bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Antibody response to OspC-I synthetic peptide derived
from outer surface protein C of Borrelia burgdorferi in sera
from Japanese forestry workers
Authors: IKUSHIMA M. , YAMADA F. , KAWAHASHI S. , OKUYAMA Y. , MATSUI K.
Published: July 2002

The prevalence of antibodies against Lyme disease spirochaetes in serum samples from 80
forestry workers at high occupational risk of Lyme disease was surveyed by enzyme-linked
immunosorbent assay (ELISA) with the OspC-I synthetic peptide. The peptide is part of the
outer surface protein C (OspC) amino acid sequence located in the region conserved among
Borrelia burgdorferi sensu stricto or sensu lato. Positivity for antibodies against OspC-I was
observed in 25 (31·3%) of the forestry workers. Of these positive cases, 12 (15·0%) and 19
(23·8%) were positive for immunoglobulin M (IgM) and IgG antibody, respectively. Among 62
workers who were negative for IgG antibody against B. garinii or B. japonica in our previous
study, 9 (14·5%) and 4 (6·5%) were positive for IgM and IgG antibody, respectively, in OspC-I
ELISA. These results demonstrate for the first time that Lyme disease in forestry workers can
be revealed using OspC-I ELISA. We conclude that forestry workers who show positive results
for antibodies against OspC-I have very likely been exposed to Lyme disease spirochaetes, and
that those who show positivity for IgM antibody against OspC-I may be in the early stage of
Lyme disease.
Method used to identify previously undiagnosed infections in
the HIV outbreak at Glenochil prison
Authors: HUTCHINSON S. J. , GORE S. M. , GOLDBERG D. J. , YIRRELL D. L. , MCGREGOR J. , BIRD A. G. , LEIGH-BROWN A. J.
Published: July 2002

Four years after the occurrence of an outbreak of hepatitis B and HIV infection among
injecting drug user inmates at Her Majesty's Prison Glenochil in Scotland, a study design was
developed to complete the epidemiological account of the HIV outbreak. Our aim was to
identify potential cases of (1) HIV transmission not diagnosed during the original outbreak
investigation and (2) the source(s) of the outbreak. Scotland's HIV positive case register was
searched for matches to a soundexed list of 636 Glenochil inmates imprisoned during
January–June 1993. Eight HIV infections that may have been acquired in Glenochil and four
possible sources of the outbreak were identified. The second stage of follow-up – molecular
epidemiological techniques used on stored sera samples from identified individuals – is
described in the companion paper. Without breach of medical or prisoner confidentiality,
indirect and anonymous follow-up has proved possible for the Glenochil inmates.
The European Sero-Epidemiology Network: standardizing the
enzyme immunoassay results for measles, mumps and rubella
Authors: ANDREWS N. , PEBODY R. G. , BERBERS G. , BLONDEAU C. , CROVARI P. , DAVIDKIN I. , FARRINGTON P. , FIEVET-GROYNE F. , GABUTTI G. , GERIKE E. , GIORDANO C. , HESKETH L. , MARZEC T. , MORGAN-CAPNER P. , OSBORNE K. , PLEISNER A. M. , RAUX M. , TISCHER A. , RUDEN U. , VALLE M. , MILLER E.
Published: July 2002

The ESEN (European Sero-Epidemiology Network) project was established to harmonize the
seroepidemiology of five vaccine preventable infections including measles, mumps and rubella
in eight European countries. This involved achieving comparability both in the assay results
from testing in different centres and also sampling methodology. Standardization of enzyme
immunoassay results was achieved through the development of common panels of sera by
designated reference centres. The panels were tested at the reference laboratory and then
distributed to each participating laboratory for testing using their routine methods.
Standardization equations were calculated by regressing the quantitative results against those of
the reference laboratory. Our study found large differences in unitage between participants,
despite all using an EIA method standardized against an international or local standard.
Moreover, our methodology adjusted for this difference. These standardization equations will
be used to convert the results of main serosurvey testing into the reference country unitage to
ensure inter-country comparability.
Presence of enteroviruses and reoviruses in the waters of the Italian coast of the Adriatic Sea
Authors: PIANETTI A. , BAFFONE W. , CITTERIO B. , CASAROLI A. , BRUSCOLINI F. , SALVAGGIO L.
Published: July 2002

EEC directive 76/160 requires member states to apply microbiological and chemico-physical
standards for the quality of recreational waters. In observation of this regulation, in the
present study 144 samples of seawater were taken over a 12-month period and tested to
determine viral contamination. The samples were collected from the coastal waters of the
Italian town of Pesaro, which is located on the Adriatic Sea. Using cell culture techniques,
32·6% of the seawater samples were found to be contaminated with enteroviruses. Isolation of
these viruses was most frequent in the summer months. Thus, our results indicate the need to
increase the frequency of monitoring of these waters and to eliminate the sources of
contamination.
Use of biomarkers to assess the feasibility of delivering a vaccine to badgers (Meles meles)
Authors: Southey A. K. , Sleeman D. P. , Prendergast J. , O'Sullivan R. F. , Mulcahy M. F.
Published: July 2002

Controlled studies with baits containing the biomarkers iophenoxic acid or tetracycline were carried out to measure bait uptake by free‐living badgers. The presence of these biomarkers was determined in badger plasma and dentition. The biomarkers were then incorporated into baits to quantify bait uptake by badgers in the field. Seven captive badgers were orally dosed with iophenoxic acid, which was subsequently measured in serial plasma samples for 18 weeks. Subsequently, field studies using baits marked with iophenoxic acid were carried out at selected setts in two study areas. In other experiments, five cage‐trapped badgers were orally dosed with tetracycline and released. These badgers were subsequently re‐trapped and the presence of tetracycline measured in sections of canine teeth. Field trials were also carried out using baits marked with tetracycline in four separate study areas. Badgers dosed with iophenoxic acid had elevated plasma iodine in comparison to a pre‐dose baseline level. The elevations in plasma iodine could be detected throughout the sampling period. Field experiments using iophenoxic acid showed that c. 80+ of wild badgers had ingested the marked bait. In addition, all five badgers dosed with tetracycline had tetracycline deposits in their canine teeth. Between 20+ and 77.8+ of badgers trapped in the tetracycline field trials were positive for uptake of the tetracycline‐marked bait. Variation in the percentage of badgers marked was attributed to several factors including seasonal timing of bait deployment. Our results indicated that iophenoxic acid and tetracycline were effective biomarkers of bait uptake by badgers.
Seasonal habitat use by flying‐foxes, Pteropus alecto and P. scapulatus (Megachiroptera), in monsoonal Australia
Authors: Vardon Michael J. , Brocklehurst Peter S. , Woinarski John C. Z. , Cunningham Ross B. , Donnelly Christine F. , Tidemann Christopher R.
Published: July 2002

Distributions of flying‐fox (Pteropus alecto and P. scapulatus) were examined in relation to use of habitat in the essentially natural landscape of northern Australia. There were differences between the species in terms of the vegetation used for roosting and foraging, which were related to the reproductive cycle and seasonal variation in temperature, rainfall and the availability of preferred foods. Important habitats of P. alecto varied seasonally and included floodplain, mangrove, monsoon rainforest, Melaleuca open‐forest, and Eucalyptus miniata/E. tetrodonta open‐forest and woodland. The minimum scale at which conservation of P. alecto should be attempted is in the order of 5000 km2, based on seasonal patterns of habitat use. The size of this area will make conservation via traditional reserves difficult and conservation of important habitats outside reserves will be needed. Habitats protected for the benefit of P. alecto will also benefit P. scapulatus but because P. scapulatus is more mobile, displays greater yearly variation in distribution and is less well understood than P. alecto, appropriate conservation actions are less certain.
Functional morphology of the pecten oculi in the nocturnal spotted eagle owl (Bubo bubo africanus), and the diurnal black kite (Milvus migrans) and domestic fowl (Gallus gallus var. domesticus): a comparative study
Authors: Kiama S G. , Maina J. N. , Bhattacharjee J. , Weyrauch K. D.
Published: July 2002

The pecten oculi is a highly vascularized and pigmented organ that overlies the optic disc and projects into the vitreous body in the avian eye. First reported over 300 years ago, its function(s) remains a puzzle to ornithologists, ophthalmologists and anatomists. Morphometric study of this unique organ was undertaken in birds exhibiting apparently different visual acuities, namely two species of diurnal birds (the ground‐dwelling domestic fowl Gallus gallus var. domesticus and a highly active predator bird, the black kite (Milvus migrans) and a nocturnal bird (the spotted‐eagle owl Bubo bubo africanus). The volume of the owl's eye was 4.8 and 2.2 times larger than that of the fowl and the kite, respectively. However, the pecten of the fowl consisted of more pleats (16–18) compared to the kite (12–13) and the owl (5–6). The volume of the pecten of the kite was 1.4 and 2.7 times larger than that of the fowl and the owl, respectively (P < 0.05). Similarly, the surface area of the pecten of the kite was 2.6 and 4 times larger than that of the fowl and owl, respectively (P < 0.05). The volume density of blood vessels (lumen and wall) in the pecten of the kite, fowl and owl comprised 67.7%, 66.9% and 62.6%, respectively, the pigmented tissue constituting the rest. Both the volume density and the volume of the blood in the pecten were higher in the diurnal birds (kite, fowl) than the owl (P < 0.05). The surface area of the capillary luminal surface was 1.7 and 5.3 times higher in the kite than in the fowl and the owl, respectively (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the functional morphology of the pecten correlates with the life‐style of the bird and with functional need, and lends further support to the nutritive role of the pecten.
Inappropriate application of logarithmic transformations for allometric power functions of morphometric data on acanthocephalan worms
Authors: Voordouw Maarten J.
Published: July 2002

Logarithmic transformation is used to transform multiplicative phenomena to a linear, additive scale. Some workers recommend the transformation x′= log x+ 1 when observed values are equal to zero. However, when working with morphometric data, this transformation is inappropriate because it arbitrarily changes the nature of the relationship between body parts. To illustrate this point, this contribution re‐analyses a data set from the recent literature.
School-aged children's vulnerability to depressive symptomatology: The role of
attachment security, maternal depressive symptomatology, and economic risk
Authors: GRAHAM CHRISTINE A. , EASTERBROOKS M. ANN
Published: July 2002

The influences of three risk factors (insecure attachment, maternal depressive symptoms, and
economic risk) on children's depressive symptomatology were examined. Subjects were
85 children from a range of income levels; all subjects were between 7 and 9 years of age.
Children's depressive symptomatology was assessed with the Dimensions of Depression
Profile for Children and Adolescents. Results indicated that children at high economic risk were
more likely to exhibit depressive symptomatology than were children at low economic risk.
Security of attachment was significantly related to children's depressive symptomatology.
In addition, a significant relation was noted between children's depressive
symptomatology and the depressive symptomatology of their mothers. Contrary to expectations,
no significant relation was found between maternal depressive symptomatology and security of
attachment. A multiple regression analysis revealed that security of attachment, maternal
depressive symptomatology, and economic risk accounted for 47% of the variability in
children's depression scores. Secure attachment served as a buffer; economic risk was
associated with depressive symptoms only among insecurely attached children.
Simulation of singularities and instabilities arising in thin film flow
Authors: GRÜN GÜNTHER , RUMPF MARTIN
Published: July 2002

We present a finite element scheme for nonlinear fourth-order diffusion equations that arise
for example in lubrication theory for the time evolution of thin films of viscous fluids. The
equations are in general fourth-order degenerate parabolic, but in addition singular terms of
second order may occur which model the effects of intermolecular forces or thermocapillarity.
Discretizing the arising nonlinearities in a subtle way allows us to establish discrete counterparts
of the essential integral estimates found in the continuous setting. As a consequence,
the algorithm is efficient, and results on convergence, nonnegativity or even strict positivity of
discrete solutions follow in a natural way. Applying this scheme to the numerical simulation
of different models shows various interesting qualitative effects, which turn out to be in good
agreement with physical experiments.
Universal algebraic convergence in time
of pulled fronts: the common mechanism
for difference-differential and partial differential
equations
Authors: EBERT UTE , VAN SAARLOOS WIM , PELETIER BERT
Published: July 2002

We analyze the front structures evolving under the difference-differential equation ∂tCj =
−Cj+C2j−1
from initial conditions 0 [les ] Cj(0) [les ] 1 such that Cj(0) → 1 as j → ∞ suffciently
fast. We show that the velocity v(t) of the front converges to a constant value v* according to
v(t) = v*−3/(2λ*t)+(3√π/2) Dλ*/(λ*2Dt)3/2+[Oscr ](1/t2). Here v*, λ* and D are determined by
the properties of the equation linearized around Cj = 1. The same asymptotic expression is
valid for fronts in the nonlinear diffusion equation, where the values of the parameters λ*, v*
and D are specific to the equation. The identity of methods and results for both equations is
due to a common propagation mechanism of these so-called pulled fronts. This gives reasons
to believe that this universal algebraic convergence actually occurs in an even larger class of
equations.
Formulation and summation of hyperasymptotic
expansions obtained from integrals
Authors: BYATT-SMITH J. G. B.
Published: July 2002

Formal hyperasymptotic expansions of integrals are obtained
from the Poincaré asymptotic
expansion by re-expanding the remainder term. We show that for the integrals
under
consideration these hyperasymptotic expansions can be made accurate to
any desired
exponentially-small order.
Stability of a dislocation : Discrete model
Authors: MOVCHAN A. B. , BULLOUGH R. , WILLIS J. R.
Published: July 2002

An algorithm, based on a discrete nonlinear model, is
presented for evaluation of the critical
shear stress required to move a dislocation through a lattice.
The stability of solutions of the
corresponding evolution problem is analysed. Numerical results provide
upper and lower
bounds for the critical shear stress.
Generalizing generalized tries
Authors: HINZE RALF
Published: July 2002

A trie is a search tree scheme that employs the structure of search keys to organize information.
Tries were originally devised as a means to represent a collection of records indexed by strings
over a fixed alphabet. Based on work by C. P. Wadsworth and others, R. H. Connelly and
F. L. Morris generalized the concept to permit indexing by elements built according to an
arbitrary signature. Here we go one step further, and define tries and operations on tries
generically for arbitrary datatypes of first-order kind, including parameterized and nested
datatypes. The derivation employs techniques recently developed in the context of polytypic
programming and can be regarded as a comprehensive case study in this new programming
paradigm. It is well known that for the implementation of generalized tries, nested datatypes
and polymorphic recursion are needed. Implementing tries for first-order kinded datatypes
places even greater demands on the type system: it requires rank-2 type signatures and second-order nested datatypes. Despite these requirements, the definition of tries is surprisingly simple,
which is mostly due to the framework of polytypic programming.
The Zipper
Authors: HUET GÉRARD
Published: July 2002

Almost every programmer has faced the problem of

representing a tree together with a

subtree that is the focus of attention, where that focus may

move left, right, up or down the tree. The Zipper is Huet's nifty name for a nifty data structure which fulfills this need. I wish I had known of it when I faced this task, because the solution

I came up with was not quite so efficient or elegant as the Zipper.
Early-onset and late-onset depression in older adults: psychological perspectives
Authors: Boyd Jemma , McKiernan Fionnuala , Waller Glen
Published: July 2002

Depression is the most common mental health problem in old age, presenting a significant challenge to mental health services for older adults. The high chronicity, relapse and mortality rates associated with late-life depression suggest that existing treatments for late-life depression are insufficient. Therefore, current theoretical understandings may require further development. Given the growing population of older adults, the need to improve our understanding of late-life depression is increasingly urgent.
The use of perineal pad testing to assess urinary incontinence
Authors: Jeyaseelan SM , Oldham JA , Roe BH
Published: July 2002

Urinary incontinence is a condition in which involuntary loss of urine is objectively demonstrated and results in a social or hygienic problem. A poll conducted for the Association for Continence Advice estimated that up to three million people in the UK suffer from incontinence. The incontinence may be transient, e.g. as a result of a urinary tract infection, or permanent, e.g. as a result of damage to the pelvic floor. Many sufferers may not seek medical advice for their predicament and the figures given above may be a gross underestimation of the problem.
An overview of rehabilitation for older people
Authors: Young John , Brown Alex , Forster Anne , Clare Josie
Published: July 2002

‘When I use a word, it means just what I choose it to mean’. So it is with rehabilitation, except that several definitions and explanations have been proposed. Although the similarities between the definitions are considerable and far eclipse any differences, the perceived diversity of view has contributed to confusion over the purpose and process of rehabilitation. Is it ‘elderly care’? Is it ‘therapy’? Is it ‘post-acute’ care? The apparent ambiguity and the intangible qualities of rehabilitation contrast with the concrete ‘ologies’ of contemporary organ-based medicine and contribute to its vulnerability in our modern general hospitals. Pressures caused by rising emergency admissions and cost-driven bed closures have necessitated steadily reducing lengths of stay and rehabilitation, as a less visible component of care, has tended to be squeezed out. Paradoxically, the consequences of the ‘sicker and quicker’ discharge approach, with fresh burdens placed on community health and social services, have drawn attention to rehabilitation as a missing ingredient. We have now entered a phase of rediscovering at a strategic policy level the rehabilitation needs of older people but redefined in new terminology as ‘recuperation’ or ‘recovery’ This article will describe the core concepts of rehabilitation for older people and set the scene for forthcoming articles addressing specific rehabilitation topics.
When Scott is weak on the top
Authors: EDALAT ABBAS
Published: July 2002

We construct an approximating chain of simple valuations on
the upper space of a compact
metric space whose lub is a given probability measure on the metric space.
We show that
whenever a separable metric space is homeomorphic to a Gδ
subset of an ω-continuous
dcpo equipped with its Scott topology, the space of probability measures
of the metric space
equipped with the weak topology is homeomorphic with a subset of the maximal
elements
of the probabilistic power domain of the ω-continuous dcpo. Given
an effective
approximation of a probability measure by an increasing chain of
normalised valuations on
the upper space of a compact metric space, we show that the
expected value of any Hölder
continuous function on the space can be obtained up to any given
accuracy. We present a
novel application in computing integrals in dynamical systems. We obtain
an algorithm to
compute the expected value of any Hölder continuous function with
respect to the unique
invariant measure of the Feigenbaum map in the periodic doubling route
to chaos.
Topical categories of domains
Authors: VICKERS STEVEN
Published: July 2002

This paper shows how it is possible to express many techniques of categorical domain
theory in the general context of topical categories (where ‘topical’ means internal in the
category Top of Grothendieck toposes with geometric morphisms). The underlying topos
machinery is hidden by using a geometric form of constructive mathematics, which enables
toposes as ‘generalized topological spaces’ to be treated in a transparently spatial way, and
also shows the constructivity of the arguments. The theory of strongly algebraic (SFP)
domains is given as a case study in which the topical category is Cartesian closed.
The Revolution Turns Eighty: New Literature on the Russian Revolution and its Aftermath
Authors: Shmelev Anatol
Published: July 2002

Orlando Figes, A People's Tragedy: The Russian Revolution, 1891–1924 (London: Jonathan Cape, 1996 (reviewed in Pimlico edition, 1997), 923 pp., ISBN 0–150–24364–X.

Vladimir N. Brovkin, Behind the Front Lines of the Russian Civil War: Political Parties and Social Movements in Russia, 1918–1922 (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1994), 455 pp., ISBN 0–691–03278–5.

Edward Acton, William G. Rosenberg and Vladimir Iu. Cherniaev, eds., Critical Companion to the Russian Revolution 1914–1921 (Bloomington and Indianapolis: Indiana University Press, 1997), 782 pp., ISBN 0–340–61454–4.

Ronald Kowalski, The Russian Revolution, 1917–1921 (London and New York: Routledge, 1997), 269 pp., ISBN 0–415–12437–9.

André Liebich. From the Other Shore: Russian Social Democracy after 1921 (Cambridge, MA, and London: Harvard University Press, 1997), 476 pp., ISBN 0–674–32517–6.

Over eighty years after it occurred, the Russian Revolution continues to engender debate among professional historians as well as the interested public. If the French Revolution is any guide, this interest is very likely to continue indefinitely. Causes and consequences, the meaning and significance of individual component events, the interplay of social forces, and cultural, political, intellectual, economic and a myriad of other aspects have and will continue to be examined and sifted through. Last year – the eightieth anniversary – produced a number of important works on the revolution and its consequences. Those under review here, including an older one from 1994, represent a range of approaches, from introductory accounts for the general reader to summations of the state of knowledge to histories of the revolution's ‘losers’.
The cloning cycle: from amphibia to mammals and back
Authors: Lewis IM , Munsie MJ , French AJ , Daniels R , Trounson AO
Published: July 2002

The process whereby a fertilized egg develops into more than 200 different cell types and forms a new individual is both intriguing and fundamental to developmental biology. The systematic pathway of cellular differentiation is generally thought to confer a restriction whereby differentiated cells lose the capacity to change into other cell types. However, the substitution of nuclear material from one cell type (egg) with that of another, in a process known as nuclear transfer or cloning, can reverse this restriction by removing epigenetic modifications to the chromatin structure. The ability to clone new individuals using this procedure was achieved some 30 years ago in amphibia in an effort to understand cellular differentiation. More recently, with the advent of improved embryo micromanipulation techniques, the technology has been applied to domestic and laboratory animals.
On the Fluctuations of the Giant Component
Authors: BARRAEZ D. , BOUCHERON S. , FERNANDEZ DE LA VEGA W.
Published: July 2002

We provide an alternate proof of the central limit theorem for the uctuations of the
size of the giant component in sparse random graphs. In contrast with previous proofs,
the argument investigates a depth-first search algorithm, through first-passage analysis
using couplings and martingale limit theorems. The analysis of the first passage limiting
distribution for sequences of Markov chains might be interesting in its own right. This
proof naturally provides an upper bound for the rate of convergence.
On Arithmetic Progressions of Cycle Lengths in Graphs
Authors: VERSTRAËTE JACQUES
Published: July 2002

A question recently posed by Häggkvist and Scott asked whether or not there exists a
constant c such that, if G is a graph of minimum degree ck,
then G contains cycles of k consecutive even lengths. In this paper we
answer the question by proving that, for k > 2,
a bipartite graph of average degree at least 4k and girth g contains cycles of
(g/2 − 1)k consecutive even lengths. We also obtain a short proof of the theorem
of Bondy and Simonovits, that a graph of order n and size at least
8(k − 1)n1+1/k has a cycle of length 2k.
New Bounds on the List-Chromatic Index of the
Complete Graph and Other Simple Graphs
Authors: HÄGGKVIST ROLAND , JANSSEN JEANNETTE
Published: July 2002

In this paper we show that the list chromatic index of the complete
graph Kn is at most n.
This proves the list-chromatic conjecture for complete graphs of odd order.
We also prove
the asymptotic result that for a simple graph with maximum degree d
the list chromatic index exceeds d by at most
[Oscr ](d2/3√log d).
On Sets with a Small Subset Sum
Authors: HAMIDOUNE Y. O. , LLADÓ A. S. , SERRA O.
Published: July 2002

Let A be a subset of an abelian group G. The subset sum of
A is the set [sum ](A)
= {[sum ]x∈T[mid ]T⊂A}.
We prove the following result. Let S be a generating subset of an abelian group
G such that 0∉S and 14[les ][mid ]S[mid ].
Then one of the following conditions holds.

(i) [mid ][sum ](S)[mid ][ges ]min([mid ]G[mid ]
−3, 3[mid ]S[mid ]−3).

(ii) There is an x∈S such that S[setmn ]{x}
generates a proper subgroup of order less than (3[mid ]S[mid ]−3)/2.

As a consequence, we obtain the following open case of an old conjecture of Diderrich.
Let q be a composite odd number and let G be an abelian group of order
3q. Let S be a subset of G with cardinality q+1.
Then every element of G is the sum of some subset of S.
Forging nobility: the construction of a civic elite in early modern Madrid
Authors: Hernández Mauro
Published: July 2002

Based on notarial and municipal sources in Madrid from the late sixteenth century to 1808, this article challenges current views of Castilian urban elites as mere reflections of noble hegemony. It assesses the implications of widespread venality of offices, as well as the real meaning of the estatuto of 1603, which formally excluded non-nobles from the city council. Ultimately, it argues that the system of preferment contributed in part to the long-term backwardness of seventeenth-century Castile.
The distribution and requirements of microtubules and microfilaments in bovine oocytes during in vitro maturation
Authors: Kim Nam-Hyung , Cho Seong Koo , Choi Seok Hwa , Kim Eun Young , Park Se Pill , Lim Jin Ho
Published: July 2002

Microtubules and microfilaments are major cytoskeletal components and important modulators for chromosomal movement and cellular division in mammalian oocytes. In this study we observed microtubule and microfilament organisation in bovine oocytes by laser scanning confocal microscopy, and determined requirements of their assembly during in vitro maturation. After germinal vesicle breakdown, small microtubular asters were observed near the condensed chromatin. The asters appeared to elongate and encompass condensed chromatin particles. At the metaphase stage, microtubules were observed in the second meiotic spindle at the metaphase stage. The meiotic spindle was a symmetrical, barrel-shaped structure containing anastral broad poles, located peripherally and radially oriented. Treatment with nocodazole did not inhibit germinal vesicle breakdown. However, progression to metaphase failed to occur in oocytes treated with nocodazole. In contrast, microfilaments were observed as a relatively thick uniform area around the cell cortex and overlying chromatin following germinal vesicle breakdown. Treatment with cytochalasin B inhibited microfilament polymerisation but did not prevent either germinal vesicle breakdown or metaphase formation. However, movement of chromatin to the proper position was inhibited in oocytes treated with cytochalasin B. These results suggest that both microtubules and microfilaments are closely associated with reconstruction and proper positioning of chromatin during meiotic maturation in bovine oocytes.
Further evidence that sperm nuclear proteins are necessary for embryogenesis
Authors: Ward W. Steven , Kishikawa Hidehumi , Akutsu Hidenori , Yanagimachi Hiroko , Yanagimachi Ryuzo
Published: July 2002

We have recently presented evidence that the structural integrity of the mouse sperm nuclear matrix may be necessary for the proper unpackaging of sperm DNA for participation in embryogenesis. It is likely that the sperm nuclear matrix contributes to the organisation of the sperm DNA and its disturbance can seriously damage the paternal genome or its expression. In this work, we confirm our previous data and further suggest that even very subtle changes in the sperm nuclear structure may have a significant impact on embryo development. As reported previously, dithiothreitol (DTT) in the presence of an ionic detergent, ATAB, destabilised the nuclear matrix as measured by the halo assay, and oocytes injected with these nuclei failed to develop. We also discovered that omitting the protease inhibitor PMSF from the buffers used to extract spermatozoa prevented sperm injected into oocytes from participating in development. The organisation of DNA into loop domains by the nuclear matrix in these nuclei appeared normal, as measured by the halo assay. Oocytes injected with sperm nuclei that had been washed with ATAB in the presence of phenylmethylsulphonyl fluoride (PMSF) but in the absence of DTT resulted in live births. Neither DTT treatment nor the absence of PMSF would be expected to disrupt the integrity of the paternal DNA. The data therefore suggest that even very subtle alterations in the structural proteins of the nucleus are enough to deprive sperm DNA of the ability to contribute to embryonic development.
Energy substrates and the completion of spontaneous meiotic maturation
Authors: Downs Stephen M. , Hudson Elliott D.
Published: July 2002

This study was carried out to examine how different combinations of pyruvate and glucose affect spontaneous meiotic maturation of cumulus-cell-enclosed mouse oocytes (CEO) to metaphase II (MII). Most experiments used an open system in which oocytes were cultured in 1 ml medium in plastic tubes. Initial experiments examined the dose response effects of pyruvate or glucose alone in the presence or absence of 2 mM glutamine. When medium lacked both pyruvate and glucose, more than 91% of the oocytes died in glutamine-free medium during 15 h of culture; viability was restored with the addition of glutamine, but only 11% of the CEO reached MII. In the absence of glutamine, 62–68% of oocytes completed maturation in 0.23–2.3 mM pyruvate, while 44–60% MII was observed in 0.55–27.8 mM glucose. The addition of glutamine to these cultures had a general suppressive effect on the completion of maturation. When glucose was added to pyruvate-containing cultures, the combination of 1 mM pyruvate/5.5 mM glucose was most effective in supporting maturation (about 90% MII), with little effect of glutamine. No further increase in maturation was observed when glucose was increased five-fold (to 27.8 mM). The positive effect of glucose was in part attributed to stimulation of glycolysis and increased production of pyruvate, since a reduced culture volume (8 μl), which allows the accumulation of secreted pyruvate, improved maturation in glucose-containing, but not pyruvate-containing, medium, and FSH, which stimulates glycolysis, increased progression to MII in glucose-containing, but not pyruvate-containing, medium. Yet these results also suggest that glucose has a beneficial effect on maturation apart from simple provision of pyruvate. The pyruvate effect was directly on the oocyte, because denuded oocytes responded more effectively than CEO to this energy substrate. The highest percentage of MII oocytes (96–97%) occurred in microdrop cultures containing glucose but lacking glutamine. These results indicate that glutamine supports oocyte viability but is not an adequate energy source for the completion of spontaneous meiotic maturation and may be detrimental. In addition, while pyruvate and glucose alone can each support meiotic progression of CEO to MII, optimal maturation requires the provision of both substrates to the culture medium when a large volume (1 ml) is used. It is concluded that careful attention to specific energy substrate supplementation and culture volume is important to optimise spontaneous meiotic maturation in vitro.
Isolation and characterisation of zona pellucida A (ZPA) cDNAs from two species of marsupial: regulated oocyte-specific expression of ZPA transcripts
Authors: Voyle Roger B. , Haines Bryan P. , Loffler Kelly A. , Hope Rory M. , Rathjen Peter D. , Breed William G.
Published: July 2002

The zona pellucida (ZP) is an extracellular glycoprotein coat that is deposited around the oocyte during folliculogenesis and performs several functions that relate to fertilisation and preimplantion development. In eutherian mammals it consists of three major glycoproteins – ZPA, ZPB, and ZPC – but little is known about its molecular constitution in marsupials. We have isolated the cDNA encoding the ZPA homologue in two distantly related marsupial series: the possum, Trichosurus vulpecula (a phalangerid) and the dunnart Sminthopsis crassicaudata (a dasyurid). The two cDNA sequences were 86% identical and showed extensive regions of homology to eutherian ZPA proteins, particularly in the central region of the molecule. Many other features of the ZPA protein, except the positioning of the N-linked glycosylation sites, were also conserved between marsupials and eutherians. ZPA expression was shown to occur maximally in the cytoplasm of the oocyte primary follicles with a little, but significant, expression in oocytes of both primordial follicles and in the cytoplasm of the oocyte in follicles with an antral cavity. No expression was seen in surrounding follicle or granulosa cells
Forecasting of Indian south‐west monsoon rainfall
Authors: Bhaskara Rao K , Naidu C V , Bhanukumar O S R U
Published: July 2002

An attempt has been made to forecast the all‐India monsoon rainfall by using 30 years' pre‐monsoon upper‐air mean temperatures (recorded between 1959 and 1988) at stations over India. The importance of Nagpur temperatures at 850 and 700 hPa during the pre‐monsoon season is discussed. Two sets of regression equations, one with April temperatures and the other with May temperatures, are fitted using the independent predictors. The equations are tested for a two‐year period (1989–1990). The forecast values are found to be reasonably good. Copyright © 2001 Royal Meteorological Society
The use of kites to investigate boundary layer meteorology
Authors: Varley M J
Published: July 2002

The application of kites as a platform for meteorological measurement within the boundary layer is examined. Kites are shown to fulfil a useful role within this research area, particularly when a highly mobile, lightweight and inexpensive instrumental platform is required. They are ideal for use at remote sites, or sites where terrain limits access for more conventional profiling equipment. The development of a reliable, tethered radiosonde atmospheric profiling system (TRAPS) is described, comparing the relative performance of two different sizes of two different types of kite. Basic kite aerodynamics are explained as well as a number of practical problems which have to be overcome or accommodated. Appropriate kite selection for given wind conditions and experimental requirements is suggested, providing an operational windspeed of between 2 and 14 m s−1. Finally, experimental results from three diverse remote sites illustrate practical applications of the profiling system, investigating firstly the structure of surface inversions over an ice shelf in the Antarctica, secondly flow over hills in Cumbria and thirdly convective boundary‐layer structure on the Isle of Arran, Scotland. Copyright © 1997 Royal Meteorological Society
Discovery of inference rules for question-answering
Authors: LIN DEKANG , PANTEL PATRICK
Published: July 2002

One of the main challenges in question-answering is the potential mismatch between the
expressions in questions and the expressions in texts. While humans appear to use inference
rules such as ‘X writes Y’ implies ‘X is the author of Y’ in answering questions, such rules
are generally unavailable to question-answering systems due to the inherent difficulty in constructing
them. In this paper, we present an unsupervised algorithm for discovering inference
rules from text. Our algorithm is based on an extended version of Harris’ Distributional
Hypothesis, which states that words that occurred in the same contexts tend to be similar.
Instead of using this hypothesis on words, we apply it to paths in the dependency trees of a
parsed corpus. Essentially, if two paths tend to link the same set of words, we hypothesize
that their meanings are similar. We use examples to show that our system discovers many
inference rules easily missed by humans.
A corpus-based bootstrapping algorithm for Semi-Automated semantic lexicon construction
Authors: RILOFF ELLEN , SHEPHERD JESSICA
Published: July 2002

Many applications need a lexicon that represents semantic information but acquiring lexical
information is time consuming. We present a corpus-based bootstrapping algorithm that
assists users in creating domain-specific semantic lexicons quickly. Our algorithm uses a
representative text corpus for the domain and a small set of ‘seed words’ that belong to
a semantic class of interest. The algorithm hypothesizes new words that are also likely to
belong to the semantic class because they occur in the same contexts as the seed words. The
best hypotheses are added to the seed word list dynamically, and the process iterates in a
bootstrapping fashion. When the bootstrapping process halts, a ranked list of hypothesized
category words is presented to a user for review. We used this algorithm to generate a semantic
lexicon for eleven semantic classes associated with the MUC-4 terrorism domain.
FAINTING, PANIC, AND MEDICAL CONDITIONS: A CASE STUDY
Authors: Freeston Mark H.
Published: July 2002

This case describes the cognitive-behavioural treatment of a 40-year-old woman with a 22-year history of infrequent fainting episodes. It highlights three features: 1) the potential importance of undiagnosed medical conditions in people presenting for anxiety disorders; 2) a somewhat unusual comorbid diagnosis of Agoraphobia Without History of Panic and Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia; and 3) the importance of modifying attitudes about performance and responsibility to reduce the chance of relapse.
THE SUCCESSFUL TREATMENT OF PTSD THROUGH OVERT COGNITIVE BEHAVIORAL THERAPY IN NON-RESPONDERS TO EMDR
Authors: Devilly Grant J.
Published: July 2002

This research investigated the efficacy of an operantly cognitive-behavioural trauma treatment protocol (TTP)
in two cases that had previously been treated unsuccessfully with EMDR. In line with previous research, both
participants improved following TTP, to the extent where one of the participants was asymptomatic at post-treatment and 3
month follow-up. These cases also demonstrate the ability of a cognitive-behavioural intervention to successfully treat
childhood sexual abuse victims later in life.
Limb and hemispatial hypometria
Authors: MEADOR KIMFORD J. , MOORE EUGENE E. , MARTIN ROY C. , LORING DAVID W. , HESS DAVID C. , HEILMAN KENNETH M.
Published: July 2002

In a previous study, we demonstrated that unilateral
cerebral lesions produce hypometric limb movements of the
contralateral arm and hemispatial (i.e., directional) hypometria
for movements towards contralateral hemispace. In the present
study, we investigated 10 patients with right cerebral
lesions and 25 healthy controls using a task to uncouple
deficits in sensory perceptual systems and motor-action
output systems on directional hypometria. This task required
participants, with their eyes closed, to reproduce lateral
and medial horizontal displacements (15–27 cm) with
each arm. Each participant was seated at a waist high table
and had their hand placed at an origin point aligned with
the axillary fold on the same side. Their hand was moved
by the investigator from the origin point to a target point
and brought back to the point of origin (input displacement).
The participant was then asked to return their hand to
either the same target point or to an equidistant target
point in the opposite direction. Healthy dextral participants
were significantly more hypometric with their right arm,
but patients with right cerebral lesions exhibited an opposite
pattern with overall left arm hypometria. In addition,
patients were significantly more hypometric for movements
when output displacements were toward left hemispace. No
effect was found for direction of sensory input. The results
suggest that the directional hypometria is predominantly
produced by hemispatial output deficits. (JINS,
2000, 6, 71–75.)
Testing for environmental Kuznets curves within a developing country
Authors: VINCENT JEFFREY R.
Published: July 2002

Previous studies of the association between pollution and income have tended to analyse cross-sectional or panel data for a sample of developing and developed countries. This paper presents an analysis for a single country, Malaysia. This south-east Asian country has more, and probably better, data on environmental quality than perhaps any other developing country. I find that pollution–income relationships from the cross-country studies fail to predict accurately trends in air and water pollution in Malaysia. In particular, none of six pollution-income relationships estimated using a panel data set for Malaysian states has the hypothesized 'environmental Kuznets curve' form. Although these results are inconsistent with the predictions of the cross-country relationships, they make sense in the Malaysian context. Perhaps most important, their interpretation confirms the importance of policy decisions in determining environmental outcomes.
NEAR – The Netherlands Electro-Acoustic Repertoire Centre
Authors: COENEN ALCEDO
Published: July 2002

Electronic music seems to be a problem for music publishers. Providing a tape for a performance is not in itself so difficult, but how do you preserve such tapes? What do you do if the musician asks for an ‘8-track ADAT’? What do you do when s
omebody comes back with an old 2-inch tape and tells you that there are dropouts in it? And what happens when a well-known work is requested which you, as publisher, appear not even to have in stock?
A notational system for third-tone music
Authors: LEE EUGENE
Published: July 2002

Evolution in musical notation has been tied to the development of music theory and performance.
Differences in Behaviour and
Temperament between
Japanese and British Toddlers
Living in London: A Pilot Study
Authors: Arbiter Elizabeth , Sato-Tanaka Rika , Kolvin Israel , Leitch Ian
Published: July 2002

The aim of this postal survey was to highlight differences in temperament
and behaviour between 32 toddlers in Japanese families living temporarily
in London and 36 in British families, all in London. Mothers completed
questionnaires about demography, perinatal events, and their child's
temperament and behaviour. UK toddlers were described as exhibiting
fewer behavioural symptoms than Japanese toddlers. Significantly more
of the Japanese toddlers scored above the cutoff on the Behaviour Check
List, indicating higher levels of behavioural disturbance. An interesting
item is ‘sleeping with parent’, which occurs commonly in Japanese
families and is considered to be normal for that culture. On the Toddler
Temperament Scale the Japanese toddlers proved more distractable and
more intense than the UK toddlers when age had been allowed for. It was
of interest that Japanese girls proved more distractable than Japanese
boys and UK girls. Possible explanations for the differences are advanced.
An Interview with János Kornai
Authors: Blanchard Olivier
Published: July 2002

Most of us are armchair economists. Whether our opinions are right
or wrong, we can proffer them at little personal cost—the most we can lose
is our reputation. Not so for János Kornai. For much of his life,
speaking freely would have led him to land in jail, or worse. He faced a
difficult choice. He could publish illegally, take the samizdat route, but
reach a very small number of readers. He could instead respect a number of
official taboos, publish legally, and reach a much wider readership. These
difficulties have not prevented him from giving us the most informed and
deepest critique of the socialist system to date. This interview is, I
hope, successful in showing the degree to which Kornai's life and work have
been intertwined, and how he came to believe what he believes today. Kornai
is sharing his time between Harvard and Collegium Budapest. The interview
took place in my office when I was visiting
Harvard University in June 1998.
On the origin and evolution of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)
Authors: HOLMES EDWARD C.
Published: July 2002

The human AIDS viruses – HIV‐1 and HIV‐2 – impose major burdens on the health and economic status of many developing countries. Surveys of other animal species have revealed that related viruses – the SIVs – are widespread in a large number of African simian primates where they do not appear to cause disease. Phylogenetic analyses indicate that these SIVs are the reservoirs for the human viruses, with SIVsm from the sooty mangabey monkey the most likely source of HIV‐2, and SIVcpz from the common chimpanzee the progenitor population for HIV‐1. Although it is clear that AIDS has a zoonotic origin, it is less certain when HIV‐1 and HIV‐2 first entered human populations and whether cross‐species viral transmission is common among primates. Within infected individuals the process of HIV evolution takes the form of an arms race, with the virus continually fixing mutations by natural selection which allow it to escape from host immune responses. The arms race is less intense in SIV‐infected monkeys, where a weaker immune response generates less selective pressure on the virus. Such a difference in virus‐host interaction, along with a broadening of co‐receptor usage such that HIV strains are able to infect cells with both CCR5 and CXCR4 chemokine receptors, may explain the increased virulence of HIV in humans compared to SIV in other primates.