bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The effect of adding cadmium and lead alone or in combination to the diet of pigs on their growth, carcase composition and reproduction
Authors: Phillips Clive , Győri Zoltán , Kovács Bélá
Published: September 2003

Limits for cadmium and lead concentrations in food animal products have been established independently, whereas these two toxic metals often co‐exist in polluted regions. Weaned pigs (60) were allocated to ten treatments: control; low (0.5 mg kg−1), medium (1 mg kg−1) or high cadmium (2.5 mg kg−1) in feed; low (5 mg kg−1) medium (10 mg kg−1) or high (25 mg kg−1) lead in feed; and low, medium and high cadmium plus lead in feed. Growth rates and concentrations of cadmium and lead in body tissues (kidney, liver, spleen, lungs, heart, testicle, ribs, hair and teeth) were measured after 137 days. There was a similar reduction in weight gain for pigs in the cadmium and lead treatments, compared with the control, and a greater reduction for the pigs in the cadmium plus lead treatments. The reduction increased with the level of metal included. There was an increase in cadmium concentration of all tissues and blood with increasing feed cadmium concentration, which was usually less when lead was also included in the feed. There was also an increase in tissue lead concentration with increasing dietary lead, and this was in most cases increased when cadmium was also included in the feed. The most sensitive tissues for cadmium and lead exposure were the kidney, liver, hair and teeth, and regression equations were developed for the accumulation rates in these tissues. Tissue and blood cadmium concentrations increased gradually with increasing dietary lead, whereas tissue lead concentration was not sensitive to dietary cadmium, except in the ribs and heart. In a second experiment, 10 sows were allocated to a control diet or the same diet but with a supplement of cadmium and lead. The birth weight of piglets was decreased by the supplement and their mortality increased. Lead accumulated most in the ovary and oviduct of the sows, and there were increases in the lead and, to a lesser extent, cadmium concentrations of tissues of the piglets from these sows. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Sensory acceptability of white bread with added Australian sweet lupin (Lupinus angustifolius) kernel fibre and its glycaemic and insulinaemic responses when eaten as a breakfast
Authors: Johnson Stuart K , McQuillan Paula L , Sin Jean H , Ball Madeleine J
Published: September 2003

The aim of this study was to determine whether lupin kernel fibre (LKF) could lower the glycaemic and insulinaemic responses of bread without reducing palatability. Healthy adults (n = 21) consumed control (white) bread (2.7% total dietary fibre (TDF)) once and LKF bread (8.5% TDF) once, as 50 g available carbohydrate breakfasts, in random order on different occasions. Venous blood samples were taken fasting, then post‐prandially over 2 h and analysed for plasma glucose and insulin. Incremental areas under curves (IAUC) for glucose and insulin, glycaemic index (GI) and insulinaemic index (II) were calculated. Sensory acceptability of a control (white) bread (3.5% TDF) and two LKF breads (6.6 and 8.3% TDF) was determined (n = 54). A reduction of 18.8% (P < 0.05) was seen in IAUC for insulin of LKF bread compared with the control (white) bread breakfast. No significant differences were seen in the other glucose or insulin measures. Mean sensory ratings for all breads were ‘acceptable’, with no significant differences between the ratings of the breads. In conclusion, LKF can be formulated into palatable bread and beneficially influenced the IAUC for insulin. Further studies are required to determine unequivocally whether LKF has beneficial effects on blood glucose and insulin measures. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Microbiological, chemical and sensory changes of whole and filleted Mediterranean aquacultured sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) stored in ice
Authors: Taliadourou Dimitra , Papadopoulos Vassilios , Domvridou Eleni , Savvaidis Ioannis N , Kontominas Michael G
Published: September 2003

The effect of filleting on the microbiological, chemical and sensory properties of aquacultured sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) stored in ice was studied. Pseudomonads, H2S‐producing bacteria (including Shewanella putrefaciens) and Brochothrix thermosphacta were the dominant bacteria at the end of the 16 day storage period in ice for both whole ungutted and filleted sea bass. Enterobacteriaceae were also found in the spoilage microflora of whole ungutted and filleted sea bass, but their counts were always lower than those of pseudomonads, H2S‐producing bacteria (including S putrefaciens) and B thermosphacta. Total viable counts for whole ungutted sea bass were always lower than those for filleted sea bass samples. Of the chemical indicators of spoilage, TMA (trimethylamine) values of whole ungutted sea bass increased very slowly, whereas significantly higher values were obtained for filleted samples, with respective values of 0.253 and 1.515 mg N per 100 g muscle being reached at the end of their shelf‐life (days 13 and 9 respectively). TVB‐N (total volatile basic nitrogen) values showed a slight increase for whole ungutted sea bass during storage, reaching a value of 26.77 mg N per 100 g muscle (day 13), whereas for filleted fish a corresponding value of 26.88 mg N per 100 g muscle was recorded (day 9). TBA (thiobarbituric acid) values increased slowly for whole ungutted and filleted sea bass samples throughout the entire storage period, reaching final values of 4.48 (day 13) and 13.84 (day 9) mg malonaldehyde kg−1 respectively. Sensory assessment of raw fish using the EC freshness scale gave a grade E for up to 5 days for whole ungutted sea bass, a grade A for a further 4 days and a grade B for an additional 4 days, after which sea bass was graded as C (unfit). Overall acceptability scores for odour, taste and texture of cooked whole ungutted and filleted sea bass decreased with increasing time of storage. The results of this study indicate that the shelf‐life of sea bass stored in ice, as determined by overall acceptability sensory scores and microbiological data, is 8–9 days for filleted and 12–13 days for whole ungutted fish. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Effect of frozen storage of hake, sardine and mixed minces on natural actomyosin extracted in salt solutions
Authors: Tejada Margarita , Mohamed Gamal Fouad , Huidobro Almudena , García Maria Luisa
Published: September 2003

Natural actomyosin extracted in salt solutions from mixtures of hake and sardine minces (3:1; 1:1 and 1:3 w/w) stored frozen for up to 1 year differed in the amount extracted and in the characteristics of the extracts. In the mixed minces the amount of natural actomyosin extracted decreased during frozen storage at a higher rate than that theoretically corresponding to the amount of hake in the mixes. With increasing storage time and proportion of sardine a lower percentage of myosin heavy chain and actin was observed by electrophoresis. An increased size of aggregates was also observed by electrophoresis and transmission electron microscopy. The stability of emulsions was enhanced when aggregates appeared in the extracts. The decrease in the amount of natural actomyosin extracted does not explain the changes observed in the texture of the minces during frozen storage. This may indicate that the size of the aggregates unextractable in salt solutions, independently of the type of bonds that bind the proteins in the aggregates, plays an important role in the textural changes observed. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
Systematic investigations of different capillary electrophoretic techniques for separation of methylquinolines
Authors: Schöftner Rainer , Buchberger Wolfgang
Published: September 2003

The migration behaviour of isoquinoline, quinoline, and methyl derivatives of quinoline in different capillary electrophoretic modes has been systematically investigated. Optimised separation conditions were established by varying the key parameters (solvent, pH, temperature, surfactant concentration, core phase) for aqueous and non‐aqueous capillary zone electrophoresis (NACE), micellar electrokinetic chromatography (MEKC) with anionic or non‐ionic micelles (SDS, Brij 35), and microemulsion electrokinetic chromatography (MEEKC) with charged or uncharged microemulsion droplets. A separation of all quinolines could be achieved by MEEKC with charged droplets, by MEKC or by formamide‐based NACE. Comparing the separations with respect to separation selectivity, substantial changes in migration order could be observed between the different techniques. Regarding separation efficiency, the number of theoretical plates and limits of detection (LOD) have been compared. The best LODs were achieved using SDS as surfactant in MEKC, followed by MEEKC.
Ableitung von Festigkeitsforderungen für PKW unter Berücksichtigung statistischer Kriterien
Authors: Heuler P. , Vogler J. , Beste A.
Published: September 2003

Die Ableitung von Forderungen für die Festigkeitsauslegung von PKW‐Bauteilen erfordert die Festlegung von charakteristischen Kennwerten der Belastung und der Festigkeit. Dabei ist zu beachten, dass beide Kenngrößen teilweise erheblichen Streuungen unterliegen und daher als statistisch verteilte Größen zu betrachten sind. Im vorliegenden Artikel werden Kenngrößen, Ansätze und Verfahren diskutiert, die zur Behandlung dieser Aufgabenstellung eingesetzt werden. Für die Belastungsseite wird versucht, “harte” Anforderungsprofile aus Auslegungs‐ und Teststrecken sowie aus Kundenmessungen abzuleiten. Das Streuverhalten der Bauteilschwingfestigkeit kann über die Auswertung umfangreicher Datensammlungen, ergänzt durch Hersteller spezifische Erfahrungswerte, abgeschätzt werden. Dies erfolgt an Hand einer Auseinandersetzung mit den Daten einer neueren Untersuchung, die in der Literatur vorgestellt wurde.
Festigkeitsberechnung scharf gekerbter Bauteile
Authors: Niessner M. , Seeger T. , Hohe J. , Siegele D.
Published: September 2003

In diesem Beitrag wird die Festigkeit scharf gekerbter Bauteile unter statischer Belastung und Ermüdungsbelastung untersucht und der FKM‐Richtlinie “Rechnerischer Festigkeitsnachweis für Maschinenbauteile” gegenübergestellt. Dabei ist zu erkennen, dass die Bewertung scharf gekerbter Bauteile mit dem gegenwärtigen Stand der Richtlinie nicht möglich ist. Es werden Konzepte zur Berücksichtigung von Größeneinfluss und Stützwirkung in der Festigkeitsberechnung vergleichend vorgestellt, wobei das unter anderem in der FKM‐Richtlinie realisierte Gradientenkonzept nach Siebel/Stieler sowie der statistische Größeneinfluss auf Basis des Fehlstellenmodells im Vordergrund stehen. Zur Bewertung der rechnerischen Stützzahlen wurden Versuche an scharf gekerbten Proben durchgeführt. Aus den daraus gewonnenen experimentellen Stützzahlen wird ein Vorschlag zur Modifikation der Stützzahlberechnung in der FKM‐Richtlinie für den Bereich scharfer Kerben abgeleitet.
Clinical significance of complex repetitive discharges: A case‐control study
Authors: Fellows Lesley K. , Foster Bethany J. , Chalk Colin H.
Published: September 2003

Complex repetitive discharges (CRDs) are a striking, infrequent finding on needle electromyography (EMG), but their significance is debated. This retrospective case‐control study of 486 patients evaluated in a general hospital–based EMG laboratory examined the association of CRDs with specific diagnostic categories, duration of symptoms, and comorbid diabetes mellitus. No CRDs were identified in patients without other evidence of neuromuscular disease. Myopathy was associated with an increased risk of CRDs (adjusted odds ratio, 5.98; 95% confidence interval, 2.38 to 14.99). In general, neuropathic conditions were not associated with either an increased or decreased risk of CRDs compared with other neuromuscular diseases, although confidence intervals were wide. Similarly, neither the chronicity of symptoms nor the presence of diabetes yielded odds ratios that differed significantly from unity. In clinical populations similar to the one we studied, the positive predictive value of CRDs for any of the diagnoses we evaluated is low. However, the absence of CRDs can be of diagnostic value in that it reduces the likelihood of myopathy or motor neuron disease. The likelihood of finding CRDs in acute conditions is the same as that in chronic conditions. Muscle Nerve 28: 504–507, 2003
Stimulated single‐fiber EMG of the frontalis and orbicularis oculi muscles in ocular myasthenia gravis
Authors: Valls‐Canals J. , Povedano M. , Montero J. , Pradas J.
Published: September 2003

We performed single‐fiber electromyography by axonal stimulation (stimulated SFEMG) of the frontalis and orbicularis oculi muscles of 20 patients with ocular myasthenia gravis (OM) and 46 controls. In controls, mean consecutive differences (MCD) ranged from 5 to 55 μs (average, 14.7 ± 2.8 μs) in the frontalis and from 4 to 56 μs (average, 12.56 ± 2.19 μs) in orbicularis oculi. The mean MCD of individual muscle potentials (MPs) was 14.6 ± 6.8 μs in frontalis and 12.68 ± 6.10 μs in orbicularis oculi. In the OM patients, the mean MCD was 43.85 ± 25.18 μs in the frontalis and 69.85 ± 29.55 μs in orbicularis oculi (P < 0.0001), and the number of MPs with altered MCD was 7.15 ± 4.66 (range, 1–18) and 12.65 ± 4.90 (range, 6–21), respectively (P < 0.0001). We conclude that stimulated SFEMG of the orbicularis oculi muscle is more sensitive for the diagnosis of OM than of the frontalis muscle. Muscle Nerve 28: 501–503, 2003
Progressive exercise intolerance associated with a new muscle‐restricted nonsense mutation (G142X) in the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene
Authors: Bruno Claudio , Santorelli Filippo M. , Assereto Stefania , Tonoli Emmanuel , Tessa Alessandra , Traverso Monica , Scapolan Sara , Bado Massimo , Tedeschi Silvana , Minetti Carlo
Published: September 2003

We report a novel nonsense mitochondrial cytochrome b mutation (G15170A) in a 40‐year‐old woman with progressive exercise intolerance and lactic acidosis. Muscle biopsy showed several cytochrome c oxidase–positive ragged‐red fibers, and reduced activities of respiratory chain complexes I and III. This mutation, resulting in the loss of 228 amino acids of the protein, was very abundant in the patient's muscle, but undetectable in lymphocytes and fibroblasts. Clinical and laboratory data indicate that this defect is the primary cause of the disease, thus adding a new mutation in the cytochrome b gene among the growing number of patients with exercise intolerance and lactic acidosis. Muscle Nerve 28: 508–511, 2003
Origins and early descriptions of “Duchenne muscular dystrophy”
Authors: Tyler Kenneth L.
Published: September 2003

One of the seminal events in the history of neurology was the identification of primary diseases of muscle and their separation from diseases in which muscle weakness was secondary to injury involving the anterior horns of the spinal cord (“progressive muscular atrophy”). Not surprisingly, one of the first groups of primary muscle diseases to be satisfactorily characterized belonged to what would today be classified as muscular dystrophies. Pride of place in this group belongs to Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). DMD's primacy as the first well‐characterized muscular dystrophy was due both to the fact that it is relatively common, as well as to the clinically striking feature, apparent in many cases, of apparent paradoxical enlargement of severely weakened muscles (“pseudo‐hypertrophy”). This review traces the historical roots of DMD in the 19th century, from the early papers by Conte, Bell, Partridge, and Meryon through the classic monographs by Duchenne and Gowers. In addition, the first American contributions to DMD are reviewed, including those by Pepper, Hammond, and S. Weir Mitchell. Many of the original papers describing this disease are now unavailable outside of major medical libraries, and several important contributions, excepting those of Duchenne, which are recognized eponymously, are now virtually forgotten. Muscle Nerve 28: 402–422, 2003
Retrograde regeneration following neurotmesis of the ulnar nerve
Authors: Leis A. Arturo , Lancon John A. , Stokic Dobrivoje S.
Published: September 2003

A 41‐year‐old woman experienced a gunshot wound to the forearm with neurotmesis of the ulnar nerve. Surgery 9 months later revealed a neuroma‐in‐continuity in the midforearm. Intraoperative nerve stimulation failed to elicit direct nerve responses or motor responses from the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) and abductor digiti minimi (ADM) muscles. However, neurotonic discharges in response to mechanical irritation of the neuroma were recorded in the FDI, but not the ADM. Surprisingly, after resecting the ulnar nerve distal to the neuroma, neurotonic discharges were still elicited in the FDI following perturbation of the neuroma. Moreover, neurotonic discharges were elicited during ulnar nerve resection 2 cm proximal to the neuroma. No anastomoses or anomalous branches were noted. The findings suggest that regenerating fibers did not reach the FDI through the distal nerve segment. Rather, we speculate that nerve fibers regenerating at random, or impeded by scar tissue, contacted the proximal nerve portion, at which point growth became polarized in a retrograde direction. Retrograde regeneration may have proceeded to a branch point in the forearm (possibly an undetected anomalous branch or fibrous adhesion), where growth of regenerating fibers extended outward into surrounding damaged tissue planes before redirecting distally to reach the FDI. Muscle Nerve 28: 512–514, 2003
Inferior mechanical properties of spastic muscle bundles due to hypertrophic but compromised extracellular matrix material
Authors: Lieber Richard L. , Runesson Eva , Einarsson Fredrik , Fridén Jan
Published: September 2003

The passive mechanical properties of small muscle fiber bundles obtained from surgical patients with spasticity (n = 9) and patients without neuromuscular disorders (n = 21) were measured in order to determine the relative influence of intracellular and extracellular components. For both types of patient, tangent modulus was significantly greater in bundles compared to identical tests performed on isolated single cells (P < 0.05). However, the relative difference between bundles and single cells was much greater in normal tissue than spastic tissue. The tangent modulus of normal bundles (462.5 ± 99.6 MPa) was 16 times greater than normal single cells (28.2 ± 3.3 MPa), whereas the tangent modulus of spastic bundles (111.2 ± 35.5 MPa) was only twice that of spastic muscle cells (55.0 ± 6.6 MPa). This relatively small influence of the extracellular matrix (ECM) in spastic muscle was even more surprising because spastic muscle cells occupied a significantly smaller fraction of the total specimen area (38.5 ± 13.6%) compared to normal muscle (95.0 ± 8.8%). Based on these data, normal muscle ECM is calculated to have a modulus of 8.7 GPa, and the ECM from spastic muscle of only 0.20 GPa. These data indicate that spastic muscle, although composed of cells that are stiffer compared to normal muscle, contains an ECM of inferior mechanical strength. The present findings illustrate some of the profound changes that occur in skeletal muscle secondary to spasticity. The surgical implications of these results are discussed. Muscle Nerve 28: 464–471, 2003
Cutaneous silent periods
Authors: Floeter Mary Kay
Published: September 2003

The cutaneous silent period (CSP) refers to the brief interruption in voluntary contraction that follows strong electrical stimulation of a cutaneous nerve. The CSP is a protective reflex that is mediated by spinal inhibitory circuits and is reinforced in part by parallel modulation of the motor cortex. This review summarizes current understanding of the afferents and circuits that are responsible for producing CSPs; the utility of the CSP for investigating peripheral and central nervous system disorders; and the relationship between the CSP, other cutaneous reflexes, and peripheral silent periods. Muscle Nerve 28: 391–401, 2003
Contribution of wild‐type transthyretin to hereditary peripheral nerve amyloid
Authors: Yazaki Masahide , Liepnieks Juris J. , Kincaid John C. , Benson Merrill D.
Published: September 2003

To elucidate the contribution of wild‐type transthyretin (TTR) to amyloid polyneuropathy in TTR amyloidosis, we biochemically investigated amyloid fibrils isolated from sciatic nerve of an autopsied patient with TTR Ala25Ser variant and compared the amount of wild‐type and variant TTR in the nerve to that in the heart. Amyloid subunit protein from isolated fibrils was solubilized in 6M guanidine HCl and purified by gel filtration chromatography. The relative amounts of variant and wild‐type TTR in the purified protein were estimated from the recovered amounts of tryptic peptides with Ser25 or Ala25. Approximately 60% variant and 40% wild‐type TTR were found in both the nerve and heart amyloid deposits. Our results indicate that wild‐type TTR co‐deposits in the peripheral nerves with variant TTR as amyloid fibril, and therefore that progression of amyloid deposition in the peripheral nerves from wild‐type TTR may occur after liver transplantation, as has been seen in the heart. Muscle Nerve 28: 438–442, 2003
Neutrophils do not contribute to local tissue damage, but play a key role in skeletal muscle regeneration, in mice injected with Bothrops asper snake venom
Authors: Teixeira C. F. P. , Zamunér S. R. , Zuliani J. P. , Fernandes C. M. , Cruz‐Hofling M. A. , Fernandes I. , Chaves F. , Gutiérrez J. M.
Published: September 2003

Local tissue damage induced by crotaline snake venoms includes edema, myonecrosis, hemorrhage, and an inflammatory response associated with a prominent cellular infiltrate. The role of neutrophils in the local tissue damage induced by Bothrops asper snake venom and by myotoxin I, a phospholipase A2 isolated from this venom, was investigated. Male Swiss mice were pretreated with either an antimouse granulocyte rat monoclonal immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody or with isotype‐matched control antibody. No significant differences in these local effects were observed between mice pretreated with antigranulocyte antibodies and those receiving control IgG. Moreover, myotoxicity induced by B. asper myotoxin I was similar in neutrophil‐depleted and control mice. The role of neutrophils in the process of skeletal muscle regeneration was also assessed. Muscle regeneration was assessed by quantifying the muscle levels of creatine kinase and by morphometric histological analysis of the area comprised by regenerating cells in damaged regions of skeletal muscle. Mice depleted of neutrophils and then injected with B. asper venom showed a more deficient regenerative response than mice pretreated with control IgG. Moreover, a drastic difference in the regenerative response was observed in mice injected with myotoxin I, because animals pretreated with control IgG showed a successful regeneration, whereas those depleted of neutrophils had abundant areas of necrotic tissue that had not been removed 7 days after injection, associated with reduced contents of creatine kinase. It is concluded that (1) neutrophils do not play a significant role in the acute local pathological alterations induced by the venom of B. asper, and (2) neutrophils play a prominent role in the process of skeletal muscle regeneration after injection of B. asper venom and myotoxin I, probably related to the phagocytosis of necrotic material and the recruitment of other inflammatory cells, two events directly associated with a successful muscle regenerative response. Muscle Nerve 28: 449–459, 2003
Riluzole attenuates spinal muscular atrophy disease progression in a mouse model
Authors: Haddad Hafedh , Cifuentes‐Diaz Carmen , Miroglio Audrey , Roblot Natacha , Joshi Vandana , Melki Judith
Published: September 2003

Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a motor neuron disease caused by mutations of the survival motor neuron 1 gene (SMN1). No curative treatment is available. Mutant mice carrying homozygous deletion of Smn exon 7 directed to neurons display a degenerative process of motor neurons similar to that found in human SMA. To test whether riluzole, which exhibits neurotrophic properties, might have a protective role in SMA, mutant mice were treated with it after the onset of the degenerative process. Riluzole improved median survival and exerted a protective effect against aberrant cytoskeletal organization of motor synaptic terminals but not against loss of proximal axons. These results demonstrate that the disease course of SMA can be attenuated after the onset of neuromuscular defects and may warrant further investigation in a therapeutic trial in SMA. Muscle Nerve 28: 432–437, 2003
Late‐onset distal muscular dystrophy affecting the posterior calves
Authors: Katz Jonathan S. , Rando Thomas A. , Barohn Richard J. , Saperstein David S. , Jackson Carlayne E. , Wicklund Matthew , Amato Anthony A.
Published: September 2003

Miyoshi myopathy, caused by mutations in the membrane protein dysferlin, is the most common muscular dystrophy that presents in the posterior calves. Its onset is before the age of 30 years and it is associated with marked elevations of serum creatine kinase (CK). In contrast, little is known about calf myopathies with onset after the age of 30, and it is not clear whether such patients have a dysferlinopathy. We describe five patients with a myopathy predominantly affecting the calf muscles, with onset after the age of 30. Muscle tissue was analyzed by immunoblot for dystrophin and dysferlin. All five had normal dysferlin but one had a dystrophinopathy. Serum CK levels ranged from 3 to 15 times the upper limit of normal. In contrast, all of 13 patients presenting before age 30 with calf weakness had a dysferlinopathy. Thus, isolated calf atrophy and weakness with onset after age 30, and associated with serum CK levels that are only moderately elevated, represents a distinct myopathy phenotype. Most of these cases are sporadic, although the overall phenotype appears genetically heterogeneous and dysferlinopathy is uncommon. Muscle Nerve 28: 443–448, 2003
Increased jitter and blocking in normal muscles due to doubly innervated muscle fibers
Authors: Lateva Zoia C. , McGill Kevin C. , Johanson M. Elise
Published: September 2003

Increased jitter and intermittent impulse blocking in electromyographic (EMG) signals are considered evidence of transmission abnormality and are not usually associated with normal muscle. However, motor unit action potentials (MUAPs) that exhibit increased jitter and blocking have recently been shown to occur in the brachioradialis muscles of neurologically healthy subjects. The jitter and blocking result from collisions, refractoriness, and conduction‐velocity variability in long muscle fibers that are innervated by two different motoneurons at widely separated endplates. We analyzed MUAPs obtained by decomposing EMG signals from the brachioradialis muscles of four normal subjects. The rate of blocking of some MUAP components was as high as 28%, the jitter between some components exceeded 300 μs (mean consecutive difference), and the mean incidence of irregular MUAPs was 14%. These values would be considered abnormal in many other muscles. Jitter from doubly innervated fibers can be distinguished from other types of pathological jitter because one component exhibits amplitude variability. Clinical neurophysiologists should be aware that increased jitter and blocking do not necessarily indicate pathology in brachioradialis and perhaps other long, parallel‐fibered muscles. Muscle Nerve 28: 423–431, 2003
Near‐nerve potential in lepromatous leprosy
Authors: Marques Wilson , Foss Norma T. , Arruda Ana P. M. , Barreira Amilton A.
Published: September 2003

In leprosy, sensory action potentials (SAPs) may be normal in spite of clinical sensory loss. This may result from the early involvement of small nerve fibers, which have potentials that are not detected in routine studies. To evaluate this possibility, we used a near‐nerve recording technique that records potentials from nerve fibers as small as 4–6 μm in diameter. We hypothesized that this technique might increase the sensitivity of nerve conduction studies in detecting leprosy neuropathy. We found the technique to be useful for recording conduction abnormalities in recently diagnosed patients, including those with preserved sensation, suggesting that axonal loss may be the underlying mechanism. Contrary to our hypothesis, however, recording the late SAP components did not improve the sensitivity of nerve conduction studies. We suggest that the late components having normal conduction velocities may be generated by either regenerating or remyelinating abnormal fibers, which have an electrophysiological behavior similar to that of normal 4–6‐μm‐diameter fibers. Muscle Nerve 28: 460–463, 2003
Calpain 3 cleaves filamin C and regulates its ability to interact with γ‐ and δ‐sarcoglycans
Authors: Guyon Jeffrey R. , Kudryashova Elena , Potts Alexandra , Dalkilic Isin , Brosius Melissa A. , Thompson Terri G. , Beckmann Jacques S. , Kunkel Louis M. , Spencer Melissa J.
Published: September 2003

Calpain 3 (C3) is the only muscle‐specific member of the calcium‐dependent protease family. Although neither its physiological function nor its in vivo substrates are known, C3 must be an important protein for normal muscle function as mutations in the C3 gene result in limb‐girdle muscular dystrophy type 2A. Previous reports have shown that the ubiquitous calpains (μ and m) proteolyze filamins in nonmuscle cells. This observation suggests that the muscle‐specific filamin C (FLNC) is a good candidate substrate for C3. Binding studies using recombinant proteins establish that recombinant C3 and native FLNC can interact. When these two proteins are translated in vitro and incubated together, C3 cleaves the C‐terminal portion of FLNC. Cleavage is specific as C3 fails to cleave FLNC lacking its C‐terminal hinge and putative dimerization domains. Cotransfection experiments in COS‐7 cells confirm that C3 can cleave the C‐terminus of FLNC in live cells. The C‐terminus of FLNC has been shown to bind the cytoplasmic domains of both δ‐ and γ‐sarcoglycan. Removal of the last 127 amino acids from FLNC, a protein that mimics FLNC after C3 cleavage, abolishes this interaction with the sarcoglycans. These studies confirm that C3 can cleave FLNC in vitro and suggest that FLNC may be an in vivo substrate for C3, functioning to regulate protein–protein interactions with the sarcoglycans. Thus, calpain‐mediated remodeling of cytoskeletal–membrane interactions, such as those that occur during myoblast fusion and muscle repair, may involve regulation of FLNC–sarcoglycan interactions. Muscle Nerve 28: 472–483, 2003
Overexpressions of myoglobin and antioxidant enzymes in ragged‐red fibers of skeletal muscle from patients with mitochondrial encephalomyopathy
Authors: Kunishige Makoto , Mitsui Takao , Akaike Masashi , Kawajiri Masakazu , Shono Masayuki , Kawai Hisaomi , Matsumoto Toshio
Published: September 2003

To determine the relationship between myoglobin (Mb) and the defense system against reactive oxygen species in various myopathies, we performed immunohistochemical analyses of Mb and various antioxidant enzymes, including manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn‐SOD), copper zinc SOD (CuZn‐SOD), catalase (CAT), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH‐Px). Biopsied muscle specimens were obtained from patients with chronic progressive external ophthalmoplegia (CPEO), Kearns–Sayre syndrome (KSS), Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), and polymyositis (PM). In patients with CPEO/KSS, stainings of Mb, SOD, CAT, and GSH‐Px in nonatrophic ragged‐red fibers (RRFs) were more intense than those in non‐RRFs. These pronounced stainings corresponded to ragged‐red lesions. The staining intensities of these antioxidant enzymes were significantly correlated with that of Mb (P < 0.001). Atrophic RRFs in specimens from patients with CPEO/KSS showed intense stainings of these antioxidant enzymes but not intense staining of Mb. In specimens from patients with DMD/PM, the antioxidant enzymes but not Mb were overexpressed in degenerative fibers. These results suggest that oxidative stress is associated with Mb expression specifically in mitochondrial diseases. The antioxidant enzymes seem to be upregulated to protect against muscle damage in nonatrophic RRFs. However, the Mb‐mediated oxidative damage may become more extensive and result in further mitochondrial dysfunction and progressive atrophy of RRF with impaired upregulation of Mb. Muscle Nerve 28: 484–492, 2003
Mechanisms of force loss in diabetic mouse skeletal muscle
Authors: Lesniewski Lisa A. , Miller Todd A. , Armstrong R. B.
Published: September 2003

Pathologic changes to α‐motoneurons may contribute to decreases in skeletal muscle strength in diabetes. The present study examines this possibility. Female ICR mice (∼25 g) were given a single injection of streptozotocin (200 mg/kg). After 2, 4, and 8 weeks of diabetes, we measured maximum isometric tetanic torque of the fast‐twitch anterior crural muscles at the ankle when stimulated through the common peroneal nerve, and maximal isometric tetanic force in the directly stimulated extensor digitorum longus (EDL) muscle. After 4 weeks, the relative loss of torque via nerve stimulation (−43%) was greater (P = 0.02) than the force loss in the directly stimulated muscle (−24%), indicating a functional neural deficit. However, the percent changes in strength in these two methods of stimulation were not different (P = 0.41) in the 8‐week diabetic animals, indicating that functional impairment resided in the muscle. This suggests an early distal motoneuron or neuromuscular junction deficit that improved as the intrinsic muscle deficit worsened. Preliminary evidence also suggests excitation–contraction uncoupling may contribute to the loss of strength in fast‐twitch muscles. Muscle Nerve 28: 493–500, 2003
Changes in the mechanical properties of tooth‐colored direct restorative materials in relation to time
Authors: Saygılı Gülbin , Şahmalı Sevil , Demirel Figen
Published: September 2003

The objective of this study was to determine the flexural strength, flexural modulus, Vickers hardness of a packable composite (Surefil), and an ormocer (Definite) in comparison with a microhybrid composite (Z‐100), a microfil composite (Silux Plus) and a polyacid‐modified composite resin (Dyract). Flexural strength and flexural modulus were determined using a three‐point bending device. Microhardness was measured with a Vickers indentor. The specimens of each material were prepared according to manufacturer's instructions.

The specimens were stored in artificial saliva at pH 6, all at 37°C. The groups were tested at the beginning of the test, at 3 months and at 6 months. Flexural strength values of Surefil and Definite showed a progressive increase. The highest MPa values were determined for Surefil (134.4 MPa) and the lowest MPa values were obtained for Dyract (59.6 MPa). The highest flexural modulus values were revealed for Surefil (10.000 GPa). Z‐100, Silux Plus and Definite showed a tendency to decline in relation to time for their flexural modulus. GPa values of Silux Plus were stable at 3 and 6 months. Vickers hardness numbers showed that Surefil was the hardest and Dyract was the weakest material. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Predictability of combined effects of eight chloroacetanilide herbicides on algal reproduction
Authors: Junghans Marion , Backhaus Thomas , Faust Michael , Scholze Martin , Grimme L Horst
Published: September 2003

Chloroacetanilides are pre‐emergence herbicides for the control of annual grasses and broad‐leaf weeds. As a result of their extensive use, residues are often found in surface waters. Observed simultaneous occurrence of different chloroacetanilide herbicides gives reason for concern about potential combination effects on aquatic non‐target organisms. This study aimed to clarify whether joint effects of various chloroacetanilide herbicides may be predictable from knowledge of concentration–response relationships of single substances. Whether the chloroacetanilides all share the same mode of action is unclear. Therefore we investigated the predictive value of two alternative concepts for the prediction of combined effects: concentration addition, which assumes a similar mode of action, and independent action, which is based on the idea of a dissimilar mode of action of the mixture components. Eight chloroacetanilides (acetochlor, alachlor, butachlor, dimethachlor, metazachlor, metolachlor, pretilachlor and propachlor) were experimentally tested for their individual as well as for their combined effects in mixtures on the reproduction of the green algaScenedesmus vacuolatus. Individual chloroacetanilides impaired algal reproduction, with EC50values ranging from 3 to 232 µg litre−1. The differences in EC50values were strongly correlated with the lipophilicities of the compounds. Effects of chloroacetanilide mixtures were considerably higher than those of the individual components: a complete inhibition of algal reproduction was observed when every mixture component was present in a concentration that would cause only 5% effect if applied singly. However, the combined effects proved to be predictable by using the concept of concentration addition. The alternative concept, independent action, distinctly underestimated the mixture toxicity. These findings (1) indicate a similar mechanism of action of chloroacetanilides in algae and (2) reinforce the view that concentration addition is a reasonable assumption for the predictive hazard assessment of groups of similarly acting herbicides. Copyright © 2003 Society of Chemical Industry
The Supreme Court and the US Presidential Election of 2000: Wounds, Self-Inflicted or Otherwise?
Authors: GIBSON JAMES L. , CALDEIRA GREGORY A. , SPENCE LESTER KENYATTA
Published: September 2003

The conventional wisdom about the US Supreme Court and the 2000 presidential election is that the Court wounded itself by participating in such a partisan dispute. By ‘wounded’ people mean that the institution lost some of its legitimacy. Evidence from our survey, conducted in early 2001, suggests little if any diminution of the Court’s legitimacy in the aftermath of Bush v. Gore, even among African Americans. We observe a relationship between evaluations of the opinion and institutional legitimacy, but the bulk of the causality seems to flow from loyalty to evaluations of the case, not vice versa. We argue that legitimacy frames perceptions of the Court opinion. Furthermore, increased awareness of the activities of the Court tends to reinforce legitimacy by exposing people to the powerful symbols of law. In 2000, legitimacy did indeed seem to provide a reservoir of good will that allowed the Court to weather the storm created by its involvement in Florida’s presidential election.
The Hare and the Tortoise Revisited: The New Politics of Consumer and Environmental Regulation in Europe
Authors: VOGEL DAVID
Published: September 2003

There has been an important shift in the pattern of divergence between consumer and environmental protection policies in Europe and the United States. From the 1960s through the mid 1980s American regulatory standards tended to be more stringent, comprehensive and innovative than in either individual European countries or in the European Union (EU). However, since around 1990 the obverse has been true; many important EU consumer and environmental regulations are now more precautionary than their American counterparts.

The ‘new’ politics of consumer and environmental regulation in Europe are attributable to three inter-related factors: a series of regulatory failures within Europe, broader and stronger political support for more stringent and comprehensive regulatory standards within Europe and the growth in the regulatory competence of the European Union.

In many respects, European regulatory politics and policies since the 1990s resemble those of the United States during the 1970s. Thus health, safety and environmental politics and policies in the United States are no longer as distinctive as many scholars have portrayed them.
Ideology, Party and Interests in the British Parliament of 1841–47
Authors: SCHONHARDT-BAILEY CHERYL
Published: September 2003

Building upon Poole and Rosenthal’s NOMINATE technique and Kalt and Zupan’s residualization approach, I seek to disentangle the influences of constituency interests, party and ideology on the votes of MPs in the famous Repeal of the Corn Laws in 1846. I argue that while the Conservative party shared a distinct ideology, it was also a coalition of two interests-based alliances. The non-Peelite Conservatives represented mostly (protectionist oriented) agricultural districts while the Peelites represented districts with more free trade leaning interests. Before 1846, Peelites voted according to a general Conservative ideology, but in 1846 an abrupt change occurred: the pivotal Peelites appear to have eschewed Conservative party unity and their own personal ideology in favour more of the preferences of their constituents. Repeal appears to have gained passage as these MPs switched from voting more as trustees to voting more as delegates.
Social Context and Inter-Group Political Attitudes: Experiments in Group Conflict Theory
Authors: GLASER JAMES M.
Published: September 2003

Previous studies of group conflict theory look at the relationship between racial balance in a particular area (precinct, county, etc.) and racial attitudes or political behaviour within that area. While of value, there are significant methodological disadvantages to this approach. Here, I address those problems using public opinion experiments in which I ask respondents whether they would allocate political goods proportionally given
different (randomly assigned) hypothetical racial environments. The experiment yields confirmatory results, with non-blacks more likely to support proportionality in less black than heavily black environments. In a second experiment, I find that the same relationship is much weaker when the variations in population are non-racial. Finally, I show that the relationship also holds for blacks and argue that this is theoretically consistent.
The Influence of Political Events on Attitudes
Towards the European Union
Authors: SEMETKO HOLLI A. , VAN DER BRUG WOUTER , VALKENBURG PATTI M.
Published: September 2003

This two-wave panel study was designed to investigate the effects of the media coverage leading up to and including an important European Union event (a summit meeting of EU leaders) on citizens’ attitudes towards the EU and European integration. A random sample of 817 citizens in the Netherlands was surveyed one month before the Amsterdam Summit in June 1997 and three days after it had ended. Two types of attitudes towards Europe were distinguished by scaling analysis: (a) national–pragmatic attitudes towards the EU and (b) supranational–idealistic attitudes towards the EU. Results indicated that supranational–idealistic attitudes were influenced positively as a result of the media coverage related to the summit, whereas national–pragmatic attitudes did not show a significant change. A control variable, attitudes towards immigrants, which was included to detect possible testing effects, showed no change. Effects of the summit’s media coverage were in the same direction across all levels of political knowledge and political attentiveness. When predicting change in supranational–idealistic attitudes, controlling for the original attitude and political knowledge, those who were most attentive to politics were more strongly influenced. These findings challenge traditional views of the impact of knowledge, attention and interest on attitude change.
Fragmenting Protection: The Political Economy of Trade Policy in the Post-Communist World
Authors: FRYE TIMOTHY , MANSFIELD EDWARD D.
Published: September 2003

Scholars and policy makers have displayed a longstanding interest in the politics of economic reform, particularly over the 1990s as former Communist countries struggled to develop market economies. Yet remarkably little systematic research has been conducted on the political economy of commercial reform in the post-Communist world. We argue that the fragmentation of power within post-Communist countries has been a potent force for trade liberalization. In non-democracies where political power is highly concentrated
in the hands of a small group of elites, state leaders face few impediments to rent seeking and are well insulated from interests favouring commercial reform. In non-democracies where power is fragmented within the national government, however, new elites with weak ties to the old regime are well placed to use trade liberalization as a weapon against their political opponents. Moreover, the dispersion of power in non-democracies creates space for groups favouring free trade to promote trade liberalization. Finally, in democracies, the dispersion of power within the national government combined with electoral competition creates an especially potent impetus to trade liberalization. To assess these arguments, we analyse the trade policy of post-Communist countries during the period 1990–98. The results support our claims, highlighting
the importance of examining institutional differences within as well as across regime types in analyses of economic policy.
Party and the Dynamics of Congressional Committee Composition in the US House, 1947–96
Authors: YOUNG GARRY , HEITSHUSEN VALERIE
Published: September 2003

Renewed scholarly interest in the role of US congressional parties has recently coincided with a continuing interest in legislative committee influence and the extent to which that influence relies on committee preference composition. We argue that majority party incentives to influence composition vary by committee salience and party margins. In turn, the party’s ability to influence composition of salient committees is constrained, but varies by party resource levels. We present data on committee composition for the 80th to 104th US Houses and test these expectations using time-series cross-section analysis. The evidence provides support for the predictions – which have been hypothesized or tested anecdotally but have not heretofore been systematically tested – explaining both spatial and temporal variation.
When Simple Voting Doesn’t Work: Multicameral Systems for the Representation and Aggregation of Interests in International Organizations
Authors: BRÄUNINGER THOMAS
Published: September 2003

This article analyses the origins and consequences of multicameral representation and voting in international organizations. It is argued that the existence of visible and durable conflicts in an issue area can make standard procedures such as unicameral majority voting ineffective with respect to the functioning of the regime. Applying spatial models of strategic decision making, it is asserted that multicameralism is more likely to be effective than unicameralism if chambers consist of key groups with distinct interests. Empirical evidence is provided by studying the multicameral voting rule in the Council of the International Seabed Authority (ISA). I compare likely decision-making outcomes under unicameral and multicameral voting rules from 1996 to 2002 and find that multicameral outcomes are more likely to be stable and supported by those actors critical for the effective functioning of the regime.
Viruses in Antarctic ecosystems
Authors: PEARCE DAVID A. , WILSON WILLIAM H.
Published: September 2003

This review seeks to highlight the potential importance of viruses in Antarctic ecosystems and describe the limited scope of Antarctic virus studies to date, including studies of marine, terrestrial and freshwater communities. Although much of the existing work focuses on the microbial community, there are also studies of virus infection in Antarctic animal and plant populations. We describe methodologies available for the study of viral ecology in the field and in calling for a more intensive research effort discuss how microbial ecology might benefit from the study of viruses in Antarctic ecosystems.