bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Neuropeptide VGF Produces Antidepressant-Like Behavioral Effects and Enhances Proliferation in the Hippocampus
Authors: Thakker-Varia Smita , Krol Jennifer Jernstedt , Nettleton Jacob , Bilimoria Parizad M. , Bangasser Debra A. , Shors Tracey J. , Black Ira B. , Alder Janet
Published: November 2007

Brain-derived neurotrophic factor(BDNF) is upregulated in the hippocampus by antidepressant treatments, and BDNF produces antidepressant-like effects in behavioral models of depression. In our previous work, we identified genes induced by BDNF and defined their specific roles in hippocampal neuronal development and plasticity. To identify genes downstream of BDNF that may play roles in psychiatric disorders, we examined a subset of BDNF-induced genes also regulated by 5-HT (serotonin), which includes the neuropeptideVGF(nonacronymic). To explore the function of VGF in depression, we first investigated the expression of the neuropeptide in animal models of depression. VGF was downregulated in the hippocampus after both the learned helplessness and forced swim test (FST) paradigms. Conversely, VGF infusion in the hippocampus of mice subjected to FST reduced the time spent immobile for up to 6 d, thus demonstrating a novel role for VGF as an antidepressant-like agent. Recent evidence indicates that chronic treatment of rodents with antidepressants increases neurogenesis in the adult dentate gyrus and that neurogenesis is required for the behavioral effects of antidepressants. Our studies using [3H]thymidine and bromodeoxyuridine as markers of DNA synthesis indicate that chronic VGF treatment enhances proliferation of hippocampal progenitor cells bothin vitroandin vivowith survival up to 21 d. By double immunocytochemical analysis of hippocampal neurons, we demonstrate that VGF increases the number of dividing cells that express neuronal markersin vitro. Thus, VGF may act downstream of BDNF and exert its effects as an antidepressant-like agent by enhancing neurogenesis in the hippocampus.
Expression of CCR2 in Both Resident and Bone Marrow-Derived Microglia Plays a Critical Role in Neuropathic Pain
Authors: Zhang Ji , Shi Xiang Qun , Echeverry Stefania , Mogil Jeffrey S. , De Koninck Yves , Rivest Serge
Published: November 2007

Neuropathic pain resulting from damage to or dysfunction of peripheral nerves is not well understood and difficult to treat. Although CNS hyperexcitability is a critical component, recent findings challenge the neuron-centric view of neuropathic pain etiology and pathology. Indeed, glial cells were shown to play an active role in the initiation and maintenance of pain hypersensitivity. However, the origins of these cells and the triggers that induce their activation have yet to be elucidated. Here we show that, after peripheral nerve injury induced by a partial ligation on the sciatic nerve, in addition to activation of microglia resident to the CNS, hematogenous macrophage/monocyte infiltrate the spinal cord, proliferate, and differentiate into microglia. Signaling from chemokine monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1, CCL2) to its receptor CCR2 is critical in the spinal microglial activation. Indeed, intrathecal injection of MCP-1 caused activation of microglia in wild-type but not in CCR2-deficient mice. Furthermore, treatment with an MCP-1 neutralizing antibody prevented bone marrow-derived microglia (BMDM) infiltration into the spinal cord after nerve injury. In addition, using selective knock-out of CCR2 in resident microglia or BMDM, we found that, although total CCR2 knock-out mice did not develop microglial activation or mechanical allodynia, CCR2 expression in either resident microglia or BMDM is sufficient for the development of mechanical allodynia. Thus, to effectively relieve neuropathic pain, both CNS resident microglia and blood-borne macrophages need to be targeted. These findings also open the door for a novel therapeutic strategy: to take advantage of the natural ability of bone marrow-derived cells to infiltrate selectively affected CNS regions by using these cells as vehicle for targeted drug delivery to inhibit hypersensitivity and chronic pain.
Apoptotic Actions of p53 Require Transcriptional Activation of PUMA and Do Not Involve a Direct Mitochondrial/Cytoplasmic Site of Action in Postnatal Cortical Neurons
Authors: Uo Takuma , Kinoshita Yoshito , Morrison Richard S.
Published: November 2007

Recent studies in non-neuronal cells have shown that the tumor suppressor p53 can promote cell death through a transcription-independent mechanism involving its direct action with a subset of Bcl-2 family member proteins in the cytosol and at the mitochondria. In cultured cortical neurons, however, we could not find evidence supporting a significant contribution of the cytosolic/mitochondrial p53 pathway, and available evidence instead corroborated the requirement for the transcriptional activity of p53. When directly targeted to the cytosol/mitochondria, wild-type p53 lost its apoptosis-inducing activity in neurons but not in non-neuronal cells. The N-terminal p53 fragment (transactivation and proline-rich domains), which induces apoptosis in non-neuronal cells via the cytosolic/mitochondrial pathway, displayed no apoptogenic activity in neurons. In neuronal apoptosis induced by camptothecin or an MDM2 (murine double minute 2) inhibitor, nutlin-3, endogenous p53 protein did not accumulate in the cytosol/mitochondria, and transcriptional inhibition after p53 induction effectively blocked cell death. In addition, overexpression of a dominant-negative form of p53 (R273H) completely suppressed induction of proapoptotic p53 target genes and cell death.PUMA(p53-upregulated modulator of apoptosis) was one such gene induced by camptothecin, and its overexpression was sufficient to induce Bax (Bcl-2-associated X protein)-dependent neuronal death, whereas Noxa was not apoptogenic. These results collectively demonstrate that, in contrast to non-neuronal cells, the apoptotic activity of p53 in postnatal cortical neurons does not rely on its direct action at the cytosol/mitochondria but is exclusively mediated through its transcription-dependent functions. The uniqueness of p53-mediated apoptotic signaling in postnatal cortical neurons was further illustrated by the dispensable function of the proline-rich domain of p53.
The Transcriptome and Metabolic Gene Signature of Protoplasmic Astrocytes in the Adult Murine Cortex
Authors: Lovatt Ditte , Sonnewald Ursula , Waagepetersen Helle S. , Schousboe Arne , He Wei , Lin Jane H.-C. , Han Xiaoning , Takano Takahiro , Wang Su , Sim Fraser J. , Goldman Steven A. , Nedergaard Maiken
Published: November 2007

Protoplasmic astrocytes are critically important to energy metabolism in the CNS. Our current understanding of the metabolic interactions between neurons and glia is based on studies using cultured cells, from which mainly inferential conclusions have been drawn as to the relative roles of neurons and glia in brain metabolism. In this study, we used functional genomics to establish the relative compartmentalization of neuronal and astrocytic metabolic pathways in the adult brain. To this end, fluorescence-activated cell sorting was used to directly isolate neurons and protoplasmic astrocytes from the cortex of adult mice. Microarray analysis showed that astrocytes and neurons each express transcripts predicting individual self-sufficiency in both glycolysis and oxidative metabolism. Surprisingly, most enzymes in the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle were expressed at higher relative levels in astrocytes than in neurons. Mass spectrometric analysis of the TCA cycle intermediates confirmed that freshly isolated adult astrocytes maintained an active TCA cycle, whereas immuno-electron microscopy revealed that fine astrocytic processes encompassing synapses contained a higher density of mitochondria than surrounding cells. These observations indicate that astrocytes exhibit robust oxidative metabolism in the intact adult brain and suggest a prominent contribution of astrocytic metabolism to functional brain imaging, including BOLD (blood-oxygen level-dependent) functional magnetic resonance imaging signals.
Trusting Our Memories: Dissociating the Neural Correlates of Confidence in Veridical versus Illusory Memories
Authors: Kim Hongkeun , Cabeza Roberto
Published: November 2007

Although memory confidence and accuracy tend to be positively correlated, people sometimes remember with high confidence events that never happened. How can confidence correlate with accuracy but apply also to illusory memories? One possible explanation is that high confidence in veridical versus illusory memories depends on different neural mechanisms. The present study investigated this possibility using functional magnetic resonance imaging and a modified version of the Deese-Roediger-McDermott false-memory paradigm. Participants read short lists of categorized words, and brain activity was measured while they performed a recognition test with confidence rating. The study yielded three main findings. First, compared with low-confidence responses, high-confidence responses were associated with medial temporal lobe (MTL) activity in the case of true recognition but with frontoparietal activity in the case of false recognition. Second, these regions showed significant confidence-by-veridicality interactions. Finally, only MTL regions showed greater activity for high-confidence true recognition than for high-confidence false recognition, and only frontoparietal regions showed greater activity for high-confidence false recognition than for high-confidence true recognition. These findings indicate that confidence in true recognition is mediated primarily by a recollection-related MTL mechanism, whereas confidence in false recognition reflects mainly a familiarity-related frontoparietal mechanism. This account is consistent with the fuzzy trace theory of false recognition. Correlation analyses revealed that MTL and frontoparietal regions play complementary roles during episodic retrieval. In sum, the present study shows that when one focuses exclusively on high-confidence responses, the neural correlates of true and false memory are clearly different.
Somatostatin Peptides Produce Multiple Effects on Gating Properties of Native Cone Photoreceptor cGMP-Gated Channels That Depend on Circadian Phase and Previous Illumination
Authors: Chen Shih-Kuo , Ko Gladys Y.-P. , Dryer Stuart E.
Published: November 2007

A subpopulation of avian amacrine cells expresses somatostatin-14 (SS14) and somatostatin-28 (SS28), which provide a potential efferent limb for light-dependent regulation of photoreceptors. Here, we demonstrate that SS14 and SS28 modulate cone photoreceptor cGMP-gated channels (CNGCs) through multiple mechanisms. In chicken cones cultured in constant darkness for 2 d after previous entrainment to light–dark (LD) cycles or in cells maintained in LD, application of 100 nmSS14 or 100 nmSS28 for either 15 min or 2 h caused a decrease in the sensitivity of CNGCs to cGMP during the night, at circadian time 16 (CT16)–CT20 or zeitgeber time 16 (ZT16)–ZT20. SS14 had no effect during the day (CT4–CT8 or ZT4–ZT8). These effects persist in cells pretreated with pertussis toxin (PTX) and, like dopamine, may work to reinforce long-term circadian fluctuations in CNGCs driven by oscillators within the photoreceptors themselves. In contrast, a 15 min exposure to SS28 caused a seemingly paradoxical increase in the sensitivity of CNGCs to cGMP during the early day (ZT4–ZT6), but only in cones maintained in LD. This effect of SS28 desensitizes rapidly, is blocked by pretreatment with PTX, and is selectively mimicked by the cyclohexapeptide agonist MK-678. This transient response also requires activation of phospholipase C and protein kinase C. The transient response to SS28 may play a role in photoreceptor adaptation to rapid changes in ambient illumination. These data also show that photoreceptor responses to at least some peptide neurotransmitters depend on the previous history of light exposure.
Dual Modes of Munc18-1/SNARE Interactions Are Coupled by Functionally Critical Binding to Syntaxin-1 N Terminus
Authors: Khvotchev Mikhail , Dulubova Irina , Sun Jianyuan , Dai Han , Rizo Josep , Südhof Thomas C.
Published: November 2007

The SM (Sec1/Munc18-like) protein Munc18-1 and the solubleN-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein (SNAP) receptor (SNARE) proteins syntaxin-1, SNAP-25, and synaptobrevin/VAMP (vesicle-associated membrane protein) constitute the core fusion machinery for synaptic vesicle exocytosis. Strikingly, Munc18-1 interacts with neuronal SNARE proteins in two distinct modes (i.e., with isolated syntaxin-1 alone in a “closed” conformation and with assembled SNARE complexes containing syntaxin-1 in an “open” conformation). However, it is unclear whether the two modes of Munc18/SNARE interactions are linked. We now show that both Munc18/SNARE interaction modes involve the same low-affinity binding of the extreme syntaxin-1 N terminus to Munc18-1, suggesting that this binding connects the two Munc18/SNARE interaction modes to each other. Using transfected cells as anin vitroassay system, we demonstrate that truncated syntaxins lacking a transmembrane region universally block exocytosis, but only if they contain a free intact N terminus. This block is enhanced by coexpression of either Munc18-1 or SNAP-25, suggesting that truncated syntaxins block exocytosis by forming an untethered inhibitory SNARE complex/Munc18-1 assembly in which the N-terminal syntaxin/Munc18 interaction is essential. Introduction of an N-terminal syntaxin peptide that disrupts this assembly blocks neurotransmitter release in the calyx of Held synapse, whereas a mutant peptide that does not disrupt the SNARE complex/Munc18 assembly has no effect. Viewed together, our data indicate that binding of Munc18 to the syntaxin N terminus unites different modes of Munc18/SNARE interactions and is essential for exocytic membrane fusion.
Techne versus Technoscience: Divergent (and Ambiguous) Notions of Food “Quality” in the French Debate over GM Crops
Authors: HELLER CHAIA
Published: November 2007

In the French debate over genetically modified organisms (GMOs), actors present divergent definitions of food quality located between poles of technoscience and techne. Although scientists often define food quality in terms of technoscience, assessing food safety, small farmers often appeal to technes of production, positing GMOs as a rupture with artisanal culture. Whereas small farmers (from the union the Confédération Paysanne [CP]) deploy notions of “techne” to promote their anti‐GMO campaign, they often define quality in an ambiguous way, vacillating between ideas of agricultural method (technique) or production scale. Despite this ambiguity, the CP successfully designates GMOs as la malbouffe, or “bad” food, establishing themselves as protectors of artisanal technés such as Roquefort. Finally, unlike many cultures that cast GMOs as “unnatural,” the CP tends to frame GMOs as “uncultural.” In the French debate, the CP posits culture against a “culturelessness” associated with technoscience and industry‐driven foods such as GMOs and McDonald's.
Mass Producing Food Traditions for West Africans Abroad
Authors: RENNE ELISHA P.
Published: November 2007

In this article, I examine West African foods sold mainly in specialty grocery stores, focusing on how technologies used in food production in West Africa are referenced in the brand names and packaging of processed African foods sold in the United States. Through their association with “timeless” West African food‐processing techniques, such foods evoke memories of childhood and home. Yet the transformation of West African foods through new technologies of processing, packaging, and branding reflects different time and health concerns of West African immigrants living in the United States. Through their purchase of time‐saving, mass‐produced, and hygienically packaged foodstuffs, which are ideologically similar to but technologically very different from the production processes and cooking in Africa, West Africans in the United States use food to maintain social relations with their particular families, hometown associations, and religious groups, while also constituting national, regional, and global connections through the reinvention of food traditions.
“Our Beer”: Ethnographic Brands in Postsocialist Georgia
Authors: MANNING PAUL , UPLISASHVILI ANN
Published: November 2007

Although Georgia is known for its wines, industrial production of beer far outstrips industrial wine production for local markets: wine consumption occurs in ritual contexts in which new wine, typically purchased from peasant producers, is preferred; bottled, aged wines are primarily for exports. Beer, therefore, is a key area in which industrial production for indigenous consumers has been elaborated. Such goods are packaged and presented as being both ecologically “pure” and following “traditional” methods, often referencing “ethnographic” materials about traditional life in brand images, even as they proclaim their reliance on Western technologies.
Taste the Traditions: Crabs, Crab Cakes, and the Chesapeake Bay Blue Crab Fishery
Authors: PAOLISSO MICHAEL
Published: November 2007

For centuries, people in the Chesapeake Bay watershed have harvested and consumed blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus). Historically, the production of the crabs was intimately connected to the work and knowledge of commercial watermen. In recent years, declining crab populations have resulted in an increased local use of pasteurized crab meat imported from Asia and South America. Also emerging is an ecological discourse that emphasizes pollution reduction to save crabs to eat. In this article, I analyze these production and consumption changes for Chesapeake Bay blue crabs within a broad‐ranging framework of cultural models and environmental anthropology. Explicit textual information increasingly suggests that the cultural model of Chesapeake blue crabs as food is one of crab cakes made (with imported crab meat) in the “local tradition” and, to a lesser degree so far, is an emerging discourse presenting blue crabs as a culinary poster child for antipollution campaigns.
The Holy Spirit in the Household: Pentecostalism, Gender, and Neoliberalism in Mozambique
Authors: PFEIFFER JAMES , GIMBEL‐SHERR KENNETH , AUGUSTO ORVALHO JOAQUIM
Published: November 2007

The recent expansion of Pentecostalism and independent churches in Africa has generated growing interest among social scientists. This attention parallels a renewed interest among Africanists on witchcraft and occult activities, also believed by many to be increasing. Some suggest the two trends may be related, but it remains unclear how and why. Drawing on a study of Pentecostalism and health in the city of Chimoio, Mozambique, in 2002–03 that focused on attitudes toward recent social change, we argue that structural adjustment economic reforms have deepened economic inequality and exacerbated household stresses that affect men and women differently. Women increasingly seek spiritual help for reproductive health problems from Pentecostal churches, whereas men disproportionately pay traditional healers to engage “occult” practices to manage misfortune related to employment. The increased resort to both spiritual resources reveals social distress caused by economic adjustment, with important implications for health programs.
Changing Patterns of Infant Mortality and Maternal Fertility among Pumé Foragers and Horticulturalists
Authors: KRAMER KAREN L. , GREAVES RUSSELL D.
Published: November 2007

National census data show that the modern demographic transition—the recent trend toward declining mortality and fertility—is well underway in most countries. A different picture emerges when data from small‐scale societies in unindustrialized parts of the world are considered. Many of these small‐scale societies are also adapting to rapid changes in their subsistence economies. In this article, we examine the relationship between the pace of acculturation, infant mortality, and fertility levels among Pumé foragers and horticulturalists, two related groups of native South Americans. During the earliest stages of acculturation, Pumé horticulturalists experience not only a rapid drop in infant mortality but also a rise in birth rates. An anthropological view of demographic transitions provides important insight into how small‐scale societies are affected by exposure to the labor market economy and has practical applications to effective development initiatives and public health policies.
Global Citizenship and the Baha'i Faith
Authors: Williams Ruth
Published: November 2007

Attitudes towards refugees has been critiqued by Derrida (2002), who considers receptivity of host societies. Comparatively, Hage (2003) claims Australians are adopting a paranoid nationalism, subsequently hindering the adaptation of newcomers.

Features of a refugee group may be vital to appreciating their ultimate outcome. In-depth interviews with 7 Iranian Bahá’í refugees reveal the centrality of religion to their relatively consistent cosmopolitan identities.

Bahá’ís refer to their faith as a world religion where the key principle ‘elimination of all prejudices’ aspires to unity in diversity. Consequently, Bahá’ís stem from all parts of the world, constituting it as cosmopolitan religion.

Central tenets of their faith appear to facilitate the adaptation process. ‘The unity of humankind’, means Bahá’ís refer to themselves as citizens of the world. Thus, identifying as Bahá’í rather than Iranian or Australian, meaning the values underpinning religion outweigh national or ethnic identity.
Cytogenetic Studies on Diploid and Autotetraploid Common Buckwheat and Their Autotriploid and Trisomics
Authors: Chen Qing‐Fu , Hsam Sai L. K. , Zeller Friedrich J.
Published: November 2007

Crossing autotetraploid plants with diploid parent is an efficient way to produce autotriploid and trisomics. Comparative studies on cytogenetics and pollen fertility in diploid and autotetraploid common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum Moench) and their autotriploid hybrids and trisomics were conducted. Observation of meiosis metaphase I of pollen mother cells showed that the average configurations of chromosome pairing in the autotetraploid cultivar Emka, its inbreeding line Emka‐1, and autotriploid hybrids were 0.67I + 11.60II + 0.32 III + 1.79IV, 0.71I + 7.42II + 1.19 III + 3.22IV, and 4.71I + 4.71II + 3.29III, respectively. The average numbers of micronuclei in telophase II cells in the diploid cultivar Siva, autotetraploids Emka and Emka‐1, and the autotriploid hybrids were 0.03, 0.09, 0.20, and 0.86, respectively. Siva had the highest pollen fertility (98.89%), followed by the autotetraploids Emka and Emka‐1 (95.33 and 93.33%); the autotriploid hybrids had the lowest (31.28%). When autotriploid hybrids were backcrossed with diploid cultivar Sobano, 27.72% of the flowers pollinated yielded shriveled dead seeds, and only 3.08% yielded normal seeds. Of the 34 achenes of the autotriploid hybrids, 6 were double trisomics (2n + 2), 23 trisomics (2n + 1) and 5 diploids (2n). The segregation of short‐style (Ss) and long‐style (ss) plants in backcrossing progenies of trisomics showed that the S gene of common buckwheat was located on chromosome 4E. The common buckwheat trisomic lines produced in this study will become an important tool for common buckwheat genetics and breeding.
Weak Signal: Evidence of IFRS and U.S. GAAP Convergence from Nokia's 20-F Reconciliations
Authors: Henry Elaine , Lin Stephen W. , Yang Ya-wen
Published: November 2007

This case examines convergence of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and U.S. GAAP from the perspective of a single company over a 13year period. Nokia, whose American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) have been traded on the NYSE since 1994, offers you an opportunity to examine the accounting differences under the two sets of accounting standards and their convergence over time.
Inconsistencies in the Differential Diagnosis of Open Bite
Authors: Arat Zuleyha Mirzen , Akcam Mehmet Okan , Esenlik Elçin , Arat F. Emel
Published: November 2007

Objective: To examine inconsistencies in the differential diagnosis of open bite.

Materials and Methods: Using visual judgments, a total of 77 anterior open-bite cases in the postpubertal growth period were grouped as either morphogenetic, functional, or combination. The same sample was also grouped as either hyperdivergent, normodivergent, or hypodivergent using mandibular-plane angle and conventional cephalometry. Kappa analysis was used to test the agreement between the 2 methods of evaluation, and χ2 tests were used to analyze the distribution of cephalometrically grouped hyperdivergent, normodivergent, and hypodivergent cases among the visually assessed morphogenetic, functional and combination groups and vice versa. A κ score of 0.343 indicated a weak agreement between visual judgment and cephalometric methods of evaluation (P < .001).

Results: Despite the expectation that cases evaluated as hyperdivergent using cephalometry would be visually evaluated as morphogenetic, more than half of the cases assessed as hyperdivergent were in fact classified as functional.

Conclusions: These findings highlight the inadequacy of relying solely on cephalometric evaluation to classify open bite.
Asymmetry of the Face in Orthodontic Patients
Authors: Haraguchi Seiji , Iguchi Yoshitaka , Takada Kenji
Published: November 2007

Objective: To investigate the laterality of the normal asymmetry of the human face, examining differences in laterality in relation to sex, growth stage, and skeletal classification.

Materials and Methods: A total of 1800 Japanese subjects (651 males and 1149 females; mean age, 15 years 3 months; range, 4 years 2 months to 59 years 11 months) were selected. Individuals in the sample were categorized according to sex, one of three growth stages, and one of three skeletal patterns. Differences in length between distances from the points at which ear rods were inserted to the facial midline and the perpendicular distance from the soft-tissue menton to the facial midline were measured on a frontal facial photograph. Subjects with a discrepancy of more than 3 standard deviations of the measurement error were categorized as having left- or right-sided laterality.

Results: Of subjects with facial asymmetry, 79.7% had a wider right hemiface, and 79.3% of those with chin deviation had left-sided laterality. These tendencies were independent of sex, age, or skeletal jaw relationships. In this regard, during pubertal growth, the proportion of subjects with wider right hemiface decreased (P < .0001), whereas the proportion of those with a wider left hemiface increased (P < .01), despite a consistent tendency for right-sided dominance.

Conclusion: These results suggest that laterality in the normal asymmetry of the face, which is consistently found in humans, is likely to be a hereditary rather than an acquired trait.
Aging in the Craniofacial Complex
Authors: Dager Marcus M. , McNamara James A. , Baccetti Tiziano , Franchi Lorenzo
Published: November 2007

Objective: To describe the dental arch changes occurring after adolescence through the sixth decade of life.

Materials and Methods: Longitudinal dental casts from 40 patients (20 male and 20 female) were digitized and analyzed. Measurements were recorded after the presumed cessation of circumpubertal growth (T1), at approximately 47 years of age (T2), and at least one decade later (T3) were compared.

Results: The majority of the measurements were found to have a significant time effect, demonstrating at least some level of change throughout the aging process (T1–T3). Exceptions to this observation were the posterior maxillary arch width measurements, mandibular intermolar and interpremolar (as measured at the second premolars) widths, the maxillary incisor irregularity index, overjet, overbite, and curve of Spee. The T1–T3 changes reflected for the most part the T1– T2 changes, while the T2–T3 changes affected overall modifications only for the mandibular intercanine width and maxillary depth, as measured at the second premolars. All changes reflected a decrease in arch width, depth, and perimeter, with a significant increase in the mandibular incisor irregularity index.

Conclusions: The dental arches continue to change and adapt throughout life and into the sixth decade, though the degree of change decreases with time.
Effects of Rapid Maxillary Expansion on Conductive Hearing Loss
Authors: Kilic Nihat , Kiki Ali , Oktay Hüsamettin , Selimoglu Erol
Published: November 2007

Objective: To test the null hypothesis that rapid maxillary expansion (RME) with a rigid bonded appliance has no effect on conductive hearing loss (CHL) in growing children.

Materials and Methods: Fifteen growing subjects (mean age 13.43 ± 0.86 years) who had narrow maxillary arches and CHL participated in this study. Three pure-tone audiometric and tympanometric records were taken from each subject. The first records were taken before RME (T1), the second after maxillary expansion (T2) (mean = 0.83 months), and the third after retention (mean = 6 months) and fixed appliance treatment (approximately 2 years) periods (T3). The data were analyzed by means of analysis of variance (ANOVA) and least significant difference (LSD) tests.

Results: Hearing levels of the patients were improved and air-bone gaps decreased at a statistically significant level (P < .001) during active expansion (T2–T1) and the retention and fixed appliance treatment (T2–T3) periods. Middle ear volume increased in all observation periods. However, a statistically significant increase was observed only in the T2–T3 period. No significant change was observed in the static compliance value.

Conclusions: The hypothesis is rejected. RME treatment has a positive and statistically significant effect on both improvements in hearing and normal function of the eustachian tube in patients having transverse maxillary deficiency and CHL.
Linear Accuracy and Reliability of Cone Beam CT Derived 3-Dimensional Images Constructed Using an Orthodontic Volumetric Rendering Program
Authors: Periago Danielle R. , Scarfe William C. , Moshiri Mazyar , Scheetz James P. , Silveira Anibal M. , Farman Allan G.
Published: November 2007

Objective: To compare accuracy of linear measurements made on cone beam computed tomographic (CBCT) derived 3-dimensional (3D) surface rendered volumetric images to direct measurements made on human skulls.

Materials and Methods: Twenty orthodontic linear measurements between anatomical landmarks on 23 human skulls were measured by observers using a digital caliper. The skulls were imaged with CBCT and Dolphin 3D (version 2.3) software used to generate 3D volumetric reconstructions (3DCBCT). The linear measurements between landmarks were computed by a single observer three times and compared to anatomic dimensions using Student's t-test (P ≤ .05). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and absolute linear and percentage error were calculated.

Results: The ICC for 3DCBCT (0.975 ± 0.016) was significantly less than for skull (0.996 ± 0.007) measurements. Mean percentage measurement error for 3DCBCT (2.31% ± 2.11%) was significantly higher than replicate skull measurements (0.63% ± 0.51%). Statistical differences between 3DCBCT means and true dimensions were found for all of the midsagittal measurements except Na-A and six of the 12 bilateral measurements. The mean percentage difference between the mean skull and 3D-based linear measurements was −1.13% (SD ± 1.47%). Ninety percent of mean differences were less than 2 mm, and 95% confidence intervals were all less than 2 mm except for Ba-ANS (3.32 mm) and Pog-Goleft (2.42 mm).

Conclusions: While many linear measurements between cephalometric landmarks on 3D volumetric surface renderings obtained using Dolphin 3D software generated from CBCT datasets may be statistically significantly different from anatomic dimensions, most can be considered to be sufficiently clinically accurate for craniofacial analyses.
Assessing Recovery and Establishing Prognosis Following Total Knee Arthroplasty
Authors: Kennedy Deborah M , Stratford Paul W , Riddle Daniel L , Hanna Steven E , Gollish Jeffrey D
Published: November 2007

Background and Purpose

Information about expected rate of change after arthroplasty is critical for making prognostic decisions related to rehabilitation. The goals of this study were: (1) to describe the pattern of change in lower-extremity functional status of patients over a 1-year period after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and (2) to describe the effect of preoperative functional status on change over time.

Subjects

Eighty-four patients (44 female, 40 male) with osteoarthritis, mean age of 66 years (SD=9), participated.

Methods

Repeated measurements for the Lower Extremity Functional Scale (LEFS) and the Six-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) were taken over a 1-year period. Data were plotted to examine the pattern of change over time. Different models of recovery were explored using nonlinear mixed-effects modeling that accounted for preoperative status and gender.

Results

Growth curves were generated that depict the rate and amount of change in LEFS scores and 6MWT distances up to 1 year following TKA. The curves account for preoperative status and gender differences across participants.

Discussion and Conclusion

The greatest improvement occurred in the first 12 weeks after TKA. Slower improvement continued to occur from 12 weeks to 26 weeks after TKA, and little improvement occurred beyond 26 weeks after TKA. The findings can be used by physical therapists to make prognostic judgments related to the expected rate of improvement following TKA and the total amount of improvement that may be expected.
Emulsion grafting of vinyl acetate onto preirradiated poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) film
Authors: Wada Yuki , Tamada Masao , Seko Noriaki , Mitomo Hiroshi
Published: November 2007

Vinyl acetate (VAc) was grafted onto poly(3‐hydroxybutyrate) film by a preirradiation method. Grafting reactions were carried out in VAc/water/surfactant emulsion, VAc/water, and VAc/methanol systems. For emulsion grafting, Nonion L‐4 was ascertained to be the optimum surfactant with respect to the stability of a single emulsion layer. The emulsion with a 10 : 1 (w/w) ratio of VAc to surfactant yielded the highest degree of grafting: 23%. The grafting efficiency in the emulsion and the water and methanol solvents were evaluated. The results indicated that the grafting efficiency of the emulsion was 100 times that of VAc/methanol when the same 2 wt % VAc was used in the grafting reaction. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
New antimicrobial epoxy‐resin‐bearing Schiff‐base metal complexes
Authors: Ahamad Tansir , Nishat N.
Published: November 2007

New epoxy resins, ER1–M(II) and ER2–M(II) (molar ratio of epichlorohydrin), bearing Schiff‐base metal complexes were prepared by the condensation of epichlorohydrin with Schiff‐base metal complexes (L2M, azomethine metal complexes) in 2 : 1 and 1.25 : 1 molar ratios, respectively, in an alkaline medium. The synthesized epoxy resins were characterized by various instrumental techniques, such as analytical, spectral, and thermal analysis. The epoxide equivalent weight (g/equiv) and epoxy value (equiv/100 g) of the synthesized epoxy resins were measured by standard procedures. The results of thermogravimetric analysis ascribed that ER2–M(II) showed better heat‐resistance properties than ER1–M(II) epoxy resin. The glass‐transition temperatures of all of the synthesized polymers were in the range 153–230°C. The antimicrobial activities of these resins were screened against some bacteria and against some yeast with an agar well diffusion method. All of the synthesized resins showed promising antimicrobial activities. Cu(II)‐chelated resin showed wider effective antibacterial and antifungal activities than the other resins because of a higher stability constant. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Rheological behavior of polymer solutions during fabric coating
Authors: Zhao X. , Stylios G. K. , Christie R. M.
Published: November 2007

The overall performance of coated products is determined by the intrinsic material properties in solution and processing conditions. To characterize the behavior of these materials, the viscosity of polymers in solution at various concentrations was measured and the experimental data were fitted with the Carreau model. The results describe the rheological behavior of coating materials, and provide a basis for the modeling of polymer flow during the coating process. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008
Folic acid supplementation and neural tube defect recurrence prevention
Authors: Grosse Scott D. , Collins Julianne S.
Published: November 2007

BACKGROUND:

It is well established that women who have had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect (NTD) have an elevated risk of a subsequent NTD‐affected pregnancy and that a high dose (4 mg/day) of folic acid taken around the time of conception prevents most recurrences of NTDs.

METHODS:

We reviewed the literature to identify studies that quantify the reduction in risk if women with a prior‐NTD affected pregnancy consistently take folic acid before and during a subsequent pregnancy and the effectiveness of NTD recurrence prevention programs in increasing the percentage of women who consistently consume folic acid supplements.

RESULTS:

A meta‐analysis of randomized trials of folic acid for the prevention of recurrent NTDs indicates a 69% reduction in recurrence risk if analyzed on an intention‐to‐treat basis and an 87% reduction among those women who took supplements prior to the beginning of pregnancy. Observational studies report reductions in recurrence risk of 85% to 100% among women taking folic acid prior to subsequent pregnancies. The percentage of women who take folic acid prior to a subsequent pregnancy has been reported to vary from 33% to 85%, varying with the demographic background and the intensity of folic acid counseling efforts.

CONCLUSIONS:

Targeted folic acid information and counseling provided to women with an NTD‐affected pregnancy has been demonstrated to substantially reduce the risk of recurrent NTDs and is feasible to implement on a public health basis. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 79:737–742, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Acute effect of antidiabetic 1,4‐dihydropyridine compound cerebrocrast on cardiac function and glucose metabolism in the isolated, perfused normal rat heart
Authors: Briede Janina , Stivrina Mara , Vigante Brigita , Stoldere Dzintra , Duburs Gunars
Published: November 2007

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is an important cardiovascular risk factor and is associated with abnormalities in endothelial and vascular smooth muscle cell function, evoked by chronic hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia. Chronic insulin deficiency or resistance is marked by decreases in the intensity of glucose transport, glucose phosphorylation, and glucose oxidation, plus decreases in ATP levels in cardiac myocytes. It is important to search for new agents that promote glucose consumption in the heart and partially inhibit extensive fatty acid beta‐oxidation observed in diabetic, ischemia. When the oxygen supply for myocardium is decreased, the heart accumulates potentially toxic intermediates of fatty acid beta‐oxidation, that is, long‐chain acylcarnitine and long‐chain acyl‐CoA metabolites. Exogenous glucose and heart glycogen become an important compensatory source of energy.

Therefore we studied the effect of the antidiabetic 1,4‐dihydropyridine compound cerebrocrast at concentrations from 10−10 M to 10−7 M on isolated rat hearts using the method of Langendorff, on physiological parameters and energy metabolism. Cerebrocrast at concentrations from 10−10 M to 10−7 M has a negative inotropic effect on the rat heart. It inhibits L‐type Ca2+channels thereby diminishing the cellular Ca2+ supply, reducing contractile activity, and oxygen consumption, that normally favors enhanced glucose uptake, metabolism, and production of high‐energy phosphates (ATP content) in myocardium. Cerebrocrast decreases heart rate and left ventricular (LV) systolic pressure; at concentrations of 10−10 M and 10−9 M it evokes short‐term vasodilatation of coronary arteries. Increase of ATP content in the myocytes induced by cerebrocrast has a ubiquitous role. It can preserve the integrity of the cell plasma membranes, maintain normal cellular function, and inhibit release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) from cells that is associated with diabetes and heart ischemia. Administration of cerebrocrast together with insulin shows that both compounds only slightly enhance glucose uptake in myocardium, but significantly normalize the rate of contraction and relaxation ( ± dp/dt). The effect of insulin on coronary flow is more pronounced by administration of insulin together with cerebrocrast at a concentration of 10−7 M. Cerebrocrast may promote a shift of glucose consumption from aerobic to anerobic conditions (through the negative inotropic properties), and may be very significant in prevention of cardiac ischemic episodes. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Strong P2X4 purinergic receptor‐like immunoreactivity is selectively associated with degenerating neurons in transgenic rodent models of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis
Authors: Casanovas Anna , Hernández Sara , Tarabal Olga , Rosselló Jaume , Esquerda Josep E.
Published: November 2007

The distribution of the P2X family of ATP receptors was analyzed in a rat model for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) expressing mutated human superoxide dismutase (mSOD1G93A). We showed that strong P2X4 immunoreactivity was selectively associated with degenerating motoneurons (MNs) in spinal cord ventral horn. Degenerating P2X4‐positive MNs did not display apoptotic features such as chromatin condensation, positive TUNEL reaction, or active caspase 3 immunostaining. In contrast, these neurons showed other signs of abnormality, such as loss of the neuronal marker NeuN and recruitment of microglial cells with neuronophagic activity. Similar changes were observed in MNs from the cerebral cortex and brainstem in mSOD1G93A in both rat and mice. In addition, P2X4 immunostaining demonstrated the existence of neuronal degeneration in the locus coeruleus, reticular formation, and Purkinje cells of the cerebellar cortex. It is suggested that abnormal trafficking and proteolytic processing of the P2X4 receptor protein may underlie these changes. J. Comp. Neurol. 506:75–92, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Fate mapping Nkx2.1‐lineage cells in the mouse telencephalon
Authors: Xu Qing , Tam Melissa , Anderson Stewart A.
Published: November 2007

The homeodomain transcription factor Nkx2.1 is expressed in the pallidal (subcortical) telencephalon, including the medial ganglionic eminence (MGE) and preoptic area. Studies have shown that Nkx2.1 is required for normal patterning of the MGE and for the specification of the parvalbumin (PV)‐ and somatostatin (SST)‐expressing cortical interneurons. To define the contribution of Nkx2.1 lineages to neurons in the mature telencephalon, we have generated transgenic mice carrying the genomic integration of a modified bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC) in which the second exon of Nkx2.1 is replaced by the Cre recombinase. Analysis of these mice has found that they express the Cre recombinase and Cre reporters within Nkx2.1‐expressing domains of the brain, thyroid, pituitary, and lung. Telencephalic expression of reporters begins at about embryonic day 10.5. Expression both of Cre and of recombination‐based Cre reporters is weaker within the dorsalmost region of the MGE than in other Nkx2.1‐expressing regions. In this paper, we present fate‐mapping data on Nkx2.1‐lineage neurons throughout the telencephalon, including the cerebral cortex, amygdala, olfactory bulb, striatum, globus pallidus, septum, and nucleus basalis. J. Comp. Neurol. 506:16–29, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Differential expression patterns of messenger RNAs encoding nogo receptors and their ligands in the rat central nervous system
Authors: Funahashi Shinji , Hasegawa Tomohiko , Nagano Akira , Sato Kohji
Published: November 2007

Nogo receptors (NgR1, ‐2, and ‐3) and their ligands, i.e., myelin‐derived neurite outgrowth inhibitor (Nogo)‐A, myelin‐associated glycoprotein (MAG), and oligodendrocyte myelin glycoprotein (OMgp), have been considered to play pivotal roles in controlling axonal regeneration and neuronal plasticity. We show here that NgR1–3 mRNAs were differentially expressed exclusively in neurons situated in the telencephalon, diencephalons, and cerebellum, whereas we could not detect any NgR1–3 mRNA expression in the mesencephalon, pons, medulla oblongata, and spinal cord. On the other hand, Nogo‐A mRNA was abundantly expressed in both neurons and oligodendrocytes throughout the central nervous system (CNS). MAG and OMgp mRNAs were also abundantly expressed in oligodendrocytes throughout the CNS. Interestingly, we did not detect NgR1–3 mRNAs in monoaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra, ventral tegmental area, locus caeruleus, and raphe nuclei, which are known to have high regenerative capacity. In addition, although neurons in the reticular thalamus and cerebellar nuclei are also known to show high capacity for regeneration, NgR1–3 mRNAs were not detected there. These data indicate that NgR1–3, Nogo‐A, MAG, and OMgp mRNAs are differentially expressed in the rat CNS and suggest that the level of NgR1–3 expression in a neuron might determine its regenerative capacity. J. Comp. Neurol. 506:141–160, 2008. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Broad Beam Ion Sources for Electrostatic Space Propulsion and Surface Modification Processes: From Roots to Present Applications
Authors: Neumann H. , Tartz M. , Scholze F. , Chassé T. , Kersten H. , Leiter H.
Published: November 2007

Ion thrusters or broad beam ion sources are widely used in electrostatic space propulsion and in high‐end surface modification processes. A short historical review of the roots of electric space propulsion is given. In the following, we introduce the electrostatic ion thrusters and broad beam ion sources based on different plasma excitation principles and describe the similarities as well as the differences briefly. Furthermore, an overview on source plasma and ion beam characterisation methods is presented. Apart from that, a beam profile modelling strategy with the help of numerical trajectory codes as basis for a special grid system design is outlined. This modelling represents the basis for the adaptation of a grid system for required technological demands. Examples of model validation demonstrate their reliability. One of the main challenges in improvement of ion beam technologies is the customisation of the ion beam properties, e.g. the ion current density profile for specific demands. Methods of an ex‐situ and in‐situ beam profile control will be demonstrated. Examples for the use of ion beam technologies in space and on earth – the RIT‐10 rescue mission of ESA's satellite Artemis, the RIT‐22 for BepiColombo mission and the deposition of multilayer stacks for EUVL (Extreme Ultra Violet Lithography) mask blank application are provided in order to illustrate the potential of plasma‐based ion beam sources. (© 2007 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)