bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Returns to public sector plant breeding in the presence of spill‐ins and private goods: the case of bean research in Michigan
Authors: Maredia Mywish K. , Bernsten Richard , Ragasa Catherine 
Published: May 2010

AbstractThis article illustrates a methodology for assessing economic returns to a publicly funded breeding program in the presence of private sector investments, and spill‐ins from other contemporary public institutions and past research efforts. The approach consists of determining yield gains from bean improvement research; applying these yield gain estimates to measure benefits attributable to different institutional players and time periods; and then assessing the benefit‐cost ratios of investments in a bean improvement program since 1980 by Michigan State University (MSU). The results indicate that investments in MSU's bean breeding program have yielded benefits to costs ratio in the range of 0.7 to 2.2, depending on the attribution rule used to estimate the benefits. The estimated benefit/cost ratios reported in this study are lower‐bound estimates, as they do not account for potential benefits from area planted to MSU varieties outside of Michigan (spillover effects), which was 1.5 times greater than the area planted to MSU‐bred varieties within Michigan in the period 1998–2002. The implications of the increasingly privatized bean seed markets for the role of public sector research in bean improvement research are discussed.
Cotton market integration and the impact of China's new exchange rate regime
Authors: Ge Yuanlong , Wang Holly H. , Ahn Sung K. 
Published: May 2010

AbstractThis article studies the integration of China's cotton market with the international market, especially the U.S. market. Investigating the futures prices from the Intercontinental Exchange (ICE) in the U.S. and the Zhengzhou Commodity Exchange (ZCE) in China with several time series models, we find that a long‐run cointegration relationship exists between these two series. The two markets share price transmissions, and based on results from an Autoregressive Conditional Heteroskedasticity (ARCH) model, we find their price volatilities are similar. We argue that China's recent exchange rate reform and its gradual liberalization in bilateral cotton trade since it joined World Trade Organization have had important impacts on these futures markets. Based on these findings, several important economic and policy implications are derived.
The genetic and economic impact of the CIMMYT wheat breeding program on local producers in the Yaqui Valley, Sonora Mexico
Authors: Nalley Lawton L. , Barkley Andrew P. , Featherstone Allen M. 
Published: May 2010

AbstractThis article quantifies the productivity gain from CIMMYT‐released semidwarf bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) cultivars over time, using test plot data from Mexico's Yaqui Valley. Previous studies have shown a deceleration in irrigated wheat yield growth since the 1980s, which could be due to slowing increase in genetic potential. Our results suggest that CIMMYT cultivars contributed a 0.46% annual increase (about 38 kg/ha annually) to wheat yields in the Yaqui Valley, which raised local wheat producers’ revenue by an average of $4 million annually for the period 1990 to 2002, and by approximately $9 million in 2002.
Economic analysis of different options in integrated pest and soil fertility management in maize systems of Western Kenya
Authors: De Groote Hugo , Vanlauwe Bernard , Rutto Esther , Odhiambo George D. , Kanampiu Fred , Khan Zeyaur R. 
Published: May 2010

AbstractThe major biotic constraints to the production of maize, the major staple food in Western Kenya, are field pests such as Striga and stem borers, and low soil fertility. To counter these constraints, new cropping systems have been developed, including “push‐pull,” rotations with promiscuous soybean varieties and green manure crops, and imidazolinone resistant‐ (IR‐) maize. To analyze the technical and economic performance of these technologies, both with and without fertilizer, on‐farm researcher‐managed long‐term trials were implemented over six seasons in two sites each in Vihiga and Siaya districts of Western Kenya. The economic results, based on marginal analysis using a multioutput, multiperiod model, show that the new cropping systems with fodder intercropping (push‐pull) or soybean rotations were highly profitable. Push‐pull is more profitable but requires a relatively high initial investment cost. Green manure rotation, IR‐maize, and fertilizer all increased yields, but these investments were generally not justified by their increased revenue. We argue that research on rotation and cropping systems to tackle pest and soil fertility problems in Africa deserve more attention. This will require increased collaboration between agronomists and economists to set up long‐term experiments with new cropping systems to develop proper economic models.
Hard tissue formation adjacent to implants of various size and configuration immediately placed into extraction sockets: an experimental study in dogs
Authors: Caneva Marco , Salata Luiz Antonio , De Souza Sergio Scombatti , Bressan Eriberto , Botticelli Daniele , Lang Niklaus P. 
Published: May 2010

AbstractObjectives: To evaluate the influence of implant size and configuration on osseointegration in implants immediately placed into extraction sockets.Material and methods: Implants were installed immediately into extraction sockets in the mandibles of six Labrador dogs. In the control sites, cylindrical transmucosal implants (3.3 mm diameter) were installed, while in the test sites, larger and conical (root formed, 5 mm diameter) implants were installed. After 4 months of healing, the resorptive patterns of the alveolar crest were evaluated histomorphometrically.Results: With one exception, all implants were integrated in mineralized bone, mainly composed of mature lamellar bone. The alveolar crest underwent resorption at the control as well as at the test implants. This resorption was more pronounced at the buccal aspects and significantly greater at the test (2.7±0.4 mm) than at the control implants (1.5±0.6 mm). However, the control implants were associated with residual defects that were deeper at the lingual than at the buccal aspects, while these defects were virtually absent at test implants.Conclusions: The installment of root formed wide implants immediately into extraction sockets will not prevent the resorption of the alveolar crest. In contrast, this resorption is more marked both at the buccal and lingual aspects of root formed wide than at standard cylindrical implants. To cite this article:
Caneva M, Salata LA, de Souza SS, Bressan E, Botticelli D, Lang NP. Hard tissue formation adjacent to implants of various size and configuration immediately placed into extraction sockets: an experimental study in dogs. Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 21, 2010; 885–895. doi: 10.1111/j.1600‐0501.2010.01931.x
Maternal Blood Serum and Plasma Human Tumor‐Associated Antigen RCAS1 During the Course of Uncomplicated Pregnancies: A Prospective Study
Authors: Tskitishvili Ekaterine , Sharentuya Namuxila , Tsubouchi Hiroaki , Kinugasa‐Taniguchi Yukiko , Kanagawa Takeshi , Shimoya Koichiro , Tomimatsu Takuji , Kimura Tadashi 
Published: May 2010

Citation Tskitishvili E, Sharentuya N, Tsubouchi H, Kinugasa‐Taniguchi Y, Kanagawa T, Shimoya K, Tomimatsu T, Kimura T. Maternal blood serum and plasma human tumor‐associated antigen RCAS1 during the course of uncomplicated pregnancies: a prospective study. Am J Reprod Immunol 2010; 64: 218–224Problem  We aimed to investigate the expression of the tumor‐associated RCAS1 protein in maternal blood of uncomplicated pregnancies.Method of study  Maternal blood was obtained from women with uncomplicated pregnancies (N = 43) at 11–13, 20–22, 32–34, 37–38 weeks of gestation, and immediately after delivery. Serum RCAS1 concentration was studied by ELISA, and plasma mRNA was subjected to real‐time (RT)‐PCR.Results  Serum RCAS1 protein concentration was significantly up‐regulated at 11–13 and 20–22 weeks than that at 32–34 weeks and after delivery. RCAS1 mRNA level was significantly increased at 11–13 weeks than that at 37–38 weeks. A significant positive correlation was defined between RCAS1 serum concentration at 11–13 weeks and gestational age at delivery and that between plasma RCAS1 mRNA levels at 37–38 weeks and umbilical cord blood base excess. A significant negative correlation was found between RCAS1 serum concentration at 37–38 weeks and umbilical cord blood pH at delivery.Conclusions  RCAS1 protein might have importance in the development of uncomplicated pregnancies and for the prediction of pregnancy outcome.
Antinuclear Autoantibodies in Women with Recurrent Pregnancy Loss
Authors: Ticconi Carlo , Rotondi Federica , Veglia Manuela , Pietropolli Adalgisa , Bernardini Sergio , Ria Francesco , Caruso Alessandro , Di Simone Nicoletta 
Published: May 2010

Citation Ticconi C, Rotondi F, Veglia M, Pietropolli A, Bernardini S, Ria F, Caruso A, Di Simone N. Antinuclear autoantibodies in women with recurrent pregnancy loss. Am J Reprod Immunol 2010; 64: 384–392Problem  To investigate the possibility that antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are involved in recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL).Methods  Case–control study carried out on 294 women (194 cases and 100 controls) in two University hospitals. The presence, the serum titers and the indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) patterns of ANA were determined in women with RPL and in control women.Results  Antinuclear antibodies at titers ≥ 1:80 were detected in 97 (50%) women with RPL and in 16 (16%) control women. Elevated ANA titers (≥1:180) were detected only in RPL women, whereas all control women had ANA titers no greater than 1:80. No differences could be detected in the IIF patterns between RPL and control women. No differences in ANA positivity could be detected according to the type (primary or secondary) or number (>2 versus ≥3) of losses.Conclusions  ANA could be of some value in identifying women with RPL with potential, although still not fully defined, immune abnormalities.
Behavioral response of manatees to variations in environmental sound levels
Authors: Miksis‐Olds Jennifer L. , Wagner Tyler 
Published: May 2010

AbstractFlorida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) inhabit coastal regions because they feed on the aquatic vegetation that grows in shallow waters, which are the same areas where human activities are greatest. Noise produced from anthropogenic and natural sources has the potential to affect these animals by eliciting responses ranging from mild behavioral changes to extreme aversion. Sound levels were calculated from recordings made throughout behavioral observation periods. An information theoretic approach was used to investigate the relationship between behavior patterns and sound level. Results indicated that elevated sound levels affect manatee activity and are a function of behavioral state. The proportion of time manatees spent feeding and milling changed in response to sound level. When ambient sound levels were highest, more time was spent in the directed, goal‐oriented behavior of feeding, whereas less time was spent engaged in undirected behavior such as milling. This work illustrates how shifts in activity of individual manatees may be useful parameters for identifying impacts of noise on manatees and might inform population level effects.
Sensitive detection and quantification of minimal residual disease in chronic myeloid leukaemia using nested quantitative PCR for BCR‐ABL DNA
Authors: BARTLEY P. A. , ROSS D. M. , LATHAM S. , MARTIN‐HARRIS M. H. , BUDGEN B. , WILCZEK V. , BRANFORD S. , HUGHES T. P. , MORLEY A. A. 
Published: May 2010

SummaryIncreasing numbers of patients with chronic myeloid leukaemia (CML) treated with tyrosine kinase inhibitors achieve undetectable levels of BCR‐ABL mRNA using sensitive quantitative real‐time reverse transcriptase PCR (RT‐qPCR) methods and a method to measure minimal residual disease (MRD) in patients with low levels could be of value. Following isolation and sequencing of the patient‐specific BCR‐ABL breakpoint, a DNA‐based nested qPCR assay was established, and MRD was measured by this method and one‐round RT‐qPCR in 38 samples from 24 patients with CML. Mixing experiments using patient DNA in normal DNA indicated that DNA qPCR could detect BCR‐ABL sequences at a limit of approximately 10−6. In 22 samples in which MRD was detectable by both methods, comparison of the results of DNA qPCR with the results obtained on the same sample by RT‐qPCR showed good correlation. In another 16 samples, BCR‐ABL mRNA was not detectable by RT‐qPCR. In 8 of the 16 samples, BCR‐ABL DNA was detected at levels ranging from 1.1 × 10−5 up to 2.8 × 10−4 and in the remaining eight samples BCR‐ABL was not detected by either method. In one patient, who had stopped imatinib, an almost 1000‐fold rise in MRD, to 5.2 × 10−4 was observed in sequential samples. Nested DNA qPCR was more sensitive than one‐round RT‐qPCR and could be used for the monitoring of patients with CML with very low levels of MRD.
Analysis of reticulocyte parameters on the Sysmex XE 5000 and LH 750 analyzers in the diagnosis of inefficient erythropoiesis
Authors: URRECHAGA E. , BORQUE L. , ESCANERO J. F. 
Published: May 2010

SummaryThe reticulocyte hemoglobin equivalent (Ret He) represents an indirect measure of the functional iron available for erythropoiesis over the previous 2–3 days. Only the analyzers of a single manufacturer, Sysmex (Sysmex Corporation, Kobe, Japan), include Ret He. Red blood cell size factor (RSf) is a new parameter provided by Beckman Coulter, which joins together the volume of the erythrocytes and the volume of reticulocytes. The aims of the study were to investigate the clinical usefulness of RSf in the study of erythropoiesis status and to assess its concordance with Ret He values. Samples from 417 patients were run on both LH 780 (Beckman Coulter) and Sysmex XE 5000 analyzers. Independent samples t‐test, Pearson correlation, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis and inter‐rater reliability (κ index) were applied. Good correlation between RSf and Ret He was observed, r = 0.8184. Significant differences (P < 0.001) were detected when groups with inefficient erythropoiesis were compared with patients undergoing therapy and healthy subjects. ROC analysis for RSf in the diagnosis of inefficient erythropoiesis, cutoff 91.1 fl, area under curve 0.963, sensitivity 91.7%, specificity 88.5%. Concordance between RSf and Ret He κ = 0.68. RSf and Ret He are suitable parameters for the assessment of erythropoiesis status.
Initial performance evaluation of the UniCel® DxH 800 Coulter® cellular analysis system
Authors: HEDLEY B. D. , KEENEY M. , CHIN‐YEE I. , BROWN W. 
Published: May 2010

SummaryThe Beckman Coulter UniCel® DxH 800 is a hematology analyzer incorporating new electronic and mechanical design with advanced algorithm technology to perform CBC, white blood cell (WBC) differential, nucleated red blood cell (NRBC), and reticulocyte analysis. Evaluation of this instrument was performed in our 800‐bed tertiary care hospital and specifically centered upon the correlation of WBC, NRBC, and platelet (PLT) enumeration when compared to a predicate analyzer, the Coulter® LH 780, and flow cytometry (FCM) reference methods. Of particular interest were those samples with morphologically confirmed interference and extreme leukocytosis (evaluated with respect to red blood cell parameter correction). The sample set (n = 272) consisted of morphologically normal and hematologically abnormal patients. Correlation of the WBC, PLT, and NRBC showed r2 values of 0.994, 0.985, and 0.910 for the DxH 800 vs. FCM, respectively. The presence of interfering particles did not affect the accuracy of the DxH 800 with respect to WBC counts. The DxH 800 showed accurate PLT and NRBC counts in the clinically significant low range when compared to FCM. Compared to the LH 780, flagging rates were significantly reduced (NRBC flag), or equivalent (WBC, PLT flag) on the DxH 800. The DxH 800 demonstrated higher sensitivity and specificity for PLTs and NRBCs and achieved a lower NRBC false negative rate compared to the LH 780. The UniCel® DxH 800 represents a significant improvement to previous impedance analyzers in accurately detecting the presence of NRBCs at counts >1/100 WBC. Furthermore, it provides accurate PLT and WBC counts in the presence of interference and improved NRBC flagging efficiency when compared to the LH 780. Correction of red blood cell parameters is appropriate and accurate in cases of extreme leukocytosis.
Land conversion at the protected area's edge
Authors: Kramer Daniel B. , Doran Patrick J. 
Published: May 2010

AbstractProtected areas are a common strategy to conserve biodiversity, ecological function, and ecosystem services. Through land market dynamics, however, protected area establishment can induce effects inimical to conservation goals. We examined the factors explaining land conversion within 2 km buffers of protected areas in Michigan, United States. We employed multilevel logistic models, with and without autocovariates, utilizing a multimodel inference paradigm. The most parsimonious models indicated that parcels with more developed, forested, and protected land in their vicinity, with well‐drained soils, at lower elevations, nearer roads and urban areas, in areas of greater population, and originally in agriculture are more likely to be developed. There is weak support for attributes of protected areas such as size, access, ownership, and protection mechanism affecting nearby land conversion. Our results stress the importance of a well‐designed system of protected areas and broad evaluations of the impacts of existing and future threats.
Incorporating asymmetric connectivity into spatial decision making for conservation
Authors: Beger Maria , Linke Simon , Watts Matt , Game Eddie , Treml Eric , Ball Ian , Possingham Hugh P. 
Published: May 2010

AbstractReal patterns of ecological connectivity are seldom explicitly or systematically accounted for systematic conservation planning, in part because commonly used decision support systems can only capture simplistic notions of connectivity. Conventionally, the surrogates used to represent connectivity in conservation plans have assumed the connection between two sites to be symmetric in strength. In reality, ecological linkages between sites are rarely symmetric and often strongly asymmetric. Here, we develop a novel formulation that enabled us to incorporate asymmetric connectivity into the conservation decision support system Marxan. We illustrate this approach using hypothetical examples of a river catchment and a group of reefs, and then apply it to case studies in the Snowy River catchment and Great Barrier Reef, Australia. We show that incorporating asymmetric ecological connectivity in systematic reserve design leads to solutions that more effectively capture connectivity patterns, relative to either ignoring connectivity or assuming symmetric connectivity.
Historical human influence on forest composition and structure in boreal Fennoscandia
Authors: Josefsson Torbjörn , Gunnarson Björn , Liedgren Lars , Bergman Ingela , Östlund Lars 
Published: May 2010

In studies on natural dynamics, biodiversity and reference conditions legacies of preindustrial human land use are often neglected. In this study, using archaeology and dendrochronology combined with field surveys on present forest characteristics, we assessed the naturalness of a protected forest landscape and examined the role of indigenous peoples in shaping forest structure in the past. Our results show that the studied Scots pine ( Pinus sylvestris L.) forest conforms to the generally accepted impression of pristine forests and that it has a long history of human utilization. Areas with human presence over long time periods, especially in and near settlements, show significant differences in current forest characteristics compared with the rest of the landscape: the forest is younger (mean age 140–190 years compared with >300 years), the volumes of deadwood lower (8–13 m3·ha–1 compared with >20 m3·ha–1), and the tree species composition is substantially different from the surrounding forest. We suggest that these disparities are strongly linked to past land use and that indigenous people can alter ecosystems substantially and that the legacies of their activity may last for centuries. Consequently, in ecological research and conservation strategies, forest characteristics should always be considered in the light of their historical context.
Simulation of Mediterranean forest carbon pools under expected environmental scenarios
Authors: Chiesi M. , Moriondo M. , Maselli F. , Gardin L. , Fibbi L. , Bindi M. , Running S. W. 
Published: May 2010

Simulating the effects of possible environmental changes on the forest carbon budget requires the use of calibrated and tested models of ecosystem processes. A recently proposed simulation approach based on the use of the BIOME-BGC model was applied to yield estimates of present carbon fluxes and pools in Tuscany forests (central Italy). After the validation of these estimates against existing ground data, the simulation approach was used to assess the impact of plausible climate changes (+2 °C and increased CO2 concentration) on forest carbon dynamics (gross primary production (GPP), net primary production (NPP), and relevant allocations). The results indicate that the temperature change tends to inhibit all production and allocation processes, which are instead enhanced by the CO2 concentration rise. The combination of the two factors leads to a general increase in both GPP and NPP that is higher for deciduous oaks and chestnut (+30% and 24% for GPP and +42% and 31% for NPP, respectively). Additionally, vegetation carbon is slightly increased, while total soil carbon remains almost unchanged with respect to the present conditions. These findings are analyzed with reference to the Tuscany forest situation and previous studies on the subject.
Cambial mortality in declining Austrocedrus chilensis forests: implications for stand dynamics studies
Authors: Amoroso Mariano M. , Daniels Lori D. 
Published: May 2010

Living trees in declining Austrocedrus chilensis (D.Don) Pic. Sern. et Bizarri forests exhibit cambial mortality or death of part of the cambium causing incomplete formation of rings around the circumference, which represents a potential source of error when determining tree ages and years of death. We sampled 12 stands to quantify the incidence of cambial mortality and tested whether its occurrence is independent of the health condition and canopy position of living trees. Trees were cored and statistically cross-dated. Cambial mortality was identified when the outer-ring date differed from the year of sampling. Of the 811 trees sampled, 307 exhibited cambial mortality with duration ranging from 1 to 39 years. Cambial mortality was most common in subcanopy trees independent of their health condition. Symptomatic canopy trees also exhibited a greater than expected incidence of cambial mortality. The presence of cambial mortality represented a source of error when ages were estimated from ring counts, reiterating the importance of cross-dating for determining accurate tree ages. Cambial mortality also poses complex challenges for estimating the years of tree death. Using the cumulative frequency of cambial mortality duration, we present a novel method for estimating error in tree ages from ring counts and selecting class widths to more accurately depict age structures and mortality rates.