bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Management of plant invasions mediated by frugivore interactions
Authors: BUCKLEY YVONNE M. , ANDERSON SANDRA , CATTERALL CARLA P. , CORLETT RICHARD T. , ENGEL THOMAS , GOSPER CARL R. , NATHAN RAN , RICHARDSON DAVID M. , SETTER MELISSA , SPIEGEL ORR , VIVIAN‐SMITH GABRIELLE , VOIGT FRIEDERIKE A. , WEIR JACQUELINE E. S. , WESTCOTT DAVID A. 
Published: August 2006

Summary

Some of the most damaging invasive plants are dispersed by frugivores and this is an area of emerging importance in weed management. It highlights the need for practical information on how frugivores affect weed population dynamics and spread, how frugivore populations are affected by weeds and what management recommendations are available.
Fruit traits influence frugivore choice. Fruit size, the presence of an inedible peel, defensive chemistry, crop size and phenology may all be useful traits for consideration in screening and eradication programmes. By considering the effect of these traits on the probability, quality and quantity of seed dispersal, it may be possible to rank invasive species by their desirability to frugivores. Fruit traits can also be manipulated with biocontrol agents.
Functional groups of frugivores can be assembled according to broad species groupings, and further refined according to size, gape size, pre‐ and post‐ingestion processing techniques and movement patterns, to predict dispersal and establishment patterns for plant introductions.
Landscape fragmentation can increase frugivore dispersal of invasives, as many invasive plants and dispersers readily use disturbed matrix environments and fragment edges. Dispersal to particular landscape features, such as perches and edges, can be manipulated to function as seed sinks if control measures are concentrated in these areas.
Where invasive plants comprise part of the diet of native frugivores, there may be a conservation conflict between control of the invasive and maintaining populations of the native frugivore, especially where other threats such as habitat destruction have reduced populations of native fruit species.
Synthesis and applications. Development of functional groups of frugivore‐dispersed invasive plants and dispersers will enable us to develop predictions for novel dispersal interactions at both population and community scales. Increasingly sophisticated mechanistic seed dispersal models combined with spatially explicit simulations show much promise for providing weed managers with the information they need to develop strategies for surveying, eradicating and managing plant invasions. Possible conservation conflicts mean that understanding the nature of the invasive plant–frugivore interaction is essential for determining appropriate management.
The minor capsid protein gp7 of bacteriophage SPP1 is required for efficient infection of Bacillus subtilis
Authors: Vinga Inês , Dröge Anja , Stiege Asita C. , Lurz Rudi , Santos Mário A. , Daugelavičius Rimantas , Tavares Paulo 
Published: August 2006

SummaryGp7 is a minor capsid protein of the Bacillus subtilis bacteriophage SPP1. Homologous proteins are found in numerous phages but their function remained unknown. Deletion of gene 7 from the SPP1 genome yielded a mutant phage (SPP1del7) with reduced burst‐size. SPP1del7 infections led to normal assembly of virus particles whose morphology, DNA and protein composition was undistinguishable from wild‐type virions. However, only ∼25% of the viral particles that lack gp7 were infectious. SPP1del7 particles caused a reduced depolarization of the B. subtilis membrane in infection assays suggesting a defect in virus genome traffic to the host cell. A higher number of SPP1del7 DNA ejection events led to abortive release of DNA to the culture medium when compared with wild‐type infections. DNA ejection in vitro showed that no detectable gp7 is co‐ejected with the SPP1 genome and that its presence in the virion correlated with anchoring of released DNA to the phage particle. The release of DNA from wild‐type phages was slower than that from SPP1del7 suggesting that gp7 controls DNA exit from the virion. This feature is proposed to play a central role in supporting correct routing of the phage genome from the virion to the cell cytoplasm.
A phase‐variable mechanism controlling the Campylobacter jejuni FlgR response regulator influences commensalism
Authors: Hendrixson David R. 
Published: August 2006

SummaryPhase variation of genes in bacteria enables phenotypic alteration to modulate interactions within a host as conditions change. To promote commensalism in animals and disease in humans, Campylobacter jejuni produces a flagellar organelle for motility. In addition to tight transcriptional regulation of flagellar genes, C. jejuni also controls flagellar biosynthesis by phase variation. In this study, an unusual phase‐variable mechanism controlling production of FlgR, the response regulator of the FlgSR two‐component system required for transcription of σ54‐dependent flagellar genes, is identified. Phase variation of FlgR production is due to loss or gain of a nucleotide in homopolymeric adenine or thymine tracts within flgR. This mechanism occurs during commensalism in poultry to alter the colonization capacity of C. jejuni, presumably by influencing the motility phenotype of the bacterium. These findings provide more understanding into the genetic and colonization strategies C. jejuni employs to achieve commensalism in a natural host. Second, due to the richness of the C. jejuni genome in adenine or thymine residues and the apparent lack of the normal set of mismatch repair enzymes, the results from this study may suggest that the C. jejuni genome is more unstable and variable than previously realized. Furthermore, phase variation of flagellar motility by targeting flgR may be a phenomenon specific to C. jejuni that is absent in other Campylobacter species and contribute to reasons why C. jejuni is more frequently found as a commensal organism in poultry and as the cause of disease in humans.
Reinforcement of mate preference among hybridizingHeliconiusbutterflies
Authors: KRONFORST M. R. , YOUNG L. G. , GILBERT L. E. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractRecent models of mate preference evolution suggest that direct selection on alleles at preference loci and correlated evolution of preference with locally adapted mating cues are more likely to drive the evolution of assortative mate preference than reinforcement. Mate preference evolution in mimeticHeliconiusbutterflies has been attributed to all three forms of selection, but here we show that reinforcement has been critical. By examining geographical variation in assortative mating and male mate preference among seven populations of three hybridizingHeliconiusspecies from Costa Rica, we found pronounced character displacement of preference such that sexual isolation was enhanced in areas of interspecific contact. Of the different explanations for the evolution of assortative mate preference, only reinforcement is dependent on interspecific contact in this system. Thus, the observed pattern of reproductive character displacement of mate preference is best explained as a product of indirect selection generated by natural selection against nonmimetic hybrids.
In vitro Growth and Maturation of Caprine Oocytes
Authors: Zhou HM , Zhang Y 
Published: August 2006

ContentsThis study was conducted to culture in vitro caprine pre‐antral follicles for determining the competence of growth and maturation of oocytes and establishing a suitable culture system for oocyte maturation from pre‐antral follicles. Two different culture methods (microdrop and agar gel clot) were employed to culture caprine pre‐antral follicles. The pre‐antral follicles were isolated from prepubertal goat ovaries by treatment with collagenase and DNase. The isolated pre‐antral follicles were cultured in basic culture medium for 9 days (for growth). And oocytes were cultured in maturation culture medium for another 2 days for maturation. The result demonstrated that the growth rate of oocytes cultured in microdrops was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that in agar gel clots, whereas the viability of oocytes in microdrops was considerably (p < 0.05) lower than that in agar gel clots. The oocytes grew over 150 μm in diameter, and two of 151 oocytes cultured in microdrops yielded morphologically abnormal first polar bodies. However, the size of oocytes cultured in agar gel approached to 120 μm in diameter and no polar body was produced.
Fasting and postprandial small intestinal slow waves non‐invasively measured in subjects with total gastrectomy
Authors: Chang Full‐Young , Lu Ching‐Liang , Chen Chih‐Yen , Luo Jiing‐Chyuan , Lee Shou‐Dong , Wu Han‐Chang , Chen Jiande Z 
Published: August 2006

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Slow wave is essential to initiate gastrointestinal tract motility. Subjects with total gastrectomy (TG) provide an opportunity to study small intestinal slow wave in the absence of stomach interference. The aims of this study were to determine the origin of 3 cycles per min (cpm) slow wave recorded via electrogastrogram (EGG) and the characteristics of putative small intestinal slow waves in TG subjects.Methods:  Thirty‐three subjects with TG (25 male, age: 44–83 years) were consecutively enrolled. In each subject, the myoelectricity‐like signals of the gastrointestinal tract were recorded using 3‐channel EGG. Fourier transform‐based spectral analysis was performed to derive the EGG parameters including dominant frequency/power, % normal rhythm (2–4 cpm), and power ratio.Results:  Neither visual nor spectral analysis of the EGG revealed any waves at a frequency of about 3 cpm. The most frequently observed peaks in the power spectra of all subjects were those at ∼1, ∼6 and ∼11 cpm with occurrences of 97%, 6.1% and 90.9%, respectively. Based on visual analysis of all recorded signals, the ∼11 cpm signal was exactly rhythmically recorded rather than the ∼1 cpm. The recorded ∼11 cpm wave had a frequency of 10.9 ± 1.0 cpm in the fasting state and 10.9 ± 1.3 cpm in the fed state (NS), and a power of 31.5 ± 3.2 dB in the fasting state and 35.2 ± 3.8 dB in the fed state (P < 0.0001). None of other factors, including sex, age, and body mass index, had any impact on this ∼11 cpm wave.Conclusions:  Small intestinal slow wave can be recorded non‐invasively using EGG via cutaneous electrodes in TG subjects. Sex, age and body mass index have no effect on the intestinal slow waves. The power rather than frequency of intestinal slow wave is increased after a solid meal.
Industrial Targeting and Non‐shiftable Capital in the Harris–Todaro Model*
Authors: Choi Jai‐Young , Yu Eden S. H. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractThis paper shows that, in the 2 × 3 sector‐specific capital Harris–Todaro model, capital growth owing to either domestic or foreign investment always enhances the welfare of the country (i.e. non‐immiserizing), and this result of non‐immiserizing foreign investment holds regardless of initial holdings of foreign capital; the policy of industrial targeting via capital investment is more effective vis‐à‐vis the (neoclassical) 2 × 2 mobile‐capital Harris–Todaro model or the Heckscher–Ohlin model; in contrast to the recent generalization by Marjit and Beladi (2003), capital growth cannot be immiserizing in the present model, even if it destroys the “envelope theorem.”
HYSTERESIS AND THE NAIRU IN THE EURO AREA
Authors: Logeay Camille , Tober Silke 
Published: August 2006

ABSTRACTThis paper analyses the Nairu in the Euro Area and the influence that hysteresis had on its development. Using the Kalman‐filter technique we find that the Nairu has varied considerably since the early 1970s. The Kalman‐filter technique is applied here using explicit exogenous variables. In order to test for hysteresis, the dependence of the Nairu on actual unemployment and long‐term unemployment is estimated and found to be significant for the Euro Area and Germany, respectively. The existence of hysteresis effects implies the possibility of a long‐run non‐superneutrality of monetary policy.
ON PREJUDICE
Authors: Kim Jeong‐Yoo , Park Jinho 
Published: August 2006

ABSTRACTThis paper examines how prejudice biases an evaluation outcome. We also show that referring to past data, which leads to prejudice, can provide a better estimator for the quality of the object under evaluation, even if biased, in the sense that it reduces the mean squared error. However, in cases in which the quality of the evaluation depends on the referee's effort, as well as on his ability, prejudice aggravates the evaluation outcome by dampening his refereeing efforts, thus possibly yielding a worse estimator than no prejudice even in terms of the mean squared error. If evaluators possess prejudice, an individual's performance in the earlier stage of his career becomes more important, at least in the short run, thus creating an incentive to work harder in the earlier stage than in the later stage. This may provide an alternative explanation for cut‐throat competition in the earlier stage to the traditional signaling argument.
Comparison of monoamine and corticosterone levels 24 h following (+)methamphetamine, (+/–)3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine, cocaine, (+)fenfluramine or (+/–)methylphenidate administration in the neonatal rat
Authors: Schaefer Tori L. , Ehrman Lisa A. , Gudelsky Gary A. , Vorhees Charles V. , Williams Michael T. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractWe have previously shown that neonatal administration of (+/–)3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine and (+)fenfluramine produce deficits in spatial and path integration learning, whereas (+)methamphetamine causes deficits in spatial learning. Conversely, cocaine and (+/–)methylphenidate have no effect on either form of learning following neonatal administration. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether corticosterone and/or monoamine levels were changed following subcutaneous administration of 10 mg/kg (+)methamphetamine, (+/–)3,4‐methylenedioxymethamphetamine, (+)fenfluramine, (+/–)methylphenidate or cocaine every 2 h (total of four injections) on postnatal day 11. Twenty‐four hours after the first dose, plasma, striatum and hippocampus were collected. Corticosterone levels were increased in methamphetamine‐, fenfluramine‐, methylenedioxymethamphetamine‐ and methylphenidate‐treated rats relative to levels in saline‐treated rats, whereas cocaine‐treated rats were unaffected. In the striatum and hippocampus, serotonin and 5‐hydroxyindolacetic acid were reduced in animals treated with methylenedioxymethamphetamine or fenfluramine, compared with levels in saline controls. Dopamine levels were not changed by any of the drugs, although 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid was decreased following methylenedioxymethamphetamine or methamphetamine. Minimal effects were seen in neurotransmitter levels following injection of cocaine or methylphenidate. These data suggest that drugs that affect corticosterone and hippocampal serotonin are associated with both spatial learning and path integration deficits, and those that affect corticosterone and 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylacetic acid are associated with spatial learning deficits only.
Ability of Early Response to Predict Discharge Outcomes With Physical Therapy for Chronic Low Back Pain
Authors: Tong Henry C. , Geisser Michael E. , Ignaczak Aartee P. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractObjective:  To determine how well early responses to physical therapy for chronic low back pain predict outcomes at discharge.Methods:  A prospective single cohort study of chronic low back pain patients seen at a university spine physical therapy clinic. Self‐reported pain severity on a 100‐mm visual analog scale was measured before each physical therapy visit. The predictive variables were the change in pain score at the second, third, and fourth visits. The first outcome variable was discharge change in pain severity for a correlation analysis. The second outcome variable was a dichotomous variable of whether the subjects had achieved at least a 30% reduction in pain severity at discharge for a discriminant analysis.Results:  Spearman’s rank order correlation coefficient showed that early responses at the second (r = 0.324, P = 0.02) third (r = 0.342, P = 0.01), and fourth visits (r = 0.615, P < 0.001) were all significantly correlated with discharge change in pain. The discriminant analysis showed that early responses from the second to fourth visits were able to correctly predict 80.4% of the discharge outcomes (P < 0.001).Conclusions:  Early responses with physical therapy help predict discharge outcomes for chronic low back pain.
Bone mass index analysis in elderly people before and after change prosthesis
Authors: Gomes Vanessa Neves , Frigerio Maria Luiza Moreira Arantes , Fidelix Marcia 
Published: August 2006

Objectives:  To evaluate the bone mass index (BMI) of senescent patients before and after prosthetic rehabilitation by complete dentures and evaluating any correlations between prosthetic rehabilitation and changes in BMI.Subjects:  Thirty‐two edentulous elder patients who were in need of new complete dentures.Setting:  Dental clinic of the Prosthodontics Department (Dental Branch) of the University of São Paulo, Brazil.Materials and methods:  The study was performed in three different phases: the first one took place before any procedures relating to the new complete dentures had started and consisted of clinical records and a prosthetic anamnesis. The second and third phases took place after the prosthetic rehabilitation was completed, normally after 3 and 5–6 months respectively. The data collected in the different phases were analysed by using bioestat 3.0; the level of significance was p < 0.05, in a bilateral proof.Results:  The non‐parametric statistical analysis of BMI did not show any significant differences when compared with the three phases analysed during the study.Conclusion:  There was no evidence that accurate prosthetic rehabilitation could influence BMI.
First‐time dental care and the most recent dental treatment in relation to utilisation of dental services among dentate elderly patients in Lithuania
Authors: Vyšniauskaité Sonata , Vehkalahti Miira M. 
Published: August 2006

Objectives:  To describe the initial dental treatments of Lithuanian dentate elderly patients and the content of the most recent treatment in relation to their dentist‐visiting behaviour.Materials and methods:  A cross‐sectional questionnaire study was carried out at two public dental offices in Kédainiai, Lithuania, among dentate patients aged 60+ years. A self‐administered questionnaire covered first‐time dental care, the most recent dental treatment, check‐up behaviour, interval since the most recent dental visit, and number of teeth. Age, gender and education served as background information. Statistical evaluation was by chi‐squared test, anova and logistic regression for odds ratio (OR).Results:  In all, 174 dentate elderly responded, mean age being 69.2 (SD = 6.6) years. The mean age at the first visit was 16.3 years [95% confidence interval (CI) 14.9–17.6]. Regular dental check‐ups were reported by 30%, and 36% had visited a dentist within the past 12 months. As to the content of the most recent treatment, 78% of the elderly reported filling therapy, 50% endodontics, 48% tooth extraction, 21% radiography, 10% cleaning or scaling and 6% polishing of fillings. Those going for check‐ups were more likely to report diagnostic (OR 1.9; 95% CI 1.1–2.8; p = 0.01) and preventive (OR 4.8; 95% CI 2.5–9.0; p = 0.002) treatment when analysed by a logistic regression model, controlling for age, gender, education and number of teeth.Conclusions:  Check‐up‐orientated utilisation of dental services should be encouraged among the Lithuanian elderly. Dentists and health officials should place greater emphasis on prevention.
Dietary Beta‐Glucans and Nucleotides Enhance Resistance of Red‐Tail Black Shark (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor, fam. Cyprinidae) to Streptococcus iniae Infection
Authors: Russo Riccardo , Yanong Roy P. E. , Mitchell Hugh 
Published: August 2006

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to examine the effect of commercially available beta‐glucan (Macrogard) and nucleotide (Aquagen) on the resistance to Streptococcus iniae infections in vaccinated or nonvaccinated juvenile red‐tail black sharks (Epalzeorhynchos bicolor, RTB) (1.4 ± 0.4 g weight total (WT), 5.6 ± 0.5 cm total length (TL)). The immunostimulants were added to a control diet formulated without any yeast source following the recommended doses of 1 g/kg feed for the beta‐glucan and 2 g/kg feed for the nucleotide. Beginning 4 d after introduction into tanks, fish were fed the experimental diets for 24 d, at 3% body weight per day, divided into two feedings. At the end of this period, fish were challenged by an intracoelomic injection of S. iniae. In the first experiment, both vaccinated and nonvaccinated fish were fed one of the two immunostimulants. In the second experiment, only vaccinated fish were fed the immunostimulants. Fish were vaccinated a week after being introduced into the system and challenged by intracoelomic injection with 1.5 × 105 S. iniae colony‐forming units /fish after three additional weeks; mortality was recorded for 2 wk after the bacterial challenge. In the first experiment, the mortality of both vaccinated and nonvaccinated fish fed beta‐glucan (23 ± 7% and 82 ± 1%, respectively) or nucleotide (28 ± 6% and 86 ± 5%, respectively) was significantly lower than the mortality of the control groups (35 ± 4% and 93 ± 5%, respectively), but there was no significant difference in mortality between fish fed beta‐glucan or nucleotide. In the second experiment, the mortality of vaccinated fish fed beta‐glucan (25 ± 7%) or nucleotide (43 ± 9%) was significantly lower than that of vaccinated fish fed the control diet (69 ± 7%). In both experiments, there was no significant difference in growth rate among fish fed immunostimulants or the control diet. The results of this investigation demonstrated the efficacy of beta‐glucans and nucleotides in increasing resistance to S. iniae in RTB sharks.
Vector J-Integral Analysis of Crack Interaction With Pre-existing Singularities
Authors: Ma Lifeng , Lu Tian Jian , Korsunsky Alexander M. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractIn this paper, the mechanics of a semi-infinite crack interacting with near crack-tip singularities (e.g., dislocations) in two-dimensional solids is investigated using the concept of potential energy release rate. The spontaneous relationship between the crack potential energy release rate and the well-known vector conservative integral Ji(i=1,2) is derived. It is demonstrated that J1 and J2 integrals are equally important in solving crack problems. This allows a more rational criterion to be proposed, based on the criterion of maximum energy release rate, to assess the so-called shielding/amplification effect on the crack tip due to the presence of the singularities. It is shown that the new criterion can not only assess the shielding/amplification effect under pure mode I or mode II remote loading, but also efficiently assess crack-singularity interaction under mixed mode remote loading. Simultaneously, it is found by re-examining the Ji integrals that there exists a simple but universal relation among the three values of the vector Ji integral corresponding separately to the contributions induced from the semi-infinite crack tip, the singularity, and the remote loading. Next, a multi-singularity-crack interaction model is addressed, and the closed-form solution is obtained. Finally, as an example, the problem of a single dislocation interacting with a main crack is solved to demonstrate the validity of the proposed model and the new criterion.