bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Maternal Investment of the Virunga Mountain Gorillas
Authors: Robbins Andrew M , Robbins Martha M , Fawcett Katie 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe Trivers & Willard hypothesis (TWH) predicts that females with more resources should bias their maternal investment toward offspring of the sex that is most likely to benefit from those additional resources. This paper examines the sex allocation of 61 female mountain gorillas (Gorilla beringei beringei) of the Virunga volcanoes, Rwanda from 1967 to 2004. Like most highly dimorphic, polygynous mammals, mountain gorillas are expected to show greater variance in reproductive success among males than females, so mothers in good condition should bias their investment toward sons. Using dominance rank as the indicator of maternal condition, the TWH was tentatively supported by our results with interbirth intervals (IBI). Dominant mothers had longer IBI following the birth of sons, relative to the longer IBI that subordinate mothers had with daughters. In contrast, maternal condition did not have a significant effect on birth sex ratios. We also found no significant relationships with other variables that might influence birth sex ratios (e.g., maternal age, parity, or group size), and the overall birth sex ratio was not significantly different from a 50:50 split. Collectively, our results suggest that female mountain gorillas do not control the sex ratio of their offspring at birth, but they may adjust their subsequent maternal investment. This conclusion is consistent with recurring questions about whether any adjustments in birth sex ratios occur in primates.
Age‐Dependent Expression of Song in the Collared Flycatcher, Ficedula albicollis
Authors: Garamszegi László Z. , Török János , Hegyi Gergely , Szöllõsi Eszter , Rosivall Balázs , Eens Marcel 
Published: February 2007

AbstractTheory suggests that male ornaments should be reliable signals of age, with more elaborated ornaments reflecting superior quality in terms of experience and/or viability. Bird song is immensely involved in sexual selection, thus not‐surprisingly, it usually shows age‐dependent variation. Although the collared flycatcher Ficedula albicollis has been intensively studied for its sexual traits, and female preference for male age is expected to be strong, there is no quantitative information on age‐dependent expression of song in this species. Here, we fill this gap and, based on phenotypic correlations, we report the relationship between age and several song features. Repertoire size was consistently smaller in yearlings than in older males, but it also tended to increase after the second year of breeding. In a meta‐analysis of effect sizes using data from the literature, we found that the strength of the relationship between age and repertoire size in the collared flycatcher is similar to patterns observed in other passerines. Song rate was inversely related to age, as yearlings sang at higher rates than older males. Generally, effect sizes for the relationship between age and other song traits were of medium level on average, and had broad confidence intervals. Song traits covaried with survival in a direction suggesting that differences in song between age categories are unlikely to result from phenotype dependent survival. Our results generally support the hypothesis that song holds the potential to function as a reliable indicator of male age in the collared flycatcher. However, it seems that not all song traits are unambiguously more expressed in older males than in yearlings.
Evaluation of Endotoxaemia in the Prognosis and Treatment of Scouring Merino Lambs
Authors: Jiménez A. , Sánchez J. , Andrés S. , Alonso J. M. , Gómez L. , López F. , Rey J. 
Published: February 2007

SummaryThis study looked at measurement of endotoxaemia as a tool in determining prognosis and probable response to treatment in scouring lambs. One hundred eighty‐three lambs in the first 15–20 days of life, from eight Merino sheep farms located in the region of La Serena, south‐west Spain, were used in this experiment. Scouring and normal/control lambs were selected following a clinical examination, the scouring group was further divided into subgroups, specifically those that did or did not survive 72 h following treatment. At the time of the clinical examination, faecal and blood samples were taken. Faecal culture and commercial faecal antigen tests for detection of enteropathogens in faeces and serum endotoxin measurement using chromogenic lymulus amoebocyte lysate (LAL) were carried out. Scouring lambs received 0.07 mg/kg liveweight halofuginone once a day for 3 days, a single oral dose of 0.20 mg/kg liveweight of spectinomycin and oral rehydration fluid. The pathogens isolated were Cryptosporidium spp. and Escherichia coli. The case fatality rate was 51% in the scouring lambs. Postmortem findings were consistent with enterotoxigenic E. coli infection. The concentration of endotoxin was 0.18 ± 0.12 ng/ml in the control group, 0.35 ± 0.17 ng/ml in the surviving lambs and 0.46 ± 0.14 ng/ml in the non‐surviving lambs. Significant differences between groups were found. Case fatality rate of the scouring lambs with endotoxaemia below 0.30 ng/ml was 0%, while it was 100% above 0.50 ng/ml. These results may be utilized as a prognostic indicator in lambs affected by E. coli and Cryptosporidium that will help aid in decision‐making as to whether to treat a lamb or not based on its chances of survival.
Synovial Fluid Analysis and Bacterial Findings in Arthritic Joints of Juvenile Male Camel (Camelus dromedarius) Calves
Authors: Bani Ismail Z. , Al‐Rukibat R. , Al‐Tarazi Y. , Al‐Zghoul M. B. 
Published: February 2007

SummaryEighteen synovial fluid samples from 11 male dromedarian calves, 9–12 month old, were analysed cytologically and bacteriologically. Calves were lame and all joints were grossly swollen. The mean ± SD of total nucleated cell count was 7970 ± 5000 cells/μl (range 2800–20 000 cells/μl). Polymorphonuclear (PMN) leucocytes were the predominant cell type. The mean ± SD of absolute and percentages of each cell type were as follows: PMN leucocytes 5518 ± 3600 cells/μl and 68 ± 19%, monocytes/macrophages 1600 ± 1120 cells/μl and 26 ± 17%, lymphocytes 830 ± 140 cells/μl and 8 ± 7%, and red blood cell 350 ± 130 cells/μl. The mean ± SD of total protein concentration was 3.5 ± 1 g/dl (range 2.5–5 g/dl). The most commonly isolated bacteria were non‐haemolytic streptococci spp., followed byArcanobacterium pyogenesandStaphylococcus aureus. No bacterial growth was obtained in eight samples and non‐revealedMycoplasmaspp.
Blood Biochemical Profiles of Thai Indigenous and Simmental × Brahman Crossbred Cattle in the Central Thailand
Authors: Boonprong S. , Sribhen C. , Choothesa A. , Parvizi N. , Vajrabukka C. 
Published: February 2007

SummaryPlasma biochemical profiles were studied in 112 mature (3 to 5‐year‐old) healthy cattle comprised of 61 Thai indigenous and 51 Simmental × Brahman crossbred male and cyclic female cattle at Nongkwang (Central Thailand) Livestock Research and Breeding Center, Thailand. Data were analysed for the effect of breed and sex. The results showed that the plasma glucose and gamma‐glutamyl transferase (GGT) in the two breeds were significantly (P < 0.05) different. Furthermore, the urea, creatinine, albumin, total protein, aspartate amino transferase (AST), alanine amino transferase (ALT) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) levels in Thai indigenous were significantly (P < 0.01) higher than in crossbred cattle. However, creatine kinase did not significantly differ in crossbred and indigenous animals. A sex difference was found in glucose level with male Thai indigenous having significantly higher levels (P < 0.05) than the other three groups. Plasma urea concentration in male crossbred cattle was lower than in the other groups (P < 0.05). Female crossbred cattle had significantly (P < 0.05) lower plasma creatinine levels than the other animals. Furthermore, levels of albumin in male and total protein in female crossbred were the lowest (P < 0.05) among the groups. The AST, ALT, ALP and GGT levels were significantly (P < 0.05) different between male and female. Female crossbred cattle had the lowest (P < 0.05) AST and GGT levels, whereas lowest (P < 0.05) ALT and ALP concentration was determined in male individuals of these breeds.
Expression of a cDNA encoding palmitoyl‐acyl carrier protein desaturase from cat's claw (Doxantha unguis‐cati L.) in Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica napus leads to accumulation of unusual unsaturated fatty acids and increased stearic acid content in the seed oil
Authors: Bondaruk M. , Johnson S. , Degafu A. , Boora P. , Bilodeau P. , Morris J. , Wiehler W. , Foroud N. , Weselake R. , Shah S. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractA cDNA encoding palmitoyl‐acyl carrier protein (ACP)‐desaturase from cat's claw (Doxantha unguis‐cati L.) was expressed in Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica napus L. with the goal of decreasing the saturated fatty acid (FA) content of the seed oil. In general, transformation of Arabidopsis resulted in a greater change in the FA composition of the seed oil than for B. napus. An increase in palmitoleic acid (16:1cisΔ9) was obtained in transgenic lines, suggesting that the 16:0‐ACP‐desaturase cDNA was expressed in the manner originally intended. Other effects on lipid metabolism, however, were observed in the seed of transgenic plants. In Arabidopsis, there was a large increase in the proportions of cis‐vaccenic acid (18:1cisΔ11) and cis‐13‐eicosenoic acid (20:1cisΔ13), possibly generated through elongation of 16:1cisΔ9. Elongation of 18:1cisΔ11 to 20:1cisΔ13, however, was not observed in B. napus indicating that certain aspects of lipid metabolism in the model plant, Arabidopsis, may not apply to B. napus. As well, the appearance of 18:1cisΔ11 was accompanied by a decrease in the proportion of oleic acid (18:1cisΔ9). Although the introduced ACP‐desaturase resulted in synthesis of some unsaturated FAs, the overall saturated FA content was maintained at similar levels to the control or was enhanced. Increased levels of saturation were mainly associated with an increase in stearic acid, which unlike 16:0, is considered non‐atherogenic. The results suggest that a mechanism exists further downstream in oil biosynthesis to counteract the decrease in saturation brought about by the 16:0‐ACP‐desaturase action.
Effectiveness of a nurse‐led management programme for paediatric asthma in Taiwan
Authors: Weng Hui‐Ching , Yuan Ben‐Chih , Su Yu‐Tsun , Perng Daw‐Shyong , Chen Wen‐Hsu , Lin Li‐Jen , Chi Shu‐Ching , Chou Chao‐Hung 
Published: February 2007

Aim:  The aim of this study was to carry out a preliminary analysis of the impact of a government‐sponsored disease management programme for paediatric asthma on economic outcomes and patient satisfaction.Methods:  Of the 398 patients who participated in the programme, 249 (62.56%) who had at least two medical care encounters with an ICD‐9 code of 493 were classified as ‘already diagnosed cases’; and 129 (34.12%) who had a single or no medical care encounter with an ICD‐9 code of 493 were classified as ‘newly diagnosed cases’. A retrospective 1:4 (intervention vs. control group) matched cohort study design was conducted, with the control group randomly drawn from 236 637 paediatric asthmatics who were not enrolled the programme. Questionnaires were collected from 105 (26.3%) of the patients.Results:  Comparison results of 1 year pre/post tests of utilisations of health care resources indicated that the intervention group of already diagnosed cases had 77.97% fewer emergency department visits, 80.77% fewer inpatient visits, and 75.65% fewer stays of significant length. For the newly diagnosed group, the intervention group had 35.11% fewer emergency department visits than the control group. The majority of the patients had substantial adherence to physicians’ suggestions, more accurate knowledge and better self‐care skills concerning asthma.Conclusion:  A nurse‐led management programme has proved useful in managing paediatric asthma in Taiwan. Simplification of paperwork, some reorganisation of the practitioner’s daily responsibilities and provision of a fail‐safe information system may make the programme even more beneficial.
Hospitalisations due to pertussis in New Zealand in the pre‐immunisation and mass immunisation eras
Authors: Somerville Rebecca L , Grant Cameron C , Scragg Robert K , Thomas Mark G 
Published: February 2007

Aim:  Pertussis disease burden in New Zealand in recent decades has been large compared with other developed countries. However, these comparisons use data from relatively short time periods given the long epidemic cycle of pertussis. To better understand the current disease burden, this study examined pertussis hospitalisation data in New Zealand in both the pre‐immunisation and mass immunisation eras.Methods:  Hospital discharge data and population data from 1873 to 2004 were used to estimate average pertussis hospital discharge rates per decade. Rates were compared using relative risks and 95% confidence intervals (CI).Results:  Average annual pertussis hospitalisation rates per 100 000 were less than two from 1873 to 1919, increased to 12 in the 1940s, decreased to less than four in the 1960s and have increased since then with the rate in the current decade being 5.8. Compared with the 1960s (3.8 per 100 000) the average annual rate has been significantly greater in the 1980s (RR = 1.11, 95% CI 1.03, 1.21), 1990s (RR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.23, 1.44) and 2000s (RR = 1.55, 95% CI 1.42, 1.68). Since 1960 hospitalisation rates have increased for those less than one year old, one to four years old and five years and older. The increases have been most marked for infants (RR 2000s vs. 1960s = 2.87, 95% CI 2.59, 3.18).Conclusion:  After an initial decline following mass immunisation, pertussis hospitalisation rates in New Zealand have subsequently increased steadily. To reduce pertussis disease burden improved immunisation coverage and timeliness is required and consideration given to spreading the pertussis vaccine schedule over a wider age range.
High incidence of tubal dysfunction is determined by laparoscopy in cases with positive Chlamydia trachomatis antibody despite negative finding in prior hysterosalpingography
Authors: HIROI HISAHIKO , FUJIWARA TOSHIHIRO , NAKAZAWA MANABU , OSUGA YUTAKA , MOMOEDA MIKIO , KUGU KOJI , YANO TETSU , TSUTSUMI OSAMU , TAKETANI YUJI 
Published: February 2007

Aim:  Hysterosalpingography (HSG) is one of the most commonly used methods in order to evaluate the condition of fallopian tubes in infertility clinics. In the present paper, we retrospectively compared the findings of HSG and laparoscopy to elucidate the relationship between tubal dysfunction and background factors, such as Chlamydia trachomatis infection, endometriosis and previous surgery.Methods:  We retrospectively reviewed clinical records of 314 patients who were examined by both HSG and laparoscopy between 1996 and 2001 in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Tokyo.Results:  When HSG findings were evaluated in reference to those of laparoscopy, sensitivity and specificity for tubal patency were 0.63 and 0.79, respectively, whereas those for peri‐tubal adhesion were 0.65 and 0.61, respectively. We compared the percentage of existence of background factors between the patients who were diagnosed as normal by both HSG and laparoscopy (Group L[+]) and those whose fallopian tubes were observed as patent by HSG, but were not patent by chromopertubation under laparoscopy (Group L[–]). The percentage of patients with positive chlamydial antibodies in Group L(–) (42.9%, 15/35) was significantly higher than that of patients with positive chlamydial antibodies in Group L(+) (22.8%, 44/193, P < 0.05).Conclusions:  These finding suggested that even if HSG showed normally patent tubes in a patient with positive Chlamydia trachomatis antibodies, the possibility of tubal occulusion still remains high and further examination by laparoscopy is recommended. (Reprod Med Biol 2007; 6: 39–43)
Synchronous high‐voltage spindles in the cortex–basal ganglia network of awake and unrestrained rats
Authors: Dejean Cyril , Gross Christian E. , Bioulac Bernard , Boraud Thomas 
Published: February 2007

AbstractSynchronous oscillations in various frequency ranges have been recorded in several nuclei of the basal ganglia (BG) and are thought to be an information processing mechanism. High‐voltage spindles (HVSs) are 5–13 Hz spike‐and‐wave oscillations, which are commonly recorded in rats and which have been reported in some recent studies where their occurrence in the BG has been investigated. We recorded single neurons and local field potentials (LFPs) simultaneously in the motor cortex, striatum and substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr) of the freely moving rat. We took advantage of the high level of synchronization observed during HVSs to study signal transmission in the cortex–BG network in the awake animals. The results show that LFPs are synchronized in the motor cortex, striatum and SNr during HVS episodes and that the latter propagate from the cortex to the SNr via the striatum. Moreover, > 50% of single neurons in each of these structures are triggered by the HVS. Following the discharge of cortical cells, SNr neurons are first inhibited after ∼ 19 ms and then activated after ∼ 45 ms. This response is probably driven by the direct and indirect pathways, respectively, without any involvement of the hyperdirect pathway. Here, it is shown that cortex–BG connectivity can be studied using physiological signals in the freely moving animal as opposed to artificial stimulation under anaesthetized conditions. This opens the door to further studies under various experimental conditions, such as animal models of basal ganglia disorders.
Functional microstates within human REM sleep: first evidence from fMRI of a thalamocortical network specific for phasic REM periods
Authors: Wehrle Renate , Kaufmann Christian , Wetter Thomas C. , Holsboer Florian , Auer Dorothee P. , Pollmächer Thomas , Czisch Michael 
Published: February 2007

AbstractHigh thalamocortical neuronal activity characterizes both, wakefulness and rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, but apparently this network fulfills other roles than processing external information during REM sleep. To investigate thalamic and cortical reactivity during human REM sleep, we used functional magnetic resonance imaging with simultaneous polysomnographic recordings while applying acoustic stimulation. Our observations indicate two distinct functional substates within general REM sleep. Acoustic stimulation elicited a residual activation of the auditory cortex during tonic REM sleep background without rapid eye movements. By contrast, periods containing bursts of phasic activity such as rapid eye movements appear characterized by a lack of reactivity to sensory stimuli. We report a thalamocortical network including limbic and parahippocampal areas specifically active during phasic REM periods. Thus, REM sleep has to be subdivided into tonic REM sleep with residual alertness, and phasic REM sleep with the brain acting as a functionally isolated and closed intrinsic loop.
Corticospinal control of the thumb–index grip depends on precision of force control: a transcranial magnetic stimulation and functional magnetic resonance imagery study in humans
Authors: Bonnard M. , Galléa C. , De Graaf J. B. , Pailhous J. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe corticospinal system (CS) is well known to be of major importance for controlling the thumb–index grip, in particular for force grading. However, for a given force level, the way in which the involvement of this system could vary with increasing demands on precise force control is not well‐known. Using transcranial magnetic stimulation and functional magnetic resonance imagery, the present experiments investigated whether increasing the precision demands while keeping the averaged force level similar during an isometric dynamic low‐force control task, involving the thumb–index grip, does affect the corticospinal excitability to the thumb–index muscles and the activation of the motor cortices, primary and non‐primary (supplementary motor area, dorsal and ventral premotor and in the contralateral area), at the origin of the CS. With transcranial magnetic stimulation, we showed that, when precision demands increased, the CS excitability increased to either the first dorsal interosseus or the opponens pollicis, and never to both, for similar ongoing electromyographic activation patterns of these muscles. With functional magnetic resonance imagery, we demonstrated that, for the same averaged force level, the amplitude of blood oxygen level‐dependent signal increased in relation to the precision demands in the hand area of the contralateral primary motor cortex in the contralateral supplementary motor area, ventral and dorsal premotor area. Together these results show that, during the course of force generation, the CS integrates online top‐down information to precisely fit the motor output to the task's constraints and that its multiple cortical origins are involved in this process, with the ventral premotor area appearing to have a special role.
Screening mouse vision with intrinsic signal optical imaging
Authors: Heimel J. Alexander , Hartman Robin J. , Hermans Josephine M. , Levelt Christiaan N. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractThe introduction of forward genetic screens in the mouse asks for techniques that make rapid screening of visual function possible. Transcranial imaging of intrinsic signal is suitable for this purpose and could detect the effects of retinal degeneration, and the increased predominance of the contralateral eye in albino animals. We quantified visual response properties of the cortex by introducing a normalization method to reduce the impact of biological noise. In addition, the presentation of a ‘reset’‐stimulus shortly after the probing stimulus at a different visual location could reduce the interstimulus time necessary for the decay of the response. Applying these novel methods, we found that acuity of C57Bl/6J mice rises from 0.35 cycles per degree (cpd) at postnatal day 25 to 0.56 cpd in adults. Temporal resolution was lower in adults than in juvenile animals. There was no patchy organization of spatial or temporal frequency preference at the intrinsic signal resolution. Monocular deprivation, a model for amblyopia and critical period plasticity, led to a loss in acuity and a shift towards the nondeprived eye in juvenile animals. Short deprivation did not lead to increased acuity of the nondeprived eye. In adults, a small ocular dominance shift was detectable with urethane anaesthesia. This was not observed when the combination of the opiate fentanyl, fluanisone with a benzodiazepine was used, adding evidence to the hypothesis that enhancing GABAA‐receptor function masks an adult shift. Together, these novel applications confirm that noninvasive screening of many functional properties of the visual cortex is possible.
On quantitative measures of indirect interactions
Authors: Okuyama Toshinori , Bolker Benjamin M. 
Published: February 2007

AbstractIndirect effects, whether density‐mediated (DMII) or trait‐mediated (TMII), have been recognized as potentially important drivers of community dynamics. However, empirical studies that have attempted to detect TMII or to quantify the relative strength of DMII and TMII in short‐term studies have used a range of different metrics. We review these studies and assess both the consistency of a variety of different metrics and their robustness to (or ability to detect) ecological phenomena such as the dependence of forager behaviour on conspecific density. Quantifying indirect effects over longer time scales when behaviour and population density vary is more challenging, but also necessary if we really intend to incorporate indirect effects into predictions of long‐term community dynamics; we discuss some problems associated with this effort and conclude with general recommendations for quantifying indirect effects.