bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Correlation of Thermal Conductivity of Instant Noodles with their Textural Property for Rehydration Study
Authors: Jang Areum , Kim Heewon , Shim Jae‐Yong , Lee Seok Ki , Lee Suyong
Published: October 2015

A transient plane source method was introduced to an instant noodle system to characterize the rehydration property of noodles. The thermal conductivity of the white and whole wheat noodles was measured and correlated to their texture properties. The thermal conductivity of the noodles had a tendency to increase with increasing moisture content. Furthermore, a linear relationship (R2 > 0.95) was observed between the thermal conductivity of the noodles and their maximum extensional force depending on the moisture content. The thermal conductivity and maximum extensional force of noodles distinctly varied at the initial stage of cooking and then reached a plateau. However, their sensory firmness had a tendency to linearly decrease with cooking time. The change in the thermal conductivity of the noodles during cooking favorably correlated to the pattern of their maximum extensional force and rehydration rate.

Practical Applications

The improvement of rehydration rate of instant noodles has been a challenge faced by the food industry. However, the study on noodle rehydration is generally dependent on empirical and subjective measurements. In this study, a novel thermal technology based on the modified transient plane source method was utilized to characterize the rehydration property of instant noodles. One‐dimensional upward heat flow was applied to measure the thermal conductivity of disc‐shaped flat noodles. The thermal conductivity of the noodles was correlated with their instrumental and sensory texture properties depending on moisture content and cooking time. The method applied in this study can be utilized as a feasible tool to study the rehydration property of noodles during cooking by providing more scientific and fundamental thermal information.
Serum miR‐122 may serve as a biomarker for response to direct acting antivirals: effect of paritaprevir/R with dasabuvir or ombitasvir on miR‐122 in HCV‐infected subjects
Authors: Waring J. F. , Dumas E. O. , Abel S. , Coakley E. , Cohen D. E. , Davis J. Wade , Podsadecki T. , Dutta S.
Published: October 2015

Circulating microRNAs (miRNA) have been intensely investigated as biomarkers in disease and therapy. Several studies have identified miR‐122 as an important regulator of HCV replication. The effect of new therapies that directly target the HCV replication life cycle on circulating microRNA levels has not been elucidated. We performed expression profiling of circulating miRNA in serum in subjects treated with HCV direct‐acting antiviral agents (DAAs). Serum miRNA levels were evaluated from two studies in HCV GT1‐infected treatment‐naïve subjects and prior nonresponders to pegylated interferon (pegIFN) and ribavirin (RBV) who received paritaprevir/ritonavir + dasabuvir + RBV for 12 weeks, and in treatment‐naïve genotype (GT)1‐3‐infected subjects who received paritaprevir/ritonavir + ombitasvir ± RBV for 12 weeks. Over 100 different miRNA species were detected in serum. Of these, levels of miR‐122 showed the most consistent change in response to treatment across all HCV genotypes. In all subjects, miR‐122 showed an average four‐fold reduction between baseline and week 2, and remained below baseline through post‐treatment week 12 in subjects who achieved sustained virological response. In contrast, in subjects who did not achieve SVR, miR‐122 levels began to return to baseline levels after the second week of treatment. The change in miR‐122 levels was similar across genotypes, and was comparable with or without RBV. This is the first report comparing expression levels of circulating miRNA in HCV GT1‐3 subjects treated with IFN‐free combinations of DAAs. The results suggest that serum levels of miR‐122 are reduced following treatment in subjects who achieve SVR, and correlate with HCV RNA levels across genotypes.
Functional analysis of an unusual type IV pilus in the Gram‐positive Streptococcus sanguinis
Authors: Gurung Ishwori , Spielman Ingrid , Davies Mark R. , Lala Rajan , Gaustad Peter , Biais Nicolas , Pelicic Vladimir
Published: October 2015

Type IV pili (Tfp), which have been studied extensively in a few Gram‐negative species, are the paradigm of a group of widespread and functionally versatile nano‐machines. Here, we performed the most detailed molecular characterisation of Tfp in a Gram‐positive bacterium. We demonstrate that the naturally competent Streptococcus sanguinis produces retractable Tfp, which like their Gram‐negative counterparts can generate hundreds of piconewton of tensile force and promote intense surface‐associated motility. Tfp power ‘train‐like’ directional motion parallel to the long axis of chains of cells, leading to spreading zones around bacteria grown on plates. However, S. sanguinis Tfp are not involved in DNA uptake, which is mediated by a related but distinct nano‐machine, and are unusual because they are composed of two pilins in comparable amounts, rather than one as normally seen. Whole genome sequencing identified a locus encoding all the genes involved in Tfp biology in S. sanguinis. A systematic mutational analysis revealed that Tfp biogenesis in S. sanguinis relies on a more basic machinery (only 10 components) than in Gram‐negative species and that a small subset of four proteins dispensable for pilus biogenesis are essential for motility. Intriguingly, one of the piliated mutants that does not exhibit spreading retains microscopic motility but moves sideways, which suggests that the corresponding protein controls motion directionality. Besides establishing S. sanguinis as a useful new model for studying Tfp biology, these findings have important implications for our understanding of these widespread filamentous nano‐machines.
Translocation from nuclei to cytoplasm is necessary for anti A‐PCD activity and turnover of the Type II IAP BcBir1
Authors: Shlezinger Neta , Israeli Maayan , Mochly Elad , Oren‐Young Liat , Zhu Wenjun , Sharon Amir
Published: October 2015

Type II inhibitors of apoptosis (IAPs) belong to a subgroup of IAP‐related proteins. While IAPs are restricted to animals, Type II IAPs are found in other phyla, including fungi. BcBir1, a Type II IAP from Botrytis cinerea has anti apoptotic‐like programmed cell death (A‐PCD) activity, which is important for pathogenicity of this fungus. Here we report on the role of sub‐cellular localization of BcBir1 in protein turnover and anti A‐PCD activity. Expression of BcBir1 in Saccharomyces cerevisiae had no effect on sensitivity of the yeast cells to A‐PCD‐inducing conditions, whereas expression of a truncated N' part reduced sensitivity of the cells to these conditions. The full‐length BcBir1 protein was detected only in the yeast nucleus, whereas the N' part was observed both in the nucleus and cytoplasm. In B. cinerea, BcBir1 was mainly nuclear under optimal conditions, whereas under A‐PCD‐inducing conditions it shuttled to the cytoplasm and then it was completely degraded. Collectively, our results show that anti A‐PCD activity of BcBir1 occurs in the cytoplasm, the C′ end mediates regulation of steady state level of BcBir1 in the nucleus, and the N' end mediates anti A‐PCD activity as well as fast degradation of BcBir1 in the cytoplasm.
Mesenchymal stem cells as novel micro‐ribonucleic acid delivery vehicles in kidney disease
Authors: Yao Kevin , Ricardo Sharon D
Published: October 2015

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short single strands of RNA responsible for post‐transcriptional regulation of gene expression and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Emerging evidence reports that miRNAs can reduce kidney fibrosis through regulation of targets associated with collagen and extracellular matrix accumulation. However, the development of miRNA therapies has been hampered by the lack of targeted and sustainable methods of systemic miRNA delivery. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) provide a promising miRNA delivery platform to overcome toxicity, the potential for insertional mutations and the low efficiency of previous methods. MSCs are endogenously immunoprivileged and home to sites of inflammation. They also release trophic growth factors to modulate the immune system, alter the polarization of macrophages and provide renal protection and repair. The potential to engineer MSCs to express or overexpress miRNAs, released by exosomes, may enhance their natural functions. Clinical studies are already being conducted individually for the use of miRNAs in cancer and MSCs in diseases associated with CKD. Hence, the combination of miRNAs and MSCs may provide an unparalleled cell‐based therapy for treating CKD.
Changes in hydration following haemodialysis estimated with bioimpedance spectroscopy
Authors: El‐Kateb Sally , Davenport Andrew
Published: October 2015

Summary at a Glance

Estimation of target or ideal body weight may be assisted by measurements of bioimpedance. This study used a three‐compartmental model to evaluate whether a single pre‐dialysis measurement might be sufficient to aid target weight assessment and notes that variability in measures in ‘over‐hydration status’ pre‐dialysis was not predictive of actual weight changes limiting its utility.
Objectivism about Color and Comparative Color Statements. Reply to Hansen*
Authors: Gómez‐Torrente Mario
Published: October 2015

Nat Hansen builds a new argument for subjectivism about the semantics of color language, based on a potential kind of intersubjective disagreements about comparative color statements. In reply, I note that the disagreements of this kind are merely hypothetical, probably few if actual, and not evidently relevant as test cases for a semantic theory. Furthermore, even if they turned out to be actual and semantically relevant, they would be intuitively unusable by the subjectivist.
Transcriptome asymmetry in synthetic and natural allotetraploid wheats, revealed by RNA‐sequencing
Authors: Wang Xutong , Zhang Huakun , Li Yaling , Zhang Zhibin , Li Linfeng , Liu Bao
Published: October 2015

Allopolyploidization has occurred frequently within the Triticum–Aegilops complex which provides a suitable system to investigate how allopolyploidization shapes the expression patterns of duplicated homeologs.

We have conducted transcriptome‐profiling of leaves and young inflorescences in wild and domesticated tetraploid wheats, Triticum turgidum ssp. dicoccoides (BBAA) and ssp. durum (BBAA), an extracted tetraploid (BBAA), and a synthetic tetraploid (SlSlAA) wheat together with its diploid parents, Aegilops longissima (SlSl) and Triticum urartu (AA).

The two diploid species showed tissue‐specific differences in genome‐wide ortholog expression, which plays an important role in transcriptome shock‐mediated homeolog expression rewiring and hence transcriptome asymmetry in the synthetic tetraploid. Further changes of homeolog expression apparently occurred in natural tetraploid wheats, which led to novel transcriptome asymmetry between the two subgenomes. In particular, our results showed that extremely biased homeolog expression can occur rapidly upon the allotetraploidzation and this trend is further enhanced in the course of domestication and evolution of polyploid wheats.

Our results suggest that allopolyploidization is accompanied by distinct phases of homeolog expression changes, with parental legacy playing major roles in the immediate rewiring of homeolog expression upon allopolyploidization, while evolution and domestication under allotetraploidy drive further homeolog‐expression changes toward re‐established subgenome expression asymmetry.
The good, the bad and the Ulva: the density dependent role of macroalgal subsidies in influencing diversity and trophic structure of an estuarine community
Authors: Green Lauri , Fong Peggy
Published: October 2015

Worldwide, ecological subsidies enhance ecosystem productivity and therefore trophic support for greater biodiversity of taxa. While studies in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems demonstrate that the magnitude of subsidies into ecosystems differs widely, the thresholds where subsidies may switch from exerting positive to negative effects are poorly understood. In estuaries, eutrophication promotes drift macroalgae that deposit on the benthos, cover intertidal flats for months and serve as pressed resource subsidies for benthic consumers. We hypothesized there would be a critical threshold of macroalgal biomass where ecosystem‐level effects would turn from positive to negative. We used manipulative field experiments varying macroalgal mat thickness (0.5, 1.5 and 4 cm) over eight weeks and quantified effects on macrofauna on a lagoon mudflat in California. We documented that plots with mat depths of 0.5 and 1.5 cm had higher diversity by supporting both surface feeding and burrowing detritivores. Non‐metric multidimensional scaling showed that the benthic community diverged with mat depth over the course of the experiment. After eight weeks, surface deposit feeders were associated mainly with 0.5 cm macroalgal subsidies, whereas subsurface deposit feeding capitellids were closely linked with 4 cm mats. Depth profiles of pore water sulfide concentration collected from 4 cm mats were 7622 ± 5294 μM, mean ± SE, (mean of means across depth profiles), whereas 0.5 cm treatments resulted in sulfide concentrations that were 0.25% of the 4 cm treatments. This suggests that the mechanism of negative effects for elevated macroalgal subsidies was development of anoxic conditions promoting sulfide accumulation. Thus, our study was the first to find a critical threshold, or ecological tipping point, beyond which the effects of anthropogenically enhanced subsidies to estuarine mudflat communities switched from positive to negative and to describe the mechanism by which elevated subsides altered the abiotic environment and likely reduced ecosystem functioning.
miRNA‐mediated auxin signalling repression during Vat‐mediated aphid resistance in Cucumis melo
Authors: Sattar Sampurna , Addo‐Quaye Charles , Thompson Gary A.
Published: October 2015

Resistance to Aphis gossypii in melon is attributed to the presence of the single dominant R gene virus aphid transmission (Vat), which is biologically expressed as antibiosis, antixenosis and tolerance. However, the mechanism of resistance is poorly understood at the molecular level. Aphid‐induced transcriptional changes, including differentially expressed miRNA profiles that correspond to resistance interaction have been reported in melon. The potential regulatory roles of miRNAs in Vat‐mediated aphid resistance were further revealed by identifying the specific miRNA degradation targets. A total of 70 miRNA:target pairs, including 28 novel miRNA:target pairs, for the differentially expressed miRNAs were identified: 11 were associated with phytohormone regulation, including six miRNAs that potentially regulate auxin interactions. A model for a redundant regulatory system of miRNA‐mediated auxin insensitivity is proposed that incorporates auxin perception, auxin modification and auxin‐regulated transcription. Chemically inhibiting the transport inhibitor response‐1 (TIR‐1) auxin receptor in susceptible melon tissues provides in vivo support for the model of auxin‐mediated impacts on A. gossypii resistance.
The cytochrome c oxidase biogenesis factor AtCOX17 modulates stress responses in Arabidopsis
Authors: Garcia Lucila , Welchen Elina , Gey Uta , Arce Agustín L. , Steinebrunner Iris , Gonzalez Daniel H.
Published: October 2015

COX17 is a soluble protein from the mitochondrial intermembrane space that participates in the transfer of copper for cytochrome c oxidase (COX) assembly in eukaryotic organisms. In this work, we studied the function of both Arabidopsis thaliana AtCOX17 genes using plants with altered expression levels of these genes. Silencing of AtCOX17‐1 in a cox17‐2 knockout background generates plants with smaller rosettes and decreased expression of genes involved in the response of plants to different stress conditions, including several genes that are induced by mitochondrial dysfunctions. Silencing of either of the AtCOX17 genes does not affect plant development or COX activity but causes a decrease in the response of genes to salt stress. In addition, these plants contain higher reactive oxygen and lipid peroxidation levels after irrigation with high NaCl concentrations and are less sensitive to abscisic acid. In agreement with a role of AtCOX17 in stress and abscisic acid responses, both AtCOX17 genes are induced by several stress conditions, abscisic acid and mutation of the transcription factor ABI4. The results indicate that AtCOX17 is required for optimal expression of a group of stress‐responsive genes, probably as a component of signalling pathways that link stress conditions to gene expression responses.
Wheat leaf lipids during heat stress: II. Lipids experiencing coordinated metabolism are detected by analysis of lipid co‐occurrence
Authors: Narayanan Sruthi , Prasad P.V. Vara , Welti Ruth
Published: October 2015

Identifying lipids that experience coordinated metabolism during heat stress would provide information regarding lipid dynamics under stress conditions and assist in developing heat‐tolerant wheat varieties. We hypothesized that co‐occurring lipids, which are up‐regulated or down‐regulated together through time during heat stress, represent groups that can be explained by coordinated metabolism. Wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.) were subjected to 12 days of high day and/or night temperature stress, followed by a 4‐day recovery period. Leaves were sampled at four time points, and 165 lipids were measured by electrospray ionization‐tandem mass spectrometry. Correlation analysis of lipid levels in 160 leaf samples from each of two wheat genotypes revealed 13 groups of lipids. Lipids within each group co‐occurred through the high day and night temperature stress treatments. The lipid groups can be broadly classified as groups containing extraplastidic phospholipids, plastidic glycerolipids, oxidized glycerolipids, triacylglycerols, acylated sterol glycosides and sterol glycosides. Current knowledge of lipid metabolism suggests that the lipids in each group co‐occur because they are regulated by the same enzyme(s). The results suggest that increases in activities of desaturating, oxidizing, glycosylating and acylating enzymes lead to simultaneous changes in levels of multiple lipid species during high day and night temperature stress in wheat.
Repertory of eukaryotes (eukaryome) in the human gastrointestinal tract: taxonomy and detection methods
Authors: Hamad I. , Raoult D. , Bittar F.
Published: October 2015

Eukaryotes are an important component of the human gut, and their relationship with the human host varies from parasitic to commensal. Understanding the diversity of human intestinal eukaryotes has important significance for human health. In the past few decades, most of the multitudes of techniques that are involved in the diagnosis of the eukaryotic population in the human intestinal tract were confined to pathological and parasitological aspects that mainly rely on traditionally based methods. However, development of culture‐independent molecular techniques comprised of direct DNA extraction from faeces followed by sequencing, offer new opportunities to estimate the occurrence of eukaryotes in the human gut by providing data on the entire eukaryotic community, particularly not‐yet‐cultured or fastidious organisms. Further broad surveys of the eukaryotic communities in the gut based on high throughput tools such as next generation sequencing might lead to uncovering the real diversity of these ubiquitous organisms in the human intestinal tract and discovering the unrecognized roles of these eukaryotes in modulating the host immune system and inducing changes in host gut physiology and ecosystem.
Temperature effects on polygraph detection of concealed information
Authors: MacNeill A. Luke , Bradley M. T.
Published: October 2015

Thermoregulatory influences on electrodermal and cardiovascular activity may interfere with the detection of concealed information using a polygraph. This possibility was assessed by means of a mock terrorism scenario. Seventy‐two participants were assigned to either a guilty or an innocent role. They were given a polygraph test at one of three ambient temperatures: 10°C, 22°C, or 34°C. Among guilty participants, electrodermal and cardiovascular measures were least effective at 10°C. Electrodermal results were optimal at 22°C, whereas cardiovascular results were optimal at 34°C. Among innocent participants, the effectiveness of these same measures was not affected by ambient temperature. Temperature had no significant impact on respiration results within the guilty or the innocent groups. Taken together, these findings have implications for those who use polygraphs in uncontrolled testing environments.
The Impact of Individual Health Account Scheme on Lifetime Income Redistribution: Evidence from China
Authors: Gong Guan , Wang Hongmei , Xu Lingli
Published: October 2015

This paper investigates the effects of a combination of individual health accounts (IHAs) and catastrophic insurance on lifetime income redistribution by examining the variations in end‐of‐life IHA balances and lifetime out‐of‐pocket health expenditures. We exploit longitudinal health expenditure data from 2005 to 2007 in Kunshan City, Jiangsu Province of China. We find a high concentration of low IHA balances at the end of life, with most equal to zero. This finding suggests that most IHA balances are used for health expenditures and that the income redistribution effect through the accumulation of IHA balance is limited. However, the results also show a wide variation in lifetime out‐of‐pocket spending in the form of deductibles and coinsurance, which implies serious inequality in individual financial burden that can lead to a large income redistribution effect.
Specific vs Ad Valorem Strategic Export Subsidies with Taxation Distortion
Authors: Hwang Hong , Mai Chao‐Cheng , Yang Ya‐Po
Published: October 2015

This paper employs a model to compare the welfare between optimal specific and ad valorem export subsidies if the subsidy payment is financed by distortional taxation. It is found that the welfare under the specific subsidy regime is higher (lower) than that under the ad valorem subsidy regime if the social cost of taxation distortion is low (high). Moreover, the signs of the two optimal subsidies are also crucially dependent on this social cost. They are positive (negative) if the social cost is low (high).
Competition Among National Football Leagues. Does It Exist? Should We Regulate?
Authors: Rocaboy Yvon
Published: October 2015

It is often supposed that the stakeholders of a national football league draw more satisfaction from their sport if the league is balanced, that is, if a large number of clubs have a reasonable chance of winning. This is the so‐called Competitive balance hypothesis. This hypothesis can be challenged, however, in the context of international competition like the European champions league. It could be that the utility of national leagues' stakeholders would be higher if the probability of victory for their nation's club at the international level were higher. If this were the case, a league's governing body intending to maximize the quality of the national league by making use of redistributive schemes would face a trade‐off between national competitive balance and international performance of the national representative club. We propose a simple microeconomic framework to model this trade‐off. If a non‐cooperative game exists among the national league governing bodies, whether it is a Nash or a Stackelberg one, this game would result in inefficient redistributive policies. We find ‘soft’ empirical evidence of such a competition among the big 5 football leagues in Europe. This result supports the idea of the creation of an international regulatory body. We derive the conditions under which the international regulatory body should ensure that the leagues' governing bodies implement redistributive schemes guaranteeing the respect of the national competitive balance. We also emphasize the risk of experiencing a drop in the quality of leagues if one of them becomes too big relatively to the others, what we call the tragedy of the wealthy.
Locating Gender in Environmental Sociology
Authors: Kennedy Emily Huddart , Dzialo Liz
Published: October 2015

Environmental sociology is premised on the inseparability of humans and nature and involves an analytical focus on the place of power and social inequality in shaping human/nonhuman interactions. Our purpose here is to conduct a broad overview of the place of gender in environmental sociology. We review gender‐relevant scholarship within environmental sociology and argue that to date, critical gender theorizing in the sub‐discipline is relatively undeveloped, as evidenced by theory that examines gender without considering power relations. We argue that this represents a shortcoming that should be addressed by future scholarship. In order to inform future critical gender–environment theorizing, we provide a brief review of ecofeminism and note promising examples of scholarship that takes power and inequality seriously when accounting for phenomena of relevance to women and the environment. It is likely that theorizing at the intersection of gender and the environment will become more prevalent given a growing consensus that social justice and equity are precursors to ecological sustainability; environmental sociologists could be the vanguard of critical gender–environment theory.
Machine vision automated species identification scaled towards production levels
Authors: FAVRET COLIN , SIERACKI JEFFREY M.
Published: October 2015

Computer‐automated identification of insect species has long been sought to support activities such as environmental monitoring, forensics, pest diagnostics, border security and vector epidemiology, to name just a few. In order to succeed, an automated identification programme capable of addressing the needs of the end user should be able to classify hundreds of taxa, if not thousands, and is expected to distinguish closely related and hence morphologically similar species. However, it remains unknown how automated identification methods might handle an increase in data quantity, be it in reference imagery or taxonomic diversity. We sought to test the scalability of an automated identification method in terms of the number of reference specimens used to train the classifier and the number of taxa into which the classifier should assign unknown specimens. Is there an optimal number of reference images, where the cost of acquiring more images becomes greater than the marginal increase in identification success? Does increasing taxonomic diversity affect identification success, whether negatively or positively? In order to test the scalability of the automated insect identification enterprise, we used a sparse processing technique and support vector machine to test the largest dataset to date: 72 species of fruit flies (Diptera: Tephritidae) and 76 species of mosquitoes (Diptera: Culicidae). We found that: (i) machine vision methods are capable of correctly classifying large numbers of closely related species; (ii) when the misclassification of a specimen occurs at the species level, it is often classified in the correct genus; (iii) classification success increases asymptotically as new training images are added to the dataset; (iv) broad taxon sampling outside a focal group can increase classification success within it.
Magmatism at continental passive margins inferred from Ambient‐Noise Phase‐velocity in the Gulf of Aden
Authors: Korostelev Félicie , Leroy Sylvie , Keir Derek , Weemstra Cornelis , Boschi Lapo , Molinari Irene , Ahmed Abdulhakim , Stuart Graham W. , Rolandone Frédérique , Khanbari Khaled , Al‐Lazki Ali
Published: October 2015

Non‐volcanic continental passive margins have traditionally been considered to be tectonically and magmatically inactive once continental breakup has occurred and seafloor spreading has commenced. We use ambient‐noise tomography to constrain Rayleigh‐wave phase‐velocity maps beneath the eastern Gulf of Aden (eastern Yemen and southern Oman). In the crust, we image low velocities beneath the Jiza‐Qamar (Yemen) and Ashawq‐Salalah (Oman) basins, likely caused by the presence of partial melt associated with magmatic plumbing systems beneath the rifted margin. Our results provide strong evidence that magma intrusion persists after breakup, modifying the composition and thermal structure of the continental margin. The coincidence between zones of crustal intrusion and steep gradients in lithospheric thinning, as well as with transform faults, suggests that magmatism post‐breakup may be driven by small‐scale convection and enhanced by edge‐driven flow at the juxtaposition of lithosphere of varying thickness and thermal age.
The association between platelet transfusion and idiopathic pneumonia syndrome is unaffected by platelet product type
Authors: Vande Vusse Lisa K. , Madtes David K. , Bolgiano Douglas , Watkins Timothy R.
Published: October 2015

BACKGROUND

Methods used to produce platelet (PLT) components, pooling of PLT‐rich plasma (PRP‐PLT) and apheresis (AP‐PLT), may variably contribute to the pathogenesis and severity of idiopathic pneumonia syndrome (IPS).

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective cohort study of 906 allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant recipients to examine associations between PLT product type and risks of developing IPS and dying after IPS onset. Proportional hazards models included separate terms for the sum of all PLT transfusions and the sum of PRP‐PLT units received in the 3 or 7 days before IPS onset. Similarly constructed models analyzed the outcome of time to death after IPS onset. All analyses were adjusted for known IPS risk factors.

RESULTS

Patients received a median of three PRP‐PLT transfusions (interquartile range [IQR], 0‐6) and five AP‐PLT transfusions (IQR, 1‐13) while at risk for IPS. Seventy‐five patients (8%) developed IPS by Posttransplant Day 120. The proportion of PRP‐PLT transfusions was not associated with risk of developing IPS (3‐day hazard ratio [HR] 0.98, 95% CI 0.74‐1.29, p = 0.86; 7‐day HR 1.00, 95% CI 0.86‐1.15, p = 0.95) or dying after IPS onset (3‐day HR 0.99, 95% CI 0.75‐1.31, p = 0.97; 7‐day HR 0.98, 95% CI 0.78‐1.12, p = 0.47).

CONCLUSION

The association between PLT transfusions and risk of developing IPS or dying after IPS onset does not differ according to PLT product type. Further research is required to identify potentially modifiable steps in PLT component production that contribute to IPS.
Low-energy scanning electron microscope using a monochromator with double-offset cylindrical lenses
Authors: Ogawa Takashi , Cho Boklae , Ahn Sang Jung
Published: October 2015

The nanoelectronics industry demands continuous improvement in the performance of scanning electron microscopes (SEMs). Extremely low energies of less than 1 keV are required for SEM observations to allow the subsurface and nanoscale information of target specimens to be measured with minimized charge-up and beam damage depths because of the reduced interaction volumes. In this article, the authors propose a new monochromator (MC) structure and investigate its applicability to SEMs operating at such extra-low energies. The proposed MC, which uses double-offset cylindrical lenses, can perform energy filtering in its midsection and form a stigmatic and nonenergy dispersive image at the exit. The energy resolution is expected to be better than 10 meV for a pass energy of 4 keV. The MC has the additional advantage of a simple but robust structure, which is essential for industrial applications. Assuming the use of ideal and high-performance SEM optics, for which the spherical aberration coefficient and the chromatic aberration coefficient are both 1 mm, beam diameters measured in terms of the full width that contains 50% of the beam current (FW50) are calculated at the specimen position. Use of the MC improves the beam diameter dramatically to 4.4 nm, as compared to the diameter of 19.7 nm for the SEM without the MC, at a landing energy of 100 eV. The chromatic aberration contribution also becomes negligible because of the MC. The beneficial effects of the MC with regard to the beam diameter become increasingly prominent at lower landing energies ranging down to 10 eV. A SEM using this MC can generate highly monochromatic (10 meV) electron probe beams with small size (5 nm) and low energy (100 eV), which indicates the additional possibility of a new surface electron microscope that uses phonon signals. Based on this theoretical investigation, the authors conclude that this MC can effectively improve the SEM's performance capabilities in the extra-low-energy region.
Draft Genome Sequences of Burkholderia pseudomallei and Staphylococcus aureus, Isolated from a Patient with Chronic Rhinosinusitis
Authors: Sidjabat Hanna E. , Cottrell Kyra , Cervin Anders
Published: October 2015

Here, we report the draft genome sequences of
Burkholderia pseudomallei
and
Staphylococcus aureus
causing chronic rhinosinusitis. Whole-genome sequencing determined the
B. pseudomallei
as sequence type (ST) 1381 and the
S. aureus
as ST8.
B. pseudomallei
possessed the
bla
OXA-59
gene. This study illustrates the potential emergence of
B. pseudomallei
in cases of chronic rhinosinusitis.
Macronuclear transformation with specific DNA fragments controls the content of the new macronuclear genome in Paramecium tetraurelia.
Authors: You Y , Aufderheide K , Morand J , Rodkey K , Forney J
Published: October 2015

A previously isolated mutant cell line called d48 contains a complete copy of the A surface antigen gene in the micronuclear genome, but the gene is not incorporated into the macronucleus. Previous experiments have shown that a cytoplasmic factor made in the wild-type macronucleus can rescue the mutant. Recently, S. Koizumi and S. Kobayashi (Mol. Cell. Biol. 9:4398-4401, 1989) observed that injection of a plasmid containing the A gene into the d48 macronucleus rescued the cell line after autogamy. It is shown here that an 8.8-kb EcoRI fragment containing only a portion of the A gene coding region is sufficient for the rescue of d48. The inability of other A gene fragments to rescue the mutant shows that this effect is dependent upon specific Paramecium DNA sequences. Rescue results in restoration of the wild-type DNA restriction pattern in the macronucleus. These results are consistent with a model in which the macronuclear A locus normally makes an additional gene product that is required for correct processing of the micronuclear copy of the A gene.
mos gene transforming efficiencies correlate with oocyte maturation and cytostatic factor activities.
Authors: Yew N , Oskarsson M , Daar I , Blair D G , Vande Woude G F
Published: October 2015

The mos proto-oncogenes from different vertebrate species transform mouse NIH 3T3 cells with markedly different efficiencies. v-mos, mouse (c-mosmu), and chicken (c-mosch) mos transform NIH 3T3 cells 10- to 100-fold more efficiently than do human (c-moshu) and Xenopus (c-mosxc) mos. The mos genes with the highest transforming activity efficiently induce maturation in Xenopus oocytes and mimic cytostatic factor (CSF) by causing mitotic cleavage arrest in embryos. Chimeric v-mos/c-moshu proteins that had high transforming efficiencies in NIH 3T3 cells were also effective in the induction of oocyte maturation and CSF cleavage arrest. We measured the in vitro autophosphorylation activities of the different mos proteins and found that the levels of kinase activity of v-mos, c-mosmu, and c-mosch were much higher than that of c-mosxc. These data indicate that mos gene transforming efficiency and the ability to induce oocyte maturation or mimic CSF activity are correlated with in vitro autophosphorylation activity and suggest that the mos protein plays a similar role in transformed cells and normal oocytes.
A mutation in the yeast heat-shock factor gene causes temperature-sensitive defects in both mitochondrial protein import and the cell cycle.
Authors: Smith B J , Yaffe M P
Published: October 2015

Yeast cells containing the recessive mas3 mutation display temperature-sensitive defects in both mitochondrial protein import and the cell division cycle. The import defect is characterized by two pools of mitochondrial precursors and a dramatically slower rate of posttranslational import. The effect of mas3 on cell cycle progression occurs within one cell cycle at the nonpermissive temperature and retards progression through the G2 stage. The mas3 mutation maps to the gene encoding yeast heat-shock transcription factor (HSF), and expression of wild-type HSF complements the temperature-sensitive defects. The mas3 lesion has no apparent effect on protein secretion. In mas3 cells, induction of a major heat-shock gene, SSA1, is defective at 37 degrees C. The properties of the mas3 mutant cells indicate that HSF mediates the response to stress of two basic cellular processes: mitochondrial protein import and cell cycle progression.
Angiotensinogen gene-inducible enhancer-binding protein 1, a member of a new family of large nuclear proteins that recognize nuclear factor kappa B-binding sites through a zinc finger motif.
Authors: Ron D , Brasier A R , Habener J F
Published: October 2015

Transcriptional activation of the rat angiotensinogen gene during the acute-phase response is dependent on a previously characterized acute-phase response element (APRE) that binds at least two types of nuclear proteins: a cytokine-inducible activity indistinguishable from nuclear factor kappa-B (NF kappa B) and a family of C/EBP-like proteins. We screened a rat liver cDNA expression library with a labeled APRE DNA probe and isolated a single clone that encodes a sequence-specific APRE-binding protein. This new protein, the angiotensinogen gene-inducible enhancer-binding protein 1 (AGIE-BP1), is encoded by a large continuous open reading frame and contains a zinc finger motif virtually identical to the DNA-binding domain of a recently described human protein, MBP-1/PRDII-BF1, and a homologous mouse protein, alpha A-CRYBP1. Outside the binding domain, the sequences diverged considerably. Southern blot analysis indicated that AGIE-BP1 and alpha A-CRYBP1 are encoded by separate genes, thus defining a new family of DNA-binding proteins. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays, methylation interference, and DNase I footprint protection assays with the bacterially expressed DNA-binding domain of AGIE-BP1 demonstrated a binding specificity indistinguishable from that of purified NF kappa B. Antiserum raised against the bacterially expressed DNA-binding domain of AGIE-BP1 detected on immunoblots of cellular proteins a large (greater than 250-kDa) nuclear protein. Northern (RNA) blot analysis of RNAs from different rat tissues and cell lines indicated different levels of expression of the large (greater than 10-kb) AGIE-BP1 transcript in different tissues. The potential role of AGIE-BP1 in the regulation of gene expression is discussed.
Significance of C-terminal cysteine modifications to the biological activity of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae a-factor mating pheromone.
Authors: Marcus S , Caldwell G A , Miller D , Xue C B , Naider F , Becker J M
Published: October 2015

We have undertaken total synthesis of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae a-factor (NH2-YIIKGVFWDPAC[S-farnesyl]-COOCH3) and several Cys-12 analogs to determine the significance of S-farnesylation and carboxy-terminal methyl esterification to the biological activity of this lipopeptide mating pheromone. Replacement of either the farnesyl group or the carboxy-terminal methyl ester by a hydrogen atom resulted in marked reduction but not total loss of bioactivity as measured by a variety of assays. Moreover, both the farnesyl and methyl ester groups could be replaced by other substituents to produce biologically active analogs. The bioactivity of a-factor decreased as the number of prenyl units on the cysteine sulfur decreased from three to one, and an a-factor analog having the S-farnesyl group replaced by an S-hexadecanyl group was more active than an S-methyl a-factor analog. Thus, with two types of modifications, a-factor activity increased as the S-alkyl group became bulkier and more hydrophobic. MATa cells having deletions of the a-factor structural genes (mfal1 mfa2 mutants) were capable of mating with either sst2 or wild-type MAT alpha cells in the presence of exogenous a-factor, indicating that it is not absolutely essential for MATa cells to actively produce a-factor in order to mate. Various a-factor analogs were found to partially restore mating to these strains as well, and their relative activities in the mating restoration assay were similar to their activities in the other assays used in this study. Mating was not restored by addition of exogenous a-factor to a cross of a wild-type MAT alpha strain and a MATaste6 mutant, indicating a role of the STE6 gene product in mating in addition to its secretion of a-factor.
A complex regulatory DNA element associated with a major histocompatibility complex class I gene consists of both a silencer and an enhancer.
Authors: Weissman J D , Singer D S
Published: October 2015

A novel regulatory element which contributes to the regulation of quantitative, tissue-specific differences in gene expression has been found between -771 and -676 bp upstream of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I gene, PD1. Molecular dissection of this element reveals the presence of two overlapping functional activities: an enhancer and a silencer. Distinct nuclear factors bind to the overlapping enhancer and silencer DNA sequence elements within the regulatory domain. The levels of factors binding the silencer DNA sequence in different cell types are inversely related to levels of class I expression; in contrast, factors binding the enhancer DNA sequence can be detected in all cells. In cultured cell lines, inhibition of protein synthesis leads to the rapid loss of silencer complexes, with a concomitant increase in both enhancer complexes and MHC class I RNA. From these data, we conclude that a labile silencer factor competes with a constitutively expressed, stable enhancer factor for overlapping DNA-binding sites; the relative abundance of the silencer factor contributes to establishing steady-state levels of MHC class I gene expression.
Characterization of Spi-B, a transcription factor related to the putative oncoprotein Spi-1/PU.1.
Authors: Ray D , Bosselut R , Ghysdael J , Mattei M G , Tavitian A , Moreau-Gachelin F
Published: October 2015

We have cloned a human cDNA from a new gene, spi-B, on the basis of its homology with the DNA-binding domain of the Spi-1/PU.1 putative oncogene product. spi-B codes for a protein of 262 amino acids presenting 43% overall identity with Spi-1. Its highly basic carboxy-terminal region exhibits 34% sequence identity with the DNA-binding domain of the Ets-1 protein. We showed that the Spi-B protein is able to bind the purine-rich sequence (PU box) recognized by Spi-1/PU.1 and to activate transcription of a reporter plasmid containing PU boxes. Chromosome in situ hybridization allowed us to map spi-B to the 19q13.3-19q13.4 region of the human genome. spi-B, like spi-1, was found to be expressed in various murine and human hematopoietic cell lines except T lymphoid cell lines.
Expression of chimeric genes by the light-regulated cabII-1 promoter in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii: a cabII-1/nit1 gene functions as a dominant selectable marker in a nit1- nit2- strain.
Authors: Blankenship J E , Kindle K L
Published: October 2015

In Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, expression of the cabII-1 gene increases dramatically in response to light (cabII-1 encodes one of the light-harvesting chlorophyll a/b-binding proteins of photosystem II). We have used a region upstream of the cabII-1 gene in translational fusions to the bacterial uidA gene (encodes beta-glucuronidase) and transcriptional fusions to the Chlamydomonas nitrate reductase gene (nit1). Chlamydomonas transformants carrying intact copies of the chimeric uidA gene do not express beta-glucuronidase at the level of enzyme activity or mRNA accumulation. Methylation in the cabII-1 promoter region of the introduced gene is extensive in these strains, suggesting that newly introduced foreign genes may be recognized and silenced by a cellular mechanism that is correlated with increased methylation. Transformants that express the chimeric cabII-1/nit1 gene have been recovered. In contrast to the endogenous nit1 gene, the chimeric cabII-1/nit1 gene is expressed in ammonium-containing medium. Moreover, nit1 mRNA accumulation is dramatically stimulated by light, with a time course that is indistinguishable from that of the endogenous cabII-1 gene. The cabII-1/nit1 gene has been used to select transformants in a nit1- nit2- Chlamydomonas strain (CC400G) and should be useful for transformation of the large number of mutants in the Ebersold-Levine lineage, which carry the same mutations.
Inhibition of phorbol ester-induced cellular adhesion by competitive binding of NF-kappa B in vivo.
Authors: Eck S L , Perkins N D , Carr D P , Nabel G J
Published: October 2015

Adhesive interactions between cells are essential for the organization and function of differentiated tissues and organs and are mediated by inducible cell surface glycoproteins. In normal tissues, cell adhesion molecules contribute to immune regulation, inflammation, and embryogenesis. Additionally, they play an important role in a variety of pathogenic processes. Cell adhesion molecule expression can be induced by stimuli known to activate NF-kappa B, a ubiquitous transcription factor found in a variety of cell types. To investigate the role of NF-kappa B in cell adhesion molecule expression, we treated HL-60 cells with a double-stranded oligonucleotide which specifically inhibits NF-kappa B-mediated transcription. This treatment resulted in the inhibition of phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)-induced cellular adhesion, morphological changes, and the expression of leukocyte integrin CD11b. In a similar fashion, expression of intercellular adhesion molecule 1 on human endothelial cells induced by PMA was specifically inhibited by the NF-kappa B antagonist. We suggest that NF-kappa B activation is a necessary event for the PMA-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells and the expression of certain activation is a necessary event for the PMA-induced differentiation of HL-60 cells and the expression of certain adhesion molecules. Furthermore, the inhibition of transcription factor functions by this generally applicable mechanism can be used to define their role in cellular differentiation and function.
A family of human phosphodiesterases homologous to the dunce learning and memory gene product of Drosophila melanogaster are potential targets for antidepressant drugs.
Authors: Bolger G , Michaeli T , Martins T , St John T , Steiner B , Rodgers L , Riggs M , Wigler M , Ferguson K
Published: October 2015

We have isolated cDNAs for four human genes (DPDE1 through DPDE4) closely related to the dnc learning and memory locus of Drosophila melanogaster. The deduced amino acid sequences of the Drosophila and human proteins have considerable homology, extending beyond the putative catalytic region to include two novel, highly conserved, upstream conserved regions (UCR1 and UCR2). The upstream conserved regions are located in the amino-terminal regions of the proteins and appear to be unique to these genes. Polymerase chain reaction analysis suggested that these genes encoded the only homologs of dnc in the human genome. Three of the four genes were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae and shown to encode cyclic AMP-specific phosphodiesterases. The products of the expressed genes displayed the pattern of sensitivity to inhibitors expected for members of the type IV, cyclic AMP-specific class of phosphodiesterases. Each of the four genes demonstrated a distinctive pattern of expression in RNA from human cell lines.