bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prescribed fire and conservation of a threatened mountain grassland specialist: a capture–recapture study on the Orsini's viper in the French alps
Authors: Lyet A. , Cheylan M. , Prodon R. , Besnard A.
Published: April 2009

Burning has traditionally been used in the southern French Alps to maintain open lands for grazing. In the context of land use abandonment, prescribed burning may be the only realistic practical tool available to oppose encroachment by woody plants in numerous mountainous landscapes. Although only recently developed as a modern tool for wildfire prevention and management of pastoral grasslands, this practice is now becoming widespread, which raises the issue of its impact on the fauna in general, and on endangered species in particular. We studied the impact of a prescribed fire on the survival and small‐scale movements of one of the rarest snakes in Europe, the Orsini's viper Vipera ursinii, in order to evaluate its potential threat to population sustainability. We evaluated the body condition of snakes and the quality of their habitat, more precisely the abundance of grasshoppers as the main food resource, and the vegetation cover as shelter. About 3.6 ha of a 8.8 ha study site was burnt in autumn 2003. Snake population parameters were estimated using multi‐state capture–mark–recapture methods. We demonstrate that burning reduced the survival of the vipers by more than half during the first year following the fire. Contrary to what was expected, there was no evidence of emigration from the burned to the unburned area immediately after the fire. Despite the decrease in grasshopper density and vegetation cover in the burned area, there was no evidence of mid‐term mortality in snakes that could result from an increased predation rate or from the reduced body condition of snakes. As such high mortality, mainly or entirely due to the direct effect of fire, is likely to have large repercussions on population sustainability, we suggest several improvements of prescribed fire protocols to minimize their impact and strongly emphasize the need for a prescribed fire policy that takes into account specific recommendations for threatened species like Orsini's viper. The case of the Orsini's viper is very typical of conservation problems in open mountain lands, and we believe that our research will help determine the most suitable approach for long‐term conservation of biodiversity in such semi‐natural ecosystems.
A warm thermal enclave in the Late Pleistocene of the South‐eastern United States
Authors: Russell Dale A. , Rich Fredrick J. , Schneider Vincent , Lynch‐Stieglitz Jean
Published: April 2009

Physical and biological evidence supports the probable existence of an enclave of relatively warm climate located between the Southern Appalachian Mountains and the Atlantic Ocean in the United States during the Last Glacial Maximum. The region supported a mosaic of forest and prairie habitats inhabited by a “Floridian” ice‐age biota. Plant and vertebrate remains suggest an ecological gradient towards Cape Hatteras (35°N) wherein forests tended to replace prairies, and browsing proboscideans tended to replace grazing proboscideans. Beyond 35°N, warm waters of the Gulf Stream were deflected towards the central Atlantic, and a cold‐facies biota replaced “Floridian” biota on the Atlantic coastal plain. Because of niche diversity and relatively benign climate, biodiversity may have been greater in the south‐eastern thermal enclave than in other unglaciated areas of North America. However, the impact of terminal Pleistocene megafaunal extinctions may also have been shorter and more severe in the enclave than further north. A comparison with biotic changes that occurred in North America approximately 55 million years (ma) ago at the Paleocene‐Eocene Thermal Maximum suggests that similar processes of change took place under both ice‐house and greenhouse climates.
Consumptive emasculation: the ecological and evolutionary consequences of pollen theft
Authors: Hargreaves Anna L. , Harder Lawrence D. , Johnson Steven D.
Published: April 2009

Many of the diverse animals that consume floral rewards act as efficient pollinators; however, others ‘steal’ rewards without ‘paying’ for them by pollinating. In contrast to the extensive studies of the ecological and evolutionary consequences of nectar theft, pollen theft and its implications remain largely neglected, even though it affects plant reproduction more directly. Here we review existing studies of pollen theft and find that: (1) most pollen thieves pollinate other plant species, suggesting that theft generally arises from a mismatch between the flower and thief that precludes pollen deposition, (2) bees are the most commonly documented pollen thieves, and (3) the floral traits that typically facilitate pollen theft involve either spatial or temporal separation of sex function within flowers (herkogamy and dichogamy, respectively). Given that herkogamy and dichogamy occur commonly and that bees are globally the most important floral visitors, pollen theft is likely a greatly under‐appreciated component of floral ecology and influence on floral evolution. We identify the mechanisms by which pollen theft can affect plant fitness, and review the evidence for theft‐induced ecological effects, including pollen limitation. We then explore the consequences of pollen theft for the evolution of floral traits and sexual systems, and conclude by identifying key directions for future research.
Guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT) deficiency: late onset of movement disorder and preserved expressive language
Authors: O’ROURKE DECLAN J , RYAN STEPHANIE , SALOMONS GAJJA , JAKOBS CORNELIS , MONAVARI AHMAD , KING MARY D
Published: April 2009

Guanidinoacetate methyltransferase (GAMT) deficiency is a disorder of creatine biosynthesis, characterized by early‐onset learning disability and epilepsy in most affected children. Severe expressive language delay is a constant feature even in the mildest clinical phenotypes. We report the clinical, biochemical, imaging, and treatment data of two female siblings (18y and 13y) with an unusual phenotype of GAMT deficiency. The oldest sibling had subacute onset of a movement disorder at age 17 years, later than has been previously reported. The younger sibling had better language skills than previously described in this disorder. After treatment with creatine, arginine restriction and ornithine‐supplemented diet, seizure severity and movement disorder were reduced but cognition did not improve. This report confirms that GAMT deficiency, a heterogeneous, potentially treatable disorder, detected by increased levels of guanidinoacetate in body fluids (e.g. plasma or urine) or by an abnormal creatine peak on magnetic resonance spectroscopy, should be considered in patients of any age with unexplained, apparently static learning disability and epilepsy.
Spectrum of epilepsy and electroencephalogram patterns in Wolf–Hirschhorn syndrome: experience with 87 patients
Authors: BATTAGLIA AGATINO , FILIPPI TIZIANA , SOUTH SARAH T , CAREY JOHN C
Published: April 2009

To define the spectrum of epilepsy in Wolf–Hirschhorn syndrome (WHS) better, we studied 87 patients (54 females, 33 males; median age 5.6 years; age range 1–25.6 years) with confirmed 4p16.3 deletion. On the basis of clinical charts, we retrospectively analyzed the evolution of the electroencephalogram (EEG) findings and seizures. Epilepsy occurred in 81 patients (93%) within the first 3 years of life. Sixty out of 81 (74%) had generalized tonic–clonic seizures, which was the only seizure pattern in 32. Tonic spasms occurred in 15 out of 81 (18%), complex partial seizures in 10 out of 81 (12%), and clonic seizures in 6 out of 81 (7%). Seizures were frequently triggered by fever (59 out of 81; 73%), and occurred in clusters in 36 out of 72 (50%). In the same 36 (50%), unilateral or generalized clonic or tonic–clonic status epilepticus occurred during the first 3 years of life. Twenty‐seven out of 81 patients (33%) developed atypical absences between 1 and 6 years, accompanied by a myoclonic component involving the eyelids and the hands. Distinctive EEG abnormalities were observed in 73 out of 81 (90%). Epilepsy was well controlled in 65 out of 81 (81%), mainly with valproate and phenobarbital, and improved with age in all. Thirty‐two out of 58 (55%) are currently seizure‐free. Seizures stopped at a median age of 4 years 6 months. Epilepsy represents a major clinical challenge in WHS; however, it has a good prognosis. Early diagnosis and treatment of atypical absences, subtle and often misdiagnosed, is mandatory.
Fear potentiated startle at short intervals following conditioned stimulus onset during delay but not trace conditioning
Authors: Åsli Ole , Kulvedrøsten Silje , Solbakken Line E. , Flaten Magne Arve
Published: April 2009

The latency of conditioned fear after delay and trace conditioning was investigated. Some argue that delay conditioning is not dependent on awareness. In contrast, trace conditioning, where there is a gap between the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (US), is assumed to be dependent on awareness. In the present study, a tone CS signaled a noise US presented 1000 ms after CS onset in the delay conditioning group. In the trace conditioning group, a 200‐ms tone CS was followed by an 800‐ms gap prior to US presentation. Fear‐potentiated startle should be seen at shorter intervals after delay conditioning compared to trace conditioning. Analyses showed increased startle at 30, 50, 100, and 150 ms after CS onset following delay conditioning compared to trace conditioning. This implies that fear‐relevant stimuli elicit physiological reactions before extended processing of the stimuli occur, following delay, but not trace conditioning.
The impact of menstrual cycle phase on cardiac autonomic regulation
Authors: Mckinley Paula S. , King Arlene R. , Shapiro Peter A. , Slavov Iordan , Fang Yixin , Chen Ivy S. , Jamner Larry D. , Sloan Richard P.
Published: April 2009

This study investigated menstrual cycle phase differences in heart rate (HR) and RR interval variability (RRV) in 49 healthy, premenopausal, eumenorrheic women (age 30.2±6.2 years). HR and RRV were computed from ambulatory 24‐h electrocardiogram, collected for up to 6 days, with at least 1 day each during early to midfollicular and midluteal menstrual phases. Phase effects on HR and RRV were assessed using linear mixed effects models with a random intercept to account for the correlation of observations within each subject as well as intrasubject variation. During follicular phase monitoring, women had significantly lower average HR (−2.33 bpm), and higher standard deviation, the root mean squared successive difference, and high frequency (0.04–0.15 Hz) and low frequency (0.15–0.40 Hz) RRV than during the luteal phase. These results provide strong support for the influence of menstrual phase on cardiac autonomic regulation in premenopausal women.
Autonomic reactions to mutilation pictures: Positive affect facilitates safety signal processing
Authors: Oliveira Laura A. S. , Oliveira Leticia , Joffily Mateus , Pereira‐Junior Pedro P. , Lang Peter J. , Pereira Mirtes G. , Figueira Ivan , Volchan Eliane
Published: April 2009

For survival, humans are continuously vigilant for signs of danger. Equally important, but less studied, is our ability to detect and respond to safety cues. The trait of positive affect may be a key component determining human variability in safety detection. Here we investigate autonomic and self‐report reactivity to pictures of mutilated bodies, after reading a text about the art of mimicking injuries in the movies. Participants that scored high in positive affect trait showed attenuated autonomic reactions to the mutilation pictures. Thus, high positive affect facilitated engagement in safety cues and modulated reflexive reactions of the brain's defense system.
When beef primes reef more than leaf: Orthographic information affects phonological priming in spoken word recognition
Authors: Perre Laetitia , Midgley Katherine , Ziegler Johannes C.
Published: April 2009

This study was designed to investigate orthographic effects on spoken word recognition by combining the priming paradigm with a measure of event‐related brain potentials (ERPs). Primes and targets either shared both orthography and phonology of the rhyme (beef‐reef) or they shared rhyme phonology only (leaf‐reef). The two “related” conditions were compared against an “unrelated” condition (sick‐reef). The results revealed a significant orthographic priming effect that was present on the early part of the N400 and that occurred as early as the phonological priming effect itself. Importantly, phonological and orthographic priming effects had different topographic distributions: The phonological priming effect was localized over centro‐posterior regions, whereas the orthographic priming effect was more anterior. These results support a theory according to which orthographic information is coactivated online in spoken word recognition.
Impaired response selection in schizophrenia: Evidence from the P3 wave and the lateralized readiness potential
Authors: Luck Steven J. , Kappenman Emily S. , Fuller Rebecca L. , Robinson Benjamin , Summerfelt Ann , Gold James M.
Published: April 2009

Reaction times (RTs) are substantially prolonged in schizophrenia patients, but the latency of the P3 component is not. This suggests that the RT slowing arises from impairments in a late stage of processing. To test this hypothesis, 20 schizophrenia patients and 20 control subjects were tested in a visual oddball paradigm that was modified to allow measurement of the lateralized readiness potential (LRP), an index of stimulus‐response translation processes. Difference waves were used to isolate the LRP and the P3 wave. Patients and control subjects exhibited virtually identical P3 difference waves, whereas the LRP difference wave was reduced in amplitude and delayed in latency in the patients. These results indicate that, at least in simple tasks, the delayed RTs observed in schizophrenia are primarily a consequence of impairments in the response selection and preparation processes that follow perception and categorization.
Functional brain‐electrical correlates of negative priming in the flanker task: Evidence for episodic retrieval
Authors: Gibbons Henning
Published: April 2009

Negative priming (NP) refers to inefficient responding when previous distractors become targets. NP may reflect persisting inhibition of former distractors and/or retrieval of task‐inappropriate information from the primes. In an event‐related potential (ERP) study of the flanker task, NP was accompanied by reduced positivity in the P300 time range. The early portion of this effect was shared with a target‐repetition condition and hence may indicate retrieval processes cued by repeated stimuli. A subsequent N400‐like component was specific for NP and may reflect processing of the retrieved task‐inappropriate information. In addition, NP effects on the lateralized readiness potential (LRP) matched predictions of the episodic‐retrieval view. NP effects on P300, N400, and response‐locked LRP were stronger in participants with above‐median behavioral NP, confirming the significance of these ERP effects for NP. Overall, findings support episodic‐retrieval explanations of NP.
Different binding modes of tropeines mediating inhibition and potentiation of α1 glycine receptors
Authors: Maksay Gábor , Laube Bodo , Schemm Rudolf , Grudzinska Joanna , Drwal Malgorzata , Betz Heinrich
Published: April 2009

Tropeines are bidirectional modulators of native and recombinant glycine receptors (GlyRs) and promising leads for the development of novel modulatory agents. Tropisetron potentiates and inhibits agonist‐triggered GlyR currents at femto‐ to nanomolar and micromolar concentrations respectively. Here, the potentiating and inhibitory effects of another tropeine, 3α‐(3′‐methoxy‐benzoyloxy)nortropane (MBN) were examined by voltage‐clamp electrophysiology at wild type and mutant α1 GlyRs expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. Several substitutions around the agonist‐binding cavity of the α1 subunit interface (N46C, F63A, N102A, R119K, R131A, E157C, K200A, Y202L and F207A) were found to reduce or eliminate MBN inhibition of glycine activation. In contrast, the binding site mutations Q67A, R119A and S129A which did not affect MBN inhibition abolished the potentiation of chloride currents elicited by low concentrations of the partial agonist taurine following pre‐incubation with MBN. Thus, potentiation and inhibition involve distinct binding modes of MBN in the inter‐subunit agonist‐binding pocket of α1 GlyRs. Homology modelling and molecular dynamics simulations disclosed two distinct docking modes for MBN, which are consistent with the differential effects of individual binding site substitutions on MBN inhibition and potentiation respectively. Together these results suggest that distinct binding modes at adjacent binding sites located within the agonist‐binding pocket of the GlyR mediate the bidirectional modulatory effects of tropeines.
The emerging role of epigenetic modifications and chromatin remodeling in spinal muscular atrophy
Authors: Lunke Sebastian , El‐Osta Assam
Published: April 2009

As the leading genetic cause for infantile death, Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) has been extensively studied since its first description in the early 1890s. Though today much is known about the cause of the disease, a cure or effective treatment is not currently available. Recently the short chain fatty acid valproic acid, a drug used for decades in the management of epilepsy and migraine therapy, has been shown to elevate the levels of the essential survival motor neuron protein in cultured cells. In SMA mice, valproic acid diminished the severity of the disease phenotype. This effect was linked to the ability of the short chain fatty acid to suppress histone deacetylase activity and activate gene transcription. Since then, the study of different histone deacetylase inhibitors and their epigenetic modifying capabilities has been of high interest in an attempt to find potential candidates for effective treatment of SMA. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about use of histone deacetylase inhibitors in SMA as well as their proposed effects on chromatin structure and discuss further implications for possible treatments of SMA arising from research examining epigenetic change.
Olfactory receptors: G protein‐coupled receptors and beyond
Authors: Spehr Marc , Munger Steven D.
Published: April 2009

Sensing the chemical environment is critical for all organisms. Diverse animals from insects to mammals utilize highly organized olfactory system to detect, encode, and process chemostimuli that may carry important information critical for health, survival, social interactions and reproduction. Therefore, for animals to properly interpret and react to their environment it is imperative that the olfactory system recognizes chemical stimuli with appropriate selectivity and sensitivity. Because olfactory receptor proteins play such an essential role in the specific recognition of diverse stimuli, understanding how they interact with and transduce their cognate ligands is a high priority. In the nearly two decades since the discovery that the mammalian odorant receptor gene family constitutes the largest group of G protein‐coupled receptor (GPCR) genes, much attention has been focused on the roles of GPCRs in vertebrate and invertebrate olfaction. However, is has become clear that the ‘family’ of olfactory receptors is highly diverse, with roles for enzymes and ligand‐gated ion channels as well as GPCRs in the primary detection of olfactory stimuli.
Morphine withdrawal produces circadian rhythm alterations of clock genes in mesolimbic brain areas and peripheral blood mononuclear cells in rats
Authors: Li Su‐xia , Liu Li‐jing , Jiang Wen‐gao , Lu Lin
Published: April 2009

Previous studies have shown that clock genes are expressed in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) of the hypothalamus, other brain regions, and peripheral tissues. Various peripheral oscillators can run independently of the SCN. However, no published studies have reported changes in the expression of clock genes in the rat central nervous system and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) after withdrawal from chronic morphine treatment. Rats were administered with morphine twice daily at progressively increasing doses for 7 days; spontaneous withdrawal signs were recorded 14 h after the last morphine administration. Then, brain and blood samples were collected at each of eight time points (every 3 h: ZT 9; ZT 12; ZT 15; ZT 18; ZT 21; ZT 0; ZT 3; ZT 6) to examine expression of rPER1 and rPER2 and rCLOCK. Rats presented obvious morphine withdrawal signs, such as teeth chattering, shaking, exploring, ptosis, and weight loss. In morphine‐treated rats, rPER1 and rPER2 expression in the SCN, basolateral amygdala, and nucleus accumbens shell showed robust circadian rhythms that were essentially identical to those in control rats. However, robust circadian rhythm in rPER1 expression in the ventral tegmental area was completely phase‐reversed in morphine‐treated rats. A blunting of circadian oscillations of rPER1 expression occurred in the central amygdala, hippocampus, nucleus accumbens core, and PBMCs and rPER2 expression occurred in the central amygdala, prefrontal cortex, nucleus accumbens core, and PBMCs in morphine‐treated rats compared with controls. rCLOCK expression in morphine‐treated rats showed no rhythmic change, identical to control rats. These findings indicate that withdrawal from chronic morphine treatment resulted in desynchronization from the SCN rhythm, with blunting of rPER1 and rPER2 expression in reward‐related neurocircuits and PBMCs.
Inhibiting astrocytic activation: a novel analgesic mechanism of ketamine at the spinal level?
Authors: Mei Xiaopeng , Wang Wei , Wang Wen , Li Yunming , Zhang Hui , Wu Shengxi , Li Yunqing , Xu Lixian
Published: April 2009

Although ketamine is widely used as an analgesic agent and has an anti‐allodynic effect on neuropathic pain, the underlying analgesic mechanisms are not fully explained by the modern ‘neuronal‐based’ theories. As emerging studies have focused on the critical role of spinal astrocytes in the pathological pain states, we have hypothesized that there exist some ‘astrocytes‐related’ mechanisms in the analgesic function of ketamine. In the present study, using the spinal nerve ligation (SNL) pain model, we investigated the anti‐nociceptive effects of intraperitoneal or intrathecal ketamine on SNL‐induced neuropathic pain response, meanwhile, we investigated the astrocytic activation after ketamine administration on SNL rats. Behavioral data showed that either intraperitoneal or intrathecal ketamine inhibited SNL‐induced allodynia, however, immunohistochemistry showed that SNL induced astrocytic activation was suppressed by intrathecal but not intraperitoneal ketamine. Using quantitative Western blot analysis, our report showed that intrathecal ketamine down‐regulated glial fibrillary acidic protein expression, suggesting inhibition of SNL‐induced astrocytic activation, which wasn’t influenced by intraperitoneal administration. We conclude that intraperitoneal ketamine could alleviate SNL‐induced neuropathic pain via the classical ‘neuronal‐based’ mechanisms, but in addition, ‘astrocytes‐related’ mechanisms were also important underlying the anti‐allodynic effect of intrathecal ketamine.
Prenatal stress alters glutamatergic system responsiveness in adult rat prefrontal cortex
Authors: Fumagalli Fabio , Pasini Matteo , Frasca Angelisa , Drago Filippo , Racagni Giorgio , Riva Marco Andrea
Published: April 2009

Exposure to stress during gestation alters brain development resulting in permanent alterations that may increase susceptibility to subsequent cognitive or neuropsychiatric disorders. In this manuscript we examined the effects of prenatal stress on critical determinants of the glutamatergic synapse under basal conditions as well as in response to acute stress. The main finding of this work is that gestational stress altered the responsiveness of the glutamatergic system following a challenge at adulthood. In fact, while in control animals acute swim stress enhanced the phosphorylation levels of the NMDA receptor subunits NR‐1(Ser896) and NR‐2B(Ser1303) as well as the phosphorylation levels of α calcium/calmodulin‐dependent protein kinase II (Thr286), a crucial sensor of calcium fluctuations, prenatal stress prevented or attenuated such activation. This dynamic modulation is restricted to prefrontal cortex since no changes were observed in the hippocampus, in line with the different maturational profile of these brain regions. Changes were also observed in the phosphorylation of the α‐amino‐3‐hydroxy‐5‐methylisoxazole‐4‐propionate subunit GluR‐1(Ser831) which, however, relied on the acute stress exposure and were independent of gestational stress. These effects point to a unique interference of chronic prenatal stress with the responsiveness of specific determinants of the glutamatergic synapse at adulthood in a region specific manner. The inability to mount an homeostatic glutamatergic response to subsequent stress at adulthood may impair the normal responses of the cell to challenging situations.
Enhanced antinociceptive response to intracerebroventricular kyotorphin inPept2null mice
Authors: Jiang Huidi , Hu Yongjun , Keep Richard F. , Smith David E.
Published: April 2009

l‐Kyotorphin (l‐KTP), an endogenous analgesic neuropeptide, is a substrate for aminopeptidases and a proton‐coupled oligopeptide transporter, PEPT2. This study examined the CSF efflux, antinociceptive response, and hydrolysis kinetics in brain ofl‐KTP and its synthetic diastereomerd‐kyotorphin (d‐KTP) in wild‐type andPept2null mice. CSF clearance ofl‐KTP was slower inPept2null mice than in wild‐type animals, and this difference was reflected in greaterl‐KTP‐induced analgesia inPept2null mice. Moreover, dose‐response analyses showed that the ED50 ofl‐KTP inPept2‐deficient animals was one‐fifth of the value observed inPept2‐competent animals (4 vs. 21 nmol for null vs. wild‐type mice, respectively). In contrast, the ED50 ofd‐KTP was very similar between the two genotypes (9–10 nmol). Likewise, there was little difference between genotypes in slope factor or baseline effects ofl‐KTP andd‐KTP. The enhanced antinociceptive response tol‐KTP inPept2null mice could not be explained by differences in neuropeptide degradation as Vmax and Km values did not differ between genotypes. Our results demonstrate that PEPT2 can significantly impact the analgesic response to an endogenous neuropeptide by altering CSF (and presumably brain interstitial fluid) concentrations and that it may influence the disposition and response to exogenous peptide/mimetic substrates.
Treatment Outcomes for Toddlers with Behaviour Problems from Families in Poverty
Authors: Fox Robert A. , Holtz Casey A.
Published: April 2009

Background:  Relatively few treatment studies address mental health issues in very young children. This study examined the effectiveness of a treatment program for toddlers whose behaviour problems were further complicated by living in poverty.

Method:  An evidence‐based treatment program was adapted for use in the homes of 102 toddlers for an average of 12 weekly sessions.

Results:  Significant improvements were found for the children’s behaviour problems and their compliance to parent requests.

Discussion:  The inherent challenges in working with at‐risk families and the challenges in delivering mental health services for very young children living in poverty are discussed.
REVISION OF PENTAPHYLLUM DE KONINCK, 1872 (ANTHOZOA, RUGOSA)
Authors: FEDOROWSKI JERZY
Published: April 2009

Abstract:  Lectotypes of Pentaphyllum armatum and P. caryophyllatum, both of De Koninck (1872) have been sectioned for the first time and are completely illustrated; both are preserved as silicified outer shells with inner structures dissolved. The morphology of the calices strongly suggests that they have different taxonomic positions. Thus, their synonymy, suggested by Schindewolf (1942), is rejected. P. armatum, selected as type species for the genus by Hinde (1890) possesses six, not five leading major septa. Consequently, all taxa except Hexalasma Soshkina, 1928, and perhaps Pseudocryptophyllum Easton, 1944, are unrelated to Pentaphyllum. It is proposed to restrict the name Pentaphyllum to the lectotype. The well established Cryptophyllum Carruthers, 1919, which includes P. caryophyllatum, is considered valid. In addition to a brief analysis of Lower Carboniferous corals included here in Cryptophyllum, a few specimens from the British Tournaisian are described and illustrated to show morphological variability of specimens from the same bed. Review of earlier studies on these types of corals, discussion on the difference between zaphrentoid and cryptophylloid early ontogeny and its bearing on taxonomy, and description of taxa, are also included.
Statins and fibrate target ClC‐1 – from side effects to CLC pharmacology
Authors: Zdebik Anselm A
Published: April 2009

Lipid‐lowering drugs have been associated with severe adverse effects on skeletal muscle, including rhabdomyolysis. More common symptoms include cramps and myalgia. In this issue of the BJP, Pierno et al. find that two statins and fenofibrate, often used in combination, decrease function of the chloride channel member 1 of the mammalian CLC protein family of chloride channels and transporters in skeletal muscle by three distinct mechanisms. Other compounds have recently been shown to potently modulate the pharmacologically less well‐explored CLC protein family, which comprises chloride channels and chloride/proton antiporters. These findings may well lead to a new era of CLC protein pharmacology.

British Journal of Pharmacology (2009) 156, 1204–1205; doi:10.1111/j.1476‐5381.2008.00083.x
New tricks for old dogs: KCNQ expression and role in smooth muscle
Authors: Greenwood Iain A , Ohya Susumu
Published: April 2009

Ion channels encoded by the KCNQ gene family (Kv7.1–7.5) are major determinants of neuronal membrane potential and the cardiac action potential. This key physiological role is highlighted by the existence of a number of hereditary disorders caused by mutations to KCNQ genes. Recently, KCNQ gene expression has been identified in vascular and non‐vascular smooth muscles. In addition, experiments with an array of pharmacological modulators of KCNQ channels have supported a crucial role for these channels in regulating smooth muscle contractility. This article will provide an overview of present understanding in this nascent area of KCNQ research and will offer guidance as to future directions.
A photogrammetric surveying method for field applications
Authors: Rieke‐Zapp Dirk H. , Rosenbauer Ralph , Schlunegger Fritz
Published: April 2009

A photogrammetric method is presented for mapping rock outcrops and other objects in the field. Special attention was paid to simplifying the workflow and to minimising extra bulk and weight of the required equipment while maximising the accuracy of the survey. The minimum equipment needed for the surveys added less than 0·5 kg to the backpack of a field scientist, or as little as 0·2 kg assuming that a suitable camera was already part of the typical equipment carried in the field. Data acquisition in the field took less than 15 min, while image orientation and preparation for stereoviewing took less than 30 min even for a user with little training. Best results were accomplished taking two convergent images as well as three images parallel to the object of interest. Two test sites were surveyed with the method, covering volumes of 3·5 × 5 × 3 m3 and 18 × 20 × 5 m3, to identify the most accurate adjustment method. The maximum length measurement error (LME) was calculated for 28 and 78 distances in the smaller and larger volume, respectively, based on a comparison of the photogrammetric survey with an independent total station survey of the same signalised points. The maximum LME ranged between 0·005 and 0·002 m for the first test site where three cameras were tested, and was 0·021 m for the larger test site where only one camera was tested. The rmse values of the LMEs ranged between 0·003 and 0·001 m for the first and 0·010 m for the second test site, respectively. The smallest and lightest camera, a Ricoh GR Digital, yielded the most accurate results in object space when interior orientation was calibrated on the job. The Sigma SD14 did not require on‐the‐job calibration for accurate results and was the camera with the best geometric stability. The third camera evaluated, a Rollei d7 metric5, also yielded good results, but could not deliver the extra value that would be expected from a metric camera designed for photogrammetric surveys.
Determination of trajectories of metallic spheres settling in non‐newtonian fluids
Authors: Lichti Derek D. , Gumulya Monica M. , Horsley Richard R.
Published: April 2009

A “videogrammetric” system to measure the trajectory of small metallic spheres falling through a slurry‐filled tank has been developed to support fluid dynamics research. The system used two low‐cost video cameras and a combination of commercially available and custom‐built software for the image acquisition, the measurement and tracking of the spheres in the imagery and the photogrammetric operations. After a review of relevant literature and a description of the system, this paper reports on an extensive testing regime conducted to gauge the performance of the system. The results show that it achieved object space coordinate precision and accuracy better than the required figure of 1 mm. Simulation‐based analyses, to quantify the sensitivity of refraction corrections in object space to the accuracy of the three refractive indices and distance parameters involved in the system, are also reported. The results of these tests demonstrated that some parameters need only be specified to about 56% of their true value whereas others must be accurate to better than 2%. Finally, results from two examples in sphere trajectory determination are presented and analysed.
XXIst International Congress of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing
Authors: Newby Paul R. T. , Aplin Paul , Buckley Simon J. , Chandler Jim H. , Drummond Jane E. , Holland David A. , Lavender Samantha J. , Miller Pauline E. , Mills Jon P. , Mills Henny , Stewart Walker A. , Woodsford Peter A.
Published: April 2009

The XXIst International Congress of Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing was held at the Beijing International Convention Centre, China, from 3rd to 11th July 2008. Reports are given on the Congress as a whole, including the General Assembly, some Technical Commission activities and the Congress Exhibition. Papers from the Congress are published in Volume XXXVII of the
International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences.
Telmisartan attenuates progression of steatohepatitis in mice: role of hepatic macrophage infiltration and effects on adipose tissue
Authors: Kudo Hiroshi , Yata Yutaka , Takahara Terumi , Kawai Kengo , Nakayama Yasuhiro , Kanayama Masami , Oya Takeshi , Morita Seiichi , Sasahara Masakiyo , Mann Derek A. , Sugiyama Toshiro
Published: April 2009

Background/Aims: Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease and non‐alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) are the hepatic manifestation of metabolic syndrome. However, its therapeutic strategy has not been established. Recently, an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker, telmisartan (Tel), has received a great deal of attention as a therapeutic tool for metabolic syndrome. The aim of this study was to investigate the efficacy and mechanisms of Tel on a murine NASH model.

Methods: C57BL/6 mice were fed a methionine‐ and choline‐deficient high‐fat diet (MCDHF) or a standard diet with/without the administration of Tel (10 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks.

Results: MCDHF feeding induced marked steatohepatitis with macrophage infiltration. Tel attenuated liver steatosis with decreased hepatic triglycerides (P<0.05) and fibrogenesis with decreased type I collagen and transforming growth factor‐β1 mRNA expressions (P<0.05). Tel also suppressed the infiltration of macrophages into the liver and decreased hepatic monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 and its receptor (CC‐chemokine receptor 2; CCR2) mRNA expressions, especially CCR2. In vitro, Tel suppressed CCR2 expression, which was induced by low‐density lipoprotein. The size of adipocyte in visceral fat tissue was reduced with an increased serum adiponectin concentration in the Tel group.

Conclusions: In this study, we revealed that Tel attenuated steatohepatitis progression by suppressing the macrophage infiltration into the liver. Tel also affected the reduction of adipocyte size and elevation of serum adiponectin. Tel might serve as a new therapeutic strategy for NASH.
Effects of Patch Size and Type of Coffee Matrix on Ithomiine Butterfly Diversity and Dispersal in Cloud‐Forest Fragments
Authors: MURIEL SANDRA B. , KATTAN GUSTAVO H.
Published: April 2009

Abstract: Determining the permeability of different types of landscape matrices to animal movement is essential for conserving populations in fragmented landscapes. We evaluated the effects of habitat patch size and matrix type on diversity, isolation, and dispersal of ithomiine butterflies in forest fragments surrounded by coffee agroecosystems in the Colombian Andes. Because ithomiines prefer a shaded understory, we expected the highest diversity and abundance in large fragments surrounded by shade coffee and the lowest in small fragments surrounded by sun coffee. We also thought shade coffee would favor butterfly dispersal and immigration into forest patches. We marked 9675 butterflies of 39 species in 12 forest patches over a year. Microclimate conditions were more similar to the forest interior in the shade‐coffee matrix than in the sun‐coffee matrix, but patch size and matrix type did not affect species richness and abundance in forest fragments. Furthermore, age structure and temporal recruitment patterns of the butterfly community were similar in all fragments, independent of patch size or matrix type. There were no differences in the numbers of butterflies flying in the matrices at two distances from the forest patch, but their behavior differed. Flight in the sun‐coffee matrix was rapid and directional, whereas butterflies in shade‐coffee matrix flew slowly. Seven out of 130 recaptured butterflies immigrated into patches in the shade‐coffee matrix, and one immigrated into a patch surrounded by sun coffee. Although the shade‐coffee matrix facilitated movement in the landscape, sun‐coffee matrix was not impermeable to butterflies. Ithomiines exhibited behavioral plasticity in habitat use and high mobility. These traits favor their persistence in heterogeneous landscapes, opening opportunities for their conservation. Understanding the dynamics and resource requirements of different organisms in rural landscapes is critical for identifying management options that address both animals’ and farmers’ needs.
Small Populations and Offspring Sex‐Ratio Deviations in Eagles
Authors: FERRER MIGUEL , NEWTON IAN , PANDOLFI MASSIMO
Published: April 2009

Abstract:  Stochastic variation of sex ratio has long been appreciated as a potential factor driving small populations to extinction, but it is not the only source of sex‐ratio bias in small populations. We examined whether some consequences of sex allocation could affect extinction risk in small populations of size‐dimorphic birds such as eagles. We report variations in sex ratio at fledging from a long‐term study of a declining population of Spanish Imperial Eagles (Aquila adalberti). Nestling sex‐ratio deviation apparently was mediated by age of breeders, whereas territory quality had no obvious effect. Adult–adult pairs produced the same proportion of both sexes in high‐ or low‐density situations, but pairs with at least one member in nonadult plumage class produced more males. As the population declined over a period of years, the proportion of breeders with immature plumage increased; consequently, the proportion of fledgling males increased. However, when population density was high, the proportion of breeders with immature plumage decreased and more female offspring were produced. This relationship between population density, composition of breeder age, and fledgling sex ratios allowed us to make predictions of extinction risk due to nonstochastic deviations of sex ratio in small, declining populations. In the study population, on the basis of the Vortex simulation results, an estimated reduction of 42.5% in predicted mean time to extinction was attributed solely to biased sex ratio.
Ophthalmoplegia With Migraine in Adults: Is It Ophthalmoplegic Migraine?
Authors: Lal Vivek , Sahota Preeti , Singh Paramjeet , Gupta Amod , Prabhakar Sudesh
Published: April 2009

Objective.— Ophthalmoplegic migraine (OM) is a rare disorder characterized by recurrent oculomotor nerve palsy in children, following migraine headaches. We report 62 adults, seen consecutively, who developed acute ophthalmoplegia with severe attacks of migraine over a 10‐year (1996‐2005) period. An overwhelming majority of these patients had an antecedent worsening in severity of migraine headaches, before the ophthalmoplegic attack.

Methods.— Sixty‐two patients, aged 15‐68 years, with an acute attack of OM underwent detailed clinical, biochemical, and neuroradiological evaluation.

Results.— There were 62 patients with 86 attacks of OM. Whereas 48 patients had a single attack, 14 had 2 or more attacks, fulfilling the International Headache Society criteria for probable and definite OM, respectively. At presentation, isolated abducens, oculomotor, and trochlear nerve involvements were seen in 35 (56.5%), 21 (33.9%), and 5 (8.1%) patients, respectively. One patient had simultaneous involvement of 3rd and 6th nerves. Fifty‐one (82.3%) patients exhibited an antecedent worsening in severity of migraine, before developing ophthalmoplegia during (59/95.2%) or within 24 hours (3/4.8%) of a severe migraine attack, respectively. Detailed biochemistry and cranial neuroimaging were normal. No case had any nerve enhancement. Use of steroids hastened recovery (P < .05).

Conclusion.— We conclude: (1) OM in adults is characterized by single attacks of ophthalmoplegia in a great majority of patients; and (2) 6th nerve involvement occurs commonly. Our results indicate that moving OM to the chapter on cranial neuralgias in the second edition of the International Headache Classification may be premature, since nerve palsy occurred during a severe migraine attack in all patients.
The Momentary Relationship Between Stress and Headaches in Adolescent Girls
Authors: Björling Elin A.
Published: April 2009

Objective.— The objective of this study was to compare the relationship between repeated momentary reports of stress and headaches in female adolescents with varying degrees of headache frequency.

Background.— Headaches are the most common form of pain reported by adolescents affecting more than a third of all adolescents. High levels of stress during adolescence may predispose an adolescent to experience headaches in adulthood. Randomized, momentary data collection of stress and headaches provides the most accurate data regarding the adolescent experience of these variables.

Methods.— The research methodology, ecological momentary assessment, is a valid approach to better understand the relationship between stress and headaches in adolescence. Data were obtained by each participant's use of an electronic diary (ED), which captured repeated momentary reports of perceived stress, head pain, and stress‐related symptoms in female adolescents with varying degrees of recurrent headache. Seven times per day for the 21‐day study period, teen girls responded to ED questions about their current stress levels, head pain, and stress‐related symptoms. Based on participants' momentary reports of headaches, Low Headache, Moderate Headache, and Chronic Headache groups were created. General estimating equation models were used to analyze the relationship between momentary variables as well as the lag effect between stress and head pain.

Results.— Thirty‐one participants, aged 14‐18 years, completed 2841 randomized ED reports and reported 674 occurrences of headache. The Chronic Headache and Moderate Headache groups reported significantly increased levels of stress, head pain, and headaches. The relationship between momentary stress and head pain was significantly strong both within and across participants. The strength of this relationship increased with increased headache activity. A significant lag effect was found between stress and headaches; however, the effect of depression as a moderator of the stress and headache relationship remains unclear.

Conclusion.— Perceived stress and head pain was highly correlated in these female adolescents. Given the large population of teens affected by headaches, a plausible next step would be to validate these results in other samples and to determine methods with which to identify teens who may be at risk for a pattern of increasing stress and headaches.
Migraine Among University Students in Cotonou (Benin)
Authors: Adoukonou Thierry , Houinato Dismand , Kankouan Judith , Makoutode Michel , Paraiso Moussiliou , Tehindrazanarivelo Alain , Viader Fausto , Preux Pierre‐Marie
Published: April 2009

Background.— Few data are available on migraine among students in Africa. The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of migraine and describe its clinical features and associated conditions among students of the Faculty of Health Sciences of Abomey‐Calavi University, in Cotonou, Benin.

Methods.— A cross‐sectional study was prospectively conducted during the academic year 2002‐2003 and included 336 students selected using systematic random sampling. Migraine was defined according International Headache Society criteria 1988.

Results.— The lifetime prevalence of migraine was 11.3% (95% CI: 8.2‐15.3%). The prevalence was significantly higher in females (18.3%) than males (6.8%), in married‐widowed (30.4%) than single (9.9%). The mean age at onset of the disease was 15.0 years ± 2.5. Migraine without aura was the more frequent form (57.9%). The mean attack frequency per month was 3.8 (±3.4) and the peak attack duration was between 4 and 6 hours. Psychological tiredness was the most frequent triggering factors (92.1%). The factors associated with migraine in multivariate analysis were female sex (OR = 2.6 [95% CI: 1.2‐5.3]), single marital status (OR = 3.7 [95% CI: 1.2‐11.9]) and presence of a family history of headache (OR = 2.9 [95% CI: 1.0‐8.1])

Conclusion.— Migraine was frequent in students in Cotonou (Benin) compared with other studies in Africa.