bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A prospective, randomized, multicenter acceptability and safety study of direct buprenorphine/naloxone induction in heroin‐dependent individuals
Authors: Amass Leslie , Pukeleviciene Vilma , Subata Emilis , Almeida António Rocha , Pieri Maria Chiara , D'Egidio Pietro , Stankova Zdenka , Costa António , Smyth Bobby P. , Sakoman Slavko , Wei Yan , Strang John
Published: July 2011

Aims  To provide controlled data on direct induction with buprenorphine/naloxone (BNX) versus indirect buprenorphine (BPN)‐to‐BNX induction.

Design  Phase 4, prospective, randomized, active‐drug controlled, parallel‐group trial consisting of a 2‐day, double‐blind, double‐dummy induction phase followed by 26 days of open‐label treatment with BNX.

Setting  Nineteen sites in 10 European countries from March 2008 to December 2009.

Participants  A total of 187 opioid‐dependent men and women ≥15 years of age.

Measurements  The primary objective was assessment of patient response to direct and indirect BNX induction [proportion of patients receiving the scheduled 16‐mg BNX dose on day 3 (i.e. first day post‐induction)]. Secondary assessments included illicit drug use, treatment retention and compliance, withdrawal scale scores, and safety.

Findings  Patient response to direct‐ versus indirect‐BNX induction was similar [direct 91.4% (85/93) versus indirect 90.4% (85/94); 95% confidence interval (CI): −7.3%, 9.2%]. Rapid dose induction (16 mg of BPN equivalent on day 2) was acceptable and 72% of patients completed treatment (day 28). There were no significant differences in secondary measures across groups. An average BNX maintenance dose of 15.3 mg across groups was associated with substantial reductions in illicit opioid use and no self‐reported intravenous misuse. Treatment compliance and retention rates were similar (98.5% and 81.3%, respectively). Treatment‐emergent adverse event rates were comparable: 75% versus 74% for direct‐ versus indirect‐induction groups, respectively.

Conclusions  Direct buprenorphine/naloxone induction was a safe and effective strategy for maintenance treatment of opioid dependence. Response to high‐dose direct buprenorphine/naloxone induction appears to be similar to indirect buprenorphine‐to‐buprenorphine/naloxone induction and was not associated with reports of intravenous buprenorphine/naloxone misuse.
Drug induced immune haemolytic anaemia in the Berlin Case‐Control Surveillance Study
Authors: Garbe Edeltraut , Andersohn Frank , Bronder Elisabeth , Klimpel Andreas , Thomae Michael , Schrezenmeier Hubert , Hildebrandt Martin , Späth‐Schwalbe Ernst , Grüneisen Andreas , Mayer Beate , Salama Abdulgabar , Kurtal Hanife
Published: July 2011

Drug‐induced immune haemolytic anaemia is a rare but serious condition. This study investigated the possibility of drug aetiology of immune haemolytic anaemia (IHA) in 134 patients with new onset of IHA who were identified in the Berlin Case‐Control Surveillance Study between 2000 and 2009. Single drugs related to IHA in three or more patients and assessed more than once as a certain or probable cause of IHA in a standardized causality assessment included diclofenac, fludarabine, oxaliplatin, ceftriaxone and piperacillin. In a case‐control study including all 124 IHA cases developed in outpatient care and 731 controls, significantly increased odds ratios (OR) were observed for beta‐lactam antibiotics (OR = 8·8; 95% confidence interval [CI] 3·2–25·2), cotrimoxazole (OR = 6·5; CI 1·1–37·9), ciprofloxacin (OR = 6·9, CI 1·3–38·5), fludarabine (OR = 22·2; CI: 2·8–454·5) and lorazepam (OR = 5·3; CI: 1·2–21·2). Excluding new onset cases with a chronic IHA disease course, an increased risk became also apparent for diclofenac with an OR of 3·1 (CI 1·3–7·0). This is the first case‐control study investigating drugs as risk factors for IHA. It corroborates an increased risk for several drugs that have been implicated as a cause of IHA in the standardized causality assessment of individual cases.
Genome‐wide DNA profiling better defines the prognosis of chronic lymphocytic leukaemia
Authors: Rinaldi Andrea , Mian Michael , Kwee Ivo , Rossi Davide , Deambrogi Clara , Mensah Afua A. , Forconi Francesco , Spina Valeria , Cencini Emanuele , Drandi Daniela , Ladetto Marco , Santachiara Rita , Marasca Roberto , Gattei Valter , Cavalli Franco , Zucca Emanuele , Gaidano Gianluca , Bertoni Francesco
Published: July 2011

The integration of molecular and clinical information to tailor treatments remains an important research challenge in chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL). This study aimed to identify genomic lesions associated with a poor outcome and a higher risk of histological transformation. A mono‐institutional cohort of 147 cases was used as the test series, and a multi‐institutional cohort of 176 cases as a validation series. Genomic profiles were obtained using Affymetrix SNP 6.0. The impact of the recurrent minimal common regions (MCRs) on overall survival was evaluated by univariate analysis followed by multiple‐test correction. The independent prognostic significance was assessed by multivariate analysis. Eight MCRs showed a prognostic impact: gains at 2p25.3‐p22.3 (MYCN), 2p22.3, 2p16.2‐p14 (REL), 8q23.3‐q24.3 (MYC), losses at 8p23.1‐p21.2, 8p21.2, and of the TP53 locus. Gains at 2p and 8q and TP53 inactivation maintained prognostic significance in multivariate analysis and a hierarchical model confirmed their relevance. Gains at 2p also determined a higher risk of Richter syndrome transformation. The prediction of outcome for CLL patients might be improved by evaluating the presence of gains at 2p and 8q as novel genomic regions besides those included in the ‘standard’ fluorescence in situ hybridization panel.
Bone marrow stromal cells protect lymphoma B‐cells from rituximab‐induced apoptosis and targeting integrin α‐4‐β‐1 (VLA‐4) with natalizumab can overcome this resistance
Authors: Mraz Marek , Zent Clive S. , Church Amy K. , Jelinek Diane F. , Wu Xiaosheng , Pospisilova Sarka , Ansell Stephen M. , Novak Anne J. , Kay Neil E. , Witzig Thomas E. , Nowakowski Grzegorz S.
Published: July 2011

Rituximab improves the outcome of patients with non‐Hodgkin lymphoma, but does not completely eradicate residual B‐cell populations in the microenvironment of the bone marrow and lymph nodes. Adhesion to stromal cells can protect B‐cells from apoptosis induced by chemotherapy drugs [(cell adhesion‐mediated drug resistance (CAM‐DR)]. A similar mechanism of resistance to rituximab has not, to our knowledge, been described. We tested the hypothesis that the microenvironment protects malignant B‐cells from rituximab‐induced apoptosis, and that blocking these interactions with natalizumab, an antibody targeting VLA‐4 (integrin alfa‐4‐beta‐1/CD49d), can overcome this protection. VLA‐4 is an adhesion molecule constitutively expressed on malignant B‐cells and is important for pro‐survival signalling in the bone marrow and lymph node microenvironment. The human bone marrow stromal cell line HS‐5 was shown to strongly protect B‐cell lymphoma cells from rituximab cytotoxicity, suggesting the existence of a stromal cell adhesion‐mediated antibody resistance (CAM‐AR) mechanism analogous to CAM‐DR. Natalizumab decreased B‐lymphocyte adherence to fibronectin by 75–95% and partially overcame stromal protection against rituximab and cytotoxic drugs. These pre‐clinical findings suggest that the addition of stromal adhesion‐disruptive drugs to rituximab‐containing therapy could improve treatment efficacy.
Regulation of white and opaque cell‐type formation in Candida albicans by Rtt109 and Hst3
Authors: Stevenson John S. , Liu Haoping
Published: July 2011

How different cell types with the same genotype are formed and heritability maintained is a fundamental question in biology. We utilized white‐opaque switching in Candida albicans as a system to study mechanisms of cell‐type formation and maintenance. Each cell type has tractable characters, which are maintained over many cell divisions. Cell‐type specification is under the control of interlocking transcriptional feedback loops, with Wor1 being the master regulator of the opaque cell type. Here we show that deletion of RTT109, encoding the acetyltransferase for histone H3K56, impairs stochastic and environmentally stimulated white‐opaque switching. Ectopic expression of WOR1 mostly bypasses the requirement for RTT109, but opaque cells lacking RTT109 cannot be maintained. We have also discovered that nicotinamide induces opaque cell formation, and this activity of nicotinamide requires RTT109. Reducing the copy number of HST3, which encodes the H3K56 deacetylase, also leads to increased opaque formation. We further show that the Hst3 level is downregulated in the presence of genotoxins and ectopic expression of HST3 blocks genotoxin induced switching. This finding links genotoxin induced switching to Hst3 regulation. Together, these findings suggest RTT109 and HST3 genes play an important role in the regulation of white‐opaque switching in C. albicans.
Over‐expression of an Na+‐ and K+‐permeable HKT transporter in barley improves salt tolerance
Authors: Mian Afaq , Oomen Ronald J.F.J. , Isayenkov Stanislav , Sentenac Hervé , Maathuis Frans J.M. , Véry Anne‐Aliénor
Published: July 2011

Soil salinity is an increasing menace that affects agriculture across the globe. Plant adaptation to high salt concentrations involves integrated functions, including control of Na+ uptake, translocation and compartmentalization. Na+ transporters belonging to the HKT family have been shown to be involved in tolerance to mild salt stress in glycophytes such as Arabidopsis, wheat and rice by contributing to Na+ exclusion from aerial tissues. Here, we have analysed the role of the HKT transporter HKT2;1, which is permeable to K+ and Na+, in barley, a relatively salt‐tolerant crop that displays a salt‐including behaviour. In Xenopus oocytes, HvHKT2;1 co‐transports Na+ and K+ over a large range of concentrations, displaying low affinity for Na+, variable affinity for K+ depending on external Na+ concentration, and inhibition by K+ (Ki approximately 5 mm). HvHKT2;1 is predominantly expressed in the root cortex. Transcript levels are up‐regulated in both roots and shoots by low K+ growth conditions, and in shoots by high Na+ growth conditions. Over‐expression of HvHKT2;1 led to enhanced Na+ uptake, higher Na+ concentrations in the xylem sap, and enhanced translocation of Na+ to leaves when plants were grown in the presence of 50 or 100 mm NaCl. Interestingly, these responses were correlated with increased barley salt tolerance. This suggests that one of the factors that limits barley salt tolerance is the capacity to translocate Na+ to the shoot rather than accumulation or compartmentalization of this cation in leaf tissues. Thus, over‐expression of HvHKT2;1 leads to increased salt tolerance by reinforcing the salt‐including behaviour of barley.
The Arabidopsis extracellular UNUSUAL SERINE PROTEASE INHIBITOR functions in resistance to necrotrophic fungi and insect herbivory
Authors: Laluk Kristin , Mengiste Tesfaye
Published: July 2011

Protease inhibitors (PIs) function in the precise regulation of proteases, and are thus involved in diverse biological processes in many organisms. Here, we studied the functions of the Arabidopsis UNUSUAL SERINE PROTEASE INHIBITOR (UPI) gene, which encodes an 8.8 kDa protein of atypical sequence relative to other PIs. Plants harboring a loss‐of‐function UPI allele displayed enhanced susceptibility to the necrotrophic fungi Botrytis cinerea and Alternaria brassicicola as well as the generalist herbivore Trichoplusia ni. Further, ectopic expression conferred increased resistance to B. cinerea and T. ni. In contrast, the mutant has wild‐type responses to virulent, avirulent and non‐pathogenic strains of Pseudomonas syringae, thus limiting the defense function of UPI to necrotrophic fungal infection and insect herbivory. Expression of UPI is significantly induced by jasmonate, salicylic acid and abscisic acid, but is repressed by ethylene, indicating complex phytohormone regulation of UPI expression. The upi mutant also shows significantly delayed flowering, associated with decreased SOC1 expression and elevated levels of MAF1, two regulators of floral transition. Recombinant UPI strongly inhibits the serine protease chymotrypsin but also weakly blocks the cysteine protease papain. Interestingly, jasmonate induces intra‐ and extracellular UPI accumulation, suggesting a possible role in intercellular or extracellular functions. Overall, our results show that UPI is a dual‐specificity PI that functions in plant growth and defense, probably through the regulation of endogenous proteases and/or those of biotic invaders.
The positive deviance/hearth approach to reducing child malnutrition: systematic review
Authors: Bisits Bullen Piroska A.
Published: July 2011

Objectives  The Positive Deviance/Hearth approach aims to rehabilitate malnourished children using practices from mothers in the community who have well‐nourished children despite living in poverty. This study assesses its effectiveness in a range of settings.

Methods  Systematic review of peer reviewed intervention trials and grey literature evaluation reports of child malnutrition programs using the Positive Deviance/Hearth approach.

Results  Ten peer reviewed studies and 14 grey literature reports met the inclusion criteria. These described results for 17 unique Positive Deviance/Hearth programs in 12 countries. Nine programs used a pre‐ and post‐test design without a control, which limited the conclusions that could be drawn. Eight used more robust designs such as non‐randomized trials, non‐randomized cross‐sectional sibling studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Of the eight programs that reported nutritional outcomes, five reported some type of positive result in terms of nutritional status – although the improvement was not always as large as predicted, or across the entire target population. Both the two RCTs demonstrated improvements in carer feeding practices. Qualitative results unanimously reported high levels of satisfaction from participants and recipient communities.

Conclusions  Overall this study shows mixed results in terms of program effectiveness, although some Positive Deviance/Hearth programs have clearly been successful in particular settings. Sibling studies suggest that the Positive Deviance/Hearth approach may have a role in preventing malnutrition, not just rehabilitation. Further research is needed using more robust study designs and larger sample sizes. Issues related to community participation and consistency in reporting results need to be addressed.
Evaluation of four rapid diagnostic tests for the diagnosis of Plasmodium vivax in Korea
Authors: Kim Kyung Hee , Jang Jin Woo , Woo Mi Kyung , Oh Jun Seo , Han Eun Taek , Lee Won Ja , An Seong Soo A. , Lim Chae Seung
Published: July 2011

Objective  To evaluate 4 rapid malaria diagnostic kits (RDTs) in Korea: OptiMAL test, SD BIOLINE Malaria Ag P.f/Pan test, Humasis Malaria P.f/Pan antigen test and CareStart™ Malaria Pf/Pv Combo test.

Methods  Hundred malaria patients with Plasmodium vivax (P. vivax) and 100 healthy volunteers were recruited. The results from earlier four RDTs were compared with the reference standard, the Giemsa‐stained traditional microscopic diagnosis.

Results  Compared with the reference standard, the sensitivity and specificity for Plasmodium vivax were 92.7 and 100% for SD BIOLINE Malaria Ag P.f/Pan; and 94.6% and 100% for OptiMAL; 95.5% and 100% for both Humasis Malaria P.f/Pan antigen test and CareStart™ Malaria Pf/Pv Combo test.

Conclusion  The performances of all four malaria RDT kits were acceptable, although Humasis Malaria P.f/Pan antigen test and CareStartTM Malaria Pf/Pv Combo test gave superior performances with ROK isolates.
A multicenter study of histoplasmosis and blastomycosis after solid organ transplantation
Authors: Grim S.A. , Proia L. , Miller R. , Alhyraba M. , Costas‐Chavarri A. , Oberholzer J. , Clark N.M.
Published: July 2011

S.A. Grim, L. Proia, R. Miller, M. Alhyraba, A. Costas‐Chavarri, J. Oberholzer, N.M. Clark. A multicenter study of histoplasmosis and blastomycosis after solid organ transplantation. Transpl Infect Dis 2011. All rights reserved

Aim. A review of the clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment and outcomes of 30 solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs) with histoplasmosis or blastomycosis from 3 Midwestern academic medical centers.

Background. The endemic fungal pathogens, Histoplasma capsulatum and Blastomyces dermatitidis, may cause severe infection in SOTRs. In this report, we describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes of these endemic fungal infections (EFIs) among SOTRs at 3 academic transplant centers.

Methods. A retrospective review was conducted of SOTRs with histoplasmosis or blastomycosis from 3 Midwestern medical centers in the United States. Data collected included demographics, immunosuppression, clinical presentation, method of diagnosis, antifungal treatment, response to therapy, and patient and graft survival.

Results. Between 1996 and 2008, 30 transplant recipients with histoplasmosis or blastomycosis were identified, giving a cumulative incidence of infection of 0.50% (30/5989); 73% of the study patients were renal transplant recipients, and the median time to disease onset after transplantation was 10.5 months. The lungs were the most common site of infection (83%), and 60% had disseminated disease. Urine antigen testing was positive in all patients in whom it was performed (23/23). Initial antifungal therapy consisted of amphotericin B in 70%, and 87% received azoles, typically itraconazole (83%). Two patients developed relapsed infection and 7 patients had graft failure after EFI. Overall mortality was 30%, with an attributable mortality of 13%.

Conclusions. As in several previous single‐center studies, the incidence of post‐transplant histoplasmosis and blastomycosis was <1%, but often resulted in disseminated infection. In this cohort, EFI was associated with a high rate of allograft loss and overall mortality.
An improved Fc function assay utilizing CMV antigen‐coated red blood cells generated with synthetic function–spacer–lipid constructs
Authors: Georgakopoulos T. , Komarraju S. , Henry S. , Bertolini J.
Published: July 2011

Background and Objectives  The Fc function assessment of immunoglobulin products is performed to confirm that the biological activity of immunoglobulin products is not affected by manufacturing and storage conditions. The European Pharmacopoeia (EP) test is cumbersome and time‐consuming especially with respect to the derivatization of red blood cells (RBC) with rubella antigen via tanninization. We investigated the KODE biosurface engineering technology for inserting specific antigens into red blood cell membranes to create kodecytes and evaluated their suitability for use in the Fc function assay.

Materials and Methods  Human RBC were derivatized with function–spacer–lipid (FSL) constructs comprising of a peptide epitope of a cytomegalovirus (CMV) surface protein, conjugated to a spacer and lipid tail. These kodecytes were used in an Fc function assay based on the monitoring of complement‐mediated haemolysis of immunoglobulin‐coated red cells. Optimization of FSL construct, immunoglobulin and complement concentration was undertaken. Fc values obtained for various immunoglobulin batches were compared with those from the EP‐based method. Carbohydrate‐bearing FSLs Galili (Galα1‐3Galβ1‐4GlcNAcβ), Galα1‐4GlcNAcβ and GalNAcα1‐3Galβ were also evaluated.

Results  Fc function indices determined with CMV peptide construct–coated red cells were comparable to those obtained with the EP‐based method with respect to specificity and precision. Carbohydrate‐bearing FSLs revealed Fc indices lower than expected.

Conclusion  The use of CMV kodecytes was shown to be a convenient means of generating red cells for the determination of Fc function of immunoglobulin products and offers the possibility of significantly reducing the time required to perform this assay.
Drift across the Atlantic: genetic differentiation and population structure in Brazilian and Portuguese native goat breeds
Authors: Ribeiro M.N. , Bruno‐de‐Sousa C. , Martinez‐Martinez A. , Ginja C. , Menezes M.P.C. , Pimenta‐Filho E.C. , Delgado J.V. , Gama L.T.
Published: July 2011

Brazilian goat breeds are believed to derive mainly from animals brought by Portuguese settlers since the 16th century. We used microsatellite markers in a sample of 436 animals to study genetic variability and differentiation of the six Portuguese (PT) and six Brazilian (BR) goat breeds currently recognized in the two countries. These breeds were also compared with an outgroup represented by a sample of Alpine (ALP) goats. The effective number of alleles and allelic richness were slightly higher in PT than in BR breeds. The global FST was nearly 0.11 when PT and BR breeds were considered, with a mean pairwise FST of about 0.03 among PT breeds, 0.07 among BR breeds and 0.15 between PT and BR breeds. The dendrogram illustrating relationships between populations and the correspondence analysis indicate the existence of two very distinct clusters, corresponding to the countries of origin of the breeds studied, which are nearly equidistant from the Alpine outgroup. The analysis with structure confirmed the separation between PT and BR breeds but suggests that some BR breeds, especially Graúna and Canindé, may share a common ancestry with PT breeds. The divergence observed between PT and BR breeds may result from founder effects and genetic drift but could also reflect the introduction in Brazil of goats originating from other regions, e.g., West Africa.
Oral health promotion interventions on oral yeast in hospitalised and medically compromised patients: a systematic review
Authors: Lam Otto L. T. , Bandara H. M. H. N. , Samaranayake Lakshman P. , McGrath Colman , Li Leonard S. W.
Published: July 2011

Yeast are major aetiological agents of localised oral mucosal lesions, and are also leading causes of nosocomial bloodstream infections. The purpose of this systematic review was to examine the effectiveness of oral health promotion interventions on the prevalence and incidence of these opportunistic oral pathogens in hospitalised and medically compromised patients. The PubMed, ISI Web of Science and Cochrane Library databases were searched for clinical trials assessing the effect of oral health promotion interventions on oral yeast. Chlorhexidine delivered in a variety of oral hygiene products appeared to have some effect on oral yeast, although some studies found equivocal effects. Although a wide array of other compounds have also been investigated, their clinical effectiveness remains to be substantiated. Likewise, the utility of mechanical oral hygiene interventions and other oral health promotion measures such as topical application of salivary substitute, remains unsettled. Although many chemical agents contained in oral hygiene products have proven in vitro activity against oral yeast, their clinical effectiveness and potential role as adjuncts or alternative therapies to conventional treatment remains to be confirmed by further high‐quality randomised controlled trials. This is pertinent, given the recent emergence of yeast resistance to conventional antifungal agents.
Maturation Competence of Swamp Buffalo Oocytes Obtained by Ovum Pick‐Up and from Slaughterhouse Ovaries
Authors: Yindee M , Techakumphu M , Lohachit C , Sirivaidyapong S , Na‐Chiangmai A , Roelen BAJ , Colenbrander B
Published: July 2011

Contents

This study was designed with the final goal of improving in vitro embryo production in the Thai swamp buffalo (Bubalus bubalis carabensis). Oocytes were collected by ovum pick‐up (OPU) from six non‐lactating multiparous swamp buffalo twice per week for 10 consecutive sessions followed by once‐weekly collection for 10 consecutive sessions without hormone stimulation. In addition, oocytes were collected from slaughterhouse ovaries that were classified as follows: ovaries from non‐pregnant cows with a visible corpus luteum (NPCL); pregnant cows with a corpus luteum (P); and non‐pregnant cows without a corpus luteum (NP). Follicles in each group of ovaries were categorized as small (2–4 mm), medium‐sized (5–8 mm) or large follicles (≥9 mm). The quality of the oocytes was assessed by their capacity to undergo in vitro maturation. The total number of observed follicles per session (all sizes combined) was larger in the once‐weekly OPU group compared with the twice‐weekly OPU group. In particular, the numbers of small and large follicles were higher in the once‐weekly OPU group (5.2 ± 0.7 and 0.9 ± 0.2, respectively) than in the twice‐weekly OPU group (3.9 ± 0.5 and 0.5 ± 0.1). The number of medium‐sized follicles did not differ between the groups. The percentages of oocytes with an abnormal spindle morphology were not different between oocytes from the twice‐weekly (30.0%) and the once‐weekly (28.6%) OPU groups. A higher percentage of oocytes obtained in vitro (49.5%) exhibited nuclear abnormalities compared with those obtained in vivo (≤34.8%) after in vitro maturation. In conclusion, oocytes can be successfully collected by OPU in the swamp buffalo, without hormonal pretreatment, and per week more good‐quality oocytes can be collected by twice‐weekly OPU. In addition, oocytes collected from slaughterhouse ovaries can be used with the reproductive status of the cow having no influence on the maturation competence of oocytes.
Electrocardiographic Changes in Normal and Abnormal Canine Pregnancy
Authors: Blanco PG , Batista PR , Re NE , Mattioli GA , Arias DO , Gobello C
Published: July 2011

Contents

The aim of this study was to describe the canine electrocardiographic changes in the course of normal and abnormal pregnancy. Twenty‐three Brucellosis‐negative pregnant bitches were retrospectively classified as normal (n = 12) or abnormal (n = 11). A control group of non‐pregnant dioestrous bitches (n = 10) was also included. Normal pregnant females delivered healthy puppies at term while abnormal animals interrupted their pregnancy between days 52–60 (from estimated luteinizing hormone peak) or presented perinatal litter death higher than 60%. All the bitches were electrocardiographically evaluated every 10 days from day 0 to day 65 of the oestrous cycle, to parturition or abortion. Percentage heart rate change increased 31.3% from day 40 to 60 in normal gestation while it decreased −1.8% in dioestrous bitches, although it did not change in the abnormal group (p < 0.01). In the abnormal pregnant group but not in the others, percentage QRSa change fell to −34% on day 60 (p < 0.01). At the same time point, percentage QRSd change was 6.2% vs −4.9% in normal gestations and dioestrous animals, respectively (p < 0.05). Corrected QT interval augmented from day 40 onwards up to 9.9% and 4.3% in the normal pregnant and dioestrous groups, respectively, while it remained unchanged in abnormal gestations (p < 0.05). It is concluded that during normal canine pregnancy, some electrocardiographic parameters begin changing from day 40 onwards, and that pathological gestations differ from normality from day 30. The use of electrocardiography in canine obstetrics might contribute to identify abnormal outcomes before they become clinically evident.
Efficacy of Ozone as a Novel Treatment Option for Urovagina in Dairy Cows
Authors: Zobel R , Tkalčić S , Štoković I , Pipal I , Buić V
Published: July 2011

Contents

Urovagina is detrimental to the health and fertility of cows worldwide. Surgery, the only known treatment, is not economically pragmatic to dairy practice, and it has some medical drawbacks. The objective of this study was to determine whether reproductive problems associated with urovagina could be alleviated through more practical and less‐invasive treatment options to allow successful conception and term‐pregnancy. Cows diagnosed with urovagina (n = 1219) were divided into three treatment groups, each containing an equal number of cows with mild, moderate and severe urovagina. The groups received one of three treatment options: saline (group A, n = 400), streptomycin (group B, n = 400) or ozone (group C, n = 419) flush, regardless of the severity of the urovagina condition within the group. The ozone treatment was found to be the most effective treatment modality, resulting in the shortest period of days open (95, 89 and 79 days in groups A, B and C, respectively; p < 0.05), the fewest number of inseminations until pregnancy (2.38, 1.84 and 1.63 in groups A, B and C, respectively; p < 0.05) and the smallest number of culled cows (20, 23 and 12 in groups A, B and C, respectively; p < 0.05). The ozone flush coupled with intracornual insemination presents an effective treatment option for urovagina that can lead to successful conceptions and pregnancies in dairy cows.
Evolution and coevolution in mutualistic networks
Authors: Guimarães Jr Paulo R. , Jordano Pedro , Thompson John N.
Published: July 2011

Ecology Letters (2011) 14: 877–885

A major current challenge in evolutionary biology is to understand how networks of interacting species shape the coevolutionary process. We combined a model for trait evolution with data for twenty plant‐animal assemblages to explore coevolution in mutualistic networks. The results revealed three fundamental aspects of coevolution in species‐rich mutualisms. First, coevolution shapes species traits throughout mutualistic networks by speeding up the overall rate of evolution. Second, coevolution results in higher trait complementarity in interacting partners and trait convergence in species in the same trophic level. Third, convergence is higher in the presence of super‐generalists, which are species that interact with multiple groups of species. We predict that worldwide shifts in the occurrence of super‐generalists will alter how coevolution shapes webs of interacting species. Introduced species such as honeybees will favour trait convergence in invaded communities, whereas the loss of large frugivores will lead to increased trait dissimilarity in tropical ecosystems.
When should we save the most endangered species?
Authors: Wilson Howard B. , Joseph Liana N , Moore Alana L. , Possingham Hugh P.
Published: July 2011

Ecology Letters (2011) 14: 886–890

At the heart of our efforts to protect threatened species, there is a controversial debate about whether to give priority to cost‐effective actions or whether focusing solely on the most endangered species will ultimately lead to preservation of the greatest number of species. By framing this debate within a decision‐analytic framework, we show that allocating resources solely to the most endangered species will typically not minimise the number of extinctions in the long‐term, as this does not account for the risk of less endangered species going extinct in the future. It is only favoured when our planning timeframe is short or we have a long‐term view and we are optimistic about future conditions. Conservation funding tends to be short‐term in nature, which biases allocations to more endangered species. Our work highlights the need to consider resource allocation for biodiversity over the long‐term; ‘preventive conservation’, rather than just short‐term fire‐fighting.
Phylogenetic relationships and divergence date estimates among Australo‐Papuan mosaic‐tailed rats from the Uromys division (Rodentia: Muridae)
Authors: Bryant Litticia M. , Donnellan Steve C. , Hurwood David A. , Fuller Susan J.
Published: July 2011

Bryant, L. M., Donnellan, S. C., Hurwood, D. A. & Fuller, S. J. (2011). Phylogenetic relationships and divergence date estimates among Australo‐Papuan mosaic‐tailed rats from the Uromys division (Rodentia: Muridae). —Zoologica Scripta, 40, 433–447.

We inferred phylogenetic relationships and divergence date estimates among four genera of mosaic‐tailed rats from the Uromys division in Australia, New Guinea and the Solomon Islands from both mitochondrial (16S rRNA) and nuclear (AP5 and DHFR introns) nucleotide sequence data. Phylogenetic analysis of our combined data shows that Melomys species from Australia and New Guinea are monophyletic to the exclusion of Paramelomys, which last shared a common ancestor with other members of the Uromys division approximately 3 MYA. However, Melomys was found to be paraphyletic with respect to the Solomon Islands endemic Solomys, suggesting the taxonomic distinction of the latter may need revision. The radiation of this group was estimated to have occurred between 2.1 MYA and 900 000 years ago. A currently undescribed taxon, species nova, which is apparently morphologically indistinguishable from sympatric M. cervinipes, was found to be a highly distinctive lineage and was not monophyletic with Melomys from Australia or New Guinea. Australian Uromys share a sister group relationship with sp. n. and the Melomys/Solomys clade. Australian Melomys were not monophyletic with respect to New Guinean Melomys. The New Guinean M. lutillus and Australian M. burtoni appear to be conspecific, supporting a previous suggestion that M. burtoni has an extralimital distribution encompassing New Guinea as M. lutillus. This also suggests sustained contact between these taxa, most likely enabled through historical landbridges that linked the two landmasses during periods of lower sea level. Melomys rubicola, found only on Bramble Cay, 50 km south of New Guinea, is more closely related to Australian Melomys, particularly M. capensis, than to any of the New Guinean species. Results suggest that M. rubicola and M. capensis last shared a common ancestor in the early Pleistocene, a time when land bridges existed connecting Bramble Cay to Cape York. Finally, polyphyly within M. cervinipes was also detected, corresponding to reciprocally monophyletic northern and southern clades. The northern M. cervinipes clade diverged from the M. capensis/rubicola clade approximately 1.2 MYA, with this split possibly resulting from isolation across the Normanby gap in far north Queensland.
The State, the Rebel and the Chief: Public Authority and Land Disputes in Assam, India
Authors: Vandekerckhove Nel
Published: July 2011

Based upon an ethnographic study of two land disputes in the rural Assamese district of Karbi Anglong (India), this article challenges the idea that the entry of new institutional players, with their multiple sets of rules, inevitably leads to open institutional conflict. Although a wide range of political actors are involved in the regulation of land tenure in Karbi Anglong, they cannot be regarded as institutional structures ready to undercut one another. As in other parts of Northeast India, none of the claimants of public power involved —‘the state’, ‘the rebel’ or ‘the chief’— attain full sovereignty, which forces them to exercise authority predominantly through practices of negotiation and accommodation, and only selective contestation. If open institutional conflict does occur, as in the Dhansiri forest and the Singhason plateau cases studied here, this is due to the fact that one of the institutional players has overstretched and attempted to exercise authority beyond its realm of power. This article thus argues for a more agency‐oriented method of analysis in the study of land relations. The focus on everyday interactions between ‘the state’, ‘the rebel’ and ‘the chief’ in Karbi Anglong is a first attempt in that regard.
‘The Law is to Blame’: The Vulnerable Status of Common Property Rights in Sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Wily Liz Alden
Published: July 2011

The context of this article is the surge in large‐scale land acquisitions of African lands by local and foreign investors for commercial food, livestock, oil palm and carbon trading purposes. Involuntary loss of rural lands at scale is not new to Africa's majority rural poor, nor is it driven by a single factor. Historically inequitable land relations within communities, compounded by a century of capitalist transformation, take their toll. This study argues, however, that the weak legal status of communal rights is the most pernicious enabler in their demise, allowing governments to take undue liberties with their citizens’ lands, and particularly those which are unfarmed and by tradition held in common. While international acquiescence to abusive domestic law helps entrench the diminishment of majority land rights, the domestic laws themselves are principally at fault and necessarily the target for change. This legal vulnerability is explored here through an examination of more than twenty African land laws.
Abortion Law Reforms in Colombia and Nicaragua: Issue Networks and Opportunity Contexts
Authors: Reuterswärd Camilla , Zetterberg Pär , Thapar‐Björkert Suruchi , Molyneux Maxine
Published: July 2011

This article analyses two instances of abortion law reform in Latin America. In 2006, after a decades‐long impasse, the highly controversial issue of abortion came to dominate the political agenda when Colombia liberalized its abortion law and Nicaragua adopted a total ban on abortion. The article analyses the central actors in the reform processes, their strategies and the opportunity contexts. Drawing on Htun's (2003) framework, it examines why these processes concluded with opposing legislative outcomes. The authors argue for the need to understand the state as a non‐unitary site of politics and policy, and for judicial processes to be seen as a key variable in facilitating gender policy reforms in Latin America. In addition, they argue that ‘windows of opportunity’ such as the timing of elections can be critically important in legislative change processes.
Genetic variants and the metabolic syndrome: a systematic review
Authors: Povel C. M. , Boer J. M. A. , Reiling E. , Feskens E. J. M.
Published: July 2011

Several candidate gene studies on the metabolic syndrome (MetS) have been conducted. However, for most single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) no systematic review on their association with MetS exists. A systematic electronic literature search was conducted until the 2nd of June 2010, using HuGE Navigator. English language articles were selected. Only genes of which at least one SNP–MetS association was studied in an accumulative total population ≥4000 subjects were included. Meta‐analyses were conducted on SNPs with three or more studies available in a generally healthy population. In total 88 studies on 25 genes were reviewed. Additionally, for nine SNPs in seven genes (GNB3, PPARG, TCF7L2, APOA5, APOC3, APOE, CETP) a meta‐analysis was conducted. The minor allele of rs9939609 (FTO), rs7903146 (TCF7L2), C56G (APOA5), T1131C (APOA5), C482T (APOC3), C455T (APOC3) and 174G>C (IL6) were more prevalent in subjects with MetS, whereas the minor allele of Taq‐1B (CETP) was less prevalent in subjects with the MetS. After having systematically reviewed the most studied SNP–MetS associations, we found evidence for an association with the MetS for eight SNPs, mostly located in genes involved in lipid metabolism.
Someone to Lean on: Assessment and Implications of Social Surrogate Use in Childhood
Authors: Arbeau Kimberley A. , Coplan Robert J. , Matheson Adrienne
Published: July 2011

A social surrogate is a person who helps a shy individual deal with the stresses of a social situation. Previous research has only investigated social surrogate use in adults. The purpose of the current study was to develop and evaluate a new self‐report measure of social surrogacy in middle childhood and to explore the implications of this phenomenon for children's socioemotional functioning. Participants were N = 328 children in grades 3–5 (Meanage= 9.45, Standard deviation = .93). Children completed the newly developed child social surrogate questionnaire (CSSQ) as well as self‐report assessments of shyness, loneliness, social anxiety, peer victimization, and self‐perceptions. Results indicated good psychometric properties and evidence of construct validity for the CSSQ. Social surrogacy was related to elevated shyness, social anxiety, and victimization. Contrary to expectations, there was also some evidence to suggest that social surrogacy may have particularly negative implications for shy children.
Leadership and Listening: The Reception of User Voice in Today's Public Services
Authors: Simmons Richard
Published: July 2011

Over the last decade leadership has become a watchword in public service provision, especially in its association with the seemingly ubiquitous ‘delivery’ agenda. As leadership styles change in response to developments in the contemporary public service environment, it has become imperative for service providers to find ways to listen to service users. However, listening is itself widely recognized as an underdeveloped public sector competency. This article addresses the relationship between leadership and listening. Using findings from recent research, it identifies a ‘listening gap’ in public services, before pointing to ways in which this gap might be better understood and subsequently narrowed. In doing so, it seeks to present new ideas about the essential balance between ‘leadership’ and ‘listening’, and how this can be struck in today's public service environment.

First, the nature of the user voice is examined. By talking to service users who have communicated their views in different ways in each of three different services (housing, social care and leisure), the article seeks to understand the nature of users' ‘projects’ in the expression of their views. These projects are compared with those of public service leaders. Second, the congruence (or incongruence) of these projects is considered through a comparison of the world views of both users and leaders. Finally, aspects of the context are considered in the discussion of the way public service organizations might go about defining the relationship between leadership and listening.
WHY ARE CHILD POVERTY RATES SO PERSISTENTLY HIGH IN SPAIN?*
Authors: GRADÍN CARLOS , CANTÓ OLGA
Published: July 2011

Poverty rates among households with children in Spain have been shown to be persistently higher than those among households without children. These higher rates prevail for chronic, transitory and, most remarkably, for recurrent poverty. In order to study the dynamics of poverty transitions in this country we estimate a dynamic random effects probit model that controls for unobserved heterogeneity and initial conditions using the panel data information from the European Community Household Panel. Our results show differential effects of several individual and household characteristics on the probability of being poor for households with and without children. Of special interest is how labour instability factors can help in explaining the outstandingly higher recurrence in poverty among households with children observed in Spain in comparison with other countries.
Association of adaptor protein TRIP8b with clathrin
Authors: Popova Nadezhda V. , Deyev Igor E. , Petrenko Alexander G.
Published: July 2011

J. Neurochem. (2011) 118, 988–998.

TPR‐containing Rab8b‐interacting protein (TRIP8b) is a brain‐specific hydrophilic cytosolic protein that contains tetratricopeptide repeats (TPRs). Previous studies revealed interaction of this protein via its TPR‐containing domain with Rab8b small GTPase, hyperpolarization‐activated cyclic nucleotide‐regulated channel (HCN) channels and G protein‐coupled receptor calcium‐independent receptor of α‐latrotoxin. We identified clathrin as a major component of eluates from the TRIP8b affinity matrix. In the present study, by in vitro‐binding analysis we demonstrate a direct interaction between clathrin and TRIP8b. The clathrin‐binding site was localized in the N‐terminal (non‐TPR containing) part of the TRIP8b molecule that contains two short motifs involved in the clathrin binding. In transfected HEK293 cells, co‐expression of HCN1 with TRIP8b resulted in translocation of the channels from the cell surface to large intracellular puncta where both TRIP8b and clathrin were concentrated. These puncta co‐localized partially with an early endosome marker and strongly overlapped with lysosome staining reagent. When HCN1 was co‐expressed with a clathrin‐non‐binding mutant of TRIP8b, clathrin did not translocate to HCN1 and TRIP8b‐containing puncta, suggesting that TRIP8b interacts with HCN and clathrin independently. We found TRIP8b present in the fraction of clathrin‐coated vesicles purified from brain tissues. Stripping the clathrin coat proteins from the vesicles with Tris alkaline buffer resulted in concomitant release of TRIP8b. Our data suggest complex regulatory functions of TRIP8b in neuronal endocytosis through independent interaction with membrane proteins and components of the clathrin coat.
Rax : developmental and daily expression patterns in the rat pineal gland and retina
Authors: Rohde Kristian , Klein David C. , Møller Morten , Rath Martin F.
Published: July 2011

J. Neurochem. (2011) 118, 999–1007.

Retina and anterior neural fold homeobox (Rax) gene encodes a transcription factor essential for vertebrate eye development. Recent microarray studies indicate that Rax is expressed in the adult rat pineal gland and retina. The present study reveals that Rax expression levels in the rat change significantly during retinal development with a peak occurring at embryonic day 18, whereas Rax expression in the pineal is relatively delayed and not detectable until embryonic day 20. In both tissues, Rax is expressed throughout postnatal development into adulthood. In the mature rat pineal gland, the abundance of Rax transcripts increases 2‐fold during the light period with a peak occurring at dusk. These findings are consistent with the evidence that Rax is of functional importance in eye development and suggest a role of Rax in the developing pineal gland. In addition, it would appear possible that Rax contributes to phenotype maintenance in the mature retina and pineal gland and may facilitate 24‐h changes in the pineal transcriptome.
Use of Evaluation Criteria and Innovation Performance in the Front End of Innovation*
Authors: Martinsuo Miia , Poskela Jarno
Published: July 2011

Selecting the right ideas and concepts for product development projects is among the major decisions that product development directors must make. Companies have adopted evaluation criteria at decision gates to offer the decision makers sufficient knowledge of the alternative ideas and concepts, and to promote choices that would result in the best possible business benefit. The actual benefits of using the different criteria in the front end of innovation have rarely been studied. The purpose of this paper is to explain how the use of evaluation criteria is associated with innovation performance in the front end of innovation. Also, we investigate the moderating impact of product complexity. We developed a set of hypotheses and constructs and a questionnaire instrument to measure the use of evaluation criteria and front end performance in idea and concept development in industrial firms. The results show that assessment formality is negatively but nonsignificantly associated with innovation performance, whereas the use of evaluation criteria has a significant role in promoting competitive and business potential in the front end of innovation. None of the moderating effects of product complexity are significant, but the use of evaluation systems and criteria mediate the link between product complexity and strategic opportunity. The study contributes to research regarding the use of different evaluation criteria particularly during idea and concept evaluation. As the use of different evaluation criteria is differently associated with the different strategic opportunity measures, the findings confirm the need to develop holistic but informal assessment systems and adapt the evaluation criteria in line with the development objectives of the firm. In order to fully benefit from radical strategic opportunities, firms need to focus on demanding product concepts that require a stretch in both technical and market competences, as well as managerial work that proactively reduces risks associated with complexity.