bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Post‐Little Ice Age tree line rise and climate warming in the Swedish Scandes: a landscape ecological perspective
Authors: Kullman Leif , Öberg Lisa 
Published: March 2009

Summary

Elevational tree line change in the southern Swedish Scandes was quantified for the period 1915–2007 and for two sub‐periods 1915–1975 and 1975–2007. The study focused on Betula pubescens ssp. czerepanovii, Picea abies and Pinus sylvestris at a large number of sites distributed over an 8000‐km2 area. The basic approach included revisitations of fixed sites (elevational belt transects) and measurements of tree line positions (m a.s.l.) during these three periods.
Over the past century, tree lines of all species rose at 95% of the studied localities, with means of 70–90 m. All three species displayed maximum upshifts by about 200 m, which manifests a near‐perfect equilibrium with instrumentally recorded air temperature change. This magnitude of response was realized only in particular topographic situations, foremost wind‐sheltered and steep concave slopes. Other sites, with more wind‐exposed topoclimatic conditions, experienced lesser magnitudes of upshifts. Thus, spatial elevational tree line responses to climate change are markedly heterogeneous and site‐dependent. Modelling of the future evolution of the forest‐alpine tundra transition has to consider this fact. Even in a hypothetical case of substantial climate warming, tree lines are unlikely to advance on a broad front and a large proportion of the alpine tundra will remain treeless.
During the period 1975–2007, the tree lines of Picea and Pinus (in particular) advanced more rapidly than that of Betula towards the alpine region. These species‐specific responses could signal a potential trajectory for the evolution of the ecotone in a warmer future. Thereby a situation with some resemblance with the relatively warm and dry early Holocene would emerge.
Substantial tree line upshifts over the past two to three decades coincide with air and soil warming during all seasons. This implies that both summer and winter temperatures have to be included in models of climate‐driven tree line performance.
Synthesis. Maximum tree line rise by 200 m represents a unique trend break in the long‐term Holocene tree line regression, which has been driven by average climate cooling for nearly 10 000 years. Tree line positions are well‐restored to their pre‐Little Ice Age positions. Recent tree line ascent is a truly anomalous event in Holocene vegetation history and possibly unprecedented for seven millennia.
Diversification in flowering time due to tandem FT‐like gene duplication, generating novel Mendelian factors in wild and cultivated rice
Authors: HAGIWARA WILHELM E. , UWATOKO NAOHIRO , SASAKI ATSUSHI , MATSUBARA KAZUKI , NAGANO HIRONORI , ONISHI KAZUMITSU , SANO YOSHIO 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThe complex structure of a single Mendelian factor widespread in the Asian cultivated rice (Oryza sativa) and its wild progenitor (Oryza rufipogon) that caused diverse phenotypes in the timing of flowering under natural field conditions was investigated in near isogenic lines. These near isogenic lines showed differences in flowering time despite all eight accessions collected from tropical regions possessing a recessive gene allelic to the se‐pat gene. Fine mapping in two of these near‐isogenic lines revealed that cultivated (Patpaku) and wild (W593) accessions had three and two linked quantitative trait loci (QTL) in the candidate regions, respectively, showing that Patpaku and W593 possessed linked QTLs with different effects in addition to the commonly‐observed recessive gene (se‐pat). Molecular dissection suggested that the tandemly duplicated FT‐like genes (Hd3a and RFT1) could be the candidate genes for these QTLs. Interestingly, the linked QTLs differed in their epistases, degree of dominance, and genotype × environment interactions. The nucleotide sequences showed that RFT1 has diverged more rapidly than Hd3a during rice evolution, suggesting phenotypic diversification of the two genes. Phylogenetic analysis implied that the se‐pat+ alleles might have emerged in different lineages within O. sativa. The present results strongly suggest that nucleotide divergence and shuffling of the linked QTLs by recombination might have created novel Mendelian factors that probably contribute to responding to local environments.
CTL responses to Leishmania mexicana gp63‐cDNA vaccine in a murine model
Authors: ALI S. A. , REZVAN H. , MCARDLE S. E. , KHODADADI A. , ASTEAL F. A. , REES R. C. 
Published: March 2009

SummaryImmunity to Leishmania is believed to be strongly dependent upon the activation of Th1 immune responses, although the exact role of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) has not yet been determined. The aims of this study were to establish a suitable cytotoxicity assay to measure CTL activity and to compare immunity induced by Leishmania mexicana gp63 cDNA via i.m. injection and gene gun immunization in the BALB/c mouse model. The CTL activity was evaluated by short‐term 51Cr‐release cytotoxicity assays against CT26 tumour cells transfected with L. mexicana gp63 cDNA and dendritic cells (DCs) loaded with soluble Leishmania antigen (SLA) as targets. The results clearly demonstrated that higher protection to L. mexicana infection was induced by gene gun DNA‐immunization vs. i.m. injection. Cytotoxic T lymphocyte activity of splenocytes was observed in mice immunized either with L. mexicana gp63 cDNA or SLA and long‐lived CTL activity was observed in immunized and/or re‐challenged mice but not naïve mice infected with the parasite.
Characterization and expression of Fusarium graminearum endo‐polygalacturonases in vitro and during wheat infection
Authors: Tomassini A. , Sella L. , Raiola A. , D’Ovidio R. , Favaron F. 
Published: March 2009

This study investigated the expression and characterization of two polygalacturonases (PG1 and PG2) of Fusarium graminearum during infection of wheat spikelets; after purification, these were demonstrated to be products of two unique endo‐pg genes annotated in the genome database of F. graminearum. Both genes (Fgpg1 and Fgpg2) were expressed in vitro and during spike infection. PG1 had a greater specific activity, with a maximum at pH 5–7, was largely secreted in liquid culture and clearly detectable in the infected ovary tissue. PG2 was more active at pH 7–7·8, was poorly secreted in liquid culture and faintly detectable in infected ovaries. Both PG‐encoding genes were maximally expressed 24 h after wheat spikelet infection, paralleling the expression of a pectin lyase (Fgpnl1) gene; they anticipated the expression of a xylanase gene (FgxylA) that was induced only 48 h after infection with a maximum at 96 h. These data strongly indicate F. graminearum‐secreted PG activity at an early stage of wheat infection.
The role of arable weed seeds for agroecosystem functioning
Authors: FRANKE A C , LOTZ L A P , VAN DER BURG W J , VAN OVERBEEK L 
Published: March 2009

Franke AC, Lotz LAP, vander Burg WJ & van Overbeek L (2009). The role of arable weed seeds for agroecosystem functioning. Weed Research49, 131–141.SummaryA literature study was conducted to gather knowledge on the impact of weed seeds on agroecosystem functioning other than effects related to the production of weed seedlings and plants. The results of the review suggested that a larger and more diverse weed seedbank can contribute to the biodiversity of various groups of macrofauna and microbiota, with a positive or negative impact on the agroecosystem. However, relationships between weed seed availability and functional biodiversity in the field have generally not been established, with the exception of case studies of seeds sustaining populations of granivorous farmland birds or acting as reservoirs and vectors of plant pathogens. To value the contribution of different weed seeds to sustaining populations of functional biota, more detailed information on their relationships with seeds is essential. Hypotheses and related questions that can be used to explore the impact of weed seeds on functional biodiversity have been identified. The identification of weed seed species that are a key to sustaining functional biota may lead to a weed management strategy aiming to minimise the damage of weeds to crops while taking the alternative ecological roles of weed seeds into account.
Temperature conditions control embryo growth and seed germination of Corydalis solida (L.) Clairv., a temperate forest spring geophyte
Authors: Vandelook F. , Van Assche J. A. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractSpring is often the most suitable period for seedling establishment of temperate woodland species. Different physiological mechanisms resulting in spring emergence have evolved in seeds of such plants. The aim of this study was to determine the requirements for breaking dormancy and for seed germination of the European perennial spring geophyte Corydalis solida (Fumariaceae). Ripe seeds of C. solida contain an underdeveloped embryo, consisting of no more than a clump of cells. As a consequence, the embryo has to differentiate and grow to a critical length before germination can occur. In nature, seeds are dispersed in spring, while growth of the embryo starts in the autumn and continues in winter. Germination starts in late winter, immediately after embryo growth is completed, resulting in seedling emergence in the following spring. Experiments in controlled conditions showed that temperature is the main factor controlling dormancy and germination. Incubation at autumn temperatures (15/6 °C; 20/10 °C) for at least 8 weeks is required to initiate embryo growth, while a transfer to 5 °C is needed for completion of embryo growth and germination. Growth of the embryo of C. solida occurs at different temperatures over an extended period, a feature typical of temperate forest herbs. Our results indicate that the dormancy mechanism in seeds of C. solida is very similar to mechanisms in other Corydalis species studied thus far, suggesting that stasis in the dormancy trait has occurred.
Oxidized dietary fat, alkaline phosphatase concentrations and performance in racing greyhounds
Authors: Hill R. C. , Lewis D. D. , Scott K. C. , Sundstrom D. A , Bauer JE 
Published: March 2009

Racing dogs are often fed raw meat. Raw meat may become oxidized because it contains no preservatives but few studies have examined the effect of feeding oxidized food to dogs. This study was originally designed to determine the effect of different concentrations of dietary fat on greyhound performance. After the experiment had been completed, however, it was discovered that the peroxide values (PV) of both diets were elevated indicating that fat oxidation had been present. This study was considered to have value, therefore, because it compared performance and blood parameters in eight trained Greyhounds fed either a high fat moderately oxidized (HFMO) diet (43%ME fat with PV of 44 mEq/kg) or a medium fat highly oxidized (MFHO) diet (31%ME fat with PV of 211 mEq/kg) for 8 weeks per diet in a randomized cross‐over design. Dogs were raced over 500 m twice weekly. Race times over the last 4 weeks of each diet period and blood parameters before racing during the last week of each diet period were compared.Dogs fed the MFHO food ran 0.04 m/s slower (p = 0.06) and serum alkaline phosphatase concentrations were higher (149 vs. 56 U/L; p < 0.0001) than in dogs fed the HFMO diet. Further evaluation is needed to determine whether lower dietary fat or increased oxidation was responsible for the altered performance but oxidation of the food should be considered as one possible explanation for an increase in serum alkaline phosphatase during a diet trial.
A novel approach for targeting oxidative stress in horses exhibiting recurrent airway obstruction
Authors: Lepene B. S. , Buechner‐Maxwell V. , Thatcher C. D. 
Published: March 2009

Horses affected with Recurrent Airway Obstruction (RAO) exhibit inflammation and oxidative damage to lung cells. The main objective of this study was to develop a novel antioxidant delivery system (ADS) capable of targeting activated macrophages within the lower airways in order to reduce cellular oxidative damage. Specifically, this ADS consisted of folic acid and glutathione (GSH) linked to bisamine poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO). Folic acid conjugates exploit the over‐expression of folate receptors on activated macrophages, allowing for the internalization of the ADS through receptor‐mediated endocytosis.Initial results from in vitro studies demonstrated active targeting and uptake through folate receptor mediated endocytosis. GSH concentration in glutathione deficient RAW 264.7 cells (an immortalized murine macrophage cell line) was increased by more than 300% after incubation with the ADS for four hours effectively restoring 50% of the normal GSH concentration. F2‐Isoprostanes, biomarkers for lipid oxidation, were reduced in RAW 264.7 cells by more than 67% after incubation with the ADS and exposure to zymosan, a free radical initiator. Evaluation of ADS as a treatment for equine RAO is underway and the results will be included in this presentation.
Antioxidant status and biomarkers of oxidative stress in cats with diabetes mellitus
Authors: Smith J. R. , Cox S. K. , Lauten S. D. , Hill R. C. , Bartges J. W. , Kirk C. A. 
Published: March 2009

Increasing evidence implicates oxidative damage in the progression and pathologic complications of human diabetics. This study assessed antioxidant status and oxidative stress in cats with diabetes mellitus (DM). Antioxidant status was measured in diabetic (n = 10) and control (n = 10) cats by HPLC of vitamin E isomers, reduced (GSH) and oxidized glutathione (GSSG), and calculation of the GSH:GSSG ratio. Biomarkers of protein, lipid and DNA peroxidation (fructosamine, isoprostanes and Comet assay, respectively), and neutrophil function evaluated oxidative stress. Correlation between glycemic control and antioxidant status/ oxidative stress was also investigated. A diabetic index was generated using clinical signs, body condition score, insulin dose, fructosamine, fasted blood glucose and urinary glucose and ketones.Alpha tocopherol was increased (DM = 0.11 μg/mL, controls = 0.06 μg/mL; p = 0.0012) and gamma tocopherol was decreased (DM = 0.03 μg/mL, controls = 0.05 μg/mL; p = 0.0065) in diabetic vs. control cats. There was no difference in the GSH:GSH ratio between groups. Predictably, fructosamine was greater in diabetic vs. control cats (DM = 447 μmol/L, controls = 204 μmol/L; p < 0.0001). Antioxidant status/oxidative stress was not associated with glycaemic control in diabetic cats.Despite strong association of DM with oxidative stress in humans, this simple relationship is not found in diabetic cats. They have both increased and decreased parameters of systemic oxidative stress compared with control cats. This may be due to higher levels of antioxidants in feline therapeutic diets, the relatively short duration of disease in cats compared with humans, or other factors.
Species diversity of lepidopteran stem borer parasitoids in cultivated and natural habitats in Kenya
Authors: Mailafiya D. M. , Le Ru B. P. , Kairu E. W. , Calatayud P.‐A. , Dupas S. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractField surveys were conducted during 2005 to 2007 to assess the species diversity of stem borer parasitoids in cultivated and natural habitats in four agroecological zones in Kenya. In total, 33 parasitoid species were recovered, of which 18 parasitized six stem borer species feeding on cereal crops, while 27 parasitized 21 stem borer species feeding on 19 wild host plant species. The most common parasitoids in cultivated habitats wereCotesia flavipesCameron,Cotesia sesamiae(Cameron),Pediobius furvusGahan and the tachinidSiphonasp., whereas in natural habitats,Siphonasp. was the most common. The majority of parasitoids were stenophagous species; only five species –Cotesiasp.,Enicospilus ruscusGauld and Mitchell,Pristomerusnr.bullis,Sturmiopsis parasitica(Curran) andSyzeuctus ruberrimusBenoit – were monophagous. In both cultivated and natural habitats, parasitoid species diversity was highest on the most dominant stem borersBusseolaspp. andChilospp. On cereal crops, parasitoid diversity was highest on maize and among wild host plants, it was highest onSetariaspp. The ingress‐and‐sting attack method was the most common strategy used by parasitoids in both habitats. In all agroecological zones, parasitoid species diversity was significantly higher in natural than in cultivated habitats. Furthermore, the majority of parasitoid species were common to both cultivated and natural habitats. It was concluded that natural habitats surrounding cereal crops serve as refugia for sustaining the diversity of stem borer parasitoids from adjacent cereal fields.
Attract and kill for codling moth Cydia pomonella (Linnaeus) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) control in Syria
Authors: Mansour M. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractThe possibility of controlling the codling moth Cydia pomonella (Linnaeus) using an attract and kill approach as an alternative to chemical sprays with contact insecticides was investigated in widely separated orchards. The results of a 4‐year study have shown that, using an attract and kill approach, three applications/season kept infestation rates in treated orchards below the economic injury level except in one with a too high codling moth population density. The mean number of male codling moths/trap/week in attract and kill‐treated orchards was much lower in comparison with control orchards which were treated with the usual cover sprays of insecticides. The results also showed that the efficacy of attract and kill under orchard conditions decreased with time and the relationship between time effect and codling moth death rate was very strong. These data indicate that the attract and kill technique applied at a rate of three application per season resulted in good control of codling moth in well managed orchards in Syria.
Review article: Endothelial progenitor cells in renal disease
Authors: GOLIGORSKY MICHAEL S , KUO MEI‐CHUAN , PATSCHAN DANIEL , VERHAAR MARIANNE C 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARYThis brief overview is intended to provide basic information about endothelial progenitors, their definition and consensus markers used for their detection, describe the pathways of their mobilization and homing and highlight the mechanisms and manifestations of their incompetence that occurs in some chronic kidney diseases. Discussion is geared towards the potential role of endothelial progenitor cells in organ regeneration, in particular, in kidney regeneration. The concept we attempted to promote attributes to the incompetence of endothelial progenitor cells in failed regeneration and ensuing progression of chronic kidney disease. This field of inquiry remains insufficiently explored, especially in renal diseases. Promising areas for future exploration are emphasized.
Influence of ketoanalogs supplementation on the progression in chronic kidney disease patients who had training on low‐protein diet
Authors: CHANG JAE HYUN , KIM DONG KI , PARK JUNG TAK , KANG EA WHA , YOO TAE HYUN , KIM BEOM SEOK , CHOI KYU HUN , LEE HO YUNG , HAN DAE‐SUK , SHIN SUG KYUN 
Published: March 2009

SUMMARY:Aim:  A low‐protein diet (LPD) is a conservative treatment in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) to improve uremic symptoms and slow the progression of renal dysfunction. However, the deleterious effects of protein restriction on nutritional status have raised concern. We investigated whether ketoanalogs supplementation in CKD patients who had training on LPD retards the progression of CKD and maintains nutritional status.Methods:  Data were collected retrospectively from 120 consecutive patients in the CKD stages III and IV. Firstly all patients were restricted to LPD alone for 6 months (LPD alone), and then ketoanalogs of essential amino acids (KA) were supplemented for 6 months.Results:  The adequate LPD had not achieved in both periods. The declining slopes of glomerular filtration rate (GFR) during the LPD + KA period were significantly lower than those during the LPD alone period. This improvement in GFR was apparent in both subjects with diabetics and non‐diabetic patients. Mean serum total cholesterol levels decreased in LPD + KA compared with LPD alone period. However, serum albumin levels did not change. Responders showed a higher prevalence of diabetes and higher serum albumin levels during the LPD alone period. Multivariate analysis revealed that responsiveness to LPD + KA was independently related to diabetes (p = 0.006) and high serum albumin levels (p = 0.011) in the LPD alone period.Conclusion:  KA supplementation on over LPD delayed the progression of CKD without deteriorating nutritional status, and initial serum albumin levels could be an independent factor.
Do medical courses adequately prepare interns for safe and effective prescribing in New South Wales public hospitals?
Authors: Hilmer S. N. , Seale J. P. , Le Couteur D. G. , Crampton R. , Liddle C. 
Published: March 2009

AbstractAims: To assess ability of interns immediately before starting clinical practice in New South Wales (NSW) teaching hospitals to prescribe medications safely and appropriately and to describe their impressions of the adequacy of their clinical pharmacology training in medical school.Methods: A cross‐sectional study was performed on all interns (n= 191) who attended intern orientation programmes at four NSW hospitals in January 2008. A clinical case scenario that tested prescribing ability and a survey investigating impressions of clinical pharmacology training in medical school were administered to the interns in exam format. Outcome measures were: (i) ability to prescribe medications safely and appropriately for the clinical case scenario and (ii) interns' impressions of their training in clinical pharmacology at medical school.Results: No intern completed all prescribing tasks correctly. No intern charted the patient's usual medications on admission completely correctly, only six wrote an accurate discharge medication list, and none wrote both an accurate discharge medication list and a legal Schedule 8 discharge script. None of the respondents strongly agreed that they felt adequately trained to prescribe medications in their intern year and 84% would have liked to have more training in pharmacology as medical students.Conclusions: Interns about to commence clinical practice in NSW teaching hospitals demonstrated significant deficits in prescribing of regular medications, initiation of new therapies, prescribing of discharge medications, and particularly prescribing of Schedule 8 medications. Most interns recognized these deficits and would have liked more clinical pharmacology training at medical school.