bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Graft‐derived macrophage migration inhibitory factor correlates with hepatocellular injury in patients undergoing liver transplantation
Authors: Baron‐Stefaniak Joanna , Schiefer Judith , Miller Edmund J. , Plöchl Walter , Krenn Claus G. , Berlakovich Gabriela A. , Baron David M. , Faybik Peter 
Published: April 2017

AbstractExperimental studies suggest that macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) mediates ischemia/reperfusion injury during liver transplantation. This study assessed whether human liver grafts release MIF during preservation, and whether the release of MIF is proportional to the extent of hepatocellular injury. Additionally, the association between MIF and early allograft dysfunction (EAD) after liver transplantation was evaluated. Concentrations of MIF, aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and creatine kinase (CK) were measured in effluents of 38 liver grafts, and in serum of recipients. Concentrations of MIF in the effluent were greater than those in the recipients’ serum before and after reperfusion (58 [interquartile range, IQR:23‐79] μg/mL vs 0.06 [IQR:0.03‐0.07] μg/mL and 1.3 [IQR:0.7‐1.8] μg/mL, respectively; both P<.001). Effluent MIF concentrations correlated with effluent concentrations of the cell injury markers ALT (R=.51, P<.01), AST (R=.51, P<.01), CK (R=.45, P=.01), and LDH (R=.56, P<.01). Patients who developed EAD had greater MIF concentrations in effluent and serum 10 minutes after reperfusion than patients without EAD (Effluent: 80 [IQR:63‐118] μg/mL vs 36 [IQR:20‐70] μg/mL, P=.02; Serum: 1.7 [IQR:1.2‐2.5] μg/mL vs 1.1 [IQR:0.6‐1.7] μg/mL, P<.001).ConclusionHuman liver grafts release MIF in proportion to hepatocellular injury. Greater MIF concentrations in effluent and recipient's serum are associated with EAD after liver transplantation.
The presence of diastolic and systolic dysfunction in patients with impaired relaxation filling pattern
Authors: Pratap Balaji , Kallur Kamala Ramya , Argulian Edgar 
Published: April 2017

BackgroundImpaired relaxation filling pattern in the presence of preserved left ventricular ejection fraction is a common finding which is ascribed to early diastolic dysfunction. We thought to determine the distribution of various markers of systolic and diastolic dysfunction in these patients.MethodsA total of 106 patients were included in this retrospective observational study. Diastolic dysfunction was defined using the American Society of Echocardiography recommendations (“50% rule”). The systolic dysfunction was evaluated by global longitudinal strain and circumferential strain. For further analysis, the patients were divided into the lower strain (lower tertile) and higher strain (upper tertiles) groups based on longitudinal strain.ResultsThere were marked differences between the groups in essential echocardiographic parameters. Patients in the lower strain group were more likely to have definite diastolic dysfunction (23% vs 7%, P<.01) and less likely to have normal diastolic function (54% vs 80%, P<.01). They also showed lower circumferential strain (−21.2% vs −25.7%, P<.01). In multivariate analysis, left atrial enlargement (odds ratio (OR) 4.6, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.2–17.1), left ventricular mass index (OR 1.03, 95% CI 1.0–1.1), left ventricular end–diastolic volume (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0–1.1), and E‐wave deceleration time (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.98–1.0) were independently associated with lower global longitudinal strain.ConclusionsPatients with impaired relaxation filling pattern in the presence of preserved left ventricular ejection fraction have a wide spectrum of left ventricular systolic and diastolic performance abnormalities. Isolated assessment of diastolic dysfunction may not fully characterize this group of patients.
Zizyphin modulates calcium signalling in human taste bud cells and fat taste perception in the mouse
Authors: Murtaza Babar , Berrichi Meryem , Bennamar Chahid , Tordjmann Thierry , Djeziri Fatima Z. , Hichami Aziz , Leemput Julia , Belarbi Meriem , Ozdener Hakan , Khan Naim A. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractZizyphin, isolated from Zizyphus sps. leaf extracts, has been shown to modulate sugar taste perception, and the palatability of a sweet solution is increased by the addition of fatty acids. We, therefore, studied whether zizyphin also modulates fat taste perception. Zizyphin was purified from edible fruit of Zizyphus lotus L. Zizyphin‐induced increases in [Ca2+]i in human taste bud cells (hTBC). Zizyphin shared the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pool and also recruited, in part, Ca2+ from extracellular environment via the opening of store‐operated Ca2+ channels. Zizyphin exerted additive actions on linoleic acid (LA)‐induced increases in [Ca2+]i in these cells, indicating that zizyphin does not exert its action via fatty acid receptors. However, zizyphin seemed to exert, at least in part, its action via bile acid receptor Takeda‐G‐protein‐receptor‐5 in hTBC. In behavioural tests, mice exhibited preference for both LA and zizyphin. Interestingly, zizyphin increased the preference for a solution containing‐LA. This study is the first evidence of the modulation of fat taste perception by zizyphin at the cellular level in hTBC. Our study might be helpful for considering the synthesis of zizyphin analogues as ‘taste modifiers’ with a potential in the management of obesity and lipid‐mediated disorders.
Coralline algae elevate pH at the site of calcification under ocean acidification
Authors: Cornwall Christopher E. , Comeau Steeve , McCulloch Malcolm T. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractCoralline algae provide important ecosystem services but are susceptible to the impacts of ocean acidification. However, the mechanisms are uncertain, and the magnitude is species specific. Here, we assess whether species‐specific responses to ocean acidification of coralline algae are related to differences in pH at the site of calcification within the calcifying fluid/medium (pHcf) using δ11B as a proxy. Declines in δ11B for all three species are consistent with shifts in δ11B expected if B(OH)4− was incorporated during precipitation. In particular, the δ11B ratio in Amphiroa anceps was too low to allow for reasonable pHcf values if B(OH)3 rather than B(OH)4− was directly incorporated from the calcifying fluid. This points towards δ11B being a reliable proxy for pHcf for coralline algal calcite and that if B(OH)3 is present in detectable proportions, it can be attributed to secondary postincorporation transformation of B(OH)4−. We thus show that pHcf is elevated during calcification and that the extent is species specific. The net calcification of two species of coralline algae (Sporolithon durum, and Amphiroa anceps) declined under elevated CO2, as did their pHcf. Neogoniolithon sp. had the highest pHcf, and most constant calcification rates, with the decrease in pHcf being ¼ that of seawater pH in the treatments, demonstrating a control of coralline algae on carbonate chemistry at their site of calcification. The discovery that coralline algae upregulate pHcf under ocean acidification is physiologically important and should be included in future models involving calcification.
Asymmetric responses of primary productivity to precipitation extremes: A synthesis of grassland precipitation manipulation experiments
Authors: Wilcox Kevin R. , Shi Zheng , Gherardi Laureano A. , Lemoine Nathan P. , Koerner Sally E. , Hoover David L. , Bork Edward , Byrne Kerry M. , Cahill James , Collins Scott L. , Evans Sarah , Gilgen Anna K. , Holub Petr , Jiang Lifen , Knapp Alan K. , LeCain Daniel , Liang Junyi , Garcia‐Palacios Pablo , Peñuelas Josep , Pockman William T. , Smith Melinda D. , Sun Shanghua , White Shannon R. , Yahdjian Laura , Zhu Kai , Luo Yiqi 
Published: April 2017

AbstractClimatic changes are altering Earth's hydrological cycle, resulting in altered precipitation amounts, increased interannual variability of precipitation, and more frequent extreme precipitation events. These trends will likely continue into the future, having substantial impacts on net primary productivity (NPP) and associated ecosystem services such as food production and carbon sequestration. Frequently, experimental manipulations of precipitation have linked altered precipitation regimes to changes in NPP. Yet, findings have been diverse and substantial uncertainty still surrounds generalities describing patterns of ecosystem sensitivity to altered precipitation. Additionally, we do not know whether previously observed correlations between NPP and precipitation remain accurate when precipitation changes become extreme. We synthesized results from 83 case studies of experimental precipitation manipulations in grasslands worldwide. We used meta‐analytical techniques to search for generalities and asymmetries of aboveground NPP (ANPP) and belowground NPP (BNPP) responses to both the direction and magnitude of precipitation change. Sensitivity (i.e., productivity response standardized by the amount of precipitation change) of BNPP was similar under precipitation additions and reductions, but ANPP was more sensitive to precipitation additions than reductions; this was especially evident in drier ecosystems. Additionally, overall relationships between the magnitude of productivity responses and the magnitude of precipitation change were saturating in form. The saturating form of this relationship was likely driven by ANPP responses to very extreme precipitation increases, although there were limited studies imposing extreme precipitation change, and there was considerable variation among experiments. This highlights the importance of incorporating gradients of manipulations, ranging from extreme drought to extreme precipitation increases into future climate change experiments. Additionally, policy and land management decisions related to global change scenarios should consider how ANPP and BNPP responses may differ, and that ecosystem responses to extreme events might not be predicted from relationships found under moderate environmental changes.
Estimating 20‐year land‐use change and derived CO2 emissions associated with crops, pasture and forestry in Brazil and each of its 27 states
Authors: Novaes Renan M. L. , Pazianotto Ricardo A. A. , Brandão Miguel , Alves Bruno J. R. , May André , Folegatti‐Matsuura Marília I. S. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractLand‐use change (LUC) in Brazil has important implications on global climate change, ecosystem services and biodiversity, and agricultural expansion plays a critical role in this process. Concerns over these issues have led to the need for estimating the magnitude and impacts associated with that, which are increasingly reported in the environmental assessment of products. Currently, there is an extensive debate on which methods are more appropriate for estimating LUC and related emissions and regionalized estimates are lacking for Brazil, which is a world leader in agricultural production (e.g. food, fibres and bioenergy). We developed a method for estimating scenarios of past 20‐year LUC and derived CO2 emission rates associated with 64 crops, pasture and forestry in Brazil as whole and in each of its 27 states, based on time‐series statistics and in accordance with most used carbon‐footprinting standards. The scenarios adopted provide a range between minimum and maximum rates of CO2 emissions from LUC according to different possibilities of land‐use transitions, which can have large impacts in the results. Specificities of Brazil, like multiple cropping and highly heterogeneous carbon stocks, are also addressed. The highest CO2 emission rates are observed in the Amazon biome states and crops with the highest rates are those that have undergone expansion in this region. Some states and crops showing large agricultural areas have low emissions associated, especially in southern and eastern Brazil. Native carbon stocks and time of agricultural expansion are the most decisive factors to the patterns of emissions. Some implications on LUC estimation methods and standards and on agri‐environmental policies are discussed.
EphB4 forward signalling mediates angiogenesis caused by CCM3/PDCD10‐ablation
Authors: You Chao , Zhao Kai , Dammann Philipp , Keyvani Kathy , Kreitschmann‐Andermahr Ilonka , Sure Ulrich , Zhu Yuan 
Published: April 2017

AbstractCCM3, also named as PDCD10, is a ubiquitous protein expressed in nearly all tissues and in various types of cells. It is essential for vascular development and post‐natal vessel maturation. Loss‐of‐function mutation of CCM3 predisposes for the familial form of cerebral cavernous malformation (CCM). We have previously shown that knock‐down of CCM3 stimulated endothelial angiogenesis via impairing DLL4‐Notch signalling; moreover, loss of endothelial CCM3 stimulated tumour angiogenesis and promoted tumour growth. The present study was designed to further elucidate the inside signalling pathway involved in CCM3‐ablation‐mediated angiogenesis. Here we report for the first time that silencing endothelial CCM3 led to a significant up‐regulation of EphB4 mRNA and protein expression and to an increased kinase activity of EphB4, concomitantly accompanied by an activation of Erk1/2, which was reversed by treatment with the specific EphB4 kinase inhibitor NVP‐BHG712 (NVP), indicating that silencing CCM3 activates EphB4 kinase forward signalling. Furthermore, treatment with NVP rescued the hyper‐angiogenic phenotype induced by knock‐down of endothelial CCM3 in vitro and in vivo. Additional study demonstrated that the activation of EphB4 forward signalling in endothelial cells under basal condition and after CCM3‐silence was modulated by DLL4/Notch signalling, relying EphB4 at downstream of DLL4/Notch signalling. We conclude that angiogenesis induced by CCM3‐silence is mediated by the activation of EphB4 forward signalling. The identified endothelial signalling pathway of CCM3‐DLL4/Notch‐EphB4‐Erk1/2 may provide an insight into mechanism of CCM3‐ablation‐mediated angiogenesis and could potentially contribute to novel therapeutic concepts for disrupting aberrant angiogenesis in CCM and in hyper‐vascularized tumours.
Organic farming increases richness of fungal taxa in the wheat phyllosphere
Authors: Karlsson Ida , Friberg Hanna , Kolseth Anna‐Karin , Steinberg Christian , Persson Paula 
Published: April 2017

AbstractOrganic farming is often advocated as an approach to mitigate biodiversity loss on agricultural land. The phyllosphere provides a habitat for diverse fungal communities that are important for plant health and productivity. However, it is still unknown how organic farming affects the diversity of phyllosphere fungi in major crops. We sampled wheat leaves from 22 organically and conventionally cultivated fields in Sweden, paired based on their geographical location and wheat cultivar. Fungal communities were described using amplicon sequencing and real‐time PCR. Species richness was higher on wheat leaves from organically managed fields, with a mean of 54 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) compared with 40 OTUs for conventionally managed fields. The main components of the fungal community were similar throughout the 350‐km‐long sampling area, and seven OTUs were present in all fields: Zymoseptoria, Dioszegia fristingensis, Cladosporium, Dioszegia hungarica, Cryptococcus, Ascochyta and Dioszegia. Fungal abundance was highly variable between fields, 103–105 internal transcribed spacer copies per ng wheat DNA, but did not differ between cropping systems. Further analyses showed that weed biomass was the strongest explanatory variable for fungal community composition and OTU richness. These findings help provide a more comprehensive understanding of the effect of organic farming on the diversity of organism groups in different habitats within the agroecosystem.
The redox state of the apoplast influences the acclimation of photosynthesis and leaf metabolism to changing irradiance
Authors: Karpinska Barbara , Zhang Kaiming , Rasool Brwa , Pastok Daria , Morris Jenny , Verrall Susan R. , Hedley Pete E. , Hancock Robert D. , Foyer Christine H. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractThe redox state of the apoplast is largely determined by ascorbate oxidase (AO) activity. The influence of AO activity on leaf acclimation to changing irradiance was explored in wild‐type (WT) and transgenic tobacco (Nicotiana tobaccum) lines containing either high [pumpkin AO (PAO)] or low [tobacco AO (TAO)] AO activity at low [low light (LL); 250 μmol m−2 s−1] and high [high light (HL); 1600 μmol m−2 s−1] irradiance and following the transition from HL to LL. AO activities changed over the photoperiod, particularly in the PAO plants. AO activity had little effect on leaf ascorbate, which was significantly higher under HL than under LL. Apoplastic ascorbate/dehydroascorbate (DHA) ratios and threonate levels were modified by AO activity. Despite decreased levels of transcripts encoding ascorbate synthesis enzymes, leaf ascorbate increased over the first photoperiod following the transition from HL to LL, to much higher levels than LL‐grown plants. Photosynthesis rates were significantly higher in the TAO leaves than in WT or PAO plants grown under HL but not under LL. Sub‐sets of amino acids and fatty acids were lower in TAO and WT leaves than in the PAO plants under HL, and following the transition to LL. Light acclimation processes are therefore influenced by the apoplastic as well as chloroplastic redox state.
Defensive motivation and attention in anticipation of different types of predictable and unpredictable threat: A startle and event‐related potential investigation
Authors: Nelson Brady D. , Hajcak Greg 
Published: April 2017

AbstractPredictability is an important characteristic of threat that impacts defensive motivation and attentional engagement. Supporting research has primarily focused on actual threat (e.g., shocks), and it is unclear whether the predictability of less intense threat (e.g., unpleasant pictures) similarly affects motivation and attention. The present study utilized a within‐subject design and examined defensive motivation (startle reflex and self‐reported anxiety) and attention (probe N100 and P300) in anticipation of shocks and unpleasant pictures during a no, predictable, and unpredictable threat task. This study also examined the impact of predictability on the P300 to shocks and late positive potential (LPP) to unpleasant pictures. The startle reflex and self‐reported anxiety were increased in anticipation of both types of threat relative to no threat. Furthermore, startle potentiation in anticipation of unpredictable threat was greater for shocks compared to unpleasant pictures, but there was no difference for predictable threat. The probe N100 was enhanced in anticipation of unpredictable threat relative to predictable threat and no threat, and the probe P300 was suppressed in anticipation of predictable and unpredictable threat relative to no threat. These effects did not differ between the shock and unpleasant picture trials. Finally, the P300 and early LPP component were increased in response to unpredictable relative to predictable shocks and unpleasant pictures, respectively. The present study suggests that the unpredictability of unpleasant pictures increases defensive motivation, but to a lesser degree relative to actual threat. Moreover, unpredictability enhances attentional engagement in anticipation of, and in reaction to, both types of threat.
Phanerozoic magma underplating and crustal growth beneath the North China Craton
Authors: Ma Qiang , Xu Yi‐Gang , Zheng Jian‐Ping , Sun Min , Griffin William L. , Xia Xiaoping , Pan Shao‐Kui 
Published: April 2017

AbstractEvidence for post‐Archaean crustal growth via magma underplating is largely based on U–Pb dating of zircons from granulite‐facies xenoliths. However, whether the young zircons from such xenoliths are genetically related to magma underplating or to anatexis remains controversial. The lower‐crustal xenoliths carried by igneous rocks in the Chifeng and Ningcheng (North China Craton) have low SiO2 and high MgO, indicating that parental melts of their protoliths were of unambiguous mantle origin. The xenoliths contain abundant magmatic zircons with late‐Palaeozoic ages, and have more radiogenic zircon Hf‐isotope compositions and hence younger model ages than ancient crustal magmas and the “reworking array” of the basement rocks. Our data suggest that the granulites represent episodic magmatic underplating to the lower crust of this craton in Phanerozoic time. Considering the observation that regional lowermost crust (~5 km) is mafic and characterized by Phanerozoic zircons, this work reports an example of post‐Archaean crustal growth via magma underplating.
Differences and commonalities of plant responses to single and combined stresses
Authors: Zhang Haina , Sonnewald Uwe 
Published: April 2017

SummaryIn natural or agricultural environments, plants are constantly exposed to a wide range of biotic and abiotic stresses. Given the forecasted global climate changes, plants will cope with heat waves, drought periods and pathogens at the same time or consecutively. Heat and drought cause opposing physiological responses, while pathogens may or may not profit from climate changes depending on their lifestyle. Several studies have been conducted to find stress‐specific signatures or stress‐independent commonalities. Previously this has been done by comparing different single stress treatments. This approach has been proven difficult since most studies, comparing single and combined stress conditions, have come to the conclusion that each stress treatment results in specific transcriptional changes. Although transcriptional changes at the level of individual genes are highly variable and stress‐specific, central metabolic and signaling responses seem to be common, often leading to an overall reduced plant growth. Understanding how specific transcriptional changes are linked to stress adaptations and identifying central hubs controlling this interaction will be the challenge for the coming years. In this review, we will summarize current knowledge on plant responses to different individual and combined stresses and try to find a common thread potentially underlying these responses. We will begin with a brief summary of known physiological, metabolic, transcriptional and hormonal responses to individual stresses, elucidate potential commonalities and conflicts and finally we will describe results obtained during combined stress experiments. Here we will concentrate on simultaneous application of stress conditions but we will also touch consequences of sequential stress treatments.