bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Porcine OGN and ASPN: mapping, polymorphisms and use for quantitative trait loci identification for growth and carcass traits in a Meishan × Piétrain intercross
Authors: Stratil A. , Van Poucke M. , Bartenschlager H. , Knoll A. , Yerle M. , Peelman L. J. , Kopečný M. , Geldermann H. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryThe porcine orthologues of human chromosome HSA9q22.31 genes osteoglycin (OGN) and asporin (ASPN) were mapped to porcine chromosome SSC3 using linkage analysis and a somatic cell hybrid panel. This mapping was refined to SSC3q11 using fluorescence in situ hybridization. These results confirm the existence of a small conserved synteny group between SSC3 and HSA9. Polymorphisms were revealed in both genes, including a pentanucleotide microsatellite (SCZ003) in OGN and two single nucleotide polymorphisms (AM181682.1:g.780G>T and AM181682.1:g.825T>C) in ASPN. The two genes were included in a set of markers for quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping on SSC3 in the Hohenheim Meishan × Piétrain F2 family. Major QTL for growth and carcass traits were centred in the ASPN–SW902 region.
Association of melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) and high mobility group AT‐hook 1 (HMGA1) polymorphisms with pig growth and fat deposition traits
Authors: Kim K. S. , Lee J. J. , Shin H. Y. , Choi B. H. , Lee C. K. , Kim J. J. , Cho B. W. , Kim T.‐H. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryThe aim of this study was to analyse the combined effect of melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) and high mobility group AT‐hook 1 (HMGA1) polymorphisms on growth and fatness traits in Duroc pigs. No significant interaction was observed between MC4R and HMGA1 for back‐fat traits. An additive mode of inheritance of both gene effects was found for average daily gain and lean meat content. Maximum mean differences from combined genotypic effects were over 2 mm for back fat, 70 g/day for average daily gain and 2% for lean meat content. Therefore, utilization of polymorphisms in both MC4R and HMGA1 for marker‐assisted selection could result in an economic benefit to the pig industry.
QTLs associated with growth traits and abdominal fat weight and their interactions with gender and hatch in commercial meat‐type chickens
Authors: Atzmon G. , Ronin Y. I. , Korol A. , Yonash N. , Cheng H. , Hillel J. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryAssociations between microsatellite markers and traits related to growth and fatness were investigated using resource broiler population. A sire‐line × dam‐line F1 male was backcrossed to 12 dam‐line females to produce 24 sires and 47 dams of the backcross 1 (BC1) generation. These 71 parents were genotyped with 76 microsatellite markers. Following full‐sib mating among the parents, 234 BC1–F2 progeny were phenotyped for five growth traits (body weight at 49 days from hatch, wog weight, front half weight, breast weight and tender weight) and abdominal fat weight. Maximum likelihood analysis was used to estimate the marker effects and to evaluate their statistical significance. Individual marker–trait analysis revealed 44 significant associations out of the 456 marker–trait combinations. Correction for multiple comparisons by controlling the false discovery rate (FDR) resulted in 12 significant associations at FDR = 10% with markers on chromosomes 1, 2, 5 and 13. Seventy‐five percent of the 44 significant associations displayed no dependence on either hatch or gender; half of the remaining associations displayed dependence of the quantitative trait loci (QTL) effect on hatch × gender interaction. Thus, the analysed traits in this study may be dependent on external factors.
Evaluation of the porcine melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) gene as a positional candidate for a fatness QTL in a cross between Landrace and Hampshire
Authors: Bruun C. S. , Jørgensen C. B. , Nielsen V. H. , Andersson L. , Fredholm M. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryMelanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) is expressed in the appetite‐regulating areas of the brain where it is central in the regulation of feed intake and energy balance. A mutation in MC4R causing an Asp298Asn substitution has been associated with fatness, high daily gain and feed intake in the pig. In a previously performed genome scan based on a Hampshire × Landrace cross, we detected one quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting carcass fat/meat ratio and one QTL affecting the biceps femoris muscle, both close to the position of MC4R on porcine chromosome 1. In this study, the two lines were found to be close to fixation for alternative alleles of the Asp298Asn polymorphism. Additional QTL analyses supported our hypothesis of MC4R as a positional candidate gene but only for the fat/meat QTL. The Asp298Asn polymorphism was also evaluated as a selection target for daily gain in a Danish pig breeding population that included four breeds (Hampshire, Duroc, Landrace and Yorkshire). Over a 12‐year period (1990–2002), a significant increase in the allele frequency of 298Asn was found in Landrace and Duroc, whereas a non‐significant decrease in the 298Asn allele frequency was observed in Yorkshire. The Hampshire breed was fixed for the 298Asn allele in 1990. The high 298Asn allele frequencies in Hampshire, Landrace and Duroc are most likely due to selection for daily gain, whereas selection for daily gain in the Yorkshire breed apparently focuses on other loci.
Development of polymorphic expressed sequence tag‐derived microsatellites for the extension of the genetic linkage map of the black tiger shrimp (Penaeus monodon)
Authors: Maneeruttanarungroj C. , Pongsomboon S. , Wuthisuthimethavee S. , Klinbunga S. , Wilson K. J. , Swan J. , Li Y. , Whan V. , Chu K‐H. , Li C. P. , Tong J. , Glenn K. , Rothschild M. , Jerry D. , Tassanakajon A. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryIn this study, microsatellite markers were developed for the genetic linkage mapping and breeding program of the black tiger shrimp Penaeus monodon. A total of 997 unique microsatellite‐containing expressed sequence tags (ESTs) were identified from 10 100 EST sequences in the P. monodon EST database. AT‐rich microsatellite types were predominant in the EST sequences. Homology searching by the blastn and blastx programs revealed that these 997 ESTs represented 8.6% known gene products, 27.8% hypothetical proteins and 63.6% unknown gene products. Characterization of 50 markers on a panel of 35–48 unrelated shrimp indicated an average number of alleles of 12.6 and an average polymorphic information content of 0.723. These EST microsatellite markers along with 208 other markers (185 amplified fragment length polymorphisms, one exon‐primed intron‐crossing, six single strand conformation polymorphisms, one single nucleotide polymorphism, 13 non‐EST‐associated microsatellites and two EST‐associated microsatellites) were analysed across the international P. monodon mapping family. A total of 144 new markers were added to the P. monodon maps, including 36 of the microsatellite‐containing ESTs. The current P. monodon male and female linkage maps have 47 and 36 linkage groups respectively with coverage across half the P. monodon genome.
Osteopontin: a bridge between bone and blood
Authors: Haylock David N. , Nilsson Susan K. 
Published: July 2006

SummaryThe production of mature blood cells within the bone marrow (BM) is attributed to a pool of haemopoietic stem cells (HSC). It is now evident that HSC reside preferentially at the endosteal region within the BM where bone‐lining osteoblasts are a key cellular component of the HSC niche that directly regulates HSC fate. Osteoblasts synthesise proteins that stimulate and inhibit HSC proliferation. In addition to angiopoietin 1 (Ang‐1), osteoblasts synthesise and express the highly acidic glycoprotein, osteopontin (Opn), which, like Ang‐1, acts as a potent constraining factor on HSC proliferation. Overexpression of Opn is a feature of haemopoietic malignancies, such as multiple myeloma and chronic myeloid leukaemia, although its exact role in the aetiology and progression of these diseases remains unclear. Through osteoblasts and their cell surface and expressed proteins including Opn, bone is able to regulate the tissue that resides within it. In doing so, Opn can be considered a bridge between bone and blood.
Arginine-specific gingipains from Porphyromonas gingivalis deprive protective functions of secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor in periodontal tissue
Authors: Into T , Inomata M , Kanno Y , Matsuyama T , Machigashira M , Izumi Y , Imamura T , Nakashima M , Noguchi T , Matsushita K 
Published: July 2006

Summary
Chronic periodontitis is correlated with Porphyromonas gingivalis infection. In this study, we found that the expression of secretory leucocyte protease inhibitor (SLPI), an endogenous inhibitor for neutrophil-derived proteases, was reduced in gingival tissues with chronic periodontitis associated with P. gingivalis infection. The addition of vesicles of P. gingivalis decreased the amount of SLPI in the media of primary human gingival keratinocytes compared to untreated cultures. We therefore investigated how arginine-specific gingipains (Rgps) affect the functions of SLPI, because Rgps are the major virulence factors in the vesicles and cleave a wide range of in-host proteins. We found that Rgps digest SLPI in vitro, suppressing the release of SLPI. Rgps proteolysis of SLPI disrupted SLPI functions, which normally suppresses neutrophil elastase and neutralizes pro-inflammatory effects of bacterial cell wall compounds in cultured human gingival fibroblasts. The protease inhibitory action of SLPI was not exerted towards Rgps. These results suggest that Rgps reduce the protective effects of SLPI on neutrophil proteases and bacterial proinflammatory compounds, by which disease in gingival tissue may be accelerated at the sites with P. gingivalis infection.
Free dissociable insulin‐like growth factor I (IGF‐I), total IGF‐I and their binding proteins in girls with Turner syndrome during long‐term growth hormone treatment
Authors: Bannink Ellen M. N. , Van Doorn Jaap , Stijnen Theo , Drop Stenvert L. S. , De Muinck Keizer‐Schrama Sabine M. P. F. 
Published: July 2006

AbstractObjective  To investigate the effect of GH treatment on free IGF‐I levels in girls with Turner syndrome (TS) and to verify relationships between free IGF‐I levels and total IGF‐I, IGFBP‐1, 2 and 3. Additionally, to analyse whether free IGF‐I, total IGF‐I, IGFBP‐3 or its ratio were related to IGF‐I bioactivity outcome parameters.Design  Sixty‐five girls with TS were randomly assigned to three different GH‐dosage groups (1·3, 2·0 and 2·7 mg/m2/day). Mean duration of GH therapy was mean (SD) 8·7(2·0) years. Free IGF‐I, total IGF‐I and IGFBP‐1, ‐2, ‐3 were determined at baseline, first, second, third and fifth year of GH therapy, before the start of oestrogen therapy, during the final year of GH treatment, 6 months after GH and 4·8(2·0) years after GH discontinuation.Main outcome  During GH treatment, mean free IGF‐I levels stayed < +2 standard deviation score (sds), whereas mean total IGF‐I and IGF‐I/IGFBP‐3 ratio were > +2 sds. There were no differences in free IGF‐I levels between the three GH groups, whereas total IGF‐I and ratio levels were significantly higher in the highest GH group. The following variables contributed significantly to predicting the square root of free IGF‐I levels: age, GH dose, oestrogen dose, IGFBP‐1, IGFBP‐3, body mass index and total IGF‐I or IGF‐I/IGFBP‐3 ratio. However, the explaining variance did not exceed 55%. Several IGF‐I bioactivity outcome parameters positively correlated with total IGF‐I and IGF‐I/IGFBP‐3 ratio, whereas free IGF‐I did not.Conclusions  During long‐term GH therapy in girls with TS, mean free IGF‐I levels stayed within the normal range, whereas mean total IGF‐I and IGF‐I/IGFBP‐3 ratio exceeded the upper normal range. Although total IGF‐I and the IGF‐I/IGFBP‐3 ratio did not accurately represent free IGF‐I levels, they seemed to better represent the IGF‐I bioactivity than the measured free IGF‐I.
The long‐term effects of rosiglitazone on serum lipid concentrations and body weight
Authors: Shim Wan Sub , Do Mi Young , Kim Soo Kyung , Kim Hae Jin , Hur Kyu Yeon , Kang Eun Seok , Ahn Chul Woo , Lim Sung Kil , Lee Hyun Chul , Cha Bong Soo 
Published: July 2006

SummaryObjective  Although rosiglitazone, an insulin sensitizer, is known to have beneficial effects on high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) concentrations and low density lipoprotein (LDL) particle size, it has unwanted effects on total cholesterol (TC) and LDL cholesterol (LDL‐C) concentrations and body weight in some short‐term studies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the long‐term effects of rosiglitazone on serum lipid levels and body weight.Design  Open labelled clinical study.Patients and measurements  We prospectively evaluated fasting serum glucose, haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), lipid profiles and body weight at baseline and every 3 months after the use of rosiglitazone (4 mg/day) for 18 months in 202 type 2 diabetic patients.Results  TC levels increased maximally at 3 months and decreased thereafter. However, overall, TC levels remained significantly higher at 18 months than those at baseline. LDL‐C levels from the 3‐month to the 12‐month timepoint were significantly higher than those at baseline. However, after 15 months, LDL‐C concentrations were not significantly different from basal LDL‐C concentrations. HDL‐C levels increased after the first 3 months and these levels were maintained. The increment of change in HDL‐C was more prominent in patients with low basal HDL‐C concentrations than in patients with high basal HDL‐C concentrations. Body weight increased after the first 3 months and these levels were maintained.Conclusions  HDL‐C and body weight increased and remained elevated for the duration of the study. There was an initial increase in LDL‐C but this attenuated and by the end of the study was not significantly elevated above baseline levels.
Idiopathic central diabetes insipidus in children and young adults is commonly associated with vasopressin‐cell antibodies and markers of autoimmunity
Authors: Maghnie Mohamad , Ghirardello Stefano , De Bellis Annamaria , Di Iorgi Natascia , Ambrosini Linda , Secco Andrea , De Amici Mara , Tinelli Carmine , Bellastella Antonio , Lorini Renata 
Published: July 2006

SummaryObjectives  Autoimmune targeting of hypothalamic‐neurohypophyseal structures in children and young adults with posterior pituitary and anterior pituitary dysfunction, as well as pituitary stalk involvement, are not yet completely understood.Design  We aimed to (1) evaluate the presence of circulating vasopressin‐cell autoantibodies (AVPc‐Abs) in young patients with central diabetes insipidus (CDI), (2) detect organ‐specific autoantibodies as markers of autoimmunity, and (3) define the relationship between immune markers and neuroimaging findings.Patients  Twenty patients were evaluated at a median age of 16·3 years. Twelve patients had idiopathic CDI, six had Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) and two had germinoma. AVPc‐Abs were evaluated in 40 healthy children. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the hypothalamic‐pituitary region was performed longitudinally in all subjects.Measurements  Circulating arginine vasopressin (AVP), protein tyrosine phosphatase (IA2), glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD), 21‐hydroxylase (21‐OH), endomysium antibodies (EMA), parietal cell (PCA), thyroid peroxidase (TPO), thyroglobulin (TG) and TSH‐receptor (TSHr) autoantibodies were evaluated.Results  Circulating AVPc‐Abs were found in 15 patients (75%), nine with idiopathic CDI, four with LCH and two with germinoma; the pituitary stalk was involved in most of them. Five patients with idiopathic CDI showed a persistence of AVPc‐Abs during follow‐up and one became positive subsequently. Serum IA2 autoantibodies were demonstrated in 14 patients (70%) and 21‐OH autoantibodies in three of them.Conclusion  In idiopathic CDI, circulating AVPc‐Abs suggest an autoimmune involvement of the neurohypophyseal system. The identification of AVPc‐Abs in subjects who could have either idiopathic CDI or LCH or germinoma, however, indicates that AVPc‐Abs cannot be considered a completely reliable marker of autoimmune CDI. Thus, close clinical and MRI follow‐up are needed because AVPc‐Abs may mask germinoma or LCH.
Loss of chromosome 1 in myxopapillary ependymoma suggests a region out of chromosome 22 as critical for tumour biology: a FISH analysis of four cases on touch imprint smears
Authors: Tamiolakis D. , Papadopoulos N. , Venizelos I. , Lambropoulou M. , Nikolaidou S. , Bolioti S. , Kiziridou A. , Manavis J. , Alexiadis G. , Simopoulos C. 
Published: July 2006

Objective:  Ependymomas are glial tumours. They constitute approximately 5–10% of intracranial tumours and are tumours which can recur. Predictive factors of outcome in ependymomas are not well established. Karyotypic studies are relatively scarce and loss of chromosome 22 has been described to correlate with recurrence. We are unaware of any reports involving chromosome 1 aberrations in the malignant progression of ependymomas.Methods:  Cytogenetic analysis of four myxopapillary ependymomas was performed using double target fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), focusing on chromosomes 1 and 22.Results:  One patient's tumour had recurred. FISH was performed on 500 nuclei/tumours. All four cases showed a loss of chromosome 22q while only one showed an additional loss of chromosome 1p, and this was the one that recurred.Conclusions:  We support the presence of a tumour suppressor gene on 1p associated with relapse in myxopapillary ependymomas and suggest that status of chromosome 1p by FISH may indicate a high‐risk group of patients harbouring this tumour. More studies of this type are needed towards this direction as our results refer to a minimal number of individuals analysed.
A comparison of variability in Papanicolaou and liquid‐based cytology inadequacy rates using Shewhart control charts
Authors: Fox R. , Nix A. B. J. , Fielder H. 
Published: July 2006

Objective:  To use Shewhart control charts to compare variability in inadequacy rates from Papanicolaou (Pap) and liquid‐based cytology (LBC).Design:  Retrospective analysis of quality assurance data.Setting:  Eleven Welsh cytology laboratories.Methods:  Shewhart ‘p’ charts were plotted for proportions of slides reported as inadequate. Charts were compared for statistical control.Main outcome measures:  Evidence of statistical control in the processes.Results:  Control charts allowed easy interpretation of patterns in the data. Variability in inadequacy rates was much lower for LBC than for Pap cytology.Conclusion:  Monitoring inadequate rates with Shewhart charts provides more information than tabular monitoring reports, assisting in quality improvement. With respect to inadequacy rates, LBC is less variable than Pap cytology.
The cervical smear test: does timing have an effect on sample adequacy?
Authors: Davies S. 
Published: July 2006

Objective:  The aim of this study was to determine the effect of timing of the cervical smear test on sample adequacy.Methods:  Inadequate and negative smears from pre‐menopausal women, with a regular menstrual cycle and who were not undertaking any hormone therapy, were selected and re‐screened. The inadequate smears were then categorized according to the reasons for the inadequate result. The time of the cycle that the smear was taken was recorded for both inadequate and negative smears. The expected frequency of smears per phase was compared with the observed frequency per phase using the chi‐squared statistical test.Results:  There was no significant difference between the overall observed and expected rate of the inadequate smears of nine general practitioner (GP) practices (P = 0.886), of GP practice 4 (lowest inadequate rate) (P = 0.610), or GP practice 6 (highest inadequate rate) (P = 0.621) at any phase of the cycle.Conclusion:  Results show that there is no optimum phase for adequate sample collection, therefore it is suggested that there is no effect of timing of the cervical smear test on sample adequacy, that timing is not a relevant factor in reducing the inadequate smear rate, and restricting smear taking to mid‐cycle is unnecessary. (The information regarding last menstrual period/length of cycle from which these conclusions were reached relied upon the accuracy of patient information given to the smear taker.)
Intraspecific female brood parasitism in the dung beetleOnthophagus taurus
Authors: MOCZEK ARMIN P. , COCHRANE JEFFREY 
Published: July 2006

Abstract1. Brood parasitism occurs when individuals parasitise each others’ investment into parental care, and has been documented primarily as an interspecific interaction. Intraspecific brood parasitism, in contrast, is often difficult to detect and quantify, and evidence for it is comparatively scarce. The present study documents the occurrence of intraspecific brood parasitism by females of the tunnelling dung beetleOnthophagus taurus, and investigates the contributions of two variables to the propensity of female brood parasitism: female body size and dung desiccation rate.2. FemaleO. tauruswere found to routinely utilise brood balls made by conspecific females as food provisions for their own offspring.3. Contrary to expectations, large and small females did not differ in the likelihood of engaging in brood‐parasitic behaviour.4. Dung desiccation rate appeared to influence likelihood of brood parasitism. Females that were given access to rapidly drying dung were significantly more likely to detect and utilise brood balls produced by conspecific females.5. While interspecific brood parasitism has been documented in dung beetles before, the present study is among the first to present evidence for intraspecific brood parasitism as an alternative reproductive tactic of female dung beetles. Results are discussed in the context of the evolutionary ecology of onthophagine beetles.
Preimaginal conditioning does not affect oviposition preference in the diamondback moth
Authors: LIU SHU‐SHENG , LIU TONG‐XIAN 
Published: July 2006

Abstract 1. In holometabolous insects, learning has been demonstrated in both larval and adult stages. Whether learning can be retained through metamorphosis from larva via pupa to adult has long been a subject of debate. The present study is designed to distinguish between preimaginal and imaginal conditioning in the diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella L. (Lepidoptera: Plutellidae) using oviposition preference tests on females exposed to various types of learning experiences during immature and adult stages.2. Cohorts of test insects were reared from egg to pupa on an artificial diet, or on one of two host plants, Chinese cabbage, Brassica campestris L. ssp. pekinensis, and common cabbage, Brassica oleracea L. var. capitata. The ensuing females reared on the three kinds of food showed similar oviposition preference between the two plants. A brief experience of the less preferred host, common cabbage, by adults slightly increased their preference for this plant.3. Cohorts of test insects were reared from egg to pupa on an artificial diet with or without the addition of a neem‐based oviposition deterrent (Neemix® 4.5). Larval feeding experience did not alter oviposition response to the deterrent. However, emergence conditioning and early adult learning, achieved through experience of a residue of the deterrent carried over from the larval food on pupal cuticle and cocoons, altered oviposition preference significantly.4. The combined results revealed no evidence of preimaginal conditioning in this insect but a strong effect of emergence conditioning and early adult learning on oviposition preference.