bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diet quality during pre‐laying and nestling periods influences growth and survival of Florida scrub‐jay (Aphelocoma coerulescens) chicks
Authors: Reynolds S. James , Schoech Stephan J. , Bowman Reed 
Published: October 2003

AbstractFood availability is one of the most important determinants of successful reproduction in birds. In a previous study, it was shown that Florida scrub‐jays Aphelocoma coerulescens maintained a third egg mass when supplemented with a high fat and high protein diet during pre‐breeding, as opposed to birds that were not supplemented that laid third eggs markedly lighter in mass than first‐ and second‐laid eggs. Increases in egg quality promote chick growth and survival in many avian species. In this study, scrub‐jays were provided with supplements throughout the pre‐laying and nestling periods of 2001 and 2002 to investigate whether diet quality influenced growth and survival of chicks. Fledging success and survival to independence of unsupplemented chicks were higher for 2002 compared with 2001 indicating that breeding conditions (e.g. natural food availability) for jays were probably improved in the former year. Consistent growth patterns were found during the first 11 days post‐hatch between chicks on supplemented and those on unsupplemented territories. Of the three growth measures, only seventh primary feather growth tended to be greater for third‐hatched chicks on supplemented territories compared with third‐hatched chicks on control territories. Food supplementation influenced survival of chicks. Compared with chicks hatching on unsupplemented territories, fledging success of chicks hatching from second‐laid eggs was significantly greater in 2001, but not in 2002. Chicks from third‐laid eggs on supplemented territories also tended to survive better in 2001 compared with chicks from unsupplemented territories, but, again, no such effect was found in 2002. We conclude that food supplementation in the pre‐laying and nestling periods results in little measurable improvement in chick growth. However, improvements were found in survival of chicks that may be mediated through improvements in egg quality, but also may be the result of changes in foraging strategies of provisioning birds on supplemented territories. Chicks on supplemented territories might be in better body condition than those on unsupplemented ones. Methods other than morphometrics may be required to detect elevations in body condition of chicks raised on supplemented territories.
Sexual segregation in the activity patterns of European polecats (Mustela putorius)
Authors: Marcelli Manlio , Fusillo Romina , Boitani Luigi 
Published: October 2003

AbstractA typical feature in members of the mustelid family is sexual size dimorphism, related to the different reproductive strategies of the sexes. As a consequence sexual divergence in many ecological and behavioural traits is expected, including temporal strategies. In line with this prediction, sex differences in the diel activity pattern of the European polecat Mustela putorius, a dimorphic mustelid, were quantified and tested. Twenty‐eight polecats were captured in a rural area of central Italy (Abruzzo region) and 10 males and six females were monitored in the field using radio‐telemetry techniques for 81–621 days each. Males and females showed a pronounced dimorphism in size (males/females mass ratio=1.6) within the known range for the species. Multivariate analysis of diel time preference shows that temporal behaviour differed significantly and markedly between the sexes. Males exhibited a regular and constant nocturnal pattern in every season, preferring the time ranging from 20:00 to 06:00; activity was lower at dawn and dusk, and scarce during daylight hours. Females were significantly diurnal and crepuscular but individuals revealed flexibility in activity pattern, including polyphasic or arrhythmic patterns without apparent temporal organization. The constraints of small body size and reproduction on female activity, and the sex segregation in activity timing are discussed in the context of intrasexual territoriality.
Phylogenetic relationships of Chinese antelopes (sub family Antilopinae) based on mitochondrial Ribosomal RNA gene sequences
Authors: Lei Runhua , Jian Zhigang , Hu Zhiang , Yang Wanlong 
Published: October 2003

AbstractThe partial mitochondrial 12S rRNA and 16S rRNA gene sequences (440 bp and 590 bp or so, respectively were determined of the Przewalski's gazelle Procapra przewalskii, Mongolian gazelle P. gutturosa, Tibetan gazelle P. picticaudata, goitered gazelle Gazella gutturosa, saiga Saiga tatarica, Tibetan antelope Pantholops hodgsoni, and thar Hemitragus jemlahicus. The average sequence divergence for all the species studied when both rRNA genes were combined was 8.4% (±0.7%), and the divergence values ranged from 0.5% to 13.3%. The average sequence divergence values for 16S rRNA gene and for 12S rRNA gene were 9.9% (±1.1%) and 6.3% (±1.1%), respectively. The sequence divergences among species of Procapra for 16S rRNA gene and for 12S rRNA gene were 1.4%(±0.5%) and 1.1% (±0.6%), respectively. Our phylogenetic analysis revealed the monophyly of the genus Procapra and that Przewalski's gazelle is more closely related to the Mongolian gazelle than to the Tibetan gazelle. We also found that the genus Procapra is closely related to Antilopini. We argued that the critically endangered Przewalski's gazelle should be treated as a species, not a subspecies of the Tibetan gazelle, which clearly warrants more attention from conservationists.
Swarming activity of temperate zone microchiropteran bats: effects of season, time of night and weather conditions
Authors: Parsons K. N. , Jones G. , Greenaway F. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractSeveral species of vespertilionid bat gather at underground sites in temperate zones during late summer and early autumn for an activity called swarming. Up to many hundreds of bats may arrive and depart during a night. Bat activity was recorded automatically with a frequency division logging system at a swarming site in south‐east England for 415 nights between 1997 and 2001. In all 5 years, activity was highest between the beginning of August and the end of October (the swarming period), with a peak in September. Activity varied markedly from night to night and was affected by rainfall (which significantly suppressed swarming activity), and residual maximum ambient temperature (with which activity was positively correlated). Moon phase had no detectable influence on swarming activity. Activity was low in the first few hours after sunset of each night during the swarming period indicating that few bats emerged and that there was low daytime occupancy of the site. Activity increased to a peak between 6 and 7 h post‐sunset consistent with a large number of bats arriving after the first evening foraging bout. Activity then decreased gradually up to dawn as these bats departed again. Logged activity was positively correlated with the number of bats caught by harp‐trap, confirming that loggers are a reliable alternative to catching when monitoring a swarming site.
Movements and use of home range in the Iriomote cat (Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis)
Authors: Schmidt Krzysztof , Nakanishi Nozomi , Okamura Maki , Doi Teruo , Izawa Masako 
Published: October 2003

AbstractMovement pattern of the Iriomote cat Prionailurus bengalensis iriomotensis was studied on Iriomote Island, Japan by radio‐tracking. The influence of sex and reproductive status of cats on their daily movement distance (DMD), straight‐line distance (SLD), daily movement range (DMR) and other relative indices of movements was estimated. DMD was longest in males (3.2 km) and shortest in females without kittens (1.9 km). Also, males moved faster than either females with or without kittens (0.34, 0.25 and 0.25 km/h, respectively). During the mating season, males moved faster and their DMRs were larger than during the rest of the year. The SLD/DMD ratio in males was similarly high in both seasons (0.29 and 0.33), which indicates that their daily routes were expanded over large areas year‐round, possibly to maintain a continuous control over their home range. In contrast, SLD/DMD varied seasonally in breeding females. It was low (0.09) during the lactating period, when females returned repeatedly to the den with kittens and it became high (0.32) out of the breeding season. Breeding females moved equally long DMDs in both seasons, whereas non‐breeding ones moved shorter distances during the breeding period. These differences may be related to seasonal changes of food abundance. Cats moved intensively, as indicated by long (812–1139 m) routes per km2 of their home range, and occasionally visited distant parts of their ranges in a short time (4–5 days). On the other hand, they showed a relatively slow increase of the patrolled area, from 10% to 36% of their home ranges, in the first and fifth day, respectively. Movement pattern of Iriomote cats showed no clear relation to active defence of home ranges.
Estimation of large herbivore densities in the tropical forests of southern India using distance sampling
Authors: Jathanna Devcharan , Karanth K. Ullas , Johnsingh A. J. T. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractEcological densities of large herbivores were estimated using the line transect method in the tropical moist forests of Bhadra Tiger Reserve, southern India, during November 2000. The species of interest were chital Axis axis, sambar Cervus unicolor, muntjac Muntiacus muntjak, gaur Bos gaurus and Hanuman langur Presbytes entellus. Six permanent transects, ranging from 2.6 to 3.6 km (totalling 18.2 km) were each walked 26 times. A total of 473 km were walked during the surveys. Numbers of detections were generally low (51, 25, 68, 17 and 302 for chital, sambar, muntjac, gaur and langur, respectively). Mean estimated densities of different species were[D (± SE)]: 4.51 (±1.05) chital km−2, 0.89 (±0.23) sambar km−2, 3.64 (±0.63) muntjac km−2, 1.48 (±0.63) gaur km−2 and 22.62 (±2.64) langur km−2. Possible shortcomings of our estimates are considered and suggestions made for improving future surveys. A comparison with densities estimated for these species in other well‐protected parks showed that the chital, gaur and sambar densities in Bhadra were extremely low. The main causal factors for these low densities seem to be poaching and livestock grazing.
Fear‐potentiated startle and posttraumatic stress symptoms in urban police officers
Authors: Pole Nnamdi , Neylan Thomas C. , Best Suzanne R. , Orr Scott P. , Marmar Charles R. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractWe studied the effects of increasing threat conditions on self‐reported emotion, eyeblink electromyogram, and skin conductance responses to startling sounds in 55 police officers who endorsed a range of PTSD (posttraumatic stress disorder) symptoms. We found that contextual threat affected both physiologic and self‐reported emotional responses. Greater PTSD symptom severity was related to greater physiologic responses under the low and medium but not under the high threat condition. The relationship between PTSD symptoms and physiologic responses was neither explained by self‐reported emotional responses nor preexisting reported exaggerated startle symptoms. Our results emphasize the importance of contextual threat and suggest that laboratory measures of startle improve upon self‐reported exaggerated startle alone in indexing PTSD symptom severity in urban police officers.
Neuroleptic malignant syndrome in juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis associated with low‐dose risperidone therapy
Authors: Vercammen L. , Buyse G. M. , Proost J. E. F. , Van Hove J. L. K. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractSummary:#We present a patient with juvenile neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis who developed a neuroleptic malignant syndrome when treated for hallucinations with a very low dose of risperidone, an atypical neuroleptic medication with usually few extrapyramidal side‐effects. The loss of dopaminergic neurons in this condition may make these patients more vulnerable to this severe adverse effect.
Prenatal diagnosis for arginase deficiency: A case study
Authors: Hewson S. , Clarke J. T. R. , Cederbaum S. 
Published: October 2003

AbstractArginase deficiency is a rare, autosomal recessive, disorder of the urea cycle characterized by mild hyperammonaemia, hyperargininaemia, dibasic aminoaciduria and orotic aciduria, associated with progressive spastic tetraplegia, seizures, psychomotor retardation, and growth failure. We report a family who presented with their daughter at 4 years 11 months of age with an acute encephalopathy. Initial laboratory results revealed hyperammonaemia (160 µmol/L; normal 0–34), hyperargininaemia (512 µmol/L; normal 23–86) and orotic aciduria. A diagnosis of arginase deficiency was confirmed by enzyme assay, and treatment with a modified protein‐restricted diet along with sodium benzoate therapy was initiated. Over time, intellectual development has been normal, but the child developed spasticity in her lower extremities. Subsequently, the mother presented at 6 weeks of pregnancy seeking prenatal diagnosis. Prenatal testing for arginase deficiency has only been reported in one other case. Arginase is not expressed in cultured amniotic fluid cells or chorionic villus samples. Testing for arginase activity assay in red blood cells, isolated by cordocentesis, was performed and predicted an unaffected fetus. The result was confirmed by postnatal enzyme analysis of red cells from the newborn. On the basis of our experience, prenatal diagnosis of arginase deficiency by cord red blood cell arginase activity assay appears possible.
Oral treatment with SRP299 (killed Mycobacterium vaccae) inhibits experimental periodontal disease in Wistar rats
Authors: Breivik Torbjörn , Rook Graham A. W. 
Published: October 2003

RésuméLe Mycobacterium vaccae injecté en sous‐cutané a prouvé son efficacitéà prévenir et traiter la maladie parodontale (PD) induite par ligatures chez le rat Wistar. Puisque les mycobactéries sont prélevées via les patchs de Peyers dans l'intestin, l'habilité du SRP299 (M. vaccae tué) à empêcher la PD par ligature chez le rat Wistar et à moduler les réponses de la corticostérone et de la cytokine qui les accompagnent a été testée. Une dose buccale simple de SRP299 (1 mg) a été administrée quatorze jours avant le placement des ligatures. PD a été enregistrée lorsque les ligatures sont restées en place pendant 56 jours. Le SRP299 buccal a réduit la perte osseuse (p=0.036, RX; p=0.061, histométrie) et la perte de fibre, tant dans les sites ligaturés (p=0.0047) que les contrôles (p=0.005), et aussi la teneur en TNF‐alpha (p=0.0137) et la corticostérone (p=0.048) induite par l'endotoxine intrapéritonéale (LPS). Le SRP299 administré par voie buccale diminue la perte de fibre et d'os induits par ligature dans le modèle présent. Cet effet peut être attribuéà l'habilité connue du SRP299 à susciter les cellules T de régulation bien que ce mécanisme ne pouvait pas être étudié dans cette étude. Les rats traités avait également moins d'HPA excitables. L'axe HPA lorsqu'il est hyperactivé est connu comme étant un facteur de risque dans la PD humaine. Des essais cliniques de SRP299 dans la PD humaine sont maintenant justifiés.
Clinical evaluation of the Er:YAG laser in combination with an enamel matrix protein derivative for the treatment of intrabony periodontal defects: a pilot study
Authors: Schwarz Frank , Sculean Anton , Georg Thomas , Becker Jürgen 
Published: October 2003

AbstractObjectives: The aim of the present study was to compare the combination therapy of deep intrabony periodontal defects using an Er:YAG laser (ERL) and enamel matrix protein derivative (EMD) to scaling and root planing+ ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA)+EMD.Material and Methods: Twenty‐two patients with chronic periodontitis, each of whom displayed 1 intrabony defect, were randomly treated with access flap surgery and defect debridement with an Er:YAG (160 mJ/pulse, 10 Hz) plus EMD (test) or with access flap surgery followed by scaling and root planing (SRP) with hand instruments plus EDTA and EMD (control). The following clinical parameters were recorded at baseline and at 6 months: plaque index, gingival index, bleeding on probing (BOP), probing depth (PD), gingival recession, and clinical attachment level (CAL). No differences in any of the investigated parameters were observed at baseline between the two groups.Results: Healing was uneventful in all patients. At 6 months after therapy, the sites treated with ERL and EMD showed a reduction in mean PD from 8.6±1.2 mm to 4.6±0.8 mm and a change in mean CAL from 10.7±1.3 mm to 7.5±1.4 mm (p<0.001). In the group treated with SRP+EDTA+EMD, the mean PD was reduced from 8.1±0.8 mm to 4.0±0.5 mm and the mean CAL changed from 10.4±1.1 mm to 7.1±1.2 mm (p<0.001). No statistically significant differences in any of the investigated parameters were observed between the test and control group.Conclusion: Within the limits of the present study, it may be concluded that both therapies led to short‐term improvements of the investigated clinical parameters, and the combination of ERL and EMD does not seem to improve the clinical outcome of the therapy additionally compared to SRP+EDTA+EMD.
Effectiveness of interventions to promote continuing professional development for dentists
Authors: Best Helen A , Messer Louise Brearley 
Published: October 2003

Background:  Continuing education is incumbent upon dentists as health professionals, but its promotion may be required, particularly in order to ensure regular professional updating. Continuing professional development may be delivered in a variety of ways, and new strategies and techniques must be evaluated for effectiveness.Aim:  To evaluate the effectiveness of two interventions utilizing the philosophies and techniques of the discipline of Quality Improvement.Method:  A self‐assessment instrument (a manual) for quality dental practice was developed using the Delphi technique. A randomized, controlled trial of the interventions was conducted under field conditions for dental practice in Victoria, Australia. Dentists in Test Groups 1 and 2 completed the self‐assessment manual, and received relevant references and their own scores for the manual in comparison with empirical standards. Dentists in Test Group 1 also attended a continuing education course on Quality Improvement. Dentists in Control Group 1 completed the manual only and received feedback of their scores. Dentists in Test Groups 1 and 2, and in Control Group 1 completed the manual again after 1 year as a post‐intervention follow‐up. Dentists in Control Group 2 completed the manual only at 1 year.Results:  The intervention involving self‐assessment, receipt of scores and references for the manual resulted in modest improvements in total scores for dentists after 1 year, although a response bias was apparent.Conclusion:  An effective method of facilitating change in quality dental practice was identified. Assessment of strategies and techniques for professional development of dentists should include observation of patterns of participation.
Use of suppression subtractive hybridization to identify downy mildew genes expressed during infection of Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Bittner‐Eddy Peter D. , Allen Rebecca L. , Rehmany Anne P. , Birch Paul , Beynon Jim L. 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARY Peronospora parasitica is an obligate biotrophic oomycete that causes downy mildew in Arabidopsis thaliana and Brassica species. Our goal is to identify P. parasitica (At) genes that are involved in pathogenicity. We used suppression subtractive hybridization (SSH) to generate cDNA libraries enriched for in planta‐expressed parasite genes and up‐regulated host genes. A total of 1345 clones were sequenced representing cDNA fragments from 25 putative P. parasitica (At) genes (Ppat 1–25) and 618 Arabidopsis genes. Analyses of expression patterns showed that 15 Ppats were expressed only in planta. Eleven Ppats encoded peptides with homology (BlastP values < 1e‐05) to proteins with roles in membrane or cell wall biosynthesis, amino acid metabolism, osmoregulation, cation transport, phosphorylation or protein secretion. The other 14 represent potentially novel oomycete genes with none having homologues in an extensive Phytophthora species EST database. A full‐length sequence was obtained for four Ppats and each encoded small cysteine‐rich proteins with amino‐terminal signal peptide sequences. These results demonstrate the utility of SSH in obtaining novel in planta‐expressed genes from P. parasitica (At) that complements other gene discovery approaches such as EST sequencing.
Pathogenic fungi: leading or led by ambient pH?
Authors: Prusky Dov , Yakoby Nir 
Published: October 2003

SUMMARYPathogenic fungi have successfully attacked a wide range of hosts, which has forced them into ambient‐adaptation. pH is one of the major ambient traits affecting the activity of pathogenicity factors secreted by the pathogen, hence, a pH sensing‐response system was developed to enable the pathogen to tailor its arsenal to best fit its host. The pacC palA, B, C, F, H and I apparatus was first identified in Aspergillus nidulans and later found in other fungi. Secreted pathogenicity factors, such as cell wall degrading enzymes, were recognized to be controlled by environmental pH and later shown to be regulated by the pH regulatory system, either directly or by harbouring the pacC consensus sequence. The ability of the pathogen to actively increase or decrease its surrounding pH allows it to select the specific virulence factor, out of its vast arsenal, to best fit a particular host.
Application of the frequency of dividing cells technique to estimate the in situ growth rate of Microcystis (Cyanobacteria)
Authors: Tsujimura Shigeo 
Published: October 2003

Summary1. Diel patterns of the frequency of dividing cells (FDC) of the bloom‐forming cyanobacteria Microcystis were investigated using both culture strains and natural populations.2. In laboratory experiments, diel division cycles were examined twice in a 24‐h light/dark cycle during time‐course batch incubations of six culture conditions using two strains (morphospecies) of Microcystis (M. aeruginosa and M. wesenbergii). While both strains clearly showed phased cell division in the light period during the logarithmic growth phase, the peaks of FDC became unclear towards the stationary phases. Some dividing cells were always found in the dark period regardless of whether or not division had paused at the same time.3. This result implied the inadequacy of applying the model of McDuff & Chisholm [Limnology and Oceanography (1982) vol. 27, pp. 783–787] directly to calculate the duration of cell division. Modified equations are proposed to calculate the duration of cytokinesis as a terminal event, in which the FDC values at night are regarded as 0% and all FDC values are subtracted by the minimum FDC value.4. The diel FDC in natural populations of M. aeruginosa and M. wesenbergii were examined at five sites from a harbour to several distances offshore in Lake Biwa. While both species showed phased cell division patterns in the daytime at the harbour, no peaks in FDC were discernible in the samples taken from the offshore sites. These results strongly suggested that Microcystis growth was higher inshore than offshore. The in situ growth rates were estimated using the new equations.