bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Representation of echo roughness and its relationship to amplitude‐modulation processing in the bat auditory midbrain
Authors: Borina Frank , Firzlaff Uwe , Schuller Gerd , Wiegrebe Lutz 
Published: June 2008

AbstractBats use natural landmarks such as trees for orientation. Echoes reflected by a tree are stochastic and complex. The degree of irregular loudness fluctuations of perceived echoes, i.e. the echo roughness, may be used to classify natural objects reliably. Bats are able to discriminate and classify echoes of different roughness. A neural correlate of the psychophysical roughness sensitivity has been described in the auditory cortex of the bat Phyllostomus discolor. Here, the role of the inferior colliculus of P.  discolor is explored in the neural representation of echo roughness. Using extracellular recording techniques, responses were obtained to simulated stochastic echoes of different roughness. The representation of these irregular loudness fluctuations in echoes is compared to the representation of periodic loudness fluctuations elicited by sinusoidal amplitude modulation (SAM) and to the shape of the peri‐stimulus time histogram in response to pure tones. About half the recorded units responded significantly differently to echoes with different roughness. Roughness sensitivity was related to the units’ sensitivity to the depth of an SAM: units that responded best to strong SAMs also responded best to echoes of high roughness. In response to pure tones, these units were typically characterized as Onset units. In contrast to the auditory cortex experiments, the responses of many units in the inferior colliculus decreased with increasing echo roughness. These units typically preferred weak SAMs and showed a sustained response to pure tones. The data show that auditory midbrain sensitivity to SAM is an important prerequisite for the neural representation of echo roughness as an ecologically important echo‐acoustic parameter.
Investigation of Adducin 2 (beta) DNA polymorphisms in genetic predisposition to diabetic nephropathy in Type 1 diabetes
Authors: Currie D. , Maxwell A. P. , Sadlier D. , McKnight A. J. ,   The Warren 3/UK GoKinD Study Group
Published: June 2008

AbstractAims  Adducin 2 (beta) (ADD2) is a biological and positional candidate gene proposed to confer genetic risk for diabetic nephropathy. This study aimed to comprehensively investigate all common and putatively functional polymorphisms in the genomic region encompassing this gene.Methods  Tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (n = 23) derived from phase II of the International HapMap Project and in silico functional variants (n = 2) were genotyped in 1467 White individuals from the British Isles (cases, n = 718; control subjects, n = 749) by a combination of Sequenom iPLEX and TaqMan technologies.Results  χ2 analysis of genotype and allele frequencies in cases vs. control subjects revealed weak evidence for association of one variant at the 5% level of significance (rs10164951, P = 0.02). Adjusting for multiple testing in the present case–control collection negated this association.Conclusions  We selected an appropriate subset of variants suitable for genetic investigations of the ADD2 gene and report the first investigation of polymorphisms in ADD2 with diabetic nephropathy. Our results suggest that common polymorphisms and putatively functional variants in the ADD2 gene do not strongly influence genetic susceptibility to diabetic nephropathy in this White population with Type 1 diabetes.
The effect of irritant dermatitis on cutaneous bioavailability of a metronidazole formulation, investigated by microdialysis and dermatopharmacokinetic method
Authors: García Ortiz Patricia , Hansen Steen Honoré , Shah Vinod P. , Menné Torkil , Benfeldt Eva 
Published: June 2008

Background:  Determination of drug penetration in diseased skin represents a challenge.Objective:  To compare dermal microdialysis and tape‐strip sampling of drug penetration in normal skin and skin with irritant dermatitis.Methods:  The two methodologies were employed simultaneously in 16 healthy volunteers. Samples were collected in a study of the penetration of a metronidazole cream formulation (Flagyl® 1%) applied to forearm skin in both areas with irritant dermatitis and normal skin. Barrier perturbation and the depth of microdialysis probes were quantified by non‐invasive bioengineering methods.Results:  Microdialysis showed a significant threefold increase in metronidazole penetration in skin with irritant dermatitis compared with unmodified skin. Conversely, the concentration of metronidazole in tape‐strip samples was significantly decreased in irritant dermatitis.Conclusion:  The selection of sampling methodology should be based on the skin layer of interest as well as the integrity of the skin barrier. Whenever the dermal tissue is the target for topical treatment, microdialysis sampling should be the method of choice.
Is computer‐assisted audiometry as reliable as manual audiometry in an NHS setting?
Authors: Ho T.P. , Hildreth T. , Lindsey L 
Published: June 2008

Objectives.  The Otogram™ is a computer‐assisted audiometer.1 It assesses air conduction and bone conduction thresholds and administers masking when appropriate1. There has been no published research in a peer‐reviewed journal, validating it's use in a British population.2 We propose to investigate the reliability of the Otogram™ in an NHS setting.Method.  This is a prospective non‐randomised study of 48 patients referred to an NHS Otology clinic. Each patient had two pure tone audiograms (PTAs). The first 16 patients had two manual PTAs performed by audiologists. Hearing thresholds were ascertained by audiologists and by the Otogram™ for the second group of 16 patients. The third group of 16 patients had two PTAs, each performed by the Otogram.Results.  Ninety‐four percent of air conduction thresholds and 91% of bone conduction thresholds measured by the Otogram™ fell within 10 dB of thresholds measured by an audiologist. There was a high level of agreement in air conduction thresholds (κ = 0.96, 95%CI 0.95–0.97) and bone conduction thresholds (κ = 0.92, 95%CI 0.90–0.95) between audiologist and Otogram™. This compares favourably with the inter‐rater agreement between our audiologists for air conduction (κ = 0.94, 95%CI 0.92–0.95) and bone conduction (κ = 0.86, 95%CI 0.81–0.91).Conclusions.  There is evidence that the Otogram™ is a reliable automated audiometer in the clinical setting. The Otogram™ has the potential to reduce NHS patient waiting times and to help audiology departments to reach their 18‐week Department of Health target.References.  1 http://www.tympany.net2 D’Agostino M.A. & Lee J. (2004) Manual audiometry vs. Self‐Automated Otogram : a comparison of testing outcomes. Otolaryngol.Head Neck Surg. 131, 81–82
Prevalence of optic disc drusen in an adult Chinese population: the Beijing Eye Study
Authors: You Qi Sheng , Xu Liang , Wang Ya Xing , Jonas Jost B. 
Published: June 2008

Abstract.Purpose:  This study aimed to determine the prevalence of optic disc drusen and their associations with ocular and general parameters.Methods:  The Beijing Eye Study included 4439 of 5324 subjects invited to participate (response rate 83.4%). All subjects were aged ≥ 40 years. The present investigation involved 8594 (96.8%) eyes of 4324 (97.4%) subjects from whom readable fundus photographs of at least one eye were available. The main outcome parameter was the presence of optic disc drusen defined as round, whitish bodies.Results:  Optic disc drusen were detected in nine (0.1 ± 0.05%) eyes of eight subjects (five women). The prevalence rate was 0.2 ± 0.07% (95% confidence interval 0.07−0.33%) per subject. Optic disc drusen were significantly associated with small optic discs (p < 0.001). They were not statistically associated with age (p = 0.90), gender (p = 0.73), intraocular pressure (p = 0.97), refractive error (p = 0.71), visual field defects (p = 0.47) or corrected visual acuity (p = 0.84).Conclusions:  Optic disc drusen are present in about two in 1000 adult Chinese people in Northern China. The main associated factor is a small optic disc.
Impaired Naive and Memory B-Cell Responsiveness to TLR9 Stimulation in Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection
Authors: Jiang Wei , Lederman Michael M. , Mohner Richard J. , Rodriguez Benigno , Nedrich Todd M. , Harding Clifford V. , Sieg Scott F. 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTToll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) agonists such as unmethylated bacterial CpG DNAs activate B lymphocytes directly, potentially influencing their function and homeostasis. To assess B-cell responsiveness to TLR9 agonists in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) disease, we examined the ability of naive and memory B cells to proliferation and to increase surface expression of CD80 in response to CpG oligonucleotides (ODN). CpG ODN induced expression of CD80 similarly in B cells from HIV-infected persons and from healthy controls. In contrast, proliferation responses to CpG ODN were markedly impaired in both naive and memory B-cell subsets from HIV-infected persons. Naive B-cell proliferation defects were related to plasma HIV RNA and, among memory B cells, to the frequencies of CD21-negative cells. Importantly, TLR9 mRNA levels were significantly diminished in freshly prepared naive B cells and especially so in memory B cells from HIV-positive viremic donors, suggesting a possible underlying mechanism for the observed functional impairments. Dose-response studies indicated that optimal induction of CD80 expression was achieved with much lower concentrations of CpG ODN than optimal induction of proliferation. We propose that the relatively low threshold of activation that is required for CD80 induction by CpG ODN might explain the preservation of this response in B cells from HIV-infected persons despite diminished TLR9 expression. Impaired responsiveness to TLR9 agonists may contribute to defects in humoral immunity in HIV infection.
Regulation of Cytokine Production by Virus-Specific CD8 T Cells in the Lungs
Authors: Fulton Ross B. , Olson Matthew R. , Varga Steven M. 
Published: June 2008

ABSTRACTInflammation and the elimination of infected host cells during an immune response often cause local tissue injury and immunopathology, which can disrupt the normal functions of tissues such as the lung. Here, we show that both virus-induced inflammation and the host tissue environment combine to influence the capacity of virus-specific CD4 and CD8 T cells to produce cytokines in various tissues. Decreased production of cytokines, such as IFN-γ and TNF-α, by antigen-specific T cells is more pronounced in peripheral tissues, such as the lung and kidney, than in secondary lymphoid organs, such as the spleen or lymph nodes. We also demonstrate that tissues regulate cytokine production by memory T cells independently of virus infection, as memory T cells that traffic into the lungs of naïve animals exhibit a reduced ability to produce cytokines following direct ex vivo peptide stimulation. Furthermore, we show that cytokine production by antigen-specific memory CD4 and CD8 T cells isolated from the lung parenchyma can be rescued by stimulation with exogenous peptide-pulsed antigen-presenting cells. Our results suggest that the regulation of T-cell cytokine production by peripheral tissues may serve as an important mechanism to prevent immunopathology and preserve normal tissue function.
EcoR124I: from Plasmid-Encoded Restriction-Modification System to Nanodevice
Authors: Youell James , Firman Keith 
Published: June 2008

SUMMARY
Plasmid R124 was first described in 1972 as being a new member of incompatibility group IncFIV, yet early physical investigations of plasmid DNA showed that this type of classification was more complex than first imagined. Throughout the history of the study of this plasmid, there have been many unexpected observations. Therefore, in this review, we describe the history of our understanding of this plasmid and the type I restriction-modification (R-M) system that it encodes, which will allow an opportunity to correct errors, or misunderstandings, that have arisen in the literature. We also describe the characterization of the R-M enzyme EcoR124I and describe the unusual properties of both type I R-M enzymes and EcoR124I in particular. As we approached the 21st century, we began to see the potential of the EcoR124I R-M enzyme as a useful molecular motor, and this leads to a description of recent work that has shown that the R-M enzyme can be used as a nanoactuator. Therefore, this is a history that takes us from a plasmid isolated from (presumably) an infected source to the potential use of the plasmid-encoded R-M enzyme in bionanotechnology.
Comparison of trichloroacetic acid with other protein-precipitating agents in enriching abnormal prion protein for Western blot analysis
Authors: LeBrun Matthew , Huang Hongsheng , He Runtao , Booth Stephanie , Balachandran Aru , Li Xuguang 
Published: June 2008

Detection of the abnormal or the pathogenic form of prion protein (PrPSc) by Western blot (WB) is challenging, especially, for samples derived from cell cultures that contain low levels of PrPSc. A variety of PrPSc concentration methods have been reported with various PrPSc recovery efficiencies. Ultracentrifugation is one of the methods used frequently to enrich the pathogenic form of PrPSc prior to WB analyses. The resulting PrPSc pellet is extremely insoluble and often requires sonication to be dissolved, potentially generating aerosols. We modified the common protein-precipitating protocol using trichloroacetic acid to concentrate PrPSc by slow-speed centrifugation, followed by solubilization of the pellets with 6 mol/L urea prior to sodium dodecyl sulphate – polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and WB analyses. Comparative studies suggest this simple trichloroacetic acid protocol was more effective in enriching PrPSc presented in cell cultures and brain homogenates than other reported protein-precipitating methods. Furthermore, incorporation of the urea treatment step to dissolve the precipitated PrPSc pellets helped to reduce the infectivity of PrPSc.
Quantitatively evaluating mistaken clone assignments by RFLP analysis of 16S rRNA genes: a case study
Authors: Zhang Han-Bo , Xu Chan-Wen , Wang Miao-Miao , Li Tao , Zhao Zhi-Wei 
Published: June 2008

We quantitatively evaluated the errors of clone assignment based on the restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) pattern of 16S rRNA genes. Eighty clones were randomly selected from a 16S rRNA gene library and were categorized into 35 operational taxonomic units (OTU) based on their indistinguishable enzyme restriction patterns of 3 tetrameric restriction enzymes RsaI, BsuRI, and HinfI. All of these clones were then sequenced and were reassigned into 36–53 OTUs using the DOTUR program when sequence similarities of 95%–100% were used. The number of the identically assigned clones ranged from 53 to 61 and the percentage varied from 66.3% to 76.3%. The Shannon–Weaver index for the bacterial community observed by RFLP analysis was 2.75, equal to that estimated by DOTUR at a 97% sequence similarity. Compared with clones assigned with the DOTUR program at a 97% sequence similarity, only 61 clones (76.3%) were correctly assigned by RFLP analysis. Six clones (7.5%) were assigned mistakenly at the phylum level, and the positions of 13 clones (16.2%) were phylogenetically different at a lower taxonomic rank.
Characterization of the promoter activity of a poxvirus conserved element
Authors: Eaton Heather E. , Metcalf Julie , Brunetti Craig R. 
Published: June 2008

The conserved sequence element (CSE) is a highly conserved 42-bp poxvirus sequence that can function as a poxvirus promoter element. The CSE is composed of 2 repeats, each containing the highly conserved late poxvirus promoter sequence TAAAT. To define the location of the nucleotides critical for promoter function, polymerase chain reaction was carried out using primers that inserted modified versions of the CSE upstream of the green fluorescent protein (GFP), and the constructs were transiently transfected into cells by using GFP levels as a measure of promoter function. The results of this analysis revealed that the second TAAAT sequence, but not the first TAAAT sequence, is critical for promoter function of the CSE. Furthermore, deletion of half of the intervening sequence, i.e., from 10 to 5 nt, increases the promoter strength of the CSE as compared with the wild-type CSE. These results indicate the potential of this novel poxvirus promoter for driving high levels of gene expression.
The Theology of E. W. Kenyon: Plain Heresy or Within the Boundaries of Pentecostal-Charismatic "Orthodoxy"?
Authors: Lie Geir 
Published: June 2008

AbstractEssek William Kenyon (1867-1948) is a figure not readily identified by students of American religious history, and yet his influence on the twentieth-century religious history (particularly its Pentecostal and Charismatic expressions) is profound....Although Kenyon himself was never a Pentecostal, his influence on this segment of Christendom is extensive. Indeed, the earliest and most profound split among Pentecostals came as the result of William Durham's sermons on "the Finished Work of Christ"teachings that he apparently had received from Kenyon....Kenyon's writings have been widely plagiarized, thus spreading his teachings, if not his name, to millions worldwide. This last trend is especially evident in the independent Charismatic movement (led by Kenneth E. Hagin), whose entire doctrinal framework has been lifted from Kenyon without acknowledgement. Through its virtual domination of the electronic church and the thousands of graduates of its Bible training schools, the independent Charismatic movement has helped to spread Kenyon's influence on an ever-widening scale.
A Probabilistic Theory for Balance Dynamics
Authors: Hakim Gregory J. 
Published: June 2008

Abstract
Balance dynamics are proposed in a probabilistic framework, assuming that the state variables and the master, or control, variables are random variables described by continuous probability density functions. Balance inversion, defined as recovering the state variables from the control variables, is achieved through Bayes’ theorem. Balance dynamics are defined by the propagation of the joint probability of the state and control variables through the Liouville equation. Assuming Gaussian statistics, balance inversion reduces to linear regression of the state variables onto the control variables, and assuming linear dynamics, balance dynamics reduces to a Kalman filter subject to perfect observations given by the control variables.
Example solutions are given for an elliptical vortex in shallow water having unity Rossby and Froude numbers, which produce an outward-propagating pulse of inertia–gravity wave activity. Applying balance inversion to the potential vorticity reveals that, because potential vorticity and divergence share well-defined patterns of covariability, the inertia–gravity wave field is recovered in addition to the vortical field. Solutions for a probabilistic balance dynamics model applied to the elliptical vortex reveal smaller errors (“imbalance”) for height control compared to potential vorticity control.
Important attributes of the probabilistic balance theory include quantification of the concept of balance manifold “fuzziness,” and clear state-independent definitions of balance and imbalance in terms of the range of the probabilistic inversion operators. Moreover, the theory provides a generalization of the notion of balance that may prove useful for problems involving moist physics, chemistry, and tropical circulations.
Global Gravity Wave Variances from Aura MLS: Characteristics and Interpretation
Authors: Wu Dong L. , Eckermann Stephen D. 
Published: June 2008

Abstract
The gravity wave (GW)–resolving capabilities of 118-GHz saturated thermal radiances acquired throughout the stratosphere by the Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) on the Aura satellite are investigated and initial results presented. Because the saturated (optically thick) radiances resolve GW perturbations from a given altitude at different horizontal locations, variances are evaluated at 12 pressure altitudes between ∼21 and 51 km using the 40 saturated radiances found at the bottom of each limb scan. Forward modeling simulations show that these variances are controlled mostly by GWs with vertical wavelengths λz &gt; 5 km and horizontal along-track wavelengths of λy ∼ 100–200 km. The tilted cigar-shaped three-dimensional weighting functions yield highly selective responses to GWs of high intrinsic frequency that propagate toward the instrument. The latter property is used to infer the net meridional component of GW propagation by differencing the variances acquired from ascending (A) and descending (D) orbits. Because of improved vertical resolution and sensitivity, Aura MLS GW variances are ∼5–8 times larger than those from the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS) MLS. Like UARS MLS variances, monthly-mean Aura MLS variances in January and July 2005 are enhanced when local background wind speeds are large, due largely to GW visibility effects. Zonal asymmetries in variance maps reveal enhanced GW activity at high latitudes due to forcing by flow over major mountain ranges and at tropical and subtropical latitudes due to enhanced deep convective generation as inferred from contemporaneous MLS cloud-ice data. At 21–28-km altitude (heights not measured by the UARS MLS), GW variance in the tropics is systematically enhanced and shows clear variations with the phase of the quasi-biennial oscillation, in general agreement with GW temperature variances derived from radiosonde, rocketsonde, and limb-scan vertical profiles. GW-induced temperature variances at ∼44-km altitude derived from operational global analysis fields of the ECMWF Integrated Forecast System in August 2006 reveal latitudinal bands of enhanced GW variance and preferred GW meridional propagation directions that are similar to those inferred from the MLS variances, highlighting the potential of MLS GW data for validating the stratospheric GWs simulated and/or parameterized in global models.
EKLF restricts megakaryocytic differentiation at the benefit of erythrocytic differentiation
Authors: Bouilloux Fabrice , Juban Gaëtan , Cohet Nathalie , Buet Dorothée , Guyot Boris , Vainchenker William , Louache Fawzia , Morlé François 
Published: June 2008

Abstract
Previous observations suggested that functional antagonism between FLI-1 and EKLF might be involved in the commitment toward erythrocytic or megakaryocytic differentiation. We show here, using inducible shRNA expression, that EKLF knockdown in mouse erythroleukemia (MEL) cells decreases erythrocytic and increases megakaryocytic as well as Fli-1 gene expression. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analyses revealed that the increase in megakaryocytic gene expression is associated with a marked increase in RNA pol II and FLI-1 occupancy at their promoters, albeit FLI-1 protein levels are only minimally affected. Similarly, we show that human CD34+ progenitors infected with shRNA lentivirus allowing EKLF knockdown generate an increased number of differentiated megakaryocytic cells associated with increased levels of megakaryocytic and Fli-1 gene transcripts. Single-cell progeny analysis of a cell population enriched in bipotent progenitors revealed that EKLF knockdown increases the number of megakaryocytic at the expense of erythrocytic colonies. Taken together, these data indicate that EKLF restricts megakaryocytic differentiation to the benefit of erythrocytic differentiation and suggest that this might be at least partially mediated by the inhibition of FLI-1 recruitment to megakaryocytic and Fli-1 gene promoters.