bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Analysis of resistance mechanism to Atherigona soccata in crosses of sorghum
Authors: Anandan A. , Huliraj H. , Veerabadhiran P. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractIn sorghum, shoot fly resistance is important for grain yield and fodder value. An experiment was conducted to estimate genetic parameters of sorghum for resistance to shoot fly in 50 hybrids, by crossing 5 × 10 genotypes in line × tester manner. Plant height, number of leaves per plant, number of eggs per plant, trichomes on upper and lower surface per unit area of lamina and dead heart per cent were measured on 14 and 21 days after emergence (DAE) and glossiness of leaves was graded on 14 DAE. The correlation between midparent and hybrid performance, GCA : SCA ratio revealed predominance of non‐additive gene effects for the traits studied, which could be exploited through hybrid breeding. Of the parents, SPSFPR 94004A and IS 4777 were the best general combiners for shoot fly resistance. Correlation and path analysis revealed the importance of resistance traits and phenol estimation confirms the resistances against shoot fly.
Using the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills to measure functional change in adults with severe traumatic brain injury: A pilot study
Authors: Lange Bridget , Spagnolo Karren , Fowler Bess 
Published: March 2009

Aim:  To measure functional change in 10 adults following severe traumatic brain injury using the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS). Methods:  This clinical pilot study used a standardised occupational therapy tool, the AMPS, to measure motor and process scores during activities of daily living, for over 3 weeks of inpatient rehabilitation. Results:  Wilcoxon signed ranks tests indicate significant improvement in motor and process scores from initial assessment to repeat evaluation (z = –2.70, p = 0.01; z = –2.81, P = 0.01, respectively).Conclusions:  The AMPS measured statistically and clinically significant change in motor and process abilities over 3 weeks of neurosurgical rehabilitation. Findings suggest that the AMPS is a sensitive measure of functional change for the study sample and timeframe.
Effects of chronic treatment with a low dose of nicorandil on the function of the rat aorta during ageing
Authors: Raveaud Stéphanie , Mezin Paulette , Lavanchy Nicole , Starcher Barry , Mecham Robert P , Verdetti Jean , Faury Gilles 
Published: March 2009

Summary1. It is known that ATP‐sensitive potassium (KATP) channels regulate the membrane potential of smooth muscle cells and vascular tone. Because their activity is altered during ageing, many pharmacological treatments aimed at improving KATPchannel and cardiovascular functions have been evaluated. Nicorandil, a KATPchannel opener, nitric oxide (NO) donor and anti‐oxidant, induces vasodilation, decreases blood pressure and exhibits cardioprotection in ageing, as well as after ischaemia–reperfusion.2. In the present study, using tension myography and biochemical and histological techniques, we investigated the effects of chronic (2 months) low‐dose nicorandil (0.1 mg/kg per day) treatment on the function of rat aorta during ageing (in 4‐, 12‐ and 24‐month old rats).3. The results showed that chronic nicorandil treatment significantly improves mechanical relaxation and noradrenaline‐induced vasoconstriction in aged rats. At all ages, the nicorandil‐induced vasodilation was primarily mediated by its NO donor group. Nicorandil treatment resulted in an additional 0.5–1 elastic lamella in the aorta and decreased total protein, collagen and elastin content in the aortic wall at all ages. However, in 4‐month‐old rats, nicorandil significantly increased the elastin : total protein ratio by 19%.4. In contrast with results of previous studies that used high doses of nicorandil (i.e. 60 mg/kg per day), low‐dose nicorandil treatment in the present study did not lead to a progressive desensitization to nicorandil and may be beneficial in improving arterial function in ageing or cardiovascular diseases.
DILATED CARDIOMYOPATHY WITH HYPERTENSION: PREVALENCE AND RESPONSE TO HIGH‐DOSE β1‐ADRENOCEPTOR ANTAGONIST THERAPY
Authors: Zeng Xiaolin , Chen Shuzhen , Wang Jinju , Yang Tianlun , Chen Yanfang 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARY

The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of hypertension in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and to determine the tolerance and efficacy of a high dose of the β1‐adrenoceptor antagonist metoprolol in the long‐term treatment of DCM patients.
The prevalence of hypertension in DCM patients (n = 362) and age‐matched controls (n = 401) was evaluated and compared. To investigate the effects of metoprolol, DCM patients were divided into hypertensive (DCM‐H) or normotensive (DCM‐N) subgroups. Metoprolol was administered at a starting dosage of 6.25 mg/day and increased gradually to 250 mg/day or the maximum tolerable dose. Blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), left ventricular (LV) end‐diastolic dimension (LVEDD), left atrial end‐diastolic dimension (LAEDD), LV ejection fraction (LVEF), LV posterior wall thickness (LVPWT) and ventricular septal thickness (VST) were determined at baseline and 6 and 12 months after metoprolol treatment.
The prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher in DCM patients than in age‐matched controls (32.8 vs 20.1%, respectively; P < 0.01). Resting HR and a family history of hypertension were highest in the DCM‐H group. There were no significant differences in age, gender and occupation between the DCM‐H, DCM‐N and age‐matched control groups.
The tolerable dose for metoprolol was significantly higher in the DCM‐H group than the DCM‐N group (189.6 ± 14.8 vs 133.9 ± 12.0 mg/day, respectively; P < 0.05). Metoprolol significantly reduced BP and HR in the DCM‐H group and improved LVEDD, LAEDD and LVEF in all DCM patients, with a greater effect seen in the DCM‐H group.
In conclusion, DCM patients have a higher prevalence of hypertension than the general population. Patients in the DCM‐H subgroup were characterized by a higher resting HR and a family history of hypertension and were more tolerant of and more responsive to metoprolol treatment. These data suggest that this subgroup of DCM patients could have higher sympathetic nerve activity and is suitable for treatment with a higher dose of metoprolol.
Testing the monophyly of the New Zealand and Australian endemic family Conoesucidae Ross based on combined molecular and morphological data (Insecta: Trichoptera: Sericostomatoidea)
Authors: Johanson Kjell Arne , Kjer Karl , Malm Tobias 
Published: March 2009

Conoesucidae (Trichoptera, Insecta) are restricted to SE Australia, Tasmania and New Zealand. The family includes 42 described species in 12 genera, and each genus is endemic to either New Zealand or Australia. Although monophyly has been previously assumed, no morphological characters have been proposed to represent synapomorphies for the group. We collected molecular data from two mitochondrial genes (16S and cytochrome oxidase I), one nuclear gene (elongation factor 1‐α) (2237–2277 bp in total), and 12 morphological characters to produce the first phylogeny of the family. We combined the molecular and morphological characters and performed both a maximum parsimony analysis and a Bayesian analysis to test the monophyly of the family, and to hypothesize the phylogeny among its genera. The parsimony analysis revealed a single most parsimonious tree with Conoesucidae being a monophyletic taxon and sistergroup to the Calocidae. The Bayesian inference produced a distribution of trees, the consensus of which is supported with posterior probabilities of 100% for 15 out of 22 possible ingroup clades including the most basal branch of the family, indicating strong support for a monophyletic Conoesucidae. The most parsimonious tree and the tree from the Bayesian analysis were identical except that the ingroup genus Pycnocentria changed position by jumping to a neighbouring clade. Based on the assumption that the ancestral conoesucid species was present on both New Zealand and Australia, a biogeographical analysis using the dispersal‐vicariance criteria demonstrated that one or two (depending on which of the two phylogenetic reconstructions were applied) sympatric speciation events took place on New Zealand prior to a single, late dispersal from New Zealand to Australia.
EMPIRICAL ETHICS AS DIALOGICAL PRACTICE
Authors: WIDDERSHOVEN GUY , ABMA TINEKE , MOLEWIJK BERT 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTIn this article, we present a dialogical approach to empirical ethics, based upon hermeneutic ethics and responsive evaluation. Hermeneutic ethics regards experience as the concrete source of moral wisdom. In order to gain a good understanding of moral issues, concrete detailed experiences and perspectives need to be exchanged. Within hermeneutic ethics dialogue is seen as a vehicle for moral learning and developing normative conclusions. Dialogue stands for a specific view on moral epistemology and methodological criteria for moral inquiry. Responsive evaluation involves a structured way of setting up dialogical learning processes, by eliciting stories of participants, exchanging experiences in (homogeneous and heterogeneous) groups and drawing normative conclusions for practice. By combining these traditions we develop both a theoretical and a practical approach to empirical ethics, in which ethical issues are addressed and shaped together with stakeholders in practice. Stakeholders' experiences are not only used as a source for reflection by the ethicist; stakeholders are involved in the process of reflection and analysis, which takes place in a dialogue between participants in practice, facilitated by the ethicist. This dialogical approach to empirical ethics may give rise to questions such as: What contribution does the ethicist make? What role does ethical theory play? What is the relationship between empirical research and ethical theory in the dialogical process? In this article, these questions will be addressed by reflecting upon a project in empirical ethics that was set up in a dialogical way. The aim of this project was to develop and implement normative guidelines with and within practice, in order to improve the practice concerning coercion and compulsion in psychiatry.
APPROPRIATE METHODOLOGIES FOR EMPIRICAL BIOETHICS: IT'S ALL RELATIVE
Authors: IVES JONATHAN , DRAPER HEATHER 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTIn this article we distinguish between philosophical bioethics (PB), descriptive policy orientated bioethics (DPOB) and normative policy oriented bioethics (NPOB). We argue that finding an appropriate methodology for combining empirical data and moral theory depends on what the aims of the research endeavour are, and that, for the most part, this combination is only required for NPOB.After briefly discussing the debate around the is/ought problem, and suggesting that both sides of this debate are misunderstanding one another (i.e. one side treats it as a conceptual problem, whilst the other treats it as an empirical claim), we outline and defend a methodological approach to NPOB based on work we have carried out on a project exploring the normative foundations of paternal rights and responsibilities. We suggest that given the prominent role already played by moral intuition in moral theory, one appropriate way to integrate empirical data and philosophical bioethics is to utilize empirically gathered lay intuition as the foundation for ethical reasoning in NPOB. The method we propose involves a modification of a long‐established tradition on non‐intervention in qualitative data gathering, combined with a form of reflective equilibrium where the demands of theory and data are given equal weight and a pragmatic compromise reached.
Ridge alterations following tooth extraction with and without flap elevation: an experimental study in the dog
Authors: Araújo Mauricio G. , Lindhe Jan 
Published: March 2009

AbstractBackground: Different approaches were advocated to preserve or improve the dimension and contour of the ridge following tooth extraction. In some of studies, socket ‘flapless extraction’ apparently had a successful outcome.Aim: The objective of the present experiment was to compare hard tissue healing following tooth extraction with or without the prior elevation of mucosal full‐thickness flaps.Material and methods: Five mongrel dogs were used. The two second mandibular premolars (2P2) were hemi‐sected. The mesial roots were retained. By random selection the distal root in one side was removed after the elevation of full‐thickness flaps while on the contralateral side, root extraction was performed in a flapless procedure. The soft tissue wound was closed with interrupted sutures. After 6 months of healing, the dogs were euthanized and biopsies were sampled. From each experimental site, four ground sections – two from the mesial root and two from the healed socket – were prepared, stained and examined in the microscope.Results: The data showed that the removal of a single tooth (root) during healing caused a marked change in the edentulous ridge. In the apical and middle portions of the socket site minor dimensional alterations occurred while in the coronal portion of the ridge the reduction of the hard tissue volume was substantial. Similar amounts of hard tissue loss occurred during healing irrespective of the procedure used to remove the tooth was, i.e. flapless or following flap elevation.Conclusion: Tooth loss (extraction) resulted in marked alterations of the ridge. The size of the alveolar process was reduced. The procedure used for tooth extraction – flapless or following flap elevation – apparently did not influence the more long‐term outcome of healing.
Anatomic assessment of the anterior mandible and relative hemorrhage risk in implant dentistry: a cadaveric study
Authors: Rosano Gabriele , Taschieri Silvio , Gaudy Jean François , Testori Tiziano , Del Fabbro Massimo 
Published: March 2009

AbstractObjectives: To evaluate prevalence, size, location and content of foramina and bony canals located on the lingual side of the mandibular midline.Material and methods: The prevalence and the size of midline lingual foramina and canals visible above and/or below genial spines and their distances from the mandibular base were measured in 60 dry mandibles from adult human cadavers. In addition, macro‐anatomic dissections were performed on another 20 mandibles injected with red latex to investigate the vascular canal contents associated with these midline lingual foramina and canals.Results: A total of 118 foramina were detected. All mandibles investigated had at least one lingual foramen at the midline above the genial spines, located at a mean height of 12.5±2.1 mm (SD) from the inferior border of the mandible. Macro‐anatomic dissections showed a clear vascular branch entering the mandibular midline as a single vessel from a sublingual‐sublingual anastomosis in 19 out of 20 mandibles studied (95%).Conclusion: Blood vessels in the floor of the mouth may be in close proximity to the lingual cortical plate of the mandibular midline in most cases. This implies that bleeding can occur when the mandibular cortical plate is perforated even minimally. As a consequence, the authors suggest a careful planning of implant positioning at mandibular midline, possibly opting for the use of an even number of implants in the interforaminal region, avoiding the risk of surgical trauma to the lingual cortical plate of the mandibular midline.
Blubber testosterone: A potential marker of male reproductive status in short‐beaked common dolphins
Authors: Kellar Nicholas M. , Trego Marisa L. , Marks Corina I. , Chivers Susan J. , Danil Kerri , Archer Frederick I. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractA novel molecular technique was used to measure blubber testosterone (BT) in 114 male short‐beaked common dolphins, Delphinus delphis, collected from incidental fishery bycatch and strandings. When these concentrations were compared across maturity states, the mean (± SEM) BT levels of mature D. delphis (14.3 ± 3.0 ng/g) were significantly higher than those of pubertal (2.5 ± 0.5 ng/g, P= 0.006) and immature animals (2.2 ± 0.3 ng/g, P < 0.0001). BT concentrations in mature males were significantly higher in summer months (53.9 ± 2.0 ng/g) than during the rest of the year (7.9 ± 0.69 ng/g, P < 0.0001), indicating reproductive seasonality. An analysis of BT in different anatomical locations showed that hormone concentrations were not homogenous throughout the body; the levels in the dorsal fin were significantly lower than in most other areas (F= 5.39, P= 0.043). Conversely, we found no significant differences in BT concentration with respect to subepidermal depth (F= 2.09, P= 0.146). Finally, testosterone levels in biopsies from 138 free‐swimming male D. delphis, of unknown maturity state, sampled off California were found to be of concentrations similar to those from the fishery bycatch and stranding samples and revealed an analogous trend with respect to ordinal date.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers for Acacia senegal (L.) Willd., a multipurpose arid and semi‐arid tree
Authors: ASSOUMANE A. A. , VAILLANT A. , MAYAKI A. Z. , VERHAEGEN D. 
Published: March 2009

Abstract Acacia senegal is a multipurpose African tree that improves the soil fertility of degraded areas. The species is exploited mainly for gum arabic, but it also supplies fuel wood and fodder for animals. Despite its wide distribution in Africa, no microsatellite markers have yet been characterized for this species. In this study, we characterized 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci specifically designed for A. senegal and analysed 247 individuals from three populations from Niger. On average, 10.9 alleles per locus were detected and expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.160 to 0.794, showing the ability of the markers to detect genetic diversity in this species.
Serial PEF measurement is superior to cross-shift change in diagnosing occupational asthma
Authors: Park D. , Moore V. C. , Burge C. B. S. G. , Jaakkola M. S. , Robertson A. S. , Burge P. S. 
Published: March 2009

Cross-shift measurements of peak expiratory flow (PEF) are commonly employed in the diagnosis of occupational asthma, although evidence for this approach is lacking. The current paper presents an evaluation of the technique.Mean changes in PEF across morning/day shifts were compared between workers with occupational asthma, confirmed using specific challenge testing, and non-working asthmatics. Individuals were divided into a development set, used to identify the optimum cross-shift change for diagnosing occupational asthma, and an evaluation set, used to test the sensitivity and specificity of this value. Comparative analysis of serial PEF records was performed using the Oasys-2 computerised system.A cross-shift decrease in PEF of 5 L·min−1achieved acceptable specificity in the development set. Applied to the evaluation set, this cut-off had a specificity of 90.9% and a sensitivity of 50%. Sensitivity could not be improved without unacceptable compromise to specificity. Analysis of serial PEF records using linear discriminant analysis identified occupational asthma with a sensitivity of 83.3% and a specificity of 90.9%. Serial analysis using mean work/rest day PEF comparison had a sensitivity of 66.7% and a specificity of 100%.Cross-shift changes in PEF in morning/day-shift workers have poor sensitivity in diagnosing occupational asthma, and are inferior to serial techniques.
Evidence of a tick RNAi pathway by comparative genomics and reverse genetics screen of targets with known loss-of-function phenotypes in Drosophila
Authors: Kurscheid Sebastian , Lew-Tabor Ala E , Rodriguez Valle Manuel , Bruyeres Anthea G , Doogan Vivienne J , Munderloh Ulrike G , Guerrero Felix D , Barrero Roberto A , Bellgard Matthew I 
Published: March 2009

Abstract

Background
The Arthropods are a diverse group of organisms including Chelicerata (ticks, mites, spiders), Crustacea (crabs, shrimps), and Insecta (flies, mosquitoes, beetles, silkworm). The cattle tick, Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) microplus, is an economically significant ectoparasite of cattle affecting cattle industries world wide. With the availability of sequence reads from the first Chelicerate genome project (the Ixodes scapularis tick) and extensive R. microplus ESTs, we investigated evidence for putative RNAi proteins and studied RNA interference in tick cell cultures and adult female ticks targeting Drosophila homologues with known cell viability phenotype.

Results
We screened 13,643 R. microplus ESTs and I. scapularis genome reads to identify RNAi related proteins in ticks. Our analysis identified 31 RNAi proteins including a putative tick Dicer, RISC associated (Ago-2 and FMRp), RNA dependent RNA polymerase (EGO-1) and 23 homologues implicated in dsRNA uptake and processing. We selected 10 R. microplus ESTs with >80% similarity to D. melanogaster proteins associated with cell viability for RNAi functional screens in both BME26 R. microplus embryonic cells and female ticks in vivo. Only genes associated with proteasomes had an effect on cell viability in vitro. In vivo RNAi showed that 9 genes had significant effects either causing lethality or impairing egg laying.

Conclusion
We have identified key RNAi-related proteins in ticks and along with our loss-of-function studies support a functional RNAi pathway in R. microplus. Our preliminary studies indicate that tick RNAi pathways may differ from that of other Arthropods such as insects.
Treatment for 24 months with recombinant human GH has a beneficial effect on bone mineral density in young adults with childhood-onset GH deficiency
Authors: Conway G S , Szarras-Czapnik M , Racz K , Keller A , Chanson P , Tauber M , Zacharin M , _ _ 
Published: March 2009

ObjectiveDiscontinuation of growth hormone (GH) therapy on completion of linear growth may adversely affect bone mineral density (BMD) in young adults with childhood-onset GH-deficiency (GHD). In the present study, we analyzed the impact of GH treatment on bone in young adults with GHD.MethodsBMD at the lumbar spine (L2–L4), total hip, and total body was measured at baseline and after 24 months in a cohort of young adults (18–25 years; n=160) with severe GHD treated with GH during childhood who were randomized to GH (n=109) or no treatment (n=51) in a multicenter, multinational, open-label study. GH starting doses (0.2 mg/day (males), 0.4 mg/day (females)) were increased after 1 month to 0.6 mg/day (males) and 0.9 mg/day (females) and then to 1.0 mg/day (males) and 1.4 mg/day (females) at 3 months for the remainder of the study.ResultsAfter 24 months, lumbar spine BMD had increased significantly more in GH-treated patients than in controls (6 vs 2%; estimated treatment difference; 3.5% (95% confidence interval, 1.52–5.51) P<0.001). GH also had a significant positive effect on total hip BMD (P=0.015). Total body BMD was unchanged from baseline (P=0.315).ConclusionsIn young adults treated for childhood-onset GHD, there is a beneficial effect of continued GH treatment on BMD in adult life. Twenty-four months of GH treatment in these young adults was associated with an estimated 3.5% greater increase in BMD of the lumbar spine compared with controls.