bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MARGARET BROUWER, CHEN YI, SADIE HARRISON, MISATO MOCHIZUKI, ONUTE NARBUTAITE, APPARENZE
Authors: Rickards Guy
Published: October 2004

MARGARET BROUWER: Lament for violin, clarinet, bassoon and percussion12,4,6,10; Light for soprano, harpsichord, flute, clarinet, violin, cello and percussion1,7,2,5,13,14,11; Under the Summertree for piano8; Skyriding for flute, violin, cello & piano3,13,14,9; Demeter Prelude for string quartet15. 1Sandra Simon (sop), 2Sean Gabriel (fl), 3Alice Kogan Weinreb (fl), 4Jean Kopperud (cl), 5Amitai Vardi (cl), 6Donald McGeen (bsn), 7Jeanette Sorrell (hpschd), 8Kathryn Brown (pno), 9Mitsuko Morikawa (pno), 10Dominic Donato (perc), 11Scott Christian (perc), 12Laura Frautschi (vln), 13Gabriel Bolkosky (vln), 14Ida Mercer (vlc), 15Cavani String Quartet. New World 80606-2.

CHEN YI: Momentum; Chinese Folk Dance Suite for violin and orchestra1; Dunhuang Fantasy for organ and chamber wind ensemble3; Romance and Dance for 2 violins and string orchestra1,2; Tu. 1Cho-Liang Lin (vln), 2Yi-Jia Susanne Hou (vln), 3Kimberley Marshall (org), Singapore SO c. Lan Shui. BIS-CD-1352.

SADIE HARRISON: The Light Garden for mixed quintet1; The Fourteenth Terrace for clarinet and ensemble2; Bavad Khair Baqi! for solo violin3. Traditional Afghan Music4. 1Tate Ensemble, 2Andrew Spalding (cl), Lontano c. Odaline de la Martinez, 3Peter Sheppard Skærved (vln), 4Ensemble Bakhtar. Metier MSV CD92084.

MISATO MOCHIZUKI: Si bleu, si calme1; All that is including me for bass flute, clarinet and violin1,2,3; Chimera; Intermezzi I for flute & piano1,4; La chamber claire. 1Eva Furrer (fl, bass fl), 2Bernhard Zachhuber (cl), 3Sophie Schafleitner (vln), 4Marino Formenti (pno), Klangforum Wien c. Johannes Kalitzke. Kairos 0012402KAI

ONUTE NARBUTAITE: Symphony No. 2; Liberatio for 12 winds, cymbals & 4 strings; Metabole for chamber orchestra. Lithuanian National SO c.Robertas Fervenikas. Finlandia 0927-49597-2.

ALLA PAVLOVA: Symphony No. 1, Farewell Russia1,3,4; Symphony No.32,3,5. 1Leonid Lebedev (fl), Nikolay Lotakov (picc), Mikhail Shestakov (vln), Valery Brill (vlc), Mikhail Adamovich (pno); 2Olga Verdernikova (vln), 3Russian PO c. 4Konstantin D. Krimets, 5Alexander Vedernikov. Naxos 8.557157.

‘APPARENZE: Collana di Nuove Musiche 1997’. Works by SILVIA DELITALA, RITA PORTERA, CATERINA DE CARLO, BEATRICE CAMPODONICO, PAOLA CIAR-LANTINI, JANET MAGUIRE, MARCO SANTAM BROGIO, PAOLO MINETTI, FEDERICO MONTAGNER, RINALDO BELLUCCI and BIAGIO PUTIGNANO. Maria Vittoria Vallese (sop), Pia Zanca, Fiametta Facchini, Rinaldo Bellucci (pnos), Duo Soncini-Flückiger, Italian Guitar Quartet, Ensemble Paul Klee, Fabrizio Fantini, Gianluca Calonghi (cls), Giuseppe Giannotti (ob). Radio Onda d'Urto E.F.B 001.
Whereof we can speak, thereof we must not be silent: trauma, political solipsism and war
Authors: Fierke K. M.
Published: October 2004

In cases such as World War I grief or trauma were nearly universal in the European context and a direct consequence of a political experience of war. This article asks whether widespread social suffering may have a social and political expression that is larger than the sum of traumatised or bereaved individuals. Section 1 explores Martha Nussbaum's theory of emotion, particularly as it relates to grief and compassion and uses this to build two contrasting typologies of grief and trauma. Central to this contrast is the idea that grief, as an emotion, is embedded in a community, while trauma and emotional numbing correspond with a breakdown of community and an isolation, which may give rise to solipsism. The latter would appear to make any notion of social trauma a contradiction in terms. Section 2 draws on the philosopher Wittgenstein's critique in the Philosophical Investigations of his early work in the Tractatus, to argue that even the solipsist exists in a particular kind of social world. This provides a foundation for arguing, in Section 3, that social trauma can find expression in a political solipsism, which has dangerous consequences. Section 4 theorises the relationship between trauma, identity and agency at the international level.
Is a more multilateral trade policy possible?
Authors: Grant Wyn
Published: October 2004

D.A. Irwin, Free Trade Under Fire (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2002), 257 pp.

F. Jawara and A. Kwa, Behind the Scenes at the WTO: The Real World of International Trade Negotiations (London, Zed Books, 2003), 329 pp.

Amrita Narlikar, International Trade and Developing Countries: Bargaining Coalitions in the WTO (London, Routledge, 2003), 238 pp.

American actions since the collapse of the trade talks at Cancún have suggested that trade conflicts can no longer be solved simply by a bilateral bargain with the EU that is then imposed, with a few side payments, on the other members of the WTO. The emergence of the G-21 (with its fluctuating membership) has at least opened up the possibility that trade negotiations may move away from the US–EU duopoly that has characterised them for so long towards a set of bargaining arrangements that are more multilateral. It may be that the real beneficiaries of these changes will be the emerging countries such as Brazil, China and India, all prominent in the leadership of the G-21, rather than the least developed countries. Thus, for example, opening up trade in sugar could benefit Brazil and harm Mauritius.
Empire, imperialism and the Bush doctrine
Authors: Cox Michael
Published: October 2004

It is an empire without a consciousness of itself as such, constantly shocked that its good intentions arouse resentment abroad. But that does not make it any the less of an empire, with a conviction that it alone, in Herman Melville's words, bears ‘the ark of liberties of the world.

If all history according to Marx has been the history of class struggle, then all international history, it could just as well be argued, has been the struggle between different kinds of Empire vying for hegemony in a world where the only measure was success and the only means of achieving this was through war. Indeed, so obvious is this fact to historians – but so fixated has the profession of International Relations been with the Westphalian settlement – that it too readily forgets that imperial conquest, rather than mere state survival, has been the principle dynamic shaping the contours of the world system from the sixteenth century onwards. Empires, however, were not just mere agents existing in static structures. They were living entities that thought, planned, and then tried to draw the appropriate lessons from the study of what had happened to others in the past.
A controllability criterion based on a physical analogy: Limbless locomotion and Object grasping in Robotics
Authors: Bayraktaroglu Zeki Y. , Blazevic Pierre
Published: October 2004

This paper deals with the controllability of biologically inspired snake-like mechanisms. Motion equations of the generic snake-like mechanism and investigations on its controllability lead to extremely complicated mathematical representations. The authors establish a physical analogy between the undulatory snake locomotion and object grasping. Based on this analogy, they propose a controllability criterion concerning the motion of the mobile mechanism. Results of dynamic simulations of the controlled system systematically point to the validity of the analogy-based controllability criterion. The purpose of this work is to achieve an understanding of the undulatory motion which constitutes the basis of a biologically motivated experimental setup.
Practical robot calibration with ROSY
Authors: Beyer Lukas , Wulfsberg Jens
Published: October 2004

The accuracy of pose of industrial robots is often unsatis-factory for advanced applications. Particularly regarding off-line programming, exchangeability and high precision tasks problems may occur which can be very time-consuming and costly to solve. Therefore a calibration system ROSY has been developed in order to increase the accuracy of standard robots and parallel-kinematic structures, like the Tricept robots.
Effects of light and fertilization on arbuscular mycorrhizal colonization and growth of tropical rain-forest Syzygium tree seedlings
Authors: Gamage Harshi K. , Singhakumara B. M. P. , Ashton Mark S.
Published: October 2004

This study investigated the effects of light and soil fertility, on arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) colonization, and the growth responses (height and dry mass) of Syzygium seedlings. Seedlings of four Syzygium spp. were grown for 2 y in six different light treatments at the research station of the Sinharaja Forest, Sri Lanka. The light treatments exposed seedlings to: (1) 3%; (2) 16%; (3) 50%; (4) 100% of full sun (control); (5) short periods (2 h d−1) of direct sunlight; and (6) long periods (6 h d−1) of direct sunlight. In the 16% of full sun treatment five sets of fertilizer applications supplied: (1) magnesium; (2) potassium; (3) phosphorus; (4) all three nutrients combined; and (5) no fertilizer (control). The Syzygium species had the greatest mycorrhizal colonization in brighter treatments that provided direct light. Comparison across species revealed S. firmum to have moderate mycorrhizal colonization but high total dry mass. Syzygium operculatum had high percentages of mycorrhizal colonization while S. rubicundum had low percentages of mycorrhizal colonization especially in deep shade. Syzygium makul showed moderate levels of mycorrhizal colonization and dry mass, but low height growth. Among fertilizer applications, phosphorus enhanced seedling growth and mycorrhizal colonization for all species. However, species showed decreased growth with high amounts of potassium and combined fertilizer applications. Results suggest that AMF colonization will be highest, and Syzygium spp. growth greatest, beneath canopy openings large enough to receive direct sun in phosphorus-rich soils.
Demography of Machaerium cuspidatum, a shade-tolerant neotropical liana
Authors: Nabe-Nielsen Jacob
Published: October 2004

The population dynamics of the liana Machaerium cuspidatum (Fabaceae) were studied in an Amazonian forest in Ecuador using a stage-classified matrix model. Growth, mortality and number of new seedlings were recorded over two 1.5-y periods in eight 20 × 250-m transects. The population growth rate (λ) was 1.032, which was significantly higher than 1. The dynamics of the species were most influenced by survival of large plants, which is typical for slow-growing woody species. λ varied little among years or transects in spite of the high seedling production in one period. The importance of canopy openness and crown height for population growth was studied using bootstraps on λ for different subsets of the whole population. The results suggest that the population growth rate was lower in tall forest (height > 10 m) than in the population in general. The population growth rates in areas with shaded understorey and in low forest (≤ 20 m) were the same as for the whole population. A life table response experiment (LTRE) revealed that the lower λ in tall forest resulted from lower growth and survival of large plants in tall forest. These results indicate that the species is shade-tolerant but that it is sensitive to variations in forest dynamics. The dominance of the species and the increasing population size suggest that the forest has had a low disturbance rate for a long time.
Immediate impacts of a severe tropical cyclone on the microclimate of a rain-forest canopy in north-east Australia
Authors: Turton Stephen M. , Siegenthaler Danny T.
Published: October 2004

Tropical cyclones, which are frequent along the north-eastern Australian coast, can result in severe disturbances to rain forests in the region (Grove et al. 2000, Webb 1958). Branch breakages and tree falls result in high levels of light penetration to the forest floor, which is normally heavily shaded (Turton 1992). This change in microclimate stimulates the growth of normally suppressed seedlings, the germination of seeds that are triggered by sunlight (Chazdon 1988), and often, invasion by weeds. Fragmented rain forests, that are common in the region, are particularly vulnerable to impacts of cyclones because of their large edge to forest area ratio. Appropriate management of such rain forests, following catastrophic disturbance, requires a thorough understanding of recovery processes at a number of temporal and spatial scales (Grove et al. 2000).
The epiphyte communities of a montane rain forest in the Andes of Venezuela: patterns in the distribution of the flora
Authors: Kelly Daniel L. , O'Donovan Grace , Feehan Jane , Murphy Susan , Drangeid Svein O. , Marcano-Berti Luis
Published: October 2004

The dependent flora was surveyed on 20 trees at a 1.5-ha site in montane rain forest at 2600 m altitude in western Venezuela. Vascular species were recorded over the whole site and totalled 120 epiphytes, 21 climbers, 3 hemiepiphytes, 5 nomadic vines and 6 mistletoes. Non-vascular species were recorded within 95 sample plots and totalled 22 mosses, 66 liverworts and 46 macrolichens. The angiosperm species were restricted in geographical range to the Neotropics; 22.1% were endemic to Venezuela. Pteridophyte and bryophyte species were largely restricted to the Neotropics but few were endemic. Macrolichen species were mostly pantropical or cosmopolitan; only 9.6% were restricted to the Neotropics and none was endemic. Canonical Correspondence Analysis found the environmental variables most closely correlated with variation in community composition to be height above ground and a horizontal gradient reflecting differences in forest structure. The epiphytic vegetation was classified using Two-way Indicator Species Analysis into a Syrrhopodon gaudichaudii–Elaphoglossum hoffmannii group of lower trunks, an Omphalanthus filiformis–Maxillaria miniata group of intermediate levels and an Usnea–Parmotrema group of upper crowns. Diversity increased with height above ground; non-vascular diversity was greatest in upper crowns whereas vascular diversity was greatest at intermediate levels. Similarity levels were low among sample plots of the same community, whereas between-tree and between-stand similarities were relatively high.
Effects of Cyclone Waka on flying foxes (Pteropus tonganus) in the Vava'u Islands of Tonga
Authors: McConkey Kim R. , Drake Donald R. , Franklin Janet , Tonga Filipe
Published: October 2004

Severe tropical cyclones are a major cause of episodic mortality for Pacific Island flying foxes (large fruit bats). Many flying foxes starve after forests are stripped of food sources, and hunting by humans may also increase in the post-cyclone period. In December 2001, Cyclone Waka passed directly over the Vava'u Islands in the Kingdom of Tonga, western Polynesia. We visited the islands 6 mo later to survey the flying fox (Pteropus tonganus) population and assess availability of potential food items (fruit and flower) in primary, secondary and plantation forests. Less than 20% of the pre-cyclone bat population (surveyed in 1999–2001) remained 6 mo after the storm. The density of potential food trees in flower or fruit at this time was only 15% of pre-cyclone density, and the main species available were different in the two time periods. The highest density of potential food trees occurred in secondary forest (26 flowering or fruiting trees ha−1) and plantations (23 ha−1); primary forest offered the least food (18 ha−1). Since 65–70% of the land area has been converted to agricultural plantations, this vegetation type had the highest absolute number of food-bearing trees – almost seven times that of primary forest. Flowering coconuts (Cocos nucifera) were the most abundant food source overall and we suggest that this species may be important in sustaining flying foxes following severe storms.
Does disturbance prevent total basal area and biomass in indigenous forests from being at equilibrium with the local environment?
Authors: Midgley Jeremy J. , Niklas Karl J.
Published: October 2004

Understanding the determinants of the amount of biomass in various forests is presently a global imperative because forests may (e.g. Phillips et al. 2002) or may not be carbon sinks (Clark 2002). Presently, the assumption for modelling and empirical studies is that forest biomass and net primary production (NPP) are in equilibrium. For example, Beerling & Woodward (2001) modelled world-wide plant biomass on the basis of how net primary productivity (NPP) and annual transpiration rates affect tree size. They predicted that the largest stands of organic carbon are in the wet tropics. Similarly, in a recent textbook, Chapin et al. (2002) indicate that amongst forests, tropical forests have the greatest biomass and greatest NPP. In contrast, Midgley (2001) drew attention to the negative correlation between basal area and disturbance rates in some tropical forests. Also, Enquist & Niklas (2001) demonstrated that biomass is not correlated with latitude. Indeed, many indigenous forests with exceptionally large total basal areas and thus total standing stem biomass occur in the cool-temperate areas. For example, the Pacific Northwest redwood and Tasmanian mountain-ash forests have a total basal area of 300+ m2 ha−1, which exceeds the mean of many tropical forests (i.e. 35 m2 ha−1) (see Midgley 2001 and references therein).
Flowering phenology of tropical-alpine dwarf trees on Mount Kinabalu, Borneo
Authors: Kudo Gaku , Suzuki Shizuo
Published: October 2004

The flowering phenology of five alpine dwarf-tree species was observed in the summit region (3900–3950 m elevation) of Mt. Kinabalu on Borneo Island from March 1998 to November 2001. For each target species, 20–50 individual plants were numbered in two observation plots and the number of inflorescences was monitored at 2–3-mo intervals. The flowering patterns varied among species. Rhododendron buxifolium bloomed extensively every March–May at the main plot but the flowering pattern at the subplot was less predictable. Mass flowering occurred in March 1998 when drought stress was very severe due to an El Niño event. Rhododendron ericoides showed continuous flowering throughout the year and high synchrony between the plots. Extensive flowering of Leptospermum recurvum occurred synchronously within and between plots in the early half of 1999, then flowering activity decreased greatly. Photinia davidiana showed an annual flowering cycle but the timing of the peak flowering differed between the plots. Vaccinium stapfianum showed synchronous flowering between the plots and the flowering peak appeared at longer than 1-y intervals. Plant size was positively correlated with mean flower production in all species, and with the flowering frequency of R. ericoides, R. buxifolium, and V. stapfianum at one of the plots at least. Two fleshy-fruited species, P. davidiana and V. stapfianum, had high selfing ability for fruit production and showed relatively low flowering synchrony among individuals in comparison with the other species. These results indicate that the trigger for initiation of flowering may differ among sympatric species in a tropical-alpine ecosystem at least in normal years.
Seed dispersal and defecation patterns of Cebus capucinus and Alouatta palliata: consequences for seed dispersal effectiveness
Authors: Wehncke Elisabet V. , Valdez Catherine Numa , Domínguez César A.
Published: October 2004

Primates are primary seed dispersers for many tropical tree species. Different species of primates vary considerably in ranging and feeding behaviour, seed processing, and in seed defecation patterns. Here we compare the role of two arboreal primate species, howlers (Alouatta palliata), and white-faced monkeys (Cebus capucinus) as seed dispersers in a tropical dry forest in Costa Rica. We found that Cebus produce smaller defecations, spend shorter times feeding per tree, have longer seed dispersal distances, and produce a more scattered pattern of seed deposition in the forest than Alouatta. In addition, Cebus moved more frequently between trees, and consumed fruits of more species than Alouatta. We examined the consequences of the contrasting defecation patterns produced by Cebus and Alouatta on the early seed fate of Acacia collinsii. We found that quantity, but not the identity (Cebus vs. Alouatta) of faecal material affected post-dispersal activity. Seeds in scattered faeces, sufficiently apart from each other (the common defecation pattern of white-faced monkeys), had higher short-term survival than seeds in clumped patterns of faeces (the pattern associated with Alouatta).
Tree species do not influence local soil chemistry in a species-rich Costa Rica rain forest
Authors: Powers Jennifer S. , Kalicin Melissa H. , Newman Meredith E.
Published: October 2004

In a now classic study, Zinke (1962) showed that a single Pinus contorta tree growing on a sand dune along the coast of California modified the chemistry of the soil underneath its crown. He found distinct patterns of pH, exchangeable cations and nitrogen (N) content moving from the bole outward to the crown drip zone, because the acidic bark and stemflow were concentrated around the bole (Zinke 1962). Subsequent studies in temperate forests have also found tree species to affect soil chemical properties such as pH, organic carbon (C) and rates of N mineralization (Boerner & Koslowsky 1989, Boettcher & Kalisz 1990, Finzi et al. 1998). Presumably, these species-specific effects are caused by inter-specific differences in organic acid exudation, nutrient uptake, litter quality or quantity, decomposition rates or nutrient outputs (Binkley & Giardina 1998, Knops et al. 2002, Rhoades 1997). Regardless of the causes, species-generated soil heterogeneity has implications for stand-level estimates of biogeochemical processes such as soil C storage and N-cycling as well as implications for plant diversity and regeneration (Finzi et al. 1998). Although a number of studies have demonstrated that tree species modify soil environments in temperate forests or monospecific tree plantations in the tropics (Fisher 1995, Rhoades 1997), few studies have investigated these processes in species-rich tropical forests (but see Rhoades et al. 1994).
The resorption of phosphorus is greater than that of nitrogen in senescing leaves of vascular epiphytes from lowland Panama
Authors: Zotz Gerhard
Published: October 2004

The epiphytic habitat is assumed to be nutrient deficient, although this generally held notion is based almost completely on circumstantial evidence (Zotz & Hietz 2001). Most studies on the nutrient relations of vascular epiphytes focus on nitrogen (Bergstrom & Tweedie 1998, Hietz & Wanek 2003, Stewart et al. 1995). Although nitrogen plays a key role in limiting plant growth worldwide, there is an on-going discussion whether nitrogen or rather phosphorus are more limiting in many tropical forests (Grubb 1989, Harrington et al. 2001, Vitousek & Howarth 1991). To identify which nutritional factor is most limiting for plant growth, nutrient ratios have been proposed as a very useful tool (Koerselman & Meuleman 1996). These authors stated that N:P ratios exceeding 16 are indicative of P limitation, while an N:P ratio <14 suggests N limitation. Some reports of such ratios in the epiphyte literature indicate that phosphorus may indeed be limiting for epiphytes in tropical forests. For example, the N:P ratio of two field-grown bromeliads (Tillandsia circinnata and T. usneoides) decreased dramatically from 23.6 and 40.4, respectively, to 3.6 and 3.4, respectively, when fertilized with both N and P in the laboratory (Benzing & Renfrow 1974a). On the other hand, however, the average N:P ratios of mature leaves of 41 epiphyte species compiled from a number of papers did not appear particularly high (12.1±10.5, cf. Zotz & Hietz 2001).
Oskar Schlemmer's Research Practice at the Dessau Bauhaus
Authors: TRIMINGHAM MELISSA
Published: October 2004

In Germany in the 1920s, Oskar Schlemmer engaged in three years of practical research at the Dessau Bauhaus School of Art, on the nature of ‘non-naturalisitic’ or ‘abstract’ stage space, that is, space exploited theatrically for its dynamism, scale, texture and sonic properties. It is argued here that Schlemmer attempts to recreate on stage the metaphysically resonant spaces which he depicts in his paintings. By engaging with an embodied art form, performance, Schlemmer defies the commonly held assumption that the Bauhaus Stage is locked into the ‘machine age’ mentality and rigid Modernist essentialism. On the contrary Schlemmer's work is revelatory of stage space in direct, simple and phenomenologically intense ways and has much to teach us about the nature of theatrical power in postmodern visual and object theatre, and is better interpreted in the light of postmodern, rather than Modernist, sensibilities.
A species‐level phylogenetic supertree of marsupials
Authors: Cardillo Marcel , Bininda‐Emonds R. P. , Boakes Elizabeth , Purvis Andy
Published: October 2004

Comparative studies require information on phylogenetic relationships, but complete species‐level phylogenetic trees of large clades are difficult to produce. One solution is to combine algorithmically many small trees into a single, larger supertree. Here we present a virtually complete, species‐level phylogeny of the marsupials (Mammalia: Metatheria), built by combining 158 phylogenetic estimates published since 1980, using matrix representation with parsimony. The supertree is well resolved overall (73.7%), although resolution varies across the tree, indicating variation both in the amount of phylogenetic information available for different taxa, and the degree of conflict among phylogenetic estimates. In particular, the supertree shows poor resolution within the American marsupial taxa, reflecting a relative lack of systematic effort compared to the Australasian taxa. There are also important differences in supertrees based on source phylogenies published before 1995 and those published more recently. The supertree can be viewed as a meta‐analysis of marsupial phylogenetic studies, and should be useful as a framework for phylogenetically explicit comparative studies of marsupial evolution and ecology.
Loneliness among older people
Authors: Routasalo Pirkko , Pitkala Kaisu H
Published: October 2004

Loneliness may be regarded as a ‘geriatric giant’, leading to impaired quality of life, greater need for institutional care and increased mortality. For the past 30 years, a growing number of studies have focused on loneliness. However, the majority of these have been descriptive and cross-sectional. Further longitudinal studies are needed to understand the causal relationship between life-events and loneliness, its prognostic significance and, in particular, whether negative consequences may be alleviated.
Activity of exoglycosidases in ejaculated spermatozoa of boar and bull
Authors: Hayashi Masayuki , Yonezawa Naoto , Katsumata Toshiyuki , Ikeda Keiichi , Imai Fabiana Lica , Kikuchi Kazuhiro , Hamano Seizo , Nakano Minoru
Published: October 2004

The activity of exoglycosidases in extracts from freshly ejaculated boar and bull spermatozoa with 0.2% Brij-35/2% acetic acid was measured. The results show that β-N-acetylhexosaminidase, β-galactosidase and α-mannosidase are the major glycosidases; much higher levels of activity were found in boar spermatozoa than in bull spermatozoa. When compared on a per spermatozoon basis, the ratios of the activities of β-N-acetylhexosaminidase, β-galactosidase and α-mannosidase in boar spermatozoon relative to those in bull spermatozoon were approximately 13 000:1, 1700:1 and 400:1, respectively. Liberation of these glycosidases from bull spermatozoa by treatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PI-PLC) was low, in contrast to liberation of α-mannosidase from boar spermatozoa previously found by the same means. The possibility that the exoglycosidases present in large amounts in boar spermatozoa play a role in the process of binding to the zona pellucida glycoprotein of the egg is discussed.
Effect of insulin on spontaneous and progesterone-induced GVBD on Bufo arenarum denuded oocytes
Authors: Toranzo G. Sánchez , Bonilla F. , Zelarayán L. , Oterino J. , Bühler M. I.
Published: October 2004

Progesterone is considered as the physiological steroid hormone that triggers meiosis reinitiation in amphibian oocytes. Nevertheless, isolated oocytes can be induced to undergo germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD) in a saline medium by means of treatment with various hormones or inducing agents such as other steroid hormones, insulin or an insulin-like growth factor. It has been demonstrated that Bufo arenarum oocytes obtained during the reproductive period (spring–summer) resume meiosis with no need of an exogenous hormonal stimulus if deprived of their enveloping follicle cells, a phenomenon called spontaneous maturation. This study was undertaken to evaluate the participation of the purine and phosphoinositide pathway in the insulin-induced maturation of oocytes competent and incompetent to mature spontaneously, as well as to determine whether the activation of the maturation promoting factor (MPF) involved the activation of cdc25 phosphatase in Bufo arenarum denuded oocytes. Our results indicate that insulin was able to induce GBVD in oocytes incompetent to mature spontaneously and to enhance spontaneous and progesterone-induced maturation. In addition, high intracellular levels of purines such as cAMP or guanosine can reversibly inhibit the progesterone and insulin-induced maturation process in Bufo arenarum as well as spontaneous maturation. Assays of the inhibition of phosphatidylinositol-4,5-bisphosphate (PIP2) hydrolysis and its turnover by neomycin and lithium chloride respectively exhibited a different response in insulin- or progesterone-treated oocytes, suggesting that phosphoinositide turnover or hydrolysis of PIP2 is involved in progesterone- but not in insulin-induced maturation. In addition, the inhibitory effect of vanadate suggests that an inactive pre-maturation promoting factor (pre-MPF), activated by dephosphorylation of Thr-14 and Tyr-15 on p34cdc2, is present in Bufo arenarum full-grown oocytes; this step would be common to both spontaneous and hormone-induced maturation. The data presented here strongly suggest that insulin initiates at the cell surface a chain of events leading to GVBD. However, our studies point to the existence of certain differences between the steroid and the peptide hormone pathways, although both involve the decrease in intracellular levels of cAMP, the activation of phosphodiesterase (PDE) and the activation of pre-MPF.
Effect of proteasome inhibitor MG132 on in vitro maturation of pig oocytes
Authors: Chmelíková Eva , Sedmíková Markéta , Rajmon Radko , Petr Jaroslav , švestková Dana , Jílek František
Published: October 2004

The present study aimed to demonstrate the dependence of meiotic maturation in pig oocytes on the activity of the protease complex proteasome. The proteasome inhibitor MG132 blocked the exit of maturing pig oocytes from metaphase I stage. Seventy-five per cent of the oocytes were blocked at metaphase I when they were cultured with 10 μM MG132. The blocking effect of MG132 was expressed only when the oocytes were exposed to an inhibitor before the 18th hour of in vitro culture. The effects of MG132 are fully reversible. However, a significant proportion of oocytes (46%) cultured for 48 h in MG132-supplemented medium and then for 24 h in MG132-free medium did not block meiosis at the stage of metaphase II and underwent spontaneous parthenogenetic activation. On the basis of our data we can conclude that exit from the metaphase I stage of meiosis is proteasome-dependent in pig oocytes matured in vitro. On the other hand, our data also indicate that other proteasome-independent events are involved in regulating the exit from metaphase I.
Somatic nucleus remodelling in immature and mature Rassir oocyte cytoplasm
Authors: Zhang Li-Sheng , Zhang Ke-Ying , Yao Li-Juan , Liu Shu-Zhen , Yang Cai-Xia , Zhong Zhi-Sheng , Zheng Yue-Liang , Sun Qing-Yuan , Chen Da-Yuan
Published: October 2004

Successful production of cloned animals derived from somatic cells has been achieved in sheep, cattle, goats, mice, pigs, rabbits, etc. But the efficiency of nuclear transfer is very low in all species. The present study was conducted to examine somatic nucleus remodelling and developmental ability in vitro of rabbit embryos by transferring somatic cells into enucleated germinal vesicle (GV), metaphase I (MI) or metaphase II (MII) oocytes. Microtubules were organized around condensed chromosomes after the nucleus had been transferred into any of the three types of cytoplasm. A bipolar spindle was formed in enucleated MII cytoplasm. Most of the nuclei failed to form a normal spindle within GV and MI cytoplasm. Some chromosomes scattered throughout the cytoplasm and some formed a monopolar spindle. Pseudopronucleus formation was observed in all three types of cytoplasm. Reconstructed embryos with MI and MII cytoplasm could develop to blastcysts. Nuclei in GV cytoplasm could develop only to the 4-cell stage. These results suggest that (1) GV material is important for nucleus remodelling after nuclear transfer, and (2) oocyte cytoplasm has the capacity to dedifferentiate somatic cells during oocyte maturation.
Effects of sperm concentrations and culture media on fertilization and development of in vitro matured pig oocytes
Authors: Yi Young-Joo , Park Chang-Sik
Published: October 2004

This study was carried out to investigate the effects of sperm concentrations and culture media on fertilization and development of in vitro matured pig oocytes. The concentrations of frozen-thawed sperm were 0.2×107, 2×107, 20×107 and 200×107/ml, respectively. Culture media were NCSU-23, HEPES-buffered (25 mM) NCSU-23, PZM-3 and PZM-4, respectively. Increasing the sperm concentration from 0.2×107 to 2×107/ml, significantly increased the penetration rate. Also, increasing the sperm concentration from 20×107 to 200×107/ml increased the penetration rate from 62.1% to 69.9%, respectively, with no differences between these two concentrations. A similar pattern was observed for polyspermic penetration and male pronucleus formation. The mean number of sperm per oocyte significantly increased in the 20×107/ml and again in the 200×107/ml sperm concentrations. The percentage of blastocysts from cleaved oocytes at the 2×107/ml sperm concentration was significantly higher than that at the 0.2×107, 20×107 and 200×107/ml sperm concentrations. The percentage of blastocysts from cleaved oocytes and the cell numbers per blastocyst were significantly higher in the HEPES-buffered NCSU-23 culture medium than in the NCSU-23, PZM-3 and PZM-4 culture media under a gas atmosphere of 5% CO2 in air.
Research, Policy and Practice – Worlds Apart?
Authors: Locock Louise , Boaz Annette
Published: October 2004

The relationship between research, policy and practice remains a contested area. This article explores pressures for researchers to make their work more useful and relevant to policy and practice, and for practitioners to undertake research. Whilst there are clearly areas of mutual interest and benefit, we argue that the research, policy and practice communities also have distinct traditions, skills and obligations which should be recognised and valued rather than artificially suppressed. Narrow conceptions of research utility constrain the debate about what each community has to offer and how best to communicate with each other across borders.
Introduction: Themed Section on Care, Values and the Future of Welfare
Authors: Deacon Alan , Williams Fiona
Published: October 2004

The papers in the themed section emerge from the work of the ESRC Research Group on Care, Values and the Future of Welfare (CAVA), based at the University of Leeds. CAVA was funded from 1999 to undertake a five-year programme of research into changes in parenting and partnering in Britain and their implications for future social policies. At the heart of CAVA's research is an investigation into the values that people attach to their parenting and partnering activities. We are interested in ‘what matters’ to people in their family lives and personal relationships, especially as they undergo change. This question lay at the centre of our core empirical projects, all of which were based on in-depth qualitative research. (An account of our methodology may be found in the Appendix to this Introduction). The projects focused on different aspects of change: motherhood, care and employment; kin relationships after divorce; care and commitments in transnational families; practices of care and intimacy amongst those who live without a co-resident partner; and collective values of care and support in self-help groups, voluntary organisations and trade unions. Each of these projects is represented in the following collection.
Changing Landscapes of Family Life: Rethinking Divorce
Authors: Smart Carol
Published: October 2004

This paper addresses the question of how families are changing in the context of transformed policies on divorce in England and Wales. However, rather than painting a picture of change through the use of statistical data, the argument will be based on qualitative data which focuses on the interiority of family and kin relationships and on the principles and reasonings that individuals give for their actions. This provides more of a ground-up perspective on social change, and prioritises the actions of parents, grandparents and children rather than focusing on the consequences of policies. It is argued that we need to recognise that the changing nature of family life pushes people to negotiate new moral codes or principles, and that this in turn is generating new ways of ‘doing’ post-divorce family life.
Priming of AIDS and Reactions to Infidelity: Are Sex Differences in Jealousy Context-Dependent?
Authors: Bohner Gerd , Wänke Michaela
Published: October 2004

Abstract: Context effects on men's and women's reactions to infidelity were studied in a laboratory experiment. University students (71 male, 54 female) were randomly assigned to either a neutral-priming control condition or a condition where AIDS was primed unobtrusively. Then they reported whether emotional or sexual infidelity of their partner would distress them more, and rated their degree of distress for each type of infidelity. Men (vs. women) reported greater distress in response to sexual (vs. emotional) infidelity in the neutral-priming condition, whereas no sex differences were observed in the AIDS-priming condition. Most participants were unaware of the priming. The results are discussed in relation to evolutionary and socio-cultural explanations of sex differences in jealousy.
Die Bevorzugung von genetischen Verwandten im Lebenslauf
Authors: Neyer Franz J. , Lang Frieder R.
Published: October 2004

Zusammenfassung: Das Konzept der verwandtschaftlichen Orientierung bezieht sich auf einen evolvierten Mechanismus der Bevorzugung von genetisch verwandten gegenüber nichtverwandten und genetisch näher verwandten gegenüber genetisch entfernter verwandten Personen. Die verwandtschaftliche (nepotistische) Orientierung wird durch die Korrelation zwischen genetischer Verwandtschaft und emotionaler Nähe innerhalb individueller sozialer Netzwerke indiziert ( Neyer & Lang, 2003 ). In dieser Studie wurde die 4-Jahresstabilität der nepotistischen Orientierung mit unterschiedlichen Methoden in 2 unabhängigen Stichproben untersucht (489 junge Erwachsene und 206 Hochbetagte im Durchschnittsalter von 28 bzw. 84 Jahren). Die Befunde stützen die Annahme einer relativ stabilen nepotistischen Orientierung als evolvierter psychologischer Adaptation, die aber auf individueller Ebene angesichts der hohen Plastizität des menschlichen Sozialverhaltens je nach Umweltbedingungen einigen Schwankungen unterliegt.
Altruismus aus evolutionstheoretischer Perspektive
Authors: Fetchenhauer Detlef , Bierhoff Hans-Werner
Published: October 2004

Zusammenfassung: Gemäß der Darwinschen Evolutionstheorie ist altruistisches Verhalten ein scheinbar nur schwer zu erklärendes Paradox. Da altruistisches Verhalten dadurch definiert werden kann, dass ein Akteur einem anderen eigene Ressourcen zur Verfügung stellt, ohne dafür - zumindest unmittelbar - einen Gegenwert zu erhalten, kann argumentiert werden, dass im Laufe der menschlichen Evolution jegliches altruistisches Verhalten gelöscht worden sein sollte, da es die reproduktive Fitness eines Akteurs mindert (d. h. die Anzahl seiner genetischen Nachkommen). In diesem Beitrag werden zunächst die Theorie des Verwandtschaftsaltruismus sowie die Theorie des reziproken Altruismus erläutert, die von Evolutionstheoretikern häufig zur Erklärung altruistischen Verhaltens herangezogen werden. Diese beiden Theorien sind jedoch nicht in der Lage, die vorliegenden Befunde vollständig zu erklären. Aus diesem Grunde werden anschließend zwei Theorien diskutiert, die von Evolutionstheoretikern bislang nur selten berücksichtigt werden: Das Commitment-Modell von Frank sowie die Theorie von Miller, nach der altruistisches Verhalten das Produkt sexueller Selektion ist. Beide Ansätze verweisen darauf, dass ein fitnesssteigernder Effekt von altruistischem Verhalten nur dann auftritt, wenn ein Akteur sich nicht nur aus strategischen Gründen altruistisch verhält, sondern sein Handeln das Produkt eines autonom altruistischen Motivsystems ist.
Konflikte bei Erbschaftsaufteilungen: Verwandtschaft, Beiträge und Aufteilungspräferenzen
Authors: Bossong Bernd , Nussbeck Fridtjof
Published: October 2004

Zusammenfassung: Nach welchen Kriterien nehmen Erblasser die Aufteilung ihres Vermögens vor? Verwandtschaft und Beiträge als zentrale Prinzipien werden unter evolutionstheoretischen Aspekten diskutiert und die Unvermeidbarkeit von Konflikten begründet. Es lässt sich ableiten, dass die Wirkung von Beiträgen auf die Aufteilung mit abnehmendem Verwandtschaftsgrad stärker wird. In drei Experimenten versetzten sich die Vpn in die Person eines Erblassers bzw. einer Erblasserin, die ihren Besitz zwischen zwei potenziellen Erben aufteilt. Verwandtschaftsgrad und Beiträge dieser Erben wurden variiert. Im dritten Experiment wurde zusätzlich noch die Präferenz für beitragsorientierte Erbaufteilungen erfasst. Die Ergebnisse zeigen die erwartete Interaktion von Verwandtschaftsgrad und Beiträgen und die moderierende Wirkung der beitragsorientierten Aufteilungspräferenz.
“Sadder but Fitter”
Authors: Binser Martin J. , Försterling Friedrich
Published: October 2004

Zusammenfassung: Das hier vorgestellte Modell begreift Depression nach Fehl- und Totgeburten als einen evolutionären Schutzmechanismus vor erneuten fötalen Verlusten. Das Modell postuliert, dass depressive Symptome zu einer Verzögerung des nächsten Reproduktionsversuches führen und damit eine Anpassung an Ursachen fötaler Verluste (Epidemien, Hungersnöte, Infektionen, Umweltgifte) ermöglicht. Im Detail postulieren wir, dass die Symptome dieser Depression drei adaptive Funktionen erfüllen: Verzögerung der nächsten Schwangerschaft, Ressourcenschonung und Ursachensuche. Diese Reaktionen sollen die Wahrscheinlichkeit einer weiteren Fehlgeburt reduzieren. Zur Überprüfung des Modells wird bisher nicht in Zusammenhang gebrachte Literatur über (1) die Bedeutung fötaler Verluste als Depressionsauslöser, (2) den Einfluss von Depression auf eine Verzögerung der Reproduktion und (3) die Auswirkung dieser Verzögerung auf nachfolgende Reproduktionsversuche dargestellt und diskutiert.
Schwiegermütter und Totgeburten
Authors: Voland Eckart , Beise Jan
Published: October 2004

Zusammenfassung: Wir argumentieren, dass die Psychologie des Schwiegermutter/Schwiegertochter-Konflikts auf einen genetischen Interessenskonflikt zurückgeht. Anhand von Statistiken zur Totgeburtlichkeit zeigen wir, dass dieser Konflikt unter den sozio-ökologischen Bedingungen der ländlichen Krummhörner Bevölkerung des 18. und 19.Jahrhunderts (Ostfriesland) reproduktive Kosten verursacht hat. Drei Szenarien könnten zur Evolution des Schwiegerkonflikts geführt haben: in dem “Monopolisierungs-Szenario” geht es der Schwiegermutter um eine best mögliche Erhöhung der Vaterschaftswahrscheinlichkeit ihres Sohnes. In dem Szenario zur “Steigerung des Paarungserfolgs” brechen Schwiegermütter starke emotionale Bande zwischen ihren Söhnen und deren Partnerinnen auf, um den Söhnen weitere, außereheliche Paarungsmöglichkeiten zu erleichtern. In dem “Ausbeutungs-Szenario” sind Schwiegermütter bestrebt, die ökonomischen Erträge aus der Arbeit von Schwiegertöchtern in die eigene Familienökonomie zu überführen. Die Krummhörner Schwiegerkonflikte entsprechen wahrscheinlich am besten der Logik des “Ausbeutungs-Szenarios”. Wir schließen mit der Hypothese, dass die soziale und reproduktive Manipulation der Schwiegertöchter durch die Schwiegermütter ein weiterer evolutionärer Weg zur Entstehung der postgenerativen Lebensspanne gewesen sein könnte.
On the recovery of effective elastic thickness using spectral methods: Examples from synthetic data and from the Fennoscandian Shield
Authors: Pérez‐Gussinyé Marta , Lowry Anthony R. , Watts Anthony B. , Velicogna Isabella
Published: October 2004

There is considerable controversy regarding the long‐term strength of continents (Te). While some authors obtain both low and high Te estimates from the Bouguer coherence and suggest that both crust and mantle contribute to lithospheric strength, others obtain estimates of only <25 km using the free‐air admittance and suggest that the mantle is weak. At the root of this controversy is how accurately Te can be recovered from coherence and admittance. We investigate this question by using synthetic topography and gravity anomaly data for which Te is known. We show that the discrepancies stem from comparison of theoretical curves to multitaper power spectral estimates of free‐air admittance. We reformulate the admittance method and show that it can recover synthetic Te estimates similar to those recovered using coherence. In light of these results, we estimate Te in Fennoscandia and obtain similar results using both techniques. Te is 20–40 km in the Caledonides, 40–60 km in the Swedish Svecofennides, 40–60 km in the Kola peninsula, and 70–100 km in southern Karelia and Svecofennian central Finland. Independent rheological modeling, using a xenolith‐controlled geotherm, predicts similar high Te in central Finland. Because Te exceeds crustal thickness in this area, the mantle must contribute significantly to the total strength. Te in Fennoscandia increases with tectonic age, seismic lithosphere thickness, and decreasing heat flow, and low Te correlates with frequent seismicity. However, in Proterozoic and Archean lithosphere the relationship of Te to age is ambiguous, suggesting that compositional variations may influence the strength of continents.