bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Oxytocin modulates selection of allies in intergroup conflict
Authors: De Dreu Carsten K. W. , Greer Lindred L. , Handgraaf Michel J. J. , Shalvi Shaul , Van Kleef Gerben A.
Published: September 2011

In intergroup competition and conflict, humans benefit from coalitions with strong partners who help them to protect their in-group and prevail over competing out-groups. Here, we link oxytocin, a neuropeptide produced in the hypothalamus, to ally selection in intergroup competition. In a double-blind placebo-controlled experiment, males self-administered oxytocin or placebo, and made selection decisions about six high-threat and six low-threat targets as potential allies in intergroup competition. Males given oxytocin rather than placebo viewed high-threat targets as more useful allies and more frequently selected them into their team than low-threat targets.
Symmetry perception by poultry chicks and its implications for three-dimensional object recognition
Authors: Mascalzoni Elena , Osorio Daniel , Regolin Lucia , Vallortigara Giorgio
Published: September 2011

Bilateral symmetry is visually salient to diverse animals including birds, but whereas experimental studies typically use bilaterally symmetrical two-dimensional patterns that are viewed approximately fronto-parallel; in nature, animals observe three-dimensional objects from all angles. Many animals and plant structures have a plane of bilateral symmetry. Here, we first (experiment I) give evidence that young poultry chicks readily generalize bilateral symmetry as a feature of two-dimensional patterns in fronto-parallel view. We then test the ability of chicks to recognize symmetry in images that would be produced by the transformed view produced by a 40° horizontal combined with a 20° vertical rotation of a pattern on a spherical surface. Experiment II gives evidence that chicks trained to distinguish symmetrical from asymmetrical patterns treat rotated views of symmetrical ‘objects’ as symmetrical. Experiment III gives evidence that chicks trained to discriminate rotated views of symmetrical ‘objects’ from asymmetrical patterns generalize to novel symmetrical objects either in fronto-parallel or rotated view. These findings emphasize the importance of bilateral symmetry for three-dimensional object recognition and raise questions about the underlying mechanisms of symmetry perception.
Ecological traits influencing range expansion across large oceanic dispersal barriers: insights from tropical Atlantic reef fishes
Authors: Luiz Osmar J. , Madin Joshua S. , Robertson D. Ross , Rocha Luiz A. , Wirtz Peter , Floeter Sergio R.
Published: September 2011

How do biogeographically different provinces arise in response to oceanic barriers to dispersal? Here, we analyse how traits related to the pelagic dispersal and adult biology of 985 tropical reef fish species correlate with their establishing populations on both sides of two Atlantic marine barriers: the Mid-Atlantic Barrier (MAB) and the Amazon–Orinoco Plume (AOP). Generalized linear mixed-effects models indicate that predictors for successful barrier crossing are the ability to raft with flotsam for the deep-water MAB, non-reef habitat usage for the freshwater and sediment-rich AOP, and large adult-size and large latitudinal-range for both barriers. Variation in larval-development mode, often thought to be broadly related to larval-dispersal potential, is not a significant predictor in either case. Many more species of greater taxonomic diversity cross the AOP than the MAB. Rafters readily cross both barriers but represent a much smaller proportion of AOP crossers than MAB crossers. Successful establishment after crossing both barriers may be facilitated by broad environmental tolerance associated with large body size and wide latitudinal-range. These results highlight the need to look beyond larval-dispersal potential and assess adult-biology traits when assessing determinants of successful movements across marine barriers.
Mothers modify eggs into shields to protect offspring from parasitism
Authors: Deas Joseph B. , Hunter Martha S.
Published: September 2011

Eggs are an immobile, vulnerable stage of development and their success often depends on the oviposition decisions of the mother. Studies show that female animals, and sometimes males, may invest parental resources in order to increase the survival of their offspring. Here, we describe a unique form of parental investment in offspring survival. The seed beetleMimosestes amicusmay lay eggs singly, or may cover eggs with additional egg(s). This egg stacking serves to significantly reduce the mortality of the protected egg from parasitism by the parasitic wasp,Uscana semifumipennis. The smaller top eggs serve only as protective shields; they are inviable, and wasps that develop in them suffer negative fitness consequences. Further, we found egg stacking to be inducible;M. amicusincrease the number of stacks they lay when parasitoids are present. However, stacking invokes a cost. When wasps are absent, beetles lay more single eggs, and produce more offspring, highlighting the adaptive value of this extraordinary example of behavioural plasticity in parental investment.
Flying shells: historical dispersal of marine snails across Central America
Authors: Miura Osamu , Torchin Mark E. , Bermingham Eldredge , Jacobs David K. , Hechinger Ryan F.
Published: September 2011

The geological rise of the Central American Isthmus separated the Pacific and the Atlantic oceans about 3 Ma, creating a formidable barrier to dispersal for marine species. However, similar to Simpson's proposal that terrestrial species can ‘win sweepstakes routes’—whereby highly improbable dispersal events result in colonization across geographical barriers—marine species may also breach land barriers given enough time. To test this hypothesis, we asked whether intertidal marine snails have crossed Central America to successfully establish in new ocean basins. We used a mitochondrial DNA genetic comparison of sister snails (Cerithideopsisspp.) separated by the rise of the Isthmus. Genetic variation in these snails revealed evidence of at least two successful dispersal events between the Pacific and the Atlantic after the final closure of the Isthmus. A combination of ancestral area analyses and molecular dating techniques indicated that dispersal from the Pacific to the Atlantic occurred about 750 000 years ago and that dispersal in the opposite direction occurred about 72 000 years ago. The geographical distribution of haplotypes and published field evidence further suggest that migratory shorebirds transported the snails across Central America at the Isthmus of Tehuantepec in southern Mexico. Migratory birds could disperse other intertidal invertebrates this way, suggesting the Central American Isthmus may not be as impassable for marine species as previously assumed.
A shared chemical basis of avian host–parasite egg colour mimicry
Authors: Igic Branislav , Cassey Phillip , Grim Tomáš , Greenwood David R. , Moskát Csaba , Rutila Jarkko , Hauber Mark E.
Published: September 2011

Avian brood parasites lay their eggs in other birds' nests and impose considerable fitness costs on their hosts. Historically and scientifically, the best studied example of circumventing host defences is the mimicry of host eggshell colour by the common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus). Yet the chemical basis of eggshell colour similarity, which impacts hosts' tolerance towards parasitic eggs, remains unknown. We tested the alternative scenarios that (i) cuckoos replicate host egg pigment chemistry, or (ii) cuckoos use alternative mechanisms to produce a similar perceptual effect to mimic host egg appearance. In parallel with patterns of similarity in avian-perceived colour mimicry, the concentrations of the two key eggshell pigments, biliverdin and protoporphyrin, were most similar between the cuckoo host-races and their respective hosts. Thus, the chemical basis of avian host–parasite egg colour mimicry is evolutionarily conserved, but also intraspecifically flexible. These analyses of pigment composition reveal a novel proximate dimension of coevolutionary interactions between avian brood parasites and hosts, and imply that alternative phenotypes may arise by the modifications of already existing biochemical and physiological mechanisms and pathways.
Glutamine Synthetase Is a Molecular Target of Nitric Oxide in Root Nodules of Medicago truncatula and Is Regulated by Tyrosine Nitration
Authors: Melo Paula M. , Silva Liliana S. , Ribeiro Isa , Seabra Ana R. , Carvalho Helena G.
Published: September 2011

Nitric oxide (NO) is emerging as an important regulatory player in the Rhizobium-legume symbiosis, but its biological role in nodule functioning is still far from being understood. To unravel the signal transduction cascade and ultimately NO function, it is necessary to identify its molecular targets. This study provides evidence that glutamine synthetase (GS), a key enzyme for root nodule metabolism, is a molecular target of NO in root nodules of Medicago truncatula, being regulated by tyrosine (Tyr) nitration in relation to active nitrogen fixation. In vitro studies, using purified recombinant enzymes produced in Escherichia coli, demonstrated that the M. truncatula nodule GS isoenzyme (MtGS1a) is subjected to NO-mediated inactivation through Tyr nitration and identified Tyr-167 as the regulatory nitration site crucial for enzyme inactivation. Using a sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, it is shown that GS is nitrated in planta and that its nitration status changes in relation to active nitrogen fixation. In ineffective nodules and in nodules fed with nitrate, two conditions in which nitrogen fixation is impaired and GS activity is reduced, a significant increase in nodule GS nitration levels was observed. Furthermore, treatment of root nodules with the NO donor sodium nitroprusside resulted in increased in vivo GS nitration accompanied by a reduction in GS activity. Our results support a role of NO in the regulation of nitrogen metabolism in root nodules and places GS as an important player in the process. We propose that the NO-mediated GS posttranslational inactivation is related to metabolite channeling to boost the nodule antioxidant defenses in response to NO.
Tissue-Specific Expression of FLOWERING LOCUS T in Arabidopsis Is Maintained Independently of Polycomb Group Protein Repression
Authors: Farrona Sara , Thorpe Frazer L. , Engelhorn Julia , Adrian Jessika , Dong Xue , Sarid-Krebs Liron , Goodrich Justin , Turck Franziska
Published: September 2011

The Polycomb Group (PcG) pathway represses transcription through a mechanism conserved among plants and animals. PcG-mediated repression can determine spatial territories of gene expression, but it remains unclear whether PcG-mediated repression is a regulatory requirement for all targets. Here, we show the role of PcG proteins in the spatial regulation of FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), a main activator of flowering in Arabidopsis thaliana exclusively expressed in the vasculature. Strikingly, the loss of PcG repression causes down-regulation of FT. In addition, our results show how the effect of PcG-mediated regulation differs for target genes and that, for FT expression, it relies primarily on tissue differentiation.
The Xanthomonas Type III Effector XopD Targets the Arabidopsis Transcription Factor MYB30 to Suppress Plant Defense
Authors: Canonne Joanne , Marino Daniel , Jauneau Alain , Pouzet Cécile , Brière Christian , Roby Dominique , Rivas Susana
Published: September 2011

Plant and animal pathogens inject type III effectors (T3Es) into host cells to suppress host immunity and promote successful infection. XopD, a T3E from Xanthomonas campestris pv vesicatoria, has been proposed to promote bacterial growth by targeting plant transcription factors and/or regulators. Here, we show that XopD from the B100 strain of X. campestris pv campestris is able to target MYB30, a transcription factor that positively regulates Arabidopsis thaliana defense and associated cell death responses to bacteria through transcriptional activation of genes related to very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) metabolism. XopD specifically interacts with MYB30, resulting in inhibition of the transcriptional activation of MYB30 VLCFA-related target genes and suppression of Arabidopsis defense. The helix-loop-helix domain of XopD is necessary and sufficient to mediate these effects. These results illustrate an original strategy developed by Xanthomonas to subvert plant defense and promote development of disease.
Changes in Twelve Homoeologous Genomic Regions in Soybean following Three Rounds of Polyploidy
Authors: Severin Andrew J. , Cannon Steven B. , Graham Michelle M. , Grant David , Shoemaker Randy C.
Published: September 2011

With the advent of high-throughput sequencing, the availability of genomic sequence for comparative genomics is increasing exponentially. Numerous completed plant genome sequences enable characterization of patterns of the retention and evolution of genes within gene families due to multiple polyploidy events, gene loss and fractionation, and differential evolutionary pressures over time and across different gene families. In this report, we trace the changes that have occurred in 12 surviving homoeologous genomic regions from three rounds of polyploidy that contributed to the current Glycine max genome: a genome triplication before the origin of the rosids (~130 to 240 million years ago), a genome duplication early in the legumes (~58 million years ago), and a duplication in the Glycine lineage (~13 million years ago). Patterns of gene retention following the genome triplication event generally support predictions of the Gene Balance Hypothesis. Finally, we find that genes in networks with a high level of connectivity are more strongly conserved than those with low connectivity and that the enrichment of these highly connected genes in the 12 highly conserved homoeologous segments may in part explain their retention over more than 100 million years and repeated polyploidy events.
Increased strontium uptake in trabecular bone of ovariectomized calcium-deficient rats treated with strontium ranelate or strontium chloride
Authors: Pemmer Bernhard , Hofstaetter Jochen G. , Meirer Florian , Smolek Stephan , Wobrauschek Peter , Simon Rolf , Fuchs Robyn K. , Allen Matthew R. , Condon Keith W. , Reinwald Susan , Phipps Roger J. , Burr David B. , Paschalis Eleftherios P. , Klaushofer Klaus , Streli Christina , Roschger Paul
Published: September 2011

Based on clinical trials showing the efficacy to reduce vertebral and non-vertebral fractures, strontium ranelate (SrR) has been approved in several countries for the treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Hence, it is of special clinical interest to elucidate how the Sr uptake is influenced by dietary Ca deficiency as well as by the formula of Sr administration, SrRversusstrontium chloride (SrCl2). Three-month-old ovariectomized rats were treated for 90 days with doses of 25 mg kg−1d−1and 150 mg kg−1d−1of SrR or SrCl2at low (0.1% Ca) or normal (1.19% Ca) Ca diet. Vertebral bone tissue was analysed by confocal synchrotron-radiation-induced micro X-ray fluorescence and by backscattered electron imaging. Principal component analysis andk-means clustering of the acquired elemental maps of Ca and Sr revealed that the newly formed bone exhibited the highest Sr fractions and that low Ca diet increased the Sr uptake by a factor of three to four. Furthermore, Sr uptake in bone of the SrCl2-treated animals was generally lower compared with SrR. The study clearly shows that inadequate nutritional calcium intake significantly increases uptake of Sr in serum as well as in trabecular bone matrix. This indicates that nutritional calcium intake as well as serum Ca levels are important regulators of any Sr treatment.
Spatial patterns of the ant Crematogaster scutellaris in a model ecosystem
Authors: SANTINI GIACOMO , RAMSAY PAUL M. , TUCCI LORENZO , OTTONETTI LORENZO , FRIZZI FILIPPO
Published: September 2011

1. The spatial arrangement of individuals and populations may have deep influences on all the biotic interactions within a community.

2. The spatial distribution of nests of the ant Crematogaster scutellaris Olivier was analysed in an olive orchard in central Italy. As this species nests inside tree trunks, the regular structure of this simplified ecosystem may help to reduce the confounding effect of habitat heterogeneity on the spatial distribution of nests. In total, 531 trees were mapped and their shape (size and structure of the trunk) recorded. The presence of C. scutellaris nests in each tree was assessed in spring–summer and autumn 2006 and 2007.

3. The number of occupied trees changed in time, from a maximum of 129 (summer 2006) to a minimum of 60 (autumn 2007). Occupancy of tree was related to its shape, with larger trees being more frequently and more steadily occupied than smaller ones.

4. Nests were spatially aggregated, forming well‐defined clusters, but aggregation was not explained by a corresponding clumping of larger trees. Nests belonging to the same cluster were usually not aggressive to each other, whereas aggression was more common between nests belonging to different clusters. The dynamic nature of the system coupled with the clustered distribution of nests, is consistent with a hypothesis of seasonal polydomy, and suggest that whereas some trees are steadily occupied (core) others are opportunistically colonised when new resources are discovered (satellites).

5. Clusters size distribution was shown to follow a truncated power‐law, a finding consistent with the idea that clusters are self‐organised structures dependent on local interactions. These results suggest that spatial self‐organisation in ant colonies may in principle be more common than previously thought, although the mechanisms generating these patterns still need to be clarified.
The role of leaf defensive traits in oaks on the preference and performance of a polyphagous herbivore, Orgyia vetusta
Authors: PEARSE IAN S.
Published: September 2011

1. Leaves possess traits that mediate the preference and performance of herbivores. Most evidence for the importance of leaf traits as defences against herbivory comes from studies of few model plant species.

2. In a phylogenetically explicit comparison, I explain the differences in preference and performance of tussock moth (Orgyia vetusta Boisduval) larvae on leaves of 27 oak (Quercus) species using nine putative leaf defences.

3. The preference for an oak species correlated positively with the survival of caterpillars. The correlation between preference and performance did not differ between oak species native to the range of tussock moth versus those from outside the herbivore's range.

4. The first principal component of leaf traits predicted survival of caterpillars on oak leaves but only marginally predicted their preference between oak species. A multiple regression model showed that evergreenness, toughness, and condensed tannin content were the best predictors of caterpillar survival, and leaf toughness was the best predictor of host preference.

5. Generalist caterpillars may accurately assess the value of novel food sources. Moreover, many leaf traits that have been found to affect herbivory within a plant species can also be used to predict the fitness of a generalist herbivore between species.
Vector preference for hosts differing in infection status: sharpshooter movement and Xylella fastidiosa transmission
Authors: DAUGHERTY MATTHEW P. , RASHED ARASH , ALMEIDA RODRIGO P. P. , PERRING THOMAS M.
Published: September 2011

1. Epidemiological theory predicts that vector preference for hosts differing in infection status (i.e. healthy or infected) affects disease dynamics.

2. Numerous studies have documented strong vector preference for or discrimination against infected hosts. However, the significance of these behaviours for pathogen transmission and spread has been poorly described.

3. We conducted a series of choice assays to evaluate orientation preference, feeding preference, and movement rates of an important group of vectors, the sharpshooter leafhoppers, based on host infection status for the generalist plant pathogen, Xylella fastidiosa Wells et al.

4. Sharpshooters did not discriminate between healthy versus infected‐but‐asymptomatic grapevines, but they oriented preferentially to healthy grapevines more frequently than either symptomatic vines or those artificially coloured to mimic disease symptoms.

5. In a field trial three sharpshooter species showed different movement rates and preferences for feeding site, but all species exhibited similar and significant preference for healthy hosts.

6. Although there was no significant difference in acquisition efficiency among vector species, those individuals that spent more time on healthy hosts tended to be less likely to acquire the pathogen.

7. These results suggest that sharpshooters discriminate against infected grapevines, which are likely to be of poorer quality, with visual cues playing a role in host selection. Preference by these vectors may affect pathogen acquisition, which could affect disease spread in the field.
Arboreality and the evolution of disease resistance in ants
Authors: WALKER THOMAS N. , HUGHES WILLIAM O. H.
Published: September 2011

1. Parasites are an important selective force for almost all organisms and drive the evolution by hosts of defence mechanisms that are energetically costly. The strength of parasitism will vary between host species according to their specific ecology and life history, and so the optimal investment in costly resistance mechanisms is also likely to vary between host species with differing ecologies.

2. Parasites are particularly important for social species such as ants, but very little is known about the strength of selection in different species. It has been suggested that, because arboreality reduces exposure to soil‐borne fungal pathogens, arboreal ant species may invest less in disease resistance. However, testing hypotheses such as this requires data on disease resistance in multiple species, and such studies have not previously been attempted.

3. Here we examine the arboreality hypothesis by comparing the disease resistance of seven Neotropical ant species with different degrees of arboreality. We exposed ants to controlled doses of the generalist, virulent fungal parasite,Metarhizium anisopliae(Metchnikoff) Sorokin. We then monitored survival, parasite sporulation, and the anti‐fungal grooming response of the ants.

4. Contrary to the hypothesis, we found that arboreal species were not less resistant toM. anisopliaethan species that were ground‐dwelling, and that the species that inhabited both arboreal and ground habitats had the greatest resistance. Surprisingly, the most resistant species was one that lacked the antibiotic‐producing metapleural gland, previously considered the lynchpin of disease resistance in ants.

5. The results suggest that it may be the diversity of parasites encountered that is the greatest selection pressure. Further experimental studies with other parasites are needed to confirm the generality of the results, and similar comparative studies of other taxa are needed to understand the relationship between host ecology and the evolution of disease resistance.
Nutritional and anti‐nutritional compositions of defatted Nebraska hybrid hazelnut meal
Authors: Xu Yixiang , Hanna Milford A.
Published: September 2011

Defatted meal of hybrid hazelnuts may have potential food and value‐added industrial applications. The proximate composition, mineral elements, amino acid profile and anti‐nutritional factors (total phenolics, tannins, condensed tannins and phytates) of defatted meals of ten Nebraska hybrid hazelnut genotypes were investigated. Excluding the amino acid profile, the nutritional and anti‐nutritional compositions of the meals differed significantly, with high protein, carbohydrate, neutral and acid detergent fibre concentrations and energy value. Mineral concentrations were higher than those previously reported. K was the most abundant mineral element, followed by P, Ca and Mg. Seven essential amino acids accounted for approximately 27.8% of the total amino acid contents. Tryptophan was not detected. All essential amino acid contents were significantly lower than the reference levels recommended for human and animal consumption. The high levels of anti‐nutritional factors, such as total phenolics, tannins, condensed tannins and phytate in the meals, could reduce protein and mineral bioavailability.
Optimisation of a new two‐plate screening method for the detection of antibiotic residues in meat
Authors: Dang Pham K. , Degand Guy , Douny Caroline , Ton Vu D. , Maghuin‐Rogister Guy , Scippo Marie‐Louise
Published: September 2011

A two‐plate microbiological method to screen residues of the most commonly used antibiotics in animal production, named new two‐plate test (NTPT), has been optimised and validated, according to criteria derived from the European Commission Decision 2002/657/CE. This screening method used two media at different pH seeded with a single bacteria strain (Bacillus subtilis). The method consists of a simple extraction, followed by the application of the extract on Petri plates. The method detected, in pork and chicken muscles, most of the antibiotics from six groups (tetracyclines, (fluoro)quinolones, penicillins, macrolides, aminoglycosides and sulfonamides) and florfenicol at concentration very close to maximum residue limits used in the EU. The screening capacity of the NTPT was compared with another screening technique, the Premi‐Test®, by analysing spiked samples as well as real samples of meat from pork and chicken sold for local consumption, in the Red River Delta region (Vietnam). The NTPT described here appeared to detect more samples than the Premi‐Test®, showing its interest for Vietnamese control laboratories, as a screening method to monitor antibiotic residues in chicken and pork meat, before sending the suspected samples to the confirmatory step.
Influence of the commercial processing and floral origin on bioactive and nutritional properties of honeybee‐collected pollen
Authors: Domínguez‐Valhondo Diana , Bohoyo Gil Diego , Hernández María Teresa , González‐Gómez David
Published: September 2011

Pollen is characterised for having a low fat content, a relatively high content of dietary fibre and an important amount of minerals and essential amino acids. With regard to bioactive compounds, honeybee‐collected pollen exhibits an important source of phytochemical compounds and antioxidant activity. The purpose of this research was to study how the nutritional properties and the stability of the bioactive compounds found in honeybee‐collected pollen were affected by the commercial processing and its floral origin. To achieve this goal, pollen pellets of different floral origin were harvested directly from hives and immediately stored at −80 °C. Pollen pellets were dried by placing them into hot‐air chambers (traditional drying methodology) or by means of freeze‐drying. We found a slight influence of floral origin on the nutritional properties of pollen pellets (multifloral pollen had higher contents of fat, carbohydrates, proteins and mineral elements than monofloral‐type pollen), whereas the abundance of bioactive compounds was correlated with the origin factor as well as the methodology employed to dry the fresh pollen pellets, especially carotenoid pigments such as lutein (5.73 ± 1.80, 4.93 ± 1.16 and 0.81 ± 0.16 μg of lutein per g of pollen for fresh, lyophilised and hot‐air‐dried multifloral pollen).
Predictors of complementary and alternative medicine use by people with type 2 diabetes
Authors: Chang Hsiao‐Yun Annie , Wallis Marianne , Tiralongo Evelin
Published: September 2011

chang h.‐y.a., wallis m. & tiralongo e. (2012) Predictors of complementary and alternative medicine use by people with type 2 diabetes. Journal of Advanced Nursing68(6), 1256–1266.

Aims.  This paper is a report of a study into factors predicting complementary and alternative medicine use in people with type 2 diabetes.

Background.  The growing incidence of type 2 diabetes is emerging as a major health issue throughout the world. While the rate of complementary and alternative medicine use in this population is high, it is not clear what predicts its use, in this population.

Methods.  A cross‐sectional survey, using a structured interview, was undertaken among people with type 2 diabetes attending diabetic clinics in three census regions in Taiwan, between July 2006 and February 2007. The survey instrument, derived from a review of Taiwanese and international literature, was developed using the Health Belief Model.

Results.  A total of 326 participants with type 2 diabetes were interviewed (87·4% response rate). In people with type 2 diabetes, complementary and alternative medicine use was associated with a history of its use, a positive attitude towards it, stronger health beliefs about diabetes and the efficacy of complementary and alternative medicine in treating diabetes, a higher degree of self‐care activities by the individual and a longer duration of diabetes.

Conclusions.  The results of this study indicate that complementary and alternative medicine use in people with type 2 diabetes is influenced by people’s experience, beliefs, attitudes towards complementary and alternative medicine, and their behaviour towards disease management rather than their demographic characteristics. Nurses and healthcare professionals should consider the patient’s background, health history, health beliefs and cultural background when planning specific strategies designed to modify lifestyle.
Plant functional traits suggest novel ecological strategy for an invasive shrub in an understorey woody plant community
Authors: Brym Zachary T. , Lake Jeffrey K. , Allen David , Ostling Annette
Published: September 2011

1. Understanding ecological strategies of invasive species relative to the entire native community is important in understanding and managing both the mechanisms and the potential impacts of invasion, but few studies have taken this approach.

2. We utilize advances in plant ecology to compare functional traits of an invasive shrub species, autumn‐oliveElaeagnus umbellata, to those of the understorey native woody plant community in a southeast Michigan forest. We estimate species trait distributions for six leaf functional traits (specific leaf area, leaf laminar area, leaf dry matter content, leaf nitrogen content, leaf carbon: nitrogen ratio and delta15N) using a kernel estimator. We then use pairwise trait distance and overlaps to describe the ecological strategy of the invasive shrub relative to that of the native understorey woody plant community.

3. The overlap of the invasive shrub’s trait distribution with those of the native species was found to be smaller than the overlap of a native shrub’s distribution with other native species, consistent with the empty niche hypothesis of invasion. However, the invasive species’ mean leaf functional trait values typically fall outside of the range of most native species’ mean trait values, suggesting the invasive shrub extends trait space for understorey individuals of the native woody plant community.

4. The invasive shrub’s leaf trait values are characteristic of a sun‐demanding species, contradicting its presence in the shaded forest understorey community and its persistence in an empty niche. We propose that this novel use of leaf functional traits by the invasive shrub could indicate that the invasion is facilitated by additional mechanisms such as release from natural enemies, association with nitrogen‐fixing bacteria, use of an empty temporal niche (namely the light available to the understorey early in the growing season), bird dispersal or some synthesis of these factors.

5. Synthesis and applications. This study develops plant functional trait theory by studying an invasive species within the context of the entire native woody plant community. The approach can improve our understanding of the potential mechanisms of an invasion event and suggest ecological consequences and related management strategies for the maintenance of native forest communities. Specifically, this study, along with known data on the invasive species, suggests aggressive management in sunny gap and edge habitat provides the best strategy for long‐term control.
The new diversity: management gains through insights into the functional diversity of communities
Authors: Cadotte Marc W.
Published: September 2011

1. Biodiversity is being lost in our rapidly changing world. Most studies that examine biodiversity measure species richness, but loss of functional diversity (FD) – defined as the trait variation or dispersion in an assemblage – is equally important. FD is useful for management actions focused on ecosystem services or functions, especially when ecosystem function is ambiguously defined, or there are multiple functions of interest. Because FD is often a multivariate measure of species differences, it has additional relevance given that we seldom have a complete understanding of how traits translate to function.

2. This Special Profile includes six papers that examine how management activities or policy could benefit from consideration of the functional contributions of species. When focused on species richness, management activities may unintentionally reduce FD, with detrimental consequences for ecosystem services or stability. For example, two of the studies included in this Special Profile show that grassland management (e.g. mowing or grazing) can result in loss of FD, which may result in an unintended loss of ecosystem services.

3. A third paper reviews how species extinction and environmental change can negatively affect FD and, potentially, ecosystem function. At the individual species level, invasions offer insight into the importance of species traits. The fourth paper in this Special Profile describes how an invader is successful because of unique trait values, underlining the importance of examining FD when considering management options. In another paper, eutrophication is shown to drastically affect lichen functional groups (some decreasing and some increasing) with a minor effect on overall richness. The final paper demonstrates that the ability of aquatic plants to maintain biomass production in changing environments is determined by their complementary contributions to productivity. These complementary contributions to ecosystem function –especially given that they are more important in fluctuating environments – need to be included in evaluations of diversity.

4. Synthesis and applications. As FD is increasingly assessed in applied studies, it will call into question how we measure diversity and evaluate management success. It is clear that species richness cannot be the only measure considered. Given that environmental change and management activities can reduce FD as well as the number of species, management goals and criteria for success need to include FD.
Urinary incontinence in inpatient psychiatry: prevalence, change and relationship to length of stay
Authors: Martin Lynn , Rabinowitz Terry , Montague Patty
Published: September 2011

Aims and objectives.  To identify the prevalence of urinary incontinence in inpatient psychiatric settings and its relationship to length of stay.

Background.  Urinary incontinence is a common and disabling condition. Previous work has shown that urinary incontinence is not always considered to be important in inpatient psychiatry.

Design.  Retrospective analysis of provincial database for inpatient psychiatry.

Method.  The study included all psychiatric inpatients in Ontario assessed with the Resident Assessment Instrument Mental Health at both admission and discharge since 1 October 2005. We used sex‐based analyses to examine the prevalence of urinary incontinence at admission and change over the inpatient stay. Logistic regression was used to determine the relationship between urinary incontinence and experiencing an above average length of stay in hospital.

Results.  The prevalence of urinary incontinence at admission was 5·6%; rates were higher among women and the profiles of afflicted men and women differed. Approximately 35% of psychiatric patients were no longer incontinent at the time of discharge, and new cases of incontinence were reported for 1·2% of patients. Both the presence of urinary incontinence at admission and development of urinary incontinence over the inpatient stay were related to increased likelihood of having a longer than average length of stay. These odds were significant for both sexes, but higher for women for the role of urinary incontinence at admission and higher for men for the role of developing urinary incontinence.

Conclusion.  Urinary incontinence was present among a non‐trivial proportion of psychiatric inpatients and persisted for most throughout the inpatient stay. Presence of urinary incontinence was related to increased hospital stay.

Relevance to clinical practice.  Mental health service providers should identify urinary incontinence quickly and pay attention to it; incorporating treatment into the care plan early on in the inpatient stay may help to ensure a more rapid return to the community.
Soluble CD27 induces IgG production through activation of antigen‐primed B cells
Authors: Dang L. V. P. , Nilsson A. , Ingelman‐Sundberg H. , Cagigi A. , Gelinck L. B. S. , Titanji K. , De Milito A. , Grutzmeier S. , Hedlund J. , Kroon F. P. , Chiodi F.
Published: September 2011

Abstract.  Dang LVP, Nilsson A, Ingelman‐Sundberg H, Cagigi A, Gelinck LBS, Titanji K, De Milito A, Grutzmeier S, Hedlund J, Kroon FP, Chiodi F (Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; Karolinska University Hospital Huddinge, Stockholm; Erasmus Medical Center, Rotterdam, The Netherlands; Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA; Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm; The Soder Hospital, Stockholm; Karolinska University Hospital, Solna, Sweden; Leiden University Medical Center (LUMC), Leiden, The Netherlands). Soluble CD27 induces IgG production through activation of antigen‐primed B cells. J Intern Med 2012; 271: 282–293.

Objectives.  High levels of soluble CD27 (sCD27), a marker of immune activation, are found in several infectious [including human immunodeficiency virus type‐I (HIV‐1)] and autoimmune diseases; however, a direct biological effect of sCD27 on B cells has not been established. The aim of this study was to investigate whether sCD27, by binding to CD70, can induce immunoglobulin G (IgG) production from B cells.

Methods.  B cells from healthy and HIV‐1‐infected individuals were cultured with recombinant human sCD27 (rhsCD27), and IgG production was measured. The role of rhsCD27 in inducing the expression of transcription factors involved in plasma cell differentiation was evaluated. Furthermore, we investigated the impact of different cytokines on the modulation of CD70 expression on B cells and the relationship between levels of IgG and sCD27 in serum from healthy and HIV‐1‐infected individuals.

Results.  We demonstrated that rhsCD27 induced IgG production from antigen‐primed (CD27+) B cells. This effect was mediated by rhsCD27 binding to CD70 on B cells leading to activation of Blimp‐1 and XBP‐1, transcription factors associated with plasma cell differentiation. We found a significant correlation between levels of serum sCD27 and IgG in HIV‐1‐infected individuals and healthy controls.

Conclusions.  sCD27 may act to enhance immunoglobulin production and differentiation of activated memory or recently antigen‐experienced B cells, thus providing an activation signal to antigen‐experienced B cells. This mechanism may operate during autoimmune and chronic infectious diseases, situations in which continuous immune activation leads to upregulation of CD70 expression and increased sCD27 cleavage.
Pharmacokinetics of gallium nitrate after oral administration in adult horses – pilot study
Authors: POLLINA G. F. , ZAGOTTO G. , MARITAN P. , IACOPETTI I. , BUSETTO R.
Published: September 2011

Pollina, G. F., Zagotto, G., Maritan, P., Iacopetti, I., Busetto, R Pharmacokinetics of gallium nitrate after oral administration in adult horses – pilot study. J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 35, 489–494.

Gallium (Ga), a metal in group IIIA of the periodic table, has shown a remarkable activity against bone resorption and could therefore possibly prove useful in the treatment of certain diseases in sport horses, for example navicular disease. The aim of this study was to gain more information concerning the kinetics of Ga after oral administration of gallium nitrate (GaN) in adult horses. Six horses received a single dose of 10 mg/kg of GaN mixed with the food ration. Absorption was slow (Tmax = 10 ± 3 h, T½abs = 2 ± 0.8 h), and a Cmax of 26 ± 11 μg/L was achieved. Excretion followed a one‐phase elimination model, with a long half‐life (T½el = 52 ± 14 h). By means of a mathematical model, we estimated that the plasmatic levels should reach 93 μg/L (1.33 μm) at steady state, following the repeated daily administration of 10 mg/kg of GaN. A three times lower concentration has been demonstrated as effective in inhibiting the osteolytic activity of osteoclasts in vitro. The results of this study suggest that the administration of oral GaN at a rate of 10 mg/kg per day may be considered for future clinical studies.
Distribution of enrofloxacin and its active metabolite, using anin vivoultrafiltration sampling technique after the injection of enrofloxacin to pigs
Authors: MESSENGER K. M. , PAPICH M. G. , BLIKSLAGER A. T.
Published: September 2011

Messenger, K. M., Papich, M. G., Blikslager, A. T. Distribution of enrofloxacin and its active metabolite, using anin vivoultrafiltration sampling technique after the injection of enrofloxacin to pigs.J. vet. Pharmacol. Therap. 35, 452–459.

The objective of this study was to determine the pharmacokinetics (PK) of enrofloxacin in pigs and compare to the tissue interstitial fluid (ISF). Six healthy, young pigs were administered 7.5 mg/kg enrofloxacin subcutaneously (SC). Blood and ISF samples were collected from preplaced intravenous catheters and ultrafiltration sampling probes placed in three different tissue sites (intramuscular, subcutaneous, and intrapleural). Enrofloxacin concentrations were measured using high‐pressure liquid chromatography with fluorescence detection, PK parameters were analyzed using a one‐compartment model, and protein binding was determined using a microcentrifugation system. Concentrations of the active metabolite ciprofloxacin were negligible. The mean ± SD enrofloxacin plasma half‐life, volume of distribution, clearance, and peak concentration were 26.6 ± 6.2 h (harmonic mean), 6.4 ± 1.2 L/kg, 0.18 ± 0.08 L/kg/h, and 1.1 ± 0.3 μg/mL, respectively. The half‐life of enrofloxacin from the tissues was 23.6 h, and the maximum concentration was 1.26 μg/mL. Tissue penetration, as measured by a ratio of area‐under‐the‐curve (AUC), was 139% (±69%). Plasma protein binding was 31.1% and 37.13% for high and low concentrations, respectively. This study demonstrated that the concentration of biologically active enrofloxacin in tissues exceeds the concentration predicted by the unbound fraction of enrofloxacin in pig plasma. At a dose of 7.5 mg/kg SC, the high tissue concentrations and long half‐life produce an AUC/MIC ratio sufficient for the pathogens that cause respiratory infections in pigs.
Serum PAI‐1 is a novel predictor for response to pegylated interferon‐α‐2b plus ribavirin therapy in chronic hepatitis C virus infection
Authors: Miki D. , Ohishi W. , Ochi H. , Hayes C. N. , Abe H. , Tsuge M. , Imamura M. , Kamatani N. , Nakamura Y. , Chayama K.
Published: September 2011

Summary.  Obesity and insulin resistance have been reported as negative predictors for sustained virological response (SVR) in hepatitis C virus (HCV) genotype 1 infected patients treated with pegylated interferon‐α plus ribavirin. They are also known to affect serum levels of several cytokines including adipocytokines. But the association between these cytokines and treatment outcome has not been fully elucidated. We examined pretreatment serum levels of 14 cytokines among 190 patients who were treated with pegylated interferon‐α‐2b plus ribavirin for chronic HCV‐1b infection with high viral load (≥5 log IU/mL) and analyzed their contribution to treatment response. Plasminogen activator inhibitor‐1 (PAI‐1), vascular endothelial growth factor, and 11 clinical factors showed significant association with SVR in univariate logistic regression analysis. Four significant factors in multivariate analysis; serum PAI‐1 (odds ratio [OR] = 15.42), body mass index (OR = 4.56), rs8099917 (OR = 4.95) and fibrosis stage (OR = 5.18) were identified as independent predictors. We constructed a simple and minimally invasive prediction score for SVR based on the presence of these factors except for fibrosis stage. The accuracy of this score was 73%, and was confirmed using an independent validation cohort consisting of 31 patients (68%). The strongest correlation was between PAI‐1 level and platelet count (r = 0.38, P = 1.8 × 10−7), and PAI‐1 level was inversely correlated with fibrosis stage. Serum PAI‐1 is a novel predictor for the response to combination therapy against chronic HCV‐1b infection and may be associated with liver fibrosis.
Lubiprostone does not influence visceral pain thresholds in patients with irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Whitehead W. E. , Palsson O. S. , Gangarosa L. , Turner M. , Tucker J.
Published: September 2011

Background  In clinical trials, lubiprostone reduced the severity of abdominal pain.

The primary aim was to determine whether lubiprostone raises the threshold for abdominal pain induced by intraluminal balloon distention. A secondary aim was to determine whether changes in pain sensitivity influence clinical pain independently of changes in transit time.

Methods  Sixty‐two patients with irritable bowel syndrome with constipation (IBS‐C) participated in an 8‐week cross‐over study. All subjects completed a 14‐day baseline ending with a barostat test of pain and urge sensory thresholds. Half, randomly selected, then received 48 μg day−1 of lubiprostone for 14 days ending with a pain sensitivity test and a Sitzmark test of transit time. This was followed by a 14‐day washout and then a crossover to 14 days of placebo with tests of pain sensitivity and transit time. The other half of the subjects received placebo before lubiprostone. All kept symptom diaries.

Key Results  Stools were significantly softer when taking lubiprostone compared to placebo (Bristol Stool scores 4.20 vs 3.44, P < 0.001). However, thresholds for pain (17.36 vs 17.83 mmHg, lubiprostone vs placebo) and urgency to defecate (14.14 vs 14.53 mmHg) were not affected by lubiprostone. Transit time was not significantly different between lubiprostone and placebo (51.27 vs 51.81 h), and neither pain sensitivity nor transit time was a significant predictor of clinical pain.

Conclusions & Inferences  Lubiprostone has no effect on visceral sensory thresholds. The reductions in clinical pain that occur while taking lubiprostone appear to be secondary to changes in stool consistency.