bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The benefits of crops and field management practices to wintering waterbirds in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta of California
Authors: David Shuford W. , Reiter Matthew E. , Strum Khara M. , Gilbert Michelle M. , Hickey Catherine M. , Golet Gregory H. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAgricultural intensification has been a major factor in the loss of global biodiversity. Still, agricultural landscapes provide important habitat for many bird species, particularly in the Central Valley of California, USA, where >90% of the natural wildlife habitat has been lost. As wildlife professionals increasingly work with agricultural producers to promote ‘wildlife-friendly’ farming, it is important to understand the relative value of specific crops and field management practices to birds. The value to wintering waterbirds of seven treatments (crop and management practice combinations) across two crops (corn and winter wheat) was assessed at Staten Island in the Sacramento–San Joaquin River Delta of the Central Valley. Significant variation in the relative abundance of waterbirds was found among management practices, and post-harvest flooding and chopping and rolling (mulching) of corn were most beneficial to waterbirds. As expected, most waterbirds were common in flooded treatments, but geese, cranes and long-legged waders also were numerous in some dry treatments. Our data suggest that a greater waterbird species richness and abundance can be achieved by maintaining a mosaic of dry and flooded crop types, varying water depths and continuing the chop-and-roll practice for flooded corn. The observed benefits of particular crops and field management practices in this study should aid in the development of incentive-based programs to improve the habitat value of other working lands both within, and outside, the Delta.
Entwicklung und Validierung des Fragebogen-Inventars für Freizeitinteressen (FIFI)
Authors: Piepenburg Annika , Kandler Christian 
Published: October 2015

Zusammenfassung. Jüngste Ergebnisse konnten zeigen, dass Freizeitinteressen relativ wenig mit Berufsinteressen konvergieren, und dass die Ausübung von Freizeitinteressen positive Konsequenzen nach sich ziehen (z. B. steigende Lebenszufriedenheit). Leider existierte bisher kein entsprechendes Messinstrument, welches eine breite, aber auch ökonomische Messung von Freizeitinteressen sowie für einen breiten Erwachsenenaltersbereich differenzierte Untersuchungen von Freizeitinteressen im deutschen Sprachraum erlaubt. Aus diesem Grund wurde das Fragebogen-Inventar für Freizeitinteressen (FIFI) für Erwachsene entwickelt. Anhand exploratorischer Faktorenanalysen ließen sich 21 primäre und 5 sekundäre Freizeitinteressendimensionen an einer Stichprobe von 836 Erwachsenen (18 – 94 Jahre) extrahieren. Mithilfe konfirmatorischer Faktorenanalysen wurden die 5 übergeordneten Dimensionen zweiter Ordnung bestätigt. Darauf aufbauend wurden 21 Primärskalen und 5 Sekundärskalen gebildet, welche befriedigende bis gute interne Konsistenzen und gute bis sehr gute Retest-Reliabilitäten aufwiesen. Weiterhin konnte konvergente Validität der Skalen (hohe Korrelationen zwischen dem Interesse an einer Freizeitaktivität und der Häufigkeit der Ausübung) sowie divergente Validität (relativ geringe Konvergenz zwischen Freizeit- und Berufsinteressen) bestätigt werden.
mini-q: Intelligenzscreening in drei Minuten
Authors: Baudson Tanja Gabriele , Preckel Franzis 
Published: October 2015

Zusammenfassung. 1968 stellte Baddeley ein ebenso schlichtes wie ökonomisches Instrument zur Erfassung von verbalem reasoning bzw. des logischen Schlussfolgerns auf Grundlage grammatikalischer Transformationen vor, welches eine Fähigkeitseinschätzung in nur 3 Minuten erlaubt ( Baddeley, 1968 ). Aufgrund grammatikalischer Besonderheiten der englischen Sprache ließ sich dieser bis heute angewandte Test (z. B. Chamorro-Premuzic & Furnham, 2008 ) jedoch nicht direkt übertragen. Wir stellen in diesem Artikel die deutschsprachige Weiterentwicklung des ursprünglichen Verfahrens vor. Der mini-q wurde von einer Stichprobe von insgesamt 478 Probanden, teils mit weiteren Intelligenzmaßen, bearbeitet. Item- und Skalenstatistiken belegen die Güte des mini-q. Die Ergebnisse zur Reliabilität und zur faktoriellen, konvergenten und kriterialen Validität zeigen, dass die deutsche Weiterentwicklung eine recht genaue Einschätzung von speeded reasoning in kurzer Zeit erlaubt. Der mini-q eignet sich damit als Screeningverfahren zentraler kognitiver Fähigkeiten in Erhebungskontexten, in denen wenig Testzeit zur Verfügung steht und/oder in denen kognitive Fähigkeiten zur Kontrolle miterhoben werden sollen.
IRAK1 mediates TLR4-induced ABCA1 downregulation and lipid accumulation in VSMCs
Authors: Guo L , Chen C-H , Zhang L-L , Cao X-J , Ma Q-L , Deng P , Zhu G , Gao C-Y , Li B-H , Pi Y , Liu Y , Hu Z-C , Zhang L , Yu Z-P , Zhou Z , Li J-C 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe activation of Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling has an important role in promoting lipid accumulation and pro-inflammatory effects in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), which facilitate atherosclerosis development and progression. Previous studies have demonstrated that excess lipid accumulation in VSMCs is due to an inhibition of the expression of ATP-binding cassette transporter A1 (ABCA1), an important molecular mediator of lipid efflux from VSMCs. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms of this process are unclear. The purpose of this study was to disclose the underlying molecular mechanisms of TLR4 signaling in regulating ABCA1 expression. Primary cultured VSMCs were stimulated with 50 μg/ml oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL). We determined that enhancing TLR4 signaling using oxLDL significantly downregulated ABCA1 expression and induced lipid accumulation in VSMCs. However, TLR4 knockout significantly rescued oxLDL-induced ABCA1 downregulation and lipid accumulation. In addition, IL-1R-associated kinase 1 (IRAK1) was involved in the effects of TLR4 signaling on ABCA1 expression and lipid accumulation. Silencing IRAK1 expression using a specific siRNA reversed TLR4-induced ABCA1 downregulation and lipid accumulation in vitro. These results were further confirmed by our in vivo experiments. We determined that enhancing TLR4 signaling by administering a 12-week-long high-fat diet (HFD) to mice significantly increased IRAK1 expression, which downregulated ABCA1 expression and induced lipid accumulation. In addition, TLR4 knockout in vivo reversed the effects of the HFD on IRAK1 and ABCA1 expression, as well as on lipid accumulation. In conclusion, IRAK1 is involved in TLR4-mediated downregulation of ABCA1 expression and lipid accumulation in VSMCs.
A novel miR-371a-5p-mediated pathway, leading to BAG3 upregulation in cardiomyocytes in response to epinephrine, is lost in Takotsubo cardiomyopathy
Authors: d'Avenia M , Citro R , De Marco M , Veronese A , Rosati A , Visone R , Leptidis S , Philippen L , Vitale G , Cavallo A , Silverio A , Prota C , Gravina P , De Cola A , Carletti E , Coppola G , Gallo S , Provenza G , Bossone E , Piscione F , Hahne M , De Windt L J , Turco M C , De Laurenzi V 
Published: October 2015

AbstractMolecular mechanisms protecting cardiomyocytes from stress-induced death, including tension stress, are essential for cardiac physiology and defects in these protective mechanisms can result in pathological alterations. Bcl2-associated athanogene 3 (BAG3) is expressed in cardiomyocytes and is a component of the chaperone-assisted autophagy pathway, essential for homeostasis of mechanically altered cells. BAG3 ablation in mice results in a lethal cardiomyopathy soon after birth and mutations of this gene have been associated with different cardiomyopathies including stress-induced Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC). The pathogenic mechanism leading to TTC has not been defined, but it has been suggested that the heart can be damaged by excessive epinephrine (epi) spillover in the absence of a protective mechanism. The aim of this study was to provide more evidence for a role of BAG3 in the pathogenesis of TTC. Therefore, we sequenced BAG3 gene in 70 TTC patients and in 81 healthy donors with the absence of evaluable cardiovascular disease. Mutations and polymorphisms detected in the BAG3 gene included a frequent nucleotide change g2252c in the BAG3 3′-untranslated region (3′-UTR) of Takotsubo patients (P<0.05), resulting in loss of binding of microRNA-371a-5p (miR-371a-5p) as evidenced by dual-luciferase reporter assays and argonaute RNA-induced silencing complex catalytic component 2/pull-down assays. Moreover, we describe a novel signaling pathway in cardiomyocytes that leads to BAG3 upregulation on exposure to epi through an ERK-dependent upregulation of miR-371a-5p. In conclusion, the presence of a g2252c polymorphism in the BAG3 3′-UTR determines loss of miR-371a-5p binding and results in an altered response to epi, potentially representing a new molecular mechanism that contributes to TTC pathogenesis.
A mutational signature in gastric cancer suggests therapeutic strategies
Authors: Alexandrov Ludmil B. , Nik-Zainal Serena , Siu Hoi Cheong , Leung Suet Yi , Stratton Michael R 
Published: October 2015

AbstractTargeting defects in the DNA repair machinery of neoplastic cells, for example, those due to inactivating BRCA1 and/or BRCA2 mutations, has been used for developing new therapies in certain types of breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancers. Recently, a mutational signature was associated with failure of double-strand DNA break repair by homologous recombination based on its high mutational burden in samples harbouring BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. In pancreatic cancer, all responders to platinum therapy exhibit this mutational signature including a sample that lacked any defects in BRCA1 or BRCA2. Here, we examine 10,250 cancer genomes across 36 types of cancer and demonstrate that, in addition to breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancers, gastric cancer is another cancer type that exhibits this mutational signature. Our results suggest that 7–12% of gastric cancers have defective double-strand DNA break repair by homologous recombination and may benefit from either platinum therapy or PARP inhibitors.
Unravelling structural ambiguities in lithium- and manganese-rich transition metal oxides
Authors: Shukla Alpesh Khushalchand , Ramasse Quentin M. , Ophus Colin , Duncan Hugues , Hage Fredrik , Chen Guoying 
Published: October 2015

AbstractAlthough Li- and Mn-rich transition metal oxides have been extensively studied as high-capacity cathode materials for Li-ion batteries, the crystal structure of these materials in their pristine state is not yet fully understood. Here we apply complementary electron microscopy and spectroscopy techniques at multi-length scale on well-formed Li1.2(Ni0.13Mn0.54Co0.13)O2 crystals with two different morphologies as well as two commercially available materials with similar compositions, and unambiguously describe the structural make-up of these samples. Systematically observing the entire primary particles along multiple zone axes reveals that they are consistently made up of a single phase, save for rare localized defects and a thin surface layer on certain crystallographic facets. More specifically, we show the bulk of the oxides can be described as an aperiodic crystal consisting of randomly stacked domains that correspond to three variants of monoclinic structure, while the surface is composed of a Co- and/or Ni-rich spinel with antisite defects.
Dilp8 requires the neuronal relaxin receptor Lgr3 to couple growth to developmental timing
Authors: Garelli Andres , Heredia Fabiana , Casimiro Andreia P. , Macedo Andre , Nunes Catarina , Garcez Marcia , Dias Angela R. Mantas , Volonte Yanel A. , Uhlmann Thomas , Caparros Esther , Koyama Takashi , Gontijo Alisson M. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractHow different organs in the body sense growth perturbations in distant tissues to coordinate their size during development is poorly understood. Here we mutate an invertebrate orphan relaxin receptor gene, the Drosophila Leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 3 (Lgr3), and find body asymmetries similar to those found in insulin-like peptide 8 (dilp8) mutants, which fail to coordinate growth with developmental timing. Indeed, mutation or RNA intereference (RNAi) against Lgr3 suppresses the delay in pupariation induced by imaginal disc growth perturbation or ectopic Dilp8 expression. By tagging endogenous Lgr3 and performing cell type-specific RNAi, we map this Lgr3 activity to a new subset of CNS neurons, four of which are a pair of bilateral pars intercerebralis Lgr3-positive (PIL) neurons that respond specifically to ectopic Dilp8 by increasing cAMP-dependent signalling. Our work sheds new light on the function and evolution of relaxin receptors and reveals a novel neuroendocrine circuit responsive to growth aberrations.
Magnetotactic molecular architectures from self-assembly of β-peptide foldamers
Authors: Kwon Sunbum , Kim Beom Jin , Lim Hyung-Kyu , Kang Kyungtae , Yoo Sung Hyun , Gong Jintaek , Yoon Eunyoung , Lee Juno , Choi Insung S. , Kim Hyungjun , Lee Hee-Seung 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe design of stimuli-responsive self-assembled molecular systems capable of undergoing mechanical work is one of the most important challenges in synthetic chemistry and materials science. Here we report that foldectures, that is, self-assembled molecular architectures of β-peptide foldamers, uniformly align with respect to an applied static magnetic field, and also show instantaneous orientational motion in a dynamic magnetic field. This response is explained by the amplified anisotropy of the diamagnetic susceptibilities as a result of the well-ordered molecular packing of the foldectures. In addition, the motions of foldectures at the microscale can be translated into magnetotactic behaviour at the macroscopic scale in a way reminiscent to that of magnetosomes in magnetotactic bacteria. This study will provide significant inspiration for designing the next generation of biocompatible peptide-based molecular machines with applications in biological systems.
General synthesis of inorganic single-walled nanotubes
Authors: Ni Bing , Liu Huiling , Wang Peng-peng , He Jie , Wang Xun 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe single-walled nanotube (SWNT) is an interesting nanostructure for fundamental research and potential applications. However, very few inorganic SWNTs are available to date due to the lack of efficient fabrication methods. Here we synthesize four types of SWNT: sulfide; hydroxide; phosphate; and polyoxometalate. Each type of SWNT possesses essentially uniform diameters. Detailed studies illustrate that the formation of SWNTs is initiated by the self-coiling of the corresponding ultrathin nanostructure embryo/building blocks on the base of weak interactions between them, which is not limited to specific compounds or crystal structures. The interactions between building blocks can be modulated by varying the solvents used, thus multi-walled tubes can also be obtained. Our results reveal that the generalized synthesis of inorganic SWNTs can be achieved by the self-coiling of ultrathin building blocks under the proper weak interactions.
Role of the central nervous system and adipose tissue BDNF/TrkB axes in metabolic regulation
Authors: Nakagomi Atsushi , Okada Sho , Yokoyama Masataka , Yoshida Yohko , Shimizu Ippei , Miki Takashi , Kobayashi Yoshio , Minamino Tohru 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBackground/Objectives:Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor (tropomyosin-related kinase B: TrkB, also known as Ntrk2) have a key role in central regulation of the energy balance. BDNF and TrkB are also expressed in the peripheral tissues, including adipose tissue, but their peripheral role has been unclear. Here we report on the functional significance of the adipose tissue BDNF/TrkB axis in metabolic homeostasis.Materials and Methods:To examine the role of the BDNF/TrkB axis in the central nervous system and in adipose tissue, we generated adipocyte-specific or neuron-specific BDNF/TrkB conditional knockout (CKO) mice. Then we compared the feeding behavior and metabolic profile between each type of CKO mouse and their littermates.Results:Bdnfexpression was significantly increased in the adipose tissue of mice receiving a high-calorie diet, whereasNtrk2expression was decreased. TheBdnf/Ntrk2expression ratio of adipose tissue was higher in female mice than male mice.Fabp4-Cre mice are widely used to establish adipocyte-specific CKO mice. However, we found thatFabp4-Cre-induced deletion ofBdnforNtrk2led to hyperphagia, obesity, and aggressiveness, presumably due to ectopicFabp4-Cre mediated gene recombination in the brain. Next, we attempted to more specifically deleteBdnforNtrk2in adipocytes usingAdipoq-Cre mice. Expression ofNtrk2,but notBdnf,in the adipose tissue was reduced byAdipoq-Cre mediated gene recombination, indicating that adipocytes only expressed TrkB. No phenotypic changes were detected whenAdipoq-Cre TrkB CKO mice were fed a normal diet, whereas female CKO mice receiving a high-calorie diet showed a decrease in food intake and resistance to obesity.Conclusions:The adipose tissue BDNF/TrkB axis has a substantial influence on the feeding behavior and obesity in female mice.
Ten-year longitudinal study of factors influencing nocturnal asthma symptoms among Asian patients in primary care
Authors: Tan Ngiap Chuan , Nadkarni Nivedita V , Lye Weng Kit , Sankari Usha , Nguyen van Hai 
Published: October 2015

AbstractBackground:Nocturnal asthma symptoms result in poor quality of life and morbidity.Aims:This study primarily examines key factors predicting and mitigating nocturnal symptom risks among asthma patients, who were enrolled into a Singapore publicly funded asthma care programme. It also studies the association between nocturnal symptoms and medication changes as the secondary outcome.Methods:A longitudinal study was conducted on 939 multi-racial Asian patients with persistent asthma. Patient clinical and therapeutic data were retrieved retrospectively from the programme’s database established in 2004. Association between nocturnal symptoms (defined as night-time cough, wheeze and breathlessness at least twice monthly) and each categorical predictor was tested. The generalised linear mixed-effects model (GLIMM) was used to model the primary and secondary outcomes.Results:Having nocturnal asthma symptoms was significantly associated with the number of days with breathlessness, off usual activities and off work, and asthma severity at baseline (allPvalues <0.05). The asthma action plan (AAP) status is significantly associated with nocturnal symptoms after adjusting for race, age and smoking status at baseline (odds ratio (OR)=0.49 (updated asthma action plan versus none), OR=0.37 (been-on plan versus none)). The risks of nocturnal asthma symptoms increased over time for those with allergic rhinitis (OR=1.52) and reduced with subsequent visits (OR=0.91). Nocturnal symptoms increased the odds (OR=2.87) of switching from inhaled corticosteroid (ICS) to combination medications (ICS-LABA (long-acting β2-agonist)).Conclusions:The risks of having nocturnal symptoms were primarily associated with those with allergic rhinitis. An increase in patients’ nocturnal symptoms was also predictive of the switching from ICS medications to combination formulations by their physicians.
Dynamic weight bearing is an efficient and predictable method for evaluation of arthritic nociception and its pathophysiological mechanisms in mice
Authors: Quadros Andreza U. , Pinto Larissa G. , Fonseca Miriam M. , Kusuda Ricardo , Cunha Fernando Q. , Cunha Thiago M. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractThe assessment of articular nociception in experimental animals is a challenge because available methods are limited and subject to investigator influence. In an attempt to solve this problem, the purpose of this study was to establish the use of dynamic weight bearing (DWB) as a new device for evaluating joint nociception in an experimental model of antigen-induced arthritis (AIA) in mice. AIA was induced in Balb/c and C57BL/6 mice and joint nociception was evaluated by DWB. Western Blotting and real-time PCR were used to determine protein and mRNA expression, respectively. DWB detected a dose- and time-dependent increase in joint nociception during AIA and was able to detect the dose-response effects of different classes of analgesics. Using DWB, it was possible to evaluate the participation of spinal glial cells (microglia and astrocytes) and cytokines (IL-1β and TNFα) for the genesis of joint nociception during AIA. In conclusion, the present results indicated that DWB is an effective, objective and predictable test to study both the pathophysiological mechanisms involved in arthritic nociception in mice and for evaluating novel analgesic drugs against arthritis.
A high-throughput RNA-seq approach to profile transcriptional responses
Authors: Moyerbrailean G. A. , Davis G. O. , Harvey C. T. , Watza D. , Wen X. , Pique-Regi R. , Luca F. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractIn recent years RNA-seq protocols have been developed to investigate a variety of biological problems by measuring the abundance of different RNAs. Many study designs involve performing expensive preliminary studies to screen or optimize experimental conditions. Testing a large number of conditions in parallel may be more cost effective. For example, analyzing tissue/environment-specific gene expression generally implies screening a large number of cellular conditions and samples, without prior knowledge of which conditions are most informative (e.g., some cell types may not respond to certain treatments). To circumvent these challenges, we have established a new two-step high-throughput RNA-seq approach: the first step consists of gene expression screening of a large number of conditions, while the second step focuses on deep sequencing of the most relevant conditions (e.g., largest number of differentially expressed genes). This study design allows for a fast and economical screen in step one, with a more efficient allocation of resources for the deep sequencing of the most biologically relevant libraries in step two. We have applied this approach to study the response to 23 treatments in three lymphoblastoid cell lines demonstrating that it should also be useful for other high-throughput transcriptome profiling applications requiring iterative refinement or screening.
Microbial mediation of complex subterranean mineral structures
Authors: Tisato Nicola , Torriani Stefano F. F. , Monteux Sylvain , Sauro Francesco , De Waele Jo , Tavagna Maria Luisa , D’Angeli Ilenia M. , Chailloux Daniel , Renda Michel , Eglinton Timothy I. , Bontognali Tomaso R. R. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractHelictites—an enigmatic type of mineral structure occurring in some caves—differ from classical speleothems as they develop with orientations that defy gravity. While theories for helictite formation have been forwarded, their genesis remains equivocal. Here, we show that a remarkable suite of helictites occurring in Asperge Cave (France) are formed by biologically-mediated processes, rather than abiotic processes as had hitherto been proposed. Morphological and petro-physical properties are inconsistent with mineral precipitation under purely physico-chemical control. Instead, microanalysis and molecular-biological investigation reveals the presence of a prokaryotic biofilm intimately associated with the mineral structures. We propose that microbially-influenced mineralization proceeds within a gliding biofilm which serves as a nucleation site for CaCO3 and where chemotaxis influences the trajectory of mineral growth, determining the macroscopic morphology of the speleothems. The influence of biofilms may explain the occurrence of similar speleothems in other caves worldwide and sheds light on novel biomineralization processes.