bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Altered levels of LIL3 isoforms in Arabidopsis lead to disturbed pigment–protein assembly and chlorophyll synthesis, chlorotic phenotype and impaired photosynthetic performance
Authors: Lohscheider Jens N. , Rojas‐Stütz Marc C. , Rothbart Maxi , Andersson Ulrica , Funck Dietmar , Mendgen Kurt , Grimm Bernhard , Adamska Iwona 
Published: March 2015

AbstractLight‐harvesting complex (LHC)‐like (LIL) proteins contain two transmembrane helices of which the first bears a chlorophyll (Chl)‐binding motif. They are widespread in photosynthetic organisms, but almost nothing is known about their expression and physiological functions. We show that two LIL3 paralogues (LIL3:1 and LIL3:2) in Arabidopsis thaliana are expressed in photosynthetically active tissues and their expression is differentially influenced by light stress. Localization studies demonstrate that both isoforms are associated with subcomplexes of LHC antenna of photosystem II. Transgenic plants with reduced amounts of LIL3:1 exhibited a slightly impaired growth and have reduced Chl and carotenoid contents as compared to wild‐type plants. Ectopic overexpression of either paralogue led to a developmentally regulated switch to co‐suppression of both LIL3 isoforms, resulting in a circular chlorosis of the leaf rosettes. Chlorotic sectors show severely diminished levels of LIL3 isoforms and other proteins, and thylakoid morphology was changed. Additionally, the levels of enzymes involved in Chl biosynthesis are altered in lil3 mutant plants. Our data support a role of LIL3 paralogues in the regulation of Chl biosynthesis under light stress and under standard growth conditions as well as in a coordinated ligation of newly synthesized and/or rescued Chl molecules to their target apoproteins.
Childbirth expense support and small‐for‐gestational‐age infants in Japan
Authors: Tsuchiya Sayaka , Ohashi Kazutomo 
Published: March 2015

AbstractBackgroundPoor nutritional status during the fetal period could cause perinatal and lifelong health disadvantages in neonates. The aim of this study was to investigate the background of pregnant women receiving childbirth expense support (CES), pregnancy outcome, and neonatal anthropometric data.MethodsA retrospective cohort study was conducted using 823 antenatal and delivery records in a perinatal center located in one of the poorest areas in Japan. Neonates who were small for gestational age (SGA) were compared between the CES and the non‐CES groups.ResultsThe incidences of low birthweight (LBW) and SGA were significantly higher in the group receiving CES (14.6% and 14.6%, respectively). The adjusted OR of CES was 2.78 (95%CI: 1.32–5.87) and the adjusted OR of maternal smoking was 5.03 (95%CI: 2.74–9.21), indicating that CES and maternal smoking were directly associated with SGA.ConclusionsCES recipients had a higher prevalence of SGA infants. CES was independently associated with SGA. Previous studies have shown that smoking is a major risk factor for SGA. Further studies are needed to identify risk factors of SGA specific to CES recipients.
Genetic analysis of the population structure of the rice false smut fungus, Villosiclava virens, in China using microsatellite markers mined from a genome assembly
Authors: Jia Q. , Gu Q. , Zheng L. , Hsiang T. , Luo C. , Huang J. 
Published: March 2015

Studies on population genetics of Villosiclava virens are limited because of the lack of polymorphic markers. Based on a draft genome sequence of isolate HWD‐2 produced in this study, 20 of 403 potential simple sequence repeats (SSR) loci showed polymorphisms in preliminary screening using eight diverse V. virens isolates. Among polymorphic loci, most of them with tetra‐ to hexanucleotide unit motifs showed higher levels of polymorphism than loci with smaller motifs. After testing with 20 polymorphic SSR markers, the 87 isolates of V. virens from eight populations in China showed a high level of genetic diversity, with each as a unique haplotype. This differs from some previous findings showing little to no genetic variation based on random amplified polymorphic DNA and amplified fragment length polymorphism analyses. Among eight populations from major rice production areas of China, the population from Guangxi province in south China showed the highest levels of polymorphism, which led to the speculation that it might be closer to the centre of origin of this pathogen. The northern, central and eastern populations (Jilin, Liaoning, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi and Zhejiang), when considered together as a group, showed significant molecular variation compared to the southern populations (Fujian and Guangxi) (ΦPT = 0·043, P = 0·037). A significant relationship (Mantel test, P = 0·027) but with low correlation (R2 = 0·23) was also found between geographic distance and genetic distance. The 20 polymorphic SSR primer pairs designed in this study provide a tool for further research on the population diversity of this emerging fungal pathogen of rice.
Aggradation and carbonate accumulation of Holocene Norwegian cold‐water coral reefs
Authors: Titschack Jürgen , Baum Daniel , De Pol‐Holz Ricardo , López Correa Matthias , Forster Nina , Flögel Sascha , Hebbeln Dierk , Freiwald André 
Published: March 2015

AbstractCold‐water coral ecosystems present common carbonate factories along the Atlantic continental margins, where they can form large reef structures. There is increasing knowledge on their ecology, molecular genetics, environmental controls and threats available. However, information on their carbo‐nate production and accumulation is still very limited, even though this information is essential for their evaluation as carbonate sinks. The aim of this study is to provide high‐resolution reef aggradation and carbonate accumulation rates for Norwegian cold‐water coral reefs from various settings (sunds, inner shelf and shelf margin). Furthermore, it introduces a new approach for the evaluation of the cold‐water coral preservation within cold‐water coral deposits by computed tomography analysis. This approach allows the differentiation of various kinds of cold‐water coral deposits by their macrofossil clast size and orientation signature. The obtained results suggest that preservation of cold‐water coral frameworks in living position is favoured by high reef aggradation rates, while preservation of coral rubble prevails by moderate aggradation rates. A high degree of macrofossil fragmentation indicates condensed intervals or unconformities. The observed aggradation rates with up to 1500 cm kyr−1 exhibit the highest rates from cold‐water coral reefs so far. Reef aggradation within the studied cores was restricted to the Early and Late Holocene. Available datings of Norwegian cold‐water corals support this age pattern for other fjords while, on the shelf, cold‐water coral ages are reported additionally from the early Middle Holocene. The obtained mean carbonate accumulation rates of up to 103 g cm−2 kyr−1 exceed previous estimates of cold‐water coral reefs by a factor of two to three and by almost one order of magnitude to adjacent sedimentary environments (shelf, slope and deep sea). Only fjord basins locally exhibit carbonate accumulation rates in the range of the cold‐water coral reefs. Furthermore, cold‐water coral reef carbonate accumulation rates are in the range of tropical reef carbonate accumulation rates. These results clearly suggest the importance of cold‐water coral reefs as local, maybe regional to global, carbonate sinks.
Residential Segregation and Immigrants’ Satisfaction with the Neighborhood in Germany*
Authors: Dill Verena , Jirjahn Uwe , Tsertsvadze Georgi 
Published: March 2015

ObjectiveWe aim to examine the relationship between immigrant residential segregation and immigrants’ satisfaction with the neighborhood.MethodsWe use individual‐level data from the German Socio‐Economic Panel for the years 1986 and 1994. In a first step, we use the data as a pooled cross‐section including an extensive set of household and individual characteristics such as household income and quality of the dwelling. In a second step we use a fixed effects model to account for unobserved time‐invariant influences.ResultsBoth the cross‐sectional and the fixed effects estimates show that immigrants living in ethnically segregated areas are less satisfied with the neighborhood. This is consistent with the hypothesis that housing discrimination rather than self‐selection plays an important role in immigrant residential segregation.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that rental market discrimination rather than self‐selection is the reason for immigrants living in segregated areas. This has important policy implications since ethnic residential segregation may hamper immigrants’ integration and may in turn trigger negative attitudes toward immigrants by Germans.
Critical taper behaviour and out‐of‐sequence thrusting on orogenic wedges – an example of the Eastern Alpine Molasse Basin
Authors: Schuller Volker , Frisch Wolfgang , Herzog Ulrich 
Published: March 2015

AbstractWe demonstrate that increasing erosion during the kinematic evolution of a thrust wedge will lead to out‐of‐sequence thrusting as a result of backwards critical taper movement. In‐sequence thrusting in the Subalpine German Molasse Basin built a critical‐tapered foreland Coulomb thrust wedge. Later, out‐of‐sequence thrusts dissected all but the frontal duplex stacks. The footwall/hangingwall relation visible on seismic data proves the out‐of‐sequence nature of the latest thrusting stage. Establishing a stable drainage system leads to increased erosion in elevated areas of the thrust wedge, resulting in flattening of the critical wedge. In order to keep its predefined angle, the critical wedge repositions and the tip of the taper moves towards the hinterland. Thus, thrusting will also reposition and move towards the hinterland.
Evaluation of new automated hematopoietic progenitor cell analysis in the clinical management of peripheral blood stem cell collections
Authors: Peerschke Ellinor I. , Moung Christine , Pessin Melissa S. , Maslak Peter 
Published: March 2015

BACKGROUNDSuccessful peripheral blood stem cell transplantation (PBSCT) depends on the collection and infusion of adequate numbers of peripheral blood progenitor cells (PBPCs). Several predictors of PBPC yield are used currently, including white blood cell (WBC) count and CD34 analysis. This study evaluated the utility of the new automated hematopoietic progenitor cell count available on Sysmex XN hematology analyzers (XN‐HPCs) in PBSCT.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSThe performance characteristics of XN‐HPC, CD34+, and WBC analysis were compared using 107 matched peripheral blood and apheresis samples.RESULTSGood correlation was observed between XN‐HPC and CD34+ cell counts in peripheral blood (r = 0.88; slope, 0.81) and apheresis collections (r = 0.91; slope, 0.89). Moreover, peripheral blood XN‐HPC and CD34 analysis showed comparable ability to predict successful PBPC harvests (≥2 × 106 CD34+ cells/kg). At a cutoff of 20 × 106 progenitor cells/L, peripheral blood XN‐ HPC and CD34 analysis both showed negative predictive values (NPVs) of 100% and positive predictive values (PPVs) of 55.4 and 63%, respectively. Using an optimized cutoff of 38 × 106 progenitor cells/L, derived from receiver operating characteristic analysis, the PPV for XN‐HPC and CD34 analysis increased to 71.4 and 78.9%, respectively, with relatively unchanged NPVs (XN‐HPC 97.7%, CD34+ 98.0%). In contrast, the correlation between peripheral blood WBC and CD34 analysis was poor (r = 0.48; slope, 669.85), and the peripheral blood WBC count (cutoff, 10 × 109/L) was a poor predictor of PBPC harvest (NPV 60%, PPV 43.1%).CONCLUSIONXN‐HPC compares favorably with CD34 analysis and may be a surrogate for CD34 analysis to predict optimal timing of PBPC collections.
The heritability of blood donation: a population‐based nationwide twin study
Authors: Pedersen Ole Birger , Axel Skytthe , Rostgaard Klaus , Erikstrup Christian , Edgren Gustaf , Nielsen Kaspar René , Ullum Henrik , Kyvik Kirsten Ohm , Hjalgrim Henrik 
Published: March 2015

BACKGROUNDVoluntary blood donation is believed to be mostly motivated by altruism. Because studies have suggested that altruistic personality is determined by both genetic and environmental factors, we speculated that willingness to donate blood could also be governed by constitutional factors. This hypothesis was tested in a study among Danish twins.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSThe nationwide Danish Twin Register, which is virtually complete for all twins born since 1968, was linked with Danish portion of the Scandinavian Donation and Transfusion (SCANDAT) Database, which includes information on all active Danish blood donors from 2002 to 2012, to establish blood donor status for Danish twins, who at age 17 years became eligible for donation in 2002 or later. Casewise concordance in monozygotic (MZ) and dizygotic (DZ) twins were presented and heritability was estimated in Mx by variance component analysis in a liability threshold model.RESULTSA total of 274 MZ and 484 same‐sex DZ twins age 17 to 27 years were identified as donors in SCANDAT. There was no difference between MZ and DZ twins with regard to age at first donation or number of donations. Casewise concordance rates were 0.61 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.56‐0.67) and 0.41 (95% CI, 0.36‐0.47) in MZ and DZ twin pairs, respectively. Heritability analysis using the ACE model found that additive genetic and shared environmental effects accounted for 0.53 (95% CI, 0.33‐0.73) and 0.28 (95% CI, 0.10‐0.45) of the variance in the motivation to donate blood, respectively.CONCLUSIONBecoming a volunteer blood donor is determined by both genetic and environmental factors shared within families.
Nonpharmacological Therapy for the Management of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms of Alzheimer's Disease: Linking Evidence to Practice
Authors: Staedtler Amber V. , Nunez Diane 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACTBackgroundBehavioral and psychiatric symptoms of dementia affect up to 90% of all patients at some point during their dementing illness. Today, many of these symptoms are treated with pharmacological therapy alone, incongruent with clinical recommendations. Barriers to the use of nonpharmacological interventions with dementia include a lack of education among caregivers on available options, shortage of time for implementation, lack of education on effects of nonpharmacological therapy, poor staff to resident ratios, and unmodifiable physical environments.AimsThe purpose of this paper is to explore current literature regarding the implementation of nonpharmacological therapy as an adjunct treatment to manage agitation in dementia, to identify practice discrepancies seen commonly among formal and informal caregivers, and to make recommendations for implementing evidence into practice.MethodsA systematic review of the literature published between 2009 and 2014 was conducted. Four databases were searched including CINAHL, Pubmed, the Cochrane Library, and PsycInfo.FindingsThe most prevalent and substantial conclusion among the 10 studies evaluated is that nonpharmacological therapy is safe and effective. Although not every study was able to show statistically significant outcomes when compared to controls, all studies demonstrated a positive trend toward decreasing agitation without any adverse side effects.Linking Evidence to ActionA multicomponent caregiver education program focused on evidence‐based nonpharmacological strategies for addressing agitation in persons with Alzheimer's disease has the potential to decrease agitation, improve patient outcomes, and increase caregiver satisfaction.
The regulation of neuronal mitochondrial metabolism by calcium
Authors: Llorente‐Folch I. , Rueda C. B. , Pardo B. , Szabadkai G. , Duchen M. R. , Satrustegui J. 
Published: March 2015

AbstractCalcium signalling is fundamental to the function of the nervous system, in association with changes in ionic gradients across the membrane. Although restoring ionic gradients is energetically costly, a rise in intracellular Ca2+ acts through multiple pathways to increase ATP synthesis, matching energy supply to demand. Increasing cytosolic Ca2+ stimulates metabolite transfer across the inner mitochondrial membrane through activation of Ca2+‐regulated mitochondrial carriers, whereas an increase in matrix Ca2+ stimulates the citric acid cycle and ATP synthase. The aspartate–glutamate exchanger Aralar/AGC1 (Slc25a12), a component of the malate–aspartate shuttle (MAS), is stimulated by modest increases in cytosolic Ca2+ and upregulates respiration in cortical neurons by enhancing pyruvate supply into mitochondria. Failure to increase respiration in response to small (carbachol) and moderate (K+‐depolarization) workloads and blunted stimulation of respiration in response to high workloads (veratridine) in Aralar/AGC1 knockout neurons reflect impaired MAS activity and limited mitochondrial pyruvate supply. In response to large workloads (veratridine), acute stimulation of respiration occurs in the absence of MAS through Ca2+ influx through the mitochondrial calcium uniporter (MCU) and a rise in matrix [Ca2+]. Although the physiological importance of the MCU complex in work‐induced stimulation of respiration of CNS neurons is not yet clarified, abnormal mitochondrial Ca2+ signalling causes pathology. Indeed, loss of function mutations in MICU1, a regulator of MCU complex, are associated with neuromuscular disease. In patient‐derived MICU1 deficient fibroblasts, resting matrix Ca2+ is increased and mitochondria fragmented. Thus, the fine tuning of Ca2+ signals plays a key role in shaping mitochondrial bioenergetics.
CARB-17 Family of β-Lactamases Mediates Intrinsic Resistance to Penicillins in Vibrio parahaemolyticus
Authors: Chiou Jiachi , Li Ruichao , Chen Sheng 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACT

Vibrio parahaemolyticus
is commonly resistant to ampicillin, yet the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon are not clear. In this study, a novel class A carbenicillin-hydrolyzing β-lactamase (CARB) family of β-lactamases,
bla
CARB-17
, was identified and found to be responsible for the intrinsic penicillin resistance in
V. parahaemolyticus
. Importantly,
bla
CARB-17
-like genes were present in all 293
V. parahaemolyticus
genome sequences available in GenBank and detectable in all 91
V. parahaemolyticus
food isolates, further confirming the intrinsic nature of this gene.
ClpP-Independent Function of ClpX Interferes with Telithromycin Resistance Conferred by Msr(A) in Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Vimberg Vladimir , Lenart Jakub , Janata Jiri , Balikova Novotna Gabriela 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACT

The ABCF family protein Msr(A) confers high resistance to macrolides but only low resistance to ketolides in staphylococci. Mutations in conserved functional regions of ClpX as well as deletion of
clpX
significantly increased Msr(A)-mediated resistance to the ketolide antibiotic telithromycin. ClpX is the chaperone component of the ClpXP two-component proteolytic system. Nevertheless, no changes in resistance were observed in a
clpP
knockout strain expressing
msr
(A), demonstrating that ClpX affects Msr(A) independently of ClpP.
Arbekacin Activity against Contemporary Clinical Bacteria Isolated from Patients Hospitalized with Pneumonia
Authors: Sader Helio S. , Rhomberg Paul R. , Farrell David J. , Jones Ronald N. 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACT

Arbekacin is a broad-spectrum aminoglycoside licensed for systemic use in Japan and under clinical development as an inhalation solution in the United States. We evaluated the occurrence of organisms isolated from pneumonias in U.S. hospitalized patients (PHP), including ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and the
in vitro
activity of arbekacin. Organism frequency was evaluated from a collection of 2,203 bacterial isolates (339 from VAP) consecutively collected from 25 medical centers in 2012 through the SENTRY Antimicrobial Surveillance Program. Arbekacin activity was tested against 904 isolates from PHP collected in 2012 from 62 U.S. medical centers and 303 multidrug-resistant (MDR) organisms collected worldwide in 2009 and 2010 from various infection types. Susceptibility to arbekacin and comparator agents was evaluated by the reference broth microdilution method. The four most common organisms from PHP were
Staphylococcus aureus
,
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
,
Klebsiella
spp., and
Enterobacter
spp. The highest arbekacin MIC among
S. aureus
isolates from PHP (43% methicillin-resistant
S. aureus
[MRSA]) was 4 μg/ml. Among
P. aeruginosa
isolates from PHP, only one had an arbekacin MIC of >16 μg/ml (MIC
50
and MIC
90
, 1 and 4 μg/ml), and susceptibility rates for gentamicin, tobramycin, and amikacin were 88.0, 90.0, and 98.0%, respectively. Arbekacin (MIC
50
, 2 μg/ml) and tobramycin (MIC
50
, 4 μg/ml) were the most potent aminoglycosides tested against
Acinetobacter baumannii
. Against
Enterobacteriaceae
from PHP, arbekacin and gentamicin (MIC
50
and MIC
90
, 0.25 to 1 and 1 to 8 μg/ml for both compounds) were generally more potent than tobramycin (MIC
50
and MIC
90
, 0.25 to 2 and 1 to 32 μg/ml) and amikacin (MIC
50
and MIC
90
, 1 to 2 and 2 to 32 μg/ml). Arbekacin also demonstrated potent
in vitro
activity against a worldwide collection of well-characterized MDR Gram-negative and MRSA strains.
In Vivo
Antimalarial Activity and Mechanisms of Action of 4-Nerolidylcatechol Derivatives
Authors: Rocha e Silva Luiz Francisco , Nogueira Karla Lagos , Pinto Ana Cristina da Silva , Katzin Alejandro Miguel , Sussmann Rodrigo A. C. , Muniz Magno Perêa , Neto Valter Ferreira de Andrade , Chaves Francisco Célio Maia , Coutinho Julia Penna , Lima Emerson Silva , Krettli Antoniana Ursine , Tadei Wanderli Pedro , Pohlit Adrian Martin 
Published: March 2015

ABSTRACT

4-Nerolidylcatechol (
1
) is an abundant antiplasmodial metabolite that is isolated from
Piper peltatum
roots.
O
-Acylation or
O
-alkylation of compound
1
provides derivatives exhibiting improved stability and significant
in vitro
antiplasmodial activity. The aim of this work was to study the
in vitro
inhibition of hemozoin formation, inhibition of isoprenoid biosynthesis in
Plasmodium falciparum
cultures, and
in vivo
antimalarial activity of several 4-nerolidylcatechol derivatives. 1,2-
O
,
O
-Diacetyl-4-nerolidylcatechol (
2
) inhibited
in vitro
hemozoin formation by up to 50%. In metabolic labeling studies using [1-(
n
)-
3
H]geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate, diester
2
significantly inhibited the biosynthesis of isoprenoid metabolites ubiquinone
8
, menaquinone
4
, and dolichol
12
in cultures of
P. falciparum
3D7. Similarly, 2-
O
-benzyl-4-nerolidylcatechol (
3
) significantly inhibited the biosynthesis of dolichol
12
.
P. falciparum
in vitro
protein synthesis was not affected by compounds
2
or
3
. At oral doses of 50 mg per kg of body weight per day, compound
2
suppressed
Plasmodium berghei
NK65 in infected BALB/c mice by 44%. This
in vivo
result for derivative
2
represents marked improvement over that obtained previously for natural product
1
. Compound
2
was not detected in mouse blood 1 h after oral ingestion or in mixtures with mouse blood/blood plasma
in vitro
. However, it was detected after
in vitro
contact with human blood or blood plasma. Derivatives of 4-nerolidylcatechol exhibit parasite-specific modes of action, such as inhibition of isoprenoid biosynthesis and inhibition of hemozoin formation, and they therefore merit further investigation for their antimalarial potential.