bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The PickPocket method for predicting binding specificities for receptors based on receptor pocket similarities: application to MHC-peptide binding
Authors: Zhang Hao , Lund Ole , Nielsen Morten
Published: March 2009

Motivation: Receptor–ligand interactions play an important role in controlling many biological systems. One prominent example is the binding of peptides to the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecules controlling the onset of cellular immune responses. Thousands of MHC allelic versions exist, making determination of the binding specificity for each variant experimentally infeasible. Here, we present a method that can extrapolate from variants with known binding specificity to those where no experimental data are available.

Results: For each position in the peptide ligand, we extracted the polymorphic pocket residues in MHC molecules that are in close proximity to the peptide residue. For MHC molecules with known specificities, we established a library of pocket-residues and corresponding binding specificities. The binding specificity for a novel MHC molecule is calculated as the average of the specificities of MHC molecules in this library weighted by the similarity of their pocket-residues to the query. This PickPocket method is demonstrated to accurately predict MHC-peptide binding for a broad range of MHC alleles, including human and non-human species. In contrast to neural network-based pan-specific methods, PickPocket was shown to be robust both when data is scarce and when the similarity to MHC molecules with characterized binding specificity is low. A consensus method combining the PickPocket and NetMHCpan methods was shown to achieve superior predictive performance. This study demonstrates how integration of diverse algorithmic approaches can lead to improved prediction. The method may also be used for making ligand-binding predictions for other types of receptors where many variants exist.

Contact:  mniel@cbs.dtu.dk

Supplementary information:  Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Epistaxis
Authors: Taylor Clare
Published: March 2009

Epistaxis (nosebleed) is a common disorder frequently seen in primary care. Most are due to minor damage to nasal mucosa however recurrent or prolonged nosebleeds can be a manifestation of an underlying systemic disorder. The majority can be terminated with simple measures, however, prolonged bleeding may require secondary care intervention. Nosebleeds are not life threatening in most people; however, identification of those at risk from complications is important. Elderly patients and those with underlying bleeding disorders or other co-morbidities require careful assessment and prompt intervention as appropriate to prevent an adverse outcome.
Otitis Externa
Authors: Bajwa Junaid
Published: March 2009

Otitis externa encompasses all inflammatory conditions of the external auditory canal. It is a common problem in General Practice and affects all ages, with a slightly higher incidence in women compared to men. Basic treatment measures cure 90% of cases without complications.
Ethics in Primary Care: Theory and Practice
Authors: Gillies John C M
Published: March 2009

“Writing prescriptions is easy, but otherwise coming to an understanding with people is hard.” Kafka, K. In: ‘A country doctor’ (translated Bamforth, 1999 ).

The study of medical ethics has been a part of medicine since ancient times. Ethics is a term for various ways of understanding, examining and deciding what is a good moral life. Medical ethics (or bioethics in North America and other countries) is the study of ethics applied to medicine. This article will describe ethical principles, approaches and theories, how they may be used in the assessment process of nMRCGP and their relevance to the world of decision making in primary care.
Medical Publishing
Authors: Simon Chantal
Published: March 2009

Although the core function of general practice is patient care, there are many opportunities for GPs to get involved in other educational and academic activities. Most GPs find academic activities a useful adjunct to their clinical work. As well as being educational and broadening horizons, such activities stimulate GPs to think and reappraise their own clinical work and the work of their practice. This article aims to give an overview of the range of opportunities available within medical publishing and some tips on how to access those opportunities.
Investigation of Anaemia
Authors: Dignum Helen
Published: March 2009

A full blood count is one of the common blood tests requested by GPs. Anaemia is frequently found, whether suspected or incidental. This article aims to guide your thinking about how to assess and investigate anaemia in adults and when to refer.
Hybridization rapidly reduces fitness of a native trout in the wild
Authors: Muhlfeld Clint C. , Kalinowski Steven T. , McMahon Thomas E. , Taper Mark L. , Painter Sally , Leary Robb F. , Allendorf Fred W.
Published: March 2009

Human-mediated hybridization is a leading cause of biodiversity loss worldwide. How hybridization affects fitness and what level of hybridization is permissible pose difficult conservation questions with little empirical information to guide policy and management decisions. This is particularly true for salmonids, where widespread introgression among non-native and native taxa has often created hybrid swarms over extensive geographical areas resulting in genomic extinction. Here, we used parentage analysis with multilocus microsatellite markers to measure how varying levels of genetic introgression with non-native rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) affect reproductive success (number of offspring per adult) of native westslope cutthroat trout (Oncorhynchus clarkii lewisi) in the wild. Small amounts of hybridization markedly reduced fitness of male and female trout, with reproductive success sharply declining by approximately 50 per cent, with only 20 per cent admixture. Despite apparent fitness costs, our data suggest that hybridization may spread due to relatively high reproductive success of first-generation hybrids and high reproductive success of a few males with high levels of admixture. This outbreeding depression suggests that even low levels of admixture may have negative effects on fitness in the wild and that policies protecting hybridized populations may need reconsideration.
Intraspecific variation in testis asymmetry in birds: evidence for naturally occurring compensation
Authors: Calhim Sara , Birkhead Tim R.
Published: March 2009

In many taxa, the left and right testes often differ in size. The compensation hypothesis states that one testis of the pair serves as a ‘back-up’ for any reduced function in the other and provides a mechanism to explain intraspecific variation in degree and direction of gonad asymmetry. Although testis asymmetry is common in birds, evidence for natural testis compensation is unknown. Using a novel quantitative approach that can be applied to any bilateral organ or structure, we show that testis compensation occurs naturally in birds and can be complete when one testis fails to develop. Owing to a recurrent risk of testis impairment and an evolutionary trade-off between natural and sexual selections acting on the arrangement of internal organs in species with abdominal and/or seasonal testes, compensation adds an important, but neglected, dimension to measures of male reproductive investment.
What can genetic variation tell us about the evolution of senescence?
Authors: Moorad Jacob A. , Promislow Daniel E.L.
Published: March 2009

Quantitative genetic approaches have been developed that allow researchers to determine which of two mechanisms, mutation accumulation (MA) or antagonistic pleiotropy (AP), best explain observed variation in patterns of senescence using classical quantitative genetic techniques. These include the creation of mutation accumulation lines, artificial selection experiments and the partitioning of genetic variances across age classes. This last strategy has received the lion's share of empirical attention. Models predict that inbreeding depression (ID), dominance variance and the variance among inbred line means will all increase with age under MA but not under those forms of AP that generate marginal overdominance. Here, we show that these measures are not, in fact, diagnostic of MA versus AP. In particular, the assumptions about the value of genetic parameters in existing AP models may be rather narrow, and often violated in reality. We argue that whenever ageing-related AP loci contribute to segregating genetic variation, polymorphism at these loci will be enhanced by genetic effects that will also cause ID and dominance variance to increase with age, effects also expected under the MA model of senescence. We suggest that the tests that seek to identify the relative contributions of AP and MA to the evolution of ageing by partitioning genetic variance components are likely to be too conservative to be of general value.
Grapevine MATE-Type Proteins Act as Vacuolar H+-Dependent Acylated Anthocyanin Transporters
Authors: Gomez Camila , Terrier Nancy , Torregrosa Laurent , Vialet Sandrine , Fournier-Level Alexandre , Verriès Clotilde , Souquet Jean-Marc , Mazauric Jean-Paul , Klein Markus , Cheynier Véronique , Ageorges Agnès
Published: March 2009

In grapevine (Vitis vinifera), anthocyanins are responsible for most of the red, blue, and purple pigmentation found in the skin of berries. In cells, anthocyanins are synthesized in the cytoplasm and accumulated into the vacuole. However, little is known about the transport of these compounds through the tonoplast. Recently, the sequencing of the grapevine genome allowed us to identify genes encoding proteins with high sequence similarity to the Multidrug And Toxic Extrusion (MATE) family. Among them, we selected two genes as anthocyanin transporter candidates and named them anthoMATE1 (AM1) and AM3. The expression of both genes was mainly fruit specific and concomitant with the accumulation of anthocyanin pigment. Subcellular localization assays in grapevine hairy roots stably transformed with AM1∷ or AM3∷green fluorescent protein fusion protein revealed that AM1 and AM3 are primarily localized to the tonoplast. Yeast vesicles expressing anthoMATEs transported acylated anthocyanins in the presence of MgATP. Inhibitor studies demonstrated that AM1 and AM3 proteins act in vitro as vacuolar H+-dependent acylated anthocyanin transporters. By contrast, under our experimental conditions, anthoMATEs could not transport malvidin 3-O-glucoside or cyanidin 3-O-glucoside, suggesting that the acyl conjugation was essential for the uptake. Taken together, these results provide evidence that in vitro the two grapevine AM1 and AM3 proteins mediate specifically acylated anthocyanin transport.
Acinic cell carcinoma‐papillary cystic variant. Pitfalls of fine needle aspiration diagnosis: study of five cases and review of literature
Authors: Mosunjac M. B. , Siddiqui M. T. , Tadros T.
Published: March 2009

Objectives:  Acinic cell carcinoma (ACC) accounts for 12–17% of primary salivary gland carcinomas and 3.4% of all salivary gland neoplasms. ACC‐papillary cystic variant (PCV) is a distinct subtype with clear‐cut and well‐defined morphological features as revealed in tissue sections, but it is more difficult to diagnose accurately on fine needle aspiration (FNA). The aim of this article was to discuss the causes of the erroneous interpretation as well as to draw attention of practicing pathologists to this rare and unique variant of ACC.

Methods:  A computerized search of surgical and cytopathology files identified five diagnoses of ACC‐PCV that were preceded by an FNA performed in‐house with available slides for review. Cytological features were compared to histomorphological features of excisional surgical pathology specimens.

Results:  Cytomorphological findings from these ACC‐PCV cases have varied features that can be broadly divided in two major subtypes: hypocellular cystic specimens containing histiocyte‐like vacuolated cells (two cases) and more cellular specimens containing papillary clusters of cells with a polymorphous appearance including granular cells, vacuolated cells and nondescript small cuboidal cells (three cases).

Conclusions:  Hypocellular, cyst‐like specimens pose a diagnostic problem when using FNA, as they can easily be misinterpreted as a benign cyst of the salivary gland. Our review of cases found certain ‘red flags’ that should prompt pathologists to further investigate the true acinic origin of hypocellular cystic specimens. On close morphological examination, these specimens revealed the presence of tight cellular clusters, distinct cytoplasmic borders, larger nuclei with distinct nucleoli and binucleated cells.
A single ThinPrep® slide may not be representative in all head and neck fine needle aspirate specimens
Authors: Anderson C. E. , Duvall E. , Wallace W. A.
Published: March 2009

Objectives:  Ideally, head and neck aspiration should be performed by trained aspirators within the setting of a one‐stop clinic, where smeared material is available for immediate assessment. However, this may not always be possible for practical reasons and the use of liquid‐based techniques in head and neck cytology is increasing. Although liquid‐based cytology has been extensively validated for use in gynaecological cytology, no studies have investigated whether or not a single ThinPrep® slide is representative for head and neck aspirate specimens. We performed a prospective audit of head and neck fine needle aspiration specimens processed by the ThinPrep® method to investigate whether a single ThinPrep® slide was representative.

Methods:  A prospective audit of 115 consecutive head and neck aspirates was carried out. A single ThinPrep® slide was prepared and a diagnosis recorded. The remainder of the specimen was then spun down and prepared as a cell block. The ThinPrep® and cell block diagnoses were compared.

Results:  In 36 cases (31%), the cell block provided additional information that contributed to the diagnosis. In 14 (12%), the cell block was regarded as essential to the diagnosis.

Conclusions:  A single ThinPrep® slide may not provide representative diagnostic material in all head and neck aspirates. This should be taken into consideration when contemplating the use of liquid‐based methods for non‐gynaecological cytology.
Evaluating the impacts of climate and elevated carbon dioxide on tropical rainforests of the western Amazon basin using ecosystem models and satellite data
Authors: HASHIMOTO HIROFUMI , MELTON FORREST , ICHII KAZUHITO , MILESI CRISTINA , WANG WEILE , NEMANI RAMAKRISHNA R.
Published: March 2009

Forest inventories from the intact rainforests of the Amazon indicate increasing rates of carbon gain over the past three decades. However, such estimates have been questioned because of the poor spatial representation of the sampling plots and the incomplete understanding of purported mechanisms behind the increases in biomass. Ecosystem models, when used in conjunction with satellite data, are useful in examining the carbon budgets in regions where the observations of carbon flows are sparse. The purpose of this study is to explain observed trends in normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) using climate observations and ecosystem models of varying complexity in the western Amazon basin for the period of 1984–2002. We first investigated trends in NDVI and found a positive trend during the study period, but the positive trend in NDVI was observed only in the months from August to December. Then, trends in various climate parameters were calculated, and of the climate variables considered, only shortwave radiation was found to have a corresponding significant positive trend. To compare the impact of each climate component, as well as increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations, on evergreen forests in the Amazon, we ran three ecosystem models (CASA, Biome‐BGC, and LPJ), and calculated monthly net primary production by changing a climate component selected from the available climate datasets. As expected, CO2 fertilization effects showed positive trends throughout the year and cannot explain the positive trend in NDVI, which was observed only for the months of August to December. Through these simulations, we demonstrated that the positive trend in shortwave radiation can explain the positive trend in NDVI observed for the period from August to December. We conclude that the positive trend in shortwave radiation is the most likely driver of the increasing trend in NDVI and the corresponding observed increases in forest biomass.
Potential impacts of climatic change on the breeding and non‐breeding ranges and migration distance of EuropeanSylviawarblers
Authors: Doswald Nathalie , Willis Stephen G. , Collingham Yvonne C. , Pain Deborah J. , Green Rhys E. , Huntley Brian
Published: March 2009

Aim To explore the potential impacts of climatic change on species with different migratory strategies usingSylviawarblers breeding in Europe as a ‘model’ species group.

Location Europe and Africa.

Methods Climate response surfaces and generalized additive models (GAMs) were used to model relationships between species recorded breeding and non‐breeding ranges and recent climate. Species potential future breeding and non‐breeding ranges were simulated for three scenarios of late 21st‐century climate. The simulated potential future and present ranges were compared in terms of their relative extent and overlap, as well as their location. The impact of any shifts in potential range location on migration distance were quantified.

Results Potential breeding ranges consistently showed a shift northwards, whereas potential non‐breeding ranges showed no consistent directional shift, even when trans‐Saharan migrants were considered separately from resident/short‐distance or partial migrants. Future potential range extent relative to simulated recent range extent varied considerably among species, although on average range extent increased. Overlap between future and recent simulated range was generally low, averaging < 36% for both breeding and non‐breeding ranges. Overlap was consistently less for range‐restricted than for widespread species. Migration distance increased generally, by about twice as much in the case of trans‐Saharan migrant species than for short‐distance migrants. In many cases potential future non‐breeding areas were simulated in regions far from the species present non‐breeding area, suggesting that new migration strategies and routes may need to be developed in response to climatic change.

Main conclusions Migratory species can be expected to suffer greater negative impacts from climatic change than species that are resident or undertake only short‐distance or partial migrations. Trans‐Saharan migrants face the greatest potential increases in migration distances, whereas range‐restricted species are expected to experience major population reductions because of the limited, or in some cases lack of, overlap between their present and potential future ranges.
Using hospital administrative data to evaluate the knowledge‐to‐action gap in pressure ulcer preventive care
Authors: Van Herck Pieter , Sermeus Walter , Jylha Virpi , Michiels Dominik , Van den Heede Koen
Published: March 2009

Rationale, aims and objectives  Issues of overuse, underuse and misuse are paramount and lead to avoidable morbidity and mortality. Although evidence‐based practice is advocated, the widespread implementation of this kind of practice remains a challenge. This is also the case for evidence‐based practice related to the prevention of pressure ulcers, which varies widely in process and outcome in Belgian hospital care. One major obstacle to bridging this knowledge‐to‐action gap is data availability. We propose using large‐scale hospital administrative data combined with the latest evidence‐based methods as part of the solution to this problem.

Method  To test our proposal, we applied this approach to pressure ulcer prevention, using an administrative dataset with regard to 6030 patients in 22 Belgian hospitals as a sample of nationally available data. Methods include a systematic review approach, evidence grading, recommendations formulation, algorithm construction, programming of the rule set and application on the database.

Results  We found that Belgian hospitals frequently failed to provide appropriate prevention care. Significant levels of underuse, up to 28.4% in pressure ulcer prevention education and 17.5% in the use of dynamic systems mattresses, were detected. Figures for overuse were mostly not significant. Misuse couldn't be assessed.

Conclusions  These results demonstrate that this approach can indeed be successfully used to bridge the knowledge‐to‐action gap in medical practice, by implementing an innovative method to assess underuse and overuse in hospital care. The integrative use of administrative data and clinical applications should be replicated in other patient groups, other datasets and other countries.
Intracellular nanosurgery and cell enucleation using a picosecond laser
Authors: RAABE I. , VOGEL S.K. , PEYCHL J. , TOLIĆ‐NØRRELYKKE I.M.
Published: March 2009

Living cells are highly organized in space and time, which makes spatially and temporally confined manipulations an indispensable tool in cell biology. Laser‐based nanosurgery is an elegant method that allows precise ablation of intracellular structures. Here, we show cutting of fluorescently labelled microtubules and mitotic spindles in fission yeast, performed with a picosecond laser coupled to a confocal microscope. Diverse effects from photo‐bleaching to partial and complete breakage are obtained by varying the exposure time, while simultaneously imaging the structures of interest. Using this system we developed an efficient technique to generate enucleated cells without perturbing the distribution of other organelles. This enucleation method can be used to study the cytoskeleton in a nucleus‐free environment, as well as the role of the nucleus in cell growth and a variety of cellular functions.
Quantitative assessment of relative changes of immunohistochemical staining by light microscopy in specified anatomical regions
Authors: PAIZS M. , ENGELHARDT J.I. , SIKLÓS L.
Published: March 2009

Despite the advent of ever newer microscopic techniques for the study of the distribution of macromolecules in biological tissues, the enzyme‐based immunohistochemical (IHC) methods are still used widely and routinely. However, the acquisition of reliable conclusions from the pattern of the reaction products of IHC procedures is hindered by the regular need for subjective judgments, in view of frequent inconsistencies in staining intensity from section to section or in repeated experiments. Consequently, when numerical comparisons are required, light microscopic morphological descriptions are commonly supplemented with analytical data (e.g. from Western blot analyses); however, these cannot be directly associated with accurate structural information and can easily be contaminated with data from outside the region of interest. Alternatively, to eliminate the more or less subjective evaluation of the results of IHC staining, procedures should be developed that correct for the variability of staining through the use of objective criteria. This paper describes a simple procedure, based on digital image analysis methods and the use of an internal reference area on the analyzed sections, that reduces the operator input and hence subjectivity, and makes the relative changes in IHC staining intensity in different experiments comparable. The reference area is situated at a position of the section that is not affected by the experimental treatment, or a disease condition, and that can therefore be used to specify the baseline of the IHC staining. Another source of staining variability is the internal heterogeneity of the object to be characterized, which means that identical fields can never be analyzed. To compensate for this variability, details are given of a systematic random sampling paradigm, which provides simple numerical data describing the extent and strength of IHC staining throughout the entire volume to be characterized. In this integrated approach, the figures are derived by pooling relative IHC staining intensities from all sections of the series from a particular animal. The procedure (1) eliminates the problem arising from the personal assessment of the significance of the IHC staining intensity, (2) does not depend on the precise dissection of the tissue on a gross scale and (3) considerably reduces the consequences of limited, arbitrary sampling of the region of interest for IHC analysis. The quantification procedure is illustrated by data from an experiment in which inflammatory reactions in the murine spinal cord, measured as microglial activation, were followed by IHC after the lesion of the sciatic nerve.
Strong correlation of wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) population structure with temperature and precipitation variation
Authors: HÜBNER S. , HÖFFKEN M. , OREN E. , HASENEYER G. , STEIN N. , GRANER A. , SCHMID K. , FRIDMAN E.
Published: March 2009

In this study, we present the genetic analysis of a new collection of wild barley (Hordeum spontaneum) using 42 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers that represent the seven chromosomes. The Barley1K (B1K) infrastructure consists of 1020 accessions collected in a hierarchical sampling mode (HSM) from 51 sites across Israel and represents the wide adaptive niche of the modern barley's ancestor. According to the genetic structure analysis, the sampled sites can be divided into seven groups, and sampled microsites located on opposing slopes or in different soil types did not show significant genetic differentiation. Although the genetic analysis indicates a simple isolation‐by‐distance model among the populations, examination of the genetic populations’ structure with abiotic parameters in an ordination analysis revealed that the combination of elevation, mid‐day temperature and rainfall explains a high proportion of the variance in the principal components analysis. Our findings demonstrate that the current populations have therefore been shaped and distinguished by non‐selective forces such as migration; however, we suggest that aridity and temperature gradients played major roles as selective forces in the adaptation of wild barley in this part of the Fertile Crescent. This unique collection is a prelude for the investigation of the molecular basis underlying plant adaptation and responsiveness to harsh environments.
Elevated Plasma Surfactant Protein D (SP‐D) Levels and a Direct Correlation with Anti‐severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus‐specific IgG Antibody in SARS Patients
Authors: Wu Y. P. , Liu Z. H. , Wei R. , Pan S. D. , Mao N. Y. , Chen B. , Han J. J. , Zhang F. S. , Holmskov U. , Xia Z. L. , De Groot P. G. , Reid K. B. M. , Xu W. B. , Sorensen G. L.
Published: March 2009

Pulmonary SP‐D is a defence lectin promoting clearance of viral infections. SP‐D is recognized to bind the S protein of SARS‐CoV and enhance phagocytosis. Moreover, systemic SP‐D is widely used as a biomarker of alveolar integrity. We investigated the relation between plasma SP‐D, SARS‐type pneumonia and the SARS‐specific IgG response. Sixteen patients with SARS, 19 patients with community‐acquired pneumonia (CAP) (Streptococcus pneumonia) and 16 healthy control subjects were enrolled in the study. Plasma SP‐D and anti‐SARS‐CoV N protein IgG were measured using ELISA. SP‐D was significantly elevated in SARS‐type pneumonia [median (95% CI), 453 (379–963) ng/ml versus controls 218 (160–362) ng/ml, P < 0.05] like in patients with CAP. SP‐D significantly correlated with anti‐SARS‐CoV N protein IgG (r2 = 0.5995, P = 0.02). The possible re‐emergence of SARS or SARS‐like infections suggests a need for minimal traumatic techniques for following the alveolar compartment, e.g. during testing of antivirals. We suggest that monitoring systemic SP‐D may be useful in monitoring the alveolar integrity in SARS‐type pneumonia. The significant correlation between plasma SP‐D and anti‐SARS‐CoV‐specific antibodies support the role for SP‐D in interlinking innate and adaptive immune pathways.
MPB70 and MPB83 – Major Antigens of Mycobacterium bovis
Authors: Wiker H. G.
Published: March 2009

MPB70 and MPB83 are among the most studied mycobacterial antigens. They are highly homologous proteins within Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex members, and the orthologs in different members of the complex are virtually identical. They are major antigens highly expressed by Mycobacterium bovis and considerably less abundantly expressed by M. tuberculosis. There are two genes encoding these proteins within an operon of six genes. MPB70 and MPB83 are encoded as precursor proteins with typical signal peptides for export through the general secretory pathway. MPB70 is a soluble secreted protein cleaved by signal peptidase I, while MPB83 is a glycosylated lipoprotein processed by signal peptidase II and located at the surface, possibly with the lipid tail coupled to the N‐terminal cystein embedded in the mycobacterial outer membrane. The expression of these genes is controlled by the transcriptional regulator SigK, and a point mutation in SigK explains why some Bacille Calmette‐Guérin (BCG) strains express only minute amounts of MPB70 and MPB83. BCG strains that have retained the high expression of MPB70 and MPB83 of wild type M. bovis are linked to a risk of BCG osteitis in <1‐year‐old children as a complication to BCG vaccination at birth. The proposed mechanism for this is based on homology of these proteins with osteoblast‐specific factor II which is a homofilic adhesion protein expressed on osteoblasts in growing bone tissue. T‐cell responses and antibody responses to these proteins have been extensively explored for sensitive and specific diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis.
A review of the European species of the genusTrechnitesThomson (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Encyrtidae), parasitoids of plant lice (Hemiptera: Psylloidea) with description of a new species
Authors: GUERRIERI EMILIO , NOYES JOHN S.
Published: March 2009

AbstractThe genusTrechnitesThomson (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae) includes species that have the potential to be used as biocontrol agents of psyllid pests. The five species known from Europe are reviewed, including the newly describedT. sadkaisp.n.A dichotomous key is provided to facilitate the identification of females;T. psyllae(Ruschka)syn. n.is proposed as a new synonym ofT. insidiosus(Crawford). Each species is further characterized by a diagnosis or a redescription, and figures and notes are provided on their known distribution and hosts.
Calcium elevation‐dependent and attenuated resting calcium‐dependent abscisic acid induction of stomatal closure and abscisic acid‐induced enhancement of calcium sensitivities of S‐type anion and inward‐rectifying K+ channels in Arabidopsis guard cells
Authors: Siegel Robert S. , Xue Shaowu , Murata Yoshiyuki , Yang Yingzhen , Nishimura Noriyuki , Wang Angela , Schroeder Julian I.
Published: March 2009

Stomatal closure in response to abscisic acid depends on mechanisms that are mediated by intracellular [Ca2+] ([Ca2+]i), and also on mechanisms that are independent of [Ca2+]i in guard cells. In this study, we addressed three important questions with respect to these two predicted pathways in Arabidopsis thaliana. (i) How large is the relative abscisic acid (ABA)‐induced stomatal closure response in the [Ca2+]i‐elevation‐independent pathway? (ii) How do ABA‐insensitive mutants affect the [Ca2+]i‐elevation‐independent pathway? (iii) Does ABA enhance (prime) the Ca2+ sensitivity of anion and inward‐rectifying K+ channel regulation? We monitored stomatal responses to ABA while experimentally inhibiting [Ca2+]i elevations and clamping [Ca2+]i to resting levels. The absence of [Ca2+]i elevations was confirmed by ratiometric [Ca2+]i imaging experiments. ABA‐induced stomatal closure in the absence of [Ca2+]i elevations above the physiological resting [Ca2+]i showed only approximately 30% of the normal stomatal closure response, and was greatly slowed compared to the response in the presence of [Ca2+]i elevations. The ABA‐insensitive mutants ost1‐2, abi2‐1 and gca2 showed partial stomatal closure responses that correlate with [Ca2+]i‐dependent ABA signaling. Interestingly, patch‐clamp experiments showed that exposure of guard cells to ABA greatly enhances the ability of cytosolic Ca2+ to activate S‐type anion channels and down‐regulate inward‐rectifying K+ channels, providing strong evidence for a Ca2+ sensitivity priming hypothesis. The present study demonstrates and quantifies an attenuated and slowed ABA response when [Ca2+]i elevations are directly inhibited in guard cells. A minimal model is discussed, in which ABA enhances (primes) the [Ca2+]i sensitivity of stomatal closure mechanisms.
Photosynthesis in cells around veins of the C3 plant Arabidopsis thaliana is important for both the shikimate pathway and leaf senescence as well as contributing to plant fitness
Authors: Janacek Sophie H. , Trenkamp Sandra , Palmer Ben , Brown Naomi J. , Parsley Kate , Stanley Susan , Astley Holly M. , Rolfe Stephen A. , Paul Quick W. , Fernie Alisdair R. , Hibberd Julian M.
Published: March 2009

Cells associated with veins of C3 species often contain significant amounts of chlorophyll, and radiotracer analysis shows that carbon present in the transpiration stream may be used for photosynthesis in these cells. It is not clear whether CO2 is also supplied to these cells close to veins via stomata, nor whether this veinal photosynthesis supplies carbon skeletons to particular metabolic pathways. In addition, it has not been possible to determine whether photosynthesis in cells close to veins of C3 plants is quantitatively important for growth or fitness. To investigate the role of photosynthesis in cells in and around the veins of C3 plants, we have trans‐activated a hairpin construct to the chlorophyll synthase gene (CS) using an Arabidopsis thaliana enhancer trap line specific to veins. CS is responsible for addition of the phytol chain to the tetrapyrolle head group of chlorophyll, and, as a result of cell‐specific trans‐activation of the hairpin to CS, chlorophyll accumulation is reduced around veins. We use these plants to show that, under steady‐state conditions, the extent to which CO2 is supplied to cells close to veins via stomata is limited. Fixation by minor veins of CO2 supplied to the xylem stream and the amount of specific metabolites associated with carbohydrate metabolism and the shikimate pathway were all reduced. In addition, an abundance of transcripts encoding components of pathways that generate phosphoenolpyruvate were altered. Leaf senescence, growth rate and seed size were all reduced in the lines with lower photosynthetic ability in veins and in cells close to veins.
Comparison of effect of daily versus weekly iron supplementation during pregnancy on lipid peroxidation
Authors: Bhatla Neerja , Kaul Nivedita , Lal Neena , Kriplani Alka , Agarwal Nutan , Saxena Renu , Gupta Suresh K.
Published: March 2009

Objectives:  To compare the effect of daily versus weekly iron supplementation on lipid peroxidation, hemoglobin levels and maternal and perinatal outcome in non‐anemic pregnant women.

Methods:  Of 109 women randomly allocated into three groups, 90 completed the study. Group I (n = 30) received daily iron folic acid; Group II (n = 30) received weekly iron folic acid; Group III (n = 30) received daily iron (III)‐hydroxide polymaltose complex. Hemoglobin levels, hematological indices, thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) and glutathione levels were measured at baseline (14–16 weeks) and at 30–34 weeks. Statistical analysis was done using the anova test.

Results:  Group I had a highly significant increase in TBARS level (0.61 ± 0.26 µmol/L, P = 0.000) compared to groups II and III in which the change in TBARS was not significant (0.02 ± 0.06 and 0.007 ± 0.06 µmol/L, respectively). There was an insignificant fall in glutathione levels in all groups. There was no significant difference in the mean period of gestation, pregnancy complications and neonatal outcome between the three groups. Among 22.2% of women who were non‐compliant, Group I had significantly higher incidence of non‐compliance (P = 0.016) and side‐effects (P = 0.001). Final hemoglobin was higher in Group I than II (11.9 ± 1.2, 11.3 ± 0.9, respectively, P = 0.041). The TBARS level was not statistically different between preterm and term deliveries. Nine out of 11 patients who developed hypertension during pregnancy had preeclampsia. The final TBARS level was significantly higher in these women (P = 0.000).

Conclusions:  Daily supplementation with ferrous sulphate results in greater lipid peroxidation than weekly supplementation, the latter is comparable with daily iron (III)‐hydroxide polymaltose complex. Lipid peroxidation levels are significantly higher in preeclampsia.
Gross anatomy of the musculature and a new description of the reproductive system of Tanaisia bragai and Tanaisia inopina (Trematoda: Eucotylidae) analysed by confocal laser scanning microscopy
Authors: D’ávila Sthefane , Manso Pedro Paulo de Abreu , Bessa Elisabeth Cristina de Almeida , Rodrigues Maria de Lurdes de Azevedo , Dias Roberto Júnio Pedroso
Published: March 2009

D’ávila, S., Manso, P. P. A., Bessa, E. C. A., Rodrigues, M. L. A. and Dias, R. J. P. 2010. Gross anatomy of the musculature and a new description of the reproductive system of Tanaisia bragai and Tanaisia inopina (Trematoda: Eucotylidae) analysed by confocal laser scanning microscopy. —Acta Zoologica (Stockholm) 91: 139–149

Confocal scanning laser microscopy has become an important tool to clarify the organization of the musculature and innervation, as well as the morphology of the reproductive and alimentary tract of various helminth species. The goal of this work was to describe the morphology of the reproductive system and the gross anatomy of the musculature of adults of the species Tanaisia bragai and Tanaisia inopina by means of confocal scanning laser microscopy. The helminths were found parasitizing the kidney collection ducts of Columba livia, in the municipality of Juiz de Fora, Brazil. These helminths were stained with Mayer's carmalum, mounted on permanent slides and observed through a confocal scanning laser microscope. The tomographic images showed the morphology of the organs and glands of the reproductive system, along with the general morphology of the musculature of the body wall, oral sucker, acetabulum, pharynx, intestinal caeca, oesophagus and reproductive system ducts. The present work is the first re‐characterization of the reproductive tract of T. bragai and T. inopina. We also present the first description of the general morphology of the gametes and cells of the glands associated with the reproductive apparatus of these species.
Lower urinary tract symptoms and sexual health: the role of gender, lifestyle and medical comorbidities
Authors: Rosen Raymond C. , Link Carol L. , O’Leary Michael P. , Giuliano Francois , Aiyer Lalitha P. , Mollon Patrick
Published: March 2009

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the association between urological symptoms and self‐reported measures of sexual activity, desire and function in large representative samples of men and women in the Boston Area Community Health (BACH) survey.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS

The BACH survey is a racially and ethnically diverse random sample of 5503 community‐dwelling residents aged 30–79 years, of Boston, MA, USA. Urological symptoms and sexual function were assessed in men and women at baseline using validated self‐report measures, i.e. the International Prostate Symptom Score (IPSS), International Index of Erectile Function, and Female Sexual Function Index. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to assess the degree of association of sexual function measures with LUTS and other common urological problems in men and women in the BACH sample, controlling for the effects of age, medical comorbidities, and lifestyle factors.

RESULTS

Urological symptoms were associated with a significant decrease in sexual activity and function in both men and women. Women were more likely to report low sexual desire than men. Low sexual desire was associated with depression, nocturia and prostatitis in men. Erectile dysfunction in men was significantly associated with LUTS, nocturia and prostatitis in bivariate associations, and with prostatitis in multivariate analyses, controlling for the effects of diabetes and other comorbidities. In the multivariate analysis in women, sexual dysfunction was primarily associated with depression and inversely with alcohol use.

CONCLUSION

Sexual activity and function were diminished in both men and women with urological symptoms, although women reported more sexual problems overall than men, and the profile of risk factors and comorbidities was different across genders.
Sexual function among women with stress incontinence after using transobturator vaginal tape, and its correlation with patient’s expectations
Authors: El‐Enen Mohamed Abo , Ragb Maged , El‐Naser El Gamasy Abd , El‐Ashry Osama , El‐Sharaby Mahmoud , Elbadawy Adel , Fayed Nahla
Published: March 2009

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate changes in female sexual function after a transobturator vaginal tape (TOT) procedure for treating genuine stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and its correlation with patient’s expectation.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

The study included women treated with a suburethral TOT for genuine SUI, neurologically intact, heterosexual and married, aged >18 years, with no previous history of malignancy, pelvic radiotherapy and no other associated surgical or psychological diseases. Patients were interviewed before surgery and with the aid of a questionnaire including female sexual function, the Beck depression indices and their expectation of sexual function after surgery.

RESULTS

Sixty‐two premenopausal sexually active women were included (mean age 40.5 years). The cure rate from SUI was 92%, 89%, 87% and 84% at 6, 12, 18 and 24 months, respectively. All patients attended the visit before and the first visit after surgery, while 71%, 42% and 24% were assessed at the 12‐, 18 and 24‐month visits, respectively. The mean follow‐up was 12 months. Fifty‐two women resumed their sexual activity early within the 8 weeks after surgery and the frequency of coitus in more than two‐thirds of patients was at least once per month. The number of women who expected either looseness or tightness of the vagina was more than that estimated from patient perceptions. There was a difference between the patient’s sensation of vaginal length abnormalities during coitus (two women) and patient expectation (18 women).

CONCLUSION

Although the TOT is effective for treating SUI, counselling the patient and her partner is important in correcting false ideas and expectations about future sexual activity. Indeed, sexual dysfunction is reported after vaginal surgery, with a physiological and psychological background. Further assessment should be used to characterize sexual dysfunction after vaginal surgery for SUI to find new solutions.
VARIANCE‐RATIO TESTS OF RANDOM WALK: AN OVERVIEW
Authors: Charles Amélie , Darné Olivier
Published: March 2009

Abstract This paper reviews the recent developments in the field of the variance‐ratio (VR) tests of the random walk and martingale hypothesis. In particular, we present the conventional individual and multiple VR tests as well as their improved modifications based on power‐transformed statistics, rank and sign tests, subsampling and bootstrap methods, among others. We also re‐examine the weak‐form efficiency for five emerging equity markets in Latin America.
On ‘flip‐flopping’: Branded stance‐taking in U.S. electoral politics1
Authors: Lempert Michael
Published: March 2009

This article examines stance in U.S. political discourse, taking as its empirical point of departure Democratic candidate John Kerry's epistemic stance‐taking in the televised 2004 presidential debates. Kerry's stance‐taking is shown to help display the characterological attribute of ‘conviction’ and serve as a rejoinder to critics who had branded him as a ‘flip‐flopper.’ His stance‐taking is thus not primarily ‘to’ or ‘for’ copresent interactants, but is largely interdiscursive in character. ‘Conviction’ and its opposite, ‘flip‐flopping,’ suggest further how stance‐taking itself has been an object of typification in the agonistic dynamics of candidate branding and counter‐branding. In moving from epistemic stance‐taking in discourse to models of the stance‐taker as a social type, this article addresses questions about the units and levels of analysis needed to study stance in contemporary political discourse.
Multicenter long‐term follow‐up of children with idiopathic West syndrome: ACTH versus vigabatrin
Authors: Cohen‐Sadan S. , Kramer U. , Ben‐Zeev B. , Lahat E. , Sahar E. , Nevo Y. , Eidlitz T. , Zeharia A. , Kivity S. , Goldberg‐Stern H.
Published: March 2009

Background and purpose:  Long‐term follow‐up of children with idiopathic West syndrome (WS) treated with adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) or vigabatrin.

Methods:  Records of 28 normal magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) WS cases were reviewed for seizure development and cognitive outcome in relation to treatment type and lag.

Results:  Average age at disease onset was 5.5 months, and average lag time to treatment was 25 days. Fourteen patients were treated with ACTH (eight early and six late), and 14 with vigabatrin (without delay). Response rates were 88% for ACTH and 80% for vigabatrin. Short‐term outcomes for seizure cessation and electroencephalography normalization were identical between the groups. In the long‐term, early ACTH treatment was better than the rest combined. Average follow‐up time was 9 years. A normal cognitive outcome was achieved in 100% of the early‐ACTH group, 67% of the late‐ACTH group and 54% of the vigabatrin group (P = 0.03). Seizures subsequently developed in 54% of the vigabatrin group, in 33% of the late ACTH group, and 0% of the early ACTH group (P < 0.05).

Conclusions:  Idiopathic WS with normal MRI is associated with a good cognitive outcome. Early ACTH treatment, administered within 1 month, yields a better cognitive and seizure outcome than vigabatrin or late ACTH.
Self‐preserving cosmetics
Authors: Varvaresou A. , Papageorgiou S. , Tsirivas E. , Protopapa E. , Kintziou H. , Kefala V. , Demetzos C.
Published: March 2009

Synopsis

Preservatives are added to products for two reasons: first, to prevent microbial spoilage and therefore to prolong the shelf life of the product; second, to protect the consumer from a potential infection. Although chemical preservatives prevent microbial growth, their safety is questioned by a growing segment of consumers. Therefore, there is a considerable interest in the development of preservative‐free or self‐preserving cosmetics. In these formulations traditional/chemical preservatives have been replaced by other cosmetic ingredients with antimicrobial properties that are not legislated as preservatives according to the Annex VI of the Commission Directive 76/768/EEC and the amending directives (2003/15/EC, 2007/17/EC and 2007/22/EC). ‘Hurdle Technology’, a technology that has been used for the control of product safety in the food industry since 1970s, has also been applied for the production of self‐preserving cosmetics. ‘Hurdle Technology’ is a term used to describe the intelligent combination of different preservation factors or hurdles to deteriorate the growth of microorganisms. Adherence to current good manufacturing practice, appropriate packaging, careful choice of the form of the emulsion, low water activity and low or high pH values are significant variables for the control of microbial growth in cosmetic formulations. This paper describes the application of the basic principles of ‘Hurdle Technology’ in the production of self‐preserving cosmetics. Multifunctional antimicrobial ingredients and plant‐derived essential oils and extracts that are used as alternative or natural preservatives and are not listed in Annex VI of the Cosmetic Directive are also reported.