bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
THE JOURNEY BEYOND ATHENS AND JERUSALEM
Authors: King Ursula
Published: September 2005

Abstract. John Caiazza's essay raises important controversial issues regarding the contemporary debates between science and religion. His arguments are largely presented in a dichotomous and rather adversarial mode with which I strongly disagree. Unable to present a detailed counterargument in this brief reflection, I ask, What is being spoken about, and who is speaking? What is meant by science and religion here? Neither term can be taken as a unified, essentialist category; both comprise many historical layers, possess numerous internal complexities, and invite a diversity of interpretations. I refer to the science of China, India, and the ancient Near East, all of which have fed into modern science, so that the sciences cannot be restricted to those of the modern West. Nor can religion be limited to the religious beliefs and practices of Western Christianity. I discuss the position/location/context of the author‐ Caiazza's as well as my own‐ after introducing Hans‐Georg Gadamer's idea of the “fusion of horizons,” which provides a rich vein for enhancing the debate between science and religion. To expand the respective horizons of their dialogue it will be important to move away from an adversarial, exclusionary spirit to a more collaborative and communicative framework that allows for the development of new ideals, new questions, new ways of knowing, and an ethical and socially responsible stance more centered on human needs and concerns. We may have to build an altogether new Athens and Jerusalem for this.
“RELIGION AND SCIENCE” AS ADVOCACY OF SCIENCE AND AS RELIGION VERSUS RELIGION
Authors: Drees Willem B.
Published: September 2005

Abstract. “Religion and science” often is understood as being about the relationship between two given enterprises, religion and science. I argue that it is more accurate to understand religion and science in different contexts differently. (1) It serves as apologetics for science in a religious environment. As apologetics for technology the role of religion‐and‐science is more ambivalent, as competing and contrary responses to modern technology find articulation in religious terms. (2) In the political context of the modern university, some invoke religion‐and‐science in arguing for a place of theology alongside the sciences. In this context, secular studies of religion are a major challenge, which is hardly addressed. (3) Within the religious communities, religion‐and‐science is a battleground between revisionist and traditionalist ways of understanding religion.
A NEW LOOK AT THE SCIENCE‐AND‐RELIGION DIALOGUE
Authors: Lawson E. Thomas
Published: September 2005

Abstract.Cognitive science is beginning to make a contribution to the science‐and‐religion dialogue by its claims about the nature of both scientific and religious knowledge and the practices such knowledge informs. Of particular importance is the distinction between folk knowledge and abstract theoretical knowledge leading to a distinction between folk science and folk religion on the one hand and the reflective, theoretical, abstract form of thought that characterizes both advanced scientific thought and sophisticated theological reasoning on the other. Both folk science and folk religion emerge from commonsense reasoning about the world, a form of reasoning bequeathed to us by the processes of natural selection. Suggestions are made about what scientists and theologians can do if they accept these claims.
KARL PETERS: THEOLOGY AS A CONFESSING DISCIPLINE
Authors: Pederson Ann Milliken
Published: September 2005

Abstract. Karl Peters's book Dancing with the Sacred brings together his insights from evolutionary biology and ecology, world religions, and process thought into an integrated autobiographical reflection on his thoughts, teaching, and life. The book simultaneously engages readers in their own reflections about religion and science and reminds them that their reflections are freighted with moral responsibility. For Peters, self‐understanding correlates with understanding the world. The celebration of diversity coincides with the universal concerns that all face living together on this planet. Our future depends on how we live in the present tense.
CONFESSIONS OF A PRACTICING NATURALISTIC THEIST: A RESPONSE TO HARDWICK, PEDERSON, AND PETERSON
Authors: Peters Karl E.
Published: September 2005

Abstract. In my response to the comments of Charley Hardwick, Ann Pederson, and Greg Peterson, I continue the narrative, confessional mode of my writing in Dancing with the Sacred. First, I sketch some methodological decisions underlying my naturalistic, evolutionary, practical theology. I then respond to the encouraging suggestions of my commentators by further developing my ideas about naturalism, mystery, creativity as God, the place of ecological responsibility in my thinking, sin, and eschatology. I offer suggestions as to how I might widen the practical applications of my theology beyond environmental and medical ethics to other areas of moral responsibility in relation to the creative process. I do all this with much appreciation for the care and careful critical reflection that my commentators have devoted to my thinking.
IS NATURE ENOUGH? ROBERT FROST REPLIES IN “THE MOST OF IT”
Authors: Orr Matthew
Published: September 2005

Abstract. In his poem “The Most of It” Robert Frost explores whether nature alone is sufficient to satisfy human spiritual yearnings. At first pass, the poem reads like a dark statement about the absence of any higher intelligence in the natural world, and it has been interpreted this way by many, including the person who inspired Frost to write it, Wade Van Dore. However, on careful reading Frost's poem also contains a subtle celebration of nature's spiritual assets. By creating a work with two possible meanings, Frost indicates that the answer to whether “nature is enough” is in the eye of the beholder. Because much of the poem's hopeful message resides in its meter, Frost also seems to be saying that nature will be enough mainly for those who appreciate nuance and accept ambiguity. For those so predisposed, a spirituality based in the belief that “nature is enough” requires no unverifiable entity for personal fulfillment and may ameliorate environmental problems that increasingly jeopardize human well‐being.
Computer Algebra Derivation of the Bias of Linear Estimators of Autoregressive Models
Authors: Zhang Y. , McLeod A. I.
Published: September 2005

Abstract. A symbolic method which can be used to obtain the asymptotic bias and variance coefficients to orderO(1/n) for estimators in stationary time series is discussed. Using this method, the large‐sample bias of the Burg estimator in the AR(p) forp = 1, 2, 3 is shown to be equal to that of the least squares estimators in both the known and unknown mean cases. Previous researchers have only been able to obtain simulation results for the Burg estimator's bias because this problem is too intractable without using computer algebra. The asymptotic bias coefficient toO(1/n) of Yule–Walker as well as least squares estimates is also derived in AR(3) models. Our asymptotic results show that for the AR(3), just as in the AR(2), the Yule–Walker estimates have a large bias when the parameters are near the nonstationary boundary. The least squares and Burg estimates are much better in this situation. Simulation results confirm our findings.
A Bayesian Approach to Modelling Graphical Vector Autoregressions
Authors: Corander Jukka , Villani Mattias
Published: September 2005

Abstract. We introduce a Bayesian approach to model assessment in the class of graphical vector autoregressive processes. As a result of the very large number of model structures that may be considered, simulation‐based inference, such as Markov chain Monte Carlo, is not feasible. Therefore, we derive an approximate joint posterior distribution of the number of lags in the autoregression and the causality structure represented by graphs using a fractional Bayes approach. Some properties of the approximation are derived and our approach is illustrated on a four‐dimensional macroeconomic system and five‐dimensional air pollution data.
On the Evaluation of the Information Matrix for Multiplicative Seasonal Time‐Series Models
Authors: Godolphin E. J. , Bane S. R.
Published: September 2005

Abstract.  This paper gives a procedure for evaluating the Fisher information matrix for a general multiplicative seasonal autoregressive moving average time‐series model. The method is based on the well‐known integral specification of Whittle [Ark. Mat. Fys. Astr. (1953) vol. 2. pp. 423–434] and leads to a system of linear equations, which is independent of the seasonal period and has a closed solution. It is shown to be much simpler, in general, than the method of Klein and Mélard [Journal of Time Series Analysis (1990) vol. 11, pp. 231–237], which depends on the seasonal period. It is also shown that the nonseasonal method of McLeod [Biometrika (1984) vol. 71, pp. 207–211] has the same basic features as that of Klein and Mélard. Explicit solutions are obtained for the simpler nonseasonal and seasonal models in common use, a feature which has not been attempted with the Klein–Mélard or the McLeod approaches. Several illustrations of these results are discussed in detail.
Reforms to Schooling in the UK: A Review of Some Major Reforms and their Evaluation
Authors: McNally Sandra
Published: September 2005

We aim to give a brief overview of some important reforms to the school system in the UK and existing evidence on their consequences. These reforms include a change in the type of secondary school open to pupils - from a selective to comprehensive system; a change in the examination system; quasi-market reforms; area-based initiatives; reforms to the content and structure of teaching; payments to encourage the pursuit of education beyond compulsory schooling.
The French Educational System: Issues and Debates
Authors: Maurin Eric
Published: September 2005

This paper describes the main features of the French Educational system and analyses the ongoing controversies surrounding pre-elementary education, grade repetition, class size reduction or educational priority zones in France.
Learning Why More Learning Takes Place in Some Classrooms Than Others
Authors: Murnane Richard J. , Willett John B. , Somers Marie-Andrée , Uribe Claudia
Published: September 2005

The relatively poor average performance of German students on the recent PISA international evaluations of 15- and 16-year-olds’ literary skills (2000) and mathematical skills (2003) and the wide variation in performance, with lowincome students scoring particularly poorly, have led to calls for reforms of the German educational system. Understanding why students in some classrooms learn more than do those in other classrooms is an important first step in considering alternative reform strategies. Possible explanations include differences in teacher quality, class sizes and peer groups, and also differences among the types of secondary schools that parents select for their children. This paper illustrates a set of techniques that are useful in examining the roles these factors play in predicting why, net of family background and prior achievement, the average achievement of children in some classrooms is much higher than that of children in other classrooms. We illustrate the use of these techniques with a dataset from Bogota´, Colombia, that has two attractive properties. First, some teachers teach multiple classes of students. Second, students are enrolled in schools in two sectors ( public and private). Application of the techniques described in this paper could shed light on the reasons why the average academic achievement of German students attending some schools is much higher than that of German students attending other schools.
Educational Production in East Asia: The Impact of Family Background and Schooling Policies on Student Performance
Authors: Wößmann Ludger
Published: September 2005

East Asian students regularly take top positions in international league tables of educational performance. Using internationally comparable student-level data, I estimate how family background and schooling policies affect student performance in five high-performing East Asian economies. Family background is a strong predictor of student performance in Korea and Singapore, while Hong Kong and Thailand achieve more equalized outcomes. There is no evidence that smaller classes improve student performance in East Asia. But other schooling policies such as school autonomy over salaries and regular homework assignments are related to higher student performance in several of the considered countries.
What a Difference Immigration Policy Makes: A Comparison of PISA Scores in Europe and Traditional Countries of Immigration
Authors: Entorf Horst , Minoiu Nicoleta
Published: September 2005

The purpose of this article is to evaluate the importance of different immigration policies associated with corresponding migration backgrounds, command of national languages and intergenerational mobility, for the PISA school performance of teenagers living in European countries (France, Finland, Germany, United Kingdom and Sweden) and traditional countries of immigration (Australia, Canada, New Zealand and the US). Econometric results show that the influence of the socioeconomic background of parents differs strongly across nations, with the highest impact found for Germany, the UK and US, whereas intergenerational transmission of educational attainment is less likely in Scandinavian countries and in Canada. Moreover, for all countries our estimations imply that for students with a migration background a key for catching up is the language spoken at home. We conclude that educational policy should focus on integration of immigrant children in schools and preschools, with particular emphasis on language skills at the early stage of childhood.
Education, Work and Wages in the UK
Authors: Bingley Paul , Walker Ian , Zhu Yu
Published: September 2005

This paper is concerned with the relationship between education, wages and working behaviour. The work is partly motivated by the sharp distinction in the literature between the returns to education and the effect of wages on labour supply. Education is the investment that cumulates in the form of human capital while labour supply is the utilization rate of that stock. Yet, variation in education is usually the basis for identifying labour supply models - education is assumed to determine wages but not affect labour supply. Moreover, it is commonly assumed that the private rate of return to education can be found from the schooling coefficient in a log-wage equation. Yet, the costs of education are largely independent of its subsequent utilization but the benefits will be higher the greater the utilization rate. Thus the returns will depend on how intensively that capital is utilized and we would expect that those who intend to work least to also invest least in human capital. Indeed, the net (of tax liabilities and welfare entitlements) return to education will be a complex function of labour supply and budget constraint considerations. Here we attempt to model the relationship between wages, work, education and the tax/welfare system allowing for the endogeneity of education as well for the correlations between the unobservable components of wages and working behaviour. We use the estimates to simulate the effect of a new UK policy designed to increase education for children from low-income households.
College Quality and Wages in the United States
Authors: Black Dan , Daniel Kermit , Smith Jeffrey
Published: September 2005

We estimate the effects of the quality of the college a student attends on their later earnings using data from a cohort of US college students from the late 1970s and early 1980s. We rely on a linear selection on observables identification strategy, which is justified in our context by a very rich set of conditioning variables. We find economically important earnings effects of college quality for men and women, as well as effects on educational attainment, spousal earnings and other demographic variables. These effects remain roughly constant over time and result primarily from effects on wages, rather than from effects on hours or labor force participation. We find that, over the lower part of the range of college quality, increases in college quality (which entail higher expenditures per student) pass a simple social cost-benefit test.
Leisure activities during school break among children with learning disabilities: preference vs. performance
Authors: Yalon‐Chamovitz Shira , Mano Tali , Jarus Tal , Weinblatt Nurit
Published: September 2005

Participation in leisure activities may contribute to the development of social, motor, and language skills, and is therefore especially important for children with learning disabilities. Leisure activities of students in educational settings are performed mostly during breaks. While there have been some studies of the effect of breaks on classroom performance, none have been conducted among children with learning disabilities. Moreover, the role of breaks as a leisure agent was never addressed. The purpose of the study was to examine break activities of children with learning disabilities, through exploration of the correlation between their preferences for break activities and the activities in which they actually engaged. The study found no such correlation. It is therefore suggested that leisure education should provide students with the skills they need in order to choose leisure activities and evaluate the efficacy of the choice they had made.
Valuing People: hopes and dreams for the future
Authors: Forbat Liz
Published: September 2005

This paper outlines the views of key policy makers, implementers and practitioners on Valuing People (Department of Health, Valuing people. A new strategy for learning disability for the 21st century, The Stationary Office, London, 2001). It reports a series of interviews conducted in 2003/2004 with a diverse selection of people involved in English policy construction and implementation around the support needs of people with a learning disability and/or around older people and dementia. Interviewees talked about what they perceived to be the strengths and weaknesses of policies for this client group, which led to thinking particularly about the gaps in provision for people with a learning disability as they age. The findings discussed here introduce interviewees’ reported hopes and dreams for social policy in 10 years’ time. The interviewees highlighted satisfaction and dissatisfaction in the connections between policy and practice. Areas for policy development and, crucially, ways of improving provision to people with a learning disability who develop dementia are highlighted.
Between family and friends: a longitudinal study of friendship choice
Authors: Pahl Ray , Pevalin David J.
Published: September 2005

The increasing role for chosen friends is a key element in current debates on individualization and the transformation of intimacy. This paper describes the changes in friendship choices over time and demonstrates how life events subsequently impact on those choices. We primarily distinguish between kin and non‐kin nominations of friends and how these may be related to the social and economic turbulence inherent in late modernity. Analyses of data from ten years of the British Household Panel Survey showed that kin nominations still form a significant proportion of all friends but increasingly so with age and over time as people age. Life events, such as divorce or death of a partner, have large effects on the likelihood of changes in friendship choices as did gender, age, marital status and social class. We frame these results in a discussion of the saliency and nature of friendship at stages of the life course and conclude that the case for a general secular shift to choosing non‐kin friendships rather than kin‐based friendship is not demonstrated.
Legitimacy and status groups in financial markets
Authors: Preda Alex
Published: September 2005

Economic sociologists have argued that financial markets should be analysed as uncertainty‐processing social networks and intermediary groups. Networks and intermediaries alone cannot confer legitimacy upon financial actors and transactions. Status groups are a solution to this problem. They emphasize reputation, honour and good social behaviour as stabilizers of collective action, as means of social control and as indicators of legitimacy. I examine here the emergence and evolution of status groups of brokers in London, New York and Paris, and show how emphasis on honour was used to legitimize financial transactions. I argue that financial markets should be conceived as networks, intermediary and status groups. In global, automated financial markets status groups like securities analysts are gaining in prominence.
A changing climate for grassland research
Authors: Humphreys M. W. , Yadav R. S. , Cairns A. J. , Turner L. B. , Humphreys J. , Skøt L.
Published: September 2005

Here, we review the current genetic approaches for grass improvement and their potential for the enhanced breeding of new varieties appropriate for a sustainable agriculture in a changing global climate. These generally out‐breeding, perennial, self‐incompatible species present unique challenges and opportunities for genetic analysis. We emphasise their distinctiveness from model species and from the in‐breeding, annual cereals. We describe the modern genetic approaches appropriate for their analysis, including association mapping. Sustainability traits discussed here include stress resistance (drought, cold and pathogeneses) and favourable agronomic characters (nutrient use efficiency, carbohydrate content, fatty acid content, winter survival, flowering time and biomass yield). Global warming will predictably affect temperature‐sensitive traits such as vernalisation, and these traits are under investigation. Grass biomass utilisation for carbon‐neutral energy generation may contribute to reduced atmospheric carbon emissions. Because the wider potential outcomes of climate change are unpredictable, breeders must be reactive to events and have a range of well‐characterised germplasm available for new applications.

Contents

Summary
9

I.
Background
10

II.
Objectives, breeding methodologies and progress in grass breeding
12

III.
Markers and their suitability for genetic analysis in grasses
13

IV.
Associating markers to genes for ‘sustainability’ in the grasses
13

V.
The genetic control of flowering time
16

VI.
Target traits: resilience against climate change and resistance to abiotic stresses
17

VII.
Target traits: carbohydrates and sustainable ruminant animal production
19

VIII.
Target traits: grass biomass, climate change and energy sustainability
21

IX.
Conclusions
21

References
22
Leumorphin has an anti‐apoptotic effect by activating epidermal growth factor receptor kinase in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells
Authors: Lee Byoung Dae , Kim Soomi , Hur Eun‐Mi , Park Yong‐Soo , Kim Yun‐Hee , Lee Taehoon G. , Kim Kyong‐Tai , Suh Pann‐Ghill , Ryu Sung Ho
Published: September 2005

Endogenous opioid peptides, found in the central and peripheral nervous systems, perform neuromodulatory roles, and display a wide range of functional and pharmacological properties in vitro and in vivo. In this study, we investigated the effects of prodynorphin gene products on intracellular signaling events and cell survival in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells. Leumorphin, but not other prodynorphin gene products including dynorphin A, β‐neoendorphin and rimorphin (dynorphin B), increased cell viability in PC12 cells. The cytoprotective effect of leumorphin was dependent on the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase and mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathways, but was insensitive to both naloxone, a general antagonist of the opioid receptor, and nor‐binaltorphimine, a specific antagonist of the kappa opioid receptor. Moreover, a competition‐binding assay clearly revealed that leumorphin had another binding site(s) in addition to that for the kappa opioid receptor. Interestingly, leumorphin induced activation of the epidermal growth factor receptor via a Src‐dependent mechanism, which was proved to be responsible for the increased survival response. Flow cytometric and microscopic analysis showed that leumorphin rescued cells from serum deprivation‐induced apoptosis. Collectively, we suggest that leumorphin prevents apoptosis via epidermal growth factor receptor‐mediated activation of the phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase and mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathways, which occur independent of the kappa opioid receptor.
Glioma cells under hypoxic conditions block the brain microvascular endothelial cell death induced by serum starvation
Authors: Ueda Yoshifumi , Nakagawa Takao , Kubota Toshihiko , Ido Kazunori , Sato Kazufumi
Published: September 2005

Angiogenesis is one of essential components for the growth of neoplasms, including malignant gliomas. However, tumor vascularization is often poorly organized and marginally functional due to tumor strucutural abnormalities, inducing regional or temporal hypoxic conditions and nutritional shortages in tumor tissues. We investigated how during angiogenesis migrating endothelial cells survive in these hypoxic and reduced nutritional conditions. Human brain microvascular endothelial cells (HBMECs) underwent apoptosis and necrosis after serum withdrawal. This endothelial cell death was blocked by recombinant VEGF protein or the culture medium of U251 glioma cells exposed to hypoxia (H‐CM). Hypoxic treatment increased vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) expression in U251 glioma cells. H‐CM activated nuclear factor‐κB (NFκB) protein and increased the gene expression of antiapoptotic factors including Bcl‐2, Bcl‐XL, survivin and X‐chromosome‐linked inhibitor of apoptosis protein (XIAP) in endothelial cells. The survival activity of H‐CM for endothelial cells was abolished by two kinds of VEGF inhibitors {Cyclopeptidic VEGF inhibitor and a VEGF receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (4‐[(4′‐chloro‐2′‐fluoro) phenylamino]‐6, 7‐dimethoxyquinazoline)} or NFκB inhibitors (ALLN and BAY 11–7082). These VEGF inhibitors did not block the activation of NFκB induced by H‐CM in endothelial cells. On the contrary, TNF‐α antagonist WP9QY enhanced the survival activity of H‐CM for endothelial cells and blocked NFκB activation induced by H‐CM under serum‐starved conditions. Taken together, our data suggest that both the secretion of VEGF from glioma cells and activation of NFκB in endothelial cells induced by TNF‐α are necessary for endothelial cell survival as they increase the expression of antiapoptotic genes in endothelial cells under conditions of serum starvation. These pathways may be one of the mechanisms by which angiogenesis is maintained in glioma tissues.
Local proteins associated with methamphetamine‐induced nigrostriatal dopaminergic neurotoxicity
Authors: Liao Pao‐Chi , Kuo Yu‐Min , Hsu Hen‐Chia , Cherng Chienfang G. , Yu Lung
Published: September 2005

The present study aimed to examine the proteins involved in the methamphetamine (MA)‐induced nigrostriatal dopaminergic toxicity. Infusion of anisomycin into striatum and substantia nigra both abolished the MA‐induced striatal dopamine (DA) and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC) depletions, indicating a critical role of local protein synthesis in determining such dopaminergic toxicity. Moreover, local protein synthesis blockade reversed this neurotoxicity via a temperature‐independent mechanism. We then employed a proteomic approach, two‐dimensional gel electrophoresis (2‐DE) in conjunction with mass spectrometry analysis, to identify the protein candidates associated with the MA‐induced neurotoxicity. In striatal samples, 2‐DE analysis revealed that the intensities of nine protein spots were altered by MA treatment. Mass spectrometry analysis allowed us to identify five proteins, including an up‐regulated protein, α‐synuclein, and four down‐regulated proteins, ATPase, F‐actin capping protein β subunit, ubiquitin carboxy‐terminal hydrolase/PGP 9.5, and peroxidase. MA‐altered expression levels of α‐synuclein and ubiquitin carboxy‐terminal hydrolase/PGP 9.5 in striata were confirmed by western blotting analysis. Taken together, these results suggest that local up‐regulation of α‐synuclein and down‐regulation of ubiquitin carboxy‐terminal hydrolase/PGP 9.5 could be linked to the MA‐induced dopaminergic terminal toxicity.
Lateral entorhinal cortex lesions rearrange afferents, glutamate receptors, increase seizure latency and suppress seizure‐induced c‐fosexpression in the hippocampus of adult rat
Authors: Kopniczky Zsolt , Dobó Endre , Borbély Sándor , Világi Ildikó , Détári László , Krisztin‐Péva Beáta , Bagosi Andrea , Molnár Elek , Mihály András
Published: September 2005

The entorhinal cortex (EC) provides the predominant excitatory drive to the hippocampal CA1 and subicular neurones in chronic epilepsy. Here we analysed the effects of one‐sided lateral EC (LEC) and temporoammonic (alvear) path lesion on the development and properties of 4‐aminopyridine‐induced seizures. Electroencephalography (EEG) analysis of freely moving rats identified that the lesion increased the latency of the hippocampal seizure significantly and decreased the number of brief convulsions. Seizure‐induced neuronal c‐fosexpression was reduced in every hippocampal area following LEC lesion. Immunocytochemical analysis 40 days after the ablation of the LEC identified sprouting of cholinergic and calretinin‐containing axons into the dentate molecular layer. Region and subunit specific changes in the expression of ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluRs) were identified. Although the total amount of AMPA receptor subunits remained unchanged, GluR1flopdisplayed a significant decrease in the CA1 region. An increase in NR1 and NR2BN‐methyl‐d‐aspartate (NMDA) receptor subunits and KA‐2 kainate receptor subunit was identified in the deafferented layers of the hippocampus. These results further emphasize the importance of the lateral entorhinal area in the spread and regulation of hippocampal seizures and highlight the potential role of the rewiring of afferents and rearrangement of iGluRs in the dentate gyrus in hippocampal convulsive activity.
Sub‐neurotoxic neonatal anoxia induces subtle behavioural changes and specific abnormalities in brain group‐I metabotropic glutamate receptors in rats
Authors: Casolini P. , Zuena A. R. , Cinque C. , Matteucci P. , Alemà G. S. , Adriani W. , Carpinelli G. , Santoro F. , Alleva E. , Bosco P. , Nicoletti F. , Laviola G. , Catalani A.
Published: September 2005

Anoxia in the first week of life can induce neuronal death in vulnerable brain regions usually associated with an impairment of cognitive function that can be detected later in life. We set‐up a model of subneurotoxic anoxia based on repeated exposures to 100% nitrogen during the first 7 days of post‐natal life. This mild post‐natal exposure to anoxia specifically modified the behaviour of the male adult rats, which showed an attention deficit and an increase in anxiety, without any impairment in spatial learning and any detectable brain damage (magnetic resonance imaging and histological analysis). Post‐anoxic rats showed a reduction in the expression of group‐I metabotropic glutamate receptors (i.e. mGlu1 and mGlu5 receptors) in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex, whereas expression of the mGlu 2/3 receptors, the NR1 subunit of NMDA receptors, and the GluR1 subunit of alpha‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methylisoxazole‐4‐propionate (AMPA) receptors was unchanged. mGlu1 and mGlu5 receptor signalling was also impaired in postanoxic rats, as revealed by a reduced efficacy of the agonist (1S,3R)‐1‐Aminocyclopentane‐1,3‐dicarboxylic acid (1S,3R‐ACPD) to stimulate polyphosphoinositide hydrolysis in hippocampal slices. We conclude that rats subjected to subneurotoxic doses of anoxia during the early post‐natal life develop behavioural symptoms that are frequently encountered in the inattentive subtype of the attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and that group‐I mGlu receptors may be involved in the pathophysiology of these symptoms.
TAT‐mediated endocytotic delivery of the loop deletion Bcl‐2 protein protects neurons against cell death
Authors: Soane Lucian , Fiskum Gary
Published: September 2005

Protein delivery mediated by protein transduction domains (PTD) such as the HIV‐1 TAT‐PTD has emerged as a promising approach for neuroprotection. The objective of this study was to generate and evaluate the neuroprotective potential of TAT fusion proteins using constructs based on Bcl‐2 anti‐death family proteins. A TAT‐Bcl‐2 construct with the loop domain deleted (TAT‐Bcl‐2Δloop) was tested for its ability to transduce neuronal cells and to promote survival. The potential mechanism of TAT‐mediated protein internalization in neural cells was also investigated. The purified TAT‐Bcl‐2Δloop binds to neural cell and rat brain mitochondria, and transduces cultured neural cell lines and primary cortical neurons when used at nm concentrations. Effective internalization of TAT‐Bcl‐2Δloop occurs at 37°C but not at 4°C, consistent with an endocytotic process. Both cell association and internalization require interaction of TAT‐Bcl‐2Δloop with cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans. TAT‐mediated protein delivery in neuronal cells occurs through a lipid raft‐dependent endocytotic process, inhibited by the cholesterol‐sequestering agent nystatin. Transducible loop deleted Bcl‐2 increases the survival of cortical neurons following trophic factor withdrawal and also rescues neural cell lines from staurosporine‐induced death. These results support the concept of using protein transduction of Bcl‐2 constructs for neuroprotection.
Brain metabolism of exogenous pyruvate
Authors: Gonzalez Susana Villa , Nguyen Nga H. T. , Rise Frode , Hassel Bjørnar
Published: September 2005

Pyruvate given in large doses may be neuroprotective in stroke, but it is not known to what degree the brain metabolizes pyruvate. Intravenous injection of [3‐13C]pyruvate led to dose‐dependent labelling of cerebral metabolites so that at 5 min after injection of 18 mmoles [3‐13C]pyruvate/kg (2 g sodium pyruvate/kg), approximately 20% of brain glutamate and GABA were labelled, as could be detected by 13C nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry ex vivo. Pyruvate, 9 mmoles/kg, was equivalent to glucose, 9 mmoles/kg, as a substrate for cerebral tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle activity. Inhibition of the glial TCA cycle with fluoroacetate did not affect formation of [4‐13C]glutamate or [2‐13C]GABA from [3‐13C]pyruvate, but reduced formation of [4‐13C]glutamine by 50%, indicating predominantly neuronal metabolism of exogenous pyruvate. Extensive formation of [3‐13C]lactate from [2‐13C]pyruvate demonstrated reversible carboxylation of pyruvate to malate and equilibration with fumarate, presumably in neurones, but anaplerotic formation of TCA cycle intermediates from exogenous pyruvate could not be detected. Too rapid injection of large amounts of pyruvate led to seizure activity, respiratory arrest and death. We conclude that exogenous pyruvate is an excellent energy substrate for neurones in vivo, but that care must be taken to avoid the seizure‐inducing effect of pyruvate given in large doses.
Characterization of novel microsatellite loci for red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) from enriched genomic libraries
Authors: KÖLLIKER ROLAND , ENKERLI JÜRG , WIDMER FRANCO
Published: September 2005

Twenty‐seven polymorphic microsatellite markers were isolated from red clover (Trifolium pratense). Allelic variability and cross‐species amplification were assessed on 24 red clover and eight white clover (Trifolium repens) genotypes. The number of alleles detected in red clover ranged from two to 25. Observed and expected heterozygosities were high with average values of 0.71 and 0.88, respectively. Five of the 27 loci were also successfully amplified from white clover, where two to 13 alleles were detected. These highly polymorphic microsatellite loci provide powerful tools for population genetic studies as well as for marker‐assisted selection in this important forage legume species.
Microsatellite loci in the Canary Islands endemic ground beetle Trechus flavocinctus and their applicability to cave‐dwelling related species
Authors: CONTRERAS‐DÍAZ HERMANS G. , PESTANO JOSÉ , SUÁREZ NICOLÁS M. , OROMÍ PEDRO , JUAN CARLOS
Published: September 2005

Six polymorphic microsatellite markers have been developed for the Canary endemic ground beetle Trechus flavocinctus, and the performance of primer pairs amplifying these loci in closely related taxa (including two cave‐obliged species) has been tested. The number of alleles in T. flavocinctus samples taken from three distant localities in two islands ranged from four to 14 per locus. Observed heterozygosities were from 0.333 to 0.933. These markers could be useful tools to study the population structure and the genetic consequences of island and cave colonization by ground beetles.
Isolation and characterization of 15 microsatellite loci in the poplar rust fungus, Melampsora larici‐populina, and cross‐amplification in related species
Authors: BARRÈS BENOÎT , DUTECH CYRIL , ANDRIEUX AXELLE , CARON HENRI , PINON JEAN , FREY PASCAL
Published: September 2005

We developed 15 microsatellite loci in the poplar rust fungus, Melampsora larici‐populina, using two enrichment protocols. Polymorphism of each locus was assessed on a panel of 30 isolates, comprising three subpanels (world, regional and local scales). Thirteen loci were polymorphic with three to eight alleles detected. The 15 loci were also tested on five related Melampsora species, M. allii‐populina, M. medusae f. sp. deltoidae, M. larici‐tremulae, M. rostrupii and M. pinitorqua, and partial or global cross‐amplification events were detected.
Polymorphic microsatellite DNA markers for the grey fantail, Rhipidura albiscapa
Authors: JIN L. , MUNRO K. , TAN S. , HOFFMAN J. , AMOS W.
Published: September 2005

We isolated and characterized five polymorphic microsatellite markers for the grey fantail Rhipidura albiscapa from genomic libraries enriched for (AC)n and (GT)n microsatellites. In 34 adult individuals, the number of alleles per locus ranged from eight to 17. Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.65 to 0.94 and 0.83 to 0.94, respectively. These markers will be useful for analysing extra‐pair paternity in fantails.
Development of microsatellite markers in Acer capillipes
Authors: TERUI H. , LIAN C. L. , SAITO Y. , IDE Y.
Published: September 2005

Acer capillipes is an insect‐pollinated tree species that grows in temperate regions of Japan. We isolated seven polymorphic microsatellite loci from this species using a dual‐suppression polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. The number of alleles per locus ranged from two to 10, and the expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.042 to 0.828. Cross‐species amplification from 14 other Acer species was successful for the majority of the isolated loci, suggesting that these loci may be useful for the characterization of other maple species.
Isolation of microsatellite markers from Pinus densiflora Sieb. et Zucc. using a dual PCR technique
Authors: WATANABE A. , IWAIZUMI M. G. , UBUKATA M. , KONDO T. , LIAN C. , HOGETSU T.
Published: September 2005

We developed seven microsatellite loci from Pinus densiflora using a dual polymerase chain reaction (PCR) technique. Of 186 clones from a library based on suppression PCR, 127 contained microsatellite sequences. Of these, 43 candidates were determined sequences of both flanking regions, and 16 regions from this group were chosen as development markers. Seven of these primer pairs successfully amplified polymorphic single loci among 83 resistant trees against pine wood nematode. The observed heterozygosity of the seven microsatellite markers ranged from 0.247 to 0.843. Mendelian inheritance was confirmed using megagametophytes.
chifish: a computer program testing for genetic heterogeneity at multiple loci using chi‐square and Fisher's exact test
Authors: RYMAN NILS
Published: September 2005

chifish is a 32‐bit Windows/DOS program evaluating divergence at multiple gene loci. It tests the hypothesis of no difference at any locus both by means of Pearson's traditional chi‐square and by using Fisher's method of combining P values obtained by Fisher's exact test. Input data are read from a file formatted for genepop. Commonly used population genetics software do not perform chi‐square tests, and the simultaneous application of both techniques aids in situations where poor power of the ‘exact approach’ may prevent detection of true differentiation (e.g. few populations and few alleles per locus).
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite loci from the apple maggot fly Rhagoletis pomonella (Diptera: Tephritidae)
Authors: VELEZ S. , TAYLOR M. S. , NOOR M. A. F. , LOBO N. F. , FEDER J. L.
Published: September 2005

We report the isolation and development of 81 novel primers for amplifying microsatellite loci in the Rhagoletis pomonella sibling species complex, and the sequencing, characterization and analysis of basic population genetic parameters for nine of these genes. We also report the successful cross‐species amplification of several of these loci. The R. pomonella sibling species complex is a textbook example of genetic differentiation in sympatry via host‐plant shifting. Microsatellite markers can be useful for mapping host‐plant‐associated adaptations in Rhagoletis that generate reproductive isolation and facilitate speciation, as well as for resolving the genetic structure and evolutionary history of fly populations.
Development of sequence‐tagged microsatellite site markers for chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.)
Authors: CHOUDHARY SHALU , SETHY NIROJ K. , SHOKEEN BHUMIKA , BHATIA SABHYATA
Published: September 2005

Microsatellite loci were identified from chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), the third most important grain legume crop in the world. A total of 13 sequence‐tagged microsatellite markers were developed using two different approaches: (i) amplification using degenerate primers and (ii) cloning of intersimple sequence repeat (ISSR)‐amplified fragments. Thirty‐five chickpea accessions were analysed, which resulted in a total of 30 alleles at the 13 loci. The observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.1143 to 0.4571 with an average of 0.2284. The cross‐species transferability of the sequence‐tagged microsatellite site (STMS) markers was checked in Cicer reticulatum, the wild annual progenitor of chickpea. These microsatellite markers will be useful for assessing the genetic diversity patterns within chickpea as well as aid in construction of intra‐ and interspecific genetic linkage maps.
3D Building Modelling with Digital Map, Lidar Data and Video Image Sequences
Authors: Zhang Yongjun , Zhang Zuxun , Zhang Jianqing , Wu Jun
Published: September 2005

Three‐dimensional (3D) reconstruction and texture mapping of buildings or other man‐made objects are key aspects for 3D city landscapes. An effective coarse‐to‐fine approach for 3D building model generation and texture mapping based on digital photogrammetric techniques is proposed. Three video image sequences, two oblique views of building walls and one vertical view of building roofs, acquired by a digital video camera mounted on a helicopter, are used as input images. Lidar data and a coarse two‐dimensional (2D) digital vector map used for car navigation are also used as information sources. Automatic aerial triangulation (AAT) suitable for a high overlap image sequence is used to give initial values of camera parameters of each image. To obtain accurate image lines, the correspondence between outlines of the building and their line features in the image sequences is determined with a coarse‐to‐fine strategy. A hybrid point/line bundle adjustment is used to ensure the stability and accuracy of reconstruction. Reconstructed buildings with fine textures superimposed on a digital elevation model (DEM) and ortho‐image are realistically visualised. Experimental results show that the proposed approach of 3D city model generation has a promising future in many applications.
Direct Sensor Orientation for Large Scale Mapping—Potential, Problems, Solutions
Authors: Yastikli Naci̇ , Jacobsen Karsten
Published: September 2005

Georeferencing is one of the most important tasks in photogrammetry. Traditionally it has been achieved indirectly using the well‐known method of aerial triangulation. With the availability of integrated GPS and inertial measurement units (IMU), this situation changed. Direct determination of exterior orientation is now possible. Today, direct and integrated sensor orientation is used for a wide range of sensors including lidar and SAR, as well as for digital line scanner systems and aerial cameras. This paper investigates the performance of direct and integrated sensor orientation for large scale mapping using the data‐set of the ‘‘Integrated Sensor Orientation’’ test of the European Organisation for Experimental Photogrammetric Research (OEEPE—now known as EuroSDR). The concept, potential, problems and solutions of direct and integrated sensor orientation are discussed.
Development of a Robust Photogrammetric Metrology System for Monitoring the Healing of Bedsores
Authors: Malian Abbass , Azizi Ali , van den Heuvel Frank A. , Zolfaghari Mahmoud
Published: September 2005

A three‐camera close range photogrammetric system for robust and precise measurement of bedsores has been designed and constructed. MEDPHOS (MEDical PHOtogrammetric System) consists of three synchronised cameras with convergent optical axes. A light projector is fixed in the centre of the rig that holds the cameras. A special dot pattern is projected onto the surface to be measured, to compensate for the lack of natural texture on the wound surface. The proposed algorithm consists of the following steps: the cameras and projector are calibrated so that all interior and exterior parameters are known; tailored image segmentation procedures are developed and applied for the detection of the projected pattern dots from the uneven background of the images using morphologic operators; and watershed transformation is used to tackle the problem of overlapping pattern dots. To reduce the effects of non‐uniform illumination and specular reflection of light due to humidity (often the case with wounds), a homomorphic transformation is developed and applied to the images. After segmentation of the images, a connected‐component labelling procedure is used to establish the points for matching. The centroids of these components were precisely calculated. Intensity‐based image matching has been tested without yielding satisfactory results due to the significant deviation from the Lambertian reflection assumption used for solving the correspondence problem. This problem is reliably solved by developing a new algorithm based on geometric constraints that allow feature‐based matching and do not need approximate values of the location of the targets in the images. This robust three‐focal constraint is found to be very effective for matching provided the necessary conditions for the system configuration are met. Auxiliary photometric constraints together with the calibrated projector (which is treated like an active camera) also serve as additional sources of information for reducing the number of remaining ambiguities and checking the consistency of the results. Almost all of the required biometric information can be obtained rapidly, robustly and easily using MEDPHOS. Experimental results showed the effectiveness of the proposed technique.