bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computing protein infrared spectroscopy with quantum chemistry
Authors: Besley Nicholas A
Published: September 2007

Quantum chemistry is a field of science that has undergone unprecedented advances in the last 50 years. From the pioneering work of Boys in the 1950s, quantum chemistry has evolved from being regarded as a specialized and esoteric discipline to a widely used tool that underpins much of the current research in chemistry today. This achievement was recognized with the award of the 1998 Nobel Prize in Chemistry to John Pople and Walter Kohn. As the new millennium unfolds, quantum chemistry stands at the forefront of an exciting new era. Quantitative calculations on systems of the magnitude of proteins are becoming a realistic possibility, an achievement that would have been unimaginable to the early pioneers of quantum chemistry. In this article we will describe ongoing work towards this goal, focusing on the calculation of protein infrared amide bands directly with quantum chemical methods.
Spherical polymer micelles: nanosized reaction vessels?
Authors: O'Reilly R.K
Published: September 2007

Supramolecular self-assembly techniques have provided a versatile means by which to selectively assemble polymeric molecules into well-defined three-dimensional nanostructures. The stabilization and tailoring of these dynamic nanostructures can be achieved using a range of chemistries to afford functional robust nanoparticles. Many examples of the stabilization, functionalization and application of these nanoparticles have been reported in the literature, and this paper will focus on these areas in the context of their potential application as nanometre-sized reaction vessels.
The cell wall: a carbohydrate armour for the fungal cell
Authors: Latgé Jean‐Paul
Published: September 2007

The cell wall is composed of a polysaccharide‐based three‐dimensional network. Considered for a long time as an inert exoskeleton, the cell wall is now seen as a dynamic structure that is continuously changing as a result of the modification of culture conditions and environmental stresses. Although the cell wall composition varies among fungal species, chemogenomic comparative analysis have led to a better understanding of the genes and mechanisms involved in the construction of the common central core composed of branched β1,3 glucan‐chitin. Because of its essential biological role, unique biochemistry and structural organization and the absence in mammalian cells of most of its constitutive components, the cell wall is an attractive target for the development of new antifungal agents. Genomic as well as drug studies have shown that the death of the fungus can result from inhibition of cell wall polysaccharide synthases. To date, only β1,3 glucan synthase inhibitors have been launched clinically and many more targets remain to be explored.
Sucrose metabolism contributes to in vivo fitness of Streptococcus pneumoniae
Authors: Iyer Ramkumar , Camilli Andrew
Published: September 2007

We characterized two sucrose‐metabolizing systems –sus and scr– and describe their roles in the physiology and virulence of Streptococcus pneumoniae in murine models of carriage and pneumonia. The sus and scr systems are regulated by LacI family repressors SusR and ScrR respectively. SusR regulates an adjacent ABC transporter (susT1/susT2/susX) and sucrose‐6‐phosphate (S‐6‐P) hydrolase (susH). ScrR controls an adjacent PTS transporter (scrT), fructokinase (scrK) and second S‐6‐P hydrolase (scrH). sus and scr play niche‐specific roles in virulence. The susH and sus locus mutants are attenuated in the lung, but dispensable in nasopharyngeal carriage. Conversely, the scrH and scr locus mutants, while dispensable in the lung, are attenuated for nasopharyngeal colonization. The scrH/susH double mutant is more attenuated than scrH in the nasopharynx, indicating SusH can substitute in this niche. Both systems are sucrose‐inducible, with ScrH being the major in vitro hydrolase. The scrH/susH mutant does not grow on sucrose indicating that sus and scr are the only sucrose‐metabolizing systems in S. pneumoniae. We propose a model describing hierarchical regulation of the scr and sus systems by the putative inducer, S‐6‐P. The transport and metabolism of sucrose or a related disaccharide thus contributes to S. pneumoniae colonization and disease.
Transcriptome analysis of the Aspergillus nidulans AtmA (ATM, Ataxia‐Telangiectasia mutated) null mutant
Authors: Malavazi Iran , Savoldi Marcela , Da Silva Ferreira Márcia Eliana , Soriani Frederico Marianetti , Bonato Pierina Sueli , De Souza Goldman Maria Helena , Goldman Gustavo H.
Published: September 2007

ATM is a phosphatidyl‐3‐kinase‐related protein kinase that functions as a central regulator of DNA damage response in eukaryotes. In humans, mutations in ATM cause the devastating neurodegenerative disease Ataxia‐Telangiectasia. Previously, we characterized the homologue of ATM (AtmA) in the filamentous fungus Aspergillus nidulans. In addition to its expected role in the DNA damage response, we found that AtmA is also required for polarized hyphal growth. Our results suggested that AtmA probably regulates the function and/or localization of landmark proteins required for the formation of a polarity axis. Here, we extended these studies by investigating which pathways are influenced by AtmA during proliferation and polar growth by comparatively determining the transcriptional profile of A. nidulans wild‐type and ΔatmA mutant strains in different growth conditions. Our results indicate an important role of the pentose phosphate pathway in the fungal proliferation during endogenous DNA damage and polar growth monitored by the AtmA kinase. Furthermore, we identified several genes that have decreased mRNA expression in the ΔatmA mutant that are involved in the formation of a polarized hyphae and control of polar growth; in the synthesis of phosphatidic acid (e.g. phospholipase D); in the ergosterol biosynthesis (plasma membrane microdomains, lipid rafts); and in intracellular trafficking.
Regulation of sialic acid transport and catabolism in Haemophilus influenzae
Authors: Johnston Jason W. , Zaleski Anthony , Allen Simon , Mootz Joe M. , Armbruster David , Gibson Bradford W. , Apicella Michael A. , Munson Robert S.
Published: September 2007

Virulence of nontypeable Haemophilus influenzae (NTHi) is dependent on the decoration of lipooligosaccharide with sialic acid. This sugar must be derived from the host, as NTHi cannot synthesize sialic acids. NTHi can also use sialic acid as a carbon source. The genes encoding the sialic acid transporter and the genes encoding the catabolic activities are localized to two divergently transcribed operons, the siaPT operon and the nan operon respectively. In this study, we identified SiaR as a repressor of sialic acid transport and catabolism in NTHi. Inactivation of siaR resulted in the unregulated expression of the genes in both operons. Unregulated catabolism of sialic acid in the siaR mutant resulted in the reduction of surface sialylation and an increase in serum sensitivity. In addition to SiaR‐mediated repression, CRP, the cAMP receptor protein, was shown to activate expression of the siaPT operon but not the nan operon. We describe a model in which SiaR and CRP work to modulate intracellular sialic acid levels. Our results demonstrate the importance of SiaR‐mediated regulation to balance the requirement of surface sialylation and the toxic accumulation of intracellular sialic acid.
Systematic mutagenesis of the thymidine tract of the pyrBI attenuator and its effects on intrinsic transcription termination in Escherichia coli
Authors: Sipos Katalin , Szigeti Réka , Dong Xiuzhu , Turnbough Charles L.
Published: September 2007

The pyrBI attenuator of Escherichia coli is an intrinsic transcription terminator composed of DNA with a hyphenated dyad symmetry and an adjacent 8 bp T:A tract (T‐tract). These elements specify a G+C‐rich terminator hairpin followed by a run of eight uridine residues (U‐tract) in the RNA transcript. In this study, we examined the effects on in vivo transcription termination of systematic base substitutions in the T/U‐tract of the pyrBI attenuator. We found that these substitutions diminished transcription termination efficiency to varying extents, depending on the nature and position of the substitution. In general, substitutions closer to the dyad symmetry/terminator hairpin exhibited the most significant effects. Additionally, we examined the effects on in vivo transcription termination of mutations that insert from 1 to 4 bases between the terminator hairpin and U‐tract specified by the pyrBI attenuator. Our results show an inverse relationship between termination efficiency and the number of bases inserted. The effects of the substitution and insertion mutations on termination efficiency at the pyrBI attenuator were also measured in vitro, which corroborated the in vivo results. Our results are discussed in terms of the current models for intrinsic transcription termination and estimating termination efficiencies at intrinsic terminators of other bacteria.
Repression of Clostridium difficile toxin gene expression by CodY
Authors: Dineen Sean S. , Villapakkam Anuradha C. , Nordman Jared T. , Sonenshein Abraham L.
Published: September 2007

CodY, a global regulator of gene expression in low G + C Gram‐positive bacteria, was found to repress toxin gene expression in Clostridium difficile. Inactivation of the codY gene resulted in derepression of all five genes of the C. difficile pathogenicity locus during exponential growth and stationary phase. CodY was found to bind with high affinity to a DNA fragment containing the promoter region of the tcdR gene, which encodes a sigma factor that permits RNA polymerase to recognize promoters of the two major toxin genes as well as its own promoter. CodY also bound, but with low affinity, to the toxin gene promoters, suggesting that the regulation of toxin gene expression by CodY occurs primarily through direct control of tcdR gene expression. Binding of CodY to the tcdR promoter region was enhanced in the presence of GTP and branched‐chain amino acids, suggesting a link between nutrient limitation and the expression of C. difficile toxin genes.
The cell shape proteins MreB and MreC control cell morphogenesis by positioning cell wall synthetic complexes
Authors: Divakaruni Arun V. , Baida Cyril , White Courtney L. , Gober James W.
Published: September 2007

MreB, the bacterial actin homologue, is thought to function in spatially co‐ordinating cell morphogenesis in conjunction with MreC, a protein that wraps around the outside of the cell within the periplasmic space. In Caulobacter crescentus, MreC physically associates with penicillin‐binding proteins (PBPs) which catalyse the insertion of intracellularly synthesized precursors into the peptidoglycan cell wall. Here we show that MreC is required for the spatial organization of components of the peptidoglycan‐synthesizing holoenzyme in the periplasm and MreB directs the localization of a peptidoglycan precursor synthesis protein in the cytosol. Additionally, fluorescent vancomycin (Van‐FL) labelling revealed that the bacterial cytoskeletal proteins MreB and FtsZ, as well as MreC and RodA, were required for peptidoglycan synthetic activity. MreB and FtsZ were found to be required for morphogenesis of the polar stalk. FtsZ was required for a cell cycle‐regulated burst of peptidoglycan synthesis early in the cell cycle resulting in the synthesis of cross‐band structures, whereas MreB was required for lengthening of the stalk. Thus, the bacterial cytoskeleton and cell shape‐determining proteins such as MreC, function in concert to orchestrate the localization of cell wall synthetic complexes resulting in spatially co‐ordinated and efficient peptidoglycan synthetic activity.
The R1162 relaxase/primase contains two, type IV transport signals that require the small plasmid protein MobB
Authors: Parker Christopher , Meyer Richard J.
Published: September 2007

The relaxase of the plasmid R1162 is a large protein essential for conjugative transfer and containing two different and physically separate catalytic activities. The N‐terminal half cleaves one of the DNA strands at the origin of transfer (oriT) and becomes covalently linked to the 5′ terminal phosphate; the C‐terminal half is a primase essential for initiation of plasmid vegetative replication. We show here that the two parts of the protein are independently transported by the type IV pathway. Part of the domain containing the catalytic activity, as well as an adjacent region, is required in each case, but the required regions do not physically overlap. Both transport systems contribute to the overall frequency of conjugative transfer. MobB is a small protein, encoded within mobA but in a different reading frame, that stabilizes the relaxase at oriT. MobB is required for efficient type IV transport of both the complete relaxase and its two, separate functional halves. MobB inserts into the membrane and could thus stabilize the association between the relaxase and the type IV transfer apparatus.
The LysR‐type regulator AtzR binding site: DNA sequences involved in activation, repression and cyanuric acid‐dependent repositioning
Authors: Porrúa Odil , García‐Jaramillo Manuel , Santero Eduardo , Govantes Fernando
Published: September 2007

The LysR‐type transcriptional regulator (LTTR) AtzR of Pseudomonas sp. strain ADP activates the cyanuric acid‐utilization atzDEF operon in response to low nitrogen availability and the presence of cyanuric acid. AtzR also represses expression of its own gene, atzR, transcribed divergently from atzDEF. Here we identify and functionally characterize the cis‐acting sequences at the atzR–atzDEF divergent promoter region required for AtzR‐dependent regulation. AtzR binds a single site overlapping both the PatzR and PatzDEF promoters and induces a DNA bend immediately upstream from PatzDEF. Interaction of AtzR with the inducer cyanuric acid shortens the protein–DNA interaction region and relaxes the DNA bend. The AtzR binding site contains a strong binding determinant, the repression binding site (RBS), centred at position −65 relative to the atzDEF transcriptional start, containing the LTTR binding consensus motif. Integrity of the RBS is essential for high‐affinity AtzR binding, activation and autorepression. A second, weaker binding determinant, the activation binding site (ABS), is present between the RBS and PatzDEF. Deletion of the ABS only provokes a modest decrease in AtzR affinity for the promoter region in vitro, but abolishes repression of PatzR in vivo. Involvement of the ABS in autorepression has not been previously reported.
Interleukin‐18 gene polymorphisms and haplotypes in patients with oral lichen planus: a study in an ethnic Chinese cohort
Authors: Bai J. , Zhang Y. , Lin M. , Zeng X. , Wang Z. , Shen J. , Jiang L. , Gao F. , Chen Q.
Published: September 2007

Interleukin (IL)‐18, a proinflammatory cytokine, induces T‐helper 1 differentiation and cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte functions, both of which have been proposed in the pathogenesis of oral lichen planus (OLP) – an oral disease resembles oral mucosal graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD) both clinically and histologically. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL18 gene on the chromosome 11q22 in patients with OLP. Four SNPs of the IL18 gene at positions −137G/C (rs187238), −607C/A (rs1946518), −656G/T (rs1946519), and 1248A/G (rs189667) were analyzed in 151 patients with OLP and 143 normal controls using polymerase chain reaction–sequence‐specific primers method, and the serum level of IL‐18 protein was determined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The data revealed that there is a significant difference in IL18−607 genotype distributions between the patient group and the control group (P < 0.001), and the polymorphism −137G/C also appears to be statistically associated with the more severe erosive subtype (eOLP) (P = 0.023). The identified polymorphisms at the IL‐18 promoter region (i.e. −137GG) are likely to exert positive effect on the production of IL‐18 protein in OLP, as detected by ELISA. Using phase software, four haplotypes were deduced from the two polymorphisms −607C/A and −137G/C, named haplotypes I to IV, and the haplotypes I, II, and IV are significantly associated with OLP (P < 0.001). Our data suggest that the identified IL18 polymorphisms may be associated with the pathogenesis of OLP in this Chinese cohort by upregulation of IL‐18 production in vivo.
Facilitation of KIR genotyping by a PCR‐SSP method that amplifies short DNA fragments
Authors: Vilches C. , Castaño J. , Gómez‐Lozano N. , Estefanía E.
Published: September 2007

Detection of killer‐cell immunoglobulin‐like receptors (KIR) genes by polymerase chain reaction with sequence‐specific primers (PCR‐SSP) led in 1997 to the discovery that human genomes diverge largely in the KIR they encode. While only a few KIR genes are conserved in all humans, most individuals lack several those genes, which tend to associate in diverse haplotypic combinations. The PCR‐SSP technique, updated to detect the more recently identified KIR genes and alleles, is still used widely to analyze the diversity of human populations, and to study the influence of KIR‐gene variability on human health. Several published PCR‐SSP methods for KIR genotyping, although simple and robust, have the drawback of relying on the amplification of DNA fragments spanning 0.5–2.0 kbp, which tends to fail in low‐quality DNAs. Valuable collections of DNAs often include such poor quality samples, which lead to loss of data and resources. Even worse, undetected falsely negative or positive reactions may result in erroneous gene frequencies and in odd gene combinations. To address those problems, we have redesigned our previously published KIR genotyping method so that it produces short amplicons (less than 200 bp for most genes). This modification minimizes amplification failures, thus conferring greater consistency and reliability to KIR genotyping. In addition, the new PCR‐SSP method detects recently described alleles of several KIR genes, and allows for discrimination between the major structural variants of KIR2DS4 and KIR3DP1 without increasing the number of reactions.
Lack of association of Toll‐like receptor 9 gene polymorphism with Behçet’s disease in Japanese patients
Authors: Ito A. , Ota M. , Katsuyama Y. , Inoko H. , Ohno S. , Mizuki N.
Published: September 2007

Toll‐like receptors (TLRs) play an important role in the induction of defense mechanisms of the innate and adaptive immune responses to microbial pathogens. Genetic polymorphisms within the TLR9 gene have been reported to be associated with a variety of inflammatory and infectious diseases. Behçet’s disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory disease, and the etiology of BD has yet to be fully elucidated. We investigated the potential association of the TLR9 gene with susceptibility to BD by analyzing the frequency of nine single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in a population of 200 Japanese BD patients and 102 randomized controls. Our results showed that SNPs in the TLR9 gene were not significantly associated with susceptibility to BD.
14 bp deletion polymorphism in the HLA‐G gene is a risk factor for idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy in a Chinese Han population
Authors: Lin A. , Yan W. H. , Xu H. H. , Tang L. J. , Chen X. F. , Zhu M. , Zhou M. Y.
Published: September 2007

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) has been reported to be associated with the pathogenesis of autoimmune‐associated idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy (IDC). However, the HLA‐G in this context is limited. In the current study, a total of 117 IDC patients and age and sex matched 401 unrelated healthy controls in a Chinese Han population were HLA‐G genotyped for the 14 bp insertion and deletion polymorphism. IDC patients showed markedly increased frequencies of −14 bp/−14 bp genotype [Pc = 0.00049, odds ratio (OR) = 2.17] and −14 bp alleles (Pc = 4.1 × 10−5, OR = 1.97) when compared with healthy controls. Whereas the frequencies of +14 bp/+14 bp genotype (Pc = 0.0036, OR = 0.35) and +14 bp alleles (Pc = 4.1 × 10−5, OR = 0.51) were significantly lower in IDC. These data, for the first time, indicated that 14 bp insertion/deletion polymorphism in HLA‐G gene could be a genetic risk factor for the susceptibility to IDC.
Association and not semantic relationships elicit the N400 effect: Electrophysiological evidence from an explicit language comprehension task
Authors: Rhodes Sinéad M. , Donaldson David I.
Published: September 2007

Language comprehension studies have identified the N400, an event‐related potential (ERP) correlate of the processing of meaning, modulation of which is typically assumed to reflect the activation of semantic information. However, N400 studies of conscious language processing have not clearly distinguished between meaning derived from a semantic relationship and meaning extracted through association. We independently manipulated the presence of associative and semantic relationships while examining the N400 effect. Participants were asked to read and remember visually presented word pairs that shared an association (traffic–jam), an association+semantic relationship (lemon–orange), a semantic relationship alone (cereal–bread), or were unrelated (beard–tower). Modulation of the N400 (relative to unrelated word pairs) was observed for association and association+semantic word pairs but not for those that only shared a semantic relationship.
MMN or no MMN: No magnitude of deviance effect on the MMN amplitude
Authors: Horváth János , Czigler István , Jacobsen Thomas , Maess Burkhard , Schröger Erich , Winkler István
Published: September 2007

Based on results showing that the “deviant‐minus‐standard” estimate of the mismatch negativity (MMN) amplitude increases with increasing amounts of deviance, it has been suggested that the MMN amplitude reflects the amount of difference between the neural representations of the standard and the deviant sound. However, the deviant‐minus‐standard waveform also includes an N1 difference. We tested the effects of the magnitude of deviance on MMN while minimizing this N1 confound. We found no significant magnitude of deviance effect on the genuine MMN amplitude. Thus we suggest that the average MMN amplitude does not reflect the difference between neural stimulus representations; rather it may index the percentage of detected deviants, each of which elicits an MMN response of uniform amplitude. These results are compatible with an explanation suggesting that MMN is involved in maintaining a neural representation of the auditory environment.
Aspects of Infant Food Formulation
Authors: Thompkinson D.K. , Kharb Suman
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT:  Milk is a biological fluid of exceptional complexity. It contains the nutrients for the growth and development of the newborn. The compositional structure of milk is, however, dependent on the species and tailored to sustain growth and development of its own offspring. Human milk contains specific proteins, lipids, and other components designed to be easily digestible and which have important roles to play in child development. Human infants should ideally be nursed on mother's milk, which constitutes nature's best food. However, in the event of lactation failure, insufficient milk secretion, and where mothers are suffering from transmittable diseases, human milk substitutes serve as savers of precious life during vulnerable stages of infancy. Bovine milk as such or with certain modifications has been widely used for infant feeding. There has been an ever‐increasing reliance on formula feeding practices both in developed and developing countries. Bovine milk based dried formulations have become a prominent feature of infantile dietetics. Emphasis has been laid on the manufacture of formulations having compositional and biochemical characteristics similar to human milk. The technological advancement for the production of infant formula has come a long way in the manufacture of a variety of infant formulae for the dietary management of infants. This is a comprehensive review providing insight on the detailed compositional differences of various nutrients present in human milk as compared to bovine milk, their makeup, significance, and recommended levels of intake that are best suited for the growth and development of infants fed on modified/prepared infant formulations.
An Overview of Vibrio vulnificus and Vibrio parahaemolyticus
Authors: Drake Stephenie L. , DePaola Angelo , Jaykus Lee‐Ann
Published: September 2007

ABSTRACT:  The Vibrionaceae are environmentally ubiquitous to estuarine waters. Two species in particular, V. vulnificus and V. parahaemolyticus, are important human pathogens that are transmitted by the consumption of contaminated molluscan shellfish. This document provides a comprehensive review of the current state of knowledge about these important foodborne disease agents. Topics include the epidemiology of human disease; biotypes and virulence factors; cultural and molecular‐based detection methods; phenotyping and genotyping approaches; microbial ecology; and candidate control strategies. Recent international risk assessment efforts are also described. The reader will gain an understanding of why these organisms pose a public health risk and how improving our understanding of their behavior in the environment and the host can aid in reducing that risk in the future.
Insecticides with novel modes of action: Mechanism, selectivity and cross‐resistance
Authors: ISHAAYA Isaac , BARAZANI Avner , KONTSEDALOV Svetlana , HOROWITZ A. Rami
Published: September 2007

Efforts have been made during the past two decades to develop insecticides with selective properties that act specifically on biochemical sites present in particular insect groups, but whose properties differ from other insecticides. This approach has led to the discovery of compounds that affect the hormonal regulation of molting and developmental processes in insects; for example, ecdysone agonists, juvenile hormone mimics and chitin synthesis inhibitors. In addition, compounds that selectively interact with the insect nicotinic acetylcholine receptor, such as imidacloprid, acetamiprid and thiamethoxam, have been introduced for the control of aphids, whiteflies and other insect species. Natural products acting selectively on insect pests, such as avermectins, spinosad and azadirachtin, have been introduced for controlling selected groups of insect pests. Compounds acting on the nervous site that controls the sucking pump of aphids and whiteflies, such as pymetrozine, or respiration, such as diafenthiuron, have been introduced for controlling sucking pests. All the above compounds are important components in pest and resistance management programs.
Fine structure of the chelicera in the spider Nephila clavata
Authors: MOON Myung‐Jin , YU Min‐Hee
Published: September 2007

The fine structural characteristics of the biting apparatus in the orb‐web spider Nephila clavata were studied using scanning electron microscopy. The main biting apparatuses of spiders are the chelicerae and cheliceral fangs in the cephalothorax. The chelicera of N. clavata is that of the jack‐knife (folding knife) type, which is composed of two segments, and has a labidognathous form that moves at right angles to the body axis. Each chelicera bears a hinged fang that folds into a cheliceral groove. The tips of the fangs are quite sharp, and the spider's body is well adapted to driving the fangs into prey. Just below the fang, each side of the cheliceral groove is covered with a total of seven cuticular teeth (four promarginal teeth and three retromarginal teeth) in two rows. The cheliceral fang has a single aperture at the tip of the posterior surface, and the lower margin of the fang which meets the promarginal teeth is a saw‐like groove. Fine structural observation reveals that each fang has a single venom pore, and each cuticular depressive area on the cheliceral groove has two different types of surface pit. Approximately 40 to 50 spiky protrusions were counted at the cheliceral groove, to hold prey tightly.
Lethal and repellent effects of transfluthrin and metofluthrin used in portable blowers for personal protection against Ochlerotatus togoi and Aedes albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae)
Authors: LEE Dong‐Kyu
Published: September 2007

The lethal efficacy of three vaporizing insecticides – 0.6% transfluthrin and 0.6% metofluthrin in portable battery‐powered blowers and 2.5% bioallethrin in electric mats – was assessed in unventilated and ventilated screened room conditions against Ochlerotatus togoi (Theobald) females. The mosquitoes were highly susceptible to transfluthrin and metofluthrin. Mean mortality rates of mosquitoes exposed to transfluthrin and metofluthrin in portable blowers ranged from 95 to 100% at a distance of 10 cm from mosquito cages in both room conditions; this was a >2.4‐fold greater mortality rate than for mosquitoes exposed to bioallethrin in electric mats under the same conditions (mean 40%). The three insecticides showed a decrease in mortality rate at a distance of 70 cm: rates were <5.0, 32.5, 85.0 and 90.0% for 10, 30, 60, and 120 min after exposure, respectively, for the same exposure periods in a closed room. In semi‐field repellent tests with human volunteers, 0.6% concentrations of transfluthrin and metofluthrin provided mean biting protection of 76.1 and 59.9% on legs, 68.5 and 52.1% on arms, 63.4 and 63.1% on the chest, and 87.1 and 52.9% on the face, respectively. In field tests, 0.6% transfluthrin effectively repelled Armigeres subalbatus and Aedes albopictus, with mean biting protection of 85.4 and 89.3% on exposed legs and arms, respectively, of the human volunteers. Metofluthrin at 0.6% also effectively repelled Ar. subalbatus, with mean biting protection levels of 71.8 and 73.5% on the legs and arms, respectively. There was no significant difference of repellent activity between the two vaporizing insecticides in the field.
Seasonal prevalence of mosquitoes collected from light traps with notes on malaria in the Republic of Korea, 2004
Authors: KIM Heung Chul , CHONG Sung Tae , COLLIER Brett W. , LEE Hee‐Choon , KLEIN Terry A.
Published: September 2007

Adult mosquito surveillance was conducted during 2004 at 29 US military installations and training sites located in six provinces in the Republic of Korea. Adult mosquitoes were collected in New Jersey light traps and Magnet traps from 1 May through 15 October to determine threshold levels to initiate pesticide applications and to identify malaria infection rates at selected army installations and training sites. A total of 89 206 adults (78 454 [87.9%] females and 10 752 [12.1%] males) comprising 20 species (including five members of the Anopheles Hyrcanus Group) and belonging to seven genera were collected. The most common species collected were members of Culex tritaeniorhynchus Giles (49.4%) and Anopheles sinensis Wiedemann complex (39.1%), followed by Culex pipiens Coquillett (6.1%) and Aedes vexans nipponii (Theobald) (4.2%). Trap indices varied widely for species over their range, due in part to geographical distribution and degree of association with urban communities.
Taxonomic review of the tribe Bolitophagini in Korea (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae: Tenebrioninae)
Authors: JUNG Boo Hee , KIM Su Yeon , KIM Jin Ill
Published: September 2007

A taxonomic review of the tenebrionid tribe Bolitophagini in Korea is presented. Five species in four genera are recognized: Byrsax spiniceps Lewis, Byrsax kimurai Miyatake, Bolitophagus reticulates (Linnaeus, 1767), Boletoxenus bellicosus (Lewis) and Parabolitophagus felix (Lewis). A key, descriptions, host fungi, habitus photographs of adults, and illustrations of diagnostic characters are provided.
Six species of Tortricinae (Lepidoptera, Tortricidae) new to North Korea
Authors: BYUN Bong‐Kyu , KUN Andras , LEE Bong‐Woo , BAE Yang‐Seop
Published: September 2007

Six species of Tortricinae based on the materials in the Hungarian Natural History Museum were added to the North Korean fauna: Aethes rectilineana (Caradja), Gynnidomorpha luridana (Gregson), G. permixtana (Denis & Shiffermüller), Alceris uniformis (Filipjev), Eana vetulana (Christoph) and Neocalyptis angustilineata (Walsingham). Photos of adults and the genitalia are provided with brief comments on the distribution.
Taxonomic review of the genus Acasis Duponchel (Lepidoptera: Geometridae) from Korea
Authors: CHOI Sei‐Woong
Published: September 2007

The larentiine genus Acasis Duponchel is reviewed with recognition of three species, among which A. bellaria (Leech), is first reported from Korea. Diagnosis of each species is provided, with brief descriptions of adults including male and female genitalia.
Three littoral Athetini (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae: Aleocharinae) species new to Korea
Authors: PARK Jong‐Seok , JEON Mi‐Jeong , AHN Kee‐Jeong
Published: September 2007

Three littoral Athetini species –Adota magnipennis (Bernhauer), Atheta ririkoae Sawada and Atheta tokiokai (Sawada) – are reported for the first time in Korea. Diagnoses, illustrations of the habitus and line drawings of diagnostic characters are provided.
Lipolysis and fatty acid metabolism in men and women during the postexercise recovery period
Authors: Henderson Gregory C. , Fattor Jill A. , Horning Michael A. , Faghihnia Nastaran , Johnson Matthew L. , Mau Tamara L. , Luke‐Zeitoun Mona , Brooks George A.
Published: September 2007

We sought to determine whether lipolysis, fatty acid (FA) mobilization, and plasma FA oxidation would remain elevated for hours following isoenergetic exercise bouts of different intensities. Ten men and eight women received a primed‐continuous infusion of [1,1,2,3,3‐2H5]glycerol and continuous infusion of [1‐13C]palmitate to measure glycerol and plasma FA kinetics. On Day 1 (D1), participants were studied under one of three different conditions, assigned in random order: (1) before, during and 3 h after 90 min of exercise at 45% (E45), (2) before, during and 3 h after 60 min of exercise at 65% (E65), and (3) in a time‐matched sedentary control trial (C). For each condition, participants were studied by indirect calorimetry the following morning as well (D2). Rate of appearance (Ra) of glycerol (RaGL) increased above C during exercise in men and women (P < 0.05), was higher in E45 than E65 in men (P < 0.05), and was not different between exercise intensities in women. During 3 h of postexercise recovery, RaGL remained significantly elevated in men (P < 0.05), but not women. FA Ra (RaFA) increased during exercise in men and women and was higher in E45 than E65 (P < 0.05), and remained elevated during 3 h of postexercise recovery in both sexes (P < 0.05), but with a greater relative increase in men than women (P < 0.05). Plasma FA oxidation (Rox) increased during exercise with no difference between intensities, and it remained elevated during 3 h of postexercise recovery in both sexes (P < 0.05). Total lipid oxidation (Lox) was elevated in both sexes (P < 0.05), but more in men during 3 h of postexercise recovery on D1 (P < 0.05) and remained elevated on D2 in men (P < 0.05), but not in women. There were no differences between E45 and E65 for postexercise energy substrate turnover or oxidation in men and women as energy expenditure of exercise (EEE) was matched between bouts. We conclude that the impact of exercise upon lipid metabolism persists into recovery, but that women depend more on lipid during exercise whereas, during recovery, lipid metabolism is accentuated to a greater extent in men.
Inspiratory muscle training attenuates the human respiratory muscle metaboreflex
Authors: Witt Jonathan D. , Guenette Jordan A. , Rupert Jim L. , McKenzie Donald C. , Sheel A. William
Published: September 2007

We hypothesized that inspiratory muscle training (IMT) would attenuate the sympathetically mediated heart rate (HR) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) increases normally observed during fatiguing inspiratory muscle work. An experimental group (Exp, n= 8) performed IMT 6 days per week for 5 weeks at 50% of maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), while a control group (Sham, n= 8) performed IMT at 10% MIP. Pre‐ and post‐training, subjects underwent a eucapnic resistive breathing task (RBT) (breathing frequency = 15 breaths min−1, duty cycle = 0.70) while HR and MAP were continuously monitored. Following IMT, MIP increased significantly (P < 0.05) in the Exp group (−125 ± 10 to −146 ± 12 cmH2O; mean ±s.e.m.) but not in the Sham group (−141 ± 11 to −148 ± 11 cmH2O). Prior to IMT, the RBT resulted in significant increases in HR (Sham: 59 ± 2 to 83 ± 4 beats min−1; Exp: 62 ± 3 to 83 ± 4 beats min−1) and MAP (Sham: 88 ± 2 to 106 ± 3 mmHg; Exp: 84 ± 1 to 99 ± 3 mmHg) in both groups relative to rest. Following IMT, the Sham group observed similar HR and MAP responses to the RBT while the Exp group failed to increase HR and MAP to the same extent as before (HR: 59 ± 3 to 74 ± 2 beats min−1; MAP: 84 ± 1 to 89 ± 2 mmHg). This attenuated cardiovascular response suggests a blunted sympatho‐excitation to resistive inspiratory work. We attribute our findings to a reduced activity of chemosensitive afferents within the inspiratory muscles and may provide a mechanism for some of the whole‐body exercise endurance improvements associated with IMT.
Structural and functional alterations of muscle fibres in the novel mouse model of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy
Authors: D'Antona Giuseppe , Brocca Lorenza , Pansarasa Orietta , Rinaldi Chiara , Tupler Rossella , Bottinelli Roberto
Published: September 2007

We recently generated a mouse model of facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) by selectively overexpressing FRG1, a candidate gene for FSHD, in skeletal muscle. The muscles of the FRG‐1 mice did not show any plasmamembrane defect suggesting a novel pathogenetic mechanism for FSHD. Here, we study structure and function of muscle fibres from three lines of mice overexpressing FRG1 at different levels: FRG1‐low, FRG1‐med, FRG1‐high. Cross‐sectional area (CSA), specific force (Po/CSA) and maximum shortening velocity (Vo) of identified types of muscle fibres from FRG1‐low and FRG1‐med mice were analysed and found to be lower than in WT mice. Fast fibres and especially type 2B fibres (the fastest type) were preferentially involved in the dystrophic process showing a much larger force deficit than type 1 (slow) fibres. Consistent with the latter observation, the MHC isoform distribution of several muscles of the three FRG1 lines showed a shift towards slower MHC isoforms in comparison to WT muscle. Moreover, fast muscles showed a more evident histological deterioration, a larger atrophy and a higher percentage of centrally nucleated fibres than the soleus, the slowest muscle in mice. Interestingly, loss in CSA, Po/CSA and Vo of single muscle fibres and MHC isoform shift towards a slower phenotype can be considered early signs of muscular dystrophy (MD). They were, in fact, found also in FRG1‐low mice which did not show any impairment of function in vivo and of muscle size in vitro and in soleus muscles, which had a completely preserved morphology. This study provides a detailed characterization of structure and function of muscle fibres in a novel murine model of one of the main human MDs and suggests that fundamental features of the dystrophic process, common to most MDs, such as the intrinsic loss of contractile strength of muscle fibres, the preferential involvement of fast fibres and the shift towards a slow muscle phenotype can occur independently from obvious alterations of the plasma membrane.
Chronic corticosterone elevation and sex‐specific augmentation of the hypoxic ventilatory response in awake rats
Authors: Fournier Sebastien , Allard Mathieu , Gulemetova Roumiana , Joseph Vincent , Kinkead Richard
Published: September 2007

Perinatal stress disrupts normal development of the hypothalamo‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis. Adult male (but not female) rats previously subjected to a stress such as neonatal maternal separation (NMS) are characterized by chronic elevation of plasma corticosterone (Cort) levels and an abnormally elevated hypoxic ventilatory response through mechanisms that remain unknown. The present study tested the hypothesis that a chronic increase of plasma Cort levels alone augments the ventilatory response to hypoxia in adult rats. Three groups of Sprague–Dawley male and female rats were used (control, placebo and Cort implants). Rats subjected to chronic Cort elevation received a subcutaneous Cort implant (300 mg) 14 days prior to ventilatory measurements, whereas sham‐operated rats received placebo implants. Controls received no treatment. Plasma Cort levels and body weight profiles were measured to assess protocol efficiency. Whole body plethysmography was used to measure ventilatory activity and metabolic indices during normoxia and following a 20 min period of moderate hypoxia (12% O2). Male rats implanted with Cort showed a ventilatory response to hypoxia higher than placebo‐treated rats; this effect was mainly due to a larger tidal volume response. In females, Cort treatment increased the breathing frequency response but the effect on minute ventilation was not significant. Taken together, these data show that chronic elevation of Cort alone increases the ventilatory response to hypoxia, but in a sex‐specific manner. These data raise important questions regarding the mechanisms underlying the sexual dimorphism of this effect and the potential link between HPA axis dysfunction and respiratory disorders related to abnormal ventilatory chemoreflex.
The cardiovascular challenge of exercising in the heat
Authors: González‐Alonso José , Crandall Craig G. , Johnson John M.
Published: September 2007

Exercise in the heat can pose a severe challenge to human cardiovascular control, and thus the provision of oxygen to exercising muscles and vital organs, because of enhanced thermoregulatory demand for skin blood flow coupled with dehydration and hyperthermia. Cardiovascular strain, typified by reductions in cardiac output, skin and locomotor muscle blood flow and systemic and muscle oxygen delivery accompanies marked dehydration and hyperthermia during prolonged and intense exercise characteristic of many summer Olympic events. This review focuses on how the cardiovascular system is regulated when exercising in the heat and how restrictions in locomotor skeletal muscle and/or skin perfusion might limit athletic performance in hot environments.
A mutation in the ATP‐binding site of the Kir6.2 subunit of the KATP channel alters coupling with the SUR2A subunit
Authors: Tammaro Paolo , Ashcroft Frances M.
Published: September 2007

Mutations in the pore‐forming subunit of the ATP‐sensitive K+ (KATP) channel Kir6.2 cause neonatal diabetes. Understanding the molecular mechanism of action of these mutations has provided valuable insight into the relationship between the structure and function of the KATP channel. When Kir6.2 containing a mutation (F333I) in the putative ATP‐binding site is coexpressed with the cardiac type of regulatory KATP channel subunit, SUR2A, the channel sensitivity to ATP inhibition is reduced and the intrinsic open probability (Po) is increased. However, the extent of macroscopic current activation by MgADP was unaffected. Here we examine rundown and MgADP activation of wild‐type and Kir6.2‐F333I/SUR2A channels using single‐channel recording, noise analysis and spectral analysis. We also compare the effect of mutating the adjacent residue, G334, on rundown and MgADP activation. All three approaches indicated that rundown of Kir6.2‐F333I/SUR2A channels is due to a reduction in the number of active channels in the patch and that MgADP reactivation involves recruitment of inactive channels. In contrast, rundown and MgADP reactivation of wild‐type and Kir6.2‐G334D/SUR2A channels, and of Kir6.2‐F333I/SUR1 channels, involve a gradual change in Po. Our results suggest that F333 in Kir6.2 interacts functionally with SUR2A to modulate channel rundown and MgADP activation. This interaction is fairly specific as it is not disturbed when the adjacent residue (G334) is mutated. It is also not a consequence of the enhanced Po of Kir6.2‐F333I/SUR2A channels, as it is not found for other mutant channels with high Po (Kir6.2‐I296L/SUR2A).
Solution for a Semi-Permeable Interface Crack Between Two Dissimilar Piezoelectric Material
Authors: Li Q. , Chen Y. H.
Published: September 2007

A semi-permeable interface crack in dissimilar piezoelectric materials is studied in detail. Attention is focused on the influence induced from the permittivity of the medium inside the crack gap on the near-tip singularity and the crack tip energy release rate (ERR). The Stroh complex variable theory (Stroh, A. N., 1958, Philos. Mag. 3, pp. 625–646;Ting, T. C. T., Int. J. Solids Struct., 22, pp. 965–983) is used to obtain the solution, from which some useful numerical results for 21 kinds of dissimilar piezoelectric materials are calculated. They are combined from seven kinds of commercial piezoelectric ceramics. The distribution of the normal electric displacement component (NEDC) along the interface crack is assumed to be uniform and the corresponding problem is then deduced to a Hilbert problem with an unknown NEDC. Solving the Hilbert problem and determining the near-tip field for each of the 21 bimaterials, we determine the crack tip singularities and find that the crack-tip singularity for a certain combination of two dissimilar piezoelectric materials can be either oscillatory or nonoscillatory when the poling axes of both piezoelectric materials are perpendicular to the interface crack. Energy analyses for PZT‐4∕BaTiO3 as a typical nonoscillatory class bimaterial and those for PZT-5H∕BaTiO3 as a typical oscillatory class bimaterial are specially studied in detail under four different conditions: (i) the crack gap is filled with air or vacuum; (ii) the crack gap is filled with silicon oil to avoid discharge; (iii) the crack gap is conducting; and (iv) the electrically impermeable crack. Detailed comparisons are performed among the four cases. We conclude that the different values of the permittivity have no influence on the crack tip singularity but have significant influences on the crack tip ERR under the combined electromechanical loading. We also conclude that the previous investigations under the insulating crack model are incorrect or misleading since the model overestimates the effect of the electric field on the ERR very much and the results of the ERR for the impermeable crack show significant discrepancies from those for the semi-permeable crack. Whereas the previous investigations under the conducting crack model may be accepted in a tolerant, way, the results of the ERR show very small discrepancies from those for the semi-permeable crack model, especially when it filled with silicon oil.
Energy Analysis and Decoupling in Three-Dimensional Impacts of Multibody Systems
Authors: Najafabadi Seyed Ali Modarres , Kövecses József , Angeles Jorge
Published: September 2007

This paper discusses an exact decomposition of the kinetic energy to determine the energy content that influences the dynamics of unilateral contacts in multibody systems. This decomposition essentially divides the kinetic energy of the whole multibody system into two completely decoupled parts associated with the constrained and admissible directions of unilateral contacts. This will provide a picture of how the energy absorption/dissipation during impacts is related to the variation of the generalized velocities and the configuration of multibody systems. Potential applications of such a decoupling are highlighted.