bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Do parasites adopt different strategies in different intermediate hosts? Host size, not host species, influencesCoitocaecum parvum(Trematoda) life history strategy, size and egg production
Authors: DANIELS R. RUIZ , BELTRAN S. , POULIN R. , LAGRUE C. 
Published: October 2012

SUMMARYHost exploitation induces host defence responses and competition between parasites, resulting in individual parasites facing highly variable environments. Alternative life strategies may thus be expressed in context-dependent ways, depending on which host species is used and intra-host competition between parasites.Coitocaecum parvum(Trematode) can use facultative progenesis in amphipod intermediate hosts,Paracalliope fluviatilis, to abbreviate its life cycle in response to such environmental factors.Coitocaecum parvumalso uses another amphipod host,Paracorophium excavatum, a species widely different in size and ecology fromP. fluviatilis. In this study, parasite infection levels and strategies in the two amphipod species were compared to determine whether the adoption of progenesis byC. parvumvaried between these two hosts. Potential differences in size and/or egg production betweenC. parvumindividuals according to amphipod host species were also investigated. Results show thatC. parvumlife strategy was not influenced by host species. In contrast, host size significantly affectedC. parvumstrategy, size and egg production. Since intra-host interactions between co-infecting parasites also influencedC. parvumstrategy, size and fecundity, it is highly likely that within-host resource limitations affectC. parvumlife strategy and overall fitness regardless of host species.
Food combinations for cholesterol lowering
Authors: Harland Janice I. 
Published: October 2012

Reducing elevated LDL-cholesterol is a key public health challenge. There is substantial evidence from randomised controlled trials (RCT) that a number of foods and food components can significantly reduce LDL-cholesterol. Data from RCT have been reviewed to determine whether effects are additive when two or more of these components are consumed together. Typically components, such as plant stanols and sterols, soya protein, β-glucans and tree nuts, when consumed individually at their target rate, reduce LDL-cholesterol by 3–9 %. Improved dietary fat quality, achieved by replacing SFA with unsaturated fat, reduces LDL-cholesterol and can increase HDL-cholesterol, further improving blood lipid profile. It appears that the effect of combining these interventions is largely additive; however, compliance with multiple changes may reduce over time. Food combinations used in ten ‘portfolio diet’ studies have been reviewed. In clinical efficacy studies of about 1 month where all foods were provided, LDL-cholesterol is reduced by 22–30 %, whereas in community-based studies of >6 months' duration, where dietary advice is the basis of the intervention, reduction in LDL-cholesterol is about 15 %. Inclusion of MUFA into ‘portfolio diets’ increases HDL-cholesterol, in addition to LDL-cholesterol effects. Compliance with some of these dietary changes can be achieved more easily compared with others. By careful food component selection, appropriate to the individual, the effect of including only two components in the diet with good compliance could be a sustainable 10 % reduction in LDL-cholesterol; this is sufficient to make a substantial impact on cholesterol management and reduce the need for pharmaceutical intervention.
Bringing a developmental perspective to anxiety genetics
Authors: McGrath Lauren M. , Weill Sydney , Robinson Elise B. , Macrae Rebecca , Smoller Jordan W. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractDespite substantial recent advancements in psychiatric genetic research, progress in identifying the genetic basis of anxiety disorders has been limited. We review the candidate gene and genome-wide literatures in anxiety, which have made limited progress to date. We discuss several reasons for this hindered progress, including small samples sizes, heterogeneity, complicated comorbidity profiles, and blurred lines between normative and pathological anxiety. To address many of these challenges, we suggest a developmental, multivariate framework that can inform and enhance anxiety phenotypes for genetic research. We review the psychiatric and genetic epidemiological evidence that supports such a framework, including the early onset and chronic course of anxiety disorders, shared genetic risk factors among disorders both within and across time, and developmentally dynamic genetic influences. We propose three strategies for developmentally sensitive phenotyping: examination of early temperamental risk factors, use of latent factors to model underlying anxiety liability, and use of developmental trajectories as phenotypes. Expanding the range of phenotypic approaches will be important for advancing studies of the genetic architecture of anxiety disorders.
Confluence of genes, environment, development, and behavior in a post Genome-Wide Association Study world
Authors: Vrieze Scott I. , Iacono William G. , McGue Matt 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThis article serves to outline a research paradigm to investigate main effects and interactions of genes, environment, and development on behavior and psychiatric illness. We provide a historical context for candidate gene studies and genome-wide association studies, including benefits, limitations, and expected payoffs. Using substance use and abuse as our driving example, we then turn to the importance of etiological psychological theory in guiding genetic, environmental, and developmental research, as well as the utility of refined phenotypic measures, such as endophenotypes, in the pursuit of etiological understanding and focused tests of genetic and environmental associations. Phenotypic measurement has received considerable attention in the history of psychology and is informed by psychometrics, whereas the environment remains relatively poorly measured and is often confounded with genetic effects (i.e., gene–environment correlation). Genetically informed designs, which are no longer limited to twin and adoption studies thanks to ever-cheaper genotyping, are required to understand environmental influences. Finally, we outline the vast amount of individual difference in structural genomic variation, most of which remains to be leveraged in genetic association tests. Although the genetic data can be massive and burdensome (tens of millions of variants per person), we argue that improved understanding of genomic structure and function will provide investigators with new tools to test specific a priori hypotheses derived from etiological psychological theory, much like current candidate gene research but with less confusion and more payoff than candidate gene research has to date.
The role of limbic system irritability in linking history of childhood maltreatment and psychiatric outcomes in low-income, high-risk women: Moderation by FK506 binding protein 5 haplotype
Authors: Dackis Melissa N. , Rogosch Fred A. , Oshri Assaf , Cicchetti Dante 
Published: October 2012

AbstractChildhood maltreatment is associated with lasting changes in neuroendocrine regulation, alterations in brain structure and function, and symptoms of “limbic irritability.” Limbic irritability symptoms include somatic, sensory, and behavioral phenomena and may stem from increased excitatory neurotransmission following maltreatment. We tested the hypotheses that child maltreatment is indirectly associated with depressive and dissociative symptomatology via indicators of limbic irritability and that variation within the FK506 binding protein 5 gene (FKBP5), a gene involved in glucorticoid receptor functioning, moderates these effects. The sample consisted of high-risk, low-income women (N= 236) living in an inner-city environment. Child maltreatment, limbic irritability, and symptoms of depression and dissociation were measured cross-sectionally using self-report assessments. Haplotype analyses were conducted across fourFKBP5single nucleotide polymorphisms:rs3800373,rs9296158,rs1360870, andrs9470080. Path analysis using bootstrapping procedures was performed to test hypotheses regarding indirect and conditional indirect effects. We found significant indirect effects of maltreatment on depression (β = 0.088,p< .01) and dissociation (β = 0.105,p< .01) via limbic irritability. In addition, variation withinFKBP5moderated these significant indirect effects. For individuals with one to two copies of the CATT haplotype, the indirect effects of maltreatment on depression (β = 0.137,p <.01) and dissociation (β = 0.132,p< .01) via limbic irritability were significant, whereas the indirect paths were not significant for individuals with no copies of this haplotype (depression: β = 0.037,p >.05; dissociation: β = 0.002,p> .05). These results add to the growing evidence that child maltreatment may lead to symptoms of internalizing psychopathology through its impact on the limbic system. In addition, this study revealed a potential role ofFKBP5gene variants in contributing to risk for limbic system dysfunction.
Evocative gene–parenting correlations and academic performance at first grade: An exploratory study
Authors: Propper Cathi B. , Shanahan Michael J. , Russo Rosemary , Mills-Koonce W. Roger 
Published: October 2012

AbstractAcademic performance during the first years of school lays the groundwork for subsequent trajectories of academic success throughout childhood and adolescence. The current study tests a model according to which a gene–parenting correlation in the first 3 years of life is associated with subsequent psychosocial adjustment and then academic performance in the first grade (as indicated by teachers' assessment of academic behavior and two subscales of the Woodcock–Johnson Test of Achievement, Third Edition). Drawing on multiple waves of data from the Durham Child Health and Development Study, we find that risk alleles for dopamine receptor genes (dopamine receptor D4 for girls, dopamine receptor D2 for boys) are associated with less sensitive parenting. For girls, parenting mediates the link between dopamine receptor D4 and all academic outcomes. There is some indication that parenting also influences girls' withdrawn behavior in the classroom, which in turn influences teachers' assessments of academic performance. For boys, some evidence suggests that parenting is associated with emotion regulation, which is associated with teachers' assessments of academic behavior and both subscales of the Woodcock–Johnson. Replications of this exploratory study are necessary, but these findings provide a first step in understanding how evocative correlations in the home may predict indicators of psychosocial adjustment that in turn influence performance and achievement at school.
Linking prenatal maternal adversity to developmental outcomes in infants: The role of epigenetic pathways
Authors: Monk Catherine , Spicer Julie , Champagne Frances A. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractPrenatal exposure to maternal stress, anxiety, and depression can have lasting effects on infant development with risk of psychopathology. Although the impact of prenatal maternal distress has been well documented, the potential mechanisms through which maternal psychosocial variables shape development have yet to be fully elucidated. Advances in molecular biology have highlighted the role of epigenetic mechanisms in regulating gene activity, neurobiology, and behavior and the potential role of environmentally induced epigenetic variation in linking early life exposures to long-term biobehavioral outcomes. In this article, we discuss evidence illustrating the association between maternal prenatal distress and both fetal and infant developmental trajectories and the potential role of epigenetic mechanisms in mediating these effects. Postnatal experiences may have a critical moderating influence on prenatal effects, and we review findings illustrating prenatal–postnatal interplay and the developmental and epigenetic consequences of postnatal mother–infant interactions. The in utero environment is regulated by placental function and there is emerging evidence that the placenta is highly susceptible to maternal distress and a target of epigenetic dysregulation. Integrating studies of prenatal exposures, placental function, and postnatal maternal care with the exploration of epigenetic mechanisms may provide novel insights into the pathophysiology induced by maternal distress.
The epigenetics of maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and effects on child development
Authors: Knopik Valerie S. , Maccani Matthew A. , Francazio Sarah , McGeary John E. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe period of in utero development is one of the most critical windows during which adverse intrauterine conditions and exposures can influence the growth and development of the fetus as well as the child's future postnatal health and behavior. Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy remains a relatively common but nonetheless hazardous in utero exposure. Previous studies have associated prenatal smoke exposure with reduced birth weight, poor developmental and psychological outcomes, and increased risk for diseases and behavioral disorders later in life. Researchers are now learning that many of the mechanisms whereby maternal smoke exposure may affect key pathways crucial for proper fetal growth and development are epigenetic in nature. Maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy has been associated with altered DNA methylation and dysregulated expression of microRNA, but a deeper understanding of the epigenetics of maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy as well as how these epigenetic changes may affect later health and behavior remain to be elucidated. This article seeks to explore many of the previously described epigenetic alterations associated with maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and assess how such changes may have consequences for both fetal growth and development, as well as later child health, behavior, and well-being. We also outline future directions for this new and exciting field of research.
The serotonin transporter gene is a substrate for age and stress dependent epigenetic regulation in rhesus macaque brain: Potential roles in genetic selection and Gene × Environment interactions
Authors: Lindell Stephen G. , Yuan Qiaoping , Zhou Zhifeng , Goldman David , Thompson Robert C. , Lopez Juan F. , Suomi Stephen J. , Higley J. Dee , Barr Christina S. 
Published: October 2012

AbstractIn humans, it has been demonstrated that the serotonin transporter linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR) genotype moderates risk in the face of adversity. One mechanism by which stress could interact with genotype is via epigenetic modifications. We wanted to examine whether stress interacted with genotype to predict binding of a histone 3 protein trimethylated at lysine 3 (H3K4me3) that marks active promoters. The brains (N= 61) of male rhesus macaques that had been reared in the presence or absence of stress were archived and the hippocampusi dissected. Chromatin immunoprecipitation was performed with an antibody againstH3K4me3followed by sequencing on a SolexaG2A. The effects of age, genotype (5-HTTLPRlong/long vs. short), and stress exposure (peer-reared vs. mother-reared) on levels ofH3K4me3binding were determined. We found effects of age and stress exposure. There was a decline inH3K4me3from preadolescence to postadolescence and lower levels in peer-reared monkeys and no effects of genotype. When we controlled for age, however, we found that there were effects of5-HTTLPRgenotype and rearing condition onH3K4me3binding. In a larger sample, we observed that cerebrospinal fluid 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid levels were subject to interactive effects among age, rearing history, and genotype. Genes containing both genetic selection and epigenetic regulation may be particularly important in stress adaptation and development. We find evidence for selection at the solute carrier family C6 member 4 gene and observe epigenetic reorganization according to genotype, stress, and age. These data suggest that developmental stage may moderate effects of stress and serotonin transporter genotype in the emergence of alternative adaptation strategies and in the vulnerability to developmental or psychiatric disorders.
Global burned area and biomass burning emissions from small fires
Authors: Randerson J. T. , Chen Y. , van der Werf G. R. , Rogers B. M. , Morton D. C. 
Published: October 2012

In several biomes, including croplands, wooded savannas, and tropical forests, many small fires occur each year that are well below the detection limit of the current generation of global burned area products derived from moderate resolution surface reflectance imagery. Although these fires often generate thermal anomalies that can be detected by satellites, their contributions to burned area and carbon fluxes have not been systematically quantified across different regions and continents. Here we developed a preliminary method for combining 1‐km thermal anomalies (active fires) and 500 m burned area observations from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to estimate the influence of these fires. In our approach, we calculated the number of active fires inside and outside of 500 m burn scars derived from reflectance data. We estimated small fire burned area by computing the difference normalized burn ratio (dNBR) for these two sets of active fires and then combining these observations with other information. In a final step, we used the Global Fire Emissions Database version 3 (GFED3) biogeochemical model to estimate the impact of these fires on biomass burning emissions. We found that the spatial distribution of active fires and 500 m burned areas were in close agreement in ecosystems that experience large fires, including savannas across southern Africa and Australia and boreal forests in North America and Eurasia. In other areas, however, we observed many active fires outside of burned area perimeters. Fire radiative power was lower for this class of active fires. Small fires substantially increased burned area in several continental‐scale regions, including Equatorial Asia (157%), Central America (143%), and Southeast Asia (90%) during 2001–2010. Globally, accounting for small fires increased total burned area by approximately by 35%, from 345 Mha/yr to 464 Mha/yr. A formal quantification of uncertainties was not possible, but sensitivity analyses of key model parameters caused estimates of global burned area increases from small fires to vary between 24% and 54%. Biomass burning carbon emissions increased by 35% at a global scale when small fires were included in GFED3, from 1.9 Pg C/yr to 2.5 Pg C/yr. The contribution of tropical forest fires to year‐to‐year variability in carbon fluxes increased because small fires amplified emissions from Central America, South America and Southeast Asia—regions where drought stress and burned area varied considerably from year to year in response to El Nino‐Southern Oscillation and other climate modes.
Whistler mode resonance‐cone transmissions at 100 kHz in the OEDIPUS‐C experiment
Authors: Chugunov Y. V. , Fiala V. , Hayosh M. , James H. G. 
Published: October 2012

A radio transmitter was operated at one end of the tethered sounding rocket double payload OEDIPUS C, and a synchronized receiver at the other end. Both the transmitter and the receiver were connected to “double‐V” dipoles. On the flight downleg after the tether had been cut, direct bistatic propagation experiments were carried out successfully with the transmitter‐receiver pair. This paper addresses the transmission of 300‐μs pulses at a carrier frequency of 100 kHz between the dipoles over distances of about 1200 m. The waves of interest propagate in the whistler mode close to its resonance cone, where the transmitter is situated in the cone apex. The radiated field under these conditions is computed as well as the resonance response of the receiving antenna, i.e., its effective length. In the whistler mode, the influence of the plasma is important and it results in qualitative changes in the structure of the radiated field and in the value of the receiving antenna effective length as compared to the free space case. Our main concern is the excitation and reception of a pulsed signal when time and space dispersion play important roles in both the delay and spreading of such a signal.
Molecularly modified VP3 (30–121) induces apoptosis in human bladder cancer (EJ) cells but not in normal (3T3) cells
Authors: Yang Junfeng , Wang Jiansong , Zuo Yigang , Zhan Hui 
Published: October 2012

AbstractThe chicken anaemia virus protein 3 (VP3 or apoptin) induces apoptosis specifically in tumour and transformed cells but not in normal cells. This selective apoptosis is ideal for therapeutic purposes. However, VP3, a heterologous protein, is immunogenic in vivo. Such a drawback limits its clinical usage. To diminish its potential immunogenicity, we modified the sequence of VP3. The VP3 genes functional sequence starts at 33 AA (amino acids) from the N‐terminal side, and the first protein structural domain consists of 30 AA. We found that the first domain of VP3 contains no functional sequences. Therefore, this domain was removed to test whether its absence affects apoptosis. Transfection of EGFP (enhance green fluorescent protein)‐modified‐VP3 or HA‐modified‐VP3 in bladder cancer cell lines (EJ) resulted in its expression, successful localization to the nucleus and efficient induction of apoptosis. Expression of EGFP‐modified‐VP3 or HA‐modified‐VP3 had no influence on mouse fibroblast cells (3T3). The modified VP3 (30–121), like the wild‐type VP3, induced EJ cell apoptosis without affecting 3T3 cells. This study increases our understanding of modified VP3 (30–121) as a possible substitute for the wild‐type VP3, which makes VP3 (30–121) an interesting candidate for the development of novel therapeutic strategies.
Recent changes of the Earth’s core derived from satellite observations of magnetic and gravity fields
Authors: Mandea Mioara , Panet Isabelle , Lesur Vincent , de Viron Olivier , Diament Michel , Le Mouël Jean-Louis 
Published: October 2012

To understand the dynamics of the Earth’s fluid, iron-rich outer core, only indirect observations are available. The Earth’s magnetic field, originating mainly within the core, and its temporal variations can be used to infer the fluid motion at the top of the core, on a decadal and subdecadal time-scale. Gravity variations resulting from changes in the mass distribution within the Earth may also occur on the same time-scales. Such variations include the signature of the flow inside the core, though they are largely dominated by the water cycle contributions. Our study is based on 8 y of high-resolution, high-accuracy magnetic and gravity satellite data, provided by the CHAMP and GRACE missions. From the newly derived geomagnetic models we have computed the core magnetic field, its temporal variations, and the core flow evolution. From the GRACE CNES/GRGS series of time variable geoid models, we have obtained interannual gravity models by using specifically designed postprocessing techniques. A correlation analysis between the magnetic and gravity series has demonstrated that the interannual changes in the second time derivative of the core magnetic field under a region from the Atlantic to Indian Ocean coincide in phase with changes in the gravity field. The order of magnitude of these changes and proposed correlation are plausible, compatible with a core origin; however, a complete theoretical model remains to be built. Our new results and their broad geophysical significance could be considered when planning new Earth observation space missions and devising more sophisticated Earth’s interior models.