bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effects of acute lipopolysaccharide challenge on dairy goat liver metabolism assessed with 1HNMR metabonomics
Authors: Wang L. F. , Jia S. D. , Yang G. Q. , Liu R. Y. , Yang G. Y. , Li M. , Zhu H. S. , Wang Y. Y. , Han L. Q. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryWe investigated the mechanisms mediating hepatic metabolic responses to an acute lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge in goats. Guanzhong dairy goats (15) were randomly divided into three groups: control (CTL, saline, 0.2 ml/kg BW), lower dose LPS (LPS‐L, 20 μg/kg BW) and higher dose LPS (LPS‐H, 40 μg/kg BW). All injections were administered intraperitoneally twice with a 24‐h interval. Forty‐eight hours after the first injection, blood samples were collected to extract plasma for biochemical analysis, and liver tissues were biopsied and stored in liquid nitrogen for metabonomics analysis. We found that plasma levels of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase and total bilirubin increased (p < 0.05) in both LPS‐treated groups, whereas plasma triglyceride, cholesterol, very low‐density lipoprotein, low‐density lipoprotein, high‐density lipoprotein, total protein and albumin levels markedly decreased (p < 0.05). The increased activities of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), levels of tumour necrosis factor α (TNF‐α), interleukin (IL)‐1β, IL‐6 and IL‐8 indicated hepatic injury and metabolic dysfunction in some degree. Using proton nuclear magnetic resonance (1H‐NMR) metabonomics and the Chenomx NMR suite database, 69 metabolites were detected and identified. Metabolic differences among the groups were determined with pattern recognition analyses using principal component analysis and supervised projection to latent structures discriminant analysis. Pattern recognition analysis distinguished and clustered the metabolite variables from the three groups, finding nine of 69 metabolites that differed significantly between two of the three groups: six from the LPS‐L or LPS‐H groups differed from CTL and three differed between LPS‐L and LPS‐H groups. These altered metabolites were closely connected with glucose, lipid and amino acid metabolic pathways in hepatocytes. Based on an analysis of these metabolites and their relevant pathways, the mechanisms and degree of hepatic injury were deduced. Therefore, the metabolic profile was used effectively to detect characteristic hepatic metabolites, discriminate metabolic changes induced by LPS, clarify the mechanisms for the resulting metabolic dysfunctions and provide efficient information to diagnose liver injury.
Molecular markers define progressing stages of phosphorus limitation in the nitrogen‐fixing cyanobacterium, Crocosphaera
Authors: Pereira Nicole , Shilova Irina N. , Zehr Jonathan P. 
Published: February 2016

Crocosphaera watsonii is a marine cyanobacterium that frequently inhabits low phosphate environments in oligotrophic oceans. While C. watsonii has the ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, its growth may be limited by availability of phosphorus. Biomarkers that indicate cellular phosphorus status give insight into how P‐limitation can affect the distribution of nitrogen‐fixing cyanobacterial populations. However, adaptation to phosphorus stress is complex and one marker may not be sufficient to determine when an organism is P‐limited. In this study, we characterized the transcription of key genes, activated during phosphorus stress in C. watsonii WH8501, to determine how transcription changed during the phosphorus stress response. Transcription of pstS, which encodes a high‐affinity phosphate binding protein, was discovered to be quickly up‐regulated in phosphorus‐depleted cells as an immediate stress response; however, its transcription declined after a period of phosphorus starvation. In addition, diel regulation of pstS in C. watsonii WH8501 complicates the interpretation of this marker in field applications. Transcription of the gene coding for the arsenite efflux protein, arsB, was upregulated after pstS in phosphorus limited cells, but it remained upregulated at later stages of phosphorus limitation. These results demonstrate that a single molecular marker does not adequately represent the entire phosphorus stress response in C. watsonii WH8501. Using both markers, the variations in transcriptional response over a range of degrees of phosphorus limitation may be a better approach for defining cellular phosphorus status.
Understanding Counterfactuality: A Review of Experimental Evidence for the Dual Meaning of Counterfactuals
Authors: Kulakova Eugenia , Nieuwland Mante S. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractCognitive and linguistic theories of counterfactual language comprehension assume that counterfactuals convey a dual meaning. Subjunctive‐counterfactual conditionals (e.g., ‘If Tom had studied hard, he would have passed the test’) express a supposition while implying the factual state of affairs (Tom has not studied hard and failed). The question of how counterfactual dual meaning plays out during language processing is currently gaining interest in psycholinguistics. Whereas numerous studies using offline measures of language processing consistently support counterfactual dual meaning, evidence coming from online studies is less conclusive. Here, we review the available studies that examine online counterfactual language comprehension through behavioural measurement (self‐paced reading times, eye‐tracking) and neuroimaging (electroencephalography, functional magnetic resonance imaging). While we argue that these studies do not offer direct evidence for the online computation of counterfactual dual meaning, they provide valuable information about the way counterfactual meaning unfolds in time and influences successive information processing. Further advances in research on counterfactual comprehension require more specific predictions about how counterfactual dual meaning impacts incremental sentence processing.
The hitchhiker's guide to Europe: the infection dynamics of an ongoingWolbachiainvasion and mitochondrial selective sweep inRhagoletis cerasi
Authors: Schuler Hannes , Köppler Kirsten , Daxböck‐Horvath Sabine , Rasool Bilal , Krumböck Susanne , Schwarz Dietmar , Hoffmeister Thomas S. , Schlick‐Steiner Birgit C. , Steiner Florian M. , Telschow Arndt , Stauffer Christian , Arthofer Wolfgang , Riegler Markus 
Published: February 2016

AbstractWolbachiais a maternally inherited and ubiquitous endosymbiont of insects. It can hijack host reproduction by manipulations such as cytoplasmic incompatibility (CI) to enhance vertical transmission. Horizontal transmission ofWolbachiacan also result in the colonization of new mitochondrial lineages. In this study, we present a 15‐year‐long survey ofWolbachiain the cherry fruit flyRhagoletis cerasiacross Europe and the spatiotemporal distribution of two prevalent strains,wCer1 andwCer2, and associated mitochondrial haplotypes in Germany. Across most of Europe, populations consisted of either 100% singly (wCer1) infected individuals with haplotypeHT1, or 100% doubly (wCer1&2) infected individuals with haplotypeHT2, differentiated only by a single nucleotide polymorphism. In central Germany, singly infected populations were surrounded by transitional populations, consisting of both singly and doubly infected individuals, sandwiched between populations fixed forwCer1&2. Populations with fixed infection status showed perfect association of infection and mitochondria, suggesting a recentCI‐driven selective sweep ofwCer2 linked withHT2. Spatial analysis revealed a range expansion forwCer2 and a large transition zone in whichwCer2 splashes appeared to coalesce into doubly infected populations. Unexpectedly, the transition zone contained a large proportion (22%) ofwCer1&2 individuals withHT1, suggesting frequent intraspecific horizontal transmission. However, this horizontal transmission did not break the strict association between infection types and haplotypes in populations outside the transition zone, suggesting that this horizontally acquiredWolbachiainfection may be transient. Our study provides new insights into the rarely studiedWolbachiainvasion dynamics in field populations.
Evolution of GOUNDRY, a cryptic subgroup of Anopheles gambiae s.l., and its impact on susceptibility to Plasmodium infection
Authors: Crawford Jacob E. , Riehle Michelle M. , Markianos Kyriacos , Bischoff Emmanuel , Guelbeogo Wamdaogo M. , Gneme Awa , Sagnon N'Fale , Vernick Kenneth D. , Nielsen Rasmus , Lazzaro Brian P. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe recent discovery of a previously unknown genetic subgroup of Anopheles gambiae sensu lato underscores our incomplete understanding of complexities of vector population demographics in Anopheles. This subgroup, named GOUNDRY, does not rest indoors as adults and is highly susceptible to Plasmodium infection in the laboratory. Initial description of GOUNDRY suggested it differed from other known Anopheles taxa in surprising and sometimes contradictory ways, raising a number of questions about its age, population size and relationship to known subgroups. To address these questions, we sequenced the complete genomes of 12 wild‐caught GOUNDRY specimens and compared these genomes to a panel of Anopheles genomes. We show that GOUNDRY is most closely related to Anopheles coluzzii, and the timing of cladogenesis is not recent, substantially predating the advent of agriculture. We find a large region of the X chromosome that has swept to fixation in GOUNDRY within the last 100 years, which may be an inversion that serves as a partial barrier to contemporary gene flow. Interestingly, we show that GOUNDRY has a history of inbreeding that is significantly associated with susceptibility to Plasmodium infection in the laboratory. Our results illuminate the genomic evolution of one of probably several cryptic, ecologically specialized subgroups of Anopheles and provide a potent example of how vector population dynamics may complicate efforts to control or eradicate malaria.
Too early and too northerly: evidence of temperate trees in northern Central Europe during the Younger Dryas
Authors: Robin Vincent , Nadeau Marie‐Josée , Grootes Pieter M. , Bork Hans‐Rudolf , Nelle Oliver 
Published: February 2016

Summary

This paper presents highly unexpected paleobotanical data.

Eight 14C‐accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dates of soil macrocharcoal pieces, identified taxonomically, indicate the presence of oak and beech in the Younger Dryas, and pine in the Allerød, in the northernmost low mountain range of Central Europe, the Harz Mountains, in Germany. If the presence of pine at such latitude and periods is not surprising, the presence of temperate‐adapted trees is highly improbable, because they are assumed to have reached the area from a southern location several thousand years later.

Two hypotheses are postulated to explain this record. Both are related to the warm periods of the Bølling and Allerød: the classically ‘short’ duration of this warm period makes the migration of the temperate trees from the identified refuge areas in the southern location implausible, and so the presence of intermediary microrefugia at a medium latitude in Central Europe is postulated; recent data reveal that the warm period of the Late Glacial phase was much longer than considered in the classical view and, thus, would be long enough for a northward migration of temperate‐adapted trees.

Although our dataset does not permit disentanglement of these hypotheses, it provides significant innovative insights for the biogeography of Central Europe.
Attentional gain and processing capacity limits predict the propensity to neglect unexpected visual stimuli
Authors: Papera Massimiliano , Richards Anne 
Published: February 2016

AbstractExogenous allocation of attentional resources allows the visual system to encode and maintain representations of stimuli in visual working memory (VWM). However, limits in the processing capacity to allocate resources can prevent unexpected visual stimuli from gaining access to VWM and thereby to consciousness. Using a novel approach to create unbiased stimuli of increasing saliency, we investigated visual processing during a visual search task in individuals who show a high or low propensity to neglect unexpected stimuli. When propensity to inattention is high, ERP recordings show a diminished amplification concomitantly with a decrease in theta band power during the N1 latency, followed by a poor target enhancement during the N2 latency. Furthermore, a later modulation in the P3 latency was also found in individuals showing propensity to visual neglect, suggesting that more effort is required for conscious maintenance of visual information in VWM. Effects during early stages of processing (N80 and P1) were also observed suggesting that sensitivity to contrasts and medium‐to‐high spatial frequencies may be modulated by low‐level saliency (albeit no statistical group differences were found). In accordance with the Global Workplace Model, our data indicate that a lack of resources in low‐level processors and visual attention may be responsible for the failure to “ignite” a state of high‐level activity spread across several brain areas that is necessary for stimuli to access awareness. These findings may aid in the development of diagnostic tests and intervention to detect/reduce inattention propensity to visual neglect of unexpected stimuli.
Surveillance of maternal antibodies against West Nile virus in chicken eggs in South‐West Germany
Authors: Börstler Jessica , Engel Dimitri , Petersen Mathis , Poggensee Claudia , Jansen Stephanie , Schmidt‐Chanasit Jonas , Lühken Renke 
Published: February 2016

AbstractObjectiveThe emergence of West Nile virus (WNV) in several European countries increases the risk of its introduction to Germany. This study evaluated a new method for WNV surveillance by testing for maternal antibodies in chicken eggs.MethodsA total of 1,990 eggs were collected in 35 sampling sites in the south‐west of Germany and tested for WNV‐specific antibodies.ResultsThe results did not indicate evidence for WNV circulation in the study area.ConclusionThis work serves as a proof‐of‐concept that such a method is useful and a potential alternative to use of sentinel chicken for regular WNV surveillance.
Proteomic analysis reveals the differential histone programs between male germline cells and vegetative cells in Lilium davidii
Authors: Yang Hao , Yang Ning , Wang Tai 
Published: February 2016

SummaryIn flowering plants, male germline fate is determined after asymmetric division of the haploid microspore. Daughter cells have distinct fates: the generative cell (GC) undergoes further mitosis to generate sperm cells (SCs), and the vegetative cell (VC) terminally differentiates. However, our understanding of the mechanisms underlying germline development remains limited. Histone variants and modifications define chromatin states, and contribute to establishing and maintaining cell identities by affecting gene expression. Here, we constructed a lily protein database, then extracted and detailed histone entries into a comprehensive lily histone database. We isolated large amounts of nuclei from VCs, GCs and SCs from lily, and profiled histone variants of all five histone families in all three cell types using proteomics approaches. We revealed 92 identities representing 32 histone variants: six for H1, 11 for H2A, eight for H2B, five for H3 and two for H4. Nine variants, including five H1, two H2B, one H3 and one H4 variant, specifically accumulated in GCs and SCs. We also detected H3 modification patterns in the three cell types. GCs and SCs had almost identical histone profiles and similar H3 modification patterns, which were significantly different from those of VCs. Our study also revealed the presence of multiple isoforms, and differential expression patterns between isoforms of a variant. The results suggest that differential histone programs between the germline and companion VCs may be established following the asymmetric division, and are important for identity establishment and differentiation of the male germline as well as the VC.
Endothelin‐1 modulates methacholine‐induced cutaneous vasodilatation but not sweating in young human skin
Authors: Halili Lyra , Singh Maya Sarah , Fujii Naoto , Alexander Lacy M. , Kenny Glen P. 
Published: February 2016

Key points
Endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) is a potent endothelial‐derived vasoconstrictor that may modulate cholinergic cutaneous vascular regulation. Endothelin receptors are also expressed on the human eccrine sweat gland, although it remains unclear whether ET‐1 modulates cholinergic sweating.
We investigated whether ET‐1 attenuates cholinergic cutaneous vasodilatation and sweating through a nitric oxide synthase (NOS)‐dependent mechanism. Our findings show that ET‐1 attenuates methacholine‐induced cutaneous vasodilatation through a NOS‐independent mechanism.
We also demonstrate that ET‐1 attenuates cutaneous vasodilatation in response to sodium nitroprusside, suggesting that ET‐1 diminishes the dilatation capacity of vascular smooth muscle cells.
We show that ET‐1 does not modulate methacholine‐induced sweating at any of the administered concentrations.
Our findings advance our knowledge pertaining to the peripheral control underpinning the regulation of cutaneous blood flow and sweating and infer that ET‐1 may attenuate the heat loss responses of cutaneous blood flow, but not sweating.
AbstractThe present study investigated the effect of endothelin‐1 (ET‐1) on cholinergic mechanisms of end‐organs (i.e. skin blood vessels and sweat glands) for heat dissipation. We evaluated the hypothesis that ET‐1 attenuates cholinergic cutaneous vasodilatation and sweating through a nitric oxide synthase (NOS)‐dependent mechanism. Cutaneous vascular conductance (CVC) and sweat rate were assessed in three protocols: in Protocol 1 (n = 8), microdialysis sites were perfused with lactated Ringer solution (Control), 40 pm, 4 nm or 400 nm ET‐1; in Protocol 2 (n = 11) sites were perfused with lactated Ringer solution (Control), 400 nm ET‐1, 10 mm NG‐nitro‐l‐arginine (l‐NNA; a NOS inhibitor) or a combination of 400 nm ET‐1 and 10 mm l‐NNA; in Protocol 3 (n = 8), only two sites (Control and 400 nm ET‐1) were utilized to assess the influence of ET‐1 on the dilatation capacity of vascular smooth muscle cells (sodium nitroprusside; SNP). Methacholine (MCh) was co‐administered in a dose‐dependent manner (0.0125, 0.25, 5, 100, 2000 mm, each for 25 min) at all skin sites. ET‐1 at 400 nm (P < 0.05) compared to lower doses (40 pm and 4 nm) (all P > 0.05) significantly attenuated increases in CVC in response to 0.25 and 5 mm MCh. A high dose of ET‐1 (400 nm) co‐infused with l‐NNA further attenuated CVC during 0.25, 5 and 100 mm MCh administration relative to the ET‐1 site (all P < 0.05). Cutaneous vasodilatation in response to SNP was significantly blunted after administration of 400 nm ET‐1 (P < 0.05). We show that ET‐1 attenuates cutaneous vasodilatation through a NOS‐independent mechanism, possibly through a vascular smooth muscle cell‐dependent mechanism, and methacholine‐induced sweating is not altered by ET‐1.
Scatter radiation intensities around a clinical digital breast tomosynthesis unit and the impact on radiation shielding considerations
Authors: Yang Kai , Li Xinhua , Liu Bob 
Published: February 2016

Purpose:To measure the scattered radiation intensity around a clinical digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) unit and to provide updated data for radiation shielding design for DBT systems with tungsten‐anode x‐ray tubes.Methods:The continuous distribution of scattered x‐rays from a clinical DBT system (Hologic Selenia Dimensions) was measured within an angular range of 0°–180° using a linear‐array x‐ray detector (X‐Scan 0.8f3‐512, Detection Technology, Inc., Finland), which was calibrated for the x‐ray spectrum range of the DBT unit. The effects of x‐ray field size, phantom size, and x‐ray kVp/filter combination were investigated. Following a previously developed methodology by Simpkin, scatter fraction was determined for the DBT system as a function of angle around the phantom center. Detailed calculations of the scatter intensity from a DBT system were demonstrated using the measured scatter fraction data.Results:For the 30 and 35 kVp acquisition, the scatter‐to‐primary‐ratio and scatter fraction data closely matched with data previously measured by Simpkin. However, the measured data from this study demonstrated the nonisotropic distribution of the scattered radiation around a DBT system, with two strong peaks around 25° and 160°. The majority scatter radiation (>70%) originated from the imaging detector assembly, instead of the phantom. With a workload from a previous survey performed at MGH, the scatter air kerma at 1 m from the phantom center for wall/door is 1.76 × 10−2 mGy patient−1, for floor is 1.64 × 10−1 mGy patient−1, and for ceiling is 3.66 × 10−2 mGy patient−1.Conclusions:Comparing to previously measured data for mammographic systems, the scatter air kerma from Holgoic DBT is at least two times higher. The main reasons include the harder primary beam with higher workload (measured with total mAs/week), added tomosynthesis acquisition, and strong small angle forward scattering. Due to the highly conservative initial assumptions, the shielding recommendation from NCRP Report 147 is still sufficient for the Hologic DBT system given the workload from a previous survey at MGH. With the data provided from this study, accurate shielding calculation can be performed for Hologic DBT systems with specific workload and barrier distance.