bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Temporal Shifts in Conspicuousness: Mate Attraction Displays of the Texas Field Cricket, Gryllus texensis
Authors: Bertram Susan M. , Xochitl Orozco S. , Bellani Rudy 
Published: December 2004

AbstractConspicuous mate attraction displays can simultaneously draw the attention of potential mates and predators, placing the signaller in peril of becoming prey. The balance between these countervailing forms of selection has the potential to shape mate attraction displays. Male Texas field crickets (Gryllus texensis; Orthoptera) signal acoustically to attract mates. Mating signals also attract acoustically orienting parasitoid flies (Ormia ochracea; Tachinidae). Both the abundance of female crickets and parasitoid flies fluctuates throughout the night. We show mate attraction displays exhibit diel shifts that correlate positively with expected female cricket presence and negatively with expected parasitoid fly activity. During early evening, when parasitoids are most common and mating is scarce, crickets signal less often and with reduced conspicuousness. During the second half of the evening, when sexually receptive females are abundant and parasitoids are scarce, crickets signal more often and with enhanced conspicuousness. These diel shifts in mate attraction displays do not appear to result from male crickets detecting parasitoid flies or female crickets and altering their behaviour accordingly. Males in close proximity to parasitoid flies or female crickets do not signal differently than lone males. Instead, diel pattern shifts in mate attraction displays appear to be a selective response to trade‐offs between natural selection via parasitism and sexual selection via mate choice.
Predatory Attacks to the Head vs. Body Modify Behavioral Responses of Garter Snakes
Authors: Langkilde Tracy , Shine Richard , Mason Robert T. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractAn animal's response to predatory attack may depend upon which part of its body is the focus of that attack, because of differential vulnerability to injury. Many avian and mammalian predators direct attacks preferentially toward the prey's head, so simulated attacks that do not have this focus may elicit non‐natural responses. We ‘pecked’ 152 free‐ranging adult male garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) in Manitoba either on the head or the midbody, and recorded their responses. The snakes’ antipredator tactics were affected not only by body size (larger snakes performed threat displays more often) and body temperature (hotter snakes were more likely to flee), but also by location of the attack. Pecks to the head generally resulted in snakes coiling and hiding their heads, often simultaneously elevating and wriggling their tails in an apparent distraction display. In contrast, pecks to the midbody stimulated either escape responses, or (in snakes that did not flee) open‐mouthed threat displays. More generally, antipredator tactics may respond in flexible ways to details of the predator–prey encounter (including attributes of the habitat as well as the morphology and behavior of both participants) and hence, experimental studies need to carefully simulate such details. The part of the body under attack may be an important factor in this respect.
Immediate and Delayed Benefits of Play Behaviour: New Evidence from Chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes)
Authors: Palagi E. , Cordoni G. , Borgognini Tarli S. M. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractEvidence for the anticipation of competition at feeding time has been previously documented in both Pan species. Chimpanzees seem to cope with competitive tendency through behavioural mechanisms of tension reduction, and grooming is certainly one of these. Social play and grooming are often matched because they bring animals into close physical contact for long periods, and they have an important role in social cohesion. Our goal was to investigate the occurrence of play behaviour during the pre‐feeding period, before a basic maintenance activity is about to take place, in the chimpanzee colony housed in the ZooParc de Beauval (St Aignan sur Cher, France). The group was composed of 10 adults and nine immature individuals. By scan animal sampling (344 h of observation), we recorded play and grooming interactions in all age‐class combinations during four different periods (pre‐feeding, feeding, post‐feeding, control). We found peak levels of grooming interactions among adults during the pre‐feeding time. A peak frequency at the pre‐feeding time was also found in social play between adults and unrelated immature subjects. This finding suggests that during high tension periods, grooming and play might share similar functions in conflict management. Like grooming, play might have an important role to limit aggression and increase tolerance around food (immediate benefits). Immature animals showed a higher frequency of play in the pre‐feeding than in any other condition (feeding, post‐feeding, and control). During high excitement periods social play probably represents a safe mechanism for immature subjects to test their personal abilities (self‐assessment), the strength/weakness of playmates, and the degree of cooperation/competition with them (social‐assessment). In the light of this new evidence, we can assert that play behaviour is far from being a purposeless activity, at least in the chimpanzee colony under study.
The Ontogeny of Spatio‐Temporal Tactics and Social Relationships of Adult Male Iberian Rock Lizards, Lacerta monticola
Authors: Aragón Pedro , López Pilar , Martín José 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBehavioural aspects of many species may change through their ontogenetic trajectory. Mature males of the lizard Lacerta monticola present two types of colour phase, with bright green males being older, larger and more dominant than dull brown males. We hypothesized those ontogenetic differences in males’ competitive ability may lead to differences in spatio‐temporal tactics. In a field study, we did not find differences in the size of the home ranges or core areas of green and brown males. However, after controlling for size, green males had more exclusive areas than brown males. Green males also had higher levels of conspicuous activities than brown males. Green and brown males had different spatio‐temporal tactics within the day; green males used their home ranges more, were more active and had a higher degree of overlap with other males in the morning than in the afternoon. Brown males did not show these variations through the day. Green males participated in, and won more intrasexual agonistic interactions. Also, green males overlapped more extensively with areas of potential mates, and guarded females more often than brown males. These behavioural differences between males showed plasticity through ontogeny in the use of space, time and types of activity.
Multiplex Polymerase Chain Reaction for Identification and Differentiation of Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus and Streptococcus equi subsp. equi
Authors: Alber J. , El‐Sayed A. , Lämmler C. , Hassan A. A. , Weiss R. , Zschöck M. 
Published: December 2004

SummaryThe closely related streptococcal species Streptococcus equi subsp. zooepidemicus and S. equi subsp. equi were identified by polymerase chain reaction using oligonucleotide primers designed according to species‐specific parts of the superoxide dismutase A encoding gene sodA. A further differentiation of both subspecies could be performed by amplification of the genes seeH and seeI encoding the exotoxins SeeH and SeeI, respectively, which could be detected for S. equi subsp. equi but not for S. equi subsp. zooepidemicus. A further simplification of the identification and differentiation of both subspecies was conducted by sodA–seeI multiplex polymerase chain reaction.
Identification of Pasteurella multocida Serogroup F Isolates in Rabbits
Authors: Jaglic Z. , Kucerova Z. , Nedbalcova K. , Hlozek P. , Bartos M. 
Published: December 2004

SummaryA total of 24 Pasteurella multocida rabbit isolates obtained from 24 rabbit flocks in the Czech Republic during the period of between 2001 and 2004 were analysed by capsular PCR typing. Apart from isolates identified as serogroups A (n = 14, 58.4%) and D (n = 2, 8.3%), eight isolates (33.3%) were identified as members of serogroup F. This serogroup had been predominantly associated with poultry infections so far. The rabbit serogroup F isolates were characterized in detail by ribotyping with restriction to endonuclease MspI revealing two distinct ribotypes. Seven serogroup F isolates were assigned to ribotype 1 and one isolate was assigned to ribotype 2.
Impact of invA‐PCR and Culture Detection Methods on Occurrence and Survival of Salmonella in the Flesh, Internal Organs and Lymphoid Tissues of Experimentally Infected Pigs
Authors: Arnold T. , Scholz H. C. , Marg H. , Rösler U. , Hensel A. 
Published: December 2004

SummaryThis study evaluated the suitability of invA gene amplification by PCR as an effective means of detecting Salmonella species in pigs experimentally infected with S. Typhimurium DT104. A controlled infection study using 24 pigs was performed in order to compare efficacy, precision and detection rates of the invA‐based PCR method originally described by Rahn, K. De Grandis, S.A., Clarke, R.C., McEwan, S.A., Galan, J.E., Ginocchio, C., Curtiss, R. 3rd, C.L. Gyles, (Mol. Cell. Probes 1992; 6: 271–279) as a new in‐house invA‐based PCR method for the specific detection of Salmonella spp. in pork and different tissue samples of slaughter pigs. Finally, PCR results were compared with culture detection rates obtained by isolation procedures following the ISO 6579:2000, the ‘gold standard’. After slaughtering, 14 different tissue samples of each pig were investigated to verify the usefulness of the two invA‐based PCR methods in different matrices of slaughter pigs. The results demonstrate that the application of the widely used invA‐based primer pair (139 + 141) may result in questionable products if samples gained from selective enrichment in the Rappaport–Vassiliadis medium were investigated. These questionable products can lead to false‐positive results, if no additional hybridization procedure is attached or if unspecialized persons use this method in routine laboratory practice. The newly developed in‐house PCR method used is based on the 3′‐prime region of invA, especially designed and harmonized for the detection of Salmonella in different matrices of slaughtered pigs after bacterial enriched broth culture. In this study, this PCR revealed no questionable products and, furthermore, the specificity of the amplificate could be tested by means of the restriction enzyme NdeI. In comparison with the culture detection procedure, the new PCR method has a sensitivity of 100% and a specificity of 96%. Thus, this method might be used as a meaningful tool in eliminating Salmonella‐positive carcasses at slaughterhouse level and thus, keeping them out of the food chain.
Hepatitis B vaccine boosters: Is there a clinical need in high endemicity populations?
Authors: JOHN T JACOB , COOKSLEY GRAHAM 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe Steering Committee for the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases in Asia recently conducted a survey of primary‐care physicians in Asia, which revealed that many physicians administer boosters in their clinical practice and that there is considerable variation and uncertainty among physicians regarding this practice. This paper serves as a response to physicians’ uncertainties by reviewing the literature regarding the administration of hepatitis B vaccine boosters in high endemicity areas and presenting the Steering Committee's guidelines for booster administration. While there are few data to support a need for routine hepatitis B vaccine boosters as a public health measure, they help to provide reassurance of immunity against breakthrough infection in certain risk groups. In clinical practice, primary‐care physicians must exercise their judgment regarding the need for booster vaccination on an individual basis. This paper examines the available literature on the administration and value of hepatitis B vaccine boosters, explores the differences between the public health approach and clinical practice, and provides guidelines for those who use boosters in high endemicity Asian populations. Relevant articles were identified through searches of MEDLINE (1975–2003) and the Cochrane Library, using ‘hepatitis B’ and ‘booster’ as primary search terms. Guidelines for those who decide to administer hepatitis B vaccine boosters include: boosting approximately 10–15 years after primary vaccination; boosting rather than not when monitoring of antibody levels is not feasible; boosting immunocompromised patients when the antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen titer falls below 10 mIU/mL; and boosting healthcare workers based on the endemicity of the particular country.
Impact of gemcitabine on the treatment of metastatic pancreatic cancer
Authors: ISHII HIROSHI , FURUSE JUNJI , NAGASE MICHITAKA , YOSHINO MASAHIRO 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aim:  A previous randomized trial showed gemcitabine was superior to 5‐fluorouracil in overall patient survival. However, the incremental improvement in survival was minimal. It is 2.5 years since gemcitabine has become available for the treatment of pancreatic cancer in clinical practice in Japan. The current study was conducted to examine whether treatment outcomes have changed since the introduction of gemcitabine therapy.Methods:  Ninety‐one consecutive patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer treated with systemic chemotherapy at the National Cancer Center Hospital East were surveyed. Patients admitted before April 2001 received 5‐fluorouracil, and those admitted subsequently received gemcitabine. The patients were divided into the gemcitabine group (n = 50) and the non‐gemcitabine group (n = 41), and these groups were compared for five outcomes, objective response rate, non‐progressive disease rate, carbohydrate antigen (CA)19‐9 response rate, actual survival time, and difference between estimated and observed survivals. The estimated survival time was determined using the prognostic index reported in the previous study.Results:  Except for the objective response rate, the four other outcomes in the gemcitabine group were significantly superior to those in the non‐gemcitabine group. The frequency of non‐progressive disease, CA19‐9 response, and favorable prognosis compared with the estimated survival, were 58%, 22%, and 60%, respectively, in the gemcitabine group, and 22%, 6%, 30%, respectively, in the non‐gemcitabine group. The median survival time in the gemcitabine and non‐gemcitabine group was 5.73 and 2.87 months, respectively.Conclusion:  It is suggested that there was a definite improvement in pancreatic cancer treatment after gemcitabine was introduced.
Australian men's experiences of living with hepatitis C virus: Results from a cross‐sectional survey
Authors: GIFFORD SANDRA M , O'BRIEN MARY L , SMITH ANTHONY , TEMPLE‐SMITH MEREDITH , STOOVÉ MARK , MITCHELL DREW , JOLLEY DAMIEN 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Of the estimated 160 000 Australians currently infected with hepatitis C virus (HCV), two‐thirds are men. Little is known about their social and health needs. The present study presents results from a comprehensive survey of Australian men living with HCV.Methods:  In 2002, a self‐administered questionnaire was completed by a largely non‐clinical sample of men living in the State of Victoria who had tested positive for HCV antibodies (n = 308). The return rate was 54%. The mean age was 38 years (standard deviation [SD] = 9.8; range 19–90 years), and 86% were ‘current’ or ‘past’ injecting drug users. The mean number of years since diagnosis was 6.6 years (SD = 5.0) and the mean self‐reported number of years since infection was 12.6 years (SD = 9.2).Results:  Fifty percent of men reported experiencing HCV‐related symptoms, most commonly tiredness (61%) and nausea (30%). Of the sample, 43% currently saw a doctor for HCV and although 30% had ever been referred to a specialist, few had received treatment (6% interferon; 14% combination therapy). Forty percent of men reported that they believed they received less favorable treatment from health care professionals than those without HCV. Self‐assessed health status was significantly lower than Australian norms, as were SF‐12 physical and mental health scores. Scores were moderately correlated, indicating an association between the physical and mental health burden of HCV.Conclusion:  The social, physical and mental health needs of men living with HCV are considerable. Few men in the present study had accessed specialist treatment; those who were current injecting drug users were particularly disadvantaged. Reduction of barriers to primary and specialist health care is essential to improve treatment, support and care for men with HCV.
Prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease and gastroesophageal reflux disease symptoms in Japan
Authors: FUJIWARA YASUHIRO , HIGUCHI KAZUHIDE , WATANABE YOKO , SHIBA MASATSUGU , WATANABE TOSHIO , TOMINAGA KAZUNARI , OSHITANI NOBUHIDE , MATSUMOTO TAKAYUKI , NISHIKAWA HIDEKI , ARAKAWA TETSUO 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground and Aim:  Epidemiological studies have shown that 10–48% of people in developed countries have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) symptoms such as heartburn and acid regurgitation. The present study aimed to examine the prevalence of GERD symptoms and GERD in Japanese subjects.Methods:  A cross‐sectional study of Japanese subjects who visited a clinic for a routine health check up was carried out. Subjects were asked to fill out a self‐report questionnaire. GERD was defined as the presence of heartburn and/or acid regurgitation at least twice per week.Results:  Of the 6035 eligible subjects, 2662 (44.1%) reported having had heartburn and/or acid regurgitation during the past year: 124 (2.1%) daily, 275 (4.6%) twice per week, 773 (12.8%) twice per month and 1490 (24.7%) less than twice per month. Three hundred and ninety‐nine (6.6%) subjects were diagnosed as having GERD and there was no relationship between the prevalence of GERD and either sex or age. The prevalence of bothersome GERD symptoms was significantly higher in subjects with GERD than in those without GERD.Conclusion:  Approximately 6.6% of Japanese have GERD and most persons with GERD described heartburn or acid regurgitation as bothersome.
Risk of colorectal adenomas in a multiethnic Asian patient population: Race does not matter
Authors: RAJENDRA SHANMUGARAJAH , HO JACQUELINE J , AROKIASAMY JOHN 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground:  Ethnic differences have been reported for colorectal polyps and large bowel cancer; although the supporting data is weak and insufficient to draw firm conclusions.Aim:  We undertook this study to determine whether such racial disparity in colorectal adenomas exists in an ethnically mixed non‐migrant population. The prevalence, histology and distribution of colonic polyps were documented as well as other known risk factors for colorectal malignancy.Methods:  In this prospective cross‐sectional study, 311 consecutive referred and self‐referred multiracial patients attending for colonoscopy over a 41‐month period in a private endoscopy center were recruited. The mean age of the study population was 51.8 ± 14 years (range 16–91). The male to female ratio was 1.1 and an ethnic breakdown as follows: 87 Malays, 115 Chinese and 109 Indians.Results:  Sixty‐three adenomas were recorded in 36 patients: six Malays, 19 Chinese and 11 Indians. Of these adenomas, 59 were polypoid, three flat and one depressed. The majority of adenomas 42/63 (67%) were distal to the splenic flexure as were all (10/10) the Duke's A carcinomas and 6/8 (75%) of the advanced cancers. Patients with adenoma(s) compared with those without (controls) were significantly older (P = 0.005), more likely to have a family history of colorectal cancer (P = 0.005), and showed a trend towards significance for ethnic group (P = 0.09) on univariate analysis. Using logistic regression analysis, only family history (P = 0.05) and age ≥ 50 years (P = 0.011) were found to be significantly associated with adenomas.Conclusion:  Risk factors for colonic adenoma(s) in our cohort of symptomatic multiethnic patients attending for colonoscopy do not seem to differ from those reported elsewhere and, in particular, race does not appear to be a factor.
Extrahepatic portal venous obstruction and obstructive jaundice: Approach to management
Authors: KHARE RITU , SIKORA SADIQ S , SRIKANTH GADIYARAM , CHOUDHURI GAUR , SARASWAT VIVEK A , KUMAR ASHOK , SAXENA RAJAN , KAPOOR VINAY K 
Published: December 2004

AbstractBackground:  Patients with long‐standing extrahepatic portal venous obstruction (EHPVO) develop extensive collaterals in the hepatoduodenal ligament as a result of enlargement of the periportal veins. These patients are also prone to develop obstructive jaundice as a result of strictures and/or choledocholithiasis. Surgical management of obstructive jaundice in such patients becomes difficult in the presence of these collaterals.Aim:  To review the approach to management of patients with EHPVO and obstructive jaundice.Methods:  Retrospective review of patients with EHPVO and obstructive jaundice requiring surgical and/or endoscopic management between 1992 and 2002.Results:  Thirteen patients (nine males, aged 12–50 years) with EHPVO and obstructive jaundice were evaluated. No patient had underlying cirrhosis or hepatocellular carcinoma. Five patients (group A) had biliary stricture; three (group B) had choledocholithiasis; and five (group C) had biliary stricture with choledocholithiasis. Primary surgical management was performed in group A (portosystemic shunt in four‐strictures resolved in three; hepaticojejunostomy in one). In group B (n = 3) endoscopic stone extraction was successful in two patients. One patient underwent staged procedure (portosystemic shunt followed by biliary surgery). In group C, initial endoscopic management failed in four patients in whom it was attempted. All five patients thereafter underwent surgery (staged procedure, one; choledochoduodenostomy, one; devascularization, one; abandoned, two). Repeat postoperative endoscopic management was successful in two of the group C patients. Overall (group B and C), massive intraoperative hemorrhage occurred in three patients (one died). Postoperative hemorrhage occurred in one patient.Conclusion:  In patients with EHPVO and obstructive jaundice, primary biliary tract surgery has significant morbidity and mortality. Endoscopic management should be the preferred modality. In patients with endoscopic failure, a staged procedure (portosystemic shunt followed by biliary surgery) should be preferred. Strictures alone may resolve after a portosystemic shunt. Endoscopic stenting may be required as an adjunct.