bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Calcium signalling in malaria parasites
Authors: Brochet Mathieu , Billker Oliver 
Published: January 2016

SummaryCa2+ is a ubiquitous intracellular messenger in malaria parasites with important functions in asexual blood stages responsible for malaria symptoms, the preceding liver‐stage infection and transmission through the mosquito. Intracellular messengers amplify signals by binding to effector molecules that trigger physiological changes. The characterisation of some Ca2+ effector proteins has begun to provide insights into the vast range of biological processes controlled by Ca2+ signalling in malaria parasites, including host cell egress and invasion, protein secretion, motility and cell cycle regulation. Despite the importance of Ca2+ signalling during the life cycle of malaria parasites, little is known about Ca2+ homeostasis. Recent findings highlighted that upstream of stage‐specific Ca2+ effectors is a conserved interplay between second messengers to control critical intracellular Ca2+ signals throughout the life cycle. The identification of the molecular mechanisms integrating stage‐transcending mechanisms of Ca2+ homeostasis in a network of stage‐specific regulator and effector pathways now represents a major challenge for a meaningful understanding of Ca2+ signalling in malaria parasites.
Mitochondrial pyruvate carrier in Trypanosoma brucei
Authors: Štáfková Jitka , Mach Jan , Biran Marc , Verner Zdeněk , Bringaud Frédéric , Tachezy Jan 
Published: January 2016

SummaryPyruvate is a key product of glycolysis that regulates the energy metabolism of cells. In Trypanosoma brucei, the causative agent of sleeping sickness, the fate of pyruvate varies dramatically during the parasite life cycle. In bloodstream forms, pyruvate is mainly excreted, whereas in tsetse fly forms, pyruvate is metabolized in mitochondria yielding additional ATP molecules. The character of the molecular machinery that mediates pyruvate transport across mitochondrial membrane was elusive until the recent discovery of mitochondrial pyruvate carrier (MPC) in yeast and mammals. Here, we characterized pyruvate import into mitochondrion of T. brucei. We identified mpc1 and mpc2 homologs in the T. brucei genome with attributes of MPC protein family and we demonstrated that both proteins are present in the mitochondrial membrane of the parasite. Investigations of mpc1 or mpc2 gene knock‐out cells proved that T. brucei MPC1/2 proteins facilitate mitochondrial pyruvate transport. Interestingly, MPC is expressed not only in procyclic trypanosomes with fully activated mitochondria but also in bloodstream trypanosomes in which most of pyruvate is excreted. Moreover, MPC appears to be essential for bloodstream forms, supporting the recently emerging picture that the functions of mitochondria in bloodstream forms are more diverse than it was originally thought.
Signalling mucin Msb2 Regulates adaptation to thermal stress in Candida albicans
Authors: Saraswat Darpan , Kumar Rohitashw , Pande Tanaya , Edgerton Mira , Cullen Paul J. 
Published: January 2016

SummaryTemperature is a potent inducer of fungal dimorphism. Multiple signalling pathways control the response to growth at high temperature, but the sensors that regulate these pathways are poorly defined. We show here that the signalling mucin Msb2 is a global regulator of temperature stress in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Msb2 was required for survival and hyphae formation at 42°C. The cytoplasmic signalling domain of Msb2 regulated temperature‐dependent activation of the CEK mitogen activated proteins kinase (MAPK) pathway. The extracellular glycosylated domain of Msb2 (100‐900 amino acid residues) had a new and unexpected role in regulating the protein kinase C (PKC) pathway. Msb2 also regulated temperature‐dependent induction of genes encoding regulators and targets of the unfolded protein response (UPR), which is a protein quality control (QC) pathway in the endoplasmic reticulum that controls protein folding/degradation in response to high temperature and other stresses. The heat shock protein and cell wall component Ssa1 was also required for hyphae formation and survival at 42°C and regulated the CEK and PKC pathways.
The AP‐2 complex is required for proper temporal and spatial dynamics of endocytic patches in fission yeast
Authors: de León Nagore , Hoya Marta , Curto M.‐Angeles , Moro Sandra , Yanguas Francisco , Doncel Cristina , Valdivieso M.‐Henar 
Published: January 2016

SummaryIn metazoans the AP‐2 complex has a well‐defined role in clathrin‐mediated endocytosis. By contrast, its direct role in endocytosis in unicellular eukaryotes has been questioned. Here, we report co‐ immunoprecipitation between the fission yeast AP‐2 component Apl3p and clathrin, as well as the genetic interactions between apl3Δ and clc1 and sla2Δ/end4Δ mutants. Furthermore, a double clc1 apl3Δ mutant was found to be defective in FM4‐64 uptake. In an otherwise wild‐type strain, apl3Δ cells exhibit altered dynamics of the endocytic sites, with a heterogeneous and extended lifetime of early and late markers at the patches. Additionally, around 50% of the endocytic patches exhibit abnormal spatial dynamics, with immobile patches and patches that bounce backwards to the cell surface, showing a pervasive effect of the absence of AP‐2. These alterations in the endocytic machinery result in abnormal cell wall synthesis and morphogenesis. Our results complement those found in budding yeast and confirm that a direct role of AP‐2 in endocytosis has been conserved throughout evolution.
Seasonal movements of river dolphins (Inia geoffrensis) in a protected Amazonian floodplain
Authors: Mintzer Vanessa J. , Lorenzen Kai , Frazer Thomas K. , da Silva Vera M. F. , Martin Anthony R. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractDeliberate killing for use as bait in a regional catfish (Calophysus macropterus) fishery is the primary threat affecting the survival of the Amazon river dolphin, or boto (Inia geoffrensis). Establishing and improving freshwater protected areas has been suggested as a possible course of action to protect the species. However, the ecology of the boto is poorly understood and more information is needed on the species’ habitat use and movement patterns to ensure that spatial protection initiatives meet conservation needs. In this study, mark‐recapture/resight data collected in and near the Mamirauá Sustainable Development Reserve, a várzea in the Brazilian Amazon, was used to examine transition probabilities of botos between various habitat types. Our findings suggest that it is imperative that spatial protection initiatives focused on the boto take into account the importance of várzea habitat and bay systems for individuals in early life stages. Moreover, because botos frequently occupy the main rivers, particularly during the low water period, protecting areas of the main river waters adjacent to várzeas could aid in the protection of hunted populations.
Seasonality of Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) calls off the western Antarctic Peninsula
Authors: Dominello Talia , Širović Ana 
Published: January 2016

AbstractThe Antarctic minke whale (Balaenoptera bonaerensis) is a difficult species to study because of its low visual detectability and preference for living within the sea ice habitat, accessible only by ice‐strengthened vessels. Recent identification of the Antarctic minke whale as the source of the seasonally ubiquitous bio‐duck call has allowed the use of this sound, as well as downsweeps, to investigate seasonality trends and diel patterns in Antarctic minke whale call production, and their relationship to sea ice cover. Passive acoustic data were collected using an autonomous Acoustic Recording Package (ARP) off the western Antarctic Peninsula. Bio‐duck calls were classified into four distinct call variants, with one variant having two subtypes. Bio‐duck calls were detected between April and November, with increasing call duration during the austral winter, indicating a strong seasonality in call production. Downsweeps, which were also attributed to Antarctic minke whales, were present throughout most months during the recording period, with a peak in July, and an absence in March and April. Both bio‐duck and downsweeps were significantly correlated with sea ice cover. No diel patterns were observed in bio‐duck calls or in downsweep call production at this site.
The effects of proton pump inhibitors on autonomic tone in patients with erosive and non‐erosive esophagitis
Authors: Jones E. L. , Perring S. , Khattab A. , Allenby‐Smith O. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractBackgroundReduction in autonomic tone as measured by heart rate variability (HRV) has been associated with various inflammatory conditions including reflux disease. The nature of and permanence of this damage have not been fully assessed.MethodsFourteen individuals with non‐erosive reflux disease (NERD) and 10 individuals with erosive reflux disease (ERD) as identified on endoscopy were assessed for HRV prior to starting a course of proton pump inhibitor (PPI) therapy and 8 weeks from the start of PPI therapy.Key ResultsReflux symptoms were significantly improved by PPI therapy (p = 0.001), with no significant difference in reflux symptoms between the NERD and ERD groups either before (p = 0.45) or following therapy (p = 0.17). The ERD group displayed reduced HRV prior to PPI therapy as compared with a non‐symptomatic group. There was significant improvement of HRV resulting from PPI therapy in the ERD group as measured by inspiration/expiration ratio on forced breathing (p = 0.02), Valsalva ratio (p = 0.03), and extended metronome‐guided breathing at 6 breaths per minute (p = 0.03). While a similar pattern was seen in the NERD group, the effects were not as strong and did not reach statistical significance.Conclusions & InferencesThe results are consistent with a growing body of evidence that cardiac autonomic neuropathy as measured by HRV is associated with gastro‐esophageal reflux disease and also suggest that successful treatment of the inflammation can lead to reversal of the deterioration of autonomic tone associated with that inflammation.
5′UTR +24T>C CR2 is not associated with nasopharyngeal carcinoma development in the North Region of Portugal
Authors: Sousa H , Bastos MJ , Ribeiro J , Oliveira S , Breda E , Catarino R , Medeiros R 
Published: January 2016

ObjectiveWe have analysed the association of the +24T>C polymorphism (rs3813946) in CR2, the cellular receptor for Epstein–Barr virus (EBV), in the susceptibility for the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).MethodsA retrospective case–control study was developed with peripheral blood samples from 111 individuals with NPC and 608 healthy individuals (controls) from the North region of Portugal. The genotyping analysis was performed by allelic discrimination real‐time PCR using a TaqMan® SNP Genotyping Assay.ResultsThe genotype distribution was 62.2% TT, 34.2% TC and 3.6% CC for NPC patients; and 65.0%, 30.6% and 4.4%, respectively, for controls. Our study showed no statistical association between the genotype distribution in controls and all types of NPC (P = 0.717); nevertheless, the analysis showed statistically significant differences (P = 0.038) regarding cases with well‐ or moderately differentiated types of NPC suggesting that +24CC/CT genotypes are associated with increased risk (OR = 4.16; 95% CI 1.28–15.7; P = 0.016).ConclusionsThis is the first study in Western populations to characterize the association of the CR2 +24T>C polymorphism in NPC development, and our results suggest that more studies are required to clarify the impact on NPC susceptibility in different populations.
Patterns of differentially expressed genes in oral mucosal lesions visualised under autofluorescence (VELscope™)
Authors: Kordbacheh F , Bhatia N , Farah CS 
Published: January 2016

ObjectivesWe aimed to elucidate the molecular pathways associated with fluorescence properties of oral potentially malignant disorders (OPMD) visualised under direct tissue autofluorescence (VELscope™).Materials and MethodsForty‐two oral mucosal biopsies correlated with clinical fluorescence characteristics were categorised based on histopathological diagnosis. Four oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), 15 oral epithelial dysplasia (OED), nine oral lichen planus (OLP) and 14 oral epithelial hyperplasia (OEH) presenting with three fluorescence patterns including retained fluorescence (RF), loss of fluorescence (LAF) with blanching (LB) and LAF with no blanching (LNB) were assessed. Relative gene expression was measured through RNA sequencing.ResultsAlthough each lesion type had a specific set of histology‐related differentially expressed genes (DEGs), all tested samples shared a number of DEGs, and we could not identify a discriminatory component between histological groups. Gene ontology enrichment revealed LAF in OEH was mostly due to changes in inflammation, cell cycle regulation and apoptosis, while in OED was due to inflammation, angiogenesis and extracellular matrix remodelling. Inflammatory reactions were associated with diascopic fluorescence (DF) for both OEH and OED.ConclusionUncovering the molecular mechanisms underlying LAF and DF may lead to reduction in the number of false‐positive and false‐negative findings and improve the efficacy and utility of VELscope™.
Successful reduced‐intensity stem cell transplantation for GATA2 deficiency before progression of advanced MDS
Authors: Saida Satoshi , Umeda Katsutsugu , Yasumi Takahiro , Matsumoto Akane , Kato Itaru , Hiramatsu Hidefumi , Ohara Osamu , Heike Toshio , Adachi Souichi 
Published: January 2016

AbstractA 13‐yr‐old boy bearing lymphedema and congenital deafness had distinct hematological abnormalities consisting of reduced monocytes, B cells, and dendritic cells in the peripheral blood as well as MDS with normal karyotype in the bone marrow. The patient was diagnosed with Emberger syndrome by sequencing of GATA2 DNA, and underwent RIST from an HLA‐matched unrelated donor. Prompt engraftment and immunological reconstitution were observed without any severe RRT. As most patients with GATA2 anomaly died due to the development of AML or active infections, RIST could be a promising treatment option before progression of advanced MDS.
Size and protein content of accessory glands in adult male Caloptilia fraxinella in different physiological states
Authors: Lemmen Joelle , Andrew Keddie B. , Evenden Maya L. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractReproductive diapause is a strategy employed by some insects to coordinate reproduction with the appropriate environmental conditions for mate location and offspring development. Male Caloptilia fraxinella Ely (Lepidoptera: Gracillariidae) eclose in July in reproductive diapause, and remain unmated until May of the next year, when they emerge from overwintering sites in a reproductively active state. The present study assesses characteristics of male sex accessory glands (SAG) throughout the adult life stage when males are reproductively active and in early and late reproductive diapause. Male SAG are longer and positively correlate with moth body size when males are reproductively active in the spring compared with males in reproductive diapause in the summer and autumn. Male SAG also contain significantly more protein during the period of reproductive activity than during reproductive diapause. Access to a carbohydrate nutrition source does not impact male SAG length or protein concentration when males are reproductively active in the spring. Treatment with a Juvenile Hormone analogue in the autumn, but not the summer, tends to increase the total protein concentration compared with that of untreated control moths.
Enhanced Photocatalytic Degradation of 17α‐Ethinylestradiol Exhibited by Multifunctional ZnFe2O4–Ag/rGO Nanocomposite Under Visible Light
Authors: Khadgi Nirina , Li Yi , Upreti Akhanda Raj , Zhang Chi , Zhang Wenlong , Wang Yuming , Wang Dawei 
Published: January 2016

AbstractIn this paper, ZnFe2O4, a visible light active photocatalyst, was comodified by graphene oxide (GO) and Ag nanoparticles (NPs) to form ZnFe2O4–Ag/rGO nanocomposite (NC) by facile one‐pot hydrothermal method. Reduction of GO and formation of ZnFe2O4 and Ag nanoparticles occurred simultaneously during hydrothermal reaction. The photocatalytic activity of the NC was investigated under visible light, for the degradation of 17α‐ethinylestradiol (EE2), a nondye compound, which also is an emerging pollutant with endocrine‐disrupting activity. The pseudo rate constant (k′) of as‐synthesized ZnFe2O4–Ag/rGO NC was higher by the factor of 14.6 and 5.6 times than the corresponding ZnFe2O4 and ZnFe2O4/rGO respectively. The synergistic interactions between ZnFe2O4, Ag and rGO leading to decreased aggregation of the NPs, increased surface area, better absorption in visible region, effective electron–hole generation transfer. However, in the presence of humic acid (HA), the photosensitization effect was predominated by competitive interaction resulting in only 80% removal of EE2 within the same time. Moreover, the composite can easily be magnetically separated for reuse.
Effectiveness of the Japanese DOLOPLUS‐2: a pain assessment scale for patients with moderate‐to‐severe dementia
Authors: Ando Chiaki , Ito Yoshinori , Amemiya Shimon , Tamura Kyoko , Kako Ken , Tsuzura Satoko , Yoshida Ryoichi , Hishinuma Michiko 
Published: January 2016

AbstractBackgroundThis study aimed to assess whether the Japanese DOLOPLUS‐2 scale could effectively identify pain in elderly individuals with moderate‐to‐severe dementia.MethodsThis study used a pre‐test/post‐test design with purposive sampling to select an experimental group and a historical control group. The inclusion criteria were a Functional Assessment Staging score of 5 or 6, a diagnosis of an orthopaedic disease that typically involves pain, the ability to say ‘I am currently in pain’ (to prevent medication errors), and a total DOLOPLUS‐2 scale score ≥5 at the first pain assessment. In the experimental group (n = 19), each patient was assessed by the DOLOPLUS‐2 scale at 2PM and 9PM each day for 5 days. If a patient's total score was ≥5, analgesics were prescribed and the patient was re‐assessed approximately 3 hours later. In the control group (n = 20), data were collected from medical records over a 1‐year period, and we matched the characteristics of the control group to that of the experimental group. We also reviewed nursing records to determine the number of times analgesics had been administered over the 5 days after the nurses had first recorded that the patient had experienced pain.ResultsAmong the 19 patients in the experimental group, 15 received pain medication because of a total pain score ≥5. Before treatment, their mean DOLOPLUS‐2 scale score was 7.5 ± 3.2, and their score significantly decreased to 2.9 ± 2.1 (P < 0.001) after treatment. The experimental group also received significantly more treatments with analgesic medication than the control group (χ2 = 16.033, P < 0.001, φ = 0.641).ConclusionThis study's findings suggested that the Japanese DOLOPLUS‐2 scale could adequately identify pain in elderly individuals with moderate‐to‐severe dementia.
Use of phytases in fish and shrimp feeds: a review
Authors: Lemos Daniel , Tacon Albert G. J. 
Published: January 2016

AbstractPhytases have been employed in animal feeds for several years, used primarily for reducing the environmental impact and phosphorus loads of farm effluents. Beneficial effect of dietary phytase has been associated with the limited ability of monogastric animals to utilize dietary plant phytates. To date, numerous studies have shown the positive effect of phytase supplementation on the availability of dietary phosphorus and trace minerals within plant‐based feeds for monogastric farm animals, including farmed fish and shrimp. Individual feed ingredients may also be improved with phytases as an exogenous treatment, also termed pre‐conditioning dephytinization prior to mixing. This review presents data on the potential benefit of phytase application for fish and shrimp species in improving digestibility of phosphorus and other minerals as well as organics nutrient fractions such as protein, amino acids and lipids.
Induction, Normality and Reasoning with Arbitrary Objects
Authors: Valaris Markos 
Published: January 2016

AbstractThis paper concerns the apparent fact — discussed by Sinan Dogramaci (2010) and Brian Weatherson (2012) — that inductive reasoning often interacts in disastrous ways with patterns of reasoning that seem perfectly fine in the deductive case. In contrast to Dogramaci's and Weatherson's own suggestions, I argue that these cases show that we cannot reason inductively about arbitrary objects. Moreover, as I argue, this prohibition is neatly explained by a certain hypothesis about the rational basis of inductive reasoning — namely, the hypothesis that inductive reasoning is fundamentally reasoning about what normally happens (in a non‐statistical sense).
A Two-Sample Distribution-Free Test for Functional Data with Application to a Diffusion Tensor Imaging Study of Multiple Sclerosis
Authors: Pomann Gina-Maria , Staicu Ana-Maria , Ghosh Sujit 
Published: January 2016

SummaryMotivated by an imaging study, the paper develops a non-parametric testing procedure for testing the null hypothesis that two samples of curves observed at discrete grids and with noise have the same underlying distribution. The objective is to compare formally white matter tract profiles between healthy individuals and multiple-sclerosis patients, as assessed by conventional diffusion tensor imaging measures. We propose to decompose the curves by using functional principal component analysis of a mixture process, which we refer to as marginal functional principal component analysis. This approach reduces the dimension of the testing problem in a way that enables the use of traditional non-parametric univariate testing procedures. The procedure is computationally efficient and accommodates different sampling designs. Numerical studies are presented to validate the size and power properties of the test in many realistic scenarios. In these cases, the test proposed has been found to be more powerful than its primary competitor. Application to the diffusion tensor imaging data reveals that all the tracts studied are associated with multiple sclerosis and the choice of the diffusion tensor image measurement is important when assessing axonal disruption.
Decomposing Quantile Wage Gaps: A Conditional Likelihood Approach
Authors: Van Kerm Philippe , Yu Seunghee , Choe Chung 
Published: January 2016

SummaryThe paper develops a parametric variant of the Machado–Mata simulation methodology to examine quantile wage differences between groups of workers, with an application to the wage gap between native and foreign workers in Luxembourg. Relying on conditional-likelihood-based ‘parametric quantile regression’ in place of the standard linear quantile regression is parsimonious and cuts computing time drastically with no loss in the accuracy of marginal quantile simulations in our application. We find that the native worker advantage is a concave function of quantile: the advantage is small (possibly negative) for both low and high quantiles, but it is large for the middle half of the quantile range (between the 20th and 70th native wage percentiles).