bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
State Implementation of the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act of 2000: A Collaborative Effort among Government Agencies
Authors: French Cynthia , True Susan , McIntyre Rosemarie , Sciulli Margherita , Maloy Kathleen A.
Published: May 2004

The National Breast and Cervical Cancer Early Detection Program (NBCCEDP), administered by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention through grants to states, tribes, and territories, has successfully provided breast and cervical cancer screening and diagnostic services to low-income women since 1990. On October 24, 2000, Congress passed the Breast and Cervical Cancer Prevention and Treatment Act (BCCPTA) authorizing states, if they chose, to provide Medicaid coverage for treatment services for women screened under the NBCCEDP. Under BCCPTA, uninsured women younger than age 65 who are screened through the NBCCEDP and found to have breast or cervical cancer (or precancerous conditions) may gain access to Medicaid services for and during their cancer treatment. Implementation of the BCCPTA requires collaboration and coordination among many government agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, state Medicaid directors, and directors of state and tribal grant programs. This article describes the implementation of the program and demonstrates to policy makers that coordinating resources among government agencies can facilitate the rapid adoption of public health programs as pathways for specific populations to gain access to publicly funded health insurance coverage.
Communist party membership in five former Soviet bloc countries, 1945–1989
Authors: Marks Gary N.
Published: May 2004

This study examines the social composition of the communist party in the Soviet Union and four East European countries during the post-war period. Two alternative explanations for joining the communist party are examined: the classical political participation model from Western political science and the party policy model. In Western countries, the people who join political parties tend to be male, older, married, highly educated and in higher status occupations. According to the party policies model, recruitment should reflect the party’s policies, ideologies and intentions to promote particular social groups such as, workers, peasants, young people, women and those with proletarian backgrounds. The data analyzed are from nationally representative surveys from the Social Stratification in Eastern Europe after 1989 study. Stronger support was found for the political participation model. Generally, parental party membership, being male, married, highly educated and working in an administrative position influenced joining, whereas social background, a manual occupation, and political time period had little or no influence. Between-country differences in the process of joining were minor. There was little evidence that recruitment reflected the parties’ ideologies or policies.
Late-Quaternary diminution and abundance of prehistoric bison (Bisonsp.) in eastern washington State, USA
Authors: Lyman R. Lee
Published: May 2004

Bison (Bisonspp.) occurred in eastern Washington state during the late Quaternary. This area is considered to be peripheral to the center of this taxon's natural range. Bison in the plains east of the Rocky Mountains, the heart of this range, underwent diminution during the late Quaternary, and apparently also did so in other, peripheral areas. A ratio diagram of measurement data derived from eight zooarchaeological collections of bison remains recovered from eastern Washington, in combination with the presence of both sexes and all age classes of individuals, indicate that local bison may have also undergone diminution there. There are, however, a relative paucity of bison remains during the middle Holocene and an apparent 2000-year absence of bison from eastern Washington at this time. As a result, the hypothesis that bison became smaller elsewhere and then immigrated to eastern Washington cannot be falsified. Both the diminution and the fluctuating abundance of bison appear to be responses to forage quality and quantity.
Long‐range transport of sulfur dioxide in the central Pacific
Authors: Tu Fang Huang , Thornton Donald C. , Bandy Alan R. , Carmichael Gregory R. , Tang Youhua , Thornhill K. Lee , Sachse Glenn W. , Blake Donald R.
Published: June 2004

Long‐range transport of sulfur dioxide (SO2) from east Asia to the central North Pacific troposphere was observed on transit flights during the NASA Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific mission. A series of SO2‐enhanced layers above the boundary layer was observed during these flights. The significant features included enhanced SO2 layers associated with low water vapor and low turbulence that were usually dynamically isolated from the marine boundary layer. This study shows that atmospheric dynamics were very important in determining the SO2 distributions in the central Pacific during March and April 2001. Trajectory studies revealed that SO2‐enhanced layers could be connected to both volcanic and anthropogenic sources in east Asia. These trajectory studies also showed that the air parcels usually were lifted 2 km above the source regions and then progressed to the east in the midlatitudes (30°–60°N). The air parcels arrived in the central Pacific within 2–3 days. Sulfur dioxide transported at altitudes of 2–4 km dominated the SO2 distribution in the central Pacific. A comparison of SO2 observations and results of chemical transport models indicated that SO2 was removed primarily by cloud processes. Therefore, in the absence of cloud, SO2 can be transported long distances if the trajectory is decoupled from the boundary layer. Another important observation was that the Miyake‐jima volcano made a major contribution to the SO2 concentrations in the central Pacific troposphere during March and April 2001. At times, the volcanic SO2 had more influence in the central Pacific than the six largest anthropogenic SO2 source regions in east Asia.
Evidence for late stage fluvial activity in Kasei Valles, Mars
Authors: Williams Rebecca M. E. , Malin Michael C.
Published: June 2004

Two inner channels in the southern branch of Kasei Valles are among the best preserved examples of fluvial erosion on Mars. Attributes of the channels include arcuate alcoves, perched boulders, and a concave‐up longitudinal profile, all of which are consistent with the interpretation that these channels were carved by a Newtonian fluid. The sharp concavity of the longitudinal profile is comparable to a terrestrial alluvial system with a minimum work profile. The shape of the profile suggests that the system was in a quasi‐equilibrium state but was not active long enough to achieve grade. Associated with these channels is a “platy” meter‐scale texture, identified in high‐resolution Mars Orbiter Camera images. Although a lava flow could explain many of the material properties of the platy surface texture, we speculate that this texture in the immediate proximity to the southern Kasei Valles inner channels may be related to waning floodwaters moving through the inner channels and is a mudflow deposit.
Wave‐induced mixing in the upper ocean: Distribution and application to a global ocean circulation model
Authors: Qiao Fangli , Yuan Yeli , Yang Yongzeng , Zheng Quanan , Xia Changshui , Ma Jian
Published: June 2004

From the Reynolds stress expression, the wave‐induced vertical viscosity (or diffusivity) Bv is defined, which can be used as a parameter to estimate the strength of wave‐induced mixing. In addition, a parameter D5 is introduced to represent a wave‐induced mixing penetration depth. The global distribution of Bv averaged over the upper 20 m is calculated and its latitudinal transects in boreal summer and winter is discussed. The results show that in summer the wave‐induced mixing is strong in the southern oceans south of 30°S, and in winter it is strong in the north Pacific and the north Atlantic north of 30°N, as well as in the southern oceans south of 40°S. Adding Bv to the vertical diffusivity in a global ocean circulation model yields a temperature structure in the upper 100 m that is closer to the observed climatology than a model without the wave‐induced mixing.
Ab‐initio high‐pressure alloying of iron and potassium: Implications for the Earth's core
Authors: Lee Kanani K. M. , Steinle‐Neumann Gerd , Jeanloz Raymond
Published: June 2004

Ab‐initio quantum mechanical calculations show that several percent potassium (K) can be alloyed into iron (Fe) at high pressure, suggesting that K may have been incorporated into the Earth's iron‐rich core. We find that substitutional incorporation of K into the high‐pressure polymorph of Fe, hexagonal close packed (hcp) ɛ‐Fe, is energetically favored over the separate elements. The incorporation of potassium causes iron to expand with increasing K concentration, in agreement with high‐pressure experiments. This alloying process is of potential importance to understanding the thermal state and history of Earth's deep interior, as radioactive decay of 40K (half‐life ∼1.25 billion years) in the core could be an important source of energy for the geodynamo and mantle dynamics.
Dry granular flows can generate surface features resembling those seen in Martian gullies
Authors: Shinbrot Troy , Duong N.-H. , Kwan L. , Alvarez M. M.
Published: May 2004

Over the past decade or more, contradictory evidence of Martian climate, indicating that surface temperatures seldom if ever approach the melting point of water at midlatitudes, and geomorphic features, consistent with liquid flows at these same latitudes, have proven difficult to reconcile. In this article, we demonstrate that several features of liquid-erosional flows can be produced by dry granular materials when individual particle settling is slower than characteristic debris flow speeds. Since the gravitational acceleration on Mars is about one-third that on Earth, and since particle settling speeds scale with gravity, we propose that some (although perhaps not all) Martian geomorphological features attributed to liquid flows may in fact be associated with dry granular flows in the presence of reduced gravity.
Crystal structure of nickel-containing superoxide dismutase reveals another type of active site
Authors: Wuerges Jochen , Lee Jin-Won , Yim Yang-In , Yim Hyung-Soon , Kang Sa-Ouk , Carugo Kristina Djinovic
Published: June 2004

Superoxide dismutases (SODs, EC 1.15.1.1) are ubiquitous enzymes that efficiently catalyze the dismutation of superoxide radical anions to protect biological molecules from oxidative damage. The crystal structure of nickel-containing SOD (NiSOD) from
Streptomyces seoulensis
was determined for the resting, x-ray-reduced, and thiosulfate-reduced enzyme state. NiSOD is a homohexamer consisting of four-helix-bundle subunits. The catalytic center resides in the N-terminal active-site loop, where a Ni(III) ion is coordinated by the amino group of His-1, the amide group of Cys-2, two thiolate groups of Cys-2 and Cys-6, and the imidazolate of His-1 as axial ligand that is lost in the chemically reduced state as well as after x-ray-induced reduction. This structure represents a third class of SODs concerning the catalytic metal species, subunit structure, and oligomeric organization. It adds a member to the small number of Ni-metalloenzymes and contributes with its Ni(III) active site to the general understanding of Ni-related biochemistry. NiSOD is shown to occur also in bacteria other than
Streptomyces
and is predicted to be present in some cyanobacteria.
The LIM-homeodomain protein Lhx2 is required for complete development of mouse olfactory sensory neurons
Authors: Hirota Junji , Mombaerts Peter
Published: June 2004

In mice, ≈1,000 odorant receptor (OR) genes are expressed in olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). Homeodomain sites can be recognized in the promoter and upstream regions of several OR genes. Here, using the yeast one-hybrid system and electrophoretic mobility shift assay, we report that Lhx2, a LIM-homeodomain protein, binds to the homeodomain site in the mouse
M71
OR promoter region. In Lhx2-deficient mice, the morphology of the olfactory epithelium is grossly normal. However, expression of
OMP
is abolished and that of
GAP43
is severely reduced, indicating that no mature and few immature OSNs are produced.
M71
and other OR genes also are not expressed. OSN development appears to be arrested between the terminal differentiation into neurons and the transition to immature neurons. Thus, Lhx2 is required for complete development of OSNs in mice.
Antigen selection based on expression levels during infection facilitates vaccine development for an intracellular pathogen
Authors: Rollenhagen Claudia , Sörensen Meike , Rizos Konstantin , Hurvitz Robert , Bumann Dirk
Published: June 2004

Vaccines effective against intracellular pathogens could save the lives of millions of people every year, but vaccine development has been hampered by the slow largely empirical search for protective antigens.In vivohighly expressed antigens might represent a small attractive antigen subset that could be rapidly evaluated, but experimental evidence supporting this rationale, as well as practical strategies for its application, is largely lacking because of technical difficulties. Here, we usedSalmonellastrains expressing differential amounts of a fluorescent model antigen during infection to show that, in a mouse typhoid fever model, CD4 T cells preferentially recognize abundantSalmonellaantigens. To identify a large number of naturalSalmonellaantigens with high expression levels during infection, we used a quantitativein vivoscreening strategy. Immunization studies with five particularly attractive candidates revealed two highly protective antigens that might permit the development of an improved typhoid fever vaccine. In conclusion, we have established a rationale and an experimental strategy that will substantially facilitate vaccine development forSalmonellaand possibly other intracellular pathogens.
Involvement of a bifunctional fatty-acyl desaturase in the biosynthesis of the silkmoth,
Bombyx mori
, sex pheromone
Authors: Moto Ken'ichi , Suzuki Masataka G. , Hull J. Joe , Kurata Ryuichiro , Takahashi Shunya , Yamamoto Masanobu , Okano Kazuhiro , Imai Kiyohiro , Ando Tetsu , Matsumoto Shogo
Published: June 2004

The straight-chain C
10
to C
18
unsaturated aliphatic compounds containing an oxygenated functional group (aldehyde, alcohol, or acetate ester) derived from saturated C
16
or C
18
fatty acids are a major class of sex pheromone components produced by female moths. In the biosynthesis of these pheromone components, various combinations of limited chain-shortening and regio- and stereospecific desaturation reactions significantly contribute to the production of a vast number of the species-specific pheromone components in Lepidoptera. Biosynthesis of the silkmoth sex pheromone bombykol, (
E,Z
)-10,12-hexadecadien-1-ol, involves two consecutive desaturation steps, the second of which is unique in that it generates a conjugated diene system from the Δ11-monoene C
16
intermediate. In experiments designed to characterize the acyl-CoA desaturases responsible for bombykol biosynthesis, we have cloned three cDNAs encoding desaturase family members from the pheromone gland of the inbred strain of the silkmoth,
Bombyx mori
. Transcript analyses by RT-PCR and subsequent functional assays using a Bac-to-Bac baculovirus expression system revealed that
desat1
is the only desaturase gene prominently expressed during pheromonogenesis and that its gene product,
B. mori
Desat1, possesses both Z11 desaturation and Δ10,12-desaturation activities. Consequently, we have concluded that
B. mori
Desat1 is not only a bifunctional desaturase involved in bombykol biosynthesis but that it is also the enzyme responsible for both desaturation steps.
Plant-derived pyrrolizidine alkaloid protects eggs of a moth (Utetheisa ornatrix) against a parasitoid wasp (Trichogramma ostriniae)
Authors: Bezzerides Alexander , Yong Tze-Hei , Bezzerides Julie , Husseini Jad , Ladau Joshua , Eisner Maria , Eisner Thomas
Published: June 2004

Pyrrolizidine alkaloid (PA), sequestered by the mothUtetheisa ornatrixfrom its larval food plant, is transmitted by both males and females to the eggs. Males confer PA on the female by seminal infusion, and females pass this gift, together with PA that they themselves procured as larvae, to the eggs. Here we show that PA protects the eggs against parasitization by the chalcidoid wasp,Trichogramma ostriniae. Eggs laid subsequent to a first mating of anUtetheisafemale receive most of their PA from the female. The amount they receive from the male is insufficient to provide for full protection. However, femaleUtetheisaare promiscuous and therefore likely to receive PA on a cumulative basis from their male partners.
Protection against lethal influenza virus challenge by RNA interferencein vivo
Authors: Tompkins Stephen Mark , Lo Chia-Yun , Tumpey Terrence M. , Epstein Suzanne L.
Published: June 2004

Influenza virus infection is responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths annually. Current vaccination strategies and antiviral drugs provide limited protection; therefore, new strategies are needed. RNA interference is an effective means of suppressing virus replicationin vitro. Here we demonstrate that treatment with small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) specific for highly conserved regions of the nucleoprotein or acidic polymerase inhibits influenza A virus replicationin vivo. Delivery of these siRNAs significantly reduced lung virus titers in infected mice and protected animals from lethal challenge. This protection was specific and not mediated by an antiviral IFN response. Moreover, influenza-specific siRNA treatment was broadly effective and protected animals against lethal challenge with highly pathogenic avian influenza A viruses of the H5 and H7 subtypes. These results indicate that RNA interference is promising for control of influenza virus infection, as well as other viral infections.
Frizzled6 controls hair patterning in mice
Authors: Guo Nini , Hawkins Charles , Nathans Jeremy
Published: May 2004

Hair whorls and other macroscopic hair patterns are found in a variety of mammalian species, including humans. We show here that Frizzled6 (Fz6), one member of a large family of integral membrane Wnt receptors, controls macroscopic hair patterning in the mouse.
Fz6
is expressed in the skin and hair follicles, and targeted deletion of the
Fz6
gene produces stereotyped whorls on the hind feet, variable whorls and tufts on the head, and misorientation of hairs on the torso. Embryo chimera experiments imply that Fz6 acts locally to control or propagate the macroscopic hair pattern and that epithelial cells rather than melanocytes are the source of Fz6-dependent signaling. The
Fz6
phenotype strongly resembles the wing-hair and bristle patterning defects observed in
Drosophila frizzled
mutants. These data imply that hair patterning in mammals uses a Fz-dependent tissue polarity system similar to the one that patterns the
Drosophila
cuticle.
β-Arrestin inhibits NF-κB activity by means of its interaction with the NF-κB inhibitor IκBα
Authors: Witherow D. Scott , Garrison Tiffany Runyan , Miller William E. , Lefkowitz Robert J.
Published: June 2004

In addition to their roles in desensitization and signaling of seven-membrane-spanning receptors, β-arrestins have been more recently implicated in regulating non-seven-membrane-spanning receptor pathways. By using a yeast two-hybrid screen, we identified the inhibitor of NF-κB, IκBα, as a binding partner of β-arrestin 1. Both β-arrestin 1 and 2 interact with IκBα in transfected cells as assessed by immunoprecipitation experiments. Additionally, upstream kinases known to regulate the function of IκBα, such as IκB kinase α and β and NF-κB-inducing kinase, were also shown to interact with β-arrestin. Overexpression of either β-arrestin 1 or β-arrestin 2 led to marked inhibition of NF-κB activity, as measured by reporter gene activity. Inhibition of NF-κB activity was independent of the type of stimulus used for NF-κB activation. Conversely, suppression of β-arrestin 1, but not β-arrestin 2, expression by using RNA interference led to a 3-fold increase in tumor necrosis factor-stimulated NF-κB activity as measured by NF-κB mobility-shift analysis. These data uncover a role of β-arrestins in the regulation of NF-κB-mediated gene regulation.
Polyadenylation of rRNA in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Kuai Letian , Fang Feng , Butler J. Scott , Sherman Fred
Published: June 2004

In contrast to mRNAs, rRNAs are transcribed by RNA polymerase I or III and are not believed to be polyadenylated. Here we show that in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
, at least a small fraction of rRNAs do have a poly(A) tail. The levels of polyadenylated rRNAs are dramatically increased in strains lacking the degradation function of Rrp6p, a component of the nuclear exosome. Pap1p, the poly(A) polymerase, is responsible for adenylating the rRNAs despite the fact that the rRNAs do not have a canonical polyadenylation signal. Polyadenylated rRNAs reside mainly within the nucleus and are in turn degraded. For at least one rRNA type, the polyadenylation preferentially occurs on the precursor rather than the mature product. The existence of polyadenylated rRNAs may reflect a quality-control mechanism of rRNA biogenesis.
A generalization of the Π-theorem and dimensional analysis
Authors: Sonin Ain A.
Published: June 2004

This article introduces a generalization of dimensional analysis and its corollary, the Π-theorem, to the class of problems in which some of the quantities that define the problem have fixed values in all the cases that are of interest. The procedure can reduce the number of dimensionless similarity variables beyond the prediction of Buckingham's theorem. The generalized Π-theorem tells when and how large a reduction is attainable.
The histone modification pattern of active genes revealed through genome-wide chromatin analysis of a higher eukaryote
Authors: Schübeler Dirk , MacAlpine David M. , Scalzo David , Wirbelauer Christiane , Kooperberg Charles , van Leeuwen Fred , Gottschling Daniel E. , O'Neill Laura P. , Turner Bryan M. , Delrow Jeffrey , Bell Stephen P. , Groudine Mark
Published: June 2004

The covalent modification of nucleosomal histones has emerged as a major determinant of chromatin structure and gene activity. To understand the interplay between various histone modifications, including acetylation and methylation, we performed a genome-wide chromatin structure analysis in a higher eukaryote. We found a binary pattern of histone modifications among euchromatic genes, with active genes being hyperacetylated for H3 and H4 and hypermethylated at Lys 4 and Lys 79 of H3, and inactive genes being hypomethylated and deacetylated at the same residues. Furthermore, the degree of modification correlates with the level of transcription, and modifications are largely restricted to transcribed regions, suggesting that their regulation is tightly linked to polymerase activity.
Associative Mechanosensory Conditioning of the Proboscis Extension Reflex in Honeybees
Authors: Giurfa Martin , Malun Dagmar
Published: May 2004

The present work introduces a form of associative mechanosensory
conditioning of the proboscis extension reflex (PER) in honeybees. In our
paradigm, harnessed honeybees learn the elemental association between
mechanosensory, antennal stimulation and a reward of sucrose solution
delivered to the proboscis. Thereafter, bees extend their proboscis to the
antennal mechanosensory stimulation alone. We show that bees can learn such an
association in a side-specific manner, that is, they learn the association on
the antennal side that was rewarded and not on the side that was not rewarded.
Responding produced by the paired training does likely contain a substantial
Pavlovian component. Responding is only elicited by mechanosensory stimulation
and not by spurious cues such as olfactory, visual, and contextual ones. The
interstimulus interval (ISI) affects one-trial mechanosensory learning: a
bell-shaped curve with a maximum of responding ∼4 sec ISI was obtained.
Mechanosensory memory is still operative 24 h after conditioning. Apart from
absolute conditioning in which mechanosensory stimulation of one antenna is
paired with sucrose, differential, side-specific, mechanosensory conditioning
using two mechanosensory stimulations, one rewarded and the other not, is also
possible. This paradigm constitutes, therefore, a new standard procedure for
further learning studies in honeybees.
Learning of Sensory Sequences in Cerebellar Patients
Authors: Frings Markus , Boenisch Raoul , Gerwig Marcus , Diener Hans-Christoph , Timmann Dagmar
Published: May 2004

A possible role of the cerebellum in detecting and recognizing event
sequences has been proposed. The present study sought to determine whether
patients with cerebellar lesions are impaired in the acquisition and
discrimination of sequences of sensory stimuli of different modalities. A
group of 26 cerebellar patients and 26 controls matched for age, sex,
handedness, musicality, and level of education were tested. Auditory and
visual sensory sequences were presented out of different sensory pattern
categories (tones with different acoustic frequencies and durations, visual
stimuli with different spatial locations and colors, sequential vision of
irregular shapes) and different ranges of inter-cue time intervals (fast and
slow). Motor requirements were small, with vocal responses and no time
restrictions. Perception of visual and acoustic stimuli was generally
preserved in patients and controls. The number of errors was significantly
higher in the faster tempo of sequence presentation in learning of sequences
of tones of different frequencies and in learning of sequences of visual
stimuli of different spatial locations and different colors. No difference in
tempo between the groups was shown. The total number of errors between the two
groups was identical in the sequence conditions. No major disturbances in
acquisition or discrimination of various sensory sequences were observed in
the group of cerebellar patients. Sequence learning may be impaired only in
tasks with significant motor demands.
Altered Hippocampal Transcript Profile Accompanies an Age-Related Spatial Memory Deficit in Mice
Authors: Verbitsky Miguel , Yonan Amanda L. , Malleret Gaël , Kandel Eric R. , Gilliam T. Conrad , Pavlidis Paul
Published: May 2004

We have carried out a global survey of age-related changes in mRNA levels
in the C57BL/6NIA mouse hippocampus and found a difference in the hippocampal
gene expression profile between 2-month-old young mice and 15-month-old
middle-aged mice correlated with an age-related cognitive deficit in
hippocampal-based explicit memory formation. Middle-aged mice displayed a mild
but specific deficit in spatial memory in the Morris water maze. By using
Affymetrix GeneChip microarrays, we found a distinct pattern of age-related
change, consisting mostly of gene overexpression in the middle-aged mice,
suggesting that the induction of negative regulators in the middle-aged
hippocampus could be involved in impairment of learning. Interestingly, we
report changes in transcript levels for genes that could affect synaptic
plasticity. Those changes could be involved in the memory deficits we observed
in the 15-month-old mice. In agreement with previous reports, we also found
altered expression in genes related to inflammation, protein processing, and
oxidative stress.
Search Strategies Used byAPPTransgenic Mice During Navigation in the Morris Water Maze
Authors: Janus Christopher
Published: May 2004

TgCRND8 mice represent a transgenic mouse model of Alzheimer's disease, with onset of cognitive impairment and increasing amyloid-β plaques in their brains at 12 weeks of age. In this study, the spatial memory in 25- to 30-week-old TgCRND8 mice was analyzed in two reference and one working memory Morris water maze (MWM) tests. In reference memory tests, the mice were trained to escape to a hidden platform, which in one version of the test was marked by a visual cue. In the working memory test, the hidden platform was moved daily to different locations. The TgCRND8 mice were impaired in reference memory when trained in a hidden platform test. However, the mice developed spatial memory comparable to non-Tg littermates in a cued reference memory test. The mice showed also an impairment in spatial working memory. Analysis of search paths revealed that in contrast to non-Tg littermates, TgCRND8 mice did not use spatial strategies during their navigation. Instead, they learned to locate an escape platform using a nonspatial, chaining strategy. The study showed that (1) the impairment in the reference memory of TgCRND8 mice was reduced when a hidden platform was cued, and that (2) both working and reference memory systems of TgCRND8 mice, but not (3) the plasticity of choice between search strategies, are compromised by the transgene-induced pathology.
Pavlovian Conditioning ofHermissenda: Current Cellular, Molecular, and Circuit Perspectives
Authors: Crow Terry
Published: May 2004

The less-complex central nervous system of many invertebrates make them attractive for not only the molecular analysis of the associative learning and memory, but also in determining how neural circuits are modified by learning to generate changes in behavior. The nudibranch molluskHermissenda crassicornisis a preparation that has contributed to an understanding of cellular and molecular mechanisms of Pavlovian conditioning. Identified neurons in the conditioned stimulus (CS) pathway have been studied in detail using biophysical, biochemical, and molecular techniques. These studies have resulted in the identification and characterization of specific membrane conductances contributing to enhanced excitability and synaptic facilitation in the CS pathway of conditioned animals. Second-messenger systems activated by the CS and US have been examined, and proteins that are regulated by one-trial and multi-trial Pavlovian conditioning have been identified in the CS pathway. The recent progress that has been made in the identification of the neural circuitry supporting the unconditioned response (UR) and conditioned response (CR) now provides for the opportunity to understand how Pavlovian conditioning is expressed in behavior.
A Test of Transitive Inferences in Free-Flying Honeybees: Unsuccessful Performance Due to Memory Constraints
Authors: Benard Julie , Giurfa Martin
Published: May 2004

We asked whether honeybees,Apis mellifera, could solve a transitive inference problem. Individual free-flying bees were conditioned with four overlapping premise pairs of five visual patterns in a multiple discrimination task (A+ vs. B-, B+ vs. C-, C+ vs. D-, D+ vs. E-, where + and - indicate sucrose reward or absence of it, respectively). They were then tested with the nonadjacent pairs A vs. E and B vs. D. Preference of B to D is consistent with the use of the implicit hierarchy A > B > C > D > E. Equal choice of B and D supports choice based on the associative strength of the stimuli. The bees' choice was determined by their memory constraints: experience with the last premise pair (D+ vs. E-) predominated. In the tests, bees preferred A to E and chose equally B and D. An analysis of the performance in terms of a reward/penalty ratio showed that B had a higher associative strength than D. Thus, bees do not establish transitive inferences but, rather, guide their choices by the joint action of a recency effect and the associative strength of the stimuli. The former supports choice of D, whereas the latter supports choice of B, thus determining equal choice of B and D in the tests.
Multiple dimensions of racioethnicity
Authors: Friday Shawnta S. , Friday Earnest , Moss Sherry E.
Published: June 2004

Given the changing work force demographics and the increased globalization of businesses, the usage of a multidimensional construct to assess racioethnic differences in job‐related attitudes and behaviors may be able to provide researchers and practitioners with a better understanding of how to more effectively manage diverse individuals within various organizational contexts. As such, it is purported that racioethnicity is multidimensional, with at least three dimensions: physioethnicity, the physical dimension; socioethnicity, the sociocultural dimension; and psychoethnicity, the psychological dimension. It is further posited that examining socioethnicity and psychoethnicity, in addition to physioethnicity, will enable researchers and practitioners to assess the sociocultural and psychological dimensions of racioethnicity and their affects on various organizational behavioral outcomes, which have traditionally been ignored.
Corporate entrepreneurship contingencies and organizational wealth creation
Authors: Antoncic Bostjan , Hisrich Robert D.
Published: June 2004

Despite the recognized importance of entrepreneurship for organizational wealth creation, research has devoted minimal attention to investigating this area. This study contributes to a better understanding of the relationship between corporate entrepreneurship and wealth creation by developing and testing a normative model, which clarifies the nature of the influences of corporate entrepreneurship and its environmental and organizational antecedents on organizational performance. The findings of structural equation modeling, based on mail survey data from 477 Slovenian firms, demonstrate that corporate entrepreneurship and some its contingencies make a difference in organizational wealth creation, growth and profitability.
Effect of diet on otolith composition in Pomatomus saltatrix, an estuarine piscivore
Authors: Buckel J. A. , Sharack B. L. , Zdanowicz V. S.
Published: June 2004

To test the hypothesis that elemental composition of otoliths (sagittae) could be influenced by differences in natural prey type, young‐of‐the‐year bluefish Pomatomus saltatrix were captured immediately after their migration from oceanic waters into mid‐Atlantic Bight estuaries and fed either shrimp, Crangon septemspinosa and Palaemonetes spp. or fish Menidia menidia under similar temperature and salinity regimes in two separate 60 day experiments. Unlimited rations of fish and shrimp prey were provided in the first experiment which led to differences in bluefish growth rate between the two prey treatments; fish prey was limited in the second experiment to ensure that growth rates of bluefish in the two prey treatments were similar. Concentrations of seven elements in bluefish otoliths were determined using solution‐based inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). There was no significant effect of diet on five of the seven elements examined (Na, Mg, K, Ca and Mn). The levels of Sr and Ba in the otoliths of shrimp‐fed bluefish, however, were significantly higher than fish‐fed bluefish in both experiments. Concentrations of Ba in shrimp‐fed bluefish otoliths were double that found in fish‐fed bluefish. The results suggest that diet can explain some of the variation in otolith chemistry previously attributed to physical and chemical properties of the water.
Seasonal differences in muscle fibre recruitment of pilchard larvae in the north‐western Mediterranean
Authors: Catalán I. A. , Johnston I. A. , Olivar M. P.
Published: June 2004

The recruitment of slow and fast myotomal muscle fibres with respect to growth in body length in European pilchard larvae Sardina pilchardus[(3·5–13·5 mm standard length (LS)] was significantly higher in November 1998 than February 1999. This resulted in a significant seasonal difference in the relationship between fibre number and LS, particularly for the fast muscle. Mean sea surface temperature was c. 6° C higher in November than February, whereas the mean abundance of potential prey items (copepod nauplii) was comparable between cruises. Laboratory and field data obtained from other clupeid species have indicated the importance of early thermal experience on muscle fibre recruitment patterns. Differences in average sea temperature therefore provide a plausible mechanism for the observed seasonal differences in muscle growth characteristics.
Influence of temperature on silver accumulation and depuration in rainbow trout
Authors: Nichols J. W. , Playle R. C.
Published: June 2004

To assess the influence of water temperature on silver uptake, rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss(c. 50 g; held at 13° C) were exposed to 0·1 μM AgNO3 in ion‐poor water for 1 week at 4 and 16° C without previous temperature acclimation. To assess the influence of temperature on elimination of previously accumulated Ag, rainbow trout were exposed to 0·1 μM AgNO3 in ion‐poor water for 1 week at 12° C, then were randomly divided amongst two Ag‐free water containers, differing only in temperature (3 and 16° C), for 2 months. In the uptake study greater accumulation of Ag was seen in the gills, plasma and especially the livers and bile of ‘warm’ rainbow trout (16° C) compared to ‘cold’ rainbow trout (4° C), which can be explained by the higher metabolic rates of the warmer fish. In the depuration study there was no net elimination of Ag from the livers and bile but there was biphasic elimination of Ag from the gills and plasma of ‘warm’ and ‘cold’ fish, but with few differences between them. This indicated that temperature‐dependent processes were less important in Ag elimination than in Ag uptake. Toxicokinetic modelling of Ag uptake by livers indicated four‐fold greater uptake of Ag by ‘warm’ rainbow trout compared to ‘cold’ rainbow trout (one compartment uptake model). Elimination of previously accumulated Ag from the plasma was best fitted by a two compartment rate‐constant based model, with approximately half the plasma Ag load eliminated within 24 h, followed by slower elimination of Ag over 2 months.
Blowflies Calliphora vicina and Lucilia sericata as passive vectors of Mycobacterium avium subsp. avium, M. a. paratuberculosis and M. a. hominissuis
Authors: Fischer O. A. , Matlova L. , Dvorska L. , Svastova P. , Bartl J. , Weston R. T. , Pavlik I.
Published: June 2004

Abstract.  Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (Actinomycetales: Mycobacteriaceae) isolates of identical restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) type B‐C1 were isolated from: intestinal mucosa of two cows showing clinical signs of paratuberculosis, a specimen of the blowfly Calliphora vicina Robineau‐Desvoidy (Diptera: Calliphoridae) captured while perched on these cattle intestines in a waste container at the site of the slaughter, and the blowflies C. vicina and Lucilia caesar Linnaeus captured the next day at the same site when no infected cattle with paratuberculosis were slaughtered. Subsequently, second‐stage larvae of the blowflies C. vicina and Lucilia sericata (Meigen) were experimentally infected by feeding them liver from hens with avian tuberculosis caused by M. a. avium (serotype 1, genotype IS901+ and IS1245+) and small cuts of pork meat contaminated with M. a. hominissuis (serotype 8, genotype IS901‐ and IS1245+). Mycobacterium a. avium of identical serotype, genotype and RFLP type F‐C3 was isolated from C. vicina larvae on days 4 and 11 post infection (p.i.) and from L. sericata larvae on day 4 p.i. Identical RFLP type B‐C1 of M. a. paratuberculosis was isolated from adult C. vicina fed with artificially contaminated saccharose solution on day 2 p. i. Investigation of M. a. paratuberculosis distribution inside the adult C. vicina showed that the majority of Colony Forming Units (CFU) were isolated from the abdomen and head, fewer from the thorax and wings and none from the legs. Larvae and adults may participate in spreading causal agents of mycobacterial infections and this fact should be considered during sanitation of infected herds and in slaughterhouses when materials from animals affected by mycobacterial infections are processed.
Molecular identification of two species of myiasis‐causing Cuterebra by multiplex PCR and RFLP
Authors: Noël S. , Tessier N. , Angers B. , Wood D. M. , Lapointe F.‐J.
Published: June 2004

Abstract.  The myiasis‐causing flies Cuterebra grisea (Coquillet) and Cuterebra fontinella (Clark) (Diptera: Oestridae) are normally parasites of mice, predominantly of the genus Peromyscus. The morphological similarities of these species and the existence of intermediate morphotypes bearing characters of both species make the identification of adults problematic; furthermore the identification of larvae is apparently not possible. This study presents two molecular approaches to discriminate between these species using specific band patterns: (i) species‐specific primers designed in the cytochrome oxidase II (COII) region used in multiplex polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and (ii) restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) on amplified segments of cytochrome oxidase I (COI) gene. Both methods were tested on Cuterebra larvae and on adult museum specimens. The two techniques showed a clear difference between C. grisea and C. fontinella, although species‐specific primers were more successful than RFLP for degraded DNA. No intraspecific variation in RFLP and species‐specific amplifications were detected for the two species of Cuterebra. The results exhibit discrepancies between molecular and morphological identification, suggesting that some of the adults were misidentified.
Modelling the distributions of Culicoides bluetongue virus vectors in Sicily in relation to satellite‐derived climate variables
Authors: Purse B. V. , Tatem A. J. , Caracappa S. , Rogers D. J. , Mellor P. S. , Baylis M. , Torina A.
Published: June 2004

Abstract.  Surveillance data from 268 sites in Sicily are used to develop climatic models for prediction of the distribution of the main European bluetongue virus (BTV) vector Culicoides imicola Kieffer (Diptera: Ceratopogonidae) and of potential novel vectors, Culicoides pulicaris Linnaeus, Culicoides obsoletus group Meigen and Culicoides newsteadi Austen. The models containing the ‘best’ climatic predictors of distribution for each species, were selected from combinations of 40 temporally Fourier‐processed remotely sensed variables and altitude at a 1 km spatial resolution using discriminant analysis. Kappa values of around 0.6 for all species models indicated substantial levels of agreement between model predictions and observed data. Whilst the distributions of C. obsoletus group and C. newsteadi were predicted by temperature variables, those of C. pulicaris and C. imicola were determined mainly by normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), a variable correlated with soil moisture and vegetation biomass and productivity. These models were used to predict species presence in unsampled pixels across Italy and for C. imicola across Europe and North Africa. The predicted continuous presence of C. pulicaris along the appenine mountains, from north to south Italy, suggests BTV transmission may be possible in a large proportion of this region and that seasonal transhumance (seasonal movement of livestock between upland and lowland pastures) even in C. imicola‐free areas should not generally be considered safe. The predicted distribution of C. imicola distribution shows substantial agreement with observed surveillance data from Greece and Iberia (including the Balearics) and parts of mainland Italy (Lazio, Tuscany and areas of the Ionian coast) but is generally much more restricted than the observed distribution (in Sardinia, Corsica and Morocco). The low number of presence sites for C. imicola in Sicily meant that only a restricted range of potential C. imicola habitats were included in the training set and that predictions could only be made within this range. Future modelling exercises will use abundance data collected according to a standardized protocol across the Mediterranean and, for Sicily in particular, should include non‐climatic environmental variables that may influence breeding site suitability such as soil type.
A Discrepancy Between Liquid Phase and Gel Phase Assays for Evaluation of Total Complement Activity and Some Possible Explanations
Authors: Thordardottir S. , Traustadottir K. H. , Erlendsson K.
Published: June 2004

This study was conducted to investigate the frequency and origin of discrepant assay results between two haemolytic assays which both measure activity of the classical pathway of complement (CH50) by haemolysis of sheep red blood cells (SRBCs). One is conducted in gel phase using undiluted sera and the other in liquid phase with sera in 1/100 dilution. The majority of discrepant readings are observed as low or absent haemolysis in the gel phase, with values within or above the normal range in the liquid phase. The incidence of discrepant assay readings was evaluated in 300 samples. Furthermore, 28 samples showing the most discrepant readings were investigated further for disturbing factors. Factors evaluated in the test sera were mannose‐binding lectin, C‐reactive protein (CRP), immune complexes, antibodies to SRBCs, rheumatoid factor and immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG anti‐C1q antibodies. The results showed that discrepant readings are present in 10% of the 300 samples and false low gel assay readings account for 6.3%. The majority (68%) of the discrepant samples contained a heat‐stable‐inhibiting factor, and the main mediators found were elevated levels of IgA anti‐C1q antibodies and antibodies to SRBCs. This could indicate a clinically relevant factor in the test sera but can also result from the difference in assay design.
Utility of the Housekeeping Genes 18S rRNA, β‐Actin and Glyceraldehyde‐3‐Phosphate‐Dehydrogenase for Normalization in Real‐Time Quantitative Reverse Transcriptase‐Polymerase Chain Reaction Analysis of Gene Expression in Human T Lymphocytes
Authors: Bas A. , Forsberg G. , Hammarström S. , Hammarström M.‐L.
Published: June 2004

The accuracy of 18S rRNA, β‐actin mRNA and glyceraldehyde‐3‐phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) mRNA as indicators of cell number when used for normalization in gene expression analysis of T lymphocytes at different activation stages was investigated. Quantitative real‐time reverse transcriptase‐polymerase chain reaction was used to determine the expression level of 18S rRNA, β‐actin mRNA, GAPDH mRNA and mRNA for six cytokines in carefully counted samples of resting human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), intestinal lymphocytes and PBMCs subjected to polyclonal T‐cell activation. The 18S rRNA level in activated and resting PBMCs and intestinal lymphocytes was essentially the same, while the levels of β‐actin and GAPDH mRNAs fluctuated markedly upon activation. When isolated γδTCR+, CD4+ and CD8+ subpopulations were studied, 18S rRNA levels remained unchanged after 21 h of activation but increased slightly after 96 h. In contrast, there was a 30–70‐fold increase of GAPDH mRNA/cell in these cell populations upon activation. Cytokine analysis revealed that only normalization to 18S rRNA gave a result that satisfactorily reflected their mRNA expression levels per cell. In conclusion, 18S rRNA was the most stable housekeeping gene and hence superior for normalization in comparative analyses of mRNA expression levels in human T lymphocytes.
Dilemmas and Challenges for the Shelter Sector: Lessons Learned from the Sphere Revision Process
Authors: Saunders Graham
Published: June 2004

Key dilemmas and challenges for those involved in the shelter sector are described, based on issues that emerged from the extensive global consultative process undertaken to inform the revision of the Sphere handbook. The range of perspectives on the major themes is presented, with suggestions as to how these issues could be progressed.

Themes include the poor definition of the sector and the lack of a consistent approach among the leading shelter actors; the absence of a common terminology; the conflict between ‘temporary’ versus ‘durable’ solutions; the disconnect between technical advisers and the field; the need for greater recognition of local coping strategies and the local context; the involvement of recipients and host governments in policy development; the need for better ‘how‐to’ guidance; and the limited incorporation of the emerging themes of livelihoods etc. to date.