bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparison of a timed motor test battery to the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale‐III in Parkinson's disease
Authors: Haaxma Charlotte A. , Bloem Bastiaan R. , Borm George F. , Horstink Martin W.I.M.
Published: July 2008

The most widely used scale currently available for the clinical evaluation of motor dysfunction in Parkinson's disease (PD)—the Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale‐III (UPDRS‐III) —is time‐consuming, subjective, and has suboptimal sensitivity. A brief timed motor test (TMT) battery could possibly overcome these drawbacks. Two hundred eighty‐eight PD patients (disease duration 3.1 years; preceding dopaminergic treatment initiation) were assessed with the UPDRS‐III and nine TMTs based on aspects of (a) walking, (b) writing, (c) single and double‐handed pegboard performance, (d) finger tapping, and (e) rapid alternating forearm movements. We investigated validity, reliability, responsiveness, and feasibility. Completing the TMT battery took less than 5 minutes. The TMT correlated well with UPDRS‐III and disease duration. Two factors explained 61% of the TMT variance, the first represented mainly upper extremity function, the second mainly axial/lower extremity function. Cronbach's α was equal for the TMT and the UPDRS‐III (0.8). Test–retest reliability of the TMT sumscore was 0.93 to 0.89 for measurements separated by 3 up to 24 months, whereas UPDRS‐III correlations were 0.88 to 0.84. At group level, a trial using “change from baseline” as endpoint requires only 75% of the patients needed with the UPDRS‐III when applying the TMT battery, and 57% using the pegboard dexterity test. At patient level, TMT and UPDRS‐III were equally responsive. The TMT battery described here is valid, reliable, and feasible. Compared to the UPDRS‐III, it is more objective and more sensitive to change. Therefore, it could be a useful tool for both practical and scientific purposes. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society
Nigral burden of α‐synuclein correlates with striatal dopamine deficit
Authors: Kovacs Gabor G. , Milenkovic Ivan J. , Preusser Matthias , Budka Herbert
Published: July 2008

Aggregated α‐synuclein is the hallmark of Parkinson's disease (PD), diffuse Lewy body disease (DLBD), and multiple system atrophy (MSA). Physiologically, α‐synuclein ensures normal functions of dopamine transporter (DAT) and tyrosine hydoxylase. In α‐synucleinopathies, it accumulates in neuronal cytoplasm and neurites through several stages. It is unclear whether the accumulation of pathological α‐synuclein in the substantia nigra in PD correlates with the dopaminergic deficit in the striatal target. We evaluated the impact of the nigral burden of pathological α‐synuclein immunoreactivity in 27 α‐synucleinopathy brains by morphometric immunohistochemistry. DAT immunoreactivity in the striatum inversely correlates with the total α‐synuclein burden in the substantia nigra but not with cytoplasmic inclusion counts only. This result has implications for imaging, clinicopathological correlative studies, and staging of the disease process. © 2008 Movement Disorder Society
‘It's quite hard to grasp the enormity of it’: Perceived needs of people upon diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Radford S. , Carr M. , Hehir M. , Davis B. , Robertson L. , Cockshott Z. , Tipler S. , Hewlett S.
Published: July 2008

Objectives: The diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) brings rapid pharmacological and multidisciplinary team interventions to address inflammatory processes and symptom management. However, people may also need support on the journey to self‐management. The aim of this study was to explore what professional support patients feel they receive upon diagnosis, and what support they feel would be most helpful.

Methods: Two focus groups comprised patients with at least five years'; disease duration (n = 7), and patients more recently diagnosed (5–18 months, n = 5). The latter had attended at least two appointments in a rheumatology nurse specialist clinic during the previous year, aimed at providing support upon diagnosis. Transcripts were subjected to thematic analysis to identify common issues regarding support needs, which were then grouped into themes. Interviewing and analysis was performed by researchers not involved in clinical care.

Results: Four overarching themes emerged. ‘Information’ was needed about the symptoms of RA, its management and personal outcome, while ‘Support’ related to emotional needs (‘It's quite hard to grasp the enormity of it’). Information and Support overlapped, in that patients wanted someone to talk to, and to be listened to. These two themes were underpinned by issues of service delivery: ‘Choice’ (patient or professional to talk to, groups, one‐to‐one) and ‘Involvement’ (holistic care, partnership), which overlapped in terms of the opportunity to decide when and which interventions to access.

Conclusions: People with RA report not only informational, but also emotional support needs at diagnosis. The potential for delivering emotional support to patients around the time of diagnosis warrants further exploration. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The role of preconditioning in the solution to FE coupled consolidation equations by Krylov subspace methods
Authors: Ferronato Massimiliano , Pini Giorgio , Gambolati Giuseppe
Published: July 2008

The repeated solution in time of the linear system arising from the finite element integration of coupled consolidation equations is a major computational effort. This system can be written in either a symmetric or an unsymmetric form, thus calling for the implementation of different preconditioners and Krylov subspace solvers. The present paper aims at investigating when either a symmetric or an unsymmetric approach should be better used. The results from a number of representative numerical experiments indicate that a major role in selecting either form is played by the preconditioner rather than by the Krylov subspace method itself. Two other important issues addressed are the size of the time integration step and the possible lumping of the flow capacity matrix. It appears that ad hoc block constrained preconditioners provide the most robust algorithm independently of the time step size, lumping, and symmetry. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Wave‐induced progressive liquefaction in a poro‐elastoplastic seabed: A two‐layered model
Authors: Liu Z. , Jeng D.‐S. , Chan A. H. C. , Luan M.
Published: July 2008

In this study, the prediction model proposed by Sassa et al. (Geotechnique 2001; 51(10):847–857) for the wave‐induced progressive liquefaction in marine sediment, based on two‐layered inviscid fluid system, is re‐examined. An alternative approach with a similar framework of Sassa et al. (Geotechnique 2001; 51(10):847–857) is developed to correct the inappropriate mechanism of wave components used. Then, a two‐layered wave model which includes viscous effects is established and applied to describe the progressive nature of wave‐induced liquefaction. A comprehensive comparison shows that Sassa's model overestimates the maximum liquefaction depth. It is found that the viscosity of liquefied soil cannot be ignored and the solution for an infinite seabed is not suitable for liquefaction analysis of shallow seabed. A parametric study demonstrates the significant influence of numerous wave and soil characteristics on the liquefaction depth. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Characteristics and outcomes of medulloblastoma in adults
Authors: Ang Celina , Hauerstock David , Guiot Marie‐Christine , Kasymjanova Goulnar , Roberge David , Kavan Petr , Muanza Thierry
Published: July 2008

Background

Adult medulloblastoma is a rare disease for which there is no internationally accepted standard of care. Treatment regimens have typically been modeled after pediatric protocols. We sought to review the presentation, management, and outcome of patients with adult medulloblastoma treated at the McGill University teaching hospitals over the past 18 years.

Methods

Medical records were reviewed to gather demographic and clinical data including presenting symptoms, tumor characteristics, management, survival, and treatment toxicity.

Results

Twenty‐five patients were identified. Eleven patients were female and 14 were male. The median age at diagnosis was 30 (range 17–48). Our 5‐ and 10‐year overall survival (OS) rates were 78% and 30%, respectively. Median OS was 108 months and median progression‐free survival time was 63 months. Age, sex, risk, stage, extent of resection, chemotherapy and time between surgery and adjuvant therapy did not significantly influence survival outcomes. The most frequently reported adverse events included sensory neuropathy, nausea, vomiting, febrile neutropenia, and radiation dermatitis.

Conclusion

Adult medulloblastoma has distinct characteristics from the pediatric population including presentation in the lateral cerebellar hemispheres. Late relapses, especially in the posterior fossa, are a significant problem. Further follow‐up will be required to ascertain the effect of adjuvant chemotherapy on survival. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2008;51:603–607. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Energy absorption diagrams of paper honeycomb sandwich structures
Authors: Wang Dong‐Mei , Wang Zhi‐Wei , Liao Qiang‐Hua
Published: July 2008

It is very important to evaluate the cushioning properties of paper honeycomb sandwich structures for optimizing pack design. The energy absorption diagram is one method to characterize the cushioning properties of materials. In this paper, we investigate energy absorption and develop energy absorption diagrams for paper honeycomb sandwich structures. Based on static compression experiments, the compressive stress–strain curve is simplified into three sections: linear elasticity, plateau and densification. By considering the factors associated with the structure of paper honeycombs, the energy absorption model is obtained and characterized by the thickness‐to‐length ratio of the honeycomb cell wall. Both theory and experiment show that the compression energy absorption capability increases with the increasing thickness‐to‐length ratio of the honeycomb cell wall, and a good agreement is achieved between the theoretical and experimental energy absorption curves. The proposed method to develop an energy absorption diagram for paper honeycomb sandwich structures can be used to characterize the cushioning properties and optimize the structures of paper honeycomb sandwiches. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A test for stability robustness of linear time‐varying systems utilizing the linear time‐invariant ν‐gap metric
Authors: Griggs Wynita M. , Lanzon Alexander , Anderson Brian D. O.
Published: July 2008

A stability robustness test is developed for internally stable, nominal, linear time‐invariant (LTI) feedback systems subject to structured, linear time‐varying uncertainty. There exists (in the literature) a necessary and sufficient structured small gain condition that determines robust stability in such cases. In this paper, the structured small gain theorem is utilized to formulate a (sufficient) stability robustness condition in a scaled LTI ν‐gap metric framework. The scaled LTI ν‐gap metric stability condition is shown to be computable via linear matrix inequality techniques, similar to the structured small gain condition. Apart from a comparison with a generalized robust stability margin as the final part of the stability test, however, the solution algorithm implemented to test the scaled LTI ν‐gap metric stability robustness condition is shown to be independent of knowledge about the controller transfer function (as opposed to the LMI feasibility problem associated with the scaled small gain condition which is dependent on knowledge about the controller). Thus, given a nominal plant and a structured uncertainty set, the stability robustness condition presented in this paper provides a single constraint on a controller (in terms of a large enough generalized robust stability margin) that (sufficiently) guarantees to stabilizeallplants in the uncertainty set. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Nurturing a new discourse: mental health and spirituality
Authors: Gilbert Peter
Published: July 2008

On the 1 November 2006, Staffordshire University, in partnership with the National Institute for Mental Health in England and the National Spirituality and Mental Health Forum, organized a multi‐faith symposium on perspectives in mental health involving all nine of the major faiths and the Humanists, with a strong user voice. It is planned that a series of symposia on related topics will be held on an annual or biannual basis. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The spiritual nature of service‐learning
Authors: Louie‐Badua Liane J. , Wolf Maura
Published: July 2008

Service‐learning, by its very nature, fosters young people's spiritual development, especially in experiencing a sense of interconnectedness with others and the rest of the world; opening one's heart; and expanding self‐inquiry and self‐knowledge.
Coming of age and awakening to spiritual consciousness through rites of passage
Authors: Blumenkrantz David G. , Hong Kathryn L.
Published: July 2008

A contemporary American form of the ancient idea of rites of passage can guide young people toward deeper meaning and strengthen their sense of identity and connection to the community.
Spiritual development in adolescence: Toward enriching theories, research, and professional practice
Authors: Petersen Anne C.
Published: July 2008

The author notes that she finds the case for making spiritual development a priority surprisingly compelling—“surprisingly” because although she is an expert on adolescent development, she has not done research or previously written about spiritual development. She suggests that a systems analysis occur first, before engaging frontline youth workers in this realm, to identify the interests of key stakeholder groups and ways to unleash creativity and engagement in each of them. The key will be framing engagement of spiritual development in ways that include rather than divide sectors and groups.
Day–night fluctuations in floral scent and their effects on reproductive success in Lilium auratum
Authors: Morinaga Shin‐Ichi , Kumano Yuko , Ota Ayako , Yamaoka Ryohei , Sakai Satoki
Published: July 2008

We examined the contribution of diurnal and nocturnal pollination to male and female reproductive success in Lilium auratum. Plants were bagged for either 12 h during the day or at night to allow either only nocturnal or only diurnal visitors to forage throughout the flowering period. We found that there was no significant difference in the seed:ovule ratio among diurnally pollinated, nocturnally pollinated, or control flowers. However, in terms of male reproductive success, it was more advantageous for the plants to be pollinated both diurnally and nocturnally: the numbers of pollen grains remaining in diurnally pollinated or nocturnally pollinated flowers were significantly greater than those in control flowers. The total amount of floral volatiles of L. auratum was significantly higher at night than during the day. The constituents of floral scent of all time series examined were mostly monoterpenoids, many of which serve as attractants for nocturnal hawkmoths. Such nocturnally biased floral scent emission of L. auratum might achieve male reproductive success by attracting nocturnal visitors, which may suggest that the relative contribution of floral scent in this species is biased towards male reproductive success.
Estimating Rural Incomes and Inequality in the Ottoman Empire
Authors: Coşgel Metin M.
Published: July 2008

Incomes and inequality in the Ottoman Empire can be estimated from the information recorded in tax registers called tahrir defterleri, arguably the most prized, heavily used, but still underutilized sources of Ottoman history. Although generations of prominent scholars have been fascinated by these registers and numerous historians have used them for a variety of regional and historical studies, their full potential has not been fully utilized in quantitative analysis of questions with a broader comparative dimension, wider geographic coverage, and larger historical significance.
WOMEN'SMAWLIDPERFORMANCES IN SANAA AND THE CONSTRUCTION OF “POPULAR ISLAM”
Authors: Katz Marion Holmes
Published: July 2008

It has long been recognized that much of the richness of Muslim women's ritual lives has been found outside of both the mosque and the “five pillars of Islam,” in a wide set of devotional practices that have met with varying degrees of affirmation and censure from male religious scholars. This recognition has given rise to a valuable literature on such practices as shrine visitation, spirit-possession rituals, and Twelver Shiʿi women's domestic ceremonies. The prevalence of such noncanonical rituals in Muslim women's lives, although waning in many parts of the contemporary world, raises questions about the relationship between women's religious practices and the constitution of Islamic orthodoxies. Have women, often given lesser access to mosque-based and canonical rituals, historically resorted to autonomous and rewarding religious practices that are, nevertheless, fated to be marginalized in the male-dominated construction of Islamic normativity—a normativity that women may ultimately internalize and master only at great cost to their religious lives?
Salasaca Quichua
Authors: Masaquiza Fanny Chango , Marlett Stephen A.
Published: July 2008

Salasaca Quichua (ISO 639-3=qxl) is a Quechuan language, specifically of the
branch referred to as Quechua A (Parker 1963), as Quechua IIB (Torero 1974), or
the northern group (Landerman 1991); but see Landerman (1991) and Adelaar (2004)
regarding doubts with respect to the classification of the different varieties.
The variety described in this paper is spoken by approximately 12,000 people in
Ecuador. The Salasaca ‘parroquia’ (Spanish usage in
Ecuador of this word is for a non-religious administrative district), in Pelileo
canton, in Tungurahua province, is divided into eighteen communities and Quichua
is spoken in all of them. This variety is similar to that of others of the
region and is included in the Stark & Muysken (1977) dictionary.
Varieties of Quechua in this area do not have the more open allophones attested
farther south (such as in Peru), and for that reason the Ecuadorian varieties
are traditionally called ‘Quichua’ rather than
‘Quechua’.
Acoustic covariants of length contrast in Japanese stops
Authors: Idemaru Kaori , Guion Susan G.
Published: July 2008

This study explores acoustic correlates to the singleton vs. geminate stop length contrast in Japanese. The proposal examined is that multiple acoustic features covary with the stop length distinction and that these features are available in the signal as potential secondary cues. The results support the proposal, revealing the presence of several acoustic features covarying with the singleton vs. geminate contrast in both durational and non-durational domains. Specifically, the preceding vowel is longer, the following vowel is shorter, there are greater fundamental frequency and intensity changes from the preceding to the following vowel, and there is evidence of more creakiness in voice quality for geminate than singleton consonants. It is also demonstrated that the vowel durations, as well as fundamental frequency and intensity changes have fairly strong categorization power.
Locality interactions with prominence in determining the scope of phrasal lengthening
Authors: Byrd Dani , Riggs Daylen
Published: July 2008

Temporal lengthening of gestures and segments located in a boundary-adjacent syllable has been found in both pre- and postboundary contexts. However, the temporal extent or scope of this lengthening, particularly in the articulatory domain, is not well described. We address the question of scope of prosodic lengthening by considering specifically whether prominence interacts with boundary-related articulatory lengthening in such a way that prominent elements not immediately at a phrase edge are lengthened relative to the same prominent elements phrase-medially (i.e. at a considerable distance from a boundary). Articulatory kinematic data were collected for three subjects to analyze consonant constrictions of prominent syllables located (1) either immediately before or after a boundary and (2) two and three syllables away from that boundary. The results indicate that, as expected, gestures undergo prosodic lengthening when immediately local to the phase boundary. However, some subjects did display prosodic lengthening at a small remove from the boundary for a prominent syllable. This effect was strongest in the postboundary condition. These results suggest that a consideration of prominence may be relevant in understanding the temporal patterning of boundary-related articulatory lengthening.
Kabiye
Authors: Padayodi Cécile M.
Published: July 2008

Kabiye is a Gur (Voltaic) language that belongs to the Eastern Grusi (also Gurunsi) sub-branch of Central Gur, which in turn sub-branches from Gur that is part of the greater Niger-Congo language family (Naden 1989: 147). The number of native Kabiye speakers is estimated at 730,000, with approximately 700,000 speakers living in Togo, 30,000 in Benin, and a very small number in Ghana (Grimes 2000: 242). The original homeland of the Kabiye people is in Northeastern Togo, with the region of Kozah serving as the community's cultural center. From the early 20th century, however, the community began to spread southward and now encompasses locations in the central and southern parts of Togo, as well as in the neighboring countries (Ali-Napo 1997: 20).
Cetacean diversity off La Réunion Island (France)
Authors: Dulau-Drouot Violaine , Boucaud Virginie , Rota Bernard
Published: July 2008

The waters of La Réunion, a French island located in the south-western Indian Ocean, have never been investigated for cetacean diversity. Dedicated daily surveys were conducted in 2004–2007 to assess cetacean diversity off the western and southern coasts of the island. A total of ten species was observed during the survey period, including two baleen whales and eight odontocetes. Four additional species that had not been observed at sea were reported stranded. The most frequent delphinid species were the Indo-Pacific bottlenose, the spinner and the common bottlenose dolphins, which were observed year-round. Photo-identification data showed a high recapture rate ofTursiops aduncus, strongly suggesting a resident population. The humpback whale uses the coastal waters of La Réunion seasonally, during winter. The high proportion of mother–calf pairs indicated that La Réunion might represent a breeding area for this species. Pantropical spotted dolphin, melon-headed whale and Fraser's dolphin were sighted at a medium frequency, in offshore waters, and tended to favour the southern part of the island. Three coastal species were frequently using the newly created Marine Protected Area (MPA), supporting the view that cetacean conservation issues have to be included in the MPA management plan currently in progress.
Factors influencing hydroids (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) biodiversity and distribution in Arctic kelp forest
Authors: Ronowicz Marta , Wlodarska-Kowalczuk Maria , Kuklinski Piotr
Published: July 2008

The biodiversity and distribution patterns of epiphytic hydroids were studied in kelp forests (composed of Laminaria digitata, Saccharina latissima and Alaria esculenta) located in an Arctic glaciated fiord (Hornsund, west Spitsbergen). In total, twenty-eight species were found colonizing algae, stones connected to holdfast, and overgrowing the surface of other animals associated with kelps. The characteristics of the algal host (e.g. algae species, age, rhizoid volume or biomass) did not show any effect upon hydroid species richness or species composition. High hydroid biodiversity was strongly dependent on microsubstrate heterogeneity. The highest biodiversity as well as frequency of hydroid occurrence were noted at a site located furthest from the glacier and characterized by the lowest sediment concentration and sedimentation rate. Sexual reproduction also seemed to be inhibited by glacier-derived disturbance. Of ten fertile species found at the ‘clearest’ site only two were fertile at sites under the strong influence of such perturbations. Potential physical drivers of species occurrence were linked to the activity of tidal glaciers, particularly to high loads of mineral sedimentation and iceberg scouring.
Is the Spanish coast within the regular nesting range of the Mediterranean loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta)?
Authors: Tomás Jesús , Gazo Manel , Álvarez Carla , Gozalbes Patricia , Perdiguero Diana , Raga Juan Antonio , Alegre Ferrán
Published: July 2008

We report the information on loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) nesting events which occurred on the Spanish Mediterranean coast in 2006. Two clutches of 78 and 82 eggs were discovered in the provinces of Valencia (eastern Spain) and Barcelona (north-eastern Spain). We discuss the increasing number of reports of sea turtle nests in Spain within the context of the nesting range of this species in the Mediterranean Sea.
Morphology and biology of a newPseudopolydora(Annelida: Spionidae) species from Brazil
Authors: Radashevsky Vasily I. , Migotto Alvaro E.
Published: July 2008

Adults ofPseudopolydora rosebelaesp. nov. inhabit silty tubes on muddy bottoms in shallow water in southern Brazil, states of São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. They are rare and extremely delicate, attaining 20 mm long for 55 chaetigers. The worms are distinctive by their colourful yellow and black pigmentation on the anterior part of body and palps, prominent transverse hood on the dorsal anterior edge of chaetiger 3, and lack of coloured respiratory pigment in blood. Of 12 examined individuals, all were females. Oogenesis is intraovarian; oocytes develop from chaetigers 14–15 to chaetigers 24–36. Recently laid oocytes were about 150 μm in diameter, with embryos and developing larvae found in capsules inside female tubes in March–June. Broods comprised up to 23 capsules with 400 propagules. Capsules were joined to each other in a string and each attached by a single thin stalk to the inner wall of the tube. Larvae hatched at the 4-chaetiger stage and fed on plankton. Pelagic larvae are unique amongPseudopolydorain having large ramified mid-dorsal melanophores from chaetiger 3 onwards. Competent larvae are able to settle and metamorphose at the 15-chaetiger stage, but can remain planktonic up to 18 chaetigers. They have one pair of unpigmented ocelli and three pairs of black eyes in the prostomium, unpaired ramified mid-dorsal melanophores on chaetiger 1 and on the pygidium, ramified lateral melanophores on chaetigers 5–10, prominent yellow chromatophores in the prostomium, peristomium, on dorsal and ventral sides of chaetigers and in the pygidium. Branchiae are present on chaetigers 7–10, and gastrotrochs are arranged on chaetigers 3, 5, 7 and 12. Provisional serrated bristles are present in all notopodia, and hooks are present in neuropodia from chaetiger 8 onwards. Two pairs of provisional protonephridia are present in chaetigers 1 and 2, and adult metanephridia are present from chaetiger 4.
The diet of amphioxus in subtropical Hong Kong as indicated by fatty acid and stable isotopic analyses
Authors: Chen Y. , Cheung S.G. , Shin P.K.S.
Published: July 2008

Fatty acid profiles and carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) stable isotope markers were used to identify the diet of amphioxus in subtropical Hong Kong waters, and to evaluate the role of co-occurring Branchiostoma belcheri and B. malayanum in trophic transfer, in coastal ecosystems. The present results showed that while amphioxus is generally regarded as a filter feeder, total particulate matter in the water column might not be the main food supply. The diet of amphioxus could be traced to comprise a wide range of food sources, from microbes and microplankton to microalgae, based on the stable isotope analysis. Results of fatty acid profile analysis also revealed contributions from dinoflagellates, zooplankton, detritus and bacteria, and minor contribution from diatoms and fungi in the diet of amphioxus in Hong Kong waters. The use of fatty acid and stable isotope analyses further proved that amphioxus can, not only capture and partition such a different size-range of food particles during their feeding, but also assimilate most of them into their body tissue. The present findings suggested that amphioxus may play an important role in marine food webs by transferring microbial production to higher trophic levels through utilizing microbes in seawater as food.
Dissolved organic matter release by an axenic culture of Emiliania huxleyi
Authors: Suratman Suhaimi , Weston Keith , Jickells Tim , Chance Rosie , Bell Tom
Published: July 2008

Measurements of the release of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and carbon (DOC) were carried out on an axenic batch culture of the coccolithophorid Emiliania huxleyi. This unicellular marine alga was cultured using a media with nitrate as the sole N source and the changes of DOM concentrations measured over 14 days. Results showed that there was a significant release of DON, i.e.7.6 µM N day−1 during mid-exponential growth phase (days 5–7). The highest release of DOC was also recorded in the same growth phase and accounted for 24.0 μM C day−1.
Planktonic protist communities in a semi-enclosed mariculture pond: structural variation and correlation with environmental conditions
Authors: Xu Henglong , Song Weibo , Warren Alan , Al-Rasheid Khaled A. S. , Al-Farraj Saleh A. , Gong Jun , Hu Xiaozhong
Published: July 2008

In order to evaluate the environmental status within a mariculture pond, temporal variations of physico-chemical factors, protist community structure and interactions between biota and environmental conditions were investigated during a complete cycle in semi-enclosed shrimp-farming waters near Qingdao, north China. Results revealed that: (1) a total of 54 protist taxa with ten dominant species was present, comprising 4 chlorophyceans, 2 chrysophyceans, 5 cryptophyceans, 10 dinoflagellates, 3 euglenophyceans, 10 diatoms, 18 ciliates and 2 sarcodines; (2) a single peak of protist abundance occurred in October, mainly due to the chlorophyceans, diatoms and chrysophyceans, while the bimodal peaks of biomass in July and October were mainly due to the ciliates, dinoflagellates and diatoms; (3) the succession of protist communities significantly correlated with the changes of nutrients, salinity and temperature, especially phosphate, either alone or in combination with NO3; (4) species diversity and evenness indices were found to be relatively independent of physico-chemical factors, whereas species richness and the ratio of biomass to abundance were strongly correlated with water temperature and abundances of bacteria. It was concluded that planktonic protists are potentially useful bioindicators of water quality in a semi-enclosed mariculture system.
Organic amendment effects on tuber yield, plant N uptake and soil mineral N under organic potato production
Authors: Lynch Derek H. , Zheng Zhiming , Zebarth Bernie J. , Martin Ralph C.
Published: July 2008

The market for certified organic potatoes in Canada is growing rapidly, but the productivity and dynamics of soil N under commercial organic potato systems remain largely unknown. This study examined, at two sites in Atlantic Canada (Winslow, PEI, and Brookside, NS), the impacts of organic amendments on Shepody potato yield, quality and soil mineral nitrogen dynamics under organic management. Treatments included a commercial hog manure–sawdust compost (CP) and pelletized poultry manure (NW) applied at 300 and 600 kg total N ha−1, plus an un-amended control (CT). Wireworm damage reduced plant stands at Brookside in 2003 and those results are not presented. Relatively high tuber yields (~30 Mg ha−1) and crop N uptake (112 kg N ha−1) were achieved for un-amended soil in those site-years (Winslow 2003 and 2004) when soil moisture was non-limiting. Compost resulted in higher total yields than CT in one of three site-years. Apparent recovery of N from CP was negligible; therefore CP yield benefits were attributed to factors other than N availability. At Winslow, NW300, but not NW600, significantly increased total and marketable yields by an average of 5.8 and 7.0 Mg ha−1. Plant available N averaged 39 and 33% for NW300 and NW600, respectively. Soil (0–30 cm) NO3−-N at harvest was low (<25 kg N ha−1) for CT and CP, but increased substantially both in season and at harvest (61–141 kg N ha−1) when NW was applied. Most leaching losses of NO3−-N occur between seasons and excessive levels of residual soil NO3-N at harvest, as obtained for NW600, must be avoided. Given current premiums for certified organic potatoes, improving yields through application of amendments supplying moderate rates of N or organic matter appears warranted.
Multiobjective genetic algorithm inversion of ground deformation and gravity changes spanning the 1981 eruption of Etna volcano
Authors: Carbone Daniele , Currenti Gilda , Del Negro Ciro
Published: July 2008

During the last few decades, joint investigations of microgravity and surface deformation measurements have played an increasingly important role in studying the internal dynamics of active volcanoes. Deformation and microgravity observations have been accomplished at Mt Etna since the eighties. Past data sets collected during important paroxysmal events can be utilized as case‐studies to both (1) test the possibilities of nowadays more powerful inversion tools and improved analytical formulations to model the source‐mechanisms of volcano‐related deformation and gravity changes and (2) in turn obtain new insights into the functioning of the plumbing system of the volcano. Here we analyze a data set spanning the March 1981 eruption of Mt. Etna. Large horizontal displacements were evidenced on the NE and SW flanks of the volcano through electrooptical distance measurements (EDM) during two 20‐month periods, both encompassing the March 1981 eruption. Elevation changes, evidenced through leveling measurements, during a 12‐month period spanning the eruption, were in general smaller than horizontal displacements with important amplitudes only close to the eruptive fissure. Gravity measurements, carried out together with leveling measurements, evidenced positive changes, spatially well correlated with elevation changes, but having a larger wavelength. The joint inversion of the multimethod geophysical data is regarded as a multiobjective optimization problem and solved through a Genetic Algorithm technique of the nondominated type. We conclude that a composite intrusive mechanism with two tensile cracks, each associated to a zone where preexisting microfractures were filled with new magma, leaded to the 1981 eruption. The results of the present study highlight the advantages of multiobjective evolutionary algorithms, as a powerful tool to jointly invert multimethod geophysical data, and pose important issues on the subject of volcano‐monitoring.
Local time dependent response of postsunset ESF during geomagnetic storms
Authors: Tulasi Ram S. , Rama Rao P. V. S. , Prasad D. S. V. V. D. , Niranjan K. , Gopi Krishna S. , Sridharan R. , Ravindran Sudha
Published: July 2008

Development or inhibition of ESF during magnetically active periods has been an important space weather topic of interest during the recent past in view of its applications in the satellite based navigational systems. Particularly, the postsunset period exhibits significant variability for storm time development of ESF versus longitude. In this paper, we report the results of a multi‐instrumental (ground based and space‐borne) and multistation study on the development/inhibition of postsunset ESF during five moderate to intense geomagnetic storms occurred during the low and descending phase of the solar activity period, 2004–2006. It has been observed that, the prompt penetration of eastward electric fields into low latitudes and subsequent development of ESF occurred in all longitudinal sectors where the local time corresponds to postsunset hours during the entire main phase of the storm. In this paper, we show the development of plasma bubble irregularities over a wide longitudinal extent of 92° owing to the dusk time penetration of eastward electric fields into low latitudes. Either the sudden increase in AE‐index and/or a marked decrease in Sym‐H index may be used as proxies to determine the occurrence as well as the time of penetration of electric fields into equatorial and low latitudes. However, in such cases where the AE‐index does not represent any sudden increase, the dSymH/dt seems to be the better index to determine the time of penetration. In this paper, is also presented an interesting case where the prompt penetration eastward electric fields dominated the existing strong westward electric fields and subsequently caused the onset of spread‐F and scintillations at both VHF (244 MHz) as well as L‐band (1.5 GHz) frequencies.
Effects of high‐latitude ionospheric electric field variability on global thermospheric Joule heating and mechanical energy transfer rate
Authors: Matsuo Tomoko , Richmond Arthur D.
Published: July 2008

Effects of high‐latitude ionospheric electric field variability on the Joule heating and mechanical energy transfer rate are investigated by incorporating realistic spatial and temporal characteristics of electric field variability derived from observations into the forcing of a thermosphere ionosphere electrodynamic general circulation model. First, the characteristics of subgrid‐scale variability are examined from a spectral analysis of Dynamic Explorer‐2 (DE‐2) plasma drift measurements. The analysis reveals that the subgrid‐scale electric field varies with magnetic latitude, magnetic local time, interplanetary magnetic field (IMF), and season in a manner distinct from that of the resolved‐scale electric field and of the climatological electric field. The subgrid‐scale electric field varies strongly with season, and its magnitude averaged over the polar region does not depend on IMF. On the other hand, the resolved‐scale electric field depends less on season but more on IMF. Second, the spatial‐temporal structure of resolved‐scale electric fields are characterized from various electromagnetic observations taken during the storm period of January 10–11, 1997, using a space‐time covariance model derived from the DE‐2 observations. Finally, the modeling results show that the amount of Joule heating and mechanical energy transfer rate in the thermosphere is significantly altered by taking into account the electric field variability and its space‐time structure. Additional electromagnetic energy due to the electric field variability dissipates in the ionosphere almost exclusively as Joule heating if the variability has no spatial and temporal correlation. However, the spatially and temporally correlated electric field variability has seasonally dependent effects on the mechanical energy transfer rate.
Evaluating the present‐day simulation of clouds, precipitation, and radiation in climate models
Authors: Pincus Robert , Batstone Crispian P. , Hofmann Robert J. Patrick , Taylor Karl E. , Glecker Peter J.
Published: July 2008

This paper describes a set of metrics for evaluating the simulation of clouds, radiation, and precipitation in the present‐day climate. As with the skill scores used to measure the accuracy of short‐term weather forecasts, these metrics are low‐order statistical measures of agreement with relevant, well‐observed physical quantities. The metrics encompass five statistical summaries computed for five physical quantities (longwave, shortwave, and net cloud radiative effect, projected cloud fraction, and surface precipitation rate) over the global climatological annual cycle. Agreement is measured against two independent observational data sets. The metrics are computed for the models that participated in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project phase 3, which formed the basis for the Fourth Assessment of the IPCC. Model skill does not depend strongly on the data set used for verification, indicating that observational uncertainty does not limit the ability to assess model simulations of these fields. No individual model excels in all scores though the “IPCC mean model,” constructed by averaging the fields produced by all the CMIP models, performs particularly well across the board. This skill is due primarily to the individual model errors being distributed on both sides of the observations, and to a lesser degree to the models having greater skill at simulating large‐scale features than those near the grid scale. No measure of model skill considered here is a good predictor of the strength of cloud feedbacks under climate change. The model climatologies, observational data sets, and metric scores are available on‐line.
Calcareous nannoplankton changes across the early Toarcian oceanic anoxic event in the western Tethys
Authors: Mattioli Emanuela , Pittet Bernard , Suan Guillaume , Mailliot Samuel
Published: July 2008

Calcareous nannoplankton were profoundly affected by environmental perturbations coincident with the early Toarcian oceanic anoxic event (T‐OAE). We quantify the abundance of nannofossils across the T‐OAE at three locations in Western Europe, where the event is marked by a prominent negative carbon isotope excursion (CIE). Data were treated by statistical analysis, and the Shannon diversity index was applied in order to describe nannofossil assemblage changes related to paleoenvironmental evolution. In the basal Toarcian, before the T‐OAE, high proportions of taxa with an affinity for low temperature (e.g., P. liasicus, T. patulus, Bussonius) occurred. This observation is consistent with interpretations of published oxygen isotope records. During the T‐OAE, the lowest abundance of nannofossils is observed, but there is a peak of a coccolith (Calyculus) from an organism that probably thrived in low‐saline surface waters depleted of nitrate. At the end of the perturbation, the lowest diversities of nannofossils occurred, and assemblages are dominated by Crepidolithus crassus, a deep dweller. This interval corresponded to progressive reoxygenation of deep water and the reoccupation of the deep photic zone by nannoplankton. The highest abundance of nannofossils is recorded above the CIE and testifies to the recovery of the entire nannoplankton community. The T‐OAE was widespread (perhaps global) and probably linked to major changes in the atmosphere and hydrosphere. However, the record of this event varies in the basins surrounding the western Tethys, suggesting regional imprints on the global signal. The regional variability may attest to establishment of effective connections between the Arctic and Tethys oceans, which allowed cool, low‐saline water formed at high latitudes to stream toward the western Tethys.
Plate subrotations
Authors: Cuffaro Marco , Caputo Michele , Doglioni Carlo
Published: July 2008

The kinematics of plates is defined by Euler pole and angular velocity. However, during their journey, plates may be affected by additional simultaneous rotations (i.e., subrotations) while they are rotating about their Euler poles. The kinematic description of this particular plate motion requires a different analytical approach: two angular velocities and two poles are necessary to completely describe plate displacements. If a subrotation occurs, none of the points on a plate moves along circles of the Euler pole but, instead, follows cycloid trajectories because of the combination of the two simultaneous rotations. Regardless of the forces that move the lithosphere, every time a plate experiences a subrotation, an additional force (or resisting) force could act on the plate, generating the two‐rotation motion. In the hot spot reference frame, we applied this model to the North America plate, investigating its past motion for a time interval Δt = 43 Ma up to the present and comparing results with those obtained by Gordon and Jurdy (1986). This application shows how the different positions of the North America plate over most of the Cenozoic can be reconstructed by two‐rotation plate kinematics.
The methyl-CpG-binding protein MeCP2 and neurological disease
Authors: Bird Adrian
Published: July 2008

The methyl-CpG-binding protein MeCP2 was discovered over 15 years ago as part of a search for proteins that selectively bind methylated DNA. It is a nuclear protein that is largely chromatin-bound and has a strong preference for binding to methylated DNA sequences in vivo. Evidence from model systems shows that MeCP2 can recruit the Sin3a co-repressor complex to promoters leading to transcriptional repression, therefore suggesting that MeCP2 can interpret the DNA methylation signal to bring about gene silencing. Mutations in the human MECP2 gene cause the autism spectrum disorder Rett Syndrome. MeCP2 is most highly expressed in neurons, and mice lacking this protein show symptoms that strikingly parallel those of Rett patients. Surprisingly, these symptoms are efficiently reversed by delayed activation of a ‘stopped’ Mecp2 gene, raising hopes that human Rett syndrome may also be reversible. Future studies of MeCP2 promise to shed light upon brain function, neurological disease and the biology of DNA methylation.
Expression of human snRNA genes from beginning to end
Authors: Egloff Sylvain , O'Reilly Dawn , Murphy Shona
Published: July 2008

In addition to protein-coding genes, mammalian pol II (RNA polymerase II) transcribes independent genes for some non-coding RNAs, including the spliceosomal U1 and U2 snRNAs (small nuclear RNAs). snRNA genes differ from protein-coding genes in several key respects and some of the mechanisms involved in expression are gene-type-specific. For example, snRNA gene promoters contain an essential PSE (proximal sequence element) unique to these genes, the RNA-encoding regions contain no introns, elongation of transcription is P-TEFb (positive transcription elongation factor b)-independent and RNA 3′-end formation is directed by a 3′-box rather than a cleavage and polyadenylation signal. However, the CTD (C-terminal domain) of pol II closely couples transcription with RNA 5′ and 3′ processing in expression of both gene types. Recently, it was shown that snRNA promoter-specific recognition of the 3′-box RNA processing signal requires a novel phosphorylation mark on the pol II CTD. This new mark plays a critical role in the recruitment of the snRNA gene-specific RNA-processing complex, Integrator. These new findings provide the first example of a phosphorylation mark on the CTD heptapeptide that can be read in a gene-type-specific manner, reinforcing the notion of a CTD code. Here, we review the control of expression of snRNA genes from initiation to termination of transcription.
Chromatin switching and transcriptional regulation in disease
Authors: Ooi Lezanne , Wood Ian C.
Published: July 2008

Many human diseases are the result of inappropriate changes in gene expression resulting in deleterious phenotypes of specific cells. For example, loss of expression of tumour suppressors and/or ectopic expression of oncogenes underlie many cancers, a switch from an adult to a fetal gene-expression profile in cardiac myocytes results in cardiac hypertrophy and changes in the expression of many ion channel genes leads to a phenotypic switch from contractile to proliferative smooth muscle cells in vascular diseases such as neointimal hyperplasia and atherosclerosis. Understanding the molecular mechanisms responsible for these changes in gene expression is a major goal, in order to identify novel therapeutic targets.