bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Variants in HSD11B1 gene modulate susceptibility to diabetes kidney disease and to insulin resistance in type 1 diabetes
Authors: Mori Rosana Cristina , Santos‐Bezerra Daniele Pereira , Pelaes Tatiana Souza , Admoni Sharon Nina , Perez Ricardo Vessoni , Monteiro Maria Beatriz , Machado Cleide Guimarães , Queiroz Marcia Silva , Machado Ubiratan Fabres , Correa‐Giannella Maria Lúcia 
Published: May 2020

AbstractBackground and aim11β‐Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1 has been implicated in insulin resistance (IR) in the setting of metabolic disorders, and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in its encoding gene (HSD11B1) have been associated with type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome. In type 1 diabetes (T1D), IR has been related to the development of chronic complications. We investigated the association of HSD11B1 SNPs with microvascular complications and with IR in a Brazilian cohort of T1D individuals.Materials and methodsFive SNPs were genotyped in 466 T1D individuals (57% women; median of 37 years old, diabetes duration of 25 years and HbA1c of 8.4%).ResultsThe minor allele T of rs11799643 was nominally associated with diabetic retinopathy (OR = 0.52; confidence interval [CI] 95% = 0.28‐0.96; P = .036). The minor allele C of rs17389016 was nominally associated with overt diabetic kidney disease (DKD) (OR = 1.90; CI 95% = 1.07‐3.37; P = .028). A follow‐up study revealed that 29% of the individuals lost ≥5 mL min−1 × 1.73 m2 per year of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). In these individuals (eGFR decliners), C allele of rs17389016 was more frequent than in non‐decliners (OR = 2.10; CI 95% = 1.14‐3.89; P = .018). Finally, minor allele T of rs846906 associated with higher prevalence of arterial hypertension, higher body mass index and waist circumference, thus conferring risk to a lower estimated glucose disposal rate, a surrogate marker of insulin sensitivity (OR = 1.23; CI 95% = 1.06‐1.42; P = .004).ConclusionSNPs in the HSD11B1 gene may confer susceptibility to DKD and to IR in T1D individuals.
Weak latitudinal gradients in insect herbivory for dominant rangeland grasses of North America
Authors: Kent Dylan R. , Lynn Joshua S. , Pennings Steven C. , Souza Lara A. , Smith Melinda D. , Rudgers Jennifer A. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractPatterns of insect herbivory may follow predictable geographical gradients, with greater herbivory at low latitudes. However, biogeographic studies of insect herbivory often do not account for multiple abiotic factors (e.g., precipitation and soil nutrients) that could underlie gradients. We tested for latitudinal clines in insect herbivory as well as climatic, edaphic, and trait‐based drivers of herbivory. We quantified herbivory on five dominant grass species over 23 sites across the Great Plains, USA. We examined the importance of climate, edaphic factors, and traits as correlates of herbivory. Herbivory increased at low latitudes when all grass species were analyzed together and for two grass species individually, while two other grasses trended in this direction. Higher precipitation was related to more herbivory for two species but less herbivory for a different species, while higher specific root length was related to more herbivory for one species and less herbivory for a different species. Taken together, results highlight that climate and trait‐based correlates of herbivory can be highly contextual and species‐specific. Patterns of insect herbivory on dominant grasses support the hypothesis that herbivory increases toward lower latitudes, though weakly, and indicates that climate change may have species‐specific effects on plant–herbivore interactions.
Relative contribution of environmental and nutritional variables to net primary production of Cynodon dactylon (Linn.) Pers in the riparian zone of a Three Gorges tributary
Authors: Lin Junjie , Zhou Shuang , Liu Dan , Zhang Shuai , Yu Zhiguo , Yang Xiaoxia 
Published: May 2020

AbstractOur knowledge of fundamental drivers of terrestrial net primary production (NPP) is crucial for improving the predictability of ecosystem stability under global climate change. However, the patterns and determinants of NPP are not fully understood, especially in the riparian zone ecosystem disturbed by periodic drought–rewetting (DRW) cycles. The environmental (flooding time, pH, moisture, and clay content) and nutritional properties (soil organic carbon, total nitrogen, total phosphorus, ammonium (NH4+‐N), nitrate (NO3‐‐N), and C:N:P stoichiometry) were investigated in the riparian zone of Pengxi River‐a typical tributary of Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). Structure equation modeling was performed to evaluate the relative importance of environmental and nutritional properties on NPP of Cynodon dactylon (Linn.) Pers (C. dactylon)‐a dominating plant in the riparian zone of TGR. Our results indicated that NPP was much lower under much severe flooding stress. All of these variables could predict 46% of the NPP variance. Nutrient use efficiency (NUE) was one of the most critical predictor shaping the change of NPP. Specifically, flooding stress as a major driver had a direct positive effect on soil moisture and soil clay content. The soil clay content positively affects the soil C: N ratio, which further had an indirect negative impact on NPP by mediating NUE. Overall, our study provided a comprehensive analysis of the effects of the combined effect of environmental and nutrient factors on NPP and showed that continuous DRW cycles induced by hydrological regime stimulate the decrease of NPP of C. dactylon by changing NUE strategies. Further research is needed to explore the responses of NPP and NUE under different land use to DRW cycles and to investigate the DRW effects on the combined effect of environmental and nutrient factors by in situ experiments and long‐term studies.
Changes in stream food‐web structure across a gradient of acid mine drainage increase local community stability
Authors: Pomeranz Justin P. F. , Wesner Jeff S. , Harding Jon S. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractUnderstanding what makes food webs stable has long been a goal of ecologists. Topological structure and the distribution and magnitude of interaction strengths in food webs have been shown to confer important stabilizing properties. However, our understanding of how variable species interactions affect food‐web structure and stability is still in its infancy. Anthropogenic stress, such as acid mine drainage, is likely to place severe limitations on the food‐web structures availabe, due to changes in community composition and body mass distributions. Here, we used mechanistic models to infer food‐web structure and quantify stability in streams across a gradient of acid mine drainage. Multiple food webs were iterated for each community based on species pairwise interaction probabilities, in order to incorporate the variability of realistic food‐web structure. We found that food‐web structure was altered systematically with a 32‐fold decrease in the number of links and a twofold increase in connectance across the gradient. Stability generally increased sixfold with increasing acid mine drainage stress, regardless of how interaction strengths were estimated. However, the distribution of the stability measure, s, for some impacted communities separated into clusters of higher and lower magnitude depending on how interaction strengths were estimated. Management and restoration of impacted sites needs to consider their increased stability, as this may have important implications for the recolonization of desirable species. Furthermore, active species introductions may be required to overcome the internal ecological inertia of affected communities.
Year effects: Interannual variation as a driver of community assembly dynamics
Authors: Werner Chhaya M. , Stuble Katharine L. , Groves Anna M. , Young Truman P. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractEnvironmental conditions that vary from year to year can be strong drivers of ecological dynamics, including the composition of newly assembled communities. However, ecologists often chalk such dynamics up to “noise” in ecological experiments. Our lack of attention to such “year effects” hampers our understanding of contingencies in ecological assembly mechanisms and limits the generalizability of research findings. Here, we provide examples from published research demonstrating the importance of year effects during community assembly across study systems. We further quantify these year effects with two case studies—a grassland restoration experiment and a study of postfire conifer recruitment—finding that the effects of initiation year on community composition can dictate community as much, if not more, than the effects of experimental treatments or site. The evidence strongly suggests that year effects are pervasive and profound, and that year effects early in community assembly can drive strong and enduring divergence in community structure and function. Explicit attention to year effects in ecological research serves to illuminate basic ecological principles, allowing for better understanding of contingencies in ecology. These dynamics also have strong implications for applied ecological research, offering new insights into ecological restoration as well as future climate change.
Development of Electrofishing for Fisheries Management
Authors: Reynolds James B , Dean Jan C 
Published: May 2020

Abstract
Electrofishing, broadly defined as the use of electricity to capture or control fish, was envisioned in an 1863 British patent application by Isham Baggs. Not until the 1920s, when large, stationary generators were available, did electrofishing applications (i.e., fish barriers) begin. After World War II, applications of electrofishing for fisheries management accelerated in diversity and portability. As the American Fisheries Society celebrates 150 years of dedication to aquatic resource conservation, our aim is to document the development of electrofishing for fisheries management in North America during the same period. Major management objectives comprise the topics in our article. While electrofishing has become a staple in fisheries management for conducting a wide range of applications such as population assessment and eradication of nuisance species, electrofishing use and equipment has evolved, particularly in response to human safety and fish welfare.
Sibling relationships and civic engagement: A longitudinal study of Chinese young adults
Authors: Bi Shan Shan , Lam Chun Bun , Chung Kevin Kien Hoa 
Published: May 2020

This study examined the longitudinal associations of sibling intimacy and conflict with civic attitudes and behaviours among Chinese young adults. At two time points separated by about 12 months, questionnaire data were collected from 272 Chinese college students (mean age at Time 1 = 19.68 years; 69% female), students who studied in Hong Kong and had at least one sibling. Students rated their intimacy and conflict with their siblings and their parents at Time 1, and their civic attitudes and behaviours at both time points. Hierarchical regression revealed that, controlling for demographic characteristics and parent–child intimacy and conflict, sibling intimacy predicted increases in both civic attitudes and behaviours. Sibling conflict was a non‐significant predictor, however. Findings highlighted the roles of siblings in understanding civic development in young adulthood and the utility of targeting sibling intimacy as means to foster young adults' positive attitudes to and active participation in civic activities.
Analysis of seepage loss from concrete lined irrigation canals in Punjab, Pakistan
Authors: Shah Zulqarnain , Gabriel Hamza , Haider Sajjad , Jafri Turab 
Published: May 2020

ABSTRACT/RÉSUMÉ (ABSTRACT for English and RÉSUMÉ for French)A significant amount of water is lost in canals due to seepage. This could be saved to irrigate barren land. This article presents the measured seepage data by the inflow‐outflow method on seven so‐called concrete‐lined distributary canals in Punjab, Pakistan. A special feature of the inflow‐outflow method is the relatively long lengths of the canal reaches (9 to 5 km), which is the longest one could find in the literature so far. The seepage in canals is also calculated using five empirical formulae. The results show that the Swamee and the Punmia formulae performed admirably with mean percent errors of −20% and + 19% respectively. Moritz formula stood at +53% while Kostiakov scored +158%. The research also proposed a slight modification in the Swamee formula whereby, instead of the canal width, the surface water width was used in the calculation of the dimensionless variable F. This led to a beneficial effect of bringing down the percent mean error from −42% to −20%. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Unique, Gender-Dependent Serum microRNA Profile in PLS3 Gene-Related Osteoporosis
Authors: Mäkitie Riikka E , Hackl Matthias , Weigl Moritz , Frischer Amelie , Kämpe Anders , Costantini Alice , Grillari Johannes , Mäkitie Outi 
Published: May 2020

ABSTRACT
Plastin 3 (PLS3), encoded by PLS3, is a newly recognized regulator of bone metabolism, and mutations in the encoding gene result in severe childhood-onset osteoporosis. Because it is an X chromosomal gene, PLS3 mutation-positive males are typically more severely affected whereas females portray normal to increased skeletal fragility. Despite the severe skeletal pathology, conventional metabolic bone markers tend to be normal and are thus insufficient for diagnosing or monitoring patients. Our study aimed to explore serum microRNA (miRNA) concentrations in subjects with defective PLS3 function to identify novel markers that could differentiate subjects according to mutation status and give insight into the molecular mechanisms by which PLS3 regulates skeletal health. We analyzed fasting serum samples for a custom-designed panel comprising 192 miRNAs in 15 mutation-positive (five males, age range 8–76 years, median 41 years) and 14 mutation-negative (six males, age range 8–69 years, median 40 years) subjects from four Finnish families with different PLS3 mutations. We identified a unique miRNA expression profile in the mutation-positive subjects with seven significantly upregulated or downregulated miRNAs (miR-93-3p, miR-532-3p, miR-133a-3p, miR-301b-3p, miR-181c-5p, miR-203a-3p, and miR-590-3p; p values, range .004–.044). Surprisingly, gender subgroup analysis revealed the difference to be even more distinct in female mutation-positive subjects (congruent p values, range .007–.086) than in males (p values, range .127–.843) in comparison to corresponding mutation-negative subjects. Although the seven identified miRNAs have all been linked to bone metabolism and two of them (miR-181c-5p and miR-203a-3p) have bioinformatically predicted targets in the PLS3 3′ untranslated region (3′-UTR), none have previously been reported to associate with PLS3. Our results indicate that PLS3 mutations are reflected in altered serum miRNA levels and suggest there is crosstalk between PLS3 and these miRNAs in bone metabolism. These provide new understanding of the pathomechanisms by which mutations in PLS3 lead to skeletal disease and may provide novel avenues for exploring miRNAs as biomarkers in PLS3 osteoporosis or as target molecules in future therapeutic applications. © 2020 The Authors. Journal of Bone and Mineral Research published by American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.
Native mass spectrometry—A valuable tool in structural biology
Authors: Barth Marie , Schmidt Carla 
Published: May 2020

AbstractProteins and the complexes they form with their ligands are the players of cellular action. Their function is directly linked with their structure making the structural analysis of protein‐ligand complexes essential. Classical techniques of structural biology include X‐ray crystallography, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy and recently distinguished cryo‐electron microscopy. However, protein‐ligand complexes are often dynamic and heterogeneous and consequently challenging for these techniques. Alternative approaches are therefore needed and gained importance during the last decades. One alternative is native mass spectrometry, which is the analysis of intact protein complexes in the gas phase. To achieve this, sample preparation and instrument conditions have to be optimised. Native mass spectrometry then reveals stoichiometry, protein interactions and topology of protein assemblies. Advanced techniques such as ion mobility and high‐resolution mass spectrometry further add to the range of applications and deliver information on shape and microheterogeneity of the complexes. In this tutorial, we explain the basics of native mass spectrometry including sample requirements, instrument modifications and interpretation of native mass spectra. We further discuss the developments of native mass spectrometry and provide example spectra and applications.
Volume effects in the TCP for hypoxic and oxygenated tumors
Authors: Chvetsov Alevei V. , Stewart Robert D. , Kim Minsun , Meyer Juergen , Rengan Ramesh 
Published: May 2020

PurposeClinical studies in radiation therapy with conventional fractionation show a reduction in the tumor control probability (TCP) with an increase in the total and hypoxic tumor volumes. The main objective of this article is to derive an analytical relationship between the TCP and the hypoxic and total tumor volumes. This relationship is applied to clinical data on the TCP reduction with increasing total tumor volume and, also, dose escalation to target tumor hypoxia.MethodsThe TCP equation derived from the Poisson probability distribution predicts that both (a) an increase in the number of tumor clonogens and (b) an increase in the average cell surviving fraction are the factors contributing to the loss of local control. Using asymptotic mathematical properties of the TCP formula and the linear quadratic (LQ) cell survival model with two levels of hypoxic and oxygenated cells, we separated the TCP dependence on the total and hypoxic tumor volumes. The predicted trends in the local control as a function of total and hypoxic tumor volumes were evaluated in radiotherapy model problems with conventional dose fractionation for head and neck and non‐small cell lung cancers. Tumor‐specific parameters in the LQ model and the density of clonogens in the TCP model were taken from published data on predictive assays and the plating efficiency measurements, respectively.ResultsOur simulations show that, at the dose levels used in conventional radiation therapy for head and neck and non‐small cell lung cancers, the TCP dependence on the total tumor volume is negligible for completely oxygenated tumors. However, the presented results demonstrate that tumor hypoxia introduces a significant volume effect into estimates of the TCP. The extent of tumor hypoxia is a plausible mechanism to explain the TCP reduction with increasing total tumor volume observed in clinical studies. To achieve the same level of tumor control in a hypoxic tumor region relative to well oxygenated tumor regions, the delivered dose should, in principle, be escalated by a factor equal to the oxygen enhancement ratio (OER). The theoretically required hypoxia‐targeted dose escalation could be as large as 100% because it has been estimated that hypoxic tumor regions may have an OER = 2 for conventional fractionation. However, our results indicate that clinically acceptable values of the TCP would require much lower hypoxia‐targeted dose escalation (<50%) when the effects of total and hypoxic tumor volumes are taken into account.ConclusionsThe reported studies and models suggest that the effect of total tumor volume on the TCP is negligible for oxygenated head and neck and non‐small cell lung tumors treated with conventional fractionation. According to our simulations, the volume effects in the TCP observed in clinical studies are defined primarily by the hypoxic volume. This information can be useful for the analysis of treatment outcomes and the dose escalation to target tumor hypoxia.
Dose calculation errors as a component of failing IROC lung and spine phantom irradiations
Authors: Edward Sharbacha S. , C. Glenn Mallory , Peterson Christine B. , Balter Peter A. , Pollard‐Larkin Julianne M. , Howell Rebecca M. , S. Followill David , Kry Stephen F. 
Published: May 2020

PurposeBetween July 2013 and August 2019, 22% of the imaging and radiation oncology core (IROC) spine, and 15% of the moving lung phantom irradiations have failed to meet established acceptability criteria. The spine phantom simulates a highly modulated stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) case, whereas the lung phantom represents a low‐to‐none modulation moving target case. In this study, we assessed the contribution of dose calculation errors to these phantom results and evaluated their effects on failure rates.MethodsWe evaluated dose calculation errors by comparing the calculation accuracy of various institutions’ treatment planning systems (TPSs) vs IROC‐Houston’s previously established independent dose recalculation system (DRS). Each calculation was compared with the measured dose actually delivered to the phantom; cases in which the recalculation was more accurate were interpreted as a deficiency in the institution's TPS. A total of 258 phantom irradiation plans (172 lung and 86 spine) were recomputed.ResultsOverall, the DRS performed better than the TPSs in 47% of the spine phantom cases. However, the DRS was more accurate in 93% of failing spine phantom cases (with an average improvement of 2.35%), indicating a deficiency in the institution's treatment planning system. Deficiencies in dose calculation accounted for 60% of the overall discrepancy between measured and planned doses among spine phantoms. In contrast, lung phantom DRS calculations were more accurate in only 35% and 42% of all and failing lung phantom cases respectively, indicating that dose calculation errors were not substantially present. These errors accounted for only 30% of the overall discrepancy between measured and planned doses.ConclusionsDose calculation errors are common and substantial in IROC spine phantom irradiations, highlighting a major failure mode in this phantom and in clinical treatment management of these cases. In contrast, dose calculation accuracy had only a minimal contribution to failing lung phantom results, indicating that other failure modes drive problems with this phantom and similar clinical treatments.
A wall boundary treatment using analytical volume integrations in a particle method
Authors: Matsunaga Takuya , Yuhashi Nobuhiro , Shibata Kazuya , Koshizuka Seiichi 
Published: May 2020

SummaryNumerical treatment of complicated wall geometry has been one of the most important challenges in particle methods for computational fluid dynamics. In this study, a novel wall boundary treatment using analytical volume integrations has been developed for two‐dimensional (2D) incompressible flow simulations with the moving particle semi‐implicit method. In our approach, wall geometry is represented by a set of line segments in 2D space. Thus, arbitrary‐shaped boundaries can easily be handled without auxiliary boundary particles. The wall's contributions to the spatial derivatives as well as the particle number density are formulated based on volume integrations over the solid domain. These volume integrations are analytically solved. Therefore, it does not entail an expensive calculation cost nor compromise accuracy. Numerical simulations have been carried out for several test cases including the plane Poiseuille flow, a hydrostatic pressure problem with complicated shape, a high viscous flow driven by a rotating screw, a free‐surface flow driven by a rotating cylinder and a dam break in a tank with a wedge. The results obtained using the proposed method agreed well with analytical solutions, experimental observations or calculation results obtained using finite volume method (FVM), which confirms that the proposed wall boundary treatment is accurate and robust.