bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
EDM2 is required for RPP7‐dependent disease resistance in Arabidopsis and affects RPP7 transcript levels
Authors: Eulgem Thomas , Tsuchiya Tokuji , Wang Xiao‐Jun , Beasley Britt , Cuzick Alayne , Tör Mahmut , Zhu Tong , McDowell John M. , Holub Eric , Dangl Jeffery L. 
Published: January 2007

SummarySpecific disease resistance of Arabidopsis thaliana against the Hyaloperonospora parasitica isolate Hiks1 (HpHiks1) is mediated by RPP7. Although this disease resistance gene encodes a typical nucleotide binding site leucine‐rich repeat (NB‐LRR) disease resistance protein, its function is independent of the defense hormone salicylic acid and most known genes required for plant immune responses. We identified EDM2 (enhanced downy mildew 2) in a genetic screen for RPP7 suppressors. Mutations of EDM2 phenocopy RPP7 mutations, but do not affect other tested disease resistance genes. We isolated EDM2 by map‐based cloning. The predicted EDM2 protein is structurally unrelated to previously identified components of the plant immune system, bears typical features of transcriptional regulators, including plant homeodomain (PHD)‐finger‐like domains, and defines a plant‐specific protein family. In edm2 mutants both constitutive and HpHiks1‐induced RPP7 transcript levels are reduced, suggesting that EDM2 is either a direct or an indirect regulator of RPP7 expression. Microarray analyses defined a set of defense‐associated genes, the expression of which is suppressed during successful HpHiks1 colonization of either rpp7 or edm2 plants. This transcriptional phenotype is counteracted by an EDM2/RPP7‐dependent mechanism.
Resource‐dependent sex‐allocation in a simultaneous hermaphrodite
Authors: VIZOSO D. B. , SCHÄRER L. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractMost sex allocation theory is based on the relationship between the resource investment into male and female reproduction and the consequent fitness returns (often called fitness‐gain curves). Here we investigate the effects of resource availability on the sex allocation of a simultaneously hermaphroditic animal, the free‐living flatwormMacrostomum lignano. We kept the worms under different resource levels and determined the size of their testes and ovaries over a period of time. At higher resource levels, worms allocated relatively more into the female function, suggesting a saturating male fitness‐gain curve for this species. A large part of the observed effect was due to a correlated increase in body size, showing size‐dependent sex allocation inM. lignano. However, a significant part of the overall effect was independent of body size, and therefore likely due to the differences in resource availability. Moreover, in accordance with a saturating male fitness‐gain curve, the worms developed the male gonads first. As the group size was kept constant, our results contrast with expectations from sex allocation models that deal with local mate competition alone, and with previous experiments that test these models.
STOBADINE PROTECTS RAT KIDNEY AGAINST ISCHAEMIA/REPERFUSION INJURY
Authors: Guz Galip , Demirogullari Billur , Ulusu Nuray N , Dogu Cihangir , Demirtola Arzu , Kavutcu Mustafa , Omeroglu Suna , Stefek Milan , Karasu Cimen 
Published: January 2007

SUMMARY

Ischaemia–reperfusion (I/R) injury, one of the main causes of acute renal failure, still needs satisfactory treatment for routine clinical application. Stobadine, a novel synthetic pyridoindole anti‐oxidant, has the ability to reduce tissue injury induced by mechanisms involving reactive oxygen species during I/R. The aim of the present study was to determine the effects of stobadine on renal I/R injury.
Forty male Wistar rats were randomly divided into four groups as follows: sham, I/R, stobadine treated and I/R + stobadine treated. Stobadine (2 mg/kg, i.v.) was given intravenously to two groups of rats. The stobadine‐treated group was treated with stobadine following sham operation before the abdominal wall was closed, whereas the I/R + stobadine group received stobadine at the beginning of reperfusion. Renal I/R was achieved by occluding the renal arteries bilaterally for 40 min, followed by 6 h reperfusion. Immediately thereafter, blood was drawn and tissue samples were harvested to assess: (i) serum levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine; (ii) serum and/or tissue levels of malondialdehyde (MDA), glutathione (GSH), glucose 6‐phosphate dehydrogenase (G‐6PD), 6‐phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6‐PGD), glutathione reductase (GR) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx); (iii) renal morphology; and (iv) immunohistochemical staining for P‐selectin.
Stobadine was able to significantly attenuate the renal dysfunction as a result of renal I/R injury. Iscahemia–reperfusion resulted in a significant increase in serum and kidney MDA levels and a decrease in serum and kidney GSH. Stobadine treatment at the beginning of reperfusion attenuated both the increased MDA levels and decreased GSH secondary to I/R injury. In addition, the decreased G‐6PD activity observed after I/R was significantly attenuated by stobadine treatment. Stobadine did not alter 6‐PGD activity after I/R. Neither GR nor GPx activity was significantly changed in the I/R alone or the I/R + stobadine groups compared with the sham group. In addition, stobadine decreased the morphological deterioration and high P‐selectin immunoreactivity secondary to renal I/R injury.
A pyridoindole anti‐oxidant, stobadine exerts a renal protective effect in renal I/R injury, which is probably due to its radical‐scavenging and anti‐oxidant activities.
AMELIORATIVE EFFECT OF CHLOROPHYTUM BORIVILIANUM ROOT ON LIPID METABOLISM IN HYPERLIPAEMIC RATS
Authors: Visavadiya NP , Narasimhacharya AVRL 
Published: January 2007

SUMMARY

The present study examined the efficacy of Chlorophytum borivilianum root (powder) in modulating the hyperlipaemic/hypercholesteraemic conditions in male albino rats.
Administration of C. borivilianum (0.75 and 1.5 g root powder/rat per day for 4 weeks) to hypercholesteraemic rats significantly increased high‐density lipoprotein–cholesterol levels and decreased plasma and hepatic lipid profiles.
In addition, there were significant increases in faecal cholesterol, neutral sterol and bile acid excretion with elevated hepatic 3‐hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase activity and bile acid production.
Furthermore, the hypercholesteraemic rats treated with both doses of C. borivilianum also exhibited increases in superoxide dismutase and ascorbic acid levels.
Normocholesteraemic animals treated with both doses of C. borivilianum root powder did not show any significant variation in either lipid or anti‐oxidant profiles, except for an increase in the hepatic ascorbic acid concentration compared with their untreated counterparts.
The hypolipaemic/hypocholesteraemic effect of C. borivilianum root powder appears to be mediated by an increase in cholesterol turnover via increased faecal cholesterol excretion and, second, through an endogenous cholesterol conversion into bile acid.
Administration of C. borivilianum root powder also increased the activities of anti‐oxidant enzymes and vitamin C levels, which may have enhanced the anti‐oxidant capacity of the liver.
A postsynaptic negative feedback mediated by coupling between AMPA receptors and Na+‐activated K+ channels in spinal cord neurones
Authors: Nanou Evanthia , El Manira Abdeljabbar 
Published: January 2007

AbstractNa+‐activated K+ channels (KNa) exist in different types of neurones and their activation has been shown to depend on Na+ influx via voltage‐activated channels. However, one major route for Na+ influx into neurones is through ionotropic receptors and its role in activating KNa is still unclear. We have examined whether Na+ influx induced by activation of AMPA receptors can activate KNa in lamprey spinal cord neurones. Our results showed that the application of AMPA induced not only the characteristic inward current but also produced an outward current outlasting the activation of the receptors. This outward current was mediated by K+ and was abolished when Na+ was substituted with Li+. The AMPA‐mediated KNa current was completely blocked by quinidine but was not modulated by increased intracellular Cl– concentration or ATP. Thus, Na+ influx via AMPA receptor channels activates KNa with properties similar to Slack channels. The AMPA‐activated KNa may act as an inherent negative feedback mechanism to regulate the homeostasis of excitation.
Engineered expression of polysialic acid enhances Purkinje cell axonal regeneration in L1/GAP‐43 double transgenic mice
Authors: Zhang Yi , Zhang Xinyu , Yeh John , Richardson Peter , Bo Xuenong 
Published: January 2007

AbstractPurkinje axons in adult mammals are generally unable to regenerate after axotomy. Our recent work has shown that over‐expression of growth related genes, GAP‐43 and L1, in Purkinje cells increased their axonal outgrowth into a predegenerated peripheral nerve graft, but not into a fresh graft [Zhang et al., (2005)Proc. Natl Acad. Sci. USA, 102, 14883–14888]. In the current study we investigated whether engineered expression of growth permissive molecule polysialic acid (PSA) in the glial scar or on transplanted Schwann cells could overcome the inhibitory environment and promote Purkinje axonal regeneration. A stab wound was introduced in the cerebellum of the L1/GAP‐43 transgenic mice and a lentiviral vector (LV) carrying the polysialyltransferase (PST) cDNA (LV/PST) was injected into the lesion site to transduce the cells in the glial scar. Regenerating Purkinje axons were examined by calbindin immunostaining. There was increased Purkinje axonal sprouting in the area expressing high‐level PSA. However, Purkinje axons were unable to grow into the lesion cavity. In the second set of experiments when LV/PST transduced Schwann cells were transplanted into the lesion site, the number of Purkinje axons growing into the transplant was nine times more than that growing into Schwann cell transplant expressing GFP two months post operation. Our result suggests that transplanted Schwann cells engineered to express PSA support axonal regeneration better than naïve Schwann cells.
Spinal anesthesia in neonates and infants – a single‐center experience of 505 cases
Authors: KACHKO LUDMYLA , SIMHI ELIAHU , TZEITLIN ELENA , EFRAT RACHEL , TARABIKIN EVELINA , PELED ELIA , METZNER IULIA , KATZ JACOB 
Published: January 2007

SummaryBackground:  Our aim was to assess the safety and efficacy of spinal anesthesia (SA) in newborns and infants undergoing surgery appropriate for this technique.Methods:  The files of 505 patients who underwent surgery under spinal anesthesia since 1998 at a major tertiary hospital in Israel were analyzed retrospectively. SA was performed with bupivacaine 5 mg·ml−1 by attending pediatric anesthesiologists or an anesthesia resident. Demographic data, prematurity history, comorbidities, technical data, cardiovascular stability, complications and supplementary drugs were documented. The surgeon assessed the quality of anesthesia at the end of surgery.Results:  Appropriate SA was achieved in 95.3% of cases; in 69.9% at the first attempt. The mean number of attempts per patient was 1.41 and mean dose of bupivacaine was 0.66 ± 0.16 mg·kg−1. Intravenous sedation, usually with midazolam (dose 0.1–0.2 mg·kg−1) was required in 28.1% of children because of crying/restlessness. Intraoperative conversion to general anesthesia was necessary in five patients (1.04%). The main side effect was bradycardia (<100 b·min−1) without desaturation which occurred in nine patients (1.8%). In three patients (0.62%), high spinal block occurred without bradycardia and hypotension. None of the patients had postoperative meningitis.Conclusions:  SA is safe and effective in newborns and infants undergoing low abdominal, perineal and orthopedic surgery. In order to save time, our advice is to attempt SA after the surgeon is scrubbed, and minimize surgical teaching activity. The need to deal with a small and sometimes sick patient independent of the type of anesthesia requires the presence of an experienced pediatric anesthesiologist.
Volunteering and Income – The Fallacy of the Good Samaritan?
Authors: Hackl Franz , Halla Martin , Pruckner Gerald J. 
Published: January 2007

SUMMARYThis paper explores individual motives for volunteering. The analysis is based on the interpretation of volunteering as a consumption good (consumption model) or as a mean to increase individual's own human capital (investment model). We present an econometric framework taking into account self selection into volunteering and simultaneity between the volunteering decision and the determination of income in order to test these two models and to identify the underlying motives. We find strong statistical evidence for the investment model with a highly robust and significant impact of volunteering on the wage rate. Within the framework of the investment model it turns out that the number of volunteering hours plays a major role in explaining this wage premium. This supports the significance of skill acquisition to accumulate human capital, the importance of deepening of social contacts and signalling willingness to perform. As far as the consumption model is concerned we find no clear statistical evidence for its validity.
Finance and Firm Export in China
Authors: Du Jun , Girma Sourafel 
Published: January 2007

SUMMARYUsing a rich panel data set, we provide a rigorous analysis of the relationship between access to external finance, foreign direct investment and the exports of private enterprises in China. We conclude that, in order to foster the exports of indigenous enterprises, the elimination of financial discrimination against private firms is likely to be a more effective policy tool than the reliance on spillovers from multinational firms.
Using the 2001 Census to Study Human Capital Movements Affecting Britain's Larger Cities: Insights and Issues
Authors: Champion Tony , Coombes Mike 
Published: January 2007

SummaryHuman capital is increasingly being recognized as crucial to the sustained growth of British cities, and the population census is unrivalled as a source of data on the characteristics of people moving to and from cities. Taking advantage of new features in the 2001 census, the paper examines how successful 27 of Britain's largest cities and their regions are in maintaining their labour force complement, giving particular attention to young adults and people working in high level occupations. Considerable variation is apparent between city regions, but the interpretation of results is somewhat hampered by limitations in the census data, prompting recommendations for future data collection.
Fitting Disposition Codes to Mobile Phone Surveys: Experiences from Studies in Finland, Slovenia and the Usa
Authors: Callegaro Mario , Steeh Charlotte , Buskirk Trent D. , Vehovar Vasja , Kuusela Vesa , Piekarski Linda 
Published: January 2007

SummaryUsing mobile phones to conduct survey interviews has gathered momentum recently. However, using mobile telephones in surveys poses many new challenges. One important challenge involves properly classifying final case dispositions to understand response rates and non-response error and to implement responsive survey designs. Both purposes demand accurate assessments of the outcomes of individual call attempts. By looking at actual practices across three countries, we suggest how the disposition codes of the American Association for Public Opinion Research, which have been developed for telephone surveys, can be modified to fit mobile phones. Adding an international dimension to these standard definitions will improve survey methods by making systematic comparisons across different contexts possible.
Forecasting natural gas prices using cointegration technique
Authors: Ghouri Salman Saif 
Published: January 2007

AbstractThis paper uses Augmented Dickey‐Fuller and Phillips‐Perron technique for determining whether individual crude oil prices (West Texas Intermediate, Brent, Japan crude cocktail) and natural gas prices‐ Henry Hub (HH), National Balancing Point (NBP), European and Japanese liquefied natural gas (LNG) prices are stationary or non‐stationary. It then applies Johansen and Juselius cointegration technique for establishing long‐run correlation between respective oil prices and natural gas prices. The paper concludes that all individual series pertaining to oil and natural gas prices are non‐stationary and indeed having long‐run relationship, despite short term drift. Ordinary least square method was used to forecast individual natural gas prices in various markets, assuming of course, that historical relationship continues to hold with respective oil prices throughout the forecasting period. Natural gas prices in each of the markets are expected to be stronger during 2005–25 as compared to respective historical average prices showing the tightness of the market. The mean NBP and HH forecast during 2005–25 are expected to be 92 and 84 per cent stronger than the historical average, whilst LNG prices in Japan continue to exhibit stronger trends during the forecast period as compared to rest of the markets in Europe and North America ‐ showing greater dependency of imports and security of supply considerations.
Measuring potential negative effects of traditional harvesting practices on waterbirds: a case study with migrating curlews
Authors: Navedo J. G. , Masero J. A. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractBecause of potential conflicts between commercial and conservation interests, one challenge in coastal‐area management is how to regulate harvesting practices in coastal areas without adversely affecting the survival of migratory waterbirds. In most Spanish intertidal areas of importance for shorebirds, managers have concentrated only on stock management of the shellfish species. Here, we studied aspects of the foraging behaviour of Eurasian curlews Numenius arquata migrating through a Ramsar area in north Spain in the presence and absence of hand harvesters. We aimed to assess potential negative effects on curlews with a view to making coastal management recommendations that would help reduce conflict between local people and waterbirds. The average density of hand harvesters and foraging curlews at low tide was 0.56±0.09 persons per 10 ha and 16.47±0.73 birds per 10 ha, respectively. The presence of harvesters had a significant effect on foraging activity (no harvesting: 86.47±1.01%; harvesting: 82.70±1.00%). However, the absence of significant differences in all other foraging variables, between days with and without harvesting, indicated that curlews were able to compensate for the impact of harvesters on their foraging activity. We recommend, as a point of departure, that intertidal coastal managers of this Spanish site and similar areas of importance for shorebirds limit the harvesting load to <0.56 persons per 10 ha−1 at least during autumn migration.
Use of insulin glargine during pregnancy: a case–control pilot study
Authors: Price N , Bartlett C , Gillmer MD 
Published: January 2007

Objective  To determine whether the use of insulin glargine during pregnancy is associated with an increase in the incidence of fetal macrosomia or adverse neonatal outcome.Design  A matched case–control study.Setting  Women’s Centre, John Radcliffe Hospital, Oxford, UK.Sample  Sixty‐four pregnant women treated with insulin during their pregnancies, 20 with type I diabetes and 44 with gestational diabetes.Methods  Two groups of women were compared in matched pairs. A study group of 32 pregnant women with diabetes treated with insulin glargine during their pregnancy and a control group of 32 pregnant women treated with an intermediate‐acting human insulin (isophane or insulin zinc suspension) and matched for weight at booking, height, gestation at delivery, parity, fetal sex, duration of insulin use in pregnancy and glycaemic control during the third trimester of pregnancy (glycosylated haemoglobin [HbA1c] concentration and mean blood glucose concentration).Main outcome measures  Birthweight, centile birthweight, the incidence of fetal macrosomia (birthweight > 90th percentile) and neonatal morbidity in the two study groups.Results  There was no significant difference between the birthweight or centile birthweight of babies born to the women treated with insulin glargine during pregnancy and that of the babies born to those in the control group treated with intermediate‐acting human insulin. The overall incidence of fetal macrosomia was 12/32 (37.5%) in the insulin glargine group and 13/32 (40.6%) in the control group. There was no significant difference in neonatal morbidity between the groups.Conclusions  The results of this pilot study indicate that insulin glargine treatment during pregnancy does not appear to be associated with increased fetal macrosomia or neonatal morbidity.
Bimodal occurrence of aspartoacylase in myelin and cytosol of brain
Authors: Wang Jianfeng , Matalon Reuben , Bhatia Gita , Wu Gusheng , Li Hong , Liu Tong , Lu Zi‐Hua , Ledeen Robert W. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractThe growing use of N‐acetylaspartate as an indicator of neuronal viability has fostered interest in the biological function(s) of this unusual amino acid derivative. In considering the various physiological roles that have been proposed for this relatively abundant molecule one is obliged to take into account its unusual metabolic compartmentalization, according to which synthesis and storage occur in the neuron and hydrolytic cleavage in the oligodendrocyte. The latter reaction, catalyzed by aspartoacylase (ASPA), produces acetyl groups plus aspartate and has been proposed to occur in both soluble and membranous subfractions of white matter. Our study supports such bimodal occurrence and we now present immunoblot, proteomic, and biochemical evidence that the membrane‐bound form of ASPA is intrinsic to purified myelin membranes. This was supported by a novel TLC‐based method for the assay of ASPA. That observation, together with previous demonstrations of numerous lipid‐synthesizing enzymes in myelin, suggests utilization of acetyl groups liberated by myelin‐localized ASPA for lipid synthesis within the myelin sheath. Such synthesis might be selective and could explain the deficit of myelin lipids in animals lacking ASPA.
Differentiating embryonic neural progenitor cells induce blood–brain barrier properties
Authors: Weidenfeller Christian , Svendsen Clive N. , Shusta Eric V. 
Published: January 2007

AbstractThe blood–brain barrier (BBB) is a multifunctional endothelial interface separating the bloodstream from the brain interior. Although the mature BBB is well characterized, the embryonic development of this complex system remains poorly understood. Embryonic neural progenitor cells (NPC) are a potential inductive cell type populating the developing brain, and their ability to influence BBB properties was therefore examined. When puromycin‐purified brain microvascular endothelial cells (BMEC) were co‐cultured with embryonic NPC in a two‐compartment Transwell system, the BMEC exhibited enhanced barrier properties in the form of increased transendothelial electrical resistance (TEER) and decreased permeability to the small molecule tracer, sodium fluorescein. These changes required the presence of NPC in the early stages of differentiation and were accompanied by alterations in the fidelity of BMEC tight junctions as indicated by occludin, claudin 5, and zonula occluden‐1 redistribution at cell–cell borders. In contrast to the findings with NPC, post‐natal astrocytes elicited a delayed, but longer duration response in BMEC TEER. BMEC co‐culture also suppressed neuronal differentiation of NPC indicating a reciprocal signaling between the two cell populations. This study demonstrates that NPC–BMEC interactions are prevalent and for the first time demonstrates that NPC are capable of inducing BBB properties.