bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exploratory transcriptomic analysis in muscle tissue of broilers fed a phytase‐supplemented diet
Authors: Schmeisser J. , Séon A.‐A. , Aureli R. , Friedel A. , Guggenbuhl P. , Duval S. , Cowieson A.J. , Fru‐Nji F. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryThe effect of phytase on phosphorus retention, broiler (Gallus gallus) performance and bone mineralization in diets with reduced inorganic phosphate concentration is well documented. Furthermore, so‐called ‘extra‐phosphoric’ effects of phytase have been described in the literature that may be associated with changes in mineral and amino acid partitioning and requirements per se. In particular, the role of myo‐inositol in phytase responses is implied but not well elucidated. It was the purpose of the experiment reported herein to explore the effect of phytase on broiler growth, nutrient digestibility, blood biochemistry and gene expression. A 5‐week broiler floor pen trial was conducted to evaluate the effect of supplementation of a moderately phosphorus‐deficient diet with 1000 U/kg of a 6‐microbial phytase. Parameters measured were growth performance, phosphorus (P), calcium (Ca) and myo‐inositol plasma concentrations, apparent ileal P digestibility, bone mineralization, breast meat weight and Pectoralis major muscle transcriptome. Supplementation of the diet with phytase improved weight gain during the starter period (18%) and the whole period (24%) compared with animals that received the control diet (p < 0.05). Improved feed conversion ratio, increased myo‐inositol plasma concentration, tibia ash contents and breast meat weight were also observed in animals fed phytase. The transcriptomic analysis revealed that some differentially expressed genes (DEG) in broilers, receiving phytase in comparison with animals fed reduced phosphorus diet without phytase, were part of pathways involved in muscle development, via calmodulin/calcineurin and insulin‐like growth factor. Microarray data confirmation was performed on six genes by quantitative PCR (qPCR): PI3K regulatory and catalytic subunit, Phospholipase C beta, Myocyte Enhancer Factors 2A and 2C, and calcineurin A. The results suggested that dietary supplementation with this phytase could generate low molecular weight phytate esters and indirectly myo‐inositol, and could help us to understand how muscle metabolism may be affected at a gene level.
Personality Change from Life Experiences: Moderation Effect of Attachment Security
Authors: Kawamoto Tetsuya 
Published: February 2016

AbstractThis study focused on effects of life experiences on change in personality and moderation effects of attachment security on the life experience influences. With a sample of Japanese university students (N = 1,000; 679 female; M = 19.72; SD = 1.26; age range, 18–25 years), the Big Five personality traits were assessed twice. The assessment interval was 20 weeks. Hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) analyses revealed that there were large between‐individual differences in change and stability of the Big Five personality traits, which were accounted for by the amount of daily positive and negative life experiences during the interval period. Moreover, multi‐group HLM analyses indicated that the life experience effects were moderated by participants' attachment security at Time 1. These findings suggest that the accumulation of small daily experiences may work for the personality development of university students and that environmental influences may vary by individual susceptibility to experiences, like attachment security.
Methylglyoxal and methylglyoxal‐modified collagen as inducers of cellular injury in gingival connective tissue cells
Authors: Retamal I. N. , Hernández R. , González‐Rivas C. , Cáceres M. , Arancibia R. , Romero A. , Martínez C. , Tobar N. , Martínez J. , Smith P. C. 
Published: February 2016

Background and ObjectivesMethylglyoxal is a toxic product derived from glucose metabolism that plays a role in inflammation, diabetes and aging. In addition, the periodontal pathogen Tannerella forsythensis may also generate this compound. However, the effects of methylglyoxal on gingival cells are still poorly understood. In the present study, we have explored whether methylglyoxal or methylglyoxal‐treated collagen may modulate cell viability, death and proliferation in gingival connective tissue cells. In addition, we have searched for inflammatory mediators secreted by cells upon exposure to these conditions.Material and MethodsPrimary cultures of human gingival fibroblasts were stimulated with soluble methylglyoxal or cultured over a collagen matrix glycated by this agent. Cell viability was evaluated through the MTS assay. Cell death was assessed through DAPI nuclear staining, annexin V and propidium iodide assays. Cell proliferation was evaluated through double immunofluorescence for DAPI and Ki67. Protein levels of matrix metalloproteinases and cytokines were assessed through antibody arrays, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence. Statistical analysis was performed using the Kruskall–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests.ResultsSoluble methylglyoxal, but not culture of gingival fibroblasts over a methylglyoxal‐modified collagen matrix, induced a reduction on cell viability. Moreover, soluble methylglyoxal induced apoptotic cell death as indicated by DAPI nuclear staining, annexin V and propidium iodide assays. Neither soluble methylglyoxal, nor methylglyoxal‐modified collagen modified cell proliferation. Using an antibody array, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and immunofluorescence assays, we determined that both, soluble methylglyoxal and methylglyoxal‐modified collagen stimulated an increase in tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP)‐1 protein levels.ConclusionsSoluble methylglyoxal is a highly cytotoxic compound that induces cell death through apoptosis in gingival fibroblasts. TIMP‐1 is induced in these cells upon direct exposure to methylglyoxal or after culture of gingival fibroblasts over methylglyoxal‐treated collagen. As TIMP‐1 has been implicated in cell survival and matrix remodeling, we propose that increased TIMP‐1 protein levels may be part of a protective response of gingival connective tissue cells upon exposure to methylglyoxal or after the interaction with the collagen matrix that has been modified by this agent.
The role of non‐rapid eye movement slow‐wave activity in prefrontal metabolism across young and middle‐aged adults
Authors: Wilckens Kristine A. , Aizenstein Howard J. , Nofzinger Eric A. , James Jeffrey A. , Hasler Brant P. , Rosario‐Rivera Bedda L. , Franzen Peter L. , Germain Anne , Hall Martica H. , Kupfer David J. , Price Julie C. , Siegle Greg J. , Buysse Daniel J. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryElectroencephalographic slow‐wave activity (0.5–4 Hz) during non‐rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep is a marker for cortical reorganization, particularly within the prefrontal cortex. Greater slow wave activity during sleep may promote greater waking prefrontal metabolic rate and, in turn, executive function. However, this process may be affected by age. Here we examined whether greater NREM slow wave activity was associated with higher prefrontal metabolism during wakefulness and whether this relationship interacted with age. Fifty‐two participants aged 25–61 years were enrolled into studies that included polysomnography and a 18[F]‐fluoro‐deoxy‐glucose positron emission tomography scan during wakefulness. Absolute and relative measures of NREM slow wave activity were assessed. Semiquantitative and relative measures of cerebral metabolism were collected to assess whole brain and regional metabolism, focusing on two regions of interest: the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the orbitofrontal cortex. Greater relative slow wave activity was associated with greater dorsolateral prefrontal metabolism. Age and slow wave activity interacted significantly in predicting semiquantitative whole brain metabolism and outside regions of interest in the posterior cingulate, middle temporal gyrus and the medial frontal gyrus, such that greater slow‐wave activity was associated with lower metabolism in the younger participants and greater metabolism in the older participants. These results suggest that slow‐wave activity is associated with cerebral metabolism during wakefulness across the adult lifespan within regions important for executive function.
Sleep mediates the link between resiliency and behavioural problems in children at high and low risk for alcoholism
Authors: Hairston Ilana S. , Conroy Deirdre A. , Heitzeg Mary M. , Akbar Nasreen Z. , Brower Kirk J. , Zucker Robert A. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryChildren of alcoholic parents are at greater risk for developing substance use problems. Having a parent with any mental illness increases the risk for sleep disorders in children. Using actigraphy, this study characterized sleep in children of alcoholics and community controls over a period of 1 week. This study further examined whether sleep characteristics of the children mediated the relationship between self‐regulation indices (i.e. undercontrol and resiliency) and outcome measures of function (e.g. problem behaviours and perceived conflict at home). Eighty‐two children (53 boys, 29 girls, 7.2–13.0 years old) were recruited from the ongoing Michigan Longitudinal Study. Seventeen participants had no parental history of alcohol abuse or dependence family history negative (FH−), 43 had at least one parent who was a recovered alcoholic, and 22 had at least one parent who met diagnostic criteria within the past 3 years. Sleep was assessed with actigraphy and sleep diaries for 1 week, and combined with secondary analysis of data collected for the longitudinal study. FH− children had more objectively measured total sleep time. More total sleep time was associated with greater resiliency and behavioural control, fewer teacher‐reported behavioural problems, and less child‐reported conflict at home. Further, total sleep time partially mediated the relationship between resiliency and perceived conflict, and between resiliency and externalizing problems. These findings suggest that in high‐risk homes, the opportunity to obtain sufficient sleep is reduced, and that insufficient sleep further exacerbates the effects of impaired dispositional self‐regulatory capacity on behavioural and emotional regulation.
Home dim light melatonin onsets with measures of compliance in delayed sleep phase disorder
Authors: Burgess Helen J. , Park Margaret , Wyatt James K. , Fogg Louis F. 
Published: February 2016

SummaryThe dim light melatonin onset (DLMO) assists with the diagnosis and treatment of circadian rhythm sleep disorders. Home DLMOs are attractive for cost savings and convenience, but can be confounded by home lighting and sample timing errors. We developed a home saliva collection kit with objective measures of light exposure and sample timing. We report on our first test of the kit in a clinical population. Thirty‐two participants with delayed sleep phase disorder (DSPD; 17 women, aged 18–52 years) participated in two back‐to‐back home and laboratory phase assessments. Most participants (66%) received at least one 30‐s epoch of light >50 lux during the home phase assessments, but for only 1.5% of the time. Most participants (56%) collected every saliva sample within 5 min of the scheduled time. Eighty‐three per cent of home DLMOs were not affected by light or sampling errors. The home DLMOs occurred, on average, 10.2 min before the laboratory DLMOs, and were correlated highly with the laboratory DLMOs (r = 0.93, P < 0.001). These results indicate that home saliva sampling with objective measures of light exposure and sample timing, can assist in identifying accurate home DLMOs.
Mapping changes in cortical activity during sleep in the first 4 years of life
Authors: Novelli Luana , D'atri Aurora , Marzano Cristina , Finotti Elena , Ferrara Michele , Bruni Oliviero , De Gennaro Luigi 
Published: February 2016

SummaryA coherent body of evidence supports the notion that sleep is a local and use‐dependent process. Significant changes in brain morphology and function occur in the first years of life, revealing a postero–anterior trajectory of cortical maturation. On this basis, a recent study demonstrated that regional cortical maturation between early childhood and late adolescence is reflected in regional changes of sleep slow wave activity (SWA) during non‐rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep. Our hypothesis is that changes of electroencephalogram (EEG) rhythms during sleep from birth to childhood are also mirrored by parallel regional changes in the EEG rhythms of sleep according to the assumption of a postero–anterior gradient in cortical maturation. We studied all‐night EEG of 39 healthy, full‐term, infants and children aged between 0 and 48 months, evaluating regional differences in NREM sleep. We confirmed the strictly local nature of sleep with frequency‐specific regional differences. Specifically, we found a general shift of maxima of the upper alpha activity from occipital to prefrontal regions, expressed mainly by the ~11 Hz frequency. This shift corresponds to a postero–anterior trajectory of the so‐called ‘slow spindles’. The theta and alpha EEG activity of the frontal cortex exhibits a clear, positive, correlation with age. We conclude that specific local differences during NREM sleep, parallel cortical maturation also in the first 4 years of life.
A quest for species‐level indicator values for disturbance
Authors: Herben Tomáš , Chytrý Milan , Klimešová Jitka 
Published: February 2016

AbstractQuestionIs it possible to construct indicator values that would place individual species on gradients of disturbance frequency and severity? We suggest that such indicator values could be defined on the basis of the disturbance regimes under which individual species occur, to be independent of their traits. They should also separate disturbance frequency from disturbance severity.LocationCzech Republic.MethodsWe used a stratified set of 30 115 vegetation‐plot records sampled over the whole country and classified into 39 phytosociological vegetation classes. Each class was assigned values of disturbance frequency and severity by expert judgement. A Disturbance Frequency Index for each species was calculated as the mean of the common logarithm of the disturbance frequency of all vegetation classes weighted by occurrence frequencies of this species in those classes. A Disturbance Severity Index was defined as mean disturbance severity of all vegetation classes weighted by occurrence frequencies of this species in those classes. For forest vegetation, indices were computed separately for the whole community and for the herb layer, which experiences different types of disturbance. Further, we constructed a disturbance index from vegetation structural parameters, viz. summed covers and community‐weighted mean of height at maturity of species recorded in each plot for each vegetation class. We assessed all indices by comparing their values with data on functional traits of the species.ResultsWe calculated values of the indices for 1248 species. The Disturbance Frequency Index and Disturbance Severity Index were correlated, but still described different responses of individual species to disturbance. The index based on vegetation structure was correlated mainly with the Disturbance Frequency Index. All indices showed strong relationships to plant traits: species with high values of all disturbance indices tended to have small seeds, to be annual and non‐clonal or able to spread clonally over large distances.ConclusionsConstructing species disturbance indices based on vegetation characteristics, not plant traits, is feasible and provides meaningful scores. A similar approach can be used in any region where sufficient vegetation data are available. Disturbance indices can be used to address a number of questions in plant evolution and community or landscape ecology.
Grass abundance shapes trait distributions of forbs in an experimental grassland
Authors: Mitchell Rachel M. , Bakker Jonathan D. 
Published: February 2016

AbstractQuestionsDuring community assembly, plant functional traits are hypothesized to be filtered both by prevailing abiotic conditions and by competition from the surrounding community. While trait responses to abiotic conditions are well documented, whether and how traits respond to the biotic community is less studied. We investigated trait responses in specific leaf area (SLA) and plant height for eight forb species in response to increasing grass abundance. We asked: (1) do species’ trait distributions respond predictably to increased grass presence; (2) do functionally similar species respond similarly in terms of trait means to increased grass presence; and (3) at the community level, does increasing grass presence drive change in functional diversity among forbs?LocationGlacial Heritage Preserve, Thurston County, Washington, USA.MethodsEight forb species were grown in communities that differed in the proportion of grass seed sown into the plot (grass‐rich, mixed and forb‐rich) in an experimental grassland established under uniform abiotic conditions. SLA and height were measured for 29–33 individuals per species per treatment, and differences among species and treatments were tested using PERMANOVA and PERMDISP. To assess how Festuca abundance impacted trait distributions for the entire suite of forbs, functional richness (FRic), functional evenness (FEve) and functional dispersion (FDis) were calculated for each seeding treatment and compared using ANOVA.ResultsTrait means and/or dispersion of most species responded to grass abundance, but the direction and magnitude differed among species. FEve was lowest in the grass‐rich treatment for SLA, and FRic was significantly lower in the grass‐rich treatment for both SLA and height. FDis for the combined traits was lowest in the grass‐rich treatment.ConclusionsThis study provides clear evidence that the biotic community can shape plant trait expression within and across species, and supports the idea that at the species level, trait values are not fixed, but rather can vary in response to biotic factors. This variation can impact functional diversity as well as community‐level trait estimates and therefore also affect our understanding of ecosystem functions that are reliant on those estimates.
Community variation in plant traits along copper and cobalt gradients
Authors: Delhaye Guillaume , Violle Cyrille , Séleck Maxime , Ilunga wa Ilunga Edouard , Daubie Isaline , Mahy Grégory , Meerts Pierre 
Published: February 2016

AbstractQuestionsHow do resource acquisition‐related traits and stress tolerance‐related traits shift along Cu and Co gradients? What are the relative contributions of species turnover and intraspecific variation in driving these shifts?LocationFungurume V hill, Katanga province, Democratic Republic of Congo.MethodsWe measured five functional traits (vegetative height, leaf area, specific leaf area (SLA) and leaf Cu and leaf Co concentration) related to resource acquisition, competitive ability and metal tolerance strategy for 37 of the most abundant species from 32 plots along natural Cu and Co gradients (from 92 to 6737 mg·kg−1 and 10 to 655 mg·kg−1, respectively). Linear regression was applied to analyse species‐level and community‐level changes in these traits along the study gradients. Using variance decomposition, we evaluated the relative contribution of intraspecific variation and species turnover to the total community variation along the Cu gradient.Results and ConclusionsAt the community level, plant height and leaf area decreased while SLA and leaf metal concentrations increased with increasing soil metal concentration. At the species level, patterns were often idiosyncratic and lacked generality. As a result, species turnover was the predominant factor explaining community‐level variation along the study gradients, which was particularly clear for variation in leaf Cu concentration. This reflects the constitutive ability of some species to exclude metal, while other species can tolerate high metal concentrations in their leaves. The study emphasizes the importance of evaluating the origin of phenotypic variations observed at the community level.
New therapies for chronic hepatitis B
Authors: Bitton Alaluf Maya , Shlomai Amir 
Published: February 2016

AbstractApproximately 350 million people worldwide are chronically infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV), representing a significant public health challenge. Nucleos/tide analogues (NUCs) and interferon alpha (IFNα), the current standard of care for chronic infection, aim at preventing progression of the disease to cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and death. However, in contrast to the case of hepatitis C virus infection, in which novel antiviral drugs cure the vast majority of treated patients, in regard to HBV, cure is rare due to the unusual persistence of viral DNA in the form of covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) within the nucleus of infected cells. Available therapies for HBV require lifelong treatment and surveillance, as reactivation frequently occurs following medication cessation and the occurrence of HCC is decreased but not eliminated, even after years of successful viral suppression. Progress has been made in the development of new therapeutics, and it is likely that only a combination of immune modulators, inhibitors of gene expression and replication and cccDNA‐targeting drugs will eradicate chronic infection. This review aims to summarize the state of the art in HBV drug research highlighting those agents with the greatest potential for success based on in vitro as well as on data from clinical studies.
Trend changes in sympatric Subantarctic and Antarctic fur seal pup populations at Marion Island, Southern Ocean
Authors: Wege Mia , Etienne Marie‐Pierre , Chris Oosthuizen W. , Reisinger Ryan R. , Bester Marthán N. , de Bruyn P. J. Nico 
Published: February 2016

AbstractRecent pup population estimates of sympatric Subantarctic (Arctocephalus tropicalis) and Antarctic fur seals (A. gazella) at Marion Island are presented. Published pup population estimates of A. tropicalis (1995 and 2004) with an unpublished total island count in 2013, and annual counts on subsets of rookeries (2007–2015) were analyzed using a hierarchical Bayesian model. The pup population declined by 46% (95% credible interval CI: 43%–48%) between 2004 (mean = 15,260, CI: 14,447–16,169 pups) and 2013 (mean = 8,312, CI: 7,983–8,697), mirrored by a 58%–60% decline at rookeries counted annually (2007–2015). Population decline was highest at high‐density west and north coast rookeries, despite negligible change in female attendance patterns, pup mortality or median pupping date over the previous 25 yr. A better understanding of foraging behavior and its effects on reproductive success and survival in this A. tropicalis population is needed before we can attribute population decline to any external factors. In contrast, total island counts of A. gazella pups in 2007, 2010, and 2013, suggest that this population is still increasing although the annual intrinsic rate of population growth decreased from 17.0% (1995–2004, 744 pups) to 4.0% (2010–2013, 1,553 pups). The slowed growth of A. gazella is likely the result of saturation at the main rookery.