bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A multi‐component social skills intervention for children with Asperger syndrome: The Junior Detective Training Program
Authors: Beaumont Renae , Sofronoff Kate 
Published: May 2008

Background:  The study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of a new multi‐component social skills intervention for children with Asperger syndrome (AS): The Junior Detective Training Program. This 7‐week program included a computer game, small group sessions, parent training sessions and teacher handouts.Method:  Forty‐nine children with AS were recruited to participate and randomly assigned to intervention (n = 26) or wait‐list control (n = 23) conditions.Results:  Relative to children in the wait‐list group, program participants showed greater improvements in social skills over the course of the intervention, as indicated by parent‐report measures. Teacher‐report data also confirmed that children receiving the intervention made significant improvements in social functioning from pre‐ to post‐treatment. Treatment group participants were better able to suggest appropriate emotion‐management strategies for story characters at post‐intervention than at pre‐intervention, whereas control participants were not. However, there was no difference in the improvements made by children in the intervention and control conditions on facial expression and body‐posture recognition measures. Follow‐up data suggested that treatment gains were maintained by children at 5‐months post‐intervention.Conclusions:  The Junior Detective Training Program appeared to be effective in enhancing the social skills and emotional understanding of children with AS. Limitations and suggestions for future research are discussed.
Brain potential correlates of face recognition: Geometric distortions and the N250r brain response to stimulus repetitions
Authors: Bindemann Markus , Burton A. Mike , Leuthold Hartmut , Schweinberger Stefan R. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThe N250r is an event‐related potential that has been related to activation of image‐independent representations of familiar faces during recognition. However, N250r also shows a degree of image specificity, with reduced activation across repetitions of different images of the same face compared to repetitions across the same image, suggesting a component that codes the visual overlap between two face images. This study investigated whether N250r is equally attenuated when horizontally or vertically stretched faces prime an unstretched image of the same face. The results confirm that N250r is larger across repetitions of the same face image than across different images of the same face. Despite this, N250r was equivalent for priming by the same face image and priming from stretched onto unstretched faces. This finding demonstrates that N250r does not simply reflect the superficial visual overlap between two face images and supports the notion that it is related to person recognition.
Impact of real‐world stress on cardiorespiratory resting function during sleep in daily life
Authors: Sakakibara Masahito , Kanematsu Takayoshi , Yasuma Fumihiko , Hayano Junichiro 
Published: May 2008

AbstractTo examine if real‐world stress affects the restorative function of sleep in daily life, we studied the impact of college examinations on cardiorespiratory resting function during sleep. In healthy college students, at 1 week before, the day before, and the first day of semester‐end examinations pulse wave signal during sleep at their own residences was measured continuously with a wristband‐shaped wireless transdermal photoelectric sensor. The cardiorespiratory resting function was assessed quantitatively as the power of a high‐frequency component of pulse rate variability, a surrogate measure of respiratory sinus arrhythmia. Changes in anxiety were also evaluated with a state anxiety questionnaire. On the day before the examinations, compared with 1 week before, the score of state anxiety increased and the HF component of pulse rate variability decreased. Among college students, anxiety about college examinations may be accompanied by suppression of the cardiorespiratory resting function during sleep.
Interoceptive awareness in experienced meditators
Authors: Khalsa Sahib S. , Rudrauf David , Damasio Antonio R. , Davidson Richard J. , Lutz Antoine , Tranel Daniel 
Published: May 2008

AbstractAttention to internal body sensations is practiced in most meditation traditions. Many traditions state that this practice results in increased awareness of internal body sensations, but scientific studies evaluating this claim are lacking. We predicted that experienced meditators would display performance superior to that of nonmeditators on heartbeat detection, a standard noninvasive measure of resting interoceptive awareness. We compared two groups of meditators (Tibetan Buddhist and Kundalini) to an age‐ and body mass index‐matched group of nonmeditators. Contrary to our prediction, we found no evidence that meditators were superior to nonmeditators in the heartbeat detection task, across several sessions and respiratory modulation conditions. Compared to nonmeditators, however, meditators consistently rated their interoceptive performance as superior and the difficulty of the task as easier. These results provide evidence against the notion that practicing attention to internal body sensations, a core feature of meditation, enhances the ability to sense the heartbeat at rest.
Chronic hyperammonemia reduces the activity of neuronal nitric oxide synthase in cerebellum by altering its localization and increasing its phosphorylation by calcium‐calmodulin kinase II
Authors: El‐Mlili Nisrin , Rodrigo Regina , Naghizadeh Bahareh , Cauli Omar , Felipo Vicente 
Published: May 2008

AbstractImpaired function of the glutamate‐nitric oxide‐cGMP pathway contributes to cognitive impairment in hyperammonemia and hepatic encephalopathy. The mechanisms by which hyperammonemia impairs this pathway remain unclear. Understanding these mechanisms would allow designing clinical treatments for cognitive deficits in hepatic encephalopathy. The aims of this work were: (i) to assess whether chronic hyperammonemia in vivo alters basal activity of neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in cerebellum and/or its activation in response to NMDA receptor activation and (ii) to analyse the molecular mechanisms by which hyperammonemia induces these alterations. It is shown that hyperammonemia reduces both basal activity of nNOS and its activation following NMDA receptor activation. Reduced basal activity is because of increased phosphorylation in Ser847 (by 69%) which reduces basal activity of nNOS by about 40%. Increased phosphorylation of nNOS in Ser847 is because of increased activity of calcium‐calmodulin‐dependent protein kinases (CaMKII) which in turn is because of increased phosphorylation at Thr286. Inhibiting CaMKII with KN‐62 normalizes phosphorylation of Ser847 and basal NOS activity in hyperammonemic rats, returning to values similar to controls. Reduced activation of nNOS in response to NMDA receptor activation in hyperammonemia is because of altered subcellular localization of nNOS, with reduced amount in post‐synaptic membranes and increased amount in the cytosol.
New application of β‐galactosidase complementation to monitor tau self‐association
Authors: Ding Huiping , Johnson Gail V. W. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractNeurofibrillary tangles composed of hyperphosphorylated and aberrantly cleaved microtubule‐associated protein tau are a major neuropathological hallmark of Alzheimer’s disease. Recent studies suggest that the predominant neurotoxic effect of pathologically processed tau is mediated by intermediate tau multimers rather than the mature tau tangles, thus underscoring the importance of studying tau self‐association preceding tangle formation. However, experimental approaches for such studies are limited. Here, we describe a modification of the β‐galactosidase (β‐gal) complementation assay, which provides a simple, sensitive and quantitative system to monitor pre‐tangle tau–tau interactions in a cell model. Full‐length tau (T4) and tau truncated at D421 (C3, to mimic caspase‐cleaved tau) were fused to one of a pair of weakly complementing β‐gal mutants (Δα and Δω) and expressed in human embryonic kidney cells. The tau–tau interactions and the subsequent juxtapositioning of Δα and Δω led to β‐gal complementation and an increase in β‐gal activity which was detected by histochemical staining and quantified by chemiluminescent assays. After cross‐linking with disuccinimidyl suberate, tau formed high molecular weight complexes which were detected on denaturing acrylamide gels, further confirming the close proximity among self‐associated tau molecules. The self‐association of C3 appeared to be less efficient than that of T4. Furthermore, treatment with lithium decreased β‐gal complementation of both T4 and C3 indicating that the interaction of these proteins was attenuated. Overall, this study suggests that β‐gal complementation assay can be a useful tool to monitor tau self‐association.
Evidence for an association of prion protein and sphingolipid‐mediated signaling
Authors: Schmalzbauer Rüdiger , Eigenbrod Sabina , Winoto‐Morbach Supandi , Xiang Wei , Schütze Stefan , Bertsch Uwe , Kretzschmar Hans A. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThe physiological function of the cellular prion protein (PrPc) is unclear. PrPc associates with lipid rafts, highly glycolipid‐rich membrane domains containing a large variety of signaling molecules, e.g., sphingolipids (SL). In this study, we investigated possible connections between PrPc and sphingolipid‐associated signaling pathways. Using PrPc‐wt and PrPc‐k.o. hippocampal cell lines and mouse brains we showed higher activity of neutral and acid sphingomyelinase (SMase) in PrPc‐k.o.‐groups, while ceramide and sphingomyelin‐levels were unchanged. Furthermore, despite lower basal expression levels of sphingosine kinase (SphK) in PrPc‐k.o.‐groups, the levels of its metabolite sphingosine‐1‐phosphate were increased, whereas S1P3‐receptor expression was higher in PrPc‐wt‐groups again. In addition, we detected enhanced activity of phospholipase D1, an enzyme that seems to be suitable to act as a connector between the S1P3 receptor and continuative signaling. Finally, evidence for an impact on downstream signaling cascades, especially activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, was found. In summary, our data suggest that PrPc is involved in sphingolipid‐associated signaling, modulating pathways that exert anti‐apoptotic functions, hence indicating that PrPc plays a role in neuroprotection.
Redox‐reactive membrane vesicles produced by Shewanella
Authors: GORBY Y. , MCLEAN J. , KORENEVSKY A. , ROSSO K. , EL‐NAGGAR M. Y. , BEVERIDGE T. J 
Published: May 2008

ABSTRACTThis manuscript is dedicated to our friend, mentor, and coauthor Dr Terry Beveridge, who devoted his scientific career to advancing fundamental aspects of microbial ultrastructure using innovative electron microscopic approaches. During his graduate studies with Professor Robert Murray, Terry provided some of the first glimpses and structural evaluations of the regular surface arrays (S‐layers) of Gram‐negative bacteria (Beveridge & Murray, 1974, 1975, 1976a). Beginning with his early electron microscopic assessments of metal binding by cell walls from Gram‐positive bacteria (Beveridge & Murray, 1976b, 1980) and continuing with more than 30 years of pioneering research on microbe–mineral interactions (Hoyle & Beveridge, 1983, 1984; Ferris et al., 1986; Gorby et al., 1988; Beveridge, 1989; Mullen et al., 1989; Urrutia Mera et al., 1992; Mera & Beveridge, 1993; Brown et al., 1994; Konhauser et al., 1994; Beveridge et al., 1997; Newman et al., 1997; Lower et al., 2001; Glasauer et al., 2002; Baesman et al., 2007), Terry helped to shape the developing field of biogeochemistry. Terry and his associates are also widely regarded for their research defining the structure and function of outer membrane vesicles from Gram‐negative bacteria that facilitate processes ranging from the delivery of pathogenic enzymes to the possible exchange of genetic information.The current report represents the confluence of two of Terry's thematic research streams by demonstrating that membrane vesicles produced by dissimilatory metal‐reducing bacteria from the genus Shewanella catalyze the enzymatic transformation and precipitation of heavy metals and radionuclides. Under low‐shear conditions, membrane vesicles are commonly tethered to intact cells by electrically conductive filaments known as bacterial nanowires. The functional role of membrane vesicles and associated nanowires is not known, but the potential for mineralized vesicles that morphologically resemble nanofossils to serve as palaeontological indicators of early life on Earth and as biosignatures of life on other planets is recognized.
Stars of the terrestrial deep subsurface: A novel ‘star‐shaped’ bacterial morphotype from a South African platinum mine
Authors: WANGER G. , ONSTOTT T. C. , SOUTHAM G. 
Published: May 2008

FOREWORDWe study structure and function. Credit of course, goes to TJB, for it is from him that I inherited the habit of personifying bacteria and attempting to think like a bacterium, to better understand what they do. This work has taken us to wonderful places such as Yellowstone National Park, The Canadian Arctic, Australia, and the deep subsurface in the Republic of South Africa, the subject of this manuscript. From their perspective, why they do what they do is simple, to live. How they do it, is more challenging for us to understand, so it is something that we continue to work on. The marvel of bacteria is something that I, in turn, try to pass on to my students where I hope it will find fertile ground and provide as much enjoyment as it has given me – G. Southam.ABSTRACTA biofilm (mine‐slime) collected from the Northam Platinum mine in the Republic of South Africa contained a new bacterial morphotype. Mine‐slimes are generally considered to be microbiologically compromised, subsurface samples due to the likelihood of contamination from the mining environment. However, careful examination of this biofilm demonstrated that it possessed a diverse bacterial population that included organisms that are consistent with the deep subsurface, suggesting that mine‐slimes represent an underutilized, ‘natural’ bacterial enrichment. Using scanning and transmission electron microscopy, a novel, branching, filamentous, star‐shape bacterium (in cross section) has been found, adding a new bacterial morphotype and strategy that bacteria have demonstrated to increase their surface area to volume ratio.
Opportunities for Academic Training in the Science and Practice of Restoration within the United States and Canada
Authors: Nelson Cara R. , Schoennagel Tania , Gregory Esther R. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract With increasing interest in ecosystem restoration, there is a corresponding need for trained professionals who understand not only the science of restoration ecology but also the management practices and social factors that lead to successful project implementation. We surveyed 300 academic institutions in the United States and Canada with research programs in the ecological, conservation, and natural resource sciences to determine whether current curricula in restoration meet the needs of this growing field. Opportunities to obtain a degree specifically in the field of restoration were extremely limited: only 11 institutions (4%) offered undergraduate degrees, and only four (1%) offered graduate degrees. Half of these programs were established within the last 5 years. Only three programs required more than one course in restoration, and over half did not include any specific core courses in the social sciences. There were more opportunities to obtain a degree relevant to restoration but not specifically restoration focused: 21% of institutions offered such undergraduate degrees and 12% offered graduate degrees. With regard to courses, only 23% of institutions offered courses that specifically focused on restoration, whereas 43% offered courses that included “restoration” in their description. These trends suggest that although training opportunities are increasing, the current pool of programs and courses that explicitly focus on restoration is not sufficient to meet current demand for qualified and experienced restorationists or to ensure that these scientists and practitioners have the training necessary to meet the complex challenges of restoring degraded ecosystems in the future.
Thinking Locally for Urban Forest Restoration: A Simple Method Links Exotic Species Invasion to Local Landscape Structure
Authors: Vidra Rebecca L. , Shear Theodore H. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract Restoring urban forests often involves eradicating exotic species and diligently guarding against future invasions. Understanding how landscape structure contributes to the distribution of exotic species may inform these management efforts. To date, the distribution of exotic species in forested patches has been correlated with the type of development surrounding the patch, with those surrounded by agricultural or urban development often more highly invaded. Yet, previous studies have categorized land use types and have not examined more local‐scale changes in land use. These local changes may be particularly important in urban areas where forested patches are immediately surrounded by diverse land use types. Our study examined how two key aspects of landscape structure, patch size and adjacent land use, may influence patterns of exotic species invasion of riparian buffers within Raleigh and Cary, North Carolina, United States. We found that large patch size alone, in our case, wide riparian buffers, does not protect against exotic species invasion. Patches surrounded by higher canopy‐cover landscapes (e.g., forests and older residential developments with mature canopy) were more likely to be invaded than those surrounded by less canopy cover (e.g., shopping malls and other commercial development). We attribute these results, in part, to increased pressure from exotic propagules from adjacent forests. When restoring urban forests, attention should be paid to local land use to better plan for successful, long‐term eradication of exotic species.
Translocations: Providing Outcomes for Wildlife, Resource Managers, Scientists, and the Human Community
Authors: Parker Kevin A. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract The World Conservation Union (1987) defines a translocation as a release of animals with the intention of establishing, reestablishing, or augmenting an existing population. Despite frequent use as a tool for the management of threatened and endangered wildlife, the full benefits of translocations often go unrealized. In this article, I demonstrate how translocations can achieve outputs for conservation management, conservation science, and the wider human community, using North Island (NI) Saddleback or Tieke (Philesturnus rufusater) as an illustrative example. From a conservation management perspective, NI Saddleback have been salvaged from a relic population of less than 500 birds on 484‐ha Hen Island to a metapopulation of approximately 6,000 birds on 13 offshore islands and at two mainland New Zealand sites. These translocations have reduced the risk of global extinction for this species and helped restore the ecosystems involved. All these translocations have occurred in the past 42 years from known source populations and with known numbers of birds released. The resulting replicated serial population bottlenecks provide numerous scientific opportunities for conservation and biological research. Although the first Saddleback translocations were to reserves closed to the public, subsequent translocations have been to open reserves, providing the wider human community with an opportunity to see and be actively involved in the management of a threatened endemic species. This has raised the profile of both NI Saddleback and other species and has provided wider community conservation benefits. These three outputs illustrate the value of translocations for resource management and conservation science and for increasing community interest, participation, and investment in biological conservation.
The head nodding syndrome—Clinical classification and possible causes
Authors: Winkler Andrea S. , Friedrich Katrin , König Rebekka , Meindl Michael , Helbok Raimund , Unterberger Iris , Gotwald Thaddaeus , Dharsee Jaffer , Velicheti Sandeep , Kidunda Aslam , Jilek‐Aall Louise , Matuja William , Schmutzhard Erich 
Published: May 2008

SummaryPurpose:  In the 1960s in Tanzania, L. Jilek‐Aall observed a seizure disorder characterized by head nodding (HN). Decades later, “nodding disease,” reminiscent of what was seen in Tanzania, was reported from Sudan. To date this seizure disorder has not been classified and possible causes still remain obscure.Methods:  In a prospective study in southern Tanzania, we evaluated 62 patients with HN. Selected patients underwent blood (n = 51) and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (n = 48) analyses. Others were chosen for MRI (n = 12) and EEG (n = 10).Results:  Seizure type was classified as “head nodding only” and “head nodding plus,” the latter being combined with other types of seizure (n =34). During HN, consciousness was impaired in 11 patients (17.7%) and supportive signs of epileptic seizures were described by 15 (24.2%) patients. Precipitating factors were confirmed by 11 (17.7%) patients. Fifty‐six (90.3%) patients had at least one relative with epilepsy. EEG confirmed interictal epileptic activity in two patients and unspecific changes in four patients. MRI showed hippocampus pathologies (n = 5) and gliotic changes (n = 5). Skin polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positivity for Onchocerca volvulus was significantly associated with lesions on MRI. However, PCR of the CSF was negative in all cases.Conclusions:  We present a comprehensive clinical description of the “HN syndrome,” possibly a new epilepsy disorder in sub‐Saharan Africa. MRI lesions and their association with positive skin PCR for O. volvulus despite negative PCR of the CSF is intriguing and deserves attention. Furthermore, the high prevalence of hippocampus sclerosis and familial clustering of epilepsy may point toward other potential pathogenetic mechanisms.
Antiepileptogenic and antiictogenic effects of retigabine under conditions of rapid kindling: An ontogenic study
Authors: Mazarati Andréy , Wu Jim , Shin Don , Kwon Young Se , Sankar Raman 
Published: May 2008

SummaryPurpose:  To examine antiepileptogenic and antiictogenic potential of retigabine (RTG) under conditions of rapid kindling epileptogenesis during different stages of development.Methods:  The experiments were performed in postnatal day 14 (P14), P21, and P35 male Wistar rats. After stereotaxic implantation of hippocampal stimulating and recording electrodes, the effects of RTG on baseline afterdischarge (AD) properties were studied. Next, the animals underwent rapid kindling (sixty 10 s trains, bipolar 20 Hz square wave pulses delivered every 5 min). The progression of seizures (kindling acquisition), and responses to test stimulations after kindling (retention) were compared between RTG and vehicle‐treated rats. Additionally, the effects of RTG on the severity of seizures in previously kindled animals were examined.Results:  When administered intraperitoneally in doses that induced only mild, or no motor deficits, RTG significantly dampened brain excitability, evident as the increase of AD threshold and shortening of AD duration. During kindling, RTG delayed the development of focal seizures in P14 rats, and prevented the occurrence of full limbic seizures at all three ages. At P14 and P21, but not at P35, pretreatment with RTG prevented the establishment of kindling‐induced enhanced seizure susceptibility. Administration of RTG to kindled animals decreased the severity of seizures induced by test stimulation. The effect was most prominent at P14.Discussion:  RTG exerted both antiepileptogenic and antiictogenic effects under conditions of rapid kindling model. These effects were apparent during postneonatal, early childhood, and adolescent stages of development.