bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Identification of plasma proteins relating to brain neurodegeneration and vascular pathology in cognitively normal individuals
Authors: Shi Liu , Buchanan Colin R. , Cox Simon R. , Hillary Robert F. , Marioni Riccardo E. , Campbell Archie , Hayward Caroline , Stolicyn Aleks , Whalley Heather C. , Harris Mathew A. , Waymont Jennifer , Waiter Gordon , Backhouse Ellen , Wardlaw Joanna M. , Steele Douglas , Mcintosh Andrew , Lovestone Simon , Buckley Noel J. , Nevado‐Holgado Alejo J. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractIntroductionThis study aims to first discover plasma proteomic biomarkers relating to neurodegeneration (N) and vascular (V) damage in cognitively normal individuals and second to discover proteins mediating sex‐related difference in N and V pathology.MethodsFive thousand and thirty‐two plasma proteins were measured in 1061 cognitively normal individuals (628 females and 433 males), nearly 90% of whom had magnetic resonance imaging measures of hippocampal volume (as N) and white matter hyperintensities (as V).ResultsDifferential protein expression analysis and co‐expression network analysis revealed different proteins and modules associated with N and V, respectively. Furthermore, causal mediation analysis revealed four proteins mediated sex‐related difference in N and one protein mediated such difference in V damage.DiscussionOnce validated, the identified proteins could help to select cognitively normal individuals with N and V pathology for Alzheimer's disease clinical trials and provide targets for further mechanistic studies on brain sex differences, leading to sex‐specific therapeutic strategies.
Phonological working memory and central executive function differ in children with typical development and dyslexia
Authors: Alt Mary , Fox Annie , Levy Roy , Hogan Tiffany P. , Cowan Nelson , Gray Shelley 
Published: September 2021

The primary purpose of this study was to compare the working memory performance of monolingual English‐speaking second‐grade children with dyslexia (N = 82) to second‐grade children with typical development (N = 167). Prior to making group comparisons, it is important to demonstrate invariance between working memory models in both groups or between‐group comparisons would not be valid. Thus, we completed invariance testing using a model of working memory that had been validated for children with typical development (Gray et al., 2017) to see if it was valid for children with dyslexia. We tested three types of invariance: configural (does the model test the same constructs?), metric (are the factor loadings equivalent?), and scalar (are the item intercepts the same?). Group comparisons favoured the children with typical development across all three working memory factors. However, differences in the Focus‐of‐Attention/Visuospatial factor could be explained by group differences in non‐verbal intelligence and language skills. In contrast, differences in the Phonological and Central Executive working memory factors remained, even after accounting for non‐verbal intelligence and language. Results highlight the need for researchers and educators to attend not only to the phonological aspects of working memory in children with dyslexia, but also to central executive function.
Probabilistic early warning signals
Authors: Laitinen Ville , Dakos Vasilis , Lahti Leo 
Published: September 2021

Abstract

Ecological communities and other complex systems can undergo abrupt and long‐lasting reorganization, a regime shift, when deterministic or stochastic factors bring them to the vicinity of a tipping point between alternative states. Such changes can be large and often arise unexpectedly. However, theoretical and experimental analyses have shown that changes in correlation structure, variance, and other standard indicators of biomass, abundance, or other descriptive variables are often observed prior to a state shift, providing early warnings of an anticipated transition. Natural systems manifest unknown mixtures of ecological and environmental processes, hampered by noise and limited observations. As data quality often cannot be improved, it is important to choose the best modeling tools available for the analysis.

We investigate three autoregressive models and analyze their theoretical differences and practical performance. We formulate a novel probabilistic method for early warning signal detection and demonstrate performance improvements compared to nonprobabilistic alternatives based on simulation and publicly available experimental time series.

The probabilistic formulation provides a novel approach to early warning signal detection and analysis, with enhanced robustness and treatment of uncertainties. In real experimental time series, the new probabilistic method produces results that are consistent with previously reported findings.

Robustness to uncertainties is instrumental in the common scenario where mechanistic understanding of the complex system dynamics is not available. The probabilistic approach provides a new family of robust methods for early warning signal detection that can be naturally extended to incorporate variable modeling assumptions and prior knowledge.
Contributions of wild and provisioned foods to the diets of domestic cats that depredate wild animals
Authors: Cecchetti Martina , Crowley Sarah L. , Goodwin Cecily E. D. , Cole Holly , McDonald Jennifer , Bearhop Stuart , McDonald Robbie A. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractPredation of wildlife by domestic cats Felis catus presents a threat to biodiversity conservation in some ecological contexts. The proportions of wild prey captured and eaten by domestic cats and thus the contributions of wild prey to cat diets are hard to quantify. This limits the understanding of any impacts of cats may have on wild animal populations and confounds analyses of the effects of interventions aimed at reducing wildlife killing. We used stable isotope analyses to quantify the relative contributions of wild and provisioned foods to the diets of domestic cats kept as companion animals and which frequently captured wild prey. We tested the effects of treatments aimed at reducing killing upon stable isotope ratios of cat whiskers and, where treatments had significant effects, we estimated variation in the contributions of wild prey to cats’ diets before and during treatment. We evaluated bells, Birdsbesafe collar covers, provision of food in a “puzzle feeder,” provision of food in which meat was the principal source of protein, object play, and a control group. As expected, cat diets consisted primarily of provisioned foods, though the contribution of wild animals to the diets of these cats, all of which regularly caught wild animals, was low (cat food ˜96%, wild animals ˜3–4%). Compared to the pre‐treatment period and control group, cats with a Birdsbesafe collar cover exhibited a significant reduction in nitrogen stable isotope ratios in their whiskers and consumed less wild prey, most likely attributable to effective inhibition of hunting, particularly for birds. Fitting cats with a Birdsbesafe collar cover, therefore, reduced both returns of wild birds and consumption of wild prey. While multiple interventions can significantly affect the numbers of wild animals that cats capture and return home, the remarkably small dietary contributions made by wild animal prey mean dietary change is harder to discern. Domestic cats rely almost exclusively on food provided by people, even when they frequently kill wild animals. This suggests that the hunting behavior of domestic cats may be driven by behavioral motivations, or by a need to address micronutrient requirements, but is unlikely to alter macronutrient intake.
Salt marsh establishment in poorly consolidated muddy systems: effects of surface drainage, elevation, and plant age
Authors: Cao Haobing , Zhu Zhenchang , van Belzen Jim , Gourgue Olivier , van de Koppel Johan , Temmerman O. Stijn , Herman Peter M. J. , Zhang Liquan , Yuan Lin , Bouma Tjeerd J. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractConservation and restoration of salt marsh ecosystems are becoming increasingly important because of the many ecosystem services they provide. However, the processes controlling salt marsh establishment and persistence, especially on bare tidal flats in muddy areas, remain unclear. As muddy sediments typically experience a restriction of soil drainage, we expect that a surface drainage relief due to a heterogeneity topography, as might occur on the edge of tidal channels, can facilitate the establishment of salt marsh vegetation on muddy tidal flats. By means of a manipulative field experiment, using “Mega‐Marsh Organ” mesocosms, we investigated the impact of surface drainage and elevation relative to mean sea level on (1) the survival of Spartina anglica seedlings from three different age classes: 1‐yr, 3‐month, and 1‐week; and (2) the growth performance of mature S. anglica marsh tussocks. S. anglica seedling survival, especially in the establishment phase, was positively affected by better surface drainage, increases of seedling age, and higher elevation relative to mean sea level. That is, the survival rate of S. anglica seedlings at the end of 6th week increased from 0% (at surface water undrained, 1‐week, 0 cm elevation) to 94.44% (at surface water drained, 1‐yr, 90 cm elevation). In contrast, surface drainage did not affect the performance of large S. anglica marsh tussocks, as only increased elevation relative to mean sea level was shown to affect S. anglica tussock growth in terms of plant height, shoot numbers, and dry biomass. Based on our findings, we proposed a conceptual model to understand how surface drainage‐driven feedbacks in a heterogeneous topography may be reinforced to induce salt marsh establishment in muddy systems. Further testing of present hypothesized model would be beneficial for insights into salt marsh establishment on tidal mudflats.
Estimates of losses and recovery of ecosystem services for oiled beaches lack clarity and ecological realism
Authors: Fegley Stephen R. , Michel Jacqueline 
Published: September 2021

AbstractAssessing environmental injury requires accurate, timely information of damage responses and realistic translation of that information into estimates of services lost to the public. The accuracy of both steps improves with the extent of ecological understanding of the impacted habitat; more accurate assessments produce more effective rehabilitation efforts and equitable compensation decisions. Exposed, sandy beaches are one of our most familiar and highly valued coastal areas, yet, when oiled, providing uncontested environmental assessments for beaches challenges both responsible parties and natural resource trustees. The dynamic, physical nature of exposed beaches has limited experimental inquiry preventing the development of widely accepted ecological models describing beach function. The same dynamic nature confounds sampling beaches efficiently in the aftermath of an oil spill. To constrain oiled beach impact assessments in the future and to encourage investigation of topics relevant to beach environmental assessment, we provide a summary of beach ecosystem services, re‐examine the results of the limited number of relevant oiled beach studies, define ecological criteria that would improve extrapolating injury assessments drawn from cognate literature, and identify research topics for investigation.
Influence of interlaminar flux between cores on iron loss in three‐legged wound transformer core
Authors: Inoue Hirotaka , Omura Takeshi , Yamaguchi Hiroi , Senda Kunihiro 
Published: September 2021

AbstractA three‐legged wound transformer core is composed of two inner cores and one outer core, and the interlaminar flux occurs between inner and outer cores in three‐phase excitations. Past analyses of magnetic properties of three‐legged wound transformer cores were based on the model of independent magnetic paths in the individual core, and did not factor the influence of interlaminar flux in the calculations. This paper shows experimental results of interlaminar flux between cores and iron loss increase caused by that. Results show that the interlaminar flux between the inner and outer core increases the local iron loss in the boundary region of the inner and outer core.
NICE diagnostic heart failure pathway: screening referrals identifies patients better served by community‐based management
Authors: Morton Geraint , Bolam Helena , Hirmiz Zaid , Chahal Raj , Guha Kaushik , Kalra Paul R. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractAimsEvaluate whether UK National Institute for Health & Care Excellence (NICE) chronic heart failure (HF) guidelines can be safely and effectively refined through specialist referral management.Methods and resultsAll referrals to a UK centre 1/3/2019–30/5/2019 and 1/6/2020–31/7/2020 were reviewed by HF specialists. Patients were triaged to specialist assessment in HF clinic, according to the NICE HF diagnostic pathway [urgency based on N‐terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide (NTproBNP) levels], or the referrer given remote Advice & Guidance (A&G), to aid primary care management. Standardized triage criteria for recommending primary care management were (i) presentation inconsistent with HF, (ii) competing comorbidity/frailty meant specialist assessment in clinic not in patient's best interests, (iii) recent assessment for same condition, or (iv) patient had known HF. Following triage patients managed in the primary care were categorized as low or high risk of adverse outcomes. Outcome measures were 90 day all‐cause and HF hospital admission and mortality rates. Four hundred and eighty‐six patients had the median age of 80 (74–86) years, and 253 (52%) were male. Two hundred and six (42%) had NTproBNP > 2000 pg/mL. Primary care management was recommended for 128 patients (26%): 105 (22%) A&G alone and 23 input from community HF nurse specialists. Primary care management was recommended due to the following: presentation inconsistent with HF 53 (42%), more important competing comorbidity/frailty 35 (27%), recent assessment 17 (13%), and known HF 23 (18%). Patients managed in primary care had higher rates of all‐cause hospitalization (30% vs. 19%; P = 0.018) and death (7% vs. 2%; P = 0.0054) than those seen in HF clinic. Of those managed in primary care, 50 (39%) were determined to be at low risk and 78 (61%) at high risk. High‐risk patients were older (87 vs. 80 years; P = 0.0026), had much higher NTproBNP (2666 vs. 697 pg/mL; P < 0.0001), and were managed in the primary care due to severe comorbidity (45%) or known HF (31%). They had extremely high rates of adverse outcomes: 35 all‐cause hospitalization (45%), 12 HF hospitalization (15%), and 9 deaths (12%). Low‐risk patients were usually felt not to have HF (86%) and confirmed to have low rates of adverse outcomes: three all‐cause hospitalizations (6%; P < 0.0001 compared with high risk) and zero HF hospitalization (P = 0.0033) or death (P = <0.012).ConclusionsIncorporating specialist referral management into NICE HF diagnostic pathway reduces the demand on HF clinics and may improve the patient experience by facilitating community care. However, many of the patients identified for primary care management are at very high risk of adverse outcomes in the short term and are frequently hospitalized. Urgent implementation of alternative pathways and community‐based care packages in parallel for these high‐risk patients is extremely important.
Characteristics and outcomes of heart failure with recovered left ventricular ejection fraction
Authors: Zhang Xinxin , Sun Yuxi , Zhang Yanli , Chen Feifei , Dai Mengyuan , Si Jinping , Yang Jing , Li Xiao , Li Jiaxin , Xia Yunlong , Tse Gary , Liu Ying 
Published: September 2021

AbstractAimsThere is an emerging interest in elucidating the natural history and prognosis for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) in whom left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) subsequently improves. The characteristics and outcomes were compared between heart failure with recovered ejection fraction (HFrecEF) and persistent HFrEF.Methods and resultsThis is a retrospective study of adults who underwent at least two echocardiograms 3 months apart between 1 November 2015 and 31 October 2019 with an initial diagnosis of HFrEF. The subjects were divided into HFrecEF group (second LVEF > 40%, ≥10% absolute improvement in LVEF) and persistent HFrEF group (<10% absolute improvement in LVEF) according to the second LVEF. To further study the characteristics of HFrecEF patients, the cohort was further divided into LVEF improvement of 10–20% and >20% subgroups. The primary outcomes were all‐cause mortality and rehospitalization. A total of 1160 HFrEF patients were included [70.2% male, mean (standard deviation) age: 62 ± 13 years]. On the second echocardiogram, 284 patients (24.5%) showed HFrecEF and 876 patients (75.5%) showed persistent HFrEF. All‐cause mortality was identified in 23 (8.10%) HFrecEF and 165 (18.84%) persistent HFrEF, whilst 76 (26.76%) and 426 (48.63%) showed rehospitalizations, respectively. Survival analysis showed that the persistent HFrEF subgroup experienced a significantly higher mortality at 12 and 24 months and a higher hospitalization at 12, 24, 48, and more than 48 months following discharge. Multivariate Cox regression showed that persistent HFrEF had a higher risk of all‐cause mortality [hazard ratio (HR) 2.30, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.49–3.56, P = 0.000] and rehospitalization (HR 1.85, 95% CI 1.45–2.36, P = 0.000) than the HFrecEF group. Subgroup analysis showed that the LVEF ≥ 20% improvement subgroup had lower rates of adverse outcomes compared with those with less improvement of 10–20%.ConclusionsHeart failure with recovered ejection fraction is a distinct HF phenotype with better clinical outcomes compared with those with persistent HFrEF. HFrecEF patients have a relatively better short‐term mortality at 24 months but not thereafter.
Guanidine improves DEAE anion exchange‐based analytical separation of plasmid DNA
Authors: Černigoj Urh , Vidič Jana , Ferjančič Ana , Sinur Urša , Božič Klemen , Mencin Nina , Martinčič Celjar Anže , Gagnon Pete , Štrancar Aleš 
Published: September 2021

AbstractElution of strong and weak anion exchangers with sodium chloride gradients is commonly employed for analysis of sample mixtures containing different isomers of plasmid DNA. Gradient elution of a weak anion exchanger (diethylaminoethyl) in the presence of guanidine hydrochloride (Gdn) roughly doubles resolution between open‐circular (oc) and supercoiled (sc) isomers. It also improves resolution among sc, linear, and multimeric/aggregated forms. Sharper elution peaks with less tailing increase sensitivity about 30%. However, elution with an exclusively Gdn gradient to 900 mM causes more than 10% loss of plasmid. Elution with a sodium chloride gradient while maintaining Gdn at a level concentration of 300 mM achieves close to 100% recovery of sc plasmid while maintaining the separation improvements achieved by exclusively Gdn elution. Corresponding improvements in separation performance are not observed on a strong (quaternary amine) anion exchanger. Other chaotropic salts do not produce a favorable result on either exchanger, nor does the inclusion of surfactants or EDTA. Selectivity of the diethylaminoethyl‐Gdn method is orthogonal to electrophoresis, but with better quantification than agarose electrophoresis, better quantitative accuracy than CE, and resolution approaching CE.
Evaluation of machine learning algorithms to classify and map landforms in Antarctica
Authors: Siqueira Rafael G. , Veloso Gustavo V. , Fernandes‐Filho Elpídio I. , Francelino Márcio R. , Schaefer Carlos Ernesto G. R. , Corrêa Guilherme R. 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe detailed geomorphology of ice‐free landscapes of Antarctica is key to understanding how their highly fragile environments respond to climate change, at different temporal and spatial scales. Despite the recent advances in geomorphological studies of ice‐free areas, machine learning applications to produce landform maps are still scarce on the Antarctic continent. In this study, we evaluated the predictive performance of different supervised machine learning algorithms to produce digital geomorphological maps in Vega Island—Antarctic Peninsula region. We tested six different models: average artificial neural networks, C5.0 decision tree, random forest, support vector machine, supervised self‐organizing map and weighted k‐nearest neighbours. We used an initial set of 54 geomorphometric and spectral predictors, from which redundant variables with Pearson correlation coefficient >|0.95| were removed, and only the most important predictors for each model were selected using recursive feature elimination. For training, we ran each model 100 times and predictions were assessed by the kappa and global accuracy values. The best predictors were the Red Edge 6 and SWIR 11 bands, roughness concentration index, elevation and drainage density. The decision trees C5.0 and random forest had the best performance, with average validation kappa of 0.85 ± 0.03 and 0.84 ± 0.03, respectively, evidencing excellent prediction. Despite the similar performance, random forest showed greater uncertainty degree and accuracy when classifying complex landforms, attesting to its great robustness. From sensitivity and specificity values, we observed that the glaciers and talus showed higher accuracy, whereas cryoplanated platforms and scree slopes had the worst classification. The presented methodology optimized the classification by selecting the most important predictors, assessing accuracy and evaluating uncertainty. The results indicated that machine learning methods have great potential to produce geomorphological mappings in the Antarctic ice‐free areas, as a promising tool to provide detailed information on remote, harsh polar environments.
Data sets for the Upper Penticton Creek watershed experiment: A paired‐catchment study to support investigations of watershed response to forest dynamics and climatic variability in an inland snow‐dominated region
Authors: Moore R. Dan , Allen Diana , MacKenzie Lucy , Spittlehouse David , Winkler Rita 
Published: September 2021

AbstractThe Upper Penticton Creek watershed experiment is one of a handful of forestry‐focused paired catchment experiments in the snow‐dominated zone of western North America. The study involves an undisturbed control catchment and two treatment catchments. Streamflow has been monitored at weirs on all three streams since 1985. Following a pre‐harvest monitoring period, the treatment catchments were subject to clearcut harvesting in multiple passes that cumulatively covered ~50% of the catchments. In addition to streamflow, available hydrometeorological data sets include weather observations, snowpack water equivalent, rainfall interception, soil water content and water table levels in soil piezometers and bedrock wells. The data archive also includes digital elevation models, a Lidar‐derived image of tree heights in 2016, and vector data associated with lakes and reservoirs, the stream network, clearcut boundaries, a soil map and the logging road network. Together, these data sets provide a basis for empirical analyses of hydrological response to forest dynamics and climatic variability, and for calibration and testing hydrological models using internal variables. They should also provide useful data sets for educational purposes.Novelty StatementUpper Penticton Creek is the only long‐term, snowmelt‐dominated, experimental paired catchment study in western Canada and one of only a few in western North America. Four decades of environmental monitoring and research at this site provide an important data set to support analysis and modelling of hydrologica response to forest disturbance and climatic variability.