bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Argon mediates protection by interleukin‐8 suppression via a TLR2/TLR4/STAT3/NF‐κB pathway in a model of apoptosis in neuroblastoma cells in vitro and following ischemia‐reperfusion injury in rat retina in vivo
Authors: Ulbrich Felix , Lerach Teresa , Biermann Julia , Kaufmann Kai B. , Lagreze Wolf A. , Buerkle Hartmut , Loop Torsten , Goebel Ulrich 
Published: May 2016

AbstractArgon has recently come into scientific focus as a neuroprotective agent. The underlying neuroprotective mechanism remains unknown although toll‐like receptors were recently suggested to play an important role. We hypothesized that TLR‐associated downstream transcription factors are responsible for argon's effects, leading to anti‐apoptotic and anti‐inflammatory properties. Apoptosis was induced in human neuroblastoma cells. Immediately afterwards, argon treatment (75 Vol% for 2 h) was initiated. Cells were analyzed, measuring mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive‐oxygen‐species, annexin‐V/propidium iodide staining, transcription factor phosphorylation and binding activity as well as protein and mRNA expression of interleukins. Argon's in vivo effects were analyzed by quantification of retinal ganglion cell density, mRNA expression, serum cytokine analysis and immunohistochemistry after retinal ischemia reperfusion injury (IRI) in rats. Argon diminished rotenone‐induced kappa‐light‐chain‐enhancer' of activated B‐cells (NF‐κB) and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) but not STAT5 or cAMP‐response element‐binding protein (CREB) phosphorylation and DNA‐binding activity. Argon treatment attenuated apoptosis by preservation of mitochondrial membrane potential and decline in reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation. NF‐κB and STAT3 inhibition, as well as TLR2 and TLR4 inhibition reversed argon's effects on IL‐8 mRNA expression. Argon attenuated rotenone‐induced IL‐8 protein and mRNA expression in vitro. Inhibition of TLR2 and 4 attenuated argon's protective effect in vivo reducing IRI driven retinal IL‐8 expression. IL‐8 expression was found in the retina in co‐localization with Müller cells and retinal ganglion cells. Argon mediates its neuroprotective effects by TLR‐mediated regulation of transcription factors NF‐κB and STAT3, thus decreasing interleukin‐8 expression in vitro and in vivo. These findings may open up new opportunities to effectively treat cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury through the inhalation of argon.
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Argon exerts its protective effects in vitro and in vivo via toll‐like receptors TLR2 and TLR4 signaling, followed by alteration of downstream enzymes. In conclusion, argon mediates its beneficial effects by suppression of STAT3 and NF‐κB phosphorylation and subsequent suppression of interleukin IL‐8 protein expression. These novel findings may open up opportunities for argon as a therapeutic agent, particularly in the treatment of neuronal injury.Cover image for this issue: doi: 10.1111/jnc.13334.
Being an informal caregiver for a relative with liver cirrhosis and overt hepatic encephalopathy: a phenomenological study
Authors: Künzler‐Heule Patrizia , Beckmann Sonja , Mahrer‐Imhof Romy , Semela David , Händler‐Schuster Daniela 
Published: May 2016

Aims and objectivesTo explore the experiences of being an informal caregiver for a relative with liver cirrhosis and overt hepatic encephalopathy.BackgroundOvert hepatic encephalopathy is a common complication in patients with liver cirrhosis. It is associated with decreased quality of life for patients, and presents a major burden for caregivers. The involvement of informal caregivers in medical care is recommended, but it has not been clearly described. An understanding of the experience of caregivers is needed to improve the support provided to them by healthcare professionals.DesignA qualitative, interpretative, phenomenological approach was used.MethodsTwelve informal caregivers participated in qualitative interviews. The analysis followed the six steps of the interpretative phenomenological approach.ResultsCaregivers' experiences were described using five themes: (1) feeling overwhelmed by their loved one having unexplainable symptoms and behaviours; (2) learning that this and previous experiences were complications of liver disease; (3) becoming aware of the symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy; (4) having feelings of being tied down and (5) experiencing and overcoming obstacles in working with healthcare professionals.ConclusionsThis study provides insight into caregivers' experiences and the consequences for their lives. The first occurrence of symptoms was a shock, but receiving the diagnosis was seen as an important step in understanding and learning. Caregivers provide daily assessments of their relatives' conditions, and they feel responsible for medication management. Over time, the caregivers impressively showed how they were able to incorporate their personal experiences into caregiving and to accept more accountability in managing the disease.Relevance to clinical practiceNurses should acknowledge caregivers as experts in caring for their loved ones. Nurses can assist caregivers in managing an episode of hepatic encephalopathy and can provide individualised interventions to ease the future burden.
Prenatal assessment of pulmonary maturity on 3‐D ultrasound
Authors: Wang Sha‐Sha , Tian Xue‐Ye , Yan Hong‐Wei , Yuan Ting , Zheng Xiao‐Ye , Han Zhen 
Published: May 2016

AbstractAimThe aim of this study was to assess the feasibility and accuracy of 3‐D ultrasound indices to evaluate fetal lung maturity, and to establish a normal reference for fetal lung volume (FLV) and fetal lung‐to‐liver intensity ratio (FLLIR) in a Chinese population.MethodsA total of 1022 pregnant women with singleton pregnancy were prospectively studied between June 2008 to June 2011. Ultrasound examination was performed. The breathing‐related nasal fluid flow (BRNFF) spectrum, FLV, pulmonary artery blood flow parameters, and echo intensity of the lung were calculated. Phosphoglycerides in the amniotic fluid were measured on thin layer chromatography.ResultsFLLIR and FLV were positively and linearly correlated with gestational age (F = 0.915, 0.846). Indicators of fetal lung maturity included FLLIR >1.1, FLV >50 mL, and regular BRNFF spectrum, with positive likelihood ratios of 12.28, 11.78, and 11.63, independently.ConclusionUltrasound indices, including FLLIR, FLV and BRNFF may serve as useful alternatives to amniotic fluid phospholipids in analyzing fetal lung maturity in Chinese patients.
A survey of Polytomella (Chlorophyceae, Chlorophyta) strains in public culture collections
Authors: MacDonald Shelley M. , Lee Robert W. 
Published: May 2016

Polytomella is a genus of colorless green algae in the Reinhardtinia clade of the Chlamydomonadales, which has proven useful for a broad range of studies particularly those exploring the evolutionary loss of photosynthesis and mitochondrial genomics/biochemistry. Although 13 Polytomella strain accessions are currently available from public culture collections, the taxonomic status and redundancy of many of these strains is not clear because of possible mix‐ups, deficient historical records, and incomplete molecular data. This study therefore considers previously available and/or new cox1 and mitochondrial DNA telomere sequences from all 13 Polytomella strain accessions. Among four of these, namely P. parva SAG 63‐3, P. piriformis SAG 63‐10, P. capuana SAG 63‐5, and P. magna SAG 63‐9, cox1 and mitochondrial telomere regions are both highly divergent between strains. All of the remaining nine Polytomella strain accessions have cox1 sequences that are identical to that of P. parva SAG 63‐3 and although five of these have a mitochondrial telomere haplotype that is identical to that of P. parva SAG 63‐3, the remaining four have one of three different haplotypes. Among the 10 strains with identical cox1 sequences, we suggest that three of the telomere haplotypes are associated with distinct geographical isolates of Polytomella and the fourth evolved from one of these isolates during 50 years of active culture.
Understanding the coexistence of competing raptors by Markov chain analysis enhances conservation of vulnerable species
Authors: Sarà M. , Mascara R. , López‐López P. 
Published: May 2016

AbstractUnderstanding ecological interactions among protected species is crucial for correct management to avoid conflicting outcomes of conservation planning. The occurrence of a superior competitor may drive the exclusion of a subordinate contestant, as in Sicily where the largest European population of the lanner falcon is declining because of potentially competing with the peregrine falcon. We measured the coexistence of these two ecologically equivalent species through null models and randomization algorithms on body sizes and ecological niche traits. Lanners and peregrines are morphologically very similar (Hutchinson ratios <1.3) and show 99% diet overlap, and both of these results predict competitive exclusion. In contrast, their use of diverse cliff substrates for breeding in different times of the season would predict coexistence. To compare these two mutually excluding hypotheses, we examined the pattern of inter‐specific transitions in 88 sites that were studied for 14 years (2000–2013) using a Markov chain (MC) occupancy state model, and checked the sensitivity and elasticity of the community structure to changes in transition probabilities. During the study period, 1144 territorial transitions occurred in peregrine and lanner territories, and the MCs were predicted to converge to a stable equilibrium in 2065. Markovian analysis suggested that temporal and spatial segregation of habitat during reproduction might prevail over anatomical specialization for hunting and diet, allowing species coexistence, despite the prediction that peregrines will outnumber the lanners in future projections. Our approach combining niche‐overlap analysis and species occupancy modelling led to practical information about conservation options available for the threatened lanner. Lanners are very sensitive to site abandonment, and measures increasing adult persistence in occupied territories could be more rewarding than those encouraging juvenile dispersal and colonization of new sites.
Population recovery highlights spatial organization dynamics in adult leopards
Authors: Fattebert J. , Balme G. A. , Robinson H. S. , Dickerson T. , Slotow R. , Hunter L. T. B. 
Published: May 2016

AbstractPolygynous species follow sex‐specific spacing patterns to maximize reproductive success, and changes in population density under otherwise stable environmental conditions likely provoke sex‐specific responses in spacing patterns. A classical dual reproductive strategy hypothesis posits that female home range size and overlap are set by habitat productivity and remain stable under increasing population density, whereas male home range size and overlap decrease with increased mate competition. An alternative dispersal‐regulated strategy predicts that females relinquish part of their home range to philopatric daughters and form matrilineal clusters, while adult male spacing is stable with density‐dependent subadult male emigration rates. We used 11 years of telemetry data to assess the response of adult leopardPanthera pardusspacing following the release of harvest pressure. Female annual home ranges and core areas were smaller than in males. Intersexual overlap was larger than intra‐sexual overlap in males or in females. As leopard density increased, female home range size and inter‐annual fidelity in home range use decreased, and females formed matrilineal kin clusters. In contrast, male leopards maintained large home ranges, and did not track female home range contraction. Spacing dynamics in adult leopards was consistent with dispersal‐regulated strategies, and did not support a classical dual reproductive strategy. Our study suggests possible hidden lag effects of harvest disturbance on spacing dynamics that are not necessarily apparent when only assessing demographic recovery of harvested populations.
Physiological Roles of Bradykinin and Involvement of Bradykinin B2 Receptor in Urethral Function in Humans and Animals
Authors: FUJIMOTO Kenichiro , YOSHINO Taiji , NAKAJIMA Satoko , YUYAMA Hironori , MASUDA Noriyuki , TAKEDA Masahiro 
Published: May 2016

ObjectiveWe investigated the role of bradykinin in urethral function by examining contractile responses in urethral smooth muscle strips isolated from humans and the intraurethral pressure in rats and dogs.MethodsThe contractile responses of human urethral tissue for bradykinin (0.01–10 µmol/L) were examined, and changes in intraurethral pressure induced by bradykinin (0.003–10 µg/kg) in anesthetized rats or dogs were measured. In addition, the effects of pretreatment with the bradykinin B2 receptor antagonist FK3657 were also examined.ResultsIn smooth muscle strips obtained from human urethra, bradykinin induced contraction, which was inhibited by FK3657 in a concentration‐dependent manner. In anesthetized rats and dogs, intravenously administered bradykinin dose‐dependently increased intraurethral pressure. FK3657 shifted the intraurethral pressure dose‐response curve for bradykinin to the right in rats. The bradykinin‐induced elevation of intraurethral pressure was also dose‐dependently inhibited by FK3657 in dogs.ConclusionsThe present study provides evidence that bradykinin elicits urethral smooth muscle contraction via the bradykinin B2 receptor, suggesting the potential utility of this receptor as a novel target for the treatment of voiding dysfunction.
The impacts of beaversCastorspp. on biodiversity and the ecological basis for their reintroduction to Scotland,UK
Authors: Stringer Andrew P. , Gaywood Martin J. 
Published: May 2016

AbstractIn Scotland,UK, beavers became extinct about 400 years ago. Currently, two wild populations are present in Scotland on a trial basis, and the case for their full reintroduction is currently being considered by Scottish ministers. Beavers are widely considered ‘ecosystem engineers’. Indeed, beavers have large impacts on the environment, fundamentally change ecosystems, and create unusual habitats, often considered unique. In this review, we investigate the mechanisms by which beavers act as ecosystem engineers, and then discuss the possible impacts of beavers on the biodiversity of Scotland.A meta‐analysis of published studies on beavers’ interactions with biodiversity was conducted, and the balance of positive and negative interactions with plants, invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals recorded.The meta‐analysis showed that, overall, beavers have an overwhelmingly positive influence on biodiversity. Beavers’ ability to modify the environment means that they fundamentally increase habitat heterogeneity. As beavers are central‐place foragers that feed only in close proximity to watercourses, their herbivory is unevenly spread in the landscape. In addition, beaver ponds and their associated unique successional stages increase habitat heterogeneity both spatially and temporally. Beavers also influence the ecosystems through the creation of a variety of features such as dams and lodges, important habitat features such as standing dead wood (after inundation), an increase in woody debris, and a graded edge between terrestrial and aquatic habitats that is rich in structural complexity.In Scotland, a widespread positive influence on biodiversity is expected, if beavers are widely reintroduced. For instance, beaver activity should provide important habitat for the otterLutra lutra, great crested newtTriturus cristatusand water voleArvicola amphibious, all species of conservation importance.Beavers are most likely to have detrimental impacts on certain woodland habitats and species of conservation importance, such as the Atlantic hazelwood climax community and aspenPopulus tremulawoodland. A lack of woodland regeneration caused by high deer abundance could lead to habitat degradation or loss. These are also of particular importance due to the variety of associated dependent species of conservation interest, such as lichen communities in Atlantic hazelwoods.
Can recreational hunting contribute to pest mammal control on public land in Australia?
Authors: Bengsen Andrew J. , Sparkes Jessica 
Published: May 2016

Abstract

Natural resource management agencies in many countries take advantage of recreational hunting to manage the impacts or abundance of mammal populations that damage biodiversity or environmental, economic, or social values. In Australia, public lands are increasingly being made available for recreational hunters to pursue introduced mammals that can cause substantial damage to important resources. There is fervent debate over the role that recreational hunting might play in controlling introduced mammals in Australia, and scant evidence to build management strategies upon.

In this review, we combine information from Australia and elsewhere in a systematic examination of the potential for recreational hunting to contribute to the control of introduced mammals on public lands in Australia. We examine the traits of introduced mammal species and populations, geographical settings, hunters, and management agencies to propose situations where hunting might be most useful, and suggest how current practice could be improved.

We find there is insufficient evidence to support or disprove arguments that contemporary recreational hunting programs are effective at controlling introduced mammal populations on public lands. Moreover, current hunting management programs offer little potential for clarifying the situation or optimizing the value of recreational hunting as a pest animal control tool.

To resolve this problem, we outline a framework of competing models and diagnostic criteria for assessing the effects of recreational hunting on introduced mammal populations. We contend that hunting will continue to be an under‐utilized and over‐politicized resource until management strategy is informed by transparent monitoring based on rational strategic objectives that provide mutual benefits to hunters and public resource managers.
Effect of chlorine on near‐liquidus crystallization of olivine‐phyric shergottite NWA 6234 at 1 GPa: Implication for volatile‐induced melting of the Martian mantle
Authors: Farcy Benjamin J. , Gross Juliane , Carpenter Paul , Hicks Jacob , Filiberto Justin 
Published: May 2016

AbstractMartian magmas are thought to be rich in chlorine compared with their terrestrial counterparts. Here, we experimentally investigate the effect of chlorine on liquidus depression and near‐liquidus crystallization of olivine‐phyric shergottite NWA 6234 and compare these results with previous experimental results on the effect of chlorine on near‐liquidus crystallization of the surface basalts Humphrey and Fastball. Previous experimental results showed that the change in liquidus temperature is dependent on the bulk composition of the basalt. The effect of chlorine on liquidus depression is greater for lower SiO2 and higher Al2O3 magmas than for higher SiO2 and lower Al2O3 magmas. The bulk composition for this study has lower Al2O3 and higher FeO contents than previous work; therefore, we provide additional constraints on the effect of the bulk composition on the influence of chlorine on near‐liquidus crystallization. High pressure and temperature crystallization experiments were performed at 1 GPa on a synthetic basalt, of the bulk composition of NWA 6234, with 0–4 wt% Cl added to the sample as AgCl. The results are consistent with previous notions that with increasing wt% Cl in the melt, the crystallization temperature decreases. Importantly, our results have a liquidus depression ∆T (°C) from added chlorine that is consistent with the difference in bulk composition and suggest a dependence on both the bulk Al2O3 and FeO content. Our results suggest that the addition of chlorine to the Martian mantle may lower magma genesis temperatures and potentially aid in the petrogenesis of Martian magmas.
On The Virtue of Judging Others
Authors: Zavaliy Andrei G. 
Published: May 2016

AbstractAn other‐directed moral judgement is contrasted with a moral evaluation of one's own behaviour; it is argued that having a capacity to make self‐directed moral judgements is at the core of being within morality, while a lack of disposition on the part of a mature individual to judge others is indicative of the corresponding lack with regard to the self‐directed evaluations. Our readiness to evaluate the behaviour of others measures the level of our commitment to a system of morality. Consistent nonjudgementalism subverts the interpersonal nature of moral values and points to a deeper issue – an unwillingness of a nonjudgementalist to apply moral categories to her own choices.
Which is safer source plasma for manufacturing in China: apheresis plasma or recovered plasma?
Authors: Liu Yu , Li Changqing , Wang Ya , Zhang Yan , Wu Binting , Ke Ling , Xu Min , Liu Gui , Liu Zhong 
Published: May 2016

BACKGROUNDIn most countries, the plasma for derivative production includes two types of plasma, apheresis plasma (AP) and recovered plasma (RP). However, the plasma recovered from whole blood is not permitted for manufacture in China. Because of the lack of source plasma and the surplus of RP, the Chinese government is considering allowing RP as an equivalent source for the production of plasma derivatives. It is known that human blood can be contaminated by various infectious agents. The objective of the study was to evaluate if infectious risk would increase by enacting this policy.STUDY DESIGN AND METHODSThe samples from the two types of blood donors from January 1 to December 31, 2013, were collected. Supplementary testing was conducted and the residual risk (RR) of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis B virus, and hepatitis C virus (HCV) in the two types of blood donors and donations were calculated through the incidence–window period model. Prevalence of the markers of hepatitis E virus, hepatitis A virus, severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome bunyavirus, cytomegalovirus, B19, and West Nile virus was calculated.RESULTSNo significant difference was found in the RR of the three pathogens in the two types of blood donors. However, after the quarantine period, the RR of HCV and HIV in AP was significantly lower than that in RP. A quarantine period of 2 years will make the infectious risk of RP not significantly different than that of AP.CONCLUSIONSOur data demonstrate that allowing RP to be used for the manufacture of plasma derivatives will not increase its infectious disease risk if coupled with a 2‐year inventory hold.