bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Salt‐induced chloroplast protrusion is the process of exclusion of ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase from chloroplasts into cytoplasm in leaves of rice
Authors: YAMANE KOJI , MITSUYA SHIRO , TANIGUCHI MITSUTAKA , MIYAKE HIROSHI
Published: April 2012

Chloroplast protrusions (CPs) are often observed under environmental stresses, but their role has not been elucidated. The formation of CPs was observed in the leaf of rice plants treated with 75 mm NaCl for 14 d. Some CPs were almost separated from the main chloroplast body. In some CPs, inner membrane structures and crystalline inclusions were included. Similar structures surrounded by double membranes were observed in the cytoplasm and vacuole. Ribulose 1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) was detected in CPs and the similar structures in the cytoplasm and vacuole. These results suggest that CP is one of the pathways of Rubisco exclusion from chloroplasts into the cytoplasm under salinity, and the exclusions could be transported to vacuole for their degradation.
The role of Staphylococcal enterotoxin in atopic keratoconjunctivitis and corneal ulceration
Authors: Fujishima H. , Okada N. , Dogru M. , Baba F. , Tomita M. , Abe J. , Matsumoto K. , Saito H.
Published: April 2012

Background

Patients with atopic eczema frequently experience colonization with Staphylococcus aureus that is directly correlated with the eczema severity. We hypothesized that S. aureus‐secreted enterotoxins (SE) are involved in the pathophysiology of atopic keratoconjunctivitis (AKC).

Methods

A total of 45 subjects (18 with AKC, nine vernal keratoconjunctivitis (VKC), eight seasonal allergic conjunctivitis (SAC), and ten healthy volunteers) were enrolled. Slit lamp examinations, including fluorescein staining, were performed. Scraped samples were collected from the upper tarsal conjunctiva, lower conjunctival sacs, and the skin around the eyelid margins. Superantigen (SAg) genes were detected using polymerase chain reaction (PCR).

Results

Among 45 cases, S. aureus was detected significantly more in AKC patients than VKC patients (P = 0.026), SAC patients (P = 0.0003), and healthy volunteers (P = 0.0001). SAg genes were detected in 11 patients. SEB (2/11), SEG (8/11), and SEI (8/11) were detected, but no other SE. There was a significant difference in SE detection between AKC and SAC patients (P = 0.03). In severe types of ocular allergic disease such as AKC and VKC (N = 27), SE was detected in six of ten patients with corneal ulcers and two of 17 patients without corneal ulcers. SE was detected in significantly more patients with corneal ulcers (P = 0.025).

Conclusions

In patients with AKC, S. aureus and SE were detected more frequently compared with other patients and healthy volunteers, especially in association with corneal ulceration suggesting a role of SE. So far, it is unknown whether SE leads to tissue damage of the cornea by initiating an immune response or has direct toxic effects.
The replication of the association of the rs6832151 within chromosomal band 4p14 with Graves' disease in a Polish Caucasian population
Authors: Szymański K. , Bednarczuk T. , Krajewski P. , Płoski R.
Published: April 2012

Recently Chu et al. conducted a genome‐wide association study in a Chinese Han population and identified two novel Graves' disease (GD) susceptibility loci within 4p14 (rs6832151) and 6q27 (rs9355610). Our purpose was to replicate these associations in a Polish Caucasian population. We analyzed rs6832151 and rs9355610 genotypes in a case‐control study based on 560 GD patients and 1475 unrelated controls using TaqMan assays. Our study had the power of 0.8 and 0.6 to detect the effects originally reported for rs6832151 and rs9355610, respectively. We found an association between GD and the rs6832151 G allele (odds ratio OR = 1.27, P = 0.002). Analysis of model of inheritance suggested that the dominant model should be preferred (Pfit = 0.938, OR = 1.39, P = 0.001). For rs9355610 a formally significant effect was observed assuming a recessive model (OR = 1.24, P = 0.028), whereas analysis of allele distribution showed a trend for association (OR = 1.14,95%, P = 0.082). Our findings are the first to show that rs6832151 and possibly rs9355610 contribute to GD pathogenesis also in Caucasians.
Presentation of atopic disease in a large cohort of pediatric liver transplant recipients
Authors: Shroff P. , Mehta R. S. , Chinen J. , Karpen S. J. , Davis C. M.
Published: April 2012

Shroff P, Mehta RS, Chinen J, Karpen SJ, Davis CM. Presentation of atopic disease in a large cohort of pediatric liver transplant recipients.

Abstract:  Atopic disease occurs in solid organ transplant recipients with an increasingly recognized frequency. The time course for the development of these atopic diseases in liver transplantation has not been described. The objective was to characterize the atopic manifestations of children receiving chronic immunosuppression after orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Chart review and follow‐up questionnaire were utilized for 176 OLT pediatric recipients at a single institution for manifestations of allergic disease. Atopic disease was present in 25 (14.2%) patients. Median age at transplant was 16 months with a median follow‐up of 63 months. Food allergy and non‐food related atopic symptoms presented at a median of 11.5 (IQR, 6–28) and 19 (IQR, 5–41) months post‐transplantation, respectively. The median age at transplant of the non‐atopic children was 72 months, higher than patients with atopy (p < 0.001). Food allergy and atopic skin disease symptoms were present in 40% and 56% of cases, respectively. Asthma, allergic rhinitis, or both were found in 66% of cases. The onset of symptoms of food allergy and eczema (median, 12 months post‐transplantation) preceded symptoms of allergic rhinitis and asthma. (median of 27 and 30 months post‐transplantation, respectively). Atopy occurs in ∼14% of pediatric liver transplant recipients, with manifestations including food allergy, eczema, allergic rhinitis, and asthma.
Demodicidosis simulating acute graft‐versus‐host disease after allogeneic stem cell transplantation in one patient with acute lymphoblastic leukemia
Authors: Román‐Curto C. , Meseguer‐Yebra C. , Cañueto J. , Fraile‐Alonso C. , Santos‐Briz A. , Vázquez L. , Fernández‐López E.
Published: April 2012

One important differential diagnosis of facial erythema in a patient receiving an allogeneic bone marrow transplant (BMT) is acute graft‐versus‐host disease (GVHD). Demodex folliculorum has been rarely implicated in the development of facial rashes in immunosuppressed patients, including BMT recipients. We report the case of a patient, suffering from acute lymphoblastic leukemia, who after bone marrow transplantation developed a facial rash due to D. folliculorum mimicking GVHD. Differential diagnosis of facial rashes and demodicidosis after BMT is reviewed.
Strategies of plant establishment of two Cerrado species: Byrsonima basiloba Juss. (Malpighiaceae) and Eugenia dysenterica Mart. ex DC (Myrtaceae)
Authors: SILVEIRA CONCEIÇÃO E. S. , PALHARES DARIO , PEREIRA LUIZ A. R. , PEREIRA KARINA B. D. , SILVA FERNANDA A. B.
Published: April 2012

This study investigates the initial development of two Cerrado species, Eugenia dysenterica and Byrsonima basiloba. Both species have high ethnobotanical importance and are widely used as a food source as well as in folk medicine. Eugenia dysenterica presented hypogeous cryptocotylar germination and the cotyledons were rich in reserve material. This plant species showed quick root development and after the shoot had produced the first two pairs of eophyls, the seedling went into a latent state for at least 1 year. Byrsonima basiloba had a hard endocarp, which had to be broken to facilitate germination. This species showed epigeous phanerocotylar germination. Similarly to E. dysenterica, B. basiloba roots also developed rapidly; however, the aerial part grew continuously and did not show a latent period. Moreover, within the first 6 months of cultivation B. basiloba developed a xylopodium. The strategies for seed dispersal and breakage of seed dormancy were different between the species, but their initial growth showed several similarities.
Comparison of matrix proteins in different types of urinary stone by proteomic analysis using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry
Authors: Kaneko Kiyoko , Kobayashi Riei , Yasuda Makoto , Izumi Yoko , Yamanobe Tomoyo , Shimizu Toru
Published: April 2012

Objectives:  To analyze the crystal components and matrix proteins of urinary stones by proteomic analysis using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry.

Methods:  Urinary stones were obtained from patients with gout and hyperuricemia. The outside and inside of the stones were measured non‐destructively with a micro area X‐ray diffractometer. After stones were powdered, extracted proteins were analyzed by proteomic analysis.

Results:  Of 17 investigated stones, seven were composed of calcium oxalate monohydrate or calcium oxalate dihydrate, seven were of uric acid, and three were a mixture of calcium oxalate monohydrate and uric acid. In calcium oxalate monohydrate or calcium oxalate dihydrate stones, osteopontin, uromodulin, albumin, protein Z, prothrombin, protein S, hemoglobin and histone H4 were identified. In uric acid stones, uromodulin, albumin, hemoglobin, calgranulins and immunoglobin G fragments were detected. Mixed stones of calcium oxalate monohydrate and uric acid contained both Ca‐binding proteins and abundant proteins. Matrix proteins were different when the crystal components of the stone were different, even when from the same patient.

Conclusions:  Proteins, such as uromodulin and albumin, are often detected in stones, regardless of crystal components. However, osteopontin, prothrombin, protein S and protein Z are identified specifically in calcium oxalate stones. Furthermore, immunoglobin G fragments are detected in uric acid stones. The role of these specific proteins in the different types of stones can be of particular interest.
Techniques in laparoscopic donor nephrectomy
Authors: Banga Neal , Nicol David
Published: April 2012

What's known on the subject? and What does the study add?

Innovations in laparoscopic surgery have provided transplant surgeons with a range of techniques as well as a vast array of minimally invasive instruments. Whilst randomized control trials have compared open and laparoscopic donor nephrectomy, there is a paucity of high quality data comparing different laparoscopic approaches. This article summarizes the main techniques of laparoscopic donor nephrectomy currently in use and reviews the evidence available for each. In addition, controversial aspects of donor nephrectomy are examined, including the technological advances applicable to this operation.

Increasing numbers of living donor kidney transplants are being performed worldwide, and the majority of donor operations are now laparoscopic. Transperitoneal ‘pure’ and hand‐assisted laparoscopic donor nephrectomy are the two most commonly performed procedures, although retroperitoneal approaches are advocated by some centres. Controversy persists with respect to the technical aspects of donor nephrectomy, including both the approach and the method of ligation of the hilar vessels. More recently, robot‐assisted, laparo‐endoscopic single site surgery (LESS) and natural orifice transluminal endoscopic surgery (NOTES) ‐assisted donor nephrectomy have also been performed, further increasing the number of options available, but creating uncertainty as to the ideal approach.
Factors associated with antenatal smoking among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in two jurisdictions
Authors: PASSEY MEGAN E. , D'ESTE CATHERINE A. , STIRLING JANELLE M. , SANSON‐FISHER ROBERT W.
Published: April 2012

Introduction and Aims. Smoking rates are three times as high for pregnant Indigenous women relative to non‐Indigenous women, in Australia. This paper describes Indigenous women's self‐reported antenatal smoking behaviour and compares knowledge and attitudes of those who: (i) smoke and don't smoke during pregnancy; and (ii) quit or continued to smoke since the beginning of pregnancy.

Design and Methods. Cross‐sectional surveys with 264 pregnant Indigenous women in two states collected data on smoking status, antenatal changes, risk knowledge, attitudes to smoking and sociodemographic characteristics. Multivariable logistic regression analyses assessed associations between knowledge and attitude variables and smoking status and antenatal changes in smoking status.

Results. Forty‐six per cent of the women (n = 121) reported currently smoking. The majority (68%) who smoked at the beginning of pregnancy reported quitting (21%) or reducing (47%). Relative to smokers, non‐smokers had more schooling (P = 0.002), more post‐secondary education (P = 0.023), lower parity (P = 0.003), better understanding of smoking‐related risks (miscarriage P = 0.01; low birth weight P = 0.003; infant illness P < 0.001; childhood behavioural problems P = 0.007), and less frequently expressed attitudes indicating that quitting was very difficult given other problems they faced. Similar patterns were found for women who quit during pregnancy compared to those who continued smoking.

Discussion and Conclusions. Increasing awareness of antenatal smoking risks and the benefits of quitting may motivate women to attempt to quit. However, knowledge alone is unlikely to be sufficient considering the life circumstances of many Indigenous women. Addressing the social environment and daily stressors, particularly those exacerbated by pregnancy, may be critical to supporting quit attempts.[Passey ME, D'Este CA, Stirling JM, Sanson‐Fisher RW. Factors associated with antenatal smoking among Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in two jurisdictions. Drug Alcohol Rev 2012;31:608–616]
The balancing act: Experts' opinions about the relative resourcing of tobacco control efforts for the general population versus disadvantaged populations
Authors: PAUL CHRISTINE LOUISE , BONEVSKI BILLIE , TURON HEIDI ERIN , BRYANT JAMIE
Published: April 2012

Introduction and Aims. Despite the persistent socioeconomic gradient associated with smoking, little is known about how to ‘close the gap’. There is a debate regarding the implications of directing resources away from general population efforts towards disadvantaged groups. The study explored views of those with expertise in tobacco control about the appropriate balance of tobacco control resourcing between the general population and disadvantaged groups.

Design and Methods. A Web‐based survey of 192 respondents (response rate 65%) working in tobacco control in Australia and New Zealand was completed. Respondents were sampled from the Australian and New Zealand Tobacco Control Contact List and a literature search. Respondents were asked to allocate a hypothetical budget for: (a) anti‐tobacco mass media campaigns; and (b) tobacco control research.

Results. The vast majority (93%) of respondents believed that some tobacco control resources should be specifically directed towards disadvantaged groups. Respondents believed up to half of mass media resources should be directed towards disadvantaged groups. In the case of tobacco control research, the median allocation to the general population was approximately one‐third of a hypothetical research budget.

Discussion and Conclusions. It appears there is a desire among the Australian and New Zealand tobacco control community for substantial effort to be directed towards disadvantaged groups. It is important to develop an evidence base to ensure an efficient and equitable approach to balancing the potentially competing demands of general population versus disadvantaged group activities in relation to tobacco control.[Paul CL, Bonevski B, Turon HE, Bryant J. The balancing act: Experts' opinions about the relative resourcing of tobacco control efforts for the general population versus disadvantaged populations. Drug Alcohol Rev 2012;31:602–607]
RESPECTING AUTONOMY WITHOUT DISCLOSING INFORMATION
Authors: WALKER TOM
Published: April 2012

There is widespread agreement that it would be both morally and legally wrong to treat a competent patient, or to carry out research with a competent participant, without the voluntary consent of that patient or research participant. Furthermore, in medical ethics it is generally taken that that consent must be informed. The most widely given reason for this has been that informed consent is needed to respect the patient's or research participant's autonomy. In this article I set out to challenge this claim by considering in detail each of the three most prominent ways in which ‘autonomy’ has been conceptualized in the medical ethics literature. I will argue that whilst these accounts support the claim that consent is needed if the treatment of competent patients, or research on competent individuals, is to respect their autonomy, they do not support the claim that informed consent is needed for this purpose.
THE NATIONAL COORDINATION OF EU POLICY IN HUNGARY: PATTERNS OF CONTINUITY AND CHANGE
Authors: BATORY AGNES
Published: April 2012

Although European Union (EU) membership generates similar functional pressures for national administrations, member states developed institutional arrangements that show marked cross‐country variation in the coordination of EU policy. This article examines and assesses the institutions and mechanisms established in Hungary for formulating policy positions on the domestic level. In line with the general features of central government, the system is highly centralized and hierarchical, and has been characterized by a comprehensive coordination ambition from its inception. The case confirms the primary importance of national institutional factors for shaping coordination systems, but also the relevance of more actor‐centered explanations for accounting for changes in the top decision‐making tier. At the same time, the Hungarian experience also draws attention to power relations within governing parties and prime ministerial involvement as important variables so far relatively neglected in the literature.
Why do Amur tigers maintain exclusive home ranges? Relating ungulate seasonal movements to tiger spatial organization in the Russian Far East
Authors: Hojnowski C. E. , Miquelle D. G. , Myslenkov A. I. , Strindberg S. , Smirnov E. N. , Goodrich J. M.
Published: April 2012

Wild, solitary felids demonstrate a variety of spacing patterns, with diversity in spatial organization largely attributed to variations in abundance and distribution of important resources, particularly prey. We examined the relationship between territoriality of female Amur tigers Panthera tigris altaica and seasonal movements of a key prey species, Manchurian red deer Cervus canadensis xanthopygus, in the Russian Far East. We predicted that despite considerable seasonal fluctuations in productivity, red deer density does not change seasonally within tigress home ranges. We analyzed radio‐telemetry data to identify directional movements of deer as an indicator of relative changes in seasonal red deer abundance and distribution, and we looked for seasonal shifts in home ranges of tigresses that could signify tracking of migratory prey. We failed to detect either seasonal shifts in tigress home ranges or significant differences in seasonal prey abundance. Most red deer were sedentary, while those that migrated demonstrated varying directionality of movements. Relatively low average snow depth likely reduced directional migratory tendencies in prey populations. Despite existing theory that might predict high overlap of Amur tiger home ranges, our results suggest that exclusive spacing patterns in this tiger subspecies are at least partly explained by the absence of major spatial and temporal changes in ungulate abundance and distribution. We submit that the assumption that home‐range overlap should increase with increasing home‐range size may require further evaluation in cases such as that of Amur tigers.
Feral cat (Felis catus) prey size and selectivity in north‐eastern Australia: implications for mammal conservation
Authors: Kutt A. S.
Published: April 2012

The domestic cat Felis catus is distributed worldwide and has had a long historical relationship with humans. In some regions, such as Australia, it has become feral and a significant predator of native wildlife. A key component of quantifying and managing the conservation threat of introduced predators is an understanding of exactly what size and taxa of prey species are consumed, and whether there is a high degree of selectivity in the diet. A total of 169 cat stomachs were collected from north‐eastern Australia, and their contents examined in relation to prey size, the body size of cats and selectivity using Jacob's index. I found that F. catus contains a large amount of prey per cat (∼200 g), mammals are the dominant prey item by mass, and feral cats predation was selective of small mammals (<10 g, 50–100 g), and reptiles and birds in the 10–50 g and 50–100 g size ranges, respectively. Reptiles form a large component of the diet compared with other regions in the world. Many mammals in northern Australia that are declining are within the size range that is highly selected by feral cats; the relationship between smaller cat size in the tropics and smaller prey size has correspondence to the fact that the declining mammals in this region are smaller than those that went extinct in southern Australia. There is an urgent need to find a conservation solution to reducing feral cat predation on wildlife, and this should include landscape scale reduction in fire extent and frequency, and removal of cattle in key sites, in order to maintain ground cover, thus reducing the predation success of feral cats.
OUTPUT, OUTCOME, AND QUALITY ADJUSTMENT IN MEASURING HEALTH AND EDUCATION SERVICES
Authors: SCHREYER PAUL
Published: April 2012

This paper provides an overview of measuring price and volume changes of the output of health and education providers. In the national accounts, outputs should reflect the results of production and these cannot normally be captured by outcome, the state of health or education of the population. However, we show that outcome information is required when it comes to quality adjustment of output measures. The paper clarifies terminology, and discusses output measurement and quality adjustment methods with a focus on health and education services.
Spatialising the refugee camp
Authors: Ramadan Adam
Published: April 2012

While the repressive geographies of asylum and refuge in Europe have been the focus of academic attention in recent years, much less work in geography has focused on the refugee camp as a distinctive political space. This paper sets out an analytical strategy for refugee camp space, focusing on the particular case of Palestinian camps in Lebanon. It takes three analytical cuts into the space of the camp: a critical take on Agamben’s ‘space of exception’ that accounts for the complex, multiple and hybrid sovereignties of the camp; an analysis of the camp as an assemblage of people, institutions, organisations, the built environment and the relations between them that produce particular values and practices; and an analysis of the constrained temporality of the camp, its enduring liminality and the particular time‐space from which it draws meaning. This spatial analysis of the camp offers a way of grounding geopolitics, seeing its manifestations and negotiations in the everyday lives and practices of ordinary people. The camp is much more than an anonymous terrain of conflict or a tool of international agencies, and understanding its spatiality is essential for seeing the everyday politics and material practices of refugees.
Regioselective oxidation of phospho‐NSAIDs by human cytochrome P450 and flavin monooxygenase isoforms: implications for their pharmacokinetic properties and safety
Authors: Xie Gang , Wong Chi C , Cheng Ka‐Wing , Huang Liqun , Constantinides Panayiotis P , Rigas Basil
Published: April 2012

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Phospho‐ibuprofen (MDC‐917) and phospho‐sulindac (OXT‐328) are highly effective in cancer and arthritis treatment in preclinical models. Here, we investigated their metabolism by major human cytochrome P450s (CYPs) and flavin monooxygenases (FMOs).

EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH

The CYP/FMO‐catalysed metabolism of phospho‐ibuprofen and phospho‐sulindac was studied by using in silico prediction modelling and a direct experimental approach.

KEY RESULTS

The CYP isoforms catalyse the oxidation of non‐steroidal anti‐inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and phospho‐NSAIDs, with distinct activity and regioselectivity. CYP1A2, 2C19, 2D6 and 3A4 oxidize phospho‐ibuprofen, but not ibuprofen; whereas CYP2C9 oxidizes ibuprofen, but not phospho‐ibuprofen. All CYPs tested oxidize phospho‐sulindac, but not sulindac. Among the five CYPs evaluated, CYP3A4 and 2D6 are the most active in the oxidation of phospho‐ibuprofen and phospho‐sulindac respectively. FMOs oxidized phospho‐sulindac and sulindac, but not phospho‐ibuprofen or ibuprofen. FMOs were more active towards phospho‐sulindac than sulindac, indicating that phospho‐sulindac is a preferred substrate of FMOs. The susceptibility of phospho‐NSAIDs to CYP/FMO‐mediated metabolism was also reflected in their rapid oxidation by human and mouse liver microsomes, which contain a full complement of CYPs and FMOs. Compared with conventional NSAIDs, the higher activity of CYPs towards phospho‐ibuprofen and phospho‐sulindac may be due to their greater lipophilicity, a key parameter for CYP binding.

CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS

CYPs and FMOs play an important role in the metabolism of phospho‐NSAIDs, resulting in differential pharmacokinetic profiles between phospho‐NSAIDs and NSAIDs in vivo. The consequently more rapid detoxification of phospho‐NSAIDs is likely to contribute to their greater safety.
Gender Differences in Craving and Cue Reactivity to Smoking and Negative Affect/Stress Cues
Authors: Saladin Michael E. , Gray Kevin M. , Carpenter Matthew J. , LaRowe Steven D. , DeSantis Stacia M. , Upadhyaya Himanshu P.
Published: April 2012

There is evidence that women may be less successful when attempting to quit smoking than men. One potential contributory cause of this gender difference is differential craving and stress reactivity to smoking‐ and negative affect/stress‐related cues. The present human laboratory study investigated the effects of gender on reactivity to smoking and negative affect/stress cues by exposing nicotine dependent women (n = 37) and men (n = 53) smokers to two active cue types, each with an associated control cue: (1) in vivo smoking cues and in vivo neutral control cues, and (2) imagery‐based negative affect/stress script and a neutral/relaxing control script. Both before and after each cue/script, participants provided subjective reports of smoking‐related craving and affective reactions. Heart rate (HR) and skin conductance (SC) responses were also measured. Results indicated that participants reported greater craving and SC in response to smoking versus neutral cues and greater subjective stress in response to the negative affect/stress versus neutral/relaxing script. With respect to gender differences, women evidenced greater craving, stress and arousal ratings and lower valence ratings (greater negative emotion) in response to the negative affect/stressful script. While there were no gender differences in responses to smoking cues, women trended towards higher arousal ratings. Implications of the findings for treatment and tobacco‐related morbidity and mortality are discussed.  (Am J Addict 2012;21:210–220)
How Gender Influences Roll Call Voting*
Authors: Jenkins Shannon
Published: April 2012

Objective

Research has established that female legislators act differently than their male counterparts in state legislatures. But the effect of gender on roll call voting is less clear, due in part to the fact that research has not properly differentiated between the multiple ways gender can influence roll call voting.

Methods

In order to better understand the relationship between gender and roll call voting, structural equation modeling is used to examine roll call voting in numerous issue areas in five state legislatures.

Results

Gender rarely exerts a direct influence on roll call voting. Instead, the influence of gender is manifested through ideology and party.

Conclusion

The primary effect of gender on roll call voting is that it leads female legislators to make different choices in ideology and partisanship as compared to their male counterparts.
Tradeoffs between foliar silicon and carbon‐based defences: evidence from vegetation communities of contrasting soil types
Authors: Cooke Julia , Leishman Michelle R.
Published: April 2012

Silica is ubiquitous in plants and can constitute up to 10% of plant dry mass, varying with phylogeny and soil silicon availability. Plant silicon is an important alleviator of abiotic (salinity, heavy metal, drought) and biotic (herbivore and fungal pathogen) stress. As well as playing an important role in reducing the impact of abiotic stresses, silicon may be an alternative to carbon‐based and other chemical defences. Knowledge of silicon function is predominantly derived from agricultural species and model systems. We investigated the abundance and role of plant silicon at a community level by comparing leaf silicon concentration with defence chemicals, carbon compound concentrations and invertebrate assemblages in vegetation communities from two different soil types with contrasting levels of plant available silicon. We found that the concentrations of silicon in the leaves did not reflect the silicon availability in the soil at a community level. The leaf silica concentration range in the vegetation communities was comparable to other diverse communities reported in the literature, suggesting that the species rather than the environment determine leaf silica concentration. Across sites, leaf silica concentration was significantly negatively correlated with concentrations of carbon, total phenols and weakly with tannins but not with other measured defence compounds. Leaf silica concentration was also negatively correlated with Coleoptera abundance, but not the abundance of any other invertebrate groups measured. Our results suggest that tradeoffs exist between phenolic‐ and tannin‐based defences and provide evidence that leaf silicification may be a more effective defence against some chewing herbivore groups than others.
Consequences of simultaneous interactions of fungal endophytes and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi with a shared host grass
Authors: Larimer Anna L. , Bever James D. , Clay Keith
Published: April 2012

Plants simultaneously associate with multiple microbial symbionts throughout their lifetimes. To address the question of whether the effects of simultaneous symbionts are contingent on the specific identities, we conducted a greenhouse experiment manipulating the presence and identities of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and fungal endophytes on the shared host grass Elymus hystrix. Each plant host was inoculated with one of two AMF species having varying effects on host growth, or a sterile soil control. Further, we used naturally occurring endophyte‐infected (E+) and uninfected (E–) individuals from two populations of the endophyte Epichloë elymi that varied in their interaction with E. hystrix. We then measured responses of plants, AMF, and fungal endophytes. Overall, we found that the combined effects of AMF and fungal endophytes on plant growth were additive, reflecting the mutualistic quality of each symbiont independently interacting with host plants. However, fungal endophyte infection differentially altered hyphal colonization of the two AMF species and the identity of the coinfecting AMF species affected fungal endophyte fitness traits. The results of this study demonstrate that the outcome of interspecific symbiotic interactions varies with partner identity such that the effects of simultaneous symbioses can not be generalized.
A unique form of light‐load training improves steadiness and performance on some functional tasks in older adults
Authors: Kobayashi H. , Koyama Y. , Enoka R. M. , Suzuki S.
Published: April 2012

Beginning Movement Load (BML) training is a unique form of light‐load training that comprises a lengthening–shortening sequence of muscle actions about multiple degrees of freedom. The purpose of the study was to determine the effectiveness of BML training at improving the performance of old adults on four functional tasks and to identify some of the neuromuscular adaptations that contributed to these gains. Healthy old adults (67.5 ± 5.23 years) were randomly assigned to either a BML training group (n = 17) or a control group (n = 7). The training group exercised with a 30% of the one repetition‐maximum (1‐RM) load and performed five to seven sets of 15 repetitions, three times per week for 8 weeks. BML training increased maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) force significantly for the knee extensors (31.6%), but not the elbow flexors (9.8%), and improved the steadiness of isometric contractions (10%, 30%, and 65% MVC forces). Training‐associated changes in times for ascending and descending stairs and one‐legged balance, but not the chair rise, were predicted by changes in selected combinations of MVC force and steadiness. The attributes of BML training that enabled it to elicit functionally meaningful adaptations in the neuromuscular system of older adults should be explored with more mechanistic studies.
Akt/PKB Controls the Activity‐Dependent Bulk Endocytosis of Synaptic Vesicles
Authors: Smillie Karen J. , Cousin Michael A.
Published: April 2012

Activity‐dependent bulk endocytosis (ADBE) is the dominant SV endocytosis mode during intense neuronal activity. The dephosphorylation of Ser774 on dynamin I is essential for triggering of ADBE, as is its subsequent rephosphorylation by glycogen synthase kinase 3 (GSK3). We show that in primary cultures of cerebellar granule neurons the protein kinase Akt phosphorylates GSK3 during intense neuronal activity, ensuring that GSK3 is inactive during intense stimulation to aid dynamin I dephosphorylation. Furthermore, when a constitutively active form of Akt was overexpressed in primary neuronal cultures, ADBE was inhibited with no effect on clathrin‐mediated endocytosis. Thus Akt has two major regulatory roles (i) to ensure efficient dynamin I dephosphorylation via acute activity‐dependent inhibition of GSK3 and (ii) to negatively regulate ADBE when activated in the longer term. This is the first demonstration of a role for Akt in SV recycling and suggests a key role for this protein kinase in modulating synaptic strength during elevated neuronal activity.
Plant community dynamics of a tropical semi‐arid system following experimental removals of an exotic grass
Authors: Rojas‐Sandoval Julissa , Meléndez‐Ackerman Elvia , Fernández Denny S.
Published: April 2012

Question

Does the presence of the exotic grass Megathyrsus maximus influence the abundance and richness of plant communities on Mona Island Reserve?

Location

Semi‐arid shrubland, Mona Island Reserve in the Caribbean Region, Puerto Rico.

Methods

We used a large‐scale experiment and established plots with different management treatments of Megathyrsus (complete and partial grass removal) to evaluate the effects of grass removal on plant community composition, coupled with measurements of microclimatic characteristics at this site. To complement this experiment, we selected areas not invaded by this grass with similar geomorphological features. We performed vegetation surveys of plant species richness and abundance in all plots and compared temporal changes in vegetation among treatments during a period of 31 mo (from May 2007 to December 2009). We also analysed the associations between changes in species richness and plant abundance with changes in environmental conditions at the plot level and at the island level (precipitation and temperature).

Results

Plant abundance increased following grass removal but changes in abundance were not necessarily linear over time. Species richness was significantly higher in grass removal plots but differences resulted from a consistent decrease in richness in plots with Megathyrsus. Both abundance and richness were highly variable over time regardless of treatment. The evaluation of temporal community dynamics suggested that these may be driven by temporal changes in climate, and in the case of manipulated plots, by changes in microclimatic conditions. Even when new species arrived into plots following grass removal these failed to establish. An evaluation of successional trajectories showed that removing the invasive grass does not lead to communities that are more similar to non‐invaded sites, most likely due to changes in precipitation dynamics.

Conclusions

Grass removal does not necessarily result in predictable successional changes in plant communities where natural regeneration is allowed to occur. Restoring grass‐invaded areas in this semi‐arid reserve to conditions that simulate current non‐invaded sites would likely require restoration strategies that combine grass management with activities that facilitate the establishment of native species. This may be a general occurrence in grass‐invaded areas in semi‐arid regions.
Investigation of the Effects of the Level of Glycemic Control on Erectile Function and Pathophysiological Mechanisms in Diabetic Rats
Authors: Cho Sung Yong , Chai Ji Sun , Lee Sun Hee , Park Kwanjin , Paick Jae-Seung , Kim Soo Woong
Published: April 2012

Introduction

Poor glycemic control is associated with erectile dysfunction (ED); however, differences in ED according to the level of glycemic control have been poorly investigated.

Aim

The aim of this paper is to investigate the change in erectile function according to the level of glycemic control and to clarify the pathophysiological mechanism of diabetes-associated ED.

Methods

Streptozotocin was injected into 55 male Sprague-Dawley rats classified into four groups: control (group 1), diabetes with multiple insulin injections (group 2), diabetes with a single injection (group 3), and untreated diabetes (group 4). Daily insulin injections in groups 2 and 3 were administered for 4 weeks after 10 weeks of diabetic induction.

Main Outcome Measures

The main outcome measures are the anova or Kruskal–Wallis tests to evaluate glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), testosterone levels, the ratios of intracavernosal pressure to mean arterial pressure (ICP/MAP), area under the ICP curve to MAP (AUC/MAP), and changes in cavernous tissue and protein expression related to Rho kinase and nitric oxide pathways.

Results

HbA1c levels were different between pairs of groups. Group 4 showed the lowest erectile parameters and group 2 showed near normal level. No differences in erectile parameters were found between groups 1 and 2 or between groups 3 and 4, except the ratio of AUC to MAP for group 1 was significantly higher than that of group 2 (20 Hz stimulation). Decrease in erectile function of group 2 was related to decreased expression of nitrergic nitric oxide synthase or decreased testosterone level compared with group 1. Groups 2 and 3 showed significant differences in erectile parameters, which were associated with difference in apoptotic index. Groups 3 and 4 showed no differences in erectile parameters, although these groups had significant differences in apoptotic index, smooth muscle component, and protein expression ratios of phosphorylated to total myosin phosphatase target subunit 1, endothelial nitric oxide synthase, and Akt.

Conclusions

Improvement in glycemic control assists recovery from diabetes-associated ED; however, only tight glycemic control can provide recovery from ED to a near normal status.
Discovery of the novel HLA‐DRB1*16:16 allele in a Taiwanese unrelated bone marrow stem cell donor by a sequence‐based typing method and the probable haplotype associated with DRB1*16:16
Authors: Yang K. L. , Lee S. K. , Kao R. H. , Lin C. L. , Lin P. Y.
Published: April 2012

We report here a de novo HLA‐DRB1 allele, DRB1*16:16, discovered in a Taiwanese unrelated volunteer bone marrow stem cell donor by a sequence‐based typing (SBT) method. In exon 2, the DNA sequence of DRB1*16:16 is identical to the sequence of DRB1*16:02:01 except the nucleotides at positions 258 (C→T), 260 (C→A) and 261 (T→G). The nucleotide substitution produced an amino acid replacement at residue 58 (A→E). The formation of DRB1*16:16 was probably generated by a DNA sequence recombination event involving DRB1*11:01:01 and DRB1*16:02:01. The probable HLA‐A, ‐B and ‐DRB1 haplotype in association with DRB1*16:16 may be deduced as A*02‐B*38‐DRB1*16:16.
An important role for autoimmunity in the immunopathogenesis of chronic allograft rejection
Authors: Tiriveedhi V. , Sarma N. , Mohanakumar T.
Published: April 2012

Organ transplantation is the treatment of choice for patients with end‐stage organ dysfunction. In spite of advances in understanding of donor and recipient physiology, organ preservation, operative techniques and immunosuppression, long‐term graft survival still remains a major problem primarily due to chronic rejection. Alloimmune responses to mismatched major histocompatibility antigens have been implicated as an important factor leading to rejection. However, there is increasing evidence pointing towards cross‐talk between the alloimmune and autoimmune responses creating a local inflammatory milieu, which eventually leads to fibrosis and occlusion of the lumen in the transplanted organ i.e. chronic rejection. In this review, we will discuss recent studies and emerging concepts for the interdependence of alloimmune and autoimmune responses in the immunopathogenesis of chronic allograft rejection. The role of autoimmunity in the development of chronic rejection is an intriguing and exciting area of research in the field of solid‐organ transplantation with a significant potential to develop novel therapeutic strategies towards preventing chronic allograft rejection.
Radial Flow Permeability Testing of an Argillaceous Limestone
Authors: Selvadurai A.P.S. , Jenner L.
Published: April 2012

Argillaceous Lindsay limestone is the geologic storage formation that will be encountered at the site for the construction of a deep ground repository in Ontario, Canada, for the storage of low to intermediate level nuclear waste. The permeability of the Lindsay limestone is a key parameter that will influence the long‐term movement of radionuclides from the repository to the geosphere. This paper describes the use of both steady‐state and transient radial flow laboratory tests to determine the permeability of this argillaceous limestone. The interpretation of the tests is carried out using both analytical results and computational models of flow problems that exhibit radial symmetry. The results obtained from this research investigation are compared with the data available in the literature for similar argillaceous limestones mainly found in the Lindsay (Cobourg) formation. The experiments give permeabilities in the range of 1.0 × 10−22 to 1.68 × 10−19 m2 for radial flows that are oriented along bedding planes under zero axial stress. The factors influencing transient pulse tests in particular and the interpretation of the results are discussed.
An unusual morphology of patent ductus arteriosus in a dog
Authors: Das S. , Yool D. A. , French A. T. , Self I. A. , Del‐Pozo J.
Published: April 2012

A 12‐week old, entire female Border terrier weighing 3·5 kg was presented for investigation of a continuous left heart base murmur. The clinical presentation and preoperative echocardiogram were consistent with a standard morphology of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) but a discrete ductal vessel was not identified during surgical dissection. Surgery had to be abandoned due to deterioration of the patient's condition under general anaesthesia which led to cardiorespiratory arrest and death despite attempts at resuscitation. Necropsy identified a recess within the wall of the aorta communicating with the pulmonary artery via an ostium at the heart base which determined this structure as an intramural PDA. This morphology of PDA is previously unreported. This report demonstrates that an intramural PDA is not readily identifiable surgically because of the absence of a discrete ductal vessel and it is important to appreciate that unusual morphologies of PDA may occur.
Children and Religion
Authors: Ridgely Susan
Published: April 2012

This essay demonstrates how the perspectives of children can both inform and expand our understanding of religious traditions. It examines the current scholarship on the topic, which primarily centers on adult efforts to socialize children into a tradition, but is beginning to examine the ability of children to negotiate a religiously diverse world. Children sort through the networks of support and influence in their lives to find meaningful ways to express their religious beliefs and develop practices that synthesize adult teachings with their own interpretations and needs. If scholars hope to achieve some understanding of how young people do this sorting and sifting, much more work needs to be done in all areas of study with religion and children, from how parents and congregations teach children about their faith to how children respond to and reinterpret these efforts. By exploring the available resources on children and investigating the themes that arise in this research with respect to young people and their faith, I hope to encourage and continue the upward trend of including children in religious studies research and suggest areas for further study.
Extensive p‐Tau Pathology and SDS‐Stable p‐Tau Oligomers in Alzheimer's Cortical Synapses
Authors: Henkins Kristen M. , Sokolow Sophie , Miller Carol A. , Vinters Harry V. , Poon Wayne W. , Cornwell Lindsey B. , Saing Tommy , Gylys Karen Hoppens
Published: April 2012

Like amyloid beta (Aβ) oligomers, tau aggregates are increasingly recognized as potential key toxic intermediates in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and as therapeutic targets. P‐tau co‐localizes with Aβ in cortical AD synapses and may contribute to synapse dysfunction and loss. Flow cytometry analysis of synaptosomes from AD compared with aged cognitively normal cortex demonstrates increased immunolabeling for three p‐tau antibodies (AT8, PHF‐1 and pS422), indicating phosphorylation at multiple tau epitopes. Sequential extraction experiments show increased soluble p‐tau in AD synapses, but a sizable pool of p‐tau requires detergent solubilization, suggesting endosomal/lysosomal localization. P‐tau is co‐localized with Aβ in individual synaptosomes in dual labeling experiments, and flow cytometry sorting of Aβ‐positive synaptosomes from an AD case reveals a marked enrichment of p‐tau aggregates. The p‐tau enrichment, a 76‐fold increase over the initial homogenate, is consistent with sequestration of p‐tau in internal synaptic compartments. Western analysis of a series of AD and normal cases shows SDS‐stable tau oligomers in the dimer/trimer size range in AD samples. These results indicate that widespread synaptic p‐tau pathology accompanies Aβ accumulations in surviving synaptic terminals, particularly in late‐stage AD.