bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Role of leptin in the regulation of food intake in fasted mice
Authors: Ge Tong tong , Yao Xiao Xiao , Zhao Feng Lian , Zou Xiao han , Yang Wei , Cui Ran Ji , Li Bing jin
Published: March 2020

Leptin is well acknowledged as an anorexigenic hormone that plays an important role in feeding control. Hypothalamic GABA system plays a significant role in leptin regulation on feeding and metabolism control. However, the pharmacological relationship of leptin and GABA receptor is still obscure. Therefore, we investigated the effect of leptin or combined with baclofen on the food intake in fasted mice. We detected the changes in hypothalamic c‐Fos expression, hypothalamic TH, POMC and GAD67 expression, plasma insulin, POMC and GABA levels to demonstrate the mechanisms. We found that leptin inhibit fasting‐induced increased food intake and activated hypothalamic neurons. The inhibitory effect on food intake induced by leptin in fasted mice can be reversed by pretreatment with baclofen. Baclofen reversed leptin's inhibition on c‐Fos expression of PAMM in fasted mice. Therefore, these results indicate that leptin might inhibit fasting‐triggered activation of PVN neurons via presynaptic GABA synaptic functions which might be partially blocked by pharmacological activating GABA‐B. Our findings identify the role of leptin in the regulation of food intake.
Sleep across early childhood: implications for internalizing and externalizing problems, socioemotional skills, and cognitive and academic abilities in preschool
Authors: Hoyniak Caroline P. , Bates John E. , McQuillan Maureen E. , Staples Angela D. , Petersen Isaac T. , Rudasill Kathleen M. , Molfese Victoria J.
Published: March 2020

Background

Sleep is thought to be important for behavioral and cognitive development. However, much of the prior research on sleep's role in behavioral/cognitive development has relied upon self‐report measures and cross‐sectional designs.

Methods

The current study examined how early childhood sleep, measured actigraphically, was developmentally associated with child functioning at 54 months. Emphasis was on functioning at preschool, a crucial setting for the emergence of psychopathology. Participants included 119 children assessed longitudinally at 30, 36, 42, and 54 months. We examined correlations between child sleep and adjustment across three domains: behavioral adjustment (i.e., internalizing and externalizing problems), socioemotional skills, and academic/cognitive abilities. We further probed consistent associations with growth curve modeling.

Results

Internalizing problems were associated with sleep variability, and cognitive and academic abilities were associated with sleep timing. Growth curve analysis suggested that children with more variable sleep at 30 months had higher teacher‐reported internalizing problems in preschool and that children with later sleep timing at 30 months had poorer cognitive and academic skills at 54 months. However, changes in sleep from 30 to 54 months were not associated with any of the domains of adjustment.

Conclusions

Findings indicate that objectively measured sleep variability and late sleep timing in toddlerhood are associated with higher levels of internalizing problems and poorer academic/cognitive abilities in preschool.
Editorial: The primacy of parenting
Authors: Luby Joan L.
Published: March 2020

The contention that supportive and sensitive parenting is important to healthy emotional and behavioral development of children is a widely accepted maxim. There is also increasing consensus among developmentalists about the nature of optimal parenting practices. However, what remains under appreciated is just how powerful an influence these positive elements of caregiving have in shaping, driving, and fortifying a healthy developmental trajectory across multiple domains of function. The notion that positive caregiving is an ‘essential ingredient’ necessary for healthy human development has become increasingly evident. Importantly, both animal and human data have established that there are early sensitive periods, representing windows of opportunity, during which optimal caregiving has its most powerful effects (Curley & Champagne, Frontiers in neuroendocrinology, 40, 52, 2016; Nelson et al., Science, 318, 1937, 2007). These points are underscored by papers in this volume showing the sustained effects of early parenting interventions focused on enhancing attachment relationship (Zajac, Raby, & Dozier, Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 57, 1099, 2019). Using another parenting program, Brody, Yu, Miller, and Chen (Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 2019) report longitudinal data showing mechanistic pathways by which the effects of enhanced caregiving impact later adaptive functioning in a high risk sample. These findings suggest that early parenting interventions may have uniquely positive and enduring effects highlighting their unique importance as a focus for developmental enhancement.
Hyaluronic acid biomaterial for human tissue‐engineered skin substitutes: Preclinical comparative in vivo study of wound healing
Authors: Sierra‐Sánchez Á. , Fernández‐González A. , Lizana‐Moreno A. , Espinosa‐Ibáñez O. , Martinez‐Lopez A. , Guerrero‐Calvo J. , Fernández‐Porcel N. , Ruiz‐García A. , Ordóñez‐Luque A. , Carriel V. , Arias‐Santiago S.
Published: March 2020

Background

There is not an ideal biomaterial for tissue‐engineered skin substitutes (TESSs), and most of the studies or existing therapies use xenogeneic origin natural biomaterials or biosynthetic scaffolds.

Objective

To analyse clinical, histological integration and homeostasis parameters of a human TESS manufactured with fibrin–hyaluronic acid biomaterial (HA‐Skin), grafted in immunodeficient mice for 8 weeks, and compared with the gold standard treatment (Autograft), a human TESS manufactured with fibrin–agarose biomaterial (AG‐Skin) and secondary wound healing dressings.

Methods

Human TESSs and autografts were implanted into BALB/c mice after surgical excision. Secondary wound healing approach was achieved with biosynthetic collagen wound dressing (Biobrane®) and fibrin–hyaluronic acid or fibrin–agarose biomaterial without cells (Total N = 44). Clinical integration and homeostasis parameters were evaluated every two weeks for two months. Histological and immunohistochemical analyses were performed four and eight weeks after grafting.

Results

HA‐Skin, AG‐Skin and Autograft groups showed a proper clinical integration and epithelization eight weeks later. Scar evaluation revealed better results for Autograft and HA‐Skin. Homeostasis analysis indicated similar values of transepidermal water loss and elasticity between HA‐Skin (6.42 ± 0.75 g/h/m2, 0.42 ± 0.08 AU), Autograft (6.91 ± 1.28 g/h/m2, 0.40 ± 0.08 AU) and healthy mouse skin (6.40 ± 0.43 g/h/m2, 0.35 ± 0.03 AU). Histological results showed that human TESSs and autografts presented better skin structuration and higher expression of cytokeratins.

Conclusions

This study suggests that human TESS based on fibrin–hyaluronic acid biomaterial could be suitable for clinical application in the treatment of several dermatological pathologies (wound healing).
The microevolutionary response to male‐limited X‐chromosome evolution in Drosophila melanogaster reflects macroevolutionary patterns
Authors: Abbott Jessica K. , Chippindale Adam K. , Morrow Edward H.
Published: March 2020

Due to its hemizygous inheritance and role in sex determination, the X‐chromosome is expected to play an important role in the evolution of sexual dimorphism and to be enriched for sexually antagonistic genetic variation. By forcing the X‐chromosome to only be expressed in males over >40 generations, we changed the selection pressures on the X to become similar to those experienced by the Y. This releases the X from any constraints arising from selection in females and should lead to specialization for male fitness, which could occur either via direct effects of X‐linked loci or trans‐regulation of autosomal loci by the X. We found evidence of masculinization via up‐regulation of male‐benefit sexually antagonistic genes and down‐regulation of X‐linked female‐benefit genes. Potential artefacts of the experimental evolution protocol are discussed and cannot be wholly discounted, leading to several caveats. Interestingly, we could detect evidence of microevolutionary changes consistent with previously documented macroevolutionary patterns, such as changes in expression consistent with previously established patterns of sexual dimorphism, an increase in the expression of metabolic genes related to mito‐nuclear conflict and evidence that dosage compensation effects can be rapidly altered. These results confirm the importance of the X in the evolution of sexual dimorphism and as a source for sexually antagonistic genetic variation and demonstrate that experimental evolution can be a fruitful method for testing theories of sex chromosome evolution.
Involvement of the Hsp70/TLR4/IL‐6 and TNF‐α pathways in delayed‐onset muscle soreness
Authors: dos Santos Rafaela Silva , Veras Flávio Protasio , Ferreira David Wilson , Sant'Anna Morena Brazil , Lollo Pablo Christiano Barboza , Cunha Thiago Mattar , Galdino Giovane
Published: March 2020

Delayed‐onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a very common condition in athletes and individuals not accustomed to physical activity that occurs after moderate/high‐intensity exercise sessions. The activation of microglial Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) in the spinal cord has been described to be important for the induction and maintenance of persistent pain. Based on that, we hypothesize that 70 kilodalton heat‐shock protein (Hsp70), a mediator released by exercise, could activate microglial TLR4 in the spinal cord, releasing proinflammatory cytokines and contributing to the start of DOMS. In fact, we found that the knockout of TLR4, myeloid differentiation primary response 88 (MyD88), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), or both tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) receptor 1 and TNF‐α receptor 2 in mice prevented the development of DOMS following acute aerobic exercise in contrast to the findings in male C57BL/6 wild‐type mice. Furthermore, DOMS in exercised wild‐type mice was also prevented after pre‐treatment with microglia inhibitor, TLR4 antagonist, and anti‐Hsp70 antibody. During exercise‐induced DOMS, Hsp70 mRNA, TLR4 mRNA, and protein levels, as well as Iba‐1 (a microglial marker), IL‐6, and TNF‐α protein levels, were increased in the muscle and/or spinal cord. Together, these findings suggest that Hsp70 released during exercise‐induced DOMS activates the microglial TLR4/IL‐6/TNF‐α pathway in the spinal cord. Thus, the blockade of TLR4 activation may be a new strategy to prevent the development of DOMS before intense exercise.

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The effects of physical activity calorie equivalent labeling on dieters' food consumption and post‐consumption physical activity
Authors: Jin Huizhen , Li Yi‐a , Li Dongjin , Zheng Jun
Published: March 2020

Effective body weight management requires dieters to engage in healthy eating and physical activity. This research explores the influences of physical activity calorie equivalent (PACE) labeling on dieters' food consumption and post‐consumption physical activity. PACE indicates the amount of physical activity required to burn off food energy intake. This labeling aims to raise awareness on energy balance by highlighting an immediate link between food intake and exercise. This research shows that when exposed to PACE labeling, dieters (but not non‐dieters) reduce their food consumption, increase their post‐consumption physical activity, and are considerably motivated to achieve energy balance. This occurs because PACE labeling active energy balance‐goal for dieters and influences their food consumption and subsequent physical activity. Implications for consumer well‐being and policymakers are discussed.
A multi‐center, open‐label, pilot study of allograft adipose matrix for the correction of atrophic temples
Authors: Gold Michael H. , Kinney Brian M. , Kaminer Michael S. , Rohrich Rod J. , D’Amico Richard A.
Published: March 2020

Background

Autologous fat grafting (AFG) and synthetic fillers are currently used in esthetic and reconstructive surgery. Challenges in AFG include inconsistent graft retention, donor site morbidities, insufficient harvest, and excessive harvesting times. An allograft adipose matrix (AAM) has been developed as an off‐the‐shelf alternative to AFG and synthetic fillers.

Aims

To evaluate the clinical safety and retention of an AAM over 24 weeks after treatment of bilateral atrophic temples.

Patients/Methods

Ten subjects (nine females, one male, aged 47‐69 years) with temple atrophy were enrolled in the IRB‐approved study. AAM (Renuva®, MTF Biologics, Edison, NJ) was injected (<3 mL) bilaterally into the atrophic temples of each subject. Volume retention, global improvement, and safety were evaluated at 1, 4, 8, 12, 16, 20, and 24 weeks. Biopsy specimens were obtained for adipogenic and angiogenic histological evaluation.

Results

The mean temple volume improved over the baseline and was retained throughout the study period. Fullness (measure of volume) increased immediately from 0 pretreatment to 2.8 post‐treatment (scale 0‐4 = none‐maximum). Fullness varied from 0.8 to 2.2 from weeks 1 through 12 and was 2.7‐3.0 from weeks 16‐24, around 75% increase from baseline. Furthermore, skin tone, smoothness, texture, and overall appearance also improved with 71% of subjects being satisfied to very satisfied with the results. Adverse events were minimal and histology revealed native tissue incorporation and remodeling.

Conclusion

AAM is safe and well tolerated, provides at least 6‐month volume retention, improves skin quality, and supports adipose tissue remodeling after treatment into temples.
Association of maternal determinants with low birth weight babies in tea garden workers of Assam
Authors: Kumar Shashi Nandar , Raisuddin Sheikh , Singh Kh. Jitenkumar , Bastia Banajit , Borgohain Deepa , Teron Long , Sharma Santanu Kumar , Jain Arun Kumar
Published: March 2020

Aim

This study was aimed to evaluate the association of maternal determinants with birth weight (BW) of babies in tea garden workers (TGW) and housewives (HW).

Methods

A total of 175 subjects were recruited from Assam Medical College, Dibrugarh, India. In this cross‐sectional study, maternal determinants, BW of babies and placental weight were explored in TGW (n = 102) and HW (n = 73). These factors were assessed and correlated by logistic regression models.

Results

A higher incidence of low birth weight (LBW) was found in mothers working in the tea garden (48.04%) as compared to HW (10.96%). Activity of plucking of leaves in tea garden by women had a higher risk for LBW babies (adjusted odd ratio [AOR] 4.33, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.38–13.57, P = 0.012) and decreased placental weight (AOR 11.42, 95% CI 1.18–126.02, P = 0.036) as compared to HW considered as reference group. Women who worked continuously in the tea garden during 9 months of pregnancy also revealed an elevated risk for LBW (AOR 5.32, 95% CI 1.34–21.09, P = 0.017).

Conclusion

This study suggests the activity of plucking of tea leaves by women is associated with LBW of babies and decreased placental weight. Particularly, if mothers worked continuously in the tea garden during 9 months of pregnancy, it also increased the risk of delivering LBW babies. This exploratory study provides an important platform for further prospective studies, which could be focused on the potential consequences of maternal occupational exposures during pregnancy on fetal development.
Mitochondrial disease in children
Authors: Rahman S.
Published: March 2020

Mitochondrial disease presenting in childhood is characterized by clinical, biochemical and genetic complexity. Some children are affected by canonical syndromes, but the majority have nonclassical multisystemic disease presentations involving virtually any organ in the body. Each child has a unique constellation of clinical features and disease trajectory, leading to enormous challenges in diagnosis and management of these heterogeneous disorders. This review discusses the classical mitochondrial syndromes presenting most frequently in childhood and then presents an organ‐based perspective including systems less frequently linked to mitochondrial disease, such as skin and hair abnormalities and immune dysfunction. An approach to diagnosis is then presented, encompassing clinical evaluation and biochemical, neuroimaging and genetic investigations, and emphasizing the problem of phenocopies. The impact of next‐generation sequencing is discussed, together with the importance of functional validation of novel genetic variants never previously linked to mitochondrial disease. The review concludes with a brief discussion of currently available and emerging therapies. The field of mitochondrial medicine has made enormous strides in the last 30 years, with approaching 400 different genes across two genomes now linked to primary mitochondrial disease. However, many important questions remain unanswered, including the reasons for tissue specificity and variability of clinical presentation of individuals sharing identical gene defects, and a lack of disease‐modifying therapies and biomarkers to monitor disease progression and/or response to treatment.
DNA‐editing enzymes as potential treatments for heteroplasmic mtDNA diseases
Authors: Zekonyte U. , Bacman S. R. , Moraes C. T.
Published: March 2020

Mutations in the mitochondrial genome are the cause of many debilitating neuromuscular disorders. Currently, there is no cure or treatment for these diseases, and symptom management is the only relief doctors can provide. Although supplements and vitamins are commonly used in treatment, they provide little benefit to the patient and are only palliative. This is why gene therapy is a promising research topic to potentially treat and, in theory, even cure diseases caused by mutations in the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA). Mammalian cells contain approximately a thousand copies of mtDNA, which can lead to a phenomenon called heteroplasmy, where both wild‐type and mutant mtDNA molecules co‐exist within the cell. Disease only manifests once the per cent of mutant mtDNA reaches a high threshold (usually >80%), which causes mitochondrial dysfunction and reduced ATP production. This is a useful feature to take advantage of for gene therapy applications, as not every mutant copy of mtDNA needs to be eliminated, but only enough to shift the heteroplasmic ratio below the disease threshold. Several DNA‐editing enzymes have been used to shift heteroplasmy in cell culture and mice. This review provides an overview of these enzymes and discusses roadblocks of applying these to gene therapy in humans.
Limited Genetic Connectivity Among Sargassum horneri (Phaeophyceae) Populations in the Chinese Marginal Seas Despite Their high Dispersal Capacity
Authors: Li Jing‐Jing , Liu Zheng‐Yi , Zhong Zhi‐Hai , Zhuang Long‐Chuan , Bi Yuan‐Xin , Qin Song
Published: March 2020

Sargassum horneri is a habitat‐forming species in the Northwest Pacific and an important contributor to seaweed rafts. In this study, 131 benthic samples and 156 floating samples were collected in the Yellow Sea and East China Sea (ECS) to test the effects of seaweed rafts on population structure and connectivity. Our results revealed high levels of genetic diversity in both benthic and floating samples based on concatenated mitochondrial markers (rpl5‐rps3, rnl‐atp9, and cob‐cox2). Phylogenetic analyses consistently supported the existence of two lineages (lineages I and II), with divergence dating to c. 0.692 Mya (95% HPD: 0.255–1.841 Mya), indicating that long‐term isolation may have occurred during the mid‐Pleistocene (0.126–0.781 Mya). Extended Bayesian skyline plots demonstrated a constant population size over time in lineage I and slight demographic expansion in lineage II. Both lineages were found in each marginal sea (including both benthic and floating samples), but PCoA, FST, and AMOVA analyses consistently revealed deep genetic variation between regions. Highly structured phylogeographic pattern supports limited genetic connectivity between regions. IMA analyses demonstrated that asymmetric gene flow between benthic populations in the North Yellow Sea (NYS) and ECS was extremely low (ECS→NYS, 2Nm = 0.6), implying that high dispersal capacity cannot be assumed to lead to widespread population connectivity, even without dispersal barriers. In addition, there were only a few shared haplotypes between benthic and floating samples, suggesting the existence of hidden donors for the floating masses in the Chinese marginal seas.
Association of vitamin D in patients with periodontitis: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Isola Gaetano , Alibrandi Angela , Rapisarda Ernesto , Matarese Giovanni , Williams Ray C. , Leonardi Rosalia
Published: March 2020

Background and Objective

Vitamin D has been considered to possess anti‐inflammatory and antimicrobial activity, which may be a link for the known interaction of periodontitis (CP) and coronary heart disease (CHD). This study investigated the association between serum vitamin D levels and periodontitis in patients with CP and with CHD. Furthermore, the objective was to determine whether periodontitis and CHD had an impact on serum vitamin D levels.

Material and Methods

Using a cross‐sectional design, a total of 46 patients with CP, 45 patients with CHD, 45 patients with both CP and CHD, and 43 healthy patients were enrolled in the present study.

Results

Patients in the CP (17.4 ± 5.2 ng/mL) and in the CP + CHD (16.5 ± 5.6 ng/mL) group presented a significantly lower mean serum level of 25(OH)vitamin D compared to patients in the CHD (24.6 ± 3.7 ng/mL) and healthy control groups (29.9 ± 5.4 ng/mL) (P < .001). 25(OH)vitamin D levels were positively correlated with the number of teeth and negatively with C‐reactive protein (CRP) and all periodontal parameters (P < .001). In all patients, there was a proportional increase of 25(OH)vitamin D levels with a progressive increase in number of teeth (P‐trend <.001) while there were a proportional decrease in 25(OH)vitamin D levels with a progressive increase in clinical attachment level (CAL,P‐trend = .001), probing depth (PD,P‐trend = .006), and bleeding sites (BOP,P‐trend <.001) levels.

Conclusion

Patients with CP and CP + CHD presented significantly lower serum levels of vitamin D compared to CHD and healthy controls. Moreover, the presence of CP negatively influenced serum vitamin D levels.
A hotspot of xenodiversity: First evidence of an assemblage of non‐native freshwater turtles in a suburban wetland in Central Italy
Authors: Ferri Vincenzo , Battisti Corrado , Soccini Christiana , Santoro Riccardo
Published: March 2020

The present study reports on a case of high richness in an assemblage of non‐native freshwater turtles in a suburban wetland of Tyrrhenian Central Italy (Torre Flavia Nature Reserve), providing evidence for first observations of species at regional, national and continental levels. Following a standardized sampling procedure, 54 specimens belonging to seven taxa (ten taxa, including subspecies) were sampled. These includedTrachemys scripta(overwintering in the nest of a juvenile, corroborating its reproduction in the wild),Graptemys pseudogeographica, Pelomedusa olivacea(first observation recorded for Europe), Pseudemys concinna, Pseudemys nelsoni,Mauremys sinensisand an unclassified Kinosternidae (Kinosternon subrubrum subrubrumvelSternotherus odoratus; first observation recorded for Europe at the family level).Due to the high frequency of the most common species (Trachemys scripta: >80% in frequency), this non‐native assemblage was characterized by high Simpson dominance, low Simpson diversity and low evenness values. This appears to be the first evidence of a local hotspot of these non‐native reptiles in Europe. These relevant data and their ecological implications (e.g., alien food webs) are discussed, as well as their conservation concerns and wetland management perspectives.
REAVER: A program for improved analysis of high‐resolution vascular network images
Authors: Corliss Bruce A. , Doty Richard W. , Mathews Corbin , Yates Paul A. , Zhang Tingting , Peirce Shayn M.
Published: March 2020

Alterations in vascular networks, including angiogenesis and capillary regression, play key roles in disease, wound healing, and development. The spatial structures of blood vessels can be captured through imaging, but effective characterization of network architecture requires both metrics for quantification and software to carry out the analysis in a high‐throughput and unbiased fashion. We present Rapid Editable Analysis of Vessel Elements Routine (REAVER), an open‐source tool that researchers can use to analyze high‐resolution 2D fluorescent images of blood vessel networks, and assess its performance compared to alternative image analysis programs. Using a dataset of manually analyzed images from a variety of murine tissues as a ground‐truth, REAVER exhibited high accuracy and precision for all vessel architecture metrics quantified, including vessel length density, vessel area fraction, mean vessel diameter, and branchpoint count, along with the highest pixel‐by‐pixel accuracy for the segmentation of the blood vessel network. In instances where REAVER's automated segmentation is inaccurate, we show that combining manual curation with automated analysis improves the accuracy of vessel architecture metrics. REAVER can be used to quantify differences in blood vessel architectures, making it useful in experiments designed to evaluate the effects of different external perturbations (eg, drugs or disease states).
Bartonella in dogs and fleas from Tulancingo, Hidalgo, Mexico
Authors: Tobar B. Z. , Lapsley W. D. , Swain W. L. , Jaffe D. A. , Setien A. Aguilar , Galvez‐Romero G. , Obregon‐Morales C. , Olave‐Leyva J. I. , Chomel B. B.
Published: March 2020

Bartonella sp. infection is quite common in free‐roaming dogs in many tropical countries. However, limited information is available of the presence of these pathogens in Mexico. The present study looked at prevalence of Bartonella exposure and/or infection in dogs and their fleas in Central Mexico. Blood samples were collected from 31 stray dogs in August 2014 at the municipal pound, Tulancingo, Mexico, as well as fleas on 26 of them. Bartonella seropositivity was 46.9%, including 35.5% for Bartonella henselae, 45% for Bartonella clarridgeiae and 32.2% for Bartonella vinsonii subsp. berkhoffii. Three (9.7%) dogs were polymerase chain reaction (PCR) positive for the Bartonella gltA gene. Partial sequencing of that gene revealed that these three dogs were infected with B. henselae. In total, 86 fleas were collected from 26 dogs (range 1–9 fleas per dog), including 52 Ctenocephalides felis and 34 Ctenocephalides canis. Of 40 pools of fleas (20 pools of C. canis and 20 pools of C. felis), five (12.5%) were PCR positive for the Bartonella sp. gltA gene, including three C. canis pools (five fleas) and two C. felis pools (three fleas). All sequences showed 99.25% to 100% homology with B. henselae Houston I.
Nonspecific phospholipase C6 increases seed oil production in oilseed Brassicaceae plants
Authors: Cai Guangqin , Fan Chuchuan , Liu Sheng , Yang Qingyong , Liu Dongxu , Wu Jian , Li Jianwu , Zhou Yongming , Guo Liang , Wang Xuemin
Published: March 2020

Plant oils are valuable commodities for food, feed, renewable industrial feedstocks and biofuels. To increase vegetable oil production, here we show that the nonspecific phospholipase C6 (NPC6) promotes seed oil production in the Brassicaceae seed oil species Arabidopsis, Camelina and oilseed rape.

Overexpression of NPC6 increased seed oil content, seed weight and oil yield both in Arabidopsis and Camelina, whereas knockout of NPC6 decreased seed oil content and seed size. NPC6 is associated with the chloroplasts and microsomal membranes, and hydrolyzes phosphatidylcholine and galactolipids to produce diacylglycerol. Knockout and overexpression of NPC6 decreased and increased, respectively, the flux of fatty acids from phospholipids and galactolipids into triacylglycerol production.

Candidate‐gene association study in oilseed rape indicates that only BnNPC6.C01 of the four homeologues NPC6s is associated with seed oil content and yield. Haplotypic analysis indicates that the BnNPC6.C01 favorable haplotype can increase both seed oil content and seed yield.

These results indicate that NPC6 promotes membrane glycerolipid turnover to accumulate TAG production in oil seeds and that NPC6 has a great application potential for oil yield improvement.
The nitrogen economic spectrum of legume stoichiometry and fixation strategy
Authors: Dovrat Guy , Bakhshian Hila , Masci Tania , Sheffer Efrat
Published: March 2020

Leaf nitrogen concentration often is higher in leguminous plants, which associate with dinitrogen‐fixing bacteria, compared with nonlegume plants. However, the range of nitrogen concentrations in legumes is wide, likely related to the range of nitrogen fixation strategies. We evaluated how carbon and nitrogen allocation to roots, stems and leaves is influenced by the type of strategy of nitrogen fixation regulation.

We grew herbaceous annual legumes (Medicago truncatula, Hymenocarpos circinnatus and Vicia palaestina) under two nitrogen availability treatments (none/sufficient), with and without bacterial inoculation.

We found facultative downregulation of the rate of nitrogen fixation when nitrogen was available in H. circinnatus, and an obligate similar fixation rate in both nitrogen treatments in M. truncatula and V. palaestina. Uninoculated plants invested more biomass in roots and contained lower nitrogen concentrations. However, nitrogen concentration in the entire plant and in the leaves was lower and more plastic in the species with a facultative fixation strategy, whereas species with an obligate fixation strategy also maintained high nitrogen concentrations.

Our results suggest a suite of functional traits associated with the strategies of allocation and symbiotic nitrogen fixation. This suite of traits probably shapes successional and functional niches of different leguminous species in specious plant communities.
Genetic and functional variation across regional and local scales is associated with climate in a foundational prairie grass
Authors: Hoffman Ava M. , Bushey Julie A. , Ocheltree Troy W. , Smith Melinda D.
Published: March 2020

Global change forecasts in ecosystems require knowledge of within‐species diversity, particularly of dominant species within communities. We assessed site‐level diversity and capacity for adaptation in Bouteloua gracilis, the dominant species in the Central US shortgrass steppe biome.

We quantified genetic diversity from 17 sites across regional scales, north to south from New Mexico to South Dakota, and local scales in northern Colorado. We also quantified phenotype and plasticity within and among sites and determined the extent to which phenotypic diversity in B. gracilis was correlated with climate.

Genome sequencing indicated pronounced population structure at the regional scale, and local differences indicated that gene flow and/or dispersal may also be limited. Within a common environment, we found evidence of genetic divergence in biomass‐related phenotypes, plasticity, and phenotypic variance, indicating functional divergence and different adaptive potential. Phenotypes were differentiated according to climate, chiefly median Palmer Hydrological Drought Index and other aridity metrics.

Our results indicate conclusive differences in genetic variation, phenotype, and plasticity in this species and suggest a mechanism explaining variation in shortgrass steppe community responses to global change. This analysis of B. gracilis intraspecific diversity across spatial scales will improve conservation and management of the shortgrass steppe ecosystem in the future.
LncRNA MAFG‐AS1 regulates human periodontal ligament stem cell proliferation and Toll‐like receptor 4 expression
Authors: Wangzhou Kaixin , Gong Lei , Liu Cheng , Tan Yi , Chen Jingxin , Li Conghui , Lai Zhiying , Hao Chunbo
Published: March 2020

LncRNA MAFG‐AS1 is predicted to interact with miR‐146a, which can target Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4), a key player in periodontitis. This study aimed to investigate the roles of MAFG‐AS1 in periodontitis. It was observed that MAFG‐AS1 was downregulated in the human periodontal ligament stem cells (PDLSCs) derived from periodontitis‐affected teeth. Dual‐luciferase assay revealed that co‐transfection of MAFG‐AS1 expression vector and miR‐146a mimic showed significantly lower relative luciferase activity comparing to co‐transfection of MAFG‐AS1 expression vector and negative control (NC) miRNA. However, MAFG‐AS1 and miR‐146a failed to affect each other. Interestingly, MAFG‐AS1 overexpression led to the upregulated TLR4. In addition, MAFG‐AS1 overexpression also led to the inhibited proliferation of PDLSCs. Therefore, MAFG‐AS1 may regulate the proliferation of PDLSCs and the expression of TLR4 to participate in periodontitis.
miR‐146a‐5p attenuates IL‐1β‐induced IL‐6 and IL‐1β expression in a cementoblast‐derived cell line
Authors: Pan Jiawen , Du Mingyuan , Cao Zhengguo , Zhang Chen , Hao Yunru , Zhu Jiaqi , He Hong
Published: March 2020

Objective

miR‐146a is widely induced during the immune response. However, little is known about the biogenesis, function and mechanism of miR‐146a in cementoblasts during the pathogenesis of periodontitis. This study aimed to investigate the effects of miR‐146a in murine cementoblast‐derived OCCM‐30 cells following IL‐1β stimulation.

Materials and methods

OCCM‐30 cells were cultured and exposed to IL‐1β. IL‐6, IL‐1β and TNF‐α, and miR‐146a‐5p expression was assessed by qRT‐PCR. Mimics/inhibitors were transiently transfected into cells to determine the function of miR‐146a‐5p. Signalling pathways including p38 MAPK, ERK1/2 and NF‐κB were studied by using specific inhibitors. The indicated proteins were measured by Western blot analysis and ELISA.

Results

In IL‐1β‐stimulated OCCM‐30 cells, the expression levels of miR‐146a‐5p along with IL‐6 and IL‐1β increased in a time‐dependent manner. The ERK1/2, p38 MAPK and NF‐κB pathway were activated upon IL‐1β stimulation. Blocking the NF‐κB pathway decreased IL‐6, IL‐1β and miR‐146a‐5p expression. The overexpression of miR‐146a‐5p reduced IL‐6 and IL‐1β expression, while the inhibition of miR‐146a‐5p increased IL‐6 and IL‐1β expression in IL‐1β‐treated OCCM‐30 cells. miR‐146a‐5p attenuated IL‐6 and IL‐1β expression via the IRAK1/TRAF6 pathway.

Conclusion

This study suggested that miR‐146a‐5p attenuates IL‐1β‐induced inflammatory factors in cementoblast‐derived cell line.
A sociological view on Sartre’s “Érostrate” and deviance
Authors: Dalmas Franck
Published: March 2020

This article explores Jean‐Paul Sartre’s short story “Érostrate,” inLe mur(1939), through sociology—an area of inquiry he apparently neglected or so misjudged by the critique, at least untilCritique de la raison dialectique(1960). However, his early fictions are infused with perceptive views of selfhood creation and role relationships that present intriguing avenues with interactionist sociology and staged socialization. Role models opted for by Sartre’s antihero, Paul Hilbert, stem from publicizedfaits‐divers(“news items”) and the dark perpetrator from Antiquity, Erostratus. The study goal is aimed at existential situations anticipated in Sartre’s interwar writings and later theorized by Erving Goffman and Anthony Giddens. It is directed toward the comprehension of deviant individuals who resort to violence for life resolution and public attention.
Pelagiella exigua, an early Cambrian stem gastropod with chaetae: lophotrochozoan heritage and conchiferan novelty
Authors: Thomas Roger D. K. , Runnegar Bruce , Matt Kerry
Published: March 2020

Exceptionally well‐preserved impressions of two bundles of bristles protrude from the apertures of small, spiral shells of Pelagiella exigua, recovered from the Kinzers Formation (Cambrian, Stage 4, ‘Olenellus Zone’, c. 512 Ma) of Pennsylvania. These impressions are inferred to represent clusters of chitinous chaetae, comparable to those borne by annelid parapodia and some larval brachiopods. They provide an affirmative test in the early metazoan fossil record of the inference, from phylogenetic analyses of living taxa, that chitinous chaetae are a shared early attribute of the Lophotrochozoa. Shells of Pelagiella exhibit logarithmic spiral growth, microstructural fabrics, distinctive external sculptures and muscle scars characteristic of molluscs. Hence, Pelagiella has been regarded as a stem mollusc, a helcionelloid expressing partial torsion, an untorted paragastropod, or a fully torted basal member of the gastropod crown group. The inference that its chaeta‐bearing appendages were anterior–lateral, based on their probable functions, prompts a new reconstruction of the anatomy of Pelagiella, with a mainly anterior mantle cavity. Under this hypothesis, two lateral–dorsal grooves, uniquely preserved in Pelagiella atlantoides, are interpreted as sites of attachment for a long left ctenidium and a short one, anteriorly on the right. The orientation of Pelagiella and the asymmetry of its gills, comparable to features of several living vetigastropods, nominate it as the earliest fossil mollusc known to exhibit evidence of the developmental torsion characteristic of gastropods. This key adaptation facilitated an evolutionary radiation, slow at first and rapid during the Ordovician, that gave rise to the remarkable diversification of the Gastropoda.
Protective and Risk Factors for Phantom Limb Pain and Residual Limb Pain Severity
Authors: Münger Marionna , Pinto Camila B. , Pacheco‐Barrios Kevin , Duarte Dante , Enes Gunduz Muhamed , Simis Marcel , Battistella Linamara R. , Fregni Felipe
Published: March 2020

Introduction

The exact mechanisms underlying the development and maintenance of phantom limb pain (PLP) are still unclear. This study aimed to identify the factors affecting pain intensity in patients with chronic, lower limb, traumatic PLP.

Methods

This is a cross‐sectional analysis of patients with PLP. We assessed amputation‐related and pain‐related clinical and demographic variables. We used univariate and multivariate models to evaluate the associated factors modulating PLP and residual limb pain (RLP) intensity.

Results

We included 71 unilateral traumatic lower limb amputees. Results showed that (1) amputation‐related perceptions were experienced by a large majority of the patients with chronic PLP (sensations: 90.1%, n = 64; residual pain: 81.7%, n = 58); (2) PLP intensity has 2 significant protective factors (phantom limb movement and having effective treatment for PLP previously) and 2 significant risk factors (phantom limb sensation intensity and age); and (3) on the other hand, for RLP, risk factors are different: presence of pain before amputation and level of amputation (in addition to the same protective factors).

Conclusion

These results suggest different neurobiological mechanisms to explain PLP and RLP intensity. While PLP risk factors seem to be related to maladaptive plasticity, since phantom sensation and older age are associated with more pain, RLP risk factors seem to have components leading to neuropathic pain, such as the amount of neural lesion and previous history of chronic pain. Interestingly, the phantom movement appears to be protective for both phenomena.
Adjustment of photosynthetic activity to drought and fluctuating light in wheat
Authors: Grieco Michele , Roustan Valentin , Dermendjiev Georgi , Rantala Sanna , Jain Arpit , Leonardelli Manuela , Neumann Kerstin , Berger Vitus , Engelmeier Doris , Bachmann Gert , Ebersberger Ingo , Aro Eva‐Mari , Weckwerth Wolfram , Teige Markus
Published: March 2020

Drought is a major cause of losses in crop yield. Under field conditions, plants exposed to drought are usually also experiencing rapid changes in light intensity. Accordingly, plants need to acclimate to both, drought and light stress. Two crucial mechanisms in plant acclimation to changes in light conditions comprise thylakoid protein phosphorylation and dissipation of light energy as heat by non‐photochemical quenching (NPQ). Here, we analyzed the acclimation efficacy of two different wheat varieties, by applying fluctuating light for analysis of plants, which had been subjected to a slowly developing drought stress as it usually occurs in the field. This novel approach allowed us to distinguish four drought phases, which are critical for grain yield, and to discover acclimatory responses which are independent of photodamage. In short‐term, under fluctuating light, the slowdown of NPQ relaxation adjusts the photosynthetic activity to the reduced metabolic capacity. In long‐term, the photosynthetic machinery acquires a drought‐specific configuration by changing the PSII‐LHCII phosphorylation pattern together with protein stoichiometry. Therefore, the fine‐tuning of NPQ relaxation and PSII‐LHCII phosphorylation pattern represent promising traits for future crop breeding strategies.
Clearance of recalcitrant warts in a pediatric patient following administration of the nine‐valent human papillomavirus vaccine
Authors: Kost Yana , Zhu Tian Hao , Blasiak Rachel C.
Published: March 2020

Verruca vulgaris is a common, benign infection of the skin and mucous membranes caused by human papillomavirus (HPV). Although many therapeutic options for warts exist, they have limited efficacy and there is no definitive cure for warts. We report the case of a 10‐year‐old girl with recalcitrant cutaneous warts persisting more than two years which resolved completely following vaccination with the nine‐valent HPV vaccine.
Supporting public health practice in healthy growth and development in the Province of Ontario, Canada
Authors: Carsley Sarah , Prowse Rachel , Richmond Sarah A. , Manson Heather , Moloughney Brent W.
Published: March 2020

Background

As public health services are modernized in Ontario, Canada, there is a need to inform the system‐level roles and responsibilities of government agencies. The aim of this study was to identify how Public Health Ontario (PHO) can optimally support evidence‐based planning and programming in Healthy Growth and Development (HGD) across Ontario.

Methods and Design

A situational assessment was conducted with key informants from public health and other HGD fields.

Sample

Key informants were identified using purposeful snowball sampling and included public health nurses, health promoters, and medical officers of health. Analytic strategy: Twenty telephone interviews and seven focus groups were used to collect data. A thematic analysis was conducted concurrently with data collection.

Results

Five themes were identified: (a) Transition to the new Ontario Public Health Standards (OPHS) included experiences of adopting the new OPHS within local public health units (PHUs). (b) Collaborating and networking referred to the ability to work with community partners. (c) Data, evidence, and research described the presence of data, evidence, and research to support practice. (d) Decision making, planning, and priority setting described resources available that influenced decision making. (e) Current and emerging issues in HGD included high‐priority topics.

Conclusion

Public health practice in HGD is complex with many challenges in data and evidence, and making programming decisions without adequate or measurable indicators. A specialized position at PHO is an opportunity to support some of these system‐wide needs.
Regulatory effect of PGE2 on microbicidal activity and inflammatory cytokines in canine leishmaniasis
Authors: Venturin Gabriela Lovizutto , Bragato Jaqueline Poleto , Melo Larissa Martins , Rebech Gabriela Torres , Costa Sidnei Ferro , de Siqueira Carlos Eduardo , Oliveira dos Santos Maciel Marilene , Eugênio Flávia de Rezende , Patto Santos Paulo Sérgio , de Lima Valéria Marçal Felix
Published: March 2020

Canine leishmaniasis (CanL) is caused by the intracellular parasite Leishmania infantum. Prostaglandin E2 (PGE2) exerts potent regulatory effects on the immune system in experimental model Leishmania infection, but this influence has not yet been studied in CanL. In this study, PGE2 and PGE2 receptor levels and the regulatory effect of PGE2 on arginase activity, NO2, IL‐10, IL‐17, IFN‐γ, TNF‐α and parasite load were evaluated in cultures of splenic leucocytes obtained from dogs with CanL in the presence of agonists and inhibitors. Our results showed that splenic leucocytes from dogs with CanL had lower EP2 receptor levels than those of splenic leucocytes from healthy animals. We observed that NO2 levels decreased when the cells were treated with a PGE2 receptor agonist (EP1/EP2/EP3) or COX‐2 inhibitor (NS‐398) and that TNF‐α, IL‐17 and IFN‐γ cytokine levels decreased when the cells were treated with a PGE2 receptor agonist (EP2) or PGE2 itself. The parasite load in splenic leucocyte cell cultures from dogs with CanL decreased after stimulation of the cells with PGE2. We conclude that Leishmania infection of dogs modulates PGE2 receptors and speculate that the binding of PGE2 to its receptors may activate the microbicidal capacity of cells.
Optimal Spot Trading Integrated with Quantity Flexibility Contracts
Authors: Xu Jianjun , Gürbüz Mustafa Cagri , Feng Youyi , Chen Shaoxiang
Published: March 2020

In this study, we consider a company that uses two channels for trading: long‐term contracts and spot markets. With a quantity flexibility long‐term contract, the buyer commits to purchasing at least as much as the minimum order quantity and is able to reserve capacity with the forward contract supplier up to the maximum order quantity in each period at a predetermined price. Through the spot market, the buyer can order or sell inventory at an uncertain future spot price without quantity limitations. A fixed setup cost is incurred in each instance of buying or selling in the spot market. This study considers very general inventory‐related (not necessarily convex) costs, and demand is random following a one‐sided Pólya distribution. We introduce a concept called “non‐( K 1, K 2)‐decreasing with changeovers” and characterize the optimal trading policy in the spot market. We show that the optimal policy can be characterized by five critical points. We also characterize optimal procurement from the contracted supplier under certain conditions. Two simple, yet efficient, heuristics that yield near‐optimal results in many cases are presented as well in order to calculate procurement quantities. Moreover, we show that our results also apply to uniform demand, which is not Pólya, and numerical tests assuming uniform demand are performed to discern which factors are most important and to gain managerial insights.
A Novel Regularized Approach for Functional Data Clustering: An Application to Milking Kinetics in Dairy Goats
Authors: Denis C. , Lebarbier E. , Lévy-Leduc C. , Martin O. , Sansonnet L.
Published: March 2020

Motivated by an application to the clustering of milking kinetics of dairy goats, we propose a novel approach for functional data clustering. This issue is of growing interest in precision livestock farming, which is largely based on the development of data acquisition automation and on the development of interpretative tools to capitalize on high throughput raw data and to generate benchmarks for phenotypic traits. The method that we propose in the paper falls in this context. Our methodology relies on a piecewise linear estimation of curves based on a novel regularized change-point-estimation method and on the k-means algorithm applied to a vector of coefficients summarizing the curves. The statistical performance of our method is assessed through numerical experiments and is thoroughly compared with existing experiments. Our technique is finally applied to milk emission kinetics data with the aim of a better characterization of interanimal variability and towards a better understanding of the lactation process.