bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Urban and rural sign language in India
Authors: Jepson Jill 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACTA comparison is presented of Indian urban and rural sign languages of the deaf. The structures of both languages are designed for efficient communication but have developed differently in response to different sociolinguistic environments. The urban form transmits information primarily by means of appeal to a shared linguistic code; the rural form mainly by appeal to communal nonlinguistic knowledge. Both languages employ effective and appropriate means given their environments. The relationship between language usage and structure is explored. (Sign language, deafness, India)
The “depreciation” and “appreciation” of some address terms in China
Authors: Zhucheng Ju 
Published: January 2009

ABSTRACTThe address terms in China are largely based on the two-class distinction (the two classes being the proletariat and the bourgeoisie). The rules governing the use of address terms in China were strictly followed before the Cultural Revolution and are still followed to a certain extent now The Cultural Revolution has brought about the “depreciation” of certain address terms, and the new situation that has appeared since China opened its doors has changed some people's mental outlook and has caused some other address terms to “go up in value.” The author shows that the use of address terms and cultural values are closely interrelated. (Sociolinguistics, address terms, cultural values)
The Sea Lamprey Petromyzon marinus: A Model for Evolutionary and Developmental Biology
Authors: Nikitina Natalya , Bronner-Fraser Marianne , Sauka-Spengler Tatjana 
Published: January 2009

INTRODUCTIONSea lampreys (Petromyzon marinus) are cyclostomes, the most basal extant group of vertebrates, and are thought to have existed largely unchanged for more than 500 million years. They are aquatic, eel-shaped animals that spend a major part of their life as filter-feeding larvae called ammocoetes, inhabiting many freshwater bodies in the northern hemisphere. After metamorphosis, sea lampreys migrate to the ocean (or to the Great Lakes), where they feed on the blood and bodily fluids of salmonid fish and ultimately return to freshwater streams and rivers to spawn and die. The unique evolutionary position of lampreys and the relative ease of obtaining mature adults and embryos make this animal an ideal model for investigations into early vertebrate evolution. Studies of features shared between lampreys and jawed vertebrates, but distinct from those in nonvertebrate chordates, have provided information on the origin and evolution of hallmark vertebrate characteristics such as the neural crest, ectodermal placodes, and jaw. In addition, studies of features that are unique to lampreys (e.g., the variable lymphocyte receptor-mediated immune system) provide insights into mechanisms of parallel evolution (e.g., the adaptive immune system). With the establishment of techniques for the extended maintenance and spawning of lampreys in the laboratory, the sequencing of the lamprey genome, and the adaptation and optimization of many established molecular biology and histochemistry techniques for use in this species, P. marinus is poised to become an evolutionary developmental model of choice.
Injection of Parhyale hawaiensis Blastomeres with Fluorescently Labeled Tracers
Authors: Rehm E. Jay , Hannibal Roberta L. , Chaw R. Crystal , Vargas-Vila Mario A. , Patel Nipam H. 
Published: January 2009

INTRODUCTIONThe great diversity of arthropod body plans, together with our detailed understanding of fruit fly development, makes arthropods a premier taxon for examining the evolutionary diversification of developmental patterns and hence the diversity of extant life. Crustaceans, in particular, show a remarkable range of morphologies and provide a useful outgroup to the insects. The amphipod crustacean Parhyale hawaiensis is becoming established as a model organism for developmental studies within the arthropods. This protocol describes the injection of P. hawaiensis blastomeres with fluorescently labeled tracers for the purpose of cell-lineage analysis. The total (holoblastic) cleavages that characterize early embryogenesis in P. hawaiensis generate an eight-cell embryo with a stereotypical arrangement of blastomeres, each of which already possesses an invariant cell fate. Fluorochrome-conjugated dextran solutions, mRNAs encoding fluorescent proteins, and biotin-dextran have all proven to be useful lineage markers. The relative merits of various tracers are considered.
Microinjection of Plasmids into Meiotically Incompetent Mouse Oocytes: Figure 1.
Authors: Stein Paula 
Published: January 2009

INTRODUCTIONRNA interference (RNAi) is a suitable method for sequence-specific post-transcriptional gene silencing in a number of model systems. The following protocol describes delivery of a mammalian double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) expression vector into meiotically incompetent mouse oocytes by microinjection. During mouse oocyte growth, there is a progressive decline in transcriptional activity, such that the fully-grown oocyte is transcriptionally quiescent. For this reason, the microinjection of plasmids should be performed in growing oocytes, obtained from 12- to 13-d-old females. Microinjected oocytes can be cultured for up to 2 d. The efficiency of knockdown by RNAi can be assayed by quantitative reverse transcriptase (RT)-PCR (qPCR).
RNAi Experiments in Mouse Oocytes and Early Embryos
Authors: Svoboda Petr , Stein Paula 
Published: January 2009

INTRODUCTIONThe discovery of RNA interference (RNAi) in 1998 ushered in a new era in biology. RNAi currently serves as a favorite approach for inhibition of gene function in many areas of research. This article provides a brief review of RNAi and discussion of the benefits and drawbacks of using long double-stranded RNA (dsRNA) in mammalian oocytes and early embryos. We also provide an introduction to protocols for RNAi experiments in mouse, including preparation and microinjection of dsRNA into mouse oocytes and early embryos, and preparation and testing of constructs for transgenic RNAi based on long hairpin RNA expression.
Subaqueous density flow processes and deposits of an island volcano landslide (Stromboli Island, Italy)
Authors: MARANI MICHAEL P. , GAMBERI FABIANO , ROSI MAURO , BERTAGNINI ANTONELLA , DI ROBERTO ALESSIO 
Published: January 2009

AbstractStromboli is a 3000 m high island volcano, rising to 900 m above sea‐level. It is the most active volcano of the Aeolian Archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy). Major, large volume (1 km3) sector collapses, four occurring in the last 13 kyr, have played an important role in shaping the north‐western flank (Sciara del Fuoco) of the volcano, potentially generating a high‐risk tsunami hazard for the Aeolian Islands and the Italian coast. However, smaller volume, partial collapses of the Sciara del Fuoco have been shown to be more frequent tsunami‐generating events. One such event occurred on 30 December 2002, when a partial collapse of the north‐western flank of the island took place. The resulting landslide generated 10 m high tsunami waves that impacted the island. Multibeam bathymetry, side‐scan sonar imaging and visual observations reveal that the landslide deposited 25 to 30 × 106 m3 of sediment on the submerged slope offshore from the Sciara del Fuoco. Two contiguous main deposit facies are recognized: (i) a chaotic, coarse‐grained (metre‐sized to centimetre‐sized clasts) deposit; and (ii) a sand deposit containing a lower, cross‐bedded sand layer and an upper structureless pebbly sand bed capped by sea floor ripple bedforms. The sand facies develops adjacent to and partially overlying the coarse deposits. Characteristics of the deposits suggest that they were derived from cohesionless, sandy matrix density flows. Flow rheology and dynamics led to the segregation of the density flow into sand‐rich and clast‐rich regions. A range of density flow transitions, both in space and in time, caused principally by particle concentration and grain‐size partitioning within cohesionless parent flows was identified in the deposits of this relatively small‐scale submarine landslide event.
A novel limb in the osmoregulatory network of Methanosarcina mazei Gö1: Nε‐acetyl‐β‐lysine can be substituted by glutamate and alanine
Authors: Saum Regina , Mingote Ana , Santos Helena , Müller Volker 
Published: January 2009

SummaryNε‐acetyl‐β‐lysine is a unique compatible solute found in methanogenic archaea grown at high salinities. Deletion of the genes that encode the lysine‐2,3‐aminomutase (ablA) and the β‐lysine acetyltransferase (ablB) abolished the production of Nε‐acetyl‐β‐lysine in Methanosarcina mazei Gö1. The mutant grew well at low and intermediate salinities. Interestingly, growth at high salt (800 mM NaCl) was only slowed down but not impaired demonstrating that in M. mazei Gö1 Nε‐acetyl‐β‐lysine is not essential for growth at high salinities. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis revealed an increased glutamate pool in the mutant. In addition to α‐glutamate, a novel solute, alanine, was produced. The intracellular alanine concentration was as high as 0.36 ± 0.05 μmol (mg protein)−1 representing up to 18% of the total solute pool at 800 mM NaCl. The cellular alanine concentration increased with the salinity of the medium and decreased in the presence of glycine betaine in the medium, indicating that alanine is used as compatible solute by M. mazei Gö1.
Mothers' Emotions and Behavioral Support During Interactions with Toddlers: The Role of Child Temperament
Authors: Bryan Amy E. , Dix Theodore 
Published: January 2009

AbstractThis article examines mothers' support for children's interests and, specifically, emotional processes in mothers that may explain why they display different levels of support with children of different temperaments. We observed 114 mothers and their 14–27 month‐old children during a laboratory interaction. Mothers rated children on three dimensions of temperament: activity, anger proneness, and social fearfulness. As expected, activity predicted mothers' anger, disappointment, and low support for children's interests. Social fearfulness predicted mothers' worry, low anger, low disappointment, and high support for children's interests. Mediational tests verified that (1) mothers' emotions often mediated the relation of child temperament to mothers' supportive behavior, and (2) children's compliance often mediated the relation of child temperament to mothers' emotions. Mothers tended to report negative emotion and to display relatively unsupportive behavior with children whose temperaments corresponded to attributes considered relatively undesirable for their sex.
Low income and ‘poverty lines’ in Norway: a comparison of three concepts
Authors: Borgeraas Elling , Dahl Espen 
Published: January 2009

Borgeraas E, Dahl E. Low income and ‘poverty lines’ in Norway: a comparison of three concepts Int J Soc Welfare 2010: 19: 73–83 © 2008 The Author(s), Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.In this article we address the question of how well three concepts of ‘poverty’ correspond with each other. We have compared three different measures of ‘poverty’ in Norway: income poverty and two measures of a minimum budget standard, one scientifically and one politically defined. The three measures rest on different underlying concepts, serve different purposes and yield significantly different poverty lines. If followed by the municipal social services, the governmental norms for social benefits will, paradoxically, leave the beneficiaries in income poverty as defined by that same government. The most generous poverty line of all three measures is provided by the minimum budget standard developed by the National Institute for Consumer Research in Norway, which rests on the assumption that a household's income has to give a sustainable financial situation in the longer run. Neither of the two other poverty measures have this property. All numbers pertain to the year 2005. Some political and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
Young children’s sibling relationship quality: distal and proximal correlates
Authors: Kretschmer Tina , Pike Alison 
Published: January 2009

Background: Relationships within families are interdependent and related to distal environmental factors. Low socioeconomic status (SES) and high household chaos (distal factors) have been linked to less positive marital and parent–child relationships, but have not yet been examined with regard to young children’s sibling relationships. The present study tested direct associations between these distal factors and sibling relationship quality, as well as examining parenting as a potential mediator and/or moderator.Method: One hundred and eighteen families with children aged 4 to 8 years were interviewed and completed questionnaires during home visits. Children provided reports about the quality of their sibling relationships via a puppet interview, and mothers and fathers reported on household chaos and their exertion of harsh discipline. Researchers rated parental warmth towards the children. Finally, parental education and household density were assessed as indicators of SES.Results: Using structural equation modelling (SEM), we found that lower levels of household chaos were related to better quality sibling relationships, and that this link was mediated by maternal warmth and paternal harsh discipline, as well as moderated by maternal harsh discipline.Conclusion: Household chaos was more strongly linked to relationship quality between family members than SES, warranting further research and practical application. The study of children’s sibling relationships should take into account inter‐relations between proximal and distal environmental factors to fully reveal the complexity of family life.
Both Recent and Pleistocene geography determine animal distributional patterns in the Tuscan Archipelago
Authors: Fattorini S. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractCluster analyses, Parsimony Analysis of Endemicity, species–area relationships, Mantel tests, partial Mantel tests and levels of endemism were used to investigate the influence of current geography and paleogeography on the composition of the fauna of the Tuscan Islands, a small archipelago in the Mediterranean. The composition of terrestrial mollusc and tenebrionid beetle faunas was prevalently influenced by Pleistocene conditions. The composition of butterfly (and possibly reptile) island fauna was influenced by both present (Holocene) and Pleistocene factors. Finally, chrysids were influenced only by present factors. On the whole, both present and historical factors concurred to determine present distributional patterns, but their relative influence varied according to the mobility of the group considered. Results provided here give some insights into the treatment of endemics to elucidate historical relationships among areas and add further momentum to a general model of biotic dynamics in landbridge archipelagos.
Bilateral Import Protection, Free Trade Agreements, and Other Factors Influencing Trade Flows in Agriculture and Clothing
Authors: Vollrath Thomas L. , Gehlhar Mark J. , Hallahan Charles B. 
Published: January 2009

Abstract Many factors shape the global network of bilateral trade including fundamental forces of supply and demand factors and government policies. This study uses the generalised gravity framework to distinguish among the different drivers that either deter or aid partner trade in land‐intensive agriculture and labour‐intensive clothing. The dataset used in the analysis includes bilateral trade among 70 countries in 1995, 2000 and 2005. Collectively, the 70 countries account for 85% of the world’s trade in agriculture and 96% of its GDP. Empirical results lend support to the Heckscher–Ohlin explanation of trade, namely that relative factor endowments motivate cross‐border trade. Results also show that tariffs are not always binding and bilateral free‐trade agreements more often divert rather than create trade.
Internet Access and Farm Household Income – Empirical Evidence using a Semi‐parametric Assessment in Taiwan
Authors: Chang Hung‐Hao , Just David R. 
Published: January 2009

Abstract There is considerable literature examining individuals’ behaviour with respect to Internet use, but less attention is paid to farm household use of the Internet. Among the few studies on farm households, the emphasis is on the correlation between socioeconomic factors and the adoption of the Internet. Thus, relatively little is known about the association between Internet use and farm household well‐being. In an effort to fill this void, this paper investigates Internet access among farm households and examines the effects of Internet access on farm household income. Given the observed income gap between Internet users and non‐users, we then investigate the extent to which socioeconomic factors may be associated with this income gap. Using a nationwide survey of farm households in Taiwan, a novel econometric model is proposed and estimated employing a semi‐parametric technique. Our results support the conclusion that Internet use improves farm household income. Most of the income gap between adopters and non‐adopters can be explained by the differences in the return of the socioeconomic factors.
Trends in outcomes for very preterm infants in the southern region of Sweden over a 10‐year period
Authors: Lundqvist Pia , Källén Karin , Hallström Inger , Westas Lena Hellström 
Published: January 2009

AbstractAim: To investigate trends in mortality and morbidity in very preterm infants.Methods: Population‐based perinatal register; liveborn infants 22 + 0 to 31 + 6 gestational weeks were investigated (time period 1995–2004). Time trends for mortality and common morbidities were explored using logistic regression analyses.Results: Data from 1614 liveborn infants were included. There was an increase in live born infants below 25 gestational weeks, annual odds ratio (OR) 1.15 (95% CI: 1.08–1.23) and a decrease in mortality annual OR 0.82 (95% CI: 0.69–0.98). The rates of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and sepsis increased during the study period, annual ORs of 1.10 (95% CI: 1.04–1.17) and 1.09 (95% CI: 1.03–1.16). The duration of mechanical ventilation increased for surviving infants <25 gestational weeks (p = 0.003), while the duration of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) increased for infants <28 gestational weeks (p = <0.001). There were no changes in the rates of intraventricular haemorrhages (IVH, 3–4), retinopathy of prematurity (ROP, 3–5), seizures or necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).Conclusion: During the 10‐year period changes in mortality and morbidity were most pronounced for infants with GA <28 gestational weeks. The increasing rate of sepsis was present in infants <28 gestational weeks, whereas the increase in BPD was demonstrated in the whole study population <32 gestational weeks.
Assessment, management, and prevention of early childhood caries
Authors: Kagihara Lynette E. , Niederhauser Victoria P. , Stark Marialiana 
Published: January 2009

AbstractPurpose: To discuss the role of primary care health providers in identifying infants and young children at risk for dental caries during well‐child visits, in providing anticipatory guidance to parents and primary care givers of at‐risk children, and in providing appropriate referrals for the timely establishment of a dental home.Data sources: The search included the following: Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, American Academy of Pediatrics Web site, American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry Web site, and the American Dental Association Web site. The following search terms were used: dental caries prevention, caries process, caries balance, dental home, early childhood caries, oral health disparities, dental caries risk assessment, fluoride varnish, oral health anticipatory guidance. Search was limited to English language sources from 1990 through 2007.Conclusions: Dental caries is a preventable and reversible infectious disease process, yet it continues to be the single most common chronic disease of childhood. Despite a decrease in caries prevalence and a decrease in untreated tooth decay in 6–19‐year‐olds in the United States, a 15.2% increase in disease was noted among the nation’s youngest children aged 2–5 years. Primary care health providers are uniquely positioned to play a significant role in the prevention of dental caries and are encouraged to complete certification courses in caries risk assessment, intervention, education, and referral.Implications for practice: Clinicians need to understand the dental caries process, including the process of enamel demineralization and remineralization, and the factors contributing to caries balance. The importance of early identification and intervention for infants and toddlers at high risk for dental caries and primary care health provider‐delivered anticipatory guidance during well‐child care visits cannot be overestimated.
Preventing coronary heart disease and stroke with aggressive statin therapy in older adults using a team management model
Authors: Mason Carol M. 
Published: January 2009

AbstractPurposes: The purposes of this review were to highlight recent clinical trial results on the safety and efficacy of statin therapy in adults aged 65 years and older and to examine how nurse practitioners (NPs) and physician assistants (PAs) working together with physicians as a team can better serve the needs of this fastest growing subset of the U.S. population who are at high risk for cardiovascular events including stroke.Data sources: This report was compiled by reviewing the scientific literature on the safety and efficacy of statin therapy, including effects on cardiovascular, coronary, and stroke endpoints, with particular reference to clinical trial results in older patients.Conclusions: Recent guidelines emphasize that age alone is not a reason to withhold treatment with statin therapy in older adults. However, despite the evidence highlighted in this review demonstrating that older patients can safely achieve substantial benefit from statin therapy, studies have consistently shown an inverse relationship between age and treatment propensity. Often, older patients have multiple risk factors and many chronic comorbid conditions that seem to complicate and hinder treatment in many busy clinic practices. More extensive guidelines for the use of statin therapy in older patients, incorporating recommendations for treatment targets and developing a framework for the use of statins in stroke prevention, would assist care providers in the management of this high‐risk population. Finally, NPs and PAs are both well educated and well placed to manage patients with chronic stable cardiovascular disease (CVD).Implications for practice: The implementation of a multidisciplinary team approach to identify at‐risk individuals and provide them with education, counseling, and effective statin treatment will aid efforts to reduce the increased risk for morbidity and mortality associated with CVD in older adults.