bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genotypic selection shapes patterns of within‐species diversity in experimental plant populations
Authors: Stuefer Josef F. , Anten Niels P. R. , De Kroon Hans , Peters Janny L. , Smit‐Tiekstra Annemiek , Vermeulen Peter J. , During Heinjo J. 
Published: July 2009

Summary1. An increasing body of evidence suggests that within‐species diversity plays an important role for community and ecosystem functioning, alters complex trophic interactions and affects patterns of species diversity and coexistence. Nonetheless, we lack a good understanding of how genotypic trait variation translates into shifts in the relative abundance of genotypes within populations.2. In this study, we show that genotypic selection strongly alters dominance relationships among genotypes over a period of 5 years. This resulted in remarkably consistent changes in the proportional representation of genotypes, and in a concomitant decline of diversity and evenness in our experimental populations.3. High growth rates and the production of large offspring were positively associated with genotypic performance. Vegetative abundances of genotypes translated monotonically into flowering frequencies.4. Synthesis. We conclude that genotypic selection markedly affects patterns of diversity and consistently alters genotypic abundance and mean trait distributions in plant populations over a relatively short period of time.
A narrative review of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and implications for its use in an alcohol‐dependent population
Authors: MCPHERSON A. , MARTIN C. R. 
Published: July 2009

Accessible summary

The findings from the present study reveal that the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) is a reliable and valid instrument for measuring depression in a variety of populations. This realization should enable nurses and other health professionals to utilize the tool with added confidence and assurance.
The main finding was that the BDI would probably be a reliable and valid screening tool in an alcohol‐dependent population. This conclusion appears to echo the relationship that alcohol consumption generally has with depression. This finding is important to those practitioners using the BDI in this population in that it provides further evidence to enhance their practical experience.

AbstractA psychometric evaluation of the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) was carried out on contemporary studies to ascertain its suitability for use in an alcohol‐dependent population. Three criteria were used for this: factor analysis, test–retest reliability and internal consistency reliability. Factor analysis revealed that its structure is consistent with either two or three factor models, depending on the population. Test–retest results concluded that the correlation coefficient remained above the recommended threshold and internal consistency reliability highlighted alpha coefficient results consistently above suggested scores, leading to the conclusion that the BDI is probably an effective screening tool in an alcohol‐dependent population.
No persisting effect of partial sleep curtailment on cognitive performance and declarative memory recall in adolescents
Authors: KOPASZ MARTA , LOESSL BARBARA , VALERIUS GABRIELE , KOENIG EVA , MATTHAEAS NORA , HORNYAK MAGDOLNA , KLOEPFER CORINNA , NISSEN CHRISTOPH , RIEMANN DIETER , VODERHOLZER ULRICH 
Published: July 2009

SummaryGrowing evidence indicates that sleep facilitates learning and memory processing. Sleep curtailment is increasingly common in adolescents. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of short‐term sleep curtailment on declarative memory consolidation in adolescents. A randomized, cross‐over study design was chosen. Twenty‐two healthy subjects, aged 14–16 years, spent three consecutive nights in the sleep laboratory with a bedtime of 9 h during the first night (adaptation), 4 h during the second (partial sleep curtailment) and 9 h during the third night (recovery). The control condition consisted of three consecutive nights with bedtimes of 9 h. Both experimental conditions were separated by at least 3 weeks. The acquisition phase for the declarative tests was between 16:00 and 18:00 hours before the second night. Memory performance was examined in the morning after the recovery night. Executive function, attention and concentration were also assessed to control for any possible effects of tiredness. During the 4‐h night, we observed a curtailment of 50% of non‐rapid eye movement (non‐REM), 5% of slow wave sleep (SWS) and 70% of REM sleep compared with the control night. Partial sleep curtailment of one night did not influence declarative memory retrieval significantly. Recall in the paired‐associate word list task was correlated positively with percentage of non‐REM sleep in the recovery night. Declarative memory consolidation does not appear to be influenced by short‐term sleep curtailment in adolescents. This may be explained by the high ability of adolescents to compensate for acute sleep loss. The correlation between non‐REM sleep and declarative memory performance supports earlier findings.
The bZIP‐type transcription factor FlbB regulates distinct morphogenetic stages of colony formation in Aspergillus nidulans
Authors: Etxebeste Oier , Herrero‐García Erika , Araújo‐Bazán Lidia , Rodríguez‐Urra Ana B. , Garzia Aitor , Ugalde Unai , Espeso Eduardo A. 
Published: July 2009

SummaryConidiophore formation in Aspergillus nidulans involves a developmental programme in which vegetative hyphae give rise to an ordered succession of differentiated cells: foot cell, stalk, vesicle, metulae, phialides and conidia. The developmental transition requires factors that are expressed in vegetative hyphae that activate the expression of the main regulator of conidiation, BrlA. One such element is the bZIP‐type transcription factor FlbB. We found that flbB‐ mutants show defective branching patterns and are susceptible to autolysis under high sorbitol or sucrose concentrations, revealing a role in vegetative growth. In addition, FlbB plays a role in conidiophore initiation, as its upregulation reduces conidiophore vesicle swelling and generates a reduced number of metulae. FlbB was located at the tip of growing metulae, following a similar pattern as described in vegetative hyphae. In wild‐type strains, the transition from metulae to phialides could be reversed to generate vegetative hyphae, indicating the existence of a specific control point at this stage of conidiophore formation. The combined evidence points to FlbB as a key factor in the transition to asexual development, playing a role at various control points in which the process could be reversed.
Genetic determination of essential residues of the Vibrio cholerae actin cross‐linking domain reveals functional similarity with glutamine synthetases
Authors: Geissler Brett , Bonebrake Amanda , Sheahan Kerri‐Lynn , Walker Margaret E. , Satchell Karla J. F. 
Published: July 2009

SummaryActin cross‐linking domains (ACDs) are distinct domains found in several bacterial toxins, including the Vibrio cholerae MARTX toxin. The ACD of V. cholerae (ACDVc) catalyses the formation of an irreversible iso‐peptide bond between lysine 50 and glutamic acid 270 on two actin molecules in an ATP‐ and Mg/Mn2+‐dependent manner. In vivo, cross‐linking depletes the cellular pool of G‐actin leading to actin cytoskeleton depolymerization. While the actin cross‐linking reaction performed by these effector domains has been significantly characterized, the ACDVc catalytic site has remained elusive due to lack of significant homology to known proteins. Using multiple genetic approaches, we have identified regions and amino acids of ACDVc required for full actin cross‐linking activity. Then, using these functional data and structural homology predictions, it was determined that several residues demonstrated to be important for ACDVc activity are conserved with active‐site residues of the glutamine synthetase family of enzymes. Thus, the ACDs are a family of bacterial toxin effectors that may be evolutionarily related to ligases involved in amino acid biosynthesis.
A novel genetic switch controls phase variable expression of CwpV, a Clostridium difficile cell wall protein
Authors: Emerson Jenny E. , Reynolds Catherine B. , Fagan Robert P. , Shaw Helen A. , Goulding David , Fairweather Neil F. 
Published: July 2009

Summary Clostridium difficile is a nosocomial pathogen that can cause severe gastrointestinal infections. C. difficile encodes a family of cell wall proteins, some of which are implicated in pathogenesis. Here we have characterized CwpV, the largest member of this family. CwpV is surface expressed and post‐translationally processed in a manner analogous to the major S‐layer protein SlpA. Expression of cwpV is phase variable, with approximately 5% of cells in a population expressing the protein under standard laboratory growth conditions. Upstream of cwpV, inverted repeats flank a 195 bp sequence which undergoes DNA inversion. Use of a gusA transcriptional reporter demonstrated that phase variation is mediated by DNA inversion; in one orientation cwpV is expressed while in the opposite orientation the gene is silent. The inversion region contains neither the promoter nor any of the open reading frame, therefore this system differs from previously described phase variation mechanisms. The cwpV promoter is located upstream of the inversion region and we propose a model of phase variation based on intrinsic terminator formation in the OFF transcript. A C. difficile site‐specific recombinase able to catalyse the inversion has been identified.
Functional conservation of the lipid II biosynthesis pathway in the cell wall‐less bacteria Chlamydia and Wolbachia: why is lipid II needed?
Authors: Henrichfreise Beate , Schiefer Andrea , Schneider Tanja , Nzukou Edith , Poellinger Christina , Hoffmann Theo‐Julian , Johnston Kelly L. , Moelleken Katja , Wiedemann Imke , Pfarr Kenneth , Hoerauf Achim , Sahl Hans Georg 
Published: July 2009

SummaryCell division and cell wall biosynthesis in prokaryotes are driven by partially overlapping multiprotein machineries whose activities are tightly controlled and co‐ordinated. So far, a number of protein components have been identified and acknowledged as essential for both fundamental cellular processes. Genes for enzymes of both machineries have been found in the genomes of the cell wall‐less genera Chlamydia and Wolbachia, raising questions as to the functionality of the lipid II biosynthesis pathway and reasons for its conservation. We provide evidence on three levels that the lipid II biosynthesis pathway is indeed functional and essential in both genera: (i) fosfomycin, an inhibitor of MurA, catalysing the initial reaction in lipid II biosynthesis, has a detrimental effect on growth of Wolbachia cells; (ii) isolated cytoplasmic membranes from Wolbachia synthesize lipid II ex vivo; and (iii) recombinant MraY and MurG from Chlamydia and Wolbachia exhibit in vitro activity, synthesizing lipid I and lipid II respectively. We discuss the hypothesis that the necessity for maintaining lipid II biosynthesis in cell wall‐lacking bacteria reflects an essential role of the precursor in prokaryotic cell division. Our results also indicate that the lipid II pathway may be exploited as an antibacterial target for chlamydial and filarial infections.
Do smaller adults wait longer for liver transplantation? A comparison of the UK and the USA data
Authors: Young Alastair L. , Peters Christopher J. , Pocock Philip V. , Millson Charlie E. , Prasad K. Rajendra 
Published: July 2009

Young AL, Peters CJ, Pocock PV, Millson CE, Prasad KR. Do smaller adults wait longer for liver transplantation? A comparison of the UK and the USA data. Clin Transplant 2009 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399‐0012.2009.01037.x © 2009 John Wiley & Sons A/S.Abstract: Background:  The number of patients on the UK and the USA liver transplant list is increasing. As size match is an important factor in the UK organ allocation, we studied the effect of recipient size on liver transplantation in the UK and the USA.Methods:  The UK Transplant and United Network for Organ Sharing databases were used to assess difference in access to transplantation between smaller adult patients and their larger counterparts over three time periods. Subsequently, proportions of split, NHBD and living‐donor transplants were analyzed.Results:  There were 1576 UK and 29 150 USA patients in our analysis. The UK small patients have been significantly disadvantaged in access to transplantation particularly in early years and in adult only transplant units. This contrasts to the USA where smaller patients have never been disadvantaged and transplantation rates are steadily increasing. Split‐liver transplants are being carried out in increasing numbers in the UK but not the USA.Conclusions:  Small adults are still less likely to be transplanted at six months in adult only units in the UK. The lack of size matched organs for smaller adults and the overall decrease in rates of transplantation in the UK may be remedied by careful consideration of allocation policy and increased use of innovative techniques.
Impulsive choice in hippocampal but not orbitofrontal cortex‐lesioned rats on a nonspatial decision‐making maze task
Authors: Mariano T. Y. , Bannerman D. M. , McHugh S. B. , Preston T. J. , Rudebeck P. H. , Rudebeck S. R. , Rawlins J. N. P. , Walton M. E. , Rushworth M. F. S. , Baxter M. G. , Campbell T. G. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractOrbitofrontal cortical (OFC) and hippocampal (HPC) lesions in primates and rodents have been associated with impulsive behaviour. We showed previously that OFC‐ or HPC‐lesioned rats chose the immediate low‐reward (LR) option in preference to the delayed high‐reward (HR) option, where LR and HR were associated with different spatial responses in a uniform grey T‐maze. We now report that on a novel nonspatial T‐maze task in which the HR and LR options are associated with patterned goal arms (black‐and‐white stripes vs. gray), OFC‐lesioned rats did not show impulsive behaviour, choosing the delayed HR option, and were indistinguishable from controls. In contrast, HPC‐lesioned rats exhibited impulsive choice in the nonspatial decision‐making task, although they chose the HR option on the majority of trials when there was a 10‐s delay associated with both goal arms. The previously reported impairment in OFC‐lesioned rats on the spatial version of the intertemporal choice task is unlikely to reflect a general problem with spatial learning, because OFC lesions were without effect on acquisition of the standard reference memory water‐maze task and spatial working memory performance (nonmatching‐to‐place) on the T‐maze. The differential effect of OFC lesions on the two versions of the intertemporal choice task may be explained instead in terms of the putative role of OFC in using associative information to represent expected outcomes and generate predictions. The impulsivity in HPC‐lesioned rats may reflect impaired temporal information processing, and emphasizes a role for the hippocampus beyond the spatial domain.
Altered volume and hemispheric asymmetry of the superficial cortical layers in the schizophrenia planum temporale
Authors: Smiley John F. , Rosoklija Gorazd , Mancevski Branislav , Mann J. John , Dwork Andrew J. , Javitt Daniel C. 
Published: July 2009

Abstract In vivo structural MRI studies in schizophrenia auditory cerebral cortex have reported smaller volumes and, less consistently, have reported altered hemispheric asymmetry of volumes. We used autopsy brains from 19 schizophrenia and 18 nonpsychiatric male subjects to measure the volume asymmetry of the planum temporal (PT). We then used the most recently autopsied 11 schizophrenia and 10 nonpsychiatric brains to measure the widths and fractional volumes of the upper (I–III) and lower (IV–VI) layers. Measurements of whole PT gray matter volumes did not show significant changes in schizophrenia. Nevertheless, laminar volume measurements revealed that the upper layers of the PT comprise a smaller fraction of the total cortex in schizophrenia than in nonpsychiatric brains. Subdivision of the PT showed that this change was especially prominent caudally, beyond Heschl’s gyrus, whereas similar but less pronounced changes were found in the rostral PT and Heschl’s gyrus. Complementary measures of laminar widths showed that the altered fractional volume in the caudal left PT was due mainly to ∼8% thinner upper layers. However, the caudal right PT had a different profile, with thicker lower layers and comparatively unchanged upper layers. Thus, in the present study, laminar measurements provided a more sensitive method for detecting changes than measurement of whole PT volumes. Besides findings in schizophrenia, our cortical width measurements revealed normal hemispheric asymmetries consistent with previous reports. In schizophrenia, the thinner upper layers of the caudal PT suggest disrupted corticocortical processing, possibly affecting the multisensory integration and phonetic processing of this region.
The impact of child and adolescent obesity treatment interventions on physical activity: a systematic review
Authors: Cliff D. P. , Okely A. D. , Morgan P. J. , Jones R. A. , Steele J. R. 
Published: July 2009

SummaryEfforts to treat obesity in childhood and adolescence would benefit from a greater understanding of evidence‐based strategies to modify physical activity behaviour. A systematic review was conducted to examine the impact of child and adolescent obesity treatment interventions on physical activity. Studies included were randomized controlled trials or controlled trials, with overweight and obese youth (aged < 18 years), which reported statistical analysis of free‐living physical activity at pretreatment and post‐treatment. Two independent reviewers assessed each study for methodological quality. Seventeen child and three adolescent studies were retrieved, half of which were conducted in the USA. Studies were characterized by small samples of limited cultural and economic diversity. Fifteen studies reported an increase in at least one physical activity outcome at post‐test or follow‐up. Overall, study quality was rated as low (child median score = 3/10, range = 0–9; adolescent median score = 3/10, range = 2–5) with three child studies classified as high quality (≥6/10). Research evaluating the effect of child and adolescent obesity treatment trials on physical activity is limited in both quantity and quality. Studies testing innovative, theoretically driven treatment approaches that use robust methodologies are required to better understand generalizable approaches for promoting physical activity participation among obese youth.
Employee Representation and Consultative Voice in Multinational Companies Operating in Britain
Authors: Marginson Paul , Edwards Paul , Edwards Tony , Ferner Anthony , Tregaskis Olga 
Published: July 2009

AbstractMultinational companies (MNCs) from different countries of origin are widely held to have distinct preferences regarding the presence of employee representative structures and the form that employee ‘voice’ over management decisions takes. Such preferences are said to derive from the national models that prevail in the different countries of origin in which MNCs are based. Findings from a large‐scale survey of the UK operations of MNCs indicate that country‐of‐origin influences on patterns of employee representation and emphasis on direct or indirect channels of employee ‘voice’ are attenuated by other factors, notably sector and method of growth. They also reveal significant recent innovation in representation and voice arrangements by this key group of employers.
The feeling of tiredness among Swedish parents: a longitudinal cohort comparison
Authors: Nilsson Karina 
Published: July 2009

Nilsson K. The feeling of tiredness among Swedish parents: a longitudinal cohort comparisonInt J Soc Welfare 2010: 19: 424–432 © 2009 The Author, Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.In Europe, there is an ongoing debate on how to combine work and family life, a problem many women face today. Implicit in this debate is that women are more affected by having children compared with women in earlier generations. This article presents a cohort study on how Swedish women and men's reported feelings of tiredness is affected by having children. Longitudinal results representing three cohorts show that both men and women in general report more feelings of tiredness in the early 2000s compared with the 1980s. Being a first‐time mother or father is connected with more feelings of tiredness among the latest cohort studied. However, when control variables are included, the effect of becoming a first‐time parent weakens, especially for men. Finally, the effect of becoming a first‐time mother is no longer significant when controlling for age.
A comparative study of the relationship between pension plans and individual savings in Asian countries from an institutional point of view
Authors: Hur Mann Hyung 
Published: July 2009

Hur MH. A comparative study of the relationship between pension plans and individual savings in Asian countries from an institutional point of viewInt J Soc Welfare 2010: 19: 379–389 © 2009 The Author, Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare.This study identifies various saving plans used as alternative pension plans in Asian countries and examines the extent to which these saving plans contribute to their pension schemes. Data were collected from six Asian countries: China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singapore and Taiwan. The comparison concentrates on an examination of differences and similarities in individual countries' privately managed pension schemes and saving plans. This study suggests that a pension system does not have to be a privately managed plan to encourage individual savings. A critical point for individual savings was avoiding a defined benefit plan. On the basis of these findings, a typology of relationships between second and third pillars and provident funds and incentive systems for individual savings was developed.
Metabolic acidosis at birth and suboptimal care – illustration of the gap between knowledge and clinical practice
Authors: Jonsson M , Nordén‐Lindeberg S , Östlund I , Hanson U 
Published: July 2009

Objective  To evaluate the occurrence and nature of suboptimal intrapartum care in cases with metabolic acidosis in the newborn, and to estimate the degree to which this may be prevented.Design  Case–control study. Clinical audit.Setting  Delivery units at two university hospitals in Sweden.Population  Out of 28 486 deliveries, 161 neonates ≥34 weeks of gestational age were born with metabolic acidosis.Methods  Cases (n = 161): umbilical artery pH < 7.05 and base deficit ≥12 mmol/l. Controls (n = 322): pH ≥ 7.05 and Apgar score ≥7 at 5 minutes. Obstetric characteristics and oxytocin administration were recorded. The last 2 hours of electronic fetal monitoring before delivery were evaluated blinded to outcome. Intrapartum management was analysed for suboptimal care by using predefined criteria.Main outcome measure  Suboptimal intrapartum care.Results  Case and control comparisons displayed an occurrence of suboptimal care in 49.1% versus 13.0% (P < 0.001), oxytocin misuse in 46.6% versus 13.0% (P < 0.001), a failure to respond to a pathological cardiotocographic pattern in 19.9% versus 1.2% (P < 0.001) and suboptimal care related to vacuum deliveries in 3.1% versus 0.3% (P < 0.01) respectively.Conclusion  Metabolic acidosis at birth is often associated with suboptimal intrapartum care. The high rate of suboptimal care with regard to oxytocin use and fetal surveillance illustrate a gap between guidelines and clinical practice. Metabolic acidosis and related neonatal morbidity could potentially be prevented in 40–50% of cases. The adherence to guidelines must be checked.