bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A test of optimal foraging and the effects of predator experience in the lizards Sceloporus jarrovii and Sceloporus virgatus
Authors: Watters  
Published: June 2010

AbstractForaging efficiency of predators can be evaluated by using optimality or profitability models which incorporate prey choice, handling time and pursuit or search time. Optimality of a diet could vary based on the age, sex, size, predation risk, or foraging experience of the predator. This study tested the effects of a predator's age and foraging experience by observing prey capture attempts and success rate, and by calculating diet profitability for adult and neonate Sceloporus jarrovii and adult Sceloporus virgatus. Prey availability was assessed in order to determine prey preference and profitability. Neonates showed an increased number of prey capture attempts, but success rate was similar for neonates and adults of both species. Total diet profitability of neonates was lower than adults of either species, which could be a result of poor prey choice or gape limitation (although body size showed no direct effect). Overall, the diets of all three groups were less profitable than would be expected based on the types of prey in the environment, although this is likely due to low availability (from the lizard's perspective) of highly profitable items. Lizards seem to be eating prey items in the same proportion as they are found in the environment.
Perceptual mechanism for vocal individual recognition in jungle crows (Corvus macrorhynchos): contact call signature and discrimination
Authors: Watanabe  , Izawa  , Kondo  
Published: June 2010

AbstractIn long-range fission-fusion complex societies, individuals are often recognized by audiovocal signals because of long-range propagation. The signature voice system is a well-known mechanism involving both acoustic individuality of a certain call type and discrimination ability. Previous studies on vocal individual recognition of birds have emphasized its involvement in breeding contexts such as mate, parent and offspring, and territorial-neighbour recognition. However, there has been less focus on the recognition of non-breeding flock members despite the socio-ecological demand of such ability in the complex social lives of highly social birds including corvids. Here we report a signature voice system in jungle crows by showing both acoustic individuality of contact calls and discrimination ability. We first performed a discriminant functional analysis on contact ka calls of five crows to examine their discriminatory potential and demonstrate inter-individual distinctions. We next used an operant conditioning to verify the perceptual ability to discriminate non-breeding familiar conspecifics based on ka calls. Four of the five crows successfully transferred discrimination of individual calls to the novel ka calls. Our results provide the first evidence of a signature voice system as a perceptual mechanism for individual recognition of familiar individuals in non-breeding flocks of a highly social crow.
Narratives of Structural Pacing in Mozart's String Quartets and Quintets
Authors: Clausius Katharina 
Published: June 2010

AbstractThe sonata and rondo forms of Mozart's chamber music for strings rely on specific temporal-spatial dynamics that evade simple comparison to generic structural models. I rely on an understanding of the dual interaction of “real” and “musical” time, here defined as musical “pacing,” in order to examine the role of temporality in the linear narratives of typical late eighteenth-century forms. The linguistic theory of syntax and paratax proposed by structuralist Ferdinand de Saussure suggests a critical perspective clarifying the interdependent dynamics that define Mozartian forms. Within this structuralist context, the linearity of temporal progression ultimately escapes through music's vertical moment of resolution. The temporal impulse of Mozart's tonal structures both defines and liberates itself through his narratives of musical pacing.
Surgical intervention utilizing cardiopulmonary bypass for coronary unroofing of anomalous coronary artery
Authors: Resley Justin , Burke Ryan , Isbell David , Tribble Reid , Martin Jeffery , Petit Scott 
Published: June 2010

Coronary arteries originating from the opposite coronary cusp and crossing the path between the aorta and the pulmonary artery are associated with ischemia and sudden cardiac death. An increased prevalence of these cases may be attributed to diagnostic advances in computed tomographic angiography (CTA). We report a retrospective review of ten patients referred for surgical intervention from March 2008 to present. Nine patients were diagnosed with right coronary arteries arising from the left coronary cusp and one patient with a left coronary artery arising from the right coronary cusp. Seven patients were male and the median age was 40 years (range, 21 to 51). Symptoms included atypical chest pain, tachy-arrythmias, diaphoresis, and dyspnea on exertion. CTA demonstrated anomalous coronary arteries arising from the opposite coronary cusp and traveling between the aorta and the pulmonary artery. Surgical intervention was performed on all ten patients with no mortality and only one re-operation requiring bypass grafting. The sixth patient in the series had concomitant atherosclerotic disease, requiring left internal mammary artery grafting to the left anterior descending coronary artery. Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was utilized with moderate hypothermia in all ten patients, with retrograde and/or coronary ostial cardioplegia administration. At routine surgical follow-up, all patients were without original presenting symptoms. Patients with anomalous coronary arteries arising from the opposite coronary cusp are at risk of acute myocardial infarction and sudden cardiac death. Surgical unroofing is a viable option for this patient population and avoids coronary artery bypass grafting. Since March 2008, we have operated on ten patients presenting with this anomaly and have had excellent short-term results. Further long-term follow-up is necessary.
IVIg modulates BCR signaling through CD22 and promotes apoptosis in mature human B lymphocytes
Authors: Séïté Jean-François , Cornec Divi , Renaudineau Yves , Youinou Pierre , Mageed Rizgar A. , Hillion Sophie 
Published: June 2010

AbstractAmong various mechanisms for interactions with B cells, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) may operate through the insertion of its Fc part into the Fc-γ receptor, or the binding of its sialic acid (SA)–bearing glycans to the negatively regulating CD22 lectin. It appeared that IVIg reduces B lymphocyte viability in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, we show by confocal microscopy that SA-positive IgG, but not SA-negative IgG bind to CD22. This interaction reduces the strength of B-cell receptor–mediated signaling trough down-regulating tyrosine phosphorylation of Lyn and the B-cell linker proteins, and up-regulating phospholipase Cγ2 activation. This cascade resulted in a sustained activation of Erk 1/2 and arrest of the cell cycle at the G1 phase. These changes may be accounted for the efficacy of IVIg in autoimmune diseases.
Role of 2-month sputum smears in predicting culture conversion in pulmonary tuberculosis
Authors: Su W-J. , Feng J-Y. , Chiu Y-C. , Huang S-F. , Lee Y-C. 
Published: June 2010

Sputum smears and culture conversion are frequently used to evaluate treatment response in pulmonary tuberculosis patients. Limited data are available on the evaluation of the correlation between under-treatment sputum smear results and culture conversion.This prospective study included sputum culture-proven pulmonary tuberculosis patients at six hospitals in Taiwan. At least two sets of sputum were collected at the completion of 8 weeks of TB treatment. The sensitivities and specificities of 2-month sputum smears were estimated based on culture conversion status.A total of 371 patients were enrolled for analysis. Factors associated with culture conversion included having a smear positive before treatment, presence of a cavity on radiography, rifampicin resistance and usage of the DOTS (directly observed therapy, short course) strategy. The sensitivities of 2-month sputum smears for culture conversion among all patients, initially smear-positive patients and initially smear-negative patients were 64.3, 71.4 and 38%, respectively, and the specificities were 81.6, 69.9 and 92.8%, respectively. In patients who were 2-month sputum smear-positive, the 2-month culture conversion rate was 80% if the patients were under DOTS and without cavitary lesions in radiograms.The predictive value of 2-month sputum smears in culture conversion was limited and highly influenced by clinical factors in pulmonary tuberculosis patients.
Diaphragm electromyogram in infants with abdominal wall defects and congenital diaphragmatic hernia
Authors: Kassim Z. , Jolley C. , Moxham J. , Greenough A. , Rafferty G.F. 
Published: June 2010

Measurement of the diaphragm electromyogram (EMGdi) elicited by phrenic nerve stimulation could be useful to assess neonates suffering from respiratory distress due to diaphragm dysfunction, as observed in infants with abdominal wall defects (AWD) or congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). The study aims were to assess the feasibility of recording EMGdi using a multipair oesophageal electrode catheter and examine whether diaphragm muscle and/or phrenic nerve function was compromised in AWD or CDH infants.Diaphragm compound muscle action potentials elicited by magnetic phrenic nerve stimulation were recorded from 18 infants with surgically repaired AWD (n = 13) or CDH (n = 5), median (range) gestational age 36.5 (34–40) weeks. Diaphragm strength was assessed as twitch transdiaphragmatic pressure (TwPdi).One AWD patient had prolonged phrenic nerve latency (PNL) bilaterally (left 9.31 ms, right 9.49 ms) and two CDH patients had prolonged PNL on the affected side (10.1 ms and 10.08 ms). There was no difference in left and right TwPdiin either group. PNL correlated significantly with TwPdiin CDH (r = 0.8; p = 0.009).Oesophageal EMG and magnetic stimulation of the phrenic nerves can be useful to assess phrenic nerve function in infants. Reduced phrenic nerve conduction accompanies the reduced diaphragm force production observed in infants with CDH.
Smoking strongly predicts disability retirement due to COPD: the Finnish Twin Cohort Study
Authors: Koskenvuo K. , Broms U. , Korhonen T. , Laitinen L.A. , Huunan-Seppälä A. , Keistinen T. , Autti-Rämö I. , Kaprio J. , Koskenvuo M. 
Published: June 2010

No previous studies on the association of smoking behaviour with disability retirement due to register verified chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) exist. This 30-yr follow-up study examined how strongly aspects of cigarette smoking predict disability retirement due to COPD.The study population consisted of 24,043 adult Finnish twins (49.7% females) followed from 1975 to 2004. At baseline the participants had responded to a questionnaire. Information on retirement was obtained from the Finnish pension registers.Smoking strongly predicted disability retirement due to COPD. In comparison to never-smokers, age adjusted hazard ratio (HR) for current smokers was 22.0 (95% CI 10.0–48.5) and for smokers with ≥12 pack-yrs was 27.3 (95% CI 12.6–59.5). Similar estimates of risk were observed in within-pair analyses of twin pairs discordant for disability retirement due to COPD. Among discordant monozygotic pairs those with disability pension due to COPD were more often current smokers. The effect of early smoking onset (<18 yrs) on the risk of disability retirement due to COPD remained after adjustment for the amount smoked (HR 1.70, 95% CI 1.08–2.68).Smoking strongly predicts disability retirement due to COPD. Preventive measures against disability retirement and other harmful consequences of tobacco smoking should receive greater emphasis.
EPHX1polymorphisms, COPD and asthma in 47,000 individuals and in meta-analysis
Authors: Lee J. , Nordestgaard B.G. , Dahl M. 
Published: June 2010

We tested the hypothesis that two well-characterised functional polymorphisms of the microsomal epoxide hydrolase gene (EPHX1),T113CandA139G, may influence susceptibility to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and asthma.We genotyped participants from the Copenhagen City Heart Study (n = 10,038) and the Copenhagen General Population Study (n = 37,022) for theT113CandA139Gvariants in theEPHX1gene and measured lung function and recorded COPD hospitalisation and asthma and smoking history. Finally, we meta-analysed results from 19 studies including 7,489 COPD cases and 42,970 controls.The OR for spirometry-defined COPD or COPD hospitalisation did not differ from 1.0 for any of theEPHX1genotypes or phenotypes overall, or in smokers or nonsmokers separately (p-value for trend 0.18–0.91). Likewise,EPHX1genotypes or phenotypes did not associate with risk of asthma (p-value for trend 0.46–0.98). In meta-analysis, random effects OR for COPD inT113Cheterozygotes and homozygotesversusnon-carriers were 1.17 (0.99–1.38) and 1.38 (1.09–1.74), respectively. Corresponding values forA139Gwere 0.93 (0.83–1.05) and 0.89 (0.78–1.02).Our results indicate that genetically reduced microsomal epoxide hydrolase activity is not a major risk factor for COPD or asthma in the Danish population; however, meta-analysis cannot completely exclude a minor effect on COPD risk.
Prognostic factors in pathological stage IB nonsmall cell lung cancer greater than 3 cm
Authors: Hung J-J. , Jeng W-J. , Hsu W-H. , Lin S-F. , Hsieh C-C. , Huang B-S. , Huang M-H. , Liu J-S. , Chou T-Y. , Wu Y-C.i 
Published: June 2010

Significant heterogenity of stage IB (sixth edition of the TNM staging system) nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) has been identified, and further subclassification according to tumour size has been proposed. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prognostic factors in patients with resected stage IB NSCLC >3 cm.From January 1980 to December 2000, 525 patients underwent surgical resection for stage IB NSCLC >3 cm at Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan. The clinicopathological characteristics of these patients were retrospectively reviewed.The 5- and 10-yr overall survival rates were 44.9% and 27.3%, respectively. Age (p<0.001), tumour size (p = 0.002), extent of pulmonary resection (p = 0.002), histological type (p = 0.005) and number of mediastinal lymph nodes dissected/sampled (p = 0.004) were significant predictors for overall survival in multivariate analysis. Patients with tumour size >7 cm, or >5 to ≤7 cm, had a worse survival than those with tumour size >3 to ≤5 cm. However, visceral pleural invasion did not influence overall survival.Stage IB NSCLC with a diameter >3 cm may be subclassified according to tumour size regardless of visceral pleural invasion.
Ongoing tuberculosis transmission to children in Greenland
Authors: Soborg B. , Koch A. , Thomsen V.Ø. , Ladefoged K. , Andersson M. , Wohlfahrt J. , Melbye M. , Andersen A.B. 
Published: June 2010

Inuit in the Arctic are experiencing an increase in tuberculosis cases, reaching levels in Greenland comparable to high-incidence countries. This prompted us to study the level of tuberculosis transmission to Greenlandic children. Specifically, we estimated the current prevalence ofMycobacterium tuberculosisinfection (MTI) and the underlying annual risk of MTI.2,231 Greenlandic school children aged 5–17 yrs (∼25% of the Greenlandic population in the relevant age group) were tested for MTI using the tuberculin skin test and the QuantiFERON®-TB Gold in-tube test. Subjects with dual-positive results were considered infected and subjects with dual-negative results uninfected. The children with discordant test results were classified as probably having MTI and analysed separately.8.1% of the children had dual-positive test results. The annual risk of MTI was estimated as 0.80% (95% CI 0.67–0.92%) giving a cumulative risk at the 18th birthday of 13.4%. The annual risk of MTI varied substantially by ethnicity (0.87% in Inuit children, 0.02% in non-Inuit children; p<0.001) and by location (0.13% on the west coast, 1.68% on the south coast; p<0.001).M. tuberculosistransmission occurs at a very high level in Inuit children with pronounced geographic differences emphasising the need for immediate public health interventions.
Systems genetics analysis of body weight and energy metabolism traits in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Jumbo-Lucioni Patricia , Ayroles Julien F , Chambers Michelle Moses , Jordan Katherine W , Leips Jeff , Mackay Trudy FC , De Luca Maria 
Published: June 2010

AbstractBackgroundObesity and phenotypic traits associated with this condition exhibit significant heritability in natural populations of most organisms. While a number of genes and genetic pathways have been implicated to play a role in obesity associated traits, the genetic architecture that underlies the natural variation in these traits is largely unknown. Here, we used 40 wild-derived inbred lines ofDrosophila melanogasterto quantify genetic variation in body weight, the content of three major metabolites (glycogen, triacylglycerol, and glycerol) associated with obesity, and metabolic rate in young flies. We chose these lines because they were previously screened for variation in whole-genome transcript abundance and in several adult life-history traits, including longevity, resistance to starvation stress, chill-coma recovery, mating behavior, and competitive fitness. This enabled us not only to identify candidate genes and transcriptional networks that might explain variation for energy metabolism traits, but also to investigate the genetic interrelationships among energy metabolism, behavioral, and life-history traits that have evolved in natural populations.ResultsWe found significant genetically based variation in all traits. Using a genome-wide association screen for single feature polymorphisms and quantitative trait transcripts, we identified 337, 211, 237, 553, and 152 novel candidate genes associated with body weight, glycogen content, triacylglycerol storage, glycerol levels, and metabolic rate, respectively. Weighted gene co-expression analyses grouped transcripts associated with each trait in significant modules of co-expressed genes and we interpreted these modules in terms of their gene enrichment based on Gene Ontology analysis. Comparison of gene co-expression modules for traits in this study with previously determined modules for life-history traits identified significant modular pleiotropy between glycogen content, body weight, competitive fitness, and starvation resistance.ConclusionsCombining a large phenotypic dataset with information on variation in genome wide transcriptional profiles has provided insight into the complex genetic architecture underlying natural variation in traits that have been associated with obesity. Our findings suggest that understanding the maintenance of genetic variation in metabolic traits in natural populations may require that we understand more fully the degree to which these traits are genetically correlated with other traits, especially those directly affecting fitness.
Overexpression of S100A4 in human cancer cell lines resistant to methotrexate
Authors: Mencía Nuria , Selga Elisabet , Rico Isabel , de Almagro M Cristina , Villalobos Xenia , Ramirez Sara , Adan Jaume , Hernández Jose L , Noé Véronique , Ciudad Carlos J 
Published: June 2010

Abstract

Background
Methotrexate is a chemotherapeutic drug that is used in therapy of a wide variety of cancers. The efficiency of treatment with this drug is compromised by the appearance of resistance. Combination treatments of MTX with other drugs that could modulate the expression of genes involved in MTX resistance would be an adequate strategy to prevent the development of this resistance.

Methods
The differential expression pattern between sensitive and MTX-resistant cells was determined by whole human genome microarrays and analyzed with the GeneSpring GX software package. A global comparison of all the studied cell lines was performed in order to find out differentially expressed genes in the majority of the MTX-resistant cells. S100A4 mRNA and protein levels were determined by RT-Real-Time PCR and Western blot, respectively. Functional validations of S100A4 were performed either by transfection of an expression vector for S100A4 or a siRNA against S100A4. Transfection of an expression vector encoding for β-catenin was used to inquire for the possible transcriptional regulation of S100A4 through the Wnt pathway.

Results
S100A4 is overexpressed in five out of the seven MTX-resistant cell lines studied. Ectopic overexpression of this gene in HT29 sensitive cells augmented both the intracellular and extracellular S100A4 protein levels and caused desensitization toward MTX. siRNA against S100A4 decreased the levels of this protein and caused a chemosensitization in combined treatments with MTX. β-catenin overexpression experiments support a possible involvement of the Wnt signaling pathway in S100A4 transcriptional regulation in HT29 cells.

Conclusions
S100A4 is overexpressed in many MTX-resistant cells. S100A4 overexpression decreases the sensitivity of HT29 colon cancer human cells to MTX, whereas its knockdown causes chemosensitization toward MTX. Both approaches highlight a role for S100A4 in MTX resistance.
Functional mapping of genotype-environment interactions for soybean growth by a semiparametric approach
Authors: Li Qin , Huang Zhongwen , Xu Meng , Wang Chenguang , Gai Junyi , Huang Youjun , Pang Xiaoming , Wu Rongling 
Published: June 2010

Abstract

Background
Functional mapping is a powerful approach for mapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) that control biological processes. Functional mapping incorporates mathematical aspects of growth and development into a general QTL mapping framework and has been recently integrated with composite interval mapping to build up a so-called composite functional mapping model, aimed to separate multiple linked QTLs on the same chromosomal region.

Results
This article reports the principle of using composite functional mapping to estimate the effects of QTL-environment interactions on growth trajectories by parametrically modeling the tested QTL in a marker interval and nonparametrically modeling the markers outside the interval as co-factors. With this new model, we can characterize the dynamic patterns of the genetic effects of QTLs governing growth trajectories, estimate the global effects of the underlying QTLs during the course of growth and development, and test the differentiation in the shapes of QTL genotype-specific growth curves between different environments. By analyzing a real example from a soybean genome project, our model detects several QTLs that cause significant genotype-environment interactions for plant height growth processes.

Conclusions
The model provides a basis for deciphering the genetic architecture of trait expression adjusted to different biotic and abiotic environments for any organism.