bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of landrace germplasm, non-conventional habit and regional cultivar selection on forage and seed yield of organically grown lucerne in Italy
Authors: ANNICCHIARICO P. , PECETTI L. , TORRICELLI R. 
Published: August 2011

SUMMARYOrganically grown lucerne (Medicago sativa L.) should ensure sufficiently high forage and seed yields to sustain the profitability of organic production chains. Twenty lucerne populations were evaluated for forage dry matter (DM) yield over 3 years (2005–7), and for seed yield and its components in the third year, under organic management and a mowing regime in Lodi (sub-continental climate with sandy-loam soil) and Perugia (sub-Mediterranean climate with silty-clay soil). The objectives were to assess the impact on lucerne forage and seed yield of: (i) type of germplasm (landrace or commercial cultivar); (ii) plant growth habit (erect or non-conventional); (iii) area of germplasm origin or selection (northern Italy north of the Po river, NI-N; northern Italy south of the Po river, NI-S; central Italy, CI). The populations included seven cultivars selected under conventional management and one selected under organic management, seven landraces and five breeding selections, of which one was semi-erect and one was semi-prostrate. On average, cultivar and landrace germplasm types did not differ for forage or seed yield in any geographic set of populations (NI-N, NI-S or CI), except for the higher seed yield of landraces in one set. Compared with erect germplasm, semi-prostrate germplasm exhibited distinctly lower forage and seed yield, especially where weed competition was severe (Lodi) because of poor competitive ability. Semi-erect germplasm tended to have lower forage yield across locations. Specific adaptation was the main determinant of forage and seed yield responses of landraces and cultivars. Erect populations originated in NI-N were high yielding in the test site similar to NI-N environments (Lodi) and low yielding in the location representing CI environments (Perugia). Populations that originated in CI, including the cultivar selected under organic management, displayed the opposite adaptive response. Populations that originated in NI-S, whose major environmental characteristics were somewhat intermediate between NI-N and CI, tended to be mid-ranking for forage and seed yield in each site. The large cross-over population×location interaction was confirmed by the lack of genetic correlation for forage yield (rg=−0·25, P>0·20) and the negative genetic correlation for seed yield (rg=−0·68, P<0·05) of populations across locations. No genetic correlation across locations was found for density of fertile tillers and pod fertility. The association of population seed yield with its component traits was site-specific. Cropping and seed multiplication of locally adapted erect cultivars have paramount importance for mown organically grown lucerne in Italy.
Immune monitoring ofTrichuris suisegg therapy in multiple sclerosis patients
Authors: Benzel F. , Erdur H. , Kohler S. , Frentsch M. , Thiel A. , Harms L. , Wandinger K.-P. , Rosche B. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractInitial clinical trials usingTrichuris suiseggs (TSO) in autoimmune diseases such as inflammatory bowel disease, revealed a striking suppressive effect on the autoimmune response. Here, we analysed the effect of TSO therapy on the course of multiple sclerosis (MS), as a Th1/Th17-associated autoimmune disease. Different immunological parameters in four patients with secondary progressive MS were surveyed during a 6-month therapy with TSO, focusing on the modulation of T-cell Th1–Th2 balance as well as on the innate immune response. We are able to show a slight downregulation of the Th1-associated cytokine pattern, especially relevant in interleukin (IL)-2 (P < 0.05 after 2 months of therapy), with a temporary increase of Th2-associated cytokines such as IL-4. Furthermore, mild eosinophily and changes in CD4+ and CD8+T cells and natural killer (NK) CD56 bright cell numbers were observed. The findings observed in this group of patients suggest that TSO therapy has a moderate immunomodulatory impact in MS.
Quality of rabbit vitrified/thawed transgenic embryos
Authors: Chrenek P. , Turanová Z. , Slamečka J. , Makarevich A. V. 
Published: August 2011

SummaryThe aim of our study was to investigate the influence of vitrification on developmental rate and quality (total number of cells, number of blastomeres in inner cell mass (ICM) area, apoptotic index and embryo diameter) of transgenic (carrying an endogenous–hFVIII or exogenous–enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) gene) rabbit embryos. EGFP-positive rabbit embryos were produced under in vitro conditions by the microinjection of foreign genes into the pronucleus of fertilized eggs. The transgenic rabbit embryos with the hFVIII gene were produced by mating homozygous transgenic rabbits and flushing at the single-cell stage. Developmental rate of vitrified/thawed transgenic embryos that reached hatching blastocyst stage (68.00% and 69.00%) and differed significantly (p < 0.001) from those in control embryos (100.00%). Significant difference (p < 0.05) was found in total cell counts between control (117.00 ± 36.00) and vitrified (141.00 ± 34.80) hFVIII-positive embryos. The higher proportion of ICM cells (32.00%) and greatest embryo diameter (130.85 ± 10.90) were found in the control group compared with the transgenic. Ratio of apoptotic cells was significantly higher (p < 0.01) in the control group (2.50%) and vitrified EGFP-positive embryos (2.90%) compared with the vitrified, hFVIII-positive group of embryos (0.70%). Our results demonstrate that neither gene microinjection itself, nor exogenous (EGFP) and endogenous (hFVIII) gene expression interferes with developmental rate and quality of rabbit embryos. However, a combination of microinjection and vitrification significantly decreases (p < 0.001) the survival rate of rabbit embryos.
Structural analysis of oocytes, post-fertilization events and embryonic development of the Brazilian endangered teleost Brycon insignis (Characiformes)
Authors: Isaú Ziara A. , Rizzo Elizete , Amaral Thiciana B. , Mourad Natália M.N. , Viveiros Ana T.M. 
Published: August 2011

SummaryThe aim of this study was to evaluate the oocytes, post-fertilization events and embryonic development in Brycon insignis, under both scanning electron microscopy and stereomicroscopy. Oocytes and embryos were sampled from spawning up to hatching. Stripped oocytes were spherical, non-adhesive, greenish-brown, possessed a single micropyle, pore-canals and had a mean diameter of 1.46 mm. In 63% of oocytes the germinal vesicle was peripheric. The main post-fertilization events were the fertilization cone formation (20 s), micropyle closure (100–180 s) and agglutination of supernumerary spermatozoa (100–180 s). Embryonic development lasted 30 h at ~24 °C and was characterized by seven stages. Zygote, cleavage, blastula and gastrula stages were first observed at 0.25, 1, 3 and 6 h post-fertilization, respectively. Fertilization rate was determined at the moment of blastopore closure, 10–11 h post-fertilization. The segmentation stage began at 11 h post-fertilization and comprised the development of somites, notochord, optic, otic and Kupffer's vesicles, neural tube, primitive intestine, and development and release of the tail. The larval stage began 21 h post-fertilization and was characterized by the presence of somites, growth and elongation of the larvae. At the hatching stage, embryos presented vigorous contractions of the tail and body leading to chorion rupture (30 h). The morphological characteristics described for B. insignis were similar to that described for other teleost species, and such knowledge is important for a better understanding of reproductive features of a species and useful for ecological and conservational studies.
Effect of different culture systems on mRNA expression in developing rabbit embryos
Authors: Saenz-de-Juano M.D. , Naturil-Alfonso C. , Vicente J.S. , Marco-Jiménez F. 
Published: August 2011

SummaryThe rate of zygotes in vitro developed to hatched blastocyst stage was evaluated between two different commercial media (TCM-199 and Ham's F10) and two different culture systems (renewal and non-renewal single medium) to determine the effects of culture conditions on rabbit embryo preimplantation development. The relative transcript abundances of OCT4, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (erbB3) of resultant blastocysts were also analysed and compared with in vivo developed blastocysts. Results showed an important divergence in mRNA expression between embryos developed under in vivo and in vitro conditions despite there being no significant difference in hatching blastocyst rates between different culture systems and different media. For OCT4, transcript abundance of in vitro culture embryos differs from their in vivo chronological counterparts, but, when the medium is renewed, mRNA expression seemed similar to in vivo developed 4-day-old embryos. In addition, VEGF and erbB3 expression showed marked variation between different in vitro conditions. Therefore, the study of specific transcript abundance in rabbit blastocyst provides a more detailed description of which alterations in gene expression occur due in vitro conditions, and further studies should be carried out to reduce current limitations of long-term culture of rabbit pre-implantation embryos.
Clergy-laity support and patients’ mood during serious illness: A cross-sectional epidemiologic study
Authors: Hays Judith C. , Wood Laura , Steinhauser Karen , Olson Maren K. , Lindquist Jennifer H. , Tulsky James A. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractObjectives:Religious participation is positively associated with mental health, but attendance at worship services declines during serious illness. This study assessed whether home visits by clergy or laity provide benefits to seriously ill patients who may have difficulty attending religious services.Method:A cross-sectional study design nested in an observational epidemiologic cohort study was used. The regionally representative sample of patients had metastatic lung, colorectal, breast, and prostate cancer (n = 70); Class III and IV congestive heart failure (n = 70); or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease with hypercapnea (n = 70) and were observed regarding clergy–laity support in their natural environments. Dependent variable: 10-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies – Depression Scale. Independent variable: A one-item question measuring how much helpful support patients received from clergy or other persons from church, temple, synagogue, or mosque. Covariates: demographic, health, social support, religiousness.Results:Depressed mood was negatively associated with clergy–laity support in a non-linear pattern. Depressed mood was also positively associated with functional deficits and a lifetime history of difficulties related to religious involvement.Significance of results:In lieu of worship attendance when people are sick, home visits by members of a patient's religious community may bolster mood by providing continuity of instrumental, emotional, and spiritual support.
The existence of species rests on a metastable equilibrium between inbreeding and outbreeding
Authors: Joly Etienne 
Published: August 2011

Abstract
Background:
Speciation corresponds to the progressive establishment of reproductive barriers between groups of individuals derived from an ancestral stock. Since Darwin did not believe that reproductive barriers could be selected for, he proposed that most events of speciation would occur through a process of separation and divergence, and this point of view is still shared by most evolutionary biologists today.

Results:
I do, however, contend that, if so much speciation occurs, it must result from a process of natural selection, whereby it is advantageous for individuals to reproduce preferentially within a group and reduce their breeding with the rest of the population, leading to a model whereby new species arise not by populations splitting into separate branches, but by small inbreeding groups “budding” from an ancestral stock. This would be driven by several advantages of inbreeding, and mainly by advantageous recessive phenotypes, which could only be retained in the context of inbreeding. Reproductive barriers would thus not arise passively as a consequence of drift in isolated populations, but under the selective pressure of ancestral stocks. Most documented cases of speciation in natural populations appear to fit the model proposed, with more speciation occurring in populations with high inbreeding coefficients, many recessive characters identified as central to the phenomenon of speciation, with these recessive mutations expected to be surrounded by patterns of limited genomic diversity.

Conclusions:
Whilst adaptive evolution would correspond to gains of function that would, most of the time, be dominant, the phenomenon of speciation would thus be driven by mutations resulting in the advantageous loss of certain functions since recessive mutations very often correspond to the inactivation of a gene. A very important further advantage of inbreeding is that it reduces the accumulation of recessive mutations in genomes. A consequence of the model proposed is that the existence of species would correspond to a metastable equilibrium between inbreeding and outbreeding, with excessive inbreeding promoting speciation, and excessive outbreeding resulting in irreversible accumulation of recessive mutations that could ultimately only lead to the extinction.
Novel NIR Spectroscopy Correlation Approach to Amino Acid Analysis of Soybean Proteins for Composition Improvements. (Version 2.0)
Authors: Prisecaru Valentin , Baianu I. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractAmino acid NIR calibrations were developed in our Physical Chemistry of Foods Laboratory of the University of Illinois at Urbana for three selected amino acid groups that include essential amino acids for identified soybean accessions. Conventional “wet chemistry” analytical methods are time-consuming and costly. As a result, soybean breeders and researchers have an imperative need to utilize faster and less expensive methods. NIR Spectroscopy is a rapid and inexpensive method for composition analysis for academia and industry. Recent advancements in instrumentation design, such as the application of the Diode Array (DA) technique and the Fourier Transform (FT) IR and NIR techniques, have significantly improved overall instrument performance and advancement in the field of grain analysis.Novel results are presented for amino acid calibrations for US soybean accessions relevant to the food and agricultural industry.
Prediction of Soil Organic Properties in a Diverse Population of Ohio Soils Using Near Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy Analysis
Authors: Dick Warren , Sengupta Aditi 
Published: August 2011

AbstractA Near Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS) method was used to predict soil organic carbon and amino sugar concentrations, and β-Glucosidase and β-Glucosaminidase activity in 184 diverse soils of Ohio. The measured variable values were calibrated to NIR spectral data with partial least squares regression analysis. The multivariate models developed were validated using the full cross validation method and the test set method with a test set size of 50 samples. Statistical analysis of the spectral data was done using the multivariate analysis software Unscrambler 8.0 (CAMO Inc). The first differential transformation of the NIR region (1100-2498 nm) gave good results. The NIRS method predicted well the organic carbon (OC) and amino sugar concentrations in soil (R2 was 0.91 for OC and 0.90 for amino sugar). The enzyme activity values were also well predicted (R2 was 0.82 for soil β-glucosidase and β-glucosaminidase enzyme activity). Thus, the NIRS method has the potential to rapidly and accurately predict values of carbon-related variables, including the carbon enzymes β-Glucosidase and β-Glucosaminidase, in soils. The equipment needed is not expensive and the NIRS method can be used where very large numbers of environmental samples need to be rapidly analyzed. Indeed, the prediction equations can be constantly improved as more data points are entered into the correlations between laboratory measured values and NIRS values.
Habitat Suitability Index for Largemouth Bass in Tidal Rivers of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed
Authors: Love Joseph W. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractThe largemouth bass Micropterus salmoides is arguably the most sought fish species by inland anglers in North America. The suitability of inland habitats for supporting largemouth bass populations can differ remarkably but is difficult to quantify. I developed and evaluated the utility of a habitat suitability index (HSI) for largemouth bass in tidal freshwater portions of selected drainages in the Chesapeake Bay. The HSI comprised suitability scores ranging from 0 (not suitable) to 1 (perfectly suitable) and was calculated from seven separate suitability models in which suitability scores were functions of summer water temperature (°C), summer dissolved oxygen (mg/L), summer pH, maximum monthly salinity (‰), submerged aquatic vegetation coverage (%), monthly average water clarity, and stream discharge (m3/s) during the spawning season. Some of the suitability models that contributed to the HSI were modified to reflect species–habitat relationships observed for largemouth bass in drainages of the Chesapeake Bay from 2003 to 2008. Based on the HSI, drainages ranged from moderately suitable (HSI = 0.57) to highly suitable (HSI = 0.84). Spatial and monthly differences in HSI were positively correlated with relative abundance of largemouth bass; similar habitat conditions among years led to low interannual variation in HSI, which was not correlated with annual differences in relative abundance. Although the HSI may be useful in summarizing habitat suitability for a species, it may obscure important physical and biotic interactions that could affect the species’ distribution.
Comparison of Fish Assemblages in Two Disjoined Segments of an Oxbow Lake in Relation to Connectivity
Authors: Dembkowski Daniel J. , Miranda L. E. 
Published: August 2011

AbstractDisconnection between adjacent habitat patches is one of the most notable factors contributing to the decreased biotic integrity of global ecosystems. Connectivity is especially threatened in river–floodplain ecosystems in which channel modifications have disrupted the lateral links between the main river channel and floodplain lakes. In this study, we examined the interaction between the interconnectedness of floodplain lakes and main river channels and fish assemblage descriptors. Fish assemblages in two segments of an oxbow lake, one connected to and the other isolated from the Yazoo River, Mississippi, were estimated with daytime boat electrofishing during 2007–2010. The frequency of connection for the connected segment ranged from zero to seven individual events per year (mean, ∼2). The timing of most connection events reflected regional precipitation patterns. Greater species richness, diversity, and evenness were observed in the connected segment. Additionally, the connected segment had a greater abundance of piscivores and periodic life history strategists. All fishes collected solely in the connected segment were typically riverine in nature, whereas fishes collected only in the disconnected segment were more lacustrine adapted. These results suggest that periodic connection and the associated habitat heterogeneity that it provides are important for maintaining fish species richness and diversity in large‐river floodplain lakes. We suggest that maintenance or restoration of connection be an integral part of fluvial ecosystem management plans.
Evidence of exercise‐induced muscle damage following a simulated rugby league match
Authors: Twist Craig , Sykes Dave 
Published: August 2011

AbstractThis study investigated symptoms of exercise‐induced muscle damage following a simulated rugby league game. Ten male participants were assessed before, immediately after (0 h), and 24 and 48 h after the simulated game. Perceived muscle soreness was higher at all time points (P=0.001) and creatine kinase values were increased at 24 h following the simulated game (P=0.001). Peak knee extensor torque at 60 deg · s−1 was reduced up to 48 h (P =0.04) but was unchanged at 240 deg · s−1. Similarly, peak knee flexor torque at 60 deg · s−1 was lower than baseline up to 24 h, while at 240 deg · s−1 it was reduced at 24 h only (P=0.045). Correlations between changes in strength loss of the knee extensors and fat mass to fat‐free mass ratio reveleaved no significant relationship between variables (P >0.05). In addition, countermovement jump performance was reduced at 0 and 24 h following the simulated game (P=0.008). Our results suggest that symptoms of exercise‐induced muscle damage occur up to 48 h following a simulated rugby league match. Coaches should be cognisant of the large increases in muscle soreness and reductions in slow velocity force generation, and should adapt training accordingly in the 48 h period following a game.
The effects of dehydration and rehydration on electrocardiographic and echocardiographic parameters in Greco‐Roman wrestlers
Authors: Roshan Valiollah Dabidi , Hosseinzadeh Mahdi , Saravi Mehrdad 
Published: August 2011

AbstractThe effects of exercise training on heart have been widely explored. However, less understood are the effects of dehydration and rehydration on electrocardiographic (ECG) and echocardiographic (Echo) parameters in wrestlers. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of dehydration and rehydration on some ECG and Echo parameters. Fourteen healthy high school wrestlers (age 18.1±2.6 years, weight 77.2±10.2 kg, BMI 25.2±2.9 kg · m−2; mean±s) were randomly assigned to an experimental (loss of 3–4% of their weight through 10‐min bouts in dry sauna) or a control (dry sauna exposure with mineral water proportionate to their body weight loss) group. Blood and urine sampling, 12‐lead ECG, and echocardiogram were recorded in euhydration, dehydration, and 18 h after sauna. Moreover, a 6‐min high‐intensity arm ergometer cranking test (8×15 s intervals at maximum workload and 30 s active recovery) was completed in each of the three stages. Data were analysed with repeated‐measures analysis of variance, independent t‐tests, and Pearson correlations. Dehydration by 3–4% of body weight in sauna resulted in augmentation of the sum of amplitudes of P waves and QRS complexes (mm), but decreased left ventricular end‐systolic volume (LVESV), left ventricular end‐diastolic volume (LVEDV), and stroke volume (ml). As expected, rehydration was associated with recovery of the P wave and ECG parameters. In general, QRS amplitude correlated poorly with LVESV, LVEDV, and P wave, but was inversely related to stroke volume (r=–0.387, P=0.011). In conclusion, dehydration in Greco‐Roman wrestlers results in physiological alterations (amplitude of the P wave and QRS complex, LVESV, LVEDV, and stroke volume) of the electrical properties of the passive volume conductor. Further research is necessary to assess the potential for adverse events and appropriateness of this short‐term weight loss strategy for young wrestlers or other populations.