bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Recognizing spatial patterns of biodiversity during the nineteenth century: The roots of contemporary biogeography
Authors: Juárez‐Barrera Fabiola , Bueno‐Hernández Alfredo , Morrone Juan J. , Barahona‐Echeverría Ana , Espinosa David
Published: March 2018

Aim

We review the works of three pre‐Darwinian authors—Alexander von Humboldt, Augustin de Candolle and Alphonse de Candolle. Contrary to what other historiographers have claimed, we think that their works were not merely descriptive, nor did they adhere strictly to the inductivist model. Furthermore, the patterns described by these authors are still being studied extensively in biogeography.

Method

We analyse the main concepts provided by these authors on the spatial patterns of biodiversity, and discuss how they served to construct the conceptual framework of contemporary biogeography.

Results

In the early 19th century, secular naturalists began postulating explanations supported by empirical evidence and based on physical causes. The studied authors were extremely cautious when proposing hypotheses, considering that any statement not based on empirical evidence was mere conjecture. When we analyse the way they developed explanations, it seems evident that they were rather closer to deductive thought than to the orthodox inductivist model. With the rise of Darwinian evolutionism, naturalists lost interest in the spatial patterns of life and began constructing dynamic models where dispersal of individual lineages from northern centres of origin was proposed to explain their current distribution. Paradoxically, even though the evolutionary paradigm soon proved its great explanatory power, it simultaneously promoted a large number of studies in which speculation prevailed.

Main conclusions

Even though the practices and methods of current biogeography have changed substantially, the studied patterns are still the same: (1) geographical gradients of richness and biotic replacement, (2) spatial gradients of functional groups, (3) geographical variation of the phenotype, (4) geographical patterns of expansion‐differentiation of single lineages and (5) biogeographical homology. The studied authors not only described rigorously biogeographical patterns, but also proposed explanations about them and even sometimes tested them based on empirical evidence, going beyond the prevalent inductivist canon.
The Rocky Mountains as a dispersal barrier between barn owl (Tyto alba) populations in North America
Authors: Machado Ana Paula , Clément Laura , Uva Vera , Goudet Jérôme , Roulin Alexandre
Published: March 2018

Aim

Geological barriers within a species range play a key role in shaping patterns of genetic variation by restricting gene flow. Mountain ranges are particularly imposing barriers responsible for creating genetic differentiation across multiple taxa, from small amphibians to large mammals and birds. Here, we examined the population structure of North American barn owls (Tyto alba) and investigated whether the Rocky Mountains influence gene flow and dispersal at the continental scale.

Location

Continental North America.

Methods

We collected 292 museum samples covering the species range, genotyped them at 20 microsatellite markers and sequenced 410 bp of the mitochondrial gene ND6. Population and landscape genetics tools were used to study range‐wide patterns of structure and identify gene flow barriers. Ring recapture data were also analysed to investigate individual movement patterns and frequency of exchanges between both sides of the Rocky Mountains.

Results

We found faint overall genetic structure, which is consistent with barn owl's high mobility across its continuous range. Nonetheless, we identified two distinct genetic groups on the western and eastern regions of the Rocky Mountains with a likely contact point through the narrow southern pass between them and the Sierra Madre Occidental in Mexico. Accordingly, most recaptured barn owls remain on the same side of the mountains. The Rockies appear to significantly isolate the populations in the west, which, as a consequence, display lower genetic diversity than their counterparts to the east.

Main conclusions

The Rocky Mountains appear to constrain barn owl dispersal and gene flow. Our study supports the hypothesis that regional landscape barriers can shape gene flow and population structure even in highly mobile organisms.
Inflammatory factor receptor Toll‐like receptor 4 controls telomeres through heterochromatin protein 1 isoforms in liver cancer stem cell
Authors: Zheng Qidi , Xu Jie , Lin Zhuojia , Lu Yanan , Xin Xiaoru , Li Xiaonan , Yang Yuxin , Meng Qiuyu , Wang Chen , Xiong Wujun , Lu Dongdong
Published: March 2018

Toll‐like receptor 4 (TLR4) which acts as a receptor for lipopolysaccharide (LPS) has been reported to be involved in carcinogenesis. However, the regulatory mechanism of it has not been elucidated. Herein, we demonstrate that TLR4 promotes the malignant growth of liver cancer stem cells. Mechanistically, TLR4 promotes the expression of histone‐lysine N‐methyltransferase (SUV39 h2) and increases the formation of trimethyl histone H3 lysine 9‐heterochromatin protein 1‐telomere repeat binding factor 2 (H3K9me3‐HP1‐TRF2) complex at the telomeric locus under mediation by long non coding RNA urothelial cancer‐associated 1 (CUDR). At the telomeric locus, this complex promotes binding of POT1, pPOT1, Exo1, pExo1, SNM1B and pSNM1B but prevents binding of CST/AAF to telomere, thus controlling telomere and maintaining telomere length. Furthermore, TLR4 enhances interaction between HP1α and DNA methyltransferase (DNMT3b), which limits RNA polymerase II deposition on the telomeric repeat‐containing RNA (TERRA) promoter region and its elongation, thus inhibiting transcription of TERRA. Ultimately, TLR4 enhances the telomerase activity by reducing the interplay between telomerase reverse transcriptase catalytic subunit (TERT) and TERRA. More importantly, our results reveal that tri‐complexes of HP1 isoforms (α, β and γ) are required for the oncogenic action of TLR4. This study elucidates a novel protection mechanism of TLR4 in liver cancer stem cells and suggests that TLR4 can be used as a novel therapeutic target for liver cancer.
On the determinants and consequences of informal contracting
Authors: Gil Ricard , Zanarone Giorgio
Published: March 2018

As documented by Macauley and others, informal contracts are pervasive in modern economies. Yet, systematic empirical evidence on them is still limited. In this paper, we provide a framework to investigate the determinants and consequences of informal contracting. First, we present an illustrative model that organizes key predictions from the theoretical literature. Next, we discuss selected empirical works that shed light on the model's relevance and testability. Overall, we find combined support for most theoretical predictions from the model, and we observe that significant progress has been made over time at measuring key determinants of informal contracting such as the parties’ discount factor and fallback option. We conclude by discussing strategies for testing theoretical predictions for which conclusive evidence is still missing.
Peer‐to‐peer sharing in the lodging market: Evaluating implications for social welfare and profitability
Authors: Gal‐Or Esther
Published: March 2018

With a focus on the lodging market, we investigate the nature of competition between a peer‐to‐peer platform and a traditional lodging provider (hotel), in an environment where both possess the market power to affect the final lodging price established in the market. To understand such an environment, we investigate the strategy choices of the three types of players active in this market: the platform, the hotel, and individuals in the population who consider supplying or demanding lodging capacity. We use our analysis to predict how the emergence of the peer‐to‐peer platform affects the profits of the hotel and the welfare of consumers. We characterize two types of equilibria: Partial Coverage and Full Coverage. The former type arises if each individual's demand for lodging while on vacation is relatively low in comparison to her supply. In this case, the level of demand originating from vacationers is insufficient to make it worthwhile for the platform to lower its service fee in order to attract capacity from every individual in the population. In contrast, when the demand for lodging while on vacation is relatively high, it may become profitable for the platform to implement the Full Coverage equilibrium, in which case every individual supplies lodging capacity to the platform. We demonstrate that the entry of the platform to the market will definitely increase the consumer surplus if the platform chooses to implement the Full Coverage equilibrium. At the Partial Coverage equilibrium, the consumer surplus might actually decline upon the entry of the platform. This might happen because the entry of the platform can sometimes lead to higher lodging prices, and as a result, can hurt individuals when vacationing. Because the entry of the platform raises the income of individuals in the economy, their willingness to pay for lodging while on vacation may rise. Such higher prices may also sometimes lead to higher profits for the hotel, in spite of the competition with the platform. In the special case that individuals experience no disutility when offering a portion of their housing space to the platform because this space has no alternative use for the individual, the entry of the platform will always lead to higher consumer welfare and lower profits for the hotel, irrespective of whether Full or Partial Coverage arises as equilibrium.
Prevalence of spinal abnormalities in Chinook salmon smolt and influence of early rearing temperature and growth rates
Authors: Munday J S , Perrott M R , Symonds J E , Walker S P , Preece M A , Davie P S
Published: March 2018

Spinal abnormalities can be detected at harvest in around 40% of farmed Chinook salmon in New Zealand. However, whether these abnormalities are present in smolt is unknown. Radiographs of 3,736 smolt were taken immediately prior to transfer to sea water and evaluated for fusions, compressions, vertical shifts, and lordosis, kyphosis and/or scoliosis (LKS). The survey included smolt from two different chilling strategies that had been graded into slow‐ or fast‐growing fish. Overall, 4.34% of Chinook salmon smolt had at least one spinal abnormality, similar to the rates of reported in Atlantic salmon smolt. The rate of abnormality was significantly higher in faster‐growing fish. Fusions were most common with 2.68% of smolt affected. Smolt subjected to longer chilling times had lower rates of fusions. Compressions and vertical shifts were both observed in 1.31% of smolt. Although LKS is the most common abnormality of harvested fish, LKS was detected in just five smolt. The results suggest that some fusions in harvest fish have developed at the time of seawater transfer while LKS develops late in the production cycle. Overall, spinal abnormalities are uncommon in Chinook salmon smolt and may be influenced by chilling times and growth rates.
Analysis of Episodes of Care in Medicare Beneficiaries Newly Diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease
Authors: Khandker Rezaul K. , Black Christopher M. , Xie Lin , Kariburyo M. Furaha , Ambegaonkar Baishali M. , Baser Onur , Yuce Huseyin , Fillit Howard
Published: March 2018

Objectives

To study transitions between healthcare settings and quantify the cost burdens associated with different combinations of transitions during a 6‐month period before initial Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis so as to investigate how using an episode‐of‐care approach to payment for specific disease states might apply in AD.

Design

A retrospective observational cohort study.

Setting

United States.

Participants

A random sample of 8,995 individuals aged 65 to 100 with a diagnosis of AD (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification code 331.0) were identified from the Medicare database between January 1, 2011, and June 30, 2014. This analysis identified individuals with AD diagnosed in inpatient (18%), skilled nursing facility (SNF) (1%), hospice (4%), and home and outpatient (77%) settings and analyzed episodes that began in the index setting (defined as the care setting in which the individual was first diagnosed with AD).

Measurements

Study outcomes included number of transitions between settings, primary discharge diagnoses, and total all‐cause healthcare costs during the 6 months after the AD diagnosis.

Results

The average numbers of transitions between care settings were 2.8 originating from an inpatient setting, 2.4 from a SNF, 0.3 from a hospice setting and 0.7 from a home or outpatient setting during 6 months post‐AD diagnosis. The overall cost burden during the 6 months after AD diagnosis (including costs incurred at the index setting) was high for individuals diagnosed in a nonambulatory setting (mean $41,468). Individuals diagnosed in an ambulatory setting incurred only $12,597 in costs during the same period.

Conclusion

Episodes of care can be defined and studied in individuals with AD. An episode‐of‐care approach to payment could encourage providers to use the continuum of care needed for quality medical management in AD more efficiently.
Record of plate boundary metamorphism during Gondwana breakup from Lu–Hf garnet geochronology of the Alpine Schist, New Zealand
Authors: Briggs Sophie I. , Cottle John M. , Smit Matthijs A.
Published: March 2018

The Zealandia portion of the Pacific–Gondwana margin underwent widespread extension, fragmentation, separation and subsidence during the final stages in the breakup of Gondwana. Although these processes shaped the geology of New Zealand, their timing and the timing of subduction cessation in the region remain unclear. To investigate the timing of these processes, we used Lu–Hf garnet geochronology to date six samples of the Alpine Schist, which represents the metamorphic section of the former Zealandia margin. The garnet dates range from 97.3 ± 0.3 to 75.4 ± 1.3 Ma. Compositional zoning in garnet indicates that the spread in ages results from diachronous metamorphism in the upper plate at the Pacific–Gondwana margin, occurring concurrently with rifting of Zealandia from East Gondwana via opening of the Tasman Sea. Clear spatial trends in the timing of garnet growth throughout the Alpine Schist are absent, indicating that either regional age trends were offset by post‐metamorphic deformation, or that metamorphism did not result from a single regional heat source, and was instead driven by short‐duration, spatially dispersed processes such as episodic fluid‐fluxing or mechanical heating. Diachronous metamorphism of the Alpine Schist can be attributed to heat conduction from the rising upper mantle during widespread extension, progressive burial and heating of accretionary wedge sediments during ongoing horizontal shortening, or fluid‐fluxing sourced from a subducting and dehydrating Hikurangi Plateau. These results indicate that during separation of Zealandia from East Gondwana in the late Cretaceous, the crust at the Pacific–Gondwana margin remained hot, potentially facilitating the extensive thinning of the Zealandia lithosphere during this time.
On the relevance and accountability of dialect: Conversation analysis and dialect contact
Authors: Raymond Chase Wesley
Published: March 2018

The present study seeks to illustrate how the theory and method of conversation analysis (CA) can be used to begin to unpack the notion of ‘contact’ in contact linguistics research. After reviewing language and dialect contact as they are traditionally conceptualized, we describe an additional set of questions inspired byCA's fundamental concern withrelevanceandaccountability. It is argued that, by analyzing the structure and design of turn‐by‐turn talk in situations of dialect contact, we are able to investigatehow co‐participants themselvesgo about carving out the boundaries of their respective dialects, how they can link those dialects to social identities, and how those social identities can become ‘procedurally consequential’ for the design of subsequent talk between the interlocutors. It is ultimately hypothesized that relevance and accountability at the micro‐interactional level may provide new insight into the moment‐by‐moment mechanisms that bring about the comparatively more macro‐level outcomes of dialect contact (e.g. leveling, koineization, etc.) that have been previously identified in contact linguistics research.
Morphological characterization and optimization of conditions for conidial production of Elsinoë ampelina, the causal organism of grapevine anthracnose
Authors: Li Zhi , Dang Huan , Yuan Xiao , He Jingyuan , Hu Zhiqi , Wang Xiping
Published: March 2018

Grape anthracnose, which is caused by Elsinoë ampelina, is a disease that negatively affects grape production. This study aimed to investigate the effects of aeration, temperature, light, and preculture period on the formation of E. ampelina conidia and conidial germination and virulence. The colony morphology on potato dextrose agar (PDA) plates was more diverse than that in PDA bottles. The assessment of different culture methods, temperatures, light conditions, and preculture periods revealed that optimal conidial production occurred on 25‐day‐old colonies grown in PDA bottles at 21°C for 24 hr in the dark. The cultures in PDA bottles consistently produced approximately 5.0 × 106 conidia under these conditions. No conidial formation occurred when the cultures were kept at 25°C in the dark. The highest germination rate of E. ampelina was 80% at 25°C after 24 hr, whereas no germination was observed at 17°C after 12 hr. Pathogenicity tests revealed that symptoms of the disease were observed 4 days postinoculation (dpi) on leaves of Vitis vinifera cv. Red Globe. New conidia were observed on the lesions at 8 dpi. This study provides an effective method for the conidial production of E. ampelina that may also be applicable for other Elsinoë fungal species.
Angiostrongylosis in dogs with negative fecal and in‐clinic rapid serological tests: 7 Cases (2013‐2017)
Authors: Canonne A. Morgane , Billen F. , Losson B. , Peters I. , Schnyder M. , Clercx C.
Published: March 2018

Background

Angiostrongylosis is considered as emerging disease in dogs in Belgium. Detection of first‐stage larvae in feces using the Baermann method has an imperfect sensitivity.

Objectives

Investigation of efficacy of noninvasive blood and fecal diagnostic tests in comparison with PCR on bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) material in a small series of coughing or dyspnoeic dogs naturally infected with Angiostrongylus vasorum.

Animals

Seven dogs with angiostrongylosis.

Methods

Retrospective study. Dogs with cough, exercise intolerance and dyspnea of 2‐ to 8‐week duration. Diagnostic methods used included Baermann analysis, AngioDetect rapid assay, ELISAs for detection of circulating antigen and specific antibodies and qPCR on BAL material.

Results

Baermann analysis, AngioDetect rapid assay, antigen ELISA, antibody ELISA, and qPCR on BAL material were positive in 3/7, 2/7, 3/6, 6/6, and 7/7 dogs, respectively. ELISA for antibodies or qPCR on BAL material were essential for definitive diagnosis in 3 dogs. Relative sensitivities of AngioDetect rapid assay, Baermann analysis, and ELISA for antigen detection were lower than 50% compared with ELISA for antibodies or qPCR on BAL material.

Conclusion and Clinical Importance

In this small clinical series, Baermann analysis and AngioDetect rapid assay failed to confirm the diagnosis in some dogs. Therefore, ELISA for antibody detection and qPCR on BAL material should strongly be considered in clinically suspected dogs when antigen detection methods (AngioDetect or ELISA) and Baermann analysis are negative.
Legal Theory for Legal Empiricists
Authors: Dagan Hanoch , Kreitner Roy , Kricheli-Katz Tamar
Published: March 2018

There is a widespread view that one does either theory or empirical work, and that theory and empiricism represent distant concerns, opposing worldviews, and perhaps distinct mentalities or personalities. This prevalent view has deep roots and is also the result of pragmatic and understandable tendencies toward division of intellectual labor. Against this view, this essay suggests that the relations between theory and empirical study ought to be understood as more intimate and that making legal theory an explicit focus can improve empirical scholarship. We pursue this claim by articulating a basis for legal theory and by showing how that basis illuminates both the application and design of empirical research on law. Legal theory, we argue, follows jurisprudence in interrogating the law as a set of coercive normative institutions. The upshot of this approach is a recognition that an interdisciplinary analysis of law must rely on both a theory (explicit or implicit) of the way law's power and its normativity align and an account of the way in which this discursive cohabitation manifests itself institutionally. We thus argue that legal theory is necessary in order to draw fruitfully on empirical research and further claim that legal theory provides guidance both for setting up an empirical research agenda on law and for designing research into specific topics.
Nematode‐associated microbial taxa do not correlate with host phylogeny, geographic region or feeding morphology in marine sediment habitats
Authors: Schuelke Taruna , Pereira Tiago José , Hardy Sarah M. , Bik Holly M.
Published: March 2018

Studies of host‐associated microbes are critical for advancing our understanding of ecology and evolution across diverse taxa and ecosystems. Nematode worms are ubiquitous across most habitats on earth, yet little is known about host‐associated microbial assemblages within the phylum. Free‐living nematodes are globally abundant and diverse in marine sediments, with species exhibiting distinct buccal cavity (mouth) morphologies that are thought to play an important role in feeding ecology and life history strategies. Here, we investigated patterns in marine nematode microbiomes, by characterizing host‐associated microbial taxa in 281 worms isolated from a range of habitat types (deep‐sea, shallow water, methane seeps, Lophelia coral mounds, kelp holdfasts) across three distinct geographic regions (Arctic, Southern California and Gulf of Mexico). Microbiome profiles were generated from single worms spanning 33 distinct morphological genera, using a two‐gene metabarcoding approach to amplify the V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene targeting bacteria/archaea and the V1–V2 region of the 18S rRNA gene targeting microbial eukaryotes. Contrary to our expectations, nematode microbiome profiles demonstrated no distinct patterns either globally (across depths and ocean basins) or locally (within site); prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial assemblages did not correlate with nematode feeding morphology, host phylogeny or morphological identity, ocean region or marine habitat type. However, fine‐scale analysis of nematode microbiomes revealed a variety of novel ecological interactions, including putative parasites and symbionts, and potential associations with bacterial/archaeal taxa involved in nitrogen and methane cycling. Our results suggest that in marine habitats, free‐living nematodes may utilize diverse and generalist foraging strategies that are not correlated with host genotype or feeding morphology. Furthermore, some abiotic factors such as geographic region and habitat type do not appear to play an obvious role in structuring host–microbe associations or feeding preferences.
Microvascular endothelial function is an independent predictor for albuminuria progression among Asians with type 2 diabetes—A prospective cohort study
Authors: Zhang Xiao , Low Serena , Ang Keven , Yeoh Lee Ying , Tavintharan Subramaniam , Sum Chee Fang , Lim Su Chi
Published: March 2018

Objective

We aim to investigate whether microvascular endothelial dysfunction is an independent predictor for future albuminuria progression in T2DM cohort.

Methods

A total of 1098 patients with T2DM were clinically assessed at baseline and 3.2‐year follow‐up. Progression was defined as transition from normoalbuminuria (ACR <30 mg/g) to microalbuminuria (ACR = 30‐299 mg/g) or macroalbuminuria (ACR >300 mg/g), or microalbuminuria to macroalbuminuria. Microvascular endothelial vasodilation at baseline was quantified using LDF. The increase in perfusion in response to ACh and NaNP was calculated. Logistic regression model was used to estimate the OR for albuminuria progression.

Results

Albuminuria progression occurred in 226 (20.6%) patients. Baseline ACh was significantly higher in nonprogression than progression group (80.0 ± 53.2% vs 72.0 ± 49.7%, P = .04). There is no significant difference in NaNP between the two groups (111.1 ± 80.3% vs 121.1 ± 87.4%, P = .12). After multivariable adjustment, 1‐SD increase in ACh was marginally associated with albuminuria progression (OR = 0.87, 95% CI, 0.72‐1.02, P = .08) in all patients. When stratified by baseline albuminuria, 1‐SD increase in ACh was significantly associated with albuminuria progression in normoalbuminuria (OR = 0.76, 95% CI, 0.59‐0.97, P = .03), but not in microalbuminuria patients (OR = 1.18, 95% CI, 0.81‐1.70, P = .39).

Conclusions

Impaired endothelial‐dependent microvascular reactivity predicts the onset of albuminuria progression among T2DM patients with normoalbuminuria.
Tinea pedis acquired in mosques?
Authors: Veraldi Stefano , Esposito Luigi , Gorani Alberto
Published: March 2018

We present four cases of interdigital tinea pedis in Italian tourists which was probably acquired in Turkish mosques and holy Muslim places. In all patients mycological examinations were positive for Trichophyton rubrum. All patients were successfully treated with bifonazole cream (one application/day for three weeks). It is advisable for tourists to wear socks when visiting mosques and holy Muslim places.
An integrative anatomical, morphological, micromorphological and molecular approach to Turkish epidendroid and orchidoid species (Orchidaceae)
Authors: Şenel Gülcan , Şeker Şenay Süngü , Akbulut Mustafa Kemal , Akçin Öznur Ergen
Published: March 2018

We aimed to describe and analyse the morphological, anatomical and micromorphological traits of 36 Turkish orchids representing 12 genera (e.g. Anacamptis, Cephalanthera, Dactylorhiza, Orchis, Serapias) in detail and analyse their usability for solving phylogenetic and taxonomic issues. We applied UPGMA cluster analysis to anatomical, morphological and micromorphological characters such as root tubers, leaf and flower structures, pit, sclerenchymatic sheath, vascular bundle shape, crystal and starch, exodermis and endodermis structure, stomata type, bulliform cells in roots, shoots and leaves, surface structures like papillae, hairs and ornamentation on flower parts, leaves, fruits and seeds. Furthermore, in a phylogenetic framework, we analysed nuclear ribosomal ITS diversity in the same orchid species belonging, and in a combined Bayesian phylogenetic analysis based on anatomical, morphological, micromorphogical and ITS data we confirmed the usefulness of multiple data sets for effectively assessing taxonomically critical orchids. In the combined analysis, all genera were resolved as monophyletic with topologies congruent with recently published more thorough molecular phylogenetic reconstructions, while the trees obtained by seprately analysing the ITS and the anatomical, morphological, micromorphogical data were less resolved and partly inconclusive.
Dynamics of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal community structure and functioning along a nitrogen enrichment gradient in an alpine meadow ecosystem
Authors: Jiang Shengjing , Liu Yongjun , Luo Jiajia , Qin Mingsen , Johnson Nancy Collins , Öpik Maarja , Vasar Martti , Chai Yuxing , Zhou Xiaolong , Mao Lin , Du Guozhen , An Lizhe , Feng Huyuan
Published: March 2018

Nitrogen (N) availability is increasing dramatically in many ecosystems, but the influence of elevated N on the functioning of arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi in natural ecosystems is not well understood.

We measured AM fungal community structure and mycorrhizal function simultaneously across an experimental N addition gradient in an alpine meadow that is limited by N but not by phosphorus (P). AM fungal communities at both whole‐plant‐community (mixed roots) and single‐plant‐species (Elymus nutans roots) scales were described using pyro‐sequencing, and the mycorrhizal functioning was quantified using a mycorrhizal‐suppression treatment in the field (whole‐plant‐community scale) and a glasshouse inoculation experiment (single‐plant‐species scale).

Nitrogen enrichment progressively reduced AM fungal abundance, changed AM fungal community composition, and shifted mycorrhizal functioning towards parasitism at both whole‐plant‐community and E. nutans scales. N‐induced shifts in AM fungal community composition were tightly linked to soil N availability and/or plant species richness, whereas the shifts in mycorrhizal function were associated with the communities of specific AM fungal lineages.

The observed changes in both AM fungal community structure and functioning across an N enrichment gradient highlight that N enrichment of ecosystems that are not P‐limited can induce parasitic mycorrhizal functioning and influence plant community structure and ecosystem sustainability.
The plastoquinone pool outside the thylakoid membrane serves in plant photoprotection as a reservoir of singlet oxygen scavengers
Authors: Ksas Brigitte , Légeret Bertrand , Ferretti Ursula , Chevalier Anne , Pospíšil Pavel , Alric Jean , Havaux Michel
Published: March 2018

The Arabidopsis vte1 mutant is devoid of tocopherol and plastochromanol (PC‐8). When exposed to excess light energy, vte1 produced more singlet oxygen (1O2) and suffered from extensive oxidative damage compared with the wild type. Here, we show that overexpressing the solanesyl diphosphate synthase 1 (SPS1) gene in vte1 induced a marked accumulation of total plastoquinone (PQ‐9) and rendered the vte1 SPS1oex plants tolerant to photooxidative stress, indicating that PQ‐9 can replace tocopherol and PC‐8 in photoprotection. High total PQ‐9 levels were associated with a noticeable decrease in 1O2 production and higher levels of Hydroxyplastoquinone (PQ‐C), a 1O2‐specific PQ‐9 oxidation product. The extra PQ‐9 molecules in the vte1 SPS1oex plants were stored in the plastoglobules and the chloroplast envelopes, rather than in the thylakoid membranes, whereas PQ‐C was found almost exclusively in the thylakoid membranes. Upon exposure of wild‐type plants to high light, the thylakoid PQ‐9 pool decreased, whereas the extrathylakoid pool remained unchanged. In vte1 and vte1 SPS1oex plants, the PQ‐9 losses in high light were strongly amplified, affecting also the extrathylakoid pool, and PQ‐C was found in high amounts in the thylakoids. We conclude that the thylakoid PQ‐9 pool acts as a 1O2 scavenger and is replenished from the extrathylakoid stock.
Green leaf volatiles protect maize (Zea mays) seedlings against damage from cold stress
Authors: Cofer Tristan M. , Engelberth Marie , Engelberth Jurgen
Published: March 2018

Although considerable evidence has accumulated on the defensive activity of plant volatile organic compounds against pathogens and insect herbivores, less is known about the significance of volatile organic compounds emitted by plants under abiotic stress. Here, we report that green leaf volatiles (GLVs), which were previously shown to prime plant defences against insect herbivore attack, also protect plants against cold stress (4 °C). We show that the expression levels of several cold stress‐related genes are significantly up‐regulated in maize (Zea mays) seedlings treated with physiological concentrations of the GLV, (Z)‐3‐hexen‐1‐yl acetate (Z‐3‐HAC), and that seedlings primed with Z‐3‐HAC exhibit increased growth and reduced damage after cold stress relative to unprimed seedlings. Together, these data demonstrate the protective and priming effect of GLVs against cold stress and suggest an activity of GLVs beyond the activation of typical plant defence responses against herbivores and pathogens.
A comparison of two centrifuge techniques for constructing vulnerability curves: insight into the ‘open‐vessel’ artifact
Authors: Yin Pengxian , Meng Feng , Liu Qing , An Rui , Cai Jing , Du Guangyuan
Published: March 2018

A vulnerability curve (VC) describes the extent of xylem cavitation resistance. Centrifuges have been used to generate VCs for decades via static‐ and flow‐centrifuge methods. Recently, the validity of the centrifuge techniques has been questioned. Researchers have hypothesized that the centrifuge techniques might yield unreliable VCs due to the open‐vessel artifact. However, other researchers reject this hypothesis. The focus of the dispute is centered on whether exponential VCs are more reliable when the static‐centrifuge method is used rather than the flow‐centrifuge method. To further test the reliability of the centrifuge technique, two centrifuges were manufactured to simulate the static‐ and flow‐centrifuge methods. VCs of three species with open vessels of known lengths were constructed using the two centrifuges. The results showed that both centrifuge techniques produced invalid VCs for Robinia because the water flow through stems under mild tension in centrifuges led to an increasing loss of water conductivity. In addition, the injection of water in the flow‐centrifuge exacerbated the loss of water conductivity. However, both centrifuge techniques yielded reliable VCs for Prunus, regardless of the presence of open vessels in the tested samples. We conclude that centrifuge techniques can be used in species with open vessels only when the centrifuge produces a VC that matches the bench‐dehydration VC.
Metformin blocks mitochondrial membrane potential and inhibits sperm motility in fresh and refrigerated boar spermatozoa
Authors: Hurtado de Llera A , Martin‐Hidalgo D , Garcia‐Marin LJ , Bragado MJ
Published: March 2018

Contents

Metformin is clinically used to treat diabetes. Given its role‐impacting metabolism, metformin has been also added to semen cryopreservation media showing specie‐dependent effects. We aimed to investigate metformin effects in both fresh (38.5°C for 2, 24 hr) and refrigerated (17°C for 10 days) boar spermatozoa. Metformin (2 hr) does not affect fresh sperm viability, membrane lipid organization nor acrosome integrity. However, metformin (24 hr) blocks sperm ΔΨm and significantly reduces % motile spermatozoa (65%), % progressive spermatozoa (50%), % rapid (100%), velocities VCL (69%), VSL (86%), VAP (78%) and motility coefficients. Metformin‐including extender does not modify sperm viability, membrane lipid organization or acrosome integrity. Furthermore, it significantly reduces high ΔΨ‐population spermatozoa at refrigeration day 4. Metformin also significantly reduces sperm motility during refrigeration. Summarizing, metformin inhibits both boar sperm ΔΨ and motility in any sperm condition studied: fresh and refrigerated. These findings dissuade metformin as an additive to improve boar sperm quality.
EU economic governance and austerity: Exploring recent perspectives
Authors: Souliotis Nicos , Afouxenidis Alex
Published: March 2018

This paper presents some of the main theoretical approaches which examine changes in the EU economic governance system during the current crisis. We review standard approaches of EU studies (neo‐functionalism, liberal inter‐governmentalism, and historical institutionalism), Marxist–regulationist political economists, and Bourdieusian sociologists. The paper illustrates how scholars utilize given intellectual tools to understand ongoing trends of political and institutional change. We suggest that Bourdieusian sociologists may be in a relatively better position to interpret governance reforms and this is briefly illustrated by looking at some empirical observations from researching the effect of EU economic governance reform on the management of public assets in Greece.
Teaching with interactive computer‐based simulation models: Instructional dilemmas and opportunities in the High‐Adventure Science project
Authors: Mutch‐Jones Karen , Gasca Santiago , Pallant Amy , Lee Hee‐Sun
Published: March 2018

The purpose of this descriptive study was to examine teacher instructional dilemmas and opportunities that emerged when students worked with interactive computer‐based simulation models during the High‐Adventure Science (HAS) project. The intervention included the HAS digital curriculum, designed for grades 7–12. Each curricular unit was framed to address scientific questions in earth and environmental science, currently being investigated by scientists. Instructional support was provided through a 2‐day professional development session and through reporting systems within the curriculum. During 1 academic year, data were collected from a cohort of 12 teachers, through baseline and postimplementation surveys. From a nine‐teacher cohort subset, observation, interview, and survey data were collected during the following year. Descriptive findings indicate that a designed digital curriculum with carefully sequenced interactive models has benefits but creates instructional challenges; teacher and student roles are often flipped during the implementation of such a curriculum; and teachers may need to shift their instructional approach and find new ways to make digital learning experiences relevant and compelling as they respond to both opportunities and challenges.
Molecular phylogeny and temporal diversification ofTanytarsusvan der Wulp (Diptera: Chironomidae) support generic synonymies, a new classification and centre of origin
Authors: Lin Xiao‐Long , Stur Elisabeth , Ekrem Torbjørn
Published: March 2018

Tanytarsusvan der Wulp, with 355 currently known valid species, is a comparatively large genus of nonbiting midges (Diptera: Chironomidae). Relationships amongTanytarsusand associated genera and among species in the genus have been exceptionally difficult to resolve using morphology or single gene genealogies. Here, the phylogeny ofTanytarsussensu lato is reconstructed based on the combined analysis of five nuclear markers, including both ribosomal (18S) and protein‐coding (AATS1, CAD, PGD and TPI) genes. Our results indicate thatTanytarsusis paraphyletic withCaladomyiaSäwedal placed among South AmericanTanytarsus,VirgatanytarsusPinder as part of a Gondwanan clade, andCorynoceraZetterstedt within theTanytarsus norvegicus(Kieffer) species group. Based on these results, we synonymizeCaladomyiaandVirgatanytarsuswithTanytarsus. We propose retaining the older nameCorynocerauntil an eventual International Code of Zoological Nomenclature ruling on precedence can be made regarding the more frequent usage of the younger nameTanytarsus. As expected, the previously synonymizedNimboceraReiss is confirmed to be a junior synonym ofTanytarsuswithT.rhabdomantis(Trivinho‐Strixino & Strixino) grouping with other NeotropicalTanytarsus. The genusSubletteaRoback remains valid outside ofTanytarsus + CladotanytarsusKieffer. The monophyly of some established species groups is well supported, while other groups are refuted or remain uncertain. Based on a calibrated molecular divergence time analysis,Tanytarsusdiverged from its sister groupCladotanytarsusduring the Late Cretaceous to Early Paleogene (61–79 Ma). The genus most likely originated in the Oriental and Palearctic regions.
Promoting interdisciplinary shared mental models
Authors: Herrmann Lisa E , Jarvis Lenore , Bhansali Priti , Zaveri Pavan
Published: March 2018

Background

Emergency Medicine (EM) and Hospital Medicine (HM) providers frequently interact when transitioning patients from the emergency department (ED) to the inpatient unit; however, there is infrequent collaboration between these subspecialties, and effective communication in EM–HM provider handover is an area for improvement. Shared mental models can enhance communication and safety. The purpose of this article is to describe the implementation of an interdisciplinary conference to allow providers to create shared mental models, and to assess the impact on attitudes and behaviours towards communication and collaboration outside the competing attentions of patient care environments.

Methods

The authors instituted a quarterly interactive case‐based conference at an academic tertiary care children's hospital in which EM and HM subspecialty trainees co‐facilitate evidence‐based interactive presentations of clinical, diagnostic or management dilemmas. The conferences were evaluated via repeated cross‐sectional surveys of EM and HM providers, as well as session evaluations. Surveys included multiple‐choice, Likert‐scale and free‐text responses to assess the degree of interaction and collaboration between the divisions and provider attitudes toward changes in clinical practice.

Results

Assessment of the EM–HM collaborative conferences demonstrated trends towards increased interaction between divisions and increased discussion about management decisions among colleagues. Two‐thirds of individuals who attended at least one conference felt that having attended an interdisciplinary conference influenced future management decisions.

Effective communication in EM–HM provider handover is an area for improvement

Conclusions

Interdisciplinary conferences provide a forum for cross‐specialty communication to discuss management differences in a low‐stress educational environment, and allow providers to develop shared mental models for effective, safe patient care.
Mapping fine‐scale urban housing prices by fusing remotely sensed imagery and social media data
Authors: Yao Yao , Zhang Jinbao , Hong Ye , Liang Haolin , He Jialv
Published: March 2018

The accurate mapping of urban housing prices at a fine scale is essential to policymaking and urban studies, such as adjusting economic factors and determining reasonable levels of residential subsidies. Previous studies focus mainly on housing price analysis at a macro scale, without fine‐scale study due to a lack of available data and effective models. By integrating a convolutional neural network for united mining (UMCNN) and random forest (RF), this study proposes an effective deep‐learning‐based framework for fusing multi‐source geospatial data, including high spatial resolution (HSR) remotely sensed imagery and several types of social media data, and maps urban housing prices at a very fine scale. With the collected housing price data from China's biggest online real estate market, we produced the spatial distribution of housing prices at a spatial resolution of 5 m in Shenzhen, China. By comparing with eight other multi‐source data mining techniques, the UMCNN obtained the highest housing price simulation accuracy (Pearson R = 0.922, OA = 85.82%). The results also demonstrated a complex spatial heterogeneity inside Shenzhen's housing price distribution. In future studies, we will work continuously on housing price policymaking and residential issues by including additional sources of spatial data.
The PP2A‐interactor TIP41 modulates ABA responses in Arabidopsis thaliana
Authors: Punzo Paola , Ruggiero Alessandra , Possenti Marco , Nurcato Roberta , Costa Antonello , Morelli Giorgio , Grillo Stefania , Batelli Giorgia
Published: March 2018

Modulation of growth in response to environmental cues is a fundamental aspect of plant adaptation to abiotic stresses. TIP41 (TAP42 INTERACTING PROTEIN OF 41 kDa) is the Arabidopsis thaliana orthologue of proteins isolated in mammals and yeast that participate in the Target‐of‐Rapamycin (TOR) pathway, which modifies cell growth in response to nutrient status and environmental conditions. Here, we characterized the function of TIP41 in Arabidopsis. Expression analyses showed that TIP41 is constitutively expressed in vascular tissues, and is induced following long‐term exposure to NaCl, polyethylene glycol and abscisic acid (ABA), suggesting a role of TIP41 in adaptation to abiotic stress. Visualization of a fusion protein with yellow fluorescent protein indicated that TIP41 is localized in the cytoplasm and the nucleus. Abolished expression of TIP41 results in smaller plants with a lower number of rosette leaves and lateral roots, and an increased sensitivity to treatments with chemical TOR inhibitors, indicating that TOR signalling is affected in these mutants. In addition, tip41 mutants are hypersensitive to ABA at germination and seedling stage, whereas over‐expressing plants show higher tolerance. Several TOR‐ and ABA‐responsive genes are differentially expressed in tip41, including iron homeostasis, senescence and ethylene‐associated genes. In yeast and mammals, TIP41 provides a link between the TOR pathway and the protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A), which in plants participates in several ABA‐mediated mechanisms. Here, we showed an interaction of TIP41 with the catalytic subunit of PP2A. Taken together, these results offer important insights into the function of Arabidopsis TIP41 in the modulation of plant growth and ABA responses.
Response to comment on “Synovial fibroblast-neutrophil interactions promote pathogenic adaptive immunity in rheumatoid arthritis”
Authors: Carmona-Rivera Carmelo , Bicker Kevin L. , Thompson Paul R. , Buckner Jane H. , Robinson William H. , Fox David A. , Kaplan Mariana J.
Published: March 2018

The citrullinome cargo in neutrophil extracellular traps varies according to disease condition and stimulation conditions.
Tomatidine Is a Lead Antibiotic Molecule That Targets Staphylococcus aureus ATP Synthase Subunit C
Authors: Lamontagne Boulet Maxime , Isabelle Charles , Guay Isabelle , Brouillette Eric , Langlois Jean-Philippe , Jacques Pierre-Étienne , Rodrigue Sébastien , Brzezinski Ryszard , Beauregard Pascale B. , Bouarab Kamal , Boyapelly Kumaraswamy , Boudreault Pierre-Luc , Marsault Éric , Malouin François
Published: March 2018

Methicillin-resistant
Staphylococcus aureus
(MRSA) is a leading cause of deadly hospital-acquired infections. The discovery of anti-
Staphylococcus
antibiotics and new classes of drugs not susceptible to the mechanisms of resistance shared among bacteria is imperative. We recently showed that tomatidine (TO), a steroidal alkaloid from solanaceous plants, possesses potent antibacterial activity against
S. aureus
small-colony variants (SCVs), the notoriously persistent form of this bacterium that has been associated with recurrence of infections. Here, using genomic analysis of
in vitro
-generated TO-resistant
S. aureus
strains to identify mutations in genes involved in resistance, we identified the bacterial ATP synthase as the cellular target. Sequence alignments were performed to highlight the modified sequences, and the structural consequences of the mutations were evaluated in structural models. Overexpression of the
atpE
gene in
S. aureus
SCVs or introducing the mutation found in the
atpE
gene of one of the high-level TO-resistant
S. aureus
mutants into the
Bacillus subtilis atpE
gene provided resistance to TO and further validated the identity of the cellular target. FC04-100, a TO derivative which also possesses activity against non-SCV strains, prevents high-level resistance development in prototypic strains and limits the level of resistance observed in SCVs. An ATP synthesis assay allowed the observation of a correlation between antibiotic potency and ATP synthase inhibition. The selectivity index (inhibition of ATP production by mitochondria versus that of bacterial ATP synthase) is estimated to be >10
5
-fold for FC04-100.