bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Toxic effects of mercury on the cell nucleus of Dictyostelium discoideum
Authors: Boatti Lara , Rapallo Fabio , Viarengo Aldo , Marsano Francesco 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACTGovernmental agencies (www.epa.gov/mercury) and the scientific community have reported on the high toxicity due to mercury. Indeed, exposure to mercury can cause severe injury to the central nervous system and kidney in humans. Beyond its recognized toxicity, little is known regarding the molecular mechanisms involved in the actions of this heavy metal. Mercury has been also observed to form insoluble fibrous protein aggregates in the cell nucleus. We used D. discoideum to evaluate micronuclei formation and, since mercury is able to induce oxidative stress that could bring to protein aggregation, we assessed nuclear protein carbonylation by Western Blot. We observed a significant increase in micronuclei formation and 14 carbonylated proteins were identified. Moreover, we used isotope‐coded protein label (ICPL) and mass spectrometry analysis of proteins obtained by lysis of purified nuclei, before of tryptic digestion to quantify nuclear proteins affected by mercury. In particular, we examined the effects of mercury that associate a classical genotoxic assay to proteomic effects into the nucleus. The data present direct evidences for mercury genotoxicity, nuclear protein carbonylation, quantitative change in core histones, and the involvement of pseudouridine synthase in mercury toxicity. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Environ Toxicol 32: 417–425, 2017.
Enhancing Iterative Dichotomiser 3 algorithm for classification decision tree
Authors: Khedr Ayman E. , Idrees Amira M. , El Seddawy Ahmed I. 
Published: February 2016

Data mining tasks such as clustering and classification have proved to highly impact various fields such as business, including the banking sector, as well as medicine, including the radiology sector. As the decision‐making process is critically dependent on the availability of high‐quality information presented in a timely and easily understood manner, the successful application of efficient data mining approaches is a great support for achieving the required target in the available time. This study presents an enhancement for the Iterative Dichotomiser 3 (ID3) classification decision tree algorithm based on two related approaches, namely, data partitioning and parallelism. The study applied the proposed algorithm in the banking and radiology sectors; as data have been classified to the defined fields’ clusters, the processing time and the results’ accuracy parameters have been compared with the ID3 algorithm and have proved an enhancement in both parameters. WIREs Data Mining Knowl Discov 2016, 6:70–79. doi: 10.1002/widm.1177This article is categorized under:

Algorithmic Development > Hierarchies and Trees
Application Areas > Government and Public Sector
Application Areas > Health Care
Technologies > Classification
Development and regulation of exosome‐based therapy products
Authors: Batrakova Elena V. , Kim Myung Soo 
Published: February 2016

Recently, various innovative therapies involving the ex vivo manipulation and subsequent reintroduction of exosome‐based therapeutics into humans have been developed and validated, although no exosome‐based therapeutics have yet to be brought into the clinic. Exosomes are nanosized vesicles secreted by many cells that utilize them for cell‐to‐cell communications to facilitate transport of proteins and genetic material. Comprised of cellular membranes with multiple adhesive proteins on their surface, exosomes offer distinct advantages that exceptionally position them as highly effective drug carriers. Additionally, exosomes can exert unique biological activity reflective of their origin that may be used for therapy of various diseases. In fact, exosomes have benefits of both synthetic nanocarriers and cell‐mediated drug delivery systems, and avoid their limitations. This concise review highlights the recent developments in exosome‐based drug delivery systems and the main regulatory considerations for using this type of therapeutic in clinic. WIREs Nanomed Nanobiotechnol 2016, 8:744–757. doi: 10.1002/wnan.1395This article is categorized under:

Therapeutic Approaches and Drug Discovery > Emerging Technologies
Nanotechnology Approaches to Biology > Nanoscale Systems in Biology
Toxicology and Regulatory Issues in Nanomedicine > Regulatory and Policy Issues in Nanomedicine
Non‐Saccharomyces and Saccharomyces strains co‐fermentation increases acetaldehyde accumulation: effect on anthocyanin‐derived pigments in Tannat red wines
Authors: Medina Karina , Boido Eduardo , Fariña Laura , Dellacassa Eduardo , Carrau Francisco 
Published: February 2016

AbstractDuring fermentation, Saccharomyces cerevisiae releases into the medium secondary metabolic products, such as acetaldehyde, able to react with anthocyanins, producing more stable derived pigments. However, very limited reports are found about non‐Saccharomyces effects on grape fermentation. In this study, six non‐Saccharomyces yeast strains, belonging to the genera Metschnikowia and Hanseniaspora, were screened for their effect on red wine colour and wine‐making capacity under pure culture conditions and mixed with Saccharomyces. An artificial red grape must was prepared, containing a phenolic extract of Tannat grapes that allows monitoring changes of key phenol parameters during fermentation, but without skin solids in the medium. When fermented in pure cultures, S. cerevisiae produced higher concentrations of acetaldehyde and vitisin B (acetaldehyde reaction‐dependent) compared to M. pulcherrima M00/09G, Hanseniaspora guillermondii T06/09G, H. opuntiae T06/01G, H. vineae T02/05F and H. clermontiae (A10/82Fand C10/54F). However, co‐fermentation of H. vineae and H. clermontiae with S. cerevisiae resulted in a significantly higher concentration of acetaldehyde compared with the pure S. cerevisiae control. HPLC–DAD–MS analysis confirmed an increased formation of vitisin B in co‐fermentation treatments when compared to pure Saccharomyces fermentation, suggesting the key role of acetaldehyde. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Sex-dependent association between erythrocyten-3 PUFA and type 2 diabetes in older overweight people
Authors: Abbott Kylie A. , Veysey Martin , Lucock Mark , Niblett Suzanne , King Katrina , Burrows Tracy , Garg Manohar L. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThe association betweenn-3 PUFA intake and type 2 diabetes (T2D) is unclear, and studies relating objective biomarkers ofn-3 PUFA consumption to diabetic status remain limited. The aim of this study was to determine whether erythrocyten-3 PUFA levels (n-3 index;n-3I) are associated with T2D in a cohort of older adults (n608). To achieve this, then-3I (erythrocyte %EPA+%DHA) was determined by GC and associated with fasting blood glucose; HbA1c; and plasma insulin. Insulin resistance (IR) was assessed using the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA--IR). OR for T2D were calculated for each quartile ofn-3I. In all, eighty-two type 2 diabetic (46·3 % female; 76·7 (sd5·9) years) and 466 non-diabetic (57·9 % female; 77·8 (sd7·1) years) individuals were included in the analysis. In overweight/obese (BMI≥27 kg/m2), the prevalence of T2D decreased across ascendingn-3I quartiles: 1·0 (reference), 0·82 (95 % CI 0·31, 2·18), 0·56 (95 % CI 0·21, 1·52) and 0·22 (95 % CI 0·06, 0·82) (Ptrend=0·015). A similar but non-significant trend was seen in overweight men. After adjusting for BMI, no associations were found betweenn-3I and fasting blood glucose, HbA1c, insulin or HOMA-IR. In conclusion, higher erythrocyten-3 PUFA status may be protective against the development of T2D in overweight women. Further research is warranted to determine whether dietary interventions that improven-3 PUFA status can improve measures of IR, and to further elucidate sex-dependent differences.
Correlates of dietary energy misreporting among European adolescents: the Healthy Lifestyle in Europe by Nutrition in Adolescence (HELENA) study
Authors: Bel-Serrat Silvia , Julián-Almárcegui Cristina , González-Gross Marcela , Mouratidou Theodora , Börnhorst Claudia , Grammatikaki Evangelia , Kersting Mathilde , Cuenca-García Magdalena , Gottrand Frederic , Molnár Dénes , Hallström Lena , Dallongeville Jean , Plada Maria , Roccaldo Romana , Widhalm Kurt , Moreno Luis A. , Manios Yannis , De Henauw Stefaan , Leclercq Catherine , Vandevijvere Stefanie , Lioret Sandrine , Gutin Bernard , Huybrechts Inge 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis study examined the correlates of dietary energy under-reporting (UR) and over-reporting (OV) in European adolescents. Two self-administered computerised 24-h dietary recalls and physical activity data using accelerometry were collected from 1512 adolescents aged 12·5–17·5 years from eight European countries. Objective measurements of height and weight were obtained. BMI was categorised according to Cole/International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) cut-off points. Diet-related attitudes were assessed via self-administered questionnaires. Reported energy intake (EI) was compared with predicted total energy expenditure to identify UR and OV using individual physical activity objective measures. Associations between misreporting and covariates were examined by multilevel logistic regression analyses. Among all, 33·3 % of the adolescents were UR and 15·6 % were OV when considering mean EI. Overweight (OR 3·25; 95 % CI 2·01, 5·27) and obese (OR 4·31; 95 % CI 1·92, 9·65) adolescents had higher odds for UR, whereas underweight individuals were more likely to over-report (OR 1·67; 95 % CI 1·01, 2·76). Being content with their own figures (OR 0·61; 95 % CI 0·41, 0·89) decreased the odds for UR, whereas frequently skipping breakfast (OR 2·14; 95 % CI 1·53, 2·99) was linked with higher odds for UR. Those being worried about gaining weight (OR 0·55; 95 % CI 0·33, 0·92) were less likely to OV. Weight status and psychosocial weight-related factors were found to be the major correlates of misreporting. Misreporting may reflect socially desirable answers and low ability to report own dietary intakes, but also may reflect real under-eating in an attempt to lose weight or real over-eating to reflect higher intakes due to growth spurts. Factors influencing misreporting should be identified in youths to clarify or better understand diet–disease associations.
Low vitamin D levels and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, evidence for their independent association in men in East China: a cross-sectional study (Survey on Prevalence in East China for Metabolic Diseases and Risk Factors (SPECT-China))
Authors: Zhai Hua-Ling , Wang Ning-Jian , Han Bing , Li Qin , Chen Yi , Zhu Chun-Fang , Chen Ying-Chao , Xia Fang-Zhen , Cang Zhen , Zhu Chao-Xia , Lu Meng , Lu Ying-Li 
Published: February 2016

AbstractRecent studies have suggested an association between vitamin D and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD); however, some results are subject to debate. This study was carried out to evaluate the correlation between NAFLD and vitamin D in men and women in East China. The data were obtained from a cross-sectional study that focused on the health and metabolic status of adults in sixteen areas of East China. According to ultrasonic assessments, the patients were divided into normal and NAFLD groups. Demographic characteristics and biochemical measurements were obtained. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to explore the association. In total, 5066 subjects were enrolled, and 2193 (43·3 %) were diagnosed with NAFLD; 84·56 % of the subjects showed vitamin D deficiency. Subjects with high vitamin D levels had a lower prevalence of NAFLD, particularly male subjects. Within the highest quartile of vitamin D levels, the prevalence of NAFLD was 40·8 %, whereas the lowest quartile of vitamin D levels showed a prevalence of 62·2 %, which was unchanged in women across the vitamin D levels. Binary logistic analysis showed that decreased vitamin D levels were associated with an increased risk of NAFLD (OR 1·54; 95 % CI 1·26, 1·88). This study suggests that vitamin D levels are significantly associated with NAFLD and that vitamin D acts as an independent factor for NAFLD prevalence, particularly in males in East China. Vitamin D interventional treatment might be a new target for controlling NAFLD; elucidating the mechanism requires further research.
Trypanosoma evansiin naturally infected Dromedary Camels: lipid profile, oxidative stress parameters, acute phase proteins and proinflammatory cytokines
Authors: EL-BAHR S. M. , EL-DEEB W. M. 
Published: February 2016

SUMMARYAdditional biomarkers are essential for control ofTrypanosoma evansi(T. evansi) infection in dromedary camels. Two groups of 30 camels each, one naturally infected withT. evansiand other normal healthy were executed. The basis for the infection was the positive findings of clinical examination, blood smears and latex agglutination test. Blood samples of both groups and its harvested serum were used for the estimation of present serobiochemical parameters. The present findings revealed significant decrease (P⩽ 0·05) in triacylglycerol, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol with significant increase (P⩽ 0·05) in low density lipoprotein cholesterol, beta hydroxyl butyric acids, non-esterified fatty acids, haptoglobin, serum amyloid A, ceruloplasmin, fibrinogen, interleukins, tumour necrosis factor-α, interferon gamma, malondialdehyde, superoxide dismutase, reduced glutathione and catalase of infected camels compared with the control. The present study suggests lipid profile, acute phase proteins, proinflammatory cytokines and oxidative stress parameters as biomarkers forT. evansiinfection in camels.
Comparative phylogeography of two monogenean species (Mazocraeidae) on the host of chub mackerel,Scomber japonicus, along the coast of China
Authors: YAN SHUAI , WANG MING , YANG CHAO-PIN , ZHI TING-TING , BROWN CHRISTOPHER L. , YANG TING-BAO 
Published: February 2016

SUMMARYIn the present paper, the phylogeographies of two monogenean species,Pseudokuhnia minorandKuhnia scombri, on the same species of host,Scomber japonicus, were studied. Fragments of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 gene were sequenced for 264 individuals ofP. minorand 224 individuals ofK. scombricollected from 10 localities along the coast of China. Genetic diversity ofK. scombriwas higher than that ofP. minor, which may imply thatP. minorhas a lower evolution rate and/or is a younger species. The neighbour-joining (NJ) trees of both parasites were comprised of two clades without association to sample sites, which is the signature of remixing populations following past division. Analyses of molecular variance and pairwise fixation index revealed different genetic structures for the populations of these two closely related species along the coast of China:P. minorwithout significant genetic structure, whileK. scombrihas some genetic differentiation. Both neutrality tests and mismatch distribution suggested that the populations of these two species of parasites experienced population expansion in the late Pleistocene era due to the glacial–interglacial cycles induced by climatic oscillations.
Impact of host sex and group composition on parasite dynamics in experimental populations
Authors: TADIRI C. P. , SCOTT M. E. , FUSSMANN G. F. 
Published: February 2016

SUMMARYTo better understand the spread of disease in nature, it is fundamentally important to have broadly applicable model systems with readily available species which can be replicated and controlled in the laboratory. Here we used an experimental model system of fish hosts and monogenean parasites to determine whether host sex, group size and group composition (single-sex or mixed-sex) influenced host-parasite dynamics at an individual and group level. Parasite populations reached higher densities and persisted longer in groups of fish compared with isolated hosts and reached higher densities on isolated females than on isolated males. However, individual fish within groups had similar burdens to isolated males regardless of sex, indicating that females may benefit more than males by being in a group. Relative condition was positively associated with high parasite loads for isolated males, but not for isolated females or grouped fish. No difference in parasite dynamics between mixed-sex groups and single-sex groups was detected. Overall, these findings suggest that while host sex influences dynamics on isolated fish, individual fish in groups have similar parasite burdens, regardless of sex. We believe our experimental results contribute to a mechanistic understanding of host-parasite dynamics, although we are cautious about directly extrapolating these results to other systems.
Distinct neurobiological signatures of brain connectivity in depression subtypes during natural viewing of emotionally salient films
Authors: Guo C. C. , Hyett M. P. , Nguyen V. T. , Parker G. B. , Breakspear M. J. 
Published: February 2016

BackgroundEstablishing an evidence-based diagnostic system informed by the biological (dys)function of the nervous system is a major priority in psychiatry. This objective, however, is often challenged by difficulties in identifying homogeneous clinical populations. Melancholia, a biological and endogenous subtype for major depressive disorder, presents a canonical test case in the search of biological nosology.MethodWe employed a unique combination of naturalistic functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigms – resting state and free viewing of emotionally salient films – to search for neurobiological signatures of depression subtypes. fMRI data were acquired from 57 participants; 17 patients with melancholia, 17 patients with (non-melancholic) major depression and 23 matched healthy controls.ResultsPatients with melancholia showed a prominent loss of functional connectivity in hub regions [including ventral medial prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and superior temporal gyrus] during natural viewing, and in the posterior cingulate cortex while at rest. Of note, the default mode network showed diminished reactivity to external stimuli in melancholia, which correlated with the severity of anhedonia. Intriguingly, the subgenual ACC, a potential target for treating depression with deep brain stimulation (DBS), showed divergent changes between the two depression subtypes, with increased connectivity in the non-melancholic and decreased connectivity in the melancholic subsets.ConclusionThese findings reveal neurobiological changes specific to depression subtypes during ecologically valid behavioural conditions, underscoring the critical need to respect differing neurobiological processes underpinning depressive subtypes.
Comparative shell shape distributions in Jurassic-Cretaceous ammonites and Jurassic-Tertiary nautilids
Authors: Ward Peter 
Published: February 2016

Contours of whorl expansion rate (W), distance of the generating curve from the axis of coiling (D) and shape of the generating curve (S) were plotted from data on 988 Jurassic through Cretaceous ammonite species and 205 Jurassic through Tertiary nautilid species. The areas occupied by the ammonites and nautilids are largely nonoverlapping when plotted as WD and DS graphs.The almost complete absence of overlap in Juro-Cretaceous ammonite and nautilid shell shape distributions is consistent with the view that ammonites and nautilids were dissimilar ecologically, and evolved different shell shapes in response to different adaptational needs. The terminal Cretaceous extinction of the ammonites may have opened up new opportunities for nautilid evolution during the Tertiary, because Tertiary nautilids are dominanted by moderately compressed, hydrodynamically efficient shell shapes which were rarely present among Jurassic and Cretacepus nautilids, but common among ammonites. The restriction of nautilids to a far more limited portion (compared to ammonites) of the theoretically available spectrum of planispiral shell shapes may be due in part to fabricational constraints imposed by the simple nautilid septum and septal suture. Nautilid shell shapes were limited to globular or slightly compressed to depressed shells, which are inherently strong due to pronounced shell wall curvature, and would be strengthened to only a small extent by buttressing from internal septa. Strongly depressed or compressed shell shapes, commonly evolved among ammonoids, had flattened shell regions which are inherently weak, and would be strengthened to a considerable extent by numerous thick, or strongly folded and fluted septa and septal sutures.
Trying to be someone you can never be again: retirement as a signifier of old age
Authors: MANOR SHLOMIT 
Published: February 2016

ABSTRACTWork occupies a central place in identity formation. Consequently, retirement places retirees in a new reality that compels them to redefine themselves and adopt a new identity. The present article examines how retirees shape their identity in the absence of work. An interpretive analysis of in-depth interviews conducted with retirees in Israel shows that although retirement and old age are not necessarily equivalent or interconnected, the retirees themselves draw parallels between them, and at the same time also deny this linkage, preferring to draw a distinction between them. The findings reinforce the argument presented in the literature, namely that in contemporary society it is difficult to identify with old age. They also propose a new perspective that reveals the negotiation retirees conduct with old age, age and body, and how identity is shaped by way of denial. In this negotiation the retirees construct their identity around two central, parallel axes: retirement and old age. It further emerges that it is precisely the efforts to mask and repress old age, which are usually made in the body domain, that attest to the existence and presence of old age in their identity. Denial of old age creates a dynamic, hybrid identity that enables retirees to simultaneously accept and reject old age.
Electron plasma wave excitation by beating of two q-Gaussian laser beams in collisionless plasma
Authors: Singh Arvinder , Gupta Naveen 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis paper presents a scheme for excitation of an electron-plasma wave (EPW) by beating two q-Gaussian laser beams in an underdense plasma where ponderomotive nonlinearity is operative. Starting from nonlinear Schrödinger-type wave equation in Wentzel–Kramers–Brillouin (WKB) approximation, the coupled differential equations governing the evolution of spot size of laser beams with distance of propagation have been derived. The ponderomotive nonlinearity depends not only on the intensity of first laser beam, but also on that of second laser beam. Therefore, the dynamics of one laser beam affects that of other and hence, cross-focusing of the two laser beams takes place. Due to nonuniform intensity distribution along the wavefronts of the laser beams, the background electron concentration is modified. The amplitude of EPW, which depends on the background electron concentration, is thus nonlinearly coupled with the laser beams. The effects of ponderomotive nonlinearity and cross-focusing of the laser beams on excitation of EPW have been incorporated. Numerical simulations have been carried out to investigate the effect of laser and plasma parameters on cross-focusing of the two laser beams and further its effect on EPW excitation.