bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evidence for Marfan cardiomyopathy
Authors: Alpendurada Francisco , Wong Joyce , Kiotsekoglou Anatoli , Banya Winston , Child Anne , Prasad Sanjay K. , Pennell Dudley J. , Mohiaddin Raad H.
Published: September 2010

Aim

Marfan syndrome (MFS) is an inherited connective tissue disease which frequently involves the cardiovascular system. The heart can be affected since valvular regurgitation is a common complication. However, there is still debate whether a primary cardiomyopathy exists. Our aim was to evaluate the existence of a Marfan‐related cardiomyopathy using cardiovascular magnetic resonance.

Methods and results

We retrospectively evaluated 68 consecutive adult patients with no cardiovascular surgery or significant valvular regurgitation. Left ventricular and right ventricular volumes, ejection fraction, and mass were estimated and compared with published data on a healthy control population. Patients were also assessed for heart failure, aortic dimensions, and valve disease.

One quarter (25.0%) of Marfan patients had reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), with 25.0% having increased left ventricular end‐diastolic and 30.8% having increased end‐systolic volumes. The right ventricular ejection fraction was reduced in 10.3%, with increased right ventricular end‐diastolic volumes in 11.8% and increased end‐systolic volumes in 13.2%. On univariate analysis, no association was found between reduced LVEF and age, gender, indexed aortic dimensions, presence of mitral valve prolapse, or valve regurgitation.

Conclusion

This study supports the existence of a primary cardiomyopathy in a subgroup of Marfan patients. The biventricular enlargement and dysfunction is usually mild, asymptomatic, and independent from other cardiovascular manifestations. Further studies are needed to assess underlying causes and natural history of this condition. Routine monitoring and treatment in MFS may need to be tailored not only to prevent aortic root expansion but also to support myocardial function.
Granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor attenuates left ventricular remodelling after acute anterior STEMI: results of the single‐blind, randomized, placebo‐controlled multicentre STem cEll Mobilization in Acute Myocardial Infarction (STEM‐AMI) Trial
Authors: Achilli Felice , Malafronte Cristina , Lenatti Laura , Gentile Francesco , Dadone Viola , Gibelli Giuseppe , Maggiolini Stefano , Squadroni Lidia , Di Leo Claudio , Burba Ilaria , Pesce Maurizio , Mircoli Luca , Capogrossi Maurizio C. , Di Lelio Alessandro , Camisasca Paola , Morabito Alberto , Colombo Gualtiero , Pompilio Giulio ,   for the STEM‐AMI Investigators
Published: September 2010

Aims

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor (G‐CSF) on left ventricular (LV) function and volumes in patients with anterior ST‐elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and depressed LV ejection fraction (EF).

Methods and results

Sixty consecutive patients with anterior STEMI, undergoing primary angioplasty percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), with symptom‐to‐reperfusion time of 2–12 h and EF ≤45% after PCI, were randomized to G‐CSF 5 μg/kg b.i.d. subcutaneously (n = 24) or placebo (n = 25) for 5 days, starting <12 h after PCI. The primary endpoint was an increase from baseline to 6 months of 5% in left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Co‐primary endpoint was a ≥20 mL difference in end‐diastolic volume (EDV). Infarct size and perfusion were evaluated with late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) and gated 99mTechnetium Sestamibi single‐photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). Left ventricular EDV and end‐systolic volume (ESV) increased from baseline to 6 months in the placebo group (81.7 ± 24.4 to 94.4 ± 26.0 mL/m2, P < 0.00005 and 45.2 ± 20.0 to 53.2 ± 23.8 mL/m2, P = 0.016) but were unchanged in the G‐CSF group (82.2 ± 20.3 to 85.7 ± 23.7 mL/m2, P = 0.40 and 46.0 ± 18.2 to 48.4 ± 20.8 mL/m2, P = 0.338). There were no significant differences in EF or perfusion between groups. A significant reduction in transmural LGE segments was seen at 6 months in the G‐CSF vs. placebo groups (4.38 ± 2.9 to 3.3 ± 2.6, P = 0.04 and 4.2 ± 2.6 to 3.6 ± 2.7, P = 0.301, respectively). Significantly more placebo patients had a change in left ventricular end‐diastolic volume abovethe median (9.3 mL/m2) when reperfusion time exceeded 180 min (median time‐to‐reperfusion) (P = 0.0123). Severe adverse events were similar between groups.

Conclusion

Early G‐CSF administration attenuates ventricular remodelling in patients with anterior STEMI and EF ≤45% after successful PCI.
Seventy Years of Research on Personality and Close Relationships: Substantive and Methodological Trends Over Time
Authors: Cooper M. Lynne , Sheldon Melanie Skaggs
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT The present review is based on a quantitative analysis of the abstracts for 477 studies published since 1932 on the topic of personality and close (romantic) relationships. This approach enables a “bird's‐eye” view of the content and methods that have characterized research in this area and an examination of publication trends over time. Results showed that 60% of all published studies in this area relied exclusively on cross‐sectional and self‐report methods; that nearly all used convenience samples, though more than half used nonstudent samples; and that more than one‐third relied exclusively on data from individuals rather than couples. Few studies appeared to include elaborated networks of constructs in either the personality or relationship domain or to attempt to integrate an elaborated model of personality with an elaborated relationship model. Examination of trends over time revealed a mixed picture, with increasing use of the least informative designs balanced by evidence of increasingly complex conceptual models.
Finding the Person in Personal Relationships
Authors: Reis Harry T. , Capobianco Anthony , Tsai Fen‐Fang
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT The search for dispositional factors that influence the course and conduct of close relationships has long and popular roots. No cogent theory of interpersonal processes would deny that dispositional factors matter, and, furthermore, both scholarly and lay analyses often emphasize them. Although existing research has made progress in understanding how dispositions affect behavior in ongoing relationships, when all is said and done, this progress has been modest. In this paper, we discuss several interlocking theoretical and methodological principles that may facilitate movement to the next (and more sophisticated) generation of theory and research. We draw particularly on interdependence theory to discuss the concepts of relationship and persons‐in‐relationship. Central to our analysis is the principle that interaction in relationships is an inherently dynamic, temporal, and thoroughly interdependent process that cannot be properly understood from examination of the static, global dispositions of one of its members. To provide grounding for our analysis, we also discuss several specific implications of these concepts for the conduct of research seeking to understand personality in relationships.
Modeling the Personality of Dyads and Groups
Authors: Gonzalez Richard , Griffin Dale
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT The paper presents a methodological approach for assessing the personality of a dyad or a group, a concept that is not equivalent to the sum, or mean, of the individual scores. We illustrate how the logic of the multitrait multimethod approach, which is a familiar technique for establishing construct validity, can be extended to assess the construct of a relationship “personality.” The model, which we call the latent group model, provides a decomposition and comparison of individual‐level and group‐level variance in a given trait, and the individual‐level and group‐level covariance or correlation between two traits. The model is also extended to the assessment of stability of the individual and group level traits. Throughout the paper, we draw connections between related methods and show how the latent group model can be estimated through hierarchical linear modeling.
It's Not Just Who You're With, It's Who You Are: Personality and Relationship Experiences Across Multiple Relationships
Authors: Robins Richard W. , Caspi Avshalom , Moffitt Terrie E.
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT The present study examined the influence of stable personality traits on romantic relationships using longitudinal data on a large, representative sample of young adults. Relationship experiences (quality, conflict, and abuse) showed relatively small mean‐level changes over time and significant levels of rank‐order stability, even across different relationship partners. Antecedent personality traits (assessed at age 18) predicted relationship experiences at age 26 and change in relationship experiences from age 21 to 26. Conversely, relationship experiences also predicted change in personality. Importantly, these findings generally held across relationship partners, suggesting that some people tend to be generally happy (or unhappy) across relationships, and this is due, in part, to stable individual differences in personality. Discussion focuses on the broader implications of the findings, in particular the need for relationship researchers to consider the importance of personality for why relationships thrive or fail and the need for personality researchers to consider the impact of relationship experiences on intraindividual personality development.
Psychosocial Vulnerability From Adolescence to Adulthood: A Prospective Study of Attachment Style Differences in Relationship Functioning and Partner Choice
Authors: Collins Nancy L. , Cooper M. Lynne , Albino Austin , Allard Lisa
Published: September 2010

ABSTRACT Using a prospective research design, this study explored whether attachment style during adolescence forecasts the nature and quality of romantic relationships in early adulthood and investigated two general pathways for explaining these effects. Black and White community residents were first interviewed in adolescence at which time they completed a self‐report measure of attachment style. Approximately 6 years later, they participated in a follow‐up interview along with their current romantic partners (N = 224 couples). Results revealed that insecure attachment in adolescence was a risk factor for adverse relationship outcomes in adulthood, although the effects were most consistent for avoidant attachment. Avoidant adolescents were involved in relationships that they (and their partners) rated as less satisfying overall; they also engaged in fewer pro‐relationship behaviors, and perceived that their partners engaged in fewer pro‐relationship behaviors. In addition, avoidant adolescents were involved with partners who had less healthy personality profiles. Results for anxious‐ambivalent and secure attachment were weaker, more complex, and moderated by gender. This study provides the first prospective evidence that avoidant attachment places individuals at risk for adverse relationship outcomes and highlights potential pathways through which this occurs.
An Interpersonal Analysis of Adult Attachment Style: Circumplex Descriptions, Recalled Developmental Experiences, Self‐Representations, and Interpersonal Functioning in Adulthood
Authors: Gallo Linda C. , Smith Timothy W. , Ruiz John M.
Published: September 2010

Previous research suggests that the structure of adult attachment is dimensional, but the specific dimensions remain unclear. Given its relational nature, studies should examine attachment structure in association with conceptually related interpersonal constructs. The interpersonal model (Kiesler, 1996) provides an integrative framework to examine this structure and associations between dimensions of attachment security (i.e., Anxiety and Avoidance) and: 1) the dimensions of the interpersonal circumplex, 2) the five‐factor model of personality, 3) recollections of mothers and fathers, and 4) current self‐processes and adult social functioning. In two samples of undergraduates, the Anxiety and Avoidance dimensions were associated with a hostile‐submissive interpersonal style. Canonical correlation analyses revealed that dimensions representing combinations of Anxiety and Avoidance, and roughly corresponding to the dimensions from Secure (i.e., low Anxiety and Avoidance) to Fearful (i.e., high Anxiety and Avoidance) attachment and from Preoccupied (i.e., high Anxiety and low Avoidance) to Dismissive (i.e., low Anxiety and high Avoidance) attachment related to the interpersonal constructs. The Secure to Fearful dimension (i.e., overall attachment security) seemed to share relatively more variance with the interpersonal constructs. These dimensions were associated with theoretically consistent characteristics, recollections of early experiences with parents, self‐representations, and social functioning.
Towards Finding the Person in the Data of Personality
Authors: West Stephen G.
Published: September 2010

This article is based on an address given on the occasion of receiving the 2000 Henry A. Murray award. The article presents a glimpse of my life story in personality and contributions to the field. These are placed in the context of observations about the recent history and sociology of the field. I outline some perspectives on the data that are collected and missing in personality research as well as the analyses that are conducted and those that are not conducted. These considerations identify both some persisting limitations in personality research and alternative analytic approaches that may prove useful in framing and answering new questions. Of particular promise are intensive studies that allow researchers to maintain a clear focus on the individual person.
Two Spheres of Belief in Justice: Extensive Support for the Bidimensional Model of Belief in a Just World
Authors: Bègue Laurent , Bastounis Marina
Published: September 2010

The purpose of this research comprising five studies (N=666) was to further corroborate the bidimensional conceptualisation of the belief in a just world proposed by Lipkus et al. (1996). It was demonstrated that belief in a just world for the Self (and not for Others) was correlated to evaluations of the meaning of life. Belief in a just world for Others was significantly correlated to discrimination against the elderly, stigmatisation of poverty, and higher penal punitiveness, while belief in a just world for Self was weakly or not related to these variables. Together, these observations confirm the importance of the conceptual and psychometric distinction between these two spheres of the belief in a just world.
Girls' Use of Defense Mechanisms Following Peer Rejection
Authors: Sandstrom Marlene J. , Cramer Phebe
Published: September 2010

This study explores the relation between girls' social adjustment and their use of defense mechanisms. We recruited girls representing four sociometric status classifications (rejected, neglected, average, and popular), and assessed their use of defense mechanisms both before and after encountering a peer rejection experience in the laboratory. We hypothesized that increasing degrees of social maladjustment would be associated with higher levels of defense use, particularly after encountering a rejection experience. Our results supported these hypotheses. There was a significant negative relationship between social adjustment and defense use, both prior to and immediately following the rejection experience. Categorical analyses revealed that rejected and neglected girls used more defenses following the rejection experience than did popular and average girls.
Multidimensional unfolding analyses of ranking data for groups
Authors: Hojo Hiroshi
Published: September 2010

One probabilistic version of Coombs' unfolding model called the MMUR (Marginalization model for the Multidimensional Unfolding analysis of Ranking data) is extended to treat ranking data for groups. One favorable feature of the model is that it can both take into consideration individual differences without estimating the subject parameters and capture the differences between the groups in a systematic manner. Another advantage lies in the fact that one can see the group differences in the geometrical point configuration, since the model shows how the ideal points of the groups differ from each other in space. Four applications are provided which demonstrate that the model is useful for clarifying systematic differences in this type of data.
The effect of brand personality and brand identification on brand loyalty: Applying the theory of social identification
Authors: Kim Chung K. , Han Dongchul , Park Seung‐Bae
Published: September 2010

This study investigated the effect of brand personality on brand asset management by using the concept of consumers' identification with a brand. The focus was on one important type of high‐technology product, the cellular phone. The authors develop a conceptual framework to explain the effect of brand identification on brand loyalty. The important variables of this framework include the attractiveness of the brand personality, the distinctiveness of the brand personality, the self‐expressive value of the brand personality, positive word‐of‐mouth reports of the brand, and brand loyalty. The empirical results indicated that there are positive relationships between attractiveness, distinctiveness, and self‐expressive value of brand personality. These relationships had a statistically significant effect on consumers' identification with a brand. Furthermore, brand identification had a direct effect on word‐of‐mouth reports and an indirect effect on brand loyalty. The theoretical and managerial implications of the empirical results are presented, and suggestions are made regarding both the limitations of the present study and future directions for research.
Shopping as a coping behavior for stress
Authors: Hama Yasuhisa
Published: September 2010

The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effectiveness of diversion buying for stress release. Diversion buying was examined by survey, and it was found that women engaged in it more often than men. In Experiment 1, diversion buying was divided into an expenditure factor and an acquisition factor, in order to examine which was more effective for stress release; both had a significant main effect. The effectiveness of the acquisition factor was confirmed in Experiment 2. In Experiment 3, the expenditure factor was divided into the amount available for expenditure and the amount spent, in order to examine the effectiveness of each. It was shown that a certain amount of expenditure was needed for stress release; however, a high expenditure rate (spending most of the money) did not relieve stress.
The effect of observer's set on the processing of temporally distributed items1,2
Authors: Kawahara Jun‐Ichiro
Published: September 2010

Abstract: Perception of the second of two rapidly presented targets is impaired when the temporal lag between them is short (attentional blink, AB). Previous studies showed two types of AB functions. One is that the performance for the second target has been found to be most impaired at the shortest lag (Lag 1), that is, when the second target appeared directly after the ﬁrst target. The other is that the performance was not impaired at Lag 1 (Lag 1 sparing). The present study examined whether the task set of observers determines the occurrence of Lag 1 sparing. The experiment revealed that Lag 1 sparing occurred only when the observers were informed of the relationships of target locations. The present results extend the explanation of Lag 1 sparing by attentional gating (Visser, Zuvic, Bischof, & Di Lollo, 1999b) and suggest that this gating system is not stimulus‐driven but subject to goal‐directed control.
Individual and Contextual Predictors of Perceived Friendship Quality among Ethnic Minority, Low‐Income Adolescents
Authors: Way Niobe , Pahl Kerstin
Published: September 2010

This longitudinal study examined the separate, relative, and combined contributions of demographic (i.e., gender and ethnicity), individual‐level (i.e., psychological well‐being), and contextual (i.e., relationships with parents and perceived school climate) factors on changes over time in perceived quality of general and closest same‐sex friendships among 114 Asian American, Black, and Latino adolescents from low‐income families. Multiple regression analyses indicated that the increase in reported levels of general friendship support from Time 1 to Time 2 (a 1‐year period) was greater for those who reported more positive perceptions of school climate at Time 1. The increase in general friendship support from Time 1 to Time 2 was also greater for those who reported lower support scores from mothers at Time 1. Findings suggest a compensatory model of relationships and draw attention to the importance of exploring the ecological context of adolescent friendships.
The Relation between Observational Measures of Social Problem Solving and Familial Antisocial Behavior: Genetic and Environmental Influences
Authors: Spotts Erica L. , Neiderhiser Jenae M. , Hetherington E. Mavis , Reiss David
Published: September 2010

Deficits in social problem‐solving skills are often associated with antisocial behavior, particularly in children’s extrafamilial relationships. The current study was designed to examine this association in several new ways: the association was examined at two times in an adolescent sample within the context of the family; genetic models were used to estimate genetic and environmental effects on observational measures of problem solving and antisocial behavior and on the association between the two. The analyses were conducted as part of the Nonshared Environment in Adolescent Development project, consisting of 720 families at Time 1 (mean adolescent age: 14.5 years) and 440 families at Time 2 (mean adolescent age: 16.1 years). Genetic influence was found for antisocial behavior, but not for problem solving. The findings of shared environmental influences on these measures and their association are unusual in the behavioral genetic literature and are important in that respect.
Adolescents’ Responses to Cigarette Advertisements for Five “Youth Brands” and One “Adult Brand”
Authors: Arnett Jeffrey Jensen
Published: September 2010

Almost all smoking initiation takes place during adolescence, and the appeal of cigarette advertising is frequently proposed as one of the reasons adolescents begin smoking, but few studies have investigated adolescents’ responses to cigarette ads. This study examined responses to cigarette advertisements among 400 adolescents ages 12 to 17 years in Arizona and Washington, who were surveyed in shopping malls. Adolescents were presented with two ads for each of five youth brands (MarlboroTM, NewportTM, CamelTM, KoolTM, and WinstonTM) and one ad for an adult brand (MeritTM), and were asked how often they had seen the ad, how much they liked the ad, and whether or not the ad made smoking more appealing. A substantial proportion of adolescents, especially smokers, liked the ads for the youth brands and believed the ads made smoking more appealing. The ads for Marlboro and the new Camel and Winston ads were especially attractive to adolescents. In contrast, few adolescents liked the ad for the adult brand and few believed that it made smoking more appealing.
Judgments about Risk and Perceived Invulnerability in Adolescents and Young Adults
Authors: Millstein Susan G. , Halpern–Felsher Bonnie L.
Published: September 2010

This study examined age differences in risk judgments and perceptions of invulnerability, by surveying 577 adolescents (grades 5, 7, and 9) and young adults (ages 20 to 30 years) for their judgments concerning natural hazards and behavior–linked risks. Adolescents were less likely than were young adults to see themselves as invulnerable, and only a small minority of adolescents evidenced such perceptions. Moreover, individuals’ perceptions about the magnitude of their personal risk for experiencing negative outcomes showed an inverse relation to age. Most participants were inaccurate and significantly overestimated risks; this was especially true of adolescents. These patterns of age differences were consistent across different types of risks and sociodemographic configurations. The results pose a challenge to conventional wisdom concerning adolescents’ perceptions of risk and have important implications for theory, programs, and policies related to adolescents.
Clinical trial: the efficacy and tolerability of velusetrag, a selective 5‐HT4 agonist with high intrinsic activity, in chronic idiopathic constipation – a 4‐week, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, dose–response study
Authors: Goldberg M. , Li Y.‐P. , Johanson J. F. , Mangel A. W. , Kitt M. , Beattie D. T. , Kersey K. , Daniels O.
Published: September 2010

Aliment Pharmacol Ther 2010; 32: 1102–1112

Background  Velusetrag is an orally active 5‐HT4 receptor agonist of potential benefit in treating chronic idiopathic constipation.

Aim  To evaluate the efficacy, safety and tolerability of velusetrag in chronic idiopathic constipation.

Methods  After a 2‐week baseline period, patients [<3 spontaneous bowel movements (SBM)/week] received placebo or velusetrag (15, 30 or 50 mg) daily for 4 weeks in a randomized, double‐blind design, followed by a 1‐week follow‐up period. The primary endpoint was the change from baseline in weekly SBM frequency averaged over the 4‐week treatment period.

Results  Patients receiving velusetrag (15, 30 and 50 mg) achieved statistically and clinically significant increases in weekly SBM frequency relative to those receiving placebo. Mean increases were 3.6, 3.3 and 3.5 SBM/week respectively, compared with 1.4 SBM/week for placebo (P < 0.0001). Statistically significant increases in the weekly frequency of complete SBM (CSBM) were also reported (mean increases of 2.3, 1.8 and 2.3 for 15, 30 and 50 mg velusetrag respectively, compared with 0.6 for placebo). Common adverse events associated with velusetrag were diarrhoea, headache, nausea and vomiting, generally occurring during the initial days of dosing.

Conclusion  Velusetrag was efficacious and well tolerated in patients with chronic idiopathic constipation (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT00391820).
Molecular identification of rickettsia‐like microorganisms associated with colonized cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis)
Authors: Higgins J. A. , Sacci J. B. , Schriefer M. E. , Endris R. G. , Azad A. F.
Published: September 2010

Cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) from eight commercial flea colonies from various regions of the USA were examined by selective PCR amplification, and subsequent restriction digest analysis and Southern hybridization of PCR products, for the presence of a rickettsia‐like organism (ELB agent). These flea colonies were either started with fleas from one supplier (EL Labs), in which ELB agent was first identified, or were started with fleas from stray cats and dogs and later came into contact with ELB‐infected fleas. Infection rates in the colonies ranged from 43% to 93%. The successful propagation of ELB agent in these colonies may be due to efficient trans‐stadial and transovaria) transmission. While ELB agent has recently been identified in blood from human murine typhus cases, attempts to infect mammalian cells and SCID mice with flea isolates were unsuccessful.
A technique for nucleic acid in situ hybridization to polytene chromosomes of mosquitoes in the Anopheles gambiae complex
Authors: Kumar V. , Collins F. H.
Published: September 2010

A sensitive, simple, and reproducible in situ hybridization technique for the detection and precise localization of specific nucleic acid sequences on chromosomes of members of the Anopheles gambiae complex is described. Modifications of the in situ hybridization technique are described that allow simultaneous hybridization of several probes with the chromosomes on a single slide and the multiple use of a single chromosome preparation for several different probes hybridized successively on the same slide. Examples are shown that illustrate the utility of the technique for localization of both single copy and repeated sequences in both polytenized euchromatin and centromeric heterochromatin.
RFLP analysis of ribosomal DNA in sibling species of spider mite, genus Panonychus (Acari: Tetranychidae)
Authors: Osakabe Mh. , Sakagami Y.
Published: September 2010

Ribosomal DNA (rDNA) restriction fragment length of spider mites was analysed in three sibling species of genus Panonychus (P. mod, P. citri and P. ulmi) and Tetranychus urticae. Seventy‐one fragments were detected by enhanced chemiluminescence (ECL) after Southern hybridization with two genomic rDNA probes of mouse. Percentages of shared fragments within species were larger than those among species, indicating that the variation of rDNAs was useful in phylo‐genetic studies of spider mite species. In a phenogram based on differences of the rDNA fragment length, the relationship among Panonychus species was compatible with the results of analysis based on the morphological characters.
Cloning and expression of the ecdysteroid receptor during ecdysis and reproduction in females of the soft tick, Ornithodoros moubata (Acari: Argasidae)
Authors: Horigane M. , Ogihara K. , Nakajima Y. , Shinoda T. , Taylor D.
Published: September 2010

Molecular mechanisms of ecdysteroid regulation in development and reproduction have been thoroughly investigated in Diptera and Lepidoptera, but few studies report the molecular actions of ecdysteroids in hemimetabolous insects and more primitive arthropods. Ecdysteroids appear to be the main hormones regulating development and vitellogenesis in ticks. An ecdysteroid receptor that showed high homology with EcRs of other arthropods was isolated from Ornithodoros moubata (OmEcRA). OmEcR expression patterns coincided with ecdysteroid titres in the haemolymph during moulting and vitellogenesis and differed between mated and virgin females. Therefore, OmEcR appears to mediate the regulation of moulting and vitellogenesis by ecdysteroids in O. moubata females as seen in other arthropods.
Trypanosoma brucei bruceiinduces alteration in the head proteome of the tsetse fly vectorGlossina palpalis gambiensis
Authors: Lefèvre T. , Thomas F. , Ravel S. , Patrel D. , Renault L. , Le Bourligu L. , Cuny G. , Biron D. G.
Published: September 2010

Parasitic manipulations of host behaviour are known from a wide range of host–parasite associations. However, the understanding of these phenomena is far from complete and detailed investigation of their proximate causes is needed. Many studies report behavioural modifications, such as altered feeding rates in tsetse fly (Glossina) infected with the mature transmissible stage (i.e. metacyclic) of the trypanosomes. Here, bidimensional (2D) gel electrophoresis and mass spectrometry were employed to analyse and compare the head proteome between fourGlossina palpalis gambiensiscategories (uninfected, refractory, mature infection, immature infection). Twenty‐four protein spots specifically present or absent in the head of metacyclic‐infected flies were observed. These protein spots were subsequently identified and functionally classified as glycolitic, neurotransmiter synthesis, signalling, molecular chaperone and transcriptional regulation proteins. Our results indicate altered energy metabolism in the head of metacyclic‐infected tsetse flies. Some of the proteins identified, such as casein kinase 2 and jun kinase have previously been shown to play critical roles in apoptosis in insect neurones. In addition, we found two pyridoxal‐dependent decarboxylases (dopa decarboxylase and alpha methyldopa hypersensitive protein), suggesting a modification of serotonin and/or dopamine in the brain of metacyclic‐infected tsetse flies. Our data pave the way for future investigation of the alteration of the glossina central nervous system during infection by trypanosomes.
Hepatopancreatic multi‐transcript expression patterns in the crayfish Cherax quadricarinatus during the moult cycle
Authors: Yudkovski Y. , Shechter A. , Chalifa‐Caspi V. , Auslander M. , Ophir R. , Dauphin‐Villemant C. , Waterman M. , Sagi A. , Tom M.
Published: September 2010

Alterations of hepatopancreatic multi‐transcript expression patterns, related to induced moult cycle, were identified in male Cherax quadricarinatus through cDNA microarray hybridizations of hepatopancreatic transcript populations. Moult was induced by X–organ sinus gland extirpation or by repeated injections of 20‐hydroxyecdysone. Manipulated males were sacrificed at premoult or early postmoult, and a reference population was sacrificed at intermoult. Differentially expressed genes among the four combinations of two induction methods and two moult stages were identified. Biologically interesting clusters revealing concurrently changing transcript expressions across treatments were selected, characterized by a general shift of expression throughout premoult and early postmoult vs. intermoult, or by different premoult vs. postmoult expressions. A number of genes were differentially expressed in 20‐hydroxyecdysone‐injected crayfish vs. X–organ sinus gland extirpated males.
Genetic exchange in 2La inversion heterokaryotypes of Anopheles gambiae
Authors: Stump A. D. , Pombi M. , Goeddel L. , Ribeiro J. M. C. , Wilder J. A. , Torre A. D. , Besansky N. J.
Published: September 2010

In the malaria vector Anopheles gambiae, alternative arrangements of chromosome 2 (2La and 2L+a) vary in relative frequency along clines of aridity, suggesting the action of natural selection on targets within the inversion. Our long term goal of detecting such targets depends in part on the level of genetic exchange between arrangements. Accordingly, we estimated recombination rates on 2L from the backcross progeny of 2La/+a heterokaryotypes and as a control, from 2L+a homokaryotypes. In homokaryotypes, the recombination rate was uniform at ~2.0 centimorgans per megabase (cM/Mb). In heterokaryotypes, recombination within the rearranged region was reduced to < 0.5 cM/Mb, with slightly higher but nevertheless reduced levels (< 1.0 cM/Mb) flanking the rearrangement. Yet, gene exchange was recorded between nearly all markers, including those very near the distal inversion breakpoint. These results suggest that reduced recombination is a necessary but not sufficient mechanism for genetic isolation between alternative arrangements, and that the targets of natural selection can be identified against the different chromosomal backgrounds.
Molecular cloning of a GABA receptor subunit from Laodelphax striatella (Fallén) and patch clamp analysis of the homo‐oligomeric receptors expressed in a Drosophila cell line
Authors: Narusuye K. , Nakao T. , Abe R. , Nagatomi Y. , Hirase K. , Ozoe Y.
Published: September 2010

A cDNA encoding a γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptor subunit was cloned from the small brown planthopper Laodelphax striatella. The L. striatella GABA receptor subunit was found to have high amino acid sequence similarity to the bd‐type splice variant of the Drosophila GABA receptor Rdl subunit and several other GABA receptor subunits, with identities of over 70%. The cDNA was inserted into the expression vector pAc5.1‐lac‐Hygro. Clonal cell lines stably expressing homo‐oligomeric L. striatella GABA receptors were generated by transfecting the vector into D.mel‐2 cells. Expression of functional GABA receptors in the cell lines was demonstrated by whole‐cell patch clamp recordings. GABA induced inward currents with an EC50 value of 29 µM and a Hill coefficient of 1.7. The GABA‐evoked responses reversed close to the Nernst equilibrium potential for chloride ions. The amplitudes of agonist‐induced currents were found to be in the order muscimol (100 µM) ≥ GABA (100 µM) > isoguvacine (100 µM) > cis‐4‐aminocrotonic acid (CACA) (100 µM) > 5‐(4‐piperidyl)‐3‐isoxazolol (4‐PIOL) (1 mM). Antagonists such as fipronil (100 nM), 4′‐ethynyl‐4‐n‐propylbicycloorthobenzoate (EBOB) (100 nM), dieldrin (100 nM) and SR95531 (gabazine) (1 µM) suppressed GABA‐induced currents. The functional expression of a GABA receptor from an agricultural pest presents a unique opportunity to discover new molecules active at this important target site.
Relish regulates expression of antimicrobial peptide genes in the honeybee, Apis mellifera, shown by RNA interference
Authors: Schlüns H. , Crozier R. H.
Published: September 2010

Relationships of immune genes in adult honeybees (Apis mellifera) were investigated using RNA interference (RNAi). Quantitative RT‐PCR was applied to estimate gene expression and the extent of gene silencing. Relish is a transcription factor and forms an important part of the IMD signalling pathway. The expression of the immune gene Relish was significantly reduced by RNAi (ca. 70%). The proposed regulation of antimicrobial peptide genes by Relish could be established for abaecin and hymenoptaecin. These two genes showed a reduction in gene expression to the same extent as Relish. However, the antimicrobial peptide gene defensin‐1 was not affected which suggests defensin‐1 is regulated by a different signalling pathway.
X and Y chromosome inheritance and mixtures of rDNA intergenic spacer regions in Anopheles gambiae
Authors: Wilkins E. E. , Howell P. I. , Benedict M. Q.
Published: September 2010

We observed Anopheles gambiae sensu stricto stocks that contained both Mopti (M) and Savanna (S) rDNA intergenic spacers (IGS). ASEMBO1 male IGS sequences consistently had a mixture. A diagnostic M and S Hha I restriction enzyme site in these fragments was concordant with two SNPs associated with M and S. Standard M and S stocks demonstrated X‐chromosome‐only inheritance of the rDNA form, but the ASEMBO1 males showed X and Y chromosome linkage of mixed rDNA. The metaphase Y chromosomes of ASEMBO1 contained a significantly larger amount of DNA relative to the X than a standard S stock. Analysis of wild A. gambiae males from the putative location of origin of the ASEMBO1 stock did not detect the same pattern of polymorphism observed in the laboratory stock but did detect heterogeneous arrays including some missing a diagnostic Hha I restriction site. These results demonstrate that M and S IGS types can occur within the rDNA arrays of a chromatid in laboratory A. gambiae stocks, and some A. gambiae s.s. have rDNA on the Y chromosome.
The nicotinic acetylcholine receptor subunitsMdα5andMdβ3on autosome 1 ofMusca domesticaare not involved in spinosad resistance
Authors: Gao J.‐R. , Deacutis J. M. , Scott J. G.
Published: September 2010

Spinosad is a relatively new insecticide that exerts its toxic action via nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Spinosad resistance in house flies appears to be due to an altered target site. To evaluate the molecular basis of spinosad resistance, two nAChR subunit genes,Mdα5andMdβ3were cloned and characterized from an insecticide‐susceptible (aabys) and spinosad resistant (rspin) strain of the house fly,Musca domestica. TheMdα5andMdβ3cDNAs encode proteins of 781 and 432 amino acid residues, respectively. Phylogenetic analysis with insect nAChR subunits suggested that Mdα5 and Mdβ3 are most closely related to Dα5 and Dβ3 ofDrosophila melanogaster, respectively.Mdβ3is intronless, which is unique among all previously described nAChR genes. A‐to‐I RNA editing was found at 13 sites inMdα5, eleven of which resulted in amino acid substitutions. No evidence for A‐to‐I RNA editing was found inMdβ3.Mdα5expression, quantified by real time PCR, was 340‐ and 23‐fold higher in the head and thorax than in the abdomen.Mdβ3expression was more uniform, being only 2.4‐fold higher in the head and 1.4‐fold lower in the thorax, compared to the abdomen. There was no difference in the expression ofMdα5andMdβ3between the aabys and rspin strains. AlthoughMdα5andMdβ3both map to the same chromosome as spinosad resistance, there were no unique features of either gene in rspin, relative to the aabys strain. This suggests neitherMdα5norMdβ3is responsible for spinosad resistance in house flies.
Nuclear mitochondrial‐like sequences in ants: evidence from Atta cephalotes (Formicidae: Attini)
Authors: Martins J. , Solomon S. E. , Mikheyev A. S. , Mueller U. G. , Ortiz A. , Bacci M.
Published: September 2010

Nuclear mitochondrial‐like sequences (numts) are copies of mitochondrial DNA that have migrated to the genomic DNA. We present the first characterization of numts in ants, these numts being homologues to a mitochondrial DNA fragment containing loci the 3′ portion of the cytochrome oxidase I gene, an intergenic spacer, the tRNA leucine gene and the 5′ portion of the cytochrome oxidase II gene. All 67 specimens of Atta cephalotes (Hymenoptera: Formicidae: Attini) investigated had these homologues, which are within two monophyletic groups that we called numt1 and numt2. Numt1 and numt2 sequences are less variable than mitochondrial sequences and released from the severe purifying selection constraining the evolution of mitochondrial genes. Their formation probably involved bottlenecks related to two distinct transfer events of ancient and fast evolving mitochondrial DNA fragments to comparative slowly evolving nuclear DNA regions.
Profiling infection responses in the haemocytes of the mosquito, Aedes aegypti
Authors: Bartholomay L. C. , Mayhew G. F. , Fuchs J. F. , Rocheleau T. A. , Erickson S. M. , Aliota M. T. , Christensen B. M.
Published: September 2010

Pathogens that infect and/or are transmitted by mosquitoes typically are exposed to the body cavity, and to haemocytes circulating therein, during development or dissemination. Aedes aegypti haemocytes produce a range of immune response‐related gene products, and an endpoint response of phagocytosis and/or melanization that is temporally and structurally distinct for the invading pathogen. Expressed sequence tags were generated from haemocyte libraries and then used to design oligonucleotide microarrays. Arrays were screened with haemocyte material collected 1‐, 8‐ and 24‐h post‐inoculation with Escherichia coli or Micrococcus luteus bacteria. Data from these studies support the discovery of novel immune response‐activated genes, provide an expanded understanding of antimicrobial peptide biology and highlight the coordination of immune factors that leads to an endpoint response.
A mutation in the voltage‐gated sodium channel gene associated with pyrethroid resistance in Latin American Aedes aegypti
Authors: Saavedra‐Rodriguez K. , Urdaneta‐Marquez L. , Rajatileka S. , Moulton M. , Flores A. E. , Fernandez‐Salas I. , Bisset J. , Rodriguez M. , Mccall P. J. , Donnelly M. J. , Ranson H. , Hemingway J. , Black W. C.
Published: September 2010

Pyrethroids are commonly used as mosquito adulticides and evolution of resistance to these compounds is a major threat to public health. ‘Knockdown resistance’ to pyrethroids (kdr) is frequently caused by nonsynonymous mutations in the voltage‐gated sodium channel transmembrane protein (para) that reduce pyrethroid binding. Early detection of kdr is critical to the development of resistance management strategies in mosquitoes including Aedes aegypti, the most prevalent vector of dengue and yellow fever viruses. Brengues et al. described seven novel mutations in hydrophobic segment 6 of domain II of para in Ae. aegypti. Assays on larvae from strains bearing these mutations indicated reduced nerve sensitivity to permethrin inhibition. Two of these occurred in codons Iso1011 and Val1016 in exons 20 and 21 respectively. A transition in the third position of Iso1011 encoded a Met1011 replacement and a transversion in the second position of Val1016 encoded a Gly1016 replacement. We have screened this same region in 1318 mosquitoes in 32 additional strains; 30 from throughout Latin America. While the Gly1016 allele was never detected in Latin America, we found two new mutations in these same codons. A transition in the first position of codon 1011 encodes a Val replacement while a transition in the first position of codon 1016 encodes an Iso replacement. We developed PCR assays for these four mutations that can be read either on an agarose gel or as a melting curve. Selection experiments, one with deltamethrin on a field strain from Santiago de Cuba and another with permethrin on a strain from Isla Mujeres, Mexico rapidly increased the frequency of the Iso1016 allele. Bioassays of F3 offspring arising from permethrin susceptible Val1016 homozygous parents and permethrin resistant Iso1016 homozygous parents show that Iso1016 segregates as a recessive allele in conferring kdr. Analysis of segregation between alleles at the 1011 and 1016 codons in the F3 showed a high rate of recombination even though the two codons are only separated by a ~250 bp intron. The tools and information presented provide a means for early detection and characterization of kdr that is critical to the development of strategies for resistance management.
The Aedes aegypti genome: a comparative perspective
Authors: Waterhouse R. M. , Wyder S. , Zdobnov E. M.
Published: September 2010

The sequencing of the second mosquito genome, Aedes aegypti, in addition to Anopheles gambiae, is a major milestone that will drive molecular‐level and genome‐wide high‐throughput studies of not only these but also other mosquito vectors of human pathogens. Here we overview the ancestry of the mosquito genes, list the major expansions of gene families that may relate to species adaptation processes, as exemplified by CYP9 cytochrome P450 genes, and discuss the conservation of chromosomal gene arrangements among the two mosquitoes and fruit fly. Many more invertebrate genomes are expected to be sequenced in the near future, including additional vectors of human pathogens (see http://www.vectorbase.org), and further comparative analyses will become increasingly refined and informative, hopefully improving our understanding of the genetic basis of phenotypical differences among these species, their vectorial capacity, and ultimately leading to the development of novel disease control strategies.
A microarray‐based analysis of transcriptional compartmentalization in the alimentary canal of Anopheles gambiae (Diptera: Culicidae) larvae
Authors: Neira Oviedo M. , VanEkeris L. , Corena‐Mcleod M. D. P. , Linser P. J.
Published: September 2010

The alimentary canal of the larval mosquito displays a considerable degree of physiological compartmentalization among its different anatomical sub‐divisions (gastric caeca, anterior midgut, posterior midgut and hindgut). We performed a comparative microarray analysis in order to identify transcripts which are particularly enriched in each gut section. Based on the available annotation of the selected transcripts, we suggest that the metabolism and absorption of proteins and carbohydrates takes place mainly in the gastric caeca and posterior midgut, whereas the anterior midgut specializes in the metabolism and absorption of lipids. Transcripts encoding antimicrobial peptides were found to be enriched in the gastric caeca, and a high enrichment of transcripts associated with enzymes involved in xenobiotic detoxification was found in the anterior midgut. Furthermore, our data support the notion that the region encompassing the hindgut and Malpighian tubes plays important roles in avoiding the excretion of nutrients, as well as in xenobiotic detoxification.