bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
On the Properties of the Arctic Halocline and Deep Water Masses of the Canada Basin from Nitrate Isotope Ratios
Authors: Granger Julie , Sigman Daniel M. , Gagnon Jonathan , Tremblay Jean‐Eric , Mucci Alfonso
Published: July 2018

Nitrogen is a limiting nutrient for primary production in the western Arctic Ocean. Measurements of the nitrogen (15N/14N) and oxygen (18O/16O) isotope ratios of nitrate in the southeastern Beaufort Sea provide insight into biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen in the western Arctic Ocean. Nitrate O isotope ratios in the Pacific halocline evidence a highly regenerated reservoir. Coincident peaks in nutrient concentrations and reduced dissolved oxygen concentrations suggest that nitrate accrues from organic matter remineralization in bottom waters of the Chukchi shelf and that these ventilate the basin predominantly in summer, when isolated from the atmosphere. Preformed nitrate in Pacific Winter Water lacks 18O/16O elevation from nitrate assimilation, contrasting with preformed nitrate in other ocean regions. A reactive N deficit and elevated nitrate N isotope ratios in the Pacific halocline further indicate substantial N loss to coupled nitrification‐denitrification in shelf sediments upstream. In the Atlantic Water below, nitrate isotope ratios identify two distinct waters entering the Arctic at Fram Strait, from (1) the surface West Spitsbergen Current, bearing isotopic signatures akin to North Atlantic waters, and (2) deeper inflows of waters ventilated in the Nordic Seas, transporting nitrate O isotope ratios indicative of regenerated nitrate. Poorly ventilated Canada Basin Deep Water shows evidence of nominal accrual of remineralized products, and nitrate isotope ratios suggest an influence of slow benthic denitrification on the sea floor. The observations reveal that shelf processes have a disproportionate influence on tracer properties of the Pacific halocline, while those in Atlantic Water are dominated by processes in the Nordic Seas.
Retrieving Ocean Subsurface Temperature Using a Satellite‐Based Geographically Weighted Regression Model
Authors: Su Hua , Huang Linjin , Li Wene , Yang Xin , Yan Xiao‐Hai
Published: July 2018

Accurately retrieving and describing subsurface temperature on a large scale can provide valuable information that can be used for subsurface dynamic and variability studies. This study develops a new satellite‐based geographically weighted regression (GWR) model to estimate a subsurface temperature anomaly (STA) in the upper 2,000 m of the Indian Ocean by combining satellite observations (sea surface height, sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity, and sea surface wind) and Argo in situ data (STA). This model improves the estimation accuracy by considering the significant spatial nonstationarity feature between the surface and subsurface parameters in the ocean. The performance of the GWR model is measured by using Akaike Information Criterion combined with root‐mean‐square error and R2. The results showed that the proposed GWR model can easily retrieve the STA and outperform the ordinary least squares model. The GWR model can also explain the contribution from each variable via a local regression coefficient distribution. The sea surface height from altimetry is the most significant variable for GWR estimation. This study demonstrates the great potential and advantage of the GWR model for large‐scale subsurface modeling and information retrieving. Thus, we have developed a novel approach for investigating subsurface thermal anomaly and variability from satellite observations.
Unseen Dust Emission and Global Dust Abundance: Documenting Dust Emission from the Mojave Desert (USA) by Daily Remote Camera Imagery and Wind‐Erosion Measurements
Authors: Urban Frank E. , Goldstein Harland L. , Fulton Robert , Reynolds Richard L.
Published: July 2018

A large gap in understanding the effects of atmospheric dust at all spatial scales is uncertainty about how much and whence dust is emitted annually. Direct digital recording of dust emission at high spatial and temporal resolution would together with periodic flux measurements support improved estimates of local‐scale dust flux. Remote camera recording of dust‐emitting settings on and around Soda Lake (Mojave Desert) was conducted every 15 min during daylight between 10 November 2010 and 31 December 2016. Examination of 135,000 images revealed frequent dust events characterized as dust days, 68 per year on average, when dust plumes obscured mountains beyond areas of dust generation. Dust was not observed from examination of satellite retrievals (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer and Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite System) during six cloudless days of extreme emission. Estimated masses of emitted dust fractions were made from measured horizontal mass flux, sediment particle sizes, and areas of dust generation. Between April 2000 and June 2013, nearly 4 Tg/year of dust (particles < 63 μm) were emitted across the study area. Higher rates (about 7 Tg/year) were estimated following the December 2010 Mojave River flood that deposited sediment across the lake basin. Within the Mojave and Great Basin deserts of western North America, many settings akin to those at Soda Lake similarly emit dust that is rarely detected in satellite retrievals, implying that local and regional dust emissions from western North America are far underestimated and that, by extension to relatively small dust‐source areas across all drylands, global dust emissions may also be greatly underestimated.
Climatic Controls of the Spatial Patterns of Vegetation Phenology in Midlatitude Grasslands of the Northern Hemisphere
Authors: Ren Shilong , Chen Xiaoqiu , Lang Weiguang , Schwartz Mark D.
Published: July 2018

Revealing grassland growing season spatial patterns and their climatic controls is crucial for estimating the spatial heterogeneity of grassland productivity and carbon sequestration. In this study, we first used satellite‐derived normalized difference vegetation index data and a double logistic function to extract the start (SOS), end (EOS), and length of the growing season in midlatitude grasslands of the Northern Hemisphere during 1981–2014. Then, we verified the accuracy of satellite‐derived SOS and EOS using ground‐observed phenological records and gross primary production data at some locations. Moreover, we analyzed the spatial patterns of growing season indicators and their climatic controls. Results show that both SOS and EOS appear first in cool semidesert grasslands (CG), then in temperate grasslands (TG) and alpine grasslands (AG), and finally in warm semidesert grasslands (WG). A delaying tendency of SOS and EOS from north to south was identified in TG of North America. In contrast, an advancing tendency of SOS and EOS from north to south was detected in CG of Central and Western Asia. Further analysis indicates that a spatial opposite effect of spring temperature and precipitation triggers SOS in TG, whereas a spatial synergy effect of spring temperature and precipitation triggers SOS in CG of Asia, WG, and AG. Meanwhile, a spatial synergy effect of autumn temperature and precipitation triggers EOS for TG of North America and AG, whereas a spatial opposite effect of autumn temperature and precipitation determines EOS for CG.
abLIM1 constructs non-erythroid cortical actin networks to prevent mechanical tension-induced blebbing
Authors: Li Guoqing , Huang Shan , Yang Sen , Wang Jiabin , Cao Jingli , Czajkowsky Daniel M. , Shao Zhifeng , Zhu Xueliang
Published: July 2018

The cell cortex is a layer of cytoskeletal networks underneath the plasma membrane, formed by filamentous actin (F-actin) and cortex proteins including spectrin, adducin, and myosin. It provides cells with proper stiffness, elasticity, and surface tension to allow morphogenesis, division, and migration. Although its architecture and formation have been widely studied in red blood cells, they are poorly understood in non-erythrocytes due to structural complexity and versatile functions. In this study, we identify the actin-binding protein abLIM1 as a novel non-erythroid cell-specific cortex organizer. Endogenous abLIM1 colocalized with cortical βII spectrin but upon overexpression redistributed to thick cortical actin bundles. abLIM1 associated with major cortex proteins such as spectrins and adducin in vivo. Depletion of abLIM1 by RNAi induced prominent blebbing during membrane protrusions of spreading or migrating RPE1 cells and impaired migration efficiency. Reducing cortical tensions by culturing the cells to confluency or inhibiting myosin activity repressed the blebbing phenotype. abLIM1-depleted RPE1 or U2OS cells lacked the dense interwoven cortical actin meshwork observed in control cells but were abundant in long cortical actin bundles along the long axis of the cells. In-vitro assays indicated that abLIM1 was able to crosslink and bundle F-actin to induce dense F-actin network formation. Therefore, abLIM1 governs the formation of dense interconnected cortical actin meshwork in non-erythroid cells to prevent mechanical tension-induced blebbing during cellular activities such as spreading and migration.
Prioritizing phylogenetic diversity captures functional diversity unreliably
Authors: Mazel Florent , Pennell Matthew W. , Cadotte Marc W. , Diaz Sandra , Dalla Riva Giulio Valentino , Grenyer Richard , Leprieur Fabien , Mooers Arne O. , Mouillot David , Tucker Caroline M. , Pearse William D.
Published: July 2018

In the face of the biodiversity crisis, it is argued that we should prioritize species in order to capture high functional diversity (FD). Because species traits often reflect shared evolutionary history, many researchers have assumed that maximizing phylogenetic diversity (PD) should indirectly capture FD, a hypothesis that we name the “phylogenetic gambit”. Here, we empirically test this gambit using data on ecologically relevant traits from >15,000 vertebrate species. Specifically, we estimate a measure of surrogacy of PD for FD. We find that maximizing PD results in an average gain of 18% of FD relative to random choice. However, this average gain obscures the fact that in over one-third of the comparisons, maximum PD sets contain less FD than randomly chosen sets of species. These results suggest that, while maximizing PD protection can help to protect FD, it represents a risky conservation strategy.
Single olfactory receptors set odor detection thresholds
Authors: Dewan Adam , Cichy Annika , Zhang Jingji , Miguel Kayla , Feinstein Paul , Rinberg Dmitry , Bozza Thomas
Published: July 2018

In many species, survival depends on olfaction, yet the mechanisms that underlie olfactory sensitivity are not well understood. Here we examine how a conserved subset of olfactory receptors, the trace amine-associated receptors (TAARs), determine odor detection thresholds of mice to amines. We find that deleting all TAARs, or even single TAARs, results in significant odor detection deficits. This finding is not limited to TAARs, as the deletion of a canonical odorant receptor reduced behavioral sensitivity to its preferred ligand. Remarkably, behavioral threshold is set solely by the most sensitive receptor, with no contribution from other highly sensitive receptors. In addition, increasing the number of sensory neurons (and glomeruli) expressing a threshold-determining TAAR does not improve detection, indicating that sensitivity is not limited by the typical complement of sensory neurons. Our findings demonstrate that olfactory thresholds are set by the single highest affinity receptor and suggest that TAARs are evolutionarily conserved because they determine the sensitivity to a class of biologically relevant chemicals.
Applying UK real-world primary care data to predict asthma attacks in 3776 well-characterised children: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Turner Steve W , Murray Clare , Thomas Mike , Burden Annie , Price David B
Published: July 2018

Current understanding of risk factors for asthma attacks in children is based on studies of small but well-characterised populations or pharmaco-epidemiology studies of large but poorly characterised populations. We describe an observational study of factors linked to future asthma attacks in large number of well-characterised children. From two UK primary care databases (Clinical Practice Research Datalink and Optimum Patient Care research Database), a cohort of children was identified with asthma aged 5–12 years and where data were available for ≥2 consecutive years. In the “baseline” year, predictors included treatment step, number of attacks, blood eosinophil count, peak flow and obesity. In the “outcome” year the number of attacks was determined and related to predictors. There were 3776 children, of whom 525 (14%) had ≥1 attack in the outcome year. The odds ratio (OR) for one attack was 3.7 (95% Confidence Interval (CI) 2.9, 4.8) for children with 1 attack in the baseline year and increased to 7.7 (95% CI 5.6, 10.7) for those with ≥2 attacks, relative to no attacks. Higher treatment step, younger age, lower respiratory tract infections, reduced peak flow and eosinophil count >400/μL were also associated with small increases in OR for an asthma attack during the outcome year. In this large population, several factors were associated with a future asthma attack, but a past history of attacks was most strongly associated with future attacks. Interventions aimed at reducing the risk for asthma attacks could use primary care records to identify children at risk for asthma attacks.
Schizophrenia-related dysbindin-1 gene is required for innate immune response and homeostasis in the developing subventricular zone
Authors: Al-Shammari Abeer R. , Bhardwaj Sanjeev K. , Musaelyan Ksenia , Srivastava Lalit K. , Szele Francis G.
Published: July 2018

Schizophrenia is a neurodevelopmental disorder likely caused by environmental and genetic risk factors but functional interactions between the risk factors are unclear. We tested the hypothesis that dysbindin-1 (Dtnbp1) gene mutation combined with postnatal exposure to viral mimetic polyI:C results in schizophrenia-related behavioural changes in adulthood, and mediates polyI:C-induced inflammation in the subventricular zone (SVZ). Adult Sandy (Sdy, Dtnbp1 mutant) mice given early postnatal polyI:C injections displayed reduced prepulse inhibition of startle, reduced locomotion and deficits in novel object recognition. PolyI:C induced a canonical immune response in the SVZ; it increased mRNA expression of its toll-like receptor 3 (Tlr3) and downstream transcription factors RelA and Sp1. PolyI:C also increased SVZ Dtnbp1 mRNA expression, suggesting dysbindin-1 regulates immune responses. Dysbindin-1 loss in Sdy mice blocked the polyI:C-induced increases in mRNA expression of Tlr3, RelA and Sp1 in the SVZ. Dtnbp1 overexpression in SVZ-derived Sdy neurospheres rescued Tlr3, RelA and Sp1 mRNA expression supporting a functional interaction between dysbindin-1 and polyI:C-induced inflammation. Immunohistochemistry showed higher Iba1+ immune cell density in the SVZ of Sdy mice than in WT postnatally. PolyI:C did not alter SVZ Iba1+ cell density but increased CD45+/Iba1− cell numbers in the SVZ of Sdy mice. Finally, polyI:C injections in Sdy, but not WT mice reduced postnatal and adult SVZ proliferation. Together, we show novel functional interactions between the schizophrenia-relevant dysbindin-1 gene and the immune response to polyI:C. This work sheds light on the molecular basis for amplified abnormalities due to combined genetic predisposition and exposure to environmental schizophrenia risk factors.
An Ad/MVA vectored Theileria parva antigen induces schizont-specific CD8+ central memory T cells and confers partial protection against a lethal challenge
Authors: Svitek Nicholas , Saya Rosemary , Awino Elias , Munyao Stephen , Muriuki Robert , Njoroge Thomas , Pellé Roger , Ndiwa Nicholas , Poole Jane , Gilbert Sarah , Nene Vishvanath , Steinaa Lucilla
Published: July 2018

The parasiteTheileria parvais the causative agent of East Coast fever (ECF), one of the most serious cattle diseases in sub-Saharan Africa, and directly impacts smallholder farmers’ livelihoods. There is an efficient live-parasite vaccine, but issues with transmission of vaccine strains, need of a cold chain, and antibiotics limit its utilization. This has fostered research towards subunit vaccination. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) are crucial in combating the infection by lysingT. parva-infected cells. Tp1 is an immunodominant CTL antigen, which induces Tp1-specific responses in 70–80% of cattle of the A18 or A18v haplotype during vaccination with the live vaccine. In this study, human adenovirus serotype 5 (HAd5) and modified vaccinia Ankara (MVA) were assessed for their ability to induce Tp1-specific immunity. Both viral vectors expressing the Tp1 antigen were inoculated in cattle by a heterologous prime-boost vaccination regimen. All 15 animals responded to Tp1 as determined by ELISpot. Of these, 14 reacted to the known Tp1 epitope, assayed by ELISpot and tetramer analyses, with CTL peaking 1-week post-MVA boost. Eleven animals developed CTL with specific cytotoxic activity towards peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) pulsed with the Tp1 epitope. Moreover, 36% of the animals with a Tp1 epitope-specific response survived a lethal challenge withT. parva5 weeks post-MVA boost. Reduction of the parasitemia correlated with increased percentages of central memory lymphocytes in the Tp1 epitope-specific CD8+populations. These results indicate that Tp1 is a promising antigen to include in a subunit vaccine and central memory cells are crucial for clearing the parasite.
Allostery and cooperativity in multimeric proteins: bond-to-bond propensities in ATCase
Authors: Hodges Maxwell , Barahona Mauricio , Yaliraki Sophia N.
Published: July 2018

Aspartate carbamoyltransferase (ATCase) is a large dodecameric enzyme with six active sites that exhibits allostery: its catalytic rate is modulated by the binding of various substrates at distal points from the active sites. A recently developed method, bond-to-bond propensity analysis, has proven capable of predicting allosteric sites in a wide range of proteins using an energy-weighted atomistic graph obtained from the protein structure and given knowledge only of the location of the active site. Bond-to-bond propensity establishes if energy fluctuations at given bonds have significant effects on any other bond in the protein, by considering their propagation through the protein graph. In this work, we use bond-to-bond propensity analysis to study different aspects of ATCase activity using three different protein structures and sources of fluctuations. First, we predict key residues and bonds involved in the transition between inactive (T) and active (R) states of ATCase by analysing allosteric substrate binding as a source of energy perturbations in the protein graph. Our computational results also indicate that the effect of multiple allosteric binding is non linear: a switching effect is observed after a particular number and arrangement of substrates is bound suggesting a form of long range communication between the distantly arranged allosteric sites. Second, cooperativity is explored by considering a bisubstrate analogue as the source of energy fluctuations at the active site, also leading to the identification of highly significant residues to the T ↔ R transition that enhance cooperativity across active sites. Finally, the inactive (T) structure is shown to exhibit a strong, non linear communication between the allosteric sites and the interface between catalytic subunits, rather than the active site. Bond-to-bond propensity thus offers an alternative route to explain allosteric and cooperative effects in terms of detailed atomistic changes to individual bonds within the protein, rather than through phenomenological, global thermodynamic arguments.
Predator odour but not TMT induces 22-kHz ultrasonic vocalizations in rats that lead to defensive behaviours in conspecifics upon replay
Authors: Fendt Markus , Brosch Marcel , Wernecke Kerstin E. A. , Willadsen Maria , Wöhr Markus
Published: July 2018

Predator odours induce defensive behaviour in prey animals such as rats. The present study investigated (1) whether laboratory rats exposed to predator odours emit 22-kHz calls which may have an alarming function and (2) whether playback of such calls induces behavioural changes in conspecifics. For this, Sprague-Dawley rats were exposed to samples of fox and lion urine, as well as to the synthetic predator odour TMT. Despite that all odours induced defensive behaviour, only predator urine samples but not TMT were able to induce 22-kHz calls in a few rats. In a second experiment, naive rats were exposed to playback presentations of the 22-kHz calls recorded in the first experiment, as well as to phase-scrambled and frequency-shifted control stimuli. Low intensity playback presentations led to a reduction of locomotor activity during the presentation of the 22-kHz calls but not of the control stimuli. This effect was less specific under high intensity conditions. Taken together the present findings show that natural predator odours are able to induce emission of 22-kHz calls in rats and support the hypothesis that these calls have an alarming function.
Autosomal DIPs for population genetic structure and differentiation analyses of Chinese Xinjiang Kyrgyz ethnic group
Authors: Guo Yuxin , Chen Chong , Jin Xiaoye , Cui Wei , Wei Yuanyuan , Wang Hongdan , Kong Tingting , Mu Yuling , Zhu Bofeng
Published: July 2018

In recent years, deletion and insertion polymorphisms (DIPs) were treated as a novel complementary tool with huge potential for forensic applications. In this study, we utilized 30 DIP loci to make a comprehensive research of allele frequency distribution and compute forensic parameters to evaluate the efficiency of forensic applications in the 295 unrelated healthy individuals of Kyrgyz group, and in addition, infer the genetic relationships between Kyrgyz group and 24 other previously studied groups. No significant departures from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and linkage disequilibrium were observed at these 30 DIP loci. The combined power of discrimination and the combined probability of exclusion for all 30 DIP loci in Kyrgyz group were 0.9999999999989 and 0.9939, respectively. Furthermore, the results of the interpopulation differentiations, phylogenetic reconstruction, population genetic structure and principal component analyses suggested that Kyrgyz group had relatively close genetic relationships with Kazakh and Uygur groups. However, it was also important to stress that 15 loci were selected out from these 30 DIP loci using the method of selecting ancestry markers, which could be utilized for further ancestry inference study relatively.
Impact of viral upper respiratory tract infection on the concentration of nasopharyngeal pneumococcal carriage among Kenyan children
Authors: Morpeth Susan C. , Munywoki Patrick , Hammitt Laura L. , Bett Anne , Bottomley Christian , Onyango Clayton O. , Murdoch David R. , Nokes D. James , Scott J. Anthony G.
Published: July 2018

Viral upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) predisposes to bacterial pneumonia possibly by facilitating growth of bacteria such as Streptococcus pneumoniae colonising the nasopharynx. We investigated whether viral URTI is temporally associated with an increase in nasopharyngeal pneumococcal concentration. Episodes of symptomatic RSV or rhinovirus URTI among children <5 years were identified from a longitudinal household study in rural Kenya. lytA and alu PCR were performed on nasopharyngeal samples collected twice-weekly, to measure the pneumococcal concentration adjusted for the concentration of human DNA present. Pneumococcal concentration increased with a fold-change of 3.80 (95%CI 1.95–7.40), with acquisition of RSV or rhinovirus, during 51 URTI episodes among 42 children. In repeated swabs from the baseline period, in the two weeks before URTI developed, within-episode variation was broad; within +/−112-fold range of the geometric mean. We observed only a small increase in nasopharyngeal pneumococcal concentration during RSV or rhinovirus URTI, relative to natural variation. Other factors, such as host response to viral infection, may be more important than nasopharyngeal pneumococcal concentration in determining risk of invasive disease.
PDGFRA gene, maternal binge drinking and obstructive heart defects
Authors: Tang Xinyu , Eberhart Johann K. , Cleves Mario A. , Li Jingyun , Li Ming , MacLeod Stewart , Nembhard Wendy N. , Hobbs Charlotte A.
Published: July 2018

Obstructive heart defects (OHDs) are a major health concern worldwide. The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) genes are known to have regulatory functions that are essential for proper heart development. In a zebrafish model, Pdgfra was further demonstrated to interact with ethanol during craniofacial development. In this article, we investigated interactions between variants in PDGF genes and periconceptional alcohol exposure on the risk of OHDs by applying log-linear models to 806 OHD case and 995 control families enrolled in the National Birth Defects Prevention Study. The interactions between four variants in PDGFA and maternal binge drinking reached a nominal significance level. The maternal T allele of rs869978 was estimated to increase OHD risk among women who binge drink, while infant genotypes of rs2291591, rs2228230, rs1547904, and rs869978 may reduce the risk. Although none of these associations remain statistically significant after multiple testing adjustment and the estimated maternal effect may be influenced by unknown confounding factors, such as maternal smoking, these findings are consistent with previous animal studies supporting potential interactions between the PDGFRA gene and maternal alcohol exposure. Replication studies with larger sample sizes are needed to further elucidate this potential interplay and its influence on OHD risks.
Control of Spin-Wave Propagation using Magnetisation Gradients
Authors: Vogel Marc , Aßmann Rick , Pirro Philipp , Chumak Andrii V. , Hillebrands Burkard , von Freymann Georg
Published: July 2018

We report that in an in-plane magnetised magnetic film the in-plane direction of a propagating spin wave can be changed by up to 90 degrees using an externally induced magnetic gradient field. We have achieved this result using a reconfigurable, laser-induced magnetisation gradient created in a conversion area, in which the backward volume and surface spin-wave modes coexist at the same frequency. Shape and orientation of the gradient control the conversion efficiency. Experimental data and numerical calculations agree very well. Our findings open the way to magnonic circuits with in-plane steering of the spin-wave modes.
Visual tool for real-time monitoring of membrane fouling via Raman spectroscopy and process model based on principal component analysis
Authors: Virtanen Tiina , Reinikainen Satu-Pia , Lahti Jussi , Mänttäri Mika , Kallioinen Mari
Published: July 2018

Membrane fouling, i.e. accumulation of unwanted material on the surface of the membrane is a significant problem in filtration processes since it commonly degrades membrane performance and increases operating costs. Therefore, the advantages of early stage monitoring and control of fouling are widely recognized. In this work, the potential of using Raman spectroscopy coupled to chemometrics in order to quantify degree of membrane fouling in real-time was investigated. The Raman data set collected from adsorption experiments with varying pHs and concentrations of model compound vanillin was used to develop a predictive model based on principal component analysis (PCA) for the quantification of the vanillin adsorbed on the membrane. The correspondence between the predicted concentrations based on the PCA model and actual measured concentrations of adsorbed vanillin was moderately good. The model developed was successful in monitoring both adsorption and desorption processes. Furthermore, the model was able to detect abnormally proceeding experiment based on differentiating PCA score and loading values. The results indicated that the presented approach of using Raman spectroscopy combined with a PCA model has potential for use in monitoring and control of fouling and cleaning in membrane processes.
Contribution of prostanoid FP receptor and prostaglandins in transient inflammatory ocular hypertension
Authors: Yamagishi-Kimura Reiko , Honjo Megumi , Aihara Makoto
Published: July 2018

We explored the involvement of FP receptor and endogenous prostaglandins (PGs) in transient ocular hypertension (OH) induced by PGE2 or PGF2α in mouse eyes. PGE2 and PGF2α were topically applied to induce transient OH in Wild-type (WT) and FP-, EP1-, EP2-, and EP3-deficient (knockout [KO]) mice. To suppress endogenous PG production, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug nepafenac was applied topically before treatment. PGE2 and PGF2α induced significant OH in the WT, FPKO, and EP1–3KO mice compared to the control 30 min after instillation, and the increase in IOP at 30 or 60 min after instillation in FPKO mice was significantly higher than that in the WT mice. The effects of PGF2α on the increase in IOP were significantly weaker than those of PGE2, especially in EP1KO and EP3KO mice. Transient OH induced by PGE2 and PGF2α was significantly attenuated by nepafenac treatment in FPKO mice. Transient OH was induced by PGE2 and PGF2α in WT, FPKO, and EP1–3KO mice, which was enhanced in FPKO mice. This OH was significantly diminished by nepafenac treatment in FPKO mice, suggesting that FP receptor may have an important naïve physiological role in the eye, and could regulate IOP elevation during PG-associated ocular inflammation.
Pneumococcal Disease and the Effectiveness of the PPV23 Vaccine in Adults: A Two-Stage Bayesian Meta-Analysis of Observational and RCT Reports
Authors: Latifi-Navid Hamid , Latifi-Navid Saeid , Mostafaiy Behdad , Jamalkandi Sadegh Azimzadeh , Ahmadi Ali
Published: July 2018

The efficacy of PPV-23 vaccine on outcomes of pneumococcal disease in adults still remains controversial due mainly to the lack of consistency between the results obtained from observational studies(OSs) and those obtained from randomized controlled trials(RCTs). As a consequence, the complexity in the structure of evidence available, in turn, generates a challenge for combining disparate pieces of evidence quantitatively. In this regard, we used a hierarchical Bayesian inference-based evidence synthesis of RCTs and observational data using a two-stage approach (in addition to a traditional random-effects meta-analysis) to examine the effectiveness of PPV-23 in adults. To this end, 21 studies were included involving 826109 adult participants. By a two-stage Bayesian meta-analysis, which was directly used for combining studies of different designs, the overall log OR (95% credible interval) for IPDs was −0.1048 (−0.3920,−0.0250), indicating a significant protective effect of the vaccination against IPDs. No significant effect of PPV-23 was found on all-cause pneumonia, pneumococcal pneumonia, and death from pneumonia, which confirmed the results obtained by a traditional method followed by stratified and sensitivity analyses. The estimated overall log OR (95% credible interval) was −0.0002 (−0.0241,0.0142), −0.0002 (−0.0110,0.0122), and −6.3912 × 10−5 (−0.0219,0.0131), respectively. The PPV-23 vaccine might be effective in preventing the most severe invasive forms of pneumococcal diseases, but not effective in preventing other clinical outcomes, in the adult population of 18 years and older.
Mineralogical and textural characteristics of nest building geomaterials used by three sympatric mud-nesting hirundine species
Authors: Papoulis Dimitrios , Tzortzakaki Olga , Avramidis Pavlos , Mentis Panagiotis , Lampropoulou Paraskevi , Iliopoulos George
Published: July 2018

Many hirundine species construct their nests by carrying mud particles from adjacent areas. This study aimed to investigate for the first time the materials that mud-nesting hirundines choose for nest construction from a mineralogical and sedimentological perspective. For this purpose, we sampled nests of three sympatric species, namely the Barn Swallow (Hirundo rustica), the Red-rumped Swallow (Cecropis daurica) and the House Martin (Delichon urbicum), from southeastern Europe. Our results showed that all species tend to use clay minerals as a cement and especially smectite and illite and if these minerals are not present in the adjacent area, they use halloysite, kaolinite or chlorite. The amounts of clay minerals in the nests are generally low indicating that the studied species can accurately identify the properties of the nesting materials. Most of the non clay minerals that they use are the common, easily accessible colourless or white minerals with low specific gravity values such as quartz, feldspars and calcite. Grain size distribution analysis revealed that the amount of clay sized grains in the mud nests of all three species is relatively low, while the amount of larger grain particles decreases when the size of the non clay minerals is small. The Red-rumped Swallow showed an increasing preference for larger grain size particles and quartz, the Barn Swallow for finer grain size particles and calcite, and the preferences of the House Martin are in between the other two species. The three hirundine species present different nest building strategies and depending on the nest architecture, each of them seems to show preference for specific minerals and specific grain sizes.
Falling water ice affinity purification of ice-binding proteins
Authors: Adar Chen , Sirotinskaya Vera , Bar Dolev Maya , Friehmann Tomer , Braslavsky Ido
Published: July 2018

Ice-binding proteins (IBPs) permit their hosts to thrive in the presence of ice. The ability of IBPs to control ice growth makes them potential additives in industries ranging from food storage and cryopreservation to anti-icing systems. For IBPs to be used in commercial applications, however, methods are needed to produce sufficient quantities of high-quality proteins. Here, we describe a new method for IBP purification, termed falling water ice affinity purification (FWIP). The method is based on the affinity of IBPs for ice and does not require molecular tags. A crude IBP solution is allowed to flow over a chilled vertical surface of a commercial ice machine. The temperature of the surface is lowered gradually until ice crystals are produced, to which the IBPs bind but other solutes do not. We found that a maximum of 35 mg of IBP was incorporated in 1 kg of ice. Two rounds of FWIP resulted in >95% purity. An ice machine that produces 60 kg of ice per day can be used to purify one gram of IBP per day. In combination with efficient concentration of the protein solution by tangential flow filtration the FWIP method is suitable for the purification of grams of IBPs for research purposes and applications.
Endocervical and vaginal microbiota in South African adolescents with asymptomatic Chlamydia trachomatis infection
Authors: Balle Christina , Lennard Katie , Dabee Smritee , Barnabas Shaun L. , Jaumdally Shameem Z. , Gasper Melanie A. , Maseko Venessa , Mbulawa Zizipho Z. A. , Williamson Anna-Lise , Bekker Linda-Gail , Lewis David A. , Passmore Jo-Ann S. , Jaspan Heather B.
Published: July 2018

Adolescent girls and young women represent a key risk group for sexually transmitted infections (STIs). The vaginal microbiota is thought to play an important role in susceptibility to STIs such as Chlamydia trachomatis. We compared the microbiota of the lateral vaginal wall and endocervix, and assessed associations with C. trachomatis infection in South African adolescents. The endocervical and vaginal lateral wall microbiota were characterized by amplifying and sequencing the V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene and C. trachomatis diagnosed using molecular methods. Of the 72 girls included, 30 had asymptomatic C. trachomatis infections. Three major vaginal community types were identified; one Lactobacillus crispatus, one L. iners and one diverse, Gardnerella vaginalis dominant. The microbiota of the endocervix was significantly different from that of the lateral wall in terms of diversity. There were many differentially abundant taxa between the endocervix and lateral vaginal wall, including Achromobacter spanius and Enterococcus faecium. Women with C. trachomatis had higher relative abundance of G. vaginalis and other anaerobes. In this African adolescent cohort, significant differences between the lateral vaginal wall and endocervical microbiota diversity and composition were evident, although neither were strongly associated with C. trachomatis infection.
The microRNA miR-192/215 family is upregulated in mucinous ovarian carcinomas
Authors: Agostini Antonio , Brunetti Marta , Davidson Ben , Tropé Claes G. , Eriksson Ane Gerda Z. , Heim Sverre , Panagopoulos Ioannis , Micci Francesca
Published: July 2018

Different microRNAs are dysregulated in ovarian cancer where some of them have proved to be valid biomarkers. miRNA profiling analyses have shown that the different histotypes of ovarian carcinoma display differential expression of specific miRNAs. In the present study, we used miRNA-sequencing and Real-Time qPCR to detect the expression levels of miRNAs belonging to the miRNA-192/215 family, namely miR-192, miR-194, and miR-215, in different types of ovarian neoplasia, finding that miR-192, miR-194, and miR-215 were upregulated in ovarian carcinomas of the mucinous subtype, but downregulated in other types of carcinoma and in sex cord-stromal tumors. The expression of the said miRNAs was 6-fold higher in mucinous tumors compared to the other histotypes making them candidates for a possible role as diagnostic biomarkers.
Cyclooxygenase-2 up-regulates hepatic somatostatin receptor 2 expression
Authors: Lu Yao-Yao , Gao Jin-Hang , Zhao Chong , Wen Shi-Lei , Tang Cheng-Wei , Wang Yu-Fang
Published: July 2018

Somatostatin and its analogues, which function by binding to somatostatin receptors (SSTRs) 1–5, play a protective role in liver cirrhosis. Hepatic SSTR-2 expression is up-regulated in subjects with liver cirrhosis. However, little is known about the mechanisms underlying this process. In the present study, we observed the up-regulation of hepatic SSTR-2 expression in thioacetamide (TAA)-induced cirrhotic rats and further showed that cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) might play a role in this process via the protein kinase C (PKC)–cAMP response element binding protein (CREB) signaling pathway. In vivo, the up-regulated SSTR-2 in liver cirrhosis was inhibited by the addition of a selective COX-2 inhibitor, such as celecoxib. In vitro, the up-regulation of COX-2 by either transfection with COX-2 plasmids or treatment with TAA increased levels of SSTR-2 and phosphorylated CREB (p-CREB) in the human hepatocyte cell line L02. Furthermore, the increase in SSTR-2 expression was inhibited by the addition of celecoxib and a PKC inhibitor. Moreover, for comparable DNA methylation levels in the region upstream of the hepatic SSTR-2 gene in normal and cirrhotic livers, DNA methylation may not contribute to the up-regulation of SSTR-2 expression in cirrhotic livers. In conclusion, the up-regulation of hepatic SSTR-2 might be induced by COX-2 via the PKC-CREB signaling pathway but is probably not induced by DNA methylation.
Young adults are more vulnerable to chronic sleep deficiency and recurrent circadian disruption than older adults
Authors: Zitting Kirsi-Marja , Münch Mirjam Y. , Cain Sean W. , Wang Wei , Wong Arick , Ronda Joseph M. , Aeschbach Daniel , Czeisler Charles A. , Duffy Jeanne F.
Published: July 2018

More than a third of US adults report fewer than 6 hours of sleep a night, making chronic sleep restriction a growing public health concern. Sleep curtailment is associated with an increase in industrial accidents, motor vehicle accidents, medical and other occupational errors. Young adults are more vulnerable to acute sleep deprivation than older adults, but less is known about how young vs. older adults respond to the more commonly experienced chronic sleep restriction. To test the hypothesis that young adults are more vulnerable to chronic sleep loss than older adults, we compared data from young and older adults who underwent three weeks of chronic sleep restriction (equivalent to 5.6 hours/24 hours) combined with recurrent circadian disruption in an experiment that enabled us to separate the influences of the sleep-wake homeostatic process, the circadian timing system, and the chronic sleep deficit. We found that while young and older adults reported similar levels of subjective sleepiness, objective measures of sleepiness revealed that young adults were more vulnerable and had more attentional failures than the older adults. These results have important public health implications, particularly related to prevention of sleep-related motor vehicle crashes in young drivers. Further research is needed to understand the neurobiological basis of these age-related differences.
Orientation-specific learning of the prior assumption for 3D slant perception
Authors: Taya Shuichiro , Sato Masayuki
Published: July 2018

We usually interpret a trapezoidal image on our retina as a slanted rectangle rather than a frontoparallel trapezoid, because we use a statistical assumption (i.e. rectangles are more common than trapezoids), called a ‘prior’, for recovering the 3D world from ambiguous 2D images. Here we report that the shape prior for recovering 3D slant can be updated differently depending on the slant axis orientation (horizontal vs. vertical). The participants were exposed to a variety of trapezoidal images surrounded by a stereoscopic reference plane. The perspective transformation of the images was interpreted as 2D shape, rather than 3D slant because the surrounding plane enhanced disparity. We found that, after continuous exposure to such images, the participants relied less on the shape information for recovering 3D slant, suggesting the update of priors via experience (i.e., rectangles are less common than trapezoids). Importantly, the learning effect was context (slant-axis) specific although partially transferred across contexts; the training with horizontal-axis slant reduced the reliance on perspective even in vertical-axis slant estimation but not vice versa. The results suggest that context-specific training is vital to update the prior for the horizontal-axis slant, whereas it is not required to update the prior for a vertical-axis slant.
Extending the geographic reach of the water hyacinth plant in removal of heavy metals from a temperate Northern Hemisphere river
Authors: Jones Jonathan L. , Jenkins Richard O. , Haris Parvez I.
Published: July 2018

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) has been used for environmentally sustainable phytoremediation of water, though its use has been geographically restricted. For the first time we extend its geographical reach by investigating its potential for clean-up of water from a highly polluted British river (Nant-Y-Fendrod, a tributary of the River Tawe). Investigations using the plant were conducted at three levels: a bench-scale study using polluted river water and synthetic solutions; an in-situ trial using water hyacinth within the Nant-Y-Fendrod; and a bankside trial to pump and treat river water. The removal of the largest number of heavy metals (21) from water in a single study using ICP-MS is reported, including Sb, for the first time. Results are promising, with bench-scale tests demonstrating up to 63% removal of Al, 62% Zn, 47% Cd, 22% Mn and 23% As, during just seven hours exposure to the plant. When extended to three weeks exposure, removal is evident in the order Al > Cd > Zn > Mn > Ni > As > V. Furthermore, in-situ mean removal of 6%, 11% and 15% of Mn, Zn and Cd respectively is demonstrated. As the world learns to adapt to climate change, studies of the type reported here are needed to exploit the remarkable phytoremediation potential of water hyacinth.
A systematic dissection of sequence elements determining β-Klotho and FGF interaction and signaling
Authors: Shi Sally Yu , Lu Ya-Wen , Richardson Jason , Min Xiaoshan , Weiszmann Jennifer , Richards William G. , Wang Zhulun , Zhang Zhongqi , Zhang Jun , Li Yang
Published: July 2018

Endocrine fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) require Klotho transmembrane proteins as necessary co-receptors to activate FGF receptor (FGFR) signaling. In particular, FGF19 and FGF21 function through β-Klotho to regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. Recent research has focused on elucidating how these two FGFs interact with β-Klotho and FGFRs to activate downstream signaling. In this study, using hydrogen deuterium exchange coupled to mass spectrometry (HDX-MS), we identified regions on the β-Klotho protein that likely participate in ligand interaction, and vice versa. Alanine and arginine mutagenesis were carried out to further probe the contributions of individual residues to receptor/ligand interactions. Using biochemical and cell-based signaling assays with full-length proteins, we show that both the KL1 and KL2 domains of β-Klotho participate in ligand interaction, and these binding sites on β-Klotho are shared by FGF19 and FGF21. In addition, we show that two highly conserved regions in the C-terminal tail of FGF19 and FGF21 are responsible for interaction with the co-receptor. Our results are consistent with recent publications on the crystal structures of the Klotho proteins and provide insight into how endocrine FGFs interact with co-receptors for signal transduction.
Challenges and Opportunities for Emergency Department Sepsis Screening at Triage
Authors: Filbin Michael R. , Thorsen Jill E. , Lynch James , Gillingham Trent D. , Pasakarnis Corey L. , Capp Roberta , Shapiro Nathan I. , Mooncai Theodore , Hou Peter C. , Heldt Thomas , Reisner Andrew T.
Published: July 2018

Feasibility of ED triage sepsis screening, before diagnostic testing has been performed, has not been established. In a retrospective, outcome-blinded chart review of a one-year cohort of ED adult septic shock patients (“derivation cohort”) and three additional, non-consecutive months of all adult ED visits (“validation cohort”), we evaluated the qSOFA score, the Shock Precautions on Triage (SPoT) vital-signs criterion, and a triage concern-for-infection (tCFI) criterion based on risk factors and symptoms, to screen for sepsis. There were 19,670 ED patients in the validation cohort; 50 developed ED septic shock, of whom 60% presented without triage hypotension, and 56% presented with non-specific symptoms. The tCFI criterion improved specificity without substantial reduction of sensitivity. At triage, sepsis screens (positive qSOFA vital-signs and tCFI, or positive SPoT vital-signs and tCFI) were 28% (95% CI: 16–43%) and 56% (95% CI: 41–70%) sensitive, respectively, p < 0.01. By the conclusion of the ED stay, sensitivities were 80% (95% CI: 66–90%) and 90% (95% CI: 78–97%), p > 0.05, and specificities were 97% (95% CI: 96–97%) and 95% (95% CI: 95–96%), p < 0.001. ED patients who developed septic shock requiring vasopressors often presented normotensive with non-specific complaints, necessitating a low threshold for clinical concern-for-infection at triage.