bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
miR‐376b‐3p attenuates mitochondrial fission and cardiac hypertrophy by targeting mitochondrial fission factor
Authors: Sun Yong Le , Li Shao Hua , Yang Le , Wang Yong 
Published: March 2018

SummaryMitochondrial dysfunction contributes to the pathogenesis of cardiac hypertrophy. The disequilibrium of mitochondrial dynamic, which refers to mitochondrial fusion and fission, leads to mitochondrial morphology alteration and dysfunction. Enhanced understanding of the molecular mechanisms in depth may shed light on the therapy of the disease. In this study, we show that mitochondrial fission factor (MFF) is up‐regulated upon hypertrophic agonist noradrenaline (NA) treatment. Knockdown of MFF attenuated NA induced mitochondrial fission and cardiac hypertrophy. Mitochondrial fission factor is a direct target of miR‐376b‐3p, which attenuated expression enhanced MFF expression through binding to its 3′UTR. Expression of miR‐376b‐3p weakened the fragmentation of mitochondria as well as decreased hypertrophic response through regulating MFF in NA treated neonatal rat ventricular cells (NRVCs). This study suggested that miR‐376b‐3p is a novel modulator affecting mitochondrial morphology through targeting MFF.
State of the field: What can political ethnography tell us about anti‐politics and democratic disaffection?
Authors: BOSWELL JOHN , CORBETT JACK , DOMMETT KATE , JENNINGS WILL , FLINDERS MATTHEW , RHODES R.A.W. , WOOD MATTHEW 
Published: March 2018

AbstractThis article adopts and reinvents the ethnographic approach to uncover what governing elites do, and how they respond to public disaffection. Although there is significant work on the citizens’ attitudes to the governing elite (the demand side) there is little work on how elites interpret and respond to public disaffection (the supply side). It is argued here that ethnography is the best available research method for collecting data on the supply side. The article tackles longstanding stereotypes in political science about the ethnographic method and what it is good for, and highlights how the innovative and varied practices of contemporary ethnography are ideally suited to shedding light into the ‘black box’ of elite politics. The potential pay‐off is demonstrated with reference to important examples of elite ethnography from the margins of political science scholarship. The implications from these rich studies suggest a reorientation of how one understands the drivers of public disaffection and the role that political elites play in exacerbating cynicism and disappointment. The article concludes by pointing to the benefits to the discipline in embracing elite ethnography both to diversify the methodological toolkit in explaining the complex dynamics of disaffection, and to better enable engagement in renewed public debate about the political establishment.
Evaluation of the potential exposure of butterflies to genetically modified maize pollen in protected areas in Italy
Authors: Arpaia Salvatore , Baldacchino Ferdinando , Bosi Sara , Burgio Giovanni , Errico Simona , Magarelli Rosaria Alessandra , Masetti Antonio , Santorsola Salvatore 
Published: March 2018

AbstractEnvironmental impacts of genetically modified crops are mandatorily assessed during their premarket phase. One of the areas of concern is the possible impact on nontarget organisms. Crops expressing Cry toxins might affect Lepidoptera larvae living outside cultivated fields, through pollen deposition on wild plants, which constitute their food source. While pollen toxicity varies among different events, possible exposure of nontarget species depends on the agro‐environmental conditions. This study was conducted in two protected areas in Italy, characterized by different climatic conditions, where many Lepidoptera species thrive in proximity to maize cultivations. To estimate the possible exposure in absence of the actual stressor (e.g., Cry1‐expressing maize plants), we conducted a two‐year field survey of butterflies and weeds. Indicator species were selected—Aglais (Inachis) io in the Northern site and Vanessa cardui in the Southern site—and their phenology was investigated. Pollen dispersal from maize fields was measured by collection in Petri dishes. Duration and frequency of exposure was defined by the overlap between pollen emission and presence of larvae on host plants. Different risk scenarios are expected in the two regions: highest exposure is foreseen for A. io in the Northern site, while minimal exposure is estimated for V. cardui in the Southern site. In the latter case, locally grown maize cultivars flower in mid‐summer in coincidence with an aestivation period for several butterfly species due to hot and dry conditions. Moreover, host plants of V. cardui are at the end of their life cycle thus limiting food availability.
Whole‐genome sequencing of north African honey bee Apis mellifera intermissa to assess its beneficial traits
Authors: Haddad Nizar Jamal , Adjlane Noureddine , Saini Deepti , Menon Athul , Krishnamurthy Venkatesh , Jonklaas Devan , Tomkins J. Paul , Loucif‐Ayad Wahida , Horth Lisa 
Published: March 2018

AbstractApis mellifera intermissa is the native honey bee subspecies of Algeria, and approximates a position among bee races between tropical African and European breeds. This bee is very aggressive, nervous, and produces many broods with many queen cells. It is prone to swarming and exhibits defensive behavior and an abundant use of propolis. In the present study, pure line samples of A. m. intermissa collected from Blida (Algeria; 36°31′N, 2°58′E) with preferable Varroa resistance confirmed their through hygienic cleaning behavior and high temperature adaptation, were selected as a reference sample for full‐genome sequencing. Array comparative genomic hybridization (aCGH) was also performed on the same samples to validate genomic variations. These analyses will be an important source of information for the honey bee research community worldwide. The 240‐Mb genome was annotated with 26 355 transcripts and analyzed. Analysis of 133 pathways indicated an abundance of pathways related to metabolic processes, the biosynthesis of secondary metabolites, and biodegradation of xenobiotics . In addition to simple sequence repeat markers, variant analysis for beneficial trait genes, transposons, and phylogeny was performed. The mitochondrial genome and genes involved in immunity and chemoreception were identified and compared with those from other sequenced insect models. The indels obtained by sequencing were validated by aCGH. The genome sequence, annotation, and analysis of A. m. intermissa provides new understanding of the function of bee genes, and comparison with the genome of other A. mellifera subspecies promises to yield insights into the evolution of the adaptations to high temperature and resistance to Varroa parasite infestation.
Effects of habitat fragmentation on genetic diversity and gene flow among the Homidia socia (Collembola: Entomobryidae) populations in the Thousand Island Lake
Authors: Wang Wei , Lv Kun , Wang Ji‐Rui , Zhou Jing , Gu Jian‐Qiang , Zhou Guo‐Xin , Xu Zhi‐Hong 
Published: March 2018

AbstractIn the present study, partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) gene of 22 island populations of the springtail Homidia socia in the Thousand Island Lake were sequenced. Across all sequences, 37 haplotypes were identified for the 510‐bp mitochondrial (mt) DNA COI gene. Haplotype 2 was the most common, and was distributed in the most of the 22 island populations. Haplotype diversity ranged from 0.065 to 0.733, and the total genetic diversity was 0.56216. The genetic characteristics of the 22 island populations were analyzed using the fixation index and gene flow, with values of 0.00043–0.94900 and 0.02703–703.72540, respectively. Comparison between (island area and isolations) with population genetic diversity revealed that there were no significant correlations between them, except for a significant correlation between the number of haplotypes and island area. Mantel tests showed that there was no significant correlation between geographic distance and genetic distance among various groups. All the results indicated that there were no obvious relationships between island characteristics and the genetic diversity of the springtails. We consider that the low dispersal capacity of springtails and the island patches surrounded by water in the Thousand Island Lake are the major factors affecting the genetic diversity of H. socia.
Morphological and ultrastructural characterization of the alimentary canal in larvae of Streltzoviella insularis (Staudinger) (Lepidoptera: Cossidae)
Authors: Wang Xiuji , Lu Hao , Shao Yuying , Zong Shixiang 
Published: March 2018

AbstractStreltzoviella insularis (Staudinger) is an important tree‐boring pest, that primarily damages Sophora japonica (Linnaeus) and Ginkgo biloba (Linnaeus), as well as other common species, at great economic cost to the urban landscape construction industry in China. In the present study, the alimentary canal morphology of S. insularis was observed using light microscopy, and its ultrastructure was investigated by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The foregut of S. insularis can be divided into the pharynx, esophagus, crop, proventriculus, and cardiac valve. The well‐developed crop forms the longest section of the foregut. It is able to store large amounts of food and is lined with a monolayer of epithelial cells. Many sclerotized microspines occur on the surface of the anterior intima and there are dense spines on the posterior intima of the proventriculus. Epithelial cells of the midgut include columnar cells, goblet cells, and regenerative cells, but endocrine cells are absent. The hindgut consists of the pyloric valve, ileum, and rectum. There is no clear distinction between the ileum and colon. The intima surface of the pyloric valve carries many microspines, whereas the intestinal wall of the rectum is thin with well‐developed rectal pads. The rectal epithelial cells form a squamous monolayer. A cryptonephric excretory system is located in the hindgut. There are six spiral Malpighian tubules, in which a cellular layer on a basement membrane encloses a lumen. These results will provide the basis for further studies of the structure and function in S. insularis larvae.
Morphology and distribution of antennal, maxillary palp and labial palp sensilla of the adult bruchid beetles,Callosobruchus chinensis(L.) (Coleoptera: Bruchidae)
Authors: Wang Hongmin , Zheng Haixia , Zhang Yaowen , Zhang Xianhong 
Published: March 2018

AbstractCallosobruchus chinensis(Coleoptera: Bruchidae) is the main pest of mungbean (Vigna radiata) especially during seed storage. To provide background information for chemical ecology studies, we examined the externalmorphology of the antennal, maxillary palp and labial palp sensilla of this insect with scanning electron microscopy. The antennae of adultC. chinensisexhibited sexual dimorphism. The female have serrated antenna and the male have pectinate morphology. Eight sensillum types have been observed on the antennae of both sexes: Böhm bristles, sensilla chaetica, sensilla trichodea, sensilla basiconica, sensilla styloconicum, sensilla coeloconica, sensillum campaniformia, sensilla cavity. There are no differences on the morphology of maxillary palp and labial palp between female and male. Four different types of sensilla are present on the labial and maxillary palps of both sexes ofC. chinensis: sensilla chaetica, sensilla twig basiconica, sensilla basiconica, sensilla digitiformia.
An automated barcode tracking system for behavioural studies in birds
Authors: Alarcón‐Nieto Gustavo , Graving Jacob M. , Klarevas‐Irby James A. , Maldonado‐Chaparro Adriana A. , Mueller Inge , Farine Damien R. 
Published: March 2018

Abstract

Recent advances in technology allow researchers to automate the measurement of animal behaviour. These methods have multiple advantages over direct observations and manual data input as they reduce bias related to human perception and fatigue, and deliver more extensive and complete datasets that enhance statistical power. One major challenge that automation can overcome is the observation of many individuals at once, enabling whole‐group or whole‐population tracking.

We provide a detailed description of an automated system for tracking birds. Our system uses printed, machine‐readable codes mounted on backpacks. This simple, yet robust, tagging system can be used simultaneously on multiple individuals to provide data on bird identity, position and directionality. Furthermore, because the backpacks are printed on paper, they are very lightweight. We show that our method is reliable, relatively easy to implement and monitor, and with proper handling, has proved to be safe for the birds over long periods of time.

We describe the deployment procedure of this system for a captive population of songbirds. We test different camera options, and discuss their advantages and disadvantages. In particular, we highlight how using single‐board computers to control the frequency and duration of image capture makes this system affordable and adaptable to a range of study systems and research questions.

The ability to automate the measurement of individual positions has the potential to significantly increase the power of both observational and experimental studies. The system can capture both detailed interactions (using video recordings) and repeated observations (e.g. once per second for the entire day) of individuals over long timescales (months or potentially years). This approach opens the door to tracking life‐long relationships among individuals, while also capturing fine‐scale differences in behaviour.
Heparin‐binding protein as a biomarker of post‐injury sepsis in trauma patients
Authors: Halldorsdottir H. D. , Eriksson J. , Persson B. P. , Herwald H. , Lindbom L. , Weitzberg E. , Oldner A. 
Published: March 2018

BackgroundHeparin‐binding protein (HBP) is a neutrophil‐derived protein advocated as a biomarker in sepsis. We evaluated plasma HBP as a predictor of post‐injury sepsis in trauma patients.MethodsNinety‐seven trauma patients were studied during the first week of intensive care. Injury‐related data were collected and clinical parameters registered daily. Plasma HBP was sampled on day 1, 3 and 5 after trauma and evaluated for associations with injury‐related parameters and sepsis. The predictive properties of HBP were compared to C‐reactive protein (CRP) and white blood cell count (WBC).ResultsMedian Injury Severity Score was 33, one‐third of the trauma patients received massive transfusion and a quarter was in shock on arrival. Overall 30‐day mortality was 8%. Plasma HBP was significantly higher in severely injured patients and associated with shock on arrival, massive transfusions and organ failure. Septic patients had higher levels of HBP only on day 5. When evaluated for prediction of onset of sepsis during the two following days after plasma sampling by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses, areas under the curves were non‐significant for all time points. Similar patterns were seen for CRP and WBC.ConclusionIn trauma patients, HBP levels are related to severity of injury and organ dysfunction. Heparin‐binding protein was weakly associated with sepsis and only at the later stage of the observation period of 1 week. Moreover, HBP showed poor discriminatory properties as an early biomarker of post‐injury sepsis. Trauma‐induced inflammation during the post‐injury phase may blunt the sepsis‐predictive performance of HBP.
Fish oil treatment reduces chronic alcohol exposure induced synaptic changes
Authors: Shi Zhe , Xie Youna , Ren Huixia , He Baixuan , Wang Meng , Wan Jian‐Bo , Yuan Ti‐Fei , Yao Xiaoli , Su Huanxing 
Published: March 2018

AbstractAlcohol addiction is a chronic neuropsychiatric disorder that represents one of the most serious global public health problems. Yet, currently there still lacks an effective pharmacotherapy. Omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (N‐3 PUFAs) have exhibited beneficial effects in a variety of neurological disorders, particularly in reversing behavioral deficits and neurotoxicity induced by prenatal alcohol exposure and binge drinking. In the present study, we investigated if fish oil, which is rich in N‐3 PUFAs, had beneficial effects on preventing relapse and alleviating withdrawal symptoms after chronic alcohol exposure. Our results demonstrated that fish oil significantly reduced the chronic alcohol exposure‐induced aberrant dendritic morphologic changes of the medium‐sized spiny neurons in the core and the shell of nucleus accumbens. This inhibited the expression of AMPAR2‐lacking AMPARs and their accumulation on the post synaptic membranes of medium‐sized spiny neurons and eventually alleviated withdrawal symptoms and alcohol dependence. Our study therefore suggests that N‐3 PUFAs are promising for treating withdrawal symptoms and alcohol dependence.
Remarkable genetic diversity detected at river buffalo prolactin receptor (PRLR) gene and association studies with milk fatty acid composition
Authors: Cosenza G. , Iannaccone M. , Auzino B. , Macciotta N. P. P. , Kovitvadhi A. , Nicolae I. , Pauciullo A. 
Published: March 2018

SummaryProlactin is an anterior pituitary peptide hormone involved in many different endocrine activities and is essential for reproductive performance. This action is mediated by its receptor, the prolactin receptor, encoded by the PRLR gene. In this study, we sequenced and characterized the Mediterranean river buffalo PRLR gene (from exon 3 to 10), and we found remarkable genetic diversity. In particular, we found 24 intronic polymorphisms and 13 exonic SNPs, seven of which were non‐synonymous. Furthermore, the polymorphisms identified in the 3′‐UTR were investigated to establish their possible influence on microRNA binding sites. Considering all the amino acid changes and the observed allelic combinations, it is possible to deduce at least six different translations of the buffalo prolactin receptor and, consequently, the presence at the PRLR gene of at least six alleles. Furthermore, we identified a deletion of a CACTACC heptamer between nucleotides 1102 and 1103 of exon 10 (3′‐UTR), and we developed an allele‐specific PCR to identify the carriers of this genetic marker. Finally, the SNP g.11188A>G, detected in exon 10 and responsible for the amino acid replacement p.His328Arg, was genotyped in 308 Italian Mediterranean river buffaloes, and an association study with milk fat traits was carried out. The statistical analysis showed a tendency that approached significance for the AA genotype with higher contents of odd branched‐chain fatty acids. Thus, our results suggest that the PRLR gene is a good candidate for gene association studies with qualitative traits related to buffalo milk production.
The association of peri‐operative scores, including frailty, with outcomes after unscheduled surgery
Authors: McGuckin D. G. , Mufti S. , Turner D. J. , Bond C. , Moonesinghe S. R. 
Published: March 2018

SummaryPostoperative hospital stay is longer for frail, older patients, who are more likely to experience prolonged postoperative morbidity and reduced long‐term survival. We recorded in‐hospital mortality, morbidity and length of stay for 164 patients aged at least 65 years after unscheduled surgery. We evaluated pre‐operative frailty with the 7‐point Clinical Frailty Scale: 81 patients were ‘not vulnerable’ (frailty score 1–3) and 83 were ‘vulnerable or frail’ (frailty score 4), with mean (SD) ages of 74.7 (7.5) years vs. 79.4 (8.3) years, respectively, p < 0.001. Within 30 postoperative days 8/164 (5%) patients died, all with frailty scores 4, p = 0.007. Postoperative morbidity was less frequent in patients categorised as ‘not vulnerable’ on four out of the six days it was measured (days 3, 5, 8, 14, 23, 28). Median (IQR [range]) postoperative stay was 9 (6–18 [2–221]) days for patients with frailty scores 1–3, and 22 (12–33 [2–270]) days for patients with score 4, p < 0.001. Four variables independently associated with hospital discharge, hazard ratio (95%CI): E‐POSSUM, 0.74 (0.60–0.92), p = 0.007; ASA 2, 0.35 (0.13–0.98), p = 0.046, ASA 3, 0.17 (0.06–0.47), p = 0.001 and ASA 4/5, 0.08 (0.02–0.28), p < 0.001; operative severity ‘major +’, 0.69 (0.41–1.08), p = 0.10 and the Surgical Outcome Risk Tool, 7.75 (0.81–74.40), p = 0.08.
Can pathological reports of rectal cancer provide national quality indicators?
Authors: Keane Celia , Lin Anthony Y. , Kramer Nicole , Bissett Ian 
Published: March 2018

BackgroundRectal cancer care has become increasingly complex and requires accurate information. The pathology report is a vital tool for accessing information to gauge a patient's prognosis and to guide treatment decisions. The aim of this study was to assess the quality of histopathological reporting and surgery for rectal cancer in New Zealand using defined quality indicators.MethodsThis is a retrospective audit of pathological reports of all resected rectal cancer pathology reports submitted to the New Zealand Cancer Registry (NZCR) in 2015. The quality of reporting was assessed using specified criteria: synoptic report, adequate lymph node retrieval, reporting of circumferential resection margin (CRM) and mesorectal excision quality. Surgical outcomes were sphincter preservation rate, CRM clearance and complete mesorectal excision.ResultsA total of 803 patients with rectal cancer were reported to the NZCR in 2015, 505 underwent proctectomy. A total of 89.5% of reports were structured, 81.8% reported mesorectal excision quality and 86.7% reported CRM status. Adequate lymph node retrieval was obtained in 65.1%, complete mesorectal excision in 84.6% and positive CRM in 6.2% of cases. Quality varied between laboratories and district health boards. High‐volume laboratories had higher quality reporting. Surgeon volume and training was related to adequate lymph node retrieval but not CRM clearance nor mesorectal excision quality.ConclusionHigh‐quality pathological reporting is associated with the use of synoptic reporting templates. Surgical outcomes for rectal cancer in New Zealand, especially the low rate of CRM involvement, compare favourably with international audits.
State Spaces of Resistance: Industrial Tree Plantations and the Struggle for Land in Laos
Authors: Kenney‐Lazar Miles , Suhardiman Diana , Dwyer Michael B. 
Published: March 2018

AbstractLand grabbing has transformed rural environments across the global South, generating resistance or political reactions “from below”. In authoritarian countries like Laos, where resource investments are coercively developed and insulated from political dissent, resistance appears absent at first glance. Yet, it is occurring under the radar, largely outside transnational activist networks. In this article, we examine how resistance can protect access to rural lands in contexts where it is heavily repressed. Resistance here occurs with, rather than against the state by foregrounding the contradictions of land use and ownership within state spaces, such as competing goals of large‐scale industrial plantations versus smallholder agriculture and national forest conservation. Such contradictions are engaged by using historical, place‐based political connections to exploit the scalar frictions of a fragmented state and occupying plantation clearance sites to highlight contested lands in situ. Nonetheless, such strategies remain spatially and socially uneven amongst the Lao peasantry.