bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
South Africa's working for water programme: searching for win–win outcomes for people and the environment
Authors: Buch Andrea , Dixon Alan B.
Published: October 2008

Poverty reduction and environmental conservation have rarely been integrated within development programmes. In South Africa, however, the government's Working for Water Programme (WfW) has sought to empower the most marginalized in society through the creation of jobs and training opportunities in the clearance of invasive alien plants that threaten water resources and biodiversity. Although the environmental benefits of the programme have been demonstrated, there is emerging concern that the social development goals are overly ambitious and impractical. Drawing upon recent field research undertaken in the Western Cape, this paper explores the realities of people's participation in the WfW programme. It argues that, whilst WfW has produced some positive tangible social development outcomes, these are neither substantial nor sustainable. Of arguably greater significance is a range of hitherto overlooked intangible social development outcomes, which if recognized, supported and integrated more fully into the programme could lead to a more sustainable future for South Africa's people and environment. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Carbon emissions in Central and Eastern Europe: environmental Kuznets curve and implications for sustainable development
Authors: Atici Cemal
Published: October 2008

This study examines the impact of various factors such as gross domestic product (GDP) per capita, energy use per capita and trade openness on carbon dioxide (CO2) emission per capita in the Central and Eastern European Countries. The extended environmental Kuznets curve (EKC) was employed, utilizing the available panel data from 1980 to 2002 for Bulgaria, Hungary, Romania and Turkey. The results confirm the existence of an EKC for the region such that CO2 emission per capita decreases over time as the per capita GDP increases. Energy use per capita is a significant factor that causes pollution in the region, indicating that the region produces environmentally unclean energy. The trade openness variable implies that globalization has not facilitated the emission level in the region. The results imply that the region needs environmentally cleaner technologies in energy production to achieve sustainable development. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
How can the construction industry contribute to sustainable development? A conceptual framework
Authors: Sev Aysin
Published: October 2008

The importance of the construction industry for the three elements of sustainable development, namely economic growth, social progress and effective protection of the environment, cannot be disregarded. This paper aims to evolve a conceptual framework for implementing sustainability principles and strategies to the construction industry from a life‐cycle perspective to contribute to sustainable development. The framework relies on three basic principles, which are resource management, life‐cycle design and design for human and environment. Following a literature review, each principle involving strategies and methods to be applied during the life cycle of construction projects is explained and a few case studies are presented for clarity on the methods. The framework, offering tools for stakeholders of the construction industry, also aims to help to develop the most appropriate assessment tool, which is based on the priorities of critical conditions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Finding factors influencing risk: Comparing Bayesian stochastic search and standard variable selection methods applied to logistic regression models of cases and controls
Authors: Swartz Michael D. , Yu Robert K. , Shete Sanjay
Published: October 2008

When modeling the risk of a disease, the very act of selecting the factors to be included can heavily impact the results. This study compares the performance of several variable selection techniques applied to logistic regression. We performed realistic simulation studies to compare five methods of variable selection: (1) a confidence interval (CI) approach for significant coefficients, (2) backward selection, (3) forward selection, (4) stepwise selection, and (5) Bayesian stochastic search variable selection (SSVS) using both informed and uniformed priors. We defined our simulated diseases mimicking odds ratios for cancer risk found in the literature for environmental factors, such as smoking; dietary risk factors, such as fiber; genetic risk factors, such as XPD; and interactions. We modeled the distribution of our covariates, including correlation, after the reported empirical distributions of these risk factors. We also used a null data set to calibrate the priors of the Bayesian method and evaluate its sensitivity. Of the standard methods (95 per cent CI, backward, forward, and stepwise selection) the CI approach resulted in the highest average per cent of correct associations and the lowest average per cent of incorrect associations. SSVS with an informed prior had a higher average per cent of correct associations and a lower average per cent of incorrect associations than the CI approach. This study shows that the Bayesian methods offer a way to use prior information to both increase power and decrease false‐positive results when selecting factors to model complex disease risk. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Comparative review of methods for handling drop‐out in longitudinal studies
Authors: Philipson Peter M. , Ho Weang Kee , Henderson Robin
Published: October 2008

Longitudinal data analysis is frequently complicated by drop‐out. In this paper we consider several methods for dealing with drop‐out afflicted data. Along with a general comparison, particular attention is paid to the consequences of model misspecification. The purpose of our approach is two‐fold. We first deliberate the form of the drop‐out model and compare two alternatives. Furthermore, the extent to which each method is dependent on its core assumptions is assessed through scenarios where one or more such assumptions are compromised. Second, the extent to which we can identify adequacy of model fit is investigated via recently developed diagnostics. These twin targets are pursued via simulation scenarios and application to a schizophrenia trial of over 500 patients with near 50 per cent drop‐out. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Estimates of clinically useful measures in competing risks survival analysis
Authors: Ambrogi Federico , Biganzoli Elia , Boracchi Patrizia
Published: October 2008

Competing risks occur frequently in follow‐up clinical studies. To assess treatment or covariate effects, measures of clinical impact based on crude cumulative incidence should be considered, such as relative risks or the absolute risk reduction. In this work, transformation models through suitable link functions provide a straightforward approach to obtain point and interval estimates of such measures. An extension of the Klein and Andersen proposal, based on pseudo‐values, is considered. Non‐additive effects were tested by interactions between baseline (spline function on time) and covariates. The methods are applied to the evaluation of the impact of axillary lymph node nanometastases on metastatic relapse of breast cancer patients. Further, a literature data set on prostate cancer was used for illustration. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Genotoxic and oxidative stress‐inducing effects of deltamethrin in the erythrocytes of a freshwater biomarker fish species, Channa punctata Bloch
Authors: Ansari Rizwan A. , Kaur Manpreet , Ahmad Firoz , Rahman Shakilur , Rashid Hina , Islam Fakhrul , Raisuddin Sheikh
Published: October 2008

Deltamethrin, an α‐cyano class of pyrethroid insecticide is used in insect pest control and antimalaria programs in several countries including India. Although various toxic manifestations of deltamethrin are reported in mammals, its ecotoxicologic dimensions are not adequately researched in ecologically and commercially important fishes. In this study, we report genotoxic effect of deltamethrin in a biomarker fish Channa punctata (Bloch). Adult fish were exposed to three concentrations of technical grade deltamethrin (0.4, 0.8, and 1.2 μg/L) for 48 and 72 h. Ethyl methane sulfonate was used as a positive control. Fish were analyzed for induction of micronucleus (MN), nuclear abnormalities (NAs), and oxidative stress biomarkers in erythrocytes. Deltamethrin significantly induced MN and NAs accompanied by increased lipid peroxidation. Activity of antioxidant enzyme superoxide dismutase was significantly decreased but an increase was observed in reduced glutathione level after 72 h of exposure. The NAs in exposed fish included blebbed, lobed and notched nuclei, and binucleated erythrocytes. Our findings suggest that oxidative stress may, in part, be contributing to deltamethrin‐induced genotoxic damage to erythrocytes. Although MN induction is a nonspecific biomarker, it may provide an indication of pollution load of deltamethrin in the affected fish population when used as part of suite of other biomarkers. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2009.
Morphological and biochemical changes associated with apoptosis induced by okadaic acid in human amniotic FL cells
Authors: Xing Ming‐luan , Wang Xiao‐feng , Zhu Xin , Zhou Xu‐dong , Xu Li‐hong
Published: October 2008

The marine toxin okadaic acid (OA) is an apoptosis inducer and a tumor promoter. During recent years, extensive studies have demonstrated that OA can induce apoptosis in a wide variety of cell types. In contrast to the relatively longer incubation time or higher treatment concentrations of OA in apoptosis shown previously, relatively lower concentrations (≤100 nM) and shorter time (4 h) were designed in the current study to observe the toxic effects of OA in human amniotic cells (FL cells). The present study was undertaken to determine the morphological and biochemical changes of FL cells induced by OA. Results indicated that externalization of phosphatidylserine, cytoskeletal disruption, DNA strand breaks and decrease of Bcl‐2 protein expression levels as well as increase of PP2A‐A subunit protein were all involved in the apoptosis of FL cells induced by OA. This work not only provided further evidence of apoptosis induced by OA but also suggested that PP2A might play a pivotal role in apoptosis induced by protein phosphatases inhibitors. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2009.
Subchronic lead feeding study in male rats and micropigs
Authors: Smith Duane M. , Mielke Howard W. , Heneghan James B.
Published: October 2008

This study compared the lead uptake from contaminated test soil of known lead concentration with a soluble lead acetate standard, which was considered to be 100% bioavailable. This study also compared the lead bioavailability from this lead‐contaminated soil between rats and micropigs. Harlan Sprague–Dawley rats and Yucatan micropigs were fed lead‐contaminated soil as a 5% (w/w) mixture with their diet. The lead‐contaminated soil was either a specific test soil of known lead concentration (1000 μg/g) or basal low concentration lead soil (∼135 μg/g), which was spiked with lead acetate to match the lead content of the test soil. The effective diet lead concentration was 50 μg Pb/g diet. Results demonstrated that rats reached steady‐state concentrations of blood lead by week 2, whereas micropigs did not reach steady state until week 4. In addition, final blood lead concentrations in micropigs were four‐fold higher than those in rats. In the micropigs, the final blood lead levels in the test soil study group were significantly lower than those in the lead acetate study group, although there was no significant difference between study groups in the rats. Tissue lead concentrations were significantly higher in micropigs than those in the rats, although the diet lead concentrations in both sets of animals were the same. In summary, because of the greater sensitivity in demonstrating higher tissue lead incorporation in micropigs as compared to rats, the micropig is a better animal model for demonstrating the differences in relative lead bioavailability when testing different sources of lead‐contaminated soils. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol, 2009.
Application of a coordinate‐free tensor formalism to the numerical implementation of a material model
Authors: Shutov A.V. , Kreißig R.
Published: October 2008

We analyze a coordinate‐free tensor setting in ℝ3 within the context of the classical tensor analysis. To this end, we formulate in a basis‐free manner the notions of second‐ and fourth‐rank tensors in ℝ3, and corresponding operations on tensors. Among the large number of different approaches to the tensor setting, we give the preference to the convenient ones, concerning the specific needs of computational solid mechanics. We use the well‐known Fréchet derivative to define the derivative of a function with respect to its tensor argument in a natural way. Furthermore, such aspects as the derivative with respect to a symmetric tensor argument and its uniqueness are covered in this paper. For the sake of completeness we present the coordinate representation of tensors and tensor operations. This representation is obtained in a straight‐forward manner from the coordinate‐free one. In particular, we elaborate the computation of the inverse of a fourth‐rank tensor and the inverse of a linear transformation on the space of symmetric second‐rank tensors. The tensor formalism is applied to the analysis of a nonlinear system of differential and algebraic equations governing visoplastic material response. An implicit time‐stepping algorithm is formulated and the numerical treatment of the algorithm is discussed.
Stochastic finite elements: Computational approaches to stochastic partial differential equations
Authors: Matthies H.G.
Published: October 2008

Uncertainty estimation arises at least implicitly in any kind of modelling of the real world, and it is desirable to actually quantify the uncertainty in probabilistic terms. Here the emphasis is on uncertain systems, where the randomness is assumed spatial. Traditional computational approaches usually use some form of perturbation or Monte Carlo simulation. This is contrasted here with more recent methods based on stochastic Galerkin approximations. Also some approaches to an adaptive uncertainty quantification are pointed out. \abstract{Uncertainty estimation arises at least implicitly in any kind of modelling of the real world, and it is desirable to actually quantify the uncertainty in probabilistic terms. Here the emphasis is on uncertain systems, where the randomness is assumed spatial. Traditional computational approaches usually use some form of perturbation or Monte Carlo simulation. This is contrasted here with more recent methods based on stochastic Galerkin approximations. Also some approaches to an adaptive uncertainty quantification are pointed out.}
Association between polymorphisms of endothelial nitric oxide synthase gene (NOS3) and left posterior wall thickness (LPWT) of the heart in Fabry disease
Authors: Rohard I. , Schaefer E. , Kampmann C. , Beck M. , Gal A.
Published: October 2008

Fabry disease is an X‐chromosomal storage disorder due to loss‐of‐function mutations of the GLA gene encoding the lysosomal enzyme α‐galactosidase A. Accumulating glycosphingolipid deposits disturb the function of various cells, in particular that of myocytes, arterial smooth‐muscle cells, and vascular endothelium. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, for example measured by left posterior wall thickness (LPWT) of the heart, represents a major component of Fabry disease morbidity in adult patients. Endothelium‐derived nitric oxide (eNO), produced by eNO synthase (eNOS), is a key regulator of vessel wall function and cardiovascular homeostasis. We analysed the effect of the polymorphisms c.894G > T (p.Glu298Asp) in exon 7 and the 27 bp tandem repeat (VNTR; allele a: 4 and allele b: 5 repeats) in intron 4 of the NOS3 gene, encoding eNOS, on LPWT of 102 patients with Fabry disease. For the association analysis, the distance of each patient's LPWT value from the cohort‐specific, age‐dependent regression line point (expected values) was used. In the cohort of 46 male patients, LPWT mean value of the group with GG genotype at position c.894 was smaller by 1 mm than that of (GT + TT) (p = 0.058). LPWT of patients with bb was thicker by 1.4 mm than that of (ab + aa) (p = 0.022). In patients with haplotype Ga, a thinner LPWT was seen than in those with Tb (p = 0.006). While no correlation was found between the GLA genotype and LPWT, the difference of 2.44 mm between the relative LPWT mean values of the two extreme NOS3 groups corresponds to the absolute LPWT increase that an average male patient with Fabry disease experiences during about 12 years. These are the first data showing a significant association of non‐GLA‐derived sequence variants with the cardiac phenotype in Fabry disease that may in part explain the great phenotypic variability of the disease.
Treatment of a child diagnosed with Niemann–Pick disease type C with miglustat: A case report in Brazil
Authors: Santos M. L. F. , Raskin S. , Telles D. S. , Löhr Junior A. , Liberalesso P. B. N. , Vieira S. C. , Cordeiro M. L.
Published: October 2008

Niemann–Pick disease type C (NPC) is an autosomal recessive neurovisceral lysosomal lipid storage disorder that leads to variable symptoms that include cognitive decline, ataxia, dystonia, cataplexy, vertical supranuclear gaze palsy, and seizures. Currently, there is no specific treatment for NPC other than palliative care. Substrate reduction therapy represents a potential strategy for treating this debilitating neurodegenerative disorder. Miglustat (Zavesca) is a reversible inhibitor of the enzyme glucosylceramide synthase, which catalyses the first step in the biosynthesis of most glycosphingolipids. Miglustat has pharmacokinetic properties that allow it to cross the blood–brain barrier, thus making it a potential therapeutic agent for treating neurological symptoms in NPC patients. We present here a case report of a Brazilian child treated with miglustat. Before treatment, the patient presented with difficulties walking and swallowing, slurred speech, moderate cognitive impairments, ataxia, ptosis, and vertical supranuclear ophthalmoplegia. On a disability scale, the patient obtained a score of 15 before treatment and 8 after treatment. Following 12 months of treatment, the patient remained stable with improvements in speech, ptosis, ophthalmoplegia, ataxia, hypotonia and seizures. The Child Behavior Checklist (CBCL) was used to assess psychopathological, behavioural and social problems before and after treatment. The CBCL showed that indices for depression #Affective and attention problems were all in the normal range following treatment. Thus, for this individual miglustat was an effective, well‐tolerated and efficacious medication for treatment of NPC symptoms. Follow‐up maintenance studies are vital to establish whether both the efficacy and safety of miglustat persist with time.
Molecular basis of dimethylglycine dehydrogenase deficiency associated with pathogenic variant H109R
Authors: McAndrew R. P. , Vockley J. , Kim J.‐J. P.
Published: October 2008

Dimethylglycine dehydrogenase (DMGDH) is a mitochondrial matrix flavoprotein that catalyses the demethylation of dimethylglycine to form sarcosine, accompanied by the reduction of the covalently bound FAD cofactor. Electron‐transfer flavoprotein reoxidizes the reduced flavin and transfers reducing equivalents to the main mitochondrial respiratory chain through the enzyme ETF‐ubiquinone oxidoreductase. DMGDH plays a prominent role in choline and 1‐carbon metabolism. We have expressed the mature form of human DMGDH and the H109R variant identified in a DMGDH‐deficient patient as N‐terminally His6‐tagged proteins in E. coli. The enzymes were purified to homogeneity by nickel affinity and anion exchange chromatography. The presence of FAD in the wild‐type enzyme was confirmed by spectrophotometric analysis. The H109R variant, however, had only 47% of the wild‐type level of bound flavin as expressed in E. coli, indicating its reduced affinity for FAD As previously described for rat enzyme studies, the wild‐type human enzyme exhibited two Km values for N,N‐dimethylglycine (Km1 = 0.039 ± 0.010 mmol/L and Km2 = 15.4 ± 1.2 mmol/L). The addition of 4 μmol/L tetrahydrofolate resulted in a slight decrease in specific activity and a substantial decrease in Km2 (1.10 ± 0.55 mmol/L). The flavinated H109R variant protein exhibited a 27‐fold decrease in specific activity and a 65‐fold increase in Km, explaining its pathogenicity. Additionally, the current expression system represents a significant improvement over a previously described rat DMGDH expression system and will enhance our ability to further study this important metabolic enzyme.
How Parents Search, Interpret, and Evaluate Genetic Information Obtained from the Internet
Authors: Roche Myra I. , Skinner Debra
Published: October 2008

This study describes how parents of a child referred for genetic services searched the Internet for information, summarizes how they interpreted and evaluated the information they obtained, and identifies barriers that they encountered. Audio‐taped interviews were conducted with 100 ethnically diverse families referred to a pediatric genetics clinic. After transcription, coded text was entered into a software program (QSR N6) for searching and data retrieval. Matrices were created to systematically categorize and compare families’ Internet use. Eighty‐three percent of families obtained Internet information about the diagnosis, the clinic visit, and/or treatment and services. Those not conducting searches lacked access, Internet experience, or a diagnostic term and had lower incomes and less education, regardless of ethnicity. Families sought information in preparation for the clinic visit but barriers to obtaining and interpreting relevant information were common. Parents’ Internet searching experiences illustrate common barriers to obtaining and understanding genetic information. Identifying them can help genetic counselors facilitate parents’ searches for relevant information.
Influence of air pollution on the mountain forests along the Tateyama–Kurobe Alpine route
Authors: Kume Atsushi , Numata Satoshi , Watanabe Koichi , Honoki Hideharu , Nakajima Haruki , Ishida Megumi
Published: October 2008

The effects of air pollution on the growth of mountain trees were investigated at Buna‐daira (1,180 m a.s.l.), about half the way up Mt. Tateyama, located in Japan. Every year, about 1 million tourists are transported by highland buses through the Tateyama–Kurobe Alpine route. Since the route opened in 1971, some tree species along the road have declined and have been blighted, suggesting that bus exhaust was the cause. However, the level of regional and long‐range transboundary air pollution has also increased significantly over the last few decades. The atmospheric NO2 concentration at the roadside in the forest was highly correlated with the traffic density of buses and penetration of the exhaust into the forest was detected. However, the maximum average NO2 concentration was lower than 3.5 ppbv during the peak traffic period in the year. At Buna‐daira, the total stem cross‐sectional area at breast height (BA) of the forest was nearly unchanged from 1999 to 2006, but the BA of Fagus crenata decreased 10% and that of Cryptomeria japonica increased 6%. Neither tree growth nor tree death was significantly correlated with distance from the road. The cause of the decline of F. crenata could not be attributed to the effects of road, i.e., air pollution emitted from the buses or edge effects of the road. This area was more affected by regional, long‐range transport of air pollution (O3, SO2, etc.). The average atmospheric O3 concentration in autumn was higher than 40 ppbv and the recent increase in the O3 concentration may be an important factor of F. crenata decline through the changes in the interspecific relationships between F. crenata and C. japonica, O3 sensitive and tolerant species, respectively.
Preparation of Pectin–ZnO Nanocomposite
Authors: Shi L , Gunasekaran S
Published: October 2008

Pectin–ZnO nanocomposite was prepared in the aqueous solution condition at room temperature. The Fourier transform infrared, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscope (TEM) measurements confirmed the nanoscaled structure of pectin–ZnO composite. According to the TEM observation, the average composite granules size was about 150 nm and the embedded ZnO nanoparticles were uniform with an average diameter of 70 nm.
Fibrils of γ‐Oryzanol + β‐Sitosterol in Edible Oil Organogels
Authors: Bot Arjen , den Adel Ruud , Roijers Eli C.
Published: October 2008

Mixtures of γ‐oryzanol and β‐sitosterol are able to form transparent organogels in edible oils. Small‐angle X‐ray scattering was used to elucidate the microstructure of the building blocks of these organogels in sunflower oil. It was found that the plant sterol(ester)s form hollow tubes with a diameter of 7.2 ± 0.1 nm. Tubes prepared with γ‐oryzanol‐rich structurant show the least bundle aggregation, and can be supercooled during formation most easily. The tubes melt at elevated temperatures, in agreement with the loss of structuring capacity as observed in earlier experiments.
Tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 induces interleukin‐6 upregulation through NF‐kappaB in a rat neuropathic pain model
Authors: Lee Kyung‐Min , Jeon Sang‐Min , Cho Hee‐Jung
Published: October 2008

Peripheral nerve injury resulting in neuropathic pain induces the upregulation of interleukin (IL)‐6 and tumor necrosis factor‐α, which binds to tumor necrosis factor receptor 1 (TNFR1) and induces NF‐κB and p38 MAPK activation in the spinal cord and dorsal root ganglia (DRG). We here investigated whether TNFR1 regulates IL‐6 expression through NF‐κB or p38 MAPK activations in the spinal cord and DRG in rats with chronic constriction injury (CCI) of the sciatic nerve. Intrathecal treatment with a TNFR1 antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) significantly inhibited CCI‐elevated IKKs phosphorylation, IkB‐α degradation, the nuclear translocation, phosphorylation, and DNA‐binding activity of NF‐κB, p38 MAPK activation, and IL‐6 mRNA and protein expression in the spinal cord and DRG. Interestingly, CCI remarkably elevated IKKα and p65 phosphorylations in the spinal cord rather than in the DRG. In addition, NF‐κB decoy, but not p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580 reduced CCI‐elevated IL‐6 expression in the spinal cord and DRG. Therefore, these data suggest that TNFR1 induces IL‐6 upregulation and neuropathic pain through NF‐κB, but not p38 MAPK activation in the spinal cord and DRG and that the NF‐κB/IL‐6 pathways in the DRG may be less dependent on TNFR1 than the spinal cord pathway.
Congenital hypothyroidism alters formalin‐induced pain response in neonatal rats
Authors: Rohani Mohammad H. , Akbari Zahra , Behzadi Gila
Published: October 2008

The present study designed to investigate the development of nociceptive circuits upon formalin‐induced pain in congenital hypothyroid pups during the first three postnatal weeks. Following induction of maternal hypothyroidism, the offspring pups were received right intraplantar injection of different formalin concentrations at 7, 15, and 23 days of age. Significant reduction in weight gain was observed in PTU‐treated offspring from postnatal days 15 up to 23 (P < 0.001). No difference was observed between normal and hypothyroid PND7 pups in total pain intensity score with 0.3% solution of formalin. However, normal pups showed higher total pain score (P < 0.01) during the first phase of 1% formalin injection. PND15 normal pups showed a biphasic pain response with a concentration of 2% formalin injection. Obvious persistence of higher pain intensity was observed in hypothyroid pups after interphase through the 2nd phase (P2) and recovery phase (P3), (P < 0.001). PND23 hypothyroid rats showed slightly biphasic pattern of pain behavior with persistence of lower pain intensity during P2 (2.5% formalin, P < 0.05), (10% formalin, P < 0.001) without any further decline during P3 (P < 0.01, P < 0.001 respectively). In general, the number of flexes + shakes in hypothyroid pups was higher than normal pups in both the early and late phases of the test. Licking activity was intensively expressed only in normal pups during phase 2 at the age of 23 days. In contrast to acute pain, hypothyroidism results to pain hypersensitivity in two weeks old rats whereas weaned rats were hyposensitive to tonic nociceptive stimulation without showing the subsequent recovery phase.
Time‐course of blood–brain barrier disruption in senescence‐accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice
Authors: del Valle Jaume , Duran‐Vilaregut Joaquim , Manich Gemma , Camins Antoni , Pallàs Mercè , Vilaplana Jordi , Pelegrí Carme
Published: October 2008

Senescence of the cerebrovascular system and an abnormal function of the blood–brain barrier have been related with Alzheimer's disease. We studied here the time‐course of blood–brain barrier disruption in senescence‐accelerated mouse prone 8 (SAMP8) mice, which is a murine model of senescence and is also considered a model of Alzheimer's disease. We used a previously described method that allows evaluating blood–brain barrier integrity by observing Evans blue extravasation from brain blood vessels. Three brain regions (cortex, hippocampus and hippocampal fissure) of SAMP8 brains were analyzed at 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 months of age. Moreover, genetically related senescence‐accelerated mouse resistant 1 (SAMR1) and ICR‐CD1 mice were studied. Results indicate that Evans blue permeability in SAMP8 and SAMR1 increases from 6 to 15 months in the three studied regions. At 15 months of age, SAMP8 and SAMR1 mice showed higher Evans blue extravasation in CA1 and Fissure than ICR‐CD1 mice. Further studies are required to understand the senescence process in SAMR1 mice, as blood–brain barrier alterations in old age have unexpectedly been observed. On the other hand, as blood–brain barrier permeability in SAMP8 mice increases with age, blood–brain barrier alterations may contribute to the cerebral pathology observed in this strain.
Hydroids (Cnidaria: Hydrozoa) from the Levant Sea (mainly Lebanon), with emphasis on alien species
Authors: Morri Carla , Puce Stefania , Bianchi Carlo Nike , Bitar Ghazi , Zibrowius Helmut , Bavestrello Giorgio
Published: October 2008

Despite the hydroid fauna of the Mediterranean Sea being considered one of the best known in the world, the eastern basin of the Mediterranean Sea remains nearly unexplored. This paper reports on 38 species collected along the Levant Sea coast (mainly Lebanon), of which three are new records for the Mediterranean and nine for the Levant Sea. Six alien species, i.e. Eudendrium carneum, Sertularia marginata, Sertularia techocarpa, Macrorhynchia philippina, Diphasia digitalis and Dynamena quadridentata, are described in detail and illustrated on the basis of Levant Sea material. The last four species are considered as immigrants from the Red Sea. The synonymy of Sertularia stechowi, described from Japan, with S. techocarpa is established. Taken as a whole, the collection comprised a majority of circum-(sub)tropical species, and a reduced proportion of Atlantic–Mediterranean elements and Mediterranean endemics. The ecology (seasonality, depth distribution and habitat preference) of the indigenous species resulted similar to what is known for the more studied western Mediterranean, with some exceptions. Adding the present species inventory to the scanty published information, the total of hydroid species known from the Levant Sea rises to 70, indicating the need for future investigation in this sector of the Mediterranean Sea.
Putative Persian perversities: Indian Buddhist condemnations of Zoroastrian close-kin marriage in context
Authors: Silk Jonathan A
Published: October 2008

Ancient and medieval sources from Greece to Korea speak of the morally reprehensible habits of the Persians, who engage in close-kin marriage. Indian Buddhist texts also preserve similar ideas. One interesting passage in a narrative text makes use of this motif in a particularly interesting way, thereby indicating the character who appeals to the trope as ethically beyond the pale. The present paper explores the background of this common depiction of Persian marriage customs for its own intrinsic interest, and as a means to explicate the passage in question.
Theragāthā: The Elders' Verses: a review article
Authors: Wright J C
Published: October 2008

The Theragāthā anthology of “Elders' Verses” is one of the canonical Pali verse texts for which K. R. Norman provided much-needed fundamentally revised English translations, with full-scale philological annotation that in most respects supersedes all that had gone before. He has now again revised these in the light of the progress that has been made over nearly forty years since their original publication. What emerges in Theragāthā is in large measure a delightful collection of character sketches of ascetic types, labelled with captions that contrast exemplary monks such as “Mr. Well-being” with others, such as “Beggarly Bhāradvāja”, the bumptious ex-brahmin convert, and “Rags”, who is inclined to sleep during the sermon. This specimen survey seeks, however, to emphasize how much effort is still required in order to achieve and communicate an adequate appreciation of the verses, by striving to free the poetry from commentatorial obfuscation and editorial corruption.
Notes on the term “Dhāraṇī” in medieval Chinese Buddhist thought
Authors: Copp Paul
Published: October 2008

“Dhāraṇī”, with its many cognates in Chinese and other languages, is one of the most complex terms in Buddhism. Particular shadings of the tradition's notions of memory, meaning, and meditation, as well as specific kinds of incantations and mnemonic devices, all fall within what can seem a rather bewildering semantic range. However, the logic of the term is consistent over a wide range of sources, though Western treatments have often been misleading. It is usually claimed that the basic practical significance of “dhāraṇī” is either memory or incantation. Yet Chinese sources make clear that each of these understandings overly privileges a narrow band of the term's usage. Understanding that the basic practical sense of “dhāraṇī” was “grasp”, not memory or spells, illuminates connections within a range of sources, from doctrinal treatments to injunctions to “hold” dhāraṇī-incantations in mind and, indeed, on the body encountered in texts of various kinds.
Islam for the indentured Indian: a Muslim missionary in colonial South Africa
Authors: Green Nile
Published: October 2008

Tracing the migration of Muslims from India to South Africa's Natal colony in the late nineteenth century, the article focuses on the missionary activities of Ghulām Muhammad “Sūfī Sāhib” (d. 1329/1911). Placing Ghulām Muhammad in a new religious marketplace of competing religions, and versions thereof, the article examines the strategies through which he successfully established his form of Islam among Natal's indentured and merchant Muslim classes and used the fabric of religion to bind together a distinctly “Muslim” community from the heterogeneous individuals and groups brought from India by commerce and the plantation economy. As a founder of shrines no less than madrasas, Ghulām Muhammad demonstrated the ways in which a customary Islam of holy men, festivities and hagiographies flourished and responded to the demands and opportunities of modernity. Building on the popular appeal of customary piety, Ghulām Muhammad consolidated his success by providing a range of social services (education, healthcare, burial) for the Indian poor of Natal, to create an effective public platform for the norms of Sharia in South Africa.
A sonority cycle in American Sign Language
Authors: Sandler Wendy
Published: October 2008

It is generally accepted that there are three major categories of phonological elements in the signs of sign language: (i) the shape of the hand, (ii) the location of the hand on or near the body and (iii) the movement of the hand – either (a) movement of the fingers or palm at a single location or (b) movement of the whole hand along a path from one location to another. It has further been argued that each of these categories consists of hierarchically organised classes of features (Sandler 1987b, 1989a).
Establishing a sonority hierarchy in American Sign Language: the use of simultaneous structure in phonology
Authors: Brentari Diane
Published: October 2008

The purpose of this paper is to help define and limit the role that temporal ordering plays in morphophonemic representation, syllable structure and phrases in American Sign Language (ASL). First, I will list the ways in which temporal ordering plays a role in morphophonemic structures. Second, I will show that temporal ordering plays a limited role in ASL phrases. Third, I will argue that neither temporal ordering nor segmentation plays a role in syllables, and the bulk of this paper will be devoted to motivating this syllable template. Stokoe (1960) and Stokoeet al.(1965) proposed that ASL is organised according to simultaneous phonemes, but since Liddell (1984) the importance of temporally ordered structure in sign structure has been emphasised by many researchers (Liddell & Johnson 1989; Sandler 1986, 1989; Perlmutter 1990, 1992; Corina 1990a, b; to name a few).
Heavy trochees in Choctaw morphology
Authors: Hammond Michael
Published: October 2008

The theory of prosodic morphology (McCarthy & Prince 1986, 1990, 1993) maintains that various operations in morphology can refer to only a fixed set of prosodic categories. These operations include reduplication, infixation and various templatic systems. The prosodic categories are exhaustively listed in (1):

This is an extremely constrained theory, as it limits a wide variety of operations to just this list of eight types.
Orthometric patterns and pre-phonetic interfacing: a reply to Manaster Ramer
Authors: Malone Joseph L.
Published: October 2008

In a recent squib Manaster Ramer attempts to show ‘that rules of versification may not be sensitive to representations deeper than phonemic (or the similar lexical and syntactico-phonological levels of Lexical Phonology)’ (1994: 321–322). Manaster Ramer includes some of my work on Early Irish alliteration (1988c), challenging my claim that explication of such alliteration requires orthometric (versificational) interfacing at an underlying level of phonological representation and claiming that my explication ‘involve[s] rules which were clearly invented by native grammarians and metricians and often violated in natural, as opposed to formal, verse, and which, even more to the point, make crucial reference, not to deep levels of phonology, but rather to the orthography’ (1994: 321). I will attempt to counter this statement in §2, though I am somewhat handicapped by the fact that Manaster Ramer does not actually give any evidence for his position. However, since his claim goes beyond Irish to challenge deep-level orthometric interfacing in any and all languages, in the rest of this reply I will appeal to non-Irish evidence in attempting to show the weakness of his position. In particular, I will briefly review some of my work in Hebrew metre (§ 3) and Turkish rhyme (§4) – work cited by Manaster Ramer in his references but not addressed in the body of his paper (Malone 1982, 1983, 1988b).
Declination.: a review and some hypotheses
Authors: Ladd D. Robert
Published: October 2008

One of the most widespread – and widely studied – properties of speech fundamental frequency (Fo) is a tendency to decline gradually during the course of utterances. This tendency has been given a variety of names, of which the best known is probably DECLINATION. This is the term I shall use in this paper. The purpose of the paper is to review past work on declination as it affects the phonological and phonetic modelling of Fo contours, and to outline some ideas for the empirical resolution of the issues that emerge from the discussion.
Syllable structure and lexical strata in English
Authors: Mohanan K. P.
Published: October 2008

One of the current debates in the theory of Lexical Phonology revolves around the question whether the cyclicity of lexical strata is derived from Universal Grammar or has to be specified in individual grammars. Pesetsky (1979), Mohanan (1982) and Kiparsky (1982) assume that all lexical strata are cyclic. In contrast, Mohanan & Mohanan (1984) and Halle & Mohanan (1985) propose that lexical strata may be either cyclic or noncyclic, and that it is necessary to indicate the cyclicity of each stratum language specifically. Kiparsky (1984) allows the possibility of noncyclic lexical strata, but holds that only the last lexical stratum can be noncyclic, thereby eliminating the need for the specification of cyclicity in grammars
Lexical Phonology: lexical and postlexical derivations
Authors: Rubach Jerzy
Published: October 2008

Paul Kiparsky's paper (1982) ‘From Cyclic to Lexical Phonology’ is the most interesting recent development in the line of research originated by Kiparsky (1973) and Mascaró (1976). The major task in this research is the investigation of the ways in which rules apply to phonological structures. Kiparsky (1973) makes the very pointed observation that some phonological rules apply exclusively in derived environments. An environment is derived if either (i) or (ii) is true:

(i) the structure which is relevant to the application of the rule arises at morpheme boundaries: the environment is thus derived morphologically;

(ii) the structure which is relevant to the application of the rule arises in the course of phonological derivation due to the application of an earlier phonological rule: the environment is thus derived phonologically.
Vowel features and umlaut in Fjingili, Nyangumarda and Warlpiri
Authors: van der Hulst Harry , Smith Norval
Published: October 2008

In this article we will analyse a number of phonological processes occurring in three Australian Aboriginal languages, all of which involve changes of vowels or sequences of vowels under the influence of neighbouring vowels or consonants. The rules which we will propose will be referred to as UMLAUT rules. Our goal is to investigate how these rules and the forms to which they apply can best be described in an autosegmental model.
The treatment of long vowels in word games
Authors: Vago Robert M.
Published: October 2008

In the current nonlinear model of CV phonology (Clements & Keyser 1983), phonological representations are organised into several levels or tiers, of which the following three are the most significant: the central CV tier (skeleton), whose units, C and V, are autosegmentally associated with the units of the syllable tier on one end and with the units of the segmental tier on the other. The segmental tier itself is organised into subtiers of distinctive features; the internal structure of the syllable tier is subject to considerable debate in the literature. In addition, CV-level units may be linked to melodies on separate autosegmental tiers in the case of suprasegmental phenomena like tone and vowel harmony.
On the acquisition of abstract representations for English vowels
Authors: Ohala John J. , Jaeger Jeri J.
Published: October 2008

ABSTRACT A basic assumption of generative and lexical phonology is that lexical entries of morphemes contain abstract phonological representations (APRs), and that surface pronunciations are derived from them by rules. Whether and how such a system can be acquired is problematic. This paper looks at the acquisition of APRs for English vowels and the Vowel Shift Rule (VSR), and tries to ascertain (1) whether VSR has any psychological reality, (2) at what age this psychological reality begins to be manifested, and (3) what the source of any psychological reality of VSR is. It finds that (1) pre-literate children show no signs of knowing VSR, (2) literate children and adults show marginal knowledge of only those VSR relations represented by the English vowel letters, and (3) the source of this knowledge can be demonstrated to be the learning of spelling conventions. It is concluded that theories which posit more concrete lexical representations are supported by this evidence.
More on English vowel shift: the back vowel question
Authors: Ohala John J. , Wang H.Samuel , Derwing Bruce L.
Published: October 2008

One of the pivotal claims of the generative approach to English phonology is that a rule essentially duplicating the historical changes of the English Great Vowel Shift is a part of the phonological competence of contemporary speakers of the language (Chomsky & Halle 1968). Though experiments designed to test this claim have shown that some of the alternations predicted by such a rule (VSR) are at least marginally productive for speakers, a counter-claim has also been proposed (Moskowitz 1973; Jaeger 1980) that this limited productivity is the result of knowledge of the familiar spelling rule (SR) that relates the ‘long’vs. ‘short’ pronunciations of the five English vowel letters.

A comparison between the phonological and orthographic theories shows that certain back vowel alternations are crucial for distinguishing between them, and that certain others critically distinguish the Chomsky & Halle version of the VSR from the more recent reformulations of Halle (1977) and Halle & Mohanan (1985). A concept formation experiment was therefore conducted to determine which of these back vowel alternations were included in the vowel shift set. The results showed that all of the predictions of the SR were confirmed, whereas all three versions of the VSR were falsified on at least one count. Moreover, data from English spelling–sound regularities also proved to be highly predictive of the gradation of the responses found in this study, lending rather conclusive support to the view that the SR is responsible for all that has been found to be productive about the vowel shift phenomenon.
The representation of phonological information during speech production planning:evidence from vowel errors in spontaneous speech
Authors: Ohala John J. , Shattuck-Hufnagel Stefanie
Published: October 2008

A corpus of more than 500 speech errors that involve a vowel or syllabic nucleus is examined for evidence that bears on the nature of the processing representation that is in force when such errors occur. Evidence is obtained from the patterns of similarity between target segments and the intrusion segments that replace them in errors, on the assumption that target– intrusion similarity arises from characteristics of the processing representation. Findings include (1) a distinctive feature similarity between vowel targets and intrusions, (2) evidence that complex syllabic nuclei can function as error units and (3) evidence that vowel errors are constrained by lexical stress. Finally, the error patterns in both vowels and consonants, and the processing representations they suggest, are evaluated in the light of recent theoretical proposals about the phonological component of the grammar.
On defining the intonational phrase: evidence from Slave
Authors: Zwicky Arnold M. , Kaisse Ellen M. , Rice Keren D.
Published: October 2008

Syntactic juncture has been a topic of interest in phonological theory in recent years. One major issue addressed in the study of syntactic juncture is how to predict from syntactic structure the domains of phrase-level rules of the phonology, or prosodic structure. Many, including Selkirk (1978, 1984, 1986), Nespor & Vogel (1982) and Hayes (1984), propose that utterances are organised in a prosodic hierarchy, determined by but not isomorphic to syntactic structure. In work by these authors, algorithms for determining the relationship between syntactic structure and prosodic structure have been proposed, leading to a deeper understanding of prosodic phrasing.