bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Populus GT43 family members group into distinct sets required for primary and secondary wall xylan biosynthesis and include useful promoters for wood modification
Authors: Ratke Christine , Pawar Prashant Mohan‐Anupama , Balasubramanian Vimal K. , Naumann Marcel , Duncranz Mathilda Lönnäs , Derba‐Maceluch Marta , Gorzsás András , Endo Satoshi , Ezcurra Ines , Mellerowicz Ewa J. 
Published: August 2014

SummaryThe plant GT43 protein family includes xylosyltransferases that are known to be required for xylan backbone biosynthesis, but have incompletely understood specificities. RT‐qPCR and histochemical (GUS) analyses of expression patterns of GT43 members in hybrid aspen, reported here, revealed that three clades of the family have markedly differing specificity towards secondary wall‐forming cells (wood and extraxylary fibres). Intriguingly, GT43A and B genes (corresponding to the Arabidopsis IRX9 clade) showed higher specificity for secondary‐walled cells than GT43C and D genes (IRX14 clade), although both IRX9 and IRX14 are required for xylosyltransferase activity. The remaining genes, GT43E, F and G (IRX9‐L clade), showed broad expression patterns. Transient transactivation analyses of GT43A and B reporters demonstrated that they are activated by PtxtMYB021 and PNAC085 (master secondary wall switches), mediated in PtxtMYB021 activation by an AC element. The high observed secondary cell wall specificity of GT43B expression prompted tests of the efficiency of its promoter (pGT43B), relative to the CaMV 35S (35S) promoter, for overexpressing a xylan acetyl esterase (CE5) or downregulating REDUCED WALL ACETYLATION (RWA) family genes and thus engineering wood acetylation. CE5 expression was weaker when driven by pGT43B, but it reduced wood acetyl content substantially more efficiently than the 35S promoter. RNAi silencing of the RWA family, which was ineffective using 35S, was achieved when using GT43B promoter. These results show the utility of the GT43B promoter for genetically engineering properties of wood and fibres.
CD8α−DC is the major DC subset which mediates inhibition of allergic responses by Schistosoma infection
Authors: Liu J.‐Y. , Lu P. , Hu L.‐Z. , Shen Y.‐J. , Zhu Y.‐J. , Ren J.‐L. , Ji W.‐H. , Zhang X.‐Z. , Wu Z.‐Q. , Yang X.‐Z. , Yang J. , Li L.‐Y. , Yang X. , Liu P.‐M. 
Published: August 2014

SummaryOur and others' previous studies have shown that Schistosoma japonicum (SJ) infection can inhibit allergic reactions. We recently reported that DCs played an important role in SJ infection‐mediated inhibition of allergy, which was associated with enhanced IL‐10 and T regulatory cell responses. Here, we further compared the role of CD8α+ DC and CD8α− DC subsets for the inhibitory effect. We sorted CD8α+ DC (SJCD8α+ DC) and CD8α− DC (SJCD8α− DC) from SJ‐infected mice and tested their ability to modulate allergic responses in vivo. The data showed that the adoptive transfer of SJCD8α− DC was much more efficient than SJCD8α+ DC for the suppression of allergic airway eosinophilia, mucus overproduction, antigen‐specific IgE responses, and Th2 cytokines (IL‐4 and IL‐5). More importantly, we found that the transfer of SJCD8α− DC, but not SJCD8α+ DC, significantly increased IL‐10 and TGF‐β production following OVA exposure. As control, the transfer of DC subsets from naïve mice had no significant effect on allergic inflammation. In addition, SJCD8α‐DC expressed significantly higher IL‐10 but lower IL‐12, CD80 and CD86 than SJCD8α+ DC, fitting a tolerogenic phenotype. The results suggest that CD8α− DC is the predominant DC subset which is involved in the parasitic infection‐mediated inhibition of allergic inflammation and possibly through enhancing immunomodulatory cytokine (IL‐10 and TGF‐β) production.
Importance of root infection in guava wilt caused by Nalanthamala psidii
Authors: Hong C. F. , Hsieh H. Y. , Chen K. S. , Huang H. C. 
Published: August 2014

Guava (Psidium guajava) wilt, caused by Nalanthamala psidii, has been a destructive disease in Taiwan, Thailand, Malaysia and South Africa since it was first reported in guava in 1926. However, the primary infection site of the pathogen remains controversial. This study was conducted to elucidate the importance of root infection by N. psidii in guava orchards in Taiwan. During 2010–2012, a total of 23 guava trees were sampled from three orchards and the isolation frequency of N. psidii from wounded twigs and roots was analysed. The overall isolation frequency of N. psidii was significantly higher (P < 0·01) from roots than trimmed and pruned twigs. Nalanthamala psidii was detected in 53·5% of the root samples from a guava tree showing mild symptoms of wilt and in 0·9% of the root samples from another guava tree without visible symptoms of wilt; however, no N. psidii was detected in the tissues of the trimming and pruning wounds in either tree. Cross sections of diseased guava branches showed that N. psidii colonized the lower part more heavily than the upper part of the branch. When guava trees were inoculated by applying N. psidii‐infested soil to injured roots, wilt symptoms developed within 6–13 months. Furthermore, N. psidii infection of guava seedlings via root contact with wilted guava trunks was recorded for the first time in Taiwan, demonstrating the importance of root infection in guava wilt disease.
Taking the pulse of aging: Mapping pulse pressure and elasticity in cerebral arteries with optical methods
Authors: Fabiani Monica , Low Kathy A. , Tan Chin‐Hong , Zimmerman Benjamin , Fletcher Mark A. , Schneider‐Garces Nils , Maclin Edward L. , Chiarelli Antonio M. , Sutton Bradley P. , Gratton Gabriele 
Published: August 2014

AbstractCerebrovascular support is crucial for healthy cognitive and brain aging. Arterial stiffening is a cause of reduced brain blood flow, a predictor of cognitive decline, and a risk factor for cerebrovascular accidents and Alzheimer's disease. Arterial health is influenced by lifestyle factors, such as cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). We investigated new noninvasive optical measures of cerebrovascular health, which provide estimates of arterial pulse parameters (pulse pressure, transit time, and compliance/elasticity) within specific cerebral arteries and cortical regions, and low‐resolution maps of large superficial cerebral arteries. We studied naturally occurring variability in these parameters in adults (aged 55–87), and found that these indices of cerebrovascular health are negatively correlated with age and positively with CRF and gray and white matter volumes. Further, regional pulse transit time predicts specific neuropsychological performance.
Assessment of the relationship between transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and severity of clinical signs (CADESI‐03) in atopic dogs
Authors: Zając Marcin , Szczepanik Marcin P. , Wilkołek Piotr M. , Adamek Łukasz R. , Pomorski Zbigniew J. H. , Sitkowski Wiesław , Gołyński Marcin G. 
Published: August 2014

BackgroundAtopic dermatitis (AD) is a common allergic skin disease of dogs. Objective documentation of disease severity is important for the assessment of responses to therapeutic interventions. One common means of assessing the severity of clinical signs is the Canine Atopic Dermatitis Extent and Severity Index (CADESI)‐03. In addition, studies of the biophysical parameters of the skin suggest that assessment of transepidermal water loss (TEWL) may also have value for estimation of disease severity.Hypothesis/ObjectivesThe aim of the present study was to verify the correlation between TEWL and CADESI‐03 measured at 10 different body sites.AnimalsTwenty‐six dogs with AD (age range 1–7 years, median age 3 years).MethodsThe assessment was performed at the following 10 body sites: the lumbar, inguinal, ventral abdominal, interdigital regions, axillary fossa, lateral thorax, lateral aspect of the antebrachium, concave surface of the auricle, cheek and bridge of the nose.ResultsPositive correlations were found between TEWL and the total CADESI‐03 for the auricle (r = 0.59), bridge of nose (r = 0.62) and interdigital skin (r = 0.47). Positive correlations were also observed between TEWL and local CADESI‐03 scores for the axillary fossa (r = 0.73), inguinal region (r = 0.55) and interdigital skin (r = 0.77).Conclusions and clinical importanceThe results indicate that it may be possible to use measurement of TEWL to assess the severity of skin lesions, but a positive correlation was found in only five of 10 body regions examined.
Comparison of the results of intradermal test reactivity and serum allergen‐specificIgEmeasurement forMalassezia pachydermatisin atopic dogs
Authors: Oldenhoff Willam E. , Frank Glenn R. , DeBoer Douglas J. 
Published: August 2014

BackgroundMalassezia pachydermatisis part of the normal flora of canine skin.Malasseziahypersensitivity is recognized as a trigger for clinical signs of atopic dermatitis (AD) in some dogs. Determinations ofMalasseziahypersensitivity are often made with intradermal testing (IDT), which may have limited availability in a first‐opinion veterinary practice.Hypothesis/ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to compare immediateIDTreactivity toM. pachydermatiswith results of an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) designed to detect anti‐MalasseziaIgE.AnimalsEighty‐four dogs with a clinical diagnosis ofAD.MethodsMulti‐allergenIDTwas performed on all dogs. Serum testing for allergen‐specificIgEagainst a panel of common environmental allergens andM. pachydermatiswas performed byELISAusing the FcεRIα receptor fragment as a detection reagent, with results reported as adjusted optical density (OD). A receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to analyse the results of the two tests.ResultsThe median adjustedODof the anti‐MalasseziaIgEELISAfor dogs reactive and nonreactive toM. pachydermatisonIDTwas 0.137 and 0.024, respectively. Analysis of theROCcurve suggested a cut‐off point for the anti‐MalasseziaELISAthat yielded a sensitivity of 77.0% and a specificity of 89% relative toIDTresults.Conclusions and clinical importanceSubstantial agreement was demonstrated betweenIDTreactivity and anti‐MalasseziaIgEas detected by the FcεRIα receptor reagent. Although correlation with a clinical diagnosis ofMalasseziadermatitis was not attempted in this study, the results indicate that theELISAmay be used to demonstrate the presence of immediate‐typeMalasseziahypersensitivity in dogs withAD.
The Relationship Among Evidence‐Based Practice and Client Dyspnea, Pain, Falls, and Pressure Ulcer Outcomes in the Community Setting
Authors: Doran Diane , Lefebre Nancy , O'Brien‐Pallas Linda , Estabrook Carole A. , White Peggy , Carryer Jennifer , Sun Winnie , Qian Gan , Bai Yu Qing (Chris) , Li Mingyang 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACTBackgroundThere are gaps in knowledge about the extent to which home care nurses’ practice is based on best evidence and whether evidence‐based practice impacts patient outcomes.AimThe purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between evidence‐based practice and client pain, dyspnea, falls, and pressure ulcer outcomes in the home care setting. Evidence‐based practice was defined as nursing interventions based on best practice guidelines.MethodsThe Nursing Role Effectiveness model was used to guide the selection of variables for investigation. Data were collected from administrative records on percent of visits made by Registered Nurses (RN), total number of nursing visits, and consistency of visits by principal nurse. Charts audits were used to collect data on nursing interventions and client outcomes. The sample consisted of 338 nurses from 13 home care offices and 939 de‐identified client charts. Hierarchical generalized linear regression approaches were constructed to explore which variables explain variation in client outcomes.ResultsThe study found documentation of nursing interventions based on best practice guidelines was positively associated with improvement in dyspnea, pain, falls, and pressure ulcer outcomes. Percent of visits made by an RN and consistency of visits by a principal nurse were not found to be associated with improved client outcomes, but the total number of nursing visits was.Linking Evidence to ActionImplementation of best practice is associated with improved client outcomes in the home care setting. Future research needs to explore ways to more effectively foster the documentation of evidence‐based practice interventions.
Modular Multibody Formulation for Simulating Off-Road Tracked Vehicles
Authors: Omar Mohamed A 
Published: August 2014

This paper presents a formulation and procedure for incorporating the multibody dynamics analysis capability of tracked vehicles in large-scale multibody system. The proposed self-contained modular approach could be interfaced to any exiting multibody simulation code without need to alter the existing solver architecture. Each track is modeled as a super-component that can be treated separate from the main system. The super-component can be efficiently used in parallel processing environment to reduce the simulation time. In the super-component, each track-link is modeled as separate body with full 6 degrees of freedom (DoF). To improve the solution stability and efficiency, the joints between track links are modeled as complaint connection. The spatial algebra operator is used to express the motion quantities and develop the link’s nonlinear kinematic and dynamic equations of motion. The super-component interacts with the main system through contact forces between the track links and the driving sprocket, the support rollers and the idlers using self-contained force modules. Also, the super-component models the interaction with the terrain through force module that is flexible to include different track-soil models, different terrain geometries, and different soil properties. The interaction forces are expressed in the Cartesian system, applied to the link’s equation of motion and the corresponding bodies in the main system. For sake of completeness, this paper presents dynamic equations of motion of the links as well as the main system formulated using joint coordinates approach.
Nonhomologous Recombination between Defective Poliovirus and Coxsackievirus Genomes Suggests a New Model of Genetic Plasticity for Picornaviruses
Authors: Holmblat Barbara , Jégouic Sophie , Muslin Claire , Blondel Bruno , Joffret Marie-Line , Delpeyroux Francis 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACT
Most of the circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs) implicated in poliomyelitis outbreaks in Madagascar have been shown to be recombinants between the type 2 poliovirus (PV) strain of the oral polio vaccine (Sabin 2) and another species C human enterovirus (HEV-C), such as type 17 coxsackie A virus (CA17) in particular. We studied intertypic genetic exchanges between PV and non-PV HEV-C by developing a recombination model, making it possible to rescue defective type 2 PV RNA genomes with a short deletion at the 3′ end by the cotransfection of cells with defective or infectious CA17 RNAs. We isolated over 200 different PV/CA17 recombinants, using murine cells expressing the human PV receptor (PVR) and selecting viruses with PV capsids. We found some homologous (H) recombinants and, mostly, nonhomologous (NH) recombinants presenting duplications of parental sequences preferentially located in the regions encoding proteins 2A, 2B, and 3A. Short duplications appeared to be stable, whereas longer duplications were excised during passaging in cultured cells or after multiplication in PVR-transgenic mice, generating H recombinants with diverse sites of recombination. This suggests that NH recombination events may be a transient, intermediate step in the generation and selection of the fittest H recombinants. In addition to the classical copy-choice mechanism of recombination thought to generate mostly H recombinants, there may also be a modular mechanism of recombination, involving NH recombinant precursors, shaping the genomes of recombinant enteroviruses and other picornaviruses.

IMPORTANCE
The multiplication of circulating vaccine-derived polioviruses (cVDPVs) in poorly immunized human populations can render these viruses pathogenic, causing poliomyelitis outbreaks. Most cVDPVs are intertypic recombinants between a poliovirus (PV) strain and another human enterovirus, such as type 17 coxsackie A viruses (CA17). For further studies of the genetic exchanges between PV and CA17, we have developed a model of recombination, making it possible to rescue defective PV RNA genomes with a short deletion by cotransfecting cells with the defective PV genome and CA17 genomic RNA. Numerous recombinants were found, including homologous PV/CA17 recombinants, but mostly nonhomologous recombinants presenting duplications of parental sequences preferentially located in particular regions. Long duplications were excised by passages in cultured cells or in mice, generating diverse homologous recombinants. Recombination leading to nonhomologous recombinants, which evolve into homologous recombinants, may therefore be seen as a model of genetic plasticity in enteroviruses and, possibly, in other RNA viruses.
Relaxed Selection Drives a Noisy Noncoding Transcriptome in Members of the Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex
Authors: Dinan Adam M. , Tong Pin , Lohan Amanda J. , Conlon Kevin M. , Miranda-CasoLuengo Aleksandra A. , Malone Kerri M. , Gordon Stephen V. , Loftus Brendan J. 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACT

Related species are often used to understand the molecular underpinning of virulence through examination of a shared set of biological features attributable to a core genome of orthologous genes. An important but insufficiently studied issue, however, is the extent to which the regulatory architectures are similarly conserved. A small number of studies have compared the primary transcriptomes of different bacterial species, but few have compared closely related species with clearly divergent evolutionary histories. We addressed the impact of differing modes of evolution within the genus
Mycobacterium
through comparison of the primary transcriptome of
M. marinum
with that of a closely related lineage,
M. bovis
. Both are thought to have evolved from an ancestral generalist species, with
M. bovis
and other members of the
M. tuberculosis
complex having subsequently undergone downsizing of their genomes during the transition to obligate pathogenicity.
M. marinum
, in contrast, has retained a large genome, appropriate for an environmental organism, and is a broad-host-range pathogen. We also examined changes over a shorter evolutionary time period through comparison of the primary transcriptome of
M. bovis
with that of another member of the
M. tuberculosis
complex (
M. tuberculosis
) which possesses an almost identical genome but maintains a distinct host preference.

IMPORTANCE
Our comparison of the transcriptional start site (TSS) maps of
M. marinum
and
M. bovis
uncovers a pillar of conserved promoters, noncoding RNA (NCRNA), and a genome-wide signal in the −35 promoter regions of both species. We identify evolutionarily conserved transcriptional attenuation and highlight its potential contribution to multidrug resistance mediated through the transcriptional regulator
whiB7
. We show that a species population history is reflected in its transcriptome and posit relaxed selection as the main driver of an abundance of canonical −10 promoter sites in
M. bovis
relative to
M. marinum
. It appears that transcriptome composition in mycobacteria is driven primarily by the availability of such sites and that their frequencies diverge significantly across the mycobacterial clade. Finally, through comparison of
M. bovis
and
M. tuberculosis
, we illustrate that single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-driven promoter differences likely underpin many of the transcriptional differences between
M. tuberculosis
complex lineages.
Novel Entries in a Fungal Biofilm Matrix Encyclopedia
Authors: Zarnowski Robert , Westler William M. , Lacmbouh Ghislain Ade , Marita Jane M. , Bothe Jameson R. , Bernhardt Jörg , Lounes-Hadj Sahraoui Anissa , Fontaine Joël , Sanchez Hiram , Hatfield Ronald D. , Ntambi James M. , Nett Jeniel E. , Mitchell Aaron P. , Andes David R. 
Published: August 2014

ABSTRACT

Virulence of
Candida
is linked with its ability to form biofilms. Once established, biofilm infections are nearly impossible to eradicate. Biofilm cells live immersed in a self-produced matrix, a blend of extracellular biopolymers, many of which are uncharacterized. In this study, we provide a comprehensive analysis of the matrix manufactured by
Candida albicans
both
in vitro
and in a clinical niche animal model. We further explore the function of matrix components, including the impact on drug resistance. We uncovered components from each of the macromolecular classes (55% protein, 25% carbohydrate, 15% lipid, and 5% nucleic acid) in the
C. albicans
biofilm matrix. Three individual polysaccharides were identified and were suggested to interact physically. Surprisingly, a previously identified polysaccharide of functional importance, β-1,3-glucan, comprised only a small portion of the total matrix carbohydrate. Newly described, more abundant polysaccharides included α-1,2 branched α-1,6-mannans (87%) associated with unbranched β-1,6-glucans (13%) in an apparent mannan-glucan complex (MGCx). Functional matrix proteomic analysis revealed 458 distinct activities. The matrix lipids consisted of neutral glycerolipids (89.1%), polar glycerolipids (10.4%), and sphingolipids (0.5%). Examination of matrix nucleic acid identified DNA, primarily noncoding sequences. Several of the
in vitro
matrix components, including proteins and each of the polysaccharides, were also present in the matrix of a clinically relevant
in vivo
biofilm. Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis demonstrated interaction of aggregate matrix with the antifungal fluconazole, consistent with a role in drug impedance and contribution of multiple matrix components.

IMPORTANCE
This report is the first to decipher the complex and unique macromolecular composition of the
Candida
biofilm matrix, demonstrate the clinical relevance of matrix components, and show that multiple matrix components are needed for protection from antifungal drugs. The availability of these biochemical analyses provides a unique resource for further functional investigation of the biofilm matrix, a defining trait of this lifestyle.
Association between red cell distribution width and acute pancreatitis: a cross-sectional study
Authors: Yao Jinmei , Lv Guocai 
Published: August 2014

ObjectiveWe investigated whether red cell distribution width (RDW) was associated with mortality in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP).DesignA cross-sectional study.SettingPatients with AP were recruited in the emergency department and healthy individuals were recruited in healthcare centre in the First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang University.ParticipantsA total of 106 patients with AP and 204 healthy individuals were enrolled.Primary and secondary outcome measuresHaematology and biochemistry results of the first test after admission were collected. The significance of the differences in RDW values among healthy individuals, non-survivors of patients with AP, and survivors of patients with AP was determined using one-way analysis of variance. Patients with AP were divided into three groups according to RDW tertiles. All patients with AP were followed up for at least 3 months. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and Kaplan-Meier analysis were used to evaluate RDW values to predict mortality of patients with AP.ResultsThe RDW values were non-survivors of patients with AP>healthy individuals>survivors of patients with AP. Patients with AP with the highest RDW tertiles had the lowest levels of Ca, total protein, albumin, haemoglobin, white and red blood cell count, but the highest mortality. The area under the ROC curve of RDW was 0.846 (95% CI 0.727 to 0.964, p<0.001). With a cut-off value of 14.2 for RDW, sensitivity and specificity of RDW to predict mortality were 75.0% and 89.8%, and Kaplan-Meier analysis showed an increase in probability of death with high RDW values.ConclusionsThere is significant association between RDW and mortality of patients with AP.