bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Group-foraging is not associated with longevity in North American birds
Authors: Beauchamp Guy
Published: September 2009

Group-foraging is common in many animal taxa and is thought to offer protection against predators and greater foraging efficiency. Such benefits may have driven evolutionary transitions from solitary to group-foraging. Greater protection against predators and greater access to resources should reduce extrinsic sources of mortality and thus select for higher longevity according to life-history theory. I assessed the association between group-foraging and longevity in a sample of 421 North American birds. Taking into account known correlates of longevity, such as age at first reproduction and body mass, foraging group size was not correlated with maximum longevity, with and without phylogenetic correction. However, longevity increased with body mass in non-passerine birds. The results suggest that the hypothesized changes in predation risk with group size may not correlate with mortality rate in foraging birds.
Quantitative analysis of the protein corona on FePt nanoparticles formed by transferrin binding
Authors: Jiang Xiue , Weise Stefan , Hafner Margit , Röcker Carlheinz , Zhang Feng , Parak Wolfgang J. , Nienhaus G. Ulrich
Published: September 2009

Nanoparticles are finding a rapidly expanding range of applications in research and technology, finally entering our daily life in medical, cosmetic or food products. Their ability to invade all regions of an organism including cells and cellular organelles offers new strategies for medical diagnosis and therapy (nanomedicine), but their safe use requires a deep knowledge about their interactions with biological systems at the molecular level. Upon incorporation, nanoparticles are exposed to biological fluids from which they adsorb proteins and other biomolecules to form a ‘protein corona’. These nanoparticle–protein interactions are still poorly understood and quantitative studies to characterize them remain scarce. Here we have quantitatively analysed the adsorption of human transferrin onto small (radius approx. 5 nm) polymer-coated FePt nanoparticles by using fluorescence correlation spectroscopy. Transferrin binds to the negatively charged nanoparticles with an affinity of approximately 26 µM in a cooperative fashion and forms a monolayer with a thickness of 7 nm. By using confocal fluorescence microscopy, we have observed that the uptake of FePt nanoparticles by HeLa cells is suppressed by the protein corona compared with the bare nanoparticles.
Linnaeus and Chinese plants: A test of the linguistic imperialism thesis
Authors: Cook Alexandra
Published: September 2009

It has been alleged that Carolus Linnaeus practised Eurocentrism, sexism and racism in naming plant genera after famous botanists, and excluding ‘barbarous names’. He has therefore been said to practise ‘linguistic imperialism’. This paper examines whether Linnaeus applied ‘linguistic imperialism’ to the naming of Chinese plants. On the basis of examples such as
Thea
(=
Camellia
),
Urena
,
Basella
,
Annona
,
Sapindus
(=
Koelreuteria
), and
Panax
, I conclude that Linnaeus used generic names of diverse origins. However, he misidentified Chinese plants' habitats, and acted on these misapprehensions.
John Fletcher Moulton and Guglielmo Marconi: bridging science, Law and industry
Authors: Guagnini Anna
Published: September 2009

Several Fellows of the Royal Society had a role in the achievements of Guglielmo Marconi. Among them was John Fletcher Moulton. An outstanding undergraduate mathematician at Cambridge who maintained a lifelong interest in electricity, Moulton went on to become one of the most formidable lawyers practising in the London courts. His collaboration in the preparation of Marconi's first UK patent in 1897 marked the beginning of an important association with Marconi and the Marconi Wireless Telegraph Company.
No evidence for competition between cytotoxic T-lymphocyte responses in HIV-1 infection
Authors: Fryer Helen R. , Scherer Almut , Oxenius Annette , Phillips Rodney , McLean Angela R.
Published: September 2009

Strong competition between cytotoxic T-lymphocytes (CTLs) specific for different epitopes in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection would have important implications for the design of an HIV vaccine. To investigate evidence for this type of competition, we analysed CTL response data from 97 patients with chronic HIV infection who were frequently sampled for up to 96 weeks. For each sample, CTL responses directed against a range of known epitopes ingag,polandnefwere measured using an enzyme-linked immunospot assay. The Lotka–Volterra model of competition was used to predict patterns that would be expected from these data if competitive interactions materially affect CTL numbers. In this application, the model predicts that when hosts make responses to a larger number of epitopes, they would have diminished responses to each epitope and that if one epitope-specific response becomes dramatically smaller, others would increase in size to compensate; conversely if one response grows, others would shrink. Analysis of the experimental data reveals results that are wholly inconsistent with these predictions. In hosts who respond to more epitopes, the average epitope-specific response tends to be larger, not smaller. Furthermore, responses to different epitopes almost always increase in unison or decrease in unison. Our findings are therefore inconsistent with the hypothesis that there is competition between CTL responses directed against different epitopes in HIV infection. This suggests that vaccines that elicit broad responses would be favourable because they would direct a larger total response against the virus, in addition to being more robust to the effects of CTL escape.
No post-Cretaceous ecosystem depression in European forests? Rich insect-feeding damage on diverse middle Palaeocene plants, Menat, France
Authors: Wappler Torsten , Currano Ellen D. , Wilf Peter , Rust Jes , Labandeira Conrad C.
Published: September 2009

Insect herbivores are considered vulnerable to extinctions of their plant hosts. Previous studies of insect-damaged fossil leaves in the US Western Interior showed major plant and insect herbivore extinction at the Cretaceous–Palaeogene (K–T) boundary. Further, the regional plant–insect system remained depressed or ecologically unbalanced throughout the Palaeocene. Whereas Cretaceous floras had high plant and insect-feeding diversity, all Palaeocene assemblages to date had low richness of plants, insect feeding or both. Here, we use leaf fossils from the middle Palaeocene Menat site, France, which has the oldest well-preserved leaf assemblage from the Palaeocene of Europe, to test the generality of the observed Palaeocene US pattern. Surprisingly, Menat combines high floral diversity with high insect activity, making it the first observation of a ‘healthy’ Palaeocene plant–insect system. Furthermore, rich and abundant leaf mines across plant species indicate well-developed host specialization. The diversity and complexity of plant–insect interactions at Menat suggest that the net effects of the K–T extinction were less at this greater distance from the Chicxulub, Mexico, impact site. Along with the available data from other regions, our results show that the end-Cretaceous event did not cause a uniform, long-lasting depression of global terrestrial ecosystems. Rather, it gave rise to varying regional patterns of ecological collapse and recovery that appear to have been strongly influenced by distance from the Chicxulub structure.
POY version 4: phylogenetic analysis using dynamic homologies
Authors: Varón Andrés , Vinh Le Sy , Wheeler Ward C.
Published: September 2009

We present POY version 4, an open source program for the phylogenetic analysis of morphological, prealigned sequence, unaligned sequence, and genomic data. POY allows phylogenetic inference when not only substitutions, but insertions, deletions, and rearrangement events are allowed (computed using the breakpoint or inversion distance). Compared with previous versions, POY 4 provides greater flexibility, a larger number of supported parameter sets, numerous execution time improvements, a vastly improved user interface, greater quality control, and extensive documentation. We introduce POY’s basic features, and present a simple example illustrating the performance improvements over previous versions of the application.

© The Willi Hennig Society 2009.
Review article: new receptor targets for medical therapy in irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: CAMILLERI M.
Published: September 2009

Background  Despite setbacks to the approval of new medications for the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome, interim guidelines on endpoints for irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) trials have enhanced interest as new targets for medical therapy are proposed based on novel mechanisms or chemical entities.

Aims  To review the approved lubiprostone, two targets that are not meeting expectations (tachykinins and corticotrophin‐releasing hormone), the efficacy and safety of new 5‐HT4 agonists, intestinal secretagogues (chloride channel activators, and guanylate cyclase‐C agonists), bile acid modulation, anti‐inflammatory agents and visceral analgesics.

Methods  Review of selected articles based on PubMed search and clinically relevant information on mechanism of action, safety, pharmacodynamics and efficacy.

Results  The spectrum of peripheral targets of medical therapy addresses chiefly the bowel dysfunction of IBS and these effects are associated with pain relief. The pivotal mechanisms responsible for the abdominal pain or visceral sensation in IBS are unknown. The new 5‐HT4 agonists are more specific than older agents and show cardiovascular safety to date. Secretory agents have high specificity, low bioavailability and high efficacy. The potential risks of agents ‘borrowed’ from other indications (such as hyperlipidaemia, inflammatory bowel disease or somatic pain) deserve further study.

Conclusions  There is reason for optimism in medical treatment of IBS with a spectrum of agents to treat bowel dysfunction. However, visceral analgesic treatments are still suboptimal.
Comparison of PERV genomic locations between Asian and European pigs
Authors: Jung W. Y. , Kim J. E. , Jung K. C. , Jin D. I. , Moran C. , Park E. W. , Jeon J. T. , Lee J. H.
Published: September 2009

Xenotransplantation from pigs provides a possible solution to the shortage of human organs for allotransplantation. Porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) are a possible obstacle to using porcine organs in addition to the immunological barriers. Three main types of PERVs (A, B and C) have been previously investigated in diverse pig breeds. To examine the copy numbers of PERVs and their genomic locations in the Korean native pig genome, we screened a BAC (Bacterial Artificial Chromosome) library with PERV‐specific protease primers for initial recognition of PERV‐positive clones and three sets of envelope‐specific primers for the identification of PERV types. A total of 45 PERV‐positive clones, nine PERV‐A and 36 PERV‐B, have been identified from the library screening and the BAC contigs were constructed using the primers designed from BAC end sequences (BESs). These primers were also used for SCH (Somatic Cell Hybrid) and RH (Radiation Hybrid) mapping of the PERV‐positive clones. The results indicate that 45 PERV‐positive BAC clones belong to nine contigs and a singleton. SCH and IMpRH (INRA‐Minnesota Porcine Radiation Hybrid) mapping results indicated that there are at least eight separate PERV genomic locations, consisting of three PERV‐A and five PERV‐B. One contig could not be mapped, and two contigs are closely located on SSC7. Southern blotting indicates there may be up to 15 additional sites. Further investigation of these clones will contribute to a general strategy to generate PERV‐free lines of pigs suitable for xenotransplantation.
Liver gene expression in relation to hepatic steatosis and lipid secretion in two duck species
Authors: Hérault F. , Saez G. , Robert E. , Al Mohammad A. , Davail S. , Chartrin P. , Baéza E. , Diot C.
Published: September 2009

The susceptibility to development of hepatic steatosis is known to differ between Muscovy and Pekin ducks. Although some experiments were conducted to decipher these differences, few data have been produced to analyse the role of specific genes in this process. For this purpose, expression levels of genes involved in lipid (ATP citrate lyase, malic enzyme 1, fatty acid synthase, stearoyl‐CoA desaturase 1, diacylglycerol O‐acyl transferase 2, microsomal triglyceride transfer protein, apolipoprotein A1, apolipoprotein B, sterol regulatory element binding factor 1, hepatocyte nuclear factor 4, choline/ethanolamine phosphotransferase 1, carnitine palmitoyl transferase 1A, peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor alpha and sterol O‐acyltransferase) and carbohydrate (activating transcription factor 4 or cAMP‐response element binding protein, mitochondrial malate dehydrogenase 2 and carbohydrate responsive element binding protein) metabolism and in other functions were analysed in the liver of Pekin and Muscovy ducks fed ad libitum or overfed. A specific positive effect of feeding was observed on the expression of genes involved mainly in fatty acids and TG synthesis and glycolysis, and negative effect on genes involved in β‐oxidation. Interestingly, a strong species effect was also observed on stearoyl‐CoA desaturase 1 and to a lesser extent on diacylglycerol O‐acyl transferase 2 expression, leading to large differences in expression levels between Pekin and Muscovy overfed ducks, which could explain the difference in lipid metabolism and steatosis ability observed between the two duck species. These results should shed light on gene expression that might underlie susceptibility to hepatic steatosis in humans.
Partnership and the limits of procedure: prospects for relationships between parents and professionals under the new Public Law Outline
Authors: Broadhurst Karen , Holt Kim
Published: September 2009

April 2008 saw the introduction of a new Public Law Outline (PLO) that aims to improve judicial case management of Public Law Children Act cases. The PLO is a response to concerns about the rising number of care proceedings, associated costs, and the difficulties of achieving case resolution given this volume. Based on an ethos that care proceedings should be avoided wherever possible, the new approach to case management, which places significant emphasis on pre‐proceedings work and the effective engagement of parents, can be seen to reinforce the ‘no order principle’ enshrined in the Children Act (CA) 1989. Focusing specifically on relationships between parents and professionals, this paper provides a critical discussion of the potential of the PLO to further promote consensual practices with parents. Discussion traces the introduction of the concept of partnership within the CA 1989, provides a review of the evidence to‐date of effective partnership working, before considering the prospects for the PLO with respect to parental engagement. A number of key contextual obstacles are highlighted that will inevitably undermine the aspirations of the new outline, and a more general observation is drawn about the limits of procedure in effecting change in complex social issues.
Neuroendocrine response to supine posture in healthy children and patients with nocturnal enuresis
Authors: Rittig Søren
Published: September 2009

Objective  To elucidate the background behind the attenuated circadian rhythm of vasoactive hormones in patients with nocturnal enuresis, we tested the hypothesis that enuretic children exhibit an abnormal neuroendocrine response to a baroreflex stimulus during daytime.

Design and patients  In fifteen children and adolescents (aged 13·4 ± 0·9 years) with severe nocturnal enuresis and 10 age‐ and sex‐matched healthy controls, we performed a ‘daytime supine posture’ (DSP) study at 10:00 h.

Measurements  Blood was sampled for measurements of plasma vasopressin (PAVP), angiotensin II (PANGII), atrial natriuretic peptide (PANP) and serum aldosterone (SALDO), and mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) were measured during the study.

Results  In both controls and patients with enuresis, DSP at 10:00 h resulted in a marked fall in MAP and HR, a rise in pulse pressure (PP) and estimated plasma volume (PV) and a significant suppression of PAVP, PANGII and SALDO, whereas PANP increased. There were no significant differences between groups in haemodynamic or neuroendocrine responses to DSP.

Conclusions  The study showed that children with nocturnal enuresis exhibit a normal neuroendocrine response to supine posture during daytime indicating that baroregulatory mechanisms per se are not playing a significant pathogenic role. Interestingly, the normal neuroendocrine response to supine posture seems to undergo marked circadian changes, as supine posture at night‐time is associated with increased levels of vasoactive hormones.
Variability in stream macroinvertebrates at multiple spatial scales
Authors: Li Judith , Herlihy Alan , Gerth William , Kaufmann Philip , Gregory Stanley , Urquhart Scott , Larsen David P.
Published: September 2009

1. We intensively sampled 16 western Oregon streams to characterize: (1) the variability in macroinvertebrate assemblages at seven spatial scales; and (2) the change in taxon richness with increasing sampling effort. An analysis of variance (ANOVA) model calculated spatial variance components for taxon richness, total density, percent individuals of Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera (EPT), percent dominance and Shannon diversity.  2. At the landscape level, ecoregion and among‐streams components dominated variance for most metrics, accounting for 43–72% of total variance. However, ecoregion accounted for very little variance in total density and 36% of the variance was attributable to differences between streams. For other metrics, variance components were more evenly divided between stream and ecoregion effects.  3. Within streams, approximately 70% of variance was associated with unstructured local spatial variation and not associated with habitat type or transect position. The remaining variance was typically split about evenly between habitat and transect. Sample position within a transect (left, centre or right) accounted for virtually none of the variance for any metric.  4. New taxa per stream increased rapidly with sampling effort with the first four to eight Surber samples (500–1000 individuals counted), then increased more gradually. After counting more than 50 samples, new taxa continued to be added in stream reaches that were 80 times as long as their mean wetted width. Thus taxon richness was highly dependent on sampling effort, and comparisons between sites or streams must be normalized for sampling effort.  5. Characterization of spatial variance structure is fundamental to designing sampling programmes where spatial comparisons range from local to regional scales. Differences in metric responses across spatial scales demonstrate the importance of designing sampling strategies and analyses capable of discerning differences at the scale of interest.
Assessing the performance of volunteers in monitoring streams
Authors: Fore Leska S. , Paulsen Kit , O'Laughlin Kate
Published: September 2009

1. Citizens are concerned about the quality of water resources and many participate in monitoring activities, though doubts remain about the quality of the data volunteers collect. We trained volunteers to collect benthic macroinvertebrates using professional protocols. Of the seven stream sites sampled by volunteer crews, six sites were also sampled by professional crews.  2. In the laboratory, volunteers used morphological features to identify as many different taxa as possible within the major insect orders; their identification was approximately to family. Volunteers calculated five metrics: total taxon richness, richness of three key groups (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera), and percentage dominance of the three most abundant taxa. All metrics were strongly correlated with (a) the percentage of urbanized area in the catchment and (b) the metrics derived from a more complete taxonomic identification by a professional scientist. Taxon richness metrics declined with urban development, while percent dominance increased.  3. An overall summary multimetric index was used to compare the field and laboratory procedures of volunteers and professionals. Using an ANOVA model, we detected no significant difference between field samples collected by volunteers and professionals. The variance of index values associated with differences between crews was zero. The ability of the index to detect significant differences among sites (statistical power) improved by only 13% for assessments based on professional laboratory identification instead of volunteer laboratory identification.  4. Citizen volunteers, when properly trained, can collect reliable data and make stream assessments that are comparable to those made by professionals. Data collected by volunteers can supplement information used by government agencies to manage and protect rivers and streams.
Altered microbial community structure and organic matter composition under elevated CO2and N fertilization in the duke forest
Authors: FENG XIAOJUAN , SIMPSON ANDRÉ J. , SCHLESINGER WILLIAM H. , SIMPSON MYRNA J.
Published: September 2009

The dynamics and fate of terrestrial organic matter (OM) under elevated atmospheric CO2and nitrogen (N) fertilization are important aspects of long‐term carbon sequestration. Despite numerous studies, questions still remain as to whether the chemical composition of OM may alter with these environmental changes. In this study, we employed molecular‐level methods to investigate the composition and degradation of various OM components in the forest floor (O horizon) and mineral soil (0–15 cm) from the Duke forest free air CO2enrichment (FACE) experiment. We measured microbial responses to elevated CO2and N fertilization in the mineral soil using phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) profiles. Increased fresh carbon inputs into the forest floor under elevated CO2were observed at the molecular‐level by two degradation parameters of plant‐derived steroids and cutin‐derived compounds. The ratios of fungal to bacterial PLFAs and Gram‐negative to Gram‐positive bacterial PLFAs decreased in the mineral soil with N fertilization, indicating an altered soil microbial community composition. Moreover, the acid to aldehyde ratios of lignin‐derived phenols increased with N fertilization, suggesting enhanced lignin degradation in the mineral soil.1H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectra of soil humic substances revealed an enrichment of leaf‐derived alkyl structures with both elevated CO2and N fertilization. We suggest that microbial decomposition of SOM constituents such as lignin and hydrolysable lipids was promoted under both elevated CO2and N fertilization, which led to the enrichment of plant‐derived recalcitrant structures (such as alkyl carbon) in the soil.
Diurnal and seasonal variation in methane emissions in a northern Canadian peatland measured by eddy covariance
Authors: LONG KEVIN D. , FLANAGAN LAWRENCE B. , CAI TIEBO
Published: September 2009

Eddy covariance measurements of methane (CH4) net flux were made in a boreal fen, typical of the most abundant peatlands in western Canada during May–September 2007. The objectives of this study were to determine: (i) the magnitude of diurnal and seasonal variation in CH4 net flux, (ii) the relationship between the temporally varying flux rates and associated changes in controlling biotic and abiotic factors, and (iii) the contribution of CH4 emission to the ecosystem growing season carbon budget. There was significant diurnal variation in CH4 emission during the peak of the growing season that was strongly correlated with associated changes in solar radiation, latent heat flux, air temperature and ecosystem conductance to water vapor. During days 181–215, nighttime average CH4 efflux was only 47% of the average midday values. The peak value for daily average CH4 emission rate was approximately 80 nmol m−2 s−1 (4.6 mg CH4 m−2 h−1), and seasonal variation in CH4 flux was strongly correlated with changes in soil temperature. Integrated over the entire measurement period [days 144–269 (late May–late September)], the total CH4 emission was 3.2 g CH4 m−2, which was quite low relative to other wetland ecosystems and to the simultaneous high rate of ecosystem net CO2 sequestration that was measured (18.1 mol CO2 m−2 or 217 g C m−2). We estimate that the negative radiative forcing (cooling) associated with net carbon storage over the life of the peatland (approximately 2200 years) was at least twice the value of positive radiative forcing (warming) caused by net CH4 emission over the last 50 years.
The distribution of breeding birds around upland wind farms
Authors: Pearce‐Higgins James W. , Stephen Leigh , Langston Rowena H. W. , Bainbridge Ian P. , Bullman Rhys
Published: September 2009

1. There is an urgent need for climate change mitigation, of which the promotion of renewable energy, such as from wind farms, is an important component. Birds are expected to be sensitive to wind farms, although effects vary between sites and species. Using data from 12 upland wind farms in the UK, we examine whether there is reduced occurrence of breeding birds close to wind farm infrastructure (turbines, access tracks and overhead transmission lines). To our knowledge, this is the first such multi‐site comparison examining wind farm effects on the distribution of breeding birds.

2. Bird distribution was assessed using regular surveys during the breeding season. We took a conservative analytical approach, with bird occurrence modelled as a function of habitat, before examining the additional effects of wind farm proximity.

3. Seven of the 12 species studied exhibited significantly lower frequencies of occurrence close to the turbines, after accounting for habitat variation, with equivocal evidence of turbine avoidance in a further two. No species were more likely to occur close to the turbines. There was no evidence that raptors altered flight height close to turbines. Turbines were avoided more strongly than tracks, whilst there was no evidence for consistent avoidance of overhead transmission lines connecting sites to the national grid.

4. Levels of turbine avoidance suggest breeding bird densities may be reduced within a 500‐m buffer of the turbines by 15–53%, with buzzard Buteo buteo, hen harrier Circus cyaneus, golden plover Pluvialis apricaria, snipe Gallinago gallinago, curlew Numenius arquata and wheatear Oenanthe oenanthe most affected.

5. Despite being a correlative study, with potential for Type I error, we failed to detect any systematic bias in our likelihood of detecting significant effects.

6.
Synthesis and applications. This provides the first evidence for consistent and significant effects of wind farms on a range of upland bird species, emphasizing the need for a strategic approach to ensure such development avoids areas with high densities of potentially vulnerable species. Our results reduce the uncertainty over the magnitude of such effects, and will improve future environmental impacts assessments.
Phylogeography of the world’s tallest angiosperm, Eucalyptus regnans: evidence for multiple isolated Quaternary refugia
Authors: Nevill Paul G. , Bossinger Gerd , Ades Peter K.
Published: September 2009

Aim  There is a need for more Southern Hemisphere phylogeography studies, particularly in Australia, where, unlike much of Europe and North America, ice sheet cover was not extensive during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). This study examines the phylogeography of the south‐east Australian montane tree species Eucalyptus regnans. The work aimed to identify any major evolutionary divergences or disjunctions across the species’ range and to examine genetic signatures of past range contraction and expansion events.

Location  South‐eastern mainland Australia and the large island of Tasmania.

Methods  We determined the chloroplast DNA haplotypes of 410 E. regnans individuals (41 locations) based on five chloroplast microsatellites. Genetic structure was examined using analysis of molecular variance (AMOVA), and a statistical parsimony tree was constructed showing the number of nucleotide differences between haplotypes. Geographic structure in population genetic diversity was examined with the calculation of diversity parameters for the mainland and Tasmania, and for 10 regions. Regional analysis was conducted to test hypotheses that some areas within the species’ current distribution were refugia during the LGM and that other areas have been recolonized by E. regnans since the LGM.

Results  Among the 410 E. regnans individuals analysed, 31 haplotypes were identified. The statistical parsimony tree shows that haplotypes divided into two distinct groups corresponding to mainland Australia and Tasmania. The distribution of haplotypes across the range of E. regnans shows strong geographic patterns, with many populations and even certain regions in which a particular haplotype is fixed. Many locations had unique haplotypes, particularly those in East Gippsland in south‐eastern mainland Australia, north‐eastern Tasmania and south‐eastern Tasmania. Higher haplotype diversity was found in putative refugia, and lower haplotype diversity in areas likely to have been recolonized since the LGM.

Main conclusions  The data are consistent with the long‐term persistence of E. regnans in many regions and the recent recolonization of other regions, such as the Central Highlands of south‐eastern mainland Australia. This suggests that, in spite of the narrow ecological tolerances of the species and the harsh environmental conditions during the LGM, E. regnans was able to persist locally or contracted to many near‐coastal refugia, maintaining a diverse genetic structure.
Diversification of Chionochloa (Poaceae) and biogeography of the New Zealand Southern Alps
Authors: Pirie Michael D. , Lloyd Kelvin M. , Lee William G. , Linder H. Peter
Published: September 2009

Aim  We test hypotheses regarding the origin of diversity and patterns of species richness in and around the New Zealand Southern Alps with 25 species of Chionochloa (Poaceae, Danthonioideae).

Location  New Zealand.

Methods  We inferred a well‐resolved and mostly robustly supported chloroplast phylogeny based on multiple DNA sequence markers (trnT–L–F, rpl16, trnD–psbM, atpB–rbcL, matK and ndhF), sampling 92% of the recognized species and 82% of the subspecific taxa. Nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer sequences were also sampled, but proved uninformative. Biogeographic reconstruction and character optimization were done using both parsimony and likelihood approaches, and molecular dating used relaxed clock approaches.

Results  Most of the species diversity in Chionochloa stemmed from a common ancestor in the southern South Island with subsequent dispersal between areas. One clade of apparently cryptic taxa diversified within the central South Island ‘endemism gap’, persisting there throughout at least the latter half of the Pleistocene. Exclusively alpine and other habitat specialist species originated independently, the former relatively recently (between 7.6 Ma and the present).

Main conclusions  The phylogeny of Chionochloa and other published phylogenies of New Zealand plant groups demonstrate that the higher degree of endemism in the north and south of the New Zealand South Island relative to a central endemism gap cannot be explained by Alpine Fault displacement. Furthermore, our results suggest that if extinctions resulting from glaciations played a role in the origin of the central endemism gap, their impact was less than might be presumed on the basis of the distribution of taxa as they are currently defined. The diversification of Chionochloa and a number of New Zealand plant groups, such as Ranunculus, was contemporaneous with the initiation of the uplift of the Southern Alps. In contrast to patterns of diversifications within the alpine regions typical of the hyperdiverse Andes, exclusively alpine species in New Zealand arose independently from ancestors distributed in more lowland areas. Similarly, habitat specialists in Chionochloa arose independently from more generalist ancestors. Thus, although diversification in these groups may have been stimulated by mountain building and Pleistocene climatic oscillations, cladogenesis did not occur within the high alpine habitat itself.
Non‐invasive risk stratification of coronary artery disease: an evaluation of some commonly used statistical classifiers in terms of predictive accuracy and clinical usefulness
Authors: Gregori Dario , Bigi Riccardo , Cortigiani Lauro , Bovenzi Francesco , Fiorentini Cesare , Picano Eugenio
Published: September 2009

Objective  To compare different prediction models for assessing outcome of patients undergoing non‐invasive risk stratification of suspected or known coronary artery disease.

Methods  Six statistical classifiers and data mining models were applied to the prospective data bank of two different institutions. Of these, one represented the training (n = 2777) and the other one the test (n = 2679) set, each set consisting of usual clinical and stress echo information of patients followed‐up for the combined endpoint of all‐cause mortality and non‐fatal acute coronary syndromes. The following models were used: Logistic regression, Generalized Additive Model, Projection Pursuit Regression, Linear Discriminant Analysis, Quadratic Discriminant Analysis and Artificial Neural Networks. Models were selected using the Akaike Information Criterion and compared in terms of accuracy and Negative Predictive Value, overall Misclassification Rate and ROC Area Under Curve.

Results  During a median follow‐up of 31 months, 573 events occurred: 271 in the training and 302 in the test set respectively. All models selected the same subset of covariates as significantly associated with the outcome. The comparison of model performance showed that: (1) Quadratic Discriminant Analysis and Artificial Neural Networks provided a worse prediction of outcome than models more closely bonded to the hypothesis of linearity of the covariates effect; (2) overall predictive capability of the best performing models was excellent (>90% and >85% for training and test set respectively); and (3) there was a substantial lack of agreement among model indications in the individual patient.

Conclusions  The selection of variables and predictive models are not independent processes and may affect the performance of risk scoring systems or algorithms designed to transfer general prognostic rules into clinical practice. Thus, caution must be used in translating model prediction into strict clinical indications.
Misleading one detail: a preventable mode of diagnostic error?
Authors: Arzy Shahar , Brezis Mayer , Khoury Salim , Simon Steven R. , Ben‐Hur Tamir
Published: September 2009

Rationale, aims and objectives  Despite advances in our understanding of cognitive biases in clinical practice, little is known about correction or prevention of diagnostic errors. The presence of a single misleading detail may lead clinicians down a cognitive and actual path toward an incorrect diagnosis.

Methods  In a large teaching hospital, we surveyed 51 attending doctors in internal medicine, presenting each with 10 clinical vignettes and soliciting their diagnosis of the condition leading to the presentation. Each of the 10 clinical cases included a single misleading detail.

Results  This survey elicited a wrong diagnosis in 90% of cases, which was reduced to 30% when omitting the misleading detail from the vignette. Diagnostic accuracy did not improve by warning doctors about potentially misleading information. Asking doctors to identify a leading diagnostic detail and then to formulate an alternative diagnosis after omission of the detail, significantly reduced diagnostic error rate by nearly 50%.

Conclusion  Systematic re‐examination of leading diagnostic clues may help to reduce errors in diagnosis.
A RCT evaluating the effectiveness and cost‐effectiveness of academic detailing versus postal prescribing feedback in changing GP antibiotic prescribing
Authors: Naughton Corina , Feely John , Bennett Kathleen
Published: September 2009

Purpose The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of academic detailing (AD) plus postal prescribing feedback versus postal prescribing feedback alone in reducing: (i) the overall rate of antibiotic; and (ii) proportion of second‐line antibiotic prescribing. In addition, the cost‐effectiveness of an outreach prescriber adviser service versus a postal prescribing feedback service was evaluated.

Methods Volunteer general practitioner practices (n = 98) were randomized to receive prescribing feedback via postal bulletin (PB) (n = 50) or academic detailing plus postal bulletin (AD) (n = 48). Data analysis was based on the HSE‐primary care reimbursement service (HSE‐PCRS) prescribing database. Regression (β) coefficients, indicating proportion change in prescribing per month, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) are presented. The cost‐effectiveness ratio was calculated from the total cost of the intervention divided by percentage change in antiobiotic prescribing in AD versus PB group.

Results Immediately post intervention PB (β = −0.02, 95% CI −0.04, −0.001) and AD (β = −0.02, 95% CI −0.03, −0.001) practices significantly decreased overall antibiotic prescribing. Second‐line antibiotic prescribing was also significantly decreased by 2–3% in both groups. However, there were no significant differences in antibiotic prescribing between the randomized groups in the immediate or long‐term post‐intervention period. In the cost‐effectiveness analysis a postal prescribing feedback service would cost €88 per percentage change in prescribing practice compared with €778 for a prescriber adviser service.

Conclusion Prescribing feedback significantly reduced overall and second‐line antibiotic prescribing, but academic detailing was not significantly more effective than postal bulletin in changing antibiotic prescribing practice.
Time and the consultation – an argument for a ‘certain slowness’
Authors: Sturmberg Joachim P. , Cilliers Paul
Published: September 2009

When natural time sequences were replaced by clocks, time became a measurable commodity and the ‘speedy use of time’ a virtue. In medical practice shorter consultations allow more patients to be seen, whereas longer consultations result in a better understanding of the patient and her problems. Crossing the line of time‐efficiency and time‐effectiveness compromises the balance between short‐term turnover and long‐term outcomes. The consultation has all the hallmarks of a complex adaptive system whose characteristics are not determined by the characteristics of the components, but by the patterns of interaction among the components. Systems are dynamic and change over time; the dynamic nature is not incidental, but necessary as complex systems operate at conditions far from equilibrium. The central notion when we talk of time and complexity is that of ‘memory’. Memory is carrying something from the past over into the future. Memory is filtered/interpreted, separating noise from information. Memory therefore is not an instantaneous thing, it takes time to develop; it is slow. The dynamics between the participating agents in the consultation will create shared memories that live on to shape future interactions. Shared memories are stronger and contain more relevant knowledge if they are based on frequent interactions and ongoing doctor–patient relationships, leading to a better understanding of the whole person – a process that takes time. Sufficient time, that is, ‘a certain slowness’, is an essential element of the healing relationship in the consultation. It creates a sufficiently stable, but adaptive, environment that can withstand changing demands. Hence a more complete understanding of the consultation and its time demands will not only lead to more effective treatment, it will also humanize a situation which has become to a large extent purely instrumental. This process of humanization is important not only for the patient, but also for the doctor.
Distribution and movements of fin whales in the North Pacific Ocean
Authors: MIZROCH SALLY A. , RICE DALE W. , ZWIEFELHOFER DENNY , WAITE JANICE , PERRYMAN WAYNE L.
Published: September 2009

We summarize fin whaleBalaenoptera physaluscatch statistics, sighting data, mark recoveries and acoustics data. The annual cycle of most populations of fin whales had been thought to entail regular migrations between high‐latitude summer feeding grounds and lower‐latitude winter grounds. Here we present evidence of more complex and varied movement patterns.

During summer, fin whales range from the Chukchi Sea south to 35 °N on the Sanriku coast of Honshu, to the Subarctic Boundary (ca. 42 °N) in the western and central Pacific, and to 32 °N off the coast of California. Catches show concentrations in seven areas which we refer to as ‘grounds’, representing productive feeding areas.

During winter months, whales have been documented over a wide area from 60 °N south to 23 °N. Coastal whalers took them regularly in all winter months around Korea and Japan and they have been seen regularly in winter off southern California and northern Baja California. There are also numerous fin whale sightings and acoustic detections north of 40 °N during winter months. Calves are born during the winter, but there is little evidence for distinct calving areas.

Whales implanted with Discovery‐type marks were killed in whaling operations, and location data from 198 marked whales demonstrate local site fidelity, consistent movements within and between the main summer grounds and long migrations from low‐latitude winter grounds to high‐latitude summer grounds.

The distributional data agree with immunogenetic and marking findings which suggest that the migratory population segregates into at least two demes with separate winter mating grounds: a western ground off the coast of Asia and an eastern one off the American coast. Members of the two demes probably mingle in the Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands area.

Prior research had suggested that there were at least two non‐migratory stocks of fin whale: one in the East China Sea and another in the Gulf of California. There is equivocal evidence for the existence of additional non‐migratory groups in the Sanriku‐Hokkaido area off Japan and possibly the northern Sea of Japan, but this is based on small sample sizes.
HIV‐infected Patients with a Large Thymus Maintain Higher CD4 Counts in a 5‐year Follow‐up Study of Patients Treated with Highly Active Antiretroviral Therapy
Authors: Kolte L. , Ryder L. P. , Albrecht‐Beste E. , Jensen Frank K. , Nielsen S. D.
Published: September 2009

CD4 recovery in HIV‐infected patients treated with highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) is in part believed to be dependent on the degree of preserved thymic function. We investigated whether the thymus has a prolonged effect on CD4 recovery. Total and naïve CD4 counts as well as thymic output determined as the number of CD4 +  cells containing T‐cell receptor‐rearrangement excision DNA circles were measured prospectively in 25 HIV‐infected patients with known thymic size during 5 years of HAART. Patients with larger thymic size had at all time points of follow‐up significantly higher CD4 counts than patients with minimal thymic size (P = 0.0036). The CD4 increase from time of initiation of HAART until 6 months of follow‐up differed significantly between the two thymic groups (P = 0.045), but did not at later time points. Thymic output remained significantly higher in patients with larger thymic size at follow‐up. However, no difference in the increase in thymic output was seen between thymic groups. In conclusion, the importance of the thymus to the rate of cellular restoration seems primarily to lie within the first two years of HAART. However, patients with larger thymic size are able to maintain higher CD4 counts even after 5 years of HAART.
Complement Receptor 1 (A3650G RsaI and Intron 27 HindIII) Polymorphisms and Risk of Gallbladder Cancer in North Indian Population
Authors: Srivastava A. , Mittal B.
Published: September 2009

Decreased expression due to genetic variations in complement receptor 1 (CR1) on erythrocytes might result in reduced clearance of immune complexes, conferring interindividual variation for gallbladder cancer (GBC) susceptibility. We studied role of CR1 (A3650G RsaI and Intron 27 HindIII) polymorphisms in gallstone disease and GBC in north Indian population. Study included 185 GBC patients, 185 gallstone patients and 200 controls. Genotyping was done by PCR‐RFLP. Result showed GG genotype and G allele of CR1 A3650G RsaI were conferring significant risk for GBC [(P = 0.022; OR = 1.94; 95% CI = 1.1–3.4) and (P = 0.035; OR = 1.35; 95% CI = 1.0–3.8) respectively]. Also, comparison of GBC patients with gallstone patients showed increased risk for GBC in presence of GG genotype and G allele GBC (P = 0.048; OR = 1.74; 95% CI = 1.0–3.0) and (P = 0.027; OR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.0–1.8) respectively. No association of CR1 A3650G RsaI polymorphism was observed when gallstone patients were compared with controls. CR1 Intron 27 HindIII polymorphism was not associated with GBC and gallstone susceptibility. Haplotype analysis showed increased risk of GBC in presence of G,L haplotype (P = 0.046; OR = 1.35: 95% CI = 1.0–1.8). Subgroup stratifications on basis of gender and gallstone status showed GG genotype of CR1 A3650G RsaI polymorphism imparted high risk for GBC in females (P = 0.043; OR = 1.99: 95% CI = 1.4–3.9). Also there was increased risk for GBC in presence as well as absence of gallstones (OR = 1.85 and 1.76 respectively), but it was not statistically significant. We conclude that CR1 A3650G RsaI polymorphism plays an important role in conferring genetic susceptibility to gallbladder cancer GBC in north Indian population.
Feedback Regulation of Mitochondria by Caspase‐9 in the B Cell Receptor‐Mediated Apoptosis
Authors: Eeva J. , Nuutinen U. , Ropponen A. , Mättö M. , Eray M. , Pellinen R. , Wahlfors J. , Pelkonen J.
Published: September 2009

During the germinal centre reaction (GC), B cells with non‐functional or self‐reactive antigen receptors are negatively selected by apoptosis to generate B cell repertoire with appropriate antigen specificities. We studied the molecular mechanism of Fas/CD95‐ and B cell receptor (BCR)‐induced apoptosis to shed light on the signalling events involved in the negative selection of GC B cells. As an experimental model, we used human follicular lymphoma (FL) cell line HF1A3, which originates from a GC B cell, and transfected HF1A3 cell lines overexpressing Bcl‐xL, c‐FLIPlong or dominant negative (DN) caspase‐9. Fas‐induced apoptosis was dependent on the caspase‐8 activation, since the overexpression of c‐FLIPlong, a natural inhibitor of caspase‐8 activation, blocked apoptosis induced by Fas. In contrast, caspase‐9 activation was not involved in Fas‐induced apoptosis. BCR‐induced apoptosis showed the typical characteristics of mitochondria‐dependent (intrinsic) apoptosis. Firstly, the activation of caspase‐9 was involved in BCR‐induced DNA fragmentation, while caspase‐8 showed only marginal role. Secondly, overexpression of Bcl‐xL could block all apoptotic changes induced by BCR. As a novel finding, we demonstrate that caspase‐9 can enhance the cytochrome‐c release and collapse of mitochondrial membrane potential (ΔΨm) during BCR‐induced apoptosis. The requirement of different signalling pathways in apoptosis induced by BCR and Fas may be relevant, since Fas‐ and BCR‐induced apoptosis can thus be regulated independently, and targeted to different subsets of GC B cells.