bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methyl anthranilate content in Italian citrus honeys determined by HS‐SPME‐GC
Authors: Papotti Giulia , Bertelli Davide , Lolli Massimo , Sabatini Anna Gloria , Plessi Maria
Published: September 2009

An headspace solid phase microextraction‐gas chromatography (HS‐SPME‐GC) method, previously developed and validated, was applied to the determination of the methyl anthranilate (MA) content of 75 Italian citrus honeys (11 of lemon, 44 of orange and 20 of Citrus spp.). Twenty‐four samples were purchased on the local market and 51 were provided by CRA‐API (Consiglio Nazionale per la Ricerca e Sperimentazione in Agricoltura‐Istituto Nazionale di Apicoltura e Bachicoltura) (Bologna, Italy). All the samples had a MA content above the limit of detection (LOD) (0.149 μg g−1) of the analytical method. The concentration range was between 0.46 and 2.52 μg g−1 and the overall average MA content was 1.19 μg g−1. The honeys with the highest mean MA content were the orange honeys followed by Citrus spp. and lemon (1.29 ± 0.461, 1.12 ± 0.511 and 0.92 ± 0.39 μg g−1, respectively). No significant differences were measured between commercial and authenticated samples.
Sugars and organic acids in Japanese plums (Prunus salicinaLindell) as influenced by maturation, harvest date, storage temperature and period
Authors: Singh Sukhvinder Pal , Singh Zora , Swinny Ewald E.
Published: September 2009

The effects of fruit maturation, harvest date, storage temperature, storage period and shelf life, on the concentrations of individual sugars and organic acids in Japanese plums were investigated. During fruit maturation in ‘Amber Jewel’ plums, sucrose concentration increased significantly from 101 days after full bloom (DAFB) to 1 week after commercial maturity (136 DAFB) with a non‐significant change in the concentration of total organic acids and malic acid, the major organic acid. The changes in concentrations of sugars and organic acids during cold storage of ‘Amber Jewel’ plums harvested on 129 and 136 DAFB appeared to be independent of harvest date. Storage of ‘Amber Jewel’ plums at 5 °C accelerated the loss of sucrose and increased the concentrations of fructose and glucose from the 4th week of storage compared with those stored at 0 °C. ‘Blackamber’ plums did not undergo any significant increase in the total and individual sugars during 5 weeks storage and subsequent shelf‐life of 8 days at 20 °C. Malic acid concentrations declined during storage from 3 weeks onwards with a further substantial loss during ripening at 20 °C. Maturation, harvest date, storage temperature, storage period and shelf‐life affect the concentrations of sugars and organic acids in Japanese plums.
A LightCycler TaqMan PCR assay for quantitative detection of chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) and pyrenean ibex (Capra pyrenaica) in experimental meat mixtures
Authors: Fajardo Violeta , González Isabel , Martín Irene , Rojas María , Hernández Pablo E. , García Teresa , Martín Rosario
Published: September 2009

Accurate quantitative assays are required for enforcing food labelling procedures and preventing food ingredient contamination, misdescription and fraud. Two species‐specific TaqMan systems and a eukaryotic endogenous TaqMan system were combined in a real time PCR approach to achieve quantification of chamois and pyrenean ibex meats in meat mixtures. The caprinae‐specific systems were based on the amplification of a 133 bp fragment of the 12S rRNA gene from chamois DNA, whereas an 88 bp fragment from the D‐loop region was amplified from pyrenean ibex DNA. Universal primers amplified a 141 bp fragment on the nuclear 18S rRNA gene from eukaryotic DNA. Analysis of experimental raw and heat treated binary mixtures of chamois and pyrenean ibex meat in a swine meat matrix demonstrated the suitability of the assay for the detection and quantification of the target DNAs in the range of 0.1–25%, depending on the species and treatment of the meat samples.
Marine renewable energy: potential benefits to biodiversity? An urgent call for research
Authors: Inger Richard , Attrill Martin J. , Bearhop Stuart , Broderick Annette C. , James Grecian W. , Hodgson David J. , Mills Cheryl , Sheehan Emma , Votier Stephen C. , Witt Matthew J. , Godley Brendan J.
Published: September 2009

1. The evidence for anthropogenically induced climate change is overwhelming with the production of greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels being a key driver. In response, many governments have initiated programmes of energy production from renewable sources.

2. The marine environment presents a relatively untapped energy source and offshore installations are likely to produce a significant proportion of future energy production. Wind power is the most advanced, with development of wave and tidal energy conversion devices expected to increase worldwide in the near future.

3. Concerns over the potential impacts on biodiversity of marine renewable energy installations (MREI) include: habitat loss, collision risks, noise and electromagnetic fields. These factors have been posited as having potentially important negative environmental impacts.

4. Conversely, we suggest that if appropriately managed and designed, MREI may increase local biodiversity and potentially benefit the wider marine environment. Installations have the capacity to act as both artificial reefs and fish aggregation devices, which have been used previously to facilitate restoration of damaged ecosystems, andde factomarine‐protected areas, which have proven successful in enhancing both biodiversity and fisheries.

5. The deployment of MREI has the potential to cause conflict among interest groups including energy companies, the fishing sector and environmental groups. Conflicts should be minimized by integrating key stakeholders into the design, siting, construction and operational phases of the installations, and by providing clear evidence of their potential environmental benefits.

6. Synthesis and applications.MREI have the potential to be both detrimental and beneficial to the environment but the evidence base remains limited. To allow for full biodiversity impacts to be assessed, there exists an urgent need for additional multi and inter‐disciplinary research in this area ranging from engineering to policy. Whilst there are a number of factors to be considered, one of the key decisions facing current policy makers is where installations should be sited, and, dependent upon site, whether they should be designed to either minimize negative environmental impacts or as facilitators of ecosystem restoration.
Human hepatocyte transplantation: state of the art
Authors: Fitzpatrick E. , Mitry R. R. , Dhawan A.
Published: September 2009

Hepatocyte transplantation is making its transition from bench to bedside for liver‐based metabolic disorders and acute liver failure. Over eighty patients have now been transplanted world wide and the safety of the procedure together with medium‐term success has been established. A major limiting factor in the field is the availability of good quality cells as hepatocytes are derived from grafts that are deemed unsuitable for transplantation. Alternative sources of cell, including stem cells may provide a sustainable equivalent to primary hepatocytes. There is also a need to develop techniques that will improve the engraftment, survival and function of transplanted hepatocytes. Such developments may allow hepatocyte transplantation to become an accepted and practical alternative to liver transplantation in the near future.
New light on the biology and developmental potential of haematopoietic stem cells and progenitor cells
Authors: Sigvardsson M.
Published: September 2009

Even though stem cells have been identified in several tissues, one of the best understood somatic stem cells is the bone marrow residing haematopoietic stem cell (HSC). These cells are able to generate all types of blood cells found in the periphery over the lifetime of an animal, making them one of the most profound examples of tissue‐restricted stem cells. HSC therapy also represents one of the absolutely most successful cell‐based therapies applied both in the treatment of haematological disorders and cancer. However, to fully explore the clinical potential of HSCs we need to understand the molecular regulation of cell maturation and lineage commitment. The extensive research effort invested in this area has resulted in a rapid development of the understanding of the relationship between different blood cell lineages and increased understanding for how a balanced composition of blood cells can be generated. In this review, several of the basic features of HSCs, as well as their multipotent and lineage‐restricted offspring, are addressed, providing a current view of the haematopoietic development tree. Some of the basic mechanisms believed to be involved in lineage restriction events including activities of permissive and instructive external signals are also discussed, besides transcription factor networks and epigenetic alterations to provide an up‐to‐date view of early haematopoiesis.
Power and sample size for nested analysis of molecular variance
Authors: FITZPATRICK BENJAMIN M.
Published: September 2009

Analysis of molecular variance (amova) is a widely used tool for quantifying the contribution of various levels of population structure to patterns of genetic variation. Implementations of amova use permutation tests to evaluate null hypotheses of no population structure within groups and between groups. With few populations per group, between‐group structure might be impossible to detect because only a few permutations of the sampled populations are possible. In fact, with fewer than six total populations, permutation tests will never result in P‐values <0.05 for higher‐level population structure. I present minimum numbers of replicates calculated from multinomial coefficients and an r script that can be used to evaluate the minimum P‐value for any sampling scheme. While it might seem counterintuitive that a large sample of individuals is uninformative about hierarchical structure, the power to detect between‐group differences depends on the number of populations per group and investigators should sample appropriately.
The allopolyploidArabidopsis kamchaticaoriginated from multiple individuals ofArabidopsis lyrataandArabidopsis halleri
Authors: SHIMIZU‐INATSUGI RIE , LIHOVÁ JUDITA , IWANAGA HIROKO , KUDOH HIROSHI , MARHOLD KAROL , SAVOLAINEN OUTI , WATANABE KUNIAKI , YAKUBOV VALENTIN V. , SHIMIZU KENTARO K.
Published: September 2009

Polyploidization, or genome duplication, has played a critical role in the diversification of animals, fungi and plants. Little is known about the population structure and multiple origins of polyploid species because of the difficulty in identifying multiple homeologous nuclear genes. The allotetraploid speciesArabidopsis kamchaticais closely related to the model speciesArabidopsis thalianaand is distributed in a broader climatic niche than its parental species. Here, we performed direct sequencing of homeologous pairs of the low‐copy nuclear genesWERandCHSby designing homeolog‐specific primers, and obtained also chloroplast and ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequences. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 50 individuals covering the distribution range including North America are allopolyploids derived fromArabidopsis lyrataandArabidopsis halleri. Three major clusters withinA. kamchaticawere detected using Bayesian clustering. One cluster has widespread distribution. The other two are restricted to the southern part of the distribution range including Japan, where the parentA. lyratais not currently distributed. This suggests that the mountains in Central Honshu and surrounding areas in Japan served as refugia during glacial–interglacial cycles and retained this diversity. We also found that multiple haplotypes of nuclear and chloroplast sequences ofA. kamchaticaare identical to those of their parental species. This indicates that multiple diploid individuals contributed to the origin ofA. kamchatica. The haplotypes of low‐copy nuclear genes in Japan suggest independent polyploidization events rather than introgression. Our findings suggest that self‐compatibility and gene silencing occurred independently in different origins.
Molecular insights into the colonization and chromosomal diversification of Madeiran house mice
Authors: FÖRSTER D. W. , GÜNDÜZ İ. , NUNES A. C. , GABRIEL S. , RAMALHINHO M. G. , MATHIAS M. L. , BRITTON‐DAVIDIAN J. , SEARLE J. B.
Published: September 2009

The colonization history of Madeiran house mice was investigated by analysing the complete mitochondrial (mt) D‐loop sequences of 156 mice from the island of Madeira and mainland Portugal, extending on previous studies. The numbers of mtDNA haplotypes from Madeira and mainland Portugal were substantially increased (17 and 14 new haplotypes respectively), and phylogenetic analysis confirmed the previously reported link between the Madeiran archipelago and northern Europe. Sequence analysis revealed the presence of four mtDNA lineages in mainland Portugal, of which one was particularly common and widespread (termed the ‘Portugal Main Clade’). There was no support for population bottlenecks during the formation of the six Robertsonian chromosome races on the island of Madeira, and D‐loop sequence variation was not found to be structured according to karyotype. The colonization time of the Madeiran archipelago by Mus musculus domesticus was approached using two molecular dating methods (mismatch distribution and Bayesian skyline plot). Time estimates based on D‐loop sequence variation at mainland sites (including previously published data from France and Turkey) were evaluated in the context of the zooarchaeological record of M. m. domesticus. A range of values for mutation rate (μ) and number of mouse generations per year was considered in these analyses because of the uncertainty surrounding these two parameters. The colonization of Portugal and Madeira by house mice is discussed in the context of the best‐supported parameter values. In keeping with recent studies, our results suggest that mutation rate estimates based on interspecific divergence lead to gross overestimates concerning the timing of recent within‐species events.
Prevalence and diversity patterns of avian blood parasites in degraded African rainforest habitats
Authors: CHASAR ANTHONY , LOISEAU CLAIRE , VALKIŪNAS GEDIMINAS , IEZHOVA TATJANA , SMITH THOMAS B. , SEHGAL RAVINDER N. M.
Published: September 2009

Land use changes including deforestation, road construction and agricultural encroachments have been linked to the increased prevalence of several infectious diseases. In order to better understand how deforestation affects the prevalence of vector‐borne infectious diseases in wildlife, nine paired sites were sampled (disturbed vs. undisturbed habitats) in Southern Cameroon. We studied the diversity, prevalence and distribution of avian malaria parasites (Plasmodium spp.) and other related haemosporidians (species of Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon) from these sites in two widespread species of African rainforest birds, the yellow‐whiskered greenbul (Andropadus latirostris, Pycnonotidae) and the olive sunbird (Cyanomitra olivacea, Nectariniidae). Twenty‐six mitochondrial cytochrome b lineages were identified: 20 Plasmodium lineages and 6 Haemoproteus lineages. These lineages showed no geographic specificity, nor significant differences in lineage diversity between habitat types. However, we found that the prevalence of Leucocytozoon and Haemoproteus infections were significantly higher in undisturbed than in deforested habitats (Leucocytozoon spp. 50.3% vs. 35.8%, Haemoproteus spp. 16.3% vs. 10.8%). We also found higher prevalence for all haemosporidian parasites in C. olivacea than in A. latirostris species (70.2% vs. 58.2%). Interestingly, we found one morphospecies of Plasmodium in C. olivacea, as represented by a clade of related lineages, showed increased prevalence at disturbed sites, while another showed a decrease, testifying to different patterns of transmission, even among closely related lineages of avian malaria, in relation to deforestation. Our work demonstrates that anthropogenic habitat change can affect host–parasite systems and result in opposing trends in prevalence of haemosporidian parasites in wild bird populations.
Population genetic analysis reveals a homoploid hybrid origin ofStephanomeria diegensis(Asteraceae)
Authors: SHERMAN NATASHA A. , BURKE JOHN M.
Published: September 2009

Homoploid hybrid speciation has generally been viewed as a rare evolutionary phenomenon, with relatively few well‐documented cases in nature. Here, we investigate the origin ofStephanomeria diegensis, a diploid flowering plant species that has been proposed to have arisen as a result of hybridization betweenS. exiguaandS. virgata. Across the range ofS. diegensis, all individuals share a common chloroplast haplotype withS. virgatawhile showing a greater affinity forS. exiguain terms of nuclear genetic diversity. A prinicipal coordinates analysis (PCO) based on the nuclear data revealed thatS. diegensisis most similar to each parent along different axes. Moreover, a Bayesian clustering analysis as well as a hybrid index‐based analysis showed evidence of mixed ancestry, with approximately two thirds of theS. diegensisnuclear genome derived fromS. exigua. These results provide strong support for a homoploid hybrid origin ofS. diegensis. Finally, contrary to the finding that homoploid hybrid species are typically multiply‐derived, our results were most consistent with a single origin of this species.
Parallel evolution in the major haemoglobin genes of eight species of Andean waterfowl
Authors: McCRACKEN K. G. , BARGER C. P. , BULGARELLA M. , JOHNSON K. P. , SONSTHAGEN S. A. , TRUCCO J. , VALQUI T. H. , WILSON R. E. , WINKER K. , SORENSON M. D.
Published: September 2009

Theory predicts that parallel evolution should be common when the number of beneficial mutations is limited by selective constraints on protein structure. However, confirmation is scarce in natural populations. Here we studied the major haemoglobin genes of eight Andean duck lineages and compared them to 115 other waterfowl species, including the bar‐headed goose (Anser indicus) and Abyssinian blue‐winged goose (Cyanochen cyanopterus), two additional species living at high altitude. One to five amino acid replacements were significantly overrepresented or derived in each highland population, and parallel substitutions were more common than in simulated sequences evolved under a neutral model. Two substitutions evolved in parallel in the αA subunit of two (Ala‐α8) and five (Thr‐α77) taxa, and five identical βA subunit substitutions were observed in two (Ser‐β4, Glu‐β94, Met‐β133) or three (Ser‐β13, Ser‐β116) taxa. Substitutions at adjacent sites within the same functional protein region were also observed. Five such replacements were in exterior, solvent‐accessible positions on the A helix and AB corner of the αA subunit. Five others were in close proximity to inositolpentaphosphate binding sites, and two pairs of independent replacements occurred at two different α1β1intersubunit contacts. More than half of the substitutions in highland lineages resulted in the acquisition of serine or threonine (18 gains vs. 2 losses), both of which possess a hydroxyl group that can hydrogen bond to a variety of polar substrates. The patterns of parallel evolution observed in these waterfowl suggest that adaptation to high‐altitude hypoxia has resulted from selection on unique but overlapping sets of one to five amino acid substitutions in each lineage.
Phenotypic heterogeneity in expression of epitopes in the Cryptococcus neoformans capsule
Authors: Gates‐Hollingsworth Marcellene A. , Kozel Thomas R.
Published: September 2009

The opportunistic yeast Cryptococcus neoformans is surrounded by a polysaccharide capsule comprised primarily of glucuronoxylomannan (GXM). GXM is a key component of the antigenic character of the capsule. Expression of the epitope that allows for binding of mAbs that require O‐acetylation of GXM for mAb recognition was greatly influenced by cell age, growth conditions and serotype. Yeast cells of serotype A grown in vitro under capsule induction conditions showed considerable cell‐to‐cell variability in binding of two O‐acetyl‐dependent mAbs, and such mAbs uniformly failed to bind to GXM that covers yeast buds. Expression of the O‐acetyl‐dependent epitope increased with cell age. In contrast, all serotype A cells harvested from brain tissue bound the same O‐acetyl‐dependent mAbs. The ability of the cryptococcal capsule to activate the complement cascade and bind C3 occurred uniformly over the surface of all yeast cells, including the bud. Finally, the cell‐to‐cell variability in binding of O‐acetyl‐dependent mAbs with strains of serotype A was not found with strains of serotype D; almost all cells of serotype D showed homogeneous binding of O‐acetyl‐dependent mAbs. These results indicate that variability in expression of antigenic epitopes by GXM should be considered in selection of mAbs used for immunodiagnosis or immunotherapy.
Induction of CD4+CD8+ double positive T cells and increase in CD5+ B cells in efferent lymph in sheep infected with Trypanosoma evansi
Authors: ONAH DENIS N. , HOPKINS JOHN , LUCKINS ANTONY G.
Published: September 2009

The effects of Trypanosoma evansi on efferent lymphocyte phenotypes draining from a lymph node primed with Pasteurella haemolytica vaccine were studied in sheep. The prefemoral efferent lymphatic ducts of the infected sheep along with those of two uninfected sheep were surgically cannulated. Lymph was collected and lymphocytes recovered from it analysed by two‐colour indirect immunofluorescence staining and cytofluoremetry in a fluorescence activated cell analyser (FACSCAN). The study showed the appearance and persistence of T. evansi in the efferent lymph for a long period of time and the appearance of CD4+CD8+ (double positive, DP) T lymphocytes in the efferent lymph of infected animals. The infection also resulted in increases in CD5+ B cells in the prefemoral efferent lymph. In addition, there were decreases in the output of conventional B cells, CD5+ and CD4+ T cell subsets but large increases in CD8+ cells followed by terminal depletion of all cell subsets. In contrast, inoculation of sheep with pasteurella vaccine antigen alone produced little alterations in the proportions, but large increases in the numbers of all T cell subsets except that of CD8+ cells which also showed little variation; and there was a concurrent increase in the numbers and proportions of efferent B cells. In addition, the abnormal expression of DP and CD5+ B cells did not occur in the uninfected vaccinated sheep. It is concluded that these abnormal changes in the kinetics of efferent lymphocyte phenotypes are likely to play a role in the genesis of the generalized immunosuppression seen in trypanosome‐infected hosts.
The Great Barrier Reef: a 700 000 year diagenetic history
Authors: BRAITHWAITE COLIN J. R. , MONTAGGIONI LUCIEN F.
Published: September 2009

A deep borehole through Ribbon Reef 5 in the Great Barrier Reef off north‐eastern Australia has identified a variety of cements, including epitaxial, radial prismatic and spherular aragonite, together with blocky, prismatic and fibrous calcite. These cements are discontinuously arranged within the sequence that consists predominantly of grainstones but locally includes clotted muddy and filamentous textures that may be of microbial origin. Calcite cements vary in morphology with groups of crystals that include acute scalenohedral, rhombohedral and flattened concordant terminations; these show varying densities of inclusions that locally define growth zones and in some terminations divide in the manner of ‘split crystals’ to form fibrous fringes. Morphological changes in calcite are inferred to reflect changes in water chemistry and crystal growth rates at the time of growth, allied to their relationship to the palaeo‐water table, and linked in turn to changes in sea‐level. Neomorphism and dissolution are widespread and variations in the severity of both imply response to the degree of undersaturation of pore waters that at times were probably balanced within very narrow limits. A total of 10 depositional units are identified. Those units at the base of the borehole reflect deposition and diagenesis within a marine environment. The influence of meteoric waters, indicated by stable isotopes, is first apparent at the top of Unit 1 and in Unit 2 (184 to 155 m below sea floor). Petrographic evidence of vadose conditions appears at the tops of Unit 3 (131 to 99 m below sea floor). Units 4 to 8, all deposited under marine conditions, provide isotopic evidence of meteoric or mixing‐zone waters and petrographic indicators of vadose conditions, typically at the top of the units. Evidence indicates that in Unit 5 the water table was mobile and Units 6a, 6b, 7 and 8, all characterized by ultraviolet fluorescent cements, are capped by sub‐aerial erosion surfaces. Unit 9 (the Holocene) reflects the recent re‐establishment of marine conditions. The extent of alteration of the entire sequence reflects the substantial and pervasive influence of meteoric waters. This effect is interpreted as a result of a greater rainfall and river flow from the mainland during early and late stages of interstadial periods. The study reflects progress in the ability to recognize the diagenetic signal generated by sea‐level change. However, whereas the isotopic results reflect the changing relationships between vadose and phreatic zones in groundwater systems beneath successive emergent surfaces, their correspondence with petrographic features is expressed only weakly and commonly lacks the systematic sequential overprinting implied by the distribution of cathodoluminescent zones of cements in many ancient limestones.
Impact of the shift from NCHS growth reference to WHO2006 growth standards in a therapeutic feeding programme in Niger
Authors: Minetti A. , Shams Eldin M. , Defourny I. , Harczi G.
Published: September 2009

Objectives  To describe the implementation of the WHO2006 growth standards in a therapeutic feeding programme.

Methods  Using programme monitoring data from 21 769 children 6–59 months admitted to the Médecins Sans Frontières therapeutic feeding programme during 2007, we compared characteristics at admission, type of care and outcomes for children admitted before and after the shift to the WHO2006 standards. Admission criteria were bipedal oedema, MUAC <110 mm, or weight‐for‐height (WFH) of <‐70% of the median (NCHS) before mid‐May 2007, and WFH <‐3 z score (WHO2006) after mid‐May 2007.

Results  Children admitted with the WHO2006 standards were more likely to be younger, with a higher proportion of males, and less malnourished (mean WFH ‐3.6 z score vs. mean WFH ‐4.6 z score). They were less likely to require hospitalization or intensive care (28.4%vs. 77%; 12.8%vs. 36.5%) and more likely to be treated exclusively on an outpatient basis (71.6%vs. 23%). Finally, they experienced better outcomes (cure rate: 89%vs. 71.7%, death rate: 2.7%vs. 6.4%, default rate: 6.7%vs. 12.3%).

Conclusions  In this programme, the WHO2006 standards identify a larger number of malnourished children at an earlier stage of disease facilitating their treatment success.
Novel and recurrent mutations in the AIRE gene of autoimmune polyendocrinopathy syndrome type 1 (APS1) patients
Authors: Faiyaz‐Ul‐Haque M , Bin‐Abbas B , Al‐Abdullatif A , Abdullah Abalkhail H , Toulimat M , Al‐Gazlan S , Almutawa AM , Al‐Sagheir A , Peltekova I , Al‐Dayel F , Zaidi SHE
Published: September 2009

Autoimmune polyendocrinopathy syndrome type 1 (APS1) is characterized by the presence of at least two out of three clinical features, which include Addison's disease, hypoparathyroidism, and chronic mucocutaneous candidiasis. This disorder is caused by mutations in the AIRE (autoimmune regulator) gene. While several AIRE mutations have been described in APS1 patients of various ethnic origins, the genetic cause of APS1 in Arab patients requires further investigation. This study describes seven Arab families, in which 18 patients had APS1. In addition to the cardinal features of APS1, some patients exhibited alopecia, diabetes mellitus, nephrocalcinosis and other phenotypes associated with APS1. DNA sequencing of the AIRE gene of patients from this study identified four novel and one recurrent mutation. These mutations likely result in loss of AIRE function in the patients. In addition, it was noted that the non‐pathogenic c.834C> G mutation (rs1800520, encoding for p.Ser278Arg) occurs with high incidence in the AIRE gene of Arab individuals. Furthermore, this investigation demonstrates inflammation of the hair follicles in APS1 patients with alopecia universalis. We conclude that Arab APS1 patients carry novel and recurrent mutations in the AIRE gene.
CD14 polymorphisms in mother and infant, soluble CD14 in breast milk and atopy development in the infant (KOALA Study)
Authors: Snijders Bianca E. P. , Stelma Foekje F. , Reijmerink Naomi E. , Thijs Carel , Van Der Steege Gerrit , Damoiseaux Jan G. M. C. , Van Den Brandt Piet A. , Van Ree Ronald , Postma Dirkje S. , Koppelman Gerard H.
Published: September 2009

Snijders BEP, Stelma FF, Reijmerink NE, Thijs C, van der Steege G, Damoiseaux JGMC, van den Brandt PA, van Ree R, Postma DS, Koppelman GH. CD14 polymorphisms in mother and infant, soluble CD14 in breast milk and atopy development in the infant (KOALA Study). Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2010: 21: 541–549. © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S

Different CD14 polymorphisms have been associated with atopic phenotypes in infants. In addition, CD14 genotypes of breastfeeding mothers have been associated with soluble CD14 (sCD14) levels in breast milk. The role of CD14 genotypes of infant and mother and their interaction with sCD14 levels in breast milk in atopy development remain to be established. We aimed to study the associations of CD14 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), and their interaction with breast milk sCD14, with atopy development until age two. In addition, we assessed whether levels of sCD14 in breast milk associated with SNPs in CD14. Four SNPs in CD14 gene were investigated in 698 infants and 188 mothers. Associations between these SNPs, sCD14 and atopy development were analyzed in multiple logistic or linear regression models. The CD14/‐1619 SNP was associated with eczema. CC homozygotes showed a lower risk of eczema vs. TT homozygotes (adjusted odds ratio = 0.56, 95% confidence interval 0.33–0.96) in a co‐dominant model. Breast milk sCD14 levels did not significantly modify the effect of the child’s CD14 genotype on atopy development (p interaction ≥0.10). Maternal CD14 SNPs were not significantly associated with sCD14 levels in breast milk (anova, p ≥ 0.48). We found only an association between CC homozygozity of SNP CD14/‐1619 and eczema. Our data did not support a modifying role of breast milk sCD14 levels on the relationship between CD14 genotype and atopy development until age 2 yr.
Diversity of the Vocal Signals of Concave‐Eared Torrent Frogs (Odorrana tormota): Evidence for Individual Signatures
Authors: Feng Albert S. , Riede Tobias , Arch Victoria S. , Yu Zulin , Xu Zhi‐Min , Yu Xin‐Jian , Shen Jun‐Xian
Published: September 2009

Male concave‐eared torrent frogs (Odorrana tormota) have an unusually large call repertoire and have been shown to communicate ultrasonically. We investigated the individual specificity of male advertisement calls in order to explore the acoustic bases of individual recognition, which was demonstrated in an accompanying study. Vocalizations of 15 marked males were recorded in the field. A quantitative analysis of the signals revealed eight basic call‐types. Two of them (the single‐ and multi‐note long‐calls) were investigated in more detail. Long‐calls were characterized by pronounced and varying frequency modulation patterns, and abundant occurrence of nonlinear phenomena (NLP), i.e., frequency jumps, subharmonics, biphonations and deterministic chaos. The occurrence of NLP was predictable from the contour of the fundamental frequency in the harmonic segment preceding the onset of the NLP, and this prediction showed individual‐specific patterns. Fifteen acoustic variables of the long calls were measured, all of which were significantly different among individuals, except biphonic segment duration. Discriminant function analysis (DFA) showed that 54.6% of the calls could be correctly assigned to individual frogs. The correct classification was above chance level, suggesting that individual specificity of calls underlie the ability of males to behaviorally discriminate the vocal signals of their neighbors from those of strangers, a remarkable feat for a frog species with a diverse vocal repertoire. The DFA classification results were lower than those for other anurans, however. We hypothesize that there is a tradeoff between an increase in the fundamental frequency of vocalizations to avoid masking by low‐frequency ambient background noise, and a decrease in individual‐specific vocal tract information extractable from the signal.
Diverging Cave‐ and River‐Dwelling Newts Exert the Same Mate Preference in their Native Light Conditions
Authors: Dreiss Amélie N. , Guillaume Olivier , Clobert Jean
Published: September 2009

When colonizing a new habitat, populations must adapt their sexual behaviour to new ecological constraints. Because caves display drastically different conditions from surface habitats and cave animals are deprived from visual information, hypogean populations are expected to have modified their mate preference and signalling behaviour after cave colonization. Here, we experimentally examined the female preference and the sexual behaviour of brook newts Calotriton asper from different cave and river populations, either in light or in darkness. Our results suggest that females prefer large individuals in both hypogean and epigean populations, but that this preference is only expressed in the light conditions of their native habitat. Hence, some mate choice criteria would be maintained across genetically divergent populations and throughout dissimilar habitats. However, this sexual behaviour is likely to be expressed via a different sensory pathway in the different habitats, suggesting that a sensory shift has occurred in cave populations, enabling animals to communicate through a non‐visual channel.
Facultative Adjustment of Brood Sex Ratio in Response to Indirect Manipulation of Behaviour
Authors: Johannessen Lars Erik , Kristiansen Lena , Hansen Bo Terning , Slagsvold Tore
Published: September 2009

Sex allocation theory states that parents should adjust their offspring sex ratio according to the expected fitness returns from sons and daughters. Several recent studies indicate that such adaptive manipulation of offspring sex ratio is achievable, and that it may be influenced by e.g. morphological characters. Here we manipulate behaviour through interspecific cross‐fostering of great tits (Parus major) and blue tits (Cyanistes caeruleus), and investigate its effect on the offspring sex ratio of adults that were themselves cross‐fostered as chicks. The experience of being raised by a different species has previously been shown to result in aberrant species assortative behaviour and song, and a lowered dominance status during winter. Brood sex ratios of conspecifically breeding pairs with and without cross‐fostered members were compared. Broods with at least one cross‐fostered parent contained significantly more males than did control broods. Sex of cross‐fostered parents did not influence the brood sex ratio. We conclude that female great tits and blue tits seem to be able to adjust the sex ratio of their broods, and that changes in their own or their partners’ behaviour may elicit such adjustments.
Selective Prey Delivery to Incubating Females by Dominant Males, but not Helpers, in the Cooperatively Breeding Green Woodhoopoe
Authors: Radford Andrew N.
Published: September 2009

In cooperatively breeding bird species, one of the most conspicuous helping behaviours is the provisioning of food. Many studies have considered the feeding of nestlings, but far fewer have examined feeding of incubating females, and none have looked at the types of prey delivered at this stage. Here I show that green woodhoopoe (Phoeniculus purpureus) group members selectively feed incubating females with certain prey items: the diet delivered to incubating females contains a higher proportion of caterpillars, centipedes and cockroaches than that eaten by the provisioning adults themselves. The prey items selectively delivered are the largest in the diet and so might be provided in an effort to enhance the breeding female’s condition, thus minimizing the time that she spends off the nest and so increasing hatching success. Intriguingly, it is only breeding males that show this adjustment in provisioning diet; helpers of both sexes simply provide the incubating female with the same proportions of different prey items that they eat when self‐feeding. My results therefore offer the first evidence that members of cooperative groups may not all follow the same provisioning rules, and they also emphasize the need for studies to consider the incubation stage in just as much detail as the nestling phase if we are to understand fully the complexities of cooperative societies.
Food Color Preferences of Molting House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) in Relation to Sex and Plumage Coloration
Authors: Bascuñán Ana L. , Tourville Elizabeth A. , Toomey Matthew B. , McGraw Kevin J.
Published: September 2009

Food color can be indicative of specific nutrients, and thus discrimination based on color can be a valuable foraging behavior. Several bird and fish species with carotenoid‐based body ornamentation show color preferences for presumably carotenoid‐rich red and orange foods. However, little is known within species about whether or not individuals with (or growing) more colorful ornaments show stronger food‐color preferences than those with drabber coloration. Here, we examine food color preferences in house finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) – a species with sexually dichromatic and selected carotenoid coloration – as a function of sex and plumage coloration during molt. We captured wild, molting juvenile house finches over 4 wk in late summer/early fall, quantified the color and size of plumage ornaments being developed in males, and determined food color preference in captivity by presenting individuals with dyed sunflower chips (red, orange, yellow, and green). On average, finches showed an aversion to yellow‐dyed chips and a preference for red‐ and green‐colored chips. We found no significant difference between male and female preferences for specific food colors, and food color preference was not significantly related to male plumage ornamentation. However, we did find that redder birds demonstrated a higher degree of food selectivity, measured as the proportion of their preferred food color consumed. These results suggest that food color is not a major factor determining food choice in molting house finches, but that there still may be aspects of foraging behavior that are linked to the development of colorful plumage.
Species‐specific responses to atmospheric carbon dioxide and tropospheric ozone mediate changes in soil carbon
Authors: Talhelm Alan F. , Pregitzer Kurt S. , Zak Donald R.
Published: September 2009

We repeatedly sampled the surface mineral soil (0–20 cm depth) in three northern temperate forest communities over an 11‐year experimental fumigation to understand the effects of elevated carbon dioxide (CO2) and/or elevated phyto‐toxic ozone (O3) on soil carbon (C). After 11 years, there was no significant main effect of CO2 or O3 on soil C. However, within the community containing only aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.), elevated CO2 caused a significant decrease in soil C content. Together with the observations of increased litter inputs, this result strongly suggests accelerated decomposition under elevated CO2. In addition, an initial reduction in the formation of new (fumigation‐derived) soil C by O3 under elevated CO2 proved to be only a temporary effect, mirroring trends in fine root biomass. Our results contradict predictions of increased soil C under elevated CO2 and decreased soil C under elevated O3 and should be considered in models simulating the effects of Earth’s altered atmosphere.
AN APPROXIMATION FOR THE OPTIMAL LINEAR INCOME TAX RATE
Authors: CREEDY JOHN
Published: September 2009

This paper derives a convenient method of calculating an approximation to the optimal tax rate in a linear income tax structure. Individuals are assumed to have Cobb‐Douglas preferences and the wage rate distribution is lognormal. First, the optimal tax rate is shown, for a general form of social welfare function, to be the smallest root of a quadratic equation involving a welfare‐weighted average wage rate. Second, an approximation to this average is derived for an isoelastic social welfare function. This average depends on the degree of inequality aversion of the welfare function and the coefficient on consumption in individuals' utility functions. Calculations show that the method performs well in comparison with standard simulation methods of computing the optimal tax rate.
Currency Substitution Between the Hong Kong Dollar and the Renminbi in South China
Authors: Chan Kenneth S.
Published: September 2009

The present paper estimates the demand for the Hong Kong currency circulating in the Guangdong Province of China and Macau. The amount of Hong Kong dollars circulating in the Guangdong (Macau) region is reckoned to be 7.4 (3.2) percent of the total amount issued in Hong Kong. The estimated coeficients in the currency demand equation suggest that the Hong Kong currency in Guangdong is used mainly for transactions. Therefore, in spite of strong evidence of currency substitution of the Renminbi with the Hong Kong Dollar, its impact on the exchange rate and on the international reserves of Hong Kong during currency crisis should be minimal.
Occupational Identity in Administrative Service Work: The Aspect of Carefulness
Authors: Karlsson Anette
Published: September 2009

This article explores ‘carefulness’ as a salient aspect of occupational identity in two administrative service occupations. Drawing on empirical data obtained through interviews with medical secretaries and post‐office cashiers, and on a theoretical perspective sensitive to different bases of identification and classification, the meanings and ambiguities of carefulness are discussed in a wider context of gender, modernity and office work. The empirical material indicates that the theme of carefulness is closely connected to issues of competence and power. It is the author's argument that a closer focus on competence‐related themes and concepts central to working individuals themselves, combined with an occupational identity approach that takes modernity as well as gender into consideration, will contribute to a better understanding of the contested realities of administrative service work.
Humification degrees of a lacustrine sedimentary sequence as an indicator of past climatic changes in the last c. 49 000 years in South China
Authors: ZHONG WEI , MA QIAOHONG , XUE JIBIN , ZHENG YANMING , CAI YING , OU YANGJUN
Published: September 2009

Zhong, W., Ma, Q. H., Xue, J. B., Zheng, Y. M., Cai, Y. & Ou, Y. J. 2009: Humification degrees of a lacustrine sedimentary sequence as an indicator of past climatic changes in the last c. 49 000 years in South China. Boreas, 10.1111/j.1502‐3885.2009.00119.x. ISSN 0300‐9483.

An 860 cm long sediment core recovered from Dahu Swamp was used to test the potential of the degree of humification (expressed as the corrected absorbance values, HDcab) of lacustrine sediments as an indicator of past climatic changes in South China. The chronological sequence of this core was established using 10 AMS 14C dates and 10 conventional 14C dates and gives the bottom age of c. 48 800 cal. yr BP. Based on comparisons with multiproxy records, such as lithological variation, organic carbon isotope ratio, organic matter content and dry bulk density, we infer that the HDcab record is sensitive to local hydrological variations that are closely related to the East Asian (EA) summer monsoon precipitation. Higher HDcab values would indicate relatively drier conditions, suggesting a weakening of the EA summer monsoon and vice versa. Based on the HDcab, as well as other multiproxies, the climatic history in the last c. 49 000 years in the swamp area shows agreement with the Chinese stalagmite record and with the 25°N summer solar insolation, implying that orbitally induced insolation may have played a role in the last glacial period (LGP) climate in South China. Several millennial‐scale dry phases during the LGP show similarities with the stadials revealed by the ice core record in Greenland and from the Chinese cave stalagmites. Our study demonstrates that the HDcab of lacustrine sediments is a useful proxy of past climatic changes in South China.
An Intervention Integrated into Daily Clinical Practice Reduces the Incidence of Delirium During Hospitalization in Elderly Patients
Authors: Vidán María T. , Sánchez Elisabet , Alonso Mar , Montero Beatriz , Ortiz Javier , Serra José A.
Published: September 2009

OBJECTIVES: To analyze the effectiveness of a multicomponent intervention integrated into daily practice for the prevention of in‐hospital delirium in elderly patients.

DESIGN: Controlled study comparing an intervention in a geriatric unit (GI) with usual care in two internal medicine services (UC).

SETTING: University hospital in Madrid, Spain.

PARTICIPANTS: Five hundred forty‐two consecutive patients (170 GI, 372 UC), aged 70 and older, with any of the risk criteria for delirium (cognitive impairment, visual impairment, acute disease severity, dehydration).

INTERVENTION: Educational measures and specific actions in seven risk areas (orientation, sensory impairment, sleep, mobilization, hydration, nutrition, drug use). Daily monitoring of adherence.

MEASUREMENTS: Baseline characteristics, risk factors for delirium, and quality care indicators were analyzed. The primary endpoint was incidence of delirium assessed daily. The secondary endpoint was functional decline, defined as loss of independence in any of the activities of daily living. The intervention effect was evaluated using logistic regression analysis.

RESULTS: Delirium affected 11.7% of the GI group and 18.5% of the UC group (P=.04). After adjustment for confounders, the intervention was associated with lower incidence of delirium (odds ratio=0.4, 95% confidence interval=0.24–0.77; P=.005). In the patients who experienced delirium, severity, length, and recurrence of episodes were similar in both groups. Adherence to the intervention protocols was 75.7%.

The intervention reduced the rate of functional decline (45.5% in GI vs 56.3% in UC, P=.03) and improved other quality indicators (e.g., mobilization and physical restraints reduction).

CONCLUSION: A multicomponent, nonpharmacological intervention integrated into routine practice reduces delirium during hospitalization in older patients, improves quality of care, and can be implemented without additional resources in a public healthcare system.