bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Possible solutions to some challenges facing fisheries scientists and managers
Authors: Peterman Randall M.
Published: October 2004

The purpose of this paper is to review recent work on four key challenges in fisheries science and management: (1) dealing with pervasive uncertainties and risks; (2) estimating probabilities for uncertain quantities; (3) evaluating performance of proposed management actions; and (4) communicating technical issues. These challenges are exacerbated in fisheries that harvest multiple stocks, and various methods provide partial solutions to them: (i) risk assessments and decision analyses take uncertainties into account by permitting several alternative hypotheses to be considered at once. (ii) Hierarchical models applied to multi-stock data sets can improve estimates of probability distributions for model parameters compared with those derived through single-stock analyses. (iii) Operating models of complete fishery systems provide comprehensive platforms for testing management procedures. (iv) Finally, results from research in such other disciplines as cognitive psychology can facilitate better communication about uncertainties and risks among scientists, managers, and stakeholders.
From single-species advice to mixed-species management: taking the next step
Authors: Vinther Morten , Reeves Stuart A. , Patterson Kenneth R.
Published: October 2004

Fishery management advice has traditionally been given on a stock-by-stock basis. Recent problems in implementing this advice, particularly for the demersal fisheries of the North Sea, have highlighted the limitations of the approach. In the long term, it would be desirable to give advice that accounts for mixed-fishery effects, but in the short term there is a need for approaches to resolve the conflicting management advice for different species within the same fishery, and to generate catch or effort advice that accounts for the mixed-species nature of the fishery. This paper documents a recent approach used to address these problems. The approach takes the single-species advice for each species in the fishery as a starting point, then attempts to resolve it into consistent catch or effort advice using fleet-disaggregated catch forecasts in combination with explicitly stated management priorities for each stock. Results are presented for the groundfish fisheries of the North Sea, and these show that the development of such approaches will also require development of the ways in which catch data are collected and compiled.
PKC isoforms were reduced by lead in the developing rat brain
Authors: Xu Shang‐Zhi , Bullock Latoya , Shan Chun‐Juan , Cornelius Kimberly , Rajanna Bettaiya
Published: October 2004

A plethora of protein kinase C (PKC) isoforms play important roles in regulating synaptic plasticity and neurotransmitter release. Even though, most PKC isoforms are involved in Pb‐induced neuronal toxicity, its mechanism is still unclear. The current study addresses the effect of Pb on PKC isoforms in different regions of the developing rat brain. Sprague–Dawley (SD) pregnant rats were exposed to 0.1% Pb as lead acetate dissolved in distilled deionized water (DDW) from gestation day 6 through 21 postnatal day (PND). Control rats were allowed to drink DDW. Pups were sacrificed on PND 1, 5, 10 and 45. Rat brain was immediately excised and separated into the brain stem (BS), the cerebellum (CB), the hippocampus (HC) and the frontal cortex (FC). The Pb level in different regions of the brain was determined using an analytical graphite tube atomizer (Varian). Typical PKC (α, β, γ), novel PKC (ɛ) and atypical PKC (μ) in the above brain regions were enriched by immunoprecipitation and later were assayed by Western blotting. The total, calcium‐dependent and ‐independent PKC activities were determined by the radioactivity of total γ‐32P transferred to histone. The results indicated that on PND 1, Pb reduced the PKC‐γ protein in HC and FC, whereas on PND 5 the proteins of PKC isoforms (α, β, γ, ɛ, μ) in HC and FC were significantly reduced. These reductions in PKC proteins were higher in membrane fractions than in cytosolic fractions. On PND 10, Pb reduced all PKC isoforms. However, on PND 45, Pb had no significant effect on all PKC isoforms except ɛ. Pb inhibited the total PKC activity by 70% on PND 1 and 5, the bulk of these PKC activities were calcium‐dependent. The results suggest that during early stages of the rat brain development, Pb exposure decreased PKC activities and also reduced PKC isoforms including PKC‐γ and ɛ which are reported to have roles in the memory formation and long‐term potentiation (LTP).
Die Position Klinischer Neuropsychologen in der Rehabilitation von Kraftfahrern
Authors: Neumann-Zielke L.
Published: October 2004

Zusammenfassung: In der Arbeit mit hirngeschädigten Patienten werden Klinische Neuropsychologen fast täglich mit Eignungsfragen zur Teilnahme am Kraftverkehr konfrontiert. Dabei geht es sowohl um diagnostische Fragestellungen wie auch um mögliche Wege der Rehabilitation. Der vorliegende Beitrag stellt die aktuelle Position Klinischer Neuropsychologen in der Auseinandersetzung mit diesen Anforderungen dar. Ausgehend von den rechtlichen Grundlagen und dem empirisch belegten Bedarf qualifizierter Begutachtung und Rehabilitation von Straßenverkehrsteilnehmern mit Hirnläsionen wird die Tragweite etablierter Begutachtungs- und Rehabilitationsformen problematisiert. Abschließend stellt der Autor Lösungsvorschläge zur Verbesserung der Position betroffener Verkehrsteilnehmer und zur Klärung der rechtlichen Stellung Klinischer Neuropsychologen vor.
Fahrtüchtigkeit und psychische Erkrankung
Authors: Brunnauer Alexander , Laux Gerd , Laux Gerd , Geiger Elisabeth
Published: October 2004

Zusammenfassung: Psychische Erkrankungen gehen oft mit Störungen der Informationsverarbeitung einher, die bei den Betroffenen zu Beeinträchtigungen in weiten Bereichen des alltäglichen Lebens führen können. Ein Beispiel für die vielfältigen Alltagsrisiken stellt der Straßenverkehr dar. Die epidemiologische Datenlage in Bezug auf Unfallrisiken von psychiatrischen Patienten unter Psychopharmaka ist jedoch dünn und von einer Reihe von methodischen Problemen gekennzeichnet. Einige Untersuchungen weisen auf ein erhöhtes Risiko von psychiatrischen Patienten hin, in einen Verkehrsunfall verwickelt zu werden. Eine pauschale Bewertung von Arzneimitteln, die die Fahrtüchtigkeit beeinträchtigen können ist nicht möglich. Unter den potenziell verkehrsbeeinträchtigenden Psychopharmaka stehen Tranquilizer und Hypnotika an erster Stelle. Im Gegensatz zu vielen trizyklischen Antidepressiva führen neuere selektive Antidepressiva zu keinen signifikanten Beeinträchtigungen psychomotorischer und kognitiver Funktionen. Neuere atypische Antipsychotika scheinen hinsichtlich Vigilanz und Psychomotorik Vorteile gegenüber konventionellen Neuroleptika zu haben. Die Beratung und Aufklärung von Patienten zu Fragen der Fahrtauglichkeit muss individuell, unter Berücksichtigung des Krankheitsbildes, pharmaka-differenzieller Aspekte sowie beruflichen und sozialen Wiedereingliederungsbemühungen erfolgen.
Assessment of Situation-Behavior Profiles and Their Guiding Cognitive and Affective Processes
Authors: Claes Laurence , Van Mechelen Iven , Vertommen Hans
Published: October 2004

Summary: Assessment of dysfunctional cognitive processes that guide maladaptive behavioral functioning is a sine qua non for cognitive behavioral treatment. Such an assessment, however, is cursed with at least three problems. Firstly, people may not always have access to their cognitive processes, which may hamper the retrieval of them by means of direct questioning procedures. Secondly, the contents of dysfunctional cognitions can be highly idiographic, which may limit their assessment by means of nomothetic instruments. Thirdly, one may wish to go beyond the assessment of the contents of the cognitive beliefs and chart the links with the situational conditions under which these dysfunctional beliefs are applicable, their interrelations and their links with the ultimate maladaptive behaviors. This article describes a novel method that may be helpful in this respect. After outlining its major principles, we illustrate them with a case study of an impulse control disordered patient.
Relationship of Sense of Coherence to Other Psychosocial Indices
Authors: Holmberg Sara , Thelin Anders , Stiernström Eva-Lena
Published: October 2004

Summary: The concept of “sense of coherence” (SOC) has been widely recognized since it was first introduced by Antonovsky. The originality and usefulness of the SOC scale and its relation to other psychosocial measures has been the subject of lively debate. The aim of this paper was to test for associations between SOC and work-related psychosocial factors (mainly the Job Demand-Control model), general living conditions, education, and social network factors. Cross-sectional data from a population-based sample of 1782 rural males from nine counties in Sweden were analyzed with a multiple regression technique. The subjects were occupationally active at inclusion and the mean age was 50 years (range 40-60). SOC was assessed with the original 29-item questionnaire. Psychosocial variables and lifestyle factors were assessed using questionnaires and structured interviews. The mean SOC among the subjects was 152.3 (standard deviation, 19.4). A strong negative correlation was found between SOC and job demand, whereas a positive correlation with job control was demonstrated. A positive correlation with general living conditions and with social support was also found. However, there was no correlation to education and occupation. Thus, SOC was shown to be strongly correlated to work-related psychosocial factors and social support, but independent of sociodemographic factors.
Expressed Emotion in the Client-Professional Dyad
Authors: Van Humbeeck G. , Van Audenhove Ch. , Storms G. , De Hert M. , Pieters G. , Vertommen H. , Peuskens J. , Heyrman J.
Published: October 2004

Summary: Background: This article reports on a study of the concurrent validity between the standard expressed emotion instrument, the Camberwell Family Interview (CFI), and two alternative EE measures, the Level of Expressed Emotion (LEE) and the Perceived Criticism Scale (PCS). Methods: The research sample consisted of 56 schizophrenic clients, who were residing in sheltered residences, and 56 professionals. Results: Based on the results of the correlation matrix between all the subscales of the instruments, a significantly positive relationship was found between the criticism scale of the CFI, the total score of the LEE, and the client version of the PCS. These correlations, however, were rather weak, which implies that the three instruments have little in common with each other. The professionals' version of the PCS does not appear to be an EE instrument. Conclusions: The results suggest that the CFI still remains the best instrument for assessing EE in a therapeutic relationship (between a professional and a client). If there is insufficient time to administer the CFI, then the client version of the PCS and the LEE can be used with the qualification that the PCS and LEE also measure other aspects and thus cannot completely replace the CFI. Nevertheless, the research indicates that asking the clients would seem to provide a better indication of the level of the professionals' criticism rather than asking the professionals themselves directly.
Assessment of Filial, Parental, Marital, and Collective Family Efficacy Beliefs
Authors: Caprara Gian Vittorio , Regalia Camillo , Scabini Eugenia , Barbaranelli Claudio , Bandura Albert
Published: October 2004

Summary: This study examines the psychometric properties of four scales designed to assess efficacy beliefs that family members hold about their role as spouse, parent, and child, as well as about the functioning of family as a holistic system. The sample includes about 600 parents and about 1000 adolescents. Psychometric properties of the scales are examined by means of exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses as well as internal coherence coefficients. Validity was examined by means of correlations with indicators of open communication, parental monitoring, aggressive management of conflict, and family satisfaction. Confirmatory factor analysis corroborates the internal reliability of the scales and their distinctiveness. Although correlated, efficacy beliefs that family members hold regarding their capacity to meet the different roles within the family and involved in the functioning of family as a whole system are not reducible to a single dimension. The family efficacy scales provide theoretically rooted tools for studying family processes and functioning as they occur under naturalistic conditions and as a result of therapeutic interventions.
Two Short Instruments Measuring Quality of Life in Survivors of a Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Plevier C.M. , Stouthard M.E.A. , Visser M.C. , Grobbee D.E. , Gunning-Schepers L.J.
Published: October 2004

Summary: The aim of this study was to validate the use of short, generic, quality-of-life (QoL) questionnaires in a population of myocardial infarction survivors. The feasibility, reliability, and validity of two short questionnaires (the MOS-24 and the COOP/WONCA charts) were evaluated and compared with a long questionnaire (the Sickness Impact Profile). The study population consisted of 99 myocardial infarction survivors some years after the event and 101 referents without a history of heart or brain infarction. The feasibility of the short questionnaires was good. Both instruments covered the most important domains of QoL, similar to the Sickness Impact Profile. In addition, the two short questionnaires measured “pain” and the MOS-24 also covered “vitality.” The MOS-24 had a smaller floor effect than the COOP/WONCA charts. The MOS-24 was shown to be a reliable test. Both short instruments were able to detect between-group differences (especially MOS-24) although at different rates. Convergent validity of the MOS-24 was high compared with the COOP/WONCA charts. In contrast, the discriminant validity of the COOP/WONCA charts was better. The discriminant validity of the MOS-24 was, nevertheless, reasonable. In conclusion, both instruments are suitable for measuring the QoL of myocardial infarction survivors. The multi-item MOS-24 questionnaire however, is slightly preferable.
Psychometric Properties of Goldberg's 50 Personality Markers for the Big Five Model1
Authors: García Oscar , Aluja Anton , García Luís F.
Published: October 2004

Summary: The aim of this study was to investigate the psychometric properties of the Spanish transparent version of Goldberg's Big Five 50 personality markers ( Goldberg, 1992 ). The structure of the questionnaire was analyzed through exploratory factor analyses (EFA) and confirmatory factor analyses (CFA) in a sample of 1189 university students. The Spanish version shows similar statistical properties to the English one. A reduced version of the Goldberg questionnaire with 25 items yields a better fit to the five-factor personality structure than the 50-adjective version.
Construct Validity of the Maslach Burnout Inventory: Two Swedish Health Care Samples
Authors: Hallberg Ulrika E. , Sverke Magnus
Published: October 2004

Summary: Burnout has become a serious matter in workplace health, and the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI) is today the most widely used instrument for assessing the construct empirically. The present study examined the construct validity of a Swedish translation of the instrument for human service employees (MBI-HSS). Data from two samples of health care workers (N = 448 and N = 462) were used to test six propositions concerning dimensionality, internal consistency, measurement model stability, and relationships with predictors and outcomes. Support for the postulated three-factor model of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and (reduced) personal accomplishment as well as for adequate reliabilities of the dimensions was found. A post hoc modification of the MBI was suggested in order to improve model fit. Multi-group confirmatory factor analysis indicated stability of measurement model parameters across organizational settings. Moreover, the propositions about the association between the burnout dimensions, and predictors and outcomes were partly supported. Taken together, these tests provide strong support for the construct validity of the Swedish translation of the MBI-HSS.
The Portuguese Version of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)
Authors: Gonçalves Bruno , Fagulha Teresa
Published: October 2004

Summary: The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) is a depression scale designed to measure depressive symptomatology in the general population. The authors developed a Portuguese version of this scale. This article presents the results of the three studies carried out with this version. These results support the reliability and the validity of the scale. The CES-D proved to be sensitive to variations in the intensity of depressive symptomatology and can be used in epidemiological studies or as a screening instrument in a clinical setting. Sex does have some influence on the values of sensitivity and specificity but the educational level has a greater influence on scores: Subjects with a lower education level tend to obtain higher scores with the same level of depressive symptomatology as evaluated by the clinical interview.
Psychometric Parameters of the Spanish Version of the Kuwait University Anxiety Scale (S-KUAS)1
Authors: Abdel-Khalek Ahmed M. , Tomás-Sabádo Joaquin , Gómez-Benito Juana
Published: October 2004

Summary: To construct a Spanish version of the Kuwait University Anxiety Scale (S-KUAS), the Arabic and English versions of the KUAS have been separately translated into Spanish. To check the comparability in terms of meaning, the two Spanish preliminary translations were thoroughly scrutinized vis-à-vis both the Arabic and English forms by several experts. Bilingual subjects served to explore the cross-language equivalence of the English and Spanish versions of the KUAS. The correlation between the total scores on both versions was .93, and the t value was .30 (n.s.), denoting good similarity. The Alphas and 4-week test-retest reliabilities were greater than .84, while the criterion-related validity was .70 against scores on the trait subscale of the STAI. These findings denote good reliability and validity of the S-KUAS. Factor analysis yielded three high-loaded factors of Behavioral/Subjective, Cognitive/Affective, and Somatic Anxiety, equivalent to the original Arabic version. Female (n = 210) undergraduates attained significantly higher mean scores than their male (n = 102) counterparts. For the combined group of males and females, the correlation between the total score on the S-KUAS and age was -.17 (p < .01). By and large, the findings of the present study provide evidence of the utility of the S-KUAS in assessing trait anxiety levels in the Spanish undergraduate context.
Darwin Area Wave Experiment (DAWEX) field campaign to study gravity wave generation and propagation
Authors: Hamilton Kevin , Vincent Robert A. , May Peter T.
Published: October 2004

A field campaign studying aspects of the atmospheric dynamics from the ground to the lower thermosphere was conducted in Australia during October to December 2001. This Darwin Area Wave Experiment (DAWEX) involved participation from nine institutions in the USA, Japan, and Australia and focused on studying wave perturbations in the middle atmosphere in conjunction with detailed observations of tropospheric moist convection. The experiment involved extended deployment of six airglow imagers, medium‐frequency radars, and a boundary layer wind profiler. Tropospheric convection was observed by meteorological radars, including the Australian Bureau of Meteorology Research Centre C‐band polarized radar. This paper provides an overview of the experimental setup and also discusses the basic meteorological fields during the experiment, including some examples of convective activity near Darwin. Wind and temperature fields extending up into the lower thermosphere were constructed on the basis of campaign observations and the UKMO global meteorological analysis. These fields can be used for the modeling of gravity wave propagation through the middle atmosphere.
Ocean carbon sink duration under stabilization of atmospheric CO2: A 1,000‐year timescale
Authors: Kheshgi Haroon S.
Published: October 2004

Ocean CO2 uptake, moderated by the slow mixing of dissolved inorganic carbon to the ocean depths, is estimated to have a duration of ∼1,000 years when the atmosphere is held at a constant “stabilized” CO2 concentration. This timescale is found to be several times longer than the relaxation time for the atmosphere‐ocean system to come to equilibrium when forced by a CO2 emission impulse. Furthermore, the 1,000 year timescale is found to be insensitive to atmospheric CO2 concentration level. Beyond 2,000 years, sediment CaCO3 neutralization becomes the dominant mechanism for CO2 uptake further extending the timescale of the ocean carbon sink. The equilibration time of the atmosphere‐ocean system, on the other hand, is shown to lengthen with increasing magnitude of CO2 emissions. Estimates are based on the response of a 3D‐ocean carbon cycle model, and this behavior explained using the analytic solution of a simple box model.
Direct observations of the effects of aerosol loading on net ecosystem CO2 exchanges over different landscapes
Authors: Niyogi Dev , Chang Hsin‐I , Saxena V. K. , Holt Teddy , Alapaty Kiran , Booker Fitzgerald , Chen Fei , Davis Kenneth J. , Holben Brent , Matsui Toshihisa , Meyers Tilden , Oechel Walter C. , Pielke Roger A. , Wells Randy , Wilson Kell , Xue Yongkang
Published: October 2004

We present the first direct, multisite observations in support of the hypothesis that atmospheric aerosols affect the regional terrestrial carbon cycle. The daytime growing season (summer) CO2 flux observations from six sites (forest, grasslands, and croplands) with collocated aerosol and surface radiation measurements were analyzed for high and low diffuse radiation; effect of cloud cover; and effect of high and low aerosol optical depths (AOD). Results indicate that, aerosols exert a significant impact on net CO2 exchange, and their effect may be even more significant than that due to clouds. The response appears to be a general feature irrespective of the landscape and photosynthetic pathway. The CO2 sink increased with aerosol loading for forest and crop lands, and decreased for grassland. The cause for the difference in response between vegetation types is hypothesized to be canopy architecture.
Magma volume, volatile emissions, and stratospheric aerosols from the 1815 eruption of Tambora
Authors: Self S. , Gertisser R. , Thordarson T. , Rampino M. R. , Wolff J. A.
Published: October 2004

We suggest that the Tambora 1815 eruption was smaller than previously thought, yielding 30–33 km3 of magma. Valuable insight into the eruption is gained by comparing it to the much smaller 1991 Pinatubo event, which had a similar eruption style and rate. By measuring pre‐ and post‐eruption sulfur concentrations in 1815 ejecta, we estimate that Tambora released 53–58 Tg (5.3–5.8 × 1013 g) of SO2 within a period of about 24 hours on 10–11 April, 1815. This was sufficient to generate between 93 and 118 Tg of stratospheric sulfate aerosols. A value within this range, distributed globally, agrees well with estimates of aerosol mass from ice‐core acidity and the radiative impact of the eruption. In contrast to other recent explosive arc eruptions, the Tambora ejecta retain a record of the sulfur mass released, with no “excess sulfur”.
Hot carbon densities in the exosphere of Venus
Authors: Liemohn Michael W. , Fox Jane L. , Nagy Andrew F. , Fang Xiaohua
Published: October 2004

The results of calculations of hot carbon densities in the exosphere of Venus are presented. The calculation is a two‐step process. First a two‐stream transport code is used to solve for the distribution function at the exobase, and then these results are used in a Liouville equation solution above the exobase. It is found that generally, photodissociation of carbon monoxide is the largest source of hot carbon atoms in the upper atmosphere of Venus, larger than dissociative recombination of CO+ and significantly larger than the creation of hot carbon through collisions with hot oxygen atoms. It is also found that the high solar activity densities are about 4 times larger than those for the low solar activity case. The results of these calculations are compared with the densities calculated by Paxton [1983].
Long‐term global measurements of ozone profiles by GOME validated with SAGE II considering atmospheric dynamics
Authors: Bracher A. , Weber M. , Bramstedt K. , Tellmann S. , Burrows J. P.
Published: October 2004

Stratospheric ozone profiles measured by the Global Ozone Monitoring Experiment (GOME on ERS‐2) and Stratospheric Aerosol and Gas Experiment II (SAGE II on ERBS, data version 6.2) were compared over a 4‐year time period (1996–2000). GOME measures the reflected and backscattered radiation from Earth, and vertical profiles are derived from nadir observations using the Full Retrieval Method (FURM, version 5.0), which is based upon an advanced optimal estimation inversion scheme; SAGE II uses solar occultation to measure vertical profiles of ozone with an instantaneous vertical field of view of 0.5 km at the Earth limb. Coincident measurements are identified by limiting time differences and distance between two observation points. Since for ozone in the lower stratosphere gradients in the horizontal distribution evolve from transport processes, validation at the border of different air masses is rendered more difficult. Important factors influencing the ozone distribution are the tropopause height and whether a measurement is taken within or outside the polar vortex. This was taken into account when the validation was reduced to matches where both measurements were within the same air mass. Overall, comparisons show that between 19‐ and ∼34‐km good agreement between the ozone profiles of the two satellite instruments is achieved. If lower stratospheric ozone is strongly depleted during polar spring, a homogeneity condition has to be imposed on the GOME and SAGE II measurements by requiring an upper limit on the potential vorticity difference at the 475‐K isentrope.
Influence of dust storms on the aerosol optical properties over the Indo‐Gangetic basin
Authors: Dey Sagnik , Tripathi Sachchida Nand , Singh Ramesh P. , Holben B. N.
Published: October 2004

Dust storms are considered natural hazards, which affect day‐to‐day life for a short time from a few hours to a few days. They are common in India especially in the western Rajasthan Province, which is covered by the Thar Desert. In this paper, we present the effects of the dust events on the aerosol parameters retrieved over Kanpur (located in heart of the Indo‐Gangetic basin) from ground‐based Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) measurements. The aerosol parameters show strong seasonal variability in this region, with least spectral dependence of aerosol optical depth (AOD) during the premonsoon season, characterized by dust loading. The aerosol optical properties over the Indo‐Gangetic basin are controlled by the diurnal and seasonal cycles of urban pollutants, but the dust storms are so significant that the local cycle is completely overshadowed. A rise in AOD by more than 50% and corresponding decrease in angstrom parameter by 70–90% have been observed after each dust event. The diurnal variations of AOD during the dust events have been found to be controlled by the onset of the dust storms. The changes in the single scattering albedo (SSA) and real n(λ) and imaginary k(λ) parts of the refractive index indicate that the 27 May 2002 event influences the optical state to be absorbing, whereas for the other four events the aerosols are found to be dominantly scattering in nature. SSA has been found to increase sharply at higher wavelengths (λ > 440 nm) during the dust events, whereas n(λ) and k(λ) increase 2–3 times more at λ = 440 nm compared to those at higher wavelengths. The contrasting change in the spectral variations of the optical properties is due to the difference in the nature of the aerosols loading during the events. Aerosol volume concentration at coarse mode is found to increase three times after the dust events, whereas no significant change has been observed in the volume concentration at fine mode. Concentration of the particulate matters less than 10 μm (PM10) is also found to increase by ∼150 μg m−3 after each dust event except on the 27 May 2002 event, when heavy rainfall after the dust storm washed out the suspended particulate matters from the atmosphere, and the ground level PM10 concentration was not influenced by the advected dust particles on that day. Aerosol index values in successive Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) images over the region support the characterization of the aerosols in this region in terms of their optical properties, which are being transported over the Indo‐Gangetic basin from the western Thar Desert and the Gulf regions depending upon the size of the particles, shown by the air mass trajectories.
Induction of bone‐marrow eosinophilia in mice submitted to surgery is dependent on stress‐induced secretion of glucocorticoids
Authors: Elsas Pedro Xavier , Neto Heitor A Paula , Cheraim Alessandra B , Magalhães Elisabeth S S , Accioly Maria Theresa S , Carvalho Vinicius F , E Silva Patricia M R , Vargaftig B B , Cunha Fernando Q , Gaspar Elsas Maria Ignez C
Published: October 2004

We examined bone‐marrow in mice receiving subcutaneous implants of heat‐coagulated egg white, which are known to present chronic eosinophilic inflammation at the implant site. Egg white implants (EWIs) induced marked bone‐marrow eosinophilia, and increased bone‐marrow cell responses to granulocyte‐macrophage colony‐stimulating factor and interleukin‐5 in culture. These effects were observed as early as 24 h and lasted for, at least, 30 days in implant recipients.

We found, however, that increased eosinophil production was also observed in control mice which underwent surgery but received no EWI (sham‐implanted mice), up to 15 days post‐surgery. As this suggests an important contribution of nonspecific stress mechanisms to eosinopoiesis, we further evaluated the role of stress hormones produced by the adrenal glands in the bone‐marrow eosinophilia of sham‐implanted mice.

Bone‐marrow eosinophilia in mice undergoing surgery was dissociated from increases in other haemopoietic lineages. Surgery by itself increased circulating corticosterone levels by 24 h, and the increase was prevented by inhibition of adrenal glucocorticoid production by metyrapone. The effect of surgery on bone‐marrow eosinophilia was prevented by pretreatment with both the glucocorticoid receptor antagonist, mifepristone, and metyrapone, and by surgical adrenalectomy.

By contrast, cathecolamine receptor antagonists (propranolol, prazosin and yohimbine) were ineffective, indicating that cathecolamine release from the adrenal glands was not responsible for the effects on bone‐marrow.

These results highlight a critical role for stress‐induced glucocorticoid hormones in selectively upregulating bone‐marrow eosinopoiesis in mice submitted to surgery.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2004) 143, 541–548. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705943
The cannabinoid CB1 receptor antagonist SR141716 blocks the orexigenic effects of intrahypothalamic ghrelin
Authors: Tucci Sonia A , Rogers Elizabeth K , Korbonits Márta , Kirkham Tim C
Published: October 2004

The paraventricular nucleus (PVN) of the hypothalamus plays a key role in the control of appetite and energy balance. Both ghrelin and cannabinoid receptor agonists increase food intake when administered into this nucleus: this study investigated possible interactions between the two systems in relation to eating. The orexigenic effect of ghrelin (100 pmol) when infused in to the PVN was reversed by a small, systemic dose of the CB1 cannabinoid receptor antagonist SR141716 (1 mg kg−1). This is the first demonstration of a functional relationship between brain ghrelin and endocannabinoid systems, and, although it needs to be further investigated, the effect of ghrelin on food intake when injected into the PVN seems to be mediated by stimulation of cannabinoid release.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2004) 143, 520–523. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705968
Pharmacological effects of carcinine on histaminergic neurons in the brain
Authors: Chen Zhong , Sakurai Eiko , Hu Weiwei , Jin Chunlei , Kiso Yoshinobu , Kato Motohisa , Watanabe Takehiko , Wei Erqing , Yanai Kazuhiko
Published: October 2004

Carcinine (β‐alanyl histamine) is an imidazole dipeptide. The present study was designed to characterize the pharmacological effects of carcinine on histaminergic activity in the brain and on certain neurobehavior.

Carcinine was highly selective for the histamine H3 receptor over H1 or H2 receptor (Ki (μM)=0.2939±0.2188 vs 3621.2±583.9 or 365.3±232.8 μM, respectively).

Carcinine at a dose of 20 mg kg−1 slightly increased histidine decarboxylase (HDC) activity in the cortex (from 0.186±0.069 to 0.227±0.009 pmol mg protein−1 min−1). In addition, carcinine (10, 20, and 50 mg kg−1) significantly decreased histamine levels in mice brain.

Like thioperamide, a histamine H3 receptor antagonist, carcinine (20, 50 μM) significantly increased 5‐HT release from mice cortex slices, but had no apparent effect on dopamine release.

Carcinine (20 mg kg−1) significantly inhibited pentylenetetrazole‐induced kindling. This inhibition was completedly reversed by (R)‐α‐methylhistamine, a representative H3 receptor agonist, and α‐fluromethylhistidine, a selective HDC inhibitor.

Carcinine (20 mg kg−1) ameliorated the learning deficit induced by scopolamine. This amelioration was reversed by (R)‐α‐methylhistamine as evaluated by the passive avoidance test in mice.

Like thioperamide, carcinine dose‐dependently increased mice locomotor activity in the open‐field test.

The results of this study provide first and direct evidence that carcinine, as a novel histamine H3 receptor antagonist, plays an important role in histaminergic neurons activation and might be useful in the treatment of certain diseases, such as epilepsy, and locomotor or cognitive deficit.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2004) 143, 573–580. doi:10.1038/sj.bjp.0705978
Oxidative protein folding in the mammalian endoplasmic reticulum
Authors: Jessop C.E. , Chakravarthi S. , Watkins R.H. , Bulleid N.J.
Published: October 2004

Native disulphide bonds are essential for the structure and function of many membrane and secretory proteins. Disulphide bonds are formed, reduced and isomerized in the endoplasmic reticulum of mammalian cells by a family of oxidoreductases, which includes protein disulphide isomerase (PDI), ERp57, ERp72, P5 and PDIR. This review will discuss how these enzymes are maintained in either an oxidized redox state that allows them to form disulphide bonds in substrate proteins or a reduced form that allows them to perform isomerization and reduction reactions, how these opposing pathways may co-exist within the same compartment and why so many oxidoreductases exist when PDI alone can perform all three of these functions.
Functional ramifications of FRET-detected nascent chain folding far inside the membrane-bound ribosome
Authors: Johnson A.E.
Published: October 2004

During protein biosynthesis, nascent protein chains are directed along a long narrow tunnel that spans the large ribosomal subunit. It has recently become clear that this structural feature has evolved to effect regulatory control over aspects of protein synthesis and protein trafficking. Since this control is nascent chain-specific, ribosomal components that form the tunnel must be involved in recognizing selected nascent proteins as they pass by. The present study focuses on one such situation in which nascent secretory proteins and membrane proteins are distinguished by the ribosome-induced folding of the latter's hydrophobic transmembrane sequence far inside the ribosomal tunnel and close to the peptidyltransferase centre.
Intraflagellar transport motors in Caenorhabditis elegans neurons
Authors: Scholey J.M. , Ou G. , Snow J. , Gunnarson A.
Published: October 2004

IFT (intraflagellar transport) assembles and maintains sensory cilia on the dendritic endings of chemosensory neurons within the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. During IFT, macromolecular protein complexes called IFT particles (which carry ciliary precursors) are moved from the base of the sensory cilium to its distal tip by anterograde IFT motors (kinesin-II and Osm-3 kinesin) and back to the base by retrograde IFT-dynein [Rosenbaum and Witman (2002) Nat. Rev. Mol. Cell Biol. 3, 813–825; Scholey (2003) Annu. Rev. Cell Dev. Biol. 19, 423–443; and Snell, Pan and Wang (2004) Cell 117, 693–697]. In the present study, we describe the protein machinery of IFT in C. elegans, which we have analysed using time-lapse fluorescence microscopy of green fluorescent protein-fusion proteins in concert with ciliary mutants.
Myosin VI: a multifunctional motor
Authors: Lister I. , Roberts R. , Schmitz S. , Walker M. , Trinick J. , Veigel C. , Buss F. , Kendrick-Jones J.
Published: October 2004

Myosin VI moves towards the minus end of actin filaments unlike all the other myosins so far studied, suggesting that it has unique properties and functions. Myosin VI is present in clathrin-coated pits and vesicles, in membrane ruffles and in the Golgi complex, indicating that it has a wide variety of functions in the cell. To investigate the cellular roles of myosin VI, we have identified a variety of myosin VI-binding partners and characterized their interactions. As an alternative approach, we have studied the in vitro properties of intact myosin VI. Previous studies assumed that myosin VI existed as a dimer but our biochemical characterization and electron microscopy studies reveal that myosin VI is a monomer. Using an optical tweezers force transducer, we showed that monomeric myosin VI is a non-processive motor with a large working stroke of 18 nm. Potential roles for myosin VI in cells are discussed.
Imaging myosin 10 in cells
Authors: Tacon D. , Knight P.J. , Peckham M.
Published: October 2004

Cellular motors (kinesin, dynein and myosin) are ubiquitous. A major task in cell biology is to determine how they function in cells. Here we focus on myosin 10, an intrafilopodial motor, and show how imaging green fluorescent protein fused to myosin 10 or its tail domains can help us understand the function of this myosin.
Towards bridging the gap from molecular forces to the movement of organisms
Authors: Nielsen B.G.
Published: October 2004

Muscles are responsible for generating the forces required for the movement of multicellular organisms. Microscopically, these forces arise as a consequence of motor proteins (myosin) pulling and sliding along actin filaments. Current knowledge states that the molecular forces between actin and myosin are linear in nature [Huxley and Simmons (1971) Nature (London) 233, 533–538] and that the physiologically observed non-linearities (e.g. Hill's force–velocity relationship) are a consequence of non-linearities in the attachment/detachment ratios. However, this view has been disputed recently [Nielsen (2002) J. Theor. Biol. 219, 99–119], inspired by results from protein pulling experiments showing that proteins often have non-linear entropic force–extension profiles. Irrespective of the case, the present study aims at integrating such basic force-producing properties into large-scale simulations of muscle, which may accommodate macroscopic properties of muscles, e.g. the catch-like effect, the Henneman principle and accurate twitch force and motor unit size distributions. As a test of the underlying principles, a model of the biceps caput breve muscle is presented and compared with experimental data.
Isolation and identification of a protein binding to the localization element of Metallothionein-1 mRNA
Authors: Mickleburgh I. , Burtle B. , Nury D. , Chabanon H. , Chrzanowska-Lightowlers Z. , Hesketh J.E.
Published: October 2004

mRNA localization provides a mechanism for localized protein synthesis. mRNAs encoding certain proteins, including c-MYC, c-FOS, MT-1 (Metallothionein-1) and vimentin, are localized around the nuclei of mammalian cells and are associated with the cytoskeleton. Targeting of these mRNAs to the perinuclear cytoplasm is mediated by elements within their 3′-UTRs (3′-untranslated regions), but many of the trans-acting proteins remain unidentified. UV cross-linking assays using radiolabelled transcripts indicated that a protein of approx. 50 kDa (from the Chinese-hamster ovary cell extracts) bound to the MT-1 3′-UTR sequence. Competition experiments using unlabelled mutant 3′-UTR RNAs revealed that the binding of this protein is specific to localization-positive mutants. Isolation of a 50 kDa protein was achieved by an RNA affinity-based method in which biotinylated MT-1 3′-UTR RNA was anchored to paramagnetic beads. Bound proteins were eluted and analysed by SDS/PAGE. The 50 kDa protein was extracted from the gel, subjected to trypsin digestion and identified by matrix-assisted laser-desorption/ionization–time-of-flight mass spectrometry as eukaryote elongation factor 1α.
Structural features of the low-density lipoprotein receptor facilitating ligand binding and release
Authors: Beglova N. , Jeon H. , Fisher C. , Blacklow S.C.
Published: October 2004

The LDLR (low-density lipoprotein receptor) is a modular protein built from several distinct structural units: LA (LDLR type-A), epidermal growth factor-like and β-propeller modules. The low pH X-ray structure of the LDLR revealed long-range intramolecular contacts between the propeller domain and the central LA repeats of the ligand-binding domain, suggesting that the receptor changes its overall shape from extended to closed, in response to pH. Here we discuss how the LDLR uses flexibility and rigidity of linkers between modules to facilitate ligand binding and low-pH ligand release.
The anaphase-promoting complex (APC): the sum of its parts?
Authors: Passmore L.A.
Published: October 2004

The APC (anaphase-promoting complex) is a multisubunit E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets cell-cycle-related proteins for degradation by the 26 S proteasome. The APC contains at least 13 subunits and is regulated by the binding of co-activator proteins and by phosphorylation. It is not known why the APC contains 13 subunits when many other ubiquitin ligases are small single-subunit enzymes. In the present study, the structures and functions of individual APC subunits are discussed. By dissecting the roles of its parts, we hope to gain insight into the mechanism of the intact APC.
Structural and functional studies of mutations affecting the UBA domain of SQSTM1 (p62) which cause Paget's disease of bone
Authors: Layfield R. , Ciani B. , Ralston S.H. , Hocking L.J. , Sheppard P.W. , Searle M.S. , Cavey J.R.
Published: October 2004

Mutations affecting the UBA (ubiquitin-associated) domain of SQSTM1 (Sequestosome 1) (p62) are a common cause of Paget's disease of bone. The missense mutations resolve into those which retain [P392L (Pro392→Leu), G411S] or abolish (M404V, G425R) the ability of the isolated UBA domain to bind Lys-48-linked polyubiquitin. These effects can be rationalized with reference to the solution structure of the UBA domain, which we have determined by NMR spectroscopy. The UBA domain forms a characteristic compact three-helix bundle, with a hydrophobic patch equivalent to that previously implicated in ubiquitin binding by other UBA domains. None of the mutations affect overall folding of the UBA domain, but both M404V and G425R involve residues in the hydrophobic patch, whereas Pro-392 and Gly-411 are more remote. A simple model assuming the isolated UBA domain is functioning as a compact monomer can explain the effects of the mutations on polyubiquitin binding. The P392L and G411S mutations do however have subtle local effects on secondary structure, which may become more relevant in full-length SQSTM1. Identification of the in vivo ubiquitylated substrates of SQSTM1 will be most informative in determining the functional significance of the SQSTM1–ubiquitin interaction, and consequences of the disease-associated mutations.
Mechanisms of elongation on the ribosome: dynamics of a macromolecular machine
Authors: Wintermeyer W. , Peske F. , Beringer M. , Gromadski K.B. , Savelsbergh A. , Rodnina M.V.
Published: October 2004

Protein synthesis in the cell is performed on ribosomes, large ribonucleoprotein particles, which in bacteria consist of three RNA molecules and over 50 proteins. This review summarizes recent progress in understanding the mechanisms of the elongation phase of protein synthesis. Results from rapid kinetic analysis of elongation reactions are discussed in the light of recent structural data.
The effect of force on thermodynamics and kinetics: unfolding single RNA molecules
Authors: Tinoco I. , Collin D. , Li P.T.X.
Published: October 2004

We have used laser tweezers to unfold single RNA molecules at room temperature and in physiological-type solvents. The forces necessary to unfold the RNAs are over the range 10–20 pN, forces that can be generated by cellular enzymes. The Gibbs free energy for the unfolding of TAR (transactivation-responsive) RNA from HIV was found to be increased after the addition of argininamide; the TAR hairpin was stabilized. The rate of unfolding was decreased and the rate of folding was increased by argininamide.
The N-glycan glucosidase system in Trypanosoma brucei
Authors: Jones D. , Mehlert A. , Ferguson M.A.J.
Published: October 2004

Reactions involving removal and addition of glucose to N-glycans in the ER (endoplasmic reticulum) are performed in higher eukaryotes by glucosidases I and II and the UDP-glucose:glycoprotein glucosyltransferase respectively. Monoglucosylated N-glycan structures have been implicated in glycoprotein folding or ER quality control. Components of the system appear across a range of organisms; however, the precise combination differs between organisms. We have identified putative components of the system in the protozoal organism Trypanosoma brucei by local alignment searching. The function of one of these components, a glucosidase II α-subunit homologue, has been confirmed by phenotyping a null mutant, and an ectopic expression cell line. A combination of MS, methylation linkage analysis, exoglycosidase digestion and partial acetolysis have been used to characterize three novel N-glycan structures on the variant surface glycoprotein of the null mutant. On the basis of our results, we propose that two N-glycan precursors are available for transfer to variant surface glycoprotein (variant 221) in the ER of T. brucei; only one of these precursors is glucosylated after transfer.