bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Detection of free‐living and plankton‐bound vibrios in coastal waters of the Adriatic Sea (Italy) and study of their pathogenicity‐associated properties
Authors: Baffone Wally , Tarsi Renato , Pane Luigi , Campana Raffaella , Repetto Barbara , Mariottini Gian Luigi , Pruzzo Carla 
Published: March 2006

SummaryCulturable vibrios were isolated from water and plankton fractions collected during an 18‐month sampling study performed along the north‐central coast of the Adriatic Sea (Italy). Unculturable Vibrio vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus were detected in plankton fractions by polymerase chain reaction amplification of DNA sequences for cytotoxin‐haemolysin and thermolabile haemolysin respectively. The presence of V. parahaemolyticus, V. vulnificus and V. cholerae virulence genes and the expression of pathogenicity‐associated traits were analysed in all isolates. The results showed the spreading of these properties among the environmental isolates and confirm the need of both monitoring the presence of vibrios in coastal areas and studying their pathogenicity potential in order to properly protect human health.
Soluble di‐iron monooxygenase gene diversity in soils, sediments and ethene enrichments
Authors: Coleman Nicholas V. , Bui Nga B. , Holmes Andrew J. 
Published: March 2006

SummarySoluble di‐iron monooxygenases (SDIMOs) are key enzymes in the bacterial oxidation of hydrocarbons, and have applications in environmental and industrial biotechnology. SDIMOs from pure cultures are unlikely to represent the total diversity of this enzyme family, so we used polymerase chain reaction to survey the diversity of SDIMO alpha subunit genes in environmental samples, ethene enrichments and ethene‐degrading bacterial isolates. From 178 cloned amplicons, 98 restriction fragment length polymorphism types were seen, from which 75 representative SDIMO sequences were obtained; 45 from environmental samples, 25 from enrichments and seven from isolates. The sequences were diverse, including genes similar to ethene (etnC), propene (amoC, pmoC), propane (prmA) and butane (bmoX) monooxygenases, in addition to many novel sequences comprising a new SDIMO group (group 6). Environmental samples showed the highest diversity, with strong representation of group 6 SDIMOs and prmA‐like genes. Ethene stimulation of samples resulted in increased frequencies of group 4 SDIMOs (etnC‐like). Four ethene‐utilizing Mycobacterium isolates (NBB1–NBB4) from enrichments all contained etnC; one isolate (NBB4) also contained three additional SDIMO genes (bmoX‐like, amoC‐like and group 6). The primers, database, clone libraries and strains reported here provide a resource for future bioremediation and biocatalysis studies, with particular relevance for chlorinated alkene and alkane compounds.
Application of an African Ancestry Index as a Genomic Control Approach in a Brazilian Population
Authors: Zembrzuski V. M. , Callegari‐Jacques S. M. , Hutz M. H. 
Published: March 2006

SummaryTen ancestry informative markers were investigated in 101 coronary artery disease patients and 102 healthy controls from a Southern Brazilian population, in order to determine if stratification occurs in this population. The degree of African admixture detected in this population was estimated to be as high as 6%, but no differences between cases and controls were observed. Using an African Ancestry Index (AAI) that estimates admixture at the individual level it was possible to remove from the samples those individuals with evidence of African admixture. Therefore we have shown that it is possible to control for population stratification by choosing individuals, without the loss of statistical power that occurs with the use of other methods of genomic control.
Quantitative‐trait‐locus Mapping in the Presence of Locus Heterogeneity
Authors: Wang K , Peng Y 
Published: March 2006

SummaryLocus heterogeneity is a concern for quantitative trait locus mapping where phenotypes are likely to be influenced by more than one gene. We introduce a model which generalizes the locus heterogeneity model of Smith (1961) from dichotomous traits to quantitative traits and consider some test statistics for this model. The type I error rates and the power of these statistics are assessed through simulation studies. These statistics are applied to a linkage study of asthma genes.
Population structure in a saproxylic funnelweb spider (Hexathelidae: Hadronyche) along a forested rainfall gradient
Authors: Woodman J. D. , Ash J. E. , Rowell D. M. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractWe present research undertaken at Tallaganda State Forest, Australia, describing how current climatic conditions impact upon the saproxylic (decaying wood) habitat and the relationship between this habitat and the demography and morphology of a saproxylic funnelweb spider (Hadronyche sp.). Climatic data support a north–south habitat cline and, to a lesser extent, a short‐range, aspect‐driven habitat cline. Rainfall and log moisture content increased with latitude through the forest, and aspect affected the amount of solar radiation penetrating to ground level. The distribution and abundance of Hadronyche varied among sites along both clines in response to several variables. The decay state of logs was highly influential, with wet, highly decayed logs favoured over dry, hard ones. Population density was highest in wetter, southern sites where these logs were abundant, but rare, suitably decomposed logs in dry, northern sites still typically hosted a comparable number of individuals. Morphological measurements showed some phenotypic variation along the north–south habitat gradient, but not over the short‐range, aspect‐driven gradients. Hadronyche would not be expected to show similarly strong patterns of molecular variation as seen in saproxylic Collembola and Onychophora within Tallaganda as it appears to be more vagile.
Arctic roars – laryngeal anatomy and vocalization of the muskox (Ovibos moschatus Zimmermann, 1780, Bovidae)
Authors: Frey R. , Gebler A. , Fritsch G. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractThe impressive roaring of adult male muskoxen most often occurs during rutting contests. Roaring in adult females is primarily relevant to mother–infant communication. Loud roars are produced by taking up a specific roaring posture. Acoustic recordings were made in a small herd of zoo muskoxen during three successive rutting seasons. Earlier recordings of a different herd were used for comparison. Head‐and‐neck specimens were subjected to vascular injection, macroscopic anatomical dissection, computer tomographic analysis and skeletonization. Isolated preserved larynges of young animals were dissected for ontogenetic comparison. Despite a pronounced sexual dimorphism of head mass, larynx size is almost identical in adult male and female muskoxen, as is the fundamental frequency of their roars. Remarkably, the larynges of both sexes of muskoxen are provided with an unpaired ventrorostral ventricle. Probably, this ventricle is inflated during the initial phase of a roar. The ventricle may have two functions: to increase the amplitude of roaring and to darken the timbre of the roars by acting as an additional resonance space. The vocal fold of adult female and young individuals has a sharp rostral edge and a vocal ligament is still present. During male ontogeny the vocal ligament becomes transformed into a large fat pad extending into the wall of the laryngeal vestibulum. Accordingly, the glottic region in the adult male lacks any sharp edges of the mucosa. In both sexes the thyroarytenoid muscle is divided into three portions. A single roar may comprise phases of different sound volume. The roars of both muskox sexes are characterized by a pulsed structure. We suggest that two oscillating systems are involved in the production of roars: one comprising only the medial portion of the vocal fold and one including its lateral portion.
Delayed parturition: constraint or coping mechanism in a viviparous gekkonid?
Authors: Rock J. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractThe extended gestation of fully developed embryos in viviparous reptiles can be the consequence of a lack of appropriate environmental conditions and/or an adaptive contribution to increased offspring viability. I examined the cause and effects of extended gestation in a gekkonid lizard Hoplodactylus maculatus, which delays parturition of developed embryos for up to 9 months from autumn into a second spring. Comparisons of microhabitat temperatures showed that thermal opportunities were equally conducive to birth in autumn and spring. The responsiveness of females to a hormonal stimulant for parturition also did not differ between these seasons. Multiple offspring traits were measured, including body size, locomotory ability and lipid reserves, and were found not to increase with extended gestation. Incorporating these results with previously published evidence for microhabitat thermal variation, I discuss whether delayed parturition may be an adaptive mechanism maintained by the selective pressures of an uncertain thermal environment on components of reproduction, including vitellogenesis, maternal birthing cues and neonatal survival.
Distribution and frequencies of shark‐inflicted injuries to the endangered Hawaiian monk seal (Monachus schauinslandi)
Authors: Bertilsson‐Friedman P. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractI analyzed the frequencies of wounds inflicted by sharks to the endangered Hawaiian monk seal Monachus schauinslandi at three colonies in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands between 1990 and 2000. I applied specific criteria typical of shark bites to all injuries to avoid bias. Pooling data from all years and the three colonies revealed several patterns. Sharks injured more pups (nursing and weaned) and juveniles (1–2 years old) than adults and subadults. More female pups and male juveniles than any other size classes were injured by sharks. Almost all (97%) of the injured pups were from French Frigate Shoals. More juveniles than expected were wounded at Laysan Island and Lisianski Island. Most shark wounds were between the diaphragm and the pelvic girdle, but pups were bitten most often just behind the pelvis compared with adults who were bitten more often near the head and neck.
Evaluating Medical Effectiveness for the California Health Benefits Review Program
Authors: Luft Harold S. , Rappaport Karen M. , Yelin Edward H. , Aubry Wade M. 
Published: March 2006

An important aspect of the mandate assessments requested by the California legislature is a review of the scientific and medical literature on the medical effectiveness of the proposed health insurance benefit mandate. Although such a review bears many similarities to effectiveness reviews that might be undertaken for publication as research studies, several important differences arise from the requirements of the California legislation.Our reviews are intended to assist the legislators in deciding whether to support a specific mandate to modify health insurance benefits in a particular way. Thus, our assessments focus on how the scientific literature bears on the proposed mandate, which may involve a complicated chain of potential effects leading from altered coverage to ultimate impact on health. Evidence may be available for only some of the links in the chain. Furthermore, not all the evidence may be directly applicable to the diverse population of California or the subpopulation affected by the mandate.The mandate reviews, including the medical effectiveness analyses, may be used in a potentially contentious decision making setting. The legislative calendar requires that they need to be timely, yet they must be as valid, credible, and based on the best information available as possible. The focus on applicability also implies the need for informed, technical decisions concerning the relevance of the articles for the report, and these decisions need to be made as transparent as possible. These goals and constraints yield an approach that differs somewhat from an investigator‐initiated review of the literature.
The California Cost and Coverage Model: Analyses of the Financial Impacts of Benefit Mandates for the California Legislature
Authors: Kominski Gerald F. , Ripps Jay C. , Laugesen Miriam J. , Cosway Robert G. , Pourat Nadereh 
Published: March 2006

Objective. To produce cost estimates of proposed health insurance benefit mandates for the California legislature.Data Sources. The 2001 California Health Interview Survey, 2002 Kaiser Family Foundation/Health Research and Education Trust California Employer Health Benefits Survey, Milliman Health Cost Guidelines, and ad hoc surveys of large health plans were used.Study Design. We developed an actuarial model to estimate short‐term (1 year) changes in utilization and total health care expenditures, including insurance premiums and out‐of‐pocket expenditures, if insurance mandates were enacted. This model includes baseline estimates of current coverage and total current expenditures for each proposed mandate.Principal Findings. Analysis of seven legislative proposals indicated 1‐year increases in total health care expenditures among the insured population in California ranging from 0.006 to 0.200 percent. Even when proposed mandates were expected to reach a large target group, either utilization or cost was sufficiently low to keep total cost increases minimal.Conclusions. Our ability to develop a California‐specific model to estimate the impacts of proposed mandates in a timely fashion provided California legislators during the 2004 legislative session with more‐detailed coverage and cost information than is generally available to legislative bodies.
Assessing the Public Health Impact of State Health Benefit Mandates
Authors: McMenamin Sara B. , Halpin Helen A. , Ganiats Theodore G. 
Published: March 2006

Objective. To document the process used in assessing the public health impact of proposed health insurance benefit mandates in California as part of the California Health Benefits Review Program (CHBRP) to serve as a guide for other states interested in incorporating a public health impact analysis into their state mandated benefit review process.Background. As of September 2004, of the 26 states that require reviews of mandated benefit legislation, 25 required an assessment of the cost impact, 12 required an assessment of the medical efficacy, and only 6 had language requiring an assessment of the public health impact.Methodology. This paper presents the methodology used to calculate the overall public health impact of each mandate. This includes a discussion of data sources, required data elements, and the methods used to quantify the impact of a mandated health insurance benefit on: overall public health, on gender and racial disparities in health outcomes, on premature death, and on the economic loss associated with disease. In addition we identify the limitations of this type of analysis.Conclusions. The approach that California has adopted to review proposed health benefit mandates represents a leap forward in its consideration of the impact of such mandates on the health of the population. the approach is unique in its specific requirements to address public health impacts as well as the attempt to quantify these impacts by the CHBRP team. The requirement to make available this information to the state government has the potential, ultimately, to increase the availability of health insurance products in California that will maximize public health.
An Analysis of California Assembly Bill 2185: Mandating Coverage of Pediatric Asthma Self‐Management Training and Education
Authors: Halpin Helen Ann , McMenamin Sara B. , Pourat Nadereh , Yelin Edward 
Published: March 2006

Objective. To summarize for the California Legislature the evidence on the medical effectiveness of pediatric asthma self‐management training and education (PASMTE), including the use of peak flow meters, spacers, and nebulizers and the impact that mandated coverage of these services and devices under Assembly Bill (AB) 2185 would have on total health care expenditures, monthly premiums, health services utilization, and the public's health.Medical Effectiveness Findings. The review of the literature finds that PASMTE is medically effective and has favorable effects on the health of children with symptomatic asthma, as well as reduces asthma‐related emergency room visits and hospitalizations. There was inadequate evidence to assess the effectiveness of the three medical devices independently of PASMTE.Cost and Utilization Findings. One‐hundred percent of children in health maintenance organization (HMO) plans in California are already covered for PASMTE, with fewer having coverage for the specific medical devices. However, despite full coverage of PASMTE in HMOs, these services are underutilized. We expect that the enactment of AB 2185 would increase utilization of PASMTE among children who are currently covered by 10 percent as a result of increased awareness of current coverage by all HMOs and increased awareness of the importance of these services. We estimate that this increased utilization by children who are already covered may result in a total statewide premiums increase of $170,000 or 0.006 percent, equal to one to two cents per member per month (PMPM).Public Health Findings. It is estimated that the public health impact of the mandate, as a result of new utilization of PASMTE by 10 percent of children who are already covered, would reduce the number of school days missed because of asthma per year by 158,000; the number of children reporting restricted activity days by 6,020; the number of emergency department visits by 350; and the number of hospitalizations by 1,105.Legislative Action. AB 2185 passed the legislature after being amended six times. The bill as it was signed into law did not mandate coverage for PASMTE, as all HMOs in California presently reported covering these services. However, the bill retained the mandate for coverage of the three medical devices, as their coverage was not as universal across health plans.
A Comparative Analysis of Mandated Benefit Laws, 1949–2002
Authors: Laugesen Miriam J. , Paul Rebecca R. , Luft Harold S. , Aubry Wade , Ganiats Theodore G. 
Published: March 2006

Objective. To understand and compare the trends in mandated benefits laws in the United States.Data Sources/Study Setting. Mandated benefit laws enacted in 50 states and the District of Columbia for the period 1949–2002 were compiled from multiple published compendia.Study Design. Laws that require private insurers and health plans to cover particular services, types of diseases, or care by specific providers in 50 states and the District of Columbia are compared for the period 1949–2002. Legislation is compared by year, by average and total frequency, by state, by type (provider, health care service, or preventive), and according to whether it requires coverage or an offer of coverage.Data Collection/Extraction Method. Data from published tables were entered into a spreadsheet and analyzed using statistical software.Principal Findings. A total of 1,471 laws mandated coverage for 76 types of providers and services. The most common type of mandated coverage is for specific health care services (670 laws for 34 different services), followed by laws for services offered by specific professionals and other providers (507 mandated benefits laws for 25 types of providers), and coverage for specific preventive services (295 laws for 17 benefits). On average, a mandated benefit law has been adopted or significantly revised by 19 states, and each state has approximately 29 mandates. Only two benefits (minimum maternity stay and breast reconstruction) are mandated in all 51 jurisdictions and these were also federally mandated benefits. The mean number of total mandated benefit laws adopted or significantly revised per year was 17 per year in the 1970s, 36 per year in the 1980s, 59 per year in the 1990s, and 76 per year between 2000 and 2002. Since 1990, mandate adoption increased substantially, with around 55 percent of all mandated benefit laws enacted between 1990 and 2002.Conclusions. There was a large increase in the number of mandated benefits laws during the managed care “backlash” of the 1990s. Many states now use mandated benefits to prescribe not only what services and benefits would be provided but how, where, and when services will be provided.
State‐Mandated Benefit Review Laws
Authors: Bellows Nicole M. , Halpin Helen Ann , McMenamin Sara B. 
Published: March 2006

Objective. To determine which states have laws that require the review of mandated health insurance benefits and describe the various approaches states take in reviewing mandated benefits, as stated in the mandated benefit review (MBR) laws.Data Sources. We queried online databases of the individual state statutes and reviewed the state statutes and state legislative agendas for all 50 states and Washington, DC to identify those states with active MBR laws as of September 2004.Study Design. We reviewed the identified MBR laws to catalog their various components. The components chosen for this analysis include: general review strategy, designated reviewers, time frame for conducting reviews, criteria used in the review, requirements to use actuaries, sources of funding, and state data collection systems. Two of the authors independently created analysis categories and coded the MBR laws to document details on the major components of the laws.Principal Findings. We identified 26 state MBR laws active as of September 2004. A majority of the MBR laws specified a prospective review approach and only one law used an exclusively retrospective review approach. A substantial amount of variation was found with regards to the designated reviewers, time frames for conducting reviews, and criteria used in the review. Few states specified the use of actuaries, sources of funding, and state data collection systems.Conclusions. The number of states that have enacted MBR laws has increased substantially in recent years, however, different states have structured the review of mandated benefits differently, according to the values and perceived needs of the state legislatures. It is important that states increasingly consider a broader scope of review criteria so state decision makers can position themselves to mandate only those benefits that add real value to the state's health care system.