bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Phase change mechanisms in Ge2Sb2Te5
Authors: Privitera S. , Lombardo S. , Bongiorno C. , Rimini E. , Pirovano A.
Published: July 2007

We study the phase transition from amorphous to face-centered-cubic (fcc) polycrystalline Ge2Sb2Te5 thin films. The transformation has the peculiar characteristic, still not well understood, of coexisting high transition rates at low annealing temperature (with grain growth velocities of the order of 1nm∕min at 140°C) and large activation energies (about 2–2.5eV). In this work all kinetic parameters governing the transition have been determined by in situ transmission electron microscopy analysis. They are thermally activated and consistently show large anomalies in the preexponential terms of transient and steady-state nucleation rates and grain growth rate. A possible explanation for these observations is described, based on a recently proposed atomic structure of the fcc Ge2Sb2Te5, characterized by a high level of disorder and distortion at the short range.
Optical transitions in type-II InAs∕GaAs quantum dots covered by a GaAsSb strain-reducing layer
Authors: Jin C. Y. , Liu H. Y. , Zhang S. Y. , Jiang Q. , Liew S. L. , Hopkinson M. , Badcock T. J. , Nabavi E. , Mowbray D. J.
Published: July 2007

The excitation power dependence of the ground and excited state transitions in type-II InAs-GaAs0.78Sb0.22 quantum dot structure has been studied. Both transitions exhibit a strong blueshift with increasing excitation power but their separation remains constant. This behavior indicates a carrier-induced electric field oriented predominantly along the growth axis, which requires the holes to be localized in the GaAsSb above quantum dots. An accelerated blueshift of the ground state emission is observed once the excited state in the dots starts to populate. This behavior can be explained by a smaller spontaneous recombination coefficient for the excited state transition.
Face-centered-cubic Si nanocrystals prepared by microsecond pulsed laser ablation
Authors: Du Xi-Wen , Qin Wen-Jing , Lu Ying-Wei , Han Xue , Fu Ying-Song , Hu Sheng-Liang
Published: July 2007

Nonagglomerated Si nanocrystals with face-centered-cubic (fcc) crystal structure was synthesized by microsecond pulse laser ablation in water. The long pulse width of the adopted laser is propitious to generating a high-temperature-and-high-pressure ambient, which is responsible for the formation of fcc Si nanocrystals. The fcc Si suspension exhibits a broad photoluminescence band in visible range and shows potential application in biological and medical fields.
Active Q control in tuning-fork-based atomic force microscopy
Authors: Jahng Junghoon , Lee Manhee , Noh Hanheol , Seo Yongho , Jhe Wonho
Published: July 2007

The authors present comprehensive theoretical analysis and experimental realization of active Q control for the self-oscillating quartz tuning fork (TF). It is shown that the quality factor Q can be increased (decreased) by adding the signal of any phase lag, with respect to the drive signal, in the range of θ1 to θ1+π (θ1+π to θ1+2π), where θ1 is the characteristic constant of TF. Experimentally, the nominal Q value of 4.7×103 is decreased to 1.8×103 or increased to 5.0×104 in ambient condition, where the minimum detectable force is estimated to be 4.9×10−14N at 1Hz. The novel Q control scheme demonstrated in the widely used quartz TF is expected to contribute much to scanning probe microscopy of, in particular, soft and biological materials.
Thickness measurement of sample in diamond anvil cell
Authors: Li Ming , Gao Chunxiao , Peng Gang , He Chunyuan , Hao Aimin , Huang Xiaowei , Zhang Dongmei , Yu Cuiling , Ma Yanzhang , Zou Guangtian
Published: July 2007

We report on an original method that measures sample thickness in a diamond anvil cell under high pressures. The method is based on two hypotheses: completely plastic deformation on the gasket and completely elastic deformation of the diamonds. This method can further eliminate the effect of diamond deformation on the thickness measurement of a sample, which permits us to measure the thickness of alumina up to 41.4GPa.
Spectroscopic evidence for a surface layer in CuInSe2:Cu deficiency
Authors: Han Sung-Ho , Hasoon Falah S. , Hermann Allen M. , Levi Dean H.
Published: July 2007

The near-surface region of thin-film polycrystalline (PX) CuIn1−xGaxSe2 (CIGS) is considered important because it is the region where the electrical junction forms in a CIGS photovoltaic device. Spectroscopic ellipsometry measurements of polycrystalline CuInSe2 films reveal that there is a thin layer at the surface which has different optical and electronic properties from those of the bulk film. This surface layer of thin-film CIGS has a larger band gap and greater spin-orbit interaction energy than the bulk film. These properties indicate that the surface layer is more Cu deficient than the bulk in the nearly stoichiometric thin-film PX-CIGS used in photovoltaic devices. This work provides an insight into the importance of surface layer engineering for photovoltaic device design.
Influences of submonolayer proteins on organic light-emitting diodes
Authors: Mizutani Wataru , Tsukagoshi Kiyomi , Sakaguchi Koichi , Chikamatsu Masayuki , Yoshida Yuji
Published: July 2007

The authors sandwiched protein molecules into the layered structure of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Light emission from the OLEDs was suppressed on the area with the protein submonolayers of 4–7nm thick. They found that this suppression depended on the density of the proteins and light emission efficiency reflected molecular properties. A bovine serum albumin layer decreased both the current and light emission, keeping the efficiency almost unchanged. In the case of cytochrome C, the emission was suppressed while current increased, resulting in low efficiency.
Impact dynamics and rebound of water droplets on superhydrophobic carbon nanotube arrays
Authors: Wang Z. , Lopez C. , Hirsa A. , Koratkar N.
Published: July 2007

The authors report the impact response of water droplets impinging on superhydrophobic carbon nanotube arrays and observe that arrays with different wetting properties display significantly different responses. For an array with a static contact angle of 163°, the droplet bounces off the surface several times, while for an array with a reduced contact angle of 140°, the droplet does not rebound and remains pinned. The contact angle hysteresis and contact line pinning for the 140° array suggest that the momentum of the droplet during the initial impact enables it to penetrate and displace the air pockets that are responsible for the superhydrophobicity of the array under static conditions.
Aristolochic acid and the etiology of endemic (Balkan) nephropathy
Authors: Grollman Arthur P. , Shibutani Shinya , Moriya Masaaki , Miller Frederick , Wu Lin , Moll Ute , Suzuki Naomi , Fernandes Andrea , Rosenquist Thomas , Medverec Zvonimir , Jakovina Krunoslav , Brdar Branko , Slade Neda , Turesky Robert J. , Goodenough Angela K. , Rieger Robert , Vukelić Mato , Jelaković Bojan
Published: July 2007

Endemic (Balkan) nephropathy (EN), a devastating renal disease affecting men and women living in rural areas of Bosnia, Bulgaria, Croatia, Romania, and Serbia, is characterized by its insidious onset, invariable progression to chronic renal failure and a strong association with transitional cell (urothelial) carcinoma of the upper urinary tract. Significant epidemiologic features of EN include its focal occurrence in certain villages and a familial, but not inherited, pattern of disease. Our experiments test the hypothesis that chronic dietary poisoning by aristolochic acid is responsible for EN and its associated urothelial cancer. Using
32
P-postlabeling/PAGE and authentic standards, we identified dA-aristolactam (AL) and dG-AL DNA adducts in the renal cortex of patients with EN but not in patients with other chronic renal diseases. In addition, urothelial cancer tissue was obtained from residents of endemic villages with upper urinary tract malignancies. The AmpliChip p53 microarray was then used to sequence exons 2–11 of the p53 gene where we identified 19 base substitutions. Mutations at A:T pairs accounted for 89% of all p53 mutations, with 78% of these being A:T → T:A transversions. Our experimental results, namely, that (
i
) DNA adducts derived from aristolochic acid (AA) are present in renal tissues of patients with documented EN, (
ii
) these adducts can be detected in transitional cell cancers, and (
iii
) A:T → T:A transversions dominate the p53 mutational spectrum in the upper urinary tract malignancies found in this population lead to the conclusion that dietary exposure to AA is a significant risk factor for EN and its attendant transitional cell cancer.
Congruence of molecules and morphology using a narrow allometric approach
Authors: Gilbert Christopher C. , Rossie James B.
Published: July 2007

There are many cases of incongruence between phylogenetic hypotheses produced from morphological data and those produced from molecular data. In such instances, many researchers prefer to accept the results of molecular phylogenies. For example, in a recent analysis of primate phylogenies based on craniodental characters, Collard and Wood [Collard M, Wood BA (2000)
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA
97:5003–5006] argued that, because craniodental data do not yield relationships concordant with molecular studies, the results of studies that employ such characters must be considered suspect. As most of our knowledge of mammalian evolution and phylogenetic history comes from craniodental fossils, these results have dramatic implications. However, the aforementioned analysis did not take into account the potentially confounding effects of allometry on quantitative craniodental characters. In this article, we employ a previously undescribed narrow allometric coding method that accounts for such confounding influences in phylogenetic analyses of craniodental morphology. By using essentially the same raw data set as Collard and Wood [Collard M, Wood BA (2000)
Proc Natl Acad Sci USA
97:5003–5006], 65 quantitative craniodental characters were adjusted in a parsimony analysis for the primate tribe Papionini, a group of monkeys argued to display extensive homoplasy. The resulting phylogenetic tree was congruent with the phylogenetic tree based on molecular data for these species, thereby meeting the “criterion of congruence.” These results suggest that morphological data, when treated properly, can be considered as reliable as molecular data in phylogenetic reconstruction. Rather than accepting phylogenetic hypotheses from one data source over another, cases of incongruence should be examined with greater scrutiny.
Functional specialization of β-arrestin interactions revealed by proteomic analysis
Authors: Xiao Kunhong , McClatchy Daniel B. , Shukla Arun K. , Zhao Yang , Chen Minyong , Shenoy Sudha K. , Yates John R. , Lefkowitz Robert J.
Published: July 2007

β-arrestins are cytosolic proteins that form complexes with seven-transmembrane receptors after agonist stimulation and phosphorylation by the G protein-coupled receptor kinases. They play an essential role in receptor desensitization and endocytosis, and they also serve as receptor-regulated signaling scaffolds and adaptors. Moreover, in the past decade, a growing list of protein–protein interactions of β-arrestins pertinent to these functions has been documented. The discovery of several novel functions of β-arrestins stimulated us to perform a global proteomics analysis of β-arrestin-interacting proteins (interactome) as modulated by a model seven-transmembrane receptor, the angiotensin II type 1a receptor, in an attempt to assess the full range of functions of these versatile molecules. As determined by LC tandem MS, 71 proteins interacted with β-arrestin 1, 164 interacted with β-arrestin 2, and 102 interacted with both β-arrestins. Some proteins bound only after agonist stimulation, whereas others dissociated. Bioinformatics analysis of the data indicates that proteins involved in cellular signaling, organization, and nucleic acid binding are the most highly represented in the β-arrestin interactome. Surprisingly, both S-arrestin (visual arrestin) and X-arrestin (cone arrestin) were also found in heteromeric complex with β-arrestins. The β-arrestin interactors distribute not only in the cytoplasm, but also in the nucleus as well as other subcellular compartments. The binding of 16 randomly selected newly identified β-arrestin partners was validated by coimmunoprecipitation assays in HEK293 cells. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of proteins that bind β-arrestin isoforms and underscores their potentially broad regulatory roles in mammalian cellular physiology.
Drug Electives for Undergraduate Mcdical Students
Authors: Pols R.G. , Southgate D.
Published: July 2007

Abstract: Drug and alcohol related problems are currently taught in a non‐integrated manner at Flinders Medical Centre. There is an elective, specific teaching in pharmacology, gastroenterology, neurology and psychiatry and a proposed elective to start in 1986.
New South Wales Nurse Education Project
Authors: Akers Jenny , Goodin Bill , Wilson Anna
Published: July 2007

Abstract: The development of a teaching package for nurse educators on drug and alcohol problems is described and the contents of its 16 modules outlined.
Chronic Pain ‐ A Physician's Viewpoint
Authors: Butler R.
Published: July 2007

Abstract: Psychological and social factors may have a profound influence on a patient's perception of pain. It is the responsibility of the physician to co‐ordinate the treatment of that pain and not to abnegate responsibility for it.
Early Detection of Narcotic Misuse
Authors: Baker Chris
Published: July 2007

Abstract: The role of the Central Board of Health in administering the legislation that controls narcotic drugs in South Australia is described and its powers outlined.
The C-type lectin L-SIGN differentially recognizes glycan antigens on egg glycosphingolipids and soluble egg glycoproteins from Schistosoma mansoni
Authors: Meyer Sandra , Tefsen Boris , Imberty Anne , Geyer Rudolf , van Die Irma
Published: July 2007

Recognition of pathogen-derived carbohydrate constituents by antigen presenting cells is an important step in the induction of protective immunity. Here we investigated the interaction of L-SIGN (liver/lymph node specific ICAM-3-grabbing nonintegrin), a C-type lectin that functions as antigen receptor on human liver sinusoidal endothelial cells, with egg-derived glycan antigens of the parasitic trematode Schistosoma mansoni. Our data demonstrate that L-SIGN binds both schistosomal soluble egg antigens (SEA) and egg glycosphingolipids, and can mediate internalization of SEA by L-SIGN expressing cells. Binding and internalization of SEA was strongly reduced after treatment of SEA with endoglycosidase H, whereas defucosylation affected neither binding nor internalization. These data indicate that L-SIGN predominantly interacts with oligomannosidic N-glycans of SEA. In contrast, binding to egg glycosphingolipids was completely abolished after defucosylation. Our data show that L-SIGN binds to a glycosphingolipid fraction containing fucosylated species with compositions of Hex1HexNAc5−7dHex3−6Cer, as evidenced by mass spectrometry. The L-SIGN “gain of function” mutant Ser363Val, which binds fucosylated Lewis antigens, did not bind to this fucosylated egg glycosphingolipid fraction, suggesting that L-SIGN displays different modes in binding fucoses of egg glycosphingolipids and Lewis antigens, respectively. Molecular modeling studies indicate that the preferred binding mode of L-SIGN to the respective fucosylated egg glycosphingolipid oligosaccharides involves a Fucα1-3GalNAcβ1-4(Fucα1-3)GlcNAc tetrasaccharide at the nonreducing end. In conclusion, our data indicate that L-SIGN recognizes both oligomannosidic N-glycans and multiply fucosylated carbohydrate motifs within Schistosoma egg antigens, which demonstrates that L-SIGN has a broad but specific glycan recognition profile.
Stichopin-containing nerves and secretory cells specific to connective tissues of the sea cucumber
Authors: Tamori Masaki , Saha Apurba Kumar , Matsuno Akira , Noskor Sukumar Chandra , Koizumi Osamu , Kobayakawa Yoshitaka , Nakajima Yoko , Motokawa Tatsuo
Published: July 2007

Stichopin, a 17-amino acid peptide isolated from a sea cucumber, affects the stiffness change of the body-wall catch connective tissues and the contraction of the body-wall muscles. The localization of stichopin in sea cucumbers was studied by indirect immunohistochemistry using antiserum against stichopin. Double staining was performed with both stichopin antiserum and 1E11, the monoclonal antibody specific to echinoderm nerves. A stichopin-like immunoreactivity (stichopin-LI) was exclusively found in the connective tissues of various organs. Many fibres and cells with processes were stained by both the anti-stichopin antibody and 1E11.They were found in the body-wall dermis and the connective tissue layer of the cloacae and were suggested to be connective tissue-specific nerves. Oval cells with stichopin-LI (OCS) without processes were found in the body-wall dermis, the connective tissue sheath of the longitudinal body-wall muscles, the connective tissue layer of the tube feet and tentacles, and the connective tissue in the radial nerves separating the ectoneural part from the hyponeural part. Electron microscopic observations of the OCSs in the radial nerves showed that they were secretory cells. The OCSs were located either near the well-defined neural structures or near the water-filled cavities, such as the epineural sinus and the canals of the tube feet. The location near the water-filled cavities might suggest that stichopin was secreted into these cavities to function as a hormone.
Evolution of a cichlid fish in a Lake Malawi satellite lake
Authors: Genner Martin J , Nichols Paul , Carvalho Gary R , Robinson Rosanna L , Shaw Paul W , Smith Alan , Turner George F
Published: July 2007

Allopatric divergence in peripheral habitats may lead to rapid evolution of populations with novel phenotypes. In this study we provide the first evidence that isolation in peripheral habitats may have played a critical role in generation of Lake Malawi's cichlid fish diversity. We show that Lake Chilingali, a satellite lake 11.5 km from the shore of Lake Malawi, contains a breeding population ofRhamphochromis, a predatory genus previously thought to be restricted to Lake Malawi and permanently connected water bodies. The Lake Chilingali population is the smallest knownRhamphochromis, has a unique male nuptial colour pattern and has significant differentiation in mitochondrial DNA from Lake Malawi species. In laboratory mate choice trials with a candidate sister population from Lake Malawi, females showed a strong tendency to mate assortatively indicating that they are incipient biological species. These data support the hypothesis that isolation and reconnection of peripheral habitats due to lake level changes have contributed to the generation of cichlid diversity within African lakes. Such cycles of habitat isolation and reconnection may also have been important in evolutionary diversification of numerous other abundant and wide-ranging aquatic organisms, such as marine fishes and invertebrates.
Evidence that the CM2 protein of influenza C virus can modify the pH of the exocytic pathway of transfected cells
Authors: Betakova Tatiana , Hay Alan J.
Published: July 2007

The 115 residue CM2 protein of influenza C virus is a structural homologue of the M2 protein of influenza A virus. Expression of the CM2 protein in Xenopus oocytes showed that it can form a voltage-activated ion channel permeable to Cl−. To investigate whether the CM2 protein has pH modulating activity comparable to that of the M2 protein, CM2 was co-expressed with a pH-sensitive haemagglutinin (HA) from influenza A virus. The results indicate that, like the M2 protein, the CM2 protein has a capacity to reduce the acidity of the exocytic pathway and reduce conversion of the pH-sensitive HA to its low pH conformation during transport to the cell surface. By contrast, the NB protein of influenza B virus has no detectable activity. Although, the pH modulating activity of the CM2 protein was substantially less than that of the M2 protein, these observations provide support for a role in virus uncoating analogous to that of M2.
Herpes simplex virus type 2 entry into cultured human corneal fibroblasts is mediated by herpesvirus entry mediator
Authors: Tiwari Vaibhav , Shukla Shripaad Y. , Yue Beatrice Y. J. T. , Shukla Deepak
Published: July 2007

Herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) infections in the eye are becoming increasingly common in adults. The most likely point of entry for HSV-2 into the eye is through the cornea. By using primary cultures of human corneal fibroblasts (CFs), a natural target-cell type for infection, it was demonstrated that CFs are highly susceptible to HSV-2 entry and replication. RT-PCR and flow-cytometry analyses demonstrated expression of herpesvirus entry mediator (HVEM), a known mediator for HSV-2 entry into cells. Blocking of virus entry into CFs by anti-HVEM antibody implicated HVEM as a potential receptor for HSV-2 infection. These results indicate that HVEM may play a crucial role in HSV-2-induced corneal infections.
Amino acids from both N-terminal hydrophobic regions of the Lassa virus envelope glycoprotein GP-2 are critical for pH-dependent membrane fusion and infectivity
Authors: Klewitz Christian , Klenk Hans-Dieter , ter Meulen Jan
Published: July 2007

Lassa virus glycoprotein 2 (LASV GP-2) belongs to the class I fusion protein family. Its N terminus contains two stretches of highly conserved hydrophobic amino acids (residues 260–266 and 276–298) that have been proposed as N-terminal or internal fusion peptide segments (N-FPS, I-FPS) by analogy with similar sequences of other viral glycoproteins or based on experimental data obtained with synthetic peptides, respectively. By using a pH-dependent, recombinant LASV glycoprotein mediated cell–cell fusion assay and a retroviral pseudotype infectivity assay, an alanine scan of all hydrophobic amino acids within both proposed FPSs was performed. Fusogenicity and infectivity were correlated, both requiring correct processing of the glycoprotein precursor. Most point mutations in either FPS accounted for reduced or abolished fusion or infection, respectively. Some mutations also had an effect on pre-fusion steps of virus entry, possibly by inducing structural changes in the glycoprotein. The data demonstrate that several amino acids from both hydrophobic regions of the N terminus, some of which (W264, G277, Y278 and L280) are 100 % conserved in all arenaviruses, are involved in fusogenicity and infectivity of LASV GP-2.
Quantitative profiling of the shedding rate of the three Marek's disease virus (MDV) serotypes reveals that challenge with virulent MDV markedly increases shedding of vaccinal viruses
Authors: Islam Aminul , Walkden-Brown Stephen W.
Published: July 2007

The shedding profile of Marek's disease virus serotype 1 (MDV1, virulent), serotype 2 (MDV2, vaccinal) and herpesvirus of turkeys (HVT, vaccinal) in commercial broiler chickens was determined by measuring the daily rate of production of feather dander from chickens housed in isolators and by quantifying the viral load of each of these serotypes in the dander using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). MDV1 and HVT viruses were detectable in dander filtered from isolator exhaust air from day 7 and MDV2 from day 12 after infection and thereafter until the end of the experiment at 61 days of age of the chickens. There was no difference in shedding rate among the three MDV1 isolates. Daily shedding of MDV1 increased sharply between days 7 and 28 and stabilized thereafter at about 109 virus copies per chicken per day, irrespective of vaccination status. Challenge with the three different MDV1 isolates markedly increased shedding of the vaccinal viruses HVT and MDV2 in dander by 38- and 75-fold, respectively. These results demonstrate the utility of qPCR for the differentiation and quantification of different MDV serotypes in feather dander and have significant implications for the routine monitoring of Marek's disease using qPCR assays of dust, for epidemiological modelling of the behaviour and spread of MDVs in chicken populations and for studies into the evolution of virulence in MDV1 in the face of blanket vaccination with imperfect vaccines that ameliorate disease but do not prevent infection and replication of virulent virus.
Assessment of leaf cover and crop soil cover in weed harrowing research using digital images
Authors: RASMUSSEN J , NØRREMARK M , BIBBY BM
Published: July 2007

Objective assessment of crop soil cover, defined as the percentage of leaf cover that has been buried in soil because of weed harrowing, is crucial to further progress in post‐emergence weed harrowing research. Up to now, crop soil cover has been assessed by visual scores, which are biased and context‐dependent. The aim of this study was to investigate whether digital image analysis is a feasible method to estimate crop soil cover in the early growth stages of cereals. Two main questions were examined: (i) how to capture suitable digital images under field conditions with a standard high‐resolution digital camera and (ii) how to analyse the images with an automated digital image analysis procedure. The importance of light conditions, camera angle, size of recorded area, growth stage and direction of harrowing were investigated, in order to establish a standard for image capture and an automated image analysis procedure based on the excess green colour index was developed. The study shows that the automated digital image analysis procedure provided reliable estimations of leaf cover, defined as the proportion of pixels in digital images determined to be green, which were used to estimate crop soil cover. A standard for image capture is suggested and it is recommended that digital image analysis be used to estimate crop soil cover in future research. The prospects of using digital image analysis in future weed harrowing research are discussed.
Thermal and hormonal regulation of the dormancy–germination transition in Amaranthus tuberculatus seeds
Authors: LEON R G , BASSHAM D C , OWEN M D K
Published: July 2007

The transition from seed dormancy to germination is a multi‐step process. However, distinguishing between physiological processes involved in seed dormancy alleviation and those involved in germination has been difficult. We studied the seed dormancy alleviation process in Amaranthus tuberculatus, an important weed species in midwestern USA. Using three A. tuberculatus biotypes that differ in dormancy level, it was determined that stratification reduced seed dormancy from a high to a low level. Temperature alternation alleviated low seed dormancy and triggered germination. Exogenously applied abscisic acid (ABA) and gibberellic acid (GA) had no effect on seeds with high dormancy. However, ABA and paclobutrazol (a GA biosynthesis inhibitor) significantly reduced germination of seeds with low dormancy. Hormones could not replace the effects of stratification or temperature alternation on dormancy alleviation. Based on our results, we propose a seed dormancy–germination transition model in which the dormancy of A. tuberculatus seeds is progressively reduced from a high to a low level; but environmental conditions (i.e. stratification) can accelerate the dormancy alleviation process. Under low dormancy levels, the seed is more sensitive to environmental cues that are responsible for removing dormancy and triggering germination (i.e. temperature alternation). Finally, ABA and GA regulation occurs primarily during the final transition from low dormancy to germination rather than the alleviation of high dormancy.
Comparison of outcomes with low‐dose anti‐thymocyte globulin, basiliximab or no induction therapy in pediatric kidney transplant recipients: A retrospective study
Authors: Baron Pedro W. , Ojogho Okechukwu N. , Yorgin Peter , Sahney Shobha , Cutler Drew , Ben‐Youssef Ramzi , Baqai Waheed , Weissman Jill , Franco Edson , Zuppan Craig , Concepcion Waldo
Published: July 2007

Abstract:  It is unclear which induction therapy yields the best outcomes in pediatric kidney transplantation. Retrospective data of 88 children receiving a renal allograft between November 1996 and October 2003 were analyzed. Patients received ATGI (n = 12), BI (n = 29), or NAI (n = 47). The mean ATG dose was 5.1 ± 2.1 mg/kg. At 12 months, graft survival rates were 91.7%, 100%, and 97.9% for ATGI, BI, and NAI groups, respectively. Acute rejection rates at 12 months were 0 (ATGI), 20.6% (BI), and 10.7% (NAI). The mean GFR for ATGI (42.4 ± 25.9 mL/min) was lower than for BI (78.3 ± 27.2 mL/min), and NAI (66 ± 28.3 mL/min) at 12 months (p < 0.05). One ATGI patient developed CMV pneumonia but none developed post‐transplant lymphoproliferative disorder. Although there was no renal allograft survival benefit with either ATGI or BI, relative to NAI, the absence of acute rejection and equivalent rates of viral infections in the higher‐risk ATGI recipient group suggests that the treatment strategy is promising. A large prospective study is needed to better define the role of ATGI in pediatric kidney transplantation.
Molecular markers for Ve1 and Ve2 Verticillium resistance genes from Italian tomato germplasm
Authors: Acciarri N. , Rotino G. L. , Tamietti G. , Valentino D. , Voltattorni S. , Sabatini E.
Published: July 2007

The so‐called Rosa (= pink) tomatoes, which are typically grown in the Southern Italian area, are characterized by the pink colour of the fruit, due to the gene y, colourless fruit skin. In a preliminary survey, it was found that among these Rosa tomatoes there were some ‘Rosa di Sorrento’ local landraces showing resistance to Verticillium wilt (race 1). In tomato, resistance to race 1 of V. dahliae and V. albo‐atrum is conferred by two strictly associated genes, Ve1 and Ve2, which independently confer resistance to the same pathogen. The development of two new markers for Ve1 and Ve2, based respectively on selective allele‐specific PCR amplification and on a PCR amplification followed by enzymatic restriction, is reported. These two markers allow the identification of both allelic forms at the Ve loci and they are of potential interest for use in marker‐assisted selection. Furthermore, ‘Rosa di Sorrento’‐resistant lines have the same resistance alleles as those found in the Ve‐resistant cultivars.
Combination of resistance to Verticillium longisporum from zero erucic acid Brassica oleracea and oilseed Brassica rapa genotypes in resynthesized rapeseed (Brassica napus) lines
Authors: Rygulla W. , Friedt W. , Seyis F. , Lühs W. , Eynck C. , Von Tiedemann A. , Snowdon R. J.
Published: July 2007

Resynthesized (RS) forms of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.; genome AACC, 2n = 38) generated from interspecific hybridization between suitable genotypes of its diploid progenitors Brassica rapa L. (syn. campestris; genome AA, 2n = 20) and Brassica oleracea L. (CC, 2n = 18) represent a potentially useful resource to introduce resistance against the fungal pathogen Verticillium longisporum into the gene pool of oilseed rape. Numerous cabbage (B. oleracea) accessions are known with resistance to V. longisporum; however, B. oleracea generally has high levels of erucic acid and glucosinolates in the seed, which reduces the suitability of resulting RS rapeseed lines for oilseed rape breeding. In this study resistance against V. longisporum was identified in the cabbage accession Kashirka 202 (B. oleracea convar. capitata), a zero erucic acid mutant, and RS rapeseed lines were generated by crossing the resistant genotype with two spring turnip rape accessions (B. rapa ssp. olerifera) with zero erucic acid. One of the resulting zero erucic acid RS rapeseed lines was found to have a high level of resistance to V. longisporum compared with both parental accessions and with B. napus controls. A number of other zero erucic acid RS lines showed resistance levels comparable to the parental accessions. In the most resistant RS lines the resistance and zero erucic acid traits were combined with variable seed glucosinolate contents. Erucic acid‐free RS rapeseed with moderate seed glucosinolate content represents an ideal basic material for introgression of quantitative V. longisporum resistance derived from B. oleracea and B. rapa into elite oilseed rape breeding lines.
Sexually dimorphic activation of the accessory, but not the main, olfactory bulb in mice by urinary volatiles
Authors: Martel Kristine L. , Baum Michael J.
Published: July 2007

Previous research suggests that volatile body odourants detected by the main olfactory epithelium (MOE) are processed mainly by the main olfactory bulb (MOB) whereas nonvolatile body odourants detected by the vomeronasal organ (VNO) are processed via the accessory olfactory bulb (AOB). We asked whether urinary volatiles from males and females differentially activate the AOB in addition to the MOB in gonadectomized mice of either sex. Exposure to urinary volatiles from opposite‐sex but not same‐sex conspecifics augmented the number of Fos‐immunoreactive mitral and granule cells in the AOB. Volatile urinary odours from male as well as female mice also stimulated Fos expression in distinct clusters of MOB glomeruli in both sexes. Intranasal administration of ZnSO4, intended to disrupt MOE function, eliminated the ability of volatile urinary odours to stimulate Fos in both the MOB and AOB. In ovariectomized, ZnSO4‐treated females a significant, though attenuated, AOB Fos response occurred after direct nasal exposure to male urine plus soiled bedding, suggesting that VNO signaling remained partially functional in these mice. Future studies will determine whether MOE or VNO signaling, or both types of input, drive the sexually dimorphic response of the AOB to volatile opposite‐sex odours and whether this AOB response contributes to reproductive success.
Activation of nucleus tractus solitarius 5‐HT2Abut not other 5‐HT2receptor subtypes inhibits the sympathetic activity in rats
Authors: Comet M.‐A. , Bernard J. F. , Hamon M. , Laguzzi R. , Sévoz‐Couche C.
Published: July 2007

Our first aim was to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the hypotensive response elicited by 5‐HT2receptor activation in the nucleus tractus solitarius (NTS). In pentobarbitone‐anaesthetized rats, intra‐NTS administration of 2,5‐dimethoxy‐4‐iodoamphetamine (DOI), a wide spectrum 5‐HT2receptor agonist, but not an antagonist of selective 5‐HT2Band 5‐HT2Creceptors, produced a decrease in blood pressure and heart rate. The maximal cardiovascular changes obtained by DOI (0.5 pmol) could be almost completely abolished by prior intra‐NTS microinjection (10 pmol) of MDL‐100907, a selective 5‐HT2Areceptor antagonist, but not by 5‐HT2Bor 5‐HT2Creceptor antagonists. In addition, using extracellular recordings we found that the large majority of identified cardiovascular rostroventrolateral medulla (RVLM) neurons were almost totally inhibited by NTS 5‐HT2Areceptor stimulation. We then investigated whether intra‐NTS administration of a subthreshold dose (0.05 pmol) of DOI, known to facilitate the cardiovagal component of the baroreflex, could also modulate the sympathoinhibitory component of this reflex. These experiments showed that neither the decrease in the activity of the cardiovascular RVLM neurons and lumbar sympathetic nerve activities produced by aortic occlusion (gain of the baroreflex), nor the hypotensive response elicited by aortic nerve stimulation, were potentiated by the microinjection of DOI under such conditions. These data show that activation of 5‐HT2A, but not 5‐HT2Bor 5‐HT2C, receptors, located on NTS neurons, elicits depressor and bradycardic responses, and that this 5‐HT2A‐mediated hypotension is produced via the inhibition of RVLM cardiovascular neurons. In addition, NTS 5‐HT2Areceptor activation facilitates the cardiac but not the sympathetic baroreflex response.
The Construction of Professional Identity: Symbolic Power in Rural Partnerships in The Netherlands
Authors: Derkzen Petra , Bock Bettina B.
Published: July 2007

This article addresses the construction of professionalism in rural partnerships in Achterhoek, a region in the east of The Netherlands, where public, private and community representatives are involved in the spatial reorganisation of agriculture. In contrast to the dichotomy between ‘professional’ and ‘citizen’ that can be found in the literature, we argue that professional identity is a multi‐layered construct. Moreover, professional identity can be seen a source of political capital. Based on a qualitative case study of one partnership, we conclude that it is not just civic or community representatives who are unable to access all the relevant layers of professionalism. Partnership members from small interest organisations also lack the professionalism that stems from scientific knowledge. Even when these actors have access to scientific knowledge, only a few of them can identify with and align themselves with the dominant discourse. Community representatives are particularly prone to question the legitimacy of the professionalism that dominates such partnerships. They are proud of their experiential knowledge and draw on this to contest professionalism, which they disapprove of. If the governance of local partnerships is to be a bottom‐up process more lay people and local inhabitants need to be involved. Their experiential knowledge could bring about a cultural change in governance that goes beyond the current decentralisation of decision‐making to the local level.
The Wabash Center in the Scholarship of Teaching
Authors: Foster Charles R.
Published: July 2007

Abstract.  The Wabash Center for Teaching and Learning was established in the wake of heightened interest in teaching and learning following Ernest L. Boyer's 1990 Carnegie Foundation report on the professoriate. The Center was established specifically to strengthen teaching and learning in theology and religion. The praxis of Wabash Center programs directed to that quest, however, inevitably engaged participants in the scholarship of teaching and learning by highlighting questions from their teaching practice, the disciplinary shape of their teaching, and the influence of multiple publics on what and how they taught.
Honoring Teachers for Their Vocation and Potential
Authors: Williams Raymond Brady
Published: July 2007

Abstract.  One goal of the Wabash Center is to honor teachers for their potential, and hospitality has been a primary means to that end. A lesson learned is that the intention and effort to honor teachers create contexts for meaningful discussions, creative learning, and personal renewal of those engaged in workshops and consultations. The lesson is valuable for those engaged in all forms of adult learning, especially in colleges and theological schools.
Social Fractionalization, Endogenous Appropriation Norms, and Economic Development
Authors: LINDNER INES , STRULIK HOLGER
Published: July 2007

We investigate how social composition affects competitive and cooperative behaviour in a linear growth model without secure property rights. If a society is homogeneous or highly fractionalized, it is in the self‐interest of people to cooperate. The first‐best allocation is enforced through trigger strategies, and growth is independent from social structure. If a society is polarized, i.e. if it consists of a small number of groups, the first‐best solution can turn out to be unenforceable and groups will follow an exploitative strategy. In this case, the rate of growth is monotonously decreasing in the degree of fractionalization.
Long‐Term Care: the State, the Market and the Family
Authors: PESTIEAU PIERRE , SATO MOTOHIRO
Published: July 2007

In this paper we study the optimal design of a long term care policy in a setting that includes three types of care to dependent parents: public nursing, private nursing and assistance in time by children. Private nursing can be financed either by financial aid from children or by private insurance. The social planner can use a number of instruments: public nursing, subsidy to aiding children, subsidy to private insurance premiums, all financed by a flat tax on earnings.
Nietzsche on Art and Freedom
Authors: Ridley Aaron
Published: July 2007

There are passages in Nietzsche that can be read as contributions to the free will/determinism debate. When read in that way, they reveal a fairly amateurish metaphysician with little of real substance or novelty to contribute; and if these readings were apt or perspicuous, it seems to me, they would show that Nietzsche's thoughts about freedom were barely worth pausing over. They would simply confirm the impression—amply bolstered from other quarters—that Nietzsche was not at his best when addressing the staple questions of philosophy. But these readings sell Nietzsche short. He had next to no systematic interest in metaphysics, and his concern with the question of freedom was not motivated by metaphysical considerations. Rather—and as with all of Nietzsche's concerns—his motivations were ethical. He was interested, not in the relation of the human will to the causal order of nature, but in the relation between freedom and the good life, between the will and exemplary human living. Read from this perspective, Nietzsche's remarks about freedom actually add up to something. And what they add up to is one aspect of his attempt to understand life after the model of art. Beauty, for Kant, was an image of the moral.1 For Nietzsche, by contrast—and the contrast can be hard to spell out—art was an image of the ethical.2 My hope here is to begin to explain why Nietzsche might have thought that the issue of freedom was relevant to that. In sections 1–3, I attempt to show why Nietzsche is not best read as a participant in the standard free will/determinism debate; in sections 4–6, I try to spell out the ethical conception of freedom that he develops instead.
Adjuvant treatment of atopic eczema: assessment of an emollient containing N‐palmitoylethanolamine (ATOPA study)
Authors: Eberlein B , Eicke C , Reinhardt H‐W , Ring J
Published: July 2007

Background  For long‐term management of atopic eczema, the use of skin care creams is recommended, but effectiveness of this treatment is not well established.

Objective  The objective of this study was to yield data on the skin care properties of a cream with a unique lamellar matrix containing N‐palmitoylethanolamine (PEA) and to assess quality‐of‐life variables in patients with mild to moderate atopic eczema.

Setting  In this multinational, multicentre, observational, non‐controlled, prospective cohort study, patients between 2 and 70 years of age were enrolled. All patients were supplied with the study product sufficient for treatment over the entire study period. Outcome was followed in periods between 3 and 7 days and 4 and 6 weeks after study start. Data were gathered from doctor reports and patient self‐assessments via patient questionnaires.

Results  Data from 2456 patients entered the database. The mean examination intervals were 6 days for the 3‐ to 7‐day period and 38 days for the 4‐ to 6‐week period. At study end, intensities of erythema, pruritus, excoriation, scaling, lichenification and dryness were significantly reduced with a combined score reduction of 58.6% in the entire population (57.7% in adults > 12 years and 60.5% in children ≤ 12 years) according to doctors’ reports. Patients reported a reduction of pruritus on visual analogue scales from 4.9 ± 2.6 to 2.7 ± 2.4 6 days after treatment start and a further reduction to 2.0 ± 2.3 at study end (P < 0.001 each). Likewise, sleep quality improved significantly during the study period. Earlier‐used topical corticosteroids were omitted by 56% of all patients (53.4% in adults and 62.5% in children) at study end, and the average weekly application rate decreased by 62% from 7.9 ± 6.0 to 3.0 ± 5.1 (P < 0.001). The tolerance was assessed as very good or good in 92% of cases by both patients and doctors.

Conclusion  This study showed substantial relief of objective and subjective symptoms of atopic eczema after regular skin care with the study cream. The patient‐related effectiveness (decline of pruritus and loss of sleep) indicated a gain in quality of life in these patients. The reduced use of topical corticosteroids is important in view of safety and pharmacoeconomic implications in the treatment of atopic eczema.
Foraging requirements of the endangered long‐fingered bat: the influence of micro‐habitat structure, water quality and prey type
Authors: Biscardi S. , Russo D. , Casciani V. , Cesarini D. , Mei M. , Boitani L.
Published: July 2007

Myotis capaccinii is one of the most endangered Mediterranean bats. We radio tracked 21 adult individuals to assess foraging range and analyse micro‐habitat selection around a nursery roost in central Italy. Habitats were characterized by development of riparian vegetation, distance between banks, degree of water clutter and levels of water pollution (expressed by macro‐benthic bioindicators). Diet was also analysed to see whether prey rarity might account for species decline. Myotis capaccinii proved highly mobile: the maximum straight line distance between roost location and the farthest foraging fix recorded on one night was c. 21 km, whereas this variable averaged 7.5 km for the entire study. In general, the species preferred calm waters bordered by well‐developed riparian vegetation and large (>5 m) inter‐bank distances. Such factors determined the overall quality of foraging sites. Although diet was dominated by pollution‐tolerant insects such as Chironomus midges, bats preferred less polluted waters. Our study also confirmed the occurrence of piscivory in this bat. Of the factors potentially responsible for species endangerment, the most likely are general habitat degradation, that is alteration of riparian vegetation and pollution, and cave roost loss. Given the large ecological niche overlap, increasing Myotis daubentonii may be outcompeting M. capaccinii. The most urgent actions to preserve M. capaccinii are extensive restoration of riparian vegetation and strict roost protection. Our study offers indications about where, and how, restoration of riparian vegetation may translate into best conservation results.
Long‐lasting up‐regulation of orexin receptor type 2 protein levels in the rat nucleus accumbens after chronic cocaine administration
Authors: Zhang Guo‐Chi , Mao Li‐Min , Liu Xian‐Yu , Wang John Q.
Published: July 2007

Hypothalamic orexin (hypocretin) neurons project to the key structures of the limbic system and orexin receptors, both orexin receptor type 1 (OXR1) and type 2 (OXR2), are expressed in most limbic regions. Emerging evidence suggests that orexin is among important neurotransmitters that regulate addictive properties of drugs of abuse. In this study, we examined the effect of psychostimulant cocaine on orexin receptor protein abundance in the rat limbic system in vivo. Intermittent administration of cocaine (20 mg/kg, i.p., once daily for 5 days) caused a typical behavioral sensitization response to a challenge cocaine injection at a 14‐day withdrawal period. Repeated cocaine administration at the same withdrawal time also increased OXR2 protein levels in the nucleus accumbens while repeated cocaine had no effect on OXR1 and orexin neuropeptide (both orexin‐A and orexin‐B) levels in this region. In contrast to the nucleus accumbens, OXR2 levels in the frontal cortex, the ventral tegmental area, the hippocampus, and the dorsal striatum (caudate putamen) were not altered by cocaine. Remarkably, the up‐regulated OXR2 levels in the nucleus accumbens showed a long‐lasting nature as it persisted up to 60 days after the discontinuation of repeated cocaine treatments. In contrast to chronic cocaine administration, an acute cocaine injection was insufficient to modify levels of any orexin receptor and peptide. Our data identify the up‐regulation of OXR2 in the nucleus accumbens as an enduring molecular event that is correlated well with behavioral plasticity in response to chronic psychostimulant administration. This OXR2 up‐regulation may reflect a key adaptation of limbic orexinergic transmission to chronic drug exposure and may thus be critical for the expression of motor plasticity.