bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Increasing value, reducing waste: tailoring the application of dental sealants according to individual caries risk
Authors: Yansane Alfa , Listl Stefan , Dawda Dyutee , Brandon Ryan , White Joel , Spallek Heiko , Walji Muhammad F. , Kalenderian Elsbeth 
Published: September 2020

AbstractObjectivesDespite a significant national investment in oral health, there is little understanding of the return in terms of quality. Value‐based payments aim to refocus provider reimbursement based on the value created to the patient. Our objectives were to apply a set of dental quality measures to help determine the value of preventive dental care provided to children at two academic dental school clinics.MethodsWe queried the institutional electronic health records (EHRs) for patients between the ages of 6–14 years with sealable first or second permanent molars, determined caries risk status, identified if dental sealants were placed, and finally if the teeth showed evidence of new caries experience. In order to determine the cost‐effectiveness of EHR‐based triage of applying dental sealants, we calculated the incremental cost‐effectiveness ratio (ICER) for the dental quality measures supported sealing program.ResultsBetween the two academic sites, there were 6,155 unique children for a total of 12,302 eligible teeth without a sealant and 32,811 eligible teeth with a sealant. Teeth without a sealant were more likely to have decay (4.8 percent) than those with a sealant (1.7 percent). At both sites, patients with high caries risk were more likely to benefit from sealants compared to those patients with low risk.ConclusionImplementation of caries risk stratified fissure sealant quality measures demonstrates the potential for extracting better value in oral health care.
Variation in dental services by rurality among privately insured adults in the United States
Authors: Simon Lisa , Ahern John , Fox Kathe , Barrow Jane , Palmer Nathan 
Published: September 2020

AbstractObjectivesRurality is associated with reduced dental access and worse oral health outcomes. It is unknown whether there is variation in dental services received by rural adults who visit a dentist.MethodsThis was a retrospective analysis of claims data from a large private insurer. All individuals who had at least one dental visit in 2018 were included. Patient demographics, whether or not a patient's ZIP code was rural as defined by the Federal Office of Rural Health Policy, as well as ZIP code demographics were collected. Differences in the frequency of dental services received were evaluated using χ2 tests. Multilevel logistic regressions were used to evaluate the individual and ZIP code‐level correlates of receiving a preventive dental procedure, a tooth extraction, or a denture‐related dental procedure.ResultsRates of preventive, oral and maxillofacial surgery, and denture‐related procedures were higher among rural adults. Accounting for individual age and gender, and ZIP code average income and dentist density, rural dwellers were more likely to receive a preventive procedure [odds ratio (OR) 1.15, P < 0.0001] or tooth extraction (OR 1.08, P < 0.0001), and less likely to have a denture‐related procedure (OR 0.94, P = 0.015) compared to nonrural dwellers. Female gender was the strongest predictor of receiving a preventive procedure (OR 1.30, P < 0.0001).ConclusionsEven among privately insured individuals with known access to dental care, rurality was associated with significant differences in the frequency of various dental procedures. Rural dental patients may have higher needs for oral surgical procedures, even when they have access to preventive care.
Effect of genistein on the gene and protein expressions of CXCL–12 and EGR–1 in the rat ovary
Authors: Zhang Tao , Chi Xiao‐Xing , Kong Fan‐Xiu , Chu Xiao‐Li 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThe effect of genistein (GEN) on the gene expression level of stromal cell‐derived factor‐1/CXCL‐12 and early growth response gene‐1 was studied in ovarian tissue of young and initially ageing (early stages in the ageing process) female rats. Forty, young female Sprague Dawley (SD) rats of 2–3 months old (200 ±20 g) and forty, initially ageing femaleSDrats of 10–12 months (490 ± 20 g) old were selected. According to the weight, rats were divided into control group, low‐dose group (L), medium‐dose group (M) and a high‐dose group (H) and were given 15, 30 and 60 mg/kg GEN respectively. The positive control (Oestrogen) group was given 0.5 mg/kg diethylstilbestrol. The treatment lasted for 30 days. The mRNA expression of C‐X‐C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL‐12) and early growth response factor‐1 (EGR‐1) was measured by real‐time PCR, and protein expression of EGR‐1 was detected by Western blot. When compared to the negative control group (NC), the ovary/body weight ratio in the young rats decreased in the GEN group, but the difference was not significant. Similarly, compared with NC, the ovary/body weight ratio in the initially ageing rats also decreased with the increase in GEN concentration, but the decrease was significant in M and H groups (p < .01). The administration of GEN enhanced both the gene and protein expression levels of CXCL‐12 and EGR‐1 in the ovary. Pearson's correlation analysis showed a synergistic effect between CXCL‐12 and EGR‐1. Thus, we conclude that the effect of GEN on CXCL‐12 and EGR‐1 in the initially ageing group was obvious than that in the younger group.
Tree‐base microsites contribute to physical heterogeneity and herb community structure in a temperate deciduous forest
Authors: Glick Morgan D. , Matlack Glenn R. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractQuestionFine‐scale environmental heterogeneity supports floristic diversity in forest ecosystems by increasing the variety of niches available for specialist species. Although recognized in concept, the niche function of microsites has not been well documented. This study tests whether microsites at the base of large trees are physically or edaphically distinct from the forest floor in general, and whether forest herb composition responds to this form of heterogeneity.LocationLong‐established deciduous forest in the unglaciated section of southeastern Ohio, USA.MethodsWe measured fourteen herb‐relevant environmental variables and censused the herb flora at the bases of large trees and in control plots away from trees.ResultsMoss cover, exposed root cover, and canopy openness were significantly greater at large‐tree bases than in control plots, while leaf litter cover was significantly lower at tree bases. Species richness and stem density were higher in tree‐base plots, and multivariate species composition differed significantly between tree bases and controls. Two species, Eurybia divaricata and Cardamine douglassii, were significantly more abundant at tree bases. Gradients of litter cover and root exposure accounted for the compositional difference between tree bases and controls. Coarse woody debris, moss cover, and soil root fraction accounted for differences orthogonal to the tree‐base/control axis indicating heterogeneity within tree‐base microsites.ConclusionsTree bases are physically distinct microsites which support diversity by providing niches to some forest herb species. Because availability of such microsites is linked to tree size, this aspect of community diversity appears to be controlled by stand development.
Comparison of markers for the monitoring of freshwater benthic biodiversity through DNA metabarcoding
Authors: Ficetola Gentile Francesco , Boyer Frédéric , Valentini Alice , Bonin Aurélie , Meyer Albin , Dejean Tony , Gaboriaud Coline , Usseglio‐Polatera Philippe , Taberlet Pierre 
Published: September 2020

AbstractMetabarcoding of bulk or environmental DNA has great potential for biomonitoring of freshwater environments. However, successful application of metabarcoding to biodiversity monitoring requires universal primers with high taxonomic coverage that amplify highly variable, short metabarcodes with high taxonomic resolution. Moreover, reliable and extensive reference databases are essential to match the outcome of metabarcoding analyses with available taxonomy and biomonitoring indices. Benthic invertebrates, particularly insects, are key taxa for freshwater bioassessment. Nevertheless, few studies have so far assessed markers for metabarcoding of freshwater macrobenthos. Here we combined in silico and laboratory analyses to test the performance of different markers amplifying regions in the 18S rDNA (Euka02), 16S rDNA (Inse01) and COI (BF1_BR2‐COI) genes, and developed an extensive database of benthic macroinvertebrates of France and Europe, with a particular focus on key insect orders (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera and Trichoptera). Analyses on 1,514 individuals representing different taxa of benthic macroinvertebrates showed very different amplification success across primer combinations. The Euka02 marker showed the highest universality, while the Inse01 marker showed excellent performance for the amplification of insects. BF1_BR2‐COI showed the highest resolution, while the resolution of Euka02 was often limited. By combining our data with GenBank information, we developed a curated database including sequences representing 822 genera. The heterogeneous performance of the different primers highlights the complexity in identifying the best markers, and advocates for the integration of multiple metabarcodes for a more comprehensive and accurate understanding of ecological impacts on freshwater biodiversity.
Latitudinal variation in climate‐associated genes imperils range edge populations
Authors: Smith Steve , Brauer Chris J. , Sasaki Minami , Unmack Peter J. , Guillot Gilles , Laporte Martin , Bernatchez Louis , Beheregaray Luciano B. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThe ecological impacts of increasing global temperatures are evident in most ecosystems on Earth, but our understanding of how climatic variation influences natural selection and adaptive resilience across latitudes remains largely unknown. Latitudinal gradients allow testing general ecosystem‐level theories relevant to climatic adaptation. We assessed differences in adaptive diversity of populations along a latitudinal region spanning highly variable temperate to subtropical climates. We generated and integrated information from environmental mapping, phenotypic variation and genome‐wide data from across the geographical range of the rainbowfish Melanotaenia duboulayi, an emerging aquatic system for studies of climate change. We detected, after controlling for spatial population structure, strong interactions between genotypes and environment associated with variation in stream flow and temperature. Some of these hydroclimate‐associated genes were found to interact within functional protein networks that contain genes of adaptive significance for projected future climates in rainbowfish. Hydroclimatic selection was also associated with variation in phenotypic traits, including traits known to affect fitness of rainbowfish exposed to different flow environments. Consistent with predictions from the “climatic variability hypothesis,” populations exposed to extremes of important environmental variables showed stronger adaptive divergence and less variation in climate‐associated genes compared to populations at the centre of the environmental gradient. Our findings suggest that populations that evolved at environmental range margins and at geographical range edges may be more vulnerable to changing climates, a finding with implications for predicting adaptive resilience and managing biodiversity under climate change.
Population‐level impacts of natural and anthropogenic causes‐of‐death for Hawaiian monk seals in the main Hawaiian Islands
Authors: Harting Albert L. , Barbieri Michelle M. , Baker Jason D. , Mercer Tracy A. , Johanos Thea C. , Robinson Stacie J. , Littnan Charles L. , Colegrove Katie M. , Rotstein Dave S. 
Published: September 2020

AbstractIdentifying, assessing, and ranking the impact of individual threats is fundamental to the conservation and recovery of rare and endangered species. In this analysis, we quantify not only the frequency of specific causes‐of‐death (CODs) among Main Hawaiian Island (MHI) monk seals, but also assess the impact of individual CODs on the intrinsic growth rate, λ, of the MHI population. We used gross necropsy results, histopathology, and other evidence to assign probabilities of 11 COD types to each mortality and then used Monte Carlo sampling to evaluate the influence of each COD on λ. By right censoring realizations involving specific CODs, we were able to estimate λ (and its associated uncertainty) when CODs were selectively removed from influencing survival. Applying the analysis to all known and inferred deaths believed to have occurred 2004–2019, the CODs with the largest influence on λ were anthropogenic trauma, anthropogenic drowning, and protozoal disease. In aggregate, anthropogenic CODs had a larger effect on the growth rate than either natural or disease CODs. Possible bias associated with differential carcass detection, recovery, and COD classification are discussed.
Fight hard or die trying: when plants face pathogens under heat stress
Authors: Desaint Henri , Aoun Nathalie , Deslandes Laurent , Vailleau Fabienne , Roux Fabrice , Berthomé Richard 
Published: September 2020

SummaryIn their natural environment, plants are exposed to biotic or abiotic stresses that occur sequentially or simultaneously. Plant responses to these stresses have been studied widely and have been well characterised in simplified systems involving single plant species facing individual stress. Temperature elevation is a major abiotic driver of climate change and scenarios have predicted an increase in the number and severity of epidemics. In this context, here we review the available data on the effect of heat stress on plant–pathogen interactions. Considering 45 studies performed on model or crop species, we discuss the possible implications of the optimum growth temperature of plant hosts and pathogens, mode of stress application and temperature variation on resistance modulations. Alarmingly, most identified resistances are altered under temperature elevation, regardless of the plant and pathogen species. Therefore, we have listed current knowledge on heat‐dependent plant immune mechanisms and pathogen thermosensory processes, mainly studied in animals and human pathogens, that could help to understand the outcome of plant–pathogen interactions under elevated temperatures. Based on a general overview of the mechanisms involved in plant responses to pathogens, and integrating multiple interactions with the biotic environment, we provide recommendations to optimise plant disease resistance under heat stress and to identify thermotolerant resistance mechanisms.
Ecological convergence of secondary phytochemicals along elevational gradients
Authors: Bakhtiari Moe , Glauser Gaétan , Defossez Emmanuel , Rasmann Sergio 
Published: September 2020

Summary

Biologists still strive to identify the ecological and evolutionary drivers of phytochemical variation that mediate biotic interactions. We hypothesized that plant species growing at sites characterized by high herbivore pressure would converge to produce highly toxic blends of secondary metabolites, independent of phylogenetic constraints.

To address the role of shared evolutionary history and ecological niches in driving variation in plant phytochemistry, we combined targeted metabolomics with insect herbivore bioassays and with a set of growth‐related traits of several Cardamine species growing along the entire elevational gradient of the Alps.

We observed that Cardamine phytochemical profiles grouped according to previously established growth form categorizations within specific abiotic conditions, independently of phylogenetic relationship. We also showed that novel indices summarizing functional phytochemical diversity better explain plant resistance against chewing and sap‐feeding herbivores than classic diversity indices.

We conclude that multiple functional axes of phytochemical diversity should be integrated with the functional axis of plant growth forms to study phenotypic convergence along large‐scale ecological gradients.
Increasing axial parenchyma fraction in the Malagasy Magnoliids facilitated the co‐optimisation of hydraulic efficiency and safety
Authors: Aritsara Amy Ny Aina , Razakandraibe Vonjisoa M. , Ramananantoandro Tahiana , Gleason Sean M. , Cao Kun‐Fang 
Published: September 2020

Summary

The evolution of angiosperms was accompanied by the segregation and specialisation of their xylem tissues. This study aimed to determine whether the fraction and arrangement of parenchyma tissue influence the hydraulic efficiency–safety trade‐off in the basal angiosperms.

We examined xylem anatomical structure and hydraulic functioning of 28 woody species of Magnoliids in a tropical rainforest of Madagascar and reported, for the first time, quantitative measurements that support the relationship between vessel‐to‐xylem parenchyma connectivity and the hydraulic efficiency–safety trade‐off. We also introduced a new measurement – the distance of species from the trade‐off limit – to quantify the co‐optimisation of hydraulic efficiency and safety.

Although the basal angiosperms in this study had low hydraulic conductivity and safety, species with higher axial parenchyma fraction (APf) had significantly higher hydraulic conductivity. Hydraulic efficiency–safety optimisation was accompanied by higher APf and vessel‐to‐axial parenchyma connectivity. Conversely, species exhibiting high ray parenchyma fraction and high vessel‐to‐ray connectivity had lower Ks and were further away from the hydraulic trade‐off limit line.

Our results provide evidence that axial parenchyma fraction and paratracheal arrangement are associated with both enhanced hydraulic efficiency and safety.
Plant traits controlling growth change in response to a drier climate
Authors: Rowland Lucy , Oliveira Rafael S. , Bittencourt Paulo R. L. , Giles Andre L. , Coughlin Ingrid , Costa Patricia de Britto , Domingues Tomas , Ferreira Leandro V. , Vasconcelos Steel S. , Junior João A. S. , Oliveira Alex A. R. , da Costa Antonio C. L. , Meir Patrick , Mencuccini Maurizio 
Published: September 2020

Summary

Plant traits are increasingly being used to improve prediction of plant function, including plant demography. However, the capability of plant traits to predict demographic rates remains uncertain, particularly in the context of trees experiencing a changing climate.

Here we present data combining 17 plant traits associated with plant structure, metabolism and hydraulic status, with measurements of long‐term mean, maximum and relative growth rates for 176 trees from the world’s longest running tropical forest drought experiment.

We demonstrate that plant traits can predict mean annual tree growth rates with moderate explanatory power. However, only combinations of traits associated more directly with plant functional processes, rather than more commonly employed traits like wood density or leaf mass per area, yield the power to predict growth. Critically, we observe a shift from growth being controlled by traits related to carbon cycling (assimilation and respiration) in well‐watered trees, to traits relating to plant hydraulic stress in drought‐stressed trees.

We also demonstrate that even with a very comprehensive set of plant traits and growth data on large numbers of tropical trees, considerable uncertainty remains in directly interpreting the mechanisms through which traits influence performance in tropical forests.
Hydrogeochemical modeling for groundwater management in arid and semiarid regions using MODFLOW and MT3DMS: A case study of the Jeffara of Medenine coastal aquifer, South‐Eastern Tunisia
Authors: Hamzaoui‐Azaza Fadoua , Zammouri Mounira , Ameur Meriem , Baba Sy Mohamedou , Gueddari Moncef , Bouhlila Rachida 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThe study of water quality and the quantification of reserves and their variations according to natural and anthropogenic forcing is necessary to establish an adequate management plan for groundwater resources. For this purpose, a modeling approach is a useful tool that allows, after calibration phase and verification of simulation, and under different scenarios of forcing and operational changes, to estimate and control the groundwater quantity and quality. The main objective of this study is to collect all available data in a model that simulates the Jeffara of Medenine coastal aquifer system functioning. To achieve this goal, a conceptual model was constructed based on previous studies and hydrogeological investigations. The regional groundwater numerical flow model for the Jeffara aquifer was developed using MODFLOW working under steady‐state and transient conditions. Groundwater elevations measured from the piezometric wells distributed throughout the study area in 1973 were selected as the target water levels for steady state (head) model calibration. A transient simulation was undertaken for the 42 years from 1973 to 2015. The historical transient model calibration was satisfactory, consistent with the continuous piezometric decline in response to the increase in groundwater abstraction. The developed numerical model was used to study the system's behavior over the next 35 years under various constraints. Two scenarios for potential groundwater extraction for the period 2015–2050 are presented. The predictive simulations show the effect of the increase of the exploitation on the piezometric levels. To study the phenomenon of salinization, which is one of the most severe and widespread groundwater contamination problems, especially in coastal regions, a solute transport model has been constructed by using MT3DMS software coupled with the groundwater flow model. The best calibration results are obtained when the connection with the overlying superficial aquifer is considered suggesting that groundwater contamination originates from this aquifer.Recommendations for water resource managers

The results of this study show that Groundwater resources of Jeffara of Medenine coastal aquifer in Tunisia are under immense pressure from multiple stresses.
The water resources manager must consider the impact of economic and demographic development in groundwater management to avoid the intrusion of saline water.
The results obtained presented some reference information that can serve as a basis for water resources planning.
The model runs to provide information that managers can use to regulate and adequately control the Jeffara of Medenine water resources.
Do ECB's Monetary Policies Benefit EMEs? A GVAR Analysis on the Global Financial and Sovereign Debt Crises and Postcrises Period*
Authors: Colabella Andrea 
Published: September 2020

AbstractThis paper studies the spillover effects of the ECB's monetary policies on non‐euro area countries, using a GVAR methodology, shadow rate for advanced economies (Wu and Xia, 2016) and shock identification through Cholesky decomposition. A euro‐area shadow interest rate hike triggers a broad‐based decline in output abroad, especially in Central, Eastern and South‐Eastern European (CESEE) economies, and a less widespread increase in short‐term interest rates. How countries respond to the shock depends on their characteristics: the spillover effects are transmitted mainly through the trade channel, while the short‐term interest rate channel plays a limited role. Results are robust to different model specifications.