bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Soybean Root Suberin: Anatomical Distribution, Chemical Composition, and Relationship to Partial Resistance to Phytophthora sojae
Authors: Thomas Raymond , Fang Xingxiao , Ranathunge Kosala , Anderson Terry R. , Peterson Carol A. , Bernards Mark A. 
Published: May 2007

Abstract
Soybean (Glycine max L. Merr.) is a versatile and important agronomic crop grown worldwide. Each year millions of dollars of potential yield revenues are lost due to a root rot disease caused by the oomycete Phytophthora sojae (Kaufmann & Gerdemann). Since the root is the primary site of infection by this organism, we undertook an examination of the physicochemical barriers in soybean root, namely, the suberized walls of the epidermis and endodermis, to establish whether or not preformed suberin (i.e. naturally present in noninfected plants) could have a role in partial resistance to P. sojae. Herein we describe the anatomical distribution and chemical composition of soybean root suberin as well as its relationship to partial resistance to P. sojae. Soybean roots contain a state I endodermis (Casparian bands only) within the first 80 mm of the root tip, and a state II endodermis (Casparian bands and some cells with suberin lamellae) in more proximal regions. A state III endodermis (with thick, cellulosic, tertiary walls) was not present within the 200-mm-long roots examined. An exodermis was also absent, but some walls of the epidermal and neighboring cortical cells were suberized. Chemically, soybean root suberin resembles a typical suberin, and consists of waxes, fatty acids, ω-hydroxy acids, α,ω-diacids, primary alcohols, and guaiacyl- and syringyl-substituted phenolics. Total suberin analysis of isolated soybean epidermis/outer cortex and endodermis tissues demonstrated (1) significantly higher amounts in the endodermis compared to the epidermis/outer cortex, (2) increased amounts in the endodermis as the root matured from state I to state II, (3) increased amounts in the epidermis/outer cortex along the axis of the root, and (4) significantly higher amounts in tissues isolated from a cultivar (‘Conrad’) with a high degree of partial resistance to P. sojae compared with a susceptible line (OX760-6). This latter correlation was extended by an analysis of nine independent and 32 recombinant inbred lines (derived from a ‘Conrad’ × OX760-6 cross) ranging in partial resistance to P. sojae: Strong negative correlations (−0.89 and −0.72, respectively) were observed between the amount of the aliphatic component of root suberin and plant mortality in P. sojae-infested fields.
Nitrative and oxidative DNA damage in cervical intraepithelial neoplasia associated with human papilloma virus infection
Authors: Hiraku Yusuke , Tabata Tsutomu , Ma Ning , Murata Mariko , Ding Xiaohui , Kawanishi Shosuke 
Published: May 2007

Recently, it was proposed that inflammation plays an integral role in the development of human papilloma virus (HPV)‐induced cervical cancer. The present study sought to examine if 8‐nitroguanine, a mutagenic nitrative DNA lesion formed during inflammation, contributes to cervical carcinogenesis. We obtained biopsy specimens from 30 patients with cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN)1 (n = 9), CIN2 (n = 10), CIN3 (n = 6) and condyloma acuminatum (n = 5). We used immunohistochemistry to detect the formation of 8‐nitroguanine and 8‐oxo‐7,8‐dihydro‐2′‐deoxyguanosine (8‐oxodG), an oxidative DNA lesion, and compared it with the expression of the cyclin‐dependent kinase inhibitor p16, which is considered to be a biomarker for cervical neoplasia. Double immunofluorescence labeling revealed that 8‐nitroguanine and 8‐oxodG were colocalized in cervical epithelial cells. Samples from CIN2–3 patients, most of whom were infected with high‐risk HPV subtypes, exhibited significantly more intense staining for 8‐nitroguanine than those with condyloma acuminatum. 8‐Nitroguanine and 8‐oxodG immunoreactivities correlated significantly with the CIN grade. We observed the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase in epithelial and inflammatory cells from CIN lesions. Proliferating cell nuclear antigen was expressed specifically in dysplastic epithelial cells, but not in those of condyloma acuminatum. There were no statistically significant differences in p16 expression between CIN and condyloma acuminatum samples. These results suggest that high‐risk HPV types promote inducible nitric oxide synthase‐dependent DNA damage, which leads to dysplastic changes and carcinogenesis; in contrast, p16 appears to be merely a marker of HPV infection. Thus, 8‐nitroguanine is a more suitable and promising biomarker for evaluating the risk of inflammation‐mediated cervical carcinogenesis than p16. (Cancer Sci 2007; 98: 964–972)
Dose‐dependent modulation of CD8 and functional avidity as a result of peptide encounter
Authors: Kroger Charles J. , Alexander‐Miller Martha A. 
Published: May 2007

SummaryThe generation of an optimal CD8+ cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response is critical for the clearance of many intracellular pathogens. Previous studies suggest that one contributor to an optimal immune response is the presence of CD8+ cells exhibiting high functional avidity. In this regard, CD8 expression has been shown to contribute to peptide sensitivity. Here, we investigated the ability of naive splenocytes to modulate CD8 expression according to the concentration of stimulatory peptide antigen. Our results showed that the level of CD8 expressed was inversely correlated with the amount of peptide used for the primary stimulation, with higher concentrations of antigen resulting in lower expression of both CD8α and CD8β. Importantly the ensuing CD8low and CD8high CTL populations were not the result of the selective outgrowth of naive CD8+ T‐cell subpopulations expressing distinct levels of CD8. Subsequent encounter with peptide antigen resulted in continued modulation of both the absolute level and the isoform of CD8 expressed and in the functional avidity of the responding cells. We propose that CD8 cell surface expression is not a static property, but can be modulated to ‘fine tune’ the sensitivity of responding CTL to a defined concentration of antigen.
Culture adaptation of embryonic stem cells echoes germ cell malignancy
Authors: Harrison Neil J , Baker Duncan , Andrews Peter W 
Published: May 2007

SummaryTeratocarcinomas are a subset of tumours that result from the neoplastic transformation of primordial germ cells. Such germ cell tumours (GCT) are histologically heterogeneous, reflecting a capacity for differentiation (pluripotency) of their embryonal carcinoma (EC) stem cells. However, malignant evolution of these tumours may ultimately correlate with a decrease in pluripotency, because this would tend to increase the propensity of EC cells for self‐renewal. Human embryonic stem (ES) cells, derived from early blastocysts, closely resemble EC cells and, on prolonged culture in vitro, acquire progressive genetic changes that show striking similarity to those seen in GCT (e.g. gain of material from chromosome 12). In parallel, these abnormal ES cells show enhanced population growth rates and plating efficiencies, indicative of their adaptation to culture conditions. Understanding the mechanisms that drive such culture adaptation of ES cells may also provide insights into the development and progression of GCT.
Evolution of an invasive rodent on an archipelago as revealed by molar shape analysis: the house mouse in the Canary Islands
Authors: Michaux Jacques , Cucchi Thomas , Renaud Sabrina , Garcia‐Talavera Francisco , Hutterer Rainer 
Published: May 2007

AbstractAim The aim of this paper is to identify the patterns in the morphological differentiation in Canary Island mice, based on fossil and modern samples. In order to achieve this, the mouse species present on the archipelago were first compared with a set of continental mice. The differences between the continental and Canary Island samples, and among the Canary Island samples, provide insights into the processes of colonization and the subsequent insular evolution.Location Canary archipelago.Methods An outline analysis based on Fourier transformation was used to quantify shape differences between lower molars. Together with the fossil and modern Canary Island samples, a reference set of genotyped continental populations of the commensalMus musculusand the wildMus spretuswas used for comparison.Results The morphometric analysis showed that all the mouse specimens from the Canary Islands and Cape Verde belonged toMus musculus domesticus.Lower molars of extant mice from La Gomera, El Hierro, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, and to a lesser degree from Lanzarote, were similar to those of genotypedM. m. domesticusfrom the continent, while teeth of extant mice from Fuerteventura were more divergent. Fossil mice from Fuerteventura were very similar to the extant representatives on this island, and similar to the fossil mice on the nearby islands of Lobos and La Graciosa.Main conclusions The mouse present on the Canary archipelago has been identified as the house mouseM. m. domesticus. Based on the shape of the lower molar, the Canary Island mice are divergent from the continental ones, but the degree of divergence varies with the geography of the archipelago. Overall, populations from eastern islands are more divergent from the continental mice than populations from western ones. Fossil populations indicate that this situation was established several centuries ago. Two main factors may have contributed to this pattern: the appearance of different types of environment on the islands since the successful settlement of the mouse, and/or the number of subsequent introductions of continental individuals via shipping.
Gene structure of an antimicrobial peptide from mandarin fish, Siniperca chuatsi (Basilewsky), suggests that moronecidins and pleurocidins belong in one family: the piscidins
Authors: Sun B J , Xie H X , Song Y , Nie P 
Published: May 2007

AbstractThe gene of piscidin, an antimicrobial peptide, has been cloned from the mandarin fish, Siniperca chuatsi. From the first transcription initiation site, the mandarin fish piscidin gene extends 1693 nucleotides to the end of the 3′ untranslated region and contains four exons and three introns. A predicted 79‐residue prepropeptide consists of three domains: a signal peptide (22 aa), a mature peptide (22 aa) and a C‐terminal prodomain (35 aa). The shortage of XQQ motif in the prodomain of mandarin fish piscidin and the similar gene structure between moronecidins (piscidins) and pleurocidins may indicate that they are derived from the same ancestor gene. We thus suggest that piscidin should be used as a terminology for these antimicrobial peptides in the future. The mandarin fish piscidin mRNA was abundant in intestine, spleen, pronephros and kidney analysed by real‐time polymerase chain reaction. After stimulation with lipopoly saccharides (LPS), a marked increase in transcripts was observed in most tissues, indicating that piscidin is not only a constitutively expressed molecule, but also has an increased response to bacterial infection. The synthetic, amidated mandarin fish piscidin exhibited different antimicrobial activity against different fish bacterial pathogens, especially against species of Aeromonas, which may to certain extent reflect the pathogenicity of these bacteria.
Molecular typing by pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis of Flavobacterium psychrophilum isolates derived from Japanese fish
Authors: Arai H , Morita Y , Izumi S , Katagiri T , Kimura H 
Published: May 2007

AbstractSixty‐four isolates of Flavobacterium psychrophilum from ayu, Plecoglossus altivelis altivelis (Temminck & Schlegel), and other fish (n = 16) in Japan and the type strain (NCIMB 1947T) were typed using pulsed‐field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) with endonuclease BlnI and XhoI. These isolates were classified into 20 clusters and 42 genotypes by PFGE analysis. The most predominant cluster of isolates from ayu was cluster XII (n = 20), followed by clusters XVII, XVI, XX, XI, IX, X, XIII and XV; the remaining 17 isolates from other fish were divided into clusters I, II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, XIV, XVIII and XIX. The PFGE genotype of isolates from ayu clearly differed from those of other fish. The isolates from ayu in Gunma Prefecture belonged to clusters XII, XVI, XVII and XX, and the strains of three of these clusters (XII, XVII and XX) were isolated from ayu in 15 of 19 prefectures. PFGE typing enabled more accurate classification of isolates into clusters than previously achieved by analysing the restriction fragment length polymorphism of PCR products. These results suggest that F. psychrophilum isolated from ayu and other fish are genetically different and strains with several PFGE types have spread within Japan.
A potential bias in the temporal method for estimatingNein admixed populations under natural selection
Authors: ARAKI HITOSHI , WAPLES ROBIN S. , BLOUIN MICHAEL S. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractIndirect genetic methods are frequently used to estimate the effective population size (Ne) or effective number of breeders (Nb) in natural populations. Although assumptions behind these methods are often violated, there have been few attempts to evaluate how accurate these estimates really are in practice. Here we investigate the influence of natural selection following a population admixture on the temporal method for estimatingNe. Our analytical and simulation results suggest thatNeis often underestimated in this method when subpopulations differ substantially in allele frequencies and in reproductive success. The underestimation is exacerbated when trueNeand the fraction of the low‐fitness group are large. As an empirical example, we comparedNbestimated in natural populations of steelhead trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) using the temporal method (&#x004e;̂b[temp]) with estimates based on direct demographic methods (&#x004e;̂b[demo]) and the linkage disequilibrium method (&#x004e;̂b[LD]). While&#x004e;̂b[LD]was generally in close agreement with&#x004e;̂b[demo],&#x004e;̂b[temp]was much lower in sample sets that were dominated by nonlocal hatchery fish with low reproductive success, as predicted by the analytical results. This bias in the temporal method, which arises when genes associated with a particular group of parents are selected against in the offspring sample, has not been widely appreciated before. Such situations may be particularly common when artificial propagation or translocations are used for conservation. The linkage disequilibrium method, which requires data from only one sample, is robust to this type of bias, although it can be affected by other factors.
Sirolimus exposure during the early post‐transplant period reduces the risk of CMV infection relative to tacrolimus in renal allograft recipients
Authors: Haririan Abdolreza , Morawski Katherina , West Miguel S. , El‐Amm Jose M. , Doshi Mona D. , Cincotta Elizabeth , Alangaden George J. , Chandrasekar Pranatharthi , Gruber Scott A. 
Published: May 2007

Abstract:  Introduction:  There are limited data regarding the role of individual maintenance immunosuppressive agents in the development of cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection. We examined the association between exposure to sirolimus (SRL) and risk of CMV infection after kidney transplantation when compared with tacrolimus (TCL).Methods:  This is a retrospective observational study of adult renal allograft recipients transplanted between 2001 and 2005 at our center. Patients received anti‐lymphocyte antibody induction, and mycophenolate mofetil with either SRL or TCL ± prednisone. D+/R− patients received valganciclovir 900 mg/d and CMV + patients 450 mg/d for three months. CMV infection was diagnosed with pp65 antigenemia testing prompted by clinical suspicion.Results:  A total of 14 Cases with CMV infection and 129 Controls were identified for primary analysis, and 11 D+/R− Cases and 19 D+/R− Controls for secondary analysis. The groups were comparable in both analyses, except for D+/R− serostatus in the primary analysis. All 14 Cases were on TCL for at least three months prior to diagnosis of CMV infection. In the primary analysis, zero Cases, but 30.2% and 34.9% of Controls (p = 0.009 and 0.004), and in secondary analysis, zero Cases, but 31.6% and 42.1% of Controls (p = 0.046 and 0.013), were on SRL at one and three months, respectively. In the primary analysis, zero Cases vs. 45 Controls (p = 0.004), and in secondary analysis, zero Cases vs. eight Controls (p = 0.013), were on SRL for at least three months early post‐transplantation.Conclusion: These findings suggest that SRL as a component of a multidrug immunosuppressive regimen decreases the risk of CMV infection after kidney transplantation when compared with TCL.
The pig‐to‐primate immune response: relevance for xenotransplantation
Authors: Tai Hao‐Chih , Zhu Xiaocheng , Hara Hidetaka , Lin Yih Jyh , Ezzelarab Mohamed , Long Cassandra , Ball Suyapa , Ayares David , Cooper David K. C. 
Published: May 2007

Abstract: Background: The allotransplantation of some solid organs can be associated with a graft‐vs.‐host (GVH) response from the activity of donor B or T cells. We have investigated whether there is a risk of a GVH response following pig‐to‐primate organ xenotransplantation.Methods: The responses of 16 pigs (six farm‐housed wild‐type and five wild‐type housed under high herd health conditions [all designated WT], and 5 α1,3‐galactosyltransferase gene‐knockout [GT‐KO] housed under high herd health conditions) to human (n = 6) and baboon (n = 6) peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) were determined. Assays included flow cytometry, complement‐dependent cytotoxicity, and mixed lymphocyte reaction.Results: Anti‐primate cytotoxic IgM antibodies were detected in the sera of all pigs, but anti‐primate IgG antibodies were minimal. All pigs demonstrated a cellular proliferative response to primate PBMC that was equivalent to, or greater than, the allo response. The strength of the pig‐to‐primate GVH responses was proportional to the health status of the pigs, those from a high health status herd, particularly from a specific pathogen‐free herd maintained under clean husbandry conditions, where colonization of the gastrointestinal tract may be reduced, having lower responses.Conclusions: After pig organ transplantation in a primate, if the organ is from an early‐weaned, early‐segregated GT‐KO pig, the strength of a GVH response is likely to be relatively weak. Although not investigated here, any GVH response is likely to be suppressed by the immunosuppressive therapy administered to the recipient to suppress the anti‐donor immune response.
Species‐level selection reduces selfishness through competitive exclusion
Authors: RANKIN D. J. , LÓPEZ‐SEPULCRE A. , FOSTER K. R. , KOKKO H. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractAdaptation does not necessarily lead to traits which are optimal for the population. This is because selection is often the strongest at the individual or gene level. The evolution of selfishness can lead to a ‘tragedy of the commons’, where traits such as aggression or social cheating reduce population size and may lead to extinction. This suggests that species‐level selection will result whenever species differ in the incentive to be selfish. We explore this idea in a simple model that combines individual‐level selection with ecology in two interacting species. Our model is not influenced by kin or trait‐group selection. We find that individual selection in combination with competitive exclusion greatly increases the likelihood that selfish species go extinct. A simple example of this would be a vertebrate species that invests heavily into squabbles over breeding sites, which is then excluded by a species that invests more into direct reproduction. A multispecies simulation shows that these extinctions result in communities containing species that are much less selfish. Our results suggest that species‐level selection and community dynamics play an important role in regulating the intensity of conflicts in natural populations.
Sex‐biased preferential care in the cooperatively breeding Arabian babbler
Authors: RIDLEY A. R. , HUYVAERT K. P. 
Published: May 2007

AbstractIn many social birds there are sex differences in dispersal patterns, with males commonly remaining in their natal group whereas females typically disperse at adolescence. Group members may therefore increase their fitness by preferentially caring for offspring of a particular sex according to social circumstances. Although previous studies have focussed on intragroup social factors that may affect preferential care, we propose that the relative size of neighbouring groups is of primary importance. Here we show that in the cooperatively breeding Arabian babbler (Turdoides squamiceps), parents preferentially feed male offspring when relative group size is small, and female offspring when group size is large. Unlike parents, helpers consistently favour young of the opposite sex to themselves, suggesting the risk of competition with members of the same sex for future breeding opportunities may override other considerations. These results emphasize the complexity of investment strategies in relation to social circumstances and the variable benefits of raising males vs. females in a species with sex‐biased philopatry.
Effect of Preservation Methods on the Performance of Bovine Pericardium Graft in a Rat Model
Authors: Zuki A. B. Z. , Hafeez Y. M. , Loqman M. Y. , Noordin M. M. , Norimah Y. 
Published: May 2007

SummaryThis study investigates the effect of preservation methods on the performance of bovine parietal pericardium grafts in a rat model. Mid‐ventral full thickness abdominal wall defects of 3 × 2.5 cm in size were created in 90 male Sprague–Dawley rats (300–400 g), which were divided into three groups of 30 rats each. The abdominal defects of group one and two were repaired with lyophilized and glycerolized bovine pericardium grafts, while the defects of group three were repaired with expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) Mycro Mesh as a positive control. Another group of 30 rats underwent sham operation and was used for comparison as negative control. Each group of rats (n = 30) was divided into five subgroups (n = 6) and killed at 1, 3, 6, 9 and 18 weeks post‐surgery for gross and morphological evaluations. The rats tolerated the surgical procedure well with a total mortality of 0.05%. No serious post‐operative clinical complications or signs of rejection were encountered. Adhesions between the grafts and the underlying visceral organs observed in the study were mostly results of post‐surgical complications. Glycerol preservation delayed degradation and replacement of the grafts, whereas lyophilization caused early resorption and replacement of the grafts. The glycerolized grafts were replaced with thick dense fibrous tissue, and the lyophilized grafts were replaced with thin loose fibrous tissue. The healing characteristic of the bovine pericardium grafts was similar to those of the sham‐operated group, and quite different from those of the ePTFE Mycro Mesh. The outcome of the present study confirmed the superiority of glycerolized bovine pericardium grafts over its lyophilized counter part.