bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Holocene vegetation, fire and climate history of the Sawtooth Range, central Idaho, USA
Authors: Whitlock Cathy , Briles Christy E. , Fernandez Matias C. , Gage Joshua 
Published: October 2010

AbstractThe paucity of low- and middle-elevation paleoecologic records in the Northern Rocky Mountains limits our ability to assess current environmental change in light of past conditions. A 10,500-yr-long vegetation, fire and climate history from Lower Decker Lake in the Sawtooth Range provides information from a new region. Initial forests dominated by pine and Douglas-fir were replaced by open Douglas-fir forest at 8420 cal yr BP, marking the onset of warmer conditions than present. Presence of closed Douglas-fir forest between 6000 and 2650 cal yr BP suggests heightened summer drought in the middle Holocene. Closed lodgepole pine forest developed at 2650 cal yr BP and fires became more frequent after 1450 cal yr BP. This shift from Douglas-fir to lodgepole pine forest was probably facilitated by a combination of cooler summers, cold winters, and more severe fires than before. Five drought episodes, including those at 8200 cal yr BP and during the Medieval Climate Anomaly, were registered by brief intervals of lodgepole pine decline, an increase in fire activity, and mistletoe infestation. The importance of a Holocene perspective when assessing the historical range of variability is illustrated by the striking difference between the modern forest and that which existed 3000 yr ago.
Responses of ecosystem carbon dioxide fluxes to soil moisture fluctuations in a moist Kenyan savanna
Authors: Otieno D. O. , K'Otuto G. O. , Maina J. N. , Kuzyakov Y. , Onyango J. C. 
Published: October 2010

Abstract:Measurements were conducted within a fence-exclosure between February 2008 and July 2009 to investigate the influence of soil moisture on ecosystem CO2 fluxes in a Themeda triandra-dominated grassland of a humid Kenyan savanna. Rainout shelters were constructed to reduce ambient rainfall by 0%, 10% and 20% respectively to attain variable soil water content (SWC) during plant growth. SWC within the top 30 cm layer, above-ground biomass, soil and plant nitrogen (N) concentrations were assessed monthly alongside CO2 fluxes. Net ecosystem CO2 exchange (NEE) and ecosystem respiration (Reco) were measured with closed chambers while carbon (C) partitioning during the wet and dry seasons were assessed through pulse 13C labelling. There were significant seasonal and between plot differences in SWC, above-ground biomass, canopy light utilization efficiency (α), CO2 fluxes and C allocation pattern resulting from differences in SWC. The ecosystem was a net C sink during the wet and C neutral during the dry seasons. The study showed strong seasonal fluctuations in ecosystem CO2 fluxes and underscores the significant role of the savanna grasslands in regional C balance due to its expansive nature. The savanna grassland is however vulnerable to low soil moisture, with significant reduction in CO2 uptake during drought.
Directional distributional similarity for lexical inference
Authors: KOTLERMAN LILI , DAGAN IDO , SZPEKTOR IDAN , ZHITOMIRSKY-GEFFET MAAYAN 
Published: October 2010

AbstractDistributional word similarity is most commonly perceived as a symmetric relation. Yet, directional relations are abundant in lexical semantics and in many Natural Language Processing (NLP) settings that require lexical inference, making symmetric similarity measures less suitable for their identification. This paper investigates the nature of directional (asymmetric) similarity measures that aim to quantify distributional feature inclusion. We identify desired properties of such measures for lexical inference, specify a particular measure based on Average Precision that addresses these properties, and demonstrate the empirical benefit of directional measures for two different NLP datasets.
Another dragon in the kitchen: Psychological experiences of hepatitis C treatment among HIV‐hepatitis C co‐infected gay men
Authors: Sinclair Michael , McPherson Susan , Bor Robert , Orban Lisa 
Published: October 2010

AbstractBackground:Increasing numbers of HIV‐infected gay men acquire hepatitis C virus (HCV) co‐infection, which causes serious medical consequences. Treatment for HCV is associated with many severe side effects, in some cases psychological, and many patients subsequently fail to adhere, even when psychological services are utilised, to improve treatment adherence.Objective:This qualitative study aimed to explore the experiences of HIV‐infected gay men undergoing treatment for HCV in order to inform psychological services to better meet specific treatment needs of this population.Methods:Thirteen HIV‐infected gay men who had undergone HCV treatment were interviewed and a qualitative analysis was conducted. Participants described HCV and its treatments in the context of their relationships and lifestyles.Findings:Four domains emerged: HCV diagnosis and treatment; HCV treatment education; change in sense of self; and sexual risk‐taking. Adhering to treatment was a significant challenge for all participants and emerged across all domains.Discussion:Psychological services for this population of co‐infected gay men should assist this clinical population not only with adherence to hepatitis C treatment but should also be available at an earlier stage in the process to help patients make informed choices about whether or not to begin a course of treatment. Assessing factors such as coping strategies, treatment readiness and knowledge, self‐awareness, and level of risk‐taking, can guide clinicians in tailoring treatment and adherence planning for HIV/HCV‐co‐infected gay men.
Bridging the gap between research and practice in counselling and psychotherapy training: Learning from trainees
Authors: Moran Patricia 
Published: October 2010

AbstractAim: This study set out to examine trainee practitioners' perceptions of research training, and to explore ways in which training might be developed to facilitate the integration of research and practice. Method: Fourteen trainees on a doctoral programme in counselling psychology and psychotherapy participated in two focus groups, and verbatim transcripts were analysed using the Framework approach. Findings: The findings indicate that while participants appreciated the value of research, most found it challenging and anxiety provoking. Participants identified a number of ways in which training approaches could be adapted to enhance motivation to engage with research, and enable integration of research and clinical practice. Conclusions/implications: The findings are discussed in terms of the implications for the way research is incorporated into clinical training, as well as the type of research taught in the context of wider debates about evidence.
Synthesis and applications of magnetic nanoparticles for biorecognition and point of care medical diagnostics
Authors: Sandhu Adarsh , Handa Hiroshi , Abe Masanori 
Published: October 2010

Functionalized magnetic nanoparticles are important components in biorecognition and medical diagnostics. Here, we present a review of our contribution to this interdisciplinary research field. We start by describing a simple one-step process for the synthesis of highly uniform ferrite nanoparticles (d= 20–200 nm) and their functionalization with amino acids via carboxyl groups.For real-world applications, we used admicellar polymerization to produce 200 nm diameter ‘FG beads’, consisting of several 40 nm diameter ferrite nanoparticles encapsulated in a co-polymer of styrene and glycidyl methacrylate for high throughput molecular screening. The highly dispersive FG beads were functionalized with an ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether spacer and used for affinity purification of methotrexate—an anti-cancer agent. We synthesized sub-100 nm diameter magnetic nanocapsules by exploiting the self-assembly of viral capsid protein pentamers, where single 8, 20, and 27 nm nanoparticles were encapsulated with VP1 pentamers for applications including MRI contrast agents. The FG beads are now commercially available for use in fully automated bio-screening systems.We also incorporated europium complexes inside a polymer matrix to produce 140 nm diameter fluorescent-ferrite beads (FF beads), which emit at 618 nm. These FF beads were used for immunofluorescent staining for diagnosis of cancer metastases to lymph nodes during cancer resection surgery by labeling tumor cell epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFRs), and for the detection of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP)—a hormone secreted in excess amounts by the heart when stressed—to a level of 2.0 pg ml− 1.We also describe our work on Hall biosensors made using InSb and GaAs/InGaAs/AlGaAs 2DEG heterostructures integrated with gold current strips to reduce measurement times.Our approach for the detection of sub-200 nm magnetic bead is also described: we exploit the magnetically induced capture of micrometer sized ‘probe beads’ by nanometer sized ‘target beads’, enabling the detection of small concentrations of beads as small as 8 nm in ‘pumpless’ microcapillary systems.Finally, we describe a ‘label-less homogeneous’ procedure referred to as ‘magneto-optical transmission (MT) sensing’, where the optical transmission of a solution containing rotating linear chains of magnetic nanobeads was used to detect biomolecules with pM-level sensitivity with a dynamic range of more than four orders of magnitude. Our research on the synthesis and applications of nanoparticles is particularly suitable for point of care diagnostics.
Relative Virulence of Botrytis cinerea and B. mali in Apple Lesions
Authors: Etebarian Reza H. , O'Gorman Daniel T. , Sholberg Peter L. 
Published: October 2010

Botrytis cinerea and recently B. mali have been identified as important postharvest pathogens of apples in British Columbia (BC), Canada. Three isolates of both B. cinerea and B. mali were studied alone and in combination by inoculating mature ‘Gala’ apple fruit to compare their potential for causing decay. The fruit were incubated at 20°C for 6 and 8 days when lesion areas were calculated from lesion diameters. The lesion areas in apples inoculated with B. cinerea ranged from 1020 to 1514 mm2 compared to 130 to 293 mm2 for B. mali after 6 days. Primers developed to specifically amplify B. mali or B. cinerea were used in a PCR test to determine which Botrytis spp. was present in a particular lesion and estimate the quantity of each species. Relative fluorescent intensity of DNA extracted from apple tissue co-inoculated with B. cinerea + B. mali and amplified with the B. cinerea specific primer averaged 102.3%. On the other hand, the fluorescence produced by the B. mali primer averaged only 11.6% from the same DNA samples. These results confirmed that when both B. cinerea and B. mali are mixed together, B. cinerea becomes the dominant pathogen. Accepted for publication 2 July 2010. Published 20 September 2010.
Purinergic P2X Receptor Regulates N -Methyl-d-aspartate Receptor Expression and Synaptic Excitatory Amino Acid Concentration in Morphine-tolerant Rats
Authors: Tai Yueh-Hua , Cheng Pao-Yun , Tsai Ru-Yin , Chen Yuh-Fung , Wong Chih-Shung 
Published: October 2010

Background
The present study examined the effect of P2X receptor antagonist 2',3'-O-(2,4,6-trinitrophenyl) adenosine 5'-triphosphate (TNP-ATP) on morphine tolerance in rats.

Methods
Male Wistar rats were implanted with two intrathecal catheters with or without a microdialysis probe, then received a continuous intrathecal infusion of saline (control) or morphine (tolerance induction) for 5 days.

Results
Long-term morphine infusion induced antinociceptive tolerance and up-regulated N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunits NR1 and NR2B expression in both total lysate and synaptosome fraction of the spinal cord dorsal horn. TNP-ATP (50 μg) treatment potentiated the antinociceptive effect of morphine, with a 5.5-fold leftward shift of the morphine dose-response curve in morphine-tolerant rats, and this was associated with reversal of the up-regulated NR1 and NR2B subunits in the synaptosome fraction. NR1/NR2B-specific antagonist ifenprodil treatment produced a similar effect as TNP-ATP; it also potentiated the antinociceptive effect of morphine. On day 5, morphine challenge resulted in a significant increase in aspartate and glutamate concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid dialysates of morphine-tolerant rats, and this effect was reversed by TNP-ATP treatment. Moreover, the amount of immunoprecipitated postsynaptic density-95/NR1/NR2B complex was increased in morphine-tolerant rats, and this was prevented by the TNP-ATP treatment.

Conclusions
The findings suggest that attenuation of morphine tolerance by TNP-ATP is attributed to down-regulation of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor subunits NR1 and NR2B expression in the synaptosomal membrane and inhibition of excitatory amino acids release in morphine-tolerant rats. The TNP-ATP regulation on the N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor expression may be involved in a loss of scaffolding proteins postsynaptic density-95.
Critical Role of the Small GTPase RhoA in the Development of Pulmonary Edema Induced by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in Mice
Authors: Carles Michel , Lafargue Mathieu , Goolaerts Arnaud , Roux Jérémie , Song Yuanlin , Howard Marybeth , Weston David , Swindle John T. , Hedgpeth Joe , Burel-Vandenbos Fanny , Pittet Jean-Francois 
Published: October 2010

Background
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is an opportunistic pathogen that can cause severe pneumonia in critically ill patients. We have reported previously that P. aeruginosa exotoxins S and T mediate in vitro the increase in protein permeability across lung endothelial cell monolayers via a RhoA-dependent mechanism. However, whether inhibition of RhoA would significantly attenuate P. aeruginosa-mediated lung injury in mice is unknown.

Methods
P. aeruginosa-induced paracellular protein permeability was measured across bovine lung endothelial and rat alveolar epithelial type II cell monolayers with I-albumin. Some cell monolayers were pretreated with RhoA inhibitor CGX0287 1 h before P. aeruginosa exposure. At 4 h after exposure, lung endothelial and epithelial permeability, bacterial counts, bronchoalveolar lavage fluid levels of keratinocyte-derived chemokine, myeloperoxidase activity, and alveolar fluid clearance were measured. Some mice were treated intraperitoneally with CGX0287 1 h before or after airspace instillation of P. aeruginosa.

Results
RhoA inhibition attenuated in vitro P. aeruginosa-mediated increase in lung endothelial and epithelial permeability to protein and in vivo the development of pulmonary edema and inhibition of alveolar fluid clearance associated with P. aeruginosa pneumonia. Furthermore, RhoA inhibition decreased the systemic dissemination of P. aeruginosa and neutrophil activity in the lung tissue observed after airspace instillation of these bacteria.

Conclusions
The small GTPase RhoA plays a critical role in mediating lung injury associated with P. aeruginosa pneumonia in mice. Thus, transient blockade of RhoA could attenuate lung damage caused by P. aeruginosa in critically ill patients.
Disrupted Sleep and Delayed Recovery from Chronic Peripheral Neuropathy Are Distinct Phenotypes in a Rat Model of Metabolic Syndrome
Authors: Muncey Aaron R. , Saulles Adam R. , Koch Lauren G. , Britton Steven L. , Baghdoyan Helen A. , Lydic Ralph 
Published: October 2010

Background
Sleep apnea, hypertension, atherosclerosis, and obesity are features of metabolic syndrome associated with decreased restorative sleep and increased pain. These traits are relevant for anesthesiology because they confer increased risks of a negative anesthetic outcome. This study tested the one-tailed hypothesis that rats bred for low intrinsic aerobic capacity have enhanced nociception and disordered sleep.

Methods
Rats were developed from a breeding strategy that selected for low aerobic capacity runners (LCR) and high aerobic capacity runners (HCR). Four phenotypes were quantified. Rats underwent von Frey sensory testing (n = 12), thermal nociceptive testing (n = 12), electrographic recordings of sleep and wakefulness (n = 16), and thermal nociceptive testing (n = 14) before and for 6 weeks after a unilateral chronic neuropathy of the sciatic nerve.

Results
Paw withdrawal latency to a thermal nociceptive stimulus was significantly (P < 0.01) lower in LCR than HCR rats. There were also significant differences in sleep, with LCR rats spending significantly (P < 0.01) more time awake (18%) and less time in nonrapid eye movement sleep (-19%) than HCR rats. Nonrapid eye movement sleep episodes were of shorter duration (-34%) in LCR than HCR rats. Rapid eye movement sleep of LCR rats was significantly more fragmented than rapid eye movement sleep of HCR rats. LCR rats required 2 weeks longer than HCR rats to recover from peripheral neuropathy.

Conclusions
Rodents with low aerobic capacity exhibit features homologous to human metabolic syndrome. This rodent model offers a novel tool for characterizing the mechanisms through which low aerobic function and obesity might confer increased risks for anesthesia.
Evaluation of Pregabalin as an Adjuvant to Patient-controlled Epidural Analgesia during Late Termination of Pregnancy
Authors: Lavand'homme Patricia M. , Roelants Fabienne 
Published: October 2010

Introduction
Late termination of pregnancy combines psychological distress with severe physical pain. The present study evaluated the benefit of adding oral pregabalin to epidural analgesia during this procedure.

Methods
Healthy women were randomly allocated to receive either oral pregabalin 150 mg/12 h or prazepam 10 mg/12 h at the induction of the late termination of pregnancy procedure. When they felt abdominal pain (numerical rating scale ranging from 0 [no pain] to 100 [worst pain possible]), patient-controlled epidural analgesia was activated and set to deliver ropivacaine 0.1% with sufentanil 0.25 μg/ml, 5 ml/h with a bolus dose of 5 ml/30 min. Rescue analgesia was available as needed by administration of 10 ml ropivacaine 0.1% (pain score less than 60/100) or 0.2% (at least 60/100). The primary outcome was the consumption of epidural analgesics.

Results
Forty-eight patients participated in the study. Demographic and obstetric data were similar. Pregabalin reduced total ropivacaine consumption 11.3 ± 3.2 mg/h (mean ± SD) versus 15.1 ± 4.9 mg/h in the prazepam group (P = 0.005), an effect related to a decrease in the need for rescue analgesia. In the pregabalin group, fewer women asked for rescue dose (75 vs. 96%; P = 0.048), and the number of rescue doses per patient was reduced (1 [0-2] vs. 2 [1-3]); median [interquartile range], P = 0.005), particularly the need for ropivacaine 0.2%.

Discussion
This is the first study considering the use of pregabalin for labor pain associated with late termination of pregnancy, showing that pregabalin 150 mg/12 h is a helpful adjuvant to epidural analgesia. Modulation of both visceral sensitization and affective component of pain may contribute to the benefits observed.
A GlutathioneS-Transferase Regulated by Light and Hormones Participates in the Modulation of Arabidopsis Seedling Development
Authors: Jiang Han-Wei , Liu Ming-Jung , Chen Ing-Chien , Huang Chiung-Huei , Chao Li-Ya , Hsieh Hsu-Liang 
Published: October 2010

AbstractGlutathione S-transferases (GSTs) have been well documented to be involved in diverse aspects of biotic and abiotic stresses, especially detoxification processes. Whether they regulate plant development remains unclear. Here, we report on our isolation by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction of a plant GST, AtGSTU17, from Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) and demonstrate that its expression is regulated by multiple photoreceptors, especially phytochrome A (phyA) under all light conditions. Further physiological studies indicated that AtGSTU17 participates in various aspects of seedling development, including hypocotyl elongation, anthocyanin accumulation, and far-red light-mediated inhibition of greening with a requirement of functional phyA. The loss-of-function mutant of AtGSTU17 (atgstu17) resulted in reduced biomass of seedlings and number of lateral roots in the presence of auxin, as well as insensitivity to abscisic acid (ABA)-mediated inhibition of root elongation, with similarity to different phyA mutant alleles. Moreover, the root phenotype conferred by atgstu17 was reflected by histochemical β-glucuronidase staining of AtGSTU17 promoter activity with the addition of auxin or ABA. Further microarray analysis of wild-type Columbia and atgstu17 seedlings treated with far-red irradiation or ABA revealed that AtGSTU17 might modulate hypocotyl elongation by positively regulating some light-signaling components and negatively regulating a group of auxin-responsive genes and modulate root development by negatively controlling an auxin transport protein in the presence of ABA. Therefore, our data reveal that AtGSTU17 participates in light signaling and might modulate various aspects of Arabidopsis development by affecting glutathione pools via a coordinated regulation with phyA and phytohormones.
Essential Role of Glutathione in Acclimation to Environmental and Redox Perturbations in the Cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803
Authors: Cameron Jeffrey C. , Pakrasi Himadri B. 
Published: October 2010

Abstract
Glutathione, a nonribosomal thiol tripeptide, has been shown to be critical for many processes in plants. Much less is known about the roles of glutathione in cyanobacteria, oxygenic photosynthetic prokaryotes that are the evolutionary precursor of the chloroplast. An understanding of glutathione metabolism in cyanobacteria is expected to provide novel insight into the evolution of the elaborate and extensive pathways that utilize glutathione in photosynthetic organisms. To investigate the function of glutathione in cyanobacteria, we generated deletion mutants of glutamate-cysteine ligase (gshA) and glutathione synthetase (gshB) in Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Complete segregation of the ƊgshA mutation was not achieved, suggesting that GshA activity is essential for growth. In contrast, fully segregated ƊgshB mutants were isolated and characterized. The ƊgshB strain lacks reduced glutathione (GSH) but instead accumulates the precursor compound γ-glutamylcysteine (γ-EC). The ƊgshB strain grows slower than the wild-type strain under favorable conditions and exhibits extremely reduced growth or death when subjected to conditions promoting oxidative stress. Furthermore, we analyzed thiol contents in the wild type and the ƊgshB mutant after subjecting the strains to multiple environmental and redox perturbations. We found that conditions promoting growth stimulate glutathione biosynthesis. We also determined that cellular GSH and γ-EC content decline following exposure to dark and blue light and during photoheterotrophic growth. Moreover, a rapid depletion of GSH and γ-EC is observed in the wild type and the ƊgshB strain, respectively, when cells are starved for nitrate or sulfate.