bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms of temperature-dependent swimming: the importance of physics, physiology and body size in determining protist swimming speed
Authors: Beveridge Oliver S. , Petchey Owen L. , Humphries Stuart
Published: November 2010

Body temperatures and thus physiological rates of poikilothermic organisms are determined by environmental temperature. The power an organism has available for swimming is largely dependent on physiological rates and thus body temperature. However, retarding forces such as drag are contingent on the temperature-dependent physical properties of water and on an organism's size. Consequently, the swimming ability of poikilotherms is highly temperature dependent. The importance of the temperature-dependent physical properties of water (e.g. viscosity) in determining swimming speed is poorly understood. Here we propose a semi-mechanistic model to describe how biological rates, size and the physics of the environment contribute to the temperature dependency of microbial swimming speed. Data on the swimming speed and size of a predatory protist and its protist prey were collected and used to test our model. Data were collected by manipulating both the temperature and the viscosity (independently of temperature) of the organism's environment. Protists were either cultured in their test environment (for several generations) or rapidly exposed to their test environment to assess their ability to adapt or acclimate to treatments. Both biological rates and the physics of the environment were predicted to and observed to contribute to the swimming speed of protists. Body size was not temperature dependent, and protists expressed some ability to acclimate to changes in either temperature or viscosity. Overall, using our parameter estimates and novel model, we are able to suggest that 30 to 40% (depending on species) of the response in swimming speed associated with a reduction in temperature from 20 to 5°C is due to viscosity. Because encounter rates between protist predators and their prey are determined by swimming speed, temperature- and viscosity-dependent swimming speeds are likely to result in temperature- and viscosity-dependent trophic interactions.
Sensorimotor gating in NTS1 and NTS2 null mice: effects ofd-amphetamine, dizocilpine, clozapine and NT69L
Authors: Oliveros Alfredo , Heckman Michael G. , del Pilar Corena-McLeod Maria , Williams Katrina , Boules Mona , Richelson Elliott
Published: November 2010

Pre-pulse inhibition (PPI) of the acoustic startle reflex is deficient in patients with schizophrenia. This deficiency is mimicked in mice by the use of the psychotomimetic drugs d-amphetamine and dizolcipine. Antipsychotic drugs such as clozapine are used to treat schizophrenic patients and are also administered to mice to prevent PPI disruption. Neurotensin (NT) produces antipsychotic-like effects when injected into rodent brain through its effects at NT subtype 1 (NTS1) and 2 (NTS2) receptors. We hypothesized that the NT receptor agonist (NT69L) would prevent PPI disruption in mice challenged with d-amphetamine (10 mg kg–1) and dizocilpine (1 mg kg–1). We investigated the role of NTS1 and NTS2 in PPI using wild-type (WT), NTS1 (NTS1–/–) and NTS2 (NTS2–/–) knockout mice, via its disruption by psychotomimetic drugs, as well as the ability of clozapine and NT69L to block these PPI disruptions. There were no differences in baseline PPI across the three genotypes. d-Amphetamine and dizocilpine disrupted PPI in WT and NTS2–/– mice but not in NTS1–/– mice. In WT mice, clozapine (1 mg kg–1) and NT69L (1 mg kg–1) significantly blocked d-amphetamine-induced disruption of PPI. Similarly, in WT mice, clozapine significantly blocked dizocilpine-induced PPI disruption, but NT69L did not. In NTS2–/– mice clozapine blocked d-amphetamine-but not dizocilpine-induced PPI disruption, while NT69L blocked both d-amphetamine- and dizocilpine-induced PPI disruption. Our results indicate that NTS1 seems essential for d-amphetamine and dizocilpine disruption of PPI. Additionally, this report provides support to the hypothesis that NT analogs could be used as novel antipsychotic drugs.
Coding and interaction of sex pheromone and plant volatile signals in the antennal lobe of the codling moth Cydia pomonella
Authors: Trona Federica , Anfora Gianfranco , Bengtsson Marie , Witzgall Peter , Ignell Rickard
Published: November 2010

In the codling moth Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) plant volatiles attract males and females by upwind flight and synergise the male response to the female-produced sex pheromone, indicating a close relationship between the perception of social and environmental olfactory signals. We have studied the anatomical and functional organisation of the antennal lobe (AL), the primary olfactory centre, of C. pomonella with respect to the integration of sex pheromone and host-plant volatile information. A three-dimensional reconstruction of the glomerular structure of the AL revealed 50±2 and 49±2 glomeruli in males and females, respectively. These glomeruli are functional units involved in the coding of odour quality. The glomerular map of the AL was then integrated with electrophysiological recordings of the response of individual neurons in the AL of males and females to sex pheromone components and behaviourally active plant volatiles. By means of intracellular recordings and stainings, we physiologically characterised ca. 50 neurons in each sex, revealing complex patterns of activation and a wide variation in response dynamics to these test compounds. Stimulation with single chemicals and their two-component blends produced both synergistic and inhibitory interactions in projection neurons innervating ordinary glomeruli and the macroglomerular complex. Our results show that the sex pheromone and plant odours are processed in an across-fibre coding pattern. The lack of a clear segregation between the pheromone and general odour subsystems in the AL of the codling moth suggests a level of interaction that has not been reported from other insects.
Phenotypic plasticity and genetic adaptation to high-altitude hypoxia in vertebrates
Authors: Storz Jay F. , Scott Graham R. , Cheviron Zachary A.
Published: November 2010

High-altitude environments provide ideal testing grounds for investigations of mechanism and process in physiological adaptation. In vertebrates, much of our understanding of the acclimatization response to high-altitude hypoxia derives from studies of animal species that are native to lowland environments. Such studies can indicate whether phenotypic plasticity will generally facilitate or impede adaptation to high altitude. Here, we review general mechanisms of physiological acclimatization and genetic adaptation to high-altitude hypoxia in birds and mammals. We evaluate whether the acclimatization response to environmental hypoxia can be regarded generally as a mechanism of adaptive phenotypic plasticity, or whether it might sometimes represent a misdirected response that acts as a hindrance to genetic adaptation. In cases in which the acclimatization response to hypoxia is maladaptive, selection will favor an attenuation of the induced phenotypic change. This can result in a form of cryptic adaptive evolution in which phenotypic similarity between high- and low-altitude populations is attributable to directional selection on genetically based trait variation that offsets environmentally induced changes. The blunted erythropoietic and pulmonary vasoconstriction responses to hypoxia in Tibetan humans and numerous high-altitude birds and mammals provide possible examples of this phenomenon. When lowland animals colonize high-altitude environments, adaptive phenotypic plasticity can mitigate the costs of selection, thereby enhancing prospects for population establishment and persistence. By contrast, maladaptive plasticity has the opposite effect. Thus, insights into the acclimatization response of lowland animals to high-altitude hypoxia can provide a basis for predicting how altitudinal range limits might shift in response to climate change.
Photoentrainment in blind and sighted rodent species: responses to photophase light with different wavelengths
Authors: Zubidat Abed E. , Nelson Randy J. , Haim Abraham
Published: November 2010

Our study examined the impact of daylight (photophase) wavelength on the photoentrainment sensitivity of two species with vastly different visual systems. Social voles (Microtus socialis) and ‘blind’ mole rats (Spalax ehrenbergi) were exposed to short-wavelength (479 nm) or long-wavelength (697 nm) light at an intensity of 293 μW cm–2. Rhythms of urine production, urinary 6-sulfatoxymelatonin (6-SMT), urinary metabolites of adrenaline and cortisol, and oxygen consumption (VO2) were used as markers for the sensitivity of the photoentrainment system. Significant 24-h rhythms were detected in all variables for both species under short-wavelength light, whereas ultradian rhythms of 12- or 8-h were detected under long-wavelength light. Wavelength inversely affected 6-SMT levels in M. socialis (negative correlation) and S. ehrenbergi (positive correlation). Increased levels of stress hormone metabolites were detected in M. socialis under the long-wavelength light whereas, in S. ehrenbergi elevated levels were secreted under short-wavelength light. Long-wavelength light increased VO2 in M. socialis and decreased it in S. ehrenbergi; short-wavelength light elicited the opposite effects. Our results indicate that photophase wavelength is an integral light property for modulating photoperiodic responses in mammals, including visually challenged species. Finally, the spectral-induced differential responses between the two species potentially represent adaptive physiological flexibility in species with contrasting visual and habitat challenges.
Mechanics and kinematics of backward burrowing by the polychaete Cirriformia moorei
Authors: Che James , Dorgan Kelly M.
Published: November 2010

The polychaete Cirriformia moorei burrows in muddy sediments by fracture, using its hydrostatic skeleton to expand its anterior region and exert force against its burrow wall to extend a crack. Burrowing occurs in four phases: stretching forward into the burrow, extending the crack anteriorly, thickening the burrowing end to amplify stress at the tip of the crack, and bringing the rest of the body forward as a peristaltic wave travels posteriorly. Here, we show that C. moorei is also able to burrow with its posterior end using a similar mechanism of crack propagation and exhibiting the same four phases of burrowing. Worms burrowed backwards with similar speeds and stress intensity factors as forward burrowing, but were thinner and less blunt and did not slip as far away from the crack tip between cycles of burrowing. The anterior end is more muscular and rigid, and differences in body shapes are consistent with having reduce musculature to dilate the posterior segments while burrowing. Backward burrowing provides a unique opportunity to study the effects of morphology on burrowing mechanics within the same species under identical conditions.
The mechanics of gravitaxis inParamecium
Authors: Roberts A. M.
Published: November 2010

An analysis of swimming patterns in the ciliate Paramecium shows that the ability to swim preferentially upwards (negative gravitaxis) is primarily the result of upwardly curving trajectories. The trajectory characteristics are consistent with those produced by mechanical orientation. Cell profile measurements from microscope images suggest that the characteristic front–rear body asymmetry accounts for the observed orientation rates. Gravikinesis may result from interactions between the propelling cilia and the sedimentary flow around the cell, and it seems unlikely that an internal physiological gravity receptor exists in Paramecium.
Effects of insulin infusion on glucose homeostasis and glucose metabolism in rainbow trout fed a high-carbohydrate diet
Authors: Polakof S. , Moon T. W. , Aguirre P. , Skiba-Cassy S. , Panserat S.
Published: November 2010

The origin for the poor glucose utilization in carnivorous fish species fed high carbohydrate diets remains under debate. In the present study, we have fed rainbow trout a diet containing 30% carbohydrate for 1 or 5 days. In both cases, fish were implanted with mini-osmotic pumps releasing 0.7 i.u. kg–1 day–1 bovine insulin, and mRNA transcripts and the protein phosphorylation status of proteins controlling glycemia and glucose-related metabolism were studied in fish killed 6 h after the last meal. We demonstrate that when the exposure occurs over a short term (30 h), insulin exerts beneficial actions on trout glucose homeostasis, including a lowered glycemia and increased hepatic lipogenic and glycogenic potentials. However, when trout were fed for 5 days, these beneficial actions of insulin infusion were no longer observed. Thus, the increased lipogenic potential observed after one single meal was not present, and this together with the increased glycogenesis and the decreased glucose exported to the blood from the liver explains the lack of hypoglycemic action of insulin. The fact that insulin improved glucose homeostasis when administrated over a short time period implies that endogenous insulin secretion is inadequate in trout to deal with this amount of dietary carbohydrates. Moreover, the fact that a longer exposure to insulin resulted in a reduced response indicates that the rainbow trout is sensitive to insulin, re-enforcing the hypothesis that the hyperglycemia observed following a high carbohydrate meal is an insulin secretion issue rather an insulin action issue.
Knocking down expression of Hsp22 and Hsp23 by RNA interference affects recovery from chill coma in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Colinet Hervé , Lee Siu Fai , Hoffmann Ary
Published: November 2010

To protect cells from the damaging effects of environmental stresses, all organisms possess a universal stress response involving upregulation of heat shock proteins (Hsps). The mechanisms underlying chilling injuries and the subsequent recovery phase are only beginning to be understood in insects. Hsp22 and Hsp23 are both upregulated during the recovery from prolonged chill coma in Drosophila melanogaster. This prompted us to investigate the functional significance of these modulations by testing whether expression of these two small Hsps is necessary for recovery after cold stress. We used the GAL4/UAS system to separately knock down expression of Hsp22 and Hsp23, and assayed three aspects of recovery performance in transgenic adults that had undergone 12 h of chill coma at 0°C. The time to recover (short-term recovery) and mobility parameters (medium-term recovery) were significantly impaired in the transgenic flies in which Hsp22 or Hsp23 was suppressed. Our findings show that both Hsp22 and Hsp23 play important roles in the recovery from chill coma in adult males, and suggest that these contribute to adaptive responses to fluctuating thermal conditions.
Molecular evidence for color discrimination in the Atlantic sand fiddler crab, Uca pugilator
Authors: Rajkumar Premraj , Rollmann Stephanie M. , Cook Tiffany A. , Layne John E.
Published: November 2010

Fiddler crabs are intertidal brachyuran crabs that belong to the genus Uca. Approximately 97 different species have been identified, and several of these live sympatrically. Many have species-specific body color patterns that may act as signals for intra- and interspecific communication. To understand the behavioral and ecological role of this coloration we must know whether fiddler crabs have the physiological capacity to perceive color cues. Using a molecular approach, we identified the opsin-encoding genes and determined their expression patterns across the eye of the sand fiddler crab, Uca pugilator. We identified three different opsin-encoding genes (UpRh1, UpRh2 and UpRh3). UpRh1 and UpRh2 are highly related and have similarities in their amino acid sequences to other arthropod long- and medium-wavelength-sensitive opsins, whereas UpRh3 is similar to other arthropod UV-sensitive opsins. All three opsins are expressed in each ommatidium, in an opsin-specific pattern. UpRh3 is present only in the R8 photoreceptor cell, whereas UpRh1 and UpRh2 are present in the R1-7 cells, with UpRh1 expression restricted to five cells and UpRh2 expression present in three cells. Thus, one photoreceptor in every ommatidium expresses both UpRh1 and UpRh2, providing another example of sensory receptor coexpression. These results show that U. pugilator has the basic molecular machinery for color perception, perhaps even trichromatic vision.
The feasibility of catheter-directed thrombolysis for acute deep vein thrombosis: a regional perspective
Authors: Gauci B N , Powell J T , Hunt B J , Pilcher J , Morgan R , Thompson M M , Holt P J E
Published: November 2010

Background

Deep vein thromboses (DVTs) are a significant cause of morbidity and mortality. Valvular destruction leads to the spectrum of disease called the post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) with the sequelae of chronic venous ulceration and a reduced quality of life. Catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) may reduce the incidence of PTS following an acute proximal DVT and increases quality of life thereafter, but it is uncertain what proportion of patients diagnosed with a DVT would be suitable for CDT.

Methods

This study quantified the proportion of patients investigated for DVT that would have been suitable for CDT. A retrospective review was performed of all upper and lower limb duplex ultrasound scans for suspected DVTs in a contemporary one-year period in a major regional vascular institute. All positive scans for acute proximal lower limb DVTs were compared against strict inclusion and exclusion criteria for CDT, based on national guidelines and international randomized trials.

Results

A total of 2368 duplex ultrasound venous investigations were performed in a one-year period and 252 scans demonstrated DVT. Of these, 158 were acute proximal lower limb DVTs. Application of the inclusion and exclusion criteria for CDT suggested that 47/158 (30%) were potentially suitable for CDT using current criteria. The median age of the 158 patients was 58 years, meaning that more than half were of working age and 54% were men.

Conclusion

Using current eligibility criteria, only about 30% of patients with DVT appear to be suitable for CDT.
Prevalence of cryptosporidium species in paediatric patients in Eastern Nepal
Authors: Amatya Ritu , Poudyal Nimesh , Gurung Rajendra , Khanal Basudha
Published: November 2010

Cryptosporidium species have been implicated as an important cause of childhood diarrhoea. We determined the prevalence of cryptosporidiosis in HIV seronegative children 15 years of age and below presenting with diarrhoea in the BP Koirala Institute of Health Sciences, Nepal. Faeces were collected over a 12-month period. Coccidian oocysts were detected using modified acid-fast staining. Intestinal parasites were found in 9.15% of diarrhoeal stool. Coccidian parasites were observed in 4.4% (with 4.1% cryptosporidium and two cyclospora). Coccidia were the most recurrent parasite found in this study. The detection was throughout the year with clustering during the rainy season.
Pagers and stethoscopes as vehicles of potential nosocomial pathogens in a tertiary care hospital in a developing country
Authors: Gopinath K G , Stanley Sulochana , Mathai Elizabeth , Chandy G M
Published: November 2010

It has long been recognized that stethoscopes and other inanimate objects carry virulent micro-organisms that can cause nosocomial infections in susceptible patients. Among the frequently used items in hospitals are pagers and stethoscopes. The manner in which these items are used has the potential to cause colonization of bacteria and transfer of these bacteria to another person. This prospective study was performed in order to assess the colonization rates among randomly selected pagers and stethoscopes. We found that 15 (25%) pagers and 11 (27.5%) stethoscopes were contaminated. Enterococci (10%) were the most common isolates found followed by Staphylococci (8%) and Enterobacteriaceae (7%). There was no significant difference in the rates of colonization between shared and personal pagers ( P = 0.16). Stethoscopes were more likely to be contaminated with Enterococci compared to pagers ( P = 0.013, 95% confidence interval 1.3–52.9).

Our findings confirm the need for protocols to prevent transmission of infection through inanimate objects.
Extensive oral lesion colonized with 601 myiasis larvae
Authors: Laureano Filho J R , Bezerra T P , Lima F T B , Campelo R I C
Published: November 2010

Myiasis is a type of infection caused by the larvae of flying insects. This paper reports a case of a 72-year-old Caucasian man who was referred to the Infectology Department of Oswaldo Cruz University Hospital (Pernambuco – Brazil) for urgent treatment as he was malnourished and dehydrated. He had a facial and buccal lesion colonized with larvae and was extremely debilitated. The surgical and clinical treatment indicated at the first moment was the surgical removal of the larvae. But, after two days, some larvae were still present and therefore 12 mg of ivermectin was administered. At the end of the treatment, 601 larvae had been removed and the therapeutics established were suitable.
Correlates of consulting research evidence among policy analysts in government ministries: a cross-sectional survey
Authors: Ouimet Mathieu , Bédard Pierre-Olivier , Turgeon Jean , Lavis John N. , Gélineau François , Gagnon France , Dallaire Clémence
Published: November 2010

This large cross-sectional survey of policy analysts working in Quebec ministries (Canada) shows that direct interactions with academic researchers are among the most significant correlates of the consultation of scientific articles, academic research reports and academic books/chapters, but by very little compared to other correlates such as reported access to electronic bibliographic databases, training type, continuing professional development and perceived relevance of research evidence. Many correlates were found to have similar predictive power and, taken individually, all correlates have somewhat low predictive power. Interestingly, statistical simulations show that to achieve a larger predictive power, significant correlates must be manipulated simultaneously. Large variations were observed across policy sectors.
Reconstructing and assessing the evaluation logic of the Dutch Closed Criminal Cases Evaluation Commission: report of a meta-evaluation
Authors: Klein Haarhuis C.M. , de Jongste W.M.
Published: November 2010

In this paper, we offer an account of the meta-evaluation of a special administrative arrangement, the Dutch Closed Criminal Cases Evaluation Commission (Dutch acronym: CEAS). The CEAS is a provisional evaluation institution meant to investigate alleged missteps during criminal investigation and prosecution, which may have caused the conviction of an innocent person

We developed a tailor-made approach to reconstruct the commission's ‘evaluation logic’; this is illustrated by reconstructing the activities of a selection committee and two investigative subcommittees of the CEAS. Subsequently, we applied a set of criteria to assess among others the timeliness, independence and transparency of the commission's work. We offer a number of conclusions and recommendations, particularly with regard to future (meta-)evaluation research.
Turning policy into practice: an evaluation of policy for, and delivery of, education and training for the staff of specialist child and adolescent mental health services in England
Authors: O’Reilly Michelle , Dogra Nisha , Williams Richard , Edwards Ruth , Vostanis Panos
Published: November 2010

For health policies to be effective in practice, they need to be communicated and translated at strategic and operational levels and to be integrated into clinical practice. There is little empirical evidence to understand whether this happens and, if it does, whether it does so effectively. In the present study the views of professional healthcare staff from one service field (child mental health) are explored in order to ascertain their views on the translation of policy into practice through thematic analysis. Key themes of limited awareness, lack of strategic policies and problems in linking evidence carry implications for the development and strategies of policies. The interviews demonstrate that there is limited evidence that policies are being communicated as effectively as they could be, and we make recommendations on how these could be translated and implemented more effectively in the future.
The language barrier? Context, identity, and support for political goals in minority ethnolinguistic groups
Authors: Livingstone Andrew G. , Manstead Antony S. R. , Spears Russell , Bowen Dafydd
Published: November 2010

In two studies, we tested the hypothesis that not having a potentially group‐defining attribute (e.g., in‐group language) can affect social identification and support for group goals (e.g., national autonomy). Focusing on the Welsh minority in the UK, Study 1 provided evidence that Welsh language fluency predicted Welsh identification and support for national autonomy, and that identification accounted for the language–autonomy association. Study 2 extended this by (1) examining British and English as well as Welsh identification; and (2) quasi‐manipulating the surrounding context (Welsh speaking vs. non‐Welsh speaking). As predicted, low Welsh language fluency predicted stronger British and English identification, but only where language was criterial (Welsh‐speaking regions). British identification, in turn, predicted lower support for national autonomy. Implications and prospects for future research are discussed.
Voice hearing within the context of hearers' social worlds: An interpretative phenomenological analysis
Authors: Mawson Amy , Berry Katherine , Murray Craig , Hayward Mark
Published: November 2010

Objectives. Research has found relational qualities of power and intimacy to exist within hearer‐voice interactions. The present study aimed to provide a deeper understanding of the interpersonal context of voice hearing by exploring participants' relationships with their voices and other people in their lives.

Design. This research was designed in consultation with service users and employed a qualitative, phenomenological, and idiographic design using semi‐structured interviews.

Method. Ten participants, recruited via mental health services, and who reported hearing voices in the previous week, completed the interviews. These were transcribed verbatim and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Results. Five themes resulted from the analysis. Theme 1: ‘person and voice’ demonstrated that participants' voices often reflected the identity, but not always the quality of social acquaintances. Theme 2: ‘voices changing and confirming relationship with the self’ explored the impact of voice hearing in producing an inferior sense‐of‐self in comparison to others. Theme 3: ‘a battle for control’ centred on issues of control and a dilemma of independence within voice relationships. Theme 4: ‘friendships facilitating the ability to cope’ and theme 5: ‘voices creating distance in social relationships’ explored experiences of social relationships within the context of voice hearing, and highlighted the impact of social isolation for voice hearers.

Conclusions. The study demonstrated the potential role of qualitative research in developing theories of voice hearing. It extended previous research by highlighting the interface between voices and the social world of the hearer, including reciprocal influences of social relationships on voices and coping. Improving voice hearers' sense‐of‐self may be a key factor in reducing the distress caused by voices.
Mescolanza o purezza? Il diapsephismos tra i Pisistratidi e la riforma di Clistene
Authors: Poddighe Elisabetta
Published: November 2010

Riassunto

Il presente studio esamina le finalità e gli esiti del controllo sulle liste civiche condotto ad Atene dopo la deposizione dei tiranni e registrato dall′autore della Costituzione di Atene come diapsephismos ([Aristot.] Ath. pol. 13. 5). Tale controllo sulle origini familiari dei cittadini viene tradizionalmente interpretato come un provvedimento adottato dagli aristocratici per rimediare agli esiti delle naturalizzazioni concesse dai Pisistratidi e destinato all′esclusione dal corpo civico dei cosiddetti impuri per nascita. L′interpretazione alternativa che questo studio propone è che il diapsephismos avesse rappresentato lo strumento utilizzato nel quadro della riforma di Clistene per regolarizzare la situazione degli impuri, ossia per garantire a molti di loro una formale integrazione nel corpo civico attraverso l′iscrizione nelle dieci tribù territoriali. Si argomenta inoltre che l′interpretazione dei moderni rispetto all′ispirazione politica del diapsephismos sia condizionata dalla ricostruzione conservata nella Costituzione di Atene, una ricostruzione funzionale all′ideologia ateniese in tema di cittadinanza democratica che nei secoli V e IV si fondò sul mito degli Ateniesi purosangue.
Beobachtungen zu Armut und Armen bei Platon und Aristoteles, Cicero und Seneca
Authors: Knoch Stefan
Published: November 2010

Ausgehend von der griechischen und lateinischen Armutsterminologie und unter Heranziehung moderner Armutsdefinitionen werden die philosophischen Schriften Platons, Aristoteles′, Ciceros und Senecas auf ihre Berücksichtigung und Bewertung der Armen hin untersucht. Dabei stellt sich heraus, daß die Position der vier Autoren zur Armutsthematik deutlich weniger homogen ist, als die Forschung gemeinhin für die griechisch-römischen Quellen der vorchristlichen Zeit annimmt.
Die jüdischen Gesandtschaften an Pompeius (63 v. Chr.) bei Diodor und Josephus
Authors: Eckhardt Benedikt
Published: November 2010

Sowohl Diodor (40,2) als auch Flavius Josephus (ant. Iud. 14,41–45) berichten über drei jüdische Delegationen, die 63 v. Chr. in Damaskus die Entscheidung im Jerusalemer Thronstreit zwischen Hyrkanos II. und Aristobulos II. in die Hände des Pompeius legen. Nach beiden Historikern soll eine davon gegen beide Kandidaten argumentiert und die Abschaffung des Königtums in Judäa zugunsten einer priesterlichen Regierung gefordert haben. Die Untersuchung zeigt zunächst, daß diese Forderung ohne echte Parallele in der jüdischen Geschichte hasmonäischer (und herodianischer) Zeit ist. Sie fragt dann nach einem Entstehungskontext für den frühesten Bericht über die Ereignisse in Damaskus und begreift ihn als Element der Selbstdarstellung des Pompeius. Literarkritisch wird sodann gefragt, welche Funktion der Gesandtschaftsbericht für Diodor und Josephus mit Blick auf ihre mutmaßlichen historiographischen Konzepte hat. Von dieser Grundlage her wird die Historizität des Berichteten in Frage gestellt.
Drusus Libo als Exempel für einen wohlüberlegten Selbstmord (Sen. epist. 70,10)
Authors: Gärtner Thomas
Published: November 2010

Zunächst wird der Aufbau von Senecas 70. Brief und die Stellung der Episode des Drusus Libo innerhalb dieser Gesamtstruktur besprochen. Dann werden die verschiedenen Quellen über den Prozeß und den Selbstmord des Drusus Libo erörtert und als gemeinsame Substanz sämtlicher Versionen die Zurückhaltung des Princeps Tiberius herausgestellt. Ferner wird gezeigt, wie Seneca von dem ihm wohl vorliegenden Material selektiven Gebrauch machte, um Drusus Libo als ein Exempel für einen gelungenen Selbstmord darzustellen. Abschließend wird eine kleine Textänderung vorgeschlagen, die den Gedankengang Senecas deutlicher machen soll.
Streitbeendigung durch Eid. Überlegungen zu Ilias Ψ 579–595
Authors: Heitsch Ernst
Published: November 2010

In archaic societies the oath is not an explanation given in particular form by an official order, but, at the very most, a selfcondemnation and therefore, together with trial by ordeal and duel, a means to ending serious conflicts. In the early Greek epos there is only one single paragraph that still testifies to such a regulation (by πρόκλησις ‘challenge’, as the later term says); and less than 200 years later Xenophanes describes what happens when in the legal reality of more secular/enlightened societies the old piece of evidence remains preserved.
Ears are not the Subject of Hearing in Aristotle’s On the Soul II 8, 420a3–12
Authors: Bos Abraham P.
Published: November 2010

On the Soul II 8, 420a3–12 is always explained as if Aristotle there considered the ears to be the seat of the faculty of hearing. However, Aristotle there identifies the instrument of sense perception not with external parts of the visible body but with the soul’s instrumental body, situated in the heart and connected with the ears. That also appears to be the case in Generation of Animals V 2.
Τρυφη and υβρις in the Περι Βιων of Clearchus
Authors: Gorman Robert J. , Gorman Vanessa B.
Published: November 2010

Current scholarship on Clearchus’ Lives emphasizes a moralizing historiographical schema of pernicious luxury, in which truphē leads to koros, then to hybris, and finally to destruction. Yet all the fragments used to construct this theory are preserved in one late source, the Deipnosophistae of Athenaeus. A study of the diction and immediate context of these so-called fragments demonstrates that the moral themes are presented in language that is far more likely to originate in the cover text rather than in the Lives. Furthermore, this moralizing schema that binds together acts both effeminate and hybristic – as if the one followed naturally from the other – cannot be found securely attested elsewhere in Greek thought before the Roman Era. Thus we argue that, based on the evidence that survives, it is anachronistic to suggest that Clearchus espoused this principle. In addition, those who study Hellenistic fragments need to scrutinize more carefully the exact phrasing and framework of the Deipnosophistae, and be more wary about Athenaeus’ attribution of contemporary values to his sources.
Corrupt Passages in the Scholia Vetera to Sophocles’ Trachiniae
Authors: Xenis Georgios
Published: November 2010

P. Papageorgiou was the last to edit the complete set of the scholia vetera to Sophocles in 1888. The narrow manuscript basis of the edition, the reluctance of the editor to use a sufficient amount of conjectural emendation and the lack of a methodology specific to editing scholia are responsible for a great number of corrupt passages in his text. This article is concerned with the critical restoration of eight such passages from the scholia to the Trachiniae: schol. Trach. 7, 48, 56, 104b, 105b, 379, 434b and 556.
Der Daedalus der Dichter: Zur poetologischen Selbstdarstellung des didaktischen Ich bei Lukrez
Authors: Beer Beate
Published: November 2010

By analysing the cumulated usage of the Greek loan word daedalus in De rerum natura it can be shown that the mythological artist Daedalus functions as a poetological model for the didactic narrator. The narrator presents himself as a poet-Daedalus. As with Daedalus’ statues who were said to see and walk around like human beings, De rerum natura adds to the poetic mimesis (which is in respect of content) a formal one such as to stand as a model for the nature it describes. Likewise, as Daedalus’ most characteristic feature in classical literature is his astuteness the muse of poetry in De rerum natura is called callida. The craftsman’s work finally is reflected in the ordering of elements, i.e. in word order. The Epicurean position is furthermore elucidated by comparison with the Platonic view on Daedalus.
The Second Person Indefinite and the Logic of Horace, Odes 1. 12. 29–36
Authors: Kovacs David
Published: November 2010

It is argued, on a variety of evidence, that the usual view of 35–6, “But if you, Maeceas, include me in the canon of lyric poets, I shall strike the stars with my exalted head”, is mistaken. Rather, they mean “But make me one of those lyric poets, and I shall strike, etc.”. This is the “depersonalized” indefinite second person, illustrated by pone at Odes 1. 22. 17–24, dedisses at Serm. 1. 3. 15–16, and other passages. It does not imply that any particular person can do the action in question but merely invites the supposition that the action is performed. A second section treats 29–34, showing two ways in which they can be consistent with the suggested interpretation of 35–6.
Origin assessment of uranium ore concentrates based on their rare-earth elemental impurity pattern
Authors: Varga Zsolt , Wallenius Maria , Mayer Klaus
Published: November 2010

The rare-earth element pattern was used as an additional tool for the identification and origin assessment of uranium ore concentrates (yellow cakes) for nuclear forensic purposes. By this means, the source of an unknown material can be straightforwardly verified by comparing the pattern with that of a known or declared sample. In contrast to other indicators used for nuclear forensic studies, the provenance of the material can also be assessed in several cases even if no comparison sample is available due to the characteristic pattern. The milling process was found not to change the pattern and no significant elemental fractionation occurs between the rare-earth elements, thus the pattern in the yellow cakes corresponds to that found in the uranium ore.
Performance of the mesh-type liquid cadmium cathode structure for the electrodeposition of uranium from the molten salt
Authors: Paek Seungwoo , Kim Si-Hyung , Yoon Dal-Sung , Lee Hansoo , Ahn Do-Hee
Published: November 2010

A mesh-type liquid cadmium cathode (LCC) structure has been devised to improve the performance of the electro-winning process for the recovery of actinides in a molten chloride system. For the verification of its performance, electrodeposition experiments of uranium from the molten LiCl-KCl-UCl3 salt were conducted at 773 K for different current densities using the mesh-type LCC structure. Uranium was successfully collected over 5ߙwt.ߙ% in the LCC without growing uranium dendrites. The mesh-type LCC structure prevented the uncontrolled growth of uranium dendrites into the electrolyte phase above the cadmium surface and caused the LCC deposit to accumulate at the higher in the cadmium phase over uranium solubility in cadmium. After cooling the LCC crucible, its solid deposits were identified as an intermetallic compound UCd11 by EPMA and XRD analysis. The cathode potential profiles from the electrochemical experiments and the chemical structure of the LCC deposits showed that it could be applied practically to recover the actinides above their solubility in cadmium.
Temperature effect on U(VI) sorption onto Na-bentonite
Authors: Yang Ziqian , Huang Lei , Lu Yan , Guo Zhijun , Montavon Gilles , Wu Wangsuo
Published: November 2010

U(VI) sorption on a purified Na-bentonite was investigated from 298±2 to 353±2 K by using a batch experimental method as a function of pH, U(VI) concentration, carbonate concentration and solid-to-liquid ratio (m/V). The data at 298±2 K could be well described by a surface complexation model (SCM) with a complex located on layer sites (X2UO2) and three complexes located on edge sites (≡SOUO2
+, ≡SO(UO2)3(OH)5, and ≡SO(UO2)3(OH)7
2−). The intrinsic equilibrium constants (K
int) of the surface reactions at 333 ± 2 and 353±2 K were obtained by fitting U(VI) sorption curves vs. pH on the Na-bentonite. The model enables U(VI) sorption in the presence of carbonate (p
CO2
=10−3.58 atm) to be described without considering any ternary surface complexes involving carbonate, except for underestimation around pH 7 (6<pH<7.5). The standard enthalpy changes (Δr
H
m
θ) of the surface reactions were evaluated from the K
int values obtained at three temperatures (298±2, 333±2 and 353±2 K) via the van´t Hoff equation. The proposed SCM and Δr
H
m
θ of the surface reactions enable U(VI) sorption on the Na-bentonite at other temperatures to be predicted.
Rapid separation method for actinides in emergency soil samples
Authors: Maxwell Sherrod L. , Culligan Brian K. , Noyes Gary W.
Published: November 2010

A new rapid method for the determination of actinides in soil and sediment samples has been developed at the Savannah River Site Environmental Lab (Aiken, SC, USA) that can be used for samples up to 2 g in emergency response situations. The actinides in soil method utilizes a rapid sodium hydroxide fusion method, a lanthanum fluoride soil matrix removal step, and a streamlined column separation process with stacked TEVA, TRU and DGA resin cartridges. Lanthanum was separated rapidly and effectively from Am and Cm on DGA resin. Vacuum box technology and rapid flow rates are used to reduce analytical time. Alpha sources are prepared using cerium fluoride microprecipitation for counting by alpha spectrometry. The method showed high chemical recoveries and effective removal of interferences. This new procedure was applied to emergency soil samples received in the NRIP Emergency Response exercise administered by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) in April, 2009. The actinides in soil results were reported within 4–5 h with excellent quality.
Development of a SISAK extraction system for chemical studies of element 108, hassium
Authors: Samadani F. , Alstad J. , Bjornstad T. , Stavsetra L. , Omtvedt Jon Petter
Published: November 2010

A liquid–liquid extraction system suitable for studies of chemical properties of Hs (element 108), in the form of HsO4, was developed using γ-emitting isotopes of its homologue Os. The system is targeted for the fast on-line extraction system SISAK, which operates in a continuous manner and is suitable for liquid-phase studies of transactinide elements. The distribution of OsO4 between various dilute NaOH solutions and toluene was studied. Both batch and SISAK on-line experiments were performed to develop an appropriate system. From analysis of the extraction curves equilibrium constants for the formation of the presumed complexes, Na[OsO4(OH)] and Na2[OsO4(OH)2], were obtained: K
1=(1±0.5)×104 and K
2=12±8, respectively. The SISAK system includes a liquid-scintillation detection system for α measurements. Due to quenching effects it is not possible to perform direct measurement of the aqueous phase α´s. Therefore, a two-stage extraction method that provides an indirect measurement of the activity in the aqueous phase was developed as part of the proposed system for Hs: Acidification of the raffinate from the first stage result in recovery of OsO4, which is highly extractable into toluene. The yield of extraction in the second step, from 0.01 M NaOH solution after acidification with H2SO4 solution, was (90±3) %.
Appreciation to Referees
Authors: Qaim Syed M. , Kratz Jens Volker , Shinohara Atsushi , Nitsche Heino , Simoni E. , Clark Sue B.
Published: November 2010

The standard of a primary specialized journal depends to a large extent on the quality of the peer-review process. During the last four years the following persons reviewed one or more manuscripts submitted to Radiochimica Acta, and gave advice to improve the presentations.
CD4+ and CD8+ T cells producing Th1 and Th17 cytokines are involved in the pathogenesis of autoimmune orchitis
Authors: Jacobo Patricia , Pérez Cecilia Valeria , Theas María Susana , Guazzone Vanesa Anabella , Lustig Livia
Published: November 2010

Experimental autoimmune orchitis (EAO) is a useful model to study chronic testicular inflammation and infertility. EAO is characterized by severe damage of seminiferous tubules with germ cells that undergo apoptosis and sloughing. We previously reported an increase in CD4+ and CD8+ effector T cells in the testes of rats with EAO. Since cytokine patterns determine T cell effector functions, in the present work we analyzed the cytokines expressed by these cells during disease development. By flow cytometry, we detected an increase in the number of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF) and interferon -γ (IFNG)-producing CD4+ T cells in the testis at EAO onset. As the severity of the disease progressed, these cells declined while CD8+ T cells producing TNF and IFNG increased, with the predominance of IFNG expression. As a novel finding, we identified by immunofluorescence CD4+ interleukin 17 (IL17)+ and CD8+ IL17+ cells in the testes of EAO rats, with CD4+ and CD8+ T cells predominating at the onset and in the chronic phase of EAO respectively. Moreover, IL17 (western blot) and IL23 content (ELISA) increased in EAO, with maximum levels in the chronic phase. These results suggest the involvement of CD4+ T helper (Th) 1 and Th17 subsets as co-effector cells governing EAO onset, as well as the central contribution of CD8+ T cells producing Th1 and Th17 cytokines in the maintenance of chronic inflammation. The expression of T-bet and RORγt (western blot) in the testis over the course of disease also supports the presence of Th1 and Th17 cells in the testes of EAO rats.
Plasmid composition and virulence-associated factors of Yersinia pestis isolates from a plague outbreak at the Paraíba State, Brazil
Authors: Leal Nilma Cintra , Almeida Alzira Maria Paiva de , Ferreira Luís Carlos de Souza
Published: November 2010

Pathogenic Yersinia pestis isolates were collected during a plague outbreak at the Paraiba State in 1986. The Y. pestis isolates were investigated for the presence of virulence-associated factors and plasmid content. All strains analysed were proficient in the expression of the VW and fraction 1 antigens, pigment adsorption and pesticin-fibronolysin-coagulase production. A similar plasmid profile composed by four plasmid with molecular weight of 60, 44, 14.9, and 6.4 Megadaltons (MD) was found in all strains. DNA cleavage with EcoRI restriction enzyme further demonstrated the uniform plasmid content of the Y. pestis isolates. Seven additional Y. pestis strains, previously isolated in the same region but in an endemic state, showed the same plasmid fingerprint. The lack of any detectable difference between epidemic and endemic isolates as well as the value of plasmid fingerprints in epidemiology of Y. pestis is discussed.
Incidência de escherichia coli enterotoxigênica (ETEC), rotavirus e Clostridium perfringens de casos de diarréia em crianças, na região de Campinas, SP, Brasil
Authors: Gatti Maria Silvia V. , Ricci Lucila C. , Serafim Marlene B. , Castro Antonio F. Pestana de
Published: November 2010

Foi realizada uma pesquisa na região de Campinas, SP, Brasil, sobre a presença de Escherichia coli enterotoxigênica (ETEC), rotavírus e Clostridium perfringens enterotoxigênico em fezes diarréicas de crianças com até 2 anos de idade. Dos 132 espécimens fecais examinados quanto à presença de ETEC 27 (20,45%) foram positivos. Destes foram isoladas 41 amostras de ETEC, das quais 40 produziram apenas a enterotoxina termolábil (LT) detectada pelo teste de imuno hemólise radial modifi cado. Entre as 183 amostras de fezes examinadas para rotavírus, 29 (15,84%) foram positivas pelas técnicas de eletroforese em gel de poliacrilamida (PAGE) e ensaio imunoenzimático (EIE), sendo que destas, 15 (51,7% ) foram provenientes de materiais coletados nos meses de inverno. Todas as amostras pertenciam ao grupo A e, através da técnica de PAGE, pode-se observar que o tipo eletroforético mais freqüente (9 amostras) foi designado Ib, IIc, Illb, IVa, de acordo com a classificação por nós adotada. Apenas 113 amostras de fezes foram examinadas para a presença de C. perfringens enterotoxigênico. Para a detecção da enterotoxina nos sobrenadantes das culturas foram utilizadas as técnicas de hemaglutinação passiva reversa e inoculação intravenosa em camundongos, sendo encontradas 12 (10,61%) amostras entero-toxigênicas. Diante destes resultados é chamada a atenção sobre o valor apenas relativo de uma coprocultura convencional para fins de diagnóstico, ressaltando-se a importância da criação de métodos simplificados que favoreçam a detecção e identificação dos grupos de agentes enteropatogênicos estudados na presente pesquisa.