bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Oocyte hydration in the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica) during meiosis resumption and ovulation
Authors: Kagawa Hirohiko , Horiuchi Yasuhiro , Kasuga Yosuke , Kishi Takafumi 
Published: July 2009

AbstractIn this study, to elucidate the mechanisms of oocyte hydration in the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica), we examined the in vivo and in vitro morphological changes and hydration process occurring during oocyte maturation and ovulation. We also investigated the effects of the presence of ovarian follicles, aquaporin water permeability (HgCl2), and yolk proteolysis (bafilomycin A1) inhibitors, gap junction uncouplers (carbenoxolone and 1‐octanol), a 3β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase inhibitor (trilostane), and a P450 antagonist (aminoglutethimide) on oocyte hydration during in vitro oocyte maturation and ovulation. The oocytes underwent more than threefold increase in volume during maturation and ovulation, which was artificially induced by injecting salmon pituitary extracts and 17,20β‐dihydroxy‐4‐pregnen‐3‐one (DHP). Wet and dry weight measurements indicated that water accumulation during oocyte maturation is the major factor contributing to the follicular diameter increase, suggesting that follicular diameter measurements can be used as a hydration index. In the in vitro experiments, human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) and DHP caused an increase in the diameter of follicle‐enclosed oocytes but not defolliculated oocytes. Addition of HgCl2 and bafilomycin A1 to the incubation media inhibited the HCG‐ and DHP‐induced increase in the follicular diameter in a dose‐dependent manner. Neither carbenoxolone nor 1‐octanol influenced the HCG‐induced increase in the follicular diameter. Trilostane and aminoglutethimide slightly but significantly inhibited HCG‐induced oocyte hydration. Consequently, we concluded that ovarian follicles are essential for HCG‐ and DHP‐induced oocyte hydration. Furthermore, aquaporin facilitates water uptake by acting as a water channel, and yolk proteolysis is essential for water influx into oocytes via osmotic mechanisms. J. Exp. Zool. 311A:752–762, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Living on the bottom: Kinematics of benthic station‐holding in darter fishes (Percidae: Etheostomatinae)
Authors: Carlson Rose L. , Lauder George V. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractDarters represent a substantial radiation of freshwater fishes that live in close association with the substrate in North American streams and rivers. A key feature of any darter species is therefore its ability to stay in place or to “hold station” in flowing water. Here, we quantify the station‐holding performance of two morphologically divergent darter species, the fantail darter Etheostoma flabellare and the Missouri saddled darter Etheostoma tetrazonum. We also characterize the primary kinematic responses of the two species when holding station in flow speeds ranging from 4 to 56 cm s−1 in a flow tank on either plexiglas or small rock substrate. We then present a series of hypotheses about the potential hydrodynamic and functional consequences of the observed postural changes and the links among morphology, posture, and station‐holding performance. On both substrates, E. tetrazonum was able to hold station at higher flow speeds than E. flabellare. On rocks, E. tetrazonum slipped at an average speed of 55.7 cm s−1 whereas E. flabellare slipped at 40.2 cm s−1. On plexiglas, E. tetrazonum slipped at an average speed of 24.7 cm s−1 whereas E. flabellare slipped at 23.1 cm s−1. We measured body and fin positions of the two species from individual frames of high‐speed video while holding station on rocks and plexiglas. We found that on both substrates, the two species generally exhibited similar kinematic responses to increasing flow: the head was lowered and angled downward, the back became more arched, and the median and caudal fin rays contracted as water flow speed increased. The ventral halves of the pectoral fins were also expanded and the dorsal halves contracted. These changes in posture and fin position likely increase negative lift forces thereby increasing substrate contact forces and reducing the probability of downstream slip. J. Morphol., 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The comparative anatomy of the abdominal gastrointestinal tract of six species of African mole‐rats (Rodentia, Bathyergidae)
Authors: Kotzé Sanet H. , Van Der Merwe Elizabeth L. , Bennett Nigel C. , O'Riain M. Justin 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThe gastrointestinal tracts (GITs) of six species of African mole‐rats (Bathyergidae) were compared. The aim was to provide a comprehensive anatomical comparison between the different species. The relative shape, length, and surface areas were taken into account to determine whether the GITs are phylogenetically constrained or exhibit anatomical adaptations in response to diets. In all six species the stomach was simple and glandular. With the exception of Heterocephalus glaber, the caecum was coiled in a flat spiral, the ascending colon was arranged in a loop of varying lengths, and a mucosal colonic papillary‐lined groove was present in the ascending colon in all species. By contrast, the caecum in H. glaber was uncoiled, the ascending colon was not looped, and the groove was not papillated. A caeco‐appendix was observed only in Bathyergus suillus and Georychus capensis. Hierarchical multivariate cluster analysis on the presence/absence of nine anatomical structures associated with the GIT of mole‐rats revealed that H. glaber was anatomically the least similar of the six species (77.6% similarity) with respect to the nine GIT variables included. All Cryptomys species were the same (100% similarity), and two species B. suillus and G. capensis grouped together and were more similar to the Cryptomys genus (95% similarity) than they were to H. glaber. These findings support previous phylogenetic classifications. The voluminous caeco‐colon in B. suillus may be explained by its ingestion of grasses in addition to below‐ground storage organs of plants. We conclude that phylogeny and diet affect the GIT anatomy of the African mole rats studied here. J. Morphol., 2010. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Losartan reduces the onset of type 2 diabetes in hypertensive Japanese patients with chronic hepatitis C
Authors: Arase Yasuji , Suzuki Fumitaka , Suzuki Yoshiyuki , Akuta Norio , Kobayashi Masahiro , Kawamura Yusuke , Yatsuji Hiromi , Sezaki Hitomi , Hosaka Tetsuya , Hirakawa Miharu , Saito Satoshi , Ikeda Kenji , Kobayashi Mariko , Kumada Hiromitsu , Kobayashi Tetsuro 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThe aim of this retrospective cohort study is to assess the cumulative development incidence and predictive factors for type 2 diabetes (T2DM) in HCV positive and hypertensive patients treated with losartan. Eighty Japanese patients were given 50 mg of losartan per day after diagnosis of hypertension (losartan group). Another 160 treated with spironolactone were selected as control (spironolactone group). Patients in spironolactone group were matched 1:2 with losartan group for age and sex. The mean observation period was 5.2 years in losartan group and 5.4 years in spironolactone group. An overnight (12 hr) fasting blood sample or a casual blood sample was taken for routine analyses during follow‐up. The primary goal is the onset of T2DM. Evaluation was performed by using the Kaplan–Meier method and the cox proportional hazards analysis. Three patients in losartan group and 20 in spironolactone group developed T2DM. The 5th year cumulative appearance rates of T2DM were 5.4% in losartan group and 14.4% in spironolactone group. Multivariate cox proportional hazards analysis showed that T2DM development after the initiation of anti‐hypertensive drugs occurred when anti‐hypertensive drug was spironolactone (hazard ratio: 6.10; 95% confidence interval = 1.78–20.84; P = 0.004), histological staging was advanced (hazard ratio: 4.31; 95% confidence interval = 1.94–9.60; P < 0.001), fatty liver was present (hazard ratio: 3.28; 95% confidence interval = 1.47–7.27; P = 0.004), and patient had pre‐diabetes (hazard ratio: 2.47; 95% confidence interval = 1.08–5.63; P = 0.032). Our results indicate losartan causes about 60% reduction of the onset of T2DM compared to patients treated with spironolactone. J. Med. Virol. 81:1584–1590, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Association of concurrent hepatitis B surface antigen and antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen with hepatocellular carcinoma in chronic hepatitis B virus infection
Authors: Jang Ji Sun , Kim Hyoung Su , Kim Ha Jung , Shin Woon Geon , Kim Kyung Ho , Lee Jin Heon , Kim Hak Yang , Kim Dong Joon , Lee Myung Seok , Park Choong Kee , Jeong Byung‐Hoon , Kim Yong‐Sun , Jang Myoung Kuk 
Published: July 2009

AbstractAntibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) (anti‐HBs) can exist in patients with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. To date, little is known about the association of concurrent HBsAg and anti‐HBs (concurrent HBsAg/ anti‐HBs) with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical relevance of concurrent HBsAg/anti‐HBs with preS deletion mutations and HCC in chronic HBV infection. A total of 755 patients with chronic HBV infection were included consecutively at a tertiary center. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify risk factors for HCC, and serum HBV DNA was amplified, followed by direct sequencing to detect preS deletions. The prevalence of concurrent HBsAg/anti‐HBs was 6.4% (48/755) and all HBVs tested were genotype C. HCC occurred more frequently in the concurrent HBsAg/anti‐HBs group than in the HBsAg only group [22.9% (11/48) vs. 7.9% (56/707), P = 0.002]. In multivariate analyses, age >40 years [odds ratio (OR), 14.712; 95% confidence interval (CI), 4.365–49.579; P < 0.001], male gender (OR 2.431; 95% CI, 1.226–4.820; P = 0.011), decompensated cirrhosis (OR, 3.642; 95% CI, 1.788–7.421; P < 0.001) and concurrent HBsAg/anti‐HBs (OR, 4.336; 95% CI, 1.956–9.613; P < 0.001) were associated independently with HCC. In molecular analysis, preS deletion mutations were more frequent in the concurrent HBsAg/anti‐HBs and HCC groups than in the HBsAg without HCC group (42.3% and 32.5% vs. 11.3%; P = 0.002 and 0.012, respectively). In conclusion, concurrent HBsAg/anti‐HBs is associated with preS deletion mutations and may be one of the risk factors for HCC in chronic HBV infection with genotype C. J. Med. Virol. 81:1531–1538, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
An in‐house‐anti‐hepatitis A virus (HAV)‐specific immunoglobulin M capture enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay: Evaluation and application to an HAV outbreak
Authors: Kiyohara Tomoko , Ouchi Yoshimi , Hasegawa Yoshiko , Sato Tomoko , Yoneyama Tetsuo , Ishii Koji , Ito Toshihiro , Wakita Takaji 
Published: July 2009

AbstractAn anti‐hepatitis A virus (HAV)‐specific immunoglobulin M capture enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (anti‐HAV IgM ELISA) kit was re‐designed for laboratory use and compared with a commercial anti‐HAV IgM detection system using 58 serum samples collected from patients, vaccines, and healthy individuals. Because concordance between the two systems was high (r = 0.93,P < 0.05), 19 sets of serum and fecal samples obtained from individuals exposed to an HAV outbreak were also examined. Serum levels of anti‐HAV IgM were determined using the in‐house ELISA kit and the HAV genome in fecal samples was detected using the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Among the 19 sets of sample, 14 were positive for both anti‐HAV IgM and the HAV genome. All of those whose serum samples were anti‐HAV IgM negative were also negative for the HAV genome in fecal samples. The results of the in‐house IgM ELISA were consistent with those of the HAV genome detected by PCR and with the commercial IgM ELISA. The in‐house anti‐HAV IgM ELISA kit was therefore proven suitable for laboratory use and applicable to epidemiological studies of HAV infection. J. Med. Virol. 81:1513–1516, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Genotype and growing environment influence chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seed composition
Authors: Frimpong Adams , Sinha Anupam , Tar'an Bunyamin , Warkentin Tom D , Gossen Bruce D , Chibbar Ravindra N 
Published: July 2009

AbstractBACKGROUND: As a first step towards genetic improvement of seed quality in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.), seven desi and nine kabuli varieties were grown at multiple sites to assess the affect of environment on seed yield, weight and selected seed constituents. The sites were chosen to represent a range of environments in chickpea production areas of the Canadian prairies.RESULTS: Genotype × environment interaction effects on starch, amylose and protein (desi only) concentrations and seed yield were significant, suggesting that the varieties did not perform consistently relative to each other in the different environments. Starch concentration was negatively correlated (rkabuli = −0.25, P < 0.05; rdesi = −0.16, P < 0.05) with protein concentration in both chickpea market classes. However, repeatability estimates of starch, amylose and protein concentrations were low and inconsistent across chickpea market classes, possibly owing to complex biosynthetic pathways for these constituents.CONCLUSION: The results suggest that testing for seed constituent traits over a range of environments will be required to improve seed quality in individual chickpea varieties. The best selection strategies for seed constituent improvement in chickpea will be influenced by genotype and genotype × environment interaction for these traits. The negative relationship between seed constituents and yield indicates that selection for chickpea cultivars with desired seed composition may require compromise and indirect selection. Copyright © 2009 Crown in the right of Canada. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
DSC enthalpic transitions during starch gelatinisation in excess water, dilute sodium chloride and dilute sucrose solutions
Authors: Ratnayake Wajira S , Otani Chika , Jackson David S 
Published: July 2009

AbstractBACKGROUND: Starch phase transition characteristics were studied by pre‐treating starch samples in excess water, dilute sodium chloride and dilute sucrose solutions and subjecting them to differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Unmodified maize, wheat and potato starches were held at specific temperatures between 30 and 90 °C for 30 min and promptly cooled to 25 °C. Treated samples were then analysed in situ by DSC.RESULTS: It was found that the progression of the phase transition behaviour differed among the three starches and was dependent on the solvent. It was also revealed that phase transition‐related enthalpic changes started to occur at low temperatures and that this process involved a continuous sequence of structural changes, resulting in progressive differences in endothermic patterns from low to high temperatures.CONCLUSION: These findings are in agreement with recent evidence suggesting that starch gelatinisation occurs over a wider temperature range rather than as a sudden order–disorder transition taking place within a narrow temperature range. The phase transition mechanism is determined by starch type and solvent combination. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Effects of 1‐methylcyclopropene on oxidative damage, phospholipases and chilling injury in loquat fruit
Authors: Cao Shifeng , Zheng Yonghua , Wang Kaituo , Rui Huaijing , Tang Shuangshuang 
Published: July 2009

AbstractBACKGROUND: Low‐temperature storage is commonly used for loquat (Eriobotrya japonica Lindl.) fruit to inhibit decay and extend postharvest life, but it also increases the severity of chilling injury (CI) in red‐fleshed fruit. 1‐Methylcyclopropene (1‐MCP) has been used to reduce the development of CI in cold‐stored loquat. However, the effects of 1‐MCP on changes in antioxidant system and phospholipase activity and their relation to CI have not been investigated. The objective of this study was to determine whether the 1‐MCP‐induced modification in antioxidant system and phospholipase activity is linked to the reduced CI in cold‐stored loquat fruit.RESULTS: 1‐MCP treatment significantly alleviated CI in ‘Fuyang’ loquat fruit. The treatment markedly inhibited the accumulation of malondialdehyde, superoxide radicals and hydrogen peroxide and the increase in electrolyte leakage. In addition, 1‐MCP‐treated fruit exhibited significantly higher catalase activity and lower lipoxygenase (LOX) and phospholipase C (PLC) activities than control fruit during storage.CONCLUSION: These results suggest that LOX and PLC are associated with the induction of CI in loquat fruit. 1‐MCP might reduce CI by inhibiting LOX and PLC activities and alleviating oxidative damage. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry
Solvability and regularity results to boundary‐transmission problems for metallic and piezoelectric elastic materials
Authors: Buchukuri T. , Chkadua O. , Natroshvili D. , Sändig A.‐M. 
Published: July 2009

AbstractWe investigate three‐dimensional transmission problems related to the interaction of metallic and piezoelectric ceramic bodies. We give a mathematical formulation of the physical problem when the metallic and ceramic sub‐domains are bonded along some proper parts of their boundaries. The corresponding nonclassical mixed boundary‐transmission problem is reduced by the potential method to an equivalent nonselfadjoint strongly elliptic system of pseudo‐differential equations on manifolds with boundary. We investigate the solvability of this system in different function spaces. On the basis of these results we prove uniqueness and existence theorems for the original boundary‐transmission problem. We study also the regularity of the electrical and mechanical fields near the curves where the boundary conditions change and where the interfaces intersect the exterior boundary. The electrical and mechanical fields can be decomposed into singular and more regular terms near these curves. A power of the distance from a reference point to the corresponding edge‐curves occurs in the singular terms and describes the regularity explicitly. We compute these complex‐valued exponents and demonstrate their dependence on the material parameters (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Global continuation for first order systems over the half‐line involving parameters
Authors: Evéquoz Gilles 
Published: July 2009

AbstractLet X be one of the functional spaces W1,p ((0, ∞), ℝN ) or C01 ([0, ∞), ℝN ), we study the global continuation in λ for solutions (λ, u, ξ) ∈ ℝ × X × ℝk of the following system of ordinary differential equations:
equation image
where ℝN = X1 ⊕ X2 is a given decomposition, with associated projection P: ℝN → X1.Under appropriate conditions upon the given functions F and φ, this problem gives rise to a nonlinear Fredholm operator which is proper on the closed bounded subsets of ℝ × X × ℝk and whose zeros correspond to the solutions of the original problem. Using a new abstract continuation result, based on a recent degree theory for proper Fredholm mappings of index zero, we reduce the continuation problem to that of finding a priori estimates for the possible solutions (© 2009 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Combinatorial Energy Transfer between an End‐Capped Conjugated Polyelectrolyte and Chromophore‐Labeled PNA for Strand‐Specific DNA Detection
Authors: Dishari Shudipto Konika , Pu Kan‐Yi , Liu Bin 
Published: July 2009

AbstractWe report a macromolecular end‐capping approach to improve the detection sensitivity of cationic conjugated polymer (CCP) based DNA detection. A phenylethynyl anthracene (PEA) end‐capped cationic polyfluorene (PF) derivative (P1) is synthesized via Suzuki coupling. Due to efficient fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the polymer backbone to the end‐capper PEA units, the polymer (P1) fluorescence is dominated by the emission from PEA even in dilute aqueous solution. P1 emission has a better spectral overlap with fluorescein (Fl) absorption compared to that for uncapped PF (P2). In addition, the intra and intermolecular energy transfer for P1 is more efficient in the presence of DNA due to complexation‐induced polymer aggregation. These impart a combinatorial FRET between P1 and an Fl‐labeled probe which is more efficient than that between P2 and the same probe. P1 thus offers a better DNA detection sensitivity relative to P2 and opens up new opportunities to improve the performance of CCP based biosensors involving FRET.magnified image
Free water elimination and mapping from diffusion MRI
Authors: Pasternak Ofer , Sochen Nir , Gur Yaniv , Intrator Nathan , Assaf Yaniv 
Published: July 2009

AbstractRelating brain tissue properties to diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is limited when an image voxel contains partial volume of brain tissue with free water, such as cerebrospinal fluid or edema, rendering the DTI indices no longer useful for describing the underlying tissue properties. We propose here a method for separating diffusion properties of brain tissue from surrounding free water while mapping the free water volume. This is achieved by fitting a bi‐tensor model for which a mathematical framework is introduced to stabilize the fitting. Applying the method on datasets from a healthy subject and a patient with edema yielded corrected DTI indices and a more complete tract reconstruction that passed next to the ventricles and through the edema. We were able to segment the edema into areas according to the condition of the underlying tissue. In addition, the volume of free water is suggested as a new quantitative contrast of diffusion MRI. The findings suggest that free water is not limited to the borders of the brain parenchyma; it therefore contributes to the architecture surrounding neuronal bundles and may indicate specific anatomical processes. The analysis requires a conventional DTI acquisition and can be easily merged with existing DTI pipelines. Magn Reson Med, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in skeletal muscle of patients with sleep disorders
Authors: Wåhlin‐Larsson Britta , Ulfberg Jan , Aulin Karin Piehl , Kadi Fawzi 
Published: July 2009

AbstractAn increased capillary network has been observed in skeletal muscle of patients with restless legs syndrome (RLS) and obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). This finding could be due to upregulation of growth factors responsible for angiogenesis. The aim of the study was to examine the occurrence and localization of VEGF and capillary proliferation in skeletal muscle of RLS (n = 12) and OSAS (n = 12) patients and controls (n = 11). Double‐immunofluorescence staining for capillaries (CD31) and VEGF, and proliferating cells (Ki‐67), was carried out on biopsies taken from the tibialis anterior. The percentage of capillaries expressing VEGF (CD31,VEGF+) was significantly higher in OSAS and RLS patients compared with controls. The percentage of proliferating capillaries (CD31,Ki‐67+) was significantly higher in OSAS patients compared with controls. Our study shows the occurrence of proliferation of endothelial cells in skeletal muscle in RLS and OSAS, supporting an upregulation of VEGF located in capillaries, probably due to local hypoxia. Muscle Nerve, 2009