bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Diversification, Integration and Emerging Market Closed‐End Funds
Authors: BEKAERT GEERT , URIAS MICHAEL S. 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACTWe study a new class of unconditional and conditional mean‐variance spanning tests that exploits the duality between Hansen‐Jagannathan bounds (1991) and mean‐standard deviation frontiers. The tests are shown to be equivalent to standard spanning tests in population, but we document substantial differences in the small sample performance of alternative tests. Our empirical application examines the diversification benefits from emerging equity markets using an extensive new data set on U.S. and U.K.‐traded closed‐end funds. We find significant diversification benefits for the U.K. country funds, but not for the U.S. funds. The difference appears to relate to differences in portfolio holdings rather than to the behavior of premiums in the United States versus the United Kingdom.
Of Tournaments and Temptations: An Analysis of Managerial Incentives in the Mutual Fund Industry
Authors: BROWN KEITH C. , HARLOW W. V. , STARKS LAURA T. 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACTWe test the hypothesis that when their compensation is linked to relative performance, managers of investment portfolios likely to end up as “losers” will manipulate fund risk differently than those managing portfolios likely to be “winners.” An empirical investigation of the performance of 334 growth‐oriented mutual funds during 1976 to 1991 demonstrates that mid‐year losers tend to increase fund volatility in the latter part of an annual assessment period to a greater extent than mid‐year winners. Furthermore, we show that this effect became stronger as industry growth and investor awareness of fund performance increased over time.
Real Interest Rates and Inflation: An Ex‐Ante Empirical Analysis
Authors: KANDEL SHMUEL , OFER AHARON R. , SARIG ODED 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACTWe develop a method of measuring ex‐ante real interest rates using prices of index and nominal bonds. Employing this method and newly available data, we directly test the Fisher hypothesis that the real rate of interest is independent of inflation expectations. We find a negative correlation between ex‐ante real interest rates and expected inflation. This contradicts the Fisher hypothesis but is consistent with the theories of Mundell and Tobin, Darby and Feldstein, and Stulz. We also find that nominal interest rates include an inflation risk premium that is positively related to a proxy for inflation uncertainty.
Novel meningococcal 4CMenB vaccine antigens – prevalence and polymorphisms of the encoding genes in Neisseria gonorrhoeae
Authors: Hadad Ronza , Jacobsson Susanne , Pizza Mariagrazia , Rappuoli Rino , Fredlund Hans , Olcén Per , Unemo Magnus 
Published: April 2012

The first cross‐protective Neisseria meningitidis vaccine (focus on serogroup B), the protein‐based 4 component meningococcus serogroup B (4CMenB), includes the New Zealand outer membrane vesicle and three main genome‐derived neisserial antigens (GNAs). These GNAs are fHbp (fused to GNA2091), NHBA (fused to GNA1030) and NadA. In this study, the prevalence and polymorphisms of the nucleotide and amino acid sequences of the 4CMenB antigens in a temporally and geographically diverse collection of N. gonorrhoeae isolates (n = 111) were investigated. All the examined GNA genes, except the nadA gene, were present in all gonococcal isolates. However, 25 isolates contained premature stop codons in the fHbp gene and/or the nhba gene, resulting in truncated proteins. Compared with the 4CMenB antigen sequences in reference strain MC58, the gonococcal strains displayed 67.0–95.4% and 60.9–94.9% identity in nucleotide sequence and amino acid sequence, respectively, in the equivalent GNA antigens. The absence of NadA, lack of universal expression of fHbp and NHBA and the uncertainty regarding the surface exposure of fHbp as well as the function of NHBA in N. gonorrhoeae will likely limit the use of the identical 4CMenB antigens in a gonococcal vaccine. However, possible cross‐immunity of 4CMenB with gonococci and expression and function of the equivalent gonococcal GNAs, as well as of more appropriate GNAs for a gonococcal vaccine, need to be further examined.
Antibiotic susceptibility in prostate‐derived Propionibacterium acnes isolates
Authors: Olsson Jan , Davidsson Sabina , Unemo Magnus , Mölling Paula , Andersson Swen‐Olov , Andrén Ove , Söderquist Bo , Sellin Mats , Elgh Fredrik 
Published: April 2012

The aim of this study was to determine antibiotic susceptibility of Propionibacterium acnes isolates from prostate. Prostate‐derived P. acnes isolates (n = 24, Umeå & Örebro, Sweden, 2007–2010) and a panel of control strains (n = 25, Sweden) collected from skin and deep infections were assessed for resistance to penicillin G, piperacillin–tazobactam, imipenem, gentamicin, azithromycin, erythromycin, vancomycin, ciprofloxacin, moxifloxacin, tetracycline, tigecycline, fusidic acid, clindamycin, rifampicin, linezolid, daptomycin, trimethoprim–sulfamethoxazole, and metronidazole. In addition, the isolates were tested for inducible clindamycin resistance. All prostate derived P. acnes isolates displayed wild‐type distribution of MIC‐values, without evidence of acquired resistance. In the reference panel, 5 of 25 isolates had acquired macrolide resistance with cross‐resistance to azithromycin, clindamycin, and erythromycin. In addition, one of these isolates was resistant to tetracycline.
Phenological growth stages of the golden penda tree (Xanthostemon chrysanthus)
Authors: Ahmad Nazarudin M.R. , Tsan F.Y. , Normaniza O. , Adzmi Y. 
Published: April 2012

AbstractBiologishe Bundesanstalt, Bundessortenamt and CHemical Industry (BBCH) scales are a system for the uniform coding of phenologically similar growth stages of plants, using a two‐digit decimal code. This paper describes the phenological growth stages of a landscape tree, Xanthostemon chrysanthus using the BBCH‐scale. Detailed descriptions of principal growth stages for bud, leaf and shoot development, inflorescence emergence, flowering, fruit development, maturity or ripening of fruit and seed, and other secondary growth stages are provided. The developed scale will be of great help to landscape managers and researchers for better communication, more efficient planning of management practices and experiments of flowering trees.
A multicenter study of clinical and laboratory findings of palindromic rheumatism in Iran
Authors: Khabbazi Alireza , Hajialiloo Mehrzad , Kolahi Sousan , Soroosh Mohsen , Esalatmanesh Kamal , Sharif Sakinehkhatoon 
Published: April 2012

AbstractObjectiveConsidering demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of palindromic rheumatism and finding out the difference between rheumatoid factor and anti‐cyclic citrullinated peptide positive and negative cases of palindromic rheumatism in Iran.MethodsIn this cross‐sectional and multicenter study, patients with intermittent arthritis were evaluated by a rheumatologist for palindromic rheumatism. Diagnosis of palindromic rheumatism was made after ruling out other causes of recurrent arthritis, and the fulfillment of the Pasero and Barbieri criteria. Then the demographic and clinical characteristics were recorded and compared in rheumatoid factor and anti‐cyclic citrullinated peptide positive and negative patients.ResultsOf the 69 patients with palindromic rheumatism, 35 were men and 34 were women. The mean ages of the patients at the time of diagnosis were 38.5 ± 14.6 years. The mean attack intervals and duration of the attacks were 66.3 ± 38.4 days and 3.9 ± 3.3 days, respectively. The most commonly involved joints were knees, metacarpophalangeals and proximal interphalangeals. Rheumatoid factor in 46.4% and anti‐cyclic citrullinated peptide in 42% of the cases were positive. Palindromic patients with positive anti‐cyclic citrullinated peptide had higher age, shorter duration of disease, shorter duration of attacks, more frequent attacks and more metacarpophalangeal joints involvement.ConclusionsRheumatoid factor and anti‐cyclic citrullinated peptides were found in a high proportion of patients with palindromic rheumatism. The clinical features of the disease in our study were different in rheumatoid factor and anti‐cyclic citrullinated peptide positive and negative patients.
Novel Metagenome-Derived, Cold-Adapted Alkaline Phospholipase with Superior Lipase Activity as an Intermediate between Phospholipase and Lipase
Authors: Lee Mi-Hwa , Oh Ki-Hoon , Kang Chul-Hyung , Kim Ji-Hoon , Oh Tae-Kwang , Ryu Choong-Min , Yoon Jung-Hoon 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACT

A novel lipolytic enzyme was isolated from a metagenomic library obtained from tidal flat sediments on the Korean west coast. Its putative functional domain, designated MPlaG, showed the highest similarity to phospholipase A from
Grimontia hollisae
CIP 101886, though it was screened from an emulsified tricaprylin plate. Phylogenetic analysis showed that MPlaG is far from family I.6 lipases, including
Staphylococcus hyicus
lipase, a unique lipase which can hydrolyze phospholipids, and is more evolutionarily related to the bacterial phospholipase A
1
family. The specific activities of MPlaG against olive oil and phosphatidylcholine were determined to be 2,957 ± 144 and 1,735 ± 147 U mg
−1
, respectively, which means that MPlaG is a lipid-preferred phospholipase. Among different synthetic esters, triglycerides, and phosphatidylcholine, purified MPlaG exhibited the highest activity toward
p
-nitrophenyl palmitate (C
16
), tributyrin (C
4
), and 1,2-dihexanoyl-phosphatidylcholine (C
8
). Finally, MPlaG was identified as a phospholipase A
1
with lipase activity by cleavage of the
sn
-1 position of OPPC, interfacial activity, and triolein hydrolysis. These findings suggest that MPlaG is the first experimentally characterized phospholipase A
1
with lipase activity obtained from a metagenomic library. Our study provides an opportunity to improve our insight into the evolution of lipases and phospholipases.
Involvement of Clostridium botulinum ATCC 3502 Sigma Factor K in Early-Stage Sporulation
Authors: Kirk David G. , Dahlsten Elias , Zhang Zhen , Korkeala Hannu , Lindström Miia 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACT

A key survival mechanism of
Clostridium botulinum
, the notorious neurotoxic food pathogen, is the ability to form heat-resistant spores. While the genetic mechanisms of sporulation are well understood in the model organism
Bacillus subtilis
, nothing is known about these mechanisms in
C. botulinum.
Using the ClosTron gene-knockout tool,
sigK
, encoding late-stage (stage IV) sporulation sigma factor K in
B. subtilis
, was disrupted in
C. botulinum
ATCC 3502 to produce two different mutants with distinct insertion sites and orientations. Both mutants were unable to form spores, and their elongated cell morphology suggested that the sporulation pathway was blocked at an early stage. In contrast,
sigK
-complemented mutants sporulated successfully. Quantitative real-time PCR analysis of
sigK
in the parent strain revealed expression at the late log growth phase in the parent strain. Analysis of
spo0A
, encoding the sporulation master switch, in the
sigK
mutant and the parent showed significantly reduced relative levels of
spo0A
expression in the
sigK
mutant compared to the parent strain. Similarly,
sigF
showed significantly lower relative transcription levels in the
sigK
mutant than the parent strain, suggesting that the sporulation pathway was blocked in the
sigK
mutant at an early stage. We conclude that σ
K
is essential for early-stage sporulation in
C. botulinum
ATCC 3502, rather than being involved in late-stage sporulation, as reported for the sporulation model organism
B. subtilis
. Understanding the sporulation mechanism of
C. botulinum
provides keys to control the public health risks that the spores of this dangerous pathogen cause through foods.
Genetic and Functional Characterization of Cyclic Lipopeptide White-Line-Inducing Principle (WLIP) Production by Rice Rhizosphere Isolate Pseudomonas putida RW10S2
Authors: Rokni-Zadeh Hassan , Li Wen , Sanchez-Rodriguez Aminael , Sinnaeve Davy , Rozenski Jef , Martins José C. , De Mot René 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACT

The secondary metabolite mediating the GacS-dependent growth-inhibitory effect exerted by the rice rhizosphere isolate
Pseudomonas putida
RW10S2 on phytopathogenic
Xanthomonas
species was identified as white-line-inducing principle (WLIP), a member of the viscosin group of cyclic lipononadepsipeptides. WLIP producers are commonly referred to by the taxonomically invalid name “
Pseudomonas reactans
,” based on their capacity to reveal the presence of a nearby colony of
Pseudomonas tolaasii
by inducing the formation of a visible precipitate (“white line”) in agar medium between both colonies. This phenomenon is attributed to the interaction of WLIP with a cyclic lipopeptide of a distinct structural group, the fungitoxic tolaasin, and has found application as a diagnostic tool to identify tolaasin-producing bacteria pathogenic to mushrooms. The genes encoding the WLIP nonribosomal peptide synthetases WlpA, WlpB, and WlpC were identified in two separate genomic clusters (
wlpR-wlpA
and
wlpBC
) with an operon organization similar to that of the viscosin, massetolide, and entolysin biosynthetic systems. Expression of
wlpR
is dependent on
gacS
, and the encoded regulator of the LuxR family (WlpR) activates transcription of the biosynthetic genes and the linked export genes, which is not controlled by the RW10S2 quorum-sensing system PmrR/PmrI. In addition to linking the known phenotypes of white line production and hemolytic activity of a WLIP producer with WLIP biosynthesis, additional properties of ecological relevance conferred by WLIP production were identified, namely, antagonism against
Xanthomonas
and involvement in swarming and biofilm formation.
No Beneficial Effects Evident for Enterococcus faecium NCIMB 10415 in Weaned Pigs Infected with Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium DT104
Authors: Kreuzer Susanne , Janczyk Pawel , Aßmus Jens , Schmidt Michael F. G. , Brockmann Gudrun A. , Nöckler Karsten 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACT

Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium DT 104 is the major pathogen for salmonellosis outbreaks in Europe. We tested if the probiotic bacterium
Enterococcus faecium
NCIMB 10415 can prevent or alleviate salmonellosis. Therefore, piglets of the German Landrace breed that were treated with
E. faecium
(
n
= 16) as a feed additive and untreated controls (
n
= 16) were challenged with
S.
Typhimurium 10 days after weaning. The presence of salmonellae in feces and selected organs, as well as the immune response, were investigated. Piglets treated with
E. faecium
gained less weight than control piglets (
P
= 0.05). The feeding of
E. faecium
had no effect on the fecal shedding of salmonellae and resulted in a higher abundance of the pathogen in tonsils of all challenged animals. The specific (anti-
Salmonella
IgG) and nonspecific (haptoglobin) humoral immune responses as well as the cellular immune response (T helper cells, cytotoxic T cells, regulatory T cells, γδ T cells, and B cells) in the lymph nodes, Peyer's patches of different segments of the intestine (jejunal and ileocecal), the ileal papilla, and in the blood were affected in the course of time after infection (
P
< 0.05) but not by the
E. faecium
treatment. These results led to the conclusion that
E. faecium
may not have beneficial effects on the performance of weaned piglets in the case of
S.
Typhimurium infection. Therefore, we suggest a critical discussion and reconsideration of
E. faecium
NCIMB 10415 administration as a probiotic for pigs.
Temperature-Dependent Survival of Hepatitis A Virus during Storage of Contaminated Onions
Authors: Sun Y. , Laird D. T. , Shieh Y. C. 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACT

Pre- or postharvest contamination of green onions by hepatitis A virus (HAV) has been linked to large numbers of food-borne illnesses. Understanding HAV survival in onions would assist in projecting the risk of the disease associated with their consumption. This study defined HAV inactivation rates in contaminated green onions contained in air-permeable, moisture-retaining high-density polyethylene packages that were stored at 3, 10, 14, 20, 21, 22, and 23°C. A protocol was established to recover HAV from whole green onions, with 31% as the average recovery by infectivity assay. Viruses in eluates were primarily analyzed by a 6-well plaque assay on FRhK-4 cells. Eight storage trials, including two trials at 3°C, were conducted, with 3 to 7 onion samples per sampling and 4 to 7 samplings per trial. Linear regression correlation (
r
2
= 0.80 to 0.98) was observed between HAV survival and storage time for each of the 8 trials, held at specific temperatures. Increases in the storage temperature resulted in greater HAV inactivation rates, e.g., a reduction of 0.033 log PFU/day at 3.4 ± 0.3°C versus 0.185 log PFU/day at 23.4 ± 0.7°C. Thus, decimal reduction time (
D
) values of 30, 14, 11, and 5 days, respectively, were obtained for HAV in onions stored at 3, 10, 14, and 23°C. Further regression analysis determined that 1 degree Celsius increase would increase inactivation of HAV by 0.007 log PFU/day in onions (
r
2
= 0.97). The data suggest that natural degradation of HAV in contaminated fresh produce is minimal and that a preventive strategy is critical to produce safety. The results are useful in predicting the risks associated with HAV contamination in fresh produce.
Histopathological Effects of the Yen-Tc Toxin Complex from Yersinia entomophaga MH96 (Enterobacteriaceae) on the Costelytra zealandica (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) Larval Midgut
Authors: Marshall Sean D. G. , Hares Michelle C. , Jones Sandra A. , Harper Lincoln A. , Vernon James R. , Harland Duane P. , Jackson Trevor A. , Hurst Mark R. H. 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACT

Yersinia entomophaga
MH96, which was originally isolated from the New Zealand grass grub,
Costelytra zealandica
, produces an orally active proteinaceous toxin complex (Yen-Tc), and this toxin is responsible for mortality in a range of insect species, mainly within the Coleoptera and Lepidoptera. The genes encoding Yen-Tc are members of the toxin complex (Tc) family, with orthologs identified in several other bacterial species. As the mechanism of Yen-Tc activity remains unknown, a histopathological examination of
C. zealandica
larvae was undertaken in conjunction with cultured cells to identify the effects of Yen-Tc and to distinguish the contributions that its individual subunit components make upon intoxication. A progressive series of events that led to the deterioration of the midgut epithelium was observed. Additionally, experiments using a cell culture assay system were carried out to determine the cellular effects of intoxication on cells after topical application and the transient expression of Yen-Tc and its individual components. While observations were broadly consistent with those previously reported for other Tc family members, some differences were noted. In particular, the distinct stepwise disintegration of the midgut shared features associated with both apoptosis and necrotic programmed cell death pathways. Second, we observed, for the first time, a contribution of toxicity from two chitinases associated with the Yen-Tc complex. Our findings were suggestive of the activities encoded within the subunit components of Yen-Tc targeting different sites along putative programmed cell death pathways. Given the observed broad host range for Yen-Tc, these targeted loci are likely to be widely shared among insects.
Lactobacillus casei Ferments the
N
-Acetylglucosamine Moiety of Fucosyl-α-1,3-
N
-Acetylglucosamine and Excretes
l
-Fucose
Authors: Rodríguez-Díaz Jesús , Rubio-del-Campo Antonio , Yebra María J. 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACT

We have previously characterized from
Lactobacillus casei
BL23 three α-
l
-fucosidases, AlfA, AlfB, and AlfC, which hydrolyze
in vitro
natural fucosyl-oligosaccharides. In this work, we have shown that
L. casei
is able to grow in the presence of fucosyl-α-1,3-
N
-acetylglucosamine (Fuc-α-1,3-GlcNAc) as a carbon source. Interestingly,
L. casei
excretes the
l
-fucose moiety during growth on Fuc-α-1,3-GlcNAc, indicating that only the
N
-acetylglucosamine moiety is being metabolized. Analysis of the genomic sequence of
L. casei
BL23 shows that downstream from
alfB
, which encodes the α-
l
-fucosidase AlfB, a gene,
alfR
, that encodes a transcriptional regulator is present. Divergently from
alfB
, three genes,
alfEFG
, that encode proteins with homology to the enzyme IIAB (EIIAB), EIIC, and EIID components of a mannose-class phosphoenolpyruvate:sugar phosphotransferase system (PTS) are present. Inactivation of either
alfB
or
alfF
abolishes the growth of
L. casei
on Fuc-α-1,3-GlcNAc. This proves that AlfB is involved in Fuc-α-1,3-GlcNAc metabolism and that the transporter encoded by
alfEFG
participates in the uptake of this disaccharide. A mutation in the PTS general component enzyme I does not eliminate the utilization of Fuc-α-1,3-GlcNAc, suggesting that the transport via the PTS encoded by
alfEFG
is not coupled to phosphorylation of the disaccharide. Transcriptional analysis with
alfR
and
ccpA
mutants shows that the two gene clusters
alfBR
and
alfEFG
are regulated by substrate-specific induction mediated by the inactivation of the transcriptional repressor AlfR and by carbon catabolite repression mediated by the catabolite control protein A (CcpA). This work reports for the first time the characterization of the physiological role of an α-
l
-fucosidase in lactic acid bacteria and the utilization of Fuc-α-1,3-GlcNAc as a carbon source for bacteria.
Synthesis of Chiral Cyanohydrins by Recombinant Escherichia coli Cells in a Micro-Aqueous Reaction System
Authors: Scholz Kathrin Emmi , Okrob Daniel , Kopka Benita , Grünberger Alexander , Pohl Martina , Jaeger Karl-Erich , Krauss Ulrich 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACT

Synthesis of chiral cyanohydrins is performed in a monophasic micro-aqueous reaction system using whole recombinant
Escherichia coli
cells expressing the
Arabidopsis thaliana
hydroxynitrile lyase (
At
HNL). Microscopy studies employing a fusion of
At
HNL with a flavin-based fluorescent protein (FbFP) reveal that the cells remain intact in the reaction system.
Evidence for Lack of Acquisition of Tolerance in Salmonella enterica Serovar Typhimurium ATCC 14028 after Exposure to Subinhibitory Amounts of Origanum vulgare L. Essential Oil and Carvacrol
Authors: Luz Isabelle da Silva , Gomes Neto Nelson Justino , Tavares Adassa Gama , Nunes Pollyana Campos , Magnani Marciane , de Souza Evandro Leite 
Published: April 2012

ABSTRACT

Overnight exposure of
Salmonella enterica
serovar Typhimurium to sublethal amounts of
Origanum vulgare
essential oil (OV) and carvacrol (CAR) did not result in direct and cross-bacterial protection. Cells subcultured with increasing amounts of OV or CAR survived up to the MIC of either compound, revealing few significant changes in bacterial susceptibility.