bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Effects of mitogen-activated protein kinases on nuclear protein importThis paper is one of a selection of papers published in this Special Issue, entitled The Nucleus: A Cell Within A Cell.
Authors: Faustino Randolph S. , Rousseau Delphine C. , Landry Melanie N. , Kostenuk Annette L. , Pierce Grant N. 
Published: August 2006

ERK-2 MAP kinase activation induces inhibitory effects on nuclear protein import in vascular smooth muscle cells. The mechanism and characteristics of this effect of ERK-2 were investigated. An unusual dose-dependent effect of ERK-2 on nuclear protein import was identified. At higher concentrations (1 μg/mL) of ERK-2, nuclear protein import was stimulated, whereas lower concentrations (0.04 μg/mL) inhibited import. Intermediate concentrations exerted intermediate effects. The stimulatory and inhibitory effects at the 2 different ERK-2 concentrations were observed in both conventional, permeabilized cell assays of nuclear protein import and with in situ microinjection of smooth muscle cells. The biphasic effects of ERK-2 on import were also found for the other 2 members of the MAPK family, p38 and JNK. RanGAP was identified by structural analysis as a candidate target protein responsible for mediating the effects of ERK-2. After pretreatment with high concentrations of ERK-2, RanGAP activity was significantly increased by ~50%. In contrast, low concentrations of ERK-2 significantly attenuated RanGAP activity. These results demonstrate that all 3 members of the MAPK family can alter nuclear protein import in opposite directions depending upon the concentration of ERK-2 used. RanGAP represents the MAP kinase target whereby nuclear transport can be stimulated or inhibited.
THE CHANGING IMPORTANCE OF THE STRENGTH OF TIES THROUGHOUT THE ENTREPRENEURIAL PROCESS
Authors: EVALD MAJBRITT ROSTGAARD , KLYVER KIM , SVENDSEN SUSANNE GREN 
Published: August 2006

In this paper we review selected papers on entrepreneurship dealing with Granovetter's concept of strong and weak ties in order to systematically organize the articles according to the researchers' estimate of what ties are most important. The aim is to find out what the existing research applying the entrepreneurship network approach says about the changing importance of strong and weak ties in different phases of the entrepreneurial process. Thus we investigate how different types of strong and weak ties change in importance according to, which phases of the entrepreneurial process the entrepreneurial act takes place within. Based on these findings, we develop a conceptual framework showing that strong ties, like family, friends and close business contacts, seem to play an important role in the emergence phase. Whereas in the phase of the newly established firm, a mix of strong and weak ties, including new and former business contacts as well as family and friends, seems to play an important role. Furthermore, in the phase of the mature firm a mix of strong and weak ties seem to play the most important role, although the composition of what constitutes this mix is different from the former phase. In the last phase, the mix of strong and weak ties includes special and close business contacts and one-shot deal business contacts. Accordingly, we have identified the changing importance of the strength of ties throughout the entrepreneurial process.
Pathogenicity and host range of Heterodera arenaria in coastal foredunes
Authors: Van der Putten Wim , Van der Stoel Christine 
Published: August 2006

AbstractIn coastal foredunes, the cyst nematode Heterodera arenaria has been supposed to play a role in degeneration of the pioneer grass Ammophila arenaria (marram grass). However, recent field surveys and field inoculation experiments suggested that the abundance of this cyst nematode is controlled by the host plant. Here, we test pathogenicity of H. arenaria by inoculating a range of densities of second-stage juveniles (J2) onto A. arenaria in sterilised soil. Plant root biomass was reduced after 6 weeks of growth, but not after 13 weeks, when cyst formation was completed. Shoot biomass was not influenced. In the field, H. arenaria occurred in sand and on roots of Elymus farctus and A. arenaria in mobile dunes, but not on A. arenaria in stable dunes. Although we observed Heterodera cysts and juveniles in later succession stages, this cyst nematode appeared to be H. hordecalis. In a host suitability test, H. arenaria produced cysts on E. farctus and A. arenaria, while there were almost no cysts produced when J2 had been added to the later succession species Festuca rubra ssp. arenaria, Carex arenaria, Elymus athericus and Calamagrostis epigejos. Heterodera arenaria did not negatively affect its natural host plants. However, H. arenaria reduced root growth of one later succession plant species, E. athericus, which was a poor host for H. arenaria. The effects of H. arenaria inoculation on plant biomass production did not differ when J2 were added to plants growing in non-sterilised soil. We conclude that H. arenaria is specialised on the pioneer grasses E. farctus and A. arenaria, and also on mobile dunes as a habitat. Our results confirm recent suggestions that H. arenaria may cause little direct growth reduction to its natural host plants.
Steinernema khoisanae n. sp. (Rhabditida: Steinernematidae), a new entomopathogenic nematode from South Africa
Authors: Malan Antoinette , Gozel Ugur , Nguyen Khuong 
Published: August 2006

AbstractA new species of entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema khoisanae n. sp. is described from South Africa. The new species is characterised by morphometrics of the infective juvenile with body length 1076 μm, narrow body diameter of 33 μm, excretory pore 94 μm from anterior end, tail 85 μm long, a = 33, D% = 68, H% = 57, and E% = 111. The lateral field pattern of the new species is 2, 7, 8, 6, 4 and 2. The male of the first generation can be recognised by the spicule and the gubernaculum shape, excretory pore located posteriorly near the end of the pharynx, D% = 88, and SW% = 199. The first generation female can be recognised by the non-protruding vulva and tail bearing a prominent mucron. Steinernema khoisanae n. sp. is characterised genetically by sequences of the internal transcribed spacers and D2/D3 regions of 28S ribosomal DNA, by composition of their sequences and by numerous unique, derived, nucleotide character states. Phylogenetic trees show that S. khoisanae n. sp. and other members of the S. glaseri-group form a monophyletic assemblage.
Mononchina (Dorylaimida) from Western Malaysia
Authors: Loof Pieter 
Published: August 2006

AbstractThe results of a survey of the mononchs found in 20 soil samples from Western Malaysia is presented. Twenty species were found, of which seven are new to science, although one of these (Iotonchulus sp. A) is not formally named as only a single female was found. Parahadronchus selangorensis n. sp. is a didelphic species over 3 mm long, the female possessing advulvar papillae. Hadronchoides maximus n. sp. differs from H. microdenticulatus by much longer body, buccal cavity and tail, and by the more posteriorly placed dorsal tooth. Miconchus parathornei n. sp. resembles M. thornei but is bisexual, the lip region is narrower and the dorsal tooth lies more anterior in the buccal cavity. Iotonchus abrahmani n. sp. is characterised by the reduced, but differentiated, posterior genital branch. Iotonchus pusillus n. sp. resembles I. chantaburensis but differs by the subacute tail terminus, absence of distinct caudal glands, and values of c and anal body diameter, and V. Mylonchulus williamsi n. sp. resembles M. incurvus in tail shape but differs from it in having much lower values of L, buccal cavity length and lip region diameter. The other species found were: Parahadronchus yuenae; Iotonchus trichurus; I. cf. trichurus; I. silvallus; I. basidontus; I. indicus; I. chantaburensis; I. cf. rinae; Iotonchulus longicaudatus; Mylonchulus brachyuris; M. minor; M. mulveyi; and Sporonchulus ibitiensis. Paramylonchulus indistinctus is proposed as a junior synonym of Mylonchulus mulveyi.
The chemotactic response of Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita (Nematoda: Rhabditida) to cues of Deroceras reticulatum (Mollusca: Gastropoda)
Authors: Wilson Michael , Robertson Jamie , Rae Robbie 
Published: August 2006

AbstractEntomopathogenic nematodes use a range of cues released by insects to locate hosts but there has been no research on how the slug-parasitic nematode, Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita, finds potential hosts. We exposed P. hermaphrodita to a range of cues associated with the highly susceptible host Deroceras reticulatum. Cues included foot and mantle mucus and faeces from live D. reticulatum and volatile cues released from this slug. We also compared the attractiveness of live and dead D. reticulatum, and the attractiveness of infected and non-infected D. reticulatum. Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita responded poorly to volatile cues but was strongly attracted to live D. reticulatum, its faeces and mucus from both the foot and mantle. Phasmarhabditis hermaphrodita was attracted more to dead than live hosts, and was equally attracted to infected and non-infected D. reticulatum. The strong attraction to dead D. reticulatum adds weight to the hypothesis that this nematode is a facultative parasite that is capable of growth and reproduction on decaying plant and animal material present in soil.
Effect of nematode infection and damage on the root system and plant growth of three Musa cultivars commonly grown in Uganda
Authors: De Waele Dirk , Speijer Paul , Gold Clifford , Swennen Rony , Talwana Herbert 
Published: August 2006

AbstractBanana production in East Africa is threatened by declining yields partly caused by plant-parasitic nematodes. Attempts to ameliorate this damage are hampered by a lack of information on the characteristics of the root systems of healthy and nematode infested roots of commonly grown banana cultivars. An experiment in hydroponic culture, where healthy root systems were established, demonstrated that there were differences in number, size and distribution of primary, secondary and tertiary roots among the cultivars Nabusa, Pisang Awak and Sukali Ndizi. Field experiments carried out at three sites in Uganda showed that nematode damage on the same cultivars increased the number of primary roots and root bases, either increased or decreased root length depending on the cultivar or nematode species involved, but always decreased root length density. Root number and size are probably critical factors in determining plant tolerance to nematodes. Our findings should help plant breeding programmes, which must establish those selection criteria that are most likely to reduce the debilitating effects of nematode damage.
Description of Deleyia gen. n. with a discussion of its phylogenetic relationships to the genera Daubaylia Chitwood & Chitwood, 1934 and Myolaimus Cobb, 1920 (Nematoda: Rhabditida)
Authors: Boström Sven , Holovachov Oleksandr 
Published: August 2006

AbstractThe new genus Deleyia gen. n., including two new species, D. poinari gen. n., sp. n. and D. aspiculata gen. n., sp. n., is described from terrestrial material (rotting wood and moss) in Ukraine. The new genus is inter alia characterised by the outer cuticular layer being defoliated along most of the body, except for labial region and tail posterior to phasmid, forming a cuticular sheath around the body and a vulval cuticular sac in females, and reduced stoma and basal bulb. Deleyia poinari gen. n., sp. n. is separated from D. aspiculata gen. n., sp. n. by a shorter body (L = 600-831 vs 756-945 μm), a shorter PUS (7-18 vs 44-69 μm), longer tail in both females and males (40-50 vs 32-38 μm and 37-48 vs 35 μm, respectively), and presence vs absence of spicules and gubernaculum. The phylogenetic position of Deleyia gen. n. and its relationships to the genera Daubaylia and Myolaimus are discussed.
The Double Task: Nation- and State-Building in Timor-Leste
Authors: Borgerhoff Andre 
Published: August 2006

AbstractTimor-Leste has been facing the arduous task of building a viable nation-state since the country's 2002 restoration of independence. The dual challenge consists of interdependent efforts at nation-building and state-building. The author discusses both terms with regard to their relevance to public education and economic development. He raises the question of why nation-building and state-building experience rather contrary prioritisations in these functionally close policy fields. In the educational sector, government activities demonstrate Fretilin's orientation towards Portuguese-speaking countries. The introduction of Portuguese as an official language has accentuated existing lingual and generational cleavage lines. Economic policy in Timor-Leste, however, tends to be more pragmatic and less ideological. The article aims to make an innovative contribution to the interrelationship of nation-building and economic development by addressing important issues on the agenda such as the exploitation of oil, agriculture, tourism, the economic dependency on the former oppressor Indonesia, and foreign aid. The author argues that economic growth will eventually shape the future format of the East Timorese nation as either a new self-confident political player or a withdrawn peasant nation.
Bioinformatic discovery of microRNA precursors from human ESTs and introns
Authors: Li Sung-Chou , Pan Chao-Yu , Lin Wen-chang 
Published: August 2006

Abstract

Background
MicroRNAs (miRNAs) function in many physiological processes, and their discovery is beneficial for further studying their physiological functions. However, many of the miRNAs predicted from genomic sequences have not been experimentally validated to be authentic expressed RNA transcripts, thereby decreasing the reliability of miRNA discovery. To overcome this problem, we examined expressed transcripts – ESTs and intronic sequences – to identify novel miRNAs as well as their target genes.

Results
To facilitate our approach, we developed our scanning method using criteria based on the features of 207 known human pre-miRNAs to discriminate miRNAs from random sequences. We identified 208 candidate hairpins in human ESTs and human reference gene intronic sequences, 52 of which are known pre-miRNAs. The discovery pipeline performance was further assessed using 130 newly updated pre-miRNA and randomly selected sequences. We achieved sensitivity of 85% (110/130) and overall specificity of 49.7% using this method. Because miRNAs are evolutionarily conserved regulators of gene expression, it is expected that their host genes and target genes should have respective phylogenetic orthologs. Our results confirmed that, in certain mammals, the host genes carrying the same miRNAs are orthologs, as previously reported. Moreover, this observation is also the case for some of the miRNA target genes.

Conclusion
We have predicted 208 human pre-miRNA candidates and over 10,000 putative human target genes. Using sequence information from ESTs and introns ensures that the predicted pre-miRNA candidates are expressed and the combined expression transcription information from ESTs and introns makes our prediction results more decisive with regard to expressed pre-miRNAs.
Identification and analysis of YELLOW protein family genes in the silkworm, Bombyx mori
Authors: Xia Ai-Hua , Zhou Qing-Xiang , Yu Lin-Lin , Li Wei-Guo , Yi Yong-Zhu , Zhang Yao-Zhou , Zhang Zhi-Fang 
Published: August 2006

Abstract

Background
The major royal jelly proteins/yellow (MRJP/YELLOW) family possesses several physiological and chemical functions in the development of Apis mellifera and Drosophila melanogaster. Each protein of the family has a conserved domain named MRJP. However, there is no report of MRJP/YELLOW family proteins in the Lepidoptera.

Results
Using the YELLOW protein sequence in Drosophila melanogaster to BLAST silkworm EST database, we found a gene family composed of seven members with a conserved MRJP domain each and named it YELLOW protein family of Bombyx mori. We completed the cDNA sequences with RACE method. The protein of each member possesses a MRJP domain and a putative cleavable signal peptide consisting of a hydrophobic sequence. In view of genetic evolution, the whole Bm YELLOW protein family composes a monophyletic group, which is distinctly separate from Drosophila melanogaster and Apis mellifera. We then showed the tissue expression profiles of Bm YELLOW protein family genes by RT-PCR.

Conclusion
A Bombyx mori YELLOW protein family is found to be composed of at least seven members. The low homogeneity and unique pattern of gene expression by each member among the family ensure us to prophesy that the members of Bm YELLOW protein family would play some important physiological functions in silkworm development.
Generation of a large scale repertoire of Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) from normalised rainbow trout cDNA libraries
Authors: Govoroun Marina , Le Gac Florence , Guiguen Yann 
Published: August 2006

Abstract

Background
Within the framework of a genomics project on livestock species (AGENAE), we initiated a high-throughput DNA sequencing program of Expressed Sequence Tags (ESTs) in rainbow trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss.

Results
We constructed three cDNA libraries including one highly complex pooled-tissue library. These libraries were normalized and subtracted to reduce clone redundancy. ESTs sequences were produced, and 96 472 ESTs corresponding to high quality sequence reads were released on the international database, currently representing 42.5% of the overall sequence knowledge in this species. All these EST sequences and other publicly available ESTs in rainbow trout have been included on a publicly available Website (SIGENAE) and have been clustered into a total of 52 930 clusters of putative transcripts groups, including 24 616 singletons. 57.1% of these 52 930 clusters are represented by at least one Agenae EST and 14 343 clusters (27.1%) are only composed by Agenae ESTs. Sequence analysis also reveals that normalization and especially subtraction were effective in decreasing redundancy, and that the pooled-tissue library was representative of the initial tissue complexity.

Conclusion
Due to present work on the construction of rainbow trout normalized cDNA libraries and their extensive sequencing, along with other large scale sequencing programs, rainbow trout is now one of the major fish models in term of EST sequences available in a public database, just after Zebrafish, Danio rerio. This information is now used for the selection of a non redundant set of clones for producing DNA micro-arrays in order to examine global gene expression.
Interleukin-10 polymorphisms in Spanish IgA deficiency patients: a case-control and family study
Authors: Ortiz Javier , Fernández-Arquero Miguel , Urcelay Elena , López-Mejías Raquel , Ferreira Antonio , Fontán Gumersindo , de la Concha Emilio G , Martínez Alfonso 
Published: August 2006

Abstract

Background
IgA deficiency (IgAD) is the most common primary immunodeficiency in Caucasians. Genetic and environmental factors are suspected to be involved in the development of the disease. Interleukin-10 (IL-10) is a cytokine with stimulatory activity on immunoglobulin production and it may be an important regulator in IgAD pathogenesis. The IL-10 gene contains several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and two polymorphic microsatellites located in the 5'-flanking region. Our aim was to ascertain if any of these polymorphic markers are associated or linked to IgAD in Spanish patients.

Methods
We genotyped 278 patients with IgAD and 573 ethnically matched controls for the microsatellites IL-10R and IL-10G and for three single nucleotide polymorphisms at positions -1082, -819 and -592 in the proximal promoter of the gene. We also included in this study the parents of 194 patients in order to study the IL-10 haplotypes transmitted and not transmitted to the affected offspring.

Results
The only allele where a significant difference was observed in the comparison between IgA deficiency patients and controls was the IL-10G12 allele (OR = 1.58 and p = 0.021). However, this p value could not withstand a Bonferroni correction. None of the IL-10R or promoter SNP alleles was found at a different frequency when patients were compared with controls.

Conclusion
Our data do not show any significant difference in IL-10 polymorphism frequencies between control and IgAD patient samples. Their haplotype distribution among patients and controls was also equivalent and therefore these microsatellites and SNPs do not seem to influence IgAD susceptibility.
Identification and quantification of change in Australian illicit drug markets
Authors: Gilmour Stuart , Koch Inge , Degenhardt Louisa , Day Carolyn 
Published: August 2006

Abstract

Background
In early 2001 Australia experienced a sudden reduction in the availability of heroin which had widespread effects on illicit drug markets across the country. The consequences of this event, commonly referred to as the Australian 'heroin shortage', have been extensively studied and there has been considerable debate as to the causes of the shortage and its implications for drug policy. This paper aims to investigate the presence of these epidemic patterns, to quantify the scale over which they occur and to estimate the relative importance of the 'heroin shortage' and any epidemic patterns in the drug markets.

Method
Key indicator data series from the New South Wales illicit drug market were analysed using the statistical methods Principal Component Analysis and SiZer.

Results
The 'heroin shortage' represents the single most important source of variation in this illicit drug market. Furthermore the size of the effect of the heroin shortage is more than three times that evidenced by long-term 'epidemic' patterns.

Conclusion
The 'heroin shortage' was unlikely to have been a simple correction at the end of a long period of reduced heroin availability, and represents a separate non-random shock which strongly affected the markets.