bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Variation in Individual Investment Strategies among Social Animals
Authors: Komdeur Jan 
Published: July 2006

Invited ReviewAbstractCooperation and conflict are ubiquitous features of life in the vast majority of animals and can occur over a wide range of functional contents and at various levels. In this review I describe known and less well‐known proximate aspects of cooperation and conflict over reproductive behaviour in social animals, where individuals other than the genetic parents contribute to the provisioning of care (‘alloparental care’). Traditionally the evolution of alloparental care is viewed as a two‐step process: the decision to delay dispersal and independent breeding, usually as a consequence of the existence of constraints on independent breeding, and the decision to behave as alloparents by which individuals that have delayed dispersal gain a net fitness benefit. Behavioural ecological theory generally assumes that all individuals are similar in ‘make‐up’ and that life history and behavioural decisions are facultative. However, there is probably more individual variation in the amount and type of social behaviour than originally anticipated. Here, I demonstrate that some of these differences in behaviours are because of environmental factors, which may be associated with ‘reaction norms’ or the genotype's quantitative phenotypic variation, or which may yield polyethisms. Most evolutionary models of animal cooperation are based on optimality approaches that do not consider individual genetic variation and maternal effects on the variation in the expression of social behaviour. Further research on the genetic basis of cooperations and subordinate–breeder interactions may be crucial for understanding the evolution of social behaviour. If we take individual differences into account our conclusions and explanations of social behaviour may change. Given the conceptual similarities between the various research disciplines addressing different types of cooperation and conflict over investment, the issues described here should lead to more mutual attraction between the different disciplines and stimulate further development in our understanding of cooperation strategies in general.
New records of Heterobasidion parviporum in China
Authors: Dai Y. C. , Yuan H. S. , Wei Y. L. , Korhonen K. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryTwenty‐one basidiocarp specimens of Heterobasidion annosum s.l. were collected in six forest areas in western and central China, from host trees Picea schrenkiana, Abies fabri, Abies fargesii and Larix griffithii. Single‐spore cultures were isolated from the basidiocarps and identified by mating tests. All the specimens proved to belong to the species Heterobasidion parviporum. The results show that this fungus has a wide distribution in China. It seems to be a less aggressive pathogen in China than in Europe, although reliable data on the occurrence of Heterobasidion root rot in coniferous forests of China are so far lacking.
Risk from Sirococcus conigenus to understory red pine seedlings in northern Wisconsin
Authors: Bronson J. J. , Stanosz G. R. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryInterest in development of multicohort stands of red pine (Pinus resinosa) in the Great Lakes region of North America prompted an investigation of the potential impact of the shoot blight pathogen Sirococcus conigenus (syn. S. strobilinus) on understory red pine seedlings. In May 2002 and 2003 healthy, 1‐year‐old red pine seedlings were planted in the understory of a maturing red pine plantation in northern Wisconsin in an area with a history of presence of this pathogen. Occurrence of shoot blight symptoms was recorded periodically during the summer, and in each year seedlings were harvested in fall and examined for signs of shoot blight pathogens. By fall 2002 and 2003, respectively, shoot blight incidence was 89% and 98% and most seedlings were dying. Pycnidia with conidia of S. conigenus were present on almost all of the symptomatic seedlings. The conifer shoot blight and canker pathogen Diplodia pinea (syn. Sphaeropsis sapinea) was also detected, though less frequently. Pycnidia of S. conigenus tended to be found more frequently on symptomatic current year's shoots than symptomatic previous year's shoots; the opposite was true for pycnidia of D. pinea. Risk from S. conigenus to understory red pine seedlings should be considered in any plans for development of multicohort red pine stands in areas where the pathogen is present.
The use of a random regression model to account for change in racing speed of German trotters with increasing age
Authors: Bugislaus A.‐E. , Roehe R. , Willms F. , Kalm E. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryIn a genetic analysis of German trotters, the performance trait racing time per km was analysed by using a random regression model on six different age classes (2‐, 3‐, 4‐, 5‐ and 6‐year‐old and older trotters; the age class of 3‐year‐old trotters was additionally divided by birth months of horses into two seasons). The best‐fitting random regression model for the trait racing time per km on six age classes included as fixed effects sex, race track, condition of race track (fitted as second‐order polynomial on age), distance of race and each driver (fitted as first‐order polynomial on age) as well as the year‐season (fitted independent of age). The random additive genetic and permanent environmental effects were fitted as second‐order polynomials on age. Data consisted of 138 620 performance observations from 2373 trotters and the pedigree data contained 9952 horses from a four‐generation pedigree. Heritabilities for racing time per km increased from 0.01 to 0.18 at age classes from 2‐ to 4‐year‐old trotters, then slightly decreased for 5 year and substantially decreased for 6‐year‐old horses. Genetic correlations of racing time per km among the six age classes were very high (rg = 0.82–0.99). Heritability was h2 = 0.13 when using a repeatability animal model for racing time per km considering the six age classes as fixed effect. Breeding values using repeatability analysis over all and within age classes resulted in slightly different ranking of trotters than those using random regression analysis. When using random regression analysis almost no reranking of trotters over time took place. Generally, the analyses showed that using a random regression model improved the accuracy of selection of trotters over age classes.
Effects of dietary neutral detergent fibre on production performance, nutrient utilization, caecum fermentation and fibrolytic activity in 2‐ to 3‐month‐old New Zealand rabbits
Authors: Tao Z. Y. , Li F. C. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryAn experiment was conducted to determine the effects of different dietary neutral detergent fibre (NDF) levels on growth performance, nutrient utilization, caecum development, caecal fermentation, slaughter performance, immune organ and fibrolytic activity in 2‐ to 3‐month‐old New Zealand meat rabbits. Eighty 2‐month‐old rabbits were allocated in individual cages for five treatments in which they were fed each diet with NDF at 240, 270, 300, 330 and 360 g/kg respectively. The results are as follows: the average daily gain of 300 g/kg NDF group was the highest (30.09 g/day) and higher than that of 240 g/kg NDF group (p < 0.05). The feed/gain ratio of 300 g/kg NDF group was the lowest (4.27) and lower than those of 240 and 360 g/kg NDF groups (p < 0.05). The coefficient of total tract apparent digestibility (CTTAD) of energy, crude protein, crude fibre and ether extract decreased when dietary NDF increased (p < 0.05); CTTAD of NDF increased when dietary NDF increased (p < 0.01). Digestible nitrogen and retained nitrogen of 240, 270, 300 and 330 g/kg NDF groups were higher than that of 360 g/kg NDF group (p < 0.05). The caecum weight, the proportion of caecum weight to body weight and the acetic acid ratio of volatile fatty acid rose when dietary NDF concentration increased (p < 0.05). The NH3‐N concentration of caecum dropped when dietary NDF increased (p < 0.05). The fibrolytic activity increased when the dietary NDF increased (p < 0.01).
Effects of essential oils from fennel (Foeniculi aetheroleum) and caraway (Carvi aetheroleum) in pigs
Authors: Schöne F. , Vetter A. , Hartung H. , Bergmann H. , Biertümpfel A. , Richter G. , Müller S. , Breitschuh G. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryThe ban of antibiotics as a feed additive requires alternatives to stabilize the health and performance particularly of the young animals. Essential oils obtained from fennel seed (Foeniculi aetheroleum) and caraway seed (Carvi aetheroleum) were tested in diets for weaned piglets in comparison with either a diet without feed additive or with a combination of formic acid and copper (positive control). Four groups of sixteen piglets (live weight 7 kg, age 26 days) received diets without (1) or with supplements of 7.5 g formic acid + 160 mg Cu/kg (2), 100 mg fennel oil/kg (3) or 100 mg caraway oil/kg (4) during 3 weeks after weaning. In the subsequent 4 weeks, all piglets were fed a diet without these additions. Fennel oil contained almost 2/3 anethol, approximately 1/5 fenchon and the remaining part consisting of α + β‐pinen, limonen (p‐mentha‐1,8‐dien) and estragol. In the caraway oil, half of the contents was represented by limonen and the other half by carvon. There were no piglet losses and only few cases of diarrhoea. The combination of formic acid and copper increased feed consumption by 27% and daily weight gain by 25%. There were no differences in the performance between the group fed fennel oil and the control without additives. Piglets fed caraway oil tended to consume less feed and to gain approximately 10% less. In feed choice experiments, pigs consumed the same two diets from two troughs with 50% of total feed amount, as expected. The diets containing fennel or caraway oils were consumed at less than 50%. If the diet contained 100 mg fennel oil/kg, the decrease of percentual feed intake was significant. The results of the feeding experiment and of the feed choice experiment question the classification of fennel and caraway oils as flavour additives or as ‘appetite promoters’ in diets for weaned piglets.
Combined hepatic resection and radiofrequency ablation for multiple hepatic adenomas
Authors: Fujita Shiro , Kushihata Fumiki , Herrmann Glenn E , Mergo Patricia J , Liu Chen , Nelson David , Fujikawa Takahisa , Hemming Alan W 
Published: July 2006

AbstractWe describe the novel use of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) in combination with surgical resection for treatment of multifocal hepatic adenoma. We show three cases without recurrent lesions detected in follow‐up examination. Two of the patients have subsequently gone on to carry pregnancies successfully to term.
Incidence, endoscopic morphology and distribution of metastatic lesions in the gastrointestinal tract
Authors: Wei Shu‐Chen , Su Wei‐Chih , Chang Ming‐Chu , Chang Yu‐Ting , Wang Cheng‐Yi , Wong Jau‐Min 
Published: July 2006

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Metastasis rarely occurs in the gastrointestinal tract (GIT). However, as progress regarding the treatment of cancers has occurred over recent years, the survival time of patients affected by advanced‐stage cancers has increased. It could be expected that progressively more cancer patients with gastrointestinal symptoms would be presenting to gastroenterologists for diagnosis and further management. The aim of this study was to reveal the incidence, typical location and morphology of secondary tumors within the GIT.Methods:  A retrospective study was conducted at the National Taiwan University Hospital from 1 January 1994 to 31 December 2003 inclusive in order to review the available data pertaining to diagnosed GIT metastases. Only those patients who had been checked by endoscopy and confirmed by histopathology were included. Details regarding patient clinical information, demographic data, treatment, histopathology, and eventual outcome were reviewed, recorded and analyzed.Results:  The incidence of GIT metastases was found to be one upper GIT metastasis per 3847 upper GIT endoscopies and one lower GIT metastasis per 1871 colonoscopies. The common locations for metastases to occur were duodenum and stomach. The general morphology of the observed metastatic lesions of the digestive tract identified them, mostly, as single and primary (mucosa‐origin) carcinoma‐like lesions. The survival interval from the diagnosis of GIT metastasis to patient death was statistically significantly longer in the aggressive‐treatment group compared to the conservative‐treatment group (Kaplan–Meier, P = 0.0004).Conclusions:  Although metastatic lesions in the GIT are rare, they do occur. They usually present as single and primary carcinoma‐like lesions, with the stomach and duodenum most commonly involved.
Involvement of RhoA in progression of human hepatocellular carcinoma
Authors: Wang Desheng , Dou Kefeng , Xiang Hongjun , Song Zhenshun , Zhao Qingchuan , Chen Yong , Li Yu 
Published: July 2006

AbstractBackground and Aim:  The activation of Rho proteins has been shown to lead to loss of polarity in cancer cells, as well as reorganization of the cytoskeleton and facilitation of cell motility, possibly resulting in their malignant potential. The clinicopathological significance of RhoA, however, is not yet well known in the case of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). This study evaluated the clinicopathological correlation of RhoA levels with HCC.Methods:  The intratumor expression level of Rho was determined and compared with that in adjacent non‐cancerous hepatic tissue using quantitative real time RT‐PCR and Western blotting in 64 patients with HCC. Relationships between the level of RhoA and clinicopathological factors were examined. RhoA protein expression was confirmed by immunohistochemistry.Results:  RhoA immunostaining was strong in malignant tissue whereas it was minimal in benign tissue. Tumor tissue of HCC patients demonstrated a copy number of RhoA mRNA that was well correlated with its protein level in each case and was significantly higher than that found in the corresponding non‐cancerous liver tissue (P < 0.01). With regard to venous invasion, satellite lesions and advanced pTNM stage, the RhoA level tended to be higher in HCC than that seen in negative tissue (P < 0.05).Conclusions:  This is the first demonstration that the expression level of RhoA is correlated with tumor progression and metastasis in HCC. RhoA in tumor tissue might be expected to be not only a good candidate marker for invasive and proliferative tumor cells, but also a molecular target of these cells.
Regulated expression of HCN channels and cAMP levels shape the properties of the h current in developing rat hippocampus
Authors: Surges Rainer , Brewster Amy L. , Bender Roland A. , Beck Heinz , Feuerstein Thomas J. , Baram Tallie Z. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractThe hyperpolarization‐activated current (Ih) contributes to intrinsic properties and network responses of neurons. Its biophysical properties depend on the expression profiles of the underlying hyperpolarization‐activated, cyclic nucleotide‐gated (HCN) channels and the presence of cyclic AMP (cAMP) that potently and differentially modulates Ih conducted by HCN1, HCN2 and/or HCN4. Here, we studied the properties of Ih in hippocampal CA1 pyramidal cells, the developmental evolution of the HCN‐subunit isoforms that contribute to this current, and their interplay with age‐dependent free cAMP concentrations, using electrophysiological, molecular and biochemical methods. Ih amplitude increased progressively during the first four postnatal weeks, consistent with the observed overall increased expression of HCN channels. Activation kinetics of the current accelerated during this period, consonant with the quantitative reduction of mRNA and protein expression of the slow‐kinetics HCN4 isoform and increased levels of HCN1. The sensitivity of Ih to cAMP, and the contribution of the slow component to the overall Ih, decreased with age. These are likely a result of the developmentally regulated transition of the complement of HCN channel isoforms from cAMP sensitive to relatively cAMP insensitive. Thus, although hippocampal cAMP concentrations increased over twofold during the developmental period studied, the coordinated changes in expression of three HCN channel isoforms resulted in reduced effects of this signalling molecule on neuronal h currents.
Context‐dependent behavioural and neuronal sensitization in striatum to MDMA (ecstasy) administration in rats
Authors: Ball Kevin T. , Budreau Daniel , Rebec George V. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractTo investigate the neuronal mechanisms underlying the behavioural alterations that accompany repeated exposure to MDMA (ecstasy), we recorded the activity of > 200 striatal units in response to multiple, intermittent, locomotor‐activating doses (5.0 mg/kg) of MDMA. Rats were treated with once‐daily injections of either saline or MDMA for 5 days when housed in their home cage, followed by a challenge injection 3–5 days later when housed in a recording chamber. Because contextual drug associations might be particularly important to the expression of behavioural sensitization to chronic MDMA, a separate group of rats received repeated injections of MDMA alternately in the recording chamber or home cage, according to the above timeline. A sensitized locomotor response was observed only in rats that had previously experienced MDMA in the context of the recording chamber, and only on the challenge day. These sensitized animals also showed a decreased basal firing rate in neurons that were subsequently excited by MDMA when compared with the same category of neurons earlier in the treatment regimen. This resulted in a greater percentage increase from the baseline firing rate on the challenge day compared with the first and fifth days of treatment, even though this trend was not evident with an analysis of absolute firing rate. These results strongly support a role for context in the expression of MDMA‐induced locomotor sensitization, and implicate striatal involvement in the neurobehavioural changes associated with the repeated use of MDMA.
Brain cytokine synthesis induced by an intraparenchymal injection of LPS is reduced in MCP‐1‐deficient mice prior to leucocyte recruitment
Authors: Rankine E. L. , Hughes P. M. , Botham M. S. , Perry V. H. , Felton L. M. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractWe have previously shown that ischaemic lesions are smaller in monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1‐deficient (MCP‐1–/–) mice than in wild‐type (wt) controls. In addition to its role as a monocyte chemoattractant, monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1 (MCP‐1) has been proposed to contribute to lesion progression after focal ischaemia by driving local cytokine synthesis by resident glia. To investigate this hypothesis we injected lipopolysaccharide (LPS) into the brain parenchyma of MCP‐1–/– mice and compared the resulting inflammatory response and production of proinflammatory cytokines to those in wt mice. Microglial and astrocyte morphological activation was the same in the two strains, but MCP‐1–/– mice showed significantly lower levels of proinflammatory cytokine synthesis; interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) levels were up to 50% lower than in wt controls after 6 h. This reduced synthesis of proinflammatory cytokines occurred well before leucocyte recruitment to the central nervous system (CNS) is observed in this model of acute inflammation and thus cannot be attributed to lower numbers of recruited monocytes at the site of injury. We propose that MCP‐1 contributes to acute CNS inflammation by pleiotropic mechanisms. In addition to being a potent chemoattractant for monocytes, we provide evidence here that MCP‐1 can modify the responsiveness of CNS glia to acute inflammatory stimuli prior to leucocyte recruitment, thereby acting as a priming stimulus for cytokine synthesis in cells such as microglia.
Extinction of auditory fear conditioning requires MAPK/ERK activation in the basolateral amygdala
Authors: Herry Cyril , Trifilieff Pierre , Micheau Jacques , Lüthi Andreas , Mons Nicole 
Published: July 2006

AbstractWhereas the neuronal substrates underlying the acquisition of auditory fear conditioning have been widely studied, the substrates and mechanisms mediating the acquisition of fear extinction remain largely elusive. Previous reports indicate that consolidation of fear extinction depends on the mitogen‐activated protein kinase/extracellular‐signal regulated kinase (MAPK/ERK) signalling pathway and on protein synthesis in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC). Based on experiments using the fear‐potentiated startle paradigm suggesting a role for neuronal plasticity in the basolateral amygdala (BLA) during fear extinction, we directly addressed whether MAPK/ERK signalling in the basolateral amygdala is necessary for the acquisition of fear extinction using conditioned freezing as a read‐out. First, we investigated the regional and temporal pattern of MAPK/ERK activation in the BLA following extinction learning in C57Bl/6J mice. Our results indicate that acquisition of extinction is associated with an increase of phosphorylated MAPK/ERK in the BLA. Moreover, we found that inhibition of the MAPK/ERK signalling pathway by intrabasolateral amygdala infusion of the MEK inhibitor, U0126, completely blocks acquisition of extinction. Thus, our results indicate that the MAPK/ERK signalling pathway is required for extinction of auditory fear conditioning in the BLA, and support a role for neuronal plasticity in the BLA during the acquisition of fear extinction.
Modulation of the trafficking of the human serotonin transporter by human alpha‐synuclein
Authors: Wersinger Christophe , Rusnak Milan , Sidhu Anita 
Published: July 2006

Abstractα‐Synuclein (α‐Syn), a protein primarily localized in the presynaptic compartment of neurons, is known to regulate dopaminergic neurotransmission by negatively modulating dopamine transporter activity and regulating its trafficking to or away from the cell surface. Given the considerable homology between dopamine transporters and the serotonin (5‐HT) transporter (SERT), we examined whether α‐Syn could similarly regulate SERT function. Increasing expression levels of human α‐Syn gradually decreased [3H]5‐HT uptake by human SERT in cotransfected Ltk– cells, by diminishing its Vmax without changing its Km, as compared to cells expressing only SERT. Biotinylation studies to label cell‐surface proteins showed that α‐Syn decreased the levels of SERT present at the plasma membrane. α‐Syn and SERT were able to coimmunoprecipitate (co‐IP), suggesting heteromeric complexes between these two proteins through direct protein–protein interactions. The negative modulation of SERT activity by α‐Syn occurred through the non‐Aβ‐amyloid component (NAC) domain of α‐Syn (aa58–107); DNA constructs encoding this region mimicked the full‐length α‐Syn protein by decreasing [3H]5‐HT uptake by the transporter. Furthermore, only the constructs encoding the NAC domain of α‐Syn prevented the co‐IPs between full‐length α‐Syn and SERT, in both transfected cells and in rat solubilized lysates isolated from the prefrontal cortex. These studies suggest a novel physiological role for α‐Syn in regulating SERT activity and may be of relevance in certain mental illnesses and in depression, in which SERT function is believed to be dysregulated.