bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Maternal undernutrition leads to endothelial dysfunction in adult male rat offspring independent of postnatal diet
Authors: Torrens Christopher , Hanson Mark A. , Gluckman Peter D. , Vickers Mark H. 
Published: May 2008

Increasing evidence suggests a role for prenatal environment in the onset of cardiovascular and metabolic disease in later life. In the rat, undernutritionin uteroand a postnatal high-fat diet gives rise to a phenotype similar to the metabolic syndrome. As endothelial dysfunction is a feature of both CVD and the metabolic syndrome we investigated the impact of maternal undernutrition and/or postnatal high-fat on endothelial function. Virgin Wistar rats were mated and randomly assigned to groups to receive food eitherad libitum(control) or at 30 % ofad libitumintake throughout gestation. At postnatal day 250, a cohort from each group was challenged with a high-fat diet (D12451, 45 % energy from fat; Research Diets, Inc., New Brunswick, NJ, USA) for the remainder of the study. At 1 year of age, small mesenteric arteries were dissected and mounted on a wire myograph and responses to phenylephrine, endothelin, acetylcholine, leptin and sodium nitroprusside assessed. Vasoconstriction to endothelin was significantly enhanced in all groups compared with controls (-log effective concentration equal to 50 % of the maximal response (pEC50);P < 0·001). Endothelium-dependent vasodilatation to acetylcholine was significantly blunted in all groups compared with controls (% maximum response;P < 0·01), while dilatation to leptin and sodium nitroprusside was similar in all groups. These data demonstrate that both maternal undernutrition and postnatal high fat lead to vascular alterations and suggest that maternal undernutrition alone is at least as detrimental to offspring endothelial function as a long-term exposure to a high-fat diet in the offspring.
Bioactive dietary long-chain fatty acids: emerging mechanisms of action
Authors: Chapkin Robert S. , McMurray David N. , Davidson Laurie A. , Patil Bhimanagouda S. , Fan Yang-Yi , Lupton Joanne R. 
Published: May 2008

The plasma membranes of all eukaryotic cells contain heterogeneous self-organising intrinsically unstable liquid ordered domains or lipid assemblies in which key signal transduction proteins are localised. These assemblies are classified as ‘lipid rafts’ (10–200 nm), which are composed mostly of cholesterol and sphingolipid microdomains and therefore do not integrate well into the fluid phospholipid bilayers. In addition, caveolae represent a subtype of lipid raft macrodomain that form flask-shaped membrane invaginations containing structural proteins, i.e. caveolins. With respect to the diverse biological effects of long-chain PUFA, increasing evidence suggests thatn-3 PUFA and perhaps conjugated fatty acids uniquely alter the basic properties of cell membranes. Because of its polyunsaturation, DHA and possibly conjugated linoleic acid are sterically incompatible with sphingolipid and cholesterol and, therefore, appear to alter lipid raft behaviour and protein function. The present review examines the evidence indicating that dietary sources ofn-3 PUFA can profoundly alter the biochemical make up of lipid rafts/caveolae microdomains, thereby influencing cell signalling, protein trafficking and cell cytokinetics.
A moderate excess of dietary lysine lowers plasma and tissue carnitine concentrations in pigs
Authors: Fischer Maren , Hirche Frank , Kluge Holger , Eder Klaus 
Published: May 2008

This study was performed to investigate whether dietary lysine concentration influences the carnitine status of pigs. Therefore, an experiment with twenty young pigs with an average body weight of 21 kg was performed which were fed either a control diet (9·7 g lysine/kg) or a diet with a moderate excess of lysine (16·8 g lysine/kg). Concentrations of all the other amino acids did not differ between the diets. Pigs fed the high-lysine diet had lower concentrations of free and total carnitine in plasma, liver, kidney and skeletal muscle than control pigs (P < 0·05). Pigs fed the high-lysine diet moreover had an increased concentration of trimethyllysine (TML), a reduced mRNA abundance of TML dioxygenase and reduced concentrations of γ-butyrobetaine (BB) in muscle, indicating that the conversion of TML into BB in muscle was impaired. Concentrations of BB, the metabolic precursor of carnitine, in plasma, liver and kidney were also reduced in pigs fed the high-lysine diet while the activity of BB dioxygenase in kidney was not different and that in liver was even increased compared to control pigs (P < 0·05). In conclusion, this study shows that a moderate dietary excess of lysine lowers plasma and tissue carnitine concentrations in pigs. Reduced concentrations of BB in liver and kidney suggest that the depressed carnitine status was likely caused by a decreased rate of carnitine synthesis due to a diminished availability of carnitine precursor, probably mainly as a result of an impaired BB formation in muscle.
A new species of the genus Spiroxys (Nematoda: Gnathostomatidae) from Madagascan pleurodiran turtles (Pelomedusidae)
Authors: Roca V. , García G. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractSpiroxys ankarafantsika, sp. nov. is described from Madagascar in two species of freshwater turtles, Pelusios castanoides and Pelomedusa subrufa. Spiroxys ankarafantsika differs from other species of the genus in having pseudolabial teeth only on the median lobes and no other cuticular prominences, a smooth cuticular collar, deirides as cervical minute spine-like projections, and a gubernaculum without tubes. This is the first record of a nominal species of the genus Spiroxys from the Ethiopian region.
Bilateral, isolated, lateral semicircular canal malformation without hearing loss
Authors: Dallan I , Berrettini S , Neri E , Casani A P 
Published: May 2008

AbstractHypothesis:Inner-ear malformations are frequently found in patients with sensorineural hearing loss. However, isolated anomalies of the vestibular part of the inner ear are seldom described, and for this reason their impact on balance is poorly understood.Care report:We present the case of a 38-year-old Caucasian man with recurrent vestibular complaints, with a sensation of linear tilting, but no hearing impairment. Clinical and neuro-otological examinations showed peripheral involvement of the vestibular system, while audiological investigation was within normal limits. High-resolution magnetic resonance imaging of the inner ear, with three-dimensional reconstruction, demonstrated isolated vestibular anomalies involving both the lateral semicircular canal and the utricle.Conclusions:Bearing in mind this case, we speculate that isolated vestibular malformation may not be as rare as previously thought, and should be investigated with the aid of sophisticated imaging techniques. A review of the relative literature, focussing attention on the molecular aspects, is also reported.
Uniform convergence in the mapping class group
Authors: KENT IV RICHARD P. , LEININGER CHRISTOPHER J. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractWe characterize convex cocompact subgroups of the mapping class group of a surface in terms of uniform convergence actions on the zero locus of the limit set. We also construct subgroups that act as uniform convergence groups on their limit sets, but are not convex cocompact.
Renormalization of vector fields and Diophantine invariant tori
Authors: KOCH HANS , KOCIĆ SAŠA 
Published: May 2008

AbstractWe extend the renormalization group techniques that were developed originally for Hamiltonian flows to more general vector fields on 𝕋d×ℝℓ. Each Diophantine vector ω∈ℝd determines an analytic manifold 𝒲 of infinitely renormalizable vector fields, and each vector field on 𝒲 is shown to have an elliptic invariant d-torus with frequencies ω1,ω2,…,ωd. Analogous manifolds for particular classes of vector fields (Hamiltonian, divergence-free, symmetric, reversible) are obtained simply by restricting 𝒲 to the corresponding subspace. We also discuss non-degeneracy conditions, and the resulting reduction in the number of parameters needed in parametrized families to guarantee the existence of invariant tori.
The existence of measures of a given cocycle, I: atomless, ergodic σ-finite measures
Authors: MILLER BENJAMIN 
Published: May 2008

AbstractGiven a Polish space X, a countable Borel equivalence relation E on X, and a Borel cocycle $\rho : E \rightarrow (0, \infty )$, we characterize the circumstances under which there is a suitably non-trivial σ-finite measure μ on X such that, for every Borel injection ϕ whose graph is contained in E, ρ(ϕ−1(x),x)=[d(ϕ*μ)/dμ](x) μ-almost everywhere.
Status of the East Asian population of the Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus: the need for urgent conservation action
Authors: Shi H. Q. , Liu N. F. , Cao L. , Barter M. A. 
Published: May 2008

AbstractThe Dalmatian Pelican Pelecanus crispus is a globally threatened species with three distinct populations, the smallest of which is the almost extinct eastern race with an estimated population size of 50 birds breeding in Mongolia and migrating to south-east China during the winter. We analysed recent survey information and published records to construct a picture of the annual life cycle of the Dalmatian Pelican and how it has changed over the years. We were able to obtain a total of 196 records from 82 sites in China and Mongolia dating back to 1862. Seasonal information was available for 168 records. The pelicans breed in western Mongolia and migrate in a south-easterly direction to the Bo Sea and then southwards along the coasts of Shandong and Jiangsu to the wintering area in south-east China. Return migration to the breeding grounds follows the same general path. There is some evidence that part of the population uses an inland migration route linking the wetlands along the Yellow and Huai Rivers and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River; this route was probably more important historically. The pelicans are encountering serious problems at all stages of their annual life cycle: destruction of nesting habitat and hunting in the breeding area, loss of important wetland habitats along the inland migration routes, and land claim, human disturbance and overexploitation of fisheries resources on the coast. It is highly desirable that a simultaneous count be conducted of the key wintering sites so that an accurate population estimate can be obtained. Use of satellite telemetry would provide very useful information on migration strategies and home ranges in the wintering grounds, and assist greatly in identifying key habitats for conservation action at different stages of the annual life cycle.
α2A‐Adrenoceptor antagonism increases insulin secretion and synergistically augments the insulinotropic effect of glibenclamide in mice
Authors: Fagerholm V , Scheinin M , Haaparanta M 
Published: May 2008

Background and purpose:The imidazoline‐type α2‐adrenoceptor antagonists (±)‐efaroxan and phentolamine increase insulin secretion and reduce blood glucose levels. It is not known whether they act by antagonizing pancreatic β‐cell α2‐adrenoceptors or by α2‐adrenoceptor‐independent mechanisms. Many imidazolines inhibit the pancreatic β‐cell KATP channel, which is the molecular target of sulphonylurea drugs used in the treatment of type II diabetes. To investigate the mechanisms of action of (±)‐efaroxan and phentolamine, α2A‐adrenoceptor knockout (α2A‐KO) mice were used.Experimental approach:Effects of (±)‐efaroxan, 5 mg kg−1, and phentolamine, 1 mg kg−1, on blood glucose and insulin levels were compared with those of the non‐imidazoline α2‐adrenoceptor antagonist [8aR,12aS,13aS]‐5,8,8a,9,10,11,12,12a,13,13a‐decahydro‐3‐methoxy‐ 12‐(ethylsulphonyl)‐6H‐isoquino[2,1‐g][1,6]naphthyridine (RS79948‐197), 1 mg kg−1, and the sulphonylurea glibenclamide, in α2A‐KO and control (wild type (WT)) mice.Key results:In fed WT mice, (±)‐efaroxan, phentolamine and RS79948‐197 reduced blood glucose and increased insulin levels. Fasting abolished these effects. In fed α2A‐KO mice, (±)‐efaroxan, phentolamine and RS79948‐197 did not alter blood glucose or insulin levels, and in fasted α2A‐KO mice, blood glucose levels were increased. Glibenclamide, at a dose only moderately efficacious in WT mice (5 mg kg−1), caused severe hyperinsulinaemia and hypoglycaemia in α2A‐KO mice. This was mimicked in WT mice by co‐administration of RS79948‐197 with glibenclamide.Conclusions and implications:These results suggest that (±)‐efaroxan and phentolamine increase insulin secretion by inhibition of β‐cell α2A‐adrenoceptors, and demonstrate a critical role for α2A‐adrenoceptors in limiting sulphonylurea‐induced hyperinsulinaemia and hypoglycaemia.British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 154, 1287–1296; doi:10.1038/bjp.2008.186; published online 19 May 2008
The potential for genomics in potato improvement.
Authors: Duguay J. L. , Li XiuQing Li XiuQing , Regan S. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Demand for the potato, the fourth most consumed food crop in the world, is steadily increasing. In order to meet the rising demands on the industry, researchers and breeders have been working to better all aspects of potato production, including improvements to the tuber itself. This review will highlight the potential for genomics-assisted advancements, paying particular attention to the genomics tools and resources that are available, and the translation of this information into potato improvements. Immense amounts of genomic data have been generated from expressed sequence tag library construction, molecular linkage maps and microarray expression analyses. This information is helping to clarify the genetic components underlying many of the traits that are important for the continued success of the potato, including increased yields, processing quality traits and disease/pest resistance. Natural genetic resources, such as wild potato varieties and germplasm collections contain valuable genetic variation that, when combined with genomics-assisted breeding techniques such as marker-assisted selection and polymorphism identification, hold great potential for future improvements. With the continued integration of genomics tools and information with rapidly developing technologies such as proteomics and metabolomics, improvements to potato health and quality characteristics will be achieved in an expedited manner with full knowledge and understanding of the genetics involved. Moreover, as the technology advances, the potential exists for the production of potatoes with improved environmental and economic impacts, thus ensuring the sustainability of the industry for future generations.
EU regulations on the traceability and detection of GMOs: difficulties in interpretation, implementation and compliance.
Authors: Davison J. , Bertheau Y. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Europe has probably the strictest GMO regulation in the world. Its objectives are to give maximum protection of public health and the environment, while at the same time providing a science-based regulatory structure where biotechnology can flourish. In contrast to the situation in the USA, European opinion on the health and environmental biosafety of GMOs has been highly polarized, with the result that the public has expressed the desire of having an informed choice in what they are eating. Consequently, the European Union has introduced legislation on the traceability and detection of GMOs, including labelling of food and feed containing GMOs, or derived products thereof, above a defined threshold of fortuitous presence. This review article summarizes EC regulations, directives and recommendations on traceability and labelling, and discusses the practical problems involved in their implementation. These include the definition of the labelling threshold and the units of measure, sampling of large cargos, mixtures of GMOs, stacked genes, unauthorized GMOs, unknown GMOs and asynchronous approval. The ways in which the EC integrated project Co-Extra is contributing to the resolution of these problems are also discussed.
AgBase: a tool for systems biology in agricultural species.
Authors: Nanduri B. , McCarthy F. M. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Genome sequences are available for several agriculturally important species (both eukaryotic and prokaryotic) and genome sequences and '-omics' technologies show promise for translating genomics data into increased production efficiency, sustainable agriculture and advances for the bio-economy. However, predictive and preventative systems modelling depends on biological information and not just genomics data. Systems biology approaches allow the integration of various '-omics' data to produce valuable models to understand complex biological systems. The two approaches for doing systems biology are bottom-up modelling and top-down modelling. We focus on top-down systems biology, which entails four fundamental and overlapping steps: the enumeration of the system's parts, elucidation of interactions between these parts, modelling regulation of these interaction networks and generating predictive and dynamic models. Systems biology in agriculturally important species is truly possible only when all the elements required for systems biology become available for these species. The AgBase databases provide critical components for systems biology modelling in agriculture as they provide experimentally based structural annotation of genomic sequences and highly curated functional annotations of gene products using Gene Ontology (GO). The GO underpins network analysis and can also be used to model physiological function in biological systems. Like the '-omics' data being modelled, agricultural databases (and agricultural researchers) need to be better integrated to support the multidisciplinary research required for systems biology.
Bovine venereal campylobacteriosis: an overview.
Authors: Mshelia G. D. , Singh J. , Amin J. D. , Woldehiwet Z. , Egwu G. O. , Murray R. D. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract

Campylobacter fetus
is a well-recognized pathogen of animals and humans. The organism has been divided into two subspecies,
C. fetus
subsp.
venerealis
and
C. fetus
subsp.
fetus
, that are highly related phenotypically and genotypically. Due to this relatedness, it has become imperative to differentiate these two subspecies in order to avoid misdiagnosis and highlight clonal origins geographically. The principal phenotypic differentiating test at the moment is the growth of
C. fetus
subsp.
fetus
in the presence of 1% glycine, but glycine-tolerant variants of
C. fetus
subsp.
venerealis
have also been described. Molecular tools such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP), numerical analysis of pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE)-DNA profiles and gene sequence analysis amongst others have been used to differentiate
C. fetus
subspecies; and they seem to hold promise for the future.
C. fetus
subsp.
fetus
colonize the intestines of cattle and sheep and is associated with sporadic abortions and enteritis, while,
C. fetus
subsp.
venerealis
is highly adapted to the genital tracts of cattle and is the causative agent of bovine venereal campylobacteriosis (BVC). This disease has a worldwide distribution and is of major economic concern to cattle industries in various parts of the world. The prevalence of the disease is highest in the developing countries where natural breeding in cattle is widely practiced. BVC is associated with lowered fertility, embryo mortality and abortion; other clinical features of the disease include many services per conception, poor pregnancy rates, long calving intervals, stillbirths and birth of weak calves that may eventually die. Vaccines have been shown to be useful in the protection of cattle against the menace of BVC, but commercial vaccines are only available in some parts of the world where advanced agricultural practices have limited its occurrence. The continued presence of this disease in the developing world poses a threat to sustainable cattle production efforts in these countries. Previous reviews highlighted the epidemiology, pathogenesis and diagnosis of the disease; in this review the clinical features of BVC, advances in diagnosis, treatment and prevention, as well as the geographic distribution of the disease have been reviewed. To achieve faster results worldwide, the need for collaborative research on BVC between investigators in developing countries and their counterparts in the developed countries has been recommended.
Applications of radio frequency identification (RFID) in meat production: two case studies.
Authors: Townsend A. , Mennecke B. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Radio frequency identification (RFID) is of increasing importance in the meat industry because of the increasing need to manage information about animal products as these products progress through the value chain. Broader industry trends driven by retailers such as Wal-Mart as well as US government initiatives from the Department of Defense (DOD) and US Department of Agriculture (USDA) have pushed RFID to the forefront as a vital technology for enabling supply chain product traceability, location intelligence and product tracking. Because of the increasing importance of this topic in various segments of the meat supply chain, it is critical that stakeholders in the meat industry develop greater knowledge about RFID capabilities and limitations. To address this need, we review the important features of RFID and discuss its application in managing and creating intelligence about meat product status in the value chain. We also illustrate the value of RFID in meat production by presenting two case studies showing how it can be used to bring value to specific segments of the meat industry.
How useful is sustainability as a paradigm to shape agriculture.
Authors: Pearson C. J. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Sustainability meets the criteria of a paradigm. Agricultural research oriented to sustainability has risen since 1975 to about 3500 publications per year. A working definition of a sustainable agricultural system is one that maintains or improves the environmental, human (social) and economic capitals of part or preferably all the food chain involving farm inputs, on-farm activities and transfers to the consumer. This review asks three questions to evaluate whether the paradigm is having a major influence in shaping agriculture. To what extent has it altered the nature of agricultural research? To what extent has it become embedded in rural development? And has its rise coincided with the solving of some obvious large-scale problems of non-sustainability? It appears that in the majority of government extension programmes and the scientific literature there is a gap between the professed generic goal of sustainability and the recommended innovations, practices or suggested monitoring, if any. Organically certified systems are the best example of operationalizing the paradigm. To increase the impact of the paradigm in shaping agriculture will require the essence of sustainable systems to be described simply and more rigorous analysis of the impact of an innovation in terms of some measures, or sampling, of all three (human, social and economic) capitals.
Virus-induced gene silencing and its applications.
Authors: Senthil-Kumar M. , Anand A. , Uppalapati S. R. , Mysore K. S. 
Published: May 2008

Abstract
Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is an efficient tool for plant functional genomics. Our current understanding about the phenomenon of post-transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS) in plant defence against viruses has enabled us to modify virus genomes for VIGS in different plant species. In this review, we provide a comprehensive update on the application of VIGS. We have attempted to cover the following topics in this review: different VIGS vectors available to date; VIGS as a tool to identify novel genes involved in various aspects of plant biology; VIGS in different plant species; utility of VIGS in different plant organs; VIGS for deciphering cellular functions of known genes; and future application of VIGS in modern plant biology.