bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Sampling sufficiency for estimating zooplankton diversity in neotropical floodplain lakes
Authors: Vieira Ludgero C. G. , Vital Marcos V. C. , Fernandes Ana P. C. , Bonecker Claudia C. , Nabout João C. , Kraus Cleber N. , Bernardi José V. E. , Velho Luiz F. M. , Bini Luis M.
Published: June 2017

This study focuses on determining how many samples are needed to effectively assess the species richness of a community. Zooplankton samples at 40 sampling sites distributed among four lakes in the floodplain of the middle Araguaia River (Central‐West region of Brazil) were evaluated to determine the effect of the accumulation of collecting points by lake on species richness estimates. The results indicated the zooplankton community has high spatial heterogeneity. Thus, using a single sampling unit per lake would not be sufficient to accurately estimate their diversity (i.e. the zooplankton composition in these cases would be represented mainly by abundant species). Sampling designs that include a minimum of seven sampling sites in each lake are needed to record 70% of the total species richness. It is recommended, therefore, that researchers use a larger number of sampling sites per lake or, alternatively, that the water obtained and filtered through plankton nets is extracted from a wide area and in different lake compartments, rather than from a single site.
The influence of increased iron concentration on survival and growth of seedlings and young plants of eelgrass Zostera marina
Authors: Wang Xi‐Tao , Zhang Qian , Liu Yan‐Shan , Zhang Pei‐Dong , Li Wen‐Tao
Published: June 2017

Iron (Fe) is an essential nutrient for plants but toxic at high concentrations. We subjected seedlings and young plants of eelgrass Zostera marina to different seawater iron concentrations (500, 600, 700, 800, 1,000 and 1,500 μg/L) for 30 days under controlled laboratory conditions. Natural seawater without added iron (500 μg/L) was used as reference seawater. No sediments were provided to avoid iron scavenging by particle surfaces in the sediment. We measured plant response in terms of survivorship, morphology, growth rate and productivity. Survival analysis combined with morphological, dynamic and productive assessment suggested that the optimum seawater iron concentration for the establishment of Z. marina seedlings and young plants is 700 μg/L. The no observed effect concentration, lowest observed effect concentration, lethal concentration that caused an increase in mortality to 10% of that of the control, and the effect concentration that caused a decrease in growth to 10% of that of the control values of young plants were significantly lower than those of seedlings, implying an increased sensitivity to high Fe concentrations (>1,000 μg/L). This study further develops our understanding of the physiological ecology of the early life stages of Z. marina and provides data that could prove helpful in the development of successful eelgrass restoration and conservation.
Spatial and temporal variation of diverse inter‐tidal algal assemblages in Southwest O‘ahu
Authors: Cox Traci Erin , Spalding Heather L. , Foster Michael S.
Published: June 2017

Spatial and temporal variation in tropical inter‐tidal communities is poorly known, making predictions about the effects of climate change and other anthropogenic disturbances difficult. Along Southwest O‘ahu, Hawai'i, local residents are concerned about the environmental effects of coastal development and the perceived loss of targeted algal species, which are collected for human consumption. To describe the coastal benthic community and better understand the processes that form and maintain it, the abundance and composition of macroalgae were sampled in the region's inter‐tidal zone from 2006 to 2015. Sixty‐six macroalgal species and two broad algal assemblages were identified that corresponded to substrate topography and sand influence at a similar tidal elevation. Along flat carbonate benches with a sand beach, Phaeophyceae and Rhodophytes occurred in almost equal proportions, while shores with slightly more topographic relief and angular substrate were dominated by Rhodophytes. Foliose or turf algal forms were most common. Surveys captured the local invasion of an alga, Avrainvillea sp. and significant declines in abundant macroalgae in 2015 after a period of unseasonably warm, calm water. Temporal changes in algal assemblages were related to maximum water temperature and wave height but not precipitation. Thus, algal assemblages appear to be structured by local beach morphology as they interact with sand and wave activity and episodically by unusual weather events. However, manipulation and continuous monitoring of the algal assemblages coupled to sensing of the localized environment is necessary to confirm factors related to assembly maintenance and recent species shifts.
Environmental factors influencing aggregation of manta rays (Manta birostris) off the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula
Authors: Hacohen‐Domené Ana , Martínez‐Rincón Raúl O. , Galván‐Magaña Felipe , Cárdenas‐Palomo Natalí , Herrera‐Silveira Jorge
Published: June 2017

Manta rays inhabit tropical, subtropical and temperate waters. Aggregation sites of manta rays have been recognized worldwide, but the reasons for this behavior are still poorly understood. This study describes environmental factors influencing aggregation sites of the giant manta ray (Manta birostris) off the northeastern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Observations of manta rays were obtained from scientific surveys conducted during 2006–2011. Environmental data were obtained from satellite imagery. The maximum entropy (Maxent) method for habitat modeling was used to determine the effects of environmental conditions on the species and predict suitable habitat for manta rays in this region. Primary productivity and distance to the coast were the most influential variables, suggesting that aggregation occurs in highly productive coastal waters. The distribution of manta rays predicted by the Maxent model showed that the most suitable habitat within the study area is located off the northeastern coast of the Yucatán Peninsula, more precisely, northeast of Isla Holbox and northwest of Isla Contoy. Seasonal patterns of distribution suggest that the most suitable conditions are present from July through September.
Oceanographic influences on the distribution and relative abundance of market squid paralarvae (Doryteuthis opalescens) off the Southern and Central California coast
Authors: Van Noord Joel E. , Dorval Emmanis
Published: June 2017

Market squid (Doryteuthis opalescens) are ecologically and economically important to the California Current Ecosystem, but populations undergo dramatic fluctuations that greatly affect food web dynamics and fishing communities. These population fluctuations are broadly attributed to 5–7‐years trends that can affect the oceanography across 1,000 km areas; however, monthly patterns over kilometer scales remain elusive. To investigate the population dynamics of market squid, we analysed the density and distribution of paralarvae in coastal waters from San Diego to Half Moon Bay, California, from 2011 to 2016. Warming local ocean conditions and a strong El Niño event drove a dramatic decline in relative paralarval abundance during the study period. Paralarval abundance was high during cool and productive La Niña conditions from 2011 to 2013, and extraordinarily low during warm and eutrophic El Niño conditions from 2015 to 2016 over the traditional spawning grounds in Southern and Central California. Market squid spawned earlier in the season and shifted northward during the transition from cool to warm ocean conditions. We used a general additive model to assess the variability in paralarval density and found that sea surface temperature (SST), zooplankton displacement volume, the log of surface chlorophyll‐a, and spatial and temporal predictor variables explained >40% of the deviance (adjusted r2 of .29). Greatest paralarval densities were associated with cool SST, moderate zooplankton concentrations and low chlorophyll‐a concentrations. In this paper we explore yearly and monthly trends in nearshore spawning for an economically important squid species and identify the major environmental influences that control their population variability.
Explaining island‐wide geographical patterns of Caribbean fish diversity: A multi‐scale seascape ecology approach
Authors: Sekund Linn , Pittman Simon
Published: June 2017

Geographical patterning of fish diversity across coral reef seascapes is driven by many interacting environmental variables operating at multiple spatial scales. Identifying suites of variables that explain spatial patterns of fish diversity is central to ecology and informs prioritization in marine conservation, particularly where protection of the highest biodiversity coral reefs is a primary goal. However, the relative importance of conventional within‐patch variables versus the spatial patterning of the surrounding seascape is still unclear in the ecology of fishes on coral reefs. A multi‐scale seascape approach derived from landscape ecology was applied to quantify and examine the explanatory roles of a wide range of variables at different spatial scales including: (i) within‐patch structural attributes from field data (5 × 1 m2 sample unit area); (ii) geometry of the seascape from sea‐floor maps (10–50 m radius seascape units); and wave exposure from a hydrodynamic model (240 m resolution) for 251 coral reef survey sites in the US Virgin Islands. Non‐parametric statistical learning techniques using single classification and regression trees (CART) and ensembles of boosted regression trees (TreeNet) were used to: (i) model interactions; and (ii) identify the most influential environmental predictors from multiple data types (diver surveys, terrain models, habitat maps) across multiple spatial scales (1–196,350 m2). Classifying the continuous response variables into a binary category and instead predicting the presence and absence of fish species richness hotspots (top 10% richness) increased the predictive performance of the models. The best CART model predicted fish richness hotspots with 80% accuracy. The statistical interaction between abundance of living scleractinian corals measured by SCUBA divers within 1 m2 quadrats and the topographical complexity of the surrounding sea‐floor terrain (150 m radius seascape unit) measured from a high‐resolution terrain model best explained geographical patterns in fish richness hotspots. The comparatively poor performance of models predicting continuous variability in fish diversity across the seascape could be a result of a decoupling of the diversity‐environment relationship owing to structural degradation leading to a widespread homogenization of coral reef structure.
Phytoplankton subsidies to the inter‐tidal zone are strongly affected by surf‐zone hydrodynamics
Authors: Shanks Alan L. , Sheesley Peter , Johnson Leyia
Published: June 2017

The size of bottom‐up subsidies, food and larvae, from the ocean has a profound impact on inter‐tidal communities and populations. Alongshore variations in subsidies are attributed to variation in coastal conditions, but also might be due to variations in surf‐zone hydrodynamics. We tested this hypothesis by comparing surf‐zone phytoplankton concentrations to surf‐zone hydrodynamics as indicated by the width of the surf zones. To minimize the potential effects of alongshore variation in phytoplankton abundance in the coastal ocean, we sampled closely spaced sites (median separation 1 km) over short periods (3 days). Surf‐zone concentrations of coastal phytoplankton taxa (e.g. Chaetoceros spp., Pseudo‐nitzschia spp. and dinoflagellates) varied with surf‐zone width; 65% to 94% of the variability in their concentration is explained by surf‐zone width. Where surf zones were narrow and more reflective, phytoplankton concentrations were one to several orders of magnitude lower than in wider, more dissipative surf zones. The most closely spaced stations were 30 m apart, but represented distinct habitats – a reflective and a more dissipative surf zone. Phytoplankton concentrations in the reflective surf zone were an order of magnitude or more lower than in the adjacent more dissipative surf zone. A reanalysis of a published study on phytoplankton subsidies found similar results. Alongshore variation in surf‐zone hydrodynamics appears to be an important driver of phytoplankton subsidies to the inter‐tidal zone.
Off‐reef planktivorous reef fishes respond positively to decadal‐scale no‐take marine reserve protection and negatively to benthic habitat change
Authors: Russ Garry R. , Aller‐Rojas Oscar D. , Rizzari Justin R. , Alcala Angel C.
Published: June 2017

The effects of no‐take marine reserve (NTMR) protection and changes in benthic habitat on fusiliers (family Caesionidae) were investigated at four small Philippine offshore islands on time scales of 10–31 years. Fusiliers are highly mobile, schooling, medium‐sized planktivorous fish that generally feed “off‐reef.” For these reasons, and given the small size of the NTMRs (3.6–37.5 ha) in this study, it was predicted that fusilier density would be unlikely to show clear effects of NTMR protection, or to respond to changes in benthic habitat. In contrast to predictions, clear NTMR effects were observed on fusilier density at three of the four NTMRs, with durations of protection from 14 to 31 years. Furthermore, the study provided strong evidence that benthic variables, specifically cover of live hard coral and dead substratum, affect the density of fusiliers. This effect of benthic habitat on density was highlighted by several major environmental disturbances that caused shifts in the benthic habitat from live hard coral to dead substratum. For two of the three most abundant species of fusiliers individually, and for all three of them combined (Pterocaesio pisang + Caesio caerulaurea + Pterocaesio digramma/tessellata), as live hard coral cover decreased, fish density decreased. It is hypothesized that these “off‐reef” daytime feeders may have such a strong association with live hard coral cover because they use this habitat as nocturnal sleeping sites. Multivariate analyses indicated that, across all sites and times sampled, cover of live hard coral and dead substratum accounted for 38% of the variation in fish assemblage structure. These results are important as there are very few reports in the published literature of strong effects of NTMR protection or changes in benthic habitat on the density and assemblage structure of fusiliers.
A biogeographical perspective on the variation in mouse lemur density throughout Madagascar
Authors: Setash Casey M. , Zohdy Sarah , Gerber Brian D. , Karanewsky Caitlin J.
Published: June 2017

Madagascar is home to the smallest primates in the world, the mouse lemurs (Microcebus species). Twenty‐four species of mouse lemur are currently recognised and are found in variable ecosystems, from dry forests and spiny deserts to humid forests. Due to their widespread distribution and the large number of sympatric species, mouse lemurs can be used as a model to understand the linkages among species richness, population density, and habitat. As all lemurs are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation, this information can also be used to inform conservation management.

We hypothesise that on an island‐wide scale, we will find higher population densities in western dry forests than in eastern humid forests because the western dry forests exhibit lower species richness, more sympatric habitat use, and lower resource stability than the eastern humid forests.

We conducted a literature review of population density estimates of known mouse lemur species, and used those data to conduct a meta‐analysis and estimate overall average population density by geographic region.

Our findings suggest that mouse lemur species living in western dry forest generally exhibit higher densities than those in eastern humid forests. This may be partly explained by higher habitat fragmentation in western dry forests, where species co‐occur, but is likely to be a function of the magnitude and variability in seasonally available resources in each forest type. Higher seasonality results in less constant food availability and lower levels of environmental predictability, fostering species capable of coping with environmental change and maintaining high densities throughout periods of resource paucity.

Our study highlights the importance of conducting Microcebus population density research that adheres to standardised methodological approaches. We point to the need for population density estimates for several species for which data are lacking. Such knowledge is important to assess the conservation status of these species, but also to enhance our ability to identify the macro‐biogeographical and local ecological drivers of interspecific and intraspecific variability in population density.
A life‐cycle approach to species barriers
Authors: Johannesson Kerstin
Published: June 2017

What maintains reproductive barriers between closely related species is, of course, of fundamental interest to a closer understanding of the mechanisms that generate new biodiversity. One important dichotomy is to separate barriers evolved from divergent selection over environmental gradients (extrinsic barriers) from barriers caused by incompatibilities between different genetic arrangements that may have evolved in isolation (intrinsic barriers). This dichotomy also reflects an important applied consequence. As the extrinsic barriers are associated with specific environmental contexts, they may be partly or completely erased if the environment changes. In contrast, intrinsic barriers are inert to the environmental context and resistant to environmental changes. From a conservation biology perspective, it may thus be important to be able to separate extrinsic and intrinsic species barriers, but this may in many organisms be a complex matter. In this issue of Molecular Ecology, Montecinos et al. () found a tractable approach that works for species with life cycles that include two reproductive but ecologically similar generations, one haploid and the other diploid. What they demonstrate is that using a life‐cycle approach offers a unique possibility to separate between prezygotic and postzygotic barriers. Indeed, in the case of an isomorphic life cycle, there is even a possibility to suggest whether postzygotic barriers are more likely to be intrinsic or extrinsic. In this way, their approach may be useful both to increase our understanding of the basic mechanisms of speciation and to single out when species barriers will better resist environmental changes.
Dispersal, isolation and diversification with continued gene flow in an Andean tropical dry forest
Authors: Toby Pennington R. , Lavin Matt
Published: June 2017

The Andes are the world's longest mountain chain, and the tropical Andes are the world's richest biodiversity hot spot. The origin of the tropical Andean cordillera is relatively recent because the elevation of the mountains was relatively low (400–2500 m palaeoelevations) only 10 MYA with final uplift being rapid. These final phases of the Andean orogeny are thought to have had a fundamental role in shaping processes of biotic diversification and biogeography, with these effects reaching far from the mountains themselves by changing the course of rivers and deposition of mineral‐rich Andean sediments across the massive Amazon basin. In a recent issue of Molecular Ecology, Oswald, Overcast, Mauck, Andersen, and Smith (2017) investigate the biogeography and diversification of bird species in the Andes of Peru and Ecuador. Their study is novel in its focus on tropical dry forests (Figure 1) rather than more mesic biomes such as rain forests, cloud forests and paramos, which tend to be the focus of science and conservation in the Andean hot spot. It is also able to draw powerful conclusions via the first deployment of genomic approaches to a biogeographic question in the threatened dry forests of the New World.
Exploring the bark thickness–stem diameter relationship: clues from lianas, successive cambia, monocots and gymnosperms
Authors: Rosell Julieta A. , Olson Mark E. , Anfodillo Tommaso , Martínez‐Méndez Norberto
Published: June 2017

Bark thickness is ecologically crucial, affecting functions from fire protection to photosynthesis. Bark thickness scales predictably with stem diameter, but there is little consensus on whether this scaling is a passive consequence of growth or an important adaptive phenomenon requiring explanation.

With a comparative study across 913 species, we test the expectation that, if bark thickness–stem diameter scaling is adaptive, it should be possible to find ecological situations in which scaling is predictably altered, in this case between species with different types and deployments of phloem.

‘Dicots’ with successive cambia and monocots, which have phloem‐free bark, had predictably thinner inner (mostly living) bark than plants with single cambia. Lianas, which supply large leaf areas with limited stem area, had much thicker inner bark than self‐supporting plants. Gymnosperms had thicker outer bark than angiosperms.

Inner bark probably scales with plant metabolic demands, for example with leaf area. Outer bark scales with stem diameter less predictably, probably reflecting diverse adaptive factors; for example, it tends to be thicker in fire‐prone species and very thin when bark photosynthesis is favored. Predictable bark thickness–stem diameter scaling across plants with different photosynthate translocation demands and modes strongly supports the idea that this relationship is functionally important and adaptively significant.
Type III metacaspases: calcium‐dependent activity proposes new function for the p10 domain
Authors: Klemenčič Marina , Funk Christiane
Published: June 2017

Metacaspases are a subgroup of caspase homologues represented in bacteria, algae and plants. Although type I and type II metacaspases are present in plants, recently discovered and uncharacterized type III metacaspases can only be found in algae which have undergone secondary endosymbiosis.

We analysed the expression levels of all 13 caspase homologues in the cryptophyte Guillardia theta in vivo and biochemically characterized its only type III metacaspase, GtMC2, in vitro.

Type III metacaspase GtMC2 was shown to be an endopeptidase with a preference for basic amino acids in the P1 position, which exhibited specific N‐terminal proteolytic cleavage for full catalytic efficiency. Autolytic processing, as well as the activity of the mature enzyme, required the presence of calcium ions in low millimolar concentrations. In GtMC2, two calcium‐binding sites were identified, one with a dissociation constant at low and the other at high micromolar concentrations.

We show high functional relatedness of type III metacaspases to type I metacaspases. Moreover, our data suggest that the low‐affinity calcium‐binding site is located in the p10 domain, which contains a well‐conserved N‐terminal region. This region can only be found in type I/II/III metacaspases, but is absent in calcium‐independent caspase homologues.
Water channels and barriers formed by claudins
Authors: Rosenthal Rita , Günzel Dorothee , Theune Dian , Czichos Carolina , Schulzke Jörg‐Dieter , Fromm Michael
Published: June 2017

Physiological studies in leaky epithelia, like kidney proximal tubules and the small intestine, have documented water transport via both transcellular and paracellular pathways. The discovery of aquaporin water channels provided a molecular basis for transcellular water movement. In contrast, the contribution, or even existence, of a specific paracellular water pathway has been disputed for a long time, until the cation channel–forming tight junction protein claudin‐2 was shown to also permit the paracellular passage of water through its pore. In proximal kidney tubules, claudin‐2–based water transport contributes 23–30% of the total water transport. Other paracellular ion channels (claudin‐10a, ‐10b, and ‐17) proved to be impermeable to water, although their pore size would be sufficient for water molecules to pass. Studies of barrier‐forming claudins, like claudin‐1 and claudin‐3, which tighten the paracellular pathway against ions and larger solutes, indicate that changes in the expression of these sealing claudins do not influence transepithelial water permeability. The present genetic, molecular, computational, and physiological studies are just now beginning to probe the mechanisms and regulation of paracellular permeation.
Utilizing three‐dimensional data in orthodontic practice and research
Authors: Solem R. C.
Published: June 2017

The recent prevalence of three dimensional (3D) images of soft and hard tissues provides a wealth of new data from which the clinician can evaluate these changes. However, evaluating this new data presents new and significant challenges. Current approaches utilizing multi‐dimensional data for the precise evaluation of changes related to treatment and growth sets are reviewed. The results of current validation studies exploring approaches to these problems are reviewed, including the registration of longitudinal data using maxillary and mandibular regions of reference. Challenges related to the consistent selection of points on complex three‐dimensional structures are circumvented using an automated, shape analysis based approach. Imaging using these new modalities yields a tremendous amount of data. Analysis of large data sets from cross‐sectional studies with multiple variables are simplified using a principle components analysis, from which a reduced set of variables is constructed. Examples of this approach are presented. The use of advanced methods to process and interpret data from 3D imaging modalities highlights critical aspects of craniofacial growth and form.
Moving towards precision orthodontics: An evolving paradigm shift in the planning and delivery of customized orthodontic therapy
Authors: Jheon A. H. , Oberoi S. , Solem R. C. , Kapila S.
Published: June 2017

Advances in precision medicine portend similar progress in orthodontics and will be increasingly harnessed to achieve customized treatment approaches and enhance treatment efficiencies. Our goal is to provide a background on emerging advances in computer technologies and biomedicine and highlight their current and likely future applications to precision orthodontics. A review of orthodontically relevant technologies and advances in pertinent biological research was undertaken. Innovations in computer hardware and software, and 3D imaging technologies offer the ability for customized treatment and biomechanical planning that will be more fully realized within the next few decades. These technologies combined with 3D printing are already being applied to customized appliance fabrication such as aligners and retainers. The future prospects for custom fabrication of orthodontic brackets of appropriate material properties and smart devices are highly desirable and compelling goals. Within biomedicine, the fundamental understanding of cartilage growth and bone biology is currently being tested in animal models to modify mandibular growth and modulate tooth movement, respectively. Some of these discoveries will ultimately have clinical applications in orthodontics including for growth modification, accelerating orthodontic tooth movement, and enhancing anchorage or retention of teeth. Additional genomic and proteomic information will add to further customization of orthodontic diagnosis and treatments. Over the coming decades, precision orthodontics will continue to benefit from advances in many fields and will require the integration of advances in technology, and biomedical and clinical research to deliver optimal, efficient, safe, and reproducible personalized orthodontic treatment.
Jaw mechanics in dolichofacial and brachyfacial phenotypes: A longitudinal cephalometric‐based study
Authors: Iwasaki L. R. , Liu Y. , Liu H. , Nickel J. C.
Published: June 2017

Structured Abstract

Objectives

To determine whether dolichofacial (Frankfort horizontal mandibular plane angle (FHMPA) ≥30°) vs brachyfacial (FHMPA ≤22°) phenotypes differ in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) loads and whether these differences correlate longitudinally with mandibular ramus height (Condylion‐Gonion, Co‐Go).

Setting and Sample Population

Lateral and posteroanterior cephalographs from ten dolichofacial and ten brachyfacial individuals made at average ages of 6 (T1), 12 (T2) and 18 (T3) years and available online (http://www.aaoflegacycollection.org/aaof_home.html) were used.

Materials and Methods

Three‐dimensional anatomical data were derived from cephalographs and used in numerical models to predict TMJ loads for a range of biting angles on incisors, canines and first molars. Two criteria were used to define clinically important between‐group TMJ load differences: statistical significance was defined with a two‐group t‐test, and where differences were also ≥20%. A statistical approach called response surface analysis was used to assess correlation between TMJ loads and its predictors considered in this study.

Results

The two phenotypes had significantly different FHMPA at all ages (P<.05). No differences in TMJ loads were found at T1. Ipsilateral and contralateral TMJ loads at T2 and T3 were significant and ≥20% larger in dolichofacial than brachyfacial phenotypes for specific biting angles (all adjusted P<.05). Regression analysis indicated age and ramus height contribute 53% of the variability in normalized values of TMJ loads. At higher ages, dolichofacial phenotypes had significantly higher TMJ loads which were correlated with shorter ramus heights compared to brachyfacial phenotypes.

Conclusions

Craniofacial mechanics may explain, in part, mandibular growth differences between dolichofacial and brachyfacial phenotypes.
Osteogenic potential of three different autogenous bone particles harvested during implant surgery
Authors: Liang C , Lin X , Wang S‐L , Guo L‐H , Wang X‐Y , Li J
Published: June 2017

Objectives

The aim was to compare the osteoblast activity and osteogenic potential of autogenous bone particles harvested using three different techniques and determine the most advantageous method of collecting autogenous bone particles.

Subjects and Methods

Bone particles were harvested from 20 patients during dental implant surgery using bone scraping, low‐speed drilling and bone trap filtering. After the osteoblasts were cultured, cell proliferation, migration, mineralization, transcription of osteogenesis‐related genes, secretion of osteogenesis‐related proteins and osteoinductive protein content in the bone particle matrix were evaluated.

Results

Osteoblast activity and osteogenic potential were higher in bone samples harvested by scraper or low‐speed drilling than in samples harvested by bone trap filter. Although these parameters were slightly lower in the low‐speed drilling group than in the scraper group, significant differences were found only in bone Gla protein levels. However, the levels of osteoinductive proteins in the bone particle matrix were significantly higher in the low‐speed drilling group than in the scraper group.

Conclusions

Low‐speed drilling is a recommendable and effective technique for collecting autogenous bone particles. In implant operations, low‐speed drilling can be considered the first‐line option, and if the quantity of harvested bone is insufficient, bone shavings obtained by the scraper may be considered.
Feeding behaviour of generalist pests on Brassica juncea: implication for manipulation of glucosinolate biosynthesis pathway for enhanced resistance
Authors: Kumar Pawan , Augustine Rehna , Singh Amarjeet Kumar , Bisht Naveen C.
Published: June 2017

Differential accumulation of plant defence metabolites has been suggested to have important ecological consequence in the context of plant–insect interactions. Feeding of generalist pests on Brassica juncea showed a distinct pattern with selective exclusion of leaf margins which are high in glucosinolates. Molecular basis of this differential accumulation of glucosinolates could be explained based on differential expression profile of BjuMYB28 homologues, the major biosynthetic regulators of aliphatic glucosinolates, as evident from quantitative real‐time PCR and promoter:GUS fusion studies in allotetraploid B. juncea. Constitutive overexpression of selected BjuMYB28 homologues enhanced accumulation of aliphatic glucosinolates in B. juncea. Performance of two generalist pests, Helicoverpa armigera and Spodoptera litura larvae, on transgenic B. juncea plants were poor compared to wild‐type plants in a no‐choice experiment. Correlation coefficient analysis suggested that weight gain of H. armigera larvae was negatively correlated with gluconapin (GNA) and glucobrassicanapin (GBN), whereas that of S. litura larvae was negatively correlated with GNA, GBN and sinigrin (SIN). Our study explains the significance and possible molecular basis of differential distribution of glucosinolates in B. juncea leaves and shows the potential of overexpressing BjuMYB28 for enhanced resistance of Brassica crops against the tested generalist pests.
An oxygen isotope chronometer for cellulose deposition: the successive leaves formed by tillers of a C4 perennial grass
Authors: Liu Hai Tao , Yang Fang , Gong Xiao Ying , Schäufele Rudi , Schnyder Hans
Published: June 2017

Multiannual time series of (palaeo)hydrological information can be reconstructed from the oxygen isotope composition of cellulose (δ18OCel) in biological archives, for example, tree rings, but our ability to temporally resolve information at subannual scale is limited. We capitalized on the short and predictable leaf appearance interval (2.4 d) of a perennial C4 grass (Cleistogenes squarrosa), to assess its potential for providing highly time‐resolved δ18OCel records of vapour pressure deficit (VPD). Plants grown at low (0.63 kPa) or high (1.58 kPa) VPD were swapped between VPD environments and exposed to the new environment for 7 d with simultaneous 13CO2 labelling. Then, leaves were sampled by age/position along individual tillers. Five leaves at different developmental stages were growing simultaneously. The period of most‐active leaf elongation, from 10 to 90% of final length, lasted 6.6 d, and ~80% of all carbon and oxygen incorporation in whole‐leaf cellulose occurred within 7 d. Cellulose deposition stopped at (or shortly after) full leaf expansion. The direction of change, low‐to‐high or high‐to‐low VPD, had no differential effect on new oxygen and carbon incorporation in cellulose. Successive leaves produced by tillers of C. squarrosa provide a δ18OCel record useful for reconstructions of short‐term hydrological dynamics.
Effects of discrete bioactive microbial volatiles on plants and fungi
Authors: Piechulla Birgit , Lemfack Marie Chantal , Kai Marco
Published: June 2017

Plants live in association with microorganisms, which are well known as a rich source of specialized metabolites, including volatile compounds. The increasing numbers of described plant microbiomes allowed manifold phylogenetic tree deductions, but less emphasis is presently put on the metabolic capacities of plant‐associated microorganisms. With the focus on small volatile metabolites we summarize (i) the knowledge of prominent bacteria of plant microbiomes; (ii) present the state‐of‐the‐art of individual (discrete) microbial organic and inorganic volatiles affecting plants and fungi; and (iii) emphasize the high potential of microbial volatiles in mediating microbe–plant interactions. So far, 94 discrete organic and five inorganic compounds were investigated, most of them trigger alterations of the growth, physiology and defence responses in plants and fungi but little is known about the specific molecular and cellular targets. Large overlaps in emission profiles of the emitters and receivers render specific volatile organic compound‐mediated interactions highly unlikely for most bioactive mVOCs identified so far.
Phenotypic, molecular and pathogenic characterization of Phlyctema vagabunda, causal agent of olive leprosy
Authors: Romero J. , Raya M. C. , Roca L. F. , Agustí‐Brisach C. , Moral J. , Trapero A.
Published: June 2017

Olive leprosy, caused by the fungus Phlyctema vagabunda, is a classic fruit rot disease widespread in the Mediterranean basin. From 2009 to 2013, new disease symptoms consisting of small circular necrotic leaf lesions, coin branch canker and shoot dieback were observed in Spanish and Portuguese olive orchards showing intense defoliation. Phlyctema‐like anamorphs were consistently isolated from leaves and shoots with symptoms. Representative isolates from affected leaves, shoots and fruits were characterized based on morphology of colonies and conidia, optimum growth temperature and comparison of DNA sequence data from four regions: ITS, tub2, MIT and rpb2. In addition, pathogenicity tests were performed on apple and olive fruits, and on branches and leaves of olive trees. Maximum mycelial growth rate ranged between 0.54 and 0.73 mm per day. Conidia produced on inoculated apple fruits showed slight differences in morphology among the representative fungal isolates evaluated. Phylogenetic analysis clustered all of the Phlyctema‐like isolates in the same clade, identifying them as Phlyctema vagabunda. On fruits, influence of wounding, ripening and cultivar resistance was studied, with cv. Blanqueta being the most susceptible cultivar. On branches, a mycelial‐plug inoculation method reproduced olive leprosy symptoms and caused shoot dieback. On leaves, Koch's postulates were fulfilled and the pathogen caused characteristic necrotic spots and plant defoliation. This is the first time that the pathogenicity of P. vagabunda in olive leaves has been demonstrated.
How friends share urban space: An exploratory spatiotemporal analysis using mobile phone data
Authors: Xu Yang , Belyi Alexander , Bojic Iva , Ratti Carlo
Published: June 2017

This study proposes a framework to investigate the roles of urban spaces in connecting social contacts (i.e., “friends”). The framework is applied to a Call Detail Record (CDR) dataset collected in Singapore. First, a comparative analysis is performed to understand how friends share urban space differently from random people. Then, we derive two metrics to quantify the “bonding” and “bridging” capabilities of places in the city. The two metrics reflect the potential of a place in connecting friends and random people (e.g., chance encounters), respectively. Finally, we examine the temporal signature of the places’ bonding capabilities, and associate the results with various types of Points of Interest (POIs). We find that: (1) friends are more likely to share urban space than random people, and they also share more locations; (2) a place could play different roles in connecting friends vs. random people, and the relationship (between bonding and bridging) varies depending on the time and type of a day (weekdays vs. weekends); (3) the temporal signature of bonding capability is strongly related to the semantics of a place; (4) certain POI types (e.g., shopping malls) tend to have a much higher impact on bonding capability than others (e.g., sports centers).
Across state lines: Fulminant Babesia microti infection in a liver transplant recipient
Authors: Meissner Eric G. , McGillicuddy John W. , Squires Jerry , Skipper Daniel , Self Sally , Wray Dannah , Moritz Erin D. , Stramer Susan L. , Nadig Satish
Published: June 2017

The potential for transmission of Babesia microti by blood transfusion is well recognized. Physicians may be unaware that products used for transfusion may be collected from geographically diverse regions. We describe a liver transplant recipient in South Carolina who likely acquired B. microti infection from a unit of blood collected in Minnesota.
Severe hemolysis after plasma transfusion in a neonate with necrotizing enterocolitis, Clostridium perfringens infection, and red blood cell T‐polyagglutination
Authors: Moh‐Klaren Julia , Bodivit Gwellaouen , Jugie Myriam , Chadebech Philippe , Chevret Laurent , Mokhtari Mostafa , Chamillard Xavier , Gallon Philippe , Tissières Pierre , Bierling Philippe , Djoudi Rachid , Pirenne France , Burin‐des‐Roziers Nicolas
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND

Red blood cell (RBC) Thomsen‐Friedenreich antigen exposure (T activation) in infants with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) has occasionally been associated with posttransfusional intravascular hemolysis thought to be due to anti‐T antibodies in the donor plasma.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

We describe an infant with NEC and Clostridium perfringens infection complicated by severe hemolysis after plasma transfusion. After this case, infants with confirmed NEC were prospectively evaluated for T activation. We checked for hemolysis in patients with T activation receiving plasma‐containing blood products.

RESULTS

The infant had received 80 mL of fresh‐frozen plasma (FFP). His RBCs displayed strong T activation, and agglutination was observed with four of six ABO‐compatible FFP units. A direct antiglobulin test was negative. IgM‐class anti‐T antibodies were present in small amounts (titer of 8) in the transfused FFP. Anti‐T antibodies from the blood donor were not hemolytic in vitro. In the prospective study, T activation was observed in three of 28 infants with NEC (11%). One infant presented moderate T activation and two infants presented very strong T activation but only moderate decreases in sialic acid expression on the RBC membrane. These three infants presented no signs of hemolysis after transfusion with unwashed blood products or FFP.

CONCLUSION

Anti‐T antibodies are unlikely to be the etiologic factor for the hemolytic reactions observed in infants with NEC and T activation. Massive RBC desialylation and the direct action of bacterial toxins are more probable causes. Strict avoidance of plasma‐containing blood products does not seem justified in these infants.
Improved yield of minimal proportional sample volume platelet bacterial culture
Authors: Kamel Hany , Townsend Mary , Bravo Marjorie , Vassallo Ralph R.
Published: June 2017

BACKGROUND

Reports of septic transfusion reactions (STRs) after transfusion of culture‐negative platelets (PLTs) justify more effective prevention strategies. Pathogen reduction technologies or performance of additional point‐of‐issue testing are proposed strategies to enhance safety through Day 5 of storage.

STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS

Trima leukoreduced apheresis PLTs (APs) were collected during two study periods (45 and 31 months) using standard procedures, with target settings adjusted during the second period to maintain split rate after increased culture volume. Primary testing for bacterial contamination was performed using BacT/ALERT 3D with sampling from the mother bag 24 to 36 hours after collection. Two culture approaches were compared: in Period A, an 8‐mL sample in one aerobic culture bottle (CB), and in Period B a minimal proportional sample volume (PSV) of at least 3.8% of mother bag volume into one to three aerobic CBs (7‐10 mL per bottle).

RESULTS

In Periods A and B, 188,389 and 159,098 AP collections were tested, respectively. The true‐positive (TP) rate in Period A was 0.90 per 10,000 collections and in Period B was 1.83 per 10,000 (p < 0.05). In Period B, 12 of 29 (41%) TP results had discrepant CB results (DCBRs; at least one of multiple bottles without growth). The false‐positive rate in Period B, 15.05 per 10,000 collections, was significantly higher than that of Period A, 3.66 per 10,000. One contaminated collection resulting in STR(s) was reported in each study period. Implementation of PSV was operationally successful and did not impact the AP split rate.

CONCLUSION

Proportional sample volume improved the sensitivity of primary testing and identified collections that could have escaped detection had only a single bottle with 8‐ to 10‐mL volume been used. PSV may represent another approach to enhanced PLT safety for 5‐day storage without a requirement for secondary testing.
Plural nouns in Tswana English
Authors: MOHR SUSANNE
Published: June 2017

This study analyzes non‐standard plurals, which have been reported for several Outer and Expanding Circle varieties, in Tswana English as exemplified in the International Corpus of Learner English (ICLE). The focus of the study is on substrate influence and transfer, which is often difficult to determine for African varieties of English given their extremely multilingual sociolinguistic setting. The results of the corpus analysis, compared to two typologically different Expanding Circle varieties, question the status of Tswana English as an Expanding Circle variety. In this context, this article discusses the Outer versus Expanding Circle distinction and the necessity to unequivocally assign a variety to either the Outer or Expanding Circle.
Neotype designations and supplementary descriptions of Taiwanoppia subtropica Tseng, 1982 and Muliercula chiayiensis Tseng, 1984 (Acari: Oribatida: Oppiidae, Scheloribatidae)
Authors: Ermilov Sergey G. , Liao Jhih-Rong
Published: June 2017

The type materials of oribatid mites (Acari, Oribatida) included in Tseng’s collections were lost, therefore, to ensure stability in zoological nomenclature, designation of neotypes is necessary. Based on the close morphological similarity of the collected specimens of Taiwanoppia subtropica Tseng, 1982 (Oppiidae) and Muliercula chiayiensis Tseng, 1984 (Scheloribatidae) from Taiwan to the original descriptions, we designate a neotype and paraneotypes for each of these species, and redescribe and illustrate them in detail.
A Three-Dimensional Cell Culture System To Model RNA Virus Infections at the Blood-Brain Barrier
Authors: Bramley John C. , Drummond Coyne G. , Lennemann Nicholas J. , Good Charles A. , Kim Kwang Sik , Coyne Carolyn B.
Published: June 2017

Neurotropic viral infections are significant sources of global morbidity and mortality. The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is composed in part of a layer of microvascular endothelial cells and functions to restrict viral access to the brain.
In vitro
models that recapitulate many of the properties of the human BBB endothelium are lacking, particularly with respect to the unique cellular and immunological mechanisms by which these cells restrict viral infections of the brain. Here, we developed a three-dimensional cell culture model that recapitulates many of the morphological and functional properties of the BBB microvasculature and apply this model to the study of RNA virus infections. The model we describe can therefore be used to study a variety of aspects of BBB physiology, including the mechanisms by which viruses might access the CNS, and could be used for the development and screening of antiviral therapeutics to limit this important step in viral pathogenesis.