bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Loss of AKR1C1 is a good prognostic factor in advanced NPC cases and increases chemosensitivity to cisplatin in NPC cells
Authors: Zhou Chen , Shen Guowen , Yang Fan , Duan Jingling , Wu Zhen , Yang Mingqing , Liu Yi , Du Xueli , Zhang Xiaoling , Xiao Shengjun 
Published: April 2020

AbstractCisplatin resistance is one of the main obstacles in the treatment of advanced nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). AKR1C1 is a member of the Aldo‐keto reductase superfamily (AKRs), which converts aldehydes and ketones to their corresponding alcohols and has been reported to be involved in chemotherapeutic resistance of multiple drugs. The expression and function of AKR1C1 in NPC have not been reported until now. The aim of this research was to investigate the expression of AKR1C1 and it is role in cisplatin resistance in NPC. AKR1C1 protein expression was detected by immunohistochemistry in human NPC tissues and by Western blot assays in NPC and immortalized nasopharyngeal epithelial cells. The effects of AKR1C1 knock‐down by siRNA on proliferation, migration and invasion in NPC cells were evaluated by CCK8, wound healing and transwell assays. To evaluate the effects of AKR1C1 silencing on cisplatin sensitivity in NPC cells, CCK8 assays were used to detect cell proliferation, flow cytometry was used to detect cell cycle distribution, and flow cytometry and DAPI staining were used to detect cell apoptosis. AKR1C1 down‐regulation was associated with advanced clinicopathological characters such as larger tumor size, more lymphatic nodes involvement, with metastasis and later clinical stages, while AKR1C1 down‐regulation was a good prognostic factor for overall survival (OS) in NPC patients. In vitro study showed that AKR1C1 was not directly involved in the malignant biological behaviours such as proliferation, cell cycle progression and migration of NPC cells, whereas AKR1C1 knock‐down could enhance cisplatin sensitivity of NPC cells. These results suggest that AKR1C1 is a potential marker for predicting cisplatin response and could serve as a molecular target to increase cisplatin sensitivity in NPC.
Delusions of grandeur: Seed count is not a good fitness proxy under individual variation in phenology
Authors: Wen Lina , Simons Andrew M. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractThe concept of fitness is central to evolutionary biology, yet it is difficult to define and to measure. In plant biology, fitness is often measured as seed count. However, under an array of circumstances, seed count may be a biased proxy of fitness, for example when individuals vary in allocation to sexual versus asexual reproduction. A more subtle example, but also likely to be important in natural populations, is when interindividual variation in conditions during development results in variation in offspring quality among seed parents. In monocarpic (semelparous) plants, this is expected to result from variation in effective season length experienced among individuals that reach reproductive maturity at different times. Here, we manipulate growing season length to ask whether seed count is an accurate representation of parental fitness in the monocarpic herb Lobelia inflata. Simple seed count suggests a paradoxical fitness advantage under constrained‐season length. However, we find that the apparent fitness advantage of a constrained‐season length is overridden by low relative per‐seed fitness. Furthermore, the fitness deficit in the constrained environment is associated primarily with an accelerating decrease in viability and seedling survival in seeds derived from fruits produced progressively later in the season. In this study, the overall fitness value of a seed under a constrained season is 0.774 of that observed under a long season.
A province wide review of transition practices for young adult patients with type 1 diabetes
Authors: Williams Sarah , Shulman Rayzel , Allwood Newhook Leigh Anne , Power Heather , Guttmann Astrid , Smith Sharon , Knight John , Chafe Roger 
Published: April 2020

AbstractRationale, Aims, and ObjectivesMany studies on the transition from paediatric to adult care focus on practices within a single institution or program. We examine the transition for young adults with type 1 diabetes across an entire Canadian province with a small, mostly rural population and high rates of type 1 diabetes: Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). Our aim is to determine how transition is occurring across the jurisdiction and identify methods for improving clinical services for paediatric patients with a chronic condition during their move into adult care.MethodsA provincial diabetes database and hospital admission data were reviewed for a cohort of young adults with type 1 diabetes who transitioned into adult care. Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with paediatric and adult diabetes providers.ResultsBetween 2008 and 2013, 93 patients with type 1 diabetes transitioned into adult care. Rates of diabetes‐related hospitalizations increased from 15.6/100 person‐years in the 3 years before their 18th birthday to 16.7/100 person‐years in the three‐year period after. Between 2017 and 2019, 15 interviews were conducted across the province's four regional health authorities. Various models of transition care are being employed, reflecting staff and resource availability in different centres. While no formal transition program was identified in either region, some providers, particularly in rural areas, reported being comfortable with their current transition practices. Suggested improvements included more structured processes, shared educational resources, expanding the role played by primary care physicians, and a dedicated transfer clinic.ConclusionsWe found different approaches for transitioning patients with diabetes into adult care across NL. Yet this variation may not negatively impact patient outcomes, particularly in rural areas. The approach we employed of combining reviews of administration data with a detailed analysis of current processes could be employed in other jurisdictions to identify appropriate quality improvement initiatives.
Nanoferulic: From a by‐product of the beer industry toward the regeneration of the skin
Authors: Bucci Paula Lorena , Santos María Victoria , Montanari Jorge , Zaritzky Noemi 
Published: April 2020

AbstractBackgroundBrewers' spent grain (BSG) is one of the most abundant by‐products of the beer industry and causes serious environmental problems. Ferulic acid (FA) is an antioxidant with potential cosmeceutical applications. FA was extracted from BSG, developing a method of high extraction performance in order to be encapsulated in ultradeformable liposomes (Nanoferulic, NF).AimsTo obtain a product with high added value such as FA, from a residue currently underused, using simple and economical chemical methods. To load FA into a nanosystem designed for the topical route, its encapsulation has the purpose to take profit from its photoprotective, anti‐inflammatory, and antioxidant properties in the deep layers of the skin.MethodsFerulic acid was obtained from dried BSG using acid and basic treatments in series. NF was prepared by lipid film resuspension of a solution containing FA obtained from BSG. Size and Z‐potential were determined. Cytotoxicity was assessed in vitro. Skin penetration was assessed by NF determination at different skin depths and by confocal microscopy.ResultsThe yield of the extraction process was 0.43% on a dry basis. Encapsulation rendered liposomes of around 140 nm with 92% of encapsulation efficiency. No toxicity was observed in all the tested concentrations. Successful results were obtained from the regeneration studies.ConclusionsIt was possible to develop a nanosystem containing FA, generating a high‐value commercial input for the pharmaceutical and cosmeceutical industry. The use of BSG generated in industrial scale would help to reduce the volume of highly polluting waste.
Sterility and cost of gloves during Mohs micrographic surgery: Sterile or peril?
Authors: Wang Jordan V. , Murgia Robert D. , Jhawar Nikita , Rohrer Thomas , Saedi Nazanin 
Published: April 2020

AbstractIn recent years, the focus in the field of health care has shifted toward cost‐saving strategies without the sacrifice of patient safety and clinical outcomes. Therefore, we decided to look into the use of nonsterile gloves and sterile gloves during Mohs micrographic surgery. This practice varies widely between Mohs surgeons. However, studies have shown no differences in infection rates. Here, we review the pertinent studies and also combine the data to offer readers an overall financial analysis.
Labor force diversity and firm survival
Authors: Backman Mikaela , Kohlhase Janet E. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractWe analyze the influence that the diversity of individuals, both within a firm and in the region where the firm is located, has on firm survival. We estimate a hazard model using microdata for Swedish firms for the years 2002–2013. Results show that firm‐specific diversity in education, age, and gender are positively associated with firm survival. However, firm‐specific diversity by place of origin is negatively associated with firm survival. Yet the cultural diversity among the inhabitants in the region where the firm is located enhances firm survival. Magnitudes of the effects vary by region and industrial sector.
Quality appraisal of economic evaluations done on oral health preventive programs‐A systematic review
Authors: Mariño Rodrigo , Ravisankar Gayatri , Zaror Carlos 
Published: April 2020

AbstractObjectivesIf economic evaluations are to be used by decision makers, such evidence has to be robust so that the relevant policy maker use them. This study was undertaken with the purpose of identifying economic evaluations done on oral health preventive programs and to assess the standard of economic evidence in this field.MethodsA systematic search was conducted using four major electronic databases in order to search for economic evaluations done on oral health preventive programs. This included economic evaluations that were published between January 1975 and May 2018 on preventive interventions for periodontal disease, oral cancer screening, and other common oral health conditions. To avoid duplications with previous studies, for dental caries interventions, this review included studies from April 2012 and May 2018. “Guidance to undertaking reviews in health care,” developed by York University, was used to assess the quality of reporting in the evaluations, using which strengths and shortcomings were identified.ResultsA total of 2026 records were initially found. After title and abstract screening, and elimination by full text review, 33 relevant economic evaluations were identified. Majority of the economic evaluations included were conducted on dental caries prevention; a few were done on oral cancer screening, periodontal disease, and general preventive dentistry (health promotion, oral hygiene etc.).ConclusionsIn comparison to the findings observed in previous reviews, there has been improvements in the quality of reporting in economic evaluations. Several areas still in need for improve were identified (e.g., productivity costs, currency and prices, and generalizability issues).
Environment and evolutionary history depict phylogenetic alpha and beta diversity in the Atlantic coastal white‐sand woodlands
Authors: Massante Jhonny Capichoni , Gerhold Pille 
Published: April 2020

AbstractQuestionsHow do ecological and evolutionary processes affect the phylogenetic alpha and beta diversity of angiosperm tree assemblages in an evolutionarily young coastal environment?LocationCoastal vegetation of the Brazilian Atlantic Forest Domain (restingas), spanning 20° of latitude.MethodsWe calculated phylogenetic alpha and beta diversity at deep and shallow levels for angiosperm tree species in 136 circular sites of 10 km diameter (hereafter assemblages). The metrics we used for alpha diversity were the mean pairwise distance (MPD) and mean nearest taxon distance (MNTD), and mean pairwise distance separating species in two assemblages (Dpw) and mean nearest taxon distance separating species in two assemblages (Dnn) for beta diversity. We then investigated the relationship between phylogenetic diversity, historical (Quaternary) and current climatic variables, and edaphic conditions along the latitudinal gradient.ResultsWe found that MPD increased with precipitation and latitude. MNTD increased with modern‐day temperature, historical temperature instability and precipitation, and it was higher in more fertile and less saline soils. Dpw did not correlate either with geographic or environmental distances between assemblages. However, Dnn was strongly correlated with both geographic and environmental distances between assemblages.ConclusionsThe increase in MPD with precipitation and latitude suggests the presence of old Gondwanan lineages colonising restingas from refugia at higher latitudes. The increase in MNTD with modern‐day temperature, historical temperature instability, precipitation, and it being higher in more fertile and less saline soils indicates that the distance between phylogenetic closest relatives tends to increase in assemblages less affected by environmental filtering. Low Dpw suggests the presence of widespread lineages across restingas, whereas high Dnn may indicate niche conservatism and dispersal limitation of more derived lineages. Our results offer insights into how ecological and evolutionary processes act to shape current patterns of biodiversity in geologically young environments.
Background Characteristics and Oral Proficiency Development Over Time in Lower‐Division College Foreign Language Programs
Authors: Zhang Xiaowan , Winke Paula , Clark Shaunna 
Published: April 2020

AbstractAnswering calls to map college‐level proficiency development (Modern Language Association, 2007) and longitudinally chart language learning (Barkaoui, 2014; Ortega & Byrnes, 2008), we mapped the oral proficiency growth of 1,922 lower‐division college students of Chinese, French, Russian, and Spanish (in the second, third, or fourth semester of their programs), using the Oral Proficiency Interview–computer (OPIc). We recorded students’ gender, heritage‐learner status, high school language experience, interest in learning the target language, perceived importance of speaking, and outside‐of‐class second language (L2) contact, in order to differentiate growth. Latent growth curve analyses showed that learners’ oral proficiency progressed at an average rate of one sublevel per year on the scale of the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (2012), following a nonlinear developmental path that was mildly accelerating over time. Students’ proficiency development had a significant relationship with the language being learned, heritage‐learner status, high school language experience, interest in learning, and perceived importance of speaking. No unique effects were found for gender or out‐of‐class L2 contact.
Spatio‐temporal variability of benthic macroalgae in a coral reef system highly influenced by fluvial discharge: Veracruz, Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Horta‐Puga Guillermo , Tello‐Musi José Luis , Córdova Alejandro , Gutiérrez‐Carrillo Adriana , Gutiérrez-Martínez Jhoan , Morales‐Aranda Aura Aletse 
Published: April 2020

AbstractThe Veracruz Reef System, in the southern Gulf of Mexico, is a suitable area for the study of the temporal and spatial variability of macroalgae abundance, at reef settings influenced by the fluvial discharge of the Jamapa River, and by human activities in the city and port of Veracruz. With this purpose, the bottom cover of each morpho‐functional group of benthic macroalgae (frondoses, turf, and crustose corallines), and hermatypic corals, was determined at ten selected coral reefs, on a seasonal basis (rainy and dry seasons), for the 2009–2015 period. The average cover of benthic macroalgae was high (53.1%), with turf as the dominant morpho‐functional group (31.9%), as in several reef ecosystems in the tropical Atlantic, followed by crustose corallines (15.2%), and frondoses (6.1%). Although turf macroalgae is dominant, due to their high temporal and spatial variability, the Veracruz Reef System could not be considered to be in a stable state, but just in an intermediate unstable equilibrium state, which is highly influenced by a high sediment load. As expected, nearshore reefs presented higher macroalgae covers, and unexpectedly, the outer‐shelf reefs presented the highest cover of frondoses. Despite fluvial discharge influence, no differences in cover were found between the rainy and dry seasons. There was a negative and significantly correlation between the cover of frondoses and turf, which suggests that the driver/s of the abundance of these macroalgae, act in opposite ways for each group. Three clusters of reefs, defined by community structure and conservation degree, were determined: nearshore or degraded, offshore or moderately conserved, and conserved; and the entire Veracruz Reef System is considered to be in a moderately state of conservation.
Distribution, status, and recent population dynamics of Alpine ibex Capra ibex in Europe
Authors: Brambilla Alice , Von Hardenberg Achaz , Nelli Luca , Bassano Bruno 
Published: April 2020

Abstract

Despite its recent successful and well‐documented reintroduction history, a comprehensive and current update of the distribution and status of the Alpine ibex Capra ibex is lacking. As some concerns persist about its conservation, a status update appears essential for future conservation and management strategies on a large scale.

We provide an exhaustive update of the geographic range of the species, alongside estimates of its current abundance and population trends from 2004 to 2015.

We gathered census and distribution data for all the Alpine ibex colonies from management authorities and research groups that monitor them in different countries, and from the literature and publicly available reports. We produced a distribution map, reported the number of individuals observed in the most recent censuses, and estimated global, national, and local population trends using Bayesian hierarchical models.

Our model estimated that there were a total of 55297 Alpine ibex in the Alps in 2015 (lower 95% credible interval [CrI]: 51157; upper 95% CrI: 62710). The total number of individuals appears to have increased slightly over the last 10 years from the 47000‐51000 estimated in previous reports. Positive population trends were observed in Switzerland and Italy, while no trend was apparent in France. For Austria, Germany, and Slovenia, there were insufficient data to estimate a trend. The slopes of the colonies’ trends were positively correlated with the year of colony foundation.

The geographic range of the Alpine ibex does not seem to have increased in size in recent years, although the accuracy of the spatial data varies among countries.

The periodic and standardised collection of census data for all colonies and a common policy of data sharing at a European level appear essential for monitoring the global trend of this species and for planning balanced conservation and management actions.
Incremental melting in the ureilite parent body: Initial composition, melting temperatures, and melt compositions
Authors: Collinet Max , Grove Timothy L. 
Published: April 2020

AbstractUreilites are carbon‐rich ultramafic achondrites that have been heated above the silicate solidus, do not contain plagioclase, and represent the melting residues of an unknown planetesimal (i.e., the ureilite parent body, UPB). Melting residues identical to pigeonite‐olivine ureilites (representing 80% of ureilites) have been produced in batch melting experiments of chondritic materials not depleted in alkali elements relative to the Sun’s photosphere (e.g., CI, H, LL chondrites), but only in a relatively narrow range of temperature (1120 ºC–1180 ºC). However, many ureilites are thought to have formed at higher temperature (1200 ºC–1280 ºC). New experiments, described in this study, show that pigeonite can persist at higher temperature (up to 1280 ºC) when CI and LL chondrites are melted incrementally and while partial melts are progressively extracted. The melt productivity decreases dramatically after the exhaustion of plagioclase with only 5–9 wt% melt being generated between 1120 ºC and 1280 ºC. The relative proportion of pyroxene and olivine in experiments is compared to 12 ureilites, analyzed for this study, together with ureilites described in the literature to constrain the initial Mg/Si ratio of the UPB (0.98–1.05). Experiments are also used to develop a new thermometer based on the partitioning of Cr between olivine and low‐Ca pyroxene that is applicable to all ureilites. The equilibration temperature of ureilites increases with decreasing Al2O3and Wo contents of pyroxene and decreasing bulk REE concentrations. The UPB melted incrementally, at differentfO2, and did not cool significantly (0 ºC–30 ºC) prior to its disruption. It remained isotopically heterogenous, but the initial concentration of major elements (SiO2, MgO, CaO, Al2O3, alkali elements) was similar in the different mantle reservoirs.
Genes acting in synapses and neuron projections are early targets of selection during urban colonization
Authors: Mueller Jakob C. , Carrete Martina , Boerno Stefan , Kuhl Heiner , Tella José L. , Kempenaers Bart 
Published: April 2020

AbstractWhen a species colonizes an urban habitat, differences in the environment can create novel selection pressures. Successful colonization will further lead to demographic perturbations and genetic drift, which can interfere with selection. Here, we test for consistent urban selection signals in multiple populations of the burrowing owl (Athene cunicularia), a species that colonized South American cities just a few decades ago. We sequenced 213 owls from three urban‐rural population pairs and performed a genome‐wide comparison of urban against rural birds. We further studied genome‐wide associations with flight initiation distance, a measure of harm avoidance in which urban and rural birds are known to differ. Based on four samples taken over nine years from one of the urban populations, we investigated temporal allele frequency changes. The genomic data were also used to identify urban‐specific signatures of selective sweeps. Single genomic sites did not reach genome‐wide significance for any association. However, a gene‐set analysis on the strongest signals from these four selection scans suggests a significant enrichment of genes with known functions related to synapses and neuron projections. We identified 98 genes predominantly expressed in the brain, of which many may play a role in the modulation of brain connectivity and consequently in cognitive function and motivational behaviour during urbanization. Furthermore, polymorphisms in the promoter region of the synaptic SERT gene – one of the two candidates known to correlate with urban colonization in birds – associated with the habitat in which individuals lived (urban vs. rural).