bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing Glycinin (11S) and β‐Conglycinin (7S) Fractions of Soybean Storage Protein by Near‐Infrared Spectroscopy
Authors: Delwiche Stephen R. , Pordesimo Lester O. , Panthee Dilip R. , Pantalone Vincent R. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractSoybean breeding programs underway today are addressing the goal of improving the protein profile to benefit the human diet as well as that of livestock. Glycinin, a globulin storage protein of the meal and designated as the 11S size fraction by ultracentrifugation, is desirable because of its relative abundance of sulfur‐containing amino acids, such as methionine and cysteine. The current study examined the feasibility of near‐infrared (NIR) measurement of glycinin and the other prevalent protein fraction, β‐conglycinin (7S size fraction), as well as the electrophoretically separable sub fractions that comprise these two components. From a population of 101 F6‐derived recombinant inbred lines in a field replicated trial, single whole soybeans were scanned in transmittance (800–1,798 nm, 24 beans/sample × 197 samples total). Additional scanning of the ground meal was performed in reflectance (1,100–2,498 nm). Partial least squares (PLS) calibrations were developed, using the 24‐bean average log(1/T) spectrum for each sample, as well as the average spectrum from duplicate packs of log(1/R) spectra of the meal. The results indicate that NIR prediction of 11S and 7S, as well as the sub fractions thereof, is at best limited to screening purposes in soybean breeding programs for probable reasons of an inherent lack of spectral specificity of the protein fractions and a non‐constant proportion of soluble‐to‐total protein.
Zahnanomalien bei Genodermatosen
Authors: Happle R. 
Published: October 2007

ZusammenfassungSowohl Haare, Nägel und Schweißdrüsen als auch die Zähne stellen ektodermale Anhangsgebilde dar. So ist es verständlich, warum Mutationen in Genen, welche die Embryogenese steuern, oft gleichzeitig die Haut und die Zähne in Mitleidenschaft ziehen. Autosomal dominante kutaneodentale Syndrome sind tuberöse Sklerose, tricho-dento-ossäres Syndrom, AEC-Syndrom, EEC-Syndrom, onychodentales Syndrom Typ Witkop, Amelogenesis imperfecta mit distaler Onycholyse und Böök-Syndrom. Autosomal rezessive Genodermatosen mit Zahndefekten sind Papillon-Lefèvre-Syndrom, GAPO-Syndrom, Steijlen-Syndrom und junktionale Epidermolysis bullosa. X-gebundene männlich-letale Syndrome mit Haut- und Zahnsymptomatik sind Incontinentia pigmenti, Goltz-Syndrom und OFD1-Syndrom. Unter den X-gebundenen nichtletalen Phänotypen ist das Christ-Siemens-Touraine-Syndrom wohlbekannt, während die ektodermale Dysplasie Typ Zonana eine erst kürzlich beschriebene Krankheitsentität, verursacht durch „hypomorphe“ Mutationen im NEMO-Gen, darstellt. Da auch diese Krankheit mit einer ausgeprägten Hypohidrose einhergeht, taugt die Bezeichnung „X-chromosomale hypohidrotische ektodermale Dysplasie“ heute nicht mehr zur Kennzeichnung des Christ-Siemens-Touraine-Syndroms.
Bitter gourd (Momordica charantia) improves insulin sensitivity by increasing skeletal muscle insulin-stimulated IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation in high-fat-fed rats
Authors: Sridhar M. G. , Vinayagamoorthi R. , Arul Suyambunathan V. , Bobby Z. , Selvaraj N. 
Published: October 2007

The aim of this present study was to investigate the effect of bitter gourd extract on insulin sensitivity and proximal insulin signalling pathways in high-fat-fed rats. High-fat feeding of male Wistar rats for 10 weeks decreased the glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity compared to chow-fed control rats. Bitter gourd extract supplementation for 2 weeks (9th and 10th) of high-fat feeding improved the glucose tolerance and insulin sensitivity. In addition bitter gourd extract reduced the fasting insulin (43 (se4·4)v. 23 (se5·2) μU/ml,P < 0·05), TAG (134 (se12)v. 96 (se5·5) mg/dl,P < 0·05), cholesterol (97 (se6·3)v. 72 (se5·2) mg/dl,P < 0·05) and epidydimal fat (4·8 (se0·29)v. 3·6 (se0·24) g,P < 0·05), which were increased by high-fat diet (HFD). High-fat feeding and bitter gourd supplementation did not have any effect on skeletal muscle insulin receptor, insulin receptor subtrate-1 (IRS-1) and insulin- stimulated insulin receptor tyrosine phosphorylation compared to chow-fed control rats. However high-fat feeding for 10 weeks reduced the insulin-stimulated IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation compared to control rats. Bitter gourd supplementation together with HFD for 2 weeks improved the insulin-stimulated IRS-1 tyrosine phosphorylation compared to rats fed with HFD alone. Our results show that bitter gourd extract improves insulin sensitivity, glucose tolerance and insulin signalling in HFD-induced insulin resistance. Identification of potential mechanism(s) by which bitter gourd improves insulin sensitivity and insulin signalling in high-fat-fed rats may open new therapeutic targets for the treatment of obesity/dyslipidemia-induced insulin resistance.
Human-caused and natural mortality of giant tortoises in the Galapagos Islands during 1995-2004
Authors: Márquez Cruz , Wiedenfeld David A. , Landázuri Sandra , Chávez Juan 
Published: October 2007

AbstractAlthough the killing of giant tortoises in the Galapagos Islands has been prohibited since 1933, poaching of tortoises still occurs. Personnel of the Galapagos National Park Service and the Charles Darwin Research Station regularly survey populations of tortoises throughout the archipelago and report all dead tortoises found. For the 10-year period 1995–2004 the field personnel reported evidence of 190 giant tortoises killed, primarily on the southern portion of Isabela Island. For the first 6 years the number of tortoises found killed was <15 per year, but since 2001 the number killed has increased dramatically, with 49 tortoises poached in 2004. During the same 10 years the number of tortoises found dead from natural causes was 131. Many of these deaths can be attributed to events associated with the 1997–1998 El Niño or with outbreaks of disease on Santa Cruz Island in 1996 and 1999. The results indicate that poaching exceeds natural mortality, and is a significant factor affecting these long-lived and slow-reproducing animals. Environmental education efforts in the human population of southern Isabela appear to have had little effect. Because tortoise poaching takes place at a small number of sites, effective enforcement at those sites could reduce killing of tortoises.
The conservation status of West Indian palms (Arecaceae)
Authors: Zona Scott , Verdecia Raúl , Leiva Sánchez Angela , Lewis Carl E. , Maunder Mike 
Published: October 2007

AbstractThe conservation status of 134 species, subspecies and varieties of West Indian palms (Arecaceae) is assessed and reviewed, based on field studies and current literature. We find that 90% of the palm taxa of the West Indies are endemic. Using the IUCN Red List categories one species is categorized as Extinct, 11 taxa as Critically Endangered, 19 as Endangered, and 21 as Vulnerable. Fifty-seven taxa are classified as Least Concern. Twenty-five taxa are Data Deficient, an indication that additional field studies are urgently needed. The 11 Critically Endangered taxa warrant immediate conservation action; some are currently the subject of ex situ and in situ conservation projects in the region’s botanical gardens. We recommend that preliminary conservation assessments be made of the 25 Data Deficient taxa so that conservation measures can be implemented for those facing imminent threats.
Geographic distribution and conservation status of the bay catCatopuma badia, a Bornean endemic
Authors: Mohd-Azlan J. , Sanderson Jim 
Published: October 2007

AbstractDespite being one of the rarest felids in the world the Endangered Bornean bay catCatopuma badiahas received little conservation attention. Most information consists of historical records, morphological descriptions, and anecdotes from various sources. During 2003–2006 we undertook surveys using camera trapping, interviews and field observations, to determine the species’ distribution and document any threats to its persistence. We also examined museum specimens and completed a thorough literature review, collecting 15 additional geographic records throughout Borneo. Our results show that opportunistic hunting and land use changes are the main threats to the bay cat, and we make recommendations for its conservation.
Reintroduction of rifleman Acanthisitta chloris to Ulva Island, New Zealand: evaluation of techniques and population persistence
Authors: Leech Tara J. , Craig Emma , Beaven Brent , Mitchell David K. , Seddon Philip J. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractRifleman, or titipounamu Acanthisitta chloris, is New Zealand’s smallest endemic passerine. The species has a fragmented distribution and is threatened in the Rakiura region in the south of the South Island. The only known population of South Island rifleman A. c. chloris in the Rakiura region persisted on Codfish Island/Whenua Hou. To create a second population of rifleman in Rakiura, 30 caught from Codfish Island were reintroduced onto nearby Ulva Island in February 2003, the first translocation of rifleman. Survival and dispersal were monitored for 1 month post-release, and subsequently during the first and second breeding seasons. Mortality was greatest during holding and transfer, with low to moderate post-release mortality. All founding pairs bred in the first breeding season, and both founders and offspring bred in the second season. Dispersal across the island was greater for offspring. A simple deterministic matrix model indicated positive annual population growth (λ = 1.33), and low risk of short-term extinction. Holding/transfer techniques should be improved for future reintroductions, and longer-term monitoring should be undertaken for a more accurate assessment of vital rates. Based on the survival of founding birds, reproduction by the release generation and their offspring, and high probability of population persistence, the rifleman reintroduction was considered to be successful and a good model for future reintroductions of small passerine birds.
Importance of dispersal for the expansion of a Eurasian lynxLynx lynxpopulation in a fragmented landscape
Authors: Zimmermann Fridolin , Breitenmoser-Würsten Christine , Breitenmoser Urs 
Published: October 2007

AbstractDispersal allows recolonization of previous areas of habitat following severe depression of a population but the significance of this is not clear in felids. There is little evidence to support the general belief that subadult felids will colonize new areas, although this is a crucial assumption in reintroduction or recovery projects. Eurasian lynxLynx lynxwere reintroduced into the Swiss Alps and have subsequently spread over part of their potential range but the expansion halted in the mid 1980s. We postulated that high lynx densities would lead to an expansion of the population, and to assess the potential of this population to expand we compared the dispersal characteristics of 22 subadults from the north-west Swiss Alps, where an increase in lynx abundance occurred from 1995 onwards, to 17 individuals from the Jura Mountains, an area with a lower lynx density. Dispersal data came mainly from radio-telemetry. Dispersal rates and distances for subadults that completed dispersal were lower in the north-west Swiss Alps than in the Jura Mountains. In general, subadults exhibited little ability to cross major barriers such as highways. The hypothesis that high density alone will foster the expansion of the population was therefore not confirmed. This has consequences for the reintroduction and recovery of carnivores in fragmented landscapes. To establish only one strong source population may not be an optimal strategy, and population nuclei should therefore be founded in several neighbouring patches.
Raptor declines in West Africa: comparisons between protected, buffer and cultivated areas
Authors: Thiollay Jean-Marc 
Published: October 2007

AbstractSince 1970 there has been a dramatic decline of large raptors and terrestrial birds in West African savannahs. Comparative dry season transect counts over 4,697 km of driven transects were performed in 2004–2005 in south-eastern Burkina Faso to assess the abundance of 41 raptor species and large terrestrial species in four National Parks and surrounding hunting zones and cultivated areas. Population sizes were estimated for larger taxa in protected areas using distance sampling and nest searching. Most large vultures and eagles were generally found only in protected areas, with fewer individuals in the surrounding buffer zones and nearly none elsewhere. Conversely, the abundance of most of the smaller species was not different between protected and cultivated areas, and three species were more abundant in cultivated areas. Helmeted guineafowlNumida meleagris, Stanley’s bustardNeotis denhamiand Abyssinian ground hornbillBucorvus abyssinicuswere not found outside protected areas. Within the 1.4 million ha of protected areas in and around south-east Burkina Faso, six species of eagles and vultures have estimated populations ofc. 100–200 pairs, five speciesc. 50–100 pairs, five species have populations of <50 pairs, and the secretary birdSagittarius serpentariuswas not recorded. No specific reason for the collapse of large raptors in non-protected areas (which account for 99% of the area of the countries studied) has been identified, but the consequences of fast human population growth and habitat changes, overhunting, disturbances and poisoning may have played a critical role. Updating information on the conservation status of these species would be an important first step towards their long-term conservation.
Geographical patterns of threat among pigeons and doves (Columbidae)
Authors: Walker Jonathan S. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractColumbidae (pigeons and doves) is one of the most threatened bird families in the world. I analysed data on the BirdLife International Species Information Database to examine the distribution and causes of threat among columbids. Of 304 species extant in the wild, 59 (19%) are threatened with extinction, 48 (83%) of which have restricted ranges. All but two threatened columbid species (97%) inhabit tropical forests, and of these, 45 are island species (78% of all threatened columbid species). The taxonomic distribution of columbids follows three coherent areas: the Americas; Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Central Asia; Asia, Australasia and Oceania. Asia, Australasia and Oceania support nearly two-thirds of all extant species and three-quarters of threatened species (44), most of which (84%) are restricted range insular species. Three countries within this area are the most important for the conservation of columbid diversity: Indonesia, the Philippines and French Polynesia. Together these three countries support 40% of extant species and half of all threatened species. The greatest causes of threat to columbids are (1) habitat loss and fragmentation due to agriculture and extraction, (2) hunting for food, and (3) alien predator species. Habitat loss and fragmentation are universal threats to columbids. Hunting, however, is a significantly greater threat to species in Asia, Australasia and Oceania than to species in the other two areas and urgently needs to be addressed. I discuss the conservation implications of these findings and make research recommendations to aid and encourage the conservation of threatened columbids and their habitats.
Human disturbance affects habitat use and behaviour of Asiatic leopardPanthera pardusin Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand
Authors: Ngoprasert Dusit , Lynam Antony J. , Gale George A. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractEdge effects arising from road construction and other development in protected areas can negatively affect the behaviour of wildlife, particularly large carnivores. The Asiatic leopardPanthera pardusis a large carnivore that may be sensitive to edge effects. Camera trapping was used to assess the influence of human disturbance along forest edges on leopard behaviour and habitat use in a 104 km2area of Kaeng Krachan National Park, Thailand. A minimum of four male and two female leopards was recorded in the study area. A Park access road bisecting the study area was not a barrier to leopard movement but movements and activity were affected by human traffic inside the Park. A regression model showed that leopard habitat use increased with distance from human settlements at the forest edge. As in other parts of its range, leopards at Kaeng Krachan National Park tended to show less diurnal activity in areas more heavily used by people compared to areas less used. As is the case with tigers, such responses may pose a threat to leopard population persistence but more research is needed to determine the demographic implications of edge effects for Asiatic leopards and other large tropical carnivores, and the appropriate mitigation strategies required.
Becoming unsustainable? Recent trends in the formal sector of insect trading in Papua New Guinea
Authors: Small Rob D.S. 
Published: October 2007

AbstractRising international demand from collectors for the insects of Papua New Guinea, in particular the endemic birdwing butterflies (Ornithoptera spp.), has been met since 1978 by the government sponsored Insect Farming and Trading Agency (IFTA). Institutions such as IFTA have the potential to satisfy markets through legitimate trading, boost local livelihoods and thus provide conservation incentives, and satisfy CITES criteria. Until the onset in Papua New Guinea of large-scale logging and mining in the 1990s, and a crisis of governance, IFTA was widely regarded as a conservation and development success. However, analysis of its trading records for 1995-2002 suggests that this agency is now struggling to sustain payments to village-based insect ranchers and collectors. This failure, combined with the limited number of ranchers and collectors and their restricted geographical spread, casts some doubt on this model of sustainable conservation.
The best of all possible worlds: The Eldorado episode in Leonard Bernstein’s Candide
Authors: CRIST ELIZABETH B. 
Published: October 2007

ABSTRACTIn January 1954 Leonard Bernstein began work with Lillian Hellman on a musical version of Voltaire’s Candide. A first draft of the show was complete by the end of the year but was subsequently revised with new lyricist Richard Wilbur, eventually opening for previews in October 1956 and on Broadway that December. From the beginning, Candide was intended as political satire. Both Bernstein and Hellman leaned to the left politically and were embroiled in McCarthyism during the early years of the Cold War; Candide was their indictment of ‘puritanical snobbery, phony moralism, inquisitorial attacks on the individual, brave-new-world optimism, [and] essential superiority’, as Bernstein himself explained. Voltaire’s critique of Enlightenment optimism is here deployed against the ideological certainties of Eisenhower’s America. Yet the letters, scripts and scores that document the genesis of Candide indicate that playwright and composer struggled with its meanings and, even more, with their own intent. Of particular interest as a site of that struggle is the Eldorado episode, a passage of central yet ambiguous significance in Voltaire’s conte. Although Hellman and Bernstein may have first been attracted to Candide for its political potential, changes to the Eldorado episode, involving a complete reworking of the second act, shifted the focus of Candide away from satirical critique and towards a romantic plot more typical of the Broadway musical.
Food-based dietary guidelines and implementation: lessons from four countries – Chile, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa
Authors: Keller Ingrid , Lang Tim 
Published: October 2007

AbstractObjectiveFood-based dietary guidelines (FBDGs) are globally promoted as an important part of national food and nutrition policies. They are presented within policy as key features of the strategy to educate the public and guide policy-makers and other stakeholders about a healthy diet. This paper examines the implementation of FBDGs in four countries: Chile, Germany, New Zealand and South Africa – diverse countries chosen to explore the realities of the FBDG within policy on public health nutrition.DesignA literature review was carried out, followed by interviews with representatives from the governmental, academic and private sector in all four countries.ResultsIn all four countries the FBDG is mainly implemented via written/electronic information provided to the public through the health and/or education sector. Data about the impact of FBDGs on policy and consumers’ food choice or dietary habits are incomplete; nutrition surveys do not enable assessment of how effective FBDGs are as a factor in dietary or behavioural change. Despite limitations, FBDGs are seen as being valuable by key stakeholders.ConclusionFBDGs are being implemented and there is experience which should be built upon. The policy focus needs to move beyond merely disseminating FBDGs. They should be part of a wider public health nutrition strategy involving multiple sectors and policy levels. Improvements in the implementation of FBDGs are crucial given the present epidemic of chronic, non-communicable diseases.
School food in Mexican children
Authors: Lozada Michelle , Sánchez-Castillo Claudia P , Cabrera Georgina A , Mata Irma I , Pichardo-Ontiveros Edgar , Villa Antonio R , James W Philip T 
Published: October 2007

AbstractObjectiveTo establish the school eating habits of Mexican children, who are prone to obesity and later to high rates of adult chronic diseases.DesignQuestionnaires for students and parents with staff questionnaires and interviews.SettingRandomly sampled schools in a socio-economically representative district of Mexico City.SubjectsSubjects were 1504 adolescents aged 10–19 years attending schools in Mexico City, 27 teachers and seven headmasters, sampled from both public and private schools and from the full range of socio-economic groups.ResultsFoods brought from home were of a higher nutritional quality than those purchased at school, where purchases were dominated by crisps, soft drinks and other items with high energy density. Girls were more inclined to purchase inappropriately; those from poorer homes purchased less. Private-school students irrespective of socio-economic grade brought more food from home and purchased more expensive food at school. School policies allowed food and drink vendors to market any products within the schools, which benefited financially from these activities.ConclusionsCurrent school food policies are conducive to amplifying the current epidemic of obesity and related adult chronic diseases, and need to change.