bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Seasonal and urban effects on the endocrinology of a wild passerine
Authors: Russ Anja , Reitemeier Susanne , Weissmann Anne , Gottschalk Jutta , Einspanier Almuth , Klenke Reinhard 
Published: November 2015

AbstractIn order to maximize their fitness, organisms in seasonal environments rely on external cues to optimally time their life‐history stages. One of the most important zeitgeber to time reproduction is the photoperiod, but further environmental cues are assessed to fine‐tune reproduction due to year‐to‐year variation in environmental conditions. However, in urbanized environments, the pervasive artificial light at night has altered the natural signal of light and darkness. Accordingly, artificial light at night was repeatedly shown to affect avian reproductive physiology and to advance seasonal reproduction in birds. However, these experiments were mainly conducted in the absence of further environmental cues to facilitate the investigation of the mechanisms which are still poorly understood. Here, we investigate whether the endocrine system of free‐ranging European blackbirds (Turdus merula) correlates with the amount of artificial light at night along a rural to urban gradient while the birds still encounter complementary environmental cues including seasonal variation in day length and temperature. Testosterone and estrone were assessed as metabolites in fecal samples and corticosterone in blood from mist‐netted blackbirds. We demonstrate that seasonal fluctuations in abiotic factors, individual conditions, but also light at night affect the reproductive and stress physiology of wild European blackbirds. Elevated artificial night light intensities were significantly positively correlated with corticosterone and negatively with female estrone levels. No effects of artificial light were found for testosterone levels. Our results suggest that female blackbirds in particular perceive even low levels of artificial light at night as a weak but chronic stressor that interacts with the hypothalamic‐pituitary‐gonadal axis and leads to a reduced secretion of reproductive hormones. These findings point out that the impacts of light pollution are diverse and we only slowly disentangle its multiple effects on physiology, ecology, and biodiversity.
Earlier breeding, lower success: does the spatial scale of climatic conditions matter in a migratory passerine bird?
Authors: Grimm Annegret , Weiß Brigitte M. , Kulik Lars , Mihoub Jean‐Baptiste , Mundry Roger , Köppen Ulrich , Brueckmann Tomas , Thomsen Ruth , Widdig Anja 
Published: November 2015

AbstractFollowing over 20 years of research on the climatic effects on biodiversity we now have strong evidence that climate change affects phenology, fitness, and distribution ranges of different taxa, including birds. Bird phenology likely responds to changes in local weather. It is also affected by climatic year‐to‐year variations on larger scales. Although such scale‐related effects are common in ecology, most studies analyzing the effects of climate change were accomplished using climatic information on a single spatial scale. In this study, we aimed at determining the scale‐dependent sensitivity of breeding phenology and success to climate change in a migratory passerine bird, the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica). For both annual broods, we investigated effects of local weather (local scale) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO, large scale) on the timing of breeding and breeding success. Consistent with previous studies in migratory birds we found that barn swallows in Eastern Germany bred progressively earlier. At the same time, they showed reduced breeding success over time in response to recent climatic changes. Responses to climatic variation were observed on both local and large climatic scales, but they differed with respect to the ecological process considered. Specifically, we found that the timing of breeding was primarily influenced by large‐scale NAO variations and to a lesser extent by local weather on the breeding grounds. Conversely, climatic conditions on the local scale affected breeding success, exclusively. The observed decrease in breeding success over years is likely a consequence of scale‐related mismatches between climatic conditions during different breeding phases. This provides further evidence that a species' response of earlier breeding may not be enough to cope with climate change. Our results emphasize the importance of considering the response of ecological processes along different climatic scales in order to better understand the complexity of climate change effects on biodiversity.
Relationships between vegetation type, peat hydraulic conductivity, and water table dynamics in mountain fens
Authors: Crockett Audrey C. , Ronayne Michael J. , Cooper David J. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractThe ecohydrologic function of fens is characterized by feedbacks between biological and hydrologic processes. Vegetation composition is one important factor that is both responsive to the site hydrologic regime and, by providing the organic material that determines peat hydrophysical properties, influences hydrologic conditions. In this study, we investigated the relationship between vegetation type and peat soil hydraulic conductivity in fen wetlands within the Rocky Mountain National Park, Colorado. We used ponded infiltration tests to estimate the saturated hydraulic conductivity of near‐surface peat in mountain fens with differing vegetation, including large‐sedge fens dominated by Carex aquatilis and Carex utriculata, small‐sedge fens dominated by Eleocharis quinqueflora, and fens with an abundance of woody plants and mosses. Estimated hydraulic conductivities were lowest at the fens dominated by E. quinqueflora, with a median value of 1·3 × 10−3 cm s−1 compared with 1·3 × 10−2 and 9·6 × 10−3 cm s−1, respectively, at the large‐sedge and woody fens. These data help explain historical water table observations at each fen. The E. quinqueflora‐dominated fens in our study area maintain a high water table with saturated conditions throughout the summer growing season. Other fens with higher‐conductivity peat show a more dynamic water table that is below ground surface by late summer. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dysprosium‐ and Ytterbium‐Based Complexes Involving Tetrathiafulvalene Derivatives Functionalised with 2,2′‐Bipyridine or 2,6‐Di(pyrazol‐1‐yl)‐4‐pyridine
Authors: Feng Min , Speed Saskia , Pointillart Fabrice , Lefeuvre Bertrand , Le Guennic Boris , Golhen Stéphane , Cador Olivier , Ouahab Lahcène 
Published: November 2015

AbstractTwo new tetrathiafulvalene‐based ligands {L1 = 4,5‐bis[2,6‐di(pyrazol‐1‐yl)‐4‐pyridylmethylthio]‐4′,5′‐bis(methylthio)tetrathiafulvene, L3 = 4‐(4′‐methyl‐2,2′‐bypiridin‐4‐ylmethylthio)‐5‐(2‐cyanoethylthio)‐4′,5′‐ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvene} have been elaborated and four new lanthanide coordination complexes, namely [Dy2(hfac)6(L1)]·C6H14 (1; hfac– = 1,1,1,5,5,5‐hexafluoroacetylacetonate), [Ln(hfac)3(L2)]·CH2Cl2 {Ln = Dy (2) and Yb (3); L2 = 4,5‐bis[2,6‐di(pyrazol‐1‐yl)‐4‐pyridylmethylthio]‐4′,5′‐ethylenedithiotetrathiafulvene} and [Yb(hfac)3(L3)] (4) were isolated as single crystals. The lanthanide ions adopt an N3O6 nine‐coordination with either a spherical tricapped trigonal prism (D3h) or spherical capped square antiprism (C4v) as coordination polyhedra in complexes 1–3. In 4, the YbIII ion adopts an N2O6 eight‐coordination with a square antiprism (D4d) coordination sphere. The photophysical properties of the ligands L1 and L3 were studied in both solution and solid state and rationalised by time‐dependent density functional theory. Complex 2, in which the DyIII ion has the most regular C4v symmetry, behaves as a field‐induced single‐molecule magnet.
Environment friendly synthesis of magnetite–graphene composite for adsorption of toxic chromium (VI) ions from drinking water
Authors: Harijan Dilip K.L. , Chandra Vimlesh 
Published: November 2015

Magnetite graphene composite (MGC) was synthesized via environment friendly route via thermal reduction of graphene oxide to graphene in alkali solution at 90°C and in the absence of toxic hydrazine hydrate. X‐ray diffraction pattern of MGC shows formation of magnetite phase with crystallite size of 10 nm. TEM image of MGC shows formation of regularly distributed magnetite particles on graphene sheets and average particle size of 10 nm. HRTEM image shows formation of lattice fringes with inter‐planar distance 0.482 nm. AFM shows formation of uniform size particles and cross sectional analysis shows formation of ∼10 nm magnetite particles and 2‐nm‐thick graphene sheets. The presence of different functional groups in the graphene oxide and MGC were confirmed from FTIR and Raman spectrophotometer. The sorption performance of MGC for Cr (VI) was evaluated. The maximum sorption capacity for Cr (VI) on MGC was 5.5 mg g−1 (pH =6.6) which was much higher than that of Fe3O4 nanoparticles. The graphene sheets could not only prevent agglomeration of the Fe3O4 nanoparticles and enable a good dispersion of this oxide, but also substantially enhance the specific surface area of the composite. The MGC composite may be a promising sorption material for the separation and preconcentration of heavy metal ions from aqueous solutions in environmental pollution cleanup. © 2015 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Environ Prog, 35: 700–705, 2016
Context‐awareness over transient cloud in D2D networks: energy performance analysis and evaluation
Authors: Bisio Igor , Lavagetto Fabio , Sciarrone Andrea , Penner Terrence , Guirguis Mina 
Published: November 2015

AbstractThe exponential increase in the number and types of mobile devices, along with their ever‐growing sets of capabilities, have enabled the development of new architectures that aim to harness such heterogeneity. Transient clouds are examples of mobile clouds, which are created on‐the‐fly by the devices present in an environment to share their physical resources (e.g. CPU, memory and network) and would disappear as the nodes leave the network. They enable a device to go beyond its own physical limitations through utilising the capabilities offered by nearby devices over an ad hoc network. This idea exploits the device‐to‐device (D2D) communications paradigm, which allows two nearby devices to communicate with each other in the licenced cellular bandwidth without a base station involved.In this paper, we present a transient context‐aware cloud (TCAC) paradigm based on the assumption that the nodes of the network care more about providing/learning higher level functionalities rather than lower level capabilities in D2D scenario. The proposed architecture, realised by using a WiFi Direct, can be portable through any paradigm, which exploits the D2D communications, so opening the doors to forthcoming 5G scenarios.We present a prototype implementation of our architecture over Android smartphones connected via WiFi Direct along with the performance metrics (power/energy consumption and accuracy) to show the benefits of TCAC. A theoretical and analytical model for the energy consumption related to a device within the TCAC is provided as well. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
NhaA: A Unique Structural Fold of Secondary Active Transporters
Authors: Padan Etana , Michel Hartmut 
Published: November 2015

AbstractThe Na+/H+ antiporters transport sodium (or several other monovalent cations) in exchange for H+ across lipid bilayers in all kingdoms of life. They are critical in the pH homeostasis of cytoplasm and/or organelles. In humans, these proteins are associated with the pathophysiology of various diseases. Yet, the most extensively studied Na+/H+ antiporter is Ec‐NhaA, the main Na+/H+ antiporter of Escherichia coli. The crystal structure of an inactive, down‐regulated Ec‐NhaA, determined at acidic pH, has provided the first structural insights into the antiport mechanism and pH regulation of an Na+/H+ antiporter. It reveals a unique structural fold (called the NhaA fold) in which helical transmembrane segments (TMs) are organized in inverted‐topology repeats, including two antiparallel non‐helical extended chain regions that cross each other, forming a delicate electrostatic balance in the middle of the membrane. The NhaA fold contributes to the cation binding site and facilitates rapid conformational changes of Ec‐NhaA. The NhaA fold has now been recognized to be shared by four Na+/H+ antiporters (bacterial and archaeal) and two Na+ symporters. Thus far, no crystal structure of any of the human Na+/H+ antiporters has been determined. Nevertheless, the Ec‐NhaA crystal structure has enabled the structural modeling of NHE1, NHE9, and NHA2, which are involved in human pathophysiology. Future elucidation of structure‐function relationships of eukaryotic and prokaryotic Na+/H+ antiporters are likely to provide insights into the human pathophysiology. Here, we will focus on the NhaA structural fold which underpins the antiporter functionality of Ec‐NhaA and the secondary active transporters.
Surface Modification of TiO2 Nanoparticles with Vitamin B12: Relationships between Vitamin B12 Content and Its Optical Properties
Authors: Gharagozlou Mehrnaz , Naghibi Sanaz 
Published: November 2015

AbstractAnatase TiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) with particle size of 10–20 nm were prepared via sol gel technique. The as‐synthesized NPs were immerged in vitamin B12 (VB12) solutions with different concentrations. The in‐ fluences of the solution concentration on photoluminescence and photocatalytic activity of the modified NPs were studied. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results demonstrated that TiO2 NPs adsorb VB12 molecules and that a new band is formed at ∼2300 cm−1. The VB12 loading process led to dimin‐ ishing of the aggregation of NPs and formation of a fibre shape structure. The best photoactivity and PL effect among the modified samples was related to sample ‘d’. The optimum processing conditions to achieve this sample was found to be VB12 concentration of 5 g/L.
Dielectric Relaxation Studies of Binary Mixture of α‐Picoline and Methanol Using Time Domain Reflectometry at Different Temperatures
Authors: Trivedi C. M. , Rana V. A. , Hudge P. G. , Kumbharkhane A. C. 
Published: November 2015

AbstractComplex permittivity spectra of binary mixtures of varying concentrations of α‐picoline and methanol (MeOH) were obtained using time domain reflectometry (TDR) technique over frequency range 10 MHz to 25 GHz at 283.15 K, 288.15 K, 293.15 K and 298.15 K temperatures. The dielectric relaxation parame‐ ters namely static permittivity (σ0), high frequency limit permittivity (σoo1) and the relaxation time (ρ) were determined by fitting complex permittivity data to the single Debye/Cole‐Davidson model. Complex non linear least square (CNLS) fitting procedure was carried out using LEVMW software. The excess static permittivity (σ0E) and the excess inverse relaxation time (1/ρ)E which contains information regarding mo‐ lecular structure and interaction between polar — polar liquids, were also determined. From the experimental data, effective Kirkwood correlation factor (geff) and Bruggeman factor (fB) were calculated. Excess parameters were fitted to the Redlich‐Kister polynomial equation. The values of static permittivity and relaxation time increase non‐linearly with increase in the mol fraction of MeOH at all temperatures. The values of excess static permittivity (σ0E) and the excess inverse relaxation time (1/ρ)E are negative for the studied α‐picoline — MeOH system at all temperatures.
UBE2B is implicated in myofibrillar protein loss in catabolic C2C12 myotubes
Authors: Polge Cécile , Leulmi Roza , Jarzaguet Marianne , Claustre Agnes , Combaret Lydie , Béchet Daniel , Heng Anne‐Elisabeth , Attaix Didier , Taillandier Daniel 
Published: November 2015

AbstractBackgroundSkeletal muscle protein loss is an adaptive response to various patho‐physiological situations, and the ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is responsible for the degradation of the bulk of muscle proteins. The role of E2 ubiquitin‐conjugating enzymes is still poorly understood in skeletal muscle.MethodsWe screened for E2s expression levels in C2C12 myotubes submitted to the catabolic glucocorticoid dexamethasone (Dex).ResultsOne micromolar Dex induced an accumulation of proteasome substrates (polyUb conjugates) and an overexpression of the muscle‐specific E3 ligase MuRF1 and of six E2 enzymes, UBE2A, UBE2B, UBE2D1, UBE2D2, UBE2G1, and UBE2J1. However, only MuRF1 and UBE2B were sensitive to mild catabolic conditions (0.16 μM Dex). UBE2B knockdown induced a sharp decrease of total (−18%) and K48 (−28%) Ub conjugates, that is, proteasome substrates, indicating an important role of UBE2B in the overall protein breakdown in catabolic myotubes.ConclusionsInterestingly, these results indicate an important role of UBE2B on muscle protein homeostasis during catabolic conditions.
Cancer cachexia causes skeletal muscle damage via transient receptor potential vanilloid 2‐independent mechanisms, unlike muscular dystrophy
Authors: Iwata Yuko , Suzuki Nobuyuki , Ohtake Hitomi , Kamauchi Shinya , Hashimoto Naohiro , Kiyono Tohru , Wakabayashi Shigeo 
Published: November 2015

AbstractBackgroundMuscle wasting during cancer cachexia contributes to patient morbidity. Cachexia‐induced muscle damage may be understood by comparing its symptoms with those of other skeletal muscle diseases, but currently available data are limited.MethodsWe modelled cancer cachexia in mice bearing Lewis lung carcinoma/colon adenocarcinoma and compared the associated muscle damage with that in a murine muscular dystrophy model (mdx mice). We measured biochemical and immunochemical parameters: amounts/localization of cytoskeletal proteins and/or Ca2+ signalling proteins related to muscle function and abnormality. We analysed intracellular Ca2+ mobilization and compared results between the two models. Involvement of Ca2+‐permeable channel transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 (TRPV2) was examined by inoculating Lewis lung carcinoma cells into transgenic mice expressing dominant‐negative TRPV2.ResultsTumourigenesis caused loss of body and skeletal muscle weight and reduced muscle force and locomotor activity. Similar to mdx mice, cachexia muscles exhibited myolysis, reduced sarcolemmal sialic acid content, and enhanced lysosomal exocytosis and sarcolemmal localization of phosphorylated Ca2+/CaMKII. Abnormal autophagy and degradation of dystrophin also occurred. Unlike mdx muscles, cachexia muscles did not exhibit regeneration markers (centrally nucleated fibres), and levels of autophagic proteolytic pathway markers increased. While a slight accumulation of TRPV2 was observed in cachexia muscles, Ca2+ influx via TRPV2 was not elevated in cachexia‐associated myotubes, and the course of cachexia pathology was not ameliorated by dominant‐negative inhibition of TRPV2.ConclusionsThus, cancer cachexia may induce muscle damage through TRPV2‐independent mechanisms distinct from those in muscular dystrophy; this may help treat patients with tumour‐induced muscle wasting.
Expression of the invertebrate sea urchin P16 protein into mammalian MC3T3 osteoblasts transforms and reprograms them into “osteocyte‐like” cells
Authors: Alvares Keith , Ren Yinshi , Feng Jian Q. , Veis Arthur 
Published: November 2015

ABSTRACTP16 is an acidic phosphoprotein important in both sea urchin embryonic spicule development and transient mineralization during embryogenesis, syncytium formation, and mineralization in mature urchin tooth. Anti‐P16 has been used to localize P16 to the syncytial membranes and the calcite mineral. Specific amino acid sequence motifs in P16 are similar to sequences in DSPP, a protein common to all vertebrate teeth, and crucial for their mineralization. Here, we examine the effect of P16 on vertebrate fibroblastic NIH3T3 cells and osteoblastic MC3T3 cells. Transfection of NIH3T3 cells with P16 cDNA resulted in profound changes in the morphology of the cells. In culture, the transfected cells sent out long processes that contacted processes from neighboring cells forming networks or syncytia. There was a similar change in morphology in cultured osteoblastic MC3T3 cells. In addition, the MC3T3 developed numerous dendrites as found in osteocytes. Importantly, there was also a change in the expression of the osteoblast and osteocyte specific genes. MC3T3 cells transfected with P16 showed an 18‐fold increase in expression of the osteocyte specific Dentin matrix protein (DMP1) gene, accompanied by decreased expression of osteoblast specific genes: Bone sialoprotein (BSP), osteocalcin (OCN), and β‐catenin decreased by 70%, 64%, and 68 %, respectively. Thus, invertebrate urchin P16 with no previously known analog in vertebrates was able to induce changes in both cell morphology and gene expression, converting vertebrate‐derived osteoblast‐like precursor cells to an “osteocyte‐like” phenotype, an important process in bone biology. The mechanisms involved are presently under study. J. Exp. Zool. (Mol. Dev. Evol.) 326B:38–46, 2016. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Development and evaluation of a multichannel endorectal RF coil for prostate MRI at 7T in combination with an external surface array
Authors: Ertürk M. Arcan , Tian Jinfeng , Van de Moortele Pierre‐François , Adriany Gregor , Metzger Gregory J. 
Published: November 2015

PurposeTo develop and evaluate a sterilizable multichannel endorectal coil (ERC) for use in combination with an external surface array (ESA) for high‐resolution anatomical and functional studies of the prostate at 7T.Materials and MethodsA two‐loop ERC (ERC‐2L) and a microstrip‐loop ERC (ERC‐ML) were compared at 7T in terms of transmit and receive performance. The best‐performing ERC was evaluated alone and in combination with the ESA through 1) simulations on both phantom and an anatomically correct numerical human model to assess
transmit and specific absorption rate (SAR) efficiencies, and 2) phantom experiments to calculate
transmit efficiency and signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR). Phantom studies were also performed to look at heating when using the ERC as a transmitter and for comparing the new coil against a single‐channel balloon‐type ERC (ERC‐b). High‐resolution magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) acquisitions were performed on a single healthy subject using the two‐channel ERC combined with the ESA.ResultsCompared to the ERC‐ML, the ERC‐2L demonstrated 20% higher SAR efficiency and higher SNR 3 cm from the coil. The presence of a tuned and detuned ERC‐2L did not alter the peak local SAR of the ESA alone; however, the detuned ERC‐2L had 45% less peak local SAR around the rectum compared to the tuned ERC‐2L. The receive‐only version of the ERC‐2L improved the SNR 4.7‐fold and 1.3‐fold compared to the ESA and ERC‐b, respectively. In combination with the ESA, the ERC‐2L supported in‐plane voxel‐size of 0.36 × 0.36 mm2 in T2‐weighted anatomic imaging.ConclusionThe reusable ERC‐2L combined with an ESA offers a high SNR imaging platform for translational studies of the prostate at 7T. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2016;43:1279–1287.