bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Elimination of the Djodji form of the blackfly Simulium sanctipauli sensu stricto as a result of larviciding by the WHO Onchocerciasis Control Programme in West Africa
Authors: CHEKE R. A. , FIASORGBOR G. K. , WALSH J. F. , YAMEOGO L.
Published: May 2008

Abstract Cytotaxonomic identifications of larvae of members of the Simulium damnosum Theobald (Diptera: Simuliidae) complex collected in forest zones of southeast Ghana and southwest Togo between 1977 and 1996 showed that the Djodji form of Simulium sanctipauli Vajime & Dunbar, a vector of onchocerciasis, was eliminated in 1988 by larvicide operations conducted by the World Health Organization (WHO) Onchocerciasis Control Programme (OCP) in West Africa. No members of the form were identified amongst 997 larvae collected up to 8 years after systematic control operations began in February 1988. The results are discussed in relation to estimates of the numbers of samples required to certify elimination and the possibility that other members of the S. damnosum complex were also eliminated by the OCP.
Population analysis using the nuclear white gene detects Pliocene/Pleistocene lineage divergence within Anopheles nuneztovari in South America
Authors: MIRABELLO L. , CONN J. E.
Published: May 2008

Abstract Anopheles (Nyssorhynchus) nuneztovari Gabaldón (Diptera: Culicidae), a locally important malaria vector in some regions of South America, has been hypothesized to consist of at least two cryptic incipient species. We investigated its phylogeographic structure in several South American localities to determine the number of lineages and levels of divergence using the nuclear white gene, a marker that detected two recently diverged genotypes in the primary Neotropical malaria vector Anopheles darlingi Root. In An. nuneztovari, five distinct lineages (1–5) were elucidated: (1) populations from northeastern and central Amazonia; (2) populations from Venezuela east and west of the Andes; (3) populations from Colombia and Venezuela west of the Andes; (4) southeastern and western Amazonian Brazil populations, and (5) southeastern and western Amazonian Brazil and Bolivian populations. There was a large amount of genetic differentiation among these lineages. The deepest and earliest divergence was found between lineage 3 and lineages 1, 2 and 4, which probably accounts for the detection of lineage 3 in some earlier studies. The multiple lineages within Amazonia are partially congruent with previous mtDNA and ITS2 data, but were undetected in many earlier studies, probably because of their recent (Pleistocene) divergence and the differential mutation rates of the markers. The estimates for the five lineages, interpreted as recently evolved or incipient species, date to the Pleistocene and Pliocene. We hypothesize that the diversification in An. nuneztovari is the result of an interaction between the Miocene/Pliocene marine incursion and Pleistocene climatic changes leading to refugial isolation. The identification of cryptic lineages in An. nuneztovari could have a significant impact on local vector control measures.
Soil Conservation Tillage Effects on Yield and Water Use Efficiency on Irrigated Crops in Central Italy
Authors: Casa R. , Lo Cascio B.
Published: May 2008

Despite possible agronomic and environmental benefits, the diffusion of soil conservation tillage systems in Italy is currently rather low. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of different soil tillage techniques, in an effort to identify suitable soil management options for irrigated crops in Central Italy. An experiment was carried out on maize and soybean from April to October in two consecutive years (1993 and 1994) in Maccarese (a coastal location near Rome). The systems compared were: conventional mouldboard ploughing (CT), minimum tillage, ridge tillage and no‐tillage (NT). In 1993, actual crop evapotranspiration was measured throughout the growing season on NT and CT soybean, using a micrometeorological technique.

No significant differences due to soil tillage were found for grain yield and yield irrigation water use efficiency (IWUEy), except for soybean in 1994, in which yields and IWUEy were 59 % higher on conservation tillage treatments compared with CT. In 1994 soybean yield water use efficiency was 10.1 and 9.5 kg ha−1 mm−1 for NT and CT respectively. The results suggest that the adoption of soil conservation tillage is feasible, for the specific cropping system, with equivalent or better performances as conventional tillage.
Cerebellopontine angle neurenteric cyst with focal malignant features
Authors: Wang Wei , Piao Yue‐Shan , Gui Qiu‐Ping , Zhang Xing‐Hu , Lu De‐Hong
Published: May 2008

Neurenteric cysts are uncommon cystic lesions lined by endodermal‐derived epithelium, which are rarely found in the CNS, especially in the intracranial region. Although recurrences and disseminations of these cysts have been reported, only one case of intracranial malignant transformation has previously been described. Here we report a cerebellopontine angle neurenteric cyst in a 26‐year‐old woman. The cyst wall was lined by columnar epithelium with atypical nuclei and high MIB‐1 index. In addition, stromal invasion was found in the subepithelial areas, which shows malignant features. Dissemination was speculated on MRI 6 months after total excision of the original cyst.
Extended resection of primary lung cancer directly invading the liver
Authors: IWATA Takashi , INOUE Kiyotoshi , MIZUGUCHI Shinjiro , MORITA Ryuhei , TSUKIOKA Takuma , TANAKA Hiromu , SUEHIRO Shigefumi
Published: May 2008

Abstract:  A 61‐year‐old woman presented with chest pain. Chest CT revealed a mass of 6 cm diameter in the right lower lobe. Bronchoscopic biopsy showed squamous cell carcinoma. Video‐assisted thoracotomy revealed that the main tumour was directly invading the liver through the diaphragm. To alleviate local symptoms and for possible cure with adjuvant chemotherapy and radiotherapy, standard right lower lobectomy and mediastinal dissection were carried out, followed by combined resection of the diaphragm and posterior superior segmentectomy of the liver. Eleven months postoperatively, the patient was alive but had a metastatic lesion in the other lobe of the liver which reduced in size following chemotherapy.
Ethnic and socioeconomic inequalities in lung cancer in a New Zealand population
Authors: SUTHERLAND Tim J.T. , AITKEN Denise
Published: May 2008

Background and objective:  In New Zealand, lung cancer is the commonest cause of cancer death in men and is projected to become the commonest cause in women by 2011. Rates of survival from lung cancer are among the lowest in the developed world. There are discrepancies between health outcomes according to patients' ethnicity and socioeconomic status in many diseases. This study determined the incidence of lung cancer, duration of survival and treatment according to ethnicity and socioeconomic status in a health district in New Zealand.

Methods:  A retrospective review was conducted of patients diagnosed with lung cancer in the period 1997–1999. Data were collected on ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status and cancer stage at diagnosis. Treatment and 5‐year survival were recorded.

Results:  A total of 102 eligible patients were identified. Māori had 3–4 times the incidence of lung cancer compared with New Zealand Europeans and patients from the more socially deprived areas had nearly double the incidence. More than one half of the patients presented with widespread disease, with a disproportionate number of these being from Māori and socially deprived groups. Only 9.8% of cases were considered to be potentially curative. Survival at 1 year was 24% and at 5 years, 6%. No Māori were alive at 5 years.

Conclusions:  Lung cancer disproportionately affects Māori and socially disadvantaged persons in New Zealand society. Survival at 5 years is low, especially in these groups.
Assimilation of methane and inorganic carbon by microbial communities mediating the anaerobic oxidation of methane
Authors: Wegener Gunter , Niemann Helge , Elvert Marcus , Hinrichs Kai‐Uwe , Boetius Antje
Published: May 2008

The anaerobic oxidation of methane (AOM) is a major sink for methane on Earth and is performed by consortia of methanotrophic archaea (ANME) and sulfate‐reducing bacteria (SRB). Here we present a comparative study using in vitro stable isotope probing to examine methane and carbon dioxide assimilation into microbial biomass. Three sediment types comprising different methane‐oxidizing communities (ANME‐1 and ‐2 mixture from the Black Sea, ANME‐2a from Hydrate Ridge and ANME‐2c from the Gullfaks oil field) were incubated in replicate flow‐through systems with methane‐enriched anaerobic seawater medium for 5–6 months amended with either 13CH4 or H13CO3‐. In all three sediment types methane was anaerobically oxidized in a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio compared with sulfate reduction. Similar amounts of 13CH4 or 13CO2 were assimilated into characteristic archaeal lipids, indicating a direct assimilation of both carbon sources into ANME biomass. Specific bacterial fatty acids assigned to the partner SRB were almost exclusively labelled by 13CO2, but only in the presence of methane as energy source and not during control incubations without methane. This indicates an autotrophic growth of the ANME‐associated SRB and supports previous hypotheses of an electron shuttle between the consortium partners. Carbon assimilation efficiencies of the methanotrophic consortia were low, with only 0.25–1.3 mol% of the methane oxidized.
Health effects of relocation following disaster: a systematic review of the literature
Authors: Uscher‐Pines Lori
Published: May 2008

This paper reviews the literature on the effects of post‐disaster relocation on physical and mental heath, and develops a conceptual framework to guide future research. Forty articles were selected for full‐text review and incorporation into the conceptual framework. Twenty‐four articles were reviewed for results and methodology. These overwhelmingly tracked mental health outcomes. Only four (16 per cent) focused on physical health. Eight of ten showed an association between relocation and psychological morbidity. Certain outcomes (such as mortality, injury and cardiovascular disease risk factors) revealed inconsistent results, but these were rarely studied. Despite the frequency of post‐disaster relocation and evidence of its effect on psychological morbidity, there is a relative paucity of studies; the few examples in the literature reveal weak study designs, inconsistent results, and inattention to physical health impacts and the challenges facing vulnerable populations. Further research guided by theory is needed to inform emergency preparedness and recovery policy.
Vulnerability of community businesses to environmental disasters
Authors: Zhang Yang , Lindell Michael K. , Prater Carla S.
Published: May 2008

Business plays important roles in community functioning.2 However, disaster research has been disproportionately focused on units of analysis such as families, households and government agencies. This paper synthesises the major findings within the business development research field and the disaster research field. It constructs a framework for evaluating business vulnerability to natural disasters. Our theoretical integration of the research conducted to date addresses five major issues. First, it defines the ways in which businesses are subject to the impacts of natural disasters. Second, it identifies the factors that determine the magnitude of business impacts after a disaster. Third, it identifies how and when businesses return to their pre‐disaster level in the disaster stricken community. Fourth, it describes measures that can be taken by individual firms and community planners to reduce the impacts of environmental disasters. Fifth, it identifies needs for public policy and future research to reduce business vulnerability to environmental disasters.
Brand Inertia in U.S. Household Cheese Consumption
Authors: Arnade Carlos , Gopinath Munisamy , Pick Daniel
Published: May 2008

To analyze U.S. consumers' brand choices for cheese purchases, we derive a set of discrete‐choice models from dynamic utility maximization. ACNielsen Homescan Survey data on U.S. households is used to estimate a dynamic probit model for each of the top brands for cheddar, shredded, and sliced cheese in four U.S. regions. We find that households have strong brand inertia, a result robust across alternative specifications. Predicted probabilities confirm greater inertia in the top brands and consumers are more likely to switch into them. Brand inertia is relatively larger in cheddar and sliced cheese especially in the Central and Southeast regions.
Is the Care System Failing Children?
Authors: FORRESTER DONALD
Published: May 2008

Public care is widely perceived to be failing children, and this belief is at the heart of government proposals set out in the Care Matters white paper. This article argues that on the contrary, research tends to find that children's welfare improves while they are in care. The reasons for the negative perception of care are considered and it is argued that care should be seen as a positive option for children in families experiencing severe difficulties and as a form of family support rather than an alternative option. This would move the United Kingdom toward a more European model for the place of care for children in difficult family situations, rather than an American model which focuses on minimizing the use of public care.
Anglican High Churchmen and the Expansion of Empire*
Authors: LE COUTEUR HOWARD
Published: May 2008

Postcolonial history has taken a great deal of interest in the missionary endeavours of the church throughout the Empire, especially the work of Protestant/evangelical mission societies. Apart from attention to organisations like the Universities Mission to Central Africa (UMCA) and to some extent the work of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (SPG), the work of Anglican High Churchmen has sometimes been overlooked.1 In fact, High Churchmen were very concerned about the role of the Church of England in the expanding empire during the mid‐nineteenth century. They were keen to bring the extension of the church under institutional control and to co‐operate with the imperial parliament as closely as possible. The activity of the SPG and the foundation of the Colonial Bishoprics Fund (CBF), which provided clergy, schoolmasters, catechists, and bishops as agents of Anglicanism and Englishness, can be seen as part of this strategy.
To Eliminate Colour Prejudice: The WCTU and Decolonisation in Australia
Authors: HOLLAND ALISON
Published: May 2008

From the mid‐1930s to the mid‐1960s the Woman's Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) in Australia played a key role in the articulation and development of human rights for Aborigines. They provided practical and political support and scaffolding while developing an important ideological base, and they formed alliances across class, gender, race, religious, and political lines to achieve their goal of racial equality. Their activism coincided with the period associated with decolonisation. It has been argued that, in Australia, the end of empire coalesced with the rise of the labour movement in the 1940s. However, this article argues that as a means of understanding WCTU involvement in defending and shaping an Aboriginal rights agenda, the rise of labour is an important but partial explanation. It downplays the role of gender and religion in formulating an ideological position while masking its political implications. Here, I explore the politics of WCTU reform, particularly connections between gender, religion, and race, and trace the Union's defence of Aboriginal human rights in post war Australia.
ESTIMATING SECTORAL RATES OF SURPLUS VALUE: METHODOLOGICAL ISSUES
Authors: Rieu Dong‐Min
Published: May 2008

The ‘New Interpretation’ (NI) argues that Marxian value categories can be measured using price variables through the concept of monetary expression of labour time (MELT). Starting from the central insight of the NI, this paper focuses on the estimation of sectoral rates of surplus value. It will be suggested that the MELT is decomposed into two concepts, ‘value expression of labour time’ and ‘monetary expression of value’. As a result of this theoretically general consideration, the NI will be critically examined.
2007 Presidential Address: Singing and Solidarity
Authors: WARNER R. STEPHEN
Published: May 2008

As the audience entered the hall, a large screen displayed the title of the talk from an overhead projector. On the dais, about three feet above the floor, was a lectern, and next to it an arrangement of eight chairs facing each other in a square formation, two on each side of the square, the sides at a 45 degree angle from the side of the platform. At the appointed time, SSSR past‐president Donald Miller climbed the steps to the lectern to introduce the speaker, Stephen Warner. When he had completed that task, Warner came forward to the lectern and a woman later identified as his wife, Anne Heider, began working the projector. A few minutes into the address, at Warner's cue, she and six others joined him on the dais, taking seats in the arrangement of chairs, from which position, facing each other with Warner standing facing toward them, they sang a song, as described below. When they were finished, they left the dais, and the rest of the address proceeded in a conventional manner. Prior to this singing demonstration, the address itself began as follows.
Severe Underrepresentation of Women in Church Leadership in the Korean Immigrant Community in the United States
Authors: MIN PYONG GAP
Published: May 2008

Women are severely underrepresented in leadership roles and positions in Korean immigrant churches in the United States. Largely based on ethnographic research or casual observations, researchers have pointed to one or another of the following as a central factor in this underrepresentation: (1) the influence of Korean Confucian patriarchal traditions, (2) the conservative theological position of Korean churches, and (3) the practical need of Korean male immigrants to create high‐status positions through ethnic churches. Although these three factors are intertwined and even reinforcing in the empirical world, this article intends to illustrate them empirically and pull them into a more analytic scheme. In particular, this article analyzes: (1) denominational affiliations of churches in South Korea and their official positions on female ordination to ministers and elders; (2) denominational affiliations of Korean immigrant churches in New York and their positions on women ordination; and (3) the proportion of women head pastors in churches in Korea and that of women head pastors in Korean immigrant churches in New York
One‐channel EOG artifact correction: An analytic approach
Authors: Matthäus Lars , Pham Trieu , Croft Rodney J.
Published: May 2008

This article approaches the problem of EOG artifact correction using one EOG channel from a biophysical point of view. It shows that recordings from one EOG channel are sufficient to correct artifacts from one‐dimensional eye movements not exceeding 30°. We prove that the subtraction method “corrected EEG=measured EEG—backward propagation * measured EOG” yields the uncorrupted EEG trace up to scaling despite possible influences of forward propagation. Further, a special calibration paradigm (aligned artifact average, AAA) is investigated, and algorithms are presented to calculate the exact backward propagation. Experimental results from 13 subjects are shown, supporting the theoretical prediction of optimal correction.
Heritability of frontal brain function related to action monitoring
Authors: Anokhin Andrey P. , Golosheykin Simon , Heath Andrew C.
Published: May 2008

Monitoring the correspondence between the intended and actually executed action, a fundamental mechanism of behavioral regulation, is reflected by error‐related negativity (ERN), an ERP component generated by the anterior cingulate cortex. This study examined genetic influences on the ERN and other components related to action monitoring (correct negativity, CRN, and error positivity, Pe). A flanker task was administered to adolescent twins (age 12) including 99 monozygotic (MZ) and 175 dizygotic (DZ) pairs. Genetic analysis showed substantial heritability of all three ERP components (40%–60%) and significant genetic correlations between them. This study provides the first evidence for heritable individual differences in the neural substrates of action monitoring and suggests that ERN, CRN, and Pe can potentially serve as endophenotypes for genetic studies of personality traits and psychopathology associated with abnormal regulation of behavior.
Accumulation of bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate and gangliosides in mouse models of neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis
Authors: Jabs Sabrina , Quitsch Arne , Käkelä Reijo , Koch Bettina , Tyynelä Jaana , Brade Helmut , Glatzel Markus , Walkley Steven , Saftig Paul , Vanier Marie T. , Braulke Thomas
Published: May 2008

The neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses comprise a group of inherited severe neurodegenerative lysosomal disorders characterized by lysosomal dysfunction and massive accumulation of fluorescent lipopigments and aggregated proteins. To examine the role of lipids in neurodegenerative processes of these diseases, we analysed phospho‐ and glycolipids in the brains of ctsd−/− and nclf mice, disease models of cathepsin D and CLN6 deficiency, respectively. Both ctsd−/− and nclf mice exhibited increased levels of GM2 and GM3 gangliosides. Immunohistochemically GM2 and GM3 staining was found preferentially in neurons and glial cells, respectively, of ctsd−/− mice. Of particular note, a 20‐fold elevation of the unusual lysophospholipid bis(monoacylglycero)phosphate was specifically detected in the brain of ctsd−/− mice accompanied with sporadic accumulation of unesterified cholesterol in distinct cells. The impaired processing of the sphingolipid activator protein precursor, an in vitro cathepsin D substrate, in the brain of ctsd−/− mice may provide the mechanistic link to the storage of lipids. These studies show for the first time that cathepsin D regulates the lysosomal phospho‐ and glycosphingolipid metabolism suggesting that defects in the composition, trafficking and/or recycling of membrane components along the late endocytic pathway may be critical for the pathogenesis of early onset neuronal ceroid lipofuscinoses.
The Use of Geographic Information Systems, Remote Sensing, and Suitability Modeling to Identify Conifer Restoration Sites with High Biological Potential for Anadromous Fish at the Cedar River Municipal Watershed in Western Washington, U.S.A.
Authors: Mollot Lauren A. , Bilby Robert E.
Published: May 2008

We developed a methodology integrating several forms of remotely sensed data into a Geographic Information Systems (GIS) model that identifies suitable sites for riparian conifer restoration at the Cedar River Municipal Watershed in western Washington, U.S.A. The model integrates vegetative and geomorphic variables with information on the habitat preferences of anadromous fishes to identify riparian stands where conifer restoration would have the greatest biological benefit for salmon recovery. The high‐resolution raster datasets used in our analysis were capable of characterizing the biophysical attributes of riparian areas at finer spatial scales than was previously possible. This model is intended to serve as a screening tool to identify candidate sites for riparian area restoration. The assessment approach described in this study can be applied not only to model salmonid habitat at the watershed scale but also to assess landscape patterns relevant to a wide range of restoration goals. This methodological framework offers several advantages over other approaches to restoration site selection and planning. First, the fine‐scale spatial resolution of the GIS datasets (pixels ≤5 m) used in the model provides a more accurate representation of the habitat conditions than has been possible with coarser‐scale data (pixels ≥5 m). Therefore, the accuracy of site identification is greatly improved. Second, the quantitative nature of the model exercises greater objectivity than some other landscape‐scale planning approaches. This regional planning tool could be replicated in other watersheds with comparable datasets and could be applied to identify habitat restoration sites for other species or guilds of species by simply altering the model criteria to match the habitat needs of the target organisms.
Efficacy of Imazapyr and Glyphosate in the Control of Non‐Native Phragmites australis
Authors: Mozdzer Thomas J. , Hutto Curtis J. , Clarke Paul A. , Field Dorothy P.
Published: May 2008

The cosmopolitan common reed (Phragmites australis) has been expanding into previously unoccupied wetland habitats throughout North America. This invasion by a non‐native haplotype of Phragmites has become a major concern due to a reduction in plant diversity, reduction of faunal biodiversity, and changes in ecosystem structure. A randomized complete block design was used to compare the efficacy of two herbicides, glyphosate (Rodeo, Dow AgroSciences, IN, U.S.A.) and imazapyr (Habitat, BASF Corporation, NC, U.S.A.), on 1‐ha Phragmites monoculture in a shallow borrow pit. Six foliar experimental treatments were applied consisting of (1) 2% glyphosate formulation, June application; (2) 2% glyphosate formulation, September application; (3) 2% imazapyr formulation, June application; (4) 2% imazapyr formulation, September application; (5) 5% imazapyr formulation, June application; and (6) 5% imazapyr, September application. Experimental plots were monitored yearly for two years after treatment. Relative importance values (RIV) were determined to assess the efficacy of herbicide treatments. We report that imazapyr foliar application is statistically superior to glyphosate in reducing Phragmites RIV, with no significant differences between the 2 and 5% formulations. Both herbicides are more effective in reducing Phragmites RIV if applied early in the growing season (June). No significant differences in non‐Phragmites plant recolonization were observed between herbicide treatments over the two‐year time course. These results suggest that imazapyr is superior in reducing Phragmites RIV, and that earlier applications of herbicides may be more effective on Phragmites. However, managers must note that adjacent nontarget plant species may be negatively affected by earlier treatments.
The Value of Animal Behavior in Evaluations of Restoration Success
Authors: Lindell Catherine A.
Published: May 2008

Animals are key members of ecosystems, contributing to processes like pollination, seed dispersal, and herbivory. Incorporating measures of animal behavior into evaluations of restoration success will provide critical information that is not available from animal species composition and richness estimates derived from the documentation of species presence and absence. Behavioral studies will (1) allow comparisons of the habitat quality of target and reference sites based on behaviors that have fitness consequences for organisms; (2) provide valuable information about reasons for differences in habitat quality; (3) identify critical resources that make a site suitable or not for particular species; and/or (4) provide information on the mechanisms through which species contribute to ecosystem functions. When resources for the evaluation of restoration success are available, practitioners should carefully consider the costs and benefits of the different variables they could quantify. In some cases, it may be more important to compare the behavior of one or a few critical animal species that contribute to ecosystem function rather than try to document the presence or absence of all species.
More Ecology is Needed to Restore Mediterranean Ecosystems: A Reply to Valladares and Gianoli
Authors: Méndez Marcos , García Daniel , Maestre Fernando T. , Escudero Adrián
Published: May 2008

Valladares and Gianoli (2007) tried to answer a key question, “how much ecology do we need to know to restore Mediterranean ecosystems?” by focusing on (1) plant–plant interactions; (2) environmental heterogeneity and the potential adaptation of transplanted plants; and (3) phenotypic plasticity of the planted species. We consider their choice of topics incomplete and potentially misleading because (1) it is clearly biased toward a narrow set of research topics (phenotypic plasticity, facilitation, and climate change); (2) it assumes that active restoration, and specifically revegetation, is needed; and (3) it conveys a false perception that other basic ecological aspects of Mediterranean ecosystems are sufficiently known. Instead, we review the current knowledge on seed dispersal, succession, and ecosystem functioning for Mediterranean ecosystems. We argue that decades of research on these topics have yielded few practical guidelines for restoration, something that needs to be urgently corrected. First, the current “establishment limitation paradigm” for plant recruitment does not acknowledge the role of dispersal limitation at large spatial scales. More attention should be paid to nucleation processes and directed seed dispersal mediated by animals. Second, studies of vegetation dynamics and succession in the Mediterranean have led to an overly simplistic view of successional dynamics. How fast and deterministic succession is remains mostly unexplored; long‐term monitoring of successional dynamics at different spatial scales is urgently needed. Third, information on the functional status of Mediterranean ecosystems is required to identify processes hindering natural recovery after disturbances and to set priorities on the areas and ecosystem components to be restored.
How do seizures stop?
Authors: Lado Fred A. , Moshé Solomon L.
Published: May 2008

Although often overshadowed by factors influencing seizure initiation, seizure termination is a critical step in the return to the interictal state. Understanding the mechanisms contributing to seizure termination could potentially identify novel targets for anticonvulsant drug development and may also highlight the pathophysiological processes contributing to seizure initiation. In this article, we review known physiological mechanisms contributing to seizure termination and discuss additional mechanisms that are likely to be relevant even though specific data are not yet available. This review is organized according to successively increasing “size scales”—from membranes to synapses to networks to circuits. We first discuss mechanisms of seizure termination acting at the shortest distances and affecting the excitable membranes of neurons in the seizure onset zone. Next we consider the contributions of ensembles of neurons and glia interacting at intermediate distances within the region of the seizure onset zone. Lastly, we consider the contribution of brain nuclei, such as the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNR), that are capable of modulating seizures and exert their influence over the seizure onset zone (and neighboring areas) from a relatively great—in neuroanatomical terms—distance. It is our hope that the attention to the mechanisms contributing to seizure termination will stimulate novel avenues of epilepsy research and will contribute to improved patient care.
Characteristics and clinical significance of subclinical seizures
Authors: Zangaladze Andro , Nei Maromi , Liporace Joyce D. , Sperling Michael R.
Published: May 2008

Purpose:  To define characteristics of subclinical seizures (SCS) and their prognostic significance after epilepsy surgery.

Methods:  Reports from intracranial video‐EEG monitoring were reviewed for patients who had epilepsy surgery between 1989 and 2003. Relationships between SCS and clinical seizures were categorized as either: complete colocalization (Group A), when both SCS and clinical seizures originated from the same single focus, or incomplete and no colocalization (Group B), when some or all SCS and clinical seizures originated from different foci in different lobes or hemispheres.

Results:  A total of 111 patients were included in this review. Seventy‐one (64%) patients had 2,821 SCS and most SCS came from the mesial temporal lobe. The mean duration of SCS was shorter than complex partial seizures and generalized tonic–clonic seizures but similar to simple partial seizures. SCS rarely propagated beyond the site of origin and the majority of SCS had the same area of origin as clinical seizures. Sixty‐five patients had both SCS and clinical seizures and underwent resective surgery. Group A patients had a higher seizure‐free outcome rate (77.5%) than Group B patients (37.5%). The colocalization rate of SCS and clinical seizures may impact seizure‐free outcome. The presence or absence of SCS, SCS duration, and extent of propagation of SCS did not influence surgical outcome.

Conclusion:  SCS commonly originate from the same cortical area as clinical seizures and are related to postsurgical outcome. These findings suggest they should be viewed as having similar significance in the surgical decision process as clinical seizures.
TRANSIENT TRANSFORMATION OF A CHLORARACHNIOPHYTE ALGA, LOTHARELLA AMOEBIFORMIS (CHLORARACHNIOPHYCEAE), WITH uidA AND egfp REPORTER GENES1
Authors: Hirakawa Yoshihisa , Kofuji Rumiko , Ishida Ken‐ichiro
Published: May 2008

A transient genetic transformation system was established for a chlorarachniophyte alga, Lotharella amoebiformis K. Ishida et Y. Hara. We first isolated sequences that contain a putative promoter for a RUBISCO SSU (rbcS) gene and a terminator for another copy of rbcS gene from L. amoebiformis. With those promoter and terminator sequences, we developed two expression vectors, pLaRGus and pLaRGfp, which code uidA and egfp genes, respectively. The cells were then transformed with each vector using a microparticle bombardment system. When the cells were transformed with the pLaRGus, β‐glucuronidase (GUS) staining dyed several cells blue. Green fluorescent protein (GFP) fluorescence was observed in the cells transformed with pLaRGfp. The highest transient transformation efficiency, 35 per 2 × 107 cells, was detected from the GUS staining. This study demonstrates that two reporter genes are expressed in L. amoebiformis cells when rbcS promoter and terminator are used. The conditions of transformation were also optimized. This is the first report of successful genetic transformation in chlorarachniophyte algae.
ALGAE AS COMPETITORS FOR GLUCOSE WITH HETEROTROPHIC BACTERIA1
Authors: Kamjunke Norbert , Köhler Birgit , Wannicke Nicola , Tittel Jörg
Published: May 2008

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) constitutes the bulk of organic carbon in aquatic environments. The importance of DOC utilization by mixotrophic algae is unclear since heterotrophic bacteria are regarded as more efficient users. We tested the hypothesis that algae decrease the DOC concentration in the light to lower levels than in darkness resulting in competitive exclusion of heterotrophic bacteria according to the mechanistic competition theory. We investigated (a) the uptake kinetics of glucose as a model substrate by two cultured algae and mixed bacteria populations, (b) the competition for glucose between algae and bacteria in chemostats, (c) the effect of discontinuous glucose supply in chemostats, and (d) the minimum glucose concentrations achieved in cultures of algae and bacteria. Bacteria showed higher specific‐glucose‐uptake rates than algae. In chemostats, algae became extinct in the dark and coexisted in the light where they decreased bacteria to lower densities. Discontinuous glucose supply promoted the algae compared to continuous substrate addition. Several algae consumed glucose to lower concentrations in the dark than in the light and showed lower or equal residual glucose concentrations than bacteria. Residual concentrations were not related to allometric traits (cell volume) and photosynthetic potential (chl content). Overall, the hypothesis was not supported, and mechanisms of competition for DOC obviously differed from those for particulate prey. However, since some algae showed lower or equal residual glucose concentrations than bacteria, algal dark uptake of DOC may be important in deep layers of many waters.
PHOTOINHIBITION OF PSII IN EMILIANIA HUXLEYI (HAPTOPHYTA) UNDER HIGH LIGHT STRESS: THE ROLES OF PHOTOACCLIMATION, PHOTOPROTECTION, AND PHOTOREPAIR1
Authors: Ragni Maria , Airs Ruth L. , Leonardos Nikos , Geider Richard J.
Published: May 2008

The response of the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi (Lohmann) W. H. Hay et H. Mohler to acute exposure to high photon flux densities (PFD) was examined in terms of PSII photoinhibition, photoprotection, and photorepair. The time and light dependencies of these processes were characterized as a function of the photoacclimation state of the alga. Low‐light (LL) acclimated cells displayed a higher degree of photoinhibition, measured as decline in Fv/Fm, than high‐light (HL) acclimated cells. However, HL cultures were more susceptible to photodamage but also more capable of compensating for it by performing a faster repair cycle. The relation between gross photoinhibition (observed in the presence of an inhibitor of repair) and PFD to which the algae were exposed deviated from linearity at high PFD, which calls into question the universality of current concepts of photoinhibition in mechanistic models. The light dependence of the de‐epoxidation state (DPS) of the xanthophyll cycle (XC) pigments on the timescale of hours was the same in cells acclimated to LL and HL. However, HL cells were more efficient in realizing nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) on short timescales, most likely due to a larger XC pool. LL cells displayed an increase in the PSII effective cross‐section (σPSII) as a result of photoinhibition, which was observed also in HL cells when net photoinhibition was induced by blocking the D1 repair cycle. The link between σPSII and photoinhibition suggests that the population of PSII reaction centers (RCIIs) of E. huxleyi shares a common antenna, according to a “lake” organization of the light‐harvesting complex.
SEXUALITY AND UNIPARENTAL INHERITANCE OF CHLOROPLAST DNA IN THE ISOGAMOUS GREEN ALGA ULVA COMPRESSA (ULVOPHYCEAE)1
Authors: Kagami Yayoi , Mogi Yuko , Arai Tatsushi , Yamamoto Manami , Kuwano Kazuyoshi , Kawano Shigeyuki
Published: May 2008

Ulva compressa L. is a heterothallic macroalga considered to be in the early evolutionary stage between isogamy and anisogamy. Two genetic lines of this species, each consisting of gametophytes with opposite mating types, were collected on the coasts of Ehime and Iwate prefectures: MGEC‐1 (mt+) and MGEC‐2 (mt−) from Ehime, and MGEC‐5 (mt+) and MGEC‐6 (mt−) from Iwate. Their relative gamete sizes (i.e., cell volumes) do not correspond to their mating types: MGEC‐6 (19.8 μm3) > MGEC‐1 (18.6 μm3) > MGEC‐5 (17.0 μm3) > MGEC‐2 (10.1 μm3). The pattern of organelle inheritance is an important sexual characteristic in many eukaryotes. We therefore investigated the relationship between gamete size and the inheritance of chloroplast DNA (cpDNA). Polymorphisms between the cpDNA of the two lines were used as markers. We found a 24 bp insertion between psbF and psbL, and the substitution of a StyI site (from CCAAGG to TCAAGG) in the intergenic region between petD and accD. Two interline crosses (MGEC‐1 × MGEC‐6 and MGEC‐2 × MGEC‐5) produced 42 and 38 zygotes, respectively. PCR and PCR–RFLP analyses showed that the cpDNA of the mt+ gametes was consistently inherited in both crosses. The cpDNA is inherited from one parent only, and it depends not on gamete size but on being mt+. The cpDNA was observed during crossing and in the zygotes 6 h after mating. In 6% of the zygotes, the cpDNA derived from the mt− gametes disappeared 3–4 h after mating. Preferential digestion of the cpDNA in the zygote’s mt− gamete may form the basis for uniparental inheritance of cpDNA.
Effect of Transgenic Extrahepatic Expression of Betaine‐Homocysteine Methyltransferase on Alcohol or Homocysteine‐Induced Fatty Liver
Authors: Ji Cheng , Shinohara Masao , Vance Dennis , Than Tin Aung , Ookhtens Murad , Chan Christine , Kaplowitz Neil
Published: May 2008

Background:  Chronic alcohol feeding induces hyperhomocysteinemia (HHcy). Previously, we reported a protective role of betaine‐homocysteine methyltransferase (BHMT) in homocysteine‐induced injury in cultured hepatocytes. In this study, we investigated the direct role of BHMT in alcohol or homocysteine‐induced liver injury.

Methods:  Betaine‐homocysteine methyltransferase transgenic (Tg) mice were generated. Comparisons were made between the Tg and wild type (WT) mice in their response to intragastric alcohol infusion or to oral feeding of a high methionine low folate diet (HMLF).

Results:  Expression of the Tg BHMT was increased in organs peripheral to the liver. The alcohol infusion for 4 weeks increased: plasma ALT by 5‐fold in WT mice and 2.7‐fold in Tg mice; plasma homocysteine by 7‐fold in WT mice and 2‐fold in Tg mice; liver triglycerides by 4‐fold in WT mice and 2.5‐fold in Tg mice. The alcohol‐induced fatty liver was more severe in WT than in Tg mice based on H&E staining. The HMLF feeding for 4 weeks increased plasma ALT by 2‐fold in WT mice and 1‐fold in Tg mice; plasma homocysteine by 21‐fold in WT mice and 3.3‐fold in Tg mice; liver triglycerides by 2.5‐fold in WT mice and 1.5‐fold in Tg mice. HMLF induced accumulation of macro fat droplets in WT but not Tg mice. Betaine supplementation decreased partially the alcohol or HMLF‐induced increase of ALT, homocysteine and liver lipids in WT mice. However, Tg mice were normal when fed both HMLF and betaine. In WT mice, both alcohol and HMLF induced moderate increase of sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP1) protein which was partially reduced by betaine supplementation. In Tg mice, alcohol but not HMLF increased SREBP1. Carbohydrate responsive element‐binding protein was increased by alcohol in either WT or Tg mice which was not affected by betaine supplementation. Ratio of S‐adenosylmethionine (SAM) to S‐adenosylhomocysteine (SAH) was reduced by 50% in WT and by 20% in Tg mice fed alcohol. Ratio of phosphatidylcholine (PC) to phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) was reduced in WT but not Tg mice fed alcohol. Changes in PE methyltransferase activities were not detected in response to alcohol or HMLF feeding but were increased by betaine.

Conclusions:  The BHMT Tg mice are resistant to alcohol or HMLF‐induced HHcy and liver steatosis indicating that peripheral metabolism of homocysteine protected the liver without a direct effect of BHMT in the liver. Multiple mechanisms are involved in protection by betaine including increased SAM/SAH and PC/PE ratios.
α‐Hemoglobin stabilizing protein is not a suitable marker for a screening test for variant Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease
Authors: Appleford Nigel E.J. , Wilson Kim , Houston Fiona , Bruce Lesley J. , Morrison Alex , Bishop Matthew , Chalmers Kevin , Miele Gino , Massey Edwin , Prowse Chris , Manson Jean , Will Robert G. , Clinton Michael , MacGregor Ian , Anstee David J.
Published: May 2008

BACKGROUND: A test is needed to identify blood donors who are in the preclinical phase of variant Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (CJD). α‐Hemoglobin stabilizing protein (AHSP; syn. ERAF, EDRF) transcript levels are reduced in the blood of mice incubating transmissible spongiform encephalopathy.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay were used to measure AHSP transcript and protein levels in normal blood donors, patients with CJD, and patients with other neuronal and hematologic diseases. Temporal AHSP expression was measured in sheep incubating bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE).

RESULTS: Quantitation of AHSP in peripheral blood from normal blood donors revealed that protein levels, but not transcript levels, are influenced by sex with higher levels found in males, suggesting posttranslational regulation involving the product of an X‐linked gene. When AHSP mRNA and protein levels were quantitated in peripheral blood from patients with variant and sporadic CJD, no consistent differences from normal were found. Serial quantitation of AHSP in individual BSE‐infected sheep did not reveal any disease‐related changes.

CONCLUSION: We conclude that quantitation of AHSP is not likely to be useful for detection of preclinical prion disease in man.
Dengue viremia in blood donors from Honduras, Brazil, and Australia
Authors: Linnen Jeffrey M. , Vinelli Elizabeth , Sabino Ester C. , Tobler Leslie H. , Hyland Catherine , Lee Tzong‐Hae , Kolk Daniel P. , Broulik Amy S. , Collins Cynthia S. , Lanciotti Robert S. , Busch Michael P.
Published: May 2008

BACKGROUND: Dengue fever and hemorrhagic disease are caused by four dengue virus (DENV) serotypes (DENV‐1 to ‐4), mosquito‐borne flaviviruses with increasing incidence, and expanding global distributions. Documented transfusion transmission of West Nile virus raised concern regarding transfusion‐transmitted DENV.

METHODS: A DENV RNA assay was developed based on transcription‐mediated amplification (TMA) blood screening assays routinely used by blood centers worldwide. Sensitivity was established by endpoint dilution analyses of DENV‐1 RNA transcript and pedigreed tissue culture standards for all four DENV‐serotypes. Frozen plasma samples were tested from 2994 donations from Honduras (September 2004‐January 2005), 4858 donations from Brazil (February‐April 2003), and 5879 donations from Australia (March‐September 2003). Type‐specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assays were used to quantify and genotype TMA repeat‐reactive samples; viral cultures, type‐specific antibody, and antigen assays were also performed.

RESULTS: The TMA assay detected 14.9 copies per mL DENV‐1 transcript (95% detection limit), with comparable sensitivity for all four serotypes. Honduran donors yielded 9 TMA repeat‐reactive samples (0.30%); 8 were confirmed by PCR, with 3 DENV serotypes detected and viral loads from fewer than 3 × 104 to 4.2 × 104 copies per mL; and 4 samples yielded infectious virus. Three (0.06%) Brazilian samples tested repeat‐reactive; 2 (0.04%) were PCR‐positive (serotypes DENV‐1 and ‐3; 12 and 294 copies/mL). No Australian donor samples tested repeat‐reactive.

CONCLUSION: Dengue viremia rates among asymptomatic blood donors ranged from 0.30 percent in Honduras to 0.04 percent in Brazil. Future studies are needed to establish rates of transfusion transmission by viremic donations and clinical consequences in recipients.
Low‐Temperature Sintering of K0.5Na0.5NbO3 Ceramics
Authors: Bernard Janez , Benčan Andreja , Rojac Tadej , Holc Janez , Malič Barbara , Kosec Marija
Published: May 2008

The objective of this work was to lower the sintering temperature of K0.5Na0.5NbO3 (KNN) without reducing its piezoelectric properties. The KNN was sintered using 0.5, 1, 2, and 4 mass% of (K, Na)‐germanate. The influence of the novel sintering aid, based on alkaline germanate with a melting point near 700°C, on the sintering, density, and piezoelectric properties of KNN is presented. The alkaline‐germanate‐modified KNN ceramics reach up to 96% of theoretical density at sintering temperatures as low as 1000°C, which is approximately 100°C less than the sintering temperature of pure KNN. The relative dielectric permittivity (ɛ/ɛ0) and losses (tanδ), measured at 10 kHz, the piezo d33 coefficient, the electromechanical coupling and mechanical quality factors (kp, kt, Qm) of KNN modified with 1 mass% of alkaline germanate are 397, 0.02, 120 pC/N, 0.40, 0.44, and 77, respectively. These values are comparable to the best values obtained for KNN ceramics sintered above 1100°C.