bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The effects of experimental warming on the timing of a plant–insect herbivore interaction
Authors: Kharouba Heather M. , Vellend Mark , Sarfraz Rana M. , Myers Judith H. 
Published: December 2014

Summary

The phenology of many species is shifting in response to climatic changes, and these shifts are occurring at varying rates across species. This can potentially affect species' interactions and individual fitness. However, few studies have experimentally tested the influence of warming on the timing of species interactions. This is an important gap in the literature given the potential for different direct and indirect effects of temperature via phenological change.

Our aim was to test the effects of warming on the western tent caterpillar (Malacosoma californicum pluviale). In addition to the direct effects of warming, we considered the two primary indirect effects mediated by warming‐driven changes in its host plant, red alder (Alnus rubra): changes in resource availability due to phenological mismatch (i.e. changes in the relative timing of the interaction), and changes in resource quality associated with leaf maturation.

We experimentally warmed egg masses and larvae of the western tent caterpillar placed on branches of red alder in the field.

Warming advanced the timing of larval but not leaf emergence. This led to varying degrees of phenological mismatch, with larvae emerging as much as 25 days before to 10 days after the emergence of leaves. Even the earliest‐emerging larvae, however, had high survival in the absence of leaves for up to 3 weeks, and they were surprisingly resistant to starvation. In addition, although warming created phenological mismatch that initially slowed the development of larvae that emerged before leaf emergence, it accelerated larval development once leaves were available. Therefore, warming had no net effect on our measures of insect performance.

Our results demonstrate that the indirect effects of warming, in creating phenological mismatch, are as important to consider as the direct effects on insect performance. Although future climatic warming might influence plants and insects in different ways, some insects may be well adapted to variation in the timing of their interactions.
The MqsR/MqsA toxin/antitoxin system protects Escherichia coli during bile acid stress
Authors: Kwan Brian W. , Lord Dana M. , Peti Wolfgang , Page Rebecca , Benedik Michael J. , Wood Thomas K. 
Published: December 2014

SummaryToxin/antitoxin (TA) systems are ubiquitous within bacterial genomes, and the mechanisms of many TA systems are well characterized. As such, several roles for TA systems have been proposed, such as phage inhibition, gene regulation and persister cell formation. However, the significance of these roles is nebulous due to the subtle influence from individual TA systems. For example, a single TA system has only a minor contribution to persister cell formation. Hence, there is a lack of defining physiological roles for individual TA systems. In this study, phenotype assays were used to determine that the MqsR/MqsA type II TA system of Escherichia coli is important for cell growth and tolerance during stress from the bile salt deoxycholate. Using transcriptomics and purified MqsR, we determined that endoribonuclease toxin MqsR degrades YgiS mRNA, which encodes a periplasmic protein that promotes deoxycholate uptake and reduces tolerance to deoxycholate exposure. The importance of reducing YgiS mRNA by MqsR is evidenced by improved growth, reduced cell death and reduced membrane damage when cells without ygiS are stressed with deoxycholate. Therefore, we propose that MqsR/MqsA is physiologically important for E. coli to thrive in the gallbladder and upper intestinal tract, where high bile concentrations are prominent.
How Does Market Size Affect Vertical Structure When Considering Vertical Coordination? Application to the Railway Industry
Authors: Matsushima Noriaki , Mizutani Fumitoshi 
Published: December 2014

AbstractWe provide a theoretical framework to discuss the relation between market size and vertical structure in the railway industry. The framework is based on a simple downstream monopoly model with two input suppliers: the labour force and the rail infrastructure firm. The operation of the downstream firm (i.e. the train operating firm) imposes costs on the rail infrastructure firm. We show that the downstream firm with a larger market size is more likely to integrate with the rail infrastructure firm. This is consistent with the phenomenon in the railway industry.
The Effect of Image Quality and Forensic Expertise in Facial Image Comparisons
Authors: Norell Kristin , Läthén Klas Brorsson , Bergström Peter , Rice Allyson , Natu Vaidehi , O'Toole Alice 
Published: December 2014

AbstractImages of perpetrators in surveillance video footage are often used as evidence in court. In this study, identification accuracy was compared for forensic experts and untrained persons in facial image comparisons as well as the impact of image quality. Participants viewed thirty image pairs and were asked to rate the level of support garnered from their observations for concluding whether or not the two images showed the same person. Forensic experts reached their conclusions with significantly fewer errors than did untrained participants. They were also better than novices at determining when two high‐quality images depicted the same person. Notably, lower image quality led to more careful conclusions by experts, but not for untrained participants. In summary, the untrained participants had more false negatives and false positives than experts, which in the latter case could lead to a higher risk of an innocent person being convicted for an untrained witness.
Forensic Features of Pharmacobezoars
Authors: England Georgina , Heath Karen J. , Gilbert John D. , Byard Roger W. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThree cases of pharmacobezoars are reported to demonstrate typical autopsy findings and potential lethal mechanisms: (i) A 32‐year‐old woman died following an overdose of prescription medications. A gelatinous pharmacobezoar was found forming a cast of her bronchial tree. (ii) A 24‐year‐old woman also died following an overdose of prescription medications. At autopsy, two pharmacobezoars were present, one within the larynx and another occluding the right main bronchus. Deaths in both cases were attributed to airway occlusion by pharmacobezoars complicating mixed drug toxicity. (iii) A 79‐year‐old man was found dead in a car. Death was attributed to the combined effects of carbon monoxide and drug toxicity with a large pharmacobezoar lodged within the esophagus. Pharmacobezoars are specific types of bezoars that occur when pharmaceutical materials, such as tablets, suspensions, and/or drug delivery devices, aggregate and contribute to death by occluding airways with tenacious material or by eluting drugs.
Identification of Natural Images and Computer‐Generated Graphics Based on Statistical and Textural Features
Authors: Peng Fei , Li Jiao‐ting , Long Min 
Published: December 2014

AbstractTo discriminate the acquisition pipelines of digital images, a novel scheme for the identification of natural images and computer‐generated graphics is proposed based on statistical and textural features. First, the differences between them are investigated from the view of statistics and texture, and 31 dimensions of feature are acquired for identification. Then, LIBSVM is used for the classification. Finally, the experimental results are presented. The results show that it can achieve an identification accuracy of 97.89% for computer‐generated graphics, and an identification accuracy of 97.75% for natural images. The analyses also demonstrate the proposed method has excellent performance, compared with some existing methods based only on statistical features or other features. The method has a great potential to be implemented for the identification of natural images and computer‐generated graphics.
Calcitonin gene‐related peptide: key regulator of cutaneous immunity
Authors: Granstein R. D. , Wagner J. A. , Stohl L. L. , Ding W. 
Published: December 2014

AbstractCalcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) has been viewed as a neuropeptide and vasodilator. However, CGRP is more appropriately thought of as a pleiotropic signalling molecule. Indeed, CGRP has key regulatory functions on immune and inflammatory processes within the skin. CGRP‐containing nerves are intimately associated with epidermal Langerhans cells (LCs), and CGRP has profound regulatory effects on Langerhans cell antigen‐presenting capability. When LCs are exposed to CGRP in vitro, their ability to present antigen for in vivo priming of naïve mice or elicitation of delayed‐type hypersensitivity is inhibited in at least some situations. Administration of CGRP intradermally inhibits acquisition of immunity to Th1‐dominant haptens applied to the injected site while augmenting immunity to Th2‐dominant haptens, although the cellular targets of activity in these experiments remain unclear. Although CGRP can be a pro‐inflammatory agent, several studies have demonstrated that administration of CGRP can inhibit the elicitation of inflammation by inflammatory stimuli in vivo. In this regard, CGRP inhibits the release of certain chemokines by stimulated endothelial cells. This is likely to be physiologically relevant as cutaneous blood vessels are innervated by sensory nerves. Exciting new studies suggest a significant role for CGRP in the pathogenesis of psoriasis and, most strikingly, that CGRP inhibits the ability of LCs to transmit the human immunodeficiency virus 1 to T lymphocytes. A more complete understanding of the role of CGRP in the skin immune system may lead to new and novel approaches for the therapy of immune‐mediated skin disorders.
The Effect of ABCB1 C3435T Polymorphism on Cyclosporine Dose Requirements in Kidney Transplant Recipients: A Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Lee Jun , Wang Rongrong , Yang Yuan , Lu Xiaoyang , Zhang Xingguo , Wang Linrun , Lou Yan 
Published: December 2014

AbstractCyclosporine A (CsA) is a substrate of the multi‐drug efflux pump P‐glycoprotein (P‐gp) encoded by ABCB1. Among the various single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of ABCB1, C3435T has been extensively investigated to determine the relationship with the pharmacokinetics of CsA. However, the results are controversial. This meta‐analysis was designed to evaluate the influence of C3435T SNP on the dose‐adjusted trough (C0/D) and peak (Cmax/D) concentrations of CsA. Based on a literature search of four authoritative databases, 13 studies since 2001 concerning 1293 kidney transplant recipients were included. The results indicated a significant difference of C0/D and Cmax/D between 3435CC and 3435TT genotype carriers (weighted mean difference (WMD) of C0/D: 4.18 (ng ml−1)/(mg kg−1), 95% CIs: 1.00–7.37, p = 0.01; WMD of Cmax/D: 20.85 (ng ml−1)/(mg kg−1), 95% CIs: 2.25–39.46, p = 0.03). Subgroup analysis by ethnicity demonstrated that C0/D was lower in Asian CC versus TT genotype carriers (WMD = 10.32 (ng ml−1)/(mg kg−1), 95% CIs: 4.78–15.85, p = 0.0003) but did not vary by genotype for Caucasian recipients. Moreover, significant variation of C0/D was found at 1 week and 1–3 months after transplantation between CC and TT genotype carriers. Therefore, this meta‐analysis showed a correlation between ABCB1 C3435T polymorphism and the dose‐adjusted concentration of CsA. Patients with 3435CC genotype will require a higher dose of CsA to achieve target therapeutic concentrations when compared with 3435TT carriers after kidney transplantation, especially in the Asian population and especially during the early and middle time periods after transplantation.
Pregnancy Exposure to Olanzapine, Quetiapine, Risperidone, Aripiprazole and Risk of Congenital Malformations. A Systematic Review
Authors: Ennis Zandra Nymand , Damkier Per 
Published: December 2014

AbstractTo review available data on first‐trimester exposure to olanzapine, quetiapine, risperidone and aripiprazole and risk of congenital malformations. We performed a systematic literature search in accordance with PRISMA guidelines identifying studies containing original data on first‐trimester exposure and pregnancy outcome with respect to congenital malformations. Cumulated data for olanzapine were 1090 first‐trimester‐exposed pregnancies with 38 malformations resulting in a malformation rate of 3.5%. The corresponding numbers for quetiapine, risperidone and aripiprazole were 443/16 (3.6%), 432/22 (5.1%) and 100/5 (5.0%), respectively. Relative risk estimates and 95% confidence intervals were 1.0 (0.7–1.4) (olanzapine), 1.0 (0.6–1.7) (quetiapine), 1.5 (0.9–2.2) (risperidone) and 1.4 (0.5–3.1) (aripiprazole). First‐trimester exposure to olanzapine is not associated with an increased risk of congenital malformation. Data for quetiapine and risperidone do not suggest a substantially increased risk, while the risk estimate for aripiprazole remains imprecise owing to a low amount of data.
Brain and arterial abnormalities following prenatal X‐ray irradiation in mice assessed by magnetic resonance imaging and angiography
Authors: Saito Shigeyoshi , Sawada Kazuhiko , Mori Yuki , Yoshioka Yoshichika , Murase Kenya 
Published: December 2014

AbstractThe present study aimed to quantitatively characterize changes in the whole brain and arterial morphology in response to prenatal ionizing irradiation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and angiography (MRA) were used to evaluate brain and arterial abnormalities in 8‐week‐old male mice prenatally exposed to X‐ray radiation at a dose of 0.5 or 1.0 Gy on embryonic day (E) 13. Irradiated mice demonstrated decreased brain volume, increased ventricular volume, and arterial malformation. Additionally, MRA signal intensity and arterial thickness in the anterior cerebral artery, middle cerebral artery, and basilar artery were lower in radiation‐exposed mice than in control mice. MRI and MRA are useful tools for assessing brain and arterial abnormalities after prenatal exposure to radiation.
Incidence of First Implant Failure: A Retroprospective Study of 27 Years of Implant Operations at One Specialist Clinic
Authors: Jemt Torsten , Olsson Malin , Franke Stenport Victoria 
Published: December 2014

AbstractBackgroundEven though there are many studies available reporting on implant failures, there are few studies that follow implant failures over time in large populations.PurposeThe purpose of this article is to present an overview of the annual incidence of reported implant failures for patients and operations over a 28‐year period.Materials and MethodsA total of 8,528 patients were consecutively provided with 39,077 implants in 10,719 implant operations during a 27‐year period (1986–2012) at one specialist clinic. All patients with reported failures of implants during a 28‐year routine follow‐up period (1986–2013) were included, and data from the patients' files were retrieved and reported.ResultsAltogether, 857 patients (882 jaws/operations) were identified with one or more failures (10.0% of patients/8.5% of operations). Mean annual incidence of first failure showed obvious variations between years, even between seemingly clinically similar situations. However, incidence of first implant failure was higher for upper than lower jaws (p < .05), within 1 year of surgery (69%) than after 1 year (p < .05), and for implants with a turned surface compared with implants with a moderately rough surface (p < .05).ConclusionsWith regard to annual failure incidence in relation to total number of operations over time, obvious variations in failure rate can be observed between seemingly similar clinical situations, as well as significant differences in incidence of first implant failure between the first year after surgery and later time points, between upper and lower jaws using implants with turned surfaces, and between operations to install implants with turned surfaces and those to install implants with moderately rough surfaces.
Cone‐Beam Computed Tomography Evaluation of Horizontal and Vertical Dimensional Changes in Buccal Peri‐Implant Alveolar Bone and Soft Tissue: A 1‐Year Prospective Clinical Study
Authors: Kaminaka Akihiro , Nakano Tamaki , Ono Shinji , Kato Tokinori , Yatani Hirofumi 
Published: December 2014

AbstractPurposeThis study evaluated changes in the horizontal and vertical dimensions of the buccal alveolar bone and soft tissue over a 1‐year period following implant prosthesis.Materials and MethodsThirty‐three participants with no history of guided bone regeneration or soft tissue augmentation underwent dental implant placement with different types of connections. The dimensions of the buccal alveolar bone and soft tissue were evaluated immediately and at 1 year after prosthesis from reconstructions of cross‐sectional cone‐beam computed tomography images.ResultsThe vertical and horizontal loss of buccal bone and soft tissue around implants with conical connections were lower than around those with external or internal connections. Statistically significant negative correlations were observed between initial horizontal bone thickness and changes in vertical bone and soft tissue height (p < .05), and between initial horizontal soft tissue thickness and the change in vertical soft tissue height (p < .05).ConclusionImplants with a conical connection preserve peri‐implant alveolar bone and soft tissue more effectively than other connection types. Furthermore, the initial buccal alveolar bone and soft tissue thickness around the implant platform may influence their vertical dimensional changes at 1 year after implant prosthesis.
Ethyl Pyruvate Protects against Blood–Brain Barrier Damage and Improves Long‐term Neurological Outcomes in a Rat Model of Traumatic Brain Injury
Authors: Shi Hong , Wang Hai‐Lian , Pu Hong‐Jian , Shi Ye‐Jie , Zhang Jia , Zhang Wen‐Ting , Wang Guo‐Hua , Hu Xiao‐Ming , Leak Rehana K. , Chen Jun , Gao Yan‐Qin 
Published: December 2014

SummaryAimsMany traumatic brain injury (TBI) survivors sustain neurological disability and cognitive impairments due to the lack of defined therapies to reduce TBI‐induced long‐term brain damage. Ethyl pyruvate (EP) has shown neuroprotection in several models of acute brain injury. The present study therefore investigated the potential beneficial effect of EP on long‐term outcomes after TBI and the underlying mechanisms.MethodsMale adult rats were subjected to unilateral controlled cortical impact injury. EP was injected intraperitoneally 15 min after TBI and again at 12, 24, 36, 48, and 60 h after TBI. Neurological deficits, blood–brain barrier (BBB) integrity, and neuroinflammation were assessed.ResultsEthyl pyruvate improved sensorimotor and cognitive functions and ameliorated brain tissue damage up to 28 day post‐TBI. BBB breach and brain edema were attenuated by EP at 48 h after TBI. EP suppressed matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)‐9 production from peripheral neutrophils and reduced the number of MMP‐9‐overproducing neutrophils in the spleen, and therefore mitigated MMP‐9‐mediated BBB breakdown. Moreover, EP exerted potent antiinflammatory effects in cultured microglia and inhibited the elevation of inflammatory mediators in the brain after TBI.ConclusionEthyl pyruvate confers long‐term neuroprotection against TBI, possibly through breaking the vicious cycle among MMP‐9‐mediated BBB disruption, neuroinflammation, and long‐lasting brain damage.
Inflammation and Epilepsy in the Developing Brain: Clinical and Experimental Evidence
Authors: Dupuis Nina , Auvin Stéphane 
Published: December 2014

SummaryThere is an increasing evidence to support a role of inflammatory processes in epilepsy. However, most clinical and experimental studies have been conducted in adult patients or using adult rodents. The pediatric epilepsies constitute a varied group of diseases that are most frequently age specific. In this review, we will focus on the possible role of inflammation in pediatric epilepsy syndromes. We will first describe the clinical data available and provide an overview of our current understanding of the role of inflammation in these clinical situations. We will then review experimental data regarding the role of inflammation in epilepsy in the developing brain. To summarize, inflammation contributes to seizure precipitation, and reciprocally, prolonged seizures induce inflammation. There is also a relationship between inflammation and cell injury following status epilepticus, which differs according to the developmental stage. Finally, inflammation seems to contribute to epileptogenesis even in the developing brain. Based on the available data, we highlight the need for further studies dissecting the exact role of inflammation in epilepsy during development.
Investigation of diethylthiourea and ethyl isothiocyanate as potent skin allergens in chloroprene rubber
Authors: Ramzy Ahmad G. , Hagvall Lina , Pei Mansoureh N. , Samuelsson Kristin , Nilsson Ulrika 
Published: December 2014

SummaryBackgroundExposure to chloroprene rubber has resulted in numerous cases of allergic contact dermatitis, attributed to organic thiourea compounds used as vulcanization accelerators. However, thiourea compounds are not considered to be strong haptens.ObjectivesTo analyse common commercial chloroprene materials for their contents of diethylthiourea (DETU), dibutylthiourea (DBTU), diphenylthiourea (DPTU), and their degradation products, isothiocyanates; and to investigate the sensitization potencies of possible degradation products of the mentioned thiourea compounds.MethodsLiquid chromatography/mass spectrometry (MS) was used for quantification of organic thiourea compounds in chloroprene products, such as medical, sports and diving gear; isothiocyanates were measured by solid‐phase microextraction/gas chromatography/MS. Sensitization potencies were determined with the murine local lymph node assay (LLNA).ResultsDETU was identified at concentrations of 2.7–9.4 µg/cm2 in all samples, whereas neither DBTU nor DPTU was detected. At 37°C, degradation of DETU in the materials to ethyl isothiocyanate (EITC) was detected. EITC and ethyl isocyanate showed extreme and strong sensitization potencies, respectively, in the LLNA.ConclusionsDETU can act as a prehapten, being degraded to EITC when subjected to body temperature upon skin contact. EITC could thus be the culprit behind allergic contact dermatitis caused by chloroprene rubber.
Bears benefit plants via a cascade with both antagonistic and mutualistic interactions
Authors: Grinath Joshua B. , Inouye Brian D. , Underwood Nora 
Published: December 2014

AbstractPredators can influence primary producers by generating cascades of effects in ecological webs. These effects are often non‐intuitive, going undetected because they involve many links and different types of species interactions. Particularly, little is understood about how antagonistic (negative) and mutualistic (positive) interactions combine to create cascades. Here, we show that black bears can benefit plants by consuming ants. The ants are mutualists of herbivores and protect herbivores from other arthropod predators. We found that plants near bear‐damaged ant nests had greater reproduction than those near undamaged nests, due to weaker ant protection for herbivores, which allowed herbivore suppression by arthropod predators. Our results highlight the need to integrate mutualisms into trophic cascade theory, which is based primarily on antagonistic relationships. Predators are often conservation targets, and our results suggest that bears and other predators should be managed with the understanding that they can influence primary producers through many paths.