bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Different, difficult or distinct? Mothers' and fathers' perceptions of temperament in children with and without intellectual disabilities
Authors: Boström P. , Broberg M. , Hwang C. P. 
Published: July 2010

AbstractBackground  Can ratings of temperament be a way of identifying young children with intellectual disabilities (ID) who are at risk for being experienced as difficult? We aimed to explore parents' reports of temperament in their young children with or without ID, as well as positive and negative impact of the child on parents.Method  Mothers and fathers of 55 children recently diagnosed with ID and 183 age‐matched typically developing (TD) children completed the EASI Temperamental Survey and two scales of the Family Impact Questionnaire measuring positive and negative impact of the child on parents.Results  Parents rated children with mixed ID/DD (developmental delay) as shyer and more impulsive, and less active and sociable when compared with TD children. Children with mixed ID/DD were also reported to have more negative and less positive impact on the family compared with the TD group. In subgroup analyses, children with Down syndrome and cerebral palsy/motor impairment were described as having less negative impact on parents and were described as low in negative emotionality. Children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), ID/DD nos and other less common diagnoses had a similar pattern of temperament with high emotionality, shyness and impulsivity, and low activity and sociability. Parents of children with ASD and ID/DD reported the highest level of negative impact.Conclusions  Temperamental characteristics such as high negative emotionality and impulsivity, which can be identified earlier than behavioural problems, could be indicators of negative impact on parents of young children with ID. Despite great variability in temperament among children with mixed ID/DD, results indicated common temperamental characteristics among children with ASD, ID/DD and other diagnosis.
Cloning and functional analysis of chicory root fructan1‐exohydrolase I (1‐FEH I): a vacuolar enzyme derivedfrom a cell‐wall invertase ancestor? Mass fingerprint of the 1‐FEH I enzyme
Authors: Van den Ende Wim , Michiels An , De Roover Joke , Verhaert Peter , Van Laere André 
Published: July 2010

SummaryThis paper describes the cloning and functional analysis of chicory (Cichorium intybus L.) fructan 1‐exohydrolase I cDNA (1‐FEH I). To our knowledge it is the first plant FEH cloned. Full‐length cDNA was obtained by a combination of RT–PCR, 5′ and 3′ RACE using primers based on N‐terminal and conserved amino acid sequences. Electrophoretically purified 1‐FEH I enzyme was further analyzed by in‐gel trypsin digestion followed by matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionization and electrospray time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry. Functionality of the cDNA was demonstrated by heterologous expression in potato tubers. 1‐FEH I takes a new, distinct position in the phylogenetic tree of plant glycosyl hydrolases being more homologous to cell‐wall invertases (44–53%) than to vacuolar invertases (38–41%) and fructosyl transferases (33–38%). The 1‐FEH I enzyme could not be purified from the apoplastic fluid at significantly higher levels than can be explained by cellular leakage. These and other data suggest a vacuolar localization for 1‐FEH I. Also, the pI of the enzyme (6.5) is lower than expected from a typical cell‐wall invertase. Unlike plant fructosyl transferases that are believed to have evolved from a vacuolar invertase, 1‐FEH I might have evolved from a cell‐wall invertase‐like ancestor gene that later obtained a vacuolar targeting signal. 1‐FEH I mRNA quantities increase in the roots throughout autumn, and especially when roots are stored at low temperature.
Diagnostic accuracy of the atopy patch test in children with food allergy‐related gastrointestinal symptoms
Authors: Canani R. Berni , Ruotolo S. , Auricchio L. , Caldore M. , Porcaro F. , Manguso F. , Terrin G. , Troncone R. 
Published: July 2010

Background:  Little is known about the diagnostic accuracy of atopy patch tests (APT) in the clinical practice of pediatric gastroenterology. Moreover, APTs containing purified food extracts have recently become available, but their diagnostic accuracy is largely undefined.Patients and methods:  We evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of food challenge, skin prick test (SPT), serum specific IgE determination, and APT using fresh food and commercial food extracts in parallel in children referred for suspected food allergy‐related gastrointestinal symptoms.Results:  Eighty‐nine food challenges were performed in 60 patients (38 boys, median age 23 months, range 3–48 months): 31 tested positive for cow's milk (CM), 19 for hen's egg (HE), and two for wheat. Specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) determination, and SPT, respectively, were positive in 7/31 and 14/31 of patients with cow's milk allergy (CMA), and in 7/19 and 7/19 with HE allergy. The results of APT with fresh food vs a commercial assay were (1) CM: sensitivity: 64.5%vs 6.4%, specificity 95.8%vs 95.6%, positive predictive value (PPV) 95.2%vs 66.6% and negative predictive value (NPV) 67.6%vs 43.1%; (2) HE: sensitivity 84.2%vs 5.2%, specificity 100%vs 100%, PPV 100%vs 100% and NPV 75.0%vs 33.3%.Conclusions:  Atopy patch test is a useful tool in the diagnostic work up of children with food‐allergy‐related gastrointestinal symptoms. The diagnostic accuracy of ATP was higher with fresh food than with commercial food extracts.
Sublingual immunotherapy with a standardized cat dander extract: evaluation of efficacy in a double blind placebo controlled study
Authors: Álvarez‐Cuesta E. , Berges‐Gimeno P. , Mancebo E. G. , Fernández‐Caldas E. , Cuesta‐Herranz J. , Casanovas M. 
Published: July 2010

Background:  Little information is available on the clinical efficacy of sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) using extracts derived from mammalian epithelia.Objectives:  To assess clinical efficacy of cat SLIT based on natural exposure challenge test (NCT).Material and methods:  Fifty cat allergic patients with rhinoconjunctivitis with or without asthma were included in a randomized double blind placebo controlled clinical trial of cat SLIT during 1 year. Twenty‐five patients received active treatment and 25 placebo. Sublingual immunotherapy efficacy was assessed by natural exposure challenge to a cat in a cat‐room and by skin tests. Airborne Fel d 1 levels, symptom scores and peak expiratory flow (PEF) values were monitored.Results:  Thirty‐three (66%) out of 50 patients completed the treatment. Fel d 1 content of the maximum concentration was 0.51 μg per ml. During the build up phase, the accumulated dose was 1.7 μg of Fel d 1 and during the entire length of the study was 17.1. No adverse reports were reported. The active group showed a marked reduction (62%) in symptoms during the NCT (P < 0.001) with no changes in placebo group. Active group also showed a reduced PEF response to cat exposure (P < 0.05), and an improvement in skin test reactivity to a standardized cat extract (P < 0.05), without significant changes in placebo group. Mean Fel d 1 exposure during the NCT was 6.2 ± 2.21 ng/m3.Conclusions:  The results suggest that the cat SLIT used in this study was able to improve cat allergy based on natural exposure challenge.
Latex allergy: the sum quantity of four major allergens shows the allergenic potential of medical gloves
Authors: Palosuo T. , Reinikka‐Railo H. , Kautiainen H. , Alenius H. , Kalkkinen N. , Kulomaa M. , Reunala T. , Turjanmaa K. 
Published: July 2010

Background:  Assessment of allergenic potential of medical devices made of natural rubber latex (NRL) requires the measurement of concentrations of specific allergenic proteins or polypeptides eluting from rubber.Methods:  Four NRL allergens (Hev b 1, 3, 5, and 6.02) were quantified in all medical glove brands marketed in Finland in 1999, 2001, and 2003 (n = 208) by a capture enzyme immunoassay. The results were compared with those obtained from previous nationwide market surveys, using a skin prick test‐validated human IgE‐based ELISA‐inhibition method.Results:  A high overall correlation (r = 0.87, 95% CI 0.83–0.90) emerged between the sum values of the four allergens(μg/g glove) and IgE‐ELISA inhibition (allergen units, AU/ml, 1 : 5 diluted glove extract). The sum of four allergens when set at 0.15 μg/g discriminated ‘low allergenic’ (<10 AU/ml) from ‘moderate‐ to high‐allergenic’ (≥10 AU/ml) gloves at a sensitivity of 0.93 (95% CI 0.85–0.98) and specificity of 0.90 (95% CI 0.83–0.94). When the sum was below the detection limit (0.03 μg/g) all gloves belonged to the previously defined low‐allergen category.Conclusions:  By comparing the sum concentration of four selected NRL allergens with results obtained in human IgE‐ELISA inhibition, it was possible set a cut‐off level (0.15 μg/g) below which virtually all gloves contain low or insignificant amounts of allergens, and can be considered as low allergenic. At different cut‐off‐points, one could calculate the likelihood of a given glove to belong to the previously defined low, moderate or high allergen categories.
Variable p‐CREB expression depicts different asthma phenotypes
Authors: Chiappara G , Chanez P , Bruno A , Pace E , Pompeo F , Bousquet J , Bonsignore G , Gjomarkaj M 
Published: July 2010

Background:  Chromatin modification may play a role in inflammatory gene regulation in asthma. Cyclic adenosine mono‐phosphate response element‐binding protein (CREB), with the specific co‐activator, the CREB‐binding protein (CBP), contributes to the acetylation of chromatin and to the transcription of pro‐inflammatory genes.Objectives:  To evaluate the expression of CBP and of phospho‐CREB (p‐CREB) in bronchial biopsies and in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) of controls (C), untreated (UA), inhaled steroid treated (ICS) and steroid‐dependent asthmatic (SDA) patients.Methods:  We used immunohistochemistry in bronchial biopsies and western blot analysis and immunocytochemistry in PBMC.Results:  Cyclic adenosine mono‐phosphate response element‐binding protein expression, in the epithelium was similar in all groups, while p‐CREB expression was increased in UA and in SDA in comparison with ICS and C subjects (C vs UA P = 0.002, C vs SDA P = 0.007), (ICS vs SDA P = 0.005), (ICS vs UA P = 0.001). Interestingly, also in the submucosa, p‐CREB was increased in UA and SDA in comparison with ICS and C subjects (C vs UA P = 0.0004) (C vs SDA P < 0.0001) (ICS vs UA P = 0.002) (ICS vs SDA P < 0.0001) and positively correlated with leukocyte infiltration within the bronchi (CD45RB+ cells). Similar results were obtained with PBMC isolated from the same patient groups. Incubation of PBMC in vitro, with fluticasone propionate, decreased the p‐CREB expression induced by cytokine activation (interferon‐γ, tumor necrosis factor‐α).Conclusions:  This study demonstrates that the expression of p‐CREB is related, in asthma, to the persistent inflammation according to the disease severity. p‐CREB expression can be modulated by glucocorticoids in responsive patients.
Estimation of Membrane Potential and pH Difference across the Cristae Membrane of Rat Liver Mitochondria
Authors: Mitchell P. , Moyle J. 
Published: July 2010

The cristae membrane or M phase of resting or respiring rat liver mitochondria becomes relatively permeable to K+ ions in presence of valinomycin. The equilibrium distribution of K+ ions across the membrane can therefore be used to estimate the membrane potential ΔΨ provided that precautions are taken to minimise swelling of the valinomycin‐treated mitochondria. The pH difference ΔpH across the M phase of anaerobic mitochondria has been estimated from the buffering powers of the inner and outer phases and from the change of pH observed on lysing the mitochondria with Triton X‐100. When the anaerobic mitochondria (State 5), in presence of β‐hydroxybutyrate, are brought to a state of steady respiration either in absence (State 4) or in presence (State 3) of phosphate acceptor, the changes of pH and of pK of the medium recorded with H+ ion‐sensitive and K+ ion‐sensitive electrodes can be used to estimate the changes of ΔΨ and ΔpH across the M phase. The absolute values of ΔΨ and ΔpH have been estimated from the values determined in State 5 and the change of these values in the transition from State 5 to States 4 and 3.The total protonmotive force Δp =ΔΨ– 59 ΔpH across the M phase of the mitochondria oxidising β‐hydroxybutyrate in State 4 at 25° in a 250 mM sucrose medium near pH 7 is estimated to be about 230 mV, of which the major component is ΔΨ when the effect of translocation of K+ ions across the M phase is minimised. Under conditions permitting accumulation of a relatively large quantity of cation (State 6), Δp is not significantly different from that in State 4, but the major component is −ZΔpH.The effects of changing Δp in mitochondrial suspensions in State 4 with uncoupling agent and with pulses of acid, alkali, calcium salt and ADP have been found to be in accord with the chemiosmotic hypothesis. In particular Δp in State 3 (ADP and Pi present) is estimated to be about 30 mV less than in State 4.
The Δ5‐3β‐Hydroxysteroid Dehydrogenase of Rat Ovarian Tissue
Authors: Sulimovici S. , Boyd G. S. 
Published: July 2010

The enzymic conversion of pregnenolone to progesterone catalysed by a Δ5‐3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and Δ5‐3‐ketosteroid isomerase has been studied in ovaries of immature rats pretreated with pregnant mare's serum gonadotrophin. The enzymes were found to be located in both particulate fractions (mitochondria and microsomes). The Km and the Vmax values of the mitochondrial dehydrogenase were found to be not significantly different from those of the microsomal dehydrogenase.The mitochondrial dehydrogenase was found to be mainly NAD+ dependent while the microsomal enzyme can utilise NADP+ as well as NAD+ as cofactor.The reaction catalysed by the‐Δ5‐3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase was found to be reversible in both subcellular fractions.2α‐Cyano,4,4,17α‐trimethyl‐17β‐hydroxy‐5‐androsten‐3‐one (cyanoketone), a synthetic androstane added to the incubation medium in very small amounts inhibited both dehydrogenases.The action of adenosine 3′,5′‐cyclic‐monophosphoric acid and other nucleotides (AMP, ADP, ATP, adenosine‐5′‐diphosphoribose and adenosine‐2′,3′‐cyclic‐monophosphoric acid) on the dehydrogenase was tested. It was found that adenosine‐3′,5′‐cyclic‐monophosphoric acid markedly inhibited both dehydrogenases while the other nucleotides had virtually no effect on the enzyme system which converts pregnenolone to progesterone. The adenosine‐3′,5′‐cyclic‐monophosphoric acid was apparently a non‐competitive inhibitor of the Δ5‐3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and Δ5‐3‐ketosteroid isomerase in ovarian mitochondria. The inhibition of the microsomal Δ5‐3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase system by the adenosine‐3′,5′‐cyclic‐monophosphoric acid was released by increasing the concentration of exogenous NAD+ suggesting a competitive inhibitory effect.
Fatty Acid Degradation in Escherichia coli
Authors: Overath P. , Pauli G. , Schairer H. U. 
Published: July 2010

An enzymatic activity is described in oleate‐grown cells of E. coli, which has the cofactor requirements of a long chain acid: CoA ligase (AMP). This enzyme is at least partially membrane bound and activates saturated and mono‐ and polyunsaturated fatty acids. It is inactive with butyrate and hexanoate. The enzyme is induced by oleate under similar conditions, but at different relative rates, as three other enzymes of fatty acid degradation (thiolase, crotonase, hydroxyacyl‐CoA dehydrogenase) which are under coordinate control.
A mutant lacking acyl‐CoA synthetase synthesizes the other three enzymes at the basal rate of the wild type in the presence or absence of oleate in the medium. This suggests that the fatty acyl‐CoA derivatives rather than the fatty acids serve as inducers. The same mutant is unable to incorporate fatty acids into bacterial lipids. The acyl‐CoA synthetase is therefore required for lipid synthesis from exogenous fatty acids in vivo.
The isolation and properties of mutants unable to degrade oleate are described. A pleiotropic mutant lacking thiolase, crotonase and hydroxyacyl‐CoA dehydrogenase still contains the inducible acyl‐CoA synthetase. Mutants lacking thiolase and hydroxyacyl‐CoA dehydrogenase have inducible wild type levels of the other enzymes.
Mutants affecting the synthesis of thiolase, hydroxyacyl‐CoA dehydrogenase or crotonase map between the loci metE and rha on the E. coli‐chromosome and are probably closely linked. The mutant lacking acyl‐CoA synthetase is not linked to the other mutants and maps near the his‐locus.
Only fatty acids with more than twelve carbon atoms serve as inducers or can be used as sole carbon source by the wild type. This specificity is therefore typical for the abolition of repression by the interaction with the fatty acids.
Spontaneous mutants can be isolated which grow on decanoate. These are constitutive for the synthesis of all four enzymes investigated and can only grow on fatty acids with more than eight carbon atoms. Thus, after destruction of the repression mechanism the growth behavior is a reflection of the substrate specificity of the acyl‐CoA synthetase.
Starting with the constitutive mutants, spontaneous mutants have been isolated which can grow on butyrate. These fall into two classes: (a) One class grows on butyrate and poorly on long chain fatty acids. It makes all four enzymes constitutively but has twenty times more thiolase activity than the parent. This thiolase activity is not due to a gene linked to metE. (b) The other class can grow on butyrate and fatty acids with more than eight carbon atoms. It synthesizes the enzymes constitutively.
The data suggest that the expression of the linked structural genes of crotonase, hydroxy‐acyl‐CoA dehydrogenase and thiolase and the unlinked gene of the acyl‐CoA synthetase from a regulon which is controlled by a common regulator gene.
The Effect of Vitamin A Deficiency on Myelination in the Central Nervous System of the Rat
Authors: Clausen J. 
Published: July 2010

The age‐dependent deposition of sulfatide, glycolipids and phospholipids in the whole brain during the period of myelination in the normal rat has been estimated and expressed as μg lipid stored in the tissue per week per dry weight, per mg total protein or per mg DNA.
Deficiency in vitamin A during the period of myelination in the rat gives rise to a statistically significant decrease in the deposits of sulfatide per week in the whole brain.
The decreased weekly deposits of sulfatide in the vitamin A deficient rat brain is associated with a slight depression in the weekly storage of phospholipids in the whole brain.
The myelin fraction, isolated by gradient ultracentrifugation, showed a significantly lower sulfatide content in the deficient rats than in the group of rats fed and raised on an optimal diet. Expressed per dry weight of the myelin, the total content of the phospholipids was found to be increased in the vitamin A deficient group when compared to the myelin from the normal animals.
The vitamin A deficiency from birth resulted in half of the normal serum value of vitamin A within five weeks. However, no absolute lack of the vitamin could be induced by the deficiency. This is in agreement with previous studies, showing it impossible to deplete the liver completely of vitamin A. This lack of complete depletion may explain the decrease, but not the absolute lack, of sulfatide formation in the rat brain.
The formation of sulfatide from galactocerebroside and inorganic 35S‐labelled sulfate in vitro was found to be highest in the sediment of 100,000 ×g ultracentrifugation both in the normal and in the vitamin A deficient animals.
The vitamin A deficiency in the period of myelination heavily depressed the formation of 35S‐labelled active sulfate and sulfatide in vitro compared to the activities of normal rats with an identical age (two months).
Chelation of Iron and Zinc by Protoporphyrin Catalyzed by Mitochondrial Preparations
Authors: Mazanowska A. , Dancewicz A. M. , Malinowska T. , Kowalski E. 
Published: July 2010

Sonication, freezing and thawing, treatment of mitochondria with Tween‐Span surfactants and other procedures applied to isolate ferrochelatase from the liver mitochondria showed that the most active in releasing the enzyme was the combined action of Tween 20 at a final concentration of 15 mg/ml and sonic irradiation on the mitochondrial suspensions, previously subjected to freezing and thawing.
A 20–40 fold purification of the enzyme was achieved by ammonium sulphate fractionation and chromatography on dextran gels of “solubilized” ferrochelatase.
Variations of the yield of the release of ferrochelatase from the mitochondria suggest that the localization of the enzyme within the mitochondrial structure is heterogeneous.
The Catalytic Mechanism of Glutamyl‐tRNA Synthetase of Escherichia coli
Authors: KERN Daniel , LAPOINTE Jacques 
Published: July 2010

The reaction pathway of tRNAGlu charging by glutamyl‐tRNA synthetase of Escherichia coli has been investigated. Comparisons of the absolute rates and of the pH dependence of the aminoacylation of tRNAGlu, the [32P]PPi– ATP isotope exchange, and the cleavage of [γ‐32P]ATP catalyzed by this synthetase show that the overall tRNAGlu charging involves at least two distinct steps, whose rate constants are very different at acidic pH but become similar at alkaline pH. Further comparisons of the rates of the AMP and PPi–dependent deacylation of Glu‐tRNAGlu and of [32P]‐PPi–ATP exchange, and the comparison of the efficiency of tRNAGlu with that of Glu‐tRNAGlu plus AMP for the [32P]PPi– ATP exchange show that the reversal of tRNAGlu charging involves at all pH values a slow step, either preceding the fast catalysis of the isotope exchange or succeeding it. Finally the study of the effects of various substrates and end‐products (PPi, tRNAGlu, AMP and hydroxylamine) on some of these reactions shows that the glutamylation process involves the participation of an intermediate complex in which glutamate is associated via a high‐energy bond, and for which PPi and tRNAGlu compete: PPi reacts faster with this intermediate at acidic, and tRNAGlu at alkaline pH. This intermediate can transfer the glutamate to hydroxylamine. These results can be the most easily interpreted in the context of a stepwise pathway of tRNAGlu charging, although some of them are compatible with a concerted pathway involving slow conformational changes.Kinetic studies of consumption of [γ‐32P]ATP and of [3H]Glu‐tRNAGlu synthesis at the early time of the reaction show that, at acidic pH, ATP is cleaved in a stoichiometric amount to the synthetase present without concomitant synthesis of Glu‐tRNAGlu. The rate of ATP consumption during the first catalytic cycle of the enzyme largely exceeds that at the steady state, where it equals that of tRNAGlu charging during and after the first catalytic cycle. At alkaline pH there is no significant difference in the rates of ATP cleavage and tRNAGlu charging during the first turnover of the enzyme and at the steady state. In addition, no end‐product dissociation is rate‐determining for the overall tRNAGlu charging neither at acidic nor at alkaline pH. These results indicate that the aminoacylation of tRNAGlu takes place between the cleavage of ATP and the dissociation of the end‐products, and that this step is rate‐determining for the overall tRNAGlu charging at acidic pH, whereas at alkaline pH both steps, the cleavage of ATP and the synthesis of Glu‐tRNAGlu, occur at similar rates.