bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surface adsorption of DNA to tissue engineering scaffolds for efficient gene delivery
Authors: Jang Jae‐Hyung , Bengali Zain , Houchin Tiffany L. , Shea Lonnie D.
Published: December 2005

Gene delivery from tissue engineering scaffolds has potential to promote localized transgene expression that can induce the formation of functional tissues. Substrate‐mediated delivery, an alternative delivery strategy to sustained release, is based on immobilization of DNA complexes to the polymer surface for subsequent delivery to cells cultured on the substrate. We investigate polyethylenimine (PEI)/DNA complex immobilization and subsequent cellular transfection on tissue engineering scaffolds fabricated from poly(lactide‐co‐glycolide) (PLG). The properties of the substrate and the complex affect both immobilization and cellular transfection. PLG promotes binding of PEI/DNA complexes, with percent bound independent of the N/P ratio or the DNA dosage. The levels of transgene expression are similar to or greater than control studies based on bolus DNA delivery, with orders of magnitude less DNA. Immobilization also homogeneously distributes the DNA throughout the scaffold, resulting in large numbers of transfected cells (>60%) at low surface quantities (<50 ng). Importantly, this approach can be employed to transfect cells throughout a three‐dimensional scaffold. Tissue engineering scaffolds that are prefabricated into various shapes from a range of materials could potentially employ this strategy for numerous applications. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2006
Sequential bilateral torsion of normal ovaries in a prepubertal child
Authors: Karnik Alka S. , Sainani, MD Nisha I. , Kamat, MD Neemish N.
Published: December 2005

We report a case of bilateral ovarian torsion in a prepubertal girl with normal ovaries that occurred at an interval of 1 year. The diagnosis was made on gray‐scale and color Doppler sonography, and ovarian salvage was performed. The role of preventive contralateral ovarian pexy in cases of ovarian torsion is emphasized. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 34:33–37, 2006
Androgen insensitivity syndrome: in utero diagnosis by four‐dimensional sonography and amniotic fluid karyotype
Authors: Bonilla‐Musoles Fernando , Kushner‐Dávalos Luis , Raga Francisco , Machado Luiz E. , Osborne Newton G.
Published: December 2005

We describe a fetus with androgen insensitivity syndrome diagnosed at 16 weeks' gestation with two‐dimensional (2D) and four‐dimensional (4D) sonography and karyotype analysis in a 37‐year‐old pregnant woman. Two‐dimensional (2D) sonography revealed a female phenotype. Karyotype analysis revealed an unremarkable 46,XY chromosomal complement. Repeat 4D sonography confirmed a female phenotype with edematous labia majora, consistent with androgen insensitivity syndrome. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 34:30–32, 2006
Charles Manning Child (1869–1954): the past, present, and future of metabolic signaling
Authors: Blackstone Neil W.
Published: December 2005

Charles Manning Child's work focused on metabolic gradients and their influence on organismal development. Early in the 20th century, his work had considerable currency, but by the second half of the century he had become little more than a historical footnote. Yet today Child's ideas are once again topical. While there were issues of cause and effect that Child and his students were never able to address adequately, in hindsight the extent of his eclipse hardly seems warranted. In fact, the demise of Child's theories may have resulted from larger changes in the nature of biology in the early 20th century. Child frequently studied planarians, hydroids, and other animals that are capable of asexual, agametic reproduction, and his theories most clearly apply to such organisms. In contrast, Thomas Hunt Morgan, initially one of Child's competitors in studies of regeneration, later developed the field of transmission genetics based on fruit flies, which can only reproduce via gametes. Child's theories and model systems were largely casualties of the success of Morgan's mechanistic paradigm. Nevertheless, in modern biology metabolic gradients, recast in terms of redox signaling, have become central to understanding both normal and pathological development. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 306B, 2006. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Extended right hepatectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma with resection of the left hepatic duct prior to hepatic resection
Authors: Miyazawa Mitsuo , Toshimitsu Yasuko , Torii Takahiro , Okada Katsuya , Koyama Isamu
Published: December 2005

Extended hepatectomy for hilar cholangiocarcinoma results in high operative or in‐hospital mortality rates despite of the recent progress in perioperative management. As a new procedure to prevent postoperative hepatic failure in hilar cholangiocarcinoma infiltrating predominantly the right hepatic duct, we devised a combination of extended right lobectomy plus caudal lobectomy with resection of the left hepatic duct prior to hepatic resection by utilizing intraoperative cholangiography, and applied the procedure to a 70‐year‐old patient. He had a favorable postoperative course and remains recurrence‐free at 4 years after operation. This is a procedure for confining the extent of hepatectomy to the minimum necessary, aiming at curative resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma. J. Surg. Oncol. 2006;93:72–75. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Pseudomyxoma peritonei and the urinary tract: Involvement and treatment related complications
Authors: Smeenk R.M. , Bex A. , Verwaal V.J. , Horenblas S. , Zoetmulder F.A.N.
Published: December 2005

Background

Pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP) is a rare clinical syndrome characterized by intraperitoneal accumulation of mucus produced by neoplastic cells of mostly appendiceal origin. The aim of this study was to analyze primary and secondary involvement and treatment‐related complications of the urinary tract in PMP.

Methods

A retrospective study of 92 patients with PMP, treated by cytoreduction and intraoperative hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) at The Netherlands Cancer Institute between 1996 and 2004.

Results

Seven patients presented with involvement of the urinary tract. Major urologic complications occurred in five patients, of which two had secondary involvement of the urinary tract. Major urologic complications consisted predominantly of surgical complications related to the bladder. All patients with secondary involvement and/or urologic complications had undergone previous pelvic surgery.

Conclusions

The urinary tract is rarely involved in patients with PMP. Secondary involvement is mostly observed and may be a result of seeding of PMP of pelvic origin after prior pelvic surgery. There is a low urologic complication risk of treatment with cytoreduction and HIPEC. The combination of secondary involvement and previous pelvic surgery is an omen of treatment‐related urologic complications, necessitating (surgical) re‐interventions and further management in close collaboration with urologists. J. Surg. Oncol. 2006;93:20–23. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Theaflavin‐3, 3′‐digallate induces epidermal growth factor receptor downregulation
Authors: Mizuno Hideya , Cho Yong‐Yeon , Zhu Feng , Ma Wei‐Ya , Bode Ann M. , Yang Chung S. , Ho Chi‐Tang , Dong Zigang
Published: December 2005

Black tea is one of the most popular beverages worldwide and especially in Western nations. Theaflavins, a mixture of theaflavin (TF‐1), theaflavin‐3‐gallate (TF‐2a), theaflavin‐3′‐gallate (TF‐2b), and theaflavin‐3,3′‐digallate (TF‐3) are the major components of black tea. Among these black tea components, theaflavin is generally considered to be the more effective component for the inhibition of carcinogenesis. Recently, TF‐3 has been shown to have an antiproliferative effect on tumor cells, but the mechanism is not clear. In this study, we showed that TF‐3‐induced internalization and downregulation of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). These results suggested that TF‐3 induces EGFR endocytosis and degradation. We further showed that TF‐3 stimulated EGFR ubiquitination and tyrosine kinase activation. Interestingly, TF‐3‐induced EGFR downregulation is inhibited by the proteasome inhibitor, MG132, but not by the EGFR‐specific receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor, AG1478. Furthermore, pretreatment with TF‐3 inhibited EGF‐induced EGFR autophosphorylation, ERKs phosphorylation and AP‐1 activation in JB6 Cl41 cells. In addition, TF‐3 inhibited EGF‐induced anchorage‐independent cell transformation. Overall, our results indicate that TF‐3 might exert chemopreventive effects through the downregulation of the EGFR. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Microsomal prostaglandin E2 synthase‐1 in breast cancer: a potential target for therapy
Authors: Mehrotra Sanjana , Morimiya Akira , Agarwal Beamon , Konger Raymond , Badve Sunil
Published: December 2005

The anti‐tumour actions of cyclooxygenases (COX) are thought to be mediated by inhibition of prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) synthesis. However, COX‐2 inhibition also alters cellular production of other prostaglandins such as prostacyclin (PGI2). The latter action is believed to be important for the development of adverse cardio‐vascular events. Microsomal PGES (mPGES‐1) is an enzyme downstream to COX‐2 and affects PGE2 production only. It is possible that targeting mPGES‐1 could decrease PGE2 production without affecting PGI2 production. In order to assess the potential of mPGES‐1 as a target for therapy, we analysed its expression in breast cell lines and normal and malignant breast tissues. The expression of mPGES‐1 and COX‐2 was correlated in tumour cells and vascular endothelium, and with prognostic parameters in breast cancer. Although not detectable in normal epithelial cells, expression was noted in areas of fibrocystic change and in situ carcinoma. mPGES‐1 expression was noted in 79% of breast cancer tissues. Its expression did not correlate with COX‐2 overexpression or with prognostic markers of breast cancer. Endothelial cells did not show mPGES‐1 expression. Upregulation of mPGES‐1 is therefore frequent in pre‐malignant and malignant breast disease. In this study, coordinate over‐expression of COX‐2 and mPGES‐1 was not observed, particularly in the endothelial cells of blood vessels. Targeting mPGES‐1 might prove to be an alternative therapeutic strategy to inhibit PGE2 production. Copyright © 2005 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Investigation of the profiling depth in matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization imaging mass spectrometry
Authors: Crossman Lee , McHugh Nansie A. , Hsieh Yunsheng , Korfmacher Walter A. , Chen Jiwen
Published: December 2005

Matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) imaging mass spectrometry is generally considered to be a surface analysis technique. In this report, the profiling depth of imaging mass spectrometry was examined. MALDI matrix solution was found to be able to gain access to the tissue interior and extract analyte molecules to the tissue surface. As a consequence, prazosin, a small molecule pharmaceutical compound, located as deep as 40 µm away from the surface was readily detected after matrix application. Likewise, cytochrome c, a 12 kDa protein, was also detectable from the tissue interior. Moreover, for prazosin, not only the extent of matrix effect, but also the extraction efficiency of the matrix solvent appeared to be dependent on the type of tissue. These results indicated that experimental conditions that decrease the matrix solvent evaporation during matrix application may increase analyte extraction efficiency and hence sensitivity of the analysis. Furthermore, thin sections should be used to avoid differential extraction efficiency of matrix solvent in different tissues for whole‐body analysis. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Investigation of intramolecular proton migration in a series of model, metal‐cationized tripeptides using in situ generation of an isotope label
Authors: Bulleigh Kellis , Howard Angela , Do Trang , Wu Qun , Anbalagan Victor , Stipdonk Michael Van
Published: December 2005

In this study we used an isotope label, generated in situ, to investigate intramolecular proton migration or scrambling during formation of [b2+17+Li]+ products by collision‐induced dissociation (CID) of Li+‐cationized tripeptides. To generate the isotope label, we used a McLafferty‐type rearrangement of N‐terminally acetylated, C‐terminal peptide tert‐butyl esters in which all amide positions were exchanged with deuterium. Using a set of small, model peptides, we show that intramolecular proton scrambling occurs during CID, particularly amongst adjacent sites along a peptide backbone, on the time scales employed for low‐energy collisional activation in an ion‐trap mass spectrometer. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Development of two‐dimensional gas chromatography/isotope ratio mass spectrometry for the stable carbon isotopic analysis of C2–C5non‐methane hydrocarbons emitted from biomass burning
Authors: Nara Hideki , Nakagawa Fumiko , Yoshida Naohiro
Published: December 2005

A two‐dimensional gas chromatography/combustion/isotope ratio mass spectrometry (2D‐GC/C/IRMS) system was developed for stable carbon isotopic measurements of C2–C5non‐methane hydrocarbons (NMHCs) in biomass burning smoke. The 2D‐GC/C/IRMS system successfully improved the accuracy and precision for the measurements of C4and C5saturated compounds in a smoke sample by selective injection of target compounds into a combustion furnace and consequently allowed us to provide complete baseline separation for all individual NMHCs. The analytical precision of theδ13C of each compound was better than 0.5‰ for more than 500 pmolC injections and 2.1‰ for 30 pmolC injections, which was estimated from replicate analysis of standard gases. This system was applied to the analysis of NMHCs in smoke samples collected from laboratory biomass burning experiments. From the combustion of three fuel materials (rice straw, pine wood, and maize), we found that the isotopic fractionation between fuel material and individual NMHCs is almost independent of the fuel material and thus theδ13C values of the fuel materials are reflected inδ13C values of most of NMHCs. However, only i‐butane emitted from maize combustion showed anomalous13C‐depletion of −11.6‰ relative to theδ13C value of maize. Such a large13C depletion suggests the specific isotopic fractionation process which is attributed to the maize combustion itself or the chemical properties of i‐butane during production from a radical recombination reaction. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Environmental conditions and timing for the spawning of Murray cod (Maccullochella peelii peelii) and the endangered trout cod (M. macquariensis) in southeastern Australian rivers
Authors: Koehn John D. , Harrington D. J.
Published: December 2005

The environmental conditions and timing of spawning of Murray cod and trout cod were investigated over three successive years in the regulated Murray River and in the nearby, unregulated Ovens River. Larvae were collected in drift samples from early November. Murray cod larvae were present for up to ten weeks, but trout cod larvae were present for only about two weeks. Cod larvae were collected in both rivers in each year sampled, despite a range of flow conditions. Spawning periods, estimated by back‐calculating larval ages and egg incubation times, were in part, concurrent for the two species, beginning in October when water temperatures had exceeded 15°C, allowing the occasional hybridization that has been noted between these two species. Trout cod larvae (10.0–18.2 mm) were significantly larger than Murray cod larvae (9.5–14.8 mm) in both years and the larvae of both species were significantly larger in 1995/6 than in 1994/5 in the Murray River. There was no relationship between larval size and water temperature, but later spawning times at the upper Murray River site coincided with lower water temperatures. Larval abundance varied significantly between sites, samples and years, with peak larval abundances occurring in November. Murray cod larval abundance was best explained by the explanatory variables of year, day length and change in flow over the previous 7 d. Environmental conditions for the spawning of Murray cod and trout cod are similar, and both species exhibit a similar larval dispersal strategy by emergence into the drift. Spawning occurred regularly under a range of flow conditions and it is likely that recruitment of these species in these rivers is driven by the subsequent survival of larvae and juveniles. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
New confidence intervals for the difference between two sensitivities at a fixed level of specificity
Authors: Qin Gengsheng , Hsu Yu‐Sheng , Zhou Xiao‐Hua
Published: December 2005

For two continuous‐scale diagnostic tests, it is of interest to compare their sensitivities at a predetermined level of specificity. In this paper, we propose three new intervals for the difference between two sensitivities at a fixed level of specificity. These intervals are easy to compute. We also conduct simulation studies to compare the relative performance of the new intervals with the existing normal‐ approximation‐based interval proposed by Wieand et al. Our simulation results show that the newly proposed intervals perform better than the existing normal‐approximation‐based interval in terms of coverage accuracy and interval length. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
ABC transporter architecture and regulatory roles of accessory domains
Authors: Biemans-Oldehinkel Esther , Doeven Mark K. , Poolman Bert
Published: December 2005

We present an overview of the architecture of ATP‐binding cassette (ABC) transporters and dissect the systems in core and accessory domains. The ABC transporter core is formed by the transmembrane domains (TMDs) and the nucleotide binding domains (NBDs) that constitute the actual translocator. The accessory domains include the substrate‐binding proteins, that function as high affinity receptors in ABC type uptake systems, and regulatory or catalytic domains that can be fused to either the TMDs or NBDs. The regulatory domains add unique functions to the transporters allowing the systems to act as channel conductance regulators, osmosensors/regulators, and assemble into macromolecular complexes with specific properties.
ABC transporters involved in the transport of plant secondary metabolites
Authors: Yazaki Kazufumi
Published: December 2005

Plants produce a large number of secondary metabolites, such as alkaloids, terpenoids, polyphenols, quinones and many further compounds having combined structures of those groups. Physiological roles of those metabolites for plants are still under investigation, but they play, at least in part, important functions as protectants for plant bodies against herbivores and pathogens, as well as from physical stresses like ultraviolet light and heat. In order to accomplish these functions, biosyntheses and accumulation of secondary metabolites are highly regulated in a temporal and spatial manner in plant organs, where they can appropriately accumulate. In this mini‐review, I introduce the mechanism of accumulation and membrane transport of these metabolites, in particular, focusing on ATP‐binding cassette transporters involved.
USE OF THE PAR(p) MODEL IN THE STOCHASTIC DUAL DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING OPTIMIZATION SCHEME USED IN THE OPERATION PLANNING OF THE BRAZILIAN HYDROPOWER SYSTEM
Authors: Maceira M. E. P. , Damázio J. M.
Published: December 2005

In September 2000, the Brazilian system dispatch and spot prices were calculated twice, using different inflow forecasts for that month, as in the last 5 days of August the inflows to the reservoirs in the South and Southeast regions changed 200%. The first run used a smaller forecasted energy inflow and the second used a higher energy inflow. Contrary to expectations, the spot price in the second run, with the higher energy inflow, was higher than the one found in the first run. This paper describes the problem, presents the special features of the PAR(p) model that allow the described behavior, and shows the solution taken to avoid the problem.
CHARACTERIZATION OF STATE ESTIMATION BIASES
Authors: Meliopoulos A. P. Sakis , Stefopoulos George K.
Published: December 2005

The control and operation of an electric power system is based on the ability to determine the state of the system in real time. State estimation (SE) has been introduced in the 1960s to achieve this objective. The initial implementation was based on single-phase measurements and a power system model that was assumed to operate under single-frequency, balanced conditions, and a symmetric system model. These assumptions are still prevalent today. The single-frequency, balanced, and symmetric system assumptions have simplified the implementation but have generated practical problems. The experience is that the SE problem does not have 100% performance; that is, there are cases and time periods for which the SE algorithm will not converge. There are practical and theoretical reasons for this and they are explained in the paper. Recent mergers and mandated regional transmission organizations (RTOs) as well as recent announcements for the formation of mega-RTOs will result in the application of the SE in systems of unprecedented size. We believe that these practical and theoretical issues will become of greater importance. There are scientists who believe that the SE problem is scalable, meaning that it will work for the mega-RTOs the same way that it performs now for medium–large systems. There are scientists who believe that this is not true. The fact is that no one has investigated the problem, let alone performed numerical experiments to prove or disprove any claims. This paper identifies a number of issues relative to the SE of mega-RTOs and provides some preliminary results from numerical experiments for the relation between the SE algorithm performance and the power system size.
Lexical and referential cues to sentence interpretation: an investigation of children's interpretations of ambiguous sentences
Authors: KIDD EVAN , BAVIN EDITH L.
Published: December 2005

This paper reports on an investigation of children's (aged 3;5–9;8) comprehension of sentences containing ambiguity of prepositional phrase (PP) attachment. Results from a picture selection study (N=90) showed that children use verb semantics and preposition type to resolve the ambiguity, with older children also showing sensitivity to the definiteness of the object NP as a cue to interpretation. Study 2 investigated three- and five-year-old children's (N=47) ability to override an instrumental interpretation of ambiguous PPs in order to process attributes of the referential scene. The results showed that while five-year-olds are capable of incorporating aspects of the referential scene into their interpretations, three-year-olds are not as successful. Overall, the results suggest that children are attuned very early to the lexico-semantic co-occurrences that have been shown to aid ambiguity resolution in adults, but that more diffuse cues to interpretation are used only later in development.
Splitting the notion of ‘agent’: case-marking in early child Hindi
Authors: NARASIMHAN BHUVANA
Published: December 2005

Two construals of agency are evaluated as possible innate biases guiding case-marking in children. A BROAD construal treats agentive arguments of multi-participant and single-participant events as being similar. A NARROWER construal is restricted to agents of multi-participant events. In Hindi, ergative case-marking is associated with agentive participants of multi-participant, perfective actions. Children relying on a broad or narrow construal of agent are predicted to overextend ergative case-marking to agentive participants of transitive imperfective actions and/or intransitive actions. Longitudinal data from three children acquiring Hindi (1;7 to 3;9) reveal no overextension errors, suggesting early sensitivity to distributional patterns in the input.
Comment on the Joint Academic Stage Board (JASB) Guidance
Authors: Young Helen
Published: December 2005

The University of Leicester is a pre-1992 University with a Law Faculty of more than 1000 students, 900 of whom are studying on qualifying law degree programmes. The collection that they use is housed in the main University Library, just next door to the Law Faculty. A large proportion of Leicester's total student population are distance learners, mostly studying on Masters' programmes. Partly because of this, the institution is extremely interested in pursuing electronic delivery of courses and has just appointed an e-learning professor, based in the central administration and responsible for introducing a radical new e-learning strategy. Leicester, like all other universities, will be introducing top up fees from the start of the next academic year. It is in this rapidly changing and increasingly demanding educational context that this comment on the JASB guidance should be placed.
Ferrimagnetic resonance signal produced by frictional heating: A new indicator of paleoseismicity
Authors: Fukuchi Tatsuro , Mizoguchi Kazuo , Shimamoto Toshihiko
Published: December 2005

High‐speed fault slips during earthquakes may generate sufficient frictional heat to produce fused fault rocks such as pseudotachylyte. We have carried out high‐speed slip tests using natural fault gouge to judge whether or not frictional heating universally occurs during seismic fault slips. In our shearing tests, natural fault gouge is put between two cylindrical silica glasses and sheared under a fixed axial stress of 0.61 MPa. Despite such a low stress near the Earth's surface, a darkened cohesive material resembling pseudotachylyte is made from the fault gouge along the edge of a circular shear plane when shearing at a high speed of 1500 rpm (the maximum slip rate reaches ∼1.96 m/s at the edge). Electron spin resonance measurements reveal that the darkened cohesive material has a strong ferrimagnetic resonance (FMR) signal, which is derived from bulky trivalent iron ions in ferrimagnetic iron oxides (γ‐Fe2O3). The FMR signal is produced by the thermal dehydration of antiferromagnetic iron oxides (γ‐FeOOH) in the fault gouge. This may be applicable to the detection of past heating during seismic fault slip. We thus attempt to reconstruct the temperature of frictional heat generated on the Nojima fault plane in the 1995 Kobe earthquake (M = 7.3) by inversion using the FMR signal. The computer simulation indicates that the frictional heat generated on the Nojima fault plane at ∼390 m depth may have attained ∼390°C during the 1995 Kobe earthquake. The temperature in the fault plane may have returned to its initial state after ∼1 year. This result suggests that a heat flow anomaly generated by faulting may be difficult to detect.
Model projections of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation for the 21st century assessed by observations
Authors: Schmittner A. , Latif M. , Schneider B.
Published: December 2005

Most climate models predict a weakening of the North Atlantic thermohaline circulation for the 21st century when forced by increasing levels of greenhouse gas concentrations. The model spread, however, is rather large, even when the forcing scenario is identical, indicating a large uncertainty in the response to forcing. In order to reduce the model uncertainties a weighting procedure is applied considering the skill of each model in simulating hydrographic properties and observation‐based circulation estimates. This procedure yields a “best estimate” for the evolution of the North Atlantic THC during the 21st century by taking into account a measure of model quality. Using 28 projections from 9 different coupled global climate models of a scenario of future CO2 increase (SRESA1B) performed for the upcoming fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the analysis predicts a gradual weakening of the North Atlantic THC by 25(±25)% until 2100.
Maximum and minimum temperature trends for the globe: An update through 2004
Authors: Vose Russell S. , Easterling David R. , Gleason Byron
Published: December 2005

New data acquisitions are used to examine recent global trends in maximum temperature, minimum temperature, and the diurnal temperature range (DTR). On average, the analysis covers the equivalent of 71% of the total global land area, 17% more than in previous studies. Consistent with the IPCC Third Assessment Report, minimum temperature increased more rapidly than maximum temperature (0.204 vs. 0.141°C dec−1) from 1950–2004, resulting in a significant DTR decrease (−0.066°C dec−1). In contrast, there were comparable increases in minimum and maximum temperature (0.295 vs. 0.287°C dec−1) from 1979–2004, muting recent DTR trends (−0.001°C dec−1). Minimum and maximum temperature increased in almost all parts of the globe during both periods, whereas a widespread decrease in the DTR was only evident from 1950–1980.
A method for determination of the gas‐water ratio in bubbling springs
Authors: Taran Y. A.
Published: December 2005

A simple method based on the phase equilibrium between gas bubbles and water is developed for the determination of the relative gas content in bubbling springs. For the calculation of the gas‐water ratio it is necessary to know only the concentration of one of the “atmogenic” components (N2, Ar, or Ne) in a gas sample from the gas analysis. The total gas content calculated by this method can be used for the gas geothermometry and for the estimations of the gas fluxes and water flow rates from mineral and thermal springs.
Modeling effects of bank friction and woody bank vegetation on channel flow and boundary shear stress in the Rio Puerco, New Mexico
Authors: Griffin E. R. , Kean J. W. , Vincent K. R. , Smith J. D. , Friedman J. M.
Published: December 2005

We have applied a physically based model for steady, horizontally uniform flow to calculate reach‐averaged velocity and boundary shear‐stress distributions in a natural stream with woody vegetation on the channel banks. The model calculates explicitly the form drag on woody plant stems and includes the effects of vegetation on the boundary shear stress, velocity, and turbulence fields. Average channel shapes, bed gradients, and shrub characteristics were determined for four long, internally similar reaches covering an 81‐km segment of the lower Rio Puerco, in north‐central New Mexico. Hydraulic geometries for each of three flow events were determined from reach‐average channel shapes, slopes, and measured silt‐line heights above the bed. Model results show that friction on the lateral boundaries reduced the boundary shear stress in the center of the Rio Puerco channel by as much as 20%. In reaches with moderate to dense bank shrubs, perimeter‐averaged boundary shear stresses were reduced by almost 40% during near bankfull flows. Model‐calculated discharges for all three flow events indicate there was a loss of about 40% of the upstream discharge through the 81‐km river segment. Infiltration rates estimated from discharge losses during the quasi‐steady peak flows and areas of the bed and banks suggest rates of flow loss into the silty sand of the upper banks are about 8 times greater than rates of loss into the clayey silt‐covered bed and lower banks.
Delineating the major landforms of catchments using an objective hydrological terrain analysis method
Authors: Summerell G. K. , Vaze J. , Tuteja N. K. , Grayson R. B. , Beale G. , Dowling T. I.
Published: December 2005

The location and distribution of landform shape and size describe and categorize many features of a catchment. Landforms indicate soil types, arability of land, geological features, hydrological influences, and even shallow groundwater systems. This paper describes an objective method for delineating major landforms of a catchment on the basis of hydrological terrain analysis. It allows comparisons to be made within and between catchments. The method uses the UPNESS index from the Fuzzy Landscape Analysis Geographic Information System (FLAG) model (Roberts et al., 1997) that is derived from digital elevation data. UPNESS was developed as an index of surface and shallow subsurface water accumulation. In the method presented in this paper, we fit a five‐parameter sigmoidal function to the cumulative distribution function (cdf) of the natural log (ln) of UPNESS. The point of inflection of the cdf of the UPNESS index is defined from the first derivative of the five‐parameter sigmoidal function as the point of maximum concavity. The second and third points are defined by determining the maximum upward concavity and minimum downward concavity from the second derivative of a five‐parameter sigmoidal function (referred to as break points). The inflection and break points from the UPNESS index are used to segment the cdf into three regions that represent four different landform elements. Landform categories based on these points represent ridge tops and upper slopes, midslopes, lower slope, and in‐filled valley/alluvial deposits. The shape of the cdf curve indicates the dominance of major landforms within a catchment, providing an objective means for classifying this catchment characteristic. Examples are given showing how landform discrimination compares to geological maps. The landforms index presented in this study offers a useful technique for differentiating complex landforms from a landscape using terrain analysis that attempts to represent dominant hydrological soil formation processes.
Multilevel Governance in the Cross-Boundary Region of Hong Kong–Pearl River Delta, China
Authors: Yang Chun
Published: December 2005

Multilevel governance (MLG) has been extensively applied to elucidate the dispersion of decisionmaking across multiple levels of governments—supranational, national, and subnational in the European Union (EU) and its member states. In this paper I attempt to contribute to the literature through the case of Hong Kong (HK) and the Pearl River Delta (PRD) in China. I argue that a pattern of MLG has been emerging since the early 2000s in this subnational-level cross-boundary region, accompanied by the gradual institutionalization of economic integration between Hong Kong and the PRD. Decisionmaking competencies in the HK–PRD cross-boundary region have tended to disperse across multiple levels of governments ranging from the central, Guangdong Provincial, HK Special Administrative Region, to municipal, city, and county level of the PRD, as well as businesses and residents on both sides of the boundary. In response to the lack of an effective regional authority and the unique political framework of ‘one country, two systems’, central government has played a somewhat backstage coordinator role in the transition of the integration mechanism and cross-boundary governance. Previous explanations of the integration and governance of the HK–PRD cross-boundary region need to be reevaluated. A regional level authority, similar to the supranational institutions in the EU, is urgently required to foster and upgrade cross-boundary cooperation.
The Transition to Internationally Traded Services and Ireland's Emergence as a ‘Successful’ European Region
Authors: Grimes Seamus , White Mark
Published: December 2005

The authors explore Ireland's growing involvement in the world economy. For many years, Ireland's foreign-direct-investment-led (FDI-led) development policy was associated heavily with low-skill, dependent branch plants. However, over the past fifteen years the shift towards internationally traded services notably improved the quality of this investment. This transition allows Ireland an opportunity to alter its position within the world economy. The authors use corporate case studies to demonstrate the extent to which Irish-based affiliates of information and communication technology multinationals now assume more significant positions within their wider corporate networks. In addition, it considers the role of the emerging cadre of Irish managers in enhancing the sustainability of Ireland's FDI-led development model.
A Dynamic Model of Commutes
Authors: Rouwendal Jan , van der Vlist Arno
Published: December 2005

This paper studies the interaction between commuting, job mobility, and housing mobility. Many conventional models assume that the employment location has priority over the residential location and that the latter is adapted to the former. This implies that commutes which start with a job change will often be short lived because of a change in residential location that soon follows. It is also often supposed that the change in residential location is made with the intention to avoid long commutes. In this paper we test the empirical validity of these hypotheses. Our data are a sample of Dutch workers who report changes on the housing and labor market between 1990 and 1998. It appears from these data that both job mobility and housing mobility are often followed by repeat mobility on the same market, but also on the other market. Job mobility indeed triggers residential mobility, but the effect of residential mobility on job changes is of comparable magnitude. Moreover, both types of mobility lead to substantial repeat mobility. We specify duration models that focus on the time during which employment–housing arrangements (hence, commutes) remain unchanged. Estimation results for these models confirm that commutes which start with housing mobility and those which start with job mobility have similar characteristics with respect to induced future mobility. We are unable to find evidence supporting the hypothesis that long commutes resulting from a job change induce additional residential mobility. Another result of the analysis is that workers belonging to dual-earner households are more mobile on both markets than other workers.
The Life Stages and Housing Decisions of Young Households: An Insider Perspective
Authors: Mok Diana Ka-Yan
Published: December 2005

Conventional housing studies often model a household's housing demand and tenure choice as a joint decision; life stages are ‘taste’ variables that shift the housing demand function. In this study, as in conventional ones, I treat housing demand and tenure choice as a joint decision. Unlike in conventional studies, however, I argue that some life stages are endogenous and that an individual chooses to opt in or out of some of these stages—to stay single or form a couple, or to raise children. These decisions are correlated with tenure choice and housing demand. I use the census microdata file and set up a system of nine equations: six regimes of housing demand, an equation to explain tenure choice, and two equations to describe life-stage decisions. The result shows that housing consumption is less sensitive to permanent income once the endogeneity of life stages has been accounted for—that is, part of the income effect on housing consumption is due to life-stage decisions.
Stereomicroscopic and histological examination of bovine embryos following extended in vitro culture
Authors: Alexopoulos Natalie I. , Vajta Gábor , Maddox-Hyttel Poul , French Andrew J. , Trounson Alan O.
Published: December 2005

Attempts to support survival of mammalian embryos after hatching have met with limited success, although some mouse studies have reported growth at the post-implantation stage. The aim of the present research was to establish and characterise an in vitro culture system that could support extended growth and differentiation of bovine embryos. Abattoir-derived oocytes were matured and fertilised in vitro. Presumptive zygotes were cultured in modified synthetic oviduct fluid (SOFaaci) medium supplemented with 5% cow serum (CS). On Day 9, single hatched blastocysts (n = 160) were randomly allocated to SOFaaci supplemented with either 5% bovine serum albumin, 5% CS, 5% fetal calf serum (FCS) or SOF only and cultured on a collagen gel substrate for up to 45 days. Embryos were evaluated at various time-points until complete disaggregation or the total disappearance of embryonic cells. Blastocyst viability post hatching was severely compromised in protein-free SOFaaci medium. Addition of FCS generated increased embryonic growth for the longest time period (Day 45) when compared to the other groups. Long-term survival of embryonic cells was observed stereomicroscopically by the proliferation and development of three-dimensional tubular structures to 85% confluence in culture. Haematoxylin and eosin staining of morphological structures obtained from all treatment groups revealed embryos displaying trophoblast, inner cell mass and hypoblast development to varying degrees. Regardless of treatment, extended in vitro culture did not result in development comparable with that described for in vivo embryos. In the present work, however, there was evidence of extended culture of bovine embryos beyond that achieved previously. However, further research is required to identify the exact requirements for extended in vitro culture for bovine embryos.
Highly efficient and reliable chemically assisted enucleation method for handmade cloning in cattle
Authors: Vajta Gábor , Maddox-Hyttel Poul , Skou Christina T. , Tecirlioglu R. Tayfur , Peura Teija T. , Lai Liangxue , Murphy Clifton N. , Prather Randall S. , Kragh Peter M. , Callesen Henrik
Published: December 2005

The purpose of the present study was to find an efficient and reliable chemically assisted procedure for enucleation related to the handmade cloning (HMC) technique. After in vitro maturation oocytes were incubated in 0.5 μg mL−1 demecolcine for 2 h. Subsequently, zonae pellucidae were digested with pronase, and one-third of the cytoplasm connected to an extrusion cone was removed by hand using a microblade. The remaining two-thirds were used as recipients for HMC, and reconstructed and activated embryos were cultured for 7 days. The time-dependent manner of the development of extrusion cones, the efficiency (oriented bisection per oocyte; 94%), reliability (success per attempted enucleation; 98%), and the blastocyst per reconstructed embryo rates (48%) were measured. Ultrastructural analyses demonstrated that demecolcine treatment resulted in disoriented and haphazardly orientated microtubules. The general ultrastructure of the oocyte organelles, however, appeared to be unaltered by the treatments. Considering that no oocyte selection based on polar body presence was performed, this system seems to be more efficient and reliable than any other enucleation method. Moreover, expensive equipment (inverted fluorescence microscope) and a potentially harmful step (staining and ultraviolet illumination) can be eliminated from the HMC procedure without compromising the high in vitro efficiency.
Up-regulation of β-catenin by a viral oncogene correlates with inhibition of the seven in absentia homolog 1 in B lymphoma cells
Authors: Jang Kyung Lib , Shackelford Julia , Seo So Young , Pagano Joseph S.
Published: December 2005

The protein levels of β-catenin are tightly regulated by the ubiquitin/proteasome system. We provide evidence that two distinct ubiquitin-dependent degradation pathways for β-catenin are active in the same Burkitt's lymphoma cells: Along with the classical glycogen-synthase kinase 3β-dependent destruction machinery, degradation of β-catenin through seven in absentia homolog 1 (Siah-1) ubiquitin ligase is functional in these cells. We show that inhibition of endogenous Siah-1 stabilizes and activates β-catenin in B cells. The principal Epstein–Barr virus oncoprotein, latent membrane protein 1, is involved in β-catenin up-regulation, and expression of latent membrane protein 1 in B lymphoma cells is associated with decreased Siah-1 RNA and protein levels. Thus, we demonstrate the significance of the endogenous Siah-1-dependent ubiquitin/proteasome pathway for β-catenin degradation in malignant human cells and its regulation by a viral oncogene.
Notch deficiency implicated in the pathogenesis of congenital disorder of glycosylation IIc
Authors: Ishikawa Hiroyuki O. , Higashi Shunsuke , Ayukawa Tomonori , Sasamura Takeshi , Kitagawa Motoo , Harigaya Kenichi , Aoki Kazuhisa , Ishida Nobuhiro , Sanai Yutaka , Matsuno Kenji
Published: December 2005

Congenital disorder of glycosylation IIc (CDG IIc), also termed leukocyte adhesion deficiency II, is a recessive syndrome characterized by slowed growth, mental retardation, and severe immunodeficiency. Recently, the gene responsible for CDG IIc was found to encode a GDP-fucose transporter. Here, we investigated the possible cause of the developmental defects in CDG IIc patients by using a
Drosophila
model. Biochemically, we demonstrated that a
Drosophila
homolog of the GDP-fucose transporter, the Golgi GDP-fucose transporter (
Gfr
), specifically transports GDP-fucose
in vitro
. To understand the function of the
Gfr
gene, we generated null mutants of
Gfr
in
Drosophila
. The phenotypes of the
Drosophila Gfr
mutants were rescued by the human GDP-fucose transporter transgene. Our phenotype analyses revealed that Notch (N) signaling was deficient in these
Gfr
mutants. GDP-fucose is known to be essential for the fucosylation of
N
-linked glycans and for
O
-fucosylation, and both fucose modifications are present on N. Our results suggest that Gfr is involved in the fucosylation of
N
-linked glycans on N and its
O
-fucosylation, as well as those of bulk proteins. However, despite the essential role of N
O
-fucosylation during development, the
Gfr
homozygote was viable. Thus, our results also indicate that the
Drosophila
genome encodes at least another GDP-fucose transporter that is involved in the
O
-fucosylation of N. Finally, we found that mammalian
Gfr
is required for N signaling in mammalian cultured cells. Therefore, our results implicate reduced N signaling in the pathology of CDG IIc.
Preferential occupancy of histone variant H2AZ at inactive promoters influences local histone modifications and chromatin remodeling
Authors: Li Bing , Pattenden Samantha G. , Lee Daeyoup , Gutiérrez José , Chen Jie , Seidel Chris , Gerton Jennifer , Workman Jerry L.
Published: December 2005

The yeast histone variant H2AZ (Htz1) is implicated in transcription activation, prevention of the ectopic spread of heterochromatin, and genome integrity. Our genome-wide localization analysis revealed that Htz1 is widely, but nonrandomly, distributed throughout the genome in an SWR1-dependent manner. We found that Htz1 is enriched in intergenic regions compared with coding regions. Its occupancy is inversely proportional to transcription rates and the enrichment of the RNA polymerase II under different growth conditions. However, Htz1 does not seem to directly regulate transcription repression genome-wide; instead, the presence of Htz1 under the inactivated condition is essential for optimal activation of a subset of genes. In addition, Htz1 is not generally responsible for nucleosome positioning, even at those promoters where Htz1 is highly enriched. Finally, using a biochemical approach, we demonstrate that incorporation of Htz1 into nucleosomes inhibits activities of histone modifiers associated with transcription, Dot1, Set2, and NuA4 and reduces the nucleosome mobilization driven by chromatin remodeling complexes. These lines of evidence collectively suggest that Htz1 may serve to mark quiescent promoters for proper activation.
Snapshots of cytochrome
c
folding
Authors: Pletneva Ekaterina V. , Gray Harry B. , Winkler Jay R.
Published: December 2005

Dansyl-to-heme distance distributions [
P
(
r
)] during folding have been determined in five variants of
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
iso-1 ferricytochrome
c
(labeled at mutant Cys residues 4, 39, 50, 66, and 99) by analysis of fluorescence energy-transfer kinetics. Moment analysis of the
P
(
r
) distributions clearly indicates that cytochrome
c
refolding is not a simple two-state process. After 1 ms of folding, the polypeptide ensemble is not uniformly collapsed and there are site variations in the relative populations of collapsed structures.
P
(
r
) distributions reveal structural features of the multiple intermediate species and evolution of the polypeptide ensemble.