bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Towards a neuroanatomy of autism: A systematic review and meta-analysis of structural magnetic resonance imaging studies
Authors: Stanfield Andrew C. , McIntosh Andrew M. , Spencer Michael D. , Philip Ruth , Gaur Sonia , Lawrie Stephen M.
Published: September 2007

Background

Structural brain abnormalities have been described in autism but studies are often small and contradictory. We aimed to identify which brain regions can reliably be regarded as different in autism compared to healthy controls.

Method

A systematic search was conducted for magnetic resonance imaging studies of regional brain size in autism. Data were extracted and combined using random effects meta-analysis. The modifying effects of age and IQ were investigated using meta-regression.

Results

The total brain, cerebral hemispheres, cerebellum and caudate nucleus were increased in volume, whereas the corpus callosum area was reduced. There was evidence for a modifying effect of age and IQ on the cerebellar vermal lobules VI–VII and for age on the amygdala.

Conclusions

Autism may result from abnormalities in specific brain regions and a global lack of integration due to brain enlargement. Inconsistencies in the literature partly relate to differences in the age and IQ of study populations. Some regions may show abnormal growth trajectories.
A well-being programme in severe mental illness. reducing risk for physical ill-health: A post-programme service evaluation at 2 years
Authors: Smith Shubulade , Yeomans David , Bushe Chris J.P. , Eriksson Cecilia , Harrison Tom , Holmes Robert , Mynors-Wallis Laurence , Oatway Helen , Sullivan Gary
Published: September 2007

introduction

Cardiovascular disease is more prevalent in patients with severe mental illness (SMI) than in the general population.

Method

Seven geographically diverse centres were assigned a nurse to monitor the physical health of SMI patients in secondary care over a 2-year period in the “Well-being Support Programme” (WSP). A physical health screen was performed and patients were given individual weight and lifestyle advice including smoking cessation to reduce cardiovascular risk.

Results

Nine hundred and sixty-six outpatients with SMI >2 years were enrolled. The completion rate at 2 years was 80%. Significant improvements were observed in levels of physical activity (p < 0.0001), smoking (p < 0.05) and diet (p < 0.0001). There were no changes in mean BMI although 42% lost weight over 2 years. Self-esteem improved significantly. Low self-esteem decreased from 43% at baseline to 15% at 2 years (p < 0.0001). At the end of the programme significant cardiovascular risk factors remained, 46% of subjects smoked, 26% had hypertension and 81% had BMI >25.

Conclusion

Physical health problems are common in SMI subjects. Many patients completed 2 years follow up suggesting that this format of programme is an acceptable option for SMI patients. Cardiovascular risk factors were significantly improved. interventions such as the Well-being Support Programme should be made widely available to people with SMI.
Retrospective analysis of seizures associated with feline infectious peritonitis in cats
Authors: Timmann Doris , Cizinauskas Sigitas , Tomek Ales , Doherr Marcus , Vandevelde Marc , Jaggy André
Published: September 2007

Seizures have been reported frequently in feline infectious peritonitis (FIP) but have not been studied in detail in association with this disease. The purpose of this study was to perform a retrospective analysis of neurological signs in a population of 55 cats with a histopathologically confirmed neurological form of FIP. Seizure patterns were determined and it was attempted to relate occurrence of seizures with age, breed, sex and neuropathological features. Fourteen cats had seizure(s), while 41 cats had no history of seizure(s). Generalised tonic–clonic seizures were seen in nine cats; and complex focal seizures were observed in four patients. The exact type of seizure could not be determined in one cat. Status epilepticus was observed in one patient but seizure clusters were not encountered. Occurrence of seizures was not related to age, sex, breed or intensity of the inflammation in the central nervous system. However, seizures were significantly more frequent in animals with marked extension of the inflammatory lesions to the forebrain ( P=0.038). Thus, the occurrence of seizures in FIP indicates extensive brain damage and can, therefore, be considered to be an unfavourable prognostic sign.
Post-surgical follow-up (by ELISA and immunoblotting) of cured versus non-cured cystic echinococcosis in young patients
Authors: NOUIR N. BEN , NUÑEZ S. , FREI E. , GORCII M. , MÜLLER N. , GIANINAZZI C. , MEKKI M. , NOURI A. , BABBA H. , GOTTSTEIN B.
Published: September 2007

The study was designed to determine comparatively the prognostic value of immunoblotting and ELISA in the serological follow-up of young cystic echinococcosis (CE) patients exhibiting either a cured or a progredient (non-cured) course of disease after treatment. A total of 54 patients (mean age 9 years, range from 3 to 15 years) with surgically, radiologically and/or histologically proven CE were studied for a period up to 60 months after surgery. Additionally, some of the patients underwent chemotherapy. Based on the clinical course and outcome, as well as on imaging findings, patients were clustered into 2 groups of either cured (CCE), or non-cured (NCCE) CE patients. ELISA showed a high rate of seropositivity 4 to 5 years post-surgery for both CCE (57·1%) and NCCE (100%) patients, the difference found between the two groups was statistically not significant. Immunoblotting based upon recognition of AgB subcomponents (8 and 16 kDa bands) showed a decrease of respective antibody reactivities after 4 years post-surgery. Only sera from 14·3% of CCE patients recognized the subcomponents of AgB after 4 years, while none (0%) of these sera was still reactive at 5 years post-surgery. At variance, immunoblotting remained positive for AgB subcomponents in 100% of the NCCE cases as tested between 4 and 5 years after surgical treatment. Immunoblotting therefore proved to be a useful approach for monitoring post-surgical follow-ups of human CCE and NCCE in young patients when based upon the recognition of AgB subcomponents.
Uncertainty of annual net ecosystem productivity estimated using eddy covariance flux measurements
Authors: Dragoni D. , Schmid H. P. , Grimmond C. S. B. , Loescher H. W.
Published: September 2007

Eddy‐covariance‐based estimates of net ecosystem exchange are subject to various sources of systematic bias and random measurement uncertainty. Here we concentrate on the cumulative effect of random uncertainty on annual estimates of net ecosystem productivity of carbon (NEP). A 8‐year data set of eddy covariance measurements over a mixed deciduous forest at the Morgan‐Monroe State Forest (MMSF, Indiana, USA) was used, in conjunction with a 6‐day period of paired observations with the AmeriFlux portable system, to evaluate two different approaches to estimate measurement system uncertainty, and an analogous method to estimate the uncertainty in a standard parametric model used to fill data gaps in the annual time series. The cumulative annual uncertainty was obtained by Monte Carlo simulation, separately for the observations and the model estimates. Our results indicate that the overall uncertainty of annual NEP is dominated by the contribution of the gap‐filling model, even at relatively small gap fractions of 20%. The magnitude of random uncertainty in NEP varied between ±10–12 gC m−2 yr−1 (i.e., 3–4% of annual NEP at MMSF for years 1999–2006). Thus it must be expected that random uncertainty of eddy‐covariance‐based NEP is small compared to other potential sources of systematic bias, but we note that very little is known about the long‐term cumulative covariate effects of systematic bias in the measured flux.
Metaelliptical copulas and their use in frequency analysis of multivariate hydrological data
Authors: Genest C. , Favre A.‐C. , Béliveau J. , Jacques C.
Published: September 2007

Metaelliptical copulas are introduced as a flexible tool for modeling multivariate data in hydrology. The properties of this broad class of dependence functions are reviewed, along with associated rank‐based procedures for copula parameter estimation and goodness‐of‐fit testing. A new graphical diagnostic tool is also proposed for selecting an appropriate metaelliptical copula. Peak, volume, and duration of the annual spring flood for the Romaine River (Québec, Canada) are used for illustration purposes.
A geologic window into a subduction megathrust
Authors: Ducea Mihai , Kidder Steven , Chesley John
Published: September 2007

Megathrust faults marking the subduction of oceanic plates are fundamental features of plate tectonics. In addition, these faults have significant societal relevance since friction along them can generate devastating earthquakes. One of the most important tasks in solid Earth sciences is to understand the mechanical and thermal processes that controlthe behavior of these fault zones. Geophysical studies of earthquakes address key issues of fault mechanics [National Research Council, 2003], and critical information can also be recovered from the geological record through structural and petrologic studies in areas where paleosubduction megathrusts have been exposed at the surface.
New perspectives through data discovery and modeling
Authors: Vorosmarty C. J. , McGuire A. D. , Hinzman L. , Holland M. , Murray M. , Schimel J. , Warnick W. , Weatherly J. , Wiggins H.
Published: September 2007

Dramatic changes in the Arctic have captured the attention of the public. Understanding changes such as the decline of sea ice, the fate of polar bears and other marine mammals, melting of the Greenland ice sheet, changes in the terrestrial carbon budget, and impacts on and feedbacks from the human community require a new approach to research involving synthesis of linkages between system components and threshold behaviors.

Addressing these challenges requires substantial improvement in methods to integrate complex and disparate data from observations and models, including traditional knowledge. Data are collected for a variety of purposes, are poorly harmonized over space and time, and bear varying degrees of access. Synthesizing this information requires innovative data discovery, standardization, interdisciplinary data integration, distribution, and advanced data assimilation to support the development of Arctic system models.
Diane Wickland receives 2007 Edward A. Flinn III award
Authors: Foley Jonathan A. , Trumbore Susan , Wickland Diane E.
Published: September 2007

Several 2007 AGU Awards were presented at the Joint Assembly in Acapulco, Mexico. Winners were introduced by President Tim Killeen in a formal ceremony held on 25 May 2007. An honors fiesta followed the ceremony.

It is with great pleasure that we recognize and honor the accomplishments of Diane E. Wickland, the 2007 winner of the Edward A. Flinn III Award from the American Geophysical Union, for her pivotal contributions to the development of the emerging field of biogeosciences.
Uppugunduri Aswathanarayana receives AGU's new international award
Authors: Anonymous
Published: September 2007

It is a distinct pleasure to present the new international award citation for Uppugunduri Aswathanarayana, honorary director of the Mahadevan International Centre for Water Resources Management, in India. This award, here being presented for the first time, recognizes individuals or small groups that further the Earth and space sciences, and use science for the benefit of society in less favored nations.

I became acquainted with Professor A (as he is known to those who have difficulty pronouncing his name) in the course of geophysical fieldwork in East Africa in the mid‐1980s, when he was head of the Department of Geology at the University of Dar es Salaam in Tanzania. I have followed his diverse career ever since. In July 2006 he turned 78, but he hasn't slowed down at all!
Past, present, and future: A science program for the Arctic Ocean linking ancient and contemporary observations of change through modeling
Authors: Coakley Bernard , Edmonds Henrietta N. , Frey Karen , Gascard Jean‐Claude , Grebmeier Jacqueline M. , Kassens Heidemarie , Thiede Jörn , Wegner Carolyn
Published: September 2007

The Arctic Ocean is the missing piece for any global model. Records of processes at both long and short timescales will be necessary to predict the future evolution of the Arctic Ocean through what appears to be a period of rapid climate change. Ocean monitoring is impoverished without the long‐timescale records available from paleoceanography and the boundary conditions that can be obtained from marine geology and geophysics. The past and the present are the key to our ability to predict the future.
Communication between professionals during volcanic emergencies
Authors: Solana Carmen , Spiller Claire
Published: September 2007

Successful communication between scientists, officials, media, and the public is imperative during a volcanic crisis. Misunderstanding can lead to confusion and distrust, and it ultimately can transform an emergency into a disaster.

Experience developed during volcanic crises in the Caribbean has helped identify ‘good practice’ guidelines for communication by scientists during volcanic emergencies (see “Communication during volcanic emergencies: An operations manual for the Caribbean, by C. Solana et al., Benfield Greig Haz.Res. Cent., Univ. Coll. London, 2001; available at http://www.bghrc.com).
Will the magnetic North Pole move to Siberia?
Authors: Olsen Nils , Mandea Mioara
Published: September 2007

The magnetic dip poles, defined as the surface points in the Northern and Southern hemispheres where the Earth's magnetic field is vertical, have been the topic of various research activities over time. In addition, their location, and especially their motion, has attracted a large amount of public interest, and this interest will probably increase during the next few months due to the focus on polar regions stimulated by the International Polar Year (IPY) that started in March of this year.
Major earthquake strikes Japan
Authors: Suyehiro Kiyoshi
Published: September 2007

On 16 July 2007 at 10:13 A.M. local time (0113 UT) an earthquake of local magnitude 6.8 rumbled offshore Niigata Prefecture on Japan's Honshu Island, originating approximately 17 kilometers underground at 37.5°N, 138.6°E, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency.

The epicenter was less than 10 kilometers from the shore, close to Kashiwazaki, a city with a population of approximately 100,000. The death toll as of 19 July is 10; all fatalities were people more than 70 years old, most of whom were buried under collapsed buildings, the majority of which were old wooden houses. More than 1300 were injured.
Deep underground lab design team picked
Authors: Showstack Randy , Kumar Mohi
Published: September 2007

The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) announced on 10 July 2007 the selection of a University of California‐Berkeley proposal to produce a technical design for a U.S. Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) at the former Homestake gold mine near Lead, S.D. NSF also will begin working with researchers to identify initial experiments that might be deployed in DUSEL, according to Tony Chan, assistant director for NSF's Directorate of Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

NSF concurred with a panel of external experts who had determined that the proposal offered the greatest potential for developing a DUSEL. Any decision to construct and operate this laboratory needs further approvals by NSF and the U.S. National Science Board. An interdisciplinary “deep science” laboratory could shield sensitive physics experiments from background activity and could provide scientists with direct access to geological structures, tectonic processes, and life forms that are best studied deep underground. A Homestake DUSEL, if built as envisioned by its supporters, would be the largest and deepest facility of it kind in the world.
An unusual meteor shower on 1 September 2007
Authors: Jenniskens Peter , Vaubaillon Jérémie
Published: September 2007

Around 83 B.C., give or take a century, comet Kiess (C/1911 N1) passed by the Sun, ejecting a cloud of dust particles. The comet returned in 1911, after completing one orbit. The dust particles were pushed by solar radiation pressure into slightly wider orbits and have been returning ever since, forming a thin ongoing stream of dust that usually passes just outside Earth's orbit. On occasion, the combined gravity of the solar system's planets moves this dust trail into Earth's path. Earth encountered this 2000‐year‐old dust in 1935, 1986, and 1994, causing a meteor shower known as the Aurigids.
Coral ecosystem plan
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: September 2007

With climate change, unsustainable fishing practices, and disease “transforming coral communities at regional to global scales,” a 30 July report from the U.S. Geological Survey outlines a strategy for conducting research on coral ecosystems. The report indicates that USGS coral ecosystem research will focus on three major themes during the next five years, as funding permits: reef structure, ecological integrity, and the role of marine reserves; land‐based and local impacts; and responses to global change.

“Strategic Science for Coral Ecosystems” is available at the Web site: http://fisc.er.usgs.gov/coral_plan_finaLApril_2007.pdf
Probabilistic volcanic hazard and risk assessment quantifying long‐ and short‐term volcanic hazard: Building up a common strategy for Italian volcanoes, Erice, Italy, 8 November 2006
Authors: Marzocchi W. , Neri A. , Newhall C. G. , Papale P.
Published: September 2007

The term “hazard” can lead to some misunderstanding. In English, hazard has the generic meaning “potential source of danger,” but for more than 30 years [e.g., Fournier d'Albe, 1979], hazard has been also used in a more quantitative way, that reads, “the probability of a certain hazardous event in a specific time‐space window.” However, many volcanologists still use “hazard” and “volcanic hazard” in purely descriptive and subjective ways. A recent meeting held in November 2006 at Erice, Italy, entitled “Quantifying Long‐ and Short‐Term Volcanic Hazard: Building up a Common Strategy for Italian Volcanoes” (http://www.bo.ingv.it/ erice2006) concluded that a more suitable term for the estimation of quantitative hazard is “probabilistic volcanic hazard assessment” (PVHA).
Changes in Himalayan snow and glacier cover between 1972 and 2000
Authors: Prasad Anup K. , Singh Ramesh P.
Published: September 2007

Snow and glacier cover in the western Himalaya region are very important because four major rivers—the Indus, Ganga, Brahmaputra, and Yamuna—originate there. Changes in snow and glacier cover influence the discharge and flow of these perennial rivers, which together constitute one of the world's largest alluvial river basins, the Indo‐Gangetic (IG) basin. This basin is agriculturally fertile and densely populated with 700 million people. In the past, the basin has experienced numerous floods due to snow melting and also due to excessive monsoon rainfall. However, in recent years the areal extent of snow has been declining, especially in the western Himalayan region that has a direct influence over the hydrological regime of the basin and that also plays an important role in the changing climatic conditions of the Indian subcontinent.
Abbott out as National Science Foundation's Assistant Director for Geosciences
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: September 2007

Mark Abbott will not head the U.S. National Science Foundation's Geosciences Directorate, the agency stated on 2 August. This reverses a 10 July announcement by NSF that Abbott, dean of the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University (OSU), would assume the NSF assistant director position in October (Eos, 17 July 2007, p. 294).

A mid‐July review by the NSF Office of General Council raised concerns that conflict of interest rules would limit Abbott's ability to manage significant parts of the Geosciences Directorate. Because Abbott would have remained affiliated with OSU and with a number of programs, he would have needed to recuse himself from involvement in 4 out of 9 major funding areas related to the geosciences portfolio, according to Jeff Nesbit, director of the NSF Office of Legislative and Public Affairs.
Satellites, tsunamis, and early warnings
Authors: Allan T. D.
Published: September 2007

In the early morning of 26 December 2004 the ocean research satellite Jason flew over the Indian Ocean and recorded a surface tsunami wave less than 1 meter high. If it was no more than chance that a satellite equipped with a sensitive radar passed over at that precise moment, then the potential role of orbiting spacecraft in future early warning systems was established.

This special tsunami workshop was convened during the PORSEC biennial symposium to review the performance of satellites and consider the extent to which future space systems could contribute to reducing the impact of marine hazards.
Northern high‐latitude ecosystems respond to climate change
Authors: Bunn Andrew G. , Goetz Scott J. , Kimball John S. , Zhang Ke
Published: September 2007

The northern high latitudes are an area of particular importance to global climate change. As a system dependent on freezing conditions, the top of the planet contains vast amounts of carbon in biomass, soils, and permafrost that have the potential to interact with the atmosphere through the biosphere, hydrosphere, lithosphere, and cryosphere. If released en masse, this carbon would greatly exacerbate the levels of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Over the past 2 years, a growing body of research has provided evidence of substantial but idiosyncratic environmental changes, with some surprising aspects, across the region. This article reviews some recent findings and presents a new analysis of northern vegetation photosynthetic and productivity trends tracked from Earthobserving satellites.
Science and math education action plan
Authors: Kumar Mohi
Published: September 2007

The U.S. National Science Board has proposed a plan to improve the quality of science and math education at all grade levels nationwide. If implemented, the plan will help attract and retain quality educators, enhance scientific literacy in current teachers and students, develop national math and science standards for each grade, and ensure that continuity in learning exists as students move from one grade to the next.

A National Action Plan for Addressing the Critical Needs of the u.s. Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Education System, released in draft form on 8 August, seeks to correct what National Science Board (NSB) members see as failures of the U.S. science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) education system in ensuring that all U.S. students receive the skills and knowledge required to be successful in the 21st‐century workforce.
Present‐day springtime high‐latitude surface albedo as a predictor of simulated climate sensitivity
Authors: Levis Samuel , Bonan Gordon B. , Lawrence Peter J.
Published: September 2007

Simulations by the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM) and 15 other climate models suggest that climate sensitivity is linked to continental middle to high latitude present‐day springtime albedo. We compare 1 × CO2 and 2 × CO2 CAM simulations against similar simulations with snow cover fraction purposely increased. Greater snow cover fraction leads to higher albedo and lower temperatures at 1 × CO2 but has less influence at 2 × CO2 when little snow remains due to global warming. This makes the simulation with higher albedo at 1 × CO2 more sensitive to increased CO2, in agreement with past work. We show that the wide variation in simulated snow‐albedo feedbacks and climate sensitivities among 15 other models correlates well with variations in the continental middle to high latitude present‐day springtime albedo, in agreement with our CAM results. The development of more accurate snow and albedo parameterizations should improve model estimates of climate sensitivity.
Paleomagnetic analysis using SQUID microscopy
Authors: Weiss Benjamin P. , Lima Eduardo A. , Fong Luis E. , Baudenbacher Franz J.
Published: September 2007

Superconducting quantum interference device (SQUID) microscopes are a new generation of instruments that map magnetic fields with unprecedented spatial resolution and moment sensitivity. Unlike standard rock magnetometers, SQUID microscopes map magnetic fields rather than measuring magnetic moments such that the sample magnetization pattern must be retrieved from source model fits to the measured field data. Here we present the first direct comparison between paleomagnetic analyses on natural samples using joint measurements from SQUID microscopy and moment magnetometry. We demonstrate that in combination with a priori geologic and petrographic data, SQUID microscopy can accurately characterize the magnetization of lunar glass spherules and Hawaiian basalt. The bulk moment magnitude and direction of these samples inferred from inversions of SQUID microscopy data match direct measurements on the same samples using moment magnetometry. In addition, these inversions provide unique constraints on the magnetization distribution within the sample. These measurements are among the most sensitive and highest resolution quantitative paleomagnetic studies of natural remanent magnetization to date. We expect that this technique will be able to extend many other standard paleomagnetic techniques to previously inaccessible microscale samples.
Analyzing the applications of an assimilation model as a method for validation of satellite data
Authors: Jones A. K. , Rösevall J. D. , Murtagh D. P.
Published: September 2007

An analysis was performed to illustrate that data assimilation is an appropriate method for validation of satellite measurements when very few coincidences are available between satellite measurements and balloon sondes. Results showed that the mean differences between the Isentropic Assimilation model for Stratospheric Ozone (IASCO) model ozone profiles and collocated ozonesondes shared systematic differences similar to those obtained from collocated MIPAS and ozonesonde coincidences. The spatial and temporal constraints of 12 hours and 800 km produced the optimal number of MIPAS/sonde matches for a statistical analysis. The largest residual between the IASCO/sonde mean difference and MIPAS/sonde mean difference, using these constraints, was less than 0.25 ppmv, between potential temperature levels of 425–975 K. By using the assimilation model coincidences, we also conclude that the maximum time/distance constraint sizes that can be used when obtaining matches between satellite measurements and in situ measurements should be no more than 24 hours and a maximum of 1500–2000 km. However, local conditions such as the presence of a dynamical feature, for example the edge of the polar vortex, may of course greatly restrict these limits.
The correlation between proinflammatory cytokines, MAdCAM‐1 and cellular infiltration in the inflamed colon from TNF‐α gene knockout mice
Authors: Xu Yinghua , Hunt Nicholas H , Bao Shisan
Published: September 2007

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) is important in the development of inflammatory bowel disease. TNF‐α‐deficient mice show more severe colonic inflammation than wild‐type (Wt) mice, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Using immunohistochemistry, enzyme‐linked‐immunosorbent assay and histopathology, we found that there was a higher level of macrophage infiltration in TNF‐α−/− compared to Wt mice. This is consistent with higher levels of monocyte chemotactic protein‐1, interleukin (IL)‐6 and granulocyte monocyte colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) in the inflamed colon from the TNF‐α−/− mice, compared to the Wt mice, following dextran sulphate sodium (DSS) challenge. There was close correlation between clinical observations and histopathological findings in both Wt and TNF‐α−/− mice. The expression of mucosal addressin cell adhesion molecule 1 (MAdCAM‐1) was upregulated in the colon of Wt and TNF‐α−/− mice following DSS challenge. Interestingly, the induction of MAdCAM‐1 was relatively lower in the inflamed colon of TNF‐α−/− mice, despite the higher inflammatory cell infiltrate, compared to their Wt counterparts. On the other hand, TNF‐α−/− mice had significantly lower baseline levels of colonic IL‐4, IL‐6 and GM‐CSF. Furthermore, there was a reduction of both immunoglobulin A (IgA) and IgG in the gut from TNF‐α−/− mice following DSS challenge. These data indicate that TNF‐α deficiency alters homoeostasis of the colonic chemokine/cytokine environment and humoral immune response, resulting in an exacerbation of acute DSS‐induced colitis in TNF‐α−/− mice. These findings support the idea that TNF‐α plays a role in the acute stage of intestinal inflammation.
Higher Education and Spatial (Im)Mobility: Nontraditional Students and Living at Home
Authors: Christie Hazel
Published: September 2007

I investigate the mobility decisions of students going into higher education in the UK, and look particularly at the circumstances under which students in one higher education market chose to live at home and their experiences of attending a local university. As more young people from nontraditional backgrounds are encouraged to participate in higher education, and as the financial costs of attending are increasingly borne by students and their families, more students are choosing to stay at home for financial reasons. I explore the advantages and disadvantages of students' decisions to live at home in the context of normative debates which stress the value of spatial mobility to the student lifestyle. While the evidence supports the argument that living at home is an economically rational decision for students from nontraditional backgrounds, it is also steeped in young peoples' emotional attachments to locally based networks of family and friends. Further, the connections between living at home and social and educational disadvantage amongst university students are investigated. The analysis shows that disadvantage is not associated with living at home per se, but is related to students' patterns of working, studying, and commuting.
Phylogeny of Prosopis (Leguminosae) as shown by morphological and biochemical evidence
Authors: Burghardt Alicia D. , Espert Shirley M.
Published: September 2007

Prosopis L. is a rather primitive genus within the Leguminosae–Mimosoideae. This genus has been divided into five sections on the basis especially of the vegetative diversification of the spines. Three of the sections, Algarobia, Monilicarpa and Strombocarpa, are distributed in America. In order to elucidate systematic relationships between the American sections of Prosopis, a morphological and biochemical phylogeny were obtained. Twenty-two morphological characters were scored for 27 species of Prosopis and the outgroup taxon following polyacrilamide gel electrophoresis of seed storage proteins. The results obtained clearly prove that the secction Strombocarpa is a natural taxon. The section Algarobia, on the other hand, seems to comprise an artificial grouping of species. Members of the series Denudantes appear isolated from the remaining species, therefore this taxon should be treated as a new section within Prosopis. The section Algarobia should be circumscribed to series Chilenses, Ruscifoliae and Pallidae, which are always united in a monophyletic clade. Finally, no evidence was found to confirm the existence of the section Monilicarpa.
Incorporation of the Australian genera Halosarcia, Pachycornia, Sclerostegia and Tegicornia into Tecticornia (Salicornioideae, Chenopodiaceae)
Authors: Shepherd Kelly A. , Wilson Paul G.
Published: September 2007

Recent molecular and morphological studies have shown that the genera Halosarcia, Pachycornia, Sclerostegia, Tecticornia and Tegicornia are closely related and form a monophyletic group. Support for the monophyly of the individual genera in the group is lacking, with the smaller genera nested in a paraphyletic Halosarcia. In light of this it is proposed that these genera be subsumed into a single genus for which the most appropriate available name is Tecticornia. A conspectus is provided of all species in the expanded Tecticornia, with new combinations given for 30 species and 13 subspecies.
Rapid seasonal-like regression of the adult avian song control system
Authors: Thompson Christopher K. , Bentley George E. , Brenowitz Eliot A.
Published: September 2007

We analyzed how rapidly avian song control nuclei regress after testosterone (T) withdrawal. Regression of neuronal attributes resulting from T withdrawal has been observed in several animal models. The time course over which regression occurs is not known, however. To address this issue, we castrated adult male white-crowned sparrows and rapidly shifted them to short-day photoperiods after being held under breeding conditions (long-day photoperiod and systemic T exposure) for 3 weeks. We found that the volume of one song nucleus, HVC, regressed 22% within 12 h after T withdrawal. Changes in HVC neuron density after T withdrawal were dynamic; density increased at 12 h and then decreased by 4 days. HVC neuron number was reduced by 26% by 4 days. The volumes of Area X and the robust nucleus of the arcopallium (RA) were significantly regressed by 7 and 20 days, respectively. RA somatic area and neuronal spacing were significantly reduced by 2 days. The rapidity of HVC regression is unprecedented among vertebrate models of hormone-sensitive neural circuits. These results reveal that the rapid regression of the song control system provides a model for the important role sex steroid hormones play in mediating adult neural plasticity and in neuroprotection.
Psychotropic drug use among persons with mental distress symptoms: A population-based study in Norway
Authors: Hausken Anne M. , Skurtveit Svetlana , Rosvold Elin O. , Bramness Jørgen G. , Furu Kari
Published: September 2007

Aims: To explore psychotropic drug use in the general population and in particular among non-institutionalized persons with mental distress symptoms. Methods: A total of 14,139 women and 11,665 men participating in the Oslo Health Study or the Oppland/Hedmark Study 2000—2001 submitted a self-administered questionnaire on health status and drug use, lifestyle, and socioeconomic factors. Respondents using antidepressants, hypnotics, and/or anxiolytics during the last four weeks were defined as users. A high Hopkins Symptoms Checklist-10 score indicated mental distress. The 15% with the highest score in each gender and age group (adults: 30/40/45 years; elderly: 60 years) were studied. Results: The prevalence of antidepressant use among those with mental distress was, for women: adults 21%; elderly 30%; and for men, adults 15%; elderly 15%. These figures were nearly four times higher than in the general population. Not participating in the labour market was the main factor associated with use of antidepressants for subjects with mental distress: adult women (odds ratio (OR) 3.5; 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.5—5.0); elderly women (OR 5.2; CI 2.7—10.2); adult men (OR 4.7; CI 3.0—7.3); and elderly men (OR 2.9; CI 1.4—6.0). Use of analgesics was the main factor associated with use of anxiolytics/hypnotics: adult women (OR 2.4; CI 1.7—3.4); elderly women (OR 2.3; CI 1.4—3.8); adult men (OR 2.1; CI 1.3—3.3); and elderly men (OR 3.4; CI 1.9—6.0). Conclusions: Among individuals with mental distress, not participating in the labour market and regular use of analgesics were the main factors associated with use of psychotropics in both genders regardless of age.
Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Patients with Histoplasmosis: 2007 Update by the Infectious Diseases Society of America
Authors: Wheat L. Joseph , Freifeld Alison G. , Kleiman Martin B. , Baddley John W. , McKinsey David S. , Loyd James E. , Kauffman Carol A.
Published: September 2007

Evidence-based guidelines for the management of patients with histoplasmosis were prepared by an Expert Panel of the Infectious Diseases Society of America. These updated guidelines replace the previous treatment guidelines published in 2000 (Clin Infect Dis 2000; 30:688–95). The guidelines are intended for use by health care providers who care for patients who either have these infections or may be at risk for them. Since 2000, several new antifungal agents have become available, and clinical trials and case series have increased our understanding of the management of histoplasmosis. Advances in immunosuppressive treatment for inflammatory disorders have created new questions about the approach to prevention and treatment of histoplasmosis. New information, based on publications from the period 1999–2006, are incorporated into this guideline document. In addition, the panel added recommendations for management of histoplasmosis in children for those aspects that differ from aspects in adults.
Dependence of the confinement of fast ions generated by ICRF heating on the field configuration in Heliotron J
Authors: Okada H. , Torii Y. , Kobayashi S. , Kaneko M. , Kitagawa H. , Tomokiyo T. , Takahashi H. , Mutoh T. , Mizuuchi T. , Nagasaki K. , Nakamura Y. , Yamamoto S. , Arimoto H. , Hanatani K. , Kondo K. , Sano F.
Published: September 2007

A formation and confinement experiment for fast ions is performed using the ion cyclotron range of frequencies (ICRF) minority heating scheme with a proton minority and a deuteron majority in Heliotron J, a low-shear helical-axis heliotron. The effect of the magnetic configuration on the fast-ion confinement is one of the most important issues in helical devices. In this paper, the effect of bumpiness, one of the Fourier components of the field strength, on the trapped fast-ion confinement is clarified by using ICRF minority heating. The role of the bumpiness is a key issue for the design principle of the magnetic field of Heliotron J, where the particle confinement is controlled by the bumpiness. Here, the bumpiness or the bumpy ripple is defined by the Fourier harmonic ratio εb≡B04/B00in (Mizuuchi Tet al2006Fusion Sci. Technol.50352), whereB04is the bumpy component andB00is the averaged magnetic field strength. The proper bumpiness causes deeply trapped particles to be confined in the small grad-Bregion. High-energy ions are produced up to 10 keV by injecting an ICRF pulse into an electron cyclotron heating target plasma where ion temperature at the centreTi(0) = 0.2 keV, electron temperature at the centreTe(0) = 0.8 keV and line-averaged electron density. For the study of the configuration dependence of the fast particle confinement, three configurations are selected; the bumpy ripples are 0.01, 0.06 and 0.15 at the normalized minor radius ρ = 0.67. The measured tail temperatures by using a charge-exchange neutral energy analyser are 1.10 keV, 0.88 keV and 0.50 keV for the ripples of 0.15, 0.06 and 0.01, respectively. The heating efficiency of the bulk ion is also better in the high bumpy case. A Monte-Carlo analysis also indicates good confinement of the high energy ions in the high bumpy case although the difference is not very large compared with the experiment.
Politicians' Perceptions of the “Muslim Problem”
Authors: Cherribi Sam
Published: September 2007

This chapter is divided into three sections. The first examines social science literature on migration and citizenship, and its relevance to the issue of Muslims in Europe. The second examines the results of two sets of interviews conducted with European parliamentarians, and underscores striking convergences across the political spectrum in how the issue of Muslim migration is constructed. The third section looks at the 2004 murder of filmmaker Theo van Gogh. The handling of this in the Netherlands represents a dramatic example of the political discovery of a Muslim problem with far-reaching implications for the future of religious pluralism and democracy.
The Legacy of Alexander
Authors: Bosworth A. B.
Published: September 2007

This book presents a study dedicated to the thirty years after the death of Alexander the Great in 323 BC. It deals with the emergence of the successor monarchies and examines the factors which brought success and failure. Some of the central themes are the struggle for pre-eminence after Alexander's death, the fate of the Macedonian army of conquest, and the foundation of Seleucus' monarchy. The book also examines the statesman and historian Hieronymus of Cardia, concentrating on his treatment of widow burning in India and nomadism in Arabia. Another highlight is the first full analysis of the epic struggle between Antigonus and Eumenes (318-316), one of the most important and decisive campaigns of the ancient world.
Women Latin Poets
Authors: Stevenson Jane
Published: September 2007

This book addresses women's relationship to culture between the 1st century BC and the 18th century by identifying women who wrote poetry in Latin. It also considers women's prose writing in Latin and their performance as Latin orators. The earlier chapters move forward through time up to the Renaissance, which is then treated on a country-by-country basis, followed by a second suite of chapters on the early modern era. It surveys the phenomenon of women who achieved a position in public life at a time when this was not open to women in general, and how the societies in which this occurred permitted this to happen. It is completed by a checklist of more than 300 women Latin poets, identifying where possible their names, place, milieu, and providing details of their work and a comprehensive finding guide listing manuscripts, editions, and translations.
REPRINT DYNAMICS OF CONCENTRATED POLYMER SYSTEMS PART 2.—MOLECULAR MOTION UNDER FLOW
Authors: Doi M. , Edwards S. F.
Published: September 2007

The primitive chain model presented in Part 1 is extended here to the case in which the system is macroscopically deformed. The molecular expression of the stress due to the primitive chain is given, and the stress relaxation after a sudden deformation is calculated as an example.
Image to Interpretation
Authors: Terras Melissa
Published: September 2007

The ink and stylus tablets discovered at the Roman fort of Vindolanda are a unique resource for scholars of ancient history. However, the stylus tablets in particular are extremely difficult to read. This book details the development of what appears to be the first system constructed to aid experts in the process of reading an ancient document, exploring the extent to which techniques from artificial intelligence can be used to develop a system that could aid historians in reading the stylus texts. Using knowledge elicitation techniques (borrowed from artificial intelligence and engineering science), a model is proposed for how experts construct a reading of a text. A prototype system is presented that can read in image data and produce realistic and plausible textual interpretations of the writing that appears on the documents. Incorporating knowledge elicited from experts working on the texts, and utilizing image processing techniques developed in engineering science to analyze the stylus tablets, the book includes a corpora of letter forms generated from the Vindolanda text corpus, and a detailed description of the architecture of the system. This research presents the first stages towards developing a cognitive visual system that can propagate realistic interpretations from image data.
The Rise of the To-Infinitive
Authors: Los Bettelou
Published: September 2007

This book describes the historical emergence and spread of the to-infinitive in English. It shows that to + infinitive emerged from a reanalysis of the preposition to plus a deverbal nominalization, which spread first to purpose clauses, then to other non-finite environments. The book challenges the traditional reasoning that infinitives must have been nouns in Old English because they inflected for dative case and can follow prepositions. In fact, as early as Old English, the to-infinitive was established in most of the environments in which it is found today, and its syntactic behaviour clearly shows that it is already a clause rather than a phrase at this early date. Its spread was largely due to competition with finite subjunctive that-clauses, which it gradually replaced. Later chapters consider Middle English developments. The book provides a measured evaluation of the evidence that the infinitive marker to undergoes a period of degrammaticalization. It concludes that the extent to which to gains syntactic freedom in Middle English is due to the fact that speakers began to equate it with the modal verbs, and therefore to treat it syntactically as a modal verb. The rise of to-infinitival Exceptional Case-Marking constructions is a Middle English innovation, triggered by changes in information structure that were in turn caused by the loss of verb-second.
Writing Under Tyranny
Authors: Walker Greg
Published: September 2007

This book considers the impact of Henry VIII’s break with Rome and the Royal Supremacy of the 1530s upon the generation of poets, playwrights, and prose-writers who lived through those events. Spanning the boundaries between literature and history, it charts the profound effects that Henry’s increasingly tyrannical regime had on the literary production of the early 16th century and shows how English writers strove to mitigate, redirect, and finally resist oppressive royal demands. The book argues that the result of Henrician tyranny was both the destruction of a number of venerable literary forms and the collapse of a literary culture that had dominated the late-medieval period, as well as the birth of many modes of writing now seen as characteristic of the English literary renaissance. Separate sections of the book focus specifically upon the work of John Thynne, the editor of the first collected Works of Chaucer; the playwright John Heywood; Sir Thomas Elyot; Sir Thomas Wyatt; and Henry Howard, the poet Earl of Surrey.
PepSplice: cache-efficient search algorithms for comprehensive identification of tandem mass spectra
Authors: Roos Franz F. , Jacob Riko , Grossmann Jonas , Fischer Bernd , Buhmann Joachim M. , Gruissem Wilhelm , Baginsky Sacha , Widmayer Peter
Published: September 2007

Motivation: Tandem mass spectrometry allows for high-throughput identification of complex protein samples. Searching tandem mass spectra against sequence databases is the main analysis method nowadays. Since many peptide variations are possible, including them in the search space seems only logical. However, the search space usually grows exponentially with the number of independent variations and may therefore overwhelm computational resources.

Results: We provide fast, cache-efficient search algorithms to screen large peptide search spaces including non-tryptic peptides, whole genomes, dozens of posttranslational modifications, unannotated point mutations and even unannotated splice sites. All these search spaces can be screened simultaneously. By optimizing the cache usage, we achieve a calculation speed that closely approaches the limits of the hardware. At the same time, we control the size of the overall search space by limiting the combinations of variations that can co-occur on the same peptide. Using a hypergeometric scoring scheme, we applied these algorithms to a dataset of 1 420 632 spectra. We were able to identify a considerable number of peptide variations within a modest amount of computing time on standard desktop computers.

Availability: PepSplice is available as a C++ application for Linux, Windows and OSX at www.ti.inf.ethz.ch/pw/software/pepsplice/. It is open source under the revised BSD license.

Contact:  franz.roos@alumni.ethz.ch or jacob@in.tum.de

Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.