bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mandibular movements and bite force in Alzheimer's disease before and after new denture insertion
Authors: Campos C. H. , Ribeiro G. R. , Stella F. , Rodrigues Garcia R. C. M. 
Published: December 2016

SummaryChewing impairment has been observed in elders with Alzheimer's disease (AD); however, it is unknown whether oral rehabilitation can improve their masticatory function. This study evaluated the influence of new removable prostheses on chewing function of patients with AD. Participants using removable dentures were divided into two groups: patients with mild AD (77·2 ± 5·8 years, n = 16) and controls (76·0 ± 4·4, n = 16). All participants received general dental treatment and new total and/or partial removable prostheses. After 2 months of adaptation to the new dentures, chewing was evaluated by the following parameters: masticatory cycle time (CT), cycle velocity (CV), and opening (OA) and closing mandibular angles (CA), registered by a kinesiographic device. Maximum bite force (MBF) was assessed using a strain sensor. Evaluations were performed at baseline and after insertion of the new prostheses. A mixed model (α = 5%) was used for within‐ and between‐subject analyses. After insertion of new prostheses, CT was reduced, and CV and MBF were increased in both groups (P < 0·05). There were no changes in OA or CA (P > 0·05). Compared to controls, elders with AD showed higher CT and reduced MBF and CV both at baseline and after insertion of new prostheses (P < 0·05). However, OA and CA did not differ between groups (P > 0·05). Insertion of new removable prostheses improved masticatory function in elders with and without AD, but patients with mild AD still had reduced chewing parameters compared to controls.
Dynamic Moral Hazard: A Longitudinal Examination of Automobile Insurance in Canada
Authors: Shi Peng , Zhang Wei , Boucher Jean‐Philippe 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThis article examines moral hazard in the context of dynamic contracting in automobile insurance. Economic theory shows that experience rating of insurers results in state dependence of driving behavior under moral hazard. The empirical analysis is performed using a longitudinal data set from a Canadian automobile insurer. We employ dynamic nonlinear panel data models to distinguish the structural and spurious state dependence, and thus moral hazard and selection on unobservables. As a measure of the riskiness of driving, we consider the frequency, the number, as well as the cost of claims for the policyholder. We find that the state dependence in claim cost reflects both structural and spurious relationships, supporting the moral hazard hypothesis. However, the state dependence in claim occurrence is solely due to unobserved heterogeneity.
Association between patterns of jaw motor activity during sleep and clinical signs and symptoms of sleep bruxism
Authors: Yoshida Yuya , Suganuma Takeshi , Takaba Masayuki , Ono Yasuhiro , Abe Yuka , Yoshizawa Shuichiro , Sakai Takuro , Yoshizawa Ayako , Nakamura Hirotaka , Kawana Fusae , Baba Kazuyoshi 
Published: December 2016

SummaryThe aim of this study was to investigate the association between patterns of jaw motor activity during sleep and clinical signs and symptoms of sleep bruxism. A total of 35 university students and staff members participated in this study after providing informed consent. All participants were divided into either a sleep bruxism group (n = 21) or a control group (n = 14), based on the following clinical diagnostic criteria: (1) reports of tooth‐grinding sounds for at least two nights a week during the preceding 6 months by their sleep partner; (2) presence of tooth attrition with exposed dentin; (3) reports of morning masticatory muscle fatigue or tenderness; and (4) presence of masseter muscle hypertrophy. Video‐polysomnography was performed in the sleep laboratory for two nights. Sleep bruxism episodes were measured using masseter electromyography, visually inspected and then categorized into phasic or tonic episodes. Phasic episodes were categorized further into episodes with or without grinding sounds as evaluated by audio signals. Sleep bruxism subjects with reported grinding sounds had a significantly higher total number of phasic episodes with grinding sounds than subjects without reported grinding sounds or controls (Kruskal–Wallis/Steel–Dwass tests; P < 0.05). Similarly, sleep bruxism subjects with tooth attrition exhibited significantly longer phasic burst durations than those without or controls (Kruskal–Wallis/Steel–Dwass tests; P < 0.05). Furthermore, sleep bruxism subjects with morning masticatory muscle fatigue or tenderness exhibited significantly longer tonic burst durations than those without or controls (Kruskal–Wallis/Steel–Dwass tests; P < 0.05). These results suggest that each clinical sign and symptom of sleep bruxism represents different aspects of jaw motor activity during sleep.
From embryos to larvae: seven‐month‐long paternal care by male Japanese giant salamander
Authors: Takahashi M. K. , Okada S. , Fukuda Y. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractParental care is remarkably diverse in its modes both within and across taxa. Within amphibians, various pre‐ and post‐hatching care behaviours have been described in frogs. In contrast, the current knowledge about salamander parental care is largely limited to pre‐hatching attendance by females. In particular, post‐hatching parental care by male salamanders have never been described and analysed in detail. A recent study revealed various modes of pre‐hatching care provided by male Japanese giant salamanders (Andrias japonicus). Their hatched larvae are known to stay in the nest with the father (i.e. den master) for several months before dispersal, which led to the hypothesis that den masters continue providing care for hatchlings. To test this hypothesis, we videotaped and analysed post‐hatching behaviours of two male A. japonicus that remained in the nests with hatchlings in situ. We also developed and tested several predictions regarding the post‐hatching care behaviours in comparison to the pre‐hatching behaviours. While one male abandoned the nest, the other male remained in the nest and provided care until the larvae dispersed in the following spring. The comparative analyses on three parental care behaviours (tail fanning, agitating/checking and hygienic filial cannibalism) between pre‐ and post‐hatching care suggest their flexible and condition‐dependent nature. Furthermore, the comparison in larval mortality and potential predators between the attended and abandoned nest revealed the crucial role of a den master in improving offspring survivorship. Our observations also disclosed the possibility of leech infection posing a serious threat to larval giant salamanders. The life‐history traits associated with the evolution of such prolonged post‐hatching paternal care in salamanders are fully aquatic life cycle, external fertilization and stream habitat. The rare combination of these traits is unique to the family Cryptobranchidae which consists of the three imperiled and secretive giant salamanders.
Genetic effects of landscape, habitat preference and demography on three co‐occurring turtle species
Authors: Reid Brendan N. , Mladenoff David J. , Peery M. Zachariah 
Published: December 2016

AbstractExpanding the scope of landscape genetics beyond the level of single species can help to reveal how species traits influence responses to environmental change. Multispecies studies are particularly valuable in highly threatened taxa, such as turtles, in which the impacts of anthropogenic change are strongly influenced by interspecific differences in life history strategies, habitat preferences and mobility. We sampled approximately 1500 individuals of three co‐occurring turtle species across a gradient of habitat change (including varying loss of wetlands and agricultural conversion of upland habitats) in the Midwestern USA. We used genetic clustering and multiple regression methods to identify associations between genetic structure and permanent landscape features, past landscape composition and landscape change in each species. Two aquatic generalists (the painted turtle, Chrysemys picta, and the snapping turtle Chelydra serpentina) both exhibited population genetic structure consistent with isolation by distance, modulated by aquatic landscape features. Genetic divergence for the more terrestrial Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingii), on the other hand, was not strongly associated with geographic distance or aquatic features, and Bayesian clustering analysis indicated that many Emydoidea populations were genetically isolated. Despite long generation times, all three species exhibited associations between genetic structure and postsettlement habitat change, indicating that long generation times may not be sufficient to delay genetic drift resulting from recent habitat fragmentation. The concordances in genetic structure observed between aquatic species, as well as isolation in the endangered, long‐lived Emydoidea, reinforce the need to consider both landscape composition and demographic factors in assessing differential responses to habitat change in co‐occurring species.
Fifteen years of quantitative trait loci studies in fish: challenges and future directions
Authors: Ashton David T. , Ritchie Peter A. , Wellenreuther Maren 
Published: December 2016

AbstractUnderstanding the genetic basis of phenotypic variation is a major challenge in biology. Here, we systematically evaluate 146 quantitative trait loci (QTL) studies on teleost fish over the last 15 years to investigate (i) temporal trends and (ii) factors affecting QTL detection and fine‐mapping. The number of fish QTL studies per year increased over the review period and identified a cumulative number of 3632 putative QTLs. Most studies used linkage‐based mapping approaches and were conducted on nonmodel species with limited genomic resources. A gradual and moderate increase in the size of the mapping population and a sharp increase in marker density from 2011 onwards were observed; however, the number of QTLs and variance explained by QTLs changed only minimally over the review period. Based on these findings, we discuss the causative factors and outline how larger sample sizes, phenomics, comparative genomics, epigenetics and software development could improve both the quantity and quality of QTLs in future genotype–phenotype studies. Given that the technical limitations on DNA sequencing have mostly been overcome in recent years, a renewed focus on these and other study design factors will likely lead to significant improvements in QTL studies in the future.
Major host transitions are modulated through transcriptome‐wide reprogramming events in Schistocephalus solidus, a threespine stickleback parasite
Authors: Hébert François Olivier , Grambauer Stephan , Barber Iain , Landry Christian R. , Aubin‐Horth Nadia 
Published: December 2016

AbstractParasites with complex life cycles have developed numerous phenotypic strategies, closely associated with developmental events, to enable the exploitation of different ecological niches and facilitate transmission between hosts. How these environmental shifts are regulated from a metabolic and physiological standpoint, however, still remain to be fully elucidated. We examined the transcriptomic response of Schistocephalus solidus, a trophically transmitted parasite with a complex life cycle, over the course of its development in an intermediate host, the threespine stickleback, and the final avian host. Results from our differential gene expression analysis show major reprogramming events among developmental stages. The final host stage is characterized by a strong activation of reproductive pathways and redox homoeostasis. The attainment of infectivity in the fish intermediate host—which precedes sexual maturation in the final host and is associated with host behaviour changes—is marked by transcription of genes involved in neural pathways and sensory perception. Our results suggest that un‐annotated and S. solidus‐specific genes could play a determinant role in host–parasite molecular interactions required to complete the parasite's life cycle. Our results permit future comparative analyses to help disentangle species‐specific patterns of infection from conserved mechanisms, ultimately leading to a better understanding of the molecular control and evolution of complex life cycles.
Functional relatedness in the Inv/Mxi‐Spa type III secretion system family
Authors: Klein Jessica A. , Dave Biren M. , Raphenya Amogelang R. , McArthur Andrew G. , Knodler Leigh A. 
Published: December 2016

SummaryType III Secretion Systems (T3SSs) are structurally conserved nanomachines that span the inner and outer bacterial membranes, and via a protruding needle complex contact host cell membranes and deliver type III effector proteins. T3SS are phylogenetically divided into several families based on structural basal body components. Here we have studied the evolutionary and functional conservation of four T3SS proteins from the Inv/Mxi‐Spa family: a cytosolic chaperone, two hydrophobic translocators that form a plasma membrane‐integral pore, and the hydrophilic ‘tip complex’ translocator that connects the T3SS needle to the translocon pore. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium (S. Typhimurium), a common cause of food‐borne gastroenteritis, possesses two T3SSs, one belonging to the Inv/Mxi‐Spa family. We used invasion‐deficient S. Typhimurium mutants as surrogates for expression of translocator orthologs identified from an extensive phylogenetic analysis, and type III effector translocation and host cell invasion as a readout for complementation efficiency, and identified several Inv/Mxi‐Spa orthologs that can functionally substitute for the S. Typhimurium chaperone and translocator proteins. Functional complementation correlates with amino acid sequence identity between orthologs, but varies considerably between the four proteins. This is the first in‐depth survey of the functional interchangeability of Inv/Mxi‐Spa T3SS proteins acting directly at the host‐pathogen interface.
Collagen‐like proteins of pathogenic streptococci
Authors: Lukomski Slawomir , Bachert Beth A. , Squeglia Flavia , Berisio Rita 
Published: December 2016

SummaryThe collagen domain, which is defined by the presence of the Gly‐X‐Y triplet repeats, is amongst the most versatile and widespread known structures found in proteins from organisms representing all three domains of life. The streptococcal collagen‐like (Scl) proteins are widely present in pathogenic streptococci, including Streptococcus pyogenes, S. agalactiae, S. pneumoniae, and S. equi. Experiments and bioinformatic analyses support the hypothesis that all Scl proteins are homotrimeric and cell wall‐anchored. These proteins contain the rod‐shaped collagenous domain proximal to cell surface, as well as a variety of outermost non‐collagenous domains that generally lack predicted functions but can be grouped into one of six clusters based on sequence similarity. The well‐characterized Scl1 proteins of S. pyogenes show a dichotomous switch in ligand binding between human tissue and blood environments. In tissue, Scl1 adhesin specifically recognizes the wound microenvironment, promotes adhesion and biofilm formation, decreases bacterial killing by neutrophil extracellular traps, and modulates S. pyogenes virulence. In blood, ligands include components of complement and coagulation‐fibrinolytic systems, as well as plasma lipoproteins. In all, the Scl proteins signify a large family of structurally related surface proteins, which contribute to the ability of streptococci to colonize and cause diseases in humans and animals.
Characterization of silencing suppressor p24 of Grapevine leafroll‐associated virus 2
Authors: Li Mingjun , Zhang Jiao , Feng Ming , Wang Xianyou , Luo Chen , Wang Qi , Cheng Yuqin 
Published: December 2016

SummaryGrapevine leafroll‐associated virus 2 (GLRaV‐2) p24 has been reported to be an RNA silencing suppressor (RSS). However, the mechanisms underlying p24's suppression of RNA silencing are unknown. Using Agrobacterium infiltration‐mediated RNA silencing assays, we showed that GLRaV‐2 p24 is a strong RSS triggered by positive‐sense green fluorescent protein (GFP) RNA, and that silencing suppression by p24 effectively blocks the accumulation of small interfering RNAs. Deletion analyses showed that the region of amino acids 1–188, which contains all predicted α‐helices and β‐strands, is required for the RSS activity of p24. Hydrophobic residues I35/F38/V85/V89/W149 and V162/L169/L170, previously shown to be critical for p24 self‐interaction, are also crucial for silencing suppression, and western blotting results suggested that a lack of self‐interaction ability results in decreased p24 accumulation in plants. The mutants showed greatly weakened or a lack of RSS activity. Substitution with two basic residues at positions 2 or 86, putatively involved in RNA binding, totally abolished the RSS activity of p24, suggesting that p24 uses an RNA‐binding strategy to suppress RNA silencing. Our results also showed that W54 in the WG/GW‐like motif (W54/G55) is crucial for the RSS activity of p24, whereas p24 does not physically interact with AGO1 of Nicotiana benthamiana. Furthermore, p24 did not promote AGO1 degradation, but significantly up‐regulated AGO1 mRNA expression, and this effect was correlated with the RSS activity of p24, indicating that p24 may interfere with microRNA‐directed processes. The presented results contribute to our understanding of viral suppression of RNA silencing and the molecular mechanisms underlying GLRaV‐2 infection.
The enemy within: phloem‐limited pathogens
Authors: Bendix Claire , Lewis Jennifer D. 
Published: December 2016

SummaryThe growing impact of phloem‐limited pathogens on high‐value crops has led to a renewed interest in understanding how they cause disease. Although these pathogens cause substantial crop losses, many are poorly characterized. In this review, we present examples of phloem‐limited pathogens that include intracellular bacteria with and without cell walls, and viruses. Phloem‐limited pathogens have small genomes and lack many genes required for core metabolic processes, which is, in part, an adaptation to the unique phloem environment. For each pathogen class, we present multiple case studies to highlight aspects of disease caused by phloem‐limited pathogens. The pathogens presented include Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (citrus greening), Arsenophonus bacteria, Serratia marcescens (cucurbit yellow vine disease), Candidatus Phytoplasma asteris (Aster Yellows Witches’ Broom), Spiroplasma kunkelii, Potato leafroll virus and Citrus tristeza virus. We focus on commonalities in the virulence strategies of these pathogens, and aim to stimulate new discussions in the hope that widely applicable disease management strategies can be found.
Protective effects of Aloe sterols against UVB‐induced photoaging in hairless mice
Authors: Misawa Eriko , Tanaka Miyuki , Saito Marie , Nabeshima Kazumi , Yao Ruiqing , Yamauchi Kouji , Abe Fumiaki , Yamamoto Yuki , Furukawa Fukumi 
Published: December 2016

SummaryBackgroundAloe vera is a traditional medical plant whose gel has been widely used in skin care. Previously, we have identified Aloe sterols from Aloe vera as active ingredients. This study investigated the protective effects of Aloe sterols without polysaccharides, against ultraviolet B (UVB)‐induced skin photoaging in mice using Aloe vera gel extract (AVGE) obtained by supercritical fluid extraction.MethodsAloe vera gel extract was supplemented in the diet (12 or 120 ppm), and HR‐1 hairless mice were exposed to UVB irradiation for 7 weeks. Skin measurements and histological and analytical studies were performed.ResultsRepeated UVB irradiation induced rough wrinkling of skin with water content reduction and hyperkeratosis. AVGE administration resulted in the significant improvement of UVB‐induced skin dryness, epidermal thickness, and wrinkle formation. The AVGE group also suppressed the degenerations of dermal collagen fibers and the appearance of cutaneous apoptosis cells induced by UVB. Furthermore, AVGE administration reduced the excess elevation of pro‐inflammatory cytokines (IL‐1β and TNF‐α) and matrix metalloproteinases (MMP‐2, MMP‐9, MMP‐12, and MMP‐13) in UVB‐exposed skin.ConclusionThe dietary ingestion of Aloe sterols protected against chronic UVB damage in mouse skin, and our results suggest that Aloe sterols may prevent skin photoaging through the anti‐inflammation and MMP regulation.
Effacing the music in edmund waller's poems
Authors: Ward Thomas 
Published: December 2016

AbstractReturning to London from exile in 1652, Edmund Waller found that his poems had been circulating, without his knowledge or permission, in at least two separate printed editions; within the next five years, six of his lyrics would appear as musical settings in printed collections of songs by the composer Henry Lawes. This article takes at face value Waller's own somewhat surprising expression of relief to discover that his texts had been corrupted by ‘mistaking Printer’ and ‘ill Reciter’ alike. Through close readings of ‘To Mr. Henry Lawes, who had then newly set a song of mine in the year 1635’ and ‘To a lady singing a song of his own composing’, I argue that poems ostensibly about song also articulate anxieties about the work of art in the age of (early) mechanical reproduction: not that the author might become alienated from his own words through the unpredictable vicissitudes of transmission and circulation, but that his text could become estranged, paradoxically, through overly precise replication. Waller's poems explore how perfect, echoic repetition of the poetic text, whether through vocal performance or printed book, presented a possible threat to a sense of authorial voice.
Compatibility of root growth and tuber production of potato cultivars with dynamic and static water‐saving irrigation managements
Authors: Ahmadi S. H. , Agharezaee M. , Kamgar‐Haghighi A. A. , Sepaskhah A. R. 
Published: December 2016

AbstractThe important root characteristics of root length density (RLD) and root mass density (RMD) generally differ among irrigation managements and potato cultivars. The objective of this study was to investigate the RLD and RMD variations and their functional relationships with gross potato tuber yield for two commercial potato cultivars, Agria and Sante, under different irrigation strategies. Full irrigation and water‐saving irrigation strategies, deficit and partial root drying irrigations, were applied statically (S) and dynamically (D) based on daily crop evapotranspiration. Results showed that SPRD had significantly greater RLD (3.64 cm/cm3) and RMD (132.7 μg/cm3) than other irrigation treatments. Between the potato cultivars, Agria had significantly larger values of RLD (3.50 cm/cm3) and RMD (138.7 μg/cm3) than Sante. The functional relationship between the root growth characteristics and tuber yield showed that under water‐saving irrigations, Agria increased root mass at the expense of gross tuber yield but Sante increased root mass to maintain larger gross tuber yields. However, Agria produced more roots and gross tuber yield than Sante, and it is concluded that Agria is a more drought‐tolerant potato cultivar, which is recommended for tuber production in regions where water might be scarce. It was shown that larger root production in potatoes was associated with improved tolerance to water stress.