bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of music on depression in older people: a randomised controlled trial
Authors: Chan Moon Fai , Wong Zi Yang , Onishi Hideaki , Thayala Naidu Vellasamy 
Published: October 2011

Aim.  To determine the effect of music on depression levels in older adults.Background.  Depression is a common psychiatric disorder in older adults, and its impacts on this group of people, along with its conventional treatment, merit our attention. Conventional pharmacological methods might result in dependence and impairment in psychomotor and cognitive functioning. Listening to music, which is a non‐pharmacological method, might reduce depression.Design.  A randomised controlled study.Method.  The study was conducted from July 2009–June 2010 at participants’ home in Singapore. In total, 50 older adults (24 using music and 26 control) completed the study after being recruited. Participants listened to their choice of music for 30 minutes per week for eight weeks.Outcome measures.  Depression scores were collected once a week for eight weeks.Results.  Depression levels reduced weekly in the music group, indicating a cumulative dose effect, and a statistically significant reduction in depression levels was found over time in the music group compared with non‐music group.Conclusions.  Listening to music can help older people to reduce their depression level.Relevance to clinical practice.  Music is a non‐invasive, simple and inexpensive therapeutic method of improving life quality in community‐dwelling older people.
Differential proteolysis of sigma regulators controls cell‐surface signalling in Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Authors: Draper Richard C. , Martin Lois W. , Beare Paul A. , Lamont Iain L. 
Published: October 2011

SummaryCell‐surface signalling systems are widespread in Gram‐negative bacteria. In these systems gene expression occurs following binding of a ligand, commonly a siderophore, to a receptor protein in the outer membrane. The receptor interacts with a sigma regulator protein that extends from the periplasm into the cytoplasm to control the activity of a cognate sigma factor. The mechanisms of signal transduction in cell‐surface signalling systems have not been determined. Here we investigate signal transduction in the pyoverdine, ferrichrome and desferrioxamine siderophore systems of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. When pyoverdine is present the sigma regulator FpvR undergoes complete proteolysis resulting in activation of two sigma factors PvdS and FpvI and expression of genes for pyoverdine synthesis and uptake. When pyoverdine is absent subfragments of FpvR inhibit PvdS and FpvI. Similarly, subfragments of the sigma regulators FoxR and FiuR are formed in the absence of desferrioxamine and ferrichrome. These are much less abundant when the siderophores are present and downstream gene expression takes place. In all three systems RseP (MucP/YaeL) is required for complete proteolysis of the sigma regulator and sigma factor activity. These findings indicate that regulated proteolysis is a general mechanism for signal transduction in cell‐surface signalling.
Fusobacterium nucleatumadhesin FadA binds vascular endothelial cadherin and alters endothelial integrity
Authors: Fardini Yann , Wang Xiaowei , Témoin Stéphanie , Nithianantham Stanley , Lee David , Shoham Menachem , Han Yiping W. 
Published: October 2011

SummaryFusobacterium nucleatumis a Gram‐negative oral anaerobe, capable of systemic dissemination causing infections and abscesses, often in mixed‐species, at different body sites. We have shown previously thatF. nucleatumadheres to and invades host epithelial and endothelial cells via a novel FadA adhesin. In this study, vascular endothelial (VE)‐cadherin, a member of the cadherin family and a cell–cell junction molecule, was identified as the endothelial receptor for FadA, required forF. nucleatumbinding to the cells. FadA colocalized with VE‐cadherin on endothelial cells, causing relocation of VE‐cadherin away from the cell–cell junctions. As a result, the endothelial permeability was increased, allowing the bacteria to cross the endothelium through loosened junctions. This crossing mechanism may explain why the organism is able to disseminate systemically to colonize in different body sites and even overcome the placental and blood–brain barriers. Co‐incubation ofF. nucleatumandEscherichia colienhanced penetration of the endothelial cells by the latter in the transwell assays, suggestingF. nucleatummay serve as an ‘enabler’ for other microorganisms to spread systemically. This may explain whyF. nucleatumis often found in mixed infections. This study reveals a possible novel dissemination mechanism utilized by pathogens.
The Wolinella succinogenes mcc gene cluster encodes an unconventional respiratory sulphite reduction system
Authors: Kern Melanie , Klotz Martin G. , Simon Jörg 
Published: October 2011

SummaryAssimilatory and dissimilatory sulphite reductions are key reactions in the biogeochemical sulphur cycle and several distinct sirohaem‐containing sulphite reductases have been characterized. Here, we describe that the Epsilonproteobacterium Wolinella succinogenes is able to grow by sulphite respiration (yielding sulphide) with formate as electron donor. Sulphite is reduced by MccA, a prototypical member of an emerging new class of periplasmic cytochrome c sulphite reductases that, phylogenetically, belongs to a multihaem cytochrome c superfamily whose members play crucial roles in the global sulphur and nitrogen cycles. Within this family, MccA represents an unconventional octahaem cytochrome c containing a special haem c group that is bound via two cysteine residues arranged in a unique CX15CH haem c binding motif. The phenotypes of numerous W. succinogenes mutants producing MccA variants underlined the structural importance of this motif. Several open reading frames of the mcc gene cluster were individually inactivated and characterization of the corresponding mutants indicated that the predicted iron‐sulphur protein MccC, the putative quinol dehydrogenase MccD (a member of the NrfD/PsrC family) as well as a peptidyl‐prolyl cis‐trans isomerase, MccB, are essential for sulphite respiration. MccA synthesis in W. succinogenes was found to be induced by sulphite (but not by thiosulphate or sulphide) and repressed in the presence of fumarate or nitrate. Based on the results, a sophisticated model of respiratory sulphite reduction by the Mcc system is presented.
Competition among Hfq‐binding small RNAs in Escherichia coli
Authors: Moon Kyung , Gottesman Susan 
Published: October 2011

SummaryA major class of small bacterial RNAs (sRNAs) regulate translation and mRNA stability by pairing with target mRNAs, dependent upon the RNA chaperone Hfq. Hfq, related to the Lsm/Sm families of splicing proteins, binds the sRNAs and stabilizes them in vivo and stimulates pairing with mRNAs in vitro. Although Hfq is abundant, the sRNAs, when induced, are similarly abundant. Therefore, Hfq may be limiting for sRNA function. We find that, when overexpressed, a number of sRNAs competed with endogenous sRNAs for binding to Hfq. This correlated with lower accumulation of the sRNAs (presumably a reflection of the loss of Hfq binding), and lower activity of the sRNAs in regulating gene expression. Hfq was limiting for both positive and negative regulation by the sRNAs. In addition, deletion of the gene for an expressed and particularly effective competitor sRNA improved the regulation of genes by other sRNAs, suggesting that Hfq is limiting during normal growth conditions. These results support the existence of a hierarchy of sRNA competition for Hfq, modulating the function of some sRNAs.
Genetic diversity of Fusarium oxysporum and related species pathogenic on tomato in Algeria and other Mediterranean countries
Authors: Edel‐Hermann V. , Gautheron N. , Steinberg C. 
Published: October 2011

In order to characterize the pathogen(s) responsible for the outbreak of fusarium diseases in Algeria, 48 Fusarium spp. isolates were collected from diseased tomato in Algeria and compared with 58 isolates of Fusarium oxysporum originating from seven other Mediterranean countries and 24 reference strains. Partial sequences of the translation elongation factor EF‐1α gene enabled identification of 27 isolates as F. oxysporum, 18 as F. commune and three as F. redolens among the Algerian isolates. Pathogenicity tests confirmed that all isolates were pathogenic on tomato, with disease incidence greater at 28°C than at 24°C. All isolates were characterized using intergenic spacer (IGS) DNA typing, vegetative compatibility group (VCG) and PCR detection of the SIX1 (secreted in xylem 1) gene specific to F. oxysporum f. sp. lycopersici (FOL). No DNA polymorphisms were detected in the isolates of F. redolens or F. commune. In contrast, the 27 Algerian isolates of F. oxysporum were shown to comprise nine IGS types and 13 VCGs, including several potentially new VCGs. As none of the isolates was scored as SIX1+, the 27 isolates could be assigned to F. oxysporum f. sp. radicis‐lycopersici (FORL). Isolates from Tunisia were also highly diverse but genetically distinct from the Algerian isolates. Several Tunisian isolates were identified as FOL by a PCR that detected the presence of SIX1. The results show that isolates from European countries were less diverse than those from Tunisia. Given the difference between Algerian populations and populations in other Mediterranean countries, newly emergent pathogenic forms could have evolved from local non‐pathogenic populations in Algeria.
The SCO2 protein disulphide isomerase is required for thylakoid biogenesis and interacts with LCHB1 chlorophyll a/b binding proteins which affects chlorophyll biosynthesis in Arabidopsis seedlings
Authors: Tanz Sandra K. , Kilian Joachim , Johnsson Christoffer , Apel Klaus , Small Ian , Harter Klaus , Wanke Dierk , Pogson Barry , Albrecht Verónica 
Published: October 2011

SummaryThe process of chloroplast biogenesis requires a multitude of pathways and processes to establish chloroplast function. In cotyledons of seedlings, chloroplasts develop either directly from proplastids (also named eoplasts) or, if germinated in the dark, via etioplasts, whereas in leaves chloroplasts derive from proplastids in the apical meristem and are then multiplied by division. The snowy cotyledon 2, sco2, mutations specifically disrupt chloroplast biogenesis in cotyledons. SCO2 encodes a chloroplast‐localized protein disulphide isomerase, hypothesized to be involved in protein folding. Analysis of co‐expressed genes with SCO2 revealed that genes with similar expression patterns encode chloroplast proteins involved in protein translation and in chlorophyll biosynthesis. Indeed, sco2‐1 accumulates increased levels of the chlorophyll precursor, protochlorophyllide, in both dark grown cotyledons and leaves. Yeast two‐hybrid analyses demonstrated that SCO2 directly interacts with the chlorophyll‐binding LHCB1 proteins, being confirmed in planta using bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BIFC). Furthermore, ultrastructural analysis of sco2‐1 chloroplasts revealed that formation and movement of transport vesicles from the inner envelope to the thylakoids is perturbed. SCO2 does not interact with the signal recognition particle proteins SRP54 and FtsY, which were shown to be involved in targeting of LHCB1 to the thylakoids. We hypothesize that SCO2 provides an alternative targeting pathway for light‐harvesting chlorophyll binding (LHCB) proteins to the thylakoids via transport vesicles predominantly in cotyledons, with the signal recognition particle (SRP) pathway predominant in rosette leaves. Therefore, we propose that SCO2 is involved in the integration of LHCB1 proteins into the thylakoids that feeds back on the regulation of the tetrapyrrole biosynthetic pathway and nuclear gene expression.
Impact of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms on clinical outcomes of HLA‐matched sibling hematopoietic stem cell transplantation
Authors: Cho Hyeon Jin , Shin Dong‐Yeop , Kim Jin Hee , Bae Ji‐Yeon , Lee Kyung‐Hun , See Cha Ja , Kim Naeyu , Park Eun Kyung , Ra Eun Kyung , Lee Jong‐Eun , Hong Yun‐Chul , Kim Hyun Kyung , Park Sung Sup , Yoon Sung‐Soo , Lee Dong Soon , Han Kyou‐Sup , Park Myoung Hee , Park Seonyang , Kim Byoung Kook , Kim Inho 
Published: October 2011

Cho HJ, Shin DY, Kim JH, Bae JY, Lee KH, See CJ, Kim N, Park EK, Ra EK, Lee JE, Hong YC, Kim HK, Park SS, Yoon SS, Lee DS, Han KS, Park MH, Park S, Kim BK, Kim I. Impact of vitamin D receptor gene polymorphisms on clinical outcomes of HLA‐matched sibling hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.  Clin Transplant 2011 DOI: 10.1111/j.1399‐0012.2011.01523.x.  © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.Abstract:  We hypothesized that polymorphisms of the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene might affect clinical outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT). Three VDR gene polymorphisms (BsmI G>A, ApaI G>T, and TaqI T>C) were genotyped in 147 patients who underwent HLA‐matched sibling allogeneic HSCT. Frequencies of infection, graft‐vs.‐host disease (GVHD), overall survival (OS), and disease‐free survival (DFS) were compared according to genotypes and haplotypes. Infection and acute GVHD had trends to be less frequent in patients with ApaI TT genotype than non‐TT genotypes (p = 0.061 and p = 0.059, respectively). For TaqI genotypes, there were no statistical differences in frequency of infection and acute GVHD (p = 0.84 and p = 0.30, respectively), but TC genotype was associated with longer OS and DFS than TT genotype (p = 0.022 and p = 0.038, respectively). In the ApaI‐TaqI haplotype analysis, patients with TC haplotype had significantly longer OS and DFS than those without TC haplotype (p = 0.022 and p = 0.038, respectively). In multivariable analysis, TaqI genotype and ApaI‐TaqI haplotype of recipients were independent prognostic factors for both OS and DFS. This study suggests that the genotype and haplotype of VDR in recipient might be associated with clinical outcome of sibling HLA‐matched HSCT.
Is liver‐targeted FOXp3 staining beneficial after living‐donor liver transplantation?
Authors: Eguchi S. , Hidaka M. , Soyama A. , Takatsuki M. , Miyaaki H. , Ichikawa T. , Nakao K. , Kanematsu T. 
Published: October 2011

AbstractAs treatments for acute cellular rejection (ACR) and recurrent hepatitis caused by hepatitis C virus (HCV) are dramatically different, making a precise diagnosis is considered to be essential in patients after liver transplantation. Therefore, we investigated whether immunohistochemical detection of FOXp3, a marker for regulatory T cells (CD4+ CD25+), could be used to differentiate between recurrent hepatitis C and ACR. From a group of 103 cases of living‐donor liver transplantation (LDLT), 48 samples were taken via liver biopsy from 20 patients with HCV infection. An initial diagnosis was made based on hematoxylin and eosin staining, which was scored with the hepatitis activity index (HAI) grading, whereas ARC was scored with the rejection activity index (RAI). The FOXp3 immunohistochemical staining on serial specimens was retrospectively analyzed, scoring from 0 to III. The time after LDLT was a median of 270 (range: 14–2000) days, whereas the median number of biopsies per patient was 3 (range: 1–8). The HAI was significantly different between 0 vs. I, and II vs. III, in terms of the FOXp3 score. On the other hand, a significant difference in the RAI was only found between 0 vs. I. In conclusion, FOXp3 may represent a surrogate marker for recurrent HCV infection after LDLT.
Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia in kidney transplantation
Authors: Goto N. , Oka S. 
Published: October 2011

Abstract:Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PCP) remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in immunocompromised renal transplant recipients. In recent years, PCP outbreaks in renal transplant centers have been reported in many countries. Person‐to‐person transmission between PCP patients and other recipients lacking prophylaxis is one of the possible sources of infection. To prevent infection, effective prophylaxis in susceptible patients is recommended. Trimethoprim‐sulfamethoxazole (TMP‐SMX) is the most effective drug for PCP prophylaxis, but its recommended duration of use after transplantation varies among the different guidelines. The European Renal Association recommends a prophylaxis period of 4 months after transplantation, the American Society of Transplantation (AST) 6–12 months, and the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes guidelines 3–6 months. Lifelong prophylaxis with TMP‐SMX is not recommended in renal transplant recipients; however, in many cases, PCP has occurred after the recommended prophylaxis periods after transplantation. In this minireview, we discuss the risk factors including environmental‐nosocomial exposure; state‐of‐the‐art diagnosis, treatment, prophylaxis and isolation; and references to the AST 2009 guidelines with the aim of integrating our experience with PCP outbreaks into recent reports, and we discuss how renal transplant recipients can be protected from PCP.
The Effect of Transgenesis on Rabbit Thyroid Tissue Structure
Authors: Tvrda E. , Massanyi P. , Lukac N. , Danko J. , Chrenek P. 
Published: October 2011

With 1 figure and 3 tablesSummaryThis study was aimed to compare structures of the thyroid tissue of transgenic rabbits expressing the human clotting factor VIII under the murine whey acidic protein promoter (mWAP–hFVIII rabbits) with the non‐transgenic controls. Thyroid tissue samples were taken from transgenic and non‐transgenic New Zealand White rabbits, examined by optical microscopy and analysed morphometrically. The analysis revealed no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the relative volume of basic thyroid structures. Furthermore, no significant differences (P > 0.05) were observed when measuring the epithelial height and nuclear diameter of the follicular cells. Altogether, this study demonstrates no negative effect of the mWAP–hFVIII transgenesis on the rabbit thyroid gland structure.
Field response of the six‐toothed pine bark beetle, Ips sexdentatus (Col.: Curculionidae, Scolytinae), to pheromonal blend candidates
Authors: Etxebeste I. , Álvarez G. , Pérez G. , Pajares J. A. 
Published: October 2011

AbstractThe identification and description of the chemical signals involved in the aggregation of bark beetles may lead to the development of integrated pest management strategies using synthetic pheromones. Ips sexdentatus Boern. (Col.: Scolytinae) colonizes trees of the Pinus genus across Europe, causing severe damage in occasions. The effect of cis‐verbenol, ipsenol, 2‐methyl‐3‐buten‐2‐ol (MB) and myrtenol in relation to the major pheromonal compound ipsdienol on the aggregation behaviour of I. sexdentatus was studied on four field bioassays. The ternary blend of racemic ipsdienol, cis‐verbenol and racemic ipsenol consistently caught the highest number of bark beetles, resulting in large standardized mean differences (dunbiased > 0.8). The binary blends between ipsdienol and ipsenol, and ipsdienol and cis‐verbenol also improved the performance of ipsdienol, although only ipsenol did it significantly. On the other hand, catches were reduced (dunbiased = −0.96) when MB was released along ipsdienol, although the effect was found to be non‐significant. On a third bioassay, the relative release rates between ipsdienol, ipsenol and cis‐verbenol were studied. Although no differences were found between the ternary blends, a ratio of 1 : 0.25 : 0.5 for ipsdienol, ipsenol and cis‐verbenol, respectively, scored the strongest effect size (dunbiased = 1.17). A fourth bioassay studied the behavioural effects of myrtenol and found no significant modifications to previously established findings. Myrtenol on its own attracted almost no individuals of I. sexdentatus. High numbers of bark beetle predators Thanasimus formicarius L. and Temnochila caerulea Olivier were trapped during the trials. The binary blend between ipsdienol and ipsdienol was shown to catch the highest significant amount of T. formicarius, whereas numbers of T. caerulea caught were highest on the binary blend between cis‐verbenol and ipsdienol. Presented results establish the ternary blend between ipsdienol, ipsenol and cis‐verbenol as a reference functional aggregative lure ready to be used on the management of I. sexdentatus.
Pulmonary adenocarcinoma: A renewed entity in 2011
Authors: KADARA HUMAM , KABBOUT MOHAMED , WISTUBA IGNACIO I. 
Published: October 2011

ABSTRACTLung cancer, of which non‐small‐cell lung cancer comprises the majority, is the leading cause of cancer‐related deaths in the United States and worldwide. Lung adenocarcinomas are a major subtype of non‐small‐cell lung cancers, are increasing in incidence globally in both males and females and in smokers and non‐smokers, and are the cause for almost 50% of deaths attributable to lung cancer. Lung adenocarcinoma is a tumour with complex biology that we have recently started to understand with the advent of various histological, transcriptomic, genomic and proteomic technologies. However, the histological and molecular pathogenesis of this malignancy is still largely unknown. This review will describe advances in the molecular pathology of lung adenocarcinoma with emphasis on genomics and DNA alterations of this disease. Moreover, the review will discuss recognized lung adenocarcinoma preneoplastic lesions and current concepts of the early pathogenesis and progression of the disease. We will also portray the field cancerization phenomenon and lineage‐specific oncogene expression pattern in lung cancer and how both remerging concepts can be exploited to increase our understanding of lung adenocarcinoma pathogenesis for subsequent development of biomarkers for early detection of adenocarcinomas and possibly personalized prevention.
A simple method for characterizing passive and active neuronal properties: application to striatal neurons
Authors: Lepora Nathan F. , Blomeley Craig P. , Hoyland Darren , Bracci Enrico , Overton Paul G. , Gurney Kevin 
Published: October 2011

AbstractThe study of active and passive neuronal dynamics usually relies on a sophisticated array of electrophysiological, staining and pharmacological techniques. We describe here a simple complementary method that recovers many findings of these more complex methods but relies only on a basic patch‐clamp recording approach. Somatic short and long current pulses were applied in vitro to striatal medium spiny (MS) and fast spiking (FS) neurons from juvenile rats. The passive dynamics were quantified by fitting two‐compartment models to the short current pulse data. Lumped conductances for the active dynamics were then found by compensating this fitted passive dynamics within the current–voltage relationship from the long current pulse data. These estimated passive and active properties were consistent with previous more complex estimations of the neuron properties, supporting the approach. Relationships within the MS and FS neuron types were also evident, including a graduation of MS neuron properties consistent with recent findings about D1 and D2 dopamine receptor expression. Application of the method to simulated neuron data supported the hypothesis that it gives reasonable estimates of membrane properties and gross morphology. Therefore detailed information about the biophysics can be gained from this simple approach, which is useful for both classification of neuron type and biophysical modelling. Furthermore, because these methods rely upon no manipulations to the cell other than patch clamping, they are ideally suited to in vivo electrophysiology.