bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Morphological Variation of Siscowet Lake Trout in Lake Superior
Authors: Bronte Charles R. , Moore Seth A.
Published: March 2007

Historically, Lake Superior has contained many morphologically distinct forms of the lake trout Salvelinus namaycush that have occupied specific depths and locations and spawned at specific times of the year. Today, as was probably the case historically, the siscowet morphotype is the most abundant. Recent interest in harvesting siscowets to extract oil containing omega‐3 fatty acids will require additional knowledge of the biology and stock structure of these lightly exploited populations. The objective of this study was to determine whether shape differences exist among siscowet populations across Lake Superior and whether these shape differences can be used to infer stock structure. Morphometric analysis (truss protocol) was used to differentiate among siscowets sampled from 23 locations in Lake Superior. We analyzed 31 distance measurements among 14 anatomical landmarks taken from digital images of fish recorded in the field. Cluster analysis of size‐corrected data separated fish into three geographic groups: The Isle Royale, eastern (Michigan), and western regions (Michigan). Finer scales of stock structure were also suggested. Discriminant function analysis demonstrated that head measurements contributed to most of the observed variation. Cross‐validation classification rates indicated that 67–71% of individual fish were correctly classified to their region of capture. This is the first study to present shape differences associated with location within a lake trout morphotype in Lake Superior.
Row Spacing and Seeding Rate Effects on Eastern Black Nightshade (Solanum Ptycanthum) and Soybean
Authors: Rich Adrienne M. , Renner Karen A.
Published: March 2007

Reducing seeding rates in 19- or 76-cm row soybean below the optimum rate may reduce soybean competitiveness with weeds, and indirectly increase production costs to the grower. Field studies in 2001 and 2002 evaluated the effect of soybean seeding rate and row spacing on the emergence, growth, and competitiveness of eastern black nightshade (EBN) in soybean. EBN emergence ceased within 45 d after planting (DAP), and was similar across soybean seeding rates and row spacing. EBN control by glyphosate was not affected by soybean population or row spacing. Soybean planted in 19-cm rows was more competitive with EBN, regardless of seeding rate. Increasing the soybean seeding rate in 76-cm rows from 185,000 seeds/ha to 432,000 seeds/ha reduced EBN dry weight threefold at East Lansing and nearly twofold at Clarksville in 2002. There was no increase in EBN density or dry weight in 19-cm row soybean planted at 308,000 seeds/ha compared with 556,000 seeds/ha, whereas a seeding rate of 432,000 seeds/ha in 76-cm row soybean did not suppress EBN dry weight or increase soybean yield in the presence of EBN compared with a seeding rate of 308,000 seeds/ha.
Dissipation of Fomesafen in New York State Soils and Potential to Cause Carryover Injury to Sweet Corn
Authors: Rauch Bradley J. , Bellinder Robin R. , Brainard Daniel C. , Lane Mike , Thies Janice E.
Published: March 2007

The manufacturer's recommended rate for fomesafen in snap beans, dry beans, and soybeans may cause carryover injury in sweet corn. A field experiment, a survey, and multiple greenhouse experiments were conducted to (1) estimate the fomesafen residue concentrations in the soil that might result from use of lower than registered rates, (2) estimate fomesafen residue concentrations in growers' fields and evaluate grower practices for their effects on carryover potential, and (3) investigate the effects of soil type and sweet corn variety on the potential for fomesafen to cause injury to sweet corn. Results of the dissipation study predicted average soil concentrations to be approximately 0.019 mg fomesafen/kg soil at the start of the sweet corn planting season. Half-life values ranged between 28 and 66 d, with an average of 50 d. Residues in grower fields were slightly less than those found in the dissipation study. Injury from fomesafen varied significantly by sweet corn variety and by soil type. Sweet corn grown in soils with high organic matter and low pH were most susceptible to injury from fomesafen. At high rates of fomesafen (0.12 mg/kg), reductions in dry weight of sweet corn varieties ranged from 5 to 60%. At rates of fomesafen slightly higher than those detected in field soils at the time of sweet corn planting (0.03 mg/kg), dry weight either increased slightly (variety trial) or decreased by 6 to 12% (soil-effect trial) depending on soil type. The risk of sweet corn yield losses because of fomesafen carryover appear relatively low. Growers can reduce the risk of carryover injury by planting tolerant varieties in fields where fomesafen was applied the preceding year.
Controlling Bamboo (Phyllostachys spp.) with Herbicides
Authors: Czarnota Mark A. , Derr Jeffrey
Published: March 2007

Bamboos are grass species that can escape cultivation and invade lawns, landscapes, and other areas. Limited information is available on ways to control invasive bamboo species. Greenhouse and field studies were initiated to determine the level of bamboo control provided by a single application of selected PRE and POST herbicides. Bamboo species included in the study were golden bamboo in greenhouse experiments and red-margined bamboo in field experiments. In greenhouse trials, MSMA, quinclorac, dithiopyr, clethodim, fenoxaprop, and sethoxydim did not control either species. Glyphosate, glufosinate, and fluazifop significantly reduced bamboo-shoot fresh weight, although regrowth occurred after a single application. In field trials, bamboo control with dichlobenil in the 2002 and 2004 experiments was less than 23%. For the study initiated in 2002, glyphosate and imazapyr provided 76% and 98% bamboo control, respectively, at 58 wk after treatment (WAT). By 161 WAT (approximately 3 yr after treatment), bamboo-control ratings were 40% with glyphosate and 85% with imazapyr. For the study initiated in 2004, at 61 WAT, glyphosate and imazapyr provided 46 and 88% control of bamboo, respectively.
Dalmatian Toadflax (Linaria dalmatica): New Host for Cucumber Mosaic Virus
Authors: Dinkins Courtney L. Pariera , Brumfield Sue K. , Peterson Robert K. D. , Grey William E. , Sing Sharlene E.
Published: March 2007

To date, there have been no reports of Dalmatian toadflax serving as a host for cucumber mosaic virus (CMV). Infestations of Dalmatian toadflax may serve as a reservoir of CMV, thereby facilitating aphid transmission of CMV to both agricultural crops and native plants. The goal of this study was to determine whether Dalmatian toadflax is a host for CMV. Dalmatian toadflax seedlings were randomly assigned to two treatments (18 replicates/treatment): no inoculation (control) and inoculation with CMV (Fast New York strain). The Dalmatian toadflax seedlings were inoculated by standard mechanical methods and tested for the presence of CMV using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Ten of the 18 CMV-inoculated toadflax plants tested positive for the virus; 6 of the 18 displayed systemic mosaic chlorosis and leaf curling. All control plants tested negative. Transmission electron microscopy obtained from CMV-positive plants confirmed the presence of CMV based on physical properties. To verify CMV infestation, tobacco plants were assigned to the following treatments (six replicates/treatment): no inoculation (control), CMV-negative (control) inoculation, and a CMV-positive inoculation. Plants were inoculated by standard methods. Five of the 6 tobacco plants treated with the CMV-positive inoculum tested positive for CMV using ELISA. All control plants tested negative for the virus.
Control of Medusahead (Taeniatherum caput-medusae) and other Annual Grasses with Imazapic
Authors: Kyser Guy B. , Ditomaso Joseph M. , Doran Morgan P. , Orloff Steve B. , Wilson Robert G. , Lancaster Donald L. , Lile David F. , Porath Marni L.
Published: March 2007

Invasive annual grasses, such as medusahead, can reduce forage production capacity and interfere with revegetation projects in California rangelands. Because of the taxonomic similarity to other more desirable grasses, achieving selective control of invasive annual grasses can be difficult. In selectivity trials conducted in Yolo and Siskiyou counties, CA, the herbicide imazapic gave control of many nonnative annual grasses yet provided some level of selectivity to specific perennial grasses used in revegetation projects throughout the western United States. The selectivity difference between newly seeded perennial and annual grasses was greater with PRE applications than with POST treatments. Both perennial and annual grasses within the tribe Hordeae were more tolerant to imazapic than other grass species. In addition, field experiments were conducted at three sites in northern California (Yuba, Yolo, and Lassen counties) and one in southern Oregon (Lake County) to test the response of imazapic to varying management conditions. Imazapic was applied PRE in fall (and also spring in Lake County) at rates from 35 to 210 g/ha on undisturbed rangeland, in comparison with rangeland cleared of standing plant material and thatch by either tillage, mowing and raking, or burning. Imazapic generally showed enhanced weed control when applied following disturbance. Rates as low as 70 g/ha, if combined with thatch removal, provided significant suppression of medusahead. In addition, disturbance alone generally reduced medusahead cover in the following year. Although imazapic showed potential for control of medusahead and other annual grasses, its selectivity window was relatively narrow.
Italian Ryegrass (Lolium Multiflorum) Management Options in Winter Wheat in Oklahoma
Authors: Trusler Chad S. , Peeper Thomas F. , Stone Amanda E.
Published: March 2007

An experiment was conducted at three sites in central Oklahoma to compare the efficacy of Italian ryegrass management options in no-till (NT) and conventional tillage (CT) winter wheat. The Italian ryegrass management options included selected herbicide treatments, wheat-for-hay, and a rotation consisting of double-crop soybean seeded immediately after wheat harvest, followed by early season soybean, and then by wheat. In continuous wheat, before application of glyphosate or tillage, Italian ryegrass plant densities in mid-September were 12,300 to 15,000 plants/m2in NT plots vs. 0 to 500 plants/m2in CT plots. When applied POST, diclofop controlled more Italian ryegrass than tralkoxydim or sulfosulfuron. In continuous wheat, yields were greater in CT plots than in NT plots at two of three sites. None of the Italian ryegrass management options consistently reduced Italian ryegrass density in the following wheat crop. Of the Italian ryegrass control strategies applied to continuous wheat, three herbicide treatments in NT at Chickasha and all treatments in NT at Perry reduced Italian ryegrass density in the following wheat crop. Italian ryegrass plant density in November and spike density were highly related to wheat yield at two and three sites, respectively. No management options were more profitable than rotation to soybean.
Dry Bean Response to Preemergence-Applied KIH-485
Authors: Sikkema Peter H. , Shropshire Christy , Soltani Nader
Published: March 2007

Three field trials were conducted over a 2-yr period (2004 and 2005) at Exeter and Ridgetown, Ontario to evaluate the tolerance of eight market classes of dry beans to KIH-485 applied PRE at 210 and 420 g ai/ha. KIH-485 PRE caused as much as 67% visual injury in small-seeded and 44% visual injury in large-seeded dry beans. KIH-485 applied PRE at 420 g/ha reduced plant height up to 47% at Ridgetown and 8% at Exeter in 2004, and reduced height of brown and white bean by 15 and 19%, respectively, but had no effect on the height of the other beans in 2005. Shoot dry weight was not affected at Exeter in 2004 but was reduced by 46% at Ridgetown in 2004 and 14% at Exeter in 2005. In 2004, seed moisture content increased by 5, 6, and 12% in black, otebo, and pinto beans, respectively. Seed yield was reduced up to 27% at Ridgetown and 11% at Exeter in 2004 but was not affected at Exeter in 2005. On the basis of this research, KIH-485 PRE causes unacceptable injury in some dry bean market classes.
MSMA Antagonizes Glyphosate and Glufosinate Efficacy on Broadleaf and Grass Weeds
Authors: Koger Clifford H. , Burke Ian C. , Miller Donnie K. , Kendig J. Andrew , Reddy Krishna N. , Wilcut John W.
Published: March 2007

Field and greenhouse studies were conducted to investigate the compatibility of MSMA in a tank mixture with glyphosate or glufosinate for broadleaf and grass weed control. Glyphosate, glufosinate, and MSMA were evaluated at 0.5×, 1×, and 2× rates, with 1× rates of 0.84 kgae/ha, 0.5 kgai/ha, and 2.2 kgai/ha, respectively. Glyphosate and glufosinate provided similar levels of control for most weed species and were often more efficacious than MSMA alone. Glyphosate controlled Palmer amaranth better than glufosinate. Glufosinate controlled hemp sesbania, pitted morningglory, and ivyleaf morningglory better than glyphosate at one location. Weed control was not improved with the addition of MSMA to glyphosate or glufosinate when compared with either herbicide alone. MSMA antagonized glyphosate efficacy on barnyardgrass, browntop millet, hemp sesbania, Palmer amaranth, and redroot pigweed. MSMA antagonized glufosinate efficacy on browntop millet, hemp sesbania, ivyleaf morningglory, johnsongrass, Palmer amaranth, pitted morningglory, prickly sida, redroot pigweed, and velvetleaf. Antagonism of glyphosate or glufosinate by MSMA was often overcome by applying the 2× rate of either herbicide alone. MSMA is not a compatible tank-mixture partner with glyphosate or glufosinate for weed control in cotton.
Experiential Learning Activities in the Weed Science Classroom
Authors: Gallagher Robert S. , Luschei Edward C. , Gallandt Eric , DiTommaso Antonio
Published: March 2007

Considerable discussion has occurred among the weed science community regarding the potential benefits and limitations of integrated approaches to crop and pest management. This discussion also needs to occur in our weed science classrooms, where students from a wide range of academic disciplines are trained in the fundamentals of weed ecology and management. Although the inherent complexity of integrated crop and pest management can make this adaptation to our weed science courses challenging, the use of experiential learning techniques provides an effective means to promote understanding and retention of these concepts. This paper outlines several classroom activities based on the experiential learning approaches that have been implemented by the authors. The activities focus on (1) weed identification and natural history, (2) weed population processes, and (3) integrated management systems. For each activity, we offer our rationale for the exercise, an example of its implementation in the classroom setting, potential pitfalls, and student feedback regarding their perceptions of the activity's educational value. With this paper, we hope to provide examples that may be useful to other weed science educators wishing to incorporate more experiential learning activities into their courses and to initiate a dialogue between educators that can help our community improve and enliven weed science education.
Fas Ligand Enhances Hematopoietic Cell Engraftment Through Abrogation of Alloimmune Responses and Nonimmunogenic Interactions
Authors: Pearl-Yafe Michal , Yolcu Esma S. , Stein Jerry , Kaplan Ofer , Yaniv Isaac , Shirwan Haval , Askenasy Nadir
Published: March 2007

Early after transplantation, donor lineage-negative bone marrow cells (lin− BMC) constitutively upregulated their expression of Fas ligand (FasL), suggesting an involvement of the Fas/FasL axis in engraftment. Following the observation of impaired engraftment in the presence of a dysfunctional Fas/FasL axis in FasL-defective (gld) donors or Fas-defective (lpr) recipients, we expressed a noncleavable FasL chimeric protein on the surface of donor lin− BMC. Despite a short life span of the protein in vivo, expression of FasL on the surface of all the donor lin− BMC improved the efficiency of engraftment twofold. The FasL-coated donor cells efficiently blunted the host alloimmune responses in primary recipients and retained their hematopoietic reconstituting potential in secondary transplants. Surprisingly, FasL protein improved the efficiency of engraftment in syngeneic transplants. The deficient engraftment in lpr recipients was not reversed in chimeric mice with Fas− stroma and Fas+ BMC, demonstrating that the host marrow stroma was also a target of donor cell FasL. Hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells are insensitive to Fas-mediated apoptosis and thus can exploit the constitutive expression of FasL to exert potent veto activities in the early stages of engraftment. Manipulation of the donor cells using ectopic FasL protein accentuated the immunogenic and nonimmunogenic interactions between the donor cells and the host, alleviating the requirement for a megadose of transplanted cells to achieve a potent veto effect.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest is found at the end of this article.
Unwanted Sexual Contact on Campus: A Comparison of Women’s and Men’s Experiences
Authors: Banyard Victoria L. , Ward S. , Cohn E. S. , Plante E. G. , Moorhead C. , Walsh W.
Published: March 2007

While sexual victimization continues to be a problem on college campuses, recent attention has been drawn to understanding gender differences in victimization rates and consequences. To date, these studies remain relatively few in number. The current study surveyed 651 male and female undergraduate students about unwanted sexual experiences during 1 academic year. Comparison of men and women revealed expected differences in incidence rates, with women reporting higher rates of unwanted contact. Within the subsample of reported victims, however, there was gender similarity in terms of the context of unwanted sexual experiences. Analyses also revealed the negative consequences of these experiences for both men and women and low rates of disclosure regardless of gender. Across the full sample of students surveyed, there were interesting gender differences in knowledge of campus support services, with women more likely to have attended a prevention program and to have indicated greater knowledge of rape crisis services.
Transferrin receptor 2 is emerging as a major player in the control of iron metabolism
Authors: Calzolari Alessia , Oliviero Isabella , Testa Ugo
Published: March 2007

Our knowledge of mammalian iron metabolism has advanced dramatically over recent years. Iron is an essential element for virtually all living organisms. Its intestinal absorption and accurate cellular regulation is strictly required to ensure the coordinated synthesis of the numerous iron-containing proteins involved in key metabolic processes, while avoiding the uptake of excess iron that can lead to organ damage. A range of different proteins exist to ensure this fine control within the various tissues of the body. Among these proteins, transferrin receptor (TFR2) seems to play a key role in the regulation of iron homeostasis. Disabling mutations in TFR2 are responsible for type 3 hereditary hemochromatosis (Type 3 HH). This review describes the biological properties of this membrane receptor, with a particular emphasis paid to the structure, function and cellular localization. Although much information has been garnered on TFR2, further efforts are needed to elucidate its function in the context of the iron regulatory network.
Phylogenetic relationships between and within sections Hypechusa, Narbonensis and Peregrinae of genus Vicia (Fabaceae) based on evidence from isozymes and morphology
Authors: Jaaska Vello , Leht Malle
Published: March 2007

Previous studies of vetch species belonging to sections Hypechusa, Narbonensis and Peregrinae have revealed controversies and open questions that deserve revisiting with the use of contemporary approaches. The paper extends the previous work of Leht and Jaaska (2002) by describing variation of 16 isozymes and 86 morphological characters among 17 Vicia species belonging to sections Hypechusa, Narbonensis and Peregrinae of the type subgenus in comparison with V. bithynica of section Pseudolathyrus. Three more isozymes and 12 new morphological characters are included to improve the resolution of phylogenetic relationships. The maximum parsimony trees based on isozymes and morphology revealed essentially the same four clusters of species that correspond to series Hypechusa and Hyrcanicae of section Hypechusa, to sections Narbonensis and Peregrinae of current taxonomy, except that the isozyme tree placed V. lutea of series Hypechusa into a separate clade. Isozyme variation in V. mollis, V. noeana, V. sericocarpa and V. ciliatula of section Hypechusa is described for the first time. Twenty-three species-specific isozymes that may be used for species identification by analysis of seeds are described. Two new isozymes that distinguish V. serratifolia from V. narbonensis are described that further support their specific status. Series Hypechusa and Hyrcanicae of section Hypechusa, sections Narbonensis and Peregrinae of traditional taxonomy are monophyletic groups that deserve sectional status within the genus Vicia. The phylogenetic position and sectional placement of V. lutea warrants further study with independent sets of DNA characters.
Communicating Gender in the Public Sphere: Women and Information Technologies in the MENA
Authors: Skalli Loubna H.
Published: March 2007

This paper discusses the public sphere in the Middle East and North Africa from the perspective of women’s uses of information and communication technologies. I argue that the sociopolitical transformations unfolding in many countries in the Middle East and North Africa are not taking place in the absence of women’s contribution and participation. Drawing on examples from different countries, I demonstrate how women are shaping, impacting, and redefining the public sphere by producing alternative discourses and images about womanhood, citizenship, and political participation in their societies. Crusading female journalists, feminist film producers/directors, publishers, and feminist cyber “bloggers” are strategically using old and new media to participate in the production and dissemination of alternative knowledge and the creation of transgressive spaces.
The Wavering Luck of Girls: Gender and Pre-Vocational Education in Israel
Authors: Yonah Yossi , Saporta Ishak
Published: March 2007

This research study is a development of our previous study about the pre-vocational training program introduced to the Israeli education system in the 1950s. However, while in the previous study we examined the role this program played in making Israel’s ethnoworking class, in the present work we examine this program’s gender implications. In addition to the role it played in the emergence of the ethno-working class, the program significantly contributed to the reproduction and reinforcement of a gender-based division of labor in Israeli society. This double-edge discrimination (against Mizrahim in general and against Mizrahi girls in particular) presents a special case of exclusionary social practices in the context of the Middle East. It owes its motivating and legitimizing force to social constructions exhibiting a unique reproduction of the dichotomy between the first world (Jews of European origins) and the third world (Jews of Middle Eastern origins). That is, the social categories in which girls and boys are captured, allowing ethnic and gender discrimination of Mizrahim in Israeli society, are grounded in a European symbolic repertoire that traditionally facilitated distorted representation and oppression of the East. However, we argue that although ethnic discrimination in this context was not gender-free, it may have nonetheless promoted the interests of Mizrahi girls, who belonged to the oppressed group. That is, we argue that the very stereotypical conceptions concerning Mizrahi women in Israeli society may have benefited, paradoxically, Mizrahi girls in an educational system characterized by a discriminatory tracking system.
Translating Gender
Authors: Mehrez Samia
Published: March 2007

Despite the fact that both gender and translation are basic to our collective human existence, our attempts to understand and theorize the processes that shape them are quite recent. Gender studies and translation studies are both fairly new fields with international and interdisciplinary thrusts and implications. In both instances they have oriented themselves toward traveling across traditional academic disciplines to create transnational communities and cross-cultural communication. Given these general affinities, this article uses theoretical tools from the field of translation studies in order to understand some of the challenges that face us in translating terms and concepts involved in gender studies as a discipline that links an international body of scholars and activists, focusing specifically on the developing field of gender studies in Egypt, whose primary responsibility in the local context is to elaborate, develop, and disseminate translations of gender that enable agency. The article also explores some of the sites of resistance to the field in Egypt and in the Arab world, including various Islamist discourses.
The Nature of Transnational Alliances in Women’s Associations in the Maghreb
Authors: Labidi Lilia
Published: March 2007

This paper analyzes how the discourse of the independent Tunisian feminist movement of the 1980s brought new visibility and appreciation to the early feminists of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, and how it revived tensions that had arisen during the earlier period. The paper also examines how, in a transnational context, the construction of an anthropology of culture by women of the region and the establishment of a Maghrebi women’s network enabled the torch of women’s rights to pass from women in Tunisia, where the Personal Status Code (PSC) was a model for the region, to women in Morocco, whose activities led to a reform of the Moroccan personal status code (the Mudawwana) in 2003.

The discourse of the second generation of Tunisian women, which emerged, unlike that of women in other Arab Muslim countries, in a post-independence context wherein they benefited from an oft-amended PSC that awarded them numerous rights, required that they not only demand new rights but also develop a discourse different from that of the state. However, as Tunisian feminist discourse was becoming institutionalized (e.g. with the publication of the magazine Nissa) in the face of a growing Islamist movement which, strengthened by the transnational Islamist dynamic, was calling for a referendum on the PSC, its promulgator, President Habib Bourguiba, was deposed. The second Republic chose to continue the policy of the first, and brought the women’s movement into association with other Tunisian political forces in a “National Pact” to safeguard the PSC, thereby turning the majority of Tunisian women into protectors of the state.
Silver‐Catalyzed Asymmetric Allylation: Allyltrimethoxysilane as a Remarkable Reagent
Authors: Yamamoto Hisashi , Wadamoto Manabu
Published: March 2007

Recently, there have been some reports on the use of allyltrimethoxysilane for enantioselective allylation with various metal fluorides or a combination of chiral complex and fluoride anion. These reactions can be applied not only to aldehydes but also to ketones and imines. In this Focus Review we discuss the development of asymmetric allylation with allyltrimethoxysilane catalyzed by chiral silver complexes.
Labdane Diterpenoid Glycosides from Aster veitchianus
Authors: Li Er‐Wei , Gao Xue , Gao Kun , Jia Zhong‐Jian
Published: March 2007

Four new labdane‐type rhamnopyranosides derived from 13‐epimanool, compounds 1–4, with differently acetylated sugar moieties, were isolated from A. veitchianus. Their structures and absolute configurations were elucidated by chemical transformation, spectroscopic and mass‐spectrometric analyses (IR, 1D‐ and 2D‐NMR, HR‐ESI‐MS), as well as by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction (compound 1). The isolates 2–4 were investigated for their cytotoxic properties against cultured human hepatoma (SMMC‐7721), ovarian neoplasm (HO‐8910), and leukemia (HL‐60) cells, and for their antibacterial activities against Escherichia coli, Bacillus subtilis, and Staphylococcus aureus.
Functional [6]Pericyclynes: Synthesis through [14+4] and [8+10] Cyclization Strategies
Authors: Saccavini Catherine , Tedeschi Christine , Maurette Luc , Sui‐Seng Christine , Zou Chunhai , Soleilhavoup Michèle , Vendier Laure , Chauvin Remi
Published: March 2007

Critical analysis of possible strategies for the synthesis of novel carbo‐benzene derivatives suggests several [(18−n)+n] routes for the preparation of hexaoxy[6]pericyclyne precursors. Beyond the previously attempted [9+9] symmetrical scheme (n=9), the a priori most selective strategies are those for which n=1, 4, 7, 10, 13, and 16. They involve a cyclizing double‐propargylation of a C18−n ω‐bis‐terminal‐skipped oligoyne containing (19−n)/3 triple bonds with a Cn ω‐dicarbonyl‐skipped oligoyne containing (n−1)/3 triple bonds. To complement the previously used [11+7] strategy, the [14+4] and [8+10] strategies were thus explored. They proved to be efficient, affording seven novel hexaoxy[6]pericyclynes corresponding to six different substitution patterns. These compounds were obtained in 7–15 steps as mixtures of stereoisomers. Thus, by using dibenzoylacetylene as the C4 electrophile, a [14+4] strategy allowed the synthesis of two hexaphenyl representatives with two or four free carbinol vertices. This approach also afforded tetraphenyl representatives in which the two remaining carbinoxy vertices were substituted with either two alkynyl or one 4‐anisyl and one 4‐pyridyl groups. By using the hexacarbonyldicobalt complex of butynedial as the C4 electrophile, a [14+4] strategy also allowed the isolation of a tetraphenylhexaoxy[6]pericyclyne with two adjacent unsubstituted carbinol vertices. A regioisomer with two opposite unsubstituted carbinol vertices was obtained through an [8+10] strategy and its oxidation afforded the corresponding pericyclynedione. Several attempts at synthesizing diphenylhexaoxy[6]pericyclynes with four unsubstituted carbinoxy vertices are described. Only an [8+10] strategy allowed the generation of a fragile diphenylhexaoxy[6]pericyclyne with four adjacent unsubstituted carbinoxy vertices, which could be partly characterized. These results show that the synthesis of the nonsubstituted hexahydroxy[6]pericyclyne, the ring carbo‐mer of [6]cyclitol, is a difficult challenge.
Reconstructing PSA testing patterns between black and white men in the US from Medicare claims and the National Health Interview Survey
Authors: Mariotto Angela B. , Etzioni Ruth , Krapcho Martin , Feuer Eric J.
Published: March 2007

BACKGROUND.

Frequencies of prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) test administration were not actively monitored on a national level during the first decade of PSA testing. The objectives of this article were to reconstruct patterns of PSA testing between black and white men in the US and to determine the extent of any racial disparity in PSA use.

METHODS.

Data from the 2000 National Health Interview Survey were used to model the adoption of PSA and to estimate the distribution of age at first test. Longitudinal Medicare claims data were used to estimate the distribution of intervals between tests. The rates of initial and subsequent tests were then combined by simulation to reconstruct individual screening histories. Results are from the reconstructed model.

RESULTS.

Overall, 45% of white men and 43% of black men within ages 40–84 years had at least 1 PSA test by the year 2000. The authors found that among older men, whites adopted PSA screening earlier than blacks, whereas among younger men, this trend was reversed, with blacks adopting screening earlier than whites. Annual testing frequencies generated by the simulation model were higher for white men aged ≥60 years and higher for black men aged <60 years.

CONCLUSIONS.

Findings indicated fairly similar patterns overall of PSA testing for blacks and whites. These similarities indicated that racial disparity in PSA testing is probably not a major factor behind current racial differences in prostate cancer mortality rates and declines. Knowledge of patterns of screening is important to an understanding of the impact of population screening on cancer incidence and mortality, but retrospective data sources have significant limitations when used to estimate these patterns of care. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
An optimal method of DNA silver staining in polyacrylamide gels
Authors: Ji Yun‐Tao , Qu Chang‐Qing , Cao Bin‐Yun
Published: March 2007

A silver staining technique has widely been used to detect DNA fragments with high sensitivity on polyacrylamide gels. The conventional procedure of the silver staining is tedious, which takes about 40–60 min and needs five or six kinds of chemicals and four kinds of solutions. Although our previous improved method reduced several steps, it still needed six kinds of chemicals. The objective of this study was to improve further the existing procedures and develop an optimal method for DNA silver staining on polyacrylamide gels. The novel procedure could be completed with only four chemicals and two solutions within 20 min. The steps of ethanol, acetic acid, and nitric acid precession before silver impregnation have been eliminated and the minimal AgNO3 dose has been used in this up‐to‐date method. The polyacrylamide gel of the DNA sliver staining displayed a golden yellow and transparent background with high sensitivity. The minimum 0.44 and 3.5 ng of DNA amount could be detected in denaturing and nondenaturing polyacrylamide gel, respectively. This result indicated that our optimal method can save time and cost, and still keep a high sensitivity for DNA staining in polyacrylamide gels.
Lack of genotoxicity induced by endogenous and synthetic female sex hormones in peripheral blood cells detected by alkaline comet assay
Authors: Braz Mariana Gobbo , Salvadori Daisy Maria Favero
Published: March 2007

The etiology of hormone‐induced cancers has been considered to be a combination of genotoxic and epigenetic events. Currently, the Comet assay is widely used for detecting genotoxicity because it is relatively simple, sensitive, and capable of detecting various kinds of DNA damage. The present study evaluates the genotoxic potential of endogenous and synthetic sex hormones, as detected by the Comet assay. Blood cells were obtained from 12 nonsmoking and 12 smoking women with regular menstrual cycles and from 12 nonsmoking women taking low‐dose oral contraceptives (OC). Peripheral blood samples were collected at three phases of the menstrual cycle (early follicular, mean follicular, and luteal phases), or at three different moments of oral contraceptive intake. Three blood samples were also collected from 12 healthy nonsmoking men, at the same time as oral contraceptive users. Results showed no significant difference in the level of DNA damage among the three moments of the menstrual cycle either in nonsmoking and smoking women, or between them. No significant difference in DNA damage was also observed among oral contraceptive users, nonusers, and men. Together, these data indicate lack of genotoxicity induced by the physiological level of the female sex hormones and OC as assessed by the alkaline Comet assay. In conclusion, normal fluctuation in endogenous sex hormones and use of low‐doses of oral contraceptive should not interfere with Comet assay data when this technique is used for human biomonitoring. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Environmental risk assessment in the Tuscany region: a proposal
Authors: Jona Lasinio Giovanna , Divino Fabio , Biggeri Annibale
Published: March 2007

In this paper we present a first attempt to define a statistically coherent protocol for Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA), considered as a classification problem. Our approach moves from an idea developed in the pattern recognition literature. Several independent classifiers, each working on a subset of the covariates space, produce a set of corresponding units classifications. Then a gate, modulating the partial results, produces a final, combined classification. We propose a combined classification strategy based on rank transformations and Bayesian mixture classifiers. Although the use of Bayesian mixture models in classification problems is quite common in many fields of application, the novelty of our proposal concerns the use of truncated Gaussian components to model the behaviour of the rank variables in a multidimensional setting. We approach the general problem by partitioning the covariate space into several subspaces, each one representing one environmental dimension; we consider three environmental dimensions (Air, Water and Waste), represented by several pressure indicators. The evaluation of environmental risk for the Tuscany municipalities is our motivating example. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Seismic behaviour of framed tubes
Authors: Anderson James C. , Gurfinkel German
Published: March 2007

A framed tube, consisting of closely spaced columns connected by deep spandrel beams, is designed in reinforced concrete for building code loads. The members of the frame are proportioned using strength concepts. A planar model of the tube is developed and its behaviour is compared to that of the three‐dimensional structure. The planar model is then used to evaluate the inelastic behaviour of the framed tube when subjected to strong ground motion. The effects of the finite element discretization and the ground motion characteristics are investigated. Results show that ductility requirements of the spandrel beams are minimum at the top and maximum at the bottom of the tube. Ductility requirements in the columns are well controlled and are within acceptable limits. Participation of the higher modes of vibration is significant and requires increasing damping. It also is shown that the increased stiffness due to finite member sizes at a joint cannot be neglected.
On the dynamic response of a suspended cable
Authors: Irvine H. M. , Griffin J. H.
Published: March 2007

Linearized equations are derived to account for the additional tensions and deflections induced by dynamically exciting a suspended cable. Wave‐type and modal solutions are presented to explore the influence of a fundamental geometric and elastic parameter, λ2.
Biaxial effects in modelling earthquake response of R/C structures
Authors: Takizawa Haruo , Aoyama Hiroyuki
Published: March 2007

Recent studies reveal that R/C structural members subjected to biaxial flexure due to two‐dimensional earthquake excitation can deform much more than would be predicted by conventional one‐dimensional response analysis. The biaxial flexure may therefore have a significant effect on the dynamic collapse process of structures subjected to intense ground motions. The present paper is intended to develop a new formulation of the two‐dimensional restoring force model of R/C columns acted upon by biaxial bending moments, and to discuss the dynamic response properties of R/C structures. The model considered is a two‐dimensional extension of various non‐linear models for one‐dimensional response analysis, including the degrading trilinear stiffness model which is one of the simpler idealizations of the restoring force characteristics of flexural‐failure‐type R/C structures. The modelling validity is then examined by comparison with experimental data on the biaxial bending behaviour of R/C columns. Calculations are made to study the role of different system properties on the influence of inelastic biaxial bending on the dynamic structural response. It is shown that the inelastic biaxial effect is generally significant and, in some cases, critical in the case of R/C structures with stiffness‐degrading properties, while the effect is not so important for the non‐degrading inelastic cases.
Seismic design spectra and mapping procedures using hazard analysis based directly on oscillator response
Authors: McGuire Robin K.
Published: March 2007

The calculation of design spectra for building sites threatened by seismic ground motion is approached by considering the maximum responses of linearly elastic oscillators as indicators of ground motion intensity. Attenuation functions describing the distribution of response as a function of earthquake magnitude and distance are derived using 68 components of recorded ground motion as data. With a seismic hazard analysis for several hypothetical building sites, the distributions of maximum oscillator responses to earthquakes of random magnitude and location are calculated, and spectra are drawn to indicate the maximum responses associated with specified probability levels. These spectra are compared to design spectra calculated from published methods of amplifying peak ground motion parameters. The latter spectra are found to be inconsistent in terms of risk for building sites very close and very far from faults. A ground motion parameter defined to be proportional to the maximum response of a 1 Hz, 2 per cent damped linearly elastic oscillator is investigated; this parameter, in conjunction with peak ground acceleration, is found to lead to risk‐consistent design spectra. Through these two parameters, a design earthquake magnitude and design hypocentral distance are defined, for a specified building site and risk level. The use of these parameters in the seismic hazard mapping of a region is illustrated.
Patterns, processes and likely causes of the Ordovician trilobite radiation in South China
Authors: Zhiyi Zhou , Wenwei Yuan , Zhiqiang Zhou
Published: March 2007

The Ordovician genus‐diversity trajectories of trilobites and the radiation patterns previously proposed in South China are reviewed on the basis of an extensive and intensive study of 32 representative collections assigned respectively to thesuecicus,hirundoandclavusgraptolite‐zone intervals and made along shelf environment gradients from 15 re‐measured representative early‐Middle‐Ordovician sections. Analyses of new data indicate that components of the Whiterock Fauna (Paleozoic Evolutionary Fauna) spread across the whole of the environmental spectrum and in general increased steadily through the Ordovician. The major faunal innovations appeared first in the inner shelf during the Early Ordovician and the novelties then expanded seawards into the outer shelf. The Whiterock Fauna first exhibited a higher representation in shallow outer‐shelf faunas and made its early appearance in deep outer‐shelf habitats during the early Middle Ordovician. However, it was not until theclavusinterval (late early Middle Ordovician) that the onset of the major Ordovician radiation or the radiation of the Whiterock Fauna as a whole commenced in deep outer‐shelf environments. From the Darriwilian onwards, members of the Whiterock Fauna had further developed and dominated all environments, but it was not until the Hirnantian that they comprised the whole fauna. The beginning of the radiation in South China was dominated by the expansion of reedocalymenine calymenids, trinucleids and cyclopygids. All of these three trilobite clades had their early diversification centred in high latitude zones of Gondwana. In terms of the macroevolution of trilobites, these specialized trilobites were only diagnostic of a regional Ordovician radiation. All of them represented a subset of the Paleozoic Evolutionary Fauna, which became extinct before or during the latest Ordovician mass extinction and bore no relationships to the Silurian Fauna. Therefore, the Whiterock Fauna of South China only played a minor role in the global macroevolution of the Paleozoic Evolutionary Fauna. As revealed by close investigations, the Ordovician radiation in South China may have been directly triggered by two major transgressive‐regressive cycles during the Tremadoc/Arenig and Lower/Middle Ordovician. The increase of oxygen levels in oceans during the early Middle Ordovician may have provided an essential condition for the radiating fauna to eventually inhabit the new ecological niches of the deep outer shelf. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Reversible inactivation of the entorhinal cortex disrupts the establishment and expression of latent inhibition of cued fear conditioning in C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Lewis Michael C. , Gould Thomas J.
Published: March 2007

For latent inhibition, preexposure to a conditioned stimulus (CS) prior to training with an unconditioned stimulus (US) results in decreased conditioned responses (CRs) to the CS at the time of testing. The mechanism by which decreased CRs occurs, however, is unknown; CS preexposure may interfere with subsequent conditioning, or modulate the expression of CRs. Previous research has suggested that the entorhinal cortex (EC) is necessary for latent inhibition of a variety of tasks. However, no studies have specifically compared the role of the EC in acquisition vs. expression of latent inhibition. The present study used reversible inactivation of the EC to address this issue. The GABA agonist muscimol (0.5 μg/side) was directly infused into the EC of mice prior to CS preexposure, training, or testing. Our results indicate that muscimol inactivation of the EC before CS preexposure disrupts latent inhibition of cued fear conditioning. Importantly, this same dose of muscimol did not disrupt cued fear conditioning, nor did it affect latent inhibition when infused into the subiculum. Furthermore, inactivation of the EC at testing disrupted the expression of latent inhibition of cued fear conditioning; that is, CS preexposed mice that received entorhinal cortical muscimol infusion at testing showed CRs compared to saline‐infused CS preexposed mice. These findings suggest that repeated preexposure to the CS during latent inhibition may alter entorhinal cortical activity thereby allowing the EC to exert inhibitory control over the expression of CRs during testing of CS preexposed mice. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Human neocortical and hippocampal near‐DC shifts are interconnected
Authors: Fell Juergen , Fritz Navah E. , Burr Wieland , Ludowig Eva , Axmacher Nikolai , Elger Christian E. , Helmstaedter Christoph
Published: March 2007

Hippocampal DC shifts have been observed under various physiological and pathological conditions. Here, we studied the interconnection of slow shifts (0.01 Hz high‐pass) in surface EEG and hippocampal shifts as emerging in an event‐related EEG biofeedback paradigm. Hippocampal EEG activity was monitored by depth electrodes implanted in four epilepsy patients for presurgical evaluation. Trials were sorted according to the near‐DC shifts occurring at the surface position Cz, which was the feedback electrode, into positive, indistinct (i.e., small or biphasic) and negative shifts. We found significant hippocampal near‐DC shifts being positively or negatively correlated to the shifts in surface EEG in all four patients. The amplitudes of the hippocampal near‐DC shifts were several times larger than the surface shifts. The polarity of the shifts appears to depend on the location of the electrode contacts with respect to the hippocampal subfields. The finding that neocortical and hippocampal near‐DC shifts are interconnected may open new perspectives for the prediction and control of mediotemporal lobe seizures. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.