bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Thy‐1+ cells isolated from adult human testicular tissues express human embryonic stem cell genes OCT3/4 and NANOG and may include spermatogonial stem cells
Authors: Kobayashi Hideyuki , Nagao Koichi , Nakajima Koichi , Miura Kazukiyo , Ishii Nobuhisa
Published: April 2009

Purpose

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are self‐renewing cells whose progeny are committed to differentiate into spermatozoa; this is a life‐long process in male mammals. There are several methods for obtaining enriched populations of mouse SSCs, and immunological separation using surface antigens is a commonly used technique. The study of human SSCs is much less advanced.

Methods

We used biopsied human testicular tissues [obstructive azoospermia patients (n = 5) and patients who underwent a testis biopsy as part of an evaluation for infertility (n = 7)] to obtain Thy‐1+ cells. Thy‐1—a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol‐anchored surface antigen—is a marker uniquely expressed on SSCs that is used to isolate SSC‐enriched cell populations in mice. The Thy‐1+ cells from human testicular tissues were cultured in a basic system consisting of serum‐free medium and mitotically inactivated STO (SIM mouse embryo‐derived thioguanine‐ and ouabain‐resistant) cell feeders with added growth factors: glial cell line‐derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF), basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF), and GDNF‐family receptor α1 (GFRα‐1).

Results

The Thy‐1+ cells were maintained in vitro using this system for 1 week. The Thy‐1+ cells expressed OCT3/4 and alkaline phosphatase, like mouse SSCs. They also expressed NANOG. Thy‐1+ cells injected into nude mice did not cause tumor formation over a period of at least 6 months.

Conclusions

These results support the possibility that the Thy‐1+ cell population included human SSCs, and that Thy‐1 may be a marker for human SSCs.
National Re-Audit of Urology Outpatient Practice in UK
Authors: Sinclair A.M. , Derbyshire L.F. , Clarke N.W. , Betts C.D. , Shackley D.C. , O'Flynn K.J.
Published: April 2009

Introduction:

In 2002 a National structure audit was conducted to assess UK urologists' compliance with BAUS guidelines on outpatient provision. Given the recent change in government emphasis on waiting targets, and the possible impact of MMC and EWTD on trainees, we re-audited the contemporary urological clinic-based workload and service provision.

Methods:

All 649 UK consultant urologists were asked to complete a postal questionnaire. This provided outpatient clinic information on medical staff, clinic frequency, numbers of new and follow-up patients seen, and geographical region. Data was compared to 2002.

Results:

Usable questionnaire return rate was 65%. Median clinics/week were 1.87 (1–5) seeing a mean of 11.2 (1–32) new and 21.5 (1–80) follow-ups. Since 2002 consultant appointments have increased by 20%, SpR clinic attendance has decreased by 10%, with ‘consultant-only’ clinics increasing from 15% to 20.7%. Compliance with BAUS standards remains very low (18% vs. 21% (2002)) with the average consultant team ‘over-performing’ by a factor of 1.4. There were wide inter- and intra-regional variations.

Conclusion:

Despite growth in consultant numbers since 2002, very few urological teams are able to meet the BAUS clinic guidelines. A trend has been demonstrated in clinic towards a consultant-led service with less support from doctors-in-training.
Quantitative aspects of the metabolism of lignans in pigs fed fibre-enriched rye and wheat bread
Authors: Lærke Helle N. , Mortensen Marianne A. , Hedemann Mette S. , Bach Knudsen Knud E. , Penalvo José L. , Adlercreutz Herman
Published: April 2009

A diet rich in lignans has been suggested to be protective against a range of chronic diseases. The distribution and metabolic fate of lignans is, however, very poorly understood. We fed high-fibre wheat breads low in lignans (n8) or high-fibre rye breads (n9) rich in plant lignans to pigs for 58–67 d, and analysed the content of plant lignans and their metabolites in the diet, blood, bile, faeces, urine and selected tissues. Apparent faecal digestibility of dietary precursors was higher than of total (plant- and entero-) lignans due to conversion to enterolactone and enterodiol. The digestibility of lariciresinol and matairesinol was lower than that of the sum of plant lignans. This suggests that interconversion of plant lignans during digestion and enterohepatic circulation occur without complete conversion to enterolignans. The majority of lignans present in plasma and urine was in the form of enterolignans, but up to 23 % in the plasma, and 11 % in the urine of the rye-fed pigs were in the form of plant lignans. There was a very high concentration of lignans in bile from the rye-fed pigs with as much as 77 % in the form of plant lignans. Lignans were detected in the tissue of colon, liver, breast and brain at a much higher level with rye than with wheat, but only in the form of enterolactone. The importance and implications of systemic exposure to plant lignans remain to be elucidated.
Ruminal metabolism of flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) lignans to the mammalian lignan enterolactone and its concentration in ruminal fluid, plasma, urine and milk of dairy cows
Authors: Gagnon Nathalie , Côrtes Cristiano , da Silva Daniele , Kazama Ricardo , Benchaar Chaouki , dos Santos Geraldo , Zeoula Lucia , Petit Hélène V.
Published: April 2009

Secoisolariciresinol diglucoside is the main flax (Linum usitatissimum) lignan that is converted to the mammalian lignans enterodiol (ED) and enterolactone (EL) by gastrointestinal microbiota. The objectives of the present study were to investigate the role of ruminal microbiota and the effects of flax oil onin vivometabolism of flax lignans and concentration of EL in biological fluids. Four rumen-cannulated dairy cows were used in a 4 × 4 Latin square design. There were four periods of 21 d each and four treatments utilising flax hulls (1800 g/d) and oil (400 g/d) supplements. The treatments were: (1) oil and hulls administered in the rumen and abomasal infusion of water; (2) oil and hulls administered in the abomasum; (3) oil infused in the abomasum and hulls placed in the rumen; (4) oil placed in the rumen and hulls administered in the abomasum. Samples were collected during the last week of each period and subjected to chemical analysis. The site of supplementation of oil and hulls had no effect on ruminal EL concentration. Supplementing flax oil in the rumen and the abomasum led to similar EL concentrations in urine, plasma and milk. Concentrations of EL were higher in the urine, plasma and milk of cows supplemented with hulls in the rumen than in those placed with hulls in the abomasum. The present study demonstrated that ruminal microbiota play an important role in the metabolism of flax lignans.
La réforme du mécanisme, ou le «rêve» d'Henri Bergson
Authors: Moll François
Published: April 2009

When it comes to explaining life and living organisms, it is as insufficient to see in Descartes a proponent of radical mechanicism (the human body is not any sort of body since it is united with a soul) and in Kant a proponent of radical finalism (in biology, scientific explanations are in the last resort mechanicist), as it is to see in Bergson nothing other than an opponent of mechanicism. In fact in Creative Evolution Bergson “dreams” of a “mechanism of transformation” that should consist of a reform of mechanicism, the conditions of possibility of which are based not only on the progress of chemistry, but first of all on the progress of mathematics, and more precisely of infinitesimal calculus, the only method able to objectively grasp movement.
Hegel's Ontological Grasp of Judgement and the Original Dividing of Identity into Difference
Authors: Reid Jeffrey
Published: April 2009

Within Hegel's system of science, judgement(Urteil)is thought's original dividing from identity into difference. In the same context, judgement is also an act of predication where “subject” must be understood in both a grammatical and psychical sense. Thus, judgement expresses a language act that is a self-positing into the difference of being. This article looks at two examples where Hegel's ontological notion of judgement obtains, then finds, the roots of this notion in Hölderlin and Fichte.
Bentham and the Death Penalty
Authors: Calvert Brian
Published: April 2009

This article examines the three works of Jeremy Bentham on capital punishment dating from 1775, 1809, and 1831. Besides Hugo Bedau's analysis of Bentham's 1775 and 1831 works and James Crimmins's assessment of Bentham's 1809 work, little attention has been paid to his abolitionist arguments on this contentious issue. I review some of the developments in Bentham's position, noting where the later work corrects some deficiencies in the earlier work, and I assess the cogency of the position as it evolves. I concentrate on deterrence and irremissibility, though I also comment on his discussion of popularity in his 1831 address and his 1775 essay.
La destination communautaire de l'interprétation, leDe doctrina christianad'Augustin
Authors: Thériault Patrick
Published: April 2009

In theDe doctrina christianaAugustine lays the foundations of a type of hermeneutics more community oriented than epistemological. Likewise, the rules he formulates have jurisdiction beyond the sole domain of semiotics; as I shall argue, they are applicable, in like (even congruent) manner, to the world of social relations. More fundamentally, these rules are intended to moderate an economy of desire, in which semiotics and social relations find a common origin and, above all, the principles of their harmonious organization. I shall demonstrate these ideas through an analysis of the image of“the voyage towards the homeland” (peregrinatio ad patriam).
Kant and Dependency Relations: Kant on the State's Right to Redistribute Resources to Protect the Rights of Dependents
Authors: Varden Helga
Published: April 2009

Contrary to much Kant interpretation, this article argues that Kant's moral philosophy, including his account of charity, is irrelevant to justifying the state's right to redistribute material resources to secure the rights of dependents (the poor, children, and the impaired). The article also rejects the popular view that Kant either does not or cannot justify anything remotely similar to the liberal welfare state. A closer look at Kant's account of dependency relations in “The Doctrine of Right” reveals an argumentative structure sufficient for a public institutional protection of dependents and evidence that Kant identifies concerns of economic justice as lying at the heart of the state's legitimacy.
Holisme, référence et irréductibilité du mental
Authors: Montminy Martin
Published: April 2009

I examine in detail the argument vaguely suggested by Davidson to the effect that holism entails the irreducibility of the mental. I defend this argument against two objections often made against arguments that attempt to derive metaphysical theses from premises that concern our ordinary criteria for applying terms. I appeal to two-dimensional semantics to explain the links between these criteria and issues about reference and reduction. I show how the irreducibility of the mental follows from the holistic and flexible character of our criteria for attributing beliefs and intentional states.
The Rationality of Dispositions and the Rationality of Actions: The Interdependency Thesis
Authors: Superson Anita M.
Published: April 2009

I defend the Interdependency Thesis, according to which rational evaluations of dispositions and actions are made in light of each other. I invoke a model of rationality that relies on various levels of consistency existing between an agent's reasons for adopting a moral disposition, the argument for the moral theory she endorses (relying on the Kantian notion that all persons are equal in humanity), her desires, disposition, and choice to be a moral person as reflected in the maxim she adopts. The Interdependency Thesis shows that we do not need to demonstrate the rationality of every morally required action in order to defeat scepticism fully.
Philippa Foot's Virtue Ethics Has an Achilles' Heel
Authors: Woodcock Scott
Published: April 2009

My aim in this article is to argue that Philippa Foot fails to provide a convincing basis for moral evaluation in her bookNatural Goodness.Foot's proposal fails because her conception of natural goodness and defect in human beings either sanctions prescriptive claims that are clearly objectionable or else it inadvertently begs the question of what constitutes a good human life by tacitly appealing to an independent ethical standpoint to sanitize the theory's normative implications. Foot's appeal to natural facts about human goodness is in this way singled out as an Achilles' heel that undermines her attempt to establish an independent framework for virtue ethics. This problem might seem to be one that is uniquely applicable to the bold naturalism of Foot's methodology; however, I claim that the problem is indicative of a more general problem for all contemporary articulations of virtue ethics.
The Transition from the Lower to the Higher Mysteries of Love in Plato's Symposium
Authors: Ionescu Cristina
Published: April 2009

In the Symposium Socrates shows how Diotima initiated him into the mysteries of love in two stages. Yet, at first sight, the teachings offered at the two stages seem divergent and discontinuous. In this article I argue that we can understand the continuity between them if we regard Diotima's notions of spiritual pregnancy and birth-giving as metaphors suggesting that the metaphysical horizon looming in the background of her teaching is that of Plato's theory of recollection.
A Fallacy in Potentiality
Authors: Berkich Don
Published: April 2009

A popular response to proponents of embryonic stem cell research and advocates of abortion rights alike—summarized by claims such as “you came from an embryo!” or “you were a fetus once!”—enjoys a rich philosophical pedigree in the arguments of Hare, Marquis, and others. According to such arguments from potentiality, the prenatal human organism is morally valuable because every person's biological history depends on having completed embryonic and fetal stages. In this article I set out the steps of the underlying argument in light of how it has been cast in the philosophical literature and uncover an intriguingly illicit inference.
The Transition from Art to Religion in Hegel's Theory of Absolute Spirit
Authors: James David
Published: April 2009

I relate the aesthetic mediation of reason and the identity of religion and mythology found in theEarliest System-Programme of German Idealismto Hegel's account of the transition from the ancient Greek religion of art to the revealed religion (Christianity) in his theory of absolute spirit. While this transition turns on the idea that the revealed religion mediates reason more adequately in virtue of its form (i.e., representational thought), I argue that Hegel's account of the limitations of religious representational thought, when taken in conjunction with some of his ideas concerning Romantic art, suggests that he fails to demonstrate the necessity of the transition in question, thus undermining the triadic structure (i.e., art, religion, philosophy) of his theory of absolute spirit.
Equality, Sufficiency, and the State
Authors: Igneski Violetta
Published: April 2009

In this article, I support the liberal claim that the state's fundamental responsibility is to ensure that persons are able to interact as equals, that is, on the basis of equal freedom. That persons must be treated as responsible agents leads to an obligation on the part of the state to ensure that its citizens have the necessary conditions (and resources) for responsible agency. I further suggest that this conception of equality and the requirement for responsible agency is the right measure to use for setting limits on the state's obligation to redistribute its resources. I defend this claim by making a parallel argument in moral philosophy that distinguishes the duty to aid from the duty of beneficence and establishes a priority relationship between them.
Amusement and the Philosophy of Emotion: A Neuroanatomical Approach
Authors: Palencik Joseph T.
Published: April 2009

Philosophers who discuss the emotions have usually treated amusement as a non-emotional mental state. Two prominent philosophers making this claim are Henri Bergson and John Morreall, who maintain that amusement is too abstract and intellectual to qualify as an emotion. Here, the merit of this claim is assessed. Through recent work in neuroanatomy there is reason to doubt the legitimacy of dichotomies that separate emotion and the intellect. Findings suggest that the neuroanatomical structure of amusement is similar to other commonly recognized emotion states. On the basis of these it is argued that amusement should be considered an emotion.
On the Conceivability of an Omniscient Interpreter
Authors: Silcox Mark
Published: April 2009

I examine the “omniscient interpreter” (OI) argument against scepticism that Donald Davidson published in 1977 only to retract it twenty-two years later. I argue that the argument's persuasiveness has been underestimated. I defend it against the charges that Davidson assumes the actual existence of an OI and that Davidson's other philosophical commitments are incompatible with the very conceivability of an OI. The argument's surface implausibility derives from Davidson's suggestion that an OI would attribute beliefs using the same methods as a fallible human interpreter. But this problem can be remedied via the adoption of an ambiguity theory of belief.
The Authority of Expressive Self-Ascriptions
Authors: Nguyen A. Minh
Published: April 2009

What explains first-person authority? What explains the presumption that an utterance is true when it is a sincere intelligible determinate first-person singular simple present-tense ascription of intentional state? According to Rockney Jacobsen, self-ascriptions each enjoy a presumption of truth because they are systematically reliable. They are systematically reliable because they are typically both truth-assessable and expressive. Such self-ascriptions, if sincere, are certain to be true. This article presents a defence and a critique of Jacobsen's theory. It is argued that the purported prevalence of expressive self-ascriptions is at best contingent. This contingency cannot explain why self-ascriptions are necessarily authoritative.
De la possibilité à l'existence, Kant critique de Leibniz
Authors: Vilmer Jean-Baptiste Jeangène
Published: April 2009

This article offers a contribution to the study of Leibniz's thought on possibility and existence based on a reconstruction of the evolution of Kant's thought on these notions in Nova dilucidatio (1755), Beweisgrund (1763) and Kritik der reinen Vernunft (1781–1787). Its aim is to shed light on Kant's debt to Leibniz and to show that only the critical turn could make them diverge on this question through a twofold opposition on epistemology (the role of experience) and ontology (the eclipse of God).
Why All Feminists Should Be Contractarians
Authors: Dimock Susan
Published: April 2009

In this article I defend the view that all feminists should be contractarians. Indeed, I argue that feminists should be Hobbesian or rational-choice contractarians at that. The argument proceeds by critically examining some of the main reasons why feminists have been resistant or even hostile to contractarian moral theory, and showing that the criticisms are misguided against Hobbesian versions of the theory. I conclude with a brief positive argument to the effect that contractarianism provides a plausible explanation of what is wrong with patriarchy and so can serve as the theoretical basis for feminist ethics.
Personal Identity and Practical Reason: The Failure of Kantian Replies to Parfit
Authors: Anomaly Jonny
Published: April 2009

This essay examines and criticizes a set of Kantian objections to Parfit's attempt inReasons and Personsto connect his theory of personal identity to practical rationality and moral philosophy. Several of Parfit's critics have tried to sever the link he forges between his metaphysical and practical conclusions by invoking the Kantian thought that even if we accept his metaphysical theory of personal identity, we still have good practical grounds for rejecting that theory when deliberating about what to do. The argument between Parfit and his opponents illuminates broader questions about the relationship between our metaphysical beliefs and our practical reasons.
The Psychological Approach to Personal Identity: Non-Branching and the Individuation of Person Stages
Authors: Brueckner Anthony , Buford Christopher T.
Published: April 2009

We begin by discussing some logical constraints on the psychological approach to personal identity. We consider a problem for the psychological approach that arises in fission cases. The problem engenders the need for a non-branching clause in a psychological account of the co-personality relation. We look at some difficulties in formulating such a clause. We end by rejecting a recently proposed formulation of non-branching. Our criticism of the formulation raises some interesting questions about the individuation of person stages.
The Glass Shatters and Ducks Turn into Rabbits: Bad Faith and Moral Luck
Authors: King Matthew
Published: April 2009

This article shows how the “problem of moral luck” and Sartre's concept of “bad faith” are mutually illuminating, since both have to do with confusions about how much we control, or are controlled by, our situations. I agree with three recent proposals that the problem of moral luck results from certain epistemic malfunctions. However, I argue that the problem cannot be dissolved by overcoming these malfunctions because they are rooted in bad faith. Against the currently dominant interpretation, I argue that bad faith is an inescapable condition of human being because, while we are both free and factical, we can only exist as one or the other at once (much as a “duck-rabbit” drawing can only be seen as duck or rabbit), thus always keeping an aspect of our nature hidden (though in plain sight) from ourselves.
La conception du raisonnement de John Broome: «Que nous exprimons-nous lorsque nous raisonnons?»
Authors: Brunet Josée
Published: April 2009

This article offers a critical analysis of John Broome's conception of practical reasoning. I first introduce his main claims and then point out some of the difficulties raised by the notion of “double expression” and by some aspects of the cognitivism which he explicitly endorses. I then emphasize two consequences of these criticisms: one concerning the link he sees between belief and intention, and the other concerning the idea that our practical reasonings are inextricably linked to our theoretical reasonings. Finally, I argue that the problem Broome seems to be facing has its source in the difficulty of distinguishing clearly between reasoning (a relation between mental states) and the description of its content (a relation between propositions).
Breeding without breeding
Authors: El-KASSABY YOUSRY A. , LSTIBŮREK MILAN
Published: April 2009

An innovative approach to tree breeding called ‘breeding without breeding’ (BWB) is presented. The method, as applied on the material in hand, allows the capture of 75–85% of the genetic response to selection attained through conventional programmes without the need to do any controlled pollination and simplified or possibly no experimental field testing: both considered to be the most resource-demanding activities in breeding programmes. BWB combines the use of genotypic or phenotypic pre-selection of superior individuals, informative DNA markers for fingerprinting and pedigree reconstruction of offspring to assemble naturally created full- and half-sib families resulting from mating among selected parents, and quantitative genetics analyses to identify elite genotypes for further genetic improvement or the establishment of production populations. BWB utility is demonstrated using a retrospective study of Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) progeny tests consisting of offspring produced from 150 controlled crosses among 60 parents and established over three sites. The empirical results are supported by theoretical expectations demonstrating anticipated minimum genetic response compared with conventional approaches. The method's simplicity offers an exceptional opportunity for the development of comparable breeding efforts in developing countries, advanced and new breeding programmes, and economically important and ‘minor’ species.
PINCHING THEOREMS FOR TOTALLY REAL MINIMAL SUBMANIFOLDS INCPn
Authors: MURATHAN CENGİZHAN , ÖZGÜR CİHAN
Published: April 2009

LetMbe ann-dimensional totally real minimal submanifold inCPn. We prove that ifMis semi-parallel and the scalar curvature τ,$\frac{-(n-1)(n-2)(n+1)}{2}\leq \tau \leq 0$, thenMis an open part of the Clifford torusTn⊂CPn. IfMis semi-parallel and the scalar curvature τ,$n(n-1)\leq \tau \leq \frac{n^{3}-3n+2}{2}$, thenMis an open part of the real projective spaceRPn.
A CHARACTERIZATION OF SELF-ADJOINT OPERATORS DETERMINED BY THE WEAK FORMULATION OF SECOND-ORDER SINGULAR DIFFERENTIAL EXPRESSIONS
Authors: EL-GEBEILY MOHAMED , O'REGAN DONAL
Published: April 2009

In this paper we describe a special class of self-adjoint operators associated with the singular self-adjoint second-order differential expression ℓ. This class is defined by the requirement that the sesquilinear form q(u, v) obtained from ℓ by integration by parts once agrees with the inner product 〈ℓu, v〉. We call this class Type I operators. The Friedrichs Extension is a special case of these operators. A complete characterization of these operators is given, for the various values of the deficiency index, in terms of their domains and the boundary conditions they satisfy (separated or coupled).
Standard Modern Greek
Authors: Arvaniti Amalia
Published: April 2009

Modem Greek is a descendant of Classical Greek and is spoken today by approximately 11,000,000 people living in Greece. In addition, it is spoken (with various modifications) in large Greek immigrant communities in North America, Australia and elsewhere. Although the Modern Greek dialects had largely been shaped by the 10th c. A.D. (Browning 1983), the linguistic situation in Greece has been one ofdiglossiafrom the middle 19th c. (the early beginnings of the independent Greek state) and until 1976. The High and Low varieties of Greek diglossia are known asKatharevousaandDhimotikirespectively. Katharevousa was a purist, partly invented, variety that was heavily influenced by Classical Greek; the term Dhimotiki, on the other hand, loosely describes the mother tongue of the Greeks, which was confined to oral communication. In 1976 the use of Katharevousa was officially abolished and gradually a new standard based on Dhimotiki as spoken in Athens has emerged. This variety is adopted by an increasingly large number of educated speakers all over Greece, who choose it over regional varieties (Mackridge 1985). In spelling, Modern Greek has kept many of the conventions of Ancient Greek, although several simplifications have taken place since 1976. Perhaps the most dramatic of these has been the decision to stop using accent and breath marks (which have not had phonetic correspondents in the language for nearly 2,000 years); these marks were replaced by one accent on the stressed vowel of each word with two or more syllables. The variety described here is Standard Modern Greek as spoken by Athenians. The sample text in particular is based on recordings of two Athenian speakers, a male in his mid-twenties and a female in her mid-thirties. Both speakers read the passage twice in relatively informal style.
Cypriot Greek
Authors: Arvaniti Amalia
Published: April 2009

Cypriot Greek is the dialect of Modern Greek spoken on the island of Cyprus by approximately 650,000 people and also by the substantial immigrant communities of Cypriots in the UK, North America, Australia, South Africa and elsewhere. Due to lengthy isolation, Cypriot Greek is so distinct from Standard Greek as to be often unintelligible to speakers of the Standard. Greek Cypriot speakers, on the other hand, have considerably less difficulty understanding Greeks, since Standard Greek is the official language of Cyprus, and as such it is the medium of education and the language of the Cypriot media. However, in every day situations Cypriot Greek is the only variety used among Cypriots. Cypriot Greek is not homogeneous but exhibits considerable geographical variation (Newton 1972). The variety described here is that used by educated speakers, particularly the inhabitants of the capital, Nicosia. Although influenced by increasing contact with Standard Greek, Cypriot Greek retains most of its phonological and phonetic characteristics virtually intact. There is no established orthography for Cypriot Greek; however, certain, rather variable, conventions have emerged, based on Greek historical orthography but also including novel combinations of letters in order to represent sounds that do not exist in the Standard (e.g. σι for [∫]); a version of these conventions has been adopted here for the sample text. The transcription is based on the speech of an educated male speaker from Nicosia in his mid-thirties, who read the text twice at normal speed and in an informal manner, he also assisted in rendering the text from Standard to Cypriot Greek.
Kunama
Authors: Ashkaba John Abraha , Hayward Richard
Published: April 2009

The Kunama are a people of western Eritrea. Kunama (/ku1naa23ma2/) is their selfname, and they call their language /ku1naa23ma1 au23ra2/ or /ki1naa23ma1 ɲeel23a2/ but this is usually referred to by Western scholars simply as ‘Kunama’. It is a language of the Nilo-Saharan phylum, though its family affiliations within that phylum are still a matter of debate; cf. Bender 1989; Ehret 1989. Overall, Kunama has approximately 100,000 speakers. It comprises seven lects (John Abraha Ashkaba 1999), the most widely known of which are Barka (/ba2ka2/) and Marda (/mar2da32/). The present work is based on the latter, though the differences between these two lects is not very great.
A tale of two parasites: the comparative epidemiology of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis
Authors: SNEL S. J. , BAKER M. G. , KAMALESH V. , FRENCH N. , LEARMONTH J.
Published: April 2009

New Zealand has a higher reported incidence of cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis than most other developed countries. This study aimed to describe and compare the epidemiology of these infections in New Zealand, to better understand their impact on public health and to gain insight into their probable modes of transmission. We analysed cryptosporidiosis and giardiasis notification data for a 10-year period (1997–2006). Highest rates for both diseases were in Europeans, children aged 0–5 years, and those living in low-deprivation areas. Cryptosporidiosis distribution was consistent with mainly farm animal (zoonotic) reservoirs. There was a dose–response relationship with increasing grades of rurality, marked spring seasonality, and positive correlation with farm animal density. Giardiasis distribution was consistent with predominantly human (anthroponotic) reservoirs, with an important contribution from overseas travel. Further research should focus on methods to reduce transmission of Cryptosporidium in rural areas and on reducing anthroponotic transmission of Giardia.
Blastocystis: unravelling potential risk factors and clinical significance of a common but neglected parasite
Authors: STENSVOLD C. R. , LEWIS H. C. , HAMMERUM A. M. , PORSBO L. J. , NIELSEN S. S. , OLSEN K. E. P. , ARENDRUP M. C. , NIELSEN H. V. , MØLBAK K.
Published: April 2009

Two independent studies were conducted to describe symptoms and potential risk factors associated withBlastocystisinfection. Isolates were subtyped by molecular analysis. In the NORMAT study (126 individuals randomly sampled from the general population) 24 (19%) were positive forBlastocystis.Blastocystiswas associated with irritable bowel syndrome (P=0·04), contact with pigs (P<0·01) and poultry (P=0·03). In the Follow-up (FU) study (follow-up of 92Blastocystis-positive patients), reports on bloating were associated with subtype (ST) 2 (P<0·01), and blood in stool to mixed subtype infection (P=0·06). ST1 was more common in FU individuals (32%) than in NORMAT individuals (8%), whereas single subtype infections due to ST3 or ST4 were seen in 63% of the NORMAT cases and 28% of the FU cases. Only FU individuals hosted ST7, and ST6/7 infections due to ST7 or ST9 were characterized by multiple intestinal symptoms. The data indicate subtype-dependent differences in the clinical significance ofBlastocystis.
Imaginative Motivation
Authors: KROON FREDERICK
Published: April 2009

This article argues for a certain picture of the rational formation of conditional intentions, in particular deterrent intentions, that stands in sharp contrast to accounts on which rational agents are often not able to form such intentions because of what these enjoin should their conditions be realized. By considering the case of worthwhile but hard-to-form ‘non-apocalyptic’ deterrent intentions (the threat to leave a cheating partner, say), the article argues that rational agents may be able to form such intentions by first simulating psychological states in which they have successfully formed them and then bootstrapping themselves into actually forming them. The article also discusses certain limits imposed by this model. In particular, given the special nature of ‘apocalyptic’ deterrent intentions (e.g. the ones supposedly involved in nuclear deterrence), there is good reason to think that these must remain inaccessible to fully rational and moral agents.
A retrospective model of oocyte competence: global mRNA and housekeeping transcripts are not associated with in vitro developmental outcome
Authors: Biase Fernando Henrique , Martelli Lúcia , Merighe Giovana Krempel Fonseca , Biase Weruska Karyna Freitas Santos , Miranda Moyses , Smith Lawrence Charles , Meirelles Flávio Vieira
Published: April 2009

Oocyte developmental competence depends on maternal stores that support development throughout a transcriptionally silent period during early embryogenesis. Previous attempts to investigate transcripts associated with oocyte competence have relied on prospective models, which are mostly based on morphological criteria. Using a retrospective model, we quantitatively compared mRNA among oocytes with different embryo development competence. A cytoplasm biopsy was removed from in vitro matured oocytes to perform comparative analysis of amounts of global polyadenylated (polyA) mRNA and housekeeping gene transcripts. After parthenogenetic activation of biopsied oocytes, presumptive zygotes were cultured individually in vitro and oocytes were classified according to embryo development: (i) blocked before the 8-cell stage; (ii) blocked between the 8-cell and morulae stages; or (iii) developed to the blastocyst stage. Sham-manipulated controls confirmed that biopsies did not alter development outcome. Total polyA mRNA amounts correlate with oocyte diameter but not with the ability to develop to the 8-cell and blastocyst stages. The last was also confirmed by relative quantification of GAPDH, H2A and Hprt1 transcripts. In conclusion, we describe a novel retrospective model to identify putative markers of development competence in single oocytes and demonstrate that global mRNA amounts at the metaphase II stage do not correlate with embryo development in vitro.
Wirksamkeit neuropsychologischer Therapie bei Kindern mit Merkfähigkeitsstörungen
Authors: Petermann Franz
Published: April 2009

Das Gedächtnistraining REMINDER wurde als neuropsychologische Einzeltherapie für die ambulante Behandlung von Gedächtnisstörungen bei Kindern konzipiert; mit dem Programm werden Merkfähigkeitsleistungen trainiert und Merk- und Lernstrategien vermittelt. Mit der vorliegenden Arbeit soll die Wirksamkeit des Trainings anhand eines Wartekontrollgruppendesigns geprüft werden. Dafür wurden 21 Kinder vor und nach dem Training mit dem BASIC-Merk- und Lernfähigkeitstest (BASIC-MLT) getestet und die Ergebnisse mit denen einer Wartekontrollgruppe (N = 16) verglichen. Die Ergebnisse zeigen deutliche Verbesserungen der Testleistungen für die Therapiegruppe. Des Weiteren liegen Prä-Post-Ergebnisse und katamnestische Daten (N = 31) anhand des VLMT und des DCS vor, die eine Stabilität der Therapieeffekte bestätigen.
Gibt es die Panikstörung im Kindes- und Jugendalter?
Authors: Helbig-Lang Sylvia , Petermann Franz
Published: April 2009

Seit dem DSM-IV gelten für das Kindes- und Jugendalter weitestgehend die gleichen diagnostischen Kriterien für Angststörungen wie für Erwachsene. Das Vorkommen der Panikstörung im Kindesalter ist jedoch umstritten. Im vorliegenden Beitrag werden epidemiologische, klinisch-psychologische sowie experimentelle Untersuchungen zur Panikstörung im Kindesalter kritisch diskutiert. Die untersuchten Studien zeigen, dass bereits präpubertäre Kinder Panikattacken erleben, die phänomenologisch vergleichbar mit denen des Erwachsenenalters sind. Diagnostisch sind diese Panikattacken jedoch nicht unter das Label der Panikstörung einzuordnen, da die für die Diagnose der Panikstörung erforderlichen katastrophisierenden Bewertungen der Attacken fehlen. Panikattacken in Kindheit und Jugend stellen dabei unspezifische Marker einer erhöhten Vulnerabilität für folgende psychopathologische Auffälligkeiten dar.
Neuropsychologische Diagnostik und Therapie
Authors: Petermann Franz , Lehmkuhl Gerd
Published: April 2009

Neuropsychologische Befunde haben die Diagnostik und Therapie im Kindes- und Jugendalter in den letzten zehn Jahren erheblich beeinflusst. Am Beispiel von drei Anwendungsfeldern, Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörungen (ADHS), autistischen und Merkfähigkeitsstörungen, wird die klinische Relevanz des neuropsychologischen Ansatzes diskutiert. Vorgehensweisen wie das Neurofeedback (bei ADHS) oder die neuropsychologische Therapie von Gedächtnisstörungen zeigen neue Wege auf, die in ihrer empirischen Befundlage kritisch diskutiert werden.
Neuropsychologische Diagnostik bei Kindern mit ADHS
Authors: Petermann Franz , Toussaint Anne
Published: April 2009

Aktuelle Modelle zur Ätiopathogenese der Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit-/Hyperaktivitätsstörung (ADHS) postulieren vor allem Defizite in den exekutiven Funktionen sowie motivationale Störungen als zentrale neuropsychologische Komponenten bei den betroffenen Patienten. Um die kognitiven und exekutiven Defizite der ADHS zu erfassen, finden derzeitig vor allem im englischen Sprachraum Testverfahren Anwendung, die auf der PASS-Theorie basieren. Durch die Erfassung der dynamischen kognitiven Prozesse Planungsfähigkeit und Aufmerksamkeit sowie sequenzielle und simultane Informationsverarbeitung zeigt sich die PASS-Theorie sensibel bezüglich der spezifischen kognitiven Probleme und exekutiven Defizite von Kindern mit Störungen der Aufmerksamkeit oder Hyperaktivität. Die Übersicht setzt sich ausführlich mit den neuropsychologischen Grundlagen der ADHS auseinander und stellt entsprechende diagnostische Verfahren vor. Die Rolle aktueller, auf der PASS-Theorie basierender Testverfahren für den diagnostischen Prozess und daraus resultierende Implikationen für den klinischen Alltag werden diskutiert.
Spezifische Wirksamkeit von Neurofeedback auf die Impulsivität bei ADHS
Authors: Holtmann Martin , Grasmann Dörte , Cionek-Szpak Ewa , Hager Viola , Panzner Nicole , Beyer Anke , Poustka Fritz , Stadler Christina
Published: April 2009

Für das Neurofeedback (NF), ein verhaltenstherapeutisches Verfahren, das über die Modifikation von EEG-Parametern eine Verbesserung von ADHS-Kernsymptomen anstrebt, hat sich die Evidenzbasis in den vergangenen Jahren verbessert. Die Arbeit gibt einen Überblick über die vorliegenden Befunde. Die durch NF erreichten kurzfristigen Verbesserungen entsprachen in mehreren Studien denen einer pharmakotherapeutischen Stimulanzien-Behandlung. Untersuchungen zur Wirkdauer der Effekte sind ermutigend. In einer eigenen Pilotstudie wurden 34 Kinder mit ADHS zufällig einer Neurofeedback-Behandlung oder einem computergestützten Aufmerksamkeitstraining zugeteilt. Die Zahl der Impulsivitätsfehler in einem Stopp-Signal-Paradigma reduzierte sich durch Neurofeedback signifikant, während sich im Elternurteil keine differenziellen Effekte fanden. Eine weitgehende Normalisierung hirnelektrischer Korrelate von Hemmungskontrolle fand sich nur in der NF-Gruppe. Neurofeedback ist ein vielversprechender Ansatz in der ADHS-Behandlung. Gleichwohl besteht Bedarf an weiteren kontrollierten Studien mit einheitlichen diagnostischen Kriterien, ausreichend großen Stichproben, geeigneten Veränderungsmaßen und Katamnese-Untersuchungen.
Relative timing and variability of atmospheric methane and GISP2 oxygen isotopes between 68 and 86 ka
Authors: Grachev Alexi M. , Brook Edward J. , Severinghaus Jeffrey P. , Pisias Nicklas G.
Published: April 2009

The global biogeochemical cycle of methane has received wide attention because of methane's role as a greenhouse gas. Measurements of methane in air trapped in Greenland ice cores provide a high‐resolution record of methane levels in the atmosphere over the past ∼100 ka, providing clues about what controls the methane cycle on geologic timescales. Remarkable similarity between local temperature recorded in Greenland ice cores and changes in global methane concentrations has been noted in previous studies, with the inference that the local temperature variations have global significance, but the resolution of sampling and measurement precision limited fine‐scale comparison of these variables. In this work a higher‐precision (∼2 ppb) methane data set was obtained from the Greenland Ice Sheet Project 2 (GISP2) ice core for the time interval between 86 and 68 ka, encompassing three large abrupt warming events early in the last glacial period: Dansgaard‐Oeschger (D‐O) events 19, 20, and 21. The new data set consists of duplicate measurements at 158 depths, with average time resolution of 120 years. Such detailed measurements over D‐O 21, the longest in Greenland records, have not yet been reported for other ice cores. The new data set documents short‐term variability (∼20 ppb typical amplitude), which is remarkably persistent, and in many cases similar features are observed in the most detailed published δ18Oice record. High‐precision GISP2 δ15N data show that changes in Greenland temperature are synchronous with the methane variations at the onset of D‐O events 19, 20, and 21, supporting previous results from the Greenland Ice Core Project ice core for D‐O 19 and 20. Cross‐spectral analysis quantifies the extremely close similarity between the new methane record and the δ18Oice record. Because methane sources are widely distributed over the globe, this work further validates δ18Oice at Greenland summit as a geographically broad climate indicator on millennial to multicentennial timescales.
Substorm onset timing via traveltime magnetoseismology
Authors: Chi P. J. , Russell C. T. , Ohtani S.
Published: April 2009

This letter introduces a traveltime magnetoseismic technique that can estimate the substorm onset time in the magnetotail from multi‐point observations of Pi 2 pulsations. The arrival time of Pi 2, which is defined as the first peak in Pi 2 amplitude, observed by ground magnetometers presents a strong function of latitude. Using the Tamao traveltime as the forward model, the magnetoseismic inversion from the observed Pi 2 arrival time infers that the onset of the 22 July 1998 substorm in the magnetotail started at X ∼ −20 RE at 6:53:10 UT, or 1–3 minutes earlier than the Pi 2 onset time conventionally identified in ground records. The magnetoseismic result is further compared with the observations of auroral brightening, revealing a clear sequence of events during this substorm.
Electrostatic potential drop across the ionospheric signature of the low‐latitude boundary layer
Authors: Drake Kelly Ann , Heelis R. A. , Hairston M. R. , Anderson P. C.
Published: April 2009

A study of the behavior of the ionospheric signature of the low‐latitude boundary layer is conducted from signatures of the precipitating electrons and the ionospheric convection velocity. Observations are made under southward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) conditions in a highly dynamic environment where temporal changes produce large excursions in the location of both the convection reversal boundary and the poleward edge of the particle precipitation associated with the outer edge of the low‐latitude boundary layer. We describe the latitudinal width of the boundary layer as the displacement between these boundaries and the bulk plasma flow as the potential difference across the region. On either side of local noon the boundary layer has a latitudinal width of about one degree, widening to about two degrees near dawn and dusk. The potential drop across the boundary layer increases toward local noon and accounts for no more than 30% of the total potential across the polar cap. While the boundary layer is physically wider on the duskside than on the dawnside, the average potential across the dawnside boundary layer is larger than that across the duskside layer. The resulting electric field across the dawnside layer is approximately twice that found in the duskside layer. We also find a higher level of variability in the boundary layer width and potential on the dawnside than on the duskside that may be related to higher levels of turbulence and wave activity associated with the orientation of the IMF with respect to the bow shock.
Rapid response of the thermosphere to variations in Joule heating
Authors: Sutton E. K. , Forbes J. M. , Knipp D. J.
Published: April 2009

Total mass density measurements from the CHAMP satellite near 400 km altitude are used to define the response time of the thermosphere to high‐latitude heating sources. A series of three geomagnetic storms occurred during the period of 20–29 July 2004 each with unique characteristics of energy input, affording the opportunity to observe the response characteristics of the thermosphere. By studying these storms in such close vicinity to one another, the aliasing effects of satellite sampling and seasonal and solar cycle variations are mitigated. Differences between the daytime and nighttime density response at all latitudes are discussed in the context of the various mechanisms. Generally, response times are between 3 and 4 h at low latitudes while less than 2 h at midlatitudes to high latitudes. These time lags are significantly shorter than those conventionally used to drive many empirical models of the thermosphere. During the night, response times are less accurate because of the somewhat sporadic arrival of traveling atmospheric disturbances at different latitudes.
Current‐voltage relation of a centrifugally confined plasma
Authors: Ray L. C. , Su Y.‐J. , Ergun R. E. , Delamere P. A. , Bagenal F.
Published: April 2009

Observations of Jupiter's auroral regions indicate that electrons are accelerated into Jupiter's atmosphere creating emissions. The acceleration of the electrons intimate that parallel electric fields and field‐aligned currents develop along the flux tubes which connect the equatorial plane to the areas with auroral emission. The relationship between the development of parallel electric fields and the parallel currents is often assumed to be the same as that on Earth. However, the relationship is significantly different at Jupiter due to a lack of plasma at high latitudes as large centrifugal forces caused by Jupiter's fast rotation period (about 9.8 h) constrain the magnetospheric plasma to the equatorial plane. We use a 1‐D spatial, 2‐D velocity space Vlasov code which has been modified to include centrifugal forces to examine the current‐voltage relationship that exists at Jupiter. In particular, we investigate this relationship at a distance of 5.9 Jovian radii, the orbital radius of Io, which is coupled with the auroral spot and Io wake auroral emissions.