bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
RAPID MESOCARP CELL ELONGATION ENHANCES GUMMING SYNDROME IN JAPANESE APRICOT (PRUNUS MUME SIEB. ET ZUCC.) FRUIT
Authors: MATSUMOTO KAZUHIRO , CHUN JONG‐PIL , NAKATA NOBORU , TAMURA FUMIO 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACT Japanese apricot (Prunus mume Sieb. et Zucc.) ‘Benisashi’ fruit tends to show the physiological disorder of a gumming syndrome, while the fruit known as ‘Nanko’ rarely show this. The accumulated gum becomes a solid gel during the processing period and the commercial value of the mume pickle is consequently decreased. In the present experiment, gum accumulation in the mesocarp tissue and the cell size of the tissue during fruit growth were observed in the two cultivars. In mid‐May, the initiation of the gum duct was observed in vascular bundles in the mesocarp tissue of the two cultivars and plant gum was then observed to accumulate in the duct. No difference in these phenomena was observed between the cultivars until late May. Thereafter, ‘Benisashi’ developed a gum lump visible to the naked eye during Stage III, while the gum lump of ‘Nanko’ did not develop to the visible size as shown in ‘Benisashi’; the lumps could not be confirmed with the naked eye until the mature stage. ‘Benisashi’ showed more rapid fruit growth compared with ‘Nanko’ during Stage III due to explosive mesocarp cell elongation close to the endocarp. Moreover, the rate of gumming fruit of ‘Benisashi’ was higher in bigger fruits than smaller ones. These results indicate that the peculiar cell growth of ‘Benisashi’ fruit may accelerate gum lump formation.PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSGumming syndrome affects the quality of mume pickle. In this experiment, we investigated the mechanisms of gum accumulation in fruit flesh. ‘Benisashi’, which frequently shows the gumming syndrome, presented rapid inner mesocarp cell growth on fruits developing Stage III. This peculiar cell growth may accelerate gum lump formation. Therefore, we have to prevent the cultivational misconduct that induces rapid fruit growth in this period to suppress the gumming syndrome and to increase the commercial value of mume pickle. Moreover, this knowledge is also important in order to breed the new cultivars which do not contain the gumming syndrome.
STUDY ON GENETIC ALGORITHMS‐BASED NIR WAVELENGTH SELECTION FOR DETERMINATION OF SOLUBLE SOLIDS CONTENT IN FUJI APPLES
Authors: SHI BOLIN , JI BAOPING , ZHU DAZHOU , TU ZHENHUA , QING ZHAOSHEN 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACT The determination of soluble solids content (SSC) in intact apples was analyzed by means of near‐infrared spectroscopy using an acousto‐optic tunable filter technology. Genetic algorithms (GAs) were performed to select wavelengths within the range from 1,065 to 1,625 nm. Partial least squares regression (PLSR) model based on GAs was compared with the nonvariable selection. Furthermore, the majority of selected wavelengths that brought on that result have been analyzed with regard to the typical absorption bands of sugars and the low‐noise spectral signals. With the GAs approach, the spectral points were reduced from 88 to 17, and the low relative standard deviation of prediction (RSDp) (6.02%) and high coefficient of calibration (0.914) were achieved. The results showed that PLSR combined with GAs not only simplified and optimized the calibration model, but also improved the prediction effect of the calibration model. It was concluded that the GAs‐based method extracted relevant SSC information from special spectral regions and left out the useless spectral points simultaneously. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONSThe determination of soluble solids content (SSC) in intact apples is quite important for assessing the internal quality of fruit. However, the portable spectrophotometer did not provide a reliable spectral signal. The multivariate modeling of the entire spectra not only computes complexly, but also increases spectral interferences. In the present study, an acousto‐optic tunable filter spectrometer was used for analysis. Genetic algorithms (GAs) were presented for the wavelength selection in order to predict the SSC in intact apples, based on partial least squares regression of near‐infrared spectral data. The results demonstrated that the wavelength selection based on GAs can build a simple model and can improve the performance of the model. It was also shown that the GAs‐based method extracted relevant information from special spectral regions and left out the useless spectral points simultaneously. It is valuable to establish a nondestructive measurement for developing online sensing systems.
The Recent Revival of Cosmological Arguments
Authors: Alexander David 
Published: March 2008

AbstractCosmological arguments have received more attention in the past ten years. One reason for this is that versions with restricted or even no reliance on the principle of sufficient reason (PSR) have been formulated. By not relying on PSR – what many consider to be a necessary falsehood – philosophers have been able to escape many of the old criticisms of cosmological arguments. In this essay I survey two recent attempts at presenting a sound version of a cosmological argument. I spend more time on Robert Koons’ since his has not yet received the kind of quality attention that the other has.
Knowing‐How and Knowing‐That
Authors: Fantl Jeremy 
Published: March 2008

AbstractYou knowthatGeorge W. Bush is the U.S. president, but you knowhowto ride a bicycle. What's the difference? According tointellectualists, not much: either knowing how to do something is a matter of knowing that something is the case or, at the very least, know‐how requires a prior bit of theoretical knowledge.Anti‐intellectualistsdeny this order of priority: either knowing‐how and knowing‐that are independent or, at the very least, knowing that something is the case requires a prior bit of know‐how. Much of the dispute centers on the relationship between knowing how to do something and having an ability to do it. If having an ability is necessary and sufficient for knowing‐how, this is thought to provide comfort for anti‐intellectualists. This paper traces the place of ability in the know‐how/know‐that debate from Ryle's seminal statement of anti‐intellectualism through Stanley and Williamson's more recent defense of intellectualism.
Second Language Processing of Filler‐Gap Dependencies by Late Learners
Authors: Dallas Andrea , Kaan Edith 
Published: March 2008

AbstractRecent evidence suggests that late learners of second and foreign languages (L2), those who begin learning after puberty, differ as to how they comprehend complex sentences in real time compared to native speakers and early L2 learners. One area in which these differences occur is in the processing of non‐local dependencies where constituents are not canonically ordered, such as in sentences containing wh‐dependencies: The teacher saw which girl the boy pushed ___ yesterday. This paper presents a brief overview of current research investigating this issue. To this end, differences and similarities between how L1 and L2 speakers use lexical and syntactic information to resolve these types of dependencies are discussed. In addition, a current model of L2 sentence processing is discussed with suggestions for future research.
Non‐random reassortment in human influenza A viruses
Authors: Rabadan Raul , Levine Arnold J. , Krasnitz Michael 
Published: March 2008

Background  The influenza A virus has two basic modes of evolution. Because of a high error rate in the process of replication by RNA polymerase, the viral genome drifts via accumulated mutations. The second mode of evolution is termed a shift, which results from the reassortment of the eight segments of this virus. When two different influenza viruses co‐infect the same host cell, new virions can be released that contain segments from both parental strains. This type of shift has been the source of at least two of the influenza pandemics in the 20th century (H2N2 in 1957 and H3N2 in 1968).Objectives  The methods to measure these genetic shifts have not yet provided a quantitative answer to questions such as: what is the rate of genetic reassortment during a local epidemic? Are all possible reassortments equally likely or are there preferred patterns?Methods  To answer these questions and provide a quantitative way to measure genetic shifts, a new method for detecting reassortments from nucleotide sequence data was created that does not rely upon phylogenetic analysis. Two different sequence databases were used: human H3N2 viruses isolated in New York State between 1995 and 2006, and human H3N2 viruses isolated in New Zealand between 2000 and 2005.Results  Using this new method, we were able to reproduce all the reassortments found in earlier works, as well as detect, with very high confidence, many reassortments that were not detected by previous authors. We obtain a lower bound on the reassortment rate of 2–3 events per year, and find a clear preference for reassortments involving only one segment, most often hemagglutinin or neuraminidase. At a lower frequency several segments appear to reassort in vivo in defined groups as has been suggested previously in vitro.Conclusions  Our results strongly suggest that the patterns of reassortment in the viral population are not random. Deciphering these patterns can be a useful tool in attempting to understand and predict possible influenza pandemics.
A plant‐produced influenza subunit vaccine protects ferrets against virus challenge
Authors: Mett Vadim , Musiychuk Konstantin , Bi Hong , Farrance Christine E. , Horsey April , Ugulava Natalia , Shoji Yoko , De La Rosa Patricia , Palmer Gene A. , Rabindran Shailaja , Streatfield Stephen J. , Boyers Alison , Russell Michael , Mann Alex , Lambkin Robert , Oxford John S. , Schild Geoffrey C. , Yusibov Vidadi 
Published: March 2008

Background  Influenza A viruses are of major concern for public health, causing worldwide epidemics associated with high morbidity and mortality. Vaccines are critical for protection against influenza, but given the recent emergence of new strains with pandemic potential, and some limitations of the current production systems, there is a need for new approaches for vaccine development.Objective  To demonstrate the immunogenicity and protective efficacy of plant‐produced influenza antigens.Method  We engineered, using influenza A/Wyoming/3/03 (H3N2) as a model virus, the stem and globular domains of hemagglutinin (HA) produced in plants as fusions to a carrier protein and used purified antigens with and without adjuvant for ferret immunization.Results  These plant‐produced antigens were highly immunogenic and conferred complete protection against infection in the ferret challenge model. The addition of plant‐produced neuraminidase was shown to enhance the immune response in ferrets.Conclusions  Plants can be used as a production vehicle for vaccine development against influenza. Domains of HA can generate protective immune responses in ferrets.
Whole inactivated virus influenza vaccine is superior to subunit vaccine in inducing immune responses and secretion of proinflammatory cytokines by DCs
Authors: Geeraedts Felix , Bungener Laura , Pool Judith , Ter Veer Wouter , Wilschut Jan , Huckriede Anke 
Published: March 2008

Background  For protection against (re‐)infection by influenza virus not only the magnitude of the immune response but also its quality in terms of antibody subclass and T helper profile is important. Information about the type of immune response elicited by vaccination is therefore urgently needed.Objectives  The aim of the study was to evaluate in detail the immune response elicited by three current influenza vaccine formulations and to shed light on vaccine characteristics which determine this response.Methods  Mice were immunized with whole inactivated virus (WIV), virosomes (VS) or subunit vaccine (SU). Following subsequent infection with live virus, serum antibody titers and Th cell responses were measured. The effects of the vaccines on cytokine production by conventional and plasmacytoid dendritic cells were investigated in vitro.Results and conclusions  In Balb/c mice (Th2 prone) as well as in C57Bl/6 mice (Th1 prone), WIV induced consistently higher hemagglutination‐inhibition titers and virus‐neutralizing antibody titers than VS or SU. In contrast to VS and SU, WIV stimulated the production of the antibody subclasses IgG2a (Balb/c) and IgG2c (C57BL/6), considered to be particularly important for viral clearance, and activation of IFN‐γ‐producing T cells. Similar to live virus, WIV stimulated the production of proinflammatory cytokines by conventional dendritic cells and IFN‐α by plasmacytoid cells, while VS and SU had little effect on cytokine synthesis by either cell type. We conclude that vaccination with WIV in contrast to VS or SU results in the desired Th1 response presumably by induction of type I interferon and other proinflammatory cytokines.
The Asexual Yeast
Candida glabrata
Maintains Distinct
a
and α Haploid Mating Types
Authors: Muller Héloïse , Hennequin Christophe , Gallaud Julien , Dujon Bernard , Fairhead Cécile 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACT

The genome of the type strain of
Candida glabrata
(CBS138, ATCC 2001) contains homologs of most of the genes involved in mating in
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
, starting with the mating pheromone and receptor genes. Only haploid cells are ever isolated, but
C. glabrata
strains of both mating types are commonly found, the type strain being
MAT
α and most other strains, such as BG2, being
MAT
a
. No sexual cycle has been documented for this species. In order to understand which steps of the mating pathway are defective, we have analyzed the expression of homologs of some of the key genes involved as well as the production of mating pheromones and the organism's sensitivity to artificial pheromones. We show that cells of opposite mating types express both pheromone receptor genes and are insensitive to pheromones. Nonetheless, cells maintain specificity through regulation of the α
1
and α
2
genes and, more surprisingly, through differential splicing of the
a
1
transcript.
Overlapping Functions of the Two Talin Homologues inDictyostelium
Authors: Tsujioka Masatsune , Yoshida Kunito , Nagasaki Akira , Yonemura Shigenobu , Müller-Taubenberger Annette , Uyeda Taro Q. P. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTTalin is a cytoskeletal protein involved in constructing and regulating focal adhesions in animal cells. The cellular slime moldDictyostelium discoideumhas two talin homologues,talAandtalB, and earlier studies have characterized the single knockout mutants.talA−cells show reduced adhesion to the substrates and slightly impaired cytokinesis leading to a high proportion of multinucleated cells in the vegetative stage, while the development is normal. In contrast,talB−cells are characterized by reduced motility in the developmental stage, and they are arrested at the tight-mound stage. Here, we created and analyzed a double mutant with a disruption of bothtalAandtalB. Defects in adhesion to the substrates, cytokinesis, and development were more severe in cells with a disruption of bothtalAandtalB. ThetalA−talB−cells failed to attach to the substrates in the vegetative stage, exhibited a higher proportion of multinucleated cells thantalA−cells, and showed more-reduced motility during the development and an earlier developmental arrest thantalB−cells at the loose-mound stage. Moreover, overexpression of eithertalAortalBcompensated for the loss of the other talin, respectively. The analysis oftalA−talB−cells also revealed that talin was required for the formation of paxillin-rich adhesion sites and that there was another adhesion mechanism which is independent of talin in the developmental stage. This is the first study demonstrating overlapping functions of two talin homologues, and our data further indicate the importance of talin.
Transcription Factors Pcr1 and Atf1 Have Distinct Roles in Stress- and Sty1-Dependent Gene Regulation
Authors: Sansó Miriam , Gogol Madelaine , Ayté José , Seidel Chris , Hidalgo Elena 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACT

The mitogen-activated protein kinase Sty1 is essential for the regulation of transcriptional responses that promote cell survival in response to different types of environmental stimuli in
Schizosaccharomyces pombe
. Upon stress activation, Sty1 reversibly accumulates in the nucleus, where it stimulates gene expression via the Atf1 transcription factor. The Atf1 protein forms a heterodimer with Pcr1, but the specific role of this association is controversial. We have carried out a comparative analysis of strains lacking these proteins individually. We demonstrate that Atf1 and Pcr1 have similar but not identical roles in
S. pombe
, since cells lacking Pcr1 do not share all the phenotypes reported for Δ
atf1
cells. Northern blot and microarray analyses demonstrate that the responses to specific stresses of cells lacking either Pcr1 or Atf1 do not fully overlap, and even though most Atf1-dependent genes induced by osmotic stress are also Pcr1 dependent, a subset of genes require only the presence of Atf1 for their induction. Whereas binding of Atf1 to most stress-dependent genes requires the presence of Pcr1, we demonstrate here that Atf1 can bind to the Pcr1-independent promoters in a Δ
pcr1
strain in vivo. Furthermore, these analyses show that both proteins have a global repressive effect on stress-dependent and stress-independent genes.
Involvement of a Protein Kinase Activity Inducer in DNA Double Strand Break Repair and Radioresistance of
Deinococcus radiodurans
Authors: Rajpurohit Yogendra S. , Gopalakrishnan Roja , Misra Hari S. 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACT

Transgenic bacteria producing pyrroloquinoline quinone, a known cofactor for dehydrogenases and an inducer of a periplasmic protein kinase activity, show resistance to both oxidative stress and protection from nonoxidative effects of radiation and DNA-damaging agents.
Deinococcus radiodurans
R1 encodes an active pyrroloquinoline quinone synthase, and constitutive synthesis of pyrroloquinoline quinone occurred in wild-type bacteria. Disruption of a genomic copy of
pqqE
resulted in cells that lacked this cofactor. The mutant showed a nearly 3-log decrease in γ radiation resistance and a 2-log decrease in mitomycin C tolerance compared to wild-type cells. The mutant cells did not show sensitivity to UVC radiation. Expression of pyrroloquinoline quinone synthase in
trans
showed that there was functional complementation of γ resistance and mitomycin C tolerance in the
pqqE
mutant. The sensitivity to γ radiation was due to impairment or slow kinetics of DNA double strand break repair. Low levels of
32
P incorporation were observed in total soluble proteins of mutant cells compared to the wild type. The results suggest that pyrroloquinoline quinone has a regulatory role as a cofactor for dehydrogenases and an inducer of selected protein kinase activity in radiation resistance and DNA strand break repair in a radioresistant bacterium.
Purification and Properties of the Plasmid Maintenance Proteins from theBorrelia burgdorferiLinear Plasmid lp17
Authors: Deneke Jan , Chaconas George 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACTThe Lyme disease spirocheteBorrelia burgdorfericarries more plasmids than any other bacterium, many of which are linear with covalently closed hairpin ends. These plasmids have also been referred to as mini-chromosomes and essential genetic elements and are integral components of its segmented genome. We have investigated two plasmid maintenance proteins, BBD14 (the replication initiator) and BBD21 (a presumptive ParA orthologue), encoded by the linear plasmid lp17; these proteins are representatives of paralogous families 62 and 32, respectively. We have purified recombinant 6-his-BBD21 and shown it possesses an ATPase activity. 6-his-BBD14 initially could not be overexpressed inEscherichia coliby itself. It was only effectively overproduced in recombinant form through coexpression with otherB. burgdorferiproteins and codon optimization. Although the mechanism for increased production through coexpression is not clear, this method holds promise for expression and purification of otherB. burgdorferiproteins, a number of which have remained recalcitrant to purification fromE. coli. Finally, we present evidence for the physical interaction of BBD14 and BBD21, a feature suggesting that BBD21 and the paralogous family 32 proteins are more likely involved in DNA replication than functioning as simple ParA orthologues as previously surmised based upon sequence homology. Such a role would not preclude a function in plasmid partitioning through interaction with the replication initiator.
Specific Partial Reduction of Geranylgeranyl Diphosphate by an Enzyme from the Thermoacidophilic Archaeon
Sulfolobus acidocaldarius
Yields a Reactive Prenyl Donor, Not a Dead-End Product
Authors: Sato Sho , Murakami Motomichi , Yoshimura Tohru , Hemmi Hisashi 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACT

Geranylgeranyl reductase from
Sulfolobus acidocaldarius
was shown to catalyze the reduction of geranylgeranyl groups in the precursors of archaeal membrane lipids, generally reducing all four double bonds. However, when geranylgeranyl diphosphate was subjected to the reductase reaction, only three of the four double bonds were reduced. Mass spectrometry and acid hydrolysis indicated that the allylic double bond was preserved in the partially reduced product derived from geranylgeranyl diphosphate. Thus, the reaction product was shown to be phytyl diphosphate, which is a substrate for archaeal prenyltransferases, unlike the completely reduced compound phytanyl diphosphate.
Autophosphorylation and Dephosphorylation by Soluble Forms of the Nitrate-Responsive Sensors NarX and NarQ from
Escherichia coli
K-12
Authors: Noriega Chris E. , Schmidt Radomir , Gray Michael J. , Chen Li-Ling , Stewart Valley 
Published: March 2008

ABSTRACT

NarX-NarL and NarQ-NarP are paralogous two-component regulatory systems that control
Escherichia coli
gene expression in response to the respiratory oxidants nitrate and nitrite. Nitrate stimulates the autophosphorylation rates of the NarX and NarQ sensors, which then phosphorylate the response regulators NarL and NarP to activate and repress target operon transcription. Here, we investigated both the autophosphorylation and dephosphorylation of soluble sensors in which the maltose binding protein (MBP) has replaced the amino-terminal transmembrane sensory domain. The apparent affinities (

K
m

) for ADP were similar for both proteins, about 2 μM, whereas the affinity of MBP-NarQ for ATP was lower, about 23 μM. At a saturating concentration of ATP, the rate constant of MBP-NarX autophosphorylation (about 0.5 × 10
−4
s
−1
) was lower than that observed for MBP-NarQ (about 2.2 × 10
−4
s
−1
). At a saturating concentration of ADP, the rate constant of dephosphorylation was higher than that of autophosphorylation, about 0.03 s
−1
for MBP-NarX and about 0.01 s
−1
for MBP-NarQ. For other studied sensors, the published affinities for ADP range from about 16 μM (KinA) to about 40 μM (NtrB). This suggests that only a small proportion of NarX and NarQ remain phosphorylated in the absence of nitrate, resulting in efficient response regulator dephosphorylation by the remaining unphosphorylated sensors.