bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Volume estimation of the gastric antrum and the gallbladder in patients with non‐ulcer dyspepsia and erosive prepyloric changes, using three‐dimensional ultrasonography
Authors: HAUSKEN T. , THUNE N. , MATRE K. , GILJA O. H. , ØDEGAARD S. , BERSTAD A. 
Published: August 2010

Abstract Background: Two‐dimensional ultrasonography has shown a widened gastric antrum in patients with non‐ulcer dyspepsia (NUD) and erosive prepyloric changes (EPC).Methods: In this study, volumes of gastric antrum and gallbladder were estimated with three‐dimensional (30) ultrasonography before and after ingestion of 500 ml meat soup in 17 NUD with EPC patients and in 18 healthy subjects. A mechanical ultrasound scanner, coupled to a stepping motor, tilted the transducer through an angle of 51° or 88° while recording a total of 95 or 81 images, respectively. Volume estimation was performed digitally after interactive manual contour tracing and organ reconstruction in three dimensions.Results: Antral volumes were larger in NUD patients than in healthy controls (P = 0.001). Fasting gallbladder volumes were similar in the two groups. Postprandial antral filling was more pronounced in patients than in healthy subjects (P = 0.02). whereas gallbladder emptying was more pronounced in healthy subjects than in patients (P = 0.05). The soup induced dyspeptic symptoms in 15 NUD patients, but only had this effect in two healthy subjects (P < 0.001).Conclusion: Patients with NUD and EPC are characterized by abnormal antral filling, reduced gallbladder emptying, and dyspeptic symptoms in response to ingestion of meat soup.
Does in utero exposure to synthetic glucocorticoids influence birthweight, head circumference and birth length? A systematic review of current evidence in humans
Authors: Ali Khan Anokhi , Rodriguez Alina , Kaakinen Marika , Pouta Anneli , Hartikainen Anna‐Liisa , Jarvelin Marjo‐Ritta 
Published: August 2010

SummaryAli Khan A, Rodriguez A, Kaakinen M, Pouta A, Hartikainen A‐L, Jarvelin M‐R. Does in utero exposure to synthetic glucocorticoids influence birthweight, head circumference and birth length? A systematic review of current evidence in humans. Paediatric and Perinatal Epidemiology 2010.Synthetic glucocorticoids are the mainstay treatment for stimulating lung maturation in threatened preterm delivery. Animal studies suggest that in utero exposure to glucocorticoids leads to a reduction in birth size. Smaller birthweight has been associated with higher risk of many chronic diseases. Therefore, the authors undertook a systematic review of human studies examining the association between synthetic glucocorticoid treatment and birth size. Medline, EMBASE, PubMed, Cochrane, Google scholar and Institute of Life Science databases were searched for studies published between 1978 and 2009 investigating the association between synthetic glucocorticoids and birthweight, head circumference, birth length and ponderal index. All studies controlling for gestational age were examined. Seventeen studies were included in the analysis. Nine out of 17 studies reported a reduction in birthweight (range 12–332 g), five of nine a reduction of head circumference (range 0.31–1.02 cm) and two of four a reduction of 0.8 cm in birth length. Despite methodological inconsistencies and limitations that impede clear conclusions, the evidence suggests an association between in utero exposure to synthetic glucocorticoids and reduced birth size.
Membrane localization of a rice calcium‐dependent protein kinase (CDPK) is mediated by myristoylation and palmitoylation
Authors: Martín Mariana L. , Busconi Liliana 
Published: August 2010

SummaryCalcium‐dependent protein kinases (CDPKs), the most abundant serine/threonine kinases in plants, are found in various subcellular localizations, which suggests that this family of kinases may be involved in multiple signal transduction pathways. A complete analysis to try to understand the molecular basis of the presence of CDPKs in various localizations in the cell has not been accomplished yet. It has been suggested that myristoylation may be responsible for membrane association of CDPKs. In this study, we used a rice CDPK, OSCPK2, which has a consensus sequence for myristoylation at the N‐terminus, to address this question. We expressed wild‐type OSCPK2 and various mutants in different heterologous systems to investigate the factors that affect its membrane association. The results show that OSCPK2 is myristoylated and palmitoylated and targeted to the membrane fraction. Both modifications are required, myristoylation being essential for membrane localization and palmitoylation for its full association. The fact that palmitoylation is a reversible modification may provide a mechanism for regulation of the subcellular localization. OSCPK2 is the first CDPK shown to be targeted to membranes by an src homology domain 4 (SH4) located at the N‐terminus of the molecule.
MADS‐box gene evolution beyond flowers: expression in pollen, endosperm, guard cells, roots and trichomes
Authors: Alvarez‐Buylla Elena R. , Liljegren Sarah J. , Pelaz Soraya , Gold Scott E. , Burgeff Caroline , Ditta Gary S. , Vergara‐Silva Francisco , Yanofsky Martin F. 
Published: August 2010

SummaryMADS‐box genes encode transcriptional regulators involved in diverse aspects of plant development. Here we describe the cloning and mRNA spatio‐temporal expression patterns of five new MADS‐box genes from Arabidopsis: AGL16, AGL18, AGL19, AGL27 and AGL31. These genes will probably become important molecular tools for both evolutionary and functional analyses of vegetative structures. We mapped our data and previous expression patterns onto a new MADS‐box phylogeny. These analyses suggest that the evolution of the MADS‐box family has involved a rapid and simultaneous functional diversification in vegetative as well as reproductive structures. The hypothetical ancestral genes had broader expression patterns than more derived ones, which have been co‐opted for putative specialized functions as suggested by their expression patterns. AGL27 and AGL31, which are closely related to the recently described flowering‐time gene FLC (previously AGL25), are expressed in most plant tissues. AGL19 is specifically expressed in the outer layers of the root meristem (lateral root cap and epidermis) and in the central cylinder cells of mature roots. AGL18, which is most similar in sequence to the embryo‐expressed AGL15 gene, is expressed in the endosperm and in developing male and female gametophytes, suggesting a role for AGL18 that is distinct from previously characterized MADS‐box genes. Finally, AGL16 RNA accumulates in leaf guard cells and trichomes. Our new phylogeny reveals seven new monophyletic clades of MADS‐box sequences not specific to flowers, suggesting that complex regulatory networks involving several MADS‐box genes, similar to those that control flower development, underlie development of vegetative structures.
Na+/myo‐inositol symporters and Na+/H+‐antiport in Mesembryanthemum crystallinum
Authors: Chauhan Sanjay , Forsthoefel Nancy , Ran Yingquing , Quigley Francoise , Nelson Donald E. , Bohnert Hans J. 
Published: August 2010

Summary Mitr1 and Mitr2 from Mesembryanthemum crystallinum (common ice plant) are members of a family of genes homologous to H+[or Na+]/myo‐inositol symporters (ITRs), not previously studied in plants. MITR1 complemented an Itr1‐deficient yeast strain. Mitr1 is strongly expressed in roots, moderately in stems, and weakly in leaves. Its transcripts increased in all organs, most dramatically in roots, under salinity stress. Mitr2 constitutes a rare transcript, slightly upregulated by salt stress in leaves only. Mitr1 transcripts are present in all cells in the root tip, but become restricted to phloem‐associated cells in mature roots. Peptide antibodies against the two proteins indicated the presence of MITR1 in all organs and of MITR2 in leaves. Both are located in the tonoplast. MITR1 acts in removing sodium from root vacuoles, correlated with findings of low root sodium, while leaf vacuoles accumulate sodium in the ice plant. Up‐regulation in leaves and stems is also found for Na+/H+‐antiporter (Nhx‐type) transcripts. Under comparable stress conditions, Nhx‐and Itr‐like transcripts in Arabidopsis were regulated differently. In the ice plant, co‐ordinate induction of Na+/H+‐antiporters and Na+/myo‐inositol symporters transfers sodium from vacuoles in root cells into the leaf mesophyll as a halophytic strategy that lowers the osmotic potential. The tissue‐specific differential expression of Itr‐ and Nhx‐type transcripts suggests that the vacuolar sodium/inositol symporters function to reduce sodium amounts in cells of the root and vascular tissue, while sodium/proton antiporters in leaf tissues function to partition sodium into vacuoles for storage.
Misfolding and aggregation of vacuolar glycoproteins in plant cells
Authors: Sparvoli Francesca , Faoro Franco , Daminati M. Gloria , Ceriotti Aldo , Bollini Roberto 
Published: August 2010

SummaryPhaseolin and lectin‐related polypeptides, the abundant oligomeric glycoproteins of bean seeds, are synthesized on the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and then transported to the storage vacuole via the Golgi apparatus. Glycosylation and folding are among the major modifications these proteins undergo in the ER. Although a recurrent role of N‐glycosylation is on protein folding, in previous studies on common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) seeds we demonstrated that the oligosaccharide side‐chains are not required for folding, intracellular transport and activity of storage glycoproteins. We show here that in lima bean (Phaseolus lunatus), incubation of the developing cotyledon with tunicamycin to prevent glycosylation has a dramatic effect on the intracellular transport of the storage glycoproteins. When lacking their glycans, phaseolin and lectin‐related polypeptides misfold and are retained in the ER as mixed aggregates to which the chaperone BiP irreversibly associates. The lumen of the ER becomes enlarged to accommodate the aggregated polypeptides. Intracellular transport of legumin, a naturally unglycosylated storage protein, is mostly unaffected by the inhibitor, indicating that the observed phenomenon specifically occurs on glycoproteins. Furthermore, recombinant lima bean phaseolin synthesized in tobacco protoplasts is also correctly folded and matured in the presence of tunicamycin. To our knowledge, this is the first report that describes in detail the block of intracellular transport of vacuolar glycoproteins in plant cells due to aggregation following glycosylation inhibition.
A pea homologue of human DNA helicase I is localized within the dense fibrillar component of the nucleolus and stimulated by phosphorylation with CK2 and cdc2 protein kinases
Authors: Tuteja Narendra , Beven Alison F. , Shaw Peter J. , Tuteja Renu 
Published: August 2010

SummaryDNA helicases catalyse the transient opening of duplex DNA during nucleic acid transactions. Here we report the isolation of a second nuclear DNA helicase (65 kDa) from Pisum sativum (pea) designated pea DNA helicase 65 (PDH65). The enzyme was immunoaffinity purified using an antihuman DNA helicase I (HDH I) antibody column. The purified PDH65 showed ATP‐ and Mg2+‐dependent DNA and RNA unwinding activities, as well as ssDNA‐dependent ATPase activity. The direction of DNA unwinding was 3′ to 5′ along the bound strand. Antibodies against HDH I recognized the purified PDH65, and immunodepletion with these antibodies removed the DNA and RNA unwinding and ATPase activities from purified preparations of PDH65. The DNA and RNA unwinding activities were upregulated after phosphorylation of PDH65 with CK2 and cdc2 protein kinases. By incorporation of BrUTP into pea root tissue, followed by double immunofluorescence labelling and confocal microscopy, PDH65 was shown to be localized within the dense fibrillar component of pea root nucleoli in the regions around the rDNA transcription sites. These observations suggest that PDH65 may be involved both in rDNA transcription and in the early stages of pre‐rRNA processing.
Ectopic expression of ABI3 gene enhances freezing tolerance in response to abscisic acid and low temperature in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Tamminen Ilkka , Mäkelä Pirjo , Heino Pekka , Palva E. Tapio 
Published: August 2010

SummaryThe plant hormone abscisic acid (ABA) regulates several physiological and developmental processes in plants, including stress adaptation and seed maturation. ABA‐mediated processes appear to be central in plant cold acclimation and expression of cold acclimation‐related genes. Ectopic expression of ABI3 encoding a seed‐specific transcriptional activator confers on Arabidopsis vegetative tissues the ability to accumulate seed‐specific transcripts in response to ABA, and also influences some ABA‐mediated vegetative responses. In the present study we characterized the effect of ectopic expression of ABI3 on cold acclimation and development of freezing tolerance in Arabidopsis. We first determined the effect of ABI3 on ABA‐induced expression of cold acclimation‐related genes. Expression of ABI3 increased the ABA‐induced accumulation of transcripts for several ABA/cold/drought‐responsive genes such as RAB18 and LTI78. Enhanced expression of these genes was evident even after transient application of ABA, and the enhanced expression was correlated with increased freezing tolerance in ABI3 transgenic plants. Ectopic expression of ABI3 also appeared to modulate low temperature‐induced freezing tolerance. The ABI3 transgenic plants acclimated faster than the wild‐type plants, and the maximum tolerance obtained was significantly higher. These data showed that lower levels of ABA were needed to trigger the expression of the genes and to maintain the freezing‐tolerant state in the ABI3 transgenic plants, and indicate that ectopic expression of ABI3 leads to enhanced responsiveness to ABA. The ectopic expression of ABI3 could provide a new strategy for engineering plant stress tolerance.
Technical Advance: A novel technique for the sensitive quantification of acyl CoA esters from plant tissues
Authors: Larson Tony R. , Graham Ian A. 
Published: August 2010

SummaryWe report a novel, highly sensitive and selective method for the extraction and quantification of acyl CoA esters from plant tissues. The method detects acyl CoA esters with acyl chain lengths from C4 to C20 down to concentrations as low as 6 fmol in extracts. Acyl CoA esters from standard solutions or plant extracts were derived to their fluorescent acyl etheno CoA esters in the presence of chloroacetaldehyde, separated by ion‐paired reversed‐phase high‐performance liquid chromatography, and detected fluorometrically. This derivitization procedure circumvents the selectivity problems associated with previously published enzymatic methods, and methods that rely on acyl chain or thiol group modification for acyl CoA ester detection. The formation of acyl etheno CoA esters was verified by mass spectrometry, which was also used to identify unknown peaks from chromatograms of plant extracts. Using this method, we report the composition and concentration of the acyl CoA pool during lipid synthesis in maturing Brassica napus seeds and during storage lipid breakdown in 2‐day‐old Arabidopsis thaliana seedlings. The concentrations measured were in the 3–6 µm range for both tissue types. We also demonstrate the utility of acyl CoA profiling in a transgenic B. napus line that has high levels of lauric acid. To our knowledge, this is the first time that reliable estimates of acyl CoA ester concentrations have been made for higher plants, and the ability to profile these metabolites provides a valuable new tool for the investigation of gene function.
Nicotianamine synthase gene expression differs in barley and rice under Fe‐deficient conditions
Authors: Higuchi Kyoko , Watanabe Shunsuke , Takahashi Michiko , Kawasaki Shinji , Nakanishi Hiromi , Nishizawa Naoko K. , Mori Satoshi 
Published: August 2010

SummaryNicotianamine (NA) is an intermediate in the biosynthetic pathway of the mugineic acid family phytosiderophores (MAs), which are crucial components of the iron acquisition apparatus of graminaceous plants. In non‐graminaceous plants, NA is thought to be an essential chelator for metal cation homeostasis. Thus NA plays a key role in Fe metabolism and homeostasis in all higher plants. Nicotianamine synthase (NAS, EC 2.5.1.43) catalyzes the trimerization of S‐adenosylmethionine to form one molecule of NA. Barley, a plant that is resistant to Fe deficiency, secretes large amounts of MAs, whereas rice, a plant that is susceptible to Fe deficiency, secretes only small amounts. In this study we isolated a genomic fragment containing HvNAS1 from barley and three rice cDNA clones, osnas1, osnas2 and osnas3, from Fe‐deficient rice roots. We also isolated a genomic fragment containing both OsNAS1 and OsNAS2. In contrast to barley, in which Fe deficiency induces the expression of NAS genes only in roots, Fe deficiency in rice induced NAS gene expression in both roots and chlorotic leaves. The amounts of endogenous NA in both the roots and leaves were higher than in barley. We introduced barley genomic DNA fragments containing HvNAS1 with either 9 or 2 kb of the 5′‐flanking region into rice, using Agrobacterium‐mediated transformation. Fe deficiency induced HvNAS1 expression in both roots and leaves of the transgenic rice, as occurs with rice NAS genes. Barley and rice NAS genes are compared in a discussion of alteration of the NAS genes during adaptation to Fe deficiency.
DFL1, an auxin‐responsive GH3 gene homologue, negatively regulates shoot cell elongation and lateral root formation, and positively regulates the light response of hypocotyl length
Authors: Nakazawa Miki , Yabe Naoto , Ichikawa Takanari , Yamamoto Yoshiharu Y. , Yoshizumi Takeshi , Hasunuma Kohji , Matsui Minami 
Published: August 2010

SummaryA novel dominant mutant designated ‘dwarf in light 1’ (dfl1‐D) was isolated from screening around 1200 Arabidopsis activation‐tagged lines. dfl1‐D has a shorter hypocotyl under blue, red and far‐red light, but not in darkness. Inhibition of cell elongation in shoots caused an exaggerated dwarf phenotype in the adult plant. The lateral root growth of dfl1‐D was inhibited without any reduction of primary root length. The genomic DNA adjacent to the right border of T‐DNA was cloned by plasmid rescue. The rescued genomic DNA contained a gene encoding a GH3 homologue. The transcript was highly accumulated in the dfl1‐D. The dfl1‐D phenotype was confirmed by over‐expression of the gene in the wild‐type plant. The dfl1‐D showed resistance to exogenous auxin treatment. Moreover, over‐expression of antisense DFL1 resulted in larger shoots and an increase in the number of lateral roots. These results indicate that the gene product of DFL1 is involved in auxin signal transduction, and inhibits shoot and hypocotyl cell elongation and lateral root cell differentiation in light.
The clinical significance of occult hepatitis B transfusion in Taiwan – a look‐back study
Authors: Su T.‐H. , Chen P.‐J. , Chen T.‐C. , Cheng H.‐R. , Li L. , Lin K.‐S. , Kao J.‐H. , Chen D.‐S. , Liu C.‐J. 
Published: August 2010

Objectives: A look‐back study was conducted to determine the clinical significance of occult hepatitis B virus (HBV) blood transfusion in an HBV hyperendemic area. Aim: To improve the blood transfusion safety. Background: Occult HBV is transmissible through blood transfusion in HBV‐naÏve recipients. However, its impact on recipients with prevalent HBV infection in HBV hyperendemic areas is unclear. Methods/Materials: In 2006, 12 occult HBV blood donors were found from 10 824 repository samples by nucleic acid testing. The 74 corresponding recipients were identified and their pre‐ and post‐transfusion clinical information was gathered, and the living recipients were recalled for follow‐up. From the available archival sera, the HBV DNA was examined and sub‐genomic sequences between paired donor and recipient were compared using polymerase chain reaction‐based assays. Results: Among the 74 recipients, 18 were still alive and 12 returned to our clinic. From the available serological profiles, 76% of recipients had ongoing or recovered HBV infection before transfusion. Only 24 recipients had available post‐transfusion serological profiles and none seroconverted to be hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) positive. Moreover, except for the prior HBsAg carriers, the recipients' HBV DNA levels after transfusion were low (<20 IU/mL). One recipient had identical HBV surface gene sub‐genomic sequence (384 nucleotides) to his donor. After transfusion, no recipient developed post‐transfusion hepatitis (PTH) and the clinical outcome was good. Conclusion: In HBV hyperendemic areas, occult hepatitis B transfusion might not lead to HBsAg carriage or PTH. The risk of transfusion‐transmitted HBV infection was probably lower than that in non‐endemic areas because most recipients had already experienced HBV infection.
The Whole Body
Authors: Ownby Dennis R. 
Published: August 2010

•Both immunologic and non‐immunologic mechanisms can provoke systemic reactions following food ingestion.•Histamine is the only mast cell mediator which has been demonstrated to be elevated in the serum as a result of systemic allergic reactions to food.•In individuals highly sensitive to foods, airborne exposure to food allergens can produce anaphylactic reactions.•Crossreacting allergens present in some foods and in natural rubber latex can lead to systemic reactions following either latex exposure or food ingestion.
Comparison of roflumilast, an oral anti‐inflammatory, with beclomethasone dipropionate in the treatment of persistent asthma
Authors: Bousquet J. , Aubier M. , Sastre J. , Izquierdo J. L. , Adler L. M. , Hofbauer P. , Rost K.‐D. , Harnest U. , Kroemer B. , Albrecht A. , Bredenbröker D. 
Published: August 2010

Background: Roflumilast is an oral, once‐daily phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor with anti‐inflammatory activity in development for the treatment of asthma. Roflumilast was compared with inhaled beclomethasone dipropionate (BDP) in patients with asthma.Methods: In a double blind, double‐dummy, randomized, noninferiority study, 499 patients (forced expiratory volume in 1 s [FEV1] = 50–85% predicted) received roflumilast 500 μg once daily or BDP 200 μg twice daily (400 μg/day) for 12 weeks. Lung function and adverse events were monitored.Results: Roflumilast and BDP significantly improved FEV1by 12% (270 ± 30 ml) and 14% (320 ± 30 ml), respectively (P < 0.0001vsbaseline). Roflumilast and BDP also significantly improved forced vital capacity (FVC) (P < 0.0001vsbaseline). There were no significant differences between roflumilast and BDP with regard to improvement in FEV1and FVC. Roflumilast and BDP showed small improvements in median asthma symptom scores (–0.82 and −1.00, respectively) and reduced rescue medication use (−1.00 and −1.15 median puffs/day, respectively;P < 0.0001vsbaseline). These small differences between roflumilast and BDP were not considered clinically relevant. Both agents were well tolerated.Conclusions: Once daily, oral roflumilast 500 μg was comparable with inhaled twice‐daily BDP (400 μg/day) in improving pulmonary function and asthma symptoms, and reducing rescue medication use in patients with asthma.