bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of experimental nitrogen additions on plant diversity in an old‐growth tropical forest
Authors: LU XIANKAI , MO JIANGMING , GILLIAM FRANK S. , ZHOU GUOYI , FANG YUNTING 
Published: January 2010

AbstractResponse of plant biodiversity to increased availability of nitrogen (N) has been investigated in temperate and boreal forests, which are typically N‐limited, but little is known in tropical forests. We examined the effects of artificial N additions on plant diversity (species richness, density and cover) of the understory layer in an N saturated old‐growth tropical forest in southern China to test the following hypothesis: N additions decrease plant diversity in N saturated tropical forests primarily from N‐mediated changes in soil properties. Experimental additions of N were administered at the following levels from July 2003 to July 2008: no addition (Control); 50 kg N ha−1 yr−1(Low‐N); 100 kg N ha−1 yr−1(Medium‐N), and 150 kg N ha−1 yr−1(High‐N). Results showed that no understory species exhibited positive growth response to any level of N addition during the study period. Although low‐to‐medium levels of N addition (≤100 kg N ha−1 yr−1) generally did not alter plant diversity through time, high levels of N addition significantly reduced species diversity. This decrease was most closely related to declines within tree seedling and fern functional groups, as well as to significant increases in soil acidity and Al mobility, and decreases in Ca availability and fine‐root biomass. This mechanism for loss of biodiversity provides sharp contrast to competition‐based mechanisms suggested in studies of understory communities in other forests. Our results suggest that high‐N additions can decrease plant diversity in tropical forests, but that this response may vary with rate of N addition.
Canopy seed storage is associated with sexual dimorphism in the woody dioecious genus Leucadendron
Authors: Harris Mark S. , Pannell John R. 
Published: January 2010

Summary 1. Species of the dioecious South African plant genus Leucadendron vary strikingly in their degree of sexual dimorphism, with males of dimorphic species typically possessing more and thinner branches and smaller leaves than the corresponding females. 2. Many Leucadendron species are serotinous, with females of serotinous species maintaining seeds in transpiring cones for a number of years. Since cones must be kept alive, serotinous females presumably incur higher costs in terms of water loss than non‐serotinous females and, particularly, males. Given that branching architecture is known to affect water conductance, with less resistance in less highly branched plants, we predicted a positive correlation between the degree of serotiny in a species and sexual dimorphism in branching. 3. We tested the effect of serotiny and several other factors on the degree of sexual dimorphism in Leucadendron by conducting a comparative analysis of variation across 49 species using phylogenetic regression. 4. There was a strong positive association between the degree of serotiny and sexual dimorphism. This association is consistent with the idea that the costs of maintaining cones may select females to be less highly branched than males. 5. Synthesis. Serotiny is a strategy of maternal care that contributes to offspring survival after seed maturation. We found that, in Leucadendron, the evolution of increased serotiny corresponds with the evolution of more marked sexual dimorphism. This study exposes a hitherto unidentified association between sexual dimorphism and maternal care in plants and points to a possible additional reproductive burden carried by serotinous plants compared with those that release their seeds at maturity.
Social approach in pre‐school children with Williams syndrome: the role of the face
Authors: Dodd H. F. , Porter M. A. , Peters G. L. , Rapee R. M. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractBackground Indiscriminate social approach behaviour is a salient aspect of the Williams syndrome (WS) behavioural phenotype. The present study examines approach behaviour in pre‐schoolers with WS and evaluates the role of the face in WS social approach behaviour.Method Ten pre‐schoolers with WS (aged 3–6 years) and two groups of typically developing children, matched to the WS group on chronological or mental age, participated in an observed play session. The play session incorporated social and non‐social components including two components that assessed approach behaviour towards strangers; one in which the stranger's face could be seen and one in which the stranger's face was covered.Results In response to the non‐social aspects of the play session, the WS group behaved similarly to both control groups. In contrast, the pre‐schoolers with WS were significantly more willing than either control group to engage with a stranger, even when the stranger's face could not be seen.Conclusion The findings challenge the hypothesis that an unusual attraction to the face directly motivates social approach behaviour in individuals with WS.
Personal and environmental risk factors for active trachoma in children in Yobe state, north‐eastern Nigeria
Authors: Mpyet C. , Goyol M. , Ogoshi C. 
Published: January 2010

SummaryObjective  To determine the personal and environmental risk factors associated with trachoma in pre‐school children in Yobe state, Nigeria.Methods  Total of 639 children aged 1–5 from 27 villages were examined in their households for clinical signs of trachoma. Personal and environmental risk factors were independently determined by an observer while clinical examination was being performed.Results  The prevalence of active trachoma was 35.7% (95% CI; 32.0–39.6) with prevalence of disease in boys being similar to girls. The highest prevalence was in children 2–3 years of age. The presence of flies on the face (OR 4.14; CI 2.72–6.29) and lack of a toilet in the compound (OR 2.11; CI 1.38–3.23) were independent risk factors for trachoma.Conclusion  The prevalence of trachoma is high. Provision and use of toilets, education on personal and environmental hygiene improvements need to be emphasized as part of the Surgery Antibiotics Facial cleanliness and Environmental improvement strategy.
Linking programmes and systems: lessons from the GAVI Health Systems Strengthening window
Authors: Galichet B. , Goeman L. , Hill P. S. , Essengue M. S. , Hammami N. , Porignon D. , Kadama P. , Van Lerberghe W. 
Published: January 2010

SummaryObjectives  To analyse the first four rounds of country applications to the GAVI Alliance Health Systems Strengthening (GAVI‐HSS) funding window; to provide valuable insight into how countries prioritize, articulate and propose solutions for health system constraints through the GAVI‐HSS application process and to examine the extent to which this process embodies alignment and harmonization, Principles of the Paris Declaration.Methods  The study applied multiple criteria to analyse 48 funding applications from 40 countries, submitted in the first four rounds, focusing on the country analysis of health systems constraints, coordination mechanisms, alignment with national and sector planning processes, inclusiveness of the planning processes and stakeholder engagement.Results  The applications showed diversity in the health systems constraints identified and the activities proposed. Requirements of GAVI for sector oversight and coordination, and the management of the application process through the Ministry of Health’s Planning Department, resulted in strong alignment with government policy and planning processes and good levels of stakeholder inclusion and local technical support (TS).Conclusion  Health Systems Strengthening initiatives for global health partnerships (GHPs) can provide a link between the programmatic and the systemic, influencing policy alignment and harmonization of processes. The applications strengthened in‐country coordination and planning, with countries using existing health sector assessments to identify system constraints, and to propose. Analyses also produced evidence of broad stakeholder inclusiveness, a good degree of proposal alignment with national health plans and policy documents, and engagement of a largely domestic TS network. While the effectiveness of the proposed interventions cannot be determined from this data, the findings provide support for the GAVI‐HSS initiative as implementation continues and evaluation begins.
Monitoring ivermectin distributors involved in integrated health care services through community‐directed interventions – a comparison of Cameroon and Uganda experiences over a period of three years (2004–2006)
Authors: Katabarwa Moses , Habomugisha Peace , Eyamba Albert , Agunyo Stella , Mentou Catherine 
Published: January 2010

SummaryObjectives  To assess and compare the effectiveness of ivermectin distributors in attaining 90% treatment coverage of the eligible population with each additional health activity they take up.Methods  Random sampling was applied every year to select distributors for interviews in community‐directed treatment with ivermectin (CDTI) areas of Cameroon and Uganda. A total of 288 in 2004, 357 in 2005 and 348 in 2006 distributors were interviewed in Cameroon, and 706, 618 and 789 in Uganda, respectively. The questions included treatment coverage, involvement in additional activities, where and for how long these activities were provided, and whether they were supervised.Results  At least 70% of the distributors in Cameroon and Uganda during the study period were involved in CDTI and additional health activities. More of the distributors involved in CDTI alone attained 90% treatment coverage than those who had CDTI with additional health activities. The more the additional activities, the less likely the distributors were to attain 90% treatment coverage. In Uganda, distributors were more likely to attain 90% coverage (P < 0.001 if they worked within 1 km of their homesteads were selected by community members, worked among kindred, and were responsible for <20 households.Conclusion  Additional activities could potentially undermine the performance of distributors. However, being selected by their community members, working largely among kindred and serving fewer households improved their effectiveness.
Predictors of compliance with a mass drug administration programme for lymphatic filariasis in Orissa State, India 2008
Authors: Cantey P. T. , Rao G. , Rout J. , Fox L. M. 
Published: January 2010

SummaryObjectives  To assess the performance of an educational campaign to increase adherence to a mass‐administered DEC regimen against lymphatic filariasis (LF) in Orissa, and to identify factors that could enhance future campaigns.Method  Randomized cluster survey, comparing areas that did and did not receive the educational campaign, using a household coverage survey and knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) survey.Results  LF MDA coverage for the entire population (n = 3449) was 56% (95% CI: 50.0–61.9). There was no statistical difference between the areas that did and did not receive the educational campaign. The most common barriers to adherence were fear of medication side effects (47.4%) and lack of recognition of one’s risk for LF (15.8%). Modifiable, statistically significant, multivariable predictors of adherence were knowing that DEC prevents LF (aOR = 2.6, 95% CI: 1.4–5.1), knowing that mosquitoes transmit LF (aOR = 1.9, 95% CI: 1.1–3.2), and knowing both about the mass drug administration (MDA) in advance and that mosquitoes transmit LF (aOR = 5.4, 95% CI: 2.8–10.4).Conclusions  India needs to increase compliance with MDA programmes to reach its goal of interrupting LF transmission. Promoting a simple public health message before MDA distribution, which takes into account barriers to and predictors of adherence, could raise compliance with the LF MDA programme.
Mortality after failure of antiretroviral therapy in sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Keiser Olivia , Tweya Hannock , Braitstein Paula , Dabis François , MacPhail Patrick , Boulle Andrew , Nash Denis , Wood Robin , Lüthi Ruedi , Brinkhof Martin W. G. , Schechter Mauro , Egger Matthias ,   on behalf of the ART‐LINC of IeDEA Study Group
Published: January 2010

SummaryObjective  To assess the outcome of patients who experienced treatment failure with antiretrovirals in sub‐Saharan Africa.Methods  Analysis of 11 antiretroviral therapy (ART) programmes in sub‐Saharan Africa. World Health Organization (WHO) criteria were used to define treatment failure. All ART‐naive patients aged ≥16 who started with a non‐nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NNRTI)‐based regimen and had at least 6 months of follow‐up were eligible. For each patient who switched to a second‐line regimen, 10 matched patients who remained on a non‐failing first‐line regimen were selected. Time was measured from the time of switching, from the corresponding time in matched patients, or from the time of treatment failure in patients who remained on a failing regimen. Mortality was analysed using Kaplan–Meier curves and random‐effects Cox models.Results  Of 16 591 adult patients starting ART, 382 patients (2.3%) switched to a second‐line regimen. Another 323 patients (1.9%) did not switch despite developing immunological or virological failure. Cumulative mortality at 1 year was 4.2% (95% CI 2.2–7.8%) in patients who switched to a second‐line regimen and 11.7% (7.3%–18.5%) in patients who remained on a failing first‐line regimen, compared to 2.2% (1.6–3.0%) in patients on a non‐failing first‐line regimen (P < 0.0001). Differences in mortality were not explained by nadir CD4 cell count, age or differential loss to follow up.Conclusions  Many patients who meet criteria for treatment failure do not switch to a second‐line regimen and die. There is an urgent need to clarify the reasons why in sub‐Saharan Africa many patients remain on failing first‐line ART.
Use of nail and oral pigmentation to determine ART eligibility among HIV‐infected Ugandan adults
Authors: Namakoola I. , Wakeham K. , Parkes‐Ratanshi R. , Levin J. , Mugagga T. , Seymour C. , Kissa J. , Kamali A. , Lalloo D. G. 
Published: January 2010

SummaryObjectives  To evaluate the use of grey/distal banded nails as an indicator of advanced immunosuppression, and thus eligibility for ART, in resource poor settings.Methods  We tested whether grey/distal banded nails and/or oral pigmentation could be used to identify patients with low CD4 cell counts at two cut‐offs: <200 and <350 cells/μl in ART naive adults.Results  Four hundred and three nail and oral cavities were photographed and assessed. Grey/distal banded nails and/or oral pigmentation were significantly associated with a CD4 cell count <200 cells/μl (P < 0.001), with a sensitivity of 66%, a specificity of 50% and a negative predictive value of 77%. However, there was no association when a CD4 cell count cut‐off of <350 cells/μl was used. Inter‐observer agreement (k 0.46) was fair/moderate.Conclusions  While grey/distal banded nails and/or oral pigmentation are associated with low CD4 counts, the sensitivity and kappa score are too low for this method to be recommended as a tool to guide ART initiation; large number of individuals eligible for ART would be missed.
Small moleculeβ‐amyloid inhibitors that stabilize protofibrillar structuresin vitroimprove cognition and pathology in a mouse model of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Hawkes Cheryl A. , Deng Le‐Hua , Shaw James E. , Nitz Mark , McLaurin JoAnne 
Published: January 2010

Abstractβ‐Amyloid (Aβ) peptides are thought to play a major role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease. Compounds that disrupt the kinetic pathways of Aβ aggregation may be useful in elucidating the role of oligomeric, protofibrillar and fibrillar Aβ in the etiology of the disease. We have previously reported thatscyllo‐inositol inhibits Aβ42fibril formation but the mechanism(s) by which this occurs has not been investigated in detail. Using a series ofscyllo‐inositol derivatives in which one or two hydroxyl groups were replaced with hydrogen, chlorine or methoxy substituents, we examined the role of hydrogen bonding and hydrophobicity in the structure–function relationship ofscyllo‐inositol–Aβ binding. We report here that allscyllo‐inositol derivatives demonstrated reduced effectiveness in preventing Aβ42fibrillization compared withscyllo‐inositol, suggesting thatscyllo‐inositol interacts with Aβ42via key hydrogen bonds that are formed by all hydroxyl groups. Increasing the hydrophobicity ofscyllo‐inositol by the addition of two methoxy groups (1,4‐di‐O‐methyl‐scyllo‐inositol) produced a derivative that stabilized Aβ42protofibrilsin vitro. Prophylactic administration of 1,4‐di‐O‐methyl‐scyllo‐inositol to TgCRND8 mice attenuated spatial memory impairments and significantly decreased cerebral amyloid pathology. These results suggest that Aβ aggregation can be targeted at multiple points along the kinetic pathway for the improvement of Alzheimer’s disease‐like pathology.
Accurate spike sorting for multi‐unit recordings
Authors: Takekawa Takashi , Isomura Yoshikazu , Fukai Tomoki 
Published: January 2010

AbstractSimultaneous recordings with multi‐channel electrodes are widely used for studying how multiple neurons are recruited for information processing. The recorded signals contain the spike events of a number of adjacent or distant neurons and must be sorted correctly into spike trains of individual neurons. Several mathematical methods have been proposed for spike sorting but the process is difficult in practice, as extracellularly recorded signals are corrupted by biological noise. Moreover, spike sorting is often time‐consuming, as it usually requires corrections by human operators. Methods are needed to obtain reliable spike clusters without heavy manual operation. Here, we introduce several methods of spike sorting and compare the accuracy and robustness of their performance by using publicized data of simultaneous extracellular and intracellular recordings of neuronal activity. The best and excellent performance was obtained when a newly proposed filter for spike detection was combined with the wavelet transform and variational Bayes for a finite mixture of Student’st‐distributions, namely, robust variational Bayes. Wavelet transform extracts features that are characteristic of the detected spike waveforms and the robust variational Bayes categorizes the extracted features into clusters corresponding to spikes of the individual neurons. The use of Student’st‐distributions makes this categorization robust against noisy data points. Some other new methods also exhibited reasonably good performance. We implemented all of the proposed methods in a C++ code named ‘EToS’ (Efficient Technology of Spike sorting), which is freely available on the Internet.
Daily changes in synaptic innervation of VIP neurons in the rat suprachiasmatic nucleus: contribution of glutamatergic afferents
Authors: Girardet Clémence , Blanchard Marie‐Pierre , Ferracci Géraldine , Lévêque Christian , Moreno Mathias , François‐Bellan Anne‐Marie , Becquet Denis , Bosler Olivier 
Published: January 2010

AbstractThe daily temporal organization of rhythmic functions in mammals, which requires synchronization of the circadian clock to the 24‐h light–dark cycle, is believed to involve adjustments of the mutual phasing of the cellular oscillators that comprise the time‐keeper within the suprachiasmatic nucleus of the hypothalamus (SCN). Following from a previous study showing that the SCN undergoes day/night rearrangements of its neuronal–glial network that may be crucial for intercellular phasing, we investigated the contribution of glutamatergic synapses, known to play major roles in SCN functioning, to such rhythmic plastic events. Neither expression levels of the vesicular glutamate transporters nor numbers of glutamatergic terminals showed nycthemeral variations in the SCN. However, using quantitative imaging after combined immunolabelling, the density of synapses on neurons expressing vasoactive intestinal peptide, known as targets of the retinal input, increased during the day and both glutamatergic and non‐glutamatergic synapses contributed to the increase (+36%). This was not the case for synapses made on vasopressin‐containing neurons, the other major source of SCN efferents in the non‐retinorecipient region. Together with electron microscope observations showing no differences in the morphometric features of glutamatergic terminals during the day and night, these data show that the light synchronization process in the SCN involves a selective remodelling of synapses at sites of photic integration. They provide a further illustration of how the adult brain may rapidly and reversibly adapt its synaptic architecture to functional needs.
Cannabinoid CB1 receptor facilitation of substance P release in the rat spinal cord, measured as neurokinin 1 receptor internalization
Authors: Zhang Guohua , Chen Wenling , Lao Lijun , Marvizón Juan Carlos G. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractThe contribution of CB1 receptors in the spinal cord to cannabinoid analgesia is still unclear. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of CB1 receptors on substance P release from primary afferent terminals in the spinal cord. Substance P release was measured as neurokinin 1 (NK1) receptor internalization in lamina I neurons. It was induced in spinal cord slices by dorsal root stimulation and in live rats by a noxious stimulus. In spinal cord slices, the CB1 receptor antagonists AM251, AM281 and rimonabant partially but potently inhibited NK1 receptor internalization induced by electrical stimulation of the dorsal root. This was due to an inhibition of substance P release and not of NK1 receptor internalization itself, because AM251 and AM281 did not inhibit NK1 receptor internalization induced by exogenous substance P. The CB1 receptor agonist ACEA increased NK1 receptor internalization evoked by dorsal root stimulation. The effects of AM251 and ACEA cancelled each other.In vivo, AM251 injected intrathecally decreased NK1 receptor internalization in spinal segments L5 and L6 induced by noxious hind paw clamp. Intrathecal AM251 also produced analgesia to radiant heat stimulation of the paw. The inhibition by AM251 of NK1 receptor internalization was reversed by antagonists of μ‐opioid and GABABreceptors. This indicates that CB1 receptors facilitate substance P release by inhibiting the release of GABA and opioids next to primary afferent terminals, producing disinhibition. This results in a pronociceptive effect of CB1 receptors in the spinal cord.
SOCIAL SECURITY INVESTMENT POLICY AND CAPITAL FORMATION
Authors: THORBECKE WILLEM 
Published: January 2010

Large recent surpluses in the social security trust fund accounts provide the potential to increase overall national saving and capital formation. However, these surpluses instead have allowed politicians to increase the non‐social security deficit and government consumption.This paper argues that investing the trust funds in private assets could bring into focus the magnitude of the non‐social security deficit and force Congress to cut it. Evidence presented here indicates that the trade deficit, output, and monetary policy are systematic macroeconomic variables that affect relative asset prices. The evidence also supports arguments of Nordhaus and others that a change in trust fund investment policy could lower the trade deficit, raise output, and produce looser monetary policy, thereby increasing Tobin's a and, thus, capital formation. Investing the trust funds in private assets could increase national investment and give the baby‐bust generation more capital to use in producing goods and services for themselves and for retired baby‐boomers.