bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthesis and analytical characterization of gold nanoparticles for anticancer drug delivery application
Authors: Stolarczyk Elżbieta U. , Stolarczyk Krzysztof , Kubiszewski Marek , Łaszcz Marta , Maruszak Wioleta
Published: January 2018

For many years research has been carried out to form selective drug carriers. Gold nanoparticles (AuNP) are of particular interest. New perspectives of these nanoparticles as drug carries include: the use of drugs which are poorly soluble in water, targeted delivery of drugs, transport by barrier membranes, the possibility of macromolecular drug release, "combined" treatment - two or more drugs, securing faster mechanisms of action and improved efficiency of drugs. Drug-modified gold nanoparticles (R-AuNP) have been synthesized in a single-phase system based on the reduction of hydrogen tetrachloroaurate (III) using the stabilizing ligand. The color change from yellow to deep ruby red indicated the formation of gold nanoparticles. The formation of stabilized gold nanoparticles was confirmed by the observation of the surface plasmon resonance band. Varying drug concentrations and kinds of solvents were used for the reduction of tetrachloroaurate to determine the effect of drug/ligand concentration and solvent type on the formation of AuNPs. The stability of newly synthesized R-AuNPs was characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy. The conjugated particles (the resulting AuNPs) were characterized by several techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, infrared spectroscopy (IR), Raman spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (NMR), capillary electrophoresis, electrochemical techniques and zeta potential measurement. In any application of the AuNPs, it is important first to determine their basic physico-chemical characteristics, such as, e.g. size, shape, mono- or polydispersity, UV–Vis spectra, electrokinetic potential as well as other special parameters and analytical methods employed in the characterization of the AuNPs. TEM is a powerful and straightforward method for the determination of size (including size distribution) and shape of the AuNPs. UV–Vis absorption spectrophotometry allows for an in situ direct analysis of colloidal solutions. The position of the observed band maxima (typically in the range 500 – 600 nm) is usually related to particle size. However, the position of the surface-plasmon resonance (SPR) maximum cannot be directly related to the particle size of the NPs and other factors have to be considered. The capillary electrophoresis is the method applied to confirm the formation of nanoparticles as well as to determine the drug residuals in the leachate during the purification of the conjugates. By means of infrared and Raman spectroscopy it is possible to study the molecular species deposited on the AuNPs. The NMR spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques are used to confirm the attached drugs. Complete structural characterization of the organic molecules attached to the AuNPs surface was carried out.
Revulsion in chimpanzees: health maintenance through avoidance of biological contaminants
Authors: Sarabian Cecile , MacIntosh Andrew J. J.
Published: January 2018

Many major human infectious diseases are transmitted via bodily products such as feces, blood, semen, and saliva. Such contaminants are also known disgust elicitors among humans. From an evolutionary perspective, revulsion in humans is hypothesized to have evolved to protect us from the risk of contracting disease; sensu the Parasite Avoidance Theory of Disgust. To investigate whether chimpanzees are sensitive to these potential sources of infection, we conducted feeding-related experiments to elicit avoidance behaviors in captive chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes troglodytes, N=20-42; sex ratio=1; 27±9 years-old) at the Centre International de Recherches Médicales de Franceville, Gabon. In the first set of experiments, we tested for feces-avoidance behaviors by presenting target individuals with food rewards in conjunction with visual, olfactory and tactile cues of chimpanzee feces. In a second experiment, the same individuals were presented with olfactory stimuli of blood, semen, and rotten meat. In all experiments, chimpanzees expressed some degree of behavioral avoidance, manifest as refusals to feed, increased latencies to feeding, or maintenance of greater distances from contaminants relative to control substrates. We are now in the process of testing whether behavioral tendencies observed toward these contaminants coincide with individual health markers, including current levels as well as historical records of infection with bacterial, protozoan and helminth parasites. We predict that individuals with greater tendencies toward avoidance of such contaminants, possibly representative of revulsion, to be characterized by better general health than less sensitive individuals.
Microbial community structure and nutrient dynamics in forest soils colonized by bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum)
Authors: Aira Manuel , Tato Andrea , Domínguez Jorge
Published: January 2018

Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) is one of the most successful plant colonizers of soils in temperate regions; however, its effects on microbial community structure and activity and nutrient dynamics remain poorly understood. We studied whether colonization of forest soil by bracken fern modifies the structure and function of the soil microbial communities and considered the implications for ecosystem functioning. For this purpose, we analyzed microbial community structure (PLFAs) and activity (basal respiration, metabolic quotient), litter decomposition and nutrient dynamics (C, N and P) in monospecific oak (Quercus robur L.), eucalyptus (Eucalyptus globulus Labill.) and maritime pine forests (Pinus pinaster Aiton) colonized by bracken fern. Colonization of forest soil by bracken fern led to a reduction in differences in microbial community structure, as revealed by principal component and cluster analysis, although samples from oak forests were grouped separately. According to this, bracken litter decomposed to a greater extent than native tree litter in pine forest soils, whereas the opposite was found in oak forest soils. Such differences were not observed in eucalyptus forest soils. Colonization by bracken fern affected C mineralization, with no difference between the different types of forest; however, both N and P mineralization were higher in oak than in the other types of forest. In conclusion, colonization by bracken fern homogenizes soil microbial community structure. Differences in the decomposability of bracken litter in the different forest systems suggest a high degree of metabolic specialization of soil microorganisms. Thus, the soil microorganisms associated with bracken are continuously driven to decompose the bracken litter. In the long-term this will alter nutrient cycling, slowing decomposition and enhancing sequestering of nutrients by bracken ferns.
Possibility of closing benzene structure inside hetero-derivatives of fullerene C60 as indicator of using them as the carriers of drugs containing benzene ring
Authors: Grudzień Monika K. , Stępień Krzysztof , Pieńko Tomasz , Mazurek Aleksander P.
Published: January 2018

Fullerene molecules are created entirely of carbon and have a highly unusual attributes. The one of the fullerene derivatives are heterofullerenes when one or more carbon atoms that form the fullerene carbon cage are replaced by a non-carbon atom, i.e., a heteroatom. The aim of the study was to determine the effect of the aromatic compound (benzene) on the boron, silicon and sulfur fullerene C60 hetero derivatives stability. The chosen heteroatoms were occupied only one ring of one type. The following complexes have been studied: C6H6@C54B6, C6H6@C55B5, C6H6@C54Si6, C6H6@C55Si5, C6H6@C54S6 and C6H6@C55S5. The energies of stabilization (ΔEstab.), deformation (ΔEdef) and interaction (ΔEint.) as well as absolute energy (ΔE) of each examined heterofullerens C60 and their complexes with benzene were calculated with the use of the molecular modeling technique. The least amount of fullerene's cage distortion was characterized boron derivatives of fullerene C60 and their endohedral complexes. The calculation suggests that those systems could exist despite positive energies values and it lets assume the possibility of using them as drug carriers.
The association between coat phenotype and morphology conducive to high running speeds in canis lupus familiaris
Authors: Cleather Daniel J
Published: January 2018

The mechanics of animal locomotion has fascinated man for centuries. In particular, we have sought to understand why certain species are able to reach such prodigious running speeds (perhaps due to our woeful inadequacy in this area (Bramble & Lieberman, 2004)). Such investigations have focused on the role that functional anatomy and morphology play in facilitating the attainment of high running speeds (Williams, Payne & Wilson, 2007; Hudson et al., 2011). Canis lupus familiaris, or the domestic dog, serves as an excellent model for such investigations due to the great variation in running speeds exhibited across breeds, and there is a dense body of literature that has considered how the anatomy of certain canines has been adapted to the task of high speed running. Similarly, a great deal is known about the dog genome, and thus adaptations that are thought to be advantageous in the context of sprinting can be linked to their genetic basis (Mosher et al., 2007). Aerodynamics is one aspect of morphology that is known to be important for high speed running (Lull, 1904), yet despite this, the association between a dog’s coat phenotype and the ability to run fast has not been determined. This omission is surprising given the influence of the surface properties of a body on its aerodynamics. Here I use the breed definitions of the American Kennel Club (American Kennel Club, 1998), to show, graphically, statistically and in prose, by reference to previous literature (Cadieu et al., 2009), and by using the mass/height ratio to indicate morphological adaptations for high speed running, that within the larger dog breeds (and in particular within breeds that are known for their running ability (Fischer & Lilje, 2011)), there is no association between coat phenotype and other morphological adaptations that are known to be conducive to high speed running (τB = -0.23, p = 0.04).
Perception of the risk of adverse reactions to analgesics: Differences between medical students and residents
Authors: Castillo-Guzman Sandra , González-Santiago Omar , Delgado-Leal Ismael A , Lozano-Luévano Gerardo E , Reyes-Rodríguez Misael J , Elizondo-Solis César V , Nava-Obregón Teresa A , Palacios-Ríos Dionicio
Published: January 2018

Background. Medications are not exempt from adverse drug reactions (ADR) and how the physician perceives the risk of prescription drugs could influence their availability to report ADR and their prescription behavior. Methods. We assess the perception of risk and the occurrence of ADR associated with COX2-Inbitors, paracetamol, NSAIDs, and morphine in medical students and residents. Results. The analgesic with the highest risk perception was morphine, while the drug with the least risk perceived was paracetamol. Addiction was perceived as the most probable adverse effects developed by morphine. In the case of NSAIDs, the main adverse effect perceived was GI bleeding. Discussion. Our findings show that medical students give higher risk scores than residents toward risk due to analgesics. It is probable that both groups of students have morphinophobia, although more studies are necessary to confirm this. Continuing training and informing physicians about ADRs is necessary since the lack of training is known to induce inadequate use of drugs.
Holistic approach for conservation of chimpanzees in Kibale National Park, Uganda
Authors: Otali Emily , Hartel Jessica A , Machanda Zarin , Wrangham Richard W , Ross Elizabeth A
Published: January 2018

Uganda’s Kibale National Park contains a particularly diverse primate population, including about 1400 chimpanzees (Pan troglodytes). It is threatened by poaching and illegal deforestation, both of which are promoted by the extreme poverty, exponential population growth, and low educational achievements of local people. This poster describes a multifaceted approach to conservation taken by the Kibale Chimpanzee Project. We highlight its within-forest organization (Kibale Snare Removal Project, KSRP) and its partner NGO working with 10,000 children in the surrounding communities (The Kasiisi Project). Within the Park, KSRP rangers interact closely with the Ugandan Wildlife Authority to monitor illegal activity. In 2013 KSRP rangers reported over 1400 incidents of illegal activity in the forest and removed over 700 snares. Outside the Park, the Kasiisi Project focuses on changing attitudes and behavior through combining conservation education, community development, and higher standards in 14 primary schools. The Kasiisi Project’s philosophy is to meet people’s needs (better education, less reliance on forest resources) while providing the information, skills and motivation to reduce environmental degradation. KSRP rangers link within-forest and community activities by participating in school conservation education. Since we began, students in Kasiisi-partnered schools have achieved exceptionally high National Exam scores and show increased positive feelings towards chimpanzees and the Park. Our results suggest that because the rising human population threatens all Ugandan forests, within-forest and community activity should be combined wherever possible in order to maximize the effectiveness of conservation efforts.
Additive and compensatory predation mortality by cougar on elk
Authors: Vales David J. , Middleton Michael P. , McDaniel Mike T.
Published: January 2018

We studied the impact of predation by cougar ( Puma concolor) on elk ( Cervus elaphus) over a 17 year time span in two watersheds in western Washington. Elk numbers ranged widely in each watershed, from a low of 130 increasing to ≈600 in the Green River and from 600 increasing to ≈1,400 in the White River. We studied adult cow elk survival (n=244) and calf survival (n=548) in both watersheds using radio-marked animals. We manipulated cougar numbers by conducting targeted removals over 7 years and estimated cougar density prior, during, and after the removals. Cougar predation on elk calves was strongly additive (R2=0.80). Cougar predation on cow elk was partially additive in the Green River where other factors had less influence on adult elk survival. Survival of adult cow elk in the White River was less affected by cougar predation than other factors in part due to greater public access. Based on age and femur marrow condition we estimated that 25% of all radio-marked adult elk mortalities due to cougar were compensatory. We have also investigated predation rate by cougar using GPS-marked cougar (n=12). We estimated that 15% of adult elk >= 2 years old that were killed by cougar were likely compensatory and that 75% were likely additive. Removing cougars allowed elk in both watersheds to recover to, or exceed, herd objectives for both watersheds, and restore elk hunting opportunity. Our data strongly indicates that cougar were limiting elk, and that cougar removals allowed elk to escape the predator pit they were in. But simply removing cougar in other elk-cougar systems may not restore elk depending on the relative influence of other factors affecting mortality, amount of additive predation mortality, and suite of interacting predators and prey.
Cytokine response during non-cerebral and cerebral malaria: evidence of a failure to control inflammation as a cause of death in African adults
Authors: Dieye Yakhya , Mbengue Babacar , Dagamajalu Shobha , Fall Mouhamadou M , Loke Mun Fai , Nguer Cheikh M , Thiam Alassane , Vadivelu Jamuna , Dieye Alioune
Published: January 2018

Background. With 214 million cases and 438,000 deaths in 2015, malaria remains one of the deadliest infectious diseases in tropical countries. Several species of the protozoan Plasmodium cause malaria. However, almost all the fatalities are due to Plasmodium falciparum, a species responsible for the severest cases including cerebral malaria. Immune response to Plasmodium falciparum infection is mediated by the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines and growth factors whose actions are crucial for the control of the parasites. Following this response, the induction of anti-inflammatory immune mediators downregulates the inflammation thus preventing its adverse effects such as damages to various organs and death. Methods. We performed a retrospective, nonprobability sampling study using clinical data and sera samples from patients, mainly adults, suffering of non-cerebral or cerebral malaria in Dakar, Sénégal. Healthy individuals residing in the same area were included as controls. We measured the serum levels of 29 biomarkers including growth factors, chemokines, inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines. Results. We found an induction of both pro- and anti-inflammatory immune mediators during malaria. The levels of pro-inflammatory biomarkers were higher in the cerebral malaria than in the non-cerebral malaria patients. In contrast, the concentrations of anti-inflammatory cytokines were comparable in these two groups or lower in CM patients. Additionally, four pro-inflammatory biomarkers were significantly increased in the deceased of cerebral malaria compared to the survivors. Regarding organ damage, kidney failure was significantly associated with death in adults suffering of cerebral malaria. Conclusions. Our results suggest that a poorly controlled inflammatory response determines a bad outcome in African adults suffering of cerebral malaria.
A new virtual screening approach for protein disulfide isomerase inhibitors reveals potential candidates for antithrombotic agents
Authors: Ben Khalaf Noureddine , Bakhiet Moiz
Published: January 2018

Background: Arterial thrombosis causes heart attacks and strokes and constitutes one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world and few therapies are available for its treatment. Thus, new therapeutic approaches in the prevention and treatment of arterial thrombosis are needed. Protein disulfide isomerase (PDI) has been shown to be expressed on vascular cells following injury and to be involved in regulating thrombus formation in vivo. Since inhibition of PDI prevents platelet accumulation and fibrin generation, it makes it a valuable target for the development of new antithrombotics. Rutin, a flavonol glycoside derivative of Quercetin, was previously described for displaying decent potency against PDI, and it inhibited the agonist-induced platelets aggregation in vivo, however its utility is limited by its low solubility and its off-target activity. Rutin was recently reported to bind specifically to the b’ domain of PDI affecting protein flexibility which results in the inhibition of its reductase activity. To investigate Rutin inhibitory mechanism we used docking and molecular dynamics simulation and we observed that Rutin binds to a specific hydrophobic pocket of the b’ domain which reduces PDI flexibility. Methods: In an attempt to identify more potent, soluble and specific PDI inhibitors, we established an in silico approach based on similarity search in Zinc Drug-like library composed of more than 17 million compounds satisfying Lipiniski’s rule of five. A KNIME workflow was established for selecting Rutin-similar compounds based on Tanimoto coefficients. Then, a virtual screening of selected compounds was performed using Autodock Vina on PDI target pocket. In order to select PDI specific probes, a counter-screen was run to eliminate hits binding Erp57 thioredoxin active site. Hits were then submitted to druglikeness prediction using Quantitative Estimate of Druglikeness (QED). A total of 5 compounds were selected and submitted to re-docking with Autodock Vina. Complexes were subject to Molecular Dynamics simulation using NAMD. Results and Discussion: a total of 4 compounds were shown to form stable complexes with PDI binding pocket and then could constitute promising candidates for lead optimization. In conclusion, our in silico approach lead to the identification of potential novel PDI inhibitors that may form suitable candidates for Arterial thrombosis drug discovery.
Crossing methods and cultivation conditions for rapid production of segregating populations in three grain amaranth species
Authors: Stetter Markus G , Zeitler Leo , Steinhaus Adrian , Kroener Karoline , Biljecki Michelle , Schmid Karl J
Published: January 2018

Background: Grain amaranths (Amaranthus sp) have been cultivated for thousands of years in Central and South America. Their grains are of high nutritional value, but the low yield needs to be increased by selection of superior genotypes from genetically diverse breeding populations. Amaranths are adapted to harsh conditions and can be cultivated on marginal lands although little is known about their physiology. The development of controlled growing conditions and efficient crossing methods is important for research on and improvement of this ancient crop. Grain amaranth was domesticated in the Americas and is highly self-fertilizing with a large inflorescence consisting of thousands of very small flowers. We evaluated three different crossing methods (open pollination, hot water emasculation and hand emasculation) for their efficiency in amaranth and validated them with genetic markers. Results: We identified cultivation conditions that allow an easy control of flowering time by manipulating day length manipulation and achieved flowering times of four weeks and generation times of two months. All three different crossing methods successfully produced hybrid F1 offspring, but with different success rates. Open pollination had the lowest (10%) and hand emasculation the highest success rate (74%). Hot water emasculation showed an intermediate success rate (26%) with a maximum of 94% success. It is simple to perform and suitable for a more large-scale production of hybrids. We further evaluated 11 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and found that they were sufficient to validate all crosses of the genotypes used in this study for intra- and interspecific crosses. Conclusions: Despite its very small flowers, crosses in amaranth can be carried out efficiently and evaluated with inexpensive SNP markers. Suitable growth conditions strongly reduce the generation time and allow the control of plant height, flowering time and seed production. In combination, this enables the rapid production of segregating populations which makes amaranth an attractive model for basic plant research but also facilitates further the improvement of this ancient crop by plant breeding.
Trophic interactions are mediated by the availability of water in temperate grassland ecosystems
Authors: Harrower William , Fraser Lauchlan H , Turkington Roy
Published: January 2018

The addition or removal of predators from food webs by humans can have profound effects on the interactions between species. However, predators and primary producers are inextricably linked by the flow of energy through ecosystems. In temperate grasslands energy flow through ecosystems is often limited by water availability to plants. So, if the number and strength of interactions between species in grasslands depends on the amount of water available to plants, and we remove predators along a gradient in water availability, then we should see change in species interactions with predator removals along the gradient. After estimating trophic position and diet breadth of key predators, we excluded birds and small mammal predators from grasslands along a rainfall gradient in south central British Columbia for four years, and measured the response of plants and arthropods. Water availability significantly altered food web structure, and consequently the role of predators in structuring these ecosystems. When water was scarce, vertebrate predators impeded plant growth by feeding on spiders that would normally eat herbivorous insects. When water was more abundant, vertebrate predators facilitated plant growth by feeding on a broad range of arthropod prey. As water availability to plants increased they grew more. Herbivores were not able to consume all the new growth and thus dead plant material accumulated. Increasing detritus helped establish new links between predators and plants. Phenomena such as climate change can determine the availability of water entering ecosystems, which then alters trophic structure. If water availability can alter food webs there are no simple generalizations for community dynamics that are independent of climate.
Towards stable caribou populations in Alberta: Considering resource selection by wolves, grizzly bears, and caribou to prioritize restoration of legacy seismic lines
Authors: MacNearney Doug , Pigeon Karine E , Cranston Jerome , Stenhouse Gordon , Finnegan Laura
Published: January 2018

Throughout their range, the decline of woodland caribou populations is thought to be a result of habitat degradation and fragmentation from industrial activities. Land managers are under pressure to restore habitat within caribou ranges and mitigate potential negative effects of resource extraction on caribou into the future. Considering the historical anthropogenic footprint in Alberta, restoration efforts need to be prioritized. Using a combination of LiDAR and animal GPS data, we investigated the influence of vegetation height on the selection of seismic lines, and the zone of influence of these features on grizzly bears, wolves, and caribou within four caribou ranges in west-central Alberta. Our objective was to integrate the influence of vegetation height on seismic lines, seismic line density, and the zone of influence of these seismic lines on caribou and their predators to identify areas with the highest probability of overlap among grizzly bears, wolves, and caribou to prioritize restoration of legacy seismic lines in Alberta and increase functional habitat for caribou. Based on LiDAR, the average vegetation height of 12,854 km (83%) of seismic lines was less than 1.5 m while 2,392 km (15%) of seismic lines had a vegetation height between 1.5 m and 5 m, and 341 km (2%) of seismic lines had an average vegetation height greater than 5 m. Animal responses to seismic lines varied seasonally and were dependent on regeneration stage. This research highlights predator-prey interactions on a managed landscape and how our knowledge of these mechanisms is essential to effectively prioritize restoration.
Deconvoluting simulated metagenomes: the performance of hard- and soft- clustering algorithms applied to metagenomic chromosome conformation capture (3C)
Authors: DeMaere Matthew Z , Darling Aaron E
Published: January 2018

Background. Chromosome conformation capture, coupled with high throughput DNA sequencing in protocols like Hi-C and 3C-seq, has been proposed as viable means to generate data to resolve the genomes of microorganisms living in naturally occuring environments. Metagenomic Hi-C and 3C-seq datasets have begun to emerge, but the feasibility of resolving genomes when closely related organisms (strain-level diversity) are present in the sample has not yet been systematically characterised. Methods. We developed a computational simulation pipeline for metagenomic 3C and Hi-C se- quencing to evaluate the accuracy of genomic reconstructions at, above, and below an operationally defined species boundary. We simulated datasets and measured accuracy over a wide range of parameters. Five clustering algorithms were evaluated (2 hard, 3 soft) using an adaptation of the extended B-cubed validation measure. Results. When all genomes in a sample are below 95% sequence identity, all of the tested clustering algorithms performed well. When sequence data contains genomes above 95% identity (our operational definition of strain-level diversity), a naive soft-clustering extension of the Louvain method achieves the highest performance. Discussion. Previously, only hard-clustering algorithms have been applied to metagenomic 3C and Hi-C data, yet none of these perform well when strain-level diversity exists in a metagenomic sample. Our simple extension of the Louvain method performed the best in these scenarios, however, accuracy remained well below the levels observed for samples without strain-level diversity. Strain resolution is also highly dependent on the amount of available 3C sequence data, suggesting that depth of sequencing must be carefully considered during experimental design. Finally, there appears to be great scope to improve the accuracy of strain resolution through further algorithm development.
Fecal corticosterone excretion in captive healthy and feather picking African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus)
Authors: Costa Pierluca , Macchi Elisabetta , Valle Emanuela , De Marco Michele , Gasco Laura , Schiavone Achille
Published: January 2018

Feather picking (FP) is a common problem in companion parrots, especially in African grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus). Many hypothesis have been made about this self-mutilating behavior, and serious psychological conflicts can play a pivotal role in the initiation of this self-defeating and self-punishing behaviour. Even though ethological distress is difficult to study, the monitoring of fecal corticoids is a useful non-invasive tool that can be used to assess stress in animals. The purpose of the present study was to compare the fecal corticosterone levels of companion African grey parrots kept as wild-type parrots (WT), healthy pet parrots (HP) and feather picking pet parrots (FPP) during the breeding season and out of the breeding season. An African grey parrot group, composed of 82 individuals, has been studied; these birds were divided into three sub-groups: 1) WT, parrots that were reared by their biological parents, kept in couples and with a regular reproduction activity; 2) HP, parrots that were hand-reared, but did not show any FP symptoms; 3) FPP, parrots that were hand-reared and that showed signs of FP. Fecal samples were collected in the morning on alternate days, during the breeding seasons and out of the breeding season. The fecal corticosterone and immunoreactive corticosterone metabolites were determined using a pan-specific corticosterone enzyme immunoassay kit (K014; Arbor Assays®, Ann Arbor, MI) validated for dried fecal extracts. Analysis of Variance was used to examine any variations due to the breeding season and among the groups of parrots. WT and HP parrots showed lower corticosterone levels than FPP parrots. The fecal corticosterone concentration showed an average (sum of the two seasons) of 74.10 ± 16.89 ng/g in the WT parrots; 79.56 ± 21.23 ng/g in the HP parrots and 185.53 ± 34.83 in the FPP parrots. A statistical trend between fecal corticosterone concentration in the different seasons for the WT parrots (P=0.085) was observed, but not for the other groups. The results suggest that 1) the highest levels of fecal corticosterone are excreted by birds affected by FP; 2) the observed highest level of corticosterone in FPP parrot suggests a role of stress in this self-injuring stereotypic behavior.
Insights into student gains from undergraduate research using pre/post assessments
Authors: McDevitt Andrew , Patel Mainsha V , Rose Brad , Ellison Aaron M
Published: January 2018

Undergraduate research experiences (UREs) in STEM fields expose students to scientific research and are thought to increase student retention in STEM. We developed a pre/post survey and administered it to participants of the Harvard Forest Summer Research Program in Ecology (HF-SRPE) to evaluate effectiveness of these programmatic goals. Between 2005 and 2015, the survey was sent to all 263 HF-SRPE participants; 79% completed it. Results, controlled for prior experiences, revealed significant improvements across all learning goals. Prior laboratory research experience and perception of being a respected member of a research team were positively associated with gains in research skills and abilities to do and present research. Although the pre/post surveys did not indicate changes in students’ goals of pursuing STEM careers (or, more narrowly, ecological ones), the positive learning gains suggest that students with prior interests in STEM fields take advantage of UREs to solidify further their aspirations in STEM.
Long term economic evaluation of interventions targeting multiple mental health conditions: protocol for a rapid review of methods
Authors: Canaway Alastair G , Sampson Christopher J
Published: January 2018

Background. Interventions and services for people with mental health problems can have broad remits: they are often designed to treat people with a variety of diagnoses. Furthermore, addressing mental health problems can have long term implications for economic, social and health outcomes. This represents a challenge for economic evaluation, where long term trial data can be lacking. In this review we will seek to identify how analysts have sought to tackle this problem. We will review the methods used to extrapolate costs and outcomes for the purpose of economic evaluation, where long term trial data are not available. Methods/design. We will carry out a review of the medical and economic literature evaluating long-term costs and outcomes for mental health interventions and services designed to treat or prevent more than two mental health conditions. We will search the key health economic databases, including: OVID Medline, Embase, Psycinfo, CINAHL, and EconLit. The two authors will independently screen the returned results. Any discrepancies will be resolved by deliberation between the two authors. Key information will be extracted from the papers which successfully pass through the screening process. The findings will be highlighted through a narrative analysis and tabulated data. Discussion. This review will shed light on the existing methods used to model into the future when multiple mental health conditions are considered. The review will discuss the strengths and weakness within current methodologies, highlight existing flaws, and provide guidance for future economic evaluations of interventions targeting multiple mental health conditions.
The in vitro and in vivo effects of constitutive light expression on the mouse enteropathogen Citrobacter rodentium
Authors: Read Hannah M , Mills Grant , Johnson Sarah , Tsai Peter , Dalton James , Barquist Lars , Print Cristin G , Patrick Wayne M , Wiles Siouxsie
Published: January 2018

Bioluminescent reporter genes, such as those from fireflies and bacteria, let researchers use light production as a non-invasive and non-destructive surrogate measure of microbial numbers in a wide variety of environments. As bioluminescence needs microbial metabolites, tagging microorganisms with luciferases means only live metabolically active cells are detected. Despite the wide use of bioluminescent reporter genes, very little is known about the impact of continuous (also called constitutive) light expression on tagged bacteria. We have previously made a bioluminescent strain of Citrobacter rodentium, a bacterium which infects laboratory mice in a similar way to how enteropathogenic Escherichia coli (EPEC) and enterohaemorrhagic E. coli (EHEC) infect humans. In this study, we investigated whether constitutive light expression makes the bioluminescent C. rodentium strain ICC180 less competitive when competed against its non-bioluminescent parent (strain ICC169). To understand more about the metabolic burden of expressing light, we also compared the growth profiles of the two strains under approximately 2000 different conditions. We found that constitutive light expression in ICC180 was near-neutral in almost every non-toxic environment tested. However, we also found that the non-bioluminescent parent strain has a competitive advantage over ICC180 during infection of adult mice, although this was not enough for ICC180 to be completely outcompeted. In conclusion, our data suggests that constitutive light expression is not metabolically costly to C. rodentium and supports the view that bioluminescent versions of microbes can be used as a substitute for their non-bioluminescent parents to study bacterial behaviour in a wide variety of environments.
Conservation guidelines for the endangered Brown-eared pheasant based on the geographic information system and the MaxEnt model
Authors: Li Yilin , Li Xinhai , Song Zitan , Ding Changqing
Published: January 2018

We analyzed the synchronous relationship between forest cover and species distribution to explain the contraction in the distribution range of the brown-eared pheasant (Crossoptilon mantchuricum) in China. We consulted ancient texts to determine this pheasant’s historical distribution from 25 to 1947 CE. Based on this species’ habitat selection criteria, the history of the forests, ancient climate change records, and fossil data, we determined that the brown-eared pheasant’s historical distribution included the three provinces of Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Hebei. It once inhabited an area of about 320,000 km2, as calculated by the minimum convex polygon method (MCP) in ArcGIS 10.0. The current species distribution covers 46,800 km2 of the Shaanxi, Shanxi, and Hebei provinces, as well as Beijing city, while Shanxi remains the center of the distribution area. This pheasant’s distribution range has decreased by 85% over the past 2,000 years. We used the Mean Decrease Accuracy (MDA) index to assess the importance of the evaluation of 13 environmental factors using the Random Forests (RF) measure from the R 3.0.2 software platform. The results showed that vegetation is the most important determinant influencing distribution. We built a corresponding correlative relationship between the presence/absence of brown-eared pheasant and forest coverage and found that forest coverage in the north, northeast, central, and southeast areas of the Shanxi province were all less than 10% at the end of the Qing Dynasty (1911 CE). Our MaxEnt model indicated that the brown-eared pheasant had retreated to the western regions of Shanxi (AUC = 0.753) and that the historical distribution area had reduced synchronously with the disappearance of local forest cover in Shanxi. Wild brown-eared pheasant populations are stable in the Luliang Mountains, where forest coverage reached 13.2% in 2000. Consequently, we concluded that the distribution of this species is primarily determined by vegetation conditions and that forest cover was the most significant determining factor. To guarantee stable growth in the population and consistent distribution of the brown-eared pheasant, we suggest that forest coverage should be at least 48% in the natural reserves where the brown-eared pheasant is currently distributed.
The Chicago ring-billed gull damage management project
Authors: Bloomquist Michelle L , Hartmann John W , Engeman Richard M , Guerrant Travis G , Beckerman Scott F
Published: January 2018

The population of ring-billed gulls in the upper Midwest has increased exponentially in recent decades leading to a variety of conflicts including property damage, negative economic impacts, threats to human safety, and potential threats to human health. Some studies have suggested a link between gull fecal droppings and elevated Escherichia coli levels in water, which result in swim advisories on public beaches. The objectives of the Chicago ring-billed gull damage management project were to reduce the local production of ring-billed gulls, to evaluate the affects that limiting gull production has on the use of beaches by gulls, and to reduce the severity of conflicts with gulls including the issuance of swim advisories. Between 2007 and 2014, we applied corn oil to 52 - 80% of nests in several gull colonies in Chicago and successfully reduced hatching success and subsequent fledging. It is estimated that we prevented the production of between 77,314 and 183,621 ring-billed gulls since initiation of the project. The number of hatch year gulls observed on Chicago’s beaches during 2008 through 2014 has consistently been less than during the initial year of egg oiling, 2007. The reduction in the number of gulls using Chicago beaches has contributed to a reduction in conflicts with gulls, including a decrease in the frequency of swim advisories on Chicago’s beaches in comparison to 2006.
Antimicrobial activities of widely consumed herbal tea’s alone or in combination with antibiotics: An in vitro study
Authors: Tuysuz Mayram , Dosler Sibel , Birteksoz Tan Ayse Seher , Otuk Gulten
Published: January 2018

Background: Because of increasing antibiotic resistance, herbal teas are the most popular natural alternatives, which are gaining even more importance. We examined the antimicrobial activities of 31 herbal teas both alone and in combination with antibiotics or antifungals against the standard and clinical isolates of Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Acinetobacter baumannii, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterococcus faecalis, methicillin susceptible/resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Candida albicans. Methods: The antimicrobial activities of the teas were determined by using the disk diffusion and microbroth dilution methods, and the combination studies were examined by using the microbroth checkerboard and time killing curve methods. Results: Rosehip, rosehip bag, pomegranate blossom, thyme, wormwood, mint, echinacea bag, cinnamon, black, and green teas were active against most of the studied microorganisms. In the combination studies, we characterized all the expected effects (synergistic, additive, and antagonistic) between the teas and the antimicrobials. While synergy was observed more frequently between ampicillin, ampicillin-sulbactam, or nystatine, and the various tea combinations, most of the effects between the ciprofloxacin, erythromycin, cefuroxime, or amikacin and various tea combinations, particularly rosehip, rosehip bag, and pomegranate blossom teas, were antagonistic. The results of the time kill curve analyses showed that none of the herbal teas were bactericidal in their usage concentrations; however, in combination they were. Discussion: Some herbal teas, particularly rosehip and pomegranate blossom should be avoided because of antagonistic interactions during the course of antibiotic treatment or should be consumed alone.
Transcriptome analysis of immature xylem in Chinese fir at different developmental phases
Authors: Zhang Yunxing , Han Xiaojiao , Sang Jian , he Xuelian , Liu Mingying , Qiao Guirong , Zhuo Renying , He Guiping , Hu Jianjun
Published: January 2018

Background: Chinese fir [Cunninghamia lanceolata (Lamb .) Hook.], is one of the most important native tree species for timber production in southern China. An understanding of overall fast growing stage, stem growth stage and senescence stage cambium transcriptome variation is lacking. We used transcriptome sequencing to identify the repertoire of genes expressed during development of xylem tissue in Chinese fir, aiming to delineate the molecular mechanisms of wood formation. Results: We carried out transcriptome sequencing at three different cultivation ages (7Y, 15Y and 21Y) generating 68.71 million reads (13.88 Gbp). A total of 140,486 unigenes with a mean size of 568.64 base pairs (bp) were obtained via de novo assembly. Of these, 27,427 unigenes (19.52%) were further annotated by comparison to public protein databases. A total of 5,331 (3.79%) unigenes were mapped into 118 pathways by searching against the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes Pathway database (KEGG). Differentially expressed genes (DEG) analysis identified 3, 16 and 5,899 DEGs from the comparison of 7Y vs. 15Y, 7Y vs. 21Y and 15Y vs. 21Y, respectively, in the immature xylem tissues, including 2,638 significantly up-regulated and 3,280 significantly down-regulated genes. Besides, five NAC transcription factors, 190 MYB transcription factors, and 34 WRKY transcription factors were identified respectively from Chinese fir transcriptome. Conclusion: Our results revealed the active transcriptional pathways and identified the DEGs at different cultivation phases of Chinese fir wood formation. This transcriptome dataset will aid in understanding and carrying out future studies on the molecular basis of Chinese fir wood formation and contribute to future artificial production and applications.
Diversity of habitats and bacterial communities support landscape-scale multifunctionality differently across seasons
Authors: Alsterberg Christian , Roger Fabian , Sundbäck Kristina , Juhanson Jaanis , Hulth Stefan , Hallin Sara , Gamfeldt Lars
Published: January 2018

In this study, we demonstrate how changes in the diversity of habitat and bacterial communities affect landscape multifunctionality. Habitat diversity may beget species diversity by increasing niche availability and resource complementarity. Species diversity, in turn, generally promotes multifunctionality, i.e. the simultaneous performance of multiple ecosystem functions. However, the relationship between habitat diversity and functioning remains to be explicitly explored. In order to test the relationship between habitat diversity and multifunctionality we constructed experimental landscapes of four different habitats common in shallow-water sediment ecosystems: cyanobacterial mats, Ruppia maritima meadows, silty mud and sandy beach. We manipulated the diversity of these habitats over three consecutive seasons and measured bacterial diversity, benthic microalgal diversity and four functions related to marine nitrogen cycling (gross primary production, nitrogen fixation, denitrification and uptake of dissolved inorganic nitrogen). Our results showed that higher habitat and bacterial diversity, but not benthic microalgal diversity, increased landscape multifunctionality. However, the relative importance of habitat and bacterial diversity varied with season. Habitat diversity was generally the strongest driver, affecting multifunctionality directly in summer and indirectly via bacterial diversity in autumn. In spring, neither of the two aspects of diversity was important. Our study demonstrates the importance of considering temporal differences in both habitat and species diversity for landscape multifunctionality, and the importance of direct and indirect effects in mediating ecosystem functions. Habitat homogenization in concert with loss in biodiversity can thus be a driving force of declining ecosystem functioning and the services they underpin.
Zika virus phosphoproteome through the computational looking-glass and what we found there?
Authors: Basharat Zarrin , Khan Tabeer , Yasmin Azra
Published: January 2018

Zika virus (ZIKV), a mosquito borne disease, has been linked to congenital anomalies in humans. Recent outbreaks of ZIKV have caused the scientific community to focus on this previously neglected pathogen. Information regarding phosphorylation potential of ZIKV proteins has yet to be elucidated. Deciphering phosphorylation potential of viral proteins is important because it assists in viral replication and its association with host receptors. Here, we present a vignette of the phosphorylation potential of ZIKV proteins using computational approach.