bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
SPORE MORPHOLOGY AND GENERIC DELIMITATION OF NEW WORLD HEMIONITIS, GYMNOPTERIS, AND BOMMERIA (ADIANTACEAE)
Authors: Ranker Thomas A. 
Published: January 2018

I would like to thank Chris Haufler for supplying spores of Bommeria species, technical advice, and valuable comments on the manuscript; Lorraine Hammer for much technical assistance and for providing training on the SEM; the curators of ASU and GH for loaned specimens; and, Alan Smith of UC herbarium for supplying spores of G. tomentosa. I am also grateful to W. H. Wagner, Jr., A. F. Tryon, A. Murray Evans, Steve Brunsfeld, George Diggs, Doug Soltis, Pam Soltis, Genie Trapp, Paul Wolf, and two anonymous reviewers for helpful comments and suggestions on earlier drafts of this paper. This work was supported by NSF Dissertation Improvement Grant BSR‐8514431 and a Pierre Stouse, Jr., Memorial Scholarship awarded by the University of Kansas Endowment Association.Spores of species of Hemionitis, Gymnopteris, and Bommeria were compared for 1) presence of perispores using the sodium hydroxide assay, 2) surface structure of mature perispores and exospores, and 3) development of superficially similar mature perispores. All taxa were shown to possess perispores and greater morphological variation was detected within and among species than previously reported. On the basis of shared morphological and ontogenetic features, groups of species were identified that crossed presently recognized generic boundaries; hence, the existing trigeneric classification is inadequate to depict natural relationships among these taxa. The results also demonstrate that superficial similarity of mature perispores may not be the best indicator of systematic relationship among species, as similar surface patterns may be derived through different developmental pathways.
EFFECTS OF WATER DEPTH ON TYPHA LATIFOLIA AND TYPHA DOMINGENSIS
Authors: Grace James B. 
Published: January 2018

The two species of Typha common in the southeastern United States, T. latifolia and T. domingensis differ substantially in their tolerance to deep water. The objective of this study was to examine the morphology and biomass allocation of these two species to determine if they have similar phenotypic responses to water depth. Replicate monocultures of the two species were established at a range of water depths in an artificial pond and allowed to grow for three growing seasons. At the end of the experiment, subsamples were harvested for determination of plant morphology as well as above‐ and belowground biomass.Both species of Typha showed increases in maximum height with increasing depth. The species less tolerant to deep water (T. latifolia) allocated more of its biomass to leaves with increasing water depth. In contrast, the deep water species (T. domingensis) showed increased total size of each ramet but a fixed percentage of biomass in leaves with increasing water depth. Both species had a decreasing incidence of flowering and decreasing shoot density with increasing water depth. In general, these species conform to expectations based on considerations of how their carbon budgets would be affected by water depth.
VARIATION AMONG POPULATIONS OF XANTHIUM STRUMARIUM (COMPOSITAE) FROM NATURAL AND RUDERAL HABITATS
Authors: Blais Pierre Alain , Lechowicz Martin J. 
Published: January 2018

We assessed the mechanisms underlying the ability of cocklebur to spread from its natural riverside habitats and establish weedy populations in urban waste areas. We collected fruits from plants growing in natural and urban ruderal habitats and planted 2 maternal families from each of 9 habitat populations in 3 experimental gardens. The gardens were all in full sunlight but differed in the availability of water and nutrient resources. Plant performance in the gardens was measured by numbers and size of fruits produced. Traits known to be associated with cocklebur reproductive success were also measured: times to emergence and anthesis, photosynthetic capacity, mean stomatal conductance, relative growth rate, and biomass allocation to leaves and stems.Although there were significant differences among populations in the tradeoff between rate of growth in height and timing of anthesis, these population differences were not associated with habitat. Apart from a tendency to produce larger fruits in ruderal populations, there were no detectable differences in the characteristics of plants from natural vs. ruderal habitats. Plants from both habitats did have substantial and significant plastic responses to growth environment. In the three experimental gardens, fruit numbers increased with resource availability but fruit size did not differ significantly. As resource availability increased, plants from both habitats sustained growth longer and became more branchy. Canonical discriminant analysis of all the somatic and reproductive traits together supported the idea that natural and ruderal populations do differ in their overall plastic response to resource availability. The subtly different plastic responses of plants from the two habitats do not arise by substantial adjustments in a few dominant traits, but instead by relatively minor adjustments in a host of functionally interrelated phenological, morphological, and physiological traits. It is these small but coordinated differences in the plastic responses of many traits that appear to differentiate cocklebur from natural vs. weedy urban habitats.
GRAZING HISTORY, DEFOLIATION, AND FREQUENCY‐DEPENDENT COMPETITION: EFFECTS ON TWO NORTH AMERICAN GRASSES
Authors: Painter Elizabeth L. , Detling James K. , Steingraeber David A. 
Published: January 2018

Agropyron smithii and Bouteloua gracilis plants from intensively grazed prairie dog colonies and from a grazing exclosure in Wind Cave National Park, South Dakota, were used to compare responses of conspecific populations with different histories of exposure to grazing and to competition for light. In separate experiments for each species, plants grown in monocultures and two‐population replacement‐series mixtures were used to examine effects of defoliation, frequency‐dependent competition, and population on biomass and morphology.Colony and exclosure plants frequently responded differently. Defoliation more often adversely affected exclosure plants than colony plants, while interpopulation competition more often adversely affected colony plants. Defoliation frequently negated the competitive advantage of exclosure plants. Intrapopulation competition appeared to be greater among exclosure than colony plants. Our results indicate that conclusions based on studies of plants in long‐term exclosures may not apply to plant populations having long histories of intensive grazing. While there were differences between species, in both, these experiments provide evidence of population differentiation, resulting in morphologically dissimilar populations which responded differently to defoliation and to inter‐ and intrapopulation competition.
SEASONAL PATTERN OF SEEDLING EMERGENCE, SURVIVAL, AND REPRODUCTIVE BEHAVIOR IN THLASPI ARVENSE (CRUCIFERAE)
Authors: Hazebroek Jan P. , Metzger James D. 
Published: January 2018

The timing of seedling emergence, survival, and reproductive development (bolting and flowering) of field pennycress (Thlaspi arvense L.) in outdoor plots was investigated for two inbred lines with different vernalization requirements. Seeds of a cold‐requiring line sown in early September germinated by the end of the month or during the following spring. Seedling emergence from seeds sown in late September and October was observed only in the spring and fall of the following year. Reproductive development in plants that emerged in the fall occurred during the following spring and was earlier than spring‐emerging plants. Seedlings from spring‐sown seeds emerged on dates that coincided with periods of cool wet weather. Few seedlings emerged during the summer, and those that did had low survival. Plants from spring‐sown seeds of the cold‐requiring line and a non‐cold‐requiring line exhibited similar time courses for reproductive development, indicating negligible ecological significance for the differences in vernalization requirements of the two lines.The time of the year when the vernalization requirements are met for the cold‐requiring field pennycress line was investigated by transplant studies. Plants transplanted outdoors in the fall flowered the following spring. Depending on the date the plants were moved outdoors, vernalization was complete in spring transplants as well. For plants placed outdoors in early fall or in early spring and then returned at monthly intervals to constant 21 C, the duration of vernalizing temperatures strongly influenced the rate of reproductive development (rate of stem growth, final stem height, and time for open flowers to appear). Maximum vernalization was achieved after 3 and 2 months outdoors in the fall and spring transplantings, respectively. The quantitative relationship between the rate reproductive development and the duration of vernalizing temperatures was the same for spring and fall transplants. Thus, timing of emergence of field pennycress seedlings coincides with periods of maximum vernalization potential with the net result being that despite the cold requirement for seed production in some ecotypes, this species behaves as both a winter and summer annual.
Delayed pollination, stigma length, sex expression, and progeny sex ratio in spinach, Spinacea oleracea (Chenopodiaceae)
Authors: Miglia Kathleen J. , Freeman D. Carl 
Published: January 2018

Delayed outcrossed pollination of female spinach plants (Spinacea oleracea L.) resulted in increased stigma length and a male‐biased progeny sex ratio. One group of females was outcrossed 10–14 d after anthesis, a second group was never outcrossed, and a third group, the control, consisted of females that were outcrossed as soon as stigmas appeared. Stigma length was significantly greater for plants in the delayed and never outcrossed groups compared to the control. Furthermore, stigmas of virgin flowers grew until they were either pollinated or the plants produced anthers. Plants that were never outcrossed produced their own anthers and self pollinated. The resulting progeny were all female. The sons of the delayed outcrossed group produced more stamens, on average, than sons of the control group.The observed male‐biased sex ratio among the progeny of delayed outcrossed plants could be due to gametic selection. To test for this, plants were held virgin until their stigmas reached a length of at least 3 mm. These stigmas were then pollinated either distally or proximally. No significant difference was found between the progeny sex ratios of these two treatments. However, both sex ratios were more male biased than progeny of plants pollinated the day of anthesis (control group of the first experiment). We conclude that maternal factors, rather than gametophytic selection, may be responsible for the male‐biased sex ratio observed in the first experiment.
Retracted: RNA interference‐mediated silencing of S100B improves nerve function recovery and inhibits hippocampal cell apoptosis in rat models of ischemic stroke
Authors: Zhang Jin‐Hua , Li Jiang‐Kun , Ma Li‐Li , Lou Ji‐Yu 
Published: January 2018

AbstractIschemic stroke is the leading cause of worldwide mortality and long‐term disability in adults. This study aims to explore the effects of RNA interference (RNAi)‐mediated silencing of the S100B gene on nerve function recovery and morphological changes of hippocampus cells in rat models with ischemic stroke. Sixty Wistar rats were assigned into different group. S100B and Caspase 3 mRNA and protein expressions were evaluated by RT‐qPCR and Western blotting. Positive rate of S100B, NeuN, and MAP2 expressions were detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Water content, malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity in brain tissues were measured. Enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was employed to detect serum levels of TNF‐α and IL‐1β. A neurological severity score (NSS) was used to test nerve function. TUNEL assay was used to determine hippocampal cell apoptosis. Downregulation of S100B showed a lower number of S100B immune positive cells, but higher NeuN and MAP2‐positive cells, increased SOD level, declined MDA level, prominently faster recovery of neurological function, decreased TRCS, TCTP, TCFP, and IE levels, an obvious increase in the number of survival neurons, a decrease in the number of apoptotic cells, notably decreased TNF‐α and IL‐1β contents, as well as infarct volume, an obvious decrease in positive hippocampal cell Caspase 3 expression and protein expressions of Caspase 3 and cleaved Caspase 3. This study provides data to suggest that RNAi‐mediated silencing of S100B gene could improve the recovery of nerve function while inhibiting apoptosis of hippocampal cells in rats with ischemic stroke.
The effect of chronic high insulin exposure upon metabolic and myogenic markers in C2C12 skeletal muscle cells and myotubes
Authors: Turner Mark C. , Player Darren J. , Martin Neil R.W. , Akam Elizabeth C. , Lewis Mark P. 
Published: January 2018

AbstractSkeletal muscle is an insulin sensitive tissue and accounts for approximately 80% of post‐prandial glucose disposal. This study describes the effects of insulin, delivered for 72 h, to skeletal muscle myoblasts during differentiation or to skeletal muscle myotubes. After chronic treatment, cultures were acutely stimulated with insulin and analyzed for total and phosphorylated Akt (Ser473), mRNA expression of metabolic and myogenic markers and insulin‐stimulated glucose uptake. Skeletal muscle cells differentiated in the presence of insulin chronically, reduced acute insulin stimulated phosphorylation of Akt Ser473. In addition, there was a reduction in mRNA expression of Hexokinase II (HKII), GLUT4 and PGC‐1α. Insulin‐stimulated glucose uptake was attenuated when cells were differentiated in the presence of insulin. In contrast, myotubes exposed to chronic insulin showed no alterations in phosphorylation of Akt Ser473. Both HKII and GLUT4 mRNA expression were reduced by chronic exposure to insulin; while PGC‐1α was not different between culture conditions and was increased by acute insulin stimulation. These data suggest that there are differential responses in insulin signalling, transcription, and glucose uptake of skeletal muscle cells when cultured in either the presence of insulin during differentiation or in myotube cultures.
Curcumin on the “flying carpets” to modulate different signal transduction cascades in cancers: Next‐generation approach to bridge translational gaps
Authors: Celik Hulya , Aydin Tuba , Solak Kubra , Khalid Sumbul , Farooqi Ammad A. 
Published: January 2018

ABSTRACTCurcumin, a bioactive and pharmacologically efficient component isolated from Curcuma longa has attracted considerable attention because of its ability to modulate diverse cellular and physiological pathways. WNT, TGF/SMAD, NOTCH, and SHH are fundamentally different signaling cascades, but their choreographed activation is strongly associated with cancer development and progression. In this review we have attempted to set spotlight on regulation of different cell signaling pathways by curcumin in different cancers. We partition this multi‐component review into in‐depth biological understanding of various signal transduction cascades and how curcumin targets intracellular signal transducers of deregulated pathways to inhibit cancer development and progression. Rapidly broadening landscape of both established and candidate oncogenic driver mutations identified in different cancers is a major stumbling block in the standardization of drugs having significant clinical outcome. Intra and inter‐tumor heterogeneity had leveraged the complexity of therapeutic challenges to another level. Multi‐pronged approach and molecularly guided treatments will be helpful in improving the clinical outcome.
Selenate removal in biofilm systems: effect of nitrate and sulfate on selenium removal efficiency, biofilm structure and microbial community
Authors: Tan Lea Chua , Espinosa‐Ortiz Erika J , Nancharaiah Yarlagadda V , van Hullebusch Eric D , Gerlach Robin , Lens Piet NL 
Published: January 2018

AbstractBACKGROUNDSelenium (Se) discharged into natural waterbodies can accumulate over time and have negative impacts on the environment. Se‐laden wastewater streams can be treated using biological processes. However, the presence of other electron acceptors in wastewater, such as nitrate (NO3‐) and sulfate (SO42‐), can influence selenate (SeO42‐) reduction and impact the efficiency of biological treatment systems.RESULTSSeO42‐ removal by biofilms formed from an anaerobic sludge inoculum was investigated in the presence of NO3‐ and SO42‐ using drip flow reactors operated continuously for 10 days at pH 7.0 and 30 °C. The highest total Se (∼60%) and SeO42‐ (∼80%) removal efficiencies were observed when the artificial wastewater contained SO42‐. A maximum amount of 68 μmol Se cm‐2 was recovered from the biofilm matrix in SO42‐ + SeO42‐ exposed biofilms and biofilm mass was 2.7‐fold increased for biofilms grown in the presence of SO42‐. When SeO42‐ was the only electron acceptor, biofilms were thin and compact. In the simultaneous presence of NO3‐ or SO42‐, biofilms were thicker (> 0.6 mm), less compact and exhibited gas pockets.CONCLUSIONThe presence of SO42‐ had a beneficial effect on biofilm growth and the SeO42‐ removal efficiency, while the presence of NO3‐ did not have a significant effect on SeO42‐ removal by the biofilms. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry
Morpho‐palynological study of Cyperaceae from wetlands of Azad Jammu and Kashmir using SEM and LM
Authors: Butt Maryam Akram , Zafar Muhammad , Ahmad Mushtaq , Sultana Shazia , Ullah Fazal , Jan Gul , Irfan Ali , Naqvi Syeda Andleeb Zahra 
Published: January 2018

AbstractIn this study 12 species of Cyperaceae have been studied for quantitative and qualitative observation of pollen grains through Light and scanning electron microscopy. Pollens of 12 species of Cyperaceae from different wetlands of Azad Jammu and Kashmir were collected. Morphological characters of pollen grains were then investigated under the Light and Scanning electron microscope. Two pollen types have been observed apolar and heteropolar. Shape of pollens was prolate (4 spp), sub‐spheroidal (7 spp), and oblate (1 spp). Variation observed in exine sculpturing granular (4 spp), reticulate (1 spp), areolate‐punctate (3 spp), and psilate (2 spp). Polar to equatorial ratio and fertility percentage of the pollens were also studied. Based on these micromorphlogical characters of pollens taxonomic keys have been made for the accurate identification of the members of Cyperaceae. The characteristics studied in present research work are very much valuable taxonomically and phytochemically for the identification of species of family Cyperaceae. Light microscope (LM) and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used for pollen observation, which play vital role in the taxonomical identification of species and provide sufficient information for taxonomist.
Describing one generic and two new species record to the flora of Pakistan using LM and SEM methods
Authors: Jamshed Shayan , Ullah Asad , Khan Raees , Hussain Altaf 
Published: January 2018

AbstractCommon mulberry weed (Fatoua villosa (Thunb.) Nakai) and creeping amaranth (Amaranthus crassipes Schlecht) are reported for the first time in Pakistan's flora as these were not listed in any other literature nor identified before in Pakistan. Plants were found as a result of taxonomic studies performed in 2013 in Peshawar, Pakistan. Detail study was performed for the exact identification. Morphological results were compared with Flora of China and Flora of North America. Plant distribution along with its habitat and adjacent species was also recorded. Scanning electron and light microscopy was performed for the confirmation of epidermal appendages on leaf epidermis and palyno‐morphological characters.
Characterizing pentad rainfall variations during the North‐East Indian monsoon season over the southeastern peninsular India
Authors: Shanmugasundaram Jothiganesh , Lee Eungul , Srinivasan Govindarajalu 
Published: January 2018

ABSTRACTNorth‐East Indian Monsoon rainfall (NEIMR) during October–December is of immense socio‐economic importance to the agriculture‐dependent population in the southeastern peninsular India. NEIMR is subject to extreme year‐to‐year and intra‐seasonal variability that needs to be understood to enhance climate resilience. In this study, we employed hidden Markov model to characterize the spatio‐temporal variations of NEIMR at pentad time step and its probability of occurrence during 1982–2014. The results indicated the dominant presence of three rainfall states during the NEIMR season, which were the wet (State‐1), coastal wet (State‐2), and dry (State‐3) states. Seasonal total NEIMR was significantly and positively correlated with the frequency of State‐1, whereas it was negatively correlated with that of State‐3, indicating a crucial role of the rainfall states in determining water requirements in the southeastern peninsular India. The rainfall states were associated with distinctive atmospheric circulation and surface temperature conditions, particularly the wet (State‐1) and dry (State‐3) conditions. Wet conditions were characterized by enhanced cyclonic activities and increased moisture convergence at 850 hPa over the southeastern peninsular India and its neighbouring oceanic regions (Bay of Bengal and Indian Ocean). In contrast, dry conditions were associated with anticyclonic circulation and reduced moisture convergence at 850 hPa. The plausible physical mechanisms behind the wet (dry) condition could be that anomalous warmer (cooler) land temperature above 20°N induced lower (higher) sea level pressure anomalies and drove anomalous southwesterly (northeasterly) surface winds over the NEIMR region. These anomalous surface winds and the associated lower level cyclonic (anticyclonic) circulations could enhance (suppress) moisture transport from the convergence regions over the Bay of Bengal and northern Indian Ocean into the southern peninsular India. This study revealed the pentad variability of NEIMR with the classified three rainfall states and identified the key atmospheric circulation and surface temperature conditions linked to these rainfall states.
Magnetic separation coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry for rapid separation and determination of lignans in Schisandra chinensis
Authors: Piao Jishou , Liu Lu , Wang Sihong , Shang Hai‐Bo , He Miao , Quan Ninghai , Li Donghao 
Published: January 2018

AbstractDespite the strong antihepatotoxic, antioxidant, and antitumor properties of lignans from Schisandra chinensis, their applications in new drug development, bioscience and functional foods, etc. are limited because of their low abundance and complex coextractions. In this study, a magnetic separation method has been developed based on polyethylenimine‐modified magnetic nanoparticles to rapidly and effectively separate and purify the lignans from S. chinensis crude extracts through cation–π interaction and electrostatic adsorption. The magnetic nanoparticles were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. Polyethylenimine‐modified magnetic nanoparticles showed a spherical‐shaped morphology and the average size was about 10 nm with superparamagnetism. Under the pH 7.4, polyethylenimine modified magnetic nanoparticles can remove a lot of coextracts. The range of detection limits and quantification limits was 0.27–0.34 and 0.89–1.13 ng/mL, respectively. Compared with other common methods, the magnetic separation method proposed in this study is much simpler and more effective through both strong cation–π interaction and electrostatic interaction.