bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Cadmium affects tobacco cells by a series of three waves of reactive oxygen species that contribute to cytotoxicity
Authors: GARNIER LIONEL , SIMON‐PLAS FRANÇOISE , THULEAU PATRICE , AGNEL JEAN‐PIERRE , BLEIN JEAN‐PIERRE , RANJEVA RAOUL , MONTILLET JEAN‐LUC 
Published: August 2006

ABSTRACTCadmium is suspected to exert its toxic action on cells through oxidative damage. However, the transition metal is unable to directly generate reactive oxygen species (ROS) via redox reactions with molecular oxygen in a biological environment. Here, we show that bright yellow‐2 (BY‐2) tobacco cells exposed to millimolar concentrations of CdCl2 developed cell death within 2–3 h. The death process was preceded by two successive waves of ROS differing in their nature and subcellular localization. Firstly, these consisted in the transient NADPH oxidase‐dependent accumulation of H2O2 followed by the accumulation of O2−. in mitochondria. A third wave of ROS consisting in fatty acid hydroperoxide accumulation was concomitant with cell death. Accumulation of H2O2 was preceded by an increase in cytosolic free calcium concentration originating from internal pools that was essential to activate the NADPH oxidase. The cell line gp3, impaired in NADPH oxidase activity, and that was unable to accumulate H2O2 in response to Cd2+, was nevertheless poisoned by the metal. Therefore, this first wave of ROS was not sufficient to trigger all the cadmium‐dependent deleterious effects. However, we show that the accumulation of O2−. of mitochondrial origin and membrane peroxidation are key players in Cd2+‐induced cell death.
An engineered sorbitol cycle alters sugar composition, not growth, in transformed tobacco
Authors: DEGUCHI MICHIHITO , BENNETT ALAN B. , YAMAKI SHOHEI , YAMADA KUNIO , KANAHAMA KOKI , KANAYAMA YOSHINORI 
Published: August 2006

ABSTRACTMany efforts have been made to engineer stress tolerance by accumulating polyols. Transformants that accumulate polyols often show growth inhibition, because polyols are synthesized as a dead‐end product in plants that do not naturally accumulate polyols. Here, we show a novel strategy in which a sorbitol cycle was engineered by introducing apple cDNA encoding NAD‐dependent sorbitol dehydrogenase (SDH) in addition to sorbitol‐6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (S6PDH). Tobacco plants transformed only with S6PDH showed growth inhibition, and very few transformants were obtained. In contrast, many transgenic plants with both S6PDH and SDH were easily obtained, and their growth was normal despite their accumulation of sorbitol. Interestingly, the engineered sorbitol cycle enhanced the accumulation of sucrose instead of fructose that was expected to be increased. Sucrose, rather than fructose, was also increased in the immature fruit of tomato plants transformed with an antisense fructokinase gene in which the phosphorylation of fructose was inhibited. A common phenomenon was observed in the metabolic engineering of two different pathways, showing the presence of homeostatic regulation of fructose levels.
Mast cells express IL‐13Rα1: IL‐13 promotes human lung mast cell proliferation and FcɛRI expression
Authors: Kaur D. , Hollins F. , Woodman L. , Yang W. , Monk P. , May R. , Bradding P. , Brightling C. E. 
Published: August 2006

Background:  The Th2 cytokine interleukin (IL)‐13 is implicated in the development of various allergic diseases including asthma. The IL‐13 receptor, IL‐13Rα1, is expressed on most leukocytes, except T‐cells. Evidence to support IL‐13Rα1 expression on mast cells is limited.Methods:  We investigated: (i) IL‐13Rα1 expression by human lung mast cells (HLMC); (ii) the number of IL‐13Rα1+ bronchial submucosal mast cells in subjects with asthma and normal controls and (iii) the effect of IL‐13 priming on HLMC expression of high‐affinity IgE receptor (FcɛRI), stem cell factor receptor (CD117), histamine release, proliferation, and survival.Results:  Human lung mast cell expressed IL‐13Rα1 mRNA. IL‐13Rα1 was highly expressed on the surface HLMC (82 ± 9%). Bronchial submucosal mast cell IL‐13Rα1 expression was higher in asthmatics (86 ± 2%) than normal controls (78 ± 2%; P = 0.015). IL‐13 priming for 30 min did not increase HLMC histamine release, in the presence or absence of SCF or in response to IgE/anti‐IgE activation. IL‐13 priming for 5 days upregulated HLMC FcɛRI expression (22% increase in fluorescent intensity; P = 0.003), increased histamine release following IgE/anti‐IgE activation by 56% (P = 0.03) and increased proliferation by 50% (P = 0.003) without affecting cell survival or CD117 expression. The IL‐13 specific neutralizing antibody CAT‐354 inhibited all IL‐13 mediated effects.Conclusion:  Human lung mast cell express IL‐13Rα1 and activation by IL‐13 for 5 days increased FcɛRI expression and proliferation. Histamine release was not affected by short‐term priming with IL‐13, but was upregulated by priming for 5 days suggesting that this effect was mediated by the increased FcɛRI expression. These data support the view that targeting IL‐13 may be beneficial in the treatment of asthma.
Giving and receiving of gifts between pharmaceutical companies and medical specialists in Australia
Authors: McNeill P. M. , Kerridge I. H. , Henry D. A. , Stokes B. , Hill S. R. , Newby D. , Macdonald G. J. , Day R. O. , Maguire J. , Henderson K. M. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractBackground: This study investigated the ‘gift‐relationship’ between pharmaceutical companies and doctors.Methods: The study was based on a survey questionnaire of 823 medical specialists from across Australia. The aim of this study was to investigate gifts offered to medical specialists in Australia by pharmaceutical companies, financial support actively sought by medical specialists for activities other than research and to consider what is ethically appropriate.Results: A high percentage of specialists received offers of food (96%), items for the office (94%), personal gifts (51%) and journals or textbooks (50%). Most specialists were invited to product launches, symposia or educational events (75–84%) and 52% received offers of travel to conferences. A high proportion of offers were accepted (66–79%) except invitations to product launches (49%), sponsored symposia (53%) and offers of travel that included partners (27%). Fifteen per cent of specialists requested financial support from pharmaceutical companies for activities and items, including conferences, travel, educational activities, salaries and donations to specific funds. The study outlined guidelines on gifts from pharmaceutical companies and differing standards applying to gifts and grants for travel. We found that, although most gifts and requests for support complied with professional and pharmaceutical industry guidelines, some – including personal gifts, tickets to sporting events, entertainment and travel expenses for specialists’ partners – did not.Conclusion: To ensure that physicians’ judgements are free from real or perceived influence from industry and to maintain public trust, we support a shift towards more conservative standards on gifts and support for travel evident in recent guidelines.
The Political Economy of Xenophobia and Distribution: The Case of Denmark*
Authors: Roemer John E. , Van der Straeten Karine 
Published: August 2006

AbstractFor the first time in some years, a conservative government came to power in Denmark in 2001, due primarily to the citizenry's disaffection with social‐democratic policies on immigration. We represent political competition in Denmark as taking place over two issues—the size of the public sector and immigration—and model political equilibrium using the party unanimity Nash equilibrium (PUNE) concept, which generates equilibria on multi‐dimensional policy spaces where parties form endogenously. By fitting the model to Danish data, we argue that citizen xenophobia may be expected to decrease the size of the Danish public sector by an amount between 12% and 36% of one standard deviation of the probability distribution of citizens' ideal points of the size of the public sector.
D2‐class dopamine receptor inhibition of NMDA currents in prefrontal cortical neurons is platelet‐derived growth factor receptor‐dependent
Authors: Beazely Michael A. , Tong Andrew , Wei Wen‐Li , Van Tol Hubert , Sidhu Bikram , MacDonald John F. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractNMDA receptor function is modulated by both G‐protein‐coupled receptors and receptor tyrosine kinases. In acutely isolated rat hippocampal neurons, direct activation of the platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor or transactivation of the PDGF receptor by D4 dopamine receptors inhibits NMDA‐evoked currents in a phospholipase C (PLC)‐dependent manner. We have investigated further the ability of D2‐class dopamine receptors to modulate NMDA‐evoked currents in isolated rat prefrontal cortex (PFC). We have demonstrated that, similar to isolated hippocampal neurons, the application of PDGF‐BB or quinpirole to isolated PFC neurons induces a slow‐onset and long‐lasting inhibition of NMDA‐evoked currents. However, in contrast to hippocampal neurons, the inhibition of NMDA‐evoked currents by quinpirole in PFC neurons is dependent upon D2/3, rather than D4, dopamine receptors. In PFC slices, application of both PDGF‐BB and quinpirole induced a phosphorylation of the PDGF receptor at the PLCγ binding and activation site, Tyr1021. The PDGF receptor kinase inhibitor, tyrphostin A9, and the D2/3 dopamine receptor antagonist, raclopride, inhibited quinpirole‐induced Tyr1021 phosphorylation. These finding suggest that quinpirole treatment inhibits NMDAR signaling via PDGF receptor transactivation in both the hippocampus and the PFC, and that the effects of quinpirole in these regions are mediated by D4 and D2/3 dopamine receptors, respectively.
Activity‐dependent cleavage of brain glutamic acid decarboxylase 65 by calpain
Authors: Wei Jianning , Lin Chun‐Hua , Wu Heng , Jin Ying , Lee Yi‐Hsuan , Wu Jang‐Yen 
Published: August 2006

AbstractPreviously, we reported that l‐glutamic acid decarboxylase isoform 65 (GAD65) could be cleaved in vitro to release a stable truncated form which lacks amino acid 1–69 from the N‐terminus, GAD65(Δ1–69). However, whether such a truncated form is also present under certain physiological conditions remains elusive. In the present study, we showed that, upon sustained neuronal stimulation, GAD65 could be cleaved into a truncated form in a rat synaptosomal preparation. This truncated form had similar electrophoretic mobility to purified recombinant human GAD65(Δ1–69). Furthermore, we demonstrated that this conversion was calcium dependent. Calcium‐chelating reagents such as EDTA and 1,2‐bis‐(o‐aminphenoxy)‐ethane‐N,N,N′,N′‐tetra‐acetic acid tetra‐acetoxy‐methyl ester prevented the cleavage of GAD65. In addition, our data suggested that calpain, a calcium‐dependent cysteine protease, is activated upon neuronal stimulation and could be responsible for the conversion of full‐length GAD65 to truncated GAD65 in the brain. Moreover, calpain inhibitors such as calpain inhibitor I or calpastatin could block the cleavage. Results of our in vitro cleavage assay using purified calpain and immunopurified rat GAD65 also supported the idea that GAD65 could be directly cleaved by calpain.
Polymorphic microsatellite primers developed from DNA of the endangered Mekong giant catfish, Pangasianodon gigas (Chevey) and cross‐species amplification in three species of Pangasius
Authors: NA‐NAKORN UTHAIRAT , SRIPHAIROJ KEDNAPAT , SUKMANOMON SRIJANYA , POOMPUANG SUPAWADEE , KAMONRAT WONGPATHOM 
Published: August 2006

AbstractThe critically endangered Pangasianodon gigas is endemic to the Mekong River. Despite its importance, little is known about its genetic diversity and conservation efforts are hampered. Ten polymorphic dinucleotide microsatellite primer pairs were developed from DNA of P. gigas. The analysis of 20 individuals from hatchery stocks using these primers resulted in two to six alleles/locus; HO = 0.05–0.95; HE = 0.05–0.81. All but one locus (Pg‐3) conformed to Hardy–Weinberg expectation. Eight, six and seven primer pairs were amplified with the DNA from Pangasianodon hypophthalmus, Pangasius larnaudii and Pangasius sanitwongsei, respectively. These markers will be useful for genetic monitoring of wild and hatchery stocks of these pangasiids.
Development and characterization of microsatellite markers in the Colorado potato beetle, Leptinotarsa decemlineata
Authors: GRAPPUTO ALESSANDRO 
Published: August 2006

AbstractThe characterization of 11 Leptinotarsa decemlineata microsatellite loci isolated using the fast isolation by AFLP of sequences containing repeats (FIASCO) protocol is reported. Three to 15 alleles per locus were detected in 54 beetles collected from four populations of L. decemlineata. The mean number of alleles was 7.4 ± 3.2 and the level of expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.451 to 0.798. The total exclusionary probabilities using these loci for the first and the second parent were 0.982 and 0.999, respectively. These are the first microsatellite loci characterized from the Colorado potato beetles that can be used for estimating genetic diversity, population structure and parentage analysis.
Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers in Koompassia malaccensis (Leguminosae), an important tropical timber species
Authors: LEE C. T. , LEE S. L. , FARIDAH Q. Z. , SIRAJ S. S. , NG K. K. S. , NORLIA B. , MAT‐ISA M. N. 
Published: August 2006

AbstractThis paper reports the isolation and characterization of 24 polymorphic microsatellite markers in an important tropical timber species, Koompassia malaccensis (Leguminosae). The primers were designed from a genomic library enriched for dinucleotide (CT) repeats and screened on 24 samples from a natural population. The number of alleles detected per locus ranged from two to 13 while the observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.042 to 1.000. Significant departure from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (P < 0.05) was detected in two loci. These microsatellite markers were tested across 13 timber species of the same family. The amplification success appeared to be associated with taxonomy classification at the genus but not subfamily levels.
Isolation and characterization of 18 polymorphic microsatellite markers in Chinese mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi (Basilewsky)
Authors: ZHANG BIN , LI ZHONG‐JIE , TONG JIN‐GOU , LIAO XIAO‐LIN 
Published: August 2006

AbstractEighteen microsatellite markers were isolated and characterized using an enrichment protocol in the Chinese mandarin fish Siniperca chuatsi (Basilewsky), a commercially important piscivorous fish in China. Out of 48 pairs of primers designed, 18 loci exhibited polymorphism with three to six alleles (mean 4.4 alleles/locus) and average observed heterozygosity ranged from 0.633 to 0.833 (mean 0.748) in a test population from Dongting Lake of China. Except for two loci, all other 16 loci were in the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. These markers would be useful for such studies as population genetics, ecology and selective breeding of the Chinese mandarin fish in future.
Fatigue Analysis of Plates Used for Fracture Stabilization in Small Dogs and Cats
Authors: HAMMEL SCOTT P. , ELIZABETH PLUHAR G. , NOVO ROBERTO E. , BOURGEAULT CRAIG A. , WALLACE LARRY J. 
Published: August 2006

Objective— To evaluate the fatigue life of stacked and single, veterinary cuttable plates (VCP) and small, limited contact, dynamic compression plates (LC‐DCP).Study Design— In vitro biomechanical study.Methods— Fracture models (constructs; n=8) were assembled for each of 6 groups all with 8‐hole plates: 2.0 mm LC‐DCP; 2.4 mm LC‐DCP; single 1.5/2.0 mm VCP; stacked 1.5/2.0 mm VCP; single 2.0/2.7 mm VCP; and stacked 2.0/2.7 mm VCP. Plate(s) were secured to 2 polyvinylchloride pipe lengths, mounted in a testing system with a custom jig, and subjected to axial loading (10–100 N) for 1,000,000 cycles at 10 Hz or until failure. Differences in number of cycles to failure among groups were compared. Failure mode was determined.Results— All LC‐DCP and single VCP constructs failed before 1,000,000 cycles. Stacked 2.0/2.7 mm VCP constructs withstood 1,000,000 cycles without failure. ANOVA and Fisher's least significant difference tests demonstrated significantly more cycles to failure for the stacked 1.5/2.0 mm VCP and stacked 2.0/2.7 mm VCP compared with the single 1.5/2.0 mm VCP, single 2.0/2.7 mm VCP, 2.0 mm LC‐DCP, or 2.4 mm LC‐DCP. Constructs that failed did so through a screw hole adjacent to the gap.Conclusion— Stacked VCP constructs have greater fatigue lives than comparably sized LC‐DCP or single VCP constructs. Plates with 2.4 mm screws were not significantly different from the comparable construct with 2.0 mm screws.Clinical Relevance— Although these data reveal that stacked VCP create a superior construct with respect to cyclic fatigue, surgeons must decide whether this is a clinical advantage on a case‐by‐case basis.
Isoametropic amblyopia in highly hyperopic children
Authors: Ziylan Sule , Yabas Ozge , Zorlutuna Nilufer , Serin Didem 
Published: August 2006

Abstract.Purpose:  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the visual outcome and associated findings in isoametropic amblyopia due to high hyperopia.Methods:  Children with ≥ 5 D spherical equivalent hyperopia and ≤ 1.5 D anisometropia and ≤ 1.5 D cylinder in both eyes were selected. Data were collected on the magnitude of spherical equivalent hyperopia, corrected visual acuity (VA) with the Snellen or Tumbling E charts, age at correction, duration of correction, ocular motility and strabismus. Children who had VA of ≤ 0.4 in both eyes were defined as having isoametropic amblyopia. Associations between isoametropic amblyopia and factors affecting VA were analysed.Results:  A total of 160 children met the criteria. The mean follow‐up was 55.8 months. In all, 31 of the children had isoametropic amblyopia. The mean age at presentation was significantly higher (5.5 years versus 4.1 years; p < 0.05) and strabismus was significantly less prevalent (p = 0.001) in the isoametropic amblyopes than in the high hyperopia group as a whole. A total of 83.9% of the isoametropic amblyopes had best corrected VA > 0.5 at the last visit. The duration of optical correction was positively correlated with the last recorded VA measurement.Conclusion:  Isoametropic amblyopia is not rare among highly hyperopic children. Visual acuity improves satisfactorily with spectacle correction. The duration of optical correction seems to be an important factor in visual prognosis.
Therapeutic immunization with Modified Vaccinia Virus Ankara (MVA) vaccines in SIV‐infected rhesus monkeys undergoing antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Überla Klaus , Rosenwirth Brigitte , Ten Haaft Peter , Heeney Jonathan , Sutter Gerd , Erfle Volker 
Published: August 2006

AbstractBackground  The long‐term benefits of highly active antiretroviral therapy in HIV‐infected patients are limited by emergence of drug‐resistant variants and side effects. Therefore, we studied the concept of therapeutic immunization in 18 rhesus monkeys infected with a highly pathogenic simian immunodeficiency virus (SIV) swarm.Methods  Monkeys were treated with the reverse transcriptase inhibitor (R)‐9‐(2‐phosphonylmethoxypropyl)adenine (PMPA) for 19 weeks starting 10 days after infection. After suppression of viremia, one group of monkeys was immunized with recombinant modified vaccinia virus Ankara (MVA) vectors expressing gag‐pol and env. A second group received MVA vectors expressing the regulatory genes tat, rev and nef, while a third group was not immunized.Results  Immunization with gag‐pol and env expressing MVA enhanced SIV antibody titers. Following discontinuation of PMPA treatment, a rebound in viral load was observed. However, in three of six monkeys immunized with MVA gag‐pol and MVA env, and two of six monkeys immunized MVA expressing regulatory genes set point RNA levels were below or close to a threshold level of 104 RNA copies/ml, while only one of six unvaccinated monkeys maintained such low RNA levels.Conclusions  Although a subset of animals seem to benefit from therapeutic immunization with MVA vectors, the difference in set point RNA levels between the groups did not reach statistical significance.
Whole brain radiation therapy in management of brain metastasis: results and prognostic factors
Authors: Saito Elisa Y , Viani Gustavo A , Ferrigno Robson , Nakamura Ricardo A , Novaes Paulo E , Pellizzon Cassio A , Fogaroli Ricardo C , Conte Maria A , Salvajoli Joao V 
Published: August 2006

Abstract

Purpose
To evaluate the prognostic factors associated with overall survival in patients with brain metastasis treated with whole brain radiotherapy (WBRT) and estimate the potential improvement in survival for patients with brain metastases, stratified by the Radiation Therapy Oncology Group (RTOG) recursive partitioning analysis (RPA) class.

Patients and methods
From January 1996 to December 2000, 270 medical records of patients with diagnosis of brain metastasis, who received WBRT in the Hospital do Cancer Sao Paulo A.C. Camargo in the period, were analyzed. The surgery followed by WBRT was used in 15% of patients and 85 % of others patients were submitted at WBRT alone; in this cohort 134 patients (50%) received the fractionation schedule of 30 Gy in 10 fractions. The most common primary tumor type was breast (33%) followed by lung (29%), and solitary brain metastasis was present in 38.1% of patients. The prognostic factors evaluated for overall survival were: gender, age, Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS), number of lesions, localization of lesions, primary tumor site, surgery, chemotherapy, absence extracranial disease, RPA class and radiation doses and fractionation.

Results
The OS in 1, 2 and 3 years was 25, 1%, 10, 4% e 4, 3% respectively, and the median survival time was 4.6 months. The median survival time in months according to RPA class after WBRT was: 6.2 class I, 4.2 class II and 3.0 class III (p < 0.0001). In univariate analysis, the significant prognostic factors associated with better survival were: KPS higher than 70 (p < 0.0001), neurosurgery (p < 0.0001) and solitary brain metastasis (p = 0.009). In multivariate analysis, KPS higher than 70 (p < 0.001) and neurosurgery (p = 0.001) maintained positively associated with the survival.

Conclusion
In this series, the patients with higher perform status, RPA class I, and treated with surgery followed by whole brain radiotherapy had better survival.
This data suggest that patients with cancer and a single metastasis to the brain may be treated effectively with surgical resection plus radiotherapy. The different radiotherapy doses and fractionation schedules did not altered survival.
Xanthene Dye-Sensitized Electron Transfer to Methylviologen in Aqueous Organic Solution. Effects of Organic Solvents and Heavy Atoms in the Dyes
Authors: Nishimura Yoshinobu , Sakuragi Hirochika , Tokumaru Katsumi 
Published: August 2006

Abstract
Electron transfer from the triplet state of xanthene dyes (F1In2− and F1Brn2−, n = 2, 3, and 4) to methylviologen (MV2+) was investigated with a laser flash photolysis technique. Efficiency for the charge separation in aqueous organic solution to give free radical ions, F1In−• or F1Brn−• and MV+•, increased almost linearly with increasing mole fraction of added organic solvents such as acetonitrile, acetone, dioxane, ethanol, methanol, and DMSO in the decreasing order of efficiency. The effect of organic solvents on dissociation of radical ion pairs tends to increase with decrease of their hydrogen-accepting property expressed by Taft’s β value. Halogen-atom substitution in F1In2− and F1Brn2− reduced the MV+ yield, and this heavy-atom effect is associated with increase in the rate of recombination of triplet radical ion pairs accompanying spin inversion.