bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of Three-Beam and Four-Beam Profiler Wind Measurement Techniques Using a Five-Beam Wind Profiler and Collocated Meteorological Tower
Authors: Adachi Ahoro , Kobayashi Takahisa , Gage Kenneth S. , Carter David A. , Hartten Leslie M. , Clark Wallace L. , Fukuda Masato
Published: August 2007

In this paper a five-beam wind profiler and a collocated meteorological tower are used to estimate the accuracy of four-beam and three-beam wind profiler techniques in measuring horizontal components of the wind. In the traditional three-beam technique, the horizontal components of wind are derived from two orthogonal oblique beams and the vertical beam. In the less used four-beam method, the horizontal winds are found from the radial velocities measured with two orthogonal sets of opposing coplanar beams. In this paper the observations derived from the two wind profiler techniques are compared with the tower measurements using data averaged over 30 min. Results show that, while the winds measured using both methods are in overall agreement with the tower measurements, some of the horizontal components of the three-beam-derived winds are clearly spurious when compared with the tower-measured winds or the winds derived from the four oblique beams. These outliers are partially responsible for a larger 30-min, three-beam standard deviation of the profiler/tower wind speed differences (2.2 m s−1), as opposed to that from the four-beam method (1.2 m s−1). It was also found that many of these outliers were associated with periods of transition between clear air and rain, suggesting that the three-beam technique is more sensitive to small-scale variability in the vertical Doppler velocity because of its reliance on the point measurement from the vertical beam, while the four-beam method is surprisingly robust. Even after the removal of the rain data, the standard deviation of the wind speed error from the three-beam method (1.5 m s−1) is still much larger than that from the four-beam method. Taken together, these results suggest that the spatial variability of the vertical airflow in nonrainy periods or hydrometeor fall velocities in rainy periods makes the vertical beam velocities significantly less representative over the area across the three beams, and decreases the precision of the three-beam method. It is concluded that profilers utilizing the four-beam wind profiler technique have better reliability than wind profilers that rely on the three-beam wind profiler technique.
Cloud-Resolving Model Simulations over the ARM SGP
Authors: Wu Xiaoqing , Liang Xin-Zhong , Park Sunwook
Published: August 2007

This study aims to combine the cloud-resolving model (CRM) simulations with the Department of Energy’s Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Program (ARM) observations to provide long-term comprehensive and physically consistent data that facilitate quantifying the effects of subgrid cloud–radiation interactions and ultimately to develop physically based parameterization of these interactions in general circulation models. The CRM is applied here to simulate the midlatitude cloud systems observed at the ARM southern Great Plains (SGP) site during the 1997 intensive observation period. As in the Tropical Ocean Global Atmosphere Coupled Ocean–Atmosphere Response Experiment (TOGA COARE), the CRM-simulated ensemble mean quantities such as cloud liquid water, cloud fraction, precipitation, and radiative fluxes are generally in line with the surface measurements, satellite, and radar retrievals. The CRM differences from the ARM estimates, when averaged over the entire period, are less than 5 W m−2 in both longwave and shortwave radiative fluxes at the top of the atmosphere and surface. Because of the different large-scale forcing and surface heat fluxes in ARM and TOGA COARE, the CRM produces different cloud distributions over the midlatitude continent and tropical ocean. However, diagnostic analyses show that the subgrid cloud variability has similar impact on the domain-averaged radiative fluxes and heating rates in ARM as in TOGA COARE.
Conservative Split-Explicit Time Integration Methods for the Compressible Nonhydrostatic Equations
Authors: Klemp J. B. , Skamarock W. C. , Dudhia J.
Published: August 2007

Historically, time-split schemes for numerically integrating the nonhydrostatic compressible equations of motion have not formally conserved mass and other first-order flux quantities. In this paper, split-explicit integration techniques are developed that numerically conserve these properties by integrating prognostic equations for conserved quantities represented in flux form. These procedures are presented for both terrain-following height and hydrostatic pressure (mass) vertical coordinates, two potentially attractive frameworks for which the equation sets and integration techniques differ significantly. For each set of equations, the linear dispersion equation for acoustic/gravity waves is derived and analyzed to determine which terms must be solved in the small (acoustic) time steps and how these terms are represented in the time integration to achieve stability. Efficient techniques for including numerical filters for acoustic and external modes are also presented. Simulations for several idealized test cases in both the height and mass coordinates are presented to demonstrate that these integration techniques appear robust over a wide range of scales, from subcloud to synoptic.
Jewish-Christian Gospels
Authors: Gregory Andrew
Published: August 2007

This article offers a brief introduction to the quotations in certain Church Fathers that are usually identified as Jewish-Christian gospel tradition, and addresses the question of the number of gospels to which they should be attributed. It includes a discussion of a selection of these extracts, and some comments on what may be concluded about the two or three gospels from which they might come. The article also addresses the question of how these texts might be witnesses to Jesus, and the relationship of their content to that of the canonical gospels.
Lived experiences of offshoring: An examination of UK and Indian financial service employees' accounts of themselves and one another
Authors: Cohen Laurie , El-Sawad Amal
Published: August 2007

This article is about employees' lived experiences of offshoring. Focusing on the accounts of individuals in a financial services company operating in the UK and in Mumbai, India, it examines the ways in which respondents constructed and positioned themselves in relation to one another in the stories they told. We argue that in their accounts our respondents mobilized discourses of culture and cultural difference to describe and justify this positioning, with particular reference to `the language barrier', work ethics and notions of competence. We draw three broad conclusions. The first is empirical and concerns the benefits of in-depth case study research for developing understandings of this emerging sector. The second conclusion relates to respondents' use of cultural ascriptions to justify certain existing patterns of behaviour, and to foreclose discussion of alternatives. The third conclusion highlights the deep sense of ambivalence that permeates our dataset, proposing that within this ambivalence lie possibilities for resistance and change.
Effects of an intensive rehabilitation programme on patients with Huntington's disease: a pilot study
Authors: Zinzi Paola , Salmaso Dario , De Grandis Rosa , Graziani Graziano , Maceroni Stefano , Bentivoglio Annarita , Zappata Paolo , Frontali Marina , Jacopini Gioia
Published: August 2007

Objective: To investigate the effects of an intensive, inpatient rehabilitation programme on individuals affected by Huntington's disease.

Design: A pilot study. Within-subjects design.

Setting: Inpatient rehabilitation home of the Italian welfare system.

Subjects: Forty patients, early and middle stage of the disease, were recruited to an intensive, inpatient rehabilitation protocol.

Interventions: The treatment programme included respiratory exercises and speech therapy, physical and occupational therapy and cognitive rehabilitation exercises. The programme involved three-week admission periods of intensive treatment that could be repeated three times a year.

Main measures: A standard clinical assessment was performed at the beginning of each admission using the Zung Depression Scale, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), Barthel Index, Tinetti Scale and Physical Performance Test (PPT). Tinetti and PPT were also used at the end of each admission to assess the outcomes in terms of motor and functional performance.

Results: Each three-week period of treatment resulted in highly significant ( P < 0.001) improvements of motor performance and daily life activities. The average increase was 4.7 for Tinetti and 5.21 for PPT scores. No carry-over effect from one admission to the next was apparent but at the same time, no motor decline was detected over two years, indicating that patients maintained a constant level of functional, cognitive as well as motor performance.

Conclusions: Intensive rehabilitation treatments may positively influence the maintenance of functional and motor performance in patients with Huntington's disease.
Exact Large Deflection Analysis of Nonprismatic Cantilever Beams of Nonlinear Bimodulus Material Subjected to Tip Moment
Authors: Shatnawi Anis S. , Al-Sadder Samir
Published: August 2007

This paper presents an exact solution for large deflection behavior of nonprismatic cantilever beams of nonlinear bimodulus type material and subjected to tip concentrated moment. The highly nonlinear simultaneous first-order differential equations were solved analytically using the power series approach. Several numerical examples are carried out to investigate the effect of bimodulus properties, material parameter, n, and the applied tip moment on the large deflection behavior of nonprismatic cantilever beams. The numerical results show that the interaction (i.e., coupling) between the bimodulus material properties, the material constant, n, and the applied tip moment, plays a significant role on the large deflection behavior of cantilever beams. A comparative study with ADINA has been made to verify the accuracy of the presented analytical solution, and excellent agreement has been obtained.
Special Section: Rethinking Visual Pleasure
Authors: Best Susan
Published: August 2007

My concern in this article is with how Silvan Tomkins' theory of affects might help us to think about the affective response to art. For my purposes, there are two aspects of his account of affects that are particularly useful. First, Tomkins does not presume that there is a proper object of affect; hence the love of art is not automatically or necessarily about the diversion of libido or the investment of libidinal energy. The second significant factor in Tomkins' account of affects is the way in which he separates and yet entwines the drives, affects and cognition. It is this model of the embodied, feeling, thinking subject which promises to reach what most people seek or expect from the experience of art.
Spatio-temporal modeling of perimetric test data
Authors: Ibáñez M.V. , Simó A.
Published: August 2007

This work describes the application of a spatio-temporal modeling to the study of glaucoma, a very serious ocular illness. The aim of this modeling is to solve various significant medical problems, namely the forecasting of future observations, the classification of observations as normal or defective, and the simulation of new longitudinal data sets. In order to ascertain whether a patient suffers from glaucoma, a perimetry is performed. The output of a perimetry is called a visual field and consists of a map with 52 numerical values plotted on a regular grid. In this work, a data set of healthy patients' visual fields is used. The work begins with an exploratory spatial data analysis. A semi-parametric approach is used to model the mean, and the variogram is fitted using a Matérn function. Once the spatial structure has been analysed, the spatial mean is subtracted from all the observations in the data set and the spatio-temporal correlation of the residuals is explored. All this information is used to build a space-time model, the parameters of which are estimated by maximum likelihood. Different methods are used to check the goodness of fit.
Follower Propensity to Commit Crimes of Obedience
Authors: Hinrichs Kim T.
Published: August 2007

Organizations and society are concerned about unethical behavior. One type of unethical behavior is crimes of obedience, where followers are influenced by a leader to engage in behavior they would otherwise consider unethical. In this article, the author proposes that people who see themselves as leadership material and hold leaders in high esteem are more likely to view leaders as having more responsibility for ethical decisions and behaviors than followers. Consequently, such persons when placed in a follower position may be more susceptible to commit crimes of obedience through the process of moral disengagement by displacing responsibility for their behavior onto the leader.
Selection of reference genes for gene expression studies in pig tissues using SYBR green qPCR
Authors: Nygard Ann-Britt , Jørgensen Claus B , Cirera Susanna , Fredholm Merete
Published: August 2007

Background

Real-time quantitative PCR (qPCR) is a method for rapid and reliable quantification of mRNA transcription. Internal standards such as reference genes are used to normalise mRNA levels between different samples for an exact comparison of mRNA transcription level. Selection of high quality reference genes is of crucial importance for the interpretation of data generated by real-time qPCR.

Results

In this study nine commonly used reference genes were investigated in 17 different pig tissues using real-time qPCR with SYBR green. The genes included beta-actin (ACTB), beta-2-microglobulin (B2M), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), hydroxymethylbilane synthase (HMBS), hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase 1 (HPRT1), ribosomal protein L4 (RPL4), succinate dehydrogenase complex subunit A (SDHA), TATA box binding protein (TPB)and tyrosine 3-monooxygenase/tryptophan 5-monooxygenase activation protein zeta polypeptide (YWHAZ). The stability of these reference genes in different pig tissues was investigated using the geNorm application. The range of expression stability in the genes analysed was (from the most stable to the least stable): ACTB/RPL4, TBP, HPRT, HMBS, YWHAZ, SDHA, B2M and GAPDH.

Conclusion

Expression stability varies greatly between genes. ACTB, RPL4, TPB and HPRT1 were found to have the highest stability across tissues. Based on both expression stability and expression level, our data suggest that ACTB and RPL4 are good reference genes for high abundant transcripts while TPB and HPRT1 are good reference genes for low abundant transcripts in expression studies across different pig tissues.
Longitudinal increases in mitochondrial DNA levels in blood cells are associated with survival in critically ill patients
Authors: Côté Hélène CF , Day Andrew G , Heyland Daren K
Published: August 2007

Background

Mitochondrial dysfunction may be causally related to the pathogenesis of organ failure in critically ill patients. Decreased mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) levels have been associated with mitochondrial dysfunction and were investigated here in relation to short-term (31-day) survival.

Methods

This was a prospective longitudinal cohort study of 28 mechanically ventilated critically ill adults admitted to a single center tertiary care intensive care unit (ICU) with hypotension secondary to cardiogenic (N = 13), septic (N = 14) or hypovolemic (N = 1) disease processes. Clinical data and blood were collected at baseline and patients were followed until they expired or left the ICU. Blood was collected every Monday, Wednesday and Friday, and the buffycoat relative mtDNA/nuclear DNA (nDNA) ratio was determined. An archived pool of healthy controls was also studied.

Results

At baseline, the patients' mtDNA/nDNA ratio was 30% lower than a pool of 24 healthy controls (0.76 versus 1.09) and was not different between short-term survivors and non-survivors (0.74 ± 0.05 (N = 16) versus 0.79 ± 0.06 (N = 12), p = 0.49). By day 4, the percent mtDNA/nDNA change from baseline in survivors was significantly different from that in non-survivors (+29.5% versus -5.7%, p = 0.03). It also tended to be higher in survivors at last measurement (+38.4% versus +7.1%, p = 0.06). There was a weak correlation between within patient mtDNA/nDNA and platelet count (r = 0.20, p = 0.03) but not with Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) scores (r = 0.12, p = 0.23). The mtDNA associations remained after adjustment for platelet.

Conclusion

Blood mtDNA levels appeared initially low, increased over time in patients who ultimately survived, and remained low in those who did not. This is consistent with mitochondrial recovery being associated with survival and warrants further investigation as a marker of mitochondrial alterations and outcome in critical illness.
The distinct roles of Ras and Rac in PI 3-kinase-dependent protrusion during EGF-stimulated cell migration
Authors: Yip Shu-Chin , El-Sibai Mirvat , Coniglio Salvatore J. , Mouneimne Ghassan , Eddy Robert J. , Drees Beth E. , Neilsen Paul O. , Goswami Sumanta , Symons Marc , Condeelis John S. , Backer Jonathan M.
Published: August 2007

Cell migration involves the localized extension of actin-rich protrusions, a process that requires Class I phosphoinositide 3-kinases (PI 3-kinases). Both Rac and Ras have been shown to regulate actin polymerization and activate PI 3-kinase. However, the coordination of Rac, Ras and PI 3-kinase activation during epidermal growth factor (EGF)-stimulated protrusion has not been analyzed. We examined PI 3-kinase-dependent protrusion in MTLn3 rat adenocarcinoma cells. EGF-stimulated phosphatidyl-inositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate [PtdIns(3,4,5)P3] levels showed a rapid and persistent response, as PI 3-kinase activity remained elevated up to 3 minutes. The activation kinetics of Ras, but not Rac, coincided with those of leading-edge PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 production. Small interfering RNA (siRNA) knockdown of K-Ras but not Rac1 abolished PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 production at the leading edge and inhibited EGF-stimulated protrusion. However, Rac1 knockdown did inhibit cell migration, because of the inhibition of focal adhesion formation in Rac1 siRNA-treated cells. Our data show that in EGF-stimulated MTLn3 carcinoma cells, Ras is required for both PtdIns(3,4,5)P3 production and lamellipod extension, whereas Rac1 is required for formation of adhesive structures. These data suggest an unappreciated role for Ras during protrusion, and a crucial role for Rac in the stabilization of protrusions required for cell motility.
Rab27a and MyoVa are the primary Mlph interactors regulating melanosome transport in melanocytes
Authors: Hume Alistair N. , Ushakov Dmitry S. , Tarafder Abul K. , Ferenczi Michael A. , Seabra Miguel C.
Published: August 2007

Melanosome transport in melanocytes is a model system for the study of cytoskeletal regulation of intracellular transport. Melanophilin (Mlph) is a Rab27a- and myosin Va (MyoVa)-binding protein that regulates this process. Using yeast two-hybrid screening, we identified MT plus-end binding protein (EB1) as a melanocyte-expressed Mlph-interacting protein. To address the role of EB1 versus Rab27a and MyoVa interactions in Mlph targeting and function, we used siRNA and Mlph mutations to specifically disrupt each interaction in cultured melanocytes. Using the Mlph R35W mutant that blocks Mlph-Rab27a interaction and Rab27a siRNA we show this interaction is required for melanosome targeting and stability of Mlph. Mutants and siRNA that affect Mlph-MyoVa and Mlph-EB1 interactions reveal that while neither MyoVa nor EB1 affect Mlph targeting to melanosomes, MyoVa but not EB1 interaction is required for transport of melanosomes to peripheral dendrites. We propose that Mlph is targeted to and/or stabilised on melanosomes by Rab27a, and then recruits MyoVa, which provides additional stability to the complex and allows melanosomes to transfer from MT to actin-based transport and achieve peripheral distribution. EB1 appears to be non-essential to this process in cultured melanocytes, which suggests that it plays a redundant role and/or is required for melanocyte/keratinocyte contacts and melanosome transfer.
Ninein is released from the centrosome and moves bi-directionally along microtubules
Authors: Moss David K. , Bellett Gemma , Carter Jane M. , Liovic Mirjana , Keynton Jennifer , Prescott Alan R. , Lane E. Birgitte , Mogensen Mette M.
Published: August 2007

Cell-to-cell contact and polarisation of epithelial cells involve a major reorganisation of the microtubules and centrosomal components. The radial microtubule organisation is lost and an apico-basal array develops that is no longer anchored at the centrosome. This involves not only the relocation of microtubules but also of centrosomal anchoring proteins to apical non-centrosomal sites. The relocation of microtubule minus-end-anchoring proteins such as ninein to the apical sites is likely to be essential for the assembly and stabilisation of the apico-basal arrays in polarised epithelial cells. In this study, we establish that ninein is highly dynamic and that, in epithelial cells, it is present not only at the centrosome but also in the cytoplasm as distinct speckles. Live-cell imaging reveals that GFP-ninein speckles are released from the centrosome and move in a microtubule-dependent manner within the cytoplasm and thus establishes that epithelial cells possess the mechanical means for relocation of ninein to non-centrosomal anchoring sites. We also provide evidence for the deployment of ninein speckles to apical anchoring sites during epithelial differentiation in both an in situ tissue and an in vitro culture system. In addition, the findings suggest that the non-centrosomal microtubule anchoring sites associate with adherens junctions in polarised epithelial cells.
Alzheimer's Disease: Clinical Features, Pathogenesis, and Treatment
Authors: Rathmann Kaye L. , Conner Christopher S.
Published: August 2007

Alzheimer's disease is an insidious degenerative disease of the brain and is the leading cause of dementia in the U.S. Numerous etiologies have been postulated, including a large body of evidence suggesting a slow viral infection, possibly in genetically predisposed individuals, but this remains to be proven. Differential diagnosis is based primarily on exclusion of other treatable forms of dementia. Neurochemical studies suggest a cholinergic deficit; thus primary emphasis in treatment has been directed at enhancing cholinergic activity. Choline and lecithin supplementation generally has been ineffective. Results with physostigmine are encouraging and further studies with this drug prototype are needed. Physostigmine's clinical usefulness is limited, however, due to peripheral side effects and its short duration of action. Other pharmacological approaches, such as naloxone, neural metabolic enhancers, stimulants, and vasopressin analogs, have been investigated. The clinical features and pathology of the disease are reviewed.
An Update on the Diagnosis of Adrenal Insufficiency and the Use of Corticotherapy in Critical Illness
Authors: Thomas Zachariah , Fraser Gilles L
Published: August 2007

Objective:

To examine recent literature regarding corticotherapy in critically ill patients suffering from sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and severe community-acquired pneumonia (SCAP).

Data Sources:

Literature was identified through MEDLINE (1966–April 2007) using combinations of the key words hydrocortisone, adrenal insufficiency, acute respiratory distress syndrome, pneumonia, sepsis, and cortisol. Bibliographies of relevant articles were reviewed for additional citations. Presentations at recent critical care meetings were also incorporated.

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

Articles were chosen based upon their relevance to the topics covered.

Data Synthesis:

Earlier studies using high-dose corticotherapy in the intensive care unit have shown treatment to be ineffective. Recent studies using extended courses of low-to-moderate doses of steroids have found favorable results; however, these results must be interpreted with caution due to limitations in the data. One trial of steroids in septic shock found a survival benefit in patients who failed to increase their baseline cortisol by greater than 9 μg/dL in response to adrenocorticotropic hormone, but these results were not reproduced in a subsequent Phase 3 trial. Recently, inaccuracies in measuring cortisol have been identified, making interpretation of cortisol concentrations difficult. A large-scale study failed to confirm a previously reported mortality benefit of corticotherapy in late ARDS, but preliminary data suggest a role for steroid treatment in early ARDS. Finally, a pilot study has found that hydrocortisone lowers morbidity and mortality in SCAP.

Conclusions:

Corticotherapy may be beneficial to some patients with sepsis. The decision to administer steroids in sepsis cannot be based on biochemical markers of adrenal function; rather, treatment should be considered in septic patients with vasopressor refractory hypotension. Although preliminary evidence suggests a role for steroids in early ARDS and SCAP, there are not enough data to suggest routine administration of steroids in these conditions. Additional studies are needed to assess corticotherapy in the critically ill.
Intraosseous Drug Administration in Children and Adults During Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
Authors: Buck Marcia L , Wiggins Barbara S , Sesler Jefferson M
Published: August 2007

Objective:

To review and assess the available literature on the use of intraosseous (IO) drug administration during cardiopulmonary resuscitation, addressing the benefits and risks of using this method of drug delivery in children and adults.

Data Sources:

The MEDLINE (1950–July 2007) database was searched for pertinent abstracts, using the key term intraosseous infusions. Additional references were obtained from the bibliographies of the articles reviewed. Manufacturer Web sites were used to obtain information about IO insertion devices.

Study Selection and Data Extraction:

All available English-language clinical trials, retrospective studies, and review articles describing IO drug administration were reviewed. Studies conducted in animal models to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of IO drug administration were also included.

Data Synthesis:

IO access uses the highly vascularized bone marrow to deliver fluids and medications during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. This route, developed in the 1940s, has been revived In the past decade as a means of achieving rapid vascular access when intravenous access cannot be obtained. The primary advantage of IO access is the high success rate (approximately 80%). Most trained providers can place an IO line within 1–2 minutes. A number of small-scale studies and retrospective reviews have established the usefulness of this route for the delivery of many commonly used resuscitation drugs. In addition, animal models have demonstrated rapid drug delivery to the systemic circulation. While all resuscitation drugs can be given by the IO route, administration of ceftriaxone, chloramphenicol, Phenytoin, tobramycin, and vancomycin may result in lower peak serum concentrations. The most common adverse effect seen with IO use, extravasation, has been reported in 12% of patients. Compartment syndrome, osteomyelitis, and tibial fracture are rare, but have also been reported.

Conclusions:

IO administration is a safe and effective method for delivering drugs during cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It should be considered whenever intravenous access cannot be rapidly obtained.
NAC1 Regulates the Recruitment of the Proteasome Complex into Dendritic Spines
Authors: Shen Haowei , Korutla Laxminarayana , Champtiaux Nicholas , Toda Shigenobu , LaLumiere Ryan , Vallone Joseph , Klugmann Matthias , Blendy Julie A. , Mackler Scott A. , Kalivas Peter W
Published: August 2007

Coordinated proteolysis of synaptic proteins is required for synaptic plasticity, but a mechanism for recruiting the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) into dendritic spines is not known. NAC1 is a cocaine-regulated transcriptional protein that was found to complex with proteins in the UPS, including cullins and Mov34. NAC1 and the proteasome were cotranslocated from the nucleus into dendritic spines in cortical neurons in response to proteasome inhibition or disinhibiting synaptic activity with bicuculline. Bicuculline also produced a progressive accumulation of the proteasome and NAC1 in the postsynaptic density. Recruitment of the proteasome into dendrites and postsynaptic density by bicuculline was prevented in neurons from mice harboring an NAC1 gene deletion or in neurons transfected with mutated NAC1 lacking the proteasome binding domain. These experiments show that NAC1 modulates the translocation of the UPS from the nucleus into dendritic spines, thereby suggesting a potential missing link in the recruitment of necessary proteolysis machinery for synaptic remodeling.
Neuronal Diversity in GABAergic Long-Range Projections from the Hippocampus
Authors: Jinno Shozo , Klausberger Thomas , Marton Laszlo F. , Dalezios Yannis , Roberts J. David B. , Fuentealba Pablo , Bushong Eric A. , Henze Darrell , Buzsáki György , Somogyi Peter
Published: August 2007

The formation and recall of sensory, motor, and cognitive representations require coordinated fast communication among multiple cortical areas. Interareal projections are mainly mediated by glutamatergic pyramidal cell projections; only few long-range GABAergic connections have been reported. Usingin vivorecording and labeling of single cells and retrograde axonal tracing, we demonstrate novel long-range GABAergic projection neurons in the rat hippocampus: (1) somatostatin- and predominantly mGluR1α-positive neurons in stratum oriens project to the subiculum, other cortical areas, and the medial septum; (2) neurons in stratum oriens, including somatostatin-negative ones; and (3) trilaminar cells project to the subiculum and/or other cortical areas but not the septum. These three populations strongly increase their firing during sharp wave-associated ripple oscillations, communicating this network state to the septotemporal system. Finally, a large population of somatostatin-negative GABAergic cells in stratum radiatum project to the molecular layers of the subiculum, presubiculum, retrosplenial cortex, and indusium griseum and fire rhythmically at high rates during theta oscillations but do not increase their firing during ripples. The GABAergic projection axons have a larger diameter and thicker myelin sheet than those of CA1 pyramidal cells. Therefore, rhythmic IPSCs are likely to precede the arrival of excitation in cortical areas (e.g., subiculum) that receive both glutamatergic and GABAergic projections from the CA1 area. Other areas, including the retrosplenial cortex, receive only rhythmic GABAergic CA1 input. We conclude that direct GABAergic projections from the hippocampus to other cortical areas and the septum contribute to coordinating oscillatory timing across structures.
The Kisspeptin Receptor GPR54 Is Required for Sexual Differentiation of the Brain and Behavior
Authors: Kauffman Alexander S. , Park Jin Ho , McPhie-Lalmansingh Anika A. , Gottsch Michelle L. , Bodo Cristian , Hohmann John G. , Pavlova Maria N. , Rohde Alex D. , Clifton Donald K. , Steiner Robert A. , Rissman Emilie F.
Published: August 2007

GPR54 is a G-protein-coupled receptor, which binds kisspeptins and is widely expressed throughout the brain. Kisspeptin–GPR54 signaling has been implicated in the regulation of pubertal and adulthood gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) secretion, and mutations or deletions ofGPR54cause hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in humans and mice. Other reproductive roles for kisspeptin–GPR54 signaling, including the regulation of developmental GnRH secretion or sexual behavior in adults, have not yet been explored. Using adult wild-type (WT) andGPR54knock-out (KO) mice, we first tested whether kisspeptin–GPR54 signaling is necessary for male and female sexual behaviors. We found that hormone-replaced gonadectomizedGPR54KO males and females displayed appropriate gender-specific adult sexual behaviors. Next, we examined whether GPR54 signaling is required for proper display of olfactory-mediated partner preference behavior. Testosterone-treated WT males preferred stimulus females rather than males, whereas similarly treated WT females andGPR54KO males showed no preference for either sex. Because olfactory preference is sexually dimorphic and organized during development by androgens, we assessed whether GPR54 signaling is essential for sexual differentiation of other sexually dimorphic traits. Interestingly, adult testosterone-treatedGPR54KO males displayed “female-like” numbers of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive andKiss1mRNA-containing neurons in the anteroventral periventricular nucleus and likewise possessed fewer motoneurons in the spino-bulbocavernosus nucleus than did WT males. Our findings indicate that kisspeptin–GPR54 signaling is not required for male or female copulatory behavior, provided there is appropriate adulthood hormone replacement. However, GPR54 is necessary for proper male-like development of several sexually dimorphic traits, likely by regulating GnRH-mediated androgen secretion during “critical windows” in perinatal development.
Comparison of Propofol With Pentobarbital/Midazolam/Fentanyl Sedation for Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain in Children
Authors: Pershad Jay , Wan Jim , Anghelescu Doralina L.
Published: August 2007

OBJECTIVE. Propofol and pentobarbital, alone or combined with other agents, are frequently used to induce deep sedation in children for MRI. However, we are unaware of a previous comparison of these 2 agents as part of a randomized, controlled trial. We compared the recovery time of children after deep sedation with single-agent propofol with a pentobarbital-based regimen for MRI and considered additional variables of safety and efficacy.

METHODS. This prospective, randomized trial at a tertiary children's hospital enrolled 60 patients 1 to 17 years old who required intravenous sedation for elective cranial MRI. Patients were assigned randomly to receive a loading dose of propofol followed by continuous intravenous infusion of propofol or to receive sequential doses of midazolam, pentobarbital, and fentanyl until a modified Ramsay score of >4 was attained. A nurse who was blind to group assignment assessed discharge readiness (Aldrete score > 8) and administered a follow-up questionnaire. We compared recovery time, time to induction of sedation, total sedation time, quality of imaging, number of repeat-image sequences, adverse events, caregiver satisfaction, and time to return to presedation functional status.

RESULTS. The groups were similar in age, gender, race, American Society of Anesthesiology physical status class, and frequency of cognitive impairment. No sedation failure or significant adverse events were observed. Propofol offered significantly shorter sedation induction time, recovery time, total sedation time, and time to return to baseline functional status. Caregiver satisfaction scores were also significantly higher in the patients in the propofol group.

CONCLUSIONS. Propofol permits faster onset and recovery than, and comparable efficacy to, a pentobarbital/midazolam/fentanyl regimen for sedation of children for MRI.
How does crop type influence risk from pesticides to the aquatic environment?
Authors: Brown Colin D. , Holmes Chris , Williams Ryan , Beulke Sabine , van Beinum Wendy , Pemberton Emma , Wells Claire
Published: August 2007

National-level risk mapping was undertaken to identify specific situations within England with the greatest potential for impacts on aquatic biodiversity from normal agricultural use of pesticides. Calculations of exposure via spray drift and drainflow were differentiated by landscape type, region, and crop and then compared with toxicity to the indicator organisms Daphnia magna and algae. The approach incorporated regional-level information regarding pesticide usage derived from farm visits. Risk was calculated for individual water bodies and then aggregated and mapped for each of 5,760 individual catchments ranging in area up to 248 km2. Type of crop adjacent to water was the major driver for risk, and orchards were identified as the crop associated with the greatest potential risk to the aquatic environment. Crops such as cereals, oilseeds, and potatoes are more widely grown in England but have potential risk an order of magnitude smaller than that for orchards. Several of the pesticides that contribute most to risk have been withdrawn from use since collection of the most recent usage data. Driven by crop distribution, surface waters adjacent to orchards in the midwest and southeast of England are predicted to be most at risk of ecological impacts from agricultural pesticide use. This information can be used in targeting monitoring campaigns designed to protect the aquatic environment.
Contaminant-associated alteration of immune function in black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes), a North Pacific predator
Authors: Finkelstein Myra E. , Grasman Keith A. , Croll Donald A. , Tershy Bernie R. , Keitt Bradford S. , Jarman Walter M. , Smith Donald R.
Published: August 2007

Environmental pollution is ubiquitous and can pose a significant threat to wild populations through declines in fitness and population numbers. To elucidate the impact of marine pollution on a pelagic species, we assessed whether toxic contaminants accumulated in black-footed albatross (Phoebastria nigripes), a wide-ranging North Pacific predator, are correlated with altered physiological function. Blood samples from adult black-footed albatrosses on Midway Atoll, part of the Hawaiian (USA) archipelago, were analyzed for organochlorines (e.g., polychlorinated biphenyls [PCBs] and chlorinated pesticides), trace metals (silver, cadmium, tin, lead, chromium, nickel, copper, zinc, arsenic, selenium, and total mercury), and a sensitive physiological marker, peripheral white blood cell immune function (mitogen-induced lymphocyte proliferation and macrophage phagocytosis). We found a positive significant relationship between organochlorines, which were highly correlated within individual birds (p < 0.001, r > 0.80, Spearman correlation for all comparisons; PCBs, 160 ± 60 ng/ml plasma [mean ± standard deviation]; DDTs, 140 ± 180 ng/ml plasma; chlordanes, 7.0 ± 3.6 ng/ml plasma; hexachlorobenzene, 2.4 ± 1.5 ng/ml plasma; n = 15) and increased lymphocyte proliferation (p = 0.020) as well as percentage lymphocytes (p = 0.033). Mercury was elevated in black-footed albatrosses (4,500 ± 870 ng/ml whole blood, n = 15), and high mercury levels appeared to be associated (p = 0.017) with impaired macrophage phagocytosis. The associations we documented between multiple contaminant concentrations and immune function in endangered black-footed albatrosses provide some of the first evidence that albatrosses in the North Pacific may be affected by environmental contamination. Our results raise concern regarding detrimental health effects in pelagic predators exposed to persistent marine pollutants.
Oxygen consumption by Daphnia magna straus as a marker of chemical stress in the aquatic environment
Authors: Martins José C. , Saker Martin L. , Teles Luís F. Oliva , Vasconcelos Vítor M.
Published: August 2007

Oxygen consumption by Daphnia magna Straus was investigated as a bioindicator for the presence of 11 common aquatic pollutants: Benzo[b]fluoranthene (BbF), mercury(II) chloride (HgCl2), 2-dimethoxyphosphinothioylthio-N-methylacetamide (dimethoate), hexachlorocyclohexane (lindane), 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1-methoxy-1-methylurea (linuron), 4-chloro-o-tolyloxy-acetic acid, bis(tributyltin) oxide (TBTO), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), tetramethylthiuram disulfide (thiram), 2,4,6-trichlorophenol, and arsenic trioxide (As2O3). The measurement of oxygen consumption by D. magna was carried out after 15 and 210 min of exposure to the toxicants under controlled laboratory conditions. The technique applied in the present study was found to be useful for the detection of significant changes in oxygen consumption for most toxicants, with the exception of BbF, dimethoate, and CCl4. Significant differences in oxygen consumption were noted, relative to the control treatments, for six of the compounds after only 15 min of exposure. For thiram and TBTO, statistically significant changes in oxygen consumption were recorded after 210 min of exposure. The present results suggest that the measurement of oxygen consumption by D. magna is a useful biomarker and could possibly be used as a biological early warning system for detecting pollutants in the aquatic environment.
Framing climate change and spatial planning: how risk communication can be improved
Authors: de Boer J.
Published: August 2007

Taking the role of frames into account may significantly add to the tools that have been developed for communication and learning on complex risks and benefits. As part of a larger multidisciplinary study into climate-related forms of sense-making this paper explores which frames are used by the citizens of Western European countries and, in particular, the Netherlands. Three recent multi-national public opinion surveys were analysed to examine beliefs about climate change in the context of beliefs about energy technology and concerns about other environmental issues, such as natural disasters. It appeared that many citizens had only vague ideas about the energy situation and that these do not constitute an unequivocal frame for climate issues. In contrast, the results suggest that the long-lasting rainfall and severe floods in Central Europe have had a significant impact. Climate change was often framed in a way that articulates its associations with rain- and river-based problems. This result is extremely important for risk communication, because especially in the Netherlands with its vulnerable coastal zones climate change may produce many more consequences than rain- and river-based problems only.
Application of scenario technique in flood risk management
Authors: Winterscheid A.
Published: August 2007

It is now commonly accepted that the management of flood risks has to be fulfilled within an integrated framework. About two decades ago flood risk was managed from a limited perspective predominantly by means of structural measures aimed at flood control. In contrast integrated flood risk management incorporates the complete management cycle consisting of the phases prevention, protection and preparedness. In theory it is a well described concept. In the stage of implementation, however, there is often a lack of support although a consistent policy framework exists. Consequently, the degree of implementation must be rated as inadequate in many cases. In particular this refers to the elements which focus on preparedness and prevention. The study to which this paper refers emphasises the means and potentials of scenario technique to foster the implementation of potentially appropriate measures and new societal arrangements when applied in the framework of integrated flood risk management. A literature review is carried out to reveal the state-of-the-art and the specific problem framework within which scenario technique is generally being applied. Subsequently, it is demonstrated that scenario technique is transferable to a policy making process in flood risk management that is integrated, sustainable and interactive. The study concludes with a recommendation for three applications in which the implementation of measures of flood damage prevention and preparedness is supported by scenario technique.
Northern Strategy and Anti-South Polemics: A Review Essay of Thomas Schaller's Whistling Past Dixie
Authors: Berggren D. Jason
Published: August 2007

As the first unambiguous Southerner to be elected president since the antebellum era, Jimmy Carter was viewed at the time as a symbol that North-South reconciliation had finally come to pass. A quarter-century later, there are growing signs that the intersectional peace may be ending. This article shows that as Southerners, regardless of party, have steadily gained political power since the 1960s, various commentators have argued that the regional power shift presents serious negative consequences for the parties and the country and must be stopped. Thomas Schaller's widely cited, much heralded book Whistling Past Dixie is but the latest example. More than arguing that Democrats need to find an alternative, non-southern route to victory, Schaller suggests that Democrats must have the guts to run against the South, portraying it as the enemy once more of all that is good and right with America. It is a book that combines sectional strategy and sectional substance.
How Do Private CAM Therapies Affect Integrative Health Care Settings in a Publicly Funded Health Care System?
Authors: Hollenberg Daniel
Published: August 2007

Integrative health care (IHC), combining various aspects of Western biomedicine and complementary/alternative medicine (CAM), is a relatively new development in health care systems. IHC is recognized internationally, yet the occurrence of private CAM therapies and their various effects on IHC settings has not extensively been analyzed. This paper presents findings from a larger study of three IHC settings in Canada conducted between 2002 and 2003. The main research question addressed here is: How have private CAM therapies affected IHC settings combining CAM and biomedicine in a publicly funded health care system? Drawing on ethnography, 38 in-depth interviews are drawn upon, including those with 15 biomedical and eight CAM practitioners, 13 patients and two health care managers. Ethnographic observation and document analysis was conducted at each site. Findings illustrated that patients could not consistently afford unfunded CAM treatments, resulting in the premature termination of an integrative care plan. CAM practitioners from the private sector could not uniformly attend group rounds, resulting in disrupted care co-ordination. Certain biomedical institutions viewed CAM as a commodity from which to generate revenue and lower budgetary deficits. This study argues that the unfunded nature of CAM therapies in public health systems, although CAM has therapeutic value, does not contribute to an equitable partnership when attempting to integrate biomedicine and CAM. Future analyses of IHC need to take into account the complexities of health system context that continues to shape IHC.
The Ghost of Corruption
Authors: Yavas Cemile
Published: August 2007

This paper features a continuum of firms that apply for a permit and randomly get matched with a potentially corrupt bureaucrat. Although firms have the reporting option, they prefer paying low enough bribes to avoid reporting costs. Hence, full-corruption is the unique equilibrium. Furthermore, the value of entry is always negative for the marginal firm. Hence, there will be no entry. If firms are offered sufficiently high rewards for reporting, corruption could be eliminated. However, a reward high enough to uproot corruption would lead to false accusations. Thus, rewarding could help reduce corruption, but only if the market is viable in its absence. The paper also argues that in the presence of corruption, the shadow economy and the official economy are complements. Similarly, formal punishment for corruption and the moral cost of corruption could complement each other.