bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Alteration of gene expression profile in maize infected with a double‐stranded RNA fijivirus associated with symptom development
Authors: JIA MENG‐AO , LI YONGQIANG , LEI LEI , DI DIANPING , MIAO HONGQIN , FAN ZAIFENG 
Published: September 2011

SUMMARYMaize rough dwarf disease caused by Rice black‐streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV) is a major viral disease in China. It has been suggested that the viral infection of plants might cause distinct disease symptoms through the inhibition or activation of host gene transcription. We scanned the gene expression profile of RBSDV‐infected maize through oligomer‐based microarrays to reveal possible expression changes associated with symptom development. Our results demonstrate that various resistance‐related maize genes and cell wall‐ and development‐related genes, such as those for cellulose synthesis, are among the genes whose expression is dramatically altered. These results could aid in research into new strategies to protect cereal crops against viruses, and reveal the molecular mechanisms of development of specific symptoms in rough dwarf‐related diseases.
Medical comorbidity associated with psoriasis in adults: a population-based study
Authors: Yang Y-W. , Keller J.J. , Lin H-C. 
Published: September 2011

Summary
Background Most publications to date on comorbidities associated with psoriasis have focused on cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Few comprehensive investigations of medical comorbidities in a cohort of patients with psoriasis appear in the literature.
Objectives To examine the prevalence of comorbidities in adult patients with psoriasis, including a comparison of comorbid prevalence vs. that in controls without psoriasis, in a nationally representative dataset in Taiwan.
Methods There were 1685 adult patients with psoriasis in the study group and 5055 randomly selected subjects in the comparison group. We used conditional logistic regression analyses to examine the risk of 29 comorbidities for these two groups after adjusting for monthly income, geographical region of residence and the level of urbanization of each patient’s community of residence.
Results After adjusting for several potential confounders, patients with psoriasis had higher odds of comorbid congestive heart failure [odds ratio (OR) 1·63], ischaemic heart disease (OR 1·51), renal failure (OR 1·45), uncomplicated diabetes (OR 1·37), liver diseases (OR 1·34), hepatitis B or C (OR 1·34), complicated diabetes (OR 1·32), hyperlipidaemia (OR 1·28), hypertension (OR 1·24) and peptic ulcer (OR 1·22) than did patients without psoriasis. However, patients with mild psoriasis had higher odds of comorbidity only with uncomplicated diabetes (OR 1·55), asthma (OR 1·30), liver diseases (OR 1·30) and peptic ulcer (OR 1·26) than patients without psoriasis.
Conclusions We conclude that psoriasis is associated with a variety of medical comorbidities including cardiovascular diseases, metabolic diseases, renal failure, liver diseases, viral hepatitis B or C, asthma and peptic ulcers.
Factors predicting therapeutic efficacy of combination treatment with sitagliptin and metformin in type 2 diabetic patients: the COSMETIC study
Authors: Lim Soo , An Jee Hyun , Shin Hayley , Khang Ah Reum , Lee Yenna , Ahn Hwa Young , Yoon Ji Won , Kang Seon Mee , Choi Sung Hee , Cho Young Min , Park Kyong Soo , Jang Hak Chul 
Published: September 2011

SummaryObjective  We assessed the predictive parameters for therapeutic efficacy of initial combination therapy with sitagliptin and metformin in drug‐naïve type 2 diabetic patients.Design, Patients, and Measurements  In this 52‐week treatment study, 150 patients (mean age, 54·9 ± 12·5 years) with type 2 diabetes and HbA1c of 7·0–10% were treated with sitagliptin 100 mg once and metformin 500 mg twice daily. To assess the predictive parameters for therapeutic efficacy, a multivariate regression analysis was performed with baseline fasting glucose, insulin, C‐peptide, and glucagon levels, homoeostasis model assessment‐insulin resistance (HOMA‐IR) and β‐cell function (HOMA‐B), insulinogenic index (IGI, defined as 30–0 min insulin/30–0 min glucose), and area under the curve for glucose, insulin, and C‐peptide obtained after 75‐g oral glucose tolerance test.Results  After 52 weeks, mean HbA1c levels and fasting and postload 2‐h glucose were significantly decreased from 8·7 ± 1·4% to 7·2 ± 1·3%, 9·2 ± 3·0 to 7·2 ± 1·8 mm, and 17·5 ± 5·1 to 10·9 ± 3·6 mm, respectively (P < 0·01). HOMA‐B and IGI increased significantly from 50·3 ± 33·5 to 75·1 ± 32·8 and from 11·3 ± 1·3 to 35·0 ± 6·3 at 52 weeks, respectively (P < 0·01). Multivariate regression analysis indicated that the reduction in HbA1c was significantly associated with high baseline HbA1c, low IGI, and short duration of diabetes after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, blood pressure, triglycerides, creatinine, high‐sensitivity CRP, glucagon, C‐peptide, HOMA‐B, and HOMA‐IR. No severe adverse events were observed.Conclusion  These results suggest that drug‐naïve type 2 diabetic patients with low β‐cell function would benefit the most from early initial combination therapy of sitagliptin and metformin.
Spontaneous remission of idiopathic aldosteronism after long‐term treatment with spironolactone: results from the German Conn’s Registry
Authors: Fischer Evelyn , Beuschlein Felix , Degenhart Christoph , Jung Philip , Bidlingmaier Martin , Reincke Martin 
Published: September 2011

SummaryContext  Primary aldosteronism (PA) is mainly caused by aldosterone‐producing adenoma and idiopathic bilateral adrenal hyperplasia (IHA). Recently, spontaneous resolution of IHA has been described.Objective  We aimed to determine the frequency of spontaneous remission of PA during long‐term treatment with mineralocorticoid receptor (MR) antagonists.Design, setting and patients  Thirty‐seven patients of the Munich PA registry with IHA treated by MR antagonists were investigated. The patients were identified retrospectively by chart review and prospectively assessed by clinical and biochemical means.Main outcome measures  Complete remission of IHA was defined as normal aldosterone to renin ratio (ARR), normal suppression test and normalization of hypokalaemia in the presence of normal blood pressure. Partial remission was defined as normalization of normal ARR, normal suppression test and normalization of hypokalaemia in the presence of persistent hypertension.Results  The mean period of MR antagonist treatment was 5·8 ± 0·7 years in the patients. We identified two of 37 (5·4%) patients with spontaneous remission: one with complete remission and one with partial remission.Conclusion  Remission of IHA in PA may occur in some patients after long‐term mineralocorticoid antagonist treatment.
Hepcidin expression in patients with acute leukaemia
Authors: Cheng Pan‐Pan , Sun Zhen‐Zhen , Jiang Fang , Tang Yue‐Ting , Jiao Xiao‐Yang 
Published: September 2011

Eur J Clin Invest 2012; 42 (5): 517–525AbstractBackground  Hepcidin plays a central role in iron homeostasis, which is regulated by iron stores, the rate of erythropoiesis, inflammation, and hypoxia. Aberrant expression of hepcidin was found in many diseases, however, there is scant information on hepcidin expression in acute leukemia (AL).Materials and methods  32 patients with AL which diagnosis according to FAB criteria were studied. Serum hepcidin levels, erythropoietin (EPO), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), hematological parameters, intracellular and extracellular iron store were evaluated.Results  Hepcidin was elevated significantly with increased iron storage in patients at onset of AL when erythropoiesis was depressed by blast cells, then decreased significantly with AL remission, while soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) concentration was elevated. Negative correlations were found between serum hepcidin and erythropoietic markers including RBC, Hb, Ret and sTfR. Positive correlations were shown between hepcidin and ferritin, between hepcidin and ratio of sideroblasts, as well as between hepcidin and IL‐6.Conclusions  Hepcidin production was regulated by iron stores, inflammation and erythropoietic activity in AL patients. Erythropoietic activity may play the main role among the regulators of hepcidin expresssion.
Size scaling of whole‐body metabolic activity in the noble crayfish (Astacus astacus) estimated from measurements on a single leg
Authors: SIMČIČ TATJANA , PAJK FRANJA , VREZEC AL , BRANCELJ ANTON 
Published: September 2011

Summary1. Use of electron transport system (ETS) activity in a single leg for estimating whole‐body ETS activity was explored in the noble crayfish Astacus astacus. Oxygen consumption and ETS activity of the whole body and of a walking leg were measured in different‐sized animals at 10 °C to compare the size scaling of oxygen consumption, whole‐body ETS activity and the ratio of whole‐body ETS activity to oxygen consumption (ETS/R).2. Electron transport system activity of a leg and the ratio of ETS activity of a whole crayfish to that of a leg were correlated with wet mass of animals. Therefore, metabolic potential in whole noble crayfish can be estimated on the basis of the measured ETS activity in a single leg and crayfish mass. This approach provides a valuable tool for determining metabolic characteristics of crayfish without killing them.3. Mass‐specific oxygen consumption decreased with increasing wet mass, while ETS activity of whole crayfish showed no significant correlation with wet mass. Both oxygen consumption and ETS activity correlated significantly with protein mass.4. The increase in ETS/R with increasing wet mass of the noble crayfish indicates that small organisms exploit a greater proportion of their metabolic potential for standard metabolism than larger ones. This is the first report on ETS/R in crayfish.
Quantifying relationships between land‐use gradients and structural and functional indicators of stream ecological integrity
Authors: CLAPCOTT J. E. , COLLIER K. J. , DEATH R. G. , GOODWIN E. O. , HARDING J. S. , KELLY D. , LEATHWICK J. R. , YOUNG R. G. 
Published: September 2011

Summary1. Modification of natural landscapes and land‐use intensification are global phenomena that can result in a range of differing pressures on lotic ecosystems. We analysed national‐scale databases to quantify the relationship between three land uses (indigenous vegetation, urbanisation and agriculture) and indicators of stream ecological integrity. Boosted regression tree modelling was used to test the response of 14 indicators belonging to four groups – water quality (at 578 sites), benthic invertebrates (at 2666 sites), fish (at 6858 sites) and ecosystem processes (at 156 sites). Our aims were to characterise the ecological response curves of selected functional and structural metrics in relation to three land uses, examine the environmental moderators of these relationships and quantify the relative utility of metrics as indicators of stream ecological integrity.2. The strongest indicators of land‐use effects were nitrate + nitrite, delta‐15 nitrogen value (δ15N) of primary consumers and the Macroinvertebrate Community Index (a biotic index of organic pollution), while the weakest overall indicators were gross primary productivity, benthic invertebrate richness and fish richness. All indicators declined in response to removal of indigenous vegetation and urbanisation, while variable responses to agricultural intensity were observed for some indicators.3. The response curves for several indicators suggested distinct thresholds in response to urbanisation and agriculture, specifically at 10% impervious cover and at 0.1 g m−3 nitrogen concentration, respectively.4. Water quality and ecosystem process indicators were influenced by a combination of temperature, slope and flow variables, whereas for macroinvertebrate indicators, catchment rainfall, segment slope and temperature were significant environmental predictor variables. Downstream variables (e.g. distance to the coast) were significant in explaining residual variation in fish indicators, not surprisingly given the preponderance of diadromous fish species in New Zealand waterways. The inclusion of continuous environmental variables used to develop a stream typology improved model performance more than the inclusion of stream type alone.5. Our results reaffirm the importance of accounting for underlying spatial variation in the environment when quantifying relationships between land use and the ecological integrity of streams. Of distinctive interest, however, were the contrasting and complementary responses of different indicators of stream integrity to land use, suggesting that multiple indicators are required to identify land‐use impact thresholds, develop environmental standards and assign ecological scores for reporting purposes.
Host plant variation plastically impacts different traits of the immune system of a phytophagous insect
Authors: Vogelweith Fanny , Thiéry Denis , Quaglietti Bastien , Moret Yannick , Moreau Jérôme 
Published: September 2011

Summary1. Host plant quality affects herbivorous insect performance and consequently their susceptibility to natural enemies. Recently, it has been hypothesized that the immune function of herbivorous insects can be altered by their host plant, thus generating variation in their susceptibility to entomopathogens. Previous studies testing this hypothesis provided contradictory outcomes, mainly as a result of the differences in methodology such as measuring a single‐immune parameter rather than considering trade‐off‐mediated interactions between immune defence systems of the insect. Here, we hypothesized that plant‐mediated changes in insect immunity could result from the alteration of physiological immune effectors of the herbivore evident as trade‐offs.2. Larvae of an inbred strain of the European grape berry moth Eupoecilia ambiguella were reared on five artificial diets each based on a different grape variety (Chardonnay, Chasselas, Gewurztraminer, Merlot, Riesling) and tested for changes in the baseline concentration of haemocytes, activities of the prophenoloxidase (PPO) system and of antimicrobial peptides of their haemolymph. Immune responsiveness of larvae across diets was also assessed by measuring changes in haemocyte concentration and activity of the PPO system after a bacterial immune challenge.3. We found that variation among diets significantly affected immune defences of larvae. The alteration of the E. ambiguella immune system appears plastic and partly mediated by existing physiological trade‐offs between immune pathways, at least between induced antibacterial defences and the PPO system.4. These results clearly show that host plant quality can affect immune defences and potentially disease resistance of E. ambiguella and that these changes in immunity may also result from intrinsic trade‐offs between immune defence systems in insects.
Interactive effects of nutrient heterogeneity and competition: implications for root foraging theory?
Authors: Mommer Liesje , van Ruijven Jasper , Jansen Corien , van de Steeg Harry M. , de Kroon Hans 
Published: September 2011

Summary1. Plants are known to respond to heterogeneous distribution of nutrients in the soil, and they also respond to the presence of neighbouring roots. However, it is unclear whether plants are able to distinguish between these factors and adjust their root responses accordingly.2. We investigated whether the simultaneous response to nutrient heterogeneity and competition could be predicted from the responses to these factors separately. As a null model, we hypothesized that the responses to nutrients and competition are additive and thus no interactions occur. We performed a short‐term competition experiment in the greenhouse with two floodplain species in homogeneous and heterogeneous conditions. The consequences of different root distributions for nutrient uptake were tested using 15N pulse‐labelling.3. Both species responded to nutrient heterogeneity by investing significantly more roots in the nutrient‐rich patch, and both species showed a significant reduction in root growth in response to competition, albeit that the reduction was much more pronounced for the grass species. For Rumex palustris, the effects of heterogeneity and competition were additive. However, the response to nutrient heterogeneity of Agrostis stolonifera was reversed by competition: instead of proliferating in the nutrient‐rich patch, it significantly increased root investments in the ‘empty’ (nutrient‐poor) patches. As the partitioning of total N was less asymmetric than 15N uptake from the nutrient‐rich patch, it appears that these altered root investments of A. stolonifera in the ‘empty’ patches have also been functional with respect to compensating N uptake.4. Our results suggest that root responses to nutrient distribution in a competitive environment depend on the competitive strength of the neighbouring species. The foraging response of the superior species (R. palustris) was hardly affected, but that of the inferior species (A. stolonifera) was greatly inhibited and even reversed by competition: instead of proliferating in the nutrient‐rich patch, it increased root growth and foraging activity in less favourable patches. Incorporating competitive hierarchy into root foraging studies may help to explain the ambiguous results found in previous studies.
Development and psychometric evaluation of the Treatment Adherence Questionnaire for Patients with Hypertension
Authors: Ma Chunhua , Chen Shaoxian , You Liming , Luo Zhimin , Xing Caixia 
Published: September 2011

ma c., chen s., you l., luo z. & xing c. (2012) Development and psychometric evaluation of the Treatment Adherence Questionnaire for Patients with Hypertension. Journal of Advanced Nursing68(6), 1402–1413.AbstractAim.  This article is a report of the development and psychometric testing of the Treatment Adherence Questionnaire for Patients with Hypertension.Background  Hypertension is the most prevalent health problem among adult patients affecting approximately 200 million people in China and about 1 billion persons worldwide. Adherence to medication and lifestyle for hypertensive patients result in blood pressure control and reduce adverse outcomes. At present, few specific adherence instruments are available to completely evaluate medication and lifestyle for hypertensive patients.Methods.  A multi‐phase psychometric questionnaire development method was used to develop the instrument. The item pool was generated using literature review and focus group. Content validity was evaluated by expert panel. Then, the field testing was conducted by a convenience sampling of 278 hypertensive patients from December 2009 to May 2010 in Guangdong Province of China. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were used to test construct validity. Finally, internal consistency and test–retest reliability were assessed.Results.  The new measure consisted of six dimensions with 28 items, explaining 62·54% of the total variance in the data. Confirmative factor analysis supported a good overall fit of the six‐factor model. Cronbach’s α of the overall questionnaire was 0·86 and 0·82 for test–retest reliability.Conclusions.  The questionnaire was a brief and psychometrically sound instrument to evaluate hypertensive patients’ treatment adherence and to be applied in the research and clinical fields.
Environmental factors determining the phylogenetic structure of C4grass communities
Authors: Visser Vernon , Woodward F. Ian , Freckleton Rob P. , Osborne Colin P. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractAim To determine how the distribution of species richness is associated with environmental factors for the four major C4grass lineages in South Africa, as a means to explore the mechanisms responsible.Location South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland.Methods The geographical distributions of species richness for four major C4grass lineages (Aristidoideae, Chloridoideae, Andropogoneae and Paniceae) were sourced from a recently published flora that divided the study region into different vegetation types. Mean values of potential environmental correlates were calculated for each vegetation type, and the relative importances of these were determined using single‐ and multiple‐predictor generalized linear models, with and without control for spatial autocorrelation. Model selection of the multiple‐predictor generalized linear models was conducted using an Akaike’s information criterion–information theoretic approach. Association with wet, intermediate or dry, shady or open, and disturbed or undisturbed habitats was also determined for each C4grass clade using habitat data for all the grass species, and analysed using chi‐square tests of independence.Results Andropogoneae and Paniceae are most species‐rich in areas of high precipitation and in mesic habitats. Andropogoneae are associated with high fire frequencies. Species richness in Andropogoneae decreases and in Paniceae increases in relation to livestock density. Chloridoideae species richness is relatively constant across South Africa, but is highest where there are infrequent fires, high temperatures and basic soils, and in mesic and disturbed habitats. Aristidoideae are most species‐rich in arid regions and in habitats with high temperatures, and are associated with disturbed habitats.Main conclusions Environmental variables other than precipitation, including temperature, fire frequency and grazing pressure, are strongly associated with the contrasting distributions of species richness for the various C4grass clades in South Africa. Our results suggest that ecological sorting is an important determinant of phylogenetic patterns in the species richness of these C4grass lineages.
Present and past genetic connectivity of the Indo‐Pacific tropical eel Anguilla bicolor
Authors: Minegishi Yuki , Gagnaire Pierre‐Alexandre , Aoyama Jun , Bosc Pierre , Feunteun Eric , Tsukamoto Katsumi , Berrebi Patrick 
Published: September 2011

AbstractAim  The objective of this study was to reveal the present population structure and infer the gene‐flow history of the Indo‐Pacific tropical eel Anguilla bicolor.Location  The Indo‐Pacific region.Methods  The entire mitochondrial control region sequence and the genotypes at six microsatellite loci were analysed for 234 specimens collected from eight representative localities where two subspecies have been historically designated. In order to infer the population structure, genetic differentiation estimates, analysis of molecular variance and gene‐tree reconstruction were performed. The history of migration events and population growth was assessed using neutrality tests based on allelic frequency spectrum, coalescent‐based estimation of gene flow and Bayesian demographic analysis using control region sequences.Results  Population structure analysis showed genetic divergence between eels from the Indian and Pacific oceans (FST = 0.0174–0.0251, P < 0.05 for microsatellites; ΦST = 0.706, P < 0.001 for control region), while no significant variation was observed within each ocean. Two mitochondrial sublineages that do not coincide with geographical regions were found in the Indian Ocean clade of a gene tree. However, these two sublineages were not differentiated at the microsatellite markers. The estimation of mitochondrial gene‐flow history suggested allopatric isolation between the Indian and Pacific oceans, and a possible secondary contact within the Indian Ocean after an initial population splitting. Bayesian demographic history reconstruction and neutrality tests indicated population growth in each ocean after the Indo‐Pacific divergence.Main conclusions  Anguilla bicolor has diverged between the Indian and Pacific oceans, which is consistent with the classical subspecies designation, but is apparently genetically homogeneous in the Indian Ocean. The analysis of gene‐flow and demographic history indicated that the two mitochondrial sublineages observed in the Indian Ocean probably represent the haplotype groups of relict ancestral populations. A comparison with a sympatric congener suggested that absolute physical barriers to gene flow may not be necessary for population divergence in eels.