bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contrasting distribution patterns of invasive and naturalized non‐native species along environmental gradients in a semi‐arid montane ecosystem
Authors: Andersen Kelly M. , Naylor Bridgett J. , Endress Bryan A. , Parks Catherine G.
Published: June 2015

Questions

Mountain systems have high abiotic heterogeneity over local spatial scales, offering natural experiments for examining plant species invasions. We ask whether functional groupings explain non‐native species spread into native vegetation and up elevation gradients. We examine whether non‐native species distribution patterns are related to environmental variables after controlling for elevation and, thus, driven by niche processes.

Location

The Wallowa Mountains, northeast Oregon, USA.

Methods

We surveyed non‐native plant species along three mountain roads and into the native habitat matrix to assess the extent of invasion success along distance from roadside and elevation gradients. We used GLM to predict single species occurrence probabilities, LMM to examine differences in distribution patterns among functional types, and pCCA to examine multivariate responses of the non‐native community to ecological variables.

Results

Probability of occurrence of the eight focal invasive species was not significantly related to distance from the road, but declined with elevation. Non‐native species with annual life history strategies were more restricted to lower elevations than perennial species. Non‐native species considered invasive occurred at lower minimum elevations than naturalized species. Shifts in the species composition of the non‐native plant community were related to changes in soil and climate variables.

Conclusions

Our results suggest that invasive species have similar patterns of habitat associations and spread from roadsides to interior vegetation zones, whereas naturalized species partition environmental gradients in this semi‐arid montane ecosystem. Furthermore, annual and invasive species groups occupy lower elevations and perennial and naturalized species groups have invaded further up the mountain roads and into the native vegetation. Thus, functional groupings may explain contrasting distribution patterns of non‐native species and could be used to inform management strategies for non‐native species.
Cost‐Effectiveness Analysis of Latent versus Active Labor Hospital Admission for Medically Low‐Risk, Term Women
Authors: Tilden Ellen L. , Lee Vanessa R. , Allen Allison J. , Griffin Emily E. , Caughey Aaron B.
Published: June 2015

Objective

To assess the outcomes and costs of hospital admission during the latent versus active phase of labor. Latent labor hospital admission has been consistently associated with elevated maternal risk for increased interventions, including epidural anesthesia and cesarean delivery, longer hospital stay, and higher utilization of hospital resources.

Methods

A cost‐effectiveness model was built to simulate a theoretic cohort of 3.2 million term, medically low‐risk women either being admitted in latent labor (< 4 cm dilation) or delaying admission until active labor (≥ 4 cm dilation). Outcomes included epidural use, mode of delivery, stillbirth, maternal death, and costs of care. All probability, cost, and utility estimates were derived from the literature, and total quality‐adjusted life years were calculated. Sensitivity analyses and a Monte Carlo simulation were used to investigate the robustness of model assumptions.

Results

Delaying admission until active labor would result in 672,000 fewer epidurals, 67,232 fewer cesarean deliveries, and 9.6 fewer maternal deaths in our theoretic cohort as compared to admission during latent labor. Additionally, delaying admission results in a cost savings of $694 million annually in the United States. Sensitivity analyses indicated the model was robust within a wide range of probabilities and costs. Monte Carlo simulation found that delayed admission was the optimal strategy in 76.79 percent of trials.

Conclusion

Delaying admission until active labor is a dominant strategy, resulting in both better outcomes and lower costs. Issues related to clinical translation of these findings are explored.
Hearing loss in Waardenburg syndrome: a systematic review
Authors: Song J. , Feng Y. , Acke F.R. , Coucke P. , Vleminckx K. , Dhooge I.J.
Published: June 2015

Waardenburg syndrome (WS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by hearing loss (HL) and pigment disturbances of hair, skin and iris. Classifications exist based on phenotype and genotype. The auditory phenotype is inconsistently reported among the different Waardenburg types and causal genes, urging the need for an up‐to‐date literature overview on this particular topic. We performed a systematic review in search for articles describing auditory features in WS patients along with the associated genotype. Prevalences of HL were calculated and correlated with the different types and genes of WS. Seventy‐three articles were included, describing 417 individual patients. HL was found in 71.0% and was predominantly bilateral and sensorineural. Prevalence of HL among the different clinical types significantly differed (WS1: 52.3%, WS2: 91.6%, WS3: 57.1%, WS4: 83.5%). Mutations in SOX10 (96.5%), MITF (89.6%) and SNAI2 (100%) are more frequently associated with hearing impairment than other mutations. Of interest, the distinct disease‐causing genes are able to better predict the auditory phenotype compared with different clinical types of WS. Consequently, it is important to confirm the clinical diagnosis of WS with molecular analysis in order to optimally inform patients about the risk of HL.
A Biophysically‐Based Model of the Optical Properties of Skin Aging
Authors: Iglesias‐Guitian Jose A. , Aliaga Carlos , Jarabo Adrian , Gutierrez Diego
Published: June 2015

This paper presents a time‐varying, multi‐layered biophysically‐based model of the optical properties of human skin, suitable for simulating appearance changes due to aging. We have identified the key aspects that cause such changes, both in terms of the structure of skin and its chromophore concentrations, and rely on the extensive medical and optical tissue literature for accurate data. Our model can be expressed in terms of biophysical parameters, optical parameters commonly used in graphics and rendering (such as spectral absorption and scattering coefficients), or more intuitively with higher‐level parameters such as age, gender, skin care or skin type. It can be used with any rendering algorithm that uses diffusion profiles, and it allows to automatically simulate different types of skin at different stages of aging, avoiding the need for artistic input or costly capture processes. While the presented skin model is inspired on tissue optics studies, we also provided a simplified version valid for non‐diagnostic applications.
Panoramic Video from Unstructured Camera Arrays
Authors: Perazzi F. , Sorkine‐Hornung A. , Zimmer H. , Kaufmann P. , Wang O. , Watson S. , Gross M.
Published: June 2015

We describe an algorithm for generating panoramic video from unstructured camera arrays. Artifact‐free panorama stitching is impeded by parallax between input views. Common strategies such as multi‐level blending or minimum energy seams produce seamless results on quasi‐static input. However, on video input these approaches introduce noticeable visual artifacts due to lack of global temporal and spatial coherence. In this paper we extend the basic concept of local warping for parallax removal. Firstly, we introduce an error measure with increased sensitivity to stitching artifacts in regions with pronounced structure. Using this measure, our method efficiently finds an optimal ordering of pair‐wise warps for robust stitching with minimal parallax artifacts. Weighted extrapolation of warps in non‐overlap regions ensures temporal stability, while at the same time avoiding visual discontinuities around transitions between views. Remaining global deformation introduced by the warps is spread over the entire panorama domain using constrained relaxation, while staying as close as possible to the original input views. In combination, these contributions form the first system for spatiotemporally stable panoramic video stitching from unstructured camera array input.
High‐Order Recursive Filtering of Non‐Uniformly Sampled Signals for Image and Video Processing
Authors: Gastal Eduardo S. L. , Oliveira Manuel M.
Published: June 2015

We present a discrete‐time mathematical formulation for applying recursive digital filters to non‐uniformly sampled signals. Our solution presents several desirable features: it preserves the stability of the original filters; is well‐conditioned for low‐pass, high‐pass, and band‐pass filters alike; its cost is linear in the number of samples and is not affected by the size of the filter support. Our method is general and works with any non‐uniformly sampled signal and any recursive digital filter defined by a difference equation. Since our formulation directly uses the filter coefficients, it works out‐of‐the‐box with existing methodologies for digital filter design. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach by filtering non‐uniformly sampled signals in various image and video processing tasks including edge‐preserving color filtering, noise reduction, stylization, and detail enhancement. Our formulation enables, for the first time, edge‐aware evaluation of any recursive infinite impulse response digital filter (not only low‐pass), producing high‐quality filtering results in real time.
Parallel, Realistic and Controllable Terrain Synthesis
Authors: Gain J. , Merry B. , Marais P.
Published: June 2015

The challenge in terrain synthesis for virtual environments is to provide a combination of precise user control over landscape form, with interactive response and visually realistic results.

We present a system that builds on parallel pixel‐based texture synthesis to enable interactive creation of an output terrain from a database of heightfield exemplars. We also provide modelers with control over height and surrounding slope by means of constraint points and curves; a paint‐by‐numbers interface for specifying the local character of terrain; coherence controls that allow localization of changes to the synthesized terrain; and copy‐paste functionality to directly transplant terrain regions.

Together these contributions provide a level of realism that, based on user experiments, is indistinguishable from real source terrains; user control sufficient for precise placement of a variety of landforms, such as cliffs, ravines and mesas; and synthesis times of 165ms for a 10242 terrain grid.
VDub: Modifying Face Video of Actors for Plausible Visual Alignment to a Dubbed Audio Track
Authors: Garrido P. , Valgaerts L. , Sarmadi H. , Steiner I. , Varanasi K. , Pérez P. , Theobalt C.
Published: June 2015

In many countries, foreign movies and TV productions are dubbed, i.e., the original voice of an actor is replaced with a translation that is spoken by a dubbing actor in the country's own language. Dubbing is a complex process that requires specific translations and accurately timed recitations such that the new audio at least coarsely adheres to the mouth motion in the video. However, since the sequence of phonemes and visemes in the original and the dubbing language are different, the video‐to‐audio match is never perfect, which is a major source of visual discomfort. In this paper, we propose a system to alter the mouth motion of an actor in a video, so that it matches the new audio track. Our paper builds on high‐quality monocular capture of 3D facial performance, lighting and albedo of the dubbing and target actors, and uses audio analysis in combination with a space‐time retrieval method to synthesize a new photo‐realistically rendered and highly detailed 3D shape model of the mouth region to replace the target performance. We demonstrate plausible visual quality of our results compared to footage that has been professionally dubbed in the traditional way, both qualitatively and through a user study.
Approximating the Generalized Voronoi Diagram of Closely Spaced Objects
Authors: Edwards John , Daniel Eric , Pascucci Valerio , Bajaj Chandrajit
Published: June 2015

We present an algorithm to compute an approximation of the generalized Voronoi diagram (GVD) on arbitrary collections of 2D or 3D geometric objects. In particular, we focus on datasets with closely spaced objects; GVD approximation is expensive and sometimes intractable on these datasets using previous algorithms. With our approach, the GVD can be computed using commodity hardware even on datasets with many, extremely tightly packed objects. Our approach is to subdivide the space with an octree that is represented with an adjacency structure. We then use a novel adaptive distance transform to compute the distance function on octree vertices. The computed distance field is sampled more densely in areas of close object spacing, enabling robust and parallelizable GVD surface generation. We demonstrate our method on a variety of data and show example applications of the GVD in 2D and 3D.
Hardware‐Based Non‐Photorealistic Rendering Using a Painting Robot
Authors: Lindemeier Thomas , Metzner Jens , Pollak Lena , Deussen Oliver
Published: June 2015

We describe a painting machine and associated algorithms. Our modified industrial robot works with visual feedback and applies acrylic paint from a repository to a canvas until the created painting resembles a given input image or scene. The color differences between canvas and input are used to direct the application of new strokes. We present two optimization‐based algorithms that place such strokes in relation to already existing ones. Using these methods we are able to create different painting styles, one that tries to match the input colors with almost transparent strokes and another one that creates dithering patterns of opaque strokes that approximate the input color. The machine produces paintings that mimic those created by human painters and allows us to study the painting process as well as the creation of artworks.
Light Chisel: 6DOF Pen Tracking
Authors: Bubník V. , Havran V.
Published: June 2015

We present a novel interaction device tracked in 6 degrees of freedom by two commodity cameras. The inexpensive Light Chisel is statically illuminated with two LEDs, and uses no additional sensor (e.g. inertial or magnetic) or means of communication or synchronization. Its form factor is well suited for a screwdriver or chisel grip, allowing the Light Chisel to be rolled between the fingers. The position and orientation of the tool is tracked absolutely, making the Light Chisel suited for complex interaction, e.g. geometric modeling in augmented reality. The Light Chisel is physically small, limiting the physical and optical collisions with the real world. The orientation of the tool is tracked in a wide range of angles: pitch and yaw ±90°, roll ±180°. We evaluated our system against the OptiTrack optical tracking system. Our system achieved mean differences from OptiTrack reference of 2.07 mm in position, 1.06° in yaw and pitch, and 5.26° in roll using a pair of VGA cameras. We demonstrate usefulness of our Light Chisel in four applications: character animation, modeling by swirls, volumetric modeling, and docking of CAD models.
Real‐Time Subspace Integration for Example‐Based Elastic Material
Authors: Zhang Wenjing , Zheng Jianmin , Thalmann Nadia Magnenat
Published: June 2015

Example‐based material allows simulating complex material behaviors in an art‐directed way. This paper presents a method for fast subspace integration for example‐based elastic material, which is suitable for real‐time simulation in computer graphics. At the core of the method is the formulation of a new potential using example‐based Green strain tensors. By using this potential, the deformation can be attracted towards the example‐based deformation feature space, the example weights can be explicitly obtained and the internal force can be decomposed into the conventional one and an additional one induced by the examples. The real‐time subspace integration is then developed with subspace integration costs independent of geometric complexity, and both the reduced conventional internal force and additional one being cubic polynomials in reduced coordinates. Experiments demonstrate that our method can achieve real‐time simulation while providing comparable quality with the prior art.
Database‐Assisted Object Retrieval for Real‐Time 3D Reconstruction
Authors: Li Yangyan , Dai Angela , Guibas Leonidas , Nießner Matthias
Published: June 2015

In recent years, real‐time 3D scanning technology has developed significantly and is now able to capture large environments with considerable accuracy. Unfortunately, the reconstructed geometry still suffers from incompleteness, due to occlusions and lack of view coverage, resulting in unsatisfactory reconstructions. In order to overcome these fundamental physical limitations, we present a novel reconstruction approach based on retrieving objects from a 3D shape database while scanning an environment in real‐time. With this approach, we are able to replace scanned RGB‐D data with complete, hand‐modeled objects from shape databases. We align and scale retrieved models to the input data to obtain a high‐quality virtual representation of the real‐world environment that is quite faithful to the original geometry. In contrast to previous methods, we are able to retrieve objects in cluttered and noisy scenes even when the database contains only similar models, but no exact matches. In addition, we put a strong focus on object retrieval in an interactive scanning context — our algorithm runs directly on 3D scanning data structures, and is able to query databases of thousands of models in an online fashion during scanning.
Rich‐VPLs for Improving the Versatility of Many‐Light Methods
Authors: Simon Florian , Hanika Johannes , Dachsbacher Carsten
Published: June 2015

Many‐light methods approximate the light transport in a scene by computing the direct illumination from many virtual point light sources (VPLs), and render low‐noise images covering a wide range of performance and quality goals. However, they are very inefficient at representing glossy light transport. This is because a VPL on a glossy surface illuminates a small fraction of the scene only, and a tremendous number of VPLs might be necessary to render acceptable images. In this paper, we introduce Rich‐VPLs which, in contrast to standard VPLs, represent a multitude of light paths and thus have a more widespread emission profile on glossy surfaces and in scenes with multiple primary light sources. By this, a single Rich‐VPL contributes to larger portions of a scene with negligible additional shading cost. Our second contribution is a placement strategy for (Rich‐)VPLs proportional to sensor importance times radiance. Although both Rich‐VPLs and improved placement can be used individually, they complement each other ideally and share interim computation. Furthermore, both complement existing many‐light methods, e.g. Lightcuts or the Virtual Spherical Lights method, and can improve their efficiency as well as their application for scenes with glossy materials and many primary light sources.
Robust Statistical Pixel Estimation
Authors: Jung Jin Woo , Meyer Gary , DeLong Ralph
Published: June 2015

Robust statistical methods are employed to reduce the noise in Monte Carlo ray tracing. Through the use of resampling, the sample mean distribution is determined for each pixel. Because this distribution is uni‐modal and normal for a large sample size, robust estimates converge to the true mean of the pixel values. Compared to existing methods, less additional storage is required at each pixel because the sample mean distribution can be distilled down to a compact size, and fewer computations are necessary because the robust estimation process is sampling independent and needs a small input size to compute pixel values. The robust statistical pixel estimators are not only resistant to impulse noise, but they also remove general noise from fat‐tailed distributions. A substantial speedup in rendering can therefore be achieved by reducing the number of samples required for a desired image quality. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated for path tracing simulations.
Optimal Spline Approximation via ℓ0‐Minimization
Authors: Brandt Christopher , Seidel Hans‐Peter , Hildebrandt Klaus
Published: June 2015

Splines are part of the standard toolbox for the approximation of functions and curves in ℝd. Still, the problem of finding the spline that best approximates an input function or curve is ill‐posed, since in general this yields a “spline” with an infinite number of segments. The problem can be regularized by adding a penalty term for the number of spline segments. We show how this idea can be formulated as an ℓ0‐regularized quadratic problem. This gives us a notion of optimal approximating splines that depend on one parameter, which weights the approximation error against the number of segments. We detail this concept for different types of splines including B‐splines and composite Bézier curves. Based on the latest development in the field of sparse approximation, we devise a solver for the resulting minimization problems and show applications to spline approximation of planar and space curves and to spline conversion of motion capture data.
Building Back: Stratified Recovery After an EF–4 Tornado in Tuscaloosa, Alabama
Authors: Weber Joe , Lichtenstein Bronwen
Published: June 2015

On April 27, 2011, an EF–4 tornado struck Tuscaloosa, Alabama. Historic damage from the storm coincided with a recessionary economy, a double blow from which the city has yet to recover. This study applied disaster vulnerability theory to a mixed–methods analysis involving qualitative research, photography, and geographic information systems (GIS) analysis in order to document the recovery of three neighborhoods in the tornado zone. One measure of progress is easy to see. Two neighborhoods, both financially stable, have been rebuilt. The third neighborhood has lagged behind the other two, although residents, community leaders, and city planners seek to revitalize this blighted community. Tuscaloosa's experience suggests that prestorm vulnerabilities lead to uneven recovery and proposals for the gentrification of poor neighborhoods that reproduce preexisting patterns of residential segregation.
The Bankruptcy of Detroit: What Role did Race Play?
Authors: Farley Reynolds
Published: June 2015

Perhaps no city in the United States has a longer and more vibrant history of racial conflict than Detroit. It is the only city where federal troops have been dispatched to the streets four times to put down racial bloodshed. By the 1990s, Detroit was the quintessential “Chocolate City–Vanilla Suburbs” metropolis. In 2013, Detroit became the largest city to enter bankruptcy. It is an oversimplification and inaccurate to argue that racial conflict and segregation caused the bankruptcy of Detroit. But racial issues were deeply intertwined with fundamental population shifts and employment changes that together diminished the tax base of the city. Consideration is also given to the role continuing racial disparity will play in the future of Detroit after bankruptcy.
Detroit Futures: Can the City Be Reimagined?
Authors: Eisinger Peter
Published: June 2015

Many Detroit business and political leaders, as well as many ordinary citizens, believe that the city can be restored to vitality. At least four visions of the future city animate their efforts: the city as a great international model for green planning and technology leadership, the city as an entertainment destination, the city as a metropolitan center, and the city as a pioneer destination on the urban frontier. As these visions have simultaneously played out, they have perhaps improved daily life in Detroit in the last decade, but each is finally a partial and inadequate vision. None speaks directly to the interests of the bulk of the city's working class and poor population. Some of the visions lack sufficient scale relative to the city's problems, and some cannot be realized for lack of resources. All of these visions finally represent failures of city–building.
The Dog Days of Detroit: Urban Stray and Feral Animals
Authors: Reese Laura A.
Published: June 2015

This article details the extent and import of the stray and feral dog problem in the City of Detroit in the context of regime and network theories of governance. Using data drawn from a survey of animal welfare service providers, this article provides a description of the complex and essentially grass roots service provision network currently in place to address the problem. The primary cause of the roaming dog problem in the city is the poor economy and the problem is worse in the most distressed neighborhoods. Several factors serve as barriers to addressing the issue. First, the actual number of roaming dogs is a question of contention in the city. Second, weaknesses in the city governing system and scarce resources have limited the public response to the problem. As a result, services are provided by an unstable and fragmented network of nonprofit organizations largely located outside the city of Detroit itself.
A phylogenetic analysis of molecular and morphological characters ofHerminium(Orchidaceae, Orchideae): evolutionary relationships, taxonomy, and patterns of character evolution
Authors: Raskoti Bhakta Bahadur , Jin Wei‐Tao , Xiang Xiao‐Guo , Schuiteman André , Li De‐Zhu , Li Jian‐Wu , Huang Wei‐Chang , Jin Xiao‐Hua , Huang Lu‐Qi
Published: June 2015

The first comprehensive phylogenetic study of the orchid genusHerminiumand its allies is presented, based on seven molecular markers (nuclear internal transcribed spacer,Xdh, chloroplastmatK,psaB,psbA‐trnH,rbcLandtrnL‐F) and 37 morphological characters. Phylogenetic analyses indicate thatHerminiumas currently delimited is paraphyletic and that several genera are deeply nested within it. Based on parsimony analysis of total evidence, the generic circumscription ofHerminiumis expanded to includeAndrocorys,Bhutanthera,FrigidorchisandPorolabium. Apomorphic and plesiomorphic character states are identified for various clades recovered in this study. A few species currently wrongly assigned toPeristylusandPlatantheraare here included inHerminium. All necessary new combinations are made.
Radiographic evaluation of conical tapered platform‐switched implants in the posterior mandible: 1‐year results of a two‐center prospective study
Authors: Moergel Maximilian , Rocha Salomão , Messias Ana , Nicolau Pedro , Guerra Fernando , Wagner Wilfried
Published: June 2015

Objective

Long‐term success of dental implants depends on healthy peri‐implant soft tissues and adequate bone levels. This prospective study aims to assess bone level changes around implants with internal conical connection and platform‐switching abutments in the posterior mandible.

Material and methods

Adult patients missing at least two teeth in the posterior mandible and with a natural tooth mesial to the implant site received two or three adjacent internal conical connection implants. After a minimum transmucosal healing period of 8 weeks, single crown restorations were cemented over platform‐switching abutments. Changes in marginal bone levels were measured in standardized periapical radiographs from surgery and loading (baseline) to 12 months post‐loading.

Results

Twenty‐four patients received 52 implants. Bone remodeling took place between surgery and loading (−0.53 ± 0.40 mm). From loading to 12 months, there was a mean bone gain of 0.12 ± 0.42 mm which occurred mainly in the first 6 months after prosthesis delivery (0.11 ± 0.36 mm) and stabilized afterward. A total of 71.7% of all implants presented bone preservation or gain. No implant was lost at 1 year and the success rate was 100%. Patient inquiry revealed high satisfaction.

Conclusion

Internal conical connection implants with platform‐switching abutments presented high success rate and enhancement or preservation of marginal bone levels after 1 year of loading.
Trismus in patients with head and neck cancer: etiopathogenesis, diagnosis and management
Authors: Rapidis A.D. , Dijkstra P.U. , Roodenburg J.L.N. , Rodrigo J.P. , Rinaldo A. , Strojan P. , Takes R.P. , Ferlito A.
Published: June 2015

Background

Trismus indicates severely restricted mouth opening of any aetiology. A mouth opening of 35 mm or less should be regarded as trismus. Aim of this study was to review the etiopathogenesis, incidence, treatment and prevention of trismus in patients with head and neck cancer.

Objective of review

Trismus is frequently seen in patients suffering from malignant tumours of the head and neck. The reported prevalence of trismus in those patients varies considerably in the literature and ranges from 0 to 100% depending on the tumour site and extension. Trismus may worsen or remain the same over time, or the symptoms may reduce, even in the absence of treatment. When a patient presents with trismus after tumour treatment, it is important to determine whether the trismus is the result of the treatment, or is the first sign of a recurrence. Restricted mouth opening may impede inspection of the oral cavity as needed for dental care, and particularly for oncologic follow‐up.

Conclusions

Mouth opening after radiotherapy (RT) decreases on average by approximately 20% compared to mouth opening prior to RT. The prevalence of trismus increases with increasing doses of RT to mastication structures. The use of intensity‐modulated RT seems to lower the percentage and severity of RT‐induced trismus. Treatment of trismus can be conservative (with either medical or physical therapy) or surgical. Exercise therapy is the mainstay of treatment and exercise should start as soon as possible after treatment. The prevention of trismus, rather than its treatment, is the most important objective.
Adaptive introgression as a resource for management and genetic conservation in a changing climate
Authors: Hamilton Jill A. , Miller Joshua M.
Published: June 2015

Current rates of climate change require organisms to respond through migration, phenotypic plasticity, or genetic changes via adaptation. We focused on questions regarding species’ and populations’ ability to respond to climate change through adaptation. Specifically, the role adaptive introgression, movement of genetic material from the genome of 1 species into the genome of another through repeated interbreeding, may play in increasing species’ ability to respond to a changing climate. Such interspecific gene flow may mediate extinction risk or consequences of limited adaptive potential that result from standing genetic variation and mutation alone, enabling a quicker demographic recovery in response to changing environments. Despite the near dismissal of the potential benefits of hybridization by conservation practitioners, we examined a number of case studies across different taxa that suggest gene flow between sympatric or parapatric sister species or within species that exhibit strong ecotypic differentiation may represent an underutilized management option to conserve evolutionary potential in a changing environment. This will be particularly true where advanced‐generation hybrids exhibit adaptive traits outside the parental phenotypic range, a phenomenon known as transgressive segregation. The ideas presented in this essay are meant to provoke discussion regarding how we maintain evolutionary potential, the conservation value of natural hybrid zones, and consideration of their important role in adaptation to climate.
A Multicriteria Weighted Vote‐Based Classifier Ensemble for Heart Disease Prediction
Authors: Bashir Saba , Qamar Usman , Khan Farhan Hassan
Published: June 2015

The availability of a large amount of medical data leads to the need of intelligent disease prediction and analysis tools to extract hidden information. A large number of data mining and statistical analysis tools are used for disease prediction. Single data‐mining techniques show acceptable level of accuracy for heart disease diagnosis. This article focuses on prediction and analysis of heart disease using weighted vote‐based classifier ensemble technique. The proposed ensemble model overcomes the limitations of conventional data‐mining techniques by employing the ensemble of five heterogeneous classifiers: naive Bayes, decision tree based on Gini index, decision tree based on information gain, instance‐based learner, and support vector machines. We have used five benchmark heart disease data sets taken from UCI repository. Each data set contains different set of feature space that ultimately leads to the prediction of heart disease. The effectiveness of proposed ensemble classifier is investigated by comparing the performance with different researchers' techniques. Tenfold cross‐validation is used to handle the class imbalance problem. Moreover, confusion matrices and analysis of variance statistics are used to show the prediction results of all classifiers. The experimental results verify that the proposed ensemble classifier can deal with all types of attributes and it has achieved the high diagnosis accuracy of 87.37%, sensitivity of 93.75%, specificity of 92.86%, and F‐measure of 82.17%. The F‐ratio higher than the F‐critical and p‐value less than 0.01 for a 95% confidence interval indicate that the results are statistically significant for all the data sets.
Strategies to Build Trust and Recruit African American and Latino Community Residents for Health Research: A Cohort Study
Authors: Sankaré Ibrahima C. , Bross Rachelle , Brown Arleen F. , del Pino Homero E. , Jones Loretta F. , Morris D'Ann M. , Porter Courtney , Lucas‐Wright Aziza , Vargas Roberto , Forge Nell , Norris Keith C. , Kahn Katherine L.
Published: June 2015

Background

This study used Community Partnered Participatory Research (CPPR) to address low participation of racial and ethnic minorities in medical research and the lack of trust between underrepresented communities and researchers.

Methods

Using a community and academic partnership in July 2012, residents of a South Los Angeles neighborhood were exposed to research recruitment strategies: referral by word‐of‐mouth, community agencies, direct marketing, and extant study participants.

Results

Among 258 community members exposed to recruitment strategies, 79.8% completed the study. Exposed individuals identified their most important method for learning about the study as referral by study participants (39.8%), community agencies (30.6%), word‐of‐mouth (17.5%), or direct marketing promotion (12.1%). Study completion rates varied by recruitment method: referral by community agencies (88.7%), referral by participants (80.4%), direct marketing promotion (86.2%), word of mouth (64.3%).

Conclusions

Although African American and Latino communities are often described as difficult to engage in research, we found high levels of research participation and completion when recruitment strategies emerged from the community itself. This suggests recruitment strategies based on CPPR principles represent an important opportunity for addressing health disparities and our high rates of research completion should provide optimism and a road map for next steps.
Shlnc‐EC6 regulates murine erythroid enucleation by Rac1‐PIP5K pathway
Authors: Wang Chenghai , Wu Xiaohui , Shen Feiyang , Li Yaoyao , Zhang Yanqing , Yu Duonan
Published: June 2015

Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) are longer than 200 nucleotide noncoding RNAs without apparent functional coding capacity that function as regulators of cell growth and development. In recent years, increasing evidence implicates the involvement of LncRNAs in erythropoiesis. shlnc‐EC6 is a LncRNA associated with erythroid differentiation but the mechanism remains undefined. In this study, we found that knockdown of shlnc‐EC6 in purified mouse fetal liver erythroid progenitor and hematopoietic stem cells (FLEPHSCs) significantly blocked erythroid enucleation. We also showed that Rac1 was negatively regulated by shlnc‐EC6 at the posttranscriptional level via specific binding to sites within the 3′UTR of Rac1 mRNA. Moreover, we found that knockdown of shlnc‐EC6 led to upregulation of Rac1, followed by the activation of the downstream protein PIP5K, and subsequently resulted in the inhibition of enucleation in cultured mouse fetal erythroblasts. Thus, our findings suggest that shlnc‐EC6 acts as a novel modulator to regulate mouse erythropoiesis via Rac1/PIP5K signaling pathway.
Islet amyloid inhibitors improve glucose homeostasis in a transgenic mouse model of type 2 diabetes
Authors: Wijesekara N. , Ahrens R. , Wu L. , Ha K. , Liu Y. , Wheeler M. B. , Fraser P. E.
Published: June 2015

Increasing evidence points to the cytotoxicity of islet amyloid polypeptide (IAPP) aggregates as a major contributor to the loss of β‐cell mass in type 2 diabetes. Prevention of IAPP formation represents a potential treatment to increase β‐cell survival and function. The IAPP inhibitory peptide, D‐ANFLVH, has been previously shown to prevent islet amyloid accumulation in cultured human islets. To assess its activity in vivo, D‐ANFLVH was administered by intraperitoneal injection into a human IAPP transgenic mouse model, which replicates type 2 diabetes islet amyloid pathology. The peptide was a potent inhibitor of islet amyloid deposition, resulting in reduced islet cell apoptosis and preservation of β‐cell area leading to improved glucose tolerance. These findings provide support for a key role of islet amyloid in β‐cell survival and validate the application of anti‐amyloid compounds as therapeutic strategies to maintain normal insulin secretion in patients with type 2 diabetes.
Colonisation rate and adaptive foraging control the emergence of trophic cascades
Authors: Fahimipour Ashkaan K. , Anderson Kurt E.
Published: June 2015

Ecological communities are assembled and sustained by colonisation. At the same time, predators make foraging decisions based on the local availabilities of potential resources, which reflects colonisation. We combined field and laboratory experiments with mathematical models to demonstrate that a feedback between these two processes determines emergent patterns in community structure. Namely, our results show that prey colonisation rate determines the strength of trophic cascades – a feature of virtually all ecosystems – by prompting behavioural shifts in adaptively foraging omnivorous fish predators. Communities experiencing higher colonisation rates were characterised by higher invertebrate prey and lower producer biomasses. Consequently, fish functioned as predators when colonisation rate was high, but as herbivores when colonisation rate was low. Human land use is changing habitat connectivity worldwide. A deeper quantitative understanding of how spatial processes modify individual behaviour, and how this scales to the community level, will be required to predict ecosystem responses to these changes.
Effect of a pelleted supplement fed during and after omeprazole treatment on nonglandular gastric ulcer scores and gastric juice pH in horses
Authors: Andrews F. M. , Camacho‐Luna P. , Loftin P. G. , Gaymon G. , Garza F. , Keowen M. L. , Kearney M. T.
Published: June 2015

Gastric ulcers are common in horses. The purpose of this study was to test the effect of a commercially available supplement, SmartGut®Ultra pellets (SmGU) on gastric ulcer scores and gastric juicepHafter omeprazole treatment in stall‐confined horses. Eight Thoroughbred horses were studied in a 2‐period, 2‐treatment crossover design, where the SmGU (40 g, twice daily) was mixed in grain feed. Horses were stall‐confined and treated with the supplement or control for 6 weeks, consisting of 2 weeks (Days 1–14) omeprazole treatment, 2 weeks (Days 14–28) following discontinuation of omeprazole treatment, one week (Days 28–35) alternating feed deprivation to induce or worsen existing ulcers and a one week (Days 35–42) recovery period. Gastroscopy was performed and gastric juicepHmeasured on Days 0, 14, 28, 35 and 42. Gastric ulcer lesion number (NGN) and severity (NGS) scores were assigned to each horse by an investigator (F.M.A.) masked to treatment. On Day 0 before treatment, mean NGN and NGS scores and gastric juicepHwere not different (P>0.05) between treatment groups. By Day 14, mean NGN and NGS scores decreased (P<0.05) in both treatment groups. By Days 28 and 35, mean NGN score significantly increased in the untreated control horses but not the SmGU‐treated horses. By Day 42, mean NGN and NGS scores were not different in either group and were significantly lower than Day 0. Mean gastric juicepHwas higher in both groups on Day 14 as a result of omeprazole treatment when compared with other days. SmartGut®Ultra supplement added to the feed prevented the worsening of gastric ulcer number 2 weeks after omeprazole treatment, without altering the gastric juicepH. Supplementation with SmGU might aid in protection of the nonglandular stomach from recurrence of ulcers after omeprazole treatment in stall‐confined horses undergoing intermittent feeding.
Equine tapeworm infections: Disease, diagnosis and control
Authors: Nielsen M. K.
Published: June 2015

Equine tapeworm infection has gained increasing attention over the past few decades and a number of research studies have already been published. These focus primarily on the most common of the 3 tapeworm species, Anoplocephala perfoliata, although some new information has also been generated for the other two species, Anoplocephala magna and Anoplocephaloides mamillana. The preponderance of research studies have focused on development and validation of diagnostic techniques for tapeworm detection and the role of these parasites in equine gastrointestinal disease. Several diagnostic techniques have been found useful for diagnosis of A. perfoliata but each has its strengths and weaknesses. Egg counting techniques have been modified to achieve acceptable to good diagnostic performance but the trade‐off is often a more time‐consuming method. Validation studies indicate that these methods can reliably detect tapeworm burdens above 10 worms. Several enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) have been developed and made commercially available. These can generate useful information about tapeworm exposure on the herd level but are less reliable for individual diagnosis. Unfortunately, none of the available diagnostic techniques are useful for evaluating anthelmintic treatment efficacy. Coproantigen testing may find use as a future diagnostic modality but further characterisation is required. The large body of scientific evidence supports an association between A. perfoliata infection and certain types of equine colic, although some discrepancy exists between studies. Tapeworm surveillance and control should be considered as part of the overall parasite control strategy. When properly used, the currently available diagnostic tools can guide the veterinarian to make strategic decisions regarding tapeworm control.
Comparison of disinfectant efficacy when using high‐volume directed mist application of accelerated hydrogen peroxide and peroxymonosulfate disinfectants in a large animal hospital
Authors: Saklou N. T. , Burgess B. A. , Van Metre D. C. , Hornig K. J. , Morley P. S. , Byers S. R.
Published: June 2015

Reasons for performing study

Effective decontamination of animal holding environments is critical for providing high quality patient care and maintaining a safe working environment. Disinfection of animal holding environments is a significant challenge during times of epidemic disease.

Objectives

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the disinfectant efficacy of 3 strategies for high‐volume directed mist application of accelerated hydrogen peroxide and peroxymonosulfate disinfectants; 4.25% accelerated hydrogen peroxide (Accel®;AHP) at a 1:16 dilution and single and double applications of 2% peroxymonosulfate solution (Virkon‐S®;VIR‐1 andVIR‐2) for decontamination of a large animal hospital environment.

Study design

Experiment.

Methods

After cleaning and disinfection of the hospital environment, transparencies experimentally contaminated with known concentrations ofStaphylococcus aureus,Salmonella entericaandPseudomonas aeruginosawere placed on vertical surfaces. Disinfectant solution was applied by directed mist application and, after 30 min of contact time, transparencies were collected and individually placed into tubes containing 10 ml Dey‐Engley broth. The process was repeated for each disinfectant. Tenfold dilutions of each sample were plated onto tryptic soy blood agar with 5% sheep blood. Bacterial counts from transparencies exposed to disinfectants were compared with counts from control transparencies (unexposed to disinfectants) to evaluate reduction in colony forming units.

Results

The least squares mean reduction (log10) in colony forming units (CFUs) forS. aureusandP. aeruginosawas 1.5–2.5 logs and approximately 0.8–1.0 logs forS. enterica. Reductions were generally largest forVIR‐2 and smallest forAHP, although these differences were not all statistically significant and the magnitude of differences may not be clinically relevant.

Conclusions

For the organisms evaluated, all 3 disinfectants applied as a directed mist were effective at reducingCFUs in a veterinary hospital environment. Effective disinfection using this method of application is dependent on adequate cleaning prior to application, and use of adequate volumes of disinfectant.
Measuring the Impact of Instruction in Intercultural Communication on Secondary Spanish Learners' Attitudes and Motivation
Authors: Acheson Kris , Nelson Matthew , Luna Kera
Published: June 2015

Many scholars have argued that an intercultural approach to foreign language instruction best reflects the inherent interconnectedness of language and culture. However, abundant evidence of the effectiveness of such an approach is lacking, particularly at the secondary level. This two‐year curricular experiment, which took place in two public high schools in the United States, investigated the impact of explicit instruction in intercultural communication theories and direct participation in activities designed to promote intercultural competency on the attitudes and motivation of secondary learners of Spanish as a foreign language. Data for both the experimental and control groups showed that students' pretest attitudes toward the Spanish language and Spanish‐speaking cultures were generally positive. Comparisons of pre‐ and posttest scores showed that the treatment group showed a statistically significant increase in positive attitudes, including increases in both integrative and instrumental motivation, as well as more positive attitudes toward both European Spanish speakers and U.S. Hispanics. Results showed that, for one control group, students' attitudes did not change, and attitudes of students in the second control group became less positive over the period under consideration.