bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Gain‐of‐function mutations in beet DODA2 identify key residues for betalain pigment evolution
Authors: Bean Alexander , Sunnadeniya Rasika , Akhavan Neda , Campbell Annabelle , Brown Matthew , Lloyd Alan 
Published: May 2018

Summary

The key enzymatic step in betalain biosynthesis involves conversion of l‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (l‐DOPA) to betalamic acid. One class of enzymes capable of this is 3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine 4,5‐dioxygenase (DODA). In betalain‐producing species, multiple paralogs of this gene are maintained. This study demonstrates which paralogs function in the betalain pathway and determines the residue changes required to evolve a betalain‐nonfunctional DODA into a betalain‐functional DODA.

Functionalities of two pairs of DODAs were tested by expression in beets, Arabidopsis and yeast, and gene silencing was performed by virus‐induced gene silencing. Site‐directed mutagenesis identified amino acid residues essential for betalamic acid production.

Beta vulgaris and Mirabilis jalapa both possess a DODA1 lineage that functions in the betalain pathway and at least one other lineage, DODA2, that does not. Site‐directed mutagenesis resulted in betalain biosynthesis by a previously nonfunctional DODA, revealing key residues required for evolution of the betalain pathway.

Divergent functionality of DODA paralogs, one clade involved in betalain biosynthesis but others not, is present in various Caryophyllales species. A minimum of seven amino acid residue changes conferred betalain enzymatic activity to a betalain‐nonfunctional DODA paralog, providing insight into the evolution of the betalain pigment pathway in plants.
Cry1Ac production is costly for native plants attacked by non‐Cry1Ac‐targeted herbivores in the field
Authors: McGale Erica , Diezel Celia , Schuman Meredith C. , Baldwin Ian T. 
Published: May 2018

Summary

Plants are the primary producers in most terrestrial ecosystems and have complex defense systems to protect their produce. Defense‐deficient, high‐yielding agricultural monocultures attract abundant nonhuman consumers, but are alternatively defended through pesticide application and genetic engineering to produce insecticidal proteins such as Cry1Ac (Bacillus thuringiensis). These approaches alter the balance between yield protection and maximization but have been poorly contextualized to known yield–defense trade‐offs in wild plants.

The native plant Nicotiana attenuata was used to compare yield benefits of plants transformed to be defenseless to those with a full suite of naturally evolved defenses, or additionally transformed to ectopically produce Cry1Ac. An insecticide treatment allowed us to examine yield under different herbivore loads in N. attenuata's native habitat. Cry1Ac, herbivore damage, and growth parameters were monitored throughout the season. Biomass and reproductive correlates were measured at season end.

Non‐Cry1Ac‐targeted herbivores dominated on noninsecticide‐treated plants, and increased the yield drag of Cry1Ac‐producing plants in comparison with endogenously defended or undefended plants. Insecticide‐sprayed Cry1Ac‐producing plants lagged less in stalk height, shoot biomass, and flower production.

In direct comparison with the endogenous defenses of a native plant, Cry1Ac production did not provide yield benefits for plants under observed herbivore loads in a field study.
Position of human blood group O(H) and phenotype‐determining enzymes in growth and infectious disease
Authors: Arend Peter 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThe human ABO(H) blood group phenotypes arise from the evolutionarily oldest genetic system found in primate populations. While the blood group antigen A is considered the ancestral primordial structure, under the selective pressure of life‐threatening diseases blood group O(H) came to dominate as the most frequently occurring blood group worldwide. Non‐O(H) phenotypes demonstrate impaired formation of adaptive and innate immunoglobulin specificities due to clonal selection and phenotype formation in plasma proteins. Compared with individuals with blood group O(H), blood group A individuals not only have a significantly higher risk of developing certain types of cancer but also exhibit high susceptibility to malaria tropica or infection by Plasmodium falciparum. The phenotype‐determining blood group A glycotransferase(s), which affect the levels of anti‐A/Tn cross‐reactive immunoglobulins in phenotypic glycosidic accommodation, might also mediate adhesion and entry of the parasite to host cells via trans‐species O‐GalNAc glycosylation of abundantly expressed serine residues that arise throughout the parasite's life cycle, while excluding the possibility of antibody formation against the resulting hybrid Tn antigen. In contrast, human blood group O(H), lacking this enzyme, is indicated to confer a survival advantage regarding the overall risk of developing cancer, and individuals with this blood group rarely develop life‐threatening infections involving evolutionarily selective malaria strains.
Dynamical mechanisms of Arctic amplification
Authors: Dethloff Klaus , Handorf Dörthe , Jaiser Ralf , Rinke Annette , Klinghammer Pia 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThe Arctic has become a hot spot of climate change, but the nonlinear interactions between regional and global scales in the coupled climate system responsible for Arctic amplification are not well understood and insufficiently described in climate models. Here, we compare reanalysis data with model simulations for low and high Arctic sea ice conditions to identify model biases with respect to atmospheric Arctic–mid‐latitude linkages. We show that an appropriate description of Arctic sea ice forcing is able to reproduce the observed winter cooling in mid‐latitudes as result of improved tropospheric‐stratospheric planetary wave propagation triggering a negative phase of the Arctic Oscillation/North Atlantic Oscillation in late winter.
Clapping in time parallels literacy and calls upon overlapping neural mechanisms in early readers
Authors: Bonacina Silvia , Krizman Jennifer , White‐Schwoch Travis , Kraus Nina 
Published: May 2018

AbstractThe auditory system is extremely precise in processing the temporal information of perceptual events and using these cues to coordinate action. Synchronizing movement to a steady beat relies on this bidirectional connection between sensory and motor systems, and activates many of the auditory and cognitive processes used when reading. Here, we use Interactive Metronome, a clinical intervention technology requiring an individual to clap her hands in time with a steady beat, to investigate whether the links between literacy and synchronization skills, previously established in older children, are also evident in children who are learning to read. We tested 64 typically developing children (ages 5–7 years) on their synchronization abilities, neurophysiological responses to speech in noise, and literacy skills. We found that children who have lower variability in synchronizing have higher phase consistency, higher stability, and more accurate envelope encoding—all neurophysiological response components linked to language skills. Moreover, performing the same task with visual feedback reveals links with literacy skills, notably processing speed, phonological processing, word reading, spelling, morphology, and syntax. These results suggest that rhythm skills and literacy call on overlapping neural mechanisms, supporting the idea that rhythm training may boost literacy in part by engaging sensory‐motor systems.
Indications and interpretation of esophageal function testing
Authors: Gyawali C. Prakash , de Bortoli Nicola , Clarke John , Marinelli Carla , Tolone Salvatore , Roman Sabine , Savarino Edoardo 
Published: May 2018

AbstractEsophageal symptoms are common, and can arise from mucosal, motor, functional, and neoplastic processes, among others. Judicious use of diagnostic testing can help define the etiology of symptoms and can direct management. Endoscopy, esophageal high‐resolution manometry (HRM), ambulatory pH or pH‐impedance manometry, and barium radiography are commonly used for esophageal function testing; functional lumen imaging probe is an emerging option. Recent consensus guidelines have provided direction in using test findings toward defining mechanisms of esophageal symptoms. The Chicago Classification describes hierarchical steps in diagnosing esophageal motility disorders. The Lyon Consensus characterizes conclusive evidence on esophageal testing for a diagnosis of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), and establishes a motor classification of GERD. Taking these recent advances into consideration, our discussion focuses primarily on the indications, technique, equipment, and interpretation of esophageal HRM and ambulatory reflux monitoring in the evaluation of esophageal symptoms, and describes indications for alternative esophageal tests.
Affective neuroscience of self‐generated thought
Authors: Fox Kieran C.R. , Andrews‐Hanna Jessica R. , Mills Caitlin , Dixon Matthew L. , Markovic Jelena , Thompson Evan , Christoff Kalina 
Published: May 2018

AbstractDespite increasing scientific interest in self‐generated thought—mental content largely independent of the immediate environment—there has yet to be any comprehensive synthesis of the subjective experience and neural correlates of affect in these forms of thinking. Here, we aim to develop an integrated affective neuroscience encompassing many forms of self‐generated thought—normal and pathological, moderate and excessive, in waking and in sleep. In synthesizing existing literature on this topic, we reveal consistent findings pertaining to the prevalence, valence, and variability of emotion in self‐generated thought, and highlight how these factors might interact with self‐generated thought to influence general well‐being. We integrate these psychological findings with recent neuroimaging research, bringing attention to the neural correlates of affect in self‐generated thought. We show that affect in self‐generated thought is prevalent, positively biased, highly variable (both within and across individuals), and consistently recruits many brain areas implicated in emotional processing, including the orbitofrontal cortex, amygdala, insula, and medial prefrontal cortex. Many factors modulate these typical psychological and neural patterns, however; the emerging affective neuroscience of self‐generated thought must endeavor to link brain function and subjective experience in both everyday self‐generated thought as well as its dysfunctions in mental illness.
Group benefits in joint perceptual tasks—a review
Authors: Wahn Basil , Kingstone Alan , König Peter 
Published: May 2018

AbstractIn daily life, humans often perform perceptual tasks together to reach a shared goal. In these situations, individuals may collaborate (e.g., by distributing task demands) to perform the task better than when the task is performed alone (i.e., attain a group benefit). In this review, we identify the factors influencing if, and to what extent, a group benefit is attained and provide a framework of measures to assess group benefits in perceptual tasks. In particular, we integrate findings from two frequently investigated joint perceptual tasks: visuospatial tasks and decision‐making tasks. For both task types, we find that an exchange of information between coactors is critical to improve joint performance. Yet, the type of exchanged information and how coactors collaborate differs between tasks. In visuospatial tasks, coactors exchange information about the performed actions to distribute task demands. In perceptual decision‐making tasks, coactors exchange their confidence on their individual perceptual judgments to negotiate a joint decision. We argue that these differences can be explained by the task structure: coactors distribute task demands if a joint task allows for a spatial division and stimuli can be accurately processed by one individual. Otherwise, they perform the task individually and then integrate their individual judgments.
Periodontal infection with Porphyromonas gingivalis induces preterm birth and lower birth weight in rats
Authors: Liang S. , Ren H. , Guo H. , Xing W. , Liu C. , Ji Y. , Jiang H. , Zhang P. , Du M. 
Published: May 2018

SummaryPreterm birth (PTB), accompanied by low birth weight (LBW) or not, is a syndrome with tremendous risk factors and long‐term health consequences for children. In recent decades, overwhelming studies have shown that periodontitis contributes to prematurity and LBW. This study was conducted to determine the link between maternal periodontitis and the pathogenesis of PTB and/or LBW through a rat infection model induced by Porphyromonas gingivalis, an important periodontopathic bacterium. The murine model was established by surgically ligating the left mandibular first molars and inoculating with P. gingivalis, and then all female rats initiated mating 6 weeks post infection. The gestational day and birth weight were recorded, and blood, amniotic fluid, and placental specimens were collected. Rats with a PTB and LBW newborns were observed in the P. gingivalis‐infected group. Additionally, P. gingivalis infection significantly increased the maternal serum levels of interferon‐γ and interleukin‐1β, whereas no significant difference in the cytokine response was observed in the amniotic fluid. Moreover, with the translocation of P. gingivalis to placentas, remarkable changes in gestational tissues were found, followed by significantly enhanced expression of Toll‐like receptor 2 (TLR2) as well as Fas and Fas ligand (FasL). These results support the concept that severe cases of periodontitis caused by P. gingivalis infection may be indicative of rats being more susceptible to PTB/LBW, probably through the activation of the TLR2 and Fas/FasL pathways within the placental tissues. This study gave us new insight into how maternal periodontopathogens might be linked to placental damage and premature pathogenesis.
Anesthesia for subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator implantation: Perspectives from the clinical experience of a U.S. panel of physicians
Authors: Essandoh Michael K. , Mark George E. , Aasbo Johan D. , Joyner Charles A , Sharma Saumya , Decena Beningo F , Bolin Eric D , Weiss Raul , Burke Martin C , McClernon Timothy R. , Daoud Emile G. , Gold Michael R. 
Published: May 2018

AbstractBackground and objectiveWorldwide adoption of the subcutaneous implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator (S‐ICD) for preventing sudden cardiac death continues to increase, as longer‐term evidence demonstrating the safety and efficacy of the S‐ICD expands. As a relatively new technology, comprehensive anesthesia guidance for the management of patients undergoing S‐ICD placement is lacking. This article presents advantages and disadvantages of different periprocedural sedation and anesthesia options for S‐ICD implants including general anesthesia, monitored anesthesia care, regional anesthesia, and nonanesthesia personnel administered sedation and analgesia.MethodsGuidance, for approaches to anesthesia care during S‐ICD implantation, is presented based upon literature review and consensus of a panel of high‐volume S‐ICD implanters, a regional anesthesiologist, and a cardiothoracic anesthesiologist with significant S‐ICD experience. The panel developed suggested actions for perioperative sedation, anesthesia, surgical practices, and a decision algorithm for S‐ICD implantation.ConclusionsWhile S‐ICD implantation currently requires higher sedation than transvenous ICD systems, the panel consensus is that general anesthesia is not required or is obligatory for the majority of patients for the experienced S‐ICD implanter. The focus of the implanting physician and the anesthesia services should be to maximize patient comfort and take into consideration patient‐specific comorbidities, with a low threshold to consult the anesthesiology team.
Unresolved questions associated with the management of ventricular preexcitation syndrome
Authors: Brembilla‐Perrot Béatrice , Girerd Nicolas , Sellal Jean‐Marc 
Published: May 2018

AbstractBackgroundMany recent recommendations concern the management of preexcitation syndrome. In clinical practice, they are sometimes difficult to use. The purpose of the authors was to discuss the main problems associated with this management.Three problems are encountered: (1) the reality of the absence of symptoms or the interpretation of atypical symptoms, (2) the electrocardiographic diagnosis of preexcitation syndrome that can be missed, and (3) the exact electrophysiological protocol and its interpretation used for the evaluation of the prognosis.Because of significant progress largely related to the development of curative treatment, it seems easy to propose ablation in many patients despite the related risks of invasive studies and to minimize the invasive risk by only performing ablation for patients with at‐risk pathways. However, there is a low risk of spontaneous events in truly asymptomatic patients and the indication of accessory pathway ablation should be discussed case by case.
GhL1L1 affects cell fate specification by regulating GhPIN1‐mediated auxin distribution
Authors: Xu Jiao , Yang Xiyan , Li Baoqi , Chen Lin , Min Ling , Zhang Xianlong 
Published: May 2018

SummaryAuxin is as an efficient initiator and regulator of cell fate during somatic embryogenesis (SE), but the molecular mechanisms and regulating networks of this process are not well understood. In this report, we analysed SE process induced by Leafy cotyledon1‐like 1 (GhL1L1), a NF‐YB subfamily gene specifically expressed in embryonic tissues in cotton. We also identified the target gene of GhL1L1, and its role in auxin distribution and cell fate specification during embryonic development was analysed. Overexpression of GhL1L1 accelerated embryonic cell formation, associated with an increased concentration of IAA in embryogenic calluses (ECs) and in the shoot apical meristem, corresponding to altered expression of the auxin transport gene GhPIN1. By contrast, GhL1L1‐deficient explants showed retarded embryonic cell formation, and the concentration of IAA was decreased in GhL1L1‐deficient ECs. Disruption of auxin distribution accelerated the specification of embryonic cell fate together with regulation of GhPIN1. Furthermore, we showed that PHOSPHATASE 2AA2 (GhPP2AA2) was activated by GhL1L1 through targeting the G‐box of its promoter, hence regulating the activity of GhPIN1 protein. Our results indicate that GhL1L1 functions as a key regulator in auxin distribution to regulate cell fate specification in cotton and contribute to the understanding of the complex process of SE in plant species.
Engineering the unicellular alga Phaeodactylum tricornutum for high‐value plant triterpenoid production
Authors: D'Adamo Sarah , Schiano di Visconte Gino , Lowe Gavin , Szaub‐Newton Joanna , Beacham Tracey , Landels Andrew , Allen Michael J. , Spicer Andrew , Matthijs Michiel 
Published: May 2018

SummaryPlant triterpenoids constitute a diverse class of organic compounds that play a major role in development, plant defence and environmental interaction. Several triterpenes have demonstrated potential as pharmaceuticals. One example is betulin, which has shown promise as a pharmaceutical precursor for the treatment of certain cancers and HIV. Major challenges for triterpenoid commercialization include their low production levels and their cost‐effective purification from the complex mixtures present in their natural hosts. Therefore, attempts to produce these compounds in industrially relevant microbial systems such as bacteria and yeasts have attracted great interest. Here, we report the production of the triterpenes betulin and its precursor lupeol in the photosynthetic diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum, a unicellular eukaryotic alga. This was achieved by introducing three plant enzymes in the microalga: a Lotus japonicus oxidosqualene cyclase and a Medicago truncatula cytochrome P450 along with its native reductase. The introduction of the L. japonicus oxidosqualene cyclase perturbed the mRNA expression levels of the native mevalonate and sterol biosynthesis pathway. The best performing strains were selected and grown in a 550‐L pilot‐scale photobioreactor facility. To our knowledge, this is the most extensive pathway engineering undertaken in a diatom and the first time that a sapogenin has been artificially produced in a microalga, demonstrating the feasibility of the photo‐bio‐production of more complex high‐value, metabolites in microalgae.
The Asian corn borer Ostrinia furnacalis feeding increases the direct and indirect defence of mid‐whorl stage commercial maize in the field
Authors: Guo Jingfei , Qi Jinfeng , He Kanglai , Wu Jianqiang , Bai Shuxiong , Zhang Tiantao , Zhao Jiuran , Wang Zhenying 
Published: May 2018

SummaryThe Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis Guenée) is a destructive pest of maize (Zea mays L.). Despite large‐scale commercial maize production, little is known about the defensive responses of field‐grown commercial maize to O. furnacalis herbivory, and how these responses result in direct and indirect defence against this pest. To elucidate the maize transcriptome response to O. furnacalis feeding, leaves of maize hybrid Jingke968 were infested with O. furnacalis for 0, 2, 4, 12 and 24 h. Ostrinia furnacalis feeding elicited stronger and more rapid changes in the defence‐related gene expression (i.e. after 2 h), and more differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were up‐regulated than down‐regulated at all times post‐induction (i.e. 2, 4, 12 and 24 h) in the O. furnacalis pre‐infested maize plants. KEGG pathway analysis indicated that the DEGs in the O. furnacalis pre‐infested maize are involved in benzoxazinoids, phytohormones, volatiles, and other metabolic pathways related to maize resistance to herbivores. In addition, the maize leaves previously infested by O. furnacalis for 24 h showed an obvious inhibition of the subsequent O. furnacalis performance, and maize volatiles induced by O. furnacalis feeding for 24 and 48 h attracted the parasitic wasp, Macrocentrus cingulum Brischke. The increased direct and indirect defences induced by O. furnacalis feeding were correlated with O. furnacalis‐induced phytohormones, benzoxazinoids, and volatiles. Together, our findings provide new insights into how commercial maize orchestrates its transcriptome and metabolome to directly and indirectly defend against O. furnacalis at the mid‐whorl stage in the field.