bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The importance of chemical, visual and behavioral cues of predators on the antipredatory behavior of birds
Authors: Saavedra Irene , Amo Luisa
Published: May 2020

Nesting mortality in birds is caused primarily by predation. The ability to use different predator cues to assess the level of predation risk could be essential to minimize the predation risk during the breeding period. Previous studies show that birds modified their parental behavior when they detected chemical or visual cues of predators in the surrounding of the nest. However, according to the threat sensitivity hypothesis, birds may use more than one predator cue in order to accurately assess the level of predation risk. In this assessment, the behavior of predators can provide important information to evaluate the motivation of the predator to launch an attack. However, there are no studies that examined the importance of chemical, visual and behavioral cues of predators on the antipredatory behavior of birds. We examined the antipredatory behavior of blue tit Cyanistes caeruleus parents when they were exposed to live predators or stuffed models of predators that also had predator chemical cues. Blue tits were able to detect the behavioral cues of predators and exhibited greater antipredatory behaviors when exposed to a live predator than to a stuffed model with chemical cues. The results suggest that birds use the chemical, visual and behavioral cues of the predators to assess the level of predation risk and adjust their antipredatory behavior accordingly.
Impact of brood parasitism and predation on nest survival of the fan‐tailed gerygone in New Caledonia
Authors: Attisano Alfredo , Groß Lara B. , Sato Nozomu J. , Okahisa Yuji , Tanaka Keita D. , Gula Roman , Ueda Keisuke , Theuerkauf Jörn
Published: May 2020

Predation and brood parasitism are common reasons for nesting failure in passerine species and the additive impact by invasive species is a major conservation concern, particularly on tropical islands. Recognising the relative contribution of the different components of nesting failure rates is important to understand co‐evolutionary interactions within brood parasite–host systems. In the remote archipelago of New Caledonia, the fan‐tailed gerygoneGerygone flavolateralisis the exclusive host of the brood‐parasitic shining bronze‐cuckooChalcites lucidus. Additionally, invasive rodents also possibly have an impact on breeding success. To estimate the impact of potential nest predators, we 1) video monitored nests to identify predators, 2) estimated the probability of predation based on nest visibility and predator abundance and 3) tested the possibility that the location of experimental nests and lack of odour cues decrease the predation by rodents. In addition, we estimated nest survival rates using data collected in different habitats over the course of eight breeding seasons. Nesting success of fan‐tailed gerygones was relatively low and predation was the main cause of nesting failure. We recorded mainly predation by native birds, including the shining bronze‐cuckoo, whereas predation by rats was rare. In open habitats predation by cuckoos was much lower than predation by other avian predators. Neither predator activity around nests nor nest visibility influenced the probability of predation. Experimental nests in more accessible locations and containing an odorous bait were more exposed to rodent predation. Apparently, the fan‐tailed gerygone has either never been specifically vulnerable to predation by rats or has developed anti‐predator adaptations.
Simulated Power and the Power of Simulations: The European Union in the Dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia
Authors: Gashi Krenar
Published: May 2020

This article offers a poststructuralist analysis of the role of the European Union (EU) in the dialogue between Kosovo and Serbia by employing the works of Jean Baudrillard. Drawing from the content and discourse analysis of texts – policy documents, speeches, statements – as well as 14 interviews conducted in Kosovo, Serbia and the EU, the article is framed to explore how the EU assert power in this dialogue. It suggests that the EU simulates its power, firstly by denying its own role in the process and secondly by exaggerating the European future for Kosovo and Serbia. Observing how the dialogue produced ambiguities in which meanings are relativized, the article suggests that Baudrillard's framework can be useful in understanding and problematizing certain aspects of the nature of EU's power and its effects.
Oral health and gastrointestinal cancer: A nationwide cohort study
Authors: Lee Kijeong , Lee Ji Sung , Kim Jinkwon , Lee Huisong , Chang Yoonkyung , Woo Ho Geol , Kim Jin‐Woo , Song Tae‐Jin
Published: May 2020

Aims

Poor oral hygiene is closely associated with bacteraemia and systemic inflammation, which are known mediators of cancer development. We investigated the relationship between oral hygiene indicators and the risk of gastrointestinal cancer in a nationwide population‐based cohort.

Materials and Methods

This study was conducted on data from 150,774 subjects from the Korean National Health Screening Cohort. The occurrence of gastrointestinal cancer was analysed according to the presence of periodontal disease and oral hygiene indicators: frequency of toothbrushing, dental visits for any reason, professional dental cleanings and number of missing teeth. Gastrointestinal cancer was defined using International Statistical Classification of Diseases‐10 codes C15–C26.

Results

During a median 11.6 years of follow‐up, the estimated 10‐year event rate for gastrointestinal cancer was 6.76%. In a multivariable analysis, after adjusting for age, sex, income level, regular exercise, alcohol consumption, smoking status, body mass index, history of comorbidities, systolic blood pressure and laboratory findings, frequent toothbrushing (≥3/day) was significantly associated with a reduced risk for gastrointestinal cancer (hazard ratio: 0.91, 95% confidence interval (0.86–0.96), p < .001, p for trend < .001).

Conclusions

Good oral hygiene behaviour, especially frequent toothbrushing, could be associated with a lower risk of gastrointestinal cancer.
Does asymmetric information always help entry deterrence? Can it increase welfare?
Authors: Pires Cesaltina Pacheco , Catalão‐Lopes Margarida
Published: May 2020

This paper compares the scenarios of complete and incomplete information in a general model where the incumbent can make a capital investment to deter entry. We show that the informational structure can make an unexpected difference in terms of entry deterrence and efficiency. Although asymmetric information encourages entry deterrence behavior, in some cases it decreases the probability of this behavior inducing no entry and thus promotes competition. In other cases, asymmetric information induces less entry but may lead to higher welfare.
Enzymatic synthesis of prebiotic carbohydrates from lactose: Kinetics and optimization of transgalactosylation activity of β‐galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae
Authors: Cinar Kadir , Gunes Gurbuz , Gulec Haci Ali
Published: May 2020

The aim of the study was to analyze galactooligosaccharide (GOS) synthesis catalyzed by β‐galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae by applying experimental data to optimization and kinetic parameter estimation methods. The apparent kinetic parameters were determined in varying initial lactose concentrations by using six‐step, 11‐parameter GOS synthesis mechanism. The results revealed that GOS yield was mainly dependent on initial lactose concentration; on the other hand, all of the reaction parameters affected the required time to achieve maximum GOS yield (TMGY) significantly. The values of 32 °Brix, 36.8°C, and 8.32 U/g lactose solution were determined as the optimum reaction experimental set which offers 26.73% GOS yield and 369.82 min TMGY. The increased enzyme‐galactose complex dissociation ratio (k3/k−3) with decreasing initial lactose concentration resulted to low GOS productivity although GOS production/GOS dissociation rate ratio (k4/k−4) increased with decreasing initial lactose concentration. This result signified that hydrolysis characteristics dominated the reaction medium at low initial lactose concentration. The role of monosaccharide inhibition became important on GOS synthesis for increasing initial lactose concentration.

Practical Applications

The proposed study deals with investigation of the effects of initial lactose concentration, enzyme concentration, and temperature on enzymatic synthesis of galactoligosaccharide (GOS) from lactose by β‐galactosidase from Aspergillus oryzae (βgAO) and estimation of apparent kinetic rate constants of the reaction which is important to design of futuristic strategies improving the GOS yield. Low GOS yield is the main concern of the prebiotic food industry due to thermodynamic and kinetic realities of the reaction. Deeper evaluation of the reaction mechanism will contribute valuable data to the partners in the scope of designing more productive engineering methods.
Low temperature and high velocity assisted fluidized bed drying characteristics of bee pollen as bioactive food
Authors: Kilic Aydin
Published: May 2020

This study reveals the low temperature high velocity (LTHV) assisted fluidized bed drying can preserve to the bioactive components of bee pollen. LTHV assisted fluidized bed drying characteristics of bee pollen. For this purpose, 100 g of the raw bee pollen samples are used to the investigation of drying characteristics at 4, 10, 24, and 40°C, ~40–50 humidity (%) and 6 m/s air velocity. In this regard, moisture loss, dimensionless mass loss, equilibrium moisture content, drying rate, drying time, mass shrinkage, some product characteristics, and sensory quality characteristic were investigated. Finally, the best drying air temperature was selected as 10°C because the bee pollen samples had the best drying performance and sensory quality scores. LTHV assisted fluidized bed drying can be used for bioactive bee pollen drying.

Practical applications

The LTHV assisted fluidized bed drying is a new drying application that preserve to the sensitive food and bioactive food component. This method is usable for sensitive drying applications as medical and bioactive product production applications for the highest quality and safety production.
Targeted delivery of mitochondria to the liver in rats
Authors: Liu Xiaocong , Khouri‐Farah Nagham , Wu Catherine H. , Wu George Y.
Published: May 2020

Background and Aim

Mitochondrial damage is commonly involved in liver injury. We have previously shown that normal mitochondria can be coated with a carrier protein to form complexes that are specifically taken up by liver cells in culture. The aim of the current study was to determine whether mitochondrial complexes could be specifically delivered to the livers of living rats by intravenous injection.

Methods

Mitochondria were harvested from fresh mouse liver, mixed with an asialoglycoprotein‐based carrier, asialoorosomucoid‐polylysine (AsOR‐PL), and purified to form complexes. To facilitate the release of internalized mitochondria from endosomes, an endosomolytic peptide, listeriolysin O (LLO), was coupled to AsOR to form AsOR‐LLO. Mitochondria alone, mitochondrial complexes with AsOR‐PL, and mitochondrial complexes plus AsOR‐LLO conjugate all containing the same number of mitochondria were injected intravenously. Animals were killed, and organs were removed and analyzed by quantitative polymerase chain reaction of mouse mitochondrial DNA, electron microscopy (EM), and in situ polymerase chain reaction and hybridization followed by immunohistochemical analyses.

Results

Calculations revealed that approximately 27% of the total injected mitochondria was detected in the liver, while less than 2% was found in spleen, and < 1% in lungs. Immunohistochemistry showed that mouse mitochondrial DNA staining was minimal with mitochondrial complexes alone, strong periportal with mitochondrial complexes co‐injected with AsOR‐LLO, and absent with mitochondria alone.

Conclusions

Targetable mitochondrial complexes can be delivered to rat liver, and the efficiency of that process is greatly enhanced by co‐injection of a targetable endosomal release agent, AsOR‐LLO.
Butyrospermum parkii butter increased the photostability and in vivo SPF of a molded sunscreen system
Authors: Sarruf Fernanda D. , Sauce Rafael , Candido Thalita M. , Oliveira Camila A. , Rosado Catarina , Velasco Maria V. R. , Baby André R.
Published: May 2020

Background

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation exposure is related to skin and lip tumors. Therefore, the development of photoprotective lipstick formulations is of utmost importance.

Aims

Considering the biological properties of Shea butter (Butyrospermum parkii), we assessed its potential as an adjuvant in a molded lipstick sunscreen system by in vivo tests and photostability.

Patients/Methods

Shea butter was used in a photoprotective lipstick formulation at two different concentrations (10.0% and 15.0% w/w) associated with ethylhexyl methoxycinnamate (EHM) and titanium dioxide. Skin compatibility was assessed in vivo. The in vivo SPF value was determined according to the current recognized method. Additionally, the photostability of EHM was determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography.

Results

By the cutaneous compatibility, the product presented no interference with skin barrier and no adverse reactions, thus proving its safety. The in vivo SPF assay showed that the highest concentration of Shea butter increased the in vivo SPF value of the sample by 35%, demonstrating it to be a booster in photoprotective lipstick formulations. Also, Shea butter was proved to enhance the photostability of EHM, a commonly used UVB filter available in several countries.

Conclusion

Shea butter increased the photostability and in vivo SPF of a molded lipstick sunscreen.
Prospective and randomized comparative study of calcium hydroxylapatite vs calcium hydroxylapatite plus HIFU in treatment of moderate‐to‐severe acne scars
Authors: Antonino Araco , Francesco Araco
Published: May 2020

Background

Acne scars are the most common sequelae of the severe inflammatory process of acne, and its managing is a challenge. Objective of this study was to assess safety and effectiveness of calcium hydroxylapatite monotherapy and its association with high‐intensity microfocused ultrasound for treating moderate‐to‐severe atrophic acne scars.

Methods

Women with moderate‐to‐severe atrophic scars of the face were enrolled on the study. Assessments were made by digital macrophotographs, Vectra H2, and Antera 3D.

Results

From October to December 2019, twenty women which fitted the inclusion criteria signed a consent form and received 3.0 mL of calcium hydroxylapatite and after 4 weeks, 400 lines of HIFU. No major side effects were reported during the study, and all patients completed the follow‐up after 6 months. At 1 month, patients treated with calcium hydroxylapatite (group 1) improved wrinkles and skin texture compared to placebo (group 2). At 3 and 6 months, all patients improved acne scars.

Conclusion

Our study showed that that both calcium hydroxylapatite and HIFU in monotherapy were safe and effective treatments for atrophic scar acne. Calcium hydroxylapatite was clinically effective when compared with placebo, though the combination of calcium hydroxylapatite and HIFU did not enhance the clinical efficacy compared to monotherapy.
Use of oral anticoagulants after ischaemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation and cancer
Authors: Atterman A. , Asplund K. , Friberg L. , Engdahl J.
Published: May 2020

Background and objectives

The use of oral anticoagulants (OACs) amongst patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) has increased in the last decade. We aimed to describe temporal trends in the utilization of OACs for secondary prevention after ischaemic stroke amongst patients with AF and active cancer.

Methods

This is a cross‐sectional and cohort study of patients with active cancer (n = 1518) and without cancer (n = 50 953) in the Swedish national register Riksstroke, including all patients with ischaemic stroke between 1 July 2005 and 30 December 2017, discharged with AF. Prescription and dispensation before and after the introduction of nonvitamin K OACs (NOACs) in late 2011 were compared. We used logistic and Cox regression to analyse associations with OAC use, adjusting for hospital clustering and the competing risk of death.

Results

The proportion of cancer patients with AF prescribed OACs at discharge after ischaemic stroke increased by 40.2% after 2011, compared with 69.3% in noncancer patients during the same period. Stroke and bleeding risk scores remained similar between patients with and without cancer. OAC dispensation during the following year did not increase as much in cancer patients (43.8% to 64.5%) as that in noncancer patients (46.0% to 74.9%), and the median time to OAC dispensation or censoring was significantly longer in cancer patients (94 vs. 30 days).

Conclusion

OAC treatment in poststroke patients with AF and active cancer has increased after the introduction of NOACs. However, the growing treatment gap in these patients compared to that in noncancer patients raises the possibility of underutilization.
How School Contexts Shape the Relations Among Adolescents’ Beliefs, Peer Victimization, and Depressive Symptoms
Authors: Kaufman Tessa M. L. , Lee Hae Yeon , Benner Aprile D. , Yeager David S.
Published: May 2020

The present research examined how school contexts shape the extent to which beliefs about the potential for change (implicit theories) interact with social adversity to predict depressive symptoms. A preregistered multilevel regression analysis using data from 6,237 ninth‐grade adolescents in 25 U.S. high schools showed a three‐way interaction: Implicit theories moderated the associations between victimization and depressive symptoms only in schools with high levels of school‐level victimization, but not in schools with low victimization levels. In high‐victimization schools, adolescents who believed that people cannot change (an entity theory of personality) were more depressed when they were victimized more frequently. Thus, the mental health correlates of adolescents’ implicit theories depend on both personal experiences and the norms in the context.
Crime highways: The effect of motorway expansion on burglary rates
Authors: Agnew Kerri
Published: May 2020

Burglars can exploit a high‐quality road network to transport stolen goods quickly. To study the effect of motorway connections on burglary rates, spatial variation in connectivity to the motorway network and the timing of new connections are exploited using an annual panel of 562 policing Sub Districts in Ireland during 2004–2015. On average, burglary rates rise by 10% in the year of motorway connection. This paper shows for the first time that major road construction affects the spatial distribution of crime.
Ruminal degradation and estimated energy and protein values for ruminants of Durum wheat varieties grown in three locations
Authors: Krieg Jochen , Titze Natascha , Steingass Herbert , Friedrich H. Longin C. , Rodehutscord Markus
Published: May 2020

Durum wheat is mainly used in pasta production, but may also be used as animal feed, for example as concentrate for dairy cows. Data on the ruminal degradation of Durum grains are scarce. Hence, the objective of the present study was to describe ruminal in situ crude protein (CP) and starch (ST) degradation, to investigate in vitro gas production kinetics, and to estimate utilisable CP at the duodenum (uCP) in vitro of five Durum varieties from three growing locations. Metabolisable energy (ME) and digestibility of organic matter (dOM) were also estimated using in vitro data. In situ incubations were conducted in three lactating jersey cows over defined timespans from 1 to 72 hr. Ruminal degradation parameters were estimated using exponential regression, and effective ruminal degradation was predicted for a ruminal passage rate of 8%/hr (ED8). In situ CP (a = 11%–19%; b = 80%–88%; c = 23%–33%/hr) and ST (a = 22%–39%; b = 60%–78%; c = 61%–123%/hr) degradation kinetics varied among samples and were influenced by location. Some samples showed a remarkably high ST degradation rate of up to 123%/h, which can significantly influence rumen pH and health when high amounts are incorporated into dairy rations. However, the ED of CP (77%–82%) and ST (91%–95%), and the in vitro estimates of ME (13.6–14.1 MJ/kg DM), dOM (92%–96%), and uCP (183–195 k/g DM) varied within a relatively small range. Hence, it may be adequate to use the mean values of these Durum grain characteristics when rations for ruminants are calculated and a differentiation depending on variety and location may not be necessary.
From a Spouse to a Citizen: The Gendered and Sexualized Path to Citizenship for Marriage Migrants in South Korea
Authors: Kim Nora Hui-Jung , Kim Hyemee
Published: May 2020

Morality has been a key factor in naturalization. However, defining what constitutes good moral character has never been specified, leaving interpretation of the good moral character requirement to the discretion of immigration officials and judges. Based on an analysis of court cases filed by marriage migrants, this article expands our understanding of the legal interpretation of the “good morality” requirement in two significant ways. First, by examining the nature of the morality requirements applied to marriage migrants applying for citizenship, we identify that controlling sexual morality is one of the key mechanisms of gendering the path to legal citizenship. Second, our analysis questions the fairness of the judicial rulings and shows that judges are not reliable allies for immigrant spouses. South Korean judges tend to show great deference to the administrative branch and rarely rule against the decisions of the immigration officials. Further, the rulings tend to follow cultural and gendered, rather than legal, understanding of “good” wives and husbands. Ultimately, in the case of South Korea we show that that marriage migrant moral jurisprudence deviates from the developing jurisprudence that decriminalizes intimate choices and challenges the traditional gender roles within a family.
International Criminal Accountability and the Domestic Politics of Resistance: Case Studies from Kenya and Lebanon
Authors: Hillebrecht Courtney
Published: May 2020

Contemporary international criminal law suggests that head of state immunity does not extend to atrocity crimes, but the executive's office continues to be the safest place for suspected perpetrators. Moreover, indicted suspects can use the threat of international accountability to win democratically contested elections. This article asks how suspects and their surrogates translate an indictment from an international criminal tribunal into an electoral victory and suggests that the path between an indictment and electoral victory unfolds in one of two ways: (1) the consolidation of existing coalitions around the indicted suspects and their allies; or (2) the creation of new coalitions that span existing cleavages. The article evaluates these assumptions through two cases: Lebanon and the Special Tribunal for Lebanon and Kenya and the International Criminal Court. These two decidedly different cases exemplify the ways in which coalitional politics shield suspects international accountability and reward them with high office.
The Power of Second-Order Legal Consciousness: Authorities’ Perceptions of “Street Policy” and Welfare Fraud Enforcement
Authors: Headworth Spencer
Published: May 2020

Legal authorities’ second-order legal consciousness—their perceptions of others’ understandings of law—shapes the social realization of legal power. Analysis of interviews with welfare fraud enforcement workers from five US states reveals their perceptions of how clients view law, policy, and enforcement practices, and shows these perceptions’ consequences. Enforcement workers’ perceptions influence the discretionary work of policy implementation, as fraud workers attempt to circumvent what they see as clients’ evasive maneuvers and act in ways they believe will influence clients’ thinking and behavior. Fraud workers’ second-order legal consciousness can also influence welfare law, when their perceptions of clients’ understandings and behaviors drive changes in written rules. Together, these effects demonstrate the power of authorities’ second-order legal consciousness to affect both law in action and law in books. Through documenting the impact of authorities’ second-order legal consciousness, this study fills an important gap in social scientific knowledge of how ongoing, dynamic processes of assessing others’ thinking and responding accordingly shape law-infused environments.
Pre-emptive Constitution-Making: Authoritarian Constitutionalism and the Military in Myanmar
Authors: Crouch Melissa
Published: May 2020

Constitutions are an important feature of many authoritarian regimes. But what role do they in fact perform in processes of authoritarian regime stabilization and legitimation? Much of the contemporary literature focuses on authoritarian constitutionalism in transitions away from constitutional democracy. This article considers the opposite scenario: pre-emptive constitution-making as a mechanism of authoritarian constitutionalism to contain a potential transition toward constitutional democracy. This is illustrated through the case of Myanmar. Since the 1960s, Myanmar has experienced successive periods of direct military rule without a constitution, followed since 2011 by a new constitution. Adding to the comparative literature on constitutions in authoritarian regimes, this article explains how pre-emptive constitution-making limits a transition to liberal democracy and contributes to authoritarian-regime resilience. This article further identifies “military-state” constitutionalism as a variation of authoritarian constitutionalism in Myanmar. The case of Myanmar offers comparative insights into the ways constitutions are used to contain transitions to constitutional democracy and illustrates the varieties inherent in authoritarian constitutionalism.
Police Ambassadors: Student-Police Interactions in School and Legal Socialization
Authors: Kupchik Aaron , Curran F. Chris , Fisher Benjamin W. , Viano Samantha L.
Published: May 2020

The recent influx of police officers into US public schools has reshaped the context and frequency of children's interactions with police. Yet we know little about how the presence of these officers in schools impacts the legal socialization of students, and whether youth of color might be affected or socialized in different ways than white youth. In this study, we analyze data from interviews with school police officers as well as focus group data from school staff, parents, and students that shed light on how school police interact with youth. In particular, school police officers discussed their desire to build relationships with students that instill trust in police among students. Officers discussed their efforts to teach students that police should be trusted and relied on, and that negative views of policing and involvement with the justice system are the result of a negative news media and individual citizens' criminality, respectively. Importantly, officers discussed how they devote particular attention to imparting these lessons on youth of color and others who may see police in a negative light. We consider how these outreach efforts, what we call acting as police ambassadors, might have different impacts on youth of color compared to white youth, given existing racial disparities in interactions with police.
Different Ways of Losing: Public Defenders (and Private Counsel) at the Supreme Court of Argentina
Authors: González-Bertomeu Juan F.
Published: May 2020

Though most countries have established public defense systems to represent indigent defendants, this is far from implying their offices are in good shape. Indeed, significant variation likely exists in the systems' effectiveness, across societies and at the subnational level. Defense agencies' performance likely depends on their configuration, including their funding, their internal arrangements, and their selection and retention mechanisms. Centered on public defense in Argentina, this article compares the performance of public and retained counsel at the country's Supreme Court. Public defenders' offices received a boost in the last two decades, and are institutionally well positioned to square off against prosecutors, putting them at least on par with the averaged retained counsel. Using a fresh dataset of around 3000 appeal decisions from 2008 to 2013, the study largely tests representational capabilities by looking at whether counsel meets briefs' formal requirements, a subset of decisions particularly valuable to reduce potential biases. It finds that formal dismissals are significantly less frequent when a public defender is named in an appeal, particularly when a federal defender is involved. It also discusses and tests alternative mechanisms. The article's findings illuminate discussions of support structures for litigation, criminal justice reform, and criminal defendants' rights.
The PNPLA3‐I148M variant increases polyunsaturated triglycerides in human adipose tissue
Authors: Qadri Sami , Lallukka‐Brück Susanna , Luukkonen Panu K. , Zhou You , Gastaldelli Amalia , Orho‐Melander Marju , Sammalkorpi Henna , Juuti Anne , Penttilä Anne K. , Perttilä Julia , Hakkarainen Antti , Lehtimäki Tiina E. , Orešič Matej , Hyötyläinen Tuulia , Hodson Leanne , Olkkonen Vesa M. , Yki‐Järvinen Hannele
Published: May 2020

Background & Aims

The I148M variant in PNPLA3 is the major genetic risk factor for non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). The liver is enriched with polyunsaturated triglycerides (PUFA‐TGs) in PNPLA3‐I148M carriers. Gene expression data indicate that PNPLA3 is liver‐specific in humans, but whether it functions in adipose tissue (AT) is unknown. We investigated whether PNPLA3‐I148M modifies AT metabolism in human NAFLD.

Methods

Profiling of the AT lipidome and fasting serum non‐esterified fatty acid (NEFA) composition was conducted in 125 volunteers (PNPLA3148MM/MI, n = 63; PNPLA3148II, n = 62). AT fatty acid composition was determined in 50 volunteers homozygous for the variant (PNPLA3148MM, n = 25) or lacking the variant (PNPLA3148II, n = 25). Whole‐body insulin sensitivity of lipolysis was determined using [2H5]glycerol, and PNPLA3 mRNA and protein levels were measured in subcutaneous AT and liver biopsies in a subset of the volunteers.

Results

PUFA‐TGs were significantly increased in AT in carriers versus non‐carriers of PNPLA3‐I148M. The variant did not alter the rate of lipolysis or the composition of fasting serum NEFAs. PNPLA3 mRNA was 33‐fold higher in the liver than in AT (P < .0001). In contrast, PNPLA3 protein levels per tissue protein were three‐fold higher in AT than the liver (P < .0001) and nine‐fold higher when related to whole‐body AT and liver tissue masses (P < .0001).

Conclusions

Contrary to previous assumptions, PNPLA3 is highly abundant in AT. PNPLA3‐I148M locally remodels AT TGs to become polyunsaturated as it does in the liver, without affecting lipolysis or composition of serum NEFAs. Changes in AT metabolism do not contribute to NAFLD in PNPLA3‐I148M carriers.
Qarabawi’s Camel Charm: Tracing the meteoritic origins of a cultural artifact
Authors: Mayne Rhiannon G. , Corrigan Catherine M. , McCoy Timothy J. , Day James M. D. , Rose Timothy R.
Published: May 2020

Qarabawi’s Camel Charm was acquired from Abdullah Qarabawi of the Ababda tribe of eastern Egypt. The charm consists of a chain with four links and an ~6.5 cm diameter flattened disk with the Arabic inscription “Allahu Akbar,” which translates as “God is Greatest.” Belief in the evil eye is prevalent among the Ababda, even to the modern day, and as men identify camels and the cultural objects and activities related to them as one of their most important possessions, charms and amulets are often used to ward off its influence. Nondestructive analyses of the disk and metallographic examination of the distal link reveal a deformed medium octahedral pattern, confirming the meteoritic origin of the Camel Charm. Major, minor, and trace element compositions are consistent with classification as a IIIAB iron. Combined heating to modest temperatures (~600 °C) and cold working were used in the manufacture of the Camel Charm. Although compositionally similar to the Wabar IIIAB irons, chemical differences, the significant distance between Wabar and eastern Egypt, and the lack of established trade routes suggest that the Camel Charm source material was a meteorite unknown as an unworked specimen. This meteorite has been given the name Wadi El Gamal, the name of a National Park in the Ababda homelands.
A ketocarotenoid‐based colour polymorphism in the Sira poison frog Ranitomeya sirensis indicates novel gene interactions underlying aposematic signal variation
Authors: Twomey Evan , Johnson James D. , Castroviejo‐Fisher Santiago , Van Bocxlaer Ines
Published: May 2020

The accumulation of red ketocarotenoids is an important component of coloration in many organisms, but the underlying mechanisms are poorly understood. In some organisms, ketocarotenoids are sequestered from the diet and can accumulate when enzymes responsible for carotenoid breakdown are disrupted. In other organisms, ketocarotenoids are formed endogenously from dietary precursors via oxidation reactions carried out by carotenoid ketolase enzymes. Here, we study the genetic basis of carotenoid coloration in an amphibian. We demonstrate that a red/yellow polymorphism in the dendrobatid poison frog Ranitomeya sirensis is due to the presence/absence of ketocarotenoids. Using whole‐transcriptome sequencing of skins and livers, we found that a transcript encoding a cytochrome P450 enzyme (CYP3A80) is expressed 3.4‐fold higher in livers of red frogs versus yellow. As CYP3A enzymes are known carotenoid ketolases in other organisms, our results point to CYP3A80 as a strong candidate for a carotenoid ketolase in amphibians. Furthermore, in red frogs, the transcript encoding the carotenoid cleavage enzyme BCO2 is expressed at a low level or as a splice variant lacking key catalytic amino acids. This suggests that BCO2 function may be disrupted in red frogs, providing a mechanism whereby the accumulation of ketocarotenoids and their dietary precursors may be enhanced.
Galactomannan detection in bronchoalveolar lavage fluids: A diagnostic approach for fungus ball in patients with pulmonary tuberculosis?
Authors: Gheisari Maryam , Basharzad Niloofar , Yazdani Charati Jamshid , Mirenayat Maryam Sadat , Pourabdollah Mihan , Ansari Saham , Mortezaee Vida , Abastabar Mahdi , Jafarzadeh Jalal , Haghani Iman , Hedayati Mohammad T.
Published: May 2020

Background

Several previous studies have shown cavitary lung lesions in old pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) increase the risk of fungus ball. Detection of galactomannan (GM) in bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) is also proposed as a diagnostic approach for the fungus ball.

Objectives

We evaluated the diagnosis of fungus balls and GM levels in BAL samples in PTB patients.

Methods

A total of 110 PTB patients were evaluated for fungus ball during 2017‐2019. The patients were evaluated for radiological, histopathological results and mycological findings of BAL including GM detection and culture. The sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative predictive value for GM test were calculated. The optimal cut‐off for BAL GM testing was determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC).

Results

Of 110 PTB patients, nine (8.18%) showed fungus ball, all with old PTB. The molecularly confirmed Aspergillus species were A. flavus, A. fumigatus and A. ochraceus. The sensitivity and specificity of BAL GM ≥ 0.5 in old PTB patients with fungus ball were 100%, 41.5%, respectively. The statistical analysis of the mean ± SEM of BAL GM levels was demonstrated a higher levels of GM in patients with fungus ball/aspergilloma compared to old PTB patients without fungus ball/aspergilloma. The optimal cut‐off value for BAL GM was determined as 0.50 by ROC curve analysis.

Conclusion

According to our results, we can recommend the detection of GM in BAL samples as a diagnostic approach for fungus ball in PTB patients.
Seeing the forest not just for its trees: exotic pathogens shift forest communities aboveground and belowground
Authors: Sapsford Sarah J. , Waller Lauren P.
Published: May 2020

This article is a Commentary on Domínguez‐Begines et al. (2020), 227: 588–600.
Intensification of the global water cycle and evidence from ocean salinity: a synthesis review
Authors: Yu Lisan , Josey Simon A. , Bingham Frederick M. , Lee Tong
Published: May 2020

The ocean plays a dominant role in the global water cycle. It is the center of action for global evaporation and precipitation and supplies the moisture that falls as continental precipitation. It also acts to some extent as nature's rain gauge, as it tells us about the long‐term changes in the global water cycle through monitoring of the changes in ocean surface salinity. As climate warms, the global water cycle is expected to intensify as a result of the strong nonlinear dependence of water vapor pressure (moisture‐holding capacity) on temperature. Such change is of great concern, as it has profound socioeconomic impacts throughout the globe. Despite the evidence of an intensified global water cycle, two important questions remain: What is the pattern of the warming‐induced intensification of the water cycle? and What is the rate of intensification? Our article provides a synthesis review of recent progress in diagnosing and understanding the changes in both the global water cycle and ocean salinity in recent decades. Targeted numerical ocean model experiments are also reviewed to provide insights into the response of salinity to the changes in evaporation‐minus‐precipitation flux, meltwater runoff, and ocean warming.
Projected changes in flooding: a continental U.S. perspective
Authors: Villarini Gabriele , Zhang Wei
Published: May 2020

Our study focuses on the projected changes in annual and seasonal maximum daily runoff (used as a proxy for flooding) across the continental United States based on outputs from eight global climate models (GCMs) from the Sixth Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP6). Analyses performed at the regional scale indicate that the GCMs are generally able to reproduce the observed changes in runoff extremes, especially at the seasonal scale, with no single model that outperforms the others across the different seasons and regions. Overall, annual maximum daily runoff is projected to increase during the 21st century, especially in large areas of the southeastern United States and Pacific Northwest, and to decrease in the Rocky Mountains and the northern Great Plains. The largest changes in extremes are projected to be in winter and spring, with a more muted signal for summer and fall.
Is the early mixed dentition dental arch relationship related to the anteroposterior alignment of the maxillary segments in infants with CUCLP?
Authors: Baessa Gleisieli Carla Petelinkar , Ozawa Terumi O. , Garib Daniela , Lauris Rita de Cássia Moura Carvalho , Almeida Araci Malagodi de , Pegoraro‐Krook Maria Inês , Dutka Jeniffer de Cassia Rillo , Gregorio Leonardo Vieira Lima , Sathler Renata
Published: May 2020

Objective

Midface retrusion is a concern in patients with complete unilateral cleft lip and palate (CUCLP). Maxillary segment alignment may influence the prognosis after corrective surgery. This study assessed the association between maxillary segment alignment and interarch relationship observed in the early mixed dentition. The null hypothesis was that there is no relation between the initial alignment of cleft segments and the width of the cleft in the infant, and the early mixed dentition interarch relationship.

Setting and Sample Population

The sample consists of 352 children with CUCLP treated at the Hospital for Rehabilitation of Craniofacial Anomalies/USP.

Material And Methods

Dental models were obtained before lip repair at three months and at the age of six. Based on the first, the sample was then divided into two groups: anteroposterior aligned and anteroposterior misaligned maxillary segments. They were also divided into 4 groups according to the cleft width (Narrow, Medium, Wide and Very Wide). Interarch relationship was graded using the 5‐year‐old index. The statistical association was evaluated using the chi‐squared test (P < .05).

Results

Cleft width was inversely related to interarch relationship in the early mixed dentition phase. Interarch relationship at the age of six was more favourable in children with misaligned maxillary segments than in children with aligned segments (P = .048).

Conclusion

Five‐year interarch relationship in patients with CUCLP is related to the anteroposterior relationship of infant maxillary segments and initial cleft width before primary surgeries. Wide alveolar clefts and sagittally aligned maxillary segments showed a worse interarch relationship in the early mixed dentition.
Delayed maturation and reduced crown width of the permanent first mandibular molar in all subgroups of cleft lip and palate
Authors: Hermann Nuno V. , Darvann Tron A. , Kreiborg Sven
Published: May 2020

Objectives

Surgical closure of the cleft damages nerves and blood supply in the area and may possibly negatively influence dental development in children with cleft lip and palate (CLP). Previous studies of the permanent first mandibular molar (M1inf) in children with unilateral complete CLP found delayed maturation and decreased follicle/crown width before any surgical interventions. This study aimed to investigate if these findings are representative for the total population of individuals born with CLP.

Setting and sample population

A population‐based consecutive longitudinal sample of 224 children with clefts: 183 with CLP (66 with complete [47 unilateral, 19 bilateral], 117 with incomplete [70 unilateral, 47 bilateral], and 41 with unilateral incomplete cleft lip (controls), was examined pre‐ and post‐lip closure (at 2 and 22 months of age).

Material and methods

In lateral cephalometric X‐rays (obtained as part of a standard treatment protocol), M1inf follicle maturation and follicle/crown width were assessed. Mantel‐Haenszel test and Pearson's correlation coefficient R were used to describe relationships. Differences between group means were tested using Wilcoxon rank sum test. Significance level was set to 5%.

Results

Follicle maturation was significantly delayed in all groups with CLP compared to that in controls (P < .01). Follicle and crown width were significantly reduced in all CLP groups compared with those in controls (P < .01). Sex did not influence these variables.

Conclusion

Delayed follicle maturation and decreased follicle/crown/tooth size were found to be part of the congenital traits characterizing individuals with all types of CLP and not a result of surgical iatrogenesis.
Live fast, die old: oxidative stress as a potential mediator of an unexpected life‐history evolution
Authors: Tüzün Nedim , De Block Marjan , Stoks Robby
Published: May 2020

Intraspecific latitudinal patterns in life history are well documented, yet underlying mechanisms of such patterns are poorly understood. To advance our insights in the evolution of latitudinal differences in two key traits, growth rate and lifespan, we evaluated the potential costs of rapid growth in terms of reduced adult lifespan, and the mediatory role of oxidative stress. We studied latitudinal differentiation in routine and experimentally increased (compensatory) larval growth rates, and in adult lifespan under common garden conditions in low‐ and high‐latitude populations of the damselfly Ischnura elegans. The low‐latitude populations showed not only higher routine growth rates but also a stronger compensatory growth response after a transient food shortage compared to the high‐latitude populations. In contrast with a tradeoff scenario, adults of the faster growing low‐latitude populations lived longer, had higher levels of antioxidant enzymes, and tended to experience lower oxidative damage. Importantly, these latitudinal patterns were largely mirrored at the treatment level, where experimentally induced compensatory growth rates were associated with neither oxidative damage nor shorter adult lifespans. Moreover, individuals with a higher growth rate after the transient food shortage did not have shorter adult lifespans or higher oxidative damage, but instead showed a stronger antioxidant defense. Our data indicate that an overcompensatory, hormetic response in antioxidant defense, potentially induced by the higher routine growth rates, resulting in less oxidative damage may underlie these unexpected growth‐lifespan patterns. Our results highlight the added value of incorporating oxidative stress physiology, and the need to consider multivariate tradeoffs in which animals optimize multiple traits, when studying life‐history evolution.
Temporal scale‐dependence of plant–pollinator networks
Authors: Schwarz Benjamin , Vázquez Diego P. , CaraDonna Paul J. , Knight Tiffany M. , Benadi Gita , Dormann Carsten F. , Gauzens Benoit , Motivans Elena , Resasco Julian , Blüthgen Nico , Burkle Laura A. , Fang Qiang , Kaiser‐Bunbury Christopher N. , Alarcón Ruben , Bain Justin A. , Chacoff Natacha P. , Huang Shuang‐Quan , LeBuhn Gretchen , MacLeod Molly , Petanidou Theodora , Rasmussen Claus , Simanonok Michael P. , Thompson Amibeth H. , Fründ Jochen
Published: May 2020

The study of mutualistic interaction networks has led to valuable insights into ecological and evolutionary processes. However, our understanding of network structure may depend upon the temporal scale at which we sample and analyze network data. To date, we lack a comprehensive assessment of the temporal scale‐dependence of network structure across a wide range of temporal scales and geographic locations. If network structure is temporally scale‐dependent, networks constructed over different temporal scales may provide very different perspectives on the structure and composition of species interactions. Furthermore, it remains unclear how various factors – including species richness, species turnover, link rewiring and sampling effort – act in concert to shape network structure across different temporal scales. To address these issues, we used a large database of temporally‐resolved plant–pollinator networks to investigate how temporal aggregation from the scale of one day to multiple years influences network structure. In addition, we used structural equation modeling to explore the direct and indirect effects of temporal scale, species richness, species turnover, link rewiring and sampling effort on network structural properties. We find that plant–pollinator network structure is strongly temporally‐scale dependent. This general pattern arises because the temporal scale determines the degree to which temporal dynamics (i.e. phenological turnover of species and links) are included in the network, in addition to how much sampling effort is put into constructing the network. Ultimately, the temporal scale‐dependence of our plant–pollinator networks appears to be mostly driven by species richness, which increases with sampling effort, and species turnover, which increases with temporal extent. In other words, after accounting for variation in species richness, network structure is increasingly shaped by its underlying temporal dynamics. Our results suggest that considering multiple temporal scales may be necessary to fully appreciate the causes and consequences of interaction network structure.