bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Did ciguatera prompt the late Holocene Polynesian voyages of discovery?
Authors: Rongo Teina , Bush Mark , Van Woesik Robert 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe famous Polynesian voyages characterized an intensive network of cultural exchange and colonization that was particularly active from ad 1000 to 1450. But, why would large groups of people leave their homelands to voyage into the unknown? Oceanic voyages are risky, albeit less so today than in the past. Landfalls were not guaranteed improvements over ports of departure. Taking the Cook Islands as an example, we ask whether harmful algal blooms that result in ciguatera fish poisoning in humans prompted past and present emigration pulses of peoples from within Polynesia. We take a multipronged approach to examine our hypothesis, involving: (1) archaeological evidence, (2) ciguatera fish poisoning reports since the 1940s, and (3) climate and temperature oscillations using palaeodatasets. The archaeological records of fish bones and hooks show abrupt changes in fishing practices in post‐ad 1450 records. Sudden dietary shifts are not linked to overfishing, but may be a sign of ciguatera fish poisoning and adjustment of fishing preference. While fishes form the staple diet of Polynesians, such poisoning renders fishes unusable. We show that ciguatera fish poisoning events coincide with Pacific Decadal Oscillations and suggest that the celebrated Polynesian voyages across the Pacific Ocean may not have been random episodes of discovery to colonize new lands, but rather voyages of necessity. A modern analogue (in the 1990s) was the shift towards processed foods in the Cook Islands during ciguatera fish poisoning events, and mass emigration of islanders to New Zealand and Australia.
Improvement to the scanning electron microscope image colourization by adaptive tuning
Authors: SIM K.S. , TING H.Y. , LAI M.A. , TSO C.P. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryAn improvement to the previously proposed Canny optimization technique for scanning electron microscope image colourization is reported. The additional process is adaptive tuning, where colour tuning is performed adaptively, based on comparing the original luminance values with calculated luminance values. The complete adaptive Canny optimization technique gives significantly better mechanical contrast on scanning electron microscope grey‐scale images than do existing methods.
Three‐dimensional reconstruction of biological macromolecular complexes from in‐lens scanning electron micrographs
Authors: WOODWARD J.D. , WEPF R. , SEWELL B.T. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryTwo helical samples: F‐actin and the bacteriophage T4 tail sheath were reconstructed in three dimensions from contrast enhanced (rotational shadowing and negatively stained) in‐lens cryo‐field emission scanning electron micrographs, using the iterative real‐space helical reconstruction method. The F‐actin – and bacteriophage T4 reconstructions compare favourably to an atomic model refined against fibre diffraction data and a cryo‐electron microscopy reconstruction, respectively. These results show that single‐particle methods, developed for macromolecules imaged in the transmission electron microscope can be applied to cryo‐field emission scanning electron micrographs data with appropriate symmetry.
High second harmonic generation signal from muscles and fascia pig's muscles using the two‐photon laser scanning microscope
Authors: RESHAK A.H. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryI have provided update to our two photon laser scanning microscope by adding new technique which enables us to simultaneously measured the second harmonic generation signals in the forward and backward directions; in the meantime, one can measure the two photon excitations fluorescence if the materials produce fluorescence. In the present work, the fascia muscles, muscles of pig and pig's skin were used. I found that these materials produced high second harmonic generation signal in both directions. These measurements show that the second harmonic generation strongly depends on the state of the polarization of the laser light and the orientation of the dipole moment in the molecules that interact with the laser light. It is therefore advantageous to control the laser's state of polarization, to maximize second harmonic generation. The novelty of this work is to establish new multi‐functional technique by combing three platforms of laser scanning microscopy – the fluorescence microscopy, harmonic generation microscopy and polarizing microscopy in which one can use the second harmonic imaging to investigate the true architecture of the sensitive samples and the samples which do not produce auto‐fluorescence. Moreover investigation of the new sample needs to look at all details of the true architecture of the sample. Thereby the sample will be exposed to the laser radiation more than the well‐known sample, and that will cause photo‐bleaching and photo‐damage. Since the second harmonic generation does not undergo from photo‐bleaching and photo‐damage it will be the promising technique for investigating the sensitive and new samples. Then one can move to acquire fluorescence images after good investigation of the true architecture of the sample by the SH imaging.
A pixel selection rule based on the number of different‐phase neighbours for the simulated annealing reconstruction of sandstone microstructure
Authors: TANG T. , TENG Q. , HE X. , LUO D. 
Published: May 2009

SummarySandstone reservoir is one of the main types of oil and gas reservoirs in China. It has porous microstructure, which directly affects the transport properties of a sandstone. Hence, the study of porous microstructure is important to the exploration and exploitation of oil and gas. Three‐dimensional microstructure of a sandstone can be reconstructed using the simulated annealing method based on statistical properties of its two‐dimensional micrograph. The aim of reconstruction is to minimize the discrepancy between the statistical properties of the reconstructed microstructure and those of the two‐dimensional image. To accelerate the rate of convergence, we proposed a different‐phase neighbours (DPNs)‐based pixel selection rule to replace the random pixel selection rule of the simulated annealing reconstruction. In this rule, pixels with the largest number of DPNs have the largest selection probability. The selection probabilities of other pixels are proportional to their DPNs. Microstructure reconstructed with the DPNs‐based rule is compared with those with the random selection rule and two other biased pixel selection rules. The DPNs‐based rule is the most effective in enhancing convergence. Permeability of the microstructure reconstructed with the DPNs‐based rule is estimated by the Kozeny–Carman formula and is in good agreement with the one reconstructed with the random pixel selection rule.
Lyneborgimyia magnifica gen. et sp.n. (Diptera: Syrphidae) from Tanzania, with a phylogenetic analysis of the Eumerini using new morphological characters
Authors: DOCZKAL DIETER , PAPE THOMAS 
Published: May 2009

Abstract.Lyneborgimyia magnifica
gen. et sp.n. is described and placed with Merodon Meigen and Platynochaetus Wiedemann in the Merodon genus group within the tribe Eumerini. New morphological characters and terms are introduced, and precise definitions proposed for characters applied inconsistently in the literature. The species possesses several unique autapomorphies, including an additional cross‐vein between R4+5 and M1, and a sclerotized connection between sternite 1 and the metepimeron, which are unknown otherwise within Diptera. A parsimony‐based phylogenetic analysis including 73 characters from the adult morphology provides strong support for the monophyly of the Eumerini (Eumerus Meigen, Azpeytia Walker, Lyneborgimyia, Merodon, Platynochaetus) and the Merodon genus group, whereas no support is found for the possible monophyly of the genus Eumerus. A sister‐group relationship is indicated between the Afrotropical Lyneborgimyia and the Palaearctic Platynochaetus.
Regulation and processing of a plant peptide hormone, AtRALF23, in Arabidopsis
Authors: Srivastava Renu , Liu Jian‐Xiang , Guo Hongqing , Yin Yanhai , Howell Stephen H. 
Published: May 2009

SummaryArabidopsis has 34 genes encoding proteins related to rapid alkalinization factor (RALF), a peptide growth factor. One of those genes (AtRALF23) is significantly downregulated by brassinolide (BL) treatment of Arabidopsis seedlings or in mutant seedlings expressing a constitutively active form of BES1, a transcriptional effector of the brassinosteroid signaling pathway. Overexpression of AtRALF23 impairs BL‐induced hypocotyl elongation in seedlings, and mature overexpressing plants are shorter and bushier. Overexpression of AtRALF23 produces slower growing seedlings, with roots that have reduced capacity to acidify the rhizosphere. AtRALF23 encodes a 138‐aa protein, and when an epitope‐tagged form (AtRALF23‐myc) was expressed in transgenic plants, the protein was processed to release a C‐terminal peptide. The presumed junction between the precursor and the processed peptide contains a recognition site for site‐1 protease (AtS1P), a plant subtilisin‐like serine protease (subtilase). When AtRALF23‐myc was expressed in the background of a site‐1 protease mutant (s1p‐3), or when the AtS1P recognition site (RRIL) was mutated (RR → GG) and expressed in a wild‐type background, the precursor was not cleaved, and the bushy phenotype was not produced. A fluorogenic peptide representing the presumed subtilase recognition site in AtRALF23 was cleaved in vitro by AtS1P. Thus, BL downregulates AtRALF23 expression, presumably relieving the growth‐retarding effect of a peptide growth factor, which is processed from a larger precursor protein by AtS1P.
Improving Water Relations and Gas Exchange with Brassinosteroids in Rice under Drought Stress
Authors: Farooq M. , Wahid A. , Basra S. M. A. , Islam‐ud‐Din  
Published: May 2009

AbstractDrought stress is the most pervasive threat to sustainable rice production and mainly disrupts membrane structure and cell‐water relations. Exogenously applied brassinosteroids (BRs) may produce profound changes that may improve drought tolerance in rice. In this study, we monitored some physiological basis of the exogenously applied BRs in improving drought tolerance in fine grain aromatic rice (Oryza sativa L.). Two BRs i.e. 28‐homobrassinolide (HBL) and 24‐epibrassinolide (EBL) were used both as seed priming and foliar spray. To prime, the seeds were soaked in 0.01 μm aerated solution each of HBL and EBL for 48 h and dried back to original weight. Treated and untreated seeds were sown in plastic pots with normal irrigation in a phytotron. At four‐leaf stage (3 weeks after sowing), plants were subjected to drought stress at 50 % field capacity by cutting down the water supply. For foliar spray, 0.01 μm of HBL and EBL solutions were sprayed at five‐leaf stage. Drought stress severely reduced fresh and dry weights, whilst exogenously applied BRs improved net CO2 assimilation, water use efficiency, leaf water status, membrane properties, production of free proline, anthocyanins, soluble phenolics, but declined the malondialdehyde and H2O2 production. In conclusion, BRs application improved the leaf water economy and CO2 assimilation, and enabled rice to withstand drought. Moreover, foliar spray had better effect under drought than seed treatments and of the two BRs, EBL proved more effective.
Ecology of the coprophagous moth Trisyntopa neossophila Edwards (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae)
Authors: Cooney Stuart J N , Olsen Penny D , Garnett Stephen T 
Published: May 2009

Abstract Trisyntopa neossophila Edwards (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) is an unusual moth whose breeding cycle is closely synchronised with a termite mound nesting parrot of northern Australia; the hooded parrot (Psephotus dissimilis Collet). T. neossophila is one of three coprophagous, nest dwelling moths in the genus Trisyntopa Lower 1918. True coprophagy is rare in the Lepidoptera, although some species occasionally consume faeces to gain rare nutrients. We present observations of the life cycle of T. neossophila, a moth that lays its eggs in the nest of a hooded parrot, so that larvae hatch in synchrony with the hatching of the parrot's eggs. The larvae spend their larval period in the nest and exclusively consume the excrement of the nestling parrots. When the parrot chicks fledge, the larvae move to the walls of the nest cavity to pupate, emerging the following wet season to repeat the process during the next parrot breeding season.
Diversity and seasonal succession of coastal mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae) in the northern Adelaide region of South Australia
Authors: Williams Craig R , Williams Samantha R , Nicholson Jay , Little Susan M , Riordan Julie , Fricker Stephen R , Kokkinn Michael J 
Published: May 2009

AbstractNorthern coastal suburbs in metropolitan Adelaide, South Australia are often subject to extreme levels of mosquito nuisance biting. The diversity and seasonality of the mosquito community in the coastal area of northern Adelaide was investigated over 7 years (2000–2007) in the suburb of Globe Derby Park, which is adjacent to both mangrove and samphire swamps. Eight species were identified from adult mosquito collections, with the salt marsh mosquitoes Aedes camptorhynchus (Thomson) (55.7%) and Ae. vigilax (Skuse) (29.5%) most abundant. These two species display seasonal succession, with the former most abundant in spring and early summer, giving way to the latter in mid‐late summer and autumn. Logistic regression showed that Ae. camptorhynchus abundance spikes were associated with lower temperatures, higher rainfall and increasing day length (r2 = 0.38). Aedes vigilax abundance spikes were associated with higher temperatures and decreasing day length (r2 = 0.52). The description of such temporal succession in salt marsh mosquitoes in southern Australia is novel. The analysis presented might therefore lead to the development of mosquito nuisance predictive tools and novel mosquito management strategies.
The first known larva of the Australian genus Mystropomus Chaudoir (Coleoptera: Carabidae: Paussinae)
Authors: Di Giulio Andrea , Moore Wendy 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe monogeneric subtribe Mystropomina Chaudoir (Carabidae: Paussinae: Ozaenini) contains two species endemic to Australia: Mystropomus subcostatus Chaudoir and Mystropomus regularis Bänninger. In this paper, we describe and illustrate the larva of M. subcostatus providing the first larval description in this subtribe, thereby filling an important gap in our knowledge of paussine larval morphology. We compare the structural features of this larva with the other known larvae in the subfamily and provide an identification key to larvae of Australian paussine genera. We find no external structural features that indicate that this larva lives with ants, as do many other members of the carabid beetle subfamily Paussinae.
Suppression of populations of Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina (Wiedemann) (Diptera: Calliphoridae), with a novel blowfly trap
Authors: Urech Rudolf , Green Peter E , Rice Martin J , Brown Geoffrey W , Webb Philip , Jordan David , Wingett Murray , Mayer David G , Butler Lock , Joshua Edward , Evans Ian , Toohey Les , Dadour Ian R 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe Australian sheep blowfly, Lucilia cuprina, initiates more than 85% of fly strikes on sheep in Australia with an estimated average annual cost of A$280 million to the Australian sheep industry. LuciTrap® is a commercially available, selective trap for L. cuprina consisting of a plastic bucket with multiple fly entry cones and a synthetic attractant. The impact of LuciTrap on populations of L. cuprina on sheep properties in five Australian states was evaluated by comparing L. cuprina populations on paired properties with and without LuciTraps over seasons when significant fly populations could be expected. Twenty‐four comparisons (trials) were conducted over 4 years. During times of ‘higher fly density’ (when the 48 h geometric mean of trap catches on the control property was greater than five L. cuprina), the overall geometric mean trap catches for control and trapped properties differed significantly (P < 0.001) with mean trap catches of 19.4 and 7.74 L. cuprina, respectively. The selectivity of the LuciTrap was confirmed with 59% of all trapped flies being L. cuprina. Chrysomya spp. and Calliphora spp. constituted 9.3% and 1.1% of the catches with a variety of other flies (mainly Sarcophagidae and Muscidae) providing the remainder (31%). Lucilia sericata was only trapped in Tasmania and made up 7.7% of the Lucilia spp. catch in that state. Seventy‐two per cent of the trapped L. cuprina were female. The deployment of LuciTrap on sheep properties at one trap per 100 sheep from the beginning of the anticipated fly season suppressed the populations of L. cuprina by 60% compared with matched control properties. The LuciTrap is a selective and easy to use fly trap and constitutes an effective, non‐insecticidal tool for use in integrated management programs for L. cuprina.
Pyuria is not always sterile in children with Kawasaki disease
Authors: Jan Sheng‐Ling , Wu Meng‐Che , Lin Ming‐Chih , Fu Yun‐Ching , Chan Sheng‐Ching , Lin Shing‐Jong 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground:  Although Kawasaki disease (KD) often presents with sterile pyuria, bacterial pyuria (urinary tract infection [UTI]) occasionally occurs.Methods:  This was a retrospective cohort study of 285 children with KD diagnosed between 1995 and 2005. Among these patients, a total of 210 patients underwent routine urine tests and 75 children underwent urine culture tests. This study was conducted to investigate the incidence, clinical manifestations, management and outcome of KD with pyuria.Results:  The incidence of pyuria was 29.5% (62/210). Among the 75 children undergoing urine culture tests, 34 had sterile pyuria (45.3%), eight had bacterial pyuria (10.7%), two had UTI without pyuria (2.7%) and 31 had neither pyuria nor UTI (41.3%). When pyuria was used as a predictor of KD with UTI, the positive and negative predictive values were 19% and 93.9%, respectively. There were no significant differences in demographic data, clinical presentations, laboratory results, duration of fever, ratio of resistant KD or risk level, except in the nitrite test, between both groups.Conclusions:  Pyuria was not always sterile in patients with KD. Although there was no different clinical phenotype or coronary outcome in KD patients with or without UTI, we suggest that UTI should be considered and evaluated in KD patients with pyuria, a positive nitrite test or a positive result of urine culture. If UTI is definitively diagnosed, the patient should be treated for a UTI as well as for KD and complete post‐UTI work‐up is recommended.
Exposure to furosemide as the strongest risk factor for nephrocalcinosis in preterm infants
Authors: Gimpel Charlotte , Krause Alexandra , Franck Peter , Krueger Marcus , Von Schnakenburg Christian 
Published: May 2009

AbstractBackground:  The objective of this study was to determine which of the many risk factors for nephrocalcinosis (NC) in preterm infants are most relevant.Methods:  In 55 neonates born before 32 completed weeks of gestation, parameters relevant to NC were analyzed. Median birthweight was 1010 g (range 500–2070 g). Fifteen (27%) asymptomatic children had ultrasonographic NC.Results:  In multivariate analysis the strongest independent risk factor was furosemide therapy above 10 mg per kg bodyweight cumulative dose, with a 48‐fold increased risk of NC (odds ratio confidence interval 4.0–585, P < 0.01). The risk of NC was 1.65‐fold higher per 100 g lower weight (1.07–2.56, P= 0.02) and 4.5‐fold higher per mmol/l of urinary calcium concentration (1.14–17.7, P= 0.03). Many other risk factors were only significant in univariate analysis (gestational age, mechanical ventilation, infection, broncho‐pulmonary dysplasia, blood transfusions, intraventricular hemorrhage, surfactant therapy, vasopressors, phenobarbital or caffeine, duration of hospital stay), indicating an indirect effect only. Other parameters of calcium and phosphate homeostasis were not significant, possibly due to standardized supplementation.Conclusion:  We suggest that in preterm infants, furosemide should be prescribed with caution and close monitoring of calcium excretions is advisable. Some guidelines for infant respiratory distress syndrome now favor calcium‐sparing thiazides if diuretics are considered.
The merging of community ecology and phylogenetic biology
Authors: Cavender‐Bares Jeannine , Kozak Kenneth H. , Fine Paul V. A. , Kembel Steven W. 
Published: May 2009

AbstractThe increasing availability of phylogenetic data, computing power and informatics tools has facilitated a rapid expansion of studies that apply phylogenetic data and methods to community ecology. Several key areas are reviewed in which phylogenetic information helps to resolve long‐standing controversies in community ecology, challenges previous assumptions, and opens new areas of investigation. In particular, studies in phylogenetic community ecology have helped to reveal the multitude of processes driving community assembly and have demonstrated the importance of evolution in the assembly process. Phylogenetic approaches have also increased understanding of the consequences of community interactions for speciation, adaptation and extinction. Finally, phylogenetic community structure and composition holds promise for predicting ecosystem processes and impacts of global change. Major challenges to advancing these areas remain. In particular, determining the extent to which ecologically relevant traits are phylogenetically conserved or convergent, and over what temporal scale, is critical to understanding the causes of community phylogenetic structure and its evolutionary and ecosystem consequences. Harnessing phylogenetic information to understand and forecast changes in diversity and dynamics of communities is a critical step in managing and restoring the Earth’s biota in a time of rapid global change.
Development and experimental validation of a nifH oligonucleotide microarray to study diazotrophic communities in a glacier forefield
Authors: Duc Laurence , Neuenschwander Stefan , Rehrauer Hubert , Wagner Ulrich , Sobek Jens , Schlapbach Ralph , Zeyer Josef 
Published: May 2009

SummaryFunctional microarrays are powerful tools that allow the parallel detection of multiple strains at the species level and therefore to rapidly obtain information on microbial communities in the environment. However, the design of suitable probes is prone to uncertainties, as it is based so far on in silico predictions including weighted mismatch number and Gibbs free‐energy values. This study describes the experimental selection of probes targeting subsequences of the nifH gene to study the community structure of diazotrophic populations present in Damma glacier (Swiss Central Alps) forefield soils. Using the Geniom® One in situ synthesis technology (Febit, Germany), 2727 in silico designed candidate probes were tested. A total of 946 specific probes were selected and validated. This probe set covered a large diversity of the NifH phylotypes (35 out of the 45) found in the forefield. Hybridization predictors were tested statistically. Gibbs free‐energy value for probe‐target binding gave the best prediction for hybridization efficiency, while the weighted mismatch number was not significantly associated to probe specificity. In this study, we demonstrate that extensive experimental tests of probe‐hybridization behaviour against sequences present in the studied environment remain a prerequisite for meaningful probe selection.