bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evolution of rattlesnakes (Viperidae; Crotalus) in the warm deserts of western North America shaped by Neogene vicariance and Quaternary climate change
Authors: DOUGLAS MICHAEL E. , DOUGLAS MARLIS R. , SCHUETT GORDON W. , PORRAS LOUIS W.
Published: August 2006

During Pleistocene, the Laurentide ice sheet rearranged and diversified biotic distributions in eastern North America, yet had minimal physical impact in western North America where lineage diversification is instead hypothesized to result from climatic changes. If Pleistocene climatic fluctuations impacted desert species, the latter would reflect patterns of restricted gene flow concomitant with indications of demographic bottlenecks. Accordingly, molecular evidence for refugia should be present within these distributions and for subsequent range expansions as conditions improved. We sought answers to these questions by evaluating mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences from four species of rattlesnakes [Crotalus mitchellii (speckled rattlesnake), Crotalus cerastes (sidewinder), Crotalus tigris (tiger rattlesnake), Crotalus ruber (red diamond rattlesnake)] with distributions restricted to desert regions of southwestern North America. We inferred relationships using parsimony and maximum likelihood, tested intraspecific clades for population expansions, applied an isolation‐with‐migration model to determine bi‐directional migration rates (m) among regions, and inferred divergence times for species and clades by applying a semiparametric penalized likelihood approach to our molecular data. Evidence for significant range expansion was present in two of eight regions in two species (Crotalus mitchellii pyrrhus, C. tigris region north). Two species (C. cerastes, C. mitchellii) showed a distribution concomitant with northward displacement of Baja California from mainland México, followed by vicariant separation into subclades. Effects of Pleistocene climate fluctuations were found in the distributions of all four species. Three regional diversification patterns were identified: (i) shallow genetic diversity that resulted from Pleistocene climatic events (C. tigris, C. ruber); (ii) deep Pleistocene divisions indicating allopatric segregation of subclades within refugia (C. mitchellii, C. cerastes); and (iii) lineage diversifications that extended to Pliocene or Late Miocene (C. mitchellii, C. cerastes). Clade‐diversifying and clade‐constraining effects impacted the four species of rattlesnakes unequally. We found relatively high levels of molecular diversification in the two most broadly distributed species (C. mitchellii, C. cerastes), and lower levels of genetic diversification in the two species (C. tigris, C. ruber) whose ranges are relatively more restricted. Furthermore, in several cases, the distributions of subspecies were not congruent with our molecular information. We suggest regional conservation perspectives for southwestern deserts cannot rely upon subspecies as biodiversity surrogates, but must instead employ a molecular and deep historical perspective as a primary mechanism to frame biodiversity reserves within this region.
An empirical verification of population assignment methods by marking and parentage data: hatchery and wild steelhead (Oncorhynchus mykiss) in Forks Creek, Washington, USA
Authors: HAUSER L. , SEAMONS T. R. , DAUER M. , NAISH K. A. , QUINN T. P.
Published: August 2006

Assignment tests are increasingly applied in ecology and conservation, although empirical comparisons of methods are still rare or are restricted to few of the available approaches. Furthermore, the performance of assignment tests in cases with low population differentiation, violations of Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium and unbalanced sampling designs has not been verified. The release of adult hatchery steelhead to spawn in Forks Creek in 1996 and 1997 provided an opportunity to compare the power of different assignment methods to distinguish their offspring from those of sympatric wild steelhead. We compared standard assignment methods requiring baseline samples (frequency, distance and Bayesian) and clustering approaches with and without baseline information, using six freely available computer programs. Assignments were verified by parentage data obtained for a subset of returning offspring. All methods provided similar assignment success, despite low differentiation between wild and hatchery fish (FST = 0.02). Bayesian approaches with baseline data performed best, whereas the results of clustering methods were variable and depended on the samples included in the analysis and the availability of baseline information. Removal of a locus with null alleles and equalizing sample sizes had little effect on assignments. Our results demonstrate the robustness of most assignment tests to low differentiation and violations of assumptions, as well as their utility for ecological studies that require correct classification of different groups.
Consequences of group fission for the patterns of relatedness among rhesus macaques
Authors: WIDDIG A. , NÜRNBERG P. , BERCOVITCH F. B. , TREFILOV A. , BERARD J. B. , KESSLER M. J. , SCHMIDTKE J. , STREICH W. J. , KRAWCZAK M.
Published: August 2006

When mammalian social groups exceed their optimal size, they often tend to split. In view of the potential evolutionary benefits, it should be more advantageous for animals to stay with kin, rather than nonkin, during such fission events. In the present study, the spontaneous fission of two social groups, R and S, of rhesus macaques living on Cayo Santiago, Puerto Rico, provided the opportunity to compare the kinship structure of the corresponding parent and daughter groups, using information on both maternal and paternal relatedness. In both instances, maternal half‐siblings and pairs of animals from the same family were significantly more prevalent in the fission products than in the parent group. During the split of group R, significantly more paternal half‐siblings stayed in the remnants of the parent group than joined the seceding group. Our findings are compatible with previous behavioural studies demonstrating that female primates bias their social behaviour more to maternal than to paternal kin, but that both types of half‐siblings prefer each other more than unrelated animals. It remains to be clarified by future research, however, whether the observed co‐segregation of paternal half‐sibs in our study reflects active choice or is a by‐product of the group‐specific kin structures, prior to fission.
Immune response of nestling warblers varies with extra‐pair paternity and temperature
Authors: GARVIN JULIA C. , ABROE BETSY , PEDERSEN MARC C. , DUNN PETER O. , WHITTINGHAM LINDA A.
Published: August 2006

Extra‐pair mating is widespread in birds, but its adaptive function remains unclear. It is often suggested that females obtain superior genes for their offspring as a consequence of extra‐pair mating, but the evidence is limited. In this study, we examined the hypothesis that extra‐pair mating provides females with offspring that have superior immune responses. We found that the T‐cell‐mediated immune response of extra‐pair young was stronger than that of within‐pair young in common yellowthroats (Geothlypis trichas). This paternity effect occurred when we compared all nestlings in the population, as well as in comparisons of both paternal and maternal half‐siblings. Paternal half‐siblings had a stronger immune response when they were produced with extra‐pair females than with the male's social mate, which suggests that the greater immune response of extra‐pair young was caused by nonadditive (compatible) genetic effects. However, these patterns were only significant in the colder of 2 years. Immune response was related positively to air temperature and nestlings had a stronger immune response in the warmer year. We suggest that such environmental variation could obscure the genetic benefits of extra‐pair mating.
Phylogeography and population structure of thornback rays (Raja clavata L., Rajidae)
Authors: CHEVOLOT MALIA , HOARAU GALICE , RIJNSDORP ADRIAAN D. , STAM WYTZE T. , OLSEN JEANINE L.
Published: August 2006

The phylogeography of thornback rays (Raja clavata) was assessed from European waters, using five nuclear microsatellite loci and mitochondrial cytochome b sequences. Strong regional differentiation was found between the Mediterranean basin, the Azores and the European continental shelf. Allelic and haplotype diversities were high in Portuguese populations, consistent with the existence of a refugium along the Iberian Peninsula. Unexpectedly, high diversity was also found in the English Channel/North Sea area. The lowest genetic diversity was found in the Black Sea. Populations sampled from the Mediterranean, Adriatic and Black Seas were characterized by a single mitochondrial haplotype. This haplotype was also the most ancestral and widespread outside of the Mediterranean basin except for the Azores. Populations from the Azores were dominated by a second ancestral haplotype which was shared with British populations. Results from multidimensional scaling, amova and nested clade analysis indicate that British waters are a secondary contact zone recolonized from at least two refugia — one around the Iberian Peninsula and one possibly in the Azores. Links to a potential refugium known as the Hurd Deep, between Cornwall and Brittany, are discussed. Finally, a historical demographic analysis indicates that thornback ray populations started to expand between 580 000 and 362 000 years ago, which suggests that the Last Glacial Maximum (20 000 years ago) had mainly affected the distribution of populations rather than population size.
Geological history and within‐island diversity: a debris avalanche and the Tenerife lizard Gallotia galloti
Authors: BROWN RICHARD P. , HOSKISSON PAUL A. , WELTON JOHN‐HENRY , BÁEZ MARCOS
Published: August 2006

Several processes have been described that could explain geographical variation and speciation within small islands, including fragmentation of populations through volcanic eruptions. Massive landslides, or debris avalanches, could cause similar effects. Here we analyse the potential impact of the 0.8 million‐year‐ago (Ma) Güimar valley debris avalanche on the phylogeography of the lizard Gallotia galloti on the Canary Island of Tenerife. Distributions of mitochondrial DNA lineages (based on cytochrome b sequences) were analysed on a 60‐km southeastern coast transect centred on this area. Three main clades were detected, which can be divided into northern (one clade) and southern (two clades) groups that introgress across the valley. Maximum‐likelihood estimates of migration rates (scaled for mutation rate) revealed highly asymmetric patterns, indicating that long‐term gene flow into this region from both the northern and the southern populations greatly exceeded that in the opposite directions, consistent with recolonization of the area. The ancestral Tenerife node on the G. galloti tree is estimated at 0.80 Ma, matching closely with the geological estimate for the debris avalanche. Morphological variation (body dimensions and scalation) was also analysed and indicated a stepped cline in female scalation across the valley, although the patterns for male scalation and male and female body dimensions were not as clear. Together these findings provide support for the hypothesis that the debris avalanche has shaped the phylogeography of G. galloti and may even have been a primary cause of the within‐island cladogenesis through population fragmentation and isolation. Current estimates of timing of island unification mean that the original hypothesis that within‐island diversity is explained by the secondary contact of populations from the two ancient precursor islands of Teno and Anaga is less plausible for this and some other Tenerife species. Large‐scale landslides have occurred on many volcanic islands, and so may have been instrumental in shaping within‐island diversities.
Hybridization between subspecies of waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus) in zones of overlap with limited introgression
Authors: LORENZEN ELINE D. , SIMONSEN BO T. , KAT PIETER W. , ARCTANDER PETER , SIEGISMUND HANS R.
Published: August 2006

Two subspecies of waterbuck (Kobus ellipsiprymnus), common (Kobus ellipsiprymnus ellipsiprymnus) and defassa (Kobus ellipsiprymnus defassa), are recognized based on differences in rump pattern, coat colour and geographical distribution. These forms are parapatrically distributed with an area of range overlap in East Africa, where phenotypically intermediate populations occur. Variation in 478 bp of the mitochondrial DNA control region and 14 polymorphic microsatellite loci were used to describe the genetic structure and phylogeographical pattern of the species, and to assess if the intermediate populations are the results of hybridization. In total, 186 individuals from 11 localities were analysed. A high degree of genetic differentiation was found between subspecies, although this was most evident from the microsatellite data. Hybridization was suggested in the phenotypically and geographically intermediate Nairobi NP population in Kenya. A neighbour‐joining (NJ) tree based on microsatellite population genetic distances grouped Nairobi between the common and defassa populations, and a Bayesian analysis clearly showed introgression. Individuals sampled in Samburu NP, Kenya, had a common waterbuck phenotype, but introgression was suggested by both markers. Although a high degree of maternal defassa input was indicated from the sequence data, the Samburu population grouped with the common waterbuck in the microsatellite population genetic distance tree, with high support. Analyses of linkage disequilibrium and maximum‐likelihood estimates of genetic drift suggested that admixture between subspecies is a recent event. The fact that introgression is limited between subspecies could be caused by chromosomal differences, hindering gene flow between common and defassa waterbuck.
The frequency of multiple paternity suggests that sperm competition is common in house mice (Mus domesticus)
Authors: DEAN M. D. , ARDLIE K. G. , NACHMAN M. W.
Published: August 2006

Sexual selection is an important force driving the evolution of morphological and genetic traits. To determine the importance of male–male, postcopulatory sexual selection in natural populations of house mice, we estimated the frequency of multiple paternity, defined as the frequency with which a pregnant female carried a litter fertilized by more than one male. By genotyping eight microsatellite markers from 1095 mice, we found evidence of multiple paternity from 33 of 143. Evidence for multiple paternity was especially strong for 29 of these litters. Multiple paternity was significantly more common in higher‐density vs. lower‐density populations. Any estimate of multiple paternity will be an underestimate of the frequency of multiple mating, defined as the frequency with which a female mates with more than a single male during a single oestrus cycle. We used computer simulations to estimate the frequency of multiple mating, incorporating observed reductions in heterozygosity and levels of allele sharing among mother and father. These simulations indicated that multiple mating is common, occurring in at least 20% of all oestrus cycles. The exact estimate depends on the competitive skew among males, a parameter for which we currently have no data from natural populations. This study suggests that sperm competition is an important aspect of postcopulatory sexual selection in house mice.
Collecting population‐based perinatal data efficiently: the example of the Lebanese National Perinatal Survey
Authors: Blondel Béatrice , Zein Ali , Ghosn Nada , Du Mazaubrun Christiane , Bréart Gérard
Published: August 2006

We describe the methodology and the main results of the Lebanese perinatal health survey. The survey was carried out during two consecutive weeks in autumn 1999 and spring 2000, with the aim of obtaining a minimum data set on all births occurring during a short period of time. All live births and stillbirths occurring during these periods in medical settings were recorded. The sample included 5231 women and 5333 newborns. Data were obtained from medical records and by interviewing the women in hospital after delivery. All maternity units and birth centres agreed to participate.

Maternal characteristics, medical care during pregnancy and delivery, and pregnancy outcome were similar for the two study periods. However, gestational age distribution differed between the two periods. In total, 9.0% of infants were born <37 weeks of gestation and 7.0% weighed <2500 g at birth. Wide regional variations were observed for many indicators of health, care and risk factors. For instance, the caesarean section rate varied from 16.2% in the North Region to 28.0% in Beirut. The survey protocol was successfully applied in Lebanon and may be useful in other countries that have a relatively well‐developed healthcare system, but few sources of reliable population‐based statistics on health and medical care. This type of survey may also be an appropriate instrument for collecting additional data for health policy evaluations.
Adverse perinatal conditions in hearing‐impaired children in a developing country
Authors: Olusanya Bolajoko O. , Okolo Angela A.
Published: August 2006

Prevailing adverse perinatal conditions in developing countries have been associated with substantial mortality, but little evidence exists on their impact on permanent childhood disabilities and morbidity due to limitations in clinical investigations and medical records. This study aims to identify the possible association between parent‐reported adverse perinatal conditions and permanent hearing loss, in order to establish service needs within current maternal and child health programmes. Structured questionnaires were administered to 363 parents of deaf children and 309 parents of normal‐hearing children in an inner city area of Lagos, Nigeria. The parents were from all social classes.

After a multivariable logistic regression analysis, birth asphyxia [OR 20.45; 95% CI 6.26, 66.85], difficult delivery [OR 8.09; 95% CI 2.76, 23.68], neonatal jaundice [OR 2.45; 95% CI 1.25, 4.79] and neonatal seizures [OR 2.30; 95% CI 1.09, 4.85] were associated with permanent hearing loss. Consanguineous marriages [OR 6.69; 95% CI 2.72, 16.46] and family history of deafness [OR 6.27; 95% CI 2.07, 18.97] also emerged as additional risk factors for permanent hearing loss. In addition, parents of children in state‐owned schools for the deaf were significantly more likely to belong to higher social classes compared with normal‐hearing children in mainstream state‐owned schools.

There is a need to incorporate services for the early detection of permanent hearing loss into current maternal and child healthcare programmes in developing countries.
APIKIDS: A cohort of children born after assisted reproductive technologies
Authors: Raimondi Sara , Pedotti Paola , Taioli Emanuela
Published: August 2006

A cohort of children born after assisted reproductive technologies (ART) was set up in 2003 in Italy. It aims to follow up the children in order to study the short‐ and long‐term effects of ART. Parents who agreed to participate were contacted for a telephone interview; questions included occupational and non‐occupational exposure to carcinogens, reproductive history, history of index pregnancy (including drugs used during pregnancy), delivery and the child’s health status. By August 2005, 40 out of the 50 centres contacted (80%) had agreed to participate in the study, and 17 had already sent their data. Information on a total of 2451 cycles ending with a pregnancy are currently available, from 2245 couples. We have contacted 351 of these couples (16%), 309 of whom (88% of the contacts) agreed to participate in the study and were interviewed, while 36 (11%) refused to be interviewed. The total number of children currently included in the database is 411. This study is the first attempt to create a database containing information on children born after ART in Italy. It will provide results on both short‐ and long‐term outcomes in these children.
Interactions between fetal HLA‐DQ alleles and maternal smoking influence birthweight
Authors: Taylor G. Malcolm , Alexander Freda E. , D’Souza Stephen W.
Published: August 2006

Maternal smoking during pregnancy inhibits fetal growth, and is a major cause of childhood and adult morbidity, including increased risks of cardiovascular disease and diabetes. However, the use of birthweight as a proxy for future smoking‐related morbidity is hindered by its wide variability, suggesting a role for other birthweight‐modifying factors. We report here, for the first time, that interactions between specific fetal HLA‐DQA1 and DQB1 alleles and maternal smoking can influence birthweight. We compared mean birthweights of a series of term, HLA‐DQ typed white UK newborns (n = 552) whose mothers had either smoked (n = 211) or not smoked (n = 341) during pregnancy. Maternal smoking during pregnancy resulted in an average birthweight reduction of 244 g, but the combined effects of maternal smoking and fetal DQA1*0101 or DQB1*0501 alleles resulted in a 230 and 240 g further reduction in mean birthweight, respectively, resulting from interactions between smoking and these DQ types. Other fetal DQ allele‐specific interactions with maternal smoking are suggested by a ‘protective’ effect on smoking‐associated birthweight reduction in newborns typing for DQA1*0201 and DQB1*0201. Our results suggest biological interactions between maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and specific fetal DQ alleles that affect fetal growth. The precise nature of these interactions merits further investigation, as knowledge of fetal HLA‐DQ type may be useful in refining risk estimates of severe fetal growth restriction because of maternal smoking during pregnancy.
Risk factors for hospital admission related to excessive and/or prolonged postpartum vaginal blood loss after the first 24 h following childbirth
Authors: Marchant Sally , Alexander Jo , Thomas Peter , Garcia Jo , Brocklehurst Peter , Keene Janet
Published: August 2006

A population case–control study was used to determine risk factors for excessive and/or prolonged vaginal bleeding (described collectively as vaginal loss problems) and uterine infection from 24 h to 3 months postpartum. Data were obtained from women whose maternity care took place in one of two health districts in the south of England. The cases were women remaining in or admitted to hospital with excessive or prolonged vaginal blood loss from 24 h to 3 months postpartum. Two controls for each case were identified; these were women whose delivery was the nearest in time and in the same location as the case delivery. Medical and midwifery records were searched retrospectively to cover hospital admissions for vaginal blood loss problems or uterine infection in postpartum women from 1 January 1994 to 31 December 1995.

Data were analysed for 243 cases and 486 controls. Univariable analysis identified 28 variables associated with being a case. Using multivariable analysis, nine factors remained in the final model, with a history of secondary postpartum haemorrhage (PPH) being the most strongly predictive (OR [95% confidence interval] 6.0 [2.1, 16.8]). Vaginal bleeding prior to 24 weeks’ gestation (OR 3.0 [1.6, 5.9]), third trimester hospital admission (OR 2.0 [1.4, 2.8]), maternal smoking (OR 2.7 [1.8, 3.9]), a prolonged (OR 3.1 [1.2, 7.5]) or incomplete third stage (OR 2.1 [1.0, 4.4]), and primary PPH (OR 4.7 [1.9, 11.6]) for blood loss >500 mL, were predictive of becoming a case. No significant association was identified for parity (OR 1.1 [0.8, 1.5]) or method of delivery, spontaneous (OR 1.0 [0.7, 1.3]), instrumental (OR 1.4 [0.9, 2.2]) or operative (OR 1.2 [0.8, 1.9]).

This is a neglected area of women’s health after childbirth, and the value of this study is in the identification of potential risk factors for postpartum morbidity related to vaginal blood loss. Where morbidity occurs, early diagnosis, management and treatment are likely to reduce its extent or duration. It is considered that raising awareness about these factors, both among healthcare professionals and women themselves, may play an important part in the recognition and treatment of postpartum morbidity.
Assessing mid‐trimester salivary cortisol levels across three consecutive days in pregnant women using an at‐home collection protocol
Authors: Jones Nicole M. , Holzman Claudia B. , Zanella Adroaldo J. , Leece Cheryl M. , Rahbar Mohammad H. ,   the Prematurity Study Group
Published: August 2006

The Pregnancy Outcomes and Community Health (POUCH) Study enrolled women in their 15th to 27th week of pregnancy from 52 prenatal clinics located in five communities. After the study began, an at‐home protocol to measure maternal stress was added, which included collection of urine and saliva twice a day (waking = AM, bedtime = PM) for three consecutive days, and completion of a daily diary. The at‐home protocol was in place for 2852 POUCH participants at enrolment, and 81.3% (n = 2318) consented and returned samples and diary. For these analyses, salivary cortisol was analysed in a subset of 846 women who delivered at term.

Day‐to‐day correlation coefficients for AM cortisol (0.45–0.55) exceeded those for PM cortisol (0.31–0.43). Study diaries indicated that there was variation in the time interval between waking and sample collection. Analyses of discrete intervals showed the same awakening response pattern in cortisol levels that has been reported in studies with serial AM sampling. The adjusted mean AM cortisol (µg/dL) was 0.506 at 0–15 min post‐waking, 0.544 at 16–30 min (P < 0.05), 0.582 at 31–60 min (P < 0.01), and 0.515 at >60 min post‐waking. In addition, adjusted mean AM cortisol in samples collected at or before 9 a.m. was higher than that in samples collected after 9 a.m. (0.564 vs. 0.510 µg/dL, P < 0.01). Among working women, adjusted mean AM cortisol was higher on work days than non‐work days (0.564 vs. 0.489 µg/dL, P < 0.01), and in multiparae compared with primiparae (0.551 vs. 0.502 µg/dL, P = 0.07). The parity effect was not evident in non‐working women. The adjusted mean PM cortisol significantly increased as week of pregnancy at sampling increased, but was not significantly related to time of collection, work day and parity.

Factors influencing AM and PM cortisol levels in pregnancy appear to differ. In studies of AM cortisol levels, it is important to gather data on time of sample collection, interval from waking to sample collection, parity and work.
Child health and the environment: the INMA Spanish Study
Authors: Ribas‐Fitó Núria , Ramón Rosa , Ballester Ferran , Grimalt Joan , Marco Alfredo , Olea Nicolás , Posada Manuel , Rebagliato Marisa , Tardón Adonina , Torrent Maties , Sunyer Jordi ,   on behalf of the INMA Study Group
Published: August 2006

The INMA (INfancia y Medio Ambiente [Environment and Childhood]) is a population‐based cohort study in different Spanish cities, that focuses on prenatal environmental exposures and growth, development and health from early fetal life until childhood. The study focuses on five primary areas of research: (1) growth and physical development; (2) behavioural and cognitive development; (3) asthma and allergies; (4) sexual and reproductive development; and (5) environmental exposure pathways. The general aims of the project are: (1) to describe the degree of individual prenatal exposure to environmental pollutants, and the internal dose of chemicals during pregnancy, at birth and during childhood in Spain; (2) to evaluate the impact of the exposure to different contaminants on fetal and infant growth, health and development; (3) to evaluate the role of diet on fetal and infant growth, health and development; and (4) to evaluate the interaction between persistent pollutants, nutrients and genetic determinants on fetal and infant growth, health and development.

Extensive assessments will be carried out on 3100 pregnant women and children. Data will be collected by physical examinations, questionnaires, interviews, ultrasound and biological samples. Pregnant women are being assessed at 12, 20 and 32 weeks of gestation to collect information about environmental exposures and fetal growth. The children will be followed until the age of 4 years.
Risk factors for subclinical mastitis among HIV‐infected and uninfected women in Lusaka, Zambia
Authors: Kasonka Lackson , Makasa Mpundu , Marshall Tom , Chisenga Molly , Sinkala Moses , Chintu Chifumbe , Kaseba Christine , Kasolo Francis , Gitau Rachel , Tomkins Andrew , Murray Susan , Filteau Suzanne
Published: August 2006

Subclinical mastitis, defined as raised milk sodium/potassium (Na/K) ratio, is associated with poor infant growth and, among HIV‐infected women, with increased milk HIV viral load. We conducted a longitudinal cohort study in Lusaka, Zambia, in order to investigate the relative importance of several potential causes of subclinical mastitis: maternal infection, micronutrient deficiencies and poor lactation practice. Women (198 HIV‐infected, 189 HIV‐uninfected) were recruited at 34 weeks’ gestation and followed up to 16 weeks postpartum for collection of information on their health, their infant’s health, infant growth and infant feeding practices. Milk samples were collected from each breast at 11 postpartum visits and blood at recruitment and 6 weeks postpartum.

The geometric mean milk Na/K ratio and the proportion of women with Na/K ratio > 1.0 in one or both breasts were significantly higher among HIV‐infected than among uninfected women. Other factors associated with the higher mean Na/K ratio in univariable analyses were primiparity, high maternal α1‐acid glycoprotein (AGP) at 6 weeks, maternal overall morbidity and specific breast symptoms, preterm delivery, low infant weight or length, infant thrush and non‐exclusive breast feeding. In multivariable analyses, primiparity, preterm delivery, breast symptoms, HIV status and raised AGP were associated with the raised Na/K ratio. Thus the main factors associated with subclinical mastitis that are amenable to intervention are poor maternal overall health and breast health. The impact of improved postpartum health care, especially management of maternal infections and especially in primiparous women, on the prevalence of subclinical mastitis and its consequences requires investigation.
Population‐based retrieval of newborn dried blood spots for researching paediatric cancer susceptibility genes
Authors: Klotz Judith , Bryant Patricia , Wilcox Homer B. , Dillon Mary , Wolf Bruce , Fagliano Jerald
Published: August 2006

We have demonstrated the feasibility of linking newborn blood spots, population‐based cancer incidence data and birth certificate data. Incident cases of acute lymphocytic leukaemia and population‐based controls were ascertained. We retrieved dried blood spot specimens, isolated and amplified DNA, and assayed the cancer susceptibility genes GSTT1 and GSTM1. The double null genotype was over‐represented in the cases, consistent with previous reports based on other epidemiological methods. The design avoids issues of participation bias by cases and controls and can be used to investigate interactions of susceptibility genes and xenobiotics in semi‐ecological studies. It can be useful for generating or testing hypotheses on associations of other paediatric illness and environmental contaminants.
Consanguineous unions and child health in the State of Qatar
Authors: Bener Abdulbari , Hussain Rafat
Published: August 2006

The aim of the study was to estimate the prevalence and sociodemographic predictors of consanguineous unions in the State of Qatar and to assess the association between consanguinity, fertility and child health. A representative sample of 1800 Qatari women aged ≥15 years was approached for the study. Of these, 1515 (84.2%) women agreed to participate. The consanguineous marriage rate was 54.0% with estimated population confidence limits of 52.3–55.7%. First cousin unions were the most common form of cousin marriage. The level of parental consanguinity (both in the respondent’s parents and her parents‐in‐law) was quite high. In a multivariable analysis, both education of the respondent and her husband as well as parental consanguinity were found to be strong predictors of consanguineous unions in the index generation. Although fertility was high in both groups, the mean number of pregnancies was somewhat higher in respondents with first cousin unions. Concomitantly they also had a slighter higher rate of livebirths than women in non‐consanguineous unions. The occurrence of asthma, mental retardation, epilepsy and diabetes was significantly more common in offspring of all consanguineous than non‐consanguineous couples.
Fossil lice (Insecta: Phthiraptera) reconsidered
Authors: DALGLEISH R. C. , PALMA R. L. , PRICE R. D. , SMITH V. S.
Published: August 2006

AbstractFive papers describing fossils considered to be Phthiraptera (lice) by their authors are reviewed. We place the specimens described in three papers in the Acari (mites) and regard them as probably not fossils. A fourth paper describes what appears to be a fossil insect. However, we do not consider it to be a louse. The fifth paper describes a more recent fossil that differs little from extant lice.
On the use of DNA sequences for determining the species limits of a polymorphic new species in the stink bug genus Halys (Heteroptera: Pentatomidae) from Pakistan
Authors: MEMON NASREEN , MEIER RUDOLF , MANAN ABDUL , SU KATHY FENG‐YI
Published: August 2006

Abstract We describe a new species of Halys Fabricius (Pentatomidae: Pentatominae: Halyini) based on morphological and DNA sequence data, and demonstrate the value of DNA sequences for taxonomic problems that are difficult to resolve on the basis of morphology alone. Halys sindillus Memon, Meier & Manan, sp.n. varies with regard to characters that are usually constant within the genus (spermathecal bulb of females; blade of male clasper; ratio between the second and third antennomeres; length of labium). The surprising levels of variation raised the question as to how many species were represented in three series of specimens from Pakistan. Because the morphological variability was largely continuous, we hypothesized the presence of one new species, and confirm this result here using sequence data from two mitochondrial markers. The data reveal very little molecular variation within the newly described species (COI: 730 bp: 0–0.16%; COI/tRNALeu/COII: 563 bp: 0–0.36%), that is, morphology and DNA sequences show very different patterns of variability. The new species is compared with the closely related Halys sulcatus (Thunberg) whose sequences are distinctly different and whose spermathecal bulbs are largely invariable (I: 2.87–3.28%; II: 2.13–2.49%). We discuss the shortcomings of mitochondrial data in taxonomy and compare the genetic distances in Halys with frequency distributions of intra‐ and interspecific distances obtained for all 878 Hemiptera COI sequences in GenBank. We conclude that the observed distances for Halys are consistent with our taxonomic conclusions, thus demonstrating the usefulness of DNA sequences for Halys taxonomy. However, the observed overlap between intra‐ and interspecific sequence variability in Hemiptera is so wide that it questions the feasibility of approaches to taxonomy based predominantly on DNA sequences (e.g. DNA taxonomy, DNA barcoding).
The phylogenetic relationships betweenDryocosmus,Chilaspisand allied genera of oak gallwasps (Hymenoptera, Cynipidae: Cynipini)
Authors: ÁCS ZOLTÁN , MELIKA GEORGE , PÉNZES ZSOLT , PUJADE‐VILLAR JULI , STONE GRAHAM N.
Published: August 2006

AbstractOak gallwasps (Hymenoptera; Cynipidae, tribe Cynipini) are cyclically parthenogenetic insects that induce galls on specific plant hosts in the family Fagaceae. Understanding the processes underlying the evolution of specific oak associations requires knowledge of the phylogenetic relationships among oak gallwasp genera. Although three major lineages of oak gallwasps have been identified, the status and relationships of several species‐poor but biologically significant genera remain unresolved. Two such genera areChilaspisandDryocosmus, whose western palaearctic species all gall oaks in the sectionCerris.Dryocosmusis particularly significant biologically because it includes: (a) the only palaearctic gallwasp to gall chestnuts,Castanea, and (b) nearctic species. The oak sectionCerrisis wholly absent from the nearctic, and the relationship between palaearctic and nearcticDryocosmusis significant for patterns of host plant evolution in the tribe as a whole. We examined the relationships betweenChilaspis,Dryocosmusand other oak cynipid genera using cladograms from sequence data for two mitochondrial loci (cytochromecoxidase subunit I and cytochromeb) and two nuclear loci (the 28S ribosomal gene regions D2 and D3–5). Our analyses support the following conclusions: (1) palaearcticChilaspisandDryocosmusspecies form an intermingled monophyletic group. (2) We propose thatChilaspisMayr, 1881 is asyn.n.ofDryocosmusGiraud, 1859 and propose the nameD. mayrias acomb.rev.for the species previously namedC. mayri, andD. nitidusandD. israeliascomb.n.ofC. nitidaandC. israeli, respectively. (3) We reassess the utility of morphological characters previously regarded as diagnostic for these genera. (4) Two species previously known only from a single generation represent two halves of a single species lifecycle.Dryocosmus nervosusis here designated asyn.n.ofD. cerriphilus. (5) The nearctic speciesD. favuslies outside the palaearcticChilaspis/Dryocosmusclade, andDryocosmusas currently recognized is not a monophyletic group. (6)Dryocosmus/Chilaspisis closely related to the other oak gallwasp taxa (Aphelonyx,Plagiotrochus,Pseudoneuroterus,Trichagalma, and someNeuroterusspecies) galling sectionCerrisoaks. This implies an early branching evolution of this oak association within this group, and supports previous work showing the rarity of oak gallwasp host shifts.
Different expression of adhesion molecules and tetraspanins of monocytes of patients with atopic eczema
Authors: Jockers J. J. , Novak N.
Published: August 2006

Background:  Atopic eczema (AE) and psoriasis vulgaris (Pso) represent the most frequent chronic inflammatory skin diseases, which have a high number of characteristics in common but differ in their clinical picture and immunological background. A shared feature of both AE and Pso is a high recruitment of distinct proinflammatory cells from the blood into the skin at the initiation of the disease. A multistep adhesion cascade via different adhesion receptors consisting of ‘tethering’ and ‘rolling’ mediated by selectins, α‐integrins and β‐integrins and the ‘arrest’ of the cells is initiated during this process.

Aims of the study:  To evaluate the expression of adhesion molecules and tetraspanins of monocytes of patients with AE and Pso in comparison with healthy controls.

Methods:  We analysed the expression of adhesion molecules and tetraspanins on monocytes freshly isolated from the peripheral blood of patients with AE (n = 40) and Pso (n = 65) during exacerbation of their disease in comparison with healthy, non‐atopic controls (n = 50).

Results:  A high number of similarities between monocytes of patients with AE and patients with Pso, and disease‐related differences in the expression of CD62L, CD62P, CD11a, CD11b, CD11c, CD49b, CD49d, CD49e and CD18 and the tetraspanins CD9, CD53, CD63 and CD151, which were elevated on monocytes of patients with AE could be observed.

Conclusion:  A distinct expression pattern of adhesion molecules and tetraspanins on monocytes of patients with AE and Pso might influence the recruitment process of inflammatory precursor cells and facilitate new approaches for therapeutic strategies aimed at interrupting the very earliest steps of the fateful recruitment process.
Does the pill make a difference? Previous maternal use of contraceptive pills and allergic diseases among offspring
Authors: Keski‐Nisula L. , Pekkanen J. , Xu B. , Putus T. , Koskela P.
Published: August 2006

Background:  Maternal use of oral contraceptive pills (OCPs) might increase the prevalence of allergic diseases among offspring. The aim of the study was to clarify if there are differences between OCP types in this association.

Methods:  Primary outcomes were asthma, allergic rhinitis and atopic eczema among 1182 children (618 asthmatic and 564 controls) aged 5–6 years.

Results:  Maternal previous use of desogestrel, gestodene or cyproterone acetate before pregnancy, each combined with ethinyloestradiol (EO), increased the risk of allergic rhinitis among offspring compared with those children whose mothers had not used OCPs (OR 1.67, 95% CI 1.07–2.59, P < 0.024), and this risk was increased mainly in those children with parental allergy (OR 1.78, 95% CI 1.11–2.86, P < 0.018), especially in boys (OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.17–3.84, P < 0.014). No associations were observed between maternal use of OCPs before pregnancy and asthma or atopic eczema among offspring. The association between the previous use of OCPs and allergic rhinitis was not mediated through maternal sex steroid levels during early pregnancy, but women who had used more androgenic types of progestin formulas had higher serum levels of progesterone during early pregnancy.

Conclusion:  Maternal previous use of desogestrel, gestodene or cyproterone acetate before pregnancy, each combined with EO, increased the risk of allergic rhinitis among offspring compared with those children whose mothers had not used OCPs and this risk was detected mainly in boys and in children with parental allergy.
Application of BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carrier prediction models in breast and/or ovarian cancer families of French Canadian descent
Authors: Oros KK , Ghadirian P , Maugard CM , Perret C , Paredes Y , Mes‐Masson A‐M , Foulkes WD , Provencher D , Tonin PN
Published: August 2006

The BRCAPRO, Couch, Myriad I and II, Ontario Family History Assessment Tool (FHAT), and Manchester models have been used to predict BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutation carrier status of women at high risk for developing the heritable form of breast and ovarian cancers. We have evaluated these models for their accuracy in classifying 224 French Canadian families with at least three cases of breast cancer (diagnosed before the age of 65 years), ovarian cancer, or male breast cancer where mutation status was known for an index affected case used to assess the model. This series includes 44 BRCA1 and 52 BRCA2 mutation‐positive families. Using receiver operator characteristics analyses, the C‐statistics were found to be 0.81, 0.80, 0.79, and 0.74 for the BRCAPRO, FHAT, Manchester, and Myriad II models, respectively, when incorporating both BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutation carrier predictions. For the BRCAPRO model, 75% scored greater than a 0.43 probability in the mutation‐positive group and 75% scored less than 0.50 in the mutation‐negative group. Only 38 of 128 (30%) mutation‐negative group had a probability greater than 0.43 with the BRCAPRO model. While all models were highly predictive of carrier status, the BRCAPRO model was the most accurate where a cut‐off of 10% would have eliminated 60 of 128 (47%) mutation‐negative families for genetic testing and only miss 10 of 96 (10%) mutation‐positive families. A review of the cancer phenotypes with high BRCAPRO probabilities showed that significantly more metachronous bilateral breast cancer cases occurred in BRCA1/2 mutation carrier families in comparison to mutation‐negative families, a feature which is not discriminated in the BRCAPRO model.
Variability and inequity in testing of somatic tissue for hereditary cancer: a survey of UK clinical practice
Authors: Gaff CL , Rogers MT , Frayling IM
Published: August 2006

A growing body of literature demonstrates the benefits of molecular pathological investigations of tumour material in the identification of individuals with hereditary non‐polyposis colorectal cancer and debates the best detection strategies. This testing is novel as it is the first widespread use of somatic tissue testing to inform genetic analysis and requires the co‐ordination of both histopathology and molecular genetics laboratories. However, the clinical use and experience of microsatellite instability (MSI) testing and immunohistochemical analysis have not been reported. A respondent from every cancer genetics centre in the UK (n= 24, response rate 100%) and laboratory performing MSI testing (n= 5, response rate 100%) was interviewed by telephone to ascertain test availability, testing methods, eligibility criteria and post‐test management. Twenty centres (83%) offer eligible clients at least one form of tumour testing, and all use tumour testing to determine who should have access to germ line genetic testing. However, no two laboratories used the same testing methods, seven different testing strategies were applied and there was considerable variation in eligibility criteria. The implications of these variations are considered, and recommendations for the development of a consistent service for testing of somatic tissue offered.
Random Genome Sequencing of Ralstonia solanacearum Strain IVIA 1602 and Comparative Analysis with Strain GMI1000
Authors: Terol J. , Muñoz‐Soriano V. , Arahal D. R. , Buades C. , Pérez‐Pérez A. , Llop P. , Belmonte U. C. F. , López M. M. , Pérez‐Alonso M.
Published: August 2006

Ralstonia solanacearum is a β‐proteobacterium which affects several hundred plant species and provokes important agronomic losses. Five biovars of this bacterium have been described and they show behavioural differences. In this study a random sequencing of the genome of R. solanacearum strain IVIA 1602 (race 3, biovar 2), isolated from potato, was performed. The resulting 730 Genomic Survey Sequences (GSSs), representing 6.38% of the complete genome, were compared against the completely sequenced genome of strain GMI1000 (race 1, biovar 3), isolated from tomato, which is the only strain of this species sequenced until now. This comparative analysis showed, as expected, a high degree of similarity, but it also revealed strain‐specific regions of the genome as well as a number of insertion/deletion events and chromosomal rearrangements. All together, this comparative analysis gives an overview of the genomic divergence between these two biovars of the R. solanacearum species complex.
Microarray‐based long‐term detection of genes differentially expressed after cortical spreading depression
Authors: Urbach Anja , Bruehl Claus , Witte Otto W.
Published: August 2006

Spreading depression (SD) is a slowly propagating wave of neuronal depolarization altering ion homeostasis, blood flow and energy metabolism without causing irreversible damage of the tissue. As SD has been implicated in several neurological diseases including migraine and stroke, understanding these disorders requires systematic knowledge of the processes modified by SD. Thus, we induced repetitive SD in the rat cerebral cortex by topical application of 3 m KCl for ∼2 h and evaluated the kinetics of SD‐induced changes in cortical gene expression for up to 30 days using Affymetrix RAE230A arrays. The temporal profile showed a rapid expression of immediate early genes, genes associated with inflammation, metabolism, stress and DNA repair, ion transport, and genes that play a role in growth/differentiation. Stress‐response genes could still be detected after 24 h. At this time, induced genes were mainly related to the cell membrane and adhesion, or to the cytoskeleton. A subset of genes was still affected even 30 days after SD. Real‐time polymerase chain reactions and immunohistochemistry confirmed the microarray results for several of the transcripts. Our findings demonstrate a temporal pattern of gene expression which might promote tissue remodeling and cortical plasticity, and might probably account for the mediation of neuronal tolerance towards subsequent ischemia.