bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anti–N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor antibodies, cognitive dysfunction, and depression in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Lapteva Larissa , Nowak Miroslawa , Yarboro Cheryl H. , Takada Kazuki , Roebuck‐Spencer Tresa , Weickert Thomas , Bleiberg Joseph , Rosenstein Donald , Pao Maryland , Patronas Nicholas , Steele Sonya , Manzano Melissa , van der Veen Jan Willem C. , Lipsky Peter E. , Marenco Stefano , Wesley Robert , Volpe Bruce , Diamond Betty , Illei Gabor G.
Published: July 2006

Objective

To assess the association of cognitive dysfunction and depression with serum antibodies to N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor (anti‐NR2) and analyze clinical and neuroimaging correlates in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods

Sixty patients underwent neurocognitive assessment, evaluation for depression with the Beck Depression Inventory II (BDI‐II) and psychiatric interview (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition [DSM‐IV] criteria), brain magnetic resonance imaging, and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy imaging (1H‐MRSI). Cognition was assessed in 5 domains: memory, attention/executive, visuospatial, motor, and psychomotor, and adjusted to each individual's best level of prior cognitive functioning estimated from the reading subtest of the Wide Range Achievement Test–3 (WRAT‐3). Serum anti‐NR2 antibodies were measured by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay using a pentapeptide from the human NMDA receptor.

Results

Cognitive dysfunction was found in 28 of 60 patients (mild in 8, moderate in 20) before adjustment for WRAT‐3 and in 35 of 60 patients (mild in 15, moderate in 11, and severe in 9) after adjustment for WRAT‐3. The changes were most pronounced in the memory and visuospatial domains. There was no significant association between anti‐NR2 antibody levels and cognition. On 1H‐MRSI, patients with moderate or severe cognitive dysfunction had significantly higher choline:creatine ratios in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the white matter, compared with patients with mild or absent cognitive dysfunction. Anti‐NR2 antibodies were significantly correlated with BDI scores; patients with BDI‐II scores of ≥14 had higher serum levels of anti‐NR2 antibodies (P = 0.005, 95% confidence interval 0.83, 4.31), and there was a trend toward higher anti‐NR2 antibody levels among patients who fulfilled the DSM‐IV criteria for major depression.

Conclusion

Serum anti‐NR2 antibodies are associated with depressive mood but not with cognitive dysfunction in SLE at a given time point. Larger longitudinal studies are needed to address the possible association between anti‐NR2 antibodies and depression in SLE.
Contribution of runt‐related transcription factor 2 to the pathogenesis of osteoarthritis in mice after induction of knee joint instability
Authors: Kamekura Satoru , Kawasaki Yosuke , Hoshi Kazuto , Shimoaka Takashi , Chikuda Hirotaka , Maruyama Zenjiro , Komori Toshihisa , Sato Shingo , Takeda Shu , Karsenty Gerard , Nakamura Kozo , Chung Ung‐il , Kawaguchi Hiroshi
Published: July 2006

Objective

By producing instability in mouse knee joints, we attempted to determine the involvement of runt‐related transcription factor 2 (RUNX‐2), which is required for chondrocyte hypertrophy, in the development of osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods

An experimental mouse OA model was created by surgical transection of the medial collateral ligament and resection of the medial meniscus of the knee joints of heterozygous RUNX‐2–deficient (Runx2+/−) mice and wild‐type littermates. Cartilage destruction and osteophyte formation in the medial tibial cartilage were compared by histologic and radiographic analyses. Localization of type X collagen and matrix metalloproteinase 13 (MMP‐13) was examined by immunohistochemistry. Localization of RUNX‐2 was determined by X‐Gal staining in heterozygous RUNX‐2–deficient mice with the lacZ gene insertion at the Runx2‐deletion site (Runx2+/lacZ). Messenger RNA levels of type X collagen, MMP‐13, and RUNX‐2 were examined by real‐time reverse transcriptase–polymerase chain reaction analysis.

Results

RUNX‐2 was induced in the articular cartilage of wild‐type mice at the early stage of OA, almost simultaneously with type X collagen but earlier than MMP‐13. Runx2+/− and Runx2+/lacZ mice showed normal skeletal development and articular cartilage; however, after induction of knee joint instability, they exhibited decreased cartilage destruction and osteophyte formation, along with reduced type X collagen and MMP‐13 expression, as compared with wild‐type mice.

Conclusion

RUNX‐2 contributes to the pathogenesis of OA through chondrocyte hypertrophy and matrix breakdown after the induction of joint instability.
FDA's Critical Path Initiative: A Perspective on Contributions of Biostatistics
Authors: O'Neill R. T.
Published: July 2006

This article describes the motivation for, description of, and the objectives and plans for the FDA's initiative that was introduced in March of 2004 by way of a report titled ‘Innovation or Stagnation? – Challenge and Opportunity on the Critical Path to New Medical Products’. The FDA initiative is very much an outreach effort and a wake‐up call to many constituencies to contribute and partner to improve the product development process and thereby to contribute to the success rate of new products that will benefit the public. We discuss in general terms where some of the opportunities and challenges exist for the discipline of biostatistics to make contributions to this effort over the next few years. In particular, guidance development in five areas is considered as is the need to devote new energy and efforts to quantitative risk assessment and safety evaluation, an area that has lagged the attention received in the efficacy evaluation area. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Confirmatory Clinical Trials with an Adaptive Design
Authors: Koch Armin
Published: July 2006

Adaptive designs are one of the most promising developments in statistics with applications to clinical trials. Obviously, knowledge at the beginning of a clinical trial will always be limited. Thus it may seem logical that the knowledge from accumulating information should be used to optimize the design of the trial. This paper discusses conditions under which this may be possible in phase III clinical trials where the principal aim is confirmation of hypotheses that have been developed in earlier stages of drug development. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Long‐term performance of peat biofilters treating ethyl acetate, toluene, and its mixture in air
Authors: Alvarez‐Hornos F. Javier , Gabaldón Carmen , Martínez‐Soria Vicente , Marzal Paula , Penya‐roja Josep‐Manuel , Izquierdo Marta
Published: July 2006

Three laboratory‐scale peat biofilters were operated at 90 s empty bed residence time (EBRT) for over a year. Biodegradation of ethyl acetate, toluene, or a 1:1 mixture were investigated. In first stage, inlet concentration was progressively increased from 0.4 to 4.5 g/m3. The maximum elimination capacity (EC) found for ethyl acetate was 190 gC/m3·h, and it was not affected by toluene. The maximum EC found for toluene as a sole contaminant was 150 gC/m3·h, but the presence of ethyl acetate decreased the toluene maximum EC to 80 gC/m3·h. From respirometry monitoring, values of 3.19 g CO2/gC and 3.06 g CO2/gC for pure ethyl acetate and pure toluene, respectively, were found, with overall yield coefficients of 0.13 g dry biomass produced per gram ethyl acetate consumed and 0.28 g dry biomass produced per gram toluene consumed. CO2 production in the 1:1 mixture was successfully simulated. Dynamics of living and dead cells were monitored in four sections of the biofilters. Concentrations ranged between 2.6 × 109 and 3.0 × 1010 cells per gram‐dry peat for total bacteria, and 2.4 × 109–1.9 × 1010 cells per gram‐dry peat for living bacteria. At high loads loss of bacterial density in the inlet zones, and increase in the dead cells percentages up to 60% was observed. In second stage, long‐term performance at an inlet concentration of 1.5 g/m3 was evaluated to show the process feasibility. Good agreement with previous data was obtained in terms of EC and CO2 production. Restoration of living cells proportion was also observed. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;96:651–660. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effect of compounds released during pretreatment of wheat straw on microbial growth and enzymatic hydrolysis rates
Authors: Panagiotou Gianni , Olsson Lisbeth
Published: July 2006

In the process of producing ethanol from lignocellulosic materials such as wheat straw, compounds that can act inhibitory to enzymatic hydrolysis and to cellular growth may be generated during the pretreatment. Ethanol production was evaluated on pretreated wheat straw hydrolysate using four different recombinant Saccharomyces cerevisiae strains, CPB.CR4, CPB.CB4, F12, and FLX. The fermentation performance of the four S. cerevisiae strains was tested in hydrolysate of wheat straw that has been pretreated at high dry matter content (220 g/L dry matter). The results clearly showed that F12 was the most robust strain, whereas the other three strains were strongly inhibited when the fraction of hydrolysate in the fermentation medium was higher than 60% (v/v). Furthermore, the impact of different lignin derivatives commonly found in the hydrolysate of pretreated wheat straw, was tested on two different enzyme mixtures, a mixture of Celluclast 1.5 L FG and Novozym 188 (3:1) and one crude enzyme preparation produced from Penicillium brasilianum IBT 20888. From all the potential inhibiting compounds that were tested, formic acid had the most severe influence on the hydrolysis rate resulting in a complete inactivation of the two enzyme mixtures. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;96: 250–258. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Scale up of a viscous fungal fermentation: Application of scale‐up criteria with regime analysis and operating boundary conditions
Authors: Pollard D.J. , Kirschner T.F. , Hunt G.R. , Tong I.‐T. , Stieber R. , Salmon P.M.
Published: July 2006

The scale up of the novel, pharmaceutically important pneumocandin (B0), from the filamentous fungus Glarea lozoyensis was successfully completed from pilot scale (0.07, 0.8, and 19 m3) to production scale (57 m3). This was accomplished, despite dissimilar reactor geometry, employing a combination of scale‐up criteria, process sensitivity studies, and regime analysis using characteristic time constants for both oxygen mass transfer and bulk mixing. Dissolved oxygen tension, separated from the influence of agitation by gas blending at the 0.07 m3‐scale, had a marked influence on the concentrations of pneumocandin analogs with different levels of hydroxylation, and these concentrations were used as an indicator of bulk mixing upon scale up. The profound impact of dissolved oxygen tension (DOT) (low and high levels) on analog formation dictated the use of constant DOT, at 80% air saturation, as a scale‐up criterion. As a result kLa, Oxygen uptake rate (OUR) and hence the OTR were held constant, which were effectively conserved across the scales, while the use of other criterion such as Pg/VL, or mixing time were less effective. Production scale (57 m3) mixing times were found to be faster than those at 19 m3 due to a difference in liquid height/tank diameter ratio (HL/DT). Regime analysis at 19 and 57 m3 for bulk mixing (tc) and oxygen transfer (1/kLa) showed that oxygen transfer was the rate‐limiting step for this highly shear thinning fermentation, providing additional support for the choice of scale‐up criterion. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;96: 307–317. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Liquefaction of lignocellulose at high‐solids concentrations
Authors: Jørgensen Henning , Vibe‐Pedersen Jakob , Larsen Jan , Felby Claus
Published: July 2006

To improve process economics of the lignocellulose to ethanol process a reactor system for enzymatic liquefaction and saccharification at high‐solids concentrations was developed. The technology is based on free fall mixing employing a horizontally placed drum with a horizontal rotating shaft mounted with paddlers for mixing. Enzymatic liquefaction and saccharification of pretreated wheat straw was tested with up to 40% (w/w) initial DM. In less than 10 h, the structure of the material was changed from intact straw particles (length 1–5 cm) into a paste/liquid that could be pumped. Tests revealed no significant effect of mixing speed in the range 3.3–11.5 rpm on the glucose conversion after 24 h and ethanol yield after subsequent fermentation for 48 h. Low‐power inputs for mixing are therefore possible. Liquefaction and saccharification for 96 h using an enzyme loading of 7 FPU/g·DM and 40% DM resulted in a glucose concentration of 86 g/kg. Experiments conducted at 2%–40% (w/w) initial DM revealed that cellulose and hemicellulose conversion decreased almost linearly with increasing DM. Performing the experiments as simultaneous saccharification and fermentation also revealed a decrease in ethanol yield at increasing initial DM. Saccharomyces cerevisiae was capable of fermenting hydrolysates up to 40% DM. The highest ethanol concentration, 48 g/kg, was obtained using 35% (w/w) DM. Liquefaction of biomass with this reactor system unlocks the possibility of 10% (w/w) ethanol in the fermentation broth in future lignocellulose to ethanol plants. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;96:862–870. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Characterization of the AlkS/PalkB‐expression system as an efficient tool for the production of recombinant proteins in Escherichia coli fed‐batch fermentations
Authors: Makart Stefan , Heinemann Matthias , Panke Sven
Published: July 2006

The availability of suitable, well‐characterized, and robust expression systems remains an essential requirement for successful metabolic engineering and recombinant protein production. We investigated the suitability of the Pseudomonas putida GPo1‐derived AlkS/PalkB expression system in strictly aqueous cultures. By applying the apolar inducer dicyclopropylketone (DCPK) to express green fluorescent protein (GFP) from this system in Escherichia coli and analyzing the resulting cultures on single‐cell level by flow cytometry, we found that this expression system gives rise to a homogeneous population of cells, even though the overall system is expected to have a positive feed‐back element in the expression of the regulatory gene alkS. Overexpressing E. coli's serine hydroxymethyltransferase gene glyA, we showed that the system was already fully turned on at inducer concentrations as low as 0.005% (v/v). This allows efficient mass production of recombinant enzymes even though DCPK concentrations decreased from 0.05% to 0.01% over the course of a fully aerated cultivation in aqueous medium. Therefore, we elaborated the optimum induction procedure for production of the biocatalytically promising serine hydroxymethyltransferase and found volumetric and specific productivity to increase with specific growth rate in glucose‐limited fed‐batch cultures. Acetate excretion as a result of recombinant protein production could be avoided in an optimized fermentation protocol by switching earlier to a linear feed. This protocol resulted in a production of a final cell dry weight (CDW) concentration of 52 g/L, producing recombinant GlyA with a maximum specific activity of 6.3 U/mg total protein. Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2007;96: 326–336. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Charge‐Induced Reversible Rearrangement of Endohedral Fullerenes: Electrochemistry of Tridysprosium Nitride Clusterfullerenes Dy3N@C2n (2n=78, 80)
Authors: Yang Shangfeng , Zalibera Michal , Rapta Peter , Dunsch Lothar
Published: July 2006

The electrochemistry of three new clusterfullerenes Dy3N@C2n (2n=78, 80), namely two isomers of Dy3N@C80 (I and II) as well as Dy3N@C78 (II), have been studied systematically including their redox‐reaction mechanism. The cyclic voltammogram of Dy3N@C80 (I) (Ih) exhibits two electrochemically irreversible but chemically reversible reduction steps and one reversible oxidation step. Such a redox pattern is quite different from that of Sc3N@C80 (I), and this can be understood by considering the difference in the charge transfer from the encaged cluster to the cage. A double‐square reaction scheme is proposed to explain the observed redox‐reaction behavior, which involves the charge‐induced reversible rearrangement of the Dy3N@C80 (I) monoanion. The first oxidation potential of Dy3N@C80 (II) (D5h) has a negative shift of 290 mV relative to that of Dy3N@C80 (I) (Ih), indicating that lowering the molecular symmetry of the clusterfullerene cage results in a prominent increase in the electron‐donating property. The first and second reduction potentials of Dy3N@C78 (II) are negatively shifted relative to those of Dy3N@C80 (I, II), pointing to the former's lowered electron‐accepting ability. The significant difference in the electrochemical energy gaps of Dy3N@C80 (I), Dy3N@C80 (II), and Dy3N@C78 (II) is consistent with the difference in their optical energy gaps.
Light‐Harvesting Metallosupramolecular Squares Composed of Perylene Bisimide Walls and Fluorescent Antenna Dyes
Authors: You Chang‐Cheng , Hippius Catharina , Grüne Matthias , Würthner Frank
Published: July 2006

The fluorescent dye 4‐dimethylamino‐1,8‐naphthalimide was incorporated at the bay area of N,N′‐bispyridyl perylene bisimide to afford a fourfold‐functionalized perylene bisimide ligand. Through self‐assembly directed by metal‐ion coordination, a multichromophore supramolecular entity composed of sixteen dimethylaminonaphthalimide antennas and a perylene bisimide‐walled square core was subsequently constructed from this linear ditopic ligand and 90° metal corner [Pd(dppp)](OTf)2 (dppp=1,3‐bis(diphenylphosphino)propane; OTf=trifluoromethanesulfonate) in good yield. The isolated metallosupramolecular square was characterized by elemental analysis and 1H, 13C, and 31P{1H} NMR and UV/Vis spectroscopy. Furthermore, by means of 1H NMR diffusion‐ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) the dimension of this assembly was evaluated by employing a previously reported perylene bisimide ligand and its square assembly as references. The results obtained confirm the square framework of the current assembly. The optical properties of this multichromophore dye assembly were investigated by UV/Vis and steady‐state and time‐resolved fluorescence spectroscopy. It was revealed that light captured by dimethylaminonaphthalimide antennas could be efficiently transported to the perylene bisimide core by a fluorescence resonance mechanism (energy‐transfer efficiency E=95 %), and this resulted in almost exclusive detection of intense perylene bisimide emission, irrespective of the excitation wavelength applied. The present square scaffold containing aminonaphthalimide antenna dyes exhibits more than seven times higher fluorescence quantum yield (Φfl=0.37) than a previously reported pyrene‐bearing perylene bisimide‐walled square (Φfl=0.05). Thus, this multichromophore square assembly with aminonaphthalimide antenna dyes is an artificial model for the cyclic light‐harvesting complexes in purple bacteria.
Na+/Ca2+ exchanger modulates the flagellar wave pattern for the regulation of motility activation and chemotaxis in the ascidian spermatozoa
Authors: Shiba Kogiku , Márián Teréz , Krasznai Zoltan , Baba Shoji A. , Morisawa Masaaki , Yoshida Manabu
Published: July 2006

Ion channels and ion exchangers are known to be important participants in various aspects of sperm physiology, e.g. motility activation, chemotaxis, the maintenance of motility and the acrosome reaction in the sperm. We report here on a role of the K+‐independent Na+/Ca2+ exchanger (NCX) on ascidian sperm. Reverse‐transcriptase PCR reveals that the NCX is expressed in the testis while immunoblotting and immunolocalization demonstrate that the NCX exists on the sperm in the ascidian Ciona savignyi and C. intestinalis. A potent blocker of the NCX, KB‐R7943 was found to block sperm‐activating and ‐attracting factor (SAAF)‐induced motility activation, sperm motility and sperm chemotaxis. We further analyzed the effects of this blocker on motility parameters such as the flagellar waveform, curvature, beat frequency, amplitude and wavelength of the sperm flagella. Inhibition of the NCX caused two distinct effects: a low concentration of KB‐R7943 induced symmetric bending, whereas a high concentration of KB‐R7943 resulted in asymmetric flagellar bending. These findings suggest that the NCX plays important roles in the regulation of SAAF‐induced sperm chemotaxis, motility activation and motility maintenance in the ascidian. This study provides new information toward an understanding of Ca2+ transport systems in sperm motility and chemotaxis. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
NMR and Electrochemical Study on Lithium Oligoether Sulfate in Polymeric and Liquid Electrolytes
Authors: Chauvin Christophe , Alloin Fannie , Judeinstein Patrick , Perez del Valle Carlos , Sanchez Jean‐Yves
Published: July 2006

Electrolytes based on lithium oligoether sulfate, and dissolved in liquid or polymer solvents, are studied. Their properties in term of ionic conductivities, transference numbers, diffusion coefficients, and electrochemical stabilities are reported. The comparison between NMR and electrochemical data, that is, transference numbers and conductivities, provides important information about the existence of ion pairs and aggregates. A fairly good agreement can be noticed between the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energies and the stability of the salts towards oxidation in relation with the length of the oligoether tail.
Chiral Organometallic Catalysts in Confined Nanospaces: Significantly Enhanced Enantioselectivity and Stability (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 15/2006)
Authors: Song Choong Eui , Kim Dong Hyun , Choi Doo Seoung
Published: July 2006

The cover picture shows a chiral catalyst heterogenized into confined nanospaces of porous materials. The site‐isolation of catalytic sites easily prevents the formation of inactive multinuclear species, consequently increasing the stability and turnover numbers of catalysts. In addition to this enhanced stability, increased enantioselectivity was also found upon immobilization in the confined spaces, due to the confinement effect originating from the interaction of catalyst/substrate with pore surfaces. Details of this chemistry are described in the Microreview by C. E. Song et al. on p. 2927 ff.
An efficient family‐based association test using multiple markers
Authors: Xu Xin , Rakovski Cyril , Xu Xiping , Laird Nan
Published: July 2006

In genetic association studies, multiple markers are usually employed to cover a genomic region of interest for localizing a trait locus. In this report, we propose a novel multi‐marker family‐based association test (TLC) that linearly combines the single‐marker test statistics using data‐driven weights. We examine the type‐I error rate in a numerical study and compare its power to identify a common trait locus using tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the same haplotype block that the trait locus resides with three competing tests including a global haplotype test (TH), a multi‐marker test similar to the Hotelling‐T2 test for the population‐based data (TMM), and a single‐marker test with Bonferroni's correction for multiple testing (TB). The type‐I error rate of TLC is well maintained in our numeric study. In all the scenarios we examined, TLC is the most powerful, followed by TB. TMM and TH are the poorest. TH and TMM have essentially the same power when parents are available. However, when both parents are missing, TMM is substantially more powerful than TH. We also apply this new test on a data set from a previous association study on nicotine dependence. Genet. Epidemiol. 2006. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An unusual complication after aortic valve replacement
Authors: Gupta Rajiv , Jammula Praveen , Huang Ming‐he , Atar Shaul , Ahmad Masood
Published: July 2006

Pseudoaneurysm of the mitral‐aortic intervalvular fibrosa, though rare, can occur after aortic valve replacement. We report an asymptomatic patient who developed this unusual complication and describe the use of transesophageal and 3‐dimensional echocardiography to help confirm the diagnosis. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 34:361–364, 2006
Effects of high‐intensity focused ultrasound on the intervertebral disc: A potential therapy for disc herniations
Authors: Forslund Carina , Persson Johan , Strömqvist Bjorn , Lidgren Lars , McCarthy Ian D.
Published: July 2006

Purpose.

To determine the potential application of high‐intensity focused ultrasound for the minimally invasive treatment of herniated intervertebral discs by developing a probe that produces sufficiently high temperature locally to shrink collagen fibers (65–75°C).

Materials and Methods.

A 5‐mm ultrasound probe was produced with a geometric focal length of 15 mm. The probe produced 2.5 W of acoustic power and was operated at a frequency of 4.1 MHz. Measurements of temperature increase were performed in discs from bovine tails. In vivo experiments were performed to assess histologic changes in the disc as well as in nerve root and muscle.

Results.

Sufficient temperature increase to produce collagen shrinkage was observed close to the focus of the ultrasound. Temperature measurements in vertebral end plates showed a temperature increase of only 4°C after 60‐second exposure of the disc. In vivo experiments revealed histologic changes in the disc consistent with collagen shrinkage, with no adverse effects seen in surrounding tissues.

Conclusions.

The experiments demonstrated the feasibility of high‐intensity focused ultrasound in the treatment of contained herniated discs. This technique has several advantages over other thermal treatment modalities. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 34:330–338, 2006
Sonographic and MR findings in 2 cases of intramural pregnancy treated conservatively
Authors: Ko Hyun‐Sun , Lee Young , Lee Hee‐Joong , Park In‐Yang , Chung Dae‐Young , Kim Soo‐Pyung , Park Tai‐Churl , Shin Jong‐Chul
Published: July 2006

Intramural pregnancy is extremely rare and difficult to diagnose. Because of the high rate of uterine rupture in most cases, hysterectomy is often necessary. The optimal medical management for this condition is unknown. We report 2 cases of intramural pregnancy diagnosed by pelvic MRI and treated with systemic methotrexate. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 34:356–360, 2006
Functional deficits resulting from laser‐induced damage in the rat retina
Authors: Ben‐Shlomo Gil , Belokopytov Mark , Rosner Mordechai , Dubinsky Galina , Belkin Michael , Epstein Yoram , Ofri Ron
Published: July 2006

Background and Objectives

To determine the threshold for electrophysiological detection of functional changes after laser photocoagulation in rats, and to correlate the functional damage with retinal morphology.

Study Design/Materials and Methods

Argon‐laser lesions, covering a quarter or half of the retina, were produced in the right eyes of 25 rats. Eyes were evaluated by flash electroretinography (ERG) and histologically at 3, 21, and 60 days after lasering.

Results

Lasering of half the retina, but not of a quarter, produced a significant decrease in signals at all time points. Some functional recovery was evident 60 days after injury, and was consistent with concurrent morphological healing.

Conclusions

In rats, lasering of half the retina, but not a quarter, leads to significant deficits in outer retinal functions over a 2‐month period. Thereafter some recovery occurs, presumably as a result of migration of photoreceptors from undamaged areas and their retinal remodeling. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A rain water infiltration model with unilateral boundary condition: qualitative analysis and numerical simulations
Authors: Borsi I. , Farina A. , Primicerio M.
Published: July 2006

We present a rigorous mathematical treatment of a model describing rain water infiltration through the vadose zone in case of runoff of the excess water. The main feature of the mathematical problem emerging from the model lies on the boundary condition on the ground surface which is in the form of a unilateral constraint. Existence and uniqueness of a weak solution is proved under general assumptions. We present also the results of a numerical study comparing the proposed model with other models which approach in a different way the rain water infiltration problem. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Analysis of the mRNA expression of the TGF‐Beta family in testicular cells and localization of the splice variant TGF‐β2B in testis
Authors: Konrad Lutz , Lüers Georg H. , Völck‐Badouin Elke , Keilani Marcel M. , Laible Leslie , Aumüller Gerhard , Hofmann Rainer
Published: July 2006

The transforming growth factors (TGF)‐β, TGF‐β1, TGF‐β2, and TGF‐β3, and their receptors [TβRI, TβRII, TβRIII (betaglycan)] elicit many functions in the testis, for example, they perturb the blood testis barrier (BTB). Although expression of the ligands and receptors have been investigated, the alternative splice variants are incompletely examined. We therefore have analyzed all ligands, the receptors, and the splice variants TβRIB, TβRIIB, and TGF‐β2B in testicular cells from rat and mouse. In mouse, the novel transcript variant TGF‐β2B was identified and was found in Leydig cells, spermatogonia, pachytene spermatocytes, and in the apical regions of the Sertoli cells in adult testis. Even though expression of the splice variant TβRIB could be shown in mouse and rat, we never found the isoform TβRIIB in the rat cell lines studied. Whereas in all testicular cells expression of all TGF‐β ligands could be shown, receptor mRNA expression was slightly more diverse. Furthermore, expression pattern of the splice variants was more heterogeneous, for example, TβRIB was not detectable in adult Sertoli cells, primary peritubular cells, and immortalized peritubular cells. The heterogeneous expression of the receptors and especially of the splice variants might provide possible clues for the different functions of the TGF‐β ligands in testicular cells. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Proliferative characteristics and chromosomal stability of bovine donor cells for nuclear transfer
Authors: Giraldo Angelica M. , Lynn John W. , Godke Robert A. , Bondioli Kenneth R.
Published: July 2006

Few studies have characterized donor cell lines in terms of proliferative capacity and chromosomal stability. Abnormal phosphorylation patterns of the histones during metaphase could lead to abnormal chromosome segregation and extensive chromosome loss during mitosis. Suboptimal culture conditions may lead to abnormal histone H3 phosphorylation patterns, ultimately inducing missegregation and loss of chromosomes. The objective of the present study was to determine proliferative characteristics, chromosomal stability, and level of histone phosphorylation in cell lines established by explants and enzymatic dissociation. Proliferative characteristics, percentage of aneuploid cells, and relative levels of phosphorylated histone H3 (ser10) were determined at different population doublings (PD) by cell counting, karyotyping, and flow cytometry, respectively. The level of aneuploidies was high and remained elevated throughout the study independent of the technique used to establish the primary culture. Some cell lines had up to 50% of aneuploid cells during early passages. Multinucleated cells and abnormal spindle configurations were observed after prolonged time in culture (60 and 41%, respectively). An increase in the relative level of phosphorylated histone occurred after extended time in culture (55.7 during early passages vs. 102.6 at late passages). These data demonstrate the importance of determining chromosome content and the selection of healthy cell lines to decrease the percentage of aneuploid reconstructed embryos and increase the efficiency of nuclear transfer (NT). Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
New insights towards understanding the mechanisms of sperm protection by egg yolk and milk
Authors: Bergeron Annick , Manjunath Puttaswamy
Published: July 2006

Mammalian sperm preservation in extenders containing egg yolk (EY) and/or milk has been used for over half a century. However, the mechanism by which EY or milk protects sperm during storage remains elusive. Studies conducted over the past two decades in our laboratory have revealed that a family of lipid‐binding proteins (BSP proteins) present in bull seminal plasma is detrimental to sperm preservation since these proteins induce cholesterol and phospholipid removal from the sperm membrane. Interestingly, these detrimental factors of seminal plasma interact with the low‐density lipoproteins (LDL) present in EY. This interaction minimizes lipid removal from the sperm membrane, which positively influences sperm storage in liquid or frozen states. Based on several lines of evidence, we suggest that the sequestration of BSP proteins by LDL (BSP proteins: lipoprotein interaction) is the major mechanism of sperm protection by EY. Skimmed milk, which is devoid of lipoproteins, also protects sperm during storage. Several studies indicate that the active components involved in sperm protection by milk are casein micelles. Thus, it appears that the mechanism by which milk protects sperm involves a BSP protein: casein micelle interaction. In view of these new insights, novel strategies have been suggested to improve the efficiency of semen preservation. Mol. Reprod. Dev. © 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Water diffusion heterogeneity index in the human brain is insensitive to the orientation of applied magnetic field gradients
Authors: Bennett Kevin M. , Hyde James S. , Schmainda Kathleen M.
Published: July 2006

The α diffusion‐weighted imaging (DWI) method was developed to study heterogeneous water diffusion in the human brain using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). An advantage of this model is that it does not require an assumption about the shape of the intravoxel distribution of apparent diffusion rates, and it has a calculable relationship to this distribution. The α‐DWI technique is useful for detecting microstructural tissue changes associated with brain tumor invasion, and may be useful for directing therapy to invading tumor cells. In previous work, α‐DWI was performed with magnetic field gradients applied along a single direction in order to avoid artificially introducing a source of heterogeneity to the decay. However, it is known that restricted diffusion is anisotropic in the brain, and the α‐DWI method must take this into account to be complete. In this work the relationship between the applied magnetic field gradients and the fitted stretched‐exponential model parameters was studied in the human brain. It was found the distributed diffusion coefficient (DDC) varies with the direction of applied gradients, while the heterogeneity index α is relatively direction‐insensitive. It is proposed that in clinical use, maps of α can be created using diffusion‐weighting gradients applied in a single direction that reflect the tissue heterogeneity. Magn Reson Med, 2006. Published 2006 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Comparing services: a survey of leading issues in the sectoral literatures
Authors: Moran Dominique
Published: July 2006

This article locates the following sector articles in a review of recent research into government interventions in the non‐state provision (NSP) of education, health, water and sanitation. Non‐state providers (NSPs) are defined here to include all those existing outside the public sector, whether they operate for profit or for philanthropic purposes. Operators may be communities, NGOs, faith‐based organisations (FBOs), private companies, small‐scale informal providers or individual practitioners. The article prefaces this Symposium by discussing the extent of previous research and identifying gaps in the literature with regard to key issues regarding NSP. It deals with state intervention and the state/non‐state relationship in service provision, considering the main aspects of this relationship that are covered in the sector articles: policy dialogue and government capacity to regulate and facilitate, and to contract NSPs. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Collaborating in education for all? Experiences of government support for non‐state provision of basic education in South Asia and Sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Rose Pauline
Published: July 2006

While basic education is commonly seen as primarily a state responsibility, non‐state providers (NSPs) can play an important role in expanding access to children underserved by public provision. Experience from five countries indicates that collaboration between governments and NSPs is closest when different forms of engagement interact (for example, facilitation or contracting of education services necessitating regulation which can lead to greater involvement in policy dialogue). However, more intense forms of engagement can result in tension, mistrust and even antagonism, particularly where dominant but ineffective centralised ministries of education attempt to maintain control over the sector, even where they are unable to support their own provision effectively. In such contexts, collusion between NSPs through umbrella associations is apparent, often with the aim of challenging restrictive government practices. However, evidence suggests that these associations tend to favour more established NSPs serving élite populations. There is a need both to recognise the complexities of collaboration amongst a diverse group of NSPs, as well as between them and governments, to support the achievement of education for all. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Determining the phase behavior of nanoparticle‐filled binary blends
Authors: He Gang , Ginzburg Valeriy V. , Balazs Anna C.
Published: July 2006

Nanoparticle additives provide a means of imparting the desired electrical, optical, or mechanical properties to a polymeric matrix. The difficulty faced in creating these composites is determining the optimal conditions for forming a thermodynamically stable mixture, where the particles will not phase separate from the matrix material. This challenge is even more daunting when the polymeric matrix is itself a multicomponent mixture, as is often the case in advanced materials. Ideally, the nanoparticles would not only contribute the needed physical properties, but also stabilize the mixture so that the entire system forms a single‐phase system. In this study, we use a free energy expression for a binary blend that contains nanoparticles and take the interaction parameters between the different species to be independent variables. Thus, the particles can have distinct enthalpic interactions with each of the polymeric components. Using this expression, we determine the conditions under which the mixture forms a stable, single‐phase material. In particular, we isolate how variations in the system's parameters (e.g., polymer composition, particle volume fraction, particle size, interaction energies) affect the phase diagrams. The findings provide guidelines for creating effective formulations and can allow researchers to understand how choices made in the nature of the components affect the overall macroscopic properties. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2389–2403, 2006
Conformation of comb‐like liquid crystal polymers in isotropic solution probed by small‐angle neutron scattering
Authors: Zhao Yiqiang , Jamieson Alex M. , Olson Brian G. , Yao Ning , Dong Shaosheng , Nazarenko Sergei , Hu Xuesong , Lal Jyotsana
Published: July 2006

The conformational characteristics of a comb‐like side‐chain liquid crystal polysiloxane (SCLCP), dissolved in deuterated chloroform, were evaluated by small‐angle neutron scattering (SANS) measurements over a wide q range. SANS studies were carried out on specimens with constant backbone length (DP = 198) and variable spacer length (n = 3, 5, and 11), and with constant spacer length (n = 5) and variable DP (45, 72, 127, and 198). The form factor P(q) at high q was analyzed using the wormlike chain model with finite cross‐sectional thickness (Rc) and taking into account the molecular weight polydispersity. The analysis generated values of persistence length in the range lp = 28–32 Å, considerably larger than that of the unsubstituted polysiloxane chain (lp = 5.8 Å), with contour lengths per monomer comparable to the fully‐extended polysiloxane backbone (lm = 2.9 Å). This indicates a relatively rigid SCLCP chain due to the influence of the densely attached mesogenic groups. The SCLCP with n = 11 is more flexible (lp = 28 Å) than those with n = 3 and n = 5 (lp = 32 Å). The cross‐sectional thickness increases with spacer length, Rc ∼ n0.21±0.02 (3 ≤ n ≤ 11), and the contour length per monomer decreases with increasing spacer length, lm ∼ n−0.35±0.01. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2412–2424, 2006
Interactions of water with OH groups in poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl alcohol)
Authors: Iwamoto Reikichi , Matsuda Toshihiko , Amiya Shigetoshi , Yamamoto Tomoyuki
Published: July 2006

We studied interactions of water with OH groups in poly(ethylene‐co‐vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) of the ethylene (Et) compositions of 33, 49, 75, and 89% (mol) using near‐infrared spectroscopy. OH groups are mostly self‐associated and only partly isolated in EVOH matrix, and the fraction of the isolated OH increases with the increase in Et composition. Interactions of water in EVOH were analyzed on the basis of the difference spectrum between the spectrum in a hydrated state and that in the dehydrated state of a sample. The water contained in an EVOH sample with a higher Et content shows a more distinct sharp combination band at about 5285 cm−1 in addition to the main broad band at about 5150 cm−1. The former was assigned to the water that is one‐to‐one hydrogen‐bonded to an isolated OH in the manner as OH::OH2 from the effect of the hydration on the near‐infrared and infrared bands of the isolated OH. The latter was assigned to the water that is multiply hydrogen‐bonded to surrounding associated OH groups and that does not cluster. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 44: 2425–2437, 2006
Effects of Al2O3 nanometer particles addition on the fluctuation conductivity in (Bi,Pb)‐2223 superconductors
Authors: Ben Azzouz F. , Annabi M. , Zouaoui M. , Ben Salem M.
Published: July 2006

Nanometer Al2O3 particles were added to (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox (Bi,Pb)‐2223 precursor powders during the final sintering cycle of a multi‐step preparation process. The temperature dependence of the resistance in 0 and 0.2% Al2O3‐added (Bi,Pb)2Sr2Ca2Cu3Ox samples was measured. Data about the dimensionality of the fluctuation is obtained by analyzing the fluctuation conductivity Δσ as a function of ε = ln (T/TC) on the basis of the Aslamazov–Larkin theory. Within the mean field region, we first observe a regime dominated by 2D Gaussian fluctuation. With decreasing temperature a crossover occurs at a temperature TG and the obtained regime was described by critical fluctuations. The Ginzburg number and fluctuation amplitude, increase with addition of nanometer Al2O3 particles. Correlation between fluctuation amplitude and JC has been discussed. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Quantum fluctuation and tunneling of a superconducting nano‐grain
Authors: Afzali R.
Published: July 2006

Quantum fluctuation and tunneling of a superconducting nano‐grain placed in magnetic field are analytically considered in frequency space. Tunneling fluctuation of a superconducting grain to superposition of superconducting and paramagnetic states are investigated. By using Fourier transformation, instanton equations are solved. Then, by supposing smallness of deviation of order parameter with respect to BCS energy gap, matrix Green function of system and self‐consistent equation of order parameter in frequency space, at first approximation, for both d ‐wave and s ‐wave case, is obtained. Based on analytic form of order parameter of system at Fermi sphere, quantum phase transition of a s‐wave superconducting grain is shown. For d‐wave case, investigating of tunneling process at first approximation is subtle and needs further attention. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Effect of Ce substitution in RuGd2–xCexSr2Cu2O10–δ (Ru‐1222)
Authors: Hadipour H. , Sabri D. , Mirzadeh M. , Akhavan M.
Published: July 2006

We have studied the electrical and magnetic properties of RuGd2–xCexSr2Cu2O10–δ (Ru‐1222) with content of Ce = 0.0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4, 0.5, prepared by the standard solid‐state reaction technique. To determine how the magnetic and superconducting properties of this layered cuprate system can be affected by Ce substitution, the resistivity and magnetoresistivity have been measured at various temperatures. Resistivity curves reveal the presence of four regions for various contents of x. In high temperatures, system is paramagnetic. Magnetic transition from paramagnetic state to antiferromagnetic state occurs at 140 K for x = 0, which varies very slowly with increasing Ce substitution for Gd. In lower temperatures, second magnetic transition from antiferromagnetic to ferromagnetic is observed, which shifts from 60 K to 120 K with increasing x from 0.0 to 0.5. This variation may be caused by different ionic radii of Ce and Gd in this material which affects the Ru‐Ru interaction. Finally, the insulator‐superconductor transition take place at Tc, which shifts to higher temperature with appropriate variation of Gd/Ce. Superconductivity in the CuO2 planes and weak ferromagnetism in Ru sublattice coexist and two states are practically decoupled. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
New world of Gossamer superconductivity
Authors: Maki Kazumi , Haas Stephan , Parker David , Won Hyekyung , Dora Balazs , Virosztek Attila
Published: July 2006

Since the discovery of the high‐T c cuprate superconductor La2–x BaCuO4 in 1986 by Bednorz and Müller, controversy regarding the nature or origin of this remarkable superconductivity has continued. However, d‐wave superconductivity in the hole‐doped cuprates, arising due to the anti‐paramagnon exchange, was established around 1994. More recently we have shown that the mean field theory, like the BCS theory of superconductivity and Landau's Fermi liquid theory are adequate to describe the cuprates. The keys for this development are the facts that a) the pseudogap phase is d‐wave density wave (dDW) and that the high‐T c cuprate superconductivity is gossamer (i.e. it exists in the presence of dDW). (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The effects of Pr at R and Ba sites on the electronic structure of RBa2Cu3O7
Authors: Ghanbarian V. , Mohammadizadeh M. R.
Published: July 2006

Based on the full potential linearized augmented plane wave method within LSDA and LSDA+U approximations the electronic band structures of YBa2Cu3O7 (Y123), PrBa2Cu3O7 (Pr123) and Pr(BaPr)Cu3O7 (PrBa) systems were calculated. Qualitative similarity between the band structures of Y123 and Pr123 systems shows that Pr123 must have similar electronic behaviors to Y123; both should be metal and become superconductor. The PrBa mis‐substitution reduces metallic (superconducting) character of perfect Pr123 samples and can be responsible for suppression of metallic and superconducting characters of Pr123 samples. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Superconductivity in an ultra‐small radius SWCNT
Authors: Mohammadizadeh M. R.
Published: July 2006

Electronic and structural properties of an ultra‐small radius single walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) were studied using density functional linear augmented plane wave (LAPW) method. Different electronic properties of a (4,0) zigzag SWCNT show this ultra‐small radius nanotube could not be extracted from the simple folding of a graphene. The calculated value for diameter of the tube is 3.364 Å, in good agreement with experimental results. Density of states and band structure results show the metallic character of (4,0) nanotube. A large van Hove peak near the Fermi energy due to large curvature is a good evidence for charge carriers to show superconductivity in a (4,0) nanotube. (© 2006 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)