bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Behavioral characteristics and c‐Fos expression in the medullary dorsal horn in a rat model for orofacial cancer pain
Authors: Ono Kentaro , Harano Nozomu , Nagahata Sawako , Seta Yuji , Tsujisawa Toshiyuki , Inenaga Kiyotoshi , Nakanishi Osamu
Published: July 2008

It is well known that patients with orofacial cancer suffer from cancer‐induced pain which produces feeding difficulties. To understand the mechanisms of pain associated with orofacial cancer, we have recently created a model for rat orofacial cancer by inoculation with Walker carcinosarcoma 256B‐cells into the vibrissal pads. The present study used both behavioral and immunohistochemical techniques to investigate changes in pain‐related and ingestive behavior, along with c‐Fos expression in the medullary dorsal horn which is a site for processing orofacial pain. The tumor mass grew gradually and contacted the nerve trunks within days after the inoculation of tumor cells. Physical difficulties in ingestion were observed after day 10 post‐inoculation and facial grooming periods were prolonged. Sensitivities of the inoculated vibrissal pads to mechanical and thermal stimuli were increased on days 4 and 7, suggesting the development of mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. Although hyposensitivity to mechanical and thermal stimulation was observed in the inoculated region after day 10, hyperalgesia developed on the margin of the tumor, suggesting that the hypersensitive region spread with growth of tumor mass. In the medullary dorsal horn, the levels of c‐Fos immunoreactivity of the ipsilateral side increased significantly on days 4, 7 and 10, supporting the behavioral observations. These results indicate that the rat model shows symptoms similar to those in patients with orofacial cancer, for example, induction of feeding disorder and neuropathic pain.
Does the number of musculoskeletal pain sites predict work disability? A 14‐year prospective study
Authors: Kamaleri Yusman , Natvig Bård , Ihlebaek Camilla M. , Bruusgaard Dag
Published: July 2008

Various risk factors associated with disability pensioning have been reported. This study investigated the relationship between the number of pain sites and risk of receiving a disability pension. We hypothesised that risk of work disability would increase as the number of pain sites increased, even after controlling for potential confounders. In 1990 and 2004, questionnaire on musculoskeletal pain was sent via post to six age groups in Ullensaker, Norway. Data on demographic, health and work‐related variables were also collected. After excluding individuals due to reach retirement age in 2004, we followed 1354 (66%) persons who were classified in 1990 as “employed”, “unemployed”, “homemaker”, or “student”. Among them, 176 persons had received long‐term or permanent work disability pension in 2004. Bivariate analyses showed that the prevalence of disability pensions was strongly associated with the number of pain sites. Controlling for gender and age almost unaltered the relationship. However, a model controlling for all significant confounders showed that general health and sick leave previous year captured almost all the predictive power of the number of pain sites on work disability. Since these variables could be seen as intermediate variables and not confounders, they were excluded in a new model which gave a strong “dose–response” relationship between number of pain sites and disability with a 10‐fold increase from 0 to 9–10 pain sites. The predictive validity of the number of pain sites in determining future disability renders this simple measurement useful for future research on musculoskeletal pain and functioning.
A769662, a novel activator of AMP‐activated protein kinase, inhibits non‐proteolytic components of the 26S proteasome by an AMPK‐independent mechanism
Authors: Moreno Daniel , Knecht Erwin , Viollet Benoit , Sanz Pascual
Published: July 2008

In this work we present evidence that A769662, a novel activator of AMP‐activated protein kinase (AMPK), is able to inhibit the function of the 26S proteasome by an AMPK‐independent mechanism. Contrary to the mechanism of action of most proteasome inhibitors, A769662 does not affect the proteolytic activities of the 20S core subunit, defining in this way a novel mechanism of inhibition of 26S proteasome activity. Inhibition of proteasome activity by A769662 is reversible and leads to an arrest of cell cycle progression. These side effects of this new activator of AMPK should be taken into account when this compound is used as an alternative activator of the kinase.
The coffee diterpene kahweol induces heme oxygenase‐1 via the PI3K and p38/Nrf2 pathway to protect human dopaminergic neurons from 6‐hydroxydopamine‐derived oxidative stress
Authors: Hwang Yong Pil , Jeong Hye Gwang
Published: July 2008

In this study, we investigated the mechanisms of kahweol protection of neuronal cells from cell death induced by the Parkinson's disease‐related neurotoxin 6‐hydroxydopamine (6‐OHDA). Pretreatment of SH‐SY5Y cells with kahweol significantly reduced 6‐OHDA‐induced generation of ROS, caspase‐3 activation, and subsequent cell death. Kahweol also up‐regulated heme oxygenase‐1 (HO‐1) expression, which conferred neuroprotection against 6‐OHDA‐induced oxidative injury. Moreover, kahweol induced PI3K and p38 activation, which are involved in the induction of Nrf2, HO‐1 expression, and neuroprotection. These results suggest that regulation of the anti‐oxidant enzyme HO‐1 via the PI3K and p38/Nrf2 signaling pathways controls the intracellular levels of ROS.
Effect of inulin on the human gut microbiota: stimulation ofBifidobacterium adolescentisandFaecalibacterium prausnitzii
Authors: Ramirez-Farias Carlett , Slezak Kathleen , Fuller Zoë , Duncan Alan , Holtrop Grietje , Louis Petra
Published: July 2008

Prebiotics are food ingredients that improve health by modulating the colonic microbiota. The bifidogenic effect of the prebiotic inulin is well established; however, it remains unclear which species ofBifidobacteriumare stimulatedin vivoand whether bacterial groups other than lactic acid bacteria are affected by inulin consumption. Changes in the faecal microbiota composition were examined by real-time PCR in twelve human volunteers after ingestion of inulin (10 g/d) for a 16-d period in comparison with a control period without any supplement intake. The prevalence of most bacterial groups examined did not change after inulin intake, although the low G+C % Gram-positive speciesFaecalibacterium prausnitziiexhibited a significant increase (10·3 % for control periodv.14·5 % during inulin intake,P = 0·019). The composition of the genusBifidobacteriumwas studied in four of the volunteers by clone library analysis. Between three and fiveBifidobacteriumspp. were found in each volunteer.Bifidobacterium adolescentisandBifidobacterium longumwere present in all volunteers, andBifidobacterium pseudocatenulatum,Bifidobacterium animalis,Bifidobacterium bifidumandBifidobacterium dentiumwere also detected. Real-time PCR was employed to quantify the four most prevalentBifidobacteriumspp.,B. adolescentis,B. longum,B. pseudocatenulatumandB. bifidum, in ten volunteers carrying detectable levels of bifidobacteria.B. adolescentisshowed the strongest response to inulin consumption, increasing from 0·89 to 3·9 % of the total microbiota (P = 0·001).B. bifidumwas increased from 0·22 to 0·63 % (P < 0·001) for the five volunteers for whom this species was present.
Administration of a dietary supplement (N-oleyl-phosphatidylethanolamine and epigallocatechin-3-gallate formula) enhances compliance with diet in healthy overweight subjects: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Rondanelli Mariangela , Opizzi Annalisa , Solerte Sebastiano Bruno , Trotti Rosita , Klersy Catherine , Cazzola Roberta
Published: July 2008

Many studies have found thatN-oleyl-ethanolamine (NOE), a metabolite ofN-oleyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (NOPE), and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) inhibit food intake. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of 2 months of administration of an oily NOPE–EGCG complex (85 mg NOPE and 50 mg EGCG per capsule) and its effect on compliance with diet in healthy, overweight people. Secondary end-points of the study were to compare body composition, metabolic parameters, sensation of appetite, depressive symptoms and severity of binge eating. Using a parallel-arm, double-blind, placebo-controlled design, 138 healthy, overweight women (106) and men (thirty-two) were randomly assigned to one of two groups: (1) the treatment group (seventy-one patients: fifty-three females, eighteen males) taking two capsules per day of an oral supplement or (2) the placebo group (sixty-seven patients: fifty-three females, fourteen males). Both groups observed a 3344 kJ/d energy restriction. All parameters were assessed both before onset and after 2 months on the supplement. Dropout was 6 % in the NOPE–EGCG group and 27 % in the placebo group (P < 0·001). The treatment induced a significant weight reduction in both groups ( − 3·28 kg and − 2·67 kg in NOPE–EGCG and placebo, respectively); the weight changes were not significantly different between the groups. NOPE–EGCG treatment improved insulin resistance (P < 0·001), the sensation feelings of fullness (P < 0·05), depressive symptoms (P < 0·004) and severity of binge eating (P < 0·0001).
Growth hormone improves lipoprotein concentration and arylesterase activity in mice with an atherogenic lipid profile induced by lactalbumin
Authors: López-Oliva Elvira , Nus Meritxell , Agis-Torres Angel , Villaro Wilma , Sánchez-Montero José M. , Muñoz-Martínez Emilia , Sánchez-Muniz Francisco J.
Published: July 2008

The effect of growth hormone (GH) on arylesterase (AE), one of the activities of paraoxonase, has never been studied. The aims of the present study in mice were: (a) to compare the effect of age and sex on serum lipid and lipoprotein levels after consumption of lactalbumin-v.chow-based diets and (b) to study the effect of GH administration, age and sex on serum AE activity, lipid and lipoprotein and body fat levels in mice fed a lactalbumin diet. Seventy-two mice were divided into three age- and sex-matched experimental groups: (1) control chow (CC), (2) non-GH lactalbumin (NGL) and (3) GH-treated lactalbumin (GL) mice. Lactalbumin increased total cholesterol, (LDL+VLDL)-cholesterol and TAG and diminished HDL-cholesterol in all animals (P < 0·05). In comparison with their NGL counterparts, old GL males presented lower total cholesterol (15 %) and (LDL+VLDL)-cholesterol (17 %) levels (P < 0·05), whereas values of the same parameters were higher in adult GL males (P < 0·05) (22 and 23 %, respectively). Adult GL females displayed higher serum HDL-cholesterol concentrations (26 %) (P < 0·05) than adult NGL females. AE activity was lower in old GL females (78 %) and old GL males (20 %) (P < 0·05), but higher in adult GL males (100 %) (P < 0·01). GH, that was inversely related to food intake, decreased abdominal and gonadal fat in all mice (P < 0·05). To conclude, lactalbumin induced an atherogenic lipoprotein profile in NGL mice that was reverted by GH, preferentially in old males, suggesting that GH therapy will be more effective in aged men. The present results suggest that AE activity was age-, sex- and body fat level-dependent and that it diminished as a consequence of improved antioxidant status.
Discrimination of Cricotopus species (Diptera: Chironomidae) by DNA barcoding
Authors: Sinclair C.S. , Gresens S.E.
Published: July 2008

Chironomids (Diptera) typically comprise the most abundant group of macroinvertebrates collected in water quality surveys. Species in the genus Cricotopus display a wide range of tolerance for manmade pollutants, making them excellent bioindicators. Unfortunately, the usefulness of Cricotopus is overshadowed by the difficulty of accurately identifying larvae using current morphological keys. Molecular approaches are now being used for identification and taxonomic resolution in many animal taxa. In this study, a sequence-based approach for the mitochondrial gene, cytochrome oxidase I (COI), was developed to facilitate identification of Cricotopus species collected from Baltimore area streams. Using unique COI sequence variations, we developed profiles for seven described Cricotopus sp., four described Orthocladius sp., one described Paratrichocladius sp. and one putative species of Cricotopus. In addition to providing an accurate method for identification of Cricotopus, this method will make a useful contribution to the development of keys for Nearctic Cricotopus.
Tracking pyrethroid resistance in the polyphagous bollworm, Helicoverpa armigera (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae), in the shifting landscape of a cotton-growing area
Authors: Brévault T. , Achaleke J. , Sougnabé S.P. , Vaissayre M.
Published: July 2008

In cotton-growing areas of Central Africa, timing of host crops and pest management practices in annual rainfed cropping systems result in a shifting mosaic of habitats that influence the dynamics and resistance of Helicoverpa armigera (Hübner) populations on spatial scales, both within and across seasons. From 2002 to 2006, regional and local resistance was monitored among cotton fields and among the major host plants of the bollworm. From 2002, pyrethroid resistance increased within and across cotton-growing seasons to reach a worrying situation at the end of the 2005 growing season. Cotton crops played a fundamental role in the increase in seasonal resistance, even if the intensive use of insecticides on local tomato crops strongly concentrated resistance alleles in residual populations throughout the off-season. Due to the relative stability of resistance in H. armigera populations despite a long off-season, we believe that after the dispersal of the moths southwards at the end of the growing season, reverse migration mainly accounts for the reconstitution of populations at the onset of the following growing season. In addition, local resistance monitoring in 2005 and 2006 showed that it was possible to control the increase in resistance by temporarily stopping the use of pyrethroids during the period of peak infestation of cotton by H. armigera. On the other hand, the similar resistance frequency of populations sampled from sprayed and unsprayed synchronous hosts confirmed the absence of reproductive isolation between adults. As a result, diversity in cropping systems should be encouraged by planting alternative host plants to provide a mosaic of habitats, which in return would provide insecticide-free refuges. The implications for insecticide resistance management in annual cropping systems are discussed.
Quackgrass- and ryegrass-adapted populations of the cereal rust mite, Abacarus hystrix (Acari: Eriophyidae), differ in their potential for wheat, Triticum aestivum, colonization
Authors: Skoracka A.
Published: July 2008

The cereal rust mite, Abacarus hystrix, is one of the most notable among mites causing losses in cultivated grasslands. It is one of a few eriophyoid species for which a broad host range has been reported. Recent studies, however, have shown that host specialization is very likely in this species. For two populations of A. hystrix (one inhabiting perennial ryegrass, the second inhabiting quackgrass), host-associated differences correlated with strong host fidelity, distinct phenotypes and reproductive barriers have been found. In the present study, the ability of wheat colonization by quackgrass- and ryegrass-adapted cereal rust mite was studied. The hypothesis that the potential for wheat colonization by the quackgrass strain is more likely was tested by comparing the colonization performance (assessed by female survival and fecundity) of quackgrass- and ryegrass-associated A. hystrix on their familiar hosts and on wheat. The ryegrass population had no success in wheat colonization (expressed by extremely low fecundity and female survival). Fecundity and survival of quackgrass strain were similar on wheat and the familiar host, or even higher on wheat. Phylogenetic similarity of quackgrass and wheat is discussed as a possible factor that might influence such patterns of host colonization. Since A. hystrix is the only vector of the ryegrass mosaic virus (RgMV), the presented results may be helpful in explaining the inability of RgMV to successfully infest wheat. The conclusions are that (i) quackgrass- and ryegrass-adapted strains of the cereal rust mite have different physiological host ranges and (ii) phylogenetic relationships between host plant species appear to be drivers for host specialization in this mite species.
Protecting Free Trade: The Political Economy of Rules of Origin
Authors: Chase Kerry A.
Published: July 2008

The design of rules of origin in free trade agreements (FTAs) arouses spirited lobbying campaigns that mostly escape public attention. This article argues that the domestic groups generally most favorable to FTAs differ in their preferences over rules of origin: industries with large returns to scale favor strict rules of origin to gain scale economies in an FTA, while industries with multinational supply chains prefer lenient rules of origin to accommodate offshore procurement. An econometric analysis of rules of origin in the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) finds tougher rules of origin the higher the external trade protection and the larger the returns to scale, and more permissive rules of origin the greater the involvement in foreign sourcing. The results suggest that rules of origin may be critical to building domestic coalitions for FTAs. Industry preferences toward rules of origin therefore have important implications for the politics of FTA ratification.
Sigmund Descartes?
Authors: Gombay André
Published: July 2008

For all his insistence that the mind has no parts, Descartes often describes inner mental conflicts, sometimes his own: ambivalence, fixation to childhood prejudice, are for him fixtures of human life. “Sigmund Descartes?” examines this aspect of his thought.
The Voluntariness of Virtue – and Belief
Authors: Montmarquet James A.
Published: July 2008

This paper examines the relative voluntariness of three types of virtue: ‘epistemic’ virtues like open-mindedness; ‘motivational’ virtues like courage, and more robustly ‘moral’ virtues like justice. A somewhat novel conception of the voluntariness of belief is offered in terms of the limited, but quite real, voluntariness of certain epistemic virtues.
Failure of concordance of the Farnsworth D15 test and the Nagel anomaloscope matching range in anomalous trichromatism
Authors: BIRCH JENNIFER
Published: July 2008

The Farnsworth D15 test (D15) was developed for use in occupational guidance. People with significant color deficiency, including all dichromats are expected to fail and people with slight color deficiency are expected to pass. Pass is a circular results diagram and fail an interlacing pattern with one or more red-green isochromatic errors (Farnsworth, 1947). The Nagel anomaloscope is a “gold standard” reference test for identifying and classifying red-green color deficiency. The matching range on the red/green mixture scale indicates the severity of the discrimination deficit. Pass/fail results for the D15 are presented for 107 protanomalous and 410 deuteranomalous trichromats and compared with the anomaloscope matching range. Thirty-six percent of the subjects examined failed the D15. Protanomalous trichromats are able to utilize perceived luminance contrast to obtain good results on the D15 but 42% of these subjects failed the D15 compared with 35% of deuteranomalous subjects. Failure of the D15 was clearly related to the Nagel matching range in deuteranomalous trichromatism but not in protanomalous trichromatism. For example, 84% of deuteranomalous subjects with matching ranges > 30 scale units failed the D15 but only 2% with matching ranges < 9 scale units were unsuccessful. In comparison, 53% of protanomalous subjects with matching ranges > 15 scale units and 33% of subjects with matching ranges < 5 scale units were unsuccessful. Protanomalous trichromats with apparently minimal color deficiency are therefore shown to have poor practical hue discrimination ability as measured with this test.
Surface gloss and color perception of 3D objects
Authors: XIAO BEI , BRAINARD DAVID H.
Published: July 2008

Two experiments explore the color perception of objects in complex scenes. The first experiment examines the color perception of objects across variation in surface gloss. Observers adjusted the color appearance of a matte sphere to match that of a test sphere. Across conditions we varied the body color and glossiness of the test sphere. The data indicate that observers do not simply match the average light reflected from the test. Indeed, the visual system compensates for the physical effect of varying the gloss, so that appearance is stabilized relative to what is predicted by the spatial average. The second experiment examines how people perceive color across locations on an object. We replaced the test sphere with a soccer ball that had one of its hexagonal faces colored. Observers were asked to adjust the match sphere have the same color appearance as this test patch. The test patch could be located at either an upper or lower location on the soccer ball. In addition, we varied the surface gloss of the entire soccer ball (including the test patch). The data show that there is an effect of test patch location on observers' color matching, but this effect is small compared to the physical change in the average light reflected from the test patch across the two locations. In addition, the effect of glossy highlights on the color appearance of the test patch was consistent with the results from Experiment 1.
Rayleigh matches in carriers of inherited color vision defects: The contribution from the third L/M photopigment
Authors: SUN YANG , SHEVELL STEVEN K.
Published: July 2008

The mother or daughter of a male with an X-chromosome-linked red/green color defect is an obligate carrier of the color deficient gene array. According to the Lyonization hypothesis, a female carrier's defective gene is expressed and thus carriers may have more than two types of pigments in the L/M photopigment range. An open question is how a carrier's third cone pigment in the L/M range affects the postreceptoral neural signals encoding color. Here, a model considered how the signal from the third pigment pools with signals from the normal's two pigments in the L/M range. Three alternative assumptions were considered for the signal from the third cone pigment: it pools with the signal from (1) L cones, (2) M cones, or (3) both types of cones. Spectral-sensitivity peak, optical density, and the relative number of each cone type were factors in the model. The model showed that differences in Rayleigh matches among carriers can be due to individual differences in the number of the third type of L/M cone, and the spectral sensitivity peak and optical density of the third L/M pigment; surprisingly, however, individual differences in the cone ratio of the other two cone types (one L and the other M) did not affect the match. The predicted matches were compared to Schmidt's (1934/1955) report of carriers' Rayleigh matches. For carriers of either protanomaly or deuteranomaly, these matches were not consistent with the signal from the third L/M pigment combining with only the signal from M cones. The matches could be accounted for by pooling the third-pigment's response with L-cone signals, either exclusively or randomly with M-cone responses as well.
Changes in induced hues at low luminance and following dark adaptation suggest rod-cone interactions may differ for luminance increments and decrements
Authors: SHEPHERD A.J. , WYATT G.
Published: July 2008

Color contrast describes the influence of one color on the perception of colors in neighboring areas. This study addressed two issues: (1) the accurate representation of the color changes; (ii) the underlying visual mechanisms. Observers matched the hue that was induced in a neutral square when it was set in one of four standard colored surrounds: “red” (+L(−M) relative to neutral), “green” (−L(+M)), “purple” (+S), and “yellow” (−S). The standard and matching displays were viewed haploscopically. The standard neutral square was either a luminance increment, or decrement, both of which appeared the complementary color to the surrounds in which they were inset. In Experiment 1, the surround luminance in each eye's display was either equal, at 18 cd·m−2, or the match surround luminance was reduced to 2.5 cd·m−2. The matches with equal surround luminances could be represented as vector shifts in a logarithmic MacLeod–Boynton (r, b) chromaticity diagram, as described previously (Shepherd, 1997, 1999). The low luminance matches were, however, displaced further from neutral, as if larger chromatic differences were needed. The precise direction of the displacements differed for luminance increments and decrements: the red, green and yellow decrement matches were also displaced vertically downwards in the MacLeod-Boynton diagram. In Experiment 2, dark-adapting before setting repeat color matches displaced the decrement matches vertically, but did not affect the increment matches. Thus, rod intrusion in S-cone pathways may have boosted the S-cone signal for the lowest luminance decrement matches in Experiment 1 and account for the vertical shift in MacLeod-Boynton co-ordinates. The distinct pattern of displacements for low luminance increments and decrements may be explained if the match is set at a cone-opponent, rather than a cone contrast, site and if rod signals have an input only to S-cone decrement, perhaps S-OFF, pathways.
Number and topography of cones, rods and optic nerve axons in New and Old World primates
Authors: FINLAY BARBARA L. , FRANCO EDNA CRISTINA S. , YAMADA ELIZABETH S. , CROWLEY JUSTIN C. , PARSONS MICHAEL , MUNIZ JOSÉ AUGUSTO P.C. , SILVEIRA LUIZ CARLOS L.
Published: July 2008

To better understand the evolution of spatial and color vision, the number and spatial distributions of cones, rods, and optic nerve axon numbers were assessed in seven New World primates (Cebus apella,Saimiri ustius,Saguinus midas niger,Alouatta caraya,Aotus azarae, Calllithrix jacchus, andCallicebus moloch). The spatial distribution and number of rods and cones was determined from counts of retinal whole mounts. Optic axon number was determined from optic nerve sections by electron microscopy. These data were amassed with existing data on retinal cell number and distribution in Old World primates, and the scaling of relative densities and numbers with respect to retinal area, eye and brain sizes, and foveal specializations were evaluated. Regular scaling of all cell types was observed, with the exceptionally large, rod-enriched retina of the nocturnal owl monkeyAotus azarae, and the unusually high cone density of the fovea of the trichromatic howler monkeyAlouatta carayapresenting interesting variations on this basic plan. Over all species, the lawful scaling of rods, cones, and retinal ganglion cell number is hypothesized to result from a conserved sequence of cell generation that defends retinal acuity and sensitivity over a large range of eye sizes.
Psychophysical analysis of contrast processing segregated into magnocellular and parvocellular systems in asymptomatic carriers of 11778 Leber's hereditary optic neuropathy
Authors: GUALTIERI M. , BANDEIRA M. , HAMER R.D. , COSTA M.F. , OLIVEIRA A.G.F. , MOURA A.L.A. , SADUN F. , DE NEGRI A.M. , BEREZOVSKY A. , SALOMÃO S.R. , CARELLI V. , SADUN A.A. , VENTURA D.F.
Published: July 2008

We examined achromatic contrast discrimination in asymptomatic carriers of 11778 Leber‘s hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON 18 controls) and 18 age-match were also tested. To evaluate magnocellular (MC) and Parvocellular (PC) contrast discrimination, we used a version of Pokorny and Smith's (1997) pulsed/steady-pedestal paradigms (PPP/SPP) thought to be detected via PC and MC pathways, respectively. A luminance pedestal (four 1° × 1° squares) was presented on a 12 cd/m2surround. The luminance of one of the squares (trial square, TS) was randomly incremented for either 17 or 133 ms. Observers had to detect the TS, in a forced-choice task, at each duration, for three pedestal levels: 7, 12, 19 cd/m2. In the SPP, the pedestal was fixed, and the TS was modulated. For the PPP, all four pedestal squares pulsed for 17 or 133 ms, and the TS was simultaneously incremented or decremented. We found that contrast discrimination thresholds of LHON carriers were significantly higher than controls' in the condition with the highest luminance of both paradigms, implying impaired contrast processing with no evidence of differential sensitivity losses between the two systems. Carriers’ thresholds manifested significantly longer temporal integration than controls in the SPP, consistent with slowed MC responses. The SPP and PPP paradigms can identify contrast and temporal processing deficits in asymptomatic LHON carriers, and thus provide an additional tool for early detection and characterization of the disease.
A new perceptual problem: The amodal completion of color
Authors: PINNA BAINGIO
Published: July 2008

Amodal completion is the most common form of visual completion occurring when portions of an object are hidden, due to their occlusion behind another object (Michotte, 1951). Just as a shape is completed amodally behind another occluding shape, so is a color behind another occluding color or behind a lighting: a bright light reflected by a three-dimensional object. Four possible phenomenal combinations related to the amodal completion of color are shown: amodal or modal coloration or discoloration. Purposes of four experiments were: (1) to demonstrate the amodal completion of color under different stimulus conditions and under chromatic and achromatic conditions and (2) to extract the general principles ruling the amodal completion of color: “which, among many, is the color that completes amodally?” and, consequently, “which is the region of an object that determines its color?” The results showed the effectiveness of the amodal completion of color and that chromatic and achromatic conditions reveal different results. Four general principles of the amodal completion of color, useful to understand the more general problem of phenomenal organization of color, are suggested.
AFTER MY OWN HEART: DOROTHY SAYERS' FEMINISM
Authors: Haack Susan
Published: July 2008

Dorothy Sayers' Gaudy Night, published in 1936, explores still-topical questions about the relation of epistemological and ethical values, and about the place of women in the life of the mind. In her wry reflections on the radical differences between today's feminist philosophy and Sayers' no-nonsense observation that “women are more like men than anything else on earth,” Susan Haack draws both on this detective story and on Sayers' wonderfully brisk essay, ‘Are Women Human?’
THE TIME MACHINE
Authors: Law Stephen
Published: July 2008

A strange story about time travel.
MASTIC BEACH, LONG ISLAND
Authors: McGinn Colin
Published: July 2008

This thought-provoking piece by philosopher Colin McGinn is an unusual in that it is not, strictly speaking, a work of philosophy. It is, rather, a true story – a story that raises some important philosophical questions. It is the kind of story that those who use philosophy in the classroom often present as a catalyst for discussion. It is in the same spirit that I offer it here. Some sample questions are included at the end.
DO WE UNDERSTAND THE SELF?
Authors: Madell Geoffrey
Published: July 2008

Geoffrey Madell introduces the puzzle of personal identity.
THE GOAL THAT WAS AND WASN'T
Authors: Reitsma Regan Lance , Bassham Gregory
Published: July 2008

Reitsma and Bassham introduce a sporting paradox.
A WAKE UP CALL—OR MORE SWEET SLUMBER? A REVIEW OF DANIEL DENNETT'S SWEET DREAMS: PHILOSOPHICAL OBSTACLES TO A SCIENCE OF CONSCIOUSNESS
Authors: Beenfeldt Christian
Published: July 2008

Beenfeldt assesses Dennett's approach to the philosophical problem of consciousness.
Religious Dialogue in the Nicaraguan Revolution
Authors: Reed Jean-Pierre
Published: July 2008

This article is an historical study of the Nicaraguan revolution that makes a case in favor of interpreting revolutionary stances/action as driven by religious dialogue. To this end, seminary dialogues that assumed revolutionary significance during the 1970s in Solentiname, Nicaragua, are studied. Institutional shifts in religious meaning, both in the region and Nicaragua, are historically detailed. Three dialogues fromThe Gospel in Solentiname, a four-volume collection of Bible-centered dialogues, are analyzed. These are evaluated in terms of their role for revolutionary outlooks. Innovative and developmental features of dialogue are identified in order to underscore the revolutionary potential of dialogue.
Estimating net transport and mixing using a time‐dependent inverse method
Authors: Anokhin V. V. , Imberger J. , Ivey G. N. , Romero J. R.
Published: July 2008

A finite difference inverse method was applied to time‐dependent two‐dimensional tracer fields from a long narrow water supply reservoir to obtain time‐averaged estimates of horizontal and vertical velocities and vertical eddy diffusivities. By comparison to direct measurements, the inverse method successfully resolved the complex flow field observed in the lake due to the combined action of basin‐scale internal wave oscillations and wind‐driven surface layer currents. To avoid aliasing in the method, the time interval between the transects had to be long enough for the advective/diffusive processes to induce measurable changes in tracer distributions (order of hours), but smaller than the natural timescales of variability of the hydrodynamic processes active in the lake (order of days). To resolve flows observed during the intensive field experiment in Lake Burragorang, the pairs of transects had to be contained within a half‐period of the internal seiche (i.e., 48 h), the best results obtained from inversions with Δtinv ∼ 22–28 h.
Predicting river flows for future climates using an autoregressive multinomial logit model
Authors: Augustin Nicole H. , Beevers Lindsay , Sloan William T.
Published: July 2008

Computer models of flow and transport processes in critical or vulnerable reaches of rivers have become essential tools in assessing the long‐term sustainable management of river basins. A generic long‐standing source of uncertainty in the output from these models arises from the difficulty in estimating flow rates at the upstream boundary of the reach. When the process being modeled relies on an accurate description of the autocorrelation in the flow, such as in sediment transport, and predictions are required for future changed climatic conditions, this difficulty becomes acute. One currently popular solution is to combine stochastic weather generators with catchment hydrology models to simulate hydrographs. This paper offers an alternative solution, which bypasses the complexities of this approach and the extra uncertainties that arise from imposing restrictive predefined model structures. The proposed method uses an autoregressive multinomial logit model to link temperature and precipitation catchment data to flow data of the River Tees in the northeast United Kingdom. This model accounts for temporal autocorrelation by using the previous day's observation and other variables as explanatory variables. Incorporating basin area average temperature and precipitation allows climate change predictions from regional climate models to be used when predicting flows. The successful application of the method is demonstrated for the River Tees in northeast United Kingdom.
Statistical analysis of Pi2 pulsations inside and outside the plasmasphere observed by the polar orbiting DE‐1 satellite
Authors: Teramoto M. , Nosé M. , Sutcliffe P. R.
Published: July 2008

We have statistically analyzed Pi2 pulsations, using the 6‐second magnetic field data acquired by the polar orbiting DE‐1 satellite (a perigee of about 500 km altitude and an apogee of about 3.6 RE altitude). From February 1983 to January 1991, 746 events were found in the H component of the geomagnetic field data from Kakioka or Hermanus, which were located near midnight at substorm onsets determined with the AL index. Out of these 746 events, 91 events had high coherence (>0.6) between DE‐1 and ground stations. We examined the spatial distributions of the occurrence probability and the L dependence of the power ratio to the ground and phase difference. The following observational results are obtained: (1) There are many high‐coherence events in the compressional component at high latitude as well as at low latitude on the nightside; (2) In the compressional component, the power ratio of DE‐1 to ground stations has a weak peak around L ∼ 5 on the nigthside and flankside; and (3) the phase difference between DE‐1 and ground stations is changed by ∼180° around L ∼ 5 on the nightside and flankside. Some high‐coherence events were found in the compressional component in the polar region. We concluded Pi2 pulsations might be excited by plasmaspheric virtual resonance (PVR) mode, in which compressional waves are produced inside the plasmasphere and oscillate the ambient magnetic field at high latitude.
New atlas of Africa
Authors: Showstack Randy
Published: July 2008

A newly revised atlas of Africa features more than 300 satellite images that show striking before and after photographs of environmental changes spanning about 35 years. Africa: Atlas of Our Changing Environment, compiled by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), provides visual evidence of how development choices, population growth, climate change, and, in some cases, conflicts affect Africa, often negatively. The book includes photographs of shrinking glaciers on Mount Kilimanjaro as well as on Uganda's Rwenzori Mountains; deforestation along an expanding road system in the Congo; the drying up of Lake Chad; and the expansion of urban areas such as Cape Town, South Africa, and Dakar, Senegal. Satellite images also indicate some positive signs of environmental management, including action to stop overgrazing in a Tunisian national park, the effects of a management plan for a dam in Zambia that has helped restore seasonal flooding, and positive impacts of wetlands expansion around a national park in Mauritania.
Generating and Synthesizing Paleoclimate Data to Assess Arctic Climate Change: PAGES Working Group Meeting: Arctic Climate During the Last 2 Millennia; Boulder, Colorado, 8 March 2008
Authors: Koc Nalan , Francis Pierre , Ammann Caspar , Anderson David M. , Bradley Raymond , Kaufman Darrell , Korhola Atte , Miller Gifford
Published: July 2008

Climate change in the Arctic is amplified by albedo feedbacks involving snow and ice. Between the nineteenth and 21st centuries, warming in the Arctic was very likely double that for the globe (see Impacts of a Warming Arctic, Cambridge University Press, 2004). This trend appears to have further accelerated during the past decade as evidenced by both the dramatic decrease of summer sea ice cover and increased melt rates of glaciers. The limited instrumental record covering only the past ˜50 years severely limits our understanding of multidecadal and centennial spatial and temporal variability.
New Officers Assume Leadership
Authors: Anonymous
Published: July 2008

The 2008–2010 AGU officers assume their new leadership roles on 1 July 2008. To prepare themselves well, the 2008–2010 Council members participated in a leadership conference on 25–26 May in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., immediately prior to the Meeting of the Americas Joint Assembly.
Geochemical constraints on the origin of sulfide mineralization in the Duke Island Complex, southeastern Alaska
Authors: Thakurta Joyashish , Ripley Edward M. , Li Chusi
Published: July 2008

Magmatic Cu‐Ni‐PGE sulfide mineralization associated with mafic to ultramafic igneous rocks is rare in convergent plate settings. However, recent exploration in the Duke Island Complex of southeastern Alaska has detected horizons of sulfide mineralization primarily in the olivine clinopyroxenite unit. The composition of the sulfides, recalculated to 100% sulfide, averages 0.48% Ni and 1.4% Cu. The Duke Island Complex was generated by the emplacement of multiple pulses of variably fractionated magma ranging in composition from picrite to ankaramite that originated in deeper staging chambers. The presence of sulfides in the complex indicates that fO2 conditions were more reduced than those commonly ascribed to arc‐related magmas. The mass of sulfide mineralization together with the sulfur isotopic values indicates that external sulfur was added to the parent magmas at staging chambers. Os isotopic data from sulfides and C isotopic compositions of graphite in the olivine clinopyroxenites also indicate that the parental magmas were contaminated by crustal material. However, oxygen isotopic values of clinopyroxene together with the REE data suggest that bulk assimilation of country rocks has not occurred and the contamination was selective, involving C‐ and S‐bearing fluids or graphitic sulfides. The observed enrichment in Cu and S isotopic values of the sulfides is best explained by assimilation of sulfides from metal‐bearing rock types such as black shales or volcanogenic massive sulfide deposits that occur in terranes above the mantle wedge.
Statistical properties of the multiple ion band structures observed by the FAST satellite
Authors: Yao Y. , Seki K. , Miyoshi Y. , McFadden J. P. , Lund E. J. , Carlson C. W.
Published: July 2008

Data of low‐energy (<28 keV) H+ and O+ ions obtained by the FAST satellite were used to investigate the statistical properties of multiple ion band structures (MIBS) that are characterized by multiple O+/H+ components with discrete energies. MIBS distributions for H+ and O+ ions had different relationships with the AL index, invariant latitude (ILAT), and magnetic local time, suggesting different formation mechanisms. O+ MIBSs were observed during magnetically active periods around the equatorward boundary of the auroral oval mainly in the dusk and midnight sectors, while H+ MIBSs were observed during quiet times at higher latitudes in the dawn and dusk sectors. O+ MIBSs shifted toward lower latitudes with decreasing AL index due to the expansion of the auroral oval during magnetically active periods. Both maximum and minimum energies of O+ MIBSs decrease with decreasing ILAT, which is consistent with velocity filter effects caused by convective transport from high to low latitudes in the nightside. The statistical properties obtained from the FAST observations suggest that O+ MIBSs supply O+ ions from the ionosphere to the inner magnetosphere during magnetic storms and contribute to the storm time ring current development.
Dissecting the Biological Motherboard (Systems Biology and Beyond)
Authors: Krishna Abhay , Narayanan Ajit
Published: July 2008

Genome-scale molecular networks, including gene pathways, gene regulatory networks and protein interactions, are central to the investigation of the nascent disciplines of systems biology and bio-complexity. Dissecting these genome-scale molecular networks in its all-possible manifestations is paramount in our quest for a genotype-input phenotype-output application which will also take environment-genome interactions into account.Machine learning approaches are now increasingly being used for reverse engineering such networks. Our work stresses the importance of a system approach in biological research and how artificial neural networks are at the forefront of Artificial Intelligence techniques that are increasingly being used to construct as well as dissect molecular networks, the building blocks of the living system.Our paper will show the application of artificial neural networks to reverse engineer a temporal gene pathway In this paper we will also explore the pruning of nodes of these artificial neural networks to simulate gene silencing and thus generate novel biological insight into these molecular networks (The Biological Motherboard).The research described is novel, in that this may be the first time that the application of neural networks to temporal gene expression data is described. It will be shown that a trained artificial neural network, with pruning, can also be described as a gene network with minimal re-interpretation, where the weights on links between nodes reflect the probability of one gene affecting another gene in time.
Inferior Colliculus
Authors:   Allen Institute for Brain Science, Solan Beth , Ng Lydia , Morris John
Published: July 2008

This report contains a gene expression summary of the inferior colliculus (IC), derived from the Allen Brain Atlas (ABA) in-situ hybridization (ISH) mouse data set. The structure’s location and morphological characteristics in the mouse brain are described using the Nissl data found in the Allen Reference Atlas. Using an established algorithm, the expression values of the IC were compared to the values of the macro/parent-structure, in this case the midbrain, for the purpose of extracting regionally specific gene expression data. The highest ranking ratios were then manually curated and verified. The 50 Select Genes were compiled for expression characterization. The experimental data for each gene may be accessed via the links provided; complementary sagittal data may also be accessed using the ABA. Correlation between gene expression in the IC and the rest of the brain, across all genes in the coronal dataset (~4300 genes), were derived computationally and are presented below. A gene ontology table (derived from DAVID Bioinformatics Resources 2007) is also included, highlighting possible functions of these 50 Select Genes.
Simulation of the magnetization reversal of an ensemble of single-domain particles in measurements with a continuous sweep of the magnetic field or temperature
Authors: Timopheev A. A. , Kalita V. M. , Ryabchenko S. M.
Published: July 2008

An analysis is made of the various protocols of magnetostatic measurements for an ensemble of uniaxial single-domain particles oriented with easy axes along the magnetic field. It is shown that an important role in the magnetization reversal process is played by the continuous sweep of the magnetic field or temperature with time in making various measurements. A new characteristic feature in the temperature dependence of the magnetization rate obtained from the magnetization reversal loop, corresponding to the blocking temperature, is found. It is found that the values of the blocking temperature Tb determined from different magnetostatic measurements are not identical. It is shown that a comparison of the results obtained by these methods requires matching of the effective sweep times for each type of magnetostatic measurement. It is found that taking the measurement time into account in measurements in a constant field for changing temperature modifies the dependence of Tb on the measurement field. It is found that for such measurements the temporal kinetics suppresses the so-called point of irreversibility, and its observation in experiments is an approximate result.
Dynamic characteristics of helium adsorbents. Influence of the heat removal conditions
Authors: Shcherbachenko R. I. , Grigor’ev V. N.
Published: July 2008

The static and dynamic characteristics of the adsorbent SKN-1K at 4.2K are investigated under conditions corresponding to the working conditions of adsorption pumps in dilution refrigerators. It is shown that gluing this adsorbent to the cooled surface leads to a substantial lowering of the pressure in the pump in the dynamic regime. On the basis of experimental data for the glued and free adsorbent an estimate is made of the hydrodynamic contribution to the pressure due to the resistance of the pores of the adsorbent. This estimate falls within the error of measurement.