bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Theory of saturation and double resonance in ESR spectra. V. The average ENDOR and ELDOR lines
Authors: Freed Jack H. , Leniart Daniel S. , Connor Henry D.
Published: February 2004

The general theory for the analysis of saturation and double resonance effects in the ESR spectra of dilute solutions of free radicals developed in the earlier papers in this series, has been solved approximately to obtain relatively simple formulas for the general case of free radicals with many nuclei. The solution is based on an expansion linear in b ≡ Wn/We (where Wn and We are, respectively, the lattice-induced pure nuclear-spin and electron-spin flip relaxation rates), but it is asymptotically valid for Heisenberg and (polarized) chemical exchange processes. Also, coherence effects are neglected. The resulting expressions for ENDOR take the simple form of a single average (saturated) Lorentzian for each distinct ENDOR line obtained from a particular group of equivalent nuclei; while for ELDOR one similarly obtains an average ELDOR line shape. Expressions are given for the average saturation parameters that are needed in terms of the various relaxation mechanisms. The range of validity of these solutions is analyzed and discussed. In the case of equivalent nuclei of spins of 1/2, an interesting result is that the relative ENDOR enhancement of the ESR signal is in lowest order, approximately directly proportional to the number of equivalent spins (I=1/2) under certain conditions such as when the NMR resonance is not significantly saturated. This result, when applicable, can prove quite useful for analytical purposes. It is, however, no longer valid for ENDOR signals from groups of equivalent nuclei for which I>1/2, and it must be modified, even for I=1/2, if lattice-induced cross transitions involving combined electronic and nuclear spin transitions are more important than pure Wn, and these considerations are discussed. Effects of having equivalent nuclei which are not completely equivalent are also discussed. Details regarding the structure and simplifying symmetry considerations of the general solutions are also given.
Interaction between closed- and open-shell molecules. VI. 1H and 13C contact shifts and molecular orbital studies on the hydrogen bond of nitroxide radical
Authors: Morishima Isao , Endo Kazunaka , Yonezawa Teijiro
Published: February 2004

The 1H and 13C Fermi contact shifts induced by the hydrogen bond with di-tert-butyl nitroxide(DTBN) radical have been observed for various proton donor molecules (X–H). The upfield contact shifts of the X–H proton and downfield 13C contact shifts of the donor molecules were interpreted in terms of the spin polarization mechanism of electron spin transfer from DTBN to the X–H molecule. The formation constants, enthalpies, limiting 1H and 13C contact shifts, and spin densities on the H and C atoms were also determined for the 1X–H·····DTBN hydrogen bond interaction from 1H and 13C contact shift measurements at various temperatures. The theoretical studies on this closed and open-shell bimolecular system were also performed by unrestricted Hartree-Fock SCF MO(INDO method) calculations. The hydrogen bond energies and spin densities on the X–H molecules were well reproduced by the MO calculations.
Analysis of some singlet-triplet perturbations in the 1A2 state of formaldehyde
Authors: Brand John C. D. , Stevens Charles G.
Published: February 2004

The 2ν2′+ν4′(202401) band of the singlet A2← A1 electronic system of CH2O shows a number of perturbations involving energy displacements ranging from a small value up to about 0.5 cm−1. These perturbations are of the resonance type, characterized by an intersection of the rotational manifold of the perturbed state by that of a neighboring state with different rotational constants. Near each intersection, lines of the perturbed singlet-singlet transition are broadened or shifted by a Zeeman field, indicating that the perturbing state has a large magnetic moment. We interpret the fact that every magnetically sensitive transition in the band is also energetically perturbed as definite physical evidence that the perturbation is singlet-triplet in nature. Since the spin-orbit matrix element vanishes for coupling between 1A2 and 3A2 states, the perturbations must be due to second or higher order singlet-triplet interaction. An analysis of energy shifts shows that two vibrational levels of the 3A2 state, 112241 and 1122, are probably involved. The 112241 level has the same vibronic symmetry, B2, as the singlet 2241 vibrational level which carries the oscillator strength in transitions from the ground state. This perturbation obeys the selection rules Δ N=Δ K=0, the interaction occurring by intersystem spin-rotation coupling. Rotational constants of the perturbing state, as well as the intersystem spin-rotation coupling constants for the interaction, are determined from the analysis. The perturbations caused by the 1122 triplet state level, which are less well characterized, are assigned to an intersystem vibronic spin-orbit mechanism involving admixture of singlet or triplet electronic states of B2 symmetry. Energy displacements due to the spin-rotation and vibronic spin-orbit coupling are of the same order of magnitude in this example.
Rate constants for the reaction D+H2=DH+H at low temperatures using ESR detection
Authors: Mitchell D. N. , Roy D. J. Le
Published: February 2004

The reaction D+H2=DH+H has been studied in the temperature range 167–346°K. The results, which include measurements at considerably lower temperatures than previously employed, are in good agreement at the higher temperatures with those of other workers. A slight amount of curvature is observed in the Arrhenius plot, although less than previously measured. An empirical fit to the results, which also agrees with the previous high temperature data, is k3=(1.64 ± 0.10) × 107 T2exp[(−5360 ± 40)/ RT] cc/mole· sec. sec.
Vibrational relaxation of HF in Ar
Authors: Berend George C. , Thommarson Ronald L.
Published: February 2004

A quasiclassical trajectory study of the vibrational relaxation of HF (ν=1) by Ar is presented. Examination of the collision dynamics indicates that intra- and intermolecular vibration-rotation energy transfer governs the vibrational relaxation rate.
Mobilities and longitudinal diffusion coefficients of K+ ions in argon gas
Authors: James D. R. , Graham E. , Thomson G. M. , Gatland I. R. , McDaniel E. W.
Published: February 2004

We have used a drift tube mass spectrometer to measure the mobilities and longitudinal diffusion coefficients of mass-identified K+ ions in argon at 300°K. The range of E / N extended from 1 to 610 × 10−17V · cm2, where E is the electric drift field intensity and N is the number density of the neutral gas. The zero-field reduced mobility of K+ ions in argon was found to be 2.66 ± 0.05 cm2/V · sec, in close agreement with the value previously reported by Tyndall for ions in argon that were assumed to be K+ but not mass identified. The low-field diffusion coefficients agree well with the value predicted from the Einstein equation using the experimental zero-field mobility. Our diffusion data are compared with theoretical predictions of Wannier and of Whealton and Mason, and with experimental data obtained by Skullerud using a drift tube lacking a mass spectrometer.
Electron paramagnetic resonance of Fe3+ in forsterite (Mg2SiO4)
Authors: Chatelain A. , Weeks R. A.
Published: February 2004

The electron paramagnetic resonance of Fe3+ in synthetic forsterite (Mg2SiO4) has been observed at 35 GHz and 9 GHz. The spectrum is interpreted in terms of a spin Hamiltonian of orthorhombic symmetry having the crystal C plane as mirror plane with two equivalent sites related by the b or a reflection planes. Hence, the Fe3+ ions are ordered in the M(2) sites of the structure. Neither the valence state nor the site occupancy of Fe3+ is altered by heat treatments up to 1100°C. The valence state is altered by irradiation at room temperature. This alteration is reversed by heating to 350°C in air. The formation of a broad EPR absorption during heat treatment between 600 and 800°C is attributed to the oxidation and precipitation of Fe2+.
Alkali metal NMR studies of radical anion solutions
Authors: Takeshita Takuo , Hirota Noboru
Published: February 2004

The 7Li, 23Na, 85Rb, 87Rb, and 133Cs NRM were studied in the high concentrated solutions of alkali metal naphthalenide, anthracenide, and 2,2′-dipyridyl. From the contact shift measurements the signs of alkali metal hyperfine splittings were determined. The negative signs of splittings previously suspected from EPR studies were confirmed in several systems. The signs and magnitudes of the alkali metal splittings were discussed in terms of the possible mechanisms of producing spin densities at the alkali metal nuclei. The comparison between EPR and NMR results were made in naphthalenides and 2,2′-dipyridyls. The differences between NMR and EPR results in 2,2′-dipyridyls were discussed in connection with the ion pair-ion cluster equilibria. The linewidth of the NMR signals were carefully investigated. Various sources of nuclear relaxation in the present systems were analyzed. Particularly, the effect of rapid ion pair equilibrium on the linewidth was studied in naphthalenide systems; the dynamic behavior of the sodium naphthalenide ion pair was studied by both EPR and NMR and the results were compared.
Acoustical method of obtaining vibrational transition rates tested on CO2/N2 mixtures
Authors: Shields F. Douglas , Warf C. Cayce , Bass H. E.
Published: February 2004

Sound absorption measurements on 16% and 30% mixtures of CO2/N2 at 300 and 600°K illustrate the acoustical method of obtaining transition rates. The rate of N2 in de-exciting CO2(0110) is measured to be 8.0 × 104± 20 % and 5.0 × 105± 20 % atm−1sec−1 at 300 and 600°K, respectively.
The use of uniaxial accelerometry for the assessment of physical-activity-related energy expenditure: a validation study against whole-body indirect calorimetry
Authors: Kumahara Hideaki , Schutz Yves , Ayabe Makoto , Yoshioka Mayumi , Yoshitake Yutaka , Shindo Munehiro , Ishii Kojiro , Tanaka Hiroaki
Published: February 2004

Assessing the total energy expenditure (TEE) and the levels of physical activity in free-living conditions with non-invasive techniques remains a challenge. The purpose of the present study was to investigate the accuracy of a new uniaxial accelerometer for assessing TEE and physical-activity-related energy expenditure (PAEE) over a 24 h period in a respiratory chamber, and to establish activity levels based on the accelerometry ranges corresponding to the operationally defined metabolic equivalent (MET) categories. In study 1, measurement of the 24 h energy expenditure of seventy-nine Japanese subjects (40 (SD 12) years old) was performed in a large respiratory chamber. During the measurements, the subjects wore a uniaxial accelerometer (Lifecorder; Suzuken Co. Ltd, Nagoya, Japan) on their belt. Two moderate walking exercises of 30 min each were performed on a horizontal treadmill. In study 2, ten male subjects walked at six different speeds and ran at three different speeds on a treadmill for 4 min, with the same accelerometer. O2 consumption was measured during the last minute of each stage and was expressed in MET. The measured TEE was 8447 (SD 1337) kJ/d. The accelerometer significantly underestimated TEE and PAEE (91·9 (SD 5·4) and 92·7 (SD 17·8) % chamber value respectively); however, there was a significant correlation between the two values (r 0·928 and 0·564 respectively; P<0·001). There was a strong correlation between the activity levels and the measured MET while walking (r2 0·93; P<0·001). Although TEE and PAEE were systematically underestimated during the 24 h period, the accelerometer assessed energy expenditure well during both the exercise period and the non-structured activities. Individual calibration factors may help to improve the accuracy of TEE estimation, but the average calibration factor for the group is probably sufficient for epidemiological research. This method is also important for assessing the diurnal profile of physical activity.
Dietary-induced changes in the fatty acid profile of rat pancreatic membranes are associated with modifications in acinar cell function and signalling
Authors: Yago Maria D. , Diaz Ricardo J. , Ramirez Rolando , Martinez Maria A. , Mañas Mariano , Martinez-Victoria Emilio
Published: February 2004

The effects of dietary lipids on the fatty acid composition of rat pancreatic membranes and acinar cell function were investigated. Weaning rats were fed for 8 weeks on one of two diets which contained 100 g virgin olive oil (OO) or sunflowerseed oil (SO)/kg. Pancreatic plasma membranes were isolated and fatty acids determined. Amylase secretion and cytosolic concentrations of Ca2+and Mg2+were measured in pancreatic acini. Membrane fatty acids were profoundly affected by the diets; the rats fed OO had higher levels of 18:1n-9 (42·86 (sem 1·99) %) and total MUFA compared with the animals fed SO (25·37 (sem 1·11) %). Reciprocally, the SO diet resulted in greater levels of total andn-6 PUFA than the OO diet. The most striking effect was observed for 18:2n-6 (SO 17·88 (sem 1·32) %; OO 4·45 (sem 0·60) %), although the levels of 20:4n-6 were also different. The proportion of total saturated fatty acids was similar in both groups, and there was only a slight, not significant (P=0·098), effect on the unsaturation index. Compared with the OO group, acinar cells from the rats fed SO secreted more amylase at rest but less in response to cholecystokinin octapeptide, and this was paralleled by reduced Ca2+responses to the secretagogue. The results confirm that rat pancreatic cell membranes are strongly influenced by the type of dietary fat consumed and this is accompanied by a modulation of the secretory activity of pancreatic acinar cells that involves, at least in part, Ca2+signalling.
The acute effects of olive oil v. cream on postprandial thermogenesis and substrate oxidation in postmenopausal women
Authors: Soares M. J. , Cummings S. J. , Mamo J. C. L. , Kenrick M. , Piers L. S.
Published: February 2004

The influence of the source of dietary fat on postprandial thermogenesis and substrate oxidation rates, was examined in twelve postmenopausal women aged 57–73 years, with BMI 21·9–38·3 kg/m2. A single blind, randomised, paired comparison of two high-fat, isoenergetic, mixed test meals was conducted. The major source of fat was either cream (CREAM) or extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). RMR, diet-induced thermogenesis (DIT) and substrate oxidation rates over 5 h were measured by indirect calorimetry. There were no differences in body weight, RMR, fasting carbohydrate or fat oxidation rates between the two occasions. DIT (EVOO 97 (sd 46) v. CREAM 76 (sd 69) kJ/5 h and EVOO 5·2 (sd 2·5) v. CREAM 4·1 (sd 3·7)% energy) did not differ between the two test meals. The postprandial increase in carbohydrate oxidation rates, relative to their respective fasting values (ΔCOX), was significantly lower following the EVOO meal (EVOO 10·6 (sd 8·3) v. CREAM 17·5 (sd 10) g/5 h; paired t test, P=0·023), while postprandial fat oxidation rates (ΔFOX) were significantly higher (EVOO 0·0 (sd 4·4) v. CREAM -3·6 (sd 4·0) g/5 h; P=0·028). In the eight obese subjects, however, DIT was significantly higher following the EVOO meal (EVOO 5·1 (sd 2·0) v. CREAM 2·5 (sd 2·9) %; P=0·01). This was accompanied by a significantly lower ΔCOX (EVOO 10·9 (sd 9·9) v. CREAM 17·3 (sd 10·5) g/5 h; P=0·03) and significantly higher ΔFOX (EVOO 0·11 (sd 4·4) v. CREAM −4·1 (sd 4·5) g/5 h, P=0·034). The present study showed that olive oil significantly promoted postprandial fat oxidation and stimulated DIT in abdominally obese postmenopausal women.
A study on friction behavior of rapeseed oil as an environmentally friendly additive in lubricating oil
Authors: Durak Ertugˇrul
Published: February 2004

Today's worries and doubts related to the use of mineral oils increased because of the worldwide interest in environmental issues. This issue has increased the use of vegetable oils as an alternative lubricating oil candidate, environment‐friendly lubricant and their additives. In this study, rapeseed oil (RSO) in different concentrations, 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 (by volume percent), was added to base oil to obtain a lubricating oil candidate. Turkish originated RSO was studied as an additive candidate in this paper. The study of the effect of additives in mineral oils was carried out using a specially designed experimental system to compare lubricating oil candidates and high temperatures using engine journal bearings under statically loaded.
Comparison of two process capabilities by using indices Cpm: an application to a color STN display
Authors: Chen Jann‐Pygn , Chen K.S.
Published: February 2004

Recent years have seen mounting interest in measuring process performance in the manufacturing industry. Analysis of process capability indices allows a production department to trace and improve a poor process to enhance quality and satisfy customers. Process capability analysis can also serve as an important reference in determining strategies to improve global product quality. Since Cp and Cpk failed to account for process centering, index Cpm was developed, which considers process centering and is suitable for processes of the nominal‐the‐best type. Other indices like Cpu and Cpl also exist, and are used for unilateral specification. Chou developed a procedure using estimators of Cp, Cpu and Cpl to allow practitioners to determine whether two processes are equally capable. For bilateral specification processes, index Cp fails to measure process yield and process centering, and thus the index Cpm is used to develop a similar procedure to help practitioners determine whether or not two processes are equally capable. Naturally, decisions made using the procedure to select the better supplier are more reliable than decisions made using other methods.
Different skills and their different effects on personal development
Authors: Devins David , Johnson Steve , Sutherland John
Published: February 2004

This paper examines a data set that has its origins in European Social Fund Objective 4 financed training programmes in small‐ to medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) in Britain to examine the extent to which three different personal development outcomes are attributable to different types of skills acquired during the training process. The three outcomes in question are: whether an individual gains more confidence at the workplace; whether an individual obtains a qualification; and whether an individual quits the company at which the training took place. To the extent that it is possible to isolate one skill dimension from an inherently multi‐dimensional bundle, it is observed that some of these skill dimensions have important, if sometimes different, impacts on the likelihood that the outcome in question occurs.
Myth against myth: the nation as ethnic overlay
Authors: Hutchinson John
Published: February 2004

Abstract Nationalism is a secular modern ideology that has been accompanied by revolutions and it has legitimised the rise to power of new social classes. For this reason many theorists have regarded nationalists as inventors of tradition and their claims to continuities with the past as either self‐delusion or a form of deceit. Yet in many cases premodern ethnic identities have powerfully shaped the programmes and policies of many nation‐states.

How can nationalism be the expressions of ethnic continuity and also of revolutionary change? I will argue that nationalism is a novel form of ethnicity, shaped by the polycentric vision of romanticism and by the unprecedented and unpredictable challenges of the modern world that require innovation Nationalists are able to justify innovation because of the ‘layered’ nature of the ethnic past, and they are able to overcome established ethnic identities by generating at times of crises novel myths based on romantic acts of sacrifice by heroic elites that legitimise new national projects. But these new elite‐driven national mythologies overlie rather than obliterate older ethnic traditions. These latter can come to life in the process of nation‐building, redirecting it from its original secular goals.
The ethno‐cultural roots of national art*
Authors: Leoussi Athena S.
Published: February 2004

AbstractBy examining the period from the late eighteenth to the twentieth centuries, this article shows the development in European art of a new genre, that of national art. The new artistic orientation was taken from the doctrine of nationalism, a philosophy which idealised the nation, the historically‐evolved, ethno‐cultural community. The essay shows, first, that the visual arts have been potent vehicles of the national idea; second, that works of art have been accepted as ‘national’ only to the extent to which they have captured the way of life of the wider, cultural community, rather than that of the elites alone; third, that artists, by engaging with the ‘spirit’ of their cultural community, have contributed to the modernisation of this community–the systematisation or ‘streamlining’ of ethnic identities and solidarities into national identities and solidarities; and fourth, that the creative transformation of the ethno‐cultural experience into art has also transformed this experience into a positive and central, national experience.
Endothelial nitric oxide synthase expression in neurogenic urinary bladders treated with intravesical resiniferatoxin
Authors: Apostolidis A.N. , Yiangou Y. , Brady C.M. , Ford A.P. , Baecker P.A. , Jacques T.S. , Freeman A. , Fowler C.J. , Anand P.
Published: February 2004

OBJECTIVE

To investigate endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) immunoreactivity in bladder biopsies from patients with neurogenic detrusor overactivity (NDO) before and after treatment with intravesical resiniferatoxin, and compare this with control material; the distribution of two other vascular markers, von Willebrand Factor (vWF) and the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), was also studied.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Flexible cystoscopic bladder biopsies from eight controls investigated for asymptomatic microhaematuria and 19 patients with refractory spinal NDO enrolled in a clinical trial of intravesical treatment with escalating doses of resiniferatoxin were immunostained with polyclonal rabbit antibodies for eNOS, vWF and VEGF. Fewer baseline NDO specimens (eight) were available for vWF and VEGF staining. Computerized image analysis was used to quantify immunoreactivity, and the Mann–Whitney test for statistical analysis.

RESULTS

eNOS immunoreactivity was found in the suburothelium and less often in the urothelium, with a distribution indicating a location in small blood vessels at the urothelium‐suburothelium junction. Immunostaining for vWF showed a similar location. There was a trend to higher eNOS values before treatment in those responding than in those not responding to resiniferatoxin (P = 0.059), and a significant reduction in eNOS immunoreactivity after successful treatment (P = 0.016). VEGF staining was weaker but there was a significant increase in pretreatment biopsies of responders to resiniferatoxin (P = 0.048). Clinical and histopathology features were similar in both groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The trend for higher eNOS expression in patients with NDO who responded to resiniferatoxin suggests that increased vasculature or vasodilatation in the suburothelium may be necessary for successful intravesical treatment. Further studies with more patients are required to confirm this relationship and to examine the mechanisms underlying changes in vasculature with levels of bladder overactivity.
Ten years’ experience of retrograde balloon dilatation of pelvi‐ureteric junction obstruction
Authors: Lewis‐Russell J.M. , Natale S. , Hammonds J.C. , Wells I.P. , Dickinson A.J.
Published: February 2004

OBJECTIVE

To analyse the long‐term success of retrograde balloon dilatation (RBD) of pelvi‐ureteric junction obstruction (PUJO).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The records of 58 adult patients (mean age 48 years, range 18–94) who had RBD between 1990 and 2001 were reviewed retrospectively. All symptomatic patients were included and assessed by dynamic renography. Success was judged as a symptomatic and/or functional improvement. Recurrence of symptoms was recorded and any evidence of deterioration of function despite improved symptoms. Complications were also recorded.

RESULTS

In all, 44 (76%) patients were asymptomatic after RBD. There was no relationship between symptomatic change and renographic improvement; some patients who were rendered pain‐free had either no improvement or even deterioration in their split renal function. Conversely, some patients who had a demonstrable improvement in their renal function continued to be symptomatic. However, a long‐term follow‐up (mean 6.1 years) of nine patients who were symptomatically improved showed good maintenance of split renal function.

CONCLUSION

RBD is an effective treatment for PUJO and its success is maintained in the long term.
Efficacy of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy for solitary lower calyceal stone: a statistical model
Authors: Srivastava A. , Zaman W. , Singh V. , Mandhani A. , Kumar A. , Singh U.
Published: February 2004

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of inferior calyceal radiographic anatomy, number of extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL) sessions and stone size on the successful clearance of solitary inferior calyceal calculi after ESWL.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

In a prospective study between January 2001 and November 2002, 66 renal units with a solitary inferior calyceal calculus of ≤ 2 cm were treated with electrohydraulic ESWL. The infundibulopelvic angle (two definitions), infundibulovertebral angle, inferior calyceal infundibular diameter, infundibular length, cortical thickness over the lower pole, number of minor calyces and stone size were determined from intravenous urography before treatment. The number of ESWL sessions was also included in the analysis. Treatments which produced residual fragments not clearing within 3 months of satisfactory fragmentation were considered as failures. All patients in whom the treatment failed were treated successfully by percutaneous nephrolithotomy. The data were then analysed using two different statistical methods; first by intravariable differences using the test of proportion (Fisher's test) and then all the variables together using logistic regression.

RESULTS

At 3 months 78.8% of the renal units were clear of stone. All intravariable differences were statistically significant except stone size (<1 cm, 1–2 cm). In a multivariate analysis of all variables, only stone size was the most important predictor for successful stone clearance (P = 0.03).

CONCLUSIONS

ESWL is the initial treatment of choice in selected patients with inferior calyceal stones. The stone size appears to be the most important predictor for stone clearance.
The ‘modified prone position’: a new approach for treating pre‐vesical stones with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy
Authors: Köse A.C. , Demirbas M.
Published: February 2004

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the utility of a new ‘modified‐prone’ position for treating pre‐vesical stones with extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy (ESWL), usually considered an acceptable and effective treatment for such stones, but for which many different body positions have been used in an attempt to increase its efficacy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included 268 consecutive patients with a solitary pre‐vesical stone who underwent ESWL either prone (69) or in the modified‐prone position (199) between May 1999 and August 2001. Only those with one stone between the ureteric orifice and 1 cm proximal to the vesico‐ureteric junction were included. In each case the stone diameter, days to stone clearance, number of shock waves applied per treatment, and number of sessions required to become stone‐free were recorded. If the treatment failed this was also noted. Success rates in the prone and modified‐prone groups were compared and analysed to assess which of the variables influenced success with ESWL.

RESULTS

After ESWL, 95.5% of the 268 patients were stone‐free; the rates in the prone and modified‐prone groups were 89.9% and 97.5%, respectively (P = 0.015). The probability of success with ESWL therapy for pre‐vesical calculi in modified‐prone position was about five times (odds ratio 4.56, 95% confidence interval 1.2–17.7) greater than that expected with when prone. The modified‐prone position was an independent factor most significantly influencing success with ESWL in these patients.

CONCLUSION

The modified‐prone position for ESWL is a new and very effective way to treat patients with pre‐vesical stones.
Renal autotransplantation
Authors: Wotkowicz C. , Libertino J.A.
Published: February 2004

The Department of Urology in the Lahey Clinic has a considerable reputation in the treatment of renovascular conditions, and this month they have produced a review of renal autotransplantation. This interesting, if infrequently used, surgical technique is potentially useful to urologists in several different situations.

Intermittent androgen suppression was introduced based on solid laboratory evidence, and has been accepted by many as a way of treating advanced prostate cancer. The authors from Vancouver, from the department where it was introduced, present a review on its use.

Laser prostatectomy has gone through interesting developments since it was introduced some years ago. Many techniques and types of laser have come and gone, after initial excitement, but some have lasted the course. The author from New York, who has extensive experience in this area, has written an interesting review on the subject.

The work of the Department of Urology in Bern relating to ileal orthotopic bladder substitution is well known, and their technique has been presented in last month's Surgery Illustrated Section in this Journal. Here they present a review of the postoperative management of such patients.
A framework for short‐term humanitarian health care projects
Authors: Walsh D. S.
Published: February 2004

Background: This opinion piece, based on the experiences of the author, outlines the planning involved for a short‐term assignment. With growing demand for humanitarian health care assistance to underserved countries, a framework for organizing short‐term trips to such areas would be beneficial to the trip organizers. Content: The key to a successful project lies in focusing on specific populations and interventions while still in the planning stages. The hurdles that need to be cleared before actually embarking on the project are also discussed. Outcomes: The lasting result of such ventures lies in the learning experiences of the participants, the care that the population receives, and a deeper appreciation for global health and disparity.
Exploring the health care status of two communities in the Dominican Republic
Authors: Carman S. K. , Scott J.
Published: February 2004

Background: This article looks at two impoverished communities in the Dominican Republic that are working in collaboration with a USA‐based organization to meet the physical, emotional, educational, and spiritual needs of the children in these areas. Method: An exploratory descriptive study was performed to establish baseline information. The knowledge gained from this study will provide guidance in the development of effective school‐based strategies to meet the physical, emotional, and nutritional needs of the children. Data gathered from health records obtained during medical clinics in these two communities were reviewed. Descriptive statistics were performed to examine demographics, chief complaints, diagnoses, and treatments of approximately 1500 Dominicans. Findings: Results support that living conditions and the lack of primary care continue to underpin the majority of health issues within these communities. Outcomes: School‐based health initiatives along with a well child‐screening programme are being developed to enhance the health of the children in these communities.
Child Care and Low‐Income Children's Development: Direct and Moderated Effects
Authors: Votruba‐Drzal Elizabeth , Levine coley Rebekah , Lindsay chase‐Lansdale P.
Published: February 2004

A large literature has documented the influence of child care on young children's development, but few studies have examined low‐income children in community care arrangements. Using data from Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three‐City Study (N=204), this study examined the influence of child care quality and the extent of care on low‐income children's (ages 2–4 years) cognitive and socioemotional development over time. Higher levels of child care quality were modestly associated with improvements in children's socioemotional development, and extensive hours in child care were linked to increases in children's quantitative skills and decreases in behavior problems. Analyses suggest that child care quality may be particularly salient for subgroups of children from low‐income families.
Socialization Ambiguity in Samoan Adolescents: A Model for Human Development and Stress in the Context of Culture Change
Authors: McDade Thomas W. , Worthman Carol M.
Published: February 2004

Rapid globalization is forcing youth around the world to confront new developmental challenges, and conceptual models are needed that can capture this experience and its developmental implications. Exposure to nontraditional lifestyles opens up new socialization opportunities and raises the possibility of stress‐inducing dissonance between participating socializing agents and the messages they deliver. Socialization ambiguity is introduced as a model for culture change and adolescent stress, and it is applied to a sample of 10‐ to 20‐year‐olds (N=295) in the islands of Samoa. A physiological marker of stress (antibodies against the Epstein‐Barr virus) is employed to overcome some of the difficulties associated with measuring stress outcomes. Socialization ambiguity is found to be a significant source of stress on the remote island of Savai'i and the transitional area of rural Upolu, although the direction of the association is different, possibly reflecting divergent socialization goals in these two regions.
Evolution of
Staphylococcus aureus
by Large Chromosomal Replacements
Authors: Robinson D. Ashley , Enright Mark C.
Published: February 2004

Conjugative transfer and replacement of hundreds of kilobases of a bacterial chromosome can occur in vitro, but replacements in nature are either an order of magnitude smaller or involve the movement of mobile genetic elements. We discovered that two lineages of
Staphylococcus aureus
, including a pandemic methicillin-resistant lineage, were founded by single chromosomal replacements of at least ∼244 and ∼557 kb representing ∼10 and ∼20% of the chromosome, respectively, without the obvious involvement of mobile genetic elements. The replacements are unprecedented in natural populations of bacteria because of their large size and unique structure and may have a dramatic impact on bacterial evolution.
The
sufR
Gene (
sll0088
in
Synechocystis
sp. Strain PCC 6803) Functions as a Repressor of the
sufBCDS
Operon in Iron-Sulfur Cluster Biogenesis in Cyanobacteria
Authors: Wang Tao , Shen Gaozhong , Balasubramanian Ramakrishnan , McIntosh Lee , Bryant Donald A. , Golbeck John H.
Published: February 2004

The
suf
operon is composed of four genes (
sufB
,
sufC
,
sufD
, and
sufS
) and is highly conserved in the genomes of cyanobacteria. Open reading frame
sll0088
in
Synechocystis
sp. strain PCC 6803 is located near the 5′ end of the
suf
operon but is transcribed in the direction opposite that of the
suf
operon. We previously reported the isolation of two independent suppressor strains of C14S
PsaC
that mapped to
sll0088
and restored photoautotrophic growth. The protein encoded by
sll0088
has two significant features: (i) a DNA-binding domain near the N terminus and (ii) four highly conserved cysteine residues near the C terminus. The protein has high sequence similarity to transcription regulatory proteins with a conserved DNA-binding domain and can be classified in the DeoR family of helix-loop-helix proteins. The protein falls into a further subclass that contains a C-X
12
-C-X
13
-C-X
14
-C motif near the C terminus, which may represent a metal-binding site. The expressed Sll0088 protein harbored an iron-sulfur cluster as shown by optical and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. Compared to the wild type, expression levels of the
sufBCDS
genes were elevated when cells were grown under conditions of oxidative and iron stress and were even higher in a null mutant of
Synechococcus
sp. strain PCC 7002 in which the
sll0088
homolog was insertionally inactivated. In agreement with the proposed role of the
sufBCDS
genes in iron metabolism, the growth rate of the null mutant was significantly higher than that of the wild type under iron-limiting conditions. We propose that the protein encoded by
sll0088
is a transcriptional repressor of the
suf
operon, and we name the gene
sufR
.
Genetic and Structural Characterization of the Core Region of the Lipopolysaccharide from
Serratia marcescens
N28b (Serovar O4)
Authors: Coderch Núria , Piqué Núria , Lindner Buko , Abitiu Nihal , Merino Susana , Izquierdo Luis , Jimenez Natalia , Tomás Juan M. , Holst Otto , Regué Miguel
Published: February 2004

The gene cluster (
waa
) involved in
Serratia marcescens
N28b core lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis was identified, cloned, and sequenced. Complementation analysis of known
waa
mutants from
Escherichia coli
K-12,
Salmonella enterica
, and
Klebsiella pneumoniae
led to the identification of five genes coding for products involved in the biosynthesis of a shared inner core structure: [
l
,
d
-Hep
p
IIIα(1→7)-
l
,
d
-Hep
p
IIα(1→3)-
l,d
-Hep
p
Iα(1→5)-Kdo
p
I(4←2)αKdo
p
II] (
l,d
-Hep
p
,
l
-
glycero
-
d
-
manno
-heptopyranose; Kdo, 3-deoxy-
d
-
manno
-oct-2-ulosonic acid). Complementation and/or chemical analysis of several nonpolar mutants within the
S. marcescens waa
gene cluster suggested that in addition, three
waa
genes were shared by
S. marcescens
and
K. pneumoniae
, indicating that the core region of the LPS of
S. marcescens
and
K. pneumoniae
possesses additional common features. Chemical and structural analysis of the major oligosaccharide from the core region of LPS of an O-antigen-deficient mutant of
S. marcescens
N28b as well as complementation analysis led to the following proposed structure: β-Glc-(1→6)-α-Glc-(1→4))-α-
d
-GlcN-(1→4)-α-
d
-GalA-[(2←1)-α-
d,d
-Hep-(2←1)-α-Hep]-(1→3)-α-
l,d
-Hep[(7←1)-α-
l,d
-Hep]-(1→3)-α-
l,d
-Hep-[(4←1)-β-
d
-Glc]-(1→5)-Kdo. The D configuration of the β-Glc, α-GclN, and α-GalA residues was deduced from genetic data and thus is tentative. Furthermore, other oligosaccharides were identified by ion cyclotron resonance-Fourier-transformed electrospray ionization mass spectrometry, which presumably contained in addition one residue of
d
-glycero-
d
-
talo
-oct-2-ulosonic acid (Ko) or of a hexuronic acid. Several ions were identified that differed from others by a mass of +80 Da, suggesting a nonstoichiometric substitution by a monophosphate residue. However, none of these molecular species could be isolated in substantial amounts and structurally analyzed. On the basis of the structure shown above and the analysis of nonpolar mutants, functions are suggested for the genes involved in core biosynthesis.
Foxf1haploinsufficiency reduces Notch-2 signaling during mouse lung development
Authors: Kalinichenko Vladimir V. , Gusarova Galina A. , Kim Il-Man , Shin Brian , Yoder Helena M. , Clark Jean , Sapozhnikov Alexander M. , Whitsett Jeffrey A. , Costa Robert H.
Published: February 2004

The forkhead box (Fox) f1 transcription factor is expressed in the mouse splanchnic (visceral) mesoderm, which contributes to development of the liver, gallbladder, lung, and intestinal tract. Pulmonary hemorrhage and peripheral microvascular defects were found in approximately half of the newborn Foxf1(+/-) mice, which expressed low levels of lung Foxf1 mRNA [low- Foxf1(+/-) mice]. Microvascular development was normal in the surviving newborn high- Foxf1(+/-) mice, which compensated for pulmonary Foxf1 haploinsufficiency and expressed wild-type Foxf1 levels. To identify expression of genes regulated by Foxf1, we used Affymetrix microarrays to determine embryonic lung RNAs influenced by Foxf1 haploinsufficiency. Embryonic Foxf1(+/-) lungs exhibited diminished expression of hepatocyte growth factor receptor c-Met, myosin VI, the transcription factors SP-3, BMI-1, ATF-2, and glucocorticoid receptor, and cell cycle inhibitors p53, p21Cip1, retinoblastoma, and p107. Furthermore, Notch-2 signaling was decreased in embryonic Foxf1(+/-) lungs, as evidenced by significantly reduced levels of the Notch-2 receptor and the Notch-2 downstream target hairy enhancer of split-1. The severity of the Notch-2-signaling defect in 18-day postcoitus Foxf1(+/-) lungs correlated with Foxf1 mRNA levels. Disruption of pulmonary Notch-2 signaling continued in newborn low- Foxf1(+/-) mice, which died of lung hemorrhage and failed to compensate for Foxf1 haploinsufficiency. In contrast, in newborn high- Foxf1(+/-) lungs, Notch-2 signaling was restored to the level found in wild-type mice, which was associated with normal microvascular formation and survival. Foxf1 haploinsufficiency disrupted pulmonary expression of genes in the Notch-2-signaling pathway and resulted in abnormal development of lung microvasculature.
The Cdk and PCNA domains on p21Cip1both function to inhibit G1/S progression during hyperoxia
Authors: Helt Christopher E. , Staversky Rhonda J. , Lee Yi-Jang , Bambara Robert A. , Keng Peter C. , O'Reilly Michael A.
Published: February 2004

This study investigates molecular mechanisms underlying cell cycle arrest when cells are exposed to high levels of oxygen (hyperoxia). Hyperoxia has previously been shown to increase expression of the cell cycle regulators p53 and p21. In the current study, we found that p53-deficient human lung adenocarcinoma H1299 cells failed to induce p21 or growth arrest in G1when exposed to 95% oxygen. Instead, cells arrested in S and G2. Stable expression of p53 restored induction of p21 and G1arrest without affecting mRNA expression of the other Cip or INK4 G1kinase inhibitors. To confirm the role of p21 in G1arrest, we created H1299 cells with tetracycline-inducible expression of enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP), EGFP fused to p21 (EGFp21), or EGFP fused to p27 (EGFp27), a related cell cycle inhibitor. The amino terminus of p21 and p27 bind cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdk), whereas the carboxy terminus of p21 binds the sliding clamp proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). EGFp21 or EGFp27, but not EGFP by itself, restored G1arrest during hyperoxia. When separately overexpressed, the amino-terminal Cdk and carboxy-terminal PCNA binding domains of p21 each prevented cells from exiting G1during exposure. These findings demonstrate that exposure in vitro to hyperoxia exerts G1arrest through p53-dependent induction of p21 that suppresses Cdk and PCNA activity. Because PCNA also participates in DNA repair, these results raise the possibility that p21 also affects repair of oxidized DNA.
Eosinophils and monocytes produce pulmonary and activation-regulated chemokine, which activates cultured monocytes/macrophages
Authors: Schraufstatter Ingrid , Takamori Hiroshi , Sikora Lyudmila , Sriramarao P. , DiScipio Richard G.
Published: February 2004

Pulmonary and activation-regulated chemokine (PARC/CCL18) belongs to the family of CC chemokines and shares 61% sequence identity with monocyte inflammatory protein (MIP)-1α. Produced by dendritic cells and macrophages primarily in the lung, PARC is known to be chemotactic for T cells. Because PARC's biological function is largely unknown, we screened various leukocyte populations for PARC expression and for response to PARC, with the idea that the cellular source may link PARC to disease states in which it may be involved. Here we report that eosinophils obtained from individuals with mild eosinophilia express PARC as assessed by RT-PCR on eosinophil RNA. The eosinophil preparations were free of monocytes, a known source of PARC, and no RT-PCR product was obtained from neutrophils. Furthermore, PARC protein was detected by ELISA in the supernatants of eosinophils from seven of nine donors and in higher concentration in the supernatants of monocytes on day 1 of culture. Purified recombinant PARC activated human monocytes/macrophages kept in culture for 3-4 days but not freshly isolated monocytes. The threshold dose for Ca2+mobilization as determined fluorometrically in indo 1-AM-labeled monocytes was 5 nM; maximal response was reached with ∼50 nM PARC. PARC was chemotactic for these cultured monocytes and caused actin polymerization determined by FITC-phalloidin binding and fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis. In contrast, PARC activated neither neutrophils nor eosinophils. Eosinophil production of PARC, its chemotactic effect on monocytes and lymphocytes, and PARC's previously described localization to the lung suggest that this chemokine might play a role in pulmonary leukocyte trafficking.
Spatial Organization of Frequency Response Areas and Rate/Level Functions in the Developing AI
Authors: Bonham Ben H. , Cheung Steven W. , Godey Benoit , Schreiner Christoph E.
Published: February 2004

The current study was conducted to extend our understanding of changes in spatial organization and response properties of cortical neurons in the developing mammalian forebrain. Extracellular multiunit responses to tones were recorded from a dense array of penetrations covering entire isofrequency contours in the primary auditory cortex (AI) of pentobarbital anesthetized kittens. Ages ranged from postnatal day 14 (P14), shortly after acquisition of normal auditory response thresholds, through postnatal day 111 (P111), when the kittens were largely mature. Spatial organization of the AI was tonotopically ordered by P14. The tonotopic gradient decreased with chronological maturation. At P14 the gradient was about 3.5 kHz/mm. By P111 it had declined to about 2.5 kHz/mm, so that the cortical region encompassing a fixed 3- to 15-kHz frequency range enlarged along its posterior-anterior dimension. Response properties of developing AI neurons changed in both frequency selectivity and intensity selectivity. The mean frequency tuning bandwidth increased with age. Initially, tuning bandwidths were narrow throughout the entire AI. With progressive maturation, broader bandwidths were observed in areas dorsal and ventral to a central region in which neurons remained narrowly tuned. The resulting spatial organization of tuning bandwidth was similar to that reported in adult cats. The majority of recording sites manifested nonmonotonic rate/level functions at all ages. However, the proportion of sites with monotonic rate/level functions increased with age. No spatial organization of rate/level functions (monotonic and nonmonotonic) was observed through P111. The relatively late development of bandwidth tuning in the AI compared with the early presence of tonotopic organization suggests that different developmental processes are responsible for structuring these two dimensions of acoustic selectivity.