bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Using ecology to guide the study of cognitive and neural mechanisms of different aspects of spatial memory in food-hoarding animals
Authors: Smulders Tom V. , Gould Kristy L. , Leaver Lisa A.
Published: February 2010

Understanding the survival value of behaviour does not tell us how the mechanisms that control this behaviour work. Nevertheless, understanding survival value can guide the study of these mechanisms. In this paper, we apply this principle to understanding the cognitive mechanisms that support cache retrieval in scatter-hoarding animals. We believe it is too simplistic to predict that all scatter-hoarding animals will outperform non-hoarding animals on all tests of spatial memory. Instead, we argue that we should look at the detailed ecology and natural history of each species. This understanding of natural history then allows us to make predictions about which aspects of spatial memory should be better in which species. We use the natural hoarding behaviour of the three best-studied groups of scatter-hoarding animals to make predictions about three aspects of their spatial memory: duration, capacity and spatial resolution, and we test these predictions against the existing literature. Having laid out how ecology and natural history can be used to predict detailed cognitive abilities, we then suggest using this approach to guide the study of the neural basis of these abilities. We believe that this complementary approach will reveal aspects of memory processing that would otherwise be difficult to discover.
Seasonal hippocampal plasticity in food-storing birds
Authors: Sherry David F. , Hoshooley Jennifer S.
Published: February 2010

Both food-storing behaviour and the hippocampus change annually in food-storing birds. Food storing increases substantially in autumn and winter in chickadees and tits, jays and nutcrackers and nuthatches. The total size of the chickadee hippocampus increases in autumn and winter as does the rate of hippocampal neurogenesis. The hippocampus is necessary for accurate cache retrieval in food-storing birds and is much larger in food-storing birds than in non-storing passerines. It therefore seems probable that seasonal change in caching and seasonal change in the hippocampus are causally related. The peak in recruitment of new neurons into the hippocampus occurs before birds have completed food storing and cache retrieval for the year and may therefore be associated with spacing caches, encoding the spatial locations of caches, or creating a neuronal architecture involved in the recollection of cache sites. The factors controlling hippocampal plasticity in food-storing birds are not well understood. Photoperiodic manipulations that produce change in food-storing behaviour have no effect on either hippocampal size or neuronal recruitment. Available evidence suggests that changes in hippocampal size and neurogenesis may be a consequence of the behavioural and cognitive involvement of the hippocampus in storing and retrieving food.
Macrohabitat associations of fishes in shallow waters of the Detroit River
Authors: Lapointe N. W. R. , Corkum L. D. , Mandrak N. E.
Published: February 2010

Seasonal variation in large‐scale habitat selection by fishes in shallow, Canadian waters of the Detroit River was examined. Fish communities were compared among three river segments (upstream, middle and downstream) consisting of areas of shallow water habitat separated by wide hydrologic barriers of deep, flowing water and between inshore and offshore areas. In spring, the most unique, diverse and abundant fish assemblages were found at inshore sites in the middle segment where the largest remaining wetland habitats are located. Fishes used inshore habitat to spawn and probably avoided offshore areas because macrophyte cover was not available in spring. In summer, juvenile gizzard shad Dorosoma cepedianum and white bass Morone chrysops were observed in high densities in the upstream segment, probably migrating downstream from Lake St Clair. There was little difference in the fish assemblage among macrohabitats in autumn. The upstream segment appeared to be the most degraded, because it contained no species that were not found in the other segments, had a paucity of uncommon species and had significantly more non‐native species. This state was attributed to the infilling of coastal wetlands by urban land use and a resulting loss of habitat heterogeneity. The middle segment, with the only remaining wetland habitats, had the greatest occurrence of uncommon species and the only species at risk found in this study. Conservation and restoration efforts should be greatest for wetlands; however, shallow offshore areas provide important fish habitat in summer and autumn.
Phylogeographic structure of brown trout Salmo trutta in Britain and Ireland: glacial refugia, postglacial colonization and origins of sympatric populations
Authors: McKeown N. J. , Hynes R. A. , Duguid R. A. , Ferguson A. , Prodöhl P. A.
Published: February 2010

The phylogeographical structure of brown trout Salmo trutta in Britain and Ireland was studied using polymerase chain reaction–restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) analysis of four mitochondrial DNA segments (16S/ND1, ND5/6, COXIII/ND5 and ND5/12S). Analysis of 3636 individuals from 83 sites–morphotypes revealed a total of 25 haplotypes. These haplotypes were nested in seven two‐step clades. Although there was a clear geographical patterning to the occurrence of derived clades, admixture among ancestral clades was extensive throughout the studied area. A relevant feature of the data was that some populations contained mixtures of highly divergent clades. This type II phylogeographic pattern is uncommon in nature. Clade intermixing is likely to have taken place during earlier interglacials as well as since the Last Glacial Maximum. The anadromous life history of many S. trutta populations has probably also contributed to clade mixing. Based on the data presented here and published data, postglacial colonization of Britain and Ireland most likely involved S. trutta from at least five potential glacial refuges. Probable locations for such refugia were: south of England–western France, east of the Baltic Sea, western Ireland, Celtic Sea and North Sea. Ferox S. trutta, as defined by their longevity, late maturation and piscivory, exhibited a strong association with a particular clade indicating that they share a common ancestor. Current evidence indicates that the Lough Melvin gillaroo S. trutta and sonaghen S. trutta sympatric types diverged prior to colonization of Lough Melvin and, although limited gene flow has occurred since secondary contact, they have remained largely reproductively isolated due to inlet and outlet river spawning segregation. Gillaroo S. trutta may reflect descendents of a previously more widespread lineage that has declined due to habitat alterations particularly affecting outlet rivers. The mosaic‐like distribution of mtDNA lineages means that conservation prioritization in Britain and Ireland should be based on the biological characteristics of local populations rather than solely on evolutionary lineages.
Molecular phylogeographic analyses of the loach Oxynoemacheilus bureschi reveal post‐glacial range extensions across the Balkans
Authors: ŠEdivá A. , Apostolou A. , Kohout J. , Bohlen J.
Published: February 2010

Rivers on the Balkan Peninsula can be separated into ichthyofaunistic areas with different endemic fish species. The Vardar River contains a particularly large number of endemics, indicating its complete and long‐term isolation from neighbouring river systems. One of the few species shared with other rivers is the loach species Oxynoemacheilus bureschi. In this study, the genetic analyses of 175 individuals of O. bureschi from 17 sites, covering the entire distribution of the species, including the Rivers Vardar (= Axios), Struma (= Strymon), Mesta (= Nestos) and Danube, were performed using one mitochondrial and one nuclear marker. Genetic differentiation among populations was in general low. Shared haplotypes were common and occurred even between distant localities and different river systems. This points to a high degree of gene flow among populations and rejects the hypothesis that the population in the Vardar River represents a relict from an early colonization of the Balkan Peninsula. In contrast, the results suggest that populations in the Vardar River, as well as those in the Danube River, are of recent origin, and a human‐mediated introduction cannot be excluded. On the other hand, the populations in the Aggitis River, a left tributary of the lower Struma River, were clearly separated from the rest of the species and represent a long‐term isolated lineage. Demographic analyses suggest a recent population expansion for O. bureschi, in which the population in the Aggitis River was not involved.
Grayling (Thymallinae) phylogeny within salmonids: complete mitochondrial DNA sequences of Thymallus arcticus and Thymallus thymallus
Authors: Yasuike M. , Jantzen S. , Cooper G. A. , Leder E. , Davidson W. S. , Koop B. F.
Published: February 2010

The phylogenetic relationships among the three subfamilies (Salmoninae, Coregoninae and Thymallinae) in the Salmonidae have not been addressed extensively at the molecular level. In this study, the whole mitochondrial genomes of two Thymallinae species, Thymallus arcticus and Thymallus thymallus were sequenced, and the published mitochondrial genome sequences of other salmonids were used for Bayesian and maximum‐likelihood phylogenetic analyses. These results support an ancestral Coregoninae, branching within the Salmonidae, with Thymallinae as the sister group to Salmoninae.
Elevated water temperature impairs fertilization and embryonic development of whitefish Coregonus lavaretus
Authors: Cingi S. , Keinänen M. , Vuorinen P. J.
Published: February 2010

The adverse effects of high temperatures on the early life stages of anadromous whitefish Coregonus lavaretus were experimentally examined by assessing fertilization success, the percentage of developmental abnormalities, cumulative mortality and the rate of embryogenesis across a range of temperatures. Temperatures ≥ 7° C increased the proportion of unfertilized and abnormally dividing eggs, deformed embryos and consequent mortality. The higher the temperature, the more severe were the effects. When eggs were fertilized and constantly incubated at various temperatures, the effective level for 50% of the eggs and embryos (EL50) of temperature was 7·6° C at the developmental stage when eye pigmentation was visible. Fewer developmental abnormalities and a lower cumulative mortality rate were observed when embryos were exposed to high temperatures from the later, gastrula stage, than from fertilization or the four‐cell stage. Irrespective of retarded development in terms of day‐degrees (i.e. the sum of daily mean temperatures), a high incubation temperature reduced the development time of C. lavaretus, leading to earlier hatching, and hatched fry were shorter than at the reference temperature of 4–5° C. Global warming will particularly pose risks for stenothermic species such as C. lavaretus, with early life stages being especially susceptible. Thus, relatively small increases and fluctuations in river water temperatures during the spawning season of this anadromous species may have substantial negative impacts on its recruitment and population persistence.
Effect of exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons on Na +–K +‐ATPase in juvenile gilthead seabream Sparus aurata
Authors: Kopecka‐Pilarczyk J.
Published: February 2010

In this study, the effects of exposure to pyrene, fluorene and a mixture of selected polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) upon branchial Na +/K +‐ATPase was investigated in juvenile seabream Sparus aurata in a 96 h in vivo experiment. No significant effect was found, and thus it was concluded that branchial Na+/K +‐ATPase is probably not affected by PAH.
First record of the dog snapper Lutjanus jocu in the Mediterranean Sea
Authors: Vacchi M. , Psomadakis P. N. , Repetto N. , Würtz M.
Published: February 2010

The capture of a single specimen of the dog snapper Lutjanus jocu from the Ligurian Sea (north‐west Mediterranean Sea) in November 2005 is reported. This finding constitutes the first record of this species from the Mediterranean Sea.
Life‐history variability of non‐native centrarchids in regulated river systems of the lower River Guadiana drainage (south‐west Iberian Peninsula)
Authors: Ribeiro F. , Collares‐Pereira M. J.
Published: February 2010

Life‐history variability of two non‐native centrarchids, pumpkinseed Lepomis gibbosus and largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides, was evaluated in three stream stretches of the lower River Guadiana drainage (south‐west Iberian Peninsula) with different degrees of regulated flows. Abundance, condition and population structure differed among populations for both species, but invasion success was lower in the least regulated river. Lepomis gibbosus were abundant and had multiple age classes in the three river sites, whereas M. salmoides were less abundant and mainly represented by young‐of‐the‐year fish. Juvenile growth in L. gibbosus was similar in all three populations, though longevity was slightly greater in the population from the River Guadiana mainstream. Lepomis gibbosus exhibited a long reproductive season, but the duration of season, size at maturity and reproductive effort varied among populations. The life‐history differences found demonstrate the importance of species adaptation to local conditions which might favour their invasion success. Lepomis gibbosus were more adaptable and resilient to local conditions, whereas M. salmoides seemed dependent on reservoirs and large rivers for maintenance of riverine populations.
The effects of feeding history and environment on condition, body composition and growth of bluegills Lepomis macrochirus
Authors: Copeland T. , Murphy B. R. , Ney J. J.
Published: February 2010

Initial relative mass (WR, low v. high) and energetic trajectory in time (starved v. fed) were experimentally manipulated in bluegill Lepomis macrochirus. Fed fish starting at low WR grew more and gained more WR than fed fish starting at high WR. Similarly, starved fish starting at high WR lost more mass and WR than did starved fish starting at low WR. Temporal changes in other variables did not consistently match that of WR, but, by the end of the experiment, proximate composition showed a high correlation to WR. Regression slopes of WR on proximate composition increased with time in the laboratory. Differences between wild and laboratory fish appeared to result from relaxation of environmental stress. When excess resources are available such that L. macrochirus grow, condition indices will increase, but individual response will depend on initial values and thus past environmental experience.
Responses of skilletfish Gobiesox strumosus to high temperature and low oxygen stress
Authors: Tiffany B. N. , Enzor L. A. , Bennett W. A.
Published: February 2010

This study quantified physiological responses of skilletfish Gobiesox strumosus exposed to thermal and oxic stress. Fish acclimated at 12, 22 and 32° C had low oxygen tolerance values (mean ±s.d.) of 0·40 ± 0·09, 0·40 ± 0·08 and 0·35 ± 0·03, and critical thermal maxima (mean ±s.d.) of 33·2 ± 0·5, 38·1 ± 0·0 and 39·5 ± 0·3° C, respectively. Furthermore, G. strumosus were oxygen conformers at all acclimation temperatures, i.e. the fish allowed oxygen consumption rates to decrease with ambient oxygen concentration. High temperature tolerance, low oxygen tolerance and decreasing metabolic rates during hypoxic events allow the fish to survive harsh environmental conditions encountered in their natural environment.
Social familiarity and shoal formation in juvenile fishes
Authors: Lee‐Jenkins S. S. Y. , Godin J.‐G. J.
Published: February 2010

The potential influence of social familiarity in shoal‐choice decisions was investigated in two sympatric species of north temperate fishes, juvenile banded killifishFundulus diaphanusand juvenile bluegill sunfishLepomis macrochirus. Groups of socially familiar and unfamiliar conspecifics were formed in the laboratory using wild‐caught fishes. JuvenileF. diaphanusdemonstrated a strong preference for familiar conspecific shoalmates, whereas juvenileL. macrochirusexhibited no preference for either unfamiliar or familiar conspecific shoalmates. The differential influence of familiarity on shoalmate choice in juveniles of these two species could be due to their different ecologies, local population densities and life histories.
Flume length and post‐exercise impingement affect anaerobic metabolism in brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis
Authors: Tudorache C. , O'Keefe R. A. , Benfey T. J.
Published: February 2010

The effect of flume length and impingement time on post‐exercise lactate concentrations in brook charr Salvelinus fontinalis were examined. Swimming in longer flumes increased lactate concentrations, as does impingement after swimming in short flumes.
Divergent trends in life‐history traits between Atlantic salmon Salmo salar of wild and hatchery origin in the Baltic Sea
Authors: Vainikka A. , Kallio‐Nyberg I. , Heino M. , Koljonen M.‐L.
Published: February 2010

Four Atlantic salmon Salmo salar stocks in the Baltic Sea, varying in their breeding history, were studied for changes in life‐history traits over the years 1972–1995. Total length (LT) at age of captured (LTC) fish had increased throughout the study period, partly due to increased temperature and increased LT at release, (LTR) but also due to remaining cohort effects that could represent unaccounted environmental or genetic change. Simultaneously, maturation probabilities controlled for water temperature, LTC and LTR had increased in all stocks. The least change was observed in the River Tornionjoki S. salar that was subject only to supportive stockings originating from wild parents. These results suggest a long‐term divergence between semi‐natural and broodstock‐based S. salar stocks. Increased LT at age explained advanced maturation only marginally, and it remains an open question to what extent the generally increased probabilities to mature at early age reflected underlying genetic changes.
Post‐release growth and dispersal of pond and hatchery‐reared European grayling Thymallus thymallus compared with their wild conspecifics in a small stream
Authors: Turek J. , Randák T. , Horký P. , Z̆Lábek V. , Velíšek J. , Slavík O. , Hanák R.
Published: February 2010

The growth, and dispersal of stocked European grayling Thymallus thymallus, reared in a hatchery (fed dry food pellets) or in a pond (fed natural food), compared with their wild conspecifics was assessed from the recapture of individually tagged fish 168 days after their release into the Blanice River, Czech Republic. Recapture rates and site fidelity were higher for wild T. thymallus than for artificially reared fish. Specific growth rate and upstream or downstream dispersal did not significantly differ between any of the groups of fish. An influence of rearing conditions (pond v. hatchery) on the overall performance of stocked fish was not demonstrated. Initially, lower condition factors of reared T. thymallus were equal to wild fish after recapture, suggesting adaptation of artificially reared fish that remained in the sections studied.
Molecular identification of Na+–H+ exchanger isoforms (NHE2) in the gills of the euryhaline teleost Fundulus heteroclitus
Authors: Edwards S. L. , Weakley J. C. , Diamanduros A. W. , Claiborne J. B.
Published: February 2010

In the current study, reverse‐transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR) and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) PCR were used to clone full‐length putative Na+–H+ exchanger isoforms (NHE2a) cDNA from the gills of Fundulus heteroclitus. The 2480 bp cDNA includes a coding region for a protein that shows a 57% amino acid homology to rabbit NHE2. These sequences allowed data mining of available fish genome data, which revealed at least three NHE2 subtypes in some teleost species.
In vitro expansion of autonomously contracting, cardiomyogenic structures from rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss
Authors: Grunow B. , Ciba P. , Rakers S. , Klinger M. , Anders E. , Kruse C.
Published: February 2010

In primary cell preparations from larvae of rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, the formation of autonomously contracting cell aggregates was observed after 7 days. These contracting elements could be propagated and some aggregates were maintained over a period of 35 days. Electron microscopical and immunocytochemical examination revealed the presence of cardiomyocytes.
Pliocene isolation of a north‐west Saharan cichlid fish
Authors: Genner M. J. , Haesler M. P.
Published: February 2010

The evolutionary origin of the only north‐west Saharan haplochromine cichlid, Astatotilapia desfontainii, was explored using mitochondrial DNA sequences. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that this species belonged to the main East African–Nilotic haplochromine clade, but was a distinct lineage that diverged from modern haplochromines in the Pliocene. The results suggest that A. desfontainii is a relict haplochromine lineage that has endured major climate fluctuations in North Africa.
The interacting effects of temperature and food chain length on trophic abundance and ecosystem function
Authors: Beveridge Oliver S. , Humphries Stuart , Petchey Owen L.
Published: February 2010

1. While much is known about the independent effects of trophic structure and temperature on density and ecosystem processes, less is known about the interaction(s) between the two.

2. We manipulated the temperature of laboratory‐based bacteria‐protist communities that contained communities with one, two, or three trophic levels, and recorded species’ densities and bacterial decomposition.

3. Temperature, food chain length and their interaction produced significant responses in microbial density and bacterial decomposition. Prey and resource density expressed different patterns of temperature dependency during different phases of population dynamics. The addition of a predator altered the temperature‐density relationship of prey, from a unimodal trend to a negative one. Bacterial decomposition was greatest in the presence of consumers at higher temperatures.

4. These results are qualitatively consistent with a recent model of direct and indirect temperature effects on resource‐consumer population dynamics. Results highlight and reinforce the importance of indirect effects of temperature mediated through trophic interactions. Understanding and predicting the consequences of environmental change will require that indirect effects, trophic structure, and individual species’ tolerances be incorporated into theory and models.
Predator‐hunting success and prey vulnerability: quantifying the spatial scale over which lethal and non‐lethal effects of predation occur
Authors: Cresswell Will , Lind Johan , Quinn John L.
Published: February 2010

1. The shape of the function linking predator‐attack success rate with distance to predator‐concealing cover, or prey refuge, will affect population dynamics, distribution patterns and community trophic structure. Theory predicts that predator‐attack success should decline exponentially with distance from predator‐concealing cover, resulting in a threshold distance value above which there is little change in risk. Animals should then completely avoid areas of otherwise suitable habitat below this threshold, except when starvation risk exceeds predation risk.

2. We measured the shape of the function linking attack success with distance from cover in a system of Eurasian Sparrowhawks Accipiter nisus attacking (n = 445) and killing (n = 71) Redshanks Tringa totanus. We then determined if there was a threshold value and whether redshanks avoided areas below this threshold.

3. Sparrowhawk success rate with distance to predator‐concealing cover declined exponentially with a threshold value of approximately 30 m. Redshanks used habitat above the threshold according to profitability and only fed below it, on average, in cold weather when starvation risk can be imminently high. Above about 5°C, 26% of available habitat was avoided.

4. Our data support the hypothesis that predators create discrete areas with respect to cover that are avoided by prey. Large areas of suitable habitat may be unused, except in times of high starvation risk, when such areas may provide a foraging reserve, with large implications for population distribution and dynamics.

5. Our results are generated from a system in which predators attack their prey from concealing cover. But in the theoretically identical reverse scenario where the prey animal’s distance from protective cover determines predation risk, such non‐lethal effects will be equally important, especially in heavily fragmented landscapes.
An evaluation of an obesity and weight management resource pack
Authors: Leslie W. S. , Watson L. , Hankey C. R.
Published: February 2010

Background:  The prevention and treatment of overweight and obesity is a priority for all health professionals and requires resources that are regularly evaluated to ensure that they meet the needs of their target population. Dietitians in Obesity Management UK (DOM UK), a specialist group of the British Dietetic Association, commissioned an evaluation of their resources. These have been developed for use by Dietitians to determine the uptake and implementation of DOM UK resources in dietetic practice, as well as the opinions and suggestions of Dietitians concerning the resource pack.

Methods:  A random sample of 20% (n = 33) of the 165 Dietitians who had ordered resources were selected from the DOM UK database along with 20% of DOM UK members who had not (n = 38). Data were then collected using telephone‐administered questionnaires.

Results:  Most of the Dietitians who used the resources favoured them because they improved their consultations and were liked by patients. Resources ‘j’ (controlling your portions) and ‘k’ (planning your meals) were most frequently used. However, the cost of the pack was a deterrent to both new and repeat orders. The evaluation also revealed that 17% of DOM UK members were unaware of these resources and 23% who ordered them were unaware that online samples were available.

Conclusion:  The evaluation showed that most Dietitians who used the resources found them very useful especially resources concerning meal planning and portion sizes. However, concerns about cost and the need for greater awareness about the resources among Dietitians were highlighted.
An expanded role for dietitians in maximising retention in nutrition and lifestyle intervention trials: implications for clinical practice
Authors: Delahanty L. M.
Published: February 2010

The demand for clinical trials targeting lifestyle intervention has increased as a result of the escalation in obesity, diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. Little is published about the strategies that dietitians have used to successfully screen potential study volunteers, implement interventions and maximise adherence and retention in large multicentre National Institutes of Health funded nutrition and lifestyle intervention clinical trials. This paper discusses an expanded role for the contributions of dietitians as members of an interdisciplinary team based on research experiences in the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial, Diabetes Prevention Program and Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes). Many of the strategies and insights discussed are also relevant to effective clinical practice. Dietitians need to broaden their scope of practice so that they are integrated proactively into the screening and intervention phases of large clinical trials to maximise retention and adherence to assigned nutrition, lifestyle and behavioural interventions. The skills of dietitians are a unique fit for this work and it is important that investigators and project managers consider including them in both the screening and intervention phases of such clinical trials to maximise retention results.
Comparison of a food frequency questionnaire with an online dietary assessment tool for assessing preschool children’s dietary intake
Authors: Vereecken C. , Covents M. , Maes L.
Published: February 2010

Background:  It is important to assess the dietary habits of children as they progress from early childhood to adolescence. However, there are few validated tools available to assess the diet of this group of children. The present study aimed to investigate the relative validity of a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) developed for use in a biennial longitudinal study.

Methods:  The parents of 216 Belgian–Flemish preschool children completed a FFQ (including questions on 77 food groups) and an online dietary assessment tool for three nonconsecutive days on their child’s diet. Intakes of energy, macronutrients, fibre, calcium and 20 food groups recorded by both methods were compared using Spearman’s correlations, Wilcoxon’s signed rank test and Bland and Altman analyses.

Results:  At the group level, good agreement was found for energy, fat and protein intake, an overestimation was found for carbohydrates (5.6%) and fibre (13.3%), and an underestimation was found for calcium (9%). For the food groups, overestimation as well as underestimation and good agreement were found, although overestimation was most common.

Good agreement was found in ranking the children’s fruit (r = 0.53), beverages (r = 0.58–0.76), soup (r = 0.51), breakfast cereals (r = 0.55) and calcium (r = 0.59) intake according to both methods.

Conclusion:  The results obtained revealed that the FFQ was a useful alternative for estimating energy and macronutrient intake at a group level; however, when used to estimate fibre and calcium intake, respectively, over‐ and underestimation need to be considered. The short reference period (3 days) may have compromised agreement in ranking and agreement at the individual level.
Bowel habit, diet and body weight in preadolescent children
Authors: Jennings A. , Davies G. J. , Costarelli V. , Dettmar P. W.
Published: February 2010

Background:  The possible influence of diet and body weight on bowel habit in children is unknown. The present study aimed to investigate the inter‐relationships between bowel function, excess body weight and dietary intake in a group of preadolescent children.

Methods:  Eighty‐four preadolescent children aged 7–10 years were recruited [mean (SD) age 9.7 (1.0) years]. All children completed a bowel habit diary, examining specific parameters of bowel function and a weighed food inventory concurrently for seven consecutive days. Height and weight measurements were also taken. Children were grouped according to whether they met dietary recommendations and by overweight status; differences in bowel function between the groups were then analysed.

Results:  Children who exceeded reference values for fat were more likely to report an incidence of straining to start (P = 0.005) and pain during defaecation (P = 0.021). Subjects who met protein recommendations were less likely to report incomplete evacuation (P = 0.000) and those who met zinc recommendations were less likely to report pain during defaecation (P = 0.044). Excess body weight (according to International Obesity Task Force cut‐offs) was also associated with poor bowel habit, with overweight and obese children reporting lower defaecation frequency and a higher incidence of straining and feelings of incomplete evacuation, although these findings were not statistically significant. Defaecation frequency in healthy children was 1.4 defaecations per day compared to 1.2 defaecations for overweight and obese children.

Conclusion:  A poor diet that fails to meet dietary recommendations as well as being overweight and obese appears to be associated with increased defaecation problems in preadolescent children.
Inverse vaccination, the opposite of Jenner’s concept, for therapy of autoimmunity
Authors: Steinman L.
Published: February 2010

Abstract.  Steinman L (Stanford University, Stanford, CA, USA). Inverse vaccination, the opposite of Jenner’s concept, for therapy of autoimmunity (foresight). J Intern Med 2010: 267: 441–451.

DNA‐based vaccines to induce antigen‐specific inhibition of immune responses in human autoimmune diseases represent the inverse of what Jenner intended when he invented vaccination. Jenner’s vaccine induced antigen‐specific immunity to small pox. DNA vaccines for autoimmunity have been developed in preclinical settings, and now tested in human trials. The first two clinical trials, one in relapsing remitting multiple sclerosis, and the other in type 1 diabetes indicate that specific inhibition of antigen‐specific antibody and T‐cell responses is attainable in humans. Further development of this approach is ongoing. This new version of immunization termed ‘inverse vaccination’ when applied to autoimmune diseases, may allow targeted reduction of unwanted antibody and T‐cell responses to autoantigens, while leaving the remainder of the immune system intact. The method of specifically reducing a pathological adaptive autoimmune response is termed inverse vaccination.
Transmission electron microscopy of solution‐processed, intrinsic and Al‐doped ZnO nanowires for transparent electrode fabrication
Authors: KUSINSKI G.J. , JOKISAARI J.R. , NORIEGA R. , GORIS L. , DONOVAN M. , SALLEO A.
Published: February 2010

A solution‐based chemistry was used to synthesize intrinsic and Al‐doped (1% and 5% nominal atomic concentration of Al) ZnO nanostructures. The nanowires were grown at 300°C in trioctylamine by dissolving Zn acetate and Al acetate. Different doping conditions gave rise to different nanoscale morphologies. The effect of a surfactant (oleic acid) was also investigated. An electron microscopy study correlating morphology, aspect ratio and doping of the individual ZnO wires to the electrical properties of the spin coated films is presented. HRTEM revealed single crystalline [0001] wires.
Microstructural changes to AlCu6Ni1 alloy after prolonged annealing at elevated temperature
Authors: WIERZBIŃSKA M. , SIENIAWSKI J.
Published: February 2010

This work presents results of microstructure examination of AlCu6Ni1 aluminium alloy. The commercial AlCu4Ni2Mg2 (M‐309) alloy is widely used for elements of aircraft and automotive engines. Modification its chemical composition was aimed at improving the stability of mechanical properties of the alloy subjected to long‐term exposure to high temperature. The alloy after standard T6 heat treatment (solution heat treated at 818 K/10 h/water quenched followed by ageing at 498 K/8 h/air cooled) was annealed for 150 h at elevated temperature of 573 K corresponding to the maximum value at which structural elements of jet piston engines made of aluminium alloys operate. It was found that applied heat treatment caused an increasing in the particles of hardening phase (θ′‐Al2Cu) size. The significant growth of the length of θ′‐Al2Cu precipitations was observed in particularly. Nevertheless, it did not strongly result in change of its shape – the ‘crystallites’ and ‘rods’ were still characteristic of hardening phase morphology. The phenomena of the growth of θ′‐Al2Cu precipitates caused decreasing the mechanical properties of the alloy, what is the subject of further investigations by the authors.
The effect of hysterectomy or levonorgestrel‐releasing intrauterine system on lower urinary tract symptoms: a 10‐year follow‐up study of a randomised trial
Authors: Heliövaara‐Peippo S , Halmesmäki K , Hurskainen R , Teperi J , Grenman S , Kivelä A , Tomas E , Tuppurainen M , Paavonen J
Published: February 2010

Please cite this paper as: Heliövaara‐Peippo S, Halmesmäki K, Hurskainen R, Teperi J, Grenman S, Kivelä A, Tomas E, Tuppurainen M, Paavonen J. The effect of hysterectomy or levonorgestrel‐releasing intrauterine system on lower urinary tract symptoms: a 10‐year follow‐up study of a randomised trial. BJOG 2010;117:602–609.

Objective  To evaluate the effect of hysterectomy and levonorgestrel‐releasing intrauterine system (LNG‐IUS) on lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) among women treated for menorrhagia.

Design  Randomised controlled trial analysed by actual treatment.

Setting  Five university hospitals in Finland.

Sample  A cohort of 236 women, aged 35–49 years, referred for menorrhagia between 1994 and 1997.

Methods  Women were randomly assigned to treatment by hysterectomy (n = 117) or LNG‐IUS (n = 119).

Main outcome measures  Lower urinary tract symptoms were evaluated by questionnaires at baseline, and after 6, 12 months, 5, and 10 years. Medications and operations for urinary incontinence were confirmed from medical records and national registries.

Results  Overall, 221 (94%) women took part in the 10‐year follow‐up evaluation. As 55 (46%) women originally randomised to the LNG‐IUS group underwent hysterectomy, the results were analysed by actual treatment. Women treated by hysterectomy used more medication for urinary incontinence than LNG‐IUS users (12% versus 1%) (OR 9.45, 95% CI 1.24–71.87, P = 0.006). Three hysterectomised women and one LNG‐IUS user underwent surgery for stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Women treated by hysterectomy had more urinary tract infections (UTIs) than LNG‐IUS users (OR 3.20, 95% CI 1.47–6.96, P = 0.002). Feeling of incomplete emptying (OR 3.00, 95% CI 1.00–9.05, P = 0.04) and SUI (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.01–3.32, P = 0.04) were more common among women treated by hysterectomy. No differences between the study arms were noted in urge urinary incontinence or by the Urinary Incontinence Severity Score. A multivariate model showed that UTIs were associated with hysterectomy (P = 0.004).

Conclusions  Hysterectomy increases the risks for incomplete emptying, lower UTIs and SUI.
TRPM3 is expressed in sphingosine‐responsive myelinating oligodendrocytes
Authors: Hoffmann Anja , Grimm Christian , Kraft Robert , Goldbaum Olaf , Wrede Arne , Nolte Christiane , Hanisch Uwe‐Karsten , Richter‐Landsberg Christiane , Brück Wolfgang , Kettenmann Helmut , Harteneck Christian
Published: February 2010

J. Neurochem. (2010) 114, 654–665.

Oligodendrocytes are the myelin‐forming cells of the CNS and guarantee proper nerve conduction. Sphingosine, one major component of myelin, has recently been identified to activate TRPM3, a member of the melastatin‐related subfamily of transient receptor potential (TRP) channels. TRPM3 has been demonstrated to be expressed in brain with unknown cellular distribution. Here, we show for the first time that TRPM3 is expressed in oligodendrocytes in vitro and in vivo. TRPM3 is present during oligodendrocyte differentiation. Immunohistochemistry of adult rat brain slices revealed staining of white matter areas, which co‐localized with oligodendrocyte markers. Analysis of the developmental distribution revealed that, prior to myelination, TRPM3 channels are localized on neurons. On oligodendrocytes they are found after the onset of myelination. RT‐PCR studies showed that the transcription of TRPM3 splice variants is also developmentally regulated in vitro. Ca2+ imaging approaches revealed the presence of a sphingosine‐induced Ca2+ entry mechanism in oligodendrocytes – with a pharmacological profile similar to the profile published for heterologously expressed TRPM3. These findings indicate that TRPM3 participates as a Ca2+‐permeable and sphingosine‐activated channel in oligodendrocyte differentiation and CNS myelination.
Morphological and genetic predictors of parental care in the North American barn swallow Hirundo rustica erythrogaster
Authors: Maguire Sarah E. , Safran Rebecca J.
Published: February 2010

Sexually dimorphic traits often signal the fitness benefits an individual can provide to potential mates. In species with altricial young, these signals may also predict the level of parental care an individual is expected to provide to shared offspring. In this study, we tested three hypotheses that traditionally relate sexually dimorphic traits to parental care in two populations of North American barn swallows Hirundo rustica erythrogaster. The good parent hypothesis predicts a positive relationship between an individual's ornamentation and his or her care whereas the differential allocation (more care given by individuals when paired to high quality mates) and reproductive compensation (more care given by individuals when paired to low quality mates) hypotheses predict that an individual's level of parental investment is relative to the quality of their mate. Male and female North American barn swallows have colorful ventral feathers and elongated tail streamers, but there is evidence that ventral color, not tail streamer length, predicts measures of seasonal reproductive success. Accounting for the positive correlation between within‐pair feeding rates and other potentially confounding variables in all of our models, we found no support for the good parent hypothesis because in both males and females, traits shown to be under sexual selection did not predict feeding rates in either sex. However, our data reveal that male coloration, and not streamer length, predicted a female's provisioning rate to shared offspring (females fed more when paired with darker individuals) in two separate populations, supporting the differential allocation, but not the reproductive compensation hypothesis. Because genetic traits have also been shown to affect parental investment, we evaluated this variable as well and found that a male's paternity did not have significant effects on either male or female feeding rates. Overall, our results suggest that females do not pair with darker males in order to gain direct benefits in terms of his expected levels of parental care to shared offspring, but do themselves invest greater levels of care when paired to darker males. Further, our results are consistent with previous studies which suggest that ventral feather color, not streamer length, is a target of sexual selection in North American populations of barn swallow because females invested more in their offspring when paired to darker mates.
The relationship between leadership and gregariousness in mixed‐species bird flocks
Authors: Goodale Eben , Beauchamp Guy
Published: February 2010

Among the various species that form mixed‐species bird flocks, “nuclear species” are thought to be important in flock formation and maintaining flock cohesion. Such nuclear species have been noted to occur in large groups on their own and to lead flocks, but the relationship between leadership and intraspecific group size has not been quantitatively tested at a large scale. Using a dataset of descriptive studies of terrestrial flock systems collected over 75 y, we found that intraspecific group size was significantly larger in flock leaders than in species that attend the same flocks but do not lead. The relationship held in a reduced dataset with phylogenetically‐independent flock systems. We discuss a framework for explaining the connection between leadership and intraspecific group size, contrasting between those hypotheses that emphasize that gregariousness serves to attract the attention of other species, and those hypotheses that suggest that gregariousness leads to kin‐selected behavior from which other species can also benefit.
Heme oxygenase‐1/p21WAF1 mediates peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ signaling inhibition of proliferation of rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells
Authors: Li Manxiang , Li Zongfang , Sun Xiuzhen , Yang Lan , Fang Ping , Liu Yun , Li Wei , Xu Jing , Lu Jiamei , Xie Minxing , Zhang Dexin
Published: February 2010

Activation of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR)‐γ suppresses proliferation of rat pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs), and therefore ameliorates the development of pulmonary hypertension in animal models. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying this effect remain largely unknown. This study addressed this issue. The PPARγ agonist rosiglitazone dose‐dependently stimulated heme oxygenase (HO)‐1 expression in PASMCs, 5 μm rosiglitazone inducing a 12.1‐fold increase in the HO‐1 protein level. Cells pre‐exposed to rosiglitazone showed a dose‐dependent reduction in proliferation in response to serotonin; this was abolished by pretransfection of cells with sequence‐specific small interfering RNA against HO‐1. In addition, rosiglitazone stimulated p21WAF1 expression in PASMCs, a 2.34‐fold increase in the p21WAF1 protein level being achieved with 5 μm rosiglitazone; again, this effect was blocked by knockdown of HO‐1. Like loss of HO‐1, loss of p21WAF1 through siRNA transfection also reversed the inhibitory effect of rosiglitazone on PASMC proliferation triggered by serotonin. Taken together, our findings suggest that activation of PPARγ induces HO‐1 expression, and that this in turn stimulates p21WAF1 expression to suppress PASMC proliferation. Our study also indicates that rosiglitazone, a medicine widely used in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus, has potential benefits for patients with pulmonary hypertension.
CE: Continuing Education Article VASCULAR ACCESS MANAGEMENT III: CENTRAL VENOUS CATHETERS
Authors: McCann Margaret , Einarsdottir Hildur , Van Waeleghem Jean Pierre , Murphy Fiona , Sedgewick John
Published: February 2010

This third article, the final part of a Continuing Education (CE) series on Vascular Access Management for patients with end stage renal disease (ESRD), focuses on central venous catheters. CVCs are considered the last choice in vascular access due to the numerous complications associated with their use. This CE article explores the incidence and prevalence of central venous catheters within the context of international guidelines, type and design of central venous catheters, insertion procedure, strategies for preventing infection and complications associated with their use.
VENOUS NEEDLE DISLODGEMENT: THE PITFALLS OF VENOUS PRESSURE MEASUREMENT AND POSSIBLE ALTERNATIVES, A REVIEW
Authors: Polaschegg Hans‐Dietrich
Published: February 2010

The historical development of the use of pressure sensors as protective system against blood loss to the environment is reviewed. In spite of early warnings about the deficiency of such sensors, the venous pressure sensor is still formally accepted as protective system against blood loss to the environment in case of leaks or needle dislodgement. The early warnings were corroborated by publications and accident reports. Several alternative methods have been developed or described in the literature recently. These methods are critically reviewed. The conclusion is that external monitors are currently the only available alternatives, although long‐time clinical experience is missing. Methods employing sensors integrated into dialysis machines have been described but it is unlikely that any of these methods will become available in the immediate future.