERSION AND PRICE DISCRIMINATION
Authors: He Yong , Sun Guang‐Zhen
Published: March 2006

Abstract.  This paper analyses the effects of inter‐market and intra‐market income heterogeneities on output and social welfare under uniform pricing and differential pricing regimes by considering a finite number of markets. We first derive the linear demand curve in each market under plausible conditions, and then show that more markets (and consumers) are excluded under uniform pricing the higher are the inter‐market income differences. We also show that adding markets, even of lower income levels than those of existing markets, helps to decrease prices and thus cause more markets to be served. Implications of intra‐market income dispersion are also explored.
INTRA‐INDUSTRY TRADE AND NATIONAL ENTRY POLICY
Authors: Takahashi Nobuhiro
Published: March 2006

Abstract.  This paper analyses entry policy in an open economy using an intra‐industry trade model. Entry policy is the policy by which a government regulates the number of firms in the country. Implementation of this policy is accompanied by subsidies. In this paper, only one country implements this policy and the other country does not enforce any regulations. We show that the national entry policy makes both countries better off than they would be at the market equilibrium if a certain condition is met. This means that national entry policy is not necessarily a beggar‐thy‐neighbour policy.
ROLE OF FISCAL AND MONETARY POLICY
Authors: Ho Lok Sang
Published: March 2006

Abstract.  This paper applies the GS‐PD framework of Ho (1988) to show that the so‐called ‘battle of ideas’ between ‘Keynesians’, who believe in intervention, and the champions of the market, who believe in non‐intervention, as popularly depicted, diverts attention from the crux of the matter. It shows how monetary and fiscal policies have to be coordinated in specific situations and why some macroeconomic problems may require responses beyond the purview of monetary and fiscal policies.
Cromwellian England: A Propaganda State?
Authors: PEACEY JASON
Published: March 2006

This article explores the attitude to the press on the part of Oliver Cromwell and his chief ministers in terms of press control and propaganda and in terms of the theory and the practice of government policy. It examines whether the regime sought and whether it was able to achieve strict press control through pre‐publication censorship and swift and severe punishment of malefactors as well as effective and pervasive propaganda, which was centrally organized, controlled, funded, and distributed. It argues that between 1653 and 1659 profound changes were implemented regarding intelligence‐gathering, press censorship and propaganda in the deployment of resources and bureaucratic efficiency, not least by centralizing power in the hands of the secretary of state, even if the regime sought to exert its power in only some areas of print culture rather than to achieve a complete press monopoly.
Slave Women and Reproduction in Jamaica, c.1776–1834
Authors: MORGAN KENNETH
Published: March 2006

This article explains the failure of the Jamaica slaves to reproduce naturally in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. It argues that the explanation for the failure stemmed from dietary inadequacies and the harsh working routines of sugar cultivation, which compounded epidemiological and whatever social, cultural and political factors may have motivated Jamaican slave women concerning their own reproductive capabilities.
‘By the Law or the Sword’: Peterloo Revisited
Authors: POOLE ROBERT
Published: March 2006

This article looks again at the ‘Peterloo massacre’ of 16 August 1819 in Manchester, and offers new evidence from the Home Office Disturbances Papers about how it came about and who was responsible. In Section I the revisionist case that Peterloo was a conflict rather than a massacre is examined and found wanting. Section II argues that in the months before Peterloo, the Home Office had consistently urged the Lancashire magistrates to combat radical agitation ‘either by the law or the sword’; its well‐known advice for restraint on 16 August was a piece of qualified back‐pedalling which came too late. It also argues that the authorities misinterpreted the peaceful mass platform agitation of 1819 in the light of their experience of the attempted insurrections of 1817. Section III shows that the prosecution at the Peterloo trial privately conceded that its own version of events had been discredited. Section IV suggests that both conservative and progressive versions of what happened at Peterloo are constricted by whiggish assumptions, proposes some questions for further study, and offers a brief summary explanation of the Peterloo massacre.
Poverty statics and dynamics: does the accounting period matter?
Authors: Cantó Olga , Gradín Carlos , Río Coral Del
Published: March 2006

Any public policy aimed at reducing the effects of deprivation should be aware of the consequences of the use of different income accounting periods on eligibility and subsequent policy evaluation. This study aims to throw some light on the relev‐ance of choosing a specific accounting period for public policy evaluation in a European country, in contrast to the existing evidence for the United States. Our analysis indicates that there are some significant differences in the results on poverty when using different income accounting periods. Researchers and decision‐makers using an annual income measure, whatever the economic and social welfare context, should be aware that the use of quarterly data instead of yearly data will lead to a significantly larger number of poor households and a lower level of inequality and mobility in the distribution.
Race, state and nation in early twentieth century Ecuador*
Authors: FOOTE NICOLA
Published: March 2006

ABSTRACT. This article aims to explore the ways in which the tensions involved in nation‐building and state consolidation during the half‐century following the Liberal Revolution of 1895 in Ecuador were refracted through the locus of race and the manipulation of racial ideologies. It centres the state as the primary motor of nation‐building and racialisation, arguing that nation‐building and state formation in Ecuador operated in close conjunction, and that race was central to each. Through case studies of citizenship, education and the integration of territory and resources, it explores how state discourse and policy shaped the racial boundaries of national inclusion, and how these were negotiated and contested by subalterns at the level of the state.
National and regional identities in Brazil: Rio Grande do Sul and its peculiarities
Authors: OLIVEN RUBEN GEORGE
Published: March 2006

ABSTRACT. From the 1930s, Brazil experienced a growing national centralisation and the construction of Brasilidade (Brazilianness). The military regime (1964–85) deepened centralisation and emphasised national identity, little space being left for regional identities. With the political opening and the redemocratisation of Brazil, starting at the end of the 1970s, the stress was on differences in a period in which Brazil had already achieved a high degree of integration. Identities were re‐created, among them that of Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil, where a strong revival of gaúcho culture took place. The 1980s and 1990s were marked by a growing development of activities and disputes linked to the gaúcho tradition. In spite of the fact that Rio Grande do Sul is predominantly urban and industrialised, this process reached out to the state's rural past and the equestrian figure of the gaúcho.
A phosphatidylinositol transfer protein α‐dependent survival factor protects cultured primary neurons against serum deprivation‐induced cell death
Authors: Bunte Hanneke , Schenning Martijn , Sodaar Peter , Bär Dop P. R. , Wirtz Karel W. A. , van Muiswinkel Freek L. , Snoek Gerry T.
Published: March 2006

Selective neuronal loss is a prominent feature in both acute and chronic neurological disorders. Recently, a link between neurodegeneration and a deficiency in the lipid transport protein phosphatidylinositol transfer protein α (PI‐TPα) has been demonstrated. In this context it may be of importance that fibroblasts overexpressing PI‐TPα are known to produce and secrete bioactive survival factors that protect fibroblasts against UV‐induced apoptosis. In the present study it was investigated whether the conditioned medium of cells overexpressing PI‐TPα (CMα) has neuroprotective effects on primary neurons in culture. We show that CMα is capable of protecting primary, spinal cord‐derived motor neurons from serum deprivation‐induced cell death. Since the conditioned medium of wild‐type cells was much less effective, we infer that the neuroprotective effect of CMα is linked (in part) to the PI‐TPα‐dependent production of arachidonic acid metabolites. The neuroprotective activity of CMα is partly inhibited by suramin, a broad‐spectrum antagonist of G‐protein coupled receptors. Western blot analysis shows that brain cortex and spinal cord express relatively high levels of PI‐TPα, suggesting that the survival factor may be produced in neuronal tissue. We propose that the bioactive survival factor is implicated in neuronal survival. If so, PI‐TPα could be a promising target to be evaluated in studies on the prevention and treatment of neurological disorders.
The 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl co‐enzyme A reductase inhibitor pravastatin enhances neurite outgrowth in hippocampal neurons
Authors: Pooler Amy M. , Xi Shijun C. , Wurtman Richard J.
Published: March 2006

Epidemiological studies demonstrate a relationship between statin [3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMG‐CoA) reductase inhibitor] usage and reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease. To determine whether statins affect neuronal development, we treated cultured rat hippocampal neurons with pravastatin. After 4–48 h of treatment, pravastatin significantly increased the number of neurites produced by each cell and caused a corresponding increase in levels of the membrane phospholipid phosphatidylcholine. Pravastatin treatment also significantly increased neurite length and branching but did not affect cellular cholesterol levels. Co‐incubation with mevalonate, but not cholesterol, abolished the stimulatory effect of pravastatin on neurite outgrowth. Treatment of neurons with isoprenoids also abolished the effect of pravastatin on neurite growth, suggesting that pravastatin may stimulate neuritogenesis by preventing isoprenylation of signaling molecules such as the Rho family of small GTPases. A specific inhibitor of geranylgeranylation, but not farnesylation, mimicked the stimulatory effect of pravastatin on neuritogenesis. Pravastatin treatment significantly decreased levels of membrane‐associated RhoA. These data suggest that pravastatin treatment increases neurite outgrowth and may do so via inhibiting the activity of geranylgeranylated proteins such as RhoA.
Susceptibility to rotenone is increased in neurons from parkin null mice and is reduced by minocycline
Authors: Casarejos M. J. , Menéndez J. , Solano R. M. , Rodríguez‐Navarro J. A. , García de Yébenes J. , Mena M. A.
Published: March 2006

Parkinson's disease is a neurodegenerative disorder which is in most cases of unknown etiology. Mutations of the Park‐2 gene are the most frequent cause of familial parkinsonism and parkin knockout (PK‐KO) mice have abnormalities that resemble the clinical syndrome. We investigated the interaction of genetic and environmental factors, treating midbrain neuronal cultures from PK‐KO and wild‐type (WT) mice with rotenone (ROT). ROT (0.025–0.1 µm) produced a dose‐dependent selective reduction of tyrosine hydroxylase‐immunoreactive cells and of other neurons, as shown by the immunoreactivity to microtubule‐associated protein 2 in PK‐KO cultures, suggesting that the toxic effect of ROT involved dopamine and other types of neurons. Neuronal death was mainly apoptotic and suppressible by the caspase inhibitor t‐butoxycarbonyl‐Asp(OMe)‐fluoromethyl ketone (Boc‐D‐FMK). PK‐KO cultures were more susceptible to apoptosis induced by low doses of ROT than those from WT. ROT increased the proportion of astroglia and microglia more in PK‐KO than in WT cultures. Indomethacin, a cyclo‐oxygenase inhibitor, worsened the effects of ROT on tyrosine hydroxylase cells, apoptosis and astroglial (glial fibrillary acidic protein) cells. N‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester, an inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase, increased ROT‐induced apoptosis but did not change tyrosine hydroxylase‐immunoreactive or glial fibrillary acidic protein area. Neither indomethacin nor N‐nitro‐l‐arginine methyl ester had any effect on the reduction by ROT of the mitochondrial potential as measured by 3‐(4,5‐dimethylthiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyltetrazolium bromide. Microglial NADPH oxidase inhibition, however, protected against ROT. The roles of p38 MAPK and extracellular signal‐regulated kinase signaling pathways were tested by treatment with SB20358 and PD98059, respectively. These compounds were inactive in ROT‐naive cultures but PD98059 slightly increased cellular necrosis, as measured by lactate dehydrogenase levels, caused by ROT, without changing mitochondrial activity. SB20358 increased the mitochondrial failure and lactate dehydrogenase elevation induced by ROT. Minocycline, an inhibitor of microglia, prevented the dropout of tyrosine hydroxylase and apoptosis by ROT; the addition of microglia from PK‐KO to WT neuronal cultures increased the sensitivity of dopaminergic neurons to ROT. PK‐KO mice were more susceptible than WT to ROT and the combined effects of Park‐2 suppression and ROT reproduced the cellular events observed in Parkinson's disease. These events were prevented by minocycline.
The protein tyrosine phosphatase, Shp2, is required for the complete activation of the RAS/MAPK pathway by brain‐derived neurotrophic factor
Authors: Easton John B. , Royer Amanda R. , Middlemas David S.
Published: March 2006

Brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and other neurotrophins induce a unique prolonged activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) compared with growth factors. Characterization and kinetic and spatial modeling of the signaling pathways underlying this prolonged MAPK activation by BDNF will be important in understanding the physiological role of BDNF in many complex systems in the nervous system. In addition to Shc, fibroblast growth factor receptor substrate 2 (FRS2) is required for the BDNF‐induced activation of MAPK. BDNF induces phosphorylation of FRS2. However, BDNF does not induce phosphorylation of FRS2 in cells expressing a deletion mutant of TrkB (TrkBΔPTB) missing the juxtamembrane NPXY motif. This motif is the binding site for SHC. NPXY is the consensus sequence for phosphotyrosine binding (PTB) domains, and notably, FRS2 and SHC contain PTB domains. This NPXY motif, which contains tyrosine 484 of TrkB, is therefore the binding site for both FRS2 and SHC. Moreover, the proline containing region (VIENP) of the NPXY motif is also required for FRS2 and SHC phosphorylation, which indicates this region is an important component of FRS2 and SHC recognition by TrkB. Previously, we had found that the phosphorylation of FRS2 induces association of FRS2 and growth factor receptor binding protein 2 (Grb2). Now, we have intriguing data that indicates BDNF induces association of the SH2 domain containing protein tyrosine phosphatase, Shp2, with FRS2. Moreover, the PTB association motif of TrkB containing tyrosine 484 is required for the BDNF‐induced association of Shp2 with FRS2 and the phosphorylation of Shp2. These results imply that FRS2 and Shp2 are in a BDNF signaling pathway. Shp2 is required for complete MAPK activation by BDNF, as expression of a dominant negative Shp2 in cells attenuates BDNF‐induced activation of MAPK. Moreover, expression of a dominant negative Shp2 attenuates Ras activation showing that the protein tyrosine phosphatase is required for complete activation of MAPKs by BDNF. In conclusion, Shp2 regulates BDNF signaling through the MAPK pathway by regulating either Ras directly or alternatively, by signaling components upstream of Ras. Characterization of MAPK signaling controlled by BDNF is likely to be required to understand the complex physiological role of BDNF in neuronal systems ranging from the regulation of neuronal growth and survival to the regulation of synapses.
Blood 5‐hydroxytryptamine, 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid and melatonin levels in patients with either Huntington's disease or chronic brain injury
Authors: Christofides J. , Bridel M. , Egerton M. , Mackay G. M. , Forrest C. M. , Stoy N. , Darlington L. G. , Stone T. W.
Published: March 2006

Following a study of oxidative tryptophan metabolism to kynurenines, we have now analysed the blood of patients with either Huntington's disease or traumatic brain injury for levels of 5‐hydroxytryptamine (5‐HT), 5‐hydroxyindoleacetic acid (5‐HIAA) and melatonin. There were no differences in the baseline levels of these compounds between patients and healthy controls. Tryptophan depletion did not reduce 5‐HT levels in either the controls or in the patients with Huntington's disease, but it increased 5‐HT levels in patients with brain injury and lowered 5‐HIAA in the control and Huntington's disease groups. An oral tryptophan load did not modify 5‐HT levels in the patients but increased 5‐HT in control subjects. The tryptophan load restored 5‐HIAA to baseline levels in controls and patients with brain injury, but not in those with Huntington's disease, in whom 5‐HIAA remained significantly depressed. Melatonin levels increased on tryptophan loading in all subjects, with levels in patients with brain injury increasing significantly more than in controls. Baseline levels of neopterin and lipid peroxidation products were higher in patients than in controls. It is concluded that both groups of patients exhibit abnormalities in tryptophan metabolism, which may be related to increased inflammatory status and oxidative stress. Interactions between the kynurenine, 5‐HT and melatonin pathways should be considered when interpreting changes of tryptophan metabolism.
Colour and colour vision of creatures great and small
Authors: Dawson Tim L
Published: March 2006

Today the mechanisms of human colour vision are well understood because of the detailed communication feedback possible in experimental studies. The situation with other species in the animal kingdom is less easy to investigate and understand. In the present review, examples of the colour and colour vision of various animal species are described, selected mainly because they are particularly interesting and indeed colourful. The chemical structures and the relationships of the natural pigments involved also receive attention. Despite many decades of vision research, many aspects of colour vision remain unclear. Nevertheless increasing knowledge in all these fields may someday help to elucidate the neurological pathways underlying other animals’ colour vision to the same extent as is at present known for human vision.
Fading characteristics of a disperse dye on cellulose triacetate, polyester and nylon under monochromatic light radiation
Authors: Imaizumi Akira , Yoshizumi Kunio
Published: March 2006

Light fastness of CI Disperse Blue 165 dye on cellulose triacetate, polyester and nylon fabric substrates exposed to monochromatic light was examined on a radiant energy basis. The action spectra indicated a strong effect on the substrate‐fading characteristics: nylon exhibited poorer light fastness in the visible and ultraviolet light range than polyester and cellulose triacetate. Two specific fading peaks were found for the nylon substrate, which were different to those found for the polyester and cellulose substrates. It was shown that polyester exhibited the best light fastness properties overall. The colour changes in the fading process suggested that the fading products of the dye on nylon (where reduction occurred) were different from those on the polyester and cellulose triacetate substrates (where oxidation occurred).
Dyeing plants screening: an approach to combine past heritage and present development
Authors: Guinot Pauline , Rogé Aline , Gargadennec Annick , Garcia Michel , Dupont Daniel , Lecoeur Edwige , Candelier Laurent , Andary Claude
Published: March 2006

The paper reports an investigation of the colouring properties of 43 dyeing plants chosen for their widespread use in previous centuries. Colorimetric analysis showed that the principal colours on different fabric supports were yellow and mostly unsaturated. The nature of the support fibres investigated, protein‐ or cellulose‐based, was shown to play an important role in the perceived colours. Phytochemical analysis confirmed that yellow‐orange shades could be attributed to flavonoids and that red colours were due to anthraquinones. Colours from plants that contain anthocyanins varied from blue‐violet through reddish depending on the structure of the anthocyanins in the individual plants. Colour fastness was determined by applying standard test methods. Fastness to light appeared to be inadequate for industrial applications for most samples, but it seems that this could be improved by certain molecular associations. On the other hand, colour fastness to water was satisfactory.
Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) presenting with catatonic symptoms
Authors: LAKSHMANA Raju , SUNDRAM Suresh , CAIRNS Fiona
Published: March 2006

In this report, we demonstrate through a putative case that Dementia with Lewy Bodies (DLB) can present with a catatonic syndrome which can pose diagnostic and management challenges. The patient was an 88‐year‐old gentleman presenting with acute psychotic and catatonic symptoms on a background of 5 months of functional decline. He showed good response of catatonic symptoms to Clonazepam and psychotic symptoms to Olanzapine. This led to resolution of behavioral problems and the establishment of a putative diagnosis of DLB.

Patients with DLB may present with catatonic states; benzodiazepines help resolve catatonic symptoms and facilitate assessment in such patients; and Olanzapine effectively treats psychotic symptoms in DLB.
Predictors of mortality in an aging community‐based cohort in Korea
Authors: SUH Guk‐Hee
Published: March 2006

Background:  Multiple factors related to specific dimensions of health – general, physical and mental – contribute to mortality in the elderly, but their relative contributions to mortality risk is not well‐known. The objectives of this prospective population‐based cohort study were to measure mortality rates and to identify predictors of mortality in community‐dwelling men and women aged 65 years or older in Korea by examining self assessments of general health, objective medical burden, and measurement of cognition, mood and function.

Methods:  A total of 1245 elderly (529 men; 716 women) were followed up longitudinally for 3.5 years. Fixed predictor variables observed at baseline examined in Cox proportional hazards models were age, sex, education, chronic medical illnesses, self‐rated health, basic activities of daily living, depression measured by the Geriatric Depression Scale, and cognition measured by the Mini‐Mental State Examination.

Results:  Mortality rates were similar to those of the 2001 Korean population. Older age, male sex, poor self‐rated health and presence of cerebrovascular disease were significant predictors of mortality. Presence of ischemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease at baseline predicted mortality in men, but not in women. Depression predicted mortality only when chronic medical illnesses were excluded from the model.

Conclusions:  Subjective self‐rated health and objective medical burden are strong independent predictors of mortality in this elderly community population, in addition to age and sex.
Testosterone Replacement Therapy for Treatment Refractory Cluster Headache
Authors: Stillman Mark J.
Published: March 2006

Objectives.—To describe the clinical characteristics and laboratory findings of cluster headache patients whose headaches responded to testosterone replacement therapy.

Background.—Current evidence points to hypothalamic dysfunction, with increased metabolic hyperactivity in the region of the suprachiasmatic nucleus, as being important in the genesis of cluster headaches. This is clinically borne out in the circadian and diurnal behavior of these headaches. For years it has been recognized that male cluster headache patients appear overmasculinized. Recent neuroendocrine and sleep studies now point to an association between gonadotropin and corticotropin levels and hypothalamically entrained pineal secretion of melatonin.

Results.—Seven male and 2 female patients, seen between July 2004 and February 2005, and between the ages of 32 and 56, are reported with histories of treatment resistant cluster headaches accompanied by borderline low or low serum testosterone levels. The patients failed to respond to individually tailored medical regimens, including melatonin doses of 12 mg a day or higher, high flow oxygen, maximally tolerated verapamil, antiepileptic agents, and parenteral serotonin agonists. Seven of the 9 patients met 2004 International Classification for the Diagnosis of Headache criteria for chronic cluster headaches; the other 2 patients had episodic cluster headaches of several months duration. After neurological and physical examination all patients had laboratory investigations including fasting lipid panel, PSA (where indicated), LH, FSH, and testosterone levels (both free and total). All 9 patients demonstrated either abnormally low or low, normal testosterone levels. After supplementation with either pure testosterone in 5 of 7 male patients or combination testosterone/estrogen therapy in both female patients, the patients achieved cluster headache freedom for the first 24 hours. Four male chronic cluster patients, all with abnormally low testosterone levels, achieved remission.

Conclusions.—Abnormal testosterone levels in patients with episodic or chronic cluster headaches refractory to maximal medical management may predict a therapeutic response to testosterone replacement therapy. In the described cases, diurnal variation of attacks, a seasonal cluster pattern, and previous, transient responsiveness to melatonin therapy pointed to the hypothalamus as the site of neurological dysfunction. Prospective studies pairing hormone levels and polysomnographic data are needed.
A Novel Method of Eliciting Pain‐Related Potentials by Transcutaneous Electrical Stimulation
Authors: Katsarava Zaza , Ayzenberg Ilya , Sack Florian , Limmroth Volker , Diener Hans‐Christoph , Kaube Holger
Published: March 2006

Background.—Electrophysiological techniques such as laser and contact heat evoked pain‐related potentials are very useful for studying trigeminal and somatic pain transmission in humans. These methods are, however, partly invasive, expensive, and therefore not available for broad clinical use. We recently proposed a novel technique of noninvasive transcutaneous electrical stimulation.

Objective.—To elicit pain‐related evoked potentials (PREP) by using a concentric planar electrode and demonstrate their nociceptive specificity.

Methods.—We registered PREP following stimulation of the forehead and hand in 14 healthy volunteers. Latencies, peak‐to‐peak amplitudes, and conduction velocities of nociceptive fibers have been estimated. Effects of temporal and spatial summation and of cutaneous anesthesia were evaluated.

Results.—Stimulation with the concentric planar electrode produced pinprick‐like painful sensation. Cutaneous anesthesia led to abolishment of PREP responses. Estimated mean conduction velocity was 11.61 ± 5.12 m/s, which corresponded well with conduction via A‐delta fibers. Spatial as well as temporal summation resulted in a parallel increase of perceived pain intensity and PREP amplitudes.

Conclusion.—The technique is noninvasive, affordable, and easy to perform and allows quantitative assessment of human nociceptive pathways.
Epigenetic DNA Hypermethylation of the HERP Gene Promoter Induces Down‐regulation of Its mRNA Expression in Patients With Alcohol Dependence
Authors: Bleich Stefan , Lenz Bernd , Ziegenbein Marc , Beutler Sonja , Frieling Helge , Kornhuber Johannes , Bönsch Dominikus
Published: March 2006

Background: Elevated plasma homocysteine concentrations can influence genomic and gene‐specific DNA methylation in peripheral blood cells. The aim of this study was to investigate in patients with alcohol dependence, who show chronically elevated homocysteine levels, whether DNA methylation pattern within the HERP (homocysteine‐induced endoplasmic reticulum protein) promoter region and expression of HERP mRNA is altered.

Methods: The HERP mRNA expression level was measured by quantitative PCR in the blood of 66 male alcoholic patients and 55 nondrinking healthy controls. Epigenetic genomic DNA methylation status and HERP promoter methylation were measured with a nonradioactive elongation assay.

Results: We observed a significant increase (7.6%) in the HERP promoter DNA methylation in patients with alcohol dependence (t test, t=−2.45, p<0.02) when compared with healthy controls (80.4%, SD 14.5), which was significantly associated with their elevated homocysteine levels (multiple linear regression, p<0.007). Furthermore, we found a significantly lower HERP mRNA expression in patients with alcohol dependence (t test, −7.61 ΔCT; SD 1.87, p<0.001) when compared with healthy controls (−6.04 ΔCT; SD 2.41). The lowered HERP mRNA expression in alcoholic patients was best explained by the hypermethylation of the regulatory HERP gene promoter (regression analysis, p=0.004).

Conclusions: To our knowledge, this is the first study evaluating HERP mRNA expression and its specific gene promoter methylation in alcoholic patients. As hypermethylation of DNA is an important epigenetic factor in the down‐regulation of gene expression, and as HERP has been considered to play an essential role within the intracellular defense system, these findings may be useful in the understanding and treatment of different disease conditions associated with alcohol dependence.
Use of Record Linkage to Examine Alcohol Use in Pregnancy
Authors: Burns Lucy , Mattick Richard P. , Cooke Margaret
Published: March 2006

Background: To date, no population‐level data have been published examining the obstetric and neonatal outcomes for women with an alcohol‐related hospital admission during pregnancy compared with the general obstetric population. This information is critical to planning and implementing appropriate services.

Methods: Antenatal and delivery admissions to New South Wales (NSW) hospitals from the NSW Inpatient Statistics Collection were linked to birth information from the NSW Midwives Data Collection over a 5‐year period (1998–2002). Birth admissions were flagged as positive for maternal alcohol use where a birth admission or any pregnancy admission for that birth involved an alcohol‐related International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems, 10th Revision, Australian Modification (ICD‐10‐AM) code. Key demographic, obstetric, and neonatal variables were compared for births to mothers in the alcohol group with births where no alcohol‐related ICD10‐AM was recorded.

Results: A total of 416,834 birth records were analyzed over a 5‐year period (1998–2002). In this time, 342 of these were coded as positive for at least 1 alcohol‐related ICD‐10‐AM diagnosis. Mothers in the alcohol group had a higher number of previous pregnancies, smoked more heavily, were not privately insured, and were more often indigenous. They also presented later on in their pregnancy to antenatal services and were more likely to arrive at hospital unbooked for delivery. Deliveries involved less epidural and local and more general anesthesia. Cesarean sections were more common to women in the alcohol group and were performed more often for intrauterine growth retardation. Neonates born to women in the alcohol group were smaller for gestational age, had lower Apgar scores at 5 minutes, and were admitted to special care nursery more often.

Conclusions: This study shows that linked population‐level administrative data provide a powerful new source of information for examining the maternal and neonatal outcomes associated with alcohol use in pregnancy.
Comorbidity of Alcohol Abuse and Dependence with Medical Conditions in 2 American Indian Reservation Communities
Authors: Shore Jay H. , Beals Janette , Orton Heather , Buchwald Dedra ,   the AI‐SUPERPFP Team
Published: March 2006

Background: The objective was to examine the association of self‐reported Diagnostic and Statistical Manual–IV edition alcohol abuse and dependence with medical conditions among American Indians (AIs).

Methods: We analyzed data previously collected in a large epidemiological study of members of 2 culturally distinct AI tribes from the Southwest (SW; n=1,446) and the Northern Plains (NP; n=1,638) living on or near their reservations. Associations of combined self‐reported alcohol abuse and alcohol dependence with 19 medical conditions were examined through multinomial logistic regression.

Results: Medical conditions that had significant relationships with alcohol abuse/dependence were sprains and strains [odds ratio (OR) 2.04, p<0.001], hearing and vision problems (OR 2.05, p<0.001), kidney and bladder problems (OR 1.55, p<0.01), head injuries (OR 2.20, p<0.001), pneumonia/tuberculosis (OR 1.49, p<0.01), dental problems (OR 1.89, p<0.001), and liver problems/pancreatitis (OR 2.18, p<0.001). The total count of medical conditions was also significantly related to alcohol abuse/dependence, with a higher count being associated with the outcome (OR 1.17, p<0.001).

Conclusions: In this community‐based study of rural AIs, diverse medical conditions were associated with alcohol abuse and dependence. Further research should examine, and confirm, the nature, extent, and tribal variation of the medical consequences of alcohol abuse and dependence in these unique populations.
Binge Alcohol Treatment Increases Vertebral Bone Loss Following Ovariectomy: Compensation by Intermittent Parathyroid Hormone
Authors: Callaci John J. , Juknelis Dainius , Patwardhan Avinash , Wezeman Frederick H.
Published: March 2006

Background: Postmenopausal estrogen deficiency and alcohol abuse are known risk factors for osteoporosis. Previous studies of the combined effect of alcohol and ovariectomy on bone loss using chronic alcohol‐feeding models have not demonstrated additional alcohol‐induced bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX) animals. Binge alcohol treatment causes rapid bone loss in male rats. We hypothesized that binge alcohol would cause additional bone loss in OVX rats.

Methods: Ninety‐six adult (400 g) female Sprague–Dawley rats (48 sham‐operated and 48 OVX, pair fed) were randomly divided into 4 treatment groups: (a) saline‐treated, (b) binge alcohol‐treated (3 g/kg alcohol as a 20% weight to volume alcohol/saline solution, intraperitoneal (IP), 3 times per week), (c) parathyroid hormone (PTH)‐treated (80 μg/kg, SC, 5 d/wk), and (d) binge alcohol plus PTH. Rats were treated for either 2 or 4 weeks. Following treatment periods, blood was collected for alcohol concentration (BAC) measurements; lumbar vertebrae were removed for bone mineral density (BMD) levels, trabecular microarchitecture assessment, and vertebral compressive strength analysis.

Results: Peak binge BACs averaged 300 mg/dL. Alcohol and OVX decreased cancellous BMD: alcohol and OVX treatment in combination caused additional cancellous BMD loss and significant cortical BMD reductions. Compressive strength was also decreased by OVX and alcohol. Combination treatment resulted in further declines in bone strength. Micro‐CT analysis revealed a significant effect of combined OVX and alcohol treatment resulting in decreased trabecular bone volume/total volume (BV/TV). Intermittent PTH administration compensated for losses of BMD, compressive strength, and restored BV/TV deficits caused by OVX, alcohol, or their combination.

Conclusions: Bone loss following OVX can be significantly increased by concurrent binge alcohol treatment. The effects of alcohol and OVX are compensated by concurrent intermittent treatment with PTH. These results suggest that postmenopausal women who abuse alcohol may place their skeleton at additional risk for osteoporotic fracture.