bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Characterization of the wound‐inducible protein ipomoelin from sweet potato
Authors: CHEN Y.‐C. , CHANG H.‐S. , LAI H.‐M. , JENG S.‐T. 
Published: January 2005

ABSTRACTThe ipomoelin (IPO) gene, a wound‐ and methyl jasmonate‐inducible gene, was isolated from sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas cv. Tainung 57), and previously demonstrated to be regulated by dephosphorylated proteins and calcium ion (Chen Y.‐C. et al. Plant Cell and Environment 26, 1373–1383, 2003). In this report, the function of the IPO protein was further studied. The IPO gene was characterized as having one intron and presenting two copies within the genome of sweet potato. The IPO protein appeared 1 d after the leaves of sweet potato were wounded. Surprisingly, the accumulation of the IPO protein remained for 7 d after wounding. Additionally, after the IPO protein was fused to a histidine tag, the His‐IPO fusion protein produced from Escherichia coli BL21DE3 was then used to perform the haemagglutination test, which demonstrated that His‐IPO fusion protein agglutinated human blood cells. Furthermore, several carbohydrates, including methyl α‐ d‐glucopyranoside, methyl α‐ d‐mannopyranoside, maltose, mannose, glucose, galactose, and lactose, reduced the efficiency of the His‐IPO fusion protein in agglutinating human blood cells. These experimental results may indicate that the IPO protein is a lectin, a carbohydrate‐binding protein. Notably, the IPO protein retarded the growth and development of silkworm, and thus reduced silkworm survival rates. Therefore, these findings indicate that the function of the IPO protein is to protect plants from insect attack.
Golfer's vasculitis
Authors: Kelly Robert I , Opie Jacinta , Nixon Rosemary 
Published: January 2005

SUMMARYA number of patients presented with an erythematous, purpuric rash occurring on the legs in association with playing golf and also after prolonged walks or hikes. Many patients believed that it was an allergic reaction to grasses or insecticides and had sometimes undergone extensive allergy testing. We collected reports of 17 such cases from dermatologists in the state of Victoria, Australia. Patients were interviewed by phone and asked to submit photographs of the rash if possible. Of these, the eruption developed in 15 after playing 18 holes of golf and in three following prolonged hikes. The rash would usually develop over the summer months under hot conditions. Most patients were over 50 years of age when the tendency to develop the eruption began. Biopsies of the rash in the active phase showed leukocytoclastic vasculitis. Patch testing and investigations for potential underlying causes for vasculitis were negative or unremarkable. It would seem that this is a common but poorly documented condition. The clinical presentation and histology would support the conclusion that it represents a leukocytoclastic vasculitis induced by prolonged exercise under hot conditions. The findings would suggest that it occurs in healthy people and extensive investigation with blood tests or allergy testing is inappropriate. We believe the condition should be termed ‘golfer's vasculitis', as golf appears to be the most common precipitating event and such a term would enable the condition to become more widely recognized.
Complicated lichenoid drug eruption
Authors: Armour Katherine , Lowe Patricia 
Published: January 2005

SUMMARYWe report a case of severe lichenoid drug eruption with multiple possible causative agents. A hepatitis C‐positive male presented with a short history of painful erosions of the vermilion, lichenoid lesions on the buccal mucosa and glans penis, and erosions and lichenification of the scrotum. In addition, he had a pruritic polymorphic eruption over the scalp, trunk and limbs, comprising psoriasiform and eczematous lesions. He had received combination therapy of pegylated interferon‐α‐2a and ribavirin, along with granulocyte colony‐stimulating factor for interferon‐induced leucopenia, and propranolol for portal hypertension. The former three agents were ceased 3 weeks prior to presentation, but he remained on propranolol at the initial dermatology consultation. The polymorphous clinical picture was consistent with lichenoid drug eruption, which was confirmed on histology. The papulosquamous eruption responded quickly to 2 weeks of oral prednisone 25 mg daily, which was tapered to 1 mg over 3 months and then ceased. The mucosal lesions were slow to improve and required the addition of tacrolimus 0.03% solution t.d.s. for complete resolution.
Copper‐induced cutaneous sarcoidosis
Authors: Masel Grant 
Published: January 2005

SUMMARYA 52‐year‐old woman presented with gradual painless enlargement of both earlobes. Indurated plaques were also present elsewhere. There was no evidence of a systemic granulomatous disorder. Histopathology showed foreign material associated with granulomatous inflammation. Scanning electron microscopy and energy‐dispersive analysis of X‐rays demonstrated foreign material composed primarily of copper. Deposition is likely to have been related to corrosion of copper‐containing earrings, or from deposition at the time of ear piercing. The presence of clinically similar granulomatous lesions remote from the earlobes and not containing copper suggest the presence of underlying cutaneous sarcoidosis. The earlobe lesions are more likely to be caused by foreign matter acting non‐specifically as a nidus for cutaneous sarcoidosis, rather than by a specific pro‐inflammatory effect of dermal copper. After 3 months, the lesions have partially responded to oral hydroxychloroquine 200 mg/day.
Atypical presentation of erythema elevatum diutinum
Authors: Ly Hoang , Black Martin M 
Published: January 2005

SUMMARYA 47‐year‐old man presented with two red‐brown plaques on his back. The histology was consistent with erythema elevatum diutinum. The case was unusual in the site of presentation and in the paucity of lesions. Investigations were aimed at screening for associations such as infections, malignancies and inflammatory diseases. Dapsone remained an effective treatment.
Lactate Dependent Protein Synthesis in Round Spermatids from Rat Testes
Authors: Nakamura Masahisa , KATO JUNZO 
Published: January 2005

Lactate (20 mM) markedly increased protein labeling of round spermatids (steps 1–8) from rat testes. The stimulatory effect of lactate on protein labeling was also observed to some degree in spermatocytes and late spermatids (steps 13–16), but not in Leydig cells and 7 day‐old testis cell suspznsions. In the lactate‐treated spermatids, 51 % of the labeled proteins was found in the water‐soluble fraction (the 105,000 ×g 1 hr supernatant), whereas only 21%, in the control cells. The labeled proteins did not break down for at least 90 minutes in the presence of lactate. Actinomycin D (20 μg/ml) had no effect on [3H]leucine incorporation into the water‐soluble proteins of spermatids, while labeling of the water‐insoluble proteins (the 105,000 ×g 1 hr pellet) was decreased by 23%.These findings suggest that the round spermatids might be the most susceptible for the lactate‐induced stimulation of protein synthesis among various types of testicular cells, and that lactate increases the synthesis of water‐soluble proteins which may be regulated in the translational level of protein synthesis.
Phosphorylation of Deoxyribonucleosides and DNA Synthesis during Embryogenesis of the Sea Urchin
Authors: SUZUKI NORIO , NAGANO HIROSHI 
Published: January 2005

The phosphorylation of thymidine, deoxycytidine, deoxyadenosine and deoxyguanosine was studied during the embryogenesis of the sea urchin Hemicentrotus pulcherrimus. [3H]Thymidine was taken up, phosphorylated and accumulated mostly as [3H]thymidine triphosphate in the early cleavage stage embryos. As the embryos developed, the formation of [3H]thymidine triphosphate decreased and most of the [3H]thymidine taken up by the blastulae remained be phosphorylated. When [3H]deoxycytidine was added to the cleaving embryos, the resultant labeled pool consisted of almost equal amounts of [3H]deoxycytidine monophosphate and [3H]deoxycytidine triphosphate. The formation of [3H]deoxycytidine monophosphate increased up to 10 hr following fertilization and then decreased, while the formation of [3H]deoxycytidine triphosphate decreased for 10 hr following fertilization and then gradually increased. [3H]Deoxyadenosine was rapidly phosphorylated to monophosphate derivative in the cleavage stage embryos. The formation of [3H]deoxyadenosine triphosphate increased rapidly after cleavage stage with a concomitant decrease of [3H]deoxyadenosine monophosphate. The activity of phosphorylation in [3H]deoxyguanosine to triphosphate derivative increased rapidly reaching a plateau 10 hr after fertilization. At this point, 80 % of the [3H]deoxyguanosine was recovered as [3H]deoxyguanosine triphosphate.Based on the above results, it was concluded that the profile of production of each deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate changed during the embryogenesis of the sea urchin, and the in vivo rate‐limiting step of phosphorylation of the individual deoxyribonucleoside was assumed to be different.
Evidence for the Presence of a Low Molecular Weight Factor in Sera from Various Animals that Induces in vitro Maturation of Fish Oocytes
Authors: IWAMATSU TAKASHI 
Published: January 2005

Studies were made on whether sera from various animals or serum components could induce in vitro maturation of medaka oocytes in the absence of any exogenous hormone. When intra‐follicular oocytes were preincubated in medium containing serum of some mammals or chickens, and were then washed, they matured during further incubation in the same medium without the serum. In contrast, no remarkable stimulatory effect on oocyte maturation was recognized in sera from some other mammals and from reptiles, amphibian and fish. A dialysate of rabbit serum collected using a cellulose membrane (mol. wt. retention 3,500) also induced in vitro maturation of intra‐follicular oocytes. This activity was stable on treatment with proteolytic enzymes or heat‐treatment. Small molecular weight fractions with this activity were obtained by filtering the dialysate through Sephadex G‐10. The oocytes matured by the serum factor were capable of developing normally beyond the stage of embryonic body formation.From these results, it is concluded that the serum of higher vertebrates contains a low molecular weight factor that stimulates in vitro nuclear and cytoplasmic maturation of intrafollicular fish oocytes.
Implication of Cytoplasmic Factors in the Lethality of Bufonidae Nucleocytoplasmic Hybrids
Authors: DELARUE MICHEL , AIMAR CHRISTIAN 
Published: January 2005

The nucleocytoplasmic hybrid combination performed by nuclear graft between B. bufo nucleus and B. calamita egg is 95% lethal during gastrulation mostly at the young gastrula stage (75%) and to a lesser extent at the yolk plug stage (20%). The heterologous B. calamita cytoplasm was treated or fractioned by different techniques including centrifugation, nucleic acid extraction, ammonium sulfate treatment and heating.The treated cytoplasmic fractions were injected in B. bufo fertilized eggs in order to check their influence on morphogenetic capacities of the B. bufo nucleus. Injection of hyaline cytoplasmic fraction obtained from B. calamita centrifuged eggs blocks the B. Bufo fertilized egg gastrulation in similar rates as in nucleocytoplasmic association performed by interspecific nuclear grafting. Gastrulation, however, is not affected by injection of total nucleic acids extracted from this hyaline fraction. The soluble cytoplasmic fraction obtained after 60% ammonium sulfate precipitation blocks the development at the beginning of gastrulation, this property being inactivated by heating for 5 min at 60°C. Supernatant from 70% ammonium sulfate precipitation blocks the development at the yolk plug stage and is inactivated by heating for 5 min at 80°C.These experiments suggest that two distinct factors in B. calamita eggs are involved in developmental arrest of injected B. bufo fertilized eggs, these two factors respectively acting on the beginning and on the end of gastrulation.
Effects of D2O on Parthenogenetic Activation and Cleavage in the Sea Urchin Egg*
Authors: KOJIMA MANABU K. 
Published: January 2005

When unfertilized sea urchin eggs are treated with D2O‐sea water, fertilization membranes are raised, cytasters appear in the cytoplasm and cleavages occur. Such observations are in agreement with those reported by Gross and his collaborators. However, D2O‐treated eggs can develop at least to the gastrula stage under appropriate conditions, in contradiction to descriptions by Grosset al. This is the case in eggs of three species of Japanese sea urchins used here.The double treatment with D2O is more effective in inducing parthenogenetic development than the single treatment and, further, double treatments, such as the combinations of D2O and hypertonic sea water or butyric acid and D2O, also, can effectively induce the development.In addition, centrifugally enucleated egg‐halves can be activated and developed to a blastulalike stage by the double treatment with D2O.
Control of Late Development of Dictyostelium discoideum by Proteins Functioning at Early Stages
Authors: FUJIKI NAKAO , TAKECHI MAMORU , ISHIKAWA AKIRA 
Published: January 2005

We examined two mutants of D. discoideum which are temperature‐sensitive for development. At the nonpermissive temperature one mutant becomes arrested in development during the transition from the finger to the migrating slug. Temperature‐shift experiment indicates that the temperature‐sensitive period begins at considerably earlier tip‐forming stage. The other mutant becomes arrested at the Mexican hat stage and the temperature‐sensitive period coinsided with this stage. The analysis of protein synthesis by two‐dimensional gels, however, showed specific changes at the nonpermissive temperature at an earlier finger‐forming stage.These results indicate the presence of a control of late development by proteins at early stages.
Studies of Unequal Cleavage in Molluscs: I. Nuclear Behavior and Anchorage of a Spindle Pole to Cortex as Revealed by Isolation Technique
Authors: DAN KATSUMA , ITO SUSUMU 
Published: January 2005

Unequal division of the eggs of Spisula solidissima was studied by isolating the nuclear elements. The isolation technique consists mainly of the use of Na‐lauryl sulphate with occasional inverting of the container of alcohol‐fixed eggs. The procedure was applied to the following stages. (1) germinal vesicles, (2) 1st maturation division, showing anchorage of a spindle pole to the cortex, (3) 2nd meiosis, (4) pronuclear encouter, (5) metaphase, (6) shifting of the metaphase spindle to one side of the cell and a contact with the cortex, (7) ana‐ and telophase of the 1st division.Migration and “anchorage” of the spindle to the cortex by one pole is a common phenomenon in unequal divisions of polar body formation and of egg cleavage.
Acceleration of the Cleavage in Sea Urchin Eggs by Treatmentswith Local Anesthetics (I) Procaine Treatment*
Authors: KOJIMA MANABU K. 
Published: January 2005

Unfertilized sea urchin eggs were pre‐treated with 2–10 mM procaine sea water for 10 min and then fertilized 5 min later. These eggs hatched about 1–1.5 hr earlier than the control eggs. This acceleration of hatching seems to be the result of a reduction in the individual cleavage cycles.In the second series of experiments, eggs were inseminated at 5, 30 and 60 min after the procaine treatments. In this case, the rate of accelerated cleavage decreased gradually, as the intervals between the treatments and insemination were extended.Next, the minimum time‐length of procaine treatment to accelerate cleavage was determined. When eggs were immersed in procaine for 1 min, cleavage was accelerated as in the case of 10 min‐treatment, although acceleration to the same degree required higher concentrations of procaine solution.When fertilized eggs were post‐treated with procaine, cleavage was also accelerated, but both the rate of acceleration and the effective concentrations decreased with time after fertilization.
The Effect of Hydrocortisone on the Epidermal Proliferation in an Organ Culture of Chick Embryonic Skin
Authors: SUZUKI‐MORIMOTO SHIGEKO , YAMAMOTO YOSHIHIRO , YAMAGUCHI TAKEO 
Published: January 2005

Hydrocortisone is regarded as an initiator of keratinization in embryonic skin. The present investigation dealt with the effect of hydrocortisone on the proliferation of epidermal cells during early development: Cell kinetic analyses using 3H‐thymidine autoradiography were applied to a skin organ culture prepared from a 13‐day chick embryo.Hydrocortisone at a concentration between 0.01 and 1.0 μg/ml was effective in initiating a morphological change leading to the epidermal keratinization in vitro and caused a marked decrease in the mitotic and labeling indices of epidermal basal cells, the decrease being maximum at 2 days of culture previous to the morphological change.During continuous labeling with 3H‐thymidine, the number of labeled basal cells reached 100% within 2 days in the control and 4 days in the culture treated with hydrocortisone. This confirmed that the growth fraction of epidermal basal cells was 1.0 even after the administration of hydrocortisone.The duration of each cell cycle phase at 2 days of culture was determined by percent labeled mitoses and double‐labeling analyses. It was concluded that hydrocortisone extended the generation time of epidermal basal cells at this time point about three fold over the control. This extension was mainly due to the elongation of the G1 phase.
The Wave Pattern of Free Calcium Release Upon Fertilization in Medaka and Sand Dollar Eggs
Authors: YOSHIMOTO YASUAKI , IWAMATSU TAKASHI , HIRANO KEN‐ICHI , HIRAMOTO YUKIO 
Published: January 2005

A transient rise in the concentration of Ca2+ in the cortex upon fertilization was demonstrated in medaka eggs injected with aequorin. Detection of the aequorin luminescence with an ultra‐high sensitivity photonic microscope system revealed a wave of increased Ca2+ concentration starting at the site of sperm entry (animal pole) and being propagated along the cortex of the egg toward the antipode. The wave traversed the entire egg surface within 2–3 min. The peak value of the aequorin luminescence, and therefore the peak value of the Ca2+ transient, was generally higher at the site of sperm entry than in other regions. The peak values of the luminescence (and therefore of the Ca2+ concentration in the cortex) remained fairly constant during propagation of the wave. Microinjection of Ca2+ into the cortex also induced a Ca2+ wave. When the egg was stimulated by microinjection of Ca2+ at the equatorial region, the Ca2+ wave was propagated at a fairly constant speed over the egg surface, except at the region near the vegetal pole where the wave was retarded. Simultaneous recording of the Ca2+ wave and the wave of cortical change (breakdown of cortical alveoli) in eggs during fertilization revealed that the Ca2+ wave preceded the wave of cortical change.A Ca2+ wave was also demonstrated in sand dollar eggs, although due to their smaller size the phenomenon was not as clear as in medaka eggs.
Microdissection Studies on the Polarity of Unequal Division in Grasshopper Neuroblasts: II. Cell Division in Binucleate Neuroblasts
Authors: YAMASHIKI NAOKO , KAWAMURA KEN‐YA 
Published: January 2005

The grasshopper neuroblast divides unequally to produce two types of cells: a large daughter neuroblast that contains a doughnut‐shaped nucleus and repeats unequal division with definite polarity, and a small daughter ganglion cell that has a spherical nucleus with low mitotic activity. Binucleate neuroblasts were induced by preventing cytokinesis in the course of microdissection experiments, and subsequent divisions were traced to analyze the factors that determine the polarity of unequal division.In binucleate neuroblasts, both daughter chromosome groups developed into neuroblast‐type nuclei. Mitosis of the two nuclei proceeded synchronously. Although the axes of the two mitotic apparatuses formed at late prophase were random in direction, they became parallel with the original division axis at metaphase. The two mitotic apparatuses shifted simultaneously toward the ganglion cell side during anaphase, just as in normal neuroblasts, and the binucleate cell divided unequally. These findings showed that the poearity of unequal division is strictly maintained in grasshpper neuroblasts, even when they contain two nuclei.
Cytological Effects of Heat‐Shocks on Xenopus Oocytes and Eggs
Authors: HANOCQ‐QUERTIER J. , BALTUS E. , BRACHET J. 
Published: January 2005

Heat‐shocks (80 min at 34°c) induce the appearance of aster‐like fibrous structures (cytasters) in maturing Xenopus oocytes. Cytaster formation is suppressed by treatments with colchicine or nocodazole of heat‐shocked maturing oocytes. Heat‐shocks destroy the meiotic spindle, but have no effect on cytasters induced by D2O treatment.Heat‐shocks (20 min at 36°c) also induce the formation of cytasters in unfertilized and freshly fertilized eggs of some females, but not in cleaving eggs. They suppress amphimixy, induce the regression of existing cleavage furrows and destroy the mitotic apparatuses in cleaving eggs. The arrested blastomeres often contain micronuclei (probably unfused telophase swollen chromosomes) where small basophilic nucleoli are frequently seen.The significance of these results is discussed.
Changes in Intracellular Concentrations of Cyclic Nucleotides during the Initiation Process of Starfish Sperm Motility
Authors: NIITSU‐HOSOYA NATSUMI , ISHIDA KATSUMI , MOHRI HIDEO 
Published: January 2005

Changes in the intracellular concentrations of cyclic nucleotides during the initiation of starfish sperm motility were examined. The intracellular concentration of cGMP decreased just after dilution of sperm with sea water, whereas that of cAMP increased concomitant with initiation of sperm motility. In acidic sea water, the intracellular concentration of cGMP decreased but no increase in that of cAMP was observed and sperm remained immotile. The presence of a phosphodiesterase inhibitor enhanced the rate of increase in the intracellular concentration of cAMP and the sperm motility.These results indicate that cAMP is involved in the initiation of sperm motility in starfish.
Dual Effects of cAMP on the Stability of Prespore Vesicles and 8‐bromo cAMP‐enhanced Maturation of Spore and Stalk Cells of Dictyostelium discoideum
Authors: MAEDA MINEKO 
Published: January 2005

It is well known that interconversion between prestalk and prespore cells occurs in 3‐dimensional (3–D) isolates of Dictyostelium. The present work was undertaken to examine whether or not the interconversion occurs even in monolayer sheets. The results suggested that in monolayer sheets of either prespore or prestalk cells, the interconversion does not occur. Furthermore, effects of cAMP were examined in relation to the formation or loss of prespore vesicles (PSVs). In monolayer sheets, prespore cells retain their PSVs in the presence of cAMP, though they lose them in its absence. In 3–D masses, however, cAMP induces the conversion into stalk cells, stimulating PSV loss. In the case of prestalk cells, cAMP induces the maturation of prestalk cells to stalk cells in 3–D masses, but it does not induce stalk differentiation in monolayer sheets.8‐Bromo cAMP stimulates the maturation of prespore and prestalk cells into spore and stalk cells, respectively. However, the vegetative and the aggregative cells remain amoeboid even in its presence. These observations suggest that 8‐bromo cAMP stimulates the maturation rather than inducing prespore and prestalk differentiation.