bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Comparable viral decay with initial dolutegravir plus lamivudine versus dolutegravir-based triple therapy
Authors: Gillman Jason , Janulis Patrick , Gulick Roy , Wallis Carole L , Berzins Baiba , Bedimo Roger , Smith Kimberly , Aboud Michael , Taiwo Babafemi
Published: April 2019

Objectives

To expand understanding of the virological potency of initial dolutegravir plus lamivudine dual therapy (dolutegravir/lamivudine), we compared the viral decay seen in the pilot ACTG A5353 study with the decay observed with dolutegravir plus two NRTIs in the SPRING-1 and SINGLE studies, while also exploring the impact of baseline viral load (VL).

Methods

Change in VL from baseline was calculated for timepoints shared by A5353 (n = 120, including 37 participants with pretreatment VL >100000 copies/mL), SPRING-1 (n = 51) and SINGLE (n = 417). The 95% CIs of change from baseline were determined for each observed week, using the mean log10-transformed VL, and compared between the dolutegravir/lamivudine and triple therapy groups using the Wilcoxon Rank Sum test for non-inferiority (δ = 0.5). To assess the impact of baseline VL on viral decay, we examined a bi-exponential non-linear mixed-effect model.

Results

The mean VL change from baseline to week 24 was −2.9 log10 copies/mL for dolutegravir/lamivudine versus −3.0 log10 copies/mL for dolutegravir-based three-drug therapy (P < 0.001). In the decay model, baseline VL >100000 copies/mL was associated with a slower initial decay rate (d1). A faster initial decay rate was seen with dolutegravir/lamivudine, which was partially offset when baseline VL was >100000 copies/mL as indicated by a significant interaction between baseline VL and drug therapy group. The secondary decay rate (d2) was not significantly different from zero, with no significant associations.

Conclusions

Viral decay with dolutegravir/lamivudine was comparable to viral decay with dolutegravir-based triple therapy, even in individuals with higher pretreatment VL (>100000 copies/mL).
Investigating causal biological relationships between reproductive performance traits in high-performing gilts and sows1
Authors: Chitakasempornkul Kessinee , Meneget Mariana B , Rosa Guilherme J M , Lopes Fernando B , Jager Abigail , Gonçalves Márcio A D , Dritz Steve S , Tokach Mike D , Goodband Robert D , Bello Nora M
Published: April 2019

Efficient management of swine production systems requires understanding of complex reproductive physiological mechanisms. Our objective in this study was to investigate potential causal biological relationships between reproductive performance traits in high-producing gilts and sows. Data originated from a nutrition experiment and consisted of 200 sows and 440 gilts arranged in body weight blocks and randomly assigned to dietary treatments during late gestation at a commercial swine farm. Reproductive performance traits consisted of weight gain during late gestation, total number born and number born alive in a litter, born alive average birth weight, wean-to-estrous interval, and total litter size born in the subsequent farrowing. Structural equation models combined with the inductive causation algorithm, both adapted to a hierarchical Bayesian framework, were employed to search for, estimate, and infer upon causal links between the traits within each parity group. Results indicated potentially distinct reproductive networks for gilts and for sows. Sows showed sparse connectivity between reproductive traits, whereas the network learned for gilts was densely interconnected, suggesting closely linked physiological mechanisms in younger females, with a potential for ripple effects throughout their productive lifecycle in response to early implementation of tailored managerial interventions. Cross-validation analyses indicated substantial network stability both for the general structure and for individual links, though results about directionality of such links were unstable in this study and will need further investigation. An assessment of relative statistical power in sows and gilts indicated that the observed network discrepancies may be partially explained on a biological basis. In summary, our results suggest distinctly heterogeneous mechanistic networks of reproductive physiology for gilts and sows, consistent with physiological differences between the groups. These findings have potential practical implications for integrated understanding and differential management of gilts and sows to enhance efficiency of swine production systems.
Cross-talk between the three furA orthologs in Mycobacterium smegmatis and the contribution to isoniazid resistance
Authors: Gao Chun-Hui , Wei Wen-Ping , Tao Hui-Ling , Cai Li-Kai , Jia Wan-Zhong , Hu Lihua , Yang Min
Published: April 2019

The ferric uptake regulator A (FurA) plays an essential role in responding to oxidative stress in mycobacteria. The genome of Mycobacterium smegmatis harbours three FurA orthologs; however, the potential cross-talk and contribution to drug resistance of different furA operon remain underdetermined. In this study, we characterized the cross-regulation and effect in drug resistance of these orthologs from M. smegmatis. Cross-binding of FurA protein to furA promoter was observed. The binding of FurA1 to furA3p and FurA2 to furA1p or furA3p is even more pronounced than their self-binding. The three FurA proteins are all functional at repressing the expression of the peroxidase enzyme katG1/katG2 in vivo. When overexpressing any of the furA orthologs in M. smegmatis, the bacteria become more resistant to isoniazid (INH). This pattern is consistent with that in Mycobacterium bovis. However, the knockdown of furA does not affect the INH sensitivity. This is the first report of cross-talk and contribution to drug resistance of all three furA orthologs in M. smegmatis.
A Case Study of Cimex lectularius L. (Hemiptera: Cimicidae) Infestations in an Office Environment
Authors: Sked Shannon , Wang Changlu , Levy Michael , Hacker Kathryn
Published: April 2019

Most field studies on Cimex lectularius are conducted in residential or hospitality industrial settings. Cimex lectularius infestations in office settings are reported, but are rarely studied. An office environment (~875 m2) consisting of 105 cubicles or pod-seating areas with persistent C. lectularius sightings over a 2-yr period was evaluated for 90 d through intensive trapping to determine C. lectularius distribution and to eliminate the infestation. The study area was partially occupied during the study period. Two treatments of amorphous silica dust (112.5 g dust in total) were applied 29 and 57 d after the first day of monitoring. A total of 32 C. lectularius were captured by interceptors over a period of 55 d. Dry ice traps captured eight additional C. lectularius. Visual inspections identified one chair with live C. lectularius and eggs. The infestation was eliminated on 69 d after initial installation of interceptors. Spatial analysis using Ripley’s K and L functions showed a high level of aggregation up to a 15 meter scale. Dispersal of C. lectularius in office settings was limited. Intensive trapping plus limited insecticide dust treatments effectively detected and eliminated C. lectularius.
First Detection of the Asian Tiger Mosquito, Aedes (Stegomyia) albopictus (Diptera: Culicidae), in Tunisia
Authors: Bouattour Ali , Khrouf Fatma , Rhim Adel , M’ghirbi Youmna
Published: April 2019

Aedes albopictus (Skuse) is a widespread invasive mosquito vector species with a distribution including tropical and temperate climates; its range is still expanding. Aedes albopictus populations were recently detected in Morocco and Algeria, the countries neighboring Tunisia, but never in Tunisia. In 2018, we initiated an intensive field study using BG-Sentinel Traps, ovitraps, larval surveys, and citizens’ reports to determine whether Ae. albopictus populations exist in Tunisia. In October 2018, we collected adults and larval stages of Ae. albopictus in Carthage, Amilcar, and La Marsa, less than 20 km, northeast of Tunis, the Tunisian capital. These Ae. albopictus larvae were primarily collected from Phoenician funeral urns at the archeological site of Carthage. This is, to our knowledge, the first detection of Ae. albopictus in Tunisia.
The Basic Plan of the Adult Heart Is Conserved Across Different Species of Adult Mosquitoes, But the Morphology of Heart-Associated Tissues Varies
Authors: Barbosa da Silva Henrique , Godoy Raquel Soares Maia , Martins Gustavo Ferreira
Published: April 2019

The heart is a pivotal organ in insects because it performs a number of different tasks, such as circulating nutrients, hormones, and excreta. In this study, the morphologies of the heart and associated tissues, including pericardial cells (PCs) and alary muscles (AMs), in the hematophagous mosquitoes Anopheles aquasalis Curry (Diptera: Culicidae), Aedes aegypti L. (Diptera: Culicidae), and Culex quinquefasciatus Say (Diptera: Culicidae), and the phytophagous Toxorhynchites theobaldi Dyar & Knab (Diptera: Culicidae) were compared using different microscopy techniques. Mosquito hearts are located across the median dorsal region of the whole abdomen. Paired incurrent openings in the heart wall (ostia) are found in the intersegmental regions (segments 2–7) of the abdomen, while an excurrent opening is located in the terminal cone of Ae. aegypti. The sides of the heart contain PC that are more numerous in An. aquasalis and Th. theobaldi. In these two species, PC form a cord of as closely aggregated cells, but in Ae. aegypti and Cx. quinquefasciatus, PC occur in pairs with two or four PC pairs per intersegmental region. In Th. theobaldi, AM binds to all regions of the heart, whereas in other mosquitoes they only bind in the intersegmental regions. The basic plan of the adult heart was conserved across all the adult mosquitoes investigated in this study. This conserved organization was expected because this organ plays an important role in the maintenance of individual homeostasis. However, the species had different PC and of AM morphologies. These morphological differences seem to be related to distinct physiological requirements of mosquito circulatory system.
Urban and Rural Spatial Delineations in Blow Fly Species (Diptera: Calliphoridae) Across Canada: Implications for Forensic Entomology
Authors: Langer Sarah V , Kyle Christopher J , Illes Mike , Larkin Scott , Beresford David V
Published: April 2019

Blow fly (Diptera: Calliphoridae) larvae are commonly used in forensic cases to determine postmortem intervals using development rates and successional changes in community composition. Studies are conducted from different regions to provide these data. We wanted to know how widely applicable these data are. We examined whether urbanized landscapes have distinct urban blow fly communities or whether the community composition in urbanized areas is simply a variation of that found in the surrounding habitat or ecozone. Using liver baited traps, we sampled 7,272 flies from 32 sites across Canada and used mapping analysis to assess urban and rural landcover classifications, and compared urban and rural species abundance and composition. Blow fly species communities from urban areas across Canada were made up of similar species and differed from the communities found in nearby rural sites. Trapping at rural sites caught more blow flies compared with urban sites (mean flies/site 59.5 and 12.4). Of the 14 species caught, 8 were caught at urban sites, 61% of these being Cynomya cadaverina Robineau-Desvoidy, 14% Phormia regina Meigen, and 11% Lucilia sericata (Meigen). In rural sites, all 14 species were caught, 41% of specimens caught were P. regina, 21% C. cadaverina, 10% Calliphora vomitoria (Linnaeus), with only 4% L. sericata. These data suggest that regional studies are appropriate for forensic entomology applications in urban landscapes, given the similar trends across Canada, less so for wilderness or rural landscapes.
Formation of hot Jupiters through secular chaos and dynamical tides
Authors: Teyssandier Jean , Lai Dong , Vick Michelle
Published: April 2019

The population of giant planets on short-period orbits can potentially be explained by some flavours of high-eccentricity migration. In this paper, we investigate one such mechanism involving ‘secular chaos’, in which secular interactions between at least three giant planets push the inner planet to a highly eccentric orbit, followed by tidal circularization and orbital decay. In addition to the equilibrium tidal friction, we incorporate dissipation due to dynamical tides that are excited inside the giant planet. Using the method of Gaussian rings to account for planet–planet interactions, we explore the conditions for extreme eccentricity excitation via secular chaos and the properties of hot Jupiters formed in this migration channel. Our calculations show that once the inner planet reaches a sufficiently large eccentricity, dynamical tides quickly dissipate the orbital energy, producing an eccentric warm Jupiter, which then decays in semimajor axis through equilibrium tides to become a hot Jupiter. Dynamical tides help the planet avoid tidal disruption, increasing the chance of forming a hot Jupiter, although not all planets survive the process. We find that the final orbital periods generally lie in the range of 2–3 d, somewhat shorter than those of the observed hot Jupiter population. We couple the planet migration to the stellar spin evolution to predict the final spin-orbit misalignments. The distribution of the misalignment angles we obtain shows a lack of retrograde orbits compared to observations. Our results suggest that high-eccentricity migration via secular chaos can only account for a fraction of the observed hot Jupiter population.
Temperature stability in the sub-milliHertz band with LISA Pathfinder
Authors: Armano M , Audley H , Baird J , Binetruy P , Born M , Bortoluzzi D , Castelli E , Cavalleri A , Cesarini A , Cruise A M , Danzmann K , Silva M de Deus , Diepholz I , Dixon G , Dolesi R , Ferraioli L , Ferroni V , Fitzsimons E D , Freschi M , Gesa L , Gibert F , Giardini D , Giusteri R , Grimani C , Grzymisch J , Harrison I , Heinzel G , Hewitson M , Hollington D , Hoyland D , Hueller M , Inchauspé H , Jennrich O , Jetzer P , Karnesis N , Kaune B , Korsakova N , Killow C J , Lobo J A , Lloro I , Liu L , López-Zaragoza J P , Maarschalkerweerd R , Mance D , Mansanet C , Martín V , Martin-Polo L , Martino J , Martin-Porqueras F , Mateos I , McNamara P W , Mendes J , Mendes L , Meshksar N , Nofrarias M , Paczkowski S , Perreur-Lloyd M , Petiteau A , Pivato P , Plagnol E , Ramos-Castro J , Reiche J , Robertson D I , Rivas F , Russano G , Sanjuán J , Slutsky J , Sopuerta C F , Sumner T , Texier D , Thorpe J I , Trenkel C , Vetrugno D , Vitale S , Wanner G , Ward H , Wass P J , Wealthy D , Weber W J , Wissel L , Wittchen A , Zweifel P
Published: April 2019

LISA Pathfinder (LPF) was a technology pioneering mission designed to test key technologies required for gravitational wave detection in space. In the low frequency regime (milliHertz and below), where space-based gravitational wave observatories will operate, temperature fluctuations play a crucial role since they can couple into the interferometric measurement and the test masses’ free-fall accuracy in many ways. A dedicated temperature measurement subsystem, with noise levels in 10 $\mu$K Hz−1/2 down to 1 mHz was part of the diagnostics unit onboard LPF. In this paper we report on the temperature measurements throughout mission operations, characterize the thermal environment, estimate transfer functions between different locations, and report temperature stability (and its time evolution) at frequencies as low as 10 $\mu$Hz, where typically values around 1 K Hz−1/2 were measured.
Genetic Affinities among Southern Africa Hunter-Gatherers and the Impact of Admixing Farmer and Herder Populations
Authors: Vicente Mário , Jakobsson Mattias , Ebbesen Peter , Schlebusch Carina M
Published: April 2019

Southern African indigenous groups, traditionally hunter-gatherers (San) and herders (Khoekhoe), are commonly referred to as “Khoe-San” populations and have a long history in southern Africa. Their ancestors were largely isolated up until ∼2,000 years ago before the arrival of pastoralists and farmers in southern Africa. Assessing relationships among regional Khoe-San groups has been challenging due to admixture with immigrant populations that obscure past population affinities and gene flow among these autochthonous communities. We re-evaluate a combined genome-wide data set of previously published southern Africa Khoe-San populations in conjunction with novel data from Khoe-San individuals collected in Xade (Central Kalahari Game Reserve, Botswana) prior to their resettlement outside the reserve. After excluding regions in the genome that trace their ancestry to recent migrant groups, the genetic diversity of 20 Khoe-San groups fitted an isolation-by-distance model. Even though isolation-by-distance explained most genetic affinities between the different autochthonous groups, additional signals of contact between Khoe-San groups could be detected. For instance, we found stronger genetic affinities, than what would be explained by isolation-by-distance gene flow, between the two geographically separated Khoe-San groups, who speak branches of the Kx’a-language family (ǂHoan and Ju). We also scanned the genome-wide data for signals of adaptive gene flow from farmers/herders into Khoe-San groups and identified a number of genomic regions potentially introduced by the arrival of the new groups. This study provides a comprehensive picture of affinities among Khoe-San groups, prior to the arrival of recent migrants, and found that these affinities are primarily determined by the geographic landscape.
Preliminary Screening Results Outside the 1945–1965 Birth Cohort: A Forgotten Population for Hepatitis C?
Authors: Winetsky Daniel , Zucker Jason , Slowikowski Jacek , Scherer Matthew , Verna Elizabeth C , Gordon Peter
Published: April 2019

In December 2017, our academic medical center implemented universal hepatitis C virus screening among adult hospitalized patients. We reviewed charts of patients screening positive outside the birth cohort (1945–1965) in the first 6 months after implementation. Documented risk factors were common in younger patients but rare in patients born before 1945.
The Winner Takes It All? A Psychological Study of Political Success among UK Members of Parliament
Authors: Weinberg James
Published: April 2019

Is there a winning formula when it comes to individual success in contemporary politics? In this article, I analyse self-report data on the Basic Human Values (Schwartz, 1994, Journal of Social Issues, 50, 19–45) of 106 national politicians in the UK to examine the impact of these individual characteristics on three alternative political outcomes: the size of a candidate’s electoral majority, their longevity as an elected representative and their progression (or not) to frontbench office. On the one hand, it seems that the values of individual politicians make very little impact on their electoral performance at the ballot box. On the other hand, politicians’ values seem to impact on both their ability to hold on to office once elected and in turn to make in-role career progression.
Rejecting Catastrophe: The Case of the Justinianic Plague*
Authors: Mordechai Lee , Eisenberg Merle
Published: April 2019

Recent research has increasingly argued that the Justinianic Plague was an unparallelled demographic catastrophe which killed half the population of the Mediterranean world and led to the end of Antiquity. This article re-examines the evidence and reconsiders whether this interpretation is justified. It builds upon an array of interdisciplinary research that includes literary and non-literary primary sources, archaeological excavations, DNA research, disaster studies and resilience frameworks. Each type of primary source material is critically reassessed and contextualized in light of current research. By drawing upon this interdisciplinary foundation, the article demonstrates that the evidence for the catastrophic maximalist interpretation of plague is weak, ambiguous and should be rejected. The article also makes use of the Third Pandemic as a comparative case study, and considers how the metanarratives of plague in contemporary society influence research on the subject. It concludes that the Justinianic Plague had an overall limited effect on late antique society. Although on some occasions the plague might have caused high mortality in specific places, leaving strong impressions on contemporaries, it neither caused widespread demographic decline nor kept Mediterranean populations low. Any direct mid- or long-term effects of plague were minor at most.
Exploration of Content and Reach of Physical Therapy-Related Discussion on Twitter
Authors: Sabus Carla , Johns Blake , Schultz Nathan , Gagnon Kendra
Published: April 2019

Background

Many individuals access and share health information on social networking sites. Previous studies have analyzed the social media site Twitter to discern public opinion related to health phenomena such as antibiotics, concussions, and flu. Physical therapy-related online discussions have not been studied.

Objective

The aim of this study was to explore content, participants, and structure of physical therapy-related discussions on Twitter.

Design

This study was observational.

Methods

Over 12 weeks, more than 30,000 physical therapy-related tweets were collected. A random sample of 100 tweets underwent preliminary analysis to determine broad categories including tweet author, tone, and theme. A second random sample of 100 tweets was analyzed to confirm categories. Once categories were established, a new sample of 1000 tweets was randomly selected for analysis and categorization. All study investigators categorized a shared collection of tweets to establish inter- and intrarater agreement. Twitter conversations were visualized using NodeXL.

Results

Intrarater and interrater agreement for tweet categorization was 95% and 89%, respectively. The distribution of the intended audience was 35.5% professional, 35.5% broad reach, and 29% public. The gross distribution of tweet tone was 63.1% neutral, 31.4% positive, and 5.6% negative. Twenty-eight percent of tweets were authored by physical therapists/physical therapist assistants and nearly one-half were categorized as “marketing.” Tweets tended to be “isolated,” not within a conversation, or consist of conversation within “tight crowds.”

Limitations

This study was purely observational. Social media content can be highly influenced by temporal events, which limits the generalization of specific findings.

Conclusions

Study results indicate that the reach of physical therapy-related tweets may not be as broad as intended by the author. Physical therapy professionals and the hospitals/clinics that employ them may need to implement strategies to be more intentional in reaching a broader audience with online messages.
TRITIUM, HYDROGEN AND OXYGEN ISOTOPE COMPOSITIONS IN MONTHLY PRECIPITATION SAMPLES COLLECTED AT TOKI, JAPAN
Authors: Akata N , Hasegawa H , Sugihara S , Tanaka M , Furukawa M , Kurita N , Kovács T , Shiroma Y , Kakiuchi H
Published: April 2019

Monthly precipitation samples have been collected at Toki, Japan, from November 2013 to March 2017. In this report, selected data were analysed to identify the regional hydrogen and oxygen isotope compositions. Tritium (3H) concentration in the precipitation ranged from 0.10 to 0.61 Bq L−1 and higher 3H concentrations were observed in spring rather than in other seasons. This range was similar to values reported in Chiba City, Japan. 3H concentration and the ratio d-excess, and δD values were roughly clustered according to each separate season. These regional hydrogen and oxygen isotope compositions will be used for environmental assessments of effects of the deuterium plasma experiments of the large fusion test device.
Policy entrepreneurship in context: Understanding the emergence of novel policy solutions for services innovation in Finland and Ireland
Authors: Henderson Dylan
Published: April 2019

Policy entrepreneurs have been identified as playing an important role in the emergence of public policies for innovation. Despite the growing number of studies, the role of context has only recently begun to be explored in detail. This article contributes by investigating the interplay between the institutional context and the strategies of policy entrepreneurs, in the successful introduction of new policy ideas for services innovation. Building on insights from institutional theory, it argues that policy entrepreneurs are embedded in a multidimensional context of field-level conditions, multi-level standard operating procedures for policy development, and the social position of actors. It explores the activities of policy entrepreneurs in two countries—Finland and Ireland—and finds that differences in the institutional context help explain why some entrepreneurs are able to develop and implement new policies, while others fail. The article draws on comparative case study evidence including documentary analysis and interviews.
Copper accumulation, subcellular partitioning and physiological and molecular responses in relation to different copper tolerance in apple rootstocks
Authors: Wan Huixue , Du Jiayi , He Jiali , Lyu Deguo , Li Huifeng
Published: April 2019

To unravel the physiological and molecular regulation mechanisms underlying the variation in copper (Cu)accumulation, translocation and tolerance among five apple rootstocks, seedlings were exposed to either basal or excess Cu. Excess Cu suppressed plant biomass and root architecture, which was less pronounced in Malus prunifolia Borkh., indicating its relatively higher Cu tolerance. Among the five apple rootstocks, M. prunifolia exhibited the highest Cu concentration and bio-concentration factor in roots but the lowest translocation factor, indicating its greater ability to immobilize Cu and restrict translocation to the aerial parts. Higher Cu concentration in cell wall fraction but lower Cu proportion in membrane-containing and organelle-rich fractions were found in M. prunifolia. Compared with the other four apple rootstocks under excess Cu conditions, M. prunifolia had a lower increment of hydrogen peroxide in roots and leaves and malondialdehyde in roots, but higher concentrations of carbohydrates and enhanced antioxidants. Transcript levels of genes involved in Cu uptake, transport and detoxification revealed species-specific differences that are probably related to alterations in Cu tolerance. M. prunifolia had relatively higher gene transcript levels including copper transporters 2 (COPT2), COPT6 and zinc/iron-regulated transporter-related protein 2 (ZIP2), which probably took part in Cu uptake, and C-type ATP-binding cassette transporter 2 (ABCC2), copper chaperone for Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase (CCS), Cu/Zn superoxide dismutase 1 (CSD1) and metallothionein 2 (MT2) probably implicated in Cu detoxification, and relatively lower mRNA levels of yellow stripe-like transporter 3 (YSL3) and heavy metal ATPase 5 (HMA5) involved in transport of Cu to aerial parts. These results suggest that M. prunifolia is more tolerant to excess Cu than the other four apple rootstocks under the current experimental conditions, which is probably attributed to more Cu retention in roots, subcellular partitioning, well-coordinated antioxidant defense mechanisms and transcriptional expression of genes involved in Cu uptake, translocation and detoxification.
Carbon-use strategies in stem radial growth of two oak species, one Temperate deciduous and one Mediterranean evergreen: what can be inferred from seasonal variations in the δ13C of the current year ring?
Authors: Vincent-Barbaroux Cécile , Berveiller Daniel , Lelarge-Trouverie Caroline , Maia Rodrigo , Máguas Cristina , Pereira João , Chaves Manuela M , Damesin Claire
Published: April 2019

Tree ring synthesis is a key process in wood production; however, little is known of the origin and fate of the carbon involved. We used natural 13C abundance to investigate the carbon-use process for the ring development in a temperate deciduous (Quercus petraea (Matt.) Liebl.) and a Mediterranean evergreen (Quercus ilex L.) oak. The sapwood carbon reserves, phloem sucrose contents, stem respired CO2 efflux and their respective carbon isotope compositions (δ13C) were recorded over 1 year, in the native area of each species. The seasonal δ13C variation of the current year ring was determined in the total ring throughout the seasons, as well as in slices from the fully mature ring after the growth season (intra-ring pattern). Although the budburst dates of the two oaks were similar, the growth of Quercus ilex began 50 days later. Both species exhibited growth cessation during the hot and dry summer but only Q. ilex resumed in the autumn. In the deciduous oak, xylem starch storage showed clear variations during the radial growth. The intra-ring δ13C variations of the two species exhibited similar ranges, but contrasting patterns, with an early increase for Q. petraea. Comparison between δ13C of starch and total ring suggested that Q. petraea (but not Q. ilex) builds its rings using reserves during the first month of growth. Shifts in ring and soluble sugars δ13C suggested an interspecific difference in either the phloem unloading or the use of fresh assimilate inside the ring. A decrease in ring δ13C for both oaks between the end of the radial growth and the winter is attributed to a lignification of ring cell walls after stem increment. This study highlighted the differences in carbon-use during ring growth for evergreen and deciduous oaks, as well as the benefits of exploring the process using natural 13C abundance.
Prediction of temperate broadleaf tree species mortality in arid limestone habitats with stomatal safety margins
Authors: Chen Zhicheng , Li Shan , Luan Junwei , Zhang Yongtao , Zhu Shidan , Wan Xianchong , Liu Shirong
Published: April 2019

A growing body of evidence highlights the occurrence of increased widespread tree mortality during climate change-associated severe droughts; however, in situ long-term drought experiments with multispecies communities for the prediction of tree mortality and exploration of related mechanisms are rather limited in natural environments. We conducted a 7-year afforestation trial with 20 drought-resistant broadleaf tree species in an arid limestone habitat in northern China, where the species displayed a broad range of survival rates. The stomatal and xylem hydraulic traits of all the species were measured. We found that species’ stomatal closure points were strongly related to their xylem embolism resistance and xylem minimum water potential but not to their survival rates. Hydraulic failure of the vascular system appeared to be the main cause of tree mortality, and the stomatal safety margin was a better predictor of tree mortality than the traditionally considered xylem embolism resistance and hydraulic safety margin. We recommend the stomatal safety margin as the indicator for predicting drought-induced tree mortality and for selecting tree species in future forest restorations in arid regions.
Spawning by the European eel across 2000 km of the Sargasso Sea
Authors: Miller Michael J. , Westerberg Håkan , Sparholt Henrik , Wysujack Klaus , Sørensen Sune R. , Marohn Lasse , Jacobsen Magnus W. , Freese Marko , Ayala Daniel J. , Pohlmann Jan-Dag , Svendsen Jon C. , Watanabe Shun , Andersen Line , Møller Peter R. , Tsukamoto Katsumi , Munk Peter , Hanel Reinhold
Published: April 2019

It has been known for about a century that European eels have a unique life history that includes offshore spawning in the Sargasso Sea about 5000–7000 km away from their juvenile and adult habitats in Europe and northern Africa. Recently hatched eel larvae were historically collected during Danish, German and American surveys in specific areas in the southern Sargasso Sea. During a 31 day period of March and April 2014, Danish and German research ships sampled for European eel larvae along 15 alternating transects of stations across the Sargasso Sea. The collection of recently hatched eel larvae (≤12 mm) from 70° W and eastward to 50° W showed that the European eel had been spawning across a 2000 km wide region of the North Atlantic Ocean. Historical collections made from 1921 to 2007 showed that small larvae had also previously been collected in this wide longitudinal zone, showing that the spatial extent of spawning has not diminished in recent decades, irrespective of the dramatic decline in recruitment. The use of such a wide spawning area may be related to variations in the onset of the silver eel spawning migration, individual differences in their long-term swimming ability, or aspects of larval drift.
Homophily around specialized foraging underlies dolphin social preferences
Authors: Machado A. M. S. , Cantor M. , Costa A. P. B. , Righetti B. P. H. , Bezamat C. , Valle-Pereira J. V. S. , Simões-Lopes P. C. , Castilho P. V. , Daura-Jorge F. G.
Published: April 2019

Individuals often associate socially with those who behave the same way. This principle, homophily, could structure populations into distinct social groups. We tested this hypothesis in a bottlenose dolphin population that appeared to be clustered around a specialized foraging tactic involving cooperation with net-casting fishermen, but in which other potential drivers of such social structure have never been assessed. We measured and controlled for the contribution of sex, age, genetic relatedness, home range and foraging tactics on social associations to test for homophily effects. Dolphins tended to group with others having similar home ranges and frequency of using the specialized foraging tactic, but not other traits. Such social preferences were particularly clear when dolphins were not foraging, showing that homophily extends beyond simply participating in a specific tactic. Combined, these findings highlight the need to account for multiple drivers of group formation across behavioural contexts to determine true social affiliations. We suggest that homophily around behavioural specialization can be a major driver of social patterns, with implications for other social processes. If homophily based on specialized tactics underlies animal social structures more widely, then it may be important in modulating opportunities for social learning, and therefore influence patterns of cultural transmission.
Non-equilibrium landscape and flux reveal how the central amygdala circuit gates passive and active defensive responses
Authors: Yan Han , Li Bo , Wang Jin
Published: April 2019

Uncovering the underlying physical principles of biology is important for understanding the biological function yet challenging. Take an example, the animals’ defensive systems are very effective to threats. However, the underlying physical mechanisms are still unclear. We developed a non-equilibrium physics framework in terms of landscape and flux to study a central lateral amygdala (CeL) neural circuit based on experimental findings. We show that the distinct active and passive defensive responses of the animals upon threats are a result of non-equilibrium phase transitions. Such non-equilibrium phase transitions result from thermodynamic symmetry breaking, which is induced dynamically by the non-equilibrium flux. This gives rise to the emergence and selection of passive and active fear defensive responses, which can be quantified by the changes on the topography of the underlying non-equilibrium landscape. We have found the strengthened synaptic transmissions to both the SOM
+
and SOM
−
CeL neurons are necessary for the acquisition and expression of active fear responses. This suggests a way to induce active responses and facilitates the design of new therapeutic strategies for cognitive dysfunction. We have also found that sufficient energy supply is crucial for the ability of selecting the appropriate defensive responses through stabilizing functional states against fluctuations.
The chemical basis of a signal of individual identity: shell pigment concentrations track the unique appearance of Common Murre eggs
Authors: Hauber Mark E. , Bond Alexander L. , Kouwenberg Amy-Lee , Robertson Gregory J. , Hansen Erpur S. , Holford Mande , Dainson Miri , Luro Alec , Dale James
Published: April 2019

In group-living species with parental care, the accurate recognition of one's own young is critical to fitness. Because discriminating offspring within a large colonial group may be challenging, progeny of colonial breeders often display familial or individual identity signals to elicit and receive parental provisions from their own parents. For instance, the common murre (or common guillemot:
Uria aalge
) is a colonially breeding seabird that does not build a nest and lays and incubates an egg with an individually unique appearance. How the shell's physical and chemical properties generate this individual variability in coloration and maculation has not been studied in detail. Here, we quantified two characteristics of the avian-visible appearance of murre eggshells collected from the wild: background coloration spectra and maculation density. As predicted by the individual identity hypothesis, there was no statistical relationship between avian-perceivable shell background coloration and maculation density within the same eggs. In turn, variation in both sets of traits was statistically related to some of their physico-chemical properties, including shell thickness and concentrations of the eggshell pigments biliverdin and protoporphyrin IX. These results illustrate how individually unique eggshell appearances, suitable for identity signalling, can be generated by a small number of structural mechanisms.
Casting life, casting death: connections between early modern anatomical corrosive preparations and artistic materials and techniques
Authors: Hendriksen Marieke M. A.
Published: April 2019

Although the historical connections between anatomy and the visual arts have been explored in quite some depth, especially in the cases of early modern anatomical drawing, sculpting, the making of wet preparations and wax modelling, the role of artistic techniques in the creation of corrosive preparations has received little attention thus far. This is remarkable, as there appear to be significant similarities between casting techniques like those employed by the influential artist Wenzel Jamnitzer (1508–85) and anatomical corrosive techniques. This paper explores the connections between the two domains and argues that, although artistic and anatomical techniques were often very similar in terms of the materials used, the skills that had to be developed to apply them successfully, and the visual results, there were distinct materialities and techniques in each realm. It is demonstrated that the creation of corrosion casts, particularly wax-based casts, required particular skills that were unlike others in the period. The paper does so by analysing the material and technical qualities of corrosive preparations from the period 1700–1900, and by comparing the results of this analysis with written instructions for making corrosive preparations and making casts from the same period in both anatomical and artist handbooks.
Learning to live with interfering neighbours: the influence of time of learning and level of encoding on word learning
Authors: Walker S. , Henderson L. M. , Fletcher F. E. , Knowland V. C. P. , Cairney S. A. , Gaskell M. G.
Published: April 2019

New vocabulary is consolidated offline, particularly during sleep; however, the parameters that influence consolidation remain unclear. Two experiments investigated effects of exposure level and delay between learning and sleep on adults' consolidation of novel competitors (e.g. BANARA) to existing words (e.g. BANANA). Participants made speeded semantic decisions (i.e. a forced choice: natural versus man-made) to the existing words, with the expectation that novel word learning would inhibit responses due to lexical competition. This competition was observed, particularly when assessed after sleep, for both standard and high exposure levels (10 and 20 exposures per word; Experiment 1). Using a lower exposure level (five exposures; Experiment 2), no post-sleep enhancement of competition was observed, despite evidence of consolidation when explicit knowledge of novel word memory was tested. Thus, when encoding is relatively weak, consolidation-related lexical integration is particularly compromised. There was no evidence that going to bed soon after learning is advantageous for overnight consolidation; however, there was some preliminary suggestion that longer gaps between learning and bed-onset were associated with better explicit memory of novel words one week later, but only at higher levels of exposure. These findings suggest that while lexical integration can occur overnight, weaker lexical traces may not be able to access overnight integration processes in the sleeping brain. Furthermore, the finding that longer-term explicit memory of stronger (but not weaker) traces benefit from periods of wake following learning deserves examination in future research.
PLGA scaffold carrying icariin to inhibit the progression of osteoarthritis in rabbits
Authors: Zhao Chang Fu , Li Zhen Hua , Li Shao Jun , Li Jian An , Hou Ting Ting , Wang Yang
Published: April 2019

Icariin, the main effective component extracted from epimedium, has been shown to stimulate osteogenic differentiation and bone formation and to increase synthesis of the cartilage extracellular matrix. However, there has been little study on the effects of icariin on osteoarthritis. In this study, we loaded icariin onto poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) electrospinning. The aim of this study was to explore a composite scaffold and to inhibit the progression of osteoarthritis. Our main experimental results demonstrated that the PLGA/icariin composite spinning scaffold had higher hydrophilicity, and icariin was released slowly and steadily from the scaffold. According to the results of an MTT test, immunofluorescence staining, an alkaline phosphate activating assay and a real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay, the PLGA/icariin composite scaffold had good biocompatibility. In models of osteoarthritis, the results of a RT-PCR assay indicated that the PLGA/icariin scaffold promoted the synthesis of the extracellular matrix. The results of X-ray microtomography and histological evaluation demonstrated that the PLGA/icariin scaffold maintained the functional morphology of articular cartilage and inhibited the resorption of subchondral bone trabeculae. These findings indicated that the PLGA and icariin composite scaffold has therapeutic potential for use in the treatment of osteoarthritis.
The analysis of glutamate and glutamine frequencies in human proteins as marker of tissue oxygenation
Authors: Vernone Annamaria , Ricca Chiara , Merlo Daniela , Pescarmona Gianpiero , Silvagno Francesca
Published: April 2019

In this study, we investigated whether the relative abundance of glutamate and glutamine in human proteins reflects the availability of these amino acids (AAs) dictated by the cellular context. In particular, because hypoxia increases the conversion of glutamate to glutamine, we hypothesized that the ratio glutamate/glutamine could be related to tissue oxygenation. By histological, biochemical and genetic evaluation, we identified proteins expressed selectively by distinct cellular populations that are exposed in the same tissue to high or low oxygenation, or proteins codified by different chromosomal loci. Our biochemical assessment was implemented by software tools that calculated the absolute and the relative frequencies of all AAs contained in the proteins. Moreover, an agglomerative hierarchical cluster analysis was performed. In the skin model that has a strictly local metabolism, we demonstrated that the ratio glutamate/glutamine of the selected proteins was directly proportional to oxygenation. Accordingly, the proteins codified by the epidermal differentiation complex in the region 1q21.3 and by the lipase clustering region 10q23.31 showed a significantly lower ratio glutamate/glutamine compared with the nearby regions of the same chromosome. Overall, our results demonstrate that the estimation of glutamate/glutamine ratio can give information on tissue oxygenation and could be exploited as marker of hypoxia, a condition common to several pathologies.
Parental care and the evolution of terrestriality in frogs
Authors: Vági Balázs , Végvári Zsolt , Liker András , Freckleton Robert P. , Székely Tamás
Published: April 2019

Frogs and toads (Anura) exhibit some of the most diverse parental strategies in vertebrates. Identifying the evolutionary origins of parenting is fundamental to understanding the relationships between sexual selection, social evolution and parental care systems of contemporary Anura. Moreover, parenting has been hypothesized to allow the invasion of terrestrial habitats by the ancestors of terrestrial vertebrates. Using comprehensive phylogenetic analyses of frogs and toads based on data from over 1000 species that represent 46 out of 55 Anura families, we test whether parental care is associated with terrestrial reproduction and several life-history traits. Here, we show that both the duration of care and offspring protection by males and females have coevolved with terrestrial reproduction. Sexual size dimorphism is also related to care, because the large male size relative to female size is associated with increased paternal care. Furthermore, increased egg size and reduced clutch volume are associated with increased care in bivariate but not in multivariate analyses, suggesting that the relationships between care, egg size and clutch volume are mediated by terrestrial reproduction. Taken together, our results suggest that parenting by males and females has coevolved, and complex parenting traits have evolved several times independently in Anura in response to breeding in terrestrial environments.
Male-only care and cuckoldry in black coucals: does parenting hamper sex life?
Authors: Safari Ignas , Goymann Wolfgang , Kokko Hanna
Published: April 2019

Providing parental care often reduces additional mating opportunities. Paternal care becomes easier to understand if trade-offs between mating and caring remain mild. The black coucal
Centropus grillii
combines male-only parental care with 50% of all broods containing young sired by another male. To understand how much caring for offspring reduces a male's chance to sire additional young in other males' nests, we matched the production of extra-pair young in each nest with the periods during which potential extra-pair sires were either caring for offspring themselves or when they had no own offspring to care for. We found that males which cared for a clutch were not fully excluded from the pool of competitors for siring young in other males' nests. Instead, the relative siring success showed a temporary dip. Males were approximately 17% less likely to sire young in other males' nests while they were incubating, about 48% less likely to do so while feeding nestlings, followed by 26% when feeding fledglings, compared to the success of males that currently did not care for offspring. These results suggest that real-life care situations by males may involve trade-off structures that differ from, and are less strict than those frequently employed in theoretical considerations of operational sex ratios, sex roles and parenting decisions.