bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Multi‐species restoration accelerates recovery of extinguished oyster reefs
Authors: McAfee Dominic , Larkin Catherine , Connell Sean D. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractA multi‐species approach to habitat restoration may boost the key processes (e.g. recruitment) that enable foundation species to overcome barriers to recovery. Natural systems tend to be formed by co‐occurring foundation species whose synergy drives ecological productivity and resilience beyond that of single foundation species. Yet, restoration remains primarily a single‐species focus enterprise where positive interactions are seldom incorporated into planning. A multi‐species approach that prioritizes species combinations that create emergent properties for their persistence may accelerate habitat recovery and the success of restoration programmes.On the largest oyster reef restoration project in the Southern Hemisphere, we experimentally established canopy‐forming kelp to test whether they could accelerate the natural recruitment of oysters to substrata monopolized by turf‐forming algae. To understand whether facilitation of oysters was a function of the kelp themselves (biological facilitation) or the physical environment they create (physical facilitation), we compared recruitment to the understorey of living kelp and synthetic kelp mimics.Despite observing high density oyster recruitment to the turf‐free underside of reef boulders (8,300 oysters/m2), turf algae appeared to inhibit oyster recruitment to the exposed surfaces of the reef, limiting their capacity to grow and form complex, three‐dimensional habitat.Transplanted kelp, whether living or synthetic kelp mimics, effectively reduced the biomass of turf and enhanced oyster recruitment, creating turf‐free substrata on the upper reef surfaces with up to 26 times the oyster recruitment than turf‐covered substrata.Synthesis and applications. Our results provide proof‐of‐concept that incorporating the transplant of canopy‐forming kelp to reefs constructed to restore oysters is not only achievable, but may be imperative to successfully restore oyster reefs in turf‐dominated systems. Kelp transplants suppressed the turf algae that otherwise excluded oysters from the reef surface, effectively shifting the competitive advantage toward oyster recovery by maintaining bare substrata for oyster recruitment. By demonstrating that a multi‐species approach to restoration accelerates the recovery of a restored habitat, we emphasize the value of incorporating the multi‐species concept into restoration planning.
ELABELA improves endothelial cell function via the ELA–APJ axis by activating the PI3K/Akt signalling pathway in HUVECs and EA.hy926 cells
Authors: Wang Xiujuan , Liang Guoqing , Guo Qing , Cai Wei , Zhang Xin , Ni Jianmei , Tao Yanyan , Niu Xiulong , Chen Shaobo 
Published: July 2020

AbstractDestruction of endothelial cells (ECs) function is involved in the structural and functional pathophysiological processes of preeclampsia (PE). Vascular endothelial injury may pre‐exist for several years in women that develop PE and may pose increased risks for hypertension, coronary artery disease, and type‐2 diabetes mellitus. Previous findings showed that Elabela (ELA), the endogenous ligand of the apelin (APJ) receptor expressed mainly on ECs, may play a protective role in early pregnancy and prevent PE. However, the exact functional role and molecular mechanisms of ELA are unclear. Here, we aimed to classify whether and how ELA improves EC function via the ELA–APJ axis. Two human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) lines, namely HUVECs and EA.hy926, were treated with ELA, and then their cellular activities were studied by performing CCK‐8 tests, scratch‐wound analysis, and tube‐formation assays. Doses of ELA exceeding 0.01 μmol/L markedly improved the cell viability, migration, and tube formation ability of HUVECs and EA.hy926 cells. Western blot analysis indicated that the above effects caused by ELA were related to upregulation of the APJ receptor and activation of PI3K/Akt signalling. Further verification tests were performed using the PI3K inhibitor wortmannin, and the results illustrated that inhibiting PI3K/Akt signalling blocked the positive effects of ELA on EC function and APJ receptor expression. Taken together, our findings indicate that ELA may alter EC function via the ELA–APJ axis and PI3K/Akt signalling and that ELA shows promise for use in endothelial dysfunction therapy for preventing and treating PE.
Effects of ticagrelor pretreatment on electrophysiological properties of stellate ganglion neurons following myocardial infarction
Authors: Cheng Lijun , Fu Huaying , Wang Xinghua , Ye Lan , Lakhani Ishan , Tse Gary , Zhang Zhiwei , Liu Tong , Li Guangping 
Published: July 2020

AbstractHigher sympathetic activity predisposes to malignant ventricular arrhythmias in the context of myocardial infarction (MI). This is, in part, mediated by the electrical activity of the stellate ganglion (SG). The aim of this study is to examine the effects of ticagrelor pretreatment on the electrophysiological properties of SG neurons following MI in rabbits. MI was induced by isoproterenol (ISO) of 150 mg kg‐1 d‐1 (twice at an interval of 24 hours). Ticagrelor pretreatment was administered at low‐ (10 mg kg‐1 d‐1) or high‐dose (20 mg kg‐1 d‐1). Protein and RNA expression were determined by immunohistochemical analysis and real‐time PCR, respectively. The activity of sodium channel current (INa), delayed rectifier potassium current (IKDR), M‐type potassium current (IKM) as well as action potentials (APs) from SG neurons were measured by whole‐cell patch‐clamp. Intracellular calcium concentrations were measured by confocal microscopy. Compared with the control group, the MI group exhibited a greater amplitude of INa, IKDR and IKM, significantly altered activation and inactivation characteristics of INa, no significant alterations in protein or mRNA expression of sodium and M‐type potassium channels, along with higher AP amplitude and frequency and intracellular calcium concentrations. Most of these abnormalities were prevented by pretreatment with low‐ or high‐dose ticagrelor. Our data suggest that ticagrelor exerts cardioprotective effects, potentially through modulating the activity of different ion channels in SG neurons.
Toner Particles as Forensic Evidence: Microanalytical Characterization of Known Toner and Recognition of Toner in Environmental Samples*†‡
Authors: White Katie M. , Palenik Christopher S. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractModern printing toners represent a prime example of subvisible particles that can be easily transferred to hands, clothing, and other surfaces. To explore the potential evidentiary value of toner particles, toner samples were collected from known printer cartridges and characterized by various microanalytical techniques to establish the properties most useful for recognition, identification, and comparison. Environmental samples (i.e., dust) were then collected from various locations at varying distances from toner‐based printers, using both tape lifts and carbon adhesive stubs, to assess the possibility of detecting toner. By light microscopy, toner can be recognized on the basis of particle size and shape, as well as color. Further examination of the micromorphology in the field emission scanning electron microscope reveals characteristic morphologies and differences in surface texture and shape among toner sources. Raman spectroscopy provides chemical identification of the pigment (or pigment class) and, in some cases, also permits identification of the polymer component. While black and blue pigment chemistry remained constant among toner varieties that were studied (copper phthalocyanine and carbon black), variation in yellow and magenta pigments was observed. Analysis of dust samples collected from various environments demonstrated that while toner is consistently detectable in close proximity to printers (within 2 feet), it also can be detected in dust collected in nearby rooms. This research demonstrates that toner particles can be located, characterized, and discriminated, using a suite of microanalytical methods that are applicable to forensic casework.
Migration analysis, antioxidant, and mechanical characterization of polypropylene‐based active food packaging films loaded with BHA, BHT, and TBHQ
Authors: Fasihnia Seyedeh Homa , Peighambardoust Seyed Hadi , Peighambardoust Seyed Jamaleddin , Oromiehie Abdulrasoul , Soltanzadeh Maral , Peressini Donatella 
Published: July 2020

AbstractPolypropylene (PP) based active composite films were prepared by adding butylated hydroxy anisole (BHA), butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), and tertiary butylated hydroquinone (TBHQ) antioxidants using the extrusion molding process. All concentrations of BHT, 2% to 3% BHA, and 3% TBHQ significantly increased the tensile strength (TS) of the composite films compared with control films. Increasing antioxidant concentration decreased TS values for BHT films, whereas an opposite trend was observed for BHA and TBHQ films. BHA at < 2%, BHT at > 2%, and TBHQ at all added concentrations significantly reduced elongation at break (Eb) of the composite films compared to control films. Water vapor permeability (WVP) of 1% BHT film was not significantly different from control. However, other antioxidants especially at increased concentrations significantly increased WVP values. TBHQ films with 300% to 662% increase had the highest WVP and BHT films with 5% to 81% increase had the lowest WVP among composite films. All three antioxidants had a negative effect on the transparency of the films; however the effect of BHA at higher concentrations was greater. The antioxidants did not change the color attributes of the films. Films containing all antioxidants showed 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl radical‐scavenging activity, which increased with increase in their concentration, especially for those containing 3 wt.% BHT and TBHQ. Overall, incorporating BHA and BHT into a PP matrix improved mechanical, barrier, antioxidant properties, and film appearance and consequently were proposed for the development of antioxidant active PP films. TBHQ film is not recommended for food packaging because of its weak mechanical properties (lower Eb and TS values, higher WVP, and greater migration).
Using patterns in prey DNA digestion rates to quantify predator diets
Authors: Uiterwaal Stella F. , DeLong John P. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractDietary metabarcoding—the process of taxonomic identification of food species from DNA in consumer guts or faeces—has been rapidly adopted by ecologists to gain insights into biocontrol, invasive species and the structure of food webs. However, an outstanding issue with metabarcoding is the semi‐quantitative nature of the data it provides: because metabarcoding is likely to produce false negatives for some prey more often than for other prey, we cannot infer relative frequencies of prey in the diet. To correct for this, we can adjust detected prey frequencies using DNA detectability half‐lives unique to each predator–prey combination. Because the feeding experiments required to deduce these half‐lives are time‐ and resource‐intensive, our ability to weight the frequency of observations using their detectability has thus far been limited to systems with just a few prey. Here, we present a meta‐analysis of 24 spider prey DNA half‐lives and show that these half‐lives are predictable given predator and prey mass, predator family, digestion temperature and DNA amplicon length. We further provide a new technique for weighting observations with half‐lives, which allows not just for the ranking of prey in the diet, but reveals the proportion of the diet each prey comprises. Lastly, we apply this method to published dietary metabarcoding data to calculate half‐lives and proportion of the predator's diet for 35 prey families, demonstrating that this technique can generate improved understanding of diets in real, diverse systems.
Detection of selection signatures in Limousin cattle using whole‐genome resequencing
Authors: Mariadassou M. , Ramayo‐Caldas Y. , Charles M. , Féménia M. , Renand G. , Rocha D. 
Published: July 2020

SummaryLimousin, a renowned beef breed originating from central France, has been selectively bred over the last 100 years to improve economically important traits. We used whole‐genome sequencing data from 10 unrelated Limousin bull calves to detect polymorphisms and identify regions under selection. A total of 13 943 766 variants were identified. Moreover, 311 852 bi‐allelic SNPs and 92 229 indels located on autosomes were fixed for the alternative allele in all sequenced animals, including the previously reported missense deleterious F94L mutation in MSTN. We performed a whole‐genome screen to discover genomic regions with excess homozygosity, using the pooled heterozygosity score and identified 171 different candidate selective sweeps. In total, 68 candidate genes were found in only 57 of these regions, indicating that a large fraction of the genome under selection might lie in non‐coding regions and suggesting that a majority of adaptive mutations might be regulatory in nature. Many QTL were found within candidate selective sweep regions, including QTL associated with shear force or carcass weight. Among the putative selective sweeps, we located genes (MSTN, NCKAP5, RUNX2) that potentially contribute to important phenotypes in Limousin. Several candidate regions and genes under selection were also found in previous genome‐wide selection scans performed in Limousin. In addition, we were able to pinpoint candidate causative regulatory polymorphisms in GRIK3 and RUNX2 that might have been under selection. Our results will contribute to improved understanding of the mechanisms and targets of artificial selection and will facilitate the interpretation of GWASs performed in Limousin.
Determining a strategy to reduce smoking in pregnancy
Authors: Patterson Jillian A. , Torvaldsen Siranda , Nippita Tanya A. , Ford Jane B. , Morris Jonathan M. 
Published: July 2020

BackgroundFurther efforts, informed by current data, are needed to reduce smoking during pregnancy.AimsTo describe trends in smoking during pregnancy and identify regions most likely to benefit from targeted smoking cessation interventions, in New South Wales (NSW), Australia.Materials and MethodsAll women who gave birth in NSW between 1994 and 2016 were included. Smoking status was identified from the Perinatal Data Collection. For births between 2012 and 2016, women were grouped into Local Health District (LHD) of residence, and smoking rates calculated. The impacts of a hypothetical smoking cessation intervention in four LHDs with (i) high smoking rates and (ii) high numbers of smokers, were compared.ResultsThe overall smoking rate during pregnancy decreased from 22.1% in 1994 to 8.3% in 2016. [Correction added on 13 August 2020, after first online publication: the overall smoking rate during pregnancy in 1994 has been corrected from 14.5% to 22.1%.]. The decrease was lowest among women living in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged areas (41%) and highest among those living in the most advantaged areas (83%). Between 2012 and 2016, over half the women who smoked during pregnancy lived in one of four LHDs. Only 1% of women reporting smoking during pregnancy resided in the LHD with the highest smoking rate (34.7%). A simulated intervention targeting only four regions showed greater effect on the statewide smoking rate when targeting LHDs with high numbers of smokers rather than high smoking rates.ConclusionsDespite decreases in rates of smoking during pregnancy, there was evidence of geographic clustering of smokers. The greatest reduction in overall smoking may come from interventions targeting the four LHDs with the highest number of smokers.
Prudential Application of IFRS 9: (Un)Fair Reporting in COVID‐19 Crisis for Banks Worldwide?!
Authors: Barnoussi Aziz el , Howieson Bryan , van Beest Ferdy 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIFRS 9 and ASC 326 were developed after the 2008–2009 financial crisis, and both accounting standards include an expected loss model as a means of providing for credit losses. As a result of the COVID‐19 worldwide pandemic, however, banks face considerable uncertainty about the potential scale of the bad debts for which they will need to provide. Banks need to reassess their loan assets, by updating their risk models with expectations about potential default rates and future macro‐economic and financial developments. However, we see several interventions worldwide. The European Securities and Markets Authority addresses a position paper on the prudential application of IFRS 9. The Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act in the US has given banks an optional deferral of implementation of the CECL model until 31 December 2020. This paper addresses the challenges banks face when applying the expected losses model during the current crisis. More importantly, it discusses the impact of supervisor and regulators’ intervention on future financial reporting comparability, transparency and whether there is a level playing field.
An integrative ethical approach to leader favoritism
Authors: Yang Inju , Horak Sven , Kakabadse Nada K. 
Published: July 2020

AbstractRelationship building is one of the most important aspects of leadership; however, it can pose ethical challenges. Though particularistic treatment of employees by leaders, that is, leader favoritism, commonly occurs, it is conventionally regarded negatively as fairness norms require leaders to treat followers equally. In this conceptual study, we explore different views on leader favoritism based on different ethical principles. We develop an alternative to the conventional view and suggest that leader favoritism may not necessarily lead to negative outcomes when empathy‐based favoritism is applied. In this vein, we recommend drawing on the ethical principles of a utilitarian approach by balancing particularism and universalism, which is also helpful to build organizational social capital. We contribute to leadership theory by developing an early concept of an integrative ethical approach to leader favoritism.
Should we accept a higher cost per health improvement for orphan drugs? A review and analysis of egalitarian arguments
Authors: Juth Niklas , Henriksson Martin , Gustavsson Erik , Sandman Lars 
Published: July 2020

AbstractIn recent years, the issue of accepting a higher cost per health improvement for orphan drugs has been the subject of discussion in health care policy agencies and the academic literature. This article aims to provide an analysis of broadly egalitarian arguments for and against accepting higher costs per health improvement. More specifically, we aim to investigate which arguments one should agree upon putting aside and where further explorations are needed. We identify three kinds of arguments in the literature: considerations of substantial equality, formal equality, and opportunity cost. We argue that considerations of substantial equality do not support higher costs per health improvement orphan drugs, even if such considerations are considered valid. On the contrary, arguments of formal equality may support accepting a higher cost per health improvement for orphan drugs. However, in order to do so, a number of both normative and empirical issues must be resolved; these issues are identified in the article. For instance, it must be settled to what extent the opportunity cost in terms of foregone health for other patients is acceptable in order to uphold formal equality. We conclude that certain arguments can be set aside, and future focus should be put on the unresolved normative and empirical issues related to formal equality and opportunity cost.
Empathy as a buffer: How empathy moderates the emotional effects on Preschoolers’ sharing
Authors: Guo Rui , Wu Zhen 
Published: July 2020

This study experimentally investigated how empathy moderated the influence of external emotional stimuli on preschoolers’ subsequent sharing behaviour. Children aged 4–6 (N = 218) were randomly presented with one of the video clips that elicited sad, happy, or neutral emotion, and were then asked to play a dictator game with puppet partners. Results revealed that compared to the neutral condition, children with higher empathy increased sharing after induced happiness but did not change sharing after induced sadness; by contrast, children with lower empathy decreased sharing after induced sadness. It appears that empathy may enhance the positive effect of happiness while reducing the negative effect of sadness on sharing behaviour. These findings provide experimental evidence in early childhood to support approaches that emphasize the role of immediate emotions in moral decision‐making; critically, such emotional effects vary with individual differences in dispositional empathy.
Trade and labour standards: Will there be a race to the bottom?
Authors: Chen Zhiqi , Dar‐Brodeur Afshan 
Published: July 2020

Abstract.We investigate whether strategic competition among developing countries for export market shares will lead to a “race‐to‐the‐bottom” (RTB) in labour standards. We consider an environment that is most conducive to an RTB, specifically in a model of strategic trade in which governments have incentives to lower the costs of their domestic firms. Our analysis shows that strategic trade considerations do not lead to an RTB. To the contrary, equilibrium labour standards involve higher levels of labour compensation than those in the absence of government intervention. Binding global trade rules that restrict export subsidies would move the labour standards closer to their efficient level.Résumé.Commerce et normes du travail: y aura‐t‐il un nivellement par le bas? Dans cet article, nous cherchons à savoir si, pour gagner des parts de marché à l’exportation, la compétition stratégique entre les pays en voie de développement engendrera un nivellement par le bas des normes du travail. À cette fin, nous nous appuyons sur un environnement largement propice à cette théorie, notamment dans un modèle commercial stratégique au sein duquel les gouvernements ont intérêt à baisser les coûts de leurs entreprises domestiques. Notre analyse montre que les considérations en matière de commerce stratégique n’engendrent aucun nivellement par le bas. À l’inverse, des normes du travail à l’équilibre impliquent une rémunération de la main d’œ uvre plus élevée qu’en l’absence de toute intervention gouvernementale. Le fait de contraindre les règles du commerce mondial limitant les subventions à l’exportation rapprochera les normes du travail de leur niveau d’efficacité.