bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Novel multilocus imprinting disturbances in a child with expressive language delay and intellectual disability
Authors: Tayeh Marwan K. , DeVaul Janean , LeSueur Kristin , Yang Chen , Bedoyan Jirair K. , Thomas Peedikayil , Hannibal Mark C. , Innis Jeffrey W.
Published: April 2022

Multilocus imprinting disturbances (MLID) have been associated with up to 12% of patients with Beckwith‐Wiedemann syndrome, Silver‐Russell syndrome, and pseudohypoparathyroidism type 1B (PHP1B). Single‐gene defects affecting components of the subcortical maternal complex (SCMC) have been reported in cases with multilocus hypomethylation defects. We present a patient with speech and language impairment with mild Angelman syndrome (AS) features who demonstrates maternal hypomethylation at 15q11.2 (SNRPN) as well as 11p15.5 (KCNQ1OT1) imprinted loci, but normal methylation at 6q24.2 (PLAGL1), 7p12.1 (GRB10), 7q32.2 (MEST), 11p15.5 (H19), 14q32.2 (MEG3), 19q13.43 (PEG3), and 20q13.32 (GNAS and GNAS‐AS1). The proband also has no copy number nor sequence variants within the AS imprinting center or in UBE3A. Maternal targeted next generation sequencing did not identify any pathogenic variants in ZPF57, NLRP2, NLRP5, NLRP7, KHDC3L, PADI6, TLE6, OOEP, UHRF1 or ZAR1. The presence of very delayed, yet functional speech, behavioral difficulties, EEG abnormalities but without clinical seizures, and normocephaly are consistent with the 15q11.2 hypomethylation defect observed in this patient. To our knowledge, this is the first report of MLID in a patient with mild, likely mosaic, Angelman syndrome.
See many, do one, teach many more: Assessing quality and reliability of publicly available endoscopic videos in rhinology
Authors: Bitner Benjamin F. , Gowda Sanjita , Mark Michelle E. , Warner Danielle C. , Tajudeen Bobby A. , Kuan Edward C.
Published: April 2022

Objectives

The use of video recording is commonplace in rhinology given the increased use of endoscopes when evaluating patients in the office and the operating room and for its educational potential. This study aimed to determine the quality of publicly available endoscopic videos in rhinology.

Methods

A video search was performed on YouTube in April 2020 and included all videos since its inception in 2005 using terms related to rhinology found in the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Case Log Coding Guide. Videos which met inclusion criteria were evaluated for video metrics and quality using validated scoring systems: Video Power Index (VPI), modified Journal of American Medical Association (JAMA) benchmark criteria, modified global quality score (GQS), and modified DISCERN criteria.

Results

A total of 138 videos were evaluated, 114 of which were uploaded independently, and 24 videos were uploaded by an academic institution. Academic‐affiliated videos have higher like ratio at 91.7 ± 7.55% compared with 86.27 ± 17.44% (p = 0.018). Academic‐affiliated videos have higher JAMA benchmark scores, DISCERN criteria scores, and GQS values (1.71 ± 0.55 vs. 1.66 ± 0.49 [p = 0.66]), (3.33 ± 0.56 vs. 2.85 ± 0.65 [p < 0.001]), (4.38 ± 0.81 vs. 3.43 ± 1.01 [p < 0.001])], respectively. There was no significant difference in VPI (p = 0.73).

Conclusions

Endoscopic videos are rapidly growing in prominence and remain an important part of surgical education, but overall are heterogeneous in quality and reliability, necessitating an effort to establish both video sharing regulations and objective standards of quality.
Functional characterization of two different decaprenyl diphosphate synthases in the vetch aphid Megoura viciae
Authors: Song Xuan , Li Zheng‐Xi
Published: April 2022

Long‐chain polyprenyl diphosphate synthases play a critical role in the formation of the prenyl side‐chain of ubiquinones, but up to date, their functions have scarcely been characterized in insects. Here, we first cloned the complementary DNAs encoding the subunits of decaprenyl diphosphate synthase (DPPS) in the vetch aphid Megoura viciae, an important agricultural pest insect. The results showed that there existed three DPPS subunits, designated as MvDPPS1, MvDPPS2a, and MvDPPS2b, with an open reading frame of 1218, 1275, and 1290 bp, and a theoretical isoelectric point of 7.91, 6.63, and 9.62, respectively. The sequences of MvDPPS1s from different aphid species were nearly identical, while the sequences of MvDPPS2a and MvDPPS2b shared only moderate sequence similarity. Phylogenetic analysis clearly separated MvDPPS2a and MvDPPS2b, indicating a functional differentiation between them. Functional coexpression analysis in Escherichia coli showed that MvDPPS1 plus MvDPPS2a and MvDPPS1 plus MvDPPS2b, respectively, catalyzed the formation of the prenyl side‐chain of the ubiquinone coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Interestingly, MvDPPS1 plus MvDPPS2b catalyzed the formation of the prenyl side‐chain of a ubiquinone other than CoQ10. RNA interference‐mediated knockdown of MvDPPS2a imposed no significant effect on MvDPPS2b, and vice versa, suggesting no compensatory action between them. In the end, we detected the product CoQ10 in the aphid, the first identification of CoQ10 in an insect species. Taken together, we characterized two functional DPPSs in M. viciae, one of which might be multifunctional. Our study helps to understand the functional plasticity of the terpenoid backbone biosynthesis pathway in insects.
Bis‐diamine administration during pregnancy induces developmental and reproductive toxicities in rats
Authors: Lee Jinsoo , Jeong Ji‐Seong , Kim Sang Yun , Kim Woojin , Lee Sun‐Young , Park Jeong‐Dong , Oh Jung‐Hwa , Park Daeui , Lee Seung‐Jin , Baek Sang‐Ki , Quah Yixian , Nam Sang‐Yoon , Yu Wook‐Joon
Published: April 2022

Background

Bis‐diamine was developed as amebicidal and male contraceptive agents; however, it is also reported to induce characteristic congenital heart defects especially in the cardiac conotruncal area of rats. Because of its characteristic congenital heart defects, bis‐diamine‐induced animal models can be used for studying congenital heart defects. However, comprehensive toxicological information regarding bis‐diamine‐induced congenital heart defects in this animal model is not available.

Methods

In this study, we investigated and characterized an animal model for bis‐diamine‐induced congenital heart defects. A single dose of 200‐mg bis‐diamine was administered by oral gavage to pregnant rats on gestation day 10, and then observed the representative toxicological endpoints for general systemic health of pregnant rats, embryo‐fetal development, and parturition.

Results

Characteristic congenital heart defects and other birth defects similar to DiGeorge syndrome were observed in bis‐diamine‐administered pregnant rats. In addition, developmental and reproductive toxicity findings, including increased postimplantation loss, decreased fetal weight, increased perinatal death, and increased gestation period, were observed in bis‐diamine‐administered pregnant rats. In particular, these developmental and reproductive toxicities were observed without maternal toxicity findings.

Conclusion

These results will be useful to use this animal model for further studies in congenital heart defects, cardiovascular defects, and understanding their mechanisms.
Nerve branches to the anterior tibial artery: Clinical application
Authors: Umemoto Kanae , Otsuka Shun , Mizuno Daisuke , Nanizawa Eri , Fukushige Kaori , Hatayama Naoyuki , Naito Munekazu
Published: April 2022

Arteries receive vascular branches (VBs) from peripheral nerves. VBs are thought to be involved in arterial constriction. Although the anterior tibial artery (ATA) receives VBs, information on their branching patterns and distribution areas remains limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the anatomical structures of the VBs reaching the ATA. Forty cadaver limbs were examined to assess the branching patterns and distribution areas of the VBs reaching the ATA. The VBs reaching the ATA ramified from the deep fibular nerve (DFN), and the ATA received two or three VBs in each limb. The following mean distances from the head of fibula to the points at which the VBs reached the ATA were measured: all the VBs, 1st VB, 2nd VB and 3rd VB. The measurements were 51.5 ± 23.2 mm, 33.3 ± 3.7 mm, 53.3 ± 18.6 mm, and 72.2 ± 24.5 mm, respectively. In all limbs, the DFN and the ATA converged after the DFN branched into the 1st VB. The 2nd VB in 38 of 40 limbs and the 3rd VB in 20 of 32 limbs were distributed in the ATA proximal to the convergence point of the ATA and the DFN. These findings revealed that all VBs reaching the ATA ramified from the DFN in all limbs. The ATA received two or three VBs, and all the 1st VBs distributed to the ATA proximal to the convergence point.
Age‐specific prevalence and genotype distribution of human papillomavirus in women from Northwest China
Authors: Lin Xiaohong , Chen Liu , Zheng Yunyun , Yan Feng , Li Jia , Zhang Jianfang , Yang Hong
Published: April 2022

Background

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the leading cause of cervical cancer with more than 200 genotypes. Different genotypes have different potentials in causing premalignant lesions and cervical cancers. In this study, we investigated the age‐specific prevalence and genotype distribution of HPV genotypes in Northwest China.

Materials and Methods

We recruited 145,918 unvaccinated women from Northwest China for population‐based HPV DNA screening test during June 2015 to December 2020. And a lab‐based test was performed for each volunteer by flow fluorescent technology to identify the genotypes of HPV.

Results

The overall infection rate of HPV was 22.97%. With the participants divided into 12 groups according to age, a bimodal curve of infection rate was obtained. And the two peaks appeared in the younger than 20 group and 61–65 group, respectively. The five most common HPV genotypes included HPV 16, 58, 52, 53 and 61 in all participants, which were in descending order of frequency. Among women younger than 25 years old, HPV 6 and 11 were more common and even higher than some genotypes mentioned above. Among women older than 65 years old, HPV 18 and 66 were more common than or as high as the six most common genotypes in all populations. Additionally, the distribution of single and multiple infections in each age group was also different.

Conclusion

The baseline prevalence and genotype distribution of HPV in Northwest China was uncovered for the first time. Age was related to the epidemiology of different HPV genotypes. All the results would be of great significance for future healthcare services.
Permutation tests for ASCA in multivariate longitudinal intervention studies
Authors: Camacho José , Díaz Caridad , Sánchez‐Rovira Pedro
Published: April 2022

Permutation tests are the standard technique for significance testing in Analysis of Variance Simultaneous Component Analysis. However, there is a vast number of alternative approaches for permutation testing, and the number of choices grows in relation to the complexity of the study design. In this paper, we focus on longitudinal intervention studies with multivariate outcomes, a relevant experimental design in clinical studies where the outcome is an omics profile (such as in genomics, metabolomics, and the like). We propose a new technique to derive power curves tailored to the size and (un)balanced nature of the data set in the study. This technique is useful to identify misleading permutation tests, with lack of power or overly optimistic outcomes. We found that choosing the best permutation approach is far from intuitive and that there is a significant risk of deriving incorrect conclusions in real‐life analyses. Our approach avoids this risk and can be extended to other complex designs of interest. The code is available for free use.
Inflammation, coronary plaque progression, and statin use: A secondary analysis of the Risk Stratification with Image Guidance of HMG CoA Reductase Inhibitor Therapy (RIGHT) study
Authors: Scott Colin , Lateef Sundus S. , Hong Christin G. , Dey Amit K. , Manyak Grigory A. , Patel Nidhi H. , Zhou Wunan , Sorokin Alexander V. , Abdelrahman Khaled , Uceda Domingo , Teklu Meron , Wu Colin , Parel Philip M. , Sandfort Veit , Chen Marcus Y. , Mallek Marissa , Ahlman Mark , Bluemke David , Mehta Nehal N.
Published: April 2022

Background

Statin treatment is a potent lipid‐lowering therapy associated with decreased cardiovascular risk and mortality. Recent studies including the PARADIGM trial have demonstrated the impact of statins on promoting calcified coronary plaque.

Hypothesis

The degree of systemic inflammation impacts the amount of increase in coronary plaque calcification over 2 years of statin treatment.

Methods

A subgroup of 142 participants was analyzed from the Risk Stratification with Image Guidance of HMG CoA Reductase Inhibitor Therapy (RIGHT) study (NCT01212900), who were on statin treatment and underwent cardiac computed tomography angiography (CCTA) at baseline and 2‐year follow‐up. This cohort was stratified by baseline median levels of high‐sensitivity hs‐CRP and analyzed with linear regressions using Stata‐17 (StataCorp).

Results

In the high versus low hs‐CRP group, patients with higher baseline median hs‐CRP had increased BMI (median [IQR]; 29 [27–31] vs. 27 [24–28]; p < .001), hypertension (59% vs. 41%; p = .03), and LDL‐C levels (97 [77–113] vs. 87 [75–97] mg/dl; p = .01). After 2 years of statin treatment, the high hs‐CRP group had significant increase in dense‐calcified coronary burden versus the low hs‐CRP group (1.27 vs. 0.32 mm2 [100×]; p = .02), beyond adjustment (β = .2; p = .03).

Conclusions

Statin treatment over 2 years associated with a significant increase in coronary calcification in patients with higher systemic inflammation, as measured by hs‐CRP. These findings suggest that systemic inflammation plays a role in coronary calcification and further studies should be performed to better elucidate these findings.
Wood‐Derived Monolithic Carbon Materials and Their Functional Applications
Authors: Sun Yating , He Zhaocai , Wei Yuan , Liu Gonggang , Liu Rukuan , Hu Jinbo , Liu Huaifei , Zhang Xiang , Yuan Guangming
Published: April 2022

Wood‐derived monolithic carbon materials have attracted increasing attention because of the unique porous structure, renewability, and easy processing. They are frequently used as a structural functional material in energy, environment, catalysis, and other applications recently. Wood‐derived monolithic carbon materials still exhibit the interconnected capillary array structure of wood which is in favor of mass transfer and energy storage/conversion offering application performance and prospect. Herein, wood‐derived monolithic carbon materials, from preparation to function application, are summarized. Various wood raw materials and carbonization methods are described in this work, as well as their impressive application performance in different fields. The aim is to provide an overview of the different monolithic carbon materials obtained from bulk wood which are employed for various functional applications, including energy storage/conversion, environmental conservation, solar steam generation devices, catalysis, and microwave absorption. This review will deepen the understanding of wood‐derived monolithic carbon utilization and inspire new ideas in the area of designing advanced wood‐based materials.
Are older adults with hip fractures a specific risk group for vitamin B12 deficiency?
Authors: Dinamarca‐Montecinos José Luis , Vásquez‐Leiva Alejandra
Published: April 2022

Background

Hip fractures (HF) are a high‐impact geriatric syndrome. Vitamin B12 deficiency is an HF risk factor. There are few studies on prevalence of B12 deficiency in older adults with HF. The objectives are as follows: in older adults with HF, to describe/characterize plasma levels of vitamin B12 (PL‐B12); to verify presence/absence of a subgroup with borderline, near‐deficient PLB12; to describe HF incidence; and to analyse relationships between PL‐B12 and studied variables.

Methods

Cross‐sectional, observational study, analytical component. Complete Collection sample (01.08.2016–31.08.2018). Variables: PL‐B12, age, sex, HF location, time of year, in‐hospital stay length. Medians/percentiles, non‐parametric tests. PL‐B12 cut‐off points according to the WHO, proposing new cut‐off points to capture borderline values.

Results

A total of 580 subjects. HF incidence = 264/100 000 ≥ 65 years, 79% female, 72% extracapsular HF. Medians: age = 83 years; PL‐B12 = 349 pg/cc; hospitalization = 13 days. Significantly lower PL‐B12 in males (P = 0.023) and extracapsular fractures (P = 0.013). No significant differences between age groups, length of hospitalization, and season of the year. Thirty‐five per cent B12 deficiency (16% deficiency and 19% mild deficiency). By increasing cut‐off point for deficiency to 400 pg/cc, prevalence increased to 58%.

Conclusions

High prevalence of vitamin B12 deficiency among older adults with HF, significantly higher in men and extracapsular HF. Twenty‐four per cent normal PL‐B12 according to WHO criteria, but with borderline, near‐deficient levels, at the time of HF. In older adults with HF, we recommend measuring PL‐B12 and raising the cut‐off level required to diagnose deficiency. We consider that older adults with HF are a specific risk group for vitamin B12 deficiency.
Towards sustainable development: Environmental innovation, cleaner production performance, and reputation
Authors: Quintana‐García Cristina , Marchante‐Lara Macarena , Benavides‐Chicón Carlos G.
Published: April 2022

The growing concerns regarding sustainability and a firm's effects on the environment explain the important role that environmental management may play in corporate reputation. Following the premises of the stakeholder approach and dynamic capability theory, we explore how a comprehensive environmental management (environmental innovation [EI] and cleaner production [CP]) impacts a firm's reputation. By analyzing a panel data of European manufacturing firms, we show that EIs benefit corporate reputation. Results also confirm that the higher effectiveness of CP initiatives, the higher a firm's reputation. Both dynamic capabilities improve the firm's legitimacy and stakeholders' perceptions concerning the firm's commitment to environmental sustainability. We offer relevant insights for the academic community as to how EI and CP represent proactive strategies that enhance reputation and provide practical implications for managers in order to respond to stakeholders' demands.
Biomass‐Derived Lenthionine Enhanced by Radical Receptor for Rechargeable Lithium Battery
Authors: Gao Mengnan , Lan Jiaqi , Fu Yongzhu , Guo Wei
Published: April 2022

Organic compounds with tunable structures and high capacities are promising electrode materials for batteries. Cyclic organosulfide (i. e., lenthionine), as a natural material that can provide excellent ratio of effective atoms (S) and non‐efficient atoms (C, H, and others), has a high theoretical specific capacity of 853.6 mAh g−1. However, the multiphase transformation causes rapid capacity decay and hysteresis of charge/discharge voltage plateaus. To overcome these issues, a receptor, phenyl disulfide (PDS), was introduced to truncate subsequent transformations directly from the source and change the reaction path, inhibit the capacity decay, and improve the cycling stability. After 500 cycles, the capacity retention was 81.1 % with PDS, which was in sharp contrast to that (35.6 %) of the control cell. This study helps to understand the electrochemistry mechanism of biomass‐derived lenthionine used as a high‐capacity cathode material for rechargeable lithium batteries, also offering a strategy to overcome its inherent issues.
Geographical POI recommendation for Internet of Things: A federated learning approach using matrix factorization
Authors: Huang Jiwei , Tong Zeyu , Feng Zihan
Published: April 2022

With the popularity of Internet of Things (IoT), Point‐of‐Interest (POI) recommendation has become an important application for location‐based services (LBS). Meanwhile, there is an increasing requirement from IoT devices on the privacy of user sensitive data via wireless communications. In order to provide preferable POI recommendations while protecting user privacy of data communication in a distributed collaborative environment, this paper proposes a federated learning (FL) approach of geographical POI recommendation. The POI recommendation is formulated by an optimization problem of matrix factorization, and singular value decomposition (SVD) technique is applied for matrix decomposition. After proving the nonconvex property of the optimization problem, we further introduce stochastic gradient descent (SGD) into SVD and design an FL framework for solving the POI recommendation problem in a parallel manner. In our FL scheme, only calculated gradient information is uploaded from users to the FL server while all the users manage their rating and geographic preference data on their own devices for privacy protection during communications. Finally, real‐world dataset from large‐scale LBS enterprise is adopted for conducting extensive experiments, whose experimental results validate the efficacy of our approach.
Understanding spatial patterns of poaching pressure using ranger logbook data to optimize future patrolling strategies
Authors: Ghoddousi Arash , Van Cayzeele Corinna , Negahdar Pegah , Soofi Mahmood , Kh. Hamidi Amirhossein , Bleyhl Benjamin , Fandos Guillermo , Khorozyan Igor , Waltert Matthias , Kuemmerle Tobias
Published: April 2022

Poaching is driving many species toward extinction, and as a result, lowering poaching pressure is a conservation priority. This requires understanding where poaching pressure is high and which factors determine these spatial patterns. However, the cryptic and illegal nature of poaching makes this difficult. Ranger patrol data, typically recorded in protected area logbooks, contain information on patrolling efforts and poaching detection and should thus provide opportunities for a better understanding of poaching pressure. However, these data are seldom analyzed and rarely used to inform adaptive management strategies. We developed a novel approach to making use of analog logbook records to map poaching pressure and to test environmental criminology and predator–prey relationship hypotheses explaining poaching patterns. We showcase this approach for Golestan National Park in Iran, where poaching has substantially depleted ungulate populations. We digitized data from >4800 ranger patrols from 2014 to 2016 and used an occupancy modeling framework to relate poaching to (1) accessibility, (2) law enforcement, and (3) prey availability factors. Based on predicted poaching pressure and patrolling intensity, we provide suggestions for future patrol allocation strategies. Our results revealed a low probability (12%) of poacher detection during patrols. Poaching distribution was best explained by prey availability, indicating that poachers target areas with high concentrations of ungulates. Poaching pressure was estimated to be high (>0.49) in 39% of our study area. To alleviate poaching pressure, we recommend ramping up patrolling intensity in 12% of the national park, which could be achievable by reducing excess patrols in about 20% of the park. However, our results suggest that for 27% of the park, it is necessary to improve patrolling quality to increase detection probability of poaching, for example, by closing temporal patrolling gaps or expanding informant networks. Our approach illustrates that analog ranger logbooks are an untapped resource for evidence‐based and adaptive planning of protected area management. Using this wealth of data can open up new avenues to better understand poaching and its determinants, to expand effectiveness assessments to the past, and, more generally, to allow for strategic conservation planning in protected areas.
Factors influencing the persistence of a fire‐sensitive Artemisia species in a fire‐dependent ecosystem
Authors: Dornbusch Megan J. , Limb Ryan F. , Bloom‐Cornelius Ilana V. , Elmore R. Dwayne , Weir John R. , Fuhlendorf Samuel D.
Published: April 2022

Fire refugia and patchiness are important to the persistence of fire‐sensitive species and may facilitate biodiversity conservation in fire‐dependent landscapes. Playing the role of ecosystem engineers, large herbivores alter vegetation structure and can reduce wildfire risk. However, herbivore effects on the spatial variability of fire and the persistence of fire‐sensitive species are not clear. To examine the hypothesis that large herbivores support the persistence of fire‐sensitive species through the creation of fire refugia in fire‐prone landscapes, we examined the response of a fire‐sensitive plant, Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata ssp. wyomingensis [Beetle & Young]) to fire and grazing in the fire‐dependent mixed‐grass prairie of the northern Great Plains. We carried out a controlled burn in 2010 within pre‐established exclosures that allowed differential access to wild and domestic herbivores and no record of fire in the previous 75 years due to fire suppression efforts. The experiment was set up with a split‐plot design to also examine potential changes in plots that were not burned. Canopy cover of big sagebrush was recorded before the burn in 2010 and again in 2011 with percent area burned recorded within 1‐month post‐fire in the burned plots. Percentage area burned was the greatest in ungulate exclosures (92% ± 2%) and the least in open areas (55% ± 21%), suggesting that large herbivores influenced fire behavior (e.g., reducing fire intensity and rate of spread) and are likely to increase fire patchiness through their alterations to the fuel bed. Regression analysis indicated that the proportion of sagebrush cover lost was significantly correlated with the proportion of area burned (R2 = 0.76, p = 0.05). No differences in the non‐burn plots were observed among grazing treatments or among years. Altogether, this illustrates the potential importance of large herbivores in creating biotic‐driven fire refugia for fire‐sensitive species to survive within the flammable fuel matrix of fire‐dependent grassland ecosystems such as the mixed‐grass prairie. Our findings also attest to the resiliency of the northern Great Plains to fire and herbivory and underscore the value of managing grasslands for heterogeneity with spatial and temporal variations in these historic disturbances.
Linking remote sensing data to the estimation of pollination services in agroecosystems
Authors: Ariza Daniel , Meeus Ivan , Eeraerts Maxime , Pisman Matti , Smagghe Guy
Published: April 2022

Wild bees are key providers of pollination services in agroecosystems. The abundance of these pollinators and the ecosystem services they provide rely on supporting resources in the landscape. Spatially explicit models that quantify wild bee abundance and pollination services in food crops are built on the foundations of foraging and nesting resources. This dependence limits model implementation as land‐cover maps and pollination experts capable of evaluating habitat resource quality are scarce. This study presents a novel approach to assessing crop pollination services using remote sensing data (RSD) as an alternative to the more conventional use of land‐cover data and local expertise on spatially explicit models. We used landscape characteristics derived from remote sensors to qualify nesting resources in the landscape and to evaluate the delivery of pollination services by mining bees (Andrena spp.) in 30 fruit orchards located in the Flemish region of Belgium. For this study, we selected mining bees for their importance as local pollinators and underground nesting behavior. We compared the estimated pollination services derived from RSD with those derived from the conventional qualification of nesting resources. We did not observe significant differences (p = 0.68) in the variation in mining bee activity predicted by the two spatial models. Estimated pollination services derived from RSD and conventional characterizations explained 69% and 72% of the total variation, respectively. These results confirmed that RSD can deliver nesting suitability characterizations sufficient for estimating pollination services. This research also illustrates the importance of nesting resources and landscape characteristics when estimating pollination services delivered by insects like mining bees. Our results support the development of holistic agroenvironmental policies that rely on modern tools like remote sensors and promote pollinators by considering nesting resources.
Short‐ and long‐term wildfire threat when adapting infrastructure for wildlife conservation in the boreal forest
Authors: Dawe Denyse A. , Parisien Marc‐André , Boulanger Yan , Boucher Jonathan , Beauchemin Alexandre , Arseneault Dominique
Published: April 2022

Managers designing infrastructure in fire‐prone wildland areas require assessments of wildfire threat to quantify uncertainty due to future vegetation and climatic conditions. In this study, we combine wildfire simulation and forest landscape composition modeling to identify areas that would be highly susceptible to wildfire around a proposed conservation corridor in Québec, Canada. In this measure, managers have proposed raising the conductors of a new 735‐kV hydroelectric powerline above the forest canopy within a wildlife connectivity corridor to mitigate the impacts to threatened boreal woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus). Retention of coniferous vegetation, however, can increase the likelihood of an intense wildfire damaging powerline infrastructure. To assess the likelihood of high‐intensity wildfires for the next 100 years, we evaluated three time periods (2020, 2070, 2120), three climate scenarios (observed, RCP 4.5, RCP 8.5), and four vegetation projections (static, no harvest, extensive harvesting, harvesting excluded in protected areas). Under present‐day conditions, we found a lower probability of high‐intensity wildfire within the corridor than in other parts of the study area, due to the protective influence of a nearby, poorly regenerated burned area. Wildfire probability will increase into the future, with strong, weather‐induced inflation in the number of annual ignitions and wildfire spread potential. However, a conversion to less‐flammable vegetation triggered by interactions between climate change and disturbance may attenuate this trend. By addressing the range of uncertainty of future conditions, we present a robust strategy to assist in decision‐making about long‐term risk management for both the proposed conservation measure and the powerline.
The causes and consequences of pest population variability in agricultural landscapes
Authors: Paredes Daniel , Rosenheim Jay A. , Karp Daniel S.
Published: April 2022

Variability in population densities is key to the ecology of natural systems but also has great implications for agriculture. Farmers' decisions are heavily influenced by their risk aversion to pest outbreaks that result in major yield losses. However, the need for long‐term pest population data across many farms has prevented researchers from exploring the drivers and implications of pest population variability (PV). Here, we demonstrate the critical importance of PV for sustainable farming by analyzing 13 years of pest densities across >1300 Spanish olive groves and vineyards. Variable populations were more likely to cause major yield losses, but also occasionally created temporal windows when densities fell below insecticide spray thresholds. Importantly, environmental factors regulating pest variability were very distinct from factors regulating mean density, suggesting variability needs to be uniquely managed. Finally, we found diversifying landscapes may be a win–win situation for conservation and farmers, as diversified landscapes promote less abundant and less variable pest populations. Therefore, we encourage agricultural stakeholders to increase the complexity of the landscapes surrounding their farms through conserving/restoring natural habitat and/or diversifying crops.
Coastal squeeze on temperate reefs: Long‐term shifts in salinity, water quality, and oyster‐associated communities
Authors: Tice‐Lewis Maxwell , Zhang Y. Stacy , Redding S. Gray , Lindquist Niels L. , Rodriguez Antonio B. , Fieseler Clare M. , Walker Quentin A. , Fodrie F. Joel
Published: April 2022

Foundation species, such as mangroves, saltmarshes, kelps, seagrasses, and oysters, thrive within suitable environmental envelopes as narrow ribbons along the land–sea margin. Therefore, these habitat‐forming species and resident fauna are sensitive to modified environmental gradients. For oysters, many estuaries impacted by sea‐level rise, channelization, and municipal infrastructure are experiencing saltwater intrusion and water‐quality degradation that may alter reef distributions, functions, and services. To explore decadal‐scale oyster–reef community patterns across a temperate estuary in response to environmental change, we resampled reefs in the Newport River Estuary (NRE) during 2013–2015 that had previously been studied during 1955–1956. We also coalesced historical NRE reef distribution (1880s–2015), salinity (1913–2015), and water‐quality‐driven shellfish closure boundary (1970s–2015) data to document environmental trends that could influence reef ecology and service delivery. Over the last 60–120 years, the entire NRE has shifted toward higher salinities. Consequently, oyster–reef communities have become less distinct across the estuary, manifest by 20%–27% lower species turnover and decreased faunal richness among NRE reefs in the 2010s relative to the 1950s. During the 2010s, NRE oyster–reef communities tended to cluster around a euhaline, intertidal‐reef type more so than during the 1950s. This followed faunal expansions farther up estuary and biological degradation of subtidal reefs as NRE conditions became more marine and favorable for aggressive, reef‐destroying taxa. In addition to these biological shifts, the area of suitable bottom on which subtidal reefs persist (contracting due to up‐estuary intrusion of marine waters) and support human harvest (driven by water quality, eroding from up‐estuary) has decreased by >75% since the natural history of NRE reefs was first explored. This “coastal squeeze” on harvestable subtidal oysters (reduced from a 4.5‐km to a 0.75‐km envelope along the NRE's main axis) will likely have consequences regarding the economic incentives for future oyster conservation, as well as the suite of services delivered by remaining shellfish reefs (e.g., biodiversity maintenance, seafood supply). More broadly, these findings exemplify how “squeeze” may be a pervasive concern for biogenic habitats along terrestrial or marine ecotones during an era of intense global change.
Dynamic prediction of global monthly burned area with hybrid deep neural networks
Authors: Zhang Guoli , Wang Ming , Liu Kai
Published: April 2022

Wildfires not only severely damage the natural environment and global ecological balance but also cause substantial losses to global forest resources and human lives and property. Unprecedented fire events such as Australia's bushfires have alerted us to the fact that wildfire prediction is a critical scientific problem for fire management. Therefore, robust, long‐lead models and dynamic predictions of wildfire are valuable for global fire prevention. However, despite decades of effort, the dynamic, effective, and accurate prediction of wildfire remains problematic. There is great uncertainty in predicting the future based on historical and existing spatiotemporal sequence data, but with advances in deep learning algorithms, solutions to prediction problems are being developed. Here, we present a dynamic prediction model of global burned area of wildfire employing a deep neural network (DNN) approach that produces effective wildfire forecasts based on historical time series predictors and satellite‐based burned area products. A hybrid DNN that combines long short‐term memory and a two‐dimensional convolutional neural network (CNN2D‐LSTM) was proposed, and CNN2D‐LSTM model candidates with four different architectures were designed and compared to construct the optimal architecture for fire prediction. The proposed model was also shown to outperform convolutional neural networks (CNNs) and the fully connected long short‐term memory (FcLSTM) approach using the refined index of agreement and evaluation metrics. We produced monthly global burned area spatiotemporal prediction maps and adequately reflected the seasonal peak in fire activity and highly fire‐prone areas. Our combined CNN2D‐LSTM approach can effectively predict the global burned area of wildfires 1 month in advance and can be generalized to provide seasonal estimates of global fire risk.
Disturbance and management effects on forest soil organic carbon stocks in the Pacific Northwest
Authors: Nave Lucas E. , DeLyser Kendall , Domke Grant M. , Holub Scott M. , Janowiak Maria K. , Kittler Brian , Ontl Todd A. , Sprague Eric , Sucre Eric B. , Walters Brian F. , Swanston Christopher W.
Published: April 2022

Carbon (C)‐informed forest management requires understanding how disturbance and management influence soil organic carbon (SOC) stocks at scales relevant to landowners and forest policy and management professionals. The continued growth of data sets and publications allows powerful synthesis approaches to be applied to such questions at increasingly fine scales. Here, we report results from a synthesis that used meta‐analysis of published studies and two large observational databases to quantify disturbance and management impacts on SOC stocks. We conducted this, the third in a series of ecoregional SOC assessments, for the Pacific Northwest, which comprises ~8% of the land area but ~12% of the U.S. forest sector C sink. At the ecoregional level, our analysis indicated that fundamental patterns of vegetation, climate, and topography are far more important controls on SOC stocks than land use history, disturbance, or management. However, the same patterns suggested that increased warming, drying, wildland fire, and forest regeneration failure pose significant risks to SOC stocks across the region. Detailed meta‐analysis results indicated that wildfires diminished SOC stocks throughout the soil profile, while prescribed fire only influenced surface organic materials and harvesting had no significant overall impact on SOC. Independent observational data corroborated the negative influence of fire on SOC derived from meta‐analysis, suggested that harvest impacts may vary subregionally with climate or vegetation, and revealed that forests with agricultural uses (e.g., grazing) or legacies (e.g., cultivation) had smaller SOC stocks. We also quantified effects of a range of common forest management practices having either positive (organic amendments, nitrogen [N]‐fixing vegetation establishment, inorganic N fertilization) or no overall effects on SOC (other inorganic fertilizers, urea fertilization, competition suppression through herbicides). In order to maximize the management applications of our results, we qualified them with ratings of confidence based on degree of support across approaches. Last, similar to earlier published assessments from other ecoregions, we supplemented our quantitative synthesis results with a literature review to arrive at a concise set of tactics for adapting management operations to site‐specific criteria.
A newly invasive species may promote dissimilarity of pest populations between organic and conventional farming systems
Authors: Bloom Elias H. , Constancio Natalie , Hauri Kayleigh C. , Szendrei Zsofia
Published: April 2022

Insect taxa vary in their phenology across space creating dissimilar patterns of species abundance over time. The role of human disturbances and invasive species in these patterns of temporal dissimilarity (phenological differences) across space, however, remain largely unexplored. To dissect these patterns, we evaluated four common pests and one newly invasive species (Contarinia nasturtii; Swede midge) at 220 time points across 2 years on organic and conventional farms. We first summarized across time and evaluated differences in pest abundance between farm management (organic and conventional). We then used generalized additive models to describe temporal patterns of abundance, disentangling phenological differences across management systems. Last, we conducted a temporal beta diversity analysis to identify which species and management practices contribute most to dissimilarity. We found that aggregating pest abundance across time and species masked differences in pest phenology across management systems and concealed variation in pest abundance that was strongly driven by an invasive species, respectively. Overall, our results suggest that organic and conventional farms may be only superficially similar in pest abundance. Rather, by accounting for time, we demonstrate a more nuanced understanding of pest communities moving beyond abundance that may be particularly important for management of newly invasive species.
Evaluating the predictive validity of purging disorder by comparison to bulimia nervosa at long‐term follow‐up
Authors: Forney Katherine Jean , Brown Tiffany A. , Crosby Ross D. , Klein Kelly M. , Keel Pamela K.
Published: April 2022

Objective

The current study sought to examine the predictive validity of the purging disorder diagnosis at long‐term follow‐up by comparing naturalistic outcomes with bulimia nervosa.

Method

Women with purging disorder (N = 84) or bulimia nervosa (N = 133) who had completed comprehensive baseline assessments as part of one of three studies between 2000 and 2012 were sought for follow‐up assessment. Nearly all (94.5%) responded to recruitment materials and 150 (69% of sought sample; 83.3% non‐Hispanic white; 33.40 [7.63] years old) participated at an average of 10.59 (3.71) years follow‐up. Participants completed the Eating Disorder Examination, the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM‐IV, and a questionnaire battery. Diagnostic groups were compared on eating disorder (illness status, recovery status, and eating pathology) and related outcomes. Group differences in predictors of outcome were explored.

Results

There were no significant differences in eating disorder presence (p = .70), recovery status (p = .87), and level of eating pathology (p = .17) between diagnostic groups at follow‐up. Post hoc equivalence tests indicated group differences were smaller than a medium effect size (p's ≤ .005). Groups differed in diagnosis at follow‐up (p = .002); diagnostic stability was more likely than cross‐over to bulimia nervosa for women with baseline purging disorder (p = .004).

Discussion

Although purging disorder and bulimia nervosa do not differ in long‐term outcomes, the relative stability in clinical presentation suggests baseline group differences in clinical presentation may be useful in augmenting treatments for purging disorder.

Public Significance Statement

While purging disorder is classified as an “other specified” eating disorder, individuals who experience this disorder have comparable negative long‐term outcomes as those with bulimia nervosa. This highlights the importance of screening for and treating purging disorder as a full‐threshold eating disorder.
Sympatry leads to reduced body condition in chickadees that occasionally hybridize
Authors: Grabenstein Kathryn C. , Otter Ken A. , Burg Theresa M. , Taylor Scott A.
Published: April 2022

Both abiotic and biotic drivers influence species distributions. Abiotic drivers such as climate have received considerable attention, even though biotic drivers such as hybridization often interact with abiotic drivers. We sought to explore the (1) costs of co‐occurrence for ecologically similar species that hybridize and (2) associations between ecological factors and condition to understand how abiotic and biotic factors influence species distributions. For two closely related and ecologically similar songbirds, black‐capped and mountain chickadees, we characterized body condition, as a proxy for fitness, using a 1358‐individual range‐wide dataset. We compared body condition in sympatry and allopatry with several abiotic and biotic factors using species‐specific generalized linear mixed models. We generated genomic data for a subset of 217 individuals to determine the extent of hybridization‐driven admixture in our dataset. Within this data subset, we found that ~11% of the chickadees had hybrid ancestry, and all hybrid individuals had typical black‐capped chickadee plumage. In the full dataset, we found that birds of both species, independent of demographic and abiotic factors, had significantly lower body condition when occurring in sympatry than birds in allopatry. This could be driven by either the inclusion of cryptic, likely poor condition, hybrids in our full dataset, competitive interactions in sympatry, or range edge effects. We are currently unable to discriminate between these mechanisms. Our findings have implications for mountain chickadees in particular, which will encounter more black‐capped chickadees as black‐capped chickadee ranges shift upslope and could lead to local declines in mountain chickadee populations.
Adjustments in physiological and morphological traits suggest drought‐induced competitive release of some California plants
Authors: Luong Justin C. , Loik Michael E.
Published: April 2022

Drought and competition affect how morphological and physiological traits are expressed in plants. California plants were previously found to respond less negatively to resource limitation compared to invasive counterparts. In a glasshouse in Santa Cruz, CA, USA, we exposed five native California C3 grassland species to episodic drought and competition (via five locally invasive species). We hypothesized that leaf morphology would be more affected by competition, and leaf photosynthetic gas exchange more so by drought, consistent with optimal partitioning and environmental filter theories. We expected that traits would exhibit trade‐offs along a spectrum for resource conservatism versus acquisition. Bromus carinatus had greater photosynthetic recovery, while Diplacus aurantiacus had lower percent loss of net assimilation (PLA) and intrinsic water‐use efficiency (iWUE) during drought and competition simultaneously compared to just drought. Stipa pulchra and Sidalcea malviflora gas exchange was unaffected by drought, and leaf morphology exhibited drought‐related adjustments. Lupinus nanus exhibited trait adjustments for competition but not drought. Functional traits sorted onto two principal components related to trade‐offs for resource conservatism versus acquisition, and for above‐ versus belowground allocation. In summary, morphological traits were affected by competition and drought, whereas physiological traits, like leaf gas exchange, were primarily affected by drought. The grassland plants we studied showed diverse responses to drought and competition with trait trade‐offs related to resource conservatism versus acquisition, and for above‐ versus belowground allocation consistent with optimal partitioning and environmental filter theories. Diplacus aurantiacus experienced competitive release based on greater iWUE and lower PLA when facing drought and competition.