bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Pou5f3.2‐induced proliferative state of embryonic cells during gastrulation of Xenopus laevis embryo
Authors: Nishitani Eriko , Li Chong , Lee Jaehoon , Hotta Hiroyo , Katayama Yuta , Yamaguchi Masahiro , Kinoshita Tsutomu 
Published: December 2015

POU class V (POU‐V) transcription factors play the important role in maintenance of pluripotency and cell differentiation. Pou5f3.2 (Oct25), one of Xenopus POU‐V transcription factors, shows the zygotic expression prior to gastrulation. In order to know the molecular mechanism of pou5f3.2 expression at gastrula stage, we examined a responsiveness of pou5f3.2 to Nodal signaling. Animal cap assay demonstrated that Xnr2 activates the gene expression of pou5f3.2. In comparative analysis of the 5′‐flanking region of pou5f3.2 between Xenopus laevis and X. tropicalis, two conserved regions were detected within the flanking region. Reporter analyses showed that one of the conserved regions contained an enhancer region, which had several Smad2/3 and FoxH1 binding motifs. ChIP assay demonstrated that Smad2 binds to the enhancer region. These results suggest that Nodal signaling induces zygotic expression of pou5f3.2 at gastrula stage. To understand a role of pou5f3.2 in gastrula embryos, morpholino oligo DNA of pou5f3.2 was injected into the lateral side of one blastomere at the 2‐cell stage. The morphant embryos showed diminution of Xbra1 expression and gastrulation defect in the injection side, suggesting the essential role of pou5f3.2 at the gastrula stage. Xbra1 expression and gastrulation were also inhibited by injecting with the synthesized RNAs of pou5f3.2. Furthermore, in the pou5f3.2‐injected embryo, gene expression of p27Xic1 was drastically suppressed, and the number of dividing cells increased in the injection side. These results suggest that one role of pou5f3.2 is to keep the embryonic cells in undifferentiated and proliferative state during gastrulation.
The epidermal growth factor receptor decreases Stathmin 1 and triggers catagen entry in the mouse
Authors: Bichsel Kyle J. , Hammiller Brianna , Trempus Carol S. , Li Yanhua , Hansen Laura A. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThe epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is necessary for normal involution of hair follicles after the growth phase of anagen, although the mechanisms through which it acts are not well understood. In this report, we used transcriptional profiling of microdissected hair follicles from mice with skin‐targeted deletion of Egfr to investigate how EGFR activation triggers catagen. Immunofluorescence for phospho‐EGFR in mouse skin revealed increased activation of EGFR in follicular keratinocytes at catagen onset. Consistent with other models of EGFR deficiency, mice with skin‐targeted deletion of Egfr (Krt14‐Cre+/Egfrfl/fl) exhibited a delayed and asynchronous catagen entry. Transcriptional profiling at the time of normal catagen onset at post‐natal day (P) 17 revealed increased expression of the mitotic regulator Rcc2 in hair follicles lacking EGFR. Rcc2 protein was strongly immunopositive in the nuclei of control follicular keratinocytes at P16 then rapidly decreased until it was undetectable between P18 and 21. In contrast, Rcc2 expression continued in Egfr mutant follicles throughout this period. Proliferation, measured by bromodeoxyuridine incorporation, was also significantly increased in Egfr mutant follicular keratinocytes compared to controls at P18‐21. Similarly, Rcc2‐regulated mitotic regulator Stathmin 1 was strikingly reduced in control but not Egfr mutant follicles between P17 and P19. Deletion of Stmn1, in turn, accelerated catagen entry associated with premature cessation of proliferation in the hair follicles. These data reveal EGFR suppression of mitotic regulators including Rcc2 and Stathmin 1 as a mechanism for catagen induction in mouse skin.
Disturbance history influences stressor impacts: effects of a fungicide and nutrients on microbial diversity and litter decomposition
Authors: Gardeström Johanna , Ermold Matti , Goedkoop Willem , McKie Brendan G. 
Published: December 2015

Summary

Streams draining agricultural catchments are severely degraded by multiple stressors, including nutrient enrichment and pesticides. The understanding of how such stressors interact to alter ecosystem structure and function, and how responses of biota reflect their longer‐term disturbance history, remains limited.

We conducted a multifactorial stream microcosm experiment to investigate how elevated nutrients and a fungicide (azoxystrobin) interact to affect multiple variables associated with leaf decomposition: the biomass, sporulation rate and diversity of aquatic hyphomycete decomposers, litter decomposition rates and detritivore growth.

We further manipulated decomposer species composition by using three distinct fungal assemblages drawn from streams with contrasting histories of agricultural disturbance: a forest stream, a mixed land‐use stream subject to nutrient enrichment but little pesticide use, and an agricultural stream subjected to both intensive nutrient and pesticide use. We also varied the presence of the detritivorous isopod Asellus aquaticus.

The fungicide azoxystrobin reduced both biomass and diversity of aquatic hyphomycetes and growth of A. aquaticus, and had negative knock‐on effects on leaf decomposition and fungal sporulation. These impacts further varied with nutrient concentration.

Impacts of the fungicide differed markedly among the three fungal assemblages. The agricultural assemblages were dominated by tolerant species and showed some capacity for maintaining processes under pesticide exposure, whereas diversity and functioning were strongly suppressed in the forest stream assemblage, which was dominated by stress‐intolerant species.

Pesticides, in interaction with other agricultural stressors, can impact microbial diversity and key ecosystem processes underlying the delivery of ecosystem services from streams. The extent of such impacts vary according to the longer‐term disturbance history of the biota, and might be most acute when agricultural activity expands into previously uncultivated catchments, as is currently occurring in many regions of the world.
Temporal dynamics influenced by global change: bee community phenology in urban, agricultural, and natural landscapes
Authors: Leong Misha , Ponisio Lauren C. , Kremen Claire , Thorp Robbin W. , Roderick George K. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractUrbanization and agricultural intensification of landscapes are important drivers of global change, which in turn have direct impacts on local ecological communities leading to shifts in species distributions and interactions. Here, we illustrate how human‐altered landscapes, with novel ornamental and crop plant communities, result not only in changes to local community diversity of floral‐dependent species, but also in shifts in seasonal abundance of bee pollinators. Three years of data on the spatio‐temporal distributions of 91 bee species show that seasonal patterns of abundance and species richness in human‐altered landscapes varied significantly less compared to natural habitats in which floral resources are relatively scarce in the dry summer months. These findings demonstrate that anthropogenic environmental changes in urban and agricultural systems, here mediated through changes in plant resources and water inputs, can alter the temporal dynamics of pollinators that depend on them. Changes in phenology of interactions can be an important, though frequently overlooked, mechanism of global change.
Xylem morphology determines the drought response of two Arundo donax ecotypes from contrasting habitats
Authors: Haworth Matthew , Centritto Mauro , Giovannelli Alessio , Marino Giovanni , Proietti Noemi , Capitani Donatella , De Carlo Anna , Loreto Francesco 
Published: December 2015

AbstractArundo donax exhibits rapid growth and requires little nutrient input, making it an ideal perennial biomass crop species. However, this growth is accompanied by high rates of water use, potentially restricting the use of A. donax in rain‐fed marginal lands. Here, we investigated the physiological and morphological responses to drought in two ecotypes of A. donax from contrasting habitats: one from an arid environment in Morocco, and the second from a warm humid sub‐Mediterranean climate in central Italy. Prolonged drought resulted in identical reductions in leaf‐level photosynthesis (PN) and stomatal conductance (Gs) in the two ecotypes. However, water deficit induced an increase in xylem vessel diameter in the Moroccan plants, improving the movement of water along the stem, but also likely reducing the resistance to embolism. In contrast, the Italian ecotype reduced xylem vessel area, thus increasing resistance to water transport and xylem embolism. The increased xylem vessel size and associated vulnerability to embolism in the Moroccan plants may have contributed to an increase in the loss of leaf numbers, but also to higher relative water content (RWC) in the remaining leaves in comparison to the Italian ecotype, where a greater number of leaves persisted. Despite the Moroccan plants possessing stems with a lower basal area than their Italian counterparts, both ecotypes exhibited identical leaf to supporting stem area ratios under both control and water deficit conditions. This may account for the similarities observed in leaf area measures of PN and Gs in this and previous studies of different A. donax ecotypes. Selection of A. donax ecotypes on the basis of xylem responses to drought may facilitate the development of varieties suited to arid environments prone to severe drought and wetter habitats where prolonged droughts occur less frequently.
Impact of multimodal treatment on prognosis for patients with metastatic upper urinary tract urothelial cancer: Subanalysis of the multi‐institutional nationwide case series study of the Japanese Urological Association
Authors: Inokuchi Junichi , Naito Seiji , Fujimoto Hiroyuki , Hara Tomohiko , Sakura Mizuaki , Nishiyama Hiroyuki , Miyazaki Jun , Kikuchi Eiji , Hinotsu Shiro , Koie Takuya , Ohyama Chikara ,   the Cancer Registration Committee of the Japanese Urological Association
Published: December 2015

ObjectivesTo describe the nature of metastatic upper urinary tract urothelial cancer and determine the prognostic predictors or treatment modality associated with all‐cause mortality.MethodsWithin the nationwide case series study of the Japanese Urological Association, consisting of 1509 patients with urinary tract urothelial cancer diagnosed in 2005, we identified 102 patients with metastatic urinary tract urothelial cancer. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses identified prognostic outcome variables.ResultsPredominant sites of distant metastasis at diagnosis were the lungs (54.9%), distant lymph nodes (37.3%), bone (32.4%) and liver (19.6%). Of 102 patients, 70 patients (68.6%) died during the median follow‐up period of 6 months, and the 2‐year overall survival rate was estimated at 22%. The median survival time to all‐cause mortality was 8.5 months (95% confidence interval 6.4–10.7 months). On multivariate analysis, independent predictive factors for all‐cause mortality were age (hazard ratio 2.36, P = 0.015) and liver metastasis (hazard ratio 2.35, P = 0.037). Patients who received multimodal treatment including chemotherapy and surgery showed significantly better prognosis (median survival time 25.8 months) compared with patients treated with chemotherapy alone (median survival time 7.3 months) or best supportive care (median survival time 4.3 months).ConclusionsAge at diagnosis and the presence of liver metastasis seem to have an impact on survival of metastatic urinary tract urothelial cancer patients. Multimodal treatment including systemic chemotherapy and surgery might result in better prognosis in some of these patients.
Enhancing Statistics Education by Including Qualitative Research
Authors: Ograjenšek Irena , Gal Iddo 
Published: December 2015

SummaryIn this paper, we propose to re‐examine the role of qualitative thinking in the early stages of learning statistics and, where relevant, integrate selected elements of qualitative research methods into statistics curricula. We believe that this can help to improve statistics education, deepen desired student understanding of the role of statistics in providing answers to real‐world problems and address recurring concerns about student motivation. The paper clarifies the logic underlying our proposal, examines existing connections between qualitative and quantitative research during instruction that often go unacknowledged and can be built upon, explores practical implementation issues and discusses advantages as well as limitations of the proposed approach.
A quartet method based on variable neighborhood search for biomedical literature extraction and clustering
Authors: Consoli Sergio , Stilianakis Nikolaos I. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractMedline/PubMed is the largest reference database collecting, organizing, and analyzing biomedical literature. We propose an automated methodology that is capable of searching relevant references for systematic reviews and meta‐analysis from the Medline/PubMed database, and then to visualize the retrieved bibliography through an intuitive method based on a graph layout. In particular, document relationships are represented via the quartet method of hierarchical clustering. As this novel approach is based on an NP‐hard combinatorial problem, a reduced variable neighborhood search is used for producing the graph of document clusters as output from the input distance matrix whereby the number of clusters is not known in advance. The distance matrix is derived from the link‐ranking XML data returned by PubMed with the search results. It is demonstrated how the method allows to retrieve biomedical related bibliography, to find the structure of the literature collection examined, and to detect linked works within thematic areas of interest. With this methodology, scientists are assisted in the analysis of complex citations networks from the biomedical literature.
Late Holocene expansion of ponderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) in the Central Rocky Mountains, USA
Authors: Norris Jodi R. , Betancourt Julio L. , Jackson Stephen T. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractAimPonderosa pine (Pinus ponderosa) experienced one of the most extensive and rapid post‐glacial plant migrations in western North America. We used plant macrofossils from woodrat (Neotoma) middens to reconstruct its spread in the Central Rocky Mountains, identify other vegetation changes coinciding with P. ponderosa expansion at the same sites, and relate P. ponderosa migrational history to both its modern phylogeography and to a parallel expansion by Utah juniper (Juniperus osteosperma).LocationCentral Rocky Mountains, Wyoming and Montana, and Black Hills, Wyoming and South Dakota, USA.MethodsPlant macrofossils were analysed in 90 middens collected at 14 widely separated sites in the northern part of the range of P. ponderosa var. scopulorum. Middens with and without P. ponderosa were 14C dated to pinpoint time of appearance at each site. Sensitivity experiments using a bioclimatic model were used to evaluate potential climatic drivers of late Holocene expansion.ResultsPinus ponderosa colonized the Black Hills region by at least 3850 yr bp (all ages given in calendar years before present). It expanded into the eastern Bighorn Mountains of northern Wyoming by 2630 yr bp, quickly spreading north in the western Bighorns from 1400 to 1000 yr bp. Concurrent with the latter expansion, P. ponderosa spread c. 350 km to the Little Belt and Big Belt Mountains in western Montana, establishing its northern limit and the modern introgression zone between var. scopulorum and var. ponderosa. Expansion in the Central Rockies of P. ponderosa involved two known haplotypes.Main conclusionsPinus ponderosa expanded its range across large parts of northern Wyoming and central Montana during the late Holocene, probably in response to both northward and westward increases in summer temperature and rainfall. The underlying climatic driver may be the same as for the contemporaneous expansion of J. osteosperma, but will remain undetermined without focused development and integration of independent palaeoclimate records in the region.
Functional decoupling between flowers and leaves in the Ameroglossum pernambucense complex can facilitate local adaptation across a pollinator and climatic heterogeneous landscape
Authors: Wanderley A. M. , Galetto L. , Machado I. C. S. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractDecoupling between floral and leaf traits is expected in plants with specialized pollination systems to assure a precise flower–pollinator fit, irrespective of leaf variation associated with environmental heterogeneity (functional modularity). Nonetheless, developmental interactions among floral traits also decouple flowers from leaves regardless of selection pressures (developmental modularity). We tested functional modularity in the hummingbird‐pollinated flowers of the Ameroglossum pernambucense complex while controlling for developmental modularity. Using two functional traits responsible for flower–pollinator fit [floral tube length (TL) and anther–nectary distance (AN)], one floral trait not linked to pollination [sepal length (SL), control for developmental modularity] and one leaf trait [leaf length (LL)], we found evidence of flower functional modularity. Covariation between TL and AN was ca. two‐fold higher than the covariation of either of these traits with sepal and leaf lengths, and variations in TL and AN, important for a precise flower–pollinator fit, were smaller than SL and LL variations. Furthermore, we show that previously reported among‐population variation of flowers associated with local pollinator phenotypes was independent from SL and LL variations. These results suggest that TL and AN are functionally linked to fit pollinators and sufficiently decoupled from developmentally related floral traits (SL) and vegetative traits (LL). These results support previous evidences of population differentiation due to local adaptation in the A. pernambucense complex and shed light on the role of flower–leaf decoupling for local adaptation in species distributed across biotic and abiotic heterogeneous landscapes.
Small and large fiber neuropathy in those with type 1 and type 2 diabetes: a 5‐year follow‐up study
Authors: Løseth Sissel , Stålberg Erik V. , Lindal Sigurd , Olsen Edel , Jorde Rolf , Mellgren Svein I. 
Published: December 2015

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to evaluate progression of diabetic polyneuropathy and differences in the spectrum and evolution of large‐ and small‐fiber involvement in patients with diabetes type 1 and 2 over 5 years. Fifty‐nine patients (35 type 1 and 24 type 2) were included. Nerve conduction studies (NCS), quantitative sensory testing, skin biopsy for quantification of intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD), symptom scoring and clinical evaluations were performed. Z‐scores were calculated to adjust for the physiologic effects of age and height/gender. Neuropathic symptoms were not significantly more frequent in type 2 than in type 1 diabetic patients at follow‐up (54% vs. 37%). The overall mean NCS Z‐score remained within the normal range, but there was a small significant decline after 5 years in both groups: type 1 (p = 0.004) and type 2 (p = 0.02). Mean IENFD Z‐scores changed from normal to abnormal in both groups, but only significantly in those with type 2 diabetes (reduction from 7.9 ± 4.8 to 4.3 ± 2.8 fibers/mm, p = 0.006). Cold perception threshold became more abnormal only in those with type 2 diabetes (p = 0.049). There was a minimal progression of large fiber neuropathy in both groups. Reduction of small fibers predominated and progressed more rapidly in those with type 2 diabetes.
Chromium picolinate reduces insulin resistance in polycystic ovary syndrome: Randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ashoush Sherif , Abou‐Gamrah Amgad , Bayoumy Hassan , Othman Noura 
Published: December 2015

AbstractAimTo investigate the effect of chromium picolinate (CrP) on insulin resistance (IR) in polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS).MethodsThis double blinded randomized controlled trial was conducted in the Gynecology outpatient clinics at Ain Shams University Women's Hospital. Using closed and randomly mixed envelopes, 100 women were selected out of 400 PCOS patients. Eighty‐five patients finished the study and were analyzed, 44 in group I and 41 in group II. They were randomly allocated to 6 months of either 1000 μg CrP (50 patients), or placebo capsules (50 patients). Patients were seen monthly to encourage similar diet control and physical exercise plans. The primary outcome was fasting glucose insulin ratio (FGIR), secondary outcomes included ovulation, regularity of the cycle, body mass index (BMI), fasting blood sugar (FBS), fasting serum insulin (FSI), and serum testosterone level.ResultsThere were no significant differences between women of both groups regarding pretreatment levels of FBS, FSI, FGIR, and serum testosterone. Use of CrP for 6 months was associated with significant reduction of BMI (P < 0.001) and FSI (P = 0.007), and significant rise in FGIR (P = 0.045). CrP significantly increased the chances of ovulation (P = 0.011) and regular menstruation (P = 0.002) by almost twofold after the fifth month of treatment.ConclusionChromium picolinate is useful in PCOS to reduce IR and stimulate ovulation.
Stakeholder Relationship Bonds
Authors: Bosse Douglas A. , Coughlan Richard 
Published: December 2015

AbstractScholars and managers continue to seek a better explanation for the behaviours displayed by various stakeholders. An enhanced understanding of the drivers of these behaviours ought to improve an organization's ability to appropriately manage relationships with stakeholders, thereby improving firm performance. This paper provides a detailed look at the concept of a relationship, from the perspective of the stakeholder, by focusing on the perceived psychological bonds that drive a stakeholder to decide whether to continue a relationship with the firm and, if the relationship does continue, how much pro‐relationship behaviour to exert. Our analysis works out how the strength of the perceived psychological bond is measured and establishes the conditions under which bonds will be broken. We also develop conditions that either promote or quash stakeholders’ pro‐relationship behaviour.