| 1. |
- Costello, David M., et al.
(author)
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Global patterns and controls of nutrient immobilization on decomposing cellulose in riverine ecosystems
- 2022
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In: Global Biogeochemical Cycles. - : John Wiley & Sons. - 0886-6236 .- 1944-9224. ; 36:3
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Microbes play a critical role in plant litter decomposition and influence the fate of carbon in rivers and riparian zones. When decomposing low-nutrient plant litter, microbes acquire nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) from the environment (i.e., nutrient immobilization), and this process is potentially sensitive to nutrient loading and changing climate. Nonetheless, environmental controls on immobilization are poorly understood because rates are also influenced by plant litter chemistry, which is coupled to the same environmental factors. Here we used a standardized, low-nutrient organic matter substrate (cotton strips) to quantify nutrient immobilization at 100 paired stream and riparian sites representing 11 biomes worldwide. Immobilization rates varied by three orders of magnitude, were greater in rivers than riparian zones, and were strongly correlated to decomposition rates. In rivers, P immobilization rates were controlled by surface water phosphate concentrations, but N immobilization rates were not related to inorganic N. The N:P of immobilized nutrients was tightly constrained to a molar ratio of 10:1 despite wide variation in surface water N:P. Immobilization rates were temperature-dependent in riparian zones but not related to temperature in rivers. However, in rivers nutrient supply ultimately controlled whether microbes could achieve the maximum expected decomposition rate at a given temperature. Collectively, we demonstrated that exogenous nutrient supply and immobilization are critical control points for decomposition of organic matter.
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| 2. |
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| 3. |
- Tiegs, Scott D., et al.
(author)
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Global patterns and drivers of ecosystem functioning in rivers and riparian zones
- 2019
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In: Science Advances. - Washington : American Association of Advancement in Science. - 2375-2548. ; 5:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- River ecosystems receive and process vast quantities of terrestrial organic carbon, the fate of which depends strongly on microbial activity. Variation in and controls of processing rates, however, are poorly characterized at the global scale. In response, we used a peer-sourced research network and a highly standardized carbon processing assay to conduct a global-scale field experiment in greater than 1000 river and riparian sites. We found that Earth's biomes have distinct carbon processing signatures. Slow processing is evident across latitudes, whereas rapid rates are restricted to lower latitudes. Both the mean rate and variability decline with latitude, suggesting temperature constraints toward the poles and greater roles for other environmental drivers (e.g., nutrient loading) toward the equator. These results and data set the stage for unprecedented "next-generation biomonitoring" by establishing baselines to help quantify environmental impacts to the functioning of ecosystems at a global scale.
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| 4. |
- Kattge, Jens, et al.
(author)
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TRY plant trait database - enhanced coverage and open access
- 2020
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In: Global Change Biology. - : Wiley-Blackwell. - 1354-1013 .- 1365-2486. ; 26:1, s. 119-188
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Plant traits-the morphological, anatomical, physiological, biochemical and phenological characteristics of plants-determine how plants respond to environmental factors, affect other trophic levels, and influence ecosystem properties and their benefits and detriments to people. Plant trait data thus represent the basis for a vast area of research spanning from evolutionary biology, community and functional ecology, to biodiversity conservation, ecosystem and landscape management, restoration, biogeography and earth system modelling. Since its foundation in 2007, the TRY database of plant traits has grown continuously. It now provides unprecedented data coverage under an open access data policy and is the main plant trait database used by the research community worldwide. Increasingly, the TRY database also supports new frontiers of trait-based plant research, including the identification of data gaps and the subsequent mobilization or measurement of new data. To support this development, in this article we evaluate the extent of the trait data compiled in TRY and analyse emerging patterns of data coverage and representativeness. Best species coverage is achieved for categorical traits-almost complete coverage for 'plant growth form'. However, most traits relevant for ecology and vegetation modelling are characterized by continuous intraspecific variation and trait-environmental relationships. These traits have to be measured on individual plants in their respective environment. Despite unprecedented data coverage, we observe a humbling lack of completeness and representativeness of these continuous traits in many aspects. We, therefore, conclude that reducing data gaps and biases in the TRY database remains a key challenge and requires a coordinated approach to data mobilization and trait measurements. This can only be achieved in collaboration with other initiatives.
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| 5. |
- Crittenden, Jill R., et al.
(author)
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CalDAG-GEFI mediates striatal cholinergic modulation of dendritic excitability, synaptic plasticity and psychomotor behaviors
- 2021
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In: Neurobiology of Disease. - Maryland Heights, MO, United States : Academic Press. - 0969-9961 .- 1095-953X. ; 158
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- CalDAG-GEFI (CDGI) is a protein highly enriched in the striatum, particularly in the principal spiny projection neurons (SPNs). CDGI is strongly down-regulated in two hyperkinetic conditions related to striatal dysfunction: Huntingtons disease and levodopa-induced dyskinesia in Parkinsons disease. We demonstrate that genetic deletion of CDGI in mice disrupts dendritic, but not somatic, M1 muscarinic receptors (M1Rs) signaling in indirect pathway SPNs. Loss of CDGI reduced temporal integration of excitatory postsynaptic potentials at dendritic glutamatergic synapses and impaired the induction of activity-dependent long-term potentiation. CDGI deletion selectively increased psychostimulant-induced repetitive behaviors, disrupted sequence learning, and eliminated M1R blockade of cocaine self-administration. These findings place CDGI as a major, but previously unrecognized, mediator of cholinergic signaling in the striatum. The effects of CDGI deletion on the selfadministration of drugs of abuse and its marked alterations in hyperkinetic extrapyramidal disorders highlight CDGIs therapeutic potential.
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| 6. |
- Dubackic, Marija, et al.
(author)
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On the Cluster Formation of α-Synuclein Fibrils
- 2021
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In: Frontiers in Molecular Biosciences. - : Frontiers Media SA. - 2296-889X. ; 8
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- The dense accumulation of α-Synuclein fibrils in neurons is considered to be strongly associated with Parkinson’s disease. These intracellular inclusions, called Lewy bodies, also contain significant amounts of lipids. To better understand such accumulations, it should be important to study α-Synuclein fibril formation under conditions where the fibrils lump together, mimicking what is observed in Lewy bodies. In the present study, we have therefore investigated the overall structural arrangements of α-synuclein fibrils, formed under mildly acidic conditions, pH = 5.5, in pure buffer or in the presence of various model membrane systems, by means of small-angle neutron scattering (SANS). At this pH, α-synuclein fibrils are colloidally unstable and aggregate further into dense clusters. SANS intensities show a power law dependence on the scattering vector, q, indicating that the clusters can be described as mass fractal aggregates. The experimentally observed fractal dimension was d = 2.6 ± 0.3. We further show that this fractal dimension can be reproduced using a simple model of rigid-rod clusters. The effect of dominatingly attractive fibril-fibril interactions is discussed within the context of fibril clustering in Lewy body formation.
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| 7. |
- Folkersen, Lasse, et al.
(author)
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Unraveling Divergent Gene Expression Profiles in Bicuspid and Tricuspid Aortic Valve Patients with Thoracic Aortic Dilatation: The ASAP Study
- 2011
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In: Molecular Medicine. - : Feinstein Institute for Medical Research. - 1076-1551 .- 1528-3658. ; 17:11-12, s. 1365-1373
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Thoracic aortic aneurysm (TAA) is a common complication in patients with a bicuspid aortic valve (BAV), the most frequent congenital heart disorder. For unknown reasons TAA occurs at a younger age, with a higher frequency in BAV patients than in patients with a tricuspid aortic valve (TAV), resulting in an increased risk for aortic dissection and rupture. To investigate the increased TAA incidence in BAV patients, we obtained tissue biopsy samples from nondilated and dilated aortas of 131 BAV and TAV patients. Global gene expression profiles were analyzed from controls and from aortic intima-media and adventitia of patients (in total 345 samples). Of the genes found to be differentially expressed with dilation, only a few (less than4%) were differentially expressed in both BAV and TAV patients. With the use of gene set enrichment analysis, the cell adhesion and extracellular region gene ontology sets were identified as common features of TAA in both BAV and TAV patients. Immune response genes were observed to be particularly overexpressed in the aortic media of dilated TAV samples. The divergent gene expression profiles indicate that there are fundamental differences in TAA etiology in BAV and TAV patients. Immune response activation solely in the aortic media of TAV patients suggests that inflammation is involved in TAA formation in TAV but not in BAV patients. Conversely, genes were identified that were only differentially expressed with dilation in BAV patients. The result has bearing on future clinical studies in which separate analysis of BAV and TAV patients is recommended.
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| 8. |
- Jackson, Veronica, et al.
(author)
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Matrix metalloproteinase 14 and 19 expression is associated with thoracic aortic aneurysms
- 2012
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In: Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery. - : Elsevier. - 0022-5223 .- 1097-685X. ; 144:2, s. 459-466
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE:It is hypothesized that an altered turnover of extracellular matrix mediated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) is present in thoracic aortic aneurysms. Here, we analyzed the occurrence of MMPs and MMP inhibitors in ascending aortic aneurysms in patients with bicuspid and tricuspid aortic valves.METHODS:Expression of 23 MMPs and their inhibitors was measured in aortic intima/media and adventitia in 109 patients (40 tricuspid, 69 bicuspid, 68 with aortic diameter≥4.5 cm, and 41 with ≤4.0 cm) using Affymetrix Exon arrays (Affymetrix, Santa Clara, Calif). Gene expression was confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Principal components analysis was used to study differences in gene expression. Immunohistochemistry was used to study protein expression.RESULTS:We detected messenger RNA expression for gelatinases (MMP2 and MMP9), stromelysin 3 (MMP11), all membrane bound MMPs (MMP14, MMP15, MMP16, MMP17, MMP24, MMP25), MMP19, MMP21, and MMP28 in ascending aorta. No expression of collagenases was detected. Principal components analysis showed that changes in mRNA expression between dilated and nondilated aorta were mainly detected in patients with tricuspid aortic valves. MMP14 and MMP19 showed higher expression in dilated aortas and MMP19 expression correlated positively to maximal aortic diameter in patients with tricuspid aortic valves (Rho=0.61, P=.004, and Rho=0.57, P=.008, using raw and body surface area-corrected aortic diameter, respectively). Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated increased medial expression of MMP14 and MMP19 in dilated aorta.CONCLUSIONS:The present study identifies MMP14 and MMP19 as proteolytic enzymes potentially involved in aneurysm formation in the ascending aorta of patients with tricuspid aortic valves
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| 9. |
- Jackson, Veronica
(author)
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The bicuspid aortic valve : studies on valve morphology and pathology in relation to ascending aortic dilatation and coronary artery disease
- 2013
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Doctoral thesis (other academic/artistic)abstract
- The prevalence of bicuspid aortic valve (BAV) is 1-2% and is thereby the most common cardiac malformation. BAV is highly associated with valvular dysfunction and aortic conditions such as ascending aortic aneurysm and aortic dissection. Of BAV individuals, 25-50% will develop indications for surgical intervention. The underlying molecular mechanisms of BAV formation and the reason for the high prevalence of ascending aortic aneurysm in these patients are unknown. The overall aim of this thesis was to characterise morphological, molecular and clinical aspects of BAV disease in adult patients undergoing cardiac surgery due to aortic valve and/or ascending aortic pathology. In the study population of this thesis more than 50% of the patients had a BAV. BAV patients were approximately 10 years younger than patients with tricuspid aortic valves (TAV) at the time of surgery. Patients that had additional coronary artery disease were older than patients that did not, regardless of whether they had a BAV or a TAV. Ascending aortic aneurysm was substantially more common in BAV patients than in TAV patients while aortic ectasia was equally common regardless of valve morphology. In patients with ascending aortic dilatation, aortic valve stenosis was almost exclusively associated with BAV whereas aortic valve regurgitation was associated with either BAV or TAV. Study I assessed the morphology of the aortic root and ascending aorta in relation to valve morphology and BAV phenotype (n = 300). BAV patients had larger dimensions of the left ventricular outflow tract and annulus than TAV patients regardless of aortic morphology. The relative distribution of aortic aneurysm or ectasia was not related to BAV phenotype. Study II investigated a possible association between severity of valve pathology and morphology of the aortic root and ascending aorta (n = 500). The combination of aortic valve stenosis and ascending aortic aneurysm was common in BAV patients but was virtually non-existent in TAV patients. Increasing severity of valve pathology was associated with smaller aortic dimensions. The distribution of valve pathology did not differ with the various BAV phenotypes. Study III evaluated a possible correlation between ascending aortic dilatation and dilatation of the distal aorta (n = 97). BAV patients with ascending aortic aneurysms had smaller dimensions of the distal aorta than the corresponding group of TAV patients. Concomitant dilatation of the descending aorta was predominantly found in TAV patients. Study IV analysed the occurrence of matrix degrading proteases in the media of the aortic wall (n = 109). Expression of matrix metalloproteinase 14 and 19 was associated with ascending aortic dilatation in TAV patients, but not BAV patients. Study V evaluated patient characteristics in relation to valve morphology, valve pathology, aortic morphology and coronary artery disease (n = 702). BAV patients with aortic valve pathology and/or ascending aortic dilatation rarely had concomitant coronary artery disease. Ascending aortic dilatation and coronary artery disease seldom co-existed regardless of valve morphology.
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| 10. |
- Mullier, G.A., et al.
(author)
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Measurement of cross sections for production of a Z boson in association with a flavor-inclusive or doubly b-tagged large-radius jet in proton-proton collisions at Formula Presented with the ATLAS experiment
- 2023
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In: Physical Review D. - : American Physical Society. - 2470-0010 .- 2470-0029. ; 108:1
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present measurements of cross sections for production of a leptonically decaying Z boson in association with a large-radius jet in 13 TeV proton-proton collisions at the LHC, using 36 fb - 1 of data from the ATLAS detector. Integrated and differential cross sections are measured at particle level in both a flavor inclusive and a doubly b -tagged fiducial phase space. The large-radius jet mass and transverse momentum, its kinematic relationship to the Z boson, and the angular separation of b -tagged small-radius track jets within the large-radius jet are measured. This measurement constitutes an important test of perturbative quantum chromodynamics in kinematic and flavor configurations relevant to several Higgs boson and beyond-Standard-Model physics analyses. The results highlight issues with modeling of additional hadronic activity in the flavor-inclusive selection, and a distinction between flavor-number schemes in the b -tagged phase space. © 2023 CERN, for the ATLAS Collaboration.
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