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The quest for sustainable materials in industrial applications has led to the exploration of biobased monomers for photocurable resins. This study investigates the photopolymerization kinetics and application of eugenol and vanillyl alcohol-based resins for developing hydrophobic coatings on paper. Employing photo-DSC and FT-IR spectroscopy, we analyzed the reactivity and conversion of eugenyl methacrylate (EM) and vanillyl alcohol methacrylate (VAM), alongside their formulations with a hydrophobic additive (PDMS-ECEMS), under various temperatures. Our results reveal that vanillyl alcohol-based resins exhibit faster polymerization and higher conversion rates compared to eugenol-based resins, attributed to their structural differences. The incorporation of PDMS-ECEMS significantly improved the hydrophobicity of the coatings, achieving contact angles (106°) comparable to those of conventional hydrophobic paper coatings. Optimal polymerization occurred at ambient temperatures, with elevated temperatures leading to a faster initial curing rate, but lower overall conversion. This study highlights the potential of using eugenol and vanillyl alcohol-based resins as sustainable alternatives for hydrophobic paper coatings, offering insights into the optimization of photocurable resin formulations for coatings with promising barrier and release performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: (1) Description of clinical and cranial MRI features in the original Pontine Autosomal Dominant Microangiopathy with Leukoencephalopathy (PADMAL) family and correlation with the segregation analysis of the causative collagen 4A1 gene (COL4A1) variant. (2) Sequence analysis of the COL4A1 miRNA-binding site containing the causative variant in two independent cross-sectional samples of sporadic stroke patients. Patients and methods: Sanger sequencing of the COL4A1 miRNA-binding site in the PADMAL family and 874 sporadic stroke patients. Results: PADMAL shows adult-onset usually between 30 and 50 years of age with initial brainstem-related symptoms most commonly dysarthria, with progression to dementia and tetraparesis. Radiologically pontine lacunes are followed by supratentorial white matter involvement. Radiological onset may precede clinical symptoms. We found no variants in the COL4A1 miRNA-binding site of sporadic stroke patients. Conclusion: Our results allow an early diagnosis of PADMAL based on cranial MRI, clinical signs, and confirmatory sequencing of the COL4A1 miRNA-29-binding site. COL4A1 miRNA-29-binding site variants do not contribute to a sizeable proportion of sporadic stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photopolymerization and its application in the dental, three‐dimensional (3D) printing, coating and electronic industry has become increasingly popular over the last decades. A huge variety of photoinitiators (PIs) and photoinitiating systems (PISs) have been developed that are able to generate reactive species, e. g. radicals, radical cations, and cations upon light absorption. In this Review, we focus on radical‐generating Type I PIs which undergo homolytic cleavage after irradiation with visible light. The possibility to utilize electromagnetic irradiation above 400 nm for the initiation of polymerization reactions provides several advantages such as a lower energy demand and higher curing depths in pigmented reactive systems. Recent developments of PIs based on phosphorus and group 14 elements as well as other selected concepts for Type I visible light initiators are outlined and discussed within this review. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isolable stannenolates LKSn[(CO)R]3 (R=2,4,6‐trimethylphenyl (1 a, b), L=DME for (1 a) or 18‐crown‐6 for (1 b)), a new building block for the synthesis of effective Sn‐based photoinitiators, were synthesized. The formation of these derivatives was confirmed by NMR spectroscopy, UV/Vis spectroscopy as well as X‐ray crystallographic analysis. Compound 1 a is employed as a synthon in main group chemistry through reactions with two different types of electrophiles (acid chlorides and alkyl halides). All investigated electrophiles react via the salt metathesis reaction and gave rise to novel acylstannanes in good to excellent yields. The applicability as visible light photoinitiators is demonstrated by photobleaching (UV/Vis absorption spectroscopic studies) as well as through application in photo‐DSC studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban ecosystems can sustain populations of wild bees, partly because of their rich native and exotic floral resources. A better understanding of the urban bee diet, particularly at the larval stage, is necessary to understand biotic interactions and feeding behaviour in urban ecosystems, and to promote bees by improving the management of urban floral resources.We investigated the larval diet and distribution patterns of four solitary wild bee species with different diet specialization (i.e. Chelostoma florisomne, Osmia bicornis, Osmia cornuta and Hylaeus communis) along urban intensity gradients in five European cities (Antwerp, Paris, Poznan, Tartu and Zurich) using two complementary analyses. Specifically, using trap‐nests and pollen metabarcoding techniques, we characterized the species' larval diet, assessed diet consistency across cities and modelled the distribution of wild bees using species distribution models (SDMs).Our results demonstrate that urban wild bees display different successful strategies to exploit existing urban floral resources: not only broad generalism (i.e. H. communis) but also intermediate generalism, with some degree of diet conservatism at the plant family or genus level (i.e. O. cornuta and O. bicornis), or even strict specialization on widely available urban pollen hosts (i.e. C. florisomne). Furthermore, we detected important diet variation in H. communis, with a switch from an herbaceous pollen diet to a tree pollen diet with increasing urban intensity.Species distribution modelling indicated that wild bee distribution ranges inside urban ecosystems ultimately depend on their degree of specialization, and that broader diets result in less sensitivity to urban intensity.Policy implications. Satisfying larval dietary requirements is critical to preserving and enhancing wild bee distributions within urban gradients. For high to intermediate levels of feeding specialization, we found considerable consistency in the preferred plant families or genera across the studied cities, which could be generalized to other cities where these bees occur. Identifying larval floral preferences (e.g. using pollen metabarcoding) could be helpful for identifying key plant taxa and traits for bee survival and for improving strategies to develop bee‐friendly cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Open in new tab Download slide Open in new tab Download slide OBJECTIVES Persistent lymph nodes infiltration after neoadjuvant treatment remains a controversial topic in the treatment of stage III non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The aim of this study is to identify subgroups with persistent N2 disease, who could experience survival benefit from the addition of surgery. METHODS A retrospective mono-institutional study was conducted to analyse all patients with a final histopathology of NSCLC and persistent mediastinal disease after induction chemotherapy or chemoradiotherapy and surgery from January 1998 to June 2015. RESULTS A total of 145 patients (93 men, 52 women) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The median age was 60 years (range 38–78). A total of 82 (56.5%) patients received a lobectomy, 48 (33.1%) a pneumonectomy, 11 (7.6%) a bilobectomy and 4 (2.6%) an anatomical segmentectomy; 128 (88.3%) were completely resected (R0). Operative mortality was 2.6% (4 patients), and morbidity was 35.2% (51 patients). Overall survival at 5 years was 47.3% (n  = 19) for single N2 (skip), 30.2% (n  = 16) for single N2 and N1 lymph nodes and under 5% (n  = 1) for multiple mediastinal stations disease. Overall survival at 5 years after lobectomy/bilobectomy was not statistically different than after pneumonectomy (33.5% vs 20.5%, P  = 0.082). Disease-free survival at 5 years was 30.6% (n  = 6) for ypN2a1, 23.4% (n  = 7) for ypN2a2 and under 5% (n  = 1) for ypN2b status. CONCLUSIONS Lobectomy or bilobectomy has to be taken into account as a potentially curative option with promising long-term results for patients after induction treatment and persistent single-station N2 involvement (skip or additionally N1 status). Trial registry number 14-6138-BO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological invasions are one of the major threats to biodiversity worldwide and contribute to changing community patterns and ecosystem processes. However, it is often not obvious whether an invader is the "driver" causing ecosystem changes or a "passenger" which is facilitated by previous ecosystem changes. Causality of the impact can be demonstrated by experimental removal of the invader or introduction into a native community. Using such an experimental approach, we tested whether the impact of the invasive plant Impatiens glandulifera on native vegetation is causal, and whether the impact is habitat‐dependent. We conducted a field study comparing invaded and uninvaded plots with plots from which I. glandulifera was removed and plots where I. glandulifera was planted within two riparian habitats, alder forests and meadows. A negative impact of planting I. glandulifera and a concurrent positive effect of removal on the native vegetation indicated a causal effect of I. glandulifera on total native biomass and growth of Urtica dioica. Species α‐diversity and composition were not affected by I. glandulifera manipulations. Thus, I. glandulifera had a causal but low effect on the native vegetation. The impact depended slightly on habitat as only the effect of I. glandulifera planting on total biomass was slightly stronger in alder forests than meadows. We suggest that I. glandulifera is a "back‐seat driver" of changes, which is facilitated by previous ecosystem changes but is also a driver of further changes. Small restrictions of growth of the planted I. glandulifera and general association of I. glandulifera with disturbances indicate characteristics of a back‐seat driver. For management of I. glandulifera populations, this requires habitat restoration along with removal of the invader. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Multiple, chronic and repeated trauma exposure in childhood is associated with adverse mental health outcomes in adulthood. In this paper we synthesise the literature on epigenetic modifications in childhood trauma (CT) and the mediating effects of differential epigenetic mechanisms on the association between CT and the later onset of psychiatric disorders. Methods: We reviewed the literature up to March 2018 in four databases: PubMed, Web of Science, EBSCOhost and SCOPUS. Non-human studies were excluded. All studies investigating CT exposure both in healthy adults (18years and older) and adults with psychiatric disorders were included. Results: Thirty-six publications were included. For mood disorders, methylation of the glucocorticoid receptor NR3C1 gene, specifically at the NGFI-A binding site in exon 1F, and correlation with CT was a robust finding. Several studies documented differential methylation of SLC6A4, BDNF, OXTR and FKBP5 in association with CT. Common pathways identified include neuronal functioning and maintenance, immune and inflammatory processes, chromatin and histone modification, and transcription factor binding. Conclusions: A variety of epigenetic mediators that lie on a common pathway between CT and psychiatric disorders have been identified, although longitudinal studies and consistency in methodological approach are needed to disentangle cause and effect associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological psychiatry scholarship on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is making strides with new omics technologies. In this context, there is growing recognition that noncoding RNAs are vital for the regulation of gene and protein expression. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) can modulate splicing, influence RNA editing, messenger RNA (mRNA) stability, translation activation, and microRNA–mRNA interactions, are highly abundant in the brain, and have been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders. The largest subclass of lncRNAs is long intergenic noncoding RNAs (lincRNAs). We report on lincRNAs and their predicted mRNA targets associated with fear extinction induced by co-administration of D-cycloserine and behavioral fear extinction in a PTSD animal model. Forty-three differentially expressed lincRNAs and 190 differentially expressed mRNAs were found to be associated with fear extinction. Eight lincRNAs were predicted to interact with and regulate 108 of these mRNAs, while seven lincRNAs were predicted to interact with 22 of their pre-mRNA transcripts. Based on the functions of their target mRNAs, we inferred that these lincRNAs bind to nucleotides, ribonucleotides, and proteins; subsequently influence nervous system development, morphology, and immune system functioning; and could be associated with nervous system and mental health disorders. We found the quantitative trait loci that overlapped with fear extinction-related lincRNAs included traits such as serum corticosterone level, neuroinflammation, anxiety, stress, and despair-related responses. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to identify lincRNAs and their RNA targets with a putative role in transcriptional regulation during fear extinction in the context of an animal model of PTSD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Chronic inflammatory skin diseases are characterized by controlled proliferation of keratinocytes. Here, activating transcription factor 3 (ATF3) might play a fundamental role. In these inflammatory diseases, proliferation is controlled and only rarely leads to cancer development which can be supported by an inflammatory microenvironment. ATF3 is a dual function protein as it suppresses pro-inflammatory IL-6 and IL-8, but also acts as a pro-oncogenic factor by the suppression of p53. We therefore analyzed ATF3 expression comparing myeloid cells with keratinocytes. Objective To dissect the bi-modal role of ATF3 we pharmacologically induced ATF3 and analyzed its influence on cytokine expression and secretion in a cell type specific manner. Methods Since inflammatory skin diseases can be treated systemically with Cyclosporin A or Dimethylfumarate we stimulated myeloid cells and primary human keratinocytes with these drugs and analyzed gene expression by quantitative real-time PCR. Cytokine secretion was measured by ELISA. Results In the present study, we could show that ATF3 is induced in PBMCs by DMF and weakly by Ebselen, while CsA is the most prominent inducer of ATF3 in keratinocytes without enhancing HO-1 transcription. Further we could show that induction of stress by LPS treatment elevates IL-1β and IL-6 and weakly ATF3 transcription in PBMCs. While transcription of both cytokines is elevated, LPS treatment mediates IL-6 secretion with only little IL-1β secretion. Treatment with DMF dampens LPS-induced transcription. Conclusions Taken together, our results shed light into the different carcinogenic potential of CsA and DMF, which both target ATF3. Collectively our data demonstrate that CsA strongly induces pro-carcinogenic ATF3 in keratinocytes, whereas ATF3 induction by DMF in myeloid cells acts anti-inflammatory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We conducted a genome-wide association study of essential tremor, a common movement disorder characterized mainly by a postural and kinetic tremor of the upper extremities. Twin and family history studies show a high heritability for essential tremor. The molecular genetic determinants of essential tremor are unknown. We included 2807 patients and 6441 controls of European descent in our two-stage genome-wide association study. The 59 most significantly disease-associated markers of the discovery stage were genotyped in the replication stage. After Bonferroni correction two markers, one (rs10937625) located in the serine/threonine kinase STK32B and one (rs17590046) in the transcriptional coactivator PPARGC1A were associated with essential tremor. Three markers (rs12764057, rs10822974, rs7903491) in the cell-adhesion molecule CTNNA3 were significant in the combined analysis of both stages. The expression of STK32B was increased in the cerebellar cortex of patients and expression quantitative trait loci database mining showed association between the protective minor allele of rs10937625 and reduced expression in cerebellar cortex. We found no expression differences related to disease status or marker genotype for the other two genes. Replication of two lead single nucleotide polymorphisms of previous small genome-wide association studies (rs3794087 in SLC1A2, rs9652490 in LINGO1) did not confirm the association with essential tremor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rebun Island with Hamanaka and Funadomari among the 43 documented archaeological sites and the environmental archive stored in the Lake Kushu sediment proves to be one of the key areas to study the interplay between ecology, climate and human activities. This paper focuses on the potential of palaeobotanical records from Rebun Island for improving the chronological control and understanding of late Quaternary climate changes and habitation environments of northern hunter-gatherers in the Hokkaido Region of Japan. A set of 57 radiocarbon dates of the RK12 core (Lake Kushu) demonstrates that it represents a continuous environmental archive covering the last c. 17,000 years. The RK12 pollen record reflects distinct vegetation changes associated with the onset of the lateglacial warming about 15,000 cal. yr BP and the cold climate reversal after c. 13,000 cal. yr BP. The onset of the current Holocene interglacial after c. 11,700 cal. yr BP is marked by a major spread of trees. The middle Holocene (c. 8000–4000 cal. yr BP) is characterized by a major spread of deciduous oak in the vegetation cover reflecting a temperature increase. A decline of oak and spread of fir and pine is recorded at c. 2000 cal. yr BP. After c. 1100 cal. yr BP, arboreal pollen percentages decrease, possibly linked to intensified usage of wood during the Okhotsk and Ainu culture periods. The results of diatom analysis suggest marshy or deltaic environments at the RK12 coring site prior to c. 10,500 cal. yr BP and a brackish lagoon between c. 10,500 and 7000 cal. yr BP. A freshwater lake developed after 6500 cal. yr BP, likely reflecting sea level stabilization and formation of the sand bar separating the Kushu depression from the sea. Plant macrofossil analysis shows use of various wild plants and also domesticated barley during the Okhotsk and Ainu periods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

D-cycloserine (DCS) has been shown to be effective in facilitating fear extinction in animal and human studies, however the precise mechanisms whereby the co-administration of DCS and behavioural fear extinction reduce fear are still unclear. This study investigated the molecular mechanisms of intrahippocampally administered D-cycloserine in facilitating fear extinction in a contextual fear conditioning animal model. Male Sprague Dawley rats ( n = 120) were grouped into four experimental groups ( n = 30) based on fear conditioning and intrahippocampal administration of either DCS or saline. The light/dark avoidance test was used to differentiate maladapted (MA) (anxious) from well-adapted (WA) (not anxious) subgroups. RNA extracted from the left dorsal hippocampus was used for RNA sequencing and gene expression data was compared between six fear-conditioned + saline MA (FEAR + SALINE MA) and six fear-conditioned + DCS WA (FEAR + DCS WA) animals. Of the 424 significantly downregulated and 25 significantly upregulated genes identified in the FEAR + DCS WA group compared to the FEAR + SALINE MA group, 121 downregulated and nine upregulated genes were predicted to be relevant to fear conditioning and anxiety and stress-related disorders. The majority of downregulated genes transcribed immune, proinflammatory and oxidative stress systems molecules. These molecules mediate neuroinflammation and cause neuronal damage. DCS also regulated genes involved in learning and memory processes, and genes associated with anxiety, stress-related disorders and co-occurring diseases (e.g., cardiovascular diseases, digestive system diseases and nervous system diseases). Identifying the molecular underpinnings of DCS-mediated fear extinction brings us closer to understanding the process of fear extinction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a cluster of factors that increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), one of the leading causes of mortality in patients with schizophrenia. Incidence rates of MetS are significantly higher in patients with schizophrenia compared to the general population. Several factors contribute to this high comorbidity. This systematic review focuses on genetic factors and interrogates data from association studies of genes implicated in the development of MetS in patients with schizophrenia. We aimed to identify variants that potentially contribute to the high comorbidity between these disorders. PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus databases were accessed and a systematic review of published studies was conducted. Several genes showed strong evidence for an association with MetS in patients with schizophrenia, including the fat mass and obesity associated gene (FTO), leptin and leptin receptor genes (LEP, LEPR), methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) gene and the serotonin receptor 2C gene (HTR2C). Genetic association studies in complex disorders are convoluted by the multifactorial nature of these disorders, further complicating investigations of comorbidity. Recommendations for future studies include assessment of larger samples, inclusion of healthy controls, longitudinal rather than cross-sectional study designs, detailed capturing of data on confounding variables for both disorders and verification of significant findings in other populations. In future, big genomic datasets may allow for the calculation of polygenic risk scores in risk prediction of MetS in patients with schizophrenia. This could ultimately facilitate early, precise, and patient-specific pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions to minimise CVD associated morbidity and mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new palynological record from a 146 cm long finely laminated sediment core obtained in 2009 from the deep-water meromictic Lake Shira (54°30′38″N, 90°12″09′E; ca. 353 m a.s.l.) situated in the Khakassian steppe region of southern Siberia between the rivers Ob' and Yenisei. The area is rich in lakes and represents an exceptionally well preserved sequence of Bronze and Iron Age archeological cultures. Little is known about the changes in vegetation and climate of the region during the Holocene. The palynological analysis of the core allows us to partly fill up this gap in current knowledge. The record of pollen and non-pollen palynomorphs presented here covers the past 2450 year interval with an average resolution of 22 years. The results obtained support the interpretation that the late Holocene vegetation changes around Lake Shira are mainly associated with large-scale atmospheric circulation processes controlling the regional water balance rather than with human activities. An attempt to trace human impact in the pollen assemblages provides no clear evidence for anthropogenic activity, except for the last few decades since ca. 1955, though the region has a long history of mobile pastoralists. For explanation of decadal-scale changes in the regional vegetation cover, the Artemisia /Chenopodiaceae (A/C) pollen ratio proved to be a reliable indicator of effective moisture availability. Using available fossil and published instrumental data our study suggests a link between the North Atlantic warmer/colder temperatures and higher/lower atmospheric precipitation (or moisture availability) in southern Siberia at multi-decadal to centennial scales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) limitation has been regarded as the rule in freshwater systems and the basis for phytoplankton growth management. We hypothesised that P would be the limiting nutrient for phytoplankton growth in Grahamstown Dam, a shallow, mesotrophic reservoir, across different seasons and on different experimental time scales. Seven fully factorial microcosm assays with additions of nitrogen (N) and P were conducted in situ during different seasons. The influence of longer experimental duration was examined in two 18-day mesocosm assays. Additions of N and P in combination evoked significantly higher phytoplankton biomass and biovolumes of individual algal genera compared with controls and other treatments in both types of experiment. There were some significant responses to P additions in the microcosm assays in winter. Some genera first responded to combined P and N addition and then to P only addition during the mesocoms assays. Our results show that P was not the limiting nutrient across all seasons but that phytoplankton was mostly co-limited by N and P. A longer experimental time scale did not change this outcome at the biomass level. This implies that input of N as well as of P should be considered in the management of phytoplankton growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study is concerned with vegetation modelling in northern Asia and its comparison with pollen-based vegetation and climate reconstructions. With the help of BIOME1, a global biogeographic equilibrium vegetation model, vegetation dynamics during the last interglacial (LI) period in the northern Asian region can be simulated. In the study, an alternative algorithm to calculate a moisture index ( α ) is implemented, and the vegetation is modelled for the optimum phase (125 ka BP) and the end of the LI period (115 ka BP). The simulations show an approximately 28% increase in the area occupied by forest biomes for the 125 ka BP time-slice and an approximately 14% decrease in forest-dominated areas around 115 ka BP in comparison to today. Compared to the present day, the tree-line for the 125 ka BP time-slice was located on average 4.05 ± 2.03° further north. Comparison of the modelled results with available pollen-based reconstructions shows that the simulated and reconstructed results for the optimum of the LI period are consistent. With both algorithms calculating the moisture index α , i.e. α 1 and α 2 , the tree line shifts back (∼10 ± 4.4°) between the optimum and the end of the LI period. The area occupied by forest in both simulations had declined by an average of ∼42%. Furthermore, the data-model comparison shows that the modelling results obtained with the newly implemented moisture index are in slightly better agreement with the climate reconstructions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new decadal-resolution fossil pollen record from Lake Kotokel (52°47′N, 108°07′E, 458 m a.s.l.) and provides a reconstruction of the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) vegetation and environments in the study area during this interval of globally harsh climate. Lake Kotokel is situated close to the eastern shoreline of Lake Baikal, in the boreal forest zone of southern Siberia. The analysed 190 cm long section 6 of the bottom core KTK10 (KTK10/6) consists of compact, undisturbed, greenish-grey to dark-grey, slightly laminated silty clay indicating continuous lacustrine sedimentation throughout the LGM period ca. 26.8–19.1 cal. ka BP. The age model is supported by 11 calibrated AMS dates. The results of pollen analysis and pollen-based biome reconstruction show that steppe and tundra vegetation composed of grasses and various herbs dominated ca. 26.8–19.1 cal. ka BP. Occurrence of conifer tracheids and stomata throughout the record, together with small quantities of boreal conifer and broadleaf tree and shrub taxa pollen, suggests the presence of single trees or small forest stands in the lake vicinity, most likely in the river valleys. Application of the biomisation method and the resulting numerical scores of the most characteristic biomes (steppe, tundra and cold deciduous forest) show minor fluctuations, signifying stability of the regional vegetation cover during the analysed LGM interval. In contrast to the regional biomes, the local environmental indicators demonstrate greater sensitivity of the lake system to decadal- and century-scale climate variability. The highest pollen percentages of Ranunculaceae, representing littoral/meadow vegetation communities, are registered ca. 23.8–23.4 cal. ka BP. This and an increase in coarse-grained sand particles together with slightly increased total inorganic carbon (TIC) values representing calcite in the KTK10/6 sediment provide evidence of a much shorter than present distance between the coring site and the shoreline and a reduced lake area, in line with a drier-than-present LGM climate. A general stability of the grassland vegetation in the study region ca. 26.8–19.1 cal. ka BP and relatively constant total organic carbon (TOC) values support the hypothesis that this productive vegetation could stably serve as a perennial food resource for large populations of herbivores, thus providing favourable environments for the local hunter–gatherers inhabiting the Lake Baikal region during the LGM interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The current study presents quantitative reconstructions of tree cover, annual precipitation and mean July temperature derived from the pollen record from Lake Billyakh (65°17′N, 126°47′E, 340 m above sea level) spanning the last ca. 50 ka (ca. 50,000 cal yrs). The reconstruction of tree cover suggests presence of woody plants through the entire analyzed time interval, although trees played only a minor role in the vegetation around Lake Billyakh prior to 14 ka BP (<5%). This result corroborates low percentages of tree pollen and low scores of the cold deciduous forest biome in the PG1755 record from Lake Billyakh. The reconstructed values of the mean temperature of the warmest month ∼8–10 °C do not support larch forest or woodland around Lake Billyakh during the coldest phase of the last glacial between ∼32 and ∼15 ka BP. However, modern cases from northern Siberia, ca. 750 km north of Lake Billyakh, demonstrate that individual larch plants can grow within shrub and grass tundra landscape in very low mean July temperatures of about 8 °C. This makes plausible the hypothesis that the western and southern foreland of the Verkhoyansk Mountains could provide enough moist and warm microhabitats and allow individual larch specimens to survive climatic extremes of the last glacial. Reconstructed mean values of annual precipitation are about 270 mm during the last glacial interval. This value is almost 100 mm higher than modern averages reported for the extreme-continental north-eastern Siberia east of Lake Billyakh, where larch-dominated cold deciduous forest grows at present. This suggests that last glacial environments around Lake Billyakh were never too dry for larch to grow and that the insufficient summer warmth was the main factor, which limited tree growth during the last glacial interval. The n-alkane analysis of the Siberian plants presented in this study demonstrates rather complex alkane distribution patterns, which challenge the interpretation of the fossil records. In particular, extremely low n-alkane concentrations in the leaves of local coniferous trees and shrubs suggest that their contribution to the litter and therefore to the fossil lake sediments might be not high enough for tracing the Quaternary history of the needleleaved taxa using the n-alkane biomarker method. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The neuropathogenesis of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) may manifest as various neurocognitive impairments (NCI). HIV-positive individuals also have significantly shorter telomere length (TL) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and CD8+ T cells compared to HIV-negative individuals. Additionally, reduced TL has been found to be associated with chronic psychological stress. This study focused on the effects of HIV-infection and chronic stress associated with childhood trauma on telomere length, and investigated whether leukocyte TL (LTL), in particular, represents a risk factor for NCI. Eighty-three HIV-positive and 45 HIV-negative women were assessed for childhood trauma and were subjected to detailed neurocognitive testing. Blood from each participant was used to extract Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Relative LTL were determined by performing real time quantitative PCR reactions as described by Cawthon et al. (2002). As expected, relative LTL in the HIV-positive individuals was significantly shorter than that of HIV-negative individuals (F = 51.56, p = <0.01). Notably, a significant positive correlation was evident between relative LTL and learning performance in the HIV-positive group. In addition, a significant negative correlation was observed between relative LTL and verbal fluency, but this association was only evident in HIV-positive individuals who had experienced trauma. Our results suggest that reduced LTL is associated with worse learning performance in HIV-positive individuals, indicating that TL could act as a susceptibility factor in increasing neurocognitive decline in HIV-infected individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the vascular plant Arabidopsis thaliana, synthesis of cysteine and its precursors O-acetylserine and sulfide is distributed between the cytosol, chloroplasts, and mitochondria. This compartmentation contributes to regulation of cysteine synthesis. In contrast to Arabidopsis, cysteine synthesis is exclusively restricted to chloroplasts in the unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. Thus, the question arises, whether specification of compartmentation was driven by multicellularity and specified organs and tissues. The moss Physcomitrella patens colonizes land but is still characterized by a simple morphology compared to vascular plants. It was therefore used as model organism to study evolution of compartmented cysteine synthesis. The presence of O-acetylserine(thiol)lyase (OAS-TL) proteins, which catalyze the final step of cysteine synthesis, in different compartments was applied as criterion. Purification and characterization of native OAS-TL proteins demonstrated the presence of five OAS-TL protein species encoded by two genes in Physcomitrella. At least one of the gene products is dual targeted to plastids and cytosol, as shown by combination of GFP fusion localization studies, purification of chloroplasts, and identification of N termini from native proteins. The bulk of OAS-TL protein is targeted to plastids, whereas there is no evidence for a mitochondrial OAS-TL isoform and only a minor part of OAS-TL protein is localized in the cytosol. This demonstrates that subcellular diversification of cysteine synthesis is already initialized in Physcomitrella but appears to gain relevance later during evolution of vascular plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To investigate which motives young adolescents indicate for first-time alcohol consumption and whether these motives are linked to risky drinking. Methods: Logistic regressions were used based on a nationally representative sample of 1,654 11- to 14-year-olds who had consumed alcohol at least once. Results: 'To toast' (42.5%), 'to find out what effect it would have' (36.4%), and 'to have more fun at a party' (31.0%) were most frequently indicated as motives. Boys indicated curiosity about the effect more often than girls who instead more frequently indicated coping motives. Those who had their first drink 'to have more fun at a party' or 'because it was exciting' had a higher likelihood of risky drinking. Moreover, those who indicated depression as a motive were three times more likely to have 5 or more drinks on a single occasion. Conclusions: Information on young people's motives for first-time drinking appears to play a significant role in primary prevention, e.g. to prevent risky drinking or alcohol-related problems later in life by postponing alcohol use. Copyright © 2011 S. Karger AG, Basel [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Alcohol consumption seems to be the best predictor of drunkenness and evidence suggests that individual and country factors influence the perception of drunkenness. This study examines if the relationship between volume of alcohol consumption and perceived drunkenness varies across European countries in samples of adolescents. Methods: Data came from the 2007 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD). The analytical sample consisted of n = 60,114 (93%) 15–16-year-old students in 24 countries reporting alcohol consumption on the last drinking occasion. At the individual level, perceived drunkenness on the last drinking occasion was measured with a 10-point scale, alcohol consumption on the last drinking occasion with a beverage-specific quantity index. Six individual characteristics were assessed and used as control variables. At the country level, a total of five country-level variables were included in the study. Data were analysed using multilevel regression models simultaneously considering both individual level (Level 1) and group (country) level (Level 2) variables. Results: The relationship between alcohol consumption and perceived drunkenness varied across countries. This variation could partly be explained by drinking patterns and geographical region. Conclusion: The perception of the effects of alcohol in terms of drunkenness seems to vary across countries. Future studies should develop sound indicators of cultural differences accounting for this variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Alcohol consumption seems to be the best predictor of drunkenness and evidence suggests that individual and country factors influence the perception of drunkenness. This study examines if the relationship between volume of alcohol consumption and perceived drunkenness varies across European countries in samples of adolescents. Methods: Data came from the 2007 European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD). The analytical sample consisted of n = 60,114 (93%) 15–16-year-old students in 24 countries reporting alcohol consumption on the last drinking occasion. At the individual level, perceived drunkenness on the last drinking occasion was measured with a 10-point scale, alcohol consumption on the last drinking occasion with a beverage-specific quantity index. Six individual characteristics were assessed and used as control variables. At the country level, a total of five country-level variables were included in the study. Data were analysed using multilevel regression models simultaneously considering both individual level (Level 1) and group (country) level (Level 2) variables. Results: The relationship between alcohol consumption and perceived drunkenness varied across countries. This variation could partly be explained by drinking patterns and geographical region. Conclusion: The perception of the effects of alcohol in terms of drunkenness seems to vary across countries. Future studies should develop sound indicators of cultural differences accounting for this variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The association between the alcohol use of parents and their offspring is well established. However, little is known about the factors underlying, or mediating, this link. This study investigated whether drinking motives mediate the link between the drinking habits of parents and the frequency of their adolescent children's alcohol consumption and drunkenness. Method: A nationally representative sample of 1,854 13to 15-year-old students in Switzerland who drink alcohol was analyzed. Structural equation modeling was used to test mediation. Results: As soon as drinking motives were included in the model, the previously significant link between the drinking habits of parents and the frequency of their adolescent children's alcohol consumption was reduced and was no longer significant for drunkenness. Thus, parents' drinking habits indirectly affected adolescent alcohol use via drinking motives, in terms of both the frequency of alcohol consumption and drunkenness. In particular, social, enhancement, and coping motives were prominent mediators in the link between parental drinking and adolescent alcohol consumption, whereas coping and enhancement motives played a key role in the link between parental drinking and adolescent drunkenness. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that drinking habits of parents are not responsible for the widely reported link between the alcohol use of parents and their offspring, per Se. Rather, results suggest that parental drinking shapes the drinking motives of adolescent children, which, in turn, influences adolescent alcohol use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Here we present a detailed radiocarbon-dated 936cm long pollen record from Lake Billyakh (65°17′N, 126°47′E; 340m a.s.l.) situated in the western part of the Verkhoyansk Mountains, about 140 km south of the Arctic Circle. A set of 53 surface pollen samples representing tundra, cold deciduous forest and taiga was collected in northern and central Yakutia communities to verify the accuracy of the quantitative biome reconstruction method and to obtain a more precise attribution of the identified pollen taxa to the main regional biomes. The adjusted method is then applied to the pollen record from Lake Billyakh to gain a reconstruction of vegetation and environments since about 50.7 kyr BP. The results of the pollen analysis and pollen-based biome reconstruction suggest that herbaceous tundra and steppe communities dominated the area from 50.7 to 13.5 kyr BP. Relatively low pollen concentrations and high percentages of herbaceous pollen taxa (mainly Cyperaceae, Poaceae and Artemisia) likely indicate a reduced vegetation cover and/or lower pollen production. On the other hand, extremely low percentages of drought-tolerant taxa, such as Chenopodiaceae and Ephedra, and the constant presence of various mesophyllous herbaceous (Thalictrum, Rosaceae, Asteraceae) and shrubby taxa (Betula sect. Nanae/Fruticosae, Duschekia fruticosa, Salix) in the pollen assemblages prevent an interpretation of the last glacial environments around Lake Billyakh as extremely arid. The lowest pollen percentages of woody taxa and the highest values of Artemisia pollen attest that the 31–15 kyr BP period as the driest and coldest interval of the entire record. A relative high content of taxa representing shrub tundra communities and the presence of larch pollen recorded prior to 31 kyr and after 13.5 kyr BP likely indicate interstadial climate amelioration associated with the middle and latest parts of the last glacial. An increase in pollen percentages of herbaceous taxa around 12 kyr BP suggests broader distribution of drier communities in response to the colder and drier than present climate of the Younger Dryas (YD). The onset of the Holocene is marked in the pollen record by the highest values of shrub taxa, mainly B. sect. Nanae/Fruticosae. Pollen percentages of arboreal taxa increase gradually and reach maximum values after 7 kyr BP. The latter maximum mainly reflects the spread of Pinus sylvestris in central Yakutia as a response to the mid-Holocene climatic optimum. The quasi-continuous presence of larch, shrubby birch and alder pollen throughout the whole record is the most striking feature of the pollen record. Noticeable variations in larch pollen percentages point to multiple short-term warming episodes, which might be synchronous with the Dansgaard-Oeschger cycles in the North Atlantic records. The Lake Billyakh pollen record suggests that larch possibly survived during the last 50 kyr BP in locally favourable environments in the study region. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aims The aim of this study is to assess the contribution of the alcopops tax to changes in alcohol consumption and beverage preference among adolescents in Germany. We hypothesize that the decrease of alcohol intake by alcopops is substituted by an increase of alcohol intake by other alcoholic beverages. Design Data came from the German 2003 ( n = 10 551) and 2007 ( n = 10 598) cross-sectional study of the European School Survey Project on Alcohol and other Drugs (ESPAD). Participants A propensity score-matched subsample of 9th and 10th graders ( n = 4694) was used for the analyses. Measurement Alcohol consumption within the last 7 days was assessed by a beverage-specific quantity–frequency index. An individual's beverage preference was assigned for the beverage that had the highest share in total alcohol consumption. Multiple regression analyses were used to assess changes in alcohol consumption; changes in beverage preference were tested using multinomial logistic regression. Findings While alcopop consumption declined after the alcopops tax was implemented, consumption of spirits increased. Changes in beverage preference revealed a decrease in alcopop preference and an increase in the preference for beer and spirits. Conclusions Results indicate a partial substitution of alcopops by spirits and a switch in preference to beverages associated with riskier drinking patterns. Effective alcohol policies to prevent alcohol-related problems should focus upon the reduction of total alcohol consumption instead of regulating singular beverages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on an October 2009 conference held at the House of World Cultures in Berlin, Germany, on the theme "Dealing with the Past, Reaching the Future. Historic Memory and Societal Change in (South)Africa and Germany After 1989." Topics addressed at the meeting included post-apartheid reunification, the East German secret police (Stasi), and the reunification of Germany.

Background: The ArsRS two-component system is the master regulator of acid adaptation in the human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori. Low pH is supposed to trigger the autophosphorylation of the histidine kinase ArsS and the subsequent transfer of the phosphoryl group to its cognate response regulator ArsR which then acts as an activator or repressor of pHresponsive genes. Orthologs of the ArsRS two-component system are also present in H. pylori's close relatives H. hepaticus, Campylobacter jejuni and Wolinella succinogenes which are non-gastric colonizers. Methodology/Principal Findings: In order to investigate the mechanism of acid perception by ArsS, derivatives of H. pylori 26695 expressing ArsS proteins with substitutions of the histidine residues present in its periplasmic input domain were constructed. Analysis of pH-responsive transcription of selected ArsRS target genes in these mutants revealed that H94 is relevant for pH sensing, however, our data indicate that protonatable amino acids other than histidine contribute substantially to acid perception by ArsS. By the construction and analysis of H. pylori mutants carrying arsS allels from the related e-proteobacteria we demonstrate that WS1818 of W. succinogenes efficiently responds to acidic pH. Conclusions/Significance: We show that H94 in the input domain of ArsS is crucial for acid perception in H. pylori 26695. In addition our data suggest that ArsS is able to adopt different conformations depending on the degree of protonation of acidic amino acids in the input domain. This might result in different activation states of the histidine kinase allowing a gradual transcriptional response to low pH conditions. Although retaining considerable similarity to ArsS the orthologous proteins of H. hepaticus and C. jejuni may have evolved to sensors of a different environmental stimulus in accordance with the non gastric habitat of these bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Our study aims to look for testate amobae (TA) in the surface and fossil sediments from the Cape Mamontov Klyk (73°60′–73°63′ N, 116°88′–117°18′ E), southern coast of the Laptev Sea, ca 150 km west of the Lena Delta and to discuss the potential of TA analysis for Glacial/Interglacial environmental reconstructions in Arctic Siberia. The radiocarbon age determination suggests that the studied sediments accumulated between ca 45,000 14C yr BP and present. A total of 98 TA taxa were identified in the 10 recent surface and 59 fossil samples. Results of taxonomical identification and ecological analysis of TA in the modern and fossil samples suggest that major changes in the soil moisture conditions took place. Our results show that soil-living taxa dominated the TA assemblages at the study sites during the past 45,000 years. The environmental conditions of the study area were most favourable (relatively warm and humid) during the Kargin Interstadial (ca 45,000–25,000 14C yr BP). An opposite situation is reconstructed for the Sartan Stadial (ca. 25,000–15,000 14C yr BP). During the Kargin Interstadial, optimum conditions occurred between ca 44,000 and 40,000 14C yr BP characterised by highest TA abundances and taxa diversity. This initial optimal phase was followed by the interval with drier and colder conditions about 40,000–30,000 14C yr BP. The sediments dated between ca. 24,000 and 18,000 14C yr BP show low TA abundances and diversity, in agreement with the much colder and drier environments during the maximum phase of the Last Glacial. The onset of the Holocene is indicated by a broad representation of obligate hydrophilic taxa, especially from genus Difflugia, suggesting wet and relatively warm conditions. By comparison with other environmental proxies used in the studied sections as well as from the neighbouring arctic regions our results suggest that TA analysis can provide valuable information, contributing to the better understanding of the Late Quaternary climate and environments in Arctic Siberia. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The majority of critically ill intensive care unit (ICU) patients with severe sepsis develop ICU-acquired weakness (ICUAW) characterized by loss of muscle mass, reduction in myofiber size and decreased muscle strength leading to persisting physical impairment. This phenotype results from a dysregulated protein homeostasis with increased protein degradation and decreased protein synthesis, eventually causing a decrease in muscle structural proteins. The ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS) is the predominant protein-degrading system in muscle that is activated during diverse muscle atrophy conditions, e.g., inflammation. The specificity of UPS-mediated protein degradation is assured by E3 ubiquitin ligases, such as atrogin-1 and MuRF1, which target structural and contractile proteins, proteins involved in energy metabolism and transcription factors for UPS-dependent degradation. Although the regulation of activity and function of E3 ubiquitin ligases in inflammation-induced muscle atrophy is well perceived, the contribution of the proteasome to muscle atrophy during inflammation is still elusive. During inflammation, a shift from standard- to immunoproteasome was described; however, to which extent this contributes to muscle wasting and whether this changes targeting of specific muscular proteins is not well described. This review summarizes the function of the main proinflammatory cytokines and acute phase response proteins and their signaling pathways in inflammation-induced muscle atrophy with a focus on UPS-mediated protein degradation in muscle during sepsis. The regulation and target-specificity of the main E3 ubiquitin ligases in muscle atrophy and their mode of action on myofibrillar proteins will be reported. The function of the standard- and immunoproteasome in inflammation-induced muscle atrophy will be described and the effects of proteasome-inhibitors as treatment strategies will be discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori is extremely well adapted to the highly acidic conditions encountered in the stomach. The pronounced acid resistance of H. pylori relies mainly on the ammonia-producing enzyme urease. However, urease-independent mechanisms are likely to contribute to acid adaptation. pH-responsive gene regulation in this organism is mediated by a two-component system (HP0166-HP0165) designated ArsRS and the metal-dependent regulators NikR and Fur. Recently, it was reported that another two-component system termed CrdRS (HP1365-HP1364) is required for pH-responsive regulation of the major acid-resistance systems in the H. pylori strain J99. By the analysis of crdRS null mutants of the H. pylori strains 26695 and G27, we show that low pH induction of both the urease and the amidase genes occurs in the absence of crdRS in these strains, suggesting substantial strain-specific differences in the regulation of a major virulence determinant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The human gastric pathogen Helicobacter pylori exhibits a remarkably small repertoire of transcriptional regulators including three complete two-component systems as well as the orphan response regulators HP1021 and HP1043. Both HP1021 and HP1043 show atypical receiver sequences and are required for the normal cell growth of H. pylori. Recently, we demonstrated that phosphorylation of HP1021 and HP1043 according to the two-component paradigm is not a prerequisite for the cell growth-associated functions of these response regulators, raising the question of how the activity of this regulatory proteins is modulated. Here, we report that strict transcriptional control of its expression is not involved in the cell-growth associated function of HP1021. We show that expression of hp1043 is controlled both on the post-transcriptional or post-translational level and by transcriptional regulation. Furthermore, we provide evidence that hp1043 can be replaced by the orthologous gene cj0355 from Campylobacter jejuni. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: The ArsRS two-component system controls the pH-dependent transcription of several target genes involved in the acid resistance of Helicobacter pylori. In its phosphorylated form the response regulator ArsR activates transcription of the urease genes and it has been reported that ArsR∼P binds to a 26bp consensus motif which is present in the promoter regions of the ORFs hp1408, hp119 and hp1432 encoding proteins of unknown function. Here we show that the upstream region of ORF hp1408 exhibits considerable sequence variation in different isolates of H. pylori. By the construction of fusions of the P1408 promoter from different H. pylori strains to the reporter gene gfp in the genetic background of H. pylori G27 we demonstrate that these sequence variations do not significantly affect acid-induced transcription. Furthermore, we show that a P1408 core promoter comprising only the −10 promoter element and the 26bp ArsR binding site overlapping the −35 region is sufficient for eliciting the normal acid response of ORF hp1408. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In plants and invertebrates, Dicer genes play a critical role against infections by RNA viruses. In this issue, report that Dicer mutant mice are hypersusceptible to infection by the RNA virus VSV. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Urban ecosystems are formed by pronounced socio‐ecological gradients, which are distinct from other ecosystems and can simultaneously filter and promote taxa, ultimately affecting their interactions. However, the strength of the effect of filtering and facilitation across the different trophic levels could vary among biotic and abiotic factors.Here, we investigate the effects of habitat amount, temperature and host‐enemy biotic interactions in shaping communities of cavity‐nesting bees and wasps and their natural enemies. We installed trap‐nests in 80 sites distributed along urban intensity gradients in five European cities (Antwerp, Paris, Poznan, Tartu and Zurich). We quantified the species richness and abundance of hosts and their natural enemies, as well as two performance traits (survival and parasitism) and two life‐history traits (sex ratio and number of offspring per nest for the hosts). We analysed the importance of the abiotic and biotic variables using generalised linear models and multi‐model inference.We found that habitat amount was the main driver of multiple host responses, with larger habitat amounts resulting in higher species richness and abundance for hosts and natural enemies, as well as a larger probability of survival and a larger number of brood cells for hosts.Local resources proxies shaped both bees and wasps and indicate different uses of existing vegetation between bees and wasps. Temperature proxies had a minor role in shaping host and natural enemies.Biotic interactions were a main driver of host and enemy community structure, with natural enemies being strongly affected by host availability, that is, with direct density‐dependence between hosts and their natural enemies.Overall, our study highlights the importance of habitat amount and temperature in shaping urban food webs, as well as on biotic interactions through direct effects on hosts responses and the subsequent consequences for their natural enemies. As cities prepare to tackle the consequences of global change, strategies that make it possible to maintain habitat and mitigate urban overheating emerge as a key urban adaptation for biodiversity conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acylgermanes are known as highly efficient photoinitiators. In this contribution, we present the synthesis of new diacylgermanes 4a–evia a multiple silyl abstraction methodology. The method outperforms the state-of-the-art approach (Corey–Seebach reaction) towards diacylgermanes in terms of group tolerance and toxicity of reagents. Moreover, these compounds are decorated with bulky mesityl groups in order to improve their storage stability. The isolated diacylgermanes were characterized by multinuclear NMR-, UV-Vis spectroscopy and X-ray crystallography, as well as photolysis experiments (photobleaching) and photo-DSC measurements (photopolymerization behavior). Upon irradiation with an LED emitting at 385 nm, all compounds except for 4a and 4c bleach efficiently with quantum yields above 0.6. Due to their broad absorption bands, the compounds can be also bleached with blue light (470 nm), where especially 4e bleaches more efficiently than Ivocerin®. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: IgG-class autoantibodies to N-Methyl-D-Aspartate (NMDA)-type glutamate receptors define a novel entity of autoimmune encephalitis. Studies examining the prevalence of NMDA IgA/IgM antibodies in patients with Parkinson disease with/without dementia produced conflicting results. We measured NMDA antibodies in a large, well phenotyped sample of Parkinson patients without and with cognitive impairment (n = 296) and controls (n = 295) free of neuropsychiatric disease. Detailed phenotyping and large numbers allowed statistically meaningful correlation of antibody status with diagnostic subgroups as well as quantitative indicators of disease severity and cognitive impairment. Methods: NMDA antibodies were analysed in the serum of patients and controls using well established validated assays. We used anti-NMDA antibody positivity as the main independent variable and correlated it with disease status and phenotypic characteristics. Results: The frequency of NMDA IgA/IgM antibodies was lower in Parkinson patients (13%) than in controls (22%) and higher than in previous studies in both groups. NMDA IgA/IgM antibodies were neither significantly associated with diagnostic subclasses of Parkinson disease according to cognitive impairment, nor with quantitative indicators of disease severity and cognitive impairment. A positive NMDA antibody status was positively correlated with age in controls but not in Parkinson patients. Conclusion: It is unlikely albeit not impossible that NMDA antibodies play a significant role in the pathogenesis or progression of Parkinson disease e.g. to Parkinson disease with dementia, while NMDA IgG antibodies define a separate disease of its own. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proton-coupled amino acid transporter, PAT1, is known to be responsible for intestinal absorption drug substances such as gaboxadol and vigabatrin. The aim of the present study was to investigate, if 17-α-ethinyl-estradiol (E-E2) and 17-β-estradiol (E) inhibit PAT1-mediated intestinal absorption of proline and taurine in vitro in Caco-2 cells and in vivo using Sprague-Dawley rats to assess the potential for taurine-drug interactions. E and E-E2 inhibited the PAT1-mediated uptake of proline and taurine in Caco-2 cells with IC 50 values of 10.0–50.0 μM without major effect on other solute carriers such as the taurine transporter (TauT), di/tri-peptide transporter (PEPT1), and serotonin transporter (SERT1). In PAT1-expressing oocytes E and E-E2 were non-translocated inhibitors. In Caco-2 cells, E and E-E2 lowered the maximal uptake capacity of PAT1 in a non-competitive manner. Likewise, the transepithelial permeability of proline and taurine was reduced in presence of E and E-E2. In male Sprague Dawley rats pre-dosed with E-E2 a decreased maximal plasma concentration (C max) of taurine and increased the time (t max) to reach this was indicated, suggesting the possibility for an in vivo effect on the absorption of PAT1 substrates. In conclusion, 17-α-ethinyl-estradiol and 17-β-estradiol were identified as non-translocated and non-competitive inhibitors of PAT1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic systemic inflammation has been implicated in trauma exposure, independent of a psychiatric diagnosis, and in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and its highly comorbid conditions, such as metabolic syndrome (MetS). The present study used network analysis to examine the interacting associations between pro-inflammatory cytokines, posttraumatic stress (PTS) symptoms and symptom clusters, and individual components of MetS, in a cohort of 312 participants (n = 139 PTSD cases, n = 173 trauma-exposed controls). Pro-inflammatory cytokines were measured in serum samples using immunoturbidimetric and multiplex assays. Three network models were assessed, and the decision on which model to use was guided by network stability estimates and denseness. Weak negative associations were observed between interleukin one beta (IL-1β) and detachment (D6) and irritability (E1); tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) and hypervigilance (E3); and C-reactive protein (CRP) and emotional cue reactivity (B4), which could be due to high cortisol levels present in a female-majority cohort. Network models also identified positive associations between CRP and waist circumference, blood pressure, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C). The strongest association was observed between CRP and waist circumference, providing evidence that central obesity is an important inflammatory component of MetS. Some networks displayed high instability, which could be due to the small pool of participants with viable cytokine data. Overall, this study provides evidence for associations between inflammation, PTS symptoms and components of MetS. Future longitudinal studies measuring pro-inflammatory cytokines in the immediate aftermath of trauma are required to gain better insight into the role of inflammation in trauma-exposure and PTSD. • Inflammation is associated with trauma exposure and PTSD. • Network analysis can reveal complex relationships between multiple variables. • We estimated networks comprising PTS, metabolic syndrome and inflammatory markers. • C-reactive protein was associated with three of five metabolic syndrome components. • Cytokine levels were weakly associated with individual PTS symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollen analysis is one of the most important methods to reconstruct past climate change and to understand prehistoric and early historic human-environment interactions. Every study based on fossil pollen assemblages from sedimentary archives starts with the preparation of collected sample material. The most widely employed protocols to concentrate pollen involve the use of several chemicals including hydrofluoric acid (HF), which is extremely hazardous to human health. As an alternative to HF, we have tested the reliability of dense media separation using two non-toxic substances, sodium polytungstate (SPT) and lithium heteropolytungstate (LST). Our test, which is based on five different samples representing different palaeoenvironmental archives partly revealed statistical disagreement between HF-treated samples and those treated by SPT and LST. In most cases, the observed differences in taxa proportions of the SPT and LST samples are unidirectional. In general, they do not appear to be pollen-taxa-specific but sample-specific thus probably linked to properties associated with the respective study material. However, sample comparison indicates that SPT-based dense media separation produces pollen concentrates that are statistically more comparable to those obtained by protocols based on HF-treatment. Discrepancies between both methods were also recognised for pollen concentrations and generally support the sample-specific character of dense media separation performance as suggested by the pollen proportion comparison. To verify the observed significant differences in pollen proportions and concentrations and to understand the factors that control them, further studies based on a larger number of test samples are required. In addition, we evaluated the effect of ultrasonic-aided fine sieving to bi-saccate pollen types. Our results indicate that this commonly used method to remove clays may lead to fragmentation of bi-saccate pollen into corpora and sacci, thus making identification more complicated. Although more time-consuming, we recommend to use less destructive differential centrifugation as an alternative, if indicated by preliminary tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrogen (N) inputs from atmospheric deposition can increase soil organic carbon (SOC) storage in temperate and boreal forests, thereby mitigating the adverse effects of anthropogenic CO2 emissions on global climate. However, direct evidence of N-induced SOC sequestration from low-dose, long-term N addition experiments (that is, addition of < 50 kg N ha−1 y−1 for > 10 years) is scarce worldwide and virtually absent for European temperate forests. Here, we examine how tree growth, fine roots, physicochemical soil properties as well as pools of SOC and soil total N responded to 20 years of regular, low-dose N addition in two European coniferous forests in Switzerland and Denmark. At the Swiss site, the addition of 22 kg N ha−1 y−1 (or 1.3 times throughfall deposition) stimulated tree growth, but decreased soil pH and exchangeable calcium. At the Danish site, the addition of 35 kg N ha−1 y−1 (1.5 times throughfall deposition) impaired tree growth, increased fine root biomass and led to an accumulation of N in several belowground pools. At both sites, elevated N inputs increased SOC pools in the moderately decomposed organic horizons, but decreased them in the mineral topsoil. Hence, long-term N addition led to a vertical redistribution of SOC pools, whereas overall SOC storage within 30 cm depth was unaffected. Our results imply that an N-induced shift of SOC from older, mineral-associated pools to younger, unprotected pools might foster the vulnerability of SOC in temperate coniferous forest soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urbanization poses threats and opportunities for the biodiversity of wild bees. At the same time, cities can harbor diverse wild bee assemblages, partly due to the unique plant assemblages that provide resources. While bee dietary preferences have been investigated in various studies, bee dietary studies have been conducted mostly in nonurban ecosystems and data based on plant visitation observations or palynological techniques. This data set describes the larval food preferences of four wild bee species (i.e., Chelostoma florisomne, Hylaeus communis, Osmia bicornis, and O. cornuta) common in urban areas in five different European cities (i.e., Antwerp, Belgium; Paris, France; Poznan, Poland; Tartu, Estonia; and Zurich, Switzerland). In addition, the data set describes the larval food preferences of individuals from three wild bee genera (i.e., Chelostoma sp., Hylaeus sp., and Osmia sp.) that could not be identified to the species level. These data were obtained from a Europe‐level study aimed at understanding the effects of urbanization on biodiversity across different cities and cityscapes and a Swiss project aimed at understanding the effects of urban ecosystems in wild bee feeding behavior. Wild bees were sampled using standardized trap nests at 80 sites (32 in Zurich and 12 in each of the remaining cities), selected following a double gradient of available habitat at local and landscape scales. Larval pollen was obtained from the bee nests and identified using DNA metabarcoding. The data provide the plant composition at the species or genus level preferred by each bee. These unique data can be used for a wide array of research questions, including urban ecology (e.g., diversity of food sources along urban gradients), bee ecology (characterization of bee feeding preferences), or comparative studies on the urban evolution of behavioral traits between urban and nonurban sites. In addition, the data can be used to inform urban planning and conservation strategies, particularly concerning flower resources (e.g., importance of exotic species and, thus, management activities). This data set can be freely used for noncommercial purposes, and this data paper should be cited if the data is used; we request that collaboration with the data set contact person to be considered if this data set represents an important part of the data analyzed in a study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]