bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Subclinical depression in primary care and somatic symptoms
Authors: Ruiz-Doblado Sergio , Estepa-Zabala Belen , Fernández-Abascal Blanca
Published: February 2004

Sir: Studies concerning depression in primary care emphasize the fact that several clinical features of these mood disorders do not satisfy the diagnostic criteria of psychiatric classifications [4]. These primary care patients have been classified as subclinical depression, subthreshold depression, or patients with “depressive symptoms only” [2]. We compared using analysis of variance and Mann–Whitney statistics, a randomized group of 43 patients presenting clinical depressive symptoms (Beck Depression Inventory >16, cut-score validated in Spanish version [1,3]), with another group of 41 “subclinical” patients (BDI scores: 10–16). We considered statistically significative difference P < 0.01.
The relationship between cannabis use and schizotypal symptoms
Authors: Bailey Elizabeth L. , Swallow Brian L.
Published: February 2004

To test the relationship between schizotypal symptoms and cannabis use in a non-clinical population, cannabis users and non-users were asked to complete the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire. Significant differences in scores between the groups were observed. There may be a developmental process in the relationship between cannabis use and schizotypal symptoms.
Female genital mutilation in Nigeria
Authors: Mandara M.U.
Published: February 2004

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and distribution of female genital mutilation (FGM) procedures in a Nigerian population. Methods: Five hundred consecutive women were evaluated for evidence of FGM. The WHO classification system was utilized. Demographic and sociocultural information was collected. Results: Thirty‐four percent of women were found to have some type of FGM. Type I and Type II procedures were the most common. Fifty‐five percent of women were unaware they had FGM and 62% with FGM did not know the reason. Twenty‐one percent of women said they were going to have FGM on their daughters. Conclusions: FGM is still broadly practiced among ethnic and religious groups in Nigeria. Educational efforts need to be directed at eliminating this practice.
Screening for partner violence during pregnancy
Authors: Shadigian E.M. , Bauer S.T.
Published: February 2004

Objectives: An analysis of the international literature on partner violence provides insights for health care providers caring for women. Methods: The current literature on partner violence epidemiology, screening, and interventions was reviewed, focusing on pregnancy. Results: Adolescent girls and pregnant women are at highest risk for partner violence and homicide. Conclusion: Health care providers need to offer clinical screening and interventions to prevent consequences of partner violence, including homicide.
Uterine artery embolization for symptomatic fibroids
Authors: Prollius A. , de Vries C. , Loggenberg E. , Nel M. , du Plessis A. , Van Rensburg D.J. , Wessels P.H.
Published: February 2004

Objectives: The aim of this study was to introduce uterine artery embolization (UAE) as an effective and safe treatment option in patients with symptomatic fibroids. Methods: Sixty‐one patients underwent UAE with a 3‐ and 12‐month follow‐up. Results: The procedure was well tolerated in all patients with the following symptoms improving: heavy bleeding [90% (95% CI 80.21%; 95.4%)]; dysmenorrhea [median −4 (95% CI −5; −4)]; feeling of a mass [74% (95% CI 57.9%; 85.8%)]; abdomino‐pelvic discomfort [88% (95% CI 75.5%; 94.9%)]; and deep dyspareunia [90% (95% CI 71.1%; 97.3%)]. Uterine volume decreased by a median difference of 188 cm3 (95% CI 146.5; 236), which related to a median % reduction of 37.7% (95% CI 32.4%; 45%) at 12‐month follow‐up. Most (91%) patients were satisfied with the procedure and only minor complications occurred. Conclusions: Uterine artery embolization can be performed effectively and safely at centers with the necessary expertise and can be used with success in Africa.
Female genital tuberculosis in Ethiopia
Authors: Abebe M , Lakew M , Kidane D , Lakew Z , Kiros K , Harboe M
Published: February 2004

Objectives: To study the occurrence of female genital tuberculosis (FGTB) in Ethiopia and to compare the different methods available for its diagnosis. Methods: Biopsy or curettage samples from 25 clinically suspected cases of FGTB were investigated with histopathology, smear microscopy, TB culture and PCR for mycobacteria. HIV status was determined by ELISA. CD4:CD8 ratio was evaluated by flow cytometry. Results: Among the 25 clinically suspected patients investigated, only one was AFB smear positive, three were culture positive, seven were histology positive and 12 were positive by PCR (a total of 16 positives). Samples taken from the fallopian tube were more frequently positive than those from the endometrium. Conclusions: The results showed that FGTB is a significant clinical problem in Ethiopia. A combination of PCR with the other available methods was found to be the best alternative to achieve sufficient sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of FGTB in this setting.
Hepatitis E in pregnancy
Authors: Kumar A. , Beniwal M. , Kar P. , Sharma J.B. , Murthy N.S.
Published: February 2004

Objectives: To study the spectrum and the clinical and biochemical course of viral hepatitis E during pregnancy. Methods: In this prospective study, sera of 62 pregnant women having jaundice in the third trimester of pregnancy were analyzed for markers of hepatitis A, B, C and E viruses. The cord blood samples of hepatitis E virus (HEV)‐positive pregnant women at the time of delivery were tested for IgM anti‐HEV antibodies by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and HEV‐RNA by reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Results: Of the 62 patients, 45.2% had HEV infection and nine developed fulminant hepatic failure (FHF). Eighty‐one percent of FHF cases and 37.25% of acute viral hepatitis cases were caused by HEV. Approximately two‐thirds of the pregnant women with HEV infection had preterm deliveries. The mortality rate among the HEV‐positive pregnant women was 26.9%. Vertical transmission was observed in 33.3% of cases. Conclusions: One‐third of the pregnant women with HEV infection had a severe form of hepatitis in the third trimester of pregnancy, i.e. FHF. Hepatitis E in pregnancy is associated with high rates of preterm labor and mortality.
Common virus infections in cats, before and after being placed in shelters, with emphasis on feline enteric coronavirus
Authors: Pedersen N.C. , Sato R. , Foley J.E. , Poland A.M.
Published: February 2004

The purpose of this study was to determine the origin and subsequent spread of feline calicivirus (FCV), feline herpesvirus (FHV), and feline enteric coronavirus (FECV) in cats relinquished to shelters. FCV was isolated from the oral fauces of 11% of healthy cats upon entry, and isolation rates were highest for kittens (33%). FHV shedding was very low (4%) at the time of entry and occurred mainly in juveniles. FECV shedding was also common among newly relinquished cats (33%), especially older kittens and juveniles (90%). The subsequent spread of all three viruses was rapid and efficient in the shelter environment. Fifteen percent of cats were shedding FCV, 52% FHV, and 60% FECV after 1 week. More detailed studies were done with FECV shedding, which could be accurately quantitated. The amounts of FECV shed by infected cats ranged from 102 to 1016particles/swab of feces. FECV shedding was several logs higher in young kittens with primary infection than adult cats with primary infections. The mean levels of FECV shedding among adults were the same for primary and chronic infections. Although shelters were not the primary source of these viruses for many relinquished cats, factors intrinsic to the shelter environment were critical in amplifying shedding and spread to susceptible individuals. Extrinsic factors were especially important for the spread of FHV and FECV. FHV shedding rates increased from 4% to 50% in 1 week's time. The speed and magnitude of the increase in FHV shedding suggested that there was reactivation of latent infections as well as acquisition of new infections. FECV shedding increased 10 to 1,000,000 fold in 1 week among cats that were already infected at entry, and more than one-half of initially negative cats were shedding FECV a week later. Feline calicivirus infection was the least likely to spread in the shelter. The infection rate only increased from 11 to 15% in 1 week.
Towards a theory of supply chain management: the constructs and measurements
Authors: Chen Injazz J , Paulraj Antony
Published: February 2004

Rising international cooperation, vertical disintegration, along with a focus on core activities have led to the notion that firms are links in a networked supply chain. This novel perspective has created the challenge of designing and managing a network of interdependent relationships developed and fostered through strategic collaboration. Although research interests in supply chain management (SCM) are growing, no research has been directed towards a systematic development of SCM instruments.

This study identifies and consolidates various supply chain initiatives and factors to develop key SCM constructs conducive to advancing the field. To this end, we analyzed over 400 articles and synthesized the large, fragmented body of work dispersed across many disciplines. The result of this study, through successive stages of measurement analysis and refinement, is a set of reliable, valid, and unidimensional measurements that can be subsequently used in different contexts to refine or extend conceptualization and measurements or to test various theoretical models, paving the way for theory building in SCM.
Measuring dimensions of manufacturing flexibility
Authors: Koste Lori L , Malhotra Manoj K , Sharma Subhash
Published: February 2004

Even though many managers and academics have cited flexibility as a key competitive capability, efforts to measure and understand this complex construct continue. Consequently in this paper, we address the issue of manufacturing flexibility measurement, and then use these measures to better understand flexibility. Churchill’s [J. Market. Res. 16 (1979) 64] paradigm is used to develop psychometrically sound measures for six oft‐used dimensions of manufacturing flexibility: machine, labor, material handling, mix, new product, and modification. Previous research shows that each of these dimensions, in turn, is comprised of four elements. The resulting 24 scales (6 dimensions×4 elements) demonstrate the desired properties of unidimensionality, reliability, and validity. We show further that the four elements of any given manufacturing flexibility dimension can be grouped into two conceptually separate factors representing “Scope” and “Achievability” of flexible responses. Scope and achievability factor scores can be used to compare a subset of firms with respect to their flexibility choices, and observe the trade‐offs firms make both within and across flexibility dimensions. Along with scale development, establishing scope versus achievability relationships between flexibility elements provides a better basis for measuring and creating a holistic understanding of this complex concept.
Early callus of fractured rib of rat contracts and relaxes ex vivo
Authors: Dooley Philip C. , Howgate Melissa L. , Schuijers Johannes A. , Grills Brian L.
Published: February 2004

Purpose. Wound contraction is an essential process in early soft‐tissue repair, yet contraction of callus in fracture repair has not been investigated previously. Fracture callus consists of several cell types, many of which may have the capacity to contract. Accordingly, the purpose of the present study was to (i) determine whether early soft fracture calluses contract and relax ex vivo and (ii) identify and locate the contractile protein, alpha smooth muscle actin (αSMA) in callus.

Methods. One non‐weight‐bearing rib was fractured in adult male rats under anaesthesia and 10 calluses were removed 5, 7 and 9 days later for examination. Force production by calluses was measured using a sensitive force transducer when callus preparations were immersed sequentially in solutions known to either contract or relax smooth muscle preparations. Calluses and unfractured rib were analysed for the presence of αSMA using Western Blot and immunohistochemical techniques.

Results. When immersed in normal Krebs‐Henseleit solution (K–H; pH 7.4, 22°C) 7 callus preparations contracted and 3 relaxed. The force response was phasic (3 calluses) or tonic (7 calluses). Subsequent immersion in Ca2+‐free K–H resulted in no change in force in 4 calluses, a decrease in force (relaxation) in 3 calluses, and an increase in force (contraction) in 2 calluses when compared to the force in the preceding solution (K–H). The final incubation in a solution having a high [K+] (64 mM) partially relaxed 6 calluses, contracted 3 and produced no change in force in 1 callus compared to the final force of the callus in the Ca2+‐free solution. Collagen (in the form of rat Achilles tendon), the major structural protein in soft fracture callus, relaxed in K–H and continued to relax during exposure to Ca2+‐free K–H and to solutions having a high [K+].

Western Blot and immunohistochemical studies detected the presence of αSMA in calluses and (in particular) in osteoprogenitor cells of fibrous callus respectively, as well as its absence from unfractured rib.

Conclusions. (i) Early, soft fracture callus is capable of contracting and relaxing, (ii) the responses of callus to K–H, Ca2+‐free and high [K+] solutions are distinctly different from the responses of smooth muscle preparations reported in the literature, (iii) the cell types in callus, particularly osteoprogenitor cells in uncalcified, collagenous matrix, have an essential contractile protein, αSMA, to support the observed contraction and relaxation and (iv) the contraction of soft fracture callus may facilitate fracture repair by creating tension within the callus and drawing the fracture ends together. Crown Copyright © 2004 Published by Elsevier Ltd. on behalf of Orthopaedic Research Society. All rights reserved.
Fifty-thousand-year vegetation and climate history of Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, Bolivian Amazon
Authors: Burbridge Rachel E. , Mayle Francis E. , Killeen Timothy J.
Published: February 2004

Pollen and charcoal records from two large, shallow lakes reveal that throughout most of the past 50,000 yr Noel Kempff Mercado National Park, in northeastern lowland Bolivia (southwestern Amazon Basin), was predominantly covered by savannas and seasonally dry semideciduous forests. Lowered atmospheric CO2 concentrations, in combination with a longer dry season, caused expansion of dry forests and savannas during the last glacial period, especially at the last glacial maximum. These ecosystems persisted until the mid-Holocene, although they underwent significant species reassortment. Forest communities containing a mixture of evergreen and semideciduous species began to expand between 6000 and 3000 14C yr B.P. Humid evergreen rain forests expanded to cover most of the area within the past 2000 14C yr B.P. coincident with a reduction in fire frequencies. Comparisons between modern pollen spectra and vegetation reveal that the Moraceae-dominated rain forest pollen spectra likely have a regional source area at least 2–3 km beyond the lake shore, whereas the grass- and sedge-dominated savanna pollen spectra likely have a predominantly local source area. The Holocene vegetation changes are consistent with independent paleoprecipitation records from the Bolivian Altiplano and paleovegetation records from other parts of southwestern Amazonia. The progressive expansion in rain forests through the Holocene can be largely attributed to enhanced convective activity over Amazonia, due to greater seasonality of insolation in the Southern Hemisphere tropics driven by the precession cycle according to the Milankovitch Astronomical Theory.
Eu3+ binding to europium‐regenerated bacteriorhodopsin upon delipidation and monomerization
Authors: Heyes Colin D. , Reynolds Keith B. , El-Sayed Mostafa A.
Published: February 2004

We have studied the effect of monomerization of the purple membrane lattice, as well as removal of 75% of the lipids, on the binding properties of Eu3+ ions. We found that delipidation and monomerization do not cause the cations to lose their binding ability to the protein. This suggests that the three most strongly bound Eu3+ cations do not bind to the lipids, but directly bind to the protein. Furthermore, we found that delipidation actually causes a slight increase in the binding affinity. This is likely a result of reduced aggregation of europium‐regenerated bacteriorhodopsin (bR) upon lipid removal causing more exposure of the binding sites to the Eu3+ cations. These results, taken with those from our previous publication [Heyes and El‐Sayed, Biophys. J. 85 (2003) 426–434], might suggest that the cations remain bound upon delipidation of bR, but have no effect on the function. This is discussed with respect to the role of cations in the function of native bR.
Important role of Ser443 in different thermal stability of human glutamate dehydrogenase isozymes1
Authors: Yang Seung-Ju , Huh Jae-Wan , Hong Hea-Nam , Kim Tae Ue , Cho Sung-Woo
Published: February 2004

Molecular biological studies confirmed that two glutamate dehydrogenase isozymes (hGDH1 and hGDH2) of distinct genetic origin are expressed in human tissues. hGDH1 is heat‐stable and expressed widely, whereas hGDH2 is heat‐labile and specific for neural and testicular tissues. A selective deficiency of hGDH2 has been reported in patients with spinocerebellar ataxia. We have identified an amino acid residue involved in the different thermal stability of human GDH isozymes. At 45°C (pH 7.0), heat inactivation proceeded faster for hGDH2 (half life=45 min) than for hGDH1 (half‐life=310 min) in the absence of allosteric regulators. Both hGDH1 and hGDH2, however, showed much slower heat inactivation processes in the presence of 1 mM ADP or 3 mM L‐Leu. Virtually most of the enzyme activity remained up to 100 min at 45°C after treatment with ADP and L‐Leu in combination. In contrast to ADP and L‐Leu, the thermal stabilities of the hGDH isozymes were not affected by addition of substrates or coenzymes. In human GDH isozymes, the 443 site is Arg in hGDH1 and Ser in hGDH2. Replacement of Ser by Arg at the 443 site by cassette mutagenesis abolished the heat lability of hGDH2 with a similar half‐life of hGDH1. The mutagenesis at several other sites (L415M, A456G, and H470R) having differences in amino acid sequence between the two GDH isozymes did not show any change in the thermal stability. These results suggest that the Ser443 residue plays an important role in the different thermal stability of human GDH isozymes.
Virus survival of RNA silencing without deploying protein‐mediated suppression in Nicotiana benthamiana
Authors: van Wezel Rene , Hong Yiguo
Published: February 2004

RNA silencing represents an evolutionarily conserved defence mechanism that plays a key antiviral role in protecting plants and animals against virus infection. To counterattack, plant, animal and fungal viruses produce proteins capable of suppressing RNA silencing. Here, we report an unprecedented phenomenon that Potato virus X, a single‐stranded positive RNA virus, is able to survive RNA silencing without deploying protein‐mediated anti‐silencing by revealing an unexpected symptom re‐emergence and re‐accumulation of viral RNAs and proteins in plants maintaining strong RNA silencing. Our results provide evidence that a plant virus may have developed a getaway strategy to survive RNA silencing.
LRP‐1/TβR‐V mediates TGF‐β1‐induced growth inhibition in CHO cells
Authors: Tseng Wen-Fang , Huang Shuan Shian , Huang Jung San
Published: February 2004

The type V transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) receptor (TβR‐V) is hypothesized to be involved in cellular growth inhibition by TGF‐β1. Recently, TβR‐V was found to be identical to low density lipoprotein receptor‐related protein‐1 (LRP‐1). Here we demonstrate that TGF‐β1 inhibits growth of wild‐type CHO cells but not LRP‐1‐deficient mutant cells (CHO‐LRP‐1− cells). Stable transfection of CHO‐LRP‐1− cells with LRP‐1 cDNA restores the wild‐type morphology and the sensitivity to growth inhibition by TGF‐β1. In addition, overexpression of LRP‐1 minireceptors exerts a dominant negative effect and attenuates the growth inhibitory response to TGF‐β1 in wild‐type CHO cells. These results suggest that LRP‐1/TβR‐V is critical for TGF‐β1‐mediated growth inhibition in CHO cells.
Identification of a novel class of annexin genes
Authors: Khalaj Vahid , Smith Lyndsay , Brookman Jayne , Tuckwell Danny
Published: February 2004

The annexins are a family of calcium‐ and phospholipid‐binding proteins that have been widely studied in animals. Investigation of annexins in the fungus Aspergillus fumigatus identified a novel annexin‐like gene (ANXC4) as well as two conventional annexins (ANXC3.1 and ANXC3.2). The genes were initially identified by bioinformatics, and sequences were then determined experimentally. Reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction indicated that all three genes were expressed. ANXC4 lacked calcium‐binding consensus sequences and had a 553 residue N‐terminal tail. However, bioinformatics indicated that ANXC4 is an annexin and homologues were identified in other filamentous fungi. ANXC4 therefore represents a new grouping within the annexin family.
Creating the Royal Society's Sylvester Medal
Authors: CANTOR GEOFFREY
Published: March 2004

Following the death of James Joseph Sylvester in 1897, contributions were collected in order to mark his life and work by a suitable memorial. This initiative resulted in the Sylvester Medal, which is awarded triennially by the Royal Society for the encouragement of research into pure mathematics. Ironically the main advocate for initiating this medal was not a fellow mathematician but the chemist and naturalist Raphael Meldola. Religion, not mathematics, provided the link between Meldola and Sylvester; they were among the very few Jewish Fellows of the Royal Society. This paper focuses primarily on the politics of the Anglo-Jewish community and why it, together with a number of scientists and mathematicians, supported Meldola in creating the Sylvester Medal.
The work of ice: glacial theory and scientific culture in early Victorian Edinburgh
Authors: FINNEGAN DIARMID A.
Published: March 2004

Edinburgh has long been recognized as one important place where early glacial theory was promoted and debated. This paper, rather than attend to the longer-term development of glacial theory, focuses on the ways in which the theory was assessed, disseminated and received in and through the scientific culture of early Victorian Edinburgh. Edinburgh's scientific and educational societies, science journals, newspapers and field sites are brought to view through examining their engagement with, and use of, early glacial theory. Tracking the theory's passage across a range of spaces bound up with the promotion of geology in mid-nineteenth-century Edinburgh signals relations between local geological endeavour and other sorts of scientific and cultural work. Particular, though not exclusive, attention is given to practices more readily defined as ‘popular’.
‘An amusing account of a cave in Wales’: William Buckland (1784–1856) and the Red Lady of Paviland
Authors: SOMMER MARIANNE
Published: March 2004

In 1823 the first Reader of Geology at Oxford University, William Buckland (1784–1856), unearthed the human skeleton known as the ‘Red Lady’ in Paviland cave, south Wales. While the Red Lady is valued today as a central testimony of early Upper Palaeolithic humans in Britain, Buckland considered the skeleton as of postdiluvian age, meaning from after the biblical Deluge. Rather than viewing Buckland as either obscurantist or as having worked entirely within ordinary scientific practice, the paper focuses on how he managed to create an institutional and conceptual space for his geology at one of the centres for the education of the Anglican clergy, and on the impact the sometimes paradoxical demands had on his interpretation of prehistoric human relics, the Red Lady in particular. Buckland was famous if not notorious for his peculiar humour, the distracting and cathartic qualities of which, it will be argued, served as strategy in the advancement of unorthodox ideas or for glossing over inconsistencies.
SHARON MACDONALD, Behind the Scenes at the Science Museum. Materializing Culture. Oxford and New York: Berg, 2002. Pp. xiii+293. ISBN 1-85973-571-1. £14.00 (paperback).
Authors: BENNETT JIM
Published: March 2004

Sharon Macdonald, Behind the Scenes at the Science Museum. By Jim Bennett 99

Charles Mollan, William Davis and Brendan Finucane (eds.), Irish Innovators in Science and Technology. By Enda Leaney 100

Pamela O. Long, Openness, Secrecy, Authorship: Technical Arts and the Culture of Knowledge from Antiquity to the Renaissance. By Catherine Eagleton, Karin Tybjerg and Koen Vermeir 101

Antonio Clericuzio, Elements, Principles and Corpuscles: A Study of Atomism and Chemistry in the Seventeenth Century. By Christoph Lüthy 103

Lisa Silverman, Tortured Subjects: Pain, Truth, and the Body in Early Modern France. By Sean M. Quinlan 105

Trevor H. Levere and Gerard L'E. Turner, Discussing Chemistry and Steam: The Minutes of a Coffee House Philosophical Society 1780–1787. By William H Brock 106

Claudine Cohen, The Fate of the Mammoth: Fossils, Myth, and History. By Bowdoin Van Riper 107

David Elliston Allen, Naturalists and Society: The Culture of Natural History in Britain, 1700–1900. By Jim Endersby 108

Roger Luckhurst, The Invention of Telepathy, 1870–1901. By Richard Noakes 110

Benjamin H. Yandell, The Honors Class: Hilbert's Problems and Their Solvers. By I. Grattan-Guinness 112

Emily Thompson, The Soundscape of Modernity: Architectural Acoustics and the Culture of Listening in America, 1900–1933. By Neil Pemberton 113
The State and Democratization: The United States in Comparative Perspective
Authors: GONZÁLEZ FRANCISCO E. , KING DESMOND
Published: March 2004

In this article we defend the importance of the concept of ‘stateness’ in scholarly understanding of political democratization. We argue that because processes of political democratization in different spatio-temporal settings often share important similarities they are therefore comparable. We investigate this proposition by comparing the process of American political democratization with those of other liberal democracies, old and new. We review extant accounts of the historical process of American democratization – including those addressing American exceptionalism, class structures, multiple traditions, social movements, and international pressures – before presenting an alternative comparative account based on the idea of stateness. Attention to stateness problems defined along legal, bureaucratic and ideological dimensions and derived from both the classic Weberian perspective on the state and the more recent ‘third wave’ of democratization theory help to place the long American experience of democratization in comparative perspective. This finding illuminates some of the common political challenges in the construction of liberal democracies, old and new.
Economic Reform and Democratization: Evidence from Latin America and Post-Socialist Countries
Authors: KWON HYEOK YONG
Published: March 2004

What are the political consequences of economic reform in new democracies? Is the effect of economic reform on democratization the same across regions? Some scholars of transitology argue that economic reform has negative consequences on democratization largely because the resistance of established groups can undermine democratization processes. Others, mainly scholars of the post-socialist region, argue that in the post-socialist region economic reform has positive consequences on political democratization due in large part to the region's distinctive historical and structural legacies. The heated debate between Philippe Schmitter with Terry Karl and Valerie Bunce provides ample opportunity to (re)think about democratization in a more contextual and cross-regional perspective. However, there has been little systematic empirical analysis across regions. This analysis attempts to fill the gap by examining whether the dominant research paradigm of democratization is empirically valid across regions in transition.
Determiner agreement and noun conjunction
Authors: KING TRACY HOLLOWAY , DALRYMPLE MARY
Published: March 2004

Determiner-noun agreement in English and many other languages appears to be straightforwardly describable; singular determiners go with singular nouns, and plural determiners go with plural nouns. The situation is more complicated with coordinated nouns, however, since unexpected agreement patterns often result. Our theory makes the correct predictions for English and other languages by combining two crucial insights: the dual nature of agreement features inside the noun phrase (Kathol 1999; Sadler 1999, 2003; Wechsler & Zlatić 2000, 2003) and the distinction between distributive and nondistributive features in coordination (Dalrymple & Kaplan 2000).
Why education needs linguistics (and vice versa)
Authors: HUDSON RICHARD
Published: March 2004

One of the fundamental questions on which we linguists disagree is whether or not our subject is useful for education. On one side is a long tradition, stretching back to the classical world, in which the practical benefits were clear and agreed – for example, the early Stoic grammarians aimed to improve literary style (Robins 1967: 16), and the Latin grammarians wrote pedagogical texts for use in school (ibid.: 54). In modern times this tradition is represented by leading linguists such as Tesnière (1959) and Halliday (1964), whose work has been motivated at least in part by the desire to improve language teaching at school. On the other hand is an equally long philosophical tradition of ‘pure’ scholarship for its own sake, in which the only motivation was a desire to understand language better. Recently this tradition is most clearly represented by two linguists who otherwise have little in common, Sampson (1980) and Chomsky (Olson, Faigley & Chomsky 1991), both of whom have denied that linguistics has, can have or indeed should have any relevance to language teaching.

The aim of this paper is to defend the traditional idea that linguistics has an important contribution to make in language teaching, though I shall not of course suggest that every piece of academic research should have a clear pay-off in terms of practical benefits. ‘Blue-skies’ research is just as important in linguistics as in other disciplines. All I shall argue is that our discipline, seen as a whole, has an important interface with education, and that research whose results cross this interface is just as important as that which feeds into, say, neuroscience or child development. Indeed, I shall go further by arguing that academic linguistics is weakened if we ignore the impact of education on language, so information must cross this interface in both directions. If the interface is important even for ‘pure’ research, it follows that we cannot simply name it ‘applied linguistics’ and leave it to those who call themselves applied linguists. My point is that the debate is relevant to all linguists, however ‘pure’, because if education has a profound impact on language, we should know rather better than we do at present exactly what that impact is.
Epidemiological and molecular evidence supports the zoonotic transmission ofGiardiaamong humans and dogs living in the same community
Authors: TRAUB R. J. , MONIS P. T. , ROBERTSON I. , IRWIN P. , MENCKE N. , THOMPSON R. C. A.
Published: March 2004

Giardia duodenalisisolates recovered from humans and dogs living in the same locality in a remote tea-growing community of northeast India were characterized at 3 different loci; the SSU-rDNA, elongation factor 1-alpha (ef1-α) and triose phosphate isomerase (tpi) gene. Phylogenetic analysis of the SSU-rDNA and ef1-α genes provided poor genetic resolution of the isolates within various assemblages, stressing the importance of using multiple loci when inferring genotypes toGiardia. Analysis of the tpi gene provided better genetic resolution and placed canineGiardiaisolates within the genetic groupings of human isolates (Assemblages A and B). Further evidence for zoonotic transmission was supported by epidemiological data showing a highly significant association between the prevalence ofGiardiain humans and presence of aGiardia-positive dog in the same household (odds ratio 3·01, 95% CI, 1·11, 8·39,P=0·0000).
The effect of expression levels on codon usage inPlasmodium falciparum
Authors: PEIXOTO L. , FERNÁNDEZ V. , MUSTO H.
Published: March 2004

The usage of alternative synonymous codons in the completely sequenced, extremely A+T-rich parasitePlasmodium falciparumwas studied. Confirming previous studies obtained with less than 3% of the total genes recently described, we found that A- and U-ending triplets predominate but translational selection increases the frequency of a subset of codons in highly expressed genes. However, some new results come from the analysis of the complete sequence. First, there is more variation in GC3 than previously described; second, the effect of natural selection acting at the level of translation has been analysed with real expression data at 4 different stages and third, we found that highly expressed proteins increment the frequency of energetically less expensive amino acids. The implications of these results are discussed.
Remote sensing of intraperitoneal parasitism by the host's brain: regional changes ofc-fosgene expression in the brain of feminized cysticercotic male mice
Authors: MORALES-MONTOR J. , ARRIETA I. , DEL CASTILLO L. I. , RODRÍGUEZ-DORANTES M. , CERBÓN M. A. , LARRALDE C.
Published: March 2004

Experimental intraperitonealTaenia crassicepscysticercosis in mice exhibits distinct genetical, immunological and endocrinological features possibly resulting from the complex interactive network of their physiological systems. Very notable is the tendency of parasites to grow faster in hosts of the female sex. It is also remarkable in the feminization process that the infection induces in chronically infected male mice, characterized by their estrogenization, deandrogenization and loss of sexual and aggressive patterns of behaviour. The proto-oncogenec-fosis a sex steroid-regulated transcription factor gene, expressed basally and upon stimulation by many organisms. In the CNS of rodents,c-fosis found expressed in association to sexual stimulation and to various immunological and stressful events. Hence, we suspected that changes inc-fosexpression in the brain could be involved in the feminization of the infected male mice. Indeed, it was found thatc-fosexpression increased at different times during infection in the hypothalamus, hippocampus, less so in the preoptic area and cortex, and not in several other organs. The significant and distinctive regional changes ofc-fosin the CNS of infected mice indicate that the brain of the host senses intraperitoneal cysticercosis and may also announce its active participation in the regulation of the host–parasite relationship. Possibly, the host's CNS activity is involved in the network that regulates the estrogenization and deandrogenization observed in the chronically infected male mice, as well as in the behavioural and immunological peculiarities observed in this parasitic infection.
Randomly amplified polymorphic DNA analysis of Trypanosoma rangeli and allied species from human, monkeys and other sylvatic mammals of the Brazilian Amazon disclosed a new group and a species-specific marker
Authors: DA SILVA F. MAIA , RODRIGUES A. C. , CAMPANER M. , TAKATA C. S. A. , BRIGIDO M. C. , JUNQUEIRA A. C. V. , COURA J. R. , TAKEDA G. F. , SHAW J. J. , TEIXEIRA M. M. G.
Published: March 2004

We characterized 14 trypanosome isolates from sylvatic mammals (9 from primates, 1 from sloth, 2 from anteaters and 2 from opossum) plus 2 human isolates of Brazilian Amazon. These isolates were proven to be Trypanosoma rangeli by detection of metacyclic trypomastigotes in the salivary glands of triatomines and by a specific PCR assay. Polymorphism determined by randomly amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) revealed that most (12) of the Brazilian T. rangeli isolates from the Amazon differed from those of other geographical regions, thus constituting a new group of T. rangeli. Four Brazilian isolates clustered together with a previously described group (A) that was described as being composed of being isolates from Colombia and Venezuela. Isolates from Panama and El Salvador form another group. The isolate from Southern Brazil did not cluster to any of the above-mentioned groups. This is the first study that assesses the genetic relationship of a large number of isolates from wild mammals, especially from non-human primates. A randomly-amplified DNA fragment (Tra625) exclusive to T. rangeli was used to develop a PCR assay able to detect all T. rangeli groups.
Amylopectin: a major component of the residual body inCryptosporidium parvumoocysts
Authors: HARRIS J. R. , ADRIAN M. , PETRY F.
Published: March 2004

Amylopectin is used for carbohydrate storage in different life-stages of a number of apicomplexan parasites. We have performed an ultrastructural analysis of amylopectin granules from the oocyst residual body and sporozoites ofCryptosporidium parvum. Amylopectin granules were studiedin situand after isolation from ‘French’ press disrupted parasites, by conventional transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of sectioned oocysts and various negative staining and cryoelectron microscopy techniques. Within the membrane-enclosed oocyst residuum large amylopectin granules (0·1–0·3 μm) can be found besides a characteristic large lipid body and a crystalline protein inclusion. Smaller granules were detected in sectioned sporozoites. Negative staining of isolated amylopectin granules revealed some ultrastructural features not readily visible in sectioned material. The large amylopectin granules had a smooth surface with a ‘ball of string’-like inner structure. Granules isolated from sporozoites were more irregularly shaped and showed a rod-like particulate composition. With the exception of α-amylase, which led to some degree of damage of the surface of the particles, treatment of amylopectin granules with other glycohydrolases had little effect on the overall structure. However, granules adhered to one another. Only when the granules were boiled did the ‘ball of string’ structure gradually dissolve.
Renegotiating identity and relationships: men and women's adjustments to retirement
Authors: BARNES HELEN , PARRY JANE
Published: March 2004

Retirement is frequently a period of change, when the roles and relationships associated with individuals' previous labour market positions are transformed. It is also a time when personal relationships, including the marital relationship and relationships with friends and family, come under increased scrutiny and may be realigned. Many studies of adjustment to retirement focus primarily on individual motivation; by contrast, this paper seeks to examine the structure of resources within which such decisions are framed. The paper examines the contribution that gender roles and identities make to the overall configuration of resources available to particular individuals. It draws upon qualitative research conducted with older people in four contrasting parts of the United Kingdom, and examines the combination of labour market and non-labour-market activities in which they are involved prior to state retirement age and as they withdraw from paid work. It explores how older people invoke various gendered identities to negotiate change and continuity during this time. The paper argues that gender roles and identities are central to this process and that the reflexive deployment of gender may rank alongside financial resources and social capital in its importance to the achievement of satisfying retirement transitions. Amongst those interviewed, traditional gendered roles predominated, and these sat less comfortably with retirement for men than for women.
Sampling minority ethnic older people in Britain
Authors: SIN CHIH HOONG
Published: March 2004

The study of minority ethnic older people in Britain is hampered by the lack of a reliable sampling frame. There are few national studies and most research projects are small and involve localised samples. The infrastructure for doing research with such population groups is poorly set up. This article attempts to address the needs of practitioners by reviewing the use of common sampling frames and approaches, pointing out caveats, and highlighting potential. More recent and innovative sampling approaches are also discussed. The article deals with issues of bias, reliability, perspective and geography. Recommendations for improved practice include being more transparent in reporting the derivation of samples, making more efficient use of existing data sets, better ways of working with community organisations as well as more effective collaborative research. It is also argued that various authorities and funding bodies should increase investment in this area, especially given the projected absolute and proportionate increases in minority ethnic older people in Britain.
The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing: from conception to implementation
Authors: SIDORENKO ALEXANDRE , WALKER ALAN
Published: March 2004

The Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing is the most important United Nations (UN) document on population ageing for 20 years and sets the context for global policies on ageing for the current century. Drawing from the authors' active participation in the preparation of the draft that formed the basis of the Madrid Plan, the primary purpose of this article is to describe the two-year process of development of the Plan. Then the main features of the Plan are outlined, including the pivotal role of the society for all ages concept and its thematic foundations. The Madrid Plan is contrasted with its Vienna predecessor of 20 years earlier – the priority given to developing countries in the former is identified as one of the key differences between them. Following a brief outline of the implementation and monitoring processes for the Madrid Plan, a model is presented as a potential template for use in evaluating the impact of the Plan and, especially, its effectiveness in improving the conditions of older people's lives. It is argued that a systematic process of monitoring and evaluation is required if the Plan is not to suffer the fate of being regarded as yet another worthy ‘wish list’.
THE FORCES OF LABOUR
Authors: BUHIMSCHI CATALIN S , BUHIMSCHI IRINA A , MALINOW ANDREW M , SAADE GEORGE R , GARFIELD ROBERT E , WEINER CARL P
Published: March 2004

Despite an impressive amount of effort and extensive research, our knowledge of parturition remains scant. Although numerous scientists have investigated “the timing of birth”, we still have a limited understanding of the biological mechanisms that control events initiating delivery, or the availability of methods supposed to prevent these mechanisms from acting inappropriately. A multitude of factors and structures are involved; the myometrium, cervix, placenta and the fetus must act in concert to assure successful delivery. We do know that achievement of a “perfect” contractile force is not the sole factor. Successful delivery is also impacted by subtle differences in pelvic shape or size.
MATERNAL CARDIOVASCULAR HAEMODYNAMICS IN NORMAL AND COMPLICATED PREGNANCIES
Authors: VALENSISE HERBERT , VASAPOLLO BARBARA , NOVELLI GIAN PAOLO
Published: March 2004

Why should obstetricians study maternal cardiac function in normal and complicated pregnancies? Despite our understanding of the importance of disease processes, such as autoimmunity, impaired renal function and long-standing diabetes, on the placenta and thus pregnancy outcome, new data is emerging to suggest that early central cardiovascular adaptions are central to pregnancy success. Furthermore, successful maternal cardiovascular adaptions are a diagnostic test of longer-term cardiovascular health for the mother. The importance of the maternal ‘cardiac pump’ as the “core” of adaptation to pregnancy has increased in the last years. Studies identifying high risk patients by uterine artery Doppler waveforms in the 2nd trimester indicate that high uterine vascular impedance affects a proportion of women (resulting in severe preeclampsia) while the majority remain well. This dichotomy in maternal response is one explanation for the poor screening characteristics of uterine artery Doppler in unselected women. Women destined to develop preeclampsia with abnormal uterine artery Doppler have a latent period before the disease develops. During this phase, the heart adapts to alterations in circulating blood volume, placental implantation, and maternal peripheral vascular impedance. We believe that disordered heart function is an unavoidable part of the disease spectrum of preeclampsia, since it makes many adaptions even in the face of normal pregnancy. In this article we summarise the experience of our group and the published literature concerning maternal cardiac performance in normal and complicated pregnancies. These findings are relevant to modern day clinical practice.
Factor Structure of the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale in Low- Income Women Attending Primary Care Clinics
Authors: Thomas Janet L. , Brantley Phillip J.
Published: March 2004

Given the high rates of major depressive disorder in primary care settings, routine use of screening measures to assist in identifying depressed individuals is warranted. The Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) ( Radloff, 1977 ) is a self-rated measure of distress commonly used to screen for depression in primary care settings. The present study was undertaken to confirm the original four-factor model in a sample of low-income women attending primary care clinics (N = 179). Although the original four-factor structure has been replicated in a variety of population groups, internal validity of the measure has not been previously examined in this population sample. A series of confirmatory factor analytic procedures failed to replicate the original four-factor structure or a second-order model. An exploratory analysis, using principal components and a VARIMAX rotation yielded three factors: Depressed Affect/Somatic Symptoms, Positive Affect, and Interpersonal Difficulties. Results of this study add support to previous research documenting an increased somatic presentation of depression in low-income samples. Implications for the use of the CES-D as a screening tool to identify depression in similar primary care samples are discussed.