bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
No evidence for a trade‐off between sperm length and male premating weaponry
Authors: Lüpold S. , Simmons L. W. , Tomkins J. L. , Fitzpatrick J. L.
Published: September 2015

Male ornaments and armaments that mediate success in mate acquisition and ejaculate traits influencing competitive fertilization success are under intense sexual selection. However, relative investment in these pre‐ and post‐copulatory traits depends on the relative importance of either selection episode and on the energetic costs and fitness gains of investing in these traits. Theoretical and empirical work has improved our understanding of how precopulatory sexual traits and investments in sperm production covary in this context. It has recently also been suggested that male weapon size may trade off with sperm length as another post‐copulatory sexual trait, but the theoretical framework for this suggestion remains unclear. We evaluated the relationship between precopulatory armaments and sperm length, previously reported in ungulates, in five taxa as well as meta‐analytically. Within and between taxa, we found no evidence for a negative or positive relationship between sperm length and male traits that are important in male–male contest competition. It is important to consider pre‐ and post‐copulatory sexual selection together to understand fitness, and to study investments in different reproductive traits jointly rather than separately. A trade‐off between pre‐ and post‐copulatory sexual traits may not manifest itself in sperm length but rather in sperm number or function. Particularly in large‐bodied taxa such as ungulates, sperm number is more variable interspecifically and likely to be under more intense selection than sperm length. We discuss our and the previous results in this context.
Impact of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) checklist on reporting of randomized clinical trials in traditional Chinese medicine
Authors: Liu Xue‐ting , Zhang Xin , Wen Shu , Peng Le , Hong Qi , Kang Deying
Published: September 2015

Objective

To examine the reporting characteristics and key methodological factors of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) in the field of traditional Chinese medicine and assess whether use of the Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials (CONSORT) statement is associated with improvement in the quality of reports of RCTs.

Method

RCTs published in two major traditional Chinese medicine journals were retrieved and were systematically reviewed. Of those journals, one adopted the CONSORT statement (Journal of Chinese Integrative Medicine (JCIM)) and one did not (Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine (CJIM)). Items within the CONSORT 2001 and the CONSORT 2010 statements were taken to develop a 63‐item coding manual. The Jadad scale was also used to assess methodological quality of RCTs. Two observers assessed the reporting of reports and extracted data independently. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. SPSS was used for all analyses.

Results

A total of 76 RCTs were included for the analysis (38 from JCIM and 38 from CJIM). Significant improvements both in the overall quality of reporting (CONSORT score) and reporting of methodological items (Jadad scale) over time were observed in adopter journal (JCIM) (P = 0.001). Overall CONSORT score of studies published during 2010 to 2011 (post‐CONSORT) increased 15.30 averagely with 95%CI 8.34 to 22.26 (P = 0.001). Of those, items addressed on reporting of methodological quality were different significantly too. JCIM had more 1.30 items addressed than CJIM in average (95% CI 0.52 to 2.08, P = 0.003). In the multivariate analysis regression, the page length and CONSORT‐promoting status have statistically significant associated with the (P = 0.001 and P = 0.040, respectively).

Conclusion

Although a large room needs to improve the reporting of randomized clinical trials in traditional Chinese medicine, the impact for improvement of reporting of TCM RCTs has been proven in some extent.
Two deep evolutionary lineages in the circumtropical glasseye Heteropriacanthus cruentatus (Teleostei, Priacanthidae) with admixture in the south‐western Indian Ocean
Authors: Gaither M. R. , Bernal M. A. , Fernandez‐Silva I. , Mwale M. , Jones S. A. , Rocha C. , Rocha L. A.
Published: September 2015

A phylogeographic study of the circumtropical glasseye Heteropriacanthus cruentatus was conducted. Molecular analyses indicate two mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (coI) lineages that are 10·4% divergent: one in the western Atlantic (Caribbean) and another that was detected across the Indo‐Pacific. A fixed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) was detected at a nuclear locus (S7 ribosomal protein) and is consistent with this finding. There is evidence of recent dispersal from the Atlantic to the Indian Ocean with individuals of mixed lineages detected in South Africa and the Mozambique Channel. Using coalescent analyses of the mitochondrial dataset, time of divergence between lineages was estimated to be c. 15·3 million years. The deep divergence between these two lineages indicates distinct evolutionary units, however, due to the lack of morphological differences and evidence of hybridization between lineages, taxonomic revision is not suggested at this time.
Ultrasonic‐Assisted Solvent Extraction of Carotenoids From Rapeseed Meal: Optimization Using Response Surface Methodology
Authors: Yan Fengwei , Fan Kai , He Jie , Gao Mengxiang
Published: September 2015

Ultrasound‐assisted solvent extraction of carotenoids from rapeseed meal was investigated and evaluated by response surface methodology. We have compared the yields of carotenoids by using five different solvent systems, and found that the highest yield can be achieved under petroleum ether/acetone (v/v = 1/1). We have further tested the effect of ultrasonic power, modulation frequency, duration, temperature, liquid to material ratio and extraction times on the yield of carotenoids by adopting Plackett–Burman and Box–Behnken experimental design methods. Optimal conditions for obtaining high yield of carotenoids were as follows: temperature 49.6C, liquid to material ratio 41.4 mL/g, duration 48.5 min, ultrasonic power 252.9 W (240 W was used in the control experiments). Under the above conditions, average carotenoid yield was 0.1577 ± 0.0014 mg/g, and the extraction percentage was 79.61 ± 0.71%. The results indicated that rapeseed meal was a promising alternative source for carotenoid extraction.

Practical Applications

Carotenoids are one of the most common natural food colorants and exist widely in plants, bacteria, fungi and animals. Ultrasound has been utilized to assist the solvent extraction of bioactive compounds from vegetal materials, and led to high yield of desired products. In the present study, we have investigated ultrasound‐assisted extraction of carotenoids from rapeseed meal using the response surface methodology. In order to obtain the highest yield of carotenoids, we have examined various operational parameters, such as extraction temperature, liquid to material ratio, solvent composition, extraction time and modulation frequency, and have established optimal conditions to extract carotenoids from rapeseed meal. Our results provide basic knowledge on the extraction of carotenoids from rapeseed meal, which serves as a promising bioresource.
Reframing Marriage and Marital Delay Among Low‐Income Mothers: An Interactionist Perspective
Authors: Garrett‐Peters Raymond , Burton Linda M.
Published: September 2015

A common assertion in the family science literature is that low‐income single mothers are increasingly retreating from marriage but still vaunt it as their ultimate relationship goal. To explain this paradox, scholars frequently cite inadequacies in men's marriageability, financial instability, and conflictual romantic relationships as primary forces in mothers' decisions not to marry. We propose an alternative reasoning for this paradox using symbolic interactionist theory and perspectives on poverty and uncertainty. Specifically, we highlight the contradictions between what women say about their desires to marry and what they actually do when the opportunity presents itself. We use exemplar cases from a longitudinal ethnographic study of low‐income rural mothers to demonstrate our reasoning. Implications for future research and theory development are discussed.
Oral manifestations in patients with familial adenomatous polyposis: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Almeida Fabiana Tolentino , Pachêco‐Pereira Camila , Porporatti André Luís , Flores‐Mir Carlos , Leite André Ferreira , De Luca Canto Graziela , Guerra Eliete Neves Silva
Published: September 2015

Background and Aim

The oral manifestations of familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) have been reported in the recent literature. Therefore, there has been growing interest in the characterization of the dento–osseous anomalies because they may precede colorectal cancer and may be used as a diagnostic marker. This systematic review and meta‐analysis was performed to evaluate the published evidence for what are the oral manifestations of FAP and their frequency in affected individuals.

Methods

The search was performed at Cochrane Library, EMBASE, LILACS, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science for articles published up to March 2015. A grey literature search was conducted through Google Scholar. Reference lists of the included articles and additional studies identified by expert were screened for potential relevant studies. The methodology of selected studies was evaluated using the risk of bias checklist of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.

Results

Twenty observational studies totalizing 1635 individuals affected by FAP met the inclusion criteria. Osseous, dental, and oral mucosa alterations were observed in FAP patients. The meta‐analysis showed the frequency of osseous jaw lesions, and the dental anomalies were 65.35% and 30.48%, respectively, and two studies suggested that oral mucosa vascular density is a phenotypic manifestation in patients with FAP. Most of the studies were evaluated as moderate risk of bias.

Conclusion

The most frequent oral manifestation on FAP patients is osseous jaw alterations. In the future, well‐designed studies are necessary to classify osseous and dental anomalies in order to demonstrate the true prevalence of each alteration separately.
Impact of cerebrospinal fluid matrix on the detection of Alzheimer's disease with Aβ42 and influence of disease on the total‐Aβ42/Aβ40 ratio
Authors: Slemmon J. Randall , Shapiro Alice , Mercken Marc , Streffer Johannes , Romano Gary , Andreasen Niels , Zetterberg Henrik , Blennow Kaj
Published: September 2015

The 42‐amino acid fragment of amyloid β (Aβ1‐42) in cerebrospinal fluid has continued to be important for detecting cerebral β‐amyloidosis in Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, there are impediments to our ability to fully understand this measurement, including matrix interference and changes linked to apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 genotype. This study investigated matrix interference as a contributing factor for detecting AD in APOE ε4‐negative patients by comparing total extractable Aβ1‐42 to free Aβ1‐42. It also examined the ratio of total Aβ1‐42 to Aβ1‐40, since changes relative to other Aβ peptides may provide a measurement of cerebral β‐amyloidosis that is neutral to changes in APP metabolism. Total Aβ1‐42 lost the diagnostic power for detecting AD, confirming a role for matrix in the diagnostic. However, when total Aβ1‐42/Aβ1‐40 was examined, the separation between groups was reestablished. This result was confirmed in a second sample set of unknown APOE status. These results confirmed that matrix interference in some cerebrospinal fluid samples appears to contribute to identifying AD patients and this can be compensated by using a total extracted Aβ1‐42/Aβ1‐40 ratio when matrix interference is small. It may be preferable to employ a total Aβ1‐42/Aβ1‐40 measurement, since this could minimize variability because of matrix and compensate for across patient differences.

image

Aβ1‐42 measurement in CSF has provided an important tool for early detection of AD. However, it appears that most assays measure a free fraction of Aβ1‐42. This study examined total extracted Aβ1‐42, since this would provide a more accurate assessment of Aβ1‐42 in AD CSF. Total Aβ1‐42 measurements alone were not good for detecting AD but total Aβ1‐42/Aβ1‐40 performed well.
Translation and validation of the Greek version of the hypertension knowledge‐level scale
Authors: Chatziefstratiou Anastasia A , Giakoumidakis Konstantinos , Fotos Nikolaos V , Baltopoulos George , Brokalaki‐Pananoudaki Hero
Published: September 2015

Aims and objectives

To translate and validate a Greek version of the Hypertension Knowledge‐Level Scale.

Background

The major barrier in the management of hypertension is the lack of adherence to medications and lifestyle adjustments. Patients' knowledge of the nature of hypertension and cardiovascular risk factors is a significant factor affecting individuals' adherence. However, few instruments have been developed to assess patients' knowledge level and no one has been translated into Greek.

Design

This study used a case control study design.

Methods

Data collection for this research occurred between February 7, 2013 and March 10, 2013. The sample included both hypertensives and non‐hypertensives. Participants simultaneously completed the version of the Hypertension Knowledge‐Level Scale. A total of 68 individuals completed the questionnaire.

Results

Coefficient alpha was 0·66 for hypertensives and 0·79 for non‐hypertensives. Τhe difference for the mean scores in the entire scale between the two samples was statistically significant. In addition, significant differences were observed in many sub‐dimensions and no correlation was found between level, knowledge and age, gender and education level.

Conclusions

Findings provide support for the validity of the Greek version of the Hypertension Knowledge‐Level Scale.

Relevance to clinical practice

The translation and validation of an instrument evaluating the level of knowledge of hypertension contribute to assessing the provided educational intervention. Low knowledge level should lead to the development of new methods of education, therefore nurses will have the opportunity to amplify their role in patients' education and develop relationships based on honesty and respect.
Effects of handholding and providing information on anxiety in patients undergoing percutaneous vertebroplasty
Authors: Kim Bong‐Hee , Kang Hee‐Young , Choi Eun‐Young
Published: September 2015

Aims and objectives

This study evaluated the effects of handholding and spoken information provided on the anxiety of patients undergoing percutaneous vertebroplasty under local anaesthesia.

Background

A surgical intervention usually entails physical discomfort and psychological burden. Furthermore, patients under local anaesthesia are conscious during the surgical intervention, which leads to more anxiety, as patients are aware of their surroundings in the operating theatre.

Design

A quasi‐experimental design with a nonequivalent control group was utilised.

Methods

Amsterdam preoperative anxiety scale assessed psychological anxiety, while blood pressure and pulse were measured to evaluate physiological anxiety. Participants were 94 patients undergoing percutaneous vertebroplasty in a spine hospital in Gwangju Metropolitan City, South Korea. Thirty patients were assigned to Experimental Group I, 34 to the Experimental Group II and 30 to the control group. During a surgical intervention, nurses held the hands of those in Experimental Group I and provided them with spoken information. Patients in Experimental Group II experienced only handholding.

Results

Psychological anxiety in Experimental Group I was low compared to those in Experimental Group II and the control group. In addition, there were significant decreases in systolic blood pressure in both Experimental Groups compared to the control group.

Conclusions

Handholding and spoken information provided during a surgical intervention to mitigate psychological anxiety, and handholding to mitigate physiological anxiety can be used in nursing interventions with patients undergoing percutaneous vertebroplasty.

Relevance to clinical practice

Handholding and providing nursing information are possibly very useful interventions that are easily implemented by circulating nurses during a surgical intervention. In particular, handholding is a simple, economical and appropriate way to help patient in the operating theatre.
Water Exchange across the Blood‐Brain Barrier in Obstructive Sleep Apnea: An MRI Diffusion‐Weighted Pseudo‐Continuous Arterial Spin Labeling Study
Authors: Palomares Jose A. , Tummala Sudhakar , Wang Danny J.J. , Park Bumhee , Woo Mary A. , Kang Daniel W. , Lawrence Keith S. St , Harper Ronald M. , Kumar Rajesh
Published: September 2015

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) subjects show brain injury in sites that control autonomic, cognitive, and mood functions that are deficient in the condition. The processes contributing to injury may include altered blood‐brain barrier (BBB) actions. Our aim was to examine BBB function, based on diffusion‐weighted pseudo‐continuous arterial spin labeling (DW‐pCASL) procedures, in OSA compared to controls.

METHODS

We performed DW‐pCASL imaging in nine OSA and nine controls on a 3.0‐Tesla MRI scanner. Global mean gray and white matter arterial transient time (ATT, an index of large artery integrity), water exchange rate across the BBB (Kw, BBB function), DW‐pCASL ratio, and cerebral blood flow (CBF) values were compared between OSA and control subjects.

RESULTS

Global mean gray and white matter ATT (OSA vs. controls; gray matter, 1.691 ± .120 vs. 1.658 ± .109 second, P = .49; white matter, 1.700 ± .115 vs. 1.650 ± .114 second, P = .44), and CBF values (gray matter, 57.4 ± 15.8 vs. 58.2 ± 10.7 ml/100 g/min, P = .67; white matter, 24.2 ± 7.0 vs. 24.6 ± 6.7 ml/100 g/min, P = .91) did not differ significantly, but global gray and white matter Kw (gray matter, 158.0 ± 28.9 vs. 220.8 ± 40.6 min−1, P = .002; white matter, 177.5 ± 57.2 vs. 261.1 ± 51.0 min−1, P = .006), and DW‐pCASL ratio (gray matter, .727 ± .076 vs. .823 ± .069, P = .011; white matter, .722 ± .144 vs. .888 ± .100, P = .004) values were significantly reduced in OSA over controls.

CONCLUSIONS

OSA subjects show compromised BBB function, but intact large artery integrity. The BBB alterations may introduce neural damage contributing to abnormal functions in OSA, and suggest a need to repair BBB function with strategies commonly used in other fields.
Implicit Theories About Willpower Predict Subjective Well‐Being
Authors: Bernecker Katharina , Herrmann Marcel , Brandstätter Veronika , Job Veronika
Published: September 2015

Lay theories about willpower—the belief that willpower is a limited versus nonlimited resource—affect self‐control and goal striving in everyday life (Job, Dweck, & Walton, 2010). Three studies examined whether willpower theories also relate to people's subjective well‐being by shaping the progress they make toward their personal goals. A cross‐sectional (Study 1) and two longitudinal studies (Studies 2 and 3) measured individuals’ willpower theories and different indicators of subjective well‐being. Additionally, Study 3 measured goal striving and personal goal progress. A limited theory about willpower was associated with lower subjective well‐being in a sample of working adults (Study 1, N = 258). Further, a limited theory predicted lower levels of well‐being at a time when students faced high self‐regulatory demands (Study 2, N = 196). Study 3 (N = 157) replicated the finding that students with a limited theory experienced lower well‐being in phases of high self‐regulatory demands and found that personal goal progress mediated this relationship. Results suggest that the belief that willpower is based on a limited resource has negative implications not only for self‐control but also for personal goal striving and subjective well‐being.
Melatonin significantly improves the developmental competence of bovine somatic cell nuclear transfer embryos
Authors: Su Jianmin , Wang Yongsheng , Xing Xupeng , Zhang Lei , Sun Hongzheng , Zhang Yong
Published: September 2015

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) is a promising technology, but its application is hampered by its low efficiency. Hence, the majority of SCNT embryos fail to develop to term. In this study, the antioxidant melatonin reduced apoptosis and reactive oxygen species (ROS) in bovine SCNT embryos. It also increased cell number, inner cell mass (ICM) cell numbers, and the ratio of ICM to total cells while improving the development of bovine SCNT embryos in vitro and in vivo. Gene expression analysis showed that melatonin suppressed the expression of the pro‐apoptotic genes p53 and Bax and stimulated the expression of the antioxidant genes SOD1 and Gpx4, the anti‐apoptotic gene BCL2L1, and the pluripotency‐related gene SOX2 in SCNT blastocysts. We also analyzed the epigenetic modifications in bovine in vitro fertilization, melatonin‐treated, and untreated SCNT embryos. The global H3K9ac levels of melatonin‐treated SCNT embryos at the four‐cell stage were higher than those of the untreated SCNT embryos. We conclude that exogenous melatonin affects the expression of genes related to apoptosis, antioxidant function, and development. Moreover, melatonin reduced apoptosis and ROS in bovine SCNT embryos and enhanced blastocyst quality, thereby ultimately improving bovine cloning efficiency.
Inguinal enterocutaneous fistula in a dog
Authors: Kortum A. J. , Best E. J.
Published: September 2015

A two‐year‐old Jack Russell terrier presented with a chronic history of weight loss and the recent development of a discharging wound in the left inguinal region that was confirmed by ultrasound and contrast radiography to be an enterocutaneous fistula. One day following admission the dog displayed signs of abdominal pain and the general condition deteriorated. At exploratory coeliotomy there was evidence of septic peritonitis and a segment of jejunum was found firmly adhered to the left inguinal canal. The affected jejunal segment was excised and an end‐to‐end anastomosis performed. A penrose drain was placed in the inguinal wound which was subsequently managed with open drainage. The inguinal wound healed successfully by second intention and the dog returned to normal body condition. The left testis became atrophic and castration was performed several weeks later. To the authors’ knowledge this is the first veterinary case report of an inguinal enterocutaneous fistula.
Current diagnosis and management of post‐transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt refractory hepatic encephalopathy
Authors: Pereira Keith , Carrion Andres F. , Martin Paul , Vaheesan Kirubahara , Salsamendi Jason , Doshi Mehul , Yrizarry Jose M.
Published: September 2015

Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt has evolved into an important option for management of complications of portal hypertension. The use of polytetrafluoroethylene covered stents enhances shunt patency. Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) remains a significant problem after TIPS placement. The approach to management of patients with refractory hepatic encephalopathy typically requires collaboration between different specialties. Patient selection for TIPS requires careful evaluation of risk factors for HE. TIPS procedure‐related technical factors like stent size, attention to portosystemic pressure gradient reduction and use of adjunctive variceal embolization maybe important. Conservative medical therapy in combination with endovascular therapies often results in resolution or substantial reduction of symptoms. Liver transplantation is, however, the ultimate treatment.
Genomewide transcriptional signatures of migratory flight activity in a globally invasive insect pest
Authors: Jones Christopher M. , Papanicolaou Alexie , Mironidis George K. , Vontas John , Yang Yihua , Lim Ka S. , Oakeshott John G. , Bass Chris , Chapman Jason W.
Published: September 2015

Migration is a key life history strategy for many animals and requires a suite of behavioural, morphological and physiological adaptations which together form the ‘migratory syndrome’. Genetic variation has been demonstrated for many traits that make up this syndrome, but the underlying genes involved remain elusive. Recent studies investigating migration‐associated genes have focussed on sampling migratory and nonmigratory populations from different geographic locations but have seldom explored phenotypic variation in a migratory trait. Here, we use a novel combination of tethered flight and next‐generation sequencing to determine transcriptomic differences associated with flight activity in a globally invasive moth pest, the cotton bollworm Helicoverpa armigera. By developing a state‐of‐the‐art phenotyping platform, we show that field‐collected H. armigera display continuous variation in flight performance with individuals capable of flying up to 40 km during a single night. Comparative transcriptomics of flight phenotypes drove a gene expression analysis to reveal a suite of expressed candidate genes which are clearly related to physiological adaptations required for long‐distance flight. These include genes important to the mobilization of lipids as flight fuel, the development of flight muscle structure and the regulation of hormones that influence migratory physiology. We conclude that the ability to express this complex set of pathways underlines the remarkable flexibility of facultative insect migrants to respond to deteriorating conditions in the form of migratory flight and, more broadly, the results provide novel insights into the fundamental transcriptional changes required for migration in insects and other taxa.
The rise and fall of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal diversity during ecosystem retrogression
Authors: Krüger Manuela , Teste François P. , Laliberté Etienne , Lambers Hans , Coghlan Megan , Zemunik Graham , Bunce Michael
Published: September 2015

Ecosystem retrogression following long‐term pedogenesis is attributed to phosphorus (P) limitation of primary productivity. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) enhance P acquisition for most terrestrial plants, but it has been suggested that this strategy becomes less effective in strongly weathered soils with extremely low P availability. Using next generation sequencing of the large subunit ribosomal RNA gene in roots and soil, we compared the composition and diversity of AMF communities in three contrasting stages of a retrogressive >2‐million‐year dune chronosequence in a global biodiversity hotspot. This chronosequence shows a ~60‐fold decline in total soil P concentration, with the oldest stage representing some of the most severely P‐impoverished soils found in any terrestrial ecosystem. The richness of AMF operational taxonomic units was low on young (1000's of years), moderately P‐rich soils, greatest on relatively old (~120 000 years) low‐P soils, and low again on the oldest (>2 000 000 years) soils that were lowest in P availability. A similar decline in AMF phylogenetic diversity on the oldest soils occurred, despite invariant host plant diversity and only small declines in host cover along the chronosequence. Differences in AMF community composition were greatest between the youngest and the two oldest soils, and this was best explained by differences in soil P concentrations. Our results point to a threshold in soil P availability during ecosystem regression below which AMF diversity declines, suggesting environmental filtering of AMF insufficiently adapted to extremely low P availability.
A Clustering Algorithm for Bi‐Criteria Stop Location Design with Elastic Demand
Authors: Hossein Rashidi Taha , Rey David , Jian Sisi , Waller Travis
Published: September 2015

This article proposes a bi‐criteria formulation to find the optimal location of light rapid transit stations in a network where demand is elastic and budget is constrained. Our model is composed of two competing objective functions seeking to maximize the total ridership and minimize the total budget allocated. In this research, demand is formulated using the random utility maximization method with variables including access time and travel time. The transit station location problem of this study is formulated using mixed integer programming and we propose a heuristic solution algorithm to solve large‐scale instances which is inspired by the problem context. The elastic demand is integrated with the optimization problem in an innovative way which facilitates the solution process. The performance of our model is evaluated on two test problems and we carry out its implementation on a real‐world instance. Due to the special shape of the Pareto front function, significant practical policy implications, in particular budget allocation, are discussed to emphasize the fact that the trade‐off between cost and benefit may result in large investments with little outcomes and vice versa.
Can respiratory physiology predict thermal niches?
Authors: Verberk Wilco C.E.P. , Bartolini Fabrizio , Marshall David J. , Pörtner Hans‐O. , Terblanche John S. , White Craig R. , Giomi Folco
Published: September 2015

Predicting species responses to global warming is the holy grail of climate change science. As temperature directly affects physiological rates, it is clear that a mechanistic understanding of species vulnerability should be grounded in organismal physiology. Here, we review what respiratory physiology can offer the field of thermal ecology, showcasing different perspectives on how respiratory physiology can help explain thermal niches. In water, maintaining adequate oxygen delivery to fuel the higher metabolic rates under warming conditions can become the weakest link, setting thermal tolerance limits. This has repercussions for growth and scaling of metabolic rate. On land, water loss is more likely to become problematic as long as O2 delivery and pH balance can be maintained, potentially constraining species in their normal activity. Therefore, high temperatures need not be lethal, but can still affect the energy intake of an animal, with concomitant consequences for long‐term fitness. While respiratory challenges and adaptive responses are diverse, there are clear recurring elements such as oxygen uptake, CO2 excretion, and water homeostasis. We show that respiratory physiology has much to offer the field of thermal ecology and call for an integrative, multivariate view incorporating respiratory challenges, thermal responses, and energetic consequences. Fruitful areas for future research are highlighted.
An osteonecrosis model induced by oral bisphosphonate in ovariectomised rats
Authors: Tanaka J , Kokuryo S , Yoshiga D , Tsurushima H , Sakaguchi O , Habu M , Nishihara T , Yoshioka I , Tominaga K
Published: September 2015

Objective

To develop a model of osteonecrosis using oral bisphosphonate in ovariectomy‐induced osteoporotic rats.

Materials and Methods

Thirty‐six rats were subjected to ovariectomy or sham surgery. After 8 weeks, rats received oral alendronate (1.0 mg kg−1) or saline once weekly for 4 weeks; then, serum C‐telopeptide cross‐linked collagen type I levels were measured to evaluate bone metabolism. Twelve rats from each group were injected with either lipopolysaccharide or saline into the bone marrow of the mandibles and femurs, and the areas of osteonecrosis were evaluated by histomorphometry.

Results

Serum C‐telopeptide cross‐linked collagen type I levels were significantly increased in the ovariectomy group (105.1 ± 2.1 ng ml−1) compared with the sham group (78.9 ± 12.5 ng ml−1); they were significantly reduced following oral alendronate administration in the ovariectomy group (91.0 ± 4.4 ng ml−1). Following alendronate and lipopolysaccharide administration, extensive osteonecrosis was observed in the mandibles and femurs of ovariectomy (0.45 ± 0.08 mm2, 1.69 ± 0.72 mm2, respectively) and sham (1.12 ± 0.45 mm2, 1.84 ± 0.66 mm2, respectively) groups. Significantly wider osteonecrosis occurred in the mandibles of sham‐operated rats than ovariectomy rats following alendronate or lipopolysaccharide treatment.

Conclusions

We successfully developed a model of osteonecrosis in ovariectomised rats following oral bisphosphonate administration.
The nature of plant adaptations to salinity stress has trophic consequences
Authors: Fokkema Wimke , de Boer Wendy , van der Jeugd Henk P. , Dokter Adriaan , Nolet Bart A. , De Kok Luit J. , Elzenga J. Theo M. , Olff Han
Published: September 2015

In different ecosystems herbivores highly prefer particular plant species. This is often explained in a stoichiometric framework of nutrient‐based plant adaptations to herbivory. We hypothesize that such super‐palatability can also arise as an evolutionary by‐product of osmoregulatory adaptations of plants to stressful environmental conditions, as salinity, drought and cold. Here, we investigate in a coastal salt marsh why some plant species are highly preferred by migratory brent geese Branta bernicla bernicla in spring while others are avoided. This salt marsh is an important spring staging site for the geese. Sufficient energy storage in a short period is critical to enable their northward migration to Siberia and subsequent reproduction. We test if geese prefer plants that balance their internal osmotic potential with the saline environment through energy‐rich soluble sugars over plant species that use (compartmentalized) salts for this. We find that plant nitrogen and acid detergent fiber content, classic predictors of herbivore preferences, poorly explain which plants the geese prefer. Instead, plant species that are highly preferred by the geese adapt to salinity by high soluble sugar concentrations while avoided species do this by high plant salt concentrations. Thus, the type of osmoregulatory adaptation to stress displayed by different plant species is a good predictor for the food preference of geese on this salt marsh. We suggest that variation in other types of osmoregulation‐based stress adaptations, as plant cold adaptations in tundras and plant drought adaptations in savannas, have similar important consequences for trophic interactions.
Will technology trample peer review in ecology? Ongoing issues and potential solutions
Authors: Peres‐Neto Pedro R.
Published: September 2015

The classical view of peer review is that it is our primary process for assessing and judging whether research results should be published in a scholarly journal. However, the increased pressure to publish and technological developments are transforming peer review such that it is becoming a system that judges where work is published rather than whether the research is publishable (a ‘where rather than if’ process). Ecology is a field in which publication numbers puts a particular pressure on the review system. In this forum piece, I summarize the issues with the current publication system and discuss how technology is changing it, while suggesting solutions for important prior and ongoing issues with the peer review system. The view explored here is that technological developments (e.g. ease of creating journals, internet sites, storage, data generation, sharing of data and analytical code) will not eliminate peer review per se but will allow for a new set of parameters in which ethics and the optimal use of public funding will play a vital role in the evolution of the review process.

Synthesis

The number of papers and journals in Ecology has increased dramatically in the past decade. I present a critical overview of our review system and proposes that pressure to publish and technological developments have transformed peer review into a system that decides “where rather than if” papers are publishable. While reviewing the current pressures and factors playing a vital role in the evolution of the review and publication systems, I propose potential solutions to deal with current and future challenges to the peer review and publication systems.
A putative TetR regulator is involved in nitric oxide stress resistance in Porphyromonas gingivalis
Authors: Boutrin M.‐C. , Yu Y. , Wang C. , Aruni W. , Dou Y. , Shi L. , Fletcher H.M.
Published: September 2015

To survive in the periodontal pocket, Porphyromonas gingivalis, the main causative agent of periodontal disease, must overcome oxidative and nitric oxide (NO) stress. Previously, we reported that, in the presence of NO comparable to stress conditions, the transcriptome of P. gingivalis was differentially expressed, and genes belonging to the PG1178‐81 cluster were significantly upregulated. To further evaluate their role(s) in NO stress resistance, these genes were inactivated by allelic exchange mutagenesis. Isogenic mutants P. gingivalis FLL460 (ΔPG1181::ermF) and FLL461 (ΔPG1178‐81::ermF) were black‐pigmented, with gingipain and hemolytic activities comparable to that of the wild‐type strain. Whereas the recovery of these isogenic mutants from NO stress was comparable to the wild‐type, there was increased sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide‐induced stress. RNA‐Seq analysis under conditions of NO stress showed that approximately 5 and 8% of the genome was modulated in P. gingivalis FLL460 and FLL461, respectively. The PG1178‐81 gene cluster was shown to be part of the same transcriptional unit and is inducible in response to NO stress. In the presence of NO, PG1181, a putative transcriptional regulator, was shown to bind to its own promoter region and that of several other NO responsive genes including PG0214 an extracytoplasmic function σ factor, PG0893 and PG1236. Taken together, the data suggest that PG1181 is a NO responsive transcriptional regulator that may play an important role in the NO stress resistance regulatory network in P. gingivalis.
Apoplastic water fraction and rehydration techniques introduce significant errors in measurements of relative water content and osmotic potential in plant leaves
Authors: Arndt Stefan K. , Irawan Andi , Sanders Gregor J.
Published: September 2015

Relative water content (RWC) and the osmotic potential (π) of plant leaves are important plant traits that can be used to assess drought tolerance or adaptation of plants. We estimated the magnitude of errors that are introduced by dilution of π from apoplastic water in osmometry methods and the errors that occur during rehydration of leaves for RWC and π in 14 different plant species from trees, grasses and herbs. Our data indicate that rehydration technique and length of rehydration can introduce significant errors in both RWC and π. Leaves from all species were fully turgid after 1–3 h of rehydration and increasing the rehydration time resulted in a significant underprediction of RWC. Standing rehydration via the petiole introduced the least errors while rehydration via floating disks and submerging leaves for rehydration led to a greater underprediction of RWC. The same effect was also observed for π. The π values following standing rehydration could be corrected by applying a dilution factor from apoplastic water dilution using an osmometric method but not by using apoplastic water fraction (AWF) from pressure volume (PV) curves. The apoplastic water dilution error was between 5 and 18%, while the two other rehydration methods introduced much greater errors. We recommend the use of the standing rehydration method because (1) the correct rehydration time can be evaluated by measuring water potential, (2) overhydration effects were smallest, and (3) π can be accurately corrected by using osmometric methods to estimate apoplastic water dilution.
Planning and management for sustainable coastal aquaculture development in Santa Catarina State, south Brazil
Authors: Suplicy Felipe M. , Vianna Luiz F. de Novaes , Rupp Guilherme S. , Novaes André L. T. , Garbossa Luis H. P. , de Souza Robson V. , Guzenski João , da Costa Sérgio W. , Silva Fabiano M. , dos Santos Alex A.
Published: September 2015

Marine aquaculture of bivalve molluscs is an important economic activity in Santa Catarina State, Brazil, with more than 5000 persons directly and indirectly involved and an annual revenue of US$ 18 million in 2013. In the first decade of this activity, a lack of proper regulation imposed multiple obstacles to the sustainable management of local shellfish farming. The occupation of marine space occurred in a disorderly manner, and the unplanned development led to unfavourable conditions that threatened the sustainability of the industry. This study describes how better planning and management tools have improved governance of marine aquaculture in Santa Catarina State. The process included development of a legal framework for aquaculture planning, elaboration of local development plans with a participatory and multidisciplinary approach, development of a geographic information system to identify favourable areas and creation of a Web‐based aquaculture management system. The combined application of these actions, along with continuing extension services, is expected to contribute to the regulation of 837 shellfish farming areas, the expansion of farming activity, the mitigation of the environmental and visual impacts caused by coastal aquaculture and an increase in the public health of shellfish consumers. In this manuscript, we report an example of how the application of better planning and management of the aquaculture sector can prepare the industry for a sustainable growing cycle.
Guidelines for evaluating performance of oyster habitat restoration
Authors: Baggett Lesley P. , Powers Sean P. , Brumbaugh Robert D. , Coen Loren D. , DeAngelis Bryan M. , Greene Jennifer K. , Hancock Boze T. , Morlock Summer M. , Allen Brian L. , Breitburg Denise L. , Bushek David , Grabowski Jonathan H. , Grizzle Raymond E. , Grosholz Edwin D. , La Peyre Megan K. , Luckenbach Mark W. , McGraw Kay A. , Piehler Michael F. , Westby Stephanie R. , zu Ermgassen Philine S. E.
Published: September 2015

Restoration of degraded ecosystems is an important societal goal, yet inadequate monitoring and the absence of clear performance metrics are common criticisms of many habitat restoration projects. Funding limitations can prevent adequate monitoring, but we suggest that the lack of accepted metrics to address the diversity of restoration objectives also presents a serious challenge to the monitoring of restoration projects. A working group with experience in designing and monitoring oyster reef projects was used to develop standardized monitoring metrics, units, and performance criteria that would allow for comparison among restoration sites and projects of various construction types. A set of four universal metrics (reef areal dimensions, reef height, oyster density, and oyster size–frequency distribution) and a set of three universal environmental variables (water temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen) are recommended to be monitored for all oyster habitat restoration projects regardless of their goal(s). In addition, restoration goal‐based metrics specific to four commonly cited ecosystem service‐based restoration goals are recommended, along with an optional set of seven supplemental ancillary metrics that could provide information useful to the interpretation of prerestoration and postrestoration monitoring data. Widespread adoption of a common set of metrics with standardized techniques and units to assess well‐defined goals not only allows practitioners to gauge the performance of their own projects but also allows for comparison among projects, which is both essential to the advancement of the field of oyster restoration and can provide new knowledge about the structure and ecological function of oyster reef ecosystems.
Growing older in the context of needing geriatric assessment: a qualitative study
Authors: Esbensen Bente Appel , Hvitved Ida , Andersen Hanne Elkjær , Petersen Charlotte Møller
Published: September 2015

Aim

The number of older adults will increase worldwide in the next 30 years, with many expected to develop chronic diseases and consequently require additional medical assessments and adequate care. The aim of this study was to describe how a group of older adults who need geriatric assessment experience growing older.

Methodology

A qualitative study was performed. The empirical data consisted of qualitative in‐depth interviews with eight older persons referred to geriatric assessment (median age 76, range 65–86). The interviews were analysed based on Giorgi's descriptive phenomenological methodology.

Results

The results led to an overall essence and five themes. The five themes were identified: (i) considerations to avoid weakness, (ii) compensation for the inability to perform certain activities, (iii) aides – a symbol of freedom or limitation, (iv) lifestyle considered being particularly significant and (v) considerations about the end of life as a component of growing older. The essence was defined as: illness essential for the experience of growing older and pointed to the experience of growing older that highlighted that experiencing illnesses and limitations served as reminders of their advancing age.

Conclusion

Growing older while in need of comprehensive geriatric assessment led to participants feeling they were no longer able to do the same things, they used to do. Consequently, compensation became an essential part of adaption to the altered situation. Aides that helped to overcome limitations in every daily life had the status of either creating freedom or being limiting in things they wished to do. Considerations about lifestyle were focused on housing and change of dwelling. This also led to thoughts about the future and end of life. Additional research regarding accommodations in older age is warranted to offer the best solutions for older people.
Hope as an Intellectual Virtue?
Authors: Cobb Aaron D.
Published: September 2015

Hope is a ubiquitous feature of human experience, but there has been relatively little scholarship within contemporary analytic philosophy devoted to the systematic analysis of its nature and value. In the last decade, however, there has been a resurgence of interest in the study of hope and, in particular, its role in human agency. This scholarly attention reflects an ambivalence about hope's effects. While the possession of hope can have salutary consequences, it can also make the agent vulnerable to certain kinds of personal risk. The pervasiveness of hope is not a sign of its quality; only a well‐tuned hope can be a virtue. Recently, Nancy Snow has argued that hope can be an intellectual virtue. Framing her account as a contribution to regulative epistemology, she contends that the intellectual virtue of hope can (i) motivate the pursuit of important epistemic ends, (ii) create dispositions that enable the successful pursuit of these aims, and (iii) generate a method for enduring intellectual projects. In this paper, I provide a critical appraisal of Snow's account of hope as an intellectual virtue. One important implication of this critique is that hope can function as an intellectual virtue only to the extent that it has benefitted from the correcting and perfecting influence of other cognitive excellences.