bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genetic variation of introduced red oak (Quercus rubra) stands in Germany compared to North American populations
Authors: Pettenkofer Tim , Finkeldey Reiner , Müller Markus , Krutovsky Konstantin V. , Vornam Barbara , Leinemann Ludger , Gailing Oliver 
Published: January 2020

AbstractAlthough Northern red oak (Quercus rubraL.) is the most important introduced deciduous tree species in Germany, only little is known about its genetic variation. For the first time, we describe patterns of neutral and potentially adaptive nuclear genetic variation in Northern red oak stands across Germany. For this purpose, 792 trees were genotyped including 611 trees from 12 stands in Germany of unknown origin and 181 trees from four populations within the natural distribution area in North America. Our marker set included 12 potentially adaptive (expressed sequence tag-derived simple sequence repeat = EST SSR) and 8 putatively selectively neutral nuclear microsatellite (nSSR) markers. Our results showed that German stands retain comparatively high levels of genetic variation at both EST-SSRs and nSSRs, but are more similar to each other than to North American populations. These findings are in agreement with earlier chloroplast DNA analyses which suggested that German populations originated from a limited geographic area in North America. The comparison between potentially adaptive and neutral microsatellite markers did not reveal differences in the analyzed diversity and differentiation measures for most markers. However, locus FIR013 was identified as a potential outlier locus. Due to the absence of signatures of selection in German stands, we suggest that introduced populations were established with material from provenances that were adapted to environmental conditions similar to those in Germany. However, we analyzed only a limited number of loci which are unlikely to be representative of adaptive genetic differences among German stands. Our results suggest that the apparent introduction from a limited geographic range in North America may go along with a reduced adaptive potential.
Defining student learning experience through blended learning
Authors: Bouilheres Frederique , Le Le Thi Viet Ha , McDonald Scott , Nkhoma Clara , Jandug-Montera Lilibeth 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThis paper aims to explore the benefits of Blended Learning towards students’ learning experiences at an offshore campus of an Australian university located in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. At the university campus, the Blended Learning practice in use is the displacement of content. Content displacement refers to a portion of the learning content and activities for a course being delivered online via the Learning Management System. Learning not only happens in face-to-face sessions at a given time but is extended to online spaces as well, happening anywhere at any time at students’ preference. The focus of this research is its usefulness and effectiveness in promoting interactions between students and their peers, their teachers, and course materials. An online survey, which was designed based on a set of validated questions, was used to collect data from sixty-six students enrolled in eight Blended Learning courses. The analysis of the survey results provides empirical evidence to the claim that students’ perception of their learning experiences at the university was beneficially impacted as a result of the Blended Learning environment in each of their classes. Specifically, factor analysis using oblique rotation method identifies a clear factor structure across survey questions, representing four dimensions of benefits: Engagement, Flexibility of learning, Online learning experience, and Self-confidence. In addition, significant differences between the clusters on these factors indicate that students vary in their responses towards the benefits of Blended Learning and their experience with a Blended Learning approach.
A paracrine interaction between granulosa cells and leukocytes in the preovulatory follicle causes the increase in follicular G-CSF levels
Authors: Noël Laure , Fransolet Maïté , Jacobs Nathalie , Foidart Jean-Michel , Nisolle Michelle , Munaut Carine 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Objective
Follicular granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a new biomarker of oocyte quality and embryo implantation in in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles. Its role in reproduction is poorly understood. Our study aimed to investigate the mechanisms and cells responsible for G-CSF production in the preovulatory follicle.

Design
Laboratory research study.

Setting
Single-center study.

Interventions
Granulosa cells and leukocytes were isolated from the follicular fluids (FF) or the blood of women undergoing IVF and from the blood of a control group of women with spontaneous ovulatory cycles to perform cocultures.

Main outcome measure
G-CSF-secreted protein was quantified in the conditioned media of cocultures.

Results
G-CSF secretion was considerably increased in cocultures of granulosa cells and leukocytes. This effect was maximal when leukocytes were isolated from the blood of women in the late follicular phase of the menstrual cycle or from the FF of women undergoing IVF. The leukocyte population isolated from the FF samples of women undergoing IVF had a higher proportion of granulocytes than that isolated from the corresponding blood samples. Leukocytes induced the synthesis and secretion of G-CSF by granulosa cells. Among a range of other FF cytokines/chemokines, only growth-regulated oncogene alpha (GROα) was also increased.

Conclusion
The notable rise in G-CSF at the time of ovulation coincides with the accumulation of follicular granulocytes, which stimulate G-CSF production by granulosa cells via paracrine interactions. High follicular G-CSF concentrations may occur in follicles with optimal granulosa–leukocyte interactions, which could explain the increased implantation rate of embryos arising from these follicles.
Modelling the Climate and Weather of a 2D Lagrangian-Averaged Euler–Boussinesq Equation with Transport Noise
Authors: Alonso-Orán Diego , Bethencourt de León Aythami , Holm Darryl D. , Takao So 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe prediction of climate change and its impact on extreme weather events is one of the great societal and intellectual challenges of our time. The first part of the problem is to make the distinction between weather and climate. The second part is to understand the dynamics of the fluctuations of the physical variables. The third part is to predict how the variances of the fluctuations are affected by statistical correlations in their fluctuating dynamics. This paper investigates a framework called LA SALT which can meet all three parts of the challenge for the problem of climate change. As a tractable example of this framework, we consider the Euler–Boussinesq (EB) equations for an incompressible stratified fluid flowing under gravity in a vertical plane with no other external forcing. All three parts of the problem are solved for this case. In fact, for this problem, the framework also delivers global well-posedness of the dynamics of the physical variables and closed dynamical equations for the moments of their fluctuations. Thus, in a well-posed mathematical setting, the framework developed in this paper shows that the mean field dynamics combines with an intricate array of correlations in the fluctuation dynamics to drive the evolution of the mean statistics. The results of the framework for 2D EB model analysis define its climate, as well as climate change, weather dynamics, and change of weather statistics, all in the context of a model system of SPDEs with unique global strong solutions.
$$L^2$$ Properties of Lévy Generators on Compact Riemannian Manifolds
Authors: Applebaum David , Brockway Rosemary Shewell 
Published: January 2020

AbstractWe consider isotropic Lévy processes on a compact Riemannian manifold, obtained from an $${\mathbb {R}}^d$$

R

d

-valued Lévy process through rolling without slipping. We prove that the Feller semigroups associated with these processes extend to strongly continuous contraction semigroups on $$L^p$$

L
p

, for $$1\le p<\infty $$

1
≤
p
<
∞

. When $$p=2$$

p
=
2

, we show that these semigroups are self-adjoint. If, in addition, the motion has a non-trivial Brownian part, we prove that the generator has a discrete spectrum of eigenvalues and that the semigroup is trace-class.
How Age and Disclosures of Sponsored Influencer Videos Affect Adolescents’ Knowledge of Persuasion and Persuasion
Authors: van Reijmersdal Eva A. , van Dam Sophia 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThis study examines the effects of age (early versus middle adolescence) combined with the content of disclosures for sponsoring in online influencer videos on adolescents’ knowledge of persuasion and on persuasion. An experiment was conducted among a sample of 406 adolescents (167 early adolescents aged 12–14 years, mean age 12.85, SD = 0.14, 53% female; and 239 middle adolescents, aged 15–16 years, mean age 14.36, SD = 0.13, 59% female). The results show that early adolescents need extensive information (disclosure of advertising and of its intent) to activate their knowledge of persuasion regarding sponsored influencer videos, whereas middle adolescents’ knowledge of persuasion is activated by disclosure of advertising alone. This indicates that early adolescents’ knowledge of persuasion is less well developed and that their information processing is more limited than that of middle adolescents. Moreover, only middle adolescents showed more negative brand and influencer attitudes in response to the disclosure. Interestingly, purchase intention remains unaffected by the disclosure for all adolescents. These findings add to the research on adolescence as they show that adolescents’ responses to influencer marketing are a function of their developmental stage in combination with disclosure content. As such, this study has implications for theory on persuasion among adolescents and for regulations aiming to empower adolescents to deal with online sponsored influencer videos.
Theoretical and experimental approaches to understand the biosynthesis of starch granules in a physiological context
Authors: Pfister Barbara , Zeeman Samuel C. , Rugen Michael D. , Field Robert A. , Ebenhöh Oliver , Raguin Adélaïde 
Published: January 2020

AbstractStarch, a plant-derived insoluble carbohydrate composed of glucose polymers, is the principal carbohydrate in our diet and a valuable raw material for industry. The properties of starch depend on the arrangement of glucose units within the constituent polymers. However, key aspects of starch structure and the underlying biosynthetic processes are not well understood, limiting progress towards targeted improvement of our starch crops. In particular, the major component of starch, amylopectin, has a complex three-dimensional, branched architecture. This architecture stems from the combined actions of a multitude of enzymes, each having broad specificities that are difficult to capture experimentally. In this review, we reflect on experimental approaches and limitations to decipher the enzymes’ specificities and explore possibilities for in silico simulations of these activities. We believe that the synergy between experimentation and simulation is needed for the correct interpretation of experimental data and holds the potential to greatly advance our understanding of the overall starch biosynthetic process. We furthermore propose that the formation of glucan secondary structures, concomitant with its synthesis, is a previously overlooked factor that directly affects amylopectin architecture through its impact on enzyme function.
Quality of life in people with dementia living in nursing homes: validation of an eight-item version of the QUALIDEM for intensive longitudinal assessment
Authors: Junge Stefan , Gellert Paul , O’Sullivan Julie Lorraine , Möller Sebastian , Voigt-Antons Jan-Niklas , Kuhlmey Adelheid , Nordheim Johanna 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Purpose
Our aim was to examine whether quality of life which was repeatedly assessed over time is related with the comprehensive assessment of quality of life (QoL) and thereby to validate a brief QoL assessment.

Method
This longitudinal study used a comprehensive assessment of quality of life at baseline (QUALIDEM; 37 items) to validate an eight-item version of QUALIDEM to assess momentary quality of life which was repeatedly administered using a tablet device after baseline. In all, 150 people with dementia from 10 long-term facilities participated. Momentary quality of life and comprehensive quality of life, age, gender, activities of daily living (Barthel Index), Functional assessment staging (FAST), and Geriatric Depression (GDS) have been assessed.

Results
Comprehensive and momentary quality of life showed good internal consistency with Cronbach’s alpha of .86 and .88 to .93, respectively. For multiple associations of momentary quality of life with the comprehensive quality of life, momentary quality of life was significantly related to comprehensive quality of life (B = .14, CI .08/.20) and GDS (B = − .13, CI − .19/− .06). More specifically, the comprehensive QUALIDEM subscales ‘positive affect’, ‘negative affect’, ‘restlessness’, and ‘social relationships’ showed significant positive associations with momentary quality of life (p < .001).

Conclusion
We found that momentary quality of life, reliably assessed by tablet, was associated with comprehensive measures of quality of life and depressive symptoms in people with dementia. Broader use of tablet-based assessments within frequent QoL measurements may enhance time management of nursing staff and may improve the care quality and communication between staff and people with dementia.
The effect of stroboscopic visual training on eye–hand coordination
Authors: Ellison Paul , Jones Chris , Sparks S. Andy , Murphy Philip N. , Page Richard M. , Carnegie Evelyn , Marchant David C. 
Published: January 2020

Abstract
Background
Stroboscopic visual training (SVT) has been shown to improve cognitive skills and perceptual performance by carrying out events under situations of intermittent vision.

Aims
The aim of this study was to investigate whether an SVT training period could improve the eye–hand coordination (EHC) performance on a practiced task for a group of sports participants.

Methods
Sixty-two male participants were randomly assigned to either a strobe group (SG n = 31), or control group (CG n = 31). The method employed a Sport Vision Trainer™ 80 sensor pad to measure the mean speed of reaction time of participants extinguishing randomly illuminated lights on an electronic board. One trial consists of 20 lights. One week following pre-testing on the Sport Vision Trainer™ (4 × 6 trials), a pre-training baseline assessment of 1 × 6 trials was conducted to measure their abilities to complete the EHC task. Four × six trials (480 lights) were then completed in the training phase with the CG continuing to train with unimpaired vision, whilst the SG wore Nike Vapor Strobe® (controlled rate of 100 ms visible to 150 ms opaque). Post-training assessments were administered immediately, 10 min and 10 days after SVT each consisting of six trials (120 lights). A visual search (VS) non-trained transfer test was also administered pre-SVT and after 10 days. This involved an e-prime programme using a laptop where participants had to identify a target stimulus located amongst distractor stimuli.

Results
Treatment effects were observed at each time point. Baseline performance was significantly related to retention performance immediately (p = .003), 10-min post (p = .001) and 10 days post-training (p = .002). No significant differences were found for the VS test.

Conclusion
An acute SVT exposure using stroboscopic goggles significantly improved EHC performance. Future research should explore these mechanisms further using different exposure, frequencies, and focused identification of training drills as a complementary intervention for individual or team sports.
Fauna activity on soils developing on dead logs in an ancient inland temperate rainforest of North British Columbia (Canada)
Authors: Klimek Beata , Niklińska Maria 
Published: January 2020

AbstractPurposeThe aim of the study was to compare the feeding activity of soil fauna in forest floor soil and in soil layer developing on dead cedar logs in temperate ancient rainforest of North British Columbia (Canada) inlands.Materials and methodsBait–lamina test was applied to study the soil fauna feeding activity. On each of ten plots, measurements were conducted on a dead tree trunk (log) and in the typical forest floor soil in the close vicinity (< 10 m) of the log. A range of physicochemical properties of soil was measured for both environments.Results and discussionThe feeding activity of soil fauna did not differ between log and forest floor soils (pairedttest,t = 0.1693). Log soils and forest floor soils did not differ in a range of physicochemical properties measured, that is element content and pH, with the exception of organic matter content, which was significantly higher in log soil than in forest floor soil (p = 0.037).ConclusionsSoil developing on dead cedar logs creates a similar environment for the development and activity of soil fauna as the organic layer of forest floor soil.
Incidence of Surgically Treated Brachial Plexus Injury in Privately Insured Adults under 65 Years of Age in the USA
Authors: Dy Christopher J. , Peacock Kate , Olsen Margaret A. , Ray Wilson Z. , Brogan David M. 
Published: January 2020

Background Brachial plexus injury (BPI) is a life-altering event, and surgical treatment of BPI is costly ($66 million nationwide in 2006 alone). Despite the sizable costs associated with surgically treated BPI, the incidence of such cases in adults in the USA remains unknown. Questions/Purposes We sought to provide an estimate of the national incidence of surgically treated BPI in the USA and to determine whether changes have occurred over time. Methods We sought to identify privately insured adults ages 18 through 64 years who underwent BPI surgery between 2008 and 2014 in the IBM® MarketScan® Commercial Database. We then extrapolated those data to the same age group in the general population (all insurance types were considered), using data from the National Health Interview Survey and a study on the proportion of BPI surgery cases covered by private insurance to estimate the national incidence. We also used the Cochran–Armitage trend test to evaluate for statistically significant changes in BPI incidence over time in MarketScan private insurance data. Results We identified 966 patients surgically treated for BPI in the MarketScan database in the study period. The average annual incidence of surgically treated BPI in this population of privately insured patients was 0.64 per 100,000 (range, 0.38 to 1.03). When extrapolated to all payers, the average annual incidence was 0.89 per 100,000 people (range, 0.53 to 1.47). In the MarketScan data, there was a statistically significant overall increase in the incidence of surgically treated BPI from 2008 through 2014 (0.47 per 100,000 to 1.03 per 100,000). Conclusion The estimated annual incidence of surgically treated BPI is 0.89 per 100,000 persons in the USA, and the incidence has increased over time. These findings can serve as a baseline for further studies of disease epidemiology and societal and financial impact.
Design Modifications of the Posterior-Stabilized Knee System May Reduce Anterior Knee Pain and Complications following Total Knee Replacement
Authors: Dubin Jeremy A. , Muskat Ahava , Westrich Geoffrey H. 
Published: January 2020

Background In total knee arthroplasty (TKA), advances in posterior-stabilized (PS) knee implant designs address patellofemoral mechanics and cam–post engagement in an effort to reduce patellofemoral pain and improve knee kinematics. Such modifications may include improved femoral rollback, improved femoral dislocation resistance, minimized wear, and improved longevity. Questions/Purposes In this study, we compared a newer PS knee design that incorporates a left and right specific femoral component and smoother trochlear groove to improve patellofemoral mechanics with an older PS design in order to assess patellofemoral pain, manipulation rates, and revision rates. Methods Using an institutional database, we retrospectively identified TKAs performed by the same surgeon using the Logic® PS knee system and the older Optetrak PS knee system (Exactech Inc., Gainesville, FL, USA), with a minimum 2-year follow-up. Clinical outcomes for each cohort were measured using the Knee Society Clinical Rating System, University of California Los Angeles Activity Scale, pain visual analog scale (VAS), Veterans Rand 12-Item Health Survey, and Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. In addition, rates of anterior knee pain, manipulation, and revision were compared between the two knee systems, and a Kaplan–Meier survivorship curve defining failure as need for revision was calculated to allow comparison between the cohorts. Results From 2000 to 2018, there were 1482 TKAs performed using the Logic PS (not counting 12 patients who had died) and 445 in the Optetrak PS group (not counting 20 patients who had died). In the Logic PS and Optetrak PS groups, respectively, the average age at operation was 66.7 years and 68.6 years and the average body mass index was 30.8 and 31.2. Pain VAS scores were significantly lower in the Logic PS group than in the Optetrak group (1.72 vs. 2.75 out of 10, respectively). There was also a significant difference in the percentages of patients reporting anterior knee pain in the Logic group, as compared with the Optetrak group (5.6% vs. 11.8%, respectively). In addition, manipulation rates differed significantly between the Logic and Optetrak groups (0.34% vs. 10.70%, respectively). The revision rates were 1.15% for the Logic group and 2.0% for the Optetrak group. However, there was a significant difference in rates of revision performed because of osteolysis, favoring the Logic group (0.07% vs. 0.6%). The Kaplan–Meier survivorship curve shows a significant difference in time until revision between the Logic and Optetrak groups. Conclusion Design modifications to improve patellofemoral mechanics demonstrated significant improvements in overall pain and patellofemoral pain and reduced manipulation rates post-operatively.
On the firm’s option values of short-time work policies
Authors: Huisman Kuno J. M. , Thijssen Jacco J. J. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractWe analyse the short-time work (STW) regulations that several OECD countries introduced after the 2007 financial crisis. We view these measures as a collection of real options and study the dynamic effect of STW on the endogenous liquidation decision of the firm. While STW delays a firm’s liquidation, it is not necessarily welfare enhancing. Moreover, it turns out that firms use STW too long. We show (numerically) that providers of capital benefit more than employees from STW. Benefits for employees can even be negative. A typical Nordic policy performs better than a typical Anglo-Saxon policy for all stakeholders.