bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Up-Regulation of Endothelin Receptors Induced by Cigarette Smoke — Involvement of MAPK in Vascular and Airway Hyper-Reactivity
Authors: Zhang Yaping , Edvinsson Lars , Xu Cang-Bao
Published: August 2011

Cigarette smoke exposure is well known to cause cardiovascular and airway diseases, both of which are leading causes of death and disability in the world. However, the molecular mechanisms that link cigarette smoke to cardiovascular and airway diseases are not fully understood. Vascular and airway hyper-reactivity plays an important role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular and airway diseases. Recent studies have demonstrated that endothelin receptor up-regulation mediates vascular and airway hyper-reactivity in response to endothelin-1 (ET-1, endothelin receptor agonist) in cardiovascular and airway diseases. In the vasculature and airways, the main functional consequences of up-regulated endothelin receptors by cigarette smoke exposure are enhanced contraction and proliferation of the smooth muscle cells, which subsequently result in abnormal contraction (spasm) and adverse proliferation (remodeling) of the vasculature and airways. The structural alteration by adverse remodeling involves changes in cell growth, cell death, cell migration, and production or degradation of the extracellular matrix. This review focuses on cigarette smoke exposure that induces activation of intracellular mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) and subsequently results in the up-regulation of endothelin receptors in the vasculature and airways, which mediates vascular and airway hyper-reactivity, one of the important pathogenic characteristics of cardiovascular and airway diseases. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of how cigarette smoke causes up-regulation of endothelin receptors in the vasculature and airways may provide new strategies for the treatment of cigarette smoke—associated cardiovascular and lung diseases.
Zebrin II Expressing Purkinje Cell Phenotype—Related and—Unrelated Cerebellar Abnormalities in Ca˅2.1 Mutant, Rolling Mouse Nagoya
Authors: Sawada Kazuhiko , Fukui Yoshihiro
Published: August 2011

Rolling mouse Nagoya is an ataxic mutant mouse that carries a mutation in a gene encoding for the alpha 1A subunit of the voltage-gated P/Q-type Ca2+channel (Ca˅2.1). This report summarizes our studies and others concerning cerebellar abnormalities in rolling mice based on chemical neuroanatomy. While there are no obvious cerebellar deformations in this mutant mouse, the altered functions of Purkinje cells can be revealed as a reduced expression of type 1 ryanodine receptor (RyR1) in all Purkinje cells uniformly throughout the cerebellum, and as an ectopic expression of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) in the Purkinje cell subsets with the zebrin II—immunopositive phenotype. As the mutated Ca˅2.1 channel is expressed at uniform levels in all Purkinje cells, its copresence with RyR1 staining suggests that a Ca˅2.1 channel dysfunction links with the expression of RyR1 in Purkinje cells of rolling mice. However, an ectopic expression of TH in the Purkinje cells is topologically related to the projection of corticotrophin-releasing factor—immunopositive climbing fibers rather than expression of the mutated Ca˅2.1 channel. On the other hand, increased levels of serotonin (5-HT) in 5-HTergic fibers were revealed immunohistochemically in Purkinje cells of the vermis of rolling cerebellum. Thus, to determine whether or not cerebellar abnormalities are related to Purkinje cell populations revealed by zebrin II expression is essential for enhancing our understanding of the pathogenesis of hereditary cerebellar ataxic mutants such as rolling mice.
New Therapeutic Approaches for the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis may Rise from the Cholinergic Anti-Inflammatory Pathway and Antinociceptive Pathway
Authors: Pan Xiao Hua , Zhang Jianxin , Yu Xiaowei , Qin Ling , Kang Ligeng , Zhang Peng
Published: August 2011

Due to the complex etiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), it is difficult to be completely cured at the current stage although many approaches have been applied in clinics, especially the wide application of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). New drug discovery and development via the recently discovered cholinergic anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive pathways should be promising. Based on the above, the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists maintain the potential for the treatment of RA. Therefore, new therapeutic approaches may rise from these two newly discovered pathways. More preclinical experiments and clinical trials are required to confirm our viewpoint.
Time-Space Translation: A Developmental Principle
Authors: Durston A. J. , Jansen H. J. , Wacker S. A.
Published: August 2011

We review a recently discovered developmental mechanism. Anterior-posterior positional information for the vertebrate trunk is generated by sequential interactions between a timer in the early nonorganizer mesoderm (NOM) and the Spemann organizer (SO). The timer is characterized by temporally collinear activation of a series of Hox genes in the early ventral and lateral mesoderm (i.e., the NOM) of the Xenopus gastrula. This early Hox gene expression is transient, unless it is stabilized by signals from the SO. The NOM and the SO undergo timed interactions due to morphogenetic movements during gastrulation, which lead to the formation of an anterior-posterior axial pattern and stable Hox gene expression. When separated from each other, neither the NOM nor the SO is able to induce anterior-posterior pattern formation of the trunk. We present a model describing that the NOM acquires transiently stable hox codes and spatial collinearity, and that morphogenetic movements then continually bring new cells from the NOM within the range of SO signals that cause transfer of the mesodermal pattern to a stable pattern in neurectoderm and, thereby, create patterned axial structures. In doing so, the age of the NOM, but not the age of the SO, defines positional values along the anterior-posterior axis. We postulate that the temporal information from the NOM is linked to mesodermal Hox expression. The role of the SO for trunk patterning turns out to be the induction of neural tissue as prerequisite for neural hox patterning. Apparently, development of a stable anterior-posterior pattern requires neural hox patterning. We believe that this mechanism represents a developmental principle.
Temozolomide-Induced Shrinkage of a Pituitary Carcinoma Causing Cushing's Disease — Report of a Case and Literature Review
Authors: Curtò Lorenzo , Torre Maria L. , Ferraù Francesco , Pitini Vincenzo , Altavilla Giuseppe , Granata Francesca , Longo Marcello , Hofland Leo J. , Trimarchi Francesco , Cannavò Salvatore
Published: August 2011

Temozolomide (TMZ) is an alkylating chemotherapeutic agent that has recently been used in some cases as a new therapeutic tool for pituitary carcinomas and aggressive pituitary adenomas. In this report, we present the case of effective TMZ treatment in a 42-year-old man with ACTH-secreting carcinoma. The tumor grew progressively over 4 years, from 2.2 to 31.1 cm3, despite three surgical approaches and gamma-knife treatment. Ki-67 increased from 2 to 18%. An intradural metastasis at the foramen magnum was detected by MRI after the third operation. Thereafter, four cycles of 5-day TMZ administration (200 mg/m2/day during the first, and 150 mg/m2/day during the following cycles) induced dramatic tumor size reduction (>90%). Clinical conditions improved progressively and, after 17 months from the beginning of TMZ administration, the patient is still alive. The treatment was well tolerated except for a transient thrombocytopenia (grade 4 WHO).
Involvement and Therapeutic Potential of the GABAergic System in the Fragile X Syndrome
Authors: Heulens Inge , D'Hulst Charlotte , Braat Sien , Rooms Liesbeth , Kooy R. Frank
Published: August 2011

Many drugs have been developed that are able to modulate the GABAergic system, which is involved in anxiety, depression, epilepsy, insomnia, and learning and memory. The recent observation that the GABAAreceptor is underexpressed in the fragile X syndrome, an inherited mental retardation disorder, therefore raised hopes for targeted therapy of the disorder. This review summarizes the lines of evidence that demonstrate a malfunction of the GABAergic system. The GABAergic system clearly emerges as an attractive target for therapy of the fragile X syndrome, and thus provides an excellent example of how genetic research can lead to unique opportunities for treatment.
The Possible Role of IL-17 in Obesity-Associated Cancer
Authors: Gislette Tiphaine , Chen Jiezhong
Published: August 2011

Obesity and overweight have become major medical and social problems. Both are increasing worldwide; two-thirds of the population in developed countries is obese or overweight. Obesity has been associated with many comorbidities, including diabetes and heart disease. Studies have also found that obesity is one of the risk factors involved in increased cancer incidence. Many obesity-related factors are responsible, including increased blood levels of insulin/IGF, IL-6, TNF-alpha, and leptin, and decreased blood levels of adiponectin. Recently, it has been shown that IL-17 levels increase in obese patients. IL-17 is well known to increase carcinogenesis; thus, increased IL-17 levels in obesity may contribute to increased cancer incidence in obesity. IL-17 could activate Src/PI3K, MAPK, Stat3, and PKC, resulting in carcinogenesis. It may also change the microenvironment of tumors. Thus, inhibition of IL-17 may have preventive and therapeutic implications in obese patients.
The Nuclear Hormone Receptor PPARγas a Therapeutic Target in Major Diseases
Authors: Schmidt Martina Victoria , Brüne Bernhard , von Knethen Andreas
Published: August 2011

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) belongs to the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily and regulates gene expression upon heterodimerization with the retinoid X receptor by ligating to peroxisome proliferator response elements (PPREs) in the promoter region of target genes. Originally, PPARγwas identified as being essential for glucose metabolism. Thus, synthetic PPARγagonists, the thiazolidinediones (TZDs), are used in type 2 diabetes therapy as insulin sensitizers. More recent evidence implied an important role for the nuclear hormone receptor PPARγin controlling various diseases based on its anti-inflammatory, cell cycle arresting, and proapoptotic properties. In this regard, expression of PPARγis not restricted to adipocytes, but is also found in immune cells, such as B and T lymphocytes, monocytes, macrophages, dendritic cells, and granulocytes. The expression of PPARγin lymphoid organs and its modulation of macrophage inflammatory responses, lymphocyte proliferation, cytokine production, and apoptosis underscore its immune regulating functions. Moreover, PPARγexpression is found in tumor cells, where its activation facilitates antitumorigenic actions. This review provides an overview about the role of PPARγas a possible therapeutic target approaching major, severe diseases, such as sepsis, cancer, and atherosclerosis.
Evidence-Based Comparison of Robotic and Open Radical Prostatectomy
Authors: Lowrance William T. , Tarin Tatum V. , Shariat Shahrokh F.
Published: August 2011

The rapid adoption of robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) has occurred despite a lack of high-quality evidence demonstrating its oncologic advantages, safety, or cost effectiveness compared with open radical retropubic prostatectomy (ORP). This review examines the current literature comparing ORP and RALP, focusing on perioperative, oncologic, functional, and economic outcomes.
Ca2+Signaling in B Cells
Authors: Lyubchenko Taras
Published: August 2011

An increase in intracellular Ca2+concentration is one of the major initial steps in B-cell activation that occurs within minutes after antigen receptor (BCR) engagement. In recent years, significant advances have been made in characterizing molecular mechanisms of Ca2+signaling in lymphocytes, although the majority of work was done on T cells. This mini-review discusses several underexplored areas of Ca2+signaling in B cells: (1) Ca2+signaling in immune synapse and multifaceted Ca2+responses within a single cell, (2) source of Ca2+involved in Ca2+-dependent protein phosphorylation events and the role of store-operated influx, (3) role of BCR coreceptors in Ca2+signaling, and (4) Ca2+signaling and maintenance of B-cell tolerance and clinical significance of Ca2+signaling alterations.
Active Theater as a Complementary Therapy for Parkinson's Disease Rehabilitation: A Pilot Study
Authors: Modugno Nicola , Iaconelli Sara , Fiorlli Mariagrazia , Lena Francesco , Kusch Imogen , Mirabella Giovanni
Published: August 2011

Most medical treatments of Parkinson's disease (PD) are aimed at the reduction of motor symptoms. However, even when motor improvements are evident, patients often report a deterioration of their daily lives. Thus, to achieve a global improvement in personal well-being, not only drugs, but also complementary therapies, such as physical exercise, occupational and speech therapy, and active music therapy, have been used. We hypothesized that theater could reduce clinical disability and improve the quality of life of PD patients (primary end points) more efficiently than other complementary therapies because (1) in order to impersonate a character, patients are forced to regain the control of their bodies; and (2) while being part of a group, patients have a high degree of social interaction. The need to regain the control of their bodies and their social functioning is very likely to deeply motivate patients. To assess this hypothesis, we ran a randomized, controlled, and single-blinded study that lasted 3 years, on 20 subjects affected by a moderate form of idiopathic PD, in stable treatment with L-dopa and L-dopa agonists, and without severe sensory deficits. Ten patients were randomly assigned to an active theater program (in which patients were required to participate), while the others underwent physiotherapy (control group), the most common nonpharmacological treatment for PD rehabilitation. Patients of both groups were evaluated at the beginning of each year, using five clinical rating scales (Unified ParkinsonParkinson'ss Disease Rating Scale [UPDRS], Schwab and England Scale, ParkinsonParkinson'ss Disease Quality of Life [PDQ39] Scale, Epworth Sleepiness Scale, and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale). The theater patients showed progressive improvements and, at the end of the third year, they showed significant improvements in all clinical scales. Conversely, the control patients did not exhibit significant ameliorations with time. Thus, the present study provides the first scientific evidence that active theater, coupled with conventional medical treatments, represents a valid complementary therapeutic intervention for PD treatment.
Correlative Microscopy of Bone in Implant Osteointegration Studies
Authors: Triré Alessandra , Martini Désirée , Orsini Ester , Franchi Marco , De Pasquale Viviana , Bacchelli Beatrice , Raspanti Mario , Ruggeri Alessandro , Ottani Vittoria
Published: August 2011

Routine morphological analyses usually include investigations by light microscopy (LM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Each of these techniques provides specific information on tissue morphology and all the obtained results are then combined to give an in-depth morphological overview of the examined sample. The limitations of this traditional comparative microscopy lie in the fact that each technique requires a different experimental sample, so that many specimens are necessary and the combined results come from different samples. The present study describes a technical procedure of correlative microscopy, which allows us to examine the same bone section first by LM and then, after appropriate processing, by SEM or TEM. Thanks to the possibility of analyzing the same undecalcified bone sections both by LM and SEM, the approach described in the present study allows us to make very accurate evaluations of old/new bone morphology at the bone-implant interface.
A Review of Three Simple Plant Models and Corresponding Statistical Tools for Basic Research in Homeopathy
Authors: Betti Lucietta , Trebbi Grazia , Zurla Michela , Nani Daniele , Peruzzi Maurizio , Brizzi Maurizio
Published: August 2011

In this paper, we review three simple plant models (wheat seed germination, wheat seedling growth, and infected tobacco plants) that we set up during a series of experiments carried out from 1991 to 2009 in order to study the effects of homeopathic treatments. We will also describe the set of statistical tools applied in the different models. The homeopathic treatment used in our experiments was arsenic trioxide (As2O3) diluted in a decimal scale and dynamized. Since the most significant results were achieved with the 45th decimal potency, both for As2O3(As 45x) and water (W 45x), we here report a brief summary of these results. The statistical analysis was performed by using parametric and nonparametric tests, and Poisson distribution had an essential role when dealing with germination experiments. Finally, we will describe some results related to the changes in variability, which seems to be one of the targets of homeopathic treatment effect.
Nonhematopoietic Variants of Erythropoietin in Ischemic Stroke: Need for Step-Wise Proof-of-Concept Studies
Authors: Hermann Dirk M.
Published: August 2011

Neuroprotective, but not hematopoietic, variants of erythropoietin (EPO), such as Neuro-EPO, are promising candidates for treatment in the acute and subacute stroke phase. Characterized by its low sialic acid content and therefore exhibiting a very short plasma half-life, Neuro-EPO can probably not be administered systemically via the blood. As such, alternate routes of delivery are required. In their paper that now appears inTheScientificWorldJOURNAL, Rodríguez Cruz and colleagues provide evidence that Neuro-EPO promotes neurological recovery in the ischemic gerbil brain in a way that is similarly potent, if not superior, to systemically administered EPO. In view of the potential clinical use of Neuro-EPO, stringent proof-of-concept studies are urgently needed to define (1) how intranasally delivered Neuro-EPO reaches the brain, (2) which concentrations are achieved in the ischemic and nonischemic brain tissue of rodents and nonhuman primates, and (3) which are the mechanisms via which Neuro-EPO protects from injury. Only with such information should decisions be made whether intranasal Neuro-EPO may be evaluated in human patients.
The Production of the Oral Mucosa of Antiendomysial and Anti—Tissue-Transglutaminase Antibodies in Patients with Celiac Disease: A Review
Authors: Compilato Domenico , Campisi Giuseppina , Pastore Luca , Carroccio Antonio
Published: August 2011

Celiac disease (CD) is a lifelong, T cell—mediated enteropathy, triggered by the ingestion of gluten and related prolamins in genetically susceptible subjects, resulting in minor intestinal mucosal injury, including villous atrophy with crypt hyperplasia and intraepithelial lymphocytosis, and subsequent nutrient malabsorption. Although serological tests for antiendomysial (EMA) and anti—tissue transglutaminase (anti-tTG) autoantibodies are used to screen and follow up on patients with CD, diagnostic confirmation is still based on the histological examination of the small intestinal mucosa. Although the small intestinal mucosa is the main site of the gut involved in CD, other mucosal surfaces (such as gastric, rectal, ileal, and esophageal) belonging to the gastrointestinal tract and the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) can also be involved. A site that could be studied less invasively is the mouth, as it is the first part of the gastrointestinal system and a part of the GALT. Indeed, not only have various oral ailments been reported as possible atypical aspects of CD, but it has been also demonstrated that inflammatory changes occur after oral supramucosal application and a submucosal injection of gliadin into the oral mucosa of CD patients. However, to date, only two studies have assessed the capacity of the oral mucosa of untreated CD patients to EMA and anti-tTG antibodies. In this paper, we will review studies that evaluate the capacity of the oral mucosa to produce specific CD autoantibodies. Discrepancies in sensitivity from the two studies have revealed that biopsy is still not an adequate procedure for the routine diagnostic purposes of CD patients, and a more in-depth evaluation on a larger sample size with standardized collection and analysis methods is merited. However, the demonstration of immunological reactivity to the gluten ingestion of the oral mucosa of CD, in terms of IgA EMA and anti-tTG production, needs to be further evaluated in order to verify whether the oral mucosa is colonized by lymphocytes activated in the intestine or if gluten could stimulate naïve lymphocytes directly in the oral mucosa. This would have important implications for the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of CD.
Montelukast: More than a Cysteinyl Leukotriene Receptor Antagonist?
Authors: Tintinger Gregory R. , Feldman Charles , Theron Annette J. , Anderson Ronald
Published: August 2011

The prototype cysteinyl leukotriene receptor antagonist, montelukast, is generally considered to have a niche application in the therapy of exercise- and aspirin-induced asthma. It is also used as add-on therapy in patients whose asthma is poorly controlled with inhaled corticosteroid monotherapy, or with the combination of a long-acting β(2)-agonist and an inhaled corticosteroid. Recently, however, montelukast has been reported to possess secondary anti-inflammatory properties, apparently unrelated to conventional antagonism of cysteinyl leukotriene receptors. These novel activities enable montelukast to target eosinophils, monocytes, and, in particular, the corticosteroid-insensitive neutrophil, suggesting that this agent may have a broader spectrum of anti-inflammatory activities than originally thought. If so, montelukast is potentially useful in the chemotherapy of intermittent asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cystic fibrosis, and viral bronchiolitis, which, to a large extent, involve airway epithelial cell/neutrophil interactions. The primary objective of this mini-review is to present evidence for the cysteinyl leukotrien–independent mechanisms of action of montelukast and their potential clinical relevance.
Subjective Outcome Evaluation of the Project P.A.T.H.S: Descriptive Profiles and Correlates
Authors: T.L. Shek Daniel , Yu Lu
Published: August 2011

A total of 196 schools participated in the Tier 1 Program (Secondary 2 curriculum) of the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes) in Hong Kong. After the completion of the program, 1,178 instructors completed a subjective outcome evaluation form in order to assess their views of the program, instructors, and perceived effectiveness of the program. Results showed that high proportions of the instructors had positive perceptions of the program (range: 76.79–93.69%) and their own performance (range: 83.20–98.60%), and most of the respondents (range: 78.45–92.43%) regarded the program as helpful to the program participants. While the ratings in some items in the present findings were relatively better than those in the Experimental Implementation Phase, they were similar to those based on the Secondary 1 curriculum. Consistent with previous studies, the ratings on the program, instructors, and perceived effectiveness were significantly correlated.
Halofuginone- and Chitosan-Coated Amnion Membranes Demonstrate Improved Abdominal Adhesion Prevention
Authors: Washburn Scott , Jennell Jamie L. , Hodges Steve J.
Published: August 2011

Our objective was to determine whether coating the amniotic membrane with halofuginone, a type 1 collagen synthase inhibitor, with or without the hemostasis-inducing substance chitosan, reduced the number and severity of adhesions in the rat uterine horn injury model. Sixty retired breeder Sprague-Dawley rats underwent midline laparotomy and a zone of ischemia was created in the left uterine horn of each animal. Rats were randomized to one of six treatment groups: (1) untreated control, (2) oxidized regenerated cellulose (Interceed®) (ORC), (3) plain amnion, (4) amnion coated on both sides with 0.5% solution of halofuginone (HAH), (5) amnion coated on one side with 0.5% halofuginone and on the other side with chitosan (CAH), or (6) amnion coated on both sides with chitosan (CAC). The zone of ischemia in each left uterine horn was wrapped in each treatment. Rats were sacrificed 2 weeks after laparotomy, and adhesions were counted and scored for severity. Data were analyzed using Chi square and ap<0.05 was considered significant. Our results showed that there were no differences in the percentage of animals with adhesions in the untreated, ORC, plain amnion, or CAC groups. No adhesions formed in any animal in the HAH group and only 14% of the animals developed adhesions to the uterine horn in the CAH group (p< 0.05). The percentage of animals with moderate and severe adhesions did not differ between untreated controls and the ORC groups, but were significantly reduced in all four of the amnion groups: plain amnion, HAH, CAH, and CAC (p< 0.05). Amnion coated with halofuginone alone or in combination with chitosan reduced the percentage of animals with adhesions, as well as the percentage of animals with moderate and severe adhesions compared to untreated controls and the ORC group in the rat uterine horn injury model. Amnion alone or coated with chitosan reduced the percentage of rats with moderate and severe adhesions, but not the percentage of rats with adhesions of any type compared to both untreated controls and the ORC group in the rat uterine horn injury model.
Long-Term Response of Groundwater Nitrate Concentrations to Management Regulations in Nebraska's Central Platte Valley
Authors: Exner Mary E. , Perea-Estrada Hugo , Spalding Roy F.
Published: August 2011

The impact of 16 years (1988–2003) of management practices on high groundwater nitrate concentrations in Nebraska's central Platte River valley was assessed in a 58,812-ha (145,215-ac) groundwater quality management area intensively cropped to irrigated corn (Zea maysL.). Crop production and groundwater nitrate data were obtained from ~23,800 producer reports. The terrace, comprising ~56% of the study area, is much more intensively cropped to irrigated corn than the bottomland. From 1987 to 2003, average groundwater nitrate concentrations in the primary aquifer beneath the bottomland remained static at ~8 mg N/l. During the same period, average groundwater nitrate concentrations in the primary aquifer beneath the terrace decreased from 26.4 to 22.0 mg N/l at a slow, but significant (p< 0.0001), rate of 0.26 mg N/l/year. Approximately 20% of the decrease in nitrate concentrations can be attributed to increases in the amount of N removed from fields as a consequence of small annual increases in yield. During the study, producers converted ~15% of the ~28,300 furrow-irrigated terrace hectares (~69,800 ac) to sprinkler irrigation. The conversion is associated with about an additional 50% of the decline in the nitrate concentration, and demonstrates the importance of both improved water and N management. Average N fertilizer application rates on the terrace were essentially unchanged during the study. The data indicate that groundwater nitrate concentrations have responded to improved management practices instituted by the Central Platte Natural Resources District.
Relative Yield Loss Calculations in Wheat (Triticum durumDesf. cv. Camacho) due to Ozone Exposure
Authors: de la Torre Daniel
Published: August 2011

In this work, an estimation of the relative yield losses of wheat due to ozone exposure is made by means of two approaches proposed by the CLRTAP (Convention on Long Range Transboundary Air Pollution): the exposure-response approach, which deals with the exposure of plants to ozone during a certain time, and the accumulated uptake approach, which, besides ozone exposure, deals with the velocity of absorption of the contaminant and the environmental factors that modulate that absorption. Once the relative yield losses are calculated by means of the two approaches, the aim is to establish which index (the exposure-response index or the accumulated uptake index) best characterizes the response of wheat plants to ozone. The relative yield losses are compared considering two watering regimes: well watered and nonwatered. The results obtained show that the relative yield losses in wheat due to ozone exposure are much more strongly linked to the real quantity of ozone absorbed by plants than to the environmental ozone exposure, which means that the accumulated uptake approach is much more realistic than the exposure-response approach. Relative yield loss estimations were higher in a crop with no watering; 3% of relative yield losses more than a crop watered until field capacity.
Logatome Discrimination in Cochlear Implant Users: Subjective Tests Compared to the Mismatch Negativity
Authors: Rahne Torsten , Ziese Michael , Rostalski Dorothea , Mühler Roland
Published: August 2011

This paper describes a logatome discrimination test for the assessment of speech perception in cochlear implant users (CI users), based on a multilingual speech database, the Oldenburg Logatome Corpus, which was originally recorded for the comparison of human and automated speech recognition. The logatome discrimination task is based on the presentation of 100 logatome pairs (i.e., nonsense syllables) with balanced representations of alternating “vowel-replacement” and “consonant-replacement” paradigms in order to assess phoneme confusions. Thirteen adult normal hearing listeners and eight adult CI users, including both good and poor performers, were included in the study and completed the test after their speech intelligibility abilities were evaluated with an established sentence test in noise. Furthermore, the discrimination abilities were measured electrophysiologically by recording the mismatch negativity (MMN) as a component of auditory event-related potentials. The results show a clear MMN response only for normal hearing listeners and CI users with good performance, correlating with their logatome discrimination abilities. Higher discrimination scores for vowel-replacement paradigms than for the consonant-replacement paradigms were found. We conclude that the logatome discrimination test is well suited to monitor the speech perception skills of CI users. Due to the large number of available spoken logatome items, the Oldenburg Logatome Corpus appears to provide a useful and powerful basis for further development of speech perception tests for CI users.
Positive Youth Development Programs Targeting Students with Greater Psychosocial Needs: A Replication
Authors: Lee Tak Yan , Shek Daniel T.L.
Published: August 2011

The Tier 2 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. (Positive Adolescent Training through Holistic Social Programmes) targets adolescents with greater psychosocial needs, and the related programs were designed and implemented by school social workers. After completion of the Tier 2 Program (Secondary 1 Level), 9,931 participants in 212 schools responded to the Subjective Outcome Evaluation Form (Form C) in order to assess their views of the program, workers, and perceived effectiveness of the program. Based on the consolidated reports submitted by the agencies to the funding body, the research team aggregated the consolidated data to form a “reconstructed” overall profile on the perceptions of the program participants. Four major types of program were identified, including programs based on the adventure-based counseling approach (n = 58), programs concentrating on volunteer training and services (n = 31), programs offering both adventure-based counseling and volunteer training activities (n = 91), and other programs with different foci (n = 32). Results showed that high proportions of the respondents had positive perceptions of the programs and the workers, and over four-fifths of the respondents regarded the program as helpful to them. The present study provides support for the effectiveness of the Tier 2 Program of the Project P.A.T.H.S. in Hong Kong for the Full Implementation Phase.
School Drug Testing: A Critical Review of the Literature
Authors: Shek Daniel T.L.
Published: August 2011

This paper explores the question of whether school drug testing is an effective solution to tackle adolescent substance abuse problems. Research studies in major academic databases and Internet websites are reviewed. Several observations are highlighted from the review: (1) there are few research studies in this area, particularly in different Chinese contexts; (2) the quality of the existing studies was generally low; and (3) research findings supporting the effectiveness of school drug testing were mixed. Methodological issues underlying quantitative and qualitative evaluation studies of the effectiveness of school drug testing are also discussed.
Rosiglitazone Add-On in Treatment of Depressed Patients with Insulin Resistance: a Pilot Study
Authors: Rasgon Natalie L. , Kenna Heather A. , Williams Katherine E. , Powers Bevin , Wroolie Tonita , Schatzberg Alan F.
Published: August 2011

A number of cross-sectional studies have suggested an association between insulin resistance (IR) and affective disorders. However, limited data exist on potential changes in IR in a prospective treatment of depression. The present pilot study tested the hypothesis that improvement of IR with the addition of an insulin-sensitizing agent would improve mood in nondiabetic patients with unipolar or bipolar depression, who had surrogate blood markers suggestive of IR. Surrogate IR-criteria blood markers were fasting plasma glucose >100 mg/dl or triglyceride (TG) to high density lipoprotein (HDL) ratio >3.0. Open-label rosiglitazone, titrated to a dose of 8 mg/day, was administered for 12 weeks to 12 patients with depressive disorder receiving treatment as usual (TAU). Eight patients who completed the 12-week study exhibited significant declines in both depression severity by the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and the Clinical Global Impression scale, with moderate effect sizes noted. Modest improvement in Matsuda Index scores was also noted at 12 weeks, yet declines in depression severity scores were not associated with improvements in the endocrine markers (Matsuda Index, TG/HDL ratio, and body mass index). These results suggest the potential novel use for an insulin-sensitizing agent in the treatment of depressive disorders. Larger placebo-controlled studies are warranted.
Activation and Genetic Modification of Human Monocyte-Derived Dendritic Cells using AttenuatedSalmonella typhimurium
Authors: Michael Agnieszka , John Justin , Meyer Brendan , Pandha Hardev
Published: August 2011

Live attenuated bacterial vectors, such asSalmonella typhimurium, have shown promise as delivery vehicles for DNA. We have examined two new strains ofS. typhimuriumand their impact on dendritic cell maturation (CD12-sifA/aroCmutant and WT05-ssaV/aroC, both in TML background). Strain WT05 matured dendritic cells in a more efficient way; caused higher release of cytokines TNF-α, IL-12, IL-1β; and was efficient for gene transfer. These findings suggest that the genetic background of the attenuation can influence the pattern of inflammatory immune response toSalmonellainfection.
Saliva: Physiology and Diagnostic Potential in Health and Disease
Authors: Farnaud Sebastien J. C. , Kosti Ourania , Getting Stephen J. , Renshaw Derek
Published: August 2011

Saliva has been described as the mirror of the body. In a world of soaring healthcare costs and an environment where rapid diagnosis may be critical to a positive patient outcome, saliva is emerging as a viable alternative to blood sampling. In this review, we discuss the composition and various physiological roles of saliva in the oral cavity, including soft tissue protection, antimicrobial activities, and oral tissue repair. We then explore saliva as a diagnostic marker of local oral disease and focus particularly on oral cancers. The cancer theme continues when we focus on systemic disease diagnosis from salivary biomarkers. Communicable disease is the focus of the next section where we review the literature relating to the direct and indirect detection of pathogenic infections from human saliva. Finally, we discuss hormones involved in appetite regulation and whether saliva is a viable alternative to blood in order to monitor hormones that are involved in satiety.
Photoluminescent Detection of Dissolved Underwater Trace Explosives
Authors: Langston Tye
Published: August 2011

A portable, rapid, and economical method forin situtrace explosive detection in aqueous solutions was demonstrated using photoluminescence. Using europium/thenoyltrifluoroacetone as the reagent, dissolved nitroglycerin was fluorescently tagged and detected in seawater solutions without sample preparation, drying, or preconcentration. The chemical method was developed in a laboratory setting and demonstrated in a flow-through configuration using lightweight, inexpensive, commercial components by directly injecting the reagents into a continually flowing seawater stream using a small amount of organic solvent (approximately 8% of the total solution). Europium's vulnerability to vibrational fluorescence quenching by water provided the mode of detection. Without nitroglycerin in the seawater solution, the reagent's fluorescence was quenched, but when dissolved nitroglycerin was present, it displaced the water molecules from the europium/thenoyltrifluoroacetone compound and restored fluorescence. This effort focused on developing a seawater sensor, but performance comparisons were made to freshwater. The method was found to perform better in freshwater and it was shown that certain seawater constituents (such as calcium) have an adverse impact. However, the concentrations of these constituents are not expected to vary significantly from the natural seawater used herein.
Cognitive, Emotive, and Cognitive-Behavioral Correlates of Suicidal Ideation among Chinese Adolescents in Hong Kong
Authors: Kwok Sylvia Y.C.L. , Shek Daniel T. L.
Published: August 2011

Utilizing Daniel Goleman's theory of emotional competence, Beck's cognitive theory, and Rudd's cognitive-behavioral theory of suicidality, the relationships between hopelessness (cognitive component), social problem solving (cognitive-behavioral component), emotional competence (emotive component), and adolescent suicidal ideation were examined. Based on the responses of 5,557 Secondary 1 to Secondary 4 students from 42 secondary schools in Hong Kong, results showed that suicidal ideation was positively related to adolescent hopelessness, but negatively related to emotional competence and social problem solving. While standard regression analyses showed that all the above variables were significant predictors of suicidal ideation, hierarchical regression analyses showed that hopelessness was the most important predictor of suicidal ideation, followed by social problem solving and emotional competence. Further regression analyses found that all four subscales of emotional competence, i.e., empathy, social skills, self-management of emotions, and utilization of emotions, were important predictors of male adolescent suicidal ideation. However, the subscale of social skills was not a significant predictor of female adolescent suicidal ideation. Standard regression analysis also revealed that all three subscales of social problem solving, i.e., negative problem orientation, rational problem solving, and impulsiveness/carelessness style, were important predictors of suicidal ideation. Theoretical and practice implications of the findings are discussed.
Spectroscopic Assessment of Normal Cortical Bone: Differences in Relation to Bone Site and Sex
Authors: Kourkoumelis Nikolaos , Tzaphlidou Margaret
Published: August 2011

Bone is a highly complex, composite tissue and its properties normally vary with age, type, and disorders. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy techniques were used to study the effect of bone sites and sex to mineral and matrix content and composition. The results show that in rats, all inorganic phases consist of poorly crystalline B-type carbonated apatite, while overall mineralization and carbonate content is virtually unaffected among samples. Statistically significant differences were detected for the nonapatitic environments of acid phosphate and carbonate content. The mean values for the Ca/P ratio point to an increasing trend from tibia to forearm, and to femoral sections.
Empyema of the Ureteral Stump. An Unusual Complication Following Nephrectomy
Authors: Labanaris Apostolos P. , Zugor Vahudin , Smiszek Robert , Nützel Reinhold , Kühn Reinhard
Published: August 2011

A ureteral stump, which is the segment of the ureter left in place after nephrectomy, may occasionally give rise to a pathologic process called ureteral stump syndrome, which is clinically interpreted as febrile urinary tract infections, lower quadrant pain, and hematuria. Empyema of the ureteral stump, which belongs to this syndrome, is an uncommon disease entity presenting with a reported incidence of 0.8–1%. We present a case of empyema of the ureteral stump in a female patient 5 years postnephrectomy for a nonfunctioning kidney, and discuss the clinical presentation, radiologic diagnosis, and therapeutic options of this uncommon disease entity.
Two Sides of the Same Coin: TFIIH Complexes in Transcription and DNA Repair
Authors: Zhovmer Alexander , Oksenych Valentyn , Coin Frédéric
Published: August 2011

TFIIH is organized into a seven-subunit core associated with a three-subunit Cdk-activating kinase (CAK) module. TFIIH has roles in both transcription initiation and DNA repair. During the last 15 years, several studies have been conducted to identify the composition of the TFIIH complex involved in DNA repair. Recently, a new technique combining chromatin immunoprecipitation and western blotting resolved the hidden nature of the TFIIH complex participating in DNA repair. Following the recruitment of TFIIH to the damaged site, the CAK module is released from the core TFIIH, and the core subsequently associates with DNA repair factors. The release of the CAK is specifically driven by the recruitment of the DNA repair factor XPA and is required to promote the incision/excision of the damaged DNA. Once the DNA lesions have been repaired, the CAK module returns to the core TFIIH on the chromatin, together with the release of the repair factors. These data highlight the dynamic composition of a fundamental cellular factor that adapts its subunit composition to the cell needs.
Corticosteroid Regulation of Synaptic Plasticity in the Hippocampus
Authors: Maggio Nicola , Segal Menahem
Published: August 2011

Stress, via release of steroid hormones, has been shown to affect several cellular functions in the brain, including synaptic receptors and ion channels. As such, corticosteroids were reported to modulate plasticity, expressed as long-term changes in reactivity to afferent stimulation. The classical view of the effects of stress on synaptic plasticity and cognitive functions assumes an inverted U-shape curve, such that a low stress level facilitates and a high stress level (i.e., corticosterone levels) impairs cognitive functions. This universal view has been challenged recently in a series of studies that show that stress and corticosterone have immediate and opposite effects on the ability to express long-term potentiation (LTP) in the dorsal and ventral sectors of the hippocampus. This differential role of stress may be related to the different functions associated with these sectors of the hippocampus. Herein, we review the known effects of stress hormones on cellular functions and outline the role of molecular mechanisms in stress-related global functions of the hippocampus.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Concentration Levels on the Korean Peninsula between 2006 and 2008
Authors: Nguyen Hang Thi , Kim Ki-Hyun , Ma C.-J. , Oh J.-M.
Published: August 2011

Concentrations of seven polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) compounds — benzo(a)anthracene (BaA), chrysene (CHRY), benzo(b)fluoranthene (BbF), benzo(k)fluoranthene (BkF), dibenz(a,h)anthracene (DahA), indeno(1,2,3-cd)pyrene (I123P), and benzo(a)pyrene (BaP) — in air were measured as the sum of gas and particle fractions at 32 monitoring stations dispersed across Korea during a 2-year period (February 2006 to January 2008). The data sets were collected at intervals of 1 day (24 h) per month from each monitoring station. According to our analysis, the spatial distribution of PAH is distinguished by manmade activities between different land use types. Evaluation of total PAH (T-PAH) concentration levels, which were derived by summing up all individual compounds, revealed that the T-PAH value varied on the order of commercial (4.85 ± 4.40 ng m-3) rural (4.42 ± 2.73 ng m-3), industrial (4.27 ± 1.79 ng m-3), greenland (3.09 ± 3.86 ng m-3), and background (2.60 ± 2.54 ng m-3) areas. The PAH values, when compared across seasons, tend to peak consistently during the winter (or spring) due to the active consumption of fossil fuels. The overall results of this study confirm that the pollution status of PAH compounds are clearly discernible not only between areas with different levels of anthropogenic activities, but also between periods with changes in environmental conditions.
Fever
Authors: Bartfai Tamas , Conti Bruno
Published: August 2011

Measurement of body temperature remains one of the most common ways to assess health. An increase in temperature above what is considered to be a normal value is inevitably regarded as a sure sign of disease and referred to with one simple word: fever. In this review, we summarize how research on fever allowed the identification of the exogenous and endogenous molecules and pathways mediating the fever response. We also show how temperature elevation is common to different pathologies and how the molecular components of the fever-generation pathway represent drug targets for antipyretics, such as acetylsalicylic acid, the first “blockbuster drug”. We also show how fever research provided new insights into temperature and energy homeostasis, and into treatment of infection and inflammation.
A Case of Acute Tuberculous Pleuropneumonia in a Patient with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia
Authors: Zivanovic Snezana , Saranac Ljiljana , Kostic Gordana , Bogicevic Vesna , Jovancic Danijela
Published: August 2011

Respiratory system infections are the most common complications in immunocompromised cancer patients. We here report a 14-year-old male who was admitted to the hospital because of acute pneumonia, who had been diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) when he was 12 years old. A diagnosis of acute tuberculous pleuropneumonia was made based on clinical and radiographical findings, andMycobacterium tuberculosiswas identified by Ziehl-Neelson acid-fast stain and culture on Löwenstein-Jensen medium. Twenty months before pneumonia onset, the patient had been treated with immunosupressive therapy (ALL IC-BFM 2002 protocol).