bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Contribution of small insects to pollination of common buckwheat, a distylous crop
Authors: Taki Hisatomo , Okabe Kimiko , Makino Shun’ichi , Yamaura Yuichi , Sueyoshi Masahiro 
Published: March 2009

AbstractCrop pollination by animals is an essential ecosystem service. Among animal‐pollinated crops, distylous plants strongly depend on animal pollination. In distylous pollination systems, pollinator species are usually limited, although flowers of some distylous plants are visited by diverse animals. We studied the pollination biology of common buckwheat (Fagopyrum esculentum), a distylous crop mainly pollinated by honeybees and visited by many insect species, to evaluate the effects of non‐honeybee species on pollination services. We focused on insects smaller than honeybees to determine their contribution to pollination. We applied pollination treatments with bags of coarse mesh to exclude flower visits by honeybees and larger insects and compared the seed set of bagged plants with that of untreated plants for pin and thrum flower morphs. We found a great reduction of seed set only in bagged pin flowers. We also confirmed that small insects, including ants, bees, wasps and flies, carried pin‐morph pollen. These small insects transfer pollen from the short anthers of pin flowers to the short styles of thrum flowers, leading to sufficient seed set in thrum flowers. Consequently, small, non‐honeybee insects have the potential to maintain at least half of the yield of this honeybee‐dependent distylous crop.
Inferring Heterogeneity in Aquitards Using High‐Resolution δD and δ18O Profiles
Authors: Hendry M. Jim , Wassenaar L.I. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractVertical depth profiles of pore water isotopes (δD and δ18O) in clay‐rich aquitards have been used to show that solute transport is dominated by molecular diffusion, to define the timing of geologic events, and to estimate vertical hydraulic conductivity. The interpretation of the isotopic profiles in these studies was based on pore water samples collected from piezometers installed in nests (typically 4 to 15 piezometers) over depths of 10 to 80 m. Data from piezometer nests generally have poor vertical resolution (meters), raising questions about their capacity to reveal the impact of finer scale heterogeneities such as permeable sand bodies or fractured till zones on solute transport. Here, we used high‐resolution (30‐cm) depth profiles of δD and δ18O from two continuously cored boreholes in a till aquitard to provide new insights into the effects of sand bodies on solute transport. High‐resolution core‐derived profiles indicate that such heterogeneities can cause major deviations from one‐dimensional diffusion profiles. Further, comparison of piezometer‐measured values with best‐fit diffusion trends shows subtle deviations, suggesting the presence of heterogeneities that should not be ignored. High‐resolution profiles also more clearly defined the contact between the highly fractured oxidized zone and the underlying unoxidized zone than the piezometers.
Perspectives on Rural Health Workforce Issues: Illinois‐Arkansas Comparison
Authors: MacDowell Martin , Glasser Michael , Fitts Michael , Fratzke Mel , Peters Karen 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT:
Context: Past research has documented rural physician and health care professional shortages. Purpose: Rural hospital chief executive officers’ (CEOs’) reported shortages of health professionals and perceptions about recruiting and retention are compared in Illinois and Arkansas. Methods: A survey, previously developed and sent to 28 CEOs in Illinois, was mailed to 110 CEOs in Arkansas. Only responses from rural CEOs are presented (Arkansas n = 39 and Illinois n = 22). Findings: Physician shortages were reported by 51 CEOs (83.6%). Most reported physician shortages in Arkansas were for family medicine, internal medicine, cardiology, obstetrics‐gynecology, general surgery, and psychiatry. Most reported physician shortages in Illinois were for family medicine, obstetrics‐gynecology, orthopedic surgery, internal medicine, cardiology, and general surgery. Additionally, registered nurses and pharmacists were the top 2 allied health professions shortages. Multivariate analysis (factor and discriminant analyses) examined community attributes associated with ease of recruiting physicians. Six factors were identified and assessed as to their importance in influencing ease of recruitment, with the state included in the model. Three factors were identified as discriminating whether or not physician recruitment was easy: community supportive for family, community cooperates and perceives a good future, and community attractiveness. Conclusions: Similarities in shortages and attributes influencing recruitment in both states suggest that efforts and policies in health professions workforce development can be generalized between regions. This study further reinforces some important known issues concerning retention and recruitment, such as the importance of identifying providers whose preferences are matched to the characteristics and lifestyle of a given area.
A Rural Perspective on Perinatal Depression: Prevalence, Correlates, and Implications for Help‐Seeking Among Low‐Income Women
Authors: Price Sarah Kye , Proctor Enola K. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT:
Context/Purpose: To examine a low‐income sample of women in the rural Midwest (N = 1,086) who were screened for perinatal depression through the outreach and education activities within a Healthy Start Initiative project. Specifically, we describe the frequency and severity of depressive symptoms, explore social and demographic correlates of depression, and examine help‐seeking through patterns of self‐referral to a Healthy Start perinatal depression project in a rural, medically underserved community. Methods: Depression screening data using the Primary Care Evaluation of Mental Disorders (PRIME‐MD) as well as intake records from the project were analyzed in a retrospective analysis to identify important demographic and psychosocial characteristics associated with elevated levels of depressive symptoms and help‐seeking patterns. Findings: Thirty‐six percent of screened women met criteria for major, minor, or subthreshold depression, with 13% meeting diagnostic criteria for major depression alone. Less than 8% were currently receiving any type of mental health services or treatment at screening. The most significant correlate of self‐referral to the Healthy Start project was meeting symptom criteria for major depression, although minor depression, subthreshold depression, and status as low‐income/Temporary Aid to Needy Families (TANF)‐eligible were all significantly associated with self‐referral. Conclusions: The findings from this study highlight the potential significance of identifying and addressing the unmet mental health needs of low‐income rural women during and around pregnancy. In addition, the study illustrates that low income, in addition to depressive symptoms, impacts mental health service delivery in this rural community with a fragmented mental health service infrastructure.
Wh‐in‐situ, from the 1980s to Now
Authors: Cheng Lisa Lai‐Shen 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThis article provides an overview of the issues and proposals surroundingwh‐in‐situ since the 1980s. In particular, it discusses the question of whether or not in‐situwh‐phrases undergo covertwh‐movement. Aside from reviewing the basic arguments for and against covertwh‐movement, it considers alternative proposals put forth, ranging from movement of elements other thanwh‐phrases themselves, interpreting in‐situwh‐phrases using choice function, to disguised movements in various forms. The article concludes with a discussion of intervention effects, as well as a special kind of multiplewh‐questions, illustrating that covertwh‐movement is still much needed.
Screening of ESTs from Mytilus for the detection of SSR markers in Mytilus californianus
Authors: VIDAL R. , PEÑALOZA C. , URZÚA R. , TORO J. E. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractA set of expressed sequence tag‐simple sequence repeat (EST‐SSR) markers for the genus Mytilus was developed through bioinformatic mining of the GenBank public database. A total of 33 782 EST sequences from GenBank were downloaded and screened for di‐, tri‐ and tetranucleotide, with 1274 EST containing SSR markers. Nine microsatellite markers were characterized in Mytilus californianus with a number of alleles per locus ranging from two to six, and total observed and expected heterozygosities ranging from 0.490 to 0.730 and from 0.510 to 0.860 respectively. Cross‐species amplification was achieved in several other species, confirming the usefulness of these markers in Mytilus genetics.
A NOTE ON BANTU EDUCATION, 1953 TO 1970
Authors: Giliomee Hermann 
Published: March 2009

AbstractIn 1954 Hendrik Verwoerd, one of the main architects of the apartheid system, said that blacks ought not to be trained above certain “forms of labour”. These words, often quoted out of context, are commonly interpreted as based on a view of black inferiority and as designed to keep blacks in a position of servitude. This note argues that other considerations should also be taken into account, including the need for providing appropriate labour on a mass basis in an industrialising society and for establishing control over urbanised black youths.
AN INVESTIGATION INTO THE IMPACT OF TUTORIALS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF ECONOMICS STUDENTS
Authors: Horn Pm , Jansen Ai 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThe deteriorating performance of first‐year economics students has become a concern at many South African universities. Addressing the issue requires an understanding of the factors influencing students' success. Studies analysing academic performance use the education production function approach. This approach identifies inputs that are crucial to learning and to achieving certain outputs. Factors that have been investigated in other studies include the impact of lecture attendance on performance, school‐leaving exam (matriculation) results, particularly performance in mathematics, and the gender and age of students.This study adds to existing local empirical research by analysing the impact of the tutorial programme as an input. The case study investigates the tutorial programme for first‐year economics students at Stellenbosch University using quantitative analysis. Results confirm what previous studies have found, namely that lecture attendance, gender, and matriculation results contribute positively to the performance of first‐year economics students. The main finding of the paper is that tutorial attendance also contributes positively to academic performance.
CHANGE IN VOLATILITY REGIMES AND DIVERSIFICATION IN EMERGING STOCK MARKETS
Authors: Li Ming‐yuan leon 
Published: March 2009

AbstractA multivariate Markov‐switching ARCH (MVSWARCH) model in which variance/correlations for stock returns is controlled by a state‐varying mechanism is introduced and used to design a state‐varying US‐EM (emerging market) portfolio establishment strategy. Additionally, a conventional random‐variance framework, the MVGARCH (multivariate GARCH) model, in which a time‐varying technique is involved is employed and subjected to comparative analysis. The empirical results are consistent with the following notions: First, as being consistent with a study conducted byRamchand and Susmel, the US‐EM market correlations are higher when the US market is more volatile. However, this study further indicates that the US‐EM market correlations increase relatively more when both the US and EM markets simultaneously experience a high variance condition. Moreover, the situation of both the US and EM stock markets at a high volatility state is associated with a minimum risk reduction benefit and a maximum cross‐market correlation. Second, the state‐varying portfolio loadings established by the MVSWARCH model could effectively enhance asset allocation effectiveness; however, this benefit arises more as a result of risk reduction than an increase in mean returns.
Genomewide Identification of Genetic Determinants of Antimicrobial Drug Resistance inPseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Dötsch Andreas , Becker Tanja , Pommerenke Claudia , Magnowska Zofia , Jänsch Lothar , Häussler Susanne 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTThe emergence of antimicrobial drug resistance is of enormous public concern due to the increased risk of delayed treatment of infections, the increased length of hospital stays, the substantial increase in the cost of care, and the high risk of fatal outcomes. A prerequisite for the development of effective therapy alternatives is a detailed understanding of the diversity of bacterial mechanisms that underlie drug resistance, especially for problematic gram-negative bacteria such asPseudomonas aeruginosa. This pathogen has impressive chromosomally encoded mechanisms of intrinsic resistance, as well as the potential to mutate, gaining resistance to current antibiotics. In this study we have screened the comprehensive nonredundant Harvard PA14 library forP. aeruginosamutants that exhibited either increased or decreased resistance against 19 antibiotics commonly used in the clinic. This approach identified several genes whose inactivation sensitized the bacteria to a broad spectrum of different antimicrobials and uncovered novel genetic determinants of resistance to various classes of antibiotics. Knowledge of the enhancement of bacterial susceptibility to existing antibiotics and of novel resistance markers or modifiers of resistance expression may lay the foundation for effective therapy alternatives and will be the basis for the development of new strategies in the control of problematic multiresistant gram-negative bacteria.
Concentrations of Voriconazole in Healthy and Inflamed Lung in Rats
Authors: Joukhadar Christian , Thallinger Christiane , Pöppl Wolfgang , Kovar Florian , Konz Karl H. , Joukhadar Samir M. , Traunmüller Friederike 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT
By utilizing the microdialysis technique, we investigated the pharmacokinetic profile of voriconazole in the interstitium of the lungs and skeletal muscle tissue of rats after a single intravenous dose under healthy and inflammatory conditions. As expected, voriconazole penetrated excellently into the interstitium of tissues, and its levels were descriptively almost identical to free concentration-versus-time profiles in plasma.
Genetic Analysis of Colistin Resistance in
Salmonella enterica
Serovar Typhimurium
Authors: Sun Song , Negrea Aurel , Rhen Mikael , Andersson Dan I. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT

Colistin is a cyclic cationic peptide that kills gram-negative bacteria by interacting with and disrupting the outer membrane. We isolated 44 independent mutants in
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium with reduced susceptibility to colistin and identified 27 different missense mutations located in the
pmrA
and
pmrB
genes (encoding the regulator and sensor of a two-component regulatory system) that conferred increased resistance. By comparison of the two homologous sensor kinases, PmrB and EnvZ, the 22 missense mutations identified in
pmrB
were shown to be located in four different structural domains of the protein. All five
pmrA
mutations were located in the phosphate receiver domain of the regulator protein. The mutants appeared at a mutation rate of 0.6 × 10
−6
per cell per generation. The MICs of colistin for the mutants increased 2- to 35-fold, and the extent of killing was reduced several orders of magnitude compared to the susceptible strain. The growth rates of the mutants were slightly reduced in both rich medium and M9-glycerol minimal medium, whereas growth in mice appeared unaffected by the
pmrA
and
pmrB
mutations. The low fitness costs and the high mutation rate suggest that mutants with reduced susceptibility to colistin could emerge in clinical settings.
Emergence and Evolution of Multiply Antibiotic-ResistantSalmonella entericaSerovar Paratyphi Bd-Tartrate-Utilizing Strains Containing SGI1
Authors: Djordjevic Steven P. , Cain Amy K. , Evershed Nick J. , Falconer Linda , Levings Renee S. , Lightfoot Diane , Hall Ruth M. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTThe first Australian isolate ofSalmonella entericaserovar Paratyphi Bd-tartrate-utilizing (dT+) that is resistant to ampicillin, chloramphenicol, florfenicol, streptomycin, spectinomycin, sulfonamides, and tetracycline (ApCmFlSmSpSuTc) and contains SGI1 was isolated from a patient with gastroenteritis in early 1995. This is the earliest reported isolation globally. The incidence of infections caused by these SGI1-containing multiply antibiotic-resistantS. entericaserovar Paratyphi B dT+strains increased during the next few years and occurred sporadically in all states of Australia. Several molecular criteria were used to show that the early isolates are very closely related to one another and to strains isolated during the following few years and in 2000 and 2003 from home aquariums and their owners. Early isolates from travelers returning from Indonesia shared the same features. Thus, they appear to represent a true clone arising from a single cell that acquired SGI1. Some minor differences in the resistance profiles and molecular profiles also were observed, indicating the ongoing evolution of the clone, and phage type differences were common, indicating that this is not a useful epidemiological marker over time. Three isolates from 1995, 1998, and 1999 contained a completesul1gene but were susceptible to sulfamethoxazole due to a point mutation that creates a premature termination codon. This SGI1 type was designated SGI1-R. The loss of resistance genes also was examined. When strains were grown for many generations in the absence of antibiotic selection, the loss of SGI1 was not detected. However, variants SGI1-C (resistance profile SmSpSu) and SGI1-B (resistant to ApSu), which had lost part of the integron, arose spontaneously, presumably via homologous recombination between duplications in the In104 complex integron.
Galleria mellonella
as a Model System To Study
Acinetobacter baumannii
Pathogenesis and Therapeutics
Authors: Peleg Anton Y. , Jara Sebastian , Monga Divya , Eliopoulos George M. , Moellering Robert C. , Mylonakis Eleftherios 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT

Nonmammalian model systems of infection such as
Galleria mellonella
(caterpillars of the greater wax moth) have significant logistical and ethical advantages over mammalian models. In this study, we utilize
G. mellonella
caterpillars to study host-pathogen interactions with the gram-negative organism
Acinetobacter baumannii
and determine the utility of this infection model to study antibacterial efficacy. After infecting
G. mellonella
caterpillars with a reference
A. baumannii
strain, we observed that the rate of
G. mellonella
killing was dependent on the infection inoculum and the incubation temperature postinfection, with greater killing at 37°C than at 30°C (
P
= 0.01).
A. baumannii
strains caused greater killing than the less-pathogenic species
Acinetobacter baylyi
and
Acinetobacter lwoffii
(
P
< 0.001). Community-acquired
A. baumannii
caused greater killing than a reference hospital-acquired strain (
P
< 0.01). Reduced levels of production of the quorum-sensing molecule 3-hydroxy-C
12
-homoserine lactone caused no change in
A. baumannii
virulence against
G. mellonella
. Treatment of a lethal
A. baumannii
infection with antibiotics that had in vitro activity against the infecting
A. baumannii
strain significantly prolonged the survival of
G. mellonella
caterpillars compared with treatment with antibiotics to which the bacteria were resistant.
G. mellonella
is a relatively simple, nonmammalian model system that can be used to facilitate the in vivo study of host-pathogen interactions in
A. baumannii
and the efficacy of antibacterial agents.
Localized Th1-, Th2-, T Regulatory Cell-, and Inflammation-Associated Hepatic and Pulmonary Immune Responses inAscaris suum-Infected Swine Are Increased by Retinoic Acid
Authors: Dawson Harry , Solano-Aguilar Gloria , Beal Madeline , Beshah Ethiopia , Vangimalla Vandana , Jones Eudora , Botero Sebastian , Urban Joseph F. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACTPigs infected withAscaris suumor controls were given 100 μg (low-dose) or 1,000 μg (high-dose) all-transretinoic acid (ATRA)/kg body weight in corn oil or corn oil alone per os on days after inoculation (DAI) −1, +1, and +3 with infective eggs. Treatment with ATRA increased interleukin 4 (IL4) and IL12p70 in plasma of infected pigs at 7 DAI and augmented bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) eosinophilia observed at 7 and 14 DAI. To explore potential molecular mechanisms underlying these observations, a quantitative real-time reverse transcription (RT)-PCR array was used to examine mRNA expression in tissue.Ascaris-infected pigs had increased levels of liver mRNA for T-helper-2 (Th2)-associated cytokines, mast cell markers, and T regulatory (Treg) cells, while infected pigs given ATRA had higherIL4,IL13,CCL11,CCL26,CCL17,CCL22, andTPSB1expression. Gene expression for Th1-associated markers (IFNG,IL12B, andTBX21), the CXCR3 ligand (CXCL9),IL1B, and the putative Treg markerTNFRSF18was also increased. Expression ofIL4,IL13,IL1B,IL6,CCL11, andCCL26was increased in the lungs of infected pigs treated with ATRA. To determine a putative cellular source of eosinophil chemoattractants, alveolar macrophages were treated with IL4 and/or ATRA in vitro. IL4 inducedCCL11,CCL17,CCL22, andCCL26mRNA, and ATRA increased the basal and IL4-stimulated expression ofCCL17andCCL22. Thus, ATRA augments a diverse Th1-, Th2-, Treg-, and inflammation-associated response in swine infected withA. suum, and the increased BAL eosinophilia may be related to enhanced induction of eosinophil chemokine activity by alveolar macrophages.
Campylobacter jejuni
-Induced Activation of Dendritic Cells Involves Cooperative Signaling through Toll-Like Receptor 4 (TLR4)-MyD88 and TLR4-TRIF Axes
Authors: Rathinam Vijay A. K. , Appledorn Daniel M. , Hoag Kathleen A. , Amalfitano Andrea , Mansfield Linda S. 
Published: March 2009

ABSTRACT

Campylobacter jejuni
is an important cause of human enteritis and has been linked to the development of autoimmune diseases. Recently we showed that infection of murine dendritic cells (DCs) with
C. jejuni
resulted in DC activation and induction of
Campylobacter
-specific Th1-effector responses. Toll-like receptor (TLR) signaling through myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) and/or Toll-interleukin 1 (IL-1) receptor domain-containing adaptor-inducing beta interferon (IFN-β) (TRIF) is critical in inducing immunity against pathogens. In this study, we investigated the role of TLR2, TLR4, MyD88, and TRIF signaling in
C. jejuni
-induced inflammatory activation of DCs. DC upregulation of major histocompatibility complex class II and costimulatory molecules after
C. jejuni
challenge was profoundly impaired by TLR2, TLR4, MyD88, and TRIF deficiencies. Similarly,
C. jejuni
-induced secretion of IL-12, IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor alpha was significantly inhibited in TLR2
−/−
, TLR4
−/−
, MyD88
−/−
, and TRIF
−/−
DCs compared to that in wild-type DCs; however, the magnitude of inhibition was greater in MyD88
−/−
, TRIF
−/−
, and TLR4
−/−
DCs than in TLR2
−/−
DCs. Furthermore,
C. jejuni
induced interferon regulatory factor 3 phosphorylation and IFN-β secretion by DCs in a TLR4-TRIF-dependent fashion, further demonstrating activation of this pathway by
C. jejuni
. Importantly, TLR2, TLR4, MyD88, and TRIF deficiencies all markedly impaired the Th1-priming ability of
C. jejuni
-infected DCs. Thus, our results show that cooperative signaling through the TLR4-MyD88 and TLR4-TRIF axes represents a novel mechanism mediating
C. jejuni
-induced inflammatory responses of DCs. To our knowledge, such a mechanism has not been demonstrated previously for an intact bacterium.