bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Transplacental transfer of schistosomal circulating anodic antigens in cows
Authors: Gabriël S. , De Bont J. , Phiri I. K. , Masuku M. , Riveau G. , Schacht A. M. , Deelder A. M. , Van Dam G. J. , Vercruysse J. 
Published: December 2004

SUMMARY The present work investigated the transplacental passage of circulating anodic schistosome antigens (CAA) and the production of foetal antibodies in response to antigenic stimulation in Schistosoma mattheei infected cows. Three groups were available: six calves born to non‐infected cows received colostrum from a pool from non‐infected cows (group 1), six calves born to non‐infected cows (group 2) and six calves born to infected cows (group 3) received colostrum from a pool from infected cows. Schistosoma‐specific IgG1antibody and CAA levels were measured in the colostrum pools, the sera collected from the cows, and the sera collected from the calves at birth, after intake of colostrum and at day 30. The specific IgG1antibody levels were significantly higher in the sera from cows of group 3. In four cows of group 3 high CAA levels were detected. The specific IgG1antibody levels were 0.646 and 0.176 OD for the infected and non‐infected colostrum pool, respectively, and the CAA levels were 5667 and 2557 pg CAA/mL, respectively. At birth high levels of specific IgG1antibody and CAA were detected in 4 calves of group 3; levels in the other two calves were negligible. After intake of colostrum, specific IgG1antibody levels of group 1 increased slightly at day 1 to become again insignificant at day 30. In group 2 specific IgG1antibody levels increased significantly between days 0 and 1, to decrease, although not significantly, at day 30. Finally, in group 3 the delta OD values increased at day 1 and remained high until day 30. After intake of colostrum the CAA level increased very slightly for groups 1 and 2 to become again undetectable at day 30. In group 3 a nonsignificant decrease in CAA levels was observed at day 1 followed by a further significant decrease to reach low levels at day 30. The suggested intrauterine antigenic stimulation may be important not only for generating immune responses to natural early infections, but also for enhancing the immunogenicity and efficacy of vaccines administered to newborns.
Acute P. falciparum malaria induces a loss of CD28− T IFN‐γ producing cells
Authors: Kemp Kåre , Akanmori Bartholomew D. , Kurtzhals Jørgen A. L. , Adabayeri Victoria , Goka Bamenla Q. , Hviid Lars 
Published: December 2004

SUMMARYP. falciparum malaria is associated with increased activation among peripheral lymphocytes. In the present study, we investigated markers of susceptibility to apoptosis and expression of IFN‐γ and IL‐4 by CD28−and CD28+T cells in West African children with acute P. falciparum malaria. The study showed increased susceptibility to apoptosis and cytokine production among T lymphocytes during acute malaria but also that T cells, in particular IFN‐γ producing CD28−T cells, were substantially reduced. These results are in line with previous studies suggesting that certain T cell subsets are sequestered away from the peripheral blood during P. falciparum malaria.
Human anisakiasis: diversity in antibody response profiles to the changing antigens in larval excretions/secretions
Authors: Hwang Yoon‐Kyoung , Kim Jin‐Sub , Lee Jeong Beom , Song Tai Jin , Joo Kyung‐Whan , Lee Joon‐Sang , Cho Sung‐Weon 
Published: December 2004

SUMMARY Anisakiasis is an infectious parasitic disease contracted by eating third stage larvae of Anisakis simplex (L3) carried by marine fishes. Human anisakiasis was researched for specific IgG with L3 excretory secretory products (ESP). L3ESP were prepared by daily harvesting of culture supernatant from day 2 to day 5, using two kinds culture media of RPMI‐1640 and phosphate buffered saline (PBS). When the sera from persons diagnosed with anisakiasis by means of endoscopy were analyzed using indirect ELISA and Western blot, the sera was classified into four groups depending on specific antigen recognition patterns. In addition, the presence of a new antigen for L3, located at less than 13 kDa (AgLT13) was demonstrated in L3ESP with a modified Western blot condition. The production of AgLT13 was mainly found in L3ESP harvested both on day 2 and day 3, and that in PBS was predominant over that in RPMI‐1640. Among those sera, the high reactive sera to L3ESP‐day two prepared with phosphate buffer in indirect ELISA recognized AgLT13, and 33% of the low reactive sera did so. These results indicate that the binding pattern of human L3 specific antibody is diverse depending on L3ESP preparations and that AgLT13 demonstrated with a Western blot condition is a specific antigen for L3.
Opsonization by antigen‐specific antibodies as a mechanism of protective immunity induced by Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite protein‐based vaccine
Authors: Schwenk Robert , Asher Ludmila V. , Chalom Isaac , Lanar David , Sun Peifang , White Katherine , Keil Deborah , Kester Kent E. , Stoute Jose , Heppner D. Gray , Krzych Urszula 
Published: December 2004

ABSTRACT Recently conducted trials involving the Plasmodium falciparum circumsporozoite (CS) protein‐based RTS,S malaria vaccine yielded unprecedented protection against a challenge with infectious sporozoites (spzs). The RTS,S vaccine induced high titres of CS protein‐specific antibodies (Abs) in many of the protected volunteers, but the contribution of these Abs to protection remains unknown. Because opsonization by Ab promotes the uptake and destruction of spzs by monocytes and macrophages in both rodent and primate malaria, we asked if the RTS,S‐induced Abs have antigen‐specific opsonizing activity. Screening plasma from a large number of subjects using spzs was impractical, therefore we developed an alternative assay based on cytofluorometry that allowed the detection of fluoresceinated‐Ag–Ab complexes endocytosed by the FcR+ THP‐1 human monocyte line. The results showed that plasma samples from RTS,S‐immunized subjects contained opsonizing CS protein‐specific Abs and the endocytic activity of these Abs in protected subjects was significantly higher than in subjects who were susceptible to infection with spzs. We also demonstrated by electron microscopy that live spzs exposed to RTS,S‐immune plasma could be internalized by the THP‐1 cells. These results suggest that opsonization by CS protein‐specific Abs might be one of the mechanisms that contributes to RTS,S‐induced protective immunity.
Characterization of IgE responses in a rodent model of filariasis and the allergenic potential of filarial antigens using an in vitro assay
Authors: Hartmann Susanne , Sollwedel Andre , Hoffmann Andreas , Sonnenburg Bettina , Lucius Richard 
Published: December 2004

SUMMARY Filarial infections are characterized by high IgE antibody responses. So far, it is not clear whether IgE antibodies are involved in protection, pathology or both. We established a bioassay to detect reactive IgE antibodies in jirds infected with the filaria Acanthocheilonema viteae. Sera of A. viteae‐infected jirds were used to sensitize rat basophil leukaemia (RBL) cells and degranulation was stimulated by addition of antigens of A. viteae. Reactive IgE responses were detected from 2 weeks post infection (p.i.) and throughout the A. viteae infection. Male antigen triggered the strongest mediator release, followed by female worms, infective larvae (L3) and microfilariae. Separation of male and female antigen indicated that several antigens of both genders are potent allergens. In particular, one male specific allergen of about 550 kDa induced strongest degranulation of RBL cells. In addition, mediator release stimulated by antigen fractions of about 15 kDa was due to filarial cystatin. In conclusion, we describe a convenient in vitro assay to examine IgE mediated responses in jirds. A sex specific filarial protein with high allergenic potential is identified and cystatin is established as a potent allergen of A. viteae.
Immunoglobulin profiles in a murine intermediate host model of resistance for Echinococcus granulosus infection
Authors: Zhang Wenbao , You Hong , Li Jun , Zhang Zhuangzhi , Turson Gulinul , Aili Hasyet , Wang Jingcheng , Mcmanus Donald P. 
Published: December 2004

SUMMARY We have shown previously that primary infection of Chinese Kunming (CKM) mice with Echinococcus granulosus oncospheres is protective against subsequent challenge. Nine groups of mice were infected with the oncospheres of E. granulosus by different routes (intraperitoneal, subcutaneous or intravenous injection). After infection, serum was collected after different periods of time and serum antibodies were tested by ELISA against oncospheral proteins and hydatid cyst fluid antigens. The results indicated that CKM mice produced low levels of antibodies before a secondary challenge infection given 3 weeks later by a different route. Most mice did not evoke significant antibody responses against oncospheral antigens until 5 weeks after infection. The level of IgG, especially IgG1 against oncospheral antigens increased from week 4 post‐infection (p.i.), to a maximum at week 9 p.i. In addition, antibodies against hydatid cyst fluid antigens increased at the same time as the recognition of oncospheral antigens. Immunoblots using hydatid cyst fluid showed that the first antigen that was recognized – an 8‐kDa protein, possibly the smallest subunit of Antigen B – appeared 5–6 weeks p.i. and reactivity to this molecule was intensive at week 9 p.i. The results suggest that protection against secondary infection was not principally antibody‐mediated during the initial phases of infection, when cellular immune responses may play a pivotal role in the protective mechanism.
Life cycle regulation in the heather psyllidStrophingia ericae: responses to temperature and photoperiod
Authors: Miles J. E. , Bale J. S. , Hodkinson I. D. 
Published: December 2004

Abstract.The response of overwintering nymphs of Strophingia ericae (Curtis) (Homoptera: Psylloidea) to long and short photoperiods over a range of temperatures was investigated to determine the interaction between these factors and winter development as a regulatory mechanism of their life cycle. Strophingia ericae was successfully reared from egg to adult in a long photoperiod (LD 18:6 h) at 10, 15 and 20°C on its host plant Calluna vulgaris. Although development time was longer at 10 than at 15 or 20°C (≈ 263 days compared with ≈ 155 and ≈ 159 days, respectively), there was no interruption in development at any of these temperatures, indicating that there was no obligatory diapause. However, short photoperiod (LD 12:12 h) inhibited development of overwintering fifth instars collected from the field in early winter. Those collected in September and kept at 15°C developed to adult in ≈ 120 days in a short photoperiod (LD 12:12 h) compared with ≈ 40 days in a long photoperiod (LD 18:6 h). Inhibition became weaker in December and disappeared by January, when fifth instars developed to adult at the same rate in both long and short photoperiods (≈ 30 days). A similar photoperiodic response was observed when the experiment was repeated at 10°C, although development times were consistently longer. The observation that insects collected from the field in early winter were able to resume development immediately on transfer to favourable conditions (15°C and LD 18:6 h photocycle) suggests that there is a photoperiodically induced quiescence (rather than a true diapause) in overwintering S. ericae, which becomes progressively reduced as winter proceeds.It was concluded that the life cycle of the upland and possibly the lowland form of S. ericae is regulated by a winter‐active photoperiodic inhibition of development, which effectively synchronizes the emergence of the adult stage with higher spring temperatures and renewed host plant growth.
Altering flux through the sucrose biosynthesis pathway in transgenic Arabidopsis thaliana modifies photosynthetic acclimation at low temperatures and the development of freezing tolerance
Authors: STRAND Å. , FOYER C. H. , GUSTAFSSON P. , GARDESTRÖM P. , HURRY V. 
Published: December 2004

ABSTRACTTo test the hypothesis that the up‐regulation of sucrose biosynthesis during cold acclimation is essential for the development of freezing tolerance, the acclimation responses of wild‐type (WT) Arabidopsis thaliana (Heynh.) were compared with transgenic plants over‐expressing sucrose phosphate synthase (over‐sps) or with antisense repression of either cytosolic fructose‐1,6‐bisphosphatase (antifbp) or sucrose phosphate synthase (antisps). Plants were grown at 23 °C and then shifted to 5 °C. The leaves shifted to 5 °C for 10 d and the new leaves that developed at 5 °C were compared with control leaves on plants at 23 °C. Plants over‐expressing sucrose phosphate synthase showed improved photosynthesis and increased flux of fixed carbon into sucrose when shifted to 5 °C, whereas both antisense lines showed reduced flux into soluble sugars relative to WT. The improved photosynthetic performance by the over‐sps plants shifted to 5 °C was associated with an increase in freezing tolerance relative to WT (−9.1 and −7.2 °C, respectively). In contrast, both antisense lines showed impaired development of freezing tolerance (− 5.2 and −5.8 °C for antifbp and antisps, respectively) when shifted to 5 °C. In the new leaves developed at 5 °C the recovery of photosynthesis as typically seen in WT was strongly inhibited in both antisense lines and this inhibition was associated with a further failure of both antisense lines to cold acclimate. Thus, functional sucrose biosynthesis at low temperature in the over‐sps plants reduced the inhibition of photosynthesis, maintained the mobilization of carbohydrates from source leaves to sinks and increased the rate at which freezing tolerance developed. Modification of sucrose metabolism therefore represents an additional approach that will have benefits both for the development of freezing tolerance and over‐wintering, and for the supply of exportable carbohydrate to support growth at low temperatures.
Species specificity of resistance to oxygen diffusion in thin cuticular membranes from amphibious plants
Authors: FROST‐CHRISTENSEN H. , JØRGENSEN L. BOLT , FLOTO F. 
Published: December 2004

ABSTRACTCuticular membranes (CM) were isolated enzymatically from leaves of amphibious and submerged plants, and the oxygen permeability of aerial and aquatic CMs was compared using a specially constructed oxygen electrode. Their thicknesses were estimated from transmission electron micrographs of intact leaves. When dry CMs were moistened, the permeability of typical aerial CMs changed differently from that of typical aquatic CMs during the desiccation, apparently reflecting different internal structures. The cuticle thickness was mostly < 100 nm, and the range of permeance values was 5–143 × 10−6 m s−1, corresponding to resistance values of 7–210 × 103 s m−1. The resistance of an aerial CM was always higher than that of an aquatic one from the same species. Only the aquatic CMs showed a weak proportionality between resistance and thickness. The relation between resistance and thickness varied from aquatic to aerial CMs in a species specific way.
Suppression of wheat‐seedling diseases caused by Fusarium culmorum and Microdochium nivale using bacterial seed treatment
Authors: Johansson P. M. , Johnsson L. , Gerhardson B. 
Published: December 2004

Snow mould, caused by Microdochium nivale, and seedling blight caused by members of the Fusarium complex, are cereal diseases of great economic importance in many temperate zones. In a glasshouse bioassay designed to enhance disease, about 600 plant‐associated bacterial isolates obtained by different methods were screened for suppressive effects in wheat against infection caused by Fusarium culmorum. Although most of the isolates tested had a neutral effect on test plants and disease development, a few were synergistic to the pathogen and about one‐fifth showed > 80% disease suppression. During five consecutive growing seasons, 164 bacterial isolates were tested in field experiments against both F. culmorum and M. nivale as causal agents of seedling blight. Tests for effects on yield in experiments with spring and winter wheat, performed in different climatic regions of Sweden, showed that disease‐suppressive effects were repeatable. The most efficient isolates, three fluorescent pseudomonads and a species of Pantoea, suppressed disease equal to that of the fungicide guazatine, both with respect to crop stand and yield. Seed treatment with Pantoea sp. (isolate MF 626) increased yield by an average of more than 500 kg ha−1 in six field experiments.
Application of ‘Delete = Replace’ to Deletion Diagnostics for Variance Component Estimation in the Linear Mixed Model
Authors: Haslett John , Dillane Dominic 
Published: December 2004

Summary‘Delete = replace’ is a powerful and intuitive modelling identity. This paper extends previous work by stating and proving the identity in more general terms and extending its application to deletion diagnostics for estimates of variance components obtained by restricted maximum likelihood estimation for the linear mixed model. We present a new, fast, transparent and approximate computational procedure, arising as a by-product of the fitting process. We illustrate the effect of the deletion of individual observations, of ‘subjects’ and of arbitrary subsets. Central to the identity and its application is the conditional residual.
Local Polynomial Regression and Simulation–Extrapolation
Authors: Staudenmayer John , Ruppert David 
Published: December 2004

SummaryThe paper introduces a new local polynomial estimator and develops supporting asymptotic theory for nonparametric regression in the presence of covariate measurement error. We address the measurement error with Cook and Stefanski's simulation–extrapolation (SIMEX) algorithm. Our method improves on previous local polynomial estimators for this problem by using a bandwidth selection procedure that addresses SIMEX's particular estimation method and considers higher degree local polynomial estimators. We illustrate the accuracy of our asymptotic expressions with a Monte Carlo study, compare our method with other estimators with a second set of Monte Carlo simulations and apply our method to a data set from nutritional epidemiology. SIMEX was originally developed for parametric models. Although SIMEX is, in principle, applicable to nonparametric models, a serious problem arises with SIMEX in nonparametric situations. The problem is that smoothing parameter selectors that are developed for data without measurement error are no longer appropriate and can result in considerable undersmoothing. We believe that this is the first paper to address this difficulty.
Hypothesis Testing in Mixture Regression Models
Authors: Zhu Hong-Tu , Zhang Heping 
Published: December 2004

SummaryWe establish asymptotic theory for both the maximum likelihood and the maximum modified likelihood estimators in mixture regression models. Moreover, under specific and reasonable conditions, we show that the optimal convergence rate of n−1/4 for estimating the mixing distribution is achievable for both the maximum likelihood and the maximum modified likelihood estimators. We also derive the asymptotic distributions of two log-likelihood ratio test statistics for testing homogeneity and we propose a resampling procedure for approximating the p-value. Simulation studies are conducted to investigate the empirical performance of the two test statistics. Finally, two real data sets are analysed to illustrate the application of our theoretical results.
Genomic DNA fingerprints as a tool for identifying cultivated types of radicchio (Cichorium intybus L.) from Veneto, Italy
Authors: Barcaccia G. , Pallottini L. , Soattin M. , Lazzarin R. , Parrini P. , Lucchin M. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractRed or variegated chicory (Cichorium intybus L., 2n = 2 ×= 18) native to, and very extensively cultivated in north‐eastern Italy as a leafy vegetable, locally called ‘radicchio’, includes different types which represent valuable high‐quality crops. The five major types of radicchio cultivated in the Veneto region were investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR)‐derived markers. The experimental material was represented by two outbred populations (one of ‘Variegato di Castel‐franco’ (CF) and one of ‘Rosso di Verona’ (VR)) and by eight inbred lines (three of early ‘Rosso di Treviso’ (TVP), three of late ‘Rosso di Treviso’ (TVT) and two of ‘Rosso di Chioggia’ (CH)). A total of 96 individual plant DNAs and 16 bulked DNAs of six plants each were assayed. The different types were well distinguished from one another if analysed by means of bulks using amplified fragment length polymorphism markers at the population level, while they were not if analysed at the individual level using random amplified polymorphic DNA, inter‐simple sequence repeat and Arbitrarily Primed (AP)‐PCR markers. The genetic variation was shown to be much higher within types than between types. This result suggests that, in each radicchio type, populations produced by breeders through controlled intercrossing (VR and CF) or repeated selfing (TVP, TVT and CH) conserved their well‐separated gene pools over the years. The setting up of a molecular reference system seems to be feasible and suitable both for the precise identification of the single types of radicchio and for the evaluation of the extent of natural hybridization that can occur between different types.
Two genes and linked RAPD markers involved in resistance to Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Ciceris race 0 in chickpea
Authors: Rubio J. , Hajj‐Moussa E. , Kharrat M. , Moreno M. T. , Millan T. , Gil J. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe inheritance of resistance to fusarium wilt race 0 of chickpea and linked random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were studied in two F6:7 recombinant inbred line (RIL) populations. These RILs were developed from the crosses CA2156 × JG62 (susceptible × resistant) and CA2139 × JG62 (resistant × resistant), and were sown in a field infected with fusarium wilt race 0 in Beja (Tunisia) over 2 years. A1:1 resistant to susceptible ratio was found in the RIL population from the CA2156 × JG62 cross, indicating that a single gene with two alleles controlled resistance. In the second RIL population (CA2139 × JG62) a 3:1 resistant to susceptible ratio indicated that two genes were present and that either gene was sufficient to confer resistance. Linkage analysis showed a RAPD marker, OPJ20600, linked to resistance in both RIL populations, which is present in the resistant parent JG62.
Influencing combustion quality in Miscanthus sinensis Anderss.: identification of QTLs for calcium, phosphorus and sulphur content
Authors: Atienza S. G. , Satovic Z. , Petersen K. K. , Dolstra O. , Martin A. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractQuantitative trait locus (QTL) analyses for combustion‐related traits including calcium, phosphorus and sulphur content have been carried out using two years of field trial data. Nine putative QTLs were detected using the Multiple QTL Model approach and the programme MapQTL 4.0. Two QTLs were found for calcium, two for sulphur and five for phosphorus. Out of the QTLs for phosphorus, P1 is probably the same locus as P3, and P2 as P4, although their confidence intervals do not agree. Ca1 was also consistently detected. These results may constitute the first step in developing a Marker‐Assisted Selection programme in Miscanthus for combustion‐related traits.