bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Atrial granular cells of the snailAchatina fulicarelease proteins into hemolymph after stimulation of the heart nerve
Authors: Shabelnikov Sergej V. , Bystrova Olga A. , Ivanov Vadim A. , Margulis Boris A. , Martynova Marina
Published: October 2009

The atrium of the gastropod mollusc Achatina fulica receives rich innervation and contains numerous granular cells (GCs). We studied the atrial innervation and discovered that axon profiles typical in appearance of peptidergic neurons form close unspecialized membrane contacts with GCs. Then,we investigated, at both morphological and biochemical levels, the effect of electrical stimulation of the heart nerve on GCs of Achatina heart perfused in situ. The ultrastructural study demonstrated changes in granule morphology consistent with secretion. These events included alteration of granule content, intracellular granule fusion and formation of complex degranulation channels, within which the granule matrix solubilized. It was shown that electrical stimulation resulted in a significant increase of the total protein concentration in the perfusate. Furthermore, SDS-PAGE analysis of the perfusate revealed three new proteins with molecular masses of 16, 22,and 57 kDa. Affinity-purified polyclonal antibodies against the 16 kDa protein were obtained; the whole-mount immunofluorescence technique revealed the presence of this protein in the granules of atrial GCs. In GCs of the stimulated atrium, a progressive loss of their granular content was observed. The results suggest that the central nervous system can modulate the secretory activity of the atrial GCs through non-synaptic pathways.
Preferred viewing directions of bumblebees (Bombus terrestrisL.) when learning and approaching their nest site
Authors: de Ibarra Natalie Hempel , Philippides Andrew , Riabinina Olena , Collett Thomas S.
Published: October 2009

Many bees and wasps learn about the immediate surroundings of their nest during learning flights, in which they look back towards the nest and acquire visual information that guides their subsequent returns. Visual guidance to the nest is simplified by the insects' tendency to adopt similar viewing directions during learning and return flights. To understand better the factors determining the particular viewing directions that insects choose, we have recorded the learning and return flights of a ground-nesting bumblebee in two visual environments – an enclosed garden with a partly open view between north and west, and a flat roof with a more open panorama. In both places, bees left and returned to an inconspicuous nest hole in the centre of a tabletop, with the hole marked by one or more nearby cylinders. In all experiments, bees adopted similar preferred orientations on their learning and return flights. Bees faced predominantly either north or south, suggesting the existence of two attractors. The bees' selection between attractors seems to be influenced both by the distribution of light, as determined by the shape of the skyline, and by the direction of wind. In the partly enclosed garden with little or no wind, bees tended to face north throughout the day, i.e. towards the pole in the brighter half of their surroundings. When white curtains,which distributed skylight more evenly, were placed around the table, bees faced both north and south. The bees on the roof tended to face south or north when the wind came from a wide arc of directions from the south or north,respectively. We suggest that bees switch facing orientation between north and south as a compromise between maintaining a single viewing direction for efficient view-based navigation and responding to the distribution of light for the easier detection of landmarks seen against the ground or to the direction of the wind for exploiting olfactory cues.
Carotenoids modulate the effect of coccidian infection on the condition and immune response in moulting house sparrows
Authors: Pap Péter László , Vágási Csongor István , Czirják Gábor Árpád , Titilincu Adriana , Pintea Adela , Barta Zoltán
Published: October 2009

In the present study, we experimentally manipulated coccidian parasitism and dietary carotenoid availability in a fully factorial experiment in male house sparrows (Passer domesticus Linnaeus), and tested whether carotenoid supplementation reduces the cost of parasitism in terms of condition, moult and immune responses. We found that coccidians have a significant but transient negative effect on body mass, which can be reduced if birds have access to carotenoid supplementation in their diet. Experimental manipulation had no significant effect on the moulting parameters of the birds measured following coccidian infestation and during the whole moulting period. Carotenoid supplementation increased the plasma carotenoid concentration in both infested and medicated birds treated with a coccidiostatic drug; however,after two months exposure to parasites, plasma carotenoid concentration increased only in the carotenoid-supplemented and medicated group whereas no difference was observed between the carotenoid-supplemented and infested and non-supplemented groups. On the contrary, coccidian infestation was not affected by carotenoid supplementation. Experimental infestation decreased the antibody response to sheep red blood cells (SRBCs), although no significant effect was observed in the capacity of the birds to respond to a mitogenic challenge with phytohemagglutinin. Within the experimentally infested groups birds with carotenoid-supplemented food tended to have an increased anti-SRBC humoral immune response. The positive correlation between coccidian infestation and the strength of the humoral immune response against SRBCs in the non-supplemented and infested groups indicates that this part of the immune system plays an important role in defence against these parasites.
Waiting time before release increases the motivation to home in homing pigeons (Columba livia)
Authors: Dell'Ariccia Gaia , Costantini David , Dell'Omo Giacomo , Lipp Hans-Peter
Published: October 2009

When performing homing experiments with individual releases, pigeons have to wait in a transport box for a certain amount of time before being released and hence perceive the departure of companions. Quite often, the last pigeons disappear straightforward from the release site. The question is whether this reflects improved orientation because of prolonged exposure to the release place or whether it reflects increased homing motivation. By releasing pigeons from a familiar site, we investigated the effects of the time spent at the release site on homing performance, recording pigeons' flights with GPS loggers. Our results show that, despite individual peculiarities of flight patterns, the waiting time at release site had a positive effect on homing speed and time, and reduced the time spent circling around the release point. However, the overall path efficiency as derived from GPS tracking was not influenced. These results suggest that a longer waiting time before release improves homing performance and this is related not only to increased navigational abilities but also to increased homing motivation.
Olfactory memory established during trophallaxis affects food search behaviour in ants
Authors: Provecho Yael , Josens Roxana
Published: October 2009

Camponotus mus ants can associate sucrose and odour at the source during successive foraging cycles and use this memory to locate the nectar in the absence of other cues. These ants perform conspicuous trophallactic behaviour during recruitment while foraging for nectar. In this work, we studied whether Camponotus mus ants are able to establish this odour–sucrose association in the social context of trophallaxis and we evaluated this memory in another context previously experienced by the ant, as a nectar source. After a single trophallaxis of a scented solution, the receiver ant was tested in a Y-maze without any reward, where two scents were presented: in one arm, the solution scent and in the other, a new scent. Ants consistently chose the arm with the solution scent and stayed longer therein. Trophallaxis duration had no effect on the arm choice or with the time spent in each arm. Workers are able to associate an odour (conditioned stimulus)with the sucrose (unconditioned stimulus) they receive through a social interaction and use this memory as choice criteria during food searching.
High-affinity hemoglobin and blood oxygen saturation in diving emperor penguins
Authors: Meir Jessica U. , Ponganis Paul J.
Published: October 2009

The emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri) thrives in the Antarctic underwater environment, diving to depths greater than 500 m and for durations longer than 23 min. To examine mechanisms underlying the exceptional diving ability of this species and further describe blood oxygen(O2) transport and depletion while diving, we characterized the O2–hemoglobin (Hb) dissociation curve of the emperor penguin in whole blood. This allowed us to (1) investigate the biochemical adaptation of Hb in this species, and (2) address blood O2 depletion during diving, by applying the dissociation curve to previously collected partial pressure of O2 (PO2) profiles to estimate in vivo Hb saturation (SO2)changes during dives. This investigation revealed enhanced Hb–O2 affinity (P50=28 mmHg, pH 7.5) in the emperor penguin, similar to high-altitude birds and other penguin species. This allows for increased O2 at low blood PO2 levels during diving and more complete depletion of the respiratory O2 store. SO2 profiles during diving demonstrated that arterial SO2 levels are maintained near 100%throughout much of the dive, not decreasing significantly until the final ascent phase. End-of-dive venous SO2 values were widely distributed and optimization of the venous blood O2store resulted from arterialization and near complete depletion of venous blood O2 during longer dives. The estimated contribution of the blood O2 store to diving metabolic rate was low and highly variable. This pattern is due, in part, to the influx of O2 from the lungs into the blood during diving, and variable rates of tissue O2 uptake.
Decision procedure of performance assessment of lifetime index of products for the Gompertz distribution
Authors: Lee W-C , Wu J-W , Hong C-W , Pan H-Y , Hung W-L
Published: October 2009

Process capability analysis has been widely applied in the field of quality control to monitor the performance of industrial processes. In practice, the lifetime performance index CL is a popular means to assess the performance and potential of such processes, where L is the lower specification limit. The failure-censored sampling plan has the advantage in terms of shorter test time and a saving of resources. The present study constructs a maximum likelihood estimator (MLE) of CL with the failure-censored sampling plan under the Gompertz distribution. The MLE of CL is then utilized to develop a hypothesis testing procedure under the condition of known L. The hypothesis testing procedure is a quality performance assessment system in enterprise resource planning. Managers can employ this testing procedure to determine whether the lifetime performance of products adheres to the required level.
Development of a straightness measuring system and compensation technique using multiple corner cubes for precision stages
Authors: Liu C-H , Jywe W-Y , Jeng Y-R , Huang H-L , Hsu T-H , Wang M-S , Deng S-Y
Published: October 2009

At present, the accuracy of precision manufacture is most affected by straightness errors, so the measurement and compensation of these errors are very important. In the current paper, three measurement systems for straightness are presented; they are characterized by simple set-up, online measuring, low cost, and sub-micrometre accuracy achieving 0.2 μm. Experimental results show that these three measurement systems can be applied to implement a compensation system which comprises one among them, an Elmo controller, and a dSPACE controller, and accomplish static compensation and dynamic compensation in the dual linear-axis stage. The accuracies of the static and dynamic compensation achieve ± 1 μm and ± 2.5 μm, respectively.
Estimation of product development cycle time resulting from early supplier involvement
Authors: Lyu J , Chang C-K , Chang L-Y
Published: October 2009

Early supplier involvement (ESI) is widely applied to improve the product development process and has been proved to be able to shorten product development cycle time. The current study presents a systematic approach to support enterprises in selecting suitable tasks for implementing ESI. In order to estimate the influence of ESI on product development cycle time, the proposed method analyses complex product development processes to determine how to implement collaborative design appropriately via design structure matrix. This approach integrates an analysis of the binary design structure matrix, two-dimensional variables (sensitivity and variability), and the amount of overlapping of the tasks to discuss complex issues associated with product development cycle time. By applying the influence analysis to overlapping, the study identifies suitable tasks and the priority of each task to collaborative design. Finally, a simplified case study is discussed to demonstrate how enterprises can utilize the proposed method.
Algorithms for the Bin Packing Problem with Conflicts
Authors: Muritiba Albert E. Fernandes , Iori Manuel , Malaguti Enrico , Toth Paolo
Published: October 2009

We consider a particular bin packing problem in which some pairs of items may be in conflict and cannot be assigned to the same bin. The problem, denoted as the bin packing problem with conflicts, is of practical and theoretical interest because of its many real-world applications and because it generalizes both the bin packing problem and the vertex coloring problem. We present new lower bounds, upper bounds, and an exact approach, based on a set covering formulation solved through a branch-and-price algorithm. We investigate the behavior of the proposed procedures by means of extensive computational results on benchmark instances from the literature.
TreeHugger: A New Test for Enrichment of Gene Ontology Terms
Authors: Jupiter Daniel , Şahutoğlu Jessica , VanBuren Vincent
Published: October 2009

The Gene Ontology (GO) project provides a structured vocabulary of biological terms used by biological researchers as a tool for standardization of references to biological entities. Genes may be annotated with GO terms to indicate their roles or localizations in the cell. GO has been used in conjunction with high-throughput experimental methods, such as microarrays. In this setting, the interest is to determine whether sets of genes identified by the high-throughput experiment are enriched for GO terms: Do certain terms annotate more genes in the identified set than one might expect? Enriched terms are taken as a potential summary of the cellular function for the identified set of genes and may provide clues leading to new directions for investigation. Current methods for determining whether sets of genes are GO-enriched have certain well-known shortcomings. Many methods do not take the hierarchical structure of the ontology into account in determining enrichment. We address this drawback by introducing a new statistical test (TreeHugger) based on a novel per-gene scoring scheme for GO terms. Given a set of genes and a specified subset of those genes, our method determines enrichment of GO terms in the subset, taking into account the structure of the ontology and ascribing a lower weight to those terms that do not themselves directly annotate the given genes. Tests on simulated and real data indicate that our method is a conservative test for enrichment. Testing TreeHugger on a biological example reveals that it also reduces the redundancy caused by giving high scores to indirect annotations as provided by standard enrichment tests.
Simplified Control Problems for Multiclass Many-Server Queueing Systems
Authors: Atar Rami , Mandelbaum Avi , Shaikhet Gennady
Published: October 2009

We consider scheduling and routing control problems for queueing models with I customer classes and J server pools, each consisting of many statistically identical, exponential servers. Customers require a single service that can be performed by a server from one of the pools; the service rate is μij ≥ 0, which depends on the customer's class i and the server's pool j, and customers can abandon the system while waiting to be served. In the heavy traffic regime of Halfin and Whitt, these problems are formally equivalent to I-dimensional diffusion control problems. We analyze the diffusion control problems is two special cases. First, when the service rates depend only on the pool (μij = μj), the diffusion control problem is shown to be similar to (but distinct from) the diffusion control problem for a single class model, which greatly reduces the complexity of the problem. Second, when the service rates depend only on the class (μij = μi), the diffusion control problem is shown to be equivalent to a diffusion control problem for a single pool model, a problem that has previously been studied. In the first case, we also establish a rigorous relation between the queueing control problem and the diffusion control problem, showing that a policy for the queueing model, based on an ordinary differential equation of Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman type, is asymptotically optimal.
The Optimal Composition of Influenza Vaccines Subject to Random Production Yields
Authors: Cho Soo-Haeng
Published: October 2009

The Vaccine and Related Biologic Products Advisory Committee meets at least once a year to decide the composition of seasonal influenza vaccine in the United States. Past evidence suggests that the committee could use a more systematic approach to incorporate observed information and to quantify the risks associated with different options. There are two key trade-offs involved in this decision. First, if the Committee decides to retain the current vaccine composition instead of updating to a new one, there is lower uncertainty in production yields, but the current vaccine could be less effective if a new virus strain spreads. Second, if the Committee decides early with less information, then manufacturers have more production time, but the reduced information increases the risk of choosing a wrong strain. We derive an optimal dynamic policy for this decision. Because of the greater uncertainty in production yields of new vaccines, the optimal thresholds are neither symmetric between retaining and updating the composition nor monotonic over time. We apply our model to past decisions using parameter values estimated from a historical case. Our analysis shows that the dynamic optimal policy can significantly improve social welfare.
Managing Perishables with Substitution: Inventory Issuance and Replenishment Heuristics
Authors: Deniz Borga , Karaesmen Itir , Scheller-Wolf Alan
Published: October 2009

We consider a discrete-time supply chain for perishable goods having separate demand streams for items of different ages. For a good that has two periods of lifetime, we build a model that generalizes and/or subsumes many of the models in the literature and study the effectiveness of two intuitive heuristic (base-stock) replenishment policies combined with different substitution rules. For each replenishment policy, we identify sufficient conditions on cost parameters for a substitution rule to be economically superior to others under our base-stock replenishment policies. Our analysis shows that the replenishment policy almost universally advocated in the perishable inventory literature may lead to pathological behavior when used with issuance rules that pool inventory (via substitution) to satisfy multiple, age-differentiated demand streams. Furthermore, we find that system behavior is typically more predictable, and potentially less costly, under a policy long-discarded in the literature that ignores the inventory of aged items, ordering a constant amount each period. Thus the benefit of pooling inventory for substitutable, perishable products depends critically on the replenishment policy used.
Laboratory diagnostics in the prevention, differential diagnosis, and monitoring of osteoporosis1
Authors: Anliker Markus , Bieglmayer Christian , Dimai Hans Peter , Gasser Rudolf Wolfgang , Kudlacek Stefan , Obermayer-Pietsch Barbara , Schmidt-Gayk Heinrich , Sottara Elke , Woloszczuk Wolfgang , Zwettler Elisabeth , Griesmacher Andrea
Published: October 2009

The World Health Organization ranks osteoporosis as one of the economic most significant diseases of the 21st century. Apart from anamnesis, physical examination and imaging techniques, laboratory tests are important tools in the diagnosis and monitoring of osteoporosis. Basic laboratory tests can be distinguished from advanced laboratory tests. The basic laboratory tests are used to differentiate between the primary and secondary form of osteoporosis. Further laboratory tests can clarify the causation of secondary forms of osteoporosis. Biochemical markers of bone turnover are particularly used for monitoring the therapy and the course of osteoporosis.
Experimental Evaluation of Ultraviolet and Visible Light Curing Acrylates for Use in Glass Structures
Authors: Weller Bernhard , Tasche Silke
Published: October 2009

Adhesive joints in glass construction have been realized with one- and two-component silicones for more than 20 years. However, ultraviolet and visible light curing acrylates in glass constructions provide additional design potential due to their inherent transparency, their advantages in regard to the production process, and their increased material strength. The aging behavior of these adhesives was comprehensively examined by testing bonded joints of annealed glass and metal to gain in-depth knowledge of their durability. The study was expanded by testing full-scale samples of various glass applications.
Addressing the Issue of Fuel Filter Fouling with Recent Changes in Fuel Quality
Authors: Richards Paul , Barker Jim , Cook Stephen
Published: October 2009

The recent introduction of biodiesel blends to the U.S. market has coincided with an increase in the reported problems of fouling of fuel filters and fuel injection equipment, manifested in power loss, noise, vibration, and increased filter changes. However, the introduction of biodiesel has to a large extent coincided with the introduction of ultra low sulfur diesel fuel and changes in engine technology, leading to higher fuel injection pressures. It is thus proposed that current incidences of fouling are not a problem brought about solely as a result of the introduction of biodiesel. A review of known fuel degradation mechanisms suggests that the effects of increased fuel pressure and also high shear environments should be examined as a probable cause of increasing deposit formation. Deposit formation on both fuel filters and injectors has previously been attributed to a variety of sources including: Biological contamination, both aerobic and non-aerobic, water contamination, adulteration with lubricating oil, fuel additive interactions, and biodiesel degradation. The deposits currently being encountered appear to be more akin to the high carbon content particles found in diesel exhaust than those previously described and are frequently found in the presence of deposit precursor molecules. This paper concentrates on the issue of fuel filter fouling, presents the analysis of currently encountered deposits, relates these results to some of the degradation mechanisms alluded to above, and suggests possible precursor molecules in fuels both pre and post stressing to support the proposed mechanisms. It is also shown that existing fuel quality tests do not correlate well with reported fouling propensity, suggesting that new test methods are required to ensure future fuels are fit for purpose.
Lyapunov-Funktionen-basiertes FührungsfilterLyapunov Function based Set Point Generator
Authors: Buhl Michael , Lohmann Boris
Published: October 2009

Der Beitrag beschreibt ein Lyapunov-Funktionen-basiertes Führungsfilter für lineare Strecken mit Stellgrößenbegrenzung. Ziel des Filters ist es, die Abhängigkeit zwischen der zu stabilisierenden Ruhelage und der Größe des mit Lyapunov-Funktionen nachweisbaren Einzugsbereichs zu überwinden. Hierdurch kann erreicht werden, dass für alle Ruhelagen im System der gleiche Einzugsbereich nachgewiesen werden kann. Dieser umfasst die Vereinigungsmenge aller Abschätzungen ohne Führungsfilter.
Windenergienutzung mit schnell fliegenden Flugdrachen: eine Herausforderung für die Optimierung und RegelungWind Power via Fast Flying Kites: a Challenge for Optimization and Control
Authors: Diehl Moritz , Houska Boris
Published: October 2009

Der Beitrag beschreibt Optimierungsstudien für Windenergie erzeugende Flugdrachen, die mittels ihrer Leine periodisch an einem Generator ziehen und dabei sehr schnell quer zum Wind fliegen. Wir stellen den aktuellen Stand der Forschung beim Bau und Modellieren solcher Systeme dar und formulieren dann ein Optimalsteuerungsproblem mit periodischen Randbedingungen und freier Periodendauer. Die Zielfunktion ist die Durchschnittsleistung am Generator. Wir lösen dieses nichtlineare und instabile Optimalsteuerungsproblem numerisch mit Hilfe des direkten Mehrzielverfahrens. Das Resultat unserer Optimierungsrechnungen ist, dass etwa 5 MW Durchschnittsleistung mit einem 500 m2-Drachen bei 10 m/s Windgeschwindigkeit erzeugt werden können. Wenn zwei Drachen zu einem “tanzenden Drachenpaar” verbunden werden, kann die Effizienz um 40% pro Tragflügel gesteigert werden, da der Luftwiderstand der Leine deutlich verringert wird.
Identification of Novel Genes That Mediate Innate Immunity Using Inbred Mice
Authors: Yang Ivana V , Wade Claire M , Kang Hyun Min , Alper Scott , Rutledge Holly , Lackford Brad , Eskin Eleazar , Daly Mark J , Schwartz David A
Published: October 2009

Innate immunity is the first line of defense against microbial infections. Although polymorphisms in toll-like receptors (TLRs) and downstream signaling molecules (CD14, TLR2, TLR4, TLR5, and IRAK4) affect the innate immune response, these variants account for only a portion of the ability of the host to respond to bacteria, fungi, and viruses. To identify other genes involved in the innate immune response, we challenged 16 inbred murine strains with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) systemically and measured serum concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNFα, and the chemokine KC 6 hr post-treatment. Loci that segregate with strain phenotypes were identified by whole genome association (WGA) mapping of cytokine concentrations. Published gene expression profiles and quantitative trait loci (QTL) were then utilized to prioritize loci and genes that potentially regulate the host response to LPS. Sixteen loci were selected for further investigation by combining WGA analysis with previously published QTL for murine response to LPS or gram negative bacteria. Thirty-eight genes within these loci were then selected for further investigation on the basis of the significance of the identified locus, transcriptional response to LPS, and biological plausibility. RNA interference-mediated inhibition of 4 of 38 candidate genes was shown to block the production of IL-6 in J774A.1 macrophages. In summary, our analysis identified 4 genes that have not previously been implicated in innate immunity, namely, 1110058L19Rik, 4933415F23Rik, Fbxo9, and Ipo7. These genes could represent potential sepsis biomarkers or therapeutic targets that should be further investigated in human populations.
DLA-Based Strategies for Cloning Insertion Mutants: Cloning the gl4 Locus of Maize Using Mu Transposon Tagged Alleles
Authors: Liu Sanzhen , Dietrich Charles R , Schnable Patrick S
Published: October 2009

Digestion–ligation–amplification (DLA), a novel adaptor-mediated PCR-based method that uses a single-stranded oligo as the adaptor, was developed to overcome difficulties of amplifying unknown sequences flanking known DNA sequences in large genomes. DLA specifically overcomes the problems associated with existing methods for amplifying genomic sequences flanking Mu transposons, including high levels of nonspecific amplification. Two DLA-based strategies, MuClone and DLA-454, were developed to isolate Mu-tagged alleles. MuClone allows for the amplification of subsets of the numerous Mu transposons in the genome, using unique three-nucleotide tags at the 3′ ends of primers, simplifying the identification of flanking sequences that cosegregate with mutant phenotypes caused by Mu insertions. DLA-454, which combines DLA with 454 pyrosequencing, permits the efficient cloning of genes for which multiple independent insertion alleles are available without the need to develop segregating populations. The utility of each approach was validated by independently cloning the gl4 (glossy4) gene. Mutants of gl4 lack the normal accumulation of epicuticular waxes. The gl4 gene is a homolog of the Arabidopsis CUT1 gene, which encodes a condensing enzyme involved in the synthesis of very-long-chain fatty acids, which are precursors of epicuticular waxes.
Violence, Abuse, and Crime Exposure in a National Sample of Children and Youth
Authors: Finkelhor David , Turner Heather , Ormrod Richard , Hamby Sherry L.
Published: October 2009

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this research was to obtain national estimates of exposure to the full spectrum of the childhood violence, abuse, and crime victimizations relevant to both clinical practice and public-policy approaches to the problem.

METHODS: The study was based on a cross-sectional national telephone survey that involved a target sample of 4549 children aged 0 to 17 years.

RESULTS: A clear majority (60.6%) of the children and youth in this nationally representative sample had experienced at least 1 direct or witnessed victimization in the previous year. Almost half (46.3%) had experienced a physical assault in the study year, 1 in 4 (24.6%) had experienced a property offense, 1 in 10 (10.2%) had experienced a form of child maltreatment, 6.1% had experienced a sexual victimization, and more than 1 in 4 (25.3%) had been a witness to violence or experienced another form of indirect victimization in the year, including 9.8% who had witnessed an intrafamily assault. One in 10 (10.2%) had experienced a victimization-related injury. More than one third (38.7%) had been exposed to 2 or more direct victimizations, 10.9% had 5 or more, and 2.4% had 10 or more during the study year.

CONCLUSIONS: The scope and diversity of child exposure to victimization is not well recognized. Clinicians and researchers need to inquire about a larger spectrum of victimization types to identify multiply victimized children and tailor prevention and interventions to the full range of threats that children face.
Infective endocarditis appearing with meningeal signs
Authors: Aschenbrenner Zsuzsanna , Simon jr. Gábor , Mayer Gizella , Szokó Márta , Hartyánszky István , Szatmári András , Simon Gábor
Published: October 2009

A szerzők egy 12 éves, infektív endocarditises leánybeteg esetét mutatják be, akinek panaszai és tünetei három nappal korábban kezdődtek, és meningealis izgalmi tünetek miatt került sor osztályos felvételére. A klinikai kép, a laboratóriumi paraméterek, a liquorvizsgálat, valamint a hemokultúra Staphylococcus-szepszis és meningitis diagnózisát támasztották alá. A megkezdett terápia mellett a beteg állapotában átmeneti javulás mutatkozott, majd ezzel párhuzamosan hangos szisztolés szívzörej jelent meg. Az echokardiográfiás vizsgálat mitralis billentyű infektív endocarditis diagnózist igazolt. Az ismételt vizsgálatok során észlelt progresszió miatt a beteg áthelyezésre került a Gottsegen György Országos Kardiológiai Intézet Gyermekszív Központjába, ahol az elvégzett transoesophagealis echokardiográfiás vizsgálat megerősítette a beküldő diagnózist. Ezt követően extracorporalis szívműtét során a mitralis billentyűn lévő vegetációkat eltávolították és a billentyűt plasztikázták. A kezdetben észlelt klinikai tüneteket és a liquoreltérést a koponya-MR-vizsgálat során leírt, szeptikus embolizáció következtében kialakult apró, multiplex agyi infarktusokkal hozták összefüggésbe. Gyógyulását követően a rendszeres kontrollvizsgálatok során neurológiai maradványtünetek nem mutatkoztak, enyhe fokú residualis mitralis regurgitatio mellett a beteg panaszmentessé vált.
Is religiosity a protective factor? Social epidemiological study of adolescent psychological health
Authors: Pikó Bettina , Kovács Eszter
Published: October 2009

Az epidemiológiai elemzések egyik fontos feladata az egészség megőrzését támogató védőfaktoroknak a felkutatása. Ilyen protektív tényező a vallás, amely az egészségi állapot mindhárom – testi, lelki és szociális – dimenziójára kihat, többek között hosszabb élettartammal, jobb egészségiállapot-mutatókkal és életminőséggel, kevesebb szorongással, depresszióval és öngyilkossággal, hatékonyabb megküzdési stratégiákkal hozható kapcsolatba a vallásosság. Serdülők egészségével kapcsolatban ma még kevés vizsgálat áll rendelkezésre.
Célkitűzés:
Kutatásunk célja, hogy a serdülők körében vizsgálja vallásosságuk, valamint pszichikai egészségük összefüggéseit. A vallásosság esetében egyaránt bevontuk a vallási hovatartozás, a vallásosság szubjektív mértéke, valamint a vallásgyakorlás aktivitási mutatóit, míg az egészségiállapot-mutatók között szerepelt a depressziós tünetegyüttes gyakorisága, az élettel való elégedettség és a saját egészség megítélése.
Módszer:
Kérdőíves adatfelvételünk során 881 szegedi középiskolást kérdeztünk meg (életkoruk 14–20 év, átlag: 16,6 év, szórás: 1,3 év, a minta 44,6%-a lány). A függő változóként szereplő egészségiállapot-mutatók és a független változóként alkalmazott vallásosságváltozók közötti összefüggéseket a logisztikus regresszió segítségével kiszámolt esélyhányadosok igazolták.
Eredmények:
Adataink azt mutatják, hogy a depressziós tünetek gyakoriságára hat legkevésbé a fiatalok vallásossága, míg az egészségüket jobbnak ítélték, és életükkel is elégedettebbek azok, akik vallásosként határozzák meg magukat, illetve ténylegesen el is járnak vallási közösségekbe. A lányok nagyobb mértékben tartoznak felekezethez, és az élettel való elégedettségükre, valamint az egészségük önértékelésére is jelentősebben kihat vallásosságuk.
Következtetések:
A vallásosság a serdülők körében is meghatározó a fiatalok pszichikai egészségére a depresszió kivételével. További vizsgálatok szükségesek a serdülők egészségi állapotára ható védőfaktorok elemzéséhez.
Synchrony of Marine Fish Catches and Climate and Ocean Regime Shifts in the North Pacific Ocean
Authors: Noakes Donald J. , Beamish Richard J.
Published: October 2009

Catches of 19 marine fish species from the eastern and western portions of the North Pacific Ocean during 1970–2004 were examined to determine whether there was synchrony in their responses to the generally accepted climate regime shifts that occurred during that period. Catches for these species represented approximately 55% of the total fish catch in the North Pacific in the 1990s. Five distinct groups were apparent in the data, and each group exhibited a different response to the climate regime shifts of 1977, 1989, and 1998. Some species appeared to have responded only to the regime shift in 1977, others responded only to the shift in 1989, and a few species responded to both. The trends in the time series of catches for these five groups were not random, and shifts in catch generally coincided with regime shifts as identified by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation and other indices of climate change. Although this study examined the relationship of fisheries to trends in climate, there is an obvious linkage to the population dynamics of a particular species. Understanding how climate affects these linkages may help improve our ability to reliably forecast population and fishery trends in the future.
Dietary Segregation of Pelagic and Littoral Fish Assemblages in a Highly Modified Tidal Freshwater Estuary
Authors: Grimaldo Lenny F. , Stewart A. Robin , Kimmerer Wim
Published: October 2009

Estuarine food webs are highly variable and complex, making identification of their trophic pathways difficult. Energy for the food web of the San Francisco Estuary is thought to be based largely on in situ phytoplankton production, but little attention has been paid to littoral habitats, where other energy sources may be important. We analyzed the stomach contents of over 960 juvenile fishes and the stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios of these fishes and their potential food resources in pelagic and littoral habitats from the tidal freshwater area of the estuary. The mixing model IsoSource was used to examine energy sources important to consumers. Our results show evidence of two predominant food web pathways. Pelagic fishes and some littoral fishes showed strong dependence on a zooplankton–phytoplankton trophic pathway. However, the majority of fishes in littoral habitats had diets and carbon isotope ratios consistent with energy arising from submerged aquatic vegetation and epiphytic macroalgae. IsoSource revealed that the overall majority of nutrition of littoral fishes originated from consumption of grazer amphipods. Examining both stable isotopes and stomach contents allowed us to identify a food web with contributions to resident fishes that had been previously underestimated in the estuary. This study provides insight to how estuarine food webs have changed over the last few decades and highlights why the functions of habitats must be understood for effective restoration planning.
Estimation of Bottom Trawl Catch Efficiency for Two Demersal Fishes, the Atlantic Croaker and White Perch, in Chesapeake Bay
Authors: Hoffman Joel C. , Bonzek Chris F. , Latour Robert J.
Published: October 2009

The use of fisheries-independent trawl survey data to estimate fish abundance in shallow coastal systems can present challenges for producing reliable population estimates. We used hydroacoustic and trawl data to estimate the catch efficiency of a demersal trawl that is presently used in surveys to support stock assessments in Chesapeake Bay, USA. Specifically, we determined the efficiency of catching Atlantic croakers Micropogonias undulatus and white perch Morone americana, two of the most common species captured in the trawl survey. Monotypic hauls (>90% by abundance) from 2003 to 2004 were used to estimate catch efficiency, defined as the ratio of the observed catch to the number of fish encountered by the trawl, which we estimated by deploying a scientific echosounder directly in front of the trawl net. The catch efficiency estimates ranged from 0.18 to 1.26 for Atlantic croakers (n = 29 tows) and from 0.11 to 0.60 for white perch (n = 7 tows). For Atlantic croakers, Spearman's rank correlation between the total and predicted catch was 0.53. A post hoc analysis of the Atlantic croaker efficiency estimates based on general linear modeling suggests that trawl efficiency is a function of fish behavior, gear geometry, and habitat. Efficiency declined with increasing fish density and increasing trawl width; to lesser extent, an increasing proportion of fines in the sea bed and decreasing depth were also associated with declines in efficiency. We conclude that because catch efficiency is variable, the trawl should be integrated with hydroacoustics to obtain improved population data.
A Genetic Assessment of Current Management Strategies for Spotted Seatrout in Texas
Authors: Anderson Joel D. , Karel William J.
Published: October 2009

The spotted seatrout Cynoscion nebulosus is one of the most intensively managed finfishes in the Gulf of Mexico, due primarily to its importance as a sport fish species throughout its range. As a result, genetic divergence and patterns of gene flow have previously been assessed among designated populations of spotted seatrout by using various types of genetic markers in an attempt to provide meaningful data for delineation of management units. However, genetic data can be influenced both by contemporary gene flow and historical demography, and these processes can often result in similar genetic signatures. In this study, a nested clade analysis (NCA) was used to disentangle the effects of historical and contemporary processes on the distribution of mitochondrial DNA sequence haplotypes of spotted seatrout in the western Gulf of Mexico. The NCA was coupled with traditional F-statistics and a Mantel matrix procedure to compare the results of multiple analytical frameworks. Overall, genetic divergence among populations was low but significant and was highest between populations that were far apart geographically. Correlation between genetic divergence and geographic distance was supported by a significant Mantel matrix correlation coefficient, as well as two nested clades, which had distributions that correlated significantly with latitude. All three statistical procedures suggest that the genetic structure of spotted seatrout in the western Gulf of Mexico can best be described by continuous change and isolation by distance rather than representing discrete populations. These results are compared to the results of several previous studies using alternative types of genetic data and analytical procedures and are also used to put current management strategies for spotted seatrout into a genetic context.
Decreases in Shark Catches and Mortality in the Hawaii-Based Longline Fishery as Documented by Fishery Observers
Authors: Walsh William A. , Bigelow Keith A. , Sender Karen L.
Published: October 2009

This article summarizes catch data for sharks collected by fishery observers during two periods (1995–2000 and 2004–2006) in the Hawaii-based pelagic longline fishery, which targets swordfish Xiphias gladius in the shallow-set sector and bigeye tuna Thunnus obesus in the deep-set sector. The blue shark Prionace glauca was the predominant shark species caught throughout the study period (84.5% of all sharks). Five other species (bigeye thresher Alopias superciliosus, oceanic whitetip shark Carcharhinus longimanus, shortfin mako Isurus oxyrinchus, silky shark C. falciformis, and crocodile shark Pseudocarcharias kamoharai) were relatively common (1.0–4.1%). Two major developments affected shark catches in this fishery during the study period. The first was the prohibition in 2000 of shark finning under most circumstances. The second development was that management measures were taken in 2000 and 2001 to protect sea turtles (leatherback sea turtles Dermochelys coriacea and loggerhead sea turtles Caretta caretta) and these measures included a closure of the shallow-set (swordfish-targeting) sector for more than 3 years. The closure caused decreases in shark catches because the shallow-set sector was typically characterized by high catch rates. The shallow-set sector was reopened in 2004. Comparisons of nominal catch per unit effort (number of sharks/1,000 hooks) revealed significant differences in catch rates between the two fishery sectors and the two periods. Blue shark and shortfin mako catch rates were significantly greater in the shallow-set sector than in the deep-set sector of the fishery, whereas the opposite was true for the deeper-dwelling bigeye threshers and crocodile sharks. Catch rates for the blue shark, oceanic whitetip shark, bigeye thresher, and crocodile shark were significantly lower in 2004–2006 than in 1995–2000. For the blue shark in particular, the combination of reduced catch rates, the finning ban, and an apparent capacity to resist the stress of capture on longline gear resulted in low (4%–5.7%) minimum mortality estimates. Therefore, we conclude that the Hawaii-based pelagic longline fishery has made substantial progress in reducing shark mortality.
Identification of Edwardsiella ictaluri and E. tarda by Species-Specific Polymerase Chain Reaction Targeted to the Upstream Region of the Fimbrial Gene
Authors: Sakai Takamitsu , Yuasa Kei , Sano Motohiko , Iida Takaji
Published: October 2009

Phylogenetic analysis of nine strains of Edwardsiella ictaluri and eight strains of E. tarda (six typical motile strains and two atypical nonmotile strains) isolated from diseased fish was performed using the upstream region of the fimbrial gene cluster. Strains of E. ictaluri and E. tarda were significantly clustered into separate groups. Moreover, atypical E. tarda strains were clustered into a different group from the other strains. Three polymerase chain reaction (PCR) primer sets for differential detection of E. ictaluri as well as typical and atypical E. tarda were developed from the respective characteristic sequences. Strains of E. ictaluri, typical E. tarda, and atypical E. tarda were specifically detected by PCR using each primer set. No amplifications were observed after the use of these three primer sets with 25 other bacterial species, including fish pathogens. In addition, the three primer sets were able to detect the DNA of each target species from fish kidney and liver artificially infected with E. ictaluri or E. tarda.
Genetic Characterization of Variation in Captive and Wild Woundfin
Authors: Chen Yongjiu , Conway Carole , Keeler-Foster Connie , Hamman Roger , Meismer Steve
Published: October 2009

The woundfin Plagopterus argentissimus is an endangered species that has been extirpated from most of its historic range in the Colorado River basin, now occurring only in the main-stem Virgin River. In 1987, refugial stocks were established at the Dexter National Fish Hatchery and Technology Center (Dexter) as a hedge against extinction. Offspring from the captive populations have been released in the Virgin River since 1993, by which time wild populations had markedly declined. This study was conducted to determine whether the stocks at Dexter have retained the character of the wild donor stocks as indicated by the distribution of genetic variation within and between stocks. The genetic composition of captive populations may diverge from that of wild donor populations, even over relatively short time periods, owing to founder effect, genetic drift, and selection for traits that are advantageous in captivity. Captive and wild stocks were surveyed, both spatially and temporally, using 10 microsatellite markers developed at Dexter. Microsatellite markers are considered selectively neutral, and this study measured genetic changes due to random evolutionary processes (given our approach, it would be unlikely to identify changes at nonneutral loci due to selection). Overall, the woundfin exhibited high levels of genetic variation for a freshwater species. The samples from the captive and wild woundfin populations had similar levels of heterozygosity, but generally the captive populations had fewer alleles. A comparison of composite samples of captive stocks and recent wild stocks yielded an FST value of 0.004. Although statistically significant, this level of genetic distance is typical of well-mixed or undifferentiated stocks. After 20 years of captive propagation, the stocks at Dexter do not appear to have been impacted by founder effect or genetic drift.