bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Dissent in a Contemporary Catholic Context
Authors: McGovern Deirdre
Published: September 2009

This article seeks to explore the problem of ‘dissent’ within contemporary Catholicism. It examines the negative associations that arise with the use of the word ‘dissent’. And considers, inter alia , the dilemma of ‘infallible’ and ‘non-infallible’ teachings in light of the Second Vatican Council documents particularly Gaudium et Spes and Lumen Gentium and the issues raised by the more recent Ad Tuendam Fidem . I explore the history of ‘dissent’ within the Church examining Jesus, Paul and Galileo and conclude that in order for parties to be reconciled within the Church she must actively embrace the needs and concerns of all through open, sincere dialogue.
Music in 2nd (Slavonic) Enoch
Authors: Pilch John J.
Published: September 2009

During his sky journeys as reported in 2nd (Slavonic) Enoch, he hears the “indescribable singing of the army of cherubim.” This article seeks to investigate the nature of the singing the author might have heard. Insights from psychological anthropology and ethnomusicology assist in discovering culturally plausible answers.
Privatization, Governance and Economic Development in Developing Countries
Authors: Adams Samuel , Mengistu Berhanu
Published: September 2009

The study examined the impact of privatization on economic growth and income inequality in 82 developing countries between 1991 and 2002. Using the least squares dummy variable (LSDV) approach, we found that privatization did not have a significant impact on both economic growth and income inequality. However, good governance had a positive impact on economic growth and a negative impact on income inequality, while foreign direct investment (FDI) had a negligible impact on economic growth but a positive effect on income inequality. The findings of the study suggest that country-specific characteristics may be more important in promoting growth and reducing income inequality than any economic policy per se.
Oxidative stress induced by morphine in brain of rats fed with a protein deficient diet
Authors: Calderón-Guzmán David , Osnaya-Brizuela Norma , García-Alvarez Raquel , Hernández-García Ernestina , Juárez-Olguín Hugo
Published: September 2009

The objective of the study is to determine the damage by oxidative stress induced by morphine in brain of rats fed with a protein-deficient diet. Twenty-eight malnourished male Wistar rats, 30 days old, were used in the study. The animals were divided into four groups of 7 rats per group. Group I received NaCl and the groups II; III and IV intraperitoneally received 3, 6 and 12 mg/kg of morphine sulphate, respectively, in a single dose. Animals were sacrificed and the levels of glutathione (GSH), dopamine, tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA) as well as, Na+/K+ ATPase and total ATPase activity in the brain were measured. Tryptophan levels and Na+/K + ATPase activity showed non-significant changes in the experimental group. Levels of 5-HIAA decreased significantly (p = .03) in animals that received 12 mg/kg of morphine and in animals that received 3 mg/kg, levels of GSH and dopamine were found to have a significant decrease (p < .05), but a significant increase in the group that received 12 mg/kg of morphine (p < .05). Total ATPase activity increased significantly in the groups that received 3 mg/kg (p = .015) and 6 mg/kg (p = .0001) of morphine. The results show that malnutrition induces changes in cellular regulation and biochemical responses to oxidative stress caused by morphine sulphate.
Effects of exposure to pesticides during pregnancy on placental maturity and weight of newborns: A cross-sectional pilot study in women from the Chihuahua State, Mexico
Authors: Acosta-Maldonado Brenda , Sánchez-Ramírez Blanca , Reza-López Sandra , Levario-Carrillo Margarita
Published: September 2009

It is known that pesticides cross the placental barrier and can cause alterations in the development of placental structures resulting in adverse effects in reproduction. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of pesticide exposure during pregnancy on placental maturity and to evaluate the relationship between placental maturity, gestational age and birth weight. We collected the placentas from singleton pregnancies from women exposed (n = 9) and non-exposed (n = 45 full-term and n = 31 preterm) to pesticides as evaluated geographically, by questionnaire and by acetylcholinesterase levels. Placental morphometry from the central and peripheral regions was examined by microscopy and staining with hematoxylin and eosin. The placental maturity index (PMI) was estimated by dividing the number of epithelial plates in terminal villi to their thickness in 1 mm2 of the placental parenchyma. Gestational age, birth weight and the following characteristics of the mother were also recorded: pre-pregnancy body mass index, weight gain during pregnancy and hemoglobin concentrations. Birth weight and the gestational age were correlated with PMI (r = .54 and r = .44, respectively; p < .01). Pesticide exposure was associated with a higher PMI (beta = 7.38, p = .01) after adjusting by variables related to placental maturity. In conclusion, the results suggest a relationship between prenatal exposure to pesticides and placental maturity and may potentially affect the nutrient transport from the mother to the fetus.
Athlete Satisfaction and Leadership: Assessing Group-Level Effects
Authors: Karreman Erwin , Dorsch Kim , Riemer Harold
Published: September 2009

In a group context (e.g., athletic team), group-level effects may be present in constructs typically measured at the individual level (e.g., athlete satisfaction, leadership behavior). If a group-level effect is present, constructs should be analyzed using the group as the unit of analysis and failure to do so can lead to skewed relationships with other constructs. The purpose of this study is to examine the existence and magnitude of group-level effects when athletes rate athlete satisfaction and leadership behavior. The authors hypothesize: (a) group-level effects emerge when group members rate a shared property of the group, and (b) group-level effects may be present when group members rate an individual-level construct that exist within the context of the group. A total of 212 team athletes (members of 16 interactive athletic teams; mean age 20.1 ± 1.96 years) completed subscales of the Leadership Scale for Sports and the Athlete Satisfaction Questionnaire. Results show large group-level effects for all leadership behavior dimensions and satisfaction dimensions associated with group-level constructs, whereas smaller group-level effects were found for satisfaction dimensions associated with individual-level constructs. The results support the hypotheses that group-level effects can emerge for constructs previously viewed solely as individual-level constructs when measured in a group setting. Recognition of these effects should play a factor in determining the appropriate unit of analysis. Implications for handling groups without a group-level effect, while the majority of groups show an effect, are also discussed.
Assertions of Expertise in Online Product Reviews
Authors: Mackiewicz Jo
Published: September 2009

In online consumer reviews on Web sites such as Epinions, laypeople write and post their evaluations of technical products. But how do they get readers to take their opinions seriously? One way that online reviewers establish credibility is to assert expertise. This article describes 10 types of assertions that online reviewers used (along with the three broader categories of these types), explaining the method used to test the types for reliability. This testing revealed that the types are reliable. This study lays the groundwork for understanding how reviewers construct expertise and, therefore, credibility and for gauging readers' perceptions of reviews that contain these assertions.
Best Practices in Working With Linguistically Diverse Families
Authors: Araujo Blanca E.
Published: September 2009

Many schools face the challenge of forging partnerships with families from linguistically diverse backgrounds. Effective communication, funds of knowledge, culturally relevant teaching, and extending and accepting assistance are best practices that have been used successfully by school personnel when working with students who are identified as English-language learners. These things strengthen teacher communications with linguistically diverse families and in turn foster academic success among students who are English-language learners. This article focuses on these dispositional best practices and provides examples of how these practices are used in schools to promote academic and social success of linguistically diverse children and their families and the many teachers who support their education.
The Padua Inventory: Do Revisions Need Revision?
Authors: Gönner Sascha , Ecker Willi , Leonhart Rainer
Published: September 2009

The purpose of the present study was to examine the psychometric properties, factorial structure, and validity of the Padua Inventory—Washington State University Revision and of the Padua Inventory—Revised in a large sample of patients with obsessive—compulsive disorder ( n = 228) and with anxiety disorders and/or depression ( n = 213). The five-factor structures of both revisions were not replicated. A 24-item revision, referred to as the Padua Inventory—Palatine Revision (PI-PR), was developed on the basis of both theoretical and statistical considerations. The PI-PR assesses six subscales: Contamination and Washing, Checking, Numbers, Dressing and Grooming, Rumination, and Harming Obsessions and Impulses. The results demonstrate that the PI-PR is a brief, psychometrically sound, and valid measure for the assessment of a broad range of obsessive—compulsive symptoms, which has important advantages over both previous revisions.
Do Candidate Positions Matter?
Authors: Ensley Michael J. , Bucy Erik P.
Published: September 2009

This article demonstrates that candidate positions on the ballot measure to ban gay marriage had an effect on gubernatorial voting. With exit poll data from three states in 2006, we find that the effect of support for the ban is at least twice as large when the candidates adopted divergent positions. Support for the ban has a smaller but significant effect on vote choice when the candidate positions converge, which suggests an indiscriminate priming effect. These findings are supported with aggregate data from 45 gubernatorial races in 2004 and 2006. The analysis reveals that Republican candidates benefited if candidate positions diverged, with the Democratic candidates expressing opposition to the gay marriage ban.
Fetus in Fetu
Authors: Ghazle Hamad , Dolbow Kimberly
Published: September 2009

Fetus in fetu is a congenital abnormality in which a nonviable, parasitic fetus grows within its twin. It is a rare cause of retroperitoneal abdominal mass in infants and children. The authors report a recent case of a six-month-old girl who presented with unexplained abdominal distention. A sonogram and a magnetic resonance imaging examination showed a multiloculated, complex cystic mass with calcified and soft tissue components. A definitive diagnosis and discrimination from a teratoma was difficult to make because of the absence of a distinctive criterion, the presence of a vertebral column. Pathologic examination showed a complex mass consisting of well-formed bowel and upper respiratory tract segments as well as mature neuroglial tissue, skeletal muscle tissue fibers, and bone tissue that contained bone marrow, supporting the diagnosis of fetus in fetu. Therefore, the nonvisualization of a vertebral column on imaging should not exclude fetus in fetu from the differential diagnosis.
Feasibility of Using a Hand-Carried Sonographic Unit for Investigating Median Nerve Pathology
Authors: Roll Shawn C. , Evans Kevin
Published: September 2009

Numerous research studies describe the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMSD) in diagnostic medical sonographers, but little research has investigated contributing factors and biological changes in symptomatic individuals. Improved image quality and portability, combined with lower cost and dynamic capabilities, have led to increased use of sonography over magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in musculoskeletal evaluations. The purpose of this pilot study was to develop a valid and reliable sonographic protocol for the evaluation of work-related median nerve pathology with a hand-carried sonographic unit. A GE Logiq i (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) hand-carried unit with a 12-MHz linear transducer was used to collect nine longitudinal and transverse images of the median nerve at various anatomical locations in the distal upper extremity of three healthy volunteers. Doppler waveforms were also collected in the median nerve sheath. Qualitative review indicated high-quality images with well-defined structures, resulting in valid measures between multiple researchers of anterior-posterior diameter, cross-sectional area, anterior transverse carpal ligament bulge, and Doppler flow. The use of a hand-carried sonographic unit appears to be a feasible alternative to MRI to detect musculoskeletal changes in symptomatic sonographers. Additional basic and clinical studies are necessary to validate the use of hand-carried sonography as a measure of biological changes in longitudinal WRMSD research.
VH4-34+ hairy cell leukemia, a new variant with poor prognosis despite standard therapy
Authors: Arons Evgeny , Suntum Tara , Stetler-Stevenson Maryalice , Kreitman Robert J.
Published: September 2009

Hairy cell leukemia variant (HCLv) presents with high disease burden, lack of typical antigens like CD25, and poor response to standard treatments like cladribine. Occasionally, patients with classic HCL respond poorly. Clinical and molecular features of HCL and HCLv has not been compared. Rearrangements expressing immunoglobulin VH chain were sequenced, including 22 from 20 patients with HCLv and 63 from 62 patients with classic HCL. Most patients were seeking relapsed/refractory trials, representing a poor-prognosis population. VH4-34, a gene commonly used in autoimmune disorders, was observed in 8 (40%) HCLv and 6 (10%) classic (P = .004) HCL patients. Compared with 71 VH4-34− rearrangements, 14 VH4-34+ rearrangements were more frequently (P < .001) unmutated, defined as greater than 98% homologous to germline sequence. VH4-34+ patients had greater white blood cell counts at diagnosis (P = .002), lower response rate (P < .001) and progression-free survival (P = .007) after initial cladribine, and shorter overall survival from diagnosis (P < .001). Response and survival were more closely related to VH4-34 status than to whether or not patients had HCLv. VH4-34+ HCL is an important disorder that only partly overlaps with the previously described HCLv. Response to initial single-agent cladribine therapy is suboptimal; these patients should be considered for alternative approaches, including antibody-related therapy.
Aberrant splicing of the E-cadherin transcript is a novel mechanism of gene silencing in chronic lymphocytic leukemia cells
Authors: Sharma Sanjai , Lichtenstein Alan
Published: September 2009

Premature termination codon (PTC) mutations are due to insertion or deletion of nucleotides causing a frameshift and premature termination codon in RNA. These transcripts are degraded by the nonsense-mediated decay pathway and have a very short half-life. We used a microarray technique to screen for genes that up-regulate their RNA signal upon nonsense-mediated decay pathway blockade in chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) specimens and identified an E-cadherin transcript with PTC. Sequencing revealed an aberrant E-cadherin transcript lacking exon 11, resulting in a frameshift and PTC. The aberrant E-cadherin transcript was also identified in normal B cells, but occurred at a much lower level compared with CLL cells. In CLL specimens, E-cadherin expression was depressed more than 50% in 62% cases (relative to normal B cells). By real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis, the relative amounts of wild-type transcript inversely correlated with amounts of aberrant transcript (P = .018). Ectopic expression of E-cadherin in CLL specimens containing high amounts of aberrant transcript resulted in down-regulation of the wnt–β-catenin pathway reporter, a pathway known to be up-regulated in CLL. Our data point to a novel mechanism of E-cadherin gene inactivation, with CLL cells displaying a higher proportion of aberrant nonfunctional transcripts and resulting up-regulation of the wnt–β-catenin pathway.
Chronic lymphocytic leukemia: interplay between noncoding RNAs and protein-coding genes
Authors: Calin George A. , Croce Carlo M.
Published: September 2009

One of the most unexpected and fascinating discoveries in oncology over the past few years is the interplay between abnormalities in protein-coding genes and noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs) that is causally involved in cancer initiation, progression, and dissemination. MicroRNAs (miRNAs), small regulatory ncRNAs, are involved in the pathogenesis of all types of human cancers, including leukemias, mainly via dysregulation of expression of cancer genes. Increasing evidence shows that miRNAs can work as tumor suppressors (inhibiting malignant potential) or oncogenes (activating malignant potential). Researchers first identified this new paradigm of molecular oncology in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). Understanding the roles of miRNAs and other ncRNAs in leukemic cells is not only uncovering a new layer of gene regulation but also providing new markers for improved diagnosis and prognosis, as well as novel therapeutic options for CLL patients. Herein we focus on the roles of miRNAs and ultraconserved ncRNA genes in CLL, highlighting what is already known about their function, proposing a novel model of CLL predisposition and progression, and describing the challenges for the near future.
Exon deletions and intragenic insertions are not rare in ataxia with oculomotor apraxia 2
Authors: Bernard Veronica , Minnerop Martina , Bürk Katrin , Kreuz Friedmar , Gillessen-Kaesbach Gabriele , Zühlke Christine
Published: September 2009

Background

The autosomal recessively inherited ataxia with oculomotor apraxia 2 (AOA2) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by juvenile or adolescent age of onset, gait ataxia, cerebellar atrophy, axonal sensorimotor neuropathy, oculomotor apraxia, and elevated serum AFP levels. AOA2 is caused by mutations within the senataxin gene (SETX). The majority of known mutations are nonsense, missense, and splice site mutations, as well as small deletions and insertions.

Methods

To detect mutations in patients showing a clinical phenotype consistent with AOA2, the coding region including splice sites of the SETX gene was sequenced and dosage analyses for all exons were performed on genomic DNA. The sequence of cDNA fragments of alternative transcripts isolated after RT-PCR was determined.

Results

Sequence analyses of the SETX gene in four patients revealed a heterozygous nonsense mutation or a 4 bp deletion in three cases. In another patient, PCR amplification of exon 11 to 15 dropped out. Dosage analyses and breakpoint localisation yielded a 1.3 kb LINE1 insertion in exon 12 (patient P1) and a 6.1 kb deletion between intron 11 and intron 14 (patient P2) in addition to the heterozygous nonsense mutation R1606X. Patient P3 was compound heterozygous for a 4 bp deletion in exon 10 and a 20.7 kb deletion between intron 10 and 15. This deletion was present in a homozygous state in patient P4.

Conclusion

Our findings indicate that gross mutations seem to be a frequent cause of AOA2 and reveal the importance of additional copy number analysis for routine diagnostics.
Epigenetic inheritance of an inducibly nucleosome-depleted promoter and its associated transcriptional state in the apparent absence of transcriptional activators
Authors: Ohsawa Ryosuke , Adkins Melissa , Tyler Jessica K
Published: September 2009

Background

Dynamic changes to the chromatin structure play a critical role in transcriptional regulation. This is exemplified by the Spt6-mediated histone deposition on to histone-depleted promoters that results in displacement of the general transcriptional machinery during transcriptional repression.

Results

Using the yeast PHO5 promoter as a model, we have previously shown that blocking Spt6-mediated histone deposition on to the promoter leads to persistent transcription in the apparent absence of transcriptional activators in vivo. We now show that the nucleosome-depleted PHO5 promoter and its associated transcriptionally active state can be inherited through DNA replication even in the absence of transcriptional activators. Transcriptional reinitiation from the nucleosome-depleted PHO5 promoter in the apparent absence of activators in vivo does not require Mediator. Notably, the epigenetic inheritance of the nucleosome-depleted PHO5 promoter through DNA replication does not require ongoing transcription.

Conclusion

Our results suggest that there may be a memory or an epigenetic mark on the nucleosome-depleted PHO5 promoter that is independent of the transcription apparatus and maintains the promoter in a nucleosome-depleted state through DNA replication.
Changes in the central component of the hypothalamus-pituitary-thyroid axis in a rabbit model of prolonged critical illness
Authors: Mebis Liese , Debaveye Yves , Ellger Björn , Derde Sarah , Ververs Eric-Jan , Langouche Lies , Darras Veerle M , Fliers Eric , Visser Theo J , Van den Berghe Greet
Published: September 2009

Introduction

Prolonged critically ill patients reveal low circulating thyroid hormone levels without a rise in thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). This condition is labeled "low 3,5,3'-tri-iodothyronine (T3) syndrome" or "nonthyroidal illness syndrome (NTI)" or "euthyroid sick syndrome". Despite the low circulating and peripheral tissue thyroid hormone levels, thyrotropin releasing hormone (TRH) expression in the hypothalamus is reduced and it remains unclear which mechanism is responsible. We set out to study whether increased hypothalamic T3 availability could reflect local thyrotoxicosis and explain feedback inhibition-induced suppression of the TRH gene in the context of the low T3 syndrome in prolonged critical illness.

Methods

Healthy rabbits were compared with prolonged critically ill, parenterally fed animals. We visualized TRH mRNA in the hypothalamus by in situ-hybridization and measured mRNA levels for the type II iodothyronine diodinase (D2), the thyroid hormone transporters monocarboxylate transporter (MCT) 8, MCT10 and organic anion co-transporting polypeptide 1C1 (OATP1C1) and the thyroid hormone receptors α (TRα) and β (TRβ) in the hypothalamus. We also measured the activity of the D2 and type III iodothyronine deiodinase (D3) enzymes.

Results

In the hypothalamus of prolonged critically ill rabbits with low circulating T3 and TSH, we observed decreased TRH mRNA, increased D2 mRNA and increased MCT10 and OATP1C1 mRNA while MCT8 gene expression was unaltered as compared with healthy controls. This coincided with low hypothalamic thyroxine (T4) and low-normal T3 concentrations, without a change at the thyroid hormone receptor level.

Conclusions

Although expression of D2 and of the thyroid hormone transporters MCT10 and OATP1C1 were increased in the hypothalamus of prolonged critical ill animals, hypothalamic T4 and T3 content or thyroid hormone receptor expression were not elevated. Hence, decreased TRH gene expression, and hereby low TSH and T3 during prolonged critical illness, is not exclusively brought about by hypothalamic thyrotoxicosis, and infer other TRH suppressing factors to play a role.
De novo genome sequence assembly of a filamentous fungus using Sanger, 454 and Illumina sequence data
Authors: DiGuistini Scott , Liao Nancy Y , Platt Darren , Robertson Gordon , Seidel Michael , Chan Simon K , Docking T Roderick , Birol Inanc , Holt Robert A , Hirst Martin , Mardis Elaine , Marra Marco A , Hamelin Richard C , Bohlmann Jörg , Breuil Colette , Jones Steven JM
Published: September 2009

Sequencing-by-synthesis technologies can reduce the cost of generating de novo genome assemblies. We report a method for assembling draft genome sequences of eukaryotic organisms that integrates sequence information from different sources, and demonstrate its effectiveness by assembling an approximately 32.5 Mb draft genome sequence for the forest pathogen Grosmannia clavigera, an ascomycete fungus. We also developed a method for assessing draft assemblies using Illumina paired end read data and demonstrate how we are using it to guide future sequence finishing. Our results demonstrate that eukaryotic genome sequences can be accurately assembled by combining Illumina, 454 and Sanger sequence data.
ABC drug transporters and immunity: novel therapeutic targets in autoimmunity and cancer
Authors: van de Ven Rieneke , Oerlemans Ruud , van der Heijden Joost W , Scheffer George L , de Gruijl Tanja D , Jansen Gerrit , Scheper Rik J
Published: September 2009

Review evaluates the possible physiological roles of MDR-related ABC transporters on immune effector cells based on reports on their expression patterns and immune-related substrates.

ABC transporters were identified originally for their contribution to clinical MDR as a result of their capacity to extrude various unrelated cytotoxic drugs. More recent reports have shown that ABC transporters can play important roles in the development, differentiation, and maturation of immune cells and are involved in migration of immune effector cells to sites of inflammation. Many of the currently identified, endogenous ABC transporter substrates have immunostimulating effects. Increasing the expression of ABC transporters on immune cells and thereby enhancing immune cell development or functionality may be beneficial to immunotherapy in the field of oncology. On the contrary, in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, blockade of these transporters may prove beneficial, as it could dampen disease activity by compromising immune effector cell functions. This review will focus on the expression, regulation, and substrate specificity of ABC transporters in relation to functional activities of immune effector cells and discusses implications for the treatment of cancer on the one hand and autoimmune diseases on the other.
Flexible clap and fling in tiny insect flight
Authors: Miller Laura A. , Peskin Charles S.
Published: September 2009

Of the insects that have been filmed in flight, those that are 1 mm in length or less often clap their wings together at the end of each upstroke and fling them apart at the beginning of each downstroke. This `clap and fling'motion is thought to augment the lift forces generated during flight. What has not been highlighted in previous work is that very large forces are required to clap the wings together and to fling the wings apart at the low Reynolds numbers relevant to these tiny insects. In this paper, we use the immersed boundary method to simulate clap and fling in rigid and flexible wings. We find that the drag forces generated during fling with rigid wings can be up to 10 times larger than what would be produced without the effects of wing–wing interaction. As the horizontal components of the forces generated during the end of the upstroke and beginning of the downstroke cancel as a result of the motion of the two wings, these forces cannot be used to generate thrust. As a result, clap and fling appears to be rather inefficient for the smallest flying insects. We also add flexibility to the wings and find that the maximum drag force generated during the fling can be reduced by about 50%. In some instances, the net lift forces generated are also improved relative to the rigid wing case.
Oxygen tension correlates with regional blood flow in obstructed rat kidney
Authors: Jensen Anja M. , Nørregaard Rikke , Topcu Sukru Oguzkan , Frøkiær Jørgen , Pedersen Michael
Published: September 2009

As renal tissue oxygen tension (PO2) is determined by the balance between oxygen supply and consumption, direct tissue PO2 measurements are essential when evaluating the presence of hypoxia. The present study aimed at evaluating invasively and continuously the renal medullary and cortical tissue PO2 by novel fibre-optic probes in rats subjected to acute unilateral ureteral obstruction (AUUO). In parallel,regional blood flow measurements were obtained by MRI to investigate the relationship between regional blood flow and tissue oxygen tension. The abundance of transport proteins was determined by immunoblotting. In the obstructed kidney, AUUO caused a prompt decrease in medullary tissue PO2 to 60% of baseline level whereas cortical tissue PO2 was unchanged. By contrast, tissue PO2 slightly increased in the non-obstructed kidney. These changes developed during the first 30 min after AUUO and persisted for the 3 h observation period. Medullary blood flow declined 1.5–2 h after induction of AUUO to 61% of baseline level in the obstructed kidney. By contrast, cortical blood flow increased to 108% of baseline level in the non-obstructed kidney. Finally, the abundance of phosphorylated aquaporin 2 decreased significantly in the obstructed kidney medulla, but increased in the obstructed kidney cortex. The Na+/K+-ATPase abundance increased in the obstructed kidney medulla whereas the Na+/K+/2Cl–co-transporter abundance remained unchanged in the obstructed kidney. In conclusion, measurements of regional blood flow reflect tissue PO2 changes during AUUO suggesting that reduced regional blood flow is a predictor of local hypoxia. Furthermore, the abundance of major transport protein is independent of tissue PO2.
Food restriction in young Japanese quails: effects on growth, metabolism,plasma thyroid hormones and mRNA species in the thyroid hormone signalling pathway
Authors: Rønning Bernt , Mortensen Anne S. , Moe Børge , Chastel Olivier , Arukwe Augustine , Bech Claus
Published: September 2009

Young birds, in their post-natal growth period, may reduce their growth and metabolism when facing a food shortage. To examine how such responses can be mediated by endocrine-related factors, we exposed Japanese quail chicks to food restriction for either 2 days (age 6–8 days) or 5 days (age 6–11 days). We then measured growth and resting metabolic rate (RMR),and circulating 3,3′,5-triiodo-l-thyronine (T3) and 3,5,3′,5′-tetraiodothyronine (T4) levels as well as expression patterns of genes involved in growth (insulin-like growth factor-I: IGF-I) and thyroid hormone signalling (thyroid-stimulating hormone-β: TSHβ,type II iodothyronine deiodinase: D2, thyroid hormone receptors isoforms:TRα and TRβ). The food-restricted chicks receiving a weight-maintenance diet showed reductions in structural growth and RMR. Plasma levels of both T3 and T4 were reduced in the food-restricted birds, and within the 5 days food-restricted group there was a positive correlation between RMR and T3. IGF-I mRNA showed significantly higher abundance in the liver of ad libitum fed birds at day 8 compared with food-restricted birds. In the brain, TSHβ mRNA level tended to be lower in food-restricted quails on day 8 compared with controls. Furthermore, TRα expression was lower in the brain of food-restricted birds at day 8 compared with birds fed ad libitum. Interestingly, brain D2 mRNA was negatively correlated with plasma T3 levels, tending to increase with the length of food restriction. Overall, our results show that food restriction produced significant effects on circulating thyroid hormones and differentially affected mRNA species in the thyroid hormone signalling pathway. Thus, we conclude that the effects of food restriction observed on growth and metabolism were partly mediated by changes in the endocrine-related factors investigated.
Evidence for age-dependent mating strategies in the simultaneous hermaphrodite snail,Lymnaea stagnalis(L.)
Authors: Hermann Petra M. , Genereux Brad , Wildering Willem C.
Published: September 2009

In many mating systems female reproductive capacity is a limiting resource over which males will compete. As a consequence, males and females have usually different fitness optimization strategies which may give rise to sexual conflict. Since simultaneous hermaphrodites have, in theory, the option to mate as male or as female at any time, conflict will occur if partners insist in taking the same role. Several lines of evidence exists that body size influences gender choice. However, growth in many invertebrates is indeterminate and therefore age is generally a covariant of size. We therefore investigated the effect of age on mating choices in the simultaneous hermaphrodite Lymnaea stagnalis. Using fully sexually mature animals sampled from three different age groups we show that copulation frequency declines with age. Specifically, in age-matched couples the frequency of primary and reciprocal copulations declines with age. Furthermore, the younger partner tends to mate as male with greater probability in couples of unequal age. Size was never a factor in the sex role preference of Lymnaea. Thus, young Lymnaea always attempt to copulate as male independent of the age of their partner, whereas senior snails act primarily as female. The sex role choices of middle-aged snails appear to depend on their partner's age. In addition, we demonstrate that the likelihood that an animal will copulate as male is not correlated with prostate gland size but correlates with the level of afferent electrical activity recorded in the nerve originating in the prostate gland. Together, our results indicate the existence of an age- and not size-dependent mating system in Lymnaea.
Effects of temperature and dietary sterol availability on growth and cholesterol allocation of the aquatic keystone speciesDaphnia
Authors: Sperfeld Erik , Wacker Alexander
Published: September 2009

Enhanced water temperatures promote the occurrence of cyanobacterial blooms, which may be detrimental to aquatic herbivores. Especially, the often-dominant crustaceans could be negatively affected because cyanobacteria are deficient in phytosterols, which are required by the crustaceans to form the membrane component cholesterol, which in turn plays a role in thermal adaptation. Here, we determined the influence of temperature on growth,reproduction and the allocation of dietary sterol into somatic tissues and eggs of the keystone species Daphnia magna raised along a dietary cholesterol gradient. Mass-specific growth rates of D. magnaincreased with the increasing availability of dietary cholesterol up to an incipient limiting level, which increased with increasing temperature. This indicates a higher demand for cholesterol for growth at higher temperatures and may explain the consistently smaller clutch sizes of reproducing females at the highest temperature. The cholesterol content of the individuals increased with increasing dietary cholesterol; this increase was enhanced at higher temperatures, indicating a higher demand for cholesterol for tissues and probably specifically for membranes. Surprisingly, the daphnids showed different allocation strategies with regard to temperature and dietary sterol availability. The cholesterol content of eggs was enhanced at higher temperature, which suggested that females allocate more cholesterol to their offspring, presumably to ensure sufficient egg development. When dietary cholesterol was limiting, however, females did not allocate more cholesterol to their eggs. Our data suggest that during cyanobacterial blooms, a potential dietary sterol limitation of Daphnia can be intensified at higher water temperatures, which can occur with global warming.
Heterothermy in small, migrating passerine birds during stopover: use of hypothermia at rest accelerates fuel accumulation
Authors: Wojciechowski Michał S. , Pinshow Berry
Published: September 2009

For small endothermic animals, heterothermy serves as an energy-saving mechanism for survival in challenging environments, but it may also accelerate fat accumulation in individuals preparing for fuel-demanding activities. This is the first study to demonstrate adaptive hypothermic responses in migrating passerines. While monitoring body temperature (Tb) of eight blackcaps (Sylvia atricapilla) by radiotelemetry, we found that during daytime Tb=42.5±0.4°C (mean ±s.d.); at night Tb decreased to a minimum between 33 and 40°C. We determined the lower limit for normothermy at 37.4°C and found that on 12 out of 34 bird-nights of observations under semi-natural conditions blackcaps reduced their Tb below normothermic resting levels with minimum values of 33 and 34.5°C compared with rest-phase normothermic Tb of 38.8±0.8°C. In birds of body mass (mb) <16.3 g, minimum Tb at night correlated with the individual's mb (r=0.67, P<0.01, N=17),but this was not the case in birds with mb>16.3 g. Minimum nocturnal Tb did not correlate with night-time air temperature (Ta). Measurements of metabolic rate in birds subjected to a Ta of 15°C showed that hypothermia of this magnitude can lead to a reduction of some 30% in energy expenditure compared with birds remaining normothermic. Our data suggest that by reducing the Tb–Ta gradient, blackcaps accelerate their rate of fuel accumulation at a stopover. When body energy reserves are low blackcaps may achieve this reduction by entering hypothermia. Since hypothermia, as seen in blackcaps, may lead to significant energy savings and facilitate body mass gain, we predict that it is common among small migrating passerines.
The influence of ambient temperature and thermal acclimation on hearing in a eurythermal and a stenothermal otophysan fish
Authors: Wysocki Lidia Eva , Montey Karen , Popper Arthur N.
Published: September 2009

Being ectothermic, fish body temperature generally depends on ambient water temperature. Thus, ambient temperature might affect various sensory systems,including hearing, as a result of metabolic and physiological processes. However, the maintenance of sensory functions in a changing environment may be crucial for an animal's survival. Many fish species rely on hearing for acoustic orientation and communication. In order to investigate the influence of temperature on the auditory system, channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus was chosen as a model for a eurytherm species and the tropical catfish Pimelodus pictus as a model for a stenotherm fish. Hearing sensitivity was measured with animals acclimated or unacclimated to different water temperatures. Ambient water temperature significantly influenced hearing thresholds and the shape of auditory evoked potentials, especially at higher frequencies in I. punctatus. Hearing sensitivity of I. punctatus was lowest at 10°C and increased by up to 36 dB between 10°C and 26°C. Significant differences were also revealed between acclimated and unacclimated animals after an increase in water temperature but not a decrease. By contrast, differences in hearing thresholds were smaller in P. pictus, even if a similar temperature difference (8°C) was considered. However, P. pictus showed a similar trend as I. punctatus in exhibiting higher hearing sensitivity at the highest tested temperature, especially at the highest frequency tested. The results therefore suggest that the functional temperature dependence of sensory systems may differ depending upon whether a species is physiologically adapted to tolerate a wide or narrow temperature range.
Wetting properties on nanostructured surfaces of cicada wings
Authors: Sun Mingxia , Watson Gregory S. , Zheng Yongmei , Watson Jolanta A. , Liang Aiping
Published: September 2009

This study has investigated the wettability of forewings of 15 species of cicadas, with distinctly different wetting properties related to their nanostructures. The wing surfaces exhibited hydrophilic or weak to strong hydrophobic properties with contact angles ranging from 76.8 deg. to 146.0 deg. The nanostructures (protrusions), observed using environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), were classified into four types according to the patterning, diameter (82–148 nm), spacing (44–117 nm) and height(159–446 nm). Surface analysis by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)showed significant differences in wing membrane chemistry. Thus, wetting properties at the macroscopic scale were dependent on slight differences in nanoscale architecture and composition of the wax layer. This investigation offers insights into the diversity of nanostructuring and how subtle small-scale changes may facilitate large changes in wettability.
Hierarchical organisation of the trap in the protocarnivorous plantRoridula gorgonias(Roridulaceae)
Authors: Voigt Dagmar , Gorb Elena , Gorb Stanislav
Published: September 2009

The flypaper trap of the protocarnivorous plant Roridula gorgoniasis known to capture various insects, even those having a considerable body size, by using an adhesive, visco-elastic resinous secretion released by glandular trichomes of different dimensions. However, recent experimental studies have shown that the adhesion of long tentacle-shaped trichome secretion is not as strong as previously assumed. One may then ask why this flypaper trap is so highly effective. In the present study, we compared geometry, flexibility and the adhesive properties of secretion in different sized trichomes. We have analysed the gross morphology of the plant and its surfaces using light and cryo-scanning electron microscopy. Trichomes'stiffness and the adhesive properties of their secretion on different surfaces were measured. A combination of structural and experimental results, presented in this study, let us suggest that R. gorgonias represents a three-dimensional trap consisting of three functional hierarchical levels(plant, leaves and trichomes). According to their size, we classified three types of trichomes having a particular arrangement on the leaf. The longest trichomes are more flexible and less adhesive compared with the shortest ones. The latter are 48 times stiffer and their secretion has a 9 times higher adhesive strength. Our data support the hypothesis that the shortest trichomes are adapted to strong, long-term adherence to prey insects, and that the longest trichomes are responsible for initial trapping and entanglement function.
Imaging the future: Does a qualitative analysis add to the picture?
Authors: McKinlay Andy , McVittie Chris , Della Sala Sergio
Published: September 2009

Various studies report that patients with dense amnesia experience difficulties in simulating future events. It is argued that this resembles an inability to remember past episodes in that both indicate a deficit in mental scene construction. Such findings, however, rely upon quantitative content‐based analyses of participants' verbal reports. Here, samples of verbal reports produced by participants with hippocampal lesions are subjected to a qualitative, discourse analysis of how participants and researchers negotiated the status of these reports. This shows that failure in mental scene construction can be viewed as an interactional achievement rather than the mere reporting of mental events. A multidisciplinary perspective which combines qualitative analysis with other forms of analytic technique may explain subtle differences between participants with hippocampal lesions and control participants.
Presence and Characterization of Cell-Free Seminal RNA in Healthy Individuals: Implications for Noninvasive Disease Diagnosis and Gene Expression Studies of the Male Reproductive System
Authors: Huang Shiyun , Li Honggang , Ding Xiaofang , Xiong Chengliang
Published: September 2009

Background: We recently detected cell-free seminal RNA (cfsRNA) and set out to study its concentration, integrity, stability in healthy individuals, and mechanisms for its protection from ribonucleases.

Methods: We quantified cfsRNA by reverse-transcription quantitative real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) targeting of the 5′ region of the ACTB (actin, beta) transcript. cfsRNA integrity was analyzed by microcapillary electrophoresis and by amplification of full-length ACTB and DDX4 [DEAD (Asp-Glu-Ala-Asp) box polypeptide 4] transcripts, including measurement of the relative amounts of different regions of ACTB and DDX4 transcripts. Stability of cfsRNA was measured by time-course analysis of different regions of ACTB and DDX4 transcripts. To investigate whether cfsRNA was protected in complexed forms, we processed seminal plasma in 2 ways: filtration through pores of different sizes and Triton X-100 treatment before RNA recovery.

Results: cfsRNA concentrations varied from 0.87–3.64 mg/L [mean (SD), 1.75 mg/L (0.92 mg/L)]. Most cfsRNA was present in partially degraded forms, with smaller amounts of middle and 3′ amplicons compared with 5′ amplicons. Although the 3′ region of the DDX4 transcript was degraded completely by 90 min, the 5′ regions of ACTB and DDX4 transcripts were stable up to 24 h. Filtration through 0.22-μm pores reduced ACTB and DDX4 mRNA concentrations by 72% and 61%, respectively. Nearly all seminal ACTB and DDX4 mRNA disappeared after Triton X-100 treatment.

Conclusions: Although cfsRNA was partially degraded, it represented diverse transcript species and was abundant, fairly stable, and associated with particles in healthy individuals. cfsRNA may represent a potential noninvasive biomarker of the male reproductive system and of germline epigenetics.
Scrolls over four dimensional varieties
Authors: Tironi Andrea Luigi
Published: September 2009

We point out the relations between the classical and the adjunction-theoretic definition of scroll over varieties of dimension four. In particular, we prove that an adjunction-theoretic scroll of dimension greater than or equal to seven, polarized by a very ample line bundle, is also a classical scroll and that a classical scroll is an adjunction-theoretic scroll with a few exceptions.
Role of insulin as a negative regulator of plasma endocannabinoid levels in obese and nonobese subjects
Authors: Di Marzo Vincenzo , Verrijken An , Hakkarainen Antti , Petrosino Stefania , Mertens Ilse , Lundbom Nina , Piscitelli Fabiana , Westerbacka Jukka , Soro-Paavonen Aino , Matias Isabel , Van Gaal Luc , Taskinen Marja-Riitta
Published: September 2009

Objective

Endocannabinoids (ECs) control metabolism via cannabinoid receptors type 1 (CB1). Their plasma levels are elevated in overweight type 2 diabetes (T2D) and in obese patients, and decrease postprandially in normoweight individuals. We investigated in two different cohorts of nonobese or obese volunteers whether oral glucose in glucose tolerance tests (OGTT) or acute insulin infusion during euglycemic hyperinsulinemic clamp affect plasma EC levels.

Design and methods

OGTT was performed in ten obese hyperinsulinemic patients (body mass index (BMI)=35.8 kg/m2, fasting insulin=14.83 mU/l), and ten normoweight normoinsulinemic volunteers (BMI=21.9 kg/m2, fasting insulin=7.2 mU/l). Insulin clamp was performed in 19 mostly nonobese men (BMI=25.8 kg/m2) with varying degrees of liver fat and plasma triglycerides (TGs), with (n=7) or without T2D. Plasma levels of ECs (anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG)) were measured by liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry, before and 60 and 180 min after OGTT, and before and 240 and 480 min after insulin or saline infusion.

Results

Oral glucose load decreased anandamide plasma levels to an extent inversely correlated with BMI, waist circumference, subcutaneous fat, fasting insulin and total glucose, and insulin areas under the curve during the OGTT, and nonsignificantly in obese volunteers. Insulin infusion decreased anandamide levels to an extent that weakly, but significantly, correlated negatively with TGs, liver fat and fasting insulin, and positively with high density lipoprotein cholesterol. OGTT decreased 2-AG levels to a lower extent and in a way weakly inversely correlated with fasting insulin.

Conclusions

We suggest that insulin reduces EC levels in a way inversely related to anthropometric and metabolic predictors of insulin resistance and dyslipidemia.