bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Modelling the impact of climate change on Tanzanian forests
Authors: John Elikana , Bunting Pete , Hardy Andy , Roberts Osian , Giliba Richard , Silayo Dos Santos 
Published: September 2020

AbstractAimClimate change is pressing extra strain on the already degraded forest ecosystem in Tanzania. However, it is mostly unknown how climate change will affect the distribution of forests in the future. We aimed to model the impacts of climate change on natural forests to help inform national‐level conservation and mitigation strategies.LocationTanzania.MethodsWe conducted maximum entropy (MaxEnt) modelling to simulate forest habitat suitability using the Tanzanian national forest inventory survey (1,307 occurrences) and environmental data. Changes in forest habitats were simulated under two Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) emission scenarios RCP 4.5 and RCP 8.5 for 2055 and 2085.ResultsThe results indicate that climate change will threaten forest communities, especially fragmented strips of montane forests. Even under optimistic emission scenario, the extent of montane forest is projected to almost halve by 2085, intersecting many biodiversity hotspots across the Eastern Arc Mountains. Similarly, climate change is predicted to threaten microhabitat forests (i.e. thickets), with losses exceeding 70% by 2085 (RCP8.5). Other forest habitats are predicted to decrease (lowland forest and woodland) representing essential ecological networks, whereas suitable habitats for carbon‐rich mangroves are predicted to expand by more than 40% at both scenarios.ConclusionsClimate change will impact forests by accelerating habitat loss, and fragmentation and the remaining land suitable for forests will also be subject to pressures associated with rising demand for food and biofuels. These changes are likely to increase the probability of adverse impacts to the country's indigenous flora and fauna. Our findings, therefore, call for a shift in conservation efforts, focusing on (i) the enhanced management of existing protected areas that can absorb the impacts of future climate change, and (ii) expanding conservation efforts into newly suitable regions through effective land use planning and land reclamation, helping to preserve and enhance forest connectivity between fragmented patches.
Predictors of type 2 diabetes remission in the Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial (DiRECT)
Authors: Thom G. , Messow C.‐M. , Leslie W. S. , Barnes A. C. , Brosnahan N. , McCombie L. , Al‐Mrabeh A. , Zhyzhneuskaya S. , Welsh P. , Sattar N. , Taylor R. , Lean M. E. J. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractAimTo identify predictors of type 2 diabetes remission in the intervention arm of DiRECT (Diabetes Remission Clinical Trial).MethodsParticipants were aged 20–65 years, with type 2 diabetes duration of <6 years and BMI 27–45 kg/m2, and were not receiving insulin. Weight loss was initiated by total diet replacement (825–853 kcal/day, 3–5 months, shakes/soups), and weight loss maintenance support was provided for 2 years. Remissions (HbA1c <48 mmol/mol [<6.5%], without antidiabetes medications) in the intervention group (n = 149, mean age 53 years, BMI 35 kg/m2) were achieved by 68/149 participants (46%) at 12 months and by 53/149 participants (36%) at 24 months. Potential predictors were examined by logistic regression analyses, with adjustments for weight loss and effects independent of weight loss.ResultsBaseline predictors of remission at 12 and 24 months included being prescribed fewer antidiabetes medications, having lower triglyceride and gamma‐glutamyl transferase levels, and reporting better quality of life with less anxiety/depression. Lower baseline HbA1c was a predictor at 12 months, and older age and male sex were predictors at 24 months. Being prescribed antidepressants predicted non‐remission. Some, but not all effects were explained by weight loss. Weight loss was the strongest predictor of remission at 12 months (adjusted odds ratio per kg weight loss 1.24, 95% CI 1.14, 1.34; P < 0.0001) and 24 months (adjusted odds ratio 1.23, 95% CI 1.13, 1.35; P <0.0001). Weight loss in kilograms and percentage weight loss were equally good predictors. Early weight loss and higher programme attendance predicted more remissions. Baseline BMI, fasting insulin, fasting C‐peptide and diabetes duration did not predict remission.ConclusionsOther than weight loss, most predictors were modest, and not sufficient to identify subgroups for which remission was not a worthwhile target.
Was the COVID‐19 pandemic avoidable? A call for a “solution‐oriented” approach in pathogen evolutionary ecology to prevent future outbreaks
Authors: Roche Benjamin , Garchitorena Andres , Guégan Jean‐François , Arnal Audrey , Roiz David , Morand Serge , Zambrana‐Torrelio Carlos , Suzán Gerardo , Daszak Peter 
Published: September 2020

AbstractConcerns about the prospect of a global pandemic have been triggered many times during the last two decades. These have been realised through the current COVID‐19 pandemic, due to a new coronavirus SARS‐CoV2, which has impacted almost every country on Earth. Here, we show how considering the pandemic through the lenses of the evolutionary ecology of pathogens can help better understand the root causes and devise solutions to prevent the emergence of future pandemics. We call for better integration of these approaches into transdisciplinary research and invite scientists working on the evolutionary ecology of pathogens to contribute to a more “solution‐oriented” agenda with practical applications, emulating similar movements in the field of economics in recent decades.
Modern middens: Shell recycling for restoring an endangered marine ecosystem in Victoria, Australia
Authors: Branigan Simon , Fitzsimons James , Gillies Chris L. 
Published: September 2020

SummaryShellfish reefs are one of the most depleted marine ecosystems in the world, and there is considerable interest and efforts to restore the ecosystems. When degraded reefs require the addition of new substrate to support oyster re‐establishment, recycled shells can be used to rebuild new reef bases. Shell recycling as a means of procuring shells was first introduced in Australia by The Nature Conservancy in 2015, through the establishment of the ‘Shuck Don’t Chuck’ Shell Recycling Project in Victoria. The recycling project was first piloted in the regional city of Geelong with the aim of providing sufficient quantity of clean, recycled shell to support reef base construction for shellfish reef restoration in Port Phillip Bay. The project has subsequently expanded into markets and restaurants in Melbourne. Community involvement and restoration promotion are important secondary outcomes of the programme. We provide lessons from our experience to date and a step‐by‐step guide of how to establish a shell recycling project from initial pilot and trial stages to a full programme. These steps include the following: (i) recruitment of shell recycling partners, (ii) transport and logistics, (iii) shell storage sites, (iv) biosecurity and curing protocols, (v) hatchery use, (vi) reef deployment, and (vii) community engagement. Shell recycling is an effective way to not only source substrate for restoring shellfish reefs, but also to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and should be considered as part of any shellfish reef restoration project which utilises shell products.
Harm or protection? The adaptive function of tick toxins
Authors: Apari Péter , Földvári Gábor 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThe existence of tick toxins is an old enigma that has intrigued scientists for a long time. The adaptive value of using deadly toxins for predatory animals is obvious: they try to kill the prey in the most effective way or protect themselves from their natural enemies. Ticks, however, are blood‐sucking parasites, and it seems paradoxical that they have toxins similar to spiders, scorpions and snakes. Based on published data, here we examine the potential adaptive function of different types of toxins produced by soft and hard ticks. We hypothesize that there are diverse evolutionary roles behind (a) to attack and reduce the tick‐transmitted pathogens inside the vertebrate host systemically to protect the tick, (b) to paralyse the host to stop grooming, (c) to speed up host heartbeat to improve blood supply and (d) to inhibit the process of necroptosis to prevent the rejection of hard ticks. We will provide published evidence that supports the above‐mentioned hypotheses, and we will give an outlook how these new scientific results might be applied in modern pharmacology and medicine.
Emotional scaffolding in text chats between Japanese language learners and native Japanese speakers
Authors: Yoshida Reiko 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThe present study examines the kinds of emotional scaffolding that occurred in online text chats in Japanese between 19 learners of Japanese at an Australian university and 19 native‐speaking students at a Japanese university, together with the emotions that the learners experienced in relation to the scaffolding. The learners chatted in Japanese and also in English, each for 30 min per week for 7 weeks. The data that were collected consisted of questionnaires, chat transcripts, learners' weekly reports, and interviews held with the learners after the conclusion of the project. Emotional scaffolding found in the data included expressing positive attitudes toward the chats, complimenting an interlocutor about their FL proficiency, and expressing emotions using emoticons. These types of scaffolding triggered positive emotions in the learners and developed emotional intersubjectivity between the interlocutors, while a lack of emotional scaffolding in the communications led the learners to experience negative emotions.
Effects of human disturbance activities and environmental change factors on terrestrial nitrogen fixation
Authors: Zheng Mianhai , Zhou Zhenghu , Zhao Ping , Luo Yiqi , Ye Qing , Zhang Kerong , Song Liang , Mo Jiangming 
Published: September 2020

AbstractBiological nitrogen (N) fixation plays an important role in terrestrial N cycling and represents a key driver of terrestrial net primary productivity (NPP). Despite the importance of N fixation in terrestrial ecosystems, our knowledge regarding the controls on terrestrial N fixation remains poor. Here, we conducted a meta‐analysis (based on 852 observations from 158 studies) of N fixation across three types of ecosystems with different status of disturbance (no management, restoration [previously disturbed], and disturbance [currently disturbed]) and in response to multiple environmental change factors (warming, elevated carbon dioxide [CO2], increased precipitation, increased drought, increased N deposition, and their combinations). We explored the mechanisms underlying the changes in N fixation by examining the variations in soil physicochemical properties (bulk density, texture, moisture, and pH), plant and microbial characteristics (dominant plant species numbers, plant coverage, and soil microbial biomass), and soil resources (total carbon, total N, total phosphorus (P), inorganic N, and inorganic P). Human disturbance inhibited non‐symbiotic N fixation but not symbiotic N fixation. Terrestrial N fixation was stimulated by warming (+152.7%), elevated CO2 (+19.6%), and increased precipitation (+73.1%) but inhibited by increased drought (−30.4%), N deposition (−31.0%), and combinations of available multiple environmental change factors (−14.5%), the extents of which varied among biomes and ecosystem compartments. Human disturbance reduced the N fixation responses to environmental change factors, which was associated with the changes in soil physicochemical properties (2%‒56%, p < .001) and the declines in plant and microbial characteristics (3%‒49%, p ≤ .003) and soil resources (6%‒48%, p ≤ .03). Overall, our findings reveal for the first time the effects of multiple environmental change factors on terrestrial N fixation and indicate the role of human disturbance activities in inhibiting N fixation, which can improve our understanding, modeling, and prediction of terrestrial N budgets, NPP, and ecosystem feedbacks under global change scenarios.
Non‐severe haemophilia: Is it benign? – Insights from the PROBE study
Authors: Chai‐Adisaksopha Chatree , Noone Declan , Curtis Randall , Frick Neil , Nichol Michael B. , Germini Federico , O'Mahony Brian , Page David , Stonebraker Jeffrey S. , Skinner Mark W. , Iorio Alfonso 
Published: September 2020

AbstractIntroductionThere are limited data on the impact of haemophilia on health status and health‐related quality of life (HRQL) in people with non‐severe (mild and moderate) haemophilia.AimTo evaluate the health status of people living with mild or moderate haemophilia.MethodsData on respondents with no bleeding disorder (NoBD), mild and moderate haemophilia patients were drawn from the PROBE study. Respondents were enrolled using network patient organizations. This analysis was performed as a cross‐sectional study. Primary outcomes were reported bleeding, acute and chronic pain, activities of daily living and HRQL.ResultsA total of 862 respondents with NoBD (n = 173), mild (n = 102) and moderate (n = 134) haemophilia were eligible, with a median age of 33, 42 and 43, respectively. In relation to haemophilia‐related sequalae, 53% of male and 29% of female patients with mild and 83% of males with moderate haemophilia had more than 2‐3 bleeds in the last 12 months. Reporting of acute and chronic pain is less in those with NoBD compared to the mild and moderate cohorts for both genders. Multivariate analysis demonstrates significant reductions in quality of life using VAS, EQ‐5D‐5L and PROBE for males with mild and moderate haemophilia (P ≤ .001) with only PROBE indicating a significant reduction for females with mild (P = .002).ConclusionPeople affected by mild or moderate haemophilia report a significant HRQL impact due to haemophilia‐related bleeding. Future research is needed to identify the optimal care management of patients with mild and moderate haemophilia.
Anthropogenic‐driven transformations of dragonfly (Insecta: Odonata) communities of low elevation mountain wetlands during the last century
Authors: Assandri Giacomo 
Published: September 2020

Abstract
Freshwater environments are experiencing high rates of species extinction due to human impacts, with aquatic insects thought to be strongly threatened by these changes; however, long‐term research on this topic is scant. Among aquatic insects, dragonflies are considered valuable indicators of human disturbance at multiple scales.
This study addresses transformations of odonate communities of low elevation mountain wetlands in the Alps over the last century, comparing historical and present assemblages based on past records derived from scientific collections or literature and present data derived from site resurveys.
About 32.6% of species have been extirpated or strongly declined in the area (mostly temporary lentic and lotic water specialists, or cold‐adapted species). Conversely, only 12.2% of species were new or considerably increased (mostly permanent lentic specialists and warm‐adapted species). Nearly half of historical populations have been lost. The great majority of species which disappeared from all the study sites also disappeared (or strongly declined) at the regional scale.
Although gamma species richness was higher in the historical period compared with the present, mean alpha species richness does not significantly differ between the two, likely suggesting homogenisation of communities from historical to the present period.
Present communities of dragonflies show a significantly higher community temperature index compared with historical ones.
These patterns are putatively explained by the joint effects of land‐use change (drainage and reclamation), land‐use intensification or abandonment, environmental pollution, and anthropogenic‐driven climate warming.
Tooth survival following root canal treatment by general dental practitioners in a Swedish county – a 10‐year follow‐up study of a historical cohort
Authors: Kebke S. , Fransson H. , Brundin M. , Mota de Almeida F.J. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractAimTo evaluate the 10‐year survival rate of root filled teeth treated by general dental practitioners (GDPs), and to identify possible prognostic factors.MethodologyIn 2006, 3676 individuals had at least one tooth root filled by a GDP within the Norrbotten Public Dental Service, Sweden. Over the next 10 years, 331 individuals died and were excluded. A random sample of 302 of the remaining individuals was included in the study, of whom 280 (n = 280 teeth) were included in the analysis. Dental records were reviewed retrospectively by a calibrated researcher to collect predetermined data regarding individual, pre‐operative, intra‐operative and post‐operative factors. The outcome measure was tooth extraction over time, and cases with no events were censored, regardless of apical status or symptoms, until last known date of tooth survival. In case of missing data, individuals were recalled for a control visit. Kaplan–Meier survival tables and Cox regression models were used for analysis. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.ResultsThe cumulative 10‐year survival was 81.7% (standard error: 2.6%), and the mean incidence of tooth extraction during the 10 years was 1.8% per year. The univariate analysis identified three possible prognostic factors (P < 0.05) that were associated with extraction: molars, two or more emergency inter‐appointment visits during the treatment, and root canal treatments consisting of five or more separate sessions. A multivariate regression analysis revealed no significant relationships for the variables gender, tooth type, number of contacts, any emergency visits during endodontic treatment, number of sessions to complete endodontic treatment, pulp diagnosis, or type of permanent restoration and extraction.ConclusionsThe mean incidence of tooth loss over the first 10 years after completion of root canal treatment performed by a GDP was approximately 2% per year. No prognostic factors could be identified.
Clinical decision‐making and importance of the AAE/AAOMR position statement for CBCT examination in endodontic cases
Authors: Bhatt M. , Coil J. , Chehroudi B. , Esteves A. , Aleksejuniene J. , MacDonald D. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractAimTo compare conventional radiographic and cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) findings with reference to the American Association of Endodontics and American Academy of Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology (AAE/AAOMR) joint position statement and to determine the effect of the CBCT on the initial diagnoses and treatment plans in a single‐centre Postgraduate Endodontic Programme.MethodologyThe clinical CBCT scans of patients, treated at the Endodontic Department of the University of British Columbia, were reviewed for CBCT referrals by comparing them with corresponding radiographs. The features considered were periapical lesions, missed/extra canals, root fractures, complex anatomy, calcified canals and root resorption of tooth/teeth in question. Reasons for the CBCT prescriptions were assigned to 3 groups: to formulate the primary diagnosis, to confirm the diagnosis achieved by clinical examination and conventional radiographs, and to assist in treatment planning. Variables were compared statistically using chi‐square and McNemar tests.ResultsA total of 128 CBCT examinations were performed on 110 patients. No CBCT examination was performed more than once on the same tooth. Overall, 76% of CBCT examinations were performed on previously root filled teeth. CBCT images revealed a significantly higher incidence of periapical lesions (P = 0.002), missed canals (P < 0.001), vertical root fractures (P = 0.004) and complex anatomy (P = 0.008) than periapical radiographs. CBCT was prescribed most frequently to assist surgical treatment planning (62%) rather than for generating a diagnosis (9%) or confirming diagnoses (29%). Both the diagnosis (P = 0.001) and the treatment plan (P = 0.005) initially made by examining periapical radiographs were altered significantly by the subsequent CBCT examination by revealing information such as new periapical lesions, missed canals or involvement of buccal or lingual cortical bone.ConclusionCBCT examinations were prescribed mainly to assist treatment planning rather than for diagnosis. The majority of CBCT examinations were performed on previously root filled teeth. The additional information obtained from CBCT scans resulted in the alteration of the initial diagnoses as well as subsequent treatment plans in 59 out of 128 cases.
Detection of nitrite degradation by Lactobacillus plantarum DMDL9010 through the anaerobic respiration electron transport chain using proteomic analysis
Authors: Yao Kun , Liu Dong‐mei , Liang Ming‐hua , Brennan Charles S. , Brennan Margaret 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThis study aimed to investigate the mechanism of nitrite degradation by Lactobacillus plantarum DMDL9010 using the proteomic technology. The results showed that 0.276 g L−1 nitrite was degraded completely by L. plantarum DMDL9010 in 24 h. Nitrite was transported into the pericytoplasm by a two‐component system. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and flavin adenine dinucleotide‐2 (FADH2) were produced during metabolism via these pathways of phosphotransferase system, glycolysis/gluconeogenesis and citrate cycle. NADH and FADH2 produced electrons catalysed by dehydrogenase. The electrons were transferred through the electron transport chain eventually to nitrite. Some molecules of nitrites gained electrons and were reduced to NH3 by nitrite reductase. Then NH3 from nitrite was converted into l‐glutamine catalysed by glutamine synthetase, which was one of the ways to generate l‐glutamine. This study can provide theoretical guidance to the research on the biological technique to reduce nitrite in food products.
Cracking the code: Social and contextual cues to language input in the home environment
Authors: Custode Stephanie A. , Tamis‐LeMonda Catherine 
Published: September 2020

AbstractInfants use social cues like gaze and touch, typically during joint attention with caregivers, to decipher word meaning. Yet, studies on cues to word meaning primarily rely on structured tasks, where distractors are few compared to the countless objects that vie for attention in the home environment. Forty mothers and their 13‐month‐old infants were video‐recorded during home routines. From transcripts, 3,000+ “naming events” were coded for social (visual and manual) and contextual (location: room and place) cues to the object of reference. Mother and infant visual and tactile attention accompanied naming events with high regularity, and the objects mothers named were specific to room and place. Nested social and contextual cues infuse infants’ everyday language experiences in ways that help infants disambiguate word meaning.
The role of topical probiotics on wound healing: A review of animal and human studies
Authors: Knackstedt Rebecca , Knackstedt Thomas , Gatherwright James 
Published: September 2020

AbstractPathogenic, opportunistic, and commensal bacterial coexist in the intestinal tract, and imbalances among these strains have been linked to systemic inflammation and a variety of disease states. Similarly, human skin plays an important role as an interface between the body and the environment with an estimated 1 billion microbes per square centimetres. Skin microbiome fluctuations that cause increases in pathologic bacteria, either because of individual and/or environmental factors, can lead to disease states at the skin level ranging from inflammatory conditions to infections. As wounds are inherently associated with perturbations in the local microflora due to injury and activation of the immune responses, the addition of topical probiotics could be a means to prevent infection, regulate inflammation, and potentially augment healing. The goal of this review is to analyse the impact the skin microbiome has on cutaneous wound healing with a focus on developing proposed treatment algorithms and support for their therapeutic potential.