bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the Immediate Effects of Surgical Incision on Dorsal Horn Neuronal Receptive Field Size and Responses during Postnatal Development
Authors: Ririe Douglas G. , Bremner Lindsay R. , Fitzgerald Maria 
Published: January 2010

Background
Pain behavior in response to skin incision is developmentally regulated, but little is known about the underlying neuronal mechanisms. The authors hypothesize that the spatial activation and intensity of dorsal horn neuron responses to skin incision differ in immature and adult spinal cord.

Methods
Single wide-dynamic-range dorsal horn cell spike activity was recorded for a minimum of 2 h from anesthetized rat pups aged 7 and 28 days. Cutaneous pinch and brush receptive fields were mapped and von Frey hair thresholds were determined on the plantar hind paw before and 1 h after a skin incision was made.

Results
Baseline receptive field areas for brush and pinch were larger and von Frey thresholds lower in the younger animals. One hour after the incision, brush and pinch receptive field area, spontaneous firing, and evoked spike activity had significantly increased in the 7-day-old animals but not in the 28-day-old animals. Von Frey hair thresholds decreased at both ages.

Conclusions
Continuous recording from single dorsal horn cells both before and after injury shows that sensitization of receptive fields and of background and afferent-evoked spike activity at 1 h is greater in younger animals. This difference is not reflected in von Frey mechanical thresholds. These results highlight the importance of studying the effects of injury on sensory neuron physiology. Injury in young animals induces a marked and rapid increase in afferent-evoked activity in second-order sensory neurons, which may be important when considering long-term effects and analgesic interventions.
Networks and dominance hierarchies: does interspecific aggression explain flower partitioning among stingless bees?
Authors: DWORSCHAK KAI , BLÜTHGEN NICO 
Published: January 2010

1. The distribution of consumers among resources (trophic interaction network) may be shaped by asymmetric competition. Dominance hierarchy models predict that asymmetric interference competition leads to a domination of high quality resources by hierarchically superior species.2. In order to determine the competitive dominance hierarchy and its effect on flower partitioning in a local stingless bee community in Borneo, interspecific aggressions were tested among eight species in arena experiments.3. All species tested were strongly mutually aggressive in the arena, and the observed interactions were often lethal for one or both opponents. Aggression significantly increased with body size differences between fighting pairs and was asymmetric: larger aggressors were superior over smaller species. Additional aggression tests involved dummies with surface extracts, and results suggest that species‐ and colony‐specific surface profiles are important in triggering the aggressive behaviour.4. Sixteen stingless bee species were observed foraging on 41 species of flowering plants. The resulting bee–flower interaction network showed a high degree of generalisation (network‐level specialisation H2’ = 0.11), corresponding to a random, opportunistic distribution of bee species among available flower species.5. Aggressions on flowers were rare and only occurred at a low level. The dominance hierarchy obtained in the arena experiments did not correlate significantly with plant quality, estimated as the number of flowers per plant or as total bee visitation rate.6. Our findings suggest that asymmetries in interference competition do not necessarily translate into actual resource partitioning in the context of complex interacting communities.
Embryo growth rates in birds and mammals
Authors: Ricklefs Robert E. 
Published: January 2010

Summary1. Embryo mass growth curves of 36 species of bird and 18 species of mammal were fitted by sigmoidal Gompertz functions, in whichk(days−1) describes the rate at which the embryo approaches an asymptotic massA(g).2. The parameters of the Gompertz function were uncorrelated with parameters of power functions fitted to the same growth data, indicating that the two models describe different aspects of growth.3. Asymptotes of the Gompertz functions for embryonic growth averaged 2·5 times neonate size, but were well below adult mass. Thus, the pre‐ and postnatal phases of growth are distinct and have different target sizes.4. Embryo growth rate (k) decreases as the −1/4 power of neonate size; values for mammals were 63% of those of birds, on average.5. Embryo growth rate can be predicted solely by the length of the incubation or gestation period, regardless of the size of the neonate, with the same relationship for birds and mammals.6. Postnatal growth rate (kG) scales linearly with embryonic growth rate (k), but is nearly five‐ times more rapid, on average, in birds than in mammals.kGandkhave similar magnitude in birds, butkGis relatively much slower thankin mammals.7. Rate of actuarial senescenceω(year−1), measured by the increase in mortality rate with age, is positively related to the rate of embryo growth in both birds and mammals, but is higher in the latter. Moreover, rate of ageing in birds is uniquely related to embryo growth while that in mammals is uniquely related to postnatal growth rate. Thus, development and ageing appear to be differently connected in birds and mammals, although the basis for these relationships is not known.
Early activation of invariant natural killer T cells in a rheumatoid arthritis model and application to disease treatment
Authors: Miellot‐Gafsou Aurore , Biton Jérôme , Bourgeois Elvire , Herbelin André , Boissier Marie‐Christophe , Bessis Natacha 
Published: January 2010

SummaryInvariant NKT (iNKT) cells are a distinctive subtype of CD1d‐restricted T cells involved in regulating autoimmunity and capable of producing various T helper type 1 (Th1), Th2 and Th17 cytokines. Activation of iNKT cells by their exogenous ligand α‐galactosylceramide (α‐GalCer) exerts therapeutic effects in autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the pathophysiological role of iNKT cells in RA, in the absence of exogenous stimulation, is incompletely understood. We investigated the potential pathophysiological effects of iNKT cells in mice with collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA), a model of RA. We found that iNKT cells underwent activation only in the early phases of the disease (6 days post‐induction). In the liver, but not the spleen or lymph nodes, this early activation led to the release of interleukins ‐4, ‐17A and ‐10 and of interferon‐γ; and an increased CD69 expression. Importantly, clinical and histological signs of arthritis were improved by the functional blockade of iNKT cells by a monoclonal antibody to CD1d at the early phase of the disease. This improvement was associated on day 6 post‐induction with decreased expression of co‐stimulatory molecules (CD80, CD86, CD40) on splenic dendritic cells and macrophages, whereas regulatory T‐cell suppressive effects and proportions were not modified. Taken in concert, these findings suggest that iNKT cells are activated early in the course of CIA and contribute to the pathogenesis of arthritis. Therefore, iNKT‐cell activation may be a valid treatment target in RA.
Bowman‐Birk inhibitor affects pathways associated with energy metabolism in Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Li H.‐M. , Sun L. , Mittapalli O. , Muir W. M. , Xie J. , Wu J. , Schemerhorn B. J. , Jannasch A. , Chen J. Y. , Zhang F. , Adamec J. , Murdock L. L. , Pittendrigh B. R. 
Published: January 2010

AbstractBowman‐Birk inhibitor (BBI) is toxic when fed to certain insects, including the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster. Dietary BBI has been demonstrated to slow growth and increase insect mortality by inhibiting the digestive enzymes trypsin and chymotrypsin, resulting in a reduced supply of amino acids. In mammals, BBI influences cellular energy metabolism. Therefore, we tested the hypothesis that dietary BBI affects energy‐associated pathways in the D. melanogaster midgut. Through microarray and metabolomic analyses, we show that dietary BBI affects energy utilization pathways in the midgut cells of D. melanogaster. In addition, ultrastructure studies indicate that microvilli are significantly shortened in BBI‐fed larvae. These data provide further insights into the complex cellular response of insects to dietary protease inhibitors.
Ligands of boron in Pisum sativum nodules are involved in regulation of oxygen concentration and rhizobial infection
Authors: REGUERA MARÍA , WIMMER MONIKA , BUSTOS PILAR , GOLDBACH HEINER E. , BOLAÑOS LUIS , BONILLA ILDEFONSO 
Published: January 2010

ABSTRACTBoron (B) is an essential nutrient for N2‐fixing legume–rhizobia symbioses, and the capacity of borate ions to bind and stabilize biomolecules is the basis of any B function. We used a borate‐binding‐specific resin and immunostaining techniques to identify B ligands important for the development of Pisum sativum–Rhizobium leguminosarum 3841 symbiotic nodules. arabinogalactan–extensin (AGPE), recognized by MAC 265 antibody, appeared heavily bound to the resin in extracts derived from B‐sufficient, but not from B‐deficient nodules. MAC 265 stained the infection threads and the extracellular matrix of cortical cells involved in the oxygen diffusion barrier. In B‐deprived nodules, immunolocalization of MAC 265 antigens was significantly reduced. Leghaemoglobin (Lb) concentration largely decreased in B‐deficient nodules. The absence of MAC 203 antigens in B‐deficient nodules suggests a high internal oxygen concentration, as this antibody detects an epitope on the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of bacteroids typically expressed in micro‐aerobically grown R. leguminosarum 3841. However, B‐deprived nodules did not accumulate oxidized lipids and proteins, and revealed a decrease in the activity of the major antioxidant enzyme ascorbate peroxidase (APX). Therefore, B deficiency reduced the stability of nodule macromolecules important for rhizobial infection, and for regulation of oxygen concentration, resulting in non‐functional nodules, but did not appear to induce oxidative damage in low‐B nodules.
Group Structure, Nest Size and Reproductive Success in the Cooperatively Breeding Cichlid Julidochromis ornatus: A Correlation Study
Authors: Awata Satoshi , Kohda Masanori , Shibata Jun‐Ya , Hori Michio , Heg Dik 
Published: January 2010

AbstractThe effect of group size on reproductive success has long been studied in cooperatively breeding species, as it might provide an adaptive explanation for group‐living in social species. Numerous studies have shown positive effects of subordinates on reproductive success (‘helper effect’), but these studies have also revealed the importance of controlling statistically, or experimentally, for the effect of other factors that might affect reproductive success. Here, we first examine the relationships between group size, body size of group members and nest size in the cooperatively breeding cichlid Julidochromis ornatus, in which unrelated helpers frequently participate in reproduction and their breeding nests inside rock crevices may be crucial for reproduction and survival of all group members. Then, we subsequently investigate the relationship between group size and reproductive success, while controlling for these factors. The results showed that group size was significantly related to body size of group members rather than nest size; and larger breeders had larger helpers. It was found that group size significantly increased group reproductive output. More importantly, reproductive success of male breeders did not depend on the presence of mature helpers, whereas female reproductive success increased when two males assisted her and tended to decrease when two females bred cooperatively. We conclude that breeding groups of J. ornatus have size hierarchical societies that relate to group size, and group composition of genetically unrelated and co‐breeding members affects their reproductive success.
Development of sex‐linked AFLP markers in Simmondsia chinensis
Authors: Agarwal M. , Shrivastava N. , Padh H. 
Published: January 2010

With 2 figuresAbstractIn most economically important dioecious plants such as Simmondsia chinensis (Jojoba), sex identification based on flowering can only be made after 1–5 years of plantation. Identification of sex‐associated molecular markers for ascertaining sex at seedling stage is a desirable prerequisite for optimal plantation and economical benefits. Jojoba is being developed as a plantation crop in the arid regions of Western India due to the commercial benefits of the unique waxy content of its seeds. In the present study, sex‐linked DNA markers have been identified in S. chinensis using the AFLP technique. From sixteen primers combinations used for AFLP analysis, two combinations EcoRI‐TAC/MseI‐GCG and EcoRI‐GC/MseI‐GCG resulted in amplification of sex‐linked markers. Two male‐specific markers of ∼525 bp and ∼325 bp were identified using the primer combinations EcoRI‐GC/MseI‐GCG and EcoRI‐TAC/MseI‐GCG, respectively. A female‐specific marker of ∼270 bp was also identified with the primer combination EcoRI‐TAC/MseI‐GCG. In future, SCAR markers developed from these sex‐specific markers will provide an effective and reliable method for sex identification.
Characteristics and EGFP Expression of Goat Mammary Gland Epithelial Cells
Authors: Zheng Y‐M , He X‐Y , Zhang Y 
Published: January 2010

ContentsThe aims of this study were (i) to establish a goat mammary gland epithelial (GMGE) cell line, and (ii) to determine if these GMGE cells could be maintained long‐term in culture by continuous subculturing following transfection with a reporter gene, enhanced green fluorescence protein (EGFP). Primary culture of GMGE cells was achieved by outgrowth of migrating cells from the fragments of the mammary gland tissue of a lactating goat. The passage 16 GMGE cells were transfected with EGFP gene using lipofection. The expression of Cell keratins of epithelial cells in GMGE cells was test by immunofluorescence. Βeta‐Casein gene mRNA was test for GMGE cells by RT‐PCR. The results showed that when grown at low density on a plastic substratum, the GMGE cells formed islands, and when grown to confluency, the cells formed a monolayer and aggregated with the characteristic cobble‐stone morphology of epithelial cells. GMGE cells could form dome‐like structure which looked like nipple, and the lumen‐like structures formed among the cells. Several blister‐like structures appeared in the appearance of the cells. The GMGE cells contained different cell types, majority of the cells were short shuttle‐like or polygon which were beehive‐like. A part of cells were round and flat, a small number of cells were elongated. Some of the GMGE cells contained milk drops. The cell nuclei were round which had 2–4 obvious cores. The expression of Cell keratins demonstrated the property of epithelial cells in GMGE cells by immunofluorescence. The GMGE cells could express transcript encoding a Βeta‐Casein protein. EGFP gene was successfully transferred into the GMGE cells, and the transfected cells could be maintained long‐term in culture by continuous subculturing. In conclusion, we have established a EGFP gene transfected GMGE (ET‐GMGE) cell line and maintained it long‐term in culture by continuous subculturing.
The Cryoprotective Effects of Vitamin B12 Supplementation on Bovine Semen Quality
Authors: Hu J‐H , Tian W‐Q , Zhao X‐L , Zan L‐S , Xin Y‐P , Li Q‐W 
Published: January 2010

ContentsThe present study aimed to investigate the effects of vitamin B12 supplementation on standard bovine semen quality parameters and anti‐oxidative enzyme activities. Vitamin B12 was supplemented at concentrations of 1.25, 2.5, 3.75 and 5.0 mg/ml to bovine semen cryoprotective medium. The results indicated that the motility and straight line velocity, curvilinear velocity, mean coefficient, velocity of the average path values of sperm supplemented with 2.50 mg/ml vitamin B12 were significantly higher than that of other groups (p < 0.05). No significant difference was observed for linearity index, lateral head displacement values and the percentage of grade A spermatozoa between the extenders containing 2.50 and 3.75 mg/ml vitamin B12 (p > 0.05). The percentages of acrosome‐intact and plasma membrane‐intact spermatozoa were significantly improved (p < 0.05) by supplementing with 2.50 mg/ml vitamin B12. The results of biochemical assay revealed that vitamin B12 supplementation did not cause significant changes in superoxide dismutase levels compared with control (p > 0.05). However, the catalase levels were higher in the treatment supplemented with vitamin B12 at 2.50 mg/ml, when compared with other groups (p < 0.05). The extender supplemented with vitamin B12 significantly decreased glutathione peroxidase activity compared with the control (p < 0.05). The supplementation of 3.75 mg/ml vitamin B12 caused the highest value of glutathione reductase activity, compared with other groups (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the extender supplemented with vitamin B12 could reduce the oxidative stress provoked by freezing‐thawing and improve bovine semen quality. Further studies are required to obtain more concrete results on the determination of lipid peroxidation and antioxidant capacities of vitamin B12 in cryopreserved bovine semen.
Factors driving pathogenicity vs. prevalence of amphibian panzootic chytridiomycosis in Iberia
Authors: Walker Susan F. , Bosch Jaime , Gomez Virgilio , Garner Trenton W. J. , Cunningham Andrew A. , Schmeller Dirk S. , Ninyerola Miguel , Henk Daniel A. , Ginestet Cedric , Arthur Christian‐Philippe , Fisher Matthew C. 
Published: January 2010

Ecology Letters (2010) 13: 372–382AbstractAmphibian chytridiomycosis is a disease caused by the fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). Whether Bd is a new emerging pathogen (the novel pathogen hypothesis; NPH) or whether environmental changes are exacerbating the host‐pathogen dynamic (the endemic pathogen hypothesis; EPH) is debated. To disentangle these hypotheses we map the distribution of Bd and chytridiomycosis across the Iberian Peninsula centred on the first European outbreak site. We find that the infection‐free state is the norm across both sample sites and individuals. To analyse this dataset, we use Bayesian zero‐inflated binomial models to test whether environmental variables can account for heterogeneity in both the presence and prevalence of Bd, and heterogeneity in the occurrence of the disease, chytridiomycosis. We also search for signatures of Bd‐spread within Iberia using genotyping. We show (1) no evidence for any relationship between the presence of Bd and environmental variables, (2) a weak relationship between environmental variables and the conditional prevalence of infection, (3) stage‐dependent heterogeneity in the infection risk, (4) a strong association between altitude and chytridiomycosis, (5) multiple Iberian genotypes and (6) recent introduction and spread of a single genotype of Bd in the Pyrenees. We conclude that the NPH is consistent with the emergence of Bd in Iberia. However, epizootic forcing of infection is tied to location and shaped by both biotic and abiotic variables. Therefore, the population‐level consequences of disease introduction are explained by EPH‐like processes. This study demonstrates the power of combining surveillance and molecular data to ascertain the drivers of new emerging infections diseases.
Escherichia coli toxin/antitoxin pair MqsR/MqsA regulate toxin CspD
Authors: Kim Younghoon , Wang Xiaoxue , Zhang Xue‐Song , Grigoriu Simina , Page Rebecca , Peti Wolfgang , Wood Thomas K. 
Published: January 2010

SummaryPreviously we identified that the Escherichia coli protein MqsR (YgiU) functions as a toxin and that it is involved in the regulation of motility by quorum sensing signal autoinducer‐2 (AI‐2). Furthermore, MqsR is directly associated with biofilm development and is linked to the development of persister cells. Here we show that MqsR and MqsA (YgiT) are a toxin/antitoxin (TA) pair, which, in significant difference to other TA pairs, regulates additional loci besides its own. We have recently identified that MqsR functions as an RNase. However, using three sets of whole‐transcriptome studies and two nickel‐enrichment DNA binding microarrays coupled with cell survival studies in which MqsR was overproduced in isogenic mutants, we identified eight genes (cspD, clpX, clpP, lon, yfjZ, relB, relE and hokA) that are involved in a mode of MqsR toxicity in addition to its RNase activity. Quantitative real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) showed that (i) the MqsR/MqsA complex (and MqsA alone) represses the toxin gene cspD, (ii) MqsR overproduction induces cspD, (iii) stress induces cspD, and (iv) stress fails to induce cspD when MqsR/MqsA are overproduced or when mqsRA is deleted. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays show that the MqsA/MqsR complex binds the promoter of cspD. In addition, proteases Lon and ClpXP are necessary for MqsR toxicity. Together, these results indicate the MqsR/MqsA complex represses cspD which may be derepressed by titrating MqsA with MqsR or by degrading MqsA via stress conditions through proteases Lon and ClpXP. Hence, we demonstrate that the MqsR/MqsA TA system controls cell physiology via its own toxicity as well as through its regulation of another toxin, CspD.
Antifreeze proteins in polar sea ice diatoms: diversity and gene expression in the genus Fragilariopsis
Authors: Bayer‐Giraldi Maddalena , Uhlig Christiane , John Uwe , Mock Thomas , Valentin Klaus 
Published: January 2010

Summary Fragilariopsis is a dominating psychrophilic diatom genus in polar sea ice. The two species Fragilariopsis cylindrus and Fragilariopsis curta are able to grow and divide below freezing temperature of sea water and above average sea water salinity. Here we show that antifreeze proteins (AFPs), involved in cold adaptation in several psychrophilic organisms, are widespread in the two polar species. The presence of AFP genes (afps) as a multigene family indicated the importance of this group of genes for the genus Fragilariopsis, possibly contributing to its success in sea ice. Protein phylogeny showed the potential mobility of afps, which appear to have crossed kingdom and domain borders, occurring in Bacteria, diatoms, crustaceans and fungi. Our results revealed a broad distribution of AFPs not only in polar organisms but also in taxa apparently not related to cold environments, suggesting that these proteins may be multifunctional. The relevance of AFPs to Fragilariopsis was also shown by gene expression analysis. Under stress conditions typical for sea ice, with subzero temperatures and high salinities, F. cylindrus and F. curta strongly expressed selected afps. An E/G point mutation in the Fragilariopsis AFPs may play a role in gene expression activity and protein function.