bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Changing Institutional Location: A Reflective Conversation on the Move from Undergraduate to Seminary/Divinity School Teaching
Authors: Marshall Ellen , Mathews Matt , Oden Amy , Thatamanil John , Killen Patricia O'Connell
Published: January 2009

The editor of Teaching Theology and Religion facilitated this reflective conversation with four teachers who recently moved from undergraduate institutions to seminaries and divinity schools. Three major themes emerge in the conversation: (1) developing their pedagogical craft in undergraduate settings made them better teachers in their new contexts; (2) they moved, in part, to achieve a “better balance” between teaching and scholarship, and while this was generally achieved it was manifest in unexpected ways; (3) the communities or publics among whom and on behalf of whom they engage in broader service shifted in ways that have effected both their scholarship and their teaching; and (4) the move to a new teaching context enhanced their professional lives because they were able to consider their own visions of career in relation to the mission of their new institutions.
The AAR Teaching Series
Authors: Gallagher Eugene V.
Published: January 2009

The first seven volumes of the American Academy of Religion's “Teaching Religious Studies” series provide informative glimpses of how teachers in very different contexts understand the intellectual decisions, strategies, and actions that constitute their craft. Although individual volumes have different formats, the dominant image of good teaching that emerges is that it is founded on deep and sophisticated knowledge of the particular subject matter. Beyond that, many essays provide instructive anatomies of particular syllabi, moments in the classroom, or other aspects of teaching. Much of the material in the essays comes from reflective practitioners and there is relatively little sustained engagement with the contemporary literature on teaching and learning. Nonetheless, virtually any teacher can find in these volumes stimulating reflections on the intersections of substantive research and pedagogy in a variety of classroom contexts.
Seeing Empty Space
Authors: Richardson Louise
Published: January 2009

Abstract: In this paper I offer an account of a particular variety of perception of absence, namely, visual perception of empty space. In so doing, I aim to make explicit the role that seeing empty space has, implicitly, in Mike Martin's account of the visual field. I suggest we should make sense of the claim that vision has a field—in Martin'ss sense—in terms of our being aware of its limitations or boundaries. I argue that the limits of the visual field are our own sensory limitations, and that we are aware of them as such. Seeing empty space, I argue, involves a structural feature of experience that constitutes our awareness of our visual sensory limitations, and thus, in virtue of which vision has a field.
European Community Law and the Redistribution of Regulatory Power in the United Kingdom
Authors: Daintith Terence
Published: January 2009

Abstract: This paper draws on a series of case studies of implementation of specific Community law instruments, in the fields of food safety, toy safety, beverage labelling, television broadcasting, and free movement of persons. The objective is to explore the question of how, and to what extent, the need to implement Community law and policy functions to reinforce or to retard shifts in regulatory power in the United Kingdom: from local to central regulatory power; from official regulation to self‐regulation; and from bureaucratic and political controls to privately‐initiated control through the courts.
Effective Sanctions in EC Law: A Moving Boundary in the Division of Competence
Authors: Ward Angela
Published: January 2009

Abstract:This article details and analyses the development of European Court of Justice guidelines regarding sanctions provided by Member States to correct infractions of EC law. It will be shown that the contemporary policy of the Court significantly retreats from an early practice of non‐interference with the discretion of national judges to attach domestic remedies for breach of substantive Community measures. Preliminary comments will be made on the possible impact of these developments on the constitutional structure of the Community, and in particular their potential effect on the continuing debate concerning the legitimacy of EC rules.
Codification of Administrative Law: The US and the Union
Authors: Shapiro Martin
Published: January 2009

Abstract:The US Administrative Procedures Act of 1946 was engendered by partisan political conflicts. Initially judicial review of administrative rule‐making under the act was extremely deferent. In the course of the 1960s and 1970s the federal courts, basing themselves upon the unchanged language of the statute, created a new body of administrative law characterised by very great demands on the agencies and very intrusive judicial review. This transformation was fuelled by partisan realignments, fear of technocracy and desire for greater transparency and popular participation in government decision‐making. Because these same forces are now active in relation to the Union, it may be anticipated that similar tendencies toward a demanding procedural law of rule‐making and high levels of judicial review will be felt as Union administrative law develops.
Taking the Law Seriously: On Political Science and the Role of Law in the Process of European Integration
Authors: Joerges Christian
Published: January 2009

Abstract:The interdisciplinary discourse on European law seems paradoxical. While the editors of this Journal plead for a contextual jurisprudence, political scientists are discovering the importance of law for the integration process. This article explores the merits and problems of both of these shifts1. On the one hand, it points to implicit assumptions of legal arguments that need to be contrasted with the insights of political sciences into mechanisms of integration processes and the functioning of inter‐governmental bargaining ‐ and is thus to be read as an appeal for a ‘contextual’ jurisprudence. On the other hand, it argues that political science analyses, even when they take the legal dimension of European integration into account, tend to rely upon an instrumentalist view of the legal system which fails to acknowledge the Law's normative logic and discursive power. This theoretically complex argument is exemplified first by an analysis of the tensions between the legal supranationalism of the European Court of Justice and the German Constitutional Court's defence of national constitutionalism, already intensively discussed in this Journal2. What the article adds is an extension of the constitutional debate to the economy. It argues that Europe cannot, and should not, be based upon a dichotomous structure of (national) political rights and (European) economic liberties.
Democratic Policy in Europe
Authors: Scharpf Fritz W.
Published: January 2009

Abstract:This article examines the implications of European integration for democratic self‐determination. Distinguishing between the dimensions of ‘autonomy’ and ‘effectiveness’, it is argued that autonomous processes of democratic participation, public discourse and democratic accountability have not yet been established on the European level. On the other hand, the effectiveness of democratic self‐determination at the national level is increasingly constrained by processes of economic globalisation and even more so by the completion of the European internal market. At the same time, however, conflicts of interest among the Member States of the European Union often stand in the way of effective European problem‐solving in those areas where the nation‐state is losing control. It is argued, therefore, that it would be desirable to allow greater legal scope to national policy choices by limiting the reach of ‘negative integration’ and European competition law in those areas where the Union itself, for political reasons, is incapable of effective action.
Decision‐making after the EU Intergovernmental Conference
Authors: Peters Torsten
Published: January 2009

Abstract: One central point of debate at the current EU Intergovernmental Conference will be the reform of EU decision‐making. This article begins by briefly summarising the current decision‐making system in the EU. It then approaches in a quantitative manner how a lowering of the qualified majority threshold in the Council of Ministers would increase EU decision‐making capacity. Finally, it proposes new decision‐making procedures which might be particularly well‐suited to overcoming EU indecision.
Short‐term antiretroviral therapy to prevent mother‐to‐child transmission is safe and results in a sustained increase in CD4 T‐cell counts in HIV‐1‐infected mothers*
Authors: Palacios R , Senise JF , Vaz MJR , Diaz RS , Castelo A
Published: January 2009

Background

Short‐term antiretroviral therapy (START) to prevent mother‐to‐child transmission (MTCT) is currently recommended for all HIV‐1‐infected pregnant women. The objective of this study was to assess the effect on CD4 cell counts and viral load dynamics the withdrawal of START after birth could generate.

Methods

This was a 5‐year cohort study involving HIV‐1‐infected pregnant women who presented with CD4 counts >300 cells/μL and had received START to prevent MTCT.

Results

Seventy‐five pregnancies were assessed. In 24 cases, there was a history of antiretroviral therapy prior to prophylaxis. The median baseline CD4 count was 573 cells/μL. In 75% of cases, prophylaxis was started after 26.6 weeks of gestation. The median CD4 cell count increase over baseline during prophylaxis was 24.5%. In only five cases did HIV‐1 viral load remain detectable during prophylaxis. After START, CD4 cell counts did not drop significantly, and the HIV‐1 viral load plateau was near the baseline level. The estimated mean time for CD4 count to fall below 300 cells/μL was 3.5 years and was directly associated with high baseline CD4 cell count, as well as with CD4 increase after prophylaxis, whereas it was negatively correlated with previous use of antiretroviral (ARV) drugs and persistence of detectable HIV‐1 viral load during prophylaxis.

Conclusions

A potent, well‐tolerated prophylactic ARV regimen can improve CD4 cell counts during and after START. In women receiving such prophylaxis, there is a remarkable time interval for CD4 cell counts to drop to levels that indicate treatment.
Treat-Early and Treat-Mild: Role of Fast vs. Slow Escalation of Headaches
Authors: Ng-Mak DS , Ma L , Hu XH , Chen Y-T
Published: January 2009

This prospective, multi-center, observational study aimed to examine patients' early treatment decision process. Specifically, we assessed if the association between mild headache pain at treatment initiation and early treatment differed by the speed of headache escalation. Patients ( n = 168) were instructed to collect information on their headache experience during the study period via an electronic diary over 30 consecutive days after enrollment. At the time of treatment, patients who treated early were 2.3 times as likely to experience mild headache pain as those who treated late. Controlling for the effect of escalation of headache, patients who treated early were three times as likely to report mild headache pain at dosing as those who treated late. The interaction between fast escalation of headache and mild pain was not statistically significant. Early treatment is associated with mild pain, regardless of the speed of headache escalation.
On the Market Reaction to Revenue and Earnings Surprises
Authors: Kama Itay
Published: January 2009

Abstract:  This study extends Ertimur et al. (2003) and Jegadeesh and Livnat (2006a) by providing a contextual framework for the information content of revenue and earnings surprises. I find that the influence of earnings surprises (revenue surprises) on stock returns is lower (higher) in R&D intensive companies. Also, market reaction to earnings surprises is lower in the fourth quarter, and to revenue surprises it is higher in industries with oligopolistic competition. A comprehensive analysis indicates that, in contrast to previous studies for the full sample, in several contexts market reaction to earnings surprises is not higher than to revenue surprises.
Age and circadian influences on picolinic acid concentrations in human cerebrospinal fluid
Authors: Coggan Sarah E. , Smythe George A. , Bilgin Ayse , Grant Ross S.
Published: January 2009

It has been suggested that picolinic acid (PIC), an endogenous metabolite of l‐tryptophan, possesses neuro‐protective and anti‐proliferative effects within the CNS. However, the literature surrounding PIC is limited, and its exact endogenous function is not known. Picolinic acid is produced via the kynurenine pathway which has been implicated in the pathogenesis of a range of neuro‐inflammatory diseases. Although not extensively studied, there have been reports of altered PIC production alongside other kynurenine metabolites in inflammatory disorders. In order to investigate whether PIC concentrations are altered with disease in the CNS, we analysed PIC levels in the CSF of 241 patients who underwent lumbar puncture as part of their standard clinical evaluation. In patients with no apparent CNS disease, CSF PIC levels were 10‐fold higher in samples taken between 20:00 and 16:00 h compared with those collected between 04:00 and 12:00 h. This result suggests a diurnal variation in PIC synthesis within the CNS. In addition, we observed a direct correlation between a patient’s age and their PIC concentration. No significant correlations were observed between CSF PIC levels and any specific disease state.
IFN‐γ and IL‐4 differentially shape metabolic responses and neuroprotective phenotype of astrocytes
Authors: Garg Sanjay K. , Kipnis Jonathan , Banerjee Ruma
Published: January 2009

Astrocytes can either exacerbate or ameliorate secondary degeneration at sites of injury in the CNS but the contextual basis for eliciting these opposing phenotypes is poorly understood. In this study, we demonstrate that the two major cytokines produced by Th1 and Th2 cells, interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ), and interleukin‐4 (IL‐4), respectively, contribute differentially to shaping a neuroprotective response in astrocytes. While IFN‐γ protects the ability of oxidatively stressed murine astrocytes to clear extracellular glutamate in culture, IL‐4 has no effect at any concentration that was tested (10–100 ng/mL). The enhanced release of neuroprotective thiols and lactate by astrocytes in response to T cell stimulation is mimicked by both IL‐4 and IFN‐γ. When co‐administered, IL‐4 abrogated the protective effect of low IFN‐γ on the glutamate clearance function of oxidatively stressed astrocytes in a dose‐dependent manner. Astrocyte‐conditioned media obtained from cells cultured in the presence of IL‐4 (10 or 100 ng/mL) or IFN‐γ (10 ng/mL) decreased by ∼2‐fold, neuronal apoptosis induced by oxidative stress in vitro. However, unlike IL‐4, IFN‐γ at high concentrations (100 ng/mL) was not neuroprotective. Our studies with IFN‐γ and IL‐4 suggest that a balanced Th1 and Th2 cytokine response might be needed for protecting two key astrocytic functions, glutamate clearance and thiol secretion and might be pertinent to neuroprotective approaches that are aimed at inhibition of an initial pro‐inflammatory response to injury or its sustained boosting.
Precision equipment for symmetrical bending— Part 1. The loading system
Authors: Bereqvist B.
Published: January 2009

The design and performance of precision bending equipment for testing straight beams with constant rectangular section under a pure bending moment is described. Part 1 deals with the loading arrangements and Part 2 with the rig for measuring beam deflection. The methods for recording deflection of strain gauges applied on the beam have been described elsewhere.1–4

The reactions to the deadweight gravity loads are taken via ball bearings. The total bending moment inaccuracy, i.e. the sum of estimated systematic errors and random errors, the latter expressed as the 2Ga confidence interval about the mean (2Gcim), is about ± 25 x. 10‐4%, for 23 tests with a steel beam with 15 mm × 75 mm cross sectional dimensions, loaded to 1‐1.5 mm/m strain.

The measuring rig stands on the beam via hardened and polished spherical segment feet and uses a capacitive transducer system with less than 5nm resolution. Various application tasks are described. The total inaccuracy of the measured deflection, i.e. apart from bending moment inaccuracy, is about ± 35 times 104% for about 10 reproduced, not repeated, tests with the same steel beam. The deflection for such a beam is of the order of 2 to 4 mm.
Velocity and force measurements in the splash zone
Authors: Easson W. J.
Published: January 2009

A method for measuring fluid velocity in waves in the splash zone is demonstrated. The method uses Laser Anemometry coupled to accurate microcomputer control of the wave generation. Results are presented for the developing flow field in a plunging breaking wave in deep water.

The phenomenon of slam when waves hit members of offshore structures causes large forces with small rise times. The design of a rig capable of measuring such forces in laboratory produced breaking waves is presented. Measurements on a small cylinder show that maximum forces are present at the height where the plunging spout forms and that these forces can be up to five times the drag force.
Tepsankumpu revisited — pollen evidence of stable Eemian climates in Finnish Lapland
Authors: SAARNISTO MATTI , ERIKSSON BRTTA , HIRVAS HEIKKI
Published: January 2009

Several till‐covered organic deposits, principally lake gyttja, in Finnish Lapland have been correlated with the last (i.e. Eemian) interglacial on the basis of their lithostratigraphic position and pollen stratigraphy. Most of the sequences are short, but together with three longer sequences from Finnish Lapland and one from Swedish Lapland (Leveäniemi) they provide a complete picture of Eemian vegetational and climatic development. The Tepsankumpu site was revisited, and the till‐covered thick freshwater gyttja deposit was studied in detail for pollen in order to search for signals of rapid climatic fluctuations postulated for the earlier part of the Eemian on the basis of Greenland ice core studies. The Eemian pollen stratigraphy in Finnish Lapland closely resembles the Holocene pollen stratigraphy of the area. The abundance of spruce and alder pollen suggests, however, more northerly limits for forest vegetation zones during the Eemian than during the Holocene. Oak also grew closer to Lapland, indicating a wanner climate than during the Holocene climatic optimum. The Tepsankumpu pollen stratigraphy indicates climatic stability over the entire time‐span it covers, i.e. the major part of the interglacial. This finding is in conflict with results from Greenland GRIP ice core studies and interpretations of some Continental European Eemian pollen diagrams.
Clay‐mineral distribution in surface sediments of the Eurasian Arctic Ocean and continental margin as indicator for source areas and transport pathways — a synthesis
Authors: WAHSNER MONIKA , MÜLLER CLAUDIA , STEIN RUEDIGER , IVANOV GENNADIJ , LEVITAN MICHAEL , SHELEKHOVA EKATERINA , TARASOV GENADY
Published: January 2009

Clay‐mineral distributions in the Arctic Ocean and the adjacent Eurasian shelf areas are discussed to identify source areas and transport pathways of terrigenous material in the Arctic Ocean. The main clay minerals in Eurasian Arctic Ocean sediments are illite and chlorite. Smectite and kaolinite occur in minor amounts in these sediments, but show strong variations in the shelf areas. These two minerals are therefore reliable in reconstructions of source areas of sediments from the Eurasian Arctic. The Kara Sea and the western part of the Laptev Sea are enriched in smectite, with highest values of up to 70% in the deltas of the Ob and Yenisey rivers. Illite is the dominant clay mineral in all the investigated sediments except for parts of the Kara Sea. The highest concentrations with more than 70% illite occur in the East Siberian Sea and around Svalbard. Chlorite represents the clay mineral with lowest concentration changes in the Eastern Arctic, ranging between 10 and 25%. The main source areas for kaolinite in the Eurasian Arctic are Mesozoic sedimentary rocks on Franz‐Josef Land islands. Based on clay‐mineral data, transport of the clay fraction via sea ice is of minor importance for the modern sedimentary budget in the Arctic basins.
Regenerating Topsoil Functionality in Four Drastically Disturbed Soil Types by Compost Incorporation
Authors: Curtis Matthew J. , Claassen Victor P.
Published: January 2009

The low water‐holding capacity and low nutrient levels of roadcuts in northern California cause many of these disturbed areas to remain chronically barren. Yard waste compost was incorporated into four nonvegetated substrates found along roadcuts (decomposed granite [DG], lahar, serpentine, and sandstone) in order to regenerate topsoil infiltration, water‐holding capacity, and nutrient availability. Soil physical and chemical properties, as well as the vegetative response of a native perennial grass, were compared between treatments (non‐tilled, tilled, and tilled with compost amendment). Tillage and compost addition decreased soil bulk density compared to the non‐tilled treatment, and the compost treatment increased the soil carbon and nitrogen contents compared to the non‐tilled and tilled treatments. Tillage alone resulted in an increase in saturated hydraulic conductivity in soils that did not contain a large amount of coarse fragments. Tillage also reduced sediment loss in all soils except the DG. Foliar C13 content did not predict water stress consistently between treatments. The incorporation of yard waste compost increased plant available water in coarse but not in fine‐textured soils, and aboveground plant biomass was significantly greater in the compost treatment than in either of the other treatments. Although the incorporation of yard waste compost generated the greatest revegetation success, tillage alone may be a sufficient treatment if residual soils have adequate nutrient levels.
Ecophysiology of Species with Distinct Leaf Morphologies: Effects of Plastic and Shadecloth Tree Guards
Authors: Close Dugald C. , Ruthrof Katinka X. , Turner Shane , Rokich Deanna P. , Dixon Kingsley W.
Published: January 2009

Ecological restoration using seedling tubestock is challenging under a Mediterranean‐type climate of hot, dry summers. We investigated the ecophysiological effects of plastic tree guards and shadecloth tree guards during seedling establishment of four co‐occurring tree species that differ in leaf morphology. Average temperature was 6.7°C higher in plastic guards than controls over a summer, with a maximum of 53.5°C compared to 47.9°C in controls. Light levels were 2‐fold lower in both tree guard treatments relative to control. In spring, photosynthesis and specific leaf area were significantly elevated in shadecloth tree guards relative to other treatments. In summer, photosynthetic rate was significantly lower, and midday photochemical efficiency was significantly higher, in both tree guard treatments relative to controls. The effect of elevated temperature in plastic tree guards may partially explain our results of higher mortality of seedling in plastic tree guards. The relatively elevated spring photosynthesis of seedlings in shadecloth tree guards may partially explain the result of reduced mortality and increased growth in this treatment. We conclude that shadecloth tree guards create a microclimate more favorable for seedling establishment in a Mediterranean‐type environment than plastic tree guards and control treatments. Our results may have wide applicability to the range of restoration settings where seedling tubestock is planted, except in environments where low temperature is limiting to plant growth.
Generating Quantitative Regional Plant Community Descriptions for Restoration
Authors: Lane Cynthia P. , Texler Hannah D.
Published: January 2009

Information from reference sites is often used as an aid for planning and assessing native plant community restorations. However, restorations often proceed with inadequate reference information because there are insufficient resources to locate suitable sites and/or collect the data. As one means of providing reference information, we developed methods for using a large existing dataset to develop quantitative reference community descriptions for three ecological subsections in east‐central Minnesota. We used data gathered from remnant plant communities within the same region as potential restoration sites. Our data source was 325 vegetation plots (or “relevés”) and the results of recent cluster analysis work that grouped relevés into native plant communities for the region. The remnant natural areas sampled were distributed throughout the study area and varied in patch size. For each community type, we calculated the average frequency and abundance for each species. We also calculated an index of commonness as a product of frequency and abundance. Using this methodology, we generated lists for 31 native plant communities. We discuss the use of these lists to set restoration goals, guide restoration strategies, and/or assess restoration efforts and present some of the strengths and weaknesses of our approach.
Canopy Composition and Forest Structure Provide Restoration Targets for Low‐Order Riparian Ecosystems
Authors: Rheinhardt Richard D. , McKenney‐Easterling M. , Brinson Mark M. , Masina‐Rubbo Jennifer , Brooks Robert P. , Whigham Dennis F. , O’Brien David , Hite Jeremy T. , Armstrong Brian K.
Published: January 2009

Many programs are in place to protect and restore low‐order streams and riparian zones. However, information on riparian zone forests is sparse for many biogeographical regions, especially compositional and structural data that would provide useful targets for restoration. This study provides quantitative data on riparian zone composition and forest structure from three physiographic provinces of eastern United States. Data from 219 low‐order (first‐ to fourth‐order) forested reaches were arranged by three basal area (BA) categories meant to represent successional categories and variations in forest structure. Detrended correspondence analysis (DCA) was used to illustrate differences among successional categories and physiographic provinces. The DCA ordination separated stands into four physiographic subregions, based on the species composition of late‐successional stands. Many early to mid‐successional stands (<30 m2/ha) were similar in composition to late‐successional reference stands (BA ≥ 30 m2/ha) in the same physiographic subregion. In such sites, natural successional processes would likely be sufficient to restore the compositional and structural attributes inherent in late‐successional stands if provided long‐term protection. Other sites with dissimilar compositions may have been recovering from more intensive types of alterations, such as mechanized land clearing. In such sites, restoration to historic compositions could benefit functionally by planting oaks (Quercusspp. L.) and other heavy mast species.
Diversity of Regenerating Plants in Reforestations withAraucaria angustifolia(Bertol.) O. Kuntze of 12, 22, 35, and 43 Years of Age in Paraná State, Brazil
Authors: Barbosa Carlos Eduardo de A. , Benato Taís , Cavalheiro Alba L. , Torezan José Marcelo D.
Published: January 2009

In the current context of intense forest fragmentation and consequent loss of biodiversity, commercial reforestations have gained special attention in conservation biology because the colonization of the understory in these wooded areas may result in a considerable number of species. A record was made of the regenerating species in the understory of reforestations withAraucaria angustifoliaat planting ages of 12, 22, 35, and 43 years, located in the central east region of Paraná State, Brazil. In total, an area of 1,200 m2was sampled, with 231 recorded species belonging to 60 botanical families. Species diversity and richness increased with planting age up to 35 years. Canopy cover was the variable that best explained the colonization of the understory in some stages. Maintenance activities in the reforestations over the years selected species capable of germinating or sprouting and growing rapidly. However, our results show thatA. angustifoliacommercial reforestations are home to many native plant species. Thus, the objectives of commercial reforestation can be harmonized with the interests of conservation biology, applying management alternatives with the aim of changing current forestry models.
Rehabilitation of Stream Ecosystem Functions through the Reintroduction of Coarse Particulate Organic Matter
Authors: Aldridge Kane T. , Brookes Justin D. , Ganf George G.
Published: January 2009

In streams, coarse particulate organic matter (CPOM) acts as a substrate for microbial activity, which promotes nutrient retention. However, in urban areas, increased peak flows within streams lead to decreased retention of CPOM. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the reintroduction of CPOM, in the form of leaf litter, into a degraded urban stream would increase biofilm activity and phosphorus retention, two ecosystem functions that reflect the integrity of the ecosystem. Stream metabolism and nutrient retention were assessed in treated (T) and control (C) channels of the Torrens River Catchment, South Australia, before and after CPOM addition. Gross primary production and community respiration (CR) were measured as oxygen production and consumption within benthic chambers. Phosphorus retention was measured through a series of short‐term filterable reactive phosphorus (FRP) addition experiments. Before CPOM addition, there were no differences in CR, but C retained 6.8% more FRP than T. After CPOM addition, CR was greater in T than in C (572 and 276 mg O2·m−2·day−1, respectively), and T retained 7.7% more FRP than C. The increase in FRP retention in T compared to C was attributed to phosphorus limitation of the CPOM and increased demand for phosphorus of the attached microbial heterotrophic community. The reintroduction of CPOM into degraded streams will be an important step in the restoration of stream metabolism and nutrient retention. Maintenance of CPOM may be achieved through restoration of riparian vegetation, a reduction in the increased peak flows, and rehabilitation of stream morphology.
Role of Soil Organisms in the Maintenance of Species‐Rich Seminatural Grasslands through Mowing
Authors: Ilmarinen Katja , Mikola Juha , Nissinen Kari , Vestberg Mauritz
Published: January 2009

To preserve species‐rich grasslands, management practices such as mowing are often required. Mowing is known to promote aboveground conditions that help to maintain plant species richness, but whether belowground effects are important as well is not known. We hypothesized that if mowing decreases belowground carbon transfer by reducing root mass, this will reduce the abundance and activity of soil decomposers and lead to diminished nutrient availability in soil. In grasslands, this would provide a means to mitigate the negative effects of nitrogen enrichment on plant species richness. We established experimental plots on grassland with one‐third of plots growing untouched, one‐third mowed once a summer, and one‐third mowed twice a summer for three growing seasons. Root and soil attributes were measured at each plot 1 month after each mowing. Mowing decreased root mass but had few effects on belowground biota and soil NH4‐N, NO3‐N, and PO4‐P concentrations. Mowing did not affect root N concentrations. Our results show that despite reducing root mass, mowing may have few effects on those soil biota that control nutrient supply and, as a result, have no clear‐cut effects on nutrient availability in soil. This suggests that the effects of mowing on soil decomposers and soil nutrient availability may not provide an effective means to mitigate N enrichment and enhance plant species richness in grasslands in a timescale of a few years. Whether such effects could, however, be achieved with longer lasting mowing remains open.
Grasshopper Herbivory Affects Native Plant Diversity and Abundance in a Grassland Dominated by the Exotic Grass Agropyron cristatum
Authors: Branson David H. , Sword Gregory A.
Published: January 2009

The indirect effects of native generalist insect herbivores on interactions between exotic and native grassland plants have received limited attention. Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum) is the most common exotic rangeland grass in western North America. Crested wheatgrass communities are resistant to colonization by native plant species and have strong competitive effects on native species, imposing problems for the restoration of native grasslands. Grasshoppers are generalist herbivores that are often abundant in Crested wheatgrass–dominated sites in the northern Great Plains. We conducted two experiments in a Crested wheatgrass–dominated grassland in western North Dakota to test the hypothesis that grasshopper herbivory influences local Crested wheatgrass community composition by impeding native seedlings. Grasshopper herbivory negatively affected the species richness, abundance, and Shannon diversity of native plants in 3 of 4 years. Although additional research is needed to determine if grasshoppers actively select native plants, the effects of grasshopper herbivory may be an important consideration in the restoration of Crested wheatgrass areas. Our findings illustrate the importance of understanding the impact of native generalist invertebrate herbivores on the relationships between exotic and native plants.
Hyperhomocysteinemia in patients with epilepsy: Does it play a role in the pathogenesis of brain atrophy? A preliminary report
Authors: Gorgone Gaetano , Caccamo Daniela , Pisani Laura Rosa , Currò Monica , Parisi Giulia , Oteri Giancarla , Ientile Riccardo , Rossini Paolo Maria , Pisani Francesco
Published: January 2009

Purpose:  Brain atrophy (BA) is observed in 20–50% of patients with epilepsy. Hyper‐total‐homocysteinemia (hyper‐tHcy), which occurs in 10–40% of patients, is considered to be a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases and BA. The present study was aimed at investigating the possible association of hyper‐tHcy with BA in a population of patients with epilepsy.

Methods:  Fifty‐eight patients (33 M/25 F, 43.5 ± 13.1 years of age) chronically treated with antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) and 60 controls matched for age and sex were enrolled. All participants underwent determination of plasma tHcy, folate, vitamin B12, and C677T methylene‐tetrahydrofolate‐reductase (MTHFR) polymorphism genotyping, and brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Results:  Patients exhibited significantly higher tHcy and lower folate levels than controls; hyper‐tHcy was significantly associated with the variables group (patients vs. controls), MTHFR genotype, and their interaction terms. BA was observed in 30.1% of patients and was significantly associated with hyper‐tHcy (β = 0.45, p = 0.003) and polytherapy (β = 0.31, p < 0.001).

Discussion:  Our investigation suggests that hyper‐tHcy plays a role in the development of BA in patients with epilepsy. Although the real origin of this phenomenon is not yet fully elucidated, experimental data support the hypothesis of a link of the neuronal Hcy‐mediated damage with oxidative stress and excitotoxicity.
Diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging in patients with partial status epilepticus
Authors: Di Bonaventura Carlo , Bonini Francesca , Fattouch Jinane , Mari Francesco , Petrucci Simona , Carnì Marco , Tinelli Emanuele , Pantano Patrizia , Bastianello Stefano , Maraviglia Bruno , Manfredi Mario , Prencipe Massimiliano , Giallonardo Anna T.
Published: January 2009

Purpose:  Diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging (DWI) is used to detect changes in the distribution of water molecules in regions affected by various pathologies. Like other conditions, ictal epileptic activity, such as status epilepticus (SE), can cause regional vasogenic/cytotoxic edema that reflects hemodynamic and metabolic changes. This study describes the electroclinical and neuroimaging findings in 10 patients with partial SE whose DWI evaluation disclosed periictal changes related to sustained epileptic activity.

Patients and Methods:  In this retrospective study we selected 10 patients with partial SE of different etiologies (six acute symptomatic SE; four with previous epilepsy and concomitant precipitating factors) who underwent video‐EEG (electroencephalography) monitoring and a DWI study during the periictal phase. We analyzed ictal electroclinical features and DWI changes in the acute phase and during the follow‐up period.

Results:  DWI images revealed significant signal alterations in different brain regions depending on the location of ictal activity. DWI changes were highly concordant with the electroclinical findings in all 10 patients. As the SE resolved and the clinical conditions improved, DWI follow‐up showed that the signal alterations gradually disappeared, thereby documenting their close relationship with ictal activity.

Conclusions:  This study confirms the usefulness of DWI imaging in clinical practice for a more accurate definition of the hemodynamic/metabolic changes occurring during sustained epileptic activity.
Anemia screening in potential female blood donors: comparison of two different quantitative methods
Authors: Mendrone Jr Alfredo , Sabino Ester Cerdeira , Sampaio Luciana , Neto César Almeida , Schreiber George B. , De Alencar Fischer Chamone Dalton , Dorlhiac‐Llacer Pedro Enrique
Published: January 2009

BACKGROUND: Anemia screening before blood donation requires an accurate, quick, practical, and easy method with minimal discomfort for the donors. The aim of this study was to compare the accuracy of two quantitative methods of anemia screening: the HemoCue 201+ (Aktiebolaget Leo Diagnostics) hemoglobin (Hb) and microhematocrit (micro‐Hct) tests.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: Two blood samples of a single fingerstick were obtained from 969 unselected potential female donors to determine the Hb by HemoCue 201+ and micro‐Hct using HemataSTAT II (Separation Technology, Inc.), in alternating order. From each participant, a venous blood sample was drawn and run in an automatic hematology analyzer (ABX Pentra 60, ABX Diagnostics). Considering results of ABX Pentra 60 as true values, the sensitivity and specificity of HemoCue 201+ and micro‐Hct as screening methods were compared, using a venous Hb level of 12.0 g per dL as cutoff for anemia.

RESULTS: The sensitivities of the HemoCue 201+ and HemataSTAT II in detecting anemia were 56 percent (95% confidence interval [CI], 46.1%‐65.5%) and 39.5 percent (95% CI, 30.2%‐49.3%), respectively (p < 0.001). Analyzing only candidates with a venous Hb level lower than 11.0 g per dL, the deferral rate was 100 percent by HemoCue 201+ and 77 percent by HemataSTAT II. The specificities of the methods were 93.5 and 93.2 percent, respectively.

CONCLUSION: The HemoCue 201+ showed greater discriminating power for detecting anemia in prospective blood donors than the micro‐Hct method. Both presented equivalent deferral error rates of nonanemic potential donors. Compared to the micro‐Hct, HemoCue 201+ reduces the risk of anemic female donors giving blood, specially for those with lower Hb levels, without increasing the deferral of nonanemic potential donors.
Evidence of acute primary occult hepatitis B virus infection in an Italian repeat blood donor
Authors: Manzini Paola , Abate Maria Lorena , Valpreda Chiara , Milanesi Paola , Curti Franco , Rizzetto Mario , Smedile Antonina
Published: January 2009

BACKGROUND: Preliminary evidence of cases of acute occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection (OBI) has been recently reported in the literature. Furthermore, OBI definition has been the object of an international consensus conference.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A case of acute primary OBI was identified and followed up in a repeat female blood donor using a highly sensitive nucleic acid test (NAT; Procleix Ultrio on Tigris, Chiron). Genotyping and sequencing of virus isolates from donor and contact cases were performed.

RESULTS: The blood donor never developed detectable hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) until seroconversion to antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen/antibody to hepatitis B core antigen. A very low viral load was observed during the infection course (<50 IU/mL). Donor HBV DNA sequencing consistently showed a CCA deletion leading to amino acid T116 deletion in the small envelope protein (S). Other sequence features showed high homology between donor and contact case, suggesting a sexual transmission.

DISCUSSION: The main explanation for HBsAg undetectability relies on the very low level of viremia observed. The single‐amino‐acid deletion found in the S protein cannot account for HBsAg detection failure, because the capture antibody of the assay used is targeted to a different sequence epitope (aa121‐124). Meanwhile, CCA deletion may have impacted the virus replication efficiency since it affects the overlapping reverse transcriptase “finger” domain of the polymerase gene. These findings define this case as an acute primary OBI, confirming the existence of this condition. NAT with high sensitivity is the only screening enabling prevention of HBV transmission by transfusion in such cases.
From mad cows to sensible blood transfusion: the risk of prion transmission by labile blood components in the United Kingdom and in France
Authors: Lefrère Jean‐Jacques , Hewitt Patricia
Published: January 2009

Transfusion transmission of the prion, the agent of variant Creutzfeldt‐Jakob disease (vCJD), is now established. Subjects infected through food may transmit the disease through blood donations. The two nations most affected to date by this threat are the United Kingdom (UK) and France. The first transfusion cases have been observed in the UK over the past 5 years. In France, a few individuals who developed vCJD had a history of blood donation, leading to a risk of transmission to recipients, some of whom could be incubating the disease. In the absence of a large‐scale screening test, it is impossible to establish the prevalence of infection in the blood donor population and transfused patients. This lack of a test also prevents specific screening of blood donations. Thus, prevention of transfusion transmission essentially relies at present on deferral of “at‐risk” individuals. Because prions are present in both white blood cells and plasma, leukoreduction is probably insufficient to totally eliminate the transfusion risk. In the absence of a screening test for blood donations, recently developed prion‐specific filters could be a solution. Furthermore, while the dietary spread of vCJD seems efficiently controlled, uncertainty remains as to the extent of the spread of prions through blood transfusion and other secondary routes.
An autoanti‐Kpb immunoglobulin M that simulates antigen suppression
Authors: Bosco AnnMarie , Xenocostas Anargyros , Kinney Jeff , Cadwell Chantel M. , Zimring James C.
Published: January 2009

BACKGROUND: Patients may present with an antibody against a blood group antigen, a negative direct antiglobulin test (DAT), and a null phenotype. Typically, this represents an alloantibody in a null individual. However, on occasion, the antibody disappears coincident with conversion to a positive red blood cell (RBC) phenotype. This has been called antigen loss, antigen suppression, or weakened antigenicity. Herein, a unique serologic profile that mimics this pattern, when in fact antigen loss did not occur, is described.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: RBCs and serum were analyzed using a gel microtyping system and flow cytometry. Genomic DNA was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced.

RESULTS: Initially, an anti‐Kpb was detected in MTS gel, RBCs typed K−k−Kp(b−), and the DAT was negative for immunoglobulin G (IgG). Later, the anti‐Kpb disappeared and RBCs phenotyped as K−k+Kp(b+). Analysis of initial specimens by flow cytometry identified an immunoglobulin M (IgM) anti‐Kpb with a positive IgM‐specific DAT; eluates contained an anti‐Kpb at immediate spin. Supporting the presence of the Kell glycoprotein, RBCs agglutinated with anti‐Jsb. Sequencing showed homozygosity for Kpb with no mutations surrounding the Kpb polymorphism.

CONCLUSION: In antigen loss, antibody masking is excluded by a negative DAT. However, because typical DAT reagent does not detect IgM, such reasoning was inaccurate in the current case. In addition, an anti‐Kpb resulted in RBCs typing k−, even though no anti‐k was detected. Overall, this case suggests that an IgM may mask adjacent epitopes and illustrates the potential to mistake a non‐IgG autoantibody as antigen loss.
Identification of RHD alleles with the potential of anti‐D immunization among seemingly D− blood donors in Upper Austria
Authors: Polin Helene , Danzer Martin , Gaszner Waltraud , Broda Doris , St‐Louis Maryse , Pröll Johannes , Hofer Katja , Gabriel Christian
Published: January 2009

BACKGROUND: Aberrant RHD alleles leading to a reduced expression of D antigen on the red blood cell (RBC) surface may be mistyped as D− by serology. To quantify the occurrence of weak D, DEL, and D+/− chimera among apparent D− first‐time blood donors, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) screening was implemented as a routine service.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A total of 23,330 pretyped D− samples were tested for RHD markers in Exons 4, 7, and 10 in pools of 20 by PCR. Samples with positive results in PCR were reevaluated by exon‐specific PCRs, DNA sequencing, and serologic methods.

RESULTS: Among 94 PCR‐positive samples, 74 exhibited a weak D or DEL phenotype, dubbed weak D type 1, weak D type 2, weak D type 5, weak D type 32, weak D type 4.3, RHD(M295I), RHD(del147), and RHD(1227G>A). The most prevalent alleles were weak D type 4.3 (n = 31) and RHD(IVS3+1G>A) (n = 24).

CONCLUSIONS: As a clinical consequence, 74 blood donor samples carrying weak D and DEL phenotypes with the potential of causing secondary immunizations in recipients were reclassified as D+. Those samples were reliably amplified by RHD Exon 7 PCR; therefore, its usage in the Upper Austrian population is recommended. The association of the weak D type 4.3 samples with a ce leads to the policy that all apparently D− donors should be tested with genotyping methods; otherwise, potentially immunogenic RHD alleles may be overseen.