bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prevalence of adverse pregnancy outcomes around hazardous industrial sites in Cumbria, north‐west England, 1950–93
Authors: Dummer Trevor J. B. , Dickinson Heather O. , Parker Louise 
Published: December 2004

SummaryThe objective of this study was to investigate the risk of stillbirth, neonatal death and lethal congenital anomaly in relation to proximity to hazardous industrial facilities at the time of birth in Cumbria, 1950–93. A retrospective cohort study was carried out using all 4325 stillbirths, 3430 neonatal deaths and 1569 deaths from congenital anomaly among the 287  993 births to mothers living in Cumbria between 1950 and 1993. Logistic regression was used to investigate the risk of each outcome in relation to proximity at birth to hazardous industrial sites, stratifying the analysis by time period and adjusting for social class, year of birth, birth order and multiple births. Continuous odds ratios for trend with proximity to sites were estimated. No significantly increased risk was found for stillbirth, lethal congenital anomaly or neonatal deaths in relation to proximity to hazardous industrial facilities, except for deaths from congenital heart defects in 1983–93. Overall, there was no evidence to suggest an increased risk of adverse lethal pregnancy outcome among babies whose mothers lived closer to hazardous industrial sites. The significantly increased risk of lethal congenital heart defects with proximity to these sites was likely to be a chance finding, given the large number of outcome groups and time periods analysed. However, effective environmental monitoring of industrial processes is required to enable studies to investigate the potential health risks of industrial pollution.
P38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase influence on the production of IL‐10 in human schistosomiasis mansoni
Authors: Carneiro‐Santos Patricia , Alves‐Oliveira Lucia F. , Correa‐Oliveira Rodrigo , Hagan Paul 
Published: December 2004

SUMMARY Schistosomiasis mansoni remains a significant public health problem in many parts of the tropics and subtropics. Clinical manifestations range from the asymptomatic intestinal form through to the hepatosplenic form of the disease, a potentially lethal clinical condition in a subsection of the exposed population. In this study, we investigated the mechanisms by which interleukin (IL)‐10 production could be differentially controlled in patients with the intestinal and hepatosplenic forms of the disease, as IL‐10 may play a fundamental role in the development of the hepatosplenic disease state. It is reported that p38 mitogen‐activated protein (MAP) kinase signalling, and in particular p38 MAPK activation, is central to IL‐10 production of cells from patients with schistosomiasis. Furthermore, the difference in the levels of activated p38 MAPK and the activation transcription factor (ATF‐2), may explain the difference in the amount of IL‐10 produced by cells from intestinal and hepatosplenic patients. We suggest that the type of immune response triggered in patients with hepatosplenomegaly could be influenced by the levels of phosphorylated p38 MAPK.
Neutropenia augments experimentally induced Schistosoma japonicum egg granuloma formation in CBA mice, but not in C57BL/6 mice
Authors: Hirata Mizuki , Hara Tatsuru , Kage Masayoshi , Fukuma Toshihide , Sendo Fujiro 
Published: December 2004

SUMMARY The present study was designed to investigate the role of neutrophils during the development of Schistosoma japonicum egg granulomas, in C57BL/6 and CBA mice. Laid eggs were implanted into the liver and monoclonal antibody, RB6‐8C5, was used to eliminate neutrophils. After daily antibody treatment between days 9 and 13 of egg implantation, both strains of mice showed a marked decrease in neutrophil infiltration and coagulative hepatocyte necrosis at 2 weeks. At 4 weeks, after antibody administration every other day between days 16 and 26, granuloma formation in C57BL/6 mice was not affected by the treatment, whereas CBA mice exhibited a significant increase of reactions. Neutropenia augmented the Th2 cytokine response (IL‐4, IL‐13 and IL‐5), but not for IFN‐γ at any time point examined and in either strain of mice. Higher levels of IL‐4 and IL‐13 were noted in CBA mice at early and late stages of granuloma formation, compared to C57BL/6 mice. There was also a striking difference in IL‐13 production between the two strains. Our results indicate that neutropenia is associated with a significant augmentation of S. japonicum egg‐induced granuloma formation in CBA mice, probably through increase in Th2 cytokines, however, the effects differ between early and late stages and between high and low responders.
Proton pumping by tomato roots. Effect of Fe deficiency and hormones on the activity and distribution of plasma membrane H+‐ATPase in rhizodermal cells
Authors: SCHMIDT W. , MICHALKE W. , SCHIKORA A. 
Published: December 2004

ABSTRACTThe immunocytochemical localization of the plasma membrane H+‐ATPase in epidermal cells of tomato roots was studied using a monoclonal antibody raised against purified maize P‐type H+‐ATPase. Plants subjected to iron starvation exhibited increased proton extrusion that was confined to the root elongation zones. Immunogold labelling of the H+‐ATPase on the plasma membrane was considerably higher in rhizodermal cells within zones with intense proton extrusion than in non‐acidifying areas of the roots. Transfer cells were formed in rhizodermal cells of Fe‐deficient plants. Quantitative determination of immunolabelling revealed that the density of PM H+‐ATPase in transfer cells was about twice that of ordinary epidermal cells. In transfer cells, H+‐ATPase was most abundant on the plasma membrane lining the labyrinthine invaginations of the peripheral cell wall. While the number of immunologically detectable ATPase molecules in transfer cells was not spatially correlated with proton extrusion activity, the frequency of transfer cells was considerably higher in acidifying root areas relative to non‐active segments. Split‐root experiments indicated that both the steady‐state level of plasma membrane H+‐ATPase and proton extrusion activity are systemically regulated, indicating inter‐organ regulation of rhizosphere acidification. Exogenous application of the auxin analog 2,4‐dichlorophenoxyacetic acid and the ethylene precursor 1‐aminocyclopropane‐1‐carboxlic acid caused the formation of transfer cells at a frequency similar to that observed in Fe‐deficient roots. However, the number of proton pumps was not affected by the hormone treatment, suggesting that both responses are regulated independently. It is concluded that transfer cells in the rhizodermis may be important but not crucial for rhizosphere acidification.
Assembly of a cytosolic pine glutamine synthetase holoenzyme in leaves of transgenic poplar leads to enhanced vegetative growth in young plants
Authors: FU J. , SAMPALO R. , GALLARDO F. , CÁNOVAS F. M. , KIRBY E. G. 
Published: December 2004

ABSTRACTOver‐expression of glutamine synthetase (GS, EC 6.3.1.2), a key enzyme in nitrogen assimilation, may be a reasonable approach to enhance plant nitrogen use efficiency. In this work phenotypic and biochemical characterizations of young transgenic poplars showing ectopic expression of a pine cytosolic GS transgene in photosynthetic tissue (Gallardo et al., Planta 210, 19–26, 1999) are presented. Analysis of 22 independent transgenic lines in a 6 month greenhouse study indicated that expression of the pine GS transgene affects early vegetative growth and leaf morphology. In comparison with non‐transgenic controls, transgenic trees exhibited significantly greater numbers of nodes and leaves (12%), and higher average leaf length and width resulting in an increase in leaf area (25%). Leaf shape was not altered. Transgenic poplars also exhibited increased GS activity (66%), chlorophyll content (33%) and protein content (21%). Plant height was correlated with GS content in young leaves, suggesting that GS can be considered a marker for vegetative growth. Molecular and kinetic characterization of GS isoforms in leaves indicated that poplar GS isoforms are similar to their counterparts in herbaceous plants. A new GS isoenzyme that displayed molecular and kinetic characteristics corresponding to the octomeric pine cytosolic GS1 was identified in the photosynthetic tissues of transgenic poplar leaves. These results indicate that enhanced growth and alterations in biochemistry during early growth are the consequence of transgene expression and assembly of pine GS1 subunits into a new functional holoenzyme in the cytosol of photosynthetic cells.
Induction of tolerance to oxidative stress in the green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, by abscisic acid
Authors: YOSHIDA K. , IGARASHI E. , MUKAI M. , HIRATA K. , MIYAMOTO K. 
Published: December 2004

ABSTRACTThe effect of abscisic acid (ABA) on the tolerance to oxidative stress in a freshwater green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii, was investigated. Exogenously added ABA enhanced the growth of this alga, which was observed under continuous illumination but not in the dark. The cells treated with ABA for 24 h showed tolerance to oxidative stress caused by exposure to paraquat or hydrogen peroxide. In the ABA‐treated cells, the activities of two antioxidant enzymes, catalase (CAT) and ascorbate peroxidase (APX), were significantly higher than those in the untreated control. The result suggests that ABA plays a role in the enhancement of tolerance to oxidative stress by increasing the activity of antioxidant enzymes.
The effect of gravity on surface temperatures of plant leaves
Authors: KITAYA Y. , KAWAI M. , TSURUYAMA J. , TAKAHASHI H. , TANI A. , GOTO E. , SAITO T. , KIYOTA M. 
Published: December 2004

ABSTRACTA fundamental study was conducted to develop a facility having an adequate air circulation system for growing healthy plants over a long‐term under microgravity conditions in space. To clarify the effects of gravity on heat exchange between plant leaves and the ambient air, surface temperatures of sweet potato and barley leaves and replica leaves made of wet paper and copper were evaluated at gravity levels of 0.01, 1.0, 1.5 and 2.0 g for 20 s each during parabolic aeroplane flights. Thermal images were captured using infrared thermography at an air temperature of 26 °C, a relative humidity of 18% and an irradiance of 260 W  m−2. Mean leaf temperatures increased by 0.9–1.0 °C with decreasing gravity levels from 1.0 to 0.01 g and decreased by 0.5 °C with increasing gravity levels from 1.0 to 2.0 g. The increase in leaf temperatures was at most 1.9 °C for sweet potato leaves over 20 s as gravity decreased from 1.0 to 0.01 g. The boundary layer conductance to sensible heat exchange decreased by 5% when the gravity decreased from 1.0 to 0.01 g at the air velocity of 0.2 m s−1. The decrease in the boundary layer conductance with decrease in the gravity levels was more significant in a lower air velocity. Heat exchange between leaves and the ambient air was more retarded at lower gravity levels because of less sensible and latent heat transfers with less heat convection.
Identification of genes that are up‐regulated in concert during sugar depletion in Arabidopsis
Authors: LEE E.‐J. , KOIZUMI N. , SANO H. 
Published: December 2004

ABSTRACTIn order to identify sugar‐responsive genes, Arabidopsis cDNA macro‐arrays were hybridized with probes prepared from seedlings cultured in the presence or absence of sucrose. Initial screening identified 36 cDNAs that were affected, among which 11 were finally selected as being up‐regulated under sugar‐depleted conditions. Eight of them were novel in terms of known sugar responses. Based on the properties of encoded proteins, they were classified into three groups involved in amino acid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism and unidentified nature. Subsequently, correlations between their expression profiles and sugar levels were analysed using intact plants. When detached leaves were subjected to sucrose depletion for 12 h, a marked decrease in glucose and sucrose occurred, and concomitantly all 11 genes were up‐regulated. However, their transcripts rapidly diminished within 7 h when samples were re‐supplied with sucrose. A similar pattern of up‐ and down‐regulation was observed upon dark treatment of whole plants but not during natural senescence of mature leaves. Inhibition analyses with glucose analogues indicated that eight of these genes might be associated with the hexokinase signalling pathway. The present observations suggest that plants activate a set of genes involved in recycling of materials during sugar depletion, and that these genes are simultaneously and concertedly regulated despite functional diversity.
Comparison of mitochondrial ascorbate peroxidase in the cultivated tomato, Lycopersicon esculentum, and its wild, salt‐tolerant relative, L. pennellii– a role for matrix isoforms in protection against oxidative damage
Authors: MITTOVA V. , THEODOULOU F. L. , KIDDLE G. , VOLOKITA M. , TAL M. , FOYER C. H. , GUY M. 
Published: December 2004

ABSTRACTMitochondria require robust antioxidant defences to prevent lipid peroxidation and to protect tricarboxylic acid cycle enzymes from oxidative damage. Mitochondria from wild, salt‐tolerant tomato, Lycopersicon pennellii (Lpa) did not exhibit lipid peroxidation in response to high salinity (100 mm NaCl), whereas those isolated from cultivated tomato, L. esculentum (Lem), accumulated malondialdehyde. The activity, intraorganellar distribution and salt response of mitochondrial ascorbate peroxidase (mAPX) differed dramatically in the two species. In Lem mitochondria, the majority (84%) of mAPX was associated with membranes, being located either on the inner membrane, facing the intermembrane space, or on the outer membrane. Total mAPX activity did not increase substantially in response to salt, although the proportion of matrix APX increased. In contrast, 61% of Lpa mAPX activity was soluble in the matrix, the remainder being bound to the matrix face of the inner membrane. Salt treatment increased the activity of all mAPX isoforms in Lpa, without altering their intramitochondrial distribution. The membrane‐bound isoforms were detected in mitochondria of both species by western blotting and found to be induced by salt in Lpa. These observations suggest that matrix‐associated APX isoforms could act in concert with other mitochondrial antioxidants to protect against salt‐induced oxidative stress.
Effect of leaf surface wetness and wettability on photosynthesis in bean and pea
Authors: HANBA Y. T. , MORIYA A. , KIMURA K. 
Published: December 2004

ABSTRACTLeaf surface wetness that occurs frequently in natural environments has a significant impact on leaf photosynthesis. However, the physiological mechanisms for the photosynthetic responses to wetness are not well understood. The responses of leaf CO2 assimilation rate (A) to 72 h of artificial mist of a wettable (bean; Phaseolus vulgaris) and a non‐wettable species (pea; Pisum sativum) were compared. Stomatal and non‐stomatal limitations to A were investigated. A 28% inhibition of A was observed in the bean leaves as a result of a 16% decrease in stomatal conductance and a 55% reduction in the amount of Rubisco. The decrease of Rubisco was mainly due to its partial degradation. In contrast to the bean leaves, a 22% stimulation of A was obtained in the 72 h mist‐treated pea leaves. Mist treatment increased stomatal conductance by 12.5% and had no effect on the amount of Rubisco. These results indicated that a positive photosynthetic response to wetness occurred only in non‐wettable species and is due to the change in stomatal regulation.
Epidemiology of Verticillium dahliae on olive (cv. Picual) and its effect on yield under saline conditions
Authors: Levin A. G. , Lavee S. , Tsror (Lahkim) L. 
Published: December 2004

The epidemiology of Verticillium dahliae and its effect on yield was studied for 3 years in three plots of olive cv. Picual, planted in soil previously cropped with highly susceptible V. dahliae host plants and irrigated with saline water. Disease incidence increased 2·2‐, 2·6‐ and 1·5‐fold in plots 3A, 9A and 9C, respectively, within 39, 25 and 15 months of the first record taken. The highest severities were recorded in spring 2001 (4·0, 5·3 and 5·4 on a scale of 2–10, respectively). Disease incidence and severity increased during winter–spring and decreased during summer. Seasonal changes were also observed in the isolation of V. dahliae; the highest isolation rates in diseased trees were in winter (34%) and spring (45%), and the lowest were in autumn and summer (19–20%). Verticillium dahliae was isolated on an average of 27, 28 and 19% from the bottom, middle and top of the tree canopy, respectively, and was isolated from trees with and without symptoms. The fruit yield from diseased trees was reduced by an average of 75% in comparison with symptomless trees in plot 3A each year. A similar yield reduction (89%) was recorded in plot 9A in 2000. The severe expression of the disease and its effect on yield in the present study could be due to the fact that the orchard was planted in infested soil, and that saline irrigation probably exacerbates the problem.
Nonparametric Methods for Deconvolving Multiperiodic Functions
Authors: Hall Peter , Yin Jiying 
Published: December 2004

SummaryMultiperiodic functions, or functions that can be represented as finite additive mixtures of periodic functions, arise in problems related to stellar radiation. There they represent the overall variation in radiation intensity with time. The individual periodic components generally correspond to different sources of radiation and have intrinsic physical meaning provided that they can be ‘deconvolved’ from the mixture. We suggest a combination of kernel and orthogonal series methods for performing the deconvolution, and we show how to estimate both the sequence of periods and the periodic functions themselves. We pay particular attention to the issue of identifiability, in a nonparametric sense, of the components. This aspect of the problem is shown to exhibit particularly unusual features, and to have connections to number theory. The matter of rates of convergence of estimators also has links there, although we show that the rate-of-convergence problem can be treated from a relatively conventional viewpoint by considering an appropriate prior distribution for the periods.
Molecular dissection of the primary sink size and its related traits in rice
Authors: Xu J. L. , Yu S. B. , Luo L. J. , Zhong D. B. , Mei H. W. , Li Z. K. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractThe genetic mechanism underlying the relationship between three traits of the primary sink size ‐ spikelet number per panicle (SNP), panicle number per plant (PN), and 1000‐grain weight (GWT), and their 10 component traits in rice was dissected in 292 F13 recombinant inbred lines using a complete linkage map. A total of 43 genomic regions on 12 rice chromosomes were found to contain quantitative trait loci (QTLs) affecting the sink size traits, which revealed several important aspects of the genetic basis of sink capacity in rice. First, QTLs for SNP, PN and GWT were largely independent. Secondly, most QTLs affecting SNP and GWT showed close characteristics in both genomic locations and directions of effects to QTLs for their components, suggesting that pleiotropy, rather than linkage, was the primary genetic basis of the correlated panicle and grain traits. Thirdly, some QTLs affecting component traits did not contribute to SNP or GWT. In these cases, two or more QTLs with opposite effects on their component traits were detected, which could be due to either linkage or pleiotropy. Fourthly, some QTLs had large effects on panicle number (QPn4), panicle branching and length (QPbn3a, QPbn3b and QPb14), grain length and volume (QG13, QG15 and QGv2), and grain shape (QGs1 and QGs7), which were consistently detected in the related rice mapping populations and in different environments, providing good candidates and useful information for marker‐aided improvement of sink size and yield potential of rice.
Effect of the leaf rust resistance gene Lr28 on grain yield and bread‐making quality of wheat
Authors: Kumar A. A. , Raghavaiah P. 
Published: December 2004

AbstractNear‐isogenic lines carrying the Lr28 gene developed in five genetic backgrounds were tested for 2 years with and without fungicide treatment. The Lr28 gene increased grain yield, 1000‐grain weight and number of effective tillers per plant under heavy leaf rust infection with no negative effects on yield and bread‐making quality in rust‐free plots. Although a reduction in dough development time was found to be associated with Lr28, it can still be used extensively in wheat breeding programmes.
Assessing in vivo Fertilizing Capacity of Liquid‐Preserved Boar Semen According to the ‘Hanover Gilt Model’
Authors: Ardón F , Döhring A , Le Thi X , Weitze KF , Waberski D 
Published: December 2004

ContentsThe goal of this study was to determine the ability of the Hanover gilt model to assess in vivo fertilizing capacity of preserved sperm and to consider whether any modifications to this model were needed. This model evaluates the fertilizing capacity of semen based on the fertilization rate, the rate of normal embryos and the accessory sperm count of 3–5‐day embryos. Its distinguishing characteristics are the use of one‐time insemination of sperm in reduced numbers, of spontaneously ovulating gilts and of ovulation detection through ultrasound examination of ovaries. Reduced sperm numbers allow for an accurate evaluation of the fertilizing potential of different semen treatments, thereby avoiding the compensatory effect of doses calibrated to maximize fertility. The model's usefulness was assessed in a trial run designed to compare the fertilizing capacity of liquid boar semen diluted into two different extenders. The diluent, the boar and the backflow, had no significant effect on any of the parameters studied. Gilts inseminated less than 24 h before ovulation had a significantly higher (p < 0.01) fertilization rate and accessory sperm cell count (p < 0.05) than those inseminated more than 24 h before ovulation. Very good/good embryos from homogeneous litters (only very good/good embryos were present) had a significantly higher (p < 0.01) accessory sperm count than those from heterogeneous litters (at least one embryo was of a different quality and/or oocytes were present). Both very good/good and degenerated/retarded embryos from heterogeneous litters had low accessory sperm numbers. This suggests that accessory sperm count is significantly related to the quality of the litter, but not to the quality of the embryo within gilts. It can be concluded that the Hanover gilt model is sensitive enough to show fertility differences (in this study, those associated with in vivo ageing of semen), while using relatively few gilts and little time.