bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Urbanization drives cross‐taxon declines in abundance and diversity at multiple spatial scales
Authors: Piano Elena , Souffreau Caroline , Merckx Thomas , Baardsen Lisa F. , Backeljau Thierry , Bonte Dries , Brans Kristien I. , Cours Marie , Dahirel Maxime , Debortoli Nicolas , Decaestecker Ellen , De Wolf Katrien , Engelen Jessie M. T. , Fontaneto Diego , Gianuca Andros T. , Govaert Lynn , Hanashiro Fabio T. T. , Higuti Janet , Lens Luc , Martens Koen , Matheve Hans , Matthysen Erik , Pinseel Eveline , Sablon Rose , Schön Isa , Stoks Robby , Van Doninck Karine , Van Dyck Hans , Vanormelingen Pieter , Van Wichelen Jeroen , Vyverman Wim , De Meester Luc , Hendrickx Frederik 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThe increasing urbanization process is hypothesized to drastically alter (semi‐)natural environments with a concomitant major decline in species abundance and diversity. Yet, studies on this effect of urbanization, and the spatial scale at which it acts, are at present inconclusive due to the large heterogeneity in taxonomic groups and spatial scales at which this relationship has been investigated among studies. Comprehensive studies analysing this relationship across multiple animal groups and at multiple spatial scales are rare, hampering the assessment of how biodiversity generally responds to urbanization. We studied aquatic (cladocerans), limno‐terrestrial (bdelloid rotifers) and terrestrial (butterflies, ground beetles, ground‐ and web spiders, macro‐moths, orthopterans and snails) invertebrate groups using a hierarchical spatial design, wherein three local‐scale (200 m × 200 m) urbanization levels were repeatedly sampled across three landscape‐scale (3 km × 3 km) urbanization levels. We tested for local and landscape urbanization effects on abundance and species richness of each group, whereby total richness was partitioned into the average richness of local communities and the richness due to variation among local communities. Abundances of the terrestrial active dispersers declined in response to local urbanization, with reductions up to 85% for butterflies, while passive dispersers did not show any clear trend. Species richness also declined with increasing levels of urbanization, but responses were highly heterogeneous among the different groups with respect to the richness component and the spatial scale at which urbanization impacts richness. Depending on the group, species richness declined due to biotic homogenization and/or local species loss. This resulted in an overall decrease in total richness across groups in urban areas. These results provide strong support to the general negative impact of urbanization on abundance and species richness within habitat patches and highlight the importance of considering multiple spatial scales and taxa to assess the impacts of urbanization on biodiversity.
A Limited Central Bank
Authors: Plosser Charles I. 
Published: November 2019

The President of the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank from 2006–2015 discusses the Fed's essential role as preserver of the currency's purchasing power and how the institution might be improved to better fulfill that role. To that end, the author proposes the imposition of four limits on the central bank that, by restricting its discretion, can be expected to improve outcomes and accountability.
First, limit the Fed's monetary policy goals to a narrow mandate in which price stability is the sole, or at least the primary, objective;
Second, limit the types of assets that the Fed can hold on its balance sheet to Treasury securities;
Third, limit the Fed's discretion in monetary policymaking by requiring a systematic, rule‐like approach; and
Fourth, limit the boundaries of its lender‐of‐last‐resort credit extension.
These changes, by creating a more limited central bank, would help preserve the central bank's independence, thereby improving the effectiveness of monetary policy. They would also make it easier for the public to hold the Fed accountable for its policy decisions.
The Fed's Communications: Suggestions for Improvement
Authors: Levy Mickey D. 
Published: November 2019

The chief economist of Berenberg Capital Markets proposes three broad ways of improving the Fed's communications: (1) establish a more systematic approach to achieving its dual mandate; (2) clarify the proper role of monetary policy in achieving those objectives by distinguishing what is within the scope of monetary policy from what is clearly beyond it; and (3) articulate the Fed's goals and role in achieving macro‐prudential risk management and financial stability.With these three ends in view, the author begins by urging FOMC members to refrain from making public comments immediately following government data releases and, when making public speeches and statements, to relate their comments on the economy to the Fed's dual mandate. The author also suggests three modifications of the Fed's official Policy Statement following FOMC meetings. First, each statement should start with an assessment of monetary policy and its consistency with achieving the Fed's statutory mandate, rather than the Fed's assessments of the economy and its subsectors with which such statements now begin. Second, the Fed should communicate separate explicit risk assessments of inflation and of the prospects for employment and the economy. (The Fed's current practice of sometimes dropping the risk assessments from statements and replacing them with nuanced language—for example, on changes in inflation and inflationary expectations—can be a source of confusion.) Third, all statements should discuss as clearly as possible the Fed's strategy for its balance sheet and unwind policy.The Fed's quarterly Summary of Economic Projections (SEPs) should be redesigned to include FOMC estimates of forecast uncertainties and what they imply for monetary policy, and such alternative forecasts should be presented in place of the current central tendency and range of forecasts. The redesigned SEPs should be (1) based on a rigorous Fed assessment of expected monetary policy under different situations and contingency planning, and (2) as transparent as possible about the Fed's economic and inflation outlooks, the uncertainties in forecasting, and the conditionality of monetary policy. An illustration is provided of the alternative SEPs that would replace the current “dot plots” and include the Fed's forecasts of nominal GDP, calculated confidence intervals around the FOMC's median forecasts, and three separate forecasts of the Fed's perceived appropriate Fed funds rate.Finally, the author views the “optimal solution” as a more systematic approach in which the Fed publishes a single forecast based on a model consistent with its dual mandate that shows how the appropriate Fed funds rate path would be expected to vary under different economic and inflation outcomes. Such an approach, by thus mapping likely monetary policy responses to alternative plausible economic and inflation outcomes, would increase the Fed's accountability as well as its transparency.
Dividend Consistency: Rewards, Learning, and Expectations
Authors: Michayluk David , Walker Scott , Neuhauser Karyn 
Published: November 2019

The fact that many companies have a long track record of consistent dividend increases suggests that managers believe there is some benefit to establishing and maintaining such a pattern. Many companies, for example, follow a perennial policy of increasing the dividend in a particular quarter, maintaining it at the same level for the next three quarters, and then increasing it in the same quarter of the following year. But does the capital market reward companies for maintaining a consistent dividend policy? Do companies with a history of repeated dividend increases earn long‐term positive abnormal returns; and if so, how long do the returns persist?The authors find that companies earned significantly positive abnormal returns following each of the first five annual dividend increases, over and above the positive announcement‐month returns. Nevertheless, the reward decreases as the track record of dividend increases becomes longer. After the first dividend increase, companies enjoy significantly positive returns for the next two years. Companies that increase the dividend in the same quarter of the following year also enjoy significant positive returns, but returns that are smaller (and less statistically significant) than in the case of first‐time dividend increases. And as the dividend‐increase track record further lengthens, the size and statistical significance of the abnormal returns continues to shrink; and after the sixth dividend increase, the abnormal returns in the next twelve months are statistically indistinguishable from zero.In sum, although there is some support for maintaining a consistent dividend policy, the market response diminishes over time, and investors do not earn abnormal returns by buying stocks whose annual dividend has already been increased six or more times.
Reading with the eyes and under the skin: Comprehending conflicting digital texts
Authors: Mason Lucia , Zaccoletti Sonia , Scrimin Sara , Tornatora Maria Caterina , Florit Elena , Goetz Thomas 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThis study investigated the contribution of both physiological and behavioural process data to the comprehension of conflicting digital texts. We measured skin conductance level (SCL) as an index of arousal and the first‐pass and look‐back fixation times as indices of visual behaviour while reading. Forty‐eight seventh graders read four webpages on genetically modified food, and their comprehension of the texts was measured using a short essay. Results showed that the type of webpage did not differentiate the process data. Statistical procedures for the comparison of a series of regression models revealed that SCL and first‐pass fixation time negatively predicted multiple‐text comprehension while also considering the control variables. The more the students were aroused while reading and the longer the processing time during the first encounter with the reading material, the poorer their comprehension of the conflicting texts. However, the interaction of prior knowledge and arousal positively predicted multiple‐text comprehension. A slope analysis revealed that when participants had high prior knowledge and high arousal during reading, their postreading comprehension performance increased.
Up‐regulation of DDIT4 predicts poor prognosis in acute myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Cheng Zhiheng , Dai Yifeng , Pang Yifan , Jiao Yang , Liu Yan , Cui Longzhen , Quan Liang , Qian Tingting , Zeng Tiansheng , Si Chaozeng , Huang Wenhui , Chen Jinghong , Pang Ying , Ye Xu , Shi Jinlong , Fu Lin 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThe mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitor, DNA damage inducible transcript 4 (DDIT4), has inducible expression in response to various cellular stresses. In multiple malignancies, studies have shown that DDIT4 participates in tumorigenesis and impacts patient survival. We aimed to study the prognostic value of DDIT4 in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML), which is currently unclear. Firstly, The Cancer Genome Atlas was screened for AML patients with complete clinical characteristics and DDIT4 expression data. A total of 155 patients were included and stratified according to the treatment modality and the median DDIT4 expression levels. High DDIT4 expressers had shorter overall survival (OS) and event‐free survival (EFS) than the low expressers among the chemotherapy‐only group (all P < .001); EFS and OS were similar in the high and low DDIT4 expressers of the allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo‐HSCT) group. Furthermore, in the DDIT4high group, patients treated with allo‐HSCT had longer EFS and OS than those who received chemotherapy alone (all P < .01). In the DDIT4low group, OS and EFS were similar in different treatment groups. Secondly, we analysed two other cytogenetically normal AML (CN‐AML) cohorts derived from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, which confirmed that high DDIT4 expression was associated with poorer survival. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis showed that the genes related to DDIT4 expression were mainly concentrated in the acute and chronic myeloid leukaemia signalling pathways. Collectively, our study indicates that high DDIT4 expression may serve as a poor prognostic factor for AML, but its prognostic effects could be outweighed by allo‐HSCT.
Inhibition of DNM1L and mitochondrial fission attenuates inflammatory response in fibroblast‐like synoviocytes of rheumatoid arthritis
Authors: Wang Xiaoyan , Chen Zhufeng , Fan Xuemei , Li Wei , Qu Jiaqi , Dong Chuan , Wang Zhixue , Ji Zhenwei , Li Yang 
Published: November 2019

AbstractMitochondrial fission and fusion are important for mitochondrial function, and dynamin 1‐like protein (DNM1L) is a key regulator of mitochondrial fission. We investigated the effect of mitochondrial fission on mitochondrial function and inflammation in fibroblast‐like synoviocytes (FLSs) during rheumatoid arthritis (RA). DNM1L expression was determined in synovial tissues (STs) from RA and non‐RA patients. FLSs were isolated from STs and treated with a DNM1L inhibitor (mdivi‐1, mitochondrial division inhibitor 1) or transfected with DNM1L‐specific siRNA. Mitochondrial morphology, DNM1L expression, cell viability, mitochondrial membrane potential, reactive oxygen species (ROS), apoptosis, inflammatory cytokine expression and autophagy were examined. The impact of mdivi‐1 treatment on development and severity of collagen‐induced arthritis (CIA) was determined in mice. Up‐regulated DNM1L expression was associated with reduced mitochondrial length in STs from patients with RA and increased RA severity. Inhibition of DNM1L in FLSs triggered mitochondrial depolarization, mitochondrial elongation, decreased cell viability, production of ROS, IL‐8 and COX‐2, and increased apoptosis. DNM1L deficiency inhibited IL‐1β–mediated AKT/IKK activation, NF‐κBp65 nuclear translocation and LC3B‐related autophagy, but enhanced NFKBIA expression. Treatment of CIA mice with mdivi‐1 decreased disease severity by modulating inflammatory cytokine and ROS production. Our major results are that up‐regulated DNM1L and mitochondrial fission promoted survival, LC3B‐related autophagy and ROS production in FLSs, factors that lead to inflammation by regulating AKT/IKK/NFKBIA/NF‐κB signalling. Thus, inhibition of DNM1L may be a new strategy for treatment of RA.
Fibroblast growth factor‐2/platelet‐derived growth factor enhances atherosclerotic plaque stability
Authors: Mao Yang , Liu Xiao Qiong , Song Yu , Zhai Chun Gang , Xu Xing Li , Zhang Lei , Zhang Yun 
Published: November 2019

AbstractIncreased immature neovessels contribute to plaque growth and instability. Here, we investigated a method to establish functional and stable neovessel networks to increase plaque stability. Rabbits underwent aortic balloon injury and were divided into six groups: sham, vector and lentiviral transfection with vascular endothelial growth factor‐A (VEGF)‐A, fibroblast growth factor (FGF)‐2, platelet‐derived growth factor (PDGF)‐BB and FGF‐2 + PDGF‐BB. Lentivirus was percutaneously injected into the media‐adventitia of the abdominal aorta by intravascular ultrasound guidance, and plaque‐rupture rate, plaque‐vulnerability index and plaque neovessel density at the injection site were evaluated. Confocal microscopy, Prussian Blue assay, Evans Blue, immunofluorescence and transmission electron microscopy were used to assess neovessel function and pericyte coverage. To evaluate the effect of FGF‐2/PDGF‐BB on pericyte migration, we used the mesenchymal progenitor cell line 10T1/2 as an in vitro model. VEGF‐A‐ and FGF‐2‐overexpression increased the number of immature neovessels, which caused intraplaque haemorrhage and inflammatory cell infiltration, eventually resulting in the plaque vulnerability; however, FGF‐2/PDGF‐BB induced mature and functional neovessels, through increased neovessel pericyte coverage. Additionally, in vitro analysis of 10T1/2 cells revealed that FGF‐2/PDGF‐BB induced epsin‐2 expression and enhanced the VEGF receptor‐2 degradation, which negatively regulated pericyte function consistent with the in vivo data. These results showed that the combination of FGF‐2 and PDGF‐BB promoted the function and maturation of plaque neovessels, thereby representing a novel potential treatment strategy for vulnerable plaques.
Population and size‐specific distribution of Atlantic salmon Salmo salar in the Baltic Sea over five decades
Authors: Jacobson Philip , Gårdmark Anna , Huss Magnus 
Published: November 2019

AbstractPopulation‐specific assessment and management of anadromous fish at sea requires detailed information about the distribution at sea over ontogeny for each population. However, despite a long history of mixed‐stock sea fisheries on Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, migration studies showing that some salmon populations feed in different regions of the Baltic Sea and variation in dynamics occurs among populations feeding in the Baltic Sea, such information is often lacking. Also, current assessment of Baltic salmon assumes equal distribution at sea and therefore equal responses to changes in off‐shore sea fisheries. Here, we test for differences in distribution at sea among and within ten Atlantic salmon Salmo salar populations originating from ten river‐specific hatcheries along the Swedish Baltic Sea coast, using individual data from >125,000 tagged salmon, recaptured over five decades. We show strong population and size‐specific differences in distribution at sea, varying between year classes and between individuals within year classes. This suggests that Atlantic salmon in the Baltic Sea experience great variation in environmental conditions and exploitation rates over ontogeny depending on origin and that current assessment assumptions about equal exploitation rates in the offshore fisheries and a shared environment at sea are not valid. Thus, our results provide additional arguments and necessary information for implementing population‐specific management of salmon, also when targeting life stages at sea.
Rapid transmission of Bonamia exitiosa by cohabitation causes mortality in Ostrea angasi
Authors: Buss Jessica Jamuna , Harris James Owen , Elliot Tanner Jason , Helen Wiltshire Kathryn , Deveney Marty Robert 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThe haplosporidian Bonamia was first detected in Australian shellfish in 1991. Australian isolates in Ostrea angasi Sowerby, 1871 were identified as Bonamia exitiosa Hine, Cochennac and Berthe, 2001, which threatens development of an O. angasi aquaculture industry. European field data suggest that Bonamia ostreae Pichot, Comps, Tigé, Grizel and Rabouin, 1980 infections in Ostrea edulis Linnaeus, 1758 build slowly, but infection dynamics of B. exitiosa in O. angasi are unknown. We investigated B. exitiosa infection in O. angasi by cohabiting uninfected juvenile O. angasi with adults infected with B. exitiosa. Oysters were sampled at 10, 21 and 40 days after cohabitation, and B. exitiosa prevalence and intensity were assessed. Bonamia exitiosa rapidly infected and caused disease in O. angasi. Mortalities began at 12 days, with ˜50% mortality by day 21 and >85% mortality by day 40. Mortalities displayed pathology consistent with clinical B. exitiosa infection. Time to first infection is likely influenced by a combination of parasite infectivity, host exposure and host immune capacity. Host death is not required for transmission, but probably facilitates release of parasites from decaying tissue. Understanding B. exitiosa transmission informs design and interpretation of field studies and aids development of management strategies for oyster aquaculture.
Longer Term Effects of Diet and Exercise on Neurocognition: 1‐Year Follow‐up of the ENLIGHTEN Trial
Authors: Blumenthal James A. , Smith Patrick J. , Mabe Stephanie , Hinderliter Alan , Welsh‐Bohmer Kathleen , Browndyke Jeffrey N. , Doraiswamy P. Murali , Lin Pao‐Hwa , Kraus William E. , Burke James R. , Sherwood Andrew 
Published: November 2019

OBJECTIVESTo evaluate the longer term changes in executive functioning among participants with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors and cognitive impairments with no dementia (CIND) randomized to a diet and exercise intervention.DESIGNA 2 (Exercise) × 2 (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension [DASH] eating plan) factorial randomized clinical trial.SETTINGAcademic tertiary care medical center.PARTICIPANTSVolunteer sample of 160 older sedentary adults with CIND and at least one additional CVD risk factor enrolled in the ENLIGHTEN trial between December 2011 and March 2016.INTERVENTIONSSix months of aerobic exercise (AE), DASH diet counseling, combined AE + DASH, or health education (HE) controls.MEASUREMENTSNeurocognitive battery recommended by the Neuropsychological Working Group for Vascular Cognitive Disorders including measures of executive function, memory, and language/verbal fluency. Secondary outcomes included the Clinical Dementia Rating‐Sum of Boxes (CDR‐SB), Six‐Minute Walk Distance (6MWD), and CVD risk including blood pressure, body weight, and CVD medication burden.RESULTSDespite discontinuation of lifestyle changes, participants in the exercise groups retained better executive function 1 year post‐intervention (P = .041) compared with non‐exercise groups, with a similar, albeit weaker, pattern in the DASH groups (P = .054), without variation over time (P's > .867). Participants in the exercise groups also achieved greater sustained improvements in 6MWD compared with non‐Exercise participants (P < .001). Participants in the DASH groups exhibited lower CVD risk relative to non‐DASH participants (P = .032); no differences in CVD risk were observed for participants in the Exercise groups compared with non‐Exercise groups (P = .711). In post hoc analyses, the AE + DASH group had better performance on executive functioning (P < .001) and CDR‐SB (P = .011) compared with HE controls.CONCLUSIONFor participants with CIND and CVD risk factors, exercise for 6 months promoted better executive functioning compared with non‐exercisers through 1‐year post‐intervention, although its clinical significance is uncertain. J Am Geriatr Soc 68:559–568, 2020
Child and Adolescent Time Use: A Cross‐National Study
Authors: Gracia Pablo , Garcia‐Roman Joan , Oinas Tomi , Anttila Timo 
Published: November 2019

AbstractObjectiveThis study examined the differences in child and adolescent time use across the following three countries with distinct policy and cultural regimes: Finland, Spain, and the United Kingdom.BackgroundStudying children's time use cross‐nationally is urgent to better understand how societal contexts influence children's daily lives in ways that affect their future lifestyles, development, and identity formation. Yet previous studies have largely omitted this important question.MethodThe study used 2009 to 015 time‐diary data on children aged 10 to 17 from Finland, Spain, and the United Kingdom (N= 3,491). Multivariate linear regression models examined (a) between‐country and (b) within‐country variations.ResultsFinnish children spent 153 daily minutes less with parents, 128 more with “others” and 54 daily minutes more alone when compared with Spanish children. The United Kingdom fell between Finland and Spain in children's time allocated with parents and time with “others.” In family‐oriented Spain, children spent more time eating; in individualistic Finland and United Kingdom, child screen‐based time was highest. Parental education generally led to more time in educational activities, but with minor country variations. Maternal employment was generally not associated with child time use, except in Spain, where it led to less parent–child time.ConclusionThe strong cross‐national differences in child and adolescent time use seem only partly driven by sociostructural factors. Cross‐cultural variations in family values and parenting ideologies seem to critically influence children's daily activities.