bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Iron overload in thalassaemia intermedia: reassessment of iron chelation strategies
Authors: Taher Ali , Hershko Chaim , Cappellini Maria Domenica 
Published: August 2009

SummaryThalassaemia intermedia (TI) is a syndrome marked by its diverse underlying genetic basis although its pathophysiology remains unclear, particularly regarding the nature of iron loading and toxicity. It is, however, evident that there are key differences from the extensively studied thalassaemia major (TM) population and caution is required when assessing iron load based on serum ferritin values, as this approach is known to underestimate the true extent of iron loading in patients with TI. Although effective iron chelation therapy has been available for many years, studies in TI‐specific populations are rare and evidence suggests that management of iron levels may be less rigorous than in patients with TM and other chronic anaemias. Better understanding of the need to assess and treat iron overload in both transfused and non‐transfused TI patients is clearly required.
Sentinel systems on the razor's edge: effects of warming on Arctic geothermal stream ecosystems
Authors: WOODWARD GUY , DYBKJÆR JOHN B. , ÓLAFSSON JÓN S. , GÍSLASON GÍSLI M. , HANNESDÓTTIR ELÍSABET R. , FRIBERG NIKOLAI 
Published: August 2009

AbstractThe Earth is experiencing historically unprecedented rates of warming, with surface temperatures projected to increase by 3–5 °C globally, and up to 7.5 °C in high latitudes, within the next century. Knowledge of how this will affect biological systems is still largely restricted to the lower levels of organization (e.g. species range shifts), rather than at the community, food web or ecosystem level, where responses cannot be predicted from studying single species in isolation. Further, many correlational studies are confounded with time and/or space, whereas experiments have been mostly confined to laboratory microcosms that cannot capture the true complexity of natural ecosystems. We used a ‘natural experiment’ in an attempt to circumvent these shortcomings, by characterizing community structure and trophic interactions in 15 geothermal Icelandic streams ranging in temperature from 5 °C to 45 °C. Even modest temperature increases had dramatic effects across multiple levels of organization, from changes in the mean body size of the top predators, to unimodal responses of species populations, turnover in community composition, and lengthening of food chains. Our results reveal that the rates of warming predicted for the next century have serious implications for the structure and functioning of these fragile ‘sentinel’ ecosystems across multiple levels of organization.
The Arabidopsis SUMO E3 ligase AtMMS21, a homologue of NSE2/MMS21, regulates cell proliferation in the root
Authors: Huang Lixia , Yang Songguang , Zhang Shengchun , Liu Ming , Lai Jianbin , Qi Yanli , Shi Songfeng , Wang Jinxiang , Wang Yaqin , Xie Qi , Yang Chengwei 
Published: August 2009

SummaryhMMS21 is a SUMO E3 ligase required for the prevention of DNA damage‐induced apoptosis, and acts by facilitating DNA repair in human cells. The Arabidopsis genome contains a putative MMS21 homologue capable of interacting with the SUMO E2 conjugating enzyme AtSCE1a, as indicated by a yeast two‐hybrid screen and bimolecular fluorescence complementation experiments. In vitro and in vivo data demonstrated that AtMMS21 was a SUMO E3 ligase. We identified the Arabidopsis AtMMS21 null T‐DNA insertion mutant mms21‐1, which had a short‐root phenotype, and affected cell proliferation in the apical root meristem, as indicated by impaired expression of the cell division marker CYCB1:GUS in mms21‐1 roots. The mms21‐1 roots had reduced responses to exogenous cytokinins, and decreased expression of the cytokinin‐induced genes ARR3, ARR4, ARR5 and ARR7, compared with the wild type. Thus, our findings suggest that the AtMMS21 gene is involved in root development via cell‐cycle regulation and cytokinin signalling.
Genotype and time of day shape the Populus drought response
Authors: Wilkins Olivia , Waldron Levi , Nahal Hardeep , Provart Nicholas J. , Campbell Malcolm M. 
Published: August 2009

SummaryAs exposure to episodic drought can impinge significantly on forest health and the establishment of productive tree plantations, there is great interest in understanding the mechanisms of drought response in trees. The ecologically dominant and economically important genus Populus, with its sequenced genome, provides an ideal opportunity to examine transcriptome level changes in trees in response to a drought stimulus. The transcriptome level drought response of two commercially important Populus clones (P. deltoides × P. nigra, DN34, and P. nigra × P. maximowiczii, NM6) was characterized over a diurnal period using a 4 × 2 × 2 complete randomized factorial anova experimental design (four time points, two genotypes and two treatment conditions), using Affymetrix Poplar GeneChip microarrays. Notably, the specific genes that exhibited changes in transcript abundance in response to drought differed between the genotypes and/or the time of day that they exhibited their greatest differences. This study emphasizes the fact that it is not possible to draw simple, generalized conclusions about the drought response of the genus Populus on the basis of one species, nor on the basis of results collected at a single time point. The data derived from our studies provide insights into the variety of genetic mechanisms underpinning the Populus drought response, and provide candidates for future experiments aimed at understanding this response across this economically and ecologically important genus.
Single‐nucleotide and long‐patch base excision repair of DNA damage in plants
Authors: Córdoba‐Cañero Dolores , Morales‐Ruiz Teresa , Roldán‐Arjona Teresa , Ariza Rafael R. 
Published: August 2009

SummaryBase excision repair (BER) is a critical pathway in cellular defense against endogenous or exogenous DNA damage. This elaborate multistep process is initiated by DNA glycosylases that excise the damaged base, and continues through the concerted action of additional proteins that finally restore DNA to the unmodified state. BER has been subject to detailed biochemical analysis in bacteria, yeast and animals, mainly through in vitro reproduction of the entire repair reaction in cell‐free extracts. However, an understanding of this repair pathway in plants has consistently lagged behind. We report the extension of BER biochemical analysis to plants, using Arabidopsis cell extracts to monitor repair of DNA base damage in vitro. We have used this system to demonstrate that Arabidopsis cell extracts contain the enzymatic machinery required to completely repair ubiquitous DNA lesions, such as uracil and abasic (AP) sites. Our results reveal that AP sites generated after uracil excision are processed both by AP endonucleases and AP lyases, generating either 5′‐ or 3′‐blocked ends, respectively. We have also found that gap filling and ligation may proceed either through insertion of just one nucleotide (short‐patch BER) or several nucleotides (long‐patch BER). This experimental system should prove useful in the biochemical and genetic dissection of BER in plants, and contribute to provide a broader picture of the evolution and biological relevance of DNA repair pathways.
An F‐box gene, CPR30, functions as a negative regulator of the defense response in Arabidopsis
Authors: Gou Mingyue , Su Nan , Zheng Jun , Huai Junling , Wu Guangheng , Zhao Jinfeng , He Junguang , Tang Dingzhong , Yang Shuhua , Wang Guoying 
Published: August 2009

SummaryArabidopsis gain‐of‐resistance mutants, which show HR‐like lesion formation and SAR‐like constitutive defense responses, were used well as tools to unravel the plant defense mechanisms. We have identified a novel mutant, designated constitutive expresser of PR genes 30 (cpr30), that exhibited dwarf morphology, constitutive resistance to the bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae and the dramatic induction of defense‐response gene expression. The cpr30‐conferred growth defect morphology and defense responses are dependent on ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY 1 (EDS1), PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT 4 (PAD4), and NONRACE‐SPECIFIC DISEASE RESISTANCE 1 (NDR1). Further studies demonstrated that salicylic acid (SA) could partially account for the cpr30‐conferred constitutive PR1 gene expression, but not for the growth defect, and that the cpr30‐conferred defense responses were NPR1 independent. We observed a widespread expression of CPR30 throughout the plant, and a localization of CPR30‐GFP fusion protein in the cytoplasm and nucleus. As an F‐box protein, CPR30 could interact with multiple Arabidopsis‐SKP1‐like (ASK) proteins in vivo. Co‐localization of CPR30 and ASK1 or ASK2 was observed in Arabidopsis protoplasts. Based on these results, we conclude that CPR30, a novel negative regulator, regulates both SA‐dependent and SA‐independent defense signaling, most likely through the ubiquitin‐proteasome pathway in Arabidopsis.
Chronic pain after cardiac surgery: a prospective study
Authors: GJEILO K. H. , KLEPSTAD P. , WAHBA A. , LYDERSEN S. , STENSETH R. 
Published: August 2009

Background: Chronic pain is a complication of several surgical procedures. The prevalence of chronic pain reported after cardiac surgery varies from 18% to 61%. However, most studies are retrospective, do not use validated instruments for pain measurement or include only pain at the sternum site. The aim of the present study was to assess chronic pain and health‐related quality of life (HRQOL) after cardiac surgery.Methods: In a prospective, population‐based study, we included 534 patients (413 males) and assessed chronic pain and HRQOL before, 6 months after, and 12 months after cardiac surgery. Pain was measured by the Brief Pain Inventory, while HRQOL was measured by the Short‐Form 36 (SF‐36).Results: Five hundred and twenty‐one patients were alive 12 months after surgery; 462 (89%) and 465 (89%) responded after 6 and 12 months, respectively. Chronic pain was reported by 11% of the patients at both measurements. Younger age was associated with chronic pain [odds ratio 0.7 (95% confidence interval: 0.5–0.9)] at 12 months. Patients with chronic pain reported lower scores on seven of eight SF‐36 subscales.Discussion: In conclusion, we observed a lower prevalence of chronic pain after cardiac surgery than in previous studies. Still, more than one out of 10 patients reported chronic pain after cardiac surgery. Chronic pain appears to affect HRQOL. Thus, given the large number of patients subjected to cardiac surgery, this study confirms that chronic pain after cardiac surgery is an important health care issue.
Competition for nitrogen sources between European beech (Fagus sylvatica) and sycamore maple (Acer pseudoplatanus) seedlings
Authors: Simon J. , Waldhecker P. , Brüggemann N. , Rennenberg H. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractTo investigate the short‐term consequences of direct competition between beech and sycamore maple on root N uptake and N composition, mycorrhizal seedlings of both tree species were incubated for 4 days (i.e. beech only, sycamore maple only or both together) in an artificial nutrient solution with low N availability. On the fourth day, N uptake experiments were conducted to study the effects of competition on inorganic and organic N uptake. For this purpose, multiple N sources were applied with a single label. Furthermore, fine roots were sampled and analysed for total amino acids, soluble protein, total nitrogen, nitrate and ammonium content. Our results clearly show that both tree species were able to use inorganic and organic N sources. Uptake of inorganic and organic N by beech roots was negatively affected in the presence of the competing tree species. In contrast, the presence of beech stimulated inorganic N uptake by sycamore maple roots. Both the negative effect of sycamore maple on N uptake of beech and the positive effect of beech on N uptake of sycamore maple led to an increase in root soluble protein in beech, despite an overall decrease in total N concentration. Thus, beech compensated for the negative effects of the tree competitor on N uptake by incorporating less N into structural N components, but otherwise exhibited the same strategy as the competitor, namely, enhancing soluble protein levels in roots when grown under competition. It is speculated that enhanced enzyme activities of so far unknown nature are required in beech as a defence response to inter‐specific competition.
Cryptic self‐incompatibility and distyly in Hedyotis acutangula Champ. (Rubiaceae)
Authors: Wu X. , Li A. , Zhang D. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractDistyly, floral polymorphism frequently associated with reciprocal herkogamy, self‐ and intramorph incompatibility and secondary dimorphism, constitutes an important sexual system in the Rubiaceae. Here we report an unusual kind of distyly associated with self‐ and/or intramorph compatibility in a perennial herb, Hedyotis acutangula. Floral morphology, ancillary dimorphisms and compatibility of the two morphs were studied. H. acutangula did not exhibit precise reciprocal herkogamy, but this did not affect the equality of floral morphs in the population, as usually found in distylous plants. Both pin and thrum pollen retained relatively high viability for 8 h. The pollen to ovule ratio was 72.5 in pin flowers and 54.4 in thrum flowers. Pistils of pin flowers remained receptive for longer than those of thrum flowers. No apparent difference in the germination rate of pin and thrum pollen grains was observed when cultured in vitro, although growth of thrum pollen tubes was much faster than that of pin pollen tubes. Artificial pollination revealed that pollen tube growth in legitimate intermorph crosses was faster than in either intramorph crosses or self‐pollination, suggesting the occurrence of cryptic self‐incompatibility in this species. Cryptic self‐incompatibility functioned differently in the two morphs, with pollen tube growth rates after legitimate and illegitimate pollination much more highly differentiated in pin flowers than in thrum flowers. No fruit was produced in emasculated netted flowers, suggesting the absence of apomixis. Our results indicate that H. acutangula is distylous, with a cryptic self‐incompatibility breeding system.
Osteological Development of the Garfish (Belone belone) Larvae
Authors: Kužir S. , Kozarić Z. , Gjurčević E. , Baždarić B. , Petrinec Z. 
Published: August 2009

SummaryGarfish, Belone belone (Linnaeus, 1761) is an elongate, slander fish inhabiting the Eastern Atlantic and Mediterranean Sea. These fish from the Belonidae (Actinopterygii) family have important commercial value for Croatian fisheries. Samples for research were collected from experimental hatching in the Novigrad Sea. Preparation techniques included fixation in buffered formalin, trypsin clearing and staining with alcian blue and alizarin red. As little is known of garfish osteology and bone morphology, the main goal of this study was to describe ossification process in garfish fry. At hatching, no skeletal structure is present. Newly‐hatched larvae also had no osteological elements. Ossification started at 7 day post‐hatching (DPH) [total length (TL) 18 mm] with head bones and vertebral neural arch. Head skeleton continued to develop mostly over the period from 7 to 10 DPH. At 21 DPH (TL 49 mm), ossification process seemed to be finished, but it was not possible to distinguish borders of all bones. The primary interest of our research was to understand the growth dynamics as well as transformation of supporting body elements from cartilage to bone. At the end, developmental characteristics and functional aspects of this formation in different fish species are discussed.
Morphology and Morphometry of Lingual Papillae in Adult and Newborn Egyptian Fruit Bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus)
Authors: Trzcielińska‐Lorych J. , Jackowiak H. , Skieresz‐Szewczyk K. , Godynicki S. 
Published: August 2009

SummaryThe paper presents a comparison of the microscopic structure and morphometric traits of gustatory and mechanical lingual papillae in newborn and adult frugivorous Egyptian fruit bats (Rousettus aegyptiacus). All of the four types of lingual papillae found in adult animals were observed on the tongue surface in the newborn Egyptian fruit bats. After the birth, the gustatory papillae (fungiform and vallate papillae) were especially well‐developed, as their structural characteristics, such as morphology of the epithelium and presence of the taste buds, indicate that they have reached almost complete functional traits. Mechanical papillae, particularly filiform papillae, in newborns are still fetal in character. Keratinization processes in the epithelium of these papillae are not advanced and specific structures, such as elongated processes, are missing. The morphometric analysis of the size of papillae and thickness of the mucosal epithelium showed that a complete development of keratinized structures in Egyptian fruit bats occurs at later stages of postnatal development.
Corrosion fatigue performance of pre‐split steel wires for high strength bridge cables
Authors: JIANG J. H. , MA A. B. , WENG W. F. , FU G. H. , ZHANG Y. F. , LIU G. G. , LU F. M. 
Published: August 2009

ABSTRACTThe first parametric investigation about corrosion fatigue (CF) behaviour of pre‐split high‐strength galvanized steel wires was conducted for perfecting the design and maintenance of modern bridge cable structures. Counting the cycle number to failure presents that lower fatigue endurance always correlates with higher stress amplitude, while decrease in load ratio and/or increase in cyclic load frequency significantly prolongs the CF life. Electron fractography indicates that the fatigue crack growth rate of the steel wires is lower in air with the presence of tyre tracks on the fracture surface, and faster in aggressive media resulting from anodic dissolution and crack opening displacement at the crack tips. Longer CF endurance of bridge cable steel wires can be expected through ideal thermo‐mechanical treatment after the successive cold drawing, for a significant benefit on corrosion resistance and microstructure improvement.
Immediate surgical outcomes for radical prostatectomy in the University HealthSystem Consortium Clinical Data Base: the impact of hospital case volume, hospital size and geographical region on 48 000 patients
Authors: Mitchell Robert E. , Lee Byron T. , Cookson Michael S. , Barocas Daniel A. , Herrell S. Duke , Clark Peter E. , Smith Jr. Joseph A. , Chang Sam S. 
Published: August 2009

OBJECTIVETo determine the impact of hospital variables on immediate surgical outcomes for patients treated with radical prostatectomy (RP) in academic centres.PATIENTS AND METHODSThe University HealthSystem Consortium (UHC) Clinical Data Base was queried for data corresponding to patients who had RP at one of 130 academic medical centres nationwide between 2003 and the second quarter of 2007 (48 086). RP case volume (1–99, 100–499 and >500), total discharges (1–49 999, 50 000–99 999, >100 000), and geographical region (five categories) were determined and categorized for each academic centre. Analysis of variance and the Tukey statistic were used to assess the results. Length of stay (LOS), intensive care unit (ICU) rate, complication rate (CR) and in‐hospital mortality (IHM) were analysed.RESULTSCase volume was a significant predictor of LOS, ICU and CR. The mean LOS was 3.77, 2.65 and 2.09 days, respectively, for centres from three tiers of lowest to highest case volumes (P < 0.001). ICU rates for the three tiers were 18.57, 3.61, and 1.30 (P < 0.001); CRs were 15.93, 8.79 and 5.76 (P < 0.001). Tukey analysis showed a ‘ceiling’ effect for ICU and CRs; there were no differences between the two higher case‐volume groups. IHM was not significantly different between groups stratified by case volume. Stratification by total discharges showed differences in ICU rates only (P = 0.003). Stratification by geographical region showed no differences in outcome.CONCLUSIONSRP case volume was an important variable in predicting three of the four outcome variables. CRs and ICU rates showed a ‘ceiling effect’ suggesting that an unknown ‘critical volume’ of cases portends improved surgical outcomes.
Maternal arterial stiffness in pregnancies affected by Type 1 diabetes mellitus
Authors: Anderson J. M. , Savvidou M. D. , Kaihura C. , McEniery C. M. , Nicolaides K. H. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractAim  There is little information about maternal central haemodynamics and arterial stiffness in pregnancies affected by Type 1 diabetes mellitus. The aim of the current study was to investigate whether maternal arterial stiffness is altered in pregnant women with Type 1 diabetes mellitus compared with women with uncomplicated pregnancies.Methods  This was a cross‐sectional study involving 37 pregnant women without diabetes and 37 pregnant women with Type 1 diabetes mellitus during the second trimester of pregnancy. Maternal wave reflection (augmentation index) and pulse wave velocity of the carotid‐femoral and carotid‐radial part of the arterial tree were assessed non‐invasively using applanation tonometry.Results  Pregnant women with normal pregnancies and Type 1 diabetes mellitus had similar augmentation index (3.7 ± 12.8 vs. 5.1 ± 12.6%, P = 0.6), even after adjusting for possible confounders. Within the group of diabetic women, augmentation index was associated with duration of diabetes (P = 0.003, r2 = 0.22) but not with glycated haemoglobin. Pulse wave velocities were similar between the two groups of women (carotid‐femoral: 5.6 ± 0.9 vs. 5.7 ± 1.1 m/s, P = 0.4; carotid‐radial: 7.4 ± 1.2 vs. 7.8 ± 1 m/s, P = 0.1). In the diabetic women there was no significant association between the pulse wave velocities and either duration of diabetes or glycated haemoglobin.Conclusions  Pregnancy in women with Type 1 diabetes mellitus is not associated with altered maternal systemic arterial stiffness. However, maternal wave reflections increase with the duration of diabetes.
Handedness, insulin sensitivity and pancreatic B‐cell function in Type 2 diabetes
Authors: Hermans M. P. , Ahn S. A. , Selvais P. L. , Rousseau M. F. 
Published: August 2009

AbstractBackground  Laterality is associated with various health conditions. No study has addressed the influence of handedness on Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) phenotype, including glucose homeostasis, glucose‐lowering therapies and metabolic control.Methods  Five hundred and seventy‐six consecutive adult T2DM outpatients underwent homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) of pancreatic B‐cell function (B), insulin sensitivity (S), hyperbolic product (B × S) and age‐standardized B × S deficit. Right‐handed patients (87.5%; RH; n = 504) had similar age, gender, diabetes duration and education than non‐right‐handed patients (12.5%; non‐RH; n = 72).Results  Non‐RH were more insulin‐sensitive: 66% (39%) vs. 52% (36%) [mean (1 sd); P = 0.0024] and had significantly higher B × S and lower age‐adjusted B × S deficit: 35% (20%) vs. 26% (17%) and 1.08% (0.40%) vs. 1.32% (0.55%)/year (non‐RH; P = 0.0005 and P < 0.0001, respectively).Conclusions  Non‐right‐handed T2DM patients are more insulin‐sensitive, have higher hyperbolic product and less age‐standardized B × S deficit. These may modulate glucose‐lowering therapy requirements and glycaemic control.