bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Anterograde Tracer Study on the Nucleus geniculatus dorsalis and Its Internal Synaptic Structure in Chick Brain
Authors: Tömböl T. , Eyre M.D. , Zayats N. , Németh A.
Published: April 2005

In the present study the terminals of retinal fibres and those of internal layer cells in ventral geniculate nucleus of chicks were labelled with the anterograde tracer biotinylated dextran amine. The tracer showed the connections from the internal cell layers of ventral geniculate nucleus to the medial part of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. The labelled retinal terminals were located exactly in the lateral part of nucleus. The labelled terminals in the two parts of the nucleus were analysed with the electron microscope and showed a different synaptic organisation in the two parts of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus. In the lateral part, two kinds of synaptic glomeruli were found mostly in the vicinity of large dendrites, which are proximal dendrites of projection neurons. One type is a simple glomerulus containing a large dendrite, a large optic terminal and a large and/or series of asymmetrical synapses surrounded by glial processes. The other type is a complex synaptic unit with several pre- and postsynaptic components, among them synapses of GABA-positive axon terminals and/or dendraxons. No glomeruli were found in the medial part of the nucleus. In the medial part of the lateral geniculate nucleus, the terminals of internal layer cell axons established asymmetrical synapses with dendrites. Often, a large terminals and large dendritic profiles established serial asymmetrical synapses. GABA-positive myelinated fibres entered and ramified in both parts of the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus, and GABA-positive terminals were seen to form synapses on the same dendrite near to the asymmetrical contacts. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the connection from ventral geniculate internal layer cells to the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus in the chick.
Synchronous Optic and Pineal Pilocytic Astrocytomas in a Paediatric Patient with Neurofibromatosis Type 1
Authors: Ogura Takeshi , Adachi Jun-ichi , Nishikawa Ryo , Hirose Takanori , Matsutani Masao
Published: April 2005

A 12-year-old girl with neurofibromatosis type 1 presented with headache, visual acuity and visual field disturbance. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging revealed an enhanced solid mass involving her right optic nerve and optic chiasm, and a cystic lesion in the pineal region that had resulted in obstructive hydrocephalus. An open biopsy of the right optic nerve tumour was performed, and it was histologically identified as a pilocytic astrocytoma. Local irradiation of 50 Gy to the optic pathway tumour was performed, and the tumour has remained stable for more than 29 months. On the contrary, the pineal cystic mass that was also histologically identified as a pilocytic astrocytoma showed marked enlargement within 5 months after a subtotal resection. Chemotherapy with cisplatin and vincristine was performed after a second surgery, and the pineal tumour has not re-grown in 18 months. To our knowledge, this is the first case report to describe synchronous optic and pineal pilocytic astrocytomas associated with neurofibromatosis type 1.
Peripheral Electrical Stimulation in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: van Dijk Koene R.A. , Scheltens Philip , Luijpen Marijn W. , Sergeant Joseph A. , Scherder Erik J.A.
Published: April 2005

In a number of studies, peripheral electrical nerve stimulation has been applied to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) patients who lived in a nursing home. Improvements were observed in memory, verbal fluency, affective behavior, activities of daily living and on the rest-activity rhythm and pupillary light reflex. The aim of the present, randomized, placebo-controlled, parallel-group clinical trial was to examine the effects of electrical stimulation on cognition and behavior in AD patients who still live at home. Repeated measures analyses of variance revealed no effects of the intervention in the verum group (n = 32) compared with the placebo group (n = 30) on any of the cognitive and behavioral outcome measures. However, the majority of the patients and the caregivers evaluated the treatment procedure positively, and applying the daily treatment at home caused minimal burden. The lack of treatment effects calls for reconsideration of electrical stimulation as a symptomatic treatment in AD.
Neural Correlates of Impaired Performance on the Clock Drawing Test in Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Nagahama Yasuhiro , Okina Tomoko , Suzuki Norio , Nabatame Hidehiko , Matsuda Minoru
Published: April 2005

To identify the neural correlates for impaired performance on the clock drawing test (CDT) in patients with Alzheimer’s disease (AD), we examined the relationship between the CDT performances and the regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) in 100 AD patients. The patients were equally divided into a mildly impaired CDT group, a severely impaired CDT group, and two normal CDT groups, with age and dementia severity matched. Between-group comparisons revealed that rCBF reduction in the posterolateral region of the left temporal lobe was consistently associated with mild to severe impairment of the CDT in AD. Correlation analysis also showed that the rCBF in the left posterolateral temporal cortex was linearly correlated with CDT performance. The CDT scores in AD were significantly improved for the copy condition relative to the drawing-to-command condition. These findings suggest that CDT performance has a close relationship with the left posterior temporal function, and that semantic memory deficit may at least partly contribute to impaired CDT performance in AD.
A Confidence Set Inference Procedure for Gene Mapping Using Markers with Incomplete Polymorphism
Authors: Papachristou Charalampos , Lin Shili
Published: April 2005

A recent approach for gene mapping based on confidence set inference (CSI) promises several advantages, including avoidance of corrections for multiple tests, availability of confidence intervals with known statistical properties, and sufficient localizations of disease genes. This paper proposes an extended CSI procedure that can handle markers with incomplete polymorphism, thereby increasing the applicability of the set of CSI methods in practical situations. Simulation studies show that the new procedure retains the main advantages of the original CSI. Although it generally requires more data to achieve a similar power, this increase is moderate for markers with 80% heterozygosity or higher. We also investigate the effects of relative risk estimates and disease models. Our analyses show that perturbation from actual relative risks or multilocus disease models generally leads to reduction in power or inflation in type I error, as expected. Nevertheless, for certain classes of two-locus disease models, CSI can still perform well, with reasonably high actual coverage probabilities for at least one of the disease loci. Application of CSI to the data provided by the Genetic Analysis Workshop 13 yields encouraging results, as they compare favorably to those obtained from GENEHUNTER using its NPL sib-pair method.
The Relative Efficiency of Penetrance Estimators for Sib Pairs
Authors: Swartz Michael D. , Minard Charles G. , Amos Christopher I.
Published: April 2005

Here we present analytical studies to evaluate the relative efficiency of commonly used penetrance estimators using linkage designs. We investigated three different methods of estimating penetrance using sib pairs: Maximum likehood estimation (MLE) with trait information alone, MLE with both trait and marker information and the MOD score approach. Modeling sib pairs with unknown phase, we evaluated the asymptotic relative efficiency between estimators under either random sampling or single ascertainment for an autosomal dominant or recessive disease. We then provide plots of the asymptotic relative efficiency, enabling researchers to easily determine regions where the MOD score or segregation alone performs with comparable efficiency relative to joint segregation and linkage.
Regulation of Endothelial Cell and Endothelial Progenitor Cell Survival and Vasculogenesis by Integrin-Linked Kinase
Authors: Cho Hyun-Jai , Youn Seock-Won , Cheon Soo-In , Kim Tae-Youn , Hur Jin , Zhang Shu-Ying , Lee Seung Pyo , Park Kyung-Woo , Lee Myoung-Mook , Choi Yun-Shik , Park Young-Bae , Kim Hyo-Soo
Published: April 2005

Objective—

New vessel formation is a dynamic process of attachment, detachment, and reattachment of endothelial cells (ECs) and endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) with each other and with the extracellular matrix (ECM). Integrin-linked kinase (ILK) plays a pivotal role in ECM-mediated signaling. Therefore, we investigated the role of ILK in ECs and EPCs during neovascularization.

Methods and Results—

In human umbilical cord vein ECs and EPCs, endogenous ILK expression, along with subsequent cell survival signals phospho-Akt and phospho–glycogen synthase kinase 3β, was reduced after anchorage or nutrient deprivation. Even brief anchorage deprivation resulted in retarded capillary tube formation by ECs. Adenoviral ILK gene transfer in ECs and EPCs reversed the decrease in cell survival signals after anchorage or nutrient deprivation, leading to enhanced survival, reduced apoptosis, and significantly accelerated the functional recovery after reattachment. And ILK overexpressing EPCs significantly improved blood flow recovery and prevented limb loss in nude mice hindlimb ischemia model. Furthermore, the efficacy of systemic delivery was equivalent to local injection of ILK-EPCs.

Conclusions—

ILK overexpression protects ECs and EPCs from anchorage- or nutrient-deprived stress and enhances neovascularization, suggesting that ILK is an optimal target gene for genetically modified cell-based therapy. Neovascularization is a dynamic process of detachment and reattachment of ECs and EPCs. Endogenous ILK expression was decreased in various stress conditions, and the gene transfer of ILK protected ECs and EPCs from temporary anchorage or nutrient deprivation. Furthermore, ILK gene transfer in EPCs significantly enhanced neovascularization in vivo.
Carbon Dioxide–Rich Water Bathing Enhances Collateral Blood Flow in Ischemic Hindlimb via Mobilization of Endothelial Progenitor Cells and Activation of NO-cGMP System
Authors: Irie Hidekazu , Tatsumi Tetsuya , Takamiya Mitsutaka , Zen Kan , Takahashi Tomosaburo , Azuma Akihiro , Tateishi Kento , Nomura Tetsuya , Hayashi Hironori , Nakajima Norio , Okigaki Mitsuhiko , Matsubara Hiroaki
Published: March 2005

Background—

Carbon dioxide–rich water bathing has the effect of vasodilatation, whereas it remains undetermined whether this therapy exerts an angiogenic action associated with new vessel formation.

Methods and Results—

Unilateral hindlimb ischemia was induced by resecting the femoral arteries of C57BL/J mice. Lower limbs were immersed in CO
2
-enriched water (CO
2
concentration, 1000 to 1200 mg/L) or freshwater (control) at 37°C for 10 minutes once a day. Laser Doppler imaging revealed increased blood perfusion in ischemic limbs of CO
2
bathing (38% increase at day 28,
P
<0.001), whereas
N
G
-nitro-
l
-arginine methyl ester treatment abolished this effect. Angiography or immunohistochemistry revealed that collateral vessel formation and capillary densities were increased (4.1-fold and 3.7-fold,
P
<0.001, respectively). Plasma vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) levels were elevated at day 14 (18%,
P
<0.05). VEGF mRNA levels, phosphorylation of NO synthase, and cGMP accumulation in the CO
2
-bathed hindlimb muscles were increased (2.7-fold, 2.4-fold, and 3.4-fold, respectively) but not in forelimb muscles. The number of circulating Lin−/Flk-1+/CD34− endothelial-lineage progenitor cells was markedly increased by CO
2
bathing (24-fold at day 14,
P
<0.001). The Lin−/Flk-1+/CD34− cells express other endothelial antigens (endoglin and VE-cadherin) and incorporated acetylated LDL.

Conclusions—

Our present study demonstrates that CO
2
bathing of ischemic hindlimb causes the induction of local VEGF synthesis, resulting in an NO-dependent neocapillary formation associated with mobilization of endothelial progenitor cells.
Inflammation and Endothelial Function
Authors: Clapp Brian R. , Hirschfield Gideon M. , Storry Clare , Gallimore J. Ruth , Stidwill Ray P. , Singer Mervyn , Deanfield John E. , MacAllister Raymond J. , Pepys Mark B. , Vallance Patrick , Hingorani Aroon D.
Published: March 2005

Background—

Circulating concentrations of the sensitive inflammatory marker C-reactive protein (CRP) predict future cardiovascular events, and CRP is elevated during sepsis and inflammation, when vascular reactivity may be modulated. We therefore investigated the direct effect of CRP on vascular reactivity.

Methods and Results—

The effects of isolated, pure human CRP on vasoreactivity and protein expression were studied in vascular rings and cells in vitro, and effects on blood pressure were studied in rats in vivo. The temporal relationship between changes in CRP concentration and brachial flow-mediated dilation was also studied in humans after vaccination with
Salmonella typhi
capsular polysaccharide, a model of inflammatory endothelial dysfunction. In contrast to some previous reports, highly purified and well-characterized human CRP specifically induced hyporeactivity to phenylephrine in rings of human internal mammary artery and rat aorta that was mediated through physiological antagonism by nitric oxide (NO). CRP did not alter endothelial NO synthase protein expression but increased protein expression of GTP cyclohydrolase-1, the rate-limiting enzyme in the synthesis of tetrahydrobiopterin, the NO synthase cofactor. In the vaccine model of inflammatory endothelial dysfunction in humans, increased CRP concentration coincided with the resolution rather than the development of endothelial dysfunction, consistent with the vitro findings; however, administration of human CRP to rats had no effect on blood pressure.

Conclusions—

Pure human CRP has specific, direct effects on vascular function in vitro via increased NO production; however, further clarification of the effect, if any, of CRP on vascular reactivity in humans in vivo will require clinical studies using specific inhibitors of CRP.
El Niño: Catastrophe or Opportunity
Authors: Goddard Lisa , Dilley Maxx
Published: March 2005

El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, a periodic warming of sea surface temperatures in the eastern and central equatorial Pacific, generates a significant proportion of short-term climate variations globally, second only to the seasonal cycle. Global economic losses of tens of billions of dollars are attributed to extremes of ENSO (i.e., El Niño and La Niña), suggesting that these events disproportionately trigger socioeconomic disasters on the global scale. Since global El Niño/La Niña–associated climate impacts were first documented in the 1980s, the prevailing assumption has been that more severe and widespread climate anomalies, and, therefore, greater climate-related socioeconomic losses, should be expected during ENSO extremes. Contrary to expectations, climate anomalies associated with such losses are not greater overall during ENSO extremes than during neutral periods. However, during El Niño and La Niña events climate forecasts are shown to be more accurate. Stronger ENSO events lead to greater predictability of the climate and, potentially, the socioeconomic outcomes. Thus, the prudent use of climate forecasts could mitigate adverse impacts and lead instead to increased beneficial impacts, which could transform years of ENSO extremes into the least costly to life and property.
Variability of Upper Pacific Ocean Overturning in a Coupled Climate Model
Authors: Merryfield William J. , Boer George J.
Published: March 2005

Variability of subtropical cell (STC) overturning in the upper Pacific Ocean is examined in a coupled climate model in light of large observed changes in STC transport. In a 1000-yr control run, modeled STC variations are smaller than observed, but correlate in a similar way with low-frequency ENSO-like variability. In model runs that include anthropogenically forced climate change, STC pycnocline transports decrease progressively under the influence of global warming, attaining reductions of 8% by 2000 and 46% by 2100. Although the former reduction is insufficient to fully account for the apparent observed decline in STC transport over recent decades, it does suggest that global warming may have contributed to the observed changes. Analysis of coupled model results shows that STC transports play a significant role in modulating tropical Pacific Ocean heat content, and that such changes are dominated by anomalous currents advecting mean temperature, rather than by advection of temperature anomalies by mean currents.
Climatic Feedbacks and Desertification: The Mediterranean Model
Authors: Millán M. M. , Estrela M. J. , Sanz M. J. , Mantilla E. , Martín M. , Pastor F. , Salvador R. , Vallejo R. , Alonso L. , Gangoiti G. , Ilardia J. L. , Navazo M. , Albizuri A. , Artíñano B. , Ciccioli P. , Kallos G. , Carvalho R. A. , Andrés D. , Hoff A. , Werhahn J. , Seufert G. , Versino B.
Published: March 2005

Mesometeorological information obtained in several research projects in southern Europe has been used to analyze perceived changes in the western Mediterranean summer storm regime. A procedure was developed to disaggregate daily precipitation data into three main components: frontal precipitation, summer storms, and Mediterranean cyclogenesis. Working hypotheses were derived on the likely processes involved. The results indicate that the precipitation regime in this Mediterranean region is very sensitive to variations in surface airmass temperature and moisture. Land-use perturbations that accumulated over historical time and greatly accelerated in the last 30 yr may have induced changes from an open, monsoon-type regime with frequent summer storms over the mountains inland to one dominated by closed vertical recirculations where feedback mechanisms favor the loss of storms over the coastal mountains and additional heating of the sea surface temperature during summer. This, in turn, favors Mediterranean cyclogenesis and torrential rains in autumn–winter. Because these intense rains and floods can occur anywhere in the basin, perturbations to the hydrological cycle in any part of the basin can propagate to the whole basin and adjacent regions. Furthermore, present levels of air pollutants can produce greenhouse heating, amplifying the perturbations and pushing the system over critical threshold levels. The questions raised are relevant for the new European Union (EU) water policies in southern Europe and for other regions dominated by monsoon-type weather systems.
Opposite Phases of the Antarctic Oscillation and Relationships with Intraseasonal to Interannual Activity in the Tropics during the Austral Summer
Authors: Carvalho Leila M. V. , Jones Charles , Ambrizzi Tércio
Published: March 2005

The Antarctic Oscillation (AAO) has been observed as a deep oscillation in the mid- and high southern latitudes. In the present study, the AAO pattern is defined as the leading mode of the empirical orthogonal function (EOF-1) obtained from daily 700-hPa geopotential height anomalies from 1979 to 2000. Here the objective is to identify daily positive and negative AAO phases and relationships with intraseasonal activity in the Tropics and phases of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) during the austral summer [December–January–February (DJF)]. Positive and negative AAO phases are defined when the daily EOF-1 time coefficient is above (or below) one standard deviation of the DJF mean. Composites of low-frequency sea surface temperature variation, 200-hPa zonal wind, and outgoing longwave radiation (OLR) indicate that negative (positive) phases of the AAO are dominant when patterns of SST, convection, and circulation anomalies resemble El Niño (La Niña) phases of ENSO. Enhanced intraseasonal activity from the Tropics to the extratropics of the Southern (Northern) Hemisphere is associated with negative (positive) phases of the AAO. In addition, there is indication that the onset of negative phases of the AAO is related to the propagation of the Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO). Suppression of intraseasonal convective activity over Indonesia is observed in positive AAO phases. It is hypothesized that deep convection in the central tropical Pacific, which is related to either El Niño or eastward-propagating MJO, or a combination of both phenomena, modulates the Southern Hemisphere circulation and favors negative AAO phases during DJF. The alternation of AAO phases seems to be linked to the latitudinal migration of the subtropical upper-level jet and variations in the intensity of the polar jet. This, in turn, affects extratropical cyclone properties, such as origin, minimum/maximum central pressure, and their equatorward propagation.
Oscillatory and Propagating Modes of Temperature Variability at the 3–3.5- and 4–4.5-yr Time Scales in the Upper Southwest Pacific Ocean
Authors: Holbrook Neil J. , Chan Peter S-L. , Venegas Silvia A.
Published: March 2005

This paper investigates oscillatory and propagating patterns of normalized surface and subsurface temperature anomalies (from the seasonal cycle) in the southwest Pacific Ocean using an extended empirical orthogonal function (EEOF) analysis. The temperature data (and errors) are from the Digital Atlas of Southwest Pacific upper Ocean Temperatures (DASPOT). These data are 3 monthly in time (January, April, July, and October), 2° × 2° in space, and 5 m in the vertical to 450-m depths. The temperature anomalies in the EEOF analysis are normalized by the objective mapping temperature errors at each grid point. They are also Butterworth filtered in the 3–7-yr band to examine interannual variations in the temperature field. The oscillating and propagating patterns of the modes are examined across four vertical levels: the surface, and 100-, 250-, and 450-m depths.

The dominant mode EEOF (70% of the total variance of the filtered data) oscillates in a 4–4.5-yr quasi-periodic manner that is consistent with El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Anomalies peak first at the surface in the subtropics between New Caledonia and Fiji (centered around 17°S, 177°E), then 6 months later in the tropical far west centered around the Solomon Islands (5°S, 153°–157°E), with a maximum at the base of the mixed layer (100 m) and upper thermocline (250 m), and then eastward in the northeast of the southwest Pacific region (0°–10°S, 160°E–180°). Mode 2 (25% variance of the filtered data) has a periodicity of 3–3.5 yr, with centers of action in all four vertical levels. The mode-2 patterns are consistent with variations in the subtropical gyre circulation, including the East Australian Current and its separation, and are continuous with the Tasman Front. Two spatial dipoles are apparent: (i) one in sea surface temperature (SST) at about 5°S, straddling west–east either side of the Solomon Islands, consistent with the classic Pacific-wide ENSO SST anomaly mode, and (ii) a subsurface dipole pattern, with centers in the Solomon Islands region at 100- and 250-m depths, and the western Tasman Sea (27°–33°S, 157°–161°E) at 250- and 450-m depths, consistent with dynamic changes in the gyre intensity.
Evolution of Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer Structure across the Cold Tongue–ITCZ Complex
Authors: Pyatt Hollis E. , Albrecht Bruce A. , Fairall Chris , Hare J. E. , Bond Nicholas , Minnis Patrick , Ayers J. Kirk
Published: March 2005

The structure of the marine atmospheric boundary layer (MABL) over the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean is influenced by spatial variations of sea surface temperature (SST) in the region. As the MABL air is advected across a strong SST gradient associated with the cold tongue–ITCZ complex (CTIC), substantial changes occur in the thermodynamic structure, surface fluxes, and cloud properties. This study attempts to define and explain the variability in the MABL structure and clouds over the CTIC. Using data collected on research cruises from the fall seasons of 1999–2001, composite soundings were created for both the cold and warm sides of the SST front to describe the mean atmospheric boundary layer (ABL) structure and its evolution across this front. The average difference in SST across this front was ∼6°C; much of this difference was concentrated in a band only ∼50 km wide. During the fall seasons, on the cold side of the gradient, a well-defined inversion exists in all years. Below this inversion, both fair-weather cumulus and stratiform clouds are observed. As the MABL air moves over the SST front to warmer waters, the inversion weakens and increases in height. The MABL also moistens and eventually supports deeper convection over the ITCZ. Both the latent and sensible heat fluxes increase dramatically across the SST front because of both an increase in SST and surface wind speed. Cloudiness is variable on the cold side of the SST front ranging from 0.2 to 0.9 coverage. On the warm side, cloud fraction was quite constant in time, with values generally greater than 0.8. The highest cloud-top heights (>3 km) are found well north of the SST front, indicating areas of deeper convection. An analysis using energy and moisture budgets identifies the roles of various physical processes in the MABL evolution.
Long-Range Predictability in the Tropics. Part I: Monthly Averages
Authors: Reichler Thomas , Roads John O.
Published: March 2005

The sensitivity to initial and boundary conditions of monthly mean tropical long-range forecasts (1–14 weeks) during Northern Hemisphere winter is studied with a numerical model. Five predictability experiments with different combinations of initial conditions and prescribed ocean boundary conditions are conducted in order to investigate the temporal and spatial characteristics of the perfect model forecast skill. It is shown that initial conditions dominate a tropical forecast during the first 3 weeks and that they influence a forecast for at least 8 weeks. The initial condition effect is strongest over the Eastern Hemisphere and during years when the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon is weak. The relatively long sensitivity to initial conditions is related to a complex combination of dynamic and thermodynamic effects, and to positive internal feedbacks of large-scale convective anomalies. At lead times of more than 3 weeks, boundary forcing is the main contributor to tropical predictability. This effect is particularly strong over the Western Hemisphere and during ENSO. Using persisted instead of observed sea surface temperatures leads to useful forecast results only over the Western Hemisphere and during ENSO.
Long-Range Predictability in the Tropics. Part II: 30–60-Day Variability
Authors: Reichler Thomas , Roads John O.
Published: March 2005

It is suggested that the slow evolution of the tropical Madden–Julian oscillation (MJO) has the potential to improve the predictability of tropical and extratropical circulation systems at lead times beyond 2 weeks. In practice, however, the MJO phenomenon is extremely difficult to predict because of the lack of good observations, problems with ocean forecasts, and well-known model deficiencies. In this study, the potential skill in forecasting tropical intraseasonal variability is investigated by eliminating all those errors. This is accomplished by conducting five ensemble predictability experiments with a complex general circulation model and by verifying them under the perfect model assumption. The experiments are forced with different combinations of initial and boundary conditions to explore their sensitivity to uncertainties in those conditions.

When “perfect” initial and boundary conditions are provided, the model produces a realistic climatology and variability as compared to reanalysis, although the spectral peak of the simulated MJO is too broad. The effect of initial conditions is noticeable out to about 40 days. The quality of the boundary conditions is crucial at all lead times. The small but positive correlations at very long lead times are related to intraseasonal variability of tropical sea surface temperatures (SSTs). When model, initial, and boundary conditions are all perfect, the useful forecast skill of intraseasonal variability is about 4 weeks. Predictability is insensitive to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) phenomenon, but it is enhanced during years when the intraseasonal oscillation is more active.

The results provide evidence that the MJO must be understood as a coupled system. As a consequence, it is concluded that further progress in the long-range predictability effort may require the use of fully interactive ocean models.
Decreasing Reliability and Increasing Synchroneity of Western North American Streamflow
Authors: Jain Shaleen , Hoerling Martin , Eischeid Jon
Published: March 2005

Assessing climate-related societal vulnerability and mitigating impacts requires timely diagnosis of the nature of regional hydrologic change. A late-twentieth-century emergent trend is discovered toward increasing year-to-year variance (decreasing reliability) of streamflow across the major river basins in western North America—–Fraser, Columbia, Sacramento–San Joaquin, and Upper Colorado. Simultaneously, a disproportionate increase in the incidence of synchronous flows (simultaneous high or low flows across all four river basins) has resulted in expansive water resources stress. The observed trends have analogs in wintertime atmospheric circulation regimes and ocean temperatures, raising new questions on the detection, attribution, and projection of regional hydrologic change induced by climate.
An African Nationalist Ideology Framed in Diaspora and the Development Quagmire
Authors: Blake Cecil
Published: March 2005

This article advances the argument that an African nationalist ideology crafted in Diaspora by African ideologues in the 19th and early 20th centuries contained tenets that addressed the fundamental development challenges faced in present day Africa. The ideology centered on African interests ranging from resistance against the institution of slavery to the formation of what was referred to as an “African nationality” with an independent African continent governed by Africans against the background of African history and Africa's contribution toward human civilization. However, after African decolonization in the 20th century, ideologues in the African leadership structure did not seem to have learned lessons from the vision and processes in the formulation of an ideology by their precursors in Diaspora, hence nullifying what probably would have resulted in an African renaissance grounding African national development in an Africanbased ideology.
Race, Gender, and Linked Fate
Authors: Simien Evelyn M.
Published: March 2005

For African Americans, linked fate is the recognition that individual life chances are inextricably tied to the race as a whole. Using data from the 1996 National Black Election Study, the author empirically tested two competing hypotheses about the effect of gender identification on race identification as measured by linked fate. One hypothesis suggests that Black women who identify strongly with their gender will report a lower sense of race identification. The other suggests that Black women who identify strongly with their gender will report a higher sense of race identification. This research is important because it is the first to extend the application of the linked fate model used to measure race identification to the case in which gender matters. By so doing, this study demonstrates the importance of theorizing gender as opposed to simply adding the variable (gender) to a regression model and controlling for its effects statistically.
Race, Quarterbacks, and the Media
Authors: Niven David
Published: March 2005

Talk show host Rush Limbaugh made headlines in 2003 when he appeared on a cable sports program and claimed the media were biased in favor of African American quarterbacks. Using a sample made up of the seven African American starting quarterbacks in the National Football League matched with seven White quarterbacks with comparable statistics, this study considers whether newspaper coverage was slanted by race. The data, including more than 10,000 articles published during the 2002 football season, show minor and inconsistent differences in coverage between African American and White quarterbacks and offer no support to Limbaugh's position. Despite themedia's apparent lack of bias in this situation, response to Limbaugh's comments in the media avoided the larger issue of race and instead focused on the playing ability of African American quarterbacks.
Good Times?
Authors: Harris-Lacewell Melissa , Albertson Bethany
Published: March 2005

In the year 2000, nearly 30% of African American respondents to a national survey expressed the belief that Blacks are doing better economically than Whites. There is no evidence to suggest that African Americans are in a better economic position than Whites. Striking gaps in income, employment, and wealth continue to distinguish Black economic reality. Why, then, did some African Americans misperceive racial economic fortunes in the late 90s? This article explores the possibility that the answer lies, in part, with Black attitudes toward Bill Clinton. This study uses measures of Black public opinion toward economic issues in five different surveys from 1984 to 2000. Using data drawn from these five surveys, we explore African American perceptions of personal economic situation, racial economic well-being, national economic improvement, and the comparison in economic position of the racial groups and ask why some African Americans misperceive these realities.
Race and Revisability
Authors: Jones Richard A.
Published: March 2005

This article investigates the changing definitions of race. In this article, the author asks the questions, (a) To what extent is race an ontological, linguistically lexical, or political category? (b) Howhave changing scientific (i.e., DNA and Human Genome Project) and political (i.e., changing definitions for purposes of the 2000 census) paradigms altered conceptions of race? and (c) Are open definitions (i.e., constantly revisable) the correct process philosophy, or pragmatist, trope for postmodern conceptions of race?
African Americans and International Cultural Observances in the Higher Education Community
Authors: Lindsay Beverly , Scales Tara C.
Published: March 2005

A perusal of university Web sites, brochures, and the like provides an overview of sociocultural activities at universities that are often emphasized as integral parts of the co-curriculum. Although attention has been paid to general aspects of socialization within universities, there has been relatively little information about the role that newholidays and rituals have on socialization and resocialization within the academic community, especially as indigenous and international values are juxtaposed for various demographic groups. To begin addressing these matters, the authors examined some conceptual tenets of culture pertaining to holidays and rituals, engaged in participation observations of Kwanzaa and an African celebration at a comprehensive public research university and a universityassociated cultural event, and analyzed their explorations to explicate the nexuses between the conceptual and observed phenomena. They conclude by positing how cultural events and changing university and government policies interact and thus affect the essence of university life.
Responding to Prisoner Reentry, Recidivism, and Incarceration of Inmates of Color
Authors: Marbley Aretha Faye , Ferguson Ralph
Published: March 2005

This article introduces a systemic model for rehabilitation that uses the expungement procedure, a preexisting statute, as a tool to reduce incarceration and recidivism and help probationers succeed in their reentry into mainstream society as taxpaying citizens and concomitantly alleviate the burden on taxpayers for maintaining prisoners. It culminates with a call to the African American and Hispanic communities to partner with the penal system and lawmakers to find solutions to the devastating effects of increasingly high imprisonment, recidivism, and prison reentry rates of inmates of color on children, families, and communities.
The Evolution of Rai Music
Authors: Al-Deen Hana Noor
Published: March 2005

Rai has evolved from native Orani-Algerian music with provocative lyrics sung at local cafes, bars, and bordellos to the most popular and controversial music in North Africa today. Itwas banned from the Algerian broadcast media because it was considered subversive by the Algerian government until the 1980s. Rai has been regarded as the symbol of cynicism and has become as essential to the identity of the Algerians as the blues was to Blacks in America. Rai musicians created a unique style of music that combined Eastern and Western influences. The lyrics are in conversationalstyle Arabic of North Africa that is a mix of Arabic and some of the romance languages. Rai singers recite their rhyming verses switching from one tongue to another in a single sentence. Rai enjoys popularity throughout the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia and is slowly gaining popularity in the English-speaking countries.
Communication About HIV and Risk Behaviors Among Mothers Living With HIV and Their Early Adolescent Children
Authors: O’Sullivan Lucia F. , Dolezal Curtis , Brackis-Cott Elizabeth , Traeger Lara , Mellins Claude A.
Published: April 2005

Little is known about how mothers living with HIV communicate to their children about HIV risk. The current study explored communication between mothers and children about prevention and risk behaviors, the impact of maternal HIV infection and child knowledge of HIV, and concordance in reports from mothers and their children. The sample comprised 220 mothers and their early adolescent children (10-14 years old) who resided in socioeconomically disadvantaged, urban neighborhoods. Mothers living with HIV were more likely to report discussing HIV and had more frequent related discussions compared to those mothers not living with HIV. Overall, children with mothers living with HIV reported greater comfort discussing sex- and drug-related topics than did those with noninfected mothers. The findings are discussed in terms of implications for family-based HIV prevention programs.
“We Are More Than Jailbirds”: An Arts Program for Incarcerated Young Women
Authors: Lazzari Marceline M. , Amundson Kathryn A. , Jackson Robert L.
Published: March 2005

This article presents the findings of a qualitative study of the effects of an innovative arts project on incarcerated female juvenile offenders. In this project, a professional artist engages and guides the detainees in the creation of individual and collaborative artistic works. The works of art are produced for museum display to enhance the development of the young women’s self-identity and to draw public attention to the incarceration of young women in the juvenile justice system. The findings of this study are corroborated and supported by relational-cultural and self-efficacy theoretical perspectives.
The Contribution of the Sisters of Mercy to the Development of Social Welfare
Authors: Luquet Wade
Published: March 2005

The history of the professionalization of social work often begins with the men of Toynbee Hall who inspired the settlement movement in the United Kingdom and the United States. But is it possible that an earlier group inspired them? The research presented here raises the question of whether the work of the noncloistered Sisters of Mercy may have been a prototype of the settlement movement in England. With their secular beginning in Ireland in 1824, the sisters opened Houses of Mercy in Ireland (1827) and England (1839) and eventually throughout the world to provide relief to the poor through charity, job training, education, health care, and counseling. This article presents original documents to illustrate their work and to open the question of the sisters’ role in the history of social welfare.
Reexamining What We Think We Know: A Lesson Learned From Tamil Refugees
Authors: Weaver Hilary N.
Published: March 2005

This article describes a project designed to create a culturally appropriate tool to assess trauma in Tamil people who have fled civil war in Sri Lanka. In addition to being culturally appropriate, the project sought to determine if the assessment tool would adequately measure trauma experienced by women. Despite concern that Tamil women would be reluctant to discuss sexual assault, in this project women did indeed describe their traumatic experiences and often preferred to do so in the presence of multiple people. Notably, Tamil men also commonly stated that they experienced sexual assault. As social workers, we are reminded that there is a continual need to question assumptions, especially those about what we expect people from a particular culture to think, believe, and do.
Combining Caregiving and Career: Experiences of Social Work Faculty
Authors: Young Diane S. , Holley Lynn C.
Published: March 2005

This article explores the findings from a survey of 75 social work faculty with doctoral degrees about the family and caregiving factors that affected their career decisions and experiences. Qualitative analyses indicated that both the women and the men had family- and caregiving-related concerns that pertained primarily to the regular care of children but also to the care of individuals with disabilities and of frail elders. Forty-seven percent of the participants described helpful family-related university policies, and 28% described institutional barriers to achieving their career goals. Suggestions for creating family-friendly institutions are presented.
Savings Experiences Past and Present: Narratives From Low-Income African American Women
Authors: Shobe Marcia A. , Christy-McMullin Kameri
Published: March 2005

Research has found that low-income individuals can and do save when institutional supports are in place; however, little structured data are available on how and why they manage to save. This article presents a study of the long-term savings experiences of 9 low-income African American women who were participating in an Individual Development Account (IDA) savings program in a city in North Carolina. The results indicated that despite many markers of disadvantage, low-income African American women use various strategies to save money for developing their assets. These findings can inform policy, practice, and research by increasing knowledge of facilitators of and barriers to the development of assets among the poor.
Navigating Mixed-Theory Programs: Lessons Learned From a Prostitution-Diversion Project
Authors: Wahab Stéphanie
Published: March 2005

This article discusses some findings of a qualitative evaluation of Salt Lake City’s Prostitution Diversion Project (conducted in 2003-2004) to expose some of the challenges and opportunities of mixed-theory projects. The findings focus specifically on project stakeholders’ recommendations for improving the program. Many of these recommendations are related to the tensions that manifested between the two major stakeholders: Criminal Justice Services and the Harm Reduction Project. The unlikely relationship between these stakeholders is what distinguished the Salt Lake City project from other prostitution-diversion programs in the United States and Canada.
Computer Technology for the Feminist Classroom
Authors: Littlefield Melissa B. , Roberson Kendra C.
Published: March 2005

This article presents an evaluation of a social work course on oppression and diversity in which an interactive Web page was used to structure feminist learning experiences. Three assignments are described—an online diversity discussion board, a “digital poster” group research project, and the summary and critique of articles. The evaluation found that several processes that are key to a feminist classroom were achieved, including community building, collaboration, peer learning, empowerment, and the development of leadership capacity. The majority of students thought that the class was a supportive, collaborative environment in which they were able to achieve their learning goals. Implications for using technology to structure feminist learning experiences are discussed.
Testing a Middle-Range Theoretical Model of Adaptation to Chronic Pain
Authors: Dunn Karen S.
Published: April 2005

The purpose of this cross-sectional, correlational study was to test a middle-range theory of adaptation to chronic pain that was deduced from the Roy adaptation model using structural equation modeling. The sample consisted of 200 community-dwelling older adults with a mean age of 76. The Roy adaptation model theoretical framework provided an adequate fit to the data and supported the majority of the hypothesized relationships and findings from prior research. Significant direct effects, however, were found between both focal and contextual stimuli, suggesting that contextual stimuli need to be considered when developing a plan of care for older adults experiencing chronic pain.
Coming of Age in Computing
Authors: Schick James B. M.
Published: March 2005

Historians, arguably, have been most reluctant to adopt the computer for teaching and not particularly enthusiastic about its applicability to their research. This article introduces a collection of surveys of ways historians have used computers across the globe, each with a significant portion devoted to their own practice of history. What follows here details the professional life of one historian who embraced the computer age rather earlier than most, intended mainly to indicate how it has changed what many historians do.
Enhancing Latin American History Teaching and Research With Computers
Authors: Slatta Richard W. , Haywood E. Kalé
Published: March 2005

Historians specializing in Latin America use a wide range of electronic tools in their research, publication, and teaching. Quality information for the region is now available in a wide variety of formats, including databases, spreadsheets, CD-ROMs, concept maps, and web sites, created by historians and librarians. Thanks to electronic finding aides, it is now quicker and more convenient to research and to teach students about Latin America’s past. In addition, teachers can bring more of the richness and variety of Latin American culture to their students by using new technologies.
Academic Computing in Asia
Authors: Gordon Ian
Published: March 2005

Academic computing in Asia is marked by a process of uneven development with the National University of Singapore clearly on the leading edge. This article provides a short overview of the use of information technology in Asian academic institutions and then a case study of its use at the National University of Singapore with a particular emphasis given to computer-mediated discussions.
Information Technology and Historians
Authors: McLachlan Robin C. D.
Published: March 2005

This survey reviews uses made of information technology (IT) by historians in Australian universities in their professional work since the early 1980s. Included in the discussion are examples of IT applications in teaching, quantification research, oral and Aboriginal history, collaborative projects with major institutions, professional communication, and research publishing. General observations are also provided on the educational and cultural contexts within which Australian historians work.