bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Asynchrony among species and functional groups and temporal stability under perturbations: Patterns and consequences
Authors: Huang Mengjiao , Liu Xiang , Zhou Shurong 
Published: May 2020

Abstract

A number of theoretical and empirical studies have demonstrated the effects of perturbations on ecosystem stability. Compensatory dynamics among taxonomic units have been proposed as a major mechanism regulating the temporal stability of biomass production (hereafter ‘temporal stability’). However, most studies have focused on the effects of species asynchrony on temporal stability in response to perturbations, and few studies examined how compensatory changes among functional groups affected temporal stability.

Here, we conducted a 4‐year functional group removal experiment and a 4‐year experimental warming and nitrogen addition experiment in an alpine meadow of Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau to investigate the effects of perturbations (functional group removal, experimental warming and nitrogen addition) on temporal stability and the potential mechanisms.

In both experiments, temporal stability was positively related to both species and functional group asynchrony. However, species asynchrony and functional group asynchrony responded differently to different types of perturbations. In the removal experiment, although asynchrony among both species and functional groups decreased as more functional groups were removed, structural equation modelling showed that removal of different functional groups could affect temporal stability through altering either species or functional group asynchrony. Warming suppressed temporal stability through decreasing asynchrony among species, while nitrogen addition reduced temporal stability mainly through decreasing functional group asynchrony.

Synthesis. Our findings demonstrate the importance of considering compensatory dynamics at different taxonomic levels for predicting temporal stability under anthropogenic perturbations in alpine meadows, and throw light on the importance of protecting both species and functional group richness to maintain temporal stability in the context of global change.
Relative impact of human harvest and wolf predation on two ungulate species in Central Italy
Authors: Bassi Elena , Gazzola Andrea , Bongi Paolo , Scandura Massimo , Apollonio Marco 
Published: May 2020

AbstractData collected from 2000 to 2010 on a predator–prey system in eastern Tuscany (central Italy) were used to investigate the relative impact of human harvest and natural predation by wolves (Canis lupus) on the local populations of their main prey: wild boar (Sus scrofa) and roe deer (Capreolus capreolus). We estimated the percent composition of wolf diet from scat analysis (n = 2,150) and converted it into ingested biomass and number of killed individuals by quantifying the energy requirement of the resident wolf pack based on the field metabolic rate formula. Moreover, we collected data on hunting bags, and investigating the age/weight class preferences of both wolves and hunters compared their impacts on the two ungulate populations. In both prey species, losses due to hunting resulted to be eight to nine times higher than those due to wolf predation. In terms of number of individuals removed per year, the wild boar was the main prey species for wolves (mean ±SD: 83 ± 23) and the most harvested by hunters (mean ±SD: 609 ± 241). Wolves targeted the intermediate weight class (10–35 kg) in wild boar and showed no preference for a specific class of roe deer, while hunters targeted the largest classes in both species. The combined removal by hunters and wolf predation did not exceed the recruitment of both ungulate populations. We can therefore argue that a top‐down force is unlikely to contrast the population growth of the two ungulate species in Central Italy.
Leading Innovative Practice: Leadership Attributes in LEAP Practices
Authors: CRABTREE BENJAMIN F. , HOWARD JENNA , MILLER WILLIAM L. , CROMP DeANN , HSU CLARISSA , COLEMAN KATIE , AUSTIN BRIAN , FLINTER MARGARET , TUZZIO LEAH , WAGNER EDWARD H. 
Published: May 2020

Policy Points
An onslaught of policies from the federal government, states, the insurance industry, and professional organizations continually requires primary care practices to make substantial changes; however, ineffective leadership at the practice level can impede the dissemination and scale‐up of these policies.
The inability of primary care practice leadership to respond to ongoing policy demands has resulted in moral distress and clinician burnout.
Investments are needed to develop interventions and educational opportunities that target a broad array of leadership attributes.
ContextOver the past several decades, health care in the United States has undergone substantial and rapid change. At the heart of this change is an assumption that a more robust primary care infrastructure helps achieve the quadruple aim of improved care, better patient experience, reduced cost, and improved work life of health care providers. Practice‐level leadership is essential to succeed in this rapidly changing environment. Complex adaptive systems theory offers a lens for understanding important leadership attributes.MethodsA review of the literature on leadership from a complex adaptive system perspective identified nine leadership attributes hypothesized to support practice change: motivating others to engage in change, managing abuse of power and social influence, assuring psychological safety, enhancing communication and information sharing, generating a learning organization, instilling a collective mind, cultivating teamwork, fostering emergent leaders, and encouraging boundary spanning. Through a secondary qualitative analysis, we applied these attributes to nine practices ranking high on both a practice learning and leadership scale from the Learning from Effective Ambulatory Practice (LEAP) project to see if and how these attributes manifest in high‐performing innovative practices.FindingsWe found all nine attributes identified from the literature were evident and seemed important during a time of change and innovation. We identified two additional attributes—anticipating the future and developing formal processes—that we found to be important. Complexity science suggests a hypothesized developmental model in which some attributes are foundational and necessary for the emergence of others.ConclusionsSuccessful primary care practices exhibit a diversity of strong local leadership attributes. To meet the realities of a rapidly changing health care environment, training of current and future primary care leaders needs to be more comprehensive and move beyond motivating others and developing effective teams.
Application of a rolled cookie laboratory exercise as a method for students to gain undergraduate research experience in food science
Authors: Heermann Melanie L. , Getty Kelly J. K. , Yucel Umut 
Published: May 2020

AbstractHands‐on learning is a proven method of improving students’ critical thinking skills. Undergraduate research projects are encouraged to help students develop research and laboratory skills. If properly designed and implemented, research opportunities can be embedded in existing student coursework, which increases the number of students who can participate in these research opportunities. Objectives of this study were twofold: (a) to determine students’ perceptions of an undergraduate research laboratory exercise and (b) provide an innovative laboratory exercise for instructors to implement in their own classrooms. Rolled cookies were prepared by a food science class according to American Association of Cereal Chemists Method 10–50.05, using sucrose and alternative sweeteners and evaluated for physicochemical and organoleptic attributes. After completing the exercise, students evaluated cookie physical/organoleptic properties using a hedonic scale, were asked about personal demographics, and were surveyed about research/writing skills and food processing knowledge using a Likert scale. Approximately 50% of the class responded to the 2018 survey and nearly 85% responded to the 2019 survey. On average, 81.6% of students responded with “Strongly Agree” or “Somewhat Agree” to all survey questions, including data collection and analysis, critical thinking skills, experimental design, and replications. Students responded that detailed instructions provided by instructors were beneficial to their ability to understand experimental design, scientific communication, and the importance of using scientific resources.
Ocular manifestations in hemodialysis patients and short‐term changes in ophthalmologic findings
Authors: Sariyeva Ismayılov Ayna , Aydin Guclu Ozge , Erol Haşim Atakan 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency of ocular manifestations in hemodialysis (HD) patients and short‐term changes in ophthalmologic findings. A total of 142 eyes of 71 HD patients were included in this study. Patients with corneal and conjunctival deposits, diabetic retinopathy, hypertensive retinopathy, cataract, optic atrophy, or glaucoma were recorded. Schirmer I tests and the tear break up time (TBUT) were performed in the listed order to evaluate dry eye. Axial length (AL) and anterior chamber depth (ACD) were measured using ultrasound biometry using an infrared system. The TBUT test, Schirmer I test, intraocular pressure, AL, and ACD were applied within 30 minutes before and after a single session of HD. The most common ocular findings included conjunctival calcification (60.6%), cataract (50.7%), and proliferative diabetic retinopathy (21.1%). The average TBUT results decreased from 10.81 ± 4.90 to 9.43 ± 4.78 seconds after HD, and was statistically significant (P < .001). The mean Schirmer I test results decreased from 13.59 ± 4.67 to 12.07 ± 4.86 mm after HD. The decline in the Schirmer I test results was statistically significant (P = .005). The mean intraocular pressure decreased from 14.57 ± 4.40 to 13.43 ± 3.91 mm Hg after HD, and was statistically significant (P < .001). The mean ACD increased from 3.19 ± 0.53 to 3.25 ± 0.55 mm, and the mean AL increased from 23.05 ± 1.35 to 23.13 ± 1.35 mm, both increases being significant after HD (both P < .001). Eye diseases such as diabetic retinopathy, corneo‐conjunctival calcification, and dry eye are common in HD patients; these patients should undergo early and frequent eye examinations.
Backwater Confluences of the Ohio River: Organic and Inorganic Fingerprints Explain Sediment Dynamics in Wetlands and Marinas
Authors: Ford W.I. , Fox J.F. , Mahoney D.T. , DeGraves G. , Erhardt A. , Yost S. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractIn the Ohio River (OR), backwater confluence sedimentation dynamics are understudied, however, these river features are expected to be influential on the system’s ecological and economic function when integrated along the river’s length. In the following paper, we test the efficacy of organic and inorganic tracers for sediment fingerprinting in backwater confluences; we use fingerprinting results to evidence sediment dynamics controlling deposition patterns in confluences used for wetland and marina functions; and we quantify the spatial extent of tributary drainages with wetland and marina features in OR confluences. Both organic and inorganic tracers statistically differentiate sediment from stream and river end‐members. Carbon and nitrogen stable isotopes produce greater uncertainty in fingerprinting results than inorganic elemental tracers. Uncertainty analysis of the nonconservative tracer term in the organic matter fingerprinting application estimates an apparent enrichment of the carbon stable isotopes during instream residence, and the nonconservativeness is quantified with a statistical approach unique to the fingerprinting literature. Wetland and marina features in OR confluences impact 42% and 11% of tributary drainage areas, respectively. Sediment dynamics show wetland and marina confluences experience deposition from river backwaters with longitudinally linear and nonlinear patterns, respectively, from sediment sources.
A 51 bp indel polymorphism within the PTH1R gene is significantly associated with chicken growth and carcass traits
Authors: Ren T. , Zhang Z. , Fu R. , Yang Y. , Li W. , Liang J. , Mo G. , Luo W. , Zhang X. 
Published: May 2020

SummaryParathyroid hormone (PTH) is a crucial regulator of calcium homeostasis and bone remodeling, and the parathyroid hormone 1 receptor (PTH1R) belongs to a class II G‐protein‐coupled receptor. PTH activates PTH1R, which mediates catabolic and anabolic processes in the skeleton. However, the functional mechanism of PTH1R has not been thoroughly elucidated in organisms. This study identified a 51 bp indel mutation in the first intron of the PTH1R gene and elucidated the effect of this gene mutation on the growth and carcass traits in chickens. The results indicated that the 51 bp indel was significantly associated with subcutaneous fat thickness, abdominal fat weight, body weight and daily gain over 4–8 weeks. Furthermore, we found that PTH1R gene expression was highest in the kidney and liver tissues, and it showed a trend of decreasing in leg and breast muscle tissues at different embryonic stages. In addition, we examined the expression of the three genotypes of the PTH1R gene in the liver, breast muscle and abdominal fat and found that the II genotype was significantly higher than the DD and ID genotypes. In summary, these findings suggest that the PTH1R gene can serve as a potential molecular marker for chicken breeding.
Breed difference and regulatory role of CRTC3 in porcine intramuscular adipocyte
Authors: Liu J. , Nong Q. , Wang J. , Chen W. , Xu Z. , You W. , Xie J. , Wang Y. , Shan T. 
Published: May 2020

SummaryThe cAMP responsive element binding protein (CREB)‐regulated transcription coactivator 3 (CRTC3) is a member of the CRTC protein family and plays an important role in energy metabolism. The aim of this study was to determine if the expression of porcine CRTC3 is related to intramuscular fat (IMF) deposition and meat quality in Heigai pigs (a local fatty breed in China) and Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) pigs (a lean crossbred pig widely cultured in China). In addition, the effect of ectopic expression of CRTC3 on gene expression in porcine IMF adipocytes was also examined. Our results showed that Heigai pigs had lower lean percentage, thicker back fat thickness and smaller loin muscle area than DLY pigs. Compared with DLY pigs, Heigai pigs had higher marbling scores, better meat color and higher IMF contents and triglyceride concentrations. Higher levels of oxidative metabolic enzyme and expression of the slow oxidative muscle fiber‐related genes were observed in longissimus dorsi muscle and psoas major muscle (P < 0.05) from Heigai pigs. Notably, CRTC3 and adipocyte‐specific marker genes were highly expressed in muscle tissues of Heigai pigs. The expression of lipolysis‐related genes ATGL and HSL were lower in Heigai muscles. Moreover, forced expression of CRTC3 promoted lipid accumulation and increased the expression of PPARγ, C/EBPα, leptin and FABP4 (P < 0.05), whereas it decreased the expression of ATGL and HSL in IMF adipocytes. These results suggest that CRTC3 expression is associated with lipid accumulation and IMF deposition in pigs.
Role of Pd(II)–chitooligosaccharides–Gboxin analog in oxidative phosphorylation inhibition and energy depletion: Targeting mitochondrial dynamics
Authors: Elbehairi Serag Eldin I. , Alfaifi Mohammad Y. , Shati Ali A. , Alshehri Mohammed A. , Elshaarawy Reda F.M. , Hafez Hani S. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractIn this work, we have successfully upgraded the crab wastes into Pd(II) complex of Gboxin analog–chitooligosaccharides conjugate (Pd(II)COS@GbA). This new complex has a high capacity to inhibit the proliferation of prostate cancer cells (IC50 = 1.92 μg/ml). This activity could be attributed to its ability to induce mitochondrial fragmentation through increasing mitochondrial fission dynamin‐related protein 1 (p < .05) and down‐regulation of optic atrophy 1 proteins (p < .05). Moreover, this complex can effectively disrupt ATP synthase action leading to declined ATP production, along with downstream of ATPase inhibitor factor1 that hinder energy production in the cancer cells. Also, it has an anti‐inflammatory effect by triggering modulators for the release of inflammatory molecules such as TNF‐α (p < .05), IL‐6 (p < .05), and mRNA transcripts of COX‐II (p < .01). Therefore, Pd(II)COS@GbA exhibited significant anti‐prostate cancer activity through different mechanisms in inducing energy depletion and mitochondrial fragmentation leading to disrupted oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS). Complex Pd(II)COS@GbA is more cytotoxic for PC3 than RWPE‐1 which in turn means it is may act as a selective cytotoxic agent for prostate cancer.
Narrative review regarding the applicability, accuracy, and clinical outcome of flapless implant surgery with or without computer guidance
Authors: Naeini Emitis Natali , Atashkadeh Mandana , De Bruyn Hugo , D'Haese Jan 
Published: May 2020

AbstractBackgroundThe advent of computer‐guided surgery removed the need for complex surgical interventions such as extensive flap elevations, second stage implant exposure, and complications usually associated with conventional protocols.Purpose(a) Analyze available literature reporting on applicability, accuracy, clinical outcome of flapless surgery with or without computer guidance. (b) Evaluate quality of studies, in terms of scientific level of evidence and ethical committee approval.Materials and methodsA PUBMED search was performed in July 2018. A first search was based on a general search string limited to “Dental Implants” and “flapless surgery.” A second search focused on accuracy of computer‐guided surgery using search string “Surgery, Computer‐Assisted” or “guided surgery,” and “Dental implants.” The following inclusion criteria were applied: (a) studies in English; (b) human studies (excluding cadaver); (c) systematic reviews; (d) systematic reviews with meta‐analysis. Reviews not mentioning accuracy were excluded in search 2.ResultsNine reviews included in total. Implant survival ranged between 89% and 100%. Early surgical and prosthetic complications reported in 9.1% to 36.4% of reviewed papers. Tooth‐supported guides show more accuracy than bone or mucosa‐supported guides. Fully guided surgery yields higher accuracy, with lower values for horizontal coronal, horizontal apical and angular deviation (1.00, 1.23, and 3.13°mm, respectively) than those placed with half guided surgery (1.44, 1.91, and 4.30 mm, respectively). Thirty‐four of 71 human studies included in nine reviews, mentioned ethical committee approval or compliance with Declaration of Helsinki.ConclusionsGuided flapless surgery is comparable to free‐hand surgery in terms of implant survival, marginal bone remodeling, and peri‐implant variables. Clinicians advised to take care in all steps of the protocol, and include safety margins around virtually planned implants. Regarding compliance with research ethics, we should question whether scientific reports of clinical trials performed without an ethical umbrella are trustworthy. Compliance of ethics standards is imperative for submitted research papers.
Long‐term renal function in living kidney donors with simple renal cysts: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Waldram Madeleine M. , Thomas Alvin G. , Yu Yifan , Holscher Courtenay M. , Nguyen Anh Q. , Halpern Samantha E. , Ottman Shane , Muzaale Abimereki D. , Henderson Macey L. , Lentine Krista L. , Al Ammary Fawaz , Brennan Daniel C. , Garonzik‐Wang Jacqueline M. , Segev Dorry L. , Massie Allan B. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractSimple (Bosniak I) renal cysts are considered acceptable in living kidney donor selection in terms of cancer risk. However, they tend to increase in number and size over time and might compromise renal function in donors. To clarify their implications for long‐term renal function, we characterized the prevalence of renal cysts in 454 individuals who donated at our center from 2000 to 2007. We estimated the association between the presence of cysts in the kidney remaining after nephrectomy (ie, retained cysts) and postdonation eGFR trajectory using mixed‐effects linear regression. Donors with retained cysts (N = 86) were older (P < .001) and had slightly lower predonation eGFR (median 94 vs 98 mL/min/1.73 m2,P < .01) than those without cysts. Over a median 7.8 years, donors with retained cysts had lower baseline eGFR (−8.7−5.6−2.3 mL/min/1.73 m2,P < .01) but similar yearly change in eGFR (−0.40.020.4 mL/min/1.73 m2,P = .2) compared to those without retained cysts. Adjusting for predonation characteristics, there was no difference in baseline eGFR (P = .6) or yearly change in eGFR (P > .9). There continued to be no evidence of an association when we considered retained cyst(s) ≥10 mm or multiple retained cysts (allP > .05). These findings reaffirm current practices of accepting candidates with simple renal cysts for donor nephrectomy.
Elastophagocytosis and interstitial granulomatous infiltrate are more common in extragenital vs genital lichen sclerosus
Authors: Fancher Kendall , Gardner Jerad M. , Shalin Sara C. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractBackgroundGenital and extragenital lichen sclerosus (LS) share similar histopathologic features. A recent small series documented elastophagocytosis uniquely in extragenital LS. We evaluated a larger series of LS for elastophagocytosis, elastic fiber loss, and other histopathologic features. We evaluated matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) expression to determine if these proteins play an etiologic role.MethodsGenital (n = 42) and extragenital (n = 41) LS biopsies were examined for histopathologic features, elastic fiber alteration (Verhoeff van Gieson staining), and MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 expression (immunohistochemistry).ResultsElastophagocytosis and an interstitial granulomatous pattern were significantly more common in extragenital LS than genital LS (43.9% vs 4.7% and 56.1% vs 9.5%). Extragenital LS had mild/focal elastic fiber loss (43.9%), while genital LS had moderate (61.9%) or marked (19%) loss. MMP‐9 was diffusely expressed in histiocytes in both types of LS (genital 97.5%; extragenital 100%). Weak MMP‐2 expression was seen in genital (58%) and extragenital (55%) LS.ConclusionsExtragenital LS, but not genital LS, frequently exhibits elastophagocytosis and interstitial granulomatous infiltrate, and these patterns could contribute to elastic fiber destruction in extragenital LS. While MMP‐2 and MMP‐9 expression are common in LS, expression did not significantly differ depending on anatomic site and thus is unlikely to explain observed histopathologic differences.