bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What do we mean by our community?
Authors: Partington Kevin
Published: September 2005

For several decades, the disability movement has been working towards what has been variously termed community living, getting an ordinary life, community participation and inclusion. Presented as a major paradigm shift to community membership, the essential and overarching aim has been to create a community where people with disabilities and their families are fully accepted and afforded the same opportunities for participation as non-disabled people. However, the full integration of people with disabilities remains an unrealized ideal. This article suggests that the concept of social capital has the potential to generate improvements in health, education, community care, community regeneration and employment. However, the fundamental opportunities to accumulate social capital for the intellectually disabled are considerable and their existing contributions are often undervalued. Furthermore, as the concept permeates into sociological and political discourse in the UK, its potential to generate further structural inequalities needs to be acknowledged.
Proangiogenic stimulation of bone marrow endothelium engages mTOR and is inhibited by simultaneous blockade of mTOR and NF-κB
Authors: Costa Lara F. , Balcells Mercedes , Edelman Elazer R. , Nadler Lee M. , Cardoso Angelo A.
Published: September 2005

Most bone marrow (BM) malignancies develop in association with an angiogenic phenotype and increased numbers of endothelial cells. The molecular mechanisms involved in the modulation and recruitment of BM endothelium are largely unknown and may provide novel therapeutic targets for neoplastic diseases. We observed that angiogenic stimulation of BM endothelial cells activates mTOR and engages its downstream pathways 4E-BP1 and S6K1, which are inhibited by the mTOR-specific blockers rapamycin and CCI-779. Both mTOR blockers significantly inhibit growth factor- and leukemia-induced proliferation of BM endothelium by inducing G0/G1 cell-cycle arrest. This effect is associated with down-regulation of cyclin D1 and cdk2 phosphorylation, and up-regulation of the cdk inhibitors p27kip1 and p21cip1. Under conditions that reproduce the biomechanical fluidic environment of the BM, CCI-779 is equally effective in inhibiting BM endothelial-cell proliferation. Finally, simultaneous blockade of mTOR and NF-κB pathways synergize to significantly inhibit or abrogate the proliferative responses of BM endothelial cells to mitogenic stimuli. This study identifies mTOR as an important pathway for the proangiogenic stimulation of BM endothelium. Modulation of this pathway may serve as a valid therapeutic intervention in BM malignancies evolving in association with an angiogenic phenotype.
Generalizations of Markov model to characterize biological sequences
Authors: Wang Junwen , Hannenhalli Sridhar
Published: September 2005

Background

The currently usedkthorder Markov models estimate the probability of generating asinglenucleotide conditional upon the immediately preceding (gap= 0)kunits. However, this neither takes into account the joint dependency ofmultipleneighboring nucleotides, nor does it consider the long range dependency withgap>0.

Result

We describe a configurable tool to explore generalizations of the standard Markov model. We evaluated whether the sequence classification accuracy can be improved by using an alternative set of model parameters. The evaluation was done on four classes of biological sequences – CpG-poor promoters, all promoters, exons and nucleosome positioning sequences. Using di- and tri-nucleotide as the model unit significantly improved the sequence classification accuracy relative to the standard single nucleotide model. In the case of nucleosome positioning sequences, optimal accuracy was achieved at agaplength of 4. Furthermore in the plot of classification accuracy versus the gap, a periodicity of 10–11 bps was observed which might indicate structural preferences in the nucleosome positioning sequence. The tool is implemented in Java and is available for download atftp://ftp.pcbi.upenn.edu/GMM/.

Conclusion

Markov modeling is an important component of many sequence analysis tools. We have extended the standard Markov model to incorporate joint and long range dependencies between the sequence elements. The proposed generalizations of the Markov model are likely to improve the overall accuracy of sequence analysis tools.
No evidence for the association of DRD4 with ADHD in a Taiwanese population within-family study
Authors: Brookes Keeley-Joanne , Xu Xiaohui , Chen Chih-Ken , Huang Yu-Shu , Wu Yu-Yu , Asherson Philip
Published: September 2005

Background

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent and highly heritable childhood disorder. The dopamine D4 receptor (DRD4) gene has shown a genetic association with ADHD in Caucasian populations with meta-analysis indicating a small but significant effect across datasets. It remains uncertain whether this association can be generalised to non-Caucasian ethnic groups. Here we investigate two markers within the DRD4 gene in a Taiwanese population, the exon 3 variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) and a 5' 120 base-pair duplication.

Methods

Within-family transmission disequilibrium tests of association of the 5' 120 base-pair duplication, and exon 3 VNTR in a Taiwanese population.

Results

No evidence of association of ADHD with either polymorphism in this population was observed.

Conclusion

The DRD4 gene markers investigated were not found to be associated with ADHD in this Taiwanese sample. Further work in Taiwanese and other Asian populations will therefore be required to establish whether the reports of association of DRD4 genetic variants in Caucasian samples can be generalised to Asian populations.
Equal antipyretic effectiveness of oral and rectal acetaminophen: a randomized controlled trial [ISRCTN11886401]
Authors: Nabulsi Mona , Tamim Hala , Sabra Ramzi , Mahfoud Ziyad , Malaeb Shadi , Fakih Hadi , Mikati Mohammad
Published: September 2005

Background

The antipyretic effectiveness of rectal versus oral acetaminophen is not well established. This study is designed to compare the antipyretic effectiveness of two rectal acetaminophen doses (15 mg/kg) and (35 mg/kg), to the standard oral dose of 15 mg/kg.

Methods

This is a randomized, double-dummy, double-blind study of 51 febrile children, receiving one of three regimens of a single acetaminophen dose: 15 mg/kg orally, 15 mg/kg rectally, or 35 mg/kg rectally. Rectal temperature was monitored at baseline and hourly for a total of six hours. The primary outcome of the study, time to maximum antipyresis, and the secondary outcome of time to temperature reduction by at least 1°C were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Two-way ANOVA with repeated measures over time was used to compare the secondary outcome: change in temperature from baseline at times1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6 hours among the three groups. Intent-to-treat analysis was planned.

Results

No significant differences were found among the three groups in the time to maximum antipyresis (overall mean = 3.6 hours; 95% CI: 3.2–4.0), time to fever reduction by 1°C or the mean hourly temperature from baseline to 6 hours following dose administration. Hypothermia (temperature < 36.5°C) occurred in 11(21.6%) subjects, with the highest proportion being in the rectal high-dose group.

Conclusion

Standard (15 mg/kg) oral, (15 mg/kg) rectal, and high-dose (35 mg/kg) rectal acetaminophen have similar antipyretic effectiveness.
Ensuring safety of DNA vaccines
Authors: Glenting Jacob , Wessels Stephen
Published: September 2005

In 1990 a new approach for vaccination was invented involving injection of plasmid DNA in vivo, which elicits an immune response to the encoded protein. DNA vaccination can overcome most disadvantages of conventional vaccine strategies and has potential for vaccines of the future. However, today 15 years on, a commercial product still has not reached the market. One possible explanation could be the technique's failure to induce an efficient immune response in humans, but safety may also be a fundamental issue. This review focuses on the safety of the genetic elements of DNA vaccines and on the safety of the microbial host for the production of plasmid DNA. We also propose candidates for the vaccine's genetic elements and for its microbial production host that can heighten the vaccine's safety and facilitate its entry to the market.
Mining for diagnostic information in body surface potential maps: A comparison of feature selection techniques
Authors: Finlay Dewar D , Nugent Chris D , McCullagh Paul J , Black Norman D
Published: September 2005

Background

In body surface potential mapping, increased spatial sampling is used to allow more accurate detection of a cardiac abnormality. Although diagnostically superior to more conventional electrocardiographic techniques, the perceived complexity of the Body Surface Potential Map (BSPM) acquisition process has prohibited its acceptance in clinical practice. For this reason there is an interest in striking a compromise between the minimum number of electrocardiographic recording sites required to sample the maximum electrocardiographic information.

Methods

In the current study, several techniques widely used in the domains of data mining and knowledge discovery have been employed to mine for diagnostic information in 192 lead BSPMs. In particular, the Single Variable Classifier (SVC) based filter and Sequential Forward Selection (SFS) based wrapper approaches to feature selection have been implemented and evaluated. Using a set of recordings from 116 subjects, the diagnostic ability of subsets of 3, 6, 9, 12, 24 and 32 electrocardiographic recording sites have been evaluated based on their ability to correctly asses the presence or absence of Myocardial Infarction (MI).

Results

It was observed that the wrapper approach, using sequential forward selection and a 5 nearest neighbour classifier, was capable of choosing a set of 24 recording sites that could correctly classify 82.8% of BSPMs. Although the filter method performed slightly less favourably, the performance was comparable with a classification accuracy of 79.3%. In addition, experiments were conducted to show how (a) features chosen using the wrapper approach were specific to the classifier used in the selection model, and (b) lead subsets chosen were not necessarily unique.

Conclusion

It was concluded that both the filter and wrapper approaches adopted were suitable for guiding the choice of recording sites useful for determining the presence of MI. It should be noted however that in this study recording sites have been suggested on their ability to detect disease and such sites may not be optimal for estimating body surface potential distributions.
What parameters affect left ventricular diastolic flow propagation velocity? in vitro studies using color m-mode doppler echocardiography
Authors: Ogawa Toshihiro , Scotten Lawrence N , Walker David K , Yoganathan Ajit P , Bess Renee L , Nordstrom Cheryl K , Gardin Julius M
Published: September 2005

Background

Insufficient data describe the relationship of hemodynamic parameters to left ventricular (LV) diastolic flow propagation velocity (Vp) measured using color M-mode Doppler echocardiography.

Methods

An in vitro LV model used to simulate LV diastolic inflow with Vp measured under conditions of varying: 1) Stroke volume, 2) heart rate (HR), 3) LV volume, 4) LV compliance, and 5) transmitral flow (TMF) waveforms (Type 1: constant low diastasis flow and Type 2: no diastasis flow).

Results

Univariate analysis revealed excellent correlations of Vp with stroke volume (r = 0.98), LV compliance (r = 0.94), and HR with Type 1 TMF (r = 0.97). However, with Type 2 TMF, HR was not associated with Vp. LV volume was not related to Vp under low compliance, but inversely related to Vp under high compliance conditions (r = -0.56).

Conclusion

These in vitro findings may help elucidate the relationship of hemodynamic parameters to early diastolic LV filling.
Peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD) is a mouse cortical granule protein that plays a role in preimplantation embryonic development
Authors: Liu Min , Oh Andrea , Calarco Patricia , Yamada Michiyuki , Coonrod Scott A , Talbot Prue
Published: September 2005

Background

While mammalian cortical granules are important in fertilization, their biochemical composition and functions are not fully understood. We previously showed that the ABL2 antibody, made against zona free mouse blastocysts, binds to a 75-kDa cortical granule protein (p75) present in a subpopulation of mouse cortical granules. The purpose of this study was to identify and characterize p75, examine its distribution in unfertilized oocytes and preimplantation embryos, and investigate its biological role in fertilization.

Results

To identify p75, the protein was immunoprecipitated from ovarian lysates with the ABL2 antibody and analyzed by tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS). A partial amino acid sequence (VLIGGSFY) was obtained, searched against the NCBI nonredundant database using two independent programs, and matched to mouse peptidylarginine deiminase (PAD). When PAD antibody was used to probe western blots of p75, the antibody detected a single protein band with a molecular weight of 75 kDa, confirming our mass spectrometric identification of p75. Immunohistochemistry demonstrated that PAD was present in the cortical granules of unfertilized oocytes and was released from activated and in vivo fertilized oocytes. After its release, PAD was observed in the perivitelline space, and some PAD remained associated with the oolemma and blastomeres' plasma membranes as a peripheral membrane protein until the blastocyst stage of development. In vitro treatment of 2-cell embryos with the ABL2 antibody or a PAD specific antibody retarded preimplantation development, suggesting that cortical granule PAD plays a role after its release in preimplantation cleavage and early embryonic development.

Conclusion

Our data showed that PAD is present in the cortical granules of mouse oocytes, is released extracellularly during the cortical reaction, and remains associated with the blastomeres' surfaces as a peripheral membrane protein until the blastocyst stage of development. Our in vitro study supports the idea that extracellular PAD functions in preimplantation development.
Perceived environment and physical activity: a meta-analysis of selected environmental characteristics
Authors: Duncan Mitch J , Spence John C , Mummery W Kerry
Published: September 2005

Background

Several narrative reviews have been conducted on the literature examining environmental correlates of physical activity (PA). To date these reviews have been unable to provide definitive summaries of observed associations. This study utilizes meta-analytical techniques to calculate summaries of associations between selected environmental characteristics and PA.

Methods

Published studies were identified from electronic databases and searches of personal files. Studies were examined to determine the environmental constructs most frequently studied. Included studies (N = 16) examined at least one identified construct and determined associations between perceived environmental constructs and PA using logistic regression. Data were analyzed separately for crude and adjusted ORs using general-variance based fixed effect models.

Results

No significant associations emerged between environmental characteristics and PA using crude OR. The perceived presence of PA facilities (OR 1.20, 95% 1.06–1.34), sidewalks (OR 1.23, 95% 1.13–1.32), shops and services (OR 1.30, 95% 1.14–1.46) and perceiving traffic not to be a problem (OR 1.22, 95% 1.08–1.37) were positively associated with activity using adjusted ORs. Variance in PA accounted for by significant associations ranged from 4% (heavy traffic not a problem) to 7% (presence of shops and services).

Conclusion

Results of the meta-analysis support the relevance of perceived environmental characteristics for understanding population PA. These results should encourage the use of comprehensive ecological models that incorporate variables beyond basic demographic information.
Phobic memory and somatic vulnerabilities in anorexia nervosa: a necessary unity?
Authors: Myslobodsky Michael
Published: September 2005

Anorexia nervosa is a clinically significant illness that may be associated with permanent medical complications involving almost every organ system. The paper raises a question whether some of them are associated with premorbid vulnerability such as subcellular ion channel abnormalities ('channelopathy') that determines the clinical expression of the bodily response to self-imposed malnutrition. Aberrant channels emerge as a tempting, if rather speculative alternative to the notion of cognitively-driven neurotransmitter modulation deficit in anorexia nervosa. The concept of channelopathies is in keeping with some characteristics of anorexia nervosa, such as a genetically-based predisposition to hypophagia, early onset, cardiac abnormalities, an appetite-enhancing efficacy of some antiepileptic drugs, and others. The purpose of this article is to stimulate further basic research of ion channel biophysics in relation to restrictive anorexia.
Management of chest pain: exploring the views and experiences of chiropractors and medical practitioners in a focus group interview
Authors: Smith Monica , Lawrence Dana J , Rowell Robert M
Published: September 2005

Background

We report on a multidisciplinary focus group project related to the appropriate care of chiropractic patients who present with chest pain. The prevalence and clinical management, both diagnosis and treatment, of musculoskeletal chest pain in ambulatory medical settings, was explored as the second dimension of the focus group project reported here.

Methods

This project collected observational data from a multidisciplinary focus group composed of both chiropractic and medical professionals. The goals of the focus group were to explore the attitudes and experiences of medical and chiropractic clinicians regarding their patients with chest pain who receive care from both medical and chiropractic providers, to identify important clinical or research questions that may inform the development of 'best practices' for coordinating or managing care of chest pain patients between medical and chiropractic providers, to identify important clinical or research questions regarding the diagnosis and treatment of chest pain of musculoskeletal origin, to explore various methods that might be used to answer those questions, and to discuss the feasibility of conducting or coordinating a multidisciplinary research effort along this line of inquiry. The convenience-sample of five focus group participants included two chiropractors, two medical cardiologists, and one dual-degreed chiropractor/medical physician. The focus group was audiotaped and transcripts were prepared of the focus group interaction. Content analysis of the focus group transcripts were performed to identify key themes and concepts, using categories of narratives.

Results

Six key themes emerged from the analysis of the focus group interaction, including issues surrounding (1) Diagnosis; (2) Treatment and prognosis; (3) Chest pain as a chronic, multifactorial, or comorbid condition; (4) Inter-professional coordination of care; (5) Best practices and standardization of care; and (6) Training and education.

Conclusion

This study carries implications for chiropractic clinical training relative to enhancing diagnostic competencies in chest pain, as well as the need to ascertain and improve those skills, competencies, and standards for referrals and sharing of clinical information that may improve cross-disciplinary coordination of care for chest pain patients.
Strain driven fast osseointegration of implants
Authors: Joos Ulrich , Büchter Andre , Wiesmann Hans-Peter , Meyer Ulrich
Published: September 2005

Background

Although the bone's capability of dental implant osseointegration has clinically been utilised as early as in the Gallo-Roman population, the specific mechanisms for the emergence and maintenance of peri-implant bone under functional load have not been identified. Here we show that under immediate loading of specially designed dental implants with masticatory loads, osseointegration is rapidly achieved.

Methods

We examined the bone reaction around non- and immediately loaded dental implants inserted in the mandible of mature minipigs during the presently assumed time for osseointegration. We used threaded conical titanium implants containing a titanium2+ oxide surface, allowing direct bone contact after insertion. The external geometry was designed according to finite element analysis: the calculation showed that physiological amplitudes of strain (500–3,000 ustrain) generated through mastication were homogenously distributed in peri-implant bone. The strain-energy density (SED) rate under assessment of a 1 Hz loading cycle was 150 Jm-3 s-1, peak dislocations were lower then nm.

Results

Bone was in direct contact to the implant surface (bone/implant contact rate 90%) from day one of implant insertion, as quantified by undecalcified histological sections. This effect was substantiated by ultrastructural analysis of intimate osteoblast attachment and mature collagen mineralisation at the titanium surface. We detected no loss in the intimate bone/implant bond during the experimental period of either control or experimental animals, indicating that immediate load had no adverse effect on bone structure in peri-implant bone.

Conclusion

In terms of clinical relevance, the load related bone reaction at the implant interface may in combination with substrate effects be responsible for an immediate osseointegration state.
Focusing on the ethnobotanical uses of plants in Mersin and Adana provinces (Turkey)
Authors: Everest Ayse , Ozturk Ersin
Published: September 2005

This paper presents the result of a study on the herbal drugs in the herbal markets in Mersin and Adana. The data were collected through direct interviews with herbalists and customers between 2002–2005 and the popular medicinal plants were investigated. A total of 107 species belonging to 56 families were investigated and the samples were listedwith their local and Latin names. The investigation includes cross-checking the disorders and their herbal cures and their recommended use stated by the local herbalists, by the parts used, and by the preparations. The cultivated species and their ethno botanical uses, are documented and extensive inventory is presented.

As a result, we observed that these plants are used especially for intestinal digestive disorders of the gastrointestinal tract, (21.68%), respiratory tract system disorders (10.43%), heart-blood circulatory system disorders (8.48%), urinary tract system disorders (7.70%), skin disorders (6.48%) and others.
The estrogen receptor-α A908G (K303R) mutation occurs at a low frequency in invasive breast tumors: results from a population-based study
Authors: Conway Kathleen , Parrish Eloise , Edmiston Sharon N , Tolbert Dawn , Tse Chiu-Kit , Geradts Joseph , Livasy Chad A , Singh Harsharan , Newman Beth , Millikan Robert C
Published: September 2005

Introduction

Evidence suggests that alterations in estrogen signaling pathways, including estrogen receptor-α (ER-α), occur during breast cancer development. A point mutation in ER-α (nucleotide A908G), producing an amino acid change from lysine to arginine at codon 303 (K303R) results in receptor hypersensitivity to estrogen. This mutation was initially reported in one-third of hyperplastic benign breast lesions, although several recent studies failed to detect it in benign or malignant breast tissues.

Methods

We screened 653 microdissected, newly diagnosed invasive breast tumors from patients in the Carolina Breast Cancer Study, a population-based case-control study of breast cancer in African American and white women in North Carolina, for the presence of the ER-α A908G mutation by using single-strand conformational polymorphism (SSCP) analysis and 33P-cycle sequencing.

Results

We detected the ER-α A908G mutation in 37 of 653 (5.7%) breast tumors. The absence of this mutation in germline DNA confirmed it to be somatic. Three tumors exhibited only the mutant G base at nucleotide 908 on sequencing, indicating that the wild-type ER-α allele had been lost. The ER-α A908G mutation was found more frequently in higher-grade breast tumors (odds ratio (OR) 2.83; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.09 to 7.34, grade II compared with grade I), and in mixed lobular/ductal tumors (OR 2.10; 95% CI 0.86 to 5.12) compared with ductal carcinomas, although the latter finding was not statistically significant.

Conclusion

This population-based study, the largest so far to screen for the ER-α A908G mutation in breast cancer, confirms the presence of the mutant in invasive breast tumors. The mutation was associated with higher tumor grade and mixed lobular/ductal breast tumor histology.
Market Segmentation and Product Technology Selection for Remanufacturable Products
Authors: Debo Laurens G. , Toktay L. Beril , Van Wassenhove Luk N.
Published: September 2005

Remanufacturing is a production strategy whose goal is to recover the residual value of used products. Used products can be remanufactured at a lower cost than the initial production cost, but consumers value remanufactured products less than new products. The choice of production technology influences the value that can be recovered from a used product. In this paper, we solve the joint pricing and production technology selection problem faced by a manufacturer that considers introducing a remanufacturable product in a market that consists of heterogeneous consumers. Our analysis discusses the market and technology drivers of product remanufacturability and identifies some phenomena of managerial importance that are typical of a remanufacturing environment.
On the Value of Flexibility in R&D Projects
Authors: Santiago Leonardo P. , Vakili Pirooz
Published: September 2005

In this paper, we consider whether an increase in uncertainty increases the value of a research and development (R&D) project. We also consider the related question of the impact of increased project uncertainty on the value of management flexibility, defined as the difference in value when the project is managed “actively” versus when it is under “passive” management. These questions have already been formulated in an insightful paper in the literature, where different sources of variability and uncertainty in R&D projects are identified and abandonment and improvement at interim stages are considered as options that provide management flexibility. We follow the same formulation. We derive a set of negative results that are contrary to the results of the above-mentioned paper and a set of positive results that are different from those presented. Our negative results indicate that when the source of variability is development uncertainty or market requirement uncertainty, one cannot make a general statement about the impact of increased uncertainty. In some cases, the value of flexibility (and project value) increases and in others it decreases. On the other hand, if the source of variability is market payoff, we show that increased variability increases either the overall project value or the project option value. If the increased variability of market payoff increases the “passive” value of the project, the overall project value also increases; and if it decreases the “passive” value, the value of flexibility, i.e., the project option value, increases.
Entropy diagnosis for phase transitions occurring in functional materials
Authors: Sorai Michio
Published: September 2005

Functionalities of materials manifest themselves as the result of a concerted effect among molecular structure, intermolecular interactions, and molecular motions. Since the entropy of substance directly reflects the degree of molecular motions, the entropy plays a crucial role when one discusses the stability of a given phase at finite temperatures. When a delicate balance of these three factors is broken, the condensed state faces a catastrophe and is transformed into another phase. Therefore, phase transition is a good probe for elucidation of the interplay between these three factors. As there is no selection rule in thermodynamics, the entropy gain at the phase transition is a good tool to diagnose the mechanism of phase transition. In this presentation, calorimetric investigations aimed at the elucidation of the mechanisms governing phase transitions occurring in molecule-based functional materials are reviewed.
Global communications and expert systems in thermodynamics: Connecting property measurement and chemical process design
Authors: Frenkel Michael
Published: September 2005

Unprecedented growth in the number of custom-designed software tools for engineering applications has created an interoperability problem between the formats and structures of thermodynamic data files and required input/output structures designed for application software products. Various approaches for standardization of thermophysical and thermochemical property data storage and exchange are analyzed in this paper. Emphasis is made on the development of the XML-based IUPAC standard for thermodynamic data communications: ThermoML. A new process for global data submission and dissemination in the field of thermodynamics based on ThermoML and Guided Data Capture software is described.

Establishment of the global submission and dissemination process for thermodynamic data lays the foundation for implementation of the new concept of dynamic data evaluation formulated at NIST/TRC, which requires the development of large electronic databases capable of storing essentially all “raw” experimental data known to date with detailed descriptions of relevant metadata and uncertainties. The combination of these databases with expert software designed primarily to generate recommended data based on available “raw” experimental data and their uncertainties leads to the possibility of producing data compilations automatically “to order”, forming a dynamic data infrastructure. Implementation of the dynamic data evaluation concept for pure compounds in the new NIST/TRC ThermoData Engine software is discussed.
Nuclear magnetic resonance as a quantitative tool to study interactions in biomacromolecules
Authors: Grzesiek S. , Allan M. , Cordier F. , Häussinger D. , Jensen P. , Kahmann J. , Meier S. , Sass H. J.
Published: September 2005

High-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) has emerged as one of the most versatile tools for the quantitative study of structure, kinetics, and thermodynamics of biomolecules and their interactions at atomic resolution. Traditionally, nuclear Overhauser enhancements (NOEs) and chemical shift perturbation methods are used to determine molecular geometries and to identify contact surfaces, but more recently, weak anisotropic orientation, anisotropic diffusion, and scalar couplings across hydrogen bonds provide additional information.

Examples of such technologies are shown as applied to the quantitative characterization of function and thermodynamics of several biomacromolecules. In particular, (1) the structural and dynamical changes of the TipA multidrug resistance protein are followed upon antibiotic binding, (2) the trimer-monomer equilibrium and thermal unfolding of foldon, a small and very efficient trimerization domain of the T4 phagehead, is described in atomic detail, and (3) the changes of individual protein hydrogen bonds during thermal unfolding are quantitatively followed by scalar couplings across hydrogen bonds.
Thermodynamic law for adaptation of plants to environmental temperatures
Authors: Criddle Richard S. , Hansen L. D. , Smith B. N. , Macfarlane C. , Church J. N. , Thygerson T. , Jovanovic T. , Booth T.
Published: September 2005

A thermodynamic law of adaptation of plants to temperature is developed. Plant growth rate is proportional to the product of the metabolic rate and the metabolic efficiency for production of anabolic products. Over much of the growth temperature range, metabolic rate is proportional to mean temperature and efficiency is proportional to the reciprocal of temperature variability. The mean temperature and short-term (hours to weeks) variability of temperature during the growth season at a particular location thus determine the optimum energy and growth strategy for plants. Because they can grow and reproduce most vigorously, plants with a growth rate vs. temperature curve that matches the time-at-temperature vs. temperature curve during the growth season are favored by natural selection. The law of temperature adaptation explains many recent and long-standing observations of plant growth and survival, including latitudinal gradients of plant diversity and species range.
Inflammatory Cytokine Gene Expression in Different Types of Granulomatous Lesions during Asymptomatic Stages of Bovine Paratuberculosis
Authors: Tanaka S. , Sato M. , Onitsuka T. , Kamata H. , Yokomizo Y.
Published: September 2005

The granulomatous lesions in bovine paratuberculosis have been classified into two types, i.e., the lepromatous type and the tuberculoid type. To clarify the immunopathologic mechanisms at the site of infection, we compared inflammatory cytokine gene expression between the two types of lesions. Samples were obtained from noninfected control cows ( n =5) and naturally infected cows ( n =7) that were diagnosed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and fecal culture test. Although none of the infected cows showed clinical signs, tuberculoid lesions were observed in five cows (tuberculoid group) and lepromatous lesions in two cows (lepromatous group). Among the cytokines examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), Th2-type cytokines interleukin-4 (IL-4) and IL-10, and Th1-type cytokine IL-2 were expressed more significantly in the lepromatous group than in the tuberculoid ( P < 0.01) and noninfected groups ( P < 0.05). No statistical differences were observed in the expression of interferon-gamma, IL-1 beta, TNF-alpha, and GM-CSF among lepromatous, tuberculoid, and noninfected groups. Expression of proinflammatory cytokine IL-12 mRNA, however, did not differ among the three groups; IL-18 was expressed at lower levels in the lepromatous group than in the tuberculoid group and the noninfected group ( P < 0.0001). Moreover, the number of cells in which IL-18 mRNAs were detected by in situ hybridization was markedly decreased in the lepromatous group. These results indicate that the formation of lepromatous-type lesions or tuberculoid-type lesions may be influenced by alterations in Th1/Th2-type cytokine production and that IL-18 may play an important role in a Th1-to-Th2 switch in paratuberculosis.
Characterization of Feline Immunoglobulin Heavy Chain Variable Region Genes for the Molecular Diagnosis of B-cell Neoplasia
Authors: Werner J. A. , Woo J. C. , Vernau W. , Graham P. S. , Grahn R. A. , Lyons L. A. , Moore P. F.
Published: September 2005

To develop a molecular-based assay so that the diagnosis of feline B-cell neoplasia can be facilitated, we have characterized 24 feline immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region ( IGH V) complementary DNA (cDNA) transcripts. Structural homology with rearranged human IGH V genes was found, and the sequence information was used to design a feline-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR)-based assay to amplify the complementarity determining region 3 as a marker for B-cell clonality. Conserved primers derived from the second and third framework regions of V gene segments were used in conjunction with 2 sequence-specific primers and 1 degenerate primer derived from the J gene segments. Each PCR reaction was run in duplicate, and both native and denatured PCR products were evaluated using polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissue sections from cats with confirmed B-cell neoplasia (diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, plasmacytoma, and myeloma) were examined, and 15/22 (68.2%) cats produced results indicative of the presence of a monoclonal population of B cells. The evaluation of denatured PCR products (heteroduplex analysis) facilitated a more accurate interpretation in 3/15 (20%) cats. Pseudoclonality was a major reason for the failure to detect monoclonality. Poor DNA quality is a significant concern and was responsible for the removal of 2 cats from the study. Using this assay, FFPE normal feline lymphoid tissues and unfixed peripheral blood mononuclear cells were determined to be composed of polyclonal populations of B cells. This assay represents a useful adjunctive diagnostic tool for the diagnosis and investigation of feline B-cell lymphoproliferative disorders.
Feline Systemic Reactive Angioendotheliomatosis: Eight Cases and Literature Review
Authors: Fuji R. N. , Patton K. M. , Steinbach T. J. , Schulman F. Y. , Bradley G. A. , Brown T. T. , Wilson E. A. , Summers B. A.
Published: September 2005

A rare, multisystemic intravascular proliferative disorder was identified postmortem in eight cats. The majority of these cats died or were euthanized following episodes of dyspnea, lethargy, and anorexia. Microscopic examination revealed occlusive, intraluminal proliferations of spindle cells within small vessels. The heart was consistently involved, and myocardial dysfunction was the probable cause of illness in all cats. Immunohistochemically, the majority of intravascular cells expressed von Willebrand factor, and a smaller number expressed smooth muscle actin, compatible with a dual population of endothelial cells and pericytes, suggesting a reactive rather than a neoplastic process. Four cases of a similar feline vascular disorder from the veterinary literature are reviewed. The histopathology resembles reactive angioendotheliomatosis in humans, a benign cutaneous intravascular endothelial and pericytic proliferative condition. However, in contrast, this feline disease is multisystemic and fatal. We propose the name “feline systemic reactive angioendotheliomatosis” for this unique, idiopathic disorder of domestic cats.
Mutations of Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog Deleted from Chromosome 10 in Canine Hemangiosarcoma
Authors: Dickerson E. B. , Thomas R. , Fosmire S. P. , Lamerato-Kozicki A. R. , Bianco S. R. , Wojcieszyn J. W. , Breen M. , Helfand S. C. , Modiano J. F.
Published: September 2005

We examined the presence of phosphatase and tensin homolog deleted from chromosome 10 (PTEN) abnormalities that could contribute to the origin or progression of naturally occurring canine endothelial tumors (hemangiosarcoma). Our results document somatic point mutations or deletions encompassing the PTEN C-terminal domain in canine hemangiosarcoma that might provide cells a survival advantage within their microenvironment. This represents the first characterization of a naturally occurring, highly metastatic tumor with biologically significant mutations of PTEN in the C-terminal domain.
Collagenofibrotic Glomerulonephropathy in a Cynomolgus Macaque (Macaca fascicularis)
Authors: Adachi K. , Mori T. , Ito T. , Fujii E. , Suzuki S. , Kawai T. , Suzuki M.
Published: September 2005

Collagenofibrotic glomerulonephropathy (CFGN) is characterized by the deposition of type III collagen within the mesangial matrix and the absence of mesangial cell proliferation. A case of CFGN in a 2.7-year-old female cynomolgus macaque was investigated in the present study. Clinically, the animal was shown to have severe systemic edema along with hypoproteinemia. At necropsy, the kidneys were swollen and pale. The glomerular lesions were characterized by massive diffuse and global accumulation of fibrous materials in the mesangial areas. Neither mesangial cell proliferation nor changes in other organs were found. The fibrous materials were confirmed by the results of immunohistochemical and electron microscopic findings to consist mainly of randomly arranged, curve-shaped, twisted, and entwined type III collagen. This is the first case report of CFGN in nonhuman primates to date.
Differential accumulation of plastid preprotein translocon components during spruce (Picea abies L. Karst.) needle development
Authors: Fulgosi Hrvoje , Lepeduš Hrvoje , Cesar Vera , Ljubešić Nikola
Published: September 2005

We demonstrate that basic components of the plastid protein-import apparatus originally found in pea, Toc34, Toc159, and Tic110, are also conserved in evolutionarily younger gymnosperms. We show that multiple isoforms of the preprotein receptor Toc34 differentially accumulate in various stages of needle development, while the amounts of Toc159 drastically decrease during chloroplast morphogenesis. Spruce Toc34 and Toc159 receptors are able to recognise and interact with the angiosperm precursor of the Rubisco small subunit. Young proplastids found in closed buds contain a highly elevated number of protein translocation complexes equipped with only two types of outer envelope receptors, Toc159 and a 30-kDa Toc34-related protein. Photosystem II (PSII) can already be assembled in a fully functional complex at this very early stage of needle development, suggesting that no additional receptor isoforms are needed for translocation of all necessary PSII components. We conclude that the accumulation of evolutionarily conserved plastid preprotein translocation components is differentially regulated during spruce needle development.
Effects of Temperature on the Growth, Food Consumption, and Thermal Tolerance of Age-0 Nimbus-Strain Steelhead
Authors: Myrick Christopher A , Cech Joseph J.
Published: September 2005

Although steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss) have the widest natural distribution among Pacific Coast salmonids, their populations have declined because of habitat loss, habitat alteration, and overexploitation. Because juvenile steelhead can be exposed to high summer water temperatures in streams and in California hatcheries that rely on surface water sources, we compared the food consumption, growth, and temperature tolerance of Nimbus-strain steelhead (an introgressed breeding stock in the American River) held at 11, 15, and 19°C in replicated laboratory experiments. Although food consumption rate showed no statistically distinguishable difference among temperatures, the growth rate was higher at 19°C than at 11°C or 15°C, providing evidence that food conversion efficiency in juvenile steelhead is higher at the warmer temperature. Age-0 steelhead showed a clear thermal acclimation effect, as their critical thermal maximum increased from 27.5°C for 11°C-acclimated fish to 29.6°C for fish acclimated to 19°C. We conclude that fish culturists could use the higher growth rate and food conversion efficiency at 19°C to increase the size of their age-0 steelhead. We also suggest that it may be possible to confer greater thermal tolerance on age-0 steelhead by rearing them at elevated temperatures for a short while, but we caution that it would still be necessary to ultimately rear the fish in cooler water to ensure successful smoltification.
Evaluation of Short-Term Exposure to High Temperature as a Tool to Suppress the Reproductive Development of Channel Catfish for Aquaculture
Authors: Byerly M Todd , Fat-Halla Said I , Betsill Robert K , Patiño Reynaldo
Published: September 2005

Short-term exposures to elevated temperatures reduce germ cell numbers in the gonads of some fishes, suggesting that heat treatment may be a viable method for delaying or suppressing reproductive development in cultured fishes. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of high temperatures on early gonadal development in channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus. Twenty-three-day-old (after hatching) channel catfish were exposed to temperatures of 27°C (control), 34°C, and 36°C for 4 weeks. Groups of 250 fry were placed in individual 152-L glass aquaria with external biofilters, and four replicated aquaria were used per temperature treatment. Water temperature was regulated with submersible heaters. At the end of treatment, body weight and standard length were measured in 30 individuals per aquarium and gonads were examined histologically in 10 individuals of each sex per aquarium. For statistical analysis, the unit of replication was the aquarium, and differences between treatments were considered significant at α < 0.05 by one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Duncan's multiple-range test. Exposure to 34°C reduced oocyte size in ovaries and testicular size (cross-sectional area) and slightly decreased body weight but not standard length. Exposure to 36°C significantly reduced ovarian and testicular size, and 52% of females seemed to lack germ cells and may have been sterilized. However, exposure to 36°C also greatly reduced body growth and caused spinal curvatures and kidney abnormalities, suggesting that 36°C impairs the general health and growth of catfish fry. The results of this study are consistent with the concept that heat treatment can be used to manipulate reproductive development in channel catfish. Further research is needed to establish the appropriate combination of temperature level and treatment duration so as to reduce or eliminate germ cells without adversely affecting somatic growth during the period of treatment.
An Investigation of the Pathology Associated with Mass Mortality Events in the Cultured Japanese Pearl Oyster Pinctada fucata martensii at Four Farms in Western Japan
Authors: Hirano Mizuki , Sugishita Yoshiyuki , Mobin S. M. A. , Kanai Kinya , Yoshikoshi Kazuma
Published: September 2005

The epidemiological and histopathological characteristics of the mass mortality of cultured Japanese pearl oysters Pinctada fucata martensii were investigated. Rearing experiments with Japanese pearl oysters in farms revealed that the mass mortality occurs as a regular annual event in particular farms in western Japan. Diseased oysters had marked atrophy and red-brown discoloration of the soft parts of the body. Light microscopy revealed that the epithelia of the stomach, the ducts of the digestive diverticula (DD), and the DD themselves showed marked blebbing and necrosis to varying degrees during earlier stages of the disease. At advanced stages, muscle fibers of the adductor muscle, heart, mantle, and other parts of the body and the connective tissues of various organs involving the vascular system also exhibited considerable atrophy and necrosis. There were no remarkable changes in the branchial and pallial epithelia. No viral, bacterial, mycotic, or parasitic causative organisms were found in diseased oysters. The results of a case study of mass mortality at one farm suggested that there is some causal relationship between outbreaks of this disease and the existence of neighboring fish farms. These findings suggest that the mass mortality is not due to an infectious disease. We discuss pathological features and possible causes of this disease.