49 research outputs found

    Geomorphological processes and landforms of glacier forelands in the upper Aktru River basin (Gornyi Altai), Russia : evidence for rapid recent retreat and paraglacial adjustment

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    The glaciers in the Aktru River basin of Gornyi Altai, Russia currently represent some of the fastest receding glaciers in the world. Formation of the morainic complexes closest to the contemporary glaciers in the Aktru River basin took place during the 17th - 18th centuries with recession commencing at the end of the 18th century. Coupled with this glacial retreat, earth surface processes and vegetation succession are responding to shape the glacier forelands. This article presents the first geomorphological maps for the upper reaches of the Aktru River basin and focuses on the geomorphological landforms that occur in the rapidly changing glacier forelands. Geomorphological mapping is difficult in steep mountainous regions and, thus, mapping was completed using satellite imagery, field mapping and observations coupled with highresolution aerial photography obtained from Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs). Critical steps of the procedure used to process UAV imagery and difficulties encountered in this mountainous terrain are noted. The acquired spatial data enable the mapping and classification of small-scale transient geomorphological features such as talus, glacial and glaciofluvial landforms. Their dynamics provide insights into supraglacial and subglacial processes of the glaciers of the Aktru River basin and subsequent paraglacial adjustment. The presented highresolution spatial data, which can also be obtained at high temporal resolutions in the future, can act as a reference frame for geomorphologists and ecologists studying the temporal evolution of glacier forelands of the Aktru River basin during paraglacial adjustment and subsequent colonisation and stabilisation by biota.Incentive Funding for Rated Researchers Programme from the National Research Foundation South Africa, the BRICS Network University International Thematic Groups Seed-Funding and the Tomsk State University Competitive Improvement Programme.https://www.springer.com/journal/116292021-04-11hj2020Geography, Geoinformatics and Meteorolog

    Manual therapies for migraine: a systematic review

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    Migraine occurs in about 15% of the general population. Migraine is usually managed by medication, but some patients do not tolerate migraine medication due to side effects or prefer to avoid medication for other reasons. Non-pharmacological management is an alternative treatment option. We systematically reviewed randomized clinical trials (RCTs) on manual therapies for migraine. The RCTs suggest that massage therapy, physiotherapy, relaxation and chiropractic spinal manipulative therapy might be equally effective as propranolol and topiramate in the prophylactic management of migraine. However, the evaluated RCTs had many methodological shortcomings. Therefore, any firm conclusion will require future, well-conducted RCTs on manual therapies for migraine

    Repositioning of the global epicentre of non-optimal cholesterol

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    High blood cholesterol is typically considered a feature of wealthy western countries(1,2). However, dietary and behavioural determinants of blood cholesterol are changing rapidly throughout the world(3) and countries are using lipid-lowering medications at varying rates. These changes can have distinct effects on the levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and non-HDL cholesterol, which have different effects on human health(4,5). However, the trends of HDL and non-HDL cholesterol levels over time have not been previously reported in a global analysis. Here we pooled 1,127 population-based studies that measured blood lipids in 102.6 million individuals aged 18 years and older to estimate trends from 1980 to 2018 in mean total, non-HDL and HDL cholesterol levels for 200 countries. Globally, there was little change in total or non-HDL cholesterol from 1980 to 2018. This was a net effect of increases in low- and middle-income countries, especially in east and southeast Asia, and decreases in high-income western countries, especially those in northwestern Europe, and in central and eastern Europe. As a result, countries with the highest level of non-HDL cholesterol-which is a marker of cardiovascular riskchanged from those in western Europe such as Belgium, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and Malta in 1980 to those in Asia and the Pacific, such as Tokelau, Malaysia, The Philippines and Thailand. In 2017, high non-HDL cholesterol was responsible for an estimated 3.9 million (95% credible interval 3.7 million-4.2 million) worldwide deaths, half of which occurred in east, southeast and south Asia. The global repositioning of lipid-related risk, with non-optimal cholesterol shifting from a distinct feature of high-income countries in northwestern Europe, north America and Australasia to one that affects countries in east and southeast Asia and Oceania should motivate the use of population-based policies and personal interventions to improve nutrition and enhance access to treatment throughout the world.Peer reviewe

    Report on the Current Inventory of the Toolbox for Plant Cell Wall Analysis: Proteinaceous and Small Molecular Probes

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    Plant cell walls are highly complex structures composed of diverse classes of polysaccharides, proteoglycans, and polyphenolics, which have numerous roles throughout the life of a plant. Significant research efforts aim to understand the biology of this cellular organelle and to facilitate cell-wall-based industrial applications. To accomplish this, researchers need to be provided with a variety of sensitive and specific detection methods for separate cell wall components, and their various molecular characteristics in vitro as well as in situ. Cell wall component-directed molecular detection probes (in short: cell wall probes, CWPs) are an essential asset to the plant glycobiology toolbox. To date, a relatively large set of CWPs has been produced—mainly consisting of monoclonal antibodies, carbohydrate-binding modules, synthetic antibodies produced by phage display, and small molecular probes. In this review, we summarize the state-of-the-art knowledge about these CWPs; their classification and their advantages and disadvantages in different applications. In particular, we elaborate on the recent advances in non-conventional approaches to the generation of novel CWPs, and identify the remaining gaps in terms of target recognition. This report also highlights the addition of new “compartments” to the probing toolbox, which is filled with novel chemical biology tools, such as metabolic labeling reagents and oligosaccharide conjugates. In the end, we also forecast future developments in this dynamic field

    Three pectin methylesterase inhibitors protect cell wall integrity for arabidopsis immunity to Botrytis

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    Infection by necrotrophs is a complex process that starts with the breakdown of the cell wall (CW) matrix initiated by CW degrading enzymes and results in an extensive tissue maceration. Plants exploit induced defense mechanisms based on biochemical modification of the CW components to protect themselves from enzymatic degradation. The pectin matrix is the main CW target of Botrytis cinerea and pectin methylesterification status is strongly altered in response to infection. The methylesterification of pectin is mainly controlled by pectin methylesterases (PMEs) which activity is post-transcriptionally regulated by endogenous protein inhbibitors (PMEIs). Here, AtPMEI10, AtPMEI11 and AtPMEI12 are identified as functional pectin methylesterase inhibitors induced in Arabidopsis during Botrytis infection. AtPMEIs expression is strictly regulated by Jasmonic Acid and Ethylene signaling while only AtPMEI11 expression is controlled by PME-related DAMPs, such as oligogalacturonides and methanol. The decrease of pectin methylesterification during infection is higher and the immunity to Botrytis compromised in pmei10, pmei11 and pmei12 mutants respect to the control plants. A higher stimulation of the fungal oxalic acid bioshynthetic pathway can also contribute to the higher susceptibility of pmei mutants. The lack of PMEIs expression do not affect hemicellulose strengthening, callose deposition and synthesis of structural defence proteins, proposed as CW remodeling mechanisms exploited by Arabidopsis to resist to the CW degradation upon Botrytis infection. We showed that PME activity and pectin methylesterification are dynamically modulated by PMEIs during Botrytis infection. Our findings point to AtPMEI10, AtPMEI11 and AtPMEI12 as mediators of CW integrity maintenance in plant immunity

    Single cell-resolved study of advanced murine MASH reveals a homeostatic pericyte signaling module

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    Background &amp; Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes and marked by hepatic inflammation, microvascular dysfunction, and fibrosis, impairing liver function and aggravating metabolic derangements. The liver homeostatic interactions disrupted in MASH are still poorly understood. We aimed to elucidate the plasticity and changing interactions of non-parenchymal cells associated with advanced MASH. Methods: We characterized a diet-induced mouse model of advanced MASH at single-cell resolution and validated findings by assaying chromatin accessibility, bioimaging murine and human livers, and via functional experiments in vivo and in vitro. Results: The fibrogenic activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) led to deterioration of a signaling module consisting of the bile acid receptor NR1H4/FXR and HSC-specific GS-protein-coupled receptors (GSPCRs) capable of preserving stellate cell quiescence. Accompanying HSC activation, we further observed the attenuation of HSC Gdf2 expression, and a MASH-associated expansion of a CD207-positive macrophage population likely derived from both incoming monocytes and Kupffer cells. Conclusion: We conclude that HSC-expressed NR1H4 and GSPCRs of the healthy liver integrate postprandial cues, which sustain HSC quiescence and, through paracrine signals, overall sinusoidal health. Hence HSC activation in MASH not only drives fibrogenesis but may desensitize the hepatic sinusoid to liver homeostatic signals. Impact and implications: Homeostatic interactions between hepatic cell types and their deterioration in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis are poorly characterized. In our current single cell-resolved study of advanced murine metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, we identified a quiescence-associated hepatic stellate cell-signaling module with potential to preserve normal sinusoid function. As expression levels of its constituents are conserved in the human liver, stimulation of the identified signaling module is a promising therapeutic strategy to restore sinusoid function in chronic liver disease.</p

    Single cell-resolved study of advanced murine MASH reveals a homeostatic pericyte signaling module

    Get PDF
    Background &amp; Aims: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is linked to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes and marked by hepatic inflammation, microvascular dysfunction, and fibrosis, impairing liver function and aggravating metabolic derangements. The liver homeostatic interactions disrupted in MASH are still poorly understood. We aimed to elucidate the plasticity and changing interactions of non-parenchymal cells associated with advanced MASH. Methods: We characterized a diet-induced mouse model of advanced MASH at single-cell resolution and validated findings by assaying chromatin accessibility, bioimaging murine and human livers, and via functional experiments in vivo and in vitro. Results: The fibrogenic activation of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) led to deterioration of a signaling module consisting of the bile acid receptor NR1H4/FXR and HSC-specific GS-protein-coupled receptors (GSPCRs) capable of preserving stellate cell quiescence. Accompanying HSC activation, we further observed the attenuation of HSC Gdf2 expression, and a MASH-associated expansion of a CD207-positive macrophage population likely derived from both incoming monocytes and Kupffer cells. Conclusion: We conclude that HSC-expressed NR1H4 and GSPCRs of the healthy liver integrate postprandial cues, which sustain HSC quiescence and, through paracrine signals, overall sinusoidal health. Hence HSC activation in MASH not only drives fibrogenesis but may desensitize the hepatic sinusoid to liver homeostatic signals. Impact and implications: Homeostatic interactions between hepatic cell types and their deterioration in metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis are poorly characterized. In our current single cell-resolved study of advanced murine metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis, we identified a quiescence-associated hepatic stellate cell-signaling module with potential to preserve normal sinusoid function. As expression levels of its constituents are conserved in the human liver, stimulation of the identified signaling module is a promising therapeutic strategy to restore sinusoid function in chronic liver disease.</p
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