bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Aberrant synthesis of ATP synthase resulting from a novel deletion in mitochondrial DNA in an African patient with progressive external ophthalmoplegia
Authors: van der Westhuizen Francois H. , Smet Joél , Levanets Oksana , Meissner‐Roloff Madelein , Louw Roan , Van Coster Rudy , Smuts Izelle
Published: January 2010

A young, adult, African male patient presented with progressive proximal muscle weakness, external ophthalmoplegia and ptosis, as well as cardiac conduction abnormalities resembling Kearns–Sayre syndrome (KSS). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain revealed normal basal ganglia but bilateral well‐circumscribed lesions in the cerebellar peduncles. Enzyme deficiencies in oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes I, IV and V was measured in muscle tissue. Blue native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (BN‐PAGE) confirmed decreased protein content and activity of these complexes and revealed the presence of two catalytically active complex V sub‐complexes. Upon investigation by molecular genetics, the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) copy number was found to be elevated and a novel deletion of 3431 bp was found in 80% of muscle mtDNA between positions 7115 and 10546, flanked by a 5 bp direct repeat sequence. In addition, it could also be concluded that the absence of mtDNA‐encoded ATPase6 and ATPase8 genes in this patient clearly resulted in aberrant synthesis of ATP synthase.
An Improved Method for Determining Medium‐ and Long‐Chain FAMEs Using Gas Chromatography
Authors: Xu Zhidong , Harvey Kevin , Pavlina Thomas , Dutot Guy , Zaloga Gary , Siddiqui Rafat
Published: January 2010

The existing protocols for analyzing fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) using a one‐step acetyl chloride (AC) catalyzed transesterification and extraction procedure cannot accurately determine the medium‐ and long‐chain fatty acids simultaneously in clinical (enteral, parenteral) formulations. For example: (1) addition of AC at room temperature generates an exothermic reaction that often results in loss of sample and possible injury to the analyst; (2) certain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are less stable at elevated temperatures during the transesterification and contribute to the over‐estimation of the C16:0 and C18:1 fatty acids; and (3) the flame‐ionization detector (FID) response varies depending on the carbon chain length of the fatty acids, that consequently impacts the underestimation of medium‐chain fatty acid (C6–C10) recoveries. To overcome these deficiencies and accurately determine FAMEs, we have developed an improved one‐step transesterification method that employs the addition of AC in tubes kept on a dry ice bath, the transesterification at room temperature, and the data analysis using relative response factors. Using this modified protocol, we determined the fatty acid composition of lipid emulsions (Omegaven® and Lipidem®) on a Shimadzu GC2010 gas chromatography (GC) system using a capillary GC column (Zebron ZB‐WAX plus, 30 m, 0.25 mm ID, 0.25 μm). Our data suggest that the improved method can be easily used to accurately determine fatty acids (C6–C24) in functional foods and lipid emulsions.
Clinical audit—ESR perspective
Authors:   European Society of Radiology,   ESR Subcommittee on Audit and Standards
Published: January 2010

This paper provides a comprehensive outline of the audit process advocated for clinical radiologists and clinical radiology departments. The philosophy discussed is equally appropriate for interventional and diagnostic radiologists.
The future role of radiology in healthcare
Authors:   European Society of Radiology 2009
Published: January 2010

Rapidly evolving changes in the way that healthcare is administered, coupled with the amazing recent advances within imaging, has necessitated a review of the way in which radiology should be regarded. This review considers some aspects of these changes and offers some recommendations.
Mucolipins: Intracellular TRPML1‐3 channels
Authors: Cheng Xiping , Shen Dongbiao , Samie Mohammad , Xu Haoxing
Published: January 2010

The mucolipin family of Transient Receptor Potential (TRPML) proteins is predicted to encode ion channels expressed in intracellular endosomes and lysosomes. Loss‐of‐function mutations of human TRPML1 cause type IV mucolipidosis (ML4), a childhood neurodegenerative disease. Meanwhile, gain‐of‐function mutations in the mouse TRPML3 result in the varitint‐waddler (Va) phenotype with hearing and pigmentation defects. The broad spectrum phenotypes of ML4 and Va appear to result from certain aspects of endosomal/lysosomal dysfunction. Lysosomes, traditionally believed to be the terminal “recycling center” for biological “garbage”, are now known to play indispensable roles in intracellular signal transduction and membrane trafficking. Studies employing animal models and cell lines in which TRPML genes have been genetically disrupted or depleted have uncovered roles of TRPMLs in multiple cellular functions including membrane trafficking, signal transduction, and organellar ion homeostasis. Physiological assays of mammalian cell lines in which TRPMLs are heterologously overexpressed have revealed the channel properties of TRPMLs in mediating cation (Ca2+/Fe2+) efflux from endosomes and lysosomes in response to unidentified cellular cues. This review aims to summarize these recent advances in the TRPML field and to correlate the channel properties of endolysosomal TRPMLs with their biological functions. We will also discuss the potential cellular mechanisms by which TRPML deficiency leads to neurodegeneration.
Rectally administered misoprostol versus intravenous oxytocin infusion during cesarean delivery to reduce intraoperative and postoperative blood loss
Authors: Chaudhuri Picklu , Banerjee Gita Basu , Mandal Apurba
Published: January 2010

Objective

To compare the efficacy of rectally administered misoprostol with intravenous oxytocin infusion in preventing uterine atony and blood loss during cesarean delivery.

Methods

In this prospective, randomized, double‐blind trial, 200 women undergoing cesarean delivery who did not have risk factors for postpartum hemorrhage were randomly allocated to receive either 800 µg of rectal misoprostol at the time of peritoneal incision or an intravenous infusion of oxytocin after delivery of the neonate. Primary outcome measures were estimated amount of intraoperative and postoperative (8 hours) blood loss and changes in hemoglobin levels 24 hours after delivery.

Results

A total of 96 and 94 women were analyzed in the misoprostol and oxytocin groups, respectively. Intraoperative and postoperative blood loss was significantly lower in the misoprostol group than in the oxytocin group (503 vs 592 mL, P = 0.003 and 74 vs 114 mL, P = 0.045, respectively). The incidence of shivering was higher in the misoprostol group (8.3% vs 1.1%, P = 0.018; RR 7.83; 95% confidence interval, 0.99–61.42).

Conclusion

Rectal misoprostol appears to be an effective alternative to intravenous oxytocin in preventing blood loss for routine use during cesarean delivery. Clinical Trials Registration: CTRI/2009/091/000075.
Fertility outcome following transvaginal cervicoisthmic cerclage using a polypropylene sling
Authors: Deffieux Xavier , Faivre Erika , Senat Marie Victoire , Fuchs Florent , Gervaise Amélie , Fernandez Hervé
Published: January 2010

Objective

To report fertility and pregnancy outcomes following transvaginal cervicoisthmic cerclage with a polypropylene sling during a previous pregnancy.

Methods

A continuous series of 57 women who underwent prophylactic cervicoisthmic cerclage during a previous (reference) pregnancy were enrolled. Telephone interviews were carried out to evaluate each patient's subsequent fertility.

Results

Among the 57 women interviewed, 8 had an inadequate follow‐up, 13 women were lost to follow‐up, 1 woman required a hemostatic hysterectomy, and 2 women required removal of the sling. Nineteen women did not desire a subsequent pregnancy. Of the 14 women who did desire a subsequent pregnancy, 1 woman had previously known tubal infertility. Of the 13 remaining women, 7 subsequently became pregnant. One woman had a spontaneous abortion (11 weeks of pregnancy); 1 woman delivered at 22 weeks of pregnancy, after a spontaneous premature membrane rupture; 1 woman had a cesarean delivery at 25 weeks of pregnancy; and 4 patients had a cesarean delivery after 37 weeks of pregnancy. Median duration of the 4 subsequent pregnancies at delivery was 37 weeks (interquartile range [IQR], 37–38 weeks). Median birth weight was 3040 g (IQR, 2500–3250 g).

Conclusion

Subsequent pregnancy is possible after transvaginal cervicoisthmic cerclage using a synthetic sling.
Tuberculosis in association with HIV/AIDS emerges as a major nonobstetric cause of maternal mortality in Sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Grange John , Adhikari Miriam , Ahmed Yusuf , Mwaba Peter , Dheda Keertan , Hoelscher Michael , Zumla Alimuddin
Published: January 2010

Every year, approximately 250 000 African women die during pregnancy, delivery, or the puerperium. Maternal mortality rates due to infectious diseases in Sub‐Saharan Africa now supersede mortality from obstetric causes. Evidence is accumulating that tuberculosis associated with HIV/AIDS, malaria, sepsis, and other opportunistic infections are the main infectious causes of maternal deaths. Screening for these killer infections within prenatal healthcare programs is essential at this stage to prevent and treat causes of maternal mortality. The combination of proven effective interventions that avert the greatest number of maternal deaths should be prioritized and expanded to cover the greatest number of women at risk, and incorporated into a “prophylaxis and treatment community package of care.” The effectiveness of these “packages of care” will need to be determined subsequently. Maternal deaths from tuberculosis are now on the increase in the UK, and due diligence and watchful surveillance are required in European prenatal services.
On queueing
Authors: Czwartosz Zbigniew
Published: January 2010

A year ago Dr. Jacek Kurczewski asked me to take part in a symposium which he organized with the Polish Sociological Association, on the sociology of everyday life. The subject of my session was to be the sociology of the queue. As a psychologist I could, of course, interpret the phenomenon of the queue in terms of the interdependence of individual interests and social justice. Theses of social psychology, based on empirical grounds, provided some explanations of the mechanisms of behaviour in a queue. These explanations, however, led to trivial conclusions, though expressed in scientific terms. Therefore I decided to choose phenomenological analysis to deal with queue behaviour. This paper is a widened and more analytical version of my speech at the PSA seminar (I). I was inspired by three events from my personal experience:

1. In Western Europe (especially in Belgium) I frequently encountered the following phenomenon. In a shop someone would come up to the counter and ask for some article, paying no attention to the fact that there were also others who were waiting to be served. To me that fact was an open violation of the rules of community life. My emotion urged me to intervene. I was held back however by the fact that the others in the shop seemed not to notice anything wrong. This would suggest that my notion of customers' rights and duties differed from that of Belgians or Dutchmen.
Hybridization betweenDactylopius tomentosus(Hemiptera: Dactylopiidae) biotypes and its effects on host specificity
Authors: Mathenge C.W. , Holford P. , Hoffmann J.H. , Zimmermann H.G. , Spooner-Hart R.N. , Beattie G.A.C.
Published: January 2010

Dactylopius tomentosusis composed of biotypes adapted to differentCylindropuntiaspecies. One biotype is an important biological control agent ofC. imbricatain South Africa while another has the potential for the control ofC. fulgidavar.fulgida. These two weed species occur in sympatry in some areas of South Africa, so the introduction of the second biotype could result in hybridization, which, in turn, could impact on the biological control programs through altered host specificity and fitness of the hybrids. To anticipate what might happen, reciprocal crosses were made between the two biotypes, and the biological performance of the resultant hybrids was compared with that of each parental lineage onC. imbricataandC. f. var.fulgida. The biotypes interbred freely and reciprocally in the laboratory. Comparisons of crawler and adult female traits showed differences in performance that were dependent on the origin of the maternal and paternal genomes. However, when all traits were combined into a ‘fitness index’, both hybrids clearly outperformed the parental lineages. The increase in fitness shown by the hybrids over their maternal lineage was greater on the alternative host of the maternal parent than on the natural host of the maternal parent. Therefore, in areas where the two cacti occur in sympatry, hybridization between the biotypes is not expected to be detrimental to the biological control of either weed.
Viscosity estimates of salt in the Hormuz and Namakdan salt diapirs, Persian Gulf
Authors: MUKHERJEE SOUMYAJIT , TALBOT CHRISTOPHER J. , KOYI HEMIN A.
Published: January 2010

The parabolic surface profiles of the Hormuz and Namakdan salt diapirs in the Persian Gulf suggest that they have been extruding with Newtonian viscous rheologies for the last 104 years. We derive velocity profiles for these diapirs, neglecting gravitational spreading and erosion/dissolution while assuming incompressible Newtonian rheology of the salt. Fitting known rates of extrusion at specific points in its elliptical cross-section, the dynamic viscosity of the salt of the Hormuz diapir is found to range between 1018 and 1021 Pa s. Approximating its sub-circular cross-section to a perfect circle, the range of viscosity of the salt of the Namakdan diapir is obtained as 1017–1021 Pa s. These calculated viscosities fall within the range for naturally flowing salts elsewhere and for other salt diapirs but are broader than those for salts with Newtonian rheology deforming at room temperatures. The salts of the Hormuz and Namakdan diapirs are expected to exhibit a broader range of grain size, which matches the limited existing data.
Evaluation of a mechanistic lactation model using cow, goat and sheep data
Authors: DIJKSTRA J. , LOPEZ S. , BANNINK A. , DHANOA M. S. , KEBREAB E. , ODONGO N. E. , FATHI NASRI M. H. , BEHERA U. K. , HERNANDEZ-FERRER D. , FRANCE J.
Published: January 2010

A mechanistic lactation model, based on a theory of mammary cell proliferation and cell death, was studied and compared to the equation of Wood (1967). Lactation curves of British Holstein Friesian cows (176 curves), Spanish Churra sheep (40 curves) and Spanish Murciano–Granadina goats (30 curves) were used for model evaluation. Both models were fitted in their original form using non-linear least squares estimation. The parameters were compared among species and among parity groups within species.

In general, both models provided highly significant fits to lactation data and described the data accurately. The mechanistic model performed well against Wood's 1967 equation (hereafter referred to as Wood's equation), resulting in smaller residual mean square values in more than two-thirds of the datasets investigated, and producing parameter estimates that allowed appropriate comparisons and noticeable trends attributed to shape. Using Akaike or Bayesian information criteria, goodness-of-fit with the mechanistic model was superior to that with Wood's equation for the cow lactation curves, with no significant differences between models when fitted to goat or sheep lactation curves. The rate parameters of the mechanistic model, representing specific proliferation rate of mammary secretory cells at parturition, decay associated with reduction in cell proliferation capacity with time and specific death rate of mammary secretory cells, were smaller for primiparous than for multiparous cows. Greater lactation persistency of cows compared to goats and sheep, and decrease in persistency with parity, were shown to be represented by different values of the specific secretory cell death rate parameter in the mechanistic model. The plausible biological interpretation and fitting properties of the mechanistic model enable it to be used in complex models of whole-cow digestion and metabolism and as a tool in selection programmes and by dairy producers for management decisions.
Radial boundary layer structure and Nusselt number in Rayleigh–Bénard convection
Authors: STEVENS RICHARD J. A. M. , VERZICCO ROBERTO , LOHSE DETLEF
Published: January 2010

Results from direct numerical simulation (DNS) for three-dimensional Rayleigh–Bénard convection in a cylindrical cell of aspect ratio 1/2 and Prandtl number Pr=0.7 are presented. They span five decades of Rayleigh number Ra from 2 × 106 to 2 × 1011. The results are in good agreement with the experimental data of Niemela et al. (Nature, vol. 404, 2000, p. 837). Previous DNS results from Amati et al. (Phys. Fluids, vol. 17, 2005, paper no. 121701) showed a heat transfer that was up to 30% higher than the experimental values. The simulations presented in this paper are performed with a much higher resolution to properly resolve the plume dynamics. We find that in under-resolved simulations the hot (cold) plumes travel further from the bottom (top) plate than in the better-resolved ones, because of insufficient thermal dissipation mainly close to the sidewall (where the grid cells are largest), and therefore the Nusselt number in under-resolved simulations is overestimated. Furthermore, we compare the best resolved thermal boundary layer profile with the Prandtl–Blasius profile. We find that the boundary layer profile is closer to the Prandtl–Blasius profile at the cylinder axis than close to the sidewall, because of rising plumes close to the sidewall.
Oblique sub- and super-harmonic Bragg resonance of surface waves by bottom ripples
Authors: ALAM MOHAMMAD-REZA , LIU YUMING , YUE DICK K. P.
Published: January 2010

We consider a class of higher order (quartet) Bragg resonance involving two incident wave components and a bottom ripple component (so called class III Bragg resonance). In this case, unlike class I/II Bragg resonance involving a single incident wave and one/two bottom ripple components, the frequency of the resonant wave, which can be reflected or transmitted, is a sum or difference of the incident wave frequencies. In addition to transferring energy across the spectrum leading to potentially significant spectral transformation, such resonances may generate long (infragravity) waves of special importance to coastal processes and engineering applications. Of particular interest here is the case where the incident waves are oblique to the bottom undulations (or to each other) which leads to new and unexpected wave configurations. We elucidate the general conditions for such resonances, offering a simple geometric construction for obtaining these. Perturbation analysis results are obtained for these resonances predicting the evolutions of the resonant and incident wave amplitudes. We investigate special cases using numerical simulations (applying a high-order spectral method) and compare the results to perturbation theory: infragravity wave generation by co- and counter-propagating incident waves normal to bottom undulations; longshore long waves generated by (bottom) oblique incident waves; and propagating–standing resonant waves due to (bottom) parallel incident waves. Finally, we consider a case of multiple resonance due to oblique incident waves on bottom ripples which leads to complex wave creation and transformations not easily tractable with perturbation theory. These new wave resonance mechanisms can be of potential importance on continental shelves and in littoral zones, contributing to wave spectral evolution and bottom processes such as sandbar formation.
Molecular evidence confirms thatProctoeces humboldtiandProctoeces chilensis(Digenea: Fellodistomidae) are the same species
Authors: Valdivia I.M. , Cardenas L. , Gonzalez K. , Jofré D. , George-Nascimento M. , Guiñez R. , Oliva M.E.
Published: January 2010

Two species ofProctoecesOdhner, 1911 have been described in marine organisms from Chile:P. humboldtiGeorge-Nascimento & Quiroga (1983), parasitizing the gonads of keyhole limpets (Fissurellaspp.), andP. chilensisOliva (1984), an intestinal parasite ofSicyases sanguineus(Teleostei); both species were subsequently considered asP. lintoniSiddiqi & Cable (1960). To assist in the resolution of the taxonomic identification ofProctoecesspecies in marine organisms from Chile, phylogenetic studies using DNA sequences from the V4 region of the SSU rRNA gene were performed. Several specimens ofP. lintoniwere isolated from keyhole limpets (Fissurellaspp.) and clingfish (S. sanguineus) from Bahia San Jorge (23°40′S) and Bahia Concepción (36°50′S). Phylogenetic analyses were conducted using three different approaches: a neighbour-joining (NJ), a maximum likelihood (ML) and Bayesian inference (BI). The phylogenetic analysis confirms that specimens ofProctoecesobtained from keyhole limpets and those specimens from the clingfish are in fact the same species. We prefer to consider our specimens asProctoecescf.lintoni, as the morphology ofProctoecesappears to be of doubtful value and genetic information aboutP. lintoniSiddiqi & Cable (1960) is not available. In addition, our results strongly suggest that there are at least three species in this genus.
The electrical effects of micrometeoroids entering the terrestrial atmosphere at different speeds
Authors: MENDIS D. A. , MARAVILLA D.
Published: January 2010

Micrometeoroids entering the terrestrial atmosphere lead to two important related electrical effects. One is the electrification of the upper atmosphere along their paths and the other is the electrical charging of the micrometeoroids themselves. In this brief note we will emphasize the central role of the initial encounter speed of the incoming micrometeoroid, showing how it changes the altitude profiles of electron production and electrical charging, not just quantitatively but also qualitatively. We will discuss the underlying reasons for this, as well as their importance in meteor studies.
Effects of vortex-like (trapped) electron distribution on non-linear dust-acoustic waves with positive dust charge fluctuation
Authors: AMIN M. R. , PAUL SANJIT K. , MANDAL GURUDAS , MAMUN A. A.
Published: January 2010

The nonlinear propagation of dust-acoustic (DA) waves in a dusty plasma consisting of Boltzmann-distributed ions, vortex-like distributed electrons and mobile charge fluctuating positive dust has been investigated by employing the reductive perturbation method. The effects of dust grain charge fluctuation and the vortex-like electron distribution are found to modify the properties of the DA solitary waves significantly. The implications of these results for some space and astrophysical dusty plasma systems are briefly mentioned.
Avinash–Shukla mass limit for the maximum dust mass supported against gravity by electric fields
Authors: AVINASH K.
Published: January 2010

The existence of a new class of astrophysical objects, where gravity is balanced by the shielded electric fields associated with the electric charge on the dust, is shown. Further, a mass limit MA for the maximum dust mass that can be supported against gravitational collapse by these fields is obtained. If the total mass of the dust in the interstellar cloud MD > MA, the dust collapses, while if MD < MA, stable equilibrium may be achieved. Heuristic arguments are given to show that the physics of the mass limit is similar to the Chandrasekar's mass limit for compact objects and the similarity of these dust configurations with neutron and white dwarfs is pointed out. The effect of grain size distribution on the mass limit and strong correlation effects in the core of such objects is discussed. Possible location of these dust configurations inside interstellar clouds is pointed out.
Parameter self-adaptation in biped navigation employing nonuniform randomized footstep planner
Authors: Xia Zeyang , Xiong Jing , Chen Ken
Published: January 2010

In our previous work, a random-sampling-based footstep planner has been proposed for global biped navigation. Goal-probability threshold (GPT) is the key parameter that controls the convergence rate of the goal-biased nonuniform sampling in the planner. In this paper, an approach to optimized GPT adaptation is explained by a benchmarking planning problem. We first construct a benchmarking model, in which the biped navigation problem is described in selected parameters, to study the relationship between these parameters and the optimized GPT. Then, a back-propagation (BP) neural network is employed to fit this relationship. With a trained BP neural network modular, the optimized GPT can be automatically generated according to the specifications of a planning problem. Compared with previous methods of manual and empirical tuning of GPT for individual planning problems, the proposed approach is self-adaptive. Numerical experiments verified the performance of the proposed approach and furthermore showed that planning with BP-generated GPTs is more stable. Besides the implementation in specific parameterized environments studied in this paper, we attempt to provide the frame of the proposed approach as a reference for footstep planning in other environments.
A comparison study of two planar 2-DOF parallel mechanisms: one with 2-RRR and the other with 3-RRR structures
Authors: Wu Jun , Wang Jinsong , Wang Liping
Published: January 2010

This paper deals with a comparative study of two planar two degrees of freedom parallel mechanisms: one with 2-RRR and the other with 3-RRR structures. For a fair comparison, both 3-RRR and 2-RRR mechanisms are symmetrical. The kinematics and Jacobian matrix of the two mechanisms are studied. Conditioning index, stiffness index and payload index are proposed to compare the condition, stiffness and payload performance of the two mechanisms. The results show that the 2-RRR and 3-RRR mechanisms have the similar condition performance, and the planar 3-RRR mechanism has better payload and stiffness performance than the 2-RRR one.
The space of ideals in the minimal tensor product of C*-algebras
Authors: LAZAR ALDO J.
Published: January 2010

For C*-algebras A1, A2 the map (I1, I2) → ker(qI1 ⊗ qI2) from Id′(A1) × Id′(A2) into Id′(A1 ⊗minA2) is a homeomorphism onto its image which is dense in the range. Here, for a C*-algebra A, the space of all proper closed two sided ideals endowed with an adequate topology is denoted Id′(A) and qI is the quotient map of A onto A/I. This result is used to show that any continuous function on Prim(A1) × Prim(A2) with values into a T1 topological space can be extended to Prim(A1 ⊗minA2). This enlarges the scope of [7, corollary 3·5] that dealt only with scalar valued functions. A new proof for a result of Archbold [3] about the space of minimal primal ideals of A1 ⊗minA2 is obtained also by using the homeomorphism mentioned above. New proofs of the equivalence of the property (F) of Tomiyama for A1 ⊗minA2 with certain other properties are presented.
Immunohistochemical localisation of a galectin fromBufo arenarumovary
Authors: Elola María T. , Cabada Marcelo O. , Barisone Gustavo A. , Fink Nilda E.
Published: January 2010

Galectins are a group of soluble animal lectins that exhibit specificity for β-galactosides and conserve sequence homology in the carbohydrate-recognition domain. The galectin fromBufo arenarumovary showed a strong cross-reaction with the lectin of 14.5 kDa purified from embryos at early blastula stage. In this paper, we studied the immunohistochemical localisation of the galectin of 14.5 kDa from ovary of the toadB. arenarumin adult ovary sections. We also analysed the immunohistochemical localisation of the embryonic lectin during early development using the antiserum anti-ovary galectin. In the ovary, oocytes in the previtellogenic stage showed strong reactivity in the nucleus and the cortex but not in the cytoplasm. Oocytes in the stage of primary vitellogenesis exhibited a similar pattern in the nuclear and cortical areas but showed immunostaining in the cytoplasm. Intense nuclear staining was detected in oocytes in the stage of late vitellogenesis and in mature oocytes, which also presented strong reactions in the yolk platelets that completely covered the cytoplasm. In blastula embryos the staining was found in the blastomeres, the yolk platelets and the blastocoele. Each lectin localisation is discussed in relation to potential biological roles in the corresponding tissues.
Combined immunocytogenetic and molecular cytogenetic analysis of meiosis I oocytes from normal human females
Authors: Barlow A.L. , Hultén M.A.
Published: January 2010

The microspread oocytes of three fetuses, two of 16 weeks gestation and one of 15 weeks gestation, were labelled with a combination of anti-lateral element antiserum and a human centromere labelling auto-immune serum. The anti-lateral element serum was found to label both asynapsed axial elements and synapsed lateral elements strongly. Nuclei were found from leptotene to diplotene in all three fetuses. The use of the human auto-immune serum led to the observation of ‘staggered centromeres’ and ‘centromeric associations’ as well as tightly clustered centromeres in ‘stellar nuclei’. Nuclei displaying various aberrant features were detected. The use of antibody-labelled microspread oocytes as substrates for fluorescencein situhybridisation (FISH) was found to be reliably successful only with repetitive (centromeric and telomeric) probes.
Decondensation of the mouse sperm nucleus within the interphase nucleus
Authors: Maeda Yasutaka , Yanagimachi Hiroko , Tateno Hiroyuki , Usui Noriko , Yanagimachi R.
Published: January 2010

Sperm nuclei incorporated into the cytoplasm (ooplasm) of fertilised mouse eggs at the pronuclear stage remain condensed, whereas those injected into male or female pronuclei decondense. Similarly, sperm nuclei injected into germinal vesicles of immature oocytes or the nuclei of 2-cell embryos decondense, while those entering the cytoplasm of these oocytes / embryos do not. These facts seem to suggest that factors necessary for the decondensation of sperm nucleus are present in interphase nuclei and are released into the ooplasm during nuclear envelope breakdown. Nucleoplasmin, which is synthesised in the cytoplasm and accumulated within the nucleus, is likely a major candidate for these factors.
Data Collection and Collaboration
Authors: McDermott Rose
Published: January 2010

During a recent meeting of the APSA Committee on Publications, headed by Lisa Martin, we discussed a proposal that had been put forward to encourage authors to deposit their data in a central repository to provide more centralized access for others seeking to replicate or extend prior work. Such a strategy should ostensibly make it easier for methodological, theoretical, and empirical work to flourish and cumulate.
Undergraduate Research-Methods Training in Political Science: A Comparative Perspective
Authors: Parker Jonathan
Published: January 2010

Unlike other disciplines in the social sciences, there has been relatively little attention paid to the structure of the undergraduate political science curriculum. This article reports the results of a representative survey of 200 political science programs in the United States, examining requirements for quantitative methods, research methods, and research projects. The article then compares the results for the United States with a survey of all political science programs in Australia, Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. The results suggest (1) that the state of undergraduate methods instruction is much weaker in the United States than indicated in previous research, (2) this pattern is repeated in other countries that emphasize broad and flexible liberal arts degrees, and finally (3) this pattern of weak methods requirements is not found in more centralized, European higher education system that emphasize depth over breadth. These countries demonstrate a consistent commitment to undergraduate training in research methods that is followed up with requirements for students to practice hands-on research. The model of weak methods requirements in the discipline is not the norm internationally, but differs depending upon the type of higher education system.
Using Intrade.com to Teach Campaign Strategies in the 2008 U.S. Presidential Election
Authors: Abramson Paul R.
Published: January 2010

During the six weeks before the 2008 elections, I conducted a contest for the 72 students enrolled in my upper-division course Campaigns and Elections. Using contract prices posted by Intrade.com, an electronic gaming market based in Dublin, I asked students to choose among 10 political outcomes. The “contracts” earned by each choice were determined by the Intrade “bid” prices as of September 24, 2008, the day the contest began. The contest helped teach students about campaign strategies, the way electoral rules affect electoral outcomes, provided a reference point to discuss the campaign, and was designed to stimulate interest in the election.
Qualitative Data Archiving: Rewards and Challenges
Authors: Elman Colin , Kapiszewski Diana , Vinuela Lorena
Published: January 2010

Political science has witnessed a renaissance in qualitative research methods (Bennett and Elman 2006). Over the last 15 years, the canon has been reworked to systematize and expand the repertoire of qualitative methods, ground them more firmly in contemporary philosophy of science, and illuminate their strengths relative to quantitative and formal methods (Bennett and Elman 2007). A rapidly expanding body of political science research now employs qualitative and multi-method analysis, and institutions dedicated to qualitative and multi-method research have flourished.
Active Citation: A Precondition for Replicable Qualitative Research
Authors: Moravcsik Andrew
Published: January 2010

Qualitative research dominates political science. In the field of international relations (IR), for example, about 70% of scholars primarily employ qualitative methods, compared to 21% favoring formal or quantitative analysis (Jordan et al. 2009). Since nearly all of the latter make secondary use of textual and historical methods, overall over 90% of IR scholars employ qualitative analysis, whereas 48% use any statistical and only 12% any formal methods. This understates the dominance of qualitative analysis, for many statistical data sets rest ultimately on historical work, and IR scholars, when polled, report that qualitative case studies are more relevant for policy than quantitative or formal work. Hardly any major IR debate—whether that over the end of the cold war, American unipolarity, Chinese foreign policy, the nature of European integration, compliance with international law, democratic peace, the causes of war, or the impact of human rights norms—remains untouched by important qualitative contributions.
FREDERICK MARSHALL WIRT
Authors: Carmen Ira H.
Published: January 2010

Fred Wirt—a leading scholar of American politics for 30 years and a pillar of integrity in the University of Illinois' department of political science over that same span of time—died on August 21, 2009, in Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, at the age of 85.
High frequency of vitamin B12 deficiency in a Brazilian population
Authors: Xavier JM , Costa FF , Annichino-Bizzacchi JM , Saad STO
Published: January 2010

Objective

There are few studies regarding vitamin B12 deficiency in developing countries. In Brazil, a late diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency progressing to severe neurological damage is common. Thus, the aim of the present study was to verify the frequency of vitamin B12 deficiency in two Brazilian populations (elderly and adult participants) and to compare different methods of vitamin B12 deficiency detection.

Design

Five hundred participants were recruited from health centres from south-east Brazil and were separated into two groups: 60 years old or more and 30–59 years old. Vitamin B12 and folate concentrations were measured using electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECI) and RIA. Methylmalonic acid (MMA) was measured by LC coupled to tandem MS. Full blood counts were acquired using standard methods.

Results

All participants had normal blood count results and mean cell volume less than 99 fl; none of them presented folate deficiency according to the results, which were all greater than 3 ng/ml. Cobalamin levels less than 200 pmol/l were identified by one of the two or by both methods in 7·2 % of the participants aged 60 years or more and 6·4 % of the participants aged 30–59 years. MMA levels were higher in older subjects (P = 0·007) compared with younger subjects. A greater correlation of MMA v. RIA was observed than of MMA v. ECI (P = 0·0017 v. P = 0·014). MMA quantification estimated that cobalamin deficiency was present in more than 11 % of the subjects for both studied groups.

Conclusions

The study shows that vitamin B12 deficiency is frequent in Brazilian adults and suggests that RIA is more sensitive than ECl for measuring cobalamin levels.
Soft drink consumption and mental health problems among adults in Australia
Authors: Shi Zumin , Taylor Anne W , Wittert Gary , Goldney Robert , Gill Tiffany K
Published: January 2010

Objective

To examine the association between soft drink consumption and mental health problems, including self-reported doctor-diagnosed anxiety, stress-related problem and depression, suicidal ideation and psychological distress, among adults in South Australia.

Design

Data were collected using a risk factor surveillance system. Each month a representative random sample of South Australians was selected from the Electronic White Pages with interviews conducted using computer-assisted telephone interviewing.

Setting

South Australia.

Subjects

Participants were aged 16 years and above.

Results

Among 4741 participants, 12·5 % reported daily soft drink consumption of more than half a litre. High levels of soft drink consumption were positively associated with depression, stress-related problem, suicidal ideation, psychological distress and a current mental health condition, but not anxiety. Overall, 24·0 % of those having suicidal ideation reported consuming more than half a litre of soft drink per day. In the multivariate analysis, after adjusting for sociodemographic and lifestyle factors, those who consumed more than half a litre of soft drink per day had approximately 60 % greater risk of having depression, stress-related problem, suicidal ideation, psychological distress or a current mental health condition, compared with those not consuming soft drinks. The soft drink to total fluid consumption ratio had similar associations with mental health problems.

Conclusions

There is a positive association between consumption of soft drinks and mental health problems among adults in South Australia.
Food insufficiency among HIV-infected crack-cocaine users in Atlanta and Miami
Authors: Vogenthaler Nicholas S , Hadley Craig , Lewis Sarah J , Rodriguez Allan E , Metsch Lisa R , del Rio Carlos
Published: January 2010

Objective

To measure the occurrence and correlates of food insufficiency among HIV-infected crack-cocaine users in Atlanta and Miami, USA.

Design

Non-probability cross-sectional sample.

Setting

Inner-city hospitals in Atlanta and Miami.

Subjects

Two hundred and eighty-seven HIV-infected crack users.

Results

One-third (34 %) of respondents experienced food insufficiency within 30 d of interview. Increased odds of food insufficiency was associated with current homelessness (adjusted OR = 3·78, 95 % CI 1·70, 8·41), living alone (adjusted OR = 2·85, 95 % CI 1·36, 5·98), religious service attendance (adjusted OR = 2·34, 95 % CI 1·02, 5·38) and presence of health insurance (adjusted OR = 2·41, 95 % CI 1·06, 5·54). Monthly income greater than $US 600 (adjusted OR = 0·19, 95 % CI 0·06, 0·58) was associated with decreased odds of food insufficiency, and less than weekly crack use was marginally associated with decreased odds of food insufficiency (adjusted OR = 0·39, 95 % CI 0·13, 1·08).

Conclusions

Food insufficiency is very prevalent among HIV-infected urban crack-cocaine users in Atlanta and Miami. Correlates of food insufficiency confirm the social vulnerability of these individuals. Routine assessment for food insecurity should become a routine component of treatment and prevention programmes in at-risk populations.
Livestock pathology in the central African region: some epidemiological considerations and control strategies
Authors: Awa Daniel Ndzingu , Achukwi Mbunkah Daniel
Published: January 2010

Disease consistently features among the major constraints of livestock production in the central African region, orchestrating important economic losses. This article reviews livestock diseases of economic importance, including foot-and-mouth disease, trypanosomosis and dermatophilosis in cattle, peste des petits ruminants and gastrointestinal helminthosis in sheep and goats, and Newcastle disease in poultry. Some aspects of epidemiology such as pathogen identification, prevalence and risk factors are examined in the light of research findings in the region. Control tools such as vaccines, chemotherapeutic or prophylactic agents, and protocols developed for their efficient use are also reviewed. Constraints to the effective use of these tools have been identified as mostly due to institutional insufficiencies and measures for improvement have been proposed. These include the promotion of private professional veterinary services endowed with greater responsibility in animal health care, creation and promotion of community-based animal health care units in areas of marginal professional coverage, and adoption of a regional approach to the control of diseases of economic importance.
Fleeing war and relocating to the urban fringe – issues and actors: the cases of Khartoum and Bogotá
Authors: de Geoffroy Agnès
Published: January 2010

This article presents the findings of a long-term study of the circumstances of displaced persons in Khartoum and Bogotá. It explores the similarities and differences between these contexts and how they have evolved. The study shows that while the two situations raise fairly similar issues, the policy decisions taken differ widely, impacting on how various actors cope with the phenomenon.
Internal displacement in Colombia: humanitarian, economic and social consequences in urban settings and current challenges
Authors: Carrillo Angela Consuelo
Published: January 2010

This article provides an overview of internal displacement and the internally displaced person (IDP) assistance system in Colombia. It analyses the humanitarian consequences faced by IDPs when they move to an urban environment, and examines the impact of the influx of IDPs into cities on the different actors involved, such as the government, national and international organizations and host communities.
Interplanetary magnetic field–geomagnetic field coupling and vertical variance index
Authors: Abraham A. , Renuka G. , Cherian L.
Published: January 2010

The solar wind impacting at the geomagnetopause contains transient variations in the embedded interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). These disturbances are mirrored in the horizontal geomagnetic field measured at the Huancayo and Ascension Island stations. This investigation attempts to relate the microtemporal fluctuations in the IMF with the horizontal component of the geomagnetic field by means of a newly developed daily vertical variance index, which permits the quantification of such pulsations. A linear relationship is established between the disturbances observed in the interplanetary and terrestrial fields on a daily basis.
Dayside ionospheric response to recurrent geomagnetic activity during the extreme solar minimum of 2008
Authors: Tulasi Ram S. , Lei J. , Su S.‐Y. , Liu C. H. , Lin C. H. , Chen W. S.
Published: January 2010

Global observations of electron density profiles from the COSMIC satellites are used to investigate, for the first time, the altitudinal dependence of the ionospheric response to the recurrent geomagnetic activity at different latitudinal regions during the extreme solar minimum period of 2008. Our results show that the 9‐day oscillations in NmF2 are out of phase with those in Kp at high latitudes, whereas they are in phase at low‐middle latitudes. This is consistent with changes in neutral composition associated with the recurrent geomagnetic activity. Meanwhile, the 9‐day perturbations in the hmF2 and the thickness parameter (HT) exhibit good correspondence with the perturbations in Kp from pole to pole, suggesting that the ionospheric response is global and undergoes periodic expansion/contraction. Further, the ionospheric response to the recurrent geomagnetic activity strongly depends on altitude. The density perturbations are generally in phase with Kp above the F2 peak, while they are out of phase around the F2 peak at high latitudes. These changes in electron density at different altitudes are explained by different physical processes, such as photoionization‐chemistry, particle precipitation, and dynamic and diffusion transport.
Wet Chemistry experiments on the 2007 Phoenix Mars Scout Lander mission: Data analysis and results
Authors: Kounaves S. P. , Hecht M. H. , Kapit J. , Gospodinova K. , DeFlores L. , Quinn R. C. , Boynton W. V. , Clark B. C. , Catling D. C. , Hredzak P. , Ming D. W. , Moore Q. , Shusterman J. , Stroble S. , West S. J. , Young S. M. M.
Published: January 2010

Chemical analyses of three Martian soil samples were performed using the Wet Chemistry Laboratories on the 2007 Phoenix Mars Scout Lander. One soil sample was obtained from the top ∼2 cm (Rosy Red) and two were obtained at ∼5 cm depth from the ice table interface (Sorceress 1 and Sorceress 2). When mixed with water in a ∼1:25 soil to solution ratio (by volume), a portion of the soil components solvated. Ion concentrations were measured using an array of ion selective electrodes and solution conductivity using a conductivity cell. The measured concentrations represent the minimum leachable ions in the soil and do not take into account species remaining in the soil. Described is the data processing and analysis for determining concentrations of seven ionic species directly measured in the soil/solution mixture. There were no significant differences in concentrations, pH, or conductivity, between the three samples. Using laboratory experiments, refinement of the surface calibrations, and modeling, we have determined a pH for the soil solution of 7.7(±0.3), under prevalent conditions, carbonate buffering, and PCO2 in the cell headspace. Perchlorate was the dominant anion in solution with a concentration for Rosy Red of 2.7(±1) mM. Equilibrium modeling indicates that measured [Ca2+] at 0.56(±0.5) mM and [Mg2+] at 2.9(±1.5) mM, are consistent with carbonate equilibrium for a saturated solution. The [Na+] and [K+] were 1.4(±0.6), and 0.36(±0.3) mM, respectively. Results indicate that the leached portion of soils at the Phoenix landing site are slightly alkaline and dominated by carbonate and perchlorate. However, it should be noted that there is a 5–15 mM discrepancy between measured ions and conductivity and another species may be present.