bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Life-cycle studies with 2 marine species and bisphenol A: The mysid shrimp (Americamysis bahia) and sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus)
Authors: Mihaich Ellen , Staples Charles , Ortego Lisa , Klečka Gary , Woelz Jan , Dimond Steve , Hentges Steven 
Published: August 2017

Abstract

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a high production volume compound primarily used to produce epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastic. Exposure to low concentrations of BPA occurs in freshwater and marine systems, primarily from wastewater treatment plant discharges. The dataset for chronic toxicity of BPA to freshwater organisms includes studies on fish, amphibians, invertebrates, algae, and aquatic plants. To broaden the dataset, a 1.5-generation test with sheepshead minnow (Cyprinodon variegatus) and a full life-cycle test with mysid shrimp (Americamysis bahia) were conducted. Testing focused on apical endpoints of survival, growth and development, and reproduction. The respective no-observed-effect concentration (NOEC) and lowest-observed-effect concentration (LOEC) values of 170 and 370 µg/L for mysid and 66 and 130 μg/L for sheepshead were based on reduced fecundity. The hazardous concentrations for 5% of the species (HC5) values of 18 μg/L were calculated from species sensitivity distributions (SSDs) with freshwater-only data and combined freshwater and marine data. Inclusion of marine data resulted in no apparent difference in SSD shape, R2 values for the distributions, or HC5 values. Upper-bound 95th percentile concentrations of BPA measured in marine waters of North America and Europe (0.024 and 0.15 μg/L, respectively) are below the HC5 value of 18 μg/L. These results suggest that marine and freshwater species are of generally similar sensitivity and that chronic studies using a diverse set of species can be combined to assess the aquatic toxicity of BPA. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:398–410. © 2017 The Authors. Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of SETAC.
Methylated polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and/or their metabolites are important contributors to the overall estrogenic activity of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon–contaminated soils
Authors: Lam Monika M. , Engwall Magnus , Denison Michael S. , Larsson Maria 
Published: August 2017

Abstract

In the present study 42 polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) were investigated for their estrogenic potential using the VM7Luc4E2 transactivation assay. Relative potencies were determined for mass-balance analysis. In addition, compounds were tested in combination with the estrogen receptor (ER) antagonist ICI182,780 (ICI) and the aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonist/CYP1A1 inhibitor α-naphthoflavone. Luciferase induction and CYP1A1-dependent ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase (EROD) activity were measured to assess whether the estrogenic activity was elicited by the compound itself and/or by its metabolites. Relative potencies ranged between 10−7 and 10−4. The ability of ICI to decrease luciferase activity stimulated by all compounds indicated that the induction responses were ER-dependent. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor antagonist/CYP1A1 inhibitor α-naphthoflavone decreased luciferase induction and EROD activity by several compounds, including the methylated chrysenes, suggesting that metabolites of these chemicals contributed to ER activation. Several PACs, such as acridine and its derivatives, appear to directly activate the ER. Furthermore, extracts of soils from industrial areas were examined using this bioassay, and estrogenic activity was detected in all soil samples. Mass-balance analysis using a combination of relative potencies and chemical analysis of the samples suggested that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and alkylated PAHs, such as 1- and 3-methylchrysene, are important contributors to the overall estrogenic activity. However, these results revealed that a considerable proportion of the estrogenic activity in the soil remained unexplained, indicating the presence of other significant estrogenic compounds. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:385–397. © 2017 SETAC
Abstract
Developed relative potency factors for VM7luc4E2 transactivation assay in the present study were used in mass-balance analysis to investigate estrogenic activity of PAH-contaminated soil.
Divergent artificial selection for female reproductive investment has a sexually concordant effect on male reproductive success
Authors: Pick Joel L. , Hutter Pascale , Tschirren Barbara 
Published: August 2017

AbstractDepending on the genetic architecture of male and female fitness, sex-specific selection can have negative, positive, or neutral consequences for the opposite sex. Theory predicts that conflict between male and female function may drive the breakdown of intrasexual genetic correlations, allowing sexual dimorphism in sexually antagonistic traits. Reproductive traits are the epitome of this, showing highly differentiated proximate functions between the sexes. Here we use divergent artificial selection lines for female reproductive investment to test how female-specific selection on a sex-limited trait affects male reproductive success in a precocial bird, the Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). We demonstrate that selection for increased egg investment in females positively affects male reproductive success both in competitive and non-competitive mating situations. This increased reproductive success was linked to a relatively larger left testis in males originating from lines selected for high female reproductive investment. Given that female quail have functional gonads only on their left side, this correlated response indicates that selection has acted on the shared developmental basis of male and female gonads. Our study thereby provides evidence for a positive genetic correlation between key reproductive traits in males and females despite a high degree of sexual dimorphism, and suggests that, in this system, selection on reproductive function is sexually concordant.
Fire ant social chromosomes: Differences in number, sequence and expression of odorant binding proteins
Authors: Pracana Rodrigo , Levantis Ilya , Martínez-Ruiz Carlos , Stolle Eckart , Priyam Anurag , Wurm Yannick 
Published: August 2017

AbstractVariation in social behavior is common yet our knowledge of the mechanisms underpinning its evolution is limited. The fire ant Solenopsis invicta provides a textbook example of a Mendelian element controlling social organization: alternate alleles of a genetic element first identified as encoding an odorant binding protein (OBP) named Gp-9 determine whether a colony accepts one or multiple queens. The potential roles of such a protein in perceiving olfactory cues and evidence of positive selection on its amino acid sequence made it an appealing candidate gene. However, we recently showed that recombination is suppressed between Gp-9 and hundreds of other genes as part of a &gt;19 Mb supergene-like region carried by a pair of social chromosomes. This finding raises the need to reassess the potential role of Gp-9. We identify 23 OBPs in the fire ant genome assembly, including nine located in the region of suppressed recombination with Gp-9. For six of these, the alleles carried by the two variants of the supergene-like region differ in protein-coding sequence and thus likely in function, with Gp-9 showing the strongest evidence of positive selection. We identify an additional OBP specific to the Sb variant of the region. Finally, we find that 14 OBPs are differentially expressed between single- and multiple-queen colonies. These results are consistent with multiple OBPs playing a role in determining social structure.
Anisotropic goal‐oriented error analysis for a third‐order accurate CENO Euler discretization
Authors: Carabias A. , Belme A. , Loseille A. , Dervieux A. 
Published: August 2017

SummaryIn this paper, a central essentially non‐oscillatory approximation based on a quadratic polynomial reconstruction is considered for solving the unsteady 2D Euler equations. The scheme is third‐order accurate on irregular unstructured meshes. The paper concentrates on a method for a metric‐based goal‐oriented mesh adaptation. For this purpose, an a priori error analysis for this central essentially non‐oscillatory scheme is proposed. It allows us to get an estimate depending on the polynomial reconstruction error. As a third‐order error is not naturally expressed in terms of a metric, we propose a least‐square method to approach a third‐order error by a quadratic term. Then an optimization problem for the best mesh metric is obtained and analytically solved. The resulting mesh optimality system is discretized and solved using a global unsteady fixed‐point algorithm. The method is applied to an acoustic propagation benchmark.
Ethnic Differences in Peripheral Skeletal Development Among Urban South African Adolescents: A Ten-Year Longitudinal pQCT Study
Authors: Schoenbuchner Simon M , Pettifor John M , Norris Shane A , Micklesfield Lisa K , Prentice Ann , Ward Kate A 
Published: August 2017

ABSTRACT

There are no longitudinal pQCT data of bone growth and development from sub-Saharan Africa, where rapid environmental, societal, and economic transitions are occurring, and where fracture rates are predicted to rise. The aim of this study was to compare skeletal development in black and white South African adolescents using longitudinal data from the Birth to Twenty study. The Birth to Twenty Bone Health subcohort consisted of 543 adolescents (261 [178 black] girls, 282 [201 black] boys). Annual pQCT measurements of the radial and tibial metaphysis and diaphysis were obtained between ages 12 and 22 years (distal metaphysis: cross-sectional area [CSA] and trabecular bone mineral density [BMD]; diaphysis: total and cortical CSA, cortical BMD, and polar stress-strain index [SSIp]). Age at peak height velocity (APHV) was calculated to account for differences in maturational timing between ethnic groups and sexes. Mixed-effects models were used to describe trajectories for each pQCT outcome. Likelihood-ratio tests were used to summarize the overall difference in trajectories between black and white participants within each sex. APHV (mean ± SD years) was similar in black (11.8 ± 0.8) and white (12.2 ± 1.0) girls, but delayed in black (14.2 ± 1.0) relative to white boys (13.3 ± 0.8). By 4 years post-APHV, white adolescents had significantly greater cortical CSA and SSIp than black adolescents at the radius. There were no significant differences at the radial metaphysis but there was some divergence, such that black adolescents had greater radial trabecular BMD by the end of follow-up. At the tibia, white adolescents had lower diaphyseal CSA and SSIp, and greater metaphyseal CSA. There was no ethnic difference in tibial trabecular BMD. There are ethnic differences in bone growth and development, independent of maturation, in South African adolescents. This work gives new insights into the possible etiology of childhood fractures, which occur most commonly as peripheral sites. © 2017 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research Published by Wiley Periodicals Inc.
Secreted frizzled‐related protein 5 protects against oxidative stress‐induced apoptosis in human aortic endothelial cells via downregulation of Bax
Authors: Wang Xiaojie , Peng Qing , Jiang Feng , Xue Li , Li Jiafu , Fan Zhongcai , Chen Pan , Chen Guo , Cai Yihua 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThis study was undertaken to determine the role of secreted frizzled‐related protein 5 (SFRP5) in endothelial oxidative injury. Human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) were exposed to different oxidative stimuli and examined for SFRP5 expression. The effects of SFRP5 overexpression and knockdown on cell viability, apoptosis, and reactive oxygen species production were measured. HAECs treated with angiotensin (Ang) II (1 μM) or oxidized low‐density lipoprotein (oxLDL) (150 μg/mL) showed a significant increase in SFRP5 expression. Overexpression of SFRP5 significantly attenuated the viability suppression and apoptosis induction by Ang II and oxLDL, whereas the knockdown of SFRP5 exerted opposite effects. Overexpression of SFRP5 prevented ROS formation and β‐catenin activation and reduced Bax expression. Co‐expression of Bax significantly reversed the anti‐apoptotic effect of SFRP5 overexpression, whereas knockdown of Bax restrained Ang II‐ and oxLDL‐induced apoptosis in HAECs. Taken together, SFRP5 confers protection against oxidative stress‐induced apoptosis through inhibition of β‐catenin activation and downregulation of Bax.
Multiple genetic variants associated with posttransplantation diabetes mellitus in Chinese Han populations
Authors: Chen Jie , Li Lixin , An Yunfei , Zhang Junlong , Liao Yun , Li Yi , Wang Lanlan 
Published: August 2017

ObjectivesPosttransplantation diabetes mellitus (PTDM) is a major complication after solid organ transplantation. This study is to investigate the association of nine genetic variant factors and PTDM in Chinese Han patients.MethodsHLA‐DP (rs3077, rs9277535), HLA‐DQ (rs7453920), signal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (STAT4) (rs7574865), IL‐28B (rs12979860, rs8099917, and rs12980275), and IL‐18 (rs1946518 and rs187238) were investigated in 260 liver transplant recipients (PTDM vs non‐PTDM) by high‐resolution melting curve analysis. Serum interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6, IL‐8, IL‐17, interferon‐γ, inducible protein‐10, monocyte chemoattractant protein‐1, and macrophage inflammatory protein‐1b were analyzed by a Bio‐Plex suspension array system (Bio‐Plex Multiplex Immunoassays, Bio‐Rad, Hercules, CA, USA).ResultsSignal transducer and activator of transcription 4 (rs7574865) T allele and IL‐18 (rs1946518) A allele increase the risk for insulin resistance and PTDM.ConclusionsRecipients with STAT4 (rs7574865) T allele are associated with an increased concentration of IL‐1β, interferon‐γ, monocyte chemoattractant protein, and macrophage inflammatory protein‐1b. The genetic variants of STAT4 (rs7574865) and IL‐18 (rs1946518) may be new important markers for PTDM.
Comparison of noninvasive and invasive point‐of‐care testing methods with reference method for hemoglobin measurement
Authors: Avcioglu Gamze , Nural Cemil , Yilmaz Fatma Meriç , Baran Pervin , Erel Özcan , Yilmaz Gülsen 
Published: August 2017

BackgroundRapid and practical point‐of‐care testing (POCT) devices become more popular, especially in blood donation centers for determining predonation hemoglobin (Hb) concentrations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate accordance between the POCT methods and the venous method as the reference to Hb screening.MethodsA total of 353 subjects with no known significant health problems were included in the study. Hb screening was performed by two different POCT methods, a noninvasive method (Haemospect, MBR, Germany) and an invasive method (HemoControl, EKF Diagnostic, Germany), and a venous method as the reference (Sysmex XE‐2100, Sysmex Europe, Germany). The obtained results were compared.ResultsThe sensitivity and the specificity values of the invasive POCT method (83.3%, 87.9%) were higher than the noninvasive POCT method (66.7%, 77.1%). The Bland‐Altman analysis was evaluated for both sexes and the bias of the noninvasive POCT method of the males (−0.97 g/dL) was higher than the bias of the invasive POCT method of the males (−0.07 g/dL). We found a better correlation between the invasive POCT method (r = .908) compared with the venous method than the noninvasive POCT method (r = .634).ConclusionPredonation Hb measurements must be performed with accurate, precise, and practical methods. Although the noninvasive POCT method was practical and painless, it had lower levels of specificity and sensitivity, and more false deferral and pass rates than the invasive POCT method. The POCT methods agreeable to the venous method as the reference might be suitable for Hb screening especially for centers of excessive numbers of blood donation.
Impact of trauma exposure and acculturative stress on internalizing symptoms for recently arrived migrant‐origin youth: Results from a community‐based partnership
Authors: Thibeault M. Alexander , Mendez Julia L. , Nelson‐Gray Rosemery O. , Stein Gabriela L. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractMigrant youth face cultural challenges upon initial adjustment into the United States. Although there is considerable empirical evidence that trauma impacts interpersonal relations, there is a dearth of research examining the association between adverse events and the initial social and cultural exchange experience, and whether this is associated with psychological adjustment. This study examined self‐report data for 87 newly arrived migrant‐origin students in Grades 5–10 from Latin American, Caribbean, Asian, and African backgrounds attending a public alternative school in the Southeastern United States. Data were collected as part of a community‐based partnership. The relation between cumulative trauma exposure and internalizing symptoms was fully mediated by acculturative stress (p < .05), suggesting prior trauma exposure negatively affected these students’ capacity to navigate a new cultural milieu, which in turn is directly associated with internalizing symptoms. Behavioral health care practitioners can use screening procedures early in the academic year to detect which migrant students may be experiencing difficult cultural transitions.
Potential Drug–Drug Interactions Among Critically Ill Pediatric Patients in a Tertiary Pulmonary Center
Authors: Hassanzad Maryam , Arenas‐Lopez Sara , Baniasadi Shadi 
Published: August 2017

AbstractPatients in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) are at increased risk of potential drug–drug interactions (pDDIs) because of the complexity of pharmacotherapy. The current study aimed to assess the rate, pattern, risk factors, and management of pDDIs in the PICU of an academic pulmonary hospital. A prospective observational study was conducted for 6 months. Pharmacotherapy data of PICU‐admitted patients were evaluated by a clinical pharmacologist. Interacting drugs, reliability, mechanism, potential outcome, and clinical management of pDDIs were identified using the Lexi‐Interact database. Logistic regression was applied to analyze the risk factors that could be associated with the interactions. One hundred and twenty‐three medication profiles were evaluated during the study period. Diseases of the respiratory system were the main diagnoses among intensive care unit (ICU)–admitted patients (56.1%). A total of 38.6% of the patients exposed to at least 1 major and/or contraindicated interaction during ICU admission. Most pDDIs occurred through metabolic (35.4%) and additive (34.8%) mechanisms. The existence of pDDIs was significantly associated with the number of prescribed medications. Exposure to pDDIs is frequent in critically ill pediatric patients and related to the number of medications. Daily and close cooperation between clinicians and clinical pharmacologists is recommended to prevent harmful outcomes of DDIs.
Analysis of the moment arms and kinematics of ostrich (Struthio camelus) double patellar sesamoids
Authors: Regnault Sophie , Allen Vivian R. , Chadwick Kyle P. , Hutchinson John R. 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThe patella (“kneecap”) is a biomechanically important feature of the tendinous insertion of the knee extensor muscles, able to alter the moment arm lengths between its input and output tendons, and so modify the mechanical advantage of the knee extensor muscle. However, patellar gearing function is little‐explored outside of humans, and the patella is often simplified or ignored in biomechanical models. Here, we investigate patellar gearing and kinematics in the ostrich—frequently used as an animal analogue to human bipedal locomotion and unusual in its possession of two patellae at the knee joint. We use x‐ray reconstruction of moving morphology (XROMM) techniques to capture the kinematics of the patellae in an adult ostrich cadaver, passively manipulated in flexion‐extension. Moment arm ratios between the input and output tendons of each patella are calculated from kinematically determined centers of patellofemoral joint rotation. Both patellae are found to decrease the mechanical advantage of the extensor muscle–tendon complex, decreasing the tendon output force for a given muscle input force, but potentially increasing the relative speed of knee extension. Mechanically and kinematically, the proximal patella behaves similarly to the single patella of most other species, whereas the distal patella has properties of both a fixed retroarticular process and a moving sesamoid. It is still not clear why ostriches possess two patellae, but we suggest that the configuration in ostriches benefits their rapid locomotion and provides tendon protection.
‘Taking the Bank to the Youth’: Impacts on Savings from the Ghana YouthSave Experiment
Authors: Lee Yung Soo , Johnson Lissa , Ansong David , Osei‐Akoto Isaac , Masa Rainier , Chowa Gina , Sherraden Michael 
Published: August 2017

AbstractThis paper explores experimental impacts of in‐school banking and marketing outreach on the savings performance of youth in Ghana. Findings suggest that youth in treatment schools performed better than those in control schools in terms of account opening, depositing and savings. Between the two treatment conditions, in‐school banking was more effective than marketing outreach in promoting savings. These findings demonstrate that a meaningful proportion of low‐income youth, in a resource‐limited country, can be connected to formal financial services and save if access and opportunities are available. The results support the offering of financial services at schools as a strategy to expand youth financial inclusion. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Construction and characterization of mutated LEA peptides in Escherichia coli to develop an efficient protein expression system
Authors: Pathak Nishit , Hamada Hiro , Ikeno Shinya 
Published: August 2017

AbstractTo develop an efficient protein expression system, we designed a late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) peptide by mutating the LEA peptide constructed in our previous study (LEA‐I). The peptide is based on the repeating units of an 11mer motif characteristic of LEA proteins from Polypedilum vanderplanki larvae. In the amino acid sequence of the 13mer LEA peptide, glycine at the 6th and 12th positions was replaced with other amino acids via point mutations. Glutamic acid, lysine, leucine, and asparagine in the LEA peptide at the 6th and 12th positions increased green fluorescence protein (GFP) expression. The GFP expression of the mutated LEA peptide was 1.5 to 2.0 times higher than that without LEA peptide. In contrast, the serine‐containing mutated LEA peptide has low GFP expression levels. We hypothesize that the position of amino acids and the nature of amino acid in LEA peptide are important for our coexpression system. These data suggest that the size, structure, and charge of amino acids in the LEA peptide improve the protection and expression of the target protein. The amino acid balance also plays an important role in the expression of the target protein.