bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Non‐destructive determination of acid–brix ratio of tomato juice using near infrared spectroscopy
Authors: Jha Shyam N. , Matsuoka T. 
Published: March 2004

SummaryConsumer's acceptance of tomato juice depends on its sourness to sweetness ratio and measuring this is important for quality control and marketing. Traditional methods destroy the samples, are time consuming and cannot be used in continuous packing or bottling systems. A non‐destructive method of quality evaluation, using near infrared (NIR) techniques, was tested, by using a portable NIR measuring unit. Spectra of tomato juice of known acid and brix values were determined and, in the wavelength range 703–1124 nm (NIR), a calibration model for acid–brix ratio (ABR) was developed, by using unscrambler software. When used to predict ABR of tomato juice statistical analysis showed minimal standard error (0.009) and satisfactorily high correlation coefficients (0.92) over the wavelength range 1059.5–1124.8 nm, for both calibration and prediction. These values were hardly different from analytical results and the NIR model has potential for non‐destructive prediction of ABR of tomato juice.
Colour degradation of acidified vegetable juice
Authors: Loong Mann‐Na , Goh Hwee‐Kwang 
Published: March 2004

SummaryMixed vegetable juice was acidified to a pH below 4 and subjected to pasteurization regimes between 80 and 100 °C. Hunter colour scale values (L, a and b) of the pasteurized samples were analysed to determine the kinetics of green and total colour degradation. The ‘a’ value was chosen as the physical parameter for green colour while ‘Lab’ represented the total colour. A concept, based on fractional conversion, was used for the determination of kinetic parameters. The results revealed that degradation of green and total colour of the acidified vegetable juice followed first‐order kinetics. Temperature dependency of the rate constants for both the green and the total colour could be described by the Arrhenius relationship. The activation energies of green and total colour degradation were 49.19 and 29.00 kJ mol−1, respectively.
Self‐administration of medication in hospital: patients’ perspectives
Authors: Manias Elizabeth , Beanland Christine , Riley Robin , Baker Linda 
Published: March 2004

Background.  Little information is available about patients’ perspectives on self‐ or nurse‐related administration of medication.Aim.  The aim of the study was to determine patients’ perspectives about self‐medication in the acute care setting.Methods.  A qualitative approach, using in‐depth semi‐structured interviews, was taken. Ten patients with a chronic medical illness who had experienced multiple hospital admissions for treatment were interviewed about their experiences of medication administration in the acute care setting. Participants were recruited from two cardiovascular wards in a private, not‐for‐profit hospital in Melbourne, Australia. Data collection occurred between August and September 2002.Findings.  Four major themes were identified from the interviews: benefits of self‐administration, barriers to self‐administration, assessing appropriateness of self‐administration and timing of medication administration. Seven participants had previously experienced self‐administration of medications and six were in favour of this practice in the clinical setting. Nine managed their own medications at home, and one self‐administered with some assistance from his family. Participants were very concerned about how nurses’ heavily regulated routines affected delivery of medications in hospital and disrupted individualized plans of care maintained in the home setting.Conclusions.  In planning and implementing self‐administration programmes, it is important to consider patients’ views. Medication regimes should be simple and flexible enough to adapt to patients’ lifestyles and usual routines. Nurses should also take advantage of opportunities to support and facilitate patient autonomy, to enable more effective management of health care needs when patients return home.
Factors related to childbirth satisfaction
Authors: Goodman Petra , Mackey Marlene C. , Tavakoli Abbas S. 
Published: March 2004

Background.  A woman's satisfaction with the childbirth experience may have immediate and long‐term effects on her health and her relationship with her infant, but there is a lack of current research in this area.Aim.  This paper reports a study to examine multiple factors for their association with components of childbirth satisfaction and with the total childbirth experience.Method.  A correlational descriptive study was conducted with 60 low‐risk postpartum women, aged 18–46 years, with uneventful vaginal deliveries of healthy full‐term infants at two medical centres in the south‐eastern United States. The Labor Agentry Scale, McGill Pain Questionnaire and Mackey Childbirth Satisfaction Rating Scale and a background questionnaire were completed by women. Obstetrical data were collected from the medical record.Findings.  Personal control was a statistically significant predictor of total childbirth satisfaction (P = 0·0045) and with the subscale components of satisfaction (self, partner, baby, nurse, physician and overall). In addition, having expectations for labour and delivery met was a significant predictor of satisfaction with own performance during childbirth.Conclusions.  Personal control during childbirth was an important factor related to the women's satisfaction with the childbirth experience. Helping women to increase their personal control during labour and birth may increase the women's childbirth satisfaction.
Genome stability of vtc1, tt4, and tt5 Arabidopsis thaliana mutants impaired in protection against oxidative stress
Authors: Filkowski Jody , Kovalchuk Olga , Kovalchuk Igor 
Published: March 2004

SummaryReactive oxygen species (ROS) are formed upon normal cellular metabolism or influence of environmental factors and, at normal levels, they play an important physiological role. However, at elevated levels, radicals are toxic and extremely dangerous to all cellular components, including DNA. To efficiently protect themselves, plants have developed sophisticated mechanisms for radical screening and scavenging. In this paper, we analyzed the genome stability of several plant mutants impaired in the protection against free radicals. We crossed the well‐known uidA recombination reporter line 651 to flavonoid (tt4 and tt5) and Vitamin C (vtc1)‐deficient plants. We found that in all lines tested, both spontaneous and induced (UVC and Rose Bengal (RB)) recombination was higher than in the original 651 parental line. The mRNA expression levels of various DNA repair (RAD1, RAD54‐like, MSH3) as well as radical scavenging genes (GPx1, CAT, FSD3) exhibited substantial differences in both control and induced conditions. Our data show that plants impaired in certain aspects of the protection against elevated levels of free radicals induce the production of scavenging enzymes earlier than wild‐type (wt) plants, and the higher level of radical species results in the increased incidence of spontaneous double‐strand breaks resulting in a higher expression of DNA repair genes.
High‐resolution boundary analysis during Arabidopsis thaliana flower development
Authors: Breuil‐Broyer Stephanie , Morel Patrice , De Almeida‐Engler Janice , Coustham Vincent , Negrutiu Ioan , Trehin Christophe 
Published: March 2004

SummaryWe report a comparative analysis of cell proliferation patterns during Arabidopsis flower development. Cell division was evaluated by a direct method, i.e. the 5‐bromo‐2′‐deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation/immunodetection procedure. BrdU patterns in wild‐type plants were correlated with the expression profiles of both several cell cycle genes involved in the control of the G1/S transition and cell cycle‐related repressor genes, MSI4 and MSI5, encoding WD‐repeat proteins. To evaluate how proliferation patterns arise with respect to boundaries and vice versa, the expression of a boundary gene, CUP SHAPED COTYLEDON (CUC)2, was determined. Combining these approaches, we demonstrate that boundaries between inflorescence and floral meristems and between floral whorls are narrow bands of non‐dividing cells. In addition, we show that negative and positive regulators of cell proliferation are simultaneously and continuously expressed in dividing meristematic domains, being excluded from boundary cells. Finally, BrdU incorporation and CUC2 in situ hybridisation patterns were analysed in two mutant backgrounds, agamous (ag)‐1 and superman (sup)‐1, in order to assess changes in boundary establishment and different levels of indeterminacy under conditions of altered proliferation at the floral meristem centre.
β‐amino‐butyric acid‐induced resistance against necrotrophic pathogens is based on ABA‐dependent priming for callose
Authors: Ton Jurriaan , Mauch‐Mani Brigitte 
Published: March 2004

SummaryThe non‐protein amino acid β‐amino‐butyric acid (BABA) protects plants against a wide range of pathogens. We have examined the effectiveness and mode of action of BABA on resistance against two necrotrophic pathogens. Treatment of Arabidopsis with BABA induced resistance against Alternaria brassicicola and Plectosphaerella cucumerina to a similar level by jasmonic acid (JA). Conversely, treatment with benzothiadiazole (BTH), a functional analogue of salicylic acid (SA), had no significant effect on the resistance against both pathogens. BABA‐induced resistance against A. brassicicola and P. cucumerina was unaffected in the JA‐insensitive mutant coi1‐1 and the camalexin‐deficient mutant pad3‐1. Moreover, the expression of BABA‐induced resistance was not associated with enhanced accumulation of camalexin or enhanced transcription of the JA‐inducible PDF1.2 gene. The expression of BABA‐induced resistance against P. cucumerina was unaffected in mutants impaired in ethylene (ET) and SA signalling, but was blocked in the abscisic acid (ABA)‐deficient mutant aba1‐5, the ABA‐insensitive mutant abi4‐1 and the callose‐deficient mutant pmr4‐1. Upon infection by both pathogens, BABA‐treated plants showed an earlier and more pronounced accumulation of callose. Treatment with the callose‐inhibitor 2‐deoxy‐D‐glucose (2‐DDG) reversed the BABA‐induced resistance against A. brassicicola. Furthermore, primed callose deposition was absent in BABA‐treated abi4‐1 and pmr4‐1 plants upon infection by P. cucumerina. Although the expression of BABA‐induced resistance was not associated with enhanced transcription of the ABA‐inducible RAB18 gene, application of ABA mimicked the effect of BABA on the level of callose accumulation and resistance. Hence, BABA‐induced resistance against necrotrophic pathogens is based on primed callose accumulation, which is controlled by an ABA‐dependent defence pathway.
Viroid‐induced RNA silencing of GFP‐viroid fusion transgenes does not induce extensive spreading of methylation or transitive silencing
Authors: Vogt Ulrike , Pélissier Thierry , Pütz Arno , Razvi Fareha , Fischer Rainer , Wassenegger Michael 
Published: March 2004

SummaryViroid infection is associated with the production of short interfering RNAs (siRNAs), a hallmark of post‐transcriptional gene silencing (PTGS). However, viroid RNAs autonomously replicating in the nucleus have not been shown to trigger the degradation of homologous RNA in the cytoplasm. To investigate the potential of viroids for the induction of gene silencing, non‐infectious fragments of potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTVd) cDNA were transcriptionally fused to the 3′ end of the green fluorescent protein (GFP)‐coding region. Introduction of such constructs into tobacco plants resulted in stable transgene expression. Upon PSTVd infection, transgene expression was suppressed and partial de novo methylation of the transgene was observed. PSTVd‐specific siRNA was detected but none was found corresponding to the gfp gene. Methylation was restricted almost entirely to the PSTVd‐specific part of the transgene. Neither a gfp transgene construct lacking viroid‐specific elements was silenced nor was de novo methylation detected, when it was introduced into the genetic background of the PSTVd‐infected plant lines containing silenced GFP:PSTVd transgenes. The absence of gfp‐specific siRNAs and of significant methylation within the gfp‐coding region demonstrated that neither silencing nor DNA methylation spread from the initiator region into adjacent 5′ regions.
Nested core collections maximizing genetic diversity in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: McKhann Heather I. , Camilleri Christine , Bérard Aurélie , Bataillon Thomas , David Jacques L. , Reboud Xavier , Le Corre Valérie , Caloustian Christophe , Gut Ivo G. , Brunel Dominique 
Published: March 2004

SummaryThe successful exploitation of natural genetic diversity requires a basic knowledge of the extent of the variation present in a species. To study natural variation in Arabidopsis thaliana, we defined nested core collections maximizing the diversity present among a worldwide set of 265 accessions. The core collections were generated based on DNA sequence data from a limited number of fragments evenly distributed in the genome and were shown to successfully capture the molecular diversity in other loci as well as the morphological diversity. The core collections are available to the scientific community and thus provide an important resource for the study of genetic variation and its functional consequences in Arabidopsis. Moreover, this strategy can be used in other species to provide a rational framework for undertaking diversity surveys, including single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) discovery and phenotyping, allowing the utilization of genetic variation for the study of complex traits.
Molecular regulation of sinapate ester metabolism inBrassica napus: expression of genes, properties of the encoded proteins and correlation of enzyme activities with metabolite accumulation
Authors: Milkowski Carsten , Baumert Alfred , Schmidt Diana , Nehlin Lilian , Strack Dieter 
Published: March 2004

SummaryMembers of the Brassicaceae family accumulate specific sinapate esters, i.e. sinapoylcholine (sinapine), which is considered as a major antinutritive compound in seeds of important crop plants likeBrassica napus, and sinapoylmalate, which is implicated in UV‐B tolerance in leaves. We have studied the molecular regulation of the sinapate ester metabolism inB. napus, and we describe expression of genes, some properties of the encoded proteins and profiles of the metabolites and enzyme activities. The cloned cDNAs encoding the key enzymes of sinapine biosynthesis, UDP‐glucose (UDP‐Glc):B. napussinapate glucosyltransferase (BnSGT1) and sinapoylglucose:B. napuscholine sinapoyltransferase (BnSCT), were functionally expressed. BnSGT1 belongs to a subgroup of plant GTs catalysing the formation of 1‐O‐hydroxycinnamoyl‐β‐d‐glucoses. BnSCT is another member of serine carboxypeptidase‐like (SCPL) family of acyltransferases. TheB. napusgenome contains at least twoSGTandSCTgenes, each derived from its progenitorsB. oleraceaandB. rapa. BnSGT1 and BnSCT activities are subjected to pronounced transcriptional regulation.BnSGT1transcript level increases throughout early stages of seed development until the early cotyledonary stage, and stays constant in later stages. The highest level ofBnSGT1transcripts is reached in 2‐day‐old seedlings followed by a dramatic decrease. In contrast, expression ofBnSCTis restricted to developing seeds. Regulation of gene expression at the transcript level seems to be responsible for changes of BnSGT1 and BnSCT activities during seed and seedling development ofB. napus. Together with sinapine esterase (SCE) and sinapoylglucose:malate sinapoyltransferase (SMT), activities of BnSGT1 and BnSCT show a close correlation with the accumulation kinetics of the corresponding metabolites.
Summer drought: a driver for crown condition and mortality of Norway spruce in Norway
Authors: Solberg S. 
Published: March 2004

SummarySummer drought, i.e. unusually dry and warm weather, has been a significant stress factor for Norway spruce in southeast Norway during the 14 years of forest monitoring. Dry and warm summers were followed by increases in defoliation, discolouration of foliage, cone formation and mortality. The causal mechanisms are discussed. Most likely, the defoliation resulted from increased needle‐fall in the autumn after dry summers. During the monitoring period 1988–2001, southeast Norway was repeatedly affected by summer drought, in particular, in the early 1990s. The dataset comprised 455 ‘Forest officers’ plots’ with annual data on crown condition and mortality. Linear mixed models were used for estimation and hypothesis testing, including a variance–covariance structure for the handling of random effects and temporal autocorrelation.
Necrophylactic periderm formation in the roots of western larch and Douglas‐fir trees infected with Armillaria ostoyae. I. The response to abiotic wounding in non‐infected roots
Authors: Robinson R. M. , Jensen G. D. , Morrison D. J. 
Published: March 2004

SummaryThe sequence of events leading to necrophylactic periderm formation was studied throughout the year following the abiotic wounding of the non‐infected roots of 10‐ and 27‐year‐old western larch (Larix occidentalis) and 11‐ and 25‐year‐old Douglas‐fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) trees that were infected with Armillaria ostoyae. The sequence was the same for both ages and species of trees. Wound repair was more rapid in the summer compared with the spring and autumn. Following cell hypertrophy, a zone of lignified impervious tissue was in the initial stages of formation within 10 days of wounding in the summer and 14 days in the spring or autumn. The new phellogen produced a layer of phellem three to four rows of cells thick after 20 days in the summer or 40 days in the spring. Modified cells abutting the inner boundary of the impervious zone frequently developed thick lignified abaxial walls and thin suberized adaxial walls. A typical exophylactic periderm in healthy root bark tissue of both western larch and Douglas‐fir consisted of stone phellem one to four rows of cells thick and a layer of thin‐walled phellem three to six rows of cells thick in western larch and two to three rows thick in Douglas‐fir, a single row of phellogen cells and one to three rows of phelloderm cells. Mature thin‐walled phellem cells had pigmented contents, red in western larch and light brown in Douglas‐fir. In response to wounding, 27‐year‐old western larch and 25‐year‐old Douglas‐fir developed necrophylactic periderms with annual bands of phellem. The bands included a layer of phellem that was six to 12 and nine to 15 rows of cells thicker than the layer of phellem observed in the respective naturally developed exophylactic periderms. Fifty days following wounding in the summer, stone phellem, one to three rows of cells thick, was observed in the necrophylactic periderm of 10‐year‐old trees. When fully developed, the necrophylactic periderm in 27‐year‐old western larch also had a layer of stone phellem three to five rows of cells thick in each band. Stone phellem development was only sporadic in 25‐year‐old Douglas‐fir. Wounds in the winter showed no signs of activity associated with repair until dormancy broke in the spring.
Selected single blastocyst transfers maintained pregnancy outcome and eliminated multiple pregnancies
Authors: Kuramoto Takeshi , Boediono Arief , Egashira Akiyoshi , Motoishi Mutsuro , Sugioka Michiyo , Fukuda Kimiko , Higashijima Toki , Yoshioka Naomi , Rajamahendran Rajadurai 
Published: March 2004

Background:  Transfer of more than one embryo following in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection cycles have increased pregnancy rate at the cost of increasing the incidence of triplets and twins. It has been proposed that prolonged culture to the blastocyst stage would automatically result in the selection of good quality embryos for transfer and minimize the incidence of triplets and twins.Methods and Results:  The objectives of the present retrospective analysis were to examine the pregnancy outcome, multiple pregnancy and related data following: (i) single blastocyst transfer (BT) and double BT; (ii) single BT in patients belonging to different age groups; and (iii) good, fair or poor quality of BT. A total of 260 BT were carried out between August 1998 and July 2002 and they are included in the current study. Sixty of the 260 BT patients received a single BT, and 41 of them received selected single good quality BT (SSBT). The implantation rate has no significant difference between following single BT (53.3%) and double BT (42.8%). No multiple pregnancy occurred following single BT, while significantly higher (P < 0.05) multiple pregnancy rate was observed following a double BT (45.8%). The clinical pregnancy and implantation rates following a single BT were similar (P > 0.05) in patients belonging to <30 years (62.5%), 30–34 years (57.9%) and 35–39 years old (35.8%).Conclusion:  Selected single good quality BT maintained pregnancy and avoided multiple pregnancies. It is recommended for patients with a risk for high‐order multiple pregnancy. (Reprod Med Biol 2004; 3: 13–18)
Effects of low‐dose metformin in Japanese women with clomiphene‐resistant polycystic ovary syndrome
Authors: Kurabayashi Takumi , Suzuki Mina , Kashima Katsunori , Banzai Junichi , Terabayashi Kyoko , Fujita Kazuyuki , Tanaka Kenichi 
Published: March 2004

Background and Aims:  The aim of the present prospective observational study was to evaluate the effects of low‐dose, short‐term metformin, in combination with clomiphene (CC), in CC‐resistant infertile Japanese women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).Methods:  Metformin therapy was administered orally (one 250 mg tablet, twice daily) to 15 CC‐resistant infertile patients with PCOS, beginning on the third day of progestin‐induced withdrawal bleeding, and was continued for 14 days in the first cycle. In the event of anovulation, 100 mg/day of CC was given during subsequent cycles on days 5–9, in addition to the aforementioned dose of metformin. Hormonal and metabolic parameters were measured on the second or third days of the first cycle and also the fourth cycle, following an overnight fast.Results:  None of the 15 women successfully ovulated during the first cycle with metformin treatment alone. After two subsequent cycles with the combination of CC and metformin, ovulation was confirmed in 17 of 29 cycles (61%) and in 13 of 15 patients (87%). Two women became pregnant within 2 months of therapy (13%). There were no cases of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome. Following three cycles of metformin therapy, a slight reduction in serum levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), free testosterone, androstenedione, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, hemoglobin A1c and total cholesterol was seen, while serum LH/follicle‐stimulating hormone ratio and serum level of low‐density lipoprotein cholesterol were significantly decreased. Although there were no significant differences between the responder (n = 11) and non‐responder (n = 2) groups at baseline, the levels of plasma fasting insulin was significantly higher and fasting glucose/insulin ratio was significantly lower in the non‐responder group compared with the responder group after three cycles.Conclusion:  Low‐dose, short‐term metformin, combined with CC, can improve ovulation rates in CC‐resistant infertile Japanese women with PCOS. (Reprod Med Biol 2004; 3: 19–26)