bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Seismic behavior and strength capacity of steel tube‐reinforced concrete composite columns
Authors: Ji Xiaodong , Kang Hongzhen , Chen Xingchen , Qian Jiaru 
Published: August 2013

SUMMARYThe steel tube‐reinforced concrete (ST‐RC) composite column is a novel type of composite column, which consists of a steel tube embedded in RC. In this paper, the seismic behavior of ST‐RC columns is examined through a series of experiments in which 10 one‐third scale column specimens were subjected to axial forces and lateral cyclic loading. The test variables include the axial force ratio applied to the columns and the amount of transverse reinforcement. All specimens failed in a flexural mode, showing stable hysteresis loops. Thanks to the steel tube and the high‐strength concrete it is filled with, the ST‐RC column specimens had approximately 30% lower axial force ratios and 22% higher maximum bending moments relative to the comparable RC columns when subjected to identical axial compressive loads. The amount of transverse reinforcement made only a small difference to the lateral load‐carrying capacity but significantly affected the deformation and energy dissipation capacity of the ST‐RC columns. The specimens that satisfied the requirements for transverse reinforcement adopted for medium ductile RC columns as specified by the Chinese Code for Seismic Design of Buildings (GB 50011‐2010) and EuroCode 8 achieved an ultimate drift ratio of around 0.03 and a displacement ductility ratio of approximately 5. The design formulas used to evaluate the strength capacity of the ST‐RC columns were developed on the basis of the superposition method. The predictions from the formulas showed good agreement with the test results, with errors no greater than 10%. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ecotoxicity of climbazole, a fungicide contained in antidandruff shampoo
Authors: Richter Elisabeth , Wick Arne , Ternes Thomas A. , Coors Anja 
Published: August 2013

Abstract

Emerging pollutants such as personal care products can reach the environment via effluents from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and digested sludge. Only recently, the antidandruff agent and antimycotic climbazole was detected for the first time in a WWTP effluent with concentrations up to 0.5 µg/L. Climbazole acts as a C14-demethylase inhibitor (DMI) fungicide and thus has a high efficacy against fungi, but knowledge of its potential environmental impact is lacking. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to characterize climbazole's ecotoxicity by conducting standard biotests with organisms representing different trophic levels from the aquatic as well as the terrestrial ecosystems. It was found that the toxicity of climbazole is mostly similar to that of other DMI fungicides, whereas it proved to be particularly toxic to primary producers. The lowest median effective concentrations (EC50s) were determined for Lemna minor, at 0.013 mg/L (biomass yield), and Avena sativa, at 18.5 mg/kg soil dry weight (shoot biomass). Reduction of frond size in water lentils and shoot length in higher plants suggested an additional plant growth–retarding mode of action of climbazole. In addition, it was demonstrated here that for an ionizable compound such as climbazole, the soil pH can have a considerable influence on phytotoxicity. Environ Toxicol Chem 2013;32:2816–2825. © 2013 SETAC
Changes in cellular energy allocation in Enchytraeus albidus when exposed to dimethoate, atrazine, and carbendazim
Authors: Novais Sara C. , Amorim Mónica J.B. 
Published: August 2013

Abstract

Cellular energy allocation (CEA) is a methodology developed to evaluate the effects of toxic stress on the metabolic balance of organisms. It consists of the integration of the energy reserves available (Ea; total carbohydrate, protein and lipid content) and energy consumption (Ec) estimated by measuring electron transport system (ETS) activity. The main goal of the present study was to evaluate the effects on the energy budget of the soil invertebrate Enchytraeus albidus (Oligochaeta) after exposure to dimethoate, atrazine, and carbendazim (by testing the reproduction 10% effective concentration, 20% effective concentration, 50% effective concentration and 90% effective concentration) over periods of time from 0 d to 2 d, 4 d, and 8 d. Significant changes in energy reserves were observed with all pesticides, together with effects on energy consumption. Carbohydrates were the first energy source to be used, and clear depletions occurred with all pesticides. Energy consumption increased generally over longer exposures and with higher concentrations of the pesticides. Although clear changes were seen in the individual energy reserve budgets and on Ec, CEA was only significantly reduced with atrazine exposures longer than 4 d. The nearly absent effects on CEA at concentrations known to affect reproduction indicate that the reduction in reproduction is not likely to be caused by a reduction in the total energy budget during the first 8 d of exposure. The present study showed the importance of complementing CEA interpretation with the individual Ea and Ec parameters, in particular if these show opposite balances. The Ea and Ec results were in good agreement with gene transcription results from a parallel study, hence suggesting translation and showing the advantage of combining various effect levels to advance the understanding of mechanisms. Environ Toxicol Chem 2013;32:2800–2807. © 2013 SETAC
Influence of soil pH on the toxicity of zinc oxide nanoparticles to the terrestrial isopod Porcellionides pruinosus
Authors: Tourinho Paula S. , van Gestel Cornelis A.M. , Lofts Stephen , Soares Amadeu M.V.M. , Loureiro Susana 
Published: August 2013

Abstract

The effects of soil pH on the toxicity of ZnO nanoparticles (NPs) to the terrestrial isopod Porcellionides pruinosus were evaluated. Isopods were exposed to a natural soil amended with CaCO3 to reach 3 different pHCaCl2 levels (4.5, 6.2, and 7.3) and to standard LUFA 2.2 soil (pH 5.5) spiked with ZnO NPs (30 nm), non-nano ZnO (200 nm), and ionic Zn as ZnCl2. Toxicity was expressed based on total Zn concentration in soil, as well as total Zn and free Zn2+ ion concentrations in porewater. Compared with ZnO-spiked soils, the ZnCl2-spiked soils had lower pH and higher porewater Ca2+ and Zn levels. Isopod survival did not differ between Zn forms and soils, but survival was higher for isopods exposed to ZnO NPs at pH 4.5. Median effect concentrations (EC50s) for biomass change showed similar trends for all Zn forms in all soils, with higher values at intermediate pH. Median lethal concentration (LC50) and EC50 values based on porewater Zn or free Zn ion concentrations were much lower for ZnO than for ionic zinc. Zn body concentrations increased in a dose-related manner, but no effect of soil pH was found. It is suggested not only that dissolved or free Zn in porewater contributed to uptake and toxicity, but also that oral uptake (i.e., ingestion of soil particles) could be an important additional route of exposure. Environ Toxicol Chem 2013;32:2808–2815. © 2013 SETAC
Effects of salinity acclimation on the endocrine disruption and acute toxicity of bifenthrin in freshwater and euryhaline strains of Oncorhynchus mykiss
Authors: Riar Navneet , Crago Jordan , Jiang Weiying , Maryoung Lindley A. , Gan Jay , Schlenk Daniel 
Published: August 2013

Abstract

The pyrethroid insecticide bifenthrin is frequently detected at ng/L concentrations in tributaries of the San Francisco Bay Delta. The estuary is also experiencing increasing salinity through climate change and water redirection. To evaluate the impacts of hypersaline conditions on bifenthrin toxicity in anadromous salmonids of the San Francisco Bay Delta (CA, USA), a 14-d laboratory exposure was performed using 2 strains of Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout and steelhead) acclimated to freshwater and to 8 g/L and 17 g/L salinity. The fish were then exposed to nominal concentrations of 0 µg/L, 0.1 µg/L, and 1.5 µg/L bifenthrin. Rainbow trout exhibited significant mortality following exposure to 1.5 µg/L (1.07 ± 0.35 µg/L measured) bifenthrin in freshwater. Elevated levels of Na+/K+ adenosine triphosphatase α1A mRNA subunit expression was observed in the gill of rainbow trout acclimated to hypersaline conditions relative to freshwater animals. No significant difference was noted in Na+/K+ adenosine triphosphatase subunit levels in brains of either strain in freshwater or hypersaline conditions. Likewise, significant differences were not observed in plasma vitellogenin or steroid hormone concentrations in either strain whether maintained in freshwater or saltwater. Saltwater acclimation significantly reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate–catalyzed biotransformation of bifenthrin in liver microsomes of rainbow trout but not of steelhead. The present study showed that, relative to steelhead, rainbow trout have different responses to bifenthrin acute toxicity as well as different rates of hepatic bifenthrin biotransformation and regulation of Na+/K+ adenosine triphosphatase subunits in gills. These data indicate that significant differences exist between the strains and that animal life history may have important effects on the susceptibility of each strain to environmental contaminants. Environ Toxicol Chem 2013;32:2779–2785. © 2013 SETAC
Evaluating the arcuate fasciculus with combined diffusion‐weighted MRI tractography and electrocorticography
Authors: Brown Erik C. , Jeong Jeong‐Won , Muzik Otto , Rothermel Robert , Matsuzaki Naoyuki , Juhász Csaba , Sood Sandeep , Asano Eishi 
Published: August 2013

AbstractThe conventional model of language‐related brain structure describing the arcuate fasciculus as a key white matter tract providing a direct connection between Wernicke's region and Broca's area has been called into question. Specifically, the inferior precentral gyrus, possessing both primary motor (Brodmann Area [BA] 4) and premotor cortex (BA 6), has been identified as a potential alternative termination. The authors initially localized cortical sites involved in language using measurement of event‐related gamma‐activity on electrocorticography (ECoG). The authors then determined whether language‐related sites of the temporal lobe were connected, via white matter structures, to the inferior frontal gyrus more tightly than to the precentral gyrus. The authors found that language‐related sites of the temporal lobe were far more likely to be directly connected to the inferior precentral gyrus through the arcuate fasciculus. Furthermore, tractography was a significant predictor of frontal language‐related ECoG findings. Analysis of an interaction between anatomy and tractography in this model revealed tractrography to have the highest predictive value for language‐related ECoG findings of the precentral gyrus. This study failed to support the conventional model of language‐related brain structure. More feasible models should include the inferior precentral gyrus as a termination of the arcuate fasciculus. The exact functional significance of direct connectivity between temporal language‐related sites and the precentral gyrus requires further study. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2333–2347, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Sex‐specific extent and severity of white matter damage in multiple sclerosis: Implications for cognitive decline
Authors: Schoonheim Menno M. , Vigeveno René M. , Lopes Fernanda C. Rueda , Pouwels Petra J.W. , Polman Chris H. , Barkhof Frederik , Geurts Jeroen J.G. 
Published: August 2013

AbstractCognitive dysfunction is common in multiple sclerosis (MS). However, the relationship between white matter (WM) damage and cognition remains insufficiently clear. This study investigates the extent and severity of WM diffusion abnormalities in MS patients and relations with cognition. Diffusion tensor imaging scans were obtained in 131 MS patients (88 women, 6 years postdiagnosis) and 49 age‐matched controls (29 women). Patient groups were equal in terms of disease duration, disability, and WM lesion volume. Fractional anisotropy (FA), mean diffusivity (MD), axial diffusivity (AD), and radial diffusivity (RD) were compared between groups. Post hoc analyses calculated the spatial extent and severity of diffusion abnormalities to relate these to cognitive performance. In controls, 31% of WM voxels showed higher FA in men; therefore, all patient analyses were within‐sex. The extent of diffusion changes was higher in male patients than in female patients for all parameters (FA: 24% in women, 53% in men), as was the severity of changes (FA: Z = −0.18 in women, Z = −0.41 in men). Especially the extent of FA abnormalities was strongly related to cognitive performance in all patients (r = −0.42, P < 0.0001). Regionally, thalamic decreases in FA were especially correlated with cognitive performance. Cognitively impaired patients showed greater extent and severity on all diffusion parameters compared to cognitively preserved patients. The WM of male patients was both more extensively and also more severely affected than that of female patients. The extent of WM FA changes, especially in the thalamus, was associated with cognitive performance in this cohort of early MS patients. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2348–2358, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Contextual control of audiovisual integration in low‐level sensory cortices
Authors: van Atteveldt Nienke M. , Peterson Bradley S. , Schroeder Charles E. 
Published: August 2013

AbstractPotential sources of multisensory influences on low‐level sensory cortices include direct projections from sensory cortices of different modalities, as well as more indirect feedback inputs from higher order multisensory cortical regions. These multiple architectures may be functionally complementary, but the exact roles and inter‐relationships of the circuits are unknown. Using a fully balanced context manipulation, we tested the hypotheses that: (1) feedforward and lateral pathways subserve speed functions, such as detecting peripheral stimuli. Multisensory integration effects in this context are predicted in peripheral fields of low‐level sensory cortices. (2) Slower feedback pathways underpin accuracy functions, such as object discrimination. Integration effects in this context are predicted in higher‐order association cortices and central/foveal fields of low‐level sensory cortex. We used functional magnetic resonance imaging to compare the effects of central versus peripheral stimulation on audiovisual integration, while varying speed and accuracy requirements for behavioral responses. We found that interactions of task demands and stimulus eccentricity in low‐level sensory cortices are more complex than would be predicted by a simple dichotomy such as our hypothesized peripheral/speed and foveal/accuracy functions. Additionally, our findings point to individual differences in integration that may be related to skills and strategy. Overall, our findings suggest that instead of using fixed, specialized pathways, the exact circuits and mechanisms that are used for low‐level multisensory integration are much more flexible and contingent upon both individual and contextual factors than previously assumed. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2394–2411, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Reliability of neuroanatomical measurements in a multisite longitudinal study of youth at risk for psychosis
Authors: Cannon Tyrone D. , Sun Frank , McEwen Sarah Jacobson , Papademetris Xenophon , He George , van Erp Theo G.M. , Jacobson Aron , Bearden Carrie E. , Walker Elaine , Hu Xiaoping , Zhou Lei , Seidman Larry J. , Thermenos Heidi W. , Cornblatt Barbara , Olvet Doreen M. , Perkins Diana , Belger Aysenil , Cadenhead Kristin , Tsuang Ming , Mirzakhanian Heline , Addington Jean , Frayne Richard , Woods Scott W. , McGlashan Thomas H. , Constable R. Todd , Qiu Maolin , Mathalon Daniel H. , Thompson Paul , Toga Arthur W. 
Published: August 2013

AbstractMultisite longitudinal neuroimaging designs are used to identify differential brain structural change associated with onset or progression of disease. The reliability of neuroanatomical measurements over time and across sites is a crucial aspect of power in such studies. Prior work has found that while within‐site reliabilities of neuroanatomical measurements are excellent, between‐site reliability is generally more modest. Factors that may increase between‐site reliability include standardization of scanner platform and sequence parameters and correction for between‐scanner variations in gradient nonlinearities. Factors that may improve both between‐ and within‐site reliability include use of registration algorithms that account for individual differences in cortical patterning and shape. In this study 8 healthy volunteers were scanned twice on successive days at 8 sites participating in the North American Prodrome Longitudinal Study (NAPLS). All sites employed 3 Tesla scanners and standardized acquisition parameters. Site accounted for 2 to 30% of the total variance in neuroanatomical measurements. However, site‐related variations were trivial (<1%) among sites using the same scanner model and 12‐channel coil or when correcting for between‐scanner differences in gradient nonlinearity and scaling. Adjusting for individual differences in sulcal‐gyral geometries yielded measurements with greater reliabilities than those obtained using an automated approach. Neuroimaging can be performed across multiple sites at the same level of reliability as at a single site, achieving within‐ and between‐site reliabilities of 0.95 or greater for gray matter density in the majority of voxels in the prefrontal and temporal cortical surfaces as well as for the volumes of most subcortical structures. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2424–2434, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Altered resting‐state connectivity in Huntington's Disease
Authors: Werner Cornelius J. , Dogan Imis , Saß Christian , Mirzazade Shahram , Schiefer Johannes , Shah N. Jon , Schulz Jörg B. , Reetz Kathrin 
Published: August 2013

AbstractHuntington's disease (HD) is an autosomal dominantly inherited neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor, cognitive, and psychiatric symptoms. Using resting‐state fMRI (rs‐fMRI) we investigated the functional integrity of resting‐state networks (RSN) in HD. 17 HD and 19 matched control participants were examined at a 3 Tesla MR scanner. After controlling for structural degeneration by means of voxel‐based morphometry, task‐free rs‐fMRI data were analyzed using Independent Component Analysis (ICA) and a dual‐regression approach in the context of genetic and clinical parameters. Further, we evaluated HD‐related differences in interregional connectivity between networks. RSN analysis showed a significant increase in intrinsic functional connectivity in the HD sample compared with controls, including the thalamus, striatum, prefrontal, premotor, and parietal maps. A subset of the Default Mode Network (DMN) was also affected. In the HD cohort, motor impairment correlated with higher network connectivity in mainly motor and parietal cortices. Deteriorating total functional capacity was additionally associated with higher connectivity in the striatum, thalamus, insular and frontal areas. This pattern of increased activity in intrinsic functional networks might suggest a reduced ability of intra‐network differentiation with clinical disease progression in HD. Finally, results showed reduced long‐range connectivity between parietal ICA components in HD compared to controls, indicating impaired functional coupling between interregional networks in HD. Our data demonstrates that functional connectivity is profoundly altered in HD, both within and between RSN. Rs‐fMRI analysis may provide additional valuable insights into neuronal dysfunctions beyond HD‐related structural degeneration and disruptions of functional circuits in HD. Hum Brain Mapp 35:2582–2593, 2014. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Comparison of root water uptake functions to simulate surface energy fluxes within a deep‐rooted desert shrub ecosystem
Authors: Jing Chang‐Qing , Li L. , Chen Xi , Luo Ge‐Ping 
Published: August 2013

AbstractRoot water uptake (RWU) is a unique process whereby plants obtain water from soil, and it is essential for plant survival. The mechanisms of RWU are well understood, but their parameterization and simulation in current Land Surface Models (LSMs) fall short of the requirements of modern hydrological and climatic modelling research. Though various RWU functions have been proposed for potential use in LSMs, none was proven to be applicable for dryland ecosystems where drought was generally the limiting factor for ecosystem functioning. This study investigates the effect of root distribution on the simulated surface energy fluxes by incorporating the observed vertical root distribution. In addition, three different RWU functions were integrated into the Common Land Model (CLM) in place of the default RWU function. A comparison of the modified model's results with the measured surface energy fluxes measured by eddy covariance techniques in a Central Asian desert shrub ecosystem showed that both RWU function and vertical root distribution were able to significantly impact turbulent fluxes. Parameterizing the root distribution based on in‐situ measurement and replacing the default RWU function with a revised version significantly improved the CLM's performance in simulating the latent and sensible heat fluxes. Sensitivity analysis showed that varying the parameter values of the revised RWU function did not significantly impact the CLM's performance, and therefore, this function is recommended for use in the CLM in Central Asian desert ecosystems and, possibly, other similar dryland ecosystems. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Mal, more than a bridge to MyD88
Authors: Bernard Nicholas J. , O'Neill Luke A. 
Published: August 2013

SummaryThe family of type 1 transmembrane proteins known as Toll–like receptors (TLRs) provide early immune system recognition and response to infection. In order to transmit their signal to the nucleus and initiate activation of pro–inflammatory and anti–microbial genes, TLRs must initiate a cytoplasmic signalling cascade, which is alternately controlled by 6 known signalling adaptors. These signaling adaptors are crucial for activating the correct immune response to any given TLR / pathogen interaction. This review will focus on one of those adaptors, MyD88 adaptor–like (Mal), also known as TIRAP.Mal is critical for signalling by the best studied of the TLRs, the Gram negative bacterial lipopolysaccharide (LPS) sensor, TLR4. Mal's role in TLR2 signalling in response to activation of the bacterial lipopeptide receptor, TLR2, is more contentious.Mal is a component of the so–called ‘MyD88‐dependent pathway’ in TLR4 signalling. Recent advances in our understanding of the signalling pathways downstream of Mal highlight MyD88‐indpendent roles, thus positioning Mal as multifunctional and integral for the molecular control of bacterial infections as well as inflammatory diseases.Here we describe the sequence of molecular events involved in the signalling pathways controlled by Mal, and the importance of Mal in driving host protection against a variety of bacteria, with specific attention to the evidence for Mal's role in TLR2 signalling, recent structural findings that have altered our understanding of Mal signalling, and evidence that single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of Mal are responsible for variations in population level resistance and susceptibility to bacterial infection. © 2013 IUBMB Life, 65(9):777–786, 2013