bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Merging indigenous and scientific knowledge links climate with the growth of a large migratory caribou population
Authors: Gagnon Catherine A. , Hamel Sandra , Russell Don E. , Powell Todd , Andre James , Svoboda Michael Y. , Berteaux Dominique 
Published: January 2020

Abstract

Climate change in the Arctic is two to three times faster than anywhere else in the world. It is therefore crucial to understand the effects of weather on keystone arctic species, particularly those such as caribou (Rangifer tarandus) that sustain northern communities. Bridging long‐term scientific and indigenous knowledge offers a promising path to achieve this goal, as both types of knowledge can complement one another.

We assessed the influence of environmental variables on the spring and fall body condition of caribou from the Porcupine Caribou Herd. This herd ranges in the Yukon and Northwest Territories (Canada) and Alaska (USA), and is the only large North American herd that has not declined since the 2000s. Using observations recorded through an indigenous community‐based monitoring programme between 2000 and 2010, we analysed temporal trends in caribou condition and quantified the effects of weather and critical weather‐dependent variables (insect harassment and vegetation growth), on spring (n = 617 individuals) and fall (n = 711) caribou condition.

Both spring and fall body condition improved from 2000 to 2010, despite a continuous population increase of ca. 3.6% per year. Spring and fall caribou condition were influenced by weather on the winter and spring ranges, particularly snow conditions and spring temperatures. Both snow conditions and spring temperatures improved during our study period, likely contributing to the observed caribou population increase. Insect harassment during the previous summer and the frequency of icing events also influenced caribou condition.

Synthesis and applications. Our study shows how untangling the relative influences of seasonal weather variables allows a much better understanding of variation in seasonal body condition of caribou. It indicates that a large migratory caribou population can grow and improve condition in a global context of caribou decline and climate warming, thereby warning against generalizations about the influence of climate on all caribou populations. Finally, it testifies how data from indigenous community‐based monitoring can remarkably improve ecological understanding of wildlife sustaining human communities. Where possible, we recommend management practices that respectfully engage with indigenous community‐based monitoring, as this can enhance knowledge and relationships with communities, both prerequisites of successful resource management.
Frequent burning causes large losses of carbon from deep soil layers in a temperate savanna
Authors: Pellegrini Adam F. A. , McLauchlan Kendra K. , Hobbie Sarah E. , Mack Michelle C. , Marcotte Abbey L. , Nelson David M. , Perakis Steven S. , Reich Peter B. , Whittinghill Kyle 
Published: January 2020

Abstract

Fire activity is changing dramatically across the globe, with uncertain effects on ecosystem processes, especially below‐ground. Fire‐driven losses of soil carbon (C) are often assumed to occur primarily in the upper soil layers because the repeated combustion of above‐ground biomass limits organic matter inputs into surface soil. However, C losses from deeper soil may occur if frequent burning reduces root biomass inputs of C into deep soil layers or stimulates losses of C via leaching and priming.

To assess the effects of fire on soil C, we sampled 12 plots in a 51‐year‐long fire frequency manipulation experiment in a temperate oak savanna, where variation in prescribed burning frequency has created a gradient in vegetation structure from closed‐canopy forest in unburned plots to open‐canopy savanna in frequently burned plots.

Soil C stocks were nonlinearly related to fire frequency, with soil C peaking in savanna plots burned at an intermediate fire frequency and declining in the most frequently burned plots. Losses from deep soil pools were significant, with the absolute difference between intermediately burned plots versus most frequently burned plots more than doubling when the full 1 m sample was considered rather than the top 0–20 cm alone (losses of 98.5 Mg C/ha [−76%] and 42.3 Mg C/ha [−68%] in the full 1 m and 0–20 cm layers respectively). Compared to unburned forested plots, the most frequently burned plots had 65.8 Mg C/ha (−58%) less C in the full 1 m sample. Root biomass below the top 20 cm also declined by 39% with more frequent burning. Concurrent fire‐driven losses of nitrogen and gains in calcium and phosphorus suggest that burning may increase nitrogen limitation and play a key role in the calcium and phosphorus cycles in temperate savannas.

Synthesis. Our results illustrate that fire‐driven losses in soil C and root biomass in deep soil layers may be critical factors regulating the net effect of shifting fire regimes on ecosystem C in forest‐savanna transitions. Projected changes in soil C with shifting fire frequencies in savannas may be 50% too low if they only consider changes in the topsoil.
Local adaptation constrains drought tolerance in a tropical foundation tree
Authors: Barton Kasey E. , Jones Casey , Edwards Kyle F. , Shiels Aaron B. , Knight Tiffany 
Published: January 2020

Abstract

Plant species with broad climatic ranges might be more vulnerable to climate change than previously appreciated due to intraspecific variation in climatic stress tolerance. In tropical forests, drought is increasingly frequent and severe, causing widespread declines and altering community dynamics. Yet, little is known about whether foundation tropical trees vary in drought tolerance throughout their distributions, and how intraspecific variation in drought tolerance might contribute to their vulnerability to climate change.

We tested for local adaptation in seedling emergence and establishment with a full‐factorial reciprocal transplant experiment including 27 populations and 109,350 seeds along a 3,500 mm precipitation gradient for a widespread tropical foundation tree, Metrosideros polymorpha, in Hawaii. To more precisely relate seedling performance to soil moisture, we conducted a complementary greenhouse experiment to test responses of the same focal populations to simulated drought.

In the reciprocal transplant experiment, we observed significant variation among populations and sites in germination and seedling establishment rates. Overall, there was a significant link between historical rainfall of populations and their performance under current rainfall at the study sites consistent with local adaptation. In particular, populations from historically wet sites demonstrated lower germination rates in currently dry sites compared to wet field sites, while populations from historically dry sites germinated well across all sites, with particularly high germination in dry sites. In the greenhouse, seedlings from wet populations survived fewer days without water, and succumbed at wetter soil conditions than populations from historically dry sites, corroborating results from the field experiment.

Synthesis. While climate change models project the greatest drying trends for historically dry areas in Hawaii, even moderate drying of wet sites could significantly reduce Metrosideros polymorpha recruitment given the sensitivity of seedlings to very slight changes in water regimes. Thus, although M. polymorpha demonstrates high seedling drought tolerance in some populations, providing evidence of resilience at the species‐scale, there are nonetheless vulnerable populations that will likely decline under climate change. Our approach demonstrates that even trees with high dispersal abilities can show significant clines in drought tolerance, and suggests that similar intraspecific variation might be an important consideration for other tropical foundational tree species.
British Union and Empire in the Origin of Commerce: Adam Anderson as Eighteenth‐Century Historian and Scottish Political Economist
Authors: TONKS PAUL 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThis article restores an important figure to the study of eighteenth‐century British political and economic thought. A prominent Scottish financial administrator and author resident in Hanoverian London, Adam Anderson (1692–1765) evaluated the expansion of the British commercial empire in the eighteenth century. Anderson developed a sophisticated set of historical arguments about early modern British governance and its relationship to economic growth and societal development. Anderson focused on the evolution of Britain's international commerce, imperial networks and modes of governance. He connected the 1707 Anglo‐Scottish Union, the development of overseas trade and empire‐building. Despite the fact that Anderson set out a nuanced and compelling analysis of Britain's financial revolution that eventually stabilized powerful structures of public and private credit, he has not received significant historiographical attention. This article elucidates his status as a leading historian of the early modern global expansion of European commerce and one of the most widely read and influential commentators on the eighteenth‐century British empire.
Tunneled dialysis catheter exchange through fibrin sheath crevice vs in situ catheter exchange for the treatment of catheter dysfunction
Authors: Li Li , Zhan Shen , Zhang Lihong , Yang Tao , Hou Xibin , Ren Shufeng , Wang Yuzhu 
Published: January 2020

AbstractOur aim is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of tunneled dialysis catheter (TDC) exchange through fibrin sheath crevice vs in situ catheter exchange in hemodialysis patients with fibrin‐sheath‐related catheter dysfunction. Patients with fibrin‐sheath‐related catheter dysfunction who underwent TDC exchange in our center between 2012 January and 2017 December were retrospectively screened. The included patients were divided into the sheath‐crevice group (catheter was exchanged through fibrin sheath crevice) and the in situ group (catheter was exchanged in situ). The blood volume, Kt/V values, and complications were assessed as outcomes. Of the 44 included patients, 25 underwent in situ catheter exchange and 19 underwent catheter exchange through the fibrin sheath crevice. The stabilized maximal blood flow during the first hemodialysis after the catheter replacement reached 250 mL/min in all of the included patients. After 3 months, the stabilized maximal blood flow of the in situ group and the sheath‐crevice group were 245.3 ± 9.0 and 244.8 ± 10.05 mL/min (P = .963), respectively. However, after 6 months, the stabilized maximal blood flow during hemodialysis (P = .048) and the Kt/V value (P < .001) of the patients in the sheath‐crevice group were significantly higher than the in situ group. No severe complication related to the catheter exchange surgery was observed in either group. For patients with TDC dysfunction caused by fibrin sheath, catheter exchange through the fibrin sheath crevice most likely is a safe and effective alternative strategy for in situ catheter exchange.
CYP2C19 polymorphism has no correlation with the efficacy and safety of thalidomide in the treatment of immune‐related bowel disease
Authors: Feng Rui , Xu Ping Ping , Chen Bai Li , Mao Ren , Zhang Sheng Hong , Qiu Yun , Zeng Zhi Rong , Chen Min Hu , He Yao 
Published: January 2020

ObjectiveTo explore the relationship between hepatic cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19) gene polymorphisms and the effectiveness and safety of thalidomide in the treatment of patients with immune‐related bowel disease (IRBD).MethodsCYP2C19 variants in 79 patients treated with thalidomide were analyzed using a polymerase chain reaction‐restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR‐RFLP). The clinical response and adverse events of the thalidomide treatment were recorded. The potential influences of the CYP2C19 genotype polymorphisms on the clinical efficacy and adverse events of thalidomide were then investigated.ResultsAltogether 79 patients with IRBD (70 with Crohn's disease, three with ulcerative colitis and six with Behcet's disease) receiving thalidomide therapy were recruited from January 2013 to February 2015 in a tertiary IBD center in China. Overall, 21.5% (17/79) of these patients had CYP2C19 poor metabolizers genotype (PM). The overall response rate and the incidence of adverse events of CYP2C19 extensive metabolizers genotype were not significantly different from that of the PM when IRBD patients were treated with thalidomide (P = 0.517 and 0.816, respectively).ConclusionCYP2C19 polymorphisms do not seem to be associated with efficacy of thalidomide and the incidence of adverse events in treating IRBD.
The virome of maize rough dwarf disease: Molecular genome diversification, phylogeny and selection
Authors: Achon Maria Angeles , Serrano Luis , Clemente‐Orta Gemma , Barcelo Anna 
Published: January 2020

AbstractThe main threat to maize production in the Mediterranean area is maize rough dwarf disease (MRDD) caused by Maize rough dwarf virus (MRDV). The analysis of virus diversification is necessary to assess the risk of MRDD outbreaks. We analysed the virome of MRDD by next‐generation sequencing using pooled samples prepared from maize plants collected in Spain between 1999 and 2017. This yielded the sequences of all 10 genomic segments from six MRDV isolates plus an additional variant of S5 in one sample. Five of the genomes were 29,145 nucleotides (nt) in length, and the other was 3 nt longer. The six genomes were AT rich with low codon usage bias and the 13 open reading frames (ORFs) showed low potential expression levels. The highest expression levels were predicted for ORFs encoding the non‐structural proteins P6, P5‐1 and P9‐1, and the structural protein P10. There was a strong correlation between higher level expression and T‐ended codons, which were the most over‐represented class. The concatenate and three individual segments (S3, S6 and S7) each formed a monophyletic group, whereas the remaining segments split into two groups with different clustering relationships relative to two other European MRDV isolates. The MRDV virome showed certain temporal and geographical diversification, but several proteins were highly conserved, especially P7‐2. Three significant recombination hotspots were identified among genomic segments and four within segments. The ORFs encoding structural proteins appear under greater purifying selection.
Modelling the climate suitability of green carpenter bee (Xylocopa aerata) and its nesting hosts under current and future scenarios to guide conservation efforts
Authors: Santos Abraão Almeida , Leijs Remko , Picanço Marcelo Coutinho , Glatz Richard , Hogendoorn Katja 
Published: January 2020

AbstractDue to local extinction, the endangered green carpenter bee (Xylocopa aerata) has a disjunct distribution in the southeast of Australia. The species relies on dead softwood from a small selection of plant species for making its nests. Habitat fragmentation, combined with deleterious fire events, is thought to have negatively impacted on nesting substrate availability and recolonisation chances. Here, we use MaxEnt algorithm to model both the current distribution and the effect of climate change scenarios on the distribution of both X. aerata and four plant species that provide most of its nesting substrate: Banksia integrifolia, B. marginata, Xanthorrhoea arborea and Xanthorrhoea semiplana subsp. tateana. The annual mean temperature is the strongest climatic predictor of the distribution of X. aerata and its host plants. The modelled distribution of the bee under current climatic conditions indicates that climatic factors are unlikely to cause local extinctions. In all future scenarios, suitable areas for X. aerata and each of its nesting hosts are expected to contract towards the southeast of mainland Australia. The suitability of Kangaroo Island for the bee and its current local current host species is maintained in all scenarios, while Tasmania will become increasingly suitable for all species. The Grampians National Park in western Victoria, where the bee species were last seen outside of its current range (in the 1930s), is predicted to remain suitable for X. aerata and several host plants under all scenarios. Therefore, this relatively large area of native vegetation may be a good case study for re‐introduction as part of future conservation efforts.
Management effects on plant community and functional assemblages in Chicago’s vacant lots
Authors: Anderson Elsa C. , Minor Emily S. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractQuestionWe ask whether 11‐year mowing patterns and presence of fencing influence plant community diversity and functional assemblage in urban vacant lots.LocationThis study took place in 34 vacant lots on the south and west sides of Chicago, IL, USA. Urban vacant lots are an excellent study system in which to investigate the effects of management in cities: they are ubiquitous in many cities and they experience a range of management, particularly mowing and fencing.MethodsWe used municipal data to classify infrequent and intensive mowing regimes and assessed presence or absence of fencing in situ. In our sites, these management strategies are independent. We used individual permutational analysis of variance (PERMANOVA) models to assess the effects of these management strategies on plant community composition. We then assessed species richness of plants with various traits using six individual two‐way ANOVA models with interaction terms. Our predictor variables included management strategies (mowing intensity and fencing) and three plant traits (growth form [graminoid, forb, or woody], life duration (annual, biennial, or perennial), and biogeographic origin [native or introduced]).ResultsWe found 120 plant species in the vacant lots. Most of these species were perennial, introduced forbs. We found no discernable effects of mowing intensity on plant community composition or richness of plants in the three functional groups. However, when we compared the species found along fences to those in lot interiors, we found significantly different plant communities. Fence line communities had significantly more native and woody species than lot interiors.ConclusionsPlant communities differ at very fine spatial scales within an individual vacant lot, and this pattern is related to the presence of fences. Overall, vacant lots support diverse plant communities which can differentially contribute to wildlife habitat depending on management strategy.
One‐year persistence of potentially inappropriate medication use in older adults: A population‐based study
Authors: Roux Barbara , Sirois Caroline , Simard Marc , Gagnon Marie‐Eve , Laroche Marie‐Laure 
Published: January 2020

AimsTo assess the 1‐year persistence of potentially inappropriate medication (PIM) use and identify associated factors in community‐dwelling older adults in Quebec, Canada.MethodsA population‐based cohort study was conducted using the Quebec Integrated Chronic Disease Surveillance System. Individuals insured by the public drug plan and aged ≥66 years who initiated a PIM between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2015 were followed‐up for 1 year. PIMs were identified using the 2015 Beers criteria. One‐year persistence of PIM use was defined as continuous treatment with any PIM, without interruption for more than 60 days between prescriptions refills. Poisson regression models were performed to identify factors associated with 1‐year persistence of any PIM.ResultsIn total, 25.1% of PIM initiators were persistent at 1 year. In non‐persistent individuals, the median time to PIM discontinuation was 31 days (interquartile range 21‐92). Individuals were more persistent at 1 year with antipsychotics (43.9%), long‐duration sulphonylureas (40.2%), antiarrhythmics/immediate‐release nifedipine (36.5%) and proton pump inhibitors (36.0%). Factors significantly associated with persistence were an increased age, being a man and having a high number of medications and chronic diseases, especially dementia, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases.ConclusionsOne‐quarter of community‐dwelling older adults are continuously exposed to PIMs. To optimize medication prescribing in the older population, further interventions are needed to limit the use of PIMs most likely to be continued, especially in individuals most at risk of being persistent and also particularly vulnerable to adverse events.
Characteristics that make trophy hunting of giant pandas inconceivable
Authors: Montgomery Robert A. , Carr Madeline , Booher Charlie R. , Pointer Abigail M. , Mitchell Brendan M. , Smith Natalie , Calnan Keegan , Montgomery Georgina M. , Ogada Mordecai , Kramer Daniel B. 
Published: January 2020

AbstractIn November 1928, Theodore Jr. and Kermit Roosevelt led an expedition to China with the expressed purpose of being the first Westerners to kill the giant panda (Ailuropoda melanoleuca). The expedition lasted 8 months and resulted in the brothers shooting a giant panda in the mountains of Sichuan Province. Given the concurrent attention in the popular press describing this celebrated expedition, the giant panda was poised to be trophy hunted much like other large mammals around the world. Today, however, the killing of giant pandas, even for the generation of conservation revenue, is unthinkable for reasons related to the species itself and the context, in time and space, in which the species was popularized in the West. We found that the giant panda's status as a conservation symbol, exceptional charisma and gentle disposition, rarity, value as a nonconsumptive ecotourism attraction, and endemism are integral to the explanation of why the species is not trophy hunted. We compared these intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics with 20 of the most common trophy‐hunted mammals to determine whether the principles applying to giant pandas are generalizable to other species. Although certain characteristics of the 20 trophy‐hunted mammals aligned with the giant panda, many did not. Charisma, economic value, and endemism, in particular, were comparatively unique to the giant panda. Our analysis suggests that, at present, exceptional characteristics may be necessary for certain mammals to be excepted from trophy hunting. However, because discourse relating to the role of trophy hunting in supporting conservation outcomes is dynamic in both science and society, we suspect these valuations will also change in future.
Novel balloon catheter‐based endobiliary radiofrequency ablation system: Ex‐vivo experimental study
Authors: Inoue Tadahisa , Ito Kiyoaki , Yoneda Masashi 
Published: January 2020

BackgroundEndobiliary radiofrequency ablation (RFA) is a promising treatment option for malignant biliary obstruction, but conventional catheter RFA (Conventional‐RFA) has several limitations. We examined the feasibility of a novel approach to balloon‐based RFA (Balloon‐RFA) with an automatic temperature control system in freshly resected pig livers.MethodsBalloon‐RFA application was performed in a step‐by‐step manner at target temperatures of 50°C, 60°C, and 70°C. The temperatures were maintained for 60 s. As a control, Conventional‐RFA was performed at 7 W of power for 90 s, 7 W 120 s, 10 W 90 s, and 10 W 120 s. The ablation areas were measured and compared between Balloon‐RFA and Conventional‐RFA.ResultsThe maximum ablation depths in Balloon‐RFA were 1.86 ± 0.53, 2.29 ± 0.31, and 3.19 ± 0.47 mm at target temperatures of 50, 60, and 70°C, respectively. The maximum ablation depths in Conventional‐RFA were 2.81 ± 0.46, 4.09 ± 0.45, 3.41 ± 0.58, and 4.27 ± 0.29 mm at 7 W 90 s, 7 W 120 s, 10 W 90 s, and 10 W 120 s, respectively. Differences between the minimum and maximum depths were significantly smaller in Balloon‐RFA (0.73 ± 0.31 mm) than in Conventional‐RFA (2.00 ± 0.62 mm; P < 0.001). Excessive ablation occurred only in Conventional‐RFA (0% vs. 67%; P = 0.005).ConclusionsThe novel balloon‐based RFA system allows ablation to be finely tuned in order to successfully obtain consistent ablation depths and avoid excessive ablation.