bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Wyndhams, Parktown, 1901-1923: Domesticity and Servitude in an Early Twentieth-Century South African Household
Authors: van der Waag Ian
Published: June 2007

Based largely on a study of two collections of private papers housed at Petworth House and Hagley Hall (United Kingdom), this article analyzes the domestic politics within an early twentieth-century South African household. It explores the apparent motives behind the creation by Hugh and Maud Wyndham of an ostentatious, gentrified lifestyle in urban Johannesburg, where their home soon became a cocoon of Britishness in an increasingly uncomfortable part of the empire. It reveals the often difficult relationships between them and their servants and among the servants themselves; from hiring and firing, to the servant hierarchy and their different duties, to the rapid and enduring impact of the First World War. Yet, as many servants realized, service in “a good house” held certain compensations and equipped some for transition to their own domestic life.
Defining Patterns of Genital Injury From Sexual Assault
Authors: Sawyer Sommers Marilyn
Published: June 2007

The forensic examination following rape has two primary purposes: to provide health care and to collect evidence. Physical injuries need treatment so that they heal without adverse consequences. The pattern of injuries also has a forensic significance in that injuries are linked to the outcome of legal proceedings. This literature review investigates the variables related to genital injury prevalence and location that are reported in a series of retrospective reviews of medical records. The author builds the case that the prevalence and location of genital injury provide only a partial description of the nature of genital trauma associated with sexual assault and suggests a multidimensional definition of genital injury pattern . Several of the cited studies indicate that new avenues of investigation, such as refined measurement strategies for injury severity and skin color, may lead to advancements in health care, forensic, and criminal justice science.
Using Kinematic Analysis to Evaluate Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy in Chronic Stroke Patients
Authors: Caimmi Marco , Carda Stefano , Giovanzana Chiara , Maini Eliseo Stefano , Sabatini Angelo Maria , Smania Nicola , Molteni Franco
Published: June 2007

Objective. This preliminary study aims to verify if the method of kinematic analysis proposed here may be suitable for evaluating the effects of constraint-induced movement therapy (CIMT) in chronic stroke patients and may be of help in the study of the mechanisms underlying functional improvement following CIMT. Methods. Clinical and kinematic data were collected from a group of chronic stroke patients and from an age-matched healthy control group. Affected and less affected upper-limb kinematics related to hand-to-mouth and reaching movements were acquired before and immediately after 2 weeks of CIMT. Healthy subjects were submitted to kinematic analysis of the nondominant side and reevaluated after 2 weeks. Results. The clinical results were consistent with those reported in the literature and showed motor function improvement of the hemiparetic limb after CIMT. Kinematic data of the healthy control group showed high test-retest reliability. Statistically significant differences between the affected limb and both the less affected limb and the healthy subjects' nondominant limb were observed. After CIMT, kinematic data showed improvement in the speed of movement and in measures related to the capacity for coordination. Conclusions. The method of kinematic analysis was sensitive for an assessment of motor recovery induced by CIMT. The kinematic results suggest that the increase in the use of the paretic limb in activities of daily living after the intervention is not only attributable to the patient's increased attention to it and better hand dexterity, but it is also a consequence of the improved speed of movement and better coordination between shoulder and elbow joints.
Prevention of graft-versus-host disease by anti–IL-7Rα antibody
Authors: Chung Brile , Dudl Eric P. , Min Dullei , Barsky Lora , Smiley Nancy , Weinberg Kenneth I.
Published: June 2007

Graft-versus-host disease (GVHD) continues to be a serious complication that limits the success of allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT). Using IL-7–deficient murine models, we have previously shown that IL-7 is necessary for the pathogenesis of GVHD. In the present study, we determined whether GVHD could be prevented by antibody-mediated blockade of IL-7 receptor α (IL-7Rα) signaling. C57/BL6 (H2Kb) recipient mice were lethally irradiated and underwent cotransplantation with T-cell–depleted (TCD) BM and lymph node (LN) cells from allogeneic BALB/c (H2Kd) donor mice. Following transplantation, the allogeneic BMT recipients were injected weekly with either anti–IL-7Rα antibody (100 μg per mouse per week) or PBS for 4 weeks. Anti–IL-7Rα antibody treatment significantly decreased GVHD-related morbidity and mortality compared with placebo (30% to 80%). IL-7Rα blockade resulted in the reduction of donor CD4+ or CD8+ T cells in the periphery by day 30 after transplantation. Paradoxically, the inhibition of GVHD by anti–IL-7Rα antibody treatment resulted in improved long-term thymic and immune function. Blockade of IL-7R by anti–IL-7Rα antibody resulted in elimination of alloreactive T cells, prevention of GVHD, and improvement of donor T-cell reconstitution.
Hedgehog signaling patterns the outgrowth of unpaired skeletal appendages in zebrafish
Authors: Hadzhiev Yavor , Lele Zsolt , Schindler Simone , Wilson Stephen W , Ahlberg Per , Strähle Uwe , Müller Ferenc
Published: June 2007

Background

Little is known about the control of the development of vertebrate unpaired appendages such as the caudal fin, one of the key morphological specializations of fishes. Recent analysis of lamprey and dogshark median fins suggests the co-option of some molecular mechanisms between paired and median in Chondrichthyes. However, the extent to which the molecular mechanisms patterning paired and median fins are shared remains unknown.

Results

Here we provide molecular description of the initial ontogeny of the median fins in zebrafish and present several independent lines of evidence that Sonic hedgehog signaling emanating from the embryonic midline is essential for establishment and outgrowth of the caudal fin primordium. However, gene expression analysis shows that the primordium of the adult caudal fin does not harbor a Sonic hedgehog-expressing domain equivalent to the Shh secreting zone of polarizing activity (ZPA) of paired appendages.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that Hedgehog proteins can regulate skeletal appendage outgrowth independent of a ZPA and demonstrates an unexpected mechanism for mediating Shh signals in a median fin primordium. The median fins evolved before paired fins in early craniates, thus the patterning of the median fins may be an ancestral mechanism that controls the outgrowth of skeletogenic appendages in vertebrates.
Profiling of chicken adipose tissue gene expression by genome array
Authors: Wang Hong-Bao , Li Hui , Wang Qi-Gui , Zhang Xin-Yu , Wang Shou-Zhi , Wang Yu-Xiang , Wang Xiu-Ping
Published: June 2007

Background

Excessive accumulation of lipids in the adipose tissue is a major problem in the present-day broiler industry. However, few studies have analyzed the expression of adipose tissue genes that are involved in pathways and mechanisms leading to adiposity in chickens. Gene expression profiling of chicken adipose tissue could provide key information about the ontogenesis of fatness and clarify the molecular mechanisms underlying obesity. In this study, Chicken Genome Arrays were used to construct an adipose tissue gene expression profile of 7-week-old broilers, and to screen adipose tissue genes that are differentially expressed in lean and fat lines divergently selected over eight generations for high and low abdominal fat weight.

Results

The gene expression profiles detected 13,234–16,858 probe sets in chicken adipose tissue at 7 weeks, and genes involved in lipid metabolism and immunity such as fatty acid binding protein (FABP), thyroid hormone-responsive protein (Spot14), lipoprotein lipase(LPL), insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7(IGFBP7) and major histocompatibility complex (MHC), were highly expressed. In contrast, some genes related to lipogenesis, such as leptin receptor, sterol regulatory element binding proteins1 (SREBP1), apolipoprotein B(ApoB) and insulin-like growth factor 2(IGF2), were not detected. Moreover, 230 genes that were differentially expressed between the two lines were screened out; these were mainly involved in lipid metabolism, signal transduction, energy metabolism, tumorigenesis and immunity. Subsequently, real-time RT-PCR was performed to validate fifteen differentially expressed genes screened out by the microarray approach and high consistency was observed between the two methods.

Conclusion

Our results establish the groundwork for further studies of the basic genetic control of growth and development of chicken adipose tissue, and will be beneficial in clarifying the molecular mechanism of obesity in chickens.
Identification and characterisation of the angiotensin converting enzyme-3 (ACE3) gene: a novel mammalian homologue of ACE
Authors: Rella Monika , Elliot Joann L , Revett Timothy J , Lanfear Jerry , Phelan Anne , Jackson Richard M , Turner Anthony J , Hooper Nigel M
Published: June 2007

Background

Mammalian angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) plays a key role in blood pressure regulation. Although multiple ACE-like proteins exist in non-mammalian organisms, to date only one other ACE homologue, ACE2, has been identified in mammals.

Results

Here we report the identification and characterisation of the gene encoding a third homologue of ACE, termed ACE3, in several mammalian genomes. The ACE3 gene is located on the same chromosome downstream of the ACE gene. Multiple sequence alignment and molecular modelling have been employed to characterise the predicted ACE3 protein. In mouse, rat, cow and dog, the predicted protein has mutations in some of the critical residues involved in catalysis, including the catalytic Glu in the HEXXH zinc binding motif which is Gln, and ESTs or reverse-transcription PCR indicate that the gene is expressed. In humans, the predicted ACE3 protein has an intact HEXXH motif, but there are other deletions and insertions in the gene and no ESTs have been identified.

Conclusion

In the genomes of several mammalian species there is a gene that encodes a novel, single domain ACE-like protein, ACE3. In mouse, rat, cow and dog ACE3, the catalytic Glu is replaced by Gln in the putative zinc binding motif, indicating that in these species ACE3 would lack catalytic activity as a zinc metalloprotease. In humans, no evidence was found that the ACE3 gene is expressed and the presence of deletions and insertions in the sequence indicate that ACE3 is a pseudogene.
An immunohistochemical study of the localization and developmental expression of ghrelin and its functional receptor in the ovine placenta
Authors: Harrison Joanne L , Adam Clare L , Brown Yvonne A , Wallace Jacqueline M , Aitken Raymond P , Lea Richard G , Miller David W
Published: June 2007

Background

Ghrelin is an orexigenic hormone principally produced by the stomach, but also by numerous peripheral tissues including the placenta. Ghrelin acts via growth hormone secretagogue receptors (GHSR-1a) to alter food intake, fat utilization, and cellular proliferation, and has been suggested to play a role in the developmental growth of the fetoplacental unit. The placental expression of ghrelin and its role in ruminant species is not known. We tested the hypotheses that ghrelin and its functional receptor, GHSR-1a, are present in tissues of the ovine placenta, and that their expression is linked to the stage of development.

Methods

Antibodies raised against ghrelin and GHSR-1a were used in standard immunohistochemical protocols on placental tissues collected from pregnant ewes (n = 6 per gestational time point) at days 50, 80, 100, 128 and 135 of gestation (term ≈ day 145). Immunostaining for ghrelin and GHSR-1a was quantified using computer-aided image analysis. Image analysis data were subjected to one-way ANOVA, with differences in immunostaining between time-points determined by Fisher's least significant difference.

Results

Positive immunostaining for ghrelin was detected in ovine placentae at all gestational time points, with staining localized to the maternal epithelium, caruncle and trophectoderm. There was a significant effect of gestational age (p < 0.001) on the placental expression of ghrelin, with maximal levels at gestational day 80. GHSR-1a immunostaining was detected in the fetal trophectoderm at all time points. In contrast to the gestational pattern of ghrelin expression, there was no effect of gestational age on placental GHSR-1a immunoexpression.

Conclusion

Ghrelin and GHSR-1a are both present in the ovine placenta, and ghrelin displays a developmentally-related pattern of expression. Therefore, these data strongly suggest that the ghrelin system may have a role in feto-placental development in sheep.
Expansion and differentiation of CD14+CD16− and CD14++CD16+ human monocyte subsets from cord blood CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors
Authors: Stec Malgorzata , Weglarczyk Kazimierz , Baran Jaroslaw , Zuba Ewa , Mytar Bozenna , Pryjma Juliusz , Zembala Marek
Published: June 2007

To determine whether monocytes can be generated from CD34+ hematopoietic progenitors in large numbers, cord blood CD34+ cells were first expanded for 3–10 days in X-VIVO 10 medium supplemented with FCS, stem cell factor (SCF), thrombopoietin (TPO), and Flt-3 Ligand (Flt-3L), and then differentiated in IMDM medium supplemented with FCS, SCF, Flt-3L, IL-3 and M-CSF for 7–14 days. These two step cultures resulted in up to a 600-fold mean increase of total CD14+ cells. Using this approach, two subpopulations of monocytes were obtained: CD14+CD16− and CD14++CD16+ occurring at 2:1 ratio. 1.25(OH)2 Vitamin D3 added to the differentiation medium altered this ratio by decreasing proportion of CD14++CD16+ monocytes. In comparison to CD14+CD16−, the CD14++CD16+ cells showed different morphology and an enhanced expression of CD11b, CD33, CD40, CD64, CD86, CD163, HLA-DR, and CCR5. Both subpopulations secreted TNF and IL-12p40 but little or no IL-10. CD14++CD16+ monocytes released significantly more IL-12p40, were better stimulators of MLR but showed less S. aureus phagocytosis. These subpopulations are clearly different from those present in the blood and may be novel monocyte subsets that represent different stages in monocyte differentiation with distinct biological function.
Kiss1
−/− Mice Exhibit More Variable Hypogonadism than Gpr54−/− Mice
Authors: Lapatto Risto , Pallais J. Carl , Zhang Dongsheng , Chan Yee-Ming , Mahan Amy , Cerrato Felecia , Le Wei Wei , Hoffman Gloria E. , Seminara Stephanie B.
Published: June 2007

The G protein-coupled receptor Gpr54 and its ligand metastin (derived from the Kiss1 gene product kisspeptin) are key gatekeepers of sexual maturation. Gpr54 knockout mice demonstrate hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, but until recently, the phenotype of Kiss1 knockout mice was unknown. This report describes the reproductive phenotypes of mice carrying targeted deletions of Kiss1 or Gpr54 on the same genetic background. Both Kiss1 and Gpr54 knockout mice are viable but infertile and have abnormal sexual maturation; the majority of males lack preputial separation, and females have delayed vaginal opening and absence of estrous cycling. Kiss1 and Gpr54 knockout males have significantly smaller testes compared with controls. Gpr54 knockout females have smaller ovaries and uteri than wild-type females. However, Kiss1 knockout females demonstrate two distinct phenotypes: half have markedly reduced gonadal weights similar to those of Gpr54 knockout mice, whereas half exhibit persistent vaginal cornification and have gonadal weights comparable with those of wild-type females. FSH levels in both Kiss1 and Gpr54 knockout males and females are significantly lower than in controls. When injected with mouse metastin 43–52, a Gpr54 agonist, Gpr54 knockout mice fail to increase gonadotropins, whereas Kiss1 knockout mice respond with increased gonadotropin levels. In summary, both Kiss1 and Gpr54 knockout mice have abnormal sexual maturation consistent with hypogonadotropic hypogonadism, although Kiss1 knockout mice appear to be less severely affected than their receptor counterparts. Kiss1 knockout females demonstrate a bimodal phenotypic variability, with some animals having higher gonadal weight, larger vaginal opening, and persistent vaginal cornification.
Rosiglitazone Decreases Serum Bone-Specific Alkaline Phosphatase Activity in Postmenopausal Diabetic Women
Authors: Berberoglu Zehra , Gursoy Alptekin , Bayraktar Nilufer , Yazici Ayse Canan , Bascil Tutuncu Neslihan , Guvener Demirag Nilgun
Published: June 2007

Objectives: Our objectives were to evaluate the effect of rosiglitazone on bone metabolism and to assess the association between changes in bone turnover parameters and plasma cytokine levels in postmenopausal diabetic women.

Design: This was a 12-wk open-label randomized-controlled trial.

Patients or Other Participants: A total of 56 obese postmenopausal women with newly diagnosed diabetes and 26 nondiabetic healthy controls matched for age and body mass index were included in the study.

Interventions: The subjects were instructed to follow a weight-maintenance diet. Half were randomly assigned to receive rosiglitazone 4 mg/d, and the other half remained on diet alone.

Main Outcome Measures: Before and after the interventions, metabolic bone markers and serum cytokine levels were assessed.

Results: Serum total alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and bone-specific ALP levels were statistically significantly lower 12 wk after initiation of rosiglitazone treatment. There were no statistically significant changes in osteocalcin levels among the three groups or in deoxypyridinoline levels in the rosiglitazone group. At the end of 12 wk, all patients had statistically significantly decreased IL-1β and TNF-α levels compared with baseline. Changes in bone-specific ALP levels showed a moderate negative correlation with the changes in the TNF-α levels after rosiglitazone treatment and after diet in the diabetic control group.

Conclusions: Rosiglitazone use is associated with reduced bone formation at earlier stages in postmenopausal diabetic women. The cytokine-lowering effects of rosiglitazone and lifestyle changes could reverse the early inhibitory effect of rosiglitazone therapy on bone formation. Further studies will clarify the long-term effects of rosiglitazone therapy on bone loss and fracture.
Risk of Primary Adrenal Insufficiency in Patients with Celiac Disease
Authors: Elfström Peter , Montgomery Scott M. , Kämpe Olle , Ekbom Anders , Ludvigsson Jonas F.
Published: June 2007

Objectives: Earlier research has suggested a positive association between Addison’s disease (AD) and celiac disease (CD). We have here investigated the risk of AD in individuals with CD from a general population cohort.

Methods: Through the Swedish national registers we identified 14,366 individuals with a diagnosis of CD (1964–2003) and 70,095 reference individuals matched for age, sex, calendar year, and county of residence. We used Cox regression to estimate hazard ratios (HRs) for subsequent AD. Analyses were restricted to individuals with more than 1 yr of follow-up and without AD prior to study entry or within 1 yr after study entry. Conditional logistic regression estimated the odds ratio for CD in individuals with prior AD.

Results: There was a statistically significantly positive association between CD and subsequent AD [HR = 11.4; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 4.4–29.6]. This risk increase was seen in both children and adults and did not change with adjustment for diabetes mellitus or socioeconomic status. When we restricted reference individuals to inpatients, the adjusted HR for AD was 4.6 (95% CI = 1.9–11.4). Individuals with prior AD were at increased risk of CD (odds ratio = 8.6; 95% CI = 3.4–21.8).

Conclusions: This study found a highly increased risk of AD in individuals with CD. This relationship was independent of temporal sequence. We therefore recommend that individuals with AD should be screened for CD. We also suggest an increased awareness of AD in individuals with CD.
The Xenobiotic-Sensing Nuclear Receptors Pregnane X Receptor, Constitutive Androstane Receptor, and Orphan Nuclear Receptor Hepatocyte Nuclear Factor 4α in the Regulation of Human Steroid-/Bile Acid-Sulfotransferase
Authors: Echchgadda Ibtissam , Song Chung S. , Oh Taesung , Ahmed Mohamed , De La Cruz Isidro John , Chatterjee Bandana
Published: June 2007

The nuclear receptors pregnane X receptor (PXR) and constitutive androstane receptor (CAR) are the primary transcription factors coordinating induced expression of the enzymes and proteins directing oxidative, conjugative, and transport phases of endobiotic and xenobiotic metabolism, whereas hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α (HNF4α), a regulator of hepatic lipid homeostasis, can modify the PXR/CAR response. Steroid- and bile acid-sulfotransferase (SULT2A1) promotes phase II metabolism through its sulfonating action on certain endobiotics, including steroids and bile acids, and on diverse xenobiotics, including therapeutic drugs. This study describes characterization of a PXR- and CAR-inducible composite element in the human SULT2A1 promoter and its synergistic interaction with HNF4α. Inverted and direct repeats of AG(G/T)TCA (IR2 and DR4), both binding to PXR and CAR, define the composite element. Differential recognition of the composite element by PXR and CAR is evident because single-site mutation at either IR2 or DR4 in the natural gene abolished the PXR response, whereas mutations at both repeats were necessary to abrogate completely the CAR response. The composite element conferred xenobiotic response to a heterologous promoter, and the cognate ligands induced PXR and CAR recruitment to the chromatin-associated response region. An HNF4α element adjacent to the −30 position enhanced basal promoter activity. Although functioning as a synergizer, the HNF4α element was not essential for the PXR/CAR response. An emerging role of SULT2A1 in lipid and caloric homeostasis suggests that illumination on the regulatory interactions driving human SULT2A1 expression may reveal new avenues to control certain metabolic disorders.
The Nuclear Receptor-Coactivator Interaction Surface as a Target for Peptide Antagonists of the Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptors
Authors: Mettu Niharika B. , Stanley Thomas B. , Dwyer Mary A. , Jansen Michelle S. , Allen John E. , Hall Julie M. , McDonnell Donald P.
Published: June 2007

The peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARα, PPARδ, and PPARγ) constitute a family of nuclear receptors that regulates metabolic processes involved in lipid and glucose homeostasis. Although generally considered to function as ligand-regulated receptors, all three PPARs exhibit a high level of constitutive activity that may result from their stimulation by intracellularly produced endogenous ligands. Consequently, complete inhibition of PPAR signaling requires the development of inverse agonists. However, the currently available small molecule antagonists for the PPARs function only as partial agonists, or their efficacy is not sufficient to inhibit the constitutive activity of these receptors. Due to the lack of efficacious antagonists that interact with the ligand-binding domain of the PPARs, we decided to target an interaction that is central to nuclear receptor-mediated gene transcription: the nuclear receptor-coactivator interaction. We utilized phage display technology to identify short LXXLL-containing peptides that bind to the PPARs. Analysis of these peptides revealed a consensus binding motif consisting of HPLLXXLL. Cross-screening of these peptides for binding to other nuclear receptors enabled the identification of a high-affinity PPAR-selective peptide that has the ability to repress PPARγ1-dependent transcription of transfected reporter genes. Most importantly, when introduced into HepG2 cells, the peptide inhibited the expression of endogenous PPARγ1 target genes, adipose differentiation-related protein and mitochondrial 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A synthase 2. This work lends support for the rational development of peptidomimetics that block receptor-mediated transcription by targeting the nuclear receptor-coactivator interaction surface.
A cognitive perspective on Singaporean primary school pupils' use of reading strategies in learning to read in English
Authors: Zhang Lawrence Jun. , Gu Peter Yongqi. , Hu Guangwei.
Published: June 2007

Background. This study is conducted in Singapore, where learning to read in English is regarded as essential because it is offered as a First Language (L1) subject in the curriculum and is stipulated as the medium of instruction in the education system, and the mother tongues are offered as Second Language (L2) subjects, although the majority still learn English as an L2.

Aims. The paper reports on the reading strategies used by Singaporean primary school pupils from a cognitive perspective, which is part of a larger study that aims to investigate these pupils' language learning strategies.

Sample. The participants were 18 pupils from three neighbourhood primary schools, in grades Primary 4, 5 and 6.

Method. The data were collected from high‐ and low‐proficiency pupils at each of the three grades in each school, who read two texts at each level. Grounded in an information‐processing theory and based on successful experiences of scholars using think‐aloud for data collection, we asked the pupils to read and report what they were thinking about while reading. The think‐aloud protocols were recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded and analysed.

Results. The results suggest that participants' flexible and appropriate use of reading strategies varies according to language proficiency and grade level, with the high‐proficiency group outperforming its lower‐proficiency counterpart and the high‐graders outnumbering the lower‐graders in terms of the number of strategies that they used. These differences were also exemplified with qualitative findings from case studies.

Conclusions. The use of reading strategies differs according to proficiency levels, and the quality of pupils' strategy‐use patterns has more significant implications for understanding efficient reading among primary school pupils.
Goal desires moderate intention ‐ behaviour relations
Authors: Prestwich Andrew , Perugini Marco , Hurling Robert
Published: June 2007

Models such as the Extended Model of Goal‐Directed Behaviour and the Theory of Planned Behaviour imply that the impact of one's goals on behaviour is mediated by more proximal determinants. We hypothesize that goals can have a broader and more dynamic impact on behaviour and, specifically, that goal desires can moderate the effect of intentions on behaviour. Four studies addressed this issue by examining the direct and moderated effects of goal desires on behaviour. All of the studies required participants to complete baseline measures and then a follow‐up indicator of behaviour. In Study 1 (N=119) that focused on fruit intake, Study 2 (N=123) and Study 3 (N=96) concerned with drinking alcohol and Study 4 (N=109) regarding snack consumption, behavioural intentions were more reliably related to behaviour when goal desires were strong. The results of Study 3 suggested that goal desire stability increases the likelihood of this moderator effect emerging and Study 4 revealed that this effect was not suppressed by intention stability. The findings suggest that goals and behavioural intentions can operate simultaneously and jointly influence action, a view that contradicts predictions that the effects of goals are fully mediated by more proximal behavioural determinants.
Attitudes of young people towards depression and mania
Authors: Wolkenstein Larissa , Meyer Thomas D.
Published: June 2007

Objectives. Despite the known effects of stigma on people suffering from affective disorders, no study so far has investigated and compared attitudes of the general public towards depression and mania. Furthermore, we were interested if it makes a difference if one asks a sample about its own attitudes or the assumed opinions of ‘others’.

Design. We used an experimental and randomized design.

Methods. People were faced either with a case vignette describing a man with current symptoms of depression or mania. Randomly people (N=387, age 16–34 years) were asked for their own attitudes or for the attitudes of the public in general.

Results. Attitudes towards an individual with a current manic episode turned out to be significantly more negative than towards a person with current depression. Interestingly, the attitudes of the general public were reported to be more negative than the personal attitudes.

Conclusions. While depression is still associated with negative attitudes, this first study looking at manic symptoms as well finds that this seems to be even more so for manic episodes indicating bipolar disorder. It seems recommended to concentrate efforts to reduce stigmatization of the mentally ill more intensively on the bipolar spectrum of affective disorders. Furthermore, testable hypotheses have to be derived why individuals attribute less favourable attitudes to the general public when compared with their own attitudes. The question is if there is a general bias towards social desirability when people are asked for their opinion.
Three Unusual but Cytogenetically Similar Cases With up to Five Different Cell Lines Involving Structural and Numerical Abnormalities of Chromosome 18
Authors: Carreira Isabel M. , Mascarenhas Alexandra , Matoso Eunice , Couceiro Ana B. , Ramos Lina , Dufke Andreas , Mazauric Marie , Stressig Rüdiger , Kosyakova Nadezda , Melo Joana B. , Liehr Thomas
Published: June 2007

We report two prenatal and two postnatal diagnosed cases (the latter monozygotic twins) with ring chromosomes after GTG banding. All four, de novo r(18), cases turned out to be more complex after application of high-resolution molecular cytogenetics techniques such as use of fluorescence in situ hybridization, centromeric probes, multicolor banding, and locus-specific probes for chromosome 18. All four cases are mosaics involving chromosome 18 in up to five different cell lines, including 46,r(18); 46,dr(18); 47,r(18)x2; 46,mar(18); and 45,-18. Mosaicism sharing both numerical and structural anomalies is rare, but rings often appear as mosaics due to their mitotic instability. Overall, patients with ring chromosome 18 usually share clinical features of 18q- syndrome and, less frequently, those of 18p- syndrome. High-resolution molecular cytogenetics techniques were useful in the characterization of cases with dynamic mosaicism and in establishing the relationship between loss or gain of chromosomal material and the phenotype.
Potassium Effects on Partitioning, Yield, and Earliness of Contrasting Cotton Cultivars
Authors: Clement‐Bailey Jenny , Gwathmey C. Owen
Published: June 2007

Potassium nutrition requirements may differ in cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars that contrast in maturity and growth habit. Our objectives were to determine the effects of K fertility on carbohydrate and biomass partitioning, earliness, and lint yields of two contrasting cultivars. Fertilizer rates of 56 and 112 kg K ha−1 yr−1, representing 1× and 2× recommended K rates, were applied to long‐term K fertility plots on a no‐tilled Loring silt loam (thermic Oxyaquic Fragiudalf) in Jackson, TN. Plant samples were harvested at early bloom and cutout, to evaluate carbohydrate and dry matter partitioning during boll filling. Earliness was determined as the percentage of total yield at the first of two harvests. The more determinate cultivar, ‘Paymaster PM1218 BG/RR’, had higher aboveground dry weight, main stem starch concentrations and percentage first harvest, representing earlier maturity than the more indeterminate ‘Deltapine DP555 BG/RR’. The 2× K rate delayed maturity relative to the 1× rate, reflected in biomass partitioning and lint yield distribution. Lint yields were lower at the 1× than at the 2× K in the more determinate cultivar, but K did not affect the indeterminate yields. The two cultivars had equivalent lint yields at the 2× K rate, but the indeterminate cultivar produced more vegetative biomass, further delaying its maturity. Results suggest that an earlier, more determinate cultivar may require more K fertilization for optimal yield response with no tillage.
Planting Date Affects Grain and Milling Yields of Water‐Seeded Clearfield Rice
Authors: Sha X. Y. , Linscombe S. D.
Published: June 2007

Planting date affects rice grain and milling yields. However, no such research has been conducted on the imidazolinone‐tolerant Clearfield (BASF Corporation, Ludwigshafen, Germany) rice, which has been rapidly adopted in the southern USA since 2003. To investigate the planting date effects on rice grain and milling yields, a field test involving both Clearfield and conventional rice cultivars was water‐seeded at 2‐wk intervals from late February to early July from 2003–2005 in Crowley, LA. Our results indicated that both Clearfield and conventional rice planted between 1 April and mid April produced the highest grain yield. Grain yield gradually declined at the two subsequent May planting dates, with dramatic reductions occurring thereafter. The pooled grain yields across years and cultivars were 7.94 Mg ha−1 for two April plantings, followed by 6.76 and 6.28 Mg ha−1 for early and mid May plantings, respectively. However, the two delayed plantings in early June and late June or early July produced the lowest grain yields of 4.51 and 3.64 Mg ha−1, respectively. The highest head rice yield of 652 g kg−1 was observed at mid‐April planting dates, followed by 638 g kg−1 at mid‐May planting dates. However, rice seeded immediately after those two dates had the lowest head rice yields of 606 and 597 g kg−1, respectively, which might be related to the low seedling stand and/or hot and dry weather during late August and early September when the rice headed. Therefore, water seeding of both Clearfield and conventional rice should occur from 1 April to mid‐April in southwest Louisiana to maximize both grain and milling yields.
Ecophysiological Yield Components of Maize Hybrids with Contrasting Maturity
Authors: Capristo Pedro R. , Rizzalli Roberto H. , Andrade Fernando H.
Published: June 2007

The length of the growing cycle is one of the most important traits determining hybrid adaptability to the environment. The objective of this work was to study the development, dry matter accumulation, grain yield, harvest index, and sink–source relationship of 11 maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids with contrasting maturity. The durations of the cycle from emergence to flowering varied from 537 to 781 growing degree days and from emergence to physiological maturity from 1221 to 1656°Cd. Cumulative biomass from emergence to flowering increased linearly with hybrid cycle length. Long‐season hybrids showed the highest cumulative interception but the lowest radiation use efficiency (RUE) during reproductive growth. Total aboveground biomass increased from 1624 to 2422 g m−2 with hybrid maturity class, and grain yields were lowest for short‐season hybrids (832 g m−2) and similar between mid and long‐season hybrids (avg. = 1256 g m−2). Increases in maturity class were associated with increases in grain number (from 2432 to 5078 grains m−2) and reductions in individual grain growth rate (from 9.1 to 4.9 mg grain−1 d−1). The sink–source relationship and the apparent reserve remobilization increased with hybrid maturity class. These results indicate that grain yield of short‐season hybrids would be more limited by the capacity of the reproductive sinks during grain filling than their long‐season counterparts. Hybrids Ax 840 and Experimental have a short developmental time from emergence to flowering but a long developmental time from flowering to physiological maturity. This resulted in the largest values of radiation interception during reproductive growth and in the greatest grain yields and harvest indexes.
Radiation Use Efficiency in Dual Winter Cereal–Forage Production Systems
Authors: Singer J. W. , Sauer T. J. , Blaser B. C. , Meek D. W.
Published: June 2007

Winter cereal production systems in the northern USA are inefficient with respect to the capture of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) during the year. Our objectives were to determine radiation use efficiency (RUE) in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and triticale (× Triticosecale Wittmack) at low (67–125 plants m−2), medium (116–170 plants m−2), and high (205–332 plants m−2) plant densities and RUE of interseeded red clover (Trifolium pratense L.) during two growth periods after cereal harvest. During the linear phase of cereal growth (GS 30–80), RUE averaged across plant density was 3.50 g MJ−1 for wheat and 3.21 for triticale in 2004 and 3.37 for wheat in 2006. In 2006, triticale RUE was similar at the low and medium plant density (3.28 g MJ−1) but lower at the high plant density (2.84 g MJ−1). Red clover RUE following wheat and triticale differed by growth period and exhibited varying levels of plant density dependence within growth period. Following wheat at the high plant density, RUE ranged from 1.40 to 1.97 g MJ−1 across years and growth periods. Following cereal harvest in mid‐July until early October, red clover interseeded in wheat intercepted on average 65% (2004) and 35% (2006) of incident PAR. The wheat–red clover system was more robust than triticale–red clover for grain RUE and intercepting PAR after cereal harvest.
Adipose Mitochondrial Biogenesis Is Suppressed in db/db and High-Fat Diet–Fed Mice and Improved by Rosiglitazone
Authors: Rong James X. , Qiu Yang , Hansen Michael K. , Zhu Lei , Zhang Vivian , Xie Mi , Okamoto Yuji , Mattie Michael D. , Higashiyama Hiroyuki , Asano Satoshi , Strum Jay C. , Ryan Terence E.
Published: June 2007

The objective of this study was to further establish and confirm the relationship of adipose mitochondrial biogenesis in diabetes/obesity and the effects of rosiglitazone (RSG), a peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR) γ agonist, by systematically analyzing mitochondrial gene expression and function in two mouse models of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Using microarray technology, adipose mitochondrial gene transcription was studied in db/db, high-fat diet–fed C57BL/6 (HFD) and respective control mice with or without RSG treatment. The findings were extended using mitochondrial staining, DNA quantification, and measurements of citrate synthase activity. In db/db and HFD mice, gene transcripts associated with mitochondrial ATP production, energy uncoupling, mitochondrial ribosomal proteins, outer and inner membrane translocases, and mitochondrial heat-shock proteins were decreased in abundance, compared with db/+ and standard-fat diet–fed control mice, respectively. RSG dose-dependently increased these transcripts in both db/db and HFD mice and induced transcription of mitochondrial structural proteins and cellular antioxidant enzymes responsible for removal of reactive oxygen species generated by increased mitochondrial activity. Transcription factors, including PPAR coactivator (PGC)-1β, PGC-1α, estrogen-related receptor α, and PPARα, were suppressed in both models and induced by RSG. The effects of RSG on adipose mitochondrial genes were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR and further supported by mitochondrial staining, mitochondrial DNA quantification, and citrate synthase activity. Adipose mitochondrial biogenesis was overwhelmingly suppressed in both mouse models of diabetes/obesity and globally induced by RSG. These findings suggest an important role of adipose mitochondria in diabetes/obesity and the potential for new treatment approaches targeting adipose mitochondria.
Long-Term Exposure to Glucose and Lipids Inhibits Glucose-Induced Insulin Secretion Downstream of Granule Fusion With Plasma Membrane
Authors: Olofsson Charlotta S. , Collins Stephan , Bengtsson Martin , Eliasson Lena , Salehi Albert , Shimomura Kenju , Tarasov Andrei , Holm Cecilia , Ashcroft Frances , Rorsman Patrik
Published: June 2007

Mouse β-cells cultured at 15 mmol/l glucose for 72 h had reduced ATP-sensitive K+ (KATP) channel activity (−30%), increased voltage-gated Ca2+ currents, higher intracellular free Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i; +160%), more exocytosis (monitored by capacitance measurements, +100%), and greater insulin content (+230%) than those cultured at 4.5 mmol/l glucose. However, they released 20% less insulin when challenged with 20 mmol/l glucose. Glucose-induced (20 mmol/l) insulin secretion was reduced by 60–90% in islets cocultured at 4.5 or 15 mmol/l glucose and either oleate or palmitate (0.5 mmol/l). Free fatty acid (FFA)-induced inhibition of secretion was not associated with any major changes in [Ca2+]i or islet ATP content. Palmitate stimulated exocytosis by twofold or more but reduced K+-induced secretion by up to 60%. Basal (1 mmol/l glucose) KATP channel activity was 40% lower in islets cultured at 4.5 mmol/l glucose plus palmitate and 60% lower in islets cultured at 15 mmol/l glucose plus either of the FFAs. Insulin content decreased by 75% in islets exposed to FFAs in the presence of high (15 mmol/l), but not low (4.5 mmol/l), glucose concentrations, but the number of secretory granules was unchanged. FFA-induced inhibition of insulin secretion was not associated with increased transcript levels of the apoptosis markers Bax (BclII-associated X protein) and caspase-3. We conclude that glucose and FFAs reduce insulin secretion by interference with the exit of insulin via the fusion pore.
Cell Biology Assessment of Glucokinase Mutations V62M and G72R in Pancreatic β-Cells
Authors: Arden Catherine , Trainer Alison , de la Iglesia Nuria , Scougall Kathleen T. , Gloyn Anna L. , Lange Alex J. , Shaw James A.M. , Matschinsky Franz M. , Agius Loranne
Published: June 2007

Mutations in the glucokinase (GK) gene cause defects in blood glucose homeostasis. In some cases (V62M and G72R), the phenotype cannot be explained by altered enzyme kinetics or protein instability. We used transient and stable expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) GK chimaeras in MIN6 β-cells to study the phenotype defect of V62M and G72R. GK activity in lysates of MIN6 cell lines stably expressing wild-type or mutant GFP GK showed the expected affinity for glucose and response to pharmacological activators, indicating the expression of catalytically active enzymes. MIN6 cells stably expressing GFP V62M or GFP G72R had a lower GK activity–to–GK immunoreactivity ratio and GK activity–to–GK mRNA ratio but not GK immunoreactivity–to–GK mRNA ratio than wild-type GFP GK. Heterologous expression of liver 6-phosphofructo-2-kinase/fructose-2,6-bisphosphatase (PFK2/FDP2) in cell lines increased GK activity for wild-type GK and V62M but not for G72R, whereas expression of liver GK regulatory protein (GKRP) increased GK activity for wild type but not V62M or G72R. Lack of interaction of these mutants with GKRP was also evident in hepatocyte transfections from the lack of nuclear accumulation. These results suggest that cellular loss of GK catalytic activity rather than impaired translation or enhanced protein degradation may account for the hyperglycemia in subjects with V62M and G72R mutations.
Hypoglycemic Action of Thiazolidinediones/Peroxisome Proliferator–Activated Receptor γ by Inhibition of the c-Jun NH2-Terminal Kinase Pathway
Authors: Díaz-Delfín Julieta , Morales Mònica , Caelles Carme
Published: June 2007

Type 2 diabetes results from progressive pancreatic β-cell dysfunction caused by chronic insulin resistance. Activation of c-Jun NH2-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibits insulin signaling in cultured cells and in vivo and thereby promotes insulin resistance. Conversely, the peroxisome proliferator–activated receptor (PPAR) γ synthetic ligands thiazolidinediones (TZDs) enhance insulin sensitivity. Here, we show that the TZDs rosiglitazone and troglitazone inhibit tumor necrosis factor-α–induced JNK activation in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. Our results indicate that PPARγ mediates this inhibitory action because 1) it is reproduced by other chemically unrelated PPARγ agonist ligands and blocked by PPARγ antagonists; 2) it is enhanced by PPARγ overexpression; and 3) it is abrogated by PPARγ RNA interference. In addition, we show that rosiglitazone inhibits JNK activation and promotes the survival of pancreatic β-cells exposed to interleukin-1β. In vivo, the abnormally elevated JNK activity is inhibited in peripheral tissues by rosiglitazone in two distinct murine models of obesity. Moreover, rosiglitazone fails to enhance insulin-induced glucose uptake in primary adipocytes from ob/ob JNK1−/− mice. Accordingly, we demonstrate that the hypoglycemic action of rosiglitazone is abrogated in the diet-induced obese JNK1-deficient mice. In summary, we describe a novel mechanism based on targeting the JNK signaling pathway, which is involved in the hypoglycemic and potentially in the pancreatic β-cell protective actions of TZDs/PPARγ.
Glucose Infusion in Mice
Authors: Alonso Laura C. , Yokoe Takuya , Zhang Pili , Scott Donald K. , Kim Seung K. , O'Donnell Christopher P. , Garcia-Ocaña Adolfo
Published: June 2007

Developing new techniques to induce β-cells to replicate is a major goal in diabetes research. Endogenous β-cells replicate in response to metabolic changes, such as obesity and pregnancy, which increase insulin requirement. Mouse genetic models promise to reveal the pathways responsible for compensatory β-cell replication. However, no simple, short-term, physiological replication stimulus exists to test mouse models for compensatory replication. Here, we present a new tool to induce β-cell replication in living mice. Four-day glucose infusion is well tolerated by mice as measured by hemodynamics, body weight, organ weight, food intake, and corticosterone level. Mild sustained hyperglycemia and hyperinsulinemia induce a robust and significant fivefold increase in β-cell replication. Glucose-induced β-cell replication is dose and time dependent. β-Cell mass, islet number, β-cell size, and β-cell death are not altered by glucose infusion over this time frame. Glucose infusion increases both the total protein abundance and nuclear localization of cyclin D2 in islets, which has not been previously reported. Thus, we have developed a new model to study the regulation of compensatory β-cell replication, and we describe important novel characteristics of mouse β-cell responses to glucose in the living pancreas.