bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Whose Interest? British Newspaper Reporting of use of Medical Records for Research
Authors: Brown Lindsey , Parker Michael , Dixon-Woods1 Mary
Published: October 2008

Objective

There is increasing debate about the ethics of using medical records for research. We aimed to characterize newspaper reporting in this area.

Method

We searched Lexis-Nexis to find newspaper reports about the use of medical records for research from 1 June 2005 to 30 November 2006. Following screening for relevance, we generated a coding scheme and classified articles using this, assisted by QSR N6 software.

Results

Our analysis shows that much newspaper coverage portrays the use of medical records as uncontentious, but also presents ethical arguments for and against such research. Arguments in favour of access to medical records emphasize the public interest and patients’ legitimate expectations that research will be carried out. Arguments against such use emphasize the importance of confidentiality and the violation of rights of privacy. Our findings highlight that there is no single dominant position on the rights and wrongs of access to medical records by researchers. Within newspaper reporting in this area, patient voices are currently noticeable by their absence.

Conclusions

Use of medical records for research raises important ethical questions, in particular regarding the balance between the rights and interests of the individual and the public interest benefits of the research. Understanding how these positions are represented within the mass media is important because the media can inform and influence the public's views and public policy. Empirical research into patient views is needed.
Collaboration across primary and secondary care dermatology services
Authors: Hargreaves Simon
Published: October 2008

Purpose: The paper demonstrates the complexities of leadership in a local health-care community across primary and secondary care interface, using the example of a general practitioner (GP) with a special interest role (GPwSI) in dermatology. It focuses on how the service will develop and how it could be achieved. Design: Various models and theories about change management were consulted focusing particularly on the goals of the local health-care economy, resources available and environment/contextual surroundings. Practical implications: Primary care trusts (PCTs), acute trusts and clinicians need to work collaboratively to achieve an integrated, flexible care pathway, so that patients and the PCTs can be assured of an efficient and good quality service. Conflicts between primary and secondary care dermatology services are not sustainable for a long period. Originality: The Government's agenda is a shift of care closer to people's homes, so PCTs do need to be aware of what they wish to commission, and consider moving traditional hospital-based facilities into community settings, such as walk-in centres, polyclinics and large health centres, associated with improved GP and patient education on skin problems.
Postmarketing Use of Enfuvirtide in Veterans: Provider Compliance with Criteria for Use, Overall Efficacy, and Tolerability
Authors: Belperio Pamela S , Mole Larry A , Halloran James , Boothroyd Derek B , Thomas I-Chun , Backus Lisa I
Published: October 2008

Background:

Most enfuvirtide outcomes data come from controlled trials of limited duration rather than from routine experience. Because of its uniqueness, the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) implemented specific enfuvirtide prescribing and follow-up criteria (criteria for use; CFU) and then assessed providers' compliance with these criteria and outcomes.

Objective:

To report routine medical care experience with the prescribing. efficacy, and tolerability of enfuvirtide in a nonselective group of treatment-experienced, older, HIV-infected veterans.

Methods:

Veterans receiving at least one outpatient prescription for enfuvirtide between April 2003 and July 2005 were identified from the VHA's HIV Clinical Case Registry (CCR:HIV). Targeted retrospective chart extraction was completed to address inclusion/exclusion criteria and to evaluate patients' continued use, adherence, and tolerance. CCR:HIV data were used for determination of demographics, prescription records, and laboratory results. The final cohort was used to assess providers' compliance with VHA's CFU for enfuvirtide.

Results:

Of 275 evaluable subjects, between 52% and 93% who were prescribed enfuvirtide met each VHA CFU. Median change in CD4 cells and viral load from baseline to 6 months was +39 cells/mm3 and –0.79 log10 (p < 0.001) and at 2 years was +72 cells/mm3 and –1.57 log10 (p < 0.001); 41% and 55% of veterans achieved viral load less than 400 copies/mL at 6 months and 2 years, respectively. Seventy percent of veterans experienced injection site reactions (11% were treatment-limiting). New or worsening adverse effects occurred in 56% of veterans: 32% gastrointestinal, 19% musculoskeletal, and 10% respiratory. Seventy percent of veterans discontinued enfuvirtide within 2 years; the largest portion (12%) stopped treatment within the first month. Documented reasons for discontinuation included patient request (42%), suboptimal response/progression (24%), toxicity (18%), death (13%), and transfer of care outside of the VHA (3%).

Conclusions:

In this treatment-experienced veteran cohort, providers prescribed enfuvirtide in accordance with most CFU, and favorable treatment responses were sustained in patients able to remain on therapy. Challenges that providers and patients face include ongoing education and support for successful long-term use.
Die ausländische Sanierung über einen Dept-Equity-Swap als Angriff auf das deutsche Insolvenzrecht?
Authors: Paulus Roman
Published: October 2008

Flexibler, einfacher, planbarer soll es sein, das englische Sanierungs und Insolvenzrecht. Deshalb erscheint die Sitzverlagerung nach England einigen kriselnden deutschen Unternehmen attraktiv. Zwar haben die Gerichtsentscheidungen in Sachen »Hans Brochier« die Flucht aus dem deutschen Insolvenzrecht deutlich erschwert. Dies wird aber nichts daran ändern, dass sanierungsbedürftige Unternehmen auch in Zukunft versuchen werden, sich dem deutschen Insolvenzrecht durch Verlagerung ins Ausland zu entziehen. Kann man aus aktuellen Fällen wie »Deutsche Nickel«, »Brochier« und »Schefenacker« ableiten, dass der Insolvenzstandort Deutschland in Gefahr ist oder erscheint das als zu hoch gegriffen? Gibt es ernstzunehmende Alarmzeichen? Was sind vermeintliche, was reale Vorzüge des englischen Rechts?
BGH, Urteil vom 16. 8. 2007 – IX ZR 63/06, Aufrechnung des Anfechtungsgläubigers
Authors: Becker Christoph
Published: October 2008

Urteil vom 16. 8. 2007 – IX ZR 63/06

1. Ein Teilurteil über eine Anfechtungsklage darf ergehen, wenn der Anfechtungsbeklagte Ansprüche sowohl zum Gegenstand einer Hilfsaufrechnung als auch einer Widerklage macht, die Hilfsaufrechnung jedoch verfahrensrechtlich präkludiert ist.

2. Kann der Anfechtungsgläubiger mit seiner Forderung, die der Anfechtung zugrunde liegt, gegen eine unstreitige oder titulierte Forderung des Schuldners aufrechnen, ist das Schuldnervermögen in diesem Umfang grundsätzlich nicht unzureichend. Dies gilt auch dann, wenn der Schuldner wegen eines nur ihn treffenden Aufrechnungsverbots nicht aufrechnen könnte.

3. Ist die Hauptforderung im Verhältnis zur Gegenforderung des Anfechtungsgläubigers nicht geringfügig, darf dieser von der Aufrechnung nicht deshalb absehen, weil er sich dadurch keine vollständige Befriedigung verschaffen kann.

4. Der Anfechtungsgegner kann den Anfechtungsgläubiger grundsätzlich nicht auf die Möglichkeit der Aufrechnung gegen eine Forderung des Schuldners verweisen, die bestritten ist.

5. Eine zunächst vorliegende Gläubigerbenachteiligung entfällt, wenn der Anfechtungsgegner dem Schuldner vor Schluss der letzten mündlichen Tatsachenverhandlung als (weitere) Gegenleistung der angefochtenen Leistung Vermögenswerte zuwendet, welche die angefochtene Leistung nunmehr vollständig ausgleichen und dem Zugriff des Gläubigers offen stehen.

(Vorgehend: LG Kiel, 30. 6. 2004 – 17 O 201/03; OLG Schleswig, 24. 2. 2006 – 1 U 107/04)
Introduction: Narrative analysis in the shift from texts to practices
Authors: de Fina Anna , Georgakopoulou Alexandra
Published: October 2008

The point of departure for this special issue is the recent shift within discourse and sociolinguistic narrative analysis from a long-standing conception of (oral, cf. natural, nonliterary) narrative as a well-defined and delineated genre with an identifiable structure toward the exploration of the multiplicity, fragmentation, and irreducible situatedness of its forms and functions in a wide range of social arenas. We can refer to this shift as a move away from narrative as text (i.e., defined on the basis of textual criteria and primarily studied for its textual make-up) to narrative as practice within social interaction. For a lot of the work here, context remains a key concept and although there is an undeniably long-standing tradition of contextualized studies of narrative (e.g., ethnography of communication in studies such as Bauman 1986 and Hymes 1981, among others) there are distinct elements in this latest shift that in our view qualify it as a ‘new’ turn to narrative:
Narratives in the workplace: Facts, fictions, and canonicity
Authors: Fasulo Alessandra , Zucchermaglio Cristina
Published: October 2008

Drawing on a set of workplace interaction corpora, both dyadic and multiparty, we present three narrative forms departing from the established notion of storytelling. These have been called Rewindings, collaborative reconstructions of yet-unknown past events; Fictions, the creation of imaginary scenes; and Templates, condensed versions of experience providing information on unexpected outcomes or controversial occurrences. Without denying specificity to narrative discourse, we extend its definition here to the displacement of the described actions. We propose that, similarly to what is done in other social and human sciences, conversational studies ought to take into consideration the description of events that are not fully known at the onset of narration and that are partially or entirely suggested by the narrators. The study also contributes to the field of workplace studies, providing an illustration of the functioning of distributed cognition and situated knowledge by showing how narrative is a collaborative enterprise facilitating problem solving and the dissemination of competence.
Presynaptic Local Signaling by a Canonical Wingless Pathway Regulates Development of theDrosophilaNeuromuscular Junction
Authors: Miech Claudia , Pauer Hans-Ulrich , He Xi , Schwarz Thomas L.
Published: October 2008

Wnt/wingless signaling contributes to the development of neuronal synapses, including theDrosophilaneuromuscular junction. Loss ofwg(wingless) function alters the number and structure of boutons at this model synapse. Examining Wnt/wingless signaling mechanisms, we find that a distinct pathway operates presynaptically in the motoneuron and can account for many of the effects of wingless at this synapse. This pathway includes the canonical elements arrow/LRP (low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein), dishevelled, and the glycogen synthase kinase shaggy (GSK3) and regulates the formation of microtubule loops within synaptic boutons as well as the number of synaptic boutons. This pathway, however, appears to be independent of β-catenin signaling and the transcriptional regulation that is most frequently downstream of these components. Instead, inhibition of shaggy is likely to act locally. This pathway thus provides a parallel mechanism to the postsynaptic activation of frizzled receptors and indicates that synaptic development results from the bidirectional influence of wingless on both presynaptic and postsynaptic structures via distinct intracellular pathways.
Neonatal Neuronal Circuitry Shows Hyperexcitable Disturbance in a Mouse Model of the Adult-Onset Neurodegenerative Disease Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis
Authors: van Zundert Brigitte , Peuscher Marieke H. , Hynynen Meri , Chen Adam , Neve Rachael L. , Brown Robert H. , Constantine-Paton Martha , Bellingham Mark C.
Published: October 2008

Distinguishing the primary from secondary effects and compensatory mechanisms is of crucial importance in understanding adult-onset neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Transgenic mice that overexpress the G93A mutation of the human Cu-Zn superoxide dismutase 1 gene (hSOD1G93Amice) are a commonly used animal model of ALS. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings from neurons in acute slice preparations from neonatal wild-type and hSOD1G93Amice were made to characterize functional changes in neuronal activity. Hypoglossal motoneurons (HMs) in postnatal day 4 (P4)–P10 hSOD1G93Amice displayed hyperexcitability, increased persistent Na+current (PCNa), and enhanced frequency of spontaneous excitatory and inhibitory transmission, compared with wild-type mice. These functional changes in neuronal activity are the earliest yet reported for the hSOD1G93Amouse, and are present 2–3 months before motoneuron degeneration and clinical symptoms appear in these mice. Changes in neuronal activity were not restricted to motoneurons: superior colliculus interneurons also displayed hyperexcitability and synaptic changes (P10–P12). Furthermore,in vivoviral-mediated GFP (green fluorescent protein) overexpression in hSOD1G93AHMs revealed precocious dendritic remodeling, and behavioral assays revealed transient neonatal neuromotor deficits compared with controls. These findings underscore the widespread and early onset of abnormal neural activity in this mouse model of the adult neurodegenerative disease ALS, and suggest that suppression of PCNaand hyperexcitability early in life might be one way to mitigate or prevent cell death in the adult CNS.
Large-Scale Reorganization in the Somatosensory Cortex and Thalamus after Sensory Loss in Macaque Monkeys
Authors: Jain Neeraj , Qi Hui-Xin , Collins Christine E. , Kaas Jon H.
Published: October 2008

Adult brains undergo large-scale plastic changes after peripheral and central injuries. Although it has been shown that both the cortical and thalamic representations can reorganize, uncertainties exist regarding the extent, nature, and time course of changes at each level. We have determined how cortical representations in the somatosensory area 3b and the ventroposterior (VP) nucleus of thalamus are affected by long standing unilateral dorsal column lesions at cervical levels in macaque monkeys. In monkeys with recovery periods of 22–23 months, the intact face inputs expanded into the deafferented hand region of area 3b after complete or partial lesions of the dorsal columns. The expansion of the face region could extend all the way medially into the leg and foot representations. In the same monkeys, similar expansions of the face representation take place in the VP nucleus of the thalamus, indicating that both these processing levels undergo similar reorganizations. The receptive fields of the expanded representations were similar in somatosensory cortex and thalamus. In two monkeys, we determined the extent of the brain reorganization immediately after dorsal column lesions. In these monkeys, the deafferented regions of area 3b and the VP nucleus became unresponsive to the peripheral touch immediately after the lesion. No reorganization was seen in the cortex or the VP nucleus. A comparison of the extents of deafferentation across the monkeys shows that even if the dorsal column lesion is partial, preserving most of the hand representation, it is sufficient to induce an expansion of the face representation.
Schwann Cell to Axon Transfer of Ribosomes: Toward a Novel Understanding of the Role of Glia in the Nervous System
Authors: Court Felipe A. , Hendriks William T. J. , MacGillavry Harold D. , Alvarez Jaime , van Minnen Jan
Published: October 2008

Schwann cells play pivotal roles in the development and maintenance of the peripheral nervous system. Here, we show that intact sciatic nerve axons of mice contain a small population of ribosomes, which increases by several orders of magnitude when axons are desomatized (severed from their cell bodies). We furthermore demonstrate, using the Wallerian degeneration slow mouse as a model, that Schwann cells transfer polyribosomes to desomatized axons. These data indicate that Schwann cells have the propensity to control axonal protein synthesis by supplying ribosomes on local basis.
Swiss Cheese, a Protein Involved in Progressive Neurodegeneration, Acts as a Noncanonical Regulatory Subunit for PKA-C3
Authors: Bettencourt da Cruz Alexandre , Wentzell Jill , Kretzschmar Doris
Published: October 2008

TheDrosophilaSwiss Cheese (SWS) protein and its vertebrate ortholog Neuropathy Target Esterase (NTE) are required for neuronal survival and glial integrity. In humans, NTE is the target of organophosphorous compounds which cause a paralyzing axonal degeneration and recently mutations in NTE have been shown to cause a Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia called NTE-related Motor-Neuron Disorder. SWS and NTE are concentrated in the endoplasmic reticulum and both have been shown to have an esterase function against an artificial substrate. However, the functional mechanisms and the pathways in which SWS/NTE are involved in are still widely unknown. Here, we show that SWS interacts specifically with the C3 catalytic subunit of cAMP activated protein kinase (PKA-C3), which together with orthologs in mouse (Pkare) and human (PrKX) forms a novel class of catalytic subunits of unknown function. This interaction requires a domain of SWS which shows homology to regulatory subunits of PKA and, like conventional regulatory subunits, the binding of SWS to the PKA-C3 inhibits its function. Consistent with this result, expression of additional PKA-C3 induces degeneration and enhances the neurodegenerative phenotype inswsmutants. We also show that the complex formation with the membrane-bound SWS tethers PKA-C3 to membranes. We therefore propose a model in which SWS acts as a noncanonical subunit for PKA-C3, whereby the complex formation regulates the localization and kinase activity of PKA-C3, and that disruption of this regulation can induce neurodegeneration.
Nigral Inhibition of GABAergic Neurons in Mouse Superior Colliculus
Authors: Kaneda Katsuyuki , Isa Kaoru , Yanagawa Yuchio , Isa Tadashi
Published: October 2008

The current dominant concept for the control of saccadic eye movements by the basal ganglia is that release from tonic GABAergic inhibition by the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) triggers burst firings of intermediate gray layer (SGI) neurons in the superior colliculus (SC) to allow saccade initiation. This hypothesis is based on the assumption that SNr cells inhibit excitatory projection neurons in the SGI. Here we show that nigrotectal fibers are connected to local GABAergic neurons in the SGI with a similar frequency to non-GABAergic neurons. This was accomplished by applying neuroanatomical tracing and slice electrophysiological experiments in GAD67–green fluorescent protein (GFP) knock-in mice, in which GABAergic neurons specifically express GFP. We also found that GABAA, but not GABAB, receptors subserve nigrotectal transmission. The present results revealed a novel aspect on the role of the basal ganglia in the control of saccades, e.g., the SNr not only regulates burst initiation but also modulates the spatiotemporal properties of premotor neurons via connections to local GABAergic neurons in the SC.
Schizophrenia-Related Neural and Behavioral Phenotypes in Transgenic Mice Expressing TruncatedDisc1
Authors: Shen Sanbing , Lang Bing , Nakamoto Chizu , Zhang Feng , Pu Jin , Kuan Soh-Leh , Chatzi Christina , He Shuisheng , Mackie Iain , Brandon Nicholas J. , Marquis Karen L. , Day Mark , Hurko Orest , McCaig Colin D. , Riedel Gernot , St Clair David
Published: October 2008

Disrupted-in-Schizophrenia-1(DISC1), identified by positional cloning of a balanced translocation (1;11) with the breakpoint in intron 8 of a large Scottish pedigree, is associated with a range of neuropsychiatric disorders including schizophrenia. To model this mutation in mice, we have generatedDisc1trtransgenic mice expressing 2 copies of truncatedDisc1encoding the first 8 exons using a bacterial artificial chromosome (BAC). With this partial simulation of the human situation, we have discovered a range of phenotypes including a series of novel features not previously reported.Disc1trtransgenic mice display enlarged lateral ventricles, reduced cerebral cortex, partial agenesis of the corpus callosum, and thinning of layers II/III with reduced neural proliferation at midneurogenesis. Parvalbumin GABAergic neurons are reduced in the hippocampus and medial prefrontal cortex, and displaced in the dorsolateral frontal cortex. In culture, transgenic neurons grow fewer and shorter neurites. Behaviorally, transgenic mice exhibit increased immobility and reduced vocalization in depression-related tests, and impairment in conditioning of latent inhibition. These abnormalities inDisc1trtransgenic mice are consistent with findings in severe schizophrenia.
Analgesic α-Conotoxins Vc1.1 and Rg1A Inhibit N-Type Calcium Channels in Rat Sensory Neurons via GABABReceptor Activation
Authors: Callaghan Brid , Haythornthwaite Alison , Berecki Géza , Clark Richard J. , Craik David J. , Adams David J.
Published: October 2008

α-Conotoxins Vc1.1 and Rg1A are peptides from the venom of marineConussnails that are currently in development as a treatment for neuropathic pain. Here we report that the α9α10 nicotinic acetylcholine receptor-selective conotoxins Vc1.1 and Rg1A potently and selectively inhibit high-voltage-activated (HVA) calcium channel currents in dissociated DRG neurons in a concentration-dependent manner. The post-translationally modified peptides vc1a and [P6O]Vc1.1 were inactive, as were all other α-conotoxins tested. Vc1.1 inhibited the ω-conotoxin-sensitive HVA currents in DRG neurons but not those recorded fromXenopusoocytes expressing CaV2.2, CaV2.1, CaV2.3, or CaV1.2 channels. Inhibition of HVA currents by Vc1.1 was not reversed by depolarizing prepulses but was abolished by pertussis toxin (PTX), intracellular GDPβS, or a selective inhibitor of pp60c-src tyrosine kinase. These data indicate that Vc1.1 does not interact with N-type calcium channels directly but inhibits them via a voltage-independent mechanism involving a PTX-sensitive, G-protein-coupled receptor. Preincubation with a variety of selective receptor antagonists demonstrated that only the GABABreceptor antagonists, [S-(R*,R*)][-3-[[1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)ethyl]amino]-2-hydroxy propyl]([3,4]-cyclohexylmethyl) phosphinic acid hydrochloride (2S)-3[[(1S)-1-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-ethyl]amino-2-hydroxypropyl](phenylmethyl) phosphinic acid and phaclofen, blocked the effect of Vc1.1 and Rg1A on Ca2+channel currents. Together, the results identify CaV2.2 as a target of Vc1.1 and Rg1A, potentially mediating their analgesic actions. We propose a novel mechanism by which α-conotoxins Vc1.1 and Rg1A modulate native N-type (CaV2.2) Ca2+channel currents, namely acting as agonists via G-protein-coupled GABABreceptors.
Turning Astrocytes from the Rostral Migratory Stream into Neurons: A Role for the Olfactory Sensory Organ
Authors: Alonso Mariana , Ortega-Pérez Inmaculada , Grubb Matthew S. , Bourgeois Jean-Pierre , Charneau Pierre , Lledo Pierre-Marie
Published: October 2008

Neurogenesis persists within a few restricted areas of the adult mammalian brain, giving rise to neurons that functionally integrate into preexisting circuits. One of these areas, the subventricular zone (SVZ), was believed, until recently, to be the unique source providing the adult olfactory bulb (OB) with newborn neurons. Because of the fact that neuroblasts derived in the SVZ migrate through the rostral migratory stream (RMS) en route to the OB, the existence of candidate neural stem cells within the RMS was long overlooked. Here, we confirm and considerably extend recent evidence for the existence of adult neural stem cells within the RMS, and go on to investigate their proliferative regulation. Specifically targeting RMS-astrocytes with lentiviral vectors encoding GFP, we demonstrate that glial cells in the RMS differentiate into both OB granule and periglomerular interneurons. In addition, ultrastructural analysis unambiguously reveals the astrocytic nature of stem cells in the adult RMS, and patch-clamp recordings demonstrate the functional integration of RMS-derived interneurons into OB circuitry. Proliferative regulation was investigated via two contrasting manipulations: exposure to an odor-enriched environment that enhances candidate stem cell proliferation in both the RMS and SVZ, and chemical lesion of the main olfactory epithelium that increases cell proliferation in the RMS only. New neurons in the adult OB can therefore arise from different neurogenic areas that can be separately regulated.
Modellierung des dynamischen Verhaltens der Wärmeübertragung in einem Rauchrohr-Wärmeübertrager Dynamic Modelling of the Heat Transfer in a Gas Tube Heat Exchanger
Authors: Bauer Robert , Gölles Markus , Brunner Thomas , Dourdoumas Nicolaos , Obernberger Ingwald
Published: October 2008

Um Wärmeübertrager geeignet betreiben zu können, ist es hilfreich ihre dynamischen Eigenschaften zu kennen. Hierzu wird ein einfaches hinreichend genaues nichtlineares Modell zur Beschreibung des dynamischen Verhaltens an Hand eines sogenannten Rauchrohr-Wärmeübertragers hergeleitet. Dieses kann auf Grund des allgemeinen Ansatzes mit geringfügigen Modifikationen für andere Bautypen einfach adaptiert werden. Das vorgestellte Modell kann zur Abschätzung nicht gemessener Größen bzw. des Verschmutzungsgrades sowie zum Entwurf modellbasierter Regelungsstrategien verwendet werden.
Volumetric and Viscometric Behaviour of some Amino Acids and their Group Contributions in Aqueous Tetramethylammonium Bromide at Different Temperatures
Authors: Ali A. , Shahjahan Shahjahan
Published: October 2008

Densities, ρ and viscosities, η for L-serine, L-threonine, L-glutamine, L-lysine, L-arginine and L-histidine (0.05–0.25 m) in 0.20 m aqueous tetramethylammonium bromide were determined at 298.15, 303.15, 308.15, and 313.15 K. The density data was used to compute apparent molar volume, φ

v
. The partial molar volume, φ

v

0, at infinite dilution and experimental slope, S

v

*
were obtained from Masson´s equation and interpreted in terms of solute-solvent and solute-solute interactions, respectively. The φ

v

0 values are found to vary with temperature as a power series of temperature. The structure-making/-breaking ability of solute were discussed using Hepler´s criterion. The partial molar volumes of transfer, φ

v

0
(tr) of amino acid from aqueous to aqueous tetramethylammonium bromide solution were interpretedin the light of cosphere overlap model. The viscosity data was utilized to determine A- and B-coefficients of viscosity, free energy of activation of viscous flow, Δμ
1
0
* and Δμ
2
0
*, per mole of solvent and solute, respectively, and ΔH

*
and ΔS

*
were also evaluated. The linear variation of φ

v

0 and B-coefficient with the number of carbon atoms in the alkyl chain of amino acids was utilized to determine the respective contributions of (NH3
+, COO–) and CH2 groups to φ

v

0 and B-coefficient, respectively.
Reactions in Fluorinated Acetic Acid Esters Triggered by Slow Electrons: Bond Cleavages, Hydrogen Transfer Reactions and Loss of Halocarbons
Authors: Martin Isabel , Langer Judith , Illenberger Eugen
Published: October 2008

Low energy electron induced reactions in the four fluorinated acetic acid esters CF3COOCH3, CF3COOC2H5, CF3COOCH2CF3 and CH3COOCH2CF3 are studied by means of a crossed electron-molecular beam experiment and mass spectrometric detection of the anions. All target molecules exhibit a prominent resonance located near 1 eV which is subjected to a variety of unimolecular reactions. The observation of the carboxylate anion CF3COO–/CH3COO– indicates rupture of the O−R ester bond, which in turn demonstrates that the prominent cleavage of the O−H bond recently observed in trifluoroacetic acid and acetic acid is not blocked when O−H is replaced by O−R (R=−CH3, −C2H5, −CH2CF3). In CF3COOCH3 and CF3COOC2H5 an ion of the form CF2COO– is generated which is identified to arise from a complex reaction involving multiple bond cleavages and substantial rearrangement in the transitory negative ion ultimately generating CH3F and C2H5F, respectively, as neutral counterpart. A fragment ion of the type (M-H)– (M: target molecule), i.e. loss of a neutral hydrogen atom, is only observed in CH3COOCH2CF3 which directly demonstrates that dehydrogenation selectively occurs at the CH3 site.
From Factory to Farm: Dissemination of Computing in High-Energy Physics
Authors: Seidel Robert W.
Published: October 2008

Computing in high-energy physics relied on large computers and dedicated central facilities in the 1960s and 1970s. With the advent of colliding-beam accelerators, minicomputers, and microcomputers in the 1980s, physicists elaborated a new decentralized model of computing in high-energy physics. They restored control to and autonomy of their analysis of physics data, while simultaneously replacing large computers with farms, or clusters of microprocessors custom-built for their tasks. This new division of labor has become dominant in scientific collaborations in other fields and is presented here in the context of the culture of the Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, which was a crucible for the creative efforts required to disseminate computing power to users. Fermilab, the last National Accelerator Laboratory, came on line as federal expenditures for high-energy physics ebbed in the 1970s and 1980s.
Coresident Sibling Composition and the Academic Ability, Expectations, and Performance of Youth
Authors: Tillman Kathryn Harker
Published: October 2008

This study examines the effects of living with “nontraditional” siblings (i.e., step- and/or half-siblings) on the verbal ability scores, grade point averages (GPAs), and college expectations of adolescents and whether sibling composition effects are moderated by family structure. On average, youth who live with step- or half-siblings report significantly poorer outcomes than youth who do not. The sibling composition effects on verbal ability scores and grades are similar in direction and magnitude across family types. The association between nontraditional siblings and the college expectations of youth, however, appear to be conditioned by family structure, such that youth living with two biological parents or single mothers are negatively affected by the presence of half-siblings and the expectations of youth living in stepfather families are negatively affected by the presence of step-siblings. The mechanisms underlying sibling composition effects on academic-related outcomes also vary by family structure.
“Put a Little Color on That!”
Authors: Hancock Black Hawk
Published: October 2008

Drawing on more than five years of extended fieldwork, this article explores the tropes through which dancers express and explain their participation in the Lindy Hop revival. In this reconstruction, the author extends Bourdieu's notions of symbolic power, symbolic violence, and misrecognition to show how racial domination is produced and perpetuated, denigrating and erasing African American cultural identity. As a result, the discourses of the Lindy Hop revival provide a window into understanding how the dominant racial logic of American society circulates even in the most apparently innocuous of cultural practices.
The Role of Natural Capital on the Pursuit and Implementation of Economic Development
Authors: Crowe Jessica
Published: October 2008

An increasing amount of research has been dedicated to studying various society-environment relations. Although much research exists that studies the impact of economic development on environmental degradation, there is a paucity of sociological literature that examines the impact that the natural environment has on community-level economic development activities. Using survey data collected from 101 communities in Oregon and Washington, the author examines the relationship of natural capital on the pursuit and implementation of two types of economic development: industrial recruitment and self-development. Results suggest that the pursuit and implementation of economic development are related to several components of natural capital. However, natural capital affects industrial recruitment and self-development in opposite ways, particularly when implementing these two strategies. Moreover, it shows that while the natural surroundings of communities affect the pursuit of economic development, the impact becomes more important for the implementation of economic development strategies, net of other social and demographic factors. These findings illustrate the need for researchers, policymakers, and community activists to heavily consider the role that the natural environment plays when looking at social phenomena such as economic development.
Access to Expertise as a Form of Social Capital: An Examination of Race- and Class-Based Disparities in Network Ties to Experts
Authors: Cornwell Erin York , Cornwell Benjamin
Published: October 2008

Social capital theory suggests that individuals can access resources through their relationships with others. While research in this area typically focuses on the potential benefits of having high-status network alters, the authors emphasize that relationships with experts, in particular, provide access to specialized knowledge. Expertise may be accessed through formal, contractual means. But individuals who have an expert within their network of close family and friends may benefit from more convenient and lower cost expertise. The authors explore the prevalence and nature of expert contacts within individuals' social networks using data from the 1985 and 2004 General Social Surveys. About a quarter of Americans identify an expert among their network contacts. Racial minorities and members of the lower- and working-classes have less access to experts within their personal networks, however, and minorities have become particularly disadvantaged over the past two decades in terms of both overall and informal access to expertise. The authors urge further research to examine the causes of disparities in social network ties to experts and their implications for processes of social stratification.
Coprinus cinereus rad50Mutants Reveal an Essential Structural Role for Rad50 in Axial Element and Synaptonemal Complex Formation, Homolog Pairing and Meiotic Recombination
Authors: Acharya Sonia N , Many Alexander M , Schroeder Andrew P , Kennedy Felicia M , Savytskyy Oleksandr P , Grubb Jennifer T , Vincent Jack A , Friedle Elizabeth A , Celerin Martina , Maillet Daniel S , Palmerini Heather J , Greischar Megan A , Moncalian Gabriel , Williams R Scott , Tainer John A , Zolan Miriam E
Published: October 2008

The Mre11/Rad50/Nbs1 (MRN) complex is required for eukaryotic DNA double-strand break (DSB) repair and meiotic recombination. We cloned the Coprinus cinereus rad50 gene and showed that it corresponds to the complementation group previously named rad12, identified mutations in 15 rad50 alleles, and mapped two of the mutations onto molecular models of Rad50 structure. We found that C. cinereus rad50 and mre11 mutants arrest in meiosis and that this arrest is Spo11 dependent. In addition, some rad50 alleles form inducible, Spo11-dependent Rad51 foci and therefore must be forming meiotic DSBs. Thus, we think it likely that arrest in both mre11-1 and the collection of rad50 mutants is the result of unrepaired or improperly processed DSBs in the genome and that Rad50 and Mre11 are dispensable in C. cinereus for DSB formation, but required for appropriate DSB processing. We found that the ability of rad50 mutant strains to form Rad51 foci correlates with their ability to promote synaptonemal complex formation and with levels of stable meiotic pairing and that partial pairing, recombination initiation, and synapsis occur in the absence of wild-type Rad50 catalytic domains. Examination of single- and double-mutant strains showed that a spo11 mutation that prevents DSB formation enhances axial element (AE) formation for rad50-4, an allele predicted to encode a protein with intact hook region and hook-proximal coiled coils, but not for rad50-1, an allele predicted to encode a severely truncated protein, or for rad50-5, which encodes a protein whose hook-proximal coiled-coil region is disrupted. Therefore, Rad50 has an essential structural role in the formation of AEs, separate from the DSB-processing activity of the MRN complex.
The Proline-Dependent Transcription Factor Put3 Regulates the Expression of the Riboflavin Transporter MCH5 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Spitzner Andrea , Perzlmaier Angelika F , Geillinger Kerstin E , Reihl Petra , Stolz Jürgen
Published: October 2008

Like most microorganisms, the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae is prototrophic for riboflavin (vitamin B2). Riboflavin auxotrophic mutants with deletions in any of the RIB genes frequently segregate colonies with improved growth. We demonstrate by reporter assays and Western blots that these suppressor mutants overexpress the plasma-membrane riboflavin transporter MCH5. Frequently, this overexpression is mediated by the transcription factor Put3, which also regulates the proline catabolic genes PUT1 and PUT2. The increased expression of MCH5 may increase the concentrations of FAD, which is the coenzyme required for the activity of proline oxidase, encoded by PUT1. Thus, Put3 regulates proline oxidase activity by synchronizing the biosynthesis of the apoenzyme and the coenzyme FAD. Put3 is known to bind to the promoters of PUT1 and PUT2 constitutively, and we demonstrate by gel-shift assays that it also binds to the promoter of MCH5. Put3-mediated transcriptional activation requires proline as an inducer. We find that the increased activity of Put3 in one of the suppressor mutants is caused by increased intracellular levels of proline. Alternative PUT3-dependent and -independent mechanisms might operate in other suppressed strains.
Two Adjacent Nucleotide-Binding Site–Leucine-Rich Repeat Class Genes Are Required to Confer Pikm-Specific Rice Blast Resistance
Authors: Ashikawa Ikuo , Hayashi Nagao , Yamane Hiroko , Kanamori Hiroyuki , Wu Jianzhong , Matsumoto Takashi , Ono Kazuko , Yano Masahiro
Published: October 2008

The rice blast resistance gene Pikm was cloned by a map-based cloning strategy. High-resolution genetic mapping and sequencing of the gene region in the Pikm-containing cultivar Tsuyuake narrowed down the candidate region to a 131-kb genomic interval. Sequence analysis predicted two adjacently arranged resistance-like genes, Pikm1-TS and Pikm2-TS, within this candidate region. These genes encoded proteins with a nucleotide-binding site (NBS) and leucine-rich repeats (LRRs) and were considered the most probable candidates for Pikm. However, genetic complementation analysis of transgenic lines individually carrying these two genes negated the possibility that either Pikm1-TS or Pikm2-TS alone was Pikm. Instead, it was revealed that transgenic lines carrying both of these genes expressed blast resistance. The results of the complementation analysis and an evaluation of the resistance specificity of the transgenic lines to blast isolates demonstrated that Pikm-specific resistance is conferred by cooperation of Pikm1-TS and Pikm2-TS. Although these two genes are not homologous with each other, they both contain all the conserved motifs necessary for an NBS–LRR class gene to function independently as a resistance gene.
Mammai Mataji
Authors: Maddock Peter
Published: October 2008

The theological and sociological implications associated with the existence (or non-existence) of ancient Great Goddess religions have been hotly debated for more than half a century, even prior the rise of recognizable feminist approaches to Archaeology and Religious Studies. This rare, if not unique, ethnographic account of such a theology as practised today is therefore a significant intervention, hopefully putting some clothes on otherwise naked speculation. The Sorathiya Rabari pastoralists of Saurastra, western India, hold Mammai Mataji as their Godhead. Mammai Dharma (religion) provides their path to salvation and a guide to right action in the world. It is a vital ingredient of Sorathiya Rabari identity and offers a structure for intra-caste political organization. Like most other Hindus, Rabari social values are unambiguously patriarchal, so how this coexists with belief in an omnipotent feminine Divine is explored throughout the article.
Icons and the Immigrant Context
Authors: Mastagar Mariana
Published: October 2008

This study examines the modification in religiosity among one of the Toronto South Slavonic diaspora groups (Macedono-Bulgarian) through their receptivity to icons as a core of Orthodox Christian faith. Comparing and contrasting with the traditional meanings and usage of icons in the motherland, I test my hypothesis that they are valued differently among the After-the-Fall immigrants, a generation that has been detached from religious tradition or practice. Relying on a sample survey approach and interviews, the study finds that the icon-image is enriched with emotions and personal reflections relative to religious adaptation and memory. Appreciated as objects of art or even nostalgia for some, icons function in the immigrant context as an identity marker and cultural branding, a reminder of ethnicity and historical rootedness.
Effect of cortisol levels on working memory performance in elderly subjects with Alzheimer's disease
Authors: Souza-Talarico Juliana Nery de , Caramelli Paulo , Nitrini Ricardo , Chaves Eliane Corrêa
Published: October 2008

BACKGROUND: Subjects with Alzheimer's disease (AD) have elevated cortisol levels as a result of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis dysfunction. Acute administration of hydrocortisone has been associated with working memory (WM) performance in young adults. OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether cortisol levels are associated with WM performance in subjects with AD. METHOD: Eighty subjects were included, comprising 40 patients with mild AD and 40 healthy elderly controls. WM was assessed using the Digit Span Backward test (DSB). Saliva samples were collected to determine cortisol levels. RESULTS: AD subjects had poorer performance on the DSB than controls (p=0.002) and also presented higher levels of cortisol than control group (p=0.04). No significant correlation was observed between the DSB and cortisol levels in both groups (r= -0.29). CONCLUSION: In this study, elevated cortisol levels were not associated with poorer WM performance in patients with AD or in healthy elderly subjects.
Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 in Brazil
Authors: Teive Hélio A.G. , Munhoz Renato Puppi , Raskin Salmo , Werneck Lineu César
Published: October 2008

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 6 (SCA 6) is an autosomal dominant cerebellar ataxia caused by CAG repeat expansion in the SCA6 gene, a alpha 1A voltage-dependent calcium channel subunit gene on chromosome 19p13. SCA-6 is characterized predominantly by slowly progressive pure cerebellar ataxia with late onset. We report three index patients, with pure, late onset, cerebellar ataxia, belonging to three different Brazilian families, all of them with Japanese ancestry, from Hokkaido island of Japan.
Biochemical evaluation of focal non-reperfusion cerebral ischemia by middle cerebral artery occlusion in rats
Authors: Colli Benedicto Oscar , Tirapelli Daniela Pretti da Cunha , Carlotti Jr Carlos Gilberto , Lopes Luiza da Silva , Tirapelli Luis Fernando
Published: October 2008

Cerebral ischemia is an important event in clinical and surgical neurological practice since it is one of the diseases that most compromise the human species. In the present study 40 adult rats were submitted to periods of focal ischemia of 30, 60 and 90 min without reperfusion and animals submitted to a sham procedure were used as controls. We analyzed the levels of ATP, malondialdehyde and caspase-3. No significant differences in the biochemical measurements were observed between the right and left brain hemispheres of the same animal in each experimental group. Reduced ATP levels were observed after the three periods of ischemia compared to the sham group. No significant increase in malondialdehyde or caspase-3 levels was observed. Despite significant changes in ATP levels, the results indicated cell viability in the ischemic region as shown by the low rates of lipid peroxidation and apoptosis, findings probably related to the lack of reperfusion.
Myocyte-specific enhancer binding factor 2C (MEF2C) expression in the dentate gyrus during development and after pilocarpine-induced status epilepticus: a preliminary report
Authors: Scorza Carla Alessandra , Cavalheiro Esper Abrão , Scorza Fulvio Alexandre
Published: October 2008

OBJECTIVE: As axon outgrowth and dentate granule cell neurogenesis are hallmarks of hippocampal development and are also the two morphologic changes in the structure of the dentate gyrus after status epilepticus (SE), we hypothesized that molecules involved in normal development may also play a role during epileptogenesis. METHOD: Using in situ hybridization, we have characterized mRNA expression of myocyte-specific enhancer binding factor 2C (MEF2C) in the dentate gyrus during development (P0, P3, P7, P14 and P28) and at multiple time points following pilocarpine-induced SE (3, 7, 14, 28 days after SE). RESULTS: It was demonstrated that MEF2C is up-regulated during development (P0, P3, P7, P14 and P28) and in the adult rat dentate gyrus following SE (3, 7, 14, 28 days after SE). CONCLUSIONS: The molecules controlling cell-fate decisions in the developing dentate gyrus are also operative during epileptogenesis.
Neonatal exposure to citalopram, a serotonin selective reuptake inhibitor, programs a delay in the reflex ontogeny in rats
Authors: Deiró Teresa Cristina Bomfim de Jesus , Carvalho Judelita , Nascimento Elizabeth do , Medeiros Jaiza Maria Barreto , Cajuhi Fabiana , Ferraz-Pereira Kelli Nogueira , Manhães-de-Castro Raul
Published: October 2008

Serotonin influences the growth and development of the nervous system, as well as its behavioral manifestations. The possibility exists that increased brain serotonin availability in young animals modulates their neuro-behavioral responses. This study investigated the body weight gain and reflex ontogeny of neonatal rats treated during the suckling period with two doses of citalopram (5 mg, or 10 mg/kg, sc, daily). The time of the appearance of reflexes (palm grasp righting, free-fall righting, vibrissa placing, auditory startle response, negative geotaxis and cliff avoidance) as well as the body weight evolution were recorded. In general, a delay in the time of reflex development and a reduced weight gain were observed in drug-treated animals. These findings suggest that serotoninergic mechanisms play a role in modulating body weight gain and the maturation of most reflex responses during the perinatal period in rats.