bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comment on “The Response of Vegetation on the Andean Flank in Western Amazonia to Pleistocene Climate Change”
Authors: Punyasena Surangi W. , Dalling James W. , Jaramillo Carlos , Turner Benjamin L.
Published: September 2011

Cárdenas
et al
. (Reports, 25 February 2011, p. 1055) used the presence of
Podocarpus
pollen and wood to infer ≥5°C cooling of Andean forests during Quaternary glacial periods. We show that (i)
Podocarpus
has a wide elevation range in the Neotropics, and (ii) edaphic factors cannot be discounted as a factor governing its distribution. Paleoecologists should therefore reevaluate
Podocarpus
as a cool-temperature proxy.
GRK2-Dependent S1PR1 Desensitization Is Required for Lymphocytes to Overcome Their Attraction to Blood
Authors: Arnon Tal I. , Xu Ying , Lo Charles , Pham Trung , An Jinping , Coughlin Shaun , Dorn Gerald W. , Cyster Jason G.
Published: September 2011

A molecular mechanism that allows lymphocytes to migrate against a chemokine gradient is revealed.
Chromosome Segregation Errors as a Cause of DNA Damage and Structural Chromosome Aberrations
Authors: Janssen Aniek , van der Burg Marja , Szuhai Karoly , Kops Geert J. P. L. , Medema René H.
Published: September 2011

Altering whole-chromosome number can directly increase chromosome structural damage in cancer cells.
The Major-Element Composition of Mercury’s Surface from MESSENGER X-ray Spectrometry
Authors: Nittler Larry R. , Starr Richard D. , Weider Shoshana Z. , McCoy Timothy J. , Boynton William V. , Ebel Denton S. , Ernst Carolyn M. , Evans Larry G. , Goldsten John O. , Hamara David K. , Lawrence David J. , McNutt Ralph L. , Schlemm Charles E. , Solomon Sean C. , Sprague Ann L.
Published: September 2011

Geochemical data show that the major rock-forming components of Mercury are characterized by high sulfur content.
Radioactive Elements on Mercury’s Surface from MESSENGER: Implications for the Planet’s Formation and Evolution
Authors: Peplowski Patrick N. , Evans Larry G. , Hauck Steven A. , McCoy Timothy J. , Boynton William V. , Gillis-Davis Jeffery J. , Ebel Denton S. , Goldsten John O. , Hamara David K. , Lawrence David J. , McNutt Ralph L. , Nittler Larry R. , Solomon Sean C. , Rhodes Edgar A. , Sprague Ann L. , Starr Richard D. , Stockstill-Cahill Karen R.
Published: September 2011

Gamma-ray emission from the surface of Mercury indicates that the planet accreted from relatively volatile-enriched material.
Flood Volcanism in the Northern High Latitudes of Mercury Revealed by MESSENGER
Authors: Head James W. , Chapman Clark R. , Strom Robert G. , Fassett Caleb I. , Denevi Brett W. , Blewett David T. , Ernst Carolyn M. , Watters Thomas R. , Solomon Sean C. , Murchie Scott L. , Prockter Louise M. , Chabot Nancy L. , Gillis-Davis Jeffrey J. , Whitten Jennifer L. , Goudge Timothy A. , Baker David M. H. , Hurwitz Debra M. , Ostrach Lillian R. , Xiao Zhiyong , Merline William J. , Kerber Laura , Dickson James L. , Oberst Jürgen , Byrne Paul K. , Klimczak Christian , Nittler Larry R.
Published: September 2011

MESSENGER observations of Mercury’s high northern latitudes reveal a contiguous area of volcanic smooth plains covering more than ~6% of the surface that were emplaced in a flood lava mode, consistent with average crustal compositions broadly similar to terrestrial komatiites.
Lots on Info, Not Always Accurate
The Information
A History, a Theory, a Flood

by James Gleick

Pantheon Books, New York, 2011. 543 pp. $29.95, C$34. ISBN 9780375423727.
Authors: Robinson Andrew
Published: September 2011

Surveying information through history, Gleick explores how we attempt to mine meaning, knowledge, and wisdom from it.
Bernadine Healy (1944–2011)
Authors: Shalala Donna E.
Published: September 2011

The first woman to lead the U.S. National Institutes of Health was tenacious about eliminating gender discrimination in the sciences.
Mercury Looking Less Exotic, More a Member of the Family
Authors: Kerr Richard A.
Published: September 2011

MESSENGER team members report in seven papers in this issue of
Science
that clues to Mercury's mysterious origins point instead in more conventional directions.
Suppressed Type 1, Type 2, and Type 17 Cytokine Responses in Active Tuberculosis in Children
Authors: Kumar N. Pavan , Anuradha R. , Suresh R. , Ganesh R. , Shankar Janani , Kumaraswami V. , Nutman Thomas B. , Babu Subash
Published: September 2011

Type 1 cytokine responses are known to play an important role in immunity to tuberculosis (TB) in children, although little is known about other factors that might be important. In addition, children are more prone to developing extrapulmonary manifestations of TB than adults. To identify the immune responses important both in control of infection and in extrapulmonary dissemination, we examined mycobacterium-specific cytokine responses of children with pulmonary TB (PTB) and extrapulmonary TB (ETB) and compared them with those of healthy control children (HC). No significant differences were found in the cytokine responses either with no stimulation or following mycobacterial-antigen (Ag) stimulation between children with PTB and ETB. On the other hand, children with active TB compared with HC showed markedly diminished production of type 1 (gamma interferon [IFN-γ] and tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-α]), 2 (interleukin 4 [IL-4] and IL-13), and 17 (IL-17A, IL-21, and IL-23)-associated cytokines with no stimulation and in response to mycobacterial antigens. This was not associated with significantly altered production of IL-10 or transforming growth factor β (TGF-β). Among children with ETB, those with neurologic involvement exhibited more significantly diminished Ag-driven IFN-γ and IL-17 production. Pediatric TB is characterized by diminished type 1, 2, and 17 cytokine responses, with the most profound diminution favoring development of neurologic TB, suggesting a crucial role for these cytokines in protection against pediatric tuberculosis.
The
N
-Acylneuraminate Cytidyltransferase Gene,
neuA
, Is Heterogenous in Legionella pneumophila Strains but Can Be Used as a Marker for Epidemiological Typing in the Consensus Sequence-Based Typing Scheme
Authors: Farhat Claudia , Mentasti Massimo , Jacobs Enno , Fry Norman K. , Lück Christian
Published: September 2011

Sequence-based typing (SBT) is the internationally recognized standard method for genotyping
Legionella pneumophila
. To date all strains of serogroup 1 (SG1) and some of SGs 2 to 14 yield a seven-allele profile and can be assigned a sequence type (ST). However, for some strains belonging to SGs 2 to 14, the targeted region of the
neuA
gene could not be amplified using the published standard primers. We determined the DNA sequence of a
neuA
gene homolog located in the lipopolysaccharide synthesis locus of strain Dallas-1E. By using newly designed degenerate consensus primers based on the
neuA
homolog in strains Dallas-1E, Philadelphia-1, Paris, Lens, and Corby, we were able to obtain DNA sequences for all 48 non-SG1 strains which were untypeable by the standard method. Our data show that the
neuA
gene is present in all
L. pneumophila
strains but differs significantly in some non-SG1 strains at both the DNA and amino acid levels. The new primers can be used to amplify and sequence the
neuA
gene in all strains and can substitute for the standard primers. This offers the possibility of assigning an ST to all strains of
L. pneumophila
.
Lack of Association between Clinical Outcome of Clostridium difficile Infections, Strain Type, and Virulence-Associated Phenotypes
Authors: Sirard Stéphanie , Valiquette Louis , Fortier Louis-Charles
Published: September 2011

Clostridium difficile
strain NAP1/027 (North American pulsed-field gel electrophoresis [PFGE] type 1 and PCR ribotype 027 [R027]) has been associated with recent outbreaks in North America and Europe. It has been associated with more severe disease symptoms, higher mortality rates, and greater risk of relapse. This strain is thought to produce more toxins and sporulate to higher levels. However, recent studies suggest that this may not always be the case. The objective of our study was to assess, in a nonoutbreak situation, whether specific strains, such as NAP1/027, were associated with more severe disease symptoms, higher toxin production, and/or greater sporulation
in vitro
. We isolated and characterized
C. difficile
strains from 21 patients with mild to moderate, severe, or complicated symptoms of
C. difficile
infection (CDI). The isolates were characterized by different molecular typing methods, including PCR ribotyping, tandem repeat sequence typing (TRST), and sequencing of the
tcdC
gene. Fourteen isolates were of PCR ribotype 027 with deletions in
tcdC
, but no association with severity or clinical outcome was found. We show by immunodot blot detection of toxins with monoclonal antibodies that all R027 isolates produced more TcdA and TcdB than other strains. On the other hand, they consistently produced fewer spores than non-R027 isolates. Taken together, our data suggest that NAP1/027 isolates are not always associated with more severe disease, even though they may produce larger amounts of toxins. Our study also suggests that current assertions regarding the NAP1/027 may not apply to all isolates and that other factors may come into play.
An Enhanced DNA Fingerprinting Service To Investigate Potential Clostridium difficile Infection Case Clusters Sharing the Same PCR Ribotype
Authors: Fawley Warren N. , Wilcox Mark H.
Published: September 2011

Of 53 potential
Clostridium difficile
infection (CDI) case clusters/outbreaks, affecting 2 to 41 patients in 27 institutions, 19% comprised unrelated isolates and 34% had highly related and distinct isolates as shown by multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis, despite sharing a common ribotype. These findings emphasize the value of enhanced fingerprinting to confirm or refute suspected CDI case clusters.
Targeting of the Influenza A Virus Polymerase PB1-PB2 Interface Indicates Strain-Specific Assembly Differences
Authors: Reuther Peter , Mänz Benjamin , Brunotte Linda , Schwemmle Martin , Wunderlich Kerstin
Published: September 2011

Assembly of the heterotrimeric influenza virus polymerase complex from the individual subunits PB1, PA, and PB2 is a prerequisite for viral replication. The conserved protein-protein interaction sites have been suggested as potential drug targets. To characterize the PB1-PB2 interface, we fused the PB1-binding domain of PB2 to green fluorescent protein (PB2
1-37
-GFP) and determined its competitive inhibitory effect on the polymerase activity of influenza A virus strains. Coexpression of PB2
1-37
-GFP in a polymerase reconstitution system led to substantial inhibition of the polymerase of A/WSN/33 (H1N1). Surprisingly, polymerases of other strains, including A/SC35M (H7N7), A/Puerto Rico/8/34 (H1N1), A/Hamburg/4/2009 (H1N1), and A/Thailand/1(KAN-1)/2004 (H5N1), showed various degrees of resistance. Individual exchange of polymerase subunits and the nucleoprotein between the sensitive WSN polymerase and the insensitive SC35M polymerase mapped the resistance to both PB1 and PA of SC35M polymerase. While PB2
1-37
-GFP bound equally well to the PB1 subunits of both virus strains, PB1-PA dimers of SC35M polymerase showed impaired binding compared to PB1-PA dimers of WSN polymerase. The use of PA
SC35M/WSN
chimeras revealed that the reduced affinity of the SC35M PB1-PA dimer was mediated by the N-terminal 277 amino acids of PA. Based on these observations, we speculate that the PB1-PA dimer formation of resistant polymerases shields the PB2
1-37
binding site, whereas sensitive polymerases allow this interaction, suggesting different assembly strategies of the trimeric polymerase complex between different influenza A virus strains.
Glutamate Excitotoxicity Is Involved in the Induction of Paralysis in Mice after Infection by a Human Coronavirus with a Single Point Mutation in Its Spike Protein
Authors: Brison Elodie , Jacomy Hélène , Desforges Marc , Talbot Pierre J.
Published: September 2011

Human coronaviruses (HCoV) are recognized respiratory pathogens, and some strains, including HCoV-OC43, can infect human neuronal and glial cells of the central nervous system (CNS) and activate neuroinflammatory mechanisms. Moreover, HCoV-OC43 is neuroinvasive, neurotropic, and neurovirulent in susceptible mice, where it induces chronic encephalitis. Herein, we show that a single point mutation in the viral spike (S) glycoprotein (Y241H), acquired during viral persistence in human neural cells, led to a hind-limb paralytic disease in infected mice. Inhibition of glutamate excitotoxicity using a 2-amino-3-(5-methyl-3-oxo-1,2-oxazol-4-yl)propranoic acid (AMPA) receptor antagonist (GYKI-52466) improved clinical scores related to the paralysis and motor disabilities in S mutant virus-infected mice, as well as protected the CNS from neuronal dysfunctions, as illustrated by restoration of the phosphorylation state of neurofilaments. Expression of the glial glutamate transporter GLT-1, responsible for glutamate homeostasis, was downregulated following infection, and GYKI-52466 also significantly restored its steady-state expression level. Finally, GYKI-52466 treatment of S mutant virus-infected mice led to reduced microglial activation, which may lead to improvement in the regulation of CNS glutamate homeostasis. Taken together, our results strongly suggest an involvement of excitotoxicity in the paralysis-associated neuropathology induced by an HCoV-OC43 mutant which harbors a single point mutation in its spike protein that is acquired upon persistent virus infection.
Avian Coronavirus in Wild Aquatic Birds
Authors: Chu Daniel K. W. , Leung Connie Y. H. , Gilbert Martin , Joyner Priscilla H. , Ng Erica M. , Tse Tsemay M. , Guan Yi , Peiris Joseph S. M. , Poon Leo L. M.
Published: September 2011

We detected a high prevalence (12.5%) of novel avian coronaviruses in aquatic wild birds. Phylogenetic analyses of these coronaviruses suggest that there is a diversity of gammacoronaviruses and deltacoronaviruses circulating in birds. Gammacoronaviruses were found predominantly in
Anseriformes
birds, whereas deltacoronaviruses could be detected in
Ciconiiformes
,
Pelecaniformes
, and
Anseriformes
birds in this study. We observed that there are frequent interspecies transmissions of gammacoronaviruses between duck species. In contrast, deltacoronaviruses may have more stringent host specificities. Our analysis of these avian viral and host mitochondrial DNA sequences also suggests that some, but not all, coronaviruses may have coevolved with birds from the same order.
H5N1-SeroDetect EIA and Rapid Test: a Novel Differential Diagnostic Assay for Serodiagnosis of H5N1 Infections and Surveillance
Authors: Khurana Surender , Sasono Pretty , Fox Annette , Van Kinh Nguyen , Mai Le Quynh , Thai Pham Quang , Hien Nguyen Tran , Liem Nguyen Thanh , Horby Peter , Golding Hana
Published: September 2011

Continuing evolution of highly pathogenic (HP) H5N1 influenza viruses in wild birds with transmission to domestic poultry and humans poses a pandemic threat. There is an urgent need for a simple and rapid serological diagnostic assay which can differentiate between antibodies to seasonal and H5N1 strains and that could provide surveillance tools not dependent on virus isolation and nucleic acid technologies. Here we describe the establishment of H5N1 SeroDetect enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and rapid test assays based on three peptides in HA2 (488-516), PB1-F2 (2-75), and M2e (2-24) that are highly conserved within H5N1 strains. These peptides were identified by antibody repertoire analyses of H5N1 influenza survivors in Vietnam using whole-genome-fragment phage display libraries (GFPDLs). To date, both platforms have demonstrated high levels of sensitivity and specificity in detecting H5N1 infections (clade 1 and clade 2.3.4) in Vietnamese patients as early as 7 days and up to several years postinfection. H5N1 virus-uninfected individuals in Vietnam and the United States, including subjects vaccinated with seasonal influenza vaccines or with confirmed seasonal virus infections, did not react in the H5N1-SeroDetect assays. Moreover, sera from individuals vaccinated with H5N1 subunit vaccine with moderate anti-H5N1 neutralizing antibody titers did not react positively in the H5N1-SeroDetect ELISA or rapid test assays. The simple H5N1-SeroDetect ELISA and rapid tests could provide an important tool for large-scale surveillance for potential exposure to HP H5N1 strains in both humans and birds.
Rupture of a cerebral aneurysm following carotid endarterectomy
Authors: Siddiqui Arsalan , Vora Nirav , Edgell Randal C , Callison Richard Charles , Kitchener Jacob , Alshekhlee Amer
Published: September 2011

Following carotid revascularization with either carotid endarterectomy or stenting, the impaired cerebral autoregulation can lead to cerebral hyperperfusion syndrome. This impaired autoregulation and increased flow may also put patients with unruptured aneurysms at risk for subarachnoid hemorrhage in the perioperative period. A patient is reported who underwent carotid endarterectomy for symptomatic carotid stenosis. A small anterior communicating artery aneurysm was identified preoperatively, which ruptured 2 days after carotid endarterectomy. Screening for cerebral aneurysms prior to carotid revascularization will allow operators to minimize this risk, either through prior treatment of the aneurysm or tight blood pressure control in the perioperative period.
Successful endovascular treatment of a holo-hemispheric cerebral arteriovenous fistula in an infant
Authors: Vasudevan Kumar , Spader Heather S , Grossberg Jonathan A , Murphy Thomas , Jayaraman Mahesh V
Published: September 2011

A cerebral arteriovenous fistula (CAVF) is a rare abnormality representing only 4.7% of all cerebral arteriovenous malformations. In this report a unique case is presented of a giant holo-hemispheric CAVF in an infant who presented with congestive heart failure and was successfully treated endovascularly with transarterial and transvenous embolization. A 4-day-old girl presented with lethargy and poor feeding and was found to be in congestive heart failure secondary to a large left hemispheric vascular malformation. Embolization was performed via a transarterial route on days of life (DOL) 11 and 18, a transvenous route on DOL 54 and a final transarterial treatment on DOL 76. After all treatment the patient was discharged home on minimal cardiac medications. At 2-year follow-up the patient had moderate motor delays and mild speech delays, but she continued to meet milestones and her cardiac failure was completely resolved. This case demonstrates one of the largest CAVFs treated successfully in the neonatal population.
Growth of Esteya vermicola in media amended with nitrogen sources yields conidia with increased predacity and resistance to environmental stress
Authors: Wang Zhen , Wang Chun Yan , Gu Li Juan , Wang Yun Bo , Zhang Yong An , Sung Chang Keun
Published: September 2011

Esteya vermicola , an endoparasitic fungus of pinewood nematode, exhibits great potential as a biological agent against nematodes. In this study to enhance the sporulation, predacity, and environmental resistance of E. vermicola, various nitrogen sources, such as glycine, l-leucine, and ammonium nitrate, were tested. The supplement of glycine and l-leucine had a significant influence on the growth rate of the colony, enhancing colony dry mass by 5-fold more than did ammonium nitrate or the control. Of the nitrogen sources tested, ammonium nitrate and l-leucine promoted sporulation, yielding more than 6 × 106 CFU/g, while glycine enhanced the proportion of lunate spores. Meanwhile, the supplement of nitrogen sources had a significant influence on adhesive rate and mortality rate against Bursaphelenchus xylophilus . Moreover, the supplement of glycine enhanced the survival rate against heat stress by more than 3-fold that of l-leucine, ammonium nitrate, and control. The spores produced in media amended with glycine, l-leucine, and ammonium nitrate had slightly but not significantly higher UV resistance and drought resistance than spores produced without nitrogen sources. These results suggested that the addition of glycine resulted in the production of E. vermicola conidia with increased predacity and resistance to environmental stress that may be more suitable for control of pine wilt disease.
Sequencing of CJIE1 prophages from Campylobacter jejuni isolates reveals the presence of inserted and (or) deleted genes
Authors: Clark Clifford G.
Published: September 2011

Bacteriophages capable of integrating into host bacterial genomes as prophages affect the biology and virulence of their bacterial hosts. Previously, partial sequencing of 12 prophages similar to CJIE1 from Campylobacter jejuni RM1221 did not show the presence of inserted nonphage genes. Therefore, four of these prophages were sequenced completely, and indels were found in at least two different regions of the prophage genome. Putative proteins from one indel appeared to be members of two new families of proteins, with proteins within each family related to each other by a common domain. Further heterogeneity was found adjacent to the CJE0270 homolog, creating difficulty locating the end of the prophage on this side and in determining the composition of the core prophage. These prophages appear to comprise a family that has heterogeneity in gene content resulting from insertion or deletion of additional genes at three locations in their genomes. In addition, members of the CJIE1 phage family may differ somewhat in their biology from phage Mu. Further investigations of these Campylobacter prophages can be expected to provide interesting insights into the biology of the phages themselves and into the role of these phages in the biology of their hosts.
AutoactivatedKlPDR1gene in the control of multidrug resistance inKluyveromyces lactis
Authors: Toth Hervay Nora , Hodurova Zuzana , Balazfyova Zuzana , Gbelska Yvetta
Published: September 2011

The KlPDR1 gene encodes a zinc finger transcription factor that has recently been shown to be involved in the control of multidrug resistance of Kluyveromyces lactis . In this work, we provide evidence that the K. lactis KlPDR1 gene is under positive autoregulation by KlPdr1p, which plays a role in the activation of the main multidrug resistance transporter gene KlPDR5. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays, as well as the use of gusA reporter constructs, enabled us to identify the 5′-tataTCCGGGTAactt-3′ sequence motif in the KlPDR1 promoter (in the position –326 to –319 bp) as the PDRE (pleiotropic drug responsive element) for the binding of KlPdr1p. The drug sensitivity of Klpdr1Δ mutant cells was complemented by introducing the plasmid-born KlPDR1 gene. The KlPdr1p activated the expression of the PKlPDR1-gusA fusion gene, and the expression of the KlPDR1 gene was induced by fluconazole. The PDRE was also found in the promoter of KlPDR5, a gene encoding the ATP-dependent efflux pump responsible for the drug resistance phenomenon in K. lactis.
Molecular epidemiology and clinical characterization of group A rotavirus infections in Tunisian children with acute gastroenteritis
Authors: Sdiri-Loulizi Khira , Ambert-Balay Katia , Gharbi-Khelifi Hakima , Hassine Mouna , Chouchane Slaheddine , Sakly Nabil , Neji-Guédiche Mohamed , Pothier Pierre , Aouni Mahjoub
Published: September 2011

Rotaviruses are the most common cause of severe viral gastroenteritis in early childhood worldwide. Thus, the objectives of our study were to determine the molecular epidemiology and the clinical features of rotavirus gastroenteritis in Tunisia. Between January 2003 and April 2007, a prospective study was conducted on 788 stool samples collected from children under 12 years of age who were suffering from acute gastroenteritis. Rotavirus was detected by multiplex RT-PCR in 27% (n = 213) of samples, among them 79.3% (n = 169) cases were monoinfections. The frequency of rotavirus infections was significantly higher among inpatients (29%) than among outpatients (13%) (P < 0.001). The seasonal distribution of rotavirus diarrhea showed a winter peak, with an unusual peak from June to September. The mean duration of hospitalization was 6.5 ± 8.1 days and the mean age was 15.8 ± 22.8 months for rotavirus monoinfections. Fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, and dehydration were observed in 88, 98, 13, and 80 cases, respectively, in children with rotavirus monoinfections. G3P[8] (45.6%) and G1P[8] (23.9%) were the most common genotypes found in our study. The determination of rotavirus infection prevalence and the characterization of the rotavirus strains circulating will help us to better understand the molecular biology and epidemiology of the disease in our country.
Functional characterization ofpfmin protein secretion and lung infection ofPseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Bai Fang , Xu Haijin , Zhang Qi , Qi Xizhen , Mou Rui , Bai Gang , Qiao Mingqiang
Published: September 2011

Lung infections caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in cystic fibrosis (CF) patients cause progressive airway obstruction and tissue damage, which is the predominant cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with CF. This paper describes the functional characterization of the pfm gene (open reading frame PA2950) of P. aeruginosa. Using DNA microarrays, we found that the transcriptional levels of type II secretory system genes were significantly reduced in the pfm mutant strain. The type-II-dependent exoprotein LasB could not be secreted normally. The pfm gene was identified as a gene involved in bacterial protein secretion that was critical for the extracellular release of elastase in P. aeruginosa. The abilities to induce lung injury by wild-type and pfm mutant P. aeruginosa were evaluated in a murine acute lung infection model. The results showed that the pathogenicity and virulence of the pfm mutant strain was significantly reduced compared with that of the wild-type strain. The pfm gene and its expression product, as potential new drug targets against P. aeruginosa infection, have important research significance.
Utilization of different types of dietary fibres by potential probiotics
Authors: Mei Gui-Ying , Carey Christine M. , Tosh Susan , Kostrzynska Magdalena
Published: September 2011

A better understanding of the functionality of probiotics and dietary fibres with prebiotic activity is required for the development of improved synbiotic preparations. In this study, utilization of β(2–1) fructans, galactooligosaccharides, and plant polysaccharides as prebiotics by lactobacilli, bifidobacteria, and pediococci was investigated. Our results demonstrate that prebiotics with linear chains consisting of galactose units are better utilized by probiotics than are those consisting of glucose and fructose units, and the ability of probiotic bacteria to utilize prebiotics is strain-specific. In addition, rye fructooligosaccharides represent a prebiotic fibre that supports the growth of a wide range of probiotic cultures and as such has a potential to improve the successfulness of probiotic treatments. This study also demonstrates dietary fibre utilization by pediococci and provides data supporting the possible use of pediococci as a probiotic in synbiotic combinations.
CONSTRAINTS ON CONFORMAL WINDOWS FROM HOLOGRAPHIC DUALS
Authors: ANTIPIN O. , TUOMINEN K.
Published: September 2011

We analyze a beta function with the analytic form of Novikov–Shifman–Vainshtein–Zakharov result in the five-dimensional gravity-dilaton environment. We show how dilaton inherits poles and fixed points of such beta function through the zeros and points of extremum in its potential. Super Yang–Mills and supersymmetric QCD are studied in detail and Seiberg's electric-magnetic duality in the dilaton potential is explicitly demonstrated. Non-supersymmetric proposals of similar functional form are tested and new insights into the conformal window as well as determinations of scheme-independent value of the anomalous dimension at the fixed point are presented.
COSMOLOGICAL CONSTANT IN A QUANTUM FLUID MODEL
Authors: SÁNCHEZ-MONROY J. A. , QUIMBAY C. J.
Published: September 2011

Possible analogies between vacuum state and quantum fluid provide a model to study vacuum energy density induced by thermal corrections, spacetime curvature, boundary conditions and quantum back-reaction. We find that vacuum energy density in this quantum fluid model is not naturally of the order of the matter energy density. We show how higher-order corrections in quantum back-reaction can also contribute to vacuum energy density, and how the cosmological expansion is a manifestation of a universe out of mechanical equilibrium. This last fact implies that simple thermodynamic arguments are not enough to explain the cosmological constant problem because the calculation of the associated vacuum energy density requires first the knowledge of the underlying microscopic physics of vacuum.
Effect of chronic alcohol exposure on folate uptake by liver mitochondria
Authors: Biswas Arundhati , Senthilkumar Sundar Rajan , Said Hamid M.
Published: September 2011

Mammalian cells obtain folate, a water-soluble vitamin, from their surroundings via transport across cell membrane. Intracellular folate is compartmentalized between the cytoplasm and the mitochondria. Transport of folate from the cytoplasm into the mitochondria is via a specific carrier-mediated process involving the mitochondrial folate transporter (MFT). Chronic alcohol use negatively impacts folate homeostasis, but its effect on mitochondrial folate uptake is not clear. We addressed this issue using mitochondrial preparations isolated from the liver of rats chronically fed an alcohol liquid diet and from human liver HepG2 cells chronically exposed to alcohol. The results showed that chronic alcohol feeding of rats leads to a significant inhibition in mitochondrial carrier-mediated folate uptake. This inhibition was associated with a significant reduction in the level of expression of the MFT protein, mRNA, and heterogenous nuclear RNA (hnRNA). Similarly, chronic alcohol exposure (96 h) of HepG2 cells led to significant inhibition in mitochondrial carrier-mediated folate uptake, which was associated with a marked reduction in the level of expression of the human MFT (hMFT). To determine whether the latter effect is, in part, being exerted at the transcriptional level, we cloned the 5′-regulatory region of the human SLC25A32 gene (which encodes the hMFT) and showed that chronic alcohol exposure of HepG2 cells leads to a significant inhibition in its promoter activity. These studies show for the first time that chronic alcohol feeding/exposure leads to a significant inhibition in mitochondrial carrier-mediated folate uptake and that the inhibition is, in part, being exerted at the level of transcription of the SLC25A32 gene.
Effect of initial core temperature on hyperthermic hyperventilation during prolonged submaximal exercise in the heat
Authors: Tsuji Bun , Honda Yasushi , Fujii Naoto , Kondo Narihiko , Nishiyasu Takeshi
Published: September 2011

We investigated whether a core temperature threshold for hyperthermic hyperventilation is seen during prolonged submaximal exercise in the heat when core temperature before the exercise is reduced and whether the evoked hyperventilatory response is affected by altering the initial core temperature. Ten male subjects performed three exercise trials at 50% of peak oxygen uptake in the heat (37°C and 50% relative humidity) after altering their initial esophageal temperature (Tes). Initial Tes was manipulated by immersion for 25 min in water at 18°C (Precooling), 35°C (Control), or 40°C (Preheating). Tes after the water immersion was significantly higher in the Preheating trial (37.5 ± 0.3°C) and lower in the Precooling trial (36.1 ± 0.3°C) than in the Control trial (36.9 ± 0.3°C). In the Precooling trial, minute ventilation (V̇e) showed little change until Tes reached 37.1 ± 0.4°C. Above this core temperature threshold, V̇e increased linearly in proportion to increasing Tes. In the Control trial, V̇e increased as Tes increased from 37.0°C to 38.6°C after the onset of exercise. In the Preheating trial, V̇e increased from the initially elevated levels of Tes (from 37.6 to 38.6°C) and V̇e. The sensitivity of V̇e to increasing Tes above the threshold for hyperventilation (the slope of the Tes-V̇e relation) did not significantly vary across trials (Precooling trial = 10.6 ± 5.9, Control trial = 8.7 ± 5.1, and Preheating trial = 9.2 ± 6.9 L·min−1·°C−1). These results suggest that during prolonged submaximal exercise at a constant workload in humans, there is a clear core temperature threshold for hyperthermic hyperventilation and that the evoked hyperventilatory response is unaffected by altering initial core temperature.
Experimental evidence for therapeutic potential of taurine in the treatment of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Gentile Christopher L. , Nivala Angela M. , Gonzales Jon C. , Pfaffenbach Kyle T. , Wang Dong , Wei Yuren , Jiang Hua , Orlicky David J. , Petersen Dennis R. , Pagliassotti Michael J. , Maclean Kenneth N.
Published: September 2011

The incidence of obesity is now at epidemic proportions and has resulted in the emergence of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) as a common metabolic disorder that can lead to liver injury and cirrhosis. Excess sucrose and long-chain saturated fatty acids in the diet may play a role in the development and progression of NAFLD. One factor linking sucrose and saturated fatty acids to liver damage is dysfunction of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Although there is currently no proven, effective therapy for NAFLD, the amino sulfonic acid taurine is protective against various metabolic disturbances, including alcohol-induced liver damage. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the therapeutic potential of taurine to serve as a preventative treatment for diet-induced NAFLD. We report that taurine significantly mitigated palmitate-mediated caspase-3 activity, cell death, ER stress, and oxidative stress in H4IIE liver cells and primary hepatocytes. In rats fed a high-sucrose diet, dietary taurine supplementation significantly reduced hepatic lipid accumulation, liver injury, inflammation, plasma triglycerides, and insulin levels. The high-sucrose diet resulted in an induction of multiple components of the unfolded protein response in the liver consistent with ER stress, which was ameliorated by taurine supplementation. Treatment of mice with the ER stress-inducing agent tunicamycin resulted in liver injury, unfolded protein response induction, and hepatic lipid accumulation that was significantly ameliorated by dietary supplementation with taurine. Our results indicate that dietary supplementation with taurine offers significant potential as a preventative treatment for NAFLD.
Plasticity of rat motoneuron rhythmic firing properties with varying levels of afferent and descending inputs
Authors: MacDonell C. W. , Button D. C. , Beaumont E. , Cormery B. , Gardiner P. F.
Published: September 2011

Hindlimb motoneuron excitability was compared among exercise-trained (E), sedentary (S), and spinal cord transected (T) Sprague-Dawley rats by examining the slope of the frequency-current (F/I) relationship with standard intracellular recording techniques in rats anesthetized with ketamine-xylazine. The T group included spinal transected and spinal isolated rats; the E animals were either spontaneously active (exercise wheel) or treadmill trained; and rats in the S group were housed in pairs. An analysis of motoneuron initial [1st interspike interval (ISI)], early (mean of 1st three ISIs), and steady-state (mean of last 3 ISIs) discharge rate slopes resulting from increasing and decreasing 500-ms injected square-wave depolarizing current pulses was used to describe rhythmic motoneuron properties. The steepest slope occurred in the S group (55.3 ± 22.2 Hz/nA), followed by the T group (35.5 ± 15.3 Hz/nA), while the flattest slope was found in the E group (25.4 ± 10.9 Hz/nA). The steepest steady-state slope occurred in the S group but was found to be similar between the T and E groups. Furthermore, a spike-frequency adaptation (SFA) index revealed a slower adaptation in motoneurons of the E animals only (∼40% lower). Finally, evidence for a secondary range of firing existed more frequently in the T group (41%) compared with the S (12%) and E (31%) groups. The lower F/I slope and lower SFA index of motoneurons for E rats may be a result of an increase in Na+ conductance at the initial segment. The results show that motoneuronal rhythmic firing behavior is plastic, depending on the volume of daily activation and on intact descending pathways.
Contrasting effects of finger and shoulder interpersonal light touch on standing balance
Authors: Johannsen Leif , Wing Alan M. , Hatzitaki Vassilia
Published: September 2011

Sway is reduced by light nonsupporting touch between parts of the body and a fixed surface. This effect is assumed to reflect augmentation of sensory cues for sway by point-of-contact reaction forces. It has been shown that movement of the contact surface can increase sway relative to an earth-fixed contact. Light touch contact with another person, for example, holding hands, affords a moving contact due to partner sway. We asked whether interpersonal light touch (IPLT) would increase sway relative to standing alone. We expected effects on sway to vary as a function of the site of contact and the postural stability of each partner. Eight pairs of participants, standing in either normal bipedal or tandem Romberg stance with eyes closed and using IPLT (finger to finger or shoulder to shoulder) or no contact, provided 4 trials of 30-s duration in each of 12 posture-touch combinations. Sway (SD of the rate of change of upper trunk position at C7) was reliably less with IPLT compared with no contact, with two exceptions: in normal stance, shoulder contact with a partner in tandem stance, and in tandem Romberg stance, finger contact with a partner in the same stance, increased sway. Otherwise, the reduction in sway was greater with shoulder than with finger contact. Measures of interpersonal synchronization based on cross-correlations and coherence analysis between the partners' C7 movements suggest different control factors operate to reduce sway in IPLT with the hand or shoulder contact.
Alterations to multisensory and unisensory integration by stimulus competition
Authors: Pluta Scott R. , Rowland Benjamin A. , Stanford Terrence R. , Stein Barry E.
Published: September 2011

In environments containing sensory events at competing locations, selecting a target for orienting requires prioritization of stimulus values. Although the superior colliculus (SC) is causally linked to the stimulus selection process, the manner in which SC multisensory integration operates in a competitive stimulus environment is unknown. Here we examined how the activity of visual-auditory SC neurons is affected by placement of a competing target in the opposite hemifield, a stimulus configuration that would, in principle, promote interhemispheric competition for access to downstream motor circuitry. Competitive interactions between the targets were evident in how they altered unisensory and multisensory responses of individual neurons. Responses elicited by a cross-modal stimulus (multisensory responses) proved to be substantially more resistant to competitor-induced depression than were unisensory responses (evoked by the component modality-specific stimuli). Similarly, when a cross-modal stimulus served as the competitor, it exerted considerably more depression than did its individual component stimuli, in some cases producing more depression than predicted by their linear sum. These findings suggest that multisensory integration can help resolve competition among multiple targets by enhancing orientation to the location of cross-modal events while simultaneously suppressing orientation to events at alternate locations.
Natural error patterns enable transfer of motor learning to novel contexts
Authors: Torres-Oviedo Gelsy , Bastian Amy J.
Published: September 2011

Successful behavior demands motor learning to be transferable in some cases (e.g., adjusting walking patterns as we develop and age) and context specific in others (e.g., learning to walk in high heels). Here we investigated differences in motor learning transfer in people learning a new walking pattern on a split-belt treadmill, where the legs move at different speeds. We hypothesized that transfer of the newly acquired walking pattern on the treadmill to natural over ground walking might depend on the pattern of errors experienced during learning. Error patterns within a person's natural range might be experienced as endogenous (i.e., produced by the body), encouraging general adjustments that transfer across contexts. On the other hand, larger errors might be experienced as exogenous (i.e., produced by the environment), indicating unusual conditions requiring context-specific learning. To test this, we manipulated the distribution of errors experienced during learning to lie either within or outside the normal distribution of walking errors. We found that restriction of errors to the natural range produced transfer of the new walking pattern from the treadmill to natural walking off the treadmill, while larger errors prevented transfer. This result helps explain how transfer of motor learning is controlled, and it offers an important strategy for clinical rehabilitation, where transfer of motor learning to other contexts is essential.
An Anticipatory Geriatric Strategy: To Better Care for Those Americans Not Yet Old
Authors: Nusbaum Neil J.
Published: September 2011

Current US public policy decisions will have impact on national plans to care for the aging American baby boomer population over the next several decades. The recent health care legislative debate has been largely about the structure of health care for those still too young to be covered by Medicare, but the legislation may have important implications for the average rates of accumulating chronic illness and disability in midlife and influence the care needs for that cohort of individuals even after they become elderly.
Rapid and Significant Reduction in Size of Pituitary Adenoma in Children Treated with Fractionated Stereotactic Radiation Therapy: A Case Report
Authors: Puataweepong Putipun , Dhanachai Mantana
Published: September 2011

Radiation treatment in the management of pituitary adenoma in children is still a controversy due to the great concern of late radiation effect. Stereotactic radiation therapy is the modern radiation technique that is more widely applicable in pituitary adenoma because of the ability to give highly conformal radiation to the target organ and to reduce the radiation dose to normal tissue. A 15-year-old boy presented with postradiation therapy recurrence pituitary macroadenoma. His vision was useful only on the left eye. MRI revealed the recurrent macroadenoma with severe invasion of optic apparatus. Since no any other treatment option was to be given to this patient, we decided to reirradiate the patient with conventional fractionated stereotactic radiation. At 3 months of followup, MRI showed that the tumor had an early and significant reduction in size without any sign of toxicity.
Principle for the Realization of Dual-Orthogonal Linearly Polarized Antennas for UWB Technique
Authors: Adamiuk Grzegorz , Pauli Mario , Zwick Thomas
Published: September 2011

A concept of an array configuration for an ultrawideband suppression of the cross-polarization is presented. The method is explained in detail, and a mathematical description of the principle is given. It is shown that the presented configuration is convenient for the development of very broad band, dual-orthogonal, linearly polarized antennas with high polarization purity. The investigated configuration shows a high decoupling of the orthogonal ports and is capable for antennas with a main beam direction perpendicular to the substrate surface, that is, for a planar design. The phase center of the antenna configuration remains fixed at one single point over the complete desired frequency range, allowing a minimum dispersion of the radiated signal. The influence of nonidealities in the feeding network on the polarization purity is investigated. The presented method introduces a superior possibility of an extension of typical UWB technique to fully polarized systems, which improves significantly performance in, for example, UWB-MIMO or UWB-Radar.
Aging of Oxygen-Treated Trimethylsilane Plasma-Polymerized Films Using Spectroscopic Ellipsometry
Authors: El-Agez Taher M. , Wieliczka David M. , Moffitt Chris , Taya Sofyan A.
Published: September 2011

Oxygen-treated trimethylsilane (TMS) plasma-polymerized films are investigated using rotating polarizer and analyzer ellipsometer. Aging process and composition of the samples are studied. Coordinated X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) depth profiling studies on these films is presented for more detailed understanding of the aging process as well as the modeling of these films.
Quadricuspid Aortic Valve Visualized by Three-Dimensional Transthoracic Echocardiography
Authors: Acar Eser , Sahin Tayfun , Yılmaz Irem , Celikyurt Umut
Published: September 2011

Quadricuspid aortic valve is a rare congenital anomaly that may cause aortic regurgitation. A 77-year-old male patient was referred to our clinic with complaints of stable angina pectoris. We report a case of a quadricuspid aortic valve diagnosed by 3-dimentional transthoracic echocardiography.
Differential Expression of Three Flavanone 3-Hydroxylase Genes in Grains and Coleoptiles of Wheat
Authors: Himi Eiko , Maekawa Masahiko , Noda Kazuhiko
Published: September 2011

Flavonoid pigments are known to accumulate in red grains and coleoptiles of wheat and are synthesized through the flavonoid biosynthetic pathway. Flavanone 3-hydroxylase (F3H) is a key enzyme at a diverging point of the flavonoid pathway leading to production of different pigments: phlobaphene, proanthocyanidin, and anthocyanin. We isolated threeF3Hgenes from wheat and examined a relationship between their expression and tissue pigmentation. ThreeF3Hs are located on the telomeric region of the long arm of chromosomes 2A, 2B, and 2D, respectively, designated asF3H-A1,F3H-B1, andF3H-D1. The telomeric regions of the long arms of the chromosomes of homoeologous group 2 of wheat showed a syntenic relationship to the telomeric region of the long arm of rice chromosome 4, on which riceF3Hgene was also located. All three genes were highly activated in the red grains and coleoptiles and appeared to be controlled by flavonoid regulators in each tissue.
Effects of Ground Constituent Parameters on Array Mutual Coupling for DOA Estimation
Authors: Ahmed Irfan , Perger Warren F. , Zekavat Seyed A.
Published: September 2011

Effects of ground constituent parameters on the mutual coupling (MC) of monopole antenna array are investigated. This work augments an existing MC compensation technique for ground-based antennas and proposes reduction in mutual coupling for antennas over finite ground as compared to the perfect ground. The work is investigated by finite element method analysis, and numerical results are presented. A factor of 4 decrease in both the real and imaginary parts of the mutual coupling is observed when considering a poor ground versus a perfectly conducting one, for quarter-wave monopoles in receiving mode. A simulated result to show the errors in direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation with actual realization of the environment is also presented.