bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Vacuolar sucrose cleavage prevents limitation of cytosolic carbohydrate metabolism and stabilizes photosynthesis under abiotic stress
Authors: Weiszmann Jakob , Fürtauer Lisa , Weckwerth Wolfram , Nägele Thomas 
Published: September 2018

Stabilization of central carbohydrate metabolism plays a key role in plant stress response. Carbohydrates are substrate for numerous metabolic and stress‐responsive reactions and have been shown to be involved in diverse signalling processes on a whole‐plant level. Regulation of enzymatic sucrose synthesis and degradation is well‐known to be central to many stress‐related processes as it significantly impacts stress tolerance. Leaf sucrose metabolism involves sucrose cleavage by invertases and ATP‐consuming resynthesis catalysed by hexokinase and sucrose phosphate synthase. These reactions establish a metabolic cycle. To study the physiological role of sucrose cycling, a kinetic model was developed to simulate dynamics of subcellular sugar concentrations in Arabidopsis thaliana under combined cold and high‐light stress. Model simulation revealed that subcellular reprogramming of invertase‐driven sucrose cleavage varies substantially between natural accessions of Arabidopsis which differ in their cold tolerance levels. A stress‐induced shift of sucrose cleavage from the cytosol into the vacuole could only be observed for the tolerant accession while the susceptible accession increased the cytosolic proportion of sucrose cleavage. Under stress, reduction in vacuolar invertase activity significantly affected maximum quantum yield of photosystem II and CO2 assimilation rates. While wild‐type plants circumvented a limitation of sucrose cleavage by increasing vacuolar invertase activity, mutant plants were not able to compensate their deficiency of vacuolar by cytosolic activity. Consequently, the capacity for cytosolic hexose generation was lower than for enzymatic hexose phosphorylation suggesting a role of vacuolar invertase activity in preventing a limitation in cytosolic hexose metabolism under stress.EnzymesInvertase, EC 3.2.1.26; Hexokinase, EC 2.7.1.1.
Comparing optimal and empirical stomatal conductance models for application in Earth system models
Authors: Franks Peter J. , Bonan Gordon B. , Berry Joseph A. , Lombardozzi Danica L. , Holbrook N. Michele , Herold Nicholas , Oleson Keith W. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractEarth system models (ESMs) rely on the calculation of canopy conductance in land surface models (LSMs) to quantify the partitioning of land surface energy, water, and CO2 fluxes. This is achieved by scaling stomatal conductance, gw, determined from physiological models developed for leaves. Traditionally, models for gw have been semi‐empirical, combining physiological functions with empirically determined calibration constants. More recently, optimization theory has been applied to model gw in LSMs under the premise that it has a stronger grounding in physiological theory and might ultimately lead to improved predictive accuracy. However, this premise has not been thoroughly tested. Using original field data from contrasting forest systems, we compare a widely used empirical type and a more recently developed optimization‐type gw model, termed BB and MED, respectively. Overall, we find no difference between the two models when used to simulate gw from photosynthesis data, or leaf gas exchange from a coupled photosynthesis‐conductance model, or gross primary productivity and evapotranspiration for a FLUXNET tower site with the CLM5 community LSM. Field measurements reveal that the key fitted parameters for BB and MED, g1B and g1M, exhibit strong species specificity in magnitude and sensitivity to CO2, and CLM5 simulations reveal that failure to include this sensitivity can result in significant overestimates of evapotranspiration for high‐CO2 scenarios. Further, we show that g1B and g1M can be determined from mean ci/ca (ratio of leaf intercellular to ambient CO2 concentration). Applying this relationship with ci/ca values derived from a leaf δ13C database, we obtain a global distribution of g1B and g1M, and these values correlate significantly with mean annual precipitation. This provides a new methodology for global parameterization of the BB and MED models in LSMs, tied directly to leaf physiology but unconstrained by spatial boundaries separating designated biomes or plant functional types.
Temperature niche position and breadth of ectomycorrhizal fungi: Reduced diversity under warming predicted by a nested community structure
Authors: Miyamoto Yumiko , Terashima Yoshie , Nara Kazuhide 
Published: September 2018

AbstractSpecies with narrow niche breadths are assumed to be more susceptible to environmental changes than those with wide niche breadths. Although information on niche properties is necessary for predicting biological responses to environmental changes, such information is largely missing for soil microbes. In this study, we present the temperature niche positions and breadths of a functionally important group of eukaryotic soil microbes, ectomycorrhizal (EM) fungi. We compiled high‐quality EM fungal sequence data from 26 forested sites in Japan (with mean annual temperatures ranging from 1.6 to 23.6°C) to create temperature niche profiles for each individual fungal species. Nested theory and a newly developed weighted‐randomization null model were applied to 75 fungal operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with high occurrence records to examine potential preferences for certain temperature positions and breadths. Our analyses revealed that (a) many EM fungal OTUs were restricted to habitats with low mean annual temperatures, (b) fungal OTUs observed at colder sites exhibited narrower temperature breadths than expected by chance, (c) the composition of EM fungal OTUs exhibited a nested pattern along the temperature gradient, and (d) EM fungal richness was highest at colder sites, where the greatest degree of overlap in OTU occurrence was observed. These findings imply that future warming may limit the distribution of many EM fungal species that are currently adapted to only cold climates. This could eventually reduce EM fungal biodiversity, which is linked to forest function through symbiotic associations with trees. This study demonstrates the distribution and environmental ranges of various EM fungal species and can contribute to develop species distribution models with the aim of conserving microbes in the face of climate change.
Overlooked climate parameters best predict flowering onset: Assessing phenological models using the elastic net
Authors: Park Isaac W. , Mazer Susan J. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractDetermining the manner in which plant species shift their flowering times in response to climatic conditions is essential to understanding and forecasting the impacts of climate change on the world's flora. The limited taxonomic diversity and duration of most phenological datasets, however, have impeded a comprehensive, systematic determination of the best predictors of flowering phenology. Additionally, many studies of the relationship between climate conditions and plant phenology have included only a limited set of climate parameters that are often chosen a priori and may therefore overlook those parameters to which plants are most phenologically sensitive. This study harnesses 894,392 digital herbarium records and 1,959 in situ observations to produce the first assessment of the effects of a large number (25) of climate parameters on the flowering time of a very large number (2,468) of angiosperm taxa throughout North America. In addition, we compare the predictive capacity of phenological models constructed from the collection dates of herbarium specimens vs. repeated in situ observations of individual plants using a regression approach—elastic net regularization—that has not previously been used in phenological modeling, but exhibits several advantages over ordinary least squares and stepwise regression. When herbarium‐derived data and in situ phenological observations were used to predict flowering onset, the multivariate models based on each of these data sources had similar predictive capacity (R2 = 0.27). Further, apart from mean maximum temperature (TMAX), the two best predictors of flowering time have not commonly been included in phenological models: the number of frost‐free days (NFFD) and the quantity of precipitation as snow (PAS) in the seasons preceding flowering. By vetting these models across an unprecedented number of taxa, this work demonstrates a new approach to phenological modeling.
Linking permafrost thaw to shifting biogeochemistry and food web resources in an arctic river
Authors: Kendrick Michael R. , Huryn Alexander D. , Bowden William B. , Deegan Linda A. , Findlay Robert H. , Hershey Anne E. , Peterson Bruce J. , Beneš Joshua P. , Schuett Elissa B. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractRapidly, increasing air temperatures across the Arctic are thawing permafrost and exposing vast quantities of organic carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus to microbial processing. Shifts in the absolute and relative supplies of these elements will likely alter patterns of ecosystem productivity and change the way carbon and nutrients are delivered from upland areas to surface waters such as rivers and lakes. The ultra‐oligotrophic nature of surface waters across the Arctic renders these ecosystems particularly susceptible to changes in productivity and food web dynamics as permafrost thaw alters terrestrial‐aquatic linkages. The objectives of this study were to evaluate decadal‐scale patterns in surface water chemistry and assess potential implications of changing water chemistry to benthic organic matter and aquatic food webs. Data were collected from the upper Kuparuk River on the North Slope of Alaska by the U.S. National Science Foundation's Long‐Term Ecological Research program during 1978–2014. Analyses of these data show increases in stream water alkalinity and cation concentrations consistent with signatures of permafrost thaw. Changes are also documented for discharge‐corrected nitrate concentrations (+), discharge‐corrected dissolved organic carbon concentrations (−), total phosphorus concentrations (−), and δ13C isotope values of aquatic invertebrate consumers (−). These changes show that warming temperatures and thawing permafrost in the upland environment are leading to shifts in the supply of carbon and nutrients available to surface waters and consequently changing resources that support aquatic food webs. This demonstrates that physical, geochemical, and biological changes associated with warming permafrost are fundamentally altering linkages between upland and aquatic ecosystems in rapidly changing arctic environments.
Keratocyst Capnocytophaga superinfection
Authors: Rúa Gonzálvez Laura , Junquera Gutiérrez Luis Manuel , Donate Pérez del Molino Paula , González Soto Jesús , Cobo Díaz Juan Luis , de Vicente Rodríguez Juan Carlos 
Published: September 2018

IntroductionCapnocytophaga spp are Gram‐negative bacteria that cause severe infections in immunosuppressed patients. This situation is extremely rare in immunocompetent patients.Case reportThis clinical report describes the unusual infection of an immunocompetent patient with Capnocytophaga spp. The imaging studies showed the existence of a cyst in the left jawbone. After treatment and a microbiological study of the content, it was found to be an outbreak of septicaemia.DiscussionCapnocytophaga spp, commensal bacteria of the oral cavity, can lead to serious illness and that is why an empirical treatment is needed until a diagnostic confirmation can be obtained.
Is the Macy's in my mall going to close? Uncovering the factors associated with the closures of Macy's, Sears, and J.C. Penney stores
Authors: Tokosh Joseph 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThis study analyzes three national department store chains in order to identify the factors most associated with their store closures. A binary logistic regression revealed some consistencies and differences in the associations. Larger stores are less likely to close for all three chains. Macy's and Sears stores are less likely to close in large malls (than freestanding stores) and if they are located in the West. J.C. Penney stores in the west are also less likely to close than in other regions, but stores in large shopping centers are more likely to close than freestanding stores. Store age was only significant for J.C. Penney stores, and indicated that older stores are more likely to close. Implications for retail managers and city economic vitality are mentioned and future research possibilities are discussed.
Isotopes, Microbes, and Turbidity: A Multi‐Tracer Approach to Understanding Recharge Dynamics and Groundwater Contamination in a Basaltic Island Aquifer
Authors: Shuler Christopher K. , Dulai Henrietta , DeWees Randel , Kirs Marek , Glenn Craig R. , El‐Kadi Aly I. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractWells designated as groundwater under the direct influence (GUDI) of surface water have caused an ongoing boil‐water advisory afflicting the island of Tutuila, American Samoa for almost a decade. Regulatory testing at these wells found turbidity and indicator bacteria spikes correlated with heavy rainfall events. However, the mechanism of this contamination has, until now, remained unknown. Surface water may reach wells through improperly sealed well casings, or through the aquifer matrix itself. In this study, three independent surface water tracers, turbidity, indicator bacteria, and water isotopes were used to assess recharge timing and determine contamination mechanisms. Results from each method were reasonably consistent, revealing average GUDI well breakthrough times of 37 ± 21 h for turbidity, 18 to 63 h for bacteria, and 1 to 5 days for water isotopes. These times match well with estimated subsurface flow rates through highly permeable aquifer materials. In contrast, where one well casing was found to be compromised, turbidity breakthrough was observed at 3 to 4 h. These results support local management decisions and show repairing or replacing wells will likely result in continued GUDI contamination. Additionally, differences in observed rainfall response for each tracer provide insight into the recharge dynamics and subsurface flow characteristics of this and other highly conductive young‐basaltic aquifers.
Erosive tooth wear: Knowledge among young adults and their preferred information sources
Authors: Verploegen Vera Josephina Nicole , Schuller Annemarie Adriana 
Published: September 2018

AbstractObjectivesThe aim of this study was to learn more about levels of knowledge relating to erosive tooth wear and about the most desirable way of disseminating dental information among young adults.MethodsThe research was a cross‐sectional study of 331 young adults (20‐25 years old) attending 25 dental care practices. Participants were asked to fill out a questionnaire with questions about their background, knowledge relating to erosive tooth wear and the preferred way of acquiring information about erosive tooth wear.ResultsThe results showed that there are gaps in the knowledge of young adults about erosive tooth wear. The knowledge score depended on educational level and dental information received in the past. The preferred way of acquiring information was chairside information from an oral health care professional complemented by tailored information in writing.ConclusionThere is a lack of knowledge among young adults about erosive tooth wear. They prefer to receive information from the oral health care professionals accompanied by tailored information in writing. Further research should focus on developing this tailored information in line with the advice given by the oral health care professional.
Nanoscale elastic‐plastic deformation and mechanical properties of 3C‐SiC thin film using nanoindentation
Authors: Nawaz Ahmad , Islam Bilal , Mao Weiguo , Lu Chunsheng , Shen Yaogen 
Published: September 2018

AbstractThe elastic‐plastic deformation of 3C‐SiC thin film was investigated by a nanoindenter equipped with the Berkovich tip. Transition from pure elastic to elastic‐plastic deformation was evidenced at an approximate load of 0.35 mN, when loading the sample at several peak loads ranging from 0.5 to 5 mN. The indentation size effect observed in 3C‐SiC and was analyzed by Nix‐Gao model. In purely elastic region, the Oliver‐ Pharr hardness values were 44 ± 2 GPa. In contrast, indentation size effects were evidenced in 3C‐SiC specimen and the average value of Oliver‐Pharr hardness in the indentation size effect region was 36 ± 2 GPa. Furthermore, depth independent or intrinsic hardness extracted from Nix‐Gao was estimated as Ho = 26 ± 1 GPa which was also validated by proportional specimen resistance model, ie, H1 = 28 ± 1 and H2 = 28.5 ± 0.1 GPa. Besides, energy principle was utilized to extract Sakai Hardness as 104 GPa, which is combined elastic and elastic‐plastic response. Moreover, based on energy principle, another property, ie, work of indentation was also determined to be 20 nJ/μm3. Similarly, elastic modulus had almost depicted stabilized value of 325 ± 8 GPa in pure elastic and elastic‐plastic regions. In addition, plastic zone size was also estimated in elastic‐plastic region using Johnson cavity model at pop‐in and higher loads. Based on the first pop‐in load at 0.35 mN, the distributions of shear and principal stresses were evaluated on various slip planes to elaborate the deformation behavior. Increase in loading rate from 100 to 400 μN/s increased critical pop‐in load from 0.35 to 0.64 mN. This increase in critical pop‐in load with increasing loading rate and values of maximum contact pressure indicates that no phase assisted transformation will occur at pop‐in load. Based on theoretically calculated maximum tensile and cleavage strengths, it was affirmed that the elastic‐plastic deformation occurred due to pop‐in formation rather than tensile stresses. Moreover, it was also concluded on basis of Hertzian contact theory and Schmidt law that the highest possibility of slippage in 3C‐SiC was along the {111} glide plane.
Use of a capillary specimen in the laboratory to verify a point‐of‐care international normalized ratio: Avoidance of a venipuncture in a pediatric setting
Authors: Williams Vaughan K. 
Published: September 2018

AbstractIntroductionPoint‐of‐care (POC) international normalized ratio (INR) values above an institutional cutoff are confirmed in the laboratory using a gold standard venous specimen. This can be problematic in a pediatric setting.MethodIn this study, 449 consecutive POC INR results were compared to an INR performed in the laboratory on a capillary citrate specimen collected from the same finger‐stick. The results were statistically analyzed.ResultsThe mean INR values from the CoaguChek XS and laboratory were 2.85 ± 1.19 and 2.63 ± 1.11, respectively. There was a good correlation between the methods with r = 0.97. Bland–Altman analysis indicated a bias of 0.22 favoring the CoaguChek XS, with 95% limits of agreement −0.29 to 0.72. Passing and Bablok method comparison resulted in a slope of 0.91 (y = 0.91x + 0.02). An INR of ≤0.5 was found between the methods in 89% of cases and 84% agreement was noted (κ = 0.69).ConclusionComparing the capillary INR laboratory results to studies involving a venous specimen, the capillary specimen performed with equivalence. Thus, a capillary citrate specimen can be collected from the same finger‐stick used to perform the POC INR for confirmation in the laboratory. This avoids the trauma of a venous collection in such a situation.
The association of HBG2, BCL11A, and HMIP polymorphisms with fetal hemoglobin and clinical phenotype in Iraqi Kurds with sickle cell disease
Authors: Al‐Allawi Nasir , Qadir Shatha M. A. , Puehringer Helene , Chui David H. K. , Farrell John J. , Oberkanins Christian 
Published: September 2018

AbstractIntroductionFetal hemoglobin (HbF) is the major modifier for sickle cell disease (SCD) severity. HbF is modulated mainly by three major quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosomes 2, 6, and 11.MethodsFive SNPs in the three QTLs (HBG2, rs7482144; BCL11A, rs1427407 and rs10189857; and HBS1L‐MYB intergenic region, rs28384513 and rs9399137) were investigated by multiplex PCR and reverse hybridization, and their roles in HbF and clinical phenotype variability in Iraqi Kurds with SCD were assessed.ResultsHBG2 rs7482144 with minor allele frequency (MAF) of 0.133 was the most significant contributor to HbF variability, contributing 18.1%, followed by rs1427407 (MAF of 0.266) and rs9399137 (MAF of 0.137) at 14.3% and 8.8%, respectively. The other two SNPs were not significant contributors. Furthermore, when the cumulative numbers of minor alleles in the three contributing SNPs were assessed, HbF% and hemoglobin concentration increased with increasing number of minor alleles (P < 0.0005 and 0.001, respectively), while serum lactic dehydrogenase, reticulocytes, leukocytes, transfusion, and pain frequencies decreased (P = 0.003, 0.004, <0.0005, <0.0005, and 0.017, respectively).ConclusionsIt was demonstrated that SNPs in all three major HbF QTLs contribute significantly to HbF and clinical variability in Iraqi Kurds with SCD and that the cumulative number of minor alleles at contributing SNPs may serve as a better predictor of such variability in this population.
VSIG‐3 as a ligand of VISTA inhibits human T‐cell function
Authors: Wang Jinghua , Wu Guoping , Manick Brian , Hernandez Vida , Renelt Mark , Erickson Christian , Guan Joanna , Singh Ravinder , Rollins Simone , Solorz Alicia , Bi Ming , Li Jun , Grabowski David , Dirkx Janette , Tracy Camrin , Stuart Thomas , Ellinghuysen Chad , Desmond Daniel , Foster Craig , Kalabokis Vassilios 
Published: September 2018

SummaryB7 family members and their receptors play a central role in the regulation of T‐cell responses through T‐cell co‐stimulation and co‐inhibition pathways that constitute attractive targets for the development of immunotherapeutic drugs. In this study, we report that VSIG‐3/IGSF11 is a ligand of B7 family member VISTA/PD‐1H and inhibits human T‐cell functions through a novel VSIG‐3/VISTA pathway. An extensive functional ELISA binding screening assay reveals that VSIG‐3 binds to the new B7 family member VISTA but does not interact with other known members of the B7 family. Under the same experimental conditions, we did not observe any significant interaction between VSIG‐8 and VISTA. In addition, VSIG‐3 inhibits human T‐cell proliferation in the presence of T‐cell receptor signaling. Furthermore, VSIG‐3 significantly reduces cytokine and chemokine production by human T cells including IFN‐γ, IL‐2, IL‐17, CCL5/Rantes, CCL3/MIP‐1α, and CXCL11/I‐TAC. Anti‐VISTA neutralization antibodies attenuate the binding of VSIG‐3 and VISTA, as well as VSIG‐3‐induced T‐cell inhibition. Hence, we have identified a novel ligand for VISTA that is able to inhibit human T‐cell proliferation and cytokine production. This unique VSIG‐3/VISTA co‐inhibitory pathway may provide new strategies for the treatment of human cancers, autoimmune disorders, infection, and transplant rejection and may aid in the design of better vaccines.