bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
‘Disadvantaged Learners’: Who Are We Targeting? Understanding the Targeting of Widening Participation Activity in the United Kingdom Using Geo‐Demographic Data From Southwest England
Authors: Harrison Neil , Hatt Sue 
Published: August 2009

AbstractThis paper analyses the definition of the appropriate target group for widening participation activities advanced by the Higher Education Funding Council for England in their Targeting Disadvantaged Learners advice to Aimhigher and higher education providers. This definition includes components of area deprivation and higher education participation rates, which are apparently intended to act as a proxy to reach learners from lower socio‐economic groups. Through statistical analysis of geo‐demographical data from the Southwest region of England, this paper questions whether the HEFCE targeting guidance is likely to meet the policy aims that underpin it and reach the ‘disadvantaged learners’ of its title. It is found that the geographical proxy tends to miss learners from lower socio‐economic groups in areas of wider affluence and those in rural areas. The paper concludes by questioning whether the areas identified by a rigorous application of the targeting guidance are likely to be the most fruitful locations for outreach activities in the short‐term given the ingrained, multi‐faceted and multi‐generational challenges which they face.
Are Academic Workloads Increasing? The Post‐War Survey Evidence in the UK
Authors: Tight Malcolm 
Published: August 2009

AbstractIt is widely believed by current academics, in the United Kingdom and elsewhere, that their workloads have increased significantly. This article examines this belief by analysing the findings of a series of surveys that have reported on this and related issues since 1945. These suggest that: while there has been an increase in academic workloads, much of this had occurred by the end of the 1960s; the position of research appears to have been maintained, though at a lower level in the newer universities/former polytechnics than in the older universities; much of the increased workload has come in the form of administrative demands. Possible explanations for the apparent contradictions between perceptions and the survey evidence are suggested.
Sarcoidosis of the skin – A dermatological puzzle: important differential diagnostic aspects and guidelines for clinical and histopathological recognition
Authors: Tchernev G , Patterson JW , Nenoff P , Horn LC 
Published: August 2009

AbstractSarcoidosis of the skin may have an extremely heterogeneous clinical presentation, so that the definitions of ‘great imitator’ and ‘clinical chameleon’ have long been used. There is, in fact, a large group of skin diseases that can enter the differential diagnosis with cutaneous sarcoid manifestations, either clinically or/and pathologically. As the clinical consequences and the prognosis of these groups of diseases are often very different, it is important to correctly plan the diagnostic workup. The diagnostic process in this case often presents a challenge as no single test is sufficiently specific, so that a certain diagnosis can be only made in the presence of a compatible clinical and radiographic picture, along with histopathological evidence of non‐necrotizing, epithelioid cell granulomas, and exclusion of other potential aetiologies. For practical reasons, four main groups of skin conditions capable of mimicking sarcoidosis can be identified: (i) transmissible, infectious diseases; (ii) allergic and immunological manifestations of various aetiologies; (iii) granulomatous diseases of various aetiologies; and (iv) lymphomas and pseudolymphomas. The aim of this article is to describe the main clinical and histopathological findings of such disease entities, and to discuss the role of those features (morphological, pathological and laboratory) that can help distinguish them from sarcoidosis of the skin.
Key tree species for the golden‐headed lion tamarin and implications for shade‐cocoa management in southern Bahia, Brazil
Authors: Oliveira L. C. , Hankerson S. J. , Dietz J. M. , Raboy B. E. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractThe golden‐headed lion tamarinLeontopithecus chrysomelasoccurs in the Atlantic forest of southern Bahia, Brazil, where shade‐cocoa agroforestry (known ascabruca) predominates. The economic decline of the cocoa industry has caused many landowners to convertcabrucainto cattle pasture or diversify their plantations with other crops. These and prior anthropogenic disturbances such as habitat fragmentation are threatening lion tamarin persistence. For some lion tamarin groups,cabrucacomprises a large part of their home range. Considering these factors, the maintenance of the biological diversity incabrucafavorable to golden‐headed lion tamarins is of considerable interest to their long‐term survival. Here we identify plant species that provide food and sleeping sites for the lion tamarins and examine their occurrence incabrucaplantations, in order to investigate alternatives for conservation management practices that benefit both lion tamarins andcabruca. We determined the total number of trees and the frequency of individuals and species used for food and sleeping sites by lion tamarins in Una Biological Reserve, Bahia, from 1998 to 2006. We used this information to compare the richness and frequency of use across habitats (cabruca, mature and secondary) and to create a ranking index considering various components of a tree species' utility to the lion tamarins. Lion tamarins used 155 tree species, 93 for food and 93 for sleeping sites. Fifty‐five species were ranked as ‘Extremely Valuable,’ eight as ‘Valuable’ and 92 as ‘Of Interest.’ Of 48 families, Myrtaceae and Sapotaceae were used the most.Cabrucacontained fewer individual trees used by lion tamarins, but the highest frequency of use per tree compared with other habitats, indicating the large influence of single trees in these plantations. Using the key tree species identified in our study in the management ofcabrucawould be of considerable benefit to the long‐term survival of lion tamarins
Effects of food supplementation on home‐range size, reproductive success, productivity and recruitment in a small population of Iberian lynx
Authors: López‐Bao J. V. , Palomares F. , Rodríguez A. , Delibes M. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractIn a conservation context, food supplementation is a management tool used to reverse the decline of food‐limited populations by means of positive changes in behaviour and fitness that may be reflected in population parameters. The critically endangered Iberian lynxLynx pardinushas suffered a dramatic decline primarily because of the severe drop of its main prey, the European wild rabbitOryctolagus cuniculus. To reverse this situation, a food supplementation programme has been implemented in Doñana, south‐west Spain, since 2002. In this study, we assess the utility of providing artificial food to reduce home‐range (HR) size, and to increase productivity, survival and recruitment in a scenario of low lynx density, as compared with reference data from the same population in the absence of extra food. Food supplementation produced a significant contraction of core areas, but not of complete lynx HRs. We did not detect any significant change in productivity or dispersal rates, but supplementation could have helped transient adult lynx to settle down. The positive effects of food supplementation may have been partly countered by factors such as inbreeding, Allee effects and disease outbreaks, whose effects may have been exacerbated in this small lynx population. Food supplementation, however, proved useful to retain individuals, to keep range sizes within their normal range of values, thus maintaining spatial organization, and to allow lynx reproduction and kitten survival in areas with very low prey density. Therefore, we recommend keeping an extensive and intensive supplementary feeding programme until the density of wild rabbits will enable the viability of this endangered lynx population.
Mast cells and macrophages in duodenal mucosa of mice overexpressing erythropoietin
Authors: Ribatti Domenico , Crivellato Enrico , Nico Beatrice , Guidolin Diego , Gassmann Max , Djonov Valentin 
Published: August 2009

AbstractThere is increasing evidence suggesting a wider biological role of erythropoietin (Epo) and Epo receptor (EpoR) not related to erythropoiesis, such as the detection of EpoR in other cells, i.e. polymorphonuclear leukocytes, megakaryocytes, endothelial, myocardial and neural cells. In this study, by using a mouse model (designated tg6) that constitutively overexpresses human Epo in an oxygen‐independent manner, we have investigated mast cell and macrophage number and distribution in duodenal mucosa using immunohistochemical, morphometric and image analysis methods. The results showed that tryptase‐positive mast cells and BM8‐positive macrophages were more numerous in duodenal mucosa specimens of tg6 mice compared with wild‐type mice. Moreover, whereas in wild‐type specimens both mast cells and macrophages were generally scattered throughout the villus, in tg6 specimens they were aligned along the axis of the villus. Morphometric analysis confirms this observation, and the quantitative analysis of the spatial distribution of the cells in duodenal villi indicated that in both wild‐type and tg6 groups the macrophage and mast cell distribution was characterized by significant deviations from randomness. In addition, an increased number of c‐kit‐positive cells have been identified in the villus axis of tg6 mice, indicating an expanded compartment of mast cell precursors in the intestinal mucosa of these animals. Finally, we have also demonstrated that in tg6 specimens the number of duodenal epithelial cells positive for Epo were significantly higher as compared to wild type. Overall, these data confirm that Epo, acting as a general stimulator of the hemopoietic compartment, is able to induce an expansion of two effectors of the immune response, mast cells and macrophages, in a specific peripheral site, the duodenal mucosa, in the tg6 mouse experimental model.
Using time‐dependent models to investigate body condition and growth rate of the giant gartersnake
Authors: Coates P. S. , Wylie G. D. , Halstead B. J. , Casazza M. L. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractIdentifying links between phenotypic attributes and fitness is a primary goal of reproductive ecology. Differences in within‐year patterns of body condition between sexes of gartersnakes in relation to reproduction and growth are not fully understood. We conducted an 11‐year field study of body condition and growth rate of the giant gartersnake Thamnophis gigas across 13 study areas in the Central Valley of California, USA. We developed a priori mixed effects models of body condition index (BCI), which included covariates of time, sex and snout–vent length and reported the best‐approximating models using an information theoretic approach. Also, we developed models of growth rate index (GRI) using covariates of sex and periods based on reproductive behavior. The largest difference in BCI between sexes, as predicted by a non‐linear (cubic) time model, occurred during the mating period when female body condition (0.014±0.001 se) was substantially greater than males (−0.027±0.002 se). Males likely allocated energy to search for mates, while females likely stored energy for embryonic development. We also provided evidence that males use more body energy reserves than females during hibernation, perhaps because of different body temperatures between sexes. We found GRI of male snakes was substantially lower during the mating period than during a non‐mating period, which indicated that a trade‐off existed between searching for mates and growth. These findings contribute to our understanding of snake ecology in a Mediterranean climate.
Age determination of the Iriomote cat by using cementum annuli
Authors: Nakanishi N. , Ichinose F. , Higa G. , Izawa M. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractWe estimated the age of Iriomote cats Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis by using their canine cementum annuli. By studying the month of death and staining condition of the outermost layer, we determined that the dark‐stained cementum lines of canines become apparent from February to September in males. By the time of deciduous tooth replacement and closure of the apical foramen, we estimated that the first prominent dark‐stained line is formed during the second winter and third spring of the cat's life. Examination of known‐age cats confirmed that the dark‐stained lines represent annual rings. Therefore, assuming that Iriomote cats are born in April, their age can be estimated by adding one to the number of dark‐stained lines. The month of death and number of dark‐stained cementum lines must be considered for age determination. We also attempted to estimate the age of living Iriomote cats by examining the correlation between the level of wear and number of cementum annuli of the upper canines, and categorized the degree of tooth wear into seven classes. Teeth that exhibited more extensive wear (i.e. in a higher wear class) had more cementum annuli. We defined three age categories for living cats based on canine wear characteristics: 1 year (wear level I), 2–6 years (wear levels II–V) and >7 years (wear levels VI–VII). Therefore, canine wear is the most effective index for age estimation of living Iriomote cats.
Craniometric characteristics of polar bear skulls from two periods with contrasting levels of industrial pollution and sea ice extent
Authors: Pertoldi C. , Sonne C. , Dietz R. , Schmidt N. M. , Loeschcke V. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractA morphometric study was conducted on six skull traits and seven teeth traits of 282 polar bear Ursus maritimus skulls sampled in East Greenland from 1892 to 2002, the polar bear material originated from two distinct periods: one period covering 1892–1939 and the other from 1961–2002. The first period being before the introduction of organochlorines in the Arctic environment and having more extensive sea ice cover when compared with the later period. Admixture analysis, followed by multivariate analyses provided evidence for morphometric differences in both the size and the shape of individual skulls collected in the two periods. These findings are possibly a consequence of environmental factors, such as exposure of organohalogens and changed extension of sea ice, ultimately affecting the amount of prey available, a general weakening of the immune system and reduced reproductive success, factors that can affect the individual growth and the realized size at maturity. The process of reduced reproductive success due to a high concentration of organochlorine and/or changes in the amount of food resources may also have affected the polar bears' genetic composition and effective population size. Changes in the genetic composition of the population are suggested to have contributed to the observed morphometric changes with time. The fact that environmental and genetic changes produce different combinations of patterns of morphometric changes allows us to individuate the causes of the morphometrical modifications.
Active land use improves reindeer pastures: evidence from a patch choice experiment
Authors: Colman J. E. , Mysterud A. , Jørgensen N. H. , Moe S. R. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractThe industrialization of agriculture in western societies has often led to either intensified use or abandonment of farmland and open pastures, but experimental evidence on how the dynamics of farmed ecosystems affect space use by large herbivores is limited. We experimentally manipulated farmland patches with cutting and (early summer) low‐ and high‐intensity domestic sheep Ovis aries grazing according to traditional use in north Norway. After treatments, grazing reindeer Rangifer tarandus were exposed to the pastures the subsequent fall (2 months after treatments) and spring (11 months after treatments) as they typically do on their migratory route between summer and winter ranges. The experiment was conducted over 2 subsequent years. We predicted that sheep grazing on farmland during early summer may affect the critical fall and spring range conditions for reindeer either through negative (delayed competition) or positive (grazing facilitation) interactions. We found that the most marked effect of land use on the grazing pattern of reindeer was between no use (the control treatment) and all the other management options involving active land use. The grazing reindeer avoided the pastures no longer in use likely due to senescent plant material. There was a tendency that the lower intensity sheep grazing patches attracted more reindeer than the highest intensity use. These results highlight not only the general principle that large‐scale agricultural changes may affect large herbivores in natural ecosystems, but they also increase our understanding of grazing facilitation as a mechanism in large herbivore assemblages.
Altitudinal decline of body size in a Tibetan frog
Authors: Ma X. , Lu X. , Merilä J. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractGeographic variation in mean body size along latitudinal and altitudinal gradients is a commonplace occurrence, but little is known about the relative importance of different factors underlying this clinal variation in ectothermic animals. We investigated altitudinal variation in mean body size, age and growth rate in Nanorana parkeri, a ranid exhibiting the highest altitudinal distribution range on the Tibetan plateau. Data collected from six populations covering an altitudinal span of 3800–4700 m showed that the mean body size declined with increasing altitude, and hence, the data conformed to converse Bergmann's rule. Frogs from high‐altitude populations exhibited delayed metamorphosis and sexual maturity and had greater average age but lower growth rate than frogs from low‐altitude populations. Thus, the proximate reason for the altitudinal decline in mean body size – despite of increased average age towards high altitudes – is likely be the reduction of growth rate at high‐altitude localities. We discuss the possibility that physiological advantages provided by small body and egg size could be adaptive in the extreme high‐altitude environments characterized by low oxygen supply.
Knockout of the norepinephrine transporter and pharmacologically diverse antidepressants prevent behavioral and brain neurotrophin alterations in two chronic stress models of depression
Authors: Haenisch Britta , Bilkei‐Gorzo Andras , Caron Marc G. , Bönisch Heinz 
Published: August 2009

AbstractDiverse factors such as changes in neurotrophins and brain plasticity have been proposed to be involved in the actions of antidepressant drugs (ADs). However, in mouse models of depression based on chronic stress, it is still unclear whether simultaneous changes in behavior and neurotrophin expression occur and whether these changes can be corrected or prevented comparably by chronic administration of ADs or genetic manipulations that produce antidepressant‐like effects such as the knockout of the norepinephrine transporter (NET) gene. Here we show that chronic restraint or social defeat stress induce comparable effects on behavior and changes in the expression of neurotrophins in depression‐related brain regions. Chronic stress caused down‐regulation of BDNF, nerve growth factor, and neurotrophin‐3 in hippocampus and cerebral cortex and up‐regulation of these targets in striatal regions. In wild‐type mice, these effects could be prevented by concomitant chronic administration of five pharmacologically diverse ADs. In contrast, NET knock out (NETKO) mice were resistant to stress‐induced depressive‐like changes in behavior and brain neurotrophin expression. Thus, the resistance of the NETKO mice to the stress‐induced depression‐associated behaviors and biochemical changes highlight the importance of noradrenergic pathways in the maintenance of mood. In addition, these mice represent a useful model to study depression‐resistant behaviors, and they might help to provide deeper insights into the identification of downstream targets involved in the mechanisms of antidepressants.
The association of metabotropic glutamate receptor type 5 with the neuronal Ca2+‐binding protein 2 modulates receptor function
Authors: Canela Laia , Fernández‐Dueñas Víctor , Albergaria Catarina , Watanabe Masahiko , Lluís Carme , Mallol Josefa , Canela Enric I. , Franco Rafael , Luján Rafael , Ciruela Francisco 
Published: August 2009

AbstractMetabotropic glutamate (mGlu) receptors mediate in part the CNS effects of glutamate. These receptors interact with a large array of intracellular proteins in which the final role is to regulate receptor function. Here, using co‐immunoprecipitation and pull‐down experiments we showed a close and specific interaction between mGlu5 receptor and NECAB2 in both transfected human embryonic kidney cells and rat hippocampus. Interestingly, in pull‐down experiments increasing concentrations of calcium drastically reduced the ability of these two proteins to interact, suggesting that NECAB2 binds to mGlu5 receptor in a calcium‐regulated manner. Immunoelectron microscopy detection of NECAB2 and mGlu5 receptor in the rat hippocampal formation indicated that both proteins are codistributed in the same subcellular compartment of pyramidal cells. In addition, the NECAB2/mGlu5 receptor interaction regulated mGlu5b‐mediated activation of both inositol phosphate accumulation and the extracellular signal‐regulated kinase/mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathway. Overall, these findings indicate that NECAB2 by its physical interaction with mGlu5b receptor modulates receptor function.