bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Local control of photovoltaic distributed generation for voltage regulation in LV distribution networks and simulation tools
Authors: Conti Stefania , Greco Andrea Maria , Raiti Salvatore
Published: March 2008

The increasing connection of distributed generation (DG) in distribution networks may affect the quality of power offered to customers. One of the most relevant issues is the possibility to have unacceptable voltage rise at the point of common coupling (PCC). This work focuses on the problem of voltage control in LV distribution networks in the presence of photovoltaic (PV) DG. The paper presents a local voltage control method based on PV generation curtailment as an alternative to ‘on/off’ operation, typically required by distribution operators to prevent overvoltage at the PCCs by means of overvoltage protections embedded in the PV unit. To show the effect of the proposed local voltage control, a simulation tool, developed in MATLAB®–Simulink® environment, is presented. Appropriate numerical models for network components and PV generators are provided in order to describe computer simulation implementation of the test system. The final results show that the control system is able to adjust the active power output of local generators to keep the voltage profile of the feeder, in which DG is installed, within the range allowed by Norm EN 50160. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Microsomal epoxide hydrolase genotypes and the risk for head and neck cancer
Authors: Lacko Martin , Roelofs Hennie M. J. , te Morsche Rene H. M. , Voogd Adri C. , Oude Ophuis Michael B. , Peters Wilbert H. M. , Manni Johannes J.
Published: March 2008

Background.

Microsomal epoxide hydrolase (mEH) is an enzyme involved in the metabolism of (pre)carcinogens in tobacco smoke. We investigated whether functional genetic polymorphisms in mEH may have a risk‐modifying effect on head and neck carcinogenesis.

Methods.

Blood from 429 patients with oral, pharyngeal, and laryngeal carcinoma and 419 healthy subjects was investigated for mEH polymorphisms.

Results.

Logistic regression analysis did not show differences in mEH genotype distributions between patients and controls, when categorized according to predicted mEH enzyme activity. Also no differences were found when evaluated according to tumor localization, sex, or tobacco consumption. A significantly higher incidence of the 139Arg/Arg variant was found in patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma compared with controls (OR = 4.39, 95% CI = 1.45 to 13.35).

Conclusion.

In contrast to earlier reports, we could not demonstrate a risk‐modifying effect of genetic polymorphisms in mEH on head and neck carcinogenesis, except for the predicted high activity variant in patients with hypopharyngeal carcinoma. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck 2008
Photo‐crosslinkable, biomimetic, and thermo‐sensitive pluronic grafted hyaluronic acid copolymers for injectable delivery of chondrocytes
Authors: Lee Hyukjin , Park Tae Gwan
Published: March 2008

Hyaluronic acid (HA) grafted with Pluronic F127 copolymer was used as biomimetic hydrogels for cell delivery. The graft copolymer was synthesized by conjugating amine end‐capped Pluronic F127 to carboxylic groups of HA using coupling agents. The synthesized HA‐g‐Pluronic exhibited thermo‐sensitive sol–gel transition behaviors over the temperature range of 20–40°C. HA‐g‐Pluronic copolymers with vinyl groups were photo‐crosslinked to prepare more robust hydrogels for cell cultivation. For improved cellular adhesion and proliferation, cell adhesive peptide (Arg‐Gly‐Asp (RGD)) was additionally conjugated to the HA backbone. The resultant thermo‐sensitive, photocrosslinkable, and RGD modified HA‐g‐Pluronic copolymers were used to encapsulate and cultivate bovine chondrocytes in vitro. A tissue containing cartilage‐like components such as GAG and type II collagen was successfully produced within the hydrogels, indicating that the synthesized HA‐g‐Pluronic copolymers can be potentially used as an injectable cell carrier. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res, 2009
Induction correction model for rotation of two or three dihedral angles
Authors: Holt Asbjørn , Karlstrøm Gunnar
Published: March 2008

In a previous work we have introduced an intramolecular induction correction model. In this work we have used the model to calculate the total dipol moment of six molecules as a function of two or three dihedral angles that are simultaneously varied in the molecules. It is found that the induction model behaves very well for the systems studied when compared with a regular force field model where fixed charges and dipoles are rotated along with the atoms of the molecules. This suggests that the proposed induction correction model can be used to model systems containing several dihedral angles around which rotations are performed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2008
Inhibition of SNAP25 expression by HIV‐1 Tat involves the activity of mir‐128a
Authors: Eletto Davide , Russo Giuseppe , Passiatore Giovanni , Del Valle Luis , Giordano Antonio , Khalili Kamel , Gualco Elisa , Peruzzi Francesca
Published: March 2008

MicroRNAs (miRs) are short endogenous RNAs that regulate gene expression by incomplete pairing with messenger RNAs. An increasing number of studies show that mammalian microRNAs play fundamental roles in various aspects of cellular function including differentiation, proliferation, and cell death. Recent findings demonstrating the presence of microRNAs in mature neuronal dendrites suggest their possible involvement in controlling local protein translation and synaptic function. HIV‐1 Encephalopathy (HIVE) is a manifestation of HIV‐1 infection that often results in neuronal damage and dysfunction. While neurons are rarely, if ever, infected by HIV‐1, they are exposed to cytotoxic viral and cellular factors including the HIV‐1 transactivating factor Tat. In this study, we show that Tat deregulates expression levels of selected microRNAs, including the neuronal mir‐128, in primary cortical neurons. We further show that mir‐128a inhibits expression of the pre‐synaptic protein SNAP25, whereas the anti‐mir‐128a partially restores Tat/mir‐128a‐induced downregulation of SNAP25 expression. Altogether, our data provide a novel mechanism by which HIV‐Tat perturbs neuronal activity. J. Cell. Physiol. 216: 764–770, 2008, © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A fusogenic segment of glycoprotein H from herpes simplex virus enhances transfection efficiency of cationic liposomes
Authors: Tu Ying , Kim Ji‐seon
Published: March 2008

Background

Low cellular uptake and endosomal escape are regarded as major limitations for nonviral gene delivery. In the present study, we use cationic liposomes incorporating fusogenic peptides from glycoprotein H of herpes simplex virus to improve cellular internalization and endosomal release of cationic liposome‐DNA complexes.

Methods

A synthetic analogue of a fusogenic peptide domain in glycoprotein H from herpes simplex virus was evaluated for in vitro gene delivery. The fusogenicity of the peptide was evaluated by a lipid mixing assay in neutral and acidic environments. The influence of the peptide on cellular internalization and subcellular distribution of Lipofectamine‐pGL3 complexes were evaluated by flow cytometry, fluorescence microscopy, and confocal laser scanning microscopy. The effect of the peptide on transfection efficiency of cationic liposomes was also evaluated by luciferase assay in human cell lines.

Results

A pH‐sensitive fusogenicity of the wild‐type peptide was observed. In the lipid mixing assay, the peptide mediated 80% membrane fusion at pH 7.4 at a 0.05 : 1 (peptide : lipid) mole ratio. At pH 4.5, 100% of membrane fusion was observed at a 0.005 : 1 ratio. Adding the peptide to Lipofectamine‐pGL3 complexes significantly increased cellular uptake and, thus, increased transgene expression up to 30‐fold in human cell lines. Nuclear localization of the DNA complex by the fusogenic peptide was observed by confocal microscopy.

Conclusions

A synthetic analogue of a fusogenic peptide domain from herpes simplex virus has been proven to improve cationic lipid‐mediated transfection in vitro. The application of this fusogenic peptide will lead to improved strategies for transfection and successful gene therapy. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Far infrared and Raman spectroscopy analysis of inorganic pigments
Authors: Kendix E. , Moscardi G. , Mazzeo R. , Baraldi P. , Prati S. , Joseph E. , Capelli S.
Published: March 2008

Few research studies from the early seventies reported the use of far infrared (FIR) spectroscopy and its analytical potential. Especially in the field of cultural heritage, particular attention has not been given to this technique because of its destructive character; however, this can be overcome by employing Raman microscopy. Provided that enough quantity of the sample is available, FIR spectroscopy may represent a useful analytical method in the case of inorganic compounds that are not active in the mid infrared region and, because of the fluorescent effect produced by the organic media, not detectable even by Raman spectroscopy. In this article, the application of FIR spectroscopy has been applied for the characterisation of several inorganic pigments. A preparation method based on the use of polyethylene has been developed that allows analyses with moderate quantity of sample (0.5–1.5 mg). The data obtained have been compared with Raman results with the aim to build a common database. Some applications on real case studies are presented and discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
N2H2 isotropic Raman Q‐branch linewidths: an Energy‐Corrected Sudden scaling law
Authors: Joubert Pierre , Bonamy Jeanine , Gomez Laura , Bermejo Dionisio
Published: March 2008

The Energy‐Corrected Sudden (ECS) model has been widely developed to calculate rovibrational Raman linewidths as well as the overlap between lines through the off‐diagonal elements of the relaxation matrix. The accuracy of the results depends on the precision of the input data on which the ECS parameters are fitted. Starting from recent experimental and theoretical data for nitrogen (N2) Q‐branch perturbed by hydrogen from 77 to 580 K, we have determined the ECS parameters for this molecular system and calculated systematically the N2H2 line broadening coefficients for J = 0 to 20 up to 2000 K, which will be useful for combustion diagnostics purposes. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Fourier‐transform Raman spectroscopy of archaeological resins
Authors: Edwards Howell G. M. , David A. Rosalie , Brody Rachel H.
Published: March 2008

The adoption of Raman spectroscopy as a first‐pass screening technique for the presence of organic compounds on diverse substrates is now being advocated for the non‐destructive examination of potential sites for limited sampling for other analytical techniques. In this paper, examples of the analytical capability of Raman spectroscopy using long wavelength excitation in the near infrared for the characterisation of archaeological resins from Egyptian Dynastic and pre‐Dynastic periods and artefacts are used to illustrate the advantages and limitations of the technique. The resin specimens and artefacts span a period of about 7000 years. Raman spectra have been obtained of resin specimens from archaeological sites and of resins on several artefacts; from the latter it is possible to assess the influence of diverse substrates upon the spectral information that can be derived from the resins themselves. Key molecular spectral features are proposed for each resin studied and the presence of degradation assessed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
AFM Imaging of RGD Presenting Synthetic Extracellular Matrix Using Gold Nanoparticles
Authors: Hsiong Susan X. , Cooke Peter H. , Kong Hyun‐Joon , Fishman Marshall L. , Ericsson Maria , Mooney David J.
Published: March 2008

Several high‐resolution imaging techniques such as FESEM, TEM and AFM are compared with respect to their application on alginate hydrogels, a widely used polysaccharide biomaterial. A new AFM method applicable to RGD peptides covalently conjugated to alginate hydrogels is described. High‐resolution images of RGD adhesion ligand distribution were obtained by labeling biotinylated RGD peptides with streptavidin‐labeled gold nanoparticles. This method may broadly provide a useful tool for sECM characterization and design for tissue regeneration strategies.

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A Linearization Procedure for Determining Radical Reactivity Ratios in Restricted Penultimate Copolymerization Systems, 2
Authors: Hinkelmann Franz , Olaj Oskar Friedrich , Schnöll‐Bitai Irene , Zifferer Gerhard
Published: March 2008

A large number of the already published data of the experimental rate constants of propagation as a function of the monomer composition for copolymerization systems has been analyzed by applying a linearization procedure (introduced in the preceding publication) and new linear least square methods in order to obtain the radical reactivity ratios s. The compilation of data comprises the originally published parameter sets and those determined by the alternative methods. Besides the determination of the s parameters, the linearization plots also offer the possibility to rate the error of data sets as either non‐correlated or systematic. Simulations taking into account a random scatter in the experimental values give more insight into the accuracy of data. The limited applicability of the simplifying assumptions introduced by Fukuda et al. is confirmed. Correlations between the monomer and radical reactivity ratios, respectively, and the homopropagation rate constants are investigated. A systematic procedure for rating radical reactivity ratios based on the linearization procedure is proposed.

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A Novel Poly(aryleneethynylene) with Tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) Side Chains: Synthesis, Self‐Assembly, and Electroactive Property
Authors: Hou Yanhui , Wan Xiangjian , Yang Min , Ma Yanfeng , Huang Yi , Chen Yongsheng
Published: March 2008

A novel poly(aryleneethynylene), in which the main chain and the tetrathiafulvalene (TTF) side chains are coplanar, has been prepared and characterized. The polymer can self‐assemble in tetrahydrofuran (THF) and the π‐extended coplanar backbones adopt good face‐to‐face stacking, which is confirmed by X‐ray diffraction (XRD) analysis. Cyclic voltammetry has revealed that the polymer has reversible electroactive properties. The optical bandgap deduced by UV‐vis absorption spectroscopy and the electrochemical bandgap are 2.03 and 2.14 eV. The conductivities of the powder and the realigning solid of the polymer are 6 × 10−8 and 4 × 10−6 S cm−1.

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Evaluation of a screening instrument for essential tremor
Authors: Lorenz Delia , Papengut Frank , Frederiksen Henrik , Kopper Florian , Klebe Stephan , Christensen Kaare , Schreiber Stefan , Deuschl Günther
Published: March 2008

To evaluate a screening instrument for essential tremor (ET) consisting of a seven‐item questionnaire and a spiral drawing. A total of 2,448 Danish twins aged 70 years or more and a second sample aged 60 years or more (n = 1,684) from a population‐based northern German cross‐sectional study (PopGen ET) were screened for ET. Inclusion criteria were a previous diagnosis of ET, a positive answer to two or more questions of the questionnaire or a spiral rating >4 (range of scale 0–9). Three hundred thirteen of 380 positively screened and 321 negatively screened subjects were clinically examined. Definite or probable ET was diagnosed in 104 patients, possible in 86 and other tremors in 98 patients. The sensitivity of the screening instrument was 70.5%, the positive predictive value was 64.9%, the specificity was 68.2%, and the negative predictive value was 73.5%. Tremor severity correlated significantly with higher spiral scores and more positive items. More patients were identified by spiral drawing in all tremor groups. The interrater and intrarater reliability for spirals ranged from 0.7 to 0.8 using intraclass coefficient. A cluster analysis revealed that the questionnaire can be reduced to three items, about uncontrollable tremor in any body part, tremor while drinking or pouring and other family members with tremor, without loosing efficacy. We present an easy to use and reliable screening instrument that is effective to identify patients with ET but not able to exclude patients with other tremor forms. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society
Preliminary results on approximating a wavefunction as an unconstrained sum of Slater determinants
Authors: Beylkin Gregory , Mohlenkamp Martin J. , Pérez Fernando
Published: March 2008

A multiparticle wavefunction, which is a solution of the multiparticle Schrödinger equation, satisfies the antisymmetry condition, thus making it natural to approximate it as a sum of Slater determinants. Many current methods do so but, in addition, they impose structural constraints on the Slater determinants, such as orthogonality between orbitals or a particular excitation pattern. By removing these constraints, we hope to obtain much more efficient expansions.

We use an integral formulation of the problem, a Green's function iteration, and a fitting procedure based on the computational paradigm of separated representations. For constructing and solving a matrix‐integral system of equations derived from antisymmetric inner products, we develop new algorithms with computational complexity competitive with current methods.We describe preliminary numerical results and make some observations. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The stability of a pre‐stressed annular thin film in tension
Authors: Coman Ciprian D. , Bassom Andrew P.
Published: March 2008

The work presented here considers the elastic instabilities experienced by an annular thin filmsubjected to prescribed displacement fields on its two boundaries. It is shown how singular perturbation methods enable an accurate analytical description of the localised wrinkling pattern that sets in near the inner rim of the film. The theoretical results obtained are corroborated by direct numerical simulations of the full problem. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
An application of Kapteyn series to a problem from queueing theory
Authors: Dominici Diego
Published: March 2008

Using results from the theory of Kapteyn series, we solve a problem arising from the heavy traffic analysis of a Markovmodulated queue model. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
The influence of porosity on the elastoplastic behavior of high performance cast alloys
Authors: Ries Michael , Krempaszky Christian , Hadler Brigitte , Werner Ewald
Published: March 2008

Based on geometrical data of porous components obtained by computer tomography, a micromechanical unit cell model is proposed to predict the influence of porosity on mechanical properties of high performance cast alloys. Simulations of uniaxial loaded periodic unit cells are compared to experimental data of tensile tests on porous materials. In this way a relationship between some significant geometrical data of the pores and the macroscopic material parameters is obtained. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Modelling of rotating shafts with flexible disks
Authors: Šašek Jakub , Hajžman Michal , Zeman Vladimír
Published: March 2008

This paper deals with the methodology of the modelling of rotating shafts with flexible disks. Rotating shafts are modelled as a one dimensional continuum on the basis of the Bernouli‐Euler theory, which assumes that the shaft cross section remains a flat plane and is perpendicular to the centerline during vibration. Disks are modelled as a three dimensional continuum by means of the finite element method. The presented approach allows to introduce centrifugal and gyroscopic effects. The special coupling matrix is used for the connecting a rotating shaft and a mounted flexible disk. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Common adverse events associated with an SSRI: meta‐analysis of early paroxetine data
Authors: Aursnes Ivar , Gjertsen Marianne Klemp
Published: March 2008

Purpose

We wanted to determine to what extent adverse drug effects associated with a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) were known but not assessed before application for registration of paroxetine.

Methods

With a special permit from the Norwegian Ministry of Health, we obtained reports from 82 clinical trials presented by the paroxetine license holder in 1989. There were 17 double blind, placebo controlled clinical trials with parallel design with 903 patients on paroxetine and 592 on placebo. Altogether 32 adverse effects showed a risk difference (RD) between paroxetine and control groups of more than 0.5%. We did a meta‐analysis for each of these adverse effects. We then compared the outcome with the frequencies stated in the Summary of Product Characteristics (SPC) at the time of registration and those reported in the current SPC.

Results

At the time of registration 19 of the adverse effects were statistically significant. Only eight of these adverse effects were listed as being common in the first SPC from 1989. Five out of the nineteen adverse effects are not mentioned in the current SPC. Among them are headache with RD 5.4%, decreased libido RD 2.6%, nervousness RD 2.0% and paresthesia RD 1.7%.

Conclusions

Frequently occurring adverse reactions that are included in today's SPC for paroxetine were evident and documented already in the early studies accompanying the application for marketing authorization in 1989. Some other adverse effects observed then are still not mentioned in the SPC of today. Meta‐analyses of adverse effects should be mandatory at the stage of first registration of a drug. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dependence of sea surface emissivity on temperature‐dependent refractive index
Authors: Masuda K.
Published: March 2008

Theoretical calculations of emissivity difference, Δε, with changing of water temperature from 301 to 279 K are performed at 820 cm−1 using the temperature‐dependent refractive index of sea water recently proposed by Newman and co‐workers. The results are compared with the calculations using the temperature‐dependent refractive index presented in 1977 by Pinkley and co‐workers. The difference in Δε between the two models is as small as ∼0.0003 for emission angles less than 30° . At larger emission angles, the discrepancy in Δε between the two models is notable. For example, Δε are ∼ − 0.0055 and ∼ − 0.0070 for the Newman and Pinkley models, respectively, at an emission angle of 55° . This discrepancy is mainly caused by the fact that the temperature dependence of the imaginary part of the refractive index of the Pinkley model is ∼1.5 times larger than that of the Newman model and the sea surface emissivity is significantly sensitive to the change of imaginary refractive index at this wavenumber. It is important that accurate values of the imaginary part of the refractive index be obtained. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
Thin film nanocrystalline silicon and nanostructured interfaces for multibandgap triple junction solar cells
Authors: Schropp R. E. I. , Li H. , Rath J. K. , van der Werf C. H. M.
Published: March 2008

We present the main research aspects encountered during the development of thin film silicon‐based single and multijunction solar cells using hot‐wire chemical vapor deposition (HWCVD) of the active silicon layers. First of all, a significant current enhancement is obtained by using textured Ag/ZnO back contacts instead of plain stainless steel. The textured interface acts as a diffuse scattering mirror, due to which the optical path in the cell is lengthened. We studied the root‐mean‐square (RMS) roughness by 2D atomic force microscopy (AFM) and found that the morphology of the surfaces needs to be controlled to avoid cavities and shunting paths. A further drawback of such rough metallic surfaces is the parasitic absorption due to surface particle plasmons. Nevertheless, optimized back reflectors lead to an enhancement of the photocurrent of as much as 50%. The second large step forward is the use of multijunction (tandem) cells, in which at least one of the cells contains nanocrystalline silicon. This material behaves optically like 1.1 eV material and, used in the bottom cell, it forms a perfect combination with the 1.7 eV amorphous material in the top cell. Using silicon germanium (1.5 eV) in the middle cell, our triple junction cells have reached nearly 11% efficiency and they are stable within 3% relative. The difference between the best single junction and triple junction n‐i‐p cells obtained so far in our lab and the reported best cells with plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) i‐layers can be mainly attributed to the differences in the rough substrates and to the use of rather thin i‐layers. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A combined TEM and SKPFM investigation of the surface layers on rolled AA5050 aluminium alloy using ultra‐microtomy
Authors: Premendra  , Tanem B. S. , Mol J. M. C. , Terryn H. , deWit J. H. W. , Katgerman L.
Published: March 2008

This article studies the evolution of near‐surface morphology as a function of various thermo‐mechanical treatments along the fabrication line of rolled AA5050 aluminium alloy. Ultra‐microtomy has been used to prepare cross‐sectional thin foils for transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and proper surfaces for scanning Kelvin probe force microscopy (SKPFM) analysis. A slight increase in the Volta potential difference (between the inter‐metallics and the matrix) between the as‐cast surface and the surface obtained after the first hot‐mill pass, emphasized that the changes in surface micro‐structure, which in turn affect the corrosion and electrochemical properties of the finished product, had already occurred at that stage. The Volta potential difference during the subsequent hot‐mill pass remained relatively constant. As far as the near‐surface morphology was concerned, hot‐rolling resulted in the formation of a heavily deformed surface layer. Annealing of the hot‐rolled aluminium sheet resulted in partial re‐crystallization of the surface layer. Subsequent cold‐rolling re‐introduced deformation in the near‐surface region. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Redistribution of cytosolic FGFR1 after induced migration of urothelial cells in culture
Authors: Veranič Peter , Dariš Barbara , Zupančič Daša , Batista Urška , Jezernik Kristijan
Published: March 2008

The distribution of cytosolic fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1) was studied in correlation to cell migration in urothelial cell line g/G. Cell motility was analysed with a new method using consecutive series of photographs of cells relocated on CELLocate coverslips and with image analysis software. The results confirmed that FGF1 stimulated cell motility only when cells were grown on collagen I coating. During the transition from sessile to motile cell phenotype a complete redistribution of cytosolic FGFR1 was revealed. In sessile cells, FGFR1 had a filamentous distribution and its location matched cytokeratin 7. In cells of the migrating phenotype, the distribution of FGFR1 was diffuse, mainly located in cytosol. Our data reveal that the location of cytosolic FGFR1 depends on the motile characteristics of the cell. The results also indicate that attachment of cells to collagen I is crucial for the induction of urothelial cell motility with FGF1.
Involvement of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator in infection‐induced edema
Authors: Ajonuma Louis Chukwuemeka , He Qiong , Chan Paul Kay Sheung , Ng Ernest Hung Yu , Fok Kin Lam , Wong Connie Hau Yan , Tsang Lai Ling , Ho Lok Sze , Lau Miu Ching , Huang Hong Yi , Yang Dong Zi , Rowlands Dewi Kenneth , Tang Xiao Xiao , Zhang Xiao Hu , Chung Yiu Wa , Chan Hsiao Chang
Published: March 2008

Abnormal fluid accumulation in tissues, including the life‐threatening cerebral and pulmonary edema, is a severe consequence of bacteria infection. Chlamydia (C.) trachomatis is an obligate intracellular gram‐negative human pathogen responsible for a spectrum of diseases, causing tissue fluid accumulation and edema in various organs. However, the underlying mechanism for tissue fluid secretion induced by C. trachomatis and most of other infectious pathogens is not known. Here, we report that in mice C. trachomatis infection models, the expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR), a cAMP activated chloride channel, is up regulated together with increased cytokine release and tissue fluid accumulation that can be reversed by treatment with antibiotic specific for C. trachomatis and CFTR channel blocker. However, C. trachomatis infection cannot induce tissue edema in CFTR
tm1Unc
mutant mice. Administration of exogenous IL‐1β to mice mimics the C. trachomatis infection‐induced CFTR upregulation, enhanced CFTR channel activity and fluid accumulation, further confirming the involvement of CFTR in infection‐induced tissue fluid secretion.
Cell type dependent endocytic internalization of ErbB2 with an artificial peptide ligand that binds to ErbB2
Authors: Hashizume Toshihiro , Fukuda Takayuki , Nagaoka Tadahiro , Tada Hiroko , Yamada Hidenori , Watanabe Kazuhide , Salomon David S. , Seno Masaharu
Published: March 2008

ErbB2, which is a member of the epidermal growth factor (erbB) receptor family, is frequently overexpressed in breast and ovarian cancers. Antibody and small molecule anti‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors have been developed for targeted therapies for cancers overexpressing erbB2. Internalization and downregulation of erbB2, which is induced by a ligand, may be important for efficacious therapeutic effects. However, ligand‐dependent erbB2 internalization has not been well characterized. Here we investigated the internalization of erbB2 in SKBr3 and SKOv3 cells, both overexpressing erbB2, using an EC‐1 peptide fused to eGFP (EC‐eGFP), which specifically binds to erbB2. ErbB2 was internalized in SKOv3 cells when the cells were treated with EC‐eGFP. The accumulation of endosomal erbB2 was EC‐eGFP dependent, which colocalized with transferrin implying endocytosis via clathrin‐coated pits. In contrast, internalization of erbB2 was not observed in SKBr3 cells. As a result, two different mechanisms, which are cell type dependent for the internalization of erbB2, are proposed.
Dynamic control of TGF‐β signaling and its links to the cytoskeleton
Authors: Moustakas Aristidis , Heldin Carl-Henrik
Published: March 2008

Transforming growth factor β (TGF‐β) regulates cellular behavior in embryonic and adult tissues. TGF‐β binding to serine/threonine kinase receptors on the plasma membrane activates Smad molecules and additional signaling proteins that coordinately regulate gene expression or cytoplasmic processes such as cytoskeletal dynamics. In turn, the activity and duration of the Smad pathway seems to be regulated by cytoskeletal components, which facilitate the shuttling process that segregates Smad proteins in the cytoplasm and nucleus. We discuss mechanisms and models that aim at explaining the coordination between several components of the signaling network downstream of the TGF‐β signal.
Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma agonist, rosiglitazone, suppresses CD40 expression and attenuates inflammatory responses after lithium pilocarpine‐induced status epilepticus in rats
Authors: Sun Hong , Huang Yuangui , Yu Xin , Li Yongnan , Yang Jun , Li Rui , Deng Yanchun , Zhao Gang
Published: March 2008

Inflammatory responses in the brain are involved in the etiopathogenesis and sequelae of seizures. Ligation of microglial CD40 plays a role in the development of inflammatory responses in the central nervous system (CNS). Our study showed that there was an increased CD40 expression on activated microglia in the brain injury after lithium pilocarpine‐induced status epilepticus (SE) in rats. Since peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) acts as a regulator of CNS inflammation and a powerful pharmacological target for counteracting CNS diseases, we investigated the role of the PPARγ agonist, rosiglitazone, in the modulation of CD40 expression and in the pathological processes of inflammation after SE. We found that rosiglitazone inhibited the expression of CD40, tumor necrosis factor (TNF‐α), and microglial activation in different regions of hippocampus. The results were indicated by immunohistochemistry, Western blot, and ELISA, respectively. Rosiglitazone also prevented neuronal loss in the CA1 area after SE observed by Nissl‐staining. These protective effects were significantly reversed by the co‐treatment with T0070907, a selective antagonist of the PPARγ, which clearly demonstrated a PPARγ‐dependent mechanism. Our data provide evidence that rosiglitazone considerably attenuates inflammatory responses after SE by suppressing CD40 expression and microglial activation. Our data also support the idea that rosiglitazone might be a potential neuroprotective agent in epilepsy.
A study of risk factors for cat mortality in adoption centres of a UK cat charity
Authors: Murray Jane K. , Skillings Elizabeth , Gruffydd-Jones Timothy J.
Published: March 2008

A case–control study was used to identify variables associated with the risk of mortality in cats housed at adoption centres. Multivariable logistic regression, based on retrospective data collected for 194 cases (cats that died or were euthanased) and 320 controls (cats that did not die) revealed an increased risk of mortality for cats admitted to adoption centres unneutered, in fair/poor health and cats born at adoption centres. Cats aged 7 weeks or less and cats aged over 7 years had an increased risk of mortality compared with cats of other ages. The risk of mortality decreased as the time in the adoption centre increased. Cats with disabilities (eg, blindness) had a higher mortality risk than cats without disabilities. Knowledge of these risk factors can inform intervention strategies aimed at reducing the risk of cat mortality at adoption centres.
Tackling pain in the Asia Pacific
Authors: Goh Cynthia R.
Published: March 2008

Tackling the problem of pain in the Asia Pacific region requires many components and action on many fronts. Committed and competent people are essential to champion the field. Drugs are also needed for good pain management. Many laws, rules and regulations in the various countries make opioid analgesics difficult to obtain at the patient's bedside, particularly if the patient is at home. Affordability of opioid preparations and other drugs is also an issue, as many imported preparations are prohibitively expensive, and not all countries manufacture their own drugs. Education is needed at many levels, from the bulk of medical, nursing and other health personnel to the core interdisciplinary team in pain management.

Myths and unjustified fears about morphine need to be tackled in the minds of doctors, nurses, other healthcare workers, patients, family members and the public at large. Public education must include awareness of chronic pain as a disease, which needs to be prevented and treated adequately.

Infrastructure in the form of pain services and palliative care services, both in the hospitals, in clinics and in the community need to be built.

The development of pain medicine and palliative medicine as medical specialties or subspecialties is important for the development of this area of work. Research also needs to be established.

Partnerships across medical, nursing and allied health disciplines, government, insurance, charities, local companies, the pharmaceutical companies, the patient and the general public will be essential for success.
Translational human pain research
Authors: Arendt‐Nielsen Lars
Published: March 2008

Human experimental pain models require standardized stimulation and quantitative assessment of the evoked responses. This approach can be applied to healthy volunteers and pain patients before and after pharmacological interventions. Standardized stimuli of different modalities (mechanical, chemical, thermal, electrical) can be applied to skin, muscles and viscera for a differentiated and comprehensive assessment of various pain pathways and mechanisms. Using such a multi‐modal, multi‐tissue approach, new and existing analgesic drugs can be profiled. Human experimental pain models can bridge animal and clinical pain research and act as translational research providing new possibilities for designing successful clinical trials. Proof‐of‐concept studies provide cheap, fast and reliable information about dose‐efficacy relationships and how pain from skin, muscles and viscera are inhibited. This is important knowledge to have prior to designing expensive clinical trials.
Context and Francophone Support for the Sovereignty of Quebec: An Ecological Analysis
Authors: Lublin David , Voss D. Stephen
Published: March 2008

New techniques of ecological inference are utilized to estimate with confidence intervals francophone support in each federal electoral district in Quebec for the pro-sovereignty side in the 1993 and 1997 Canadian general elections and the 1992 and 1995 referenda. Analyzing the link between demographic and political contextual variables and support for the sovereignty of Quebec suggests that demographic factors, such as the proportion of farmers and government workers, influence francophone voting behaviour more often than political factors such as incumbency. Unlike in many other countries with ethnically based movements, francophone support for sovereignty actually rises as the francophone portion of the population rises. This finding indicates that the contact hypothesis probably applies to the Quebec sovereignty movement.
Indian Clubs and Colonialism: Hindu Masculinity and Muscular Christianity
Authors: Alter Joseph S.
Published: March 2008

Following Edward Said'sOrientalism(1978), there has been considerable interest in studying gender images and engendered practices that emerged out of colonialism, both during the era of colonialism (Cooper and Stoler 1997; R. Lewis 1996; Stoler 1991; 1995; 2002), and subsequently (Altman 2001; Enloe 1993). Many of these studies have shown how colonized women were subject to the gendered and often sexualized gaze of Western men (Carrier 1998; Doy 1996; Grewal 1996; Yegenoglu 1998), and how colonized men were often regarded as either effeminate or “martial” by virtue of their birth into a particular group. Arguably, the latent ambiguity of regarding all colonized men as effete, and yet categorizing some colonized men as strong and aggressively virile, points to one of the many complex contradictions manifest in the cultural politics of colonialism. A similar point could be made with regard to nationalism, wherein women, and the image men want women to present of themselves, reflects masculine ambivalence about modernity (Chatterjee 1993). In any case, even when colonial discourse essentializes the virile masculinity of various subject groups—in particular the so-called martial castes of South Asia (Hopkins 1889; MacMunn 1977)—the putative masculinity of these groups is ascribed to breeding and latent “savagery,” and is rarely, if ever, conceived of as an achieved status, much less something an individual from some other group might achieve on the basis of training or practice.
Reclaiming Lost Ancestors and Acknowledging Slave Descent: Insights from Madagascar
Authors: Brown Margaret L.
Published: March 2008

These three statements regarding personal ancestry were made to me by villagers during life history interviews I conducted a few months into my research in northeastern Madagascar. Each statement is an admission of slave ancestry, and I highlight them to introduce this paper for three reasons. First, such statements are not uncommon in these villages. Many villagers told stories of lost or stolen ancestors, forced labor for “nobles,” and slave ancestry. Second, much of the recent scholarship addressing slavery elsewhere in Madagascar has suggested that slavery is not easily discussed among contemporary residents of this Indian Ocean island. Thus, the fact that the people among whom I studied readily acknowledged their own slave descent by referring to their “lost” or “stolen” grandparents or to their own Makoa identity prompts further comparative inquiry. What factors explain acceptance of slave ancestry among some Malagasy and its concurrent stigmatization among others? Third, examination of variations in Madagascar's responses to slavery can lead us to new insights into the forms of identity and opportunity in other post-slave societies.
Randal B. Woods, ed., Vietnam and the American Political Tradition: The Politics of Dissent. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003. 324 pp., index.
Authors: Whitmore John K.
Published: March 2008

To review a volume such as this in this journal is a bit tricky. I am not an historian of the United States nor of its diplomatic history. Rather I am a pre-modern historian of Vietnam looking at a book on American legislative history that deals with Vietnam and our war in that country. I shall seek to examine it from a more Vietnamese point of view.
Migration behaviour and pathogenesis of five ascarid nematode species in the Mongolian gerbilMeriones unguiculatus
Authors: Cho S. , Egami M. , Ohnuki H. , Saito Y. , Chinone S. , Shichinohe K. , Suganuma M. , Akao N.
Published: March 2008

To understand the characteristic features of the Mongolian gerbil,Meriones unguiculatus,as an animal model of ascarid infections, the migration behaviour and pathogenesis of larvae were investigated in experimentally infected gerbils. Embryonated eggs from each ofToxocara canis,Baylisascaris procyonis, B. transfuga, Ascaris suum, andA. lumbricoideswere orally inoculated into gerbils and larvae were recovered from various organs at designated periods. InT. canis-infected gerbils, larvae were present in the liver 3 days after infection and in the skeletal muscle and brain via the heart and lungs at a similar rate. InB. procyonis- andB. transfuga-infected gerbils, larvae were present in the lungs within 24 h after infection, with some having reached the brain by that time. After 24 h, larvae ofB. procyonistended to accumulate in the brain, while those ofB. transfugaaccumulated in skeletal muscles. InA. suum- andA. lumbricoides-infected gerbils, larvae remained in the liver on day 5 post-infection and elicited pulmonary haemorrhagic lesions, which disappeared 7 days after initial infection. Thereafter, no larvae of any type were recovered. Ocular manifestations were frequently observed inT. canis- andB. procyonisinfected gerbils, but were rare inB. transfuga-infected gerbils. In the cases ofA. suumandA. lumbricoides, migration to the central nervous system and eyes was extremely rare, and larvae had disappeared by 2 weeks post-infection. Fatal neurological disturbances were observed inB. procyonis-infected gerbils, whereas irreversible non-fatal neurological symptoms were observed in the case ofB. transfuga.
How effective is pre-release nematode control in farm-reared red-legged partridges Alectoris rufa?
Authors: Villanúa D. , Pérez-Rodríguez L. , Rodríguez O. , Viñuela J. , Gortázar C.
Published: March 2008

Game bird farming is associated with high parasite levels that reduce farm productivity, reduce survival after releasing, and may pose a health risk for natural populations. The efficacy of albendazole (orally, 20 mg kg− 1) was evaluated in farmed red-legged partridges naturally infected with the nematodes Aonchotheca caudinflata and Heterakis gallinarum. In treated birds body condition improved, nematode egg deposition was reduced and the proportion of gravid A. caudinflata females was reduced, but not the overall worm burdens. Albendazole was found to be 36.8% and 17.1% effective against A. caudinflata and H. gallinarum, respectively. These results indicate that the anthelmintic treatment used normally in Spanish partridge farms is not effective enough to avoid the introduction of parasites into the field after release.
Welfare, Social Exclusion and Reflexivity: The Case of Child and Woman Protection
Authors: FERGUSON HARRY
Published: March 2008

Questions concerning what it means to be a human agent and the capacities of those who receive welfare services to reflect upon and shape their lives, and the kinds of social conditions which create opportunities for such ‘reflexivity’, have begun to move to the centre of social policy and social work analysis. Using empirical evidence drawn from a study of child and woman protection, this paper argues that, contrary to claims that the concept of self-reflexivity as developed in the work of Beck and Giddens is of little relevance to marginalised citizens, in late-modernity the socially excluded are using social work and welfare services in creative ways to critically engage in life-planning, to find safety and healing. However, the data suggest that much greater specificity is needed in relation to the areas in which it is possible to act to change and develop the self and the social world in late-modernity. The paper argues for a complex theory of agency and reflexivity in welfare discourse which takes account of the intersection of structural disadvantage, intervention practices and personal biography and how people adjust to adversity and cope with toxic experiences and relationships in their lives. This helps to account for the limits to the capacities of agents to reflect and know why they act as they do and their capacities to act destructively, as well as providing for an appreciation of the creative, reflexive welfare subject.
Age differences in spirituality, mystical experiences and wisdom
Authors: LE THAO N.
Published: March 2008

Although philosophical and contemplative traditions suggest that religiousness and spirituality are associated with wisdom, few empirical studies have examined the relationship. This paper investigates the associations between spirituality and mystical experiences and two types of wisdom: practical wisdom, primarily the ability to understand and resolve difficult life dilemmas (or an ‘expert’ knowledge system and the highest level of synthesised mental functioning), and transcendent wisdom, which goes beyond personal self-interests, biases and perceptions, and involves the ability to see things or others as they are directly. Two studies are reported. The first is of mostly older European-American and Vietnamese-American adults. It was found that mystical experiences promoted transcendent wisdom, but that the effect was moderated by self-enhancement values of power, status and achievement. The Vietnamese-American adults who reported mystical experiences and endorsed high self-enhancement values scored the lowest on transcendent wisdom. Being part of a religious or spiritual community positively associated with transcendent wisdom. On the other hand, religiousness, spirituality and mystical experiences did not relate to practical wisdom. The second study was of European-American and Vietnamese-American young adult students. It found that institutional and personal religious/spiritual practice was associated with two self-report measures of wisdom. Regardless of the mechanisms and processes associated with spirituality and mystical experiences, its fruits appear to be associated with transcendent wisdom.