bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Interactions of two abscisic‐acid induced WRKY genes in repressing gibberellin signaling in aleurone cells
Authors: Xie Zhen , Zhang Zhong‐Lin , Zou Xiaolu , Yang Guangxiao , Komatsu Setsuko , Shen Qingxi J. 
Published: March 2006

SummaryGibberellins (GA) promote while abscisic acid (ABA) inhibits seed germination and post‐germination growth. To address the cross‐talk of GA and ABA signaling, we studied two rice WRKY genes (OsWRKY51 and OsWRKY71) that are ABA‐inducible and GA‐repressible in embryos and aleurone cells. Over‐expression of these two genes in aleurone cells specifically and synergistically represses induction of the ABA‐repressible and GA‐inducible Amy32b alpha‐amylase promoter reporter construct (Amy32b‐GUS) by GA or the GA‐inducible transcriptional activator, GAMYB. The physical interactions of OsWRKY71 proteins themselves and that of OsWRKY71 and OsWRKY51 are revealed in the nuclei of aleurone cells using bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assays. Although OsWRKY51 itself does not bind to the Amy32b promoter in vitro, it interacts with OsWRKY71 and enhances the binding affinity of OsWRKY71 to W boxes in the Amy32b promoter. The binding activity of OsWRKY71 is abolished by deleting the C‐terminus containing the WRKY domain or substituting the key amino acids in the WRKY motif and the zinc finger region. However, two of these non‐DNA‐binding mutants are still able to repress GA induction by enhancing the binding affinity of the wild‐type DNA‐binding OsWRKY71 repressors. In contrast, the third non‐DNA‐binding mutant enhances GA induction of Amy32b‐GUS, by interfering with the binding of the wild‐type OsWRKY71 or the OsWRKY71/OsWRKY51 repressing complex. These data demonstrate the synergistic interaction of ABA‐inducible WRKY genes in regulating GAMYB‐mediated GA signaling in aleurone cells, thereby establishing a novel mechanism for ABA and GA signaling cross‐talk.
Red Squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) Respond to Alarm Calls of Eurasian Jays (Garrulus glandarius)
Authors: Randler Christoph 
Published: March 2006

AbstractRecognition of heterospecific (interspecific) alarm calls has been demonstrated in birds and mammals, but bird–mammal interactions have rarely been studied. Here, I tested the hypothesis that red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) are able to recognize alarm calls of a sympatric bird species, the Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius), and respond adequately with anti‐predator behaviour. Both animals are preyed upon by the same predators. To test whether squirrels would react to heterospecific alarm calls, I recorded squirrels behaviour during playbacks of jay alarm calls, control playbacks (territorial songs of sympatric songbirds) and during silence. Differences between the control treatment (songbirds) and silence were not significant. Seven of the 13 squirrels responded with escape after broadcasting alarm calls of jays. Further, squirrels spent less time in the patch, expressed a higher vigilance, and showed more rapid head and body movements. These results suggest that squirrels recognize heterospecific alarm vocalizations of jays and discriminate them from equally loud non‐threatening sounds.
The Relationship Between Resource Control, Association with Females and Male Weapon Size in a Male Dominance Insect
Authors: Kelly Clint D. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractIn species with a resource‐defence (male dominance) mating system, males are expected to maximize fitness by controlling resources deemed more valuable by sexually receptive females because these sites attract more mates. Furthermore, males, which control more valuable resources should themselves be of high quality. I experimentally tested these predictions in the laboratory using the sexually dimorphic Wellington tree weta, Hemideina crassidens (Blanchard) (Orthoptera: Tettigonioidea: Anostostomatidae). Male H. crassidens use their mandibular weaponry to fight for control of harems (groups of adult females) that seek shelter in trees cavities (galleries). As predicted, larger galleries housed significantly larger groups of females and males with larger weaponry controlled large galleries significantly more often. Therefore, galleries with a larger volume are likely considered more valuable by males because they house larger harems. However, contrary to prediction, males with larger weaponry did not reside with significantly more females overall because females did not always form the largest possible groups in galleries and males with smaller weaponry were able to reside with single females in small galleries. The latter observation suggests a possible alternative mating strategy by disadvantaged males.
Phenotypic plasticity of Vermetidae suspension feeding: a potential bias in their use as Biological Sea‐Level Indicators
Authors: Schiaparelli Stefano , Albertelli Giancarlo , Cattaneo‐Vietti Riccardo 
Published: March 2006

AbstractSome organisms represent useful Biological Sea‐Level Indicators (Bio SLI) thanks to their constant position relative to sea level and allow the reconstruction of past sea level changes. The sessile gastropods Vermetidae are among the most used indicators, since their shells often resist time averaging and can be easily dated with 14C. However, all these vermetids have a level of precision (± 0.5–1 m), obtained from data on the Mediterranean Dendropoma petraeum (Monterosato, 1884). We found a certain degree of plasticity in this species; it can also live subtidally, not in correspondence with the main sea level, where it feeds adopting a mixed feeding strategy. Considering this variability and the almost complete lack of knowledge for other Bio SLI vermetids, it appears clear that a common value of precision cannot be maintained and the precision of other vermetid species remains to be tested.
Photoacclimation of the invasive alga Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea to depth and daylight patterns and a putative new role for siphonaxanthin
Authors: Raniello Raffaella , Lorenti Maurizio , Brunet Christophe , Buia Maria Cristina 
Published: March 2006

AbstractThe introduced green alga Caulerpa racemosa var. cylindracea grows along a broad depth range (from very shallow to 60 m depth) in the Mediterranean basin. In the present work, the photoacclimation capacity of this invasive variety was investigated in summer, the season of its maximum spread. Natural populations from the Gulf of Naples (Italy) were analyzed for photoresponse on two scales of light variability: a spatial scale (at three stations along a depth gradient, from 0.3 to 20 m depth) and a temporal scale (on the shallowest meadow, from sunrise to sunset). These responses were studied through pigment analysis (with HPLC), and in situ measurements of photosynthetic parameters (with a Diving‐PAM fluorometer). Electron transport rate (ETR)–irradiance curve parameters showed acclimation along environmental gradients dominated by variation in irradiance. In the shallowest plants, the lack of a midday depression in both the maximum relative ETRs and the photosynthetic efficiency at sub‐saturating irradiance (α) pointed to a maintenance of energy conversion levels despite the protective lowering of light‐harvesting efficiency revealed by the trend in Fv/Fm. On the other side, variation of photosynthetic efficiency occurred with depth and buffered the effect of decreasing light on maximum photosynthetic rates. A previously undescribed xanthophyll cycle centred on lutein‐siphonaxanthin interconversion appeared to operate in the shallowest populations in addition to the violaxanthin/antheraxanthin/zeaxanthin cycle commonly occurring in Chlorophyta; this would further enhance phototolerance of the alga. A further role of siphonaxanthin is in the acclimation to low light of deep environments as indicated by its stronger increase from the surface to the deepest station with respect to siphonein and chlorophyll b.
Consumption of bacteria by larvae of a deep‐sea polychaete
Authors: Pile Adele J. , Young Craig M. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractWe investigated whether trochophore larvae of the polychaete Hesiocaeca methanicola, which lives on exposed ice‐like methane hydrates between 500 and 600 m, could consume near‐bottom picoplankton. In laboratory trials larvae significantly reduced the growth rates of all types of picoplankton, including heterotrophic bacteria, Prochlorococcus sp., Synechococcus‐type cyanobacteria and phototrophic eucaryotes <3 μm. Our findings suggest that these types of plankton may be important food sources for deep‐sea planktotrophic larvae.
Quantitative trait loci for adventitious and lateral roots in rice
Authors: Horii H. , Nemoto K. , Miyamoto N. , Harada J. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractThe mass of a root is determined by two underlying morphogenetic factors: (1) the length of the main root axis (root axis length: RAL), and (2) the amount of lateral root development generated by a unit length of the axis (branching index: BI). The mass of a rice adventitious root was partitioned into these two factors at the quantitative trait locus (QTL) level, using ‘Akihikari’ (a lowland cultivar as a recurrent parent) × ‘IRAT 109’ (an upland cultivar) backcross inbred lines. Four QTLs were detected for the dry weight of individual adventitious roots (root dry weight: RDW), which were associated with a QTL for RAL (chromosomes 1 and 9) or a QTL for BI (chromosomes 6 and 11). For BI, an additional QTL was detected on chromosome 1. The absence of co‐located QTLs suggested that RAL and BI are under separate genetic control. Despite its small population size and few replications, this study suggests that the partitioning of root mass into these underlying components could be useful for understanding the complexity involved in the genetic control of root growth.
Combining ability and correlations for yield components in early generations of potato breeding
Authors: Ruiz de Galarreta J. I. , Ezpeleta B. , Pascualena J. , Ritter E. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractA partial diallel set of crosses was made between 14 potato cultivars chosen for their fertility, from those included in a potato breeding programme at the NEIKER – Basque Institute for Agricultural Research. The progeny were grown in completely randomized trials from 1997 to 1999. Performance for yield, tuber number and average tuber weight was analysed in seedling and two clonal generations. Variance estimates due to both general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) were significant in all generations for all traits under study. However, SCA was more important than GCA in almost all cases. Correlation coefficients among characters, generations, GCA and SCA effects were examined. For tuber yield no relation was obtained between generations; however, average tuber weight and yield were positively associated in all generations. The results indicate that appropriate selection criteria depend strongly on the particular cross. The implication for a breeding strategy are discussed.
Characterization of genotype by environment interactions in soybean breeding programmes of southeast Europe
Authors: Sudarić A. , ŠImić D. , Vratarić M. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractSoutheast Europe is Europe's major production area of soybean of maturity groups (MG) 0, I and II, but genotype by environment interaction (GEI) for soybean traits in this region is still not characterized. The objective of this study was to characterize GEI in soybean grown in Croatia for seed yield, protein and oil content. Fourteen soybean cultivars of MG 0 and I were evaluated at 15 environments. In the combined anova, genotypes, environments and GEI were significant. All three seed traits were more affected by year than by location and seed yield and protein content were more sensitive to environmental changes than oil content. Genotype by environment interaction is generally of less importance than effects of genotypes and years, especially for oil content. High‐yielding genotypes had values of regression coefficient (b) close to 1, indicating that they were not responsive to extreme environments, either positive or negative. Means and b values were not correlated for yield and negatively correlated for protein and oil content, probably because of low‐input practice in the region. The absence of recognizable differences in means, b values and principal component scores of ammi analysis between two MGs for all traits indicated that soybean cultivars of MG 0 may be recommended for growing in the region because they responded similarly to environmental changes as do full‐season genotypes of MG I.
Development of cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) markers linked to a green rice leafhopper resistance gene, Grh3(t)
Authors: Saka N. , Tsuji T. , Toyama T. , Yano M. , Izawa T. , Sasaki T. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractThe chromosomal location of the resistance gene for green rice leafhopper (GRLH), an injurious insect for rice, has been determined and RFLP markers closely linked to this gene have been identified. The susceptible japonica rice variety ‘Nipponbare’ was crossed with a resistant japonica rice line ‘Aichi42’, in which green rice leaf hopper resistance had been introduced from an indica variety ‘Rantaj‐emas2’, and the 100 F2 plants obtained were used for linkage analysis. The green rice leafhopper resistance gene, Grh3(t), was mapped between RFLP markers C288B and C133A on chromosome 6 and co‐segregated with C81. Of the RFLP markers tightly linked to Grh3(t), C81 was converted to a SCAR marker and C133A to a cleaved amplified polymorphic sequence marker that could distinguish the heterozygous genotype to establish an effective marker‐aided selection system for the GRLH resistance gene.
A longitudinal study on the transformation of 15 occupational therapist students’ paradigms into occupational therapists’ paradigms
Authors: Björklund Anita , Svensson Tommy 
Published: March 2006

Background and Aim:  This study describes the transformation of 15 occupational therapist students’ paradigms into occupational therapists’ paradigms according to Törnebohm's theory of paradigms over a period of 6 years. This research particularly considers the paradigm components world view and field of action view in Törnbohm's sense. Method:  Qualitative data were collected using essay questions on three occasions: first week and last semester at the Occupational Therapy Programme at the School of Health Sciences, Jönköping, Sweden, and after 3 years of occupational therapy practice. A content analysis of the collected materials was performed. Conclusion:  The transformation of the informants’ views could be characterised as comprising three different perspectives: a ‘public’ view in 1995, a ‘theoretical’ view in 1998 and an ‘experiential/contextual’ view in 2001.
Choosing the most appropriate environment to evaluate independence in everyday activities: Home or clinic?
Authors: Bottari Carolina , Dutil Élisabeth , Dassa Clément , Rainville Constant 
Published: March 2006

Background and Aim:  To better document independence in activities of daily living (ADL), particularly with persons with traumatic brain injury, the influence of the context in which performance‐based assessments are administered must be considered. This paper examines the issue of context in ADL assessment according to specific criteria. Main Findings:  Overall, the limited number of studies found to have investigated the influence of context (home, clinic) on performance‐based ADL assessments in persons with cerebral damage does not provide clear evidence to support the superiority of either environment. Conclusion:  The issue of context in ADL assessments has been minimally documented and can be explained by the complexity of data collection. Occupational therapists will need to address this issue.
The vibrissal motor output following severing and repair of the facial nerve in the newborn rat reorganises less than in the adult
Authors: Franchi Gianfranco , Maggiolini Emma , Muzzioli Valerio , Guandalini Paola 
Published: March 2006

AbstractThis study examined the ability of facial motoneurons and motor cortex to reorganise their relationship with the somatic musculature following the severing and repair of the facial nerve in rats at birth. In each adult rat, the organisation of the facial nucleus and the cortical motor output corresponding to the normal side were compared with those corresponding to the reinnervated side. Labelling was used to reveal reinnervation‐induced long‐term changes in the motoneuron pool supplying vibrissal muscles. Cortical motor output was assessed by mapping the vibrissal movement area extension and thresholds evoked by intracortical microstimulation. After facial nerve reinnervation: (i) the proportion of labelled cell profiles decreased by 85.2% of that in the control side and cortical representation of vibrissal movement decreased by 66.3% of that in control hemispheres; (ii) the reorganised vibrissal representation was shrunken to the medialmost portion of the normal vibrissal representation and there was a medial extension of the forelimb representation, and a more modest lateral extension of eye representation, into the vibrissal territory; (iii) the normal pattern of contralateral vibrissal movement was observed in only 10% of the vibrissal sites, whereas ipsilateral vibrissal movement was found in 53% of the vibrissal sites; (iv) there was an increase in the mean threshold required to evoke contralateral vibrissal movement (32.5 ± 11.1 vs. 20.5 ± 6.9 µA). Thresholds to evoke other types of movement were similar to normal. These changes indicate that an incomplete motor axon regeneration at birth does not restore normal innervation and normal cortical control over the vibrissal muscles.
Contrast‐dependent, contextual response modulation in primary visual cortex and lateral geniculate nucleus of the cat
Authors: Sadakane Osamu , Ozeki Hirofumi , Naito Tomoyuki , Akasaki Takafumi , Kasamatsu Takuji , Sato Hiromichi 
Published: March 2006

AbstractIn the primary visual cortex (V1), the responses of neurons to stimuli presented in their classical receptive fields (CRFs) are modulated by another stimulus concurrently presented in their surround (receptive field surround, SRF). We studied the nature of the modulatory effects of SRF stimulation with respect to stimulus contrast in cat V1. In 51 V1 neurons studied, large SRF stimuli (40° × 30°) induced only the suppression of responses to CRF stimulation and the suppressive effects became stronger as the contrast for SRF stimulation increased. The contrast sensitivity of SRF suppression did not correlate with that of CRF responses. By independently controlling contrast of CRF and SRF stimuli, we studied whether SRF effects vary with CRF response magnitude. Increasing contrast for CRF stimulation caused an upward shift of the range of effective contrasts for SRF stimulation, indicating that a high contrast for SRF stimulation is required for suppressing strong responses to CRF stimulation at high contrasts. To assess the possible origin of the suppressive SRF effect on V1 neurons, we also investigated the contrast dependency of SRF effects in 28 neurons from the lateral geniculate nucleus. Our results suggest that SRF effects obtained at the subcortical level strongly contribute to those in V1. Taken together, we conclude that along the thalamocortical projections, SRF modulation exhibits a gain‐control mechanism that scales the suppressive SRF effect depending on the contrast for CRF stimulation. In addition, SRF effects can be facilitatory at low stimulus contrasts potentially due to the enlargement of the summation field.
Different forms of homeostatic plasticity are engaged with distinct temporal profiles
Authors: Karmarkar Uma R. , Buonomano Dean V. 
Published: March 2006

AbstractGlobal changes in network activity have been reported to induce homeostatic plasticity at multiple synaptic and cellular loci. Though individual types of plasticity are normally examined in isolation, it is their interactions and net effect that will ultimately determine their functional consequences. Here we examine homeostatic plasticity of both inhibition and intrinsic excitability in parallel in rat organotypic hippocampal slices. As previous studies have not examined inhibitory plasticity using a functional measure, inhibition was measured by the ability of evoked inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (IPSPs) to suppress action potentials, as well as IPSP amplitude. We show that manipulations of network activity can both up‐ and downregulate functional inhibition, as well as intrinsic excitability. However, these forms of plasticity are dissociable. Specifically, robust changes in intrinsic excitability were observed in the absence of inhibitory plasticity, and shifts in inhibition, but not excitability, appear to be sensitive to developmental stage. Our data establish that while the two forms of homeostatic plasticity can be engaged in parallel, there is a specific order in which they are expressed, with changes in excitability preceding those in inhibition. We propose that changes in intrinsic excitability occur first in order to stabilize network activity while optimizing the preservation of information stored in synaptic strengths by restricting changes that will disrupt the balance of synaptic excitation and inhibition.
Roles of the auditory cortex in discrimination learning by rats
Authors: Ono Kentaro , Kudoh Masaharu , Shibuki Katsuei 
Published: March 2006

AbstractWe investigated the roles of the auditory cortex in sound discrimination learning in Wistar rats. Absolute pitch or relative pitch can be used as discrimination cues in sound frequency discrimination. To clarify this, rats were trained to discriminate between rewarded (S+) and unrewarded (S–) test stimuli (S+ frequency > S– frequency). After learning was acquired by rats, performance was tested in a new test in which S+ frequency was constant but S+ frequency < S– frequency, or S+ frequency > S– frequency but both frequencies were increased. If the discrimination cue of the first test was preserved in the new test, performance following change of testing procedures was expected to remain high. The measured performance suggested that rats used relative pitch in half octave discrimination (difference between S+ and S– frequencies, 0.5 octave), and absolute pitch in octave discrimination (difference between S+ and S– frequencies, 1.0 octave). Bilateral lesions in the auditory cortex had almost no effect on performance before procedure change. Furthermore, performance following procedure change was not affected by lesions in the auditory cortex when the discrimination cue was preserved. However, performance was impaired by lesions in the auditory cortex when a new discrimination cue was used following procedure change. Lesions in the auditory cortex also impaired multimodal discrimination between sound and sound plus light. The present findings suggest that the auditory cortex plays a role as a sensory interface of the higher cortices required for flexible learning and multimodal discrimination.
Multisystemic Treatment of Serious Behaviour Problems in Youth: Sustainability of Effectiveness Two Years after Intake
Authors: Ogden Terje , Hagen Kristine Amlund 
Published: March 2006

Background:  Multisystemic Treatment (MST) is an intensive home‐ and community based intervention for youths with serious behaviour problems. The aim of this study was to examine the effectiveness of MST compared to ‘regular services’ (RS) two years after intake to treatment. In particular, our goals were to investigate whether MST was successful at preventing placement out of home, and to examine reductions in behaviour problems in multi‐informant assessments.Method:  Participants were 75 adolescents who were randomly assigned to MST or Regular Child Welfare Services (RS) at 3 sites across Norway. Data were gathered from youths, caregivers and teachers.Results:  MST was more effective than RS in reducing out of home placement and behavioural problems.Discussion:  The sustainability of treatment effects was evident, supporting the MST approach to the treatment of serious behavioural problems in youth. Site differences and the moderating effects of age and gender are discussed.