bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exploring game experiences and game leadership in massively multiplayer online role‐playing games
Authors: Jang YeiBeech , Ryu SeoungHo 
Published: March 2010

AbstractThis study explored the in‐game experiences of massively multiplayer online role‐playing game (MMORPG) players focusing on game leadership and offline leadership. MMORPGs have enormous potential to provide gameplayers with rich social experiences through various interactions along with social activities such as joining a game community, team play and others. In this study, a total of 808 Korean online gameplayers participated in an online survey. Amongst them, 300 MMORPG players were used as the final sample group. The results showed that joining a game community and playing in teams may help players build their leadership experience in games. The findings also suggest that there is a significant positive relationship between in‐game leadership and offline leadership. However, there were no significant differences in gender regarding in‐game and offline leadership. This study suggests that MMORPGs offer a useful place where people can grow their leadership skills and potentially transfer them into the real world.
Management of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma in the era of targeted therapy
Authors: Yau Thomas , Chan Pierre , Epstein Richard , Poon Ronnie Tung Ping 
Published: March 2010

AbstractSystemic chemotherapy has had a disappointing track record in the management of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Single‐agent doxorubicin produces a response rate of 10–15%, but without any survival benefit, and combination chemotherapy has also yielded unimpressive results. With recent advances in the knowledge of hepato‐carcinogenesis, there has been encouraging development in the systemic therapy of advanced HCC patients, and particularly in the targeted therapy of advanced HCC. Among the newly identified targets, exciting results have been shown in targeting the anti‐angiogenic pathway and the Raf/mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathways. Bevacizumab, both as a single agent and in combination with other agents, has shown initial encouraging activity in treating advanced HCC. More recently, single‐agent sorafenib, a putative multitargeted kinase inhibitor, has shown to prolong the overall survival of patients with advanced HCC in the pivotal phase III Sorafenib HCC Assessment Randomized Protocol (SHARP) and Oriental study. Currently, sorafenib is the only approved targeted therapy for patients with advanced HCC. In addition, however, promising early results have been reported for other molecular‐targeted drugs including erlotinib and sunitinib. Future progress seems likely to depend on using controlled clinical trials to optimize synergistic combination treatments.
MRI Features of Pontine Autosomal Dominant Microangiopathy and Leukoencephalopathy (PADMAL)
Authors: Ding Xiao‐Qi , Hagel Christian , Ringelstein E. Bernd , Buchheit Stefan , Zeumer Hermann , Kuhlenbäumer Gregor , Appenzeller Silke , Fiehler Jens 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACTBACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Cerebral small vessel disease is a topic of growing interest for both the scientific community and the aging society. We report the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) characteristics of a recently found autosomal dominantly inherited microangiopathy. METHODS Eighteen members (35 to 77 years) of a large German family underwent MR scanning with a standardized MRI protocol for cerebrovascular diseases. Images were evaluated independently by two neuroradiologists. RESULTS Six family members revealed an unequivocally pathological phenotype on MRI with lacunar infarcts of the pons (6/6) and lesions of the subcortical and periventricular white matter (5/6). Lesions in the temporal lobes (1/6) and cerebral microbleeds (1/6) were uncommon. None of the patients revealed atherosclerotic changes in MR angiography. Retrospective analysis of 5 brain autopsies from previously reported patients of the same family confirmed the regular involvement of the pons. CONCLUSION This cerebral autosomal dominant arteriopathy with pontine infarcts and leukoencephalopathy is characterized by a special lesion pattern strikingly different from CADASIL. The distinct MRI characteristics with pontine lesions and rare occurrence of temporal lesions argue for a new nosological entity and may be helpful for the differential diagnosis.
Seizure‐Induced Inflammation in Focal Cortical Dysplasia Resulting in Imaging Progression That Simulates Neoplasia
Authors: Owens Cormac , Bradley Lisa , Farrell Michael , O’Brien Donncha , King Mary D. , Ryan Stephanie P. 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT A 5‐year‐old girl with previously well‐controlled partial epilepsy secondary to focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) developed an increase in seizure frequency. Two months later, magnetic resonance showed a substantial alteration in lesion imaging characteristics. The lesion was resected. FCD was confirmed but inflammatory changes were also present. We propose that chronic inflammation was induced by unremitting seizure activity and suggest that inflammation may be implicated as a basis for alteration in the imaging characteristics of FCD.
Detection of Right‐to‐Left Shunts may be Associated with Body Size
Authors: Iguchi Yasuyuki , Kimura Kazumi , Kobayashi Kazuto , Aoki Junya , Sakai Kenichiro , Terasawa Yuka , Uemura Junichi , Shibazaki Kensaku 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACTBACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The aim of this study was to investigate whether physiological factors, including body mass index (BMI), are associated with detection of right‐to‐left shunt (RLS) by contrast transcranial Doppler ultrasonography (c‐TCD). METHODS After prospective c‐TCD for stroke patients, we compared clinical backgrounds between patients with positive and negative results for RLS. After counting microembolic signals (MES), RLS were functionally graded as follows (grade 0 = 0 MES, grade I = 1‐10 MES, grade II = 11‐30 MES, grade III = 31‐100 MES if countable, grade IV = over 100 MES or uncountable like a shower. RESULTS Subjects comprised 584 patients (203 men, 381 women) with a mean age of 67.9 ± 11.1 years. RLS was detected in 134 of 584 patients (23%). In univariate analysis, mean BMI was 22.1 in patients with RLS and 23.3 in those without RLS (P= .004). Mean BMI in concordance with RLS grade gradually decreased (grade 0; 22.7, grade I; 20.8, grade II; 20.1, grade III; 19.6, P= .001). After performing the Valsalva maneuver, mean BMI in concordance with RLS grade linearly increased (grade I; 20.6, grade II; 23.2, grade III; 24.8, grade IV; 25.8, P < .001). CONCLUSION Although smaller body size may be associated with detection of RLS, a patient with significant RLS (grade III or IV) had larger body.
Screening for vancomycin‐resistant enterococci: results of a survey in Stockholm
Authors: FANG HONG , NORD CARL ERIK , ULLBERG MÅNS 
Published: March 2010

Fang H, Nord CE, Ullberg M. Screening for vancomycin‐resistant enterococci: results of a survey in Stockholm. APMIS 2010; 118: 413–7.Vancomycin‐resistant enterococci (VRE) are emerging in Stockholm hospitals. To rapidly screen for VRE from stool and rectal swab samples, a detection assay combining broth enrichment and real‐time PCR was set up. From September to December 2008, 6914 samples were screened for VRE using the broth‐PCR combined assay. Of them, 5463 samples were reported as negative the day after sampling. Among the 6914 samples, 47 was screened as vanA probable and 44 of them were confirmed as VRE; 1314 samples was screened as vanB probable and 93 of them were confirmed as VRE. The 44 vanA‐type VRE isolates, detected from 31 patients, were clustered into four genetic types by pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE). The same PFGE type was observed in multiple isolates recovered from the same patient with vanA VRE. The 93 vanB‐type VRE isolates were detected from 60 patients, 59 of them harboring VRE with PFGE type 1. One patient with vanB VRE had two isolates of distinct PFGE types (types 1 and 5). PFGE type 1 and PFGE type 2 were predominant clones in vanB and vanA strains, respectively, represented by 98.3% (59/60) of patients with vanB VRE and 77.4% (24/31) of patients with vanA VRE.
New Method for Monitoring Programmed Cell Death and Differentiation in Submerged
Streptomyces
Cultures
Authors: Yagüe Paula , Manteca Angel , Simon Alejandro , Diaz-Garcia Marta Elena , Sanchez Jesus 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

Vital stains were used in combination with fluorimetry for the elaboration of a new method to quantify
Streptomyces
programmed cell death, one of the key events in
Streptomyces
differentiation. The experimental approach described opens the possibility of designing online protocols for automatic monitoring of industrial fermentations.
Use of the Yeast
Pichia pastoris
as an Expression Host for Secretion of Enterocin L50, a Leaderless Two-Peptide (L50A and L50B) Bacteriocin from
Enterococcus faecium
L50
Authors: Basanta Antonio , Gómez-Sala Beatriz , Sánchez Jorge , Diep Dzung B. , Herranz Carmen , Hernández Pablo E. , Cintas Luis M. 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

In this work, we report the expression and secretion of the leaderless two-peptide (EntL50A and EntL50B) bacteriocin enterocin L50 from
Enterococcus faecium
L50 by the methylotrophic yeast
Pichia pastoris
X-33. The bacteriocin structural genes
entL50A
and
entL50B
were fused to the
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
gene region encoding the mating pheromone α-factor 1 secretion signal (
MF
α

1
s

) and cloned, separately and together (
entL50AB
), into the
P. pastoris
expression and secretion vector pPICZαA, which contains the methanol-inducible alcohol oxidase promoter (P
AOX1
) to express the fusion genes. After transfer into the yeast, the recombinant plasmids were integrated into the genome, resulting in three bacteriocinogenic yeast strains able to produce and secrete the individual bacteriocin peptides EntL50A and EntL50B separately and together. The secretion was efficiently directed by MFα1
s
through the Sec system, and the precursor peptides were found to be correctly processed to form mature and active bacteriocin peptides. The present work describes for the first time the heterologous expression and secretion of a two-peptide non-pediocin-like bacteriocin by a yeast.
Cloning of Separate Meilingmycin Biosynthesis Gene Clusters by Use of Acyltransferase-Ketoreductase Didomain PCR Amplification
Authors: He Yunlong , Sun Yuhui , Liu Tiangang , Zhou Xiufen , Bai Linquan , Deng Zixin 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

Five meilingmycins, A to E, with A as the major component, were isolated from
Streptomyces nanchangensis
NS3226. Through nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) characterization, meilingmycins A to E proved to be identical to reported milbemycins α11, α13, α14, β1, and β9, respectively. Sequencing of a previously cloned 103-kb region identified three modular type I polyketide synthase genes putatively encoding the last 11 elongation steps, three modification proteins, and one transcriptional regulatory protein for meilingmycin biosynthesis. However, the expected loading module and the first two elongation modules were missing. In meilingmycin, the presence of a methyl group at C-24 and a hydroxyl group at C-25 suggests that the elongation module 1 contains a methylmalonyl-coenzyme A (CoA)-specific acyltransferase (ATp) domain and a ketoreductase (KR) domain. Based on the conserved motifs of the ATp and KR domains, a pair of primers was designed for PCR amplification, and a 1.40-kb expected fragment was amplified, whose sequence shows significant homology with the elongation module 1 of the
aveA1
-encoded enzyme AVES1. A polyketide synthase (PKS) gene encoding one loading and two elongation modules, with a downstream C-5-
O
-methyltransferase gene,
meiD
, was subsequently localized 55 kb apart from the previously sequenced region, and its deletion abolishes meilingmycin production. A series of deletions within the 55-kb intercluster region rules out its involvement in meilingmycin biosynthesis. Furthermore, gene deletion of
meiD
eliminates meilingmycins D and E, with methyls at C-5. Our work provides a more specific strategy for the cloning of modular type I PKS gene clusters. The cloning of the meilingmycin gene clusters paves the way for its pathway engineering.
Effects of Environmental Stress on Stability of Tandem Repeats in
Escherichia coli
O157:H7
Authors: Cooley Michael B. , Carychao Diana , Nguyen Kimberly , Whitehand Linda , Mandrell Robert 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

Multilocus variable-number tandem-repeat analysis (MLVA) is used for source tracking
Escherichia coli
O157:H7 in agricultural environments. Tandem repeats were stable after limited replication but changed after exposure to irradiation, elevated temperatures, and starvation conditions. The pO157 plasmid was frequently lost under these stress conditions. Environmental stresses may increase phylogenetic diversity as measured by MLVA.
Spatially Resolved Characterization of Water and Ion Incorporation in
Bacillus
Spores
Authors: Ghosal Sutapa , Leighton Terrance J. , Wheeler Katherine E. , Hutcheon Ian D. , Weber Peter K. 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

We present the first direct visualization and quantification of water and ion uptake into the core of individual dormant
Bacillus thuringiensis
subsp.
israelensis
(
B. thuringiensis
subsp.
israelensis
) endospores. Isotopic and elemental gradients in the
B. thuringiensis
subsp.
israelensis
spores show the permeation and incorporation of deuterium in deuterated water (D
2
O) and solvated ions throughout individual spores, including the spore core. Under hydrated conditions, incorporation into a spore occurs on a time scale of minutes, with subsequent uptake of the permeating species continuing over a period of days. The distribution of available adsorption sites is shown to vary with the permeating species. Adsorption sites for Li
+
, Cs
+
, and Cl
−
are more abundant within the spore outer structures (exosporium, coat, and cortex) relative to the core, while F
−
adsorption sites are more abundant in the core. The results presented here demonstrate that elemental abundance and distribution in dormant spores are influenced by the ambient environment. As such, this study highlights the importance of understanding how microbial elemental and isotopic signatures can be altered postproduction, including during sample preparation for analysis, and therefore, this study is immediately relevant to the use of elemental and isotopic markers in environmental microbiology and microbial forensics.
HypC, the Anthrone Oxidase Involved in Aflatoxin Biosynthesis
Authors: Ehrlich Kenneth C. , Li Ping , Scharfenstein Leslie , Chang Perng-Kuang 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

On the basis of gene disruption and enzyme activity,
hypC
, an open reading frame in the region between the
pksA
(
aflC
) and
nor-1
(
aflD
) genes in the aflatoxin biosynthesis gene cluster, encodes a 17-kDa oxidase that converts norsolorinic acid anthrone to norsolorinic acid.
The Internal Transcribed Spacer Region, a New Tool for Use in Species Differentiation and Delineation of Systematic Relationships within the
Campylobacter
Genus
Authors: Man Si Ming , Kaakoush Nadeem O. , Octavia Sophie , Mitchell Hazel 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

The
Campylobacter
genus consists of a number of important human and animal pathogens. Although the 16S rRNA gene has been used extensively for detection and identification of
Campylobacter
species, there is currently limited information on the 23S rRNA gene and the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region that lies between the 16S and 23S rRNA genes. We examined the potential of the 23S rRNA gene and the ITS region to be used in species differentiation and delineation of systematic relationships for 30 taxa within the
Campylobacter
genus. The ITS region produced the highest mean pairwise percentage difference (35.94%) compared to the 16S (5.34%) and 23S (7.29%) rRNA genes. The discriminatory power for each region was further validated using Simpson's index of diversity (
D
value). The
D
values were 0.968, 0.995, and 0.766 for the ITS region and the 23S and 16S rRNA genes, respectively. A closer examination of the ITS region revealed that
Campylobacter concisus
,
Campylobacter showae
, and
Campylobacter fetus
subsp.
fetus
harbored tRNA configurations not previously reported for other members of the
Campylobacter
genus. We also observed the presence of strain-dependent intervening sequences in the 23S rRNA genes. Neighbor-joining trees using the ITS region revealed that
Campylobacter jejuni
and
Campylobacter coli
strains clustered in subgroups, which was not observed in trees derived from the 16S or 23S rRNA gene. Of the three regions examined, the ITS region is by far the most cost-effective region for the differentiation and delineation of systematic relationships within the
Campylobacter
genus.
Different Atmospheric Methane-Oxidizing Communities in European Beech and Norway Spruce Soils
Authors: Degelmann Daniela M. , Borken Werner , Drake Harold L. , Kolb Steffen 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

Norway spruce (
Picea abies
) forests exhibit lower annual atmospheric methane consumption rates than do European beech (
Fagus sylvatica
) forests. In the current study,
pmoA
(encoding a subunit of membrane-bound CH
4
monooxygenase) genes from three temperate forest ecosystems with both beech and spruce stands were analyzed to assess the potential effect of tree species on methanotrophic communities. A
pmoA
sequence difference of 7% at the derived protein level correlated with the species-level distance cutoff value of 3% based on the 16S rRNA gene. Applying this distance cutoff, higher numbers of species-level
pmoA
genotypes were detected in beech than in spruce soil samples, all affiliating with upland soil cluster α (USCα). Additionally, two deep-branching genotypes (named 6 and 7) were present in various soil samples not affiliating with
pmoA
or
amoA
. Abundance of USCα
pmoA
genes was higher in beech soils and reached up to (1.2 ± 0.2) × 10
8
pmoA
genes per g of dry weight. Calculated atmospheric methane oxidation rates per cell yielded the same trend. However, these values were below the theoretical threshold necessary for facilitating cell maintenance, suggesting that USCα species might require alternative carbon or energy sources to thrive in forest soils. These collective results indicate that the methanotrophic diversity and abundance in spruce soils are lower than those of beech soils, suggesting that tree species-related factors might influence the
in situ
activity of methanotrophs.
Poor Invasion of Trophoblastic Cells but Normal Plaque Formation in Fibroblastic Cells despite
actA
Deletion in a Group of
Listeria monocytogenes
Strains Persisting in Some Food Processing Environments
Authors: Holch Anne , Gottlieb Caroline Trebbien , Larsen Marianne Halberg , Ingmer Hanne , Gram Lone 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

We determined mammalian cell invasion and virulence gene (
inlA
,
inlB
, and
actA
) sequences of
Listeria monocytogenes
strains belonging to a molecular subtype (RAPD 9) that often persists in Danish fish-processing plants. These strains invaded human placental trophoblasts less efficiently than other
L. monocytogenes
strains, including clinical strains, and they carry a premature stop codon in
inlA
. Eight of 15 strains, including the RAPD 9 and maternofetal strains, had a 105-nucleotide deletion in
actA
that did not affect cell-to-cell spread in mouse fibroblasts. The RAPD 9 strains may still be regarded as of low virulence with respect to human listeriosis.
Development of a Conditional Gene Expression System Using a Zearalenone-Inducible Promoter for the Ascomycete Fungus
Gibberella zeae
Authors: Lee Jungkwan , Son Hokyoung , Lee Seunghoon , Park Ae Ran , Lee Yin-Won 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACT

The ascomycete fungus
Gibberella zeae
is an important plant pathogen that causes fusarium head blight on small grains. Molecular studies of this fungus have been performed extensively to uncover the biological mechanisms related to pathogenicity, toxin production, and sexual reproduction. Molecular methods, such as targeted gene deletion, gene overexpression, and gene fusion to green fluorescent protein (GFP), are relatively easy to perform with this fungus; however, conditional expression systems have not been developed. The purpose of this study was to identify a promoter that could be induced by zearalenone (ZEA) for the development of a conditional expression system in
G. zeae
. Through microarray analysis, we isolated one zearalenone response gene (
ZEAR
) whose expression was increased more than 50 times after ZEA treatment. Northern blot analysis showed that the
ZEAR
transcript dramatically increased after 1 h of ZEA treatment. To determine the utility of the
ZEAR
promoter, called Pzear, in a conditional expression system, we transformed a
Pzear
::
GFP
fusion construct into
G. zeae
. Our data showed a ZEA concentration-dependent increase in GFP expression. We also replaced the promoter of
G. zeae metE
(
GzmetE)
, an essential gene for methionine biosynthesis, with the Pzear promoter. The growth of the
Pzear-GzmetE
mutant on minimal medium was dependent on the ZEA concentration supplemented in the medium and showed that GzMetE expression was induced by ZEA. This study is the first report of an inducible promoter in
G. zeae.
Our system will be useful for the characterization of essential gene functions in this fungus through differential and ZEA-dependent gene expression. In addition, the Pzear promoter may be applicable as a biosensor for the detection of ZEA contamination in agricultural products.
Comparative Transcriptomic and Phenotypic Analysis of the Responses ofBacillus cereusto Various Disinfectant Treatments
Authors: Ceragioli Mara , Mols Maarten , Moezelaar Roy , Ghelardi Emilia , Senesi Sonia , Abee Tjakko 
Published: March 2010

ABSTRACTAntimicrobial chemicals are widely applied to clean and disinfect food-contacting surfaces. However, the cellular response of bacteria to various disinfectants is unclear. In this study, the physiological and genome-wide transcriptional responses ofBacillus cereusATCC 14579 exposed to four different disinfectants (benzalkonium chloride, sodium hypochlorite, hydrogen peroxide, and peracetic acid) were analyzed. For each disinfectant, concentrations leading to the attenuation of growth, growth arrest, and cell death were determined. The transcriptome analysis revealed thatB. cereus, upon exposure to the selected concentrations of disinfectants, induced common and specific responses. Notably, the common response included genes involved in the general and oxidative stress responses. Exposure to benzalkonium chloride, a disinfectant known to induce membrane damage, specifically induced genes involved in fatty acid metabolism. Membrane damage induced by benzalkonium chloride was confirmed by fluorescence microscopy, and fatty acid analysis revealed modulation of the fatty acid composition of the cell membrane. Exposure to sodium hypochlorite induced genes involved in metabolism of sulfur and sulfur-containing amino acids, which correlated with the excessive oxidation of sulfhydryl groups observed in sodium hypochlorite-stressed cells. Exposures to hydrogen peroxide and peracetic acid induced highly similar responses, including the upregulation of genes involved in DNA damage repair and SOS response. Notably, hydrogen peroxide- and peracetic acid-treated cells exhibited high mutation rates correlating with the induced SOS response.