bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Nitrate leaching from three afforestation chronosequences on former arable land in Denmark
Authors: HANSEN KARIN , ROSENQVIST LARS , VESTERDAL LARS , GUNDERSEN PER
Published: June 2007

In regions dominated by agricultural activities, nitrogen (N) is recognized as a major pollutant in aquatic environments. In north‐western Europe, afforestation of agricultural land is part of a strategy to improve water quality. In Denmark, former arable land has been afforested during the past 40–50 years. This study evaluated the effect of afforestation of former arable land on nitrate leaching, based on three afforestation chronosequences. Precipitation, canopy throughfall and soil water were collected and soil moisture was monitored at two Danish locations, Vestskoven (nutrient‐rich, medium deposition) and Gejlvang (nutrient‐poor, high deposition). Afforestation was performed using Norway spruce [Picea abies (Karst.) L.] and common oak (Quercus robur L.) at Vestskoven and Norway spruce at Gejlvang. The results suggest that afforestation of former arable land initially leads to lower nitrate leaching than that occurring under the former agricultural land use, and largely below the standard of 50 mg NO−3 L−1 for groundwater to be utilized as drinking water. Nitrate concentrations became almost negligible in forest stands of 5–20 years of age. However, after canopy closure (>20 years) nitrate concentrations below the root zone and nitrate leaching tended to increase. This was attributed to increased N deposition with increasing canopy development and decreased N demand once the most N‐rich biomass compartments had been built up. Nitrate leaching started to increase at a throughfall deposition level of about 10 kg N ha−1 yr−1. Compared with nutrient‐poor sandy soils, nutrient‐rich clayey soils appeared more vulnerable to disturbance of the N cycle and to increased N deposition, leading to N saturation and enhanced nitrate leaching. In approximately the first 35 years after afforestation, nitrate leaching below the root zone was generally higher below oak than below Norway spruce.
Trends and temperature response in the phenology of crops in Germany
Authors: ESTRELLA NICOLE , SPARKS TIM H. , MENZEL ANNETTE
Published: June 2007

The phenology of 78 agricultural and horticultural events from a national survey in Germany spanning the years 1951–2004 is examined. The majority of events are significantly earlier now than 53 years ago, with a mean advance of 1.1–1.3 days per decade. The mean trends for ‘true phases’, such as emergence and flowering, of annual and perennial crops are not significantly different, although more trends (78% vs. 46%) are significant for annual crops. We attempt to remove the influence of technological advance or altered farming practices on phenology by detrending the respective time series by linear regression of date (day number) on year. Subsequently, we estimate responses to mean monthly and seasonal temperature by correlation and regression in two ways; with and without removing the year trend first. Nearly all (97%) correlation coefficients are negative, suggesting earlier events in warmer years. Between 82% and 94% of the coefficients with seasonal spring and summer temperatures are significant. The conservative estimate (detrended) of mean temperature response against mean March–May temperature (−3.73 days °C−1) is significantly less than the full estimate (−4.31 days °C−1), the ‘true’ size of phenological temperature response may lie in between. Perennial crops exhibited a significantly higher temperature response to mean spring temperature than the annual crops.
Fall incidence and fall prevention practices at acute care hospitals in Singapore: a retrospective audit
Authors: Koh Serena Siew Lin , Manias Elizabeth , Hutchinson Alison M. , Johnston Linda
Published: June 2007

Objective  To investigate the incidence of falls and explore fall prevention practices at acute care hospitals in Singapore.

Design  A retrospective audit to collect baseline data on (1) incidence of falls (patient fall rates and fall injury rates) and (2) fall prevention practices, was conducted in five acute care hospitals in Singapore from December 2004 to March 2005.

Study participants  Medical record data (n = 6000) of patients admitted into the medical, surgical and geriatric units in the five hospitals.

Outcome measures  Fall incidence was obtained from the hospital’s fall databases and incident reports for the period of June 2003 to May 2004. In total, 6000 medical records from five hospitals were randomly selected, retrieved and reviewed to determine whether falls, fall assessments and interventions were being initiated and documented.

Results  The number of fallers for all hospitals was 825. Analysis showed that patient fall rates ranged from 0.68 to 1.44 per 1000 patient days, and the proportion of falls associated with injury ranged from 27.4% to 71.7%. The use of a fall risk assessment tool by nurses was recorded in 77% of all the nursing records.

Conclusion  This study has laid the foundation for further research for fall prevention in Singapore by describing current fall rates, fall‐associated injury rates and the status of fall prevention practices in acute care settings. The results will be used to inform the development of a tailored multifaceted strategy to facilitate the implementation of Fall Prevention Clinical Practice Guidelines to reduce the burden of falls and fall injuries in hospitals in Singapore.
Evaluating waiting time effect on health outcomes at admission: a prospective randomized study on patients with osteoarthritis of the knee joint
Authors: Hirvonen Johanna , Blom Marja , Tuominen Ulla , Seitsalo Seppo , Lehto Matti , Paavolainen Pekka , Hietaniemi Kalevi , Rissanen Pekka , Sintonen Harri
Published: June 2007

Aims  To evaluate the effect of waiting on health‐related quality of life (HRQoL), pain and physical function in patients awaiting primary total knee replacement (TKR) due to osteoarthritis.

Methods  Some 438 patients awaiting TKR were randomized to a short waiting time (WT) group (≤3 months) or a non‐fixed WT group. In the final assessment, 310 patients (213 women) with a mean age of 68 years were included. HRQoL was measured on being placed on the waiting list and again at hospital admission using the generic 15D. Patients’ self‐report pain and physical function were evaluated using a scale modified from the Knee Society Clinical Rating System.

Results  The median WTs for patients with short and non‐fixed WT were 73 days (range 8–600 days) and 266 days (range 28–818 days), respectively. At admission, as assessed by the intention‐to‐treat analysis, there were no statistically significant differences between the groups in the 15D total score and disease‐specific pain and function.

Conclusions  Our study showed that longer WT did not result in worse pre‐operative HRQoL.
Responses of cetaceans to anthropogenic noise
Authors: NOWACEK DOUGLAS P. , THORNE LESLEY H. , JOHNSTON DAVID W. , TYACK PETER L.
Published: June 2007

Since the last thorough review of the effects of anthropogenic noise on cetaceans in 1995, a substantial number of research reports has been published and our ability to document response(s), or the lack thereof, has improved. While rigorous measurement of responses remains important, there is an increased need to interpret observed actions in the context of population‐level consequences and acceptable exposure levels. There has been little change in the sources of noise, with the notable addition of noise from wind farms and novel acoustic deterrent and harassment devices (ADDs/AHDs). Overall, the noise sources of primary concern are ships, seismic exploration, sonars of all types and some AHDs.

Responses to noise fall into three main categories: behavioural, acoustic and physiological. We reviewed reports of the first two exhaustively, reviewing all peer‐reviewed literature since 1995 with exceptions only for emerging subjects. Furthermore, we fully review only those studies for which received sound characteristics (amplitude and frequency) are reported, because interpreting what elicits responses or lack of responses is impossible without this exposure information. Behavioural responses include changes in surfacing, diving and heading patterns. Acoustic responses include changes in type or timing of vocalizations relative to the noise source. For physiological responses we address the issues of auditory threshold shifts and ‘stress’, albeit in a more limited capacity; a thorough review of physiological consequences is beyond the scope of this paper.

Overall, we found significant progress in the documentation of responses of cetaceans to various noise sources. However, we are concerned about the lack of investigation into the potential effects of prevalent noise sources such as commercial sonars, depth finders and fisheries acoustics gear. Furthermore, we were surprised at the number of experiments that failed to report any information about the sound exposure experienced by their experimental subjects. Conducting experiments with cetaceans is challenging and opportunities are limited, so use of the latter should be maximized and include rigorous measurements and or modelling of exposure.
Small cysteine‐rich peptides resembling antimicrobial peptides have been under‐predicted in plants
Authors: Silverstein Kevin A.T. , Moskal William A. , Wu Hank C. , Underwood Beverly A. , Graham Michelle A. , Town Christopher D. , VandenBosch Kathryn A.
Published: June 2007

Multicellular organisms produce small cysteine‐rich antimicrobial peptides as an innate defense against pathogens. While defensins, a well‐known class of such peptides, are common among eukaryotes, there are other classes restricted to the plant kingdom. These include thionins, lipid transfer proteins and snakins. In earlier work, we identified several divergent classes of small putatively secreted cysteine‐rich peptides (CRPs) in legumes [Graham et al. (2004)Plant Physiol. 135, 1179–97]. Here, we built sequence motif models for each of these classes of peptides, and iteratively searched for related sequences within the comprehensive UniProt protein dataset, the Institute for Genomic Research’s 33 plant gene indices, and the entire genomes of the model dicot, Arabidopsis thaliana, and the model monocot and crop species, Oryza sativa (rice). Using this search strategy, we identified ∼13 000 plant genes encoding peptides with common features: (i) an N‐terminal signal peptide, (ii) a small divergent charged or polar mature peptide with conserved cysteines, (iii) a similar intron/exon structure, (iv) spatial clustering in the genomes studied, and (v) overrepresentation in expressed sequences from reproductive structures of specific taxa. The identified genes include classes of defensins, thionins, lipid transfer proteins, and snakins, plus other protease inhibitors, pollen allergens, and uncharacterized gene families. We estimate that these classes of genes account for ∼2–3% of the gene repertoire of each model species. Although 24% of the genes identified were not annotated in the latest Arabidopsis genome releases (TIGR5, TAIR6), we confirmed expression via RT‐PCR for 59% of the sequences attempted. These findings highlight limitations in current annotation procedures for small divergent peptide classes.
Butyrophilin‐like 2 gene is associated with ulcerative colitis in the Japanese under strong linkage disequilibrium with HLA‐DRB1*1502
Authors: Mochida A. , Kinouchi Y. , Negoro K. , Takahashi S. , Takagi S. , Nomura E. , Kakuta Y. , Tosa M. , Shimosegawa T.
Published: June 2007

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region has been implicated in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which is classified into Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). Recently, an association between sarcoidosis and the butyrophilin‐like 2 (BTNL2) gene was reported. BTNL2 is located in the HLA region and its messenger RNA is expressed most abundantly in the intestine. In this study, we performed a case–control association study of BTNL2 in the Japanese patients with IBD and performed linkage disequilibrium (LD) analysis between BTNL2 and HLA‐DRB1. We analyzed eight polymorphisms selected after direct sequencing and found that none of the polymorphisms were associated with the Japanese CD cohort. In contrast, five polymorphisms were significantly associated with UC, especially three single nucleotide polymorphisms (BTNL2_19, BTNL2_22 and BTNL2_23) were associated as a haplotype. The most frequent haplotype (GGC haplotype) was a low‐risk haplotype (P= 0.000052), whereas the other TCT haplotype was a high‐risk haplotype (P= 0.0000085). Among the eight polymorphisms, the strongest association with UC was found in BTNL2_19 (OR = 1.92, P= 0.0000035). As expected, the BTNL2_19‐T allele showed strong LD with DRB1*1502 (D′= 0.92). When BTNL2_19 was tested as conditional on the DRB1*1502 carrier status, the significant association disappeared, suggesting that the association was because of its strong LD with DRB1*1502. We conclude that BTNL2 does not contribute to the susceptibility to Japanese CD but is associated with Japanese UC because of the strong LD with HLA‐DRB1*1502. The strong LD between BTNL2 and HLA‐DRB1 raises another issue about the potential role of BTNL2 in other diseases associated with HLA‐DRB1.
The distribution of major histocompatibility complex class I polymorphic Alu insertions and their associations with HLA alleles in a Chinese population from Malaysia
Authors: Dunn D. S. , Choy M. K. , Phipps M. E. , Kulski J. K.
Published: June 2007

The frequency and association of polymorphic Alu insertions (POALINs) with human leucocyte antigen (HLA) class I genes within the class I genomic region of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) have been reported previously for three populations: the Australian Caucasian, Japanese and north‐eastern Thai populations. Here, we report on the individual insertion frequency of the five POALINs within the MHC class I region, their HLA‐A and HLA‐B associations, the POALIN haplotype frequencies and the HLA‐A/POALIN four‐loci haplotype frequencies in the Malaysian Chinese population. The phylogenetic relationship of the four populations based on the five POALIN allele frequencies was also examined. In the Malaysian Chinese population, the POALIN AluyHG was present at the highest frequency (0.560), followed by AluyHJ (0.300), AluyMICB (0.170), AluyTF (0.040) and AluyHF (0.030). The most frequent five‐loci POALIN haplotype of the 16 inferred haplotypes was the AluyHG single insertion haplotype at a frequency of 0.489. Strong associations were present between AluyHJ and HLA‐A24, HLA‐A33 and HLA‐A11 and between AluyHG and HLA‐A2, HLA‐A24 and HLA‐A11, and these were reflected by the inferred haplotype frequencies constructed from the combination of the HLA‐A locus and the AluyHG, AluyHJ and AluyHF loci. The strongest association of AluyMICB was with the HLA‐B54 allele (five of five), whereas the associations with the other 17 HLA‐B alleles were weak, moderate or undetermined. Phylogenetic analysis of the five POALIN allele frequencies places the Malaysian Chinese closest to the Japanese and north‐eastern Thai populations in the same cluster and separate to the Australian Caucasian population. The MHC POALINs are confirmed in this study to be informative genetic markers in lineage (haplotype) analysis, population genetics and evolutionary relationships, especially in studying the MHC genomic region.
Effects of hypergravity on expression of XTH genes in azuki bean epicotyls
Authors: Soga Kouichi , Wakabayashi Kazuyuki , Kamisaka Seiichiro , Hoson Takayuki
Published: June 2007

Hypergravity produced by centrifugation caused inhibition of elongation growth and a decrease in the cell wall extensibility in azuki bean epicotyls (Vigna angularis Ohwi et Ohashi). Also, hypergravity increased the molecular mass of xyloglucans, whereas it decreased xyloglucan‐degrading activity in epicotyls. When the expression profiles of three xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolase (XTH) genes, VaXTHS4, VaXTH1 and VaXTH2, were analyzed under hypergravity conditions, the expression of VaXTHS4, which shows only hydrolase activity, was downregulated in proportion to the logarithm of the magnitude of gravity (R = −0.94). However, the gene expression of VaXTH1 or VaXTH2, which shows only transglucosylase activity, was not affected by gravitational conditions. When the seedlings that had been grown at 1 g were transferred to hypergravity conditions at 300 g, the downregulation of VaXTHS4 expression was detected within 1 h. By removal of hypergravity stimulus, VaXTHS4 expression was increased within 1 h. These results suggest that azuki bean epicotyls promptly regulate the expression level of only VaXTHS4 in response to gravity stimuli. The regulation of xyloglucan‐hydrolyzing activity as a result of changes in VaXTHS4 expression may be involved in the regulation by gravity of molecular mass of xyloglucans, leading to modifications of cell wall mechanical properties and cell elongation. Lanthanum and gadolinium, potential blockers of mechanosensitive calcium ion permeable channels (mechanoreceptors), nullified the suppression of VaXTHS4 expression, suggesting that mechanoreceptors are responsible for inhibition by hypergravity of VaXTHS4 expression.
Stressful memories and psychological distress in adult mechanically ventilated intensive care patients – a 2‐month follow‐up study
Authors: Samuelson K. A. M. , Lundberg D. , Fridlund B.
Published: June 2007

Aim:  To investigate patients’ psychological distress in relation to memory and stressful experiences in the intensive care unit (ICU), and to identify early predictors for the development of high levels of acute post‐traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)‐related symptoms.

Methods:  A prospective cohort study was performed over 18 months in two general ICUs, including 313 intubated mechanically ventilated adults admitted for more than 24 h, 226 of whom completed the study. Patients were interviewed 5 days and 2 months post‐ICU concerning their memories and psychological distress. The instruments used were the ICU Memory Tool, ICU Stressful Experience Questionnaire, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale and Impact of Event Scale‐Revised (IES‐R).

Results:  High symptom levels of anxiety, depression and acute PTSD 2 months post‐ICU were present in 4.9%, 7.5% and 8.4% of the 226 patients, respectively. Psychological distress 2 months post‐ICU was associated with experiences of the ICU rated as extremely stressful and with high levels of anxiety and depression 5 days post‐ICU, but not with amnesia or delusional memories without factual recall of the ICU. Female sex, signs of agitation (increasing proportion of Motor Activity Assessment Scale scores of 4–6) and feelings of extreme fear during the ICU stay were significantly and independently associated with IES‐R scores of 30 or more.

Conclusions:  Extremely stressful experiences of the ICU are associated with subsequent psychological distress. Female sex, agitation and extreme fear during the ICU stay seem to increase the risk of developing high levels of acute PTSD‐related symptoms.
Post‐delivery postural headache: not always a classical post‐dural puncture headache
Authors: Eede H. Vanden , Hoffmann V. L. H. , Vercauteren M. P.
Published: June 2007

We report a parturient complaining of headache after spinal and epidural labour analgesia with neurological deterioration following an epidural blood patch. Further investigation revealed a medulloblastoma within the fourth ventricle. The patient underwent an operation 4 days after the diagnosis, but died 2 years later. The consequences of the use of neuraxial analgesia and epidural blood patch in the treatment of post‐dural puncture headache in this kind of pathology are discussed.
Changing Caveolin‐1 and Oxytocin Receptor Distribution in The Ageing Human Prostate
Authors: Herbert Z. , Bötticher G. , Aschoff A. , Sendemir E. , Zermann D.‐H. , Arnold R. , Mall G. , Jirikowski G. F.
Published: June 2007

Several observations suggest that caveolin‐1 has an important role in control of cell proliferation and cancerogenesis. For instance, oxytocin provokes a proliferative response in the prostate tissue when the oxytocin receptor is localized mainly in caveolin‐1‐enriched domains and an anti‐proliferative effect when the same receptor is not localized in caveolae. Moreover, oxytocin concentrations are elevated in prostate tissue of patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). In this study the expression pattern of the molecules caveolin‐1, oxytocin receptor, androgen receptor and p21 (cell cycle arrest indicator) was investigated in the prostate tissue of BPH patients and of young controls.We found that both caveolin‐1 and oxytocin receptor expression is drastically increased with age in both smooth muscle and epithelium of the prostate. We also found a significantly increased co‐localization of the oxytocin receptor with caveolin‐1 in both the muscle and the epithelium, especially in BPH patients. Androgen receptor and p21 staining was found throughout the prostate but did not change significantly with age or in BPH patients.We conclude that oxytocin may have a proliferative effect on the prostate tissue through the caveolae‐associated receptors and thus contribute to BPH. This process seems to be androgen receptor independent.
A Lectin Histochemical Study on the Testis of the Babirusa, Babyroussa babyrussa (Suidae)
Authors: Agungpriyono S. , Kurohmaru M. , Prasetyaningtyas W. E. , Kaspe L. , Leus K. Y. G. , Sasaki M. , Kitamura N. , Yamada J. , Macdonald A. A.
Published: June 2007

The distribution of lectin bindings in the testis of babirusa, Babyrousa babyrussa (Suidae) was studied histochemically using 10 biotinylated lectins, Peanut agglutinin (PNA), Ricinus communis agglutinin (RCA I), Dolichos biflorus agglutinin (DBA), Vicia villosa agglutinin (VVA), Soybean agglutinin (SBA), Wheat germ agglutinin (WGA), Lens culinaris agglutinin (LCA), Pisum sativum agglutinin (PSA), Concanavalin A(Con A) and Ulex europaeus agglutinin (UEA I). Nine of 10 lectins showed a variety of staining patterns in the seminiferous epithelium and interstitial cells. The acrosome of Golgi‐, cap‐ and acrosome‐phase spermatids displayed various PNA, RCA I, VVA, SBA and WGA bindings, indicating the presence of glycoconjugates with d‐galactose, N‐acetyl‐d‐galactosamine and N‐acetyl‐d‐glucosamine sugar residues respectively. No affinity was detected in the acrosome of late spermatids. LCA, PSA and Con A which have affinity for d‐mannose and d‐glucose sugar residues were positive in the cytoplasm of spermatids and spermatocytes. DBA was positive only in spermatogonia. In addition to DBA, positive binding in spermatogonia was found for VVA, WGA and Con A, suggesting the distribution of glycoconjugates with N‐acetyl‐d‐galactosamine, N‐acetyl‐d‐glucosamine, d‐mannose and d‐glucose sugar residues. Sertoli cells were stained intensely with RCA I, WGA and Con A. In Leydig cells, RCA I and Con A were strongly positive, while WGA, LCA and PSA reactions were weak to moderate. The present findings showed that the distribution pattern of lectin binding in the testis of babirusa is somewhat different from that of pig or other mammals reported previously.
Imbalance between expression of endothelin receptors A and B in terminal liver cirrhosis due to hepatitis C viral infection: Immunohistochemical study of autopsy cases
Authors: Kitamura Yukisato , Hayashi Kazuhiko
Published: June 2007

Background and Aim:  Expression of endothelin receptors in terminal liver cirrhosis is not well investigated. The aim of this study was to investigate the expression of the endothelin type A receptor (ETAR) and endothelin type B receptor (ETBR) immunohistochemically using paraffin‐embedded tissue sections from patents with terminal liver cirrhosis (TLC), non‐terminal liver cirrhosis (NTLC) and non‐cirrhotic liver fibrosis (NCLF) caused by hepatitis C viral infection.

Methods:  Liver tissue sections from 38 autopsy cases, including 12 cases of NCLF (mild, moderate or severe liver fibrosis), 11 cases of NTLC and 15 cases of TLC, were stained using anti‐ETAR and anti‐ETBR antibodies after antigen retrieval. Double staining using antibodies to alpha‐smooth muscle actin (ASMA) was also performed.

Results:  There were significantly fewer ETBR‐positive cells in TLC compared with NTLC and NCLF. Numbers of ASMA‐positive stellate cells expressing ETBR were also significantly lower in TLC. Therefore, the ETAR/ETBR ratio of sinusoidal cells is significantly higher in TLC than in NTLC and NCLF. ASMA‐positive stellate cells showed similar evidence of ETAR and ETBR expression.

Conclusions:  There is a difference in ETAR and ETBR expression among TLC, NTLC and NCLF: the ETAR/ETBR ratio is increased in TLC due to a relative decrease in ETBR expression. This finding may be useful for the diagnosis of TLC with regard to circulatory disturbances in the liver.
How should we manage patients with non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease in 2007?
Authors: Chan Henry L‐Y , De Silva H Janaka , Leung Nancy W‐Y , Lim Seng‐Gee , Farrell Geoffrey C ,   the Asia–Pacific Working Party on NAFLD
Published: June 2007

Evidence‐based management guidelines for non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are lacking in the Asia–Pacific region or elsewhere. This review reports the results of a systematic literature search and expert opinions. The Asia–Pacific Working Party on NAFLD (APWP‐NAFLD) has generated practical recommendations on management of NAFLD in this region. NAFLD should be suspected when there are metabolic risk factors and/or characteristic changes on hepatic ultrasonography. Diagnosis by ultrasonography, assessment of liver function and complications, exclusion of other liver diseases and screening for metabolic syndrome comprise initial assessment. Liver biopsy should be considered when there is diagnostic uncertainty, for patients at risk of advanced fibrosis, for those enrolled in clinical trials and at laparoscopy for another purpose. Lifestyle measures such as dietary restrictions and increased physical activity (aerobic exercise) should be encouraged, although the best management strategy to achieve this has yet to be defined. Complications of metabolic syndrome should be screened for regularly. Use of statins to treat hypercholesterolemia is safe and recommended; frequent alanine aminotransferase (ALT) monitoring is not required. Obese patients who do not respond to lifestyle measures should be referred to centers specializing in obesity management; consideration should be given to bariatric surgery or gastric ballooning. The role of pharmacotherapy remains investigational and is not recommended for routine clinical practice. Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease should be recognized as part of the metabolic syndrome and managed in a multidisciplinary approach that addresses liver disease in the context of risk factors for diabetes and premature cardiovascular disease. Lifestyle changes are the first line and mainstay of management.
Conjunctival fungal flora in healthy donkeys
Authors: Nardoni Simona , Sgorbini Micaela , Barsotti Giovanni , Corazza Michele , Mancianti Francesca
Published: June 2007

Objective To identify and quantify ocular fungi from healthy donkeys living in the center of Italy.

Animals studied One hundred and two Amiata donkeys were examined.

Procedures Conjunctival swabs from both eyes were seeded onto Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA) and malt extract agar (MEA), and incubated at 25 °C over a 10‐day period. Filamentous fungi identification was achieved to the genus level; yeast colonies were identified for macro‐micromorphologic and physiological characteristics.

Results Eighty‐one donkeys out of 102 (79.4%) were positive for fungi; 47/102 (46.1%) had positive cultures from both eyes. Most frequently recovered fungal genera wereAspergillusspp.,Penicilliumspp.,Cladosporiumspp.,Acremoniumspp. Different fungal genera and/or species were recovered from the same donkey in 43 cases (42.1%). Yeasts were isolated from five subjects; the yeasts were never associated with molds. The number of colony forming units (CFU) ranged from 1 to 100.

Conclusions Aspergilluswas the most commonly isolated fungal genus (33%). This result agrees with the findings of similar surveys carried out in horses. There was a remarkable presence of fungi and perfect forms. These observations may be explained by the optimal conditions for presence and development of fungi in the conjunctival fornix microenvironment in Amiata donkeys.
Central corneal thickness in koi fish: effects of age, sex, body length, and corneal diameter
Authors: Lynch Gwendolyn L. , Hoffman Allison , Blocker Tiffany
Published: June 2007

Objective To establish the central corneal thickness (CCT) of normal koi fish by ultrasonic pachymetry, and its relationship to age, sex, body length and corneal diameter.

Methods Age, sex and body length of 33 koi fish (17 male and 16 female fish) were recorded. Horizontal and vertical corneal diameters of each eye were obtained using Jameson calipers. Central corneal thickness of all eyes was measured by ultrasonic pachymetry. Intraocular pressure (IOP) by rebound tonometry was obtained for a subgroup of nine koi (18 eyes).

Results Mean central corneal thickness was 325.9 µm. Central corneal thickness of female koi was greater than CCT of male fish (P < 0.01). Central corneal thickness increased with increasing age overall and within both sexes (P < 0.01). Central corneal thickness increased with increasing body length (P < 0.001). For male and female fish, CCT increased with increasing horizontal and vertical corneal diameters (P < 0.01). Mean horizontal corneal diameter (HCD) was 8.05 mm, mean vertical corneal diameter (VCD) was 7.38 mm, and HCD was consistently greater than VCD. Mean IOP of a subgroup of these koi was 4.9 mmHg by rebound tonometry.

Conclusions Koi CCT increases with increasing age, body length and corneal diameter.
Management of bilateral uveitis in aToxoplasma gondii‐seropositive cat with histopathologic evidence of fungal panuveitis
Authors: Pearce J. , Giuliano E. A. , Galle L. E. , Klauss G. , Ota J. , Moore C. P.
Published: June 2007

A 5‐year‐old, neutered male Domestic Short‐haired cat was referred with a 5‐month history of anterior uveitis and cataract in the right eye. Clinical examination confirmed anterior uveitis and immature cataract in the right eye and chorioretinitis in the left eye. Ocular ultrasound showed a retinal detachment in the right eye. Diagnostic testing revealed elevated serum titers forToxoplasma gondii. Anterior uveitis in the right eye and chorioretinitis in the left eye progressed, resulting in blindness despite a 21‐day course of clindamycin and aggressive topical medical management of uveitis. The right eye was enucleated and histopathologic evaluation of the globe revealed panuveitis and multiple organisms morphologically consistent withHistoplasma capsulatum. Systemic treatment with itraconazole was initiated. Vision returned after 3 months of treatment and complete resolution of the retinal hemorrhages with formation of a flat chorioretinal scar was noted after 6 months of therapy. Itraconazole was discontinued 7 months after starting therapy, at which time the funduscopic appearance of the chorioretinal scar had remained static for 1 month. The cat has remained visual without evidence of disease progression for 6 months following discontinuation of itraconazole.
In vivo confocal microscopy in the normal corneas of cats, dogs and birds
Authors: Kafarnik Christiane , Fritsche Jens , Reese Sven
Published: June 2007

Objective  To evaluate the applicability of in vivo confocal microscopy (IVCM) in veterinary ophthalmology and analyze the morphology of living, healthy cornea.

Animals examined  Thirty‐seven dogs, 34 cats and five birds.

Procedure  Various corneal sublayers were visualized in the central region using an in vivo confocal corneal microscope (HRTII/RCM®).

Results  An investigation method was developed and adapted for use on animals with varying skull forms and eye positions. Real‐time images of the epithelial cells, the corneal stroma and the endothelial layer were obtained. The corneal stromal nerve trunks and the subepithelial and basal epithelial nerve plexus were visualized. In dogs, full corneal thickness (FCT) was 585 ± 79 µm (mean ± SD) and endothelial cell density (ECD) 3175 ± 776 cells/mm2 (mean ± SD). In cats, FCT was 592 ± 80 µm and ECD 2846 ± 403 cells/mm2. There were no significant differences between canine and feline FCT and ECD and no morphologic differences could be seen between dogs and cats. The bird images revealed a number of structural differences.

Conclusion  Noninvasive IVCM allows accurate detection of corneal sublayers, corneal pachymetry, endothelial cell density and corneal innervation in various animal species. For clinical usage, patients must be under general anesthesia. The confocal images provided anatomic reference images of various healthy corneal structures in dogs, cats and birds.
Functional anatomy of the ocular circulatory system: vascular corrosion casts of the cetacean eye
Authors: Ninomiya Hiroyoshi , Yoshida Emi
Published: June 2007

Objective  To examine the functional anatomy of the ocular circulation in four bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and five melon‐headed whales (Peponocephala electra).

Procedure  Eyes were obtained postmortem from whales that died while in captivity and/or were found beached. Specimens from whales were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of vascular corrosion casts and histology. The thermal characteristics of live dolphin eyes were measured using an infrared imaging system.

Results  The whale eye receives its primary blood supply from the ophthalmic rete, which extends just behind the eyeball. The ophthalmic rete diverges from the basilar rete and the cervical rete via the posterior thoracic artery. The iris and ciliary processes are supplied by iridic arteries via the major arterial circle that is located around the iris edge. The retinal vessels show the holangiotic type. Choroidal arteries run in parallel arrays so as to interdigitate the densely packed choroidal veins. The venules in the conjunctival fold and palpebral conjunctiva form a well‐developed venous plexus. Thermographic examination revealed that the eye shows a substantially higher degree of thermal emission than adjacent skin areas.

Conclusions  The cetacean eye is characterized by a unique vascular pattern and multivessel plexuses, which are quite different from those of terrestrial mammals. This suggests that the ocular vasculature might function as a thermoregulatory system so that the appropriate operating temperature for the photoreceptors can be maintained in a deep and cold aquatic environment. The distinctive plexuses in the orbit might also be for pooling blood in the eye to conserve oxygen during dives. The ophthalmic rete might play a role in a pressure‐damping effect on cetacean ocular circulation as well.
Proteinases of the cornea and preocular tear film
Authors: Ollivier F. J. , Gilger B. C. , Barrie K. P. , Kallberg M. E. , Plummer C. E. , O’Reilly S. , Gelatt K. N. , Brooks D. E.
Published: June 2007

Maintenance and repair of corneal stromal extracellular matrix (ECM) requires a tightly coordinated balance of ECM synthesis, degradation and remodeling in which proteolytic enzymes (proteinases) perform important functions. There are natural proteinase inhibitors present in preocular tear film (PTF) and cornea simultaneously with proteinases that prevent excessive degradation of normal healthy tissue. Disorders occur when there is an imbalance between proteinases and proteinase inhibitors in favor of the proteinases, causing pathologic degradation of stromal collagen and proteoglycans in the cornea. Two matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), MMP‐2 and MMP‐9, are of major importance in terms of remodeling and degradation of the corneal stromal collagen. Immunohistochemical studies have shown different origins of MMP‐2 and ‐9. MMP‐2 is synthesized by corneal keratocytes and performs a surveillance function in the normal cornea, becoming locally activated to degrade collagen molecules that occasionally become damaged. Alternatively, MMP‐9 may be produced by epithelial cells and polymorphonuclear neutrophils following corneal wounding. Because the cornea is in close contact with the preocular tear film (PTF), proteinases have been evaluated in the PTF. In damaged corneas, total proteolytic activity in the tear fluid was found to be significantly increased compared to normal eyes and contralateral eyes. Studies analyzing the proteolytic activity in serial PTF samples during corneal healing led to the following conclusions: ulcerative keratitis in animals is associated with initially high levels of tear film proteolytic activity, which decrease as ulcers heal; proteinase levels in melting ulcers remain elevated leading to rapid progression of the ulcers. The success of medical and surgical treatment of the corneal ulcers is reflected by the proteolytic activity in tears. In animals, successful treatment leads to a rapid reduction in tear film proteolytic activity that corresponds with the improvement in the clinical signs of corneal ulceration. The in vitro effects of various compounds on proteolytic activity in the tear fluid of animals with ulcerative keratitis have been evaluated and their important inhibitory effects have been confirmed. Because these various compounds utilize different mechanisms to inhibit various families of proteinases, a combination of these proteinase inhibitors may be beneficial.
Cloning and functional characterization of the fatty acid elongase 1 (FAE1) gene from high erucic Crambe abyssinica cv. Prophet
Authors: Mietkiewska Elzbieta , Brost Jennifer M. , Giblin E. Michael , Barton Dennis L. , Taylor David C.
Published: June 2007

A genomic fatty acid elongation 1 (FAE1) clone was isolated from Crambe abyssinica. The genomic clone corresponds to a 1521‐bp open reading frame, which encodes a protein of 507 amino acids. In yeast cells expression of CrFAE led to production of new very long chain monounsaturated fatty acids such as eicosenoic (20 : 1Δ11) and erucic (22 : 1Δ13) acids. Seed‐specific expression in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in up to a 12‐fold increase in the proportion of erucic acid. On the other hand, in transgenic high‐erucic Brassica carinata plants, the proportion of erucic acid was as high as 51.9% in the best transgenic line, a net increase of 40% compared to wild type. These results indicate that the CrFAE gene encodes a condensing enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of very long‐chain fatty acids utilizing monounsaturated and saturated acyl substrates, with a strong capability for improving the erucic acid content.
Oral immunization with transgenic rice seeds expressing VP2 protein of infectious bursal disease virus induces protective immune responses in chickens
Authors: Wu Jianxiang , Yu Lian , Li Long , Hu Jinqiang , Zhou Jiyong , Zhou Xueping
Published: June 2007

The expression of infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) host‐protective immunogen VP2 protein in rice seeds, its immunogenicity and protective capability in chickens were investigated. The VP2 cDNA of IBDV strain ZJ2000 was cloned downstream of the Gt1 promoter of the rice glutelin GluA‐2 gene in the binary expression vector, pCambia1301‐Gt1. Agrobacterium tumefaciens containing the recombinant vector was used to transform rice embryogenic calli, and 121 transgenic lines were obtained and grown to maturity in a greenhouse. The expression level of VP2 protein in transgenic rice seeds varied from 0.678% to 4.521% µg/mg of the total soluble seed protein. Specific pathogen‐free chickens orally vaccinated with transgenic rice seeds expressing VP2 protein produced neutralizing antibodies against IBDV and were protected when challenged with a highly virulent IBDV strain, BC6/85. These results demonstrate that transgenic rice seeds expressing IBDV VP2 can be used as an effective, safe and inexpensive vaccine against IBDV.
Rule‐Based Discovery in Spatial Data Infrastructure
Authors: Lutz Michael , Kolas Dave
Published: June 2007

Answering questions based on spatial data is becoming increasingly important in a variety of domains. Often the required data are distributed and heterogeneous, and several data sources need to be combined in order to derive the information required by a user. Spatial data infrastructures (SDIs) are aimed at making the discovery and access to distributed geographic data more efficient. However, the catalogue services currently used in SDIs for discovering geographic data do not allow expressive queries and do not take into account that more than one data source might be required to answer a question. In this paper, we present a methodology that uses rules for both the discovery of data sources and, based on the discovered data, answering user queries in SDIs. We illustrate how this methodology allows inferences that use relationships between individuals and the combination of data from different sources, thus overcoming some of the limitations of other Semantic Web approaches that are based on Description Logics. The approach is illustrated by an example from the domain of disaster management.
Towards Geospatial Queries in a Semantic Digital Library for 3D Data
Authors: Bilasco Ioan Marius , Gensel Jérôme , Villanova‐Oliver Marlène , Martin Hervé
Published: June 2007

The evolution of the computing power as well as the success of standards such as X3D point to a future omnipresence of 3D in the multimedia world. A broad panoply of tools assisting designers when building realistic 3D scenes exists. In a near future, a new challenge will be to control the quantity of 3D contents that will be available. For instance, large amounts of 2D or 3D geographic data are spread all over the Internet. Nevertheless, appropriate description techniques and tools for the deployment and the retrieval of such data are still lacking. Our global objective is to propose a geographic digital library which can be exploited for describing, annotating and indexing geographic contents using geometric and topologic descriptions, geographic and appearance features, and semantics. Descriptions, annotations, and indexations are then exploited in queries to retrieve contents. The existing 3D scene description languages are generally free of any semantic information which could improve the management of 3D data (and especially research and re‐use). In this paper, we propose the construction of geographic 3D data warehouses managed by a semantic digital library 3DSDL (3D Semantic Digital Library). This library, through a standardized communication interface, gives access to all the 3D models indexed in the warehouse and facilitates their exploitation. Each object is characterized by a set of both semantic and geographic annotations and some common features (colour, geometry, and topology).
Semantic Expansion of Geographic Web Queries Based on Natural Language Positioning Expressions
Authors: Delboni Tiago M , Borges Karla A V , Laender Alberto H F , Davis Clodoveu A
Published: June 2007

The need for better Web search tools is getting increasing attention nowadays. About 20% of the queries currently submitted to search engines include geographic references. Thus, it is particularly important to work with the semantics of such queries, both by understanding the terminology and by recognizing geographic references in natural language text. In this paper, we explore the use of natural language expressions, which we callpositioning expressions, to perform geographic searches on the Web, without resorting to geocoded data or gazetteers. Such positioning expressions denote the location of a subject of interest with respect to a landmark. Our approach leads to a query expansion technique that can be explored by virtually any keyword‐based search engine. Results obtained in our experiments show an expressive improvement over the traditional keyword‐based search and a potential path for tackling many kinds of common geographic queries.
Characterizing Spatial Databases via their Derivation: A Complement to Content Ontologies
Authors: Dean Denis J
Published: June 2007

Developing an ontology that succinctly describes the contents of a spatial database is a very difficult undertaking. Yet most current efforts to develop spatial ontologies remain focused on describing content. Ontologies describing other aspects of spatial databases may prove to be much easier to develop and nearly as useful as content ontologies, and yet these alternative ontologies have received little attention from the research community. This paper explores one such alternative, specifically, an ontology that describes how a spatial database may have been derived. Derivation ontologies are shown to be highly complementary to content ontologies, and in some cases can perform nearly identical tasks. It is also shown that derivation ontologies are much more straightforward to develop than are content ontologies. Finally, we present a genetic programming (GP)‐based approach to automatically developing derivation ontologies for existing databases. It is concluded that while derivation ontologies cannot replace content ontologies, they are a useful and practical complement that offer their own unique set of strengths to the problem of semantically characterizing spatial data.
From Policy to Practice: Pupils' Responses to Widening Participation Initiatives
Authors: Baxter Arthur , Tate Jim , Hatt Sue
Published: June 2007

Recent widening participation policies have been subject to a number of criticisms; they focus on aspirations rather than differences in performance; they place less value on the aspirations of the ‘disadvantaged’ comparing them to a middle class norm; they subordinate what was a radical agenda to the demands of the economy and so constrain the available options to young people. Using data from young people who have taken part in Aimhigher initiatives in the South West of England and from teachers who have organised Aimhigher events, this paper will examine to what extent these features of policy are evidenced in the attitudes and aspirations of these pupils. It will argue that the data shows little evidence of pupils positioning themselves as inferior, that young people display instrumental attitudes to education, but that these attitudes relate to policy discourse and practice in complex ways.
Has Academic Freedom Survived? – An Interview Study of the Conditions for Researchers in an Era of Paradigmatic Change
Authors: Bennich‐Björkman Li
Published: June 2007

European universities are being shaken by two revolutions. One is a radical change in the way research is funded, the other is the increased emphasis on the teaching role of the universities. This interview study examines what effects these radical institutional changes have had on academic freedom. Based on a small number of in‐depth interviews with Swedish researchers in various disciplines, different posts, active either at an ancient or a new university, the study explores the concept and content of academic freedom, the current prospects for its survival and the effect of changes in funding on the content of research and research process as such. The results suggest that the institutional changes, not least in the way the funding system is organised, are having a determinate impact on the behaviour of academics, while academic freedom as a norm still thrives in the research community as a whole.