bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Relation Reflection Scheme
Authors: Aczel Peter
Published: January 2008

We introduce a new axiom scheme for constructive set theory, the Relation Reflection Scheme (RRS). Each instance of this scheme is a theorem of the classical set theory ZF. In the constructive set theory CZF–, when the axiom scheme is combined with the axiom of Dependent Choices (DC), the result is equivalent to the scheme of Relative Dependent Choices (RDC). In contrast to RDC, the scheme RRS is preserved in Heyting‐valued models of CZF– using set‐generated frames. We give an application of the scheme to coinductive definitions of classes. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Generalising compactness
Authors: Diener Hannes
Published: January 2008

Working within the framework of Bishop's constructive mathematics, we will show that it is possible to define compactness in a more general setting than that of uniform spaces. It is also shown that it is not possible to do this in a topological space. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Cooperative interaction of H3O+ with 1,3‐alternate tetrapropoxycalix[4]arene: NMR and theoretical study
Authors: Kříž Jaroslav , Dybal Jiří , Makrlík Emanuel , Budka Jan
Published: January 2008

Interaction of H3O+ or H5O2+ with 1,3‐alternate tetrapropoxycalix[4]arene (1) was studied in nitrobenzene and dichloromethane using 1H and 13C NMR including transverse and rotating‐frame relaxations and density functional level of theory (DFT) quantum calculations. According to NMR, the ion forms an equimolecular complex with 1 with the equilibrium constant K being 3.97 × 103 L.mol−1 at 296 K. The ions are bound by strong hydrogen bonds to the phenoxy‐oxygen atoms of one half of 1 and by a medium‐strong hydrogen bond to the π system of the aromatic rings of the other half. The complex appears to have C4h symmetry in NMR even when cooling its solution down to 213 K, which could be due either to a genuine symmetry of the complex (if the ion is H5O2+) or to fast structure averaging by ion exchange processes (if the ion is H3O+). Therefore, the dynamics of the system was studied. Using two independent NMR methods (transverse and rotating‐frame relaxation), two different exchange processes were discerned with correlation times 25 × 10−6 and 5 × 10−6 s, the first being clearly intermolecular and the other being apparently intramolecular. The energetic aspects of the possible exchange processes were examined by DFT quantum calculations. Rotation of H3O+ ion within one binding site with the energy barrier 8.13 kcal/mol is easily possible. Intermolecular exchange by freeing the ion from the complex has too high a barrier but cooperative interaction of the ion with additional water molecules makes it viable. The intramolecular exchange (or hopping) of the H3O+ ion between the two sites of the molecule is not viable in the classical manner, the barrier being 25.6 kcal/mol. Quantum tunneling of the ion is highly improbable, too. Alternative mechanisms including concerted two‐ion intermolecular exchange and cooperative interaction with another bound water molecule including complexation with proton dihydrate H5O2+ are discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Conformational equilibria of trans ‐3‐X‐cyclohexanols (X = Cl, Br, CH3 and OCH3). A low temperature NMR study and theoretical calculations
Authors: de Oliveira Paulo R. , Rittner Roberto
Published: January 2008

The integration of 1H and 13C NMR spectra, at − 90 °C in CS2/CD2Cl2 (9:1), for the trans‐3‐chlorocyclohexanol (1), trans‐3‐bromocyclohexanol (2), and trans‐3‐methoxycyclohexanol (4) showed that the equatorial‐axial (ea) conformer occurs as ca 63, 63, and 69% in the conformational equilibrium, respectively. This corresponds to the following ΔGea–ae values (from 1H spectrum): − 0.32 ± 0.01, − 0.32 ± 0.04, − 0.48 ± 0.05 kcal mol−1; and to (from 13C spectrum): − 0.31 ± 0.04, − 0.35 ± 0.05, and − 0.44 ± 0.01 kcal mol−1, respectively, in very good agreement within both series. Thus, although bromine is bulkier than chlorine, the 1,3‐diaxial steric effects are similar in these equilibria. However, the integration of 1H NMR spectrum for the trans‐3‐methylcyclohexanol (3) gave 90% of the 3ae conformer in the equilibrium, at − 90 °C on CS2/CD2Cl2 (9:1), corresponding to a ΔGea–ae value of 1.31 ± 0.02 kcal mol−1. The values obtained through the additivity rule, with data from monosubstituted cyclohexanes (ΔGAd = ΔGX + ΔGOH), for compounds 1, 2, and 4 (−0.37 ± 0.15, − 0.34 ± 0.09, and − 0.46 ± 0.04 kcal mol−1, respectively) are in very good agreement with the experimental values, but it is significantly smaller for compound 3 (0.79 ± 0.02 kcal mol−1). Theoretical calculations through different levels of theory (HF/6‐311 + g**, B3LYP/6‐311 + g**, MP2/6‐31 + g**, and CBS‐4M) showed that CBS‐4M is the best method for the study of conformational equilibria for these systems, since it provides ΔGea–ae values similar to the experimental values. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Complete assignments of 1H and 13C NMR data for three new arylnaphthalene lignan from Justicia procumbens
Authors: Liu Guorui , Wu Jun , Si Jianyong , Wang Junmei , Yang Meihua
Published: January 2008

Three new arylnaphthalene lignans, named neojusticin C (1), procumbenoside C (2) and procumbenoside D (3), have been isolated from the whole plant of Justicia procumbens, together with three known ones, justicidinoside B (4), justicidinoside C (5), and diphyllin‐1‐O‐β‐D‐apiofuranoside (6). The complete assignments of 1H and 13C NMR data for three new lignans were first obtained by means of 2D NMR techniques, including HSQC and HMBC. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Quinuclidine complex with α‐cyclodextrin: a diffusion and 13C NMR relaxation study
Authors: Aski Sahar Nikkhou , Kowalewski Jozef
Published: January 2008

The stability of an inclusion complex of quinuclidine with α‐cyclodextrin in solution was investigated by NMR measurements of the translational diffusion coefficient. A 1:1 stoichiometry model yielded an association constant of 35 ± 3 M−1. The guest molecules exchange rapidly between the host cavity and the bulk solution. The reorientational dynamics of the guest and host molecules was studied using carbon‐13 NMR relaxation at two magnetic fields. The relaxation of the host nuclei showed very little dependence on the guest‐host concentration ratio, while the 13C spins in quinuclidine were sensitive to the solution composition. Using mole‐fraction data, it was possible to extract the relaxation parameters for the bound and free form of quinuclidine. Relaxation rates of the guest molecule, free in solution, were best described by an axially symmetric model, while the data of the complex species were analyzed using the Lipari‐Szabo method. Applying the axially symmetric model to the complexed quinuclidine indicated that the anisotropy of its reorientation in the bound form was increased. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Stereochemistry of cyclopentane derivatives from 2, 3JCH dependence on dihedral angle (θ HCCX)
Authors: Lacerda Valdemar , da Silva Gil V. J. , Constantino Mauricio G. , dos Santos Reginaldo B. , de Castro Eustáquio V. R. , Silva Renzo C.
Published: January 2008

The 2, 3JCH dependence on dihedral angle (θ HCCX) for cyclopentane derivatives was investigated. We observed that the combined use of experimentally obtained 2, 3JCH values and the theoretically determined dihedral angles between the corresponding nuclei can be used to infer the relative stereochemistry of the ring substituents in cyclopentane derivatives. There is a good correlation between the magnitude of 3JCH and the dihedral angle between the hydrogen and the coupled carbon (R2 = 0.88). Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Work increases the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome in the general population
Authors: Roquelaure Yves , Ha Catherine , Pelier‐Cady Marie‐Christine , Nicolas Guillaume , Descatha Alexis , Leclerc Annette , Raimbeau Guy , Goldberg Marcel , Imbernon Ellen
Published: January 2008

The purpose of this study was to estimate the incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) in a general population according to employment status and to assess the proportion of cases attributable to work. CTS occurring in patients aged 20–59 years living in the French Maine and Loire region were included prospectively from 2002 to 2004. Medical and occupation history was gathered by mailed questionnaire. Incidence rates of CTS and relative risks (RRs) of CTS were computed in relation to employment status. The attributable fractions of risk of CTS to work among the exposed persons (AFEs) were calculated. A total of 1168 patients (819 women, 349 men) were included during the 3‐year period. The mean incidence rate of CTS per 1000 person‐years was higher in employed than unemployed persons (1.7 vs. 0.8 in women and 0.6 vs. 0.3 in men). The excess risk of CTS was statistically significant for male (RR 4.2) and female (RR 3.0) blue‐collar workers and female lower‐grade white‐collar workers (RR 2.5). The AFE to work in general was 47% (95% confidence interval: 39–54) in women. AFEs reached higher values in female blue‐collar workers [67% (65–68)] and lower‐grade services, sales, and clerical white‐collar workers [61% (57–64)]. The AFE in male blue‐collar workers was 76% (72–80). These data show a higher incidence of CTS in the working than the non‐working population and suggest that a substantial proportion of CTS cases diagnosed in lower‐grade white‐collar and blue‐collar workers are attributable to work. Muscle Nerve, 2008
Histopathological basis of Horner's syndrome in obstetric brachial plexus palsy differs from that in adult brachial plexus injury
Authors: Huang Yi‐Gang , Chen Liang , Gu Yu‐Dong , Yu Guang‐Rong
Published: January 2008

Although Horner's syndrome is usually taken as an absolute indicator of avulsions of the C8 and T1 ventral roots in adult brachial plexus injury, its pathological basis in obstetric brachial plexus palsy (OBPP) is unclear. We therefore examined the morphological mechanism for the presence of Horner's syndrome in brachial plexus injury in infants and adults. Some axons of sympathetic preganglionic neurons in T1 innervate the superior cervical ganglion via the C7 ventral root in infants but not in adults. Therefore, the presence of Horner's syndrome may relate in part to avulsion of the C7 root in OBPP. These findings suggest that Horner's syndrome in OBPP is not necessarily indicative of avulsions of the C8 and T1 roots, as it can occur with avulsion of the C7 root. Muscle Nerve, 2008
Changes of elbow kinematics and kinetics during 1 year after stroke
Authors: Mirbagheri Mehdi M. , Tsao Cheng‐Chi , Rymer W. Zev
Published: January 2008

A precise description of the natural history of motor recovery after stroke provides a framework for understanding the mechanisms underlying this improvement and for tracking the efficacy of rehabilitation treatments. To characterize the time course of this change in motor impairment, we examined voluntary elbow movements in hemiparetic stroke survivors over a period of 1 year after stroke. Based on the possibility that both central nervous system and muscle factors could contribute to the observed clinical state, we hypothesized that we should observe at least two major recovery patterns of motor impairment. To explore these predictions, we assessed elbow movement range, movement speed, and isometric force generation. Subjects were examined five times over the 12‐month period. We used the “growth mixture” model to characterize recovery of these measures, and the Fugl‐Meyer scale (FMS) of upper‐extremity function at 1 month to predict the recovery. We observed two distinct recovery classes. Class 1 started with low values for the physiological measures, and these increased over time, whereas class 2 tended to start with higher values and showed widely divergent recovery patterns. Using the logistic regression model, the impact of FMS on class membership was estimated for each parameter. Based on these data, we were able to accurately predict arm impairment recovery at different time‐points in the first year, information of great potential value for planning targeted therapeutic interventions. Muscle Nerve, 2008
Hypoxia‐inducible factor is expressed in giant cell tumour of bone and mediates paracrine effects of hypoxia on monocyte–osteoclast differentiation via induction of VEGF
Authors: Knowles HJ , Athanasou NA
Published: February 2008

Hypoxia is an important regulator of bone biology and stimulates osteoclast differentiation from monocytic precursors. Hypoxia‐inducible factor (HIF) is a key pro‐tumourigenic transcription factor mediating pathways of hypoxia‐inducible gene expression. We have described expression of HIF‐1α and HIF‐2α in the multi‐nucleated, osteoclast‐like giant cells and the mononuclear stromal component of giant cell tumour of bone (GCTB), a locally osteolytic primary bone tumour. HIF induction was observed in culture in the osteoblastic MG‐63 cell line, primary GCTB stromal cells, and monocyte‐derived osteoclasts following stimulation with hypoxia (0.1% O2) or the osteoclastogenic cytokines hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (M‐CSF). This was accompanied by increased expression of the downstream target genes Bcl‐2/adenovirus E1B 19 kD‐interacting protein 3 (BNIP3), Glut‐1, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). As VEGF can substitute for M‐CSF to support osteoclastogenesis in the presence of receptor activator for nuclear factor κB ligand (RANKL), we assessed the effect of MG‐63 hypoxic conditioned media on osteoclast differentiation. In the presence of RANKL, hypoxic conditioned media induced the formation of active osteoclasts, as assessed from the numbers of TRAP‐positive multi‐nucleated cells and the area of lacunar bone resorption, which was inhibited by co‐incubation with a neutralizing anti‐VEGF antibody. Targeted siRNA ablated HIF‐1α and/or HIF‐2α expression in MG‐63 cells and reduced hypoxic secretion of VEGF. Hypoxic conditioned media from cells treated with siRNA for (HIF‐1α + HIF‐2α) produced a significant decrease in osteoclast number (p < 0.005) and activity (p < 0.05) in comparison with the scrambled siRNA control. These results suggest that local hypoxia could indirectly influence osteoclastogenesis via autocrine and paracrine secretion of VEGF under the control of HIF. This is potentially an important mechanism of pathogenesis for GCTB and other osteolytic lesions. Copyright © 2008 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ongoing activation of p53 pathway responses is a long‐term consequence of radiation exposure in vivo and associates with altered macrophage activities
Authors: Coates PJ , Robinson JI , Lorimore SA , Wright EG
Published: February 2008

The major adverse consequences of radiation exposure, including the initiation of leukaemia and other malignancies, are generally attributed to effects in the cell nucleus at the time of irradiation. However, genomic damage as a longer term consequence of radiation exposure has more recently been demonstrated due to untargeted radiation effects including delayed chromosomal instability and bystander effects. These processes, mainly studied in vitro, are characterized by un‐irradiated cells demonstrating effects as though they themselves had been irradiated and have been associated with altered oxidative processes. To investigate the potential for these untargeted effects of radiation to produce delayed damaging events in vivo, we studied a well‐characterized model of radiation‐induced acute myeloid leukaemia in CBA/Ca mice. Haemopoietic tissues of irradiated CBA/Ca mice exhibit enhanced levels of p53 stabilization, increased levels of p21waf1, and increased amounts of apoptosis, as expected, in the first few hours post‐irradiation, but also at much later times: weeks and months after the initial exposure. Because these responses are seen in cells that were not themselves directly irradiated but are the descendants of irradiated cells, the data are consistent with an initial radiation exposure leading to persistently increased levels of ongoing DNA damage, analogous to radiation‐induced chromosomal instability. To investigate the potential source of ongoing oxidative processes, we show increased levels of 3‐nitrotyrosine, a marker of damaging nitrogen/oxygen species in macrophages. Not all animals show increased oxidative activity or p53 responses as long‐term consequences of irradiation, but increased levels of p53, p21, and apoptosis are directly correlated with increased 3‐nitrotyrosine in individual mice post‐irradiation. The data implicate persistent activation of inflammatory‐type responses in irradiated tissues as a contributory bystander mechanism for causing delayed DNA damage. Copyright © 2008 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
miRNA analysis in B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia: proliferation centres characterized by low miR‐150 and high BIC/miR‐155 expression
Authors: Wang M , Tan LP , Dijkstra MK , van Lom K , Robertus J‐L , Harms G , Blokzijl T , Kooistra K , van t'Veer MB , Rosati S , Visser L , Jongen‐Lavrencic M , Kluin PM , van den Berg A
Published: February 2008

Several miRNAs have been reported to be associated with immunoglobulin heavy chain (IgH) mutation and ZAP‐70 expression status in blood samples of B‐cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (B‐CLL/SLL). In the bone marrow and lymphoid tissues, proliferation centres (PCs) represent an important site of activation and proliferation of the neoplastic cells, suggesting that these tissues better reflect the biology of CLL than circulating blood cells. We collected 33 lymph nodes and 37 blood CLL samples and analysed IgH mutation status and ZAP‐70 expression status. Expression of 15 miRNAs was analysed by qRT‐PCR and RNA‐ISH. Sixty‐three per cent of the lymph node cases contained mutated IgH genes and 49% of the lymph node cases were ZAP‐70‐positive, and a significant correlation was observed between ZAP‐70 expression and IgH mutation status. Of the blood CLL samples, 49% contained mutated IgH sequences. The miRNA expression pattern in CLL lymph node and blood samples was very similar. Three of 15 miRNAs (miR‐16, miR‐21, and miR‐150) showed a high expression level in both blood and lymph node samples. No difference was observed between ZAP‐70‐positive or ‐negative and between IgH‐mutated or unmutated cases. No correlation was found between miR‐15a and miR‐16 expression levels and 13q14 deletion in the blood CLL samples. RNA in situ hybridization (ISH) revealed strong homogeneous staining of miR‐150 in the tumour cells outside the PCs. In reverse BIC/pri‐miR‐155 expression was observed mainly in individual cells including prolymphocytes of the PCs. This reciprocal pattern likely reflects the different functions and targets of miR‐150 and miR‐155. Copyright © 2008 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A systems‐based approach to implementing a pain management agreement system in primary care
Authors: Pipas Catherine Florio , Hardman Rulon L , Powell Kenton E , Jackson Gillian C , Engstrom Bjorn I , Driscoll Pamela R , Pike Tracy L , Reed Virginia A
Published: January 2008

Managing chronic non‐malignant pain is a common and difficult issue for primary care physicians who seek to provide appropriate pain management while minimizing the potential for drug abuse. One promising approach is the use of opioid agreements or contracts with patients being treated with opioids for chronic pain. Despite the increasingly common use of such agreements, little has been written about their development and use in primary care settings. This article describes the initial implementation of a pain management agreement system in a primary care setting that reflects a systems‐based approach to practice development. Lessons learned and plans for future studies of outcomes are described. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Global nutritional recommendations: a combination of evidence and food availability?
Authors: Kapur K , Dunning T
Published: January 2008

Diet and exercise are vital diabetes management strategies. Health professionals (HPs) use dietary guidelines to advise their clients but the current macronutrient recommendation in the guidelines varies.

The aim of this study was to explore the similarities and differences in macronutrient dietary advice in different parts of the world and suggest some reasons for any differences identified.

The study was undertaken in two phases: (1) a one‐shot cross‐sectional survey of HPs and global diabetes organisations using self‐completed, anonymous questionnaires (n=40), and (2) a review of dietary guidelines from relevant diabetes associations (the American Diabetes Association [ADA], the Diabetes and Nutrition Study Group [DNSG] of the European Association for the Study of Diabetes [EASD], the Canadian Diabetes Association [CDA], the Joslin Diabetes Center, Diabetes UK, and the Indian Council of Medical Research [ICMR]).

Dietary recommendations differed among countries and from the guidelines, and reflected socioeconomic factors and local food availability. With regard to macronutrient recommendations, carbohydrate ranged from 40–70%, protein 12–20% and fat 15–40% of total energy intake. Nations with higher gross domestic product (GDP) based on purchasing‐power‐parity (PPP) per capita tended to recommend a much lower ratio of carbohydrate than those with lower GDP PPP per capita. However, all guidelines stressed the importance of healthy eating.

It was concluded that socioeconomic factors and local food availability appear to influence HPs' dietary recommendations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons.
Proteomics profiling of hepatic mitochondria in heterozygous Sod2+/− mice, an animal model of discreet mitochondrial oxidative stress
Authors: Lee Yie Hou , Boelsterli Urs A. , Lin Qingsong , Chung Maxey C. M.
Published: January 2008

The heterozygous superoxide dismutase 2 (SOD2) gene knockout (Sod2+/−) mouse model has been increasingly used in cardiovascular and age research, neurobiology, and pharmacology/toxicology. These mutant mice exhibit mild oxidant stress in mitochondria but remain clinically inconspicuous. Although the Sod2+/− mouse has been characterized with respect to mitochondrial function and transcript expression of certain individual genes, the effects of the singular loss of the Sod2 allele on the global expression of hepatic mitochondrial proteins remains unknown. We therefore performed a differential analysis of the hepatic mitochondrial proteome from Sod2+/− mice and wild‐type mice in order to identify the consequences of partial Sod2 deletion. Using 2‐D difference gel electrophoresis (DIGE) coupled with MALDI‐MS/MS, we found approximately 1500 protein spots, of which 57 were differentially expressed (≥1.5‐fold change). Both SOD 1 and 2 were downregulated, but other antioxidant enzymes and related proteins were upregulated (<two‐fold). The data indicate that heterozygous Sod2+/− mice exhibit a mild mitochondrial oxidative stress which is partly compensated by the antioxidant defense system linked to the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, urea cycle, β‐oxidation, and oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). The results of this study are compatible with our hypothesis that the Sod2+/− mouse is a suitable animal model for studying clinically silent mitochondrial abnormalities.
Specific interactions for ab initio folding of protein terminal regions with secondary structures
Authors: Yang Yuedong , Zhou Yaoqi
Published: February 2008

Proteins fold into unique three‐dimensional structures by specific, orientation‐dependent interactions between amino acid residues. Here, we extract orientation‐dependent interactions from protein structures by treating each polar atom as a dipole with a direction. The resulting statistical energy function successfully refolds 13 out of 16 fully unfolded secondary‐structure terminal regions of 10–23 amino acid residues in 15 small proteins. Dissecting the orientation‐dependent energy function reveals that the orientation preference between hydrogen‐bonded atoms is not enough to account for the structural specificity of proteins. The result has significant implications on the theoretical and experimental searches for specific interactions involved in protein folding and molecular recognition between proteins and other biologically active molecules. Proteins 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effect of an amyloidogenic sequence attached to yellow fluorescent protein
Authors: Hamada Daizo , Tsumoto Kouhei , Sawara Makoto , Tanaka Naoki , Nakahira Kumiko , Shiraki Kentaro , Yanagihara Itaru
Published: February 2008

Green fluorescent protein (GFP) is often misfolded into nonfluorescent states when an aggregatable sequence is attached to its N‐terminus. However, GFP fusions with highly aggregatable, prion‐determining, and highly charged sequences from yeast prions, such as Sup35 and Ure2p, form green fibrils with properly folded GFP. To gain further insight into the general effect of an aggregatable sequence attached to fluorescent protein, we designed eight fusion proteins of a yellow variant of GFP (YFP) containing an aggregation‐prone amyloidogenic sequence derived from human medin, attached via different lengths of linker sequence. Seven fusion proteins formed white fibrils lacking native YFP function. However, the fusion with an 18‐residue medin sequence and a 50 amino acid linker formed fibrils with yellow color of folded YFP. Deconvolution analysis of infrared spectra also supports the presence of properly folded YFP in the fibrils formed by this protein. These results suggest that, the presence of an amyloidogenic sequence to a folded protein can promote the formation of fibrils and disrupt the native structures whereas the structure of the folded region is retained by optimizing sequences of amyloidogenic and linker regions. Proteins 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Mechanism of induced folding: Both folding before binding and binding before folding can be realized in staphylococcal nuclease mutants
Authors: Onitsuka Masayoshi , Kamikubo Hironari , Yamazaki Yoichi , Kataoka Mikio
Published: February 2008

A considerable number of functional proteins are unstructured under physiological condition. These “intrinsically disordered” proteins exhibit induced folding when they bind their targets. The induced folding comprises two elementary processes: folding and binding. Two mechanisms are possible for the induced folding: either folding before binding or binding before folding. We found that these two mechanisms can be distinguished by the target‐concentration dependence of folding kinetics. We also created two types of mutants of staphylococcal nuclease showing the different inhibitor‐concentration dependence of induced folding kinetics. One mutant obeys the scheme of binding before folding, while the other the folding before binding. This is the first experimental evidence demonstrating that both mechanisms are realized for a single protein. Binding before folding is possible, when the protein lacks essential nonlocal interaction to stabilize the native conformation. The results cast light on the protein folding mechanism involved in the intrinsically disordered proteins. Proteins 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Model for cross‐plane thermal conductivity of layered quantum semiconductor structures and application for thermal modeling of GaInAs/AlInAs‐based quantum cascade lasers
Authors: Le Khai Q. , Kim Sangin
Published: February 2008

In this paper, a theoretical model for the cross‐plane thermal conductivity of layered quantum semiconductor structures is presented. This model is used to evaluate the cross‐plane thermal conductivity of the active region in GaInAs/AlInAs‐based quantum cascade (QC) lasers. We take into account the temperature dependent thermal conductivity of the layers. By including their interface thermal resistance and scattering processes via the multilayer quantum structure, we predict a decrease by an order of magnitude of the lattice thermal conductivity of the active region in GaInAs/AlInAs‐based QC lasers. We computed that the cross‐plane thermal conductivity of a InGaAs/AlInAs‐based QC laser active region at low temperature from 80 K to 130 K is in the range of 0.5–0.7 W/(m K), whilst the average experimental value obtained by Lops et al. [13] is 0.6 W/(m K). In addition, using the result as input, we present a numerical investigation into the facet temperature profile in this laser during continuous‐wave operation using a finite‐element method. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Systematic review on the safety of Harpagophytum preparations for osteoarthritic and Low back pain
Authors: Vlachojannis J. , Roufogalis B. D. , Chrubasik S.
Published: January 2008

Harpagophytum products are a treatment option for osteoarthritic and low back pain. The aim of this study was to review the safety of treatment with Harpagophytum procumbens.

The databases OVID(MEDLINE), PUBMED and COCHRANE COLLABORATION LIBRARY were searched back to 1985 for studies with Harpagophytum procumbens.

Twenty‐eight clinical trials were identified of which 20 stated adverse events. In none of the double‐blind studies was the incidence of adverse events during treatment with Harpagophytum procumbens higher than during placebo treatment. Minor adverse events occurred in around 3% of the patients, mainly gastrointestinal adverse events. A few reports of acute toxicity were found but there were no reports on chronic toxicity.

Since the dosage used in most of the studies is at the lower limit and since long‐term treatment with Harpagophytum products is advisable, more safety data are urgently needed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fractionation and metabolic turnover of carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes in black fly larvae
Authors: Overmyer Jay P. , MacNeil M. Aaron , Fisk Aaron T.
Published: February 2008

Diet‐tissue fractionation factors and metabolic turnover rates of δ15N and δ13C were assessed in laboratory‐reared black fly (Simulium vittatum IS‐7) larvae fed isotopically distinct diets. Five treatments consisted of using food with different δ15N signatures throughout the experiments (19–26 days), a sixth shifted from a low to high δ15N signature diet (uptake) on day 14, and the last shifted from a high to low δ15N signature diet (elimination) on day 14. In the larvae, diet‐tissue fractionation factors for δ13C, which were in steady state with food, ranged from −0.61 to 2.0, with a median of 1.87. The δ15N diet‐tissue fractionation factors were mostly negative, ranging from +2.85 to −24.96‰, with a single positive value from the elimination treatment in which larval δ15N did not achieve steady state with the food. Diet‐tissue fractionation factors also had a significant negative relationship (r2 = 0.98) with δ15N values in the food suggesting that nitrogen diet‐tissue fractionation factors are 15N concentration‐dependent. The δ15N of shed head capsules and feces were enriched in 15N and could be mechanisms for elimination of 15N by the larvae. For δ15N, metabolic turnover values based on the Hesslein model were highly consistent (0.40 to 0.43 δ15N*day−1) between uptake and elimination phases and across experiments and were an order of magnitude greater than growth rates. The rapid turnover of nitrogen in black fly larvae, which was orders of magnitude greater than measured in vertebrates, makes them an excellent indicator of short‐term changes in nitrogen inputs to aquatic systems. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effect of PK11195 on attenuating the enhancement of glucose utilization induced by quinolinic acid infusion in the rat brain
Authors: Amitani Misato , Ohashi Akihiro , Hatazawa Jun , Gee Antony , Inoue Osamu
Published: January 2008

PK11195, a selective PBR ligand, has been reported to exert a protective effect against the neuronal damage induced by the intrastriatal infusion of quinolinic acid, an excitatory amino acid. The neuroprotective effect of PK11195 observed at 48 h after the infusion was mediated by the inhibition of microglial activation. The aim of this study is to search the mechanism for the effect of PK11195 other than the inhibition of activation of microglia. In this study, the effect of PK11195 on glucose metabolism as well as neuroprotection in the early phase (2 h) after the injection of quinolinic acid was examined. Intrastriatal injection of quinolinic acid (60 nmol/μL) alone caused a significant enhancement of [14C]DG utilization in the infused striatum (about 160% vs. the contralateral side). This enhancement of glucose utilization might be due to an increase in phosphorylation rate of [14C]DG rather than delivery process from the plasma into the brain, since the initial uptake of [14C]DG (1 min) was not changed by quinolinic acid. Coinjection of PK11195 (10 nmol/μL) completely blocked the enhancement of [14C]DG uptake induced by quinolinic acid. The attenuating effect of PK11195 on glucose metabolic disturbance induced by quinolinic acid seemed to be related to voltage‐dependent anion channels (VDAC), which are component of the PBR complex and associated with the regulation of hexokinase activity. PK11195 also showed neuroprotective effect at 2 h after the infusion of quinolinic acid, despite no significant activation of microglia was observed at this time‐point. Thus, the neuroprotection of PK11195 might be related to normalization of the metabolic disturbance by the excitatory amino acid. Synapse 62:253–258, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Complex EPSCs evoked in substantia nigra reticulata neurons are disrupted by repetitive stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus
Authors: Shen Ke‐Zhong , Johnson Steven W.
Published: January 2008

Although substantia nigra reticulata (SNR) neurons fire bursts of action potentials during normal movement, excessive burst firing correlates with symptoms of Parkinson's disease. A major excitatory output from the subthalamic nucleus (STN) to the SNR is thought to provide the synaptic impetus for burst firing in SNR neurons. Using patch pipettes to record from SNR neurons in rat brain slices, we found that a single electrical stimulus delivered to the STN evokes a burst of action potentials. Under voltage‐clamp conditions, STN stimulation evokes a complex EPSC that is comprised of an initial monosynaptic EPSC followed by a series of late EPSCs superimposed on a long‐lasting inward current. Using varied stimulation frequencies, we found that the initial EPSC was significantly reduced or abolished after 2 s of 50–100 Hz STN stimulation. However, only 4 s of 1 Hz stimulation was required to abolish the late component of the complex EPSC. We suggest that differential effects of repetitive STN stimulation on early and late components of complex EPSCs may help explain the frequency‐dependent effects of deep brain stimulation of the STN that is used in the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Synapse 62:237–242, 2008. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Determination of thickness and composition of thin films by x‐ray fluorescence spectrometry using theoretical influence coefficient algorithms
Authors: Sitko Rafał
Published: February 2008

X‐ray fluorescence radiation intensity from analyte in thin film is a complex function of matrix composition and film thickness. Nevertheless, the complicated problem of matrix correction in XRF analysis of these materials can be simply solved by using the concept of theoretical influence coefficients. In this article, two algorithms based on the previous published equation for intermediate‐thickness samples are proposed. In the first algorithm, the coefficients are treated as constants; in the second one, the coefficients are linear functions of sample thickness and concentration of all matrix elements. The coefficients are calculated from composition and relative radiation intensity (calculated from theory) of hypothetical pure element films and binary films. The calculations are presented in detail on Fe‐Cr‐Ni ternary films as an example. The capability of the algorithms is demonstrated with hypothetical Fe‐Cr‐Ni ternary systems and binaries Fe‐Cr, Fe‐Ni and Cr‐Ni of thickness from 0.01 to 2 mg cm−2. Diverse compositions of these specimens are in the range 5–95% (m/m) of each element. The algorithms are also verified using experimental data of Fe‐Ni binary system films and Cu films taken from literature. Obtained results indicate the usefulness of the proposed algorithms for simultaneous and accurate determination of the chemical composition and thickness of thin film materials. Moreover, the calibration procedure is very clear and interpretation of the data is easy for the analyst, which is a serious advantage of the proposed algorithms over fundamental parameters methods. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
CpG‐methylation silences the activity of the RNA polymerase III transcribed EBER‐1 promoter of Epstein‐Barr virus
Authors: Banati Ferenc , Koroknai Anita , Salamon Daniel , Takacs Maria , Minarovits-Kormuta Susanna , Wolf Hans , Niller Hans Helmut , Minarovits Janos
Published: February 2008

CpG‐methylation blocks the activity of RNA polymerase II transcribed promoters in most cases. In contrast, the role of DNA methylation in the regulation of RNA polymerase III transcribed promoters is less clarified. There are two untranslated viral RNAs (EBER‐1 and EBER‐2) in most malignant cells carrying latent Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV) genomes. We found that in vitro methylation blocked binding of the cellular proteins c‐Myc and ATF to the 5′‐region of the EBER‐1 gene, and silenced the expression of the EBER‐1 and EBER‐2 genes, transcribed by RNA polymerase III, in transfected cells.
The Actor's Problem: Performing the Plays of Richard Foreman
Authors: Swettenham Neal
Published: January 2008

The plays of the American avant-garde writer and director Richard Foreman present actors with a significant problem: their characters exist in a constant state of flux, detached from the usual narrative moorings, with the result that conventional acting methodologies do not apply. Drawing on interviews with Foreman himself, with the actors who worked with him on his New York production of King Cowboy Rufus Rules the Universe (2004), and on the rehearsal process of a student group preparing for the UK premiere of Pearls for Pigs (1993), Neal Swettenham investigates in this essay the precise challenges posed by these unusual texts. He argues that Foreman wants to provoke in his actors a sense of being permanently ‘off-balance’, requiring each of the performers in King Cowboy Rufus to develop their own way of navigating the play's contradictory demands. Similarly, the UK actors discovered that the unconventional dialogue, stripped of all contextual clues, must still be delivered with intention and rigour. Certain very specific European films cited by Foreman provide possible pointers to an acting style appropriate to the plays but, in the final analysis, the actor's problem remains. Neal Swettenham lectures in drama at Loughborough University. His ‘Irish Rioters, Latin American Dictators, and Desperate Optimists' Play-boy’ appeared in NTQ83 (August 2005).
Staging the Nation: Changing Concepts of a National Theatre in Europe
Authors: Imre Zoltàn
Published: January 2008

In this article, Zoltán Imre investigates the major changes in the concept of a national theatre, from the early debates in Hamburg in 1767 to the 2006 opening of the National Theatre of Scotland. While in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the notion of a national theatre was regarded in most of Western Europe as a means of promoting national – or even imperial – integration, in Eastern Europe, the debates about and later the realization of national theatres often took place within the context of and against oppressive imperiums. But in both parts of Europe the realization of a national theatre was utilized to represent a unified nation in a virtual way, its role being to maintain a single and fixed national identity and a homogeneous and dominant national culture. In present-day Scotland, however, the notion of a national theatre has changed again, to service a diverse and multicultural nation. Zoltán Imre received his PhD from Queen Mary College, University of London, and is now a lecturer in the Department of Comparative Literature and Culture at Eötvös Loránd University, Budapest, co-editor of the Hungarian theatre magazine Theatron, and dramaturg at Mozgó Ház Társulás (Moving House Theatre Company) and Természetes Vészek Kollektíva (Collective of Natural Disasters). His publications include Transfer and Translation: Intercultural Dialogues (co-editor, 2002), Theatre and Theatricality (2003), Transillumination: Hungarian Theatre in a European Context (editor, 2004), and On the Border of Theatre and Sociology (co-editor, 2005).
The Strange Story of the Bosnian Genocide Case
Authors: DIMITRIJEVIĆ VOJIN , MILANOVIĆ MARKO
Published: January 2008

The article explores the political context of the Bosnian Genocide case recently decided by the International Court of Justice. It strives to show that an appreciation of the larger disputes within Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia is necessary for understanding the Court's judgment properly, particularly when it comes to the litigation strategies of the two parties which shaped the final outcome of the case, and, above all, for understanding how the judgment was perceived by the general public of the former Yugoslavia.
Strategic Defection from Strong Candidates in the 2004 Taiwanese Legislative Election
Authors: BATTO NATHAN F.
Published: January 2008

SNTV engenders incentives to vote strategically not only against probable losers but also against candidates seen as possible runaway winners. This paper uses survey and election data from the 2004 Taiwanese legislative election to argue that excessive strategic voting against the strongest candidates was at the root of coordination failures. Further, I argue that strong personal votes play a role in mitigating these failures by constructing a stable foundation of votes that is not subject to the wild swings produced by strategic voting.
Early childhood caries — facts and prevention
Authors: Menghini Giorgio , Steiner Marcel , Imfeld Thomas
Published: January 2008

2003 wurden in der Stadt Zürich 771 zufällig ausgewählte zweijährige Kinder zahnmedizinisch untersucht. 12.6% (inkl. Initialläsionen 25.3%) der Kinder wiesen Karies auf. Die Kariesprävalenz war stark mit der Migrationskomponente assoziiert. Nur 7.5% der Schweizer Kinder, aber 38.5% der ex-jugoslawischen Kinder hatten Karies. 5.0% der Kinder von in der Schweiz geborenen Müttern und 17.4% der Kinder von nicht in der Schweiz geborenen Müttern wiesen Karies auf. Kinder mit Karies hatten im Durchschnitt 4.3 befallene Zähne (d2mft) ohne wesentliche migrationsbedingte Unterschiede. Dies legt nahe, dass Kinder mit Karies – ob Schweizer oder Ausländer – ähnlichem Fehlverhalten unterliegen. Multivariate Analysen zeigten, welche Verhaltensweisen mit Karies assoziiert sind. Die stärksten Risikoindikatoren für Karies waren Plaque und die Benützung einer Schoppenflasche beim Einschlafen. Häufiges Trinken von zuckerhaltigen Non-Milchgetränken, zunehmendes Alter und Verzicht auf einen Nuggi waren zusätzliche Risikoindikatoren bei Kindern von im Ausland geborenen Müttern. Eine wesentliche Verbesserung der oralen Gesundheit von Kleinkindern ist durch konzertierten Einsatz von Mütterberaterinnen, Pädiatern und Kleinkindererzieherinnen in den Kinderkrippen zu erreichen. Primäres Ziel der gemeinsamen Bestrebungen ist es, die Eltern zu gewinnen, sich aktiv an der Erhaltung der Zahngesundheit ihrer Kinder zu beteiligen. Sie sollten folgende wichtige Empfehlungen einhalten: 1. Die Eltern müssen ihrem Kind täglich die Zähne mit fluoridierter Kinderzahnpasta bürsten (ab Durchbruch des ersten Milchzahnes). 2. Im Alter von 12 Monaten sollte von der Schoppenflasche auf die Tasse umgestellt werden. Absolut zu vermeiden ist das Dauernuckeln an der Schoppenflasche beim Einschlafen und während der Nacht. 3. Als Getränke sollten den Kindern hauptsächlich Wasser und Milch angeboten werden. Eine erste zahnärztliche Untersuchung ist im Alter des Kindes von zwei Jahren angebracht.
Dynamical scaling and generalized Omori law
Authors: Lippiello E. , Bottiglieri M. , Godano C. , de Arcangelis L.
Published: January 2008

The power law decay of the aftershocks rate is observed only after a characteristic time scale c. The dependence of c on the mainshock magnitude MM and on the lower cut‐off magnitude MI is well established. By considering ten sequences recorded in the California Catalog we show that the aftershock number distribution becomes independent of both MM and MI if time is rescaled by an appropriate time scale fixed by the difference MM − MI. This result is interpreted within a more general dynamical scaling hypothesis recently formulated, relating time differences to magnitude differences. The above hypothesis gives predictions in good agreement with the recent findings by Peng et al. (2007).
Gravity wave propagation in a nonisothermal atmosphere with height varying background wind
Authors: Zhou Qihou , Morton Yu T.
Published: January 2008

We derive a gravity wave propagation equation for a compressible and non‐isothermal atmosphere with a variable background wind profile. Impact of all the gradient terms on the vertical wavenumber depends only on the intrinsic horizontal phase velocity and the background atmosphere. For the background wind variation, any one of the linear first order derivative, second order derivative and the square of the first order derivative terms can be the dominant term under different conditions. For temperature variation, only the linear first order derivative is important for waves having a slow intrinsic horizontal phase velocity. Our equation indicates that the effect of wind shear on the vertical wavenumber is opposite to that predicted by the Taylor‐Goldstein equation, which assumes an incompressible fluid. We also derive an expression for the amplitude of the vertical wind perturbation.
UK peatland streams release old carbon dioxide to the atmosphere and young dissolved organic carbon to rivers
Authors: Billett Michael F. , Garnett Mark H. , Harvey Frank
Published: January 2008

Since the end of the last ice age, sequestration and storage of CO2 from the atmosphere by peatlands in the northern hemisphere has produced a terrestrial C pool of comparable magnitude to that of the global atmosphere. Destabilisation of the peatland C pool will have significant positive climate change feedbacks both directly (via the atmospheric pathway) and indirectly (via the aquatic pathway). Streams and rivers draining peatlands are supersaturated with CO2 and contain high concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC); these are often associated with large lateral (downstream) and vertical (evasion) fluxes, which may produce significant changes in the sink/source relationships of individual peatlands. Here we present isotopic evidence from four UK peatlands to suggest that whilst the age of DOC released in the drainage system of peatlands is consistently young (modern to 202 years BP), the age of CO2 lost by evasion from the water surface is much older, varying from modern to 1449 years BP. δ13C data suggest that the sources of DOC and CO2 are different. Whilst antecedent moisture conditions affect within‐ and between‐site differences in the isotopic signature of DOC and CO2, we suggest that the release of CO2 (in contrast to DOC) into the aquatic system is related to a significantly older C pool. The source of this CO2 is likely to be both geogenic (carbonate weathering) and biogenic (decomposition of soil organic matter).