bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Influence of formulas with borage oil or borage oil plus fish oil on the arachidonic acid status in premature infants
Authors: Demmelmair Hans , Feldl Franziska , Horváth Imre , Niederland Tamás , Ruszinkó Viktória , Raederstorff Daniel , De Min Cristina , Muggli Reto , Koletzko Berthold 
Published: November 2006

AbstractSeveral studies have reported that feeding γ‐linolenic acid (GLA) has resulted in no increase in arachidonic acid (AA) in newborns. This result was ascribed to the eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA)‐rich fish oil used in these formulas. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) sources with only minor amounts of EPA are now available, thus the addition of GLA to infant formulas might be considered an alternative to AA supplementation. Sixty‐six premature infants were randomized to feeding one of four formulas [ST: no GLA, no long‐chain polyunsaturated fatty acids; BO: 0.6% GLA (borage oil); BO + FOLOW: 0.6% GLA, 0.3% DHA, 0.06% EPA; BO + FOHIGH: 0.6% GLA, 0.3% DHA, 0.2% EPA] or human milk (HM, nonrandomized) for 4 wk. Anthropometric measures and blood samples were obtained at study entry and after 14 and 28 d. There were no significant differences between groups in anthropometric measures, tocopherol, and retinol status at any of the studied time points. The AA content of plasma phospholipids was similar between groups at study start and decreased significantly until day 28 in all formulafed groups, but not in the breast‐fed infants [ST: 6.6±0.2%, BO: 6.9±0.3%, BO + FOLOW: 6.9±0.4%, BO + FOHIGH: 6.7±0.2%, HM: 8.6±0.5%, where values are reported as mean ±standard error; all formulas significantly different (P≤0.05) from HM]. There was no significant influence of GLA or fish oil addition to the diet. GLA had only a very limited effect on AA status which was too small to obtain satisfactory concentrations (concentrations similar to breast‐fed babies) under the circumstances tested. The effect of GLA on AA is independent of the EPA and DHA content in the diet within the dose ranges studied.
Subcellular localization of oxidosqualene cyclases from Arabidopsis thaliana, Trypanosoma cruzi, and Pneumocystis carinii expressed in yeast
Authors: Milla P. , Viola F. , Bosso S. Oliaro , Rocco F. , Cattel L. , Joubert B. M. , LeClair R. J. , Matsuda S. P. T. , Balliano G. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractCycloartenol synthase from Arabidopsis thaliana and lanosterol synthase from Trypanosoma cruzi and Pneumocystis carinii were expressed in yeast, and their subcellular distribution in the expressing cells was compared. Determination of enzymatic (oxidosqualene cyclase, OSC) activity and SDS‐PAGE analysis of subcellular fractions proved that enzymes from T. cruzi and A. thaliana have high affinity for lipid particles, a subcellular compartment rich in triacylglycerols, and steryl esters, harboring several enzymes of lipid metabolism. In lipid particles of strains expressing the P. carinii enzyme, neither OSC activity nor the electrophoretic band at the appropriate M.W. were detected. Microsomes from the three expressing strains retained some OSC activity. Affinity of enzymes from A. thaliana and T. cruzi for lipid particles is similar to that of OSC of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, which is mainly located in this compartment. A different distribution of OSC in yeast cells suggests that they differ in some structural features critical for the interaction with the surface of lipid particles. Computer analysis supports the hypothesis of the structural difference since OSC from S. cerevisiae, A. thaliana, and T. cruzi lack or contain only one transmembrane spanning domain (a structural feature that makes a protein poorly inclined to associate with lipid particles), whereas OSC from P. carinii possesses six transmembrane domains. In the strain expressing cycloartenol synthase from A. thaliana, the accumulation of lipid particles largely exceeded that of the other strains.
Storage lipid accumulation and acyltransferase action in developing flaxseed
Authors: Sørensen Brent M. , Furukawa‐Stoffer Tara L. , Marshall Kris S. , Page Erin K. , Mir Zahir , Forster Robert J. , Weselake Randall J. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractInvestigations of storage lipid synthesis in developing flaxseed (Linum usitatissimum) provide useful information for designing strategies to enhance the oil content and nutritional value of this crop. Lipid content and changes in the FA composition during seed development were examined in two cultivars of flax (AC Emerson and Vimy). The oil content on a dry weight basis increased steadily until about 20 d after flowering (DAF). The proportion of α‐linolenic acid (α‐18∶3, 18∶3cisΔ9, 12, 15) in TAG increased during seed development in both cultivars while the proportions of linoleic acid (18∶2cisΔ9, 12) and saturated FA decreased. The developmental and substrate specificity characteristics of microsomal DAG acyltransferase (DGAT, Ec 2.3.1.20) and lysophosphatidic acid acyltransferase (LPAAT, EC 2.3.1.51) were examined using cultivar AC Emerson. The maximal acyltransferase specific activities occurred in the range of 8–14 DAF, during rapid lipid accumulation on a per seed basis. Acyl‐CoA of EPA (20∶5cisΔ5,8,11,14,17) or DHA (22∶6cis4,7,10,13,16,19) were included in the specificity studies. DGAT displayed enhanced specificity for α‐18∶3‐CoA, whereas the preferred substrate of LPAAT was 18∶2‐CoA. Both enzymes could use EPA‐ or DHA‐CoA to varying extents. Developing flax embryos were able to take up and incorporate these nutritional FA into TAG and other intermediates in the TAG‐formation pathway. This study suggests that if the appropriate acyl‐CoA‐dependent desaturation/elongation pathways are introduced and efficiently expressed in flax, this may lead to the conversion of α‐18∶3‐CoA into EPA‐CoA, thereby providing an activated substrate for TAG formation.
Immediate no‐flow ischemia decreases rat heart nonesterified fatty acid and increases acyl‐CoA species concentrations
Authors: Maoz Daniel , Lee Ho‐Joo , Deutsch Joseph , Rapoport Stanley I. , Bazinet Richard P. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractTissues changes in FA metabolism can occur quite rapidly in response to ischemia and may require immediate microwave fixation to determine basal concentrations. The present study aimed to quantify the effects of immediate no‐flow ischemia on concentrations of individual nonesterified FA (NEFA) and acyl‐CoA species in the rat heart. Male CDF 344 rats were anesthetized and decapitated either 5 min prior to being microwaved (5.5 kW, 3.4 s, twice) to produce ischemia or microwaved prior to decapitation (nonischemic). Hearts were then removed and used to measure the concentrations of acyl‐CoA species and FA in several lipid classes. The ischemic heart total NEFA concentration was significantly lower than that in the nonischemic heart (11.9 vs. 19.0 nmol/g). Several individual NEFA concentrations were decreased by 31–85%. Ischemic heart total long‐chain acyl‐CoA concentrations (21.0 nmol/g) were significantly higher than those in nonischemic hearts (11.4 nmol/g). Increased concentrations of individual acyl‐CoA species occurred in palmitoyl‐CoA, stearoyl‐CoA, oleoyl‐CoA, and linoleoyl‐CoA. Concentrations of short‐chain acetyl‐CoA and β‐hydroxy‐β‐methylglutaryl‐CoA were also two‐ to three‐fold higher in ischemic hearts than in nonischemic hearts. The FA concentration in TG and phospholipids generally did not differ between the groups. Decreases in concentrations of individual FA and increases in acyl‐CoA species during no‐flow ischemia occur very rapidly within the heart. Although it is not clear how these alterations contribute to the pathogenesis of ischemia, it is evident that future studies attempting to quantify basal levels of these metabolites could use microwave fixation.
Comparison of RRR‐α‐ and all‐rac‐α‐tocopherol uptake by permanent rat skeletal muscle myoblasts (L6 cells): Effects of exogenous lipoprotein lipase
Authors: Nakamura Tetsuya , Reicher Helga , Sattler Wolfgang 
Published: November 2006

AbstractThe purpose of the present investigation was to test whether permanent skeletal muscle cells (rat L6 cells) could serve as an in vitro model for α‐tocopherol (αTocH) biodiscrimination studies. L6 cells were incubated in the presence of high density lipoprotein (HDL), low density lipoprotein (LDL), and very low density lipoprotein (VLDL) labeled in the lipid moiety with either all‐rac‐or RRR‐[14C]αTocH. These incubations were performed either in the absence or in the presence of exogenously added bovine lipoprotein lipase (LPL) since skeletal muscle is one of the major expression sites of LPL in vivo. Time‐dependent uptake studies (up to 24 h) in the absence of LPL have shown that equipotent doses of all‐rac‐ and RRR‐[14C]αTocH (1.36∶1) led to almost identical accumulation of the tracer, independent of the lipoprotein class used as αTocH carrier. With regard to αTocH donor capacity, it appeared that HDL is the most potent αTocH donor, followed by LDL and VLDL. In the presence of LPL, all‐rac‐ and RRR‐[14C]αTocH uptake was significantly enhanced (between two‐ and tenfold). Biodiscrimination studies using chiral high‐performance liquid chromatographic analysis with radiometric detection of the corresponding methyl ether derivatives on a Chiralcel OD column have demonstrated that the 2S‐and 2R‐isomers of αTocH were taken up in a 1∶1 ratio by L6 cells independent of the absence or presence of LPL. In addition, we have not observed biodiscrimination between the four 2R‐isomers, i.e., there was no preferential accumulation of the RRR‐isomer. These data suggest that L6 cells do not discriminate between different αTocH isomers and that the addition of endogenous LPL significantly enhances the uptake of RRR‐ and all‐rac‐αTocH.
Alterations in heart and kidney membrane phospholipids in hypertension as observed by 31P nuclear magnetic resonance
Authors: Chi Yuling , Gupta Raj K. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractAbnormalities of phospholipids in hypertension have previously been described in human erythrocyte, platelet, and plasma lipoproteins. Since the heart and kidney are adversely affected by hypertension, we investigated possible alterations in their membrane phospholipids, which could play a role in the derangement of intracellular ion balance widely observed in hypertension. The phospholipid compositions of heart and kidney from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) and Wistar‐Kyoto (WKY) rats were determined by using 31P nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Absolute contents of all phospholipids in hypertensive hearts and kidneys were significantly higher than in normotensive hearts and kidneys. Expressed as a fraction of total phospholipid, cardiolipin (CL) and phosphatidylethanolamine plasmalogen (PEp) were significantly increased in SHR hearts compared to WKY hearts (CL and PEp were 7.95±0.22% and 13.16±0.35% in SHR vs. 7.01±0.20% and 11.19±0.42% in WKY rats, P<‐0.05), but phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and phosphatidylcholine (PC) were significantly decreased in SHR (PE and PC were 22.46±0.37% and 44.81±0.43% in SHR vs. 24.02±0.44% and 46.01±0.50% in WKY rats, p≤0.05). In the phospholipids extracted from rat kidneys, the percentage of PE was significantly higher for SHR than for WKY rats (20.37±0.60% vs. 18.43±0.37%, P≤0.05), while PEp and phosphatidylserine (PS) were significantly lower for SHR (PEp and PS were 10.22±0.36% and 8.42 ±0.28% in SHRs vs. 11.29±0.36% and 9.71±0.40% in WKY rats, P≤0.05). The above alterations in phospholipid composition might contribute to the higher oxygen consumption in the hypertensive heart and abnormal intracellular ion concentrations and ion transport in the heart and the kidney in hypertension.
Apoptosis in raloxifene‐treated postmenopausal women
Authors: Biri A. , Yurtcu E. , Ciftci B. , Korucuoğlu Ü. , İlhan M.N. , Ergun M.A. , Gursoy R. , Biberoglu K. 
Published: November 2006

AbstractAs raloxifene is a mixed estrogen receptor agonist and antagonist, it exerts different effects on apoptosis in different tissues. In this study, we aimed to evaluate apoptosis in the peripheral lymphocytes of postmenopausal women treated with raloxifene and compare it with untreated control subjects. In this way, we expected to deduce some results about the effect of raloxifene on the immune system and to serve as a guide for future studies on this newly proposed effect of a well‐known agent. Twenty osteoporotic postmenopausal women treated with raloxifene for 12 months were included in this study. Another 20 osteoporotic postmenopausal women matched for age and postmenopausal years, but without any medication, were chosen as the control group. Apoptosis was evaluated using a morphological and DNA fragmentation assay, in the peripheral lymphocytes of these women. Our results revealed a decrease in the apoptosis percentages of the patients treated with raloxifene (14.6%) with respect to the control subjects (15.8%), but the difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.467). This study indicated that raloxifene treatment had no apoptotic effect on peripheral human lymphocytes compared to controls.
Syringolin A, a new plant elicitor from the phytopathogenic bacterium Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae, inhibits the proliferation of neuroblastoma and ovarian cancer cells and induces apoptosis
Authors: Coleman C. S. , Rocetes J. P. , Park D. J. , Wallick C. J. , Warn‐Cramer B. J. , Michel K. , Dudler R. , Bachmann A. S. 
Published: November 2006

Abstract.  Syringolin A is a new plant elicitor produced by the plant pathogen Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae. The goal of this study was to investigate whether syringolin A exhibits anti‐proliferative properties in cancer cells. The treatment of human neuroblastoma (NB) cells (SK‐N‐SH and LAN‐1) and human ovarian cancer cells (SKOV3) with syringolin A (0–100 µm) inhibited cell proliferation in a dose‐dependent manner. The IC50 (50% inhibition) for each cell line ranged between 20 µm and 25 µm. In SK‐N‐SH cells, the treatment with 20 µm syringolin A led to a rapid (24 h) increase of the apoptosis‐associated tumour suppressor protein p53. In addition, we found that the treatment of SK‐N‐SH cells caused severe morphological changes after 48 h such as rounding of cells and loss of adherence, both conditions observed during apoptosis. The induction of apoptosis by syringolin A was confirmed by both poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) cleavage and annexin V assay. Taken together, we show for the first time that the natural product syringolin A exhibits anti‐proliferative activity and induces apoptosis. Syringolin A and structurally modified syringolin A derivatives may serve as new lead compounds for the development of novel anticancer drugs.
Animal Transboundary Diseases: European Union and Asian Network of Veterinary Research Cooperation for Quality Livestock Production
Authors: Ahmed J. S. , Alp H. , Aksin M. , Seitzer U. 
Published: November 2006

SummaryTransboundary animal diseases (TADs) constitute a global threat that afflict livestock. They are characterized by the suddenness, acuteness, the rapidity with which they can spread in susceptible livestock populations and the widespread nature of the losses that they can produce. The havoc they play renders individual farmers and private veterinary services relatively powerless to take effective action. As TADs do not recognize national borders, there is a great demand for regional cooperation which must be put into a global term. From the epidemiological point of view, the prospects for eradication of a disease with minimal production losses and other costs are best, if the disease can be recognized early where it is localized and then a disease control programme be quickly implemented.
Foot and Mouth Disease, Rinderpest, Peste des Petits Ruminants and Avian Influenza in the Erbil, Dohuk, and Sulaimania Governorates of Iraq
Authors: Dosky A. M. , Ahmed B. D. , Seitzer U. , Ahmed J. 
Published: November 2006

SummaryFoot and mouth disease (FMD) outbreaks in the northern part of Iraq have been reported. The outbreaks in 1998/1999 were due to type O virus and the disease was associated with significant mortalities especially in young calves and lambs. Furthermore, 10 FMD‐like incidents in cattle were reported in 2002 in the three northern governorates. However, these cases were not associated with mortalities and the disease remained localized in the primary foci. Type A virus was isolated from the tested samples, which appears to belong to a genetic lineage within the Iran‐96 topotype. A peste des petits ruminants (PPR) outbreak was reported on 27 July, 1998 in Faida, a border town between Ninevah and Dohuk governorates in Iraq. The disease was also reported from four villages: Azadi, Kherpe Sufla, Beibinava and Kendala Sur in northern Iraq. Outbreaks of PPR were also reported in the Aqre region of Dohuk and in Erbil and Sulaimania governorates. Although this disease had been suspected in the central and northern governorates for several years, and was known to be present in neighbouring countries, this was the first official report of PPR in the country and caused great concern. Two human cases of avian influenza (AI) were recorded in the Sulaimania Governorate in January 2006 and the virus was identified as H5N1 by the WHO collaborating laboratory in the United Kingdom. Based on clinical symptoms a number of cases were recorded in February, 2006 in Misan in South Iraq. However, further tests revealed that all these cases were not due to AI.
Intrathecal glutamate promotes glycinergic neuronal activity and inhibits the micturition reflex in urethane‐anesthetized rats
Authors: ASHITOMI KATSUHIRO , SUGAYA KIMIO , MIYAZATO MINORU , NISHIJIMA SAORI , OGAWA YOSHIHIDE 
Published: November 2006

Objectives: In order to clarify the role of glutamate in the micturition reflex and in glutamatergic and glycinergic neuronal activity, we examined the effects of intrathecal (IT) injection of glutamate or MK‐801 (an N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor antagonist) on bladder activity and on the glutamate and glycine levels in the lumbosacral cord of female rats with or without acute lower thoracic spinal cord injury (SCI).Methods: Under urethane anesthesia, isovolumetric cystometry was performed in rats with or without SCI before and after IT injection of glutamate or MK‐801 at the lumbosacral cord level. The glutamate and glycine levels of the whole lumbosacral cord were measured after IT injection of glutamate or MK‐801 in both groups.Results: In intact rats, IT glutamate (100 µg) prolonged the interval between bladder contractions and decreased the amplitude of contractions. IT MK‐801 (3–100 µg) also prolonged the interval between bladder contractions and decreased the amplitude in intact rats. In SCI rats, cystometry demonstrated the disappearance of bladder contractions, and the glycine level in the lumbosacral cord was elevated. In intact rats, IT glutamate (0.3–100 µg) increased the glycine level in the lumbosacral cord. On the other hand, IT MK‐801 (3–100 µg) decreased both glutamate and glycine levels in intact and SCI rats.Conclusions: These results suggest that glutamatergic neurons have stimulatory projections to both glutamatergic and glycinergic neurons in the lumbosacral cord, and that glutamatergic neurons inhibit the micturition reflex by stimulating glycinergic neurons.
Constrained Labour: Maternal Employment When Children Have Disabilities
Authors: Gordon Meg , Rosenman Linda , Cuskelly Monica 
Published: November 2006

Background  This study compared the workforce participation levels of mothers with and without dependent children with disabilities to provide recent data that could be considered representative of the range of families with dependent children with disabilities.Method  Secondary cross‐sectional data from a representative Australian household survey were used and subject to quantitative analysis.Results  Significantly lower levels of workforce participation were found among mothers of children with disabilities compared with mothers without children with disabilities. There was no evidence of a lesser desire to work. Mother's partnership status and having a child with a severe/profound activity limitation each impacted on the nature of the differences in level of workforce participation.Conclusions  The results raise concerns about the particularly low levels of part‐time work among some mothers of children with disabilities, and about the impact of having a child with severe/profound activity limitations. Questions are raised about the impact of sole parent status in combination with having a child with a disability.
Disentangling gaze shifts from preparatory ERP effects during spatial attention
Authors: Kennett Steffan , Van Velzen José , Eimer Martin , Driver Jon 
Published: November 2006

AbstractAfter a cue directing attention to one side, anterior event‐related potentials (ERPs) show contralateral negativity (anterior directing attention negativity, ADAN). It is unclear whether ADAN effects are contaminated by contralateral negativity arising from residual gaze shifts. Conversely, it is possible that ADAN‐related potentials contaminate the horizontal electrooculogram (HEOG), via volume conduction. To evaluate these possibilities, we used high‐resolution infrared eye tracking while recording EEG and HEOG in a cued spatial‐attention task. We found that, after conventional ERP and HEOG preprocessing exclusions, small but systematic residual gaze shifts in the cued direction can remain, as revealed by the infrared measure. Nevertheless, by using this measure for more stringent exclusion of small gaze shifts, we confirmed that reliable ADAN components remain for preparatory spatial attention in the absence of any systematic gaze shifts toward the cued side.
A Mile‐Wide Gap: The Evolution of Hispanic Political Emergence in the Deep South*
Authors: Bullock Charles S. , Hood M. V. 
Published: November 2006

Objective. Prior to the 1990s, the size of the Hispanic population in the Deep South was negligible. Since that time, states in this region have experienced an explosive growth in members of this ethnic group.Methods. Georgia and the Carolinas are among five states that maintain registration and turnout files by ethnicity. We make use of these political data in conjunction with demographic information from the Census to create a snapshot of Hispanic political emergence in the southeast.Results. A sizable gap exists between the size of the Hispanic population in the southeast and levels of political participation on the part of Latinos. Much of the explanation for this observation centers on the fact that the bulk of recent migration to the region has been by Hispanics who are not U.S. citizens. Participation rates among Hispanic citizens, however, were also found to lag behind those of other racial groups in the region.Conclusions. Although it is likely that Hispanics will become a sizable political force in the Deep South, it should be noted that the gulf between latent political influence and actual political power may take quite some time to close.
The Portfolio Choices of Hispanic Couples*
Authors: Cobb‐Clark Deborah A. , Hildebrand Vincent A. 
Published: November 2006

Objectives. The objective of this article is to assess the overall wealth level and portfolio choices of Hispanic families.Methods. We use Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP) data to first estimate the determinants of net worth. Conditioning on overall wealth levels, we then estimate a model of asset portfolios.Results. Our results reveal that Hispanic couples as a group are less wealthy than otherwise similar white couples, although there is substantial variation across Hispanic‐origin groups. Accounting for these wealth disparities, Hispanic couples hold less financial wealth, but more real estate and business equity than do white couples.Conclusions. Much of the disparity in portfolio choices of Hispanics as a group relative to whites appears to stem from the fact that they are less wealthy. At the same time, it is important to separately analyze the wealth position of distinct Hispanic‐origin groups.