bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Seventy years of continuous encroachment substantially increases ‘blue carbon’ capacity as mangroves replace intertidal salt marshes
Authors: Kelleway Jeffrey J. , Saintilan Neil , Macreadie Peter I. , Skilbeck Charles G. , Zawadzki Atun , Ralph Peter J.
Published: December 2015

Shifts in ecosystem structure have been observed over recent decades as woody plants encroach upon grasslands and wetlands globally. The migration of mangrove forests into salt marsh ecosystems is one such shift which could have important implications for global ‘blue carbon’ stocks. To date, attempts to quantify changes in ecosystem function are essentially constrained to climate‐mediated pulses (30 years or less) of encroachment occurring at the thermal limits of mangroves. In this study, we track the continuous, lateral encroachment of mangroves into two south‐eastern Australian salt marshes over a period of 70 years and quantify corresponding changes in biomass and belowground C stores. Substantial increases in biomass and belowground C stores have resulted as mangroves replaced salt marsh at both marine and estuarine sites. After 30 years, aboveground biomass was significantly higher than salt marsh, with biomass continuing to increase with mangrove age. Biomass increased at the mesohaline river site by 130 ± 18 Mg biomass km−2 yr−1 (mean ± SE), a 2.5 times higher rate than the marine embayment site (52 ± 10 Mg biomass km−2 yr−1), suggesting local constraints on biomass production. At both sites, and across all vegetation categories, belowground C considerably outweighed aboveground biomass stocks, with belowground C stocks increasing at up to 230 ± 62 Mg C km−2 yr−1 (± SE) as mangrove forests developed. Over the past 70 years, we estimate mangrove encroachment may have already enhanced intertidal biomass by up to 283 097 Mg and belowground C stocks by over 500 000 Mg in the state of New South Wales alone. Under changing climatic conditions and rising sea levels, global blue carbon storage may be enhanced as mangrove encroachment becomes more widespread, thereby countering global warming.
Habitat availability and gene flow influence diverging local population trajectories under scenarios of climate change: a place‐based approach
Authors: Schwalm Donelle , Epps Clinton W. , Rodhouse Thomas J. , Monahan William B. , Castillo Jessica A. , Ray Chris , Jeffress Mackenzie R.
Published: December 2015

Ecological niche theory holds that species distributions are shaped by a large and complex suite of interacting factors. Species distribution models (SDMs) are increasingly used to describe species’ niches and predict the effects of future environmental change, including climate change. Currently, SDMs often fail to capture the complexity of species’ niches, resulting in predictions that are generally limited to climate‐occupancy interactions. Here, we explore the potential impact of climate change on the American pika using a replicated place‐based approach that incorporates climate, gene flow, habitat configuration, and microhabitat complexity into SDMs. Using contemporary presence–absence data from occupancy surveys, genetic data to infer connectivity between habitat patches, and 21 environmental niche variables, we built separate SDMs for pika populations inhabiting eight US National Park Service units representing the habitat and climatic breadth of the species across the western United States. We then predicted occurrence probability under current (1981–2010) and three future time periods (out to 2100). Occurrence probabilities and the relative importance of predictor variables varied widely among study areas, revealing important local‐scale differences in the realized niche of the American pika. This variation resulted in diverse and – in some cases – highly divergent future potential occupancy patterns for pikas, ranging from complete extirpation in some study areas to stable occupancy patterns in others. Habitat composition and connectivity, which are rarely incorporated in SDM projections, were influential in predicting pika occupancy in all study areas and frequently outranked climate variables. Our findings illustrate the importance of a place‐based approach to species distribution modeling that includes fine‐scale factors when assessing current and future climate impacts on species’ distributions, especially when predictions are intended to manage and conserve species of concern within individual protected areas.
Assessing the influence of historic net and gross land changes on the carbon fluxes of Europe
Authors: Fuchs Richard , Schulp Catharina J. E. , Hengeveld Geerten M. , Verburg Peter H. , Clevers Jan G. P. W. , Schelhaas Mart‐Jan , Herold Martin
Published: December 2015

Legacy effects of land cover/use on carbon fluxes require considering both present and past land cover/use change dynamics. To assess past land use dynamics, model‐based reconstructions of historic land cover/use are needed. Most historic reconstructions consider only the net area difference between two time steps (net changes) instead of accounting for all area gains and losses (gross changes). Studies about the impact of gross and net land change accounting methods on the carbon balance are still lacking. In this study, we assessed historic changes in carbon in soils for five land cover/use types and of carbon in above‐ground biomass of forests. The assessment focused on Europe for the period 1950 to 2010 with decadal time steps at 1‐km spatial resolution using a bookkeeping approach. To assess the implications of gross land change data, we also used net land changes for comparison. Main contributors to carbon sequestration between 1950 and 2010 were afforestation and cropland abandonment leading to 14.6 PgC sequestered carbon (of which 7.6 PgC was in forest biomass). Sequestration was highest for old‐growth forest areas. A sequestration dip was reached during the 1970s due to changes in forest management practices. Main contributors to carbon emissions were deforestation (1.7 PgC) and stable cropland areas on peaty soils (0.8 PgC). In total, net fluxes summed up to 203 TgC yr−1 (98 TgC yr−1 in forest biomass and 105 TgC yr−1 in soils). For areas that were subject to land changes in both reconstructions (35% of total area), the differences in carbon fluxes were about 68%. Overall for Europe the difference between accounting for either gross or net land changes led to 7% difference (up to 11% per decade) in carbon fluxes with systematically higher fluxes for gross land change data.
Impacts of forestry planting on primary production in upland lakes from north‐west Ireland
Authors: Stevenson Mark A. , McGowan Suzanne , Anderson N. John , Foy Robert H. , Leavitt Peter R. , McElarney Yvonne R. , Engstrom Daniel R. , Pla‐Rabés Sergi
Published: December 2015

Planted forests are increasing in many upland regions worldwide, but knowledge about their potential effects on algal communities of catchment lakes is relatively unknown. Here, the effects of afforestation were investigated using palaeolimnology at six upland lake sites in the north‐west of Ireland subject to different extents of forest plantation cover (4–64% of catchment area). 210Pb‐dated sediment cores were analysed for carotenoid pigments from algae, stable isotopes of bulk carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N), and C/N ratios. In lakes with >50% of their catchment area covered by plantations, there were two‐ to sixfold increases in pigments from cryptophytes (alloxanthin) and significant but lower increases (39–116%) in those from colonial cyanobacteria (canthaxanthin), but no response from biomarkers of total algal abundance (β‐carotene). In contrast, lakes in catchments with <20% afforestation exhibited no consistent response to forestry practices, although all lakes exhibited fluctuations in pigments and geochemical variables due to peat cutting and upland grazing prior to forest plantation. Taken together, patterns suggest that increases in cyanobacteria and cryptophyte abundance reflect a combination of mineral and nutrient enrichment associated with forest fertilization and organic matter influx which may have facilitated growth of mixotrophic taxa. This study demonstrates that planted forests can alter the abundance and community structure of algae in upland humic lakes of Ireland and Northern Ireland, despite long histories of prior catchment disturbance.
Ecological change predicts population dynamics and genetic diversity over 120 000 years
Authors: Horreo Jose Luis , Jiménez‐Valverde Alberto , Fitze Patrick S.
Published: December 2015

While ecological effects on short‐term population dynamics are well understood, their effects over millennia are difficult to demonstrate and convincing evidence is scant. Using coalescent methods, we analysed past population dynamics of three lizard species (Psammodromus hispanicus, P. edwardsianus, P. occidentalis) and linked the results with climate change data covering the same temporal horizon (120 000 years). An increase in population size over time was observed in two species, and in P. occidentalis, no change was observed. Temporal changes in temperature seasonality and the maximum temperature of the warmest month were congruent with changes in population dynamics observed for the three species and both variables affected population density, either directly or indirectly (via a life‐history trait). These results constitute the first solid link between ecological change and long‐term population dynamics. The results moreover suggest that ecological change leaves genetic signatures that can be retrospectively traced, providing evidence that ecological change is a crucial driver of genetic diversity and speciation.
Quantitative Detection and Genotyping of Helicobacter pylori from Stool using Droplet Digital PCR Reveals Variation in Bacterial Loads that Correlates with cagA Virulence Gene Carriage
Authors: Talarico Sarah , Safaeian Mahboobeh , Gonzalez Paula , Hildesheim Allan , Herrero Rolando , Porras Carolina , Cortes Bernal , Larson Ann , Fang Ferric C. , Salama Nina R.
Published: December 2015

Background

Epidemiologic studies of the carcinogenic stomach bacterium Helicobacter pylori have been limited by the lack of noninvasive detection and genotyping methods. We developed a new stool‐based method for detection, quantification, and partial genotyping of H. pylori using droplet digital PCR (ddPCR), which allows for increased sensitivity and absolute quantification by PCR partitioning.

Materials and Methods

Stool‐based ddPCR assays for H. pylori 16S gene detection and cagA virulence gene typing were tested using a collection of 50 matched stool and serum samples from Costa Rican volunteers and 29 H. pylori stool antigen‐tested stool samples collected at a US hospital.

Results

The stool‐based H. pylori 16S ddPCR assay had a sensitivity of 84% and 100% and a specificity of 100% and 71% compared to serology and stool antigen tests, respectively. The stool‐based cagA genotyping assay detected cagA in 22 (88%) of 25 stools from CagA antibody‐positive individuals and four (16%) of 25 stools from CagA antibody‐negative individuals from Costa Rica. All 26 of these samples had a Western‐type cagA allele. Presence of serum CagA antibodies was correlated with a significantly higher load of H. pylori in the stool.

Conclusions

The stool‐based ddPCR assays are a sensitive, noninvasive method for detection, quantification, and partial genotyping of H. pylori. The quantitative nature of ddPCR‐based H. pylori detection revealed significant variation in bacterial load among individuals that correlates with presence of the cagA virulence gene. These stool‐based ddPCR assays will facilitate future population‐based epidemiologic studies of this important human pathogen.
Enhancement of the antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory activities of king coconut water (Cocos nucifera var. aurantiaca) by fermentation with kombucha ‘tea fungus’
Authors: Watawana Mindani I. , Jayawardena Nilakshi , Gunawardhana Chaminie B. , Waisundara Viduranga Y.
Published: December 2015

Enhancement of antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory properties of king coconut water when subjected to fermentation with the ‘tea fungus’ was evaluated. pH, colour, viscosity, ethanol content, antioxidant activity, total phenolic content, ferulic and p‐coumaric acid contents and starch hydrolase inhibitory activities were analysed for 7 days in fermented and unfermented king coconut water samples. The fermented sample had a statistically significant decrease (P < 0.05) in pH. Colour values indicated the fermented beverage to increase in ‘yellowness’ over time. A statistically significant increase in the total phenolic content and the antioxidant activity (P < 0.05) was observed from day 1 onwards in the fermented sample. The starch hydrolase inhibitory activities in the fermented beverage had statistically significantly increased (P < 0.05) by day 7. Overall, the study highlights an enhancement of the antioxidant and starch hydrolase inhibitory properties of king coconut water as a result of the kombucha‐based fermentation.
Cortisol response to an induction of negative affect among adolescents with and without loss of control eating
Authors: Radin R.M. , Shomaker L.B. , Kelly N.R. , Pickworth C.K. , Thompson K.A. , Brady S.M. , Demidowich A. , Galescu O. , Altschul A.M. , Shank L.M. , Yanovski S.Z. , Tanofsky‐Kraff M. , Yanovski J.A.
Published: December 2015

Background

Adults with binge eating disorder may have an exaggerated or blunted cortisol response to stress. Yet, limited data exist among youth who report loss of control (LOC) eating, a developmental precursor to binge eating disorder.

Methods

We studied cortisol reactivity among 178 healthy adolescents with and without LOC eating. Following a buffet lunch meal adolescents were randomly assigned to watch a neutral or sad film clip. After, they were offered snacks from a multi‐item array to assess eating in the absence of hunger. Salivary cortisol was collected at −80, 0, 30 and 50 min relative to film administration, and state mood ratings were reported before and after the film.

Results

Adolescents with LOC had greater increases in negative affect during the experimental paradigm in both conditions (ps > 0.05). Depressive symptoms, but not LOC, related to a greater cortisol response in the sad film condition (ps > 0.05). Depressive symptoms and state LOC were related to different aspects of eating behaviour, independent of film condition or cortisol response (ps > 0.05).

Conclusions

A film clip that induced depressed state affect increased salivary cortisol only in adolescents with more elevated depressive symptoms. Adolescents with and without LOC were differentiated by greater increases in state depressed affect during laboratory test meals but had no difference in cortisol reactivity. Future studies are required to determine if adolescents with LOC manifest alterations in stress reactivity to alternative stress‐inducing situations.
The Fiscal Cost of Refugee Immigration: The Example of Sweden
Authors: Ruist Joakim
Published: December 2015

The world currently has more refugees and internally displaced persons than it has had since World War II. Yet the readiness of many wealthy countries to provide asylum to these refugees is waning, and a major reason for this is the fiscal burden that would result from larger refugee intakes. To evaluate the size of this fiscal burden, this study estimates the net fiscal redistribution to the total refugee population in Sweden, the country with the largest per capita refugee immigration rate in the Western world since the early 1980s. The total redistribution in 2007 corresponds to 1.0 percent of Swedish GDP in that year. Four‐fifths of the redistribution is due to lower public per capita revenues from refugees compared with the total population, and one‐fifth to higher per capita public costs.
Acquired Thermo‐Tolerance and Trans‐Generational Heat Stress Response at Flowering in Rice
Authors: Shi W. , Lawas L. M. F. , Raju B. R. , Jagadish S. V. K.
Published: December 2015

In rice, pre‐exposure to sublethal treatment followed by harsh lethal treatment is known to improve tolerance of different abiotic stresses at the vegetative stage within and across generations. Our major aim was to test the phenomenon of thermo‐tolerance at flowering across (trans)‐generations and within generation using rice cultivars contrasting for heat stress tolerance at flowering. To test trans‐generational response, plants were exposed to higher temperature at flowering stage and seeds obtained from previous generations were exposed to heat stress during flowering, which recorded significantly lower fertility when exposed to the same degree of stress in their subsequent generations. A pre‐acclimation to moderately high acclimating temperatures imposed over three different durations during the vegetative and initial reproductive stage showed positive response in the tolerant N22, particularly under severe heat stress (40 °C). This finding indicates the possibility of acquiring ameliorative thermo‐tolerant mechanisms at anthesis, restricted to tolerant genetic backgrounds to combat subsequent harsh conditions within the same generation. However, trans‐generational memory was ineffective in mitigating spikelet sterility losses in both tolerant and susceptible backgrounds. Rice is extremely sensitive to heat stress during flowering; hence, similar exercise across other crops of interest needs to be carried out before generalizing conclusions.
What's Wrong with Speciesism? (Society for Applied Philosophy Annual Lecture 2015)
Authors: Kagan Shelly
Published: December 2015

Peter Singer famously argued in Animal Liberation that almost all of us are speciesists, unjustifiably favoring the interests of humans over the similar interests of other animals. Although I long found that charge compelling, I now find myself having doubts. This article starts by trying to get clear about the nature of speciesism, and then argues that Singer's attempt to show that speciesism is a mere prejudice is unsuccessful. I also argue that most of us are not actually speciesists at all, but rather accept a view I call modal personism. Although I am not confident that modal personism can be adequately defended, it is, at the very least, a philosophical view worthy of further consideration.
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is associated with an almost twofold increased risk of incident type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Evidence from a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Ballestri Stefano , Zona Stefano , Targher Giovanni , Romagnoli Dante , Baldelli Enrica , Nascimbeni Fabio , Roverato Alberto , Guaraldi Giovanni , Lonardo Amedeo
Published: December 2015

Background and Aim:

The magnitude of the risk of incident type 2 diabetes (T2D) and metabolic syndrome (MetS) among patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is poorly known. We gauged the risk of developing T2D and MetS in patients with NAFLD diagnosed by either serum liver enzymes (aminotransferases or gamma‐glutamyltransferase [GGT]) or ultrasonography.

Methods:

Pertinent prospective studies were identified through extensive electronic database research, and studies fulfilling enrolment criteria were included in the meta‐analysis.

Results

Overall, in a pooled population of 117020 patients (from 20 studies), who were followed‐up for a median period of 5 years (range: 3–14.7 years), NAFLD was associated with an increased risk of incident T2D with a pooled relative risk of 1.97 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.80–2.15) for alanine aminotransferase, 1.58 (95% CI, 1.43–1.74) for aspartate aminotransferase, 1.86 (95% CI, 1.71–2.03) for GGT (last vs first quartile or quintile), and 1.86 (95% CI, 1.76–1.95) for ultrasonography, respectively. Overall, in a pooled population of 81411 patients (from eight studies) who were followed‐up for a median period of 4.5 years (range: 3–11 years), NAFLD was associated with an increased risk of incident MetS with a pooled relative risk of 1.80 (95% CI, 1.72–1.89) for alanine aminotransferase (last vs first quartile or quintile), 1.98 (95% CI, 1.89–2.07) for GGT, and 3.22 (95% CI, 3.05–3.41) for ultrasonography, respectively.

Conclusions:

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, as diagnosed by either liver enzymes or ultrasonography, significantly increases the risk of incident T2D and MetS over a median 5‐year follow‐up.
The addicted brain: cognitive biases in problematic drinkers with mild to borderline intellectual disability
Authors: Van Duijvenbode N. , Didden R. , Korzilius H. P. L. M. , Engels R. C. M. E.
Published: December 2015

Background

Substance use disorders (SUD) are associated with several neurobiological disruptions, including biases in attention and approach/avoidance behaviour. The aims of this study were to compare the strength of cognitive biases between light and problematic drinkers, to explore the role of IQ on the cognitive biases and to study the psychometric qualities of the measures.

Method

Participants (N = 130) were divided into four groups based on IQ and severity of alcohol use‐related problems: light (n = 28) and problematic drinkers (n = 25) with (sub)average IQ and light (n = 33) and problematic drinkers (n = 44) with mild to borderline intellectual disability (MBID). All participants performed the visual dot probe task and the approach avoidance task to measure the strength of cognitive biases.

Results

In contrast with the hypothesis, no cognitive biases were found in problematic drinkers. Full scale IQ nor level of craving influenced the strength of the cognitive biases in light and problematic drinkers, although IQ did influence task performance (i.e. large intra‐individual, trial‐to‐trial variation in reaction time). The internal consistency of the visual dot probe task was good, whereas the internal consistency of the approach avoidance task was poor.

Conclusion

Cognitive biases seem to vary within the group of problematic drinkers as a whole. The psychometric qualities of the measures are problematic, especially in relation to the intra‐individual variability in reaction time found in participants with MBID. Until the implications of this variability on the validity of implicit measures and establishing bias scores are more clear, the use of these measures in individuals with MBID calls for scrutiny.
Inhibition of Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) reduces neonatal hypoxic‐ischaemic brain damage
Authors: Hristova Mariya , Rocha‐Ferreira Eridan , Fontana Xavier , Thei Laura , Buckle Rheanan , Christou Melina , Hompoonsup Supanida , Gostelow Naomi , Raivich Gennadij , Peebles Donald
Published: December 2015

Hypoxic‐ischaemic encephalopathy is a leading cause of child death, with high mortality and morbidity, including cerebral palsy, epilepsy and cognitive disabilities. Hypoxia‐ischaemia (HI) strongly up‐regulates Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 3 (STAT3) in the immature brain. Our aim was to establish whether STAT3 up‐regulation is associated with neonatal HI‐brain damage and evaluate the phosphorylated STAT3‐contribution from different cell types in eliciting damage. We subjected postnatal day seven mice to unilateral carotid artery ligation followed by 60 min hypoxia. Neuronal STAT3‐deletion reduced cell death, tissue loss, microglial and astroglial activation in all brain regions. Astroglia‐specific STAT3‐deletion also reduced cell death, tissue loss and microglial activation, although not as strongly as the deletion in neurons. Systemic pre‐insult STAT3‐blockade at tyrosine 705 (Y705) with JAK2‐inhibitor WP1066 reduced microglial and astroglial activation to a more moderate degree, but in a pattern similar to the one produced by the cell‐specific deletions. Our results suggest that STAT3 is a crucial factor in neonatal HI‐brain damage and its removal in neurons or astrocytes, and, to some extent, inhibition of its phosphorylation via JAK2‐blockade reduces inflammation and tissue loss. Overall, the protective effects of STAT3 inactivation make it a possible target for a therapeutic strategy in neonatal HI.

image

Current data show that neuronal and astroglial STAT3 molecules are involved in the pathways underlying cell death, tissue loss and gliosis following neonatal hypoxia‐ischaemia, but differ with respect to the target of their effect. Y705‐phosphorylation contributes to hypoxic‐ischaemic histopathology. Protective effects of STAT3 inactivation make it a possible target for a therapeutic strategy in neonatal hypoxia‐ischaemia.
Reproductive Regulation of Gene Expression in the Hypothalamic Supraoptic and Paraventricular Nuclei
Authors: Augustine R. A. , Bouwer G. T. , Seymour A. J. , Grattan D. R. , Brown C. H.
Published: December 2015

Oxytocin secretion is required for successful reproduction. Oxytocin is synthesised by magnocellular neurones of the hypothalamic supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei and the physiological demand for oxytocin synthesis and secretion is increased for birth and lactation. Therefore, we used a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) array screen to determine whether genes that might be important for synthesis and/or secretion of oxytocin are up‐ or down‐regulated in the supraoptic and paraventricular nuclei of late‐pregnant and lactating rats, compared to virgin rats. We then validated the genes that were most highly regulated using real time‐quantitative PCR. Among the most highly regulated genes were those that encode for suppressors of cytokine signalling, which are intracellular inhibitors of prolactin signalling. Prolactin receptor activation changes gene expression via phosphorylation of signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5). Using double‐label immunohistochemistry, we found that phosphorylated STAT5 was expressed in almost all oxytocin neurones of late‐pregnant and lactating rats but was almost absent from oxytocin neurones of virgin rats. We conclude that increased prolactin activation of oxytocin neurones might contribute to the changes in gene expression by oxytocin neurones required for normal birth and lactation.
A Socio‐Psychological Perspective on Team Ambidexterity: The Contingency Role of Supportive Leadership Behaviours
Authors: Jansen Justin J. P. , Kostopoulos Konstantinos C. , Mihalache Oli R. , Papalexandris Alexandros
Published: December 2015

In addressing the notion of team ambidexterity, we propose that socio‐psychological factors (i.e., team cohesion and team efficacy) may help team members to resolve paradoxical challenges and to combine exploratory and exploitative learning efforts. In addition, we theorize that senior executives may play an important role in facilitating the emergence of ambidexterity at lower hierarchical levels. In doing so, we develop a multilevel contingency framework and propose that the effectiveness of teams to achieve ambidexterity is contingent upon supportive leadership behaviours at the organizational‐level. Using multilevel, multisource, and temporally separated data on 87 teams within 37 high‐tech and pharmaceutical firms, we not only reveal how team cohesion and efficacy may matter for the emergence of team ambidexterity but also show that the effectiveness of supportive leadership behaviours from senior executives varies across cohesive and efficacious teams.
Intraoral pH and temperature during sleep with and without mouth breathing
Authors: Choi J. E. , Waddell J. N. , Lyons K. M. , Kieser J. A.
Published: December 2015

To measure and compare the intraoral pH and temperature of individuals during sleep with and without mouth breathing. Ten healthy participants [mean age = 25·8 (± 4·3)] wore a custom‐made appliance fitted with a pH probe and thermocouple for two sets of 48 h. Continuous pH and temperature measurements were taken from the palatal aspect of the upper central incisors. To simulate mouth breathing during sleep, participants wore a nose clip for two nights of the four, with the first group (n = 5) wearing the nose clip during the first night and the rest (n = 5) wearing the nose clip during the second night of sleep to balance any potential bias from the wearing sequence. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses were conducted. The mean intraoral pH during daytime was 7·3 (± 0·4) and during sleep was 7·0 (± 0·5). The mean intraoral pH during sleep with mouth breathing was 6·6 (± 0·5), which was statistically significant compared with the normal sleep condition (P < 0·01). The intraoral pH decreased slowly over the hours of sleep in all participants. When sleeping with forced mouth breathing, intraoral pH showed a greater fall over a longer period of time. The mean intraoral temperature was 33·1 °C (± 5·2) during daytime and 33·3 °C (± 6·1) during sleep, with no statistical significance between sleep with and without mouth breathing (P > 0·05). The results suggest that mouth breathing during sleep is related to a decrease in intraoral pH compared with normal breathing during sleep, and this has been proposed as a causal factor for dental erosion and caries.
The semiotic ecology of linguistic landscapes in rural Zambia
Authors: Banda Felix , Jimaima Hambaba
Published: December 2015

In addressing the dearth in studies on linguistic/semiotic landscapes in oral‐language dominant rural communities, we use the notion of repurposing to show how people from rural areas of Livingstone and Lusaka in Zambia (South‐Central Africa) extend the repertoire of ‘signs’ to include faded and unscripted signboards, fauna and flora, mounds, dwellings, abandoned structures, skylines, and village and bush paths (with no written names) in narrations of place. We illustrate how they use the system of signage to transcend the limitations of the material conditions in the rural‐scapes by redeploying memory, objects, artifacts and cultural materialities in place to new uses, and for extended meaning potentials. We conclude that focusing on the semiotic ecology in multimodal linguistic/semiotic landscapes helps to accentuate the multisemiotic and diverse processual characteristics of meaning‐making, even in areas that do not have scripted place and street names.
The effects of tumour necrosis factor‐α on bone cells involved in periodontal alveolar bone loss; osteoclasts, osteoblasts and osteocytes
Authors: Algate K. , Haynes D. R. , Bartold P. M. , Crotti T. N. , Cantley M. D.
Published: December 2015

Periodontitis is the most common bone loss pathology in adults and if left untreated is responsible for premature tooth loss. Cytokines, such as tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNFα), involved in the chronic inflammatory response within the periodontal gingiva, significantly influence the normal bone remodelling processes. In this review, the effects of TNFα on bone metabolism in periodontitis are evaluated in relation to its direct and indirect actions on bone cells including osteoclasts, osteoblasts and osteocytes. Evidence published to date suggests a potent catabolic role for TNFα through the stimulation of osteoclastic bone resorption as well as the suppression of osteoblastic bone formation and osteocytic survival. However, the extent and timing of TNFα exposure in vitro and in vivo greatly influences its effect on skeletal cells, with contradictory anabolic activity observed with TNFα in a number of studies. None the less, it is evident that managing the chronic inflammatory response in addition to the deregulated bone metabolism is required to improve periodontal and inflammatory bone loss treatments‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬‬.
Role of mitogen‐activated protein kinase pathways in migration of gingival epithelial cells in response to stimulation by cigarette smoke condensate and infection by Porphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Imamura K. , Kokubu E. , Kita D. , Ota K. , Yoshikawa K. , Ishihara K. , Saito A.
Published: December 2015

Background and Objective

Previous studies have shown that cigarette smoke (CS) and periodontal pathogens could alter wound healing responses of gingival epithelial cells. To elucidate molecular mechanisms leading to these epithelial changes, we studied the signaling pathway involved in the modulation of cell migration by CS condensate (CSC) and the infection by a prominent periodontal pathogen, Porphyromonas gingivalis.

Material and Methods

Human gingival epithelial cells (Ca9‐22) were treated with CSC or vehicle control for 24 h. Activation of mitogen‐activated protein kinases (MAPK) in cells with or without infection by P. gingivalis was assessed by polymerase chain reaction array and immunoblotting using phospho‐specific antibodies. Cell migration was assessed using in vitro wound closure model, and specific pharmacologic inhibitors of MAPK pathways were used to characterize further the extent of involvement of the MAPK pathways.

Results

Polymerase chain reaction array showed that gene expression of several members of the MAPK, particularly p38 and JNK, was upregulated more than twofold in Ca9‐22 cells stimulated with 10 μg/mL CSC. Coincubation with P. gingivalis induced a different pattern of gene expression for MAPK pathways, but it did not suppress the MAPK‐related genes upregulated by CSC. A significant phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38 was observed in cells stimulated with 10 μg/mL CSC (p < 0.05), whereas coincubation with a higher concentration of CSC (250 μg/mL) evoked no such activation. P. gingivalis infection resulted in a tendency to reduce the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38, which had been enhanced by stimulation with 10 μg/mL CSC. Incubation with ERK1/2 and p38 inhibitors significantly reduced the wound closure of CSC‐stimulated cells, by approximately 43% and 46%, respectively (p < 0.05).

Conclusion

CSC exerts effects on the migration of human gingival epithelial cells through the activation of the MAPK ERK1/2 and p38 signaling pathways. P. gingivalis infection attenuates the CSC‐induced migration at least partly by suppressing the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 and p38, but other pathways are likely to be involved in this modulatory process.
Ligature‐induced periodontitis in mice induces elevated levels of circulating interleukin‐6 but shows only weak effects on adipose and liver tissues
Authors: Matsuda Y. , Kato T. , Takahashi N. , Nakajima M. , Arimatsu K. , Minagawa T. , Sato K. , Ohno H. , Yamazaki K.
Published: December 2015

Background and Objectives

Our previous study demonstrated using an oral gavage model that Porphyromonas gingivalis could induce various inflammatory changes linked to periodontitis‐associated systemic diseases by altering gut microbiota. A ligature‐induced periodontitis model is similar to human periodontitis in various aspects: in both cases, alveolar bone resorption depends on oral bacterial load, and gingival tissue becomes infiltrated with inflammatory cells. Therefore, this model may be suitable for the analysis of bacterial burden and gingival tissue inflammation with changes related to systemic diseases.

Material and Methods

Periodontal tissue destruction was induced by a 2 wk ligature placement around the bilateral maxillary second molar. We analyzed the expression profile of various genes in several tissues, levels of systemic inflammatory markers and induction of insulin resistance. In addition, we studied changes in gut microbiota composition and bacterial load in the oral cavity.

Results

Two weeks after ligature placement gingival inflammation was significantly induced with a disrupted gingival epithelial barrier and alveolar bone resorption accompanied by increased bacterial burden in the oral cavity. Gene expression analysis of the gingival tissue of ligated mice demonstrated that interleukin (Il)1b was significantly elevated and Il6 and Il17a tended to be higher in ligated mice than in untreated mice. Although serum IL‐6 was significantly elevated and serum amyloid A tended to be higher in ligated compared to untreated mice, endotoxin levels did not differ between the two groups. Among the genes whose expressions are closely related to glucose and lipid metabolisms, only phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1 (Pck1) and acetyl‐coenzyme A carboxylase alpha (Acaca) showed significant changes following ligature placement in the liver, with the former upregulated and the latter downregulated. However, insulin sensitivity did not change following ligature placement. Furthermore, ligature placement weakly affected the composition of gut microbiota and gene expression in the intestines.

Conclusion

The results suggest that increased oral commensals and gingival inflammation have limited roles in the pathological changes to adipose and liver tissues, which are important organs whose dysfunctions contribute to the development of periodontitis‐related systemic diseases.
Some pharmacokinetic indices of oral fluconazole administration to koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) infected with cryptococcosis
Authors: Govendir M. , Black L. A. , Jobbins S. E. , Kimble B. , Malik R. , Krockenberger M. B.
Published: December 2015

Three asymptomatic koalas serologically positive for cryptococcosis and two symptomatic koalas were treated with 10 mg/kg fluconazole orally, twice daily for at least 2 weeks. The median plasma Cmax and AUC0‐8 h for asymptomatic animals were 0.9 μg/mL and 4.9 μg/mL·h, respectively; and for symptomatic animals 3.2 μg/mL and 17.3 μg/mL·h, respectively. An additional symptomatic koala was treated with fluconazole (10 mg/kg twice daily) and a subcutaneous amphotericin B infusion twice weekly. After 2 weeks the fluconazole Cmax was 3.7 μg/mL and the AUC0‐8 h was 25.8 μg/mL*h. An additional three koalas were treated with fluconazole 15 mg/kg twice daily for at least 2 weeks, with the same subcutaneous amphotericin protocol co‐administered to two of these koalas (Cmax: 5.0 μg/mL; mean AUC0‐8 h: 18.1 μg/mL*h). For all koalas, the fluconazole plasma Cmax failed to reach the MIC90 (16 μg/mL) to inhibit C. gattii. Fluconazole administered orally at either 10 or 15 mg/kg twice daily in conjunction with amphotericin is unlikely to attain therapeutic plasma concentrations. Suggestions to improve treatment of systemic cryptococcosis include testing pathogen susceptibility to fluconazole, monitoring plasma fluconazole concentrations, and administration of 20–25 mg/kg fluconazole orally, twice daily, with an amphotericin subcutaneous infusion twice weekly.
Distribution and population structure of the anther smut Microbotryum silenes‐acaulis parasitizing an arctic–alpine plant
Authors: Bueker Britta , Eberlein Chris , Gladieux Pierre , Schaefer Angela , Snirc Alodie , Bennett Dominic J. , Begerow Dominik , Hood Michael E. , Giraud Tatiana
Published: December 2015

Cold‐adapted organisms with current arctic–alpine distributions have persisted during the last glaciation in multiple ice‐free refugia, leaving footprints in their population structure that contrast with temperate plants and animals. However, pathogens that live within hosts having arctic–alpine distributions have been little studied. Here, we therefore investigated the geographical range and population structure of a fungus parasitizing an arctic–alpine plant. A total of 1437 herbarium specimens of the plant Silene acaulis were examined, and the anther smut pathogen Microbotryum silenes‐acaulis was present throughout the host's geographical range. There was significantly greater incidence of anther smut disease in more northern latitudes and where the host locations were less dense, indicating a major influence of environmental factors and/or host demographic structure on the pathogen distribution. Genetic analyses with seven microsatellite markers on recent collections of 195 M. silenes‐acaulis individuals revealed three main genetic clusters, in North America, northern Europe and southern Europe, likely corresponding to differentiation in distinct refugia during the last glaciation. The lower genetic diversity in northern Europe indicates postglacial recolonization northwards from southern refugia. This study combining herbarium surveys and population genetics thus uniquely reveals the effects of climate and environmental factors on a plant pathogen species with an arctic–alpine distribution.
Renal shear wave velocity by acoustic radiation force impulse did not reflect advanced renal impairment
Authors: Takata Tomoaki , Koda Masahiko , Sugihara Takaaki , Sugihara Shinobu , Okamoto Toshiaki , Miyoshi Kenichi , Matono Tomomitsu , Hosho Keiko , Mae Yukari , Iyama Takuji , Fukui Takeaki , Fukuda Satoko , Munemura Chishio , Isomoto Hajime
Published: December 2015

Aim

Acoustic radiation force impulse is a noninvasive method for evaluating tissue elasticity on ultrasound. Renal shear wave velocity measured by this technique has not been fully investigated in patients with renal disease. The aim of the present study was to compare renal shear wave velocity in end‐stage renal disease patients and that in patients without chronic kidney disease and to investigate influencing factors.

Methods

Renal shear wave velocities were measured in 59 healthy young subjects (control group), 31 subjects without chronic kidney disease (non‐CKD group), and 39 end‐stage renal disease patients (ESRD group). Each measurement was performed 10 times at both kidneys, and the mean value of eight of 10 measurements, excluding the maximum and minimum values, was compared.

Results

Renal shear wave velocity could be measured in all subjects. Renal shear wave velocity in the control group was higher than in the non‐CKD group and in the ESRD group, and no difference was found between the non‐CKD group and the ESRD group. Age and depth were negatively correlated to the renal shear wave velocity. In multiple regression analysis, age and depth were independent factors for renal shear wave velocity, while renal impairment was not. There was no difference between the non‐CKD group and the ESRD group, even when ages were matched and depth was adjusted.

Conclusion

Renal shear wave velocity was not associated with advanced renal impairment. However, it reflected alteration of renal aging, and this technique may be useful to detect renal impairment in the earlier stages.
Does the Composition of Government Expenditure Matter for Long‐Run GDP Levels?
Authors: Gemmell Norman , Kneller Richard , Sanz Ismael
Published: December 2015

We examine the long‐run GDP impacts of changes in total government expenditure and in the shares of different spending categories for a sample of OECD countries since the 1970s, taking account of methods of financing expenditure changes and possible endogenous relationships. We provide more systematic empirical evidence than available hitherto for OECD countries, obtaining strong evidence that reallocating total spending towards infrastructure and education is positive for long‐run output levels. Reallocating spending towards social welfare (and away from all other expenditure categories pro‐rata) may be associated with modest negative effects on output in the long run.
From neutrophils to macrophages: differences in regional adipose tissue depots
Authors: Dam V. , Sikder T. , Santosa S.
Published: December 2015

Currently, we do not fully understand the underlying mechanisms of how regional adiposity promotes metabolic dysregulation. As adipose tissue expands, there is an increase in chronic systemic low‐grade inflammation due to greater infiltration of immune cells and production of cytokines. This chronic inflammation is thought to play a major role in the development of metabolic complications and disease such as insulin resistance and diabetes. We know that different adipose tissue depots contribute differently to the risk of metabolic disease. People who have an upper body fat distribution around the abdomen are at greater risk of disease than those who tend to store fat in their lower body around the hips and thighs. Thus, it is conceivable that adipose tissue depots contribute differently to the inflammatory milieu as a result of varied infiltration of immune cell types. In this review, we describe the role and function of major resident immune cells in the development of adipose tissue inflammation and discuss their regional differences in the context of metabolic disease risk. We find that although initial studies have found regional differences, a more comprehensive understanding of how immune cells interrupt adipose tissue homeostasis is needed.
Migration strategy and pathogen risk: non‐breeding distribution drives malaria prevalence in migratory waders
Authors: Clark Nicholas J. , Clegg Sonya M. , Klaassen Marcel
Published: December 2015

Pathogen exposure has been suggested as one of the factors shaping the myriad of migration strategies observed in nature. Two hypotheses relate migration strategies to pathogen infection: the ‘avoiding the tropics hypothesis’ predicts that pathogen prevalence and transmission increase with decreasing non‐breeding (wintering) latitude, while the “habitat selection hypothesis” predicts lower pathogen prevalence in marine than in freshwater habitats. We tested these scarcely investigated hypotheses by screening wintering and resident wading shorebirds (Charadriiformes) for avian malaria blood parasites (Plasmodium and Haemoproteus spp.) along a latitudinal gradient in Australia. We sequenced infections to determine if wintering migrants share malaria parasites with local shorebird residents, and we combined prevalence results with published data in a global comparative analysis. Avian malaria prevalence in Australian waders was 3.56% and some parasite lineages were shared between wintering migrants and residents, suggesting active transmission at wintering sites. In the global dataset, avian malaria prevalence was highest during winter and increased with decreasing wintering latitude, after controlling for phylogeny. The latitudinal gradient was stronger for waders that use marine and freshwater habitats (marine + freshwater) than for marine‐restricted species. Marine + freshwater wader species also showed higher overall avian malaria parasite prevalence than marine‐restricted species. By combining datasets in a global comparative analysis, we provide empirical evidence that migratory waders avoiding the tropics during the non‐breeding season experience a decreased risk of malaria parasite infection. We also find global support for the hypothesis that marine‐restricted shorebirds experience lower parasite pressures than shorebirds that also use freshwater habitats. Our study indicates that pathogen transmission may be an important driver of site selection for non‐breeding migrants, a finding that contributes new knowledge to our understanding of how migration strategies evolve.
Joint genetic and network analyses identify loci associated with root growth under NaCl stress in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Kobayashi Yuriko , Sadhukhan Ayan , Tazib Tanveer , Nakano Yuki , Kusunoki Kazutaka , Kamara Mohamed , Chaffai Radhouane , Iuchi Satoshi , Sahoo Lingaraj , Kobayashi Masatomo , Hoekenga Owen A. , Koyama Hiroyuki
Published: December 2015

Plants have evolved a series of tolerance mechanisms to saline stress, which perturbs physiological processes throughout the plant. To identify genetic mechanisms associated with salinity tolerance, we performed linkage analysis and genome‐wide association study (GWAS) on maintenance of root growth of Arabidopsis thaliana in hydroponic culture with weak and severe NaCl toxicity. The top 200 single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) determined by GWAS could cumulatively explain approximately 70% of the variation observed at each stress level. The most significant SNPs were linked to the genes of ATP‐binding cassette B10 and vacuolar proton ATPase A2. Several known salinity tolerance genes such as potassium channel KAT1 and calcium sensor SOS3 were also linked to SNPs in the top 200. In parallel, we constructed a gene co‐expression network to independently verify that particular groups of genes work together to a common purpose. We identify molecular mechanisms to confer salt tolerance from both predictable and novel physiological sources and validate the utility of combined genetic and network analysis. Additionally, our study indicates that the genetic architecture of salt tolerance is responsive to the severity of stress. These gene datasets are a significant information resource for a following exploration of gene function.