bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First Report of Peach latent mosaic viroid in Peach Trees in Montenegro
Authors: Pleško I. Mavric , Marn M. Viršcek , Miladinovic Z. , Zindovic J.
Published: September 2011

Peach latent mosaic viroid (PLMVd) and Hop stunt viroid (HSVd) are known to infect stone fruit species worldwide. The viroid infection can be latent or induce a variety of disease symptoms. Stone fruit samples were collected in Montenegro for a Plum pox virus (PPV) survey in 2007. Thirteen samples infected with PPV, taken from 12-year-old peach trees (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, cv. Elegant Lady) in the area of Cemovsko field, were tested for the presence of PLMVd and HSVd by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. Mild or severe mosaic, chlorotic rings, and fruit deformations were observed on some trees. Total RNA was extracted from all samples with a RNeasy Plant Mini Kit (Qiagen, Chatsworth, CA) and RT-PCR was performed. Samples were tested for HSVd and PLMVd infection using primer pairs RF-43/RF-44 for PLMVd (1) and VP-19/VP-20 for HSVd (2). Amplification products of approximately 348 bp were obtained from nine samples with PLMVd primers. Amplification products from seven samples were successfully cloned into pGEM-T Easy Vector (Promega, Madison, WI) and used for transformation of Escherichia coli. At least four clones of each sample were sequenced. Obtained sequences were 337 and 338 nucleotides long and shared 90.3 to 100% identity. Consensus sequences of each sample were deposited in GenBank under Accession Nos. JF927892–JF927898. They showed 92.6 to 97.9% identity among each other, 94 to 98% identity with the PLMVd isolate G sequence (Accession No. EF591868) and 91.8 to 94.4% identity with PLMVd sequence M83545. HSVd was not detected in analyzed samples. PLMVd infections were found on peach trees in an area where approximately 40% of the peach production is located. Therefore, PLMVd infections can pose a threat to peach production in Montenegro. To our knowledge this is the first report of PLMVd infection of peach in Montenegro.

References: (1) S. Ambrós et al. J. Virol. 72:7397, 1998. (2) S. A. Kofalvi et al. J. Gen. Virol. 78:3177, 1997.
Colonization of Tomato Seedlings by Bioluminescent Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis Under Different Humidity Regimes
Authors: Xu Xiulan , Rajashekara Gireesh , Paul Pierce A. , Miller Sally A.
Published: September 2011

Tomato bacterial canker, caused by Clavibacter michiganensis subsp. michiganensis, is transmitted by infected or infested seed and mechanically from plant to plant. Wounds occurring during seedling production and crop maintenance facilitate the dissemination of the pathogen. However, the effects of environmental factors on C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis translocation and growth as an endophyte have not been fully elucidated. A virulent, stable, constitutively bioluminescent C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strain BL-Cmm 17 coupled with an in vivo imaging system allowed visualization of the C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis colonization process in tomato seedlings in real time. The dynamics of bacterial infection in seedlings through wounds were compared under low (45%) and high (83%) relative humidity. Bacteria multiplied rapidly in cotyledon petioles remaining after clip inoculation and moved in the stem toward both root and shoot. Luminescent signals were also observed in tomato seedling roots over time, and root development was reduced in inoculated plants maintained under both humidity regimes. Wilting was more severe in seedlings under high-humidity regimes. A strong positive correlation between light intensity and bacterial population in planta suggests that bioluminescent C. michiganensis subsp. michiganensis strains will be useful in evaluating the efficacy of bactericides and host resistance.
The Northwest Passage opens for bowhead whales
Authors: Heide-Jørgensen Mads Peter , Laidre Kristin L. , Quakenbush Lori T. , Citta John J.
Published: September 2011

The loss of Arctic sea ice is predicted to open up the Northwest Passage, shortening shipping routes and facilitating the exchange of marine organisms between the Atlantic and the Pacific oceans. Here, we present the first observations of distribution overlap of bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus) from the two oceans in the Northwest Passage, demonstrating this route is already connecting whales from two populations that have been assumed to be separated by sea ice. Previous satellite tracking has demonstrated that bowhead whales from West Greenland and Alaska enter the ice-infested channels of the Canadian High Arctic during summer. In August 2010, two bowhead whales from West Greenland and Alaska entered the Northwest Passage from opposite directions and spent approximately 10 days in the same area, documenting overlap between the two populations.
Cellular buckling from mode interaction in I-beams under uniform bending
Authors: Wadee M. Ahmer , Gardner Leroy
Published: September 2011

Beams made from thin-walled elements, while very efficient in terms of the structural strength and stiffness to weight ratios, can be susceptible to highly complex instability phenomena. A nonlinear analytical formulation based on variational principles for the ubiquitous I-beam with thin flanges under uniform bending is presented. The resulting system of differential and integral equations are solved using numerical continuation techniques such that the response far into the post-buckling range can be portrayed. The interaction between global lateral-torsional buckling of the beam and local buckling of the flange plate is found to oblige the buckling deformation to localize initially at the beam midspan with subsequent cellular buckling (snaking) being predicted theoretically for the first time. Solutions from the model compare very favourably with a series of classic experiments and some newly conducted tests which also exhibit the predicted sequence of localized followed by cellular buckling.
Pairing dynamics and the origin of species
Authors: Puebla Oscar , Bermingham Eldredge , Guichard Frédéric
Published: September 2011

Whether sexual selection alone can drive the evolution of assortative mating in the presence of gene flow is a long-standing question in evolutionary biology. Here, we report a role for pairing dynamics of individuals when mate choice is mutual, which is sufficient for the evolution of assortative mating by sexual selection alone in the presence of gene flow. Through behavioural observation, individual-based simulation and population genetic analysis, we evaluate the pairing dynamics of coral reef fish in the genusHypoplectrus(Serranidae), and the role these dynamics can play for the evolution of assortative mating. When mate choice is mutual and the stability of mating pairs is critical for reproductive success, the evolution of assortative mating in the presence of gene flow is not only possible, but is also a robust evolutionary outcome.
The seven-pass transmembrane cadherin Flamingo controls dendritic self-avoidance via its binding to a LIM domain protein, Espinas, in Drosophila sensory neurons
Authors: Matsubara Daisuke , Horiuchi Shin-ya , Shimono Kohei , Usui Tadao , Uemura Tadashi
Published: September 2011

Members of the Flamingo cadherin family are required in a number of different in vivo contexts of neural development. Even so, molecular identities downstream from the family have been poorly understood. Here we show that a LIM domain protein, Espinas (Esn), binds to an intracellular juxtamembrane domain of Flamingo (Fmi), and that this Fmi–Esn interplay elicits repulsion between dendritic branches of Drosophila sensory neurons. In wild-type larvae, branches of the same class IV dendritic arborization neuron achieve efficient coverage of its two-dimensional receptive field with minimum overlap with each other. However, this self-avoidance was disrupted in a fmi hypomorphic mutant, in an esn knockout homozygote, and in the fmi/esntrans-heterozygote. A functional fusion protein, Fmi:3eGFP, was localized at most of the branch tips, and in a heterologous system, assembly of Esn at cell contact sites required its LIM domain and Fmi. We further show that genes controlling epithelial planar cell polarity (PCP), such as Van Gogh (Vang) and RhoA, are also necessary for the self-avoidance, and that fmi genetically interacts with these loci. On the basis of these and other results, we propose that the Fmi–Esn complex, together with the PCP regulators and the Tricornered (Trc) signaling pathway, executes the repulsive interaction between isoneuronal dendritic branches.
GSK3 controls axon growth via CLASP-mediated regulation of growth cone microtubules
Authors: Hur Eun-Mi , Saijilafu  , Lee Byoung Dae , Kim Seong-Jin , Xu Wen-Lin , Zhou Feng-Quan
Published: September 2011

Suppression of glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3) activity in neurons yields pleiotropic outcomes, causing both axon growth promotion and inhibition. Previous studies have suggested that specific GSK3 substrates, such as adenomatous polyposis coli (APC) and collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2), support axon growth by regulating the stability of axonal microtubules (MTs), but the substrate(s) and mechanisms conveying axon growth inhibition remain elusive. Here we show that CLIP (cytoplasmic linker protein)-associated protein (CLASP), originally identified as a MT plus end-binding protein, displays both plus end-binding and lattice-binding activities in nerve growth cones, and reveal that the two MT-binding activities regulate axon growth in an opposing manner: The lattice-binding activity mediates axon growth inhibition induced by suppression of GSK3 activity via preventing MT protrusion into the growth cone periphery, whereas the plus end-binding property supports axon extension via stabilizing the growing ends of axonal MTs. We propose a model in which CLASP transduces GSK3 activity levels to differentially control axon growth by coordinating the stability and configuration of growth cone MTs.
Identification of the 7-Hydroxymethyl Chlorophyll a Reductase of the Chlorophyll Cycle in Arabidopsis
Authors: Meguro Miki , Ito Hisashi , Takabayashi Atsushi , Tanaka Ryouichi , Tanaka Ayumi
Published: September 2011

The interconversion of chlorophyll a and chlorophyll b, referred to as the chlorophyll cycle, plays a crucial role in the processes of greening, acclimation to light intensity, and senescence. The chlorophyll cycle consists of three reactions: the conversions of chlorophyll a to chlorophyll b by chlorophyllide a oxygenase, chlorophyll b to 7-hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a by chlorophyll b reductase, and 7-hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a to chlorophyll a by 7-hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a reductase. We identified 7-hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a reductase, which is the last remaining unidentified enzyme of the chlorophyll cycle, from Arabidopsis thaliana by genetic and biochemical methods. Recombinant 7-hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a reductase converted 7-hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a to chlorophyll a using ferredoxin. Both sequence and biochemical analyses showed that 7-hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a reductase contains flavin adenine dinucleotide and an iron-sulfur center. In addition, a phylogenetic analysis elucidated the evolution of 7-hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a reductase from divinyl chlorophyllide vinyl reductase. A mutant lacking 7-hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a reductase was found to accumulate 7-hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a and pheophorbide a. Furthermore, this accumulation of pheophorbide a in the mutant was rescued by the inactivation of the chlorophyll b reductase gene. The downregulation of pheophorbide a oxygenase activity is discussed in relation to 7-hydroxymethyl chlorophyll a accumulation.
PGC‐1α encoded by the PPARGC1A gene regulates oxidative energy metabolism in equine skeletal muscle during exercise
Authors: Eivers S. S. , McGivney B. A. , Gu J. , MacHugh D. E. , Katz L. M. , Hill E. W.
Published: September 2011

Peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐γ coactivator 1α (PGC‐1α) has emerged as a critical control factor in skeletal muscle adaptation to exercise, acting via transcriptional control of genes responsible for angiogenesis, fatty acid oxidation, oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondrial biogenesis and muscle fibre type composition. In a previous study, we demonstrated a significant increase in mRNA expression for the gene encoding PGC‐1α (PPARGC1A) in Thoroughbred horse skeletal muscle following a single bout of endurance exercise. In this study, we investigated mRNA expression changes in genes encoding transcriptional coactivators of PGC‐1α and genes that function upstream and downstream of PGC‐1α in known canonical pathways. We used linear regression to determine the associations between PPARGC1A mRNA expression and expression of the selected panel of genes. Biopsy samples were obtained from the gluteus medius pre‐exercise (T0), immediately post‐exercise (T1) and 4 h post‐exercise (T2). Significant (P < 0.05) expression fold change differences relative to T0 were detected for genes functioning in angiogenesis (ANGP2 and VEGFA); Ca2+‐dependent signalling pathway (PPP3CA); carbohydrate/glucose metabolism (PDK4); fatty acid metabolism/mitochondrial biogenesis (PPPARGC1B); haem biosynthetic process (ALAS1); insulin signalling (FOXO1, PPPARGC1A and SLC2A4); mitogen‐activated protein kinase signalling (MAPK14 and MEF2A); and myogenesis (HDAC9). Gene expression associations were identified between PPARGC1A and genes involved in angiogenesis, mitochondrial respiration, glucose transport, insulin signalling and transcriptional regulation. These results suggest that PGC‐1α and genes regulated by PGC‐1α play significant roles in the skeletal muscle response to exercise and therefore may contribute to performance potential in Thoroughbred horses.
Management of osteonecrosis in children and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Authors: Vora Ajay
Published: September 2011

Osteonecrosis is a disabling complication in children and young adults with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. It can affect any or multiple joints but the hip and knee are most frequently involved and a cause of long‐term disability. The problem is almost exclusively that of older children and young adults of whom over 70% have asymptomatic changes on screening magnetic resonance imaging and 15–20% have resulting symptoms. Dexamethasone is associated with a higher risk than prednisolone in US but not European or UK trials and alternate week scheduling of dexamethasone in the intensification course is associated with a lower risk than a continuous 3‐week schedule in US trials. Genetic factors and obesity contribute to the risk, as do metabolic abnormalities caused by drugs, such as asparaginase, which increase tissue exposure to steroids. Management is primarily supportive but a minority of patients require surgical intervention including replacement of the affected joint. A variety of surgical techniques and, latterly, bisphophonates, have been tried to prevent progression but their efficacy remains uncertain. Whether patients should continue to receive steroids after diagnosis of osteonecrosis is uncertain but most trial investigators recommend stopping them after completion of the intensification phase of treatment.
Orientation strategies during delirium: are they helpful?
Authors: Day Jenny , Higgins Isabel , Keatinge Diana
Published: September 2011

Aim. This paper critiques literature that reports older person experiences of orientation strategies in relation to current recommendations for the management of older person delirium and makes recommendations for future research.

Background. Delirium is a common syndrome in hospitalised older people and a difficult syndrome for health care staff to manage. During delirium, older people describe experiencing altered states of reality and use of orientation strategies as part of their care. Orientation, a non‐pharmacological approach to the management of delirium, is recommended as a care strategy in evidence‐based guidelines and protocols.

Method. Discursive paper.

Discussion. This paper considers published research into the experiences of hospitalised older people during an episode of delirium and questions the appropriateness of orientation strategies. How care strategies are experienced by older people is emphasised. An approach to care which is a flexible balance of reality orientation and validation therapy, synchronised with the changing reality and reactions of the older person, is identified as a care recommendation from research.

Conclusion. When delirium is experienced during hospitalisation, health care staff have a responsibility to provide care that is person‐centred and sensitive to the older person’s needs. It has been assumed that no harm comes from the use of orientation approaches, and delirium management guidelines have recommended this approach. However, orientation strategies can lead to mistrust of, and distancing from, health care staff and family, so impeding their relationships with carers. Care practices that consider the older person to be unique and that synchronise with the older person’s changing experiences of reality are suggested for further research.

Relevance to clinical practice. Caring for an older person in delirium is challenging for health care staff. Reconsideration of, and research into, care strategies during delirium has the potential to improve the quality of care for hospitalised older people.
FADS gene cluster modulates the effect of breastfeeding on asthma. Results from the GINIplus and LISAplus studies
Authors: Standl M. , Sausenthaler S. , Lattka E. , Koletzko S. , Bauer C.‐P. , Wichmann H.‐E. , von Berg A. , Berdel D. , Krämer U. , Schaaf B. , Lehmann I. , Herbarth O. , Klopp N. , Koletzko B. , Heinrich J. ,   for the GINIplus and LISAplus Study Group
Published: September 2011

To cite this article: Standl M, Sausenthaler S, Lattka E, Koletzko S, Bauer C‐P, Wichmann H‐E, von Berg A, Berdel D, Krämer U, Schaaf B, Lehmann I, Herbarth O, Klopp N, Koletzko B, Heinrich J. FADS gene cluster modulates the effect of breastfeeding on asthma. Results from the GINIplus and LISAplus studies. Allergy 2012; 67: 83–90.

Background:  The protective effect of breastfeeding (BF) on the development of asthma has been widely recognized, even if not all results have been consistent. Gene variants of the FADS gene cluster have a major impact on fatty acid composition in blood and in breast milk. Therefore, we evaluated the influence of the FADS1 FADS2 gene cluster polymorphisms on the association between BF and asthma.

Methods:  The analysis was based on data (N = 2245) from two German prospective birth cohort studies. Information on asthma and BF during the first 6 months was collected using questionnaires completed by the parents. Logistic regression modelling was used to analyse the association between exclusive BF and ever having asthma stratified by genotype.

Results:  In the stratified analyses, BF for 3 or 4 months after birth had a protective effect for heterozygous and homozygous carriers of the minor allele (adjusted odds ratio between 0.37 (95% CI: 0.18–0.80) and 0.42 (95% CI: 0.20–0.88). Interaction terms of BF with genotype were significant and ranged from −1.17 (P‐value: 0.015) to −1.33 (0.0066). Moreover, heterozygous and homozygous carriers of the minor allele who were exclusively breastfed for 5 or 6 months after birth had a reduced risk of asthma [0.32 (0.18–0.57) to 0.47 (0.27–0.81)] in the stratified analyses. For individuals carrying the homozygous major allele, BF showed no significant effect on the development of asthma.

Conclusions:  The association between exclusive BF and asthma is modified by the genetic variants of FADS genotypes in children.
Tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib relieves systemic and oral antigen‐induced anaphylaxes in mice
Authors: Yamaki K. , Yoshino S.
Published: September 2011

To cite this article: Yamaki K, Yoshino S. Tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib relieves systemic and oral antigen‐induced anaphylaxes in mice. Allergy 2012; 67: 114–122.

Background:  Systemic and oral antigen‐induced anaphylaxes are mediated by immunoglobulin (Ig) E and mast cells, but there is no satisfactory treatment for the life‐threatening allergic reaction. We investigated the potential of the multitargeted receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor sunitinib to relieve anaphylactic reactions in food allergy and systemic anaphylaxis.

Methods:  Efficacy of oral sunitinib on oral and parenteral antigen‐induced anaphylaxes in Balb/c mice was evaluated. IgE‐dependent degranulation and growth of rat basophilic leukemia RBL2H3 and bone marrow‐derived mast cells (BMMCs) in response to sunitinib were investigated.

Results:  Daily administration of sunitinib throughout antigen challenges prevented oral antigen‐induced anaphylaxis including diarrhea, anaphylactic symptoms, and hypothermia. The mouse mast cell protease (MMCP)‐1 concentration in serum and mast cell number in intestinal tissue after challenge were also decreased by the treatment. Spleen cells from sunitinib‐treated mice contained smaller numbers of antigen‐specific IgG‐producing cells and secreted lower amounts of both Th1 and Th2 cytokines than those of the control mice, whereas the levels of antigen‐specific antibodies in serum were not decreased. The reactions and MMCP‐1 release in oral antigen‐induced anaphylaxis and passive systemic anaphylaxis were attenuated even by a single predose of sunitinib. Degranulation and growth of RBL2H3 cells and BMMCs were greatly reduced by sunitinib.

Conclusion:  These results suggested that sunitinib relieves systemic and oral antigen‐induced anaphylaxes by the prevention of mast cell activation and hyperplasia in intestinal tissue directly and indirectly through an immunosuppressive effect. Sunitinib and its related kinase inhibitors might be potential drugs for the treatment of food allergy and systemic anaphylaxis.
Oral tolerance induction by partially hydrolyzed whey protein in mice is associated with enhanced numbers of Foxp3+ regulatory T‐cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes
Authors: van Esch Betty C. A. M. , Schouten Bastiaan , de Kivit Sander , Hofman Gerard A. , Knippels Léon M. J. , Willemsen Linette E. M. , Garssen Johan
Published: September 2011

To cite this article: van Esch BCAM, Schouten B, de Kivit S, Hofman GA, Knippels LMJ, Willemsen LEM, Garssen J. Oral tolerance induction by partially hydrolyzed whey protein in mice is associated with enhanced numbers of Foxp3+ regulatory T‐cells in the mesenteric lymph nodes. Pediatr Allergy Immunol 2011: 22: 820–826.

Background:  Hypoallergenic formulas are considered a good option for infants at risk for cow’s milk allergy. The aim of this animal study was to investigate whether whey hydrolyzates (WH) have the capacity to induce oral tolerance to whey.

Methods:  Whey, partial or extensive WH was given via gavages to naïve mice prior to oral whey sensitization using cholera toxin as an adjuvant. The acute allergic skin response, mouse mast cell protease‐1 (mMCP‐1), whey‐specific IgE, IgG1 and effector Th2‐cells, Th1‐cells, and Foxp3+ regulatory T‐cells were determined in the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN). MLN cells from tolerized mice were adoptively transferred to naïve recipient mice prior to whey sensitization.

Results:  In contrast to the extensive WH, pre‐treatment of naïve mice with whey or partial WH reduced the acute allergic skin response and mast cell degranulation after whey challenge. However, only treatment with whey prevented the generation of serum‐specific IgE/IgG1. In partial WH tolerized mice, Foxp3+ regulatory T‐cell numbers in the MLN were increased compared to whey‐sensitized mice. Both whey and partial WH treatment showed a tendency toward a decreased number of effector Th2‐cells. Transfer of MLN cells from tolerized mice protected recipient mice from developing an acute allergic skin response.

Conclusion:  These results show that partial WH with limited sensitizing properties reduced the effector response upon whey challenge. This effect is transferable using MLN cells and was associated with enhanced Foxp3+ regulatory T‐cell numbers in the MLN. Partial WH retained the capacity to induce active immune suppression in mice which may be relevant for allergy prevention.
Historical distribution of the oak processionary moth Thaumetopoea processionea in Europe suggests recolonization instead of expansion
Authors: Groenen Frans , Meurisse Nicolas
Published: September 2011

The oak processionary moth Thaumetopoea processionea (Notodontidae) is presently distributed in almost all European countries and in part of the Middle East. In the North, its range limit passes through the Netherlands and Germany, and the southern part of Poland and Ukraine. In the South, the species is present in all the countries located on the northern shore of the Mediterranean Sea, in Anatolia, and in the mountains surrounding the Dead Sea Transform.

Using information from museum and personal collections, the available literature and other relevant datasets, we show that the species was already largely distributed throughout Europe before 1920. The available data do not provide any evidence of any long‐term latitudinal shift of the species betwen 1750 and 2010.

In the northernmost part of its range, the population dynamics of the species is characterized by important fluctuations. We studied their pattern in Belgium, the Netherlands and part of Germany, after the apparent regional disappearance of the species during the first half of the 20th Century. The data suggest a continuous extent of the apparent distribution of the insect between 1970 and 2009, at a rate of approximately 7.5 km per year.

To explain the present distribution of the species, we discuss possible improvements of environmental conditions that could have triggered local population increases and favoured dispersal to adjacent areas. In addition, human activity, including the commercial movements of infested nursery trees, was recently suspected to be another source of spread over geographical barriers.
Abundance of pest and benign Cerambycidae both increase with decreasing forest productivity
Authors: Raje Kapil R. , Abdel‐Moniem Hossam E. M. , Farlee Lenny , Ferris Virginia R. , Holland Jeffrey D.
Published: September 2011

The sustainable use of forest resources requires an understanding of the influence of site conditions and forest health on both pest species and those species providing ecosystem services such as pollination and decomposition.

The beetle family Cerambycidae is diverse and contains both pest and nonpest species, with many species performing such ecosystem services.

We predicted that as hardwood tree productivity decreased, the proportion of pest Cerambycidae present would increase at a site. We used site index as a measure of hardwood tree productivity.

The proportion of species that were pests did not change with productivity because the abundance of both pest and nonpest species increased with declining productivity.

The findings of the present study have implications for both managing pest species and conserving the biodiversity of nonpest species.
Microdot technology for individual marking of small arthropods
Authors: Whitehead Michael R. , Peakall Rod
Published: September 2011

Individual mark–release–recapture is an important method for gathering data on insect movement, although it is limited by the constraints of tagging small insects with individual information.

Microdots, originally developed for covert security applications, are small polymer discs (diameter 0.5 mm) bearing up to 26 characters of information and have the potential as an alternative to the larger bee tags. In the present study, we test microdots for the individual marking of a 9‐mm parasitoid wasp.

We individually marked 505 wasps. The recapture rate was 24% of individuals over 189 recapture events, for which 84% retained legible microdot labels. Movement was in the range 0–161 m with a mean displacement 21.2 ± 2.7 m. A captive survival experiment showed no difference in lifespan between marked and unmarked wasps.

The present study shows that microdots can provide an effective, durable, low‐cost method for individually tagging small insects. The technique offers new opportunities by greatly expanding the capability for individually marking small insects, shifting the minimum size below that of bee tags, which is the only other manufactured option for individualized miniature marking.
Exploring the Link Between Caregiver Affect and Adolescent Sexual Behavior: Does Neighborhood Disadvantage Matter?
Authors: Gardner Margo , Martin, Anne , Brooks‐Gunn Jeanne
Published: September 2011

In a sample of urban youth (N = 1,070), we examined the links between primary caregiver affect (i.e., warmth and hostility) and two measures of sexual behavior in adolescence—early sexual initiation and sex with multiple partners. We also examined the extent to which neighborhood disadvantage moderated associations between caregiver affect and adolescent sexual behavior. We found that caregiver hostility was positively associated with early sex and sex with multiple partners in neighborhoods characterized by high levels of disadvantage, but inversely associated with both sex outcomes in neighborhoods characterized by low levels of disadvantage. Caregiver warmth, on the other hand, was inversely associated with early sexual initiation and sex with multiple partners in all neighborhoods, regardless of neighborhood disadvantage.
Adolescent Behavioral, Emotional, and Cognitive Engagement Trajectories in School and Their Differential Relations to Educational Success
Authors: Wang Ming‐Te , Eccles Jacquelynne S.
Published: September 2011

The current study used a multidimensional approach to examine developmental trajectories of three dimension of school engagement (school participation, sense of school belonging, and self‐regulated learning) from grades 7 to 11 and their relationships to changes in adolescents’ academic outcomes over time. The sample includes 1,148 African American and European American adolescents (52% females, 56% black, 34% white, and 10% others). As expected, the downward trajectories of change in school participation, sense of belonging to school, and self‐regulated learning differed as did their predictive relationships with academic performance and educational aspiration, with school belonging declining most markedly, but being least predictive of changes in grade point average.
Focal Common Carotid Artery Intramural Hematoma
Authors: Viaccoz Aurélien , Perren Fabienne
Published: September 2011

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Isolated focal common carotid artery dissection is a rare condition.

CASE REPORT

A 43‐year‐old healthy woman suffered for the first time from a transient episode of word‐finding difficulties, which was associated with her typical migraine headaches. A month prior to this event she had suffered from a minor whiplash injury. On routine work‐up we found an isolated focal left common carotid mural hematoma and tiny acute left posterior watershed lesions on diffusion weighted images.

CONCLUSION

Focal isolated common carotid artery dissection is a rare condition not to be overlooked. This case presents an incidental finding possibly of traumatic nature. In the presence of concomitant migraine its causal embolic relation to the transient word‐finding difficulties must remain open.
Androgen levels are associated with blood pressure in pregnant women after term
Authors: CARLSEN SVEN M. , HEIMSTAD RUNA
Published: September 2011

Objective. To assess possible associations between androgen, estrogen and insulin levels and blood pressure in pregnant women after term, compared with the effect of other well‐known factors. Design. Cross‐sectional retrospective study. Setting. University Hospital, Trondheim region. Population. Four hundred and eighty‐nine post‐term women with uncomplicated pregnancies. Methods. Blood pressure measurements and fasting serum samples drawn one week beyond the estimated day of delivery (defined as 41+2weeks). Main Outcome Measures. Blood pressure, maternal age, body mass index, parity, smoking habits and serum levels of dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, androstendione, free testosterone index, estradiol, estriol, progesterone, 17‐hydroxy‐progesterone and insulin. Results. In univariate linear regression analyses, body mass index, androstendione, free testosterone index and insulin were positively associated and parity was negatively associated with both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. In multivariate linear regression analyses, systolic blood pressure was positively associated with body mass index and free testosterone index, but negatively associated with parity and 17‐hydroxy‐progesterone levels, while diastolic blood pressure was positively associated with age and free testosterone index, but negatively associated with parity and 17‐hydroxy‐progesterone levels. Conclusion. Testosterone may increase blood pressure in pregnant women, while 17‐hydroxy‐progesterone may have the opposite effect.
Expression of odontogenic ameloblast‐associated protein, amelotin, ameloblastin, and amelogenin in odontogenic tumors: immunohistochemical analysis and pathogenetic considerations
Authors: Crivelini Marcelo Macedo , Felipini Renata Callestini , Miyahara Glauco Issamu , de Sousa Suzana Cantanhede Orsini Machado
Published: September 2011

J Oral Pathol Med (2012) 41: 272–280

Screening for expression of amelogenesis‐related proteins represents a powerful molecular approach to characterize odontogenic tumors and investigate their pathogenesis. In this study, we have examined the presence and distribution of odontogenic ameloblast‐associated protein (ODAM), amelotin (AMTN), ameloblastin (AMBN), and amelogenin (AMEL) by immunohistochemistry in samples of adenomatoid odontogenic tumor (AOT), calcifying epithelial odontogenic tumor (CEOT), developing odontoma, ameloblastoma, calcifying cystic odontogenic tumor (CCOT), ameloblastic fibroma (AF), myxoma, odontogenic fibroma (OF), and reduced enamel epithelia (REE). Positive results were obtained in those tumors with epithelial component, except for AF, OF, and ameloblastoma. ODAM was found around mineralized structures (dystrophic calcifications) and CEOT’s amyloid, whereas AMTN stained the eosinophilic material of AOTs. The CCOT transitory cells to ghost cells were strongly positive with all proteins except AMEL, and the REE as well as odontomas showed immunoexpression for ODAM, AMTN, AMBN, and AMEL similar to those found in normal rat tooth germs. Based on these results, some histopathogenetic theories were formulated.
Warty dyskeratoma/focal acantholytic dyskeratosis – an update on a rare oral lesion
Authors: Allon Irit , Buchner Amos
Published: September 2011

J Oral Pathol Med (2012) 41: 261–267

Background:  Warty dyskeratoma (WD) is an uncommon lesion of the skin that is considered to be associated with the pilosebaceous apparatus. Histologically similar lesions have been described in the oral region mainly by case reports and under the terms ‘WD’ or ‘focal acantholytic dyskeratosis (FAD)’. Owing to the paucity of reports, many aspects of the oral lesions remain unclear. The purpose of this study is to report a new case in an extremely rare location, the buccal mucosa, and to present a comprehensive updated review and analysis of the literature.

Methods:  We reviewed all cases of oral lesions that were diagnosed as WD and FAD and analyzed them according to their clinical and pathologic features.

Results:  The search yielded only 41 cases. The lesions usually appeared as asymptomatic, solitary, white nodules, papules, or patches on bone‐bound mucosa. They occasionally had a rough surface and depressed center. The lesions were most common in the fifth to seventh decades. Use of tobacco appeared to be the most prevalent predisposing factor. The histopathological differential diagnosis of the lesion included acantholytic squamous cell carcinoma, keratoacanthoma, and Darier’s disease.

Conclusion:  Warty dyskeratoma/FAD are uncommon oral lesions which are not encountered in the daily practice of oral pathologists. The absence of an association of oral lesions with the pilosebaceous apparatus suggests that they are probably distinctly different from cutaneous ones. As such, we suggest the histologic term isolated FAD for oral lesions, rather than WD.
The right relevé in the right vegetation unit: a new typicality index to reproduce expert judgement with an automatic classification programme
Authors: Gégout Jean‐Claude , Coudun Christophe
Published: September 2011

Question

How to classify forest vegetation relevés automatically in the traditional phytosociological system and thus distinguish typical relevés – easier to classify – from relevés with non‐diagnostic species and intermediate relevés?

Material

A data set of 11 324 forest vegetation relevés, including 4880 relevés classified a priori by experts in phytosociology down to the association level (100 associations in 30 alliances and ten classes, covering all forest vegetation and environmental conditions encountered in France).

Methods

A new typicality index was formalized to quantify the probability of automatically classifying a given relevé in the same vegetation unit as would do an expert in phytosociology. Computation of the typicality index is based on two parameters: a level of affinity linked to the number of diagnostic species of the vegetation unit present in the relevé, and a level of differentiation that is greater when the risk of confusion in classification of the relevé between different units is smaller.

Results

The automatic classification was identical to expert judgement for 60% of the 4080 calibration relevés. The typicality index isolated atypical relevés that are more difficult to classify. The model was successfully transferred to classify an independent data set of 6444 relevés from the French National Forest Inventory performed in 2008 and to distinguish 1114 (17%) typical relevés of phytosociological associations.

Conclusions

Interest in this new typicality index is manifold. It is: (1) operational for the current phytosociological system that forms the basis of the Natura 2000 system; (2) easy to implement from characteristics of species and communities; and (3) based on criteria of uncertainty used by phytosociological experts. This study establishes a clear bridge between recent works on collecting, storing and analysing vegetation relevés, on one hand, and the traditional phytosociological approach, on the other. It should trigger further studies on the spatial and temporal distribution of European habitats.
The use of a portable, wearable form of pulsed radio frequency electromagnetic energy device for the healing of recalcitrant ulcers: a case report
Authors: Rawe Ian M , Vlahovic Tracey C
Published: September 2011

Pulsed radio frequency energy (PRFE) has successfully been used to treat diabetic and venous stasis ulcers. In this case report, a lightweight wearable form of a PFRE device was evaluated and used to treat three diabetic foot ulcers and one venous stasis ulcer. The ulcers were present on the four patients for more than 3 months and had failed to heal after conventional treatment. A lightweight battery‐powered, wearable form of PRFE device was introduced as a treatment and used 6–8 hours per day for a period of 6 weeks. All patients after 1 week of therapy showed improvement and wound size was seen to decrease. Patient 1 had a venous stasis ulcer, and reported significant pain relief after 2 weeks treatment. Patients 2 and 3 achieved complete healing after 3 weeks treatment, and patients 1 and 4 had a 95% and 88% reduction in wound size, respectively, after the 6‐week study period. Both these patients continued to complete healing using the PRFE device after the 6‐week study period. PRFE treatment delivered in the form of a wearable lightweight patch appears to offer promise in the treatment of recalcitrant chronic wounds.
The Neuroprotective Effect of a Specific P2X7 Receptor Antagonist Derives from its Ability to Inhibit Assembly of the NLRP3 Inflammasome in Glial Cells
Authors: Murphy Niamh , Cowley Thelma R. , Richardson Jill C. , Virley David , Upton Neil , Walter Daryl , Lynch Marina A.
Published: September 2011

Release of interleukin (IL)‐1β from immunocompetent cells requires formation of the NACHT, LLR and PYD domains‐containing protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and caspase 1 activation. Adenosine 5′‐triphosphate (ATP), acting on the P2X7 receptor, is one factor that stimulates inflammasome assembly. We show that a novel specific P2X7 receptor antagonist, GSK1370319A, inhibits ATP‐induced increase in IL‐1β release and caspase 1 activation in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐primed mixed glia by blocking assembly of the inflammasome in a pannexin 1‐dependent manner. GSK1370319A also inhibits ATP‐induced subregion‐specific neuronal loss in hippocampal organotypic slice cultures, which is dependent on its ability to prevent inflammasome assembly in glia. Significantly, GSK1370319A attenuates age‐related deficits in long‐term potentiation (LTP) and inhibits the accompanying age‐related caspase 1 activity. We conclude that inhibiting P2X7 receptor‐activated NLRP3 inflammasome formation and the consequent IL‐1β release from glia preserve neuronal viability and synaptic activity.
Efficacy and safety of methotrexate in articular and cutaneous manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus
Authors: ISLAM Md. Nazrul , HOSSAIN Mohsin , HAQ Syed A. , ALAM Mohammad N. , TEN KLOOSTER Peter M. , RASKER Johannes J.
Published: September 2011

Aim:  A prospective open‐label study comparing the efficacy and safety of methotrexate (MTX) and chloroquine (CQ) in articular and cutaneous manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods:  Consecutive SLE patients were randomly assigned to either 10 mg MTX weekly or 150 mg CQ daily during 24 weeks. Outcome measures were: numbers of swollen and tender joints, duration of morning stiffness, visual analog scale (VAS) for articular pain, physician global assessment index, patient global assessment index, SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), disappearance of skin rash and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR).

Results:  Forty‐one patients consented to participate, 15 were allocated in the MTX group and 26 in the CQ group. Two patients on MTX dropped out due to side‐effects and two in the CQ group, one due to side‐effects and one due to inefficacy. Baseline demographic, clinical and laboratory parameters of the two groups were nearly identical. In both groups the clinical and laboratory parameters improved significantly over 24 weeks, except the ESR in the MTX group. The results of the outcome measures at the end of the trial did not differ significantly between the two groups, except morning stiffness (P < 0.05 in favor of the MTX group) and ESR (P < 0.01 in favor of the CQ group). Rise of serum alanine aminotransferase was observed in two cases in the MTX group and in none in the CQ group.

Conclusion:  Low‐dose MTX appears to be as effective as CQ in patients with articular and cutaneous manifestations of SLE, having an acceptable toxicity profile. Results of this prospective study need to be confirmed in a larger study.
A Novel Multifunctional Energy System for CO2 Removal by Solar Reforming of Natural Gas
Authors: Han Wei , Jin Hongguang , Lin Rumou
Published: September 2011

In this paper, a novel multifunctional energy system (MES) fueled by natural gas and solar radiation is proposed. In this MES, hydrogen and electricity are cogenerated and approximately 92% of CO2 derived from natural gas is removed. The solar concentrated process provides high-temperature thermal energy to the methane/steam reforming reaction. The resulting syngas enters a pressure swing adsorption unit to separate approximately 80% of hydrogen. This process significantly increases the concentration of carbon dioxide in syngas from nearly 19% to 49%, which decreases energy consumption in CO2 removal. As a result, the overall power efficiency of the new system becomes about 39.2%. Compared to a conventional natural gas-based hydrogen plant with CO2 removal and a concentrated solar power tower plant, the overall power efficiency of the new system is increased by 7.9 percentage points. Based on the graphical exergy analysis, the integration of synthetic utilization of natural gas and solar radiation, combination of the hydrogen production plant and power plant, and integration of the energy utilization processes and CO2 separation were found to play significant roles to improve thermodynamic performance. The result obtained here provides a new approach for highly efficient use of solar radiation by hybrid natural gas.
Teriparatide as a Chondroregenerative Therapy for Injury-Induced Osteoarthritis
Authors: Sampson Erik R. , Hilton Matthew J. , Tian Ye , Chen Di , Schwarz Edward M. , Mooney Robert A. , Bukata Susan V. , O’Keefe Regis J. , Awad Hani , Puzas J. Edward , Rosier Randy N. , Zuscik Michael J.
Published: September 2011

Teriparatide is chondroprotective and chondroregenerative in a mouse model of injury-induced osteoarthritis of the knee.
Academic Medical Centers: Ripe for Rapid-Learning Personalized Health Care
Authors: Ginsburg Geoffrey S. , Staples Judd , Abernethy Amy P.
Published: September 2011

Academic medical centers must play a central role in unleashing the potential of personalized health care.
A Plasmablast Biomarker for Nonresponse to Antibody Therapy to CD20 in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Authors: Owczarczyk Kasia , Lal Preeti , Abbas Alexander R. , Wolslegel Kristen , Holweg Cecile T. J. , Dummer Wolfgang , Kelman Ariella , Brunetta Paul , Lewin-Koh Nicholas , Sorani Marco , Leong Diane , Fielder Paul , Yocum David , Ho Carole , Ortmann Ward , Townsend Michael J. , Behrens Timothy W.
Published: September 2011

Plasmablast biomarkers predict whether rheumatoid arthritis patients will respond to therapeutic antibodies to CD20.
Next-Generation Sequencing Reveals HIV-1-Mediated Suppression of T Cell Activation and RNA Processing and Regulation of Noncoding RNA Expression in a CD4
+
T Cell Line
Authors: Chang Stewart T. , Sova Pavel , Peng Xinxia , Weiss Jeffrey , Law G. Lynn , Palermo Robert E. , Katze Michael G.
Published: September 2011

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) enables the highly sensitive measurement of whole transcriptomes. We report the first application to our knowledge of this technology to the analysis of RNA from a CD4
+
T cell line infected with intact HIV. We sequenced the total mRNA from infected cells and detected differences in the expression of both host and viral mRNA. Viral reads represented a large portion of the total mapped sequencing reads: approximately 20% at 12 h postinfection (hpi) and 40% at 24 hpi. We also detected a small but significant suppression of T cell activation-related genes at 12 hpi. This suppression persisted and expanded by 24 hpi, providing new possible markers of virus-induced T cell cytopathology. By 24 hpi, the expression of over 50% of detectable host loci was also altered, indicating widespread alteration of host processes, including RNA processing, splicing, and transport to an extent not previously reported. In addition, next-generation sequencing provided insights into alternative viral RNA splice events and the expression of noncoding RNAs, including microRNA host genes.

IMPORTANCE
Recent advances in sequencing technology now allow the measurement of effectively all the RNA in a cell. This approach is especially useful for studying models of virus infection, as it allows the simultaneous measurement of both host and viral RNA. Using next-generation sequencing (NGS), we measured changes in total mRNA from a HIV-infected T cell line. To our knowledge, this is the first application of this technology to the investigation of HIV-host interactions involving intact HIV. We directly measured the amount of viral mRNA in infected cells and detected novel viral RNA splice variants and changes in the host expression of noncoding RNA species. We also detected small changes in T cell activation and other host processes during the early stages of viral replication that increased near the peak of viral replication, providing new candidate biomarkers of T cell death.