bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Interactive Effects of Different Temperatures and Salinities on Growth, Feed Conversion Efficiency, and Blood Physiology in Juvenile Spotted Wolffish, Anarhichas minor Olafsen
Authors: Magnussen Anders B. , Imsland Albert K. , Foss Atle 
Published: December 2008

Abstract The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different salinities and temperatures and their possible interactive effect on growth performance, feeding parameters, and blood physiology in juvenile spotted wolffish, Anarhichas minor, reared at different temperature (7 and 10 C) and salinity (15, 25, and 34‰) combinations. There was a significant interactive effect between temperature and salinity on growth, as a growth‐enhancing effect was seen at intermediate and full salinities at higher temperature, whereas the reciprocal trend was seen at lower temperature. Mean total feed consumption, daily feeding rate, and feed conversion efficiency were all highest at the intermediate salinity at 10 C, whereas at 7 C, the feeding parameters were highest at low and intermediate salinities. Blood plasma sodium content was lowest at 15‰, whereas the opposite trend was seen in partial pressure of CO2 and bicarbonate in blood where the highest concentrations were seen at 15‰. This study demonstrates that spotted wolffish has a high osmoregulatory and acclimatory capacity. In an aquaculture context, growth of juvenile spotted wolffish can be improved by rearing the species at high temperature and intermediate salinity combinations at least in a limited period of the juvenile phase.
PI3K Signaling in Glioma—Animal Models and Therapeutic Challenges
Authors: Cheng Christine K. , Fan Qi‐Wen , Weiss William A. 
Published: December 2008

AbstractThe PI3 kinase (PI3K) family plays a complex role in cell biology and metabolism. Signaling through the PI3Ks is frequently activated in many human cancers, including glioblastoma, because of gain‐of‐function mutations in PIK3CA or loss of PTEN. Experiments involving genetic mouse models and small molecule inhibitors have helped to elucidate the roles of the regulatory and catalytic subunits of PI3K in metabolism and cancer. Downstream of PI3K is Akt, a critical effector of growth, proliferation and survival. The suggested dependence of glioblastoma tumors on PI3K signaling implies that PI3K inhibitors should lead to effective killing of these cancer cells, but that has been shown not to be the case. The engagement of other survival pathways in response to PI3K inhibition prompts the need to develop combination therapies that promote cytotoxicity in cancer cells.
Basic Process Capability Indices: An Expository Review
Authors: Anis Mohammed Z. 
Published: December 2008

Summary A review of the four basic process capability indices has been made. The interrelationship among these indices has been highlighted. Attention has been drawn to their drawbacks. The relation of these indices to the proportion nonconforming has been dwelt upon and the requirement of the adequate sample size has been emphasized. Cautionary remarks on the use of these indices in the case of nonnormal distributions, skewed distributions, and autocorrelated data are also presented. The effect of measurement error on process capability indices has been dealt with in great detail.
Imagined Intergroup Contact: Theory, Paradigm and Practice
Authors: Crisp Richard J. , Stathi Sofia , Turner Rhiannon N. , Husnu Senel 
Published: December 2008

AbstractIn this article, we outline a new implementation of intergroup contact theory: imagined intergroup contact. The approach combines 50 years of research into the effects of contact with recent advances in social cognition. It represents both a versatile experimental paradigm for investigating the extended and indirect impacts of social contact, as well as a flexible and effective tool for practitioners and policy makers in their efforts to promote tolerance for multicultural diversity. We describe the theoretical basis for imagined contact effects, document emerging empirical support, and provide a practical guide for researchers wishing to adopt the paradigm. Finally, we discuss the potential application of imagined contact in educational contexts, and how it could be integrated with existing approaches to provide maximally effective strategies for improving intergroup relations.
Macular blood flow measured by blue‐field entoptoscopy and Heidelberg retinal flowmetry: comparison of two techniques in type 1 diabetes women during pregnancy
Authors: Loukovaara Sirpa , Harju Mika , Immonen Ilkka 
Published: December 2008

Abstract.Purpose:  This study compared macular capillary leucocyte velocity values measured with a psychophysical blue‐field entoptic simulation (BFS) technique and confocal scanning laser Doppler flowmetry.Methods:  A cross‐sectional study was performed where macular capillary leucocyte velocity was measured by BFS using an Oculix BFS‐2000 V2.1 psychophysical system and by confocal scanning laser Doppler flowmetry using Heidelberg retinal flowmetry (HRF) in 35 type 1 diabetes women during the second trimester.Results:  The macular leucocyte velocities measured with BFS correlated significantly with the 50th percentile (r = 0.345, p = 0.042, n = 35, Spearman’s non‐parametric correlation), the 75th percentile (r = 0.432, p = 0.009) and the 90th percentile (r = 0.373, p = 0.027) of HRF flow values during the second trimester. However, there was no correlation between BFS velocity and the 25th percentile of HRF measurements.Conclusions:  Blue‐field simulation is known to be an experimental technique that provides a quantitative measure of flow in the perifoveal capillary network. By contrast, HRF imaging reflects quantitative, multispectral, objective and non‐invasive measurements in a two‐dimensional projection of a three‐dimensional retinal capillary bed. Our study showed that BFS velocity was correlated with HRF values in a group of women with diabetes during pregnancy. The positive correlation between BFS and HRF values suggests that the psychophysical BFS and scanning laser‐based HRF measure similar functions in the retina.
Transient Surface Strains and the Deconvolution of Thermoelastic States and Boundary Conditions
Authors: Segall A. E. , Engels D. , Hirsh A. 
Published: December 2008

Abstract
Thermoelastic states as they pertain to thermal-shock are difficult to determine since the underlying boundary conditions must be known or measured. For direct problems where the boundary conditions such as temperature or flux, are known a priori, the procedure is mathematically tractable with many analytical solutions available. Although this is more practical from a measurement standpoint, the inverse problem where the boundary conditions must be determined from remotely determined temperature and/or flux data are ill-posed and therefore inherently sensitive to errors in the data. Moreover, the limited number of analytical solutions to the inverse problem rely on assumptions that usually restrict them to timeframes before the thermal wave reaches the natural boundaries of the structure. Fortunately, a generalized solution based on strain-histories can be used instead to determine the underlying thermal excitation via a least-squares determination of coefficients for generalized equations for strain. Once the inverse problem is solved and the unknown boundary condition on the opposing surface is determined, the resulting polynomial can then be used with the generalized direct solution to determine the thermal- and stress-states as a function of time and position. For the two geometries explored, namely a thick-walled cylinder under an internal transient with external convection and a slab with one adiabatic surface, excellent agreement was seen with various test cases. The derived solutions appear to be well suited for many thermal scenarios provided that the analysis is restricted to the time interval used to determine the polynomial and the thermophysical properties that do not vary with temperature. While polynomials were employed for the current analysis, transcendental functions and/or combinations with polynomials can also be used.
A Preliminary Assessment of the Ke Factor Proposed in the EN13445 Standard for Fatigue Analysis of Unwelded Material
Authors: Pereira Hélder F. S. G. , De Jesus Abílio M. P. , Ribeiro Alfredo S. , Fernandes António A. 
Published: December 2008

Abstract
This paper presents an investigation about the plasticity correction factor, Ke, proposed in the Part 3-Clause 18 of the EN13445 standard, for correction of the elastic stress ranges exceeding twice the yield stress, resulting from mechanical loading. The plasticity correction factors are analyzed using a calculation strategy based on a comparison between results from linear elastic and elastoplastic analyses. Several materials, elastoplastic models, and geometries are considered in the study. The performed analyses revealed, for an important number of the situations, an underestimation of the Ke factor when calculated according to the standard procedures. A greater emphasis should be dedicated in the standard to the elastoplastic analysis, since the fatigue resistance data presented in the standard are strain-life type data, overcoming the need for the plasticity correction factor. The elastoplastic analysis should be the preferred approach for evaluation of the strains/stresses for fatigue analysis.
Pharmacokinetics and Bioequivalence Evaluation of Two Fixed-Dose Tablet Formulations of Dihydroartemisinin and Piperaquine in Vietnamese Subjects
Authors: Chinh Nguyen Trong , Quang Nguyen Ngoc , Thanh Nguyen Xuan , Dai Bui , Geue Jason P. , Addison Russell S. , Travers Thomas , Edstein Michael D. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT
The two fixed-dose combinations of dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine (Artekin and Arterakine) were found to be bioinequivalent in healthy Vietnamese subjects. However, because the peak plasma concentrations and areas under the concentration-time curves of dihydroartemisinin and piperaquine were only marginally different between the two formulations, similar therapeutic efficacies are expected in the treatment of malaria infections.
Cytomorphological and Genetic Characterization of Troglobitic
Leptolyngbya
Strains Isolated from Roman Hypogea
Authors: Bruno Laura , Billi Daniela , Bellezza Simona , Albertano Patrizia 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT

Six
Leptolyngbya
strains, isolated from the archaeological surfaces of hypogean sites, were phenotypically and genetically characterized by light and electron microscopy and 16S rRNA gene and 16S-23S internally transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing. Three phycoerythrin-rich (red) and three phycocyanin-rich (green) isolates were assigned to different operational taxonomic units (OTUs). Among the green isolates, one strain showed an OTU intraspecific variation due to differences in the ITS sequences and genomic polymorphism. Within the ITS sequence, variable regions, conserved domains and tRNA
Ile
and tRNA
Ala
genes showed high sequence identity among the phylotypes. Together, these data indicated a relatedness of the six strains to other
Leptolyngbya
from subaerophytic and geothermal environments and allowed the definition of novel
Leptolyngbya
OTUs.
GAP45 Phosphorylation Controls Assembly of the
Toxoplasma
Myosin XIV Complex
Authors: Gilk Stacey D. , Gaskins Elizabeth , Ward Gary E. , Beckers Con J. M. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT

Toxoplasma gondii
motility is powered by the myosin XIV motor complex, which consists of the myosin XIV heavy chain (MyoA), the myosin light chain (MLC1), GAP45, and GAP50, the membrane anchor of the complex. MyoA, MLC1, and GAP45 are initially assembled into a soluble complex, which then associates with GAP50, an integral membrane protein of the parasite inner membrane complex. While all proteins in the myosin XIV motor complex are essential for parasite survival, the specific role of GAP45 remains unclear. We demonstrate here that final assembly of the motor complex is controlled by phosphorylation of GAP45. This protein is phosphorylated on multiple residues, and by using mass spectroscopy, we have identified two of these, Ser
163
and Ser
167
. The importance of these phosphorylation events was determined by mutation of Ser
163
and Ser
167
to Glu and Ala residues to mimic phosphorylated and nonphosphorylated residues, respectively. Mutation of Ser
163
and Ser
167
to either Ala or Glu residues does not affect targeting of GAP45 to the inner membrane complex or its association with MyoA and MLC1. Mutation of Ser
163
and Ser
167
to Ala residues also does not affect assembly of the mutant GAP45 protein into the myosin motor complex. Mutation of Ser
163
and Ser
167
to Glu residues, however, prevents association of the MyoA-MLC1-GAP45 complex with GAP50. These observations indicate that phosphorylation of Ser
163
and Ser
167
in GAP45 controls the final step in assembly of the myosin XIV motor complex.
Dual Functions for the
Schizosaccharomyces pombe
Inositol Kinase Ipk1 in Nuclear mRNA Export and Polarized Cell Growth
Authors: Sarmah Bhaskarjyoti , Wente Susan R. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT

The inositol 1,3,4,5,6-pentakisphosphate (IP
5
) 2-kinase (Ipk1) catalyzes the production of inositol hexakisphosphate (IP
6
) in eukaryotic cells. Previous studies have shown that IP
6
is required for efficient nuclear mRNA export in the budding yeast
Saccharomyces cerevisiae
. Here, we report the first functional analysis of
ipk1
+
in
Schizosaccharomyces pombe. S. pombe
Ipk1 (SpIpk1) is unique among Ipk1 orthologues in that it harbors a novel amino (N)-terminal domain with coiled-coil structural motifs similar to those of BAR (Bin-amphiphysin-Rvs) domain proteins. Mutants with
ipk1
+
deleted (
ipk1
Δ) had mRNA export defects as well as pleiotropic defects in polarized growth, cell morphology, endocytosis, and cell separation. The SpIpk1 catalytic carboxy-terminal domain was required to rescue these defects, and the mRNA export block was genetically linked to SpDbp5 function and, likely, IP
6
production. However, the overexpression of the N-terminal domain alone also inhibited these functions in wild-type cells. This revealed a distinct noncatalytic function for the N-terminal domain. To test for connections with other inositol polyphosphates, we also analyzed whether the loss of
asp1
+
function, encoding an IP
6
kinase downstream of Ipk1, had an effect on
ipk1
Δ cells. The
asp1
Δ mutant alone did not block mRNA export, and its cell morphology, polarized growth, and endocytosis defects were less severe than those of
ipk1
Δ cells. Moreover,
ipk1
Δ
asp1
Δ double mutants had altered inositol polyphosphate levels distinct from those of the
ipk1
Δ mutant. This suggested novel roles for
asp1
+
upstream of
ipk1
+
. We propose that IP
6
production is a key signaling linchpin for regulating multiple essential cellular processes.
Host Glycosaminoglycan Confers Susceptibility to Bacterial Infection in
Drosophila melanogaster
Authors: Baron Miriam J. , Wong Sandra L. , Nybakken Kent , Carey Vincent J. , Madoff Lawrence C. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT

Many pathogens engage host cell surface glycosaminoglycans, but redundancy in pathogen adhesins and host glycosaminoglycan-anchoring proteins (heparan sulfate proteoglycans) has limited the understanding of the importance of glycosaminoglycan binding during infection. The alpha C protein of group B streptococcus, a virulence determinant for this neonatal human pathogen, binds to host glycosaminoglycan and mediates the entry of bacteria into human cells. We studied alpha C protein-glycosaminoglycan binding in
Drosophila melanogaster
, whose glycosaminoglycan repertoire resembles that of humans but whose genome includes only three characterized membrane heparan sulfate proteoglycan genes. The knockdown of glycosaminoglycan polymerases or of heparan sulfate proteoglycans reduced the cellular binding of alpha C protein. The interruption of alpha C protein-glycosaminoglycan binding was associated with longer host survival and a lower bacterial burden. These data indicate that the glycosaminoglycan-alpha C protein interaction involves multiple heparan sulfate proteoglycans and impairs bacterial killing. Host glycosaminoglycans, anchored by multiple proteoglycans, thereby determine susceptibility to infection. Because there is homology between
Drosophila
and human glycosaminoglycan/proteoglycan structures and many pathogens express glycosaminoglycan-binding structures, our data suggest that interfering with glycosaminoglycan binding may protect against infections in humans.
Binding of Complement Factor H (fH) to
Neisseria meningitidis
Is Specific for Human fH and Inhibits Complement Activation by Rat and Rabbit Sera
Authors: Granoff Dan M. , Welsch Jo Anne , Ram Sanjay 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT

Complement factor H (fH), a molecule that downregulates complement activation, binds to
Neisseria meningitidis
and increases resistance to serum bactericidal activity. We investigated the species specificity of fH binding and the effect of human fH on downregulating rat (relevant for animal models) and rabbit (relevant for vaccine evaluation) complement activation. Binding to
N. meningitidis
was specific for human fH (low for chimpanzee fH and not detected with fH from lower primates). The addition of human fH decreased rat and rabbit C3 deposition on the bacterial surface and decreased group C bactericidal titers measured with rabbit complement 10- to 60-fold in heat-inactivated sera from human vaccinees. Administration of human fH to infant rats challenged with group B strain H44/76 resulted in an fH dose-dependent increase in CFU/ml of bacteria in blood 8 h later (
P
< 0.02). At the highest fH dose, 50 μg/rat, the geometric mean number of CFU per ml was higher than that in control animals (1,050 versus 43 [
P
< 0.005]). The data underscore the importance of binding of human fH for survival of
N. meningitidis
in vitro and in vivo. The species specificity of binding of human fH adds another mechanism toward our understanding of why
N. meningitidis
is strictly a human pathogen.
Transcriptional Map of Respiratory Versatility in the Hyperthermophilic Crenarchaeon
Pyrobaculum aerophilum
Authors: Cozen Aaron E. , Weirauch Matthew T. , Pollard Katherine S. , Bernick David L. , Stuart Joshua M. , Lowe Todd M. 
Published: December 2008

ABSTRACT

Hyperthermophilic crenarchaea in the genus
Pyrobaculum
are notable for respiratory versatility, but relatively little is known about the genetics or regulation of crenarchaeal respiratory pathways. We measured global gene expression in
Pyrobaculum aerophilum
cultured with oxygen, nitrate, arsenate and ferric iron as terminal electron acceptors to identify transcriptional patterns that differentiate these pathways. We also compared genome sequences for four closely related species with diverse respiratory characteristics (
Pyrobaculum arsenaticum
,
Pyrobaculum calidifontis
,
Pyrobaculum islandicum
, and
Thermoproteus neutrophilus
) to identify genes associated with different respiratory capabilities. Specific patterns of gene expression in
P. aerophilum
were associated with aerobic respiration, nitrate respiration, arsenate respiration, and anoxia. Functional predictions based on these patterns include separate cytochrome oxidases for aerobic growth and oxygen scavenging, a nitric oxide-responsive transcriptional regulator, a multicopper oxidase involved in denitrification, and an archaeal arsenate respiratory reductase. We were unable to identify specific genes for iron respiration, but
P. aerophilum
exhibited repressive transcriptional responses to iron remarkably similar to those controlled by the ferric uptake regulator in bacteria. Together, these analyses present a genome-scale view of crenarchaeal respiratory flexibility and support a large number of functional and regulatory predictions for further investigation. The complete gene expression data set can be viewed in genomic context with the Archaeal Genome Browser at archaea.ucsc.edu.
Comparative Genomics and Molecular Dynamics of DNA Repeats in Eukaryotes
Authors: Richard Guy-Franck , Kerrest Alix , Dujon Bernard 
Published: December 2008

SUMMARYRepeated elements can be widely abundant in eukaryotic genomes, composing more than 50% of the human genome, for example. It is possible to classify repeated sequences into two large families, “tandem repeats” and “dispersed repeats.” Each of these two families can be itself divided into subfamilies. Dispersed repeats contain transposons, tRNA genes, and gene paralogues, whereas tandem repeats contain gene tandems, ribosomal DNA repeat arrays, and satellite DNA, itself subdivided into satellites, minisatellites, and microsatellites. Remarkably, the molecular mechanisms that create and propagate dispersed and tandem repeats are specific to each class and usually do not overlap. In the present review, we have chosen in the first section to describe the nature and distribution of dispersed and tandem repeats in eukaryotic genomes in the light of complete (or nearly complete) available genome sequences. In the second part, we focus on the molecular mechanisms responsible for the fast evolution of two specific classes of tandem repeats: minisatellites and microsatellites. Given that a growing number of human neurological disorders involve the expansion of a particular class of microsatellites, called trinucleotide repeats, a large part of the recent experimental work on microsatellites has focused on these particular repeats, and thus we also review the current knowledge in this area. Finally, we propose a unified definition for mini- and microsatellites that takes into account their biological properties and try to point out new directions that should be explored in a near future on our road to understanding the genetics of repeated sequences.
Possible Effects of Microbial Ecto-Nucleoside Triphosphate Diphosphohydrolases on Host-Pathogen Interactions
Authors: Sansom Fiona M. , Robson Simon C. , Hartland Elizabeth L. 
Published: December 2008

SUMMARYIn humans, purinergic signaling plays an important role in the modulation of immune responses through specific receptors that recognize nucleoside tri- and diphosphates as signaling molecules. Ecto-nucleoside triphosphate diphosphohydrolases (ecto-NTPDases) have important roles in the regulation of purinergic signaling by controlling levels of extracellular nucleotides. This process is key to pathophysiological protective responses such as hemostasis and inflammation. Ecto-NTPDases are found in all higher eukaryotes, and recently it has become apparent that a number of important parasitic pathogens of humans express surface-located NTPDases that have been linked to virulence. For those parasites that are purine auxotrophs, these enzymes may play an important role in purine scavenging, although they may also influence the host response to infection. Although ecto-NTPDases are rare in bacteria, expression of a secreted NTPDase in Legionella pneumophila was recently described. This ecto-enzyme enhances intracellular growth of the bacterium and potentially affects virulence. This discovery represents an important advance in the understanding of the contribution of other microbial NTPDases to host-pathogen interactions. Here we review other progress made to date in the characterization of ecto-NTPDases from microbial pathogens, how they differ from mammalian enzymes, and their association with organism viability and virulence. In addition, we postulate how ecto-NTPDases may contribute to the host-pathogen interaction by reviewing the effect of selected microbial pathogens on purinergic signaling. Finally, we raise the possibility of targeting ecto-NTPDases in the development of novel anti-infective agents based on potential structural and clear enzymatic differences from the mammalian ecto-NTPDases.