bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An analysis of the variation in crown size in sugar‐beet (Beta vulgaris) grown in England
Authors: MILFORD G F J , HOUGHTON B J 
Published: February 2008

SummaryThe processed part of the sugar‐beet plant, the beet, consists of secondary storage tissues developed from the root and hypocotyl and the crown which, botanically, is the compressed stem. Crowns contain less sugar than roots and higher concentrations of melassigenic substances (such as amino‐nitrogen compounds, sodium, potassium and invert sugars) which impair the crystallisation of white sugar during processing and make beets with high proportions of crown costly to process. Two factors influence the amount of crown material in beet delivered to factories: the original size of the whole crown in intact beet (subsequently referred to as the biological crown), and the fraction removed by the topping mechanisms of beet harvesters when the crop is lifted. The residue left on the delivered beet, for which growers in the UK are not paid, is measured as crown tare at the factory.To understand the causes of variation in crown tare, an analysis was made of the trend and variation in the size of the biological crown of sugar beet varieties introduced in the UK during the last 25 yr using information from past variety trials and new trials done in 1993, 1997 and 1998. Except for a few diploids, the biological crown was generally as large and variable in recently‐introduced varieties as in those grown 15–20 yr ago. Its size was strongly influenced by locational and seasonal factors which changed the plant's shoot:root ratio primarily, it is suggested, through differences in amounts of available nitrogen. There was no evidence of changes in beet anatomy in recently‐introduced varieties that would result in root material being removed with the crown when samples of delivered, machine‐topped beet are contractually de‐crowned to estimate crown tares in the factory tarehouse.Variable amounts of crown are removed by harvesting machines. Experiments showed that a greater proportion of beet were over‐topped and more root material was removed with the crown when the biological crown was small and when harvester knives were set low to deliver a minimal crown tare. In these situations, significant amounts of root material, for which growers would be paid if delivered to the factory, were left in the field. Data from differential machine‐topping trials on commercial sugar beet crops at four locations in 1996 and 1997 were used to relate yield loss through over‐topping to crown tare. A crown tare of at least 8% was needed to ensure that no economic yield was left in the field; below this level the losses in delivered yield and grower's income increased exponentially through over‐topping. It was estimated from the factory records of individual contracts that deliveries of beet with crown tares below 8% decreased the national adjusted yield of clean beet by 58 400 t in 1997, equivalent to 0.34 t ha‐1 and 0.56% of the total delivered tonnage.
The aggregative numerical response of polyphagous predators to aphids in cereal fields: attraction to what?
Authors: MONSRUD CARSTEN , TOFT SØREN 
Published: February 2008

SummaryWe tested in a field experiment two hypotheses for why polyphagous predators aggregate at concentrations of aphids: 1) because they are attracted directly to aphids as prey, or 2) because they are attracted to alternative prey that aggregate around the honeydew produced by aphids. Small plots were established in the field with two experimental treatments, aphid addition and honey spraying, and a watersprayed control, each replicated 10 times. Arthropods were recorded by pitfall traps and sticky traps in each plot. Diptera were significantly more abundant in the honey plots. Of the predators,Agonum dorsale, “All carabids” andPhilonthussp. were most abundant in the honey plots;Tachyporusspp. and carabid and staphylinid larvae were most abundant in the aphid addition plots. It is suggested that these results reflect differences among the predators in their ability to tolerate and utilise aphids as food.
Effects of infection time and moisture on development of ear blight and deoxynivalenol production by Fusarium spp. in wheat
Authors: LACEY J. , BATEMAN G L , MIROCHA C J 
Published: February 2008

SummaryWheat ears were inoculated with conidia of Fusarium spp. at different growth stages between ear emergence and harvest and moist conditions were maintained for up to 7 days subsequently by mist irrigation. Of the fungi tested (Fusarium culmorum, F. avenaceum, F. tricinctum, F. sporotrichioides and Microdochium nivale), only F. culmorum produced ear blight symptoms and grain samples were found subsequently to contain deoxynivalenol. Most ear infection and deoxynivalenol formation occurred following inoculation at about mid‐anthesis. Small amounts of deoxynivalenol were formed and some F. culmorum was isolated even in the absence of ear blight symptoms. An overnight wet period was sufficient to initiate infection and deoxynivalenol formation but both were increased by extending the wet period up to at least 3 days. Recovery of Fusarium spp. from harvested grain was usually possible whether or not symptoms developed. F. culmorum usually persisted and often increased to moderately high levels after storage for 7 wk in a range of moisture conditions.
Weed vegetation (wild flora) of long established organic versus conventional cereal fields in Denmark
Authors: HALD A B 
Published: February 2008

SummaryThe vegetation of weeds was sampled in matched pairs of long established organic and contemporary conventional cereal fields in summer 1987, and in spring and summer 1988, with an extended Raunkiaer circle at distances up to 50 m from the field boundary. In spring 1988, the number of plants were also counted. Species density, plant density, a proxy measure of plant density (accumulated Frequency Sum), crop and weed biomass, and occurrence of plants assigned to functional groups, are compared between farming systems. The plants were assigned to functional groups according to: (i) herbivore associations to broad‐leaved taxa and (ii) flower location in the canopy, i.e. visibility and availability to flying insects. Furthermore, crop margin and mid‐field were compared concerning species density and accumulated Frequency Sum.All variables that differed among the two farming systems had highest values ‐ often several times higher ‐ in the organic system with four exceptions: total biomass, biomass of crop, proportion of a single broad‐leaved taxon and of grasses. The differences between the two systems were largest mid‐field due to a pronounced pre‐herbicide spraying gradient in species and plant density from crop margin to mid‐field in conventional fields. A similar gradient was not found in the organic fields.
The critical weed‐free period in organically‐grown winter wheat
Authors: WELSH J P , BULSON H A J , STOPES C E , FROUD‐WILLIAMS R J , MURDOCH A J 
Published: February 2008

SummaryTwo experiments were conducted in central southern England between September 1994 and August 1996 to identify the critical weed‐free period in organically grown winter wheat (Triticum aestivum, cv. Mercia). In competition with a mixed weed infestation of predominatelyAlopecurus myosuroidesandTripleurospermum inodorumit was found that wheat yield decreased as the duration of the weed‐infested period increased and that the crop needed to be kept free of weeds from sowing in order to completely avoid any yield loss. Also, weeds emerging in the wheat crop (predominatelyT. inodorum) during the growing season had a significant and detrimental effect on yield. The existence of the critical period, therefore, depends on the imposition of an acceptable yield loss. If a 5% yield loss gives a marginal benefit compared with the cost of weed control, the critical period will begin at 506°C days after sowing (November) and end at 1023°C days after sowing (February). This information could be used by farmers to target mechanical weeding operations to control weeds at a time that will have maximum benefit to the crop.
A thermal time model of post‐initiation flower development in the shade plant, cineraria
Authors: YEH D M , ATHERTON J G , CRAIGON J. 
Published: February 2008

SummaryEffects of temperature on flower development in cineraria cv. Cindy Blue were studied in controlled environment rooms and in glasshouses. The base, optimum and maximum temperatures respectively for progress to macroscopic flower appearance after flower initiation respectively were 1.6°C, 19.3°C and 39.8°C. From these cardinal temperatures, a thermal time requirement for flower appearance after flower initiation was calculated to be 130°Cd. The base, optimum and maximum temperatures for progress to anthesis after flower initiation were respectively 1.7°C, 22.3°C and 37.1°C and from these values, the thermal time required to reach anthesis after flower initiation was calculated to be 555°Cd. No significant difference was demonstrated between thermal times for flower development in plants grown in controlled environment growth rooms or under glasshouse conditions where irradiance and photoperiod varied markedly.
Still there's no food! Food insecurity in a refugee population in Perth, Western Australia
Authors: GALLEGOS Danielle , ELLIES Pernilla , WRIGHT Janine 
Published: February 2008

AbstractAim:  To identify food insecurity and examine its association with socio‐demographic factors in a group of newly arrived refugees.Methods:  Structured questionnaire based around the same question asked during the National Nutrition Survey (1995). The questionnaire was administered to a service‐based sample of clients accessing early intervention services. Fifty‐one individuals who were newly arrived refugees, resident in Australia for less than 12 months and who were receiving torture and trauma counselling.Results:  Thirty‐six individuals (71% of sample) reported running out of food. This percentage was much greater than the 5.2% recorded across all social and economic groups in the 1995 National Nutrition Survey. The most common reasons for running out of food were related to large household bills, late welfare payments, poor household skills, sending money ‘home’, transport issues and poor budgeting skills.Conclusion:  Food insecurity in refugees in Perth, Western Australia is comparable to the rates of food insecurity found in this population in other parts of the developed world. There are, however, significant ramifications for the development of intervention strategies as well as policy implications. For refugees, focusing on community food security strategies will assist in building community capacity, facilitate the retention of cultural integrity, restore and maintain dignity, and will be instrumental in ensuring both short‐ and long‐term health.
Meal and food preferences of nutritionally at‐risk inpatients admitted to two Australian tertiary teaching hospitals
Authors: VIVANTI Angela , BANKS Merrilyn , ALIAKBARI Judith , SUTER Michelle , HANNAN‐JONES Mary , MCBRIDE Elizabeth 
Published: February 2008

AbstractAim:  To determine preferences for meals and snack of long‐stay patients and hospitalised patients with increased energy and protein requirements.Methods:  Using consistent methodology across two tertiary teaching hospitals, a convenience sample of adult public hospital inpatients with increased energy and protein requirements or longer stays (seven days or more) were interviewed regarding meal and snack preferences. Descriptive reporting of sample representativeness, preferred foods and frequency of meals and between meal snacks.Results:  Of 134 respondents, 55% reported a decreased appetite and 28% rated their appetite as ‘poor’. Most felt like eating either nothing (42%) or soup (15%) when unwell. The most desired foods were hot meal items, including eggs (31%), meat dishes (20%) and soup (69%). Of items not routinely available, soft drink (7.6%) and alcohol (6.7%) were most commonly desired during admission. Almost half (49%) reported difficulty opening packaged food and a majority (81%) indicated finger foods were easy to eat.Conclusion:  Appetites during admission were frequently lower than usual. Responses encourage consideration of eggs, meat dishes and soups for long‐stayers or those with high‐energy, high‐protein needs. Easy to consume but not routinely offered, between meal items, such as soup, juice, cake, soft drink or Milo could be explored further to enhance oral intakes.
Foods, nutrients and portions consumed by a sample of Australian children aged 16–24 months
Authors: WEBB Karen , RUTISHAUSER Ingrid , KNEZEVIC Natalia 
Published: February 2008

AbstractAim:  To describe the diet of a sample of Australian children aged 16–24 months with regard to the amounts of foods and nutrients consumed.Methods:  Cross‐sectional data collected from participants in a five‐year randomised trial of the primary prevention of asthma. Pregnant women with a family history of atopy were recruited from six hospital antenatal clinics in western Sydney. At the 18‐month assessment, carers of 429 of children completed three‐day weighed food records. Three‐day average intakes of foods and nutrients and average portions per eating occasion for commonly consumed foods. T‐tests for comparing gender differences.Results:  Diets were characterised by large amounts of milk and non‐milk drinks with smaller amounts of cereals, fruits, vegetables and meats. Total energy intake was significantly higher for boys than girls and exceeded estimated energy requirements in both boys and girls. Food groups contributing most to energy included milk and milk products (35%), cereals (15%), cereal‐based products (9%) and non‐milk drinks (8%). Micronutrient intakes were below the Estimated Average Requirement in more than 5% of the children for vitamin A, calcium, vitamin C and iron. Sodium intakes exceeded the upper level of 1000 mg for 62% of children, while dietary fibre intake was only half the Adequate Intake of 14 g. Relatively few foods were widely consumed and median portion sizes were typically small in relation to commonly used reference portion sizes.Conclusion:  These data may be useful as a preliminary basis for developing age‐specific dietary surveillance tools and dietary guidance for children aged one to two years.
Investigation of the impact of intensive broiler rearing on local fine particulate matter concentrations
Authors: Bull Michael 
Published: February 2008

AbstractDuring the review and assessment of air quality process, South Norfolk Council identified that poultry rearing could be a significant source of particulate matter and therefore required more detailed study. Using standard emission data for poultry rearing dispersion modelling confirmed that there was potential for an exceedance of the UK objective for fine particulate matter (PM10). However, it was recognised that the emission data available were based on very limited information and further monitoring was required to investigate the issue fully. Accordingly, an air quality monitoring programme was set up to measure PM10 concentrations around a large broiler‐rearing facility. This used both a TEOM‐ and Partisol‐type instrument to allow direct comparison with the UK objective and to provide continuous results to use with wind direction monitoring to assist in identifying the source of particulate matter in the area. The results from the monitoring showed that an exceedance of the UK objective was unlikely, although the broiler sheds did appear to result in a significant increase in PM10 concentrations in the area, with average concentrations increasing by nearly 12 μg/m3 when the wind direction carried emissions from the sheds to the monitoring site. Given that the test site was located near a very large broiler farm, it was considered that it was unlikely that broiler‐rearing activities would result in an exceedance of the UK objective for PM10.
Managing urban wastewater in China: a survey of build–operate–transfer contracts
Authors: Braadbaart Okke , Zhang Mingshun , Wang Yang 
Published: February 2008

AbstractThis paper reports on a nationwide field survey of wastewater plants under build–operate–transfer (BOT) contracts in China. The survey yielded information on contracting parties, size, duration and location of 37 BOT contracts. The key findings are that municipal governments feature as first parties to BOTs, and that many second parties are domestic rather than international entities. Municipalities favour BOT contracts because of familiarity with infrastructure BOTs and the access they offer to the capital market. A subsample of five BOT contract documents was examined. Gaps in contract specifications included clauses allocating responsibility for defects in plant design and environmental incidents, and coverage of commercial risk. Many of the BOT contracts examined qualify as public–public partnerships rather than public–private partnerships (PPPs) in the classic sense of the word. This dampens the risk of contract failure.
Emergence of Fluoroquinolone Resistance in Group B Streptococcal Isolates in Taiwan
Authors: Wu Hsiu-Mei , Janapatla Rajendra Prasad , Ho Yueh-Ren , Hung Kuei-Hsiang , Wu Chi-Wen , Yan Jing-Jou , Wu Jiunn-Jong 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT

Of 1,994 group B streptococcal isolates collected, 26 (1.3%) of the isolates were resistant to levofloxacin, and cross-resistance to other fluoroquinolones was observed. The emergence and prevalence of high-level fluoroquinolone resistance in genetically unrelated isolates were linked to the presence of
gyrA
,
parC
, and
parE
triple mutations in each isolate.
Isobolographic Analysis of Pharmacodynamic Interactions between Antifungal Agents and Ciprofloxacin against
Candida albicans
and
Aspergillus fumigatus
Authors: Stergiopoulou Theodouli , Meletiadis Joseph , Sein Tin , Papaioannidou Paraskevi , Tsiouris Ioannis , Roilides Emmanuel , Walsh Thomas J. 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT

Patients suffering from invasive mycoses often receive concomitant antifungal therapy and antibacterial agents. Assessment of pharmacodynamic interactions between antifungal and antibacterial agents is complicated by the absence of a common antifungal end point for both agents. Ciprofloxacin has no intrinsic antifungal activity but may interact with antifungal agents, since it inhibits DNA gyrase (topoisomerase II), which is abundant in fungi. We therefore employed isobolographic analysis adapted to incorporate a nonactive agent in order to analyze the potential in vitro interaction between the fluoroquinolone ciprofloxacin and several representative antifungal agents against
Candida albicans
and
Aspergillus fumigatus
strains by using a microdilution checkerboard technique. In agreement with earlier in vitro studies, conventional fractional inhibitory concentration index analysis was unable to detect interactions between ciprofloxacin and antifungal agents. However, isobolographic analysis revealed significant pharmacodynamic interactions between antifungal agents and ciprofloxacin against
C. albicans
and
A. fumigatus
strains. Amphotericin B demonstrated concentration-dependent interactions for both species, with synergy (interaction indices, 0.14 to 0.81) observed at ciprofloxacin concentrations of <10.64 μg/ml. Synergy (interaction indices, 0.10 to 0.86) was also found for voriconazole and caspofungin against
A. fumigatus
. Isobolographic analysis may help to elucidate the pharmacodynamic interactions between antifungal and non-antifungal agents and to develop better management strategies against invasive candidiasis and aspergillosis.
Pharmacokinetic Evaluation of Single-Dose Intravenous Daptomycin in Patients with Thermal Burn Injury
Authors: Mohr John F. , Ostrosky-Zeichner Luis , Wainright David J. , Parks Donald H. , Hollenbeck Timothy C. , Ericsson Charles D. 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT
Daptomycin pharmacokinetics were evaluated for burn patients. Burn patients had decreases in the maximum concentration of the drug in serum (44%) and the area under the concentration-time curve (47%) and increases in the volume of distribution (64%) and total clearance (77%) compared to healthy volunteers. In burn patients, daptomycin at 10 to 12 mg/kg of body weight/day would be required to achieve drug exposures similar to those for healthy volunteers receiving 6 mg/kg.
Efficacy of SPK-843, a Novel Polyene Antifungal, in Comparison with Amphotericin B, Liposomal Amphotericin B, and Micafungin against Murine Pulmonary Aspergillosis
Authors: Kakeya Hiroshi , Miyazaki Yoshitsugu , Senda Hisato , Kobayashi Tsutomu , Seki Masafumi , Izumikawa Koichi , Yanagihara Kazunori , Yamamoto Yoshihiro , Tashiro Takayoshi , Kohno Shigeru 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT
SPK-843, a new polyene antifungal, exhibited dose-dependent efficacy on murine pulmonary aspergillosis models. SPK-843 doses of higher than 1.0 mg/kg of body weight exhibited no renal toxicities and a tendency toward better survival prolongation than the estimated maximum tolerated doses of amphotericin B (Fungizone) (1.0 mg/kg) and liposomal amphotericin B (AmBisome) (8.0 mg/kg).
Translational Attenuation and mRNA Stabilization as Mechanisms of
erm
(B) Induction by Erythromycin
Authors: Min Yu-Hong , Kwon Ae-Ran , Yoon Eun-Jeong , Shim Mi-Ja , Choi Eung-Chil 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT

Translational attenuation has been proposed to be the mechanism by which the
erm
(B) gene is induced. Here, we report genetic and biochemical evidence, obtained by using erythromycin as the inducing antibiotic, that supports this hypothesis. We also show that erythromycin increases the level of the
erm
(B) transcript by stalling the ribosome on the leader mRNA and thereby facilitating the stabilization and processing of the mRNA. Erythromycin-induced mRNA stabilization and processing were observed with an ochre stop at codons 11 to 13 of the leader but not with an ochre stop at codon 10. This suggests that erythromycin does not stall the ribosome before codon 11 of the leader reaches the aminoacyl site. Secondary structure analyses of the
erm
(B) transcripts by in vitro and in vivo chemical probing techniques identified conformational changes in the transcripts that result from induction by erythromycin. These findings demonstrate that stalling of erythromycin-bound ribosomes at leader codon 11 causes the refolding of mRNA into a conformation in which the translational initiation site for the structural gene is unmasked and renders
erm
(B) translationally active.
The C-Terminal Segment of the Cysteine-Rich Interdomain of
Plasmodium falciparum
Erythrocyte Membrane Protein 1 Determines CD36 Binding and Elicits Antibodies That Inhibit Adhesion of Parasite-Infected Erythrocytes
Authors: Mo Min , Lee Hooi Chen , Kotaka Masayo , Niang Makhtar , Gao Xiaohong , Iyer Jayasree Kaveri , Lescar Julien , Preiser Peter 
Published: February 2008

ABSTRACT

Attachment of erythrocytes infected by
Plasmodium falciparum
to receptors of the microvasculature is a major contributor to the pathology and morbidity associated with malaria. Adhesion is mediated by the
P. falciparum
erythrocyte membrane protein 1 (PfEMP-1), which is expressed at the surface of infected erythrocytes and is linked to both antigenic variation and cytoadherence. PfEMP-1 contains multiple adhesive modules, including the Duffy binding-like domain and the cysteine-rich interdomain region (CIDR). The interaction between CIDRα and CD36 promotes stable adherence of parasitized erythrocytes to endothelial cells. Here we show that a segment within the C-terminal region of CIDRα determines CD36 binding specificity. Antibodies raised against this segment can specifically block the adhesion to CD36 of erythrocytes infected with various parasite strains. Thus, small regions of PfEMP-1 that determine binding specificity could form suitable components of an antisequestration malaria vaccine effective against different parasite strains.