bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Screening for Malingered Psychopathology in a Correctional Setting
Authors: Guy Laura S. , Miller Holly A.
Published: November 2004

Evidence of construct validity and generalizability for a new measure developed to screen for malingered psychopathology, the Miller-Forensic Assessment of Symptoms Test (M-FAST), is presented for a sample of incarcerated males ( N = 50) who had applied for mental health services in a maximum-security prison. Participants completed a brief diagnostic interview, the Structured Interview of Reported Symptoms (SIRS), and the M-FAST. SIRS-defined malingerers scored significantly higher on the M-FAST total and scale scores. Receiver operating characteristic analysis yielded an area under the curve of .92 ( SEM = .04, p= .01). Consistent with previous M-FAST validity research, utility results indicated accurate classification was best achieved with an M-FAST total cutoff score of 6 (positive predictive power = .78, negative predictive power =.89). Utility analyses across race produced almost identical results indicating preliminary generalizability of the M-FAST for African American, Hispanic, and Caucasian inmates.
Assessing Gender Authenticity in Computer-Mediated Language Use
Authors: Herring Susan C. , Martinson Anna
Published: November 2004

Although a substantial body of research exists on gender differences in computer-mediated communication, relatively little empirical attention has been directed toward how people perform a different gender online, or to what behavioral cues other participants attend in assessing others’ real-life gender. This study analyzes deceptive gender performances and assessments of their authenticity in The Turing Game, a publicly available synchronous text chat environment that supports spontaneous identity games. Content analysis of game logs shows that contestants produce stereotypical content when attempting to pass as the opposite gender, as well as giving off stylistic cues to their real-life gender. However, contrary to previous evidence that people judge online gender authenticity on the basis of linguistic styles, the judges in The Turing Game base their assessments mostly on stereotyped content, leading to a high rate of error. These findings are interpreted in terms of signal costs and conscious accessibility of cues.
Language Efficiency and Visual Technology
Authors: Gergle Darren , Kraut Robert E. , Fussell Susan R.
Published: November 2004

When collaborators work on a physical task, seeing a common workspace transforms their language use and reduces their overall collaborative effort. This article shows how visual information can make communication more efficient. In an experiment, dyads collaborated on building a puzzle. They communicated without a shared visual space, using a shared space featuring immediately updated visual information, and using a shared space featuring delayed visual updating. Having the shared visual space helps collaborators understand the current state of their task and enables them to ground their conversations efficiently, as seen in the ways in which participants adapted their discourse processes to their level of shared visual information. These processes are associated with faster and better task performance. Delaying the visual update reduces benefits and degrades performance. The shared visual space is more useful when tasks are visually complex or when participants have no simple vocabulary for describing their environments.
Public Deliberation in an Age of Direct Citizen Participation
Authors: Roberts Nancy
Published: November 2004

Citizen participation in the decisions that affect their lives is an imperative of contemporary society. For the first half of the 20th century, citizens relied on public officials and administrators to make decisions about public policy and its implementation. The latter part of the 20th century saw a shift toward greater direct citizen involvement. This trend is expected to grow as democratic societies become more decentralized, interdependent, networked, linked by new information technologies, and challenged by “wicked problems.” The purpose of this article is to summarize the past experiments in direct citizen participation—the forms they take, the challenges they raise (including the need for redefined roles for public officials and citizens), and the consequences they produce. By laying out what has been done in the past, we are better positioned to identify the critical issues and challenges that remain for researchers and practitioners to address in the future.
Ecological Sustainability, Environmental Justice, and Energy Use: An Annotated Bibliography
Authors: Touché George E.
Published: November 2004

This bibliography brings together diverse literature that focuses on different facets of ecological sustainability, environmental justice, and energy use. Inherent general themes emerge from recognition of the essential linkage existing between intragenerational and intergenerational equity. Planning scholars should be especially interested as ecological sustainability, environmental justice, and energy use are all relevant to common planning priorities involving equity, justice, citizen participation, and public health and well-being.
Resolving Problems in Pension Plan Funding
Authors: Landstrom Beverly G.
Published: November 2004

Three years of declining interest rates and equity values have severely stressed U.S. pension plan sponsors, who have seen hundreds of billions of dollars of “surplus” assets turn into underfunding. It is expected that in the coming decade, tens of billions of dollars will be diverted from investment in new equipment and new factories, and significant cutbacks will be made in employee compensation and benefits to fund this massive shortfall. Beleaguered companies are exploring or already implementing strategies to mitigate the cost and volatility of their pension plans. Although some of these strategies may provide short-term relief, without careful planning and informed decision making, these actions may have unintended and unacceptable consequences for plan sponsors and their employees. Employers should consider modeling assets and liabilities to determine if they are properly positioned for long-term adequate funding of their pension plans. Employers should further consider modeling the retirement income adequacy of benefits provided under their benefit programs to determine if the various sources of retirement income available to their employees will ensure an affordable retirement.
Health Savings Accounts: Has the Revolution Begun?
Authors: Lavis Bill
Published: November 2004

Health savings accounts are the biggest innovation to hit the group benefits market since the advent of HMOs. By migrating to high-deductible health insurance plans, employers can reduce their premiums while shifting the burden of health care cost back to employees. And with a little instruction from the human resources department, employees should welcome this program because they can use tax-deferred health savings account dollars to put toward their retirement without adding additional costs to the company benefits program. This is a winning scenario that sweetens the pot for employees, giving them another tax-savings mechanism to save for retirement and allowing employers to migrate to less costly high-deductible health insurance programs.
The Real Value Statement: Aggregating Pay and Benefits on the Internet
Authors: Ceccon Andrew
Published: November 2004

Total compensation statements have long been touted as the most effective means of showing employees the real value of their employment. Right there on one piece of paper, or computer screen, is a summation of cash compensation and the dollar value of company benefits. Unfortunately, the statement is a snapshot in time, and because of the complications of compiling the information, the statements are sent out months after the snapshot was taken. Only a handful of employers have made the leap to the next generation: the real value statement. This statement is delivered through the Internet and can be generated in real time using up-to-the-minute data. Moreover, it includes the information employees are really interested in monitoring, such as 401(k), FSA, HRA, and stock option values. The real value statement will not be real for most employers until somebody can find a way to make it scalable and reasonably priced for HR budgets.
A Rational Approach to Consumer-Directed Health Care: Engaging Consumers and Providers in Controlling Health Care Costs
Authors: Aita S. Joseph
Published: November 2004

A consumer-directed health (CDH) plan offering should reflect the company’s belief that involving members more closely in managing their health care will result in improved outcomes and lower costs. Core capabilities shouldbe designed to give members access to tools and information needed to help themmake informed decisions.Actuarial models will enable employers to evaluate the plans’ impact on cost sharing and overall benefit costs. The debut of additional consumerdirected pharmacy benefit options offersemployers the opportunity to reduce health care spending while providing their workforce and dependents with greater, more flexible control over prescription benefits. Consumer-oriented pharmacy programs leverage proven cost-containing management capabilities and support.Consumerism is taking a stronger hold in the marketplace, notonly with employers but also with providers who develop products and solutions.Innovative plan designs represent the transformational movement of products andservices that are becoming more employee centric.
Using a Matrix in Life Transition Research
Authors: Liddle Jacki , Carlson Glenys , McKenna Kryss
Published: November 2004

Life transitions can be planned or can occur unexpectedly. They can cause a major change to a person’s life patterns and well-being. Older adulthood is a time for many life transitions as a result of changes in life roles and health status. In this exploratory study, the authors investigate the transition involved in driving cessation for older people. In analyzing and organizing the data, they develop a matrix that incorporated descriptive and temporal factors associated with the transition. This matrix is useful in organizing and communicating the findings as a whole and could be used in describing individual experiences. It might be of use for the organization of qualitative data about other life transitions such as illness, retirement, and the development and adoption of new behaviors.
Using Qualitative Research
Authors: Sandelowski Margarete
Published: November 2004

A renewed urgency has emerged in the qualitative health research community concerning the utility of qualitative research. This urgency is the result of several converging trends in health care research, including the elevation of practical over basic knowledge, proliferation of qualitative health research studies, and the rise of evidence-based practice as a paradigm and methodology for health care. Diverse conceptualizations of use and users exist, and these have different implications for understanding, demonstrating, and enhancing the utility of qualitative research findings. Issues affecting the utilization of these findings include the varied ways in which they are conceived, presented, synthesized, signified, and translated, and the complex repertoire of skills required to activate the knowledge transformation cycle in qualitative health research fully.
Constructing Qualitatively Derived Theory: Concept Construction and Concept Typologies
Authors: Morse Janice M.
Published: November 2004

Although concepts differ in scope, specificity, and function within qualitatively derived theory (QDT), and the organization and integration of concepts is essential for the attainment of theoretical integrity, this topic has not been discussed previously in the literature. In this presentation, the author discusses the derivation and the kinds of concepts that qualitative inquiry generates. She examines the various positioning of certain types of concepts in emerging theoretical schemes and how the contribution of those concepts to completed theory varies according to the researchers’ agenda and the various roles assumed by different types of concepts.
Bracketing in Research: A Typology
Authors: Gearing Robin Edward
Published: November 2004

The term bracketing has increasingly been employed in qualitative research. Although this term proliferates in scientific studies and professional journals, its application and operationalization remains vague and, often, superficial. The growing disconnection of the practice of bracketing in research from its origins in phenomenology has resulted in its frequent reduction to a formless technique, value stance, or black-box term. Mapping the subtle theoretical and philosophical underpinnings of bracketing will facilitate identification and delineation of core elements that compose bracketing, and distinguish howdifferent research approaches prioritize different bracketing elements. The author outlines a typology of six distinct forms of bracketing that encompasses the methodological rigor and evolution of bracketing within the richness of qualitative research.
Practical Issues in Using a Card Sort in a Study of Nonsupport and Family Caregiving
Authors: Neufeld Anne , Harrison Margaret J. , Rempel Gwen R. , Larocque Sylvie , Dublin Sharon , Stewart Miriam , Hughes Karen
Published: November 2004

The authors successfully used the card sort data collection technique with 17 female family caregivers in a large ethnographic study of nonsupport. In this article, they describe the practical issues they addressed. Initially, they developed strategies to construct meaningful statements that reflected key themes and were manageable in an interview. Later, to address challenges for participants, they developed approaches to assist women in moving beyond their own experience, dealing with test anxiety, and anticipating an emotional response. To facilitate effective data collection, they made detailed arrangements in advance, collected “talk aloud” data that captured women’s decisions, and maintained accurate records. The women felt validated in their caregiving roles, as the card statements reflected their experience and rich data was elicited. The card sort exercise contributed information about variability in the meaning of similar interactions for different women and a beginning understanding of the criteria women used to make decisions.
An Integrated Model of Training Evaluation and Effectiveness
Authors: Alvarez Kaye , Salas Eduardo , Garofano Christina M.
Published: November 2004

A decade of training evaluation and training effectiveness research was reviewed to construct an integrated model of training evaluation and effectiveness. This model integrates four prior evaluation models and results of 10 years of training effectiveness research. It is the first to be constructed using a set of strict criteria and to investigate the evaluation and effectiveness relationships with an evaluation measure proposed several years ago, post training attitudes. Evaluation measures found to be related to posttraining attitudes were cognitive learning, training performance, and transfer performance. Training effectiveness variables found to be related to posttraining attitudes were pretraining self-efficacy, experience, posttraining mastery orientation, learning principles, and post-training interventions. Overall, 10 training effectiveness variables were found to consistently influence training outcomes. Results also reveal that reaction measures and training motivation are two areas needing further development and research. These findings as well as other areas requiring research attention are discussed.
Toward a Theory of Human Resource Development Learning Participation
Authors: Wang Greg G. , Wang Jia
Published: November 2004

This article fills a theoretical gap by identifying an understudied subject area for human resource development (HRD) theory building, learning participation of HRD interventions in organizations. The topic has critical significance in current HRD practices, such as concerns on e-learning dropout rates and HRD measurement and evaluation. First, a comprehensive literature review and analysis are presented to identify the research gap in general adult education research and management or HRD-related literature in learning participation. A conceptual framework of HRD learning participation is then proposed, from cross-sectional and time-series perspectives, to describe the pattern, factors, structure, and their interrelationships in HRD learning participation, with a discussion of model constructs. The conceptual framework is then operationalized with mathematical operations to demonstrate how to empirically test the model. Finally, the applicability of the proposed theory and its implications for future HRD research are elaborated.
A Central Role for Norepinephrine in the Modulation of Cerebellar Learning Tasks
Authors: Cartford M. Claire , Gould Thomas , Bickford Paula C.
Published: November 2004

Norepinephrine (NE) is a central nervous system neuromodulator that enhances the actions of other neurotransmitters such as gamma-aminobutyric acid and glutamate. Based on the Marr-Albus theories, Gilbert suggested that NE influences consolidation of cerebellar learning. NE depletion or blockade of postsynaptic noradrenergic receptors decreases the rate of learning in several cerebellar-dependent learning tasks. Loss of cerebellar β -adrenergic receptor function correlates with a loss of function in related learning tasks. Interventions that improve β -adrenergic receptor function also improve performance in cerebellum-dependent learning tasks. Thus, the authors propose that NE has a central role in the modulation of learning within the cerebellum.
Immediate and Long-Term Changes in Corticomotor Output in Response to Rehabilitation: Correlation with Functional Improvements in Chronic Stroke
Authors: Koski Lisa , Mernar Thomas J. , Dobkin Bruce H.
Published: November 2004

The goal of this study was to determine whether transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) measures of the corticomotor pathways might reflect and predict functional improvements during rehabilitation of a hemiparetic upper extremity. Ten patients with variable levels of functional impairment in upper extremity use were enrolled at least 3 months after a stroke. TMS was used to obtain serial measures of motor thresholds and motor-evoked potential (MEP) size for a muscle from both hands before and after each session of an intervention aimed at improving functional motor control. Functional ability and cortical map area and volume were measured before each therapy session. At intake, all TMS measures from the affected side were impaired compared with the unaffected side but they did not reliably predict the level of functional improvement. Motor thresholds decreased, whereas MEP amplitude and map size increased with treatment. The amount of change in affected side measures was correlated with the amount of improvement in hand/arm function. Normalization of MEP amplitude asymmetry in response to the 1st 2 therapy sessions predicted long-term improvement in Fugl-Meyer motor score. Within limits, TMS appears to be useful in both moderate and more impaired patients as a physiological assay of treatment-induced plasticity and behavioral gains. Methodological differences in the literature, however, currently obscure a full understanding of the potential contributions of TMS to rehabilitation research.
Effects of Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation (TENS) on Cognition, Behavior, and the Rest-Activity Rhythm in Children with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, Combined Type
Authors: Jonsdottir Solveig , Bouma Anke , Sergeant Joseph A. , Scherder Erik J.A.
Published: November 2004

Objective. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) on cognition, behavior, and the rest-activity rhythm in children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, combined type (ADHD-CT). Methods. Twenty-two children diagnosed with ADHD-CT received TENS treatment during 6 weeks, 2 times 30 min a day. Neuropsychological tests were administered to assess cognition, parent/teacher behavioral rating scales were used to measure behavior, and actigraphy was used to assess the rest-activity rhythm. Results. TENS appeared to have a moderate beneficial influence on cognitive functions that load particularly on executive function. There was also improvement in behavior as measured by parent/teacher behavioral rating scales. Moreover, motor restlessness during sleep and motor activity during the day decreased by TENS. Conclusions. The effects of TENS in children with ADHD are modest but encouraging and warrant further research.
The Effects of Constraint-Induced Therapy on Precision Grip: A Preliminary Study
Authors: Alberts Jay L. , Butler Andrew J. , Wolf Steven L.
Published: November 2004

Objective. This preliminary study examines the effects of a 2-week constraint-induced therapy (CIT) intervention on the force-producing capabilities of the hemiparetic hand during the performance of a functional dexterous manipulation task. Methods. A 6-degree-of-freedom force/torque transducer that was embedded into the handle of a key allowed for the quantification of grasping forces and torques produced during the performance of a functional key-turning task. Clinical and kinetic data were collected from 10 subacute patients (3-9 months poststroke) who were participating in an ongoing national clinical study (EXCITE trial) examining the effects of CIT on upper extremity motor performance. Investigators were blinded to treatment designation. Five patients receiving treatment immediately completed 2 weeks of intensive CIT, whereas a group randomized to treatment 1 year later did not receive any therapy during a similar 2-week span. Results .Results indicated that 4 of the 5 patients in the CIT group, compared to the delayed group, showed significant clinical improvements in hand function, increased maximum precision grip force, improved force and torque regulation, and reduced variability in rate of force production during task performance. Conclusions. Improved force control may be a mechanism contributing to the observed improvements in dexterous function in those patients undergoing CIT.
Book Review: Insomnia following Traumatic Brain Injury: A Review
Authors: Ouellet Marie-Christine , Savard Josée , Morin Charles M.
Published: November 2004

Sleep disturbances after a traumatic brain injury (TBI) have received very little scientific attention despite the fact that several studies indicate that they may occur in 30% to 70% of patients. For individuals with TBI, problems falling asleep or maintaining sleep can exacerbate other symptoms such as pain, cognitive deficits, fatigue, or irritability. Sleep disturbances can thus compromise the rehabilitation process and the ability to return to work. This article reviews the evidence on the epidemiology, etiology, and treatment of insomnia in the context of TBI and proposes areas for future research. Prevalence estimates of insomnia complaints in TBI patients are summarized. Potential etiological factors (i.e., lesions to the nervous system, anxiety) and possible consequences of insomnia (i.e., fatigue, cognitive problems) in the context of TBI are discussed. Finally, pharmacological and psychological treatments previously shown effective to treat insomnia in healthy individuals are discussed as valuable treatment options for TBI patients. Increased knowledge about the high prevalence, diagnosis, and potential etiological factors of insomnia following TBI may promote a better identification, evaluation, and treatment of sleeping difficulties in this population.
Effects of Acupuncture Treatment on Poststroke Motor Recovery and Physical Function: A Pilot Study
Authors: Alexander David N. , Cen Steven , Sullivan Katherine J. , Bhavnani Gitu , Ma Xiuling , Azen Stanley P. ,   ASAP Study Group
Published: November 2004

This pilot study obtained preliminary data on the effects of acupuncture treatment combined with a standard inpatient stroke rehabilitation program on poststroke motor recovery and physical function. Thirty-two patients with acute stroke were recruited and randomized to 1 of 2 treatment arms: standard rehabilitation (control group) or a combination of acupuncture and standard rehabilitation (acupuncture group). Baseline and discharge assessments were obtained on motor recovery as measured by the Fugl-Meyer (FM) Assessment and on physical function as measured by the Functional Independence Measure (FIM). Comparisons were made between the acupuncture and control group in total FM and FIM as well as for each subscale of the FM and FIM. No differences between treatment groups were found in the total FM or the total FIM. However, statistically significant benefit due to acupuncture was observed for the FM lower extremity motor function subscale (P = 0.01) and the tub/shower transfer mobility subscale of the FIM (P = 0.03). Marginally significant benefit due to acupuncture was noted for the toilet transfer mobility subscale of the FIM (P = 0.09). The effectiveness of acupuncture as an adjunct to standard poststroke rehabilitation programs may be demonstrated when more specific measures of stroke motor recovery and physical function are used.
Lymphatic dysfunction in transgenic mice expressing KSHV k-cyclin under the control of the VEGFR-3 promoter
Authors: Sugaya Makoto , Watanabe Takahiro , Yang Aparche , Starost Matthew F. , Kobayashi Hisataka , Atkins April M. , Borris Debra L. , Hanan Elisabeth A. , Schimel Daniel , Bryant Mark A. , Roberts Nicole , Skobe Mihaela , Staskus Katherine A. , Kaldis Philipp , Blauvelt Andrew
Published: November 2004

Kaposi sarcoma–associated herpesvirus (KSHV) infects endothelial cells within KS tumors, and these cells express the KSHV latent-cycle gene k-cyclin (kCYC) as well as vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 3 (VEGFR-3), a marker for lymphatic endothelium. To further understand KSHV-mediated pathogenesis, we generated transgenic mice expressing kCYC under the control of the VEGFR-3 promoter. kCYC mRNA and functional protein expression within tissue correlated with VEGFR-3 expression and were most abundantly detected within lung tissue. Clinically, most transgenic mice died within 6 months of age secondary to progressive accumulation of chylous pleural fluid. In skin, edema was detected by magnetic resonance imaging and mice demonstrated persistent erythema of the ears following trauma. Histologically, erythematous skin showed extravasation of erythrocytes and accumulation of erythrocytes within lymphatic lumens. In addition, lymphatic drainage of injected contrast dyes was markedly impaired in transgenic mice. Karyomegaly, a feature observed in kCYC-expressing cells in vitro, was detected in many tissues, and selectively occurred within lymphatic endothelial cells expressing kCYC mRNA by in situ hybridization. In summary, kCYC expression within VEGFR-3+ cells of mice causes marked impairment of lymphatic function. kCYC may contribute to the development of certain clinical and histologic features of KS, including localized edema and retention of extravasated erythrocytes within KS tumors.
NK cells that are activated by CXCL10 can kill dormant tumor cells that resist CTL-mediated lysis and can express B7-H1 that stimulates T cells
Authors: Saudemont Aurore , Jouy Nathalie , Hetuin Dominique , Quesnel Bruno
Published: November 2004

Tumor dormancy is a phenomenon where small numbers of tumor cells persist in the host for months or years. We previously showed in the DA1-3b/C3H mouse model of acute myeloid leukemia that dormant tumor cells resist cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL)–mediated killing because they overexpress B7-H1. Here, we vaccinated mice with DA1-3b cells transduced with CXCL10. Vaccinated mice developed a strong systemic immunity that led to the cure of established leukemia without persistence of dormant tumor cells. In vivo depletion of natural killer (NK) cells from the mice abrogated the protective effect of the vaccine. Long-term persistent leukemic cells resist CTL-mediated lysis but were killed by NK cells from mice vaccinated with DA1-3b/CXCL10. These NK cells expressed B7-H1. Recombinant CXCL10, CXCL9, CXCL11, and CXCL12 chemokines induced expression of B7-H1 on mouse and human NK cells in vitro. Mouse and human B7-H1+ NK cells induced proliferation of T cells and production of interferon γ and tumor necrosis factor α in vitro, and in vivo blocking of B7-H1 inhibited the protective effect of vaccination. Thus, CXCL10 induces antileukemic immunity, at least partially by stimulating NK cells to express B7-H1+. This antitumor effect is in contrast to the effect of B7-H1 when expressed on tumor cells because it stops cytotoxic lymphocytes from killing those tumor cells.
Analysis of the receptor-ligand interactions in the natural killer–mediated lysis of freshly isolated myeloid or lymphoblastic leukemias: evidence for the involvement of the Poliovirus receptor (CD155) and Nectin-2 (CD112)
Authors: Pende Daniela , Spaggiari Grazia Maria , Marcenaro Stefania , Martini Stefania , Rivera Paola , Capobianco Andrea , Falco Michela , Lanino Edoardo , Pierri Ivana , Zambello Renato , Bacigalupo Andrea , Mingari Maria Cristina , Moretta Alessandro , Moretta Lorenzo
Published: November 2004

On the basis of recent clinical and experimental data, natural killer (NK) cells appear to play a crucial role in eradication of acute myeloid leukemias. In the present study, by exploiting our current knowledge on NK receptors and their ligands on target cells, we investigated the interactions between NK and leukemic cells. We show that the size of the NK cell subset expressing the killer immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) not engaged by the HLA-class I alleles of the patient parallels the degree of NK cytotoxicity against leukemic cells. A sharp down-regulation of HLA-class I molecules has been detected in various leukemias and it was more frequent in myeloid than in lymphoblastic leukemias. Analysis of the ligands for triggering NK receptors revealed the consistent expression of Poliovirus receptor (PVR) and Nectin-2 in myeloid leukemias. In contrast, major histocompatibility complex class I-related chain molecules A/B (MICA/B) and UL1b-binding protein (ULBPs) were either absent or weakly expressed. Accordingly, NK-mediated lysis of these leukemias was dependent on DNAM-1 but not NKG2D. The major role of NKp46 and NKp30 was also confirmed. The expression of PVR and/or Nectin-2 was less frequent in lymphoblastic leukemias. In most leukemias, both CD48 and NTBA were down-regulated. The correlation found between marker expression and susceptibility to lysis may reveal useful information for NK-based immunotherapy.
A late-Holocene record of human impact from the southwest coast of New Caledonia
Authors: Stevenson Janelle
Published: November 2004

A late-Holocene vegetation record is presented from the southwest coast of New Caledonia. Lac Saint Louis is a freshwater swamp at 3 m a.s.l. adjacent to the River Coulee delta. Pollen analysis, charcoal analysis, radiocarbon dating and stratigraphic analyses have been used to reconstruct the vegetation and sedimentary history of the swamp. The sediment record commences at 6000 BP and reflects rapid flood-plain development associated with postglacial sea-level rise. This rapid accumulation of sediment ceased around 5500 BP and the site became a freshwater swamp. From 5500 to 3000 BP the pollen record reflects several aspects of this coastal landscape; coastal forest, the swamp surface and the adjacent mangrove zone. At 3000 BP charcoal levels increase significantly in conjunction with abrupt changes in the pollen record. Mangrove pollen declines and pollen indicative of coastal forest is replaced by pollen indicative of coastal savanna. These changes coincide with the commencement of the archaeological record in New Caledonia and mirror similar changes in other late-Holocene records elsewhere on the island, and are interpreted as representing human impact. Yam terraces surrounding Lac Saint Louis may have been built around 2000 BP based on mineral magnetic measurements and charcoal accumulation. The decline in mangrove vegetation adjacent to site may be the result of a late-Holocene fall in sea level. Increased sediment accumulation along the coastal foreshore as a result of forest clearance in the River Coulee's catch-ment, however, is also considered.
Palaeolimnological and sedimentary responses to Holocene forest retreat in the Scandes Mountains, west-central Sweden
Authors: Hammarlund Dan , Velle Gaute , Wolfe Brent B. , Edwards Thomas W.D. , Barnekow Lena , Bergman Jonas , Holmgren Sofia , Lamme Sara , Snowball Ian , Wohlfarth Barbara , Possnert Göran
Published: November 2004

A suite of analyses was performed on sediments accumulated during the last 10 700 years in Lake Spaime, a small, hydrologically open water body in the modem alpine tundra zone of the Scandes Mountains, west-central Sweden. The study aimed to evaluate (1) the nature of climate changes that forced the late-Holocene lowering of altitudinal tree limit in the region, the timing of which is known from prior studies based on radiocarbon dating of subfossil wood, and (2) the impact of these vegetational changes on an aquatic ecosystem. Arboreal pollen and plant macrofossil data confirm the persistence of trees in the lake catchment at least from c. 9700 cal. BP until c. 3700 cal. BP. Although growing-season temperature is commonly believed to be the dominant factor driving boreal forest tree-limit variations in the region, a chironomid-based reconstruction of mean July air temperature suggests that local deforestation during the late Holocene was not accompanied by a significant cooling. The tree-limit retreat was more likely caused by increasing effective moisture and declining length of the growing season. The ecohydrological response of Lake Spaime to this combination of climate and vegetational changes included a decline in primary productivity, as indicated by an abrupt decrease in sediment organic matter content, while associated increases in organic 613C, 615N and C/N point to diminished fluxes and altered balance of catchment derived nutrients following deforestation. The decline in aquatic productivity is also marked by a distinct change in the mineral magnetic properties, from a high magnetic concentration assemblage dominated by fine-grained magnetite of biogenic origin to one dominated by background levels of coarse-grained detrital magnetite.
Using rat-gnawed seeds to independently date the arrival of Pacific rats and humans in New Zealand
Authors: Wilmshurstl Janet M. , Higham Thomas F.G.
Published: November 2004

The Pacific rat (Rattus exulans) was transported throughout the south Pacific with voyaging humans. Thus, the earliest dated evidence of Pacific rat can be used to infer first human contact. Until recently, it was considered that rats arrived in New Zealand with humans in the thirteenth century AD. However, controversial radiocarbon dates on Pacific rat bones now suggest that rats reached the remote islands of New Zealand with people c. AD 50-150. These dates are anomalous because they imply human contact with New Zealand more than 1000 years before any archaeological evidence for human presence, and precede settlement of tropical eastern Polynesia, the ancestral homeland of Maori, the first New Zealanders. The early rat bone dates are controversial for other technical reasons, which have been debated in the literature. Here, distinctive rat-gnawed seed cases preserved in sediments are used as a proxy to independently date the arrival of the Pacific rat and humans in New Zealand. This method effectively bypasses the problems that have plagued rat bone dating and provides a reliable age for rat and human arrival. The oldest dates on rat-gnawed seed cases from widely separated sites are consistent with the Pacific rat arriving at the same time as the initial human settlement of New Zealand in the thirteenth century AD, and not before. The gnawed seed dates lend no support to the argument for an earlier introduction of rats. This dating approach offers a novel way of clarifying island colonization histories throughout Oceania.
Continental-scale climate forcing factors and environmental change at Glimmerglass Lake in the upper Peninsula of Michigan
Authors: Brugam Richard B. , Owen Beth , Kolesa Lawrence
Published: November 2004

Previous palaeoecological studies have shown that there have been major range shifts in Tsuga (hemlock) during the middle and late Holocene that seem to indicate climatic cooling and an increase in available moisture. We examined lake-level changes and peatland growth at Glimmerglass Lake and peatland in the Sylvania Wilderness Area to determine if the mid-Holocene increase in moisture indicated by the pollen record also influenced lakes and wetlands. Sphagnum peat began accumulating at the site at 6240 cal. yr BP. Diatom-inferred depth reconstructions show that the lake level rose 2 m and the peatland expanded out of its basin at 5300 cal. yr BP. All of these changes occurred as the last remnant of the Laurentide Ice Sheet disappeared and orbital forcing reduced seasonality relative to the early Holocene. We conclude that these continental-scale factors caused increased moisture availability in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, resulting in rising lakewater levels and peatland expansion.
A 130 0-year history of vegetation and environmental change at Jan Lake, east-central Alaska
Authors: Carlsonl Lisa J. , Finney Bruce P.
Published: November 2004

Pollen, stomates and macrofossils were analysed from a 3.63 m sediment core at Jan Lake, eastcentral Alaska, in order to improve spatial resolution of patterns of vegetation history in this region. The chronology was based on 19 AMS 14C dates on plant macrofossils and concentrated pollen. Zone Jan-I (12400-11 600 yr BP) records a unique herb-tundra pollen assemblage, particularly high in Chenopodia ceae, adding supporting evidence for a spatial mosaic of lateglacial vegetation in east-central Alaska. Unexpected pollen of Picea, Betula and Alnus in lateglacial sediments appears to arise from reworking of older pollen-bearing deposits, according to a radiocarbon date of 22180yr BP on a pollen sample. Shrub Betula tundra dominates zone Jan-Il (11 600-10000 yr BP), with indications of climatic amelioration. Tree species (Populus, Picea glauca, Betula papyrifera) began to arrive in zone Jan-Illa (9200-6600 yr BP), and the modern boreal forest, including Alnus and Picea mariana, became established during zone Jan-IIlb (6600-0 yr BP). Fossil stomates appear to be an effective indicator of initial local occurrence of Picea at Jan Lake. Picea arrival at Jan Lake is within 300 years of its arrival at other AMS-dated sites across eastern and central Alaska. A migration route into Alaska through the drainages of the Tanana or Yukon Rivers is hypothesized. Evidence is found for a slight mid-Holocene Picea decline at Jan Lake, intermediate in magnitude between Picea pollen records showing no decline to the east and a larger decline to the west in Alaska.
Climatic information from δ13C in plants by combining statistical and mechanistic approaches
Authors: Menot-Combes Guillemette , Combes Pierre-Philippe , Burns Stephen J.
Published: November 2004

The approach commonly used to assess the potential for climate reconstruction is to use linear regressions to compare the isotopic signal stored in archives to instrumental climatic data sets. A new method is proposed that combines statistical and mechanistic approaches to extract climatic information from δ13C records in organic matter. Both a spatial and a temporal gradient of 13C discrimination in a moss species commonly found in temperate and tropical peat bogs are compared to meteorological records. The relevance of fossil and modem analogues to elucidate palaeoenvironment records are tested. It was found that the magnitude and, in some cases, the direction of the impact of temperature, humidity and CO2 atmospheric concentration on 13C discrimination depend on the calibration set considered. The use of a mechanistic model is shown to help greatly in specifying the joint influence of the climatic variables.
A mid-Holocene geochemical record of saline inflow to the Gotland Deep, Baltic Sea
Authors: Burke Ian T. , Kemp Alan E.S.
Published: November 2004

The formation of Mn-enrichments in Gotland Deep sediments has been linked to the occurrence of periodic inflows of saline water from the North Sea. In turn these saline inflow events are very strongly linked to variation in North Atlantic atmospheric conditions. Here sedimentary Mn-concentrations in mid-Holocene sediments are measured with a 0.5 mm sampling resolution using scanning electron microscope techniques. As the sedimentation rate in core 20001-5 was estimated to be approximately 0.5-1 mm per year, examining the variation in Mn-enrichments may potentially provide an annual record of variation in saline inflow, and by extension, North Atlantic climate on interannual timescales. There are many processes that can affect Mn-cycling in the Gotland Deep. When considered together, these processes could potentially act to remove or significantly weaken the transmission of the primary saline inflow signal to the measured geochemical record, producing an effectively random Mn-record. Analysis of the Mn-record as a time series of discrete events revealed that the Mn-record was not consistent with a random distribution of events, and contains some long-term order. Spectral analysis of the Mn-record then indicates a significant periodicity in the Mn-record between 33 and 35.5 mm. This represents a discrete decadal periodicity in Mn-enrichment at 25-55 years that is consistent with the timing of previously reported Mn-enrichments in Gotland Deep sediments.
Musculoskeletal involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: Zoma A
Published: November 2004

Involvement of the musculoskeletal system is common if not universal in the clinical course of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Joint involvement on the whole does not cause major erosive disease, however, recent developments in musculoskeletal imaging show clearly the presence of significant bony and soft tissue involvement. It might well explain the frequently observed discordance between the clinical signs and the articular symptoms assuming that fibromyalgia has been excluded. The clear demonstration of tendon involvement in SLE by MRI would merit considering tendonitis and tenosynovitis as candidates for inclusion in the diagnostic criteria.
Proposed modifications to 1982 ACR classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus: serositis criterion
Authors: Clarke A
Published: November 2004

The SLICC group believed that the definition of pleuritis should be expanded to include new pleural thickening and pericarditis to include characteristic history. Furthermore, SLICC suggested the addition of abdominal serositis to the current serositis criterion, manifested as either diffuse abdominal pain, with rebound or guarding, and/or ascites or bowel wall edema in the absence of other causes. Abdominal serositis can be secondary to either acute or chronic lupus peritonitis, with the former usually presenting as acute, generalized pain, and the latter as painless ascites.
ACR classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus: limitations and revisions to neuropsychiatric variables
Authors: Hanly J G
Published: November 2004

There are a wide variety of neurologic (N) and psychiatric (P) manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) which extend beyond those identified in the current American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria for SLE. Several attempts have been made to devise a classification of NP-SLE manifestations. The most recent is the ACR nomenclature and case definitions for 19 NP lupus syndromes which currently provides the best means of a standardized approach to categorize NP events in SLE patients. Data from a number of studies has indicated a wide variability in the prevalence of the 19 NP syndromes. On the basis of these findings and utilizing the guidelines provided in the case definitions for diagnosis and exclusion of confounding variables, it is proposed to examine a number of NP manifestations for possible inclusion in revised classification and diagnostic criteria for SLE.
Distribution of Can1p into stable domains reflects lateral protein segregation within the plasma membrane of livingS. cerevisiaecells
Authors: Malinska Katerina , Malinsky Jan , Opekarova Miroslava , Tanner Widmar
Published: November 2004

Recently, lipid-raft-based subdomains within the plasma membrane of living Saccharomyces cerevisiae cells were visualized using green fluorescent protein fusions, and non-overlapping subdomains containing either Pma1p or Can1p were distinguished. In this study, the long-term stability of the subdomains was investigated. Experiments with latrunculin A and nocodazole ruled out the involvement of cytoskeletal components in the stabilization of the subdomains. Also a putative role of the cell wall was excluded, because protoplasting of the cells changed neither the pattern nor the stability of the subdomains. By contrast, the expected inner dynamics of the membrane subdomains was documented by FRAP experiments. Finally, two other proteins were localized within the frame of the Can1p/Pma1p plasma-membrane partition. We show that Fur4p (another H+ symporter) and Sur7p (a protein of unknown function) occupy the Can1p subdomain.
Inducible changes in cell size and attachment area due to expression of a mutant SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling enzyme
Authors: Hill David A. , Chiosea Simion , Jamaluddin Saha , Roy Kanaklata , Fischer Andrew H. , Boyd Douglas D. , Nickerson Jeffrey A. , Imbalzano Anthony N.
Published: November 2004

The SWI/SNF enzymes belong to a family of ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling enzymes that have been functionally implicated in gene regulation, development, differentiation and oncogenesis. BRG1, the catalytic core subunit of some of the SWI/SNF enzymes, can interact with known tumor suppressor proteins and can act as a tumor suppressor itself. We report that cells that inducibly express ATPase-deficient versions of BRG1 increase in cell volume, area of attachment and nuclear size upon expression of the mutant BRG1 protein. Examination of focal adhesions reveals qualitative changes in paxillin distribution but no difference in the actin cytoskeletal structure. Increases in cell size and shape correlate with over-expression of two integrins and the urokinase-type plasminogen activator receptor (uPAR), which is also involved in cell adhesion and is often over-expressed in metastatic cancer cells. These findings demonstrate that gene expression pathways affected by chromatin remodeling enzymes can regulate the physical dimensions of mammalian cell morphology.