bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Silencing of G proteins uncovers diversified plant responses when challenged by three elicitors in Nicotiana benthamiana
Authors: ZHANG HUAJIAN , WANG MEIFANG , WANG WEI , LI DEQING , HUANG QIAN , WANG YUANCHAO , ZHENG XIAOBO , ZHANG ZHENGGUANG 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTSignalling through heterotrimeric G protein composed of α‐, β‐ and γ‐subunits is essential in numerous physiological processes. Here we show that this prototypical G protein complex acts mechanistically by controlling elicitor sensitivity towards hypersensitive response (HR) and stomatal closure in Nicotiana benthamiana. Gα‐, Gβ1‐, and Gβ2‐silenced plants were generated using virus‐induced gene silencing. All silenced plants were treated with Xanthomonas oryzae harpin, Magnaporthe oryzae Nep1 and Phytophthora boehmeriae boehmerin, respectively. HR was dramatically impaired in Gα‐ and Gβ2‐silenced plants treated with harpin, indicating that harpin‐, rather than Nep1‐ or boehmerin‐triggered HR, is Gα‐ and Gβ2‐dependent. Moreover, all Gα‐, Gβ1‐ and Gβ2‐silenced plants significantly impaired elicitor‐induced stomatal closure, elicitor‐promoted nitric oxide (NO) production and active oxygen species accumulation in guard cells. To our knowledge, this is the first report of Gα and Gβ subunits involvement in stomatal closure in response to elicitors. Furthermore, silencing of Gα, Gβ1 and Gβ2 has an effect on the transcription of plant defence‐related genes when challenged by three elicitors. In conclusion, silencing of G protein subunits results in many interesting plant cell responses, revealing that plant immunity systems employ both conserved and distinct G protein pathways to sense elicitors from distinct phytopathogens formed during plant‐microbe evolution.
Genome‐wide identification of Medicago truncatula microRNAs and their targets reveals their differential regulation by heavy metal
Authors: ZHOU ZHAO SHENG , ZENG HOU QING , LIU ZHAO PU , YANG ZHI MIN 
Published: September 2011

ABSTRACTWe adopted a deep sequencing approach developed by Solexa (Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA, USA) to investigate global expression and complexity of microRNAs (miRNAs) and their targets from Medicago truncatula. Two small RNA libraries and two degradome libraries were constructed from mercury (Hg)‐treated and Hg‐free M. truncatula seedlings. For miRNAs, each library generated 18.5–18.6 million short sequences, resulting in 10.2–10.8 million clean reads. At least 52 new miRNA candidates with ∼21 nucleotides are perfectly matched to the M. truncatula genome. Statistical analysis on transcript abundance of the new candidate miRNAs revealed that most of them were differentially regulated by the heavy metal mercury Hg(II), with 12 miRNAs being specifically induced by Hg exposure. Additionally, we identified 201 individual miRNAs representing 63 known M. truncatula miRNA families, including 12 new conserved and one non‐conserved miRNAs that have not been described before. Finally, 130 targets for 58 known (37 conserved and 21 non‐conserved) miRNA families and 37 targets for 18 new M. truncatula‐specific candidate miRNA families were identified by high‐throughput degradome sequencing approach.
Evaluation of two detection methods of microorganisms in platelet concentrates
Authors: Albertoni G. , Andrade S. S. , Araújo P. R. B. , Carvalho F. O. , Girão M. J. B. C. , Barreto J. A. 
Published: September 2011

Background: The performance of a bacterial 16S ribosomal DNA real‐time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay was evaluated and validated with an automated culture system to determine its use for screening of platelet concentrates (PCs).Study Design and Methods: PCs were spiked with suspensions of Escherichia coli, Serratia marcescens, Staphylococcus epidermidis and St. aureus at 1, 10, and 100 colony‐forming units (CFUs) mL and stored for 5 days. DNA amplification was performed using real‐time PCR. The BacT/ALERT was used as a reference method and samples were inoculated into an aerobic culture bottle; for the PCR assay, aliquots were drawn from all (spiked) PCs on days 0 to 5 of storage.Results: Real‐time PCR detected only the gram‐positive bacteria in PCs spiked with low bacterial titres (1 CFU mL) after 48 h; however, it was able to detect all positive samples in PCs spiked with 10 CFU mL of either gram‐positive or gram‐negative bacteria after 48 h. In addition, real‐time PCR detected all positive samples in PCs spiked with high gram‐positive bacterial titres (100 CFU mL) after 24 h. On the other hand, the BacT/ALERT system showed positive results in all samples within 24 h.Conclusion: The BacT/ALERT method is more sensitive and should continue to be the gold standard for identifying bacterial contaminations in blood samples. The real‐time PCR approach can be used for the screening of PCs for microbial detection before they are released from blood centres or shortly before they are used in blood transfusion, and thus allow an extended shelf life of the platelets.
Recent genomic advances in schizophrenia
Authors: Doherty JL , O’Donovan MC , Owen MJ 
Published: September 2011

Doherty JL, O’Donovan MC, Owen MJ. Recent genomic advances in schizoprenia.Recent studies have supported the hypothesis based upon expectations from population genetics that the high heritability of schizophrenia reflects a combination of relatively common alleles of small effect and rare alleles some with relatively large effects. Genome‐wide association studies have identified a number of risk loci at genome‐wide levels of significance as well as evidence for a substantial burden of common risk loci. Moreover these recent findings suggest genetic overlap with bipolar disorder which has traditionally been assumed to be genetically distinct from schizophrenia. Genome‐wide studies of at least one class of relatively uncommon variant, submicroscopic chromosomal abnormalities often referred to as copy number variations (CNVs), suggest that these confer high risk of schizophrenia. There is evidence both for an increased burden of large, rare CNVs in schizophrenia and that risk is conferred by a number of specific large CNVs as well as by deletions of NRXN1 which encodes the synaptic scaffolding protein neurexin 1. Many of these CNVs have been implicated in autism, mental retardation, epilepsy and other neurodevelopment disorders. These findings have implications for pathogenesis and nosology of schizophrenia and related disorders, and for future genetic studies.
Analysis of Diversity of Golden Potato Cyst Nematode (Globodera rostochiensis) Populations from Poland using Molecular Approaches
Authors: Nowaczyk Katarzyna , Dobosz Renata , Budziszewska Marta , Kamasa Joanna , ObrĘpalska‐StĘplowska Aleksandra 
Published: September 2011

AbstractGlobodera rostochiensis is one of the most important plant parasitic nematodes, worldwide. As a quarantine pest of solanaceous crops, the species is often subjected to the morphological and genetic analysis as well as biological tests. They constitute the basis for this nematode detection and control. This paper presents the results of the study on variability of 16 populations of golden potato cyst nematode from Poland – one of the important potato producers – using molecular techniques. The cluster analysis based on sequencing of rDNA fragment showed slight differences among investigated populations from various localizations of the country. The ITS1 and ITS2 regions of rDNA were similar among populations of G. rostochiensis and differed in 1–3% of 1000‐bp sequence. The analysis of populations polymorphism based on the RAPD technique also showed differences among populations of G. rostochiensis, indicating that climatic conditions of the mountainous area might have influence on genetic variability.
Effect of neonatal resuscitation courses on long‐term neurodevelopmental outcomes of newborn infants with perinatal asphyxia
Authors: Duran Rıdvan , Görker Işık , Küçükuğurluoğlu Yasemin , AladağÇiftdemir Nükhet , Vatansever Özbek Ülfet , Acunaş Betül 
Published: September 2011

AbstractBackground:  In previous studies, it has been demonstrated that Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) courses improve the early outcomes of infants with perinatal asphyxia, but there has been no evidence to demonstrate the effect of NRP on long‐term outcomes of perinatal asphyxia. The goal of the present study was to determine the effect of NRP courses on the long‐term neurodevelopmental outcome of perinatal asphyxia.Methods:  This prospective study included infants referred to the Neonatal Unit during the years 2003–2005. Those patients who were referred before NRP courses (pretraining period) were designated as group 1, those who were referred after the first NRP course (transition period) as group 2, and those who were referred after the second NRP course (post‐training period) as group 3. Neurodevelopmental outcomes were assessed and compared at 4–6 years of age.Results:  The study involved 40 patients: 23 in group 1, nine in group 2 and eight in group 3. The number of patients who had been diagnosed with cerebral palsy was 13 in group 1, two in group 2, and one in group 3, which was a significant decrease. The number of patients with seizures and electroencephalography abnormality was 12 and 14 in group 1, three and two in group 2, and one and one in group 3, respectively, which was also a significant decrease.Conclusions:  NRP courses have positive effects on short‐term as well as long‐term neurodevelopmental outcomes of infants with perinatal asphyxia. Further studies are required to determine the effects of NRP courses on minor deficits, such as cognitive and behavioral disturbances.
Hierarchical resource selection by impala in a savanna environment
Authors: VAN DER MERWE JORISTA , MARSHAL JASON P. 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThe factors that affect resource selection by a foraging herbivore can vary according to the resources or conditions associated with particular levels of organization in the environment, and to the scales over which the herbivore perceives and responds to those resources and conditions. To investigate the role of forage in this hierarchical process, we studied resource selection by a mixed‐feeding large herbivore, the impala (Aepyceros melampus). We focussed on three spatial scales: plant species, feeding station and feeding patch. In paired sites where impala were and were not observed, we identified the plant species from which animals fed, the attributes of the plants, and the characteristics of the broader site. Across all three scales, plant species available as forage was central in determining resource selection by impala. At the species level, that effect was modified by the nutritional quality (greenness) and whether it was during a period of forage abundance or scarcity (season). At the feeding‐station level, overall greenness and biomass of the station were important, but their effects were modified by the season. At the feeding‐patch level, broader‐scale factors such as the type of vegetation cover had an important influence on resource selection. The grass Panicum maximum was a preferred forage species and a key resource determining the locations of feeding impala. Our findings support the idea that selection by a foraging herbivore at fine scales (i.e. diet selection) can have consequences for broader‐scale selection that result in observed patterns of habitat use and animal distribution.
Overlapping and unique contributions of two conserved polysaccharide loci in governing distinct survival phenotypes in Vibrio vulnificus
Authors: Guo Yunzhi , Rowe‐Magnus Dean A. 
Published: September 2011

SummaryAs an aetiological agent of bacterial sepsis and wound infections, Vibrio vulnificus is unique among the Vibrionacea. Its continued environmental persistence and transmission are bolstered by its ability to colonize shellfish and form biofilms on various marine biotic surfaces. We previously identified a polysaccharide locus, brp, which contributes to the survival phenotypes of biofilm formation, rugose colony formation and stress resistance. Here, we describe a second polysaccharide locus, rbd (regulation of biofilm development), which also enhanced biofilm formation when expressed. Despite this functional overlap, the development of stress resistance and rugosity could be uniquely attributed to brp expression, whereas rbd expression augmented aggregate formation. Simultaneous expression of both loci led to the formation of a dramatic pellicle and maximum biofilm formation. Unlike the brp locus, transcription of the rbd locus was regulated not by c‐di‐GMP, but by a response regulator (RbdG) that was encoded within the locus. We propose that the ability to regulate the expression of polysaccharides with overlapping and unique characteristics in response to different environmental cues enables V. vulnificus to ‘fine tune’ its biofilm lifestyle to the prevailing environmental conditions and maximally benefit from the characteristics associated with each polysaccharide.
Alcohol dehydrogenase expression as a biomarker of denitrification activity in activated sludge using methanol and glycerol as electron donors
Authors: Lu Huijie , Nuruzzaman Farhan , Ravindhar Janani , Chandran Kartik 
Published: September 2011

SummaryCarbon sources such as methanol and glycerol are used for enhancing denitrification at wastewater treatment plants, which are required to meet increasingly stringent effluent nitrogen limits. Consequently, dosing strategies for these compounds could benefit from the development and application of molecular activity biomarkers to infer and distinguish between methanol‐ or glycerol‐based denitrification in activated sludge. In this study, the applicability of genes coding for methanol dehydrogenase (mdh2 and mxaF) and glycerol dehydrogenase (dhaD) as potential biomarkers of denitrification activity using these specific substrates was explored and confirmed using a two‐pronged approach. First, during short‐term spikes of activated sludge biomass with glycerol, the ability of dhaD mRNA concentrations to closely track nitrate depletion profiles was demonstrated. Second, a high‐degree of correlation of the mRNA concentrations of mdh2, mxaF and dhaD with methanol‐ and glycerol‐based denitrification kinetics during long‐term bioreactor operation using these substrates was also shown. Based on these results, expression of mdh2, mxaF and dhaD genes are promising biomarkers of in situ denitrification activity on methanol and glycerol, respectively, in mixed‐culture engineered wastewater treatment processes.
Getting drunk safely? Night‐life policy in the UK and its public health consequences
Authors: BELLIS MARK A. , HUGHES KAREN 
Published: September 2011

AbstractIssues.Pubs, bars and nightclubs are central features of recreational night‐life in the towns and cities of many countries. The last two decades have seen UK towns and cities regenerated through the provision of night‐life environments aimed at servicing youth‐focused monocultures typified by heavy drinking, loud music and dancing. Such changes in night‐life settings have created major problems with management of alcohol‐related violence.Approach.We examine what policies and interventions have been implemented to reduce violence in public night‐life environments. We critically appraise the outcomes of such measures and whether they simply create environments in which it appears ‘safe’ for people to routinely get drunk while displacing violence and adding to health and social problems elsewhere.Key Findings/Implications.A variety of initiatives have been put in place to reduce violence and alcohol‐related harm in night‐time environments. These include changes to licensing laws, high profile policing, late night transport security, street lighting and closed circuit television camera networks. In some circumstances, the evidence for their effectiveness in containing night‐life violence is relatively good. However, such approaches can also reduce incentives to stay sober, potentially act as a mechanism for displacing violence into surrounding areas, and divert public monies to city centre drinking environments at the expense of services in local communities.Conclusion.We argue that a public health approach to night‐life is required which addresses drunkenness rather than pandering to the economic benefits of excessive alcohol use and managing any violence that is on public display. [Bellis MA, Hughes K. Getting drunk safely? Night‐life policy in the UK and its public health consequences.Drug Alcohol Rev2011;30:536–545]
The impact of retail practices on violence: The case of single serve alcohol beverage containers
Authors: PARKER ROBERT NASH , MCCAFFREE KEVIN J. , SKILES DANIEL 
Published: September 2011

AbstractIntroduction and Aims. This paper examines the role that sales of single serve alcoholic beverages plays in violent crime in surrounding areas. Increasingly a target of regulatory measures, this is the first study to systematically assess the impact of single serve containers on neighbourhood violence.Design and Methods. The relative proportion of shelf space in each liquor establishment in San Bernardino, CA devoted to single serve alcohol containers was surveyed. Assuming that this is a rough indicator of the amount of sales derived from single serve containers, we use this indicator as a measure of the impact of specific retail practice on violence around the outlet.Results. Results show that the average proportion of shelf space devoted to single serve containers in the unit of analysis, the US Census Bureau block group, was positively related to violent crime, net of overall retail availability of alcohol and relevant social and economic indicators often used to predict violent crime rates in such units.Discussion and Conclusions. These findings suggest that if the city were to make the voluntary ban on single serve container sales mandatory, violence in the surrounding areas would decline, all other things being equal. This study provides a much more grounded and specific justification for enacting such policy changes and once again shows the utility of alcohol policy for the reduction of crime and violence.[Parker RN, McCaffree KJ, Skiles D. The impact of retail practices on violence: The case of single serve alcohol beverage containers. Drug Alcohol Rev 2011;30:496–504]
Does adopting good corporate governance impact the cost of intermediated and non‐intermediated debt?
Authors: Aldamen Husam , Duncan Keith 
Published: September 2011

AbstractThis study examines the impact of good corporate governance practices on the reported cost of debt for Australian listed companies. Prior research has established that governance lowers the cost of non‐intermediated debt (Sengupta, 1998; Bhojraj and Sengupta, 2003; Ashbaugh‐Skaife et al., 2006). We extend this analysis to the Australian corporate debt market which is dominated by intermediated or privately held debt. Our findings are consistent with the prior work and shows that increased corporate governance lowers cost of debt. However, when we split the sample companies into intermediated and non‐intermediated debt sub‐samples, we find this result only holds for the non‐intermediated debt sub‐sample. Furthermore, we find that small companies that adopt better corporate governance practices do not benefit through lower cost of debt. This raises questions about the merits of universal adoption of costly governance practices.
Enhanced seed viability and lipid compositional changes during natural ageing by suppressing phospholipase Dα in soybean seed
Authors: Lee Junghoon , Welti Ruth , Roth Mary , Schapaugh William T. , Li Jiarui , Trick Harold N. 
Published: September 2011

SummaryChanges in phospholipid composition and consequent loss of membrane integrity are correlated with loss of seed viability. Furthermore, phospholipid compositional changes affect the composition of the triacylglycerols (TAG), i.e. the storage lipids. Phospholipase D (PLD) catalyses the hydrolysis of phospholipids to phosphatidic acid, and PLDα is an abundant PLD isoform. Although wild‐type (WT) seeds stored for 33 months were non‐viable, 30%–50% of PLDα‐knockdown (PLD‐KD) soybean seeds stored for 33 months germinated. WT and PLD‐KD seeds increased in lysophospholipid levels and in TAG fatty acid unsaturation during ageing, but the levels of lysophospholipids increased more in WT than in PLD‐KD seeds. The loss of viability of WT seeds was correlated with alterations in ultrastructure, including detachment of the plasma membrane from the cell wall complex and disorganization of oil bodies. The data demonstrate that, during natural ageing, PLDα affects the soybean phospholipid profile and the TAG profile. Suppression of PLD activity in soybean seed has potential for improving seed quality during long‐term storage.
Predictors of depressive symptoms among resettled unaccompanied refugee minors
Authors: SEGLEM KAROLINE B. , OPPEDAL BRIT , RAEDER SABINE 
Published: September 2011

Seglem, K. B., Oppedal, B. & Raeder, S. (2011). Predictors of depressive symptoms among resettled unaccompanied refugee minors. Scandinavian Journal of Psychology 52, 457–464.This study investigated the level and predictors of depressive symptoms among unaccompanied refugee minors after resettlement in Norway. Participants (N = 414) were resettled in 26 municipalities from all regions of the country. The average length of resettlement time was 3.4 years. They originated from 33 different countries, mainly Afghanistan (n = 116), Somalia (n = 74), Sri Lanka (n = 41) and Iraq (n = 43). Participants completed a self‐report questionnaire administered in groups. Findings show that unaccompanied minors are a high‐risk group for mental health problems also after resettlement in a new country. A multilevel model predicting depressive symptoms from individual and contextual demographic factors indicated that, controlling for post‐traumatic stress, females had more symptoms than males and Somalis had fewer symptoms than participants from other countries. Variation in symptom levels as a function of gender and ethnic background indicates that some groups may have inherent protective or vulnerability factors that need to be further studied to understand differences in psychosocial adaptation among unaccompanied minors. Further, findings imply that researchers, policy makers and mental health care workers need to expand their attention beyond the first phases of arrival of unaccompanied asylum seeking and refugee minors to the continuing experience of mental health problems after resettlement.