bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Bphi008a Gene Interacts with the Ethylene Pathway and Transcriptionally Regulates MAPK Genes in the Response of Rice to Brown Planthopper Feeding
Authors: Hu Jing , Zhou Jiangbo , Peng Xinxin , Xu Henghao , Liu Caixiang , Du Bo , Yuan Hongyu , Zhu Lili , He Guangcun 
Published: April 2011

Abstract
We examined ways in which the Brown planthopper induced008a (Bphi008a; AY256682) gene of rice (Oryza sativa) enhances the plant’s resistance to a specialist herbivore, the brown planthopper (BPH; Nilaparvata lugens). Measurement of the expression levels of ethylene synthases and of ethylene emissions showed that BPH feeding rapidly initiated the ethylene signaling pathway and up-regulated Bphi008a transcript levels after 6 to 96 h of feeding. In contrast, blocking ethylene transduction (using 1-methylcyclopropene) reduced Bphi008a transcript levels in wild-type plants fed upon by BPH. In vitro kinase assays showed that Bphi008a can be phosphorylated by rice Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase5 (OsMPK5), and yeast two-hybrid assays demonstrated that the carboxyl-terminal proline-rich region of Bphi008a interacts directly with this kinase. Furthermore, bimolecular fluorescence complementation assays showed that this interaction occurs in the nucleus. Subsequently, we found that Bphi008a up-regulation and down-regulation were accompanied by different changes in transcription levels of OsMPK5, OsMPK12, OsMPK13, and OsMPK17 in transgenic plants. Immunoblot analysis also showed that the OsMPK5 protein level increased in overexpressing plants and decreased in RNA interference plants after BPH feeding. In transgenic lines, changes in the expression levels of several enzymes that are important components of the defenses against the BPH were also observed. Finally, yeast two-hybrid screening results showed that Bphi008a is able to interact with a b-ZIP transcription factor (OsbZIP60) and a RNA polymerase polypeptide (SDRP).
β-Amylase–Like Proteins Function as Transcription Factors in Arabidopsis, Controlling Shoot Growth and Development
Authors: Reinhold Heike , Soyk Sebastian , Šimková Klára , Hostettler Carmen , Marafino John , Mainiero Samantha , Vaughan Cara K. , Monroe Jonathan D. , Zeeman Samuel C. 
Published: April 2011

Abstract
Plants contain β-amylase–like proteins (BAMs; enzymes usually associated with starch breakdown) present in the nucleus rather than targeted to the chloroplast. They possess BRASSINAZOLE RESISTANT1 (BZR1)-type DNA binding domains—also found in transcription factors mediating brassinosteroid (BR) responses. The two Arabidopsis thaliana BZR1-BAM proteins (BAM7 and BAM8) bind a cis-regulatory element that both contains a G box and resembles a BR-responsive element. In protoplast transactivation assays, these BZR1-BAMs activate gene expression. Structural modeling suggests that the BAM domain's glucan binding cleft is intact, but the recombinant proteins are at least 1000 times less active than chloroplastic β-amylases. Deregulation of BZR1-BAMs (the bam7bam8 double mutant and BAM8-overexpressing plants) causes altered leaf growth and development. Of the genes upregulated in plants overexpressing BAM8 and downregulated in bam7bam8 plants, many carry the cis-regulatory element in their promoters. Many genes that respond to BRs are inversely regulated by BZR1-BAMs. We propose a role for BZR1-BAMs in controlling plant growth and development through crosstalk with BR signaling. Furthermore, we speculate that BZR1-BAMs may transmit metabolic signals by binding a ligand in their BAM domain, although diurnal changes in the concentration of maltose, a candidate ligand produced by chloroplastic β-amylases, do not influence their transcription factor function.
Negative Regulation of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Arabidopsis by a miR156-Targeted SPL Transcription Factor
Authors: Gou Jin-Ying , Felippes Felipe F. , Liu Chang-Jun , Weigel Detlef , Wang Jia-Wei 
Published: April 2011

Abstract
Flavonoids are synthesized through an important metabolic pathway that leads to the production of diverse secondary metabolites, including anthocyanins, flavonols, flavones, and proanthocyanidins. Anthocyanins and flavonols are derived from Phe and share common precursors, dihydroflavonols, which are substrates for both flavonol synthase and dihydroflavonol 4-reductase. In the stems of Arabidopsis thaliana, anthocyanins accumulate in an acropetal manner, with the highest level at the junction between rosette and stem. We show here that this accumulation pattern is under the regulation of miR156-targeted SQUAMOSA PROMOTER BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE (SPL) genes, which are deeply conserved and known to have important roles in regulating phase change and flowering. Increased miR156 activity promotes accumulation of anthocyanins, whereas reduced miR156 activity results in high levels of flavonols. We further provide evidence that at least one of the miR156 targets, SPL9, negatively regulates anthocyanin accumulation by directly preventing expression of anthocyanin biosynthetic genes through destabilization of a MYB-bHLH-WD40 transcriptional activation complex. Our results reveal a direct link between the transition to flowering and secondary metabolism and provide a potential target for manipulation of anthocyanin and flavonol content in plants.
Nitrogen and winter cover crop effects on spring and summer nutrient uptake
Authors: Read J. J. , Brink G. E. , McLaughlin M. R. , Sistani K. R. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractOverseeded winter annuals in bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers.] improve annual dry‐matter (DM) yield and capture nutrients in fields receiving manure application. This study determined the DM and nutrient uptake responses of annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum L.), cereal rye (Secale cereale), berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L.) and bermudagrass‐winter fallow to 0, 50, 100 and 150 kg N ha−1 applied approximately 2 months before a single spring harvest, and in addition to swine‐effluent N (258 and 533 kg ha−1 in summer 2000 and 2001, respectively). Under drought conditions in 2000, DM yield at the spring harvest was highest in ryegrass, and summer DM yield of bermudagrass was greater at 100 and 150 kg N ha−1 than 50 kg N ha−1(P < 0·05). The concentration and uptake of N at the spring harvest increased linearly across N rates in both years (P < 0.05). Cover crops differed in N uptake in 2000 (P < 0.01) and values ranged from approximately 141 kg N ha−1 in berseem clover to 86 kg N ha−1 in rye. Per unit of N applied, uptake of N increased by approximately 0·409 kg ha−1 in 2000 and 0·267 kg ha−1 in 2001; uptake of P increased by 0·029 and 0·014 kg ha−1 respectively. In 2000, uptake of P was responsive to N rate and this relationship was significant (P < 0·01) in winter fallow (slope = 0·032) and ryegrass (slope = 0·057). Increased uptake of N and P at the single spring harvest was due mainly to higher concentrations in herbage and not higher DM yield.
Do Nest Light Conditions Affect Rejection of Parasitic Eggs? A Test of the Light Environment Hypothesis
Authors: Honza Marcel , Procházka Petr , Morongová Klára , Čapek Miroslav , Jelínek Václav 
Published: April 2011

AbstractDiscrimination of foreign eggs is one of the most studied aspects of host defences against avian brood parasites. Although many factors affecting host egg‐recognition processes have already been evaluated, only a few attempts have been made to test the importance of light conditions in microhabitats of host nests. Here, we examined whether the objectively measured nest light environment affects great reed warbler (Acrocephalus arundinaceus) responses towards real common cuckoo (Cuculus canorus) eggs. More specifically, we predicted that parasitic eggs will be rejected with a lower frequency from nests placed in darker conditions than those in lighter conditions. However, we found no effect of the ambient light on egg‐rejection behaviour alone, but the photosynthetically active radiation exhibited a positive interactive effect with chromatic contrast between cuckoo and host eggs. Most rejection events were accomplished when cuckoo eggs of poor mimicry were laid in well‐lit nests. Our study suggests that this phenomenon may have important implications for the evolution of egg mimicry and host egg discrimination. We encourage further testing of the light environment hypothesis in other host species breeding in variable nest microhabitats and light conditions.
Botulinum toxin A submucosal injection for refractory non‐neurogenic overactive bladder: Early outcomes
Authors: Okamura Kikuo , Nojiri Yoshikatsu , Ameda Kaname , Namima Takashige , Suzuki Masahito , Inoue Katsumi , Ogawa Takatoshi , Gotoh Momokazu , Homma Yukio 
Published: April 2011

AbstractThe objective of the present study was to assess the short‐term effects of botulinum toxin A (BTX‐A) injection for refractory non‐neurogenic overactive bladder (OAB) in the setting of a prospective multicenter clinical trial. Refractory OAB was defined as persistent urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) ≥once a week despite taking anticholinergic agents, or the incapability to continue the agents because of the adverse effects. A total of 100 U of BTX‐A were reconstituted in 15 mL of normal saline and an aliquot of 0.5 mL was injected at 30 submucosal sites of the bladder wall. Nine men and eight women aged 67 ± 12 years were included. Subjective daytime frequency, urgency and UUI significantly decreased after treatment. On a 3‐day frequency‐volume chart, the daytime and night‐time frequency of UUI significantly decreased from 5.5 and 0.5 pre‐injection to 2.0 and 0.3 postinjection, respectively. Daytime urinary incontinence completely disappeared in six subjects. A urodynamic study showed the disappearance of detrusor overactivity in eight patients and a decrease in five patients. Maximum bladder capacity significantly increased from 179.9 to 267.3 mL. Difficulty on micturition or feeling of incomplete emptying was reported by 23.5% and 43.8% of patients at weeks 2 and 4, respectively. Postvoid residual urine increased to >100 mL in seven patients and >200 mL in one patient after injection; however, none of the patients required clean intermittent catheterization. These findings suggest promising efficacy of BTX‐A in Japanese OAB patients.
Changes in emotional health symptoms in adolescents with specific language impairment
Authors: Wadman Ruth , Botting Nicola , Durkin Kevin , Conti‐Ramsden Gina 
Published: April 2011

AbstractBackground: Adolescents and young adults with specific language impairment (SLI) are at risk of experiencing emotional health symptoms, in particular depression and anxiety disorder. However, there is a dearth of research examining issues of stability versus change in symptomatology across time.Aims: To examine depressive and anxiety symptoms reported by adolescents with and without a history of SLI at 16 years, and a year later.Methods & Procedures: Depressive and anxiety symptoms were examined in 90 adolescents with SLI and in 91 adolescents with typical development (TD) initially at 16 years and again at 17 years.Outcomes & Results: Participants with SLI experienced significantly more depressive and anxiety symptoms than participants with TD at 16 years, and continued to experience significantly more anxiety symptoms at 17 years. Females, regardless of language status (SLI versus TD), were more vulnerable than males. The group with SLI evidenced a significant drop in depressive symptoms over the year. A similar change in anxiety symptoms was not apparent. Regression analyses revealed that for individuals with SLI peer problems at 16 years predicted concurrent depressive symptoms, but behavioural factors did not contribute significantly to depressive symptoms at 17 years. For individuals with typical development, hyperactivity at 16 years predicted depressive symptoms at both 16 and 17 years. Language ability and non‐verbal IQ did not predict depressive symptoms. Adolescents who experienced more bullying at 16 years were more likely to become, or remain, at risk for depression at 17 years.Conclusions & Implications: Anxiety symptoms appear to be a consistent feature of some individuals with SLI in young adulthood whilst depressive symptoms can diminish.
Acquisition of Turkish grammatical morphology by children with developmental disorders
Authors: Acarlar Funda , Johnston Judith R. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractBackground: Many children with specific language impairment, Down syndrome or autism spectrum disorder have difficulty learning grammatical morphology, especially forms associated with the verb phrase. However, except for Hebrew, the evidence thus far has come from Indo‐European languages.Aims: This study investigates the acquisition of grammatical morphology by Turkish‐speaking children with developmental disorders. Syntactic, perceptual and usage features of this non‐Indo‐European language were predicted to lead to patterns of atypical learning that would challenge and broaden current views.Methods & Procedures: Language samples were collected from 30 preschoolers learning Turkish: ten with developmental disorders, ten matched by age and ten by length of utterance. T‐SALT then generated mean length of utterance, the total number of noun errors, the total number of verb errors and the per cent use in obligatory contexts for noun suffixes. Analyses also looked at the potential effects of input frequency on order of acquisition.Outcomes & Results: Turkish children in the MLU‐W control group, aged 3;4, used noun and verb suffixes with virtually no errors. Children in the group with atypical language showed more, and more persistent, morphological errors than either age or language peers, especially on noun suffixes. Children in the ALD and MLU‐W groups were acquiring noun case suffixes in an order that is strongly related to input frequencies.Conclusions & Implications: These findings seem to reflect the influence of salience, regularity and frequency on language learning. Typical child–adult discourse patterns as well as the canonical SOV Turkish word order make verb suffixes perceptually salient, available in working memory and frequently repeated. The findings support the view that the language patterns seen in children with atypical development will differ from one language type to the next. They also suggest that regardless of language or syntactic class, children will have greater difficulty with those features of grammar that have higher cognitive processing costs.
Identifying speech, language and communication needs among children and young people in residential care
Authors: McCool Susan , Stevens Irene C. 
Published: April 2011

AbstractBackground: There are claims that elevated levels of speech, language and communication needs (SLCN) exist among looked‐after children and young people, and that their needs remain largely undetected and unmet. Scarce empirical evidence exists to support these assertions.Aims: To investigate whether elevated levels of communication impairment exist among children and young people in residential care; to begin to explore the nature of any communication impairment indicated, including social and pragmatic difficulties; to consider the extent to which communication impairment may be undetected and unmet; and to consider the suitability of the Children's Communication Checklist 2 (CCC‐2) as a screening tool in this context.Methods & Procedures: In four local authority areas in Scotland residential care workers completed the CCC‐2 on children and young people well known to them, and provided information about previous concerns and/or referrals regarding communication.Outcomes & Results: Results are presented for 30 children and young people ranging in age from 11;01 to 17;01 years (133–205 months, mean = 172.57, SD = 19.97 months). CCC‐2 scores indicated impairment in 19 out of 30 cases. In eight of those 19 cases profiles were suggestive of autistic spectrum disorder (ASD), while for the remaining eleven cases impairment was indicated in other aspects of speech, language or communication. The general trend was towards greater severity of impairment in both ASD and non‐ASD profiles. Information regarding previous concerns and/or referrals was available for ten of the 19 cases whose profiles indicated impairment: in nine out of these ten cases there had been no concerns, and in the final case no referrals had been made despite concerns.Conclusions & Implications: This study indicates the presence of high levels of SLCN among individuals in residential care, much of it severe and pervasive in nature, and in large part unsuspected. The CCC‐2 has the potential for use as a screening tool for this population. There is a compelling case for speech and language therapy services to address issues of awareness and access with regard to this population. This preliminary research supports the need for further investigation on a larger and wider scale.
The phylogeny and limits of Elateridae (Insecta, Coleoptera): is there a common tendency of click beetles to soft‐bodiedness and neoteny?
Authors: Kundrata Robin , Bocak Ladislav 
Published: April 2011

Kundrata, R. & Bocak, L. (2011). The phylogeny and limits of Elateridae (Insecta, Coleoptera): is there a common tendency of click beetles to soft‐bodiedness and neoteny? —Zoologica Scripta, 40, 364–378.Phylogenetic relationships in Elateroidea were investigated using partial 18S and 28S rDNA and rrnl and cox1 mtDNA sequences with special interest in the phylogeny of Elateridae and the position of soft‐bodied lineages Drilidae and Omalisidae that had been classified as families in the cantharoid lineage of Elateroidea until recently. Females in these groups are neotenic and almost completely larviform (Drilidae) or brachypterous (Omalisidae). The newly sequenced individuals of Elateridae, Drilidae, Omalisidae and Eucnemidae were merged with previously published datasets and analysed matrices include either 155 taxa with the complete representation of fragments or 210 taxa when some fragments were missing. The main feature of inferred phylogenetic trees was the monophyly of Phengodidae + Rhagophthalmidae + Omalisidae + Elateridae + Drilidae with Omalisidae regularly occupying a basal node in the group; Drilidae were embedded as a terminal lineage in the elaterid subfamily Agrypninae and soft‐bodied Cebrioninae were a part of Elaterinae. The soft‐bodied males and incompletely metamorphosed females originated at least three times within the wider Elateridae clade. Their atypical morphology has been considered as a result of long evolutionary history and they were given an inappropriately high rank in the previous classifications. The frequent origins of these modifications seem to be connected with modifications of the hormonal regulation of the metamorphosis. The superficial similarity with other soft‐bodied lineages, such as Cantharidae, Lycidae, Lampyridae, Phengodidae and Rhagophthalmidae is supposed to be a result of homoplasious modifications of the ancestral elateroid morphology due to the incomplete metamorphosis. The results of phylogenetic analyses are translated in the formal taxonomic classification. Most Drilidae are placed in Elateridae as a tribe Drilini in Agrypninae, whilst Pseudeuanoma and Euanoma are transferred from Drilidae to Omalisidae. The subfamily Cebrioninae is placed in Elaterinae as tribes Cebrionini and Aplastini. Oxynopterini, Pityobiini and Semiotini are lowered from the subfamily rank to tribes and classified in Denticollinae.
Antecedents of New Director Social Capital
Authors: Johnson Scott , Schnatterly Karen , Bolton Joel F. , Tuggle Chris 
Published: April 2011

abstractPrior research shows that firms benefit from the social capital of their boards of directors but has not explored the antecedents of new director social capital. We argue that firms can attract directors with social capital by offering more compensation. We also argue that more complex firms (firms with a greater scale and scope of operations) are more attractive to such directors because of the greater experience and exposure that such directorships provide. Similarly, we argue that firms with high‐status directors on their current boards will be more attractive to directors with social capital. We analyse the social capital of new outside directors added to boards of semiconductor firms between 1993 and 2007. Surprisingly, we find no support for the hypothesis that higher compensation is associated with adding directors with high status or board ties. However, firm complexity is associated with the ability to add new directors who have social capital, and the status of current board members is associated with the ability to add new directors who also have high status.
WAGE‐RISE CONTRACT AND QUANTITY COMPETITION WITH PROFIT‐MAXIMIZING AND LABOUR‐MANAGED FIRMS
Authors: Ohnishi Kazuhiro 
Published: April 2011

ABSTRACTThis paper examines the behaviours of a profit‐maximizing firm and a labour‐managed profit‐per‐worker‐maximizing firm in a two‐stage quantity‐setting model with a wage‐rise contract as a strategic commitment. The paper then shows that there exists a unique equilibrium that coincides with the Stackelberg solution where the profit‐maximizing firm is the leader and the labour‐managed firm is the follower.
Equity in Poverty Program Evaluations
Authors: Garcia‐Diaz Rocio 
Published: April 2011

AbstractPoverty‐reducing programs often use indicators other than household income to transfer resources to the poor which has important implications in terms of equity of the program. This paper offers a decomposition methodology to analyze the horizontal and vertical equity components of a redistribution policy for subgroups defined according to policy‐relevant characteristics. Our measures are derived by comparing the cost of inequality in terms of equally distributed equivalent poverty gaps in the pre‐transfer income and post‐transfer income distributions. An application to the poverty‐reducing program Oportunidades in Mexico in 2006 reveals that the use of indicator variables more strongly correlated with pre‐transfer incomes in rural households can improve the redistributive effect while it also points out the difficulties of the program in targeting different levels of support among the poor, both within and between groups.
Need, Merit, or Self‐Interest—What Determines the Allocation of Aid?
Authors: Hoeffler Anke , Outram Verity 
Published: April 2011

AbstractPrevious studies of aid allocation have concluded that foreign aid is allocated not only according to development needs but also according to donor self‐interest. We revisit this topic and allow for donor‐ as well as recipient‐specific effects in our analysis. In addition to comments on the statistical significance of our results we assess the relative economic importance of recipient need, merit, and donor self‐interest. Our results indicate that all bilateral donors allocate aid according to their self‐interest and recipient need. However, most bilateral donors seem to place little importance on recipient merit. Less than 1% of the variance of aid is accounted for by merit, ceteris paribus. The UK and Japan are exceptions: they allocate more aid to countries with higher growth, higher democracy scores, and fewer human rights abuses.