bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Water‐Soluble Extract from Cultured Medium of Ganoderma lucidum (Reishi) Mycelia (Designated as MAK) Ameliorates Murine Colitis Induced by Trinitrobenzene Sulphonic Acid
Authors: Hanaoka R. , Ueno Y. , Tanaka S. , Nagai K. , Onitake T. , Yoshioka K. , Chayama K. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractGanoderma lucidum Karst is well known as ‘Reishi’, a traditional food in China and Japan. It contains a polysaccharide component known to induce granulocyte macrophage colony‐stimulating factor (GM‐CSF) production from murine splenocytes. Moreover, GM‐CSF may be a therapeutic agent for Crohn’s disease. In this study, we investigated the water‐soluble, polysaccharide components of Reishi (designated as MAK) in murine colitis induced by trinitrobenzene sulphonic acid (TNBS). We examined the concentration of GM‐CSF in peritoneal macrophage cells (PMs) of C57BL/6 mice during in vitro and in vivo stimulation with MAK. After feeding with chow or MAK for 2 weeks, 2 mg of TNBS/50% ethanol was administered to each mouse. After 3 days of TNBS treatment, intestinal inflammation was evaluated, and mononuclear cells of the mesenteric lymph nodes (MLNs) and colon were cultured for ELISA. To determine the preventive role of GM‐CSF, the mice were pre‐treated with or without anti‐GM‐CSF antibody before TNBS administration. In vitro and in vivo MAK‐stimulated PMs produced GM‐CSF in a dose‐dependent manner. Intestinal inflammation by TNBS was improved by feeding with MAK. MLNs of mice treated with TNBS produced IFN‐γ, which was inhibited by feeding with MAK. In contrast, MLNs of mice treated with TNBS inhibited GM‐CSF production, which was induced by feeding with MAK. The colon organ culture assay also revealed that IFN‐γ was decreased and GM‐CSF was increased by MAK. The preventive effect was blocked by the neutralization of GM‐CSF. We concluded that the induction of GM‐CSF by MAK may provide the anti‐inflammatory effect.
Bed‐thickness and grain‐size trends in a small‐scale proglacial channel–levée system; the Carboniferous Jejenes Formation, Western Argentina: implications for turbidity current flow processes
Authors: DYKSTRA MASON , KNELLER BEN , MILANA JUAN‐PABLO 
Published: July 2011

AbstractPreserved in Quebrada de las Lajas, near San Juan, Argentina, is an ancient subaqueous proglacial sedimentary succession that includes a small‐scale (ca 50 m thick and ca 200 m wide) channel–levée system with excellent exposure of the channel axis and levée sediments. Coeval deposition of both the channel axis and the levées can be demonstrated clearly by lateral correlation of individual beds. The channel axis consists predominantly of a disorganized, pebble to boulder conglomerate with a poorly sorted matrix. The channel axis varies from 10 to 20 m wide and has a total amalgamated thickness of around 50 m. Beds fine gradationally away from the cobble–boulder conglomerates of the channel axis within a few metres, transitioning to well‐organized pebble to cobble conglomerates and sandstones of the channel margin. Within 60 m outboard of the channel axis in both directions, perpendicular to the trend of the channel axis, the mean grain size of the beds in the levées is silt to fine‐grained sand. Deposits in this channel–levée system are the product of both debris flows (channel axis) and co‐genetic turbidity currents (channel margins and levées). Bed thicknesses in the levées increase for up to 10 to 25 m away from the channel axis, beyond which bed thicknesses decrease with increasing distance. The positions of the bed thickness maxima define the levée crests, and the thinning beds constitute the outer levée slopes. From these relationships it is clear that the levée crest migrated both away from and toward the channel axis, and varied in height above the channel axis from 4 to 5 m (undecompacted), whereas the height of the levée crest relative to the distal levée varied from 4·5 to 10 m, indicating that the channel was at times super‐elevated relative to the distal levée. Bed thickness decay on the outside of the levée crest can be described quite well with a power‐law function (R2 = 0·85), whereas the thickness decay from the levée crest toward the channel axis follows a linear function (R2 = 0·78). Grain‐size changes are quite predictable from the channel margin outward, and follow logarithmic (R2 = 0·77) or power‐law (R2 = 0·72) decay curves, either of which fit the data quite well. This study demonstrates that, in at least this case: (i) levée thickness trends can be directly related to channel‐flow processes; (ii) individual bed thickness changes may control overall levée geometry; and (iii) levée and channel deposits can be coeval.
Arabidopsis RUGOSA2 encodes an mTERF family member required for mitochondrion, chloroplast and leaf development
Authors: Quesada Víctor , Sarmiento‐Mañús Raquel , González‐Bayón Rebeca , Hricová Andrea , Pérez‐Marcos Rubén , Graciá‐Martínez Eva , Medina‐Ruiz Laura , Leyva‐Díaz Eduardo , Ponce María Rosa , Micol José Luis 
Published: July 2011

SummaryLittle is known about the mechanisms that control transcription of the mitochondrial and chloroplastic genomes, and their interplay within plant cells. Here, we describe the positional cloning of the Arabidopsis RUG2 gene, which encodes a protein that is dual‐targeted to mitochondria and chloroplasts, and is homologous with the metazoan mitochondrial transcription termination factors (mTERFs). In the loss‐of‐function rug2 mutants, most organs were pale and showed reduced growth, and the leaves exhibited both green and pale sectors, with the latter containing sparsely packed mesophyll cells. Chloroplast and mitochondrion development were strongly perturbed in the rug2‐1 mutant, particularly in pale leaf sectors, in which chloroplasts were abnormally shaped and reduced in number, thereby impairing photoautotrophic growth. As expected from the pleiotropic phenotypes caused by its loss‐of‐function alleles, the RUG2 gene was ubiquitously expressed. In a microarray analysis of the mitochondrial and chloroplastic genomes, 56 genes were differentially expressed between rug2‐1 and the wild type: most mitochondrial genes were downregulated, whereas the majority of the chloroplastic genes were upregulated. Quantitative RT‐PCR analyses showed that the rug2‐1 mutation specifically increases expression of the RpoTp nuclear gene, which encodes chloroplastic RNA polymerase. Therefore, the RUG2 nuclear gene seems to be crucial for the maintenance of the correct levels of transcripts in the mitochondria and chloroplasts, which is essential for optimized functions of these organelles and proper plant development. Our results highlight the complexity of the functional interaction between these two organelles and the nucleus.
Chitinase III in pomegranate seeds (Punica granatum Linn.): a high‐capacity calcium‐binding protein in amyloplasts
Authors: Yang Haixia , Zhang Tuo , Masuda Taro , Lv Chenyan , Sun Lei , Qu Guiqin , Zhao Guanghua 
Published: July 2011

SummaryChitinases are a class of ubiquitous proteins that are widely distributed in plants. Defense is the major natural role for chitinases, primarily against fungal pathogens. Little is known regarding their non‐defensive roles in seeds. In this study, a new class III chitinase from pomegranate seeds (pomegranate seed chitinase, PSC) was isolated and purified to homogeneity. The native state of PSC is a monomer with a molecular weight of approximately 30 kDa. This chitinase naturally binds calcium ions with high capacity and low affinity, suggesting that PSC is a calcium storage protein. Consistent with this idea, its amino acid sequence (inferred from cDNA) is rich in acidic amino acid residues, especially Asp, similar to reported calcium storage proteins. The presence of calcium considerably improves the stability of the protein but has little effect on its enzymatic activity. Transmission electron microscopy analyses indicate that, similar to phytoferritin, this enzyme is widely distributed in the stroma of amyloplasts of the embryonic cells, suggesting that amyloplasts in seeds could serve as an alternative plastid for calcium storage. Indeed, the transmission electron microscopy results showed that, within the embryonic cells, calcium ions are mainly distributed in the stroma of the amyloplasts, consistent with a role for PSC in calcium storage. Thus, the plant appears to have evolved a new plastid for calcium storage in seeds. During seed germination, the content of this enzyme decreases with time, suggesting that it is involved in the germination process.
The role of context in the processing of alcohol‐relevant cues
Authors: Nees Frauke , Diener Carsten , Smolka Michael N. , Flor Herta 
Published: July 2011

ABSTRACTIn line with learning theories of drug addiction, drug‐related cues may be viewed as important motivators of continued drug use. They may be differentially effective depending on the context and motivational significance. The present study aimed to test the significance of different contexts in modulating alcohol‐related cue reactivity. Pictures depicting alcohol intake or its paraphernalia and pictures without any relation to alcohol intake were varied to depict physical and social contexts or different consumptive contexts associated with full/half‐full/empty alcohol beverage containers. We obtained ratings of craving, valence and arousal of the cues as well as skin conductance responses (SCRs) and startle reflex modulation measures from 21 abstinent alcohol‐dependent patients, recruited from an addiction treatment center, and 21 matched healthy controls. Social scenes and full glasses or bottles were rated as more pleasant and arousing compared with neutral drinking situations and empty glasses or bottles in patients. Furthermore, we found a decreased startle reflex magnitude to social compared with neutral drinking situations, and both higher SCRs and decreased startle reflex magnitude to full compared with empty glasses or bottles in patients versus controls. These results show that both physical and social and consumptive contexts differentially influence cue reactivity in abstinent alcohol‐dependent patients with both social and pub‐related physical contexts, and the initial consumptive context eliciting the most appetitive and arousing responses. These data have not only important implications for our understanding of the role of learning in drug dependence but also for treatment, which needs to take these factors into account.
Hepatobiliary scintigraphy for the assessment of biliary stricture after pediatric living donor liver transplantation for hepaticojejunostomy reconstruction: The value of the excretion rate at 60 min
Authors: Fukuda Akinari , Sakamoto Seisuke , Shigeta Takanobu , Kakiuchi Toshihiko , Matsuno Naoto , Tanaka Hideaki , Kitamura Masayuki , Nosaka Shunsuke , Nakazawa Atsuko , Kasahara Mureo 
Published: July 2011

Fukuda A, Sakamoto S, Shigeta T, Kakiuchi T, Matsuno N, Tanaka H, Kitamura M, Nosaka S, Nakazawa A, Kasahara M. Hepatobiliary scintigraphy for the assessment of biliary stricture after pediatric living donor liver transplantation for hepaticojejunostomy reconstruction: The value of the excretion rate at 60 min. Pediatr Transplantation 2011: 15: 594–600. © 2011 John Wiley & Sons A/S.Abstract:  HBS is performed to determine the presence of biliary stricture after liver transplantation. We focused on the Ex‐60 after an intravenous injection of tracer during HBS. The aim of this study was to review the cutoff values for the diagnosis of biliary stricture by HBS after pediatric LDLT. We analyzed 114 HBS studies using 99mTc‐PMT in 80 cases after pediatric LDLT. HBS was performed three months after LDLT on a routine basis and/or was performed when ultrasonography and blood test findings indicated biliary stricture. A ROC curve analysis was performed to identify the cutoff value for the correlation between Ex‐60 and biliary stricture. The Ex‐60 (mean ± s.d.) in the cases diagnosed as having biliary stricture and in normal subjects were 49.1 ± 20.2% vs. 78.0 ± 9.7% (p < 0.01), respectively. As a result of an ROC curve analysis of the Ex‐60, the recommended cutoff value to diagnose biliary stricture was set at 69.2% (sensitivity 87.0%, specificity 81.8%). In cases where the Ex‐60 by 99mTc‐PMT HBS is <69.2%, it is recommended that further treatment for biliary stricture should be provided.
Is there evidence of optimisation for carbon efficiency in plant proteomes?
Authors: Jankovic B. , Seoighe C. , Alqurashi M. , Gehring C. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractFlowering plants, angiosperms, can be divided into two major clades, monocots and dicots, and while differences in amino acid composition in different species from the two clades have been reported, a systematic analysis of amino acid content and distribution remains outstanding. Here, we show that monocot and dicot proteins have developed distinct amino acid content. In Arabidopsis thaliana and poplar, as in the ancestral moss Physcomitrella patens, the average mass per amino acid appears to be independent of protein length, while in the monocots rice, maize and sorghum, shorter proteins tend to be made of lighter amino acids. An examination of the elemental content of these proteomes reveals that the difference between monocot and dicot proteins can be largely attributed to their different carbon signatures. In monocots, the shorter proteins, which comprise the majority of all proteins, are made of amino acids with less carbon, while the nitrogen content is unchanged in both monocots and dicots. We hypothesise that this signature could be the result of carbon use and energy optimisation in fast‐growing annual Poaceae (grasses).
Escaped introduced sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) infected by Sphaerospora testicularis (Myxozoa) reach maturity in coastal habitats off Canary Islands
Authors: Toledo‐Guedes Kilian , Sanchez‐Jerez Pablo , Mora‐Vidal Jaume , Girard Dominique , Brito Alberto 
Published: July 2011

AbstractAquaculture activities have introduced European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax) along the coasts of some of the Canary Islands. We present the first record of simultaneous male and female gonad maturation of escaped sea bass in the wild, indicating that this species is finding its essential fish habitat (EFH). Individuals with ripe gonads were only caught during January and February 2009, although the maturation and spawning season may last from November to February in the studied area (Tenerife island). Bass infected by Sphaerospora testicularis were found and the incidence of the parasite was checked. This represents the southernmost record of the parasite, probably introduced together with sea bass stock. The results are discussed from the point of view of risk assessment and the ecology of invasions being valuable for aquaculture management in Central North Atlantic and Mediterranean areas.
Marker‐assisted improvement of a stable restorer line, KMR‐3R and its derived hybrid KRH2 for bacterial blight resistance and grain quality
Authors: Hari Yadla , Srinivasarao Kommoju , Viraktamath Basvaraj C. , Hariprasad Arremsetty S. , Laha Gouri S. , Ahmed Mohammed I. , Natarajkumar Podishetty , Ramesha Mugalodi S. , Neeraja Chirravuri N. , Balachandran Sena M. , Rani Nallathigal S. , Balaji Suresh Pippalla , Sujatha Kalidindi , Pandey Manish , Ashok Reddy Gajjala , Madhav Maganti S. , Sundaram Raman M. 
Published: July 2011

With 3 figures and 4 tablesAbstractKMR‐3R is a stable restorer line with medium‐bold grain type and is the male parent of the popular public‐bred Indian rice hybrid, KRH2. As both KMR‐3R and KRH2 are highly susceptible to bacterial blight (BB) and possess undesirable bold‐grain type, we crossed KMR‐3R with a high‐yielding, BB resistant, fine‐grain‐type variety, Improved Samba Mahsuri, possessing the major BB resistant gene, Xa21. The F1s were backcrossed to KMR‐3R, and the BC1F1 plants were subjected to marker‐assisted selection (MAS) for Xa21 and two major fertility restorer genes, Rf3 and Rf4. ‘Triple’ positive BC1F1 plants were selfed and their progeny were subjected to MAS for Xa21 coupled with phenotype‐based visual selection for agromorphological and grain‐quality traits. At BC1F5 generation, three backcross derived lines (BK9, BK49 and BK61) possessing higher yield than KMR‐3R, tall plant stature along with fine‐grain type were identified and crossed with IR598025A, the female parent of KRH2. The hybrids were completely fertile, possessed long‐slender grain type, exhibited resistance to BB and displayed a yield advantage of 24% over KRH2 under BB infection.
Protective Effects of Melatonin against Oxidative Stress in Flow Cytometry‐sorted Buffalo Sperm
Authors: Li XX , Yang XG , Lu YQ , Lu SS , Zhang M , Yao HL , Meng LJ , Lu KH 
Published: July 2011

ContentsPrevious reports of the ability of melatonin to scavenge a variety of toxic oxygen and nitrogen‐based reactants suggest that melatonin could be an effective antioxidant for protecting sperm. In this study, flow cytometry and laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy were used to evaluate the effect of melatonin on buffalo sperm quality to optimize sperm sex‐sorting procedures. In fresh sperm incubated in the presence or absence of melatonin (10−4 m) for 1, 24, 48 h or 72 h at 27°C, the mitochondrial activity was significantly higher than in a non‐melatonin control (p < 0.05). Also, during the flow‐sorting process, sperm in melatonin‐supplemented groups had higher (p < 0.05) mitochondrial activity than the control. The intensity of Raman spectra from sperm frozen in media supplemented with melatonin was significantly weaker than that for non‐melatonin‐treated groups, except for a band at 1302 per cm. Thus, melatonin helps to protect buffalo sperm from reactive oxygen species induced by staining, sorting and freezing and increases semen quality after the freezing–thawing processes. Furthermore, the results indicate the high potential of the laser tweezers Raman spectroscopy technique for rapid, effective and non‐invasive assessment of the quality of sperm cells.
Risk factors for 30‐day readmission in general medical patients admitted from the emergency department: a single centre study
Authors: Shu C‐C. , Lin Y‐F. , Hsu N‐C. , Ko W‐J. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractBackground:  Overcrowding in emergency departments (ED) around the world is an increasingly serious problem with an adverse impact on both patient flow and patient outcomes. A significant contributing factor to ED overcrowding is possibly due to readmission. Risk factors for readmission in patients admitted from ED are rarely studied, particularly in Asian countries where the length of stay is reportedly longer.Methods:  A retrospective study of patients admitted to general medical wards from the ED of a referral centre in northern Taiwan from November 2009 to April 2010 was conducted. The primary outcome was 30‐day hospital readmission and clinical characteristics were analysed for predictors of readmission.Results:  Of the recruited 2698 patients, 451 (16.7%) were readmitted within 30 days after discharge. Age, gender, marital status and the activities of daily living (Barthel's score) were not associated with 30‐day readmission. Higher Charlson score ((score 2–4) hazard ratio (HR): 1.42, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07–1.89; (score >4) HR: 1.93, 95% CI: 1.37–2.73), longer hospital stay ((8–14 days) HR: 1.51, 95% CI: 1.17–1.95; (15–28 days) HR: 1.64, 95% CI: 1.22–2.19; (>28 days) HR: 1.97, 95% CI: 1.43–2.71), and presence of underlying active malignancy (HR: 1.66, 95% CI: 1.27–2.16) and anaemia (HR: 1.26, 95% CI: 1.02–1.55) were independently associated with readmission.Conclusion:  Medical patients admitted from the ED of a referral centre have a 30‐day readmission rate of 16.7%. Post‐discharge care should focus on patients with higher Charlson score, longer hospitalisation, anaemia and underlying active malignancy, which are independent predictive factors for 30‐day readmission.
Prevalence of paraproteinaemia in older Australians
Authors: Suan D. , Hughan M. , Bates S. , Rochtchina E. , Empson M. , Mitchell P. , Fulcher D. A. 
Published: July 2011

AbstractBackground:  Estimates of the prevalence of paraproteinaemia vary, from 1% in persons aged over 25 years to 10% in those aged over 80 years, although there are limited data from well‐defined populations. We sought to determine the prevalence of paraproteinaemia in Australians aged 50 years and over, and to determine risks factors for its presence.Methods:  We performed a population‐based, cross‐sectional study using data and serum collected in the Blue Mountains Eye Study. Serum samples from 2933 patients were analysed by capillary zone electrophoresis and, where indicated, immunosubtraction, which allowed for both quantitation and isotype detection.Results:  A paraprotein was detected in 134 of the 2933 samples, giving an overall prevalence of 4.6% (95% confidence interval, 3.8–5.3%). The presence of a paraprotein was strongly age‐related (Ptrend= 0.001), with a prevalence of 2.8% in persons aged 50–59 years, rising steadily to 9.1% in those aged 80 years and over. The prevalence was significantly higher in men (5.9%) compared with women (4.0%) (P= 0.03).Conclusion:  We conclude that approximately one in 20 Australians aged 50 years or over harbours a paraprotein, a prevalence that appears higher than from similar cohorts in other countries.
Voice hearing: A secondary analysis of talk by people who hear voices
Authors: Jones Malcolm , Coffey Michael 
Published: July 2011

ABSTRACTUnitary explanations of mental illness symptoms appear to be inadequate when faced with everyday experiences of living with these conditions. In particular, the experience of voice hearing is not sufficiently accounted for by biomedical explanations. This paper revisits data collected from a sample of people who hear voices to perform a secondary analysis with the aim of examining the explanatory devices deployed by individuals in their accounts of voice hearing. Secondary analysis is the use of existing data, collected for a previous study, in order to explore a research question distinct from the original inquiry. In this study, we subjected these data to a thematic analysis. People who hear voices make use of standard psychiatric explanations about the experience in their accounts. However, the accounts paint a more complex picture and show that people also impute personal meaning to the experience. This in turn implicates both personal and social identity; that is, how the person is known to themselves and to others. We suggest that this knowledge can inform a more thoughtful engagement with the experiences of voice hearing by mental health nurses.
Risk factors for fractured clavicle in the newborn
Authors: Lurie Samuel , Wand Suzanna , Golan Abraham , Sadan Oscar 
Published: July 2011

AbstractAim:  To disclose potential risk factors for sustaining a fractured clavicle in the newborn.Method:  A retrospective case‐control analysis of women who gave birth to an infant with a fractured clavicle during a four‐year period (2003–2006) was performed. A control group of newborns who did not sustain a fractured clavicle was formed (2:1) matched for maternal age, parity and gestational age at delivery.Results:  The rate of fractured clavicle was 0.35%. Heavier newborns' birth weight (3632.9 ± 376.1 g vs 3429.5 ± 513.0 g, P < 0.05) and the use of oxytocin (91.3% vs 69.5%, P < 0.05) were associated with the occurrence of fractured clavicle during birth. Fractured clavicle was not well correlated with maternal height, maternal pregestational body mass index, maternal body mass index at delivery, maternal weight gain during pregnancy, induction of labor, duration of the second stage of labor, instrumental delivery or newborn birth weight of more than 4000 g.Conclusion:  We could not identify significant risk factors that could be dealt with in order to avoid a fractured clavicle being sustained during birth. Most fractured clavicles occur in normal newborns following normal labor and delivery.