bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Ethyl 3-amino-2-carbamoyl-4-(4-methoxyphenyl)-6-methylthieno[2,3-b]pyridine-5-carboxylate dimethyl sulfoxide monosolvate
Authors: Bakhite Etify A. , Kaur Manpreet , Mohamed Shaaban K. , Akkurt Mehmet , Jasinski Jerry P. , Albayati Mustafa R.
Published: September 2016

The conformation of the title molecule, C19H19N3O4S·C2H6OS, which crystallized as a DMSO solvate, is partially determined by an intramolecular N—H...O hydrogen bond, forming anS(6) loop. The thienopyridine bicyclic system is almost planar, with an r.m.s. deviation of 0.002 Å. The benzene ring makes a dihedral angle of 65.44 (8)° with the mean plane of the thienopyridine bicyclic system. In the crystal, molecules are linked by pairs of N—H...O hydrogen bonds, forming inversion dimers with anR22(8) ring motif. Within the dimers, which stack along thea-axis direction, there is a weak π–π interaction [centroid-to-centroid distance = 3.5428 (11) Å] involving inversion-related thiophene rings. In addition, N—H...O and C—H...O hydrogen bonds help to consolidate the packing,viathe solvent molecules.
Baptists in Burma: collaboratively mapping missionary archives
Authors: Finnell Joshua
Published: September 2016

Purpose

– The purpose of this case study is to discuss and analyze the process of developing and sustaining a multi-institutional digital humanities projects across several institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

– This case study will provide an overview of a multi-institutional digital humanities project from the planning phase to implementation. In particular, this case study will discuss identifying institutional partners, collaborating with a design, designing for curricular integration and best practices for sustaining a project of this size and scope.

Findings

– Sustainable collaboration develops slowly over time. Communication and consensus-building are key components to completing and sustaining a multi-institutional digital project. Scalable design is a crucial step in planning for project expansion.

Originality/value

– Though many journal articles articulate “best practices” for collaboration among geographically dispersed institutions, very few case studies discuss “best practices” within the context of project development, from initial idea to completion.
Classification of Opium by UPLC‐Q‐TOF Analysis of Principal and Minor Alkaloids
Authors: Liu Cuimei , Hua Zhendong , Bai Yanping
Published: September 2016

Opium is the raw material for the production of heroin, and the characterization of opium seizures through laboratory analysis is a valuable tool for law enforcement agencies to trace clandestine opium production and trafficking. In this work, a method for opium profiling based on the relative content of five principal and 14 minor opium alkaloids was developed and validated. UPLC‐Q‐TOF was adopted in alkaloid analysis for its high selectivity and sensitivity, which facilitated the sample preparation and testing. The authentic sample set consisted of 100 “Myanmar” and 45 “Afghanistan” opium seizures; based on the data set of the 19 alkaloid variables in them, a partial least squares discriminant analysis classification model was successfully achieved. Minor alkaloids were found to be vitally important for opium profiling, although combined use of both principal and minor alkaloids resulted in the best geographical classification result. The developed method realized a simple and accurate way to differentiate opium from Myanmar and Afghanistan, which may find wide application in forensic laboratories.
Auditor Choice and Its Implications for Group‐Affiliated Firms
Authors: Fang Junxiong , Pittman Jeffrey , Zhang Yinqi , Zhao Yuping
Published: September 2016

We examine which of two opposing financial reporting incentives that group‐affiliated firms experience shapes their accounting transparency evident in auditor choice. In one direction, complex group structure and intragroup transactions enable controlling shareholders to pursue diversionary activities that they later hide by distorting reported earnings. In the other direction, as outside investors price‐protect against potential expropriation, controlling shareholders may be eager to improve financial reporting quality in order to alleviate agency costs. To empirically clarify whether group affiliation affects company insiders' incentives to address minority shareholders' concerns over agency costs, we examine auditor selection of group firms relative to stand‐alone firms. In comparison to nongroup firms, our evidence implies that group firms are more likely to appoint Top 10 audit firms in China, especially when their controlling shareholders have stronger incentives to improve external monitoring of the financial reporting process. After isolating group firms, we find that the presence of a Top 10 auditor translates into higher earnings and disclosure quality, higher valuation implications for related‐party transactions, and cheaper equity financing, implying that these firms benefit from engaging a high‐quality auditor. In additional analysis consistent with our predictions, we find that group firms that are Top 10 clients pay higher audit fees and their controlling shareholders are more constrained against meeting earnings benchmarks through intragroup transactions and siphoning corporate resources at the expense of minority investors. Collectively, our evidence supports the narrative that insiders in firms belonging to business groups weigh the costs and benefits stemming from auditor choice.
Trophic cascades in 3D: network analysis reveals how apex predators structure ecosystems
Authors: Wallach Arian D. , Dekker Anthony H. , Lurgi Miguel , Montoya Jose M. , Fordham Damien A. , Ritchie Euan G.
Published: September 2016

Trophic cascade theory predicts that apex predators structure ecosystems by regulating mesopredator and herbivore abundance and behaviour. Studies on trophic cascades have typically focused on short linear chains of species interactions. A framework that integrates more realistic and complex interactions is needed to make broader predictions on ecosystem structuring.

Network analysis is used to study food webs and other types of species interaction networks. These often comprise large numbers of species but rarely account for multiple interaction types and strengths. Here, we develop an intermediate complexity theoretical framework that allows specification of multiple interaction types and strengths for the study of trophic cascades. This ecological network is designed to suit data typically derived from field‐based studies. The trophic cascade network contains fewer nodes than food webs, but provides semi‐weighted directional links that enable different types of interactions to be included in a single model.

We use this trophic cascade network model to explore how an apex predator shapes ecosystem structure in an Australian arid ecosystem. We compared two networks that contrasted in the dominance of an apex predator, the dingo (Canis dingo), using published results ranking the direction and strength of key interactions. Nodes and links interacted dynamically to shape these networks. We examined how changes to an apex predator population affect ecosystem structure through their direct and indirect influences on different components of this ecological community.

Under strong apex predator influence, the network structure was denser and more complex, even and top‐down driven; and dingo predation and soil commensalism formed denser interactive modules. Under weak apex predator influence (e.g. reflecting predator control), the resulting network structure was frayed, with mesopredator predation and grazing forming modules.

Our study demonstrates that networks of intermediate complexity can provide a powerful tool for elucidating potential ecosystem‐wide effects of apex predators and predicting the consequences of management interventions such as predator control. Integrating trophic cascades, with their array of complex interactions, with the three‐dimensional structure of ecological networks, has the potential to reveal ‘ecological architecture’ that neither captures on its own.
Anti‐ageing active ingredients from herbs and nutraceuticals used in traditional Chinese medicine: pharmacological mechanisms and implications for drug discovery
Authors: Shen Chun‐Yan , Jiang Jian‐Guo , Yang Li , Wang Da‐Wei , Zhu Wei
Published: September 2016

Ageing, an unanswered question in the medical field, is a multifactorial process that results in a progressive functional decline in cells, tissues and organisms. Although it is impossible to prevent ageing, slowing down the rate of ageing is entirely possible to achieve. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) is characterized by the nourishing of life and its role in anti‐ageing is getting more and more attention. This article summarizes the work done on the natural products from TCM that are reported to have anti‐ageing effects, in the past two decades. The effective anti‐ageing ingredients identified can be generally divided into flavonoids, saponins, polysaccharides, alkaloids and others. Astragaloside, Cistanche tubulosa acteoside, icariin, tetrahydrocurcumin, quercetin, butein, berberine, catechin, curcumin, epigallocatechin gallate, gastrodin, 6‐Gingerol, glaucarubinone, ginsenoside Rg1, luteolin, icarisid II, naringenin, resveratrol, theaflavin, carnosic acid, catalpol, chrysophanol, cycloastragenol, emodin, galangin, echinacoside, ferulic acid, huperzine, honokiol, isoliensinine, phycocyanin, proanthocyanidins, rosmarinic acid, oxymatrine, piceid, puerarin and salvianolic acid B are specified in this review. Simultaneously, chemical structures of the monomers with anti‐ageing activities are listed, and their source, model, efficacy and mechanism are also described. The TCMs with anti‐ageing function are classified according to their action pathways, including the telomere and telomerase, the sirtuins, the mammalian target of rapamycin, AMP‐activated kinase and insulin/insulin‐like growth factor‐1 signalling pathway, free radicals scavenging and the resistance to DNA damage. Finally, Chinese compound prescription and extracts related to anti‐ageing are introduced, which provides the basis and the direction for the further development of novel and potential drugs.

Linked Articles

This article is part of a themed section on Principles of Pharmacological Research of Nutraceuticals. To view the other articles in this section visit http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/bph.v174.11/issuetoc
Does Bank Institutional Setting Affect Board Effectiveness? Evidence from Cooperative and Joint‐Stock Banks
Authors: D'Amato Antonio , Gallo Angela
Published: September 2016

Manuscript Type

Empirical

Research Question/Issue

Do cooperative banks suffer from board deficiencies less frequently and severely than joint‐stock banks? To answer this question, we analyze banks operating in Italy during the period 2006–2012 to examine whether the governing bodies of cooperative banks are less effective in carrying out their duties than those of joint‐stock banks. Deficiencies in the governing body are measured by sanctions imposed by the supervisory authority.

Research Findings/Insights

Findings revealed that the boards of directors of cooperative banks were sanctioned more often than board of directors of joint‐stock banks. Furthermore, board turnover mediates the relationship between the cooperative status and board deficiencies.

Theoretical/Academic Implications

This study provides empirical evidence in support of the weakness of corporate governance in cooperative banks. Methodologically, our approach is novel in that we adopt a measure of board effectiveness/deficiency based on an independent third‐party perspective (supervisory authority) that is not biased by the different objective function of the two types of banks.

Practitioner/Policy Implications

The findings have several policy and managerial implications. We contribute to the ongoing debate on the proposal for flexible regulation of corporate governance for cooperative banks and emphasize that policy‐makers and regulators should rethink the corporate governance structures of cooperative banks. In particular, the study reveals how board turnover should be carefully monitored to reduce board deficiencies at the bank level.
Allergic rhinitis, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema: prevalence and associated factors in children
Authors: Singh Sheetu , Sharma Bharat Bhushan , Salvi Sundeep , Chhatwal Jugesh , Jain Kailash Chandra , Kumar Lata , Joshi Mohan Keshav , Pandramajal Suresh Babu , Awasthi Shally , Bhave Sheila , Rego Sylvan , Sukumaran Thevaruparambil Unny , Khatav Vasant A. , Singh Virendra , Sharma Surendra Kumar , Sabir Mohammed
Published: September 2016

Objective

We aim to describe the data collected from India during phase 3 of the International study of asthma and allergy in childhood (ISAAC) study. Prevalence, severity, and population characteristics associated with rhinitis, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema were assessed.

Methods

Children from two age groups (6‐7 and 13‐14 years) were included in the study as per the ISAAC protocol. The symptoms of allergy and associated features were assessed using a questionnaire.

Results

The prevalence of allergic rhinitis among the 6‐7 years age group was 11.3%, while it was 24.4% in the 13‐14 years age group. The prevalence of allergic rhinoconjunctivitis was 3.9% in the 6‐7 years age group and 10.9% in the 13‐14 years age group. The prevalence of eczema was 2.8% in the 6‐7 years age group and 3.7% in the 13‐14 years age group. The passage of trucks near home, parental smoking, use of paracetamol, use of antibiotics, cooking with firewood, and television watching were associated with allergic rhinitis, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema. Maternal smoking was the strongest of all the associated features for allergic rhinitis, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema, especially in the 6‐7 years age group (odds ratio: 1.9, 95% CI: 1.5‐2.4; odds ratio: 2.9, 95% CI, 2.2‐3.9; and odds ratio: 3.5, 95% CI: 2.6‐4.8, respectively).

Conclusion

Allergic conditions like allergic rhinitis, rhinoconjunctivitis, and eczema are prevalent among Indian children and are associated with environmental tobacco smoke, paracetamol use, antibiotic use, television watching, and outdoor and indoor air pollution.
Exploring the evolutionary origins of overimitation: a comparison across domesticated and non‐domesticated canids
Authors: Johnston Angie M. , Holden Paul C. , Santos Laurie R.
Published: September 2016

When learning from others, human children tend to faithfully copy – or ‘overimitate’ – the actions of a demonstrator, even when these actions are irrelevant for solving the task at hand. We investigate whether domesticated dogs (Canis familiaris) and dingoes (Canis dingo) share this tendency to overimitate in three experiments. In Experiment 1, dogs and dingoes had the opportunity to solve a puzzle after watching an ostensive demonstrator who used both a relevant action and an irrelevant action. We find clear evidence against overimitation in both species. In contrast to human children (Horner & Whiten, 2005), dogs and dingoes used the irrelevant action less often across trials, suggesting that both species were filtering out the irrelevant action as they gained experience with the puzzle (like chimpanzees; Horner & Whiten, 2005). Experiments 2 and 3 provide further evidence against overimitation, demonstrating that both species’ behavior is better characterized by individual exploration than overimitation. Given that both species, particularly dogs, show human‐like social learning in other contexts, these findings provide additional evidence that overimitation may be a unique aspect of human social learning. A video abstract of this article can be viewed at: https://youtu.be/g2mRniJZ7aU.
Comparing single‐ and dual‐process models of memory development
Authors: Hayes Brett K. , Dunn John C. , Joubert Amy , Taylor Robert
Published: September 2016

This experiment examined single‐process and dual‐process accounts of the development of visual recognition memory. The participants, 6–7‐year‐olds, 9–10‐year‐olds and adults, were presented with a list of pictures which they encoded under shallow or deep conditions. They then made recognition and confidence judgments about a list containing old and new items. We replicated the main trends reported by Ghetti and Angelini () in that recognition hit rates increased from 6 to 9 years of age, with larger age changes following deep than shallow encoding. Formal versions of the dual‐process high threshold signal detection model and several single‐process models (equal variance signal detection, unequal variance signal detection, mixture signal detection) were fit to the developmental data. The unequal variance and mixture signal detection models gave a better account of the data than either of the other models. A state‐trace analysis found evidence for only one underlying memory process across the age range tested. These results suggest that single‐process memory models based on memory strength are a viable alternative to dual‐process models for explaining memory development.
One step forward, two steps back? The fading contours of (in)justice in competing discourses on climate migration
Authors: Bettini Giovanni , Nash Sarah Louise , Gioli Giovanna
Published: September 2016

In recent debates on climate change and migration, the focus on the figure of ‘climate refugees’ (tainted by environmental determinism and a crude understanding of human mobility) has given ground to a broader conception of the climate–migration nexus. In particular, the idea that migration can represent a legitimate adaptation strategy has emerged strongly. This appears to be a positive development, marked by softer tones that de‐securitise climate migration. However, political and normative implications of this evolution are still understudied. This article contributes to filling the gap by turning to both the ‘climate refugees’ and ‘migration as adaptation’ narratives, interrogating how and whether those competing narratives pose the question of (in)justice. Our analysis shows that the highly problematic ‘climate refugees’ narrative did (at least) channel justice claims and yielded the (illusory) possibility of identifying concrete rights claims and responsibilities. Read in relation to the growing mantra of resilience in climate policy and politics, the more recent narrative on ‘migration as adaptation’ appears to displace justice claims and inherent rights in favour of a depoliticised idea of adaptation that relies on the individual migrant's ability to compete in and benefit from labour markets. We warn that the removal of structural inequalities from the way in which the climate–migration nexus is understood can be seen as symptomatic of a shrinking of the conditions to posing the question of climate justice.
Effects of Treating Primary Aldosteronism on Renal Function
Authors: Kramers Bart J. , Kramers Cornelis , Lenders Jacques W. M. , Deinum Jaap
Published: September 2016

Longstanding primary aldosteronism (PA) has deleterious effects on renal function, often masked until treatment (adrenalectomy or spironolactone) is initiated. It has been suggested that PA causes relative glomerular hyperfiltration, explaining the decline in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) after treatment. In this retrospective study, the authors retrieved the clinical characteristics and eGFR of 134 PA patients before and 6 months after treatment. Using multiple regression analysis, the predictors for eGFR decline and the predictors of ultimately attained renal function in 113 patients was assessed. eGFR declined by 15.3±14.2 (range 19–63) mL/min, independent predictors were pretreatment plasma aldosterone, eGFR, plasma renin, and plasma potassium. Independent predictors of ultimately attained eGFR after treatment were pretreatment plasma aldosterone, age, eGFR, and plasma potassium. Our findings lend support to the hypothesis that higher aldosterone levels cause relative glomerular hyperfiltration. The severity of pretreatment aldosterone excess is the most important risk factor for renal function decline.
Autophagy activation involved in hypoxic‐ischemic brain injury induces cognitive and memory impairment in neonatal rats
Authors: Xu Ying , Tian Ye , Tian Yue , Li Xingyue , Zhao Ping
Published: September 2016

Hypoxic‐ischemic brain injury (HIBI) in neonates can lead to lifelong cognitive and memory impairment, but protective strategies are lacking at present. It has been demonstrated that autophagy plays a critical role in HIBI, while the function of autophagy in cognitive and memory impairment induced by HIBI in neonates has not been tested. In this study, we tested the impact of autophagy on the impairment of cognitive function and memory in HIBI neonatal rats by using a Morris water maze and investigated its possible mechanisms, which were established as HIBI model by ligating the left common carotid artery in neonatal rats, followed by 2‐h hypoxia. The expression of microtubule‐associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)‐II increased in HI group 24 h after HI in neonatal rats, while Sequestosome 1 (P62/SQSTM1), phosphorylated cAMP‐response element‐binding protein (p‐CREB) decreased (compared with the sham group, p < 0.05), which were shown in the same left hippocampus CA3 region by immunofluorescence analysis. Brain injury of neonatal rats was aggravated significantly at 7 day after HI, coinciding with the results of Morris water maze. An autophagy inhibitor, 3‐methyladenine (3‐MA) pretreatment significantly attenuated the increase of LC3II and the loss of P62/SQSTM1 and p‐CREB, ameliorated neuronal death, and improved the results of Morris water maze. Our results demonstrate that HIBI in neonatal rats induced excessive autophagy flux, which aggravated brain injury and induced cognitive and memory impairment during adolescence. Inhibition of autophagy reversed the results partly and improved the function of spatial learning and memory by attenuating the reduction of p‐CREB. The use of autophagy modulators in the immature brain would create new opportunities for protective strategies clinically in the future.

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Metabolic profile of injured human spinal cord determined using surface microdialysis
Authors: Chen Suliang , Phang Isaac , Zoumprouli Argyro , Papadopoulos Marios C. , Saadoun Samira
Published: September 2016

The management of patients having traumatic spinal cord injury would benefit from understanding and monitoring of spinal cord metabolic states. We hypothesized that the metabolism of the injured spinal cord could be visualized using Kohonen self‐organizing maps. Sixteen patients with acute, severe spinal cord injuries were studied. Starting within 72 h of the injury, and for up to a week, we monitored the injury site hourly for tissue glucose, lactate, pyruvate, glutamate, and glycerol using microdialysis as well as intraspinal pressure and spinal cord perfusion pressure. A Kohonen map, which is an unsupervised, self‐organizing topology‐preserving neural network, was used to analyze 3366 h of monitoring data. We first visualized the different spinal cord metabolic states. Our data show that the injured cord assumes one or more of four metabolic states. On the basis of their metabolite profiles, we termed these states near‐normal, ischemic, hypermetabolic, and distal. We then visualized how patients’ intraspinal pressure and spinal cord perfusion pressure affect spinal cord metabolism. This revealed that for more than 60% of the time, spinal cord metabolism is patient‐specific; periods of high intraspinal pressure or low perfusion pressure are not associated with specific spinal cord metabolic patterns. Finally, we determined relationships between spinal cord metabolism and neurological status. Patients with complete deficits have shorter periods of near‐normal spinal cord metabolic states (7 ± 4% vs. 58 ± 12%, p < 0.01, mean ± standard error) and more variable injury site metabolic responses (metabolism spread in 70 ± 11 vs. 40 ± 6 hexagons, p < 0.05), compared with patients who have incomplete neurological deficits. We conclude that Kohonen maps allow us to visualize the metabolic responses of the injured spinal cord and may thus aid us in treating patients with acute spinal cord injuries.

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Non‐carious cervical lesions (NCCLs) in a random sampling community population and the association ofNCCLs with occlusive wear
Authors: Yang J. , Cai D. , Wang F. , He D. , Ma L. , Jin Y. , Que K.
Published: September 2016

This study investigated the prevalence, risk factors and association of occlusive wear with non‐carious cervical lesions (NCCLs) in the general Chinese population. A total of 1320 subjects were recruited, and multistage and random sampling methods of survey spots were performed. All age groups comprised similar numbers of participants and equal numbers of males and females. Each subject completed a structured interview, and all teeth of each subject were examined by a practitioner to determineNCCLs and occlusive wear. Binary logistic regression was conducted by analysing the association of risk factors with the occurrence ofNCCLs. Bivariate correlation analysis was performed by determining the association ofNCCLs dimension or depth with the range of occlusive wear facets. Clinical assessment showed that the overall prevalence of subjects diagnosed withNCCLs was 63%. The proportion of subjects or teeth withNCCLs significantly increased with age. Pre‐molars were the most commonly affected teeth. Single variables and interactive effects of variables associated with the occurrence ofNCCLs include the following: age group, intensity of toothbrushing, frequency of fresh fruit consumption and interactive effect between intensity of toothbrushing and frequency of fresh fruit consumption. A weak positive correlation of the grading index was found betweenNCCLs dimension, size or depth and range of occlusive wear facets. This study reported the higher prevalence ofNCCLs in the general Chinese population. Implementation of a combined strategy to reduce risk factors ofNCCLs could be more effective than individual techniques; meanwhile, the occurrence ofNCCLcould be related to the wear degree of occlusive defects in the population studied.
Patients with HBV‐related acute‐on‐chronic liver failure have increased concentrations of extracellular histones aggravating cellular damage and systemic inflammation
Authors: Li X. , Gou C. , Yao L. , Lei Z. , Gu T. , Ren F. , Wen T.
Published: September 2016

Acute‐on‐chronic liver failure (ACLF) is the most common type of liver failure and associated with grave consequences. Systemic inflammation has been linked to its pathogenesis and outcome, but the identifiable triggers are absent. Recently, extracellular histones, especially H4, have been recognized as important mediators of cell damage in various inflammatory conditions. This study aimed to investigate whether extracellular histones have clinical implications in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV)‐related ACLF. One hundred and twelve patients with HBV‐related ACLF, 90 patients with chronic hepatitis B, 88 patients with HBV‐related liver cirrhosis and 40 healthy volunteers were entered into this study. Plasma histone H4 levels, cytokine profile and clinical data were obtained. Besides, patient's sera were incubated overnight with human L02 hepatocytes or monocytic U937 cells in the presence or absence of antihistone H4 antibody, and cellular damage and cytokine production were evaluated. We found that plasma histone H4 levels were greatly increased in patients with ACLF as compared with chronic hepatitis B, liver cirrhosis and healthy control subjects and were significantly associated with disease severity, systemic inflammation and outcome. Notably, ACLF patients' sera incubation decreased cultured L02 cell integrity and induced profound cytokine production in the supernatant of U937 cells. Antihistone H4 antibody treatment abrogated these adverse effects, thus confirming a cause‐effect relationship between extracellular histones and organ injury/dysfunction. The data support the hypothesis that the increased extracellular histone levels in ACLF patients may aggravate disease severity by inducing cellular injury and systemic inflammation. Histone‐targeted therapies may have potentially interventional value in clinical practice.
Dendroecological reconstruction of disturbance history of an old‐growth mixed sessile oak–beech forest
Authors: Petritan Any Mary , Bouriaud Olivier , Frank David C. , Petritan Ion Catalin
Published: September 2016

Questions

What are the stand development patterns and successional processes occurring in a Quercus petraea–Fagus sylvatica old‐growth forest? Do these two sympatric species have different recruitment and canopy accession strategies? How do they respond to disturbance?

Location

Old‐growth Q. petraea–F. sylvatica forest in Runcu Grosi Natural Reserve, Romania.

Methods

Increment cores were taken from 110 similarly sized pairs of standing dead and living sessile oak trees, and additionally from the 110 most competitive neighbouring living beech trees, growing in the best‐preserved part of the reserve. Release events were detected using the boundary line method. Recruitment and canopy accession strategies were defined using tree juvenile growth rate, overall growth patterns and the presence or absence of a major crown release.

Results

Sessile oak establishment occurred between 1800 and 1859, while beech have regenerated continuously, with greater in‐growth after 1860. Tree recruitment followed species‐specific requirements, with most sessile oak having a gap origin (82%) and many beech regenerating in the understorey (41%). Release events occurred continuously during the period analysed (1820–2003), but the percentage of trees per decade that showed releases was <15%. A larger number of releases were recorded in beech compared to sessile oak. Living and dead sessile oak originated under similar conditions, but after the 1900s they experienced different canopy disturbances regimes.

Conclusions

The investigated stand appears to originate after a large‐scale disturbance that promoted sessile oak recruitment. Thereafter, regular small‐scale disturbances favoured beech, which became a competitor to sessile oak and achieved faster growth despite a less favourable initial canopy position. Mortality started to occur in oak. Stand maturation and increasing competition could favour the occurrence of large‐scale windthrow, which would again promote sessile oak.
Genome scan reveals selection acting on genes linked to stress response in wild pearl millet
Authors: Berthouly‐Salazar Cécile , Thuillet Anne‐Céline , Rhoné Bénédicte , Mariac Cédric , Ousseini Issaka Salia , Couderc Marie , Tenaillon Maud I. , Vigouroux Yves
Published: September 2016

Uncovering genomic regions involved in adaption is a major goal in evolutionary biology. High‐throughput sequencing now makes it possible to tackle this challenge in nonmodel species. Yet, despite the increasing number of methods targeted to specifically detect genomic footprints of selection, the complex demography of natural populations often causes high rates of false positive in gene discoveries. The aim of this study was to identify climate adaptations in wild pearl millet populations, Cenchrus americanus ssp. monodii. We focused on two climate gradients, one in Mali and one in Niger. We used a two‐step strategy to limit false‐positive outliers. First, we considered gradients as biological replicates and performed RNA sequencing of four populations at the extremities. We combined four methods—three based on differentiation among populations and one based on diversity patterns within populations—to identify outlier SNPs from a set of 87 218 high‐quality SNPs. Among 11 155 contigs of pearl millet reference transcriptome, 540 exhibited selection signals as evidenced by at least one of the four methods. In a second step, we genotyped 762 samples in 11 additional populations distributed along the gradients using SNPs from the detected contigs and random SNPs as control. We further assessed selection on this large data set using a differentiation‐based method and a method based on correlations with environmental variables based. Four contigs displayed consistent signatures between the four extreme and 11 additional populations, two of which were linked to abiotic and biotic stress responses.
Phylogeographic past and invasive presence of Arion pest slugs in Europe
Authors: Zemanova Miriam A. , Knop Eva , Heckel Gerald
Published: September 2016

Arion vulgaris (syn. A. lusitanicus) is the most destructive pest slug in Europe. The species has been regarded a classic case of an ongoing biological invasion with negative economic and ecological impact in many European countries, but this status has recently been contested. In this study, we assessed mitochondrial and autosomal genetic diversity in populations of A. vulgaris across the entire distribution range in order to characterize its evolutionary history. Mitochondrial diversity in A. vulgaris was strongly reduced compared with the closely related and largely codistributed noninvasive species A. rufus and A. ater, indicating a very rapid spread of A. vulgaris through Europe. Autosomal diversity assessed in 632 individuals from 32 populations decreased towards eastern and northern Europe which is consistent with the reported expansion of the species towards these regions in the last decades. Demographic simulations supported very recent population founding events in most of the European range. The short periods between the first detection of A. vulgaris in different countries and only a very weak association of genetic structuring among populations with geographical distances suggest a human contribution in the ongoing expansion of the slug. We propose that this contribution may ultimately prevent the exact localization of the debated region of origin of A. vulgaris. However, the reclassification of A. vulgaris as noninvasive would be premature. Without counter measures, the Eastern and Northern European countries can expect to see this biological invasion continued in the future.
MC1R variants affect the expression of melanocortin and melanogenic genes and the association between melanocortin genes and coloration
Authors: San‐Jose Luis M. , Ducrest Anne‐Lyse , Ducret Valérie , Simon Céline , Richter Hannes , Wakamatsu Kazumasa , Roulin Alexandre
Published: September 2016

The melanocortin‐1 receptor (MC1R) gene influences coloration by altering the expression of genes acting downstream in the melanin synthesis. MC1R belongs to the melanocortin system, a genetic network coding for the ligands that regulate MC1R and other melanocortin receptors controlling different physiological and behavioural traits. The impact of MC1R variants on these regulatory melanocortin genes was never considered, even though MC1R mutations could alter the influence of these genes on coloration (e.g. by decreasing MC1R response to melanocortin ligands). Using barn owl growing feathers, we investigated the differences between MC1R genotypes in the (co)expression of six melanocortin and nine melanogenic‐related genes and in the association between melanocortin gene expression and phenotype (feather pheomelanin content). Compared to the MC1R rufous allele, responsible for reddish coloration, the white allele was not only associated with an expected lower expression of melanogenic‐related genes (TYR, TYRP1, OCA2, SLC45A2, KIT, DCT) but also with a lower MC1R expression and a higher expression of ASIP, the MC1R antagonist. More importantly, the expression of PCSK2, responsible for the maturation of the MC1R agonist, α‐melanocyte‐stimulating hormone, was positively related to pheomelanin content in MC1R white homozygotes but not in individuals carrying the MC1R rufous allele. These findings indicate that MC1R mutations not only alter the expression of melanogenic‐related genes but also the association between coloration and the expression of melanocortin genes upstream of MC1R. This suggests that MC1R mutations can modulate the regulation of coloration by the pleiotropic melanocortin genes, potentially decoupling the often‐observed associations between coloration and other phenotypes.
Do Jackhammer contractions lead to achalasia? A longitudinal study
Authors: Huang L. , Pimentel M. , Rezaie A.
Published: September 2016

Background

Jackhammer esophagus (JE) is a rare esophageal motility disorder defined in the Chicago Classification of Esophageal Motility by presence of excessively high distal contractile integral (DCI) on high‐resolution manometry (HRM), with unknown natural manometric course. We examined the development of achalasia over time in patients with JE.

Methods

Through a retrospective longitudinal design, patients with Jackhammer contractions who had more than one HRM between 2005 and 2015 were identified. Any change in manometric finding was assessed for the presence of achalasia. Demographic and manometric risk factors for this progression were then sought in univariate analysis.

Key Results

Of 3363 HRM studies, 229 subjects had multiple manometries, accounting for 528 studies. Twelve subjects met our inclusion criteria for JE on any of the multiple tests, represented by 27 studies for a total of 347 patient‐months of manometric follow‐up. Subjects with JE whose manometry included impedance demonstrated consistent esophageal bolus clearance. Of 12 subjects with Jackhammer contractions, three subjects progressed to type III achalasia, over a mean of 24 months (range: 19–31 months). At the time of diagnosis with JE, impaired esophago‐gastric junction relaxation was seen in all three subjects and was the only risk factor that could predict progression to achalasia (P<.01).

Conclusions & Inferences

In this unique study of the natural course of JE, we have shown that JE can progress to achalasia. Manometric findings at the time of JE diagnosis might predict this progression.
Citizen science data reveal ecological, historical and evolutionary factors shaping interactions between woody hosts and wood‐inhabiting fungi
Authors: Heilmann‐Clausen Jacob , Maruyama Pietro K. , Bruun Hans Henrik , Dimitrov Dimitar , Læssøe Thomas , Frøslev Tobias Guldberg , Dalsgaard Bo
Published: September 2016

Woody plants host diverse communities of associated organisms, including wood‐inhabiting fungi. In this group, host effects on species richness and interaction network structure are not well understood, especially not at large geographical scales.

We investigated ecological, historical and evolutionary determinants of fungal species richness and network modularity, that is, subcommunity structure, across woody hosts in Denmark, using a citizen science data set comprising > 80 000 records of > 1000 fungal species on 91 genera of woody plants.

Fungal species richness was positively related to host size, wood pH, and the number of species in the host genus, with limited influence of host frequency and host history, that is, time since host establishment in the area. Modularity patterns were unaffected by host history, but largely reflected host phylogeny. Notably, fungal communities differed substantially between angiosperm and gymnosperm hosts.

Host traits and evolutionary history appear to be more important than host frequency and recent history in structuring interactions between hosts and wood‐inhabiting fungi. High wood acidity appears to act as a stress factor reducing fungal species richness, while large host size, providing increased niche diversity, enhances it. In some fungal groups that are known to interact with live host cells in the establishment phase, host selectivity is common, causing a modular community structure.
Can transcutaneous near infrared spectroscopy detect severe hepatic ischemia: a juvenile porcine model
Authors: Skowno Justin J. , Karpelowsky Jonathan S. , Watts Nicola R. , Little David G.
Published: September 2016

Background

Vascular complications following pediatric liver transplantation occur in 8–10% of cases, and no continuous, non‐invasive monitoring for this problem exists. Near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) allows non‐invasive, continuous, transcutaneous assessment of hemoglobin oxygenation (StO2) 1–4 cm below the skin surface.

Aims

We hypothesized that transcutaneous NIRS would be able to detect severe hepatic ischemia, and tested this in an animal model using 15–20 kg and 5–7 kg juvenile pigs.

Materials and Methods

Direct liver surface and transcutaneous hepatic tissue hemoglobin oxygen saturation (StO2) were measured during occlusions of the hepatic artery and portal vein. Changes in hepatic delivery of oxygen (HepDO2) were calculated for each ischemic challenge and compared to changes in direct liver surface (DirHepStO2) and transcutaneous liver StO2 measurements (CutHepStO2).

Results

In the 15–20 kg animals during complete occlusion, CutHepStO2 decreased by 6.0(±4.9)%, whilst DirHepStO2 decreased by 83.7(±7.2)%. In the 5–7 kg animals during complete occlusion, CutHepStO2 decreased by 27.4(±8.5)%, whilst DirHepStO2 decreased by 82.8(±4.6)%.

Conclusion

Transcutaneous hepatic StO2 monitoring cannot reliably detect severe hepatic ischemia in a juvenile porcine model, although a stronger and potentially useful signal is seen in 5–7 kg pigs. Trials of this technology should be currently restricted to situations where the organ is less than 1 cm from the skin surface, corresponding to infants of <10 kg.
Translating “Best Interest”: Child Welfare Decisions at the US–México Border
Authors: Glenn‐Levin Rodriguez Naomi
Published: September 2016

“Best interest” is a principle that plays a central role in judicial decisions about child welfare and custody determinations. It figures prominently in court cases involving children in the United States foster care system, as well as child migrants applying for legal residency status. This article explores best interest as a site of translation, one that enables social workers and legal actors to make seemingly value‐free legal decisions that, in fact, codify a perception that the United States is necessarily the best place for all children to be raised, regardless of their specific circumstances.
Resting cardiac vagal tone predicts intraindividual reaction time variability during an attention task in a sample of young and healthy adults
Authors: Williams DeWayne P. , Thayer Julian F. , Koenig Julian
Published: September 2016

Intraindividual reaction time variability (IIV), defined as the variability in trial‐to‐trial response times, is thought to serve as an index of central nervous system function. As such, greater IIV reflects both poorer executive brain function and cognitive control, in addition to lapses in attention. Resting‐state vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV), a psychophysiological index of self‐regulatory abilities, has been linked with executive brain function and cognitive control such that those with greater resting‐state vmHRV often perform better on cognitive tasks. However, research has yet to investigate the direct relationship between resting vmHRV and task IIV. The present study sought to examine this relationship in a sample of 104 young and healthy participants who first completed a 5‐min resting‐baseline period during which resting‐state vmHRV was assessed. Participants then completed an attentional (target detection) task, where reaction time, accuracy, and trial‐to‐trial IIV were obtained. Results showed resting vmHRV to be significantly related to IIV, such that lower resting vmHRV predicted higher IIV on the task, even when controlling for several covariates (including mean reaction time and accuracy). Overall, our results provide further evidence for the link between resting vmHRV and cognitive control, and extend these notions to the domain of lapses in attention, as indexed by IIV. Implications and recommendations for future research on resting vmHRV and cognition are discussed.
Interactive effects of biochar and an organic dust suppressant for revegetation and erosion control with herbaceous seed mixtures and willow cuttings
Authors: Kuttner Ben G. , Thomas Sean C.
Published: September 2016

Land reclamation efforts on “non‐soil” substrates frequently involve additions of organic material coupled with soil‐stabilizing dust suppressants to control erosion, but formal experiments, particularly of interactive effects, are lacking. We examined the effects of Entac™, a tall oil pitch emulsion, and pyrolyzed wood waste‐derived biochar on early plant establishment, growth, and survivorship, in 2 factorial greenhouse experiments: 1 using a seed mix widely used for roadside erosion control (the grasses Festuca rubra, Poa pratensis, Lolium perenne, and white clover [Trifolium repens]) and 1 using rooted cuttings of sand bar willow (Salix exigua). Biochar additions of 5, 10, and 20 t/ha enhanced biomass of clover by 14–250%, but had no significant effects on grasses. Entac additions inhibited early establishment and growth of both clover and grasses at all biochar treatment levels. Entac plus biochar treatments significantly enhanced survivorship of willows following a drought treatment in a greenhouse trial. In a field trial, Entac treatments had positive effects on willow diameter growth. Collectively, these results suggest that better soil moisture retention is the principal mechanism responsible for enhanced survivorship and growth of planted willows treated with Entac and biochar on sand substrates. Given Entac's inhibitive effects on early establishment of herbaceous species, and the abilities of Entac and biochar in combination to mitigate drought stress, these treatments may be particularly well suited for ecological restoration efforts using planted tree stock on coarse‐textured substrates and where exposure and ingress of non‐native herbaceous species are of concern.
Early Mesozoic Southward Subduction of the Eastern Mongol–Okhotsk Oceanic Plate: Evidence from Zircon U–Pb–Hf Isotopes and Whole‐rock Geochemistry of Triassic Granitic Rocks in the Mohe Area, NE China
Authors: Li Liang , Sun Fengyue , Li Bile , Xu Qinglin , Zhang Yajing , Qian Ye
Published: September 2016

In this paper, we present new U–Pb zircon ages, Hf isotope data and major and trace elements for Early Mesozoic granitic rocks in Mohe area in the Erguna Massif of northeast China to elucidate the southward subduction of the eastern Mongol–Okhotsk Oceanic plate in Early Mesozoic. Zircons from two representative intrusions, syenogranites and monzogranites, in the Mohe area are euhedral–subhedral in shape, display oscillatory growth zoning in cathodoluminescence (CL) images, and have Th/U ratios of 0.10–0.72, and in combination these features indicating that the zircons are of igneous origin. U–Pb zircon dating results demonstrate that the syenogranites formed at 245.1 ± 1.4 Ma and monzogranites formed at 212.2 ± 1.7 Ma. These granitic rocks are characterized by high SiO2, Al2O3 and (Na2O + K2O), low TFeO, MgO, TiO2 and P2O5 concentrations, belonging to the high‐K calc‐alkaline series. They are enriched in LREE and large ion lithophile elements (e.g., Rb, K, and Sr), depleted in HREE and high field strength elements (e.g., Nb, Ta, Th, and Ti), as well as very weak negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu* = 0.48 ~ 1.01). Their zircon εHf(t) values range from −7.9 to −2.0 and range from 0.20 to 0.49, in response to their two‐stage Hf model ages (TDM2) range from 1.40 Ga to 1.77 Ga range from 0.94 Ga to 1.24 Ga, respectively, indicating that primary magmas of syenogranites were derived from partial melting of newly accreted juvenile crustal material that formed from the enriched mantle during the Mesoproterozoic, monzogranites are generated by partial melting of newly accreted juvenile crustal material that formed from the depleted mantle during the Meso‐ to Neoproterozoic. We conclude, therefore, that the early Mesozoic granitic rocks of the Mohe area are associated with the continuous southward subduction of the Mongol–Okhotsk oceanic plate rather than the Paleo‐Asian and circum‐Pacific tectonic regimes.