bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Competition between Lolium perenne and Digitaria sanguinalis: Ecological consequences for harbouring an endosymbiotic fungus
Authors: Richmond D.S. , Grewal P.S. , Cardina J.
Published: April 2009

Abstract. This study examined the influence of the fungal endophyte Neotyphodium lolii on the competitive interactions between its perennial, cool season host, Lolium perenne (perennial ryegrass), and a warm season, annual grass, Digitaria sanguinalis (large crabgrass), in densely planted stands (>1000 plant.m−2) in the glasshouse. Endophyte infection had little or no effect on L. perenne tiller production, above‐ or below‐ground biomass or root: shoot ratio in monoculture. However, endophyte infection significantly reduced L. perenne tiller production and above‐ground biomass in mixtures with D. sanguinalis. Conversely, D. sanguinalis had significantly higher above‐ground biomass and yielded more seed (g) when competing with endophyte infected L. perenne. An apparent trade‐off between allocation of resources to reproductive vs root tissues was observed in D. sanguinalis– root: shoot ratio was significantly lower when competing with endophyte infected L. perenne. Results indicate negative ecological consequences for harbouring the fungal endophyte when competing with the fast growing annual grass in newly established stands. These findings underscore the existence of a physiological cost of harbouring the fungal endophyte which is often overlooked.
Vegetation dynamics in a Quercus‐Juniperus savanna: An isotopic assessment
Authors: Jessup K.E. , Barnes P.W. , Boutton T.W.
Published: April 2009

Abstract. Woody plants are increasing in many grassland and savanna ecosystems around the world. As a case in point, the Edwards Plateau of Texas, USA, is a vast region (93 000 km2) in which rapid woody encroachment appears to be occurring. The native vegetation (prior to the Anglo‐European settlement 150–200 yr ago) and the biogeochemical consequences of woody encroachment in this region, however, are poorly understood. To assess these matters we measured plant and soil δ13C, soil organic C and soil N content from grasslands and two important woody patch types (mature Quercus virginiana clusters and Juniperus ashei woodlands) in this region. Soil δ13C values showed that relative productivity of C3 species has increased in grassland and both woody habitats in recent times. δ13C of SOC in grasslands and Q. virginiana clusters increased with depth from the litter layer to 30 cm (grasslands =−21 to −13‰Q. virginiana clusters =−27 to −17‰) and were significantly different between habitats at all depths, indicating that Q. virginiana has been a long‐term component of the landscape. In J. ashei woodlands, soil δ13C values (at 20–30 cm depth) near the woodland edge (‐13‰) converged with those of an adjacent grassland (‐13‰) while those from the woodland interior (‐15‰) remained distinct, indicating that the woodland has been present for many years but has recently expanded. Concentrations and densities of SOC and total N were generally greater in woody patches than in grasslands. However, differences in the amount of SOC and N stored beneath the two woody patch types indicates that C and N sequestration potentials are species dependent.
Plant species traits across a riparian‐zone/forest ecotone
Authors: Lamb Eric G. , Mallik Azim, U.
Published: April 2009

Abstract. We examined the changes in prevalence of nine plant traits – including the presence of woody stem tissue, leaf longevity, nitrogen fixation, seed longevity, dispersal vector, pollination vector, and clonal growth form – across a riparian/forest‐understory ecotone. This ecotone, found along headwater streams in boreal mixed‐wood forests, supports four distinct vegetation zones: streambank, riparian, transition, and upland forest understory. The objective of this study was to identify specific trait patterns that may indicate functional responses to the changes in environmental factors such as nutrient availability and wind exposure that occur across the ecotone. The suites of plant species traits found in each zone were distinct, with a strong change in the prevalence of several traits. Wind and insect pollination, wind and vertebrate diaspore dispersal, and deciduous and evergreen leaves showed the greatest change in prevalence between the vegetation types. Some traits, including insect pollination and vertebrate diaspore dispersal, were strongly correlated within species. The consistent cooccurrence of pairs of traits in the same species suggests common responses by very different traits to the same environmental factor. This study demonstrates that an ecotone can be characterized not only as a discontinuity in species distributions or environmental factors, but also as a discontinuity in the trait spectrum. Examining ecotones from a trait perspective has strong potential for identifying the environmental factors and associated species functional responses that encourage the development of distinct vegetation boundaries.
Species response curves along environmental gradients. A case study from SE Norwegian swamp forests
Authors: Rydgren Knut , Økland Rune Halvorsen , Økland Tonje
Published: April 2009

Abstract. Vegetation science has relied on untested paradigms relating to the shape of species response curves along environmental gradients. To advance in this field, we used the HOF approach to model response curves for 112 plant species along six environmental gradients and three ecoclines (as represented by DCA ordination axes) in SE Norwegian swamp forests. Response curve properties were summarized in three binary response variables: (1) model unimodal or monotonous (determinate) vs. indeterminate; (2) for determinate models, unimodal vs. monotonous and (3) for unimodal models, skewed vs. symmetric. We used logistic regression to test the influence, singly and jointly, of seven predictor variables on each of three response variables. Predictor variables included gradient type (environmental or ecocline) and length (compositional turnover); species category (vascular plant, moss, Sphagnum or hepatic), species frequency and richness, tolerance (the fraction of the gradient along which the species occurs) and position of species along each gradient. The probability for fitting a determinate model increased as the main occurrence of species approached gradient extremes and with increasing species tolerance and frequency and gradient length. Appearance of unimodal models was favoured by low species tolerance and disfavoured by closeness of species to gradient extremes. Appearance of skewed models was weakly related to predictors but was slightly favoured by species optima near gradient extremes. Contrary to the results of previous studies, species category, gradient type and variation in species richness along gradients did not contribute independently to model prediction. The overall best predictors of response curve shape were position along the gradient (relative to extremes) and tolerance; the latter also expressing gradient length in units of compositional turnover. This helps predicting species responses to gradients from gradient specific species properties. The low proportion of skewed response curves and the large variation of species response curves along all gradients indicate that skewed response curves is a smaller problem for the performance of ordination methods than often claimed. We find no evidence that DCA ordination increases the unimodality, or symmetry, of species response curves more than expected from the higher compositional turnover along ordination axes. Thus ordination axes may be appropriate proxies for ecoclines, applicable for use in species response modelling.
Habitat restriction in Mammillaria pectinifera, a threatened endemic Mexican cactus
Authors: Zavala‐Hurtado José Alejandro , Valverde Pedro Luis
Published: April 2009

Abstract. This study deals with the habitat restriction of Mammillaria pectinifera, a threatened cactus species, confined to a few low density localities of the Tehuacán valley in tropical Mexico. We analysed the patterns of presence/absence of M. pectinifera in relation to the presence/absence of 48 other plant species, and the variation of environmental factors in 120 sampling plots. A Principal Components Analysis revealed a clear segregation between plots with and without individuals of M. pectinifera. A classification analysis resulted in four groups: two with low prevalence and two with high prevalence of M. pectinifera. Paired comparisons between plots with and without M. pectinifera allowed the characterization of its patterns of occurrence related to the variation of environmental factors. M. pectinifera was found on deep alkaline soils with relatively high surface stoniness and high water retention capacity, showing low species richness compared with plots where it was absent. The limited distribution of M. pectinifera in the Tehuacán Valley seems to be related to particular requirements of this species, being restricted to certain suitable habitat patches. Nevertheless, it is likely that other aspects, such as poor dispersal and establishment abilities, or biotic interactions could be associated with the observed patterns.
Effects of sampling teams and estimation methods on the assessment of plant cover
Authors: Kercher Suzanne M. , Frieswyk Christin B. , Zedler Joy B.
Published: April 2009

Abstract. We evaluated variability in cover estimation data obtained by (1) two sampling teams who double sampled plots and (2) one team that used two methods (line intercepts and visual estimation of cover classes) to characterize vegetation of herbaceous wetlands. Species richness and cover estimates were similar among teams and among methods, but one sampling team scored cover higher than the other. The line intercept technique yielded higher cover estimates but lower species richness estimates than the cover class method. Cluster analyses of plots revealed that 36% and 11% of plots sampled consecutively by two teams or using two methods, respectively, were similar enough in species composition and abundance to be paired together in the resulting clustering tree. Simplifying cover estimate data to presence/absence increased the similarity among both teams and methods at the plot scale. Teams were very similar in their overall characterization of sites when cover estimation data were used, as assessed by cluster analysis, but methods agreed best on their overall characterization of sites when only presence/absence data were considered. Differences in abundance estimates as well as pseudoturnover contribute to variability. For double sampled plots, pseudoturnover was 19.1%, but 57.7% of pseudo‐turnover cases involved taxa with ≤ 0.5% cover while only 3.4% involved taxa with > 8% cover. We suggest that vegetation scientists incorporate quality control, calibrate observers and publish their results.
Climatic controls on distribution of Fagus crenata forests in Japan
Authors: Matsui Tetsuya , Yagihashi Tsutomu , Nakaya Tomoki , Tanaka Nobuyuki , Taoda Hiroshi
Published: April 2009

Abstract. We used classification tree analysis to develop a climate‐based distribution model for Fagus crenata forests in Japan. Four climatic variables judged likely to affect the distribution of the species (summer and winter precipitation, minimum temperature of the coldest month and Kira's warmth index) were chosen as independent variables for the model. Latitudinal and longitudinal information was also used to examine effects of spatial autocorrelation on the model. The climatic factors associated with the distribution of the forests were analysed using a classification tree to devise prediction rules. Predicted areas of high probability for forest occurrence lay mainly on the Sea of Japan side of northern Honshu and southern Hokkaido. This is consistent with actual forest distribution. Some areas with high predicted probabilities of F. crenata forest occurrence were beyond the current natural northern range limits of these forests. Since these areas were widely scattered, it was assumed that the species has been hindered from colonizing them due to dispersal limitations. Deviance‐weighted scores, used to compare magnitudes of the contributions of predictor variables, revealed winter precipitation as the most influential factor, followed by the warmth index, the minimum temperature of the coldest month and summer precipitation. Attempts were made to generate ecological explanations for the effects of the four climatic factors on the distribution of F. crenata forests.
Habitat distribution models, spatial autocorrelation, functional traits and dispersal capacity of alpine plant species
Authors: Dirnböck T. , Dullinger S.
Published: April 2009

Abstract.We evaluate the potential influence of disturbance on the predictability of alpine plant species distribution from equilibrium‐based habitat distribution models. Firstly, abundance data of 71 plant species were correlated with a comprehensive set of environmental variables using ordinal regression models. Subsequently, the residual spatial autocorrelation (at distances of 40 to 320 m) in these models was explored. The additional amount of variance explained by spatial structuring was compared with a set of functional traits assumed to confer advantages in disturbed or undisturbed habitats. We found significant residual spatial autocorrelation in the habitat models of most of the species that were analysed. The amount of this autocorrelation was positively correlated with the dispersal capacity of the species, levelling off with increasing spatial scale. Both trends indicate that dispersal and colonization processes, whose frequency is enhanced by disturbance, influence the distribution of many alpine plant species. Since habitat distribution models commonly ignore such spatial processes they miss an important driver of local‐ to landscape‐scale plant distribution.
Assessing soil seed bank persistence in flood‐meadows: The search for reliable traits
Authors: Hölzel Norbert , Otte Annette
Published: April 2009

Abstract. To assess seed bank persistence of target species in endangered flood‐meadows (alliances Cnidion and Molinion), we investigated established vegetation and soil seed bank of 46 plots for 3 yr and 2 yr, respectively. As traits of seed persistence we calculated various continuous indices that refer to the frequency and abundance of species in above‐ground vegetation and at different soil depths. Furthermore, we tested the significance and soundness of easily observed traits such as maximum seed density per plot and seed attributes (mass, size and shape) as predictors of soil seed bank features.

In linear regression, SAI, the seed accumulation index, showed the best agreement (R2= 0.64) with the seed longevity index that was derived from the database by Thompson et al. (1997) for a set of 115 species. The second best predictor (R2= 0.39) of the seed longevity index was maximum seed density per plot in the lower soil layer (5–10 cm). Depth distribution indices and seed attributes showed weaker but still significant relations. The dynamic character of flood‐meadows was reflected by a large proportion of species with a strong tendency to accumulate seeds in the soil relative to their importance in above‐ground vegetation. Most of these species have a ruderal strategy, exploiting gaps after flood disturbances, while the dominants of flood‐meadows tended to have short‐lived seed banks. Compared to other grassland types, a relatively large proportion of rare and endangered target species can be expected to form long‐term persistent seed banks. However, only under marginal conditions that facilitate seed survival in the soil (e.g. fallow) are these persistent seed banks likely to contribute to restoration.

We conclude that easily observed traits of persistence such as seed weight, size and shape do not meet the accuracy needed in scientific and practical applications. Thus, there is a crucial demand for further seed bank studies in poorly investigated habitats and of rare species.
Applying randomization tests to cluster analyses
Authors: Hunter John C. , McCoy R. Alan
Published: April 2009

Abstract. In applying randomization tests to hierarchical cluster analyses, we have noted a potentially misleading result: within a significant group, linkages are often identified as significant even when species are randomly distributed among the group's sites. We demonstrate this through a cluster analysis of a constructed matrix with two groups of 20 sites that share no species, and within each group species are randomly distributed among sites. A randomization test identified both of the groups and all linkages within them as significant, while the same test found all linkages non‐significant in the cluster analysis of a matrix containing just one of the two groups of 20 sites. In general, a non‐random distribution of species within a data set shortens linkages relative to distances in null distributions derived from randomized versions of the data. This confounds efforts to identify significant sub‐groups within a significant group. However, the significance of sub‐groups possibly could be tested by comparing linkage distances to a null distribution derived from the randomization and clustering of a sub‐matrix containing only the sites within the larger group. In essence, this comparison tests the null hypothesis that within the significant group, sites represent random assemblages of species. When applied to actual data sets, an approach involving sequential randomization tests could allow the evaluation of all nodes in a classification, increasing the utility of randomization tests and strengthening the interpretation of groups produced by cluster analysis.
Structure of a trypanosomatid mitochondrial cytochrome c with heme attached via only one thioether bond and implications for the substrate recognition requirements of heme lyase
Authors: Fülöp Vilmos , Sam Katharine A. , Ferguson Stuart J. , Ginger Michael L. , Allen James W. A.
Published: April 2009

The principal physiological role of mitochondrial cytochrome c is electron transfer during oxidative phosphorylation. c‐Type cytochromes are almost always characterized by covalent attachment of heme to protein through two thioether bonds between the heme vinyl groups and the thiols of cysteine residues in a Cys‐Xxx‐Xxx‐Cys‐His motif. Uniquely, however, members of the evolutionarily divergent protist phylum Euglenozoa, which includes Trypanosoma and Leishmania species, have mitochondrial cytochromes c with heme attached through only one thioether bond [to an (A/F)XXCH motif]; the implications of this for the cytochrome structures are unclear. Here we present the 1.55 Å resolution X‐ray crystal structure of cytochrome c from the trypanosomatid Crithidia fasciculata. Despite the fundamental difference in heme attachment and in the cytochrome c biogenesis machinery of the Euglenozoa, the structure is remarkably similar to that of typical (CXXCH) mitochondrial cytochromes c, both in overall fold and, other than the missing thioether bond, in the details of the heme attachment. Notably, this similarity includes the stereochemistry of the covalent heme attachment to the protein. The structure has implications for the maturation of c‐type cytochromes in the Euglenozoa; it also hints at a distinctive redox environment in the mitochondrial intermembrane space of trypanosomes. Surprisingly, Saccharomyces cerevisiae cytochrome c heme lyase (the yeast cytochrome c biogenesis system) cannot efficiently mature Trypanosoma brucei cytochrome c or a CXXCH variant when expressed in the cytoplasm of Escherichia coli, despite their great structural similarity to yeast cytochrome c, suggesting that heme lyase requires specific recognition features in the apocytochrome.
Role of age on the outcome of liver surgery. A single institution experience
Authors: Spiliotis John , Datsis Anastassios C. , Vaxevanidou Archodoula , Lambropoulou Eva , Voutsina Adamantia , Chrysanthopoulos Kostas , Zacharis George
Published: April 2009

Objective:  The aim of the present study was to evaluate the role of age on different types of liver surgery.

Methodology:  Between 2002 and 2007, 50 patients underwent a variety of liver surgical procedures due to primary or metastatic tumours. Of these, 24 were 70 years old or older, and 26 patients were younger than 70 years old at the time of the operation.

Results:  Among the patients included in the study, 22 underwent radiofrequency ablation. Another 11 underwent non‐anatomical liver resection. The remaining 17 patients underwent liver resection, with more than three segments resected. The type of procedure, duration of operation, estimated blood loss, and postoperative death and morbidity rates were not significantly different between the two groups. The mean survival of patients that underwent radiofrequency ablation or non‐anatomical resection was not significantly different between the two groups. However, in the patients in which liver resection was performed, mean survival was significantly greater in the younger group.

Conclusions:  These results indicate that hepatic resection is a safe and feasible procedure in elderly patients. The postoperative outcome in this age group is comparable of that of younger patients.
Spontaneous rupture of a left gastroepiploic artery pseudoaneurysm
Authors: Banga Neal , McKay Siobhan , Crinnion Jamie
Published: April 2009

We report a previously healthy young adult man presenting with generalized peritonitis secondary to a ruptured pseudoaneurysm of the left gastroepiploic artery. This extremely rare cause of haemoperitoneum was not considered in the differential diagnosis prior to operation, and might have had an infective aetiology.
Haplotype analysis of HLA‐A, ‐B antigens and ‐DRB1 alleles in south Indian HIV‐1‐infected patients with and without pulmonary tuberculosis
Authors: Raghavan S. , Selvaraj P. , Swaminathan S. , Alagarasu K. , Narendran G. , Narayanan P. R.
Published: April 2009

We have shown earlier the association of human leucocyte antigen (HLA)‐A11 with resistance and HLA‐B40 and ‐DR2 with susceptibility to HIV and HIV‐TB. In the present study, we have attempted to find out the HLA‐DR2 subtypes and the possible HLA‐A/‐B/‐DRB1 haplotype combinations that are associated with susceptibility or resistance to HIV and HIV with pulmonary tuberculosis (HIV+PTB+). HLA‐DR2 subtyping was carried out by polymerase chain reaction‐based sequence‐specific oligonucleotide probe method. Overrepresentation of HLA‐DRB1*1501 in HIV‐positive PTB‐negative (HIV+PTB–) patients (P = 0.004, Pc = 0.06) and ‐DRB1*1502 in HIV‐positive PTB‐positive (HIV+PTB+) patients (P = 0.019) was observed as compared to healthy controls. Haplotype analysis revealed an increased frequency of HLA‐A2‐DRB1*1501 haplotype in HIV+PTB– patients (P = 0.008) and HLA‐A2‐DRB1*1502 among HIV+PTB+ patients (P = 0.01) compared to healthy controls. The haplotypes B40‐DRB1*1501 and B40‐DRB1*04 were found to be moderately increased in HIV+PTB– and HIV+PTB+ patients (P < 0.05). The study suggests that HLA‐A2‐DRB1*1501 haplotype may be associated with HIV infection while HLA‐A2‐DRB1*1502 haplotype might be associated with susceptibility to PTB in HIV patients. Moreover, HLA‐B40‐DRB1*1501 and HLA‐B40‐DRB1*04 haplotypes may be associated with susceptibility to HIV infection and to PTB in HIV patients.
Relationship between saprotrophic growth in soil of different biotypes of Pochonia chlamydosporia and the infection of nematode eggs
Authors: Siddiqui I.A. , Atkins S.D. , Kerry B.R.
Published: April 2009

The ecology of Pochonia chlamydosporia in soil and its interaction with both plant and nematode hosts are important for the successful exploitation of the fungus as a biological control agent. Differences in saprotrophism and parasitism were assessed for biotypes of P. chlamydosporia, which had originated from the eggs of cyst or root‐knot nematodes. Colonisation in soils of different textures (compost, sandy loam and loamy sand) measured by the numbers of colony‐forming units, differed greatly. Most biotypes were more abundant in sterilised soil of the different textures compared with non‐sterilised soils. The proportion of nematode eggs parasitised in a baiting technique demonstrated that biotypes had host preferences. Those biotypes that originated from root‐knot nematodes (RKN‐biotypes) infected significantly more Meloidogyne hapla eggs than Globodera pallida eggs, whereas biotypes from cyst nematodes (CN‐biotypes) parasitised more G. pallida eggs than M. hapla eggs. Differences in virulence between biotypes in an in vitro assay in which the fungi were placed directly onto the egg masses of M. hapla and those differences observed in the baiting technique showed similar trends. There was a negative linear correlation between the growth of the eight biotypes in soil and the proportion of eggs they infected in compatible interactions (i.e. fungal biotype originated from the same nematode genus as the target eggs). Those biotypes that infected most nematode eggs colonised soil the least extensively, suggesting that virulence may have a fitness cost. However, the relationship between saprotrophic growth and virulence is complex. The relative abundance of the different biotypes in soil in Petri dish assays was similar to that under glasshouse conditions using potato but not tomato as the plant host. Chlamydospores of some biotypes applied to soil significantly reduced (>50%) the population densities of M. hapla on tomato and of G. pallida on potato plants. Some biotypes that were both effective and virulent are good candidates for biological control of specific nematode pests. Data presented here and elsewhere indicate that RKN‐biotypes have different host preferences to CN‐biotypes; the specific primers based on the vcp1 gene from P. chlamydosporia rapidly confirmed the host origin of seven of the eight biotypes.
Use of real‐time quantitative PCR to investigate root and gall colonisation by co‐inoculated isolates of the nematophagous fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia
Authors: Atkins S.D. , Peteira B. , Clark I.M. , Kerry B.R. , Hirsch P.R.
Published: April 2009

The fungus Pochonia chlamydosporia is a potential biological control agent for plant parasitic nematodes, but to date, there has been little investigation of interactions (competitive, antagonistic or synergistic) between different isolates that occur together on roots and nematode galls. Real‐time quantitative PCR (qPCR) has greatly improved the study of many fungi in situ on plant and nematode hosts, but distinguishing closely related isolates remains difficult. In this study, primers to discriminate P. chlamydosporia var. chlamydosporia and P. chlamydosporia var. catenulata were used to measure the relative abundance of isolates of the two varieties when inoculated singly or together on tomato plants. Also, sequence‐characterised amplified polymorphic regions were identified to distinguish two different isolates of P. chlamydosporia var. chlamydosporia. Individual 1‐cm root segments and nematode galls were excised, DNA extracted and subjected to real‐time qPCR with the discriminatory primers. The qPCR method proved sensitive and reproducible and demonstrated that roots and nematode galls were not uniformly colonised by the fungi. Results indicated that the P. chalmydosporia var. catenulata isolate was more abundant on roots and eggs than P. chlamydosporia var. chlamydosporia, but all the isolates infected a similar proportion of nematode eggs. There was an indication that the abundance of each fungal isolate was reduced in co‐inoculation experiments compared with single inoculations, but the number of root segments and galls colonised was not statistically significantly different.
SELECT shows no effect on prostate cancer prevention
Authors: Drudge‐Coates Lawrence
Published: April 2009

To determine whether selenium, vitamin E, or both could prevent prostate cancer and other diseases with little or no toxicity in relatively healthy men. Oral selenium (200 μg/d from L‐selenomethionine) and matched vitamin E placebo, vitamin E (400 IU/d of all rac‐α‐tocopheryl acetate) and matched selenium placebo, selenium + vitamin E, or placebo + placebo for a planned follow‐up of minimum of 7 years and a maximum of 12 years. Number of men diagnosed with prostate cancer and prespecified secondary outcomes, including lung, colorectal, and overall primary cancer. Selenium or vitamin E, alone or in combination at the doses and formulations used, did not prevent prostate cancer in this population of relatively healthy men.
Efficacy of urinary guidelines in the management of post‐stroke incontinence
Authors: Vaughn Stephanie
Published: April 2009

Urinary incontinence (UI) is common occurrence among stroke survivors and impacts their recovery. This mixed method study examined the effects of implementation of evidence‐based urinary guidelines by the Interdisciplinary (ID) team in the management of post‐stroke UI in stroke survivors in an acute rehabilitation hospital in Southern California. Essential elements of the guidelines included assessment of the bladder pattern, the urinary WBC’s, the implementation of a scheduled toileting program, pelvic floor exercises, and the administration of Vitamin C 500 mg. by mouth. Functional Independent Measure (FIM) scores and urinary white blood cells (WBC’s) were used to evaluate the efficacy the guidelines. Post guideline implementation FIM scores and urinary WBC’s demonstrated improvement over the pre‐scores. These results indicate that positive stroke outcomes were achieved following implementation. In addition, the ID team, comprised of nurses, physical therapists, speech pathologists, and occupational therapists, was queried as to the member’s knowledge and perceptions of their roles in the implementation of the guidelines. Highlighted themes from the ID focus groups were communication and structure, relating that the guidelines were useful in promoting collaborative practice among the ID team members.
Effect of rapid influenza testing on the clinical management of paediatric influenza
Authors: Jennings Lance C. , Skopnik Heino , Burckhardt Isabel , Hribar Irene , Del Piero Luc , Deichmann Klaus A.
Published: April 2009

Background  Rapid tests are now widely available to assist the diagnosis of influenza; implementation may optimise the use of antiviral and antibiotic agents in the clinical management of influenza.

Objective  To explore the clinical management of children with influenza‐like illness (ILI) when rapid influenza tests were and were not performed.

Methods  Between 15 January 2007 and 30 April 2007, a standardised questionnaire was used to record the clinical features of children aged 1–12 years who presented to office‐based paediatricians in Germany with febrile ILI during periods of local influenza activity. For each paediatric contact, a clinical diagnosis of either ‘influenza positive’, ‘influenza negative’ or ‘suspected ILI’ was made. Where performed, the outcome of a Clearview Exact Influenza A + B rapid test was recorded. Prescriptions for antiviral agents and antibiotic medications were also recorded.

Results  A total of 16 907 questionnaires were evaluated. After fever (an entry criteria for all children), cough (84·6%), fatigue/decreased activity (83·0%), rhinorrhoea (73·7%) and headache (67·1%) were the most common symptoms. Influenza was clinically diagnosed in 56·8% (9596/16 907) of cases. The antiviral oseltamivir was prescribed for 24·6% (178/725) of children who were influenza positive by symptom assessment alone and 60·1% (4618/7685) of children who were influenza positive by rapid test. Antibiotics were less commonly prescribed for children who were influenza positive by rapid test [3·5% (271/7685) versus 17·2% (125/725) for symptom assessment alone].

Conclusions  In children with ILI, a positive rapid test result for influenza promotes the rational use of antiviral agents and reduces the inappropriate use of antibiotic medications.
Alterations of Zinc Transporter Proteins ZnT‐1, ZnT‐4 and ZnT‐6 in Preclinical Alzheimer's Disease Brain
Authors: Lyubartseva Ganna , Smith Jennifer L. , Markesbery William R. , Lovell Mark A.
Published: April 2009

Our previous studies demonstrate alterations of zinc (Zn) transporter proteins ZnT‐1, ZnT‐4 and ZnT‐6 in vulnerable brain regions of subjects with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and early and late stage Alzheimer's disease (AD), suggesting disruptions of Zn homeostasis may play a role in the pathogenesis of AD. A preclinical stage of AD (PCAD) has been described in which subjects show no overt clinical manifestations of AD, but demonstrate significant AD pathology at autopsy. To determine if alterations of ZnT proteins occur in PCAD, we measured ZnT‐1, ZnT‐4 and ZnT‐6 in the hippocampus/parahippocampal gyrus (HPG) and cerebellum (CER) of seven PCAD subjects and seven age‐matched normal control (NC) subjects using Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry. Our results show a significant decrease (P < 0.05) of ZnT‐1 in HPG of PCAD subjects, along with an increase of ZnT‐4 in PCAD CER and ZnT‐6 in PCAD HPG, but a significant decrease in PCAD CER compared to NC subjects. Confocal microscopy of representative sections of HPG shows altered ZnTs are associated with neurons immunopositive for MC‐1, a monoclonal antibody that identifies neurons early in formation of neurofibrillary tangles. Overall, our results suggest that alterations in Zn transport proteins may contribute to the pathology observed in PCAD subjects before onset of clinical symptoms.
Damage and casualties modelling as part of a vulnerability assessment for tsunami hazards: a case study from Aceh, Indonesia
Authors: Marchand M. , Buurman J. , Pribadi A. , Kurniawan A.
Published: April 2009

Vulnerability reduction to tsunamis has become a major issue after the December 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami disaster. An ex ante (before the event) evaluation of possible disaster reduction measures requires insight into the potential risks. As part of a study focusing on sea defence measures for Aceh and Nias provinces in Indonesia, we have developed a model that is capable of quantifying potential damages and casualties for tsunami‐prone coastal areas. The model was able to reproduce the damage of 2004 sustained in Banda Aceh quite accurately. Because it is GIS based, the model also shows the spatial distribution of damage. Maps can be prepared that show high‐ and low‐impact areas for various tsunami event scenarios. This information is very useful for cost–benefit analysis of mitigation measures, such as sea defence measures, spatial planning and evacuation procedures.
Taking Comedy Seriously: Laughter and Pathos in Beaumarchais's Eugénie
Authors: HARRIS JOSEPH
Published: April 2009

This article explores Beaumarchais's conflicting impulses towards comedy and pathos through the dynamics of onstage laughter in his problematic play Eugénie. While this drame's early scenes encourage a broadly comic response, the audience becomes progressively aware of laughter's moral shortcomings – not least in one crucial scene, where the pitiful heroine looks on in agonised compassion as her father's cruel mockery of her own seduction and abandonment unwittingly backfires upon himself. Father and daughter thus come to embody two conflicting spectatorial modes, those of comedy and the drame respectively, and Beaumarchais paints a touching portrait of the latter's moral superiority.
Extending the realm of health policy with a “new public health” approach: A comparative look at the Canadian and Swedish national experiences
Authors: Bernier Nicole F.
Published: April 2009

Abstract: Modern health‐care systems in OECD countries were built around hospitals and the preferences of organized medicine and are largely focused on acute‐care services and services provided by doctors. Starting in the early 1980s, however, the professionalization in several countries of trades traditionally involved in health promotion, together with the constitution of a group of researchers in social epidemiology and the corresponding development of specialized schools and research centres, brought new actors into health policy‐making worldwide. This led to the extension of contemporary health policy beyond the post‐war bio‐medical model into population health promotion and social policy. This article describes and analyses the means (and limitations) used by Canada and Sweden for extending the action radius of health policies. Results show that national policies in health promotion beyond the health sector contributed above all to developing and legitimizing an official discourse that presents social problems as factors affecting social inequalities in health. Health promotion represented a tool for maintaining central social norms, as national governments were re‐defining their role in social policy.

Sommaire: Les systèmes modernes de soins de santé dans les pays de l'OCDE ont été construits autour d'hôpitaux et des préférences de la médecine organisée et sont essentiellement axés sur les services de soins intensifs de courte durée et les services médicaux. Cependant, depuis le début des années 1980, la professionnalisation des métiers traditionnellement impliqués dans la promotion de la santé survenue dans plusieurs pays, associée à la constitution d'un groupe de chercheurs en épidémiologie sociale et le développement d'écoles et de centres de recherche spécialisés ont introduit de nouveaux acteurs dans l'élaboration de politiques en matière de santéà l'échelle mondiale. Cela a entraîné une transformation de la politique de la santé contemporaine, qui a dépassé le modèle biomédical d'après‐guerre pour s'étendre à la promotion de la santé de la population et à la politique sociale. Le présent article décrit et analyse les moyens utilisés par le Canada et la Suède pour étendre le rayon d'action des politiques de la santé et les limites auxquelles ils font face. Les résultats indiquent que les politiques nationales visant la promotion de la santé au‐delà du secteur de la santé ont contribué avant tout à développer un discours officiel qui présente les problèmes sociaux comme des facteurs ayant une incidence sur les inégalités sociales de la santé. La promotion de la santé a représenté un outil pour maintenir des normes sociales nationales, alors que les gouvernements centraux redéfinissaient leur rôle en matière de politique sociale.
MalAvi: a public database of malaria parasites and related haemosporidians in avian hosts based on mitochondrial cytochrome b lineages
Authors: BENSCH STAFFAN , HELLGREN OLOF , PÉREZ‐TRIS JAVIER
Published: April 2009

Research in avian blood parasites has seen a remarkable increase since the introduction of polymerase chain reaction‐based methods for parasite identification. New data are revealing complex multihost–multiparasite systems which are difficult to understand without good knowledge of the host range and geographical distribution of the parasite lineages. However, such information is currently difficult to obtain from the literature, or from general repositories such as GenBank, mainly because (i) different research groups use different parasite lineage names, (ii) GenBank entries frequently refer only to the first host and locality at which each parasite was sampled, and (iii) different researchers use different gene fragments to identify parasite lineages. We propose a unified database of avian blood parasites of the genera Plasmodium, Haemoproteus and Leucocytozoon identified by a partial region of their cytochrome b sequences. The database uses a standardized nomenclature to remove synonymy, and concentrates all available information about each parasite in a public reference site, thereby facilitating access to all researchers. Initial data include a list of host species and localities, as well as genetic markers that can be used for phylogenetical analyses. The database is free to download and will be regularly updated by the authors. Prior to publication of new lineages, we encourage researchers to assign names to match the existing database. We anticipate that the value of the database as a source for determining host range and geographical distribution of the parasites will grow with its size and substantially enhance the understanding of this remarkably diverse group of parasites.
Motivation
Authors: BROOME JOHN
Published: April 2009

I develop a scheme for the explanation of rational action. I start from a scheme that may be attributed to Thomas Nagel inThe Possibility of Altruism, and develop it step by step to arrive at a sharper and more accurate scheme. The development includes a progressive refinement of the notion of motivation. I end by explaining the role of reasoning within the scheme.
Green Evolution and Dynamic Adaptations Revealed by Genomes of the Marine Picoeukaryotes
Micromonas
Authors: Worden Alexandra Z. , Lee Jae-Hyeok , Mock Thomas , Rouzé Pierre , Simmons Melinda P. , Aerts Andrea L. , Allen Andrew E. , Cuvelier Marie L. , Derelle Evelyne , Everett Meredith V. , Foulon Elodie , Grimwood Jane , Gundlach Heidrun , Henrissat Bernard , Napoli Carolyn , McDonald Sarah M. , Parker Micaela S. , Rombauts Stephane , Salamov Aasf , Von Dassow Peter , Badger Jonathan H. , Coutinho Pedro M. , Demir Elif , Dubchak Inna , Gentemann Chelle , Eikrem Wenche , Gready Jill E. , John Uwe , Lanier William , Lindquist Erika A. , Lucas Susan , Mayer Klaus F. X. , Moreau Herve , Not Fabrice , Otillar Robert , Panaud Olivier , Pangilinan Jasmyn , Paulsen Ian , Piegu Benoit , Poliakov Aaron , Robbens Steven , Schmutz Jeremy , Toulza Eve , Wyss Tania , Zelensky Alexander , Zhou Kemin , Armbrust E. Virginia , Bhattacharya Debashish , Goodenough Ursula W. , Van de Peer Yves , Grigoriev Igor V.
Published: April 2009

Picoeukaryotes are a taxonomically diverse group of organisms less than 2 micrometers in diameter. Photosynthetic marine picoeukaryotes in the genus
Micromonas
thrive in ecosystems ranging from tropical to polar and could serve as sentinel organisms for biogeochemical fluxes of modern oceans during climate change. These broadly distributed primary producers belong to an anciently diverged sister clade to land plants. Although
Micromonas
isolates have high 18
S
ribosomal RNA gene identity, we found that genomes from two isolates shared only 90% of their predicted genes. Their independent evolutionary paths were emphasized by distinct riboswitch arrangements as well as the discovery of intronic repeat elements in one isolate, and in metagenomic data, but not in other genomes. Divergence appears to have been facilitated by selection and acquisition processes that actively shape the repertoire of genes that are mutually exclusive between the two isolates differently than the core genes. Analyses of the
Micromonas
genomes offer valuable insights into ecological differentiation and the dynamic nature of early plant evolution.
A Great Earthquake Rupture Across a Rapidly Evolving Three-Plate Boundary
Authors: Furlong Kevin P. , Lay Thorne , Ammon Charles J.
Published: April 2009

On 1 April 2007 a great, tsunamigenic earthquake (moment magnitude 8.1) ruptured the Solomon Islands subduction zone at the triple junction where the Australia and Solomon Sea–Woodlark Basin plates simultaneously underthrust the Pacific plate with different slip directions. The associated abrupt change in slip direction during the great earthquake drove convergent anelastic deformation of the upper Pacific plate, which generated localized uplift in the forearc above the subducting Simbo fault, potentially amplifying local tsunami amplitude. Elastic deformation during the seismic cycle appears to be primarily accommodated by the overriding Pacific forearc. This earthquake demonstrates the seismogenic potential of extremely young subducting oceanic lithosphere, the ability of ruptures to traverse substantial geologic boundaries, and the consequences of complex coseismic slip for uplift and tsunamigenesis.
Elastic Shear Anisotropy of Ferropericlase in Earth's Lower Mantle
Authors: Marquardt Hauke , Speziale Sergio , Reichmann Hans J. , Frost Daniel J. , Schilling Frank R. , Garnero Edward J.
Published: April 2009

Seismic shear anisotropy in the lowermost mantle most likely results from elastic shear anisotropy and lattice preferred orientation of its constituent minerals, including perovskite, post-perovskite, and ferropericlase. Measurements of the elastic shear anisotropy of single-crystal (Mg
0.9
Fe
0.1
)O up to 69 gigapascals (GPa) show that it increased considerably across the pressure-induced spin transition of iron between 40 and 60 GPa. Increasing iron content further enhances the anisotropy. This leads to at least 50% stronger elastic shear anisotropy of (Mg,Fe)O in the lowermost mantle compared to MgO, which is typically used in geodynamic modeling. Our results imply that ferropericlase is the dominant cause of seismic shear anisotropy in the lower mantle.
Demonstration of Genetic Exchange During Cyclical Development of
Leishmania
in the Sand Fly Vector
Authors: Akopyants Natalia S. , Kimblin Nicola , Secundino Nagila , Patrick Rachel , Peters Nathan , Lawyer Phillip , Dobson Deborah E. , Beverley Stephen M. , Sacks David L.
Published: April 2009

Genetic exchange has not been shown to be a mechanism underlying the extensive diversity of
Leishmania
parasites. We report here evidence that the invertebrate stages of
Leishmania
are capable of having a sexual cycle consistent with a meiotic process like that described for African trypanosomes. Hybrid progeny were generated that bore full genomic complements from both parents, but kinetoplast DNA maxicircles from one parent. Mating occurred only in the sand fly vector, and hybrids were transmitted to the mammalian host by sand fly bite. Genetic exchange likely contributes to phenotypic diversity in natural populations, and analysis of hybrid progeny will be useful for positional cloning of the genes controlling traits such as virulence, tissue tropism, and drug resistance.
Multiscale Modeling of Form and Function
Authors: Engler Adam J. , Humbert Patrick O. , Wehrle-Haller Bernhard , Weaver Valerie M.
Published: April 2009

Topobiology posits that morphogenesis is driven by differential adhesive interactions among heterogeneous cell populations. This paradigm has been revised to include force-dependent molecular switches, cell and tissue tension, and reciprocal interactions with the microenvironment. It is now appreciated that tissue development is executed through conserved decision-making modules that operate on multiple length scales from the molecular and subcellular level through to the cell and tissue level and that these regulatory mechanisms specify cell and tissue fate by modifying the context of cellular signaling and gene expression. Here, we discuss the origin of these decision-making modules and illustrate how emergent properties of adhesion-directed multicellular structures sculpt the tissue, promote its functionality, and maintain its homeostasis through spatial segregation and organization of anchored proteins and secreted factors and through emergent properties of tissues, including tension fields and energy optimization.
Coding-Sequence Determinants of Gene Expression in
Escherichia coli
Authors: Kudla Grzegorz , Murray Andrew W. , Tollervey David , Plotkin Joshua B.
Published: April 2009

Synonymous mutations do not alter the encoded protein, but they can influence gene expression. To investigate how, we engineered a synthetic library of 154 genes that varied randomly at synonymous sites, but all encoded the same green fluorescent protein (GFP). When expressed in
Escherichia coli
, GFP protein levels varied 250-fold across the library. GFP messenger RNA (mRNA) levels, mRNA degradation patterns, and bacterial growth rates also varied, but codon bias did not correlate with gene expression. Rather, the stability of mRNA folding near the ribosomal binding site explained more than half the variation in protein levels. In our analysis, mRNA folding and associated rates of translation initiation play a predominant role in shaping expression levels of individual genes, whereas codon bias influences global translation efficiency and cellular fitness.