bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development of the human tail bud and splanchnic mesenchyme
Authors: Hashimoto Ryozo 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe purpose of this paper was to shed some light on anorectal development from a viewpoint of the tail bud and splanchnic mesenchyme for better understanding of the morphogenesis of the human anorectum. Human embryos ranging from Carnegie stage 11 to 23 (CS 11 to 23) were adopted in this study. Seventeen embryos preserved at the Congenital Anomaly Research Center of Kyoto University Graduate School of Medicine were histologically examined. The cloaca, extending caudally to the hindgut, was dramatically enlarged, particularly both its dorsal portion and membrane, that is, the cloacal membrane resulting from the development of the tailgut derived from the tail bud. The splanchnic mesenchyme surrounding the hindgut was spread out in the direction of the urorectal septum ventrally, suggesting that it participated in the formation of the septum. No fusion of the urorectal septum and the cloacal membrane was found. The splanchnic mesenchyme proliferated and developed into smooth muscle (circular and longitudinal) layers from cranial to caudal along the hindgut. The tail bud seems to cause both the adequate dilation of the dorsal cloaca and the elongation of the cloacal membrane; its dorsal portion in particular will be necessary for normal anorectal development. The splanchnic mesenchyme developed and descended toward the pectinate line and formed the internal sphincter muscle at the terminal bowel.
Production and in vitro assessment of transgenic plums for resistance to Plum pox virus: a feasible, environmental risk‐free, cost‐effective approach
Authors: Monticelli S. , Di Nicola‐Negri E. , Gentile A. , Damiano C. , Ilardi V. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractDuring the production and assessment of transgenic plants resistant to quarantine viruses, the need to contain genetically modified plants (GMPs) and pathogens severely limits working options. Moreover, in the case of fruit trees, acclimatisation and viral inoculation are very time‐consuming, thus a quick and safe method to assess the resistance to quarantine viruses, such as Plum pox virus (PPV), is desirable. This article focuses on the production of transgenic plums together with a contained and rapid evaluation in vitro for PPV resistance. The plum ‘Stanley’ was transformed by Rhizobium radiobacter (syn. Agrobacterium tumefaciens) using a PPV‐M derived hairpin construct (h‐UTR/P1) that had previously been shown to confer high and broad‐spectrum PPV resistance in model plant. Two transgenic clones, St24 and St28, were obtained. To assess their ability to resist PPV infection, micropropagated shoots of the transgenic clones were micrografted in vitro onto PPV‐D infected ‘GF305’ rootstock. Following successful grafting, the transgenic scions were analysed by immunocapture‐reverse transcription‐polymerase chain reaction (IC‐RT‐PCR) for PPV detection. A total of 97% (47/48) of St24 and 73% (17/23) of St28 tested plants were resistant to the heterologous strain of PPV. In line with an RNA silencing mediated resistance mechanism, the St24 clone was shown to accumulate higher concentration of PPV UTR/P1‐specific small interfering RNAs (siRNAs) than St28 one. The results are of practical interest not only developing plum clones that are highly resistant to PPV, but also for setting up quick and contained inoculation test procedure.
Grafting under water stress in tomato cherry: improving the fruit yield and quality
Authors: Sánchez‐Rodríguez E. , Leyva R. , Constán‐Aguilar C. , Romero L. , Ruiz J.M. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractAs the concentrations of essential vitamins and minerals and a number of other health‐promoting compounds are often low in stable crops, research is under way to understand and increase synthesis of phytochemicals in order to improve crop nutritional quality. The question addressed in this study is whether shoot genotypes or root genotypes with tolerant drought character are able to increase the fruit quality and production under moderate water stress. Zarina (drought tolerant) and Josefina (drought sensitive) were grafted self and reciprocally. The results showed that the use of cv. Zarina (drought tolerant) as rootstock (Zar × Jos) results in a greater number of fruits under water‐stress conditions, a moderate increase in some antioxidant compounds, such as ascorbic acid, phenols and flavonoids and lycopene and β‐carotene, and Zar × Jos showed high levels of sugars and organic acids, sweetness index and sugars : acids ratio, as well as important minerals, such as K and Mg, which could increase its nutritional quality under stress conditions. Overall, the use of drought‐tolerant rootstock could provide a useful tool to improve fruit yield and quality of cherry tomato fruit under moderate water stress, which in turn could mean lower costs in the use of irrigation water.
ImProving Outcomes after STroke (POST): Results from the Randomized Clinical Pilot Trial
Authors: Hackett Maree L. , Carter Greg , Crimmins Denis , Clarke Tracy , Arblaster Lucy , Billot Laurent , Mysore Jayanthi , Sturm Jonathan 
Published: October 2012

Background One in three patients experience depression after stroke. An effective strategy to prevent depression after stroke that could be economically delivered to most patients with a low likelihood of adverse events is needed. Methods In a randomized trial conducted in New South Wales, Australia, a postcard was sent monthly to participants ( n = 100) for five-months following hospital discharge after stroke (plus usual care) and compared with usual care ( n = 101). Ethical approval was obtained to withhold information about the intervention and primary outcome from participants during the consent process. Results No significant difference was seen in the proportion of participants with depression in the intervention group (1/88) vs. the control group (3/76) (relative risk 0·29, 95% confidence interval 0·03–2·71) at six-months. No significant differences were seen on Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS) depression and anxiety sub-scale scores, quality of life, or activities of daily living; however, many (47/100) responded positively to the postcards. Conclusions Although this simple postcard intervention did not significantly reduce the proportion of participants experiencing high HADS depression sub-scale scores after stroke, it may be an effective way to engage with people after stroke following hospital discharge.
Transience in the humpback whale population of New Caledonia and implications for abundance estimation
Authors: Madon Bénédicte , Garrigue Claire , Pradel Roger , Gimenez Olivier 
Published: October 2012

AbstractA phenomenon of transience in the humpback whale population breeding in New Caledonia has been highlighted in recent analyses. We used these data to illustrate the risk of flawed inference when transience is not properly accounted for in abundance estimation of resident populations. Transients are commonly defined as individuals that pass through the sampling area once, i.e., have a null probability of being caught again, and therefore induce heterogeneity in the detection process. The presence of transients can lead to severe bias in the estimation of abundance and we demonstrate how to correct for this feature when estimating abundance of resident populations. In New Caledonia, very different conclusions about the number of resident whales in the southern lagoon between 1999 and 2005 are obtained when the abundance estimate accounts for the transient whales. Without correction, the estimates of the abundance were up to twice as high across all years compared to the estimates of the resident population when a correction for transients had been incorporated. Having reliable population estimates when assessing the status of endangered species is essential in documenting recovery and monitoring of population trends. Therefore, we encourage researchers to account for transients when reporting abundances of resident populations.
Vocal activity of tropical dolphins is inhibited by the presence of killer whales, Orcinus orca
Authors: Rankin Shannon , Archer Frederick , Barlow Jay 
Published: October 2012

AbstractResearch has suggested killer whale (Orcinus orca) predation may affect cetacean vocal behavior; however, few data exist to test this hypothesis. Data collected during 40,976 km of visual and acoustic shipboard surveys in the tropical Pacific Ocean, including 1,232 detections of 13 species, were examined to determine if changes in dolphin vocal activity could be attributed to the presence of killer whales. Generalized linear models and Random Forest analyses were used to test the hypothesis that dolphin vocal activity was related to the distance and time to the nearest killer whale sighting. Both results show that dolphin vocalizations were inversely correlated with the temporal proximity of killer whales (P < 0.05). Despite the relative rarity of killer whales in the tropics, they appear to influence vocal behavior of nearby dolphin schools. This disruption in communication may not significantly impact interactions necessary for survival in tropical waters where killer whale density is low. However, in temperate climates, where increased productivity supports a greater abundance of killer whales, this interruption in communication may have a greater impact. The lower incidence of whistling dolphins in temperate waters may be related to the greater abundance of killer whales in these areas.
The Effect of Abnormal Turnover on Asymmetric Autoregressive Behavior of Index Returns: Evidence from the Chinese A‐share Stock Markets*
Authors: Hsiao Jung‐Lieh , Tu Teng‐Tsai 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThis study tests the effect of turnover shocks on the asymmetric autoregressive behavior of index returns. The methodological approach adopted in this study is based on the relationship between market return and trading volume. This study first uses a vector autoregression (VAR) to model two market trading volume series by controlling for the variation associated with the sign and magnitude of both week t and week t − 1 or week t + 1 market returns. The generated market‐adjusted relative turnover (MRTO) series are then plugged into the bivariate asymmetric AR GARCH‐t model (asAR‐GARCH‐t) using weekly data from the Shanghai and Shenzhen A‐share stock markets. The results show that turnover shocks have a material effect on asymmetric autoregressive behavior and thus on asymmetric persistence of past returns.
Exploring Forecast Error and the Informational Content of Implied Volatility in the Taiwan Market*
Authors: Lee Yen‐Hsien , Lin Chi‐Tai , Chiang Shu‐Mei 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThis paper employs the autoregressive conditional jump intensity model, incorporating a forecast error, to investigate the relationships between the changes in the implied volatility and the relevant determinants in the Taiwan market. We further apply the orthogonality test to explore forecast error and content of information. The empirical results show that the changes in the implied volatility are affected by the contemporaneous returns, lagged returns, lagged changes in the implied volatility, contemporaneous daily changes in the realized volatility and lagged forecast error. At the same time, these results are consistent with the behavioral explanations of Hibbert et al. [Journal of Banking and Finance (2008) vol. 32, pp. 2254–2266]. We also demonstrate that the implied volatility in Taiwan seems to be an efficient forecast of future realized volatility during the whole of the sample period, except for the financial crisis period.
Cross‐asset Style Momentum
Authors: Kim Daehwan 
Published: October 2012

AbstractPrevious studies have demonstrated style momentum within equity markets. This paper reports significant momentum profits among style portfolios of multiple asset classes, showing that style momentum is not merely an equity market phenomenon, but a cross‐asset phenomenon. A decomposition of profits reveals that profits are mostly attributable to positive autocorrelations of style returns. We interpret this result as being more consistent with underreaction models than with excess comovement and performance chasing models.
Is Stock Split a Manipulation Tool? Evidence from the Korean Stock Market*
Authors: Kim Kyung Soon , Park Jinwoo , Chung Chune Young , Lee Jin Hwon 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThis paper studies the economic motivations for stock splits in the Korean stock market. Specifically, we investigate whether a stock split can be used not only as a tool to reveal information, but also as a manipulation tool, by dividing sample firms into two groups between the firms that split stocks with and without subsequent corporate events. We then examine each group’s changes in short‐ and long‐term abnormal returns and ownership around the time of the stock splits. We find that firms that split stocks both with and without subsequent corporate events show positive abnormal returns around the announcement date. However, we find evidence that long‐term performance and insider ownership decline greatly after the announcement date only among the firms that split stocks and have subsequent corporate events. In particular, firms that are listed on the KOSDAQ and go through other corporate events after a stock split exhibit a strong and positive association between change in the insider ownership and long‐term performance. This result implies that the decrease in insider ownership and its negative effect on long‐term performance are more pronounced in firms that are listed for short periods and are more likely to experience information asymmetry. Overall, our results indicate that firms involved in other corporate events after a stock split are likely to utilize the stock split as a manipulation tool.
Chiropractic spinal manipulation: what does the ‘best’ evidence show?
Authors: Ernst Edzard 
Published: October 2012

AbstractBackgroundThe evidence of effectiveness of chiropractic is controversial.ObjectivesTo summarise all Cochrane reviews of chiropractic spinal manipulation.MethodsThe Cochrane database was searched for all Cochrane reviews of chiropractic manipulation. Cochrane reviews with the terms ‘chiropractic’, ‘manipulation’ or ‘manual therapy’ in the title, abstract or keywords were considered. Protocols of reviews were excluded, as were studies that did not focus specifically on chiropractic spinal manipulation. Data extraction was performed by the author according to predefined criteria.ResultsFive Cochrane reviews were eligible for inclusion. Due to clinical and statistical heterogeneity, a meta‐analysis was not possible and the findings of the reviews were discussed narratively. The five reviews related to the following conditions: low back pain, asthma, dysmenorrhoea and neck pain. Each review included between three and 39 primary studies. Cautiously positive conclusions emerged for low back pain and neck pain. For the two non‐spinal conditions, the conclusions were negative.ConclusionsCochrane reviews, generally considered to be the most reliable evidence, provide limited evidence that chiropractic may be effective for low back and neck pain, but failed to support the use of chiropractic for non‐spinal conditions.
Evaluation of 25‐hydroxy‐vitamin D and parathyroid hormone in Callithrix penicillata primates living in their natural habitat in Brazil
Authors: Teixeira Danilo Simonini , Nobrega Yanna Karla M. , Valencia Carlos Enrique Uribe , Gandolfi Lenora , Pratesi Riccardo , Castro Luiz Claudio G. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractBackgroundVitamin D is a secosteroid hormone with important roles in the control of bone and mineral metabolism of vertebrates and in the maintenance of systemic homeostasis. This study aimed (i) to evaluate the serum concentrations of 25‐hydroxy‐vitamin D levels [25(OH)D], parathyroid hormone (PTH) and ionized calcium (iCa) of wild Callithrix penicillata (black‐tufted marmosets) and (ii) to propose reference ranges for those analytes for free‐living marmosets.MethodsBlood samples were collected from 15 wild animals and analyzed for 25(OH)D, PTH and iCa. Reference values were calculated following standard analytical criteria.ResultsThe observed mean serum levels (±standard deviation) were 25(OH)D, 61.7 (±20.8) ng/ml; PTH, 275.2 (±34.1) pg/ml; iCai 4.0 (±0.6) mg/dl.ConclusionsFor free‐living marmosets, the proposed physiological range for 25(OH)D is 20.1–103.3 ng/ml and for PTH is 207.0–343.3 pg/dl, with a confidence interval of 95%.
Pollen diversity matters: revealing the neglected effect of pollen diversity on fitness in fragmented landscapes
Authors: Breed Martin F. , Marklund Maria H. K. , Ottewell Kym M. , Gardner Michael G. , Harris J. Berton C. , Lowe Andrew J. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractFew studies have documented the impacts of habitat fragmentation on plant mating patterns together with fitness. Yet, these processes require urgent attention to better understand the impact of contemporary landscape change on biodiversity and for guiding native plant genetic resource management. We examined these relationships using the predominantly insect‐pollinated Eucalyptus socialis. Progeny were collected from trees located in three increasingly disturbed landscapes in southern Australia and were planted out in common garden experiments. We show that individual mating patterns were increasingly impacted by lower conspecific density caused by habitat fragmentation. We determined that reduced pollen diversity probably has effects over and above those of inbreeding on progeny fitness. This provides an alternative mechanistic explanation for the indirect density dependence often inferred between conspecific density and offspring fitness.
sarA‐mediated repression of protease production plays a key role in the pathogenesis of Staphylococcus aureusUSA300 isolates
Authors: Zielinska Agnieszka K. , Beenken Karen E. , Mrak Lara N. , Spencer Horace J. , Post Ginell R. , Skinner Robert A. , Tackett Alan J. , Horswill Alexander R. , Smeltzer Mark S. 
Published: October 2012

SummaryMutation of staphylococcal accessory regulator (sarA) results in increased production of extracellular proteases in Staphylococcus aureus, which has been correlated with decreased biofilm formation and decreased accumulation of extracellular toxins. We used murine models of implant‐associated biofilm infection and S. aureus bacteraemia (SAB) to compare virulence of USA300 strain LAC, its isogenic sarA mutant, and derivatives of each of these strains with mutations in all 10 of the genes encoding recognized extracellular proteases. The sarA mutant was attenuated in both models, and this was reversed by eliminating production of extracellular proteases. To examine the mechanistic basis, we identified proteins impacted by sarA in a protease‐dependent manner. We identified 253 proteins where accumulation was reduced in the sarA mutant compared with the parent strain, and was restored in the sarA/protease mutant. Additionally, in SAB, the LAC protease mutant exhibited a hypervirulent phenotype by comparison with the isogenic parent strain, demonstrating that sarA also positively regulates production of virulence factors, some of which are subject to protease‐mediated degradation. We propose a model in which attenuation of sarA mutants is defined by their inability to produce critical factors and simultaneously repress production of extracellular proteases that would otherwise limit accumulation of virulence factors.
The histone acetyltransferase Hat1 facilitates DNA damage repair and morphogenesis in Candida albicans
Authors: Tscherner Michael , Stappler Eva , Hnisz Denes , Kuchler Karl 
Published: October 2012

SummaryChromatin assembly and remodelling is an important process during the repair of DNA damage in eukaryotic cells. Although newly synthesized histone H4 is acetylated prior to nuclear import and incorporation into chromatin during DNA damage repair, the precise role of acetylation in this process is poorly understood. Here, we identify the histone acetyltransferase 1 (Hat1) catalysing the conserved acetylation pattern of histone H4 preceding its chromatin deposition in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Surprisingly, Hat1 is required for efficient repair of not just exogenous but also endogenous DNA damage. Cells lacking Hat1 rapidly accumulate DNA damages and switch from yeast‐like to pseudohyphal growth. In addition, reduction of histone H4 mimics lack of Hat1, suggesting that inefficient H4 supply for deposition into chromatin is the key functional consequence of Hat1 deficiency. Thus, remarkably, we demonstrate that C. albicans is the first organism known to require histone H4 processing for endogenous DNA damage repair and morphogenesis. Strikingly, we also discover that hat1Δ/Δ cells are hypersusceptible to caspofungin due to intracellular reactive oxygen species induced by this drug. Hence, we propose that targeting this class of histone acetyltransferases in fungal pathogens may have potential in antifungal therapy.
Spatial tethering of kinases to their substrates relaxes evolutionary constraints on specificity
Authors: Capra Emily J. , Perchuk Barrett S. , Ashenberg Orr , Seid Charlotte A. , Snow Hana R. , Skerker Jeffrey M. , Laub Michael T. 
Published: October 2012

SummarySignal transduction proteins are often multi‐domain proteins that arose through the fusion of previously independent proteins. How such a change in the spatial arrangement of proteins impacts their evolution and the selective pressures acting on individual residues is largely unknown. We explored this problem in the context of bacterial two‐component signalling pathways, which typically involve a sensor histidine kinase that specifically phosphorylates a single cognate response regulator. Although usually found as separate proteins, these proteins are sometimes fused into a so‐called hybrid histidine kinase. Here, we demonstrate that the isolated kinase domains of hybrid kinases exhibit a dramatic reduction in phosphotransfer specificity in vitro relative to canonical histidine kinases. However, hybrid kinases phosphotransfer almost exclusively to their covalently attached response regulator domain, whose effective concentration exceeds that of all soluble response regulators. These findings indicate that the fused response regulator in a hybrid kinase normally prevents detrimental cross‐talk between pathways. More generally, our results shed light on how the spatial properties of signalling pathways can significantly affect their evolution, with additional implications for the design of synthetic signalling systems.