bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Microcosm tributyltin bioaccumulation and multibiomarker assessment in the blue mussel Mytilus edulis
Authors: Devier Marie-Hélène , Augagneur Sylvie , Budzinski Hélène , Mora Pascal , Narbonne Jean-Franclois , Garrigues Philippe
Published: November 2004

Blue mussels, Mytilus edulis, were exposed to two different concentrations of tributyltin (TBT) in seawater, 1,000 ng Sn/L (C1 experiment) and 10 ng Sn/L (C2 experiment), for 4 d, in order to evaluate the bioaccumulation of TBT by mussels Mytilus edulis in microcosms and to test the ability of a multimarkers analysis to determine the effects of TBT on the biochemical parameters in mussels. Tissue burdens of Mytilus edulis were 204 ± 7 and 2,120 ± 4 ng Sn/g TBT after the 4-d tests for the C2 and C1 experiments, respectively. Analyses of dissected organs and/or tissues demonstrated that TBT accumulated to the greatest extent in gills in the C1 experiment and in the digestive gland in the C2 experiment. Bioconcentration factors (BCFs) were 12,100 ± 300 and 2,000 ± 10 for mussels exposed in the C2 and C1 experiments, respectively. The four biomarkers used in this work were acetylcholinesterase (AChE), glutathione S-transferase (GST), catalase (CAT) activities, and thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) contents. No significant changes were observed in the measured enzyme activities or in TBARS concentration after the 4-d TBT exposure.
Intraclonal variability in Daphnia acetylcholinesterase activity: The implications for its applicability as a biomarker
Authors: Printes Liane Biehl , Callaghan Amanda
Published: November 2004

The relationship between individual growth and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) activity was evaluated for Daphnia magna. Analysis on the influence of two different culture media on baseline AChE activity was performed with Daphnia similis. The results indicated an inverse relationship between D. magna body length and AChE activity. An increase in total protein, which was not proportional to an increase in the rate of the substrate hydrolysis (Δ absorbance/min), seems to be the reason for this inverse size versus AChE activity relationship. Therefore, toxicants such as phenobarbital, which affect protein and size but not AChE activity directly, have an overall affect on AChE activity. In contrast, the AChE inhibitor parathion altered AChE activity but not protein. Culture medium also had a significant affect on AChE activity in D. similis. Changes in total protein seem to be the main reason for the variations in baseline AChE activity in Daphnia observed in the different evaluations performed in this work. Therefore, AChE activity in Daphnia must be interpreted carefully, and variations related to changes in total protein must be taken into account when applying this enzyme as a biomarker in biological monitoring.
Extraction of spiked metals from contaminated coastal sediments: A comparison of different methods
Authors: Fan Wenhong , Wang Wen-Xiong
Published: November 2004

Various extraction methods have been developed to assess metal bioavailability from sediments. In this study, we compared the extraction of Cd, Cr, and Zn from contaminated sediments using different extractants (normal seawater, acidic seawater of pH = 5, seawater with 1% sodium dodecyl sulfate [SDS], and gut digestive fluids collected in vitro from deposit-feeding peanut worm Sipunculus nudus) coupled with concurrent metal speciation measurements. The influences of sediment aging on metal extraction were also examined using radiotracer-spiked techniques. Sediments aging up to 100 d did not significantly affect the partitioning of spiked Cd and Cr in different geochemical phases, but the spiked Zn was partitioned more into the reducible fraction and less into the carbonate phase with increasing sediment aging. There was a major difference in the partitioning into different geochemical phases between the spiked metals and the native metals within the 100-d sediment aging. The difference between the spiked and native Cd and Zn extraction using gut juices was somewhat smaller than the strong geochemical contrast. Metals bound with the anoxic sediments were hardly extracted by different extractants. There was a significant relationship between the extraction of spiked Cd and its distribution in the exchangeable phase (positive correlation) or in the reducible phase (negative correlation). For Cr and Zn, extraction was not correlated with their partitioning in any of the geochemical phases. Further, extraction of all three metals by digestive gut fluids was not correlated with the concentrations of simultaneously extractable metals (SEM), nor with the difference between SEM and acid volatile sulfide (AVS). Our study suggests that there were large differences in extraction among metals using different extractants and only Cd extraction was significantly related to its geochemical speciation in sediments.
Association mechanisms of europium(III) and curium(III) with Chlorella vulgaris
Authors: Ozaki Takuo , Kimura Takaumi , Ohnuki Toshihiko , Yoshida Zenko , Francis Arokiasamy J.
Published: November 2004

The association of Europium(III) (Eu[III]) and Curium(III) (Cm[III]) with Chlorella vulgaris and with cellulose was studied by a batch method and time-resolved laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy (TRLFS). The kinetics study performed by the batch method showed that maximum adsorption of Eu(III) and Cm(III) on C. vulgaris was attained within 3 min of contact; afterward, the percentage adsorption decreased with time due to chelation of the ions with exudates released from C. vulgaris with a strong affinity for Eu(III) and Cm(III). The TRLFS revealed that the short-term adsorption of Eu(III) on C. vulgaris was attributable to its coordination with cellulose on the algal cell wall. However, Eu(III) coordinated with the functional groups of cellulose very weakly despite the large distribution coefficients observed. These results indicate that the reactions, both at the cell's surfaces through adsorption and in solution phases through chelation with the exudates, are important in estimating the behavior of Eu(III) and Cm(III) in aqueous environments.
The relationship of bioaccumulative chemicals in water and sediment to residues in fish: A visualization approach
Authors: Burkhard Lawrence P. , Cook Philip M. , Mount David R.
Published: November 2004

A visualization approach is developed and presented for depicting and interpreting bioaccumulation relationships and data (i.e., bioaccumulation factors [BAFs], biota-sediment accumulation factors [BSAFs], and chemical residues in fish) using water–sediment chemical concentration XY plots. The approach is based on five basic parameters that affect bioaccumulation of nonionic organic chemicals: The distribution of chemical between sediment and water, the hydrophobicity of the compound (expressed as the n-octanol/water partition coefficient, Kow), the relationship of food chains to water and sediment, the length of the food chains, and the degree to which the chemical is metabolized. The visualization approach using water–sediment XY plots captures and visually presents the existing bioaccumulation knowledge in a form that is readily understandable from chemical, biological, and ecological aspects and, therefore, useful in the assessment, communication, and management of risk for persistent bioaccumulative toxicants.
Field contamination of the starfish Asterias rubens by metals. Part 1: Short- and long-term accumulation along a pollution gradient
Authors: Coteur Geoffroy , Pernet Philippe , Gillan David , Joly Guillemette , Maage Amund , Dubois Philippe
Published: November 2004

The accumulation of Cd, Pb, Zn, and Cu in the starfish Asterias rubens was studied in a Norwegian fjord characterized by a gradient of metal pollution in the sediments, ranging from very high metal concentrations at its head to much lower levels at its opening. The concentrations of metals in starfish from natural populations along the gradient (long-term accumulation) and in starfish that were transferred up the gradient (short-term accumulation) were compared. At long-term, Cd and Pb accumulations by starfish living at normal salinity (30‰) were related to the level of contamination of of the environment while Cu and, to a lesser extent, Zn accumulations appeared strictly controlled. At short-term, Pb was accumulated steadily, Cd and Zn were accumulated transiently in the pyloric caeca (fast compartment), and Cu was not accumulated at all. Depuration experiments (transfer down the gradient) showed that Cd and Pb were efficiently eliminated from the pyloric caeca but not from the body wall (slow compartment). It is concluded that Pb is chronically accumulated, without apparent control, Cd is subjected to a regulating mechanism in the pyloric caeca which is overwhelmed over the long-term; Zn is tightly controlled in the pyloric caeca and Cu in both pyloric caeca and body wall. A distinct color variety of starfish is restricted to the low salinity (22-26‰) superficial water layer. This variety showed a different pattern of metal accumulation over the long-term. This pattern is attributed to the particular hydrological conditions prevailing in this upper layer.
Factors influencing variability and potential uptake routes of heavy metals in black kites exposed to emissions from a solid-waste incinerator
Authors: Blanco Guillermo , Frías Oscar , Jiménez Begoña , Gómez Gema
Published: November 2004

Exposure to heavy metals from emissions of the solid-waste incinerator (SWI) of Madrid (Spain) was assessed by determining the relationships between the distance from black kite (Milvus migrans) nests to the SWI and metal concentrations in nestling blood and failed eggs. Lead levels increased as the distance to the SWI decreased, while no significant relationship was found for the remaining elements. Analysis of frequency distributions showed that Pb was normally distributed, suggesting a generalized exposure to this contaminant. Variability in metal levels within and between nests indicated a differential nest exposure to contaminant metals with sibling chicks showing similar metal levels. Correlations between essential and contaminant metals suggested detoxifying mechanisms mediated by essential metals. The contribution of metal residues in blood coming from deposition in eggs was minimal compared with residues coming from posthatch exposure. Exposure to particulate volatile Pb in the form of dust from fly ash emitted to the air by the SWI is suggested to be the main route of uptake via inhalation, while both dietary and respiratory routes may contribute to Cd uptake. The increasing human population living close to the SWI may be increasingly at risk from exposure to air-borne contaminants depending on the emission standards from the SWI.
Photoactivated toxicity in amphipods collected from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon–contaminated sites
Authors: Diamond Stephen A. , Milroy Nicholas J. , Mattson Vincent R. , Heinis Larry J. , Mount David R.
Published: November 2004

The risk of photoactivated PAH toxicity in contaminated aquatic systems has not been well characterized. To document risk, amphipods (Gammarus spp.) were collected from two polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated sites in the lower St. Louis River and Duluth Harbor, USA (Hog Island and USX) as well as a reference site (Chipmunk Cove) and were exposed in two separate, replicate tests to controlled intensities of solar radiation for 3 d. Contaminated site organisms died significantly faster compared to control site organisms. In all tests, mortality was strongly related to ultraviolet-A (UV-A; 320–400 nm) dose. Ultraviolet-B (280–320 nm) radiation did not increase mortality. To compare susceptibility among populations, regressions of arcsine-transformed, proportionate mortality versus UV dose were completed for each, and the slopes were statistically compared. Response slopes for the two contaminated site populations were both significantly greater than the reference site population (p = 0.0001 for test 1; p = 0.0002 for test 2). These results indicate that organisms residing in PAH-contaminated environments can accumulate PAH concentrations sufficient to be at risk for photoactivated toxicity. Although amphipods are not typically at risk of PAH-photoactivated toxicity because they are largely protected from exposure to sunlight, they are representative surrogates for species that may be similarly protected at some life stages (and thus able to accumulate significant PAH tissue concentrations) but not at others.
Effects of surfactants on the dechlorination of chlorinated ethenes
Authors: McGuire Travis , Hughes Joseph B.
Published: November 2004

The influence of surfactants on a perchloroethene (PCE) dechlorinating mixed culture was investigated in laboratory experiments. Surfactants (Steol CS-330, Aerosol MA 80-I, alpha olefin sulfonate 14 to 16, Neodol 25-7, Tween 80, alkyl polyglycoside, C16TAB [trimethylammonium bromide], and sodium dodecyl sulfate) were evaluated for their effects on the rate and extent of PCE reductive dechlorination and their potential biodegradation by the mixed culture. Limited, if any, surfactant biodegradation was observed for the surfactants tested, and all surfactants impaired dechlorination in either the rate of PCE dechlorination or the terminal dechlorination products observed. Based on initial testing, a nonionic surfactant, Tween 80, and an anionic surfactant, Steol CS-330, were selected for additional investigation. Dechlorination of PCE to dichloroethene (DCE), vinyl chloride (VC), and ethene (ETH) occurred in all Tween 80–amended microcosms, with a depressed rate of ETH production as the only adverse effect. Steol CS-330, however, inhibited dechlorination beyond DCE at all surfactant concentrations exceeding 25 mg/L. Attempts to acclimate a culture to Steol CS-330 were unsuccessful. Inhibition of VC and ETH production was reversible on dilution of the surfactant to a concentration of 10 mg/L or less, indicating that surfactant interactions with the enzyme system responsible for reductive dechlorination of DCE may be the cause of inhibition.
Quantification of steroid hormones with pheromonal properties in municipal wastewater effluent
Authors: Kolodziej Edward P. , Gray James L. , Sedlak David L.
Published: November 2004

Many fish use steroid hormones as pheromones to initiate behavioral and physiological changes during spawning. To assess the occurrence of steroid hormones with pheromonal properties in the aquatic environment and to evaluate the possibility that municipal wastewater discharges contain compounds that could affect fish reproduction by interfering with pheromones, several estrogens, androgens, and progestins were quantified by gas chromatography/tandem mass spectroscopy in effluent samples from 12 municipal wastewater treatment plants. Samples also were analyzed from an engineered treatment wetland, three groundwater wells, and one reservoir. Estrogens (17β-estradiol and estrone) were detected in wastewater effluent at maximum concentrations of 4 and 12 ng/L, respectively. Androgens (testosterone and androstenedione) were detected at concentrations as high as 6.1 and 4.5 ng/L, respectively, whereas the synthetic progestin medroxyprogesterone was detected at concentrations up to 15 ng/L. Data from an effluent-receiving engineered treatment wetland and shallow groundwater wells suggested that these compounds were not rapidly attenuated. The measured concentrations of steroids often exceeded olfactory detection thresholds at which fish detect these steroids, and in several cases, the steroid concentrations were comparable to levels at which pheromonal responses have been observed in fish.
Using reproductive endpoints in small forage fish species to evaluate the effects of athabasca oil sands activities
Authors: Tetreault Gerald R. , Mcmaster Mark E. , Dixon D. George , Parrott Joanne L.
Published: November 2004

The main objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of naturally occurring oil sands-related compounds (OSRC) on reproductive function in fish in order to assess the impacts of anthropogenic point-source inputs. The health of slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus) and pearl dace (Semotilus margarita) collected from the Alberta Athabasca Oil Sands (Canada) watershed were examined. Two rivers were selected for study: the Steepbank and the Ells. These rivers originate outside the oil sands formation, where fish are unexposed (Ref), exposed to naturally occurring oil sands-related compounds (Nat), or exposed to naturally occurring compounds as well as adjacent to surface mining activity (Dev). Assessment endpoints included gonadosomatic indices (GSI), fecundity, and in vitro gonadal steroid production. In vitro gonadal incubations demonstrated lower levels of steroid production at sites along the Steepbank River within the oil sands deposit. Hepatic 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity, an indicator of exposure to OSRC, was elevated twofold at the site with natural compounds and up to 10-fold at the site adjacent to development compared to EROD activity in fish from the reference site. Fish collected in the Ells River had a threefold induction in EROD activity but no significant reduction in steroid production when compared to reference fish. No consistent alterations in gonadal development were seen in fish collected from sites within the oil sands deposit. This research in the Athabasca River basin provides baseline information of the health of fish populations within the oil sands deposit prior to further development in the area.
Eight hundred‐year‐old human remains from the Ituri tropical forest, Democratic Republic of Congo: The rock shelter site of Matangai Turu Northwest
Authors: Mercader Julio , Garralda María Dolores , Pearson Osbjorn M. , Bailey Robert C.
Published: November 2004

Little is known about human prehistory in the central African lowland tropical forest due to a paucity of archaeological evidence. Here we report results from our archaeological investigations of a late Holocene site in the northeast Congo Basin, with emphasis on a single skeleton from the rock shelter site of Matangai Turu Northwest, in the Ituri Forest, Democratic Republic of Congo. The skeleton dates from ∼810 BP (1235 calibrated AD) and is associated with Later Stone Age lithics, animal bone and shell remains from wild taxa, fruit endocarps from forest trees, phytoliths from tropical forest plants, Late Iron Age ceramics, and a single iron artifact. Phytolith analysis indicates that the habitat was dense tropical forest, without evidence of domesticated food. Am J Phys Anthropol 115:24–37, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Molecular and clinical diversity in paraneoplastic immunity to Ma proteins
Authors: Rosenfeld Myrna R. , Eichen Joseph G. , Wade Deborly F. , Posner Jerome B. , Dalmau Josep
Published: November 2004

Antibodies to Ma1 and Ma2 proteins identify a paraneoplastic disorder that affects the limbic system, brain stem, and cerebellum. Preliminary studies suggested the existence of other Ma proteins and different patterns of immune response associated with distinct neurologic symptoms and cancers. In this study, our aim was to isolate the full‐length sequence of Ma2 and new family members, identify the major autoantigen of the disorder, and extend the clinical–immunological analysis to 29 patients. Sera from selected patients were used to probe a brainstem cDNA library and isolate the entire Ma2 gene and a new family member, Ma3. Ma3 mRNA is ubiquitously expressed in brain, testis, and several systemic tissues. The variable cellular expression of Ma proteins and analysis of protein motifs suggest that these proteins play roles in the biogenesis of mRNA. Immunoblot studies identify Ma2 as the major autoantigen with unique epitopes recognized by all patients' sera. Eighteen patients had antibodies limited to Ma2: they developed limbic, hypothalamic, and brainstem encephalitis, and 78% had germ‐cell tumors of the testis. Eleven patients had antibodies to Ma2 and additional antibodies to Ma1 and/or Ma3; they usually developed additional cerebellar symptoms and more intense brainstem dysfunction, and 82% of these patients had tumors other than germ‐cell neoplasms. Overall, 17 of 24 patients (71%) with brain magnetic resonance imaging studies had abnormalities within or outside the temporal lobes, some as contrast‐enhancing nodular lesions. A remarkable finding of immunity to Ma proteins is that neurologic symptoms may improve or resolve. This improvement segregated to a group of patients with antibodies limited to Ma2.
Orbitofrontal and anterior cingulate cortex neurofibrillary tangle burden is associated with agitation in Alzheimer disease
Authors: Tekin Sibel , Mega Michael S. , Masterman Donna M. , Chow Tiffany , Garakian Justine , Vinters Harry V. , Cummings Jeffrey L.
Published: November 2004

Few studies evaluate neuropathological correlates of behavioral changes in Alzheimer disease (AD). We identified 31 autopsy patients with a diagnosis of definite AD. Behavioral changes were assessed with the Neuropsychiatric Inventory. Brain sections were collected from bilateral orbitofrontal and left anterior cingulate, superior temporal, inferior parietal, occipital, and hippocampal cortices for quantification of neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) and diffuse and neuritic plaques. Sections from frontal, cingulate, and hippocampal cortices were reviewed for the presence of Lewy bodies (LBs). Hypothesis‐driven correlational analyses were performed by the bootstrap method. Subgroup analyses contrasted a group with high scores of one specific behavior to a group with low scores after equating groups for other behaviors. NFT burden in the left orbitofrontal cortex across all 31 patients significantly correlated with agitation scores (r = 0.41, p < 0.015) and NFTs correlated significantly (r = 0.66, p = 0.004) with higher agitation scores in the subgroup analysis. Left anterior cingulate NFTs, although not within our hypotheses, also showed a significant relationship to agitation within the subgroups (r = 0.76, p = 0.0003; Bonferroni p = 0.02). Seven patients, including three in the agitation subgroup, had cortical LBs. Aberrant motor behavior and NFT density in the left orbitofrontal cortex showed a significant relationship for the entire group (r = 0.38, p < 0.03) and for subgroups (r = 0.49, p = 0.04), whereas apathy and left anterior cingulate NFTs showed a significant relationship only for the entire group (r = 0.25, p ≤ 0.01). These observations suggest that agitation and aberrant motor behavior are correlates of greater NFT pathology in the orbitofrontal cortex in AD, whereas increasing apathy may relate to greater NFT burden in the anterior cingulate. Ann Neurol 2001;49:355–361
Mcleod syndrome: A novel mutation, predominant psychiatric manifestations, and distinct striatal imaging findings
Authors: Jung Hans H. , Hergersberg Martin , Kneifel Stefan , Alkadhi Hatem , Schiess Regula , Weigell‐Weber Maike , Daniels Geoff , Kollias Spyros , Hess Klaus
Published: November 2004

The McLeod syndrome is an X‐linked disorder caused by mutations of the XK gene encoding the XK protein. The syndrome is characterized by absent Kx erythrocyte antigen, weak expression of Kell blood group system antigens, and acanthocytosis. In some allelic variants, elevated creatine kinase, myopathy, neurogenic muscle atrophy, and progressive chorea are found. We describe a family with a novel point mutation in the XK gene consisting of a C to T base transition at nucleotide position 977, introducing a stop codon. Among seven affected males, five manifested with psychiatric disorders such as depression, bipolar disorder, or personality disorder, but only two presented with chorea. Positron emission tomography and magnetic resonance volumetry revealed reduced striatal 2‐fluoro‐2‐deoxy‐glucose (FDG) uptake and diminished volumes of the caudate nucleus and putamen that correlated with disease duration. In contrast, none of 12 female mutation carriers showed psychiatric or movement disorders. However, a semidominant effect of the mutation was suggested by erythrocyte and blood group mosaicism and reduced striatal FDG uptake without structural abnormalities. Therefore, patients with psychiatric signs or symptoms segregating in an X‐linked trait should be examined for acanthocytosis and Kell/Kx blood group serology. Ann Neurol 2001;49:384–392
Low cerebral blood flow velocity and risk of white matter hyperintensities
Authors: Tzourio Christophe , Lévy Claude , Dufouil Carole , Touboul Pierre‐Jean , Ducimetière Pierre , Alpérovitch Annick
Published: November 2004

Cerebral blood flow velocity (CBF‐V) measured by transcranial doppler was assessed in 628 elderly individuals who had cerebral magnetic resonance imaging performed as part of a population‐based study on vascular aging. Cerebral white matter hyperintensities (WMHs) were associated with low CBF‐V, such as the adjusted odds ratios of severe WMHs from highest (referent) to lowest quartile of mean CBF‐V were 1.0, 1.7, 3.7, and 4.3 (p = 0.001). Further, CBF‐V was found to be a stronger risk factor for WMHs than high blood pressure. These findings suggest that the assessment of CBF‐V might be a powerful tool in future studies on WMHs. Ann Neurol 2001;49:411–414
Perfusion magnetic resonance abnormalities in patients with sickle cell disease
Authors: Kirkham Fenella J. , Calamante Fernando , Bynevelt Michael , Gadian David G. , Evans Jane P. M. , Cox Timothy C. , Connelly Alan
Published: November 2004

Neurological complications are common in sickle cell disease (SCD). However, it is often difficult to relate the clinical presentation to conventional neuroimaging, because subclinical infarction is common and stroke has been described in the absence of large‐vessel disease. We studied 48 patients with SCD aged 4–34 (median 13) years with T2‐weighted, diffusion and perfusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and with MR angiography. Forty‐four underwent transcranial Doppler (TCD). Abnormalities on perfusion imaging were seen in 25 cases, 24 of whom had been symptomatic. The remaining patient had evidence of executive dysfunction and reduced perfusion in the frontal lobes. The perfusion abnormality was larger than the area of infarction in 9 patients and was seen in an arterial distribution with no infarction in a further 9. In 3 patients with transient ischemic attacks, perfusion abnormalities were demonstrated in the absence of any other neuroimaging abnormalities, and perfusion changes were seen in 3 others despite normal MR angiography and TCD. Perfusion abnormalities are associated with neurological symptoms in patients with SCD, whether or not MRI, MR angiography, and TCD are abnormal. It is likely that this technique will guide management in individual patients. Ann Neurol 2001;49:477–485
Cover Picture: Atomic‐Step‐Templated Formation of Single Wall Carbon Nanotube Patterns (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 45/2004)
Authors: Ismach Ariel , Segev Lior , Wachtel Ellen , Joselevich Ernesto
Published: November 2004

The assembly of nanowire arrays is a critical prerequisite for the large‐scale fabrication of nanocircuitry. In their Communication on pp. 6140 ff., E. Joselevich and co‐workers show how single‐wall carbon nanotubes are formed along the atomic steps of vicinal surfaces, to give highly aligned, dense arrays of discrete, nanometer‐wide wires. The cover picture shows how the nanotubes (blue AFM image) reproduce the atomic features of the surface (red model).
Five-year follow-up of a randomized trial to assess pain and numbness after laparoscopic or open repair of groin hernia
Authors: Grant A M , Scott N W , O'Dwyer P J
Published: November 2004

Background

Claims that laparoscopic groin hernia repair is followed by less persisting pain and numbness than open mesh repair were tested by follow-up within a multicentre randomized clinical trial.

Methods

Participants in the UK Medical Research Council Laparoscopic Groin Hernia Trial were followed up by means of self-completed postal questionnaires from 2 to 5 years after trial entry. The principal measures were pain (groin and testicular) and numbness (groin and thigh).

Results

Seven hundred and fifty (80·8 per cent) of the original 928 participants returned at least one questionnaire between 2 and 5 years; respondents were similar to the baseline randomized groups. Fewer respondents in the laparoscopic group had groin pain (absolute differences varied between 7·9 and 2·0 per cent, but were of marginal statistical significance); rates of testicular pain were similar in the two groups. Groin numbness was reported about half as commonly at all time points in the laparoscopic group (P < 0·001); there were no significant differences in thigh numbness.

Conclusion

Laparoscopic surgery was associated with less long-term numbness and probably less pain in the groin.
From discretion to disagreement: explaining disparities in judges' pretrial decisions
Authors: Dhami Mandeep K.
Published: November 2004

Judges are afforded considerable discretion in decision‐making. Through their exercise of discretion, judges construct society's notion of crime and justice. This study examined 61 lay judges' bail decision‐making in the English criminal justice system. The law states that in particular cases decisions to grant bail or remand in custody should be based on the risk of a defendant absconding, offending, or obstructing justice while on bail. However, there is little guidance on how these judgments should be made and how they should affect decisions. It was found that judges varied (disagreed) in their risk judgments and decisions on the same set of simulated cases. The extent of judicial disagreement differed across cases, and the source of disagreement in decisions lay in the variability of judges' earlier risk judgments. The paper discusses how judicial disagreement may be reduced. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Formation of Organolithium Hetero‐Aggregates [Li4Ar2(nBu)2] (Ar=C6H4CH(Me)NMe2‐2) during the Directed ortho‐Lithiation of [1‐(Dimethylamino)ethyl]benzene
Authors: Kronenburg Claudia M. P. , Rijnberg Evelien , Jastrzebski Johann T. B. H. , Kooijman Huub , Lutz Martin , Spek Anthony L. , Gossage Robert A. , van Koten Gerard
Published: November 2004

(R)‐[1‐(Dimethylamino)ethyl]benzene reacts with nBuLi in a 1:1 molar ratio in pentane to quantitatively yield a unique hetero‐aggregate (2 a) containing the lithiated arene, unreacted nBuLi, and the complexed parent arene in a 1:1:1 ratio. As a model compound, [Li4(C6H4CH(Me)NMe2‐2)2(nBu)2] (2 b) was prepared from the quantitative redistribution reaction of the parent lithiated arene Li(C6H4CH(Me)NMe2‐2) with nBuLi in a 1:1 molar ratio. The mono‐Et2O adduct [Li4(C6H4CH(Me)NMe2‐2)2(nBu)2(OEt2)] (2 c) and the bis‐Et2O adduct [Li4(C6H4CH(Me)NMe2‐2)2(nBu)2(OEt2)2] (2 d) were obtained by re‐crystallization of 2 b from pentane/Et2O and pure Et2O, respectively. The single‐crystal X‐ray structure determinations of 2 b–d show that the overall structural motifs of all three derivatives are closely related. They are all tetranuclear Li aggregates in which the four Li atoms are arranged in an almost regular tetrahedron. These structures can be described as consisting of two linked dimeric units: one Li2Ar2 dimer and a hypothetical Li2nBu2 dimer. The stereochemical aspects of the chiral Li2Ar2 fragment are discussed. The structures as observed in the solid state are apparently retained in solution as revealed by a combination of cryoscopy and 1H, 13C, and 6Li NMR spectroscopy.
Postnatal growth of intrinsic connections in mouse barrel cortex
Authors: Miller Brad , Blake Nicquet M.J. , Erinjeri Joseph P. , Reistad Chet E. , Sexton Tesa , Admire Phillip , Woolsey Thomas A.
Published: November 2004

Surprisingly little is known about the development of connections within a functional area of the cerebral cortex. We examined the postnatal growth of connections in mouse barrel cortex during the second and third weeks after birth, coinciding with the period of rapid synaptogenesis that occurs just after the barrels first form. A barrel is a group of neurons in layer 4 of somatosensory cortex that is part of a cortical column. Each whisker/barrel column is linked anatomically and functionally to a homotopic whisker on the contralateral face. Radial groups of cortical neurons were labeled with the neuronal tracer biotinylated dextran amine in mice ranging in age from postnatal day 8 (P8; P0 is the date of birth) to adulthood. The spatial distributions of retrogradely labeled neurons in different laminae were analyzed. The barrel map in layer 4 was used as a template to compare quantitative data from different animals and to account for substantial changes in barrel and barrel field size during development. Intrinsic projections 1) innervate increasingly more distant targets within barrel cortex up to 3 weeks of age; 2) continue to form in targets after 3 weeks, effectively strengthening existing connections; 3) follow a timetable for growth that is layer‐specific; 4) link more distant barrel columns in layer 4 from neurons that are found preferentially in the barrel side and the septa between barrels; and 5) form over the shortest distances between the barrel columns. These data indicate that intrinsic connections in mouse barrel cortex develop by the progressive addition of neuronal connections rather than by sculpting preliminary connections. We describe statistically significant changes in connectivity during development that may be applied to model and assess the development of connections after a variety of experimental perturbations, such as to the environment and/or the genome. J. Comp. Neurol. 436:17–31, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Cell death in the development of the posterior cortex in male and female rats
Authors: Nuñez Joseph L. , Lauschke David M. , Juraska Janice M.
Published: November 2004

Work from our laboratory has shown that adult male rats have 19% more neurons than female rats in the binocular region and 18% more in the monocular region of the primary visual cortex (Reid and Juraska [1992] J Comp Neurol 321:448–455; Nuñez et al., [1999] Soc Neurosci Abstr 25:229). In the current experiment, we investigated whether cell death in male and female rats (postnatal days 2–35) contributes to the formation of these differences. Using stereological techniques, we investigated neuron density along with pyknotic and apoptotic (TdT‐mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate nick end‐labeled) cell density in the developing posterior cortex (future primary visual cortex). Although no sex differences in neuronal density were found in early development, we observed a differential time course of cell death between the sexes. Consistent with earlier reports, males displayed a rapid rise in cell death, with a peak on day 7 followed by a sharp decline to negligible levels by day 15. Females, however, displayed moderate peaks of cell death on days 7 and 11, with the persistence of low‐to‐modest levels until day 25. Similar patterns were obtained from both pyknotic and apoptotic cell quantification. Also, a formula was developed to estimate the percentage of cells that die during development and the amount of time a dying cell is visible. This study demonstrates that there is a prolonged period of cell death in the posterior cortex of developing female rats that appears to result in more cell death in females than males. This may be an important mechanism by which the sex difference in adult neuron number is created. J. Comp. Neurol. 436:32–41, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Presynaptic kainate receptors in primary afferents to the superficial laminae of the rat spinal cord
Authors: Hwang Se Jin , Pagliardini Silvia , Rustioni Aldo , Valtschanoff Juli G.
Published: November 2004

Subunits of glutamate receptors participate in the regulation of sensory transmission at primary afferent synapses in the superficial laminae of dorsal horn (DH). We report here on the distribution of kainate receptors (GluR5/6/7) in these laminae by using light microscope (LM) and electron microscope (EM) immunocytochemistry. Standard (4%) paraformaldehyde fixation resulted in immunostaining for GluR5/6/7 in perikarya and fine processes in lamina II, especially its inner part (IIi). Preembedding EM revealed immunostaining of dendrites, perikarya, and occasional terminals, presumed to be from primary afferent fibers, at the center of glomerular arrangements. In rats perfused with 0.5% paraformaldehyde, LM showed a more punctate staining, mainly in the ventral part of lamina IIi and lamina III, than in material fixed with 4% paraformaldehyde. Approximately two‐thirds of GluR5/6/7 puncta were also immunostained with synaptophysin, suggesting that in material fixed with 0.5% paraformaldehyde, a large fraction of these are synaptic terminals. Double immunostained puncta disappear 4 days after dorsal rhizotomy, suggesting that most of GluR5/6/7‐immunopositive terminals are from primary afferent fibers. EM material fixed with 0.5% paraformaldehyde confirmed the expression of GluR5/6/7 in numerous synaptic endings with morphology of primary afferents. To determine the type of primary afferent terminals that express GluR5/6/7, two neuroanatomic tracers were injected in the sciatic nerves. The lectin from Bandeiraea simplicifolia (IB4) is selectively taken up by unmyelinated primary afferent fibers that terminate in the outer part of lamina II (IIo) and dorsal part of lamina IIi, whereas the B subunit of the cholera toxin (CTB) is selectively taken up by a broader class of primary afferents which, in superficial DH, terminate mainly in laminae I, ventral part of IIi, and III. Approximately 20% of GluR5/6/7‐immunoreactive puncta colocalized with IB4, whereas approximately 40% of GluR5/6/7‐immunoreactive puncta colocalized with CTB. The present study shows that (1) GluR5/6/7 does not have a clear and consistent spatial relation with postsynaptic sites, (2) a large number of primary afferents express GluR5/6/7, and (3) these are not limited to one functional class. Thus, modulation by glutamate of primary afferent terminals by means of kainate receptors in the superficial laminae of DH may predominantly involve presynaptic mechanisms. J. Comp. Neurol. 436:275–289, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Central anatomy of individual rapidly adapting low‐threshold mechanoreceptors innervating the “hairy” skin of newborn mice: Early maturation of hair follicle afferents
Authors: Woodbury C. Jeffery , Ritter Amy M. , Koerber H. Richard
Published: November 2004

Adult skin sensory neurons exhibit characteristic projection patterns in the dorsal horn of the spinal gray matter that are tightly correlated with modality. However, little is known about how these patterns come about during the ontogeny of the distinct subclasses of skin sensory neurons. To this end, we have developed an intact ex vivo somatosensory system preparation in neonatal mice, allowing single, physiologically identified cutaneous afferents to be iontophoretically injected with Neurobiotin for subsequent histological analyses. The present report, centered on rapidly adapting mechanoreceptors, represents the first study of the central projections of identified skin sensory neurons in neonatal animals. Cutaneous afferents exhibiting rapidly adapting responses to sustained natural stimuli were encountered as early as recordings were made. Well‐stained representatives of coarse (tylotrich and guard) and fine‐diameter (down) hair follicle afferents, along with a putative Pacinian corpuscle afferent, were recovered from 2–7‐day‐old neonates. All were characterized by narrow, uninflected somal action potentials and generally low mechanical thresholds, and many could be activated via deflection of recently erupted hairs. The central collaterals of hair follicle afferents formed recurrent, flame‐shaped arbors that were essentially miniaturized replicas of their adult counterparts, with identical laminar terminations. The terminal arbors of down hair afferents, previously undescribed in rodents, were distinct and consistently occupied a more superficial position than tylotrich and guard hair afferents. Nevertheless, the former extended no higher than the middle of the incipient substantia gelatinosa, leaving a clear gap more dorsally. In all major respects, therefore, hair follicle afferents display the same laminar specificity in neonates as they do in adults. The widely held misperception that their collaterals extend exuberant projections into pain‐specific regions of the dorsal horn during early postnatal life is shown to have multiple, deep‐rooted underpinnings. J. Comp. Neurol. 436:304–323, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Effects of prenatal alcohol exposure on forepaw digit length and digit ratios in rats
Authors: McMechan Andrew P. , O'Leary‐Moore Shonagh K. , Morrison Scott D. , Hannigan John H.
Published: November 2004

Prenatal exposure to alcohol can cause limb and digit defects. Variations in digit ratios in humans are associated with prenatal testosterone exposure. Since prenatal alcohol can reduce testosterone in rats, the effects of prenatal alcohol were measured on rat digit length. Pregnant Sprague‐Dawley rats were intubated with 0 g/kg, 4 g/kg, or 6 g/kg of ethanol from Gestational Day 8 (GD8) to GD20. The 0‐g/kg group and a nonintubated group served as controls. At postnatal day 31, forepaw digit lengths were measured and digit ratios calculated. Females had smaller digits on both forepaws and higher digit ratios on the right forepaw than males. Rats exposed to 6 g/kg of ethanol had smaller digits than controls on both forepaws and higher digit ratios than controls on the left forepaw. Rat digit ratios differ between the sexes, and prenatal alcohol exposure affects digit ratios. The results are consistent with a perinatal disruption of testosterone levels by alcohol and/or of testosterone's effects on digit length and ratios. An alternate interpretation is consistent with a retinoic acid‐mediated effect of alcohol on digit length and ratios. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Dev Psychobiol 45: 251–258, 2004.
Facial expression transformation based on sketch image and multiscale edges
Authors: Li Yuanzhong , Kobatake Hidefumi
Published: November 2004

This paper proposes a new method of transforming facial expression based on facial sketch image and multi‐scale edges. Multiscale edges, which are defined as local maxima of high‐frequency signal of facial images, are generally located on the edges of facial parts. Facial sketch images defined as line drawings of edges of facial parts are extracted by morphological processing, the generalized symmetry operator, the rectangle filter, and a geometrical template. Therefore, it is possible to transform the binary sketch image into gray‐tone multiscale edge images which are called characterized sketch images. The expression of the characterized facial image can be transformed easily based on FACS (Facial Action Coding System). By reconstruction based on Mallat's method of reconstruction of multiscale edges, facial images with different expressions can be obtained easily. © 2001 Scripta Technica, Electron Comm Jpn Pt 3, 84(9): 67–75, 2001
Antagonist anti‐human CD40 antibody inhibits germinal center formation in cynomolgus monkeys
Authors: de Vos Alex F. , Melief Marie‐José , van Riel Debby , Boon Louis , van Eijk Marco , de Boer Mark , Laman Jon D.
Published: November 2004

Interactions between CD40 on APC and CD154 (CD40L) expressed by activated CD4+ T cells are crucially involved in formation and function of germinal centers (GC), but mechanistic insight into these interactions remains limited. Functional studies have mostly been restricted to experimental immunization of young‐adult inbred SPF rodents that are often genetically manipulated, while studies in humans disallow in vivo manipulation. Therefore, we asked whether a functional antagonist of CD40 interferes with natural GC formation in adult cynomolgus monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) exposed to the environmental antigens of their conventional housing in captivity. Animals were treated with different doses of a unique chimeric antagonist anti‐CD40 mAb (ch5D12) and analyzed 1 week or 7 weeks after last injection. Detailed in situ analysis showed that high‐dose anti‐CD40 treatment increased the ratio of primary over secondary follicles compared to PBS or low‐dose treatment, indicative of impairment of the CG reaction. This impairment was reversible since recovery animals, except those with residual anti‐CD40 levels, had normalized ratios. Anti‐CD40 treatment was associated with decreased antibody production and increased numbers of apoptotic cells in GC. These data demonstrate that CD40‐CD154 interactions are pivotal in physiological GC formation in primates responding to environmental antigens, and they support immunotherapeutic strategies using antagonist anti‐CD40.
Defective up‐regulation of CD49d in final maturation of NOD mouse macrophages
Authors: Geutskens Sacha Brigitte , Nikolic Tatjana , Dardenne Mireille , Leenen Pieter Johannes Maria , Savino Wilson
Published: November 2004

Macrophages are potent regulators of both innate and adaptive immunity. They play a central role in the development of autoimmune diabetes and are among the first cells to appear in peri‐islet infiltrates of NOD mice that spontaneously develop diabetes. Since efficient adhesion and migration are crucial for proper macrophage trafficking, we examined the migration and fibronectin (FN) adhesion capacity of NOD macrophages, as well as the regulation and expression of the FN receptors α4β1 and α5β1. When compared to macrophages from control strains, resident NOD macrophages showed a reduced ability to adhere to and migrate on FN, a delayed clearance following peritoneal inflammation, and substantially lower expression levels of the α4β1 integrin α chain, CD49d. NOD bone marrow‐derived macrophages were specifically defective in the LPS‐induced increase in CD49d expression. Moreover, the mitogen‐activated protein kinase extracellular signal‐regulated kinase‐1/2 negatively regulated macrophage CD49d expression and strongly suppressed its expression in NOD macrophages. The data presented herein indicate that the LPS‐activated signaling cascade plays a critical role in CD49d expression of macrophages. Mature NOD macrophages are characterized by decreased CD49d expression and show defective CD49d‐mediated adhesion to FN.
IREM‐1 is a novel inhibitory receptor expressed by myeloid cells
Authors: Alvarez‐Errico Damiana , Aguilar Helena , Kitzig Friederike , Brckalo Tamara , Sayós Joan , López‐Botet Miguel
Published: November 2004

Using a three‐hybrid strategy, we have identified a novel cell surface molecule which interacts with the Src homology 2 (SH2) domains of SH2 domain‐containing protein tyrosine phosphatase 1 (SHP‐1), termed “immune receptor expressed on myeloid cells 1” (IREM‐1). The full‐length cDNA coding for a polypeptide of 290 amino acids presents an extracellular single V‐type Ig domain, a transmembrane region and a cytoplasmic tail with five tyrosine residues, two of which are in the context of an immunoreceptor tyrosine‐based inhibitory motif. Moreover, cDNA encoding for three other splicing forms of IREM‐1, named IREM‐1 splice variant (Sv)1, Sv2 and Sv3 were cloned by reverse transcription (RT)‐PCR. The gene encoding for IREM‐1 contains nine exons, is located on human chromosome 17 (17q25.1) and is homologous to previously identified molecules termed CMRF‐35 and IRp60. RT‐PCR, northern blot and FACS analysis with specific monoclonal antibodies indicated that IREM‐1 is expressed on monocytes, granulocytes, and myeloid leukemia cell lines. Western blot analysis confirmed the recruitment of SHP‐1 to IREM‐1 and demonstrated that phosphotyrosine residue 205 is the main docking site for this interaction. Finally, cross‐linking of IREM‐1 results in the inhibition of FcRϵ‐induced activation. Our results indicate that IREM‐1 is a novel inhibitory receptor of the Ig superfamily in myeloid cells.