bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Parental smoking and smoking experimentation in childhood increase the risk of being a smoker 20 years later: the Childhood Determinants of Adult Health Study
Authors: Paul Seana L. , Blizzard Leigh , Patton George C. , Dwyer Terry , Venn Alison 
Published: April 2008

ABSTRACTAims  To examine the long‐term effects of childhood smoking experimentation and exposure to parental smoking on adult smoking risk.Methods  Data were from a 20‐year follow‐up of 9–15‐year‐olds who completed questionnaires in the 1985 Australian Schools Health and Fitness Survey (n = 6559). The relative risks (RR) of adult current smoking in 2004–05 for childhood exposure to smoking experimentation (never, a few puffs, < 10 cigarettes, > 10 cigarettes) and parental smoking (none, father, mother, both parents) in 1985, with adjustment for confounders, were estimated by log binomial modelling. Analyses were stratified by age (9–13 and 14–15 years) and sex.Findings  Participation at follow‐up was 54% (n = 3559). Childhood smoking experimentation increased the risk of being a current smoker particularly for 14–15‐year‐old experimenters of more than 10 cigarettes [males, RR 2.72, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.74–4.25; females, RR 6.39, 95% CI 2.85–14.33]. Parental smoking was associated with adult current smoking risk, particularly for 9–13‐year‐olds with two smoking parents (males, RR 1.53, 95% CI 1.19–1.96; females, RR 1.99, 95% CI 1.52–2.61) and older males with smoking mothers (RR 1.82, 95% CI 1.22–2.73). Parental smoking was not associated with childhood smoking experimentation.Conclusions  These findings suggest that any childhood smoking experimentation increases the risk of being a smoker 20 years later. As exposure to parental smoking predicted current smoking, parents should be aware of the association between their own smoking behaviour and that of their children.
The fundamental parameters of the roAp star α Circini
Authors: Bruntt H. , North J. R. , Cunha M. , Brandão I. M. , Elkin V. G. , Kurtz D. W. , Davis J. , Bedding T. R. , Jacob A. P. , Owens S. M. , Robertson J. G. , Tango W. J. , Gameiro J. F. , Ireland M. J. , Tuthill P. G. 
Published: April 2008

Abstract
We have used the Sydney University Stellar Interferometer to measure the angular diameter of α Cir. This is the first detailed interferometric study of a rapidly oscillating A (roAp) star, α Cir being the brightest member of its class. We used the new and more accurate Hipparcos parallax to determine the radius to be 1.967 ± 0.066 R⊙. We have constrained the bolometric flux from calibrated spectra to determine an effective temperature of 7420 ± 170 K. This is the first direct determination of the temperature of an roAp star. Our temperature is at the low end of previous estimates, which span over 1000 K and were based on either photometric indices or spectroscopic methods. In addition, we have analysed two high-quality spectra of α Cir, obtained at different rotational phases and we find evidence for the presence of spots. In both spectra we find nearly solar abundances of C, O, Si, Ca and Fe, high abundance of Cr and Mn, while Co, Y, Nd and Eu are overabundant by about 1 dex. The results reported here provide important observational constraints for future studies of the atmospheric structure and pulsation of α Cir.
Dispersal and population structure of a New World predator, the army ant Eciton burchellii
Authors: BERGHOFF S. M. , KRONAUER D. J. C. , EDWARDS K. J. , FRANKS N. R. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractThe army ant Eciton burchellii is probably the most important arthropod predator in the Neotropics, and many animal species depend upon it. Sex‐biased dispersal with winged males and permanently wingless queens may render this species especially sensitive to habitat fragmentation and natural barriers, which might have severe impacts on population structure and lead to population decline. Using nuclear microsatellite markers and mitochondrial sequences, we investigated genetic differentiation in a fragmented population in the Panama Canal area. While nuclear markers showed little differentiation between subpopulations (FST = 0.017), mitochondrial differentiation was maximal in some cases (ΦST = 1). This suggests that, while females are not capable of crossing barriers such as large rivers, flying males are able to promote nuclear gene flow between the studied forest patches. Consistent with this interpretation, we did not find any evidence for inbreeding or genetic deterioration on Barro Colorado Island over the last 90 years since its formation.
Adaptive topography of fluctuating selection in a Mendelian population
Authors: LANDE R. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractAn adaptive topography is derived for a large randomly mating diploid population under weak density‐independent selection in a fluctuating environment. Assuming a stationary distribution of environmental states with no temporal autocorrelation, a diffusion approximation for population size and allele frequency,p, reveals that the expected change inpinvolves the gradient with respect topof the stochastic intrinsic rate of increase (the density‐independent long‐run growth rate),, whereris the mean Malthusian fitness in the average environment andis the environmental variance in population growth rate. The expected relative fitness of a genotype is its Malthusian fitness in the average environment minus the covariance of its fitness with population growth rate. The influence of fitness correlation between genotypes is illustrated by an analysis of the Haldane–Jayakar model of fluctuating selection on a single diallelic locus, and on two loci with additive effects on a quantitative character.
Neurocognition in first‐degree healthy relatives (siblings) of bipolar affective disorder patients
Authors: Trivedi Jitendra K. , Goel Dishanter , Dhyani Mohan , Sharma Sachin , Singh Anand P. , Sinha Pramod K. , Tandon Rajul 
Published: April 2008

Aim:  Cognitive deficits have been presupposed to be endophenotypic markers in bipolar disorder, but few studies have ascertained the cognitive deficits in healthy relatives of bipolar disorder patients. The aim of the present study was to assess the cognitive functions of first‐degree relatives of patients with bipolar disorder and compare them with healthy controls.Methods:  Ten first‐degree apparently healthy relatives of patients with bipolar disorder were compared with 10 age‐ and education‐matched control subjects on computer‐based cognitive tests.Results:  As compared to the control group, the relatives group performed significantly poorly on tests for executive function and vigilance, while on the test for working memory the performance was not significantly different on most of the parameters.Conclusions:  Executive functioning and vigilance could be potential markers of the endophenotype in bipolar patients.
Enhanced activation in the extrastriate body area by goal‐directed actions
Authors: Takahashi Hidehiko , Shibuya Tomohisa , Kato Motoichiro , Sassa Takeshi , Koeda Michihiko , Yahata Noriaki , Suhara Tetsuya , Okubo Yoshiro 
Published: April 2008

Aim:  Neuroimaging studies on biological motion have established the view that the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS) is involved in detecting intention of others. Those studies have consistently reported other regions such as body‐selective extrastriate body area (EBA) and motion‐sensitive middle temporal, in close proximity to pSTS. Whether EBA responds only to static body parts or has a more extended role as part of a system for inferring intention of others has remained an elusive issue. The aim of the present study was to investigate the role of EBA in processing goal‐directed actions.Methods:  Twelve healthy volunteers participated in the present study. Using sports‐related motions as visual stimuli, brain activations were examined during observation of goal‐directed actions and non‐goal‐directed actions on functional magnetic resonance imaging.Results:  Compared to non‐goal‐directed actions, goal‐directed actions produced greater activations in EBA along with the mirror neuron system.Conclusions:  EBA might contribute to understanding others' actions by representing the dynamic aspects of human motions.
Political Asylum and Sovereignty-Sharing in Europe
Authors: Sicakkan Hakan G. 
Published: April 2008

AbstractIn focusing on the relationships between asylum recognition rates and the different institutional arrangements through which European states share or preserve their sovereignty, this article seeks to show how sovereignty-sharing affects the right to political asylum in practice. After a qualitative overview of variations in sovereignty-sharing forms, the article presents the results from a multiple regression analysis of the relationship between legal and institutional frames of asylum decision-making in 17 West European countries (EU-15, Norway and Switzerland) and the asylum recognition rates in these countries. The article ends with a brief assessment of the significance of the results for a potential policy change in the European Union.
Iron supplementation of iron‐replete Indonesian infants is associated with reduced weight‐for‐age
Authors: Lind Torbjörn , Seswandhana Rosadi , Persson Lars‐Åke , Lönnerdal Bo 
Published: April 2008

AbstractBackground: General iron supplementation to prevent iron deficiency in infants who are iron sufficient when starting supplementation may adversely affect their health.Objective: A secondary analysis to explore the effect of iron supplementation on iron‐replete (IR; Hb ≥113 g/L and S‐ferritin ≥33 μg/L) or non‐iron‐replete 6‐month‐old Indonesian infants participating in a large, randomized trial on iron and zinc supplementation.Results: Among the iron‐supplemented IR (Fe‐IR, n = 80) infants S‐ferritin was, compared to non‐iron‐supplemented (NS) IR infants (NS–IR, n = 74), significantly higher (47.5 vs. 20.7 μg/L, p = 0.04), and S‐zinc significantly lower (9.7 vs. 10.5 μmol/L, p = 0.04). Haemoglobin concentration (Hb) did not differ between the Fe‐IR and NS–IR groups. Change in weight‐for‐age z‐score (WAZ) from 6 to 12 months and mean WAZ at 12 months was lower in the Fe‐IR group compared to the NS‐IR group (−1.45 vs. −1.03, p < 0.001 and −1.97 vs. −1.60, p < 0.001, respectively). There was no difference in morbidity between groups. Iron supplementation of non‐iron‐replete infants increased Hb and S‐ferritin, but did not affect S‐zinc or anthropometrical indices.Conclusion: In our study, iron supplementation of IR infants affected WAZ adversely, whereas iron supplementation to non‐iron‐replete infants did not affect growth. These results support a cautious approach to iron supplementation of IR infants.
Discovery of two magnetic massive stars in the Orion Nebula Cluster: a clue to the origin of neutron star magnetic fields?
Authors: Petit V. , Wade G. A. , Drissen L. , Montmerle T. , Alecian E. 
Published: April 2008

Abstract
The origin of the magnetic fields in neutron stars, and the physical differences between magnetars and strongly magnetized radio pulsars are still under vigorous debate. It has been suggested that the properties of the progenitors of neutron stars (the massive OB stars), such as rotation, magnetic fields and mass, may play an important role in the outcome of core collapse leading to Type II supernovae. Therefore, knowing the magnetic properties of the progenitor OB stars would be an important asset for constraining models of stellar evolution leading to the birth of a neutron star. We present here the beginning of a broad study with the goal of characterizing the magnetic properties of main-sequence massive OB stars. We report the detection of two new massive magnetic stars in the Orion Nebula Cluster: Par 1772 (HD 36982) and NU Ori (HD 37061), for which the estimated dipole polar strengths, with 1σ error bars, are 1150+320ȡ200 and 620+220−170 G, respectively.
Vertebral heart scale in the beagle dog
Authors: Kraetschmer S. , Ludwig K. , Meneses F. , Nolte I. , Simon D. 
Published: April 2008

Objective:To determine if Buchanan’s vertebral heart scale can be applied to beagle dogs to establish reference values for this breed and to determine the possible influence of optimal lung inflation on the cardiac measurements.Methods:The cardiac health of 19 beagle dogs was examined by echocardiography, electrocardiogram, non‐invasive blood pressure measurement, complete blood count and serum chemistry profile. Right and left lateral recumbent radiographs of the thorax were obtained while the dogs were conscious and while under general anaesthesia with optimal lung inflation. The vertebral heart scale was measured in all radiographs.Results:The mean (sd) vertebral heart scale in the beagle dogs was 10·3 (0·4) v, showing a significant difference from the mean vertebral heart scale of 9·7 (0·5) v in Buchanan’s original study with dogs of different breeds. Degree of inspiration had no significant effect on the vertebral heart scale.ClinicalSignificance:The vertebral heart scale provides the veterinarian with a possible way of objectively evaluating canine heart size without having to rely on echocardiography. However, the results should be interpreted critically and breed‐specific differences should be taken into account, especially with values slightly above the reference range.
Willingness to volunteer during an influenza pandemic: perspectives from students and staff at a large Canadian university
Authors: Rosychuk Rhonda J. , Bailey Tracey , Haines Christina , Lake Robert , Herman Benjamin , Yonge Olive , Marrie Thomas J. 
Published: April 2008

Background  A future influenza pandemic will require greater demand on numerous essential services and a reduced capacity to meet that demand. Recruitment of volunteers is an important issue for pre‐pandemic planning.Objectives  To identify factors and attitudes towards volunteerism in the event of a pandemic of influenza.Participants/methods  A 42‐item web‐questionnaire was administered to all faculty, staff and students at the University of Alberta. Respondents indicated their willingness to volunteer. Responses were dichotomized and logistic regression models were developed to capture the association between willingness to volunteer and (i) demographic and information source variables, (ii) risk perception and general knowledge, and (iii) volunteering attitudes and priority access variables.Results  Many factors predicted willingness to volunteer and several involved interactions with other variables. Individuals who were older, relied on University Health Centre information and who had past volunteerism experience were generally more likely to be willing to volunteer. Those willing to volunteer were more likely to think spread could be prevented by covering mouth when coughing/sneezing, and treatment would include drinking fluids. Those who thought influenza would be treated by antibiotics were less willing to volunteer. Likely volunteers thought that healthcare students should be encouraged to volunteer if there was a healthcare worker shortage.Conclusion  This study provides guidance for those who are preparing universities to deal with pandemic influenza. The results suggest factors that might be important in the recruitment of volunteers during an influenza pandemic and these factors might be relevant for other sectors as well.
Presence of Rhodopsin and Porphyropsin in the Eyes of 164 Fishes, Representing Marine, Diadromous, Coastal and Freshwater Species—A Qualitative and Comparative Study†
Authors: Toyama Mina , Hironaka Mantaro , Yamahama Yumi , Horiguchi Hiroko , Tsukada Osamu , Uto Norihiko , Ueno Yuka , Tokunaga Fumio , Seno Keiji , Hariyama Takahiko 
Published: April 2008

AbstractThere are two types of visual pigments in fish eyes; most marine fishes have rhodopsin, while most freshwater fishes have porphyropsin. The biochemical basis for this dichotomy is the nature of the chromophores, retinal (A1) and 3‐dehydroretinal (A2), each of which is bound by an opsin. In order to study the regional distribution of these visual pigments, we performed a new survey of the visual pigment chromophores in the eyes of many species of fish. Fish eyes from 164 species were used to examine their chromophores by high‐performance liquid chromatography—44 species of freshwater fish, 20 of peripheral freshwater fish (coastal species), 10 of diadromous fish and 90 of seawater fish (marine species) were studied. The eyes of freshwater fish, limb freshwater fish and diadromous fish had both A1 and A2 chromophores, whereas those of marine fish possessed only A1 chromophores. Our results are similar to those of previous studies; however, we made a new finding that fish which live in freshwater possessed A1 if living near the sea and A2 if living far from the sea if they possessed only one type of chromophore.
In Vivo Measurement of Vascular Modulation in Experimental Tumors Using a Fluorescent Contrast Agent
Authors: Valentini Gianluca , D’Andrea Cosimo , Ferrari Raffaele , Pifferi Antonio , Cubeddu Rinaldo , Martinelli Michele , Natoli Claudia , Ubezio Paolo , Giavazzi Raffaella 
Published: April 2008

AbstractWe compared the effectiveness of three optical techniques based on fluorescence imaging and spectroscopy with indocyanine green (ICG) contrast agent to evaluate in vivo the disruption of the active vasculature induced by a vascular targeting agent. The blood perfusion of the MDA‐MB‐435 tumor model transplanted in nude mice was estimated from the signal of the contrast agent measured immediately after its systemic injection in mice. Optical measurements were performed using a fluorescence imaging setup and a fiber‐based time correlated single photon counting (TCSPC) apparatus. This latter apparatus was used to measure the tumor fluorescence in transmittance geometry and the change in the basal optical absorption induced by the contrast agent, thus providing an alternative estimation of the blood content in the tumor. Mice were divided into four groups. Three groups were treated with different doses of the vascular disrupting agent ZD6126, the fourth group (control group) received the drug vehicle only. Optical measurements were carried out 3 h after pharmacologic treatment. After 24 h, mice were killed, tumors were excised and the extent of necrosis was evaluated with standard histologic analysis. On fluorescence imaging ICG emission from tumors of mice treated with ZD6126 significantly was lower compared with the emission from control mice. The histologic sections also showed a significantly higher amount of necrosis in tumors of treated mice. Both these findings, which correlate with each other, indicate an effective vascular shutdown induced by the drug. However, ICG fluorescence measured with the TCSPC apparatus in transmittance geometry and the estimate of the change in optical absorption did not allow a statistically significant differentiation between treated and control groups.
Antimicrobial Susceptibilities of Geographically Diverse Clinical Human Isolates ofLeptospira
Authors: Ressner Roseanne A. , Griffith Matthew E. , Beckius Miriam L. , Pimentel Guillermo , Miller R. Scott , Mende Katrin , Fraser Susan L. , Galloway Renee L. , Hospenthal Duane R. , Murray Clinton K. 
Published: April 2008

ABSTRACTAlthough antimicrobial therapy of leptospirosis has been studied in a few randomized controlled clinical studies, those studies were limited to specific regions of the world and few have characterized infecting strains. A broth microdilution technique for the assessment of antibiotic susceptibility has been developed at Brooke Army Medical Center. In the present study, we assessed the susceptibilities of 13Leptospiraisolates (including recent clinical isolates) from Egypt, Thailand, Nicaragua, and Hawaii to 13 antimicrobial agents. Ampicillin, cefepime, azithromycin, and clarithromycin were found to have MICs below the lower limit of detection (0.016 μg/ml). Cefotaxime, ceftriaxone, imipenem-cilastatin, penicillin G, moxifloxacin, ciprofloxacin, and levofloxacin had MIC90s between 0.030 and 0.125 μg/ml. Doxycycline and tetracycline had the highest MIC90s: 2 and 4 μg/ml, respectively. Doxycycline and tetracycline were noted to have slightly higher MICs against isolates from Egypt than against strains from Thailand or Hawaii; otherwise, the susceptibility patterns were similar. There appears to be possible variability in susceptibility to some antimicrobial agents among strains, suggesting that more extensive testing to look for geographic variability should be pursued.
Pharmacodynamic Characterization of Ceftobiprole in Experimental Pneumonia Caused by Phenotypically Diverse
Staphylococcus aureus
Strains
Authors: Laohavaleeson Somvadee , Tessier Pamela R. , Nicolau David P. 
Published: April 2008

ABSTRACT

Ceftobiprole (BPR) is an investigational cephalosporin with activity against
Staphylococcus aureus
, including methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
(MRSA) strains. The pharmacodynamic (PD) profile of BPR against
S. aureus
strains with a variety of susceptibility phenotypes in an immunocompromised murine pneumonia model was characterized. The BPR MICs of the test isolates ranged from 0.25 to 2 μg/ml. Pharmacokinetic (PK) studies were conducted with infected neutropenic BALB/c mice; and the BPR concentrations were measured in plasma, epithelial lining fluid (ELF), and lung tissue. PD studies with these mice were undertaken with eight
S. aureus
isolates (two methicillin-susceptible
S. aureus
strains, three hospital-acquired MRSA strains, and three community-acquired MRSA strains). Subcutaneous BPR doses of 2 to 125 mg/kg of body weight/day were administered, and the change in the number of log
10
CFU/ml in lungs was evaluated after 24 h of therapy. The PD profile was characterized by using the free drug exposures (
f
) determined from the following parameters: the percentage of time that the concentration was greater than the MIC (
T
> MIC), the maximum concentration in serum/MIC, and the area under the concentration-time curve/MIC. The BPR PK parameters were linear over the dose range studied in plasma, and the ELF concentrations ranged from 60 to 94% of the free plasma concentration.
fT
> MIC was the parameter that best correlated with efficacy against a diverse array of
S. aureus
isolates in this murine pneumonia model. The 80% effective dose (ED
80
), ED
50
, and stasis exposures appeared to be similar among the isolates studied. BPR exerted maximal antibacterial effects when
fT
> MIC ranged from 6 to 22%, regardless of the phenotypic profile of resistance to β-lactam, fluoroquinolone, erythromycin, clindamycin, or tetracycline antibiotics.