bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Gestation, maternal behaviour, growth and development in the subterranean caviomorph rodent Ctenomys mendocinus (Rodentia, Hystricognathi, Ctenomyidae)
Authors: Camín Sergio 
Published: May 2010

AbstractThe first information on the gestation period, maternal behaviour, neonatal development and growth of the subterranean caviomorph rodent Ctenomys mendocinus Philippi, 1869, is reported herein. My hypothesis was that, despite its belonging to a typically precocial suborder, the life history traits of C. mendocinus would favour its altricial condition. The off spring of C. mendocinus were categorized as altricial by using two different classification systems. This condition was also reflected in maternal care. Females built large nests (2000 cm3) where, after a long gestation period (95.9 days), they gave birth to litters of blind pups, half-naked, with external ear meatus open and good physical coordination. The mothers suckled the off spring in long bouts (19.9 min), retrieved their pups, and these showed no tactics to reduce the suckling bout. Overall, evidence was consistent with the hypothesis analyzed, although particularities found, e.g. some precocial traits, suggest the existence in C. mendocinus of a trade-off between the constraints and advantages related to its subterranean way of life and the phylogenetic inertia typical of caviomorphs.
Behavioral responses to seasonality by two Sceloporine lizard species from a tropical dry forest
Authors: García Andrés , Valtierra-Azotla Marciano , Lister Bradford 
Published: May 2010

Abstract
We investigated behavioral responses of two lizards, Sceloporus melanorhinus and S. utiformis, to environmental seasonality in a tropical dry forest of western Mexico. We conducted focal observations of individuals in the field during both the rainy and dry seasons and compared perch use, foraging and social behaviors and displacement activity within and between species. Our results indicate that seasonal changes occur in the behavior and activity of both male and female S. melanorhinus and S. utiformis. Feeding frequency, social displays, and distances travelled increased significantly in both species during the rainy season. These seasonal changes tended to be more pronounced in the arboreal species; S. melanorhinus. Surprisingly, female S. melanorhinus perched higher than males during the rainy season. Most of the observed changes are similar to the responses to seasonality observed in other lizards, both for species that exist within our study area, and for species that inhabit other seasonal environments in tropical and temperate ecosystems. Thus, the seasonal patterns in behavior documented in this study may represent a general set of behavioral strategies that allow lizards to better adapt to seasonal fluctuations in their environment, such as changes in predation pressure, variation in resource levels, and differences in insolation, temperature, and moisture levels.
Selection of key features of vegetation and escape behavior in the Sand Dune Lizard (Liolaemus multimaculatus)
Authors: Kacoliris Federico , Williams Jorge , Molinari Alejandro 
Published: May 2010

Abstract
Vegetation structure and cover are two of the main factors which determine microhabitat preferences in lizards. The Sand Dune Lizard (Liolaemus multimaculatus) is a vulnerable and endemic species of the pampean coastal habitats from Argentina. We hypothesized that: a) Sand Dune Lizard prefer to perch in microhabitats that offer a good balance between visibility and refuge, and; b) lizards prefer microhabitats in which plant types allow them to resort to sand burying behavior. We recorded data of microhabitat (bunch-grasses sizes and plant types) used by lizards (males, females and juveniles) in a population at the Mar Chiquita Provincial Nature Reserve. We applied the use-availability design to assess preferences. We evaluated differences between sex and relation between sizes of lizards. Lizards preferred bunch-grasses of intermediate size. Habitats conformed only by herbaceous species were the most preferred by lizards. We did not find differences between males and females, neither relations between size of lizards and the tested variables. Adult lizards of both sexes use bunch-grasses more frequently than juvenile individuals. The preferences for herbaceous species could be related to the sand-bury behavior that lizards use to escape from predators. More studies are necessary in order to assess the processes related with habitat preferences
Differentiation of the sexual characters and onset of maturity in the males of the "red claw" crayfish, Cherax quadricarinatus (Von Martens, 1898) (Astacidea, Astacida, Parastacidae)
Authors: Vazquez Fernanda Jimena , Greco Laura Susana López 
Published: May 2010

Abstract
The differentiation of the male reproductive system, the copulatory structures, "red patch" and onset of sexual maturity were studied in Cherax quadricarinatus. For this characterization 353 males were observed, dissected and processed for histological analysis. Three developmental stages were identified. At stage I the testes are two parallel cords with a few lobes or acinii, connected medially by a short thin bridge (X-shape) and the vasa deferentia are straight transparent cords. In the second stage, more lobulated testes present an H-shape and the vas deferens begins to differentiate into three distinct regions: proximal, medial and distal. In the last stage testes are two parallel cords tending to fuse along their entire length and become a single structure. From this stage, the development of the "red patch" occurs and spermatophore formation is observed in the vas deferens giving it white colour. These primary and secondary sexual characters could indicate the onset of sexual maturity. The morphology of the copulatory structure is lobular at stage I and it differentiates into an elongated structure during stage II. This study shows that in C. quadricarinatus the differentiation of primary and secondary sexual characters of males starts simultaneously and very early in development (0.09-0.10g achieved nearly 1 month old) and that acquisition of sexual maturity is also an early event (6g achieved nearly 3 month old). The compared features within Astacidea and Decapoda and the possible applications in the analysis of phylogenetic relationships between different taxa are discussed.
Spatial and temporal ecology of the Lusitanian pine vole (Microtus lusitanicus) in a Mediterranean polyculture
Authors: Santos Sara , Lourenço Rui , da Luz Mathias Maria , Mira António 
Published: May 2010

Abstract
In this study we report the first data on the spatial ecology of the Lusitanian pine vole (Microtus lusitanicus). Data report to the breeding season and to a traditional Mediterranean agricultural landscape in Central Portugal, using radio-telemetry methods. We documented large home range areas with values of 1042 m2 for males and 862 m2 for females (MCP method; 95% kernel method with values of 229 m2 and 159 m2 for males and females, respectively). Although no significant differences between sexes or reproductive status were found, longer daily movements were observed in reproductively inactive males. Pair bonding and home range overlap was observed between males and females, as well as between females and sub-adults. Voles showed no distinct preference for day or night for activity periods and movements. However, this result was dependent on sex, reproductive status and time of day. Voles revealed habitat preference for both spatial scales of analysis: they selected verges, vines and olives, within the study area, and used more verges within their home ranges, when compared to the other habitat types. The use of space by Microtus lusitanicus, in comparison with other microtines, suggests the occurrence of spatial associations between males and females in monogamous pairs. The importance of verges and linear habitats within an agricultural context is apparent, once they provide food and shelter from predators and human interventions.
Two Conceptions of Fundamentality
Authors: Thalos Mariam 
Published: May 2010

This article aims to show that fundamentality is construed differently in the two most prominent strategies of analysis we find in physical science and engineering today: (1) atomistic, reductive analysis and (2) Systems analysis. Correspondingly, atomism is the conception according to which the simplest (smallest) indivisible entity of a certain kind is most fundamental; while systemism, as will be articulated here, is the conception according to which the bonds that structure wholes are most fundamental, and scale and/or constituting entities are of no significance whatsoever for fundamentality. Accordingly, atomists maintain that the basic entities—the atoms—are fundamental, and together with the “external” interactions among them, are sufficient for illuminating all the features and behaviors of the wholes they constitute; whereas systemists proclaim that it is instead structural qualities of systems, that flow from internal relations among their constituents and translate directly into behaviors, that are fundamental, and by themselves largely (if not entirely) sufficient for illuminating the features and behaviors of the wholes thereby structured. Systemism, as will be argued, is consistent with the nonexistence of a fundamental “level” of nondecomposable entities, just as it is consistent with the existence of such a level. Still, systemism is a conception of the fundamental in quite different, but still ontological terms. Systemism can serve the special sciences—the social sciences especially—better than the conception of fundamentality in terms of atoms. Systemism is, in fact, a conception of fundamentality that has rather different uses—and importantly, different resonances. This conception of fundamentality makes contact with questions pertaining to natural kinds and their situation in the metaphysics of the special sciences—their situation within an order of autonomous sciences. The controversy over fundamentality is evident in the social sciences too, albeit somewhat imperfectly, in the terms of debate between methodological individualists and functionalists/holists .This article will thus clarify the difference between systemism and holism.
Lack of efficacy of the selective iNOS inhibitor GW274150 in prophylaxis of migraine headache
Authors: Høivik Hans Olav , Laurijssens Bart E , Harnisch Lutz O , Twomey Colleen K , Dixon Ruth M , Kirkham Andrew JT , Williams Pauline M , Wentz Alison L , Lunnon Martin W 
Published: May 2010

Introduction: This study investigated the efficacy and tolerability of the highly selective iNOS inhibitor GW274150 in prophylaxis of migraine headache. Subjects and methods: The study was conducted in two parts, each comprising a 4-week baseline period, a 12-week, double-blind, parallel-group treatment period, and a 4-week follow-up period. The study had an adaptive design in that findings of Part 1 of the study were used to inform the conduct of Part 2. Following an interim analysis at the end of Part 1, the trial could be stopped for futility or continued in Part 2 to study the full-dose response or to increase sample size in case initial assumptions had been violated. The primary end-point in both parts of the study was the probability of the occurrence of a migraine headache day during the baseline period and the treatment period. Results: In Part 1, adult male and female patients with migraine received GW274150 60 mg ( n = 37), 120 mg ( n = 37), or placebo ( n = 38) once daily for 12 weeks. In Part 2, female patients with migraine received GW274150 60 mg ( n = 160) or placebo ( n = 154) once daily for 12 weeks. GW274150 was no more effective than placebo for the primary efficacy end-point or any secondary efficacy end-point in Part 1 or Part 2. GW274150 was generally well tolerated. Conclusions: GW274150 at doses predicted to inhibit iNOS >80% did not differ from placebo in the prophylaxis of migraine. The results do not support a role of iNOS inhibition in migraine prevention.
Abnormal pressure waves in headache sufferers with bilateral transverse sinus stenosis
Authors: Bono F , Salvino D , Tallarico T , Cristiano D , Condino F , Fera F , Lanza PL , Lavano A , Quattrone A 
Published: May 2010

Introduction: Bilateral transverse sinus stenosis (BTSS) has been reported to be associated with idiopathic intracranial hypertension without papilloedema in headache sufferers. Subjects and methods: To test the accuracy of short-term cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) pressure monitoring through a lumbar needle for detection of elevated intracranial pressure in headache sufferers with BTSS, we prospectively performed lumbar puncture in order to measure lumbar CSF opening pressures and to monitor, for 1 h, the CSF pressure in 48 consecutive headache sufferers with BTSS and in 50 consecutive headache sufferers with normal appearance of transverse sinuses or stenosis of one transverse sinus. Results: Of the 48 headache sufferers with BTSS, 18 (37.5%) had elevated CSF opening pressure and abnormal pressure waveforms, but short-term CSF pressure monitoring revealed abnormal pressure waves associated with elevated mean CSF pressure also in 26 (86.6%) out of 30 patients who had normal opening pressures. None of the 50 headache sufferers with normal appearance of transverse sinuses or stenosis of one transverse sinus had abnormal pressure waves and elevated CSF pressures. Conclusions: In this study, short-term CSF pressure monitoring through a lumbar needle revealed abnormal pressure waves and elevated mean CSF pressures in the majority of headache sufferers with BTSS who had normal CSF opening pressures. These findings demonstrate the accuracy of short-term CSF pressure monitoring through a lumbar needle in estimating CSF pressure; they also highlight that a single-spot opening pressure measurement has a low accuracy for recognition of increased intracranial pressure in headache sufferers with BTSS.
Review: The Applicability of Epidemiological Methods to the Assessment of the Risks to Human Health of Indoor Air Pollution: An Overview
Authors: Brown T. , Holmes P. , Harrison P.T.C. 
Published: May 2010

Western populations spend the vast majority of their time indoors, and can be exposed to a range of indoor pollutants that may have adverse effects on health. Scientists and regulators need to be able to understand and quantify the nature of the potential risks posed by the indoor environment. Epidemiological methods are available to investigate relationships between indoor pollutant exposure and health impacts, but involve many assumptions and have inherent uncertainties. To establish an accurate understanding of the knowledge base and a sound interpretation of the significance of the results obtained, it is essential that epidemiological study findings are not accepted uncritically and that the advantages/weaknesses of each design are fully understood. This overview identifies the strengths and weaknesses of the various epidemiological techniques used to study indoor air pollution, and considers the place of epidemiological data within the wider weight of evidence considerations necessary to establish causality of associations and accurately determine potential risk. It is evident that epidemiology remains a key science in the study of associations between indoor air pollutants and diseases like asthma, and a number of recommendations are made that may improve the application of this methodology and the interpretation of derived results.
β2-Glycoprotein I can exist in 2 conformations: implications for our understanding of the antiphospholipid syndrome
Authors: Ağar Çetin , van Os Gwendolyn M. A. , Mörgelin Matthias , Sprenger Richard R. , Marquart J. Arnoud , Urbanus Rolf T. , Derksen Ronald H. W. M. , Meijers Joost C. M. , de Groot Philip G. 
Published: May 2010

Abstract
The antiphospholipid syndrome is defined by the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies in blood of patients with thrombosis or fetal loss. There is ample evidence that β2-glycoprotein I (β2GPI) is the major antigen for antiphospholipid antibodies. The autoantibodies recognize β2GPI when bound to anionic surfaces and not in solution. We showed that β2GPI can exist in at least 2 different conformations: a circular plasma conformation and an “activated” open conformation. We also showed that the closed, circular conformation is maintained by interaction between the first and fifth domain of β2GPI. By changing pH and salt concentration, we were able to convert the conformation of β2GPI from the closed to the open conformation and back. In the activated open conformation, a cryptic epitope in the first domain becomes exposed that enables patient antibodies to bind and form an antibody-β2GPI complex. We also demonstrate that the open conformation of β2GPI prolonged the activated partial thromboplastin time when added to normal plasma, whereas the activated partial thromboplastin time is further prolonged by addition of anti-β2GPI antibodies. The conformational change of β2GPI, and the influence of the autoantibodies may have important consequences for our understanding of the antiphospholipid syndrome.
Towards a membrane proteome in Drosophila: a method for the isolation of plasma membrane
Authors: Khanna Mansi R , Stanley Bruce A , Thomas Graham H 
Published: May 2010

Abstract

Background
The plasma membrane (PM) is a compartment of significant interest because cell surface proteins influence the way in which a cell interacts with its neighbours and its extracellular environment. However, PM is hard to isolate because of its low abundance. Aqueous two-phase affinity purification (2PAP), based on PEG/Dextran two-phase fractionation and lectin affinity for PM-derived microsomes, is an emerging method for the isolation of high purity plasma membranes from several vertebrate sources. In contrast, PM isolation techniques in important invertebrate genetic model systems, such as Drosophila melanogaster, have relied upon enrichment by density gradient centrifugation. To facilitate genetic investigation of activities contributing to the content of the PM sub-proteome, we sought to adapt 2PAP to this invertebrate model to provide a robust PM isolation technique for Drosophila.

Results
We show that 2PAP alone does not completely remove contaminating endoplasmic reticulum and mitochondrial membrane. However, a novel combination of density gradient centrifugation plus 2PAP results in a robust PM preparation. To demonstrate the utility of this technique we isolated PM from fly heads and successfully identified 432 proteins using MudPIT, of which 37% are integral membrane proteins from all compartments. Of the 432 proteins, 22% have been previously assigned to the PM compartment, and a further 34% are currently unassigned to any compartment and represent candidates for assignment to the PM. The remainder have previous assignments to other compartments.

Conclusion
A combination of density gradient centrifugation and 2PAP results in a robust, high purity PM preparation from Drosophila, something neither technique can achieve on its own. This novel preparation should lay the groundwork for the proteomic investigation of the PM in different genetic backgrounds in Drosophila. Our results also identify two key steps in this procedure: The optimization of membrane partitioning in the PEG/Dextran mixture, and careful choice of the correct lectin for the affinity purification step in light of variations in bulk membrane lipid composition and glycosylation patterns respectively. This points the way for further adaptations into other systems.
Co-infection and localization of secondary symbionts in two whitefly species
Authors: Skaljac Marisa , Zanic Katja , Ban Smiljana Goreta , Kontsedalov Svetlana , Ghanim Murad 
Published: May 2010

Abstract

Background
Whiteflies are cosmopolitan phloem-feeding pests that cause serious damage to many crops worldwide due to direct feeding and vectoring of many plant viruses. The sweetpotato whitefly Bemisia tabaci (Gennadius) and the greenhouse whitefly Trialeurodes vaporariorum (Westwood) are two of the most widespread and damaging whitefly species. To complete their unbalanced diet, whiteflies harbor the obligatory bacterium Portiera aleyrodidarum. B. tabaci further harbors a diverse array of secondary symbionts, including Hamiltonella, Arsenophonus, Cardinium, Wolbachia, Rickettsia and Fritschea. T. vaporariorum is only known to harbor P. aleyrodidarum and Arsenophonus. We conducted a study to survey the distribution of whitefly species in Croatia, their infection status by secondary symbionts, and the spatial distribution of these symbionts in the developmental stages of the two whitefly species.

Results

T. vaporariorum was found to be the predominant whitefly species across Croatia, while only the Q biotype of B. tabaci was found across the coastal part of the country. Arsenophonus and Hamiltonella were detected in collected T. vaporariorum populations, however, not all populations harbored both symbionts, and both symbionts showed 100% infection rate in some of the populations. Only the Q biotype of B. tabaci was found in the populations tested and they harbored Hamiltonella, Rickettsia, Wolbachia and Cardinium, while Arsenophonus and Fritschea were not detected in any B. tabaci populations. None of the detected symbionts appeared in all populations tested, and multiple infections were detected in some of the populations. All endosymbionts tested were localized inside the bacteriocyte in both species, but only Rickettsia and Cardinium in B. tabaci showed additional localization outside the bacteriocyte.

Conclusions
Our study revealed unique co-infection patterns by secondary symbionts in B. tabaci and T. vaporariorum. Co-sharing of the bacteriocyte by the primary and different secondary symbionts is maintained through vertical transmission via the egg, and is unique to whiteflies. This system provides opportunities to study interactions among symbionts that co-inhabit the same cell in the same host: these can be cooperative or antagonistic, may affect the symbiotic contents over time, and may also affect the host by competing with the primary symbiont for space and resources.