bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Another Theory is Possible: Dissident Voices in Theorising Europe
Authors: Manners Ian , Whitman Richard
Published: November 2015

The article argues that dissident voices which attempt to theorise Europe differently and advocate another European trajectory have been largely excluded and left unheard in mainstream discussions over the past decade of scholarship and analysis. Dissident voices in European Union studies are those that seek to actively challenge the mainstream of the study of Europe. The article briefly examines the discipline of mainstreaming, then surveys the extent of polyphonic engagement in EU studies, before setting out how the special issue contributors move beyond the mainstream. The article will argue the merits of more polyphonic engagement with dissident voices and differing disciplinary approaches for the health and vitality of EU studies and the EU policy field itself. It summarises the special issue's argument that by allowing for dissident voices in theorising Europe, another Europe, and another theory, is possible – indeed, probable.
Upper thermal limits of the hearts of Arctic cod Boreogadus saida: adults compared with larvae
Authors: Drost H. E. , Fisher J. , Randall F. , Kent D. , Carmack E. C. , Farrell A. P.
Published: November 2015

Wild adult and reared larval Boreogadus saida were acclimated to 3·5° C before testing their cardiac response to acute warming. Heart rate transition temperatures during warming were similar for adult and larval hearts, except that the maximum temperature for heart rate was 3° C warmer for adults. Thus, in a rapidly warming Arctic Ocean, the upper temperature limit for larval rather than adult B. saida appears more likely to dictate the southern range of the species.
Risk factors for the progression of periodontal disease in a Greek adult population
Authors: Chrysanthakopoulos Nikolaos A.
Published: November 2015

Aim

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the progression risk factors of periodontal disease by individual characteristics at baseline in a Greek adult population.

Methods

The study sample consisted of 854 individuals. All participants were clinically examined and answered questions regarding sex, smoking status, socioeconomic status, low educational level, frequency of dental follow up, and oral hygiene habits. Serum levels of disease markers were investigated, and attachment levels were clinically recorded. For the assessment of periodontal disease progression, additional clinical attachment loss (CAL) was used if one or more sites showed a 3 mm or more increase in probing attachment level over a 2‐year period. Statistical analysis was performed by using a modified multiple Poisson's analysis model.

Results

A total of 74% of the participants exhibited additional CAL over a 2‐year period. Significant associations were observed between additional CAL and smoking (relative risk [RR] = 0.78, 95% confidence level [CI] = 0.65–0.92), attachment level of 5 mm or more at baseline (RR = 0.89, 95% CI = 0.75–1.05), educational level (RR = 0.90, 95% CI = 0.76–1.07), socioeconomic status (RR = 0.86, 95% CI = 0.59–1.14), and irregular dental follow up (RR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.04–1.45).

Conclusions

Smoking, baseline attachment level of 5 mm or more, low educational level, low socioeconomic status, and irregular dental follow up could be considered risk factors for further CAL.
Manganese neurotoxicity: behavioral disorders associated with dysfunctions in the basal ganglia and neurochemical transmission
Authors: Bouabid Safa , Tinakoua Anass , Lakhdar‐Ghazal Nouria , Benazzouz Abdelhamid
Published: November 2015

Manganese (Mn) is an essential element required for many physiological functions. While it is essential at physiological levels, excessive accumulation of Mn in the brain causes severe dysfunctions in the central nervous system known as manganism. Manganism is an extrapyramidal disorder characterized by motor disturbances associated with neuropsychiatric and cognitive disabilities similar to Parkinsonism. As the primary brain regions targeted by Mn are the basal ganglia, known to be involved in the pathophysiology of extrapyramidal disorders, this review will examine the impact of Mn exposure on the basal ganglia circuitry and neurotransmitters in relation to motor and non‐motor disorders. The collected data from recent available studies in humans and experimental animal models provide new information about the mechanisms by which Mn affects behavior, neurotransmitters, and basal ganglia function observed in manganism. The effects of the alterations of metals on basal ganglia and neurochemical functioning are critical to develop effective modalities not only for the treatment of vulnerable populations (e.g., Mn‐exposed workers) but also for understanding the etiology of neurodegenerative diseases where brain metal imbalances are involved, such as Parkinson's disease.

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We examine the impact of manganese (Mn) exposure on the basal ganglia circuitry and neurotransmitters in relation with motor and non‐motor disorders. The collected data from available studies show that when accumulated in the globus pallidus, Mn influences the subthalamic (STN) and substantia nigra (SN) neurons, which are at the origin of changes in the thalamus and the cortex.
Cholesterol‐rich lipid rafts are involved in neuropeptide FF anti‐nociceptin/orphanin FQ effect
Authors: Ding Zhong , Zajac Jean‐Marie
Published: November 2015

The participation of a signaling platform to the anti‐nociceptin/orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) effect of neuropeptide FF (NPFF) receptors was investigated in both acutely dissociated neurons and SH‐SY5Y human neuroblastoma cells. The NPFF anti‐N/OFQ, not anti‐μ opioid effect, on the Ca2+ transient triggered by depolarization was reversed by methyl‐β‐cyclodextrin which depletes cholesterol from cell membranes. While the inactive α‐cyclodextrin had no effect. By using [35S]GTPγS binding assay, a significant 20% decrease in the activity of nociceptin/orphanin FQ peptide receptors induced by the NPFF analog 1DMe was observed in detergent‐resistant membranes, but not in total membranes of SH‐SY5Y cells. Moreover, siRNA knock‐down of G‐protein‐coupled receptor kinase 2 indicated that G‐protein‐coupled receptor kinase 2, but not protein kinase C, acted as the mediator in the NPFF anti‐N/OFQ process. These data indicate that cholesterol‐rich lipid rafts play an important role in the anti‐N/OFQ effect of NPFF receptors.

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We proposed the participation of a signaling platform to the anti‐Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ (N/OFQ) effect of Neuropeptide FF (NPFF) receptors both in mouse neurons and SH‐SY5Y cells, with GRK2 protein acting as the mediator in this process. These findings should provide a more precise way to understand the anti‐opioid effect of NPFF. NOP, Nociceptin/Orphanin FQ peptide.
Regular source of primary care and emergency department use of children in Victoria
Authors: Turbitt Erin , Freed Gary Lee
Published: November 2015

Aim

The aim of this paper was to study the prevalence of a regular source of primary care for Victorian children attending one of four emergency departments (EDs) and to determine associated characteristics, including ED use.

Methods

Responses were collected via an electronic survey from parents attending EDs with their child (≤9 years of age) for a lower‐urgency condition. Single, multiple choice, and Likert scale responses were analysed using bivariate and logistic regression tests.

Results

Of the 1146 parents who provided responses, 80% stated their child has a regular source of primary care. Of these, care is mostly received by a general practitioner (GP) (95%) in GP group practices (71%). Approximately 20% have changed where their child receives primary care in the last year. No associations were observed between having a regular source of primary care and frequency of ED attendance in the past 12 months, although parents whose child did not have a regular source of primary care were more likely to view the ED as a more convenient place to receive care than the primary care provider (39% without regular source vs. 18% with regular source; P < 0.0001). Children were less likely to have a regular source of primary care if their parents were younger, had a lower household income, lower education, and were visiting a hospital in a lower socio‐economic indexes for areas rank.

Conclusions

Policy options to improve continuity of care for children may require investigation. Increasing the prevalence of regular source of primary care for children may in turn reduce ED visits.
Melatonin facilitates adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells to repair the murine infarcted heartviathe SIRT1 signaling pathway
Authors: Han Dong , Huang Wei , Li Xiang , Gao Lei , Su Tao , Li Xiujuan , Ma Sai , Liu Tong , Li Congye , Chen Jiangwei , Gao Erhe , Cao Feng
Published: November 2015

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)‐based therapy provides a promising therapy for the ischemic heart disease (IHD). However, engraftedMSCs are subjected to acute cell death in the ischemic microenvironment, characterized by excessive inflammation and oxidative stress in the host's infarcted myocardium. Melatonin, an indole, which is produced by many organs including pineal gland, has been shown to protect bone marrowMSCs against apoptosis although the mechanism of action remains elusive. Using a murine model of myocardial infarction (MI), this study was designed to evaluate the impact of melatonin on adipose‐derived mesenchymal stem cells (AD‐MSCs)‐based therapy forMIand the underlying mechanism involved with a focus on silent information regulator 1(SIRT1) signaling. Our results demonstrated that melatonin promoted functional survival ofAD‐MSCs in infarcted heart and provoked a synergetic effect withAD‐MSCs to restore heart function. This in vivo effect of melatonin was associated with alleviated inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress in infarcted heart. In vitro studies revealed that melatonin exert cytoprotective effects onAD‐MSCs against hypoxia/serum deprivation (H/SD) injuryviaattenuating inflammation, apoptosis, and oxidative stress. Mechanistically, melatonin enhancedSIRT1 signaling, which was accompanied with the increased expression of anti‐apoptotic protein Bcl2, and decreased the expression of Ac‐FoxO1, Ac‐p53, Ac‐NF‐ΚB, and Bax. Taken together, our findings indicated that melatonin facilitatedAD‐MSCs‐based therapy inMI, possibly through promoting survival ofAD‐MSCsviaSIRT1 signaling. Our data support the promise of melatonin as a novel strategy to improveMSC‐based therapy forIHD, possibly throughSIRT1 signaling evocation.
The suitability of some blood gas and biochemical parameters as diagnostic tools or early indicators of ascites syndrome in broiler sire lines
Authors: Hasanpur K. , Nassiri M. R. , Hosseini Salekdeh G. , Vaez Torshizi R. , Pakdel A. , Kermanshahi H. , Naghous M.
Published: November 2015

In recent few years, there have been some attempts to find a reliable indicator trait as a selection criterion against susceptibility to ascites syndrome (AS). Blood parameters were of great interest as they could be measured in live animals without implementing an ascites‐inducing challenge (AIC). In this work, the suitability of some blood parameters was evaluated for diagnosing AS‐susceptible chicks in later steps of the disease in trial 1 as well as their early predictive ability in trial 2. In the first trial, one hundred 1‐day‐old chicks from two pure broiler lines namely S1 and S2 and, in the second trial, 226 1‐day‐old chicks from line S2 were subjected to AIC. Saline drinking water (1200 mg/l) and lower‐than‐standard ambient temperatures were the implemented AICs in trials 1 and 2 respectively. The blood parameters including pH, partial pressure of O2 (pO2), partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2), bicarbonate ion concentration (BIC), percentage of haematocrit (HCT) and saturated haemoglobin (SaO2) were measured twice per each bird at days 28 and 35 in trial 1 and once in trial 2 at day 21. The results of the first trial revealed that in line S2 some of the blood parameters differed significantly between the ascitic and non‐ascitic groups following exposure to AIC. In this line, the incidence of AS was accompanied by a lower pO2, SaO2 and BIC, while with higher pCO2 and HCT values. In the second trial, however, although almost all of the parameters showed meaningful differences between the ascitic and non‐ascitic broilers, only mean difference of BIC parameter was statistically significant. The general conclusion of this study is that the blood parameters can somewhat have diagnostic ability in the condition in which the AIC is already present, whereas the results did not approve their usefulness as early predictors of AS.
Intestinal Leiomyositis: A Cause of Chronic Intestinal Pseudo‐Obstruction in 6 Dogs
Authors: Zacuto A.C. , Pesavento P.A. , Hill S. , McAlister A. , Rosenthal K. , Cherbinsky O. , Marks S.L.
Published: November 2015

Background

Intestinal leiomyositis is a suspected autoimmune disorder affecting the muscularis propria layer of the gastrointestinal tract and is a cause of chronic intestinal pseudo‐obstruction in humans and animals.

Objective

To characterize the clinical presentation, histopathologic features, and outcome of dogs with intestinal leiomyositis in an effort to optimize treatment and prognosis.

Animals

Six client‐owned dogs.

Methods

Retrospective case series. Medical records were reviewed to describe signalment, clinicopathologic and imaging findings, histopathologic diagnoses, treatment, and outcome. All biopsy specimens were reviewed by a board‐certified pathologist.

Results

Median age of dogs was 5.4 years (range, 15 months–9 years). Consistent clinical signs included vomiting (6/6), regurgitation (2/6), and small bowel diarrhea (3/6). Median duration of clinical signs before presentation was 13 days (range, 5–150 days). Diagnostic imaging showed marked gastric distension with dilated small intestines in 4/6 dogs. Full‐thickness intestinal biopsies were obtained in all dogs by laparotomy. Histopathology of the stomach and intestines disclosed mononuclear inflammation, myofiber degeneration and necrosis, and fibrosis centered within the region of myofiber loss in the intestinal muscularis propria. All dogs received various combinations of immunomodulatory and prokinetic treatment, antimicrobial agents, antiemetics, andIVfluids, but none of the dogs showed a clinically relevant improvement with treatment. Median survival was 19 days after diagnosis (range, 3–270 days).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Intestinal leiomyositis is a cause of intestinal pseudo‐obstruction and must be diagnosed by full‐thickness intestinal biopsy. This disease should be considered in dogs with acute and chronic vomiting, regurgitation, and small bowel diarrhea.
Cost‐effectiveness of Ombitasvir/Paritaprevir/Ritonavir, Dasabuvir+Ribavirin for US Post‐Liver Transplant Recurrent Genotype 1 HCV
Authors: Saab Sammy , Gonzalez Yuri S. , Huber Caroline , Wang Alice , Juday Timothy
Published: November 2015

Background & Aims

Orthotopic liver transplant patients with recurrent hepatitis C (HCV) historically have had limited treatment options. Ombitasvir/paritaprevir/ritonavir, dasabuvir and ribavirin (3D+R) was approved by the FDA in December 2014 for liver transplant recipients with recurrent genotype 1 HCV, in whom it is effective and well‐tolerated.

Methods

Using a two‐phase Markov model, we analysed the cost‐effectiveness of 3D+R in liver transplant recipients, the only HCV treatment with FDA approval in this population. As a sensitivity analysis, we also considered the cost‐effectiveness of pegylated interferon plus ribavirin, the only other therapy with data from Phase III trials in this population. Patients were given one of three options: 3D+R for 24 weeks, pegylated interferon and ribavirin for 48 weeks (PR48) or no treatment (NT). Patients were then followed through subsequent disease progression until death. Outcome measures analysed were: lifetime risks of liver morbidity and mortality, treatment costs, non‐treatment medical expenditures, and quality‐adjusted life years.

Results

Treatment with 3D+R was associated with a significantly lower lifetime risk of liver‐related morbidity and mortality than treatment with PR48 or NT. 3D+R also was associated with a higher gain in quality‐adjusted life years (11.3 compared to 8.25 with NT) and lower discounted overall costs ($423 585 compared to $724 757 with NT).

Conclusions

The use of 3D+R for liver transplant recipients with recurrent HCV is an outcome‐improving and cost‐effective regimen for this population with limited treatment options and large unmet need.
A metagenetic approach to determine the diversity and distribution of cyst nematodes at the level of the country, the field and the individual
Authors: Eves‐van den Akker Sebastian , Lilley Catherine J. , Reid Alex , Pickup Jon , Anderson Eric , Cock Peter J.A. , Blaxter Mark , Urwin Peter E. , Jones John T. , Blok Vivian C.
Published: November 2015

Distinct populations of the potato cyst nematode (PCN) Globodera pallida exist in the UK that differ in their ability to overcome various sources of resistance. An efficient method for distinguishing between populations would enable pathogen‐informed cultivar choice in the field. Science and Advice for Scottish Agriculture (SASA) annually undertake national DNA diagnostic tests to determine the presence of PCN in potato seed and ware land by extracting DNA from soil floats. These DNA samples provide a unique resource for monitoring the distribution of PCN and further interrogation of the diversity within species.

We identify a region of mitochondrial DNA descriptive of three main groups of G. pallida present in the UK and adopt a metagenetic approach to the sequencing and analysis of all SASA samples simultaneously. Using this approach, we describe the distribution of G. pallida mitotypes across Scotland with field‐scale resolution. Most fields contain a single mitotype, one‐fifth contain a mix of mitotypes, and less than 3% contain all three mitotypes. Within mixed fields, we were able to quantify the relative abundance of each mitotype across an order of magnitude. Local areas within mixed fields are dominated by certain mitotypes and indicate towards a complex underlying ‘pathoscape’. Finally, we assess mitotype distribution at the level of the individual cyst and provide evidence of ‘hybrids’. This study provides a method for accurate, quantitative and high‐throughput typing of up to one thousand fields simultaneously, while revealing novel insights into the national genetic variability of an economically important plant parasite.
Response to Tibayrenc and Ayala: reproductive clonality in protozoan pathogens – truth or artefact?
Authors: Ramírez J. D. , Llewellyn M. S.
Published: November 2015

Tibayrenc and Ayala raised several interesting objections to an opinion piece we recently published in Molecular Ecology (Ramirez & Llewellyn 2014). Our piece examined the value of an alternative perspective to their theory of predominant clonal evolution (PCE) on the prevalence and importance of genetic exchange in parasitic protozoa. In particular, our aim was to establish whether population genetic signatures of clonality in parasites were representative of true biological/evolutionary processes or artefacts of inadequate tools and inappropriate or inadequate sampling. We address Tibayrenc and Ayala's criticisms and make a detailed response. In doing so, we deny the consensus that Tibayrenc and Ayala claim around their views and dismiss much of the language which Tibayrenc and Ayala have introduced to this debate as either arbitrary or inaccurate. We strongly reject accusations that we misunderstood and misquoted the work of others. We do not think the PCE provides a useful framework for understanding existing parasite population structures. Furthermore, on the eve of the population genomic era, we strongly urge Tibayrenc and Ayala to wait for the forthcoming wealth of high‐resolution data before considering whether it is appropriate to refine or re‐iterate their PCE hypothesis.
Reproductive clonality in protozoan pathogens—truth or artifact? A comment on Ramírez and Llewellyn
Authors: Tibayrenc Michel , Ayala Francisco J.
Published: November 2015

The predominant clonal evolution (PCE) model of micropathogens proposed by us has been challenged by a recent paper in Molecular Ecology. We review the main tenets of our model and show that the criticisms raised by the paper's authors are based on papers that are either misunderstood or misquoted. We argue that the PCE model and its recent developments (in particular the ‘Russian doll model’ dealing with micro‐clonal evolution) are supported in most cases when adequate data are available.
Genomic signature of successful colonization of Eurasia by the allopolyploid shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa‐pastoris)
Authors: Cornille A. , Salcedo A. , Kryvokhyzha D. , Glémin S. , Holm K. , Wright S. I. , Lascoux M.
Published: November 2015

Polyploidization is a dominant feature of flowering plant evolution. However, detailed genomic analyses of the interpopulation diversification of polyploids following genome duplication are still in their infancy, mainly because of methodological limits, both in terms of sequencing and computational analyses. The shepherd's purse (Capsella bursa‐pastoris) is one of the most common weed species in the world. It is highly self‐fertilizing, and recent genomic data indicate that it is an allopolyploid, resulting from hybridization between the ancestors of the diploid species Capsella grandiflora and Capsella orientalis. Here, we investigated the genomic diversity of C. bursa‐pastoris, its population structure and demographic history, following allopolyploidization in Eurasia. To that end, we genotyped 261 C. bursa‐pastoris accessions spread across Europe, the Middle East and Asia, using genotyping‐by‐sequencing, leading to a total of 4274 SNPs after quality control. Bayesian clustering analyses revealed three distinct genetic clusters in Eurasia: one cluster grouping samples from Western Europe and Southeastern Siberia, the second one centred on Eastern Asia and the third one in the Middle East. Approximate Bayesian computation (ABC) supported the hypothesis that C. bursa‐pastoris underwent a typical colonization history involving low gene flow among colonizing populations, likely starting from the Middle East towards Europe and followed by successive human‐mediated expansions into Eastern Asia. Altogether, these findings bring new insights into the recent multistage colonization history of the allotetraploid C. bursa‐pastoris and highlight ABC and genotyping‐by‐sequencing data as promising but still challenging tools to infer demographic histories of selfing allopolyploids.
Geography and end use drive the diversification of worldwide winter rye populations
Authors: Parat Florence , Schwertfirm Grit , Rudolph Ulrike , Miedaner Thomas , Korzun Viktor , Bauer Eva , Schön Chris‐Carolin , Tellier Aurélien
Published: November 2015

To meet the current challenges in human food production, improved understanding of the genetic diversity of crop species that maximizes the selection efficacy in breeding programs is needed. The present study offers new insights into the diversity, genetic structure and demographic history of cultivated rye (Secale cereale L.). We genotyped 620 individuals from 14 global rye populations with a different end use (grain or forage) at 32 genome‐wide simple sequence repeat markers. We reveal the relationships among these populations, their sizes and the timing of domestication events using population genetics and model‐based inference with approximate Bayesian computation. Our main results demonstrate (i) a high within‐population variation and genetic diversity, (ii) an unexpected absence of reduction in diversity with an increasing improvement level and (iii) patterns suggestive of multiple domestication events. We suggest that the main drivers of diversification of winter rye are the end use of rye in two early regions of cultivation: rye forage in the Mediterranean area and grain in northeast Europe. The lower diversity and stronger differentiation of eastern European populations were most likely due to more intensive cultivation and breeding of rye in this region, in contrast to the Mediterranean region where it was considered a secondary crop or even a weed. We discuss the relevance of our results for the management of gene bank resources and the pitfalls of inference methods applied to crop domestication due to violation of model assumptions and model complexity.
Morphological characteristics of eosinophilic neuronal death after transient unilateral forebrain ischemia in Mongolian gerbils
Authors: Shen Yanling , Wang Zongli , Li Fuying , Sun Liyuan
Published: November 2015

Various types of eosinophilic neurons (ENs) are found in the post‐ischemic brain. The aim of the present study was to elucidate the temporal and spatial profile of ENs, the expression of TUNEL staining and ultrastructural characteristics in the core and peripheral regions of the cortex post‐ischemia. Unilateral forebrain ischemia was induced in Mongolian gerbils by transient common carotid artery occlusions, and the brains from 3 h to 2 weeks post‐ischemia were prepared for morphometric, electron microscopy (EM) and TUNEL staining of the ENs. Light microscopy showed that ENs with minimally abnormal nuclei and swollen cell bodies appeared at 3 h in the ischemic core and at 12 h in the periphery. Thereafter, ENs with pyknosis and irregular atrophic cytoplasm peaked at 12 h, pyknosis with scant cytoplasm peaked at 4 days, and TUNEL‐positive staining was observed in the ischemic core. In the ischemic periphery, ENs had slightly atrophic cytoplasm and sequentially developed pyknosis, karyorrhexis and karyolysis over 1 week. These cells were also positive for TUNEL. In EM, severe organelle dilation and vacuolization preceded chromatin fragmentation in the ischemic core, while chromatin fragmentation and homogenization were the vital characteristics in the ischemic periphery. There might be two region‐dependent pathways for EN changes in the post‐ischemic brain: pyknosis with cytoplasmic shrinkage in the core and nuclear disintegration with slightly atrophic cytoplasm in the periphery. These pathways were comparable to necrosis and proceeded from non‐classical apoptosis to necrosis, respectively.
The impact of an inverse climate–isotope relationship in soil water on the oxygen‐isotope composition of Larix gmelinii in Siberia
Authors: Saurer Matthias , Kirdyanov Alexander V. , Prokushkin Anatoly S. , Rinne Katja T. , Siegwolf Rolf T. W.
Published: November 2015

Stable oxygen isotope ratios (δ18O) in trees from high latitude ecosystems are valuable sources of information for recent and past environmental changes, but the interpretation is hampered by the complex hydrology of forests growing under permafrost conditions, where only a shallow layer of soil thaws in summer.

We investigated larch trees (Larix gmelinii) at two sites with contrasting soil conditions in Siberia and determined δ18O of water from different soil depths, roots, twigs, and needles as well as δ18O of soluble carbohydrates regularly over two growing seasons.

A comparison of results from the 2 yrs revealed an unexpected ‘inverse’ climate‐isotope relationship, as dry and warm summer conditions resulted in lower soil and root δ18O values. This was due to a stronger uptake of isotopically depleted water pools originating from melted permafrost or previous winter snow. We developed a conceptual framework that considers the dependence of soil water profiles on climatic conditions for explaining δ18O in needle water, needle soluble carbohydrates and stem cellulose.

The negative feedback of drought conditions on the source isotope value could explain decreasing tree‐ring δ18O trends in a warming climate and is likely relevant in many ecosystems, where a soil isotope gradient with depth is observed.
The Craterostigma plantagineum glycine‐rich protein CpGRP1 interacts with a cell wall‐associated protein kinase 1 (CpWAK1) and accumulates in leaf cell walls during dehydration
Authors: Giarola Valentino , Krey Stephanie , von den Driesch Barbara , Bartels Dorothea
Published: November 2015

Craterostigma plantagineum tolerates extreme desiccation. Leaves of this plant shrink and extensively fold during dehydration and expand again during rehydration, preserving their structural integrity. Genes were analysed that may participate in the reversible folding mechanism.

Analysis of transcripts abundantly expressed in desiccated leaves identified a gene putatively coding for an apoplastic glycine‐rich protein (CpGRP1). We studied the expression, regulation and subcellular localization of CpGRP1 and its ability to interact with a cell wall‐associated protein kinase (CpWAK1) to understand the role of CpGRP1 in the cell wall during dehydration.

The CpGRP1 protein accumulates in the apoplast of desiccated leaves. Analysis of the promoter revealed that the gene expression is mainly regulated at the transcriptional level, is independent of abscisic acid (ABA) and involves a drought‐responsive cis‐element (DRE). CpGRP1 interacts with CpWAK1 which is down‐regulated in response to dehydration.

Our data suggest a role of the CpGRP1–CpWAK1 complex in dehydration‐induced morphological changes in the cell wall during dehydration in C. plantagineum. Cell wall pectins and dehydration‐induced pectin modifications are predicted to be involved in the activity of the CpGRP1–CpWAK1 complex.
Cryptic eco‐evolutionary dynamics
Authors: Kinnison Michael T. , Hairston Nelson G. , Hendry Andrew P.
Published: November 2015

Natural systems harbor complex interactions that are fundamental parts of ecology and evolution. These interactions challenge our inclinations and training to seek the simplest explanations of patterns in nature. Not least is the likelihood that some complex processes might be missed when their patterns look similar to predictions for simpler mechanisms. Along these lines, theory and empirical evidence increasingly suggest that environmental, ecological, phenotypic, and genetic processes can be tightly intertwined, resulting in complex and sometimes surprising eco‐evolutionary dynamics. The goal of this review is to temper inclinations to unquestioningly seek the simplest explanations in ecology and evolution, by recognizing that some eco‐evolutionary outcomes may appear very similar to purely ecological, purely evolutionary, or even null expectations, and thus be cryptic. We provide theoretical and empirical evidence for observational biases and mechanisms that might operate among the various links in eco‐evolutionary feedbacks to produce cryptic patterns. Recognition that cryptic dynamics can be associated with outcomes like stability, resilience, recovery, or coexistence in a dynamically changing world provides added impetus for finding ways to study them.
Relation of Age, Sex and Bone Mineral Density to Serum 25‐Hydroxyvitamin D Levels in Chinese Women and Men
Authors: Wei Qiu‐shi , Chen Zhen‐qiu , Tan Xin , Su Hai‐rong , Chen Xiao‐xiang , He Wei , Deng Wei‐min
Published: November 2015

Objective

To investigate the relation of circulating 25‐hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) levels to age, sex, and bone mineral density (BMD) in adults living in Guangzhou Province.

Methods

This cross‐sectional study comprised 188 women and 122 men aged 17–88 years who were randomly sampled among community‐dwelling Guangzhou residents. BMD at the lumbar spine and femoral neck was measured by dual energy X‐ray absorptiometry, and serum concentrations of 25(OH)D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), procollagen I N‐terminal peptide, and beta C‐telopeptide of collagen were assayed by electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were divided into four subgroups: severe deficiency (<10 ng/mL), deficiency (10–20 ng/mL), insufficiency (20–30 ng/mL), and sufficiency (≥30 ng/mL).

Results

The mean age of participants was 47.39 ± 19.32 years. Serum 25(OH)D levels were significantly lower in women than men (25.35 ± 6.59 ng/mL vs 27.25 ± 7.94 ng/mL, P < 0.05). The prevalence of 25(OH)D severe deficiency (<10 ng/mL) was 1.6% in men, zero in women; 25(OH)D deficiency (10–20 ng/mL) was 22.9% in women and 20.5% in men; and 25(OH)D insufficiency (20–30 ng/mL) was 73.4% in women and 65.6% in men. An inverse relationship between serum 25(OH)D levels and age (r = −0.249, P < 0.01) was observed in men, but no correlation was found in women (r = 0.130, P > 0.05). Serum 25(OH)D levels were positively associated with lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD (r = 0.382, P < 0.01; r = 0.384, P < 0.01, respectively) in elderly women and (r = 0.332, P < 0.05; r = 0.260, P < 0.05, respectively) and in young men. When adjustments were made for age, correlations between serum 25(OH)D levels and lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD persisted (r = 0.325, P < 0.05; r = 0.323, P < 0.05, respectively) in elderly women. However, age‐adjusted serum 25(OH)D levels were positively correlated with BMD at lumbar spine (r = 0.278, P < 0.05) but not at femoral neck (r = 0.165, P > 0.05) in young men. No association between unadjusted or age‐adjusted serum 25(OH)D levels and lumbar spine and femoral neck BMD was found in young and middle‐aged women and in middle‐aged and elderly men. Neither serum PTH levels nor bone turnover markers were related to unadjusted and age‐adjusted serum 25(OH)D levels in our participants.

Conclusion

More than two‐third of participants residing in Guangzhou had vitamin D insufficiency. Serum 25(OH)D level is an important biomarker for BMD in elderly women and young men.
On G.E. Moore’S ‘Proof of an External World’
Authors: Weatherall James Owen
Published: November 2015

A new reading of G.E. Moore's ‘Proof of an External World’ is offered, on which the Proof is understood as a unique and essential part of an anti‐sceptical strategy that Moore worked out early in his career and developed in various forms, from 1909 until his death in 1958. I begin by ignoring the Proof and by developing a reading of Moore's broader response to scepticism. The bulk of the article is then devoted to understanding what role the Proof plays in Moore's strategy, and how that role is played.
The influence of alternative pathways of respiration that utilize branched‐chain amino acids following water shortage in Arabidopsis
Authors: Pires Marcel V. , Pereira Júnior Adilson A. , Medeiros David B. , Daloso Danilo M. , Pham Phuong Anh , Barros Kallyne A. , Engqvist Martin K. M. , Florian Alexandra , Krahnert Ina , Maurino Veronica G. , Araújo Wagner L. , Fernie Alisdair R.
Published: November 2015

During dark‐induced senescence isovaleryl‐CoA dehydrogenase (IVDH) and D‐2‐hydroxyglutarate dehydrogenase (D‐2HGDH) act as alternate electron donors to the ubiquinol pool via the electron‐transfer flavoprotein/electron‐transfer flavoprotein:ubiquinone oxidoreductase (ETF/ETFQO) pathway. However, the role of this pathway in response to other stresses still remains unclear. Here, we demonstrated that this alternative pathway is associated with tolerance to drought in Arabidopsis. In comparison with wild type (WT) and lines overexpressing D‐2GHDH, loss‐of‐function etfqo‐1, d2hgdh‐2 and ivdh‐1 mutants displayed compromised respiration rates and were more sensitive to drought. Our results demonstrated that an operational ETF/ETFQO pathway is associated with plants' ability to withstand drought and to recover growth once water becomes replete. Drought‐induced metabolic reprogramming resulted in an increase in tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle intermediates and total amino acid levels, as well as decreases in protein, starch and nitrate contents. The enhanced levels of the branched‐chain amino acids in loss‐of‐function mutants appear to be related to their increased utilization as substrates for the TCA cycle under water stress. Our results thus show that mitochondrial metabolism is highly active during drought stress responses and provide support for a role of alternative respiratory pathways within this response.
Invasive species cover, soil type, and grazing interact to predict long‐term grassland restoration success
Authors: Gornish Elise S. , Ambrozio dos Santos Patrícia
Published: November 2015

Grasslands are undergoing tremendous degradation as a result of climate change, land use, and invasion by non‐native plants. However, understanding of the factors responsible for driving reestablishment of grassland plant communities is largely derived from short‐term studies. In order to develop an understanding of the factors responsible for longer term restoration outcomes in California annual grasslands, we surveyed 12 fields in Davis, CA, U.S.A., in 2015 that were seeded with native species mixtures starting in 2004. Using field surveys, we investigated how invasive plant richness and cover, native plant richness and cover, aboveground biomass, grazing, soil type, and restoration species identity might provide utility for explaining patterns of restoration success. We found a negative relationship between invasive cover and restoration cover, which was attributed to the slow establishment of seeded species and subsequent dominance by weeds. The relationship between invasive cover and restoration cover was modified by grazing, likely due to a change in the dominance of exotic forbs, which have a more similar growing season to restoration species, and therefore compete more strongly for late season moisture. Finally, we found that soil type was responsible for differences in the identity and abundance of invasive plants, subsequently affecting restoration cover. This work highlights the value of focusing resources on reducing invasive species cover, limiting grazing to periods of adequate moisture, and considering soil type for successful long‐term restoration in California annual grasslands. Moreover, observations of long‐term restoration outcomes can provide insight into the way mechanisms driving restoration outcomes might differ through time.
Boundaries of the wolf and the wild: a conceptual examination of the relationship between rewilding and animal reintroduction
Authors: Arts Koen , Fischer Anke , van der Wal René
Published: November 2015

Animal reintroduction and rewilding are two widely appealing and frequently connected forms of ecological restoration. However, the critical assumption that animal reintroduction automatically helps to restore formerly wild places is under‐theorized. To fill this void, we identified three common rewilding elements from the literature—ecological functioning, wilderness experience, and natural autonomy—and screened these against a hypothetical wolf reintroduction to Scotland. Each of the rewilding elements was likely to be positively impacted by a wolf reintroduction. Yet, there is a key conceptual difficulty in that the different rewilding elements do not necessarily enforce each other, and at times may even collide. Thus, a reintroduced species like the wolf may obfuscate the clear‐cut, purified nature category to which rewilding often aspires. As a way forward, we suggest that there is merit in actively engaging with the tensions created by rewilding and reintroductions. A reconceptualisation of the nature–culture spectrum as consisting of multiple layers (e.g. ecological functioning, wilderness experience, and natural autonomy) may help to interpret ecological restoration as a tentative, deliberative, and gradual enterprise. This bears some resemblance to the notion of approaching a landscape like a ‘palimpsest’ (i.e. a text built up of different layers written on top of each other), which may support the reconciliation of conflicting views without necessarily making those disappear. When viewed as feeding into a multilayered nature–culture spectrum, animal reintroduction and rewilding can be promoted as inspiring and essentially non‐controlling forms of ecological restoration and human interaction with nature.
Long‐term pockmark maintenance by fluid seepage and subsurface sediment mobilization – sedimentological investigations in Lake Neuchâtel
Authors: Loher Markus , Reusch Anna , Strasser Michael
Published: November 2015

Pockmarks and mud volcanoes from marine and lacustrine environments are thought to be the surface expression of focused fluid flow (gas and/or water). However, the control fluid flow exerts on the sediment dynamics and rates of activity of such features, especially the maintenance and growth of pockmarks, is not well understood. This study suggests that variable fluid flow is the driving process that has maintained two lacustrine pockmarks over thousands of years. In Lake Neuchâtel (western Switzerland), the currently active Chez‐le‐Bart Pockmark (diameter ca 160 m, depth ca 10 m) and the Treytel Pockmark (diameter ca 100 m, depth ca 4 m) indicate ‘quiescent’ fluid flow as well as past, ‘eruptive’, events of subsurface sediment mobilization. This study aims to test the hypothesis that phases of increased fluid flow through the pockmarks have led to the remobilization and spilling of sediment over the pockmark rims, and that different modes of activity phases are responsible for their maintenance and growth. So termed ‘subsurface sediment mobilization deposits’ are visible in seismic profiles and correlate to specific, sedimentary intervals in Kullenberg‐type long piston cores. In a detailed analysis, different modes of transport are recognized, which are attributed to high‐density flows that correspond to multiple pulses of activity. The pockmark morphology, seismic stratigraphy and core correlation with pre‐existing data reveals that the two pockmarks have been maintained throughout the Holocene and underwent several switches between ‘quiescent’ and ‘eruptive’ mode activity.
Central and peripheral fatigue following non‐exhaustive and exhaustive exercise of disparate metabolic demands
Authors: O'Leary T. J. , Morris M. G. , Collett J. , Howells K.
Published: November 2015

The development of fatigue after non‐exhaustive and exhaustive exercise eliciting differing metabolic demands is poorly understood. Sixteen active males completed five cycling trials. The first trial established the lactate threshold (LT) and maximal oxygen uptake (VO2max). Two of the remaining trials were completed at a severe intensity (halfway between LT and VO2max, SI) and two at a moderate intensity (90% LT, MI). Each trial involved two non‐exhaustive bouts matched for work between intensities before cycling to exhaustion. Responses to stimulation of the femoral nerve and motor cortex were determined after each bout to determine peripheral and central fatigue. Corticospinal excitability, cortical silent period (cSP), short‐interval intracortical inhibition (SICI), and intracortical facilitation (ICF) were also assessed. Non‐exhaustive cycling induced greater peripheral and central fatigue in the SI compared with the MI (P < 0.05). At exhaustion, there was no difference between intensities; however, peripheral fatigue tended to be greater in the SI vs MI (−31% vs −17%, respectively, P = 0.051). Exhaustive cycling increased SICI (24%, P < 0.001) and reduced the cSP (−14%, P < 0.001) in the SI, whereas ICF was reduced in the MI (−16%, P < 0.001). These findings demonstrate exercise‐induced metabolic stress accelerates the development of peripheral and central fatigue, and differentially influences intracortical excitability.
Health status and disease burden of unaccompanied asylum‐seeking adolescents in Bielefeld, Germany: cross‐sectional pilot study
Authors: Marquardt L. , Krämer A. , Fischer F. , Prüfer‐Krämer L.
Published: November 2015

Objective

This exploratory pilot study aimed to investigate the physical and mental disease burden of unaccompanied asylum‐seeking adolescents arriving in Bielefeld, a medium‐size city in Germany.

Methods

A cross‐sectional survey with purposive sampling of 102 unaccompanied asylum‐seeking adolescents aged 12–18 years was performed. Information on general health status, selected infectious and non‐communicable diseases, iron deficiency anaemia and mental illness was collected during routine check‐up medical examinations upon arrival in Bielefeld, Germany. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics.

Results

The analysis revealed a complex disease burden with a high prevalence of infections (58.8%), mental illness (13.7%) and iron deficiency anaemia (17.6%) and a very low prevalence of non‐communicable diseases (<2.0%). One in five of the refugees were infected with parasites. Whilst sub‐Saharan Africans showed the highest prevalence of infections (86.7%), including highest prevalences of parasites (46.7%), West Asians had the highest prevalence of mental disorders (20.0%). Overall, the disease burden in females was higher.

Conclusion

A thorough medical and psychological screening after arrival is highly recommended to reduce the individual disease burden and the risk of infection for others. This promotes good physical and mental health, which is needed for successful integration into the receiving society. Barriers to health service access for unaccompanied asylum‐seeking adolescents need to be lowered to allow need‐specific health care and prevention.
The pioneering work of George Mines on cardiac arrhythmias: groundbreaking ideas that remain influential in contemporary cardiac electrophysiology
Authors: Aguilar Martin , Nattel Stanley
Published: November 2015

George Mines was a pioneering physiologist who, despite an extremely short period of professional activity and only primitive experimental methodology, succeeded in formulating concepts that continue to be of great influence today. Here, we review some of his most important discoveries and their impact on contemporary concepts and clinical practice. Mines’ greatest contribution was his conceptualization and characterization of circus movement reentry. His observations and ideas about the basis for cardiac reentrant activity underlie how we understand and manage a wide range of important clinical rhythm disturbances today. The notions he introduced regarding the influence of premature extrastimuli on reentry (termination, resetting and entrainment) are central to contemporary assessment of arrhythmia mechanisms in clinical electrophysiology laboratories and modern device therapy of cardiac tachyarrhythmias. Refinements of his model of reentry have led to sophisticated biophysical theories of the mechanisms underlying cardiac fibrillation. His seminal observations on the influence of electrolyte derangements and autonomic tone on the heart are relevant to our understanding of the physiology and pharmacology of arrhythmias caused by cardiac pathology. In this era of advanced technology, it is important to appreciate that ideas of lasting impact come from great minds and do not necessarily require great tools.

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Calorie restriction as an intervention in ageing
Authors: López‐Lluch Guillermo , Navas Plácido
Published: November 2015

Ageing causes loss of function in tissues and organs, is accompanied by a chronic inflammatory process and affects life‐ and healthspan. Calorie restriction (CR) is a non‐genetic intervention that prevents age‐associated diseases and extends longevity in most of the animal models studied so far. CR produces a pleiotropic effect and improves multiple metabolic pathways, generating benefits to the whole organism. Among the effects of CR, modulation of mitochondrial activity and a decrease in oxidative damage are two of the hallmarks. Oxidative damage is reduced by the induction of endogenous antioxidant systems and modulation of the peroxidability index in cell membranes. Mitochondrial activity changes are regulated by inhibition of IGF‐1 and Target of Rapamycin (TOR)‐dependent activities and activation of AMP‐dependent kinase (AMPK) and the sirtuin family of proteins. The activity of PGC‐1α and FoxO is regulated by these systems and is involved in mitochondria biogenesis, oxidative metabolism activity and mitochondrial turnover. The use of mimetics and the regulation of common factors have demonstrated that these molecular pathways are essential to explain the effect of CR in the organism. Finally, the anti‐inflammatory effect of CR is an interesting emerging factor to be taken into consideration. In the present revision we focus on the general effect of CR and other mimetics in longevity, focusing especially on the cardiovascular system and skeletal muscle.

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