bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A New Ring-Reduced Tetraprenyltoluquinone and a Prenylated Xanthone from Garcinia cowa
Authors: Wahyuni Fatma Sri , Byrne Lindsay T. , Dachriyanus  , Dianita Roza , Jubahar Junuarty , Lajis Nordin H. , Sargent Melvyn V.
Published: November 2005

The methanolic extract of the stem bark of Garcinia cowa Roxb. (Guttiferae) yielded (2E,6E,10E)-(+)-4β-hydroxy-3-methyl-5β-(3,7,11,15-tetramethylhexadeca-2,6,10,14-tetraenyl)cyclohex-2-en-1-one 1, 4-(1,1-dimethyl-prop-2-enyl)-1,5,6-trihydroxy-3-methoxy-2-(3-methylbut-2-enyl)xanthen-9(9H)-one 2, and the known compound rubraxanthone 3. The structural conclusions are based on spectroscopic data.
An Investigation into the Synthesis of Some Molecules Related to Methyl Acarviosin
Authors: McDonough Matthew J. , Stick Robert V. , Tilbrook D. Matthew G. , Watts Andrew G.
Published: November 2005

Methyl acarviosin is an impressive inhibitor of some glycoside hydrolases that process substrates containing α-D-glucosidic linkages. In an attempt to provide putative inhibitors for enzymes that process β-D-glucosidic linkages, we report an improved synthesis of a hydroxylated ‘methyl β-acarviosin’ and our efforts towards various deoxygenated versions of methyl β-acarviosin. As well, the synthesis of a 1,3-linked variant of methyl β-acarviosin is reported, together with an unsuccessful ‘tether’ approach to construct the crucial nitrogen linkage in the acarviosins.
A Revised Structure for the Alkaloid, Tribulusterine, from Tribulus terrestris L.
Authors: Bremner John B. , Sengpracha Waya , Southwell Ian , Bourke Chris , Skelton Brian W. , White Allan H.
Published: November 2005

The alkaloid tribulusterine, first obtained from the fruit of Tribulus terrestris L. and considered to be 1-[(3-hydroxymethyl)-2-furyl]-9H-pyrido[3,4-b]indole, has been shown by synthesis and spectroscopic analysis to be the (5-hydroxymethyl)-2-furyl analogue. This is the known β-carboline alkaloid, perlolyrine. The synthesis of the 3-hydroxymethyl compound is discussed and its single crystal X-ray structure reported.
The Selective Binding of Anions to Gemini and Trimeric Surfactants at Air/Solution Interfaces
Authors: Thalody Betty , Warr Gregory G.
Published: November 2005

The selective binding of Br–, Cl–, I–, NO3–, and salicylate anions to quaternary ammonium gemini and trimer surfactant solution/air interfaces has been studied by ion flotation, examining the effect of the degree of oligomerization and polymethylene spacer length between the quaternary nitrogen atoms. The binding of the halides and nitrate showed no significant change with degree of oligomerization. However, salicylate showed a marked decrease in selective uptake with increasing degree of oligomerization, and increased with increasing spacer length.
Molecular analysis of alkaloid metabolism in AABB v. aabb genotype Nicotiana tabacum in response to wounding of aerial tissues and methyl jasmonate treatment of cultured roots
Authors: Cane Karen A. , Mayer Melinda , Lidgett Angela J. , Michael Anthony J. , Hamill John D.
Published: November 2005

Synthesis of the wound-inducible alkaloid, nicotine, in roots of the allotetraploid species Nicotiana tabacum L. is strongly influenced by the presence of two non-allelic genes, A and B. Together, these loci affect baseline transcript levels of genes dedicated to secondary metabolism (e.g. PMT and A622) as well as genes with roles in separate areas of primary metabolism (e.g. ODC, ADC, SAMS — polyamines; QPT — pyridine nucleotide cycle). Experiments comparing high alkaloid variety NC 95 (AABB genotype) and near-isogenic low alkaloid N. tabacum variety LAFC 53 (aabb genotype) indicate that together, mutations in the A and B loci diminish, but do not ablate, the propensity of roots to increase transcript levels of genes involved in alkaloid metabolism after damage to aerial tissues or direct treatment with the wound hormone, methyl jasmonate. Accordingly, roots of aabb genotype can increase their nicotine content somewhat in response to these treatments. Additionally, we show that transcript levels of genes associated with polyamine metabolism (ODC, ADC, SamDC, SAMS and SS) but not alkaloid synthesis (PMT, QPT, A622) are elevated in leaves of N. tabacum in response to wounding. Moreover, respective increases in transcript levels of each gene are similar in wounded leaves of NC 95 and LAFC 53, suggesting that these increases are not controlled by combined action of genes encoded by the A and B loci. Further detailed analysis of wounded leaves of AABB genotype indicates that although transcript levels of these genes of polyamine metabolism and associated enzyme activities for ODC, ADC and SamDC, are markedly increased in leaves in response to wounding, putrescine levels remain unaltered whilst spermidine and spermine levels are reduced to 50–60% of controls levels, when analysed up to 6 h post-wounding. These observations may indicate that any wound-induced increases in polyamine biosynthesis that do occur in leaf cells during this time frame are consumed by metabolic reactions involved in repair and / or strengthening of wounded leaf tissues.
The anatomy of the pathway of sucrose unloading within the sugarcane stalk
Authors: Walsh Kerry B. , Sky Russell C. , Brown Sharon M.
Published: November 2005

The physical path of sucrose unloading in the sugarcane stalk is described. About 50% of the vascular bundles in the internodes were located within 3 mm of the outside of the stalk. These bundles were inactive in long distance sucrose transport, as assessed by dye tracers of phloem flow. A sheath of fibres isolates the phloem apoplast from that of the storage parenchyma. In bundles associated with long distance transport (i.e. in the central region), the fibre sheath is narrowest to either side of the phloem fibre cap, and consists of living cells with plasmodesmata within pits in the secondary wall. Plasmodesmata were also arranged into pit fields between cells of the storage parenchyma. Since the vascular apoplast is isolated from the apoplast of the storage parenchyma, sucrose must move through the symplast of the fibre sheath. The calculated flux of sucrose through plasmodesmata of this cell layer was at the low end of reported values in the literature. Sucrose unloading within the storage parenchyma may also follow a symplastic route, with unloading into the apoplast of the storage parenchyma occurring as part of a turgor mechanism to increase sink strength.
Contribution of initial C and N reserves in Medicago sativa recovering from defoliation: impact of cutting height and residual leaf area
Authors: Meuriot Frédéric , Decau Marie-Laure , Morvan-Bertrand Annette , Prud'Homme Marie-Pascal , Gastal François , Simon Jean-Claude , Volenec Jeffrey J. , Avice Jean-Christophe
Published: November 2005

We studied the effects of stubble carbon / nitrogen (C / N) reserves or residual leaf area (RLA) on the contribution of taproot C / N reserves to shoot regrowth of Medicago sativa L. after cutting. The study assessed the effects of two cutting heights (6 and 15 cm), two RLAs (0 or 100%), and two initial C / N reserve levels (high N or low N) on forage production, nitrogen (N) distribution, and C / N reserve dynamics within stubble and taproot. Alfalfa forage production was mainly affected by the initial taproot C / N reserve levels. However, stubble initial organic reserves (and to a lesser extent the RLA) were also of particular importance during early regrowth. The increase of cutting height led to increased stubble C / N supply to regrowing shoots, which partly offset the negative effect on forage production and on taproot C / N reserve depletion. Unlike taproot reserves, the positive contribution of stubble organic reserves to shoot C / N supply was effective for a single defoliation–regrowth cycle. Alfalfa management strategies that increase cutting height (and RLA) during the penultimate harvest in autumn should be considered in cold regions with significant winter stress in order to improve alfalfa winter survival and persistence, as well as spring herbage regrowth.
On the isotopic composition of leaf water in the non-steady state
Authors: Farquhar Graham D. , Cernusak Lucas A.
Published: November 2005

An expression is derived for the isotopic composition of water in leaves under conditions where the composition of water entering the leaf is not necessarily the same as that of water being transpired. The treatment is simplified and considers the average composition of the lamina and of the sites of evaporation. The concept of ‘isostorage’ is introduced as the product of leaf water content and the isotopic enrichment of leaf water above source water. It is shown that the rate of increase of isostorage is minus the ‘isoflux’ through the stomata, with the latter expressed as the product of the transpiration flux and the enrichment of the transpired water beyond source water. The approach of the isostorage to the steady state depends on the deviation of the isotopic enrichment of water at the evaporating sites from the steady value, and on the gross (one way) diffusive flux out of the leaf. To achieve model closure, it is assumed that the relationship between leaf water enrichment and that at the sites of evaporation depends on the radial Péclet number in the same manner as in the steady state. The equations have an analytical solution, and we also show how to calculate the results simply using a commonly available computer tool. The form of the equations emphasises that the one-way fluxes of water into and out of the stomata must sometimes be considered separately, rather than as a net outward flux. In this narrow sense we come to the interesting conclusion that more water usually enters the leaf from the air than from the roots.
Components of the Arabidopsis autonomous floral promotion pathway, FCA and FY, are conserved in monocots
Authors: Winichayakul Somrutai , Beswick Nicola L. , Dean Caroline , Macknight Richard C.
Published: November 2005

The autonomous floral promotion pathway plays a key role in regulating the flowering time of the model dicot Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. To investigate whether this pathway is present in monocots, two autonomous pathway components, FCA and FY, were isolated from rice (Oryza sativa L.) and ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.). The predicted FCA proteins (OsFCA and LpFCA) are highly conserved over the RNA-binding and WW protein interaction domains, and the FY proteins (OsFY and LpFY) possess highly conserved WD repeats but a less well conserved C-terminal region containing Pro–Pro–Leu–Pro (PPLP) motifs. In Arabidopsis, FCA limits its own production by promoting the polyadenylation of FCA pre-mRNA within intron 3 to form a truncated transcript called FCA-β. The identification of FCA-β transcripts in rice and ryegrass indicates that equivalent mechanisms occur in monocots. FCA’s autoregulation and flowering time functions require FCA to interact with the 3′ end-processing factor, FY. The FCA WW domain from Arabidopsis, which is thought to recognise PPLP motifs, interacted with ryegrass FY protein in GST-pulldown assays. Together these results suggest that the FCA and FY genes in monocots have similar functions to the dicot flowering-time genes. The cloning of these genes may provide targets for manipulating the flowering time of monocot species.
Endoparasites of an insular subspecies of the western grey kangaroo, Macropus fuliginosus
Authors: Webley L. S. , Beveridge I. , Coulson G.
Published: November 2005

This study examined parasites occurring in the insular subspecies of the western grey kangaroo, Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus, from Kangaroo Island. A total of 25 kangaroos from three sites were examined for gastrointestinal parasites. Fifteen parasite species were identified: eight in the stomach, five in the small intestine and two in the large intestine. Parasite prevalence showed a bimodal distribution: 'satellite' species were predominantly cestodes, whereas 'core' species were nematodes. There was no evidence of co-speciation in the 12 parasite species occurring in both island and mainland western grey kangaroo subspecies. M. f. fuliginosus harboured fewer parasite species than M. f. melanops from the Fleurieu Peninsula, South Australia. This might be related to parasite prevalence and the intensity of infection in the original population of kangaroos. Alternatively, it might be related to differing environmental conditions or to chance. Host switching was evident, with Cloacina kartana, which has been recorded as a common parasite of the tammar wallaby, Macropus eugenii, also occurring in some kangaroos.
Bat flight-muscle mass: implications for foraging strategy
Authors: Bullen R. D. , McKenzie N. L.
Published: November 2005

The primary flight muscles of the chest, shoulder, back and upper arms were weighed for 29 species of Australian bat, representing two suborders and six families. Values of muscle masses were found to be between 9 and 23% of the mass of the bat (mbat) and aligned into three statistically distinct classes that relate foraging strategy with morphology when plotted against mbat. These classes represent 'high-energy', 'general' and 'low-energy' foraging strategies. The above relationships were visible in both the wing downstroke and upstroke muscle groups, but not in the shoulder and elbow flex/extend groups. Differences in the foraging ecologies and geographical distributions of Western Australian bats are reflected in 'flight motor power output' as well as the bats' 'airframe design' attributes. Based on these attributes and ecologies, a method is presented for estimating the mass of flight muscle.
Breeding biology and demography of the southern emu-wren (Stipiturus malachurus)
Authors: Maguire Grainne S. , Mulder Raoul A.
Published: November 2005

The breeding biology and demography of the southern emu-wren (Stipiturus malachurus) were studied over three breeding seasons (2000–02) in the south-west of Victoria, Australia. The nesting biology of the species was typical of the family Maluridae: clutch size ranged from two to three eggs, the incubation period averaged 19 days, and nestlings fledged, on average, 14.2 days after hatching. In total, 6% of nests successfully hatched and 67% of broods produced fledglings, with a mean of 1.8 young fledged per clutch. Nest failure was mainly due to predation, mostly by snakes. Cooperative breeding was observed for the first time in this species, with male offspring delaying breeding to help raise younger siblings. Juveniles were capable of breeding in their first year and dispersed as far as 1.2 km away. Males provided a high level of investment in offspring and this, together with an absence of extra-pair courtship displays, differentiates the emu-wrens from their highly promiscuous relatives, the fairy-wrens. Mortality of individuals was high and the mean duration of pair bonds was short (5.63 ± 0.62 months, n = 62). Population numbers fell dramatically in September 2001, when almost half the adult population disappeared, which suggests that this population could be vulnerable to local extinction.
Activation-induced deaminase cloning, localization, and protein extraction from young VH-mutant rabbit appendix
Authors: Yang Guibin , Obiakor Harold , Sinha Rajesh K. , Newman Barbara A. , Hood Brian L. , Conrads Thomas P. , Veenstra Timothy D. , Mage Rose G.
Published: November 2005

Studies in mouse, human, and chicken suggest that activation-induced deaminase (AID) is involved in three known processes leading to antibody diversification: somatic hypermutation, gene conversion, and class-switch recombination. Developing rabbit appendix provides a particularly good site for studying all three of these B cell maturation events. We report here successful cloning of rabbit AID and isolation of AID protein from rabbit appendix-cell nuclear and cytoplasmic extracts. We succeeded in identifying and locating AID protein in cells by immunohistochemical and immunofluorescent staining techniques and examined colocalization of AID and other molecules important for Ab diversification. This report extends our knowledge about AID to a mammalian species that uses gene conversion to diversify rearranged Ig genes. Although much work remains to understand fully the mechanism of action of AID and its association with other cellular components, the rabbit system now offers a particularly useful model for future studies of these dynamics.
Localization of the Renin–Angiotensin System Components to the Skeletal Muscle Microcirculation
Authors: AGOUDEMOS MELISSA M. , GREENE ANDREW S.
Published: November 2005

Objectives: Local renin–angiotensin systems have been found in various organs and tissues throughout the body. The studies described here tested the hypothesis that a fully functional renin‐angiotensin system exists in the skeletal muscle microvasculature. The purpose of this study was to localize the components and products of the system to the skeletal muscle microvasculature.

Methods: The presence of mRNA and protein for renin and angiotensinogen was shown by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction analysis and immunohistochemistry, respectively. Angiotensin II concentration in isolated microvessels was measured by high‐performance liquid chromatography separation and radioimmunoassay.

Results: Renin and angiotensinogen mRNA was detected from isolated cremaster microvessels. Specific staining for renin and angiotensinogen protein was found throughout the walls of microvessels. The concentration of the angiotensin II in the microvessels (104.3 ± 18.1 fmol/g) was found to be higher than the concentration of angiotensin II in the plasma (8.7 ± 1.2 fmol/mL) of the same animals. Also, it was shown that the microvessel angiotensin II concentrations in spontaneously hypertensive rats were higher than in Sprague‐Dawley rats.

Conclusions: The current study demonstrates that within the skeletal muscle microvessels, the components and products necessary for a local renin–angiotensin system are present, but does not rule out the possibility of interaction between circulating and tissue renin–angiotensin systems.
Molecular Mechanism of Cell-autonomous Circadian Gene Expression ofPeriod2, a Crucial Regulator of the Mammalian Circadian Clock
Authors: Akashi Makoto , Ichise Tomoko , Mamine Takayoshi , Takumi Toru
Published: November 2005

Although circadian transcription of Period2 (Per2) is fundamental for the generation of circadian rhythm, the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here we report that cell-autonomous circadian transcription of Per2 is driven by two transcriptional elements, one for rhythm generation and the other for phase control. The former contains the E-box-like sequence (CACGTT) that is sufficient and indispensable to drive oscillation, and indeed circadian transcription factors site-specifically bind to it. Furthermore, the nature of this atypical E-box is different from that of the classical circadian E-box. The current feedback loop model is based mainly on Period1. Our results provide not only compelling evidence in support of this model but also an explanation for a general basic mechanism to produce various patterns in the phase and amplitude of cell-autonomous circadian gene expression.
An Effector Domain Mutant of Arf6 Implicates Phospholipase D in Endosomal Membrane Recycling
Authors: Jovanovic Olivera A. , Brown Fraser D. , Donaldson Julie G.
Published: November 2005

In this study, we investigated the role of phospholipase D (PLD) in mediating Arf6 function in cells. Expression of Arf6 mutants that are defective in activating PLD, Arf6N48R and Arf6N48I, inhibited membrane recycling to the plasma membrane (PM), resulting in an accumulation of tubular endosomal membranes. Additionally, unlike wild-type Arf6, neither Arf6 mutant could generate protrusions or recruit the Arf6 GTPase activating protein (GAP) ACAP1 onto the endosome in the presence of aluminum fluoride. Remarkably, all of these phenotypes, including accumulated tubular endosomes, blocked recycling, and failure to make protrusions and recruit ACAP effectively, could be recreated in either untransfected cells or cells expressing wild-type Arf6 by treatment with 1-butanol to inhibit the formation of phosphatidic acid (PA), the product of PLD. Moreover, most of the defects present in cells expressing Arf6N48R or N48I could be reversed by treatment with agents expected to elevate PA levels in cells. Together, these observations provide compelling evidence that Arf6 stimulation of PLD is required for endosomal membrane recycling and GAP recruitment.
Chk1 and p21 Cooperate to Prevent Apoptosis during DNA Replication Fork Stress
Authors: Rodriguez Rene , Meuth Mark
Published: November 2005

Cells respond to DNA replication stress by triggering cell cycle checkpoints, repair, or death. To understand the role of the DNA damage response pathways in determining whether cells survive replication stress or become committed to death, we examined the effect of loss of these pathways on cellular response to agents that slow or arrest DNA synthesis. We show that replication inhibitors such as excess thymidine, hydroxyurea, and camptothecin are normally poor inducers of apoptosis. However, these agents become potent inducers of death in S-phase cells upon small interfering RNA-mediated depletion of the checkpoint kinase Chk1. This death response is independent of p53 and Chk2. p21-deficient cells, on the other hand, produce a more robust apoptotic response upon Chk1 depletion. p21 is normally induced only late after thymidine treatment. In Chk1-depleted cells p21 induction occurs earlier and does not require p53. Thus, Chk1 plays a primary role in the protection of cells from death induced by replication fork stress, whereas p21 mediates through its role in regulating entry into S phase. These findings are of potential importance to cancer therapy because we demonstrate that the efficacy of clinically relevant agents can be enhanced by manipulation of these signaling pathways.
Granule-mediated Killing by Granzyme B and Perforin Requires a Mannose 6-Phosphate Receptor and Is Augmented by Cell Surface Heparan Sulfate
Authors: Veugelers Kirstin , Motyka Bruce , Goping Ing Swie , Shostak Irene , Sawchuk Tracy , Bleackley R. Chris
Published: November 2005

During granule-mediated killing by cytotoxic T lymphocytes or natural killer cells, the serine protease granzyme B enters the target cell by endocytosis and induces apoptosis. Previous studies suggested a role for the mannose 6-phosphate receptor, but further experiments with purified granzyme B indicated this was not essential. Additionally, it is now clear that grB is exocytosed from killer cells in a high-molecular-weight complex with the proteoglycan serglycin. Here granzyme B was delivered as a purified monomer, or in complex with either glycosaminoglycans or serglycin, and killing was evaluated. When granzyme B was a monomer, soluble mannose 6-phosphate had a limited impact, whereas apoptosis induced by the complexed grB was effectively inhibited by mannose 6-phosphate. Most importantly, when granzyme B and perforin were delivered together from granules, inhibition by mannose 6-phosphate was also observed. In pulldown assays mediated by the cation-independent mannose 6-phosphate receptor, granzyme B bound to the receptor more intensely in the presence of immobilized heparan sulfate. We therefore propose the model that under physiological conditions serglycin-bound granzyme B is critically endocytosed by a mannose 6-phosphate receptor, and receptor binding is enhanced by cell surface heparan sulfate.
Regulation of Histone Deacetylase 4 Expression by the SP Family of Transcription Factors
Authors: Liu Fang , Pore Nabendu , Kim Mijin , Voong K. Ranh , Dowling Melissa , Maity Amit , Kao Gary D.
Published: November 2005

Histone deacetylases mediate critical cellular functions but relatively little is known about mechanisms controlling their expression, including expression of HDAC4, a class II HDAC implicated in the modulation of cellular differentiation and viability. Endogenous HDAC4 mRNA, protein levels and promoter activity were all readily repressed by mithramycin, suggesting regulation by GC-rich DNA sequences. We validated consensus binding sites for Sp1/Sp3 transcription factors in the HDAC4 promoter through truncation studies and targeted mutagenesis. Specific and functional binding by Sp1/Sp3 at these sites was confirmed with chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) and electromobility shift assays (EMSA). Cotransfection of either Sp1 or Sp3 with a reporter driven by the HDAC4 promoter led to high activities in SL2 insect cells (which lack endogenous Sp1/Sp3). In human cells, restored expression of Sp1 and Sp3 up-regulated HDAC4 protein levels, whereas levels were decreased by RNA-interference-mediated knockdown of either protein. Finally, variable levels of Sp1 were in concordance with that of HDAC4 in a number of human tissues and cancer cell lines. These studies together characterize for the first time the activity of the HDAC4 promoter, through which Sp1 and Sp3 modulates expression of HDAC4 and which may contribute to tissue or cell-line-specific expression of HDAC4.
“Destruction Becomes Creation”: The Theological Reaction of National Religious Zionism in Palestine to the Holocaust
Authors: Eshkoli (Wagman) Hava
Published: November 2005

Despite the extensive scholarly attention devoted to the thorny issues of faith raised by the Holocaust, the response of religious Zionists in Palestine during the Second World War remains underexamined. This article identifies a number of their prevailing, often coexisting, and sometimes contradictory theological explanations for the Holocaust: punishment for sins (such as assimilation, lack of a homeland, or reduced childbirth), common early in the war; the “birth pangs of the messianic age,” which gained credence as the war continued; and “divine hiddenness,” a notion that emerged late in the war. These ideas also found expression in the belief that repentance had the ability to hasten redemption and to bring persecution to an end.
The Diplomacy of Wiedergutmachung: Memory, the Cold War, and the Western European Victims of Nazism, 1956–1964
Authors: Schrafstetter Susanna
Published: November 2005

In 1956 a number of Western European states demanded from the Federal Republic of Germany compensation for victims of National Socialist persecution. West Germany eventually concluded eleven bilateral compensation agreements between 1959 and 1964. The long, acrimonious negotiations were conducted with the Federal Republic's key allies at a time when their support was crucial for West Germany's international rehabilitation, the process of European integration, and the Cold War struggle. This article analyzes to what extent the day-to-day politics of the Cold War were intertwined with the politics of the past. It examines German negotiations with France and with Britain in more detail to illustrate that the eleven agreements were far from uniform.
Holocaust Sites in Ukraine: Pechora and the Politics of Memorialization
Authors: Golbert Rebecca L.
Published: November 2005

This study of the Pechora camp, in Transnistria, examines the contributions of contemporary testimonies to our understanding of the Holocaust experience and the ways survivors and witnesses perceive and recount that experience over time. In the case of Transnistria, the testimonies of living witnesses may at times provide the only significant historical and social record of the ghetto and camp experience. While existing scholarship on the Holocaust in Romania and Transnistria has emerged primarily out of the Romanian Jewish experience of the war, this article highlights the wartime experiences and postwar memories of Ukrainian Jewish survivors, whose perspectives on Transnistria have until recently been overlooked. The author also offers a distinctly ethnographic dimension to the study of the Holocaust by examining memory and identity processes and by revealing substantial fissures in the way the Holocaust is remembered and memorialized.
Witnessing Genocide: Vigilance and Remembrance at Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek
Authors: Williams Paul
Published: November 2005

Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek are the two principal memorials to the victims of the Cambodian genocide (1975–79). This article analyzes their effectiveness as vehicles for commemoration. Since both memorials borrow elements from the more familiar model of Euro-American Holocaust memorials, their examination adds to a larger discussion about the political uses of genocide memorials, and their ability to facilitate national reconciliation. The unforgiving, visceral nature of Tuol Sleng and Choeung Ek makes them an uneasy experience for the international tourists who visit. For the Cambodian people, these memorials play an uncertain political role, given that little in the way of formal justice or a public culture of remembrance has been achieved so far.
Ukrainian High School Students' Understanding of the Holocaust
Authors: Ivanova Elena
Published: November 2005

What students know about the Holocaust has been the subject of numerous studies, based mainly on quantitative surveys. This article relies on qualitative methods, in particular discourse-analysis, to evaluate essays produced by high school students in Eastern Ukraine, an important site of mass exterminations of Jews during World War II. The essays reveal much about young people's knowledge of, and attitudes toward, the Holocaust.
Cathedral Building as an Entry‐Deterring Device
Authors: Bercea Brighita , Ekelund Robert B. , Tollison Robert D.
Published: November 2005

This paper suggests that, while medieval cathedrals served many purposes and, indeed, were some of the greatest technical achievements of their time, they served a rational economic purpose as well. Protestant entry into the market for Christian religion finally materialized in the early sixteenth century. The Roman Catholic Church did not make a ‘mistake’ in failing to forestall entry. We argue that the Church made a conscious rational effort to do so by supplying excess capacity and particular forms of capital in medieval cathedrals. While the attempt to forestall entry was ultimately unsuccessful, the extent of cathedral building helps explain why some areas of Europe remained Catholic and alternative forms of Christianity took hold in other locales.
Climate Policy Beyond Kyoto: Quo Vadis?
Authors: Böhringer Christoph , Löschel Andreas
Published: November 2005

We investigate the possible future of Post‐Kyoto climate policies until 2020. Based on across‐impact analysis, we first evaluate an expert poll to identify the most likely Post‐Kyoto climate policy scenarios. We then use acomputable general equilibrium modelto assess the economic implications of these scenarios. We find that Post‐Kyoto agreements will include only small reductions in global greenhouse gas emissions, with abatement duties predominantly assigned to the industrialized countries, while developing countries remain uncommitted, but can sell emission abatement to the industrialized world. Equity rules to allocate abatement duties are mainly based on sovereignty or ability‐to‐pay. Global adjustment costs to Post‐Kyoto policies are very moderate, but regional costs to fuel exporting countries can be substantial because of distinct terms‐of‐trade effects on fossil fuel markets.
The Impact of Public Ownership and Competition on Productivity
Authors: González‐Páramo José Manuel , De Cos Pablo Hernández
Published: November 2005

Are private firms more efficient than public ones? Does privatisation improve performance? In order to answer these questions, it is necessary to disentangle the impact of ownership and competition upon business performance. This paper presents empirical evidence relating to the hypothesis that public ownership and competition are determinants of firms' productivity. It concludes that public ownership has a significant negative effect on productivity and also that privatisation has a positive impact on efficiency. Furthermore, increased competition is found to have a positive effect on productivity. These results are interpreted as confirming that privatisation is effective as a means of increasing firms' efficiency, at least in a non‐regulated and relatively competitive sector, such as manufacturing.
Nominal Versus Real Convergence – EMU Entry Scenarios for the New Member States
Authors: De Grauwe Paul , Schnabl Gunther
Published: November 2005

This paper explores the conflict of real and monetary convergence during the EMU run‐up of the Central and Eastern European member states. Using a Balassa‐Samuelson model of productivity driven inflation, we find a high probability of higher inflation in the new member states. We compare the policy options which make the compliance possible, i.e. fiscal tightening and nominal appreciation within the ERM2 band. Nominal appreciation within ERM2 seems the better option to achieve the compliance with the Maastricht criteria, as no discretionary government intervention is necessary, and losses in terms of real growth are smaller. Having once opted for nominal appreciation by fixing the ERM2 entry rate as the central rate (Irish model), a high degree of flexibility is provided in coping with erratic short‐term capital inflows. The strategy of setting the ERM2 entry rate above the central rate (Greek model) implies a clear exchange rate path within ERM2 and thereby less exchange rate volatility. Despite the merits of nominal appreciation, countries committed to hard euro pegs, or with high budget deficits, may choose fiscal contraction as a solution.
Getting along with Colleagues – Does Profit Sharing Help or Hurt?*
Authors: Heywood John S. , Jirjahn Uwe , Tsertsvadze Georgi
Published: November 2005

Theory presents two channels through which profit sharing can cause workers to increase their coworkers' productivity: greater cooperation and increased peer pressure. This paper argues that these generate opposite influences on coworker relations, and that which dominates varies according to circumstances and type of worker. Using German data, we show that, for non‐supervisory men, profit sharing increases cooperation, but that for those who highly value success on the job, it has no influence on cooperation, and for supervisors it reduces cooperation. Moreover, the findings show striking gender differences in the effect of profit sharing. We contend these patterns fit with underlying theoretical expectations.
Long‐term repetitive sodium lauryl sulfate‐induced irritation of the skin: an in vivo study
Authors: Branco Nara , Lee Ivy , Zhai Hongbo , Maibach Howard I.
Published: November 2005

Skin may adapt to topical irritants through accommodation. This study focuses on long‐term exposure to irritants and attempts to demonstrate accommodation. Sodium lauryl sulfate (SLS) induced irritant contact dermatitis at 3 concentrations (0.025% to 0.075%). Distilled water, acetone and an empty chamber served as controls. Experimental compounds were applied to forearms of 7 healthy volunteers for 24 hr before replacing by a fresh chamber for 6 non‐consecutive weeks over 103 days. Possible accommodation was quantified by visual scoring (erythema and dryness) and by bioengineering parameters: transepidermal water loss (TEWL), capacitance, chromametry and laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF). Significant erythema, dryness, elevated TEWL, skin colour reflectance and LDF values occurred during the exposure periods. Upon repeat exposure, an immediate and augmented response in erythema, TEWL, skin colour reflectance and LDF developed. However, irritant skin changes were not sustained. Irritation parameters return to baseline after cessation of exposure. There was no evidence of sustained irritation or accommodation after the last exposure. Study findings do not document sustained accommodation or adaptive hyposensitivity after long‐term repetitive irritant exposure under these test conditions. Alternative models should be developed to prove or disprove the accommodation hypothesis.
The development and course of patch‐test reactions to 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate
Authors: Isaksson Marléne , Lindberg Magnus , Sundberg Karin , Hallander Anna , Bruze Magnus
Published: November 2005

Because Methacrylic monomers are used in dental work, dental personnel, technicians, and patients are at risk of being sensitized. 2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate (2‐HEMA) and ethyleneglycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) are commonly used. Allergic test reactions to them sometimes appear beyond D7. This study was designed to study the development and course of positive test reactions to 2‐HEMA and EGDMA in allergic patients as a mean to elucidate the issue of patch‐test sensitization. 12 patients with contact allergy to 2‐HEMA and EGDMA were retested with dilution series. The clinical course was followed for 1 month. During the study, 25 positive test reactions to 2‐HEMA and 19 to EGDMA were diagnosed. Within the 1st week, 21 were noted for 2‐HEMA and 18 for EGDMA. After 10 days, another 2 reactions appeared for 2‐HEMA and 1 for EGDMA. All but 1 patient with the latter reactions also had positive reactions within the 1st week. After 1 month, 12 reactions for 2‐HEMA and 10 for EGDMA remained. Patch‐test reactions to 2‐HEMA and EGDMA are long‐lasting. The patch‐test concentrations of 2.0% for 2‐HEMA and EGDMA may be continually used. Positive test reactions emerging after 10 days do not automatically imply active sensitization.
The course of aberrant reinnervation following nerve repair with fresh or denatured muscle autografts
Authors: Bertelli Jayme A. , Taleb Madjid , Mira Jean‐Claude , Ghizoni Marcos F.
Published: November 2005

Abstract  Denatured muscle grafts obtained by freeze thawing have been proposed to replace losses in the peripheral nerves. In the present report, we compare the performance of such grafts with fresh grafts in the rat median nerve. A long‐term effect of muscle interposition on reinnervation was studied by behavioral assessment, muscle ATPase histochemistry, and retrograde labeling of motoneurons. There was no difference in grasping strength recovery between fresh and denatured 10‐mm‐long muscle grafts. Recovery was delayed and incomplete. Twelve months after surgery, only 50% of the normal grasping strength was attained. Grasping recovery was not observed in the 20‐mm‐long graft groups. Pathway reinnervation was non‐specific with a huge amount of motor fiber misdirection. A decrease in the number of misdirected motor fibers occurred with time and activity recovery. Muscle reinnervation was not specific with disturbance of the mosaic pattern and type‐grouping formation. Preference of type I axons for reinnervating deeper zones was observed. Type I aberrant reinnervation was demonstrated in the muscle periphery. The mosaic distribution of type I and II muscle fibers was not stable, and readjustments were observed with time, correlating with grasping improvement. During grasping strength recovery, there was a decrease in the number of type I fibers peripherally located and an increase of those deeply disposed. A time‐ and activity‐related recovery was associated with readjustment in the pathways and muscle fiber rearrangement. We suggest that muscle activity generates specificity.
Mapping QTLs on chicken chromosome 1 for performance and carcass traits in a broiler x layer cross
Authors: Nones K. , Ledur M. C. , Ruy D. C. , Baron E. E. , Melo C. M. R. , Moura A. S. A. M. T. , Zanella E. L. , Burt D. W. , Coutinho L. L.
Published: November 2005

With the objective of mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for performance and carcass traits, an F2 chicken population was developed by crossing broiler and layer lines. A total of 2063 F2 chicks in 21 full‐sib families were reared as broilers and slaughtered at 42 days of age. Seventeen performance and carcass traits were measured. Parental (F0) and F1 individuals were genotyped with 80 microsatellites from chicken chromosome 1 to select informative markers. Thirty‐three informative markers were used for selective genotyping of F2 individuals with extreme phenotypes for body weight at 42 days of age (BW42). Based on the regions identified by selective genotyping, seven full‐sib families (649 F2 chicks) were genotyped with 26 markers. Quantitative trait loci affecting body weight, feed intake, carcass weight, drums and thighs weight and abdominal fat weight were mapped to regions already identified in other populations. Quantitative trait loci for weights of gizzard, liver, lungs, heart and feet, as well as length of intestine, not previously described in the literature were mapped on chromosome 1. This F2 population can be used to identify novel QTLs and constitutes a new resource for studies of genes related to growth and carcass traits in poultry.
Rho1‐GEFs Rgf1 and Rgf2 are involved in formation of cell wall and septum, while Rgf3 is involved in cytokinesis in fission yeast
Authors: Mutoh Tadashi , Nakano Kentaro , Mabuchi Issei
Published: November 2005

The Rho GTPase acts as a binary molecular switch by converting between a GDP‐bound inactive and a GTP‐bound active conformational state. The guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) are critical activators of Rho. Rho1 has been shown to regulate actin cytoskeleton and cell wall synthesis in the fission yeast Schizosaccharomyces pombe. Here we studied function of fission yeast RhoGEFs, Rgf1, Rgf2, and Rgf3. It was shown that these proteins have similar molecular structures, and function as GEFs for Rho1. Disruption of either rgf1 or rgf2 did not show a serious effect on the cell. On the other hand, disruption of rgf3 caused severe defects in contractile ring formation, F‐actin patch localization, and septation during cytokinesis. Rgf1 and Rgf2 were localized to the cell ends during interphase and the septum. Rgf3 formed a ring at the division site, which was located outside the contractile ring and inside the septum where Rho1 was accumulated. In summary, Rgf1 and Rgf2 show functional redundancy, and roles of these RhoGEFs are likely to be different from that of Rgf3. Rho1 is likely to be activated by Rgf3 at the division site, and involved in contractile ring formation and/or maintenance and septation.
Role of Src family tyrosine kinases in the down‐regulation of epidermal growth factor signaling in PC12 cells
Authors: Kasai Atsuko , Shima Takaki , Okada Masato
Published: November 2005

Src family tyrosine kinases (SFKs) play pivotal roles as molecular switches for various intracellular signaling pathways. SFKs have been implicated in epidermal growth factor (EGF) signaling, although their precise mechanisms of action in this pathway remain elusive. To address this issue, we focused on a membrane microdomain, lipid rafts, where SFKs are enriched. In PC12 cells, the EGF receptor (EGFR) is constitutively concentrated in lipid rafts, and further accumulation takes place upon EGF stimulation, followed by activation of SFKs, especially Src and Yes. Inhibition of SFK or disruption of lipid raft function causes EGF‐induced neurite extension of PC12 cells. These effects are accompanied by an extended duration of Erk1/2 activation and are suppressed by a MEK inhibitor. In Csk−/– fibroblasts, suppression of SFK results in prolonged EGF‐induced activation of Erk1/2, with concomitant suppression of EGFR degradation. Furthermore, analysis of the behavior of labeled EGF in PC12 cells reveals that suppression of SFK activity attenuates the rate of clustering of activated EGFR on the membrane. These results suggest that SFK activity in lipid rafts is required to facilitate the down‐regulation of EGF signaling, by regulating the clustering of activated EGFR on the membrane in PC12 cells.
Is the Sonoran Desert losing its cool?
Authors: Weiss Jeremy L. , Overpeck Jonathan T.
Published: November 2005

Freezing temperatures strongly influence vegetation in the hottest desert of North America, in part determining both its overall boundary and distributions of plant species within. To evaluate recent variability of freezing temperatures in this context, minimum temperature data from weather stations in the Sonoran Desert are examined. Data show widespread warming trends in winter and spring, decreased frequency of freezing temperatures, lengthening of the freeze‐free season, and increased minimum temperatures per winter year. Local land use and multidecadal modes of the global climate system such as the Pacific decadal oscillation and the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation do not appear to be principal drivers of this warming. Minimum temperature variability in the Sonoran Desert does, however, correspond to global temperature variability attributed to human‐dominated global warming. With warming expected to continue at faster rates throughout the 21st century, potential ecological responses may include contraction of the overall boundary of the Sonoran Desert in the south‐east and expansion northward, eastward, and upward in elevation, as well as changes to distributions of plant species within and other characteristics of Sonoran Desert ecosystems. Potential trajectories of vegetation change in the Sonoran Desert region may be affected or made more difficult to predict by uncertain changes in warm season precipitation variability and fire. Opportunities now exist to investigate ecosystem response to regional climate disturbance, as well as to anticipate and plan for continued warming in the Sonoran Desert region.
Microbiological quality of fresh‐cut sweet potatoes
Authors: Erturk Elif , Picha David H.
Published: November 2005

Sweet potato roots were dipped in various concentrations of chlorine for 5 min at 1 or 20 °C before and after slicing, and then stored at 2 or 8 °C for 14 days to evaluate the effects of different chlorine treatments and storage temperatures on the microbiological quality of fresh‐cut sweet potato slices. The microflora of fresh‐cut sweet potato slices was dominated by mesophiles, followed by psychrotrophs and fungi initially and during storage. The 2 °C storage was necessary to keep the microbial load at a low level. No spoilage was observed in fresh‐cut sweet potatoes at both storage temperatures for 14 days. Chlorination of sweet potatoes before slicing was not effective in ensuring acceptable microbiological quality of fresh‐cut sweet potatoes. Dipping slices in 200 ppm chlorine at 1 °C reduced the population of all micro‐organisms during storage.
A review of recent studies in China on the possible beneficial health effects of tea
Authors: Zhu Yong‐xing , Huang Hervé , Tu You‐ying
Published: November 2005

Tea is one of the most heavily consumed beverages in the world. The relationship between tea drinking and human health is becoming a subject of intense study by scientists throughout the world. In this paper, we first provide a comprehensive analysis of the medical literature on tea published in China during the past 20 years, and then highlight some recent studies in China on the relationship between tea and several human diseases. During the period 1982–2002, 691 research papers related to tea and health have been published in 290 Chinese journals. These studies showed that tea and tea constituents have various biological activities and suggested that tea drinking might be beneficial to human health. Tea has potential in the prevention or adjuvant treatment of several diseases including cancer, cardiovascular diseases and obesity. The trend and future direction in medical research on tea in China are also briefly discussed.