bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Simplifying sample handling for protein identification by peptide mass fingerprint using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry
Authors: Cordeiro Francisco M. , Carreira Ricardo J. , Rial‐Otero Raquel , Rivas M. Gabriela , Moura Isabel , Capelo Jose‐Luis
Published: September 2007

An ultrasonic bath, an ultrasonic probe and a sonoreactor were used to speed up the kinetics of the reactions involved in each step of the sample handling for in‐gel protein identification by peptide mass fingerprint, PMF, using matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF‐MS). The following steps were successfully accelerated using ultrasonic energy: gel washing, protein reduction, and protein alkylation. As a result, a reduction comprising 80% to 90% of the total time involved in the classic approach was achieved. In addition the sample handling was also drastically simplified. The number of peptides identified and the protein sequence coverage obtained for the new procedure were comparable to those obtained with the traditional sample treatment for the following protein standards: glycogen phosphorylase b, BSA, ovalbumin, carbonic anhydrase, trypsin inhibitor and α‐lactalbumin. Finally, as a proof of the procedure, specific proteins were identified from complex protein mixtures obtained from three different sulphate‐reducing bacteria: Desulfovibrio desulfuricans G20, Desulfuvibrio gigas NCIB 9332, and Desulfuvibrio desulfuricans ATCC 27774. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Specific isolation of N‐terminal fragments from proteins and their high‐fidelity de novo sequencing
Authors: Yamaguchi Minoru , Obama Takashi , Kuyama Hiroki , Nakayama Daisuke , Ando Eiji , Okamura Taka‐aki , Ueyama Norikazu , Nakazawa Takashi , Norioka Shigemi , Nishimura Osamu , Tsunasawa Susumu
Published: September 2007

A new method to determine N‐terminal amino acid sequences of multiple proteins at low pmol level by a parallel processing has been developed. The method contains the following five steps: (1) reduction, S‐alkylation and guanidination for targeted proteins; (2) coupling with sulfosucccimidyl‐2‐(biotinamido)ethyl‐1,3‐dithiopropionate(sulfo‐NHS‐SS‐biotin) to Nα‐amino groups of proteins; (3) digestion of the modified proteins by an appropriate protease; (4) specific isolation of N‐terminal fragments of proteins by affinity capture using the biotin‐avidin system; (5) de novo sequence analysis of peptides by MALDI‐TOF‐/MALDI‐TOF‐PSD mass spectrometry with effective utilization of the CAF (chemically assisted fragmentation) method.1 This method is also effective for N‐terminal sequencing of each protein in a mixture of several proteins, and for sequencing components of a multiprotein complex. It is expected to become an essential proteomics tool for identifying proteins, especially when used in combination with a C‐terminal sequencing method.2, 3 Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
The intriguing case of organic impurities contained in synthetic methanol: a mass spectrometry based investigation
Authors: Guella Graziano , Ascenzi Daniela , Franceschi Pietro , Tosi Paolo
Published: September 2007

The role of organic impurities in the methanol‐to‐olefin (MTO) industrial process catalyzed by zeolites is the subject of ongoing debate. We have found that methanol (HPLC and RPE grade) purchased from different chemical companies may contain organic impurities, whose ionization is the dominant process in the positive ion atmospheric pressure chemical ionization (APCI) spectrum of commercial CH3OH. Such impurities produce ions with elemental formulae CnH2n+1O+ (n = 4, 5, 6); likewise, ionization of tetradeuterated methanol (CD3OD) leads to the corresponding fully deuterated series CnD2n+1O+ (n = 4, 5, 6), an outcome which represents a clear evidence of their widespread diffusion. We suggest that their formation might be inherent to the chemical process whereby methanol is synthesized on an industrial scale. Mass spectrometry (MS) experiments, gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) measurements allowed us to establish that commercial methanol contains dimethyl acetals of simple alkyl ketones, such as propanone, butanone and pentanone. Ab initio calculations (DFT/B3LYP) proved useful to understanding the ionization mechanisms of such impurities. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Efficient IP‐multicast via Inmarsat BGAN, a 3GPP satellite network
Authors: Febvre Paul , Bouthors Xavier , Maalouf Simon , Bath David
Published: September 2007

This paper outlines a number of challenges associated with supporting IP‐multicast services efficiently across the Inmarsat Broadband Global Area Network (BGAN) 3GPP‐based satellite network operating over the Imarsat‐4 satellite constellation. The paper presents a network architecture that extends the 3GPP reference architecture to allow IP‐multicast to be delivered when the Core Network is in a 3GPP Release‐4 (non‐MBMS compliant) configuration.

This paper further extends the service and system concepts defined in 3GPP MBMS to provide improved flexibility and accountability, and improved scalability and efficiency when operating with the Inmarsat‐4 BGAN TDM/TDMA air interface.

This paper describes a number of radio resource management techniques that were deployed in a test system and the validation testing that was undertaken to support multimedia distribution and VoIP‐based netted communications applications. The tuning of application and system behaviour to achieve acceptable performance is described in outline. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Antenna diversity for DVB‐S2 mobile services in railway environments
Authors: Cioni S. , Corazza G. E. , Vanelli‐Coralli A.
Published: September 2007

This paper evaluates the applicability of the DVB‐S2 standard in railway environments, where the most peculiar impairment is the periodic deep fading caused by power‐supply arches distributed along the rail tracks. This effect induces a link loss every time the train antenna undergoes a power arch and cannot be counteracted with transmission power. Therefore, we propose and investigate the use of antenna diversity on the train. Simulation and semi‐analytical results show that second‐order diversity suffices to remove the packet error floor observed in the case of a single receiving antenna, thus enabling the application of DVB‐S2 to this harsh environment. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Interworking between MANET and satellite systems for emergency applications
Authors: Luglio Michele , Monti Cristiano , Roseti Cesare , Saitto Antonio , Segal Michael
Published: September 2007

This paper presents the main achievements of a project, focused on the design of an integrated system composed of a satellite segment and a MANET to provide telecommunication services in emergency scenarios, in terms of network design, focusing in particular on the development of the interface between the two systems and showing the results of field trials. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Environmental citizenship: towards sustainable development
Authors: Dobson Andrew
Published: September 2007

It is assumed that changes in the behaviour of individuals, institutions and organizations are a prerequisite for sustainable development. This article broaches the question of how best to bring about such change. A distinction is drawn between changes in behaviour and changes in attitudes, and it is argued that attendance to the latter will lead to more secure and long‐lasting changes in the former. Fiscal incentives, as a means of changing behaviour, are compared and contrasted with the ‘environmental citizenship’ route to attitude change, rooted in considerations of justice and injustice. Finally, the citizenship curriculum at high school level is considered as a way of promoting environmental or ecological citizenship. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Strategic intermediation: between regional strategy and local practice
Authors: Medd Will , Marvin Simon
Published: September 2007

The core aspiration of the WFD is that through a focus on hydrological boundaries the development of integrated river basin management (IRBM) will overcome the previously fragmented directives relevant to water and develop a more holistic approach to sustainable water management. In this paper we focus on the significant role that intermediary organizations, often neglected in conventional analysis, play in water governance processes. We use three case study examples of intermediaries working in the North‐West of England to illustrate the importance of understanding their work in translating sustainable water management from regional strategy to local practice. Critically, the work of intermediaries across different scales of practice involves a complex array of negotiation, (re)representation and translation of what ‘sustainable water management’ becomes in relation to different contexts. Their strength comes in their ability to adapt their relationship to water into different sets of interests and contexts without necessarily integrating these interests. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Sustainable rural economies: some lessons from the English experience
Authors: Lowe Philip , Ward Neil
Published: September 2007

Rural areas in Europe have increasingly become cast as places of nature, and so consideration of sustainable rural development is preoccupied with the management and protection of environmental and natural resources. Yet rural areas are also places of business, commerce and living. This paper examines the character and treatment of rural economies in England over the past decade. It sets out some of the challenges for the socio‐economic development of rural areas, and explains how concerns about sustainable rural economies have come to be eclipsed within central government by those of ‘greening farming’ on the one hand and urban policy on the other. The paper concludes by discussing how the role of rural areas and rural economies might be creatively rethought in the context of regional and sub‐regional territorial development strategies. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Ultrasound examination and behavior scoring of captive broadnose sevengill sharks, Notorynchus cepedianus (Peron, 1807)
Authors: Daly Jonathan , Gunn Ian , Kirby Nick , Jones Robert , Galloway David
Published: September 2007

Serial ultrasound examination of four mature female sevengill sharks (Notorynchus cepedianus) was carried out over 18 months. Monitoring the reproductive cycle and development of follicles and fetuses in sharks in a noninvasive manner using this technique has not been reported previously. Sharks were caught out of the “Oceanarium” tank by divers using a specially made catch‐out bag, and brought to a holding area for examination. A behavior scoring system was used to monitor the impact of regular handling on the well‐being of the animals. Ultrasound showed the growth and regression of follicles in sevengill ovaries, and allowed an approximation of the reproductive stage of these sharks. Monitoring behavior at five time points during the procedure showed that regular handling of sharks for clinical studies could be done with minimal impact on animal welfare. The ability to follow reproductive events in elasmobranches using ultrasonography is an important step in the application of assisted reproductive technology in these species. Assisted reproductive technology, such as monitoring female reproductive cycles and artificial insemination, could potentially be used to maintain genetic diversity and compliment aquaria‐based breeding programs for endangered species such as the gray nurse shark (Carcharias taurus). Zoo Biol 26:383–395, 2007. © 2007 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Requirement for particular seed‐borne fungi for seed germination and seedling growth of Xyris complanata, a pioneer monocot in topsoil‐lost tropical peatland in Central Kalimantan, Indonesia
Authors: Tamura Ryosuke , Hashidoko Yasuyuki , Ogita Noriko , Limin Suwido H. , Tahara Satoshi
Published: September 2007

Hawaii yellow‐eyed grass (Xyris complanata: Xyridaceae) inhabits infertile, acidic peat soil in the rainy tropical zone in Southeast Asia. This monocot plant produces a large number of dormant seeds in order to make a large deposit to seed bank in the soil. Under laboratory conditions, surface‐sterilized X. complanata seeds are rarely able to germinate on sterilized peat moss bed; they require inoculation with either seed epiphytic or soil fungi to facilitate active seed germination. In the present study, three different genera of seed epiphytic fungi were isolated, and two common fungal genera, Fusarium sp. (strain R‐1) and Penicillium sp. (strain Y‐1), were found to promote seed germination of X. complanata. In sterile peat moss beds, the germination‐stimulating fungi also showed growth‐promoting effects on X. complanata seedlings. These results suggest that the seed germination‐promoting fungi likely function as genuine partners for X. complanata in tropical open peat lands.
Urinary diversion in the vesico‐vaginal fistula patient: General considerations regarding feasibility, safety, and follow‐up
Authors: Arrowsmith S.D.
Published: September 2007

Some women with vesico‐vaginal fistulas (VVF) have injuries so severe that they cannot be repaired in a way that would restore continence. The management of these women has been a source of controversy among the providers of VVF care. It would seem logical that urinary diversion surgery could relieve the suffering endured by women with unrelenting urinary incontinence. However, there is little objective evidence on which to base determinations on the safety and practicality of performing urinary diversion in the desperately poor areas where fistulas occur. As in all other areas of VVF care, more data are required before good treatment choices can be made for patients with inoperable VVFs.
Obstetric fistula: Guiding principles for clinical management and programme development, a new WHO guideline
Authors: de Bernis L.
Published: September 2007

It is estimated that more than 2 million women are living with obstetric fistulas (OFs) worldwide, particularly in Africa and Asia, and yet this severe morbidity remains hidden. As a contribution to the global Campaign to End Fistula, the World Health Organization (WHO) published Obstetric fistula: Guiding principles for clinical management and programme development, a manual intended as a practical working document. Its 3 main objectives are to draw attention to the urgency of the OF issue and serve as an advocacy document for prompt action; provide policy makers and health professionals with brief, factual information and principles that will guide them at the national and regional levels as they develop strategies and programs to prevent and treat OFs; and assist health care professionals as they acquire better skills and develop more effective services to care for women treated for fistula repair.
Inductive machine learning of optimal modular structures: Estimating solutions using support vector machines
Authors: Hanna Sean
Published: September 2007

Structural optimization is usually handled by iterative methods requiring repeated samples of a physics-based model, but this process can be computationally demanding. Given a set of previously optimized structures of the same topology, this paper uses inductive learning to replace this optimization process entirely by deriving a function that directly maps any given load to an optimal geometry. A support vector machine is trained to determine the optimal geometry of individual modules of a space frame structure given a specified load condition. Structures produced by learning are compared against those found by a standard gradient descent optimization, both as individual modules and then as a composite structure. The primary motivation for this is speed, and results show the process is highly efficient for cases in which similar optimizations must be performed repeatedly. The function learned by the algorithm can approximate the result of optimization very closely after sufficient training, and has also been found effective at generalizing the underlying optima to produce structures that perform better than those found by standard iterative methods.
Versus and troubadours around 1100: A comparative study of refrain technique in the ‘New Song’
Authors: SWITTEN MARGARET
Published: September 2007

Relationships between Aquitanian versus and troubadour song have often been adduced, particularly with respect to formal structures or terminology (the term vers used by some troubadours could come from versus). This study adopts a different approach, emphasizing comparative examination of musico-poetic techniques on which much work remains to be done. It uses the refrain – not hitherto a subject of substantive comparative study of these repertories – as a focus of analysis in selected versus and early troubadour pieces. It demonstrates both the rich inventiveness of refrain techniques and how these techniques, deployed in different linguistic environments and in different cultural contexts, shed light on the specificities as well as similarities of each repertory and nourish the individual expressiveness characteristic of the early twelfth-century ‘New Song’.
Welfare State without Dependency: The Case of the UK Chinese People
Authors: Chan Chak Kwan , Cole Bankole , Bowpitt Graham
Published: September 2007

The present study was based on data from 100 face-to-face interviews, supplemented by findings from 316 respondents in a national postal survey, and shows that UK Chinese respondents were family-orientated and self-reliant, having low expectations of public welfare. These features challenge the myth of welfare dependency of ethnic minorities. Also, compared with Chinese welfare practices based on strong moral values and duties towards other people, New Labour's welfare culture lacks a solid social and ethical base for nurturing the concepts of duty and self-reliance.
Qualitative Longitudinal Research for Social Policy – Introduction to Themed Section
Authors: Corden Anne , Millar Jane
Published: September 2007

Understanding the nature and process of change over time is an important part of social research. Large-scale longitudinal studies, such as the various birth cohorts and the British Household Panel Survey, have transformed the way in which we understand the relationships between individual lifecourse, family formation and dissolution, economic and social change, and social policy. Qualitative methods for longitudinal research are not yet as well established in social policy research as quantitative methods, but they are attracting increasing interest. The papers in this themed section were first presented at a Social Policy Association sponsored workshop held in London in November 2005. The main aim of the workshop was to explore the challenges of using such data for policy-related research, focusing in particular on data analysis and interpretation.
The Dynamics of Poverty and Employment: The Contribution of Qualitative Longitudinal Research to Understanding Transitions, Adaptations and Trajectories
Authors: Millar Jane
Published: September 2007

In recent years there have been significant advances in our understanding of the dynamics of poverty, social exclusion and labour market transitions through the analysis of large-scale panel studies. This article examines the particular contribution that longitudinal qualitative research might additionally make in these areas, illustrated by evidence from an ongoing longitudinal qualitative study of lone mothers and their children, following the families as they leave income support for employment.
Analysing Qualitative Longitudinal Research in Evaluations
Authors: Lewis Jane
Published: September 2007

This article describes the processes and objectives of qualitative longitudinal analysis in evaluation research, using a recent evaluation study – the evaluation of the Job Retention and Rehabilitation Pilot – as an example. It describes evaluation research as involving an interplay between four domains of change: individual, service, policy and structural, which makes longitudinal qualitative research a particularly rich data source. It outlines different types of change that may be evident: narrative change, reinterpretation by either participant or researcher, and the absence of change. The article describes how the Framework analysis method was used to analyse longitudinal qualitative research. It examines how the data can be read in different ways to combine cross-sectional and longitudinal analysis, and theme, case and group analysis, and discusses the kind of questions that can be asked of change in longitudinal qualitative evaluation studies.
Qualitative Longitudinal Analysis for Policy: Incapacity Benefits Recipients Taking Part in Pathways to Work
Authors: Corden Anne , Nice Katharine
Published: September 2007

This article draws on the authors' experience in conducting a recent qualitative longitudinal study in the evaluation of the Pathways to Work Pilot for incapacity benefits recipients. Findings from the qualitative longitudinal research highlighted issues that might not otherwise have been apparent. This approach to policy-related research provides new perspectives and opportunities for substantive findings. It also presents a number of challenges. Issues arise about how to engage with policy makers when exploring changes over time. Policy makers are often keen to have ‘emerging findings’ from panel data, but an initial cross-sectional analysis to meet such requirements contains views and experiences of people who subsequently drop out of the panel. The full longitudinal perspective then comes from a smaller group, and there may be some surprises in comparison with the ‘emerging findings’. At the same time, the focus of policy interests may shift during the lifetime of the panel, especially during a pilot or trial in a rapidly developing policy area. Researchers may be asked to introduce new topics or abandon some lines of enquiry, and may face ethical issues in deciding how to make best use of the data.
Zwölf Stunden Laufen führt zu einem nachweisbaren Abbau des subkutanen Fettgewebes
Authors: Knechtle  , Zimmermann  , Wirth  , Knechtle  , Kohler
Published: September 2007

Ein Läufer hat bei einem 12-Stunden-Lauf 80 km zurückgelegt. Vor und unmittelbar nach dem Lauf wurden die Fett- und Muskelmasse nicht invasiv sowohl mit der bioelektrischen Impedanzanalyse als auch mit der klassischen Hautfaltenmethode bestimmt. Zusätzlich wurden Blut- und Urinproben zur Beurteilung des Flüssigkeitshaushaltes genommen. Der Läufer hat während des Laufes – bestimmt mit der bioelektrischen Impedanzanalyse – 1.5 kg Körpermasse, 4.2 kg fettfreie Körpermasse und 1.0 kg Muskelmasse zugenommen, während die Fettmasse um 4.4 kg abnahm. Da das Körperwasser um 4.9 l zunahm, die Bestimmung von Hämatokrit und Hämoglobin eine Hämodilution und das spezifische Gewicht des Urins keine Dehydratation ergaben, schliessen wir auf einen substantiellen Abbau an subkutanem Fett zur Energiegewinnung und eine Einlagerung von Wasser in den Zwischenzellraum. Der Unterschied zwischen der Bestimmung der Fettmasse mit der Hautfaltenmethode und der bioelektrischen Impedanz wird diskutiert.
Orthostatische Hypotonie und Hypertonie im Liegen: Ein klinisches Dilemma
Authors: Walke  , Zeller  , Battegay  , Zimmerli
Published: September 2007

Es wird ein 56-jähriger Patient mit Multisystematrophie vom Parkinson-Typ mit schwerer symptomatischer orthostatischer Hypotonie und arterieller Hypertonie im Liegen vorgestellt. Diskutiert werden im Folgenden die Ätiologie und Pathophysiologie des Krankheitsbildes einer orthostatischen Hypotonie mit gleichzeitiger Hypertonie im Liegen sowie die Indikationsstellung einer antihypertensiven Therapie und mögliche Therapieoptionen.
Contributions of natural and anthropogenic forcings to the summer cooling over eastern China: An AGCM study
Authors: Li Lijuan , Wang Bin , Zhou Tianjun
Published: September 2007

We estimate the contributions of natural and anthropogenic forcings to the observed summer cooling over the Eastern China through a set of controlled experiments of an atmospheric general circulation model. The control run is forced by historical natural and anthropogenic agents, as well as by the Hadley Center global sea surface temperature. The model suggests a weak influence by the solar radiation change on this cooling, but a significant contribution by the sulfate aerosol to this cooling, through both dynamic and thermal processes. The inclusion of the sulfate aerosol induces a positive gradient of air temperature in the middle‐upper troposphere, which results in a northward shift in the 200 hPa East Asian westerly jet stream and an increase of the East Asian summer monsoon, leading to more cloud cover and precipitation in the Eastern China therefore surface cooling over the region.
Weakening of the Walker Circulation and apparent dominance of El Niño both reach record levels, but has ENSO really changed?
Authors: Power Scott B. , Smith Ian N.
Published: September 2007

Changes in El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Walker Circulation can be routinely monitored using the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). Here we show that the lowest 30‐year average value of the June–December SOI just occurred (i.e. in 1977–2006), and that this coincided with the highest recorded value in mean sea‐level pressure at Darwin, the weakest equatorial surface wind‐stresses and the highest tropical sea‐surface temperatures on record. We also document what appears to be a concurrent period of unprecedented El Niño dominance. However, our results, together with results from climate models forced with increasing greenhouse gas levels, suggest that the recent apparent dominance might instead reflect a shift to a lower mean SOI value. It seems that global warming now needs to be taken into account in both the formulation of ENSO indices and in the evaluation and exploitation of statistical links between ENSO and climate variability over the globe. This could very well lead to the development of more accurate seasonal‐to‐interannual climate forecasts.
A numerical approach to calculating soil wetness and evapotranspiration over large grid areas
Authors: Sellers P. J. , Fennessy M. J. , Dickinson R. E.
Published: September 2007

Soil wetness is typically highly variable in space over the length scales of general circulation model grid areas (∼100 km), and the stress functions relating the surface evapotranspiration rate to local‐scale (∼1–100 m) soil wetness are very nonlinear. These two factors give rise to significant inaccuracies whenever a single grid area average soil wetness value is inserted into a stress function to calculate the evapotranspiration rate for a large grid area. A numerical method is presented to mitigate this problem. The distribution of soil wetness within a grid area is represented by binning, and a numerical integration of the stress function over this binned distribution provides a spatially integrated wetness stress term for the whole grid area, which permits calculation of grid area fluxes in a single operation. The method is very accurate when 10 or more bins are used. It can deal realistically with spatially variable precipitation, conserves moisture exactly, strongly reduces any oscillations, and allows for precise modification of the soil wetness distribution after every time step.
DJ-1 Protects against Neurodegeneration Caused by Focal Cerebral Ischemia and Reperfusion in Rats
Authors: Yanagisawa Daijiro , Kitamura Yoshihisa , Inden Masatoshi , Takata Kazuyuki , Taniguchi Takashi , Morikawa Shigehiro , Morita Masahito , Inubushi Toshiro , Tooyama Ikuo , Taira Takahiro , Iguchi-Ariga Sanae MM , Akaike Akinori , Ariga Hiroyoshi
Published: September 2007

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) is massively produced in the brain after cerebral ischemia and reperfusion. It reacts strongly with cellular components, which has detrimental effects and leads to neuronal cell death. DJ-1, which was found to be the causative gene of familial Parkinson's disease PARK7, is a multifunction protein, which plays a key role in transcriptional regulation, and a molecular chaperone. In this study, we investigated the neuroprotective effect of DJ-1 against neurodegeneration caused by ischemia/reperfusion injury. Cerebral ischemia was induced in rats by 120 mins of middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) using an intraluminal introduction method. The intrastriatal injection of recombinant glutathione S-transferase-tagged human DJ-1 (GST-DJ-1) markedly reduced infarct size in 2,3,5-triphenyltetrazolium chloride staining at 3 days after MCAO. In addition, we performed a noninvasive evaluation of ischemic size using magnetic resonance imaging and found a significant reduction of infarct size with the administration of GST-DJ-1. In GST-DJ-1-treated rats, behavioral dysfunction and nitrotyrosine formation were significantly inhibited. Furthermore, GST-DJ-1 markedly inhibited H2O2-mediated ROS production in SH-SY5Y cells. These results indicate that GST-DJ-1 exerts a neuroprotective effect by reducing ROS-mediated neuronal injury, suggesting that DJ-1 may be a useful therapeutic target for ischemic neurodegeneration.
Image-Guided Microneurosurgical Management of Small Arteriovenous Malformation: Role of Neuronavigation and Intraoperative Doppler Sonography
Authors: Akdemir H. , Öktem S. , Menkü A. , Tucer B. , Tuğcu B. , Günaldi O.
Published: September 2007

Introduction: The goal of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and reliability of neuronavigation and intraoperative microvascular Doppler sonography (MDS) for identifying afferent (feeding) and efferent (draining) vessels as well as for controlling the totality of the surgical resection of arteriovenous malformations (AVMs).

Methods: Between June 2000 and November 2005, twenty-five patients with small arteriovenous malformations (grades I-III) underwent microsurgical removal at our institution. A passive-marker-based neuronavigation system (Brain Lab, Munich, Germany), and an intraoperative MDS (Multi Dop X system, DWL, Germany) were used in this surgery. Blood flow velocities (BFV) in afferent and efferent vessels were recorded before and after removal of AVM. The preoperative neurological status and postoperative outcome were recorded. Patient follow-up monitoring ranged from 4 months to 3 years (mean: 16 months).

Results: The calculated registration accuracy of the neuronavigation computer ranged between 0.2-1.7 mm (mean: 1.1 mm). Before AVM removal the mean BFV of afferent vessels was 56.5±13.4 (28-98 cm/s) and the PI varied by 0.40±0.11 (0.25-0.66), after AVM removal these values reduced to 4.8±0.8 cm/s and 0.26±0.05, respectively. Similarly, before AVM removal, the mean BFV of efferent vessels was 13.5±4.5 (4-20 cm/s) and PI was 0.4±0.2 (0.34-0.56), after AVM removal both BFV and PI were not recorded. Complete removal of the AVMs was accomplished in 24 (96%) out of 25 patients which was confirmed with postoperative digital subtraction angiography (DSA). While there was no mortality, three patients (12%) had a worsening in their neurological status after surgery.

Conclusion: Image-guided microneurosurgery with intraoperative MDS is a safe, effective, and reliable method for identifying the afferent and efferent vessels and for confirming the complete resection of AVMs. These benefits of image-guided microsurgery were most apparent for small, deep-seated AVMs that were not visible on the surface of the brain. In addition these techniques reduce the operative time and blood loss during AVM resection.
Genotype and age effects on sheep meat production. 3. Meat quality
Authors: Hopkins D. L. , Stanley D. F. , Martin L. C. , Toohey E. S. , Gilmour A. R.
Published: September 2007

A 5 × 4 factorial experiment was designed in which lambs representing five genotypes were slaughtered at four ages (110, 236, 412 and 662 days of age or 4, 8, 14 and 22 months of age). The genotypes represented were Poll Dorsetgrowth × Border Leicester Merino (PDg × BLM), Poll Dorsetgrowth × Merino (PDg × M), Poll Dorsetmuscling × Merino (PDm × M), Merino × Merino (M × M) and Border Leicester × Merino (BL × M). In total, 595 animals were slaughtered and carcass traits, composition and meat quality measured. As the animals grew older, intramuscular fat percentage (IMF) increased in the longissimus (LL) muscle and as the proportion of Border Leicester parentage increased so did the levels of IMF. There was a significant sire breed effect on LL pH at 24 hours after slaughter (pH24), with Merino-sired animals having a higher pH24 than both Poll Dorset and BL-sired animals. A significant dam breed effect was found for pH24 of the semitendinosus (ST) muscle, with lambs born to Merino ewes having a higher pH than those born to BLM ewes. A significant effect of sire estimated breeding value (EBV) for yearling muscling (YEMD) on LL pH was detected indicating an increase in pH as the sire EBV for muscling increased. There was a significant Merino effect for ultimate pH of the ST, with Merino-sired animals having a higher ultimate pH than both Poll Dorset and Border Leicester-sired animals. Sucker lambs had a significantly lower ST pH than older animals. As animal age at slaughter increased, the LL became darker based on L* values. There was a significant increase in a* values as animals became older, with 14 and 22-month-old animals having redder muscle. As LL pH and YEMD EBV increased, a* values decreased. There was a significant interaction between animal age and post mortem aging time such that sucker lambs (4 months old) produced LL with the lowest shear force after 5 days of aging and exhibited the greatest decline in shear force with aging. There was a significant increase in semimembranosus muscle shear force for PDm-sired animals (mean ± s.e., 66.5 ± 1.99 Newtons) compared with other genotypes at 61.4 ± 1.28 Newtons, but this could not be attributed to YEMD.
Sire and growth path effects on sheep meat production. 1. Growth and carcass characteristics
Authors: Hopkins D. L. , Stanley D. F. , Martin L. C. , Ponnampalam E. N. , van de Ven R.
Published: September 2007

The growth and carcass characteristics of 627 crossbred lamb progeny from 20 Poll Dorset sires was studied. The sires were selected on the basis of Australian sheep breeding values (ASBVs) for postweaning growth (PWWT), depth of loin muscle (PEMD) and depth of subcutaneous fat (PFAT). Lambs were weaned either at 20- or 30-kg liveweight and then within each of these groups were maintained at their weaning weight for 55 days or fully fed, giving four treatment groups. Restricted lambs were realimented subsequent to the period of feed restriction and all lambs within each treatment group were slaughtered when their mean liveweight reached 45 kg. After adjusting for the weaning group and weaning age, liveweight at weaning depended on birthweight, rearing type and sex. For the late-weaning group, it also depended on whether the lamb was born as a single or a multiple and on sire ASBVs for PWWT and PEMD. This was such that liveweight increased by 0.14 ± 0.05 kg for each unit increase in sire ASBV for PWWT and decreased by 0.55 ± 0.20 kg for a unit increase in sire ASBV for PEMD. During the period of feed restriction, sire ASBV for PWWT had an effect on the growth rate of lambs in all treatments with a coefficient of 1.67 ± 0.52. Lamb growth rate during the realimentation phase increased with increasing ASBVs for PWWT at a rate estimated as 2.21 ± 0.49 g/day for each unit increase in PWWT. Early-weaned (20 kg), restricted lambs grew on average 26.0 ± 3.4 g/day faster during the refeeding period than the early-weaned, fully fed lambs, and for late-weaned lambs (30 kg) the difference was 35.5 ± 5.4 g/day. Lambs subjected to a restricted intake of pasture produced carcasses 0.79 ± 0.32 mm fatter on average than those fully fed as measured at the GR site (110 mm from the midline over the 12th rib). As the sire PFAT ASBV increased, the carcasses of the progeny were fatter at the GR site, fat C site (over the longissimus muscle at the 12th rib), the rump site (30-mm distal to the lumbar–sacral junction over the gluteus medius muscle) and in terms of carcass fat percentage. As the sire PEMD ASBV increased, progeny carcasses had larger loin muscle cross sectional areas, and as the sire PFAT ASBV increased, there was a decrease in loin cross sectional area. There was no impact of treatment group on lean percentage. As the sire PFAT ASBV increased, the carcasses contained less lean and as PEMD ASBV increased, the carcasses contained more lean equating to a potential 2% increase given the range of ASBVs in the experiment, which represents ~0.4 kg lean on average.
Sire and growth path effects on sheep meat production. 2. Meat and eating quality
Authors: Hopkins D. L. , Stanley D. F. , Toohey E. S. , Gardner G. E. , Pethick D. W. , van de Ven R.
Published: September 2007

The meat and eating quality characteristics of 627 crossbred lamb progeny from 20 Poll Dorset sires were studied. The sires were selected on the basis of Australian sheep breeding values (ASBVs) for postweaning growth (PWWT), depth of loin muscle (PEMD) and subcutaneous fat (PFAT). Lambs were either weaned at 20- or 30-kg liveweight and then within each of these groups held at their weaning weight for 55 days or fully fed, giving four treatment groups. Restricted lambs were realimentated subsequent to the period of feed restriction and the lambs within each treatment group were slaughtered when their mean liveweight reached 45 kg.Shear force of the M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LL) decreased with temperature at pH 6.0, increased with LL ultimate pH and decreased as sarcomere length increased. Within LL aged for 5 days there was no difference between (P > 0.05) between treatments for shear force. There was a treatment effect on M. semimembranosus (SM) shear force, such that for a sire having an average ASBV PWWT of 9.34, topsides from lambs early weaned and restricted had significantly (P < 0.05) lower values. Further within these same lambs, i.e. early weaned and restricted, as the sire ASBV PWWT increased there was a significant (P < 0.001) reduction in shear force. There was a significant (P < 0.05) increase in sensory tenderness as the sire ASBV PFAT increased and across the range of ASBV PFAT this represented a change in sensory tenderness of four points. Overall liking increased with an increase in the temperature at pH 6.0 (P < 0.05) with a coefficient of 0.43 ± 0.19. There was a significant (P < 0.05) interaction between feeding level and the sire ASBV PFAT, such that for restricted fed lambs overall liking increased as the ASBV PFAT increased (coefficient 2.80 ± 0.89) after adjusting for temperature at pH 6.0, but this is not the case for fully feed lambs (coefficient –0.01 ± 0.89). Subtle interactions between sire ASBVs and growth path suggest that the impact of a period of restriction and refeeding on meat and eating quality will be meditated by the sire genetics.
Accuracy of dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, weight, longissimus lumborum muscle depth and GR fat depth to predict half carcass composition in sheep
Authors: Dunshea F. R. , Suster D. , Eason P. J. , Warner R. D. , Hopkins D. L. , Ponnampalam E. N.
Published: September 2007

A Hologic QDR4500W dual energy X-ray absorptiometer (DXA) was used to measure body composition in 60 sheep half carcasses ranging from 8 to 28 kg. Half carcasses were from ewes and wethers of mixed genetics. Values determined by DXA, including total tissue mass (TTM), lean tissue mass (LTM), fat tissue mass (FTM) and bone mineral content (BMC), for the half carcass were evaluated by comparison with chemically determined composition. In the case of BMC, the relationship was with chemically determined ash content. Liveweight and chemically determined lean, fat and ash were strongly related to DXA-derived values for TTM, LTM, FTM and BMC, respectively (R2 = 0.999, 0.986, 0.989 and 0.920, respectively). However, because DXA estimates were different from chemically determined values in this sample of carcasses, they needed to be adjusted with the use of appropriate regression equations to correct the in-built algorithms. These data demonstrate the efficacy of DXA as a non-destructive method for determining the composition of the sheep half carcass.
Genotype and age at slaughter influence the retail shelf-life of the loin and knuckle from sheep carcasses
Authors: Warner R. D. , Ponnampalam E. N. , Kearney G. A. , Hopkins D. L. , Jacob R. H.
Published: September 2007

This study was conducted to determine the effect of genotype and age at slaughter (8, 14 and 22 months) on the retail display life of lamb chops [boneless loin (M. longissimus thoracis) and boneless leg steaks from the knuckle (M. rectus femoris)]. The genotypes represented were Poll Dorset × Border Leicester Merino, Poll Dorset × Merino, Merino × Merino (M × M) and Border Leicester × Merino. The colour and retail shelf-life of lamb cuts were assessed objectively, using a HunterLab Miniscan, at 24 h postslaughter and at 0, 2 (midpoint of commercial retail display life) and 4 (endpoint of commercial retail display life) days for overwrapped product in a simulated retail display. M × M had a higher ultimate pH (pHu) in the knuckle, but not the loin, at 8, 14 and 22 months of age relative to the other three genotypes. Generally, at 1 day postslaughter and over the 4 days of retail display, the loin from the M × M genotype was lighter, less red and more brown with a lower oxymyoglobin : metmyoglobin (oxy : met) ratio, a faster time to discolouration and a higher percentage change in the oxy : met ratio during retail display. Conversely for the knuckle, the M × M genotype was generally less brown (more red) and less yellow with a higher oxy : met ratio, a slower time to discolouration and a lower percentage change in the oxy : met ratio. There were few differences between the other genotypes in surface meat colour either at 1 day postslaughter or during retail display for either muscle. At 14 and 22 months of age, the loin was darker, redder and yellower with a higher oxy : met ratio relative to the previous age than meat from the 8- and 14-month-old sheep, respectively. In conclusion, the loin from Merinos was most susceptible to discolouration in retail display and thus would be least acceptable to the consumer. In spite of the higher pHu in the knuckle of the Merino genotype, the meat was less susceptible to discolouration during retail display compared with the other genotypes.
Opportunities and challenges in meat production from sheep
Authors: Purchas R. W.
Published: September 2007

In response to a request for a viewpoint paper to be included in this Special Issue of the Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture, this paper considers several aspects of meat production from sheep, some of which received particular attention in the two large-scale experiments described in papers in this Issue. Large experiments such as these, when combined with the involvement of diverse groups of scientists with complementary areas of interest and expertise, have enabled many aspects of the overall topic of sheep meat production to be investigated simultaneously. As a result, interrelationships between numerous characteristics of lambs and hoggets have been evaluated within a range of genotypes both within and between breeds and at several ages. This paper focuses on the nature of some relationships between growth characteristics and meat quality, the advantages and possible disadvantages of having large numbers of animals in an experiment and the apparently anomalous nature of information available on the effects of animal age on the tenderness of meat from lambs and sheep.
The influence of genetics, animal age and nutrition on lamb production - an integrated research program
Authors: Pethick D. W. , Warner R. D. , Banks R. G.
Published: September 2007

This paper provides an introduction to this Special Issue of the Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture. The special issue is dedicated to an integrated research program that was intended to increase the understanding of the effects of breed and genetic selection for live animal traits (growth, muscle and fatness) on carcass and meat attributes. Combined with this are the effects of animal age and nutritional restriction at critical weaning points. The reasons for, and general approach, of the research are outlined.
A revision of the wasp genus Paniscomima (Hymenoptera:Rhopalosomatidae) and a proposal of phylogenetic relationships among species
Authors: Guidotti Antonia Elena
Published: September 2007

Species of the wasp family Rhopalosomatidae are parasitoids of crickets. The last revision of this family was completed 30 years ago. Since then, with many more specimens collected by Malaise traps, an update of existing descriptions and keys has been made possible. New generic characters have been added to the description for Paniscomima Enderlein. Four new species of Paniscomima are described: P. angelae, sp. nov., P. darlingi, sp. nov., P. lottacontinua, sp. nov., and P. paropposita, sp. nov. The first descriptions of male P. seyrigi (Berland) and female P. opposita Townes and a key to the species of Paniscomima are provided. A cladistic analysis was performed to determine the relationships among the 11 nominal species of Paniscomima. Sixteen morphological characters were used in the analysis and exemplars from the genus Rhopalosoma were used as outgroup taxa. The phylogenetic analysis supports a South-east Asian clade with a sister species from Madagascar and a basal polytomy of species occurring in Africa (including Madagascar).
Systematics of the Gondwanan pseudoscorpion family Hyidae (Pseudoscorpiones:Neobisioidea): new data and a revised phylogenetic hypothesis
Authors: Harvey Mark S. , Volschenk Erich S.
Published: September 2007

The neobisioid pseudoscorpion family Hyidae has a distribution spanning the margins of the Indian Ocean and its phylogenetic position has been suggested to lie midway between a clade containing the Bochidae and Ideoroncidae, and a clade containing the remaining neobisioid families, Gymnobisiidae, Neobisiidae, Parahyidae and Syarinidae. Their central position within the Neobisioidea, and their biogeographic patterns, have prompted the present study, which is designed to test the monophyly of the family, deduce the phylogeny of all known hyids and to describe several newly discovered species. The phylogenetic analysis of the 14 species of the pseudoscorpion family Hyidae along with 20 other species of Neobisioidea demonstrates the monophyly of the family and its distinctness from all other neobisioid families. Two genera, Hya Chamberlin and Indohya Beier, are recognised, even though the phylogenetic analysis did not consistently recover the monophyly of Indohya. The effect of outgroup selection was tested on the Hyidae and revealed markedly different tree topologies. Hyella Harvey, with the type species H. humphreysi Harvey, is newly synonymised with Indohya owing to similarities between the previously described species and some new troglobitic species. The Indohyinae Harvey is synonymised with Hyidae. Two new epigean species and three new troglobitic species of Indohya are described: I. damocles, sp. nov., I. gollum, sp. nov., I. haroldi, sp. nov. and I. napierensis, sp. nov. from northern Western Australia, and I. jacquelinae, sp. nov. from Madagascar. All species of Indohya are short-range endemics, having very small distributional ranges. New data are presented for Indohya humphreysi (Harvey), including the first description of the male. The first protonymphs of the family Hyidae are described, including those of Hya minuta (Tullgren) and Indohya gollum, sp. nov.