bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Maintenance energy requirement determination of cats after spaying
Authors: Mitsuhashi Yuka , Chamberlin Amy J. , Bigley Karen E. , Bauer John E. 
Published: October 2011

Neutering is often associated with obesity in companion animals. However, the maintenance energy requirement (MER) for these animals has not been clearly defined. The present study investigated the MER for spayed cats whose body weights (BW) began to increase shortly after ovariohysterectomy. A total of twenty-two shorthair adult female cats were fed complete and balanced diets in amounts to maintain their BW and body condition score (BCS) before the present study. All cats were spayed and the diet was fed for 11 weeks using the same MER as previously. During these weeks, all cats gained weight. Beginning with week 12, a weight-loss regimen was initiated until each cat achieved a BCS of 5 out of 9. After each cat obtained a BCS of 5, an appropriate amount of diet was fed to maintain its BW for at least 4 weeks to determine a modified MER. Daily food consumption, weekly BW and BCS were monitored. Blood was collected before and after weight loss for plasma biochemistry profiles. BW and BCS increased by 16 % and one point (P < 0·01), respectively, during the first 11 weeks after surgery, although food consumption was constant both pre- and post-surgery. The mean MER after obtaining a BCS of 5 was 313·6 (sem23·6) kJ/BW0·67, which is 25 % lower than the current National Research Council recommendation and lower than the cat's requirement before surgery (P < 0·05). In conclusion, spaying significantly increased BW when using MER values for intact cats. Thus, 313·6 × ideal BW0·67 kJ is proposed for the MER of spayed adult cats.
Estimation of the dietary nutrient profile of free-roaming feral cats: possible implications for nutrition of domestic cats
Authors: Plantinga Esther A. , Bosch Guido , Hendriks Wouter H. 
Published: October 2011

Cats are strict carnivores and in the wild rely on a diet solely based on animal tissues to meet their specific and unique nutritional requirements. Although the feeding ecology of cats in the wild has been well documented in the literature, there is no information on the precise nutrient profile to which the cat's metabolism has adapted. The present study aimed to derive the dietary nutrient profile of free-living cats. Studies reporting the feeding habits of cats in the wild were reviewed and data on the nutrient composition of the consumed prey items obtained from the literature. Fifty-five studies reported feeding strategy data of cats in the wild. After specific exclusion criteria, twenty-seven studies were used to derive thirty individual dietary nutrient profiles. The results show that feral cats are obligatory carnivores, with their daily energy intake from crude protein being 52 %, from crude fat 46 % and from N-free extract only 2 %. Minerals and trace elements are consumed in relatively high concentrations compared with recommended allowances determined using empirical methods. The calculated nutrient profile may be considered the nutrient intake to which the cat's metabolic system has adapted. The present study provides insight into the nutritive, as well as possible non-nutritive aspects of a natural diet of whole prey for cats and provides novel ways to further improve feline diets to increase health and longevity.
Whole-body amino acid composition of adult fancy ranchu goldfish (Carassius auratus)
Authors: Snellgrove Donna L. , Alexander Lucille G. 
Published: October 2011

Aqua feeds should be formulated to provide complete and balanced nutrition to achieve optimal health and growth in fish, including adequate levels of essential amino acids (EAA). There are few or no data relating to the EAA requirements for ornamental fish species, with the majority of quantitative data for these nutrients being available for commercially farmed fish. The determination of EAA requirements is usually established through dose–response studies, which can be costly and time consuming, especially if determining the requirement for many amino acids (AA). An alternative method for predicting the EAA of fish, which is also relatively fast and inexpensive, is the assessment of whole-body AA composition. A total of eight goldfish with a mean wet weight of 34·2 (sem 1·4) g were obtained as a result of a routine cull by breeders. The fish were freeze-dried and AA was content analysed by hydrolysis or performic ‘acid’ oxidation. EAA values ranged between 0·97 (sem 0·02) for tryptophan and 7·9 (sem 0·14) for lysine (g/100 g AA). Compositional data were also used to estimate the essential amino acid ratios of these fish. The findings are in agreement with those for juvenile common goldfish, suggesting that there are no differences in whole-body AA composition between juvenile and adult, or fancy and common goldfish. However, these indices do not provide a quantitative total amount of each AA required by the fish, but can be used proportionally to provide guidelines to formulate diets for ornamental species.
Influence of different levels and sources of resistant starch on faecal quality of dogs of various body sizes
Authors: Goudez Raphaël , Weber Mickael , Biourge Vincent , Nguyen Patrick 
Published: October 2011

In dry-extruded canine diets, starch ileal digestibility varies with the starch source, amount and processing parameters. Starch that escapes duodeno-ileal digestion can affect faecal quality by stimulating colonic bacterial fermentation. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of various resistant starch (RS) sources and levels on the faecal score of dogs of different breeds and sizes. A total of twenty-one healthy adult female dogs (body weight ranging 5·0–30·6 kg) were used. The maintenance diet for the dogs was supplemented with increasing amounts of RS from two sources: high-amylose starch from maize (to 2·5, 4·3 and 7·4 % RS) and raw potato starch (to 7·4 and 11·4 % RS). Each level of RS was tested over a 7 d period followed by a 7 d washout period. Faecal scores were evaluated by one person using a scale ranging from 1 (for hard and dry faeces) to 5 (for liquid stools). Faeces were considered ‘optimal’ at scores of 2·5–3·0, ‘acceptable’ at scores of 3·0–3·75 and ‘unacceptable’ at scores >3·75. Small dogs showed very little sensitivity to RS based on the faecal score, while large dogs were quite responsive to RS supplementation. These results suggest that small dogs are poor models for assessing the effect of starch sources on ileal digestibility. They also indicate that a low RS content (strongly affected by source and processing) is an important factor for ensuring an optimal faecal score in large breed dogs.
The WikiLeaks Arctic cables
Authors: Dodds Klaus J. 
Published: October 2011

ABSTRACTThis note considers some of the WikiLeaks Arctic cables, and their possible implications for how we might understand the framing of the region. What matters is not so much the content of the leaked cables but rather the way in which their release stirred up debate about the underlying behaviour and motivation of interested parties, especially the Arctic Ocean coastal states. Their existence in the public domain usefully highlights the potential role for new knowledge networks and actors in the www era.
Three-dimensional information exchange over the semantic web for the domain of architecture, engineering, and construction
Authors: Pauwels Pieter , Van Deursen Davy , De Roo Jos , Van Ackere Tim , De Meyer Ronald , Van de Walle Rik , Van Campenhout Jan 
Published: October 2011

AbstractThree-dimensional (3-D) geometry can be described in many ways, with both a varying syntax and a varying semantics. As a result, several very diverse schemas and file formats can be deployed to describe geometry, depending on the application domain in question. In a multidisciplinary domain such as the domain of architecture, engineering, and construction, this range of specialized schemas makes file format conversions inevitable. The approach adopted by current conversion tools, however, often results in a loss of information, most often due to a “mistranslation” between different syntaxes and/or semantics, leading to errors and limitations in the design conception stage and to inefficiency due to the required remodeling efforts. An approach based on semantic web technology may reduce the loss of information significantly, leading to an improved processing of 3-D information and hence to an improved design practice in the architecture, engineering, and construction domain. This paper documents our investigation of the nature of this 3-D information conversion problem and how it may be encompassed using semantic web technology. In an exploratory double test case, we show how the specific deployment of semantic rule languages and an appropriate inference engine are to be adopted to improve this 3-D information exchange. It shows how semantic web technology allows the coexistence of diverse descriptions of the same 3-D information, interlinked through explicit conversion rules. Although only a simple example is used to document the process, and a more in-depth investigation is needed, the initial results indicate the suggested approach to be a useful alternative approach to obtain an improved 3-D information exchange.
Self-generation Enhances Verbal Recall in Individuals Infected with HIV
Authors: Weber Erica , Woods Steven Paul , Kellogg Emily , Grant Igor , Basso Michael R. ,   The HIV Neurobehavioral Research Program (HNRP) Group
Published: October 2011

AbstractDespite the prevalence of HIV-associated episodic memory impairment and its adverse functional impact, there are no empirically validated cognitive rehabilitation strategies for HIV-infected persons. The present study examined the self-generation approach, which is theorized to enhance new learning by elaborating and deepening encoding. Participants included 54 HIV-infected and 46 seronegative individuals, who learned paired word associates in both self-generated and didactic encoding experimental conditions. Results revealed main effects of HIV serostatus and encoding condition, but no interaction. Planned comparisons showed that both groups recalled significantly more words learned in the self-generation condition, and that HIV+ individuals recalled fewer words overall compared to their seronegative counterparts at delayed recall. Importantly, HIV+ participants with clinical memory impairment evidenced similar benefits of self-generation compared to unimpaired HIV+ subjects. Self-generation strategies may improve verbal recall in individuals with HIV infection and may, therefore, be an appropriate and potentially effective cognitive rehabilitation tool in this population. (JINS, 2012, 18, 128–133)
The Effects of Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury on Verbal and Visual-Spatial Working Memory
Authors: Gorman Stephanie , Barnes Marcia A. , Swank Paul R. , Prasad Mary , Ewing-Cobbs Linda 
Published: October 2011

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) on verbal and visual-spatial working memory (WM). WM tasks examined memory span through recall of the last item of a series of stimuli. Additionally, both verbal and visual-spatial tests had a dual-task condition assessing the effect of increasing demands on the central executive (CE). Inhibitory control processes in verbal WM were examined through intrusion errors. The TBI group (n= 73) performed more poorly on verbal and visual-spatial WM tasks than orthopedic-injured children (n= 30) and non-injured children (n= 40). All groups performed more poorly on the dual-task conditions, reflecting an effect of increasing CE load. This effect was not greater for the TBI group. There were no group differences in intrusion errors on the verbal WM task, suggesting that problems in WM experienced by children with TBI were not primarily due to difficulties in inhibitory control. Finally, injury-related characteristics, namely days to follow commands, accounted for significant variance in WM performance, after controlling for relevant demographic variables. Findings suggest that WM impairments in TBI are general rather than modality-specific and that severity indices measured over time are better predictors of WM performance than those taken at a single time point. (JINS, 2012,18, 29–38)
Reading Based IQ Estimates and Actual Premorbid Cognitive Performance: Discrepancies in a College Athlete Sample
Authors: Rabinowitz Amanda R. , Arnett Peter A. 
Published: October 2011

AbstractThe present study sought to evaluate the Wechsler Test of Adult Reading (WTAR) Full-Scale IQ (FSIQ) estimate as an index of premorbid ability in a sample 574 of healthy college athletes participating in a sports concussion management program. We compared baseline neuropsychological test performance with the WTAR FSIQ estimate obtained at baseline. Results revealed that the discrepancy between actual neuropsychological test scores and the WTAR FSIQ estimate was greatest for those with estimated FSIQs greater than 107. The clinical implication of this finding was evaluated in the 51 participants who went on to sustain a concussion. For individuals with higher IQ estimates, the WTAR estimate obtained post-concussion suggested greater post-concussion decline than that indicated by comparison with actual baseline neuropsychological performance. (JINS, 2012,18, 139–143)
A genome‐wide association study for quantitative trait loci of show‐jumping in Hanoverian warmblood horses
Authors: Schröder W. , Klostermann A. , Stock K. F. , Distl O. 
Published: October 2011

SummaryShow‐jumping is an economically important breeding goal in Hanoverian warmblood horses. The aim of this study was a genome‐wide association study (GWAS) for quantitative trait loci (QTL) for show‐jumping in Hanoverian warmblood horses, employing the Illumina equine SNP50 Beadchip. For our analyses, we genotyped 115 stallions of the National State stud of Lower Saxony. The show‐jumping talent of a horse includes style and ability in free‐jumping. To control spurious associations based on population stratification, two different mixed linear animal model (MLM) approaches were employed, besides linear models with fixed effects only and adaptive permutations for correcting multiple testing. Population stratification was explained best in the MLM considering Hanoverian, Thoroughbred, Trakehner and Holsteiner genes and the marker identity‐by‐state relationship matrix. We identified six QTL for show‐jumping on horse chromosomes (ECA) 1, 8, 9 and 26 (−log10P‐value >5) and further putative QTL with −log10P‐values of 3–5 on ECA1, 3, 11, 17 and 21. Within six QTL regions, we identified human performance‐related genes including PAPSS2 on ECA1, MYL2 on ECA8, TRHR on ECA9 and GABPA on ECA26 and within the putative QTL regions NRAP on ECA1, and TBX4 on ECA11. The results of our GWAS suggest that genes involved in muscle structure, development and metabolism are crucial for elite show‐jumping performance. Further studies are required to validate these QTL in larger data sets and further horse populations.
Review of guidelines for the prevention and treatment of infection in patients with an absent or dysfunctional spleen: Prepared on behalf of the British Committee for Standards in Haematology by a Working Party of the Haemato‐Oncology Task Force
Authors: Davies John M. , Lewis Michael P. N. , Wimperis Jennie , Rafi Imran , Ladhani Shamez , Bolton‐Maggs Paula H. B. 
Published: October 2011

SummaryGuidelines for the prevention and treatment of infection in patients with an absent or dysfunctional spleen were first published by the British Committee for Standards in Haematology (BCSH) in 1996 and formally reviewed in 2002. Although the guidelines originated from discussion within the BCSH, the intended readership is wide given the multidisciplinary nature of the management of hyposplenism.
Immunology in the Clinic Review Series; focus on allergies: immunotherapy for food allergy
Authors: Mousallem T , Burks A W 
Published: October 2011

SummaryOTHER THEMES PUBLISHED IN THIS IMMUNOLOGY IN THE CLINIC REVIEW SERIESMetabolic Diseases, Host Responses, Cancer, Autoinflammatory Diseases, Type 1 diabetes and viruses.There is no approved therapy for food allergy. The current standard of care is elimination of the triggering food from the diet and accessibility to epinephrine. Immunotherapy is a promising treatment approach. While desensitization to most foods seems feasible, it remains unclear if a permanent state of tolerance is achievable. The research team at Duke is pioneering immunotherapy for food allergies. Work here has evolved over time from small open-label pilot studies to larger randomized designs. Our data show that immunological changes associated with immunotherapy include reduction in mast cell reactivity, decreased basophil responses, decreased specific-immunoglobulin (Ig)E, increased IgG4 and induction of regulatory T cells. Immunotherapy has generated much excitement in the food allergy community; however, further studies are needed before it is ready for clinical use.
Immunology in the Clinic Review Series; focus on host responses: invariant natural killer T cell activation following transplantation
Authors: Jukes J-P , Jones N D 
Published: October 2011

SummaryOTHER THEMES PUBLISHED IN THIS IMMUNOLOGY IN THE CLINIC REVIEW SERIESAllergy, Metabolic Diseases, Cancer, Autoinflammatory Diseases, Type 1 diabetes and viruses.Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells have been shown to play a key role in the regulation of immunity in health and disease. However, iNKT cell responses have also been found to influence both rejection and the induction of tolerance following transplantation of allogeneic cells or organs. Although a number of mechanisms have been identified that lead to iNKT cell activation, how iNKT cells are activated following transplantation remains unknown. This review will attempt to identify potential mechanisms of iNKT cell activation in the context of transplantation by applying knowledge garnered from other disease situations. Furthermore, we put forward a novel mechanism of iNKT cell activation which we believe may be the dominant mechanism responsible for iNKT activation in this setting, i.e. bystander activation by interleukin-2 secreted by recently activated conventional T cells.
Immunology in the Clinic Review Series; focus on allergies: basophils as biomarkers for assessing immune modulation
Authors: Patil S U , Shreffler W G 
Published: October 2011

SummaryOTHER THEMES PUBLISHED IN THIS IMMUNOLOGY IN THE CLINIC REVIEW SERIESMetabolic Diseases, Host Responses, Cancer, Autoinflammatory Diseases, Type 1 diabetes and viruses.Allergen-specific immunotherapy is an effective clinical treatment for hypersensitivity to many allergens. Studies of basophils during immunotherapy have provided insight into underlying immune mechanisms and support the potential use of basophil activation as a biomarker of clinical outcomes. This review examines the evidence for different pathways of basophil modulation associated with various forms of immunotherapy. Better understanding the molecular mechanisms of basophil activation and desensitization and the relationship between suppression of these effector cells to clinical outcomes holds promise for further development and improvement in potential therapies for allergic diseases.
Making sense of heat tolerance estimates in ectotherms: lessons fromDrosophila
Authors: Santos Mauro , Castañeda Luis E. , Rezende Enrico L. 
Published: October 2011

Summary1. An increasing body of knowledge suggests that the estimation of critical upper thermal limits (CTmax) is highly dependent on the experimental methodology employed. Here, we employ a theoretical approach to analyse how estimates of CTmax(knock‐down temperatures and times) are affected by measurement protocol.2. Our model is able to reproduce the results of empirical studies onDrosophila melanogaster, suggesting that it adequately mimics organismal responses during assays. With simulated data sets, we also show that many experimental protocols result in unreliable and often highly biased estimates of CTmaxinDrosophilaand possibly in other ectotherms.3. The confounding effects of stochasticity, resource depletion (or fatigue) and short‐term acclimatory responses are expected to be higher in longer assays, and therefore, short assays should be generally preferred. The experimental protocol of choice must also take into consideration the range in which measurement accuracy is not affected and the potential problems of thermal inertia in larger organisms.4. Our findings justify previous concerns that the methodology may have a greater impact on estimates of CTmaxthan the biological process under study, and explain why many studies on the subject have often reported inconsistent and even contradictory results.
Life in the really slow lane: loggerhead sea turtles mature late relative to other reptiles
Authors: Scott Rebecca , Marsh Robert , Hays Graeme C. 
Published: October 2011

Summary1. Age at maturity is hard to estimate for species that cannot be directly marked or observed throughout their lives and yet is a key demographic parameter that is needed to assess the conservation status of endangered species.2. For loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) in the North Atlantic and North Pacific, juvenile growth rates (c. 10 cm year−1) were calculated by examining size increases during transoceanic journeys; durations of which were estimated from satellite‐tracked Lagrangian surface drifter buoy trajectories.3. Lagrangian‐derived growth estimates were used in a weighted loglinear model of size‐specific growth rates for loggerhead turtles and combined with newly available information on size at maturity to estimate an age at maturity of 45 years (older than past estimates).4. By examining the age at maturity for 79 reptile species, we show that loggerhead turtles, along with other large‐bodied Testudine (turtle and tortoise) species, take longer to reach maturity than other reptile species of comparable sizes. This finding heightens concern over the future sustainability of turtle populations. By maturing at an old age, sea turtles will be less resilient to anthropogenic mortality than previously suspected.