bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Serotonin Transporter Deficiency Increases Abdominal Fat in Female, but Not Male Rats
Authors: Homberg Judith R. , la Fleur Susanne E. , Cuppen Edwin
Published: May 2009

Depression and abdominal obesity often co‐occur, predominantly in women, and are associated with an increased risk for the development of glucose intolerance and subsequently type 2 diabetes. The underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. We found that female, but not male, depression‐prone serotonin transporter knockout (SERT−/−) rats had a strong increase (54%) in abdominal fat, whereas no increases in plasma concentrations of glucose and insulin were observed. Surprisingly, application of a high‐fat, high‐sucrose (HFHS)‐choice diet, which results in increased abdominal fat deposition and increased plasma glucose levels in wild‐type rats, did not result in elevated plasma glucose levels in female SERT−/− rats. Our results show that serotonin transporter deficiency affects abdominal fat deposition in a sex‐dependent way, but protects against rises in glucose levels, and thereby potentially glucose intolerance. The increased abdominal fat formation could result from serotonin‐mediated developmental changes and provides heuristic value for understanding the effects of the depression‐associated serotonin transporter promoter polymorphism in humans.
Altered Phenotype of NK Cells From Obese Rats Can Be Normalized by Transfer Into Lean Animals
Authors: Lautenbach Anne , Wrann Christiane D. , Jacobs Roland , Müller Guenter , Brabant Georg , Nave Heike
Published: May 2009

In diet‐induced obese rats, leptin‐mediated natural killer (NK) cell activation has been demonstrated to be impaired by abrogated intracellular JAK2‐STAT3 signaling. The contribution of the obese microenvironment to this NK cell dysfunction and its reversibility remains elusive. In this study, the functions of NK cells from diet‐induced obese rats after adoptive transfer into lean littermates were investigated using in vivo and in vitro approaches. Endogenous NK cells of normal‐weight and diet‐induced obese F344 rats were depleted in vivo. Then, NK cells from either normal‐weight or obese donors were transferred. The numbers of peripheral blood NK cells were analyzed by fluorescence‐activated cell sorting (FACS) and the distribution pattern of NK cells in lung and spleen by immunohistochemistry. Ob‐R expression was evaluated by immunohistology and activation of intracellular target proteins of Ob‐R by immunoblotting. The numbers of NK cells in blood and lung were significantly higher in obese animals compared to lean ones after transfer of NK cells from obese F344 rats. This was correlated with increased postreceptor signaling (JAK‐2p, PKBpT308, ERK‐2p) without altered Ob‐R expression in those NK cells transferred to lean (ob→nw) vs. obese (ob→ob) animals. These results show for the first time that the altered phenotype of NK cells from obese rats can be normalized by generation of a physiological (metabolic) environment of lean rats.
β‐Adrenergic‐AMPK Pathway Phosphorylates Acetyl‐CoA Carboxylase in a High‐epinephrine Rat Model, SPORTS
Authors: Hattori Atsushi , Mawatari Kazuaki , Tsuzuki Satomi , Yoshioka Emiko , Toda Satomi , Yoshida Masaki , Yasui Sonoko , Furukawa Hiroko , Morishima Masaki , Ono Katsushige , Ohnishi Takamasa , Nakano Masayuki , Harada Nagakatsu , Takahashi Akira , Nakaya Yutaka
Published: May 2009

We established a new animal model called SPORTS (Spontaneously‐Running Tokushima‐Shikoku) rats, which show high‐epinephrine (Epi) levels. Recent reports show that Epi activates adenosine monophosphate (AMP)–activated protein kinase (AMPK) in adipocytes. Acetyl‐CoA carboxylase (ACC) is the rate‐limiting enzyme in fatty acid synthesis, and the enzymatic activity is suppressed when its Ser‐79 is phosphorylated by AMPK. The aim of this study was to investigate the in vivo effect of Epi on ACC and abdominal visceral fat accumulation. We divided both 6‐week male control and SPORTS rats into two groups, which were fed either normal diet or high fat and sucrose (HFS) diet for 16 weeks. At the end of diet treatment, retroperitoneal fat was collected for western blotting and histological analysis. Food intake was not different among the groups, but SPORTS rats showed significantly lower weight gain than control rats in both diet groups. After 10 weeks of diet treatment, glucose tolerance tests (GTTs) revealed that SPORTS rats had increased insulin sensitivity. Furthermore, SPORTS rats had lower quantities of both abdominal fat and plasma triglyceride (TG). In abdominal fat, elevated ACC Ser‐79 phosphorylation was observed in SPORTS rats and suppressed by an antagonist of β‐adrenergic receptor (AR), propranolol, or an inhibitor of AMPK, Compound C. From these results, high level of Epi induced ACC phosphorylation mediated through β‐AR and AMPK signaling pathways in abdominal visceral fat of SPORTS rats, which may contribute to reduce abdominal visceral fat accumulation and increase insulin sensitivity. Our results suggest that β‐AR‐regulated ACC activity would be a target for treating lifestyle‐related diseases, such as obesity.
Economic Evaluation of a Community‐based Obesity Prevention Program in Children: The APPLE Project
Authors: McAuley Kirsten A. , Taylor Rachael W. , Farmer Victoria L. , Hansen Paul , Williams Sheila M. , Booker Chris S. , Mann Jim I.
Published: May 2009

Effective strategies are urgently required to reduce the prevalence of obesity during growth. Determining which strategies are most successful should also include analysis of their relative costs. To date, few obesity prevention studies in children have reported data concerning cost‐effectiveness. The aim of this study was to assess the costs and health benefits of implementing the APPLE (A Pilot Program for Lifestyle and Exercise) project, a 2‐year controlled community‐based obesity prevention initiative utilizing activity coordinators (ACs) in schools and nutrition promotion in New Zealand children (5–12 years). The marginal costs of the project in 2006 prices were estimated and compared with the kilograms (kg) of weight‐gain prevented for children in the intervention relative to the control arm. The children's health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) was also measured using the Health Utilities Index (HUI). The total project cost was NZ$357,490, or NZ$1,281 per intervention child for 2 years (NZ$1 = US$0.67 = UK£0.35 = EUR €0.52). Weightz‐score was reduced by 0.18 (0.13, 0.22) units at 2 years and 0.17 (0.11, 0.23) units at 4 years in intervention relative to control children. Mean HUI values did not differ between intervention and control participants. The reduction in weightz‐score observed is equivalent to 2.0 kg of weight‐gain prevented at 15 years of age. The relatively simple intervention approach employed by the APPLE project was successful in significantly reducing the rate of excessive weight gain in children, with implementation costs of NZ$664–1,708 per kg of weight‐gain prevented over 4 years.
Toward Objective Monitoring of Ingestive Behavior in Free‐living Population
Authors: Sazonov Edward S. , Schuckers Stephanie A.C. , Lopez‐Meyer Paulo , Makeyev Oleksandr , Melanson Edward L. , Neuman Michael R. , Hill James O.
Published: May 2009

Understanding of eating behaviors associated with obesity requires objective and accurate monitoring of food intake patterns. Accurate methods are available for measuring total energy expenditure and its components in free‐living populations, but methods for measuring food intake in free‐living people are far less accurate and involve self‐reporting or subjective monitoring. We suggest that chews and swallows can be used for objective monitoring of ingestive behavior. This hypothesis was verified in a human study involving 20 subjects. Chews and swallows were captured during periods of quiet resting, talking, and meals of varying size. The counts of chews and swallows along with other derived metrics were used to build prediction models for detection of food intake, differentiation between liquids and solids, and for estimation of the mass of ingested food. The proposed prediction models were able to detect periods of food intake with >95% accuracy and a fine time resolution of 30 s, differentiate solid foods from liquids with >91% accuracy, and predict mass of ingested food with >91% accuracy for solids and >83% accuracy for liquids. In earlier publications, we have shown that chews and swallows can be captured by noninvasive sensors that could be developed into a wearable device. Thus, the proposed methodology could lead to the development of an innovative new way of assessing human eating behavior in free‐living conditions.
Sex‐dependent Associations of Leptin With Metabolic Syndrome–related Variables: The Stanislas Study
Authors: Samara Anastasia , Herbeth Bernard , Aubert Roberte , Berrahmoune Hind , Fumeron Frédéric , Siest Gérard , Visvikis‐Siest Sophie
Published: May 2009

Serum leptin has been reported to be associated in a sex‐dependent manner with C‐reactive protein (CRP), independently of adiposity. We tested the hypothesis that leptin is associated, independently of anthropometry indexes and in a sex‐dependent way, with other inflammatory markers and variables related to metabolic syndrome (MS). In 384 healthy middle‐aged adults (192 men and 192 women) total fat mass (FM), waist circumference (WC), serum leptin and 15 MS‐related parameters (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, triglycerides, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein (HDL)‐cholesterol, apo AI and B, fasting glucose, uric acid, CRP, orosomucoid and haptoglobin levels and aspartate aminotransferase (ASAT), alanine aminotransferase (ALAT) and γ‐glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities) were measured. After adjustment for age, alcohol and cigarette consumption, WC, and total FM, leptin concentration was significantly associated with serum triglycerides, total cholesterol, apo B, uric acid and haptoglobin concentrations and liver enzyme activity only in men, and with apo AI, HDL‐cholesterol (only borderline) and CRP only in women. Sex interaction terms were significant for total cholesterol, apo B, HDL cholesterol, uric acid, ALAT and GGT, and borderline significant for triglycerides, apo AI and ASAT. In this healthy population, leptin is significantly associated with various MS factors, independently of WC and total FM, depending on gender. Our study provides further evidence of sex‐related differences mediated by leptin in inflammatory mechanisms and other MS‐related metabolic pathways.
Identification of anthracnose resistance in Lupinus albus L. and its transfer from landraces to modern cultivars
Authors: Adhikari K. N. , Buirchell B. J. , Thomas G. J. , Sweetingham M. W. , Yang H.
Published: May 2009

Anthracnose is a major disease of lupins in Western Australia (WA). The disease wiped out the WA albus lupin industry in 1996 and since then, anthracnose resistance has been a major focus for WA lupin breeding. In an endeavour to find a source of resistance to anthracnose, all available germplasm in WA was screened against anthracnose in New Zealand over the summer of 1997 and 1998, and resistance was identified in Ethiopian landraces. The resistance was present in many Ethiopian landraces within a close geographical distribution, suggesting a similar genetic basis of resistance. Crosses were made between the resistant landraces and agronomically superior lines. The progeny were tested for anthracnose resistance, yield, seed quality, and other agronomic characters. The most superior line, Andromeda, was released for commercial production in WA. It was developed from an F3-derived single-plant selection of a cross between an anthracnose-resistant landrace P27175 from Ethiopia and a well adapted but highly susceptible WA breeding line 89B10A-14. Andromeda has a significantly higher level of resistance to anthracnose than the previous cv. Kiev Mutant and is recommended in the medium- to low-rainfall area of the northern wheatbelt of WA. Further breeding effort has resulted in significant improvement in the level of resistance within the WA breeding program, and early generation lines are more resistant than advanced lines. The best resistant lines are, however, in a late flowering background and only an incremental improvement has been achieved in combining early flowering with anthracnose resistance, which seems to be a complex process.
Weed management in wide-row cropping systems: a review of current practices and risks for Australian farming systems
Authors: Peltzer S. C. , Hashem A. , Osten V. A. , Gupta M. L. , Diggle A. J. , Riethmuller G. P. , Douglas A. , Moore J. M. , Koetz E. A.
Published: May 2009

Growing agricultural crops in wide row spacings has been widely adopted to conserve water, to control pests and diseases, and to minimise problems associated with sowing into stubble. The development of herbicide resistance combined with the advent of precision agriculture has resulted in a further reason for wide row spacings to be adopted: weed control. Increased row spacing enables two different methods of weed control to be implemented with non-selective chemical and physical control methods utilised in the wide inter-row zone, with or without selective chemicals used on the on-row only. However, continual application of herbicides and tillage on the inter-row zone brings risks of herbicide resistance, species shifts and/or changes in species dominance, crop damage, increased costs, yield losses, and more expensive weed management technology.
Nursery and post-transplant field response of olive trees to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi in an arid region
Authors: Dag Arnon , Yermiyahu Uri , Ben-Gal Alon , Zipori Issac , Kapulnik Yoram
Published: May 2009

We evaluated arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) for enhancement of irrigated olive (Olea europaea L.) tree growth and vigour under arid horticultural conditions. The response of 12 common commercial olive cultivars to AMF (Glomus mosseae and Glomus intraradices) inoculation was measured in a nursery experiment. Long-term post-transplanting response to AMF inoculation (G. intraradices alone or G. intraradices + G. mosseae) at the seedling stage was also assessed for 3 cultivars in an irrigated orchard in an arid region. Two control treatments without AMF inoculation were evaluated: one with fertilisers provided as in commercial olive nurseries, the other with no fertiliser application during the time of the inoculation treatments. Inoculated v. uninoculated plants in the nursery showed increases in height, and root and shoot biomass. Intensity of response was highly cultivar-specific. Olive trees inoculated with AMF also performed better than untreated plants in the orchard experiment. Inoculated plants in the nursery showed consistent increases in P and K content both in leaves and roots. Fertilisation at the first growth stage, after rooting, did not contribute to seedling growth and therefore, the practice of stopping fertilisation to promote AMF inoculation was found acceptable. With the correct choice of cultivar–inoculum combination, AMF inoculation technology can benefit olive cultivation, particularly in arid regions where native AMF levels are low.
Erratum to: Epidemiology and control of spot form of net blotch (Pyrenophora teres f. maculata) of barley: a review
Authors: McLean Mark S. , Howlett Barbara J. , Hollaway Grant J.
Published: May 2009

Spot form of net blotch (SFNB), caused by the fungus Pyrenophora teres f. maculata, was first described in Denmark in the 1960s and is now a prevalent foliar disease of barley in many countries. This disease should be controlled as a separate disease-causing organism from the net form of net blotch (NFNB), which is caused by P. teres f. teres. The increase in prevalence of SFNB is primarily due to stubble retention and cultivation of susceptible varieties, which have resulted in increased inoculum. Infected barley stubble is the primary inoculum source for SFNB, producing both asexual spores (conidia) and sexual spores (ascospores) from pseudothecia. Spot form of net blotch causes significant losses in grain yield and quality in situations where inoculum is present, susceptible varieties are cultivated, and where the climate is cool and moist. Cultivation of resistant varieties is the most cost-effective method for control of SFNB and more than 12 different resistance sources have been identified in barley germplasm and wild barley relatives. The resistance loci of 11 of these have been mapped. Control of SFNB can also be achieved with application of foliar fungicides, crop rotation, and stubble destruction.
Irrigation water productivity of winter-growing annuals is higher than perennial forages in northern Victoria
Authors: Lawson A. R. , Greenwood K. L. , Kelly K. B.
Published: May 2009

The dairy industry in Victoria, Australia, uses more than half the state’s irrigation water, mainly for growing pasture. Information on the comparative water use of forage systems would be useful for dairy farmers aiming to optimise their forage production under conditions of limited water availability. However, there are few data comparing water use under similar management and weather conditions. This paper reports on an experiment which measured and compared the production, water use, and water productivity (forage removed per unit water input) of a range of 6 border-check irrigated forage systems (3 perennial, 2 annual, and a double-cropped) and 1 spray irrigated, annual forage system, used by the dairy industry in northern Victoria.
Forage removal was highest from the perennial pastures, lucerne, double-cropped and Persian clover systems in both 2005 and 2006. Irrigation water inputs in 2005 were comparable with average values reported in the literature and were closely related to the length of the growing season, with around 800–850 mm used for the perennial pastures and 340–440 mm used for the border-check irrigated annual pastures. Irrigation water inputs in 2006 were substantially higher than in 2005, reflecting the drought conditions that prevailed throughout most of Victoria, with 1100–1200 mm used for the perennial species and 450–700 mm used by the border-check irrigated annual pastures. These irrigation water requirements highlight considerable year-to-year variation as low-rainfall years are usually high-evaporation years.
Irrigation water productivity (WP) was greater for the annual than for the perennial systems. In 2005, irrigation WP was 30–37 kg DM/ha.mm for the annual pastures compared with 21–27 kg DM/ha.mm for the perennial and double-cropped systems. In the drier year of 2006, irrigation WP was higher for the short-season annuals than for the other forage systems. When rainfall, runoff, and changes in soil water content were included in the calculation of total WP, there were no consistent differences in the total WP of the annual and perennial systems in either year. These findings show that under conditions of limited irrigation water availability, farmers will be able to grow more forage using winter-growing annual systems than perennial systems. However, other factors such as nutritive characteristics, cost of production, and cost of transferring feed also need to be considered when deciding which forages to grow.
Expression analysis of Pisum sativum putative defence genes during Orobanche crenata infection
Authors: Die José Vicente , Román Belén , Nadal Salvador , Dita Miguel Á. , González-Verdejo Clara I.
Published: May 2009

The root holoparasitic angiosperm Orobanche crenata is a severe constraint to the cultivation of legumes. Breeding for resistance is a difficult task. Understanding the mechanisms underlying host resistance is a fundamental issue for the genetic improvement of legumes. In this work, the temporal expression patterns of 8 defence-genes known to be involved in different metabolic pathways activated during several plant–pathogen interactions were investigated in Pisum sativum. Molecular analyses were carried out using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction during the initial stages of the parasitisation process in susceptible (Messire) and incompletely resistant (Ps624) pea genotypes. Transcriptional changes in response to O. crenata revealed induction of genes putatively encoding pathogenesis-related proteins, peroxidase activity, and dehydration stress-responsive signalling. This, combined with high constitutive gene expression mediating the phenylpropanoid pathway were observed as part of the defence mechanisms triggered in Ps624 to restrict the growth of the parasite.
Haplotype analyses in wheat for complex traits: tracking the chromosome 3B and 7B regions associated with late maturity alpha amylase (LMA) in breeding programs
Authors: McNeil M. D. , Diepeveen D. , Wilson R. , Barclay I. , McLean R. , Chalhoub B. , Appels R.
Published: May 2009

The quantitative trait loci (QTLs) on chromosomes 7BL and 3BS from Halberd have been used as a major source of tolerance to late maturity α amylase (LMA) within Australian wheat breeding programs. New simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers identified from the sequencing of Bacterial Artificial Chromosome (BAC) clones from the wheat cv. Renan library, and known SSRs, were used to characterise these major QTLs. The reduction or elimination of the LMA defect in wheat cultivars is a major goal for wheat breeding programs and is confounded by the complexity in measuring the trait unambiguously. In this haplotyping study focussing on two significant chromosomal regions, markers and combinations of markers were investigated for their ability to discriminate between 39 Australian and Mexican wheat lines differing in levels of LMA. Genetic relationships among these wheat lines estimated by cluster analysis of molecular marker data were combined with phenotypic information in order to calibrate the genotypes of the wheat lines against their LMA phenotype. It was evident that some SSRs from the respective QTLs had greater discriminating power than others to identify LMA phenotypes. Discrimination was not, however, absolute and a statistical analysis of the data defined a risk factor associated with particular combinations of alleles, for use in early selection or backcrossing.
Resistance to Subterranean clover mottle virus in Medicago truncatula and genetic mapping of a resistance locus
Authors: Saqib Muhammad , Ellwood Simon R. , Jones Roger A. C. , Jones Michael G. K.
Published: May 2009

Subterranean clover mottle virus (SCMoV), which causes an important disease of annual clover pastures, was inoculated to the annual pasture legume Medicago truncatula, a model legume species used to help understand legume genome structure and function. Two hundred and nine accessions representing the core collection of M. truncatula were inoculated with infective sap containing SCMoV to determine their disease phenotypes. Forty-two of these accessions remained uninfected systemically and so were potentially resistant to the virus. Accession DZA315.16 developed a localised hypersensitive resistance reaction. In an F8 mapping population from a cross between the susceptible parent Jemalong 6/A17 and resistant accession DZA315.16, a total of 166 F8 recombinant inbred lines (RILs) were phenotyped for resistance and susceptibility to SCMoV. Resistant and susceptible lines showed parental phenotypic responses: 84 were susceptible and 82 were resistant, suggesting presence of a single resistance (R) gene. The phenotypic data were combined with genotypic data (76 polymorphic molecular markers) for this RIL population to provide a framework map. Genetic analysis located a single resistance locus termed RSCMoV1 on the long arm of chromosome 6. These results provide a basis for fine mapping the RSCMoV1 gene.
Midbrain dopamine neurons reflect affiliation phenotypes in finches and are tightly coupled to courtship
Authors: Goodson James L. , Kabelik David , Kelly Aubrey M. , Rinaldi Jacob , Klatt James D.
Published: May 2009

Mesolimbic dopamine (DA) circuits mediate a wide range of goal-oriented behavioral processes, and DA strongly influences appetitive and consummatory aspects of male sexual behavior. In both birds and mammals, mesolimbic projections arise primarily from the ventral tegmental area (VTA), with a smaller contribution from the midbrain central gray (CG). Despite the well known importance of the VTA cell group for incentive motivation functions, relationships of VTA subpopulations to specific aspects of social phenotype remain wholly undescribed. We now show that in male zebra finches (Estrildidae:
Taeniopygia guttata
), Fos activity within a subpopulation of tyrosine hydroxylase-immunoreactive (TH-ir; presumably dopaminergic) neurons in the caudal VTA is significantly correlated with courtship singing and coupled to gonadal state. In addition, the number of TH-ir neurons in this caudal subpopulation dichotomously differentiates courting from non-courting male phenotypes, and evolves in relation to sociality (flocking vs. territorial) across several related finch species. Combined, these findings for the VTA suggest that divergent social phenotypes may arise due to the differential assignment of “incentive value” to conspecific stimuli. TH-ir neurons of the CG (a population of unknown function in mammals) exhibit properties that are even more selectively and tightly coupled to the expression of courtship phenotypes (and appetitive courtship singing), both in terms of TH-ir cell number, which correlates significantly with constitutive levels of courtship motivation, and with TH-Fos colocalization, which increases in direct proportion to the phasic expression of song. We propose that these neurons may be core components of social communication circuits across diverse vertebrate taxa.
Synaptic activation modifies microtubules underlying transport of postsynaptic cargo
Authors: Maas Christoph , Belgardt Dorthe , Lee Han Kyu , Heisler Frank F. , Lappe-Siefke Corinna , Magiera Maria M. , van Dijk Juliette , Hausrat Torben J. , Janke Carsten , Kneussel Matthias
Published: May 2009

Synaptic plasticity, the ability of synapses to change in strength, requires alterations in synaptic molecule compositions over time, and synapses undergo selective modifications on stimulation. Molecular motors operate in sorting/transport of neuronal proteins; however, the targeting mechanisms that guide and direct cargo delivery remain elusive. We addressed the impact of synaptic transmission on the regulation of intracellular microtubule (MT)-based transport. We show that increased neuronal activity, as induced through GlyR activity blockade, facilitates tubulin polyglutamylation, a posttranslational modification thought to represent a molecular traffic sign for transport. Also, GlyR activity blockade alters the binding of the MT-associated protein MAP2 to MTs. By using the kinesin (KIF5) and the postsynaptic protein gephyrin as models, we show that such changes of MT tracks are accompanied by reduced motor protein mobility and cargo delivery into neurites. Notably, the observed neurite targeting deficits are prevented on functional depletion or gene expression knockdown of neuronal polyglutamylase. Our data suggest a previously undescribed concept of synaptic transmission regulating MT-dependent cargo delivery.
A precise reconstruction of the emergence and constrained radiations of
Escherichia coli
O157 portrayed by backbone concatenomic analysis
Authors: Leopold Shana R. , Magrini Vincent , Holt Nicholas J. , Shaikh Nurmohammad , Mardis Elaine R. , Cagno Joseph , Ogura Yoshitoshi , Iguchi Atsushi , Hayashi Tetsuya , Mellmann Alexander , Karch Helge , Besser Thomas E. , Sawyer Stanley A. , Whittam Thomas S. , Tarr Phillip I.
Published: May 2009

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in stable genome regions provide durable measurements of species evolution. We systematically identified each SNP in concatenations of all backbone ORFs in 7 newly or previously sequenced evolutionarily instructive pathogenic
Escherichia coli
O157:H7, O157:H
−
, and O55:H7. The 1,113 synonymous SNPs demonstrate emergence of the largest cluster of this pathogen only in the last millennium. Unexpectedly, shared SNPs within circumscribed clusters of organisms suggest severely restricted survival and limited effective population sizes of pathogenic O157:H7, tenuous survival of these organisms in nature, source-sink evolutionary dynamics, or, possibly, a limited number of mutations that confer selective advantage. A single large segment spanning the
rfb-gnd
gene cluster is the only backbone region convincingly acquired by recombination as O157 emerged from O55. This concatenomic analysis also supports using SNPs to differentiate closely related pathogens for infection control and forensic purposes. However, constrained radiations raise the possibility of making false associations between isolates.
Selecting global climate models for regional climate change studies
Authors: Pierce David W. , Barnett Tim P. , Santer Benjamin D. , Gleckler Peter J.
Published: May 2009

Regional or local climate change modeling studies currently require starting with a global climate model, then downscaling to the region of interest. How should global models be chosen for such studies, and what effect do such choices have? This question is addressed in the context of a regional climate detection and attribution (D&A) study of January-February-March (JFM) temperature over the western U.S. Models are often selected for a regional D&A analysis based on the quality of the simulated regional climate. Accordingly, 42 performance metrics based on seasonal temperature and precipitation, the El Nino/Southern Oscillation (ENSO), and the Pacific Decadal Oscillation are constructed and applied to 21 global models. However, no strong relationship is found between the score of the models on the metrics and results of the D&A analysis. Instead, the importance of having ensembles of runs with enough realizations to reduce the effects of natural internal climate variability is emphasized. Also, the superiority of the multimodel ensemble average (
MM
) to any 1 individual model, already found in global studies examining the mean climate, is true in this regional study that includes measures of variability as well. Evidence is shown that this superiority is largely caused by the cancellation of offsetting errors in the individual global models. Results with both the
MM
and models picked randomly confirm the original D&A results of anthropogenically forced JFM temperature changes in the western U.S. Future projections of temperature do not depend on model performance until the 2080s, after which the better performing models show warmer temperatures.
Human memory FOXP3+Tregs secrete IL-17 ex vivo and constitutively express the TH17 lineage-specific transcription factor RORγt
Authors: Ayyoub Maha , Deknuydt Florence , Raimbaud Isabelle , Dousset Christelle , Leveque Lucie , Bioley Gilles , Valmori Danila
Published: May 2009

Recent studies have suggested a close relationship between CD4+FOXP3+regulatory T cells (Tregs) and proinflammatory IL-17-producing T helper cells (TH17) expressing the lineage-specific transcription factor RORγt. We report here the unexpected finding that human memory Tregs secrete IL-17 ex vivo and constitutively express RORγt. IL-17-secreting Tregs share some phenotypic and functional features with conventional TH17 cells, expressing high levels of CCR4 and CCR6 and low levels of CXCR3. However, unlike conventional TH17 cells, they express low levels of CD161 and mostly fail to cosecrete IL-22 and TNF-α ex vivo. Ex vivo secretion of IL-17 and constitutive expression of RORγt by human memory Tregs suggest that, in addition to their well-known suppressive functions, these cells likely play additional, as yet undescribed, proinflammatory functions.
Densovirus induces winged morphs in asexual clones of the rosy apple aphid,
Dysaphis plantaginea
Authors: Ryabov Eugene V. , Keane Gary , Naish Neil , Evered Carol , Winstanley Doreen
Published: May 2009

Winged morphs of aphids are essential for their dispersal and survival. We discovered that the production of the winged morph in asexual clones of the rosy apple aphid,
Dysaphis plantaginea
, is dependent on their infection with a DNA virus, Dysaphis plantaginea densovirus (DplDNV). Virus-free clones of the rosy apple aphid, or clones infected singly with an RNA virus, rosy apple aphid virus (RAAV), did not produce the winged morph in response to crowding and poor plant quality. DplDNV infection results in a significant reduction in aphid reproduction rate, but such aphids can produce the winged morph, even at low insect density, which can fly and colonize neighboring plants. Aphids infected with DplDNV produce a proportion of virus-free aphids, which enables production of virus-free clonal lines after colonization of a new plant. Our data suggest that a mutualistic relationship exists between the rosy apple aphid and its viruses. Despite the negative impact of DplDNV on rosy apple aphid reproduction, this virus contributes to their survival by inducing wing development and promoting dispersal.
A thyroid hormone receptor mutation that dissociates thyroid hormone regulation of gene expression in vivo
Authors: Machado Danielle S. , Sabet Amin , Santiago Leticia A. , Sidhaye Aniket R. , Chiamolera Maria I. , Ortiga-Carvalho Tania M. , Wondisford Fredric E.
Published: May 2009

Resistance to thyroid hormone (RTH) is most often due to point mutations in the β-isoform of the thyroid hormone (TH) receptor (TR-β). The majority of mutations involve the ligand-binding domain, where they block TH binding and receptor function on both stimulatory and inhibitory TH response elements. In contrast, a few mutations in the ligand-binding domain are reported to maintain TH binding and yet cause RTH in certain tissues. We introduced one such naturally occurring human RTH mutation (R429Q) into the germline of mice at the TR-β locus. R429Q knock-in (KI) mice demonstrated elevated serum TH and inappropriately normal thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels, consistent with hypothalamic–pituitary RTH. In contrast, 3 hepatic genes positively regulated by TH (
Dio1
,
Gpd1
, and
Thrsp
) were increased in R429Q KI animals. Mice were then rendered hypothyroid, followed by graded T
3
replacement. Hypothyroid R429Q KI mice displayed elevated TSH subunit mRNA levels, and T
3
treatment failed to normally suppress these levels. T
3
treatment, however, stimulated pituitary
Gh
levels to a greater degree in R429Q KI than in control mice.
Gsta
, a hepatic gene negatively regulated by TH, was not suppressed in R429Q KI mice after T
3
treatment, but hepatic
Dio1
and
Thrsp
mRNA levels increased in response to TH. Cardiac myosin heavy chain isoform gene expression also showed a specific defect in TH inhibition. In summary, the R429Q mutation is associated with selective impairment of TH-mediated gene repression, suggesting that the affected domain, necessary for TR homodimerization and corepressor binding, has a critical role in negative gene regulation by TH.
Differential neutralization efficiency of hemagglutinin epitopes, antibody interference, and the design of influenza vaccines
Authors: Ndifon Wilfred , Wingreen Ned S. , Levin Simon A.
Published: May 2009

It is generally assumed that amino acid mutations in the surface protein, hemagglutinin (HA), of influenza viruses allow these viruses to circumvent neutralization by antibodies induced during infection. However, empirical data on circulating influenza viruses show that certain amino acid changes to HA actually increase the efficiency of neutralization of the mutated virus by antibodies raised against the parent virus. Here, we suggest that this surprising increase in neutralization efficiency after HA mutation could reflect steric interference between antibodies. Specifically, if there is a steric competition for binding to HA by antibodies with different neutralization efficiencies, then a mutation that reduces the binding of antibodies with low neutralization efficiencies could increase overall viral neutralization. We use a mathematical model of virus–antibody interaction to elucidate the conditions under which amino acid mutations to HA could lead to an increase in viral neutralization. Using insights gained from the model, together with genetic and structural data, we predict that amino acid mutations to epitopes C and E of the HA of influenza A/H3N2 viruses could lead on average to an increase in the neutralization of the mutated viruses. We present data supporting this prediction and discuss the implications for the design of more effective vaccines against influenza viruses and other pathogens.
Altered interactions within FY/AtCPSF complexes required for
Arabidopsis
FCA-mediated chromatin silencing
Authors: Manzano David , Marquardt Sebastian , Jones Alexandra M. E. , Bäurle Isabel , Liu Fuquan , Dean Caroline
Published: May 2009

The role of RNA metabolism in chromatin silencing is now widely recognized. We have studied the
Arabidopsis
RNA-binding protein FCA that down-regulates an endogenous floral repressor gene through a chromatin mechanism involving histone demethylase activity. This mechanism needs FCA to interact with an RNA 3′ processing/polyadenylation factor (FY/Pfs2p), but the subsequent events leading to chromatin changes are unknown. Here, we show that this FCA–FY interaction is required for general chromatin silencing roles where hairpin transgenes induce DNA methylation of an endogenous gene. We also show 2 conserved RNA processing factors, AtCPSF100 and AtCPSF160, but not FCA, are stably associated with FY in vivo and form a range of different-sized complexes. A hypomorphic
fy
allele producing a shorter protein, able to provide some FY functions but unable to interact with FCA, reduces abundance of some of the larger MW complexes. Suppressor mutants, which specifically disrupt the FY motif through which FCA interacts, also lacked these larger complexes. Our data support a model whereby FCA, perhaps after recognition of a specific RNA feature, transiently interacts with FY, an integral component of the canonical RNA 3′ processing machinery, changing the interactions of the different RNA processing components. These altered interactions would appear to be a necessary step in this RNA-mediated chromatin silencing.
Solution conformation of wild-type
E. coli
Hsp70 (DnaK) chaperone complexed with ADP and substrate
Authors: Bertelsen Eric B. , Chang Lyra , Gestwicki Jason E. , Zuiderweg Erik R. P.
Published: May 2009

DnaK is the canonical Hsp70 molecular chaperone protein from
Escherichia coli
. Like other Hsp70s, DnaK comprises two main domains: a 44-kDa N-terminal nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) that contains ATPase activity, and a 25-kDa substrate-binding domain (SBD) that harbors the substrate-binding site. Here, we report an experimental structure for wild-type, full-length DnaK, complexed with the peptide NRLLLTG and with ADP. It was obtained in aqueous solution by using NMR residual dipolar coupling and spin labeling methods and is based on available crystal structures for the isolated NBD and SBD. By using dynamics methods, we determine that the NBD and SBD are loosely linked and can move in cones of ±35° with respect to each other. The linker region between the domains is a dynamic random coil. Nevertheless, an average structure can be defined. This structure places the SBD in close proximity of subdomain IA of the NBD and suggests that the SBD collides with the NBD at this area to establish allosteric communication.
HIV Risk Behavior in Opioid Dependent Adults Seeking Detoxification Treatment: An Exploratory Comparison of Heroin and Oxycodone Users
Authors: Meade Christina S. , McDonald Leah J. , Weiss Roger D.
Published: May 2009

Heroin users are at high risk for HIV infection, but little is known about HIV risk in oxycodone users. This study examined HIV risk behaviors in heroin (n = 27) and oxycodone (n = 23) users seeking inpatient detoxification at a private psychiatric hospital. Drug use histories were similar, except oxycodone users used marijuana more frequently. Injection drug risk occurred exclusively among heroin users. The rates of sexual activity (66%), unprotected intercourse (69%), sex while intoxicated (74%), and sex with strangers (24%) were similar, but more oxycodone users had multiple partners (39% vs. 6%, p < .05). HIV prevention efforts should target both heroin and oxycodone users.
The Kappa‐Opiate Receptor Impacts the Pathophysiology and Behavior of Substance Use
Authors: Mysels David
Published: May 2009

There is increasing evidence that the kappa‐opiate receptor, in addition to the mu‐opiate receptor, plays an important role in substance use pathophysiology and behavior. As dopamine activity is upregulated through chronic substance use, kappa receptor activity, mediated through the peptide dynorphin, is upregulated in parallel. Dynorphin causes dysphoria and decreased locomotion, and the upregulation of its activity on the kappa receptor likely dampens the excitation caused by increased dopaminergic activity. This feedback mechanism may have significant clinical implications for treating drug dependent patients in various stages of their pathology.
The political systems of Italian regions between state-wide logics and increasing differentiation
Authors: Tronconi Filippo , Roux Christophe
Published: May 2009

The aim of this article is to describe the evolution of the Italian regional party systems 25 years after the establishment of 15 Ordinary Statute regions and five years after the implementation of a major Constitutional reform increasing the powers of the regions and the visibility of regional political actors. The theoretical point of departure of the article is the second order election model originally applied to European elections to highlight their dependence on the national political level. The article begins by showing that this model has been applicable for regional elections only since the mid-1990s, a finding that goes against the conventional wisdom. The article then explains the structure of regional political competition through the analysis of two phenomena, fragmentation and differentiation, and the way they are correlated, stressing the changing pattern of competition before and after the breakdown of the First Republic.
Public funding of political parties in Italy
Authors: Pacini Maria Chiara
Published: May 2009

Public funding of political parties in Italy has developed along quite clear-cut lines: increasingly generous reimbursements; non-selective criteria for the allocation of funds; and an increase in the number of beneficiaries. The current reimbursement system costs the State more than 250 million euros a year. The payment of such reimbursements in annual instalments means that in many cases they continue to receive funds even though they are no longer politically active. However, the most problematic issue concerns party fragmentation. Reimbursements are paid out at different levels of electoral competition (European, general and regional), effectively providing parties with different channels of funding. This is a big opportunity, above all for small parties that often find it difficult to reach the thresholds for representation and funding in some spheres of the electoral competition. This is even more evident if one considers that public funding is the main source of revenue for the Italian political parties.
‘I was there, too’: memories of victimhood in wartime Italy
Authors: Morgan Philip
Published: May 2009

This article looks at the contribution that the recording of personal memories makes to the history and to the collective and public remembrance of the Second World War in Italy. It concentrates on a product of the 1980s boom in oral and written testimonies about the war, Giulio Bedeschi's edited anthology of the personal stories of civilian victims,Fronte italiano: c'ero anch'io. La popolazione in guerra. The article assesses the anthology's theme of victimhood and its implications for how Italians have chosen to remember the war. It considers the standing of these personal memories as historical sources, and the extent to which they can contribute to a historical understanding of the Italians’ war experiences.
How competent are trainee and newly qualified counsellors to work with Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual clients and what do they perceive as their most effective learning experiences?
Authors: Grove Jan
Published: May 2009

Aim: Professional therapy organisations promote the importance of working with difference, yet subtle negative biases towards lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) clients continue. Issues of competence in this area have only recently been addressed. This research aims to study the effectiveness of training to support therapists working with LGB clients in Britain. Method: Students (past and present) of an integrative counselling diploma course completed questionnaires including: background details, a Sexual Orientation Counselor Competence scale (Bidell, 2005), and two qualitative questions about previous learning relating to LGB issues. Quantitative analysis utilising a one way ANOVA test was used to compare the levels of competence at different times in training, and grounded theory to analyse the qualitative responses. Results: Results show that students have a high level of awareness, although a lower level measured in year two of the programme. The qualitative results indicate the learning value of personal experiences. Further themes describe the ways in which students learnt about LGB issues. Discussion: The reduction in scores for awareness may indicate that training facilitates a deeper understanding of self. Key themes indicate the importance of challenging old internal working models of sexual orientation. Implications for practice: The results will enable competences and effective learning experiences to be mapped in the curriculum.
Exploring client contribution in a cognitive intervention for test anxiety
Authors: Dundas Ingrid , Anderssen Norman , Wormnes Bjørn , Hauge Helge
Published: May 2009

Aim: To study client contributions in cognitive therapy. Specifically, to study ways of making an intervention against test anxiety work, based on interviews with 32 test‐anxious university students. Method: Interviews after their first examination following the intervention were analysed using a thematic analysis. Results: Although most participants reacted positively to the intervention, concerns emerged that adopting positive self‐statements might be deceptive. Concerns about the untruthfulness of positive self‐statements led clients to generate several possible resolutions, namely, to examine flaws in negative self‐statements, to realise that there is more than one realistic way to construe things, to consider the evidence in the form of reduced anxiety, to consider manageable steps, and to seek interpersonal validation of positive self‐statements. Conclusions: The results offer concrete resolutions developed by clients that might be useful for other clients who have reservations about positive self‐statements.
Informing supervision practice through research: A narrative inquiry
Authors: Crocket Kathie , Pentecost Mandy , Cresswell Robyn , Paice Cushla , Tollestrup Deirdre , de Vries Margreet , Wolfe Rachel
Published: May 2009

Intention:This study focused on questions of whether and how clients benefit from supervision. As practitioner research, the study was intended to shape the researchers’ own supervision practice.Method:The qualitative approach was based on interviews with a small number of experienced practitioners about their supervision experiences. The findings are presented in the form of reflexive stories, told by each researcher.Findings:In these stories the researchers tell how engagement with experienced practitioners’ accounts of their past supervision shaped the hopes and intentions the researchers hold for their future supervision.Implications forpractice:The stories suggest there are therapeutic benefits in an ethic of transparency that provides for practices that overtly carry stories in both directions between counselling and supervision.