bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The plant multidrug resistance ABC transporter AtMRP5 is involved in guard cell hormonal signalling and water use
Authors: Klein Markus , Perfus‐Barbeoch Laetitia , Frelet Annie , Gaedeke Nicola , Reinhardt Didier , Mueller‐Roeber Bernd , Martinoia Enrico , Forestier Cyrille 
Published: March 2003

SummaryCarbon dioxide uptake and water release through stomata, controlling the opening and closure of stomatal pore size in the leaf surface, is critical for optimal plant performance. Stomatal movements are regulated by multiple signalling pathways involving guard cell ion channels. Using reverse genetics, we recently isolated a T‐DNA insertion mutant for the Arabidopsis ABC‐transporter AtMRP5 (mrp5‐1). Guard cells from mrp5‐1 mutant plants were found to be insensitive to the sulfonylurea compound glibenclamide, which in the wild type induces stomatal opening in the dark. Here, we report that the knockout in AtMRP5 affects several signalling pathways controlling stomatal movements. Stomatal apertures of mrp5‐1 and wild‐type Ws‐2 were identical in the dark. In contrast, opening of stomata of mrp5‐1 plants was reduced in the light. In the light, stomatal closure of mrp5‐1 was insensitive to external calcium and abscisic acid, a phytohormone responsible for stomatal closure during drought stress. In contrast to Ws‐2, the phytohormone auxin could not stimulate stomatal opening in the mutant in darkness. All stomatal phenotypes were complemented in transgenic mrp5‐1 plants transformed with a cauliflower mosaic virus (CaMV) 35S‐AtMRP5 construct. Both whole‐plant and single‐leaf gas exchange measurements demonstrated a reduced transpiration rate of mrp5‐1 in the light. Excised leaves of mutant plants exhibited reduced water loss, and water uptake was strongly decreased at the whole‐plant level. Finally, if plants were not watered, mrp5‐1 plants survived much longer due to reduced water use. Analysis of CO2 uptake and transpiration showed that mrp5‐1 plants have increased water use efficiency. Mutant plants overexpressing AtMRP5 under the control of the CaMV 35S promoter again exhibited wild‐type characteristics. These results demonstrate that multidrug resistance‐associated proteins (MRPs) are important components of guard cell functioning.
EXORDIUM– a gene expressed in proliferating cells and with a role in meristem function, identified by promoter trapping in Arabidopsis
Authors: Farrar Kerrie , Evans I. Marta , Topping Jennifer F. , Souter Martin A. , Nielsen John E. , Lindsey Keith 
Published: March 2003

AbstractTo identify new genes expressed in meristematic cells, a promoter trap insertional mutagenesis strategy was used in Arabidopsis thaliana. Transgenic line AtEM201 exhibits promoter trap GUS activity in embryos and in the regions of active cell division in the seedling, notably the apical meristems and young leaves. The tagged gene was named EXORDIUM (EXO). AtEM201 contains a single copy of the promoter trap T‐DNA, located in the EXO gene promoter, resulting in a much reduced level of EXO transcription. Seedlings homozygous for the T‐DNA insertion have no obvious mutant phenotype. The EXO gene, which forms part of a small gene family in Arabidopsis, is structurally related to the tobacco PHI‐1 gene, which is re‐activated in cultured cells following release from phosphate starvation‐induced cell cycle arrest. Expression of both the EXO‐GUS and the native EXO genes is downregulated by exogenous cytokinin. Expression studies using semisynchronised cells suggest that EXO mRNA is preferentially abundant during M phase of the cell cycle. Double mutant studies revealed that the exo mutation can suppress the defective root meristem phenotype of the hydra2 mutant, suggesting that EXO may be a component of a negative regulatory system for cell division.
Diverse RNA viruses elicit the expression of common sets of genes in susceptible Arabidopsis thaliana plants
Authors: Whitham Steven A. , Quan Sheng , Chang Hur‐Song , Cooper Bret , Estes Bram , Zhu Tong , Wang Xun , Hou Yu‐Ming 
Published: March 2003

SummarySystemic infections of plants by viruses require that viruses modify host cells in order to facilitate infections. These modifications include induction of host factors required for replication, propagation and movement, and suppression of host defense responses, which are likely to be associated with changes in host gene expression. Past studies of the effects of viral infection on gene expression in susceptible hosts have been limited to only a handful of genes. To gain broader insight into the responses elicited by viruses in susceptible hosts, high‐density oligonucleotide probe microarray technology was used. Arabidopsis leaves were either mock inoculated or inoculated with cucumber mosaic cucumovirus, oil seed rape tobamovirus, turnip vein clearing tobamovirus, potato virus X potexvirus, or turnip mosaic potyvirus. Inoculated leaves were collected at 1, 2, 4, and 5 days after inoculation, total RNA was isolated, and samples were hybridized to Arabidopsis GeneChip microarrays (Affymetrix). Microarray hybridization revealed co‐ordinated changes in gene expression in response to infection by diverse viruses. These changes include virus‐general and virus‐specific alterations in the expression of genes associated with distinct defense or stress responses. Analyses of the promoters of these genes further suggest that diverse RNA viruses elicit common responses in susceptible plant hosts through signaling pathways that have not been previously characterized.
Re‐organisation of the cytoskeleton during developmental programmed cell death in Picea abies embryos
Authors: Smertenko Andrei P. , Bozhkov Peter V. , Filonova Lada H. , von Arnold Sara , Hussey Patrick J. 
Published: March 2003

SummaryCell and tissue patterning in plant embryo development is well documented. Moreover, it has recently been shown that successful embryogenesis is reliant on programmed cell death (PCD). The cytoskeleton governs cell morphogenesis. However, surprisingly little is known about the role of the cytoskeleton in plant embryogenesis and associated PCD. We have used the gymnosperm, Picea abies, somatic embryogenesis model system to address this question. Formation of the apical–basal embryonic pattern in P. abies proceeds through the establishment of three major cell types: the meristematic cells of the embryonal mass on one pole and the terminally differentiated suspensor cells on the other, separated by the embryonal tube cells. The organisation of microtubules and F‐actin changes successively from the embryonal mass towards the distal end of the embryo suspensor. The microtubule arrays appear normal in the embryonal mass cells, but the microtubule network is partially disorganised in the embryonal tube cells and the microtubules disrupted in the suspensor cells. In the same embryos, the microtubule‐associated protein, MAP‐65, is bound only to organised microtubules. In contrast, in a developmentally arrested cell line, which is incapable of normal embryonic pattern formation, MAP‐65 does not bind the cortical microtubules and we suggest that this is a criterion for proembryogenic masses (PEMs) to passage into early embryogeny. In embryos, the organisation of F‐actin gradually changes from a fine network in the embryonal mass cells to thick cables in the suspensor cells in which the microtubule network is completely degraded. F‐actin de‐polymerisation drugs abolish normal embryonic pattern formation and associated PCD in the suspensor, strongly suggesting that the actin network is vital in this PCD pathway.
Volume‐dependent collection of peripheral blood progenitor cells during large‐volume leukapheresis for patients with solid tumours and haematological malignancies
Authors: Cassens  , Ostkamp‐Ostermann  , Van Der Werf  , Garritsen  , Ostermann  , Sibrowski  
Published: March 2003

We investigated the efficacy of peripheral blood progenitor cell (PBPC) collection during large‐volume leukapheresis (LVL) in patients with solid tumours and haematological malignancies (n = 18). The time‐ and volume‐dependent harvest of leucocytes (WBC), mononuclear cells (MNC), CD34+ cells and colony‐forming cells (CFU‐GM) during LVL was analysed in six sequentially filled collection bags processing four times the patient's blood volumes. The amounts of leucocytes (WBC) and the purity of mononuclear cells (MNC%) did not show any significant changes during LVL. The percentage of CD34+ cells remained constant for the first three bags but consecutively decreased from initially 1.71% CD34+ cells in the beginning of LVL to finally 1.34% CD34+ cells (P = 0.02). The mean numbers of colony‐forming cells (CFU‐GM) decreased from 74 μL−1 to 59 μL−1 during LVL (P = 0.16). Furthermore, the comparison of volume‐dependent PBPC collection for patients with high, medium and low total yields of CD34+ cells showed similar kinetics on different levels for the three groups.We concluded that — relative to the initial total amount of PBPC harvested — comparable numbers of progenitor cells can be collected during all stages of LVL with a slight decreasing trend processing four times the patient's blood volumes.
National audit of the blood transfusion process in the UK
Authors: Murphy M. F. , Wilkinson J. , Lowe D. , Pearson M. 
Published: March 2003

. The objectives of this initiative were to produce nationally tested audit tools, to influence the content of national guidelines, and to enable performance indicators to be set for the clinical transfusion process.Audit tools were developed for blood transfusion practice through a collaboration between Royal Colleges and specialist Societies with an interest in blood transfusion. National audits were carried out involving 50 hospitals in the first audit and 23 of the same hospitals in the second.Over 20% of participating hospitals did not have Hospital Transfusion Committees. Most hospitals had written policies for the taking of blood samples for grouping and compatibility testing. Formal training for the phlebotomists and nurses who took blood samples was almost universal, but only one‐third gave training to doctors. The audits of transfusion practice demonstrated considerable variation in the performance of standard procedures in relation to the administration of blood, and little change in practice between the two audits.The first two objectives have been met in that audit tools were developed and published, and information from the first audits was used in the development of national guidelines for the administration of blood. A significant shortfall in the systems for monitoring and delivering transfusions is present in many hospitals. This justifies pursuing the third objective but this will require a new initiative. The type of analysis and the method used for the presentation of audit data developed in this study may be useful for setting performance indicators for the clinical transfusion process.
A comparison of oral fluid and serum for the detection of rubella‐specific antibodies in a community study in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Authors: Nokes D. James , Nigatu Wondatir , Abebe Almaz , Messele Tsehaynesh , Dejene Amare , Enquselassie Fikre , Vyse Andrew , Brown David , Cutts Felicity T. 
Published: March 2003

Summaryobjective To assess the utility of oral fluid compared with serum for the determination of age‐prevalence of rubella‐specific antibodies in an urban African community setting.method Paired serum and oral fluid samples were collected from 439 individuals aged 0–49 years in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, as part of a larger seroepidemiological survey in 1994. Oral fluid was sampled using a simple sponge device that was well accepted by subjects of all ages; venous blood was collected by Vacutainer system. We measured rubella‐specific antibodies in serum by the Radial Haemolysis (RH) test, supported by two confirmatory assays, and in oral fluid by IgG antibody‐capture radioimmunoassay (GACRIA).results Sensitivity and specificity of oral fluid results compared to serum were 89% and 76%, respectively. Sensitivity declined from 96% in age group 0–19 years to 90% in age group 20–29 and 78% in age group 30–49. Specificity was 86% in 0–9 year olds contrasting with 61% in older groups (10–49 years). The positive predictive value of an oral fluid sample was high in all age groups (range 92–100%), while the negative predictive value declined from ≥80% in those aged <10 years to <10% in those aged ≥30 years. Serum confirmatory tests suggested a proportion of false serum RH negatives, increasing with age, indicating a need to standardize serum as well as oral fluid tests.conclusion In the community setting of a developing country, oral fluid surveys could be useful to estimate age‐prevalence of rubella immunity and identify rubella‐susceptible children for follow‐up. Further work is required to simplify assays and sample processing, improve assay sensitivity and estimate assay specificity more precisely, and compare and standardise collection methods suitable for surveillance of a variety of childhood viral infections.
Five year impact of chemotherapy on morbidity attributable to Schistosoma japonicum infection in the Dongting Lake region
Authors: Ross Allen G. P. , Ross Allen G. P. , Li Yuesheng , Li Yuesheng , Booth Mark , Sleigh Adrian C. , Williams Gail M. , McManus Donald P. 
Published: March 2003

Summary Objective To determine changes in the last 5 years of the fraction of acute and chronic symptoms attributable to schistosomiasis japonica in fishing communities with moderate endemicity in the Dongting Lake region of China. Method Complete medical histories, physical examinations, and stool samples were obtained from 1909 individuals (53% male) ranging in age from 4 to 81 years. Age, sex, occupation, frequency of water contact, number of times treated for schistosomiasis, and last year of treatment were tested as potential effect modifiers and confounders. Results Overall, there were very few infected cases and very little variation in any prevalence ratio with infection intensity, sex, age, year of last treatment, number of times treated or frequency of water contact. The attributable fraction of liver enlargement in one village was estimated at 0.114 (11.4%), although this was not significantly > 0 (95% CI; − 0.008–0.237). Conclusion The chemotherapy‐based schistosomiasis control programme in this locality has succeeded in reducing attributable morbidity to undetectable levels, but many uncertainties remain about sustaining control efforts in the future. Both old and new control strategies will have to be examined if the health and well‐being of these people are to be maintained into the next millennium, given that periodic chemotherapy will not be accepted indefinitely.
Training health workers to assess anaemia with the WHO haemoglobin colour scale
Authors: Gosling Roly , Walraven Gijs , Manneh Fandinding , Bailey Robin , Lewis S. Mitchell 
Published: March 2003

Summary WHO recommends that all pregnant women be screened for anaemia. In rural Africa this is often done by clinical examination which is known to have variable reliability. The recently developed WHO Haemoglobin Colour Scale may be the answer to this problem as it is simple and reliable. This study examines the training procedure recommended by WHO for the Haemoglobin Colour Scale when resources are very limited. We trained 7 laboratory technicians from the Medical Research Council Laboratories Hospital, Fajara, The Gambia and 13 Community Health Nurses (CHNs) from North Bank Division East, a rural area in The Gambia, to use the Colour Scale. The CHNs used the Scale to estimate haemoglobins on all new bookings to the antenatal clinics for a period of one month and recorded how they were managed. At the end of the study period they completed a qualitative questionnaire about the scale. Both groups of trainees were successfully trained although the WHO protocol for training was impossible to follow due to resource limitations. Eight of the 13 trained CHNs used the scale in practice and recorded 307 estimations with a mean haemoglobin of 9.1 g/dl. The results were normally distributed. Six of the 9 patients with Hb readings of < 4 g/dl were managed correctly. In response to the questionnaire the CHNs thought the scale was cheap, easy and quick to use and as good as the haemoglobinometer they had used previously. The main criticism was that it was not robust enough. The development of a low‐technology, cheap, simple and reliable method for measuring haemoglobin is a welcome development. However, a simpler training procedure and a standard way of measuring observer performance are necessary.
The immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) for the diagnosis of schistosomiasis used in a non‐endemic area
Authors: Tarp Britta , Black Finn Trunk , Petersen Eskild 
Published: March 2003

Summary OBJECTIVES  To evaluate an immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT) for diagnosis of schistosomiasis in nonimmune travellers and immigrants from endemic areas. METHODS  65 patients (48 Danes and 17 immigrants) with schistosomiasis were included. The diagnosis of schistosomiasis was based on the presence of schistosome eggs in faeces, urine, sperm, rectal or bladder biopsies and/or the presence of specific antibodies determined by the serological immunofluorescence antibody test (IFAT). Egg excretion was detected using conventional methods and the IFAT performed on whole S. mansoni schistosomula worms, harvested after 8 weeks from mice. Two patterns of immunofluorescence were observed: Fluorescence in the gut of the schistosome called ‘Gut Associated Antigen, GAA’, and fluorescence of the surface of the schistosomula called ‘Membrane Bound Antigen, MBA’. RESULTS  Eggs were found in 44% of the Danish patients and in 76% of immigrants. The diagnosis was based on a positive IFAT in 48% of the patients. In patients from nonendemic areas, the finding of antibodies against GAA was diagnostic while optimal sensitivity in the immigrants was reached by measuring antibodies against both GAA and MBA. CONCLUSION  In patients from nonendemic areas GAA is a sensitive marker of acute infection with schistosomiasis. In patients from endemic areas the demonstration of both GAA and MBA is necessary to properly identify long‐lasting, nonacute infections. Egg‐detection and/or measurement of CAA and CCA remain the methods of choice to monitor treatment as the immunofluorescence assay may remain positive for several years after treatment.
Season of birth is not associated with delayed childhood mortality in Upper River Division, The Gambia
Authors: Jaffar Shabbar , Leach Amanda , Greenwood Alice , Greenwood Brian 
Published: March 2003

Summary There is evidence that season of birth may predict adult mortality from infectious diseases in rural Gambia. Using data collected over a five‐year period from the rural, eastern region of the Gambia, we examined whether the season of birth influences mortality in childhood. 26 894 births and 3776 deaths among children under the age of five years were recorded in this region during the period 1989–1993. The estimated 1–4 year population was 95 355. In children aged 1–4 years, the mortality rate per 1000 per year was 16.1 (95% CI 14.9, 17.2) for those born in the ‘harvest’ season (January to June), which was not significantly different from the rate of 17.9 (95% CI 16.7, 19.0) recorded for those born in the ‘hungry’ season (July to December) (age‐stratified Mantel–Haenszel mortality ratio 0.91, 95% CI 0.83, 1.01; p= 0.08). Nearly all deaths of 1–4 year olds were attributed to infectious diseases, with malaria accounting for over 40%. None of the cause‐specific child mortality rates differed significantly according to the season of birth. These data suggest that beyond infancy, when it is easier to separate the effect of season on cause of death from that of the season of birth, there is no marked difference in the rate of death between Gambian children born in the harvest season and those born in the hungry season.
Treatment of Brugia timori and Wuchereria bancrofti infections in Indonesia using DEC or a combination of DEC and albendazole: adverse reactions and short‐term effects on microfilariae
Authors: Supali Taniawati , Ismid Is Suhariah , Rückert Paul , Fischer Peter 
Published: March 2003

SummaryFilariasis caused by Brugia timori and Wuchereria bancrofti is an important public health problem on Alor island, East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. To implement a control programme, adverse reactions and short‐term effects on the microfilaria (mf) density were studied following a divided dose of diethylcarbamazine (DEC, 6 mg/kg body weight – 100 mg on day 1 and the rest on day 3) or a single dose of DEC (6 mg/kg body weight on day 3) and albendazole (Alb, 400 mg). In order to define the most appropriate regimen, 30 persons infected with B. timori were treated in the hospital and results were compared with those obtained from the treatment of 27 persons infected with W. bancrofti. Adverse reactions consisted of systemic reactions such as fever, headache, myalgia, itching and local reactions such as adenolymphangitis. Fever experienced by a number of patients in both treatment groups generally occurred 12–24 h after drug administration and lasted up to 2 days. Adenolymphangitis tended to occur later and was resolved within 4 days. The number of W. bancrofti patients suffering from adverse reactions was lower and the reactions were milder than those of the B. timori patients. There was no difference in adverse reactions between DEC alone and DEC–Alb treatment for either infection. The geometric mean mf count decreased on day 7 in the B. timori infected patients from 234 mf/ml in the DEC group and from 257 mf/ml in the DEC–Alb group to 7 and 8 mf/ml, respectively. The mf densities of the W. bancrofti infected patients decreased on day 7 from 214 mf/ml in the DEC group and from 559 mf/ml in the DEC–Alb group to 15 and 14 mf/ml, respectively. Our data indicate that the microfilaricidal effect of the drugs is achieved more rapidly for B. timori, which is associated with more adverse reactions than W. bancrofti. In addition, 111 B. timori infected persons were treated in the community with DEC–Alb in one selected village. The adverse reactions and the reduction of mf density was similar to the findings of the hospital‐based study. In this group, there was a strong correlation of mf density with the frequency and severity of adverse reactions. The addition of Alb resulted in no additional adverse reactions compared with DEC treatment alone and can also be used for the treatment of B. timori infection. In Indonesia, where the prevalence of intestinal helminths is high, the use of a combination of DEC and Alb to control lymphatic filariasis may also have impact on the control of intestinal helminths.