bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Development of a dietary‐induced metabolic syndrome model using miniature pigs involvement of AMPK and SIRT1
Authors: Li Sin‐Jin , Liu Chia‐Hsin , Chang Chei‐Wei , Chu Hsien‐Pin , Chen Kuen‐Jaw , Mersmann Harry J. , Ding Shih‐Torng , Chu Chun‐Han , Chen Ching‐Yi 
Published: November 2014

AbstractBackgroundDuring the progression of the metabolic syndrome (MetS), cardiovascular diseases (CVD) appear clinically in many individuals and cause death. As a result, it is essential to set up an optimal animal model to study the mechanism of MetS leading to CVD. SIRT1 and AMPK are the master regulators of lipid and carbohydrate metabolism. The objective of this study was to establish a miniature pig model of Western diet‐induced MetS and investigate the role of SIRT1/AMPK during MetS development.Materials and MethodsFive‐month‐old Lee‐Sung (LS) and Lanyu (LY) minipigs were each randomly assigned to two groups: control diet (C) and Western diet (W), in a 6‐month experimental period.ResultsWestern diet caused obesity in both minipig models. Compared with the CLS pigs, WLS pigs exhibited hypercholesterolaemia. However, WLY pigs maintained a similar plasma lipid profile to the CLY pigs. Western diet caused a lower antioxidant capacity in the liver of both pig models. WLS pigs had higher triglyceride accumulation in the liver than CLS pigs, whereas WLY and CLY pigs had similar hepatic triglyceride accumulation. Compared with CLS pigs, WLS pigs had a lower hepatic SIRT1 expression, whereas WLY pigs had a higher expression of AMPK, FOXO1 and SIRT1 than CLY pigs.ConclusionLong‐term feeding of the Western diet to Lee‐Sung miniature pigs not only caused obesity but also induced MetS and fatty liver, whereas Western diet induced obesity in Lanyu pigs without metabolic dysfunctions. SIRT1/AMPK and their downstream pathways might be one of the possible regulators for pathological obesity in Lee‐Sung pigs.
Tradeoff in two winter‐active wolf spiders: increased mortality for increased growth
Authors: Whitney Thomas D. , Philip Benjamin N. , Harwood James D. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractA number of arthropods, including some spiders, forgo diapause as an overwintering strategy and are instead active at low temperatures. The higher metabolic rates and periodic foraging behavior associated with winter activity, however, can be incompatible with high levels of freeze avoidance. This is thought to be due, in part, to increased ice nucleators in the gut after feeding events and physiological complications brought on by accumulating certain cryoprotectants. To characterize the relationship between winter activity and cold hardiness, this study quantified the seasonal resistance to freezing in two common wolf spiders of hardwood forests in the eastern USA, Schizocosa ocreata (Hentz) and Schizocosa stridulans (Stratton) (Araneae: Lycosidae). Individual spiders were collected from a deciduous forest in Kentucky from August 2012 to March 2013 and were subjected to supercooling point (SCP) determination assays. Contrary to many invertebrates with high cold hardiness, mean SCP of S. ocreata and S. stridulans remained constant throughout the study, which we subsequently determined was their lower lethal temperature. Interestingly, daily low temperatures within the leaf litter occasionally fell below the mean SCP of the spiders, subjecting them to a significant risk of freezing during winter. To determine whether this high risk was a result of winter predation, we fed spiders varying quantities of prey, but found no significant association between consumption and SCP. Despite exposure to potentially lethal temperatures, Schizocosa did not seasonally augment their cold hardiness to better survive. This suggests an ecological tradeoff, where these spiders appear to assume increased mortality risk in exchange for maximized growth opportunity during a time of year when few competitors are active. We posit that the increased fitness benefits associated with early maturation and larger size in spring help to sustain these abundant spider populations.
Relaxed predation hinders development of anti‐predator behaviors in an aposematic beetle
Authors: Tabadkani Seyed Mohammad , Nozari Jamasb 
Published: November 2014

AbstractPredation is a key force constraining the time and space in which prey can forage. Theoretical models propose that warning coloration (aposematism) may help unprofitable prey to extend their foraging niche without suffering the costs of predation. In this study, we show that aposematism can alter the development of those behaviors that are associated with detection by predators. The aposematic rove beetle Paederus fuscipes Curtis (Coleoptera: Staphylinidae) harbors a symbiotic bacterium, which produces a non‐proteinaceous compound named pederin. We showed that pederin is highly toxic orally to insect predators and that adult P. fuscipes are well protected against predators. Field analysis revealed that Paederus is the most abundant genus of the tribe Paederini compared to five other closely related genera and that adult Paederus beetles are much more likely to be discovered during the day in open areas. In addition, laboratory analysis of common anti‐predator behaviors in P. fuscipes and three closely related, but non‐toxic, rove beetles revealed that non‐toxic beetles tend to seek refuge immediately after stimulation. Conversely, adult P. fuscipes are not adapted to conceal themselves even when intensely threatened. Instead, they walk in open areas and climb plant stalks, two behaviors that expose them to predators. These results imply that the chemical defense of P. fuscipes may have relaxed selective pressures on the development and maintenance of anti‐predator behaviors. These findings explain the unique biological characteristics of P. fuscipes beetles and provide evidence that aposematic animals may gain benefit by extending their foraging activities across both time and space.
Dietary specialization and the effects of plant species on potential multitrophic interactions of three species of nymphaline caterpillars
Authors: Lampert Evan C. , Dyer Lee A. , Bowers M. Deane 
Published: November 2014

AbstractThe diet breadth of insect herbivores influences their response to variation in plant quality, and these bitrophic interactions have implications for the higher‐level trophic interactions between herbivores and their natural enemies. In this comparative study, we examined the role of host plant species and plant secondary chemistry on the potential interactions between three species of nymphaline caterpillars and their natural enemies. The caterpillar species (all Lepidoptera: Nymphalidae) varied in their degree of specialization: the buckeye, Junonia coenia Hübner, is a specialist on plants that contain iridoid glycosides (IGs); the white peacock, Anartia jatrophae L., feeds on plants in five families, some of which contain IGs and some of which do not; and the painted lady, Vanessa cardui L., is a generalist, feeding on plants in at least 15 families. Each species was reared on leaves of an introduced host plant, Plantago lanceolata L. (Plantaginaceae), which produces two IGs, aucubin and catalpol, and on another plant species that is a common host plant. These alternate host plants were Plantago major L. (Plantaginaceae) for J. coenia, Bacopa monnieri (L.) Pennell (Plantaginaceae) for A. jatrophae, and Malva parviflora L. (Malvaceae) for V. cardui. We examined growth, sequestration, and immune response of these caterpillars on the different host plant species. Junonia coenia developed more rapidly and sequestered higher IG concentrations when reared on P. lanceolata, whereas both other species grew more slowly on P. lanceolata. Host plant did not influence immune response of J. coenia or A. jatrophae, whereas V. cardui immune response was weaker when reared on P. lanceolata. Junonia coenia was most efficient at IG sequestration and A. jatrophae was least efficient, when all three species were reared on P. lanceolata. These results indicate that diet breadth may play an important role in structuring tritrophic interactions, and this role should be further explored.
Specificity of adaptation to a novel host plant by a seed beetle
Authors: Messina Frank J. , Johnson Danielle 
Published: November 2014

AbstractAdaptation to one novel host plant may simultaneously improve an insect's performance on other unfamiliar hosts, as a kind of cross‐adaptation. In selection experiments using an Asian population of the seed beetle Callosobruchus maculatus (Fabricius) (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae: Bruchinae), larval survival in lentil seeds increased from about 1 to >90% in fewer than 30 generations, and acceptance of lentil by egg‐laying females increased two‐ to three‐fold. We examined whether rapid adaptation to lentil altered beetle performance on other grain legumes, including hosts more closely related to lentil than to the ancestral host, mung bean. Three replicate, lentil‐adapted lines were compared to the mung‐bean (control) line with respect to both host acceptance (oviposition under no‐choice conditions) and larval performance (survival to adult emergence, development time, and adult mass at emergence). In most experiments, females from the lentil lines laid more eggs on unfamiliar hosts than did females from the mung‐bean line. Greater oviposition on novel hosts could not be explained by variation in potential fecundity, and did not appear to depend on a host's relatedness to lentil. Although survival in lentil remained extremely divergent between the mung‐bean and lentil lines (0 vs. >90%), the lines did not differ in larval performance on two other novel hosts (pea and fava bean) that are much more closely related to lentil than to mung bean. Because larval performance is most likely the limiting factor in the potential colonization of a novel host by C. maculatus, our experiments did not provide strong evidence for cross‐adaptation. The results suggest that adaptation to even a highly marginal host need not lead to a general expansion of an insect's host range.
Bite or flight: the response of mosquitoes to disturbance while feeding on a defensive host
Authors: Reid Janine N. , Hoffmeister Thomas S. , Hoi Amber Gigi , Roitberg Bernard D. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractUnderstanding the blood‐feeding behavior of Anopheles gambiae Giles sensu stricto (Diptera: Culicidae) is important to the control of this malaria vector. Whereas the mosquito's decision to initiate blood feeding under different physiological states is well‐studied, its decision to terminate a blood meal in the face of a defensive host has received little attention. In light of this, we assayed the response of females when disturbed during a blood meal, in a size‐energy state factorial experiment. We found that a mosquito's decision to abandon its host is dependent not only on its relative blood intake, but also on its size and energy state. In particular, mosquitoes are more likely to terminate feeding with increasing relative blood meal size, with the exception of small, high‐energy ones, on which they tend to continue feeding. Mosquitoes that have engaged in prediuresis also tend to abandon their host more readily than those that have not. We discuss our results with regards to the marginal returns in fitness (via fecundity) of continuing feeding for body size, energy state, and interactions.
Aphid behavioral responses to virus‐infected plants are similar despite divergent fitness effects
Authors: Wu Ying , Davis Thomas Seth , Eigenbrode Sanford D. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractWe compared the settling preferences and reproductive potential of an oligophagous herbivore, the pea aphid, Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris (Hemiptera: Aphididae), in response to pea plants, Pisum sativum L. cv. ‘Aragorn’ (Fabaceae), infected with two persistently transmitted viruses, Pea enation mosaic virus (PEMV) and Bean leaf roll virus (BLRV), that differ in their distribution within an infected plant. Aphids preferentially oriented toward and settled on plants infected with PEMV or BLRV in comparison with sham‐inoculated plants (plants exposed to herbivory by uninfected aphids), but aphids did not discriminate between plants infected with the two viruses. Analysis of plant volatiles indicated that plants inoculated with either virus had significantly higher green leaf volatile‐to‐monoterpene ratios. Time until reproductive maturity was marginally influenced by plant infection status, with a trend toward earlier nymph production on infected plants. There were consistent age‐specific effects of plant infection status on aphid fecundity: reproduction was significantly enhanced for aphids on BLRV‐infected plants across most time intervals, though mean aphid fecundity did not differ between sham and PEMV‐infected plants. There was no clear pattern of age‐specific survivorship; however, mean aphid lifespan was reduced on plants infected with PEMV. Our results are consistent with predictions of the host manipulation hypothesis, extended to include plant viruses: non‐viruliferous A. pisum preferentially orient to virus‐infected host plants, potentially facilitating pathogen transmission. These studies extend the scope of the host manipulation hypothesis by demonstrating that divergent fitness effects on vectors arise relative to the mode of virus transmission.
Convergent development of a parasitoid wasp on three host species with differing mass and growth potential
Authors: Harvey Jeffrey A. , Molina Almudena Canovas , Bezemer T. Martijn , Malcicka Miriama 
Published: November 2014

AbstractKoinobiont parasitoids develop in hosts that continue feeding and growing during the course of parasitism. Here, we compared development of a solitary koinobiont endoparasitoid, Meteorus pulchricornis Westmael (Hymenoptera: Braconidae), in second (L2) and fourth (L4) instars of three host species that are closely related (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) but which exhibit large variation in growth potential. Two hosts, Mamestra brassicae L. and Spodoptera littoralis Boisduval, may reach 1 g or more when the caterpillars are fully mature, whereas Spodoptera exigua Hübner is much smaller with mature caterpillars rarely exceeding 200 mg. Parasitoid survival (to pupation) in the two host instars was much higher on the larger hosts than on S. exigua. However, other fitness correlates in M. pulchricornis were very similar in the three host species. Development time was fairly uniform in L2 and L4 hosts of the three host species, whereas wasps were larger in L4 than in L2 hosts. However, M. pulchricornis developmentally arrested each of the hosts differently. The mass of dying L2 and L4 hosts after parasitoid larval egression (i.e., when they emerge from the dying caterpillar) varied significantly, with S. littoralis being by far the largest and S. exigua the smallest. These results reveal that M. pulchricornis is able to adjust its own development in response to species‐specific differences in host resources.
Indirect competitive effects of stemborers on a gall community
Authors: Stokes Keith , Stiling Peter 
Published: November 2014

AbstractInterspecific competition between phytophagous insects using the same host plant occurs frequently and can strongly affect population densities of competing species. Competition between gallmakers and stemborers could be especially intense because both types of herbivore are unable to avoid competition by relocation during their immature stages. For apical meristem gallmakers the main result of competition is likely to be the interruption of resources to the gall by the stemborers' devouring of stem contents. The proximate effect of such competition could be to reduce gall size, thereby increasing the number of chambers per gall unit volume, and reducing the size and potential reproductive output of the gallformer. In addition, smaller galls may be more susceptible to attack from size‐limited parasitoids, resulting in a second indirect effect of competition. Using a community of galling and stemboring insects on the saltmarsh shrubIva frutescensL. (Asteraceae), we measured for indirect effects of competition. We examined the primary indirect effect of competition on gall midge crowding and the secondary effects on parasitism rates and parasitoid guild composition. Results indicated that galls co‐occurring with stemborers were smaller, crowding of gall inhabitants was 22% greater, and the composition of the parasitoid guild was altered relative to galls on unbored stems. The overall parasitism rate was not different between galls on bored vs. unbored stems. These results show that competition resulting from the presence of stemborers has the potential to affect the gall midgeAsphondylia borrichiaeRossi &Strong (Diptera:Cecidomyiidae) and secondarily to affect its guild of hymenopteran parasitoids.
The diagnostic accuracy of screening questionnaires for the identification of adults with epilepsy: A systematic review
Authors: Keezer Mark R. , Bouma Hanni K. , Wolfson Christina 
Published: November 2014

SummaryObjectiveTo describe the diagnostic accuracy of screening questionnaires to identify epilepsy in adults, we performed a systematic review of diagnostic studies that assessed the sensitivity and specificity of such screening questionnaires as compared to a physician's clinical assessment.MethodsWe searched Ovid MEDLINE (1946 to present) and Ovid EMBASE (1947 to present) for studies that estimated the sensitivity and specificity of nonphysician administered screening questionnaires for adults with epilepsy. Both telephone and in‐person administered questionnaires were included, whether applied to population or hospital/clinic‐based cohorts. The risk of bias was assessed using the Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Studies‐2 (QUADAS‐2) tool.ResultsOur initial search strategy resulted in 917 records. We found nine studies eligible for inclusion. The estimated sensitivity and specificity of the questionnaires used to identify persons with a lifetime history of epilepsy ranged from 81.5% to 100% and 65.6% to 99.2%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of these questionnaires in identifying persons with active epilepsy ranged from 48.6% to 100% and 73.9% to 99.9%, respectively. Overall we found a high risk of bias in patient selection and study flow in the majority of studies.SignificanceWe identified nine validation studies of epilepsy screening questionnaires, summarized their study characteristics, presented their results, and performed a rigorous quality assessment. This review serves as a basis for future studies by providing a systematic review of existing work. Future research addressing previous limitations will ultimately allow us to more accurately estimate the burden and risk of epilepsy in the general population.
PI3K signalling is required for a TGFβ‐induced epithelial–mesenchymal‐like transition (EMT‐like) in human melanoma cells
Authors: Schlegel Natalie C. , von Planta Anina , Widmer Daniel S. , Dummer Reinhard , Christofori Gerhard 
Published: November 2014

AbstractEpithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is a programme defined in epithelial cells and recognized as playing a critical role in cancer progression. Although melanoma is not a cancer of epithelial cells, hallmarks of EMT have been described to play a critical role in melanoma progression. Here, we demonstrate that long‐term TGFβ exposure can induce a dedifferentiated EMT‐like state resembling a previously described invasive phenotype (EMT‐like). TGFβ‐induced EMT‐like is marked by the downregulation of melanocyte differentiation markers, such as MITF, and the upregulation of mesenchymal markers, such as N‐cadherin, and an increase in melanoma cell migration and cell invasion. Pharmacological interference shows the dependency of TGFβ‐induced EMT‐like on the activation of the PDGF signalling pathway and the subsequent activation of PI3K in human melanoma cells. Together, the data provide novel insights into the transcriptional plasticity of melanoma cells that might contribute to tumor progression in patients and propose avenues to therapeutic interventions.
Inhibitor of differentiation‐4 (Id4) stimulates pigmentation in melanoma leading to histiocyte infiltration
Authors: DiVito Kyle A. , Trabosh Valerie A. , Chen You‐Shin , Simbulan‐Rosenthal Cynthia M. , Rosenthal Dean S. 
Published: November 2014

AbstractTGF‐β and the inhibitors of differentiation (Id) are linked. Smad7 and other TGF‐β inhibitors can potently suppress melanomagenesis; however, little work examining Ids has been reported in melanoma, particularly for Id4. Here, we report that Id4, but not Id2 or Id3 expression, surprisingly, activated robust melanin production in xenografts of previously amelanotic (lacking pigment) 1205Lu/Smad7 (S7) cells. Fontana–Masson stain and de‐novo expression of MART‐1 and tyrosinase proteins confirmed melanin production. Additionally, pigment‐laden CD163+ mouse histiocytes with areas of extensive necrosis were found throughout S7/Id4 tumors, but not in parental 1205Lu, S7/Id2 or S7Id3‐derived tumors. Mechanistic investigation revealed increased nuclear M‐microphthalmia‐associated transcription factor (MITF) and MART‐1 promoter activation following Id4 expression in 1205Lu and WM852 melanoma cells, suggesting broader implications for Id4 in melanin synthesis. In human tumors, melanin colocalized with Id4 expression establishing a correlation. Current chemotherapeutics for melanoma are only marginally effective. Immunotherapy provides the most promise, yet the role of innate immunity is poorly understood. Here, TGF‐β suppression followed by Id4 expression results in extensive melanin synthesis and robust histiocyte recruitment following tumorigenesis, a novel role for Id4. Our results suggest that TGF‐β suppression coupled with pigment overproduction triggers an innate immune response resulting in tumor necrosis.
Comparative analysis of BRAF,NRAS and c‐KIT mutation status between tumor tissues and autologous tumor cell‐lines of stage III/IV melanoma
Authors: Knol Anne‐Chantal , Pandolfino Marie‐Christine , Vallée Audrey , Nguyen Frédérique , Lella Virginie , Khammari Amir , Denis Marc , Puaux Anne‐Laure , Dréno Brigitte 
Published: November 2014

AbstractIn the last decade, advances in molecular biology have provided evidence of the genotypic heterogeneity of melanoma. We analysed BRAF, NRAS and c‐KIT alterations in tissue samples from 63 stage III/IV melanoma patients and autologous cell‐lines, using either allele‐specific or quantitative PCR. The expression of BRAF V600E protein was also investigated using an anti‐BRAF antibody in the same tissue samples. 81% of FFPE samples and tumor cell‐lines harboured a genetic alteration in either BRAF (54%) or NRAS (27%) oncogenes. There was a strong concordance (100%) between tissue samples and tumor cell‐lines. The BRAF V600E mutant‐specific antibody showed high sensitivity (96%) and specificity (100%) for detecting the presence of a BRAF V600E mutation. The correlation was of 98% between PCR and immunohistochemistry results for BRAF mutation. These results suggest that BRAF and NRAS mutation status of tumor cells is not affected by culture conditions.