bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Body Size and the Maintenance of Reproductive Isolation in Stickleback, GenusGasterosteus
Authors: Baube Charles L. 
Published: October 2008

AbstractThe blackspotted sticklebackGasterosteus wheatlandiand the widely studied threespine sticklebackG. aculeatusare sympatric throughout the former’s range and share many aspects of life history and reproductive behaviour. These two species differ significantly in size, withG. wheatlandiof both sexes measured at approximately 60% of the standard length of theirG. aculeatuscounterparts. This study concentrated onG. wheatlandicourtship behaviour and investigated its role in the maintenance of reproductive isolation withG. aculeatus. Specifically, the roles that (1) female body size plays in influencing male courtship preferences and (2) male body size and behaviour play in female courtship preferences were investigated through dummy and live conspecific and heterospecific stimulus presentations. MaleG. wheatlandicourtship preferences are consistent with previously described patterns forG. aculeatus. Males of both species preferentially approach and court the larger of two simultaneously presented live or dummy females. Thus, the smallerG. wheatlandimales are indiscriminate with respect to assortative mate choice; not only preferring to approach and court more fecund conspecific females but, more significantly,G. aculeatus‐sized females. In contrast, females of both species demonstrate strong assortative courtship preferences. When presented with pairs of flask‐enclosed males, females of both species preferentially orient and court the conspecific male over the heterospecific. Similarly, when presented with a conspecific male and a heterospecific male presented singly, females prefer to enter the nest of the conspecific. Systematic analysis of the interactions between these pairs of fish (one male, one female) demonstrates that the breakdown of courtship in heterospecific courtship occurs late in the courtship sequence when the widely differing forms of male leading behaviour results in drastically differing female responses. I suggest that, as previously described inG. aculeatus, the supernormality effect plays a significant role in mediating adaptive mate choice behaviour inG. wheatlandi. However, the added element of a larger sympatric species introduces a possible cost in time and energy devoted to courting heterospecific, and sympatric, females that the largerG. aculeatusdo not likely incur. There is substantial evidence from many sympatricG. aculeatusspecies pairs that there is assortative mate choice based on size and/or courtship behaviour. Courtship trials suggest a more pervasive role for females in assortative mate choice. Whether it is male body sizeper se, or in combination with behaviour, morphology or other cues, is unresolved in the present study.
Dual Utility of a Melanin‐Based Ornament in Bearded Tits
Authors: Hoi Herbert , Griggio Matteo 
Published: October 2008

AbstractA general mechanism to account for the maintenance of sexually selected traits is the armament–ornament model, which predicts that females exploit signals used in male–male aggressive contests. Melanin‐based ornaments are good candidates to be dual utility traits because they are usually involved in male–male competition and function as signals of male dominance or fighting ability. Despite this, very few studies have investigated the dual utility of melanin‐based plumage traits and results remain generally ambiguous. In this study, we investigated the dual function of a melanin‐based trait (the black beard) in the male bearded tit, Panurus biarmicus. In a controlled aviary experiment, beard length was the best predictor of dominance in male–male competition. In a choice experiment, females showed a proximity preference for males whose beard length was experimentally elongated. Our results indicate that beard length plays an important role in both male–male competition and female choice in bearded tits, as proposed by the dual utility model.
Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection in Livestock Species: An Update
Authors: García‐Roselló E , García‐Mengual E , Coy P , Alfonso J , Silvestre MA 
Published: October 2008

ContentsIntracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is a powerful technique in the field of assisted reproduction (ART) and provides exciting opportunities for studying the basic mechanisms of fertilization and early embryo development. Nevertheless, its application in agriculture and conservation biology has been greatly hampered by the low success rate reported for this method in respect of economically important species. Specifically, the rates of blastocyst formation and live newborn are greatly reduced when zygotes are generated by ICSI. Except for humans, ICSI remains a low efficiency technology in comparison with alternatives such as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and its application is less widespread. In this paper, we discuss the present status, applications and factors affecting ICSI in pigs and other species.
Persistent Mullerian Duct Syndrome in a Miniature Schnauzer Dog with Signs of Feminization and a Sertoli Cell Tumour
Authors: Vegter AR , Kooistra HS , Van Sluijs FJ , Van Bruggen LWL , Ijzer J , Zijlstra C , Okkens AC 
Published: October 2008

ContentsA 5‐year‐old male Miniature Schnauzer was presented with unilateral cryptorchidism and signs of feminization. Abdominal ultrasonography revealed an enlarged right testis and a large, fluid‐filled cavity that appeared to arise from the prostate. Computed tomography revealed the cavity to be consistent with an enlarged uterine body, arising from the prostate, and showed two structures resembling uterine horns that terminated close to the adjacent testes. The dog had a normal male karyotype, 78 XY. Gonadohysterectomy was performed and both the surgical and the histological findings confirmed the presence of a uterus in this male animal, resulting in a diagnosis of persistent Mullerian duct syndrome (PMDS). The enlarged intra‐abdominal testis contained a Sertoli cell tumour. Computed tomography proved to be an excellent diagnostic tool for PMDS.
Factors affecting the number and type of impairments of visual perception and praxis following stroke
Authors: Paolucci Amy , McKenna Kryss , Cooke Deirdre M. 
Published: October 2008

Aim: This study aimed to examine the effect of clinical factors including side of stroke, region of affected cerebral circulation, type of stroke and time since stroke, as well as age on the number and type of impairments of visual perception and praxis in patients following stroke.Methods: Two hundred and eight participants with stroke were conveniently sampled from 12 hospitals in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. Background information was collected and each participant was assessed for impairments of visual perception and praxis using the Occupational Therapy Adult Perceptual Screening Test.Results: Participants with left‐hemisphere stroke were more likely to have impaired body scheme than participants with right‐hemisphere stroke. Additionally, participants with right‐hemisphere stroke were more likely to have unilateral neglect and impaired constructional skills than those with left‐hemisphere stroke. There was a significant relationship between region of affected cerebral circulation and the occurrence of agnosia, unilateral neglect and constructional skill impairment. Moreover, the number of visual perceptual impairments experienced by participants was associated with the region of affected cerebral circulation. Increasing age was significantly related to the occurrence of constructional skill impairment and acalculia.Conclusions: Side of stroke, region of affected cerebral circulation and age affected the type of impairments of visual perception and praxis experienced by patients following stroke. Furthermore, region of affected cerebral circulation also influenced the number of impairments of visual perception and praxis in patients after stroke. The results have implications for more specific targeting of assessment and treatment practices following stroke.
Questioning: A critical skill in postmodern health‐care service delivery
Authors: Brown Cary A. , Bannigan Katrina , Gill Joanna R. 
Published: October 2008

Occupational therapists can no longer rely exclusively on biomedical frameworks to guide their practice and facilitate clinical problem‐solving. A postmodernist perspective of health and well‐being underlines that the illness experience is not a linear, cause‐and‐effect equation. Rather, life experiences are constructed through a myriad of social, cultural, physical and economic contexts that are highly unique to each individual. In other words, the assumption that ‘one‐size‐fits‐all’ is as flawed in health care as it is in clothing design. This paper contributes to the growing discussion of health care within the postmodern context of the twenty‐first century through first presenting a brief discussion of emerging postmodern thinking and application within the profession, followed by a rationale for the need to scrutinise prevalent modernist assumptions that guide decision‐making. Finally, the paper introduces the method of Socratic questioning as a critical tool in successfully carrying out this scrutiny in an empowering and respectful manner for all stakeholders.
Profile of cognitive problems in schizophrenia and implications for vocational functioning
Authors: Tan Bhing‐Leet 
Published: October 2008

Aim:  This literature review attempts to profile specific areas of cognition that have shown unique and consistent evidence of dysfunction among people with schizophrenia. In addition, their impact on vocational functioning is illustrated, so as to highlight the importance of managing these cognitive difficulties in vocational rehabilitation. Methods:  Literature search was carried out on seven key cognitive domains identified by the National Institute of Mental Health in the USA. Their impact on vocational function was also reviewed. Results:  It is found that attention, declarative and working memory, reasoning, problem‐solving and social cognition are areas of impairment that have great impact on vocational functioning. Attention and memory problems affect learning of new work tasks. Executive function is particularly crucial in determining supported and open employment outcomes, as executive dysfunction cannot be easily compensated. Lastly, social cognition plays a major role in determining the success of workplace social exchanges. Conclusion:  Occupational therapists need to have a good understanding of the profile of cognitive problems among people with schizophrenia, in order to tailor our intervention according to their cognitive strengths and difficulties. Several cognitive remediation strategies and programs have been designed specifically for people with mental illness. Equipping ourselves with skills in conducting such programs will augment our expertise in vocational rehabilitation.
Pretend play, social competence and involvement in children aged 5–7 years: The concurrent validity of the Child‐Initiated Pretend Play Assessment
Authors: Uren Nicole , Stagnitti Karen 
Published: October 2008

Background and aims:  The aims of this study were to investigate the relationship between pretend play, social competence and involvement in school‐based activities in children aged 5–7 years and to determine whether children's social competence and level of involvement could be inferred from their scores on the Child‐Initiated Pretend Play Assessment. Procedure:  The pretend play skills of 41 primary school‐aged children aged 5–7 years were assessed on a one‐on‐one basis. Classroom teachers of the children assessed the children's social competence using the Penn Interactive Peer Play Scale and their involvement in school based activities using the Leuven Involvement Scale for Young Children. Main findings:  Significant positive relationships were found between elaborate pretend play and object substitution scores, involvement scores and peer play interaction scores (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). A significant negative relationship was found between elaborate pretend play scores, and social disconnection and social disruption scores (P < 0.05). Play deficit indicators were significantly negatively related to involvement scores (P < 0.01). This suggests that children with proficient pretend play skills are socially competent with peers and are able to engage in classroom activity. Children who scored poorly on the play assessment were more likely to have difficulty interacting with their peers and engaging in school activities.Conclusion:  Social competence and involvement skills are related to a child's ability to engage in pretend play. A child's social skills and ability to engage in school activities as assessed by teachers can be inferred from their scores on the Child‐Initiated Pretend Play Assessment.
Structure of Sumatra and its implications for the tectonic assembly of Southeast Asia and the destruction of Paleotethys
Authors: Barber Anthony J. , Crow Michael J. 
Published: October 2008

AbstractIt is now generally accepted that Southeast Asia is composed of continental blocks which separated from Gondwana with the formation of oceanic crust during the Paleozoic, and were accreted to Asia in the Late Paleozoic or Early Mesozoic, with the subduction of the intervening oceanic crust. From east to west the Malay peninsula and Sumatra are composed of three continental blocks: East Malaya with a Cathaysian Permian flora and fauna; Sibumasu, including the western part of the Malay peninsula and East Sumatra, with Late Carboniferous–Early Permian ‘pebbly mudstones’ interpreted as glaciogenic diamictites; and West Sumatra, again with Cathaysian fauna and flora. A further unit, the Woyla nappe, is interpreted as an intraoceanic arc thrust over the West Sumatra block in the mid Cretaceous. There are varied opinions concerning the age of collision of Sibumasu with East Malaya and the destruction of Paleotethys. In Thailand, radiolarites have been used as evidence that Paleotethys survived until after the Middle Triassic. In the Malay peninsula, structural evidence and the ages of granitic intrusions are used to support a Middle Permian to Early Triassic age for the destruction of Paleotethys. It is suggested that the West Sumatra block was derived from Cathaysia and emplaced against the western margin of Sibumasu by dextral transcurrent faulting along a zone of high deformation, the Medial Sumatra Tectonic Zone. These structural units can be traced northwards in Southeast Asia. The East Malaya block is considered to be part of the Indochina block, Sibumasu can be traced through Thailand into southern China, the Medial Sumatra Tectonic Zone is correlated with the Mogok Belt of Myanmar, the West Burma block is the extension of the West Sumatra block, from which it was separated by the formation of the Andaman Sea in the Miocene, and the Woyla nappe is correlated with the Mawgyi nappe of Myanmar.
Radiolaria‐dated Lower Permian clastic‐rock sequence in the Fukuji area of the Hida‐gaien terrane, central Japan, and its inter‐terrane correlation across Southwest Japan
Authors: Kurihara Toshiyuki , Kametaka Masao 
Published: October 2008

AbstractThe stratigraphy and radiolarian age of the Mizuyagadani Formation in the Fukuji area of the Hida‐gaien terrane, central Japan, represent those of Lower Permian clastic‐rock sequences of the Paleozoic non‐accretionary‐wedge terranes of Southwest Japan that formed in island arc–forearc/back‐arc basin settings. The Mizuyagadani Formation consists of calcareous clastic rocks, felsic tuff, tuffaceous sandstone, tuffaceous mudstone, sandstone, mudstone, conglomerate, and lenticular limestone. Two distinctive radiolarian faunas that are newly reported from the Lower Member correspond to the zonal faunas of the Pseudoalbaillella u‐forma morphotype I assemblage zone to the Pseudoalbaillella lomentaria range zone (Asselian to Sakmarian) and the Albaillella sinuata range zone (Kungurian). In spite of a previous interpretation that the Mizuyagadani Formation is of late Middle Permian age, it consists of Asselian to Kungurian tuffaceous clastic strata in its lower part and is conformably overlain by the Middle Permian Sorayama Formation. An inter‐terrane correlation of the Mizuyagadani Formation with Lower Permian tuffaceous clastic strata in the Kurosegawa terrane and the Nagato tectonic zone of Southwest Japan indicates the presence of an extensive Early Permian magmatic arc(s) that involved almost all of the Paleozoic non‐accretionary‐wedge terranes in Japan. These new biostratigraphic data provide the key to understanding the original relationships among highly disrupted Paleozoic terranes in Japan and northeast Asia.
Petrology of the Yugu peridotites in the Gyeonggi Massif, South Korea: Implications for its origin and hydration process
Authors: Arai Shoji , Tamura Akihiro , Ishimaru Satoko , Kadoshima Kazuyuki , Lee Yong‐Il , Hisada Ken‐ichiro 
Published: October 2008

AbstractPeridotites exposed in the Yugu area in the Gyeonggi Massif, South Korea, near the boundary with the Okcheon Belt, exhibit mylonitic to strongly porphyroclastic textures, and are mostly spinel lherzolites. Subordinate dunites, harzburgites, and websterites are associated with the lherzolites. Amphiboles, often zoned from hornblende in the core to tremolite in the rim, are found only as neoblasts. Porphyroclasts have recorded equilibrium temperatures of about 1000°C, whereas neoblasts denote lower temperatures, about 800°C. Olivines are Fo90–91in lherzolites and Fo91in a dunite and a harzburgite. The Cr# (= Cr/(Cr + Al) atomic ratio) of spinels varies together with the Fo of olivines, being from 0.1 to 0.3 in lherzolites and around 0.5 in the dunite and harzburgite. The Na2O content of clinopyroxene porphyroclasts is relatively low, around 0.3 to 0.5 wt% in the most fertile lherzolite. The Yugu peridotites are similar in porphyroclast mineral chemistry not to continental spinel peridotites but to sub‐arc or abyssal peridotites. Textural and mineralogical characteristics indicate the successive cooling with hydration from the upper mantle to crustal conditions for the Yugu peridotites. Almost all clinopyroxenes and amphiboles show the same U‐shaped rare earth element (REE) patterns although the level is up to ten times higher for the latter. The hydration was associated with enrichment in light REE, resulting from either a slab‐derived fluid or a fluid circulating in the crust. The mantle‐wedge or abyssal peridotites were emplaced into the continental crust as the Yugu peridotite body during collision of continents to form a high‐pressure metamorphic belt in the Gyeonggi Massif. The peridotites from the Gyeonggi Massif exhibit lower‐pressure equilibration than peridotites, with or without garnets, from the Dabie–Sulu Collision Belt, China, which is possibly a westward extension of the Gyeonggi Massif.
Crustal thickness and adakite occurrence in the Philippines: Is there a relationship?
Authors: Dimalanta Carla B. , Yumul, Jr Graciano P. 
Published: October 2008

AbstractAdakites are increasingly being recognized worldwide in a variety of tectonic settings. Models on the formation of this geochemically distinct class of volcanic rocks have evolved from partial melting of subducted young, hot oceanic slabs to magmatism resulting from oblique subduction, low‐angle or flat subduction, or even slab‐tearing. Some workers have also pointed to the partial melting of thickened crust to explain the generation of adakitic melts. Rare earth element ratios from adakites and adakitic rocks in the Philippines were used in this study to obtain approximations of the levels where they were generated. These were tied to available geophysical data that defines the crustal thickness of the areas where the samples were collected. High Sm/Yb and La/Yb ratios denote the involvement of amphiboles, and in some cases garnet, in the generation of adakites and adakitic magmas. The presence of amphibole and garnet as residual phases suggests high pressures corresponding to thicker crust (∼30 to 45 km). Adakites and adakitic rocks formed through processes other than melting of subducted young oceanic crust would need ≥30 km to account for the heavy rare earth element signatures. If mantle fractionation is not the process involved, crustal thickness is critical to generate adakites and adakitic rocks.
Eleven consecutive years of respiratory syncytial virus outbreaks in Croatia
Authors: Mlinaric‐Galinovic Gordana , Vilibic‐Cavlek Tatjana , Ljubin‐Sternak Suncanica , Drazenovic Vladimir , Galinovic Ivana , Tomic Vlatka , Welliver Robert C. 
Published: October 2008

AbstractBackground:  Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is the most common cause of severe lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) in infants. The aim of the present study was to analyze the epidemiologic characteristics of RSV outbreaks in Croatian children.Methods:  Over a period of 11 consecutive years (1994–2005), 3435 inpatients with acute respiratory infections (ARI) aged from birth to 10 years and were residing in Zagreb County were tested for infection with RSV and other respiratory viruses at the Virology Department, Croatian National Institute of Public Health. RSV was identified in nasopharyngeal secretions by isolation on cell culture and/or detection with monoclonal antibodies using a direct fluorescence assay.Results:  RSV was the most common causative agent of ARI (42.2%; 658/1559) for the infants 0–6 months of age. It was also the etiologic agent of LRTI in 49% (495/1010) of infants of similar age. RSV was demonstrated in 56.5% (382/676) of infants with bronchiolitis, and in 36.5% (49/134) of those with pneumonia in this age group.Conclusion:  The overall prevalence of RSV infection in Croatian children with acute respiratory illness, and its occurrence in various age groups, has remained stable over the past decade. RSV was found to be the most common cause of bronchiolitis occurring throughout childhood (52.7%; 482/913).
Efficacy of micafungin in treating four premature infants with candidiasis
Authors: Kawaguchi Chiharu , Arai Ikuyo , Yasuhara Hajime , Sano Reiko , Nishikubo Toshiya , Takahashi Yukihiro 
Published: October 2008

AbstractBackground:  Although clinical experience in neonates with candidiasis exists for amphotericin B and fluconazole, these standard treatments are often hindered by drug‐associated toxicity or development of resistant strains. The aim of the present study was therefore to investigate the efficacy and tolerability of a new antifungal agent, micafungin (MCFG), for treating Candida infections in premature infants.Methods:  This was a retrospective cohort study. Premature infants diagnosed with Candida infections from October 2003 to July 2004 were brought to the neonatal intensive care unit at the Center of Perinatal Medicine, Nara Medical University Hospital. Four newborns were given 0.5–1.0 mg/kg per day micafungin.Results:  Four premature infants (mean ± SD gestational age, 24.1 ± 0.9 weeks; mean ± SD birthweight, 579.3 ± 80.5 g) experienced complications from Candida infection; two cases of the fungal infection were caused by Candida glabrata and two cases were caused by Candida albicans. MCFG was administered at 0.5 or 1.0 mg/kg per day (mean dosage days, 9.8 ± 3.1 days) and it decreased β‐d‐glucan levels while improving clinical symptoms in all cases. Additionally, there were no apparent side‐effects.Conclusion:  MCFG is both effective and tolerable for use in premature infants suffering from Candida infections.