bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Specific capture of phosphopeptides on matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry targets modified by magnetic affinity nanoparticles
Authors: Tan Feng , Zhang Yangjun , Wang Jinglan , Wei Junying , Qin Peibing , Cai Yun , Qian Xiaohong
Published: June 2007

Specific capture of phosphopeptides from protein digests is a critical step for identification of phosphoproteins by mass spectrometry. In this study, we report a novel phosphopeptide‐capture approach based on the specific interaction of phosphopeptides with a stainless steel target modified with magnetic affinity nanoparticles. The modification which was carried out by loading the suspension of nanoparticles into sample wells of the target did not require any pretreatment procedure to the target and did not involve chemical binding reactions. To isolate phosphopeptides, digests were loaded into the wells of the modified target for 10 min incubation, followed by rinsing with washing buffer to remove unbound species; matrix was then added to the captured phosphopeptides prior to analysis by matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOFMS). Capturing the phosphopeptides on the modified target simplified significantly analytical operations and reduced sample loss. This approach has been applied to solution digests of α‐casein, β‐casein, and a mixture of five proteins; a number of phosphopeptides were confidently detected. Phosphopeptides from digests of 10 fmol β‐casein could be isolated and detected by MALDI‐TOFMS with this method. In addition, this approach has been applied successfully to the isolation of phosphopeptides from in‐gel digestive products of sub‐pmol phosphoproteins after separation by sodium dodecyl sulfate/polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS‐PAGE). Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The impact of social capital on regional waste recycling
Authors: Tsai Tsung‐hsiu
Published: June 2007

Waste recycling is a prominent indicator of environmental sustainability in the pursuit of sustainable development. Exploring the determinants of waste recycling is therefore of importance to policy makers. Current research in recycling has explored several important factors to assess household participation in recycling. The local community policy towards recycling is regarded as an important factor, as it can assist households in collecting recyclables as well as implementing innovative recycling programmes. In this paper we look again at the role of community in recycling by asking to what extent a region's degree of social coherence, measured as social capital, would influence its recycling rate. Using Taiwan as a case study we applied the fixed effect model in panel data analysis to estimate the impact of social capital on the regional recycling rate. The estimation shows that the elasticity of social capital to regional recycling rate is about 0.38–0.43 at the 5% significance level. This provides evidence that a region's social relations are highly correlated with its recycling performance; a region's degree of social capital appears to increase its recycling rate. This finding implies that a successful recycling programme requires interactions between society and the environment. Enhancing a region's degree of social capital can also be incorporated as a part of that region's recycling programme. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Joint detection of important biomarkers and optimal dose–response model using penalties
Authors: Vandenhende F. , Eilers P. , Ledent E. , Renard D. , Tibaldi F.
Published: June 2007

We propose a method to jointly detect influential biomarkers and estimate how they change with dose. The assessment is made in dose‐ranging trials collecting multiple outcomes for efficacy, safety, pharmacokinetics or pharmacodynamics. We regress all these outcomesversusa non‐parametric transformation of the dose. The regression coefficients and the parameters from the dose–response model are simultaneously estimated using a penalized alternating least‐squares method. We illustrate the technique with a phase I clinical trial and a metabonomic experiment in rats. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Community Psychology View of Environmental Organization Processes
Authors: Dean Julie H. , Bush Robert A.
Published: June 2007

Environmental organizations have a key role in addressing environmental degradation and promoting ecologically and socially sustainable societies. Psychosocial processes underpin their work, however, empirical studies of these processes remain underdeveloped. This paper presents the first stage of a community psychology study involving in‐depth interviews with leaders in environmental organizations. Qualitative analysis revealed a framework of five types of psychosocial processes that assist environmental organizations to achieve a range of outcomes, namely: problem analysis; influencing decision‐making; inter‐organizational relationships; community participation and knowledge transfer. These psychosocial processes were used in substantially different ways depending on the organizations' orientation. Three key orientations towards outcomes were evident: on‐ground conservation, developing innovation in specialist areas and transforming wider social institutions. The findings provide a model of the psychosocial processes involved in fostering sustainable futures and exemplify the contribution of community psychology to this critical global issue.
Closing the Achievement Gap: The Association of Racial Climate with Achievement and Behavioral Outcomes
Authors: Mattison Erica , Aber Mark S.
Published: June 2007

This study investigated the relationship between school racial climate and students' self‐reports of academic and discipline outcomes, including whether racial climate mediated and/or moderated the relationship between race and outcomes. Using the Racial Climate Survey‐High School Version (M. Aber et al., unpublished), data were gathered from African American (n = 382) and European American students (n = 1456) regarding their perceptions of racial climate. About 18% of the respondents were low‐income and approximately 50% were male. Positive perceptions of the racial climate were associated with higher student achievement and fewer discipline problems. Further, race moderated the relationship between racial climate and both achievement and discipline outcomes. Finally, racial differences in students' grades and discipline outcomes were associated with differences in perceptions of racial climate. Results suggest careful attention should be given to the racial climate of secondary schools, particularly for adolescents who perceive schools as unfair.
Should beta‐blocker therapy be reduced or withdrawn after an episode of decompensated heart failure? Results from COMET
Authors: Metra Marco , Torp‐Pedersen Christian , Cleland John G.F. , Di Lenarda Andrea , Komajda Michel , Remme Willem J. , Cas Livio Dei , Spark Philip , Swedberg Karl , Poole‐Wilson Philip A. ,   for the COMET investigators
Published: June 2007

Background:

It is unclear whether beta‐blocker therapy should be reduced or withdrawn in patients who develop acute decompensated heart failure (HF). We studied the relationship between changes in beta‐blocker dose and outcome in patients surviving a HF hospitalisation in COMET.

Methods:

Patients hospitalised for HF were subdivided on the basis of the beta‐blocker dose administered at the visit following hospitalisation, compared to that administered before.

Results:

In COMET, 752/3029 patients (25%, 361 carvedilol and 391 metoprolol) had a non‐fatal HF hospitalisation while on study treatment. Of these, 61 patients (8%) had beta‐blocker treatment withdrawn, 162 (22%) had a dose reduction and 529 (70%) were maintained on the same dose. One‐and two‐year cumulative mortality rates were 28.7% and 44.6% for patients withdrawn from study medication, 37.4% and 51.4% for those with a reduced dosage (n.s.) and 19.1% and 32.5% for those maintained on the same dose (HR,1.59; 95%CI, 1.28–1.98; p<0.001, compared to the others). The result remained significant in a multivariable model: (HR, 1.30; 95%CI, 1.02–1.66; p=0.0318). No interaction with the beneficial effects of carvedilol, compared to metoprolol, on outcome was observed (p=0.8436).

Conclusions:

HF hospitalisations are associated with a high subsequent mortality. The risk of death is higher in patients who discontinue beta‐blocker therapy or have their dose reduced. The increase in mortality is only partially explained by the worse prognostic profile of these patients.
Pro‐MMP‐2 activation by the PPARγ agonist, ciglitazone, induces cell invasion through the generation of ROS and the activation of ERK
Authors: Kim Kyu-Han , Cho Yee Sook , Park Jong-Min , Yoon Sang-Oh , Kim Kyu-Won , Chung An-Sik
Published: June 2007

Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ) is a nuclear receptor modulating a variety of biological functions including cancer cell proliferation and differentiation. However, the role of PPARγ and its ligands in tumor invasion is unclear. To evaluate a possible role for PPARγ ligands in tumor invasion, we examined whether PPARγ agonists including pioglitazone, troglitazone, rosiglitazone, and ciglitazone could affect the activity of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) in the HT1080 cell line, a well‐studied and well‐characterized cell line for MMP research. The gelatin zymography assay showed that ciglitazone activated pro‐MMP‐2 significantly. In addition, ciglitazone increased the expression of MMP‐2, which was accompanied by an increase of membrane type 1‐MMP (MT1‐MMP) expression. The PPARγ antagonist, GW9662 attenuated the ciglitazone‐induced PPARγ activation but it did not affect the pro‐MMP2 activation by ciglitazone, suggesting that the action of ciglitazone on the pro‐MMP‐2 activation bypassed the PPARγ pathway. Antioxidants and various inhibitors of signal transduction were used to investigate the mechanism of ciglitazone‐induced pro‐MMP‐2 activation. We found that the sustained production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) was required for pro‐MMP‐2 activation by ciglitazone. We also found that PB98059, an inhibitor of MEK‐ERK, significantly blocked ciglitazone‐induced pro‐MMP‐2 activation and that extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK) was hyperphosphorylated by ciglitazone. Moreover, cell invasion was significantly increased by ciglitazone in the HT1080 cell lines, whereas cell motility was not affected. This study suggests that ciglitazone‐induced pro‐MMP‐2 activation increases PPARγ‐independent tumor cell invasion through ROS production and ERK activation in some types of cancer cells.
Autoinhibition of the insulin‐like growth factor I receptor by the juxtamembrane region
Authors: Craddock Barbara P. , Cotter Christopher , Miller W. Todd
Published: June 2007

The juxtamembrane (JM) regions of several receptor tyrosine kinases are involved in autoinhibitory interactions that maintain the low basal activity of the receptors; mutations can give rise to constitutive kinase activity and signaling. In this report, we show that the JM region of the human insulin‐like growth factor I receptor (IGF1R) plays a role in kinase regulation. We mutated JM residues that were conserved in this subfamily of receptor tyrosine kinases, and expressed and purified the cytoplasmic domains using the Sf9/baculovirus system. We show that a kinase‐proximal mutation (Y957F) and (to a lesser extent) a mutation in the central part of the JM region (N947A) increase the autophosphorylation activity of the kinase. Steady‐state kinetic measurements show the mutations cause an increase in V
max for phosphorylation of peptide substrates. When the holoreceptors were expressed in fibroblasts derived from IGF1R‐deficient mice, the Y957F mutation led to a large increase in basal and in IGF1‐stimulated receptor autophosphorylation. Together, these data demonstrate that the JM region of IGF1R plays an important role in limiting the basal activity of the receptor.
Rat hepatocytes express functional P2X receptors
Authors: Gonzales Emmanuel , Prigent Sylvie , Abou-Lovergne Aurélie , Boucherie Sylviane , Tordjmann Thierry , Jacquemin Emmanuel , Combettes Laurent
Published: June 2007

Extracellular ATP regulates many hepatic functions by stimulating purinergic receptors. Only the G protein‐coupled P2Y receptors have been studied in hepatocytes. We investigated the functional expression of P2X receptors, the ATP‐gated channels in rat hepatocytes. P2X4 and P2X7 transcripts and proteins were detected by RT‐PCR and by both Western blotting and immunocytochemistry. High concentrations of ATP, and 2′‐and 3′‐O‐(4‐benzoylbenzoyl)‐ATP the preferring agonist of P2X7, induced membrane blebbing and significant uptake of 4‐[(3‐methyl‐2(3H)‐benzoxazolylidene)methyl]‐1‐[3‐(triethylammonio)propyl]diiodide, both of which were inhibited by oxidised ATP, a blocker of P2X receptors. These results provide evidence that P2X4 and P2X7 receptors are expressed and functional on rat hepatocytes, possibly playing an important role in the purinergic signaling complex in these cells.
β/A4‐Amyloid increases nerve growth factor production in rat primary hippocampal astrocyte cultures
Authors: Schulte‐Herbrüggen O. , Hamker U. , Meske V. , Danker‐Hopfe H. , Ohm T.G. , Hellweg R.
Published: June 2007

Nerve growth factor (NGF), a member of the neurotrophin family, is an essential mediator of neuronal activity and synaptic plasticity of basal forebrain cholinergic neurons (BFCN). In processes of chronic degeneration of BFCN like in Alzheimer's disease (AD), characterized among others by amyloid containing plaques, NGF has been shown to improve cognitive decline and rescue BFCN but also to reduce survival of hippocampal neurons via p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75). Little is known about the mechanisms of NGF regulation in glial cells under pathological conditions in AD. This study investigates the influence of amyloid administration on the NGF protein secretion in rat primary hippocampal astrocytes. Astrocytes were stimulated with “aged” β/A4‐Amyloid (1‐40), and NGF was measured in different fractions, such as supernatant, vesicles, and cytosol fraction. Treatment with amyloid at a final concentration of 10 μM for 72 h led to increased NGF protein levels up to 30‐fold increase compared to unstimulated controls. This observation may be an endogenous neuroprotective mechanism possibly contributing to a delay of amyloid‐dependent loss of cholinergic neurons or contribute to accelerated neuronal death by activation of p75 within Alzheimer pathology.
Placental tissue iodine level and blood magnesium concentration in pre‐eclamptic and normal pregnancy
Authors: Gulaboglu M. , Borekci B. , Halici Z.
Published: June 2007

Objective: To assess iodine concentration in the placental tissue and magnesium concentration in the blood of women with severe pre‐eclampsia in northeast Anatolia and compare these values with those of healthy pregnant women from the same region. Methods: Placental tissue and blood specimens were obtained from 20 severely pre‐eclamptic and 15 healthy pregnant women. Iodine levels in placental tissue were determined by the Foss method based on the Sandell‐Kolthoff reaction. Results: Placental tissue iodine levels were lower in women with severe pre‐eclampsia than in healthy pregnant women (4.30 ± 1.36 ng of iodine/mg protein vs. 7.71 ± 2.84 ng of iodine/mg tissue protein; P < 0.001), as were blood magnesium levels (1.63 ± 0.05 mg/dL vs. 1.87 ± 0.05 mg/dL; P < 0.001). There was a positive correlation between placental tissue iodine levels and blood magnesium levels in women with severe pre‐eclampsia (r = 0.55, P < 0.05), but no such correlation was observed in healthy pregnant women (r = 0.23, P = 0.41). Conclusion: Magnesium assimilation is known to be defective when iodine levels are insufficient. In northeast Anatolia, where iodine deficiency is common, clinical trials of iodine supplementation should be considered for pre‐eclamptic therapy.
Epstein‐Barr virus DNA detection in the diagnosis of nasopharyngeal carcinoma
Authors: Yap Yoke‐Yeow , Hassan Shahid , Chan Melissa , Choo Pua Kin , Ravichandran Manickam
Published: June 2007

Objectives

This study examines the presence of EpsteinBarr virus (EBV) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR)

Study Design

Eighty‐six postnasal biopsy samples and 71 fine‐needle aspirate samples of neck masses were obtained from patients who were clinically suspect for NPC. Genomic DNA was extracted from the samples, and EBNA1, EBNA2, and LMP genes of EBV were detected by PCR. PCR results were compared with NPC histopathology findings.

Results

The sensitivity of PCR to detect EBNA1 (97.14%), EBNA2 (88.57%), and LMP (91.43%) genes of EBV in nasopharyngeal biopsy samples were higher than those in fine‐needle aspirate samples.

Conclusion

Detection of EBV by PCR in tissue obtained from nasopharyngeal biopsy and fine‐needle aspirate samples of neck masses is a relatively inexpensive, reliable, and accurate method of diagnosing NPC. Detection of EBV genes is on par with histopathological examination (HPE) and superior to fine‐needle aspirate cytology.

Significance

PCR is an ideal tool for suggesting NPC and guiding the diagnostic workup in occult primary tumors, facilitating earlier diagnosis and reducing morbidity and mortality.

© 2007 American Academy of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. All rights reserved.
The large vestibular aqueduct: A new definition based on audiologic and computed tomography correlation
Authors: Boston Mark , Halsted Mark , Meinzen‐Derr Jareen , Bean Judy , Vijayasekaran Shyan , Arjmand Ellis , Choo Daniel , Benton Corning , Greinwald John
Published: June 2007

Objective

The study goal was to determine the prevalence and clinical significance of a large vestibular aqueduct (LVA) in children with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL).

Study Design and Setting

We conducted a retrospective review of a pediatric SNHL database. One hundred seven children with SNHL were selected and their radiographic and audiometric studies were evaluated. Radiographic comparisons were made to a group of children without SNHL.

Results

A vestibular aqueduct (VA) larger than the 95th percentile of controls was present in 32% of children with SNHL. Progressive SNHL was more likely to occur in ears with an LVA and the rate of progressive hearing loss was greater than in ears without an LVA. The risk of progressive SNHL increased with increasing VA size as determined by logistic regression analysis.

Conclusions

An LVA is defined as one that is ≥2mm at the operculum and/or ≥1 mm at the midpoint in children with nonsyndromic SNHL. An LVA appears to be more common than previously reported in children with SNHL. A linear relationship is observed between VA width and progressive SNHL.

Significance

The finding of an LVA in children with SNHL provides diagnostic as well as prognostic information. © 2007 American Academy of Otolaryngology‐Head and Neck Surgery Foundation. All rights reserved.
Combined therapy after superselective arterial cisplatin infusion to treat maxillary squamous cell carcinoma
Authors: Shiga Kiyoto , Yokoyama Junkichi , Hashimoto Sho , Saijo Shigeru , Tateda Masaru , Ogawa Takenori , Watanabe Mika , Kobayashi Toshimitsu
Published: June 2007

Objective

We sought to assess the efficacy of combined therapy after superselective arterial cisplatin infusion (SACI) therapy to treat the maxillary squamous cell carcinoma.

Study Design

We conducted a retrospective chart review of 50 patients. After completion of two courses of SACI, 25 of the patients were successively treated by concurrent SACI and radiotherapy (AR), while the other 25 patients were treated by surgery with postoperative radiotherapy (ASR).

Results

Patients with surgery (ASR) had an 88% local control rate with 75% disease‐free survival rate at 60 months by Kaplan‐Meier analysis, compared with 62% disease‐free survival rate for patients with AR treatment. A particularly good outcome was obtained in T4 cases of the ASR group (n = 8) whose 5‐year survival rate was 87% and local control rate was 100%.

Conclusion/Significance

Combined SACI therapy is very effective for the treatment of maxillary squamous cell carcinomas and contributes to the improving prognoses of patients and organ preservation rates.
Template‐based registration for image‐guided skull base surgery
Authors: Eggers Georg , M¨hling Joachim
Published: June 2007

Objectives

To evaluate whether patient‐to‐image registration with the use of a maxillary template is sufficiently accurate for image guided skull base surgery.

Study Design and Setting

In an experimental phantom study, pair‐point registration of a skull phantom to its CT image data was performed with 243 different configurations of a maxillary template with markers. Then artificial skull mounted target markers were located with an infrared tracking device as used in navigation systems.

Results

The average target registration error was 1.57 mm in the anterior skull base (95% confidence interval, 1.53 to 1.61 mm), but 3.31 mm in the lateral skull base (95% confidence interval, 3.26 to 3.37 mm).

Conclusions

Fiducial marker registration based on a maxillary template is sufficiently accurate for image‐guided surgery in the anterior skull base, but not for the lateral skull base.

Significance

Template‐based registration is an accurate yet noninvasive registration method for frontal skull base surgery.
Type III cartilage “shield” tympanoplasty: An effective procedure for hearing improvement
Authors: Kyrodimos Efthymios , Sismanis Aristides , Santos Daniel
Published: June 2007

Objective

To report the hearing results following type III cartilage “shield” tympanoplasty.

Study Design

Retrospective chart review at a tertiary referral center.

Methods

Conchal cartilage, shaped as a shield, was used to replace the entire tympanic membrane and reconstruct the ossicular chain in patients with an absent incus and diminished space between the stapes superstructure and malleolar manubrium.

Results

Between January 1998 and June 2005, 52 patients were treated. The mean age was 32.4 years (range, 7 to 72 years). The mean follow‐up was 24 months (range, 12 to 36 months). Graft take was successful in all patients. The average hearing improvement was 11.22 dB (P < 0.0001). An air‐bone gap of 25 dB or less was achieved in 41 (78.8%) patients. Speech discrimination scores remained unchanged. No complications were identified.

Conclusion

Type III cartilage “shield” tympanoplasty is an effective technique for hearing improvement in selected patients with chronic otitis media. The results of this procedure are similar to those obtained with partial ossicular replacement prosthesis.

© 2007 American Academy of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery Foundation Inc. All rights reserved.
Surgical outcomes and safety of transnasal endoscopic resection for anterior skull tumors
Authors: Dave Sandeep P. , Bared Anthony , Casiano Roy R.
Published: June 2007

Objective

To report the surgical outcomes and safety of transnasal endoscopic resection (TER) for anterior skull base (ASB) tumors.

Study Design and Setting

A retrospective chart review to identify patients undergoing TER for ASB tumors at a tertiary care medical center between September 1997 and June 2006.

Results

Nineteen patients underwent TER for ASB tumors without open craniotomy. There were 17 malignant and two benign lesions. Olfactory neuroblastoma was the most common pathology, occurring in 53 percent of patients. One patient recurred locally, resulting in an overall local control rate of 94.7 percent for all neoplasms and 94.1 percent for malignant disease. It should be noted that the tumor control rate may be premature given the small sample size and limited follow‐up. Overall, there were 16 complications, but only two of these, an orbital hematoma and a frontal lobe abscess, were considered major complications directly attributable to surgery.

Conclusions

TER for ASB tumors appears to be safe in properly selected patients. In light of the small sample size and limited follow‐up, the major complication rate directly attributable to surgery was 11 percent, and the overall local control rate was 95 percent. A larger multi‐institutional series with longer follow‐up is warranted.
Prevalence and patterns of intraoperative nerve monitoring for thyroidectomy
Authors: Horne Stefanie K. , Gal Thomas J. , Brennan Joseph A.
Published: June 2007

Objective

To estimate the patterns of use of intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN)‐monitoring devices during thyroid surgery by otolaryngologists in the United States.

Methods

A questionnaire was mailed to 1685 randomly selected otolaryngologists, representing approximately half of all otolaryngologists currently practicing in the United States. Topics covered included training history and current practice setting, use and characteristics of use of RLN monitoring during thyroid surgery, as well as history of RLN injury and/or subsequent lawsuits. X2 test was used to examine associations between monitor usage and dependent variables, and odds ratios calculated by logistic regression were used to refine the magnitude of these associations. RESULTS: A total of 685 (40.7%) of questionnaires were returned, and 81 percent (555) of respondents reported performing thyroidectomy. Of those, only 28.6 percent (159) reported using intraoperative monitoring for all cases. Respondents were 3.14 times more likely to currently use intraoperative monitoring if they used it during their training. Surgeons currently using intraoperative RLN monitoring during thyroidectomy were 41 percent less likely to report a history of permanent RLN injury. Further information about surgeon background and rationale for decisions regarding RLN monitor usage are discussed.

Conclusions

Presently, the majority of otolaryngologists in the United States do not report regular usage of RLN monitoring in their practices. Surgeon background and training, more so than surgical volume, significantly influenced the use of intraoperative RLN monitoring.
Local variability in metazoan parasites of the pelagic fish species, Engraulis ringens: implications for fish stock assessment using parasites as biological tags
Authors: Chavez Rosa A. , Valdivia Isabel M. , Oliva Marcelo E.
Published: June 2007

Parasites have been used successfully as biological tags in population studies, mainly in marine fishes, but also in marine mammals, crustaceans and molluscs. Almost all published information dealing with parasites as biological tags evaluates differences between localities. However, local variability in the component community has not been assessed. In this work, we examined whether local variation of the metazoan parasite fauna of Engraulis ringens, extracted from five independent samples from two nearby localities in northern Chile, can be a factor causing bias in stock identification. Our results show that local variability, as estimated by a single sample, may suffice to represent component community variability with no need for replicated data.
Parasites as fish population tags and pseudoreplication problems: the case of striped red mullet Mullus surmuletus in the Spanish Mediterranean
Authors: Ferrer-Castelló E. , Raga J.A. , Aznar F.J.
Published: June 2007

Studies of parasites as fish population tags often apply a single round of sampling to identify potential stocks or predict harvest localities. However, the lack of replication generates pseudoreplication, implicitly assuming that infection levels are more similar between samples from the same locality than between samples from different localities. We evaluated this assumption in the case of the striped red mullet Mullus surmuletus in three localities of the Spanish Mediterranean separated by c. 300 km. Samples of 25 fish of similar size were collected in each locality in the summer and autumn of two consecutive years. Prevalence and abundance of three long-lived parasite taxa differed significantly among localities, indicating their potential as stock indicators. However, a cluster analysis (for prevalence) and a MANOVA (for abundance) indicated strong inter-sample variability, even within the same locality, with poor spatial segregation among samples. A linear discriminant analysis (LDA) based on the abundance of 17 parasite taxa correctly assigned over 80% of fish to their locality, and 95% bootstrap confidence intervals of percent classified fish per locality were narrow, indicating good and stable predictive power. However, when a LDA based on data from the first year was used to predict the locality of fish from the second year, predictive power dropped drastically (46% of correct allocation). Overall, we interpret that parasite communities of mullets change at a much lower spatial scale than that adopted in this study. This finding strongly suggests the need for proper replication to make reliable inferences about stock structure in fish populations based on parasitological data.
Parasites of fingerling herringClupea harengusL.: ecology and fine morphology
Authors: Rahimian Hassan
Published: June 2007

The parasite fauna of young-of-the-year herringClupea harengusL., off Gullmarsfjord and Brofjorden, west coast of Sweden, was studied between May and October for 4 years, from 1994 to 1997. Fifteen species of parasites were found: two Protozoa –Trichodina sp.andCeratomyxa auerbachi; one species of uncertain affinity –Ichthyophonus hoferi; two Monogenea –Gyrodactylus harengiandPseudanthocotyloides heterocotyle; five Digenea –Cryptocotyle linguametacercariae,Cercaria pythionikemetacercariae,Hemiurus luehei,Lecithaster confususandPseudobacciger harengulae; three Cestoda plerocercoids –Bothriocephalussp., an acrobothriid and a tetraphyllid; one Nematoda –Hysterothylacium aduncumlarva; and one Copepoda –Caligus elongatus. The number of species found in this study represents more than one-sixth of all parasites reported in herring worldwide and all parasites were acquired locally. The parasite fauna of herring from the west coast of Sweden is compared with that of herring from the Baltic Sea and other areas of the north-east Atlantic. The prevalence and intensity of parasites are presented and discussed. Morphological descriptions are based on both light and scanning electron microscopy and new features are described. Possible applications of this new information about the parasite fauna, in different areas of fisheries and fish biology studies, are discussed.
Do eel parasites reflect the local crustacean community? A case study from the Rhine river system
Authors: Thielen Frankie , Münderle Marcel , Taraschewski Horst , Sures Bernd
Published: June 2007

In 2003, the parasite fauna of 197 European eelsAnguilla anguilla, captured at three different locations (Laufenburg, Karlsruhe and Beneeden Leeuwen) in the River Rhine, was analysed. The eels harboured a total of 18 species, among them the protozoa (Myxidium giardi, Myxobolus kotlaniandTrypanosoma granulosum), acanthocephalans (Acanthocephalus anguillae, Acanthocephalus lucii, Echinorhynchus truttae, Pomphorhynchus laevis), nematodes (Paraquimperia tenerrima, Pseudocapillaria tomentosa, Camallanus lacustris, Raphidascaris acus, Spinitectus inermisandAnguillicola crassus), cestodes (Bothriocephalus clavicepsandProteocephalus macrocephalus) and monogeneans (Pseudodactylogyrussp.). The parasite fauna at the different locations is discussed with respect to the crustacean fauna present at these locations. The investigation shows that changes in the composition of the crustacean fauna, due to the anthropogenic breakdown of a biogeographic barrier, are reflected in the composition of the intestinal eel parasite fauna.
Communicative and task-based language teaching in East Asian classrooms
Authors: Littlewood William
Published: June 2007

As educators and governments in East Asia aim to increase the number of people in their population who can communicate effectively in English, national policies and syllabuses have moved increasingly towards various versions of communicative language teaching (CLT) and task-based language teaching (TBLT). This paper reviews, on the basis of published reports, some of the practical and conceptual concerns that have affected the implementation of CLT and TBLT in primary and secondary schools of East Asia. It discusses some ways in which teachers have responded to the challenges by adapting new ideas and developing methodologies suited to their own situations. It proposes a methodological framework which may help such adaptation. The experiences and concerns described in the paper may be shared by teachers anywhere who move from a teacher-centred approach to one in which the learners play a more active, independent role.
Bayesian estimation of hepatitis E virus seroprevalence for populations with different exposure levels to swine in The Netherlands
Authors: BOUWKNEGT M. , ENGEL B. , HERREMANS M. M. P. T. , WIDDOWSON M. A. , WORM H. C. , KOOPMANS M. P. G. , FRANKENA K. , De RODA HUSMAN A. M. , De JONG M. C. M. , VAN DER POEL W. H. M.
Published: June 2007

Hepatitis E virus (HEV) is ubiquitous in pigs worldwide and may be zoonotic. Previous HEV seroprevalence estimates for groups of people working with swine were higher than for control groups. However, discordance among results of anti-HEV assays means that true seroprevalence estimates, i.e. seroprevalence due to previous exposure to HEV, depends on choice of seroassay. We tested blood samples from three subpopulations (49 swine veterinarians, 153 non-swine veterinarians and 644 randomly selected individuals from the general population) with one IgM and two IgG ELISAs, and subsets with IgG and/or IgM Western blots. A Bayesian stochastical model was used to combine results of all assays. The model accounted for imperfection of each assay by estimating sensitivity and specificity, and accounted for dependence between serological assays. As expected, discordance among assay results occurred. Applying the model yielded seroprevalence estimates of ~11% for swine veterinarians, ~6% for non-swine veterinarians and ~2% for the general population. By combining the results of five serological assays in a Bayesian stochastical model we confirmed that exposure to swine or their environment was associated with elevated HEV seroprevalence.
Comparing cities: a Barcelona Model?
Authors: AMELANG JAMES
Published: June 2007

Despite widespread interest in the ‘Barcelona Model’ of urban planning and architecture as of late, little is known about the city's historical development. This article suggests as a remedy more concerted efforts in comparative history. Comparison with other cities reveals three anomalies: the condition of ex-capitality; a distinctive focus on civil society as the leading dynamic in the city's evolution; and a self-image as a classic ‘second city’, that is, an economic as opposed to political centre. The essay closes with suggestions for future research, and stresses the need for a specifically cultural approach to the urban past.
Urban conflict and royal authority: popular revolts in sixteenth-century Troyes
Authors: ROBERTS PENNY
Published: June 2007

This paper explores the relative balance between socio-economic grievance and confessional and political division in urban revolts during the period of the French religious wars. More particularly, it focuses on two such incidents in the town of Troyes in Champagne in the summer of 1586 and what they can tell us about the influence of popular discontent on municipal politics and town–crown relations, as well as the impact of civil war, subsistence crisis and increasing taxation on urban communities. The continuity of the traditions of popular revolt are explored alongside the implications for royal authority of the official response to such unrest. Social tensions and economic concerns dominated events in the town, whilst the crown's right and ability to enforce its will continued to be accepted and upheld. Thus, despite the disruption of civil strife, the competing interests of the municipal authorities, the urban populace and the monarchy were able to maintain a delicate equilibrium through the traditional mechanism of negotiation and compromise.
Why are houses interesting?
Authors: BORSAY PETER
Published: June 2007

Shortly into his path-breaking study of The Small House in Eighteenth-Century London, Peter Guillery remarks that ‘houses are principally interesting because people live in them’ (p. 10). To urban historians the observation might seem unexceptional, even banal. To many architectural historians his comment would be incomprehensible. Therein lies the difficulty for the urban historian with a concern for housing, public buildings and planning. There is a wealth of serious academic studies of architecture, but the majority are written in a language which can seem arcane to the uninitiated and address an agenda which appears little interested in those who inhabited the buildings. At the heart of the problem lies the requirement to treat the built form primarily as a work of art, so that what is studied has to justify itself as an object worthy of aesthetic consideration, and has to relate to an established stylistic canon and chronology. Judged in this light, considerations of user and usage are largely irrelevant, and can appear an invitation to slip into the sort of popular architectural discourse, common in the Victorian and Edwardian periods, in which dwellings are valued primarily for the celebrities and anecdotes associated with them. People are germane only to the extent that they designed buildings, as architects, or commissioned them, as patrons of the arts. Among the two most influential figures in developing and in particular disseminating the art-history perspective on architecture in twentieth-century Britain were Nikolaus Pevsner and John Summerson. Today their presence is felt not only in the world of scholarship, where it has not gone unchallenged, but also and more importantly in popular perceptions of architecture, as mediated through guide literature, the amenity societies (like the National Trust, the Georgian Group and the Victorian Society) and the conservation movement. It is an influence which has been ambivalent. On the one hand, it has led to a far deeper popular understanding and appreciation of architectural form and its history, and has saved many fine buildings. On the other hand, it is has led to a dissociation of form and human usage, a devaluation of structures and traditions not defined as canonic and a blindness to the subjective and ideological nature of architectural history itself.
Research in urban history: a review of recent theses
Authors: MILLER CAROLINE L.
Published: June 2007

The writing of this review has been complicated this year due to the fact that it has had to be prepared rather earlier than in the past, which has somewhat skewed the careful construction of statistical comparisons that have been developed over previous years. The problem is compounded by the fact that last year's review was, in turn, also prepared earlier than in previous years, leading to a backlog on 2005 theses to be reported. The change of schedule also means that the British and Irish thesis list, the Index of Theses located at http://www.theses.com/, has not yet reported on the 2006 theses, while the American Dissertations International located at http://wwwli.umi.com/ dissertations has reported many of the 2006 theses. Thus this review is a slightly mixed offering in that it features theses from both 2005 and 2006, but it is hoped that this problem will have been overcome by 2008. It was, however, not difficult to find theses which fit the liberal definition of urban history that has always underpinned this review. For the first time it was necessary to cull severely the identified theses to produce a reasonable coverage of topics and a manageable number of theses to review. This suggests that urban history continues to be a vibrant and productive discipline.
The challenge of the exploded planet hypothesis
Authors: Van Flandern Tom
Published: June 2007

The hypothesis of the explosion of a number of planets and moons of our Solar System during its 4.6-billion-year history is in excellent accord with all known observational constraints, even without adjustable parameters orad hochelper hypotheses. Many of its boldest predictions have been fulfilled. In most instances, these predictions were judged highly unlikely by the current standard models. Moreover, in several cases, the entire exploded planet model was at risk of being falsified if the predictions failed. The successful predictions include: (1) satellites of asteroids; (2) satellites of comets; (3) salt water in meteorites; (4) ‘roll marks’ leading to boulders on asteroids; (5) the time and peak rate of the 1999 Leonid meteor storm; (6) explosion signatures for asteroids; (7) the strongly spiked energy parameter for new comets; (8) the distribution of black material on slowly rotating airless bodies; (9) splitting velocities of comets; (10) the asteroid-like nature ofDeep Impacttarget Comet Tempel 1; and (11) the presence of high-formation-temperature minerals in theStardustcomet dust sample return. In physics and astronomy, hypotheses are either falsified if their predictions fail, or proved to be of value if they succeed. By all existing evidence, the exploded planet hypothesis has proved far more useful than the half-dozen or so hypotheses it would replace. Among the many important corollaries are these. (a) Perhaps as many as six former planets of our Solar System have exploded over its 4.6-billion-year history. (b) In particular, Mars is not an original planet, but a former moon of an exploded planet. (c) As a major player in Solar System evolution, the exploded planet scenario must be considered as a likely propagation vehicle for the spread of biogenic organisms. We conclude with a brief mention of three possible planetary explosion mechanisms.
Plasmaspheric drainage plume observed by the Polar satellite in the prenoon sector and the IMAGE satellite during the magnetic storm of 11 April 2001
Authors: Kim K.‐H. , Goldstein J. , Berube D.
Published: June 2007

During the early main phase of a geomagnetic storm on 11 April 2001, the Polar satellite was inside the magnetosphere in the prenoon sector (∼1000–1100 magnetic local times) and experienced a magnetopause crossing at L ≈ 6 because of the high solar wind dynamic pressure and strong southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Just before the magnetopause crossing, Polar observed cold, dense plasma. That is, the cold, dense plasma was immediately adjacent to the compressed magnetopause. Using simultaneous observations by the IMAGE extreme ultraviolet (EUV) imager, we confirm that the cold, dense plasma observed by Polar is a plasmaspheric drainage plume extending outward from the plasmasphere to the magnetopause during the interval of high geomagnetic activity and strong southward IMF. We compare plasmaspheric mass densities determined from ground magnetometer data at L = 2.3 and 2.9 for a magnetically quiet time interval to mass densities determined during the magnetic storm time interval. We find no significant differences in the mass density between both intervals. These observations suggest that the sunward‐convecting plasmaspheric plasma observed at Polar is due to erosion of the outer layers of the plasmasphere beyond L = 2.9.
Strong ground motion simulation of the 1999 Chi‐Chi, Taiwan earthquake from a realistic three‐dimensional source and crustal structure
Authors: Lee Shiann‐Jong , Chen How‐Wei , Ma Kuo‐Fong
Published: June 2007

We simulate the strong ground motion of 1999 Chi‐Chi, Taiwan earthquake (Mw = 7.6) by considering a three‐dimensional source rupture model in a full waveform three‐dimensional wave propagation study. The strong ground motion records during the 1999 Chi‐Chi earthquake show various characteristics at different sites in Taiwan. We adopt a three‐dimensional source model derived from an inversion study with identical path effects as considered in this three‐dimensional forward study. Comparisons between the simulation results and observed waveforms from dense island‐wide strong motion stations demonstrate that the fault geometry, lateral velocity variation, and complex source rupture process greatly influence the distribution of strong ground shaking. The simulation has reproduced the heavy damage area that is mainly concentrated in the hanging wall, especially close to the surface break of the Chelungpu fault. The source directivity effect is also reproduced and shows serious shaking along the northward rupture direction. Low‐velocity material in the shallow part of the Western Plain is found to generate significantly amplified ground motions. In the Central Range, the shaking is relatively weak owing to the energy radiation characteristics of a low‐angle thrust of the Chelungpu faulting system. The wavefield is then amplified by a high‐velocity gradient under the Coastal Range. Our simulation results in the frequency range of 0.01–0.5 Hz give good agreement with the extensive strong motion observations of the Chi‐Chi earthquake. We find that adequate source representation, good three‐dimensional crustal velocity structures, and careful numerical work are necessary to make the ground motion prediction feasible.
Bathymetry of the Pacific plate and its implications for thermal evolution of lithosphere and mantle dynamics
Authors: Zhong Shijie , Ritzwoller Michael , Shapiro Nikolai , Landuyt William , Huang Jinshui , Wessel Paul
Published: June 2007

A long‐standing question in geodynamics is the cause of deviations of ocean depth or seafloor topography from the prediction of a cooling half‐space model (HSC). Are the deviations caused entirely by mantle plumes or lithospheric reheating associated with sublithospheric small‐scale convection or some other mechanisms? In this study we analyzed the age and geographical dependences of ocean depth for the Pacific plate, and we removed the effects of sediments, seamounts, and large igneous provinces (LIPs), using recently available data sets of high‐resolution bathymetry, sediments, seamounts, and LIPs. We found that the removal of seamounts and LIPs results in nearly uniform standard deviations in ocean depth of ∼300 m for all ages. The ocean depth for the Pacific plate with seamounts, LIPs, the Hawaiian swell, and South Pacific super‐swell excluded can be fit well with a HSC model till ∼80–85 Ma and a plate model for older seafloor, particularly, with the HSC‐Plate depth‐age relation recently developed by Hillier and Watts (2005) with an entirely different approach for the North Pacific Ocean. A similar ocean depth‐age relation is also observed for the northern region of our study area with no major known mantle plumes. Residual topography with respect to Hillier and Watts' HSC‐Plate model shows two distinct topographic highs: the Hawaiian swell and South Pacific super‐swell. However, in this residual topography map, the Darwin Rise does not display anomalously high topography except the area with seamounts and LIPs. We also found that the topography estimated from the seismic model of the Pacific lithosphere of Ritzwoller et al. (2004) generally agrees with the observed topography, including the reduced topography at relatively old seafloor. Our analyses show that while mantle plumes may be important in producing the Hawaiian swell and South Pacific super‐swell, they cannot be the only cause for the topographic deviations. Other mechanisms, particularly lithospheric reheating associated with “trapped” heat below old lithosphere (Huang and Zhong, 2005), play an essential role in causing the deviations in topography from the HSC model prediction.