bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Histopathological characteristics of livedo reticularis
Authors: In Sung Il , Han Jae Ho , Kang Hee Young , Lee Eun‐So , Kim You Chan 
Published: July 2009

Background: Livedo reticularis (LR) is a skin disorder characterized by a reddish‐blue mottling of the skin in a “fishnet” reticular pattern. The aim of this study was to investigate the major histopathological characteristics of LR and determine whether the histopathology of LR is more common in whitish areas or in the erythematous areas.Methods: A clinical survey was carried out that included 16 patients with LR. The histopathological features were investigated with immunostains for factor VIII‐related antigen, as well as routine hematoxylin‐eosin.Results: There were no significant differences in thrombi, arterial obliteration, or RBC aggregates between the central blanched area and the peripheral erythematous areas. The computer‐assisted image analyses of factor VIII‐related antigen‐stained sections revealed no significant difference in the number of dermal blood vessels and telangiectasia between the areas studied. There were nine cases that showed one or more of the histopathological features of LR in either the central blanched areas or the peripheral erythematous areas.Conclusion: Our findings suggest that multiple punch biopsies should be performed in patients suspected of LR including both the peripheral erythematous and central whitish areas to increase the diagnostic yield.
White sponge nevus presenting as genital lesions in a 28‐year‐old female
Authors: Cutlan J.E. , Saunders N. , Olsen S.H. , Fullen D.R. 
Published: July 2009

A case is presented of white plaques occurring predominantly on the vulvar mucosa of a 28‐year‐old female diagnosed as white sponge nevus (WSN). WSN is a rare, autosomal dominant disorder involving mucous membranes. It predominantly affects the oral mucosa; however, it has been reported to rarely involve extraoral mucosal sites. In this case, histology and family history were key features leading to the correct diagnosis. WSN is an extremely rare cause of vulvar leukoplakia, yet it is important to recognize to allow for appropriate genetic counseling of this autosomal dominant disorder and to avoid misdiagnosis and the potential for subsequent exposure to ineffective treatment modalities.Cutlan JE, Saunders N, Olsen SH and Fullen DR. White sponge nevus presenting as genital lesions in a 28‐year‐old female.
Molluscum contagiosum involving an epidermoid cyst with xanthogranuloma‐like reaction in an HIV‐infected patient
Authors: Aldabagh Bishr , Ly Micki N , Hessel Adam B , Usmani Arif S. 
Published: July 2009

Background: Molluscum contagiosum (MC) causes characteristic cutaneous lesions that occur mainly in children, sexually active adults, and immunocompromised individuals, especially those with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Patients infected with HIV, particularly those with advanced disease, have an increased incidence, up to 33.3%, of MC in non‐anogenital areas. MC has been rarely found to be associated with epidermoid cysts. Case report: A 44‐year‐old male with HIV infection presented with the complaint of a‐3‐month history of a tender nodule on the left neck. H&E stained sections showed a ruptured cyst, lined with squamous epithelium showing cytopathic changes of MC, and a xanthogranuloma‐like inflammatory reaction with characteristic Touton‐type giant cells. Conclusion: MC infections are common, however MC associated with epidermoid cysts is infrequent. A few cases of MC occurring in epidermoid cysts have previously been reported. We are presenting a case of MC involving an epidermoid cyst in an AIDS patient, with a unique xanthogranuloma‐like reaction. Xanthogranulomatous (XG) reactions have been infrequently reported in association with other viral infections, however, poxvirus‐associated XG reaction has only been observed in animals. This is the first reported case of MC‐associated XG reaction in humans.Aldabagh B, Ly MN, Hessel AB, Usmani AS. Molluscum contagiosum involving an epidermoid cyst with xanthogranuloma‐like reaction in an HIV‐infected patient.
Classification, incidence and survival analyses of children with CNS tumours diagnosed in Sweden 1984–2005
Authors: Lannering Birgitta , Sandström Per‐Erik , Holm Stefan , Lundgren Johan , Pfeifer Susan , Samuelsson Ulf , Strömberg Bo , Gustafsson Göran ,   for the Swedish Childhood CNS Tumor Working Group (VCTB)
Published: July 2009

AbstractAim:  Primary tumours in the central nervous system (CNS) are the second most common malignancy in childhood after leukaemia. Sweden has a high incidence and a high‐survival rate in international comparative studies. This has raised the question about the type of tumours included in the Swedish Cancer registry. We therefore compared international data to the Swedish Childhood Cancer registry.Methods:  Central nervous system tumours registered in the Swedish Childhood Cancer Registry were reclassified according to ICCC‐3. Incidence and survival analyses were performed in the study population.Results:  There were 1479 children (<15 years) in Sweden diagnosed with CNS tumours 1984–2005. The distribution of diagnoses was similar to that reported in other studies. The annual incidence was 4.2/100 000 children. The survival rates have not improved significantly between the two time periods before/after 1995 (70% vs. 74%; p = 0.10).Conclusions:  The mean annual incidence of children with CNS tumours was 4.2/100 000 and has not increased during the study period. Survival rate for brain tumours at 10 years follow‐up was 72%.
Childhood stroke in Eastern Province, KSA: pattern, risk factors, diagnosis and outcome
Authors: Emam Abdelhady Taha , Ali Alsayed Mohammed , Babikr Malek Ahmed 
Published: July 2009

AbstractBackground and purpose:  Stroke has been increasingly recognized in children in recent years, but diagnosis and management can be difficult because of the diversity of underlying risk factors, atypical presentation and the absence of a uniform treatment approach. The aim of this study was to examine risk factors, clinical presentation, imaging findings and outcomes of paediatric stroke in Eastern Province, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA).Subjects and methods:  We evaluated 25 patients (11 boys and 14 girls) using computerized tomography scan of the brain, magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and MR angiography. Cardiac assessment, haematological tests, immunological tests, infection and metabolic screening were also performed in the patients. After discharge, the patients were monitored regularly in the neurology clinic to detect their outcomes.Results:  A total of 76% of the patients presented with ischaemic stroke, while the remaining 24% had haemorrhagic stroke. Sickle cell disease (SCD) was the commonest risk factor for stroke (36%) followed by non determinate causes (20%). Seizure was the commonest clinical presentation (54%) followed by haemiplegia (31%) and decreased level of consciousness (30%). Recurrence occurred in SCD patients (80%) and patients with moyamoya disease (20%). Regarding the outcome, long‐term deficit was the commonest (44%), while short‐term deficit and death were equal (28% each).Conclusion:  Our study in Eastern Province, KSA, showed agreement with other studies regarding risk factors, clinical presentation, imaging features and outcomes of stroke in children, yet with some points of differences, which are as follows: (1) SCD is the commonest risk factor in our study population, while in Chinese study it was not, (2) The percentage of cardiac disorders as a risk factor in this study was less than that in the European and American studies, and (3) there was relative discrepancy regarding predictors of outcome.
Mesopotamian Roots for the Belief in the Resurrection of the Dead
Authors: Studevent‐Hickman Benjamin 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThe belief in the resurrection of the dead, a defining element of the Christian faith, did not begin with Christianity. At the time of the earliest Christians, several factions of Judaism held some form of the belief, disagreeing on whether it was physical or spiritual in nature. For the physical resurrection, evidence already appears in later writings of the Hebrew Bible; as a result, many scholars place the origin of the belief in the post‐exilic period, attributing it to foreign influence, generally from Canaan or Persia. But there is earlier evidence, both in and outside the Hebrew Bible, in those cases where a corpse returns to life, even temporarily. As argued here, it isthisphenomenon, above all, that forms the basis of the belief in the physical resurrection in the Judeo‐Christian tradition, and, whereitis concerned, a stronger cross‐cultural parallel is ancient Mesopotamia. In ancient Mesopotamia, there was clearly a belief that the dead could return from the netherworld to the land of the living, and it was part of a conceptual framework that integrated death, disease, medicine, and healing – as it was in the Hebrew Bible. For the history of religion, this dates the early roots of the belief in the physical resurrection of the dead centuries earlier than scholars have recognized.
The Place of Nature in Twelfth‐Century Spirituality
Authors: Ritchey Sara 
Published: July 2009

AbstractThis essay considers recent scholarship on nature and spirituality in the twelfth century, the period when Europeans ostensibly ‘discovered’ nature. In doing so, it demonstrates the ways in which certain developments in twelfth‐century Christian spirituality can participate in and enlarge the emerging conversation on the material conditions of human spirituality that is presently taking place in religious studies more generally as a result of our current ecological consciousness. Twelfth‐century Christian spiritualities illuminate how people have created a material context through which they can better achieve spiritual experiences. Experiments in twelfth‐century Christianity can help us greatly in thinking about how individuals and communities have crafted a place in the natural world as a technique for enhancing the experience of god's presence.
Over-expression of α-galactosidase in pea seeds to reduce raffinose oligosaccharide contentThis paper is one of a selection of papers published in a Special Issue from the National Research Council of Canada – Plant Biotechnology Institute.
Authors: Polowick Patricia L. , Baliski David S. , Bock Cheryl , Ray Heather , Georges Fawzy 
Published: July 2009

The raffinose family of oligosaccharides (RFO) is a series of complex carbohydrates stored in seeds of many plant families, especially in legumes. The digestive system of nonruminant animals, including that of humans, cannot break down all of the chemical bonds in these carbohydrates; therefore, catabolism is achieved anaerobically by intestinal flora. The resulting digestive problems reduce acceptance and limit the widespread consumption of these otherwise nutritious seeds. To demonstrate a solution to this problem, transgenic lines of pea ( Pisum sativum L.) expressing the α-galactosidase gene from coffee ( Coffea arabica L.) were developed. Plants with a single copy of the inserted gene were selected, and two of these lines showed significant reductions of up to 40% in oligosaccharide content (raffinose, stachyose). Quantitative RT-PCR confirmed the presence of the α-galactosidase RNA in both leaves and cotyledons. Sugars were analyzed using whole seeds or only a portion of a seed; in the latter case, germination rates for each of the seeds analyzed were determined. The reduced raffinose contents did not affect germination rates, which remained very high (96%). The relative oligosaccharide contents of tissues within a seed also were determined; these were highest in the embryo axis, lower in the cotyledon and lowest in the seed coat.
Molecular and functional characterization ofBrassica BREVIPEDICELLUSorthologs involved in inflorescence architectureThis paper is one of a selection of papers published in a Special Issue from the National Research Council of Canada – Plant Biotechnology Institute.
Authors: Dumonceaux Tim , Venglat Sathya Prakash , Kushalappa Kumuda , Selvaraj Gopalan , Datla Raju 
Published: July 2009

The diversity of inflorescence architecture in angiosperms relates to attracting pollinators and allowing the effective dispersal of seeds. Molecular understanding of the genetic factors regulating inflorescence architecture from the model system of Arabidopsis could provide critical insights for addressing this developmental process/pathway in a closely related crop species like Brassica napus L. Towards this objective, we have isolated and characterized the orthologs of the homeobox gene BREVIPEDICELLUS (BP) in three Brassica species, B. napus (BnBP), Brassica rapa L. (BrBP), and Brassica oleracea L. (BoBP). These Brassica orthologs show a high degree of conservation at the nucleotide and amino acid level, including the homeodomain and the intron positions. The B. napus ortholog complemented the Arabidopsis bp null allele and overexpression of BnBP in B. napus transgenic lines resulted in altered leaf phenotypes. Together, these results suggest that Brassica BP genes are functional orthologs of Arabidopsis BP. Ectopic expression of AS2, a negative regulator of BP encoding a LOB domain transcription factor, in transgenic B. napus produced compact inflorescence architecture reminiscent of the loss-of-function bp mutant phenotype described previously in Arabidopsis. These results provide evidence in support of BP as a potential target gene for modifying inflorescence architecture in Brassica crop species.
Adaptive epigenetic memory of ancestral temperature regime inArabidopsis thalianaThis paper is one of a selection of papers published in a Special Issue from the National Research Council of Canada – Plant Biotechnology Institute.
Authors: Whittle C. A. , Otto S. P. , Johnston M. O. , Krochko J. E. 
Published: July 2009

Although certain acquired nongenetic (i.e., epigenetic) traits are known to be heritable in plants, little is known currently about whether environmental parameters can induce adaptive epigenetic responses in plants and whether such effects can persist through generations. We used an experimental design based on classical genetics principles to assess whether plants respond to the environmental conditions of their ancestors in an adaptive epigenetic manner. An extensive examination of genetically identical Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh lines exposed to mild heat (30 °C) or cold (16 °C) treatments in the parental and F1generations revealed that the prior elevated temperature regime lead to a greater than fivefold improvement in fitness (seed production per individual) for plants exposed to heat in a later generation (F3). The heat-specific fitness improvements among F3plants were observed even though the heat-treated parental and F1generations were followed by a generation grown at a normal temperature (F2) and point towards a temperature-induced adaptive epigenetic phenomenon. No such adaptive responses were detected for cold-treated plants, indicating that there are distinctive biological processes inherent to these two temperature regimes. Overall, the data are consistent with the existence of an environmentally induced epigenetic and heritable adaptive response in plants.
Molecular cloning of an aldehyde dehydrogenase implicated in artemisinin biosynthesis in Artemisia annuaThis paper is one of a selection of papers published in a Special Issue from the National Research Council of Canada – Plant Biotechnology Institute.
Authors: Teoh Keat H. , Polichuk Devin R. , Reed Darwin W. , Covello Patrick S. 
Published: July 2009

Limitations in the supply of the antimalarial compound artemisinin from Artemisia annua L. have led to an interest in understanding its biosynthesis and enhancing its production. Recent biochemical and molecular genetic data have implicated dihydroartemisinic aldehyde as a precursor to the corresponding acid, which is then converted to artemisinin. Thus, it is important to understand the enzyme or enzymes involved in dihydroartemisinic aldehyde oxidation. Given its activity on artemisinic aldehyde, the cytochrome P450 CYP71AV1 was investigated for its ability to oxidize dihydroartemisinic aldehyde. However, no net activity was detected. In a search for alternative enzymes that could catalyze the oxidation, an expressed sequence tag (EST) collection from A. annua was investigated for relevant cDNAs. This led to the isolation of a full-length cDNA encoding an aldehyde dehydrogenase homologue, named Aldh1, which is highly expressed in trichomes. Expression of the cDNA in E. coli and characterization of the purified recombinant enzyme revealed that the gene product catalyses the NAD(P)-dependent oxidation of the putative artemisinin precursors, artemisinic and dihydroartemsinic aldehydes, and a limited range of other aldehydes. The observed enzyme activity of Aldh1 and the expression pattern of the corresponding gene suggest a role in artemisinin biosynthesis in the glandular secretory trichomes of A. annua.
Molecular cloning and characterization of Dbr1, a 2-alkenal reductase from Artemisia annuaThe nucleotide sequence reported in this article has been deposited in the GenBank database under accession No. FJ750460.This paper is one of a selection of papers published in a Special Issue from the National Research Council of Canada – Plant Biotechnology Institute.
Authors: Zhang Yansheng , Teoh Keat H. , Reed Darwin W. , Covello Patrick S. 
Published: July 2009

The molecular genetics of carbon–carbon double bond reduction in the plant Artemisia annua L. was studied. Expressed sequence tags from this plant were investigated for sequences with similarity to known double-bond reductases. This resulted in the isolation of a cDNA, corresponding to the gene A. annua Dbr1 (Double bond reductase1), encoding a member of the medium chain dehydrogenase/reductase protein superfamily with sequence similarity to tobacco allyl alcohol dehydrogenase. Recombinant A. annua Dbr1 protein was purified from Escherischia coli and shown to catalyze the reduction of the carbon–carbon double bond of 2-alkenals. This activity included the reduction of the double bond at C11–C13 in the artemisinin precursor artemisinic aldehyde, albeit with unnatural stereochemistry. The substrate specificity, product stereochemistry, and expression pattern of A. annua Dbr1 point to its involvement in planta in the detoxification of 2-alkenals, which may be generated under oxidative stress conditions.
Proanthocyanidin biosynthesis in the seed coat of yellow-seeded, canola qualityBrassica napusYN01-429 is constrained at the committed step catalyzed by dihydroflavonol 4-reductaseThis paper is one of a selection of papers published in a Special Issue from the National Research Council of Canada – Plant Biotechnology Institute.
Authors: Akhov Leonid , Ashe Paula , Tan Yifang , Datla Raju , Selvaraj Gopalan 
Published: July 2009

The yellow seed characteristic in Brassica napus L. is desirable because of its association with higher oil content and better quality of oil-extracted meal. YN01-429 is a yellow-seeded canola-quality germplasm developed in Canada arising from several years of research. Seed-coat pigmentation is due to oxidized proanthocyanidins (PA; condensed tannins) derived from phenylpropanoids and malonyl CoA. We found PA accumulation to be most robust in young seed coats (20 d post anthesis; dpa) of a related black-seeded line N89-53 and only very little PA in YN01-429, which also contained much less extractable phenolics. The flavonol content, however, did not show as great a difference between these two lines. Furthermore, sinapine, a product of the general phenylpropanoid metabolism, was present at comparable levels in the embryos of both lines. Dihydroflavonol reductase (DFR) activity that commits phenolics to PA synthesis was lower in YN01-429 seed coats. The results of Southern blot and in silico analyses were indicative of two copies of the DFR gene in B. napus. Both copies were functional in YN01-429, ruling out homeoallelic repression or silencing, but together they showed very low expression levels (17-fold fewer transcripts) relative to DFR activity in N89-53 seed coats. These results collectively suggest that YN01-429 differs in regulatory circuits that impact the PA synthesis branch much more than the flavonol synthesis branch in the seed coats and such circuits do not impinge upon general phenylpropanoid metabolism in the embryos.
Paleomagnetic dating of the northern Alberta kimberlites
Authors: Kravchinsky Vadim A. , Eccles D. Roy , Zhang Rui , Cannon Matthew 
Published: July 2009

Due to the vast amount of economic interest diamonds have created in northern Alberta, there is a need to produce an accurate geological model for the northern Alberta kimberlite province. To aid in the development of such a model, the emplacement ages of two kimberlite occurrences, K5 and K6 from the Buffalo Head Hills region of north-central Alberta, and the ultramafic Mountain Lake body from northwestern Alberta were estimated using paleomagnetic methods. Paleomagnetic poles obtained in our study do not differ statistically from the reference poles for late Mesozoic – Cenozoic for North America ( Besse and Courtillot 2002 ). With the aid of polarity determinations, palynology, and radiogenic dating, the paleomagnetic results allow for new constraints on the emplacement age of the selected ultramafic occurrences. The paleomagnetic emplacement ages established for the K5, K6, and Mountain Lake bodies are 90–83 Ma, 83.0–79.1 Ma, and not older than 79.1 Ma, respectively.
Oxygen deficiency impacts on burying habitats for lesser sandeel, Ammodytes tobianus, in the inner Danish waters
Authors: Behrens Jane W. , Ærtebjerg Gunni , Petersen Jens Kjerulf , Carstensen Jacob 
Published: July 2009

Starting in 1980s, the inner Danish waters have yearly been exposed to seasonal oxygen deficiency (hypoxia). Through spatial–temporal interpolation of monitoring data (1998–2005), we investigated oxygen deficiency impacts on suitable burying habitats for lesser sandeel ( Ammodytes tobianus ). Furthermore, the consequences of a predicted 4 °C temperature increase within this century were investigated. Maps of bottom oxygen deficiency (oxygen saturation ≤ Scrit of sandeel) were overlaid on maps of sediment composition. Throughout the study period (1998–2005), about 8% of the suitable sediments were affected by oxygen deficiency during an average year and 23% in the most severe year. Regional differences underlay the interannual variations. The extent of oxygen deficiency in enclosed regions varied from 20% to 33% of the suitable seabed being affected, whereas in open-water regions oxygen deficiency problems were limited during average years. However, large areas of the open-water seabed experienced oxygen deficiency during severe years. In such years, under a 4.0 °C temperature increase scenario, the extent of oxygen deficiency on open-water suitable patches was predicted to increase from 25% to about 40%.