bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Presence of reactive microglia in monkey substantia nigra years after 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine administration
Authors: McGeer Patrick L. , Schwab Claudia , Parent Andre , Doudet Doris 
Published: October 2003

AbstractThis report describes the presence of reactive microglia, the accumulation of extracellular melanin, and the extensive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of monkeys administered 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) 5 to 14 years before death. This evidence of chronic neuroinflammation years after MPTP exposure is similar to that previously reported in humans. The monkeys were drug free for at least 3 years before death, indicating that a brief exposure to MPTP had instituted an ongoing inflammatory process. The mechanism is unknown but could have important implications regarding the cause of Parkinson's disease and possible approaches to therapy.
Actin‐based centripetal flow: Phosphatase inhibition by calyculin‐A alters flow pattern, actin organization, and actomyosin distribution
Authors: Henson John H. , Kolnik Sarah E. , Fried Christopher A. , Nazarian Ronniel , McGreevy Jeanine , Schulberg Katrina L. , Detweiler Megan , Trabosh Valerie A. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractPrevious studies have suggested that the actin‐based centripetal flow process in sea urchin coelomocytes is the result of a two‐part mechanism, actin polymerization at the cell edge coupled with actomyosin contraction at the cell center. In the present study, we have extended the testing of this two‐part model by attempting to stimulate actomyosin contraction via treatment of coelomocytes with the phosphatase inhibitor Calyculin A (CalyA). The effects of this drug were studied using digitally‐enhanced video microscopy of living cells combined with immunofluorescent localization and scanning electron microscopy. Under the influence of CalyA, the coelomocyte actin cytoskeleton undergoes a radical reorganization from a dense network to one displaying an array of tangential arcs and radial rivulets in which actin and the Arp2/3 complex concentrate. In addition, the structure and dynamics of the cell center are transformed due to the accumulation of actin and membrane in this region and the constriction of the central actomyosin ring. Physiological evidence of an increase in actomyosin‐based contractility following CalyA treatment was demonstrated in experiments in which cells generated tears in their cell centers in response to the drug. Western blotting and immunofluorescent localization with antibodies against the phosphorylated form of the myosin regulatory light chain (MRLC) suggested that the demonstrated constriction of actomyosin distribution was the result of CalyA‐induced phosphorylation of MRLC. Overall, the results suggest that there is significant cross talk between the two underlying mechanisms of actin polymerization and actomyosin contraction, and indicate that changes in actomyosin tension may be translated into alterations in the structural organization of the actin cytoskeleton. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 56:252–266, 2003. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Characteristics of primary care physicians and their practices associated with mammography rates for older women
Authors: Van Harrison R. , Janz Nancy K. , Wolfe Robert A. , Tedeschi Philip J. , Stross Jeoffrey K. , Huang Xuelin , McMahon Laurence F. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractBACKGROUNDMammography screening rates are below national recommendations for older women. Understanding the relation between the characteristics of primary care physicians (PCPs) and mammography rates for older women can help to target screening improvement efforts.METHODSSubjects were 2527 PCPs practicing in Michigan between 1997 and 1998. A cross‐sectional design used Medicare data to identify women age 68 years or older in 1998 whom PCPs treated in 1997–1998 and to determine whether these women had a mammogram between 1996 and1998. Eligible women were Medicare beneficiaries age 65 years or older by 1996, residing in Michigan from 1996 to 1998, without specified comorbidities likely to affect decisions regarding mammography. Correlations and multiple regressions examined the relation between this score and characteristics of both PCPs and their practice populations of older women.RESULTSMammography rates across physicians' practices ranged from 3–100% (mean = 59%, standard deviation = 17%). Five predictors accounted for 55% of the variance in mammography rates across practices. Higher mammography rates were found to be independently related to physicians who have: a lower mean age for female Medicare patients, a higher mean number of physicians billing for patients' care, a lower mean number of inpatient admissions, obstetrics/gynecology practices, and a higher mean education level in patient's zip code (beta weights ≥ 0.25, P < 0.0001).CONCLUSIONSPCPs vary substantially with regard to mammography rates for older women. Mammography rates vary more with the population of patients in physicians' practices than with commonly measured personal characteristics of physicians. Mammography rates should be adjusted for patient population to target individual PCPs with low mammography rates for interventions. Cancer 2003. © 2003 American Cancer Society.
Opposing effect of angiopoietin‐1 on VEGF‐mediated disruption of endothelial cell–cell interactions requires activation of PKCβ
Authors: Wang Yihong , Pampou Sergey , Fujikawa Koshi , Varticovski Lyuba 
Published: October 2003

AbstractAngiopoietin‐1 (Ang1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) cooperate in migration and survival of endothelial cells by activation of phosphatidylinositol‐3 (PI‐3) kinase and mitogen activating protein (MAP) kinase pathways. However, Ang1 opposes the effect of VEGF on vascular permeability. We found that Ang1 also blocks VEGF‐mediated diffusion of fluoresin isothiocyanate (FITC)‐labeled albumin across an endothelial cell monolayer. VEGF‐mediated vascular permeability has been attributed, in part, to activation of phospholipase A2 and subsequent formation of platelet activating factor. However, Ang1 had no effect on VEGF‐induced activation of phospholipase A2 or the release of arachidonic acid. VEGF‐mediated permeability was associated with disruption of endothelial cell junctional complexes, dissociation of β‐catenin from VE‐cadherin, and accumulation of β‐catenin in the cytosol. In contrast, Ang1 enhanced the interaction of β‐catenin with VE‐cadherin and impaired VEGF‐mediated dissociation of this complex. Ang1 also blocked VEGF‐induced translocation of protein kinase C (PKC) and β2 to the membrane, but had no effect on activation of PKCα. In addition, staurosporine and a PKCβ inhibitor, LY379196, blocked VEGF‐mediated dissociation of β‐catenin from VE‐cadherin, diffusion of albumin across the endothelial cell monolayer, and translocation of PKCβ isoforms. These data indicate that VEGF‐mediated disruption of endothelial cell–cell interactions requires activation of PKCβ isoforms and that this pathway is blocked by Ang1. J. Cell. Physiol. 198: 53–61, 2004. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Linking phenomena with competing underlying models: A software tool for introducing students to the particulate model of matter
Authors: Snir Joseph , Smith Carol L. , Raz Gila 
Published: October 2003

AbstractHelping students understand the general nature of scientific models is increasingly regarded as an important goal of the middle and high school science curriculum (e.g., J. K. Gilbert & C. Boutler, 1998. International Handbook of Science Education; Kluwer, London; A. G. Harrison & D. F. Treagust, 2000. Science Education, 352–381). In addition, beginning in middle school, students are introduced to one of the most central models in modern science—the particulate model of matter. Thus, teaching students about this model is an ideal opportunity to help students develop an understanding of the nature of models in the context of learning a central scientific concept—the discontinuity of matter. In this article, we present a software tool that was designed for this purpose. The software engages students with investigating and evaluating competing models of matter in order to help them see the particulate model as a plausible model that can explain a wide range of facts about diverse phenomena. The first and second parts of the paper describe the scientific content of the particulate model and the main ideas about scientific models that we would like to teach, as well as the educational challenges of teaching these ideas to middle school students. The third part describes the structure of the software and the three phenomena we chose to have students explore. These are all phenomena that should be puzzling to students if they assume that matter is continuous, but that can be easily explained if they assume that matter consists of discrete particles. The paper concludes with a description of two studies evaluating the effectiveness of the software in promoting students' understanding of models in general and the particulate model of matter in particular. We found that middle schoolers can engage with fundamental ideas about the nature of models, and that engaging them with these ideas helps them internalize the assumptions of the particulate model of matter. This happened especially for students who had developed relevant macroscopic conceptions of matter based upon quantified and interrelated conceptions of volume, weight, and density. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed 87:794–830, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/sce.10069
A critical reassessment of the reception of early jazz in Britain
Authors: Parsonage Catherine 
Published: October 2003

The Original Dixieland Jazz Band's visit in 1919–1920 has been well documented as the beginning of jazz in Britain. This article illuminates a more complex evolution of the image and presence of jazz in Britain through consideration of the cultural and musical antecedents of the genre, including minstrel shows and black musical theatre, within the context of musical life in Britain in the late nineteenth to early twentieth centuries. The processes through which this evolution took place are considered with reference to the ways in which jazz was introduced to Britain through imported revue shows and sheet music.It is an extremely significant but often neglected fact that another group of American musicians, Will Marion Cook's Southern Syncopated Orchestra, also came to Britain in 1919. Remarkably, extensive comparisons of the respective performances and reception of the ODJB and the SSO have not been made in the available literature on jazz. Examination of the situation of one white and one black group of American musicians performing contemporaneously in London is extremely informative, as it evidences the continuing influence of the antecedents of jazz and the importance of both groups in shaping perceptions of jazz in Britain.
Design and control of a three degree of freedom pneumatic
physiotherapy robot
Authors: Richardson R. , Brown M. , Bhakta B. , Levesley M.C. 
Published: October 2003

Stroke is a common condition resulting in 30,000 people per annum left with significant disability. In patients with severe arm paresis after stroke, functional recovery in the affected arm is poor. Inadequate intensity of treatment is cited as one factor accounting for the lack of arm recovery found in some studies. Given that physical therapy resource is limited, strategies to enhance the physiotherapists' efforts are needed. One approach is to use robotic techniques to augment movement therapy.A three degree-of-freedom pneumatic robot has been developed to apply physiotherapy to
the upper limb. The robot has been designed with a workspace encompassing the reach-retrieve range of the average male. Control experiments have applied force and then position only controllers to the pneumatic robot. These controllers are combined to form a
position-based impedance control strategy on all degrees of freedom of the robot. The impedance controller performance was found to be dependent upon the specified impedance parameters. Initial experiments attaching the device to human subjects have indicated great potential for the device.
Effects of the acanthocephalan parasite Echinorhynchus truttae on the feeding ecology of Gammarus pulex (Crustacea: Amphipoda)
Authors: Fielding Nina J. , MacNeil Calum , Dick Jaimie T. A. , Elwood Robert W. , Riddell Gillian E. , Dunn Alison M. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractThe amphipod Gammarus pulex is an intermediate host to the acanthocephalan fish parasite Echinorhynchus truttae. Gammarus pulex has a wide trophic repertoire, feeding as a herbivore, detritivore and predator. In this study an examination was made of the effects of E. truttae parasitism on components of the G. pulex diet: stream‐conditioned leaves, dead chironomids and live juvenile isopods Asellus aquaticus. Over 21 days, parasitism had no effect on daily feeding rates or wet weights of G. pulex fed on leaves or chironomids. Parasitism had a significant effect on the number of A. aquaticus killed by G. pulex, with parasitized individuals killing significantly fewer than their unparasitized counterparts. In addition, unparasitized amphipods killed all size classes of A. aquaticus indiscriminately, whereas parasitized animals tended to kill the smaller size classes. The impacts of the parasitism of G. pulex throughout the wider freshwater community are discussed.
Feeding habitat of giant pandas (Ailuropoda melanoleuca): why do they prefer bamboo patch edges?
Authors: Yu Guangzhi , Jiang Zhigang , Zhao Zhilong , Wang Bingfeng , Wang Yong 
Published: October 2003

AbstractThe factors that affect the selection of feeding sites by giant pandas Ailuropoda melanoleuca in the Longxi‐Hongkou Nature Reserve were explored in winter from 2000 to 2002, by using strip transects. It was reported in the literature that giant pandas prefer to forage on the edges of bamboo patches because these edges offer them more food than the interiors. The number of feeding sites and the corresponding vegetation indices (including the basal diameter of bamboo stem, height and density of bamboo or bamboo shoot; density and canopy density of trees) were compared close to and far away from the edges of bamboo patches to detect the patterns of feeding habitat selection by giant pandas. Giant pandas preferred to forage at the sites near edges rather than in the interiors of bamboo patches. Such a tendency was independent of bamboo species and individual pandas. By comparing the density, basal diameter of bamboo stem and shoot, tree density and available dry biomass of bamboo, we detected no significant differences between the edges and the interiors of bamboo patches. The possible explanations were analysed and it was deemed that the selection of food habitat near edges by the giant pandas could be attributed to the direct effects of edges, which facilitate movement of the giant pandas in the otherwise dense bamboo patches.
Positive and negative changes following vicarious exposure to the September 11 terrorist attacks
Authors: Linley P. Alex , Joseph Stephen , Cooper Rachel , Harris Sophie , Meyer Caroline 
Published: October 2003

AbstractThe negative effects of vicarious traumatic exposure are well known. However, less is known about potential positive changes following vicarious exposure. Respondents living in Britain (n = 108) were surveyed about their vicarious exposure to the terrorist attacks of September 11. They also completed measures of their perceptions of the events of September 11, and positive (valuing friends and family more) and negative changes (loss of meaning, greater anxiety). Results revealed that respondents who perceived the terrorist attacks to be an attack on their own values and beliefs, or the work of religious fanatics, were more likely to report positive changes. Negative and positive psychological changes were positively associated.
Follow‐up of young road accident victims
Authors: Gillies Marjorie L. , Barton Joanne , Gallo Alain Di 
Published: October 2003

AbstractThe aim of this study was to follow‐up a group of children and young people previously examined for psychological sequelae following road traffic accidents. The group was assessed 18‐month postaccident to assess the severity of continuing symptoms and examine any emergence of delayed onset of posttraumatic stress reactions. Participants (N = 31) completed the Revised Impact of Event Scale and the Child Posttraumatic Stress Reaction Index. Parents completed the Child Behavior Check‐List and participated in a semistructured interview. Symptoms of PTSD were noted in a quarter of participants as was delayed onset of symptoms. The role of avoidance in symptom reporting and continuing disorder is discussed.
A description of an HPLC assay of coproporphyrinogen III oxidase activity in mononuclear cells
Authors: Gross U. , Gerlach R. , Kühnel A. , Seifert V. , Doss M. O. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractCoproporphyrinogen III oxidase is deficient in hereditary coproporphyria. An activity assay for this enzyme in mononuclear cells, besides the preparation of the substrate, are presented. The separation conditions for the product of the test protoporphyrin IX by gradient, reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography are given. The normal value from mononuclear cells of healthy volunteers was 138±21 pkat/g total soluble protein (mean±SD). The enzyme activity of a family with hereditary coproporphyria was measured. The gene carriers exhibit a specific coproporphyrinogen III oxidase activity of 61–90 pkat/g total soluble protein.
Agrobacterium tumefaciens mediated transformation of the oomycete plant pathogen Phytophthora infestans
Authors: Vijn Irma , Govers Francine 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARY Agrobacterium tumefaciens is widely used for plant DNA transformation and, more recently, has also been used to transform yeast and filamentous fungi. Here we present a protocol for Agrobacterium‐mediated DNA transformation of the oomycete Phytophthora infestans, the causal agent of potato late blight. Binary T‐DNA vectors containing neomycin phosphotransferase (npt) and β‐glucuronidase (gus) fused to oomycete transcriptional regulatory sequences were constructed. Seven days of co‐cultivation followed by transfer to a selective medium containing cefotaxim to kill Agrobacterium and geneticin to select for transformants, resulted in geneticin resistant colonies. Under optimal conditions with Agrobacterium supplemented with a ternary plasmid carrying a constitutive virG gene and in the presence of acetosyringone as inducer, up to 30 transformants per 107 zoospores could be obtained. The majority of these transformants contained a single T‐DNA copy randomly integrated at a chromosomal locus. Using a similar protocol, geneticin resistant transformants of two other oomycetes species were obtained, Phytophthora palmivora and Pythium ultimum.
Active defence responses associated with non‐host resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana to the oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans
Authors: Huitema Edgar , Vleeshouwers Vivianne G. A. A. , Francis David M. , Kamoun Sophien 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARYThe molecular basis of non‐host resistance, or species‐specific resistance, remains one of the major unknowns in the study of plant–microbe interactions. In this paper, we describe the characterization of a non‐host pathosystem involving the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana and the economically important and destructive oomycete pathogen Phytophthora infestans. Cytological investigations into the early stages of this interaction revealed the germination of P. infestans cysts on Arabidopsis leaves, direct penetration of epidermal cells, formation of infection vesicles and occasionally secondary hyphae, followed by a typical hypersensitive response. P. infestans biomass dynamics during infection of Arabidopsis was monitored using kinetic PCR, revealing an increase in biomass during the first 24 h after inoculation, followed by a decrease in the later stages. Transgenic reporter lines and RNA blot analyses were used to characterize the defence responses induced following P. infestans infection. Significant induction of PDF1.2 was observed at 48 h after inoculation, whereas elevated levels of PR gene expression were detected three days after inoculation. To further characterize this defence response, DNA microarray analyses were carried out to determine the expression profiles for c. 11 000 Arabidopsis cDNAs 16 h after infection. These analyses revealed a significant overlap between Arabidopsis non‐host response and other defence‐related treatments described in the literature. In particular, non‐host response to P. infestans was clearly associated with activation of the jasmonate pathway. The described Arabidopsis–P. infestans pathosystem offers excellent prospects for improving our understanding of non‐host resistance.
Diverse microbial communities inhabiting ferromanganese deposits in Lechuguilla and Spider Caves
Authors: Northup Diana E. , Barns Susan M. , Yu Laura E. , Spilde Michael N. , Schelble Rachel T. , Dano Kathleen E. , Crossey Laura J. , Connolly Cynthia A. , Boston Penelope J. , Natvig Donald O. , Dahm Clifford N. 
Published: October 2003

SummaryLechuguilla Cave is an ancient, deep, oligotrophic subterranean environment that contains an abundance of low‐density ferromanganese deposits, the origin of which is uncertain. To assess the possibility that biotic factors may be involved in the production of these deposits and to investigate the nature of the microbial community in these materials, we carried out culture‐independent, small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) sequence‐based studies from two sites and from manganese and iron enrichment cultures inoculated with ferromanganese deposits from Lechuguilla and Spider Caves. Sequence analysis showed the presence of some organisms whose closest relatives are known iron‐ and manganese‐oxidizing/reducing bacteria, including Hyphomicrobium, Pedomicrobium, Leptospirillum, Stenotrophomonas and Pantoea. The dominant clone types in one site grouped with mesophilic Archaea in both the Crenarchaeota and Euryarchaeota. The second site was dominated almost entirely by lactobacilli. Other clone sequences were most closely related to those of nitrite‐oxidizing bacteria, nitrogen‐fixing bacteria, actinomycetes and β‐ and γ‐Proteobacteria. Geochemical analyses showed a fourfold enrichment of oxidized iron and manganese from bedrock to darkest ferromanganese deposits. These data support our hypothesis that microorganisms may contribute to the formation of manganese and iron oxide‐rich deposits and a diverse microbial community is present in these unusual secondary mineral formations.
Dissecting cellulitis of the scalp with associated spondylarthropathy: case report and review
Authors: Salim A , David J , Holder J 
Published: October 2003

ABSTRACTArthritis is a well‐recognized but uncommon accompaniment to several chronic cutaneous inflammatory conditions in which severe acne is one component. We report the case of a man with dissecting cellulitis of the scalp who developed severe peripheral and axial arthritis.
Job's syndrome – a case report
Authors: Verma S , Wollina U 
Published: October 2003

ABSTRACTJob's syndrome is a rare immune disorder characterized by atopic dermatitis‐like skin lesions, elevated serum IgE‐levels, repeated occurrence of skin and respiratory tract infections, and skeletal abnormalities. We report on a 12‐year‐old boy with Job's syndrome from Gujarat State, India. He disclosed the characteristic face, eczematous skin reactions and skin and lung infections. Long‐term chemoprophylaxis was realized with oral penicillins that dramatically improved the course of his disease. Other treatment options are discussed but not all meet the needs of developing countries.