bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Placental ontogeny in Tasmanian snow skinks (genus Niveoscincus) (Lacertilia: Scincidae)
Authors: Stewart James R. , Thompson Michael B. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractLizards of the viviparous genus Niveoscincus contributed importantly to a classic model for the evolution of placentation of squamate reptiles. This model predicts that: (1) placental function is correlated with placental structural complexity and (2) the type of chorioallantoic placenta attributed to three species of Niveoscincus (N. metallicus, N. ocellatus, N. pretiosus) is intermediate in complexity to a highly placentotrophic type of placenta. Recent studies of two of these species (N. metallicus, N. ocellatus) revealed additional variation in placental structure, as well as variation in the level of placentotrophy; N. metallicus is predominantly lecithotrophic, while N. ocellatus is highly placentotrophic. We used light microscopy to study placental ontogeny in two biennially reproducing species of Niveoscincus (N. greeni, N. microlepidotus) and placental morphology in late stage embryos of N. pretiosus. These data, in combination with prior studies, provide descriptions of placental structure for six of the eight species assigned to this lineage. The genus Niveoscincus has greater variation in placental structure than any other squamate lineage. We recognize four distinct groupings among these six species based on placental structure. The most highly placentotrophic species, N. ocellatus, has a complex placental morphology, yet shares these structures with a predominantly lecithotrophic species, N. microlepidotus. Thus, among species of Niveoscincus, placental structural complexity is not an infallible predictor of overall placental function. J. Morphol. 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Trophic apparatus in cyprinodontiform fishes: Functional specializations for picking and scraping behaviors
Authors: Hernandez L. Patricia , Gibb Alice C. , Ferry‐Graham Lara 
Published: December 2008

AbstractCyprinodontiforms are a diverse and speciose order that includes topminnows, pupfishes, swordtails, mosquitofishes, guppies, and mollies. Sister group to the Beloniformes and Atheriniformes, Cyprinodontiformes contains approximately twice the number of species of these other two orders combined. Recent studies suggest that this group is well suited to capturing prey by “picking” small items from the water surface, water column, and the substrate. Because picking places unusual performance demands on the feeding apparatus, this mode of prey capture may rely upon novel morphological modifications not found in more widespread ram‐ or suction‐based feeding mechanisms. To assess this evolutionary hypothesis, we describe the trophic anatomy of 16 cyprinodontiform species, selected to broadly represent the order as well as capture intrageneric variation. The group appears to have undergone gradual morphological changes to become increasingly specialized for picking and scraping behaviors. We also identify a suite of functional characters related to the acquisition of a novel and previously undescribed mechanism of premaxillary protrusion and retraction, including: modification of the “premaxillomandibular” ligament (which connects each side of the premaxilla to the ipsilateral mandible, or lower jaw), a novel architecture of the ligaments and bony elements that unite the premaxillae, maxillae and palatine bones, and novel insertions of the adductor muscles onto the jaws. These morphological changes to both the upper and lower jaws suggest an evolutionary trend within this group toward increased reliance on picking individual prey from the water column/substrate or for scraping encrusting material from the substrate. We propose that the suite of morphological characters described here enable a functional innovation, “picking,” which leads to novel trophic habits. J. Morphol., 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Lamivudine monoprophylaxis and adefovir salvage for liver transplantation in chronic hepatitis B: A seven‐year follow‐up study
Authors: Limquiaco Jenny L. , Wong John , Wong Vincent W.S. , Wong Grace L.H. , Tse Chi‐Hang , Chan Hoi‐Yun , Kwan Katherine Y.Y. , Lai Paul B.S. , Chan Henry L.Y. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractIn Asia Pacific countries, lamivudine is used frequently as the sole prophylaxis for hepatitis B virus (HBV) recurrence after liver transplantation due to financial consideration. The aim was to evaluate the long‐term outcome of lamivudine monoprophylaxis with adefovir salvage for liver transplantation in chronic hepatitis B. Consecutive chronic hepatitis B patients who received liver transplantation from 1999 to 2003 and with at least 12 months follow up were studied. Lamivudine monotherapy was used for antiviral prophylaxis and adefovir was added as salvage treatment for recurrence of HBV. Twenty‐four patients were followed up for 272 (76–372) weeks post‐liver transplantation. HBV recurrence developed in seven patients with cumulative probabilities of 8%, 13%, 28%, 35%, 35%, and 49% in 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 years. At the time of recurrence of HBV, the HBV DNA level was 910,244 (363 to 9 × 108) copies/ml. On direct sequencing, four patients had rtM204I mutation and three patients HBV DNA levels were too low for sequencing. Six patients had elevated ALT (two patients had ALT >1,000 IU/L and jaundice) but none had hepatic encephalopathy. After adefovir treatment for 150 (91–193) weeks, six (86%) patients had normal ALT. HBV DNA was undetectable in two (29%) patients, 100–1,000 copies/ml in two (29%) patients and 10,000–100,000 copies/ml in three (43%) patients on last visit. No genotypic resistance to adefovir was detected. Lamivudine followed by adefovir salvage is effective for prophylaxis of recurrence of HBV after liver transplantation up to 7 years. J. Med. Virol. 81:224–229, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Epidemiology of enterovirus types causing neurological disease in Austria 1999–2007: Detection of clusters of echovirus 30 and enterovirus 71 and analysis of prevalent genotypes
Authors: Ortner Birgit , Huang Chiao‐Wei , Schmid Daniela , Mutz Ingomar , Wewalka Günther , Allerberger Franz , Yang Jyh‐Yuan , Huemer Hartwig P. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractBetween 1999 and 2007 1,388 stool specimens from patients with acute flaccid paralysis or aseptic meningitis were submitted to the Austrian reference laboratory for poliomyelitis. Samples (201) yielded non‐poliovirus enterovirus in culture. One hundred eighty‐one viruses were available for typing and 78 isolates which remained serologically untyped were further analyzed by CODEHOP‐PCR and sequencing of the VP1 gene and the 5′‐untranslated region (5′‐UTR). Typing revealed an Echovirus 30 outbreak in northwestern Austria in 2000, which was in accordance with the situation in Europe, and no dramatic seasonal changes of Coxsackie viruses were observed. In 2002/2003 a small outbreak of enterovirus 71 (EV71), affected 12 patients in the province of Styria. This virus was identified as genotype C1 and appeared to be genetically distinct from the isolates observed in 2001/2002 in Vienna. In 2004 two unrelated cases occurred in Lower Austria, which were identified as genotype C4, which has been described associated with high mortality most recently in China. In contrast to the situation in Asia the detected EV71 cases were not associated with hand–foot–mouth disease, but with serous meningitis only. This was surprising as a recent publication suggested a reduced neurovirulence of C1 genotype in children in Norway, presumably due to alterations in 5′‐UTR and polymerase gene. However, comparing the 5′‐UTR of the Austrian isolates and established virulent reference strains to the Norwegian isolate and an attenuated EV71 laboratory strain we did not find an indication that the genotype C1 possesses a RNA structure in its 5′‐UTR leading to reduced neurovirulence. J. Med. Virol. 81:317–324, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
In vitro analysis of synergism and antagonism of different nucleoside/nucleotide analogue combinations on the inhibition of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 replication
Authors: Perez‐Olmeda M. , Garcia‐Perez J. , Mateos E. , Spijkers S. , Ayerbe M.C. , Carcas A. , Alcami J. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractIn this study we have developed an in vitro system to evaluate the combined effect of two NRTIs on HIV replication and to assess their antagonism or synergy. Synergy or antagonism effect was determined in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) to approach a more physiological model than T‐cell lines. PBMCs were infected with a full‐length HIV‐1 clone carrying the luciferase gene as a reporter. The following combinations were investigated: zidovudine+stavudine (ZDV +  d4T), lamivudine + abacavir (3TC + ABC), lamivudine + didanosine (3TC + ddI), lamivudine + stavudine (3TC + d4T), tenofovir + stavudine (TDF + d4T), tenofovir + didanosine (TDF + ddI), tenofovir + abacavir (TDF + ABC), tenofovir +  lamivudine (TDF + 3TC), tenofovir + zidovudine (TDF + ZDV), stavudine + didanosine (d4T + ddI), zidovudine + lamivudine (ZDV + 3TC), abacavir +  didanosine (ABC + ddI), zidovudine + didanosine (ZDV + ddI), and abacavir + stavudine (ABC +  d4T). The effect of combining two drugs was evaluated with a quantitative method based on the median‐effect principle of Chou and Talalay. A synergistic effect was observed with combinations containing TDF and ZDV or d4T, d4T and ddI and ZDV plus 3TC. In contrast, combinations including TDF + ddI, 3TC + ddI, ABC + ddI, and ZDV + ddI showed an antagonistic effect on the inhibition of viral replication at all levels of inhibition tested. Lower antagonistic effect was also found in drug combinations that included 3TC + ABC, 3TC + TDF, 3TC + d4T, and TDF +  ABC. In conclusion, the method developed allows to measure in vitro the effect of different combinations of two NRTIs on HIV replication. The results suggest that combined therapy including TDF with thymidine analogues may be considered for future therapeutic options in contrast to clearly antagonistic combinations such us TDF plus ddI or 3TC plus ddI, that would explain virological failure in clinical studies when these combinations were used. J. Med. Virol. 81:211–216, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
LTR real‐time PCR for HIV‐1 DNA quantitation in blood cells for early diagnosis in infants born to seropositive mothers treated in HAART area (ANRS CO 01)
Authors: Véronique Avettand‐Fènoël , Marie‐Laure Chaix , Stéphane Blanche , Marianne Burgard , Corinne Floch , Kadidia Toure , Marie‐Christine Allemon , Josiane Warszawski , Christine Rouzioux ,   for the French Pediatric Cohort Study ANRS—CO 01 Group
Published: December 2008

AbstractHIV‐1 diagnosis in babies born to seropositive mothers is one of the challenges of HIV epidemics in children. A simple, rapid protocol was developed for quantifying HIV‐1 DNA in whole blood samples and was used in the ANRS French pediatric cohort in conditions of prevention of mother‐to‐child transmission. A quantitative HIV‐1 DNA protocol (LTR real‐time PCR) requiring small blood volumes was developed. First, analytical reproducibility was evaluated on 172 samples. Results obtained on blood cell pellets and Ficoll‐Hypaque separated mononuclear cells were compared in 48 adult HIV‐1 samples. Second, the protocol was applied to HIV‐1 diagnosis in infants in parallel with plasma HIV‐RNA quantitation. This prospective study was performed in children born between May 2005 and April 2007 included in the ANRS cohort. The assay showed good reproducibility. The 95% detection cut‐off value was 6 copies/PCR, that is, 40 copies/106 leukocytes. HIV‐DNA levels in whole blood were highly correlated with those obtained after Ficoll‐Hypaque separation (r = 0.900, P < 0.0001). A total of 3,002 specimens from 1,135 infants were tested. The specificity of HIV‐DNA and HIV‐RNA assays was 100%. HIV‐1 infection was diagnosed in nine infants before age 60 days. HIV‐DNA levels were low, underlining the need for sensitive assays when highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) has been given. The performances of this HIV‐DNA assay showed that it is adapted to early diagnosis in children. The results were equivalent to those of HIV‐RNA assay. HIV‐DNA may be used even in masked primary infection in newborns whose mothers have received HAART. J. Med. Virol. 81:217–223, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
A double‐spliced defective hepatitis B virus genome derived from hepatocellular carcinoma tissue enhanced replication of full‐length virus
Authors: Ma Zhang‐Mei , Lin Xu , Wang Yong‐Xiang , Tian Xiao‐Chen , Xie You‐Hua , Wen Yu‐Mei 
Published: December 2008

AbstractIn hepatitis B virus (HBV) replication cycle, pregenomic RNA undergoes splicing and the reverse transcribed defective genomes can be packaged and released. Various types of spliced defective HBV genomes have been isolated from the sera and liver tissues of viral hepatitis B patients. To explore the functions of a 2.2 kb double spliced HBV variant, a 3.2 kb full‐length HBV isolate (#97–34) and its 2.2 kb double‐spliced HBV variant (#AP–12) from the tumor tissue of a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) were amplified and cloned. Sequencing results showed that #AP12 had deletions in pre‐S2, part of pre‐S1, S genes, part of the spacer, and part of the reverse transcriptase gene, while the X gene was intact. When this defective double‐spliced genome and its full‐length counterpart genome were co‐transfected into HepG2 cells, the former was shown to enhance the replication of the latter, both by real‐time PCR and Southern blotting. When a replication incompetent clone 97–34G1881A was used to co‐transfect with #AP12, #AP12 DNA was increased, indicating that replication of the wild‐type virus was not the only factor involved in this observation. However, the replication enhancing competency of #AP12 was shown to require an intact HBV X expression cassette. The double‐spliced defective variant might contribute to persistent HBV replication in a subpopulation of HCC patients. J. Med. Virol. 81:230–237, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Transmission of hepatitis C virus in an orthopedic hospital ward
Authors: Ross R.S. , Viazov S. , Khudyakov Y.E. , Xia G.L. , Lin Y. , Holzmann H. , Sebesta C. , Roggendorf M. , Janata O. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractHealthcare‐associated infections with hepatitis C virus (HCV) hitherto have been observed mainly in hemodialysis settings as well as in hematology and oncology wards. In this communication, molecular and epidemiologic investigations to elucidate an HCV outbreak in an orthopedic ward are reported. One hundred and thirty‐five patients hospitalized in the ward and 104 staff members were tested. In addition to extensive epidemiologic reviews and hygienic inspections, direct sequencing of HCV PCR fragments and phylogenetic analysis of more than 300 partial HCV sequences obtained by end‐point limiting‐dilution real‐time PCR assay were carried out. Six patients were infected with very closely related HCV variants. Patient‐to‐patient spread of the virus was inferred to have started from one patient with previous HCV infection to the other five patients during their hospital stay. Inspections did not reveal substantial breaches in basic infection control practices and did not identify a specific activity that might have led to nosocomial transmission. As a result of the investigations, the hospital corrected the documentation of all medical and nursing activities undertaken in the ward, abandoned the use of all multidose saline and other medication vials, and included explicitly recommendations for the safe preparation and administration of injectable drugs into internal infection control guidelines. Thereafter, no further nosocomial transmissions of HCV have been recorded in the orthopedic ward. The events observed suggest that nosocomial transmission of HCV is not limited to hemodialysis, hematology or oncology settings, and they also reinforce the mandatory adherence to basic infection control practices. J. Med. Virol. 81:249–257, 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The autumn break for cropping in southeast Australia: trends, synoptic influences and impacts on wheat yield
Authors: Pook Michael , Lisson Shaun , Risbey James , Ummenhofer Caroline C. , McIntosh Peter , Rebbeck Melissa 
Published: December 2008

AbstractThe autumn break is the first significant rainfall event of the winter growing season. Two definitions of the autumn break have been developed for northwestern Victoria; a so‐called ideal break and a minimum rainfall condition for sowing a wheat crop termed a minimal break. Application of the ideal break definition for an eight‐station average reveals that 41 autumn breaks occurred in the first half of the record (1889–1947) and 34 in the second half (1948–2006) with a trend towards breaks occurring later in the season. In the decade to 2006, there have been only 3 ideal breaks (1999, 2000 and 2005) and none of the selected rainfall stations has recorded an ‘extreme’ wet autumn over the last 11 years, the longest period recorded for this criterion. A synoptic analysis for the period 1956–2006 has established that breaks are predominantly associated with systems known as cutoff lows. The influence of these systems has varied markedly throughout the analysis period and only one autumn break has been caused by a cutoff low in the final decade of the analysis. Additionally, the total rainfall associated with cutoff lows in the April to June period has declined significantly over the past 30 years.A farming system model has been employed to simulate a wheat crop in northwestern Victoria under historical conditions for a range of management options. Average yield across all years of the simulation declines with delay in the sowing date after late April, but there is a marked interannual variability in yield response to the sowing date which is related to rainfall distribution in the growing season in each year. The simulated in‐crop rainfall indicates that the most recent drought in southeastern Australia is comparable in severity with the two major droughts in the 20th Century. Copyright © 2008 Royal Meteorological Society
A continuous Holocene beetle record from the site Stavsåkra, southern Sweden: implications for the last 10 600 years of forest and land use history
Authors: Olsson Fredrik , Lemdahl Geoffrey 
Published: December 2008

AbstractBeetle remains from a small bog in southern Sweden contribute information concerning the forest history of the study area. The study shows that beetles are valuable indicators of woodland structures such as openness, field vegetation, presence of dead wood and disturbance factors such as climate change, fire regimes, grazing and land use. The early Holocene, ca. 8600–6450 cal. BC, was characterised by open, pine‐dominated woodlands maintained by fire and grazing disturbances. The changes in the wetland fauna, between 8600 and 7500 cal. BC, correlate well with low lake levels in southern Sweden. During the mid Holocene, ca. 6450–2400 cal. BC, the woodlands were relatively dense, with few openings in the canopy. Around 4200 cal. BC, there was a shift to a dominance of deciduous trees. Fire and grazing pressures were particularly low. Numbers of aquatic and hygrophilic beetles indicate dry conditions between ca. 5000 and 3000 cal. BC. During the late Holocene, ca. 2400 cal. BC to present, the woodlands opened up mainly through increased land use. The main disturbance factors were fire and grazing. The beetles indicate the formation of heather‐dominated heathland around 800 cal. BC. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.This article was published online on 23 December 2008. An error was subsequently identified. This notice is included in the online and print versions to indicate that both have been corrected (5 August 2009).
Raman spectral studies of Zr4+‐rich BaZrxTi1−xO3(0.5⩽x⩽1.00) phase diagram
Authors: Karan N. K. , Katiyar R. S. , Maiti T. , Guo R. , Bhalla A. S. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractThis paper reports a systematic study of the composition and the temperature‐dependent‐Raman spectra of Zr4+‐rich BaZrxTi1−xO3 (BZT) ceramic compositions (0.50⩽x⩽1.00). On the basis of the dielectric behavior of Zr rich BZT ceramics, the observed relaxor behavior has been hypothesized as a result of increasing long‐range interactions of nanosized, Ti4+‐rich polar regions in a Zr4+‐rich nonpolar matrix. Beyond an optimum concentration of BaTiO3 (BT) in the nonpolar matrix of BaZrO3 (x⩽0.75), a critical size and density of the polar regions is reached when the polar clusters start showing the relaxor like behavior, which finally show classical relaxor behavior for compositions with x = 0.5 and 0.6. This hypothesis is strongly supported from the Raman data on Zr‐rich BZT presented in this paper. Well‐defined BT Raman spectra for 5% BT in BZT composition were recorded, which followed completely up to the 50% Ti addition in the BZT samples. The temperature‐dependent Raman spectra collected on the BZT ceramics far beyond the dielectric transition temperatures supported the existence of the nano‐polar BT regions, like in typical relaxor samples. The full width at half‐maximum (FWHM), integrated intensity of the peaks in the Raman spectra has been analyzed to further support the conclusions. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of Lactobacillus cultures on performance of laying hens, and total cholesterol, lipid and fatty acid composition of egg yolk
Authors: Ramasamy Kalavathy , Abdullah Norhani , Jalaludin Syed , Wong Michael , Ho Yin Wan 
Published: December 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: The use of antibiotic growth promoters in animal feeds is not approved for laying hens in many countries, and economically feasible biological measures which include probiotics are developed to improve hen performance. The present study investigated the effects of probiotics on hen performance for a 48‐week period and the cholesterol, total lipid and fatty acid composition of egg yolk at 24, 28 and 32 weeks of age.RESULTS: Egg weight of Lactobacillus culture (LC)‐fed hens was significantly (P < 0.05) greater than that of control hens throughout the laying period. From 20 to 44 weeks of age, LC‐fed hens produced a significantly (P < 0.05) lower percentage of small eggs and a higher percentage of large eggs, and from 45 to 68 weeks of age a significantly (P < 0.05) lower percentage of medium eggs and a higher percentage of large and extra‐large eggs than control hens. Significantly (P < 0.05) less cholesterol was found in egg yolks of hens fed LC at 24 and 28 weeks of age, but not at 32 weeks of age. The total lipid content and the fatty acid composition of egg yolks were similar between the treatments at 24, 28 and 32 weeks of age, except for stearic acid (C18 : 0), which was significantly reduced in the egg yolk of LC‐fed hens at 28–32 weeks of age.CONCLUSION: The greatest benefit of LC was in increasing egg weight and improving egg size by influencing a shift from small and medium to large and extra‐large eggs. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry