bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Paracoccus limosus sp. nov., isolated from activated sludge in a sewage treatment plant
Authors: Lee Myung-Jin , Lee Sang-Seob
Published: July 2012

Two strains of Gram-negative, catalase- and oxidase-positive, coccus-shaped bacteria, designated NB88T and LNB004, were isolated from activated sludge in the Mae-san sewage treatment plant in South Korea. They were characterized in a polyphasic taxonomic study based on phenotypic, phylogenetic and genotypic approaches. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis indicated that strains NB88T and LNB004 represented a novel subline within the genus

Paracoccus

in the family

Rhodobacteraceae

. According to 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons, strains NB88T and LNB004 were indistinguishable and showed 94.5–97.6 % similarity to the type strains of other

Paracoccus

species. Strain NB88T exhibited relatively high levels of DNA hybridization (84±3.5 %) with LNB004 and low hybridization values (<40 %) with type strains of other

Paracoccus

species. Both strains showed chemotaxonomic characteristics typical of the genus

Paracoccus

, with Q-10 as the predominant respiratory quinone and C18 : 1ω7c as the major fatty acid, and both strains accumulated poly-β-hydroxybutyrate granules. The DNA G+C contents of strains NB88T and LNB004 were 66.4 and 65.1 mol%, respectively. The polar lipid profiles of strains NB88T and LNB004 included major amounts of phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine and an unknown aminolipid. The taxonomic position of strains NB88T and LNB004 was clarified by the low level of DNA–DNA hybridization with closely related strains and the strains could be distinguished from other recognized species by using biochemical tests and molecular genetic analysis. On the basis of their phenotypic and genotypic properties and their phylogenetic distinctiveness, strains NB88T and LNB004 should be classified in a novel species of the genus

Paracoccus

, for which the name Paracoccus limosus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is NB88T ( = KEMC 5401-184T  = JCM 17370T); strain LNB004 ( = KEMC 5401-001) is a reference strain.
‘Candidatus Phytoplasma pruni’, a novel taxon associated with X-disease of stone fruits, Prunus spp.: multilocus characterization based on 16S rRNA, secY, and ribosomal protein genes
Authors: Davis Robert E. , Zhao Yan , Dally Ellen L. , Lee Ing-Ming , Jomantiene Rasa , Douglas Sharon M.
Published: July 2012

X-disease is one of the most serious diseases known in peach (Prunus persica). Based on RFLP analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences, peach X-disease phytoplasma strains from eastern and western United States and eastern Canada were classified in 16S rRNA gene RFLP group 16SrIII, subgroup A. Phylogenetic analyses of 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that the X-disease phytoplasma strains formed a distinct subclade within the phytoplasma clade, supporting the hypothesis that they represented a lineage distinct from those of previously described ‘Candidatus

Phytoplasma
’ species. Nucleotide sequence alignments revealed that all studied X-disease phytoplasma strains shared less than 97.5 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity with previously described ‘Candidatus

Phytoplasma
’ species. Based on unique properties of the DNA, we propose recognition of X-disease phytoplasma strain PX11CT1R as representative of a novel taxon, ‘Candidatus
Phytoplasma pruni’. Results from nucleotide and phylogenetic analyses of secY and ribosomal protein (rp) gene sequences provided additional molecular markers of the ‘Ca. Phytoplasma pruni’ lineage. We propose that the term ‘Ca.
Phytoplasma pruni’ be applied to phytoplasma strains whose 16S rRNA gene sequences contain the oligonucleotide sequences of unique regions that are designated in the formally published description of the taxon. Such strains include X-disease phytoplasma and - within the tolerance of a single base difference in one unique sequence - peach rosette, peach red suture, and little peach phytoplasmas. Although not employed for taxon delineation in this work, we further propose that secY, rp, and other genetic loci from the reference strain of a taxon, and where possible oligonucleotide sequences of unique regions of those genes that distinguish taxa within a given 16Sr group, be incorporated in emended descriptions and as part of future descriptions of ‘Candidatus

Phytoplasma
’ taxa.
Nocardioides albertanoniae sp. nov., isolated from Roman catacombs
Authors: Alias-Villegas Cynthia , Jurado Valme , Laiz Leonila , Miller Ana Z. , Saiz-Jimenez Cesareo
Published: July 2012

A Gram-reaction-positive, aerobic, non-spore-forming, rod- or coccoid-shaped, strain, CD40127T, was isolated from a green biofilm covering the wall of the Domitilla Catacombs in Rome, Italy. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain CD40127T belongs to the genus

Nocardioides

, closely related to

Nocardioides luteus

DSM 43366T and

Nocardioides albus

DSM 43109T with 98.86 % and 98.01 % similarity values, respectively. Strain CD40127T exhibited 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values below 96.29 % with the rest of the species of the genus

Nocardioides

. The G+C content of the genomic DNA was 69.7 mol%. The predominant fatty acid was iso-C16 : 0 and the major menaquinone was MK-8(H4) in accordance with the phenotypes of other species of the genus

Nocardioides

. A polyphasic approach using physiological tests, fatty acid profiles, DNA base ratios and DNA–DNA hybridization showed that isolate CD40127T represents a novel species within the genus

Nocardioides

, for which the name Nocardioides albertanoniae is proposed. The type strain is CD40127T ( = DSM 25218T = CECT 8014T).
The p110α and p110β isoforms of PI3K play divergent roles in mammary gland development and tumorigenesis
Authors: Utermark Tamara , Rao Trisha , Cheng Hailing , Wang Qi , Lee Sang Hyun , Wang Zhigang C. , Iglehart J. Dirk , Roberts Thomas M. , Muller William J. , Zhao Jean J.
Published: July 2012

Class Ia phosphatidylinositol 3 kinase (PI3K) is required for oncogenic receptor-mediated transformation; however, the individual roles of the two commonly expressed class Ia PI3K isoforms in oncogenic receptor signaling have not been elucidated in vivo. Here, we show that genetic ablation of p110α blocks tumor formation in both polyoma middle T antigen (MT) and HER2/Neu transgenic models of breast cancer. Surprisingly, p110β ablation results in both increased ductal branching and tumorigenesis. Biochemical analyses suggest a competition model in which the less active p110β competes with the more active p110α for receptor binding sites, thereby modulating the level of PI3K activity associated with activated receptors. Our findings demonstrate a novel p110β-based regulatory role in receptor-mediated PI3K activity and identify p110α as an important target for treatment of HER2-positive disease.
SPRED proteins provide a NF-ty link to Ras suppression
Authors: McClatchey Andrea I. , Cichowski Karen
Published: July 2012

Mutations in the SPRED1 (Sprouty-related protein with an EVH [Ena/Vasp homology] domain 1) and NF1 (neurofibromatosis 1) genes underlie clinically related human disorders. The NF1-encoded protein neurofibromin is a Ras GTPase-activating protein (GAP) and can directly limit Ras activity. Spred proteins also negatively regulate Ras signaling, but the mechanism by which they do so is not clear. In the July 1, 2012, issue of Genes & Development, Stowe and colleagues (pp. 1421–1426) present evidence that Spred1 recruits neurofibromin to the membrane, where it dampens growth factor-induced Ras activity, providing a satisfying explanation for the overlapping features of two human diseases.
The STEAP protein family: Versatile oxidoreductases and targets for cancer immunotherapy with overlapping and distinct cellular functions
Authors: Grunewald Thomas G. P. , Bach Horacio , Cossarizza Andrea , Matsumoto Isao
Published: July 2012

The human six‐transmembrane epithelial antigen of the prostate (STEAP) protein family contains at least five homologous members. The necessity of multiple homologous STEAP proteins is still unclear, but their peculiar and tissue‐specific expression suggests that they are assigned to distinct functional tasks. This concept is supported by the fact that especially STEAP1, and to a lesser extent STEAP2 and ‐4, are highly over‐expressed in many different cancer entities, while being only minimally expressed in a few normal tissues. Despite their very similar domain organisation, STEAP3 seems to act as a potent metalloreductase essential for physiological iron uptake and turnover, while in particular STEAP4 appears to be rather involved in responses to nutrients and inflammatory stress, fatty acid and glucose metabolism. Moreover, individual STEAP proteins possess overlapping functions important for growth and survival of cancer cells. Due to their membrane‐bound localisation and their high expression in many different cancers such as prostate, breast and bladder carcinoma as well as Ewing's sarcoma, STEAP proteins have been recognised and utilised as promising targets for cell‐ and antibody‐based immunotherapy. This review summarises our present knowledge of the individual members of the human STEAP family and highlights the functional differences between them.
Meta‐analysis: esomeprazole or rabeprazole vs. first‐generation pump inhibitors in the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection
Authors: McNicholl A. G. , Linares P. M. , Nyssen O. P. , Calvet X. , Gisbert J. P.
Published: July 2012

Background

The decreasing efficacy of H. pylori eradication treatments over time makes the search for better regimens and adjuvant medications a priority.

Aim

To conduct a meta‐analysis of studies comparing rabeprazole or esomeprazole with other proton pump inhibitors (PPI) or with each other in H. pylori eradication treatment.

Methods

Selection of Studies: Randomised clinical trials comparing esomeprazole or rabeprazole with first‐generation PPIs (omeprazole‐lansoprazole‐pantoprazole) or with each other.

Results

The meta‐analysis (35 studies, 5998 patients) showed higher eradication rates for esomeprazole than for first‐generation PPIs: 82.3% vs. 77.6%; OR = 1.32(1.01–1.73); NNT = 21. Rabeprazole also showed better results than first‐generation PPIs: 80.5% vs. 76.2%; OR = 1.21(1.02–1.42); NNT = 23. PPI dosage sub‐analysis: only esomeprazole 40 mg b.d. improved results [83.5% esomeprazole vs. 72.4% first generation; OR = 2.27(1.07–4.82); NNT = 9]. Whereas rabeprazole 10 and 20 mg b.d. maintained results, esomeprazole 20 mg b.d. obtained lower efficacy. Esomeprazole vs. rabeprazole sub‐analysis (five studies): no significant differences were found: 78.7% vs. 76.7%; OR = 0.90(0.70–1.17). CYP2C19 sub‐analysis: Genotype did not significantly affect eradication either in first [OR = 1.76(0.99–3.12)] or new generation [OR = 1.19(0.73–1.95)] PPIs. However, sub‐analysis considering only extensive metaboliser patients showed higher eradication with new‐generation PPIs [OR = 1.37(1.02–1.84)].

Conclusions

Esomeprazole and rabeprazole show better overall H. pylori eradication rates than first‐generation PPIs. This clinical benefit is more pronounced in esomeprazole 40 mg b.d. regimens. In CYP2C19 extensive metabolisers, new‐generation PPIs are more effective than first‐generation PPIs for H. pylori eradication. However, a general recommendation of using new‐generation PPIs in all scenarios remains unclear.
Modulation of pain sensation by stress‐related testosterone and cortisol
Authors: Choi J. C. , Chung M. I. , Lee Y. D.
Published: July 2012

Stress increases cortisol and decreases testosterone. It is not known whether pain is affected by stress‐related testosterone. Therefore, we investigated whether stress can affect pain perception by decreasing testosterone and increasing cortisol. Pain thresholds, pain and anxiety ratings and salivary testosterone and cortisol levels were measured in 46 healthy men during resting and stressful conditions. Pain was induced by electrical stimulation. Stress was induced by having participants perform a medical test. Stress significantly increased anxiety ratings and salivary cortisol levels, but decreased salivary testosterone levels. Stress also increased pain ratings and decreased pain thresholds. During stress, cortisol levels were negatively correlated with pain thresholds and testosterone levels were positively correlated with pain thresholds. Results indicated that testosterone can decrease and cortisol can increase pain induced by electrical stimulation, suggesting that acute clinical pain may be relieved by controlling stress and managing consequent stress‐related testosterone and cortisol.
Source to sink relations between the Tian Shan and Junggar Basin (northwest China) from Late Palaeozoic to Quaternary: evidence from detrital U‐Pb zircon geochronology
Authors: Yang Wei , Jolivet Marc , Dupont‐Nivet Guillaume , Guo Zhaojie , Zhang Zhicheng , Wu Chaodong
Published: July 2012

The tectonic evolution of the Tian Shan, as for most ranges in continental Asia is dominated by north‐south compression since the Cenozoic India‐Asia collision. However, precollision governing tectonic processes remain enigmatic. An excellent record is provided by thick Palaeozoic – Cenozoic lacustrine to fluvial depositional sequences that are well preserved in the southern margin of the Junggar Basin and exposed along a foreland basin associated to the Late Cenozoic rejuvenation of the Tian Shan ranges. U/Pb (LA‐ICP‐MS) dating of detrital zircons from 14 sandstone samples from a continuous series ranging in age from latest Palaeozoic to Quaternary is used to investigate changes in sediment provenance through time and to correlate them with major tectonic phases in the range. Samples were systematically collected along two nearby sections in the foreland basin. The results show that the detrital zircons are mostly magmatic in origin, with some minor input from metamorphic zircons. The U‐Pb detrital zircon ages range widely from 127 to 2856 Ma and can be divided into four main groups: 127–197 (sub‐peak at 159 Ma), 250–379 (sub‐peak at 318 Ma), 381–538 (sub‐peak at 406 Ma) and 543–2856 Ma (sub‐peak at 912 Ma). These groups indicate that the zircons were largely derived from the Tian Shan area to the south since a Late Carboniferous basin initiation. The provenance and basin‐range pattern evolution of the southern margin of Junggar Basin can be generally divided into four stages: (1) Late Carboniferous – Early Triassic basin evolution in a half‐graben or post‐orogenic extensional context; (2) From Middle Triassic to Upper Jurassic times, the southern Junggar became a passively subsiding basin until (3) being inverted during Lower Cretaceous – Palaeogene; (4) During the Neogene, a piedmont developed along the northern margin of the North Tian Shan block and Junggar Basin became a true foreland basin.
Bisphenol A in polycystic ovary syndrome and its association with liver–spleen axis
Authors: Tarantino Giovanni , Valentino Rossella , Somma Carolina Di , D'Esposito Vittoria , Passaretti Federica , Pizza Genoveffa , Brancato Valentina , Orio Francesco , Formisano Pietro , Colao Annamaria , Savastano Silvia
Published: July 2012

Context

Bisphenol A, one of the highest‐volume chemicals currently available, is known to act as endocrine disruptor and alters several metabolic functions, including inflammatory pathways. Elevated serum levels of bisphenol A have been found in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and a role of low‐grade chronic inflammation has been recently reported in the pathogenesis of this syndrome. Increased spleen volume, a reliable and stable index of chronic inflammation, was strictly associated with the severity of hepatic steatosis (HS) in obese subjects, determining the so‐called liver–spleen axis.

Objective

To evaluate the contribution of increased serum bisphenol A levels to low‐grade chronic inflammation, HS and hyperandrogenism in women with PCOS.

Design, setting and participants

Forty lean and overweight/obese premenopausal women with PCOS and 20 healthy age‐matched women were consecutively enrolled in a cross‐sectional study from 2009 to 2011 at the Federico II University Hospital in Naples.

Measurements

Bisphenol A, homoeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HoMA‐IR), laboratory liver tests, testosterone, sex hormone‐binding globulin, free androgen index (FAI), C‐reactive protein, interleukin‐6, and the ultrasound quantification of HS and spleen longitudinal diameter.

Results

Independently of body weight, higher bisphenol A levels in PCOS women were associated with higher grades of insulin resistance, HS, FAI and inflammation, spleen size showing the best correlation. At multivariate analysis, spleen size and FAI were the best predictors of bisphenol A (β coefficients 0·379, P = 0·007 and 0·343, P = 0·014, respectively).

Conclusions

In premenopausal women with PCOS, we evidenced an association of serum bisphenol A levels with HS and markers of low‐grade inflammation, in particular with spleen size, unravelling the presence of the liver–spleen axis in this syndrome.
Positive association between aldosterone‐renin ratio and carotid intima‐media thickness in hypertensive children
Authors: Loureiro Carolina , Campino Carmen , Martinez‐Aguayo Alejandro , Godoy Ivan , Aglony Marlene , Bancalari Rodrigo , Garcia Hernan , Carvajal Cristian A. , Fardella Carlos
Published: July 2012

Introduction

From an early age, hypertension can damage blood vessels through multiple mechanisms. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of vascular damage and whether it is associated with the mineralo‐ and glucocorticoid profiles of hypertensive children.

Subjects and methods

We studied 64 hypertensive children. Anthropometric parameters and serum aldosterone (SA), plasma renin activity (PRA), aldosterone/renin ratio (ARR), cortisol (F) and cortisone (E) were measured. The serum F/E ratio was calculated to estimate the activity of the enzyme 11β‐HSD2. Vascular damage was determined by carotid intima‐media thickness (cIMT) and flow‐mediated dilation of the brachial artery (FMD) on ultrasound.

Results (median; Q1–Q3)

Of the patients observed, 39% were females, and the median value for age (years) was 11·2 (9·1–13·3), for BMI (SDS) was 1·36 (0·84–1·80), for body fat mass (%) was 28·3 (17·8–36·0), for SBP index was 1·17 (1·12–1·25) and for the DBP index was 1·27 (1·16–1·36). Measurements revealed an SA level higher than 491 pmol/l in 4/64 patients, a PRA value lower than 0·5 ng/ml/h in 2/64, an ARR higher than 10 in 3/64 and serum F/E ratio higher than 4·3 in 10/64. The median brachial FMD (%) was 8·41 (5·61–10·91), and the median cIMT (mm) was 0·40 (0·37–0·43). The ARR was the only variable that explained changes in cIMT (β = 0·571, R2 = 0·315, P < 0·0001).

Conclusion

Our results showed a positive association between cIMT and the ARR, suggesting an important role of the renin‐aldosterone axis in the regulation of early vascular damage in hypertensive children.
The ecology of stress: effects of the social environment
Authors: Creel Scott , Dantzer Ben , Goymann Wolfgang , Rubenstein Dustin R.
Published: July 2012

Many aspects of the social environment affect hypothalamic‐pituitary‐adrenal (HPA) axis function and increase circulating glucocorticoid concentrations. In this review, we examine the relationships between the social environment and the function of the HPA axis in vertebrates.

First, we explore the effects of the social environment on glucocorticoid secretion in territorial (primarily non‐social) species, with an emphasis on the effects of variation in population density, as modified by environmental factors such as predation risk and food availability. In general, high population density or frequent territorial intrusions are associated with increased glucocorticoid secretion in a wide range of taxa, including mammals, birds, fish and reptiles, although there is considerable variability across species.

Second, we consider the effects of social interactions and dominance rank on glucocorticoid secretion in social species, mostly in birds and mammals. We review studies that have detected an association between social status and glucocorticoid levels – sometimes with higher glucocorticoid levels in low‐ranking individuals, and sometimes with higher glucocorticoid levels in dominant individuals. The relationship between dominance and glucocorticoid levels varies among species, populations and years, in a manner that depends on the stability of the social hierarchy, environmental conditions, the type of breeding system, and the manner in which high rank is obtained and maintained.

Finally, we discuss the concept of allostasis and consider interactions between social effects and other environmental factors, noting that there is relatively little research on these interactions to date. For both non‐social and social species, we identify priorities of future research. These priorities include more complete descriptions of HPA function that move beyond measurements of basal glucocorticoid concentrations (which will generally require field experiments), to studies that examine organizational effects of social stressors, that directly test the relationship between HPA function and fitness, and that examine how glucocorticoid responses affect population dynamics.

Although several lines of evidence suggest that glucocorticoid responses can affect the fitness of individuals and therefore can alter the dynamics of populations, the effect of glucocorticoid responses on population dynamics remains essentially unstudied.
Diversification of subgenus Calathus (Coleoptera: Carabidae) in the Mediterranean region – glacial refugia and taxon pulses
Authors: Ruiz Carlos , Jordal Bjarte H. , Serrano José
Published: July 2012

Aim  To investigate the effects of Pleistocene climatic variations on the diversification rate of the subgenus Calathus (Coleoptera: Carabidae), and to estimate the role of vicariance and dispersal for explaining current distributional patterns.

Location  Western Palaearctic Region, particularly the Mediterranean Basin.

Methods  Fragments of the mitochondrial cox1–cox2 and the nuclear 28S and EF1α genes were analysed by Bayesian inference. Lineage divergence times were estimated using a Bayesian relaxed molecular clock. Three diversification rate analyses were conducted, namely gamma (γ)‐statistic, birth–death likelihood (BDL) test and survival analyses, in order to test departures from a constant rate model of diversification. A Bayesian approach to dispersal–vicariance analysis was developed to reconstruct the most probable ancestral area of subgenus Calathus and subsequent events of dispersal and colonization.

Results  A constant rate of speciation events from the late Miocene onwards was found for the subgenus Calathus, whereas recent Pleistocene climatic oscillations played an important role only in shaping intraspecific diversity. Overall diversification patterns for the subgenus are best explained by at least four westward dispersal events from the eastern Mediterranean Basin. Three distinct phylogroups were found for the widely distributed Calathus fuscipes. Incongruence between mitochondrial and nuclear loci was found for a number of species.

Main conclusions  Diversification analyses suggest either a constant rate of diversification (BDL analysis) or a decrease in diversification rates for the subgenus (survival or γ‐statistics analyses), but not an increase related to the effects of glaciation cycles. Diversification patterns in the subgenus Calathus agree with predictions of the taxon pulse model. From the middle Miocene onwards the Anatolian Peninsula was possibly the main centre of diversification, with successive dispersal events towards the western Mediterranean Basin. Range expansion and secondary contact zones are postulated between members of different phylogroups in C. fuscipes.
Phylogenetic analysis and molecular methods for the detection of lymphocystis disease virus from yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchell)
Authors: Palmer L J , Hogan N S , van den Heuvel M R
Published: July 2012

Lymphocystis disease is a prevalent, non‐fatal disease that affects many teleost fish and is caused by the DNA virus lymphocystis disease virus (LCDV). Lymphocystis‐like lesions have been observed in yellow perch, Perca flavescens (Mitchell), in lakes in northern Alberta, Canada. In an effort to confirm the identity of the virus causing these lesions, DNA was extracted from these lesions and PCR with genotype generic LCDV primers specific to the major capsid protein (MCP) gene was performed. A 1357‐base pair nucleotide sequence corresponding to a peptide length of 452 amino acids of the MCP gene was sequenced, confirming the lesions as being lymphocystis disease lesions. Phylogenetic analysis of the generated amino acid sequence revealed the perch LCDV isolate to be a distinct and novel genotype. From the obtained sequence, a real‐time PCR identification method was developed using fluorgenic LUX primers. The identification method was used to detect the presence/absence of LCDV in yellow perch from two lakes, one where lymphocystis disease was observed to occur and the other where the disease had not been observed. All samples of fin, spleen and liver tested negative for LCDV in the lake where lymphocystis disease had not been observed. The second lake had a 2.6% incidence of LCD, and virus was detected in tissue samples from all individuals tested regardless of whether they were expressing the disease or not. However, estimated viral copy number in spleen and liver of symptomatic perch was four orders of magnitude higher than that in asymptomatic perch.
Assessment of Aquaflor®, copper sulphate and potassium permanganate for control of Aeromonas hydrophila and Flavobacterium columnare infection in sunshine bass, Morone chrysops female × Morone saxatilis male
Authors: Darwish A M , Bebak J A , Schrader K K
Published: July 2012

Two experiments were conducted to test the effectiveness of different therapeutants against a mixed infection of Aeromonas hydrophila and Flavobacterium columnare in sunshine bass. Experiment 1 evaluated copper sulphate, florfenicol‐medicated feed and potassium permanganate (KMnO4) against a natural mixed infection. Experiment 2 further evaluated copper sulphate as a treatment to control an experimental mixed infection. In experiment 1, naturally infected untreated fish had the lowest final survival per cent, at 71%, while florfenicol‐medicated feed at 15 mg kg−1 body weight for 10 days or copper sulphate at 2.1 mg L−1 (1% of the total alkalinity) for 24 h produced the highest final survivals, at 90% and 88%, respectively. The final survival of the naturally infected fish administered florfenicol‐medicated feed was significantly different (P < 0.1) from the untreated fish. The survival curves for the florfenicol and the copper sulphate at 2.1 mg L−1 were significantly improved from the untreated fish. In experiment 2, fish were challenged by waterborne exposure to A. hydrophila and F. columnare and either not treated or treated with copper sulphate at 2.1 mg L−1. At the end of experiment 2, the per cent survival of the challenged fish treated with copper sulphate (99%) was significantly higher (P < 0.05) than the non‐treated (61%). The results illustrate clear benefit of florfenicol and copper sulphate against a mixed infection of A. hydrophila and F. columnare.
Spatio‐temporal analysis of cyprinid herpesvirus 3 genetic diversity at a local scale
Authors: Avarre J‐C , Santika A , Bentenni A , Zainun Z , Madeira J‐P , Maskur M , Bigarré L , Caruso D
Published: July 2012

Cyprinid herpesvirus 3 (CyHV‐3), the causative agent of koi herpesvirus disease, is a major threat for carp populations in many countries worldwide, including Indonesia. It has been shown that many genotypes circulate worldwide, all highly related to one of the two known lineages U/I and J. In this study, we evaluated the spatial and temporal distribution of CyHV‐3 strains in a small enzootic area, the lake of Cirata (West Java, Indonesia). Of the 365 samples analysed, from clinical or asymptomatic fish, 244 were found positive for CyHV‐3, suggesting a high occurrence of the virus. Genotyping of these viral specimens with a range of molecular markers revealed the presence of numerous haplotypes in the host population, all related to the J lineage. In single individuals, mixed‐genotype infections occurred at high frequency. The present results demonstrate that polymorphic molecular markers are suitable to monitor the genetic evolution of a viral population in an enzootic area.
Control of hydroxyproline catabolism in Sinorhizobium meliloti
Authors: White Catharine E. , Gavina Jennilee M. A. , Morton Richard , Britz‐McKibbin Philip , Finan Turlough M.
Published: July 2012

Hydroxyproline (Hyp) in decaying organic matter is a rich source of carbon and nitrogen for microorganisms. A bacterial pathway for Hyp catabolism is known; however, genes and function relationships are not established. In the pathway, trans‐4‐hydroxy‐l‐proline (4‐l‐Hyp) is epimerized to cis‐4‐hydroxy‐d‐proline (4‐d‐Hyp), and then, in three enzymatic reactions, the d‐isomer is converted via Δ‐pyrroline‐4‐hydroxy‐2‐carboxylate (HPC) and α‐ketoglutarate semialdehyde (KGSA) to α‐ketoglutarate (KG). Here a transcriptional analysis of cells growing on 4‐l‐Hyp, and the regulation and functions of genes from a Hyp catabolism locus of the legume endosymbiont Sinorhizobium meliloti are reported. Fourteen hydroxyproline catabolism genes (hyp), in five transcripts hypR, hypD, hypH, hypST and hypMNPQO(RE)XYZ, were negatively regulated by hypR. hypRE was shown to encode 4‐hydroxyproline 2‐epimerase and a hypRE mutant grew with 4‐d‐Hyp but not 4‐l‐Hyp. hypO, hypD and hypH are predicted to encode 4‐d‐Hyp oxidase, HPC deaminase and α‐KGSA dehydrogenase respectively. The functions for hypS, hypT, hypX, hypY and hypZ remain to be determined. The data suggest 4‐Hyp is converted to the tricarboxylic acid cycle intermediate α‐ketoglutarate via the pathway established biochemically for Pseudomonas. This report describes the first molecular characterization of a Hyp catabolism locus.
Inverse effects of Arabidopsis NPR1 gene on fusarium seedling blight and fusarium head blight in transgenic wheat
Authors: Gao C.‐S. , Kou X.‐J. , Li H.‐P. , Zhang J.‐B. , Saad A. S. I. , Liao Y.‐C.
Published: July 2012

In this study, the Arabidopsis thaliana NPR1 (non‐expressor of PR genes) gene was integrated into an elite wheat cultivar, and the response of the transgenic wheat expressing NPR1 to inoculation with Fusarium asiaticum was analysed. With seedling inoculation, the transgenic lines showed significantly increased fusarium seedling blight (FSB) susceptibility, whereas floret inoculation resulted in enhanced fusarium head blight (FHB) resistance. Quantitative real‐time PCR revealed that expression of two defence genes, PR3 and PR5, was associated with susceptible reactions to FSB and FHB, whereas the PR1 gene was activated in resistance responses. This inverse modulation by the constitutively expressed NPR1 gene suggests that NPR1 has a bifunctional role in regulating defence responses in plants. Therefore, it is unsuitable for improving overall resistance to FSB and FHB in wheat.
Do patients with acne need cognitive behavioral therapy? An analysis of patient knowledge and behavior
Authors: Jung Jeanne , Hwang Eun Ju
Published: July 2012

Background  Acne is a common skin condition that affects adolescents as well as young adults, and numerous treatment modalities have been introduced with various success. However, most of the therapeutic measures have failed to show a long‐lasting effect because acne is a multi‐factorial disease. Some of the factors can be effectively modified by patients themselves. We hereby present an analysis of patients’ cognition of the disease and behavioral patterns that can influence patient compliance and the efficacy of the adjacent therapy.

Methods  The survey was conducted on 136 Korean patients at a private cosmetic clinic, using a questionnaire form on their cognition and everyday habitual care.

Results  The results showed that the patients neither possess the proper knowledge nor behave appropriately when taking care of acne‐prone skin.

Conclusions  For a successful therapeutic alliance, it seems useful to provide knowledge and introduce a cognitive‐behavioral therapy to the field of acne treatment.
Trait impulsivity as an endophenotype for bipolar I disorder
Authors: Lombardo Lauren E , Bearden Carrie E , Barrett Jennifer , Brumbaugh Margaret S , Pittman Brian , Frangou Sophia , Glahn David C
Published: July 2012

Lombardo LE, Bearden CE, Barrett J, Brumbaugh MS, Pittman B, Frangou S, Glahn DC. Trait impulsivity as an endophenotype for bipolar I disorder. Bipolar Disord 2012: 14: 565–570. © 2012 The Authors. Journal compilation © 2012 John Wiley & Sons A/S.

Objective:  Impulsivity, conceptualized as impairment in planning and poor attentional and inhibitory control, is a key feature of bipolar disorder. Familial risk for bipolar disorder is known to affect inhibitory control but its impact on the attentional and planning dimensions of impulsivity is still unclear.

Methods:  We administered the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale, version 11 (BIS‐11) to 54 euthymic individuals with DSM–IV bipolar I disorder, 57 of their clinically unaffected siblings, and 49 healthy comparison subjects. Groups were compared on the attentional (rapid shifts in attention/impatience with complexity), motor (acting impetuously), and non‐planning (absence of weighing upon long‐term consequences of actions) subscales of the BIS‐11, and on total BIS‐11 score. To investigate functional implications of trait impulsivity, total BIS‐11 score was examined in relation to current psychosocial functioning and criminal history.

Results:  Individuals with bipolar I disorder had elevated scores compared to healthy comparison subjects on BIS‐11 total score and all three subscales (p < 0.0001). Unaffected siblings had elevated BIS‐11 total score (p = 0.0037), motor (p = 0.0027), and non‐planning (p = 0.0379) subscales in comparison to unrelated healthy controls. Total BIS‐11 score was negatively associated with global assessment of functioning (GAF) score (β = −0.32, p < 0.0001).

Conclusions:  Our results suggest that impulsivity is sensitive to familial liability for the illness, making it a potential endophenotype for bipolar disorder.
Antipredator Behavior of American Bullfrogs (Lithobates catesbeianus) in a Novel Environment
Authors: Garcia Tiffany S. , Thurman Lindsey L. , Rowe Jennifer C. , Selego Stephen M.
Published: July 2012

Invasive species capable of recognizing potential predators may have increased establishment rates in novel environments. Individuals may retain historical predator recognition and invoke innate responses in the presence of taxonomically or ecologically similar predators, generalize antipredator responses, or learn to avoid risky species in novel environments. Invasive amphibians in aquatic environments often use chemical cues to assess predation risk and learn to avoid novel predators via direct experience and/or associated chemical cues. Ontogeny may also influence recognition; experience with predators may need to occur at certain developmental stages for individuals to respond correctly. We tested predator recognition in invasive American bullfrog (
Lithobates catesbeianus) tadpoles that varied in experience with fish predators at the population and individual scale. We found that bullfrog tadpoles responded to a historical predator, largemouth bass (
Micropterus salmoides), only if the population was locally sympatric with largemouth bass. Individuals from a population that did not co‐occur with largemouth bass did not increase refuge use in response to either largemouth bass chemical cues alone or chemical cues with diet cues (largemouth bass fed bullfrog tadpoles). To test whether this behavioral response was generalized across fish predators, we exposed tadpoles to rainbow trout (
Oncorhynchus mykiss) and found that tadpoles could not recognize this novel predator regardless of co‐occurrence with other fish species. These results suggest that environment may be more important for predator recognition than evolutionary history for this invasive species, and individuals do not retain predator recognition or generalize across fish predators.
Intruders in Nests of the Spotless Starling: Prospecting for Public Information or for Immediate Nesting Resources?
Authors: Veiga José P. , Polo Vicente , Arenas Marta , Sánchez Sara
Published: July 2012

The prospective behaviour for nests by conspecific intruders may be a strategy to gather public information for future reproduction or to secure resources for immediate reproduction. Although the relationship between the sex, age and breeding experience of intruders and the sex and age of residents may be crucial for understanding the significance of nest‐prospecting behaviour, a precise determination of these traits has rarely been addressed in field studies. In a free‐ranging population of spotless starlings (
Sturnus unicolor), inexperienced birds were the predominant intruders. The ratio of male‐to‐female intruders was higher among birds without previous breeding experience, although our results did not allow us to determine whether more inexperienced males or females intruded nests. The average annual rate of intrusion of either sex was strongly correlated with the number of fledglings produced in the study colony the previous year, which seems to indicate that the inexperienced intruders were, in general, yearlings. The proportion of the sexes among the intruders in each study year was correlated with the average age of male owners but not with the age of female owners. This result suggests that the presence of intruding males in the nests was affected by an increased opportunity to find vacancies in nesting territories as resident males became older. This finding supports the hypothesis that, in most cases, birds visited nests to obtain personal information about nesting resources. However, the intrusion rates were higher when there were nestlings than during the incubation period, which suggests that collecting public information was also involved in the intruding behaviour. Both sexes regularly attacked intruders, which implies that the intruders inflicted some kind of cost on the owners. Female floaters were more frequently chased, probably because they regularly lay parasitically in conspecific nests.
Genotypic variation for root architecture traits in seedlings of maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines
Authors: Kumar Bharath , Abdel‐Ghani Adel H. , Reyes‐Matamoros Jenaro , Hochholdinger Frank , Lübberstedt Thomas
Published: July 2012

With 2 figures and 8 tables

The aim of this study was to examine the extent of genotypic variability for root traits in a diverse set of maize inbred lines. Root traits were measured in maize lines grown up to 6, 10 and 14 days in the growth chamber on a germination paper. Combined analysis of variance revealed intermediate to high heritability values (range = 0.6–0.9) for all measured traits, indicating consistency across experiments. Euclidian distance value ranged from 1.8 to 19.6, indicating high levels of variability among the studied lines. First three principle components explained more than 80% of total genetic variation with high loadings from primary root parameters, seminal root parameters, total root length and root dry weight (DW). Root DW was significantly correlated with other root traits, indicating that direct selection based on root DW might be sufficient to improve other root traits. Some outstanding genotypes (PHT77, GEMN‐0193, PHG35) with high relative growth rate at different time points were identified. These lines could be of potential use for the improvement of nutrient and water‐use efficiency in maize.
Macrophage Migration Inhibitory Factor is Expressed by Equine Conceptuses and Endometrium
Authors: Klein C , Troedsson MHT
Published: July 2012

Contents

Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a pleiotropic cytokine expressed by a wide range of tissues, which has been implicated to be involved in reproduction. Relative abundance of MIF mRNA in conceptus and endometrial tissue was assessed using real‐time RT‐PCR. Western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry were used to detect MIF protein expression. MIF transcript abundance was lowest in conceptuses obtained 16 days after ovulation, while the remaining stages of conceptus development that were analysed showed relatively constant expression levels. Migration inhibitory factor expression localized to trophectoderm cells, while capsular material was void of MIF immunoreactivity. Throughout the oestrous cycle, no clear statistically significant cycle‐dependent expression pattern could be observed. During early pregnancy, the highest mRNA transcript levels were detected 16 days after ovulation. Pregnancy status did not affect MIF mRNA expression. Using immunohistochemistry, MIF protein expression was primarily localized in luminal and glandular epithelial cells, while stromal cells displayed weaker immunoreactivity. Taken together, we suggest that MIF is part of the molecular repertoire that contributes to normal endometrial function. The detailed functional significance of MIF expression in equine endometrium and pre‐implantation stages of conceptus development remains to be determined.
Myocardial insulin resistance, metabolic stress and autophagy in diabetes
Authors: Mellor Kimberley M , Bell James R , Ritchie Rebecca H , Delbridge Lea MD
Published: July 2012

Clinical studies in humans strongly support a link between insulin resistance and non‐ischaemic heart failure. The occurrence of a specific insulin‐resistant cardiomyopathy, independent of vascular abnormalities, is now recognized. The progression of cardiac pathology linked with insulin resistance is poorly understood.

Cardiac insulin resistance is characterized by reduced availability of sarcolemmal Glut‐4 transporters and consequent lower glucose uptake. A shift away from glycolysis towards fatty acid oxidation for ATP supply is apparent and is associated with myocardial oxidative stress. Reliance of cardiomyocyte excitation–contraction coupling on glycolytically derived ATP supply potentially renders cardiac function vulnerable to the metabolic remodelling adaptations observed in diabetes development.

Findings from Glut‐4‐knockout mice demonstrate that cardiomyocytes with extreme glucose uptake deficiency exhibit cardiac hypertrophy and marked excitation–contraction coupling abnormalities characterized by reduced sarcolemmal Ca2+ influx and sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ uptake. The ‘milder’ phenotype fructose‐fed mouse model of type 2 diabetes does not show evidence of cardiac hypertrophy, but cardiomyocyte loss linked with autophagic activation is evident. Fructose feeding induces a marked reduction in intracellular Ca2+ availability with myofilament adaptation to preserve contractile function in this setting.

The cardiac metabolic adaptations of two load‐independent models of diabetes, namely the Glut‐4‐deficient mouse and the fructose‐fed mouse are contrasted. The role of autophagy in diabetic cardiopathology is evaluated and anomalies of type 1 versus type 2 diabetic autophagic responses are highlighted.
High‐cycle fatigue and fracture behaviours of Cu‐Be alloy with a wide strength range
Authors: PANG J. C. , LI S. X. , ZHANG Z. F.
Published: July 2012

The high‐cycle fatigue and fracture behaviours of Cu‐Be alloy with tensile strength ranging from 500 to 1300 MPa acquired by different treatments were studied. Fatigue crack initiation, fracture surface morphologies, S‐N curves and fatigue strength show obvious differences due to the change of microstructure. At relatively low‐strength level, some fatigue cracks originated from defects; while at high‐strength level, all the fatigue cracks initiated from cleavage facets. It was found that the fatigue ratio increases linearly and fatigue strength changes quadratically with increasing tensile strength, only considering one strengthening mechanism. Finally, the fatigue strengths of various Cu‐Be alloys were summarized.
Habitat functionality for the ecosystem service of pest control: reproduction and feeding sites of pests and natural enemies
Authors: Bianchi Felix J. J. A. , Schellhorn Nancy A. , Cunningham Saul A.
Published: July 2012

Landscape management for enhanced natural pest control requires knowledge of the ecological function of the habitats present in the landscape mosaic. However, little is known about which habitat types in agricultural landscapes function as reproduction habitats for arthropod pests and predators during different times of the year.

We studied the arthropod assemblage on six crops and on the seven most abundant native plant species in two landscapes over 1 year in Australia. Densities of immature and adult stages of pests and their predators were assessed using beat sheet sampling.

The native plants supported a significantly different arthropod assemblage than crops. Native plants had higher predator densities than crops over the course of the year, whereas crops supported higher pest densities than the native plants in two out of four seasonal sampling periods. Crops had higher densities of immature stages of pests than native plants in three of four seasonal sampling periods, implying that crops are more strongly associated with pest reproduction than native plants. Densities of immature predators, excluding spiders, were not different between native plants and crops. Spiders were, however, generally abundant and densities were higher on native plants than on crops but, because some species disperse when immature, there is less certainty in identifying their reproduction habitat.

Because the predator to pest ratio on native plant species showed little variation, and spatial variation in arthropod assemblages was limited, the predator support function of native vegetation may be a general phenomenon. Incentives that maintain and restore native remnant vegetation can increase the predator to pest ratio at the landscape scale, which could enhance pest suppression in crops.
Access to insulin pump therapy and continuous glucose monitoring – is it an even playing field?
Authors: Hitman G. A.
Published: July 2012

Diabet. Med. 29, 971 (2012)
Preschoolers’ Use of Talker Information in On‐Line Comprehension
Authors: Creel Sarah C.
Published: July 2012

A crucial part of language development is learning how various social and contextual language‐external factors constrain an utterance’s meaning. This learning process is poorly understood. Five experiments addressed one hundred thirty‐one 3‐ to 5‐year‐old children’s use of one such socially relevant information source: talker characteristics. Participants learned 2 characters’ favorite colors; then, those characters asked participants to select colored shapes, as eye movements were tracked. Results suggest that by preschool, children use voice characteristics predictively to constrain a talker’s domain of reference, visually fixating the talker’s preferred color shapes. Indicating flexibility, children used talker information when the talker made a request for herself but not when she made a request for the other character. Children’s ease at using voice characteristics and possible developmental changes are discussed.
The Web as A Tool For Proving
Authors: Stefaneas Petros , Vandoulakis Ioannis M.
Published: July 2012

The Web may critically transform the way we understand the activity of proving. The Web as a collaborative medium allows the active participation of people with different backgrounds, interests, viewpoints, and styles. Mathematical formal proofs are inadequate for capturing Web‐based proofs. This article claims that Web provings can be studied as a particular type of Goguen's proof‐events. Web‐based proof‐events have a social component, communication medium, prover‐interpreter interaction, interpretation process, understanding and validation, historical component, and styles. To demonstrate its claim, the article discusses the Kumo and Polymath projects, both of which employ Web‐based communication as part of proving. Web proving is a novel type of proving activity that may have a serious impact on the change in mathematical practices, despite the fact that it is not currently a universally acceptable methodology.