bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Bursting activation of prefrontal cortex drives sustained up states in nucleus accumbens spiny neurons in vivo
Authors: Gruber Aaron J. , O'Donnell Patricio
Published: December 2008

Hippocampal inputs to the nucleus accumbens (NA) have been proposed to implement a gating mechanism by driving NA medium spiny neurons (MSNs) to depolarized up states that facilitate action potential firing in response to brief activation of the prefrontal cortex (PFC). Brief PFC stimulation alone, on the other hand, could not drive NA up states. As these studies were conducted using single‐pulse PFC stimulation, it remains possible that PFC activation with naturalistic, bursty patterns can also drive up states in NA MSNs. Here, we assessed NA responses to PFC stimulation with a pattern similar to what is typically observed in awake animals during PFC‐relevant behaviors. In vivo intracellular recordings from NA MSNs revealed that brief 20–50 Hz PFC stimulus trains evoked depolarizations that were similar to spontaneous up states in NA MSNs and were sustained beyond stimulus offset. Similar train stimulation of corticoaccumbens afferents in a parasagittal slice preparation evoked large amplitude depolarizations in NA MSNs that were sustained during stimulation but decayed rapidly following stimulation offset, suggesting that activation of cortical afferents can drive MSN depolarizations but other mechanisms may contribute to sustaining up states. These data suggest that NA MSNs integrate temporal features of PFC activation and that the NA gating model can be reformulated to include a PFC‐driven gating mechanism during periods of high PFC firing, such as during cognitively demanding tasks. Synapse 63:173–180, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
In vivo microdialysis in awake, freely moving rats demonstrates HIV‐1 Tat‐induced alterations in dopamine transmission
Authors: Ferris Mark J. , Frederick‐Duus Danielle , Fadel Jim , Mactutus Charles F. , Booze Rosemarie M.
Published: December 2008

Individuals infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may develop neuropsychological impairment, and a modest percentage may progress to HIV‐associated dementia (HAD). Research using human and nonhuman, in vitro and in vivo models, demonstrates that subcortical dopamine (DA) systems may be particularly vulnerable to HIV‐induced neurodegeneration. The goal of the current investigation is to provide an understanding of the extent to which the HIV‐1 protein Tat induces alterations in striatal DA transmission using in vivo brain microdialysis in awake, freely moving rats. The current study was designed to investigate Tat‐induced neuronal dysfunction between 24‐h and 48‐h post‐Tat administration, and demonstrates a reduction in evoked DA for the Tat‐treated group relative to vehicle‐treated group at 24 and 48 h. The Tat‐induced reduction of DA overflow by 24 h suggests dysfunction of nerve terminals, and a compromised DA system in Tat‐treated animals. Furthermore, the current study provides direct support for HIV‐associated decline of DA function at a systemic level, helping to characterize the functional outcome of the relatively large amount of research on the molecular and behavioral levels of HIV‐induced neurotoxicity. This initial study may provide additional characteristics of Tat‐induced neuronal dysfunction to inform research on therapeutic intervention, and it provides a springboard for future in vivo research currently needed in the field. Synapse 63:181–185, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Psychological vulnerability differences in students—Carriers or not of the serotonin transporter promoter allele S: Effect of adverse experiences
Authors: Veletza Stavroula , Samakouri Maria , Emmanouil George , Trypsianis Gregory , Kourmouli Niki , Livaditis Miltiadis
Published: December 2008

Aim:

To study the effect of the serotonin transporting gene L/S polymorphism on several psychological characteristics in a group of Greek University students.

Methods:

One hundred eighty‐one students were genotyped and classified into two groups: carriers or noncarriers of an S allele. Students were evaluated with a battery of psychological tests (Zung depression rating scale, symptoms check‐list‐90‐R, Eysenck personality inventory); they also answered questionnaires regarding serious past adverse experiences as well as nicotine and alcohol use. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to check the main effect of genotype and its interaction with both adverse life experiences and scores of psychological tests.

Results:

No significant differences were detected between the two groups of students regarding scores of the psychological tests. Yet, analysis with MANOVA indicated an interaction between genotype and adversities (λ = 0.838, F17,158 = 1.802, P = 0.032). Students who both carry at least one S allele and have faced serious past adverse life experiences have scored higher than carriers of the S allele who have not faced adversities on the following: global severity index (F1174 = 5.973, P = 0.016), positive symptoms distress index (F1174 = 4.518, P = 0.035), somatization (F1174 = 4.074, P = 0.045), depression (F1174 = 4.971, P = 0.027), anxiety (F1174 = 8.112, P = 0.005), phobic anxiety (F1174 = 16.421, P < 0.000), and paranoid ideation (F1174 = 5.143, P = 0.025). Among students without adversities, those with the LL genotype have scored higher than S allele carriers on the following: depression (t = 2.680, df = 75, P = 0.009), anxiety (t = 2.629, df = 75, P = 0.010), phobic anxiety (t = 3.350, df = 75, P = 0.001), and paranoid ideation (t = 2.668, df = 75, P = 0.009).

Conclusion:

The S and L alleles seem to interact differently with serious past life adversities in influencing psychological vulnerability. Adversities seem to have a stronger effect on S carriers. LL genotype might be related to the expression of certain more endogenous psychopathological tendencies. Synapse 63:193–200, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Clinical and genetic study of a novel mutation in the REEP1 gene
Authors: Liu Shi Guo , Che Feng Yuan , Heng Xue Yuan , Li Fei Feng , Huang Shang Zhi , Lu De Guo , Hou Su Jun , Liu Shi En , Wang Qiang , Wang Hai Ping , Ma Xu
Published: December 2008

Objective:

To examine the gene mutation associated with clinical phenotype from a Chinese kindred with autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegia (ADHSP).

Method:

To perform linkage analysis and mutation detection. For two affected individual of the family, clinical analysis, electrophysiological examination, and MRI of brain and spinal cord were also performed.

Result:

A novel splice‐site mutation (REEP1 c417+1g>a) was identified. Central motor conduction time to the first metatarsal interosseus and anterior tibial muscles were clearly prolonged. Thoracic cord atrophy was found from T1 to T10.

Conclusion:

Our study supports that mutations in REEP1 cause ADHSP and demonstrates genetic heterogeneity in ADHSP. Synapse 63:201–205, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Risk matrix input data biases
Authors: Smith Eric D. , Siefert William T. , Drain David
Published: December 2008

Risk matrices used in industry characterize particular risks in terms of the likelihood of occurreRisk matrix input data biaseshe actualized risk. Human cognitive bias research led by Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky exposed systematic translations of objective probability and value as judged by human subjects. Applying these translations to the risk matrix allows the formation of statistical hypotheses of risk point placement biases. Industry‐generated risk matrix data reveals evidence of biases in the judgment of likelihood and consequence—principally, likelihood centering, a systematic increase in consequence, and a diagonal bias. Statistical analyses are conducted with linear regression, normal distribution fitting, and Bayesian analysis. Evidence presented could improve risk matrix based risk analysis prevalent in industry. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng
Obstacles to the flow of requirements verification
Authors: Marchant Alan B.
Published: December 2008

The process of developing technical requirements and subsequently documenting adherence to those requirements is a primary task for Systems Engineering. Disciplined validation and verification of requirements helps assure that the product system will be successful as designed and gives the program a fighting chance to achieve its goals. But commitment and adherence to a process of thorough validation and verification is not always sufficient. Unforeseen technical constraints and logical inconsistencies often spring up at the last minute to block requirements verification for complex systems. By recognizing weaknesses in the structure and definition of requirements that are likely to interfere with the verification flow, the systems engineer can create a more manageable hierarchy of requirements and more effectively redirect the verification process when difficulties arise. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Syst Eng
On‐farm evaluation of methods for storing fresh sweet potato roots in East Africa
Authors: Tomlins K , Ndunguru G , Kimenya F , Ngendello T , Rwiza E , Amour R , van Oirschot Q , Westby A
Published: December 2008

Methods for sweet potato storage, previously developed at a research station, were tested on‐farm by subsistence farmers in Lake Zone, Tanzania. On‐farm testing confirmed that the methods were suitable but indicated that practical and simple improvements were necessary, without which losses in the proportion of market‐quality roots from the store could be as high as 79%. These practical improvements were mainly concerned with the position of stores on the farms. The addition of a new step, dehaulming, improved the recovery of market‐quality roots by 48%. However, although the storage methods were developed in order to improve farmer income, most farmers said they would use the stored roots as a subsistence staple for household food security. Variations among the farmers in their attitudes to storing sweet potato suggest that, when transferring methods from the research station to the farm, it is necessary to target those most able to adopt the approach. Additionally, the farmers considered that local market traders may not be keen to sell stored roots. Therefore, other actors in the value chain, such as market traders and consumers, ought to be included in the process of transferring methods from the research station to the farm. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Organo Palladium(II) Complexes with PdC4 Coordination: Phenylethinyl‐ and Methylphenylethinylcomplexes
Authors: Walther Dirk , Lamm Katja , Görls Helmar
Published: December 2008

Tetrakis(p‐tolyl)oxalamidinato‐bis[acetylacetonatopalladium(II)] ([Pd2(acac)2(oxam)]) reacted with Li–C≡C–C6H5 in THF with formation of [Pd(C≡C–C6H5)4Li2(thf)4] (1a). Reaction of [Pd2(acac)2(oxam)] with a mixture of 6 equiv. Li–C≡C–C6H5 and 2 equiv. LiCH3 resulted in the formation of [Pd(CH3)(C≡C–C6H5)3Li2(thf)4] (2), and the dimeric complex [Pd2(CH3)4(C≡C–C6H5)4Li4(thf)6] (3) was isolated upon reaction of [Pd2(acac)2(oxam)] with a mixture of 4 equiv. Li–C≡C–C6H5 and 4 equiv. LiCH3. 1–3 are extremely reactive compounds, which were isolated as white needles in good yields (60–90%). They were fully characterized by IR, 1H‐, 13C‐, 7Li‐NMR spectroscopy, and by X‐ray crystallography of single crystals. In these compounds Li ions are bonded to the two carbon atoms of the alkinyl ligand. 1a reacted with Pd(PPh3)4 in the presence of oxygen to form the already known complexes trans‐[Pd(C≡C–C6H5)2(PPh3)2] and [Pd(η2‐O2)(PPh3)2]. In addition, 1a is an active catalyst for the Heck coupling reaction, but less active in the catalytic Sonogashira reaction.
Hydrogen Cyanide Exchange on [Al(HCN)6]3+ – A DFT Study
Authors: Puchta Ralph , Alzoubi Basam M. , van Eldik Rudi
Published: December 2008

The hydrogen cyanide exchange mechanism of [Al(HCN)6]3+ has been investigated by DFT calculations (B3LYP/6‐311+G**). The calculations provide theoretical evidence that the hydrogen cyanide exchange proceeds via a limiting dissociative (D) mechanism involving a stable five‐coordinate intermediate [Al(HCN)5·(HCN)2]3+. The activation energy for the D‐mechanism is 23.4 kcal·mol–1, which is 2.8 kcal·mol–1 lower than for the seven‐coordinate transition state [Al(HCN)7]3+‡ for the alternative associative (A) pathway. The difference in stability between the two intermediates [Al(HCN)5·(HCN)2]3+ (12.1 kcal·mol–1) and [Al(HCN)7]3+ (25.7 kcal·mol–1) in comparison to [Al(HCN)6·(HCN)]3+ is much more pronounced and further supports a limiting dissociative mechanism.
Crystal Structure and Magnetic Characteristics of a New 3‐Methylisoquinolinium Tetrachloridoferrate(III)
Authors: Wyrzykowski Dariusz , Sikorski Artur , Kłak Julia , Mroziński Jerzy , Styczeń Emilia , Warnke Zygmund
Published: December 2008

The crystal structure of a new 3‐methylisoquinolinium[3‐Me(IsoQH)] salt, [3‐Me(IsoQH)][FeCl4], was determined. The iron cation is tetracoordinated by chlorine anions, and it adopts a slightly distorted tetrahedral coordination. In the crystal structure, there are π···π stacking interactions between the 3‐methylisoquinolinium cations in an ABAB infinite arrangement, N–H···Cl hydrogen bonds, and C–H···Cl intermolecular interactions. Magnetic measurements of a powdered sample were carried out. A negative Weiss constant as well as the intermolecular exchange parameter for [3‐Me(IsoQH)][FeCl4] indicate the occurrence of antiferromagnetic interactions transmitted in the crystal lattice.
Oxamido‐bridged N4 Macrocyclic Complexes CuII/MII/CuII (M = Mn, Co): Synthesis, Crystal Structures and Magnetic Properties
Authors: Zhang Yan‐Hong , Deng Gui‐Ru , Wang Qing‐Lun , Zhang Rui‐Hong , Yang Fan , Yang Guang‐Ming , Liao Dai‐Zheng
Published: December 2008

Two new oxamido‐bridged N4 macrocyclic complexes [(CuL)2Mn(C2H5OH)2](ClO4)2·2C2H5OH (1) and [(CuL)2Co‐(C2H5OH)2](ClO4)2·2C2H5OH (2) (H2L = 2,3‐dioxo‐5,6:14,15‐di‐benzo‐7,13‐diphenyl‐1,4,8,12‐tetraazacyclo‐pentadeca‐7,13‐diene) have been synthesized and structurally characterized by X‐ray crystallographic investigations. In the two complexes, all copper(II) ions adopt a slightly distorted square‐planar configuration and the central manganese(II) and cobalt(II) ions are set in a distorted octahedral coordination sphere, connected to the other CuL fragments through exo‐cis oxamido bridges. The analyses of the magnetic properties were carried out by means of the theoretical expression of the magnetic susceptibility deduced from the spin Hamiltonian Ĥ = –2JŜ1Ŝ2, leading to J = –14.58 cm–1 for complex 1 and J = –26.95 cm–1 for complex 2, respectively.
Silver(I) Complexes with a Bulky Anthracene‐Based Dicarboxylic Ligand: Syntheses, Crystal Structures, and Luminescent Properties
Authors: Liu Chun‐Sen , Wang Jun‐Jie , Chang Ze , Yan Li‐Fen , Hu Tong‐Liang
Published: December 2008

To explore the influence of anthracene skeleton with a larger conjugated π‐system on the structures and properties of its complexes, two AgI–carboxylate complexes based on anthracene‐9,10‐dicarboxylate (L) were synthesized and characterized: [{[Ag(L)][Ag(dmpy)2]}∞] (1) and [{[Ag2(L)(bipy)2]}∞] (2) (dmpy = 2,6‐dimethylpyridine and bipy = 4,4′‐bipyridine). Complex 1 has an interesting framework consisting of anionic chains {[Ag(L)]–}∞ and the mononuclear cationic units [Ag(dmpy)2]+, which is further assembled to form networks along the different crystallographic directions by the intermolecular C–H···Ag hydrogen‐bonding interactions. Complex 2 takes a ladder‐like chain structure by incorporating 4,4′‐bipyridine (bipy) as a bridging co‐ligand, which is further interlinked to generate a planar network through interchain Ag–Ag bonding contacts. The steric bulk of anthracene ring in L may play an important role in the formation of 1 and 2. Moreover, the luminescent properties of the 1 and 2 were investigated in detail.
Alcohol Solvates of Lanthanoid(III) Trifluoromethanesulfonates
Authors: Chan Eric J. , Harrowfield Jack M. , Robinson Ward T. , Skelton Brian W. , Sobolev Alexandre N. , White Allan H.
Published: December 2008

After vacuum dehydration, a number of hydrated trivalent lanthanoid trifluoromethanesulfonates (“triflate”, “OTf” = F3CSO3), when recrystallized from various alcohol (ROH) solutions, yield solvates Ln(OTf)3·xROH, x = 3, 5 or 6. The following have been defined crystallographically (R/Ln/x): Me/La/3;Me/Gd/6; Et/Sm/3; Et/Gd/5 iPr/Nd,Sm/3. The Me/Gd/6complex, Gd(OTf)3·6MeOH is a mononuclear/ionic form [(MeOH)6Gd(O–OTf)2](OTf), the gadolinium environment being octacoordinate, square‐antiprismatic with the O–OTf donors quasi‐trans on different faces of the coordination polyhedron; the Et/Gd/5 complex is neutral, molecular, mononuclear [(EtOH)5Gd(O–OTf)3], also with an octacoordinate, square‐antiprismatic coordination sphere, derivative of that of the methanol solvate. The remainder form one‐dimensional polymeric arrays, successive lanthanoid atoms linked by (μ‐O–OTf–O′)3 triads, at either end of a tricapped trigonal prismatic array, the ROH molecules contributing the capping atoms. A (“baseline”) (re‐)determination of the “parent” Sm(OTf)3·9H2O is also recorded.
Syntheses, Crystal Structure and Reactivity of Tin(II) Bis[N‐(diphenylphosphanyl)(2‐pyridylmethyl)amide]
Authors: Olbert Dirk , Kalisch Alexander , Görls Helmar , Ondik Irina Malkin , Reiher Markus , Westerhausen Matthias
Published: December 2008

Metallation of N‐(diphenylphosphanyl)(2‐pyridylmethyl)amine with n‐butyllithium in toluene yields lithium N‐(diphenylphosphanyl)(2‐pyridylmethyl)amide (1), which crystallizes as a tetramer. Transamination of N‐(diphenylphosphanyl)(2‐pyridylmethyl)amine with an equimolar amount of Sn[N(SiMe3)2]2 leads to the formation of monomeric bis(trimethylsilyl)amido tin(II) N‐(diphenylphosphanyl)(2‐pyridylmethyl)amide (2). The addition of another equivalent of N‐(diphenylphosphanyl)(2‐pyridylmethyl)amine gives homoleptic tin(II) bis[N‐(diphenylphosphanyl)(2‐pyridylmethyl)amide] (3). In these complexes the N‐(diphenylphosphanyl)(2‐pyridylmethyl)amido groups act as bidentate bases through the nitrogen bases. At elevated temperatures HN(SiMe3)2 is liberated from bis(trimethylsilyl)amido tin(II) N‐(diphenylphosphanyl)(2‐pyridylmethyl)amide (2) yielding mononuclear tin(II) 1,2‐dipyridyl‐1,2‐bis(diphenylphosphanylamido)ethane (4) through a C–C coupling reaction. The three‐coordinate tin(II) atoms of 2 and 4 adopt trigonal pyramidal coordination spheres.
Risk Factors of Reflux Esophagitis in the Cervical Remnant Following Esophagectomy with Gastric Tube Reconstruction
Authors: Yajima Kazuhito , Kosugi Shin‐ichi , Kanda Tatsuo , Matsuki Atsushi , Hatakeyama Katsuyoshi
Published: December 2008

Background

The risk factors and suitable treatment of reflux esophagitis (RE) of the cervical remnant in patients undergoing radical esophagectomy remain unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the risk factors in patients with RE in the cervical remnant.

Methods

We retrospectively examined 141 consecutive patients who underwent esophagectomy and reconstruction with gastric tubing. RE was diagnosed by upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and graded according to the Los Angeles Classification. Statistically, 11 potential risk factors of RE were evaluated. The postoperative follow‐up time ranged from 18 to 204 months (median 60 months).

Results

Among a total of 141 patients, 48 (34%) had RE in the cervical remnant, with 14 (29%) cases categorized as grade B, nine (19%) as grade C, and 25 (52%) as grade D. The cumulative incidence of RE in the cervical remnant was 24% at 5 years after surgery and 60% at 10 years, respectively. Pyloroplasty and bile reflux were identified as independent risk factors of RE in the cervical remnant by univariate and multivariate analyses.

Conclusions

The results of this study show a high incidence and high grade of RE in the cervical remnant after esophagectomy. Routine endoscopic examination and suitable medication is required for the control of RE in the cervical remnant together with surgical procedures to avoid bile reflux.
Temporary Closure of the Open Abdomen: A Systematic Review on Delayed Primary Fascial Closure in Patients with an Open Abdomen
Authors: Boele van Hensbroek Pieter , Wind Jan , Dijkgraaf Marcel G. W. , Busch Olivier R. C. , Carel Goslings J.
Published: December 2008

Background

This study was designed to systematically review the literature to assess which temporary abdominal closure (TAC) technique is associated with the highest delayed primary fascial closure (FC) rate. In some cases of abdominal trauma or infection, edema or packing precludes fascial closure after laparotomy. This “open abdomen” must then be temporarily closed. However, the FC rate varies between techniques.

Methods

The Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, MEDLINE, and EMBASE databases were searched until December 2007. References were checked for additional studies. Search criteria included (synonyms of) “open abdomen,” “fascial closure,” “vacuum,” “reapproximation,” and “ventral hernia.” Open abdomen was defined as “the inability to close the abdominal fascia after laparotomy.” Two reviewers independently extracted data from original articles by using a predefined checklist.

Results

The search identified 154 abstracts of which 96 were considered relevant. No comparative studies were identified. After reading them, 51 articles, including 57 case series were included. The techniques described were vacuum‐assisted closure (VAC; 8 series), vacuum pack (15 series), artificial burr (4 series), Mesh/sheet (16 series), zipper (7 series), silo (3 series), skin closure (2 series), dynamic retention sutures (DRS), and loose packing (1 series each). The highest FC rates were seen in the artificial burr (90%), DRS (85%), and VAC (60%). The lowest mortality rates were seen in the artificial burr (17%), VAC (18%), and DRS (23%).

Conclusions

These results suggest that the artificial burr and the VAC are associated with the highest FC rates and the lowest mortality rates.
A data‐mining approach to rank candidate protein‐binding partners—The case of biogenesis of lysosome‐related organelles complex‐1 (BLOC‐1)
Authors: Rodriguez‐Fernandez I. A. , Dell'Angelica E. C.
Published: December 2008

The study of protein–protein interactions is a powerful approach to uncovering the molecular function of gene products associated with human disease. Protein–protein interaction data are accumulating at an unprecedented pace owing to interactomics projects, although it has been recognized that a significant fraction of these data likely represents false positives. During our studies of biogenesis of lysosome‐related organelles complex‐1 (BLOC‐1), a protein complex involved in protein trafficking and containing the products of genes mutated in Hermansky–Pudlak syndrome, we faced the problem of having too many candidate binding partners to pursue experimentally. In this work, we have explored ways of efficiently gathering high‐quality information about candidate binding partners and presenting the information in a visually friendly manner. We applied the approach to rank 70 candidate binding partners of human BLOC‐1 and 102 candidates of its counterpart from Drosophila melanogaster. The top candidate for human BLOC‐1 was the small GTPase encoded by the RAB11A gene, which is a paralogue of the Rab38 and Rab32 proteins in mammals and the lightoid gene product in flies. Interestingly, genetic analyses in D. melanogaster uncovered a synthetic sick/lethal interaction between Rab11 and lightoid. The data‐mining approach described herein can be customized to study candidate binding partners for other proteins or possibly candidates derived from other types of ‘omics’ data.
TLC and 31P‐NMR Analysis of Low Polarity Phospholipids
Authors: Vyssotski Mikhail , MacKenzie Andrew , Scott Dawn
Published: December 2008

High‐performance TLC and 31P‐NMR were assessed as methods of observing the presence of numerous low polarity phospholipids: bis‐phosphatidic acid (BPA), semi‐lyso bis‐phosphatidic acid (SLBPA), N‐acyl phosphatidylethanolamine (NAPE), N‐(1,1‐dimethyl‐3‐oxo‐butyl)‐phosphatidylethanolamine (diacetone adduct of PE, DOBPE), N‐acetyl PE, phosphatidylmethanol (PM), phosphatidylethanol (PEt), phosphatidyl‐n‐propanol (PP), phosphatidyl‐n‐butanol (PB). Both techniques are non‐discriminative and do not require the prior isolation of individual lipids. It appears that 2D TLC is superior to 31P NMR in the analysis of low polarity phospholipids. All phosphatidylalcohols were well separated by 2D TLC. However, some compounds which can present difficulty in separation by 2D‐TLC (e.g., SLBPA and NAPE; or DOBPE and N‐acetyl PE) were easily distinguished using 31P NMR so the methods are complimentary. A disadvantage of 2D TLC is that Rf values can vary with different brands and batches of TLC plates. The chemical shifts of 31P NMR were less variable, and so a library of standards may not be necessary for peak identification. Another advantage of 31P NMR is the ease of quantification of phospholipids. The applicability of the methods was tested on natural extracts of fish brain and cabbage stem.
Towards safer level crossings: existing recommendations, new applicable technologies and a proposed simulation model
Authors: Khoudour Louahdi , Ghazel Mohamed , Boukour Fouzia , Heddebaut Marc , El-Koursi El-Miloudi
Published: December 2008

Every year, more than 400 people are killed in over 1,200 accidents at road-rail level crossings in the European Union. Together with tunnels and specific road black spots, level crossings have been identified as being a particular weak point in road infrastructure, seriously jeopardizing road safety. In the case of railway transport, level crossings can represent as much as 29% of all fatalities caused by railway operations. Up to now, the only effective solution appears to involve upgrading level crossing safety systems even though in more than 90% of cases the primary accident cause is inadequate or improper human behavior rather than any technical, rail-based issue. This article provides results of research done on possible technological solutions to reduce the number of accidents at level crossings and demonstrate the effectiveness of the latter. Elements of these recommendations and related research activities constitute the main focus of the research work described in this paper. It is organized as follows: In Section 2, we consider statistical data related to LX accidents in certain given European countries. These statistics as well as a European Commission Directive related to safety targets are analyzed and the main trends are drawn. The study was carried out on the basis of the classification by the European Railway Agency of active LXs and passive LXs. These results form the foundation for the work described in Section 3. Section 3 focuses on advanced technology to improve LXs safety. The main thrust of the study is to evaluate low-cost, standard technology that can contribute to a direct decrease in the number of accidents, at an affordable cost. Existing surveillance technologies already used in rail or road transport are first considered. To facilitate LX bi-modality, special emphasis is put on technical solutions which have already demonstrated high efficiency in both environments. In Section 4, the mode of operation of each potential solution is modeled and evaluated considering several operational scenarii, in order to evaluate the aggregate benefits of all the input. Setting models to describe the dynamics surrounding the LX environment will prepare a basis to support the decision making process of a joint rail and road sector strategy on how to control LXs. Finally, section 5 brings the study to a close with a list of the main areas in which to concentrate our future work.
Genetic transfer of PNAS‐4 induces apoptosis and enhances sensitivity to gemcitabine in lung cancer
Authors: Hou Shengyan , Zhao Zhiwei , Yan Fei , Chen Xiancheng , Deng Hongxin , Chen Xiang , Wang Yongsheng , Wei Yuquan
Published: December 2008

PNAS‐4 has been demonstrated to induce apoptosis in U2OS cells. To evaluate its feasibility as a new strategy for cancer therapy, we analyzed its anti‐tumor effect with or without gemcitabine in A549 lung cancer cells. MTT assay, Hoechst 33258 staining and flow cytometric analysis were used to determine the cytotoxicity of PNAS‐4 alone or plus gemcitabine. The anti‐tumor efficacy was further investigated in vivo with nude mice. PNAS‐4 plasmid/liposome complexes were injected by tail vein every 4 days. Gemcitabine was given ip on a weekly schedule for 4 weeks. PNAS‐4 alone and plus gemcitabine induced apoptosis in A549 cells in vitro. The xenograft lung cancer treated with PNAS‐4 retarded growth compared with the empty vector. The combination of PNAS‐4 with gemcitabine induced anti‐tumor activity accompanied by an increase in apoptotic cells compared with PNAS‐4 or gemcitabine alone. No other obvious toxicity was found. PNAS‐4 therefore suppresses tumor growth in vivo and enhances sensitivity to gemcitabine. This suggests that the PNAS‐4 gene could be a potential candidate for lung cancer therapy alone or in combination with gemcitabine.
Nuclear import of Pin1 is mediated by a novel sequence in the PPIase domain
Authors: Lufei Chengchen , Cao Xinmin
Published: December 2008

MINT‐6803345: St3 (uniprotkb:P40763) and importin alpha 5 (uniprotkb:P52294) physically interact (MI:0218) by anti tag coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0007)
Silencing efficiency differs among tissues and endogenous microRNA pathway is preserved in short hairpin RNA transgenic mice
Authors: Sasaguri Hiroki , Mitani Tasuku , Anzai Masayuki , Kubodera Takayuki , Saito Yuki , Yamada Hiromi , Mizusawa Hidehiro , Yokota Takanori
Published: December 2008

In short hairpin RNA (shRNA) transgenic mice, the tissue difference in gene silencing efficiency and oversaturation of microRNA (miRNA) pathway have not been well assessed. We studied these problems in our previously‐reported anti‐copper/zinc superoxide dismutase (SOD1) shRNA transgenic mice. Although there was a tissue difference (liver and skeletal muscle, >95%; central nervous system and lung, ∼80%), the target gene silencing was systemic and our anti‐SOD1 shRNA transgenic mice recapitulated the SOD1‐null mice. Neither endogenous miRNAs nor their target gene levels were altered, indicating the preservation of endogenous miRNA pathways. We think that the shRNA transgenic mice can be utilized for gene analysis.
Cost‐effectiveness of misoprostol and prenatal iron supplementation as maternal mortality interventions in home births in rural India
Authors: Sutherland Tori , Bishai David M.
Published: December 2008

Objective

To determine the cost‐effectiveness of prenatal iron supplementation and misoprostol use as interventions to prevent maternal mortality in home births in rural India.

Methods

A cost‐effectiveness analysis depicted three hypothetical cohorts of 10 000 pregnant women delivering at home in rural India: one with no intervention, one receiving standard prenatal iron supplements, and 1 receiving 600 µg of misoprostol in the third stage of labor.

Results

Misoprostol used to prevent postpartum hemorrhage resulted in a 38% (95% CI, 5%–73%) decrease in maternal deaths, while prenatal iron supplementation resulted in a 5% (95% CI, 0%–47%) decrease. Misoprostol cost a median US $1401 (IQR US $1008–$1848) prenatal iron supplementation cost a median US $2241 (IQR No Lives Saved–$3882) per life saved compared with the standard care outcome.

Conclusion

Misoprostol is a cost‐effective maternal mortality intervention for home births. Iron supplementation may be worthwhile to improve women's health, but it is uncertain whether it can prevent mortality after hemorrhage.
The Influence of Minority Status on Job Stability After Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Arango‐Lasprilla Juan Carlos , Ketchum Jessica M. , Gary Kelli W. , Kreutzer Jeffrey S. , O'Neil‐Pirozzi Therese M. , Wehman Paul , Marquez de la Plata Carlos , Jha Amitabh
Published: December 2008

Objective

To determine the influence of minority status on job stability after traumatic brain injury (TBI).

Setting

TBI Model Systems Centers.

Participants

633 individuals (414 Caucasians vs. 219 Minorities) with primarily moderate to severe TBI hospitalized at one of the TBI Model Systems Centers between 1988 and 2001 with 3 years of continuous follow up employment data after discharge.

Main Outcome Measures

Job stability was defined as “stable” (competitively employed at all three follow‐up visits), “unemployed” (not competitively employed at all three visits), and “unstable” (any other mixture of competitively employed and not competitively employed over the three follow‐up visits).

Methods

A multinomial logistic regression model was used to model the effect of ethnicity on job stability post TBI after adjusting for injury and demographic characteristics.

Results

Compared to Caucasians, the adjusted odds for minorities were 3.587 times greater for being unemployed versus being stably employed (95% CI = 1.930, 6.668), 1.911 times greater for being unstably employed versus being stably employed (95% CI = 1.006, 3.628), and 1.878 times more greater for being unemployed versus being unstably employed (95% CI = 1.157, 3.046) after adjusting for preinjury employment status, age, marital status, education, cause of injury, total length of stay in acute and rehabilitation hospitals, and DRS at discharge.

Conclusions

Minority status is an independent predictor of short‐term job stability after TBI. Minority TBI survivors were more likely than Caucasians to be unemployed or unstably employed. Rehabilitation professionals should develop employment interventions that will address the specific needs of these racial/ethnic groups and facilitate optimal employment outcomes for minority TBI survivors.
Estimation, Inference and Specification Analysis
Authors: White Halbert
Published: December 2008

This book examines the consequences of misspecifications ranging from the fundamental to the nonexistent for the interpretation of likelihood-based methods of statistical estimation and interference. Professor White first explores the underlying motivation for maximum-likelihood estimation, treats the interpretation of the maximum-likelihood estimator (MLE) for misspecified probability models, and gives the conditions under which parameters of interest can be consistently estimated despite misspecification, and the consequences of misspecification, for hypothesis testing in estimating the asymptotic covariance matrix of the parameters. Although the theory presented in the book is motivated by econometric problems, its applicability is by no means restricted to economics. Subject to defined limitations, the theory applies to any scientific context in which statistical analysis is conducted using approximate models.
Effect of the metabolic inhibitor, methimazole on the drug susceptibility of a triclabendazole-resistant isolate of Fasciola hepatica
Authors: DEVINE C. , BRENNAN G. P. , LANUSSE C. E. , ALVAREZ L. I. , TRUDGETT A. , HOEY E. , FAIRWEATHER I.
Published: December 2008

A study has been carried out to investigate whether the action of triclabendazole (TCBZ) is altered in the presence of a metabolic inhibitor. The flavin monooxygenase system (FMO) was inhibited using methimazole (MTZ) to see whether a TCBZ-resistant isolate could be made more sensitive to TCBZ action. The Oberon TCBZ-resistant and Cullompton TCBZ-sensitive isolates were used for these experiments. The FMO system was inhibited by a 2-h pre-incubation in methimazole (100 μm). Flukes were then incubated for a further 22 h in NCTC medium containing either MTZ; MTZ+nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) (1 nm); MTZ+NADPH+TCBZ (15 μg/ml); or MTZ+NADPH+triclabendazole sulphoxide (TCBZ.SO) (15 μg/ml). Morphological changes resulting from drug treatment and following metabolic inhibition were assessed using scanning electron microscopy. After treatment with either TCBZ or TCBZ.SO alone, there was greater surface disruption to the triclabendazole-susceptible than -resistant isolate. However, co-incubation with MTZ and TCBZ/TCBZ.SO lead to more severe surface changes to the TCBZ-resistant isolate than with each drug on its own; this was not seen for the TCBZ-susceptible Cullompton isolate. Results of this study support the concept of altered drug metabolism in TCBZ-resistant flukes and this process may play a role in the development of drug resistance.
Multilingual education policy and practice: Ten certainties (grounded in Indigenous experience)
Authors: Hornberger Nancy H.
Published: December 2008

Although multilingualism and multilingual education have existed for centuries, our 21st-century entrance into the new millennium has brought renewed interest and contestation around this educational alternative. Ethnolinguistic diversity and inequality, intercultural communication and contact, and global political and economic interdependence are more than ever acknowledged realities of today's world, and all of them put pressures on our educational systems. Now, as throughout history, multilingual education offers the best possibilities for preparing coming generations to participate in constructing more just and democratic societies in our globalized and intercultural world; however, it is not unproblematically achieved. There are many unanswered questions and doubts as to policy and implementation, program and curricular design, classroom instruction practices, pedagogy, and teacher professional development, but there is also much that we understand and know very well, based on empirical research in many corners of the world. Here I highlight Bolivian and other Indigenous educational experiences with which I am most familiar, and which capture certainties that hold beyond the particular instances I describe. My emphasis is on what we know and are sure of, and my goal is to convey my deep conviction that multilingual education constitutes a wide and welcoming educational doorway toward peaceful coexistence of peoples and especially restoration and empowerment of those who have been historically oppressed.
Dynamic assessment: The dialectic integration of instruction and assessment
Authors: Lantolf James P.
Published: December 2008

This presentation is situated within the general framework of Vygotsky's educational theory, which argues that development in formal educational activity is a fundamentally different process from development that occurs in the everyday world. A cornerstone of Vygotsky's theory is that to be successful education must be sensitive to learners' zone of proximal development. This requires the dialectical integration of instruction and assessment into a seamless and dynamic activity. The presentation includes a discussion of how the integration is systematically achieved in the process known as dynamic assessment and illustrates through analysis of data from advanced learners of French how this functions in second language education.
The ecology of assessment
Authors: Falsgraf Carl
Published: December 2008

Assessment has long been beset by a dichotomy between what Lynch (2003: 4) termed the positivist and interpretivist orientations. The former views assessment as a technical exercise involving the quantification of learners' knowledge or cognitive abilities; the latter considers assessment as the humanistic endeavor of portraying learners' qualitative development and subjective experiences. This presentation argues that, although these distinctions may be useful heuristics, differing types of assessments are more profitably viewed as filling particular niches within an ecosystem. The speech also reports on technical developments that place control over assessment results in the hands of learners, which allows them to assemble evidence from a variety of sources to substantiate proficiency claims. These developments should help promote the paradigm of assessment as ecology and help the field move beyond the uneasy dichotomy that now predominates.
Time-dependent neutral-plasma isothermal expansions into a vacuum
Authors: Huang Y. , Duan X. , Lan X. , Tan Z. , Wang N. , Tang X. , He Y.
Published: December 2008

A time-dependent solution for neutral-plasma isothermal expansions into a vacuum in a special-transformation coordinate system is obtained. In this new coordinate system, the special self-similar solutions of it were given by Huang and co-workers (Appl. Phys. Lett. 92, 031501). Combining the time-dependent solution and the quasi-linear increase of the electron density due to the hot-electron recirculation, an analytic model is proposed to reveal the influence of the hot-electron recirculation on the increase of electric field and on the acceleration of ions of different masses and charges.
The emergence of Dutch connectives; how cumulative cognitive complexity explains the order of acquisition
Authors: EVERS-VERMEUL JACQUELINE , SANDERS TED
Published: December 2008

Before they are three years old, most children have started to build coherent discourse. This article focuses on one important linguistic device children have to learn: connectives. The main questions are: Do connectives emerge in a fixed order? And if so, how can this order be explained? In line with Bloomet al.(1980) we propose to explain similarities in the development in terms of cumulative cognitive complexity: complex relations are acquired later than simple ones. Following a cognitive approach to coherence relations, we expect positive relations to be acquired before negatives and additives before temporals and causals. We develop a multidimensional approach to the acquisition process in order to account for the variation among children. Hypotheses were tested by analyzing data from children aged 1 ; 5–5 ; 6 on the emergence of Dutch connectives. The multidimensional approach of cognitive complexity describes both the uniformity and the diversity in the developmental sequences of Dutch-speaking and English-speaking children.
Perspectives on long‐term variations in hypoxic conditions in western Long Island Sound
Authors: Wilson Robert E. , Swanson R. Lawrence , Crowley Heather A.
Published: December 2008

Western Long Island Sound (wLIS) has experienced a long‐term decline in the July/August summer minima bottom dissolved oxygen concentrations. This decline continues despite New York City having eliminated routine raw discharges of sewage, upgraded sewage treatment to nearly complete secondary, and introduced nitrogen control. It is our conclusion that long‐term changes in physical oceanographic processes are having an impact on the hypoxia problem in wLIS. Specifically, we show that interannual variations in summertime thermal and haline stratification contribute to variations in vertical mixing which controls the ventilation of bottom waters. Analyses of bottom dissolved oxygen and density stratification point directly to the importance of wind‐induced current shear in controlling stratification and vertical mixing; numerical simulations support this result. Interannual variations in both the direction and directional constancy of summertime winds over wLIS are shown to control the ventilation of bottom waters and thereby the seasonal development of hypoxia.
Atmospheric correction for the monitoring of land surfaces
Authors: Vermote Eric F. , Kotchenova Svetlana
Published: December 2008

This paper briefly describes the land surface reflectance product (MOD09), the current Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) atmospheric correction (AC) algorithm and its recent updates, and provides the evaluation of the algorithm performance and product quality. The accuracy of the AC algorithm has been significantly improved owing to the use of the accurate Second Simulation of a Satellite Signal in the Solar Spectrum, Vector (6SV) radiative transfer code and a better retrieval of aerosol properties by a refined internal aerosol inversion algorithm. The Collection 5 MOD09 surface reflectance product computed by the improved AC algorithm was analyzed for the year of 2003 through the comparison with a reference data set created with the help of Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) measurements and the 6SV code simulations. In general, the MOD09 product demonstrated satisfactory quality in all used MODIS bands except for band 3 (470 nm), which is used for aerosol inversion. The impact of uncertainties in MOD09 upon the downstream product, such as vegetation indices and albedo, was also evaluated.
Strong jet and a new thermal wave in Saturn's equatorial stratosphere
Authors: Liming Li , Gierasch Peter J. , Achterberg Richard K. , Conrath Barney J. , Flasar F. Michael , Vasavada Ashwin R. , Ingersoll Andrew P. , Banfield Don , Simon‐Miller Amy A. , Fletcher Leigh N.
Published: December 2008

The strong jet, with a speed between 500 and 600 m/s, is inferred in the equatorial region of Saturn by combining the nadir and limb observations of Composite Infrared Spectrometer (CIRS) aboard the Cassini spacecraft. A similar jet was discovered on Jupiter (F. M. Flasar et al., 2004a). These discoveries raise the possibility that intense jets are common in the equatorial stratospheres of giant planets. An equatorial wave with wavenumber ∼9 is revealed in the stratosphere of Saturn by the CIRS high spatial‐resolution thermal maps. Our discussion based on the phase velocity suggests that the equatorial wave is probably a Rossby‐gravity wave. The discovery of an equatorial wave in the stratosphere suggests that Saturn's equatorial oscillations (T. Fouchet et al., 2008; G. S. Orton et al., 2008) may be driven by vertically propagating waves, the same mechanism that drives the quasi‐biennial oscillation (QBO) on Earth.
Distribution of sunken macroalgae against the background of tidal circulation in the coastal waters of Qingdao, China, in summer 2008
Authors: Lü Xingang , Qiao Fangli
Published: December 2008

A high‐resolution, three‐dimensional, POM‐based numerical model is developed to study the distributional responses of sunken algae (SA) in a massive macroalgal bloom, which occurred in Qingdao coastal waters in summer 2008, to the barotropic tidal currents which dominate the dynamic circulation system. Validated by in situ observation of both sea level and buoy‐measured current data, the model shows satisfactory performance in reproducing the tidal system. An indicator BotDIV, the integral of velocity divergence of bottom flow over hours preceding the trawling of SA, is diagnosed on the basis of tidal modeling. It is found that the distribution of SA, captured by 16 tows of bottom trawling, is dependent on the BotDIV field. Basically, large (small) quantity of algae are caught at the sites where bottom currents converge (diverge). The influences of advective or diffusive process on the distribution of such heavy seaweeds settling on the seabed are probably limited.
Characteristics of the cold‐water belt formed off Soya Warm Current
Authors: Ishizu Miho , Kitade Yujiro , Matsuyama Masaji
Published: December 2008

We examined the data obtained by acoustic Doppler current profiler, conductivity‐temperature‐depth profiler, and expendable bathythermograph observations, which were collected in the summers of 2000, 2001, and 2002, to clarify the characteristics of the cold‐water belt (CWB), i.e., lower‐temperature water than the surrounding water extending from the southwest coast of Sakhalin along the offshore side of Soya Warm Current (SWC) and to confirm one of the formation mechanisms of the CWB as suggested by our previous study, i.e., the upwelling due to the convergence of bottom Ekman transport off the SWC region. The CWB was observed at about 30 km off the coast, having a thickness of 14 m and a minimum temperature of 12°C at the sea surface. The CWB does not have the specific water mass, but is constituted of three representative water types off the northeast coast of Hokkaido in summer, i.e., SWC water, Fresh Surface Okhotsk Sea Water, and Okhotsk Sea Intermediate Water. In a comparison of the horizontal distributions of current and temperature, the CWB region is found to be advected to the southeast at an average of 40 ± 29% of the maximum current velocity of the SWC. The pumping speed due to the convergence of the bottom Ekman transport is estimated as (1.5–3.0) × 10−4 m s−1. We examined the mixing ratio of the CWB, and the results implied that the water mass of the CWB is advected southeastward and mixes with a water mass upwelling in a different region off SWC.