bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Optical recording analysis of olfactory response of the procerebral lobe in the slug brain.
Authors: Kimura T , Toda S , Sekiguchi T , Kawahara S , Kirino Y
Published: June 2007

We studied the oscillatory properties and the olfactory responses of the procerebral (PC) lobe of the cerebral ganglion in the terrestrial mollusc Limax marginatus. The PC lobe, a central olfactory organ in Limax, is a highly interconnected network of local interneurons that receives olfactory inputs from the inferior and superior tentacular noses. We used an optical recording technique with a voltage-sensitive dye to record the activity of the PC lobe from either the posterior or the dorsal surface. The recordings revealed that almost all PC interneurons showed spontaneous oscillatory activities that had been entrained with each other. Upon presentation to the nose of odors to which the slugs had been aversively conditioned, the basal level of the oscillation changed biphasically. In the early phase of the response, depolarization in the basal level of the oscillation occurred in one or more belt-shaped regions parallel to the dorsoventral axis. In the late phase of the response, hyperpolarization of basal potential level of the PC lobe oscillations occurred in a wider area. Such spatial and temporal modulation was not observed when the unpaired control odors were presented to the preparation, whereas the same preparations responded to the aversively conditioned stimuli. Thus, it was considered that the spatial and temporal response in the basal level of oscillation was specific to the aversively conditioned odors. Furthermore, the spatial pattern of the depolarization modulation in the early phase was repeatable in multiple trials performed using the same odor, although different odors produced different spatial patterns of the modulation. From these results, we conclude that in the PC lobe learned odors are represented as spatial and temporal activity patterns of oscillators that constitute a coherent network.
Protein synthesis-dependent memory and neuronal enhancement in Hermissenda are contingent on parameters of training and retention.
Authors: Ramirez R R , Gandhi C C , Muzzio I A , Matzel L D
Published: June 2007

Following contiguous pairings of light and rotation, light alone elicits a conditioned contraction of Hermissenda's foot, indicative of an associative memory. After a 5-min retention interval, this conditioned response was evident following two or nine (but not one) conditioning trials but persisted for 90 min only after nine trials. In vivo incubation of animals in the protein synthesis inhibitor anisomycin (ANI; 1 microM) did not affect the conditioned response at the 5-min retention interval but significantly attenuated conditioned responding at the 90-min interval even following nine training trials. Deacetylanisomycin (DANI; 1 microM; an inactive form of anisomycin) had no effect on either 5- or 90-min retention. In a companion procedure, groups of isolated nervous systems were exposed to comparable light and rotation pairings, and the B photoreceptors (considered a site of storage for the associative memory) underwent electrophysiological analysis. An increase in neuronal excitability (indexed by depolarizing voltage responses to injected current) in the B photoreceptors paralleled the expression of conditioned responding in intact animals, that is, two training trials produced a short-term increase in excitability that dissipated within 45 min, whereas nine trials produced a persistent (at least 90-min) increase in excitability. In a fmal experiment, isolated nervous systems were exposed to nine training trials, and ANI or DANI was either present in the bathing medium before and during training or was introduced 5 min after training. Following training in ANI, a short-term (5- to 45-min) but not persistent (90-min) increase in excitability in the B photoreceptors was observed. ANI had no effect on either the short-term or persistent increase in excitability if the drug was applied 5 min after the last (ninth) training trial, and DANI had no effect on training-induced increases in excitability at any retention intervals. These results suggest that short-term retention in Hermissenda is protein synthesis independent but that new protein synthesis initiated during or shortly after the training event is necessary for even 90-min retention. Moreover, these results indicate that under some conditions, a critical threshold of training must be exceeded to initiate protein synthesis-dependent retention.
The psychosocial impact of anaphylaxis on young people and their parents
Authors: Akeson N. , Worth A. , Sheikh A.
Published: June 2007

Background
Anaphylaxis is a potentially life‐threatening disorder that can affect people of all ages. Young people are at a disproportionately increased risk of anaphylaxis deaths for reasons that include a failure to institute appropriate long‐term management regimens. A pre‐requisite for effective supported self‐management of young people with anaphylaxis is a better understanding of the factors that contribute to risk‐taking behaviour.

Objective
To explore the psychosocial impact of living with anaphylaxis on adolescents and their parents; their management of the condition; and perceptions of health care provision.

Methods
In‐depth interviews were conducted with 15 participants, these comprising of seven adolescents aged between 13 and 16 years with a history of clinician‐diagnosed anaphylaxis and eight of their parents, in this Scottish community‐based exploratory qualitative study.

Results
Adolescents in this study typically perceived anaphylaxis as ‘no big deal’, describing a relatively low impact on their day‐to‐day life when compared with their parents. This could largely be explained by the fact that most adolescents could not remember an anaphylactic reaction. Key obstacles to effective long‐term self‐management included inadequate knowledge to support detailed situation‐specific risk assessment, this being compounded by a lack of confidence to make further enquiries about the ingredients of meals when with peers. Parents reported anxiety about ‘handing over’ the main responsibility for avoidance and emergency management to their children. Medical support for these families was very limited, with primary care teams in some cases actively hindering effective self‐management.

Conclusion
Having a child with anaphylaxis can have a significant long‐term psychological impact on parents and this anxiety may in some cases be transferred from parents onto their children. Parents and adolescents may benefit from tailored information to support the transition from parental‐ to self‐management by adolescents. Access to appropriate national health service primary and specialist care was in some cases currently inadequate to support effective long‐term management. Further, more in‐depth research in a more heterogeneous group of adolescents is needed.
Folate salvage in plants: pterin aldehyde reduction is mediated by multiple non‐specific aldehyde reductases
Authors: Noiriel Alexandre , Naponelli Valeria , Bozzo Gale G. , Gregory Jesse F. , Hanson Andrew D.
Published: June 2007

Folates undergo oxidative cleavage in vivo, releasing a pterin aldehyde fragment that can be re‐used in folate synthesis if the aldehyde group is reduced. High levels of NADPH‐dependent reductase activity against pterin‐6‐aldehyde and its dihydro form were detected in Arabidopsis, pea and other plants; modeling predicted that the activity would maintain in vivo pterin aldehyde pools at extremely low levels (<0.2 pmol g−1 FW). Subcellular fractionation showed that the pea leaf activity is mainly cytosolic, and anion exchange chromatography revealed multiple isoforms, all of which catalyzed reduction of other aldehydes. Arabidopsis seed activity likewise comprised various isoforms. An Arabidopsis gene (At1g10310) encoding a pterin aldehyde reductase was identified by searching the short‐chain dehydrogenase/reductase family for proteins predicted to be NADPH‐linked, and sharing conserved residues with reductases that mediate analogous reactions. The recombinant protein behaved as a dimer in size exclusion chromatography. In addition to pterin aldehydes, it catalyzed the reduction of diverse aromatic and aliphatic aldehydes: Vmax values varied <5‐fold, but Km values ranged from 3.6 μm to 1.7 mm, those for pterin‐6‐aldehyde and dihydropterin‐6‐aldehyde being 36 and 56 μm, respectively. Activity with dihydropterin‐6‐aldehyde was unusually high at 0°C. The At1g10310 transcript was most abundant in seeds, but, as expected for multiple isoforms, inactivating the At1g10310 gene caused only a minor change in seed pterin aldehyde reductase activity. We conclude that pterin aldehyde salvage in plants involves multiple, generalist NADPH‐linked reductases, and that the At1g10310 enzyme is typical of these and hence suitable for use in engineering studies of folate turnover.
The role of melanin‐ and carotenoid‐based plumage coloration in nest defence in the Great Tit
Authors: Quesada Javier , Senar Juan Carlos
Published: June 2007

Although plumage coloration is recognized to convey valuable information about the bearer's parental abilities, few studies have explored the relationship between coloration and nest defence. In this study in Great Tit Parus major, we analysed the relationship between nest defence and melanin‐ as well as carotenoid‐based plumage coloration, after controlling for ecological variables known to influence nest defence. A principal components analysis was applied to classify birds according to how vigorously they defended the nest, and the intensity of nest defence was tested against plumage coloration. Males with a large black tie defended their nests more vigorously, but no such effect was found for yellow breast coloration. This suggests that melanin‐based coloration in the Great Tit is associated with aggression, including both dominance‐aggression and nest defence, whereas carotenoid‐based coloration is not. The challenge in future studies will be to demonstrate whether females use this trait as an ornament to assess male quality and whether they trade off between the different ornaments a male may exhibit.
Variance components due to direct genetic, maternal genetic and permanent environmental effect for growth and feed‐efficiency traits in young male Japanese Black cattle
Authors: Hoque M. A. , Arthur P. F. , Hiramoto K. , Gilmour A. R. , Oikawa T.
Published: June 2007

Variance components and genetic parameters were estimated using data recorded on 740 young male Japanese Black cattle during the period from 1971 to 2003. Traits studied were feed intake (FI), feed‐conversion ratio (FCR), residual feed intake (RFI), average daily gain (ADG), metabolic body weight (MWT) at the mid‐point of the test period and body weight (BWT) at the finish of the test (345 days). Data were analysed using three alternative animal models (direct, direct + maternal environmental, and direct + maternal genetic effects). Comparison of the log likelihood values has shown that the direct genetic effect was significant (p < 0.05) for all traits and that the maternal environmental effects were significant (p < 0.05) for MWT and BWT. The heritability estimates were 0.20 ± 0.12 for FI, 0.14 ± 0.10 for FCR, 0.33 ± 0.14 for RFI, 0.19 ± 0.12 for ADG, 0.30 ± 0.14 for MWT and 0.30 ± 0.13 for BWT. The maternal effects (maternal genetic and maternal environmental) were not important in feed‐efficiency traits. The genetic correlation between RFI and ADG was stronger than the corresponding correlation between FCR and ADG. These results provide evidence that RFI should be included for genetic improvement in feed efficiency in Japanese Black breeding programmes.
The polymorphism in the β4‐defensin gene and its association with production and somatic cell count in Holstein‐Friesian cows
Authors: Bagnicka E. , Strzałkowska N. , Flisikowski K. , Szreder T. , Jóźwik A. , Prusak B. , Krzyżewski J. , Zwierzchowski L.
Published: June 2007

The aim of this study was to find a polymorphism of the bovine β4‐defensin gene and search for its association with milk yield and composition and with the somatic cell count in milk. The data were from the years 1999 to 2004 on 212 Holstein‐Friesian (HF) dairy cows, descended from 70 sires. Based on the sequence of the bovine β4‐defensin gene (GenBank no. AF008307) the primers were designed for the amplification of the 924‐bp or 393‐bp long fragments. The 924‐bp long fragment was sequenced and the sequence was compared with that available in the GenBank. Ten putative nucleotide sequence polymorphisms were found in the intron of the bovine β4‐defensin gene. One of them, a C→T transition at position 2239, that creates a new NlaIII (Hin1II) restriction site, was genotyped with polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP) in a cohort of 212 HF cows. The CC genotype was the most common (72%). The heterozygous CT genotype was found in 26% of the genotyped cows and four cows (2%) were TT homozygotes. In order to determine the relationship between the polymorphism of the β4‐defensin gene and milk production traits a multi‐trait repeatability test‐day animal model was used. The Derivative‐free Multivariate analysis program was used for computation. The differences between estimates for genotypes were checked using Student's t‐test. The model included the animal genotype, year‐season of calving and parity as fixed effects and the animal additive genetic effect and permanent environmental effect of individual cows as well as dates of the tests as random effects. Significant associations were found between the RFLP‐NlaIII and milk fat, protein and lactose contents. Also, a significant effect was shown of the defensin genotype on the somatic cell count in the milk.
Uniparental inheritance of purple leaf and the associated resistance to leafminer in castor bean
Authors: Anjani K. , Pallavi M. , Sudhakara Babu S. N.
Published: June 2007

Leafminer (Liriomyza trifolii Burgess), Diptera Agromyzidae, is one of the insect pests that causes economic damage to castor bean (Ricinus communis L.) foliage. Green leaf type is a common phenotype in castor bean and highly susceptible to leafminer. The rare purple leaf type germplasm accessions showed stable resistance to leafminer. Studies were carried out to understand the inheritance of purple leaf and the associated leafminer resistance. Direct and reciprocal crosses were made between a purple leaf parent RG1930 and a green leaf parent RG2788. RG1930 is resistant to leafminer while RG2788 is susceptible. Reciprocal differences were noted in segregation pattern of purple leaf colour as well as resistance to leafminer. Purple leaf phenotype was obtained only in purple × green (RG1930 × RG2788) cross where the female parent was a purple leaf phenotype. The reciprocal cross green × purple (RG2788 × RG1930) produced only the green leaf phenotype. Uniparental inheritance was observed for purple leaf phenotype and resistance to leafminer in F1, F2, F3 and backcross generations. Progenies with a dark purple leaf were resistant to leafminer while those with a green leaf were susceptible. Visual association between a purple leaf and resistance to leafminer and their uniparental inheritance were clearly established. The role of heritable epigenetic effects are discussed in expression of purple pigment in offspring.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension in systemic sclerosis: the need for early detection and treatment
Authors: Proudman S. M. , Stevens W. M. , Sahhar J. , Celermajer D.
Published: June 2007

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an important cause of mortality in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The symptoms are non‐specific and can be ascribed to other features of the disease, so it is often underrecognized until the late stages. Earlier treatment with new agents is associated with better treatment outcomes. The aim of this article is to develop evidence‐based guidelines for screening for PAH and interstitial lung disease (ILD) in SSc. PAH occurs in up to 27% of patients with SSc. Abnormal pulmonary function, particularly a disproportionate fall in carbon monoxide diffusing capacity (DLCO), can identify patients in the early stages of PAH, prompting further investigation in high‐risk patients (limited SSc of >10 years’ duration, symptoms and/or signs of PAH, DLCO <50% predicted, a rapid or large fall in DLCO without evidence of ILD and/or estimated systolic pulmonary artery pressure >45 mmHg on echocardiography). Right heart catheter remains the diagnostic gold standard. An algorithm for screening with regular pulmonary function tests for the early detection of PAH and ILD in SSc is proposed.
Pseudomonas community structure and antagonistic potential in the rhizosphere: insights gained by combining phylogenetic and functional gene‐based analyses
Authors: Costa Rodrigo , Gomes Newton C. M. , Krögerrecklenfort Ellen , Opelt Katja , Berg Gabriele , Smalla Kornelia
Published: June 2007

The Pseudomonas community structure and antagonistic potential in the rhizospheres of strawberry and oilseed rape (host plants of the fungal phytopathogen Verticillium dahliae) were assessed. The use of a new PCR‐DGGE system, designed to target Pseudomonas‐specific gacA gene fragments in environmental DNA, circumvented common biases of 16S rRNA gene‐based DGGE analyses and proved to be a reliable tool to unravel the diversity of uncultured Pseudomonas in bulk and rhizosphere soils. Pseudomonas‐specific gacA fingerprints of total‐community (TC) rhizosphere DNA were surprisingly diverse, plant‐specific and differed markedly from those of the corresponding bulk soils. By combining multiple culture‐dependent and independent surveys, a group of Pseudomonas isolates antagonistic towards V. dahliae was shown to be genotypically conserved, to carry the phlD biosynthetic locus (involved in the biosynthesis of 2,4‐diacetylphloroglucinol – 2,4‐DAPG), and to correspond to a dominant and highly frequent Pseudomonas population in the rhizosphere of field‐grown strawberries planted at three sites in Germany which have different land use histories. This population belongs to the Pseudomonas fluorescens phylogenetic lineage and showed closest relatedness to P. fluorescens strain F113 (97% gacA gene sequence identity in 492‐bp sequences), a biocontrol agent and 2,4‐DAPG producer. Partial gacA gene sequences derived from isolates, clones of the strawberry rhizosphere and DGGE bands retrieved in this study represent previously undescribed Pseudomonas gacA gene clusters as revealed by phylogenetic analysis.
Individuation of pairs of objects in infancy
Authors: Leslie Alan M. , Chen Marian L.
Published: June 2007

Looking‐time studies examined whether 11‐month‐old infants can individuate two pairs of objects using only shape information. In order to test individuation, the object pairs were presented sequentially. Infants were familiarized either with the sequential pairs, disk‐triangle/disk‐triangle (XY/XY), whose shapes differed within but not across pairs, or with the sequential pairs, disk‐disk/triangle‐triangle (XX/YY), whose shapes differed across but not within pairs. The XY/XY presentation looked to adults like a single pair of objects presented repeatedly, whereas the XX/YY presentation looked like different pairs of objects. Following familiarization to these displays, infants were given a series of test trials in which the screen was removed, revealing two pairs of objects in one of two outcomes, XYXY or XXYY. On the first test trial, infants familiarized with the identical pairs (XY/XY) apparently expected a single pair to be revealed because they looked longer than infants familiarized with the distinct pairs (XX/YY). Infants who had seen the distinct pairs apparently expected a double pair outcome. A second experiment showed outcomes of a single XY pair. This outcome is unexpected for XX/YY‐familiarized infants but expected for XY/XY‐familiarized infants, the reverse of Experiment 1. This time looking times were longer for XX/YY infants. Eleven‐month‐olds appear to be able to represent not just individual objects but also pairs of objects. These results suggest that if they can group the objects into sets, infants may be able to track more objects than their numerosity limit or available working memory slots would normally allow. We suggest possible small exact numerosity representations that would allow tracking of such sets.
To Each the Same and to Each his Own: A Proposal to Measure Responsibility‐Sensitive Income Inequality
Authors: DEVOOGHT KURT
Published: June 2007

This paper deals with the question of how to incorporate modern responsibility‐catering egalitarianism into economic theory on the measurement of income inequality. I present a particular axiomatic expression of the main aspects of such egalitarianism. Then, to measure offensive inequality separately I construct a norm or reference income distribution based upon the axiomatic model to replace the perfectly equal income distribution that is used as norm by all common inequality measures. I defend the use of a particular measure of distributional change to determine the degree of offensive inequality, and apply the method to Belgian income data.
Excessive Labour Raiding
Authors: McCANNON BRYAN C.
Published: June 2007

Labour raiding refers to firms recruiting and hiring employed workers. The literature on labour raiding supports the idea that raiding sorts workers into their most productive positions. I present a model where an outside firm decides whether or not to pay to learn the match‐quality of an employed worker and the employer decides whether or not to pay its worker a high wage that pre‐empts the raiding. I show that the employer may pay a low wage and gamble that it will not be raided rather than use a pre‐emptive wage. This leads to an excessive amount of raiding.
The importance of self‐examination in the earliest diagnosis of multiple primary cutaneous melanomas: a report of 47 cases
Authors: Manganoni AM , Farisoglio C , Tucci G , Facchetti F , Calzavara Pinton PG
Published: June 2007

Background  Development of more than one primary melanoma in a patient is a relatively uncommon but well‐recognized phenomenon. Its frequency has ranged from 1.2% to 8.2% in several series. This subgroup of patients with multiple primary lesions has not been characterized sufficiently. We report the experience of the Melanoma Unit of University Hospital Spedali Civili of Brescia, Italy.

Method  Study subjects were drawn from 1240 patients with histologically confirmed melanoma, including melanoma in situ. From this group, multiple melanomas developed in 47 patients (3.79%). Every one of our patients has been taught to perform self‐examination of the skin to detect suspicious pigmented lesions.

Results  Of the 47 patients described in this study, 38 had two primary melanomas, 7 had three melanomas and 2 had 5 and 10 melanomas, respectively. Mean age at first diagnosis was 46.2 years. The majority of subsequent melanomas (74.5%) were removed within 5 years of the initial operation. Synchronous lesions were found in 10 patients. In male patients, the lesion appeared most frequently on the trunk; in female patients, melanoma appeared mostly on the lower extremities. The second primary melanomas developed in the same anatomic region from the first in 53.2% of our patients. The proportion of in situ to invasive melanomas was greater for the second melanomas compared with the first melanomas. Regarding invasive melanomas, the mean thickness of the first melanomas was 1.31 mm compared with 0.66 mm for the second ones. Dividing patients into two groups, of more and less than 50, it is highlighted that in older patients synchronous lesions appear more frequently (36.4% vs. 8.0%); the median time interval between sequential melanomas is longer (84 vs. 63.7 months); and the ratio between the primary and secondary melanoma mean thickness is lower (1.21 : 1.08 vs. 1.43 : 0.63 mm).

Conclusions  The study confirms that second primary melanoma is usually thinner than the first lesion, and it is more common in the same region of the body as the initial melanoma. The highest risk for a second melanoma is during the first 5 years, but a much longer time interval of 28 years is possible. Continued medical follow‐up with complete skin examinations seems prudent, but it is very important to promote self‐skin evaluation in patients to detect not only metastases but also subsequent primary melanomas in their earliest phases.
Psoriasis in Norwegian twins: contribution of genetic and environmental effects
Authors: Grjibovski AM , Olsen AO , Magnus P , Harris JR
Published: June 2007

Background  Psoriasis is a chronic T‐cell‐mediated immunological skin disease with a complex pathogenesis where both genetic and environmental factors are involved.

Objective  To study the conditional and relative risk of developing psoriasis in identical and fraternal twins whose co‐twin has a positive history of the disease and to estimate the relative contribution of genetic and environmental factors on the liability for psoriasis in Norway.

Methods  Self‐reported history of psoriasis in twins from the population‐based Norwegian Twin Panel (N = 8045) was studied. Absolute and relative risks of developing psoriasis conditioned on the positive history of psoriasis in a co‐twin were calculated by Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and Cox regression, respectively. Structural equation modelling was used to estimate genetic and environmental variance components.

Results  Altogether, 334 (4.2%) of the twins reported having psoriasis. No difference in prevalence of the disease across sexes and zygosity groups was found. Identical twins were more likely to develop psoriasis than fraternal twins if a co‐twin reported having the disease. The best‐fitting model showed that additive genetic effects could explain 66% of the variation in liability for psoriasis in this population, and the remaining 34% was due to non‐shared environmental influences.

Conclusions  High heritability due to additive genetic effects together with considerable environmental contribution to the liability of psoriasis support the current opinion on the multifactorial aetiology of the disease. No sex‐specific patterns of heritability of psoriasis were found.
The Differences Between Stock Splits and Stock Dividends: Evidence on the Retained Earnings Hypothesis
Authors: Bechmann Ken L. , Raaballe Johannes
Published: June 2007

Abstract:  This paper investigates stock dividends and stock splits on the Copenhagen Stock Exchange (CSE), which is of interest because several of the more recent explanations for a stock market reaction can be ruled out. The main findings are that the announcement effect of stock dividends as well as stock splits is closely related to changes in a firm's payout policy, but that the relationship differs for the two types of events. A stock dividend implies an increase in nominal share capital and hence a decrease in retained earnings. Firms announcing stock dividends finance growth entirely by debt (explaining the need for an increase in nominal share capital) and retained earnings. Basically all firms announcing a stock dividend with a split factor of less than two can also afford to increase their total cash dividends permanently, at least proportionally to the increase in share capital, leading to a significant announcement effect of 4.23%. Firms announcing a stock dividend with a split factor of two or more also increase total cash dividends permanently, but less than proportionally to the increase in share capital. This leads to an insignificant announcement effect of 0.08%. These findings support a retained earnings/signaling hypothesis. For stock splits, no separate announcement effect was found when a firm's payout policy was controlled for. This lends support to the idea that a stock split per se is a cosmetic event on the CSE and is also consistent with the fact that making a stock split on the CSE is virtually cost free.
ADHD and gender: are risks and sequela of ADHD the same for boys and girls?
Authors: Bauermeister José J. , Shrout Patrick E. , Chávez Ligia , Rubio‐Stipec Maritza , Ramírez Rafael , Padilla Lymaries , Anderson Adrianne , García Pedro , Canino Glorisa
Published: June 2007

Background:  Research comparing treatment‐referred boys and girls with attention‐deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) has yielded equivocal results. Contradictory findings may be associated with differential referral practices or unexplored interactions of gender with ADHD subtypes.

Method:  We examined possible gender differences in ADHD and its subtypes among children aged 4 to 17 in a representative community sample (N = 1896) in Puerto Rico. Caretakers provided information through the Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children (version IV) and a battery of impairment, family relations, child problems, comorbidity and treatment measures.

Results:  ADHD was 2.3 times more common in boys than girls, but with one exception there was little evidence that the patterns of associations of ADHD with correlates were different for boys and girls. The exception was school suspension, which was more common among ADHD boys than girls. Additional gender interactions were found when ADHD subtypes were considered. Among those with combined type (n = 50), boys were more likely to be comorbid with mood disorders than girls. For those with the inattentive type (n = 47), girls were more likely to be comorbid with anxiety disorders than boys.

Conclusions:  Our findings lend cross‐cultural generalizability to recent reports that gender does not interact with correlates for ADHD overall, but that it may play a role in subtypes.
Psychological distress amongst AIDS‐orphaned children in urban South Africa
Authors: Cluver Lucie , Gardner Frances , Operario Don
Published: June 2007

Background:  South Africa is predicted to have 2.3 million children orphaned by Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) by 2020 (Actuarial Society of South Africa, 2005). There is little knowledge about impacts of AIDS‐related bereavement on children, to aid planning of services. This study aimed to investigate psychological consequences of AIDS orphanhood in urban township areas of Cape Town, South Africa, compared to control groups of children and adolescents orphaned by other causes, and non‐orphans.

Method:  One thousand and twenty‐five children and adolescents (aged 10–19) were interviewed using socio‐demographic questionnaires and standardised scales for assessing depression, anxiety, post‐traumatic stress, peer problems, delinquency and conduct problems.

Results:  Controlling for socio‐demographic factors such as age, gender, formal/informal dwelling and age at orphanhood, children orphaned by AIDS were more likely to report symptoms of depression, peer relationship problems, post‐traumatic stress, delinquency and conduct problems than both children orphaned by other causes and non‐orphaned children. Anxiety showed no differences. AIDS‐orphaned children were more likely to report suicidal ideation. Compared to Western norms, AIDS‐orphaned children showed higher levels of internalising problems and delinquency, but lower levels of conduct problems.

Conclusions:  Children orphaned by AIDS may be a particularly vulnerable group in terms of emotional and, to a lesser extent, behavioural problems. Intervention programs are necessary to ameliorate the psychological sequelae of losing a parent to AIDS.
Music and American Culture
Authors: Marcus Kenneth H.
Published: June 2007

Scholars in American cultural history, ethnic studies, folklore, and musicology have increasingly placed music in its social and cultural context. This article surveys recent scholarship on popular music, country music and classical music, with an interest in determining how race and ethnicity, gender, and class have influenced the performance and production of music. This interdisciplinary research has illuminated issues as diverse as ethnic and regional identity, the degree of agency among artists, and Cold War politics. Despite some shortcomings in its application, such research continues to offer scholars much material regarding the many connections between music and American culture.
Avoidance of Alcohol‐Related Stimuli in Alcohol‐Dependent Inpatients
Authors: Townshend J. M. , Duka T.
Published: June 2007

Background: Previous research has shown an attentional bias toward drug‐related stimuli in heavy social drinkers. Attentional orientation to drug‐related cues may lead to increased craving and preoccupation with the drug and impaired ability to focus attention on nondrug‐related activities, resulting in renewed drug taking or relapse from drug abstinence.

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate whether alcohol‐dependent inpatients would differ in their selective attention toward alcohol‐related stimuli in comparison with a group of social drinking controls.

Method: Thirty‐five alcohol‐dependent inpatients were compared with a group of 39 social drinking controls matched for age, sex, and verbal IQ. Attentional bias was assessed using alcohol‐related pictures in a dot probe detection task. Questionnaires were used to examine outcome expectancies after alcohol consumption, anxiety, mood, and craving.

Results: The alcoholic inpatients showed a bias away from the alcohol‐related stimuli, scored higher on alcohol outcome expectancies, and on anxiety measures (both state and trait). They also presented with more negative mood compared with the control group. Craving was higher in the alcoholic group for the factor “loss of control over drinking.”

Conclusions: Alcoholic inpatients undergoing treatment based on the 12‐step treatment of Alcoholics Anonymous (Minnesota model), which includes counseling, and intensive group, individual, and family psychotherapy, show an avoidance for drug‐related stimuli and a perception of loss of control over drinking. We suggest that their increased perception of loss of control over drinking produces the avoidance from the drug‐related stimuli.
Randomized‐Controlled Trial of a Telephone and Mail Intervention for Alcohol Use Disorders: Three‐Month Drinking Outcomes
Authors: Brown Richard L. , Saunders Laura A. , Bobula James A. , Mundt Marlon P. , Koch Paul E.
Published: June 2007

Background: Alcohol screening, brief intervention, and referral to specialized treatment (ASBIR) reduce drinking and related harms. Unanswered questions are how to manage nondependent patients with poor response to brief interventions, how to manage dependent patients who do not obtain treatment, and how to ensure population‐wide delivery of ASBIR. Telephone‐administered counseling may provide answers.

Methods: We conducted a 12‐month randomized controlled trial of a telephone and mail intervention for non‐treatment–seeking primary care patients with alcohol use disorders. We enrolled 897 subjects after systematic screening in 18 primary care clinic waiting rooms in and around Madison and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and subsequent telephone‐administered diagnostic interviews. Experimental subjects received up to six sessions of protocol‐driven telephone counseling based on principles of motivational interviewing and stages of readiness to change. Control subjects received a pamphlet on healthy lifestyles. The paper reports on 3‐month drinking outcomes for men and women with alcohol abuse and dependence.

Results: Male experimental subjects (N=199) manifested a 30.6% decline in risky drinking days, compared with a 8.3% decline in controls (N=201, p<0.001). The total consumption declined by 17.3% compared with 12.9% by controls (p=0.001). Female experimental subjects (N=246) manifested a 17.2% decrease in risky drinking days compared with an 11.5% decrease by controls (N=251; p=NS) and a 13.9% decline in total consumption compared with 11.0% by controls (p=NS). Greater numbers of telephone counseling sessions were associated with greater declines in drinking.

Conclusion: Following systematic screening, a six‐session telephone and mail intervention is more effective than a pamphlet in reducing drinking at 3 months for non‐treatment–seeking men with alcohol abuse and dependence. An intervention effect of the enrollment procedures may have obscured further intervention effectiveness. Telephone counseling shows promise for non‐treatment–seeking primary care patients with alcohol use disorders.
Effects of Selective Opioid Receptor Antagonists on Alcohol‐Induced and Nicotine‐Induced Antinociception
Authors: Campbell Vera Combs , Taylor Robert Emory , Tizabi Yousef
Published: June 2007

Background: Despite synergistic increases in risks of various cancers, the incidence of concomitant smoking and drinking remains high. An additive or synergistic analgesic effect of combined alcohol and nicotine may contribute to their coabuse. Recently, we provided evidence that doses of alcohol and nicotine that are ineffective in inducing an antinociceptive effect alone, when combined, can induce such an effect. Moreover, this antinociceptive effect could be attenuated by pretreatment with the nonselective opioid antagonist naloxone. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of selective opioid receptor subtypes (μ, δ, and κ) in mediating the antinociceptive effects of alcohol, nicotine, and their combination.

Methods: Adult male Wistar rats were administered selective opioid antagonists, d‐Phe–Cys–Tyr–d‐Trp–Arg–Thr–Pen–Thr‐NH2 (CTAP, for μ receptor, 1.0 mg/kg), naltrindole (for δ receptors, 10 mg/kg), and norbinaltorphimine (nor‐BNI, for κ receptor, 10 mg/kg) before injection of alcohol, nicotine or their combination. The animals were tested in hot‐plate and tail‐flick assays, representing nociception mediated predominantly via brain or spinal pathways, respectively. All the injections were administered acutely and the nociceptive tests were carried out 20 minutes after alcohol and 10 minutes after nicotine administration.

Results: In general, the antagonists were more effective in blocking the effects of alcohol, nicotine, or their combination in the tail‐flick versus the hot‐plate assay. CTAP was most effective in blocking the effects of alcohol alone and nicotine alone in the tail‐flick test, whereas in the hot‐plate test both CTAP and naltrindole were more effective than nor‐BNI. All 3 antagonists had a very similar profile in attenuating the combination of alcohol and nicotine effect in the hot‐plate assay. None of the antagonists had a significant effect against the highest alcohol–nicotine dose in this test. In the tail‐flick test, however, CTAP and naltrindole were more effective than nor‐BNI in attenuating the highest alcohol–nicotine dose.

Conclusions: The data suggest the utility of all 3 opioid antagonists in blocking the effects of alcohol, nicotine, or their combination in spinally mediated antinociception. Although the supraspinally mediated antinociception was also attenuated by the opioid antagonists, further investigation of combination doses of these antagonists in fully blocking the supraspinal effects or attenuating voluntary alcohol and nicotine intake is warranted.
Effects of a Moderate Evening Alcohol Dose. II: Performance
Authors: Rupp Tracy L. , Acebo Christine , Seifer Ronald , Carskadon Mary A.
Published: June 2007

Background: This second of a pair of papers investigates the effects of a moderate dose of alcohol and staying up late on driving simulation performance and simple visual reaction time (RT) at a known circadian phase in well‐rested young adults.

Methods: Twenty‐nine adults (9 males), ages 21 to 25 years, spent 1 week on an at‐home stabilization schedule of 8.5 to 9 hours, followed by 3 nonconsecutive nights in‐lab: adaptation, placebo, and alcohol. Performance task practice occurred on 3 occasions before the study. Alcohol (vodka; 0.54 g/kg men; 0.49 g/kg women mixed with tonic) was consumed over 30 minutes ending 1 hour before normal bedtime; the same quantity of beverage was given on placebo. Driving simulation (with drive‐only and dual‐task drive and subtract components) and psychomotor vigilance task (PVT) testing occurred before and after alcohol/placebo ingestion. Breath alcohol concentration (BrAC) readings were taken before all test sessions. Saliva samples were taken approximately every 30 minutes to determine circadian phase.

Results: Driving simulation and PVT variables significantly deteriorated with increasing time awake. Driving simulator lane variability was worse with alcohol compared with placebo at 15.5 hours awake. No PVT variable showed an effect of alcohol.

Conclusions: Driving simulation performance deteriorated with extended waking and with alcohol; driving was most impaired at the peak alcohol level. The PVT, less complex than the driving simulation, did not show effects of alcohol, a finding consistent with previous literature that disruptive effects of low alcohol concentrations increase with task complexity. Overall, simulated driving performance is significantly impaired late at night when even a moderate dose of alcohol is consumed.
A New Variance Ratio Test of Random Walk in Emerging Markets: A Revisit
Authors: Al‐Khazali Osamah M. , Ding David K. , Pyun Chong Soo
Published: June 2007

Using a nonparametric variance ratio (VR) test, we revisit the empirical validity of the random walk hypothesis in eight emerging markets in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). After correcting for measurement biases caused by thin and infrequent trading prevalent in nascent and small stock markets, we cannot reject the random walk hypothesis for the MENA markets. We conclude that a nonparametric VR test is appropriate for emerging stock markets, and argue that our findings can reconcile previously contradictory results regarding the efficiency of MENA markets.
The dark side of light at night: physiological, epidemiological, and ecological consequences
Authors: Navara Kristen J. , Nelson Randy J.
Published: June 2007

Abstract:  Organisms must adapt to the temporal characteristics of their surroundings to successfully survive and reproduce. Variation in the daily light cycle, for example, acts through endocrine and neurobiological mechanisms to control several downstream physiological and behavioral processes. Interruptions in normal circadian light cycles and the resulting disruption of normal melatonin rhythms cause widespread disruptive effects involving multiple body systems, the results of which can have serious medical consequences for individuals, as well as large‐scale ecological implications for populations. With the invention of electrical lights about a century ago, the temporal organization of the environment has been drastically altered for many species, including humans. In addition to the incidental exposure to light at night through light pollution, humans also engage in increasing amounts of shift‐work, resulting in repeated and often long‐term circadian disruption. The increasing prevalence of exposure to light at night has significant social, ecological, behavioral, and health consequences that are only now becoming apparent. This review addresses the complicated web of potential behavioral and physiological consequences resulting from exposure to light at night, as well as the large‐scale medical and ecological implications that may result.
Microtubules Tethered at Epithelial Cell Junctions by Dynein Facilitate Efficient Junction Assembly
Authors: Ligon Lee A. , Holzbaur Erika L. F.
Published: June 2007

Efficient remodeling of cell–cell adhesions is critical during development and morphogenesis. Junctional components must be specifically and rapidly transported to sites of junction assembly. In this study, we show a mechanism by which this targeted trafficking may occur. Microtubules target epithelial adherens junctions, and the number of microtubules both projecting to and tethered at sites of contact is increased during junction assembly, consistent with an increased need for new material at the nascent junction. Cytoplasmic dynein is localized to sites of cell–cell contact, and microtubules project to dynein patches where they become tethered. Microinjection of anti‐dynein antibodies disrupts the tethering of microtubules, showing that the motor anchors them. Furthermore, disruption of dynein inhibits junction formation. Immunocytochemistry with antibodies to p120 catenin support the hypothesis that tethered microtubules serve as tracks for delivery of new components to forming junctions, suggesting a model in which material is targeted for delivery to sites of need through microtubules tethered by dynein.
Clathrin‐Mediated Endocytosis at Synapses
Authors: Jung Nadja , Haucke Volker
Published: June 2007

Neurons are communication specialists that convert electrical into chemical signals at specialized cell–cell junctions termed synapses. Arrival of an action potential triggers calcium‐regulated exocytosis of neurotransmitter (NT) from small synaptic vesicles (SVs), which then diffuses across the synaptic cleft and binds to postsynaptic receptors to elicit specific changes within the postsynaptic cell. Endocytosis of pre‐ and postsynaptic membrane proteins including SV components and postsynaptic NT receptors is essential for the proper functioning of the synapse. During the past several years, we have witnessed enormous progress in our understanding of the mechanics of clathrin‐mediated endocytosis (CME) and its role in regulating exo‐endocytic vesicle cycling at synapses. Here we summarize the molecular machinery used for recognition of synaptic membrane protein cargo and its clathrin‐dependent internalization, and describe the inventory of tools that can be used to monitor vesicle cycling at synapses or to inhibit CME in a stage‐specific manner.
Victorian Framings of the Mind: Recent Work on Mid‐Nineteenth Century Theories of the Unconscious, Memory, and Emotion
Authors: Matus Jill L.
Published: June 2007

Surveying recent work by literary critics and historians on Victorian psychology, this article begins with an account of the disciplinary and theoretical shifts that have influenced the way psychology as a field has been reconceptualized in the past decades and then focuses on critical studies that address such topics as the role of Victorian periodicals in the emergence of psychology as a discipline and the persistence of Victorian conceptions of the soul alongside increasingly materialist accounts of mind. It is surprising that, given the richness and depth of recent historical work on the psyche in the Victorian period, it has not informed contemporary trauma theory, the genealogical exploration of which seldom pushes back beyond Freud and then only to focus on the medico‐legal discourse around the railway accident. The second part of the article acknowledges the salience of trauma studies in literary criticism today but points to the theoretical and historical problems of applying contemporary definitions of trauma to Victorian literature. Research on Victorian architectures of the psyche (in particular, states of altered consciousness, theories of memory, trance, emotion, and involuntary thought or ‘unconscious cerebration’) can offer a fuller account of the emergence of trauma as a concept than critics have previously recognized. A historicist account of the theories of mind on which trauma as a concept is dependent may also elucidate the ideological freight of recurrent, structuring binaries such as agency/passivity in both Victorian texts and contemporary trauma and emotion theory.