bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pathogenicity and host range of Heterodera arenaria in coastal foredunes
Authors: Van der Putten Wim , Van der Stoel Christine
Published: August 2006

In coastal foredunes, the cyst nematode Heterodera arenaria has been supposed to play a role in degeneration of the pioneer grass Ammophila arenaria (marram grass). However, recent field surveys and field inoculation experiments suggested that the abundance of this cyst nematode is controlled by the host plant. Here, we test pathogenicity of H. arenaria by inoculating a range of densities of second-stage juveniles (J2) onto A. arenaria in sterilised soil. Plant root biomass was reduced after 6 weeks of growth, but not after 13 weeks, when cyst formation was completed. Shoot biomass was not influenced. In the field, H. arenaria occurred in sand and on roots of Elymus farctus and A. arenaria in mobile dunes, but not on A. arenaria in stable dunes. Although we observed Heterodera cysts and juveniles in later succession stages, this cyst nematode appeared to be H. hordecalis. In a host suitability test, H. arenaria produced cysts on E. farctus and A. arenaria, while there were almost no cysts produced when J2 had been added to the later succession species Festuca rubra ssp. arenaria, Carex arenaria, Elymus athericus and Calamagrostis epigejos. Heterodera arenaria did not negatively affect its natural host plants. However, H. arenaria reduced root growth of one later succession plant species, E. athericus, which was a poor host for H. arenaria. The effects of H. arenaria inoculation on plant biomass production did not differ when J2 were added to plants growing in non-sterilised soil. We conclude that H. arenaria is specialised on the pioneer grasses E. farctus and A. arenaria, and also on mobile dunes as a habitat. Our results confirm recent suggestions that H. arenaria may cause little direct growth reduction to its natural host plants.
Steinernema khoisanae n. sp. (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae), a new entomopathogenic nematode from South Africa
Authors: Malan Antoinette , Gozel Ugur , Nguyen Khuong
Published: August 2006

A new species of entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema khoisanae n. sp. is described from South Africa. The new species is characterised by morphometrics of the infective juvenile with body length 1076 μm, narrow body diameter of 33 μm, excretory pore 94 μm from anterior end, tail 85 μm long, a = 33, D% = 68, H% = 57, and E% = 111. The lateral field pattern of the new species is 2, 7, 8, 6, 4 and 2. The male of the first generation can be recognised by the spicule and the gubernaculum shape, excretory pore located posteriorly near the end of the pharynx, D% = 88, and SW% = 199. The first generation female can be recognised by the non-protruding vulva and tail bearing a prominent mucron. Steinernema khoisanae n. sp. is characterised genetically by sequences of the internal transcribed spacers and D2/D3 regions of 28S ribosomal DNA, by composition of their sequences and by numerous unique, derived, nucleotide character states. Phylogenetic trees show that S. khoisanae n. sp. and other members of the S. glaseri-group form a monophyletic assemblage.
Mononchina (Dorylaimida) from Western Malaysia
Authors: Loof Pieter
Published: August 2006

The results of a survey of the mononchs found in 20 soil samples from Western Malaysia is presented. Twenty species were found, of which seven are new to science, although one of these (Iotonchulus sp. A) is not formally named as only a single female was found. Parahadronchus selangorensis n. sp. is a didelphic species over 3 mm long, the female possessing advulvar papillae. Hadronchoides maximus n. sp. differs from H. microdenticulatus by much longer body, buccal cavity and tail, and by the more posteriorly placed dorsal tooth. Miconchus parathornei n. sp. resembles M. thornei but is bisexual, the lip region is narrower and the dorsal tooth lies more anterior in the buccal cavity. Iotonchus abrahmani n. sp. is characterised by the reduced, but differentiated, posterior genital branch. Iotonchus pusillus n. sp. resembles I. chantaburensis but differs by the subacute tail terminus, absence of distinct caudal glands, and values of c and anal body diameter, and V. Mylonchulus williamsi n. sp. resembles M. incurvus in tail shape but differs from it in having much lower values of L, buccal cavity length and lip region diameter. The other species found were: Parahadronchus yuenae; Iotonchus trichurus; I. cf. trichurus; I. silvallus; I. basidontus; I. indicus; I. chantaburensis; I. cf. rinae; Iotonchulus longicaudatus; Mylonchulus brachyuris; M. minor; M. mulveyi; and Sporonchulus ibitiensis. Paramylonchulus indistinctus is proposed as a junior synonym of Mylonchulus mulveyi.
The chemotactic response of Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita (Nematoda: Rhabditida) to cues of Deroceras reticulatum (Mollusca: Gastropoda)
Authors: Wilson Michael , Robertson Jamie , Rae Robbie
Published: August 2006

Entomopathogenic nematodes use a range of cues released by insects to locate hosts but there has been no research on how the slug-parasitic nematode, Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita, finds potential hosts. We exposed P. hermaphrodita to a range of cues associated with the highly susceptible host Deroceras reticulatum. Cues included foot and mantle mucus and faeces from live D. reticulatum and volatile cues released from this slug. We also compared the attractiveness of live and dead D. reticulatum, and the attractiveness of infected and non-infected D. reticulatum. Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita responded poorly to volatile cues but was strongly attracted to live D. reticulatum, its faeces and mucus from both the foot and mantle. Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita was attracted more to dead than live hosts, and was equally attracted to infected and non-infected D. reticulatum. The strong attraction to dead D. reticulatum adds weight to the hypothesis that this nematode is a facultative parasite that is capable of growth and reproduction on decaying plant and animal material present in soil.
Effect of nematode infection and damage on the root system and plant growth of three Musa cultivars commonly grown in Uganda
Authors: De Waele Dirk , Speijer Paul , Gold Clifford , Swennen Rony , Talwana Herbert
Published: August 2006

Banana production in East Africa is threatened by declining yields partly caused by plant-parasitic nematodes. Attempts to ameliorate this damage are hampered by a lack of information on the characteristics of the root systems of healthy and nematode infested roots of commonly grown banana cultivars. An experiment in hydroponic culture, where healthy root systems were established, demonstrated that there were differences in number, size and distribution of primary, secondary and tertiary roots among the cultivars Nabusa, Pisang Awak and Sukali Ndizi. Field experiments carried out at three sites in Uganda showed that nematode damage on the same cultivars increased the number of primary roots and root bases, either increased or decreased root length depending on the cultivar or nematode species involved, but always decreased root length density. Root number and size are probably critical factors in determining plant tolerance to nematodes. Our findings should help plant breeding programmes, which must establish those selection criteria that are most likely to reduce the debilitating effects of nematode damage.
Description of Deleyia gen. n. with a discussion of its phylogenetic relationships to the genera Daubaylia Chitwood & Chitwood, 1934 and Myolaimus Cobb, 1920 (Nematoda: Rhabditida)
Authors: Boström Sven , Holovachov Oleksandr
Published: August 2006

The new genus Deleyia gen. n., including two new species, D. poinari gen. n., sp. n. and D. aspiculata gen. n., sp. n., is described from terrestrial material (rotting wood and moss) in Ukraine. The new genus is inter alia characterised by the outer cuticular layer being defoliated along most of the body, except for labial region and tail posterior to phasmid, forming a cuticular sheath around the body and a vulval cuticular sac in females, and reduced stoma and basal bulb. Deleyia poinari gen. n., sp. n. is separated from D. aspiculata gen. n., sp. n. by a shorter body (L = 600-831 vs 756-945 μm), a shorter PUS (7-18 vs 44-69 μm), longer tail in both females and males (40-50 vs 32-38 μm and 37-48 vs 35 μm, respectively), and presence vs absence of spicules and gubernaculum. The phylogenetic position of Deleyia gen. n. and its relationships to the genera Daubaylia and Myolaimus are discussed.
The Double Task: Nation- and State-Building in Timor-Leste
Authors: Borgerhoff Andre
Published: August 2006

Timor-Leste has been facing the arduous task of building a viable nation-state since the country's 2002 restoration of independence. The dual challenge consists of interdependent efforts at nation-building and state-building. The author discusses both terms with regard to their relevance to public education and economic development. He raises the question of why nation-building and state-building experience rather contrary prioritisations in these functionally close policy fields. In the educational sector, government activities demonstrate Fretilin's orientation towards Portuguese-speaking countries. The introduction of Portuguese as an official language has accentuated existing lingual and generational cleavage lines. Economic policy in Timor-Leste, however, tends to be more pragmatic and less ideological. The article aims to make an innovative contribution to the interrelationship of nation-building and economic development by addressing important issues on the agenda such as the exploitation of oil, agriculture, tourism, the economic dependency on the former oppressor Indonesia, and foreign aid. The author argues that economic growth will eventually shape the future format of the East Timorese nation as either a new self-confident political player or a withdrawn peasant nation.
Mysteries of the Tongue
Authors: Holroyde-Downing Nancy
Published: August 2006

Tongue Diagnosis is a diagnostic tool that is so important and pervasive in contemporary training and practice that it is usually considered and presented as if it had always been so. Diagrammatic and theoretical detail in Chinese medical textbooks give the impression that, as a system, tongue diagnosis has achieved a parity with pulse reading as a cornerstone of the contemporary clinical encounter. And yet, even a cursory look at a selection of classical texts, case histories and formularies from the Han to the Ming dynasty suggests that tongue diagnosis has not always enjoyed its current status. While the tongue is mentioned as an indicator of health or illness in classical texts, the privileging of the tongue in diagnosis is relatively recent. This article presents a preliminary survey of tongue diagnosis in Chinese medicine and offers some hypotheses about the process through which inspection of the tongue transformed from incidental observations to become a pillar of diagnosis. At the same time it is a practitioner̓s account and stands as a personal reflection on the value and relevance of engaging in history for practitioners of traditional medicines.
The Anti-Malarial Action of Changshan (Febrifugine): A Review
Authors: Butler Anthony , Moffett John
Published: August 2006

The plant qinghao 青蒿 (Artemesia annua) has provided the world with a valuable anti-malarial drug (qinghaosu 青蒿素). Another useful anti-malarial drug (febrifugine) of Chinese origin can be extracted from the shrub Dichroa febrifuga (changshan) but, unlike qinghaosu, its chemical structure is relatively simple and it could be easily synthesised in a pharmaceutical factory. However, the presence of two chiral centres in the molecule makes this unsuitable for pharmacological use as only one of the four isomers (the one found naturally) kills the malarial parasite, but all four isomers (as in the synthetic material) have serious adverse side effects. Encouraging African governments to consider growing Dichroa febrifuga as an alternative to the expensive and scarce qinghaosu should be considered.
Some Thoughts on the Safety Issues Relating to Chinese Herbal Products
Authors: Bensky Dan , Stöger Erich
Published: August 2006

As Chinese medicine becomes more and more integrated into the fabric of health care in economically developed countries, it runs into a variety of problems. These relate to education, licensing, and communications. In this article, we would like to focus on one important aspect—what does it mean to prescribe Chinese herbal medicines (CHM) responsibly at the present time? This issue confronts all Chinese herbalists (CH) in almost every patient encounter, and involves two major points that medical practitioners of all persuasions have to be cognizant of and which could be approached in a number of ways: safety and efficacy. How do we prescribe in a way that promotes the health of the patient without doing harm? We need to remember that all medicines, herbal or otherwise, have potential side effects and risks to patients, and that we need to take appropriate measures.
̒Still Arguing Over Cost̓: Bargaining, Etiquette and the Modern Patient in Republican Beijing
Authors: Pfeiffer Stefani
Published: August 2006

In this article I have endeavoured to show how conflicting notions of consumer etiquette and patient behaviour played out during negotiations between social workers and patients at Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMC) in the 1930s. Organisational technologies such as quantification, record keeping, statistics, standardisation and systematisation were essential aspects of the American-style scientific medicine that PUMC aimed to introduce to China in the Republican period. Chinese patients brought assumptions of their own to the American hospital, however. Wealthy women in particular insistently bargained over the price of treatment, thereby adopting a selective approach to hospital therapies. In response, hospital social workers, who were allowed considerable flexibility about the manner of negotiating prices, adapted payment customs to satisfy this class of patients. At the same time, social workers wielded their control over resources with an eye toward disciplining patients in various ways. They investigated patients' financial circumstances, gathering evidence in order to compel more truthful self-disclosure, or a posture of deference toward scientific and institutional authority. In Republican Beijing a 'modem' Chinese patient role thus evolved through a process of mutual, if asymmetrical, negotiation. Themes that become visible in the process of negotiating payment are suggestive of ways PUMC, as a model of administrative modernity and scientific organisation, was both linked to—and diverged from—consumer practices and concepts of distributive justice rooted in a distant society.
Narratives of Conception, Gestation, and Labour in Sanskrit Āyurvedic Texts
Authors: Ann Selby Martha
Published: August 2006

This essay looks at the ways in which medical discourse in Sanskrit is linguistically and meaningfully constructed, especially when this discourse directly addresses sexual difference in textual understandings of the ways in which conception, gestation, and the quotidian details of the birth experience are described by the multiple authors of these texts, and in some cases, by their commentators. I see it as my task to uncover and discuss the conceptual position of women in early ayurvedic literature; as objects of practice, but also as medical ̒actors̓ in and of themselves. In my conclusion, I will include some of my own speculations on the transmission of gynecological and obstetric knowledge, on what is ̒public̓ or ̒private̓ knowledge and on what could possibly be construed as ̒male̓ or ̒female̓ science. I will be paying particular attention to the gendered nature of medical authority in my concluding remarks, especially when analysing several circumstances in which women appear as agents and actors. I see āyurvedic texts as part of a larger cultural world: they share information and attitudes with other Sanskrit textual genres, particularly with dharma-śāstras (legal treatises), especially when the subjects in question turn to women and the regulation of their bodies in times of ritual pollution and reproductivity.
Zhuan nü Wei Nan Turning Female to Male: an Indian Influence on Chinese Gynaecology?
Authors: Ming Chen
Published: August 2006

Issues of the determination of fetal sex have haunted embryologists. Nowadays vestiges of traditional prejudice against the birth of girls are aided by ultrasound scans. The importance of perfect timing of conception and fetal care has been highlighted by sophisticated IVF (In Vitro Fertilisation) technologies and New Age fetal instruction for generations of middle-aged mothers with declining fertility. As the concept of having one fixed gender increasingly wavers, it is fascinating to find that all these preoccupations with sex determination and gender transformation can be found in ancient Indian and Chinese medical treatises. Nevertheless the ulterior motives naturally change from one context to another. In describing and comparing a number of early and medieval Chinese and Indian sources this article distinguishes between the aims and ambitions of gender technologies in Buddhist and medical sources.
Origins of a Misunderstanding: the Qianlong Emperor's Embargo on Rhubarb Exports to Russia, the Scenario and its Consequences
Authors: Che-Chia Chang , Barrett Penelope
Published: August 2006

This paper casts light on the myth, current in China before the Opium War, that the Europeans could not survive without rhubarb. The myth has its roots in differences between pharmaceutical theories and material culture in the Chinese and Western traditions. In China, rhubarb was considered a drastic purgative, indicated only in case of grave illness. In the West, in consequence of a specific method of processing, it was regarded as a mild and gentle drug, albeit wonderfully effective in ridding the body of superfluous humoral substances. Thus the same herb acquired completely different images in China and in the West. An important factor that fostered the myth was the Russian government's termination of the rhubarb monopoly in the prelude to the Sino-Russian border conflict in the late eighteenth century. This gave rise to increased smuggling, which was misinterpreted in China as evidence that Russia stood in desperate need of rhubarb. When the border conflict came to an end in 1792, Russia's unusually submissive attitude tended to confirm this misapprehension. This article not only explains why the Qjng government adopted an embargo on rhubarb; it also shows how differing pharmaceutical views influenced international affairs.
Policy Formation and Debate Concerning the Government Regulation of Āyurveda in Great Britain in the Twenty-First Century
Authors: Wujastyk Dominik
Published: August 2006

Since 2000, the British House of Lords and the Government have been working towards a regulatory scheme for Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) in Britain, a scheme that will include āyurveda. The present paper discusses these regulatory moves by the Government, and suggests that shortcomings in the range and type of evidence taken into account by the various Government agencies will leave a legacy of difficulties for CAM practitioners and their patients.
Potency Therapy in Classical Indian Medicine
Authors: Zysk Kenneth G.
Published: August 2006

This paper examines the traditional Indian ideas about impotency, virility, and potency therapy as found principally in the Sanskrit medical treatises of Caraka and Suśruta. Included is a detailed discussion of the potency formulas and what they contain. The analysis of this material leads to six important conclusions: l. Caraka relies on a brahminic explanation of and justification for potency therapy, which is wanting in Suśruta. 2. The use of symbolism to empower certain medicines seems to reflect a local tradition of folk medicine. 3. Certain animals are used as potency symbols. A similar use of potent animals occurs throughout Sanskrit literature. 4. The mention of meat in the potency of formulas of both treatises indicates that meat-eating was not forbidden at this time in certain contexts. 5. All but one of the potency formulas were to be consumed, and where believed to give general nourishment and bodily strength. Moreover, the consumption of animal semen as an ingredient in certain formulas was forbidden by the twelfth century CE. 6. The only non-consumed potency medicine was a foot balm, which may have been derived from an early tradition of Indian eroticism, known as Kāmaśāstra.
The Song Discontinuity: Rapid Innovation in Northern Song Dynasty Medicine
Authors: Goldschmidt Asaf
Published: August 2006

The theoretical basis and the therapeutic practices of medicine in China changed dramatically during the Northern Song dynasty (960-1127 CE). Government activism, personal involvement of emperors, and changes in patterns of epidemics created a new realm of medicine. Basic notions of disease and conceptions of the body changed due to the reprinting of ancient medical canons previously inaccessible to the majority of physicians. This article describes the change focusing on several issues such as the revision of books, the standardisation of acu-moxa therapy, the interest of emperors in medicine, expansion of drug therapy, the systematisation of medical education, and the establishment of medical institutions such as the Imperial Pharmacy. It concludes that following the changes introduced by the government, physicians adapted their medical theory and practice by integrating ancient doctrines with contemporary practices to create a new and comprehensive medical system that lasted with no major changes to the present.
̒Open̓ and ̒Closed̓ Models of the Human Body in Indian Medical and Yogic Traditions
Authors: White David Gordon
Published: August 2006

Most Indian and western commentators and scholars, following the Yoga Sūtras of Patañjali (c. third century CE), have assumed the Hindu yogic body to be a closed, self-contained system. However, a significant volume of data from a variety of sources—ranging from the classical Upaniṣads down through the Tantras (and including passages from the Yoga Sūtras themselves)—indicate that an 'open' model of the yogic body has also been operative in Hindu philosophical, medical, and mythological traditions. In these open models, the mind-body complex is linked, often via 'solar rays', to the sun and moon of the macrocosm, as well as to other mind-body complexes, which yogins are capable of entering through their practice.
Tibetan Medicine and Biomedicine: Epistemological Conflicts, Practical Solutions
Authors: Samuel Geoffrey B.
Published: August 2006

The western adaptation of non-western medical systems and traditions is a complex process that takes place at a variety of different levels. In many practical medical contexts, epistemological issues receive little attention. Both patients and practitioners may switch frameworks relatively freely, without much concern about underlying theoretical assumptions. Epistemological issues may be more central elsewhere, for example in regard to the licensing and approval of practitioners and medicinal substances, or in terms of the rethinking of western models of knowledge to include new insights from these non-western sources. I suggest in this paper that the major learned medical traditions of Asia, such as āyurveda and traditional Chinese medicine and traditional Tibetan medicine, for all their differences from biomedicine and among each other, are in some respects relatively compatible with western biomedical understandings. They can be read in physiological terms, as referring to a vocabulary of bodily processes that underlie health and disease. Such approaches, however, marginalise or exclude elements that disrupt this compatibility (e.g. references to divinatory procedures, spirit attack or flows of subtle 'energies'). Other non-western healing practices, such as those in which spirit attack, 'soul loss' or 'shamanic' procedures are more central, are less easily assimilated to biomedical models, and may simply be dismissed as incompatible with modern scientific understandings. Rather than assenting to physiological reduction in the one case, and dismissal as pre-scientific in the other, we should look for a wider context of understanding within which both kinds of approach can be seen as part of a coherent view of human beings and human existence.
Why Some Teachers Resist Change and What Principals Can Do About It
Authors: Zimmerman Judith
Published: August 2006

Schools across the country are pressured to reform by federal and state mandates. Because resistance is a major factor in reform failure, it is crucial for principals to discover why teachers resist change. This article explores the leadership and organizational change literature regarding some common barriers to change. Research-based strategies to promote change readiness and steps to overcome resistance are provided, including shared decision making, collaboration, professional development, principal's modeling, and preparedness for limiting forces of resistance.
What Are Principals Expected to Do? Congruence Between Principal Evaluation and Performance Standards
Authors: Catano Nancy , Stronge James H.
Published: August 2006

This study used both quantitative and qualitative methods of content analysis to examine principal evaluation instruments, and state and professional standards for principals in school districts located in a Mid-Atlantic state in the United States. The purposes of this study were to (a) determine the degrees of emphasis that are placed on leadership and management behaviors expected of school principals, (b) explore the congruence of principal evaluation instruments to instructional leadership and management attributes, and (c) explore the congruence of principal evaluation instruments with state and professional standards. Findings revealed school districts focused on instructional leadership, organizational management, and community relations as responsibilities for school principals. Principal evaluation instruments reflected common expectations for principals among school districts and state and professional standards.
The Conceptualization of Perceived Insufficient Milk Among Mexican Mothers
Authors: Sacco Lisa M. , Caulfield Laura E. , Gittelsohn Joel , Martínez Homero
Published: August 2006

This study sought to provide a comprehensive picture of maternal conceptualization of Perceived Insufficient Milk (PIM) using qualitative methods (semistructured interviews, free lists, and rankings) in Mexico. Two hundred and seven first-time mothers of infants younger than 6 months and mothers-to-be who were (or intended to be) breastfeeding were interviewed in waiting areas at a hospital and a health clinic in Mexico City, Mexico, from September 2000 to January 2001. Pattern searching and triangulation of the 3 qualitative methods indicated that women viewed crying as the chief symptom of PIM. Maternal diet and liquid intake were cited as both the most salient causes and treatments for PIM. The main coping strategy in the event of PIM was formula feeding. These findings highlight the need for addressing maternal concerns in relation to PIM, especially regarding the role of crying as the initiator of the PIM cycle.
Mood States and Milk Output in Lactating Mothers of Preterm and Term Infants
Authors: Hill Pamela D. , Aldag Jean C. , Demirtas Hakan , Zinaman Michael , Chatterton Robert T.
Published: August 2006

The purpose of this study is to compare psychological distress via both negative and positive mood states between 2 different groups of lactating mothers during the first 6 weeks postpartum with a large sample. Mood states were measured using the Multiple Affect Adjective Check List–Revised by a convenience sample of newly delivered mothers from 4 tertiary care units in Illinois. Preterm mothers' negative mood states of anxiety, depression, hostility, and dysphoria were significantly greater than those reported for term mothers. For the positive mood states of positive affect and PASS (positive affect + sensation seeking), preterm mothers had significantly lower scores than term mothers; there were no differences for the positive mood state, Sensation Seeking. Maternal perceived mood states had no apparent effect upon lactation as measured by milk volume produced. Further study is warranted to determine what factors influence milk output in mothers of preterm and term infants who are at risk for lactation failure.
Motor Recovery as Assessed with Isometric Finger Movements and Perfusion Magnetic Resonance Imaging after Acute Ischemic Stroke
Authors: Weller Patrick , Wittsack Hans-Jörg , Siebler Mario , Hömberg Volker , Seitz Rüdiger J.
Published: August 2006

Objective. Recovery from hemiparetic stroke is variable. An important goal for clinicians and clinical researchers is to identify predictors of recovery. The initial phase after acute ischemic stroke is considered to be of major importance for neurological outcome. The authors sought to determine in patients with acute ischemic stroke whether early motor recovery, as measured by repetitive isometric index-thumb oppositions, is correlated with ischemic lesion volume. Methods. Thirty-six acute hemiparetic stroke patients with residual hand function were investigated. The European Stroke Scale (ESS) score was determined on admission and at discharge. Performance of repetitive index finger-thumb pinch movements was measured daily during the 1st 8 days after stroke onset. Brain ischemia volume was determined digitally in time-to-peak magnetic resonance images of per-fusion. Results. The recovery of patients with ( P = 0.002) and without ( P < 0.001) thrombolysis as assessed with the ESS was paralleled by an increase in isometric grip force and movement rate ( P < 0.05). Recovery was predicted by the area of moderately impaired perfusion indicated by the per-fusion mismatch volume ( r = 0.578, P < 0.001). Conclusions. In acute stroke, recovery of hand function is predicted by the volume of salvageable ischemic tissue, as determined by the perfusion mismatch.
Relationships between Sensorimotor Impairments and Reaching Deficits in Acute Hemiparesis
Authors: Wagner Joanne M. , Lang Catherine E. , Sahrmann Shirley A. , Hu Qungli , Bastian Amy J. , Edwards Dorothy F. , Dromerick Alexander W.
Published: August 2006

To determine the relationships between sensorimotor impairments and upper extremity reaching performance during the acute phase of stroke and to determine which, if any, measures of sensorimotor impairment can predict variance in reaching performance during this phase. Methods. Sensorimotor impairments of upper extremity (UE) strength, active range of motion, isolated movement control, light touch sensation, joint position sense, spasticity, and shoulder pain were evaluated in a group of 46 individuals with acute hemiparesis (mean time since insult = 9.2 days). Subjects performed a reaching task to a target placed on their affected side. Three-dimensional kinematic analyses were used to assess reaching speed, accuracy, and efficiency. Forward stepwise multiple linear regression analyses were used to determine which impairment was the best predictor of variance in reaching performance. Results. Measures of UE strength predicted the largest proportion of variance in the speed, accuracy, and efficiency of forward reaching. Isolated movement control, somatosensory deficits, and elbow spasticity predicted smaller amounts of variance in reaching performance. Conclusions. The authors’ data show that deficits in strength appear to be the most influential sensorimotor impairment associated with limited reaching performance in subjects with acute hemiparesis.
Peroneal Nerve Stimulation versus an Ankle Foot Orthosis for Correction of Footdrop in Stroke: Impact on Functional Ambulation
Authors: Sheffler Lynne R. , Hennessey Maureen T. , Naples Gregory G. , Chae John
Published: August 2006

Objective. To compare the efficacy of the Odstock Dropped-Foot Stimulator (ODFS), a transcutaneous peroneal nerve stimulation device, versus an ankle foot orthosis (AFO) in improving functional ambulation of chronic stroke survivors. Intervention. Fourteen chronic stroke survivors with foot-drop participated in the study. Participants received ambulation training under 3 test conditions: 1) ODFS, 2) customized AFO, and 3) no device. Each participant was evaluated using the modified Emory Functional Ambulation Profile under the 3 test conditions. All participants were evaluated with a post-evaluation survey to solicit device feedback and preferences. Results. Functional ambulation with the AFO was significantly improved, relative to no device, on the floor ( P = 0.000), carpet ( P = 0.013), and “up and go” test ( P = 0.042). There was a trend toward significance on the obstacle ( P = 0.092) and stair ( P = 0.067) trials. Functional ambulation with the ODFS was significantly improved, relative to no device, on the carpet( P = 0.004). A trend toward significance on floor ( P = 0.081), obstaclxze ( P = 0.092), and stair ( P = 0.079) trials was observed. The difference in functional ambulation between the AFO and ODFS showed a trend toward statistical significance on floor ( P = 0.065) and up and go ( P = 0.082) trials only. Given a choice between the ODFS and AFO for long-term correction of footdrop, participants indicated a preference for the ODFS. Conclusion. The AFO and the ODFS may be comparable in their effect on improving functional ambulation as compared to no device. Specific characteristics of the ODFS may make it a preferred intervention by stroke survivors. More rigorously controlled trials are needed to confirm these findings.
The Decline of the Printed Catalogue in Britain
Authors: Bowman J. H.
Published: August 2006

In the nineteenth century British public library catalogues were invariably printed, and sold in the form of a book. They were usually dictionary catalogues, with author, title and subject entries interfiled in a single alphabetical sequence. During the 1890s controversy began to rage regarding the benefits of such catalogues, and gradually classified catalogues began to appear alongside them. By the end of the nineteenth century other physical forms, cards or slips, were appearing, initially as supplements to printed catalogues and then replacing them. After 1918 the increased cost of printing accelerated their decline, so that by the late 1930s printing was practically reserved for lists of new accessions. A very few authorities continued with printed catalogues after 1945, and there was a brief resurgence in the 1960s due to computerization. The appearance of the online catalogue in the 1980s ultimately spelt the end of all other physical forms.
The Library of the Molde Labour Association in 1910: Enlightenment and Social Control in a Norwegian Workers' Library
Authors: Haugen Robert
Published: August 2006

A Labour Association in Molde, a small town on the west coast of Norway, was established in 1861 by a group of influential citizens aiming to improve the educational and moral standards of local workers. In 1868 the Association established a library, the purpose of which, in terms of both the recreational and educational literature it provided, appeared to mirror the aims of the Association. Through an examination of the 1910 library catalogue and a number of secondary sources which illuminate various social and cultural contexts, particular attention is paid to the shape and purpose of the library collection in the early twentieth century, not least in regards to the role of the library as a mechanism of not only enlightenment but also social control. This is an extended version of a paper presented in the Library History Section's open session at the IFLA World Library and Information Congress, Oslo, August 2005.
Witnessing and Preserving Latvian Culture in Exile: Latvian Libraries in the West
Authors: Smith Inese A. , Štrāle Aina
Published: August 2006

During the nineteenth and twentieth centuries there were diverse reasons for Latvians leaving their homeland, political and economic alike. However, the largest number fled in late 1944, when the Soviet army invaded for a second time in the space of five years and established an occupation that would last for half a century. An unbreakable link to Latvia for all refugees or exiles was their native language, and one of the ways to secure links to their language was by reading. Wherever Latvians formed communities, they also established libraries. This paper gives an overview of the development of Latvian libraries in the West (about 93 by 1980) and then concentrates on the five largest collections, located in Munster (Germany, est. 1947), Melbourne (Australia, est. 1950), Kalamazoo (USA, est. 1983), Toronto (Canada, est. 1981), and Catthorpe (England, est. 1987). Each of these libraries was set up with the aim of serving the local Latvian community and also had the function akin to a national library — collecting materials in Latvian and about Latvia in other languages as well. In addition, libraries such as that at the Latvian Studies Centre in Kalamazoo served as a special collection to supply study and research materials for the Latvian academic programmes of Western Michigan University. The library in Munster served as the academic heart of the Munster Latvian Gymnasium. Renewal of Latvian independence in 1991 had an unanticipated effect on all libraries. Interest in, and travel to, Latvia increased and, hence, the interest in Latvian special collections in the West diminished, but research use of libraries in Latvia increased. Individuals and Latvian libraries in the West donated large amounts of material to libraries in Latvia, particularly the National Library of Latvia and the Misiņš Library. These donations filled the gaps left by the Soviet policy of forbidding exile literature to be collected by libraries in Latvia. With an aging exile population of Latvians and increased interest in libraries in Latvia, many of the libraries in the West have been abolished and their collections sent to Latvia. It is ironic that independence, for which the exiles fought and hoped so long and hard, had the effect of causing many of their libraries to close, but benefited Latvia by replacing and enriching collections there.
Individual Perceptions: A New Chapter on Victorian Information History
Authors: Weller Toni , Bawden David
Published: August 2006

Studies in Victorian information history have tended to focus upon the technological or organizational infrastructures and processes of information. This paper takes a different approach and examines four individuals as case studies — the Duke of Wellington, Florence Nightingale, Julius Reuter and Eleanor Sidgwick. Using contemporary archival material it attempts to understand the multifaceted notion of information as it was understood by the Victorians themselves, and in doing so proposes some personal perceptions of information during the nineteenth century. It concludes that information and knowledge played a recognized and varied role in nineteenth century society, but that this role was more subtle and understated than some Victorian information society literature has previously implied.
Bioinformatic discovery of microRNA precursors from human ESTs and introns
Authors: Li Sung-Chou , Pan Chao-Yu , Lin Wen-chang
Published: August 2006

Background

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) function in many physiological processes, and their discovery is beneficial for further studying their physiological functions. However, many of the miRNAs predicted from genomic sequences have not been experimentally validated to be authentic expressed RNA transcripts, thereby decreasing the reliability of miRNA discovery. To overcome this problem, we examined expressed transcripts – ESTs and intronic sequences – to identify novel miRNAs as well as their target genes.

Results

To facilitate our approach, we developed our scanning method using criteria based on the features of 207 known human pre-miRNAs to discriminate miRNAs from random sequences. We identified 208 candidate hairpins in human ESTs and human reference gene intronic sequences, 52 of which are known pre-miRNAs. The discovery pipeline performance was further assessed using 130 newly updated pre-miRNA and randomly selected sequences. We achieved sensitivity of 85% (110/130) and overall specificity of 49.7% using this method. Because miRNAs are evolutionarily conserved regulators of gene expression, it is expected that their host genes and target genes should have respective phylogenetic orthologs. Our results confirmed that, in certain mammals, the host genes carrying the same miRNAs are orthologs, as previously reported. Moreover, this observation is also the case for some of the miRNA target genes.

Conclusion

We have predicted 208 human pre-miRNA candidates and over 10,000 putative human target genes. Using sequence information from ESTs and introns ensures that the predicted pre-miRNA candidates are expressed and the combined expression transcription information from ESTs and introns makes our prediction results more decisive with regard to expressed pre-miRNAs.
Identification and analysis of YELLOW protein family genes in the silkworm, Bombyx mori
Authors: Xia Ai-Hua , Zhou Qing-Xiang , Yu Lin-Lin , Li Wei-Guo , Yi Yong-Zhu , Zhang Yao-Zhou , Zhang Zhi-Fang
Published: August 2006

Background

The major royal jelly proteins/yellow (MRJP/YELLOW) family possesses several physiological and chemical functions in the development of Apis mellifera and Drosophila melanogaster. Each protein of the family has a conserved domain named MRJP. However, there is no report of MRJP/YELLOW family proteins in the Lepidoptera.

Results

Using the YELLOW protein sequence in Drosophila melanogaster to BLAST silkworm EST database, we found a gene family composed of seven members with a conserved MRJP domain each and named it YELLOW protein family of Bombyx mori. We completed the cDNA sequences with RACE method. The protein of each member possesses a MRJP domain and a putative cleavable signal peptide consisting of a hydrophobic sequence. In view of genetic evolution, the whole Bm YELLOW protein family composes a monophyletic group, which is distinctly separate from Drosophila melanogaster and Apis mellifera. We then showed the tissue expression profiles of Bm YELLOW protein family genes by RT-PCR.

Conclusion

A Bombyx mori YELLOW protein family is found to be composed of at least seven members. The low homogeneity and unique pattern of gene expression by each member among the family ensure us to prophesy that the members of Bm YELLOW protein family would play some important physiological functions in silkworm development.
Generation of a large scale repertoire of Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) from normalised rainbow trout cDNA libraries
Authors: Govoroun Marina , Le Gac Florence , Guiguen Yann
Published: August 2006

Background

Within the framework of a genomics project on livestock species (AGENAE), we initiated a high-throughput DNA sequencing program of Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss.

Results

We constructed three cDNA libraries including one highly complex pooled-tissue library. These libraries were normalized and subtracted to reduce clone redundancy. ESTs sequences were produced, and 96 472 ESTs corresponding to high quality sequence reads were released on the international database, currently representing 42.5% of the overall sequence knowledge in this species. All these EST sequences and other publicly available ESTs in rainbow trout have been included on a publicly available Website (SIGENAE) and have been clustered into a total of 52 930 clusters of putative transcripts groups, including 24 616 singletons. 57.1% of these 52 930 clusters are represented by at least one Agenae EST and 14 343 clusters (27.1%) are only composed by Agenae ESTs. Sequence analysis also reveals that normalization and especially subtraction were effective in decreasing redundancy, and that the pooled-tissue library was representative of the initial tissue complexity.

Conclusion

Due to present work on the construction of rainbow trout normalized cDNA libraries and their extensive sequencing, along with other large scale sequencing programs, rainbow trout is now one of the major fish models in term of EST sequences available in a public database, just after Zebrafish, Danio rerio. This information is now used for the selection of a non redundant set of clones for producing DNA micro-arrays in order to examine global gene expression.
Interleukin-10 polymorphisms in Spanish IgA deficiency patients: a case-control and family study
Authors: Ortiz Javier , Fernández-Arquero Miguel , Urcelay Elena , López-Mejías Raquel , Ferreira Antonio , Fontán Gumersindo , de la Concha Emilio G , Martínez Alfonso
Published: August 2006

Background

IgA deficiency (IgAD) is the most common primary immunodeficiency in Caucasians. Genetic and environmental factors are suspected to be involved in the development of the disease. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a cytokine with stimulatory activity on immunoglobulin production and it may be an important regulator in IgAD pathogenesis. The IL-10 gene contains several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and two polymorphic microsatellites located in the 5'-flanking region. Our aim was to ascertain if any of these polymorphic markers are associated or linked to IgAD in Spanish patients.

Methods

We genotyped 278 patients with IgAD and 573 ethnically matched controls for the microsatellites IL-10R and IL-10G and for three single nucleotide polymorphisms at positions -1082, -819 and -592 in the proximal promoter of the gene. We also included in this study the parents of 194 patients in order to study the IL-10 haplotypes transmitted and not transmitted to the affected offspring.

Results

The only allele where a significant difference was observed in the comparison between IgA deficiency patients and controls was the IL-10G12 allele (OR = 1.58 and p = 0.021). However, this p value could not withstand a Bonferroni correction. None of the IL-10R or promoter SNP alleles was found at a different frequency when patients were compared with controls.

Conclusion

Our data do not show any significant difference in IL-10 polymorphism frequencies between control and IgAD patient samples. Their haplotype distribution among patients and controls was also equivalent and therefore these microsatellites and SNPs do not seem to influence IgAD susceptibility.
Identification and quantification of change in Australian illicit drug markets
Authors: Gilmour Stuart , Koch Inge , Degenhardt Louisa , Day Carolyn
Published: August 2006

Background

In early 2001 Australia experienced a sudden reduction in the availability of heroin which had widespread effects on illicit drug markets across the country. The consequences of this event, commonly referred to as the Australian 'heroin shortage', have been extensively studied and there has been considerable debate as to the causes of the shortage and its implications for drug policy. This paper aims to investigate the presence of these epidemic patterns, to quantify the scale over which they occur and to estimate the relative importance of the 'heroin shortage' and any epidemic patterns in the drug markets.

Method

Key indicator data series from the New South Wales illicit drug market were analysed using the statistical methods Principal Component Analysis and SiZer.

Results

The 'heroin shortage' represents the single most important source of variation in this illicit drug market. Furthermore the size of the effect of the heroin shortage is more than three times that evidenced by long-term 'epidemic' patterns.

Conclusion

The 'heroin shortage' was unlikely to have been a simple correction at the end of a long period of reduced heroin availability, and represents a separate non-random shock which strongly affected the markets.