bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A novel missense mutation in the PHOX2Bgene is associated with late onset central hypoventilation syndrome
Authors: Parodi Sara , Baglietto Maria Pia , Prato Alessio Pini , Caroli Francesco , Garaventa Alberto , Ceccherini Isabella , Ottonello Giancarlo 
Published: September 2008

AbstractWe report the case of a 15‐month‐old male suffering from Late Onset Congenital Central Hypoventilation Syndrome and recto‐sigmoid Hirschsprung's disease, an association that has not been reported thus far. Nevertheless, our patient showed a missense mutation of the PHOX2B gene already known in isolated late onset central hypoventilation, resulting in a substitution of the Ala140 residue with a Glu residue (p.A140E). The present association of LO‐CHS and HSCR in a patient harboring a rare and atypical PHOX2B mutation allows to refine the mutational spectrum of this disease and suggests individualized ventilatory care along with specific surgical and oncological approaches. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2008; 43:1036–1039. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Respiratory impedance and response to salbutamol in healthy Vietnamese children
Authors: Vu Lan T.T. , Demoulin Bruno , Nguyen Yen T. , Nguyen Mai T.H. , Marchal François 
Published: September 2008

AbstractA high incidence of childhood asthma has been reported in Ha Noi, Viet Nam, indicating a need to document lung function in these children. The degree of airway obstruction and reversibility may be evaluated from the forced oscillation assessment of respiratory resistance to reactance (Rrs, Xrs). Appropriate controls are necessary for a proper interpretation of patients. The aim of the study was to provide reference values on Rrs and Xrs and response to salbutamol in healthy Vietnamese children. One hundred seventy‐five children aged 6–11 year recruited from one public school in Ha Noi were studied. Measurements were obtained at baseline and after 200 µg inhaled salbutamol. Significant correlations were disclosed between Rrs or Xrs and standing height (P < 0.0001). Salbutamol significantly decreased Rrs (from 7.1 ±  1.9 hPa.sec/L to 6.2 ± 1.8 hPa.sec/L, P < 0.0001) and increased Xrs (from −1.22 ± 0.64 to −0.91 ± 0.61 hPa.sec/L, P < 0.0001). Rrs response to salbutamol lower limit of 95% confidence interval was −38% from baseline Rrs and, Xrs upper limit was +16% from baseline impedance. It is concluded that reference values for respiratory impedance (Zrs) and thresholds for clinically relevant response to bronchodilator are provided in primary school Vietnamese children. A smaller slope for the observed Rrs–body height relationship is suggested with reference to relevant studies in healthy Caucasians. Pediatr Pulmonol. 2008; 43:1013–1019. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Sera proteomic biomarker profiling in HIV‐1 infected subjects with cognitive impairment
Authors: Rozek Wojciech , Horning Jayme , Anderson James , Ciborowski Pawel 
Published: September 2008

AbstractHIV‐1 infection of the brain commonly leads to cognitive impairments (CIs). In its most severe form, HIV‐1 associated dementia (HAD) is associated with advanced immune suppression and debilitating loss of memory, behavioral, and motor functions. Despite significant research activities, diagnosis remains one of exclusion. Bioimaging, neuropsychological testing, and viral and immune biomarkers serve to support but not define a diagnosis of HIV‐1 associated CI. This is timely and required as brain injury triggered by HIV‐1 can be controlled, in part, by antiretroviral medicines. The recent development of proteomics has opened new ways to study viral–host interactions which may provide new insight into treatment and disease monitoring. To this end, we developed a proteomics platform for HIV‐1 associated CI biomarker discovery and used it to perform a pilot study for sera‐associated HAD proteins. A 2‐DE map of a serum proteome was focused on differentially expressed proteins. Differential expression of two proteins was validated by Western blot tests identifying afamin and ceruloplasmin as a potential biomarkers for CI associated with advanced HIV‐1 infection.
Simultaneous determination of endogenous deoxynucleotides and phosphorylated nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors in peripheral blood mononuclear cells using ion‐pair liquid chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry
Authors: Coulier Leon , van Kampen Jeroen J. A. , de Groot Ronald , Gerritsen Henk W. , Bas Richard C. , van Dongen William D. , Brüll Lars P. , Luider Theo M. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractNucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NRTIs) are activated intracellularly to their triphosphate (TP) form, which compete with endogenous deoxynucleotide‐triphosphates (dNTP) as substrate for HIV reverse transcriptase. The activity of NRTIs is thus described by the NRTI‐TP‐to‐dNTP ratio in relevant cell types. Therefore, we developed an ion‐pair (IP) LC‐MS method for the simultaneous analysis of the mono‐, di‐, and TP forms of NRTIs and endogenous deoxynucleosides in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The IP‐LC method was applied on an IT mass spectrometer using the MS‐mode as well as on a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer using the MS/MS mode. The MS/MS approach on the triple quadrupole mass spectrometer demonstrated the best clinical applicability due to its higher sensitivity. The LOD (minimum amount on column) were 25 fmol for the TP forms of zidovudine, lamivudine, and stavudine, as well as for their endogenous dNTP counterparts. The linearity (R2) of the calibration curves were>0.99. The obtained LOD readily allow for clinical applications using just one million PBMC obtained from HIV‐infected patients under therapy.
Proteomic identification of proteins in the human brain: Towards a more comprehensive understanding of neurodegenerative disease
Authors: Caudle W. Michael , Pan Sheng , Shi Min , Quinn Thomas , Hoekstra Jake , Beyer Richard P. , Montine Thomas J. , Zhang Jing 
Published: September 2008

AbstractProteomics has revealed itself as a powerful tool in the identification and determination of proteins and their biological significance. More recently, several groups have taken advantage of the high‐throughput nature of proteomics in order to gain a more in‐depth understanding of the human brain. In turn, this information has provided researchers with invaluable insight into the potential pathways and mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of several neurodegenerative disorders, e.g., Alzheimer and Parkinson disease. Furthermore, these findings likely will improve methods to diagnose disease and monitor disease progression as well as generate novel targets for therapeutic intervention. Despite these advances, comprehensive understanding of the human brain proteome remains challenging, and requires development of improved sample enrichment, better instrumentation, and innovative analytic techniques. In this review, we will focus on the most recent progress related to identification of proteins in the human brain under normal as well as pathological conditions, mainly Alzheimer and Parkinson disease, their potential application in biomarker discovery, and discuss current advances in protein identification aimed at providing a more comprehensive understanding of the brain.
MALDI‐MS derived prognostic protein markers for resected non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Xu Baogang J. , Gonzalez Adriana L. , Kikuchi Takefumi , Yanagisawa Kiyoshi , Massion Pierre P. , Wu Huiyun , Mason Stephen E. , Olson Sandy J. , Shyr Yu , Carbone David P. , Caprioli Richard M. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractProtein signals obtained directly from frozen lung tissue sections using MALDI‐MS were used to predict nodal involvement and survival in resected non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We have identified a list of these protein signals and further evaluated their prognostic values for NSCLC using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Kaplan‐Meier analysis was used to assess the mortality risk associated with the prognostic protein IHC‐staining intensities. The combined IHC scores of calmodulin, thymosin β4, and thymosin β10 were found to be correlated with NSCLC patient survival (p = 0.004). Furthermore, low cofilin‐1 IHC‐staining intensity was found to be correlated with a better outcome for patients with negative lymph node status (p = 0.006) while high cofilin‐1 IHC‐staining intensity was found to be correlated with a better outcome for patients with positive node status (p = 0.034). In conclusion, the prognostic protein signals selected using MALDI‐MS can be identified and tested by IHC in formalin‐fixed tissue samples. MALDI‐MS‐derived protein signals can be potentially translated to a conventional clinical setting to aid in the prognosis of patients with NSCLC at the molecular level.
Chaperone action of a versatile small heat shock protein from Methanococcoides burtonii, a cold adapted archaeon
Authors: Laksanalamai Pongpan , Narayan Suchithra , Luo Haibin , Robb Frank T. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractThe Methanococcoides burtonii small heat shock protein (Mb‐sHsp) is an αB‐crystallin homolog that delivers protein stabilizing and protective functions to model enzymes, presumably reflecting its role as a molecular chaperone in vivo. Although the gene encoding Mb‐shsp was cloned from a cold‐adapted microorganism, the Mb‐sHsp is an efficient protein chaperone at temperatures far above the optimum growth temperature of M. burtonii. We show that Mb‐sHsp can prevent aggregation in E. coli cell free extracts at 60°C for 4 h and can stabilize bovine liver glutamate dehydrogenase for 3 h at 50°C. Surface plasmon resonance was used to determine the binding affinity of Mb‐sHsp for denatured proteins. Mb‐sHsp bound tightly to denatured lysozyme but not to the native form. When Mb‐Cpn and Mg2+‐ATP were added to the reaction, bound lysozyme was released from Mb‐sHsp establishing that Mb‐Cpn is able to off‐load folding intermediates from Mb‐sHsp. In addition, Mb‐sHsp and Mb‐Cpn also function cooperatively to protect an enzyme substrate. Through characterization of these M. burtonii chaperones, we were able to reconstitute a key heat shock regulated protein folding function of this cold adapted organism in vitro. Proteins 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
The osmolyte betaine promotes protein misfolding and disruption of protein aggregates
Authors: Natalello Antonino , Liu Jing , Ami Diletta , Doglia Silvia Maria , de Marco Ario 
Published: September 2008

AbstractIn this work the effect of betaine on the structure and aggregation of the GST‐GFP fluorescent fusion protein was studied by different complementary techniques, including electron microscopy, dynamic light scattering, circular dichroism, and FTIR spectroscopy. Although osmolytes are known to be protein stabilizers in vivo, the effect of betaine on the structure and aggregation of our model protein was found to be strictly concentration dependent. We demonstrated that, by changing betaine concentration, it was possible to tune the formation of protein soluble assemblies and insoluble aggregates, as well as to disaggregate preformed aggregates. In particular, at a critical concentration of betaine between 5 and 7.5 mM, the protein precipitated into macroscopic prefibrillar structures, rich in intermolecular β‐sheets, which were found to bind thioflavine T and to be inaccessible to protease. Instead, at higher betaine concentration (10–20 mM) the misfolded protein lost its fluorescence, but formed soluble assemblies with hydrodynamic radius of about 16 nm. These structures displayed a reduced propensity to further aggregate under thermal treatment. In addition, betaine at this high concentration was also found to disrupt large preformed aggregates, obtained under different conditions, into protein soluble assemblies. It is the first time that a disaggregation process has been described for a chemical chaperone. A mechanism for the betaine concentration‐dependent effect on protein misfolding, aggregation, and disaggregation is proposed and its possible physiological implications are discussed. Proteins 2009. © 2008 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.
Germination requirements for 29 terrestrial and wetland wild plant species appropriate for phytotoxicity testing
Authors: White Andrea L , Boutin Céline , Dalton Rebecca L , Henkelman Bettina , Carpenter David 
Published: September 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: Species selected for phytotoxicity testing have been limited to a few standard crop species owing to restrictive recommendations at the regulatory level. However, guidelines by the Organisation for Economic Development and Cooperation (OECD) were recently amended in 2006 to include a list of herbaceous non‐crop plant species suitable for testing. The objective of this study was to outline the optimum germination requirements for a selection of wild species for which seeds were readily available from commercial suppliers.RESULTS: Of the 29 herbaceous terrestrial and wetland species included in this study, all achieved 50% germination and 23 reached > 70% germination to meet the criterion outlined in the OECD guidelines. Most species attained their maximum germination within 14 days or less. Cold stratification of imbibed seeds improved germination for 14 species. Increasing sowing soil depth did not improve seed germination. The variance attained in this experiment between replicates was low, especially for species with > 70% germination (standard error ∼5%).CONCLUSION: The present study showed that 23 of the 29 species tested required minimal pretreatments and produced consistent, reliable and uniform germination reaching at least 70%. The inclusion of wild plant species in regulatory testing should be given real consideration. Copyright © 2008 Crown in the right of Canada. Published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Synthesis, characterization, absolute structural determination and antifungal activity of a new chlorinated aromatic avenaciolide analogue
Authors: Castelo‐Branco Pedro A , Rubinger Mayura MM , Guilardi Silvana , Leite Vanessa M , dos Santos Adeliane R , de C Alves Leandro , Lariucci Carlito , Vencato Ivo , Piló‐Veloso Dorila , Zambolim Laércio 
Published: September 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: Avenaciolide, a natural product isolated from Aspergillus avenaceus H. Smith, possesses several interesting biological properties, such as antifungal and antibacterial activities and inhibition of glutamate transport in mitochondria. In a study aiming to discover new compounds with antifungal activity, a bis‐γ‐lactone analogous to avenaciolide was prepared and characterized by elemental analysis, mass spectrometry, and infrared and NMR spectroscopy.RESULTS: The absolute structures of this compound and of the synthetic precursor (also a bis‐γ‐lactone) were determined by X‐ray diffraction analysis. The bis‐γ‐lactones synthesized crystallize in the orthorhombic space group P212121, and the crystal packings are supported by CH···O hydrogen bonds. The compound showed antifungal activity against Colletotrichum gloeosporioides (Penz.) Penz. & Sacc., while the synthetic precursor was inactive under the in vitro test conditions employed.CONCLUSION: The results indicate that it is not only the bis‐γ‐lactone skeleton that is important to antifungal activity. The latter also depends on the presence of the exocyclic double bond possibly due to a Michael addition type reaction with the fungal enzymes. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Investigations on Oecophylla longinoda (Latreille) (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) as a biocontrol agent in the protection of cashew plantations
Authors: Dwomoh Emmanuel A , Afun Jakpasu VK , Ackonor Joseph B , Agene VN 
Published: September 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: Cashew (Anacardium occidentale L.) has become a very important non‐traditional tree crop in Ghana. The crop is, however, attacked by sap‐sucking insects, particularly the mosquito bug, Helopeltis schoutedeni Reuter, the leaf‐footed bug, Pseudotheraptus devastans (Dist.), and the coreid bug, Anoplocnemis curvipes (F.), which feed on shoots, panicles and fruits. Their damage is characterised by withering of the latter. In Ghana, Oecophylla longinoda Latr. occurs in large numbers on cashew and other native plants, but little is known about its relationship with insect pests. The relationship between O. longinoda and shoot and panicle damage by sap‐sucking bugs and the effectiveness of O. longinoda as a biocontrol agent in the protection of cashew as compared with two chemical insecticides, lambda‐cyhalothrin (Karate®) and cypermethrin + dimethoate (Cyperdim®), were therefore investigated at Bole in the northern region of Ghana.RESULTS: There was a negative correlation between numbers of O. longinoda nests and pest damage. Trees treated with cypermethrin + dimethoate (969 mg AI mL−1 tree−1) and lambda‐cyhalothrin (100 mg AI mL−1 tree−1) recorded the smallest bug numbers, followed by O. longinoda. Trees infested by Oecophylla longinoda and trees treated with cypermethrin + dimethoate and with lambda‐cyhalothrin had less than 6% pest damage to shoots, panicles and fruits, while water‐sprayed trees recorded damage as high as 36.8% (shoots) in February, 32.9% (panicles) in February and 37.8% (fruits) in March. Cypermethrin + dimethoate again recorded the highest (485.0 kg ha−1) nut yield, followed by O. longinoda (431.0 kg ha−1), with water recording the lowest (93.0 kg ha−1) nut yield.CONCLUSION: The results indicate that O. longinoda can be used to control some sucking bugs as effectively as some insecticides. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Isobutyl amides—potent compounds for controlling Diatraea saccharalis
Authors: Debonsi Hosana M , Miranda José E , Murata Afonso T , de Bortoli Sérgio A , Kato Massuo J , Bolzani Vanderlan S , Furlan Maysa 
Published: September 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: A dichloromethane‐methanol extract of the seeds of Piper tuberculatum Jacq. (Piperaceae) and two isobutyl amides, 4,5‐dihydropiperlonguminine (1) and pellitorine (2), which were isolated by chromatographic methods, were assayed for their lethality against the sugarcane borer Diatraea saccharalis F. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae).RESULTS: Bioassays were carried out with fourth‐instar caterpillars through topical application of test solutions to the dorsal surface of the prothorax, and dose–response correlations were determined. Significant insect mortalities were observed 24, 48 and 72 h after treatment at concentrations of ≥ 100 µg insect−1. The LD50 and LD90 values for compound 1 were 92.83 and 176.50 µg insect−1, and for compound 2 they were 91.19 and 184.56 µg insect−1.CONCLUSION: According to the LD50 and LD90 for compounds 1 and 2, it can be inferred that the values reflect an acute lethal response to both compounds, based on interaction(s) of the toxicants with a primary target or series of targets. Thus, the amides were demonstrated to have potential value in the control of the sugarcane borer. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Effect of the new pyrazole carboxamide fungicide penthiopyrad on late leaf spot and stem rot of peanut
Authors: Culbreath Albert K , Brenneman Tim B , Kemerait Robert C , Hammes Glenn G 
Published: September 2008

AbstractBACKGROUND: Management of early leaf spot (Cercospora arachidicola Hori.), late leaf spot [Cercosporidium personatum (Berk. & MA Curtis) Deighton] and stem rot (Sclerotium rolfsii Sacc.) of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in the southeastern USA is heavily dependent upon sterol biosynthesis inhibitor (SBI) and quinone outside inhibitor (QoI) fungicides. Effective new fungicides with different modes of action could improve overall disease control and extend the utility of the current fungicides. Penthiopryad is a pyrazole carboxamide fungicide being evaluated for use on peanut. Field experiments were conducted from 2004 to 2007 to determine the effect of a range of rates (0–0.36 kg AI ha−1) of penthiopyrad on leaf spot and stem rot and the relative efficacy of penthiopyrad and current fungicide standards chlorothalonil, tebuconazole and azoxystrobin.RESULTS: Leaf spot control in plots treated with penthiopyrad at 0.20 kg AI ha−1 or higher was similar to or better than that for the chlorothalonil standard. The incidence of stem rot for all penthiopyrad treatments was usually less than that for the tebuconazole or azoxystrobin standard treatments. Pod yields for all penthiopyrad treatments were similar to or higher than those for the respective standards.CONCLUSION: Penthiopyrad has excellent potential for management of late leaf spot and stem rot of peanut, and may complement current SBI and QoI fungicides. Copyright © 2008 Society of Chemical Industry
Ultra‐subwavelength focusing of light by a monolayer of metallic nanoshells with an adsorbed defect
Authors: Yannopapas Vassilios , Vitanov Nikolay V. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractWe study theoretically the focusing properties of a two‐dimensional periodic array of silver‐coated silica nanospheres. The array contains an adsorbed nanosphere of the same type which serves as point source when the array is illuminated by a plane wave. By using a rigorous multiple‐scattering theory we show that under plane wave illumination, the array focuses the incident light in a tight area with size of about 1/70 of the wavelength. At the same time, the near‐field is amplified by three orders of magnitude. The frequency corresponding to the focusing and amplification effects depends on the thickness of the silver nanoshell offering a tunable response of the structure. The latter can find application in optical trapping, lithography and imaging below the diffraction limit. (© 2008 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Resonating broken symmetry CI approach for ion‐radical systems: Comparison with UHF, hybrid‐DFT, and CASSCF‐DFT
Authors: Nishihara S. , Yamanaka S. , Ukai T. , Nakata K. , Kusakabe K. , Yonezawa Y. , Nakamura H. , Takada T. , Yamaguchi K. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractThe resonating broken‐symmetry configuration interaction (RBS‐CI) approach, in which we employ two spin‐unrestricted Hartree–Fock (UHF) solutions as the basis, is applied for the ion‐radical systems. The RBS‐CI results are compared with those of UHF, various hybrid density functional theory (DFT), and CASSCF‐DFT. The hybrid DFT leads to the spurious delocalized state as is well known, whereas the UHF to the localized state. The CASSCF‐DFT results show that the excess electron localized, missing the spatial symmetry of the systems. On the other hand, the Res‐HF CI results satisfy the spatial symmetry as well as the Perdew, Parr, Levy, and Balduz's relation, implying that this method is so‐called many‐electron self‐interaction free (ME‐SIF), whereas all other methods are not ME‐SIF. These results suggest that the RBS‐CI approach will become not only a powerful ab initio approach, but also a guideline to construct a new exchange‐correlation functional of hybrid‐DFT, for the ion‐radical systems. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2008
Theoretical study of interactions between cysteine and perfluoropropanoic acid in gas and aqueous phase
Authors: Holmes Tiffani M. , Doskocz Jacek , Wright Terrance , Hill Glake A. 
Published: September 2008

AbstractThe interaction of perfluoropropanoic acid (PFPA) with the amino acid cysteine was investigated using density functional theory. Previous studies suggest that the peroxisome proliferator chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid, is circulated throughout the body by way of sulfur‐containing amino acids. We present conformational analysis of the interactions of PFPA, a small model of perfluorooctanoic acid, with the sulfur‐containing amino acid which occur by the process of hydrogen bonding, in which the hydrogen of the sulfhydryl group interacts with the carboxyl oxygen, and the amino nitrogen forms a hydrogen bond with the hydrogen of the OH group of the fluorinated alkyl. We also show in our structures a recently characterized weak nonbonded interaction between divalent sulfur and a main chain carboxyl oxygen in proteins. B3LYP calculated free energies and interaction energies predict low‐energy, high‐interaction conformations for complex systems of perfluorinated fatty acid interactions with cysteine. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2009