bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Drying of carrot slices using infrared radiation
Authors: Kocabiyik Habib , Tezer Dilvin 
Published: December 2008

SummaryCarrot slices were dried from initial moisture content of 8.52 kg water kg−1 dry matter to 0.11 kg water kg−1 dry matter by infrared dryer. Experiments were conducted using three levels of infrared power (300, 400 and 500 W) and at air velocities (1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 m s−1). The effects of process variables on the drying kinetics of carrot, drying time, specific energy consumption and quality parameters of dried carrot (shrinkage, rehydration ratio and colour) were investigated. The drying time at infrared power of 300, 400 and 500 W was 252 and 277 min, 205 and 236 min, and 145 and 155 min at air velocities of 1.0 and 2.0 m s−1, respectively. The drying rate increased with increasing infrared power. The specific energy consumption values varied between 12.22 and 14.58 MJ kg−1‐evaporated water for all the drying conditions. Shrinkage, rehydration ratio and colour parameters were found to be affected by process variables.
Decision‐making: initiating insulin therapy for adults with diabetes
Authors: McDowell Joan R.S. , Coates Vivien , Davis Ruth , Brown Florence , Dromgoole Paul , Lowes Lesley , Turner Eileen V. , Thompson Kate 
Published: December 2008

AbstractTitle.  Decision‐making: initiating insulin therapy for adults with diabetes. Aim.  This paper is a report of a study to describe nurses’ perceptions of decision‐making and the evidence base for the initiation of insulin therapy.Background.  Several theoretical perspectives and professional’s attributes underpin decision‐making to commence insulin therapy. The management of type 2 diabetes is moving from secondary to primary care and this affects how clinical decisions are made, by whom and the evidence base for these decisions.Method.  A postal survey was conducted with a stratified sample of 3478 Diabetes Specialist Nurses and Practice Nurses with a special interest in diabetes across the four countries of the United Kingdom. A total of 1310 valid responses were returned, giving a response rate of 37·7%. The questionnaire was designed for the study and pilot‐tested before use. Responses were given using Likert‐type scales. Data were collected during 2005 and 2006, and one reminder was sent.Results.  People with diabetes are seen as having little influence in decision‐making. Consultant physicians appear to be influential in most decisions, and the nursing groups held varying perceptions of who made clinical decisions. Nurses’ identified different responsibilities for those working solely in secondary care from those working in both community and secondary care. Practice nurses were not as involved as anticipated.Conclusion.  Nurses working with people with diabetes need to encourage them to become more active partners in care. Clinical guidelines can assist in decision‐making where nurses are least experienced in initiating insulin therapy.
Mothers’ experiences of parenting a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder
Authors: Peters Kathleen , Jackson Debra 
Published: December 2008

AbstractTitle.  Mothers’ experiences of parenting a child with attention deficit hyperactivitydisorder. Aim.  This paper is a report of a study to explore the perceptions and experiences of mothers parenting a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.Background.  Previous quantitative studies have focussed on parenting styles and treatments, and highlight that attention deficit hyperactivity disorder has a negative impact on family functioning. However, fewer researchers have explored maternal experiences of parenting a child with this disorder. A narrative‐based feminist approach can provide greater insights into complex issues related to mothering a child with this disorder.Method.  Data were collected in 2007 with a volunteer sample of 11 mothers of children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder via in‐depth interviews. Analysis was completed by listening for self‐evaluative statements, paying attention to meta‐statements and by identifying both consistencies and incongruities within participant’s narratives.Findings.  Dominant issues identified were: It’s been 10 years of being on edge: The caring responsibility as overwhelming; If I had my time over again, I wouldn’t tell the truth: Stigmatized, scrutinized and criticized; What have I done? What did I do? How come I’ve got this child: Guilt and self‐blame and He doesn’t stand a chance: Mother as advocate.Conclusion.  Mothering a child with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder is stressful and demanding, and mothers felt marginalized. Media portrayal of this disorder contributes to confusion related to causes, diagnosis and treatment choices. More education for healthcare professionals is needed to enable them to give appropriate guidance and support to enhance outcomes for children and their parents.
Looking at movies and cartoons: eye‐tracking evidence from Williams syndrome and autism
Authors: Riby D. , Hancock P. J. B. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractBackground  Autism and Williams syndrome (WS) are neuro‐developmental disorders associated with distinct social phenotypes. While individuals with autism show a lack of interest in socially important cues, individuals with WS often show increased interest in socially relevant information.Methods  The current eye‐tracking study explores how individuals with WS and autism preferentially attend to social scenes and movie extracts containing human actors and cartoon characters. The proportion of gaze time spent fixating on faces, bodies and the scene background was investigated.Results  While individuals with autism preferentially attended to characters' faces for less time than was typical, individuals with WS attended to the same regions for longer than typical. For individuals with autism atypical gaze behaviours extended across human actor and cartoon images or movies but for WS atypicalities were restricted to human actors.Conclusions  The reported gaze behaviours provide experimental evidence of the divergent social interests associated with autism and WS.
Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium Std fimbriae bind terminal α(1,2)fucose residues in the cecal mucosa
Authors: Chessa Daniela , Winter Maria G. , Jakomin Marcello , Bäumler Andreas J. 
Published: December 2008

SummaryThe std operon encodes a fimbrial adhesin of Salmonella enterica serotype Typhimurium that is required for attachment to intestinal epithelial cells and for cecal colonization in the mouse. To study the mechanism by which this virulence factor contributes to colonization we characterized its binding specificity. Std‐mediated binding to human colonic epithelial (Caco‐2) cells could be abrogated by removing N‐linked glycans. Adherence of Std fimbriated S. Typhimurium to Caco‐2 cells could be blocked by co‐incubation with H type 2 oligosaccharide (Fucα1‐2Galβ1‐4GlcNAc) or by pretreatment of cells with α1‐2 fucosidase. In contrast, pretreatment of Caco‐2 cells with neuraminidase or co‐incubation with the type 2 disaccharide precursor (Galβ1‐4GlcNAc) did not reduce adherence of Std fimbriated S. Typhimurium. Binding of purified Std fimbriae to Fucα1‐2Galβ1‐4GlcNAc in a solid phase binding assay was competitively inhibited by Ulex europaeus agglutinin‐I (UEA‐I), a lectin specific for Fucα1‐2 moieties. Purified Std fimbriae and UEA both bound to a receptor localized in the mucus layer of the murine cecum. These data suggest that the std operon encodes an adhesin that binds an α1‐2 fucosylated receptor(s) present in the cecal mucosa.
The archaeal RNA polymerase subunit P and the eukaryotic polymerase subunit Rpb12 are interchangeable in vivo and in vitro
Authors: Reich Christoph , Zeller Mirijam , Milkereit Philipp , Hausner Winfried , Cramer Patrick , Tschochner Herbert , Thomm Michael 
Published: December 2008

SummaryThe general subunit of all three eukaryotic RNA polymerases, Rpb12, and subunit P of the archaeal enzyme show sequence similarities in their N‐terminal zinc ribbon and some highly conserved residues in the C‐terminus. We report here that archaeal subunit P under the control of a strong yeast promoter could complement the lethal phenotype of a RPB12 deletion mutant and that subunit Rpb12 from yeast can functionally replace subunit P during reconstitution of the archaeal RNA polymerase. The ΔP enzyme is unable to form stable open complexes, but can efficiently extend a dinucleotide on a premelted template or RNA on an elongation scaffold. This suggests that subunit P is directly or indirectly involved in promoter opening. The activity of the ΔP enzyme can be rescued by the addition of Rpb12 or subunit P to transcription reactions. Mutation of cysteine residues in the zinc ribbon impair the activity of the enzyme in several assays and this mutated form of P is rapidly replaced by wild‐type P in transcription reactions. The conserved zinc ribbon in the N‐terminus seems to be important for proper interaction of the complete subunit with other RNA polymerase subunits and a 17‐amino‐acid C‐terminal peptide is sufficient to support all basic RNA polymerase functions in vitro.
Sequence requirements for the export of the Plasmodium falciparum Maurer's clefts protein REX2
Authors: Haase Silvia , Herrmann Susann , Grüring Christof , Heiber Arlett , Jansen Pascal W. , Langer Christine , Treeck Moritz , Cabrera Ana , Bruns Caroline , Struck Nicole S. , Kono Maya , Engelberg Klemens , Ruch Ulrike , Stunnenberg Hendrik G. , Gilberger Tim‐Wolf , Spielmann Tobias 
Published: December 2008

SummaryA short motif termed Plasmodium export element (PEXEL) or vacuolar targeting signal (VTS) characterizes Plasmodium proteins exported into the host cell. These proteins mediate host cell modifications essential for parasite survival and virulence. However, several PEXEL‐negative exported proteins indicate that the currently predicted malaria exportome is not complete and it is unknown whether and how these proteins relate to PEXEL‐positive export. Here we show that the N‐terminal 10 amino acids of the PEXEL‐negative exported protein REX2 (ring‐exported protein 2) are necessary for its targeting and that a single‐point mutation in this region abolishes export. Furthermore we show that the REX2 transmembrane domain is also essential for export and that together with the N‐terminal region it is sufficient to promote export of another protein. An N‐terminal region and the transmembrane domain of the unrelated PEXEL‐negative exported protein SBP1 (skeleton‐binding protein 1) can functionally replace the corresponding regions in REX2, suggesting that these sequence features are also present in other PEXEL‐negative exported proteins. Similar to PEXEL proteins we find that REX2 is processed, but in contrast, detect no evidence for N‐terminal acetylation.
Monogenic resistance to a new fungicide, JS399‐19, in Gibberella zeae
Authors: Chen Y. , Chen C. J. , Zhou M. G. , Wang J. X. , Zhang W. Z. 
Published: December 2008

The fungicide JS399‐19 is a novel cyanoacrylate fungicide active against Gibberella zeae, and has been marketed in China for control of fusarium head blight (FHB) on wheat. Forty‐three isolates sensitive to fungicide JS399‐19 were collected from three commercial wheat fields in China. Forty‐five isolates resistant to JS399‐19, obtained from five sensitive isolates by selection for resistance to JS399‐19, were selected. Three sensitivity levels were identified: sensitive (S), moderately resistant (MR) and highly resistant (HR) to JS399‐19, based on a previous study. Eight isolates representing the three sensitivity‐level phenotypes were randomly selected for a study on the inheritance of JS399‐19 resistance by analysing the sensitivity of hybrid F1 progeny. A nitrate‐non‐utilizing mutant (nit) was used as a genetic marker to confirm that individual perithecia were the result of outcrossing. Five crosses were assessed: S × S, S × HR, MR × HR, HR × HR and MR × S. In crosses between parents with different sensitivity levels, such as S × HR, MR × HR and MR × S, the progeny fitted a 1:1 segregation ratio of the two parental phenotypes. No segregation was observed in the crosses S × S and HR × HR. It was concluded that the MR and HR phenotypes in G. zeae were conferred by different allelic mutations within the same locus. In these isolates, resistance to JS399‐19 was not affected by modifying genes or cytoplasmic components.
Modifying Antibody Specificity by Chain Shuffling of VH / VL between Antibodies with Related Specificities
Authors: Christensen P. A. , Danielczyk A. , Ravn P. , Larsen M. , Stahn R. , Karsten U. , Goletz S. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractHisto‐blood group antigens are important markers of developmental stages and as such also often of tumours. Generation of antibodies towards these carbohydrate structures is still a challenging task as they may lack specificity, affinity or are only of the IgM class. We have examined four own antibodies to Lewis Y/H type 2 for their fine specificities using a large panel of mono‐ and oligosaccharides. Sequence alignment to other antibodies with similar specificity revealed an overall limited variation, and that our antibodies constitute a novel set. Based on produced and analysed chimeric mouse–human antibodies, extensive chain shuffling experiments were performed in order to analyse influences of the respective H and L chains on the specificity of the antibodies, and to generate modified antibodies with improved properties. One chIgG1 out of the shuffled antibodies revealed improved specificity and markedly enhanced functional affinity to Lewis Y compared to the parental chIgG1 antibodies. Therefore, the combinatorial approach of chain shuffling provides a platform to improve specificity and/or affinity of anti‐carbohydrate antibodies.
The Additive Contribution from Inflammatory Genetic Markers on the Severity of Cardiovascular Disease
Authors: Berg K. K. , Madsen H. O. , Garred P. , Wiseth R. , Gunnes S. , Videm V. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractInflammation plays a key role in the development of atherosclerosis. Genetic differences in molecules related to inflammation have therefore been linked to the susceptibility for and severity of atherosclerosis. We hypothesized that the additive contribution from different genes of importance for inflammation would enhance the severity of cardiovascular disease. Blood samples were collected from 230 adults admitted for elective coronary angiography. A total of 130 patients had significant (>50%) stenosis in at least one main coronary artery branch and 100 had not. Six polymorphisms in five different genes were analysed: myeloperoxidase (MPO) −129G/A and −463G/A, toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) Asp299Gly, interleukin‐6 (IL6) −174G/C, surfactant protein D (SFTPD) Met11Thr and regulated upon normal T‐cell expressed and secreted (CCL5) −403G/A. The IL6 polymorphism was significantly associated (P = 0.017) to angiographic significant coronary artery disease, and this relation remained after adjustment for age, gender, smoking and hypercholesterolaemia (P = 0.007). The TLR4 (P = 0.050) and SFTPD (P = 0.058) polymorphisms were also associated with the presence of coronary stenosis in univariate but not in multivariate analyses. For MPO and CCL5 no associations were found. There was a significant linear association between the number of high‐risk gene variants (IL6−174CC, SFTPD 11CC and TLR4 299AA) and the proportion of patients with coronary artery disease (P < 0.0005). Inherited factors related to inflammation may increase susceptibility for severe coronary artery disease. Furthermore, the additive contribution from different inflammatory genetic markers strongly enhances the individual severity of cardiovascular disease.
Induction of Cell Death in Human Macrophages by a Highly Virulent Korean Isolate of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and the Virulent Strain H37Rv
Authors: Sohn H. , Lee K.‐S. , Kim S.‐Y. , Shin D.‐M. , Shin S.‐J. , Jo E.‐K. , Park J.‐K. , Kim H.‐J. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractRecent studies have suggested that virulent strains of Mycobacterium tuberculosis induce apoptosis in macrophages less often than do attenuated strains. K‐strain, which belongs to the Beijing family, is the most frequently isolated clinical strain of M. tuberculosis in Korea. In this study, we investigated the differential induction of cell death in human monocytic THP‐1 cells by K‐strain and H37Rv, a virulent but laboratory‐adapted strain of M. tuberculosis. Although no significant difference in growth rate was observed between the cells exposed to K‐strain and those exposed to H37Rv, the levels of protective cytokines such as tumour necrosis factor (TNF)‐α, interleukin (IL)‐6 and IL‐12p40 were lower in K‐strain‐infected cells than in H37Rv‐infected cells. Cell viability assays showed that both K‐strain and H37Rv, but not heat‐ or streptomycin‐killed bacteria, induced THP‐1 cell death in a TNF‐independent manner. In contrast, double staining with fluorochrome‐labelled inhibitors of caspase and propidium iodide and lactate dehydrogenase release assays revealed that K‐strain induced significantly higher levels of necrotic cell death, rather than apoptosis, in THP‐1 cells than did H37Rv. Anti‐apoptotic Bcl‐2, Mcl‐1, Bfl‐1 and Bcl‐xL in the cells were significantly upregulated following infection with K‐strain compared with H37Rv, whereas Bax was slightly upregulated in response to infection with both H37Rv and K‐strain. These results suggest that the highly virulent K‐strain keeps cellular apoptosis as a host defense mechanism to a minimum and induces necrosis in macrophages.
Inhibition of TNF‐α‐induced Cyclooxygenase‐2 Expression by Mycobacterium bovis BCG in Human Alveolar Epithelial A549 Cells
Authors: Bansal K. , Narayana Y. , Balaji K. N. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractCyclooxygenase‐2 (COX‐2) is implicated in pathophysiological processes associated with the initiation or maintenance of host inflammatory responses to infection. Our results demonstrates that Mycobacterium bovis BCG (M. bovis BCG) downregulates tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α)‐induced COX‐2 gene expression in alveolar epithelial cells by inhibiting the phosphorylations of Raf‐1 and p38 kinases. Further, M. bovis BCG‐mediated inhibition of COX‐2 or p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase could be reversed by Calyculin A, a selective inhibitor of Ser/Thr phosphatases. Moreover, M. bovis BCG inhibited the TNF‐α‐triggered NF‐κB activation following IκB degradation. Taken together, these results suggest that the attenuation of COX‐2 expression by vaccine strain, M. bovis BCG, represents a novel strategy to maintain robust host proinflammatory responses to subsequent challenges with virulent tuberculosis bacilli.
Evaluation of Tumour‐Associated Antigen (TAA) Miniarray in Immunodiagnosis of Colon Cancer
Authors: Liu W. , Wang P. , Li Z. , Xu W. , Dai L. , Wang K. , Zhang J. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractPrevious studies demonstrated that cancer sera contain antibodies, which react with a unique group of autologous cellular antigens called tumour‐associated antigens (TAAs). This study determines whether a mini‐array of multiple TAAs would enhance antibody detection and be a useful approach in colon cancer detection and diagnosis. The mini‐array of multiple TAAs was composed of five TAAs including Imp1, p62, Koc, p53 and c‐myc full‐length recombinant proteins. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to detect antibodies against these five TAAs in 46 sera from patients with colon cancer and also 58 sera from normal individuals. Antibody frequency to any individual TAA in colon cancer was variable and ranged from 15.2% to 23.9%. With the successive addition of TAAs to a final total of five antigens, there was a stepwise increase of positive antibody reactions reaching a sensitivity of 60.9% and a specificity of 89.7% in colon cancer. Positive and negative likelihood ratio was 5.91 and 0.43 respectively, which showed that the clinical diagnostic value of parallel assay of five TAAs was high. Positive and negative predictive values were respectively 82.4% and 74.3% indicating that parallel assay of five TAAs raised the diagnostic precision greatly. Agreement rate and Kappa value were 76.9% and 0.52 respectively, which indicated that the observed value of this assay had middle range coincidence with actual value. The data from this study further support our previous hypothesis that detection of autoantibodies for diagnosis of certain type of cancer can be enhanced by using a mini‐array of several TAAs as target antigens. In 19 colon cancer sera with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) negative, 11 (57.9%) were found to have anti‐TAA antibodies. When CEA and anti‐TAAs were used together as markers in colon cancer detection, the diagnostic sensitivity could be raised from 60.9% to 82.6%. A customized antigen mini‐array using a panel of appropriately selected TAAs can enhance autoantibody detection in immunodiagnosis of colon cancer. Anti‐TAA and CEA were independent markers and the simultaneous use of these two markers significantly raised the sensitivity of colon cancer detection.
Inhibition of Human Neutrophil Apoptosis by Paracoccidioides brasiliensis: Role of Interleukin‐8
Authors: Acorci M. J. , Dias‐Melicio L. A. , Golim M. A. , Bordon‐Graciani A. P. , Peraçoli M. T. S. , Soares Â. M. V. C. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractParacoccidioidomycosis (PCM) is a systemic mycosis caused by Paracoccidiodes brasiliensis that presents a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations. Because of the great number of neutrophils polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN) found in the P. brasiliensis granuloma, studies have been done to evaluate the role of these cells during the development of the infection. This fungus is found intracellularly in PMN and monocytes/macrophages, suggesting that it is capable of evading damage and surviving inside these cells. Thus, in the present study, we investigated whether P. brasiliensis can prolong the lifetime of PMN, and if this process would be related with IL‐8 levels. PMN apoptosis and intracellular levels of IL‐8 were analysed by flow cytometry and culture supernatants IL‐8 levels were evaluated by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. We found that coincubation with P. brasiliensis yeast cells results in an inhibition of PMN apoptosis, which was associated with increase in IL‐8 production by these cells. Cocultures treatment with monoclonal antibody anti‐IL‐8 reversed the inhibitory effect of P. brasiliensis on PMN apoptosis, besides to increase spontaneous apoptosis of these cells. These data show that, in contrast to other microbial pathogens that drive phagocytes into apoptosis to escape killing, P. brasiliensis can extend the lifetime of normal human PMN by inducing autocrine IL‐8 production.