bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
RNA interference as a resistance mechanism against crop parasites in Africa: a ‘Trojan horse’ approach
Authors: Runo Steven , Alakonya Amos , Machuka Jesse , Sinha Neelima 
Published: November 2010

AbstractBiological crop pests cause serious economic losses. In Africa, the most prevalent parasites are insect pests, plant pathogenic root‐knot nematodes, viruses and parasitic plants. African smallholder farmers struggle to overcome these parasitic constraints to agricultural production. Crop losses and the host range of these parasites have continued to increase in spite of the use of widely advocated control methods. A sustainable method to overcome biological pests in Africa would be to develop crop germplasm resistant to parasites. This is achievable using either genetic modification (GM) or a non‐GM approach. However, there is a paucity of resistant genes available for introduction. Additionally, the biological processes underpinning host parasite resistance are not sufficiently well understood. The authors review a technology platform for using RNA‐mediated interference (RNAi) as bioengineered resistance to important crop parasites in Africa. To achieve acquired resistance, a host crop is stably transformed with a transgene that encodes a hairpin RNA targeting essential parasitic genes. The RNAi sequence is chosen in such a way that it shares no homology with the host's genes, so it remains ‘inactive’ until parasitism. Upon parasitism, the RNAi sequence enters the parasite and post‐transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) mechanisms are activated, leading to the death of the parasite. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry
Mortality and reproductive effects of ingested spinosad on adult bollworms
Authors: López Juan D , Latheef Mohamed A , Hoffmann Wesley C 
Published: November 2010

AbstractBACKGROUND: Upon emergence from their pupal cells, bollworm, Helicoverpa zea (Boddie), adults actively seek and feed on plant exudates before they disperse and reproduce on suitable host plants. This nocturnal behavior of the bollworm may be exploited as a pest management strategy for suppression of the insect by using an attractant/stimulant mixed with an insecticide to induce feeding to cause adult mortality or reproductive reduction/inhibition. This study aimed to determine in the laboratory whether or not spinosad when mixed with sucrose solution as a feeding stimulant and ingested by bollworm could influence mortality and reproduction of the insect.RESULTS: Sublethal concentrations of spinosad fed to laboratory‐reared females confined with males significantly reduced percentage hatch of eggs at 0.1 mg L−1, and it was reduced to near zero at 2.5 mg L−1 when compared with females fed 2.5 M sucrose solutions only. The lethal concentration (LC99) for males captured from the field in sex‐pheromone‐baited traps was 73 mg L−1 for 24 h response. Proboscis extension response was not inhibited significantly even at 10 g L−1. In spite of a 137‐fold increase in lethal dose concentration, spinosad did not inhibit feeding.CONCLUSION: A detailed study of laboratory‐reared and field‐collected bollworm adults relative to mortality and reproduction after ingestion of spinosad indicates that spinosad would be useful in an attract‐and‐kill strategy to control the insect when mixed with a feeding attractant/stimulant. Field validation of the data is warranted. Published 2010 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Energy band structure and the half‐filling of the intermediate band in the quantum‐dot solar cell
Authors: Hu W. G. , Inoue T. , Kojima O. , Kita T. 
Published: November 2010

AbstractThe net generation balance equation is incorporated into the Poisson equation and the continuty equation to deduce the IB quasi‐Fermi EfIB and filling factor f. The QD state density is not enough high to pin the IB quasi‐Fermi level EfIB at the position of the IB level EIB so that EfIB depends on the QD position and the operation voltage. In the case of the quasi‐uniform absorption (the weak absorption and the same absorption coefficient constants of sub‐bandgap photons), a rough approximation is that EfIB approximately parallels to EIB, and clamps in some equilibrium position. In addition, in the case of the nonuniform absorption, the proper ratio αIC0/αVI0 can effectively enhance the conversion efficiency. (© 2011 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Temporal frequency requirements for tissue velocity imaging of the fetal heart
Authors: Elmstedt N. , Lind B. , Ferm‐Widlund K. , Westgren M. , Brodin L. Å. 
Published: November 2010

AbstractObjectivesThe high velocity and short duration of myocardial motion requires a high sampling rate to obtain adequate temporal resolution; this issue becomes even more important when taking into consideration the high fetal heart rate. In this study we have established optimal sampling requirements for assessing the duration of various cardiac cycle events and myocardial velocities of the fetal heart using color‐coded tissue velocity imaging (TVI).MethodsRecordings from 30 fetuses were acquired at an initial frame rate of 180–273 frames/s. All TVI recordings were performed from an apical four‐chamber view and stored as cineloops of five to 10 consecutive cardiac cycles for subsequent offline analysis using software enabling a reduction in frame rate. Different components of the myocardial velocity curve, obtained from the basal part of the ventricular septum, were measured at the initial frame rate and compared with their equivalents at gradually decreased frame rates.ResultsAs acquisition frame rate was reduced, there was a marked increase in deviation from the initial values, resulting in an underestimation of all systolic and diastolic velocities. For the measured durations, there was a clear tendency to underestimate isovolumetric contraction and relaxation, and a clear tendency to overestimate ventricular ejection and diastolic E‐wave and A‐wave. An acceptable ⩽ 5% deviation from the value obtained at the highest frame rate corresponded to measurements obtained at above 150–200 frames/s.ConclusionsA high sampling rate of at least 200 frames/s is necessary for adequate reconstruction of TVI data for the fetal heart. Frame rates that are too low result in considerable loss of temporal and velocity information. Copyright © 2011 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
HEAT: a New Tool for Gene Set Enrichment Analysis Using Comprehensive Annotation of Human Genes in H-InvDB
Authors: Imanishi Tadashi , Noda Akiko , Sera Miho 
Published: November 2010

AbstractH-InvDB Enrichment Analysis Tool (HEAT) is a new data-mining tool for gene set enrichment analysis based on comprehensive annotations of human genes in H-InvDB. HEAT searches for H-InvDB annotations that are significantly enriched in a user-defined gene set, as compared with the entire H-InvDB representative transcripts. The advantage of HEAT is the wide variety of annotation items used for its analysis: chromosomal bands, InterPro functional domains, Gene Ontology terms, KEGG pathways, H-InvDB gene families/groups, SCOP structural domains, subcellular localization predicted by using the Wolf-PSORT program, tissue-specific gene expression as defined in the H-ANGEL database, and transcription factor binding sites in promoter regions based on JASPAR. HEAT accepts lists of human gene identifiers (IDs) including HUGO gene symbols, accession numbers of INSD (DDBJ/EMBL/GenBank), UniProt accession numbers, Gene IDs, Ensembl Gene IDs, H-InvDB Transcript IDs (HIT) and Locus IDs (HIX), etc. Then, HEAT converts the accepted IDs into HIX using the ID Converter System ("http://biodb.jp/":http://biodb.jp/), collects various annotations of H-InvDB representative transcripts, and conducts statistical tests by using Fisher's exact probability. The output of HEAT is a simple report of annotations commonly found among the query genes, which is very useful to grasp the property of a particular gene set. HEAT is freely available at "http://hinv.jp/HEAT/":http://hinv.jp/HEAT/.
False-Positive Results in the Randomized Controlled Trial of Mammographic Screening from Age 40 (“Age” Trial)
Authors: Johns Louise E. , Moss Sue M. 
Published: November 2010

Abstract
Background: False-positive recall is a recognized disadvantage of mammographic breast screening, and the rate of such recalls may be higher in younger women, potentially limiting the value of screening below age 50.
Methods: Attendance and screening outcome data for 53,884 women in the intervention arm of the U.K. Age trial were analyzed to report observed false-positive recall rates during 13 years of trial fieldwork. The Age trial was a randomized controlled trial of the effect of mammographic screening from age 40 on breast cancer mortality, conducted in 23 National Health Service screening centers between 1991 and 2004. Women randomized to the intervention arm were offered annual invitation to mammography from age 40 or 41 to age 48.
Results: Overall, 7,893 women (14.6% of women the intervention arm and 18.1% of women attending at least one routine screen) experienced one or more false-positive screen during the trial. The rates of false-positive mammography at first and subsequent routine screens were 4.9% and 3.2%, respectively. The cumulative false-positive rate over seven screens was 20.5%. Eighty-nine percent of women who had a false-positive recall at their previous screen attended their next invitation to routine screening.
Conclusions: The rates of false-positive recall in the Age trial were comparable with the national screening program; however, the positive predictive value of referral was lower. Experiencing a false-positive screen did not seem to lessen the likelihood of re-attendance in the trial.
Impact: The question of greatly increased false-positive rates in this age group and of their compromising re-attendance is refuted by the findings of this study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 19(11); 2758–64. ©2010 AACR.
Smad7 Blocks Transforming Growth Factor‐β1–Induced Gingival Fibroblast–Myofibroblast Transition via Inhibitory Regulation of Smad2 and Connective Tissue Growth Factor
Authors: Sobral Lays M. , Montan Patrick Franz , Zecchin Karina Gottardello , Martelli‐Junior Hercílio , Vargas Pablo Agustin , Graner Edgard , Coletta Ricardo D. 
Published: November 2010

Background: Transforming growth factor‐β1 (TGF‐β1), its downstream signaling mediators (Smad proteins), and specific targets, including connective tissue growth factor (CTGF), play important roles in tissue remodeling and fibrosis via myofibroblast activation. We investigated the effect of overexpression of Smad7, a TGF‐β1 signaling inhibitor, on transition of gingival fibroblast to myofibroblast. Moreover, we analyzed the participation of CTGF on TGF‐β1–mediated myofibroblast transformation.Methods: To study the inhibitory effect of Smad7 on TGF‐β1/CTGF‐mediating gingival fibroblast transition into myofibroblasts, we stably overexpressed Smad7 in normal gingival fibroblasts and in myofibroblasts from hereditary gingival fibromatosis (HGF). Myofibroblasts were characterized by the expression of the specific marker isoform α of the smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) by Western blot, flow cytometry, and immunofluorescence. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay for type I collagen was performed to measure myofibroblast activity. CTGF's role on myofibroblast transformation was examined by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and small interference RNA.Results: TGF‐β1 induced the expression of α‐SMA and CTGF, and small interference RNA–mediating CTGF silencing prevented fibroblast‐myofibroblast switch induced by TGF‐β1. In Smad7‐overexpressing fibroblasts, ablation of TGF‐β1–induced Smad2 phosphorylation marked decreased α‐SMA, CTGF, and type I collagen expression. Similarly, HGF transfectants overexpressing Smad7 demonstrated low levels of α‐SMA and phospho‐Smad2 and significant reduction on CTGF and type I collagen production.Conclusions: CTGF is critical for TGF‐β1–induced gingival fibroblast‐myofibroblast transition, and Smad7 overexpression is effective in the blockage of myofibroblast transformation and activation, suggesting that treatments targeting myofibroblasts by Smad7 overexpression may be clinically effective in gingival fibrotic diseases, such as HGF.
Using multi-media to enhance history education: Glasgow, A Tale of Two Cities? and Tiree, Famine and Clearance 1840–1900
Authors: Hillis Peter 
Published: November 2010

Advances in information technology raise issues central to history education. Debates have focused on how pupils learn history by emphasising the development of critical thinking which in turn provides the basis of a theoretical framework for the use of IT in history. Martyn Wild identifies seven areas of teaching and learning enhanced through IT ranging from childcentred learning to pedagogy. James Schick argues that appropriate software brings out the absorbing, fascinating and enjoyable nature of history. This article discusses how two multi-media computer programs, Glasgow, A Tale of Two Cities? and Tiree, Famine and Clearance 1840-1900 enhance the delivery of history in Scottish Primary and Secondary Schools within the criteria established by Martyn Wild. These programs relate to recent curricular changes in Scotland and help satisfy current demands for more Scottish history within overall history syllabuses. Moreover, it will be argued that appropriate software motivates pupils and enhances the central role of the classroom teacher.
Du stylo à l'ordinateur : la médication comme pratique sociotechnique
Authors: Olesen Finn , Markussen Randi 
Published: November 2010

From pen to computer: writing medicine as a sociotechnical practice
This paper is devoted to the analysis of what may appear at first glance as a micro-innovation in the field of medical information technology, i.e. the implementation of an electronic medication module in a Danish hospital. Drawing upon a careful semiotic analysis of the module and its use, we show that, even in this case, in order to get the module functionning correctly and to perform the simplification work it has been designed for, it implies a whole set of local transformations, ranging from transformations in the knowledge and practices of the various actors implied in the tasks it is supposed to coordinate, to transformations in the relationships between these actors and even to transformations into patients' life.
One function of sex — an empirical study of genetic and ecological variation
Authors: Gilbert N. , Raworth D.A. , Allen G.R. 
Published: November 2010

AbstractThe question “why sex?” is a longstanding fundamental puzzle in biology. Although there may be several answers, no satisfactory theory has emerged. We present an argument in favour of one function of sex, derived from a study of the population genetics and ecology of the cabbage butterfly,Pieris rapae(L.) (Lepidoptera: Pieridae), on three continents between 1984 and 2009, and from previously published studies of other organisms. We provide evidence that responsiveness to directional selection (RDS), a measure related to “narrow-sense heritability”, can be dramatically reduced by truncation selection in a single generation and rapidly restored within a few generations. Viewing a population as a collection of sexual families, we show that rapid restoration of RDS after truncation selection is essential to maintain population variance. The only known mechanism that will rapidly restore RDS is sexual recombination. We therefore conclude that inP. rapae, sex restores the genetic variation that a population needs to match unpredictable environmental variation, despite selection tending to reduce that genetic variation.
Behaviour of Sitodiplosis mosellana (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae) on spring wheat spikes with and without oviposition deterrence
Authors: Gharalari A.H. , Smith M.A.H. , Fox S.L. , Lamb R.J. 
Published: November 2010

AbstractWheat, Triticum L. (Poaceae), varieties with deterrence to oviposition by the wheat midge, Sitodiplosis mosellana (Géhin) (Diptera: Cecidomyiidae), can be useful in reducing seed damage. The behaviour of ovipositing females on spring wheat, T. aestivum L., with and without oviposition deterrence was investigated to account for observed differences in oviposition on deterrent and nondeterrent hosts. On deterrent wheat, 34% of females landing oviposited compared with 100% of females landing on nondeterrent wheat. The sequence of female behaviours just prior to egg-laying on deterrent spikes was similar to that on nondeterrent spikes. The length of time required to lay an egg and mean egg-batch size were similar on deterrent and nondeterrent wheat, but females spent nearly twice as long on the latter. After landing on deterrent wheat, females took longer to begin ovipositing and longer to leave after the last oviposition event than did females on nondeterrent wheat, which further reduced the time available for oviposition on deterrent compared with nondeterrent wheat. As a result of these behavioural differences, deterrence reduced oviposition by more than 60%.
Mucopolysaccharidosis type IIIA: Clinical spectrum and genotype‐phenotype correlations
Authors: Valstar Marlies J. , Neijs Sanne , Bruggenwirth Hennie T. , Olmer Renske , Ruijter George J. G. , Wevers Ron A. , van Diggelen Otto P. , Poorthuis Ben J. , Halley Dicky J. , Wijburg Frits A. 
Published: November 2010

AbstractObjectiveMucopolysaccharidosis (MPS) IIIA (Sanfilippo syndrome type A) is a lysosomal storage disorder caused by deficiency of the enzyme sulfamidase. Information on the natural course of MPS IIIA is scarce, but is much needed in view of emerging therapies.MethodsClinical history and molecular defects of all 110 MPS IIIA patients identified by enzymatic studies in the Netherlands were collected and included in this study.ResultsFirst clinical signs, mainly consisting of delayed speech development and behavioral problems, were noted between the ages of 1 and 6 years. Other symptoms included sleeping and hearing problems, recurrent upper airway infections, diarrhea, and epilepsy. The clinical course varied remarkably and could be correlated with the molecular defects. The frequent pathogenic mutations p.R245H, p.Q380R, p.S66W, and c.1080delC were associated with the classical severe phenotype. Patients compound heterozygous for the p.S298P mutation in combination with 1 of the mutations associated with the classical severe phenotype had a significantly longer preservation of psychomotor functions and a longer survival. Two patients homozygous for the p.S298P mutation, and 4 patients from 3 families heterozygous for 3 missense variants not reported previously (p.T421R, p.P180L, and p.L12Q), showed a remarkably attenuated phenotype.InterpretationWe report the natural history and mutational analysis in a large unbiased cohort of MPS IIIA patients. We demonstrate that the clinical spectrum of MPS IIIA is much broader than previously reported. A significant genotype‐phenotype correlation was established in this cohort. Ann Neurol 2010
Mitochondrial DNA deletions and neurodegeneration in multiple sclerosis
Authors: Campbell Graham R. , Ziabreva Iryna , Reeve Amy K. , Krishnan Kim J. , Reynolds Richard , Howell Owen , Lassmann Hans , Turnbull Doug M. , Mahad Don J. 
Published: November 2010

AbstractObjectiveCerebral atrophy is a correlate of clinical progression in multiple sclerosis (MS). Mitochondria are now established to play a part in the pathogenesis of MS. Uniquely, mitochondria harbor their own mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), essential for maintaining a healthy central nervous system. We explored mitochondrial respiratory chain activity and mtDNA deletions in single neurons from secondary progressive MS (SPMS) cases.MethodsNinety‐eight snap‐frozen brain blocks from 13 SPMS cases together with complex IV/complex II histochemistry, immunohistochemistry, laser dissection microscopy, long‐range and real‐time PCR and sequencing were used to identify and analyze respiratory‐deficient neurons devoid of complex IV and with complex II activity.ResultsThe density of respiratory‐deficient neurons in SPMS was strikingly in excess of aged controls. The majority of respiratory‐deficient neurons were located in layer VI and immediate subcortical white matter (WM) irrespective of lesions. Multiple deletions of mtDNA were apparent throughout the gray matter (GM) in MS. The respiratory‐deficient neurons harbored high levels of clonally expanded mtDNA deletions at a single‐cell level. Furthermore, there were neurons lacking mtDNA‐encoded catalytic subunits of complex IV. mtDNA deletions sufficiently explained the biochemical defect in the majority of respiratory‐deficient neurons.InterpretationThese findings provide evidence that neurons in MS are respiratory‐deficient due to mtDNA deletions, which are extensive in GM and may be induced by inflammation. We propose induced multiple deletions of mtDNA as an important contributor to neurodegeneration in MS. Ann Neurol 2010
Predictors of neurologic outcome in hypothermia after cardiac arrest
Authors: Fugate Jennifer E. , Wijdicks Eelco F.M. , Mandrekar Jay , Claassen Daniel O. , Manno Edward M. , White Roger D. , Bell Malcolm R. , Rabinstein Alejandro A. 
Published: November 2010

AbstractObjectiveTo evaluate the predictive value of neurologic prognostic indicators for patients treated with hypothermia after surviving cardiopulmonary arrest.MethodsPatients who survived cardiopulmonary arrest were prospectively collected from June 2006 to October 2009. Detailed neurologic examinations were performed. Serum neuron specific enolase (NSE) measurements, brain imaging findings, somatosensory evoked potentials, and electroencephalogram (EEG) results were recorded. EEG patterns were blindly dichotomized with malignant patterns consisting of burst‐suppression, generalized suppression, status epilepticus, and nonreactivity. Outcome measure of in‐hospital mortality was assessed.ResultsA total of 192 patients (103 hypothermic, 89 nonhypothermic) were studied. The absence of pupillary light responses, corneal reflexes, and an extensor or absent motor response at Day 3 after cardiac arrest remained accurate predictors of poor outcome after therapeutic hypothermia (p < 0.0001 for all). Myoclonic status epilepticus was invariably associated with death (p = 0.0002). Malignant EEG patterns and global cerebral edema on head computed tomography (CT) were associated with death in both populations (p < 0.001). NSE > 33 ng/ml levels measured 1–3 days after cardiac arrest remained associated with poor outcome (p = 0.017), but had a false‐positive rate of 29.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.164–0.361).InterpretationClinical examination (brainstem reflexes, motor response, and presence of myoclonus) at Day 3 after cardiac arrest remains an accurate predictor of outcome after therapeutic hypothermia. Sedative medications in both hypothermic and nonhypothermic patients may confound the clinical exam. NSE > 33 ng/ml has a high false‐positive rate in patients treated with hypothermia and should be interpreted with caution. ANN NEUROL 2010