bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Jagged1 inhibits osteoprotegerin expression by human periodontal ligament cells
Authors: Manokawinchoke J. , Sumrejkanchanakij P. , Subbalekha K. , Pavasant P. , Osathanon T. 
Published: January 2016

Background and ObjectiveNotch signaling regulates bone homeostasis. The present study investigated the effect of Jagged1 on osteoprotegerin (OPG) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa‐B ligand (RANKL) expression in human periodontal ligament stromal (hPDL) cells.Material and MethodshPDL cells were seeded on to indirect immobilized Jagged1 surfaces. OPG expression was determined using real‐time polymerase chain reaction and enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Lentiviral small hairpin RNA particles against NOTCH2 were employed to inhibit NOTCH2 expression. Osteoclast formation was evaluated using RAW264.7 cells. An influence of exogenous OPG on osteogenic differentiation was determined by real‐time polymerase chain reaction and Alizarin Red S staining.ResultsJagged1 significantly enhanced HES1 and HEY1mRNA expression in a dose‐dependent manner. Furthermore, OPG mRNA and protein levels dramatically decreased upon exposing hPDL cells to Jagged1. However, RANKL mRNA levels were not significantly different. There was also no difference in M‐CSF and MCP‐1mRNA expression. A γ‐secretase inhibitor and cycloheximide treatment rescued Jagged1‐attenuated OPG expression. Furthermore, shNOTCH2 overexpressing hPDL cells did not exhibit a decrease in OPG expression upon exposure to Jagged1, implying the involvement of NOTCH2 in the regulatory mechanism. Culturing RAW264.7 cells with conditioned medium from Jagged1‐treated hPDL cells enhanced osteoclast formation compared with those cultured with conditioned medium of the control group. Lastly, OPG treatment did not influence osteogenic differentiation by hPDL cells.ConclusionThese results suggest that Jagged1 activates Notch signaling in hPDL cells, leading to decreased OPG expression. This may imply an indirect role of Jagged1 on the regulation of osteoclast differentiation via hPDL cells.
Climate and the distribution of grasses in West Africa
Authors: Bocksberger Gaëlle , Schnitzler Jan , Chatelain Cyrille , Daget Philippe , Janssen Thomas , Schmidt Marco , Thiombiano Adjima , Zizka Georg 
Published: January 2016

AbstractQuestionsWhich environmental variables influence grass diversity in West Africa? What are the effects of climate and grass functional traits on the spatial patterns (richness and abundance) of the grass clades Andropogoneae, Paniceae and Chloridoideae?LocationWest Africa, demarcated by the Atlantic Ocean in the west and south (20° W and 4° N), the Sahara desert in the north (25° N) and the border between Niger and Chad in the east (20° E).MethodsBased on 38 912 georeferenced occurrence records, we modelled the distribution of 302 grass species (51% of West African grass diversity). We integrated species richness, abundance and functional traits (life cycle, photosynthetic type and height) to determine the contribution of the most speciose grass clades (Andropogoneae, Paniceae and Chloridoideae) to overall grass diversity in West Africa.ResultsPrecipitation is the variable most often influencing the species distribution models of grasses in West Africa. Richness and relative abundance of the tribe Andropogoneae show a centre of diversity in Sudanian savanna regions. The height of Andropogoneae species, generally >150 cm, is driving this ecological dominance. Species richness of the tribe Paniceae is more dispersed and shows two main centres of abundance: The southern regions with higher mean annual precipitation and tree density are dominated by C3 Paniceae species. The Sahelian regions in the north are dominated by short Paniceae species with the C4 NAD‐ME photosynthetic subtype, as well as Chloridoideae possessing the same functional attributes.ConclusionsOur study provides insight into the environmental correlates of grass species richness in West Africa and contributes to the much‐needed research on tropical rangelands. Moreover, the integration of evolutionary history significantly improves our understanding of large‐scale biodiversity patterns.
Altered trafficking of abnormal prion protein in atypical scrapie: prion protein accumulation in oligodendroglial inner mesaxons
Authors: Jeffrey M. , González L. , Simmons M. M , Hunter N. , Martin S. , McGovern G. 
Published: January 2016

AimsPrion diseases exist in classical and atypical disease forms. Both forms are characterized by disease‐associated accumulation of a host membrane sialoglycoprotein known as prion protein (PrPd). In classical forms of prion diseases, PrPd can accumulate in the extracellular space as fibrillar amyloid, intracellularly within lysosomes, but mainly on membranes in association with unique and characteristic membrane pathology. These membrane changes are found in all species and strains of classical prion diseases and consist of spiral, branched and clathrin‐coated membrane invaginations on dendrites. Atypical prion diseases have been described in ruminants and man and have distinct biological, biochemical and pathological properties when compared to classical disease. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the subcellular pattern of PrPd accumulation and membrane changes in atypical scrapie were the same as those found in classical prion diseases.MethodsImmunogold electron microscopy was used to examine brains of atypical scrapie‐affected sheep and Tg338 mice.ResultsClassical prion disease‐associated membrane lesions were not found in atypical scrapie‐affected sheep, however, white matter PrPd accumulation was localized mainly to the inner mesaxon and paranodal cytoplasm of oligodendroglia. Similar lesions were found in myelinated axons of atypical scrapie Tg338‐infected mice. However, Tg338 mice also showed the unique grey matter membrane changes seen in classical forms of disease.ConclusionsThese data show that atypical scrapie infection directs a change in trafficking of abnormal PrP to axons and oligodendroglia and that the resulting pathology is an interaction between the agent strain and host genotype.
Genotypic differences in storage losses of sugar beet – causes and indirect criteria for selection
Authors: Schnepel Katharina , Hoffmann Christa M. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractTo improve the storability of sugar beets, this study aimed at determining reasons for genotypic variability in sugar losses and invert sugar accumulation during storage, and at identifying indirect criteria to select for varieties with low storage losses prior to storage. In 2011 and 2012, 18 genotypes, and in 2012 and 2013, six genotypes cultivated at two locations were stored for 8 and 12 weeks at 8°C under controlled conditions. The same 18 genotypes were grown under stress conditions in Spain in 2012/2013. Sugar losses were closely correlated with the invert sugar accumulation after storage. Genotypic differences in storage losses were primarily caused by differences in the level of infestation with microorganisms. The invert sugar accumulation was lower for genotypes with high marc concentration before storage, pointing to a non‐specific resistance. Additionally, the sugar concentration in dry matter before storage, and the invert sugar concentration after cultivation under stress conditions correlated with the invert sugar concentration after storage. These parameters are therefore suggested as criteria to select for improved storability of sugar beet genotypes.
Reduced severity of posttraumatic stress disorder associated with Val allele of Val66Met polymorphism at brain‐derived neurotrophic factor gene among Chinese adolescents after Wenchuan earthquake
Authors: Li Rong Hui , Fan Mei , Hu Min Shan , Ran Mao Sheng , Fang Ding Zhi 
Published: January 2016

AbstractThe aim of the present study was to longitudinally investigate the association of BDNF Val66Met with PTSD symptoms in Chinese Han adolescents who experienced the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. Variants of BDNF Val66Met were identified by polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism analyses and verified by DNA sequencing. PTSD symptoms were assessed by the PTSD Checklist–Civilian Version (PCL‐C) among high school students at 6, 12, and 18 months after the earthquake. No differences of PTSD prevalence and PCL‐C scores were found between the Val/Val homozygotes and the Met allele carriers at 6, 12, and 18 months after the earthquake regardless of gender. Decreased PTSD prevalence was observed at 12 and 18 months when compared with that at 6 months after the earthquake regardless of gender and the genotype. Meanwhile, PCL‐C scores were decreased consecutively in the female subjects regardless of the genotypes. However, the scores at 18 months were lower when compared with those at 12 months in the male Val/Val homozygotes, but not in the male Met allele carriers. In addition, differences were found for the predictors of PCL‐C scores and PTSD prevalence between the Val/Val homozygotes and the Met allele carriers during follow‐up. These findings suggest that the association of BDNF Val66Met with PTSD is longitudinally different in Chinese Han adolescents after the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. The Val allele may be associated with reduced PTSD severity in male adolescents in the later stage of PTSD rehabilitation during follow‐up.
Mitogenomic phylogeny of Acanthocephala reveals novel Class relationships
Authors: Gazi Mohiuddin , Kim Jiyeon , García‐Varela Martín , Park Chungoo , Littlewood D. Tim J. , Park Joong‐Ki 
Published: January 2016

The Acanthocephala is a phylum of obligate endoparasitic animals comprising four classes (Archiacanthocephala, Palaeacanthocephala, Eoacanthocephala and Polyacanthocephala), although the phylogenetic interrelationships of these classes still remains unresolved. To investigate phylogenetic relationships of major acanthocephalan groups, we characterized the complete mitochondrial genome sequences of two palaeacanthocephalan species Centrorhynchus aluconis and Prosthorhynchus transversus (representing two different families of the order Polymorphida), and Polyacanthorhynchus caballeroi (the first mitogenomic representative of the class Polyacanthocephala) and used these new sequences for phylogenetic analyses, along with 32 platyzoan mtDNAs, including 10 additional acanthocephalans. Phylogenetic analyses using concatenated amino acid sequences for 12 protein‐coding genes with maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference methods supported monophyly of Acanthocephala. Within the phylum, Archiacanthocephala was positioned as the sister to the clade containing all three other acanthocephalan classes, with the polyacanthocephalan species P. caballeroi nested within Eoacanthocephala. This result contradicts morphology‐based classification systems that treated polyacanthorhynchids as one of the palaeacanthocephalan families, and instead suggests Polyacanthocephala is a member of Eoacanthocephala. Within the Palaeacanthocephala, Polymorphida monophyly was strongly supported and this is inconsistent with nuclear rDNA‐based molecular hypotheses that suggest non‐monophyly.
Shear stress activates monovalent cation channel transient receptor potential melastatin subfamily 4 in rat atrial myocytes via type 2 inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptors and Ca2+ release
Authors: Son Min‐Jeong , Kim Joon‐Chul , Kim Sung Woo , Chidipi Bojjibabu , Muniyandi Jeyaraj , Singh Thoudam Debraj , So Insuk , Subedi Krishna P. , Woo Sun‐Hee 
Published: January 2016

Key points
During each contraction and haemodynamic disturbance, cardiac myocytes are subjected to fluid shear stress as a result of blood flow and the relative movement of sheets of myocytes.
The present study aimed to characterize the shear stress‐sensitive membrane current in atrial myocytes using the whole‐cell patch clamp technique, combined with pressurized fluid flow, as well as pharmacological and genetic interventions of specific proteins.
The data obtained suggest that shear stress indirectly activates the monovalent cation current carried by transient receptor potential melastatin subfamily 4 channels via type 2 inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptor‐mediated Ca2+ release in subsarcolemmal domains of atrial myocytes.
Ca2+‐mediated interactions between these two proteins under shear stress may be an important mechanism by which atrial cells measure mechanical stress and translate it to alter their excitability.
AbstractAtrial myocytes are subjected to shear stress during the cardiac cycle under physiological or pathological conditions. The ionic currents regulated by shear stress remain poorly understood. We report the characteristics, molecular identity and activation mechanism of the shear stress‐sensitive current (Ishear) in rat atrial myocytes. A shear stress of ∼16 dyn cm−2 was applied to single myocytes using a pressurized microflow system, and the current was measured by whole‐cell patch clamp. In symmetrical CsCl solutions with minimal concentrations of internal EGTA, Ishear showed an outwardly rectifying current–voltage relationship (reversal at −2 mV). The current was conducted primarily (∼80%) by monovalent cations but not Ca2+. It was suppressed by intracellular Ca2+ buffering at a fixed physiological level, inhibitors of transient receptor potential melastatin subfamily 4 (TRPM4), intracellular introduction of TRPM4 antibodies or knockdown of TRPM4 expression, suggesting that TRPM4 carries most of this current. A notable reduction in Ishear occurred upon inhibition of Ca2+ release through the ryanodine receptors or inositol 1,4,5‐trisphosphate receptors (IP3R) and upon depletion of sarcoplasmic reticulum Ca2+. In type 2 IP3R (IP3R2) knockout atrial myocytes, Ishear was 10–20% of that in wild‐type myocytes. Immunocytochemistry and proximity ligation assays revealed that TRPM4 and IP3R2 were expressed at peripheral sites with co‐localization, although they are not localized within 40 nm. Peripheral localization of TRPM4 was intact in IP3R2 knockout cells. The data obtained in the present study suggest that shear stress activates TRPM4 current by triggering Ca2+ release from the IP3R2 in the peripheral domains of atrial myocytes.
The involvement of transient receptor potential canonical type 1 in skeletal muscle regrowth after unloading‐induced atrophy
Authors: Xia Lu , Cheung Kwok‐Kuen , Yeung Simon S. , Yeung Ella W. 
Published: January 2016

Key points
Decreased mechanical loading results in skeletal muscle atrophy. The transient receptor potential canonical type 1 (TRPC1) protein is implicated in this process. Investigation of the regulation of TRPC1 in vivo has rarely been reported. In the present study, we employ the mouse hindlimb unloading and reloading model to examine the involvement of TRPC1 in the regulation of muscle atrophy and regrowth, respectively.
We establish the physiological relevance of the concept that manipulation of TRPC1 could interfere with muscle regrowth processes following an atrophy‐inducing event. Specifically, we show that suppressing TRPC1 expression during reloading impairs the recovery of the muscle mass and slow myosin heavy chain profile. Calcineurin appears to be part of the signalling pathway involved in the regulation of TRPC1 expression during muscle regrowth.
These results provide new insights concerning the function of TRPC1. Interventions targeting TRPC1 or its downstream or upstream pathways could be useful for promoting muscle regeneration.
AbstractDecreased mechanical loading, such as bed rest, results in skeletal muscle atrophy. The functional consequences of decreased mechanical loading include a loss of muscle mass and decreased muscle strength, particularly in anti‐gravity muscles. The purpose of this investigation was to clarify the regulatory role of the transient receptor potential canonical type 1 (TRPC1) protein during muscle atrophy and regrowth. Mice were subjected to 14 days of hindlimb unloading followed by 3, 7, 14 and 28 days of reloading. Weight‐bearing mice were used as controls. TRPC1 expression in the soleus muscle decreased significantly and persisted at 7 days of reloading. Small interfering RNA (siRNA)‐mediated downregulation of TRPC1 in weight‐bearing soleus muscles resulted in a reduced muscle mass and a reduced myofibre cross‐sectional area (CSA). Microinjecting siRNA into soleus muscles in vivo after 7 days of reloading provided further evidence for the role of TRPC1 in regulating muscle regrowth. Myofibre CSA, as well as the percentage of slow myosin heavy chain‐positive myofibres, was significantly lower in TRPC1‐siRNA‐expressing muscles than in control muscles after 14 days of reloading. Additionally, inhibition of calcineurin (CaN) activity downregulated TRPC1 expression in both weight‐bearing and reloaded muscles, suggesting a possible association between CaN and TRPC1 during skeletal muscle regrowth.
An Examination of Motorcycle Antilock Brake Systems in Reducing Crash Risk
Authors: Fowler Graeme F. , Ray Rose M. , Huang Su-Wei , Zhao Ke , Frank Todd A. 
Published: January 2016

To prevent wheel lockup (and possible loss-of-control and capsize) during hard braking, motorcycle manufacturers have equipped motorcycles with antilock brake systems (ABS) either as an option or as standard equipment. Several studies utilizing real-world crash data have been published, which estimate the effectiveness of motorcycle ABS in reducing the risk of a crash based on varying assumptions. These investigations have reported mixed results. The present investigation relies upon the fatality analysis reporting system (FARS) and the Florida police-reported crash databases to further investigate the effectiveness of motorcycle ABS by expanding upon and refining previous approaches. Notably, a case-control approach is used, whereby crashes involving ABS- and non-ABS-equipped motorcycles are divided into five groups with a varying likelihood that ABS will affect the risk of crashes in that group. The group of crashes with the least likelihood of being influenced by ABS is considered the control group and used as a measure of exposure to crashes. This methodology attempts to reduce any selection biases that might exist in the two motorcycle classes. The results support the hypothesis that ABS is effective in reducing the crash risk in some crash types. However, it was found that the case-control approach does not incorporate all factors that might influence the overall effectiveness of ABS, e.g., motorcycle class and operator age. Accounting for these additional factors would likely require the use of regression analyses and would benefit significantly from additional data.
Experimental Investigation of the Cylinder Block Movement in an Axial Piston Machine
Authors: Wegner Stephan , Gels Stefan , Jang Dal Sik , Murrenhoff Hubertus 
Published: January 2016

The greatest share of hydromechanic and volumetric losses in axial piston machines are produced within the tribological interfaces piston / cylinder, cylinder block / valve plate and slipper / swash plate. Hydrostatic and hydrodynamic effects are used to minimise the sum of solid friction, viscous friction and throttle losses. Other tribological interfaces have minor influence on efficiency losses in most operating points in machines of this type.
This paper focuses on experimental investigations with the objective to acquire further knowledge on the cylinder block / valve plate contact. The investigations are part of a project funded by the German Research Foundation in which experimental and simulative investigations are combined to identify the effects influencing this tribological interface.
The experiments focus on the multi-directional movement of the cylinder block and the friction torque within the contact. Therefore a test rig was built, capable of measuring the cylinder block movement in all degrees of freedom and the friction torque between both parts. A sensor system is built around a standard rotary group of an axial piston pump with a spherical cylinder block / valve plate contact. The pump functionality is maintained and measurements under standard operating conditions up to 30 MPa are possible.
Procedures of the design process and descriptions of the measuring system are presented, followed by results of the cylinder block movement measurement, comparing the behavior under different pressure levels and speeds.
Energy Consumption and Efficiency Measurements of Different Excavators: Does Hybridization Pay?
Authors: Hießl Arnold , Scheidl Rudolf 
Published: January 2016

A series of detailed measurements of various mechanical and hydraulic system states of different excavators was performed. Main purpose of this study was to obtain a reliable information basis for assessing the potentials of hybrid drives, in particular the amount of recoverable energy. Differences concerned the size (tonnage) of the excavators and the hydraulic systems, open center versus load sensing. All machines were tested at the same set of operation scenarios, which are typical for practice, and with different operators. To this end, all test machines have been equipped with pressure, flow rate, temperature, angular and position sensors. These signals (about sixty) and several available from the machines CAN bus were recorded with a standard data acquisition system and electronically stored for later analysis. These raw data were processed to obtain the interesting data, like speeds, power flows, energies. In addition, videos of each test were recorded to facilitate the correct interpretation of the measurements and their correlation with the actual working processes.
Power flows from the combustion engine, different pumps, and at each actuator and energetic losses at the different loss sources were plotted for the different operation scenarios. Total efficiencies of the machines for different scenarios and the energy in and outflow at each actuator were computed. From the latter so called relative and absolute recovery degrees for each actuator and for the total machine in the different operation scenarios were derived. The relative recovery degree is the ratio of the total outflow energy (second and fourth quadrant) and the total inflow energy (first and third quadrant). The absolute recovery degree is the ratio of the total outflow energy of an actuator and the total energy delivered by all pumps in an operation scenario.
In most operation scenarios the total efficiency of consumed mechanical output energy at the hydraulic actuators relative to delivered hydraulic energy is in the range 15% to 25%. Reasonable recovery potentials do have the swing and the boom drive. For small machines, however, the boom drive dominates.