bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENTIAL GRAZING BY PHAGOTROPHIC CILIATES ON PHYTOPLANKTON BIOMASS AND COMMUNITY STRUCTURE
Authors: Cowlishaw R.J.
Published: November 2003

There is a growing understanding that phagotrophic ciliates are often important members of aquatic communities in terms of their trophic role and mobilization of small cell production to higher consumers. As formidable consumers of small phytoplankton species they are likely to be also important in determining the community composition of the pico‐ and nanophytoplankton assemblages. Dilution method experiments were conducted during the winter and summer in the South Slough, an arm of the Coos Bay on the southern Oregon coast, to assess the impact of ciliate grazing on two size fractions of chlorophyll (0.2 to 5 mm and> 5 mm) and on the growth and abundance of specific phytoplankton groups, particularly cryptophytes and Synechococcus sp. The premise of the dilution technique is that grazers are diluted with their food and the observed rate of change in chlorophyll or phytoplankton abundance is linearly related to the dilution factor. Results from previous studies using the dilution technique have been given in terms of the grazing impact of microzooplankton on total chlorophyll. The findings of the research presented using a more rigorous application of the dilution method suggest that ciliates are differential in their grazing of phytoplankton, targeting small phytoplankton biomass and preying selectively on components of the assemblage that constitute this biomass.
POTENTIAL TOOLS FOR TRACKING OCEAN CLIMATE: VARIABILITY IN STABLE ISOTOPES IN LIVING CORALLINE ALGAE
Authors: Dunn R.A. , Steller D. L. , Zachos J.
Published: November 2003

Our ability to track long term climate change in coastal regions is limited in temperate and polar regions. Physical oceanographic dynamics in temperature and upwelling events can be recorded as carbon and oxygen stable isotope signals in carbonate producing organisms. Because coralline algae photosynthesize, produce calcium carbonate and are widely distributed, they may provide a new tool for detecting short‐term change. However, little is known about how coralline algae incorporate stable isotopes into their calcite thallus structure. The objectives of this study were to determine if growth and isotopic signature differ in articulated coralline algae grown in different oceanographic regimes in Monterey Bay. The articulated alga Calliarthron cheiliospororioides was outplanted at three locations varying in seawater temperature and upwelling strength. New algal growth was measured by staining the algae with Alizarin Red and enumerating the amount of accumulated material at the branch tips. Growth rates varied seasonally and spatially. Low‐upwelling daily growth rates averaged 0.044–0.056 mm day−1, while high‐upwelling growth rates were 0.083 mm day−1. Isotope ratios were obtained by analyzing microsampled portions of the alga in a mass spectrometer. Changes in the 18O/16O and 13C/12C ratios appear to reflect change in seawater temperature and upwelling strength, respectively.
SCALE‐DEPENDENT PATTERNS OF DISTURBANCE AND RECOVERY IN GIANT KELP FORESTS
Authors: Edwards  , Hernandez‐Carmona G.
Published: November 2003

We studied spatial variability in giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) forests at 84 sites along the west coast of North America in order to assess the impacts of the 1997–98 El Niño. Our sites spanned the geographic range of giant kelp in the Northern Hemisphere and were surveyed just before, immediately following, several months after, more than one year after, and nearly two years after the El Niño. Interspersion of sample units allowed us to compare the effects of this disturbance among spatial scales ranging from a few meters to more than a thousand kilometers. Variance components analyses revealed that El Niño shifted the relative importance of factors that regulate giant kelp communities from factors acting at the scale of a few meters (local control) to factors operating at hundreds of kilometers (regional control). Moreover, El Niño resulted in a near‐to‐complete loss of giant kelp populations throughout nearly two‐thirds of the species' range. Evaluation of these effects along with oceanographic data (at the “appropriate” spatial scales), along with closer examination of giant kelp populations in the most severely impacted region (Baja) suggested that the among‐region differences in giant kelp survival was due, at least in part, to El Niño‐induced differences in ocean climate. Giant kelp recovery following El Niño was also scale‐dependent, but driven by factors different from those of the disturbance. Here, we present results for several species of macroalgae in an attempt to relate the importance of El Niño to that of other processes in creating scale‐dependent patterns of variability.
CHARACTERIZATION OF THE OFFSHORE MARINE MACROALGAE FROM THE NORTHWESTERN GULF OF MEXICO HARD BANK COMMUNITIES
Authors: Fredericq S. , Phillips N. , Gavio B. , Gurgel C.F. , Lin S. M. , Wysor B. , Lopez‐Bautista J. M.
Published: November 2003

The upper northwestern Gulf basin is characterized by a relatively shallow but well‐developed continental shelf with an extensive system of mid‐ and outer shelf hard banks of varying origin and composition. Observations done by our laboratory while participating in monitoring cruises to the National Marine Sanctuaries of the East and West Banks of the Texas Flower Gardens, Stetson Banks (TX) and Sonnier Banks (LA) reveal a surprisingly different floristic composition among the sites. Several range extensions, new macro‐algal records for the Gulf of Mexico, and new species imply a much more complex Algal Zone community than the one proposed by Rezak et al. (1985). Our ongoing project includes the development of a modern taxonomic, phylogenetic, morphological and genetic database essential to informed management for preservation of biological diversity. It also provides a framework of seasonal algal composition against which long‐term trends and anomalies in algal distribution and health of the Gulf of Mexico can be assessed at future dates.
THE SECRET LIFE OF KELPS: PLANKTONIC PROCESSES AND POPULATION DYNAMICS
Authors: Graham M.H.
Published: November 2003

Understanding spatio‐temporal variability in recruitment is vital to studies of kelp population dynamics. Research on settlement and post‐settlement processes has suggested that arrival of kelp zoospores to suitable substrate is important in limiting kelp recruitment, yet the role of planktonic processes in kelp population dynamics has not been studied due to difficulties in sampling and identifying zoospores. I developed a method to estimate kelp zoospore abundance from in situ plankton samples and used it to study various processes regulating the availability of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) zoospores for settlement. My studies focused on (1) identifying temporal scales over which zoospore abundance is most variable, (2) describing physical and biological processes that regulate this variability, and (3) determining the relationship between zoospore abundance and settlement. I found that short‐term variability in zoospore abundance (<24 hrs) was not due to changes in supply but rather dispersion, caused by oscillating hydrodynamic forces (e.g. waves). Long‐term variability in zoospore abundance, however, was best explained by the size and density of reproductive adult plants, with zoospore abundance being most variable at the scale of days to months. Changes in adult reproductive condition caused rapid changes in zoospore abundance suggesting that the supply of kelp zoospores is sensitive to environmental regulation of adult physiology. Thus, unlike with marine animals, these results indicate that variability in kelp propagule supply, over scales most likely to affect subsequent settlement and recruitment, is more tightly coupled to demographic and reproductive mechanisms than to physical transport processes.
MOLECULAR STUDY OF THE TOXIC ALGAE DINOPHYSIS SPP. FROM THE FRENCH COAST
Authors: Guillou L. , Nezan E. , Gentien P. , Barbier G.
Published: November 2003

Dinoflagellates of the genus Dinophysis are agents of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP). They occur along the French coast and affect shellfish exploitation during most of the year (during spring, summer and autumn). Because this species is difficult to cultivate, very little is known about this organism. The first problem is the species‐delineation within this genus which is sometimes unclear based upon the solely on morphological features, in particular for the complex D. acuminata (D. cf. acuminata,, D. cf. norvegica, D. cf.sacculus, and D. skagii) or the complex D. sacculus (D. sacculus and D. pavillardii). The second problem is its detection in natural samples. French Dinophysis blooms have been reported to be toxic under 100 cells L−1, a concentration which corresponds to less than 1 cell 10‐mL−1, as determined by the Utermöhl method of enumeration. Molecular tools may help to resolve these two kind of problems. During one year (spring 1999 to spring 2000), more than 100 fixed samples containing Dinophysis spp. cells were collected along the French coast by the French monitoring network (or REPHY; http://www. ifremer.fr). The genetic diversity of Dinophysis spp. was studied by sequencing and analysis of ribosomal DNA genes. We found that sequences were hightly conserved between species or within the D. acuminata or D. sacculus complex. Two oligonucleotide probes, specific to these complex groups, were designed. Their specificity and sensitivity are actually tested on natural samples by a PCR‐based assay. Furthur investigation will include the development of standard molecular diagnostics due to their rapid and sensitive detection in natural samples.
PHYLOGENY OF ZYGNEMOPHYCEAE BASED ON COXIII GENE SEQUENCE DATA
Authors: Hewitt D. , Karol K. G. , McCourt R. M.
Published: November 2003

Molecular phylogenetic analysis of the conjugating green algae (Class Zygnemophyceae) using nuclear (SSU rDNA) and chloroplast (rbcL) gene sequences has resolved hypotheses of relationship at the class, order, and family levels, but several key questions will require data from additional genes. Based on SSU and rbcL sequences, the Zygnemophyceae and Desmidiales are monophyletic, and families of placoderm desmids are distinct clades (Desmidiaceae, Peniaceae, Closteriaceae, and Gonatozygaceae). In contrast, the Zygnemataceae and Mesotaeniaceae are paraphyletic, although whether these two traditional families constitute a clade is uncertain. In addition, relationships of genera within families have proven resistant to resolution with these two oft‐used genes. We have sequenced the coxIII gene from the mitochondrial genome to address some of these ambiguous portions of the phylogeny of conjugating green algae. The coxIII gene is more variable than rbcL or SSU rDNA and offers greater resolving power for relationships of genera. We present preliminary analyses of coxIII sequences from each of the traditional families of Zygnemophyceae and contrast the resulting topologies with those derived from nuclear and chloroplast genes.
Catheter‐Based Approach to Mitral Regurgitation
Authors: CONDADO JOSÉ ANTONIO , VÉLEZ‐GIMÓN MANUEL
Published: November 2003

Mitral Regurgitation (MR) is a common medical problem. MR is also a prognostic factor; patients with severe symptomatic MR have a poor prognosis with an annual mortality rate of 5% without surgical intervention. An anatomic understanding of the normal and regurgitant mitral valve is essential in order to evaluate appropriately the severity and impact of MR. We briefly discuss mitral complex anatomy, MR evaluation, and treatment options (surgical and catheter‐based alternatives) according to the type of lesion found. In particular, our group has shown temporal percutaneous annuloplasty and definitive percutaneous edge‐to‐edge mitral valve repair to be a feasible technique. Recently a study evaluating endovascular mitral valve edge‐to‐edge repair was successfully initiated by our group. Acute and chronic ischemic mitral regurgitation and special situations, such as paravalvular leaks, hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy, and mixed lesions are also discussed. Future directions may include the percutaneous transcatheter implantation of a bioprosthetic valve in mitral position.(J Interven Cardiol 2003;16:523–534)
Indication and Techniques of Transcatheter Closure of Patent Foramen Ovale
Authors: SCHRÄDER RAINER
Published: November 2003

A potential causal relationship of a patent foramen ovale (PFO) and a stroke was first suggested by Cohnheim in 1877.1 Today, this correlation is generally accepted. However, there is still no “gold standard” for the treatment of patients with presumed paradoxical embolism. This article reviews the epidemiology of and the diagnostic methods for PFO, the clinical relationship between PFO and cerebral ischemia, as well as indications and techniques for transcatheter closure of PFO. In the author's opinion, transcatheter PFO closure represents an elegant management for selected patients at risk. (J Interven Cardiol 2003;16:543–551)
Antiproliferative Coatings for the Treatment of Coronary Heart Disease:
Authors: SMITH ELLIOT J. , ROTHMAN MARTIN T.
Published: November 2003

Since the advent of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for stenosing coronary disease, restenosis has remained a clinical problem. Despite the emergence and evolution of coronary stents, the rate of restenosis following PCI is still 10–20%, and above 50% in high risk subgroups. With increased understanding of the pathophysiology of this process, a number of potential therapeutic targets have been identified, allowing the development of novel therapies against restenosis, which can now be delivered locally using stent platforms. Some of the reported clinical trial data utilizing drug‐eluting stents (DES) have produced such profound reductions in clinical and angiographic restenosis that we have been tempted to believe we are on the brink of eradicating this process completely. As the initial excitement subsides, however, there is a need to decide whether these tools will remain effective in real‐world interventional practice.

In this article we review the pathophysiology of the restenotic process, and the biological targets of the DES therapies currently available in clinical practice. We attempt to define clinical target populations for DES therapy, and assess the impact on outcomes thus far. We consider the advantages that newly emergent stent coatings might offer, and whether targeting specific patient subgroups with unique antiproliferative agents may provide the best chance of limiting restenosis in high risk subgroups. Finally, we consider future strategies to prevent restenosis, with a movement away from the antiproliferative approach, and toward accelerating endothelialization. (J Interven Cardiol 2003;16:475–483)
MS‐CT Coronary Imaging
Authors: FEYTER PIM DE , MOLLET NICO R.A. , CADERMARTIRI FILIPPO , NIEMAN KOEN , PATTYNAMA PETER
Published: November 2003

Magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography (CT) have recently emerged as two techniques that can noninvasively visualize the coronary arteries. The latest generation 16‐row detector multislice CT scanner is now considered the most reliable technique to visualize the coronaries. The sensitivity and specificity to detect a significant (>50% diameter stenosis) coronary stenosis is ± 94% and ± 90%, respectively. Further technical improvements are necessary to make CT a clinically reliable diagnostic tool. (J Interven Cardiol 2003;16:465–468)
Lipase inhibition attenuates the acute inhibitory effects of oral fat on food intake in healthy subjects
Authors: O'Donovan Deirdre , Feinle-Bisset Christine , Wishart Judith , Horowitz Michael
Published: November 2003

The lipase inhibitor, orlistat, is used in the treatment of obesity and reduces fat absorption by about 30%. However, the mean weight loss induced by orlistat is less than expected for the degree of fat malabsorption. It was hypothesised that lipase inhibition with orlistat attenuates the suppressive effects of oral fat on subsequent energy intake in normal-weight subjects. Fourteen healthy, lean subjects (nine males, five females; aged 25±1·3 years) were studied twice, in a double-blind fashion. The subjects received a high-fat yoghurt ‘preload’ (males 400g (2562kJ); females 300g (1923kJ)), containing orlistat (120mg) on one study day (and no orlistat on the other ‘control’ day), 30min before ad libitum access to food and drinks; energy intake was assessed during the following 8h. Blood samples were taken at regular intervals for the measurement of plasma cholecystokinin (CCK). Each subject performed a 3d faecal fat collection following each study. Energy intake during the day was greater following orlistat (10220 (sem 928) kJ) v. control (9405 (sem 824) kJ) (P=0·02). On both days plasma CCK increased (P<0·05) after the preload. Plasma CCK 20min following ingestion of the preload was less after orlistat (4·1 (sem 0·9) pmol/l) v. control (5·3) (sem 0·9) pmol/l (P=0·028); however there was no difference in the area under the curve 0–510min between the two study days. Fat excretion was greater following orlistat (1017 (sem 168) kJ) v. control (484 (sem 90) kJ) (P=0·004). In conclusion, in healthy, lean subjects the acute inhibitory effect of fat on subsequent energy intake is attenuated by orlistat and the increase in energy intake approximates the energy lost due to fat malabsorption.
Postprandial carbohydrate metabolism in healthy subjects and those with type 2 diabetes fed starches with slow and rapid hydrolysis rates determined in vitro
Authors: Seal Chris J. , Daly Mark E. , Thomas Lois C. , Bal Wendy , Birkett Anne M. , Jeffcoat Roger , Mathers John C.
Published: November 2003

The objective of the present study was to investigate the effects of starches with differing rates of hydrolysis on exposure to pancreatin in vitro on postprandial carbohydrate metabolism in healthy subjects and in subjects with type 2 diabetes. Two test starches, prepared from uncooked native granular starch products, and naturally enriched with 13C, were consumed in a randomized crossover design by eight healthy and thirteen type 2 diabetic subjects. One starch was characterized in vitro as being rapidly hydrolysed (R, 94% after 180min), and the other was more slowly hydrolysed (S, 51% after 180min). Each subject consumed 50g of each test starch. In addition, the type 2 diabetic subjects consumed 89·7g of the S starch on a separate occasion. Blood samples were taken at 10min intervals for 3h, and at 20min intervals for a further 3h during a 6h postprandial period. Breath 13CO2 enrichment was measured at the same time points, and indirect calorimetry was performed for seven 20min sessions immediately before and during the 6h postprandial period. With the R starch, plasma glucose concentrations and serum insulin concentrations rose faster and the maximum glucose change was approximately 1·8 times that for the S starch, averaged across both subject groups. The areas under the curves for glucose and insulin were, respectively, 1·7 and 1·8 times higher for the R starch compared with the S starch, averaged across both subject groups. The rate of 13CO2 output and the proportion of 13C recovered in breath after consumption of the R starch was similar for both subject groups. The results provide evidence that starches which have different rates of hydrolysis in vitro result in different patterns of glycaemia and insulinaemia in both healthy adults and in diet-controlled type 2 diabetic subjects. Data from the hydrolysis of novel starch products in vitro, therefore, are useful in predicting glycaemic responses in vivo.
Effect of insulin-like growth factor-I on nitrogen balance and intestinal galactose transport in rats with moderate liver cirrhosis
Authors: Núñez Marina , Urdaneta Elena , Santidrián Santiago
Published: November 2003

The malnutrition caused by liver cirrhosis (LC) often worsens the course of the disease. Patients affected by LC often have a low bioavailability of the anabolic liver peptide insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I. The present study was undertaken to investigate the effect of low doses of IGF-I on the nutritional status andin vivojejunal transport of d-galactose in anatomically, pathologically and biochemically confirmed moderate, non-ascitic, cirrhotic rats. LC was experimentally induced in growing rats by inhalation of CCl4and addition of phenobarbital to drinking water. Both the nutritional status, as evaluated by N balance, andin vivointestinal transport of d-galactose, were significantly impaired in cirrhotic rats. As compared with healthy rats, administration of 20μg human recombinant IGF-I/kg body weight for 14d to cirrhotic rats significantly improved N balance variables and restoredin vivointestinal transport of the sugar. However, IGF-I had no effect on the steatorrhoea associated with LC. These results suggest that low doses of IGF-I may have beneficial effects on the malnutrition associated with moderate LC.
Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA)-enriched milk fat inhibits growth and modulates CLA-responsive biomarkers in MCF-7 and SW480 human cancer cell lines
Authors: Miller Áine , Stanton Catherine , Murphy John , Devery Rosaleen
Published: November 2003

Milk enriched in conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) was obtained from cows on pasture supplemented with full-fat rapeseeds (FFR; 2·26gcis9,trans11 (c9,t11)-CLA/100g fatty acid methyl esters) and full-fat soyabeans (1·83gc9,t11-CLA/100g fatty acid methyl esters). A control milk fat (1·69gc9,t11-CLA/100g fatty acid methyl esters) was obtained from cows fed on pasture only. The present study assessed the potency of the CLA-enriched milk fats to modulate biomarkers that had previously been observed to respond toc9,t11-CLA in the MCF-7 and SW480 cell lines. Cell numbers decreased (P<0·05) by up to 61 and 58% following the incubation of MCF-7 and SW480 cells, respectively, for 4d with milk fats (yielding CLA concentrations between 60·2 and 80·6μM). The FFR milk fat, containing the highest CLA content, increased (P<0·05) [14C]arachidonic acid (AA) uptake into the monoacylglycerol fraction of MCF-7 and SW480 cells while it decreased (P<0·05) uptake into the phospholipid fraction of the latter. This milk fat also decreased (P<0·05) [14C]AA conversion to prostaglandin (PG) E2while increasing conversion to PGF2α in both cell lines. All milk-fat samples increased (P<0·05) lipid peroxidation as measured by 8-epi-PGF2α in both cell lines. In SW480 cells the milk-fat samples decreased (P<0·05) bcl-2 and cytosolic glutathione levels while increasing (P<0·05) membrane-associated annexin V levels. All milk-fat samples decreased (P<0·05) the expression of ras in SW480 cells. These data suggest that milk-fat CLA was effective at modulating synthetic CLA-responsive biomarkers.
Mitochondrial energy metabolism in a model of undernutrition induced by dexamethasone
Authors: Dumas Jean-François , Simard Gilles , Roussel Damien , Douay Olivier , Foussard Françoise , Malthiery Yves , Ritz Patrick
Published: November 2003

The present investigation was undertaken to evaluate whether mitochondrial energy metabolism is altered in a model of malnutrition induced by dexamethasone (DEX) treatment (1·5mg/kg per d for 5d). The gastrocnemius and liver mitochondria were isolated from DEX-treated, pair-fed (PF) and control (CON) rats. Body weight was reduced significantly more in the DEX-treated group (−16%) than in the PF group (−9%). DEX treatment increased liver mass (+59%v.PF, +23%v. CON) and decreased gastrocnemius mass. Moreover, in DEX-treated rats, liver mitochondria had an increased rate of non-phosphorylative O2consumption with all substrates (approximately +42%). There was no difference in enzymatic complex activities in liver mitochondria between rat groups. Collectively, these results suggest an increased proton leak and/or redox slipping in the liver mitochondria of DEX-treated rats. In addition, DEX decreased the thermodynamic coupling and efficiency of oxidative phosphorylation. We therefore suggest that this increase in the proton leak and/or redox slip in the liver is responsible for the decrease in the thermodynamic efficiency of energy conversion. In contrast, none of the variables of energy metabolism determined in gastrocnemius mitochondria was altered by DEX treatment. Therefore, it appears that DEX specifically affects mitochondrial energy metabolism in the liver.
Dietary conjugated linoleic acid differentially alters fatty acid composition and increases conjugated linoleic acid content in porcine adipose tissue
Authors: Ostrowska Ewa , Cross Reg F. , Muralitharan Morley , Bauman Dale E. , Dunshea Frank R.
Published: November 2003

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLA) have been shown to decrease body fat content in pigs. It is possible that feeding pigs diets rich in CLA may increase carcass lipid CLA to levels that could provide health benefits when included as a part of a healthy diet. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to determine whether dietary CLA supplementation has any effect on the fatty acid composition of subcutaneous and intramuscular adipose tissue in pigs. Thirty-five female cross bred (Large White×Landrace) pigs (initial weight 57·2kg and initial P2 back fat 11·5mm) were used in the present study. Pigs were housed individually and randomly allocated to one of six dietary treatments (0·00, 1·25, 2·50, 5·00, 7·50 and 10·00g CLA55 (55g CLA isomers/100g total fatty acids; Natural Lipids Ltd, Hovdebygda, Norway)/kg) and fed their respective diets for 8 weeks. Twelve CLA isomers in the diet and in pig tissue lipids were separated by Ag+-HPLC. CLA was incorporated at fivefold higher levels in subcutaneous fat as compared with intramuscular fat and in a dose-dependant manner. Overall, the transfer efficiency of CLA was maximized at 5·00g CLA55/kg. However, there was clear selectivity in the uptake or incorporation ofcis,trans-9,11 isomer over thetrans,cis-10,12 isomer. In general, CLA supplementation produced significant changes in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue fatty acid composition, indicating that dietary CLA had a potent affect on lipid transport and metabolismin vivo. Significant increases in myristic, palmitic and palmitoleic acids and a reduction in arachidonic acid were observed, suggesting an alteration in activity of Δ5-, Δ6- and Δ9-desaturases in pig adipose tissue. In conclusion, feeding pigs diets supplemented with CLA increases carcass lipid CLA, but also results in changes in the fatty acid profile in pig fat that could potentially outweigh the benefits of CLA.
Evaluation of two foot-to-foot bioelectrical impedance analysers to assess body composition in overweight and obese adolescents
Authors: Lazzer Stefano , Boirie Yves , Meyer Martine , Vermorel Michel
Published: November 2003

The objective of the present study was to determine the accuracy of two foot-to-foot (FF) bioelectrical impedance analysers (BIA) to assess body composition in overweight and obese adolescents, compared with dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and hand-to-foot (HF) BIA. Body composition was assessed in fifty-three overweight or obese adolescents (BMI 27·9 (sd 4·1) kg/m2; aged 13–16 years) by DXA (Hologic QDR-4500; Hologic Inc., Bedford, MA, USA) and BIA (HF (BIA 101, RJL System, Detroit, IL, USA) and FF (Body Fat Monitor Scale BF-625, Tanita Corporation of America Inc., Arlington Heights, IL, USA; Téfal Bodymaster Vision, Téfal, Rumilly, France)). Bland–Altman tests showed that, compared with DXA, FF-Tanita and FF-Téfal underestimated (P<0·05) fat mass (FM) less than HF-BIA (−1·7 (sd 3·1), −0·7 (sd 5·8) and −2·3 (sd 2·2) kg respectively, P<0·001). However, the limits of agreement between DXA and FF-Tanita or FF-Téfal were much greater than those obtained with HF-BIA (−7·7 and +4·3, −12·0 and +10·6 v. −2·1 and +6·7kg respectively). The differences between FM assessed using the FF-Tanita or the FF-Téfal analyser and DXA increased with the waist:hip ratio, and were higher in boys than in girls. The major limiting factor of FF-BIA was the inter-individual variability in FM estimates. In conclusion, FF-BIA and DXA are not interchangeable methods. FF-BIA could be acceptable to assess body composition in large groups of overweight or obese adolescents, but cannot be recommended for body composition assessment in obese subjects because of the large errors in individual estimates.
A novel CdII coordination polymer with 1,1′-(1,4-butanediyl)diimidazole
Authors: Ma Jian-Fang , Yang Jin , Liu Jing-Fu
Published: November 2003

The novel title CdII coordination polymer, poly[[dichlorocadmium(II)]-di-μ-1,1′-(1,4-butanediyl)diimidazole], [CdCl2(C10H14N4)2]
n
, (I), was obtained by reaction of CdCl2·2.5H2O and 1,1′-(1,4-butanediyl)diimidazole (hereafter L). In (I), each L molecule coordinates to two CdII cations through its two aromatic N atoms, thus acting as a bridging bidentate ligand. The CdII cations, which lie on the inversion centre, are bridged by four L molecules to form a two-dimensional (4,4)-network. The two-dimensional square-grid sheets are superimposed in an offset fashion.
Children's counterfactual inferences about long and short causal chains
Authors: German Tim P. , Nichols Shaun
Published: November 2003

Recent findings on counterfactual reasoning in children have led to the claim that children's developing capacities in the domain of ‘theory of mind’ might reflect the emergence of the ability to engage in counterfactual thinking over the preschool period (e.g. Riggs, Peterson, Robinson & Mitchell, 1998). In the study reported here, groups of 3‐ and 4‐year old children were presented with stories describing causal chains of several events, and asked counterfactual thinking tasks involving changes to different points in the chain. The ability to draw successful counterfactual inferences depended strongly on the inferential length of the problem, and the age of the children; while 3‐year‐olds performed above chance on short inference counterfactuals, they performed below chance on problems involving longer inference chains. Four‐year‐old children were above chance on all problems. Moreover, it was found that while success on longer chain inference problems was significantly correlated with the ability to pass tests of standard false belief, there was no such relationship for short inference problems, which were significantly easier than false belief problems. These results are discussed in terms of the developmental relationships between causal knowledge, counterfactual thinking and calculating the contents of mental states.
Recognition, discrimination and categorization of smiling by 5‐month‐old infants
Authors: Bornstein Marc H. , Arterberry Martha E.
Published: November 2003

Perceiving emotions correctly is foundational to the development of interpersonal skills. Five‐month‐old infants’ abilities to recognize, discriminate and categorize facial expressions of smiling were tested in three coordinated experiments. Infants were habituated to four degrees of smiling modeled by the same or different people; following habituation, infants were presented with a new degree of smile worn by the same and by a new person (Experiment 1), a new degree of smile and a fearful expression worn by the same person (Experiment 2) or a new degree of smile and a fearful expression worn by new people (Experiment 3). Infants showed significant novelty preferences for the new person smiling and for the fearful expressions over the new degree of smiling. These findings indicate that infants at 5 months can categorize the facial expression of smiling in static faces, and yet recognize the same person despite changes in facial expression; this is the youngest age at which these abilities have been demonstrated. The findings are discussed in light of the significance of emotion expression face processing in social interaction and infants’ categorization of faces.
Citizenship and Civic Engagement: Attitudes and Behaviour in Britain
Authors: Pattie Charles , Seyd Patrick , Whiteley Paul
Published: November 2003

Analysis of patterns of participation revealed three dimensions of civic activism in modern Britain: individualistic activism; contact activism; and collective activism. Three alternative theories of participation were examined to account for these dimensions: general incentives; social capital; and civic voluntarism. None proved sufficient in itself to account for civic activism in modern Britain: each provided only part of the explanation.
Marketisation in Higher Education, Clark's Triangle and the Essential Ingredients of Markets
Authors: Jongbloed Ben
Published: November 2003

While government intervention in the higher education market may be justified, it may come at the cost of lower consumer sovereignty and restricted producer autonomy. Through marketisation policy, students and higher education providers have more room to make their own trade‐offs and interact more closely on the basis of reliable information. This article discusses eight conditions for a market and the extent to which these are met in Dutch higher education. It is argued that there is still a key role for the government to co‐design framework conditions and facilitate interaction in a more demand‐driven and liberalised higher education sector.
Allowing the Market to Rule: The Case of the United States
Authors: Dill David D.
Published: November 2003

There are increasing calls in the UK and other countries for deregulating universities so that they can better compete in the global market for higher education. Frequent allusions are made to the superiority of the US market‐oriented system. But is market competition for first degrees in the US efficient for the larger society? Do the constantly increasing social expenditures for higher education in the US benefit the public interest or do they advantage certain students and faculty members? Two recent economic studies provide greater insight into the impacts of market competition on US higher education. The results of these studies are discussed and their possible implications for higher education policy making in other countries are explored.
The Role of Status in Producing Depressed Entitlement in Women's and Men's Pay Allocations
Authors: Hogue Mary , Yoder Janice D.
Published: November 2003

Extensive empirical evidence confirms a depressed entitlement effect wherein women pay themselves less than men for comparable work and believe the allocation fair. The present study tests the hypothesis that status subordination linked to being female underlies at least some of this effect. A 2 × 3 design crossed 180 undergraduates' gender with a control condition, which successfully established the depressed entitlement effect, and two experimental conditions. In one, women's status was enhanced through legitimation of women's task abilities; in the other, both women's and men's status was enhanced by adding educational credentials relevant to task ability. Follow-up analyses of the significant interaction revealed that the gap in self-pay demonstrated in the control condition disappeared when women's status was enhanced such that higher-status women's self-pay equaled that of men and exceeded that of control women. Although these findings confirm that status plays a role in producing depressed entitlement in self-pay, ancillary analyses of participants' perceptions point to the persistence of shifting standards and men's resistance to status threats.
Social Concepts and Judgments: A Semantic Differential Analysis of the Concepts Feminist, Man, and Woman
Authors: Pierce W. David , Sydie R. A. , Stratkotter Rainer
Published: November 2003

Male and female participants ( N = 274) made judgments about the social concepts of feminist, man, and woman on 63 semantic differential items. Factor analysis identified three basic dimensions termed evaluative, potency, and activity as well as two secondary factors called expressiveness and sexuality. Results for the evaluative dimension showed that the concept feminist was rated negatively with male participants rating feminist more negatively than female participants. In terms of potency, feminist was judged higher than man whereas the concept woman was rated low on this dimension. Participants also judged the concept feminist as low in expressiveness and rated woman as the most expressive. Feminist received low ratings on the erotic-sexual dimension (sexuality) by female participants and negative sexuality ratings by men. These results are discussed in terms of social role theory, gender stereotypes, and the changes in women's roles and behavior.
Use of Bacterial γ-Glutamyltranspeptidase for Enzymatic Synthesis of γ-d-Glutamyl Compounds
Authors: Suzuki Hideyuki , Izuka Shunsuke , Minami Hiromichi , Miyakawa Nobukazu , Ishihara Sayaka , Kumagai Hidehiko
Published: November 2003

An enzymatic method for synthesizing various γ-d-glutamyl compounds efficiently and stereospecifically involving bacterial γ-glutamyltranspeptidase (EC 2.3.2.2) withd-glutamine as a γ-glutamyl donor was developed. Withd-glutamine as a γ-glutamyl donor instead ofl-glutamine in γ-glutamyltaurine synthesis, by-products such as γ-glutamylglutamine and γ-glutamyl-γ-glutamyltaurine were not synthesized and the yield of γ-glutamyltaurine dramatically increased from 25 to 71%. It was also shown that the purification could be simplified without these γ-glutamyl by-products. The possibility of synthesizing various γ-d-glutamyl compounds was also shown.
Anaerobic Ammonium Oxidation Measured in Sediments along the Thames Estuary, United Kingdom
Authors: Trimmer Mark , Nicholls Joanna C. , Deflandre Bruno
Published: November 2003

Until recently, denitrification was thought to be the only significant pathway for N
2
formation and, in turn, the removal of nitrogen in aquatic sediments. The discovery of anaerobic ammonium oxidation in the laboratory suggested that alternative metabolisms might be present in the environment. By using a combination of
15
N-labeled NH
4
+
, NO
3
−
, and NO
2
−
(and
14
N analogues), production of
29
N
2
and
30
N
2
was measured in anaerobic sediment slurries from six sites along the Thames estuary. The production of
29
N
2
in the presence of
15
NH
4
+
and either
14
NO
3
−
or
14
NO
2
−
confirmed the presence of anaerobic ammonium oxidation, with the stoichiometry of the reaction indicating that the oxidation was coupled to the reduction of NO
2
−
. Anaerobic ammonium oxidation proceeded at equal rates via either the direct reduction of NO
2
−
or indirect reduction, following the initial reduction of NO
3
−
. Whether NO
2
−
was directly present at 800 μM or it accumulated at 3 to 20 μM (from the reduction of NO
3
−
), the rate of
29
N
2
formation was not affected, which suggested that anaerobic ammonium oxidation was saturated at low concentrations of NO
2
−
. We observed a shift in the significance of anaerobic ammonium oxidation to N
2
formation relative to denitrification, from 8% near the head of the estuary to less than 1% at the coast. The relative importance of anaerobic ammonium oxidation was positively correlated (
P
< 0.05) with sediment organic content. This report of anaerobic ammonium oxidation in organically enriched estuarine sediments, though in contrast to a recent report on continental shelf sediments, confirms the presence of this novel metabolism in another aquatic sediment system.
Reactive Oxygen Species and Induction of Lignin Peroxidase in
Phanerochaete chrysosporium
Authors: Belinky Paula A. , Flikshtein Nufar , Lechenko Sergey , Gepstein Shimon , Dosoretz Carlos G.
Published: November 2003

We studied oxidative stress in lignin peroxidase (LIP)-producing cultures (cultures flushed with pure O
2
) of
Phanerochaete chrysosporium
by comparing levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS), cumulative oxidative damage, and antioxidant enzymes with those found in non-LIP-producing cultures (cultures grown with free exchange of atmospheric air [control cultures]). A significant increase in the intracellular peroxide concentration and the degree of oxidative damage to macromolecules, e.g., DNA, lipids, and proteins, was observed when the fungus was exposed to pure O
2
gas. The specific activities of manganese superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione reductase, and glutathione peroxidase and the consumption of glutathione were all higher in cultures exposed to pure O
2
(oxygenated cultures) than in cultures grown with atmospheric air. Significantly higher gene expression of the LIP-H2 isozyme occurred in the oxygenated cultures. A hydroxyl radical scavenger, dimethyl sulfoxide (50 mM), added to the culture every 12 h, completely abolished LIP expression at the mRNA and protein levels. This effect was confirmed by in situ generation of hydroxyl radicals via the Fenton reaction, which significantly enhanced LIP expression. The level of intracellular cyclic AMP (cAMP) was correlated with the starvation conditions regardless of the oxygenation regimen applied, and similar cAMP levels were obtained at high O
2
concentrations and in cultures grown with atmospheric air. These results suggest that even though cAMP is a prerequisite for LIP expression, high levels of ROS, preferentially hydroxyl radicals, are required to trigger LIP synthesis. Thus, the induction of LIP expression by O
2
is at least partially mediated by the intracellular ROS.
Gamma-Proteobacteria
Aquicella lusitana
gen. nov., sp. nov., and
Aquicella siphonis
sp. nov. Infect Protozoa and Require Activated Charcoal for Growth in Laboratory Media
Authors: Santos Paula , Pinhal Isabel , Rainey Fred A. , Empadinhas Nuno , Costa Joana , Fields Barry , Benson Robert , Veríssimo António , da Costa Milton S.
Published: November 2003

Several isolates, belonging to two new species of the same novel genus of gamma-proteobacteria, were recovered from drilled well (borehole) and spa water at São Gemil in central Portugal. These organisms are phylogenetically most closely related to the strictly intracellular uncultured species of the genus
Rickettsiella
, which cause disease in arthropods, and to the facultatively intracellular species of the genus
Legionella
, some of which cause Legionnaires' disease and Pontiac fever. The São Gemil strains grew only on media containing charcoal, as is also true of the species of the genus
Legionella
. Unlike the vast majority of
Legionella
isolates, the new isolates did not require
l
-cysteine or ferric pyrophosphate for growth but like the legionellae had an absolute requirement for α-ketoglutarate. Strains SGT-39
T
and SGT-56 grew consistently between 30 and 43°C, while strains SGT-108
T
and SGT-109 grew between 30 and 40°C. The pH ranges for growth of these organisms were surprisingly narrow: strains SGT-39
T
and SGT-56 grew between pH 6.3 and 7.3, while strains SGT-108
T
and SGT-109 grew between pH 6.3 and 7.0. Both organisms proliferated in the amoeba
Hartmannella vermiformis
but did not grow in U937 human cells. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis and physiological, biochemical, and chemical analysis we describe two new species of one novel genus; one species is represented by strain SGT-39
T
, for which we propose the name
Aquicella lusitana
, while strain SGT-108
T
represents a second species of the same genus, for which we propose the name
Aquicella siphonis
.
Diversity and Abundance of Uncultured
Cytophaga
-Like Bacteria in the Delaware Estuary
Authors: Kirchman David L. , Yu Liying , Cottrell Matthew T.
Published: November 2003

The
Cytophaga-Flavobacterium
group is known to be abundant in aquatic ecosystems and to have a potentially unique role in the utilization of organic material. However, relatively little is known about the diversity and abundance of uncultured members of this bacterial group, in part because they are underrepresented in clone libraries of 16S rRNA genes. To circumvent a suspected bias in PCR, a primer set was designed to amplify 16S rRNA genes from the
Cytophaga-Flavobacterium
group and was used to construct a library of these genes from the Delaware Estuary. This library had several novel
Cytophaga
-like 16S rRNA genes, of which about 40% could be grouped together into two clusters (DE clusters 1 and 2) defined by sequences initially observed only in the Delaware library; the other 16S rRNA genes were classified into an additional four clades containing sequences from other environments. An oligonucleotide probe was designed for the cluster with the most clones (DE cluster 2) and was used in fluorescence in situ hybridization assays. Bacteria in DE cluster 2 accounted for about 10% of the total prokaryotic abundance in the Delaware Estuary and in a depth profile of the Chukchi Sea (Arctic Ocean). The presence of DE cluster 2 in the Arctic Ocean was confirmed by results from 16S rRNA clone libraries. The contribution of this cluster to the total bacterial biomass is probably larger than is indicated by the abundance of its members, because the average cell volume of bacteria in DE cluster 2 was larger than those of other bacteria and prokaryotes in the Delaware Estuary and Chukchi Sea. DE cluster 2 may be one of the more abundant bacterial groups in the Delaware Estuary and possibly other marine environments.
Power Analysis for Real-Time PCR Quantification of Genes in Activated Sludge and Analysis of the Variability Introduced by DNA Extraction
Authors: Dionisi Hebe M. , Harms Gerda , Layton Alice C. , Gregory Igrid R. , Parker Jack , Hawkins Shawn A. , Robinson Kevin G. , Sayler Gary S.
Published: November 2003

The aims of this study were to determine the power of discrimination of the real-time PCR assay for monitoring fluctuations in microbial populations within activated sludge and to identify sample processing points where methodological changes are needed to minimize the variability in target quantification. DNA was extracted using a commercially available kit from mixed liquor samples taken from the aeration tank of four bench-scale activated-sludge reactors operating at 2-, 5-, 10-, and 20-day solid retention times, with mixed-liquor volatile suspended solid (MLVSS) values ranging from 260 to 2,610 mg/liter. Real-time PCR assays for bacterial and
Nitrospira
16S rRNA genes were chosen because they represent, respectively, a highly abundant and a less-abundant bacterial target subject to clustering within the activated sludge matrix. The mean coefficient of variation in DNA yields (measured as microgram of DNA per milligram of MLVSS) in triplicate extractions of 12 different samples was 12.2%. Based on power analyses, the variability associated with DNA extraction had a small impact on the overall variability of the real-time PCR assay. Instead, a larger variability was associated with the PCR assay. The less-abundant target (
Nitrospira
16S rRNA gene) had more variability than the highly abundant target (bacterial 16S rRNA gene), and samples from the lower-biomass reactors had more variability than samples from the higher-biomass reactors. Power analysis of real-time PCR assays indicated that three to five samples were necessary to detect a twofold increase in bacterial 16S rRNA genes, whereas three to five samples were required to detect a fivefold increase in
Nitrospira
16S rRNA genes.