bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Emergent Properties of Microglia
Authors: Svahn Adam J. , Becker Thomas S. , Graeber Manuel B. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractMore than 80 years ago, Pio Del Rio‐Hortega recognized that one of the “main controversial points in regard to the microglia” is “whether it belongs to the reticulo‐endothelial system [i.e. monocytes and macrophages] and possesses the ordinary characteristics of this system or has a more specialized function.” The notion of microglia having functions that are different from those of other macrophages has gained significant support in recent years. The brain represents a unique environment and shows species, developmental and regional specialization. Thus, any consideration of microglial activity has to be thought of in this tissue context. Contexts may be normal (health, physiology) or disease conditions showing either primary or secondary microglial involvement. Subclinical, reversible “soft pathologies” (Kreutzberg) such as pain that involves microglia also exist. Here, we examine a multilayered approach to understanding microglia that illustrates the emergent character of the microglial (population) phenotype. Accordingly, terms such as microglial “activation” and microgliosis, which are of increasing importance for our understanding of neurological disorders, need to be filled with refined meaning. It is suggested that the pathophysiological context guides nomenclatorial considerations; for example, development, trauma or pain‐associated microglia is preferred over the traditional but less distinctive “microglial activation.” This should also help to tease out the different functional subtypes currently hidden under the umbrella term “neuroinflammation,” which is being applied so widely that it has become effectively useless in practice and even inhibits research progress because both true and pseudo‐inflammation are covered by this term.
Homozygous Deletion of the LGI1 Gene in Mice Leads to Developmental Abnormalities Resulting in Cortical Dysplasia
Authors: Silva Jeane , Sharma Suash , Cowell John K. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractLGI1 mutations lead to an autosomal dominant form of epilepsy. Lgi1 mutant null mice develop seizures and show abnormal neuronal excitability. A fine structure analysis of the cortex in these mice demonstrated a subtle cortical dysplasia, preferentially affecting layers II–IV, associated with increased Foxp2 and Cux1‐expressing neurons leading to blurring of the cortical layers. The hypercellularity observed in the null cortex resulted from an admixture of highly branched mature pyramidal neurons with short and poorly aligned axons as revealed by Golgi staining and immature small neurons with branched disoriented dendrites with reduced spine density and undersized, morphologically altered and round‐headed spines. In vitro, hippocampal neurons revealed poor neurite outgrowth in null mice as well as reduced synapse formation. Electron microscopy demonstrated reduced spine‐localized asymmetric (axospinous) synapses with postsynaptic densities and vesicle‐loaded synapses in the mutant null cortex. The overall pathology in the null mice suggested cortical dyslamination most likely because of mislocalization of late‐born neurons, with an admixture of those carrying suboptimally developed axons and dendrites with reduced functional synapses with normal neurons. Our study suggests that LGI1 has a role in regulating cortical development, which is increasingly becoming recognized as one of the causes of idiopathic epilepsy.
The association between family factors and child behaviour problems using dyadic data
Authors: Wang Y. , Pan J. , Zhang X. , Yi C. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractBackgroundParental psychopathology and family issues are key influence factors to child behaviour problems. This study aimed to investigate the dyadic impact of maternal and paternal depression and perceived family functioning on child behaviour problems.MethodsBoth maternal and paternal depression, perceived family functioning and reported child behaviour problems were collected, respectively. Because of the interdependent characteristic of dyadic data, structural equation modelling was used to examine the relationship among all variables and the mutual influence between mother and father.ResultsResults showed that father‐perceived family functioning mediated the relationship between parental depression and child behaviour problems, but mother‐perceived family functioning did not show this mediation effect. Meanwhile, maternal and paternal depression influenced both of their own and their partner's perceived family functioning.ConclusionsThe findings indicated that paternal psychopathology and family functioning should not be overlooked in child behaviour development. In addition, this study underscored the importance to investigate the different impact of father and mother on child development within a dyadic unit.
Skin testing for immediate hypersensitivity to corticosteroids: a case series and literature review
Authors: Baker A. , Empson M. , The R. , Fitzharris P. 
Published: October 2014

SummaryBackgroundImmediate hypersensitivity to corticosteroids is reported to occur with an incidence of 0.1%. The largest previous case series reporting corticosteroid skin testing has seven patients.Methods and PatientsWe identified 23 patients (mean age 50 years, 65% female) from Auckland City Hospital who underwent skin testing (ST) for suspected corticosteroid hypersensitivity between July 2005 and April 2012. We performed a retrospective clinical case note review detailing clinical history of reaction, skin test results and subsequent management. Most patients (21/23) had a standard panel of testing with prednisolone, triamcinolone, methylprednisolone, hydrocortisone and dexamethasone. Skin tests used a 10% steroid stock concentration for skin prick tests (SPT) and dilutions of 1 : 1000, 1 : 100 and 1 : 10 for subsequent intradermal testing. A weal 3 mm greater than the negative control was considered positive.ResultsA total of 23 patients were identified who had skin testing for suspected acute hypersensitivity to corticosteroids, eight of which had a history of anaphylaxis. From 28 reactions (in 23 patients), the most common route of administration was intra‐articular (13), followed by oral (7), intravenous (3) and other (5). Skin tests were positive in 8/23 patients, and 7/8 of these patients had a history of corticosteroid‐associated anaphylaxis. Skin tests were positive at either the skin prick test or intradermal stages. There was evidence suggesting clinical and skin test cross‐reactivity between corticosteroids in one patient. One patient had a positive skin test, but negative oral challenge suggesting the skin test was false positive. Skin tests were negative in 15/23 patients. One patient had a negative prednisolone skin test and positive unblinded oral challenge, suggesting a false‐negative skin test.ConclusionsSkin testing can provide sufficient evidence to diagnose allergy in patients with a clear history of immediate hypersensitivity to corticosteroids such as anaphylaxis. Both skin prick and intradermal tests should be used. There is evidence of cross‐reactivity between steroids, so a panel is recommended. False‐positive and false‐negative reactions do occur; however, the frequency is unknown. Challenge remains the only definitive way to demonstrate a safe alternative to use.Clinical RelevanceAs the largest case series described, this article provides new evidence for the interpretation of skin tests when investigating possible immediate hypersensitivity to corticosteroids.
Developments in the field of allergy in 2013 through the eyes of Clinical and Experimental Allergy
Authors: Blankestijn M. A. , Boyle R. J. , Gore R. , Hawrylowicz C. , Jarvis D. , Knulst A. C. , Wardlaw A. J. 
Published: October 2014

Summary2013 was another exciting year for allergy in general and Clinical and Experimental Allergy in particular. In the field of asthma and rhinitis, there continued to be a focus on heterogeneity and phenotypes with increasing use of biostatistical techniques to determine clusters of similar populations. Obesity‐ and aspirin‐associated disease are intriguing associations with asthma which were explored in a number of papers. We published a number of excellent papers on mechanisms of airway inflammation and how this relates to physiology, pathology, genetics and biomarkers in both human and experimental model systems. In terms of mechanisms, there is less on individual cell types in allergic disease at the moment, but the immunology of allergic disease continued to fascinate our authors. Another area that was popular both in the mechanisms and in the epidemiology sections was early life events and how these lead to allergic disease, with an increasing focus on the role of the microbiome and how this influences immune tolerance. In the clinical allergy section, oral immunotherapy for food allergy is clearly a major topic of interest at the moment as was in vitro testing to distinguish between sensitization and allergic disease. There was less on inhalant allergy this year, but a good representation from the drug allergy community including some interesting work on non‐IgE‐mediated mechanisms. In the allergen section, important new allergens continue to be discovered, but the major focus as in the last couple of years was on working out how component‐resolved approaches can improve diagnosis and management of food and venom allergy.
A comparison of life history traits of sexual and asexual strains of the parasitoid wasp, Lysiphlebus fabarum (Braconidae: Aphidiinae)
Authors: AMERI MOHAMMAD , RASEKH ARASH , MOHAMMADI ZAHRA 
Published: October 2014

1. This study examined biological characteristics of sexual and asexual strains of the parasitoid wasp, Lysiphlebus fabarum (Marshall) (Hymenoptera: Braconidae).2. Strains were reared in different instar hosts (the black bean aphid, Aphis fabae Scopoli) under identical environmental conditions (21 °C, 65–75% RH, and LD 16:8 h).3. Results showed that the second instar of the aphid is the most suitable growth stage for both strains, as the wasps that emerged from the second instar hosts were larger, more fecund, and had larger egg size. Trade‐offs between the fitness components of the parasitoid were clearer when the parasitoids were reared in suboptimal instars.4. According to the results, sexual females emerged around 1 day earlier and lived around 0.5 day less than asexual females. Also, sexual females emerged with a lower initial egg load, although these wasps tend to have larger eggs than asexual females. Asexual females may enjoy greater longevity and higher developmental plasticity which suggests a higher degree of synchronization with pest population dynamism.5. The results suggest that sexual wasps, in contrast to asexual wasps, invest more in egg size than in egg load. This study suggests strain‐specific adaptations of L. fabarum to different instars of the black bean aphid by which the allocation of nutritional resources to various functions differs between strains.6. Furthermore, differences in life history traits between strains can greatly influence the population dynamics of each strain, and hence their effectiveness in suppressing pest populations.
Herbivory by subterranean termite colonies and the development of fairy circles in SW Namibia
Authors: VLIEGHE KELLY , PICKER MIKE , ROSS‐GILLESPIE VERE , ERNI BIRGIT 
Published: October 2014

1. The growth pattern of Namibian fairy circles was examined in relation to environmental, termite, and plant variables to provide support for the sand termite (Psammotermes allocerus Silvestri) hypothesis of circle origin.2. New and young circles were associated with the highest number of sand termites and their foraging grass sheetings which were both considerably lower in mature and senescent circles.3. Circles increased in size with age, and apart from the senescent stage had higher soil moisture levels than the matrix.4. In laboratory trials sand termites browsed seedling roots, negatively impacting root and leaf number.5. This provides a potential mechanism for circle formation through central‐based foraging by P. allocerus which eliminates Stipagrostis grass clumps around its nest system.6. The resulting bare disc is postulated to be maintained through a combination of a depleted seed bank, termite herbivory on seedlings, and excavations by pugnacious ants (Anoplolepis steingroeveri Forel).
Multiple watershed alterations influence fish community structure in Great Plains prairie streams
Authors: Perkin Joshuah S. , Troia Matthew J. , Shaw Dustin C.R. , Gerken Joseph E. , Gido Keith B. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractStream fish distributions are commonly linked to environmental disturbances affecting terrestrial landscapes. In Great Plains prairie streams, the independent and interactive effects of watershed impoundments and land cover changes remain poorly understood despite their prevalence and assumed contribution to declining stream fish diversity. We used structural equation models and fish community samples from third‐order streams in the Kansas River and Arkansas River basins of Kansas, USA to test the simultaneous effects of geographic location, terrestrial landscape alteration, watershed impoundments and local habitat on species richness for stream‐associated and impoundment‐associated habitat guilds. Watershed impoundment density increased from west to east in both basins, while per cent altered terrestrial landscape (urbanisation + row‐crop agriculture) averaged ~50% in the west, declined throughout the Flint Hills ecoregion and increased (Kansas River basin ~80%) or decreased (Arkansas River basin ~30%) to the east. Geographic location had the strongest effect on richness for both guilds across basins, supporting known zoogeography patterns. In addition to location, impoundment species richness was positively correlated with local habitat in both basins; whereas stream‐species richness was negatively correlated with landscape alterations (Kansas River basin) or landscape alterations and watershed impoundments (Arkansas River basin). These findings suggest that convergences in the relative proportions of impoundment and stream species (i.e., community structure) in the eastern extent of both basins are related to positive effects of increased habitat opportunities for impoundment species and negative effects caused by landscape alterations (Kansas River basin) or landscape alterations plus watershed impoundments (Arkansas River basin) for stream species.
Fine spatial resolution mapping of soil organic matter quality in a Histosol profile
Authors: Steffens M. , Kohlpaintner M. , Buddenbaum H. 
Published: October 2014

SummarySoil science lacks a fine spatial resolution imaging technique that is able to measure the quantity and quality of organic matter (OM) for complete soil profiles. We tested whether laboratory Vis‐NIR imaging spectroscopy, together with an unsupervised k‐means classification, can be used to distinguish between different OM fractions in a Histosol profile. A rectangular soil column (22‐cm long) of a folic Histosol (Tangelhumus) was collected from an alpine Norway spruce forest in south‐eastern Germany with a stainless steel box (100 × 100 × 300 mm). A hyperspectral camera (400–1000 nm with 160 bands) with a pixel sampling of 63 × 63 µm was used to acquire the data. We took images of three vertical cuts through the soil profile, each separated laterally by 25 mm. Reference samples were taken at representative locations and analysed for soil organic matter (SOM) quantity and quality with a CN elemental analyser and solid‐state 13C nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. Principal component analysis and unsupervised k‐means classifications were used to discriminate between different qualities of OM. We identified three OM fractions based on their reflectance characteristics: living and dead roots with a small degree of decomposition, decomposed particulate OM and decomposed amorphous OM. These fractions were consistent with the morpho‐functional classes of two soil classification systems and can be used for the improved identification of diagnostic horizons. The spectra of the fractions contained additional information on, for example, lignin content and the degree of decomposition. Vis‐NIR imaging spectroscopy is a powerful technique for mapping SOM quality in visually homogeneous organic surface layers.
A review of clinical approaches to antagonism of alpha2‐adrenoreceptor agonists in the horse
Authors: Zeiler G. E. 
Published: October 2014

SummaryAlpha2‐adrenoceptor agonists xylazine, romifidine, detomidine and, in some cases, medetomidine and dexmedetomidine, are fundamental drugs used in equine practice. There are situations where the undesirable pharmacodynamic effects (ataxia, prolonged sedation, bradycardia and ileus) or accidental overdose of these drugs may need to be antagonised. The α2‐adrenoceptor antagonists tolazoline, yohimbine and atipamezole can be used to antagonise undesirable effects. However, despite being effective, α2‐adrenoceptor antagonists are also not without undesirable pharmacodynamic effects. Excitement, muscle trembling and triggered inappropriate stress responses are a few of the more serious undesirable effects. Horses demonstrate a variable response to the antagonists thus recommending dose rates become fraught with difficulty. It is therefore recommended that the α2‐adrenoceptor antagonist should be titrated to the desired clinical effect. Consequently, other reversal agents, such as anticholinergics (atropine, glycopyrrolate and hyoscine), have been administered for the treatment of α2‐adrenoceptor agonist‐induced bradycardia. Anticholinergics cannot be recommended for routine use in horses due to the undesirable cardiovascular effects and potentiation of α2‐adrenoceptor agonist‐induced gastrointestinal hypomotility. Novel peripheral acting α2‐adrenoceptor antagonists, such asMK‐467, are currently under scrutiny in veterinary anaesthesia in an effort to antagonise the undesirable effects of α2‐adrenoceptor agonists without compromising on the level of sedation. This review examines the current literature on the α2‐adrenoceptor antagonists used in horses and makes recommendations on how to use these drugs safely in an attempt to prevent undesirable pharmacodynamic effects.
The intramolecular disulfide‐stapled structure of laterosporulin, a class IId bacteriocin, conceals a human defensin‐like structural module
Authors: Singh Pradip Kumar , Solanki Vipul , Sharma Shalley , Thakur Krishan Gopal , Krishnan Beena , Korpole Suresh 
Published: October 2014

The growing emergence of antibiotic‐resistant bacteria has led to the exploration of naturally occurring defense peptides as antimicrobials. In this study, we found that laterosporulin (LS), a class IId bacteriocin, effectively kills active and nonmultiplying cells of both Gram‐positive and Gram‐negative bacteria. Fluorescence and electron microscopy suggest that growth inhibition occurs because of increased membrane permeability. The crystal structure of LS at 2.0 Å resolution reveals an all‐β conformation of this peptide, with four β‐strands forming a twisted β‐sheet. All six intrinsic cysteines are intramolecularly disulfide‐bonded, with two disulfides constraining the N terminus of the peptide and the third disulfide crosslinking the extreme C terminus, resulting in the formation of a closed structure. The significance of disulfides in maintaining the in‐solution peptide structure was confirmed by CD and fluorescence analyses. Despite a low overall sequence similarity, LS has disulfide connectivity [CI–CV, CII–CIV, and CIII–CVI] like that of β‐defensins and a striking architectural similarity with α‐defensins. Therefore LS presents a missing link between bacteriocins and mammalian defensins, and is also a potential antimicrobial lead, in particular against nonmultiplying bacteria.DatabaseThe atomic coordinates and the structure factors have been deposited in the Protein Data Bank under accession number 4OZK
From forest to farmland: pollen‐inferred land cover change across Europe using the pseudobiomization approach
Authors: Fyfe Ralph M. , Woodbridge Jessie , Roberts Neil 
Published: October 2014

AbstractMaps of continental‐scale land cover are utilized by a range of diverse users but whilst a range of products exist that describe present and recent land cover in Europe, there are currently no datasets that describe past variations over long time‐scales. User groups with an interest in past land cover include the climate modelling community, socio‐ecological historians and earth system scientists. Europe is one of the continents with the longest histories of land conversion from forest to farmland, thus understanding land cover change in this area is globally significant. This study applies the pseudobiomization method (PBM) to 982 pollen records from across Europe, taken from the European Pollen Database (EPD) to produce a first synthesis of pan‐European land cover change for the period 9000bpto present, in contiguous 200 year time intervals. ThePBMtransforms pollen proportions from each site to one of eight land cover classes (LCCs) that are directly comparable to theCORINEland cover classification. The proportion ofLCCs represented in each time window provides a spatially aggregated record of land cover change for temperate and northern Europe, and for a series of case study regions (western France, the western Alps, and the Czech Republic and Slovakia). At the European scale, the impact of Neolithic food producing economies appear to be detectable from 6000bpthrough reduction in broad‐leaf forests resulting from human land use activities such as forest clearance. Total forest cover at a pan‐European scale moved outside the range of previous background variability from 4000bponwards. From 2200bpland cover change intensified, and the broad pattern of land cover for preindustrial Europe was established by 1000bp. Recognizing the timing of anthropogenic land cover change in Europe will further the understanding of land cover‐climate interactions, and the origins of the modern cultural landscape.
Modeling enhanced geothermal systems and the essential nature of large‐scale changes in permeability at the onset of slip
Authors: Miller S. A. 
Published: October 2014

AbstractThe permeability structure resulting from high fluid pressure stimulation of a geothermal resource is the most important parameter controlling the feasibility and the viability of enhanced geothermal systems (EGS), yet is the most elusive to constrain. Linear diffusion models do a reasonably good job of constraining the front of the stimulated region because of the t1/2 dependence of the perturbation length, but triggering pressures resulting from such models, and the permeability inferred using the diffusivity parameter, drastically underestimate both permeability and pressure changes. This leads to incorrect interpretations about the nature of the system, including the degree of fluid pressures needed to induce seismicity required to enhance the system. Here, I use a minimalist approach to modeling and show that all of the observations from Basel (Switzerland) fluid injection experiment are well matched by a simple model where the dominant control on the system is a large‐scale change in permeability at the onset of slip. The excellent agreement between observations and these simplest of models indicates that these systems may be less complicated than envisaged, thus offering strategies for more sophisticated future modeling to help constrain and exploit these systems.