bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
GABAergic hyperinnervation of dentate granule cells in the Ts65Dn mouse model of down syndrome: Exploring the role ofApp
Authors: Mojabi Fatemeh S. , Fahimi Atoossa , Moghadam Shahrzad , Moghadam Sarah , Windy McNerneny M. , Ponnusamy Ravikumar , Kleschevnikov Alexander , Mobley William C. , Salehi Ahmad 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACTIt has been suggested that increased GABAergic innervation in the hippocampus plays a significant role in cognitive dysfunction in Down syndrome (DS). Bolstering this notion, are studies linking hyper‐innervation of the dentate gyrus (DG) by GABAergic terminals to failure in LTP induction in the Ts65Dn mouse model of DS. Here, we used extensive morphometrical methods to assess the status of GABAergic interneurons in the DG of young and old Ts65Dn mice and their 2N controls. We detected an age‐dependent increase in GABAergic innervation of dentate granule cells (DGCs) in Ts65Dn mice. The primary source of GABAergic terminals to DGCs somata is basket cells (BCs). For this reason, we assessed the status of these cells and found a significant increase in the number of BCs in Ts65Dn mice compared with controls. Then we aimed to identify the gene/s whose overexpression could be linked to increased number of BCs in Ts65Dn and found that deleting the third copy ofAppgene in Ts65Dn mice led to normalization of the number of BCs in these mice. Our data suggest thatAppoverexpression plays a major role in the pathophysiology of GABAergic hyperinnervation of the DG in Ts65Dn mice. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Opposite in vivo effects of agents that stimulate or inhibit the glutamate/cysteine exchanger system on the inhibition of hippocampal LTP by Aß
Authors: Zhang Dainan , Jin Baozhe , Ondrejcak Tomas , Rowan Michael J. 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACTAggregated amyloid ß‐protein (Aß) is pathognomonic of Alzheimer's disease and certain assemblies of Aß are synaptotoxic. Excess glutamate or diminished glutathione reserve are both implicated in mediating or modulating Aß‐induced disruption of synaptic plasticity. The system
antiporter promotes Na+‐independent exchange of cystine with glutamate thereby providing a major source of extracellular glutamate and intracellular glutathione concentrations. Here we probed the ability of two drugs with opposite effects on system
, the inhibitor sulfasalazine and facilitator N‐acetylcysteine, to modulate the ability of Aß1‐42 to inhibit long‐term potentiation (LTP) in the CA1 area of the anaesthetized rat. Whereas acute systemic treatment with sulfasalazine lowered the threshold for Aß to interfere with synaptic plasticity, N‐acetylcysteine prevented the inhibition of LTP by Aß alone or in combination with sulfasalazine. Moreover acute N‐acetylcysteine also prevented the inhibition of LTP by TNFα, a putative mediator of Aß actions, and repeated systemic N‐acetylcysteine treatment for 7 days reversed the delayed deleterious effect of Aß on LTP. Since both of these drugs are widely used clinically, further evaluation of their potential beneficial and deleterious actions in early Alzheimer's disease seems warranted. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Basophil Activation Test identifies the patients with Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria suffering the most active disease
Authors: Curto‐Barredo Laia , Yelamos Jose , Gimeno Ramon , Mojal Sergi , Pujol Ramon M. , Giménez‐Arnau Ana 
Published: October 2016

AbstractIntroductionThe basophil activation test showing CD63 up regulation could be a specific and sensitive in vitro complementary text to the in vivo autologous serum skin test for the activity assessment of the patients suffering autoimmune chronic spontaneous urticaria. The aim of this study is to define the basophil activation test as a useful tool in clinical practice in order to identify those patients with more active disease.MethodsWe screened 139 patients (96 women) diagnosed of chronic spontaneous urticaria using simultaneously autologous serum skin test and basophil activation test and their relationship with disease activity.ResultsPositive autologous serum skin test was found in 56.8%; from them, 31.6% were basophil activation test positive. Negative autologous serum skin test result was found in the 43.2% of the sample that showed negative CD63 expression results in all cases, except one. Patients with positive autologous serum skin test and positive CD63 by basophil activation test showed significant higher Urticaria Activity Score of 7 days (P = 0.004) and of 3 weeks (P = 0.001) than patients with positive autologous serum skin test and negative CD63 (mean ± standard deviation [SD] 26.57 ± 10.56 versus 18.40 ± 12.05 for the Urticaria Activity Score of 7 days and 56.47 ± 23.78 versus 39.88 ± 25.44 for the Urticaria Activity Score of 3 weeks).ConclusionsThe CD63 expression on basophils appears as a reliable in vitro marker, useful in clinical practice in combination with autologous serum skin test to define chronic spontaneous urticaria patients with the highest urticaria activity that impairs a normal life.
cGAS‐cGAMP‐STING: The three musketeers of cytosolic DNA sensing and signaling
Authors: Tao Jianli , Zhou Xiang , Jiang Zhengfan 
Published: October 2016

AbstractInnate immunity is the first line of host defense against invading pathogens. The detection of aberrant nucleic acids which represent some conserved PAMPs triggers robust type I IFN‐mediated innate immune responses. Host‐ or pathogen‐derived cytosolic DNA binds and activates the DNA sensor cGAS, which synthesizes the second messenger 2′3′‐cGAMP and triggers STING‐dependent downstream signaling. Here, we highlight recent progress in cGAS‐cGAMP‐STING, the Three Musketeers of cytosolic DNA sensing and signaling, and their essential roles in infection, autoimmune diseases, and cancer. We also focus on the regulation of these critical signal components by variant host/pathogen proteins and update our understanding of this indispensable pathway to provide new insights for drug discovery. © 2016 IUBMB Life, 68(11):858–870, 2016
Folate‐decorated arginine‐based poly(ester urea urethane) nanoparticles as carriers for gambogic acid and effect on cancer cells
Authors: He Mingyu , Ro Lillian , Liu Jing , Chu Chih‐Chang 
Published: October 2016

AbstractGambogic acid (GA) exhibits a broad spectrum of anticancer activity and low chemotoxicity to normal tissues. However, poor aqueous solubility and sensitivity to hydrolysis make its pharmaceutical applications a challenge. Linear and branched Arg‐based poly(ester urea urethane)s (Arg‐PEUUs), folate (FA)‐conjugated Arg PEUUs (FA‐Arg‐PEUUs), and their self‐assembled nanoparticles (NPs) were designed, synthesized, and studied as the potential GA carriers for cancer treatment. The average diameters of linear or branched Arg‐PEUU/FA‐Arg‐PEUU NPs were 98–267 nm. FA‐Arg‐PEUU NPs adhered onto and were internalized into HeLa and A549 cells, and showed no cytotoxicity. The GA loading efficiency in the NP carriers ranged from 40 to 98%, depending on the feed weight ratio of GA to Arg‐PEUU and the Arg‐PEUU polymer structure (i.e., linear vs. branched). The GA at 2 µg/mL concentration delivered by the FA‐Arg‐PEUU NP carriers had higher cytotoxicity and induced a higher apoptosis percentage against folate receptor (FR)‐overexpressed HeLa or HCT116 than Arg‐PEUU NPs. When compared to the free GA treatment, the GA loaded in the FA‐Arg‐PEUU NP carriers also led to significant loss of the mitochondrial membrane potential in a higher percentage of the cancer cell population and more DNA fragmentation. The GA loaded in FA‐Arg‐PEUU NP carriers at as low as 0.6 µg/mL GA concentration led to lower MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 activity of cancer cells compared to free GA, suggesting that GA‐loaded Arg‐PEUU NPs may have greater potential to reduce cancer cell invasion and metastasis than free GA. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 105A: 475–490, 2017.
Selective plasma exchange can reduce auto‐antibodies in patients with bullous pemphigoid without affecting factor XIII and fibrinogen
Authors: Nasu Kahori , Hanafusa Norio , Nangaku Masaomi 
Published: October 2016

AbstractBullous pemphigoid (BP) is an autoimmune blistering skin disorder characterized by circulating serum IgG antibodies against two hemidesmosomal proteins: BP180 and BP230. Fundamentally, immunosuppressive therapies are administered to treat this disease, but plasmapheresis can be added for refractory patients. We experienced the case of a 63‐year‐old patient with refractory BP for which we administered double filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP). His skin lesions improved along with decreased IgG BP180 antibodies, but factor XIII (FXIII) and fibrinogen were also reduced by DFPP repetition. Reportedly, deficiency of those factors can cause lethal bleeding. Especially, decreased FXIII cannot be detected by prolongation of bleeding or coagulation time. To prevent further reduction of those factors and bleeding complications, DFPP was switched to selective plasma exchange (SePE), a new modality of plasmapheresis that uses a membrane plasma separator with smaller than ordinary pores. SePE further reduced pathogenic IgG BP180 antibodies, but FXIII and fibrinogen recovered. For this case, we measured the mean of reduction ratios in serum IgG and FXIII both before and after plasmapheresis sessions and detected the decreased levels of FXIII and fibrinogen during DFPP. We were able to switch to SePE from DFPP appropriately before any bleeding event occurred. The utility of SePE was demonstrated, especially for the reduction of pathogenic antibodies with retention of FXIII and fibrinogen, which have the longest half‐lives among coagulation factors and which take a long time to recover.
Emotional Awareness Moderates the Relationship Between Childhood Abuse and Borderline Personality Disorder Symptom Factors
Authors: Westbrook John , Berenbaum Howard 
Published: October 2016

ObjectiveTo examine pathways to borderline personality disorder (BPD), focusing on childhood abuse and emotional attention and clarity.MethodAmong 293 community residents (mean age = 43.1; 53.9% female), measured associations between the BPD symptom factors of disturbed relatedness, affective dysregulation, and behavioral dysregulation and (a) childhood abuse (emotional, physical, and sexual); (b) emotional attention and clarity; and (c) negative affect, using structured interviews, the Schedule for Non‐Adaptive and Adaptive Personality‐2, the Trait Meta Mood Scale, and the Positive and Negative Affect Scale, respectively.ResultsAll forms of childhood abuse were associated with BPD symptom factors. Emotional attention and clarity moderated the effects of childhood physical and emotional abuse on behavioral dysregulation and disturbed relatedness. All results held when controlling for negative affect.ConclusionThe relations between childhood abuse and BPD are robust. Emotional attention and clarity may help elucidate the links between childhood abuse and BPD.
Long‐term austral summer wind speed trends over southern Africa
Authors: Nchaba Teboho , Mpholo Moeketsi , Lennard Chris 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACTA comprehensive analysis of near surface (10‐m and 850 hPa) long‐term (1980–2015) austral summer mean wind speed trends over southern Africa and the surrounding oceans (10°–40°S and 10°W‐50°E) is carried out. The climate forecast system reanalysis and the climate forecast system reanalysis version 2, the modern era retrospective‐analysis for research and applications version 2, and the ERA‐Interim products are used for the analysis. Trends are estimated using the Theil–Sen slope estimator and their significance tested with the Mann–Kendall test. Attribution of the wind speed trends to large scale circulation systems is determined from: (1) trends in 850 hPa geopotential height, surface pressure, and surface skin temperatures, (2) changes in the annual frequency of archetypal synoptic states generated by self‐organizing maps from geopotential height data, and (3) the correlations of the wind speeds to the southern annular mode (SAM) and El Niño Southern Oscillations (ENSO) indices. There is an overall decline in wind speeds evident in all the reanalyses. Wind speeds reduce by an average 0.7 and 1.3 m s−1 at 10 m and 850 hPa, respectively, over the study period. Deceleration in midlatitude westerly and Atlantic south easterly winds are associated with a poleward shift in the subtropical anticyclone, a positive trend in the annual frequency of summer circulation weather types, and the weakening of the subtropical continental heat low. The SAM and ENSO are also found to have a statistically significant linear association with the observed wind speed trends.
Tree‐ring‐based SPEI reconstruction in central Tianshan Mountains of China since A.D. 1820 and links to westerly circulation
Authors: Jiang Peng , Liu Hongyan , Wu Xiuchen , Wang Hongya 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACTUnderstanding long‐time scale of drought variability is vital to the hydrological management and agriculture in dryland. Based on two sites of Schrenk spruce (Picea schrenkiana), a robust tree‐ring chronology was developed and employed to study the drought variability in central Tianshan Mountains. The result shows that the chronology significantly positively correlates with precipitation in previous December, April, May and June in current year, and significantly negatively correlates with temperature in April, May, July and August in current year. Highest correlation was found between tree‐ring width and both April–June standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) and Palmer drought severity index, indicating that Schrenk spruce's growth strongly responds to the current summer drought. We further reconstruct SPEI for the period 1820–2005, and the series are verified both with the statistical methods and other nearby reconstructions. Multi‐taper method spectral and wavelet analyses reveal the significant low‐ and high‐frequency cycles (26–36, 8.5, 6.0, 5.7 and 3.4 years). Drought has alternatively varied in the past two centuries with four apparently dry periods and wet periods, and the driest period occurs from 1870 to 1890 and the wettest period occurs from 1842 to 1855 in the central Tianshan Mountains. Some extreme drought events are detected, such as 1885, 1918, 1944–1945 and 1951. Significant correlations of reconstructed SPEI and precipitation and temperature indicate that the source of air masses and the water vapour transport paths lies in the northwestern direction of our study area and are controlled by westerly circulation. This SPEI reconstruction provides a long‐term drought history in the central Tianshan Mountains and can serve as scientific basis for water resources management in this semi‐arid region.
CO2 fluxes in subtropical dryland soils—a comparison of the gradient and the closed‐chamber method
Authors: Luther-Mosebach Jona , Kalinski Kira , Gröngröft Alexander , Eschenbach Annette 
Published: October 2016

AbstractOn the plot scale, closed dynamic chamber methods (CDCM) are the most popular technique to directly measure CO2 fluxes from the soil surface to the atmosphere. However, the gradient method (GM) provides several advantages, which refer to the underground processes contributing to the CO2 production that cannot be investigated by the CDCM. To evaluate the suitability of the GM in dryland soils, we compared feasibility and quality of results for both methods. The GM is based on Fick's law and requires knowledge on diffusion properties of the soil, concentration gradients between soil and atmosphere, and the air‐filled porosity. Our study was conducted on two sites along the Okavango River, one in Namibia (semi‐arid) and the other in Angola (semi‐humid) with comparable sandy soil texture. The CO2 concentration profile was determined by collecting soil gas samples from different soil depths. CO2 efflux was measured with a vented steady‐state closed chamber system. Soil gas diffusivities were measured in lab experiments using diffusion chambers and undisturbed soil cores. Modeled diffusivities were predicted according to six popular models based on air‐filled porosity and total porosity as input parameters. Results show strong agreement between CDCM and GM fluxes based on measured diffusivities. However, with modeled diffusivities overestimation of fluxes for most of the tested models, especially at high air‐filled porosity, were detected. We conclude that the GM offers a valuable tool for flux estimates on the pedon scale in dry ecosystems particularly in combination with measured diffusivities and includes the possibility for investigating subsurface processes involved in the CO2 production.
Autocorrelation analysis of high resolution weighing lysimeter time series as a basis for determination of precipitation
Authors: Herbrich Marcus , Gerke Horst H. 
Published: October 2016

AbstractThe determination of precipitation (P) is still a challenge, but central for quantifying soil water and element balances. Time series of mass changes (ΔM) from high precision weighing lysimeter may be used to estimate P if deep drainage rates are determined independently. High temporal resolution, however, is accompanied by problems such as correlated data and noise. The objective was to analyze the temporal autocorrelation (AC) in ΔM time series and to identify temporal resolutions for determining uncorrelated P rates. Minute‐based time series of ΔM are analyzed; the data have been recorded at the UMS Science Lysimeters that are located in Dedelow (northeast Germany) as part of the TERENO SoilCan lysimeter network. Periods in 2012 and 2013 were selected in which the wind speed was below 6 ms−1. Data noise‐correction was carried out by using a moving average before the ΔM values cumulated over 60, 30, and 10 min intervals were compared. On a monthly basis, the temporal AC lengths for ΔM were larger in spring (68 min), autumn (62 min), and winter (76 min) than in the summer (23 min). These AC lengths reflected mainly the effect of differences in P‐rates and ‐duration between lower‐intensity rainfall and shorter summer storms. The monthly sums of P based on the 60‐min interval were up to 20% lower than those obtained by using the 10‐min intervals. For P‐values obtained by summing up the ΔM over periods shorter than the autocorrelation length, oscillated fluctuations in ΔM did not cancel out within an interval. The temporal autocorrelation in the highly‐resolved lysimeter data limited the evaluation of ΔM time series. Compared to rain gauge data, the P‐rates obtained from the weighing lysimeters were generally higher. However, this difference decreased when increasing the time interval for cumulating mass changes. Cumulated positive ΔM values based on time intervals larger than the AC length (e.g., 60 min) provided an optimal approximation of the quantity of P, but on the expense of a loss in temporal resolution limited by the AC lengths. Smoothing could reduce noise in the original lysimeter data; however, not the validity problems that are related to the temporal AC.
Higher bioavailability of iron from whole wheat bread compared with iron‐fortified white breads in caco‐2 cell model: an experimental study
Authors: Nikooyeh Bahareh , Neyestani Tirang R 
Published: October 2016

AbstractBACKGROUNDBread, as the staple food of Iranians, with average per capita consumption of 300 g d−1, could potentially be a good vehicle for many fortificants, including iron. In this study, iron bioavailability from flat breads (three fortified and one whole wheat unfortified) was investigated using in vitro simulation of gastrointestinal digestion and absorption in a caco‐2 cell model.RESULTSDespite having a lower ferritin/protein ratio in comparison with fortified breads, whole wheat bread showed higher iron bioavailability than the other three types of bread. Assuming iron bioavailability from the ferrous sulfate supplement used as standard was about 10%, the estimated bioavailability of iron from the test breads was calculated as 5.0–8.0%. Whole wheat bread (∼8%), as compared with the fortified breads (∼5–6.5%), had higher iron bioavailability.CONCLUSIONIron from unfortified whole wheat bread is more bioavailable than from three types of iron‐fortified breads. © 2016 Society of Chemical Industry
Vegetation type and demography of low density willow ptarmigan populations
Authors: Kvasnes Mikkel Andreas Jørnsøn , Pedersen Hans Christian , Storaas Torstein , Nilsen Erlend Birkeland 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACTThe willow ptarmigan (Lagopus lagopus) is an economically important and desired game species in Scandinavia. Its abundance varies considerably in time and space, but there has been a long‐term population decline over recent decades. Earlier studies demonstrated willow ptarmigan select certain habitat features. We investigated the relationship between area‐specific conditions (habitat and ownership status) and 2 variables describing willow ptarmigan demography (adult density and reproductive success). We found no connection between adult density and cover of 6 vegetation types. However, willow ptarmigan had lower reproductive success in survey areas dominated by mountain birch (Betula pubescens czerepanovii) forest. The lack of any clear association between willow ptarmigan density and vegetation types could be explained by relatively low population densities in our study areas. Thus, relative to years with higher population levels, resources (e.g., food and shelter) were plentiful and competition was low. We found strong indications in areas of similar vegetation composition that adult density was higher in areas managed by private landowners than on state‐owned land. The difference in density was 2.56 birds/km2, equivalent to a 46% increase compared to adult density on state‐owned land. This difference in density may be due to a difference in hunting pressure. We conclude that management actions to improve habitat will have little effect on willow ptarmigan populations during periods of relatively low densities. © 2016 The Wildlife Society.