bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Oviduct: Functional Genomic and Proteomic Approach
Authors: Mondéjar I , Acuña OS , Izquierdo‐Rico MJ , Coy P , Avilés M 
Published: June 2012

ContentsThe mammalian oviduct is an anatomical part of the female reproductive tract, which plays several important roles in the events related to fertilization and embryo development. This review examines and compares several studies related to the proteomic and transcriptomic profile of the oviduct in different domestic animals. This information could be important for clarifying the role of oviductal factors in different events regulating fertilization and early embryo development, as well as for improving synthetic media forin vitromaturation/in vitrofertilization/embryo culture techniques (IVM/IVF/EC).
Influence of Cool Storage before Freezing on the Quality of Frozen–Thawed Semen Samples in Dogs
Authors: Santana M , Batista M , Alamo D , González F , Niño T , Cabrera F , Gracia A 
Published: June 2012

ContentsThe aim of this study was to determinate the semen quality of frozen–thawed samples that were chilled for up to 2 days before freezing. The ejaculates (n = 18) from six dogs were collected, pooled and divided into six aliquots. The first aliquot (C, control) was frozen in liquid nitrogen using a conventional protocol to reach a final concentration of 100 × 106 spermatozoa/ml, 20% egg yolk and 5% glycerol. The remaining five aliquots were diluted with a chilled extender (Tris‐glucose and 20% egg yolk) and cooled at 4°C as follows: R1, the semen was cooled for 1 h; R6, the semen was cooled for 6 h; R12, the semen was cooled for 12 h; R24, the semen was cooled for 24 h and R48, the semen was cooled for 48 h. After the chilling period, a second extender was added (Tris‐glucose, 20% egg yolk, 10% glycerol and Equex at 1%) to reach a final composition similar to aliquot C, and then, the semen samples (R1, R6, R12, R24 and R48) were frozen in liquid nitrogen. The post‐thaw sperm quality was assessed in 30 straws from each experimental group. After freezing–thawing, the total sperm motility (approximately 60–70%) in the semen chilled for up to 48 h did not show any differences from the samples frozen by the conventional cryopreservation method (63.2%). No significant differences were detected in the percentages of abnormal sperm cells among the fresh semen, the control group and the frozen samples after the different cooling times. Finally, the post‐thaw percentages of damaged acrosomes showed a very uniform distribution, with mean values ranging between 7% and 10.5%. The results clearly demonstrated that cooling the semen up to 48 h before freezing did not produce a decrease in the semen quality when was compared with semen frozen by a traditional procedure.
Long‐Term Effect of Deslorelin Implant on Ovarian Pre‐Antral Follicles and Uterine Histology in Female Rats
Authors: Cetin Y , Alkis I , Sendag S , Ragbetli M , Akyol V , Ucar O , Wehrend A 
Published: June 2012

ContentsThe objective of the present study was to investigate the inhibitory effects of long‐term deslorelin implant administration on the ovarian and uterine structures of female rats. A total of 16 non‐pregnant female rats were randomly assigned to two groups, each consisting of eight animals. Animals in the implant group (DESL) received subcutaneously (s.c.) a single deslorelin implant (4.7 mg), an analogue of GnRH, while no treatment was applied to the control group (CON). A single adult male rat was introduced into the cages of both the DESL and CON females after 6 weeks of implant administration. After 1 year of implant administration, all animals were killed and follicular structures and volumes of ovaries and uterus were examined using stereological methods. Stereological observations showed that the mean ovarian total volume of the DESL group (0.28 ± 0.07 cm3) was lower than that of the CON group (1.55 ± 0.23 cm3) (p < 0.001). On the other hand, the total number of pre‐antral follicles in the ovaries of DESL (555.32 ± 151.47) females were significantly lower than the control group (1162.96 ± 189.19) (p < 0.001). In the DESL group, the mean volumes of epithelium, endometrium, myometrium and total volume of the uterus were significantly (p < 0.001) lower than in the control groups. In conclusion, these findings indicate that the long‐term deslorelin implant (i) interferes with the normal cyclicity of female rats and (ii) affects the pre‐antral follicle population. Further studies will be required to determine the effects of long‐term deslorelin treatment on the pre‐antral follicle numbers and future fertility in other species.
Is backdating executive stock options always costly to shareholders?
Authors: Grégoire Philippe , Glenn Hubbard Robert , Koehn Michael F. , Audenrode Marc Van , Royer Jimmy 
Published: June 2012

AbstractWe use a binomial model to investigate the cost to shareholders of backdating employee stock option (ESO) grants to award in‐the‐money rather than at‐the‐money options to a manager. When the expected return of the stock underlying an ESO is sufficiently close to the risk‐free rate, a backdating arrangement can always be structured to simultaneously improve shareholders’ wealth and the manager's utility. The smaller the manager's non‐option wealth, personal income tax rate or risk tolerance, the more likely a backdating arrangement can be welfare improving.
Bread matters: a national initiative to profile the genetic diversity of Australian wheat
Authors: Edwards David , Wilcox Stephen , Barrero Roberto A. , Fleury Delphine , Cavanagh Colin R. , Forrest Kerrie L. , Hayden Matthew J. , Moolhuijzen Paula , Keeble‐Gagnère Gabriel , Bellgard Matthew I. , Lorenc Michał T. , Shang Catherine A. , Baumann Ute , Taylor Jennifer M. , Morell Matthew K. , Langridge Peter , Appels Rudi , Fitzgerald Anna 
Published: June 2012

SummaryThe large and complex genome of wheat makes genetic and genomic analysis in this important species both expensive and resource intensive. The application of next‐generation sequencing technologies is particularly resource intensive, with at least 17 Gbp of sequence data required to obtain minimal (1×) coverage of the genome. A similar volume of data would represent almost 40× coverage of the rice genome. Progress can be made through the establishment of consortia to produce shared genomic resources. Australian wheat genome researchers, working with Bioplatforms Australia, have collaborated in a national initiative to establish a genetic diversity dataset representing Australian wheat germplasm based on whole genome next‐generation sequencing data. Here, we describe the establishment and validation of this resource which can provide a model for broader international initiatives for the analysis of large and complex genomes.
Mutualisms are not constraining cross‐continental invasion success of Acacia species within Australia
Authors: Birnbaum Christina , Barrett Luke G. , Thrall Peter H. , Leishman Michelle R. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractAimStudying plant–soil interactions of introduced species in different parts of their global range could assist in managing biological invasions by elucidating the level of host specificity of key mutualists. We assessed the role of the soil microbial community (with an emphasis on symbiotic nitrogen‐fixing bacteria, collectively termed rhizobia) in determining cross‐continental invasion success of five woody legume species.LocationAustralia.MethodsFor each species, we compared growth of plants in soils from their native and non‐native ranges using a glasshouse study, a soil dilution method (most probable number) and T‐RFLP to assess rhizobial abundance and community composition, respectively.ResultsAcacia longifolia was the only species that had significantly larger above‐ground biomass when grown in soils from its non‐native range. Rhizobial abundance was equally high across species and ranges, indicating plants are unlikely to be limited by soil rhizobial abundance in non‐native ranges. Acacia cyclops, A. saligna and Paraserianthes lophantha formed associations with different rhizobial communities in non‐native vs. native range soils. Acacia longifolia and A. melanoxylon associated with similar rhizobial communities in their native and non‐native ranges, suggesting that rhizobia may have been accidentally introduced into their novel range with seeds or seedlings.Main conclusionsInvasive success of these five legume species is not constrained by the abundance of rhizobia in novel ranges for established legume populations, at least within Australia. Although differences in rhizobial community composition were evident between the native and non‐native ranges for three of the five species, these were not associated with differences in plant growth. Increased above‐ground biomass of A. longifolia when grown in soil from its non‐native range suggests that invasive success of this species may be associated with differences in the non‐rhizobial components of soil microbial communities in the novel range. This information could assist in management practises by facilitating a more instructive and effective screening for invasiveness.
Calorimetric Study of Glass Structure Modification Induced by α Decay
Authors: Maugeri Emilio Andrea , Peuget Sylvain , Staicu Dragos , Zappia Alessandro , Jegou Christophe , Wiss Thierry 
Published: June 2012

R7T7‐type glass samples doped with different concentrations of 244Cm and stored for different time periods to produce different levels of accumulated radiation damage were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry to better understand the structural evolution of R7T7 nuclear glass due to the accumulation of α radiation damage. The stored energy and fictive temperature were observed to increase as a function of the α decay dose. The stored energy saturates at about 1018 α decays·g−1, whereas the fictive temperature continues to increase and saturates at about 6–7 × 1018 α decays·g−1. This discrepancy was interpreted in terms of different effects of energy lost during α decay on the glass structure due to electronic stopping and nuclear stopping. This study demonstrates that the stored energy is affected by both phenomena, whereas the fictive temperature variation depends mainly on elastic collisions. The increase of fictive temperature with the cumulative α dose is direct evidence that the energy lost by recoil nuclei induces the formation of a new structure similar to a fast‐quenched glass.
Oral human β‐defensin 2 in HIV‐infected subjects with long‐term use of antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Nittayananta Wipawee , Kemapunmanus Marisa , Amornthatree Korntip , Talungchit Sineepat , Sriplung Hutcha 
Published: June 2012

Background:  The objectives of this study were to determine (i) oral hBD2 expression in HIV‐infected subjects compared with non‐HIV controls, (ii) the expression of oral hBD2 in HIV‐infected subjects with antiretroviral therapy (ART) compared with those without ART, and (iii) factors associated with the expression of oral hBD2.Methods:  Oral examination and punched biopsy on buccal mucosa were performed in HIV‐infected subjects with and without ART, and non‐HIV individuals. The expression of hBD2 mRNA was determined by quantitative real‐time PCR. Saliva samples of both un‐stimulated and stimulated saliva were collected and analyzed for hBD2 levels using ELISA. Student’s t‐test and nonparametric multi‐way ANOVA test were used for comparison of measurements between or among groups.Results:  One hundred and fifty‐seven HIV‐infected subjects were enrolled: 99 on ART (age range, 23–57 years; mean 39 years), 58 not on ART (age range, 20–59 years; mean 34 years), and 50 non‐HIV controls (age range, 19–59 years; mean 36 years). The most common ART regimen was two nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors + one non‐nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor. Salivary levels of hBD2 were significantly increased in HIV infection (P < 0.001). The levels of hBD2 in stimulated saliva were also found to be significantly different between HIV‐infected subjects who were and were not on ART (P < 0.001). No significant difference was observed with the expression of hBD2 mRNA.Conclusion:  Oral innate immunity is affected by HIV infection and use of ART. Salivary hBD2 levels may be the useful biomarkers to monitor those on long‐term ART who are at risk of developing oral infections and malignant transformation.
Thomas Aquinas’ Metaphysics of ‘Relation’ and ‘Participation’ and Contemporary Trinitarian Theology
Authors: Awad Najeeb 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThis paper is an attempt at proposing Thomas Aquinas’ metaphysics of ‘relationship’ and ‘participation’ as a corrector of a contemporary theological trend that conflates ‘person’ with ‘relation’ in its understanding of the trinity, turning God, eventually, from a self-existing, particular personal Being into an idealist expression of a network of relational movements reflective of what the human personhood means. Thomas Aquinas’ theology of relation and participation invites contemporary theology to retrieve a theology that keeps ‘transcendence’ characteristic of God's personal being in order not to turn the participation of God in the finite's realm of existence into a panentheist or one-sidedly, human-centered relationality.
Scientism and its Challenge to Humanism
Authors: Haldane John 
Published: June 2012

AbstractViewed from the perspective of the nineteenth century there is little in the details of contemporary political life that would seem special. Tensions between great powers, ethnic and religious divisions, trade rivalries, economic recessions, currency crises, civil unrest, etc. are all part of the fabric of the modern world. Social life in the West has been marked by the dissolution of families and communities into voluntary and market associations of individuals; but while that was a distinctive feature of the twentieth century and has extended into the twenty-first, it is a continuation of trends well-established in previous times principally through industrialisation and urbanisation.
Androgen receptor polyglutamine repeat number: models of selection and disease susceptibility
Authors: Ryan Calen P. , Crespi Bernard J. 
Published: June 2012

AbstractVariation in polyglutamine repeat number in the androgen receptor (AR CAGn) is negatively correlated with the transcription of androgen‐responsive genes and is associated with susceptibility to an extensive list of human disease. Only a small portion of the heritability for many of these diseases is explained by conventional SNP‐based genome‐wide association studies, and the forces shaping AR CAGn among humans remains largely unexplored. Here, we propose evolutionary models for understanding selection at the AR CAG locus, namely balancing selection, sexual conflict, accumulation‐selection, and antagonistic pleiotropy. We evaluate these models by examining AR CAGn‐linked susceptibility to eight extensively studied diseases representing the diverse physiological roles of androgens, and consider the costs of these diseases by their frequency and fitness effects. Five diseases could contribute to the distribution of AR CAGn observed among contemporary human populations. With support for disease susceptibilities associated with long and short AR CAGn, balancing selection provides a useful model for studying selection at this locus. Gender‐specific differences AR CAGn health effects also support this locus as a candidate for sexual conflict over repeat number. Accompanied by the accumulation of AR CAGn in humans, these models help explain the distribution of repeat number in contemporary human populations.
Pathogenesis, virulence factors and virulence regulation of vibrios belonging to the Harveyi clade
Authors: Darshanee Ruwandeepika Hettipala Arachchige , Sanjeewa Prasad Jayaweera Thotawaththage , Paban Bhowmick Patit , Karunasagar Indrani , Bossier Peter , Defoirdt Tom 
Published: June 2012

AbstractThe Harveyi clade or core group of the Vibrio genus includes both pathogenic and non‐pathogenic bacteria. Some of the species belonging to the clade, such as Vibrio harveyi, Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio campbellii and Vibrio parahaemolyticus, include serious pathogens of aquatic organisms. Importantly, within these species, some strains are pathogenic, whereas others are not. Other members of the clade, such as Vibrio natriegens and Vibrio mytili are reported to be non‐pathogenic. As bacteria belonging to the Harveyi clade show a high diversity with respect to virulence and as the virulent members cause high mortalities in the aquaculture sector, it is important to understand which gene products are responsible for the pathogenicity of the bacteria and how expression of these virulence factors is regulated. This knowledge will ultimately allow for the development of biocontrol measures that aim to reduce the severe losses that are currently faced in the aquaculture sector as a result of vibriosis. In this review, we discuss the pathogenesis of bacteria belonging to the Harveyi clade, their impact on the aquaculture sector, the virulence factors that are involved in pathogenicity and their regulation.
Broadly Reactive Polymerase Chain Reaction for Pathogen Detection in Canine Granulomatous Meningoencephalomyelitis and Necrotizing Meningoencephalitis
Authors: Barber R.M. , Porter B.F. , Li Q. , May M. , Claiborne M.K. , Allison A.B. , Howerth E.W. , Butler A. , Wei S. , Levine J.M. , Levine G.J. , Brown D.R. , Schatzberg S.J. 
Published: June 2012

BackgroundGranulomatous meningoencephalomyelitis (GME) and necrotizing meningoencephalitis (NME) are common inflammatory conditions of the central nervous system of dogs. Infectious pathogens, particularly viruses, are suspected to contribute to the etiopathogenesis ofGMEandNME.HypothesisBroadly reactivePCRmight aid in the identification of infectious agents inGMEandNME.AnimalsSixty‐eight client‐owned dogs evaluated by necropsy at 1 university referral hospital.MethodsA mixed prospective/retrospective case‐control study was performed. Brain tissue prospectively collected at necropsy fromGME,NME, and control cases was evaluated by broadly reactive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) for adenoviruses, bunyaviruses, coronaviruses, enteroviruses, flaviviruses, herpesviruses, paramyxoviruses, and parechoviruses. In addition, these tissues were retrospectively evaluated for the presence of mycoplasmas byPCR, culture, and immunohistochemistry (IHC).ResultsBrain tissue was collected from 11GMEand 27NMEcases and 30 controls. Viral nucleic acids were not identified in the 6GMEcases, 25NMEcases, and 2 controls evaluated by viralPCR.Mycoplasma caniswas identified byMycoplasmagenusPCRin 1/5GMEand 4/25NMEcases and subsequently was cultured from 4/5GMEand 4/8NMEcases as well as 2/9 controls. TheIHCdid not detectM. canisin any of the 11GMEand 27NMEcases or 14 controls evaluated with strainPG14 polyclonal antiserum.Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceThe negative results suggest that viral pathogens are not common in the brain tissue of dogs withGMEandNME. Further investigation is warranted to determine the importance ofM. canisin cases ofGMEandNME.
Effects of Relative Humidity and Spraying Medium on UV Decontamination of Filters Loaded with Viral Aerosols
Authors: Woo Myung-Heui , Grippin Adam , Anwar Diandra , Smith Tamara , Wu Chang-Yu , Wander Joseph D. 
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACT

Although respirators and filters are designed to prevent the spread of pathogenic aerosols, a stockpile shortage is anticipated during the next flu pandemic. Contact transfer and reaerosolization of collected microbes from used respirators are also a concern. An option to address these potential problems is UV irradiation, which inactivates microbes by dimerizing thymine/uracil in nucleic acids. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of transmission mode and environmental conditions on decontamination efficiency by UV. In this study, filters were contaminated by different transmission pathways (droplet and aerosol) using three spraying media (deionized water [DI], beef extract [BE], and artificial saliva [AS]) under different humidity levels (30% [low relative humidity {LRH}], 60% [MRH], and 90% [HRH]). UV irradiation at constant intensity was applied for two time intervals at each relative humidity condition. The highest inactivation efficiency (IE), around 5.8 logs, was seen for DI aerosols containing MS2 on filters at LRH after applying a UV intensity of 1.0 mW/cm
2
for 30 min. The IE of droplets containing MS2 was lower than that of aerosols containing MS2. Absorption of UV by high water content and shielding of viruses near the center of the aggregate are considered responsible for this trend. Across the different media, IEs in AS and in BE were much lower than in DI for both aerosol and droplet transmission, indicating that solids present in AS and BE exhibited a protective effect. For particles sprayed in a protective medium, RH is not a significant parameter.
A Novel Glycosylphosphatidylinositol-Anchored Glycoside Hydrolase from Ustilago esculenta Functions in β-1,3-Glucan Degradation
Authors: Nakajima Masahiro , Yamashita Tetsuro , Takahashi Machiko , Nakano Yuki , Takeda Takumi 
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACT

A glycoside hydrolase responsible for laminarin degradation was partially purified to homogeneity from a
Ustilago esculenta
culture filtrate by weak-cation-exchange, strong-cation-exchange, and size-exclusion chromatography. Three proteins in enzymatically active fractions were digested with chymotrypsin followed by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC/MS/MS) analysis, resulting in the identification of three peptide sequences that shared significant similarity to a putative β-1,3-glucanase, a member of glucoside hydrolase family 16 (GH16) from
Sporisorium reilianum
SRZ2. A gene encoding a laminarin-degrading enzyme from
U. esculenta
,
lam16A
, was isolated by PCR using degenerate primers designed based on the
S. reilianum
SRZ2 β-1,3-glucanase gene. Lam16A possesses a GH16 catalytic domain with an N-terminal signal peptide and a C-terminal glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI) anchor peptide. Recombinant Lam16A fused to an N-terminal FLAG peptide (Lam16A-FLAG) overexpressed in
Aspergillus oryzae
exhibited hydrolytic activity toward β-1,3-glucan specifically and was localized both in the extracellular and in the membrane fractions but not in the cell wall fraction. Lam16A without a GPI anchor signal peptide was secreted extracellularly and was not detected in the membrane fraction. Membrane-anchored Lam16A-FLAG was released completely by treatment with phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C. These results suggest that Lam16A is anchored in the plasma membrane in order to modify β-1,3-glucan associated with the inner cell wall and that Lam16A is also used for the catabolism of β-1,3-glucan after its release in the extracellular medium.
Expansion of a Plasmid Classification System for Gram-Positive Bacteria and Determination of the Diversity of Plasmids in Staphylococcus aureus Strains of Human, Animal, and Food Origins
Authors: Lozano Carmen , García-Migura Lourdes , Aspiroz Carmen , Zarazaga Myriam , Torres Carmen , Aarestrup Frank Møller 
Published: June 2012

ABSTRACT

An expansion of a previously described plasmid classification was performed and used to reveal the plasmid content of a collection of 92
Staphylococcus aureus
strains of different origins.
rep
genes of other genera were detected in
Staphylococcus
. S1 pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) hybridizations were performed with 18 representative
S. aureus
strains, and a high number of plasmids of different sizes and organizations were detected.