bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effects of Decomposition on Gunshot Wound Characteristics: Under Cold Temperatures with No Insect Activity
Authors: MacAulay Lauren E. , Barr Darryl G. , Strongman Doug B.
Published: February 2009

Abstract:  Information on gunshot wound characteristics has been well documented; however, there is little documented information on the effects of decomposition or environmental conditions on gunshot wound characteristics. This study was conducted in order to determine if decomposition would obscure or alter the physical surface characteristics of gunshot wounds when exposed to a low temperature environment. The study was conducted from November 2005 to January 2006 in Nova Scotia, Canada in forested and exposed environments, with air temperatures between −10°C and +10°C. Pigs were used as human models and were shot six times each at three different ranges (contact, 2.5 cm, and 1.5 m). Gunshot wound characteristics persisted until the wounds were covered with ice and snow, after which changes were observed. The changes were recognized as being unique to the different ranges of gunshots and it was concluded that changes due to decomposition under the conditions tested would not affect the collection and interpretation of gunshot wound evidence.
The Death of Countess Agusta in Portofino (Northern Italy) and the Soil from Two Mismatched Slippers
Authors: Lombardi Gianni
Published: February 2009

Abstract:  Accident, suicide, or homicide might have caused the death of Countess Agusta who fell from the 80‐m tall cliff of her villa. Two mismatched slippers were recovered along the cliff. Use was made of microscope, X‐ray diffractometry, scanning electron microscopy, and microprobe techniques to compare 40 mg of soil collected from the slipper soles with samples from the villa garden. Structural details of the slipper soles were consistent with the lady wearing them during the fall. Analysis of the soil residues confirmed that they originated from the garden only. The features of a few, minute glass chips adhering to the slipper soles reasonably matched those of other fragments that were found on a small ledge on the cliff beyond the garden parapet. Based on this and other evidence, the case was closed with a verdict of accidental fall.
Development of an Organizational Diversity Needs Analysis (ODNA) Instrument
Authors: Dahm Molly J. , Willems Edwin P. , Ivancevich John M. , Graves Daniel E.
Published: February 2009

Researchers have suggested that diversity is beneficial in organizational settings under conditions in which managers can manage it effectively. The goal of the current paper was to develop a general, theoretically anchored measure of diversity needs. Such an instrument could be used to evaluate the existing diversity climate in an organization. Once the climate is assessed, managers can, if necessary, develop, implement, and assess a customized training program to improve their institution's diversity‐management practices. A two‐study approach is used to examine, determine, and test an eight‐dimension instrument, designated the Organizational Diversity Needs Analysis survey.
Examination and Measurement of Halo Via Curvilinear Regression: A New Approach to Halo1
Authors: Thomas Adrian , Palmer Jerry K. , Feldman Jack M.
Published: February 2009

Much disagreement and confusion has surrounded the nature of the relationship between halo and performance rating accuracy. Traditionally, the relationship has been assumed to be linear (Cooper, 1981), but Fisicaro (1988) proposed that the relationship between halo and performance rating accuracy is, instead, curvilinear. Using the halo index suggested by Balzer & Sulsky (1992), the results of the present study provided empirical evidence to support Fisicaro's proposal. Future research examining the relationship between halo and accuracy should consider the use of quadratic models, instead of linear ones. For the practitioner, this result implies that low rating dimension intercorrelations (negative halo) may lead to inaccuracy in ratings in much the same way as do high rating dimension intercorrelations (positive halo).
An Investigation of Stereotype Threat in Employment Tests1
Authors: Kirnan Jean Powell , Alfieri Julie Ann , Bragger Jennifer DeNicolis , Harris Robert Sean
Published: February 2009

This investigation extends stereotype threat research by examining its effect on sex and ethnicity in employment testing. Study 1 used archival data from a company‐specific cognitive ability test, demonstrating score increases (greater for some minorities) when applicants completed demographic items after a cognitive skills test, rather than before the test. The first experiment (Study 2) used college students taking the same company‐specific test with inconclusive results. Possible reasons dictated the design of a second experiment with a college population (Study 3). This study used the Wonderlic Personnel Test (WPT) and investigated priming through positioning of demographic items, as well as high/low threat. Positioning of the demographic items after the WPT was associated with an increase in test scores.
Perceived Academic Competence and Overall Job Evaluations: Students' Evaluations of African American and European American Professors
Authors: Ho Arnold K. , Thomsen Lotte , Sidanius Jim
Published: February 2009

Despite the fact that few people appear to endorse negative stereotypes of Blacks, such stereotypes are widely disseminated in our culture. Consequently, such stereotypes can have pervasive consequences on one's impressions of African Americans, even by low‐prejudice Whites and by Blacks themselves. Thus, we predicted that student judgments of intellectual competence would be more important when students were making global performance evaluations of Black faculty than of White faculty. Furthermore, to the extent that intellectual competence is more salient in the judgment of Black faculty, such judgments should be essentially the same among Black and White students, and for low‐ and high‐prejudice students. For the most part, analyses of instructor evaluations at a major American university supported these expectations.
Intrinsic competition and its effects on the survival and development of three species of endoparasitoid wasps
Authors: Harvey Jeffrey A. , Gols Rieta , Strand Michael R.
Published: February 2009

In natural systems, pre‐adult stages of some insect herbivores are known to be attacked by several species of parasitoids. Under certain conditions, hosts may be simultaneously parasitized by more than one parasitoid species (= multiparasitism), even though only one parasitoid species can successfully develop in an individual host. Here, we compared development, survival, and intrinsic competitive interactions among three species of solitary larval endoparasitoids, Campoletis sonorensis (Cameron) (Hymenoptera: Ichneumonidae), Microplitis demolitor Wilkinson, and Microplitis croceipes (Cresson) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), in singly parasitized and multiparasitized hosts. The three species differed in certain traits, such as in host usage strategies and adult body size. Campoletis sonorensis and M. demolitor survived equally well to eclosion in two host species that differed profoundly in size, Pseudoplusia includens (Walker) and the larger Heliothis virescens (Fabricius) (both Lepidoptera: Noctuidae). Egg‐to‐adult development time in C. sonorensis and M. demolitor also differed in the two hosts. Moreover, adult body mass in C. sonorensis (and not M. demolitor) was greater when developing in H. virescens larvae. We then monitored the outcome of competitive interactions in host larvae that were parasitized by one parasitoid species and subsequently multiparasitized by another species at various time intervals (0, 6, 24, and 48 h) after the initial parasitism. These experiments revealed that M. croceipes was generally a superior competitor to the other two species, whereas M. demolitor was the poorest competitor, with C. sonorensis being intermediate in this capacity. However, competition sometimes incurred fitness costs in M. croceipes and C. sonorensis, with longer development time and/or smaller adult mass observed in surviving wasps emerging from multiparasitized hosts. Our results suggest that rapid growth and large size relative to competitors of a similar age may be beneficial in aggressive intrinsic competition.
Development of an improved laboratory production technique for the coffee berry borer Hypothenemus hampei, using fresh coffee berries
Authors: Jaramillo Juliana , Chabi‐Olaye Adenirin , Poehling Hans‐Michael , Kamonjo Charles , Borgemeister Christian
Published: February 2009

The suitability of a mixture of plaster of Paris and charcoal as a means to regulate the moisture content of coffee berries and the relative humidity (moisture conditions) of the rearing environment and its impact on rearing the coffee berry borer (CBB), Hypothenemus hampei (Ferrari) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), was evaluated under laboratory conditions using two types of coffee. Coffee berries were kept individually in vials with a 1‐cm layer of the mixture, and the fresh weight of the berries was assessed, as well as the penetration of CBB into the berries, its survival, and its progeny production over a period of 55 days. Significantly higher survival and progeny production was achieved when using the mixture regardless of the coffee type. Compared to the vials without plaster of Paris/charcoal, a six‐ to sevenfold increase in survivorship of the F1 was recorded when using plaster of Paris/charcoal and in the latter treatment berries harboured on average more than 100 individuals, whereas only 1.7 in the vials without plaster of Paris.
Volatile emission in wheat and parasitism by Aphidius avenae after exogenous application of salivary enzymes of Sitobion avenae
Authors: Liu Yong , Wang Wan‐Lei , Guo Guang‐Xi , Ji Xiang‐Long
Published: February 2009

Enzymes in the saliva of the English green aphid, Sitobion avenae (F.) (Homoptera: Aphididae), may be responsible for inducing indirect defence in wheat. In this study, we examined the effects of exogenous application of three salivary enzymes of S. avenae, namely, polyphenol oxidase, pectinase, and cellulase, on the release of volatiles from wheat and the attractiveness of these volatiles to the parasitoid Aphidius avenae Haliday (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae). In greenhouse experiments, parasitism of S. avenae on plants surrounded by pectinase‐treated plants and aphid‐damaged plants was significantly higher than parasitism of aphids on plants surrounded by cellulase‐ and polyphenol oxidase‐treated plants. In Y‐tube olfactometer tests, female A. avenae significantly preferred the volatiles collected from pectinase‐treated plants and aphid‐damaged plants. Gas chromatography‐mass spectrometry analysis showed that two kinds of semiochemicals, sulcatol and sulcatone, were identified only in pectinase‐treated plants and aphid‐damaged plants. In field experiments, parasitism of S. avenae by A. avenae was significantly higher on plants sprayed with a mixture of sulcatol and sulcatone than parasitism on plants sprayed with volatiles collected from cellulase‐ and polyphenol oxidase‐treated plants. These results show that pectinase in S. avenae watery saliva can trigger wheat plant indirect defence, and play a crucial role in interaction between wheat, wheat aphid, and A. avenae.
Female mating status does not affect male mating behavior in the West Indian sweetpotato weevil, Euscepes postfasciatus
Authors: Kumano Norikuni , Haraguchi Dai , Kohama Tsuguo
Published: February 2009

Because multiple mating by females encourages sperm competition, the assessment of female mating status before insemination is important for males in order to avoid the risk of sperm competition or to intensify sperm competition. When interacting with females before sperm transfer, males can alter their mating tactics according to the risk or intensity of sperm competition. Information on how mating systems are associated with sperm competition is essential for sterile insect technique eradication programs, which depend on successful mating of released sterile males with wild females. We tested whether males of the West Indian sweetpotato weevil, Euscepes postfasciatus (Fairmaire) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae), adjusted their mating behavior in response to female mating experience and/or age. As virgin/young female weevils accepted males more easily than non‐virgin/old females, assessing females before insemination can be adaptive for male weevils. We found that E. postfasciatus males were unable to adjust their mating tactics in response to female mating status. Although this mating strategy would be costly for individual male weevils, the ability in males to discriminate female mating status can prevent the chance of mating with already‐mated females containing the sperm of wild male(s). Therefore, the mating tactics of male E. postfasciatus are advantageous for sterile insect technique eradication programs.
The rationale for the introduction of implant dentistry into the dental curriculum
Authors: Lang N. P. , De Bruyn H.
Published: February 2009

This paper provides arguments for the introduction of implant dentistry into the undergraduate curriculum. The survival of teeth is very high when disease is diagnosed and treated properly and maintenance is taken care of. Nevertheless, tooth replacements by fixed and removable prostheses are highly prevalent. It is expected that dentists will face a dramatically increased need to care for elderly patients and partially edentulous patients. Hence, the demand for implant reconstructions will be substantial and more appropriately trained and competent health professionals will be needed. Increasing demands of the patient regarding aesthetics and function will influence the demands for implant therapy. The improvement of oral function and subjective chewing comfort, the preservation of tooth structures or existing reconstructions and the replacement of missing, strategically important teeth are major indications for implant placement. From both a biological and an economical point of view, the single tooth replacement with an implant is the first choice in situations with no or minimally restored neighbouring teeth compared with conventional bridgework. Stability of full dentures represent a major problem especially for the mandible. It is well documented that placement of two implants supporting an overdenture substantially improve chewing capacity, increase quality of life and is a simple and cost‐effective treatment thus rendering such treatment a ‘standard of care’ procedure. There is no doubt that dental students should learn to incorporate the indication of oral implants in their overall treatment planning. Therefore, they will have to understand the basic aspects of healing and tissue integration, basic biomechanical and material science principles as well as surgical and prosthetic techniques. They will have to be able to monitor continuously the peri‐implant tissues, render appropriate supportive therapy and cope with biological and technical complications. While it is evident that the surgical procedure per se may require additional competence, the remainder of the aspects mentioned should be taught in the dental curriculum. This should include the attribution of responsibility for maintenance of implants and handling of biological and technical complications. Moreover, it is desirable to include the surgical technique for implant placement for ‘straightforward’ cases into the dental curriculum. The levels and limitations to which the various aspects of implant dentistry and related skills are to be taught are determined by the academic community. Obviously, ethical and legal aspects of implant dentistry should not be forgotten.
Theoretical knowledge in implant dentistry for undergraduate students
Authors: Hicklin S.P. , Albrektsson T. , Hämmerle C. H. F.
Published: February 2009

Implant therapy has evolved into an important part of daily dental practice. Appropriate knowledge of diagnostic and therapeutic options with dental implant therapy is, therefore, mandatory for dental students. The present consensus paper describes the theoretical knowledge as a foundation to the teaching of implant dentistry at the undergraduate level. Students need a solid basic knowledge about biological prerequisites and clinical procedures leading to successful implant treatment and, in particular, an understanding of the importance of embedding implants into the overall treatment concept. Among others this includes aspects of bone and soft tissue integration of dental implants, as well as aspects of materials that are used in implant dentistry. The students should also be able to differentiate between low, medium and high‐risk situations, which assumes that they have knowledge about a proper clinical examination. Furthermore, the students need to be able to inform the patient about the different treatment options and their advantages and disadvantages. Frequently, a choice has to be made between an FDP anchored on teeth and an implant‐borne reconstruction. This is highly influenced by the long‐term prognosis of the different treatment options. In order to perform implant placement in uncomplicated cases and to give appropriate patient information, adequate knowledge of surgical procedure and surgical complications is mandatory. Furthermore, the dentist needs to be competent in evaluating clinical situations and in advising patients about the suitability of the different options, e.g. removable or fixed reconstructions. It is possible that peri‐implant tissue destruction may be a more common finding during long‐term service of implant‐borne reconstructions than was previously believed. The dentist needs knowledge about etiology and pathogenesis of peri‐implantitis and should know how to provide an effective maintenance care programme. In cases of peri‐implantitis the student should be knowledgeable regarding suitable interventions.
Teaching and assessment of implant dentistry in undergraduate and postgraduate education: a European consensus
Authors: Mattheos N. , Albrektsson T. , Buser D. , De Bruyn H. , Donos N. , Hjørting Hansen E. , Lang N. P. , Sanz M. , Nattestad A.
Published: February 2009

This paper constitutes a summary of the consensus documents agreed at the First European Workshop on Implant Dentistry University Education held in Prague on 19–22 June 2008. Implant dentistry is becoming increasingly important treatment alternative for the restoration of missing teeth, as patients expectations and demands increase. Furthermore, implant related complications such as peri‐implantitis are presenting more frequently in the dental surgery. This consensus paper recommends that implant dentistry should be an integral part of the undergraduate curriculum. Whilst few schools will achieve student competence in the surgical placement of implants this should not preclude the inclusion of the fundamental principles of implant dentistry in the undergraduate curriculum such as the evidence base for their use, indications and contraindications and treatment of the complications that may arise. The consensus paper sets out the rationale for the introduction of implant dentistry in the dental curriculum and the knowledge base for an undergraduate programme in the subject. It lists the competencies that might be sought without expectations of surgical placement of implants at this stage and the assessment methods that might be employed. The paper also addresses the competencies and educational pathways for postgraduate education in implant dentistry.
Scale‐sensitive landscape complementation determines habitat suitability for a territorial generalist
Authors: Mueller Thomas , Selva Nuria , Pugacewicz Eugeniuz , Prins Erik
Published: February 2009

Evaluating habitat suitability is often complex, as habitat effects may be scale‐dependent, critical resources may be spatially segregated, and resource availability may also depend on intra‐ and inter‐specific interactions. Using analyses that spanned multiple years and spatial scales, we investigated habitat requirements of a territorial generalist, the common raven Corvus corax, in a relatively pristine woodland, Białowieża Forest (E Poland). We compiled data from multiple raven surveys conducted between 1985 and 2001. Ravens were regularly distributed over the entire study area but declined in density over 50% within the 16 yr interval. In the same period game and forest management significantly reduced ungulate densities and likely diminished the habitat quality with regard to food supply, especially carrion. To better understand habitat requirements of ravens we studied breeding performance in relation to three different habitat types across multiple scales: open areas, coniferous‐dominated forest, and deciduous‐dominated forest. We found a prominent dissimilarity between raven nesting and foraging habitats highlighting the importance of resource complementation for ravens. On a fine scale, large old pines were exclusively selected as nesting trees and nesting areas were generally coniferous‐dominated. However, at increasingly broader scales, coniferous habitats were negatively associated with raven reproductive success as those habitats likely provide a lower food supply. Only where the coniferous nesting areas at smaller scales were complemented with high percentages of deciduous forests and open areas at broader scales did the breeding performance increase. In addition to habitat composition, intra‐specific interactions were important determinants of reproductive performance and very successful neighbors decreased reproductive performance of a focal pair. Most of previous studies have investigated resource complementation in terms of habitat edges or proximity of complementing resource patches. Our study demonstrates that the concept of landscape complementation also applies to gradients in landscape composition and emphasizes the importance of scales and intraspecific interactions in habitat analyses.
Monocytic differentiation of leukemic HL‐60 cells induced by co‐treatment with TNF‐α and MK886 requires activation of pro‐apoptotic machinery
Authors: Procházková Jiřina , Stixová Lenka , Souček Karel , Hofmanová Jiřina , Kozubík Alois
Published: February 2009

The block of hematopoietic differentiation program in acute myeloid leukemia cells can be overcome by differentiating agent like retinoic acid, but it has several side effects. A study of other differentiation signaling pathways is therefore useful to predict potential targets of anti‐leukemic therapy. We demonstrated previously that the co‐treatment of HL‐60 cells with Tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) (1 ng/mL) and inhibitor of 5‐lipoxygenase MK886 (5 μm) potentiated both monocytic differentiation and apoptosis. In this study, we detected enhanced activation of three main types of mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPKs) (p38, c‐Jun amino‐terminal kinase [JNK], extracellular signal‐regulated kinase [ERK]), so we assessed their role in differentiation using appropriate pharmacologic inhibitors. The inhibition of pro‐apoptotic MAPKs (p38 and JNK) suppressed the effect of MK886 + TNF‐α co‐treatment. On the other hand, down‐regulation of pro‐survival ERK pathway led to increased differentiation. Those effects were accompanied by increased activation of caspases in cells treated by MK886 + TNF‐α. Pan‐caspase inhibitor ZVAD‐fmk significantly decreased both number of apoptotic and differentiated cells. The same effect was observed after inhibition of caspase 9, but not caspase 3 and 8. To conclude, we evidenced that the activation of apoptotic processes and pathways supporting apoptosis (p38 and JNK MAPKs) is required for the monocytic differentiation of HL‐60 cells.
Inadequate feeding practices and impaired growth among children from subsistence farming households in Sidama, Southern Ethiopia
Authors: Gibson Rosalind S. , Abebe Yewelsew , Hambidge K. Michael , Arbide Isabel , Teshome Aklilu , Stoecker Barbara J.
Published: February 2009

Whether current child feeding practices and behaviours among rural households in Sidama, Southern Ethiopia conform to the World Health Organization (WHO) guiding principles for complementary feeding is uncertain. We assessed socio‐demographic status, anthropometry, breastfeeding, complementary feeding practices and behaviours, and motor development milestones in a convenience sample of 97 breastfed children aged 6–23 months from three rural Sidama communities. Energy and nutrient intakes from complementary foods were also calculated from 1‐day in‐home weighed records. Prevalence of stunting ranged from 25% for infants aged 6–8 months to 52% for children aged 12–23 months, whereas for wasting, the corresponding prevalence was 10% and 14%, respectively. Very few children were exclusively breastfed up to 6 months of age (n = 2), or received solids/semi‐solids for the recommended minimum number of times containing the recommended number of food groups. Responsive feeding was not practised and no cellular animal products were consumed. Median intakes of energy, and intakes and densities of micronutrients from complementary foods (but not protein) were below WHO recommendations, assuming average breast milk intakes; greatest shortfalls were for retinol, vitamin C and calcium densities. Mothers of stunted children were shorter and lighter, and from households of lower socio‐economic status than non‐stunted children (P < 0.05). Acquisition of some motor development milestones was delayed in stunted infants compared with their non‐stunted counter‐parts. In conclusion, interventions that address the WHO guiding principles for complementary feeding practices and behaviours, as well as prenatal influences on growth, are urgently required in this setting.
From “Main Tendue” to Vatican II: The Catholic Engagement with Atheism 1936–1965
Authors: Bullivant Stephen
Published: February 2009

Pius XII condemned atheism's “most ignoble corruptions” in his 1956 encyclical Haurietis Aquas, along with its “lethal tenets” in 1958's Meminisse Iuvat. Only six years later, however, in 1964, Vatican II's Lumen Gentium affirmed the possibility of salvation for “those who, without any fault of theirs, have not yet arrived at an explicit knowledge of God” (article 16). Furthermore, the following year's Gaudium et Spes 19–21, drafted by Paul VI's newly-founded Secretariat for Non-believers, offers, among much else, a sympathetic overview of contemporary atheisms, and invites their contemporary adherents to “a dialogue that is sincere and prudent”. These paragraphs, according to Ratzinger, “may be counted among the most important pronouncements of Vatican II”.

Evidently, comparing Pius XII's “lethal tenets” to Vatican II's salvific optimism, profound developments are manifest in the Catholic engagement with atheism. Primarily responsible for this are, I argue, two episodes in French Catholic history in the decades preceding Vatican II: a) the unprecedented dialogue of Catholic intellectuals with modern atheism, following the French Communist Party's main tendue (“outstretched hand”) during the period of the Popular Front (1934–38); and b) the ‘priest-worker’ experiment, initiated by Henri Godin and Yvan Daniel's 1943 publication of La France – Pays de Mission?
Karl Rahner's Ecclesiology
Authors: Kilby Karen
Published: February 2009

For reasons of academic fashion and ecclesial politics, Rahner is often dismissed as a liberal. Though elements of his thought on the church/world relationship do not date well, and others have been so thoroughly absorbed into the mainstream as to lose their interest, there is a dimension of his thought which remains important and which in fact undercuts typical divisions between liberals and their opponents.
Dei Verbum: Fit for Purpose?
Authors: Towey Anthony
Published: February 2009

Arguably one of the most well received of the documents of Vatican II, this article considers the gestation of Dei Verbum and whether it remains key to Catholic thinking on revelation, exegesis, hermeneutics and the use of the Bible in the Church.

Insofar as Dei Verbum enabled Catholicism to rediscover its own sacramental paradigm of revelation, it can be said to have effected a decisive move away from a propositional view which risks reducing the drama of salvation to a combination of bullet points and performance indicators. Moreover, Catholic biblical theology has enjoyed a welcome renaissance in these subsequent decades and scripture now plays a more obvious part in liturgy and piety.

Though there are lacunae (e.g. anthropology, ecology), and though some of the exegetical tensions have been by-passed by postmodern hermeneutics, perhaps the more interesting questions that remain will centre not on the scriptures but on a renewed understanding of the nature of tradition and the creativity of its relationship with the magisterium.
Monsters and the Exotic in Early Medieval England
Authors: Mittman Asa Simon , Kim Susan M.
Published: February 2009

The dominant literate culture of early medieval England – male, European, and Christian – often represented itself through comparison to exotic beings and monsters, in traditions developed from native mythologies, and Classical and Biblical sources. So pervasive was this reflexive identification that the language of the monstrous occurs not only in fictional travel narratives, but at the heart of constructions of the native hero as well as the Christian saint. In these constructions we read the central contradiction in this literature: the monster must be ‘other’ and yet cannot be absolutely so; on the contrary, the monster remains recognizable, familiar, seductive, and possible. In this essay, we discuss textual sources for the early medieval monstrous, sources ranging from Pliny to Augustine and Isidore. As we survey early medieval texts dealing with the monstrous in genres including catalog, epic, and hagiography as well as visual depictions in manuscript illustration and the mappaemundi, we consider historically particular cultural and political motivations for the representation of the monstrous in these texts, among them the early Christian conversions and shifting national boundaries.
Some Versions of the Hortus Conclusus in Elizabethan Landscape and Literature
Authors: Jones Mark
Published: February 2009

Situating its discussion among recent ecocritical developments in studies of Shakespeare and the literature of the English Renaissance, this essay considers the medieval enclosed garden, or hortus conclusus, as a way of being in the world that was available to the Elizabethan imagination. A concept ultimately derived from Canticles 4.12, the idea of the enclosed garden was read allegorically, if differently, by both Catholic and Protestant exegetes. Enormously productive in the late middle ages, the iconography of the hortus conclusus was appropriated in Elizabethan England by poets and gardeners alike and may be found in plays including Shakespeare's Richard II, Romeo and Juliet, and The Winter's Tale, as well as in actual gardens, among them Theobalds, Kenilworth, Wimbledon, and Nonsuch. While fashioned to embrace theological and political concerns of the late sixteenth century, these late manifestations of the enclosed garden retain a recognizably medieval character.
Dynamic association of MLL1, H3K4 trimethylation with chromatin and Hox gene expression during the cell cycle
Authors: Mishra Bibhu P. , Ansari Khairul I. , Mandal Subhrangsu S.
Published: February 2009

Mixed lineage leukemias (MLLs) are histone H3 at lysine 4 (H3K4)‐specific methylases that play a critical role in regulating gene expression in humans. As chromatin condensation, relaxation and differential gene expression are keys to correct cell cycle progression, we analyzed the dynamic association of MLL and H3K4 trimethylation at different stages of the cell cycle. Interestingly, MLL1, which is normally associated with transcriptionally active chromatins (G1 phase), dissociates from condensed mitotic chromatin and returns at the end of telophase when the nucleus starts to relax. In contrast, H3K4 trimethylation mark, which is also normally associated with euchromatins (in G1), remains associated, even with condensed chromatin, throughout the cell cycle. The global levels of MLL1 and H3K4 trimethylation are not affected during the cell cycle, and H3Ser28 phosphorylation is only observed during mitosis. Interestingly, MLL target homeobox‐containing (Hox) genes (HoxA5, HoxA7 and HoxA10) are differentially expressed during the cell cycle, and the recruitment of MLL1 and H3K4 trimethylation levels are modulated in the promoter of these Hox genes as a function of their expression. In addition, down‐regulation of MLL1 results in cell cycle arrest at the G2/M phase. The fluctuation of H3K4 trimethylation marks at specific promoters, but not at the global level, indicates that H3K4 trimethylation marks that are present in the G1 phase may not be the same as the marks in other phases of the cell cycle; rather, old marks are removed and new marks are introduced. In conclusion, our studies demonstrate that MLL1 and H3K4 methylation have distinct dynamics during the cell cycle and play critical roles in the differential expression of Hox genes associated with cell cycle regulation.
TioS T‐TE – a prototypical thioesterase responsible for cyclodimerization of the quinoline‐ and quinoxaline‐type class of chromodepsipeptides
Authors: Robbel Lars , Hoyer Katharina M. , Marahiel Mohamed A.
Published: February 2009

The family of chromodepsipeptides constitutes a class of structurally related pseudosymmetrical peptidolactones and peptidothiolactones synthesized by nonribosomal peptide synthetases. The chromodepsipeptides, which are analogous to the extensively characterized echinomycin, attain their DNA‐bisintercalating properties from chromophore moieties attached to the N‐termini of the oligopeptide chain. Thiocoraline, a quinoline‐substituted DNA‐bisintercalator isolated from marine actinomycetes, is a two‐fold symmetric octathiodepsipeptide currently undergoing preclinical trials phase II. In the present study, the excised peptide cyclase TioS T‐TE (thiolation‐thioesterase bidomain) was employed as a general catalyst for the in vitro generation of thiocoraline analogs. TioS T‐TE is capable of catalyzing ligation and the subsequent cyclization of tetrapeptidyl‐thioester substrates, circumventing the demanding synthesis of octapeptidyl substrates. The general importance of several amino acid residues within the tetrapeptide was evaluated and revealed new insights with respect to the iterative mechanism utilized by the thioesterase. Additionally, substrate tolerance towards the cyclizing nucleophile allows the formation of macrolactones instead of the native macrothiolactones. Several thiocoraline analogs were isolated and investigated for DNA‐bisintercalation activity. Relaxed substrate specificity regarding the chromophore moiety enables the chemoenzymatic synthesis of the quinoxaline‐ and quinoline‐type class of chromodepsipeptides. TioS T‐TE is the first nonribosomal peptide synthetase‐derived thioesterase, capable of macrothiolactonization and macrolactonization, working in an iterative manner.
Cavernous Neurotomy in the Rat is Associated with the Onset of an Overt Condition of Hypogonadism
Authors: Vignozzi Linda , Filippi Sandra , Morelli Annamaria , Marini Mirca , Chavalmane Aravinda , Fibbi Benedetta , Silvestrini Enrico , Mancina Rosa , Carini Marco , Vannelli G. Barbara , Forti Gianni , Maggi Mario
Published: February 2009

Background

Most men following radical retropubic prostatectomy (RRP) are afflicted by erectile dysfunction (ED). RRP-related ED occurs as a result of surgically elicited neuropraxia, leading to histological changes in the penis, including collagenization of smooth muscle and endothelial damage.

Aim

To verify whether hypogonadism could contribute to the pathogenesis of RRP-ED.

Methods

Effects of testosterone (T), alone or in association with long-term tadalafil (Tad) treatment in a rat model of bilateral cavernous neurotomy (BCN).

Main Outcome Measures

Penile tissues from rats were harvested for vasoreactivity studies 3 months post-BCN. Penile oxygenation was evaluated by hypoxyprobe immunostaining. Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) mRNA expression were quantified by Real Time quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR).

Results

In BCN rats, we observed the onset of an overt condition of hypogonadism, characterized by reduced T plasma level, reduced ventral prostate weight, reduced testis function (including testis weight and number of Leydig cells), with an inadequate compensatory increase of luteinizing hormone. BCN induced massive penile hypoxia, decreased muscle/fiber ratio, nNOS, eNOS, PDE5 expression, increased sensitivity to the nitric oxide donor, sodium nitroprusside (SNP), and reduced the relaxant response to acetylcholine (Ach), as well as unresponsiveness to acute Tad dosing. In BCN rats, chronic Tad-administration normalizes penile oxygenation, smooth muscle loss, PDE5 expression, SNP sensitivity, and the responsiveness to the acute Tad administration. Chronic Tad treatment was ineffective in counteracting the reduction of nNOS and eNOS expression, along with Ach responsiveness. T supplementation, in combination with Tad, reverted some of the aforementioned alterations, restoring smooth muscle content, eNOS expression, as well as the relaxant response of penile strips to Ach, but not nNOS expression.

Conclusion

BCN was associated with hypogonadism, probably of central origin. T supplementation in hypogonadal BCN rats ameliorates some aspects of BCN-induced ED, including collagenization of penile smooth muscle and endothelial dysfunction, except surgically induced altered nNOS expression.
Nesting Habitat of the Lilac‐crowned Parrot in a Modified Landscape in Mexico
Authors: Monterrubio‐Rico Tiberio C. , Ortega‐Rodríguez Juan Manuel , Marín‐Togo Ma. Consuelo , Salinas‐Melgoza Alejandro , Renton Katherine
Published: February 2009

Parrot populations are being increasingly pressured to occupy modified or fragmented landscapes, yet little is known of the habitat requirements of most species, particularly with regard to the effects on breeding habitat. We evaluated nesting habitat of the lilac‐crowned parrot Amazona finschi in the modified landscape of coastal Michoacan in Mexico. We located 90 parrot nests in 12 tree species in Michoacan, with lilac‐crowned parrots presenting a narrow niche‐breadth of tree species used for nesting. Considering an additional 82 nest trees recorded for lilac‐crowned parrots in Jalisco, we determined a 51 percent similarity in cavity resource use by parrots in the two dry forest regions. Overall, the predominant nest tree species with 76 percent of nests were Astronium graveolens, Piranhea mexicana, Brosimum alicastrum, and Tabebuia spp., all characteristic of semi‐deciduous forest. Only 8 percent of nests occurred in trees characteristic of deciduous forest. Parrots utilized large trees with canopy level cavities as nest sites, and preferred conserved semi‐deciduous forest for nesting, with fewer nests than expected in deciduous forest and transformed agricultural land. Nest areas in semi‐deciduous forest occurred on significantly steeper terrain, as remnant semi‐deciduous forest is restricted to steep ridges and canyons. Those parrot nests in modified habitats and forest patches were located near to continuous forest, with nest trees in open agricultural land being significantly closer to continuous forest than nests in disturbed forest patches. These results demonstrate the importance of conserved semi‐deciduous forest as breeding habitat for the threatened, endemic lilac‐crowned parrot, making wild populations of the species vulnerable to the high rate of transformation and fragmentation of tropical dry forest.
High‐nickel insects and nickel hyperaccumulator plants: A review
Authors: Boyd Robert S.
Published: February 2009

Insects can vary greatly in whole‐body elemental concentrations. Recent investigations of insects associated with Ni hyperaccumulator plants have identified insects with relatively elevated whole‐body Ni levels. Evaluation of the limited data available indicates that a whole‐body Ni concentration of 500 μg Ni/g is exceptional: I propose that an insect species with a mean value of 500 μg Ni/g or greater, in either larval/nymphal or adult stages, be considered a “high‐Ni insect”. Using the 500 μg Ni/g criterion, 15 species of high‐Ni insects have been identified to date from studies in Mpumalanga (South Africa), New Caledonia and California (USA). The highest mean Ni concentration reported is 3 500 μg Ni/g for nymphs of a South African Stenoscepa species (Orthoptera: Pyrgomorphidae). The majority of high‐Ni insects (66%) are heteropteran herbivores. Studies of high‐Ni insect host preference indicate they are monophagous (or nearly so) on a particular Ni hyperaccumulator plant species. Much of the Ni in bodies of these insects is in their guts (up to 66%–75%), but elevated levels have also been found in Malpighian tubules, suggesting efficient elimination as one strategy for dealing with a high‐Ni diet. Tissue levels of Ni are generally much lower than gut concentrations, but up to 1200 μg Ni/g has been reported from exuviae, suggesting that molting may be another pathway of Ni elimination. One ecological function of the high Ni concentration of these insects may be to defend them against natural enemies, but to date only one experimental test has supported this “elemental defense” hypothesis. Community‐level studies indicate that high‐Ni insects mobilize Ni into food webs but that bioaccumulation of Ni does not occur at either plant‐herbivore or herbivore‐predator steps. Unsurprisingly, Ni bioaccumulation indices are greater for high‐Ni insects compared to other insect species that feed on Ni hyperaccumulator plants. There is some evidence of Ni mobilization into food webs by insect visitors to flowers of Ni hyperaccumulator plants, but no high‐Ni insect floral visitors have been reported.
Effects of host (Boettcherisca peregrina) copper exposure on development, reproduction and vitellogenesis of the ectoparasitic wasp, Nasonia vitripennis
Authors: Ye Gong‐Yin , Dong Sheng‐Zhang , Dong Hui , Hu Cui , Shen Zhi‐Cheng , Cheng Jia‐An
Published: February 2009

Effects of copper (Cu) accumulation by the flesh fly Boettcherisca peregrina (R.‐D.) (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) on the ectoparasitic wasp Nasonia vitripennis (Walker) (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) were investigated experimentally by exposing host larvae to contaminated diets with final Cu concentrations of 400 μg/g and 800 μg/g diet fresh weight (DFW), respectively. Results showed that Cu can be transferred along food chains to secondary consumers (parasitoids) in small amounts, resulting in negative effects on parasitoid growth and development (body weight and developmental duration) as well as fecundity (number of offspring per female). Copper exposure also inhibited vitellogenesis of parasitoids from Cu‐contaminated host pupae. It is suggested that the decreased fecundity and inhibition of vitellogenesis of N. vitripennis resulted from poor host nutritional state rather than from direct effects of Cu stress.
Effects of copper, lead and zinc in soil on egg development and hatching of Folsomia candida
Authors: Xu Jie , Wang Yin , Luo Yong‐Ming , Song Jing , Ke Xin
Published: February 2009

Effects of CaCl2, CuCl2, ZnCl2 and PbCl2 on development and hatching success of eggs of Folsomia candida (Collembola) were studied under laboratory conditions. Thousands of healthy eggs from synchronized cultures were incubated in soils treated with different concentrations of the metals. Compared with the water control, egg hatch significantly decreased when concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn reached 400, 1600 and 800 mg/kg dry soil, respectively. Values of EC50 (hatching), calculated according to the exponential model (with 95% confidence limits in brackets), were 625 (407–875), 2361 (2064–2687) and 1763 (1548–2000) mg/kg dry soils for Cu, Pb and Zn, respectively. When Cu concentration reached 1600 mg/kg dry soil, eggs became green and the percentage of green eggs changed from 5%–20% after incubation for 2 days to 15%–30% after incubation for 4 days. At 3200 mg Cu/kg dry soil, tissues inside eggs were black and shrunken.
A Comparison of Urban School‐ and Community‐Based Dental Clinics
Authors: Larsen Charles D. , Larsen Michael D. , Handwerker Lisa B. , Kim Maile S. , Rosenthal Murray
Published: February 2009

BACKGROUND:  The objective of the study was to quantitatively compare school‐ and community‐based dental clinics in New York City that provide dental services to children in need. It was hypothesized that the school‐based clinics would perform better in terms of several measures.

METHODS:  We reviewed billing and visit data derived from encounter forms and expense reports from 4 school‐ and 3 community‐based clinics during 12 months in 2004‐2005. The health clinics, administered by the Children’s Aid Society, provided dental services to children regardless of ability to pay. The assessments were based on 8 performance indicators, including some based on relative value units, and profile of service indicators was used for assessment. Descriptive statistics and results from hypothesis tests are reported.

RESULTS:  Based on significant and large differences on the indicators, the school‐based health clinics appear to have definite advantages over community‐based dental clinics. Results were consistent across many indicators.

CONCLUSIONS:  The results support increasing the number of school‐based dental clinics in urban areas that serve children in need. Being based in schools, factors such as transportation issues, parent availability, and missed appointments are greatly reduced. This has great public dental health implications for children in underserved areas. Schools provide a natural location to provide preventive and responsive dental care. Similar advantages could be expected in rural areas and other areas of need.
Factors Contributing to Regular Smoking in Adolescents in Turkey
Authors: Can Gamze , Topbas Murat , Oztuna Funda , Ozgun Sukru , Can Emine , Yavuzyilmaz Asuman
Published: February 2009

PURPOSE:  The objectives of this study were to determine the levels of lifetime cigarette use, daily use, and current use among young people (aged 15‐19 years) and to examine the risk factors contributing to regular smoking.

METHODS:  The number of students was determined proportionately to the numbers of students in all the high schools in the province of Trabzon in Turkey. The data were gathered using the questionnaire method. A total of 4666 students participated in the study. The chi‐square test and logistic regression analysis were used in data analysis.

RESULTS:  Of the 4666 students who took part in the study, the level of lifetime cigarette use was 38.2% (n = 1796), that of lifetime daily cigarette use was 10.5% (n = 491), and that of current cigarette use was 9.5% (n = 447). Male students (P < .0005), those whose mothers were smokers (P < .0005), those whose fathers smoked (P = .005), those whose siblings smoked (P<.0005), those whose friends smoked (P < .0005), those whose teachers smoked (P = .001), and low achievers in school (P < .0005) stated that they significantly smoked on a more regular basis. According to the results of the logistic regression analysis, the following risk factors were statistically significant: male students smoked 3.02 times (95% CI 2.20‐4.16) more than females, those whose mothers were smokers smoked 1.57 times (95% CI 1.09‐2.28) more than those whose mothers were not, those whose friends were smokers smoked 2.42 times (95% CI 1.73‐3.39) more than those whose friends were non‐smokers, poor achievers in school smoked 2.62 times (95% CI 1.97‐3.49) more than high achievers, and those without poor grades smoked 1.75 times more (95% CI 1.23‐2.40), the risk rising 1.06 times (95% CI 1.01‐1.11) with earlier age at first experimentation. The risk of daily cigarette use was observed to decline by 0.91 times (95% CI 0.84‐0.98) with increasing numbers of siblings.

CONCLUSION:  Effective smoking prevention programs should take into account the dominant influence of peer groups in the onset and continuation of smoking.