bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Phytophthora parasitica RXLR effector Penetration‐Specific Effector 1 favours Arabidopsis thaliana infection by interfering with auxin physiology
Authors: Evangelisti Edouard , Govetto Benjamin , Minet‐Kebdani Naïma , Kuhn Marie‐Line , Attard Agnès , Ponchet Michel , Panabières Franck , Gourgues Mathieu 
Published: April 2013

Summary

Pathogenic oomycetes have evolved RXLR effectors to thwart plant defense mechanisms and invade host tissues. We analysed the function of one of these effectors (Penetration‐Specific Effector 1 (PSE1)) whose transcript is transiently accumulated during penetration of host roots by the oomycete Phytophthora parasitica.

Expression of PSE1 protein in tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum and Nicotiana benthamiana) leaves and in Arabidopsis thaliana plants was used to assess the role of this effector in plant physiology and in interactions with pathogens. A pharmacological approach and marker lines were used to charcterize the A. thaliana phenotypes.

Expression of PSE1 in A. thaliana led to developmental perturbations associated with low concentrations of auxin at the root apex. This modification of auxin content was associated with an altered distribution of the PIN4 and PIN7 auxin efflux carriers. The PSE1 protein facilitated plant infection: it suppressed plant cell death activated by Pseudomonas syringae avirulence gene AvrPto and Phytophthora cryptogea elicitin cryptogein in tobacco and exacerbated disease symptoms upon inoculation of transgenic A. thaliana plantlets with P. parasitica in an auxin‐dependant manner.

We propose that P. parasitica secretes the PSE1 protein during the penetration process to favour the infection by locally modulating the auxin content. These results support the hypothesis that effectors from plant pathogens may act on a limited set of targets, including hormones.
Drought‐induced defoliation and long periods of near‐zero gas exchange play a key role in accentuating metabolic decline of Scots pine
Authors: Poyatos Rafael , Aguadé David , Galiano Lucía , Mencuccini Maurizio , Martínez‐Vilalta Jordi 
Published: April 2013

SummaryDrought‐induced defoliation has recently been associated with the depletion of carbon reserves and increased mortality risk in Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris). We hypothesize that defoliated individuals are more sensitive to drought, implying that potentially higher gas exchange (per unit of leaf area) during wet periods may not compensate for their reduced photosynthetic area.We measured sap flow, needle water potentials and whole‐tree hydraulic conductance to analyse the drought responses of co‐occurring defoliated and nondefoliated Scots pines in northeast Spain during typical (2010) and extreme (2011) drought conditions.Defoliated Scots pines showed higher sap flow per unit leaf area during spring, but were more sensitive to summer drought, relative to nondefoliated pines. This pattern was associated with a steeper decline in soil‐to‐leaf hydraulic conductance with drought and an enhanced sensitivity of canopy conductance to soil water availability. Near‐homeostasis in midday water potentials was observed across years and defoliation classes, with minimum values of −2.5 MPa. Enhanced sensitivity to drought and prolonged periods of near‐zero gas exchange were consistent with low levels of carbohydrate reserves in defoliated trees.Our results support the critical links between defoliation, water and carbon availability, and their key roles in determining tree survival and recovery under drought.
Dysregulation of miR‐31 and miR‐375 expression is associated with clinical outcomes in oral carcinoma
Authors: Siow MY , Karen Ng LP , Vincent Chong VK , Jamaludin M , Abraham MT , Abdul Rahman ZA , Kallarakkal TG , Yang Y‐H , Cheong SC , Zain RB 
Published: April 2013

ObjectivesTo identify differentially expressed miRNA between oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) and non‐cancer (NC) and to associate these with clinico‐pathological parameters.Materials and methodsmiRNA microarray profiling was utilized to obtain the expression profile of miRNAs in four OSCC and four NC samples. The expression of miR‐31 and miR‐375 was further validated in 26 OSCC and three NC samples using real‐time‐PCR. The association between miRNA expression and clinico‐pathological parameters was tested by univariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsMicroarray profiling demonstrated that 15 and four miRNAs were up‐regulated and down‐regulated, respectively, in OSCC as compared with NC. miR‐31 and miR‐375 were validated as up‐ and down‐regulated miRNAs, respectively. In univariate analyses, expression of miR‐31 was significantly elevated in early stage, tumours with no metastatic nodes and those from the buccal mucosa. By contrast, low miR‐375 expression was significantly associated with late stage disease, larger tumour size and the non‐cohesive type of pattern of invasion in OSCC. The association between miR‐31 expression with tumour staging and site and miR‐375 with tumour staging remained significant in multivariate analyses.ConclusionsThis study has identified 19 miRNAs significantly associated with OSCC, and expressions of miR‐31 and miR‐375 were significantly related with clinico‐pathological parameters suggesting they could be important in driving oral tumourigenesis.
Everyday activities for people with dementia in residential aged care: associations with person‐centredness and quality of life
Authors: Edvardsson David , Petersson Lisa , Sjogren Karin , Lindkvist Marie , Sandman Per‐Olof 
Published: April 2013

BackgroundProviding everyday activities is central to high quality residential aged care, but further research is needed on the association between activity participation, person‐centred care and quality of life.Aims and objectivesTo explore the point‐prevalence of participation in everyday activities for residents with dementia within a national sample of Swedish residential aged care units and to explore if residents participating in everyday activities lived in more person‐centred units and/or had higher quality of life as compared to residents not participating in everyday activities.Design and methodsA cross‐sectional design was used to collect valid and reliable questionnaire data on activity participation, unit person‐centredness and quality of life in a sample of residents in residential aged care (n = 1266).ResultsOnly 18% of residents participated in everyday activities such as making coffee, setting or clearing the table, cleaning or watering plants, 62% participated in outdoor walks, 27% participated in parlour games, and 14% and 13% participated in excursions and church visits, respectively. Those residents who had participated in everyday activities lived in more person‐centred units, had significantly higher quality of life and higher cognitive scores as compared to those residents who had not participated in everyday activities.ConclusionsEven though the prevalence of resident participation in everyday activities was low, resident participation was significantly associated with unit person‐centredness and resident quality of life. It seems that everyday activities that are routine and commonplace to residential aged care can be potent nursing interventions for promoting resident quality of life.Implications for practiceThe study indicates that residents can benefit from participation in everyday activities that are commonly occurring in aged care practice. It seems that such everyday tasks and procedures can provide fruitful ways to make person‐centred care happen in clinical practice, and ways to increasingly involve residents with cognitive impairment need to be further developed.
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation: A 2‐Year Follow‐Up Study
Authors: EISEN ALON , NEVZOROV ROMAN , GOLDENBERG GUSTAVO , KUZNITZ HAIM , PORTER AVITAL , GOLOVTZINER GREGORY , STRASBERG BORIS , HAIM MOTI 
Published: April 2013

IntroductionAtrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common arrhythmia in patients with heart failure (HF) and represents an important comorbidity in these patients. Cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) has been shown to be beneficial in patients with HF. Whether patients with AF benefit similarly from CRT as their counterparts in sinus rhythm is controversial.Methods and ResultsWe conducted a cohort analysis of 175 patients (138 men; age range 57–79 years) who underwent CRT implantation during 2004–2008 in our institution. AF was documented in 66 patients (37.7% of patients, 52 men). There were no differences in 1‐ or 2‐year mortality between patients with and without AF (13.6% vs 11.79%, P = 0.7; 25.8% vs 16.9%, P = 0.2, respectively). There were no differences between the groups in the rate of complications after CRT implantation or in the rate of appropriate electrical shocks. In the subgroup of AF patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy defibrillator (CRT‐D) (n = 32, 48.5%), the 1‐year mortality was 3.1% as compared to 23.5% in AF patients with cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker (P = 0.03). This difference was no longer evident after 2 years (25.0% vs 26.5%, P = 0.8, respectively). Ten patients (15.2%) with AF underwent atrioventricular (AV) node ablation. The 2‐year mortality of these patients was 10.0% as compared to 28.6% in AF patients who did not undergo AV‐node ablation (P = 0.4).ConclusionsIn this study, no difference in mortality appears to exist between patients with or without AF and who undergo CRT implantation. Our findings of the beneficial effects of AV‐node ablation and CRT‐D in AF patients deserve further investigation.
New validated recipes for double‐blind placebo‐controlled low‐dose food challenges
Authors: Winberg Anna , Nordström Lisbeth , Strinnholm Åsa , Nylander Annica , Jonsäll Anette , Rönmark Eva , West Christina E. 
Published: April 2013

AbstractDouble‐blind placebo‐controlled food challenges are considered the most reliable method to diagnose or rule out food allergy. Despite this, there are few validated challenge recipes available. The present study aimed to validate new recipes for low‐dose double‐blind placebo‐controlled food challenges in school children, by investigating whether there were any sensory differences between the active materials containing cow's milk, hen's egg, soy, wheat or cod, and the placebo materials. The challenge materials contained the same hypoallergenic amino acid–based product, with or without added food allergens. The test panels consisted of 275 school children, aged 8–10 and 14–15 yr, respectively, from five Swedish schools. Each participant tested at least one recipe. Standardized blinded triangle tests were performed to investigate whether any sensory differences could be detected between the active and placebo materials. In our final recipes, no significant differences could be detected between the active and placebo materials for any challenge food (p > 0.05). These results remained after stratification for age and gender. The taste of challenge materials was acceptable, and no unfavourable side effects related to test materials were observed. In summary, these new validated recipes for low‐dose double‐blinded food challenges contain common allergenic foods in childhood; cow's milk, hen's egg, soy, wheat and cod. All test materials contain the same liquid vehicle, which facilitates preparation and dosing. Our validated recipes increase the range of available recipes, and as they are easily prepared and dosed, they may facilitate the use of double‐blind placebo‐controlled food challenges in daily clinical practice.
High‐resolution multiphoton tomography and fluorescence lifetime imaging of UVB‐induced cellular damage on cultured fibroblasts producing fibres
Authors: Stefania Seidenari , Simona Schianchi , Paola Azzoni , Luisa Benassi , Stefania Borsari , Jennifer Cautela , Chiara Ferrari , Paul French , Stefania Giudice , Karsten Koenig , Cristina Magnoni , Clifford Talbot , Christopher Dunsby 
Published: April 2013

BackgroundMultiphoton tomography (MPT) is suitable to perform both ex vivo and in vivo investigations of living skin and cell cultures with submicron resolution. Fluorescence lifetime imaging (FLIM) generates image contrast between different states of tissue characterized by various fluorescence decay rates. Our purpose was to combine MPT and FLIM to evaluate fibroblasts and collagen fibres produced in vitro.MethodsFibroblast cultures, 2–4 days old, at a subconfluent stage, were evaluated before and after irradiation with a single UVB dose. One month old cultures stimulated with ascorbic acid were also assessed.ResultsAfter UVB radiation, fibroblasts appear irregular in size, lose their alignment and show a decrease in fluorescence lifetime. One month‐old fibroblasts, producing collagen fibres after stimulation with ascorbic acid, appear as small roundish structures intermingled by filaments showing a granular arrangement.ConclusionThe combination of MPT and FLIM may be useful for the in vitro study of cell modifications induced by injurious or protective agents and drugs.
The Human Polygyny Index and its Ecological Correlates: Testing Sexual Selection and Life History Theory at the Cross‐National Level
Authors: Schmitt David P. , Rohde Percy A. 
Published: April 2013

ObjectivesSexual selection theory suggests patterns of covariance among polygynous mating behaviors and ecological variables at the cross‐national level. We quantified national levels of polygyny using the human polygyny index (HPI), a ratio of men's to women's variability in the numbers of sex partners over the past year.MethodsHPI scores were available for 48 nations from the International Sexuality Description Project (Schmitt, 2005), and were used to test three hypotheses: (1) human polygyny should be associated with increased intrasexual competition (e.g., high male‐male aggression and resource competition), (2) human polygyny should be associated with features of natural and intersexual selection (e.g., high pathogen stress and an emphasis on physical attractiveness in mate choice), and (3) human polygyny should be associated with early and more prolific reproduction.ResultsAll three hypotheses received at least partial support.ConclusionsDiscussion focuses on the limitations and implications of the current findings.
Temporal trends and regional variability of 2001–2002 multiwave DENV‐3 epidemic in Havana City: did Hurricane Michelle contribute to its severity?
Authors: Hsieh Ying‐Hen , de Arazoza Hector , Lounes Rachid 
Published: April 2013

AbstractObjectivesTo investigate the temporal and regional variability of the 2001–2002 dengue outbreak in Havana City where 12 889 cases, mostly of DENV‐3 type, were reported over a period of 7 months.MethodsA simple mathematical model, the Richards model, was used to fit the weekly reported dengue case data by municipality, in order to quantify the transmissibility and temporal changes in the epidemic in each municipality via the basic reproduction number R0.ResultsModel fits indicate either a 2‐wave or 3‐wave outbreak in all municipalities. Estimates for R0 varied greatly, from 1.97 (95% CI: 1.94, 2.01), for Arroyo Naranjo, to 61.06 (60.44, 61.68), for Boyeros, most likely due to heterogeneity in community structure, geographical locations and social networking.ConclusionsOur results illustrate the potential impact of climatological events on disease spread, further highlighting the need to be well prepared for potentially worsening disease spread in the aftermath of natural disasters such as hurricanes/typhoons.
Identification ofSalmonellaPathogenicity Island-2 Type III Secretion System Effectors Involved in Intramacrophage Replication of S. enterica Serovar Typhimurium: Implications for Rational Vaccine Design
Authors: Figueira Rita , Watson Kathryn G. , Holden David W. , Helaine Sophie 
Published: April 2013

ABSTRACTSalmonella entericaserovars cause severe diseases in humans, such as gastroenteritis and typhoid fever. The development of systemic disease is dependent on a type III secretion system (T3SS) encoded bySalmonellapathogenicity island-2 (SPI-2). Translocation of effector proteins across theSalmonella-containing vacuole, via the SPI-2 T3SS, enables bacterial replication within host cells, including macrophages. Here, we investigated the contribution of these effectors to intramacrophage replication ofSalmonella entericaserovar Typhimurium using Fluorescence Dilution, a dual-fluorescence tool which allows direct measurement of bacterial replication. Of 32 strains, each carrying single mutations in genes encoding effectors, 10 (lackingsifA,sseJ,sopD2,sseG,sseF,srfH,sseL,spvD,cigR, orsteD) were attenuated in replication in mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages. The replication profiles of strains combining deletions in effector genes were also investigated: a strain lacking the genessseG,sopD2, andsrfHshowed an increased replication defect compared to single-mutation strains and was very similar to SPI-2 T3SS-deficient bacteria with respect to its replication defect. This strain was substantially attenuated in virulencein vivoand yet retained intracellular vacuole integrity and a functional SPI-2 T3SS. Moreover, this strain was capable of SPI-2 T3SS-mediated delivery of a model antigen for major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class I-dependent T-cell activation. This work establishes a basis for the use of a poly-effector mutant strain as an attenuated vaccine carrier for delivery of heterologous antigens directly into the cytoplasm of host cells.IMPORTANCELive attenuated strains ofSalmonella entericaserotype Typhi have generated much interest in the search for improved vaccines against typhoid fever and as vaccine vectors for the delivery of heterologous antigens. A promising vaccine candidate is the ΔaroCΔssaVS. Typhi strain, which owes its attenuation mainly to lack of a type III secretion system (SPI-2 T3SS). The SPI-2 T3SS is important for bacterial proliferation inside macrophages, but not all of the effectors involved in this process have been identified. Here, we show that 10 effectors of the related strainS. Typhimurium contribute to intracellular replication in macrophages. Moreover, we establish that a poly-effector mutant strain ofS. Typhimurium can have a severe replication defect and maintain a functional SPI-2 T3SS, which can be exploited for delivery of heterologous antigens.
In-Depth Analysis of the Interaction of HIV-1 with Cellular microRNA Biogenesis and Effector Mechanisms
Authors: Whisnant Adam W. , Bogerd Hal P. , Flores Omar , Ho Phong , Powers Jason G. , Sharova Natalia , Stevenson Mario , Chen Chin-Ho , Cullen Bryan R. 
Published: April 2013

ABSTRACT

The question of how HIV-1 interfaces with cellular microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis and effector mechanisms has been highly controversial. Here, we first used deep sequencing of small RNAs present in two different infected cell lines (TZM-bl and C8166) and two types of primary human cells (CD4
+
peripheral blood mononuclear cells [PBMCs] and macrophages) to unequivocally demonstrate that HIV-1 does not encode any viral miRNAs. Perhaps surprisingly, we also observed that infection of T cells by HIV-1 has only a modest effect on the expression of cellular miRNAs at early times after infection. Comprehensive analysis of miRNA binding to the HIV-1 genome using the photoactivatable ribonucleoside-induced cross-linking and immunoprecipitation (PAR-CLIP) technique revealed several binding sites for cellular miRNAs, a subset of which were shown to be capable of mediating miRNA-mediated repression of gene expression. However, the main finding from this analysis is that HIV-1 transcripts are largely refractory to miRNA binding, most probably due to extensive viral RNA secondary structure. Together, these data demonstrate that HIV-1 neither encodes viral miRNAs nor strongly influences cellular miRNA expression, at least early after infection, and imply that HIV-1 transcripts have evolved to avoid inhibition by preexisting cellular miRNAs by adopting extensive RNA secondary structures that occlude most potential miRNA binding sites.

IMPORTANCE
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a ubiquitous class of small regulatory RNAs that serve as posttranscriptional regulators of gene expression. Previous work has suggested that HIV-1 might subvert the function of the cellular miRNA machinery by expressing viral miRNAs or by dramatically altering the level of cellular miRNA expression. Using very sensitive approaches, we now demonstrate that neither of these ideas is in fact correct. Moreover, HIV-1 transcripts appear to largely avoid regulation by cellular miRNAs by adopting an extensive RNA secondary structure that occludes the ability of cellular miRNAs to interact with viral mRNAs. Together, these data suggest that HIV-1, rather than seeking to control miRNA function in infected cells, has instead evolved a mechanism to become largely invisible to cellular miRNA effector mechanisms.
The science of human factors: separating fact from fiction
Authors: Russ Alissa L , Fairbanks Rollin J , Karsh Ben-Tzion , Militello Laura G , Saleem Jason J , Wears Robert L 
Published: April 2013

BackgroundInterest in human factors has increased across healthcare communities and institutions as the value of human centred design in healthcare becomes increasingly clear. However, as human factors is becoming more prominent, there is growing evidence of confusion about human factors science, both anecdotally and in scientific literature. Some of the misconceptions about human factors may inadvertently create missed opportunities for healthcare improvement.MethodsThe objective of this article is to describe the scientific discipline of human factors and provide common ground for partnerships between healthcare and human factors communities.ResultsThe primary goal of human factors science is to promote efficiency, safety and effectiveness by improving the design of technologies, processes and work systems. As described in this article, human factors also provides insight on when training is likely (or unlikely) to be effective for improving patient safety. Finally, we outline human factors specialty areas that may be particularly relevant for improving healthcare delivery and provide examples to demonstrate their value.ConclusionsThe human factors concepts presented in this article may foster interdisciplinary collaborations to yield new, sustainable solutions for healthcare quality and patient safety.