bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Politics of History and the “War of Monuments” in Estonia
Authors: Brüggemann Karsten , Kasekamp Andres
Published: June 2008

After darkness fell over the provincial town of Lihula on 2 September 2004, youths pelted riot police with stones. Nothing like this had ever happened before in the peaceful and orderly small Baltic State of Estonia. The police were protecting a crane and its driver sent by the Ministry of the Interior to remove a monument honouring those Estonians who fought on the German side against the Red Army during the Second World War. In the evening of 26 April 2007 demonstrators in Tallinn pelted riot police with stones and went on a rampage of smashing windows and looting. The Estonian capital had never experienced anything like this. The police were protecting the site of a monument honouring Soviet soldiers who had fought against Nazi Germany. At night, when the rioting had ceased, a crane ordered by the Ministry of Defence removed the monument.
Ethnic Group Identity and the Roma Social Movement: Transnational Organizing Structures of Representation
Authors: McGarry Aidan
Published: June 2008

There have been attempts to detail the representation of the Romani community with a focus on both the domestic and transnational political context; however, less is known about how Roma create organizing structures of representation and the role of these structures within the broader social movement. This article seeks to add to this growing research by analysing Roma representation in the transnational political context, as well as unpacking the relationship between ethnic group identity and shared interests. By understanding that ethnic group identity and shared interests are intertwined in the case of Roma, we can begin to understand the numerous challenges faced by the Roma social movement, particularly those relating to political participation and adequate representation.
Manipulating the Census: Ethnic Minorities in the Nationalizing States of Central Asia
Authors: Ferrando Olivier
Published: June 2008

Since independence, Central Asian republics have been facing the paradox of developing nation-state ideologies on the basis of a multinational population, inherited from their colonial and Soviet past. This ideology claims historical ownership over the territory, the so-called homeland (rodinain Russian orvatanin local languages). Central Asian governments do perceive the need to assert their sovereign rights on the land. In political terms, it becomes a quest to ensure that the territories claimed contain a majority of titular members of the nation and a minority of other ethnic groups. The census appears here to be the key instrument to measure people and legitimate the power of the titular nation.
Learning the Lessons of Ethnic Conflict Management? Conditional Recognition and International Administration in the Western Balkans since the 1990s
Authors: Wolff Stefan
Published: June 2008

The unilateral declaration of independence by Kosovo in February 2008 catapulted the Western Balkans back to the centre stage of international security concerns. Despite affirmations to the contrary, the recognition of Kosovo's independence by major Western powers is seen as a significant precedent in international law and the way in which self-determination conflicts are handled by the international community. At the same time, it raises major questions for the stability of borders across the Western Balkans region, and possibly beyond. At the centre of many of these questions is the role of the international community—defined by the international and regional organizations present in the region, as well as by their powerful member states—in tackling the complexity of interrelated self-determination conflicts, incomplete democratization processes, growing concerns about the economic viability of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia and an ever-increasing presence of transnational organized crime networks with significant reach beyond the region.
The Druze in Israel: a less persecuted minority?
Authors: Hamdy Iman A.
Published: July 2008

Since 1948, Israel has adopted a policy of co-option of the Druze minority among its population. However, despite their partial co-option, the Druze are subjected to the same political, social, and economic discrimination as the rest of the Palestinians. While some Druze elements have sought to resist the policies of the Jewish state, these attempts have so far been marginal. Whether future generations, in light of their growing awareness of discrimination and the ongoing resistance of the Palestinian population, manage to undo the effects of co-option is a question yet to be answered.
The Arab Anti-corruption Organization
Authors: Khayatt Amer
Published: July 2008

The global fight against corruption has gained momentum in the last two decades when its adverse effects on national economies, professional practice and the promotion of democracy and governance, have become clear. Yet the Arab region remained resistant towards these efforts. This paper traces the steps that have been taken to introduce an indigenous initiative in this regard and reports on developments which have been put in place in Arab countries to combat corruption.
Nicotinic acetylcholine receptor is internalized via a Rac-dependent, dynamin-independent endocytic pathway
Authors: Kumari Sudha , Borroni Virginia , Chaudhry Ashutosh , Chanda Baron , Massol Ramiro , Mayor Satyajit , Barrantes Francisco J.
Published: June 2008

Endocytosis of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (AChR) is a proposed major mechanism of neuromodulation at neuromuscular junctions and in the pathology of synapses in the central nervous system. We show that binding of the competitive antagonist α-bungarotoxin (αBTX) or antibody-mediated cross-linking induces the internalization of cell surface AChR to late endosomes when expressed heterologously in Chinese hamster ovary cells or endogenously in C2C12 myocytes. Internalization occurs via sequestration of AChR–αBTX complexes in narrow, tubular, surface-connected compartments, which are indicated by differential surface accessibility of fluorescently tagged αBTX–AChR complexes to small and large molecules and real-time total internal reflection fluorescence imaging. Internalization occurs in the absence of clathrin, caveolin, or dynamin but requires actin polymerization. αBTX binding triggers c-Src phosphorylation and subsequently activates the Rho guanosine triphosphatase Rac1. Consequently, inhibition of c-Src kinase activity, Rac1 activity, or actin polymerization inhibits internalization via this unusual endocytic mechanism. This pathway may regulate AChR levels at ligand-gated synapses and in pathological conditions such as the autoimmune disease myasthenia gravis.
Mph1p promotes gross chromosomal rearrangement through partial inhibition of homologous recombination
Authors: Banerjee Soma , Smith Stephanie , Oum Ji-Hyun , Liaw Hung-Jiun , Hwang Ji-Young , Sikdar Nilabja , Motegi Akira , Lee Sang Eun , Myung Kyungjae
Published: June 2008

Gross chromosomal rearrangement (GCR) is a type of genomic instability associated with many cancers. In yeast, multiple pathways cooperate to suppress GCR. In a screen for genes that promote GCR, we identified MPH1, which encodes a 3′–5′ DNA helicase. Overexpression of Mph1p in yeast results in decreased efficiency of homologous recombination (HR) as well as delayed Rad51p recruitment to double-strand breaks (DSBs), which suggests that Mph1p promotes GCR by partially suppressing HR. A function for Mph1p in suppression of HR is further supported by the observation that deletion of both mph1 and srs2 synergistically sensitize cells to methyl methanesulfonate-induced DNA damage. The GCR-promoting activity of Mph1p appears to depend on its interaction with replication protein A (RPA). Consistent with this observation, excess Mph1p stabilizes RPA at DSBs. Furthermore, spontaneous RPA foci at DSBs are destabilized by the mph1Δ mutation. Therefore, Mph1p promotes GCR formation by partially suppressing HR, likely through its interaction with RPA.
CLASP regulates mitochondrial distribution in Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Authors: Chiron Stéphane , Bobkova Alyona , Zhou Haowen , Yaffe Michael P.
Published: July 2008

Movement of mitochondria in Schizosaccharomyces pombe depends on their association with the dynamic, or plus ends, of microtubules, yet the molecular basis for this interaction is poorly understood. We identified mmd4 in a screen of temperature-sensitive S. pombe strains for aberrant mitochondrial morphology and distribution. Cells with the mmd4 mutation display mitochondrial aggregation near the cell ends at elevated temperatures, a phenotype similar to mitochondrial defects observed in wild-type cells after microtubule depolymerization. However, microtubule morphology and function appear normal in the mmd4 mutant. The mmd4 lesion maps to peg1+, which encodes a microtubule-associated protein with homology to cytoplasmic linker protein–associated proteins (mammalian microtubule plus end–binding proteins). Peg1p localizes to the plus end of microtubules and to mitochondria and is recovered with mitochondria during subcellular fractionation. This mitochondrial-associated fraction of Peg1p displays properties of a peripherally associated protein. Peg1p is the first identified microtubule plus end–binding protein required for mitochondrial distribution and likely functions as a molecular link between mitochondria and microtubules.
Tolerance of NK cells encountering their viral ligand during development
Authors: Sun Joseph C. , Lanier Lewis L.
Published: July 2008

During development, T and B cells encountering their cognate ligands via antigen-specific receptors are deleted or rendered anergic. Like T and B cells, natural killer (NK) cells express certain receptors, such as Ly49H, associated with immunoreceptor tyrosine-based activation motif–bearing adaptor proteins that transmit activating signals through Syk family kinases. Ly49H binds with high affinity to a mouse cytomegalovirus (MCMV)–encoded glycoprotein, m157, but does not recognize self-antigens. For comparison with the behavior of immature T and B cells exposed to foreign antigens, we addressed the fate of Ly49H+ NK cells that encountered their viral ligand during development by retroviral transduction of bone marrow stem cells with m157. In chimeric mice expressing m157, we observed a reduction in Ly49H+ NK cells in multiple tissues and less Ly49H on the cell surface. NK cells exposed to m157 during development appeared less mature, produced less interferon γ when stimulated through Ly49H, and were unable to kill m157-bearing target cells. After MCMV infection, these NK cells were severely impaired in their ability to proliferate. Thus, if immature NK cells encounter ligands for their activating receptors, regulatory mechanisms exist to keep these cells in an unresponsive state.
How ATP Inhibits the Open KATP Channel
Authors: Craig Tim J. , Ashcroft Frances M. , Proks Peter
Published: June 2008

ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels are composed of four pore-forming Kir6.2 subunits and four regulatory SUR1 subunits. Binding of ATP to Kir6.2 leads to inhibition of channel activity. Because there are four subunits and thus four ATP-binding sites, four binding events are possible. ATP binds to both the open and closed states of the channel and produces a decrease in the mean open time, a reduction in the mean burst duration, and an increase in the frequency and duration of the interburst closed states. Here, we investigate the mechanism of interaction of ATP with the open state of the channel by analyzing the single-channel kinetics of concatenated Kir6.2 tetramers containing from zero to four mutated Kir6.2 subunits that possess an impaired ATP-binding site. We show that the ATP-dependent decrease in the mean burst duration is well described by a Monod-Wyman-Changeux model in which channel closing is produced by all four subunits acting in a single concerted step. The data are inconsistent with a Hodgkin-Huxley model (four independent steps) or a dimer model (two independent dimers). When the channel is open, ATP binds to a single ATP-binding site with a dissociation constant of 300 μM.
Differential Interactions of Na+ Channel Toxins with T-type Ca2+ Channels
Authors: Sun Hui , Varela Diego , Chartier Denis , Ruben Peter C. , Nattel Stanley , Zamponi Gerald W. , Leblanc Normand
Published: June 2008

Two types of voltage-dependent Ca2+ channels have been identified in heart: high (ICaL) and low (ICaT) voltage-activated Ca2+ channels. In guinea pig ventricular myocytes, low voltage–activated inward current consists of ICaT and a tetrodotoxin (TTX)-sensitive ICa component (ICa(TTX)). In this study, we reexamined the nature of low-threshold ICa in dog atrium, as well as whether it is affected by Na+ channel toxins. Ca2+ currents were recorded using the whole-cell patch clamp technique. In the absence of external Na+, a transient inward current activated near −50 mV, peaked at −30 mV, and reversed around +40 mV (HP = −90 mV). It was unaffected by 30 μM TTX or micromolar concentrations of external Na+, but was inhibited by 50 μM Ni2+ (by ∼90%) or 5 μM mibefradil (by ∼50%), consistent with the reported properties of ICaT. Addition of 30 μM TTX in the presence of Ni2+ increased the current approximately fourfold (41% of control), and shifted the dose–response curve of Ni2+ block to the right (IC50 from 7.6 to 30 μM). Saxitoxin (STX) at 1 μM abolished the current left in 50 μM Ni2+. In the absence of Ni2+, STX potently blocked ICaT (EC50 = 185 nM) and modestly reduced ICaL (EC50 = 1.6 μM). While TTX produced no direct effect on ICaT elicited by expression of hCaV3.1 and hCaV3.2 in HEK-293 cells, it significantly attenuated the block of this current by Ni2+ (IC50 increased to 550 μM Ni2+ for CaV3.1 and 15 μM Ni2+ for CaV3.2); in contrast, 30 μM TTX directly inhibited hCaV3.3-induced ICaT and the addition of 750 μM Ni2+ to the TTX-containing medium led to greater block of the current that was not significantly different than that produced by Ni2+ alone. 1 μM STX directly inhibited CaV3.1-, CaV3.2-, and CaV3.3-mediated ICaT but did not enhance the ability of Ni2+ to block these currents. These findings provide important new implications for our understanding of structure–function relationships of ICaT in heart, and further extend the hypothesis of a parallel evolution of Na+ and Ca2+ channels from an ancestor with common structural motifs.
Species-specific Differences among KCNMB3 BK β3 Auxiliary Subunits: Some β3 N-terminal Variants May Be Primate-specific Subunits
Authors: Zeng Xuhui , Xia Xiao-Ming , Lingle Christopher J.
Published: June 2008

The KCNMB3 gene encodes one of a family of four auxiliary β subunits found in the mammalian genome that associate with Slo1 α subunits and regulate BK channel function. In humans, the KCNMB3 gene contains four N-terminal alternative exons that produce four functionally distinct β3 subunits, β3a–d. Three variants, β3a–c, exhibit kinetically distinct inactivation behaviors. Since investigation of the physiological roles of BK auxiliary subunits will depend on studies in rodents, here we have determined the identity and functional properties of mouse β3 variants. Whereas β1, β2, and β4 subunits exhibit 83.2%, 95.3%, and 93.8% identity between mouse and human, the mouse β3 subunit, excluding N-terminal splice variants, shares only 62.8% amino acid identity with its human counterpart. Based on an examination of the mouse genome and screening of mouse cDNA libraries, here we have identified only two N-terminal candidates, β3a and β3b, of the four found in humans. Both human and mouse β3a subunits produce a characteristic use-dependent inactivation. Surprisingly, whereas the hβ3b exhibits rapid inactivation, the putative mβ3b does not inactivate. Furthermore, unlike hβ3, the mβ3 subunit, irrespective of the N terminus, mediates a shift in gating to more negative potentials at a given Ca2+ concentration. The shift in gating gradually is lost following patch excision, suggesting that the gating shift involves some regulatory process dependent on the cytosolic milieu. Examination of additional genomes to assess conservation among splice variants suggests that the putative mβ3b N terminus may not be a true orthologue of the hβ3b N terminus and that both β3c and β3d appear likely to be primate-specific N-terminal variants. These results have three key implications: first, functional properties of homologous β3 subunits may differ among mammalian species; second, the specific physiological roles of homologous β3 subunits may differ among mammalian species; and, third, some β3 variants may be primate-specific ion channel subunits.
Mechanosensitive Channel MscS in the Open State: Modeling of the Transition, Explicit Simulations, and Experimental Measurements of Conductance
Authors: Anishkin Andriy , Kamaraju Kishore , Sukharev Sergei
Published: June 2008

Mechanosensitive channels of small conductance (MscS) are ubiquitous turgor pressure regulators found in many walled cells and some intracellular organelles. Escherichia coli MscS acting as a tension-activated osmolyte release valve shows a nonsaturable conductance (1.2 nS in a 39 mS/cm electrolyte) and weak preference for anions. Pursuing the transition pathways in this channel, we applied the extrapolated motion protocol (cycles of displacements, minimizations, and short simulations) to the previously generated compact resting conformation of MscS. We observed tilting and straightening of the kinked pore-forming TM3 helices during the barrel expansion. Extended all-atom simulations confirmed the stability of the open conformation in the bilayer. A 53° spontaneous axial rotation of TM3s observed after equilibration increased the width and polarity of the pore allowing for stable voltage-independent hydration and presence of both cations and anions throughout the pore. The resultant open state, characterized by a pore 1.6 nm wide, satisfied the experimental conductance and in-plane expansion. Applied transmembrane electric field (±100 to ±200 mV) in simulations produced a flow of both K+ and Cl−, with Cl− current dominating at higher voltages. Electroosmotic water flux strongly correlated with the chloride current (∼8 waters per Cl−). The selectivity and rectification were in agreement with the experimental measurements performed in the same range of voltages. Among the charged residues surrounding the pore, only K169 was found to contribute noticeably in the rectification. We conclude that (a) the barrel expansion involving tilting, straightening, and rotation of TM3s provides the geometry and electrostatics that accounts for the conductive properties of the open pore; (b) the observed regimen of ion passage through the pore is similar to electrodiffusion, thus macroscopic estimations closely approximate the experimental and molecular dynamics-simulated conductances; (c) increased interaction of the opposing ionic fluxes at higher voltages may result in selectivities stronger than measured near the reversal potential.
HCO3− Secretion by Murine Nasal Submucosal Gland Serous Acinar Cells during Ca2+-stimulated Fluid Secretion
Authors: Lee Robert J. , Harlow Janice M. , Limberis Maria P. , Wilson James M. , Foskett J. Kevin
Published: June 2008

Airway submucosal glands contribute to airway surface liquid (ASL) composition and volume, both important for lung mucociliary clearance. Serous acini generate most of the fluid secreted by glands, but the molecular mechanisms remain poorly characterized. We previously described cholinergic-regulated fluid secretion driven by Ca2+-activated Cl− secretion in primary murine serous acinar cells revealed by simultaneous differential interference contrast (DIC) and fluorescence microscopy. Here, we evaluated whether Ca2+-activated Cl− secretion was accompanied by secretion of HCO3−, possibly a critical ASL component, by simultaneous measurements of intracellular pH (pHi) and cell volume. Resting pHi was 7.17 ± 0.01 in physiological medium (5% CO2–25 mM HCO3−). During carbachol (CCh) stimulation, pHi fell transiently by 0.08 ± 0.01 U concomitantly with a fall in Cl− content revealed by cell shrinkage, reflecting Cl− secretion. A subsequent alkalinization elevated pHi to above resting levels until agonist removal, whereupon it returned to prestimulation values. In nominally CO2–HCO3−-free media, the CCh-induced acidification was reduced, whereas the alkalinization remained intact. Elimination of driving forces for conductive HCO3− efflux by ion substitution or exposure to the Cl− channel inhibitor niflumic acid (100 μM) strongly inhibited agonist-induced acidification by >80% and >70%, respectively. The Na+/H+ exchanger (NHE) inhibitor dimethylamiloride (DMA) increased the magnitude (greater than twofold) and duration of the CCh-induced acidification. Gene expression profiling suggested that serous cells express NHE isoforms 1–4 and 6–9, but pharmacological sensitivities demonstrated that alkalinization observed during both CCh stimulation and pHi recovery from agonist-induced acidification was primarily due to NHE1, localized to the basolateral membrane. These results suggest that serous acinar cells secrete HCO3− during Ca2+-evoked fluid secretion by a mechanism that involves the apical membrane secretory Cl− channel, with HCO3− secretion sustained by activation of NHE1 in the basolateral membrane. In addition, other Na+-dependent pHi regulatory mechanisms exist, as evidenced by stronger inhibition of alkalinization in Na+-free media.
Effect of a Program to Reduce Hospital Ciprofloxacin Use on Nosocomial Pseudomonas aeruginosa Susceptibility to Quinolones and Other Antimicrobial Agents
Authors: Cook Paul P. , Das Titu D. , Gooch Michael , Catrou Paul G.
Published: June 2008

Objective.

We evaluated the effect of an antimicrobial management effort to decrease ciprofloxacin use on the antibiotic susceptibility of nosocomial Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates.

Design.

Retrospective, observational study.

Setting.

Tertiary care teaching hospital with 731 beds.

Methods.

The study was conducted between January 1, 2001, and December 31, 2007. Linear regression analyses and Student t tests were used to determine significant changes in drug use among patients and antimicrobial susceptibility patterns among nosocomial P. aeruginosa isolates during the 84-month period.

Results.

Following implementation of a program to reduce oral and intravenous use of ciprofloxacin in 2005, there was a 56.6% reduction in ciprofloxacin use (P < .001). Significant reductions in the mean percentage of nosocomial P. aeruginosa isolates that were resistant to ciprofloxacin (from 45.0% to 35.2%; P < .002) and the mean incidence of ciprofloxacin resistance (from 0.77 to 0.67 isolates recovered per 1,000 patient-days; P = .03) were noted after implementation of this program. The total quantity of antipseudomonal antibiotics consumed decreased, but the use of certain antipseudomonal antibiotics (ie, cefepime and imipenem/meropenem) increased. Among nosocomial P. aeruginosa isolates, the prevalence of imipenem/meropenem resistance increased, whereas the prevalence of cefepime resistance did not. During the 84 months of the study, there was a significant association between ciprofloxacin use and the percentage of nosocomial P. aeruginosa isolates that were resistant to ciprofloxacin (p = 0.47; P = .011), but there was no correlation between ciprofloxacin use and the incidence of ciprofloxacin resistance (p = 0.21; P = .26).

Conclusions.

Major reductions in ciprofloxacin use were associated with small but significant improvements in the rate of ciprofloxacin susceptibility among nosocomial P. aeruginosa isolates. The impact of the program on other antipseudomonal agents was variable.
A toolkit for publishing enhanced figures
Authors: McMahon Brian , Hanson Robert M.
Published: June 2008

An editing toolkit has been developed to allow authors to create enhanced interactive figures for publication in crystallography journals. The visualization engine isJmol, a Java program that can be manipulated as an applet in a web browser. The toolkit provides user-friendly widgets to manipulate the graphics state ofJmol, and persistent storage of graphics state, scripts and associated data files.
Experimental verification of dynamical diffraction focusing by a bent crystal wedge in Laue geometry
Authors: Mocella V. , Ferrero C. , Hrdý J. , Wright J. , Pascarelli S. , Hoszowska J.
Published: June 2008

Recent X-ray optical experiments have validated previous theoretical work on focusing by bent crystals in Laue geometry. It was shown that a suitable choice of the crystal thickness significantly improves the focusing performance of the crystal by combining the dynamical focusing of the Borrmann triangle with the geometrical focusing obtained by the crystal bending. The best focus size achieved during the experiments was less than 5 µm and is in practice limited by the source demagnification for the considered setup.
A novel electrochemical cell forin situneutron diffraction studies of electrode materials for lithium-ion batteries
Authors: Rosciano Fabio , Holzapfel Michael , Scheifele Werner , Novák Petr
Published: June 2008

Lithium-ion batteries are based on the principle of intercalation of lithium ions in host materials, both at the anode and at the cathode. These materials are in general crystalline and, during the operation of the battery, they undergo numerous phase transitions and structural rearrangements, often amplified by the presence of an applied potential difference. Whilein situX-ray diffraction is an established technique in this field,in situneutron diffraction is still in its pioneering stages and only a few attempts have been made to design an electrochemical cell suitable for these experiments. The technical development of such a device, along with a discussion of its serviceability to combine electrochemical measurements with neutron diffraction experiments, is hereby presented.
Unfolding a two-dimensional powder diffraction image: conformal mapping
Authors: Cervellino Antonio , Giannini Cinzia , Guagliardi Antonietta , Ladisa Massimo
Published: June 2008

A new procedure aimed at unfolding a two-dimensional powder diffraction image into both a one-dimensional azimuthal and a radial scan is presented. In this approach, the sample-to-detector distance is the only parameter that must be adjusted in a separate step by using a standard sample. The technique consists of three steps: tracking the beam centre as the local maximum of the self-convolution of the original two-dimensional map, detector tilt and rotation determination by an intensity-tensor diagonalization, and azimuthal/radial intensity integration by a conformal mapping of the original two-dimensional powder diffraction image. The X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) intensity profile of the NIST Si 640c standard sample is used to test the performance. The results show the robustness of the method and its capability of efficiently tagging the pixels in a two-dimensional readout system by matching the ideal geometry of the detector to the real beam–sample–detector frame. The technique is a fast, versatile and user-friendly tool for the simultaneous analysis of both azimuthal and radial spectra of two-dimensional XRPD images.
Morphological, anatomical and palynological characteristics of Salvia halophila endemic toTurkey
Authors: Kaya Ayla , Goger Fatih , Baser K. Husnu C.
Published: July 2008

Salvia halophila Hedge (Lamiacae) is an endemic plant species of the Irano–Turanian phytogeographic region. It grows in salt steppes of central Anatolia. Morphological and anatomical features of the plant is examined in this study. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) is used to describe the morphology of pollen and trichomes. Salvia halophila pollen is shown to be hexacolpate and mostly prolate. The exine is perforated and distictly bireticulate with prominent muri. Morphological characters such as±fleshy leaves, shapes of leaves and calyx, bracts, corolla and type of stamens (B type) are helpful to distinguish species of Salvia. In addition, anatomical characters such as trichome features, crystals, mesophyll structure and vascular bundles in leaves and petioles provide information of taxonomic significance.
An evaluation of conscious sedation using propofol and remifentanil for tension‐free vaginal tape insertion
Authors: Winton A. L. , Eastwood J. , Powell M. C. , Norris A. M.
Published: July 2008

Tension‐free vaginal tape insertion is a recommended treatment for stress incontinence. There is evidence that intra‐operative testing of continence by asking patients to cough may improve outcomes, but an optimal sedation regimen has not been determined. We prospectively evaluated the effectiveness of propofol and remifentanil infusions in 25 patients using pre‐ and post‐sedation peak cough pressures and pain scores. Patient satisfaction was assessed using the Iowa Satisfaction with Anaesthesia Score (ISAS). Post‐sedation cough pressures were improved compared to baseline, with a mean peak pressure increase of 24 mmHg (95% CI 15.5–32.5; p < 0.001). Pain scores (median, IQR [range]) were low for local anaesthetic infiltration (0, [0–1]) and first (0, [0–1]) and second (0, [0–3.5]) needle insertions. Of the 19 patients completing the ISAS, all felt safe and satisfied. Sedation using propofol and remifentanil provides acceptable analgesia, satisfaction and effective continence testing.
Effects of soil disturbance, seed rate, nitrogen fertilizer and subsequent cutting treatment on establishment of Bromus inermis seedlings on degraded steppe grassland in China
Authors: Liu G. X. , Mao P. S. , Huang S. Q. , Sun Y. C. , Han J. G.
Published: July 2008

Establishment of seedlings of Bromus inermis, a native grass species of China, into a degraded steppe grassland was studied in an experiment with a factorial combination of different soil disturbance (control and harrowing), cutting post‐sowing (control and cutting), nitrogen (N) fertilizer application (0 and 100 kg KNO3 hm−2) and seed rate (400, 800 and 1200 seeds m−2) treatments. Seedling emergence and survival rates, and plant performance, were followed over 2 years. Seedling emergence was increased by soil disturbance (harrowing). Cutting post‐sowing and N fertilizer application did not increase seedling emergence. Seedling survival rates at the end of first growing season were strongly influenced by harrowing and the use of higher seed rates. Seedling height was higher in the harrowing and the N fertilizer application treatments and at the higher seed rates. Seedling survival rates in the second growing season were low but much higher with harrowing than the other treatments. Soil disturbance by harrowing may have increased contact between seed and soil, and reduced competition from established plants. It is concluded that, for the restoration of degraded semi‐arid grassland in China by re‐seeding, soil surface disturbance is necessary for successful seedling establishment, and modest seeding rates should be used to control costs.
Quality of life, psychosocial strains and coping in parents of children with haemophilia
Authors: WIEDEBUSCH S. , POLLMANN H. , SIEGMUND B. , MUTHNY F. A.
Published: July 2008

Summary.  Quality of life in parents of children suffering from haemophilia may be diminished by the illness burden experienced in daily life and by non‐adaptive ways of coping. The aim of this study was to examine the relation between parents’ quality of life, their perceived psychosocial strains and ways of coping, and to compare parents’ outcome to other paediatric illness groups (juvenile idiopathic arthritis, type 1 diabetes). In a cross‐sectional study, parents completed a questionnaire concerning quality of life, psychosocial strains, coping strategies and needs as well as sociodemographic and illness parameters. Study participants were recruited in an ambulant haemophilia centre. A total of 55 parents (32 mothers, 23 fathers; age  = 39.6; SD = 8.6) of children suffering from haemophilia (age  = 11.0; SD = 6.4) took part in the study. Comparison groups were parents of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (n = 161) and parents of children with type 1 diabetes (n = 69). Compared to parents from other paediatric illness groups, the parents of children with haemophilia experience less impact on their quality of life and lower psychosocial strains. Quality of life was predicted by the coping strategy ‘improving marital relationship’ (β = 0.48) and by emotional strains and worries concerning future (β = −0.43; explained variance 49%). Parents reported a pronounced need for further information on the comprehensive management of haemophilia. In the psychosocial care of families with a child suffering from ‐haemophilia, reducing psychosocial strains and strengthening adaptive coping strategies may be a preventive intervention for improving parents’ quality of life.
Macrophage migration inhibitory factor stimulates interleukin‐17 expression and production in lymph node cells
Authors: Stojanović Ivana , Cvjetićanin Tamara , Lazaroski Sandra , Stošić‐Grujičić Stanislava , Miljković Djordje
Published: July 2008

Interleukin (IL)‐17 is a pro‐inflammatory cytokine produced by recently described T helper type 17 (Th17) cells, which have critical role in immunity to extracellular bacteria and the pathogenesis of several autoimmune disorders. IL‐6 and transforming growth factor (TGF)‐β are crucial for the generation of Th17 cells in mice, while the production of IL‐17 is supported by various cytokines, including IL‐23, IL‐1β, IL‐21, IL‐15 and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α. In this study, the influence of a multifunctional cytokine, macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF), on IL‐17 production in mice was investigated. Treatment of lymph node cells (LNCs) with recombinant MIF up‐regulated mitogen‐stimulated IL‐17 expression and secretion. Additionally, LNCs from MIF knockout mice (mif−/−) had severely impaired production of IL‐17, as well as of IL‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐23 and TGF‐β. When stimulated with recombinant IL‐1β, IL‐23 or TNF‐α, mitogen‐triggered mif−/−LNCs were fully able to achieve the IL‐17 production seen in wild‐type (WT) LNCs, while the addition of IL‐6 and TGF‐β had no effect. Finally, after injection of mice with complete Freund’s adjuvant, secretion of IL‐17 as well as the number of IL‐17‐positive cells was significantly lower in the draining lymph nodes of mif−/−mice in comparison with WT mice. The effect of MIF on IL‐17 production was dependent on p38, extracellular signal‐regulated kinase (ERK), Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) and Janus kinase 2/signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (Jak2/STAT3), and not on nuclear factor (NF)‐κB and nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) signalling. Bearing in mind the contribution of MIF and IL‐17 to the pathology of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, from the results presented here it seems plausible that targeting MIF biological activity could be a valid therapeutic approach for the treatment of such diseases.
CD8+ regulatory T cells are responsible for GAD‐IgG gene‐transferred tolerance induction in NOD mice
Authors: Wang Renxi , Han Gencheng , Song Lun , Wang Jianan , Chen Guojiang , Xu Ruonan , Yu Ming , Qian Jiahua , Shen Beifen , Li Yan
Published: July 2008

Our previous studies demonstrated that lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐stimulated splenocytes, retrovirally transduced with a glutamate decarboxylate 65 (GAD) and immunoglobulin G (IgG) fusion construct, can protect non‐obese diabetic (NOD) mice from diabetes by inducing GAD‐specific tolerance, and also that there are increased numbers of CD4+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) in GAD‐IgG‐treated NOD mice. However, little is known about the role of CD8+ Tregs in GAD‐IgG gene‐transferred tolerance induction in NOD mice. Here, we found that GAD‐IgG‐transduced splenocytes induced an increase in the number of CD8+ Foxp3+ Tregs in vitro. Using a T‐cell depletion assay, we found that, compared with undepleted groups, NOD recipients transfused with CD8– or CD8– CD25– GAD‐IgG‐transduced splenocytes showed a decrease in the percentage of CD8+ Foxp3+ T cells, a high incidence of diabetes, serious insulitis, GAD‐specific hyperresponsiveness at both the cellular and humoral levels, and changes in cytokine expression. These results indicate that CD8+ Tregs, which were induced in vitro by GAD‐IgG‐transduced splenocytes, were also responsible for GAD‐IgG gene‐transferred tolerance induction in NOD mice.
Expressed sequence tags and proteomics of antennae from the tortricid moth, Epiphyas postvittana
Authors: Jordan M. D. , Stanley D. , Marshall S. D. G. , De Silva D. , Crowhurst R. N. , Gleave A. P. , Greenwood D. R. , Newcomb R. D.
Published: July 2008

Genomic and proteomic analyses of the antennae of the light brown apple moth, Epiphyas postvittana (Walker) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) were undertaken to identify genes and proteins potentially involved in odorant and pheromone binding and turnover. An EST approach yielded 5739 sequences, comprising 808 contigs and 1545 singletons. InterPro and Blast analyses revealed members of families implicated in odorant and pheromone binding (PBPs, GOBPs, ABPXs and CSPs) and turnover (CXEs, GSTs, CYPs). Of the three pheromone binding proteins (PBPs) identified, two were more highly expressed at the RNA and protein levels in adult male antennae (EpPBP1, EpPBP3), while a third was more highly expressed in female antennae (EpPBP2). To identify proteins involved in the detection of sex‐specific signals, differential 2D gel electrophoresis (pH 5–8) followed by mass spectrometry was conducted on antennal proteins from males versus females. Identified male‐biased proteins included a pheromone binding protein, a porin, a short chain dehydrogenase/reductase, and a member of the takeout family.
Influences of climate on fire regimes in montane forests of north‐western Mexico
Authors: Skinner Carl N. , Burk Jack H. , Barbour Michael G. , Franco‐Vizcaíno Ernesto , Stephens Scott L.
Published: July 2008

Aim To identify the influence of interannual and interdecadal climate variation on the occurrence and extent of fires in montane conifer forests of north‐western Mexico.

Location This study was conducted in Jeffrey pine (Pinus jeffreyiGrev. & Balf.)‐dominated mixed‐conifer forests in the central and northern plateau of the Sierra San Pedro Mártir, Baja California, Mexico.

Methods Fire occurrence was reconstructed for 12 dispersed sites for a 290‐year period (1700–1990) from cross‐dated fire‐scarred samples extracted from live trees, snags and logs. Superposed epoch analysis was used to examine the relationships of tree‐ring reconstructions of drought, the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) with fire occurrence and extent.

Results Years with no recorded fire scars were wetter than average. In contrast, years of widespread fires were dry and associated with phase changes of the PDO, usually from positive (warm) to negative (cold). The influence of the PDO was most evident during the La Niña phase of the ENSO. Widespread fires were also associated with warm/wet conditions 5 years before the fire. We hypothesize that the 5‐year lag between warm/wet conditions and widespread fires may be associated with the time necessary to build up sufficient quantity and continuity of needle litter to support widespread fires. Two periods of unusually high fire activity (1770–1800 and 1920–1950) were each followed by several decades of unusually low fire activity. The switch in each case was associated with strong phase changes in both PDO and ENSO.

Main conclusions Climate strongly influences fire regimes in the mountains of north‐western Mexico. Wet/warm years are associated with little fire activity. However, these years may contribute to subsequent fire years by encouraging the production of sufficient needle litter to support more widespread fires that occur in dry/cool years.
Water–energy, land‐cover and heterogeneity drivers of the distribution of plant species richness in a mountain region of the European Alps
Authors: Marini Lorenzo , Prosser Filippo , Klimek Sebastian , Marrs Robert H.
Published: July 2008

Aim  To evaluate the relative importance of water–energy, land‐cover, environmental heterogeneity and spatial variables on the regional distribution of Red‐Listed and common vascular plant species richness.

Location  Trento Province (c. 6200 km2) on the southern border of the European Alps (Italy), subdivided regularly into 228 3′ × 5′ quadrants.

Methods  Data from a floristic inventory were separated into two subsets, representing Red‐Listed and common (i.e. all except Red‐Listed) plant species richness. Both subsets were separately related to water–energy, land‐cover and environmental heterogeneity variables. We simultaneously applied ordinary least squares regression with variation partitioning and hierarchical partitioning, attempting to identify the most important factors controlling species richness. We combined the analysis of environmental variables with a trend surface analysis and a spatial autocorrelation analysis.

Results  At the regional scale, plant species richness of both Red‐Listed and common species was primarily related to energy availability and land cover, whereas environmental heterogeneity had a lesser effect. The greatest number of species of both subsets was found in quadrants with the largest energy availability and the greatest degree of urbanization. These findings suggest that the elevation range within our study region imposes an energy‐driven control on the distribution of species richness, which resembles that of the broader latitude gradient. Overall, the two species subsets had similar trends concerning the relative importance of water–energy, land cover and environmental heterogeneity, showing a few differences regarding the selection of some predictors of secondary importance. The incorporation of spatial variables did not improve the explanatory power of the environmental models and the high original spatial autocorrelation in the response variables was reduced drastically by including the selected environmental variables.

Main conclusions  Water–energy and land cover showed significant pure effects in explaining plant species richness, indicating that climate and land cover should both be included as explanatory variables in modelling species richness in human‐affected landscapes. However, the high degree of shared variation between the two groups made the relative effects difficult to separate. The relatively low range of variation in the environmental heterogeneity variables within our sampling domain might have caused the low importance of this complex factor.
The Late Holocene extinction of Pinus sylvestris in the western Cantabrian Range (Spain)
Authors: Rubiales Juan M. , García‐Amorena Ignacio , Álvarez Salvia García , Manzaneque Fernando Gómez
Published: July 2008

Aim  To reconstruct the historical biogeography of Pinus sylvestris in the Cantabrian Range (Iberian Peninsula) during the Holocene, and to consider the interactions between vegetation dynamics, climate change and the role of man in the present‐day distribution of the species.

Location  The study site is a mire (1300 m a.s.l.) at Vega de Viejos, on a south‐facing slope of the western Cantabrian Range, Spain. The region’s present‐day landscape is almost treeless, with the exception of some patches of Quercus pyrenaica and a few copses of Salix and Betula along stream banks.

Methods  Tree macrofossils from Vega de Viejos were studied by transmitted light and dark‐field reflection microscopy; strobili were subjected to comparative morphological analyses. Two Pinus macrofossils were dated by conventional 14C methods.

Results  The taxonomic accuracy achieved in the identification of the macrofossils provided new information regarding the Holocene history of Pinus sylvestris in this territory. Ninety‐five cones of this species were identified; in fact, more than 80% of the 36 identified wood remains were of Pinus gr. sylvestris. Radiocarbon dating revealed that the forest to which the fossils belonged was present until at least 2170 ± 50 yr bp– its disappearance was therefore relatively recent.

Main conclusions  Pinus sylvestris suffered long‐term isolation, and after the Würm glacial period tended to migrate towards the east. In western Iberia, a temperate climate and autogenic succession favoured broadleaved taxa at the expense of Pinus. Late Holocene human disturbances may have further accelerated the decline of P. sylvestris; in the Cantabrian Range, only a few stands on southern slopes have persisted until the present day. The history of the capercaillie (Tetrao urogallus), a bird characteristic of pure or mixed Palaeartic coniferous forests, was almost certainly affected by the demise of these forests in this area. Cantabrian capercaillies are the only members of this species that live in purely deciduous forests, perhaps a recent adaptation to the regional extinction of pines. Today’s P. sylvestris and capercaillie populations are now highly fragmented and their future, given the predictions of global climate change, is uncertain.
Taxonomic homogenization in ungulates: patterns and mechanisms at local and global scales
Authors: Spear Dian , Chown Steven L.
Published: July 2008

Aim The aim of this paper is to examine taxonomic homogenization in ungulates globally and at the local scale in South Africa. Specifically, we aim to examine the roles of distance, scale, time, extinctions vs. introductions, and extralimital vs. extraregional introductions in the homogenization of ungulate biotas, and to determine pathways of introduction of ungulate species globally and the proximate explanatory variables of ungulate introductions in South Africa.

Location Forty‐one countries globally and three spatial resolutions in South Africa.

Methods Indigenous, extirpated and established introduced ungulate species data were obtained for countries globally, and at a quarter‐degree grid‐cell resolution in South Africa. Homogenization was calculated using Jaccard’s index of similarity (JI) for countries globally and for three spatial resolutions in South Africa. Zoo holdings and transfer data from the International Species Information System database were used to investigate the relationship between non‐indigenous ungulate species introductions and the number of non‐indigenous ungulate species in zoos. Relationships between JI and species richness, and between numbers of introductions and several environmental and social factors were examined using generalized linear models.

Results Homogenization in ungulates was 2% for countries globally and 8% at the coarsest resolution in South Africa. Homogenization increased with increasing resolution and with time, but it decreased with increasing percentage change in species richness. Globally, introductions contributed more to homogenization than did extinctions. Within South Africa, extralimital introductions contributed more to the homogenization of ungulate assemblages than did extraregional ones, and ungulates were typically introduced to high‐income areas with high human population and livestock densities. The same was not true in the past, when ungulates were introduced to ungulate species‐poor areas. The number of non‐indigenous ungulate species established in a country is significantly related to the number of non‐indigenous ungulate species in zoos in the country, possibly owing to sales of surplus animals from zoos.

Main conclusions Ungulate faunas are homogenized at both the global scale and in South Africa, with extralimital introductions being of considerable significance regionally. In consequence, increasing attention will have to be given to the conservation consequences of ungulate translocations, both within particular geopolitical regions and across the globe.