bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Maternal age and spine development in the rotiferBrachionus calyciflorus: increase of spine length with birth orders1
Authors: SCHRÖDER THOMAS , GILBERT JOHN J.
Published: March 2009

1. Maternal effects have long been known to influence phenotypic plasticity in rotifers. Females inBrachionus calyciflorusand several other species produce long‐spined offspring when the predatory rotiferAsplanchnais present;B. calyciflorusalso develops short spines when food concentrations are low. These spines protect against predation and decrease food threshold concentrations.

2. Some strains ofB. calyciflorusdevelop long spines even in the absence ofAsplanchnaand other environmental stimuli. We demonstrate in this study that spine length in such cases is dependent on the age of the mother.

3. In strains from Florida and Georgia, offspring spine length increased significantly with birth order, sometimes to lengths formerly observed only in the presence ofAsplanchna. Significant variation in this trait was found among and within clones of a strain. Offspring body size also increased with maternal age. This is the first time maternal age has been shown to affect rotifer morphology.

4. These birth‐order effects may have important ecological implications and explain phenotypic plasticity and polymorphism in body size and spine length in populations when predators are absent and food concentrations are high. They may be a bet‐hedging mechanism to assure adaptation to rapid changes in predation pressure or food conditions.
Assessing and conserving groundwater biodiversity: synthesis and perspectives
Authors: GIBERT JANINE , CULVER DAVID C. , DOLE‐OLIVIER MARIE‐JOSE , MALARD FLORIAN , CHRISTMAN MARY C. , DEHARVENG LOUIS
Published: March 2009

1. This paper is a synthesis of a special issue on groundwater biodiversity with a focus on obligate subterranean species, the stygobionts. The series of papers constitutes a great leap forward in assessing and understanding biodiversity patterns because of the use of large quantitative data sets obtained over a broad geographic scale. They also represent a conceptual shift, away from a purely taxonomic and phylogenetic focus to the analysis of whole groundwater assemblages.

2. The general patterns emerging for groundwater fauna are: very high levels of endemism, low local diversity relative to regional diversity, a limited number of lineages, occurrence of many relicts, and truncated food webs with very few predators.

3. β‐Diversity is at least as important as α‐diversity in determining total richness at different scales (aquifer, basin and region) and overall taxa richness increases across spatial scales.

4. Advances in understanding groundwater biodiversity patterns further include identification of several important factors related to geology and hydrology that determine the composition of European stygobiotic assemblages.

5. Important challenges for future research include improving sampling strategies, filling gaps in sampling coverage, intensifying research on theoretical and statistical models, and including functional and genetic diversity components in biodiversity assessments.

6. Strategies are proposed for protecting groundwater biodiversity and an argument is made to integrate biodiversity in groundwater management. Applying principles such as complementarity and flexibility for groundwater biodiversity conservation is a major step toward delineating a reserve network that maximise species representation at the European scale.
Groundwater biodiversity patterns in the Lessinian Massif of northern Italy
Authors: GALASSI DIANA M. P. , STOCH FABIO , FIASCA BARBARA , DI LORENZO TIZIANA , GATTONE ENRICO
Published: March 2009

1. The distribution patterns of stygobiotic invertebrates were examined with a stratified sampling design at 197 sites selected among four hydrogeographic basins in the Lessinian Massif (northern Italy). The sites were approximately evenly distributed among four hydrogeological zones: unsaturated and saturated zone of karstic aquifers, and hyporheic and saturated zone of porous aquifers.

2. Outlying Mean Index (OMI) analysis which assesses deviation of habitat conditions from reference conditions, was used to evaluate the importance of 14 selected environmental variables in shaping groundwater biodiversity patterns in the region (total of 89 stygobiotic species). The measured variables explained 80% of the variability in the data set.

3. Sampling sites were distributed along the environmental gradients defined by OMI analysis. Significant differences were detected between karstic and porous site, as well as among sites located in the four hydrogeological zones. Differences among the four hydrogeographic basins were not observed.

4. Ordination of stygobiotic species along the environmental gradients was best explained by historical variables (mainly Würmian glaciation and age of the underlying geological formation), while variables related to hydrogeology (mainly pH, calcium concentration and habitat fragmentation) influenced species distributions in the hydrogeological zones. An Environmental Integrity Index and nitrate concentration were significantly correlated with altitude, but appeared not to play a significant role in determining stygobiotic biodiversity patterns at the regional scale.

5. Results of the OMI analysis were highly significant for all taxa, suggesting that stygobiotic species are sensitive to the environmental factors studied. Thirty‐five species showed high habitat specialisation (OMI index > 10). These species were usually rare and endemic to the Lessinian Massif. Most of them were found in a single hydrogeological zone.

6. Quaternary glaciations appear not to have lowered stygobiotic species richness in the Lessinian Massif. This may be because of the marginal location of the region with respect to the Würmian glacier limit and because of extensive networks of fractures in the vadose zone of the karst, which may have allowed stygobionts to move deep down in the aquifers to seek refuge during surface freezing and to recolonise ancestral habitats after the glaciers retreated.
Nuclear, compared with combined nuclear and cytoplasmic expression of maspin, is linked in lung adenocarcinoma to reduced VEGF‐A levels and in Stage I, improved survival
Authors: Frey Amy , Soubani Ayman O , Adam Abdulgadir K , Sheng Shijie , Pass Harvey I , Lonardo Fulvio
Published: March 2009

Aims:  To evaluate whether there is a correlation between the subcellular localization of maspin and the histological, molecular and biological features of pulmonary adenocarcinoma, particularly addressing the hypothesis that the tumour inhibitor properties of maspin may be linked to a nuclear, compared with a combined nuclear and cytoplasmic expression pattern.

Methods and results:  The subcellular expression of maspin was determined in 80 resected pulmonary adenocarcinomas (Stage I, 46; Stage II, 10; Stage III, 20; Stage IV, 4) and correlated with histological grade, proliferative rate, p53 expression, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)‐A levels, and prognosis (mean follow‐up of 41.5 months). Cases with nuclear (N) maspin (n = 47), compared with the [N + cytoplasmic (C)] group (n = 28), showed lower (P ≤ 0.05): histological grade, proliferative rate, p53 expression and VEGF‐A levels. Cox multivariate analysis revealed in stage I adenocarcinomas (N) maspin as the only predictor of improved survival.

Conclusions:  (N) maspin selects lung adenocarcinomas with distinct molecular and clinical features, supporting the hypothesis that its tumour inhibitor properties may be linked to its nuclear localization.
Non‐target effects of broadleaf herbicide on a native perennial forb: a demographic framework for assessing and minimizing impacts
Authors: Crone Elizabeth E. , Marler Marilyn , Pearson Dean E.
Published: March 2009

Invasive species are one of the leading threats to biodiversity worldwide. Therefore, chemical herbicides are increasingly used to control invasive plants in natural and semi‐natural areas. Little is known about the non‐target impacts of these chemicals on native species.

We conducted an experiment to test the demographic effects of the herbicide picloram on a native dominant forb, arrowleaf balsamroot Balsamorhiza sagittata. As reported in earlier studies, picloram did not change leaf area of balsamroot in the short term (5 years). However, a single application of picloram dramatically reduced flowering and seed set, and these effects have persisted for at least 4 years after spraying.

Matrix population models based on these data suggest that arrowleaf balsamroot is slowly declining in the presence of weeds, rapidly declining in the presence of herbicide, but might experience a release period after the herbicide decays and before weeds reinvade.

Therefore, from the perspective of persistence of this native wildflower, herbicide use can be beneficial or detrimental, depending on how often a site is sprayed and how long the herbicide persists in the soil. In this system, spraying intervals of more than 10 years may be beneficial, but intervals of less than 5 years will be detrimental. In general, our results emphasize the importance of finding ways to combine herbicide use with other weed control techniques to maximize return intervals and minimize non‐target impacts.

Synthesis and applications. Herbicide use in natural areas differs fundamentally from herbicide use in agricultural areas, because the non‐target species are not directly under management control. Herbicides inevitably will impact non‐target species due to limitations in selectivity. Herbicide persistence and reapplication intervals are key factors determining the demographic impacts of herbicides on native plants. Understanding how persistence and reapplication timing interact with native plant demography allows us to develop management prescriptions that minimize non‐target effects in natural areas. To date, this interface of ecology and management has received little attention from practitioners or researchers.
Invasive species can't cover their tracks: using microsatellites to assist management of starling (Sturnus vulgaris) populations in Western Australia
Authors: ROLLINS LEE ANN , WOOLNOUGH ANDREW P. , WILTON ALAN N. , SINCLAIR RON , SHERWIN WILLIAM B.
Published: March 2009

Invasive species are known to cause environmental and economic damage, requiring management by control agencies worldwide. These species often become well established in new environments long before their detection, resulting in a lack of knowledge regarding their history and dynamics. When new invasions are discovered, information regarding the source and pathway of the invasion, and the degree of connectivity with other populations can greatly benefit management strategies. Here we use invasive common starling (Sturnus vulgaris) populations from Australia to demonstrate that genetic techniques can provide this information to aid management, even when applied to highly vagile species over continental scales. Analysis of data from 11 microsatellites in 662 individuals sampled at 17 localities across their introduced range in Australia revealed four populations. One population consisted of all sampling sites from the expansion front in Western Australia, where control efforts are focused. Despite evidence of genetic exchange over both contemporary and historical timescales, gene flow is low between this population and all three more easterly populations. This suggests that localized control of starlings on the expansion front may be an achievable goal and the long‐standing practice of targeting select proximal eastern source populations may be ineffective on its own. However, even with low levels of gene flow, successful control of starlings on the expansion front will require vigilance, and genetic monitoring of this population can provide essential information to managers. The techniques used here are broadly applicable to invasive populations worldwide.
Analysis of Australian fur seal diet by pyrosequencing prey DNA in faeces
Authors: DEAGLE BRUCE E. , KIRKWOOD ROGER , JARMAN SIMON N.
Published: March 2009

DNA‐based techniques have proven useful for defining trophic links in a variety of ecosystems and recently developed sequencing technologies provide new opportunities for dietary studies. We investigated the diet of Australian fur seals (Arctocephalus pusillus doriferus) by pyrosequencing prey DNA from faeces collected at three breeding colonies across the seals’ range. DNA from 270 faecal samples was amplified with four polymerase chain reaction primer sets and a blocking primer was used to limit amplification of fur seal DNA. Pooled amplicons from each colony were sequenced using the Roche GS‐FLX platform, generating > 20 000 sequences. Software was developed to sort and group similar sequences. A total of 54 bony fish, 4 cartilaginous fish and 4 cephalopods were identified based on the most taxonomically informative amplicons sequenced (mitochondrial 16S). The prevalence of sequences from redbait (Emmelichthys nitidus) and jack mackerel (Trachurus declivis) confirm the importance of these species in the seals’ diet. A third fish species, blue mackerel (Scomber australasicus), may be a more important prey species than previously recognised. There were major differences in the proportions of prey DNA recovered in faeces from different colonies, probably reflecting differences in prey availability. Parallel hard‐part analysis identified largely the same main prey species as did the DNA‐based technique, but with lower species diversity and no remains from cartilaginous prey. The pyrosequencing approach presented significantly expands the capabilities of DNA‐based methods of dietary analysis and is suitable for large‐scale diet investigations on a broad range of animals.
Massive parallel MHC genotyping: titanium that shines
Authors: WEGNER K. MATHIAS
Published: March 2009

The power of population genetic analyses is often limited by sample size resulting from constraints in financial resources and time to genotype large numbers of individuals. This particularly applies to nonmodel species where detailed genomic knowledge is lacking. Next‐generation sequencing technology using primers ‘tagged’ with an individual barcode of a few nucleotides offers the opportunity to genotype hundreds of individuals at several loci in parallel (Binladen et al. 2007; Meyer et al. 2008). The large number of sequence reads can also be used to identify artefacts by frequency distribution thresholds intrinsically determined for each run and data set. In Babik et al. (2009), next‐generation deep sequencing was used to genotype several major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class IIB loci of the European bank vole (Fig. 1). Their approach can be useful for many researchers working with complex multiallelic templates and large sample sizes.

Hypothetical example of parallel genotyping of two individuals using individually bar‐coded primers. Polymerase chain reactions (PCRs) are performed separately for each individual using a forward primer with a unique Tag‐sequence of four nucleotides. After sequencing of pooled PCR products, sequences can be sorted by their forward primer Tag (Tag‐sorting error rate was estimated < 0.1%). Rare sequences most likely represent artefacts and due to the large amount of sequences obtained (up to 106) the artefact threshold can be determined intrinsically for each data set and was estimated to be around 3% in the case of bank vole MHC class IIB genes (Babik et al. 2009). Photos by Gabriela Bydlon.

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Epidermoid cysts: an exclusive palatal presentation and a case series
Authors: Ravindranath Abhilash Pasare , Ramalingam Karthikeyan , Natesan Anuja , Ramani Pratibha , Premkumar Priya , Thiruvengadam Chandrasekar
Published: March 2009

Background  Epidermoid cysts (EC) can occur anywhere in the body. In the head and neck region, they more often present in the midline between the submental region and the supra sternal notch. EC in the oral cavity are extremely rare and present as benign, slow growing lesions.

Methods  Records from College of Dental Surgery, Saveetha University, from 2002 to 2006 were searched for cases coded as EC. The study included 13 cases within the oral and maxillofacial region.

Results  Of the 13 cases, 11 occurred in male patients and 2 in female patients. Specific anatomic locations included posterior auricular region (n = 2), forehead region (n = 2), lateral side of the face (n = 3), chin (n = 1), gingiva (n = 3), intraosseous within the anterior maxilla (n = 1), and hard palate (n = 1).

Conclusion  Besides the previously reported locations, we present the first case occurring in the hard palate, measuring 5 × 3 cm in size along with melanin pigmentation.
Primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis: a sign of immune dysregulation?
Authors: Dahdah Maurice J. , Kurban Mazen , Kibbi Abdul‐Ghani , Ghosn Samer
Published: March 2009

The manifestations of primary localized cutaneous amyloidosis (PLCA) are usually limited to the skin. The exact etiopathogenesis of PLCA has not been clearly elucidated yet. An increasing number of reports in the literature that associate PLCA with various autoimmune/immune disorders suggest that underlying immune‐mediated factors may be implicated.

We report a case of sarcoidosis and a case of IgA nephropathy in association with extensive macular amyloidosis, adding these two conditions to the list of other autoimmune/immune disorders associated with PLCA.

At least a subset of PLCA patients, especially those with extensive involvement, may have associated autoimmune/immune disorders raising the possibility of a common underlying immune‐mediated mechanism.
Annular eruption preceding relapsing polychondritis: case report and review of the literature
Authors: Watkins Shannon , Magill Jr J. Michael , Ramos‐Caro Francisco A.
Published: March 2009

Relapsing polychondritis (RP) is a rare multisystem disorder affecting cartilaginous tissues, primarily of the ears, nose, larynx, and trachea. RP shows dermatologic manifestations in 35–50% of cases, and may show skin findings as the first sign of disease in 12% of affected patients. There have been reports of urticarial‐like lesions in RP, typically associated with vasculitis, as well as a few reports of erythema multiforme‐like lesions. There has also been one previous report of erythema annulare centrifugum associated with RP, presenting with a histology suggestive of a drug eruption. Our patient presented with urticarial and erythema annulare centrifugum‐like plaques preceding the diagnosis of RP by over 1 year, with an initial histology suggestive of a drug eruption.
Cutaneous plasma cell granuloma: report of a case with novel histologic and immunohistochemical findings
Authors: Chen Yu‐Fei , Chao Chao‐Ming , Liu Han‐Nan
Published: March 2009

A 50‐year‐old man presented with an asymptomatic, 1.5 × 1.5 cm, dark‐brown noduloplaque with a rubbery consistency (Fig. 1) on the lateral aspect of the left lower leg of uncertain duration. His general condition was healthy, and he did not recall any trauma or insect bite at this site. No similar skin lesions were found elsewhere and no lymphadenopathy was observed. The lesion revealed a nonencapsulated, but well‐circumscribed, deep dermal nodule with several lymphoid aggregates and germinal center‐like structures within the tumor and also at the periphery, when examined microscopically at scanning power (Fig. 2a). The epidermis showed no remarkable changes, except for basal hyperpigmentation. At higher power, a mixed inflammatory infiltrate composed of histiocytes, foamy histiocytes (Fig. 2b), lymphocytes, and abundant plasma cells (Fig. 2c) with Russell bodies was revealed. The stroma contained mainly hyalinized and sclerotic collagen fibers (Fig. 2d). Prominent venules were noted, especially in the sclerotic areas, and some were surrounded by dense collagen fibers. No vasculitis or emperipolesis was found. No foreign materials were observed by polarization microscopy, and no organisms could be identified by periodic acid–Schiff (PAS), Grocott methenamine silver (GMS), Giemsa, Gram, acid‐fast, or fite stains. The results of testing for infection by Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) (latent membrane protein 1, LMP‐1) were negative. No spindle cells were found in the lesion.

A brownish noduloplaque, about 1.5 × 1.5 cm in size, located over the lateral aspect of the left lower leg

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(a) A well‐circumscribed deep dermal nodule with lymphoid aggregates and germinal center‐like structures within the tumor and at its periphery. (b) Foamy histiocytes in serial sections. (c) Plasma cells in the infiltrate. (d) Hyalinized collagenous stroma with perivascular patterned fibrosis (arrow). Hematoxylin and eosin. Original magnification: (a) ×10; (b, c) ×400; (d) ×200

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 Immunohistochemical studies demonstrated mature plasma cells stained with CD138, and polyclonality was confirmed by the expression of both kappa and lambda light chains. The germinal center‐like lymphoid aggregates were found to be B cells, which reacted positively with CD20. Scarce S100‐positive cells and even rarer CD1a‐positive cells were detected. Test results for smooth muscle actin (SMA) and anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) were negative. Abundant CD68+ macrophages were observed within the lesion (Fig. 3a), and about 50–75% of the inflammatory cells were found to express cyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) (Fig. 3b). The patient's condition was diagnosed as cutaneous plasma cell granuloma (CPCG). One year after excision, no evidence of recurrence was observed.

(a) Abundant CD68+ macrophages in the lesion (immunohistochemical staining, ×200). (b) Positive reaction with anti‐cyclooxygenase‐2 (anti‐COX‐2) in 50–75% of inflammatory cells (immunohistochemical staining, ×400)

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Eumycotic mycetoma caused by Madurella mycetomatis successfully treated with antifungals, surgery, and topical negative pressure therapy
Authors: Estrada‐Chavez Guadalupe E. , Vega‐Memije Maria Elisa , Arenas Roberto , Chavez‐Lopez Guadalupe , Estrada‐Castañon Roberto , Fernandez Ramon , Hay Roderick , Dominguez‐Cherit Judith
Published: March 2009

We report a 21‐year‐old farmer with a 4‐year history of a nodular plaque with fistulas and induration of adjacent skin. The lesion had been treated surgically at another hospital, but recurred 2 years later.

Black, charcoal‐like grains were observed draining through the fistulas. A biopsy specimen showed brown grains with filaments in an abscess surrounded by macrophages, giant cells, and lymphocytes. Culture demonstrated small white colonies of Madurella mycetomatis. The patient was treated with itraconazole for 6 months, followed by surgery. TNP was initiated in the immediate post‐operative period, and copious granulation tissue was observed within 1 week. Autologous skin grafting was performed, and itraconazole was continued for an additional 3 months. Although necrosis of the graft ensued, the functional result was acceptable. The patient appeared free of disease at 18 months of follow‐up.

Eumycotic mycetoma is an infectious and inflammatory process that occurs after traumatic inoculation of fungi through the skin. Surgery is the treatment of choice, but successful reconstruction may be challenging and recurrence is common. Topical negative pressure (TNP) promotes the formation of granulation tissue, which facilitates closure of deep wounds and chronic ulcers. This case illustrates that eumycotic mycetoma is difficult to treat. Whether TNP contributed to the successful outcome cannot be proven but, given the generally poor response of eumycetoma to therapy, we suggest that the role of TNP in the management of this disease merits attention.
Are we aware of all complications following body piercing procedures?
Authors: Antoszewski Bogusław , Szychta Paweł , Fijałkowska Marta
Published: March 2009

Background  The popularity of body piercing procedures is increasing around the world. Body piercing, depending on the age and social group, is believed to involve up to 51% of the general population. Complications following piercing procedures are variable.

Objective  To present an unusual complication after lower lip piercing – embedding of a stud into the lip – and to determine why it occurred from the side of the mucous membrane and not from the side of the skin.

Methods  A 21‐year‐old man presented to the plastic surgery outpatient clinic with embedding of piercing into the lower lip.

Results  In lateral X‐ray film, a metallic shadow was observed in the area of the oral soft tissues. The length of the stick was only 8 mm. In this patient, a stick that was too short in relation to the thickness of the lip was used. In this situation, the ends of the stud pressed too strongly on the surrounding tissues. Consequently, this may have caused necrosis of the mucous membrane and embedding of the stud into the lip.

Conclusion  The observations described confirm a higher susceptibility to mechanical pressure of the mucous membrane than of the skin. An increasing rate of complications after body piercing reflects a lack of medical knowledge in individuals performing such procedures.
Dietary advice, dietary adherence and the acquisition of tolerance in egg‐allergic children: a 5‐yr follow‐up
Authors: Allen Clare Wendy , Kemp Andrew Stewart , Campbell Dianne Elizabeth
Published: March 2009

IgE‐mediated egg allergy is a common childhood food allergy affecting about 1–2% of 2‐yr‐old children. Egg avoidance is the mainstay of treatment for egg allergy; however, it is unclear what type of dietary advice parents of children with egg allergy receive and to what extent this dietary advice is adhered to. This study aimed to assess: (i) the type and source of dietary advice parents receive in a tertiary hospital setting, (ii) how closely parents adhere to advice given, (iii) what patient characteristics influenced adherence to diet and (iv) whether strict adherence to dietary advice was an identifiable factor in whether children outgrew their egg allergy. In 2006, a questionnaire was sent to 261 parents of children seen in a tertiary paediatric allergy clinic in 2003 and diagnosed with egg allergy which included 84 children who had undergone an in‐hospital open oral egg challenge during this time period (2003–2006). Questions included demographic data, details of egg allergy, dietary avoidance and attainment of unrestricted egg ingestion. Of 199 questionnaires confirmed received, 167 were returned (84%). The mean age of the cohort was 6.6 yr with an average of 5.5 yr of follow‐up since the first reaction. Sixty‐eight percent of subjects reported avoidance of all food containing egg all the time. Forty‐seven percent of the children had been accidentally exposed to egg. The severity of the initial reaction did not appear to influence adherence to an advised diet. Of the 84 children who underwent in‐hospital open egg challenges, 57 children were able to ingest egg without clinical reaction and were classified as having outgrown their egg allergy. These children did not differ from those who were challenge positive to egg in terms of either the dietary advice they received or the degree to which they had undertaken strict avoidance of egg. In addition, children who had outgrown their egg allergy did not differ from those who remained egg‐allergic on in‐hospital challenge in terms of either the frequency of accidental ingestion or the severity of initial reaction. Strict avoidance of egg and accidental ingestion of egg did not appear to influence the acquisition of tolerance.
Sperm competition and maternal effects differentially influence testis and sperm size in Callosobruchus maculatus
Authors: GAY L. , HOSKEN D. J. , VASUDEV R. , TREGENZA T. , EADY P. E.
Published: March 2009

The evolutionary factors affecting testis size are well documented, with sperm competition being of major importance. However, the factors affecting sperm length are not well understood; there are no clear theoretical predictions and the empirical evidence is inconsistent. Recently, maternal effects have been implicated in sperm length variation, a finding that may offer insights into its evolution. We investigated potential proximate and microevolutionary factors influencing testis and sperm size in the bruchid beetle Callosobruchus maculatus using a combined approach of an artificial evolution experiment over 90 generations and an environmental effects study. We found that while polyandry seems to select for larger testes, it had no detectable effect on sperm length. Furthermore, population density, a proximate indicator of sperm competition risk, was not significantly associated with sperm length or testis size variation. However, there were strong maternal effects influencing sperm length.
First Report of ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’ (Group 16SrI) Infecting Fruits and Vegetables in Islamabad, Pakistan
Authors: Fahmeed Fauqia , Rosete Yaima Arocha , Pérez Karel Acosta , Boa Eric , Lucas John
Published: March 2009

Nearby fruit and vegetable fields in Islamabad, Pakistan were surveyed for phytoplasma infection. ‘Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris’ (Group 16SrI) was found infecting mango, citrus, loquat, geranium, periwinkle, radish, blackberry and potato. Results suggest that a polyphagous vector may be involved in phytoplasma transmission to these plant species, which are first host records of 16SrI phytoplasma infection in Pakistan.
Long‐term changes in hydroid (Cnidaria, Hydrozoa) assemblages: effect of Mediterranean warming?
Authors: Puce Stefania , Bavestrello Giorgio , Di Camillo Cristina Gioia , Boero Ferdinando
Published: March 2009

Marine hydroids are markedly seasonal in temperate seas, being extremely sensitive to climatic changes disrupting seasonal patterns. Modifications in the composition, seasonality, bathymetric distribution and reproductive period of hydroid assemblages are useful to evaluate the influence of global warming on the marine ecosystem. The hydroids on the rocky cliff of the Portofino Promontory (Ligurian Sea, Italy) were carefully studied between 1976 and 1983; in particular, in 1980 the study was carried out along a vertical transect. The hydroids were sampled again throughout 2004, with the same techniques and along the same transect. Species diversity decreased slightly in the 2004 survey. Some species present in 1980 had disappeared in 2004, but other species with southern affinity, never recorded from the area, became abundant in 2004. Species that were present in summer in the first period were also present in winter in the second one. Furthermore, shallow summer species widened their bathymetric distribution, reaching deeper levels. These data strongly suggest that the Portofino hydroid assemblage reacted to the water temperature increase found in the Mediterranean Sea.
Musical obsession or pseudohallucination: Electrophysiological standpoint
Authors: Praharaj Samir Kumar , Goyal Nishant , Sarkar Sukanto , Bagati Dhruv , Sinha Prakriti , Sinha Vinod Kumar
Published: March 2009

Reported herein is a case of obsessive–compulsive disorder with persistent and distressing musical obsessions along with other symptoms. Advanced source analysis of electroencephalographic data indicated high spectral power over the bifrontal region. The musical symptoms were resistant to pharmacotherapy but there was some reduction in frequency and duration of musical obsessions with thought‐stopping technique.
Differences in frontal lobe function between violent and nonviolent conduct disorder in male adolescents
Authors: Miura Hideki
Published: March 2009

Aims:  The objective of the present study was to investigate the differences in frontal lobe function between violent and nonviolent male adolescents with conduct disorder.

Methods:  A total of 309 male adolescents who had been admitted to the Nagoya Juvenile Classification Home participated. The participants were divided into two groups, a violent group composed of individuals who had committed violence against others, and a nonviolent group. The subjects were given the Wisconsin card sorting test (Keio version: KWCST) and the Iowa Gambling task. The presence of violent cases was analyzed in terms of age, family history (crime, drug abuse/dependence, alcohol‐related disorder, and psychiatric treatment), experience of being abused by their parents or by the persons who were responsible for raising them, as well as categories achieved (CA) of KWCST (≤4, >4) and total selection of disadvantage cards of Iowa Gambling task (≥50, <50).

Results:  Multivariate logistic regression analyses indicated that a family history of drug abuse/dependence (odds ratio = 0.3, 95% confidence interval = 0.1–0.9) and a CA of the KWCST (odds ratio = 1.8, 95% confidence interval = 1.0–3.1) were significantly associated with violence.

Conclusions:  An impaired rate of CA of the KWCST was related to violence, whereas a family history of drug abuse/dependence was related to nonviolence in male adolescents with conduct disorder.
Anger and functioning amongst inpatients with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder living in a therapeutic community
Authors: Fassino Secondo , Amianto Federico , Gastaldo Luigi , Leombruni Paolo
Published: March 2009

Aims:  This study explored the functional correlates of anger amongst therapeutic community inpatients.

Methods:  The sample consisted of 44 subjects diagnosed with schizophrenic/schizoaffective disorder who were involved in a community treatment program. Assessment involved administration of the Health of Nation Outcome Scales and the Global Assessment of Functioning as well as self‐evaluations using the Social Adaptation Self‐evaluation Scale. Psychopathology was assessed with the Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale. Angry feelings and coping skills were self‐assessed with the State–Trait Anger Expression Inventory and the Symptom Checklist‐90 Hostility Scale. Multiple regression analyses correlated anger with functioning, controlling for psychopathology.

Results:  Angry feelings related to self‐harm, hyperactivity, physical problems, and to global weight independently from Positive and Negative Symptoms Scale scores. They also predicted interest and pleasure in housekeeping, quality of social relationships and relational exchanges.

Conclusions:  Results showed that angry feelings were not merely derivations of schizophrenic psychopathology; rather, they were independently related to self‐damaging behaviors, to attentional demands towards the staff, to agreement to community tasks and to low quality of social relationships. Indeed, anger was related to adaptation's level in a therapeutic community setting demonstrated by subjects with psychoses and it may represent an indirect measure of their experienced quality of life. Therapeutic and management approaches to anger amongst subjects with schizophrenia are discussed.
Characteristics of asthma attack with long‐term management for bronchial asthma
Authors: Kawahara Noriko , Hasegawa Shunji , Hashimoto Kunio , Matsubara Tomoyo , Ichiyama Takashi , Furukawa Susumu
Published: March 2009

Background:  There have been no reports on the evaluation of the usefulness of long‐term asthma management based on the Japanese Pediatric Guideline for the Treatment and Management of Bronchial Asthma 2005 (JPGL 2005).

Methods:  The purpose of the present study was to retrospectively investigate the records of 350 patients admitted to Yamaguchi University Hospital who had asthma attacks from January 2006 to June 2008. There were 149 patients who were treated for more than 3 months in accordance with the guideline (long‐term management group) and 201 who were not (non‐long‐term management group). The patients were divided into three age groups: 100 infants, 159 toddlers, and 91 schoolchildren.

Results:  The onset age of asthma in the long‐term management group was earlier than that in the non‐long‐term management group in toddlers and schoolchildren. The white blood cell counts and C‐reactive protein levels were higher in the non‐long‐term management group in schoolchildren, suggesting the complication of some infections. The severity of asthma in the long‐term management group was greater than that in the non‐long‐term management group among all three age groups. There were no significant differences, however, in the severity of asthma attack at admission between the long‐term and non‐long‐term management groups in the three age groups.

Conclusion:  Patients who had severe asthma tended to be treated with long‐term management, which suggests that long‐term asthma management according to JPGL 2005 may reduce the severity of asthma attack at that admission, because the severity of asthma in patients undergoing long‐term management correlates with the severity of asthma attack.
Linking frugivore activity to early recruitment of a bird dispersed tree, Eugenia umbelliflora (Myrtaceae) in the Atlantic rainforest
Authors: CÔRTES MARINA CORRÊA , CAZETTA ELIANA , STAGGEMEIER VANESSA GRAZIELE , GALETTI MAURO
Published: March 2009

Seed dispersal by animals is a complex process involving several distinct stages: fruit removal by frugivores, seed delivery in different microhabitats, seed germination, seedling establishment, and adult recruitment. Nevertheless, studies conducted until now have provided scarce information concerning the sequence of stages in a plant's life cycle in its entirety. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the immediate consequences of frugivore activity for Eugenia umbelliflora (Myrtaceae) early recruitment by measuring the relative importance of each fruit‐eating bird species on the establishment of new seedlings in scrub and low restinga vegetation in the Atlantic rainforest, Brazil. We conducted focal tree observations on E. umbelliflora trees recording birds' feeding behaviour and post‐feeding movements. We also recorded the fate of dispersed seeds in scrub and low restinga vegetation. We recorded 17 bird species interacting with fruits in 55 h of observation. Only 30% of the handled fruits were successfully removed. From 108 post flight movements of exit from the fruiting trees, 30.6% were to scrub and 69.4% to low restinga forest. Proportion of seed germination was higher in low restinga than in the scrub vegetation. Incorporating the probabilities of seeds' removal, deposition, and germination in both sites, we found that the relative importance of each frugivorous bird as seed dispersers varies largely among species. Turdus amaurochalinus and Turdus rufiventris were the best dispersers, together representing almost 12% probability of seed germination following removal. Our results show the importance of assessing the overall consequence of seed dispersal within the framework of disperser effectiveness, providing a more comprehensive and realistic evaluation of the relative importance of different seed dispersers on plant population dynamics.
Environmental controls and patterns of cumulative radial increment of evergreen tree species in montane, temperate rainforests of Chiloé Island, southern Chile
Authors: PÉREZ CECILIA A. , CARMONA MARTÍN R. , ARAVENA JUAN CARLOS , FARIÑA JOSÉ M. , ARMESTO JUAN J.
Published: March 2009

We investigated the local environmental controls on daily fluctuations of cumulative radial increment and cambial hydration of three dominant, evergreen tree species from montane, Coastal rainforests of Chiloé Island, Chile (42° 22′ S). During 2 years (1997–1998 and 1998–1999) we recorded hourly cumulative radial increments using electronic band dendrometers in the long‐lived conifer Fitzroya cupressoides (Cupressaceae), the evergreen broad‐leaved Nothofagus nitida (Nothofagaceae), and the narrow‐leaved conifer Podocarpus nubigena (Podocarpaceae). We also measured soil and cambial tissue hydration using capacitance sensors, together with air and soil temperature and rainfall during the period of the study. In addition, we collected cores of these tree species to evaluate how dendrometer measurements reflect annual tree ring width. One‐year long daily time series of cumulative radial increments suggests that radial growth of Fitzroya cupressoides was initiated slowly in early spring, with a maximum in early summer. Multiple regressions showed positive relations between daily precipitation and radial index (i.e. the difference in cumulative radial increment of two consecutive days) in the three species. According to path analysis there was a significant direct effect of changes in tree hydration on radial index of the three focal species. In emergent, pioneer species such as Nothofagus and Fitzroya, radial index was negatively affected by changes in maximum air temperature and photosynthetically active radiation, probably because of high evapotranspiration demand on warm sunny days. The shade‐tolerant species Podocarpus nubigena was positively affected by photosynthetically active radiation. Our diel scale findings support the use of tree ring widths for reconstructing past climate in these southern temperate forests and provide evidence that rainforest trees may be highly sensitive to future declines in rainfall and temperature increases during summer.
Habitat preferences of the noisy miner (Manorina melanocephala) – a propensity for prime real estate?
Authors: OLDLAND JOANNE M. , TAYLOR RICK S. , CLARKE MICHAEL F.
Published: March 2009

This study investigated habitat characteristics that have been postulated to influence the occurrence of noisy miners (Manorina melanocephala Family Meliphagidae). It builds on an earlier study that identified corners along remnant edges as important predictors of the presence of noisy miners in large blocks of remnant vegetation (>300 ha). Six habitat characteristics were recorded at 39 corner sites within the box‐ironbark region of Victoria. We failed to detect any significant effect of the density of understorey vegetation on the likelihood of noisy miners occupying a site, but this might have been an artefact of prolonged drought conditions. The most powerful predictors of the presence of noisy miners at remnant corners were found to be soil type and the proportion of canopy trees at a site that were yellow gum (Eucalyptus leucoxylon), with noisy miners being associated with deeper, more fertile soils and higher proportions of yellow gums present. As yellow gum is a prolific and reliable nectar producer, the inherent productivity of a site might be more important in determining the attractiveness of a site to noisy miners than structural attributes like the presence or absence of an understorey. Noisy miners are sedentary colonial birds that occupy year‐round territories, often at high densities. Sites capable of supporting such high density occupation year‐round might be limited to the most productive sites within the landscape. This productivity hypothesis has potentially profound implications for other woodland avifauna, as noisy miners might be excluding other woodland birds from some of the most fertile components of the landscape; components that are already rare in the box‐ironbark region due preferential clearing for agriculture at the time of settlement.
Deeply divergent mitochondrial lineages reveal patterns of local endemism in chironomids of the Australian Wet Tropics
Authors: KROSCH MATT N. , BAKER ANDREW M. , MCKIE BRENDAN G. , MATHER PETER B. , CRANSTON PETER S.
Published: March 2009

The Wet Tropics bioregion of north‐eastern Australia has been subject to extensive fluctuations in climate throughout the late Pliocene and Pleistocene. Cycles of rainforest contraction and expansion of dry sclerophyll forest associated with such climatic fluctuations are postulated to have played a major role in driving geographical endemism in terrestrial rainforest taxa. Consequences for the distributions of aquatic organisms, however, are poorly understood. The Australian non‐biting midge species Echinocladius martini Cranston (Diptera: Chironomidae), although restricted to cool, well‐forested freshwater streams, has been considered to be able to disperse among populations located in isolated rainforest pockets during periods of sclerophyllous forest expansion, potentially limiting the effect of climatic fluctuations on patterns of endemism. In this study, mitochondrial COI and 16S data were analysed for E. martini collected from eight sites spanning the Wet Tropics bioregion to assess the scale and extent of phylogeographic structure. Analyses of genetic structure showed several highly divergent cryptic lineages with restricted geographical distributions. Within one of the identified lineages, strong genetic structure implied that dispersal among proximate (<1 km apart) streams was extremely restricted. The results suggest that vicariant processes, most likely due to the systemic drying of the Australian continent during the Plio‐Pleistocene, might have fragmented historical E. martini populations and, hence, promoted divergence in allopatry.
Variable strength of top‐down effects inNothofagusforests: bird predation and insect herbivory during an ENSO event
Authors: MAZIA C. NOEMI , CHANETON ENRIQUE J. , KITZBERGER THOMAS , GARIBALDI LUCAS A.
Published: March 2009

Abstract Predators are thought to play a key role in controlling herbivory, thus having positive indirect effects on plants. However, evidence for terrestrial trophic cascades is still fragmentary, perhaps due to variation in top‐down forces created by environmental heterogeneity. We examined the magnitude of predation effects on foliar damage by chewing insects and mean leaf size, by excluding birds from saplings in ‘dry’ and ‘wet’Nothofagus pumilioforests in the northern Patagonian Andes, Argentina. The experiment lasted 2 years encompassing a severe drought during the La Niña phase of a strong El Niño/Southern Oscillation event, which was followed by unusually high background folivory levels. Insect damage was consistently higher in wet than in dry forest saplings. In the drought year (1999), bird exclusion increased folivory rates in both forests but did not affect tree leaf size. In the ensuing season (2000), leaf damage was generally twice as high as in the drought year. As a result, bird exclusion not only increased the extent of folivory but also significantly decreased sapling leaf size. The latter effect was stronger in the wet forest, suggesting compensation of leaf area loss by dry forest saplings. Overall, the magnitude of predator indirect effects depended on the response variable measured. Insectivorous birds were more effective at reducing folivory than at facilitating leaf area growth. Our results indicate that bird‐initiated trophic cascades protectN. pumiliosaplings from insect damage even during years with above‐normal herbivory, and also support the view that large‐scale climatic events influence the strength of trophic cascades.
Petals may act as a reward: myrmecochory in shrubby Darwinia species of south‐eastern Australia
Authors: AULD TONY D.
Published: March 2009

The removal rates of fruits (the diaspore) were assessed in exclusion experiments in three shrubby species of Darwinia, endemic to the Sydney Basin of south‐eastern Australia. There was a clear pattern of fruit removal in just a few days by small species of ants from the genera Iridomyrmex, Crematogaster and Pheidole. When only ants had access to fruits an average of 41% of fruits were removed, whereas when only vertebrates had access an average of 13% of fruits were removed. There was some variation in the number of fruits removed both between species and within species across study sites or annual seed crops. When ants had access to seeds this variation in removal amounted to 10–80% over 1–4 days. Uniquely in Darwinia, it is the old petals (which remain attached to the fruit) that are attractive to the ants, rather than a specific lipid body. This likely represents a case of successful ecological fitting by Darwinia to take advantage of the widespread presence of myrmecochory in the Australian flora.