bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Spatial dynamics of pathogen transmission in communally roosting species: Impacts of changing habitats on bat‐virus dynamics
Authors: Lunn Tamika J. , Peel Alison J. , McCallum Hamish , Eby Peggy , Kessler Maureen K. , Plowright Raina K. , Restif Olivier 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

The spatial organization of populations determines their pathogen dynamics. This is particularly important for communally roosting species, whose aggregations are often driven by the spatial structure of their environment.

We develop a spatially explicit model for virus transmission within roosts of Australian tree‐dwelling bats (Pteropus spp.), parameterized to reflect Hendra virus. The spatial structure of roosts mirrors three study sites, and viral transmission between groups of bats in trees was modelled as a function of distance between roost trees. Using three levels of tree density to reflect anthropogenic changes in bat habitats, we investigate the potential effects of recent ecological shifts in Australia on the dynamics of zoonotic viruses in reservoir hosts.

We show that simulated infection dynamics in spatially structured roosts differ from that of mean‐field models for equivalently sized populations, highlighting the importance of spatial structure in disease models of gregarious taxa. Under contrasting scenarios of flying‐fox roosting structures, sparse stand structures (with fewer trees but more bats per tree) generate higher probabilities of successful outbreaks, larger and faster epidemics, and shorter virus extinction times, compared to intermediate and dense stand structures with more trees but fewer bats per tree. These observations are consistent with the greater force of infection generated by structured populations with less numerous but larger infected groups, and may flag an increased risk of pathogen spillover from these increasingly abundant roost types.

Outputs from our models contribute insights into the spread of viruses in structured animal populations, like communally roosting species, as well as specific insights into Hendra virus infection dynamics and spillover risk in a situation of changing host ecology. These insights will be relevant for modelling other zoonotic viruses in wildlife reservoir hosts in response to habitat modification and changing populations, including coronaviruses like SARS‐CoV‐2.
Maribellus comscasis sp. nov., a novel deep‐sea Bacteroidetes bacterium, possessing a prominent capability of degrading cellulose
Authors: Zheng Rikuan , Cai Ruining , Liu Rui , Liu Ge , Sun Chaomin 
Published: July 2021

SummaryBacteroidetes are thought to be specialized for the degradation of algae‐derived ocean polysaccharides. Here, we show that Bacteroidetes are the predominant phylum in deep‐sea sediments and possess more genes associated with polysaccharides degradation than other bacteria. We have isolated a novel Bacteroidetes species from the deep‐sea sediments by using a special polysaccharide containing medium, Maribellus comscasis WC007, which possesses 82 putative polysaccharide utilization loci (PULs) containing 374 glycoside hydrolases and 82 SusC/D pairs (Sus indicates starch utilization system; SusC represents the actual TonB‐dependent transporter, and SusD is an associated substrate‐binding outer membrane lipoprotein) together with 58 sigma/antisigma factors. Through an in‐depth analysis of these PULs, strain WC007 can efficiently degrade numerous different polysaccharides including cellulose, pectin, fucoidan, mannan, xylan and starch, which are verified by growth assays. Notably, we find that cellulose has the most significant growth‐promoting effect on M. comscasis WC007. And based on scanning electron microscope observation, transcriptomics and metabolomics, we further report on the underlying mechanisms of cellulose degradation and utilization, as well as potential contributions to the carbon cycle. Overall, our results suggest that Bacteroidetes may play key roles in the carbon cycle, likely due to their high abundance and prominent polysaccharide degradation capabilities.
Assembly of the amphibian microbiome is influenced by the effects of land‐use change on environmental reservoirs
Authors: Barnes Elle M. , Kutos Steve , Naghshineh Nina , Mesko Marissa , You Qing , Lewis J. D. 
Published: July 2021

SummaryA growing focus in microbial ecology is understanding how beneficial microbiome function is created and maintained through various assembly mechanisms. This study explores the role of both the environment and disease in regulating the composition of microbial species in the soil and on amphibian hosts. We compared the microbial communities of Plethodon cinereus salamanders along a land‐use gradient in the New York metropolitan area and paired these with associated soil cores. Additionally, we characterized the diversity of bacterial and fungal symbionts that putatively inhibit the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis. We predicted that variation in skin microbial community composition would correlate with changes seen in the soil which functions as the regional species pool. We found that salamanders and soil share many microbial taxa but that these two communities exhibit differences in the relative abundances of the bacterial phyla Acidobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Proteobacteria and the fungal phyla Ascomycota and genus Basidiobolus. Microbial community composition varies with changes in land‐use associated factors creating site‐specific compositions. By employing a quantitative, null‐based assembly model, we identified that dispersal limitation, variable selection, and drift guide assembly of microbes onto their skin, creating high dissimilarity between individuals with likely consequences in disease preventative function.
Clinical impact of patient‐centered care for hemodialysis patients using routine assessment of symptom burden
Authors: Ito Minoru , Nawano Takaaki , Masakane Ikuto , Yamaguchi Ichiro , Kudo Kenichi , Nagasawa Junichiro , Yabuki Kiyotaka 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe study aimed to verify the impact of our clinical strategy, which emphasizes patient‐centered care, based on patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs) results in hemodialysis patients. We developed our original PROM (comprising 20 items) to assess patients' symptom burden. To confirm the validity of our clinical pattern, we performed various analyses using PROM data. We retrospectively enrolled 383 individuals (mean age 66.3 years; 252 men), collected their PROM data in December 2013, and followed them up for 3 years. We noted a lower mortality rate and a lower prevalence of itching in our facilities than in previous surveys and reports in Japan. Furthermore, we observed that the severity of symptom burden affected medium‐term prognosis. This is the first study to report the results of patient‐centered medical practice utilizing PROMs in dialysis care. Careful attention should be paid to patients' symptom burden, as performed in objective data management.
Feasibility of an outpatient‐based pulmonary rehabilitation program for lung cancer patients during radiation therapy
Authors: Ahn Hye Joon , Jeon Jae Yong , Kim Su Ssan , Song Si Yeol , Kim Won , Lee Sei Won , Kim A Hyun , Lee Seung Hak 
Published: July 2021

AbstractPurposeData are lacking regarding pulmonary rehabilitation (PR) programs in patients with lung cancer receiving radiation therapy. This study aimed to confirm the feasibility of an outpatient‐based PR program in lung cancer patients during radiation therapy.MethodsA retrospective chart review was performed of 40 patients with lung cancer who had undergone radiation therapy between July and December 2019. The patients received an outpatient‐based PR program for a total of eight sessions two times weekly comprising 60 min per session. Feasibility was assessed based on the completion rate, adverse events, and satisfaction with the PR program. Functional evaluations using 6‐min walk and grip strength tests were conducted before and after PR. Patient quality of life was assessed by the EORTC QLQ‐C30 questionnaire before and after PR.ResultsThe completion rate for the PR program was 72.5% among the 40 patients. No adverse events related to PR were reported. The overall satisfaction was 5.7 ± 1.1 on a seven‐point Likert scale in all participants. The mean 6‐min walk test distance increased significantly from 419.1 to 446.2 m. The improvement in grip strength in the dominant hand after PR was not significant. The social functioning score in the EORTC QLQ‐C30 improved significantly.ConclusionThe results of this study showed the feasibility without serious adverse effects of a 4‐week outpatient‐based PR program for lung cancer patients undergoing outpatient‐based radiation therapy. This program might improve patient physical function and quality of life.
Commodity boom‐bust cycles and the resource curse in Australia: 1900 to 2007
Authors: Bhattacharyya Sambit 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe Australian economy experienced very frequent and sizeable terms of trade shocks. These shocks at times were more pronounced than commodity exporting developing countries and disproportionately benefited the extreme top end of income distribution. Did they derail overall economic progress? Circumstantial evidence suggests that they did not, but hard econometric evidence appears to be rare. In this paper, I revisit the Australian resource curse question from a long‐run perspective. Using time series data on commodity prices, real GDP, real wages, non‐farm GDP, manufacturing share of GDP, and manufacturing share of employment covering the period 1900 to 2007, I find very little evidence of a resource curse. Commodity booms in general and positive agricultural price shocks in particular appear to have impacted the rest of the economy positively both in short‐ and long‐run. The positive effect is primarily led by expansion in manufacturing. This is perhaps reflective of trade protection, labour and credit market flexibility, and relatively open skilled migration in Australia especially during the post‐war period.
Plant richness and blooming cover affect abundance of flower visitors and network structure in Colombian orchards
Authors: Vaca‐Uribe Jessica L. , Figueroa Laura L. , Santamaría Maikol , Poveda Katja 
Published: July 2021

Abstract
Pollination is essential to fruit production. How plant diversity and blooming events in and around orchards affect the pollinator community and the plant‐flower‐visitor network in neotropical systems remains largely unknown.
We surveyed the flower visitors in deciduous fruit trees and alternative blooming resources (other crops, hedgerows and weeds) in Colombia across 6 orchards over 12 months. We evaluated whether plant species richness and blooming cover influenced abundance and richness of flower visitors, as well as network‐level connectance and specialization. We also assessed the role of alternative blooming resources for the flower visitors of deciduous fruit trees.
Overall, we found 66 taxa of flower visitors, 35 of which visited deciduous fruit trees. There was a greater abundance of flower visitors when there was higher richness of weedy species and greater blooming cover of deciduous fruit trees. Networks were less connected when there was lower crop and weedy species richness. Finally, flower visitor abundance and specialization increased when there were multiple hedgerow species in bloom with a high blooming cover.
We highlight the importance of maintaining alternative blooming resources in and around the orchards to support deciduous fruit tree pollinators and diversity in the plant flower‐visitor network.
Genome scanning reveals novel candidate genes for vertebral and teat number in the Beijing Black Pig
Authors: Niu N. , Wang H. , Shi G. , Liu X. , Liu H. , Liu Q. , Yang M. , Wang L. , Zhang L. 
Published: July 2021

SummaryPorcine vertebral and teat numbers are variable and important economic traits in pig production. However, the quantitative trait loci (QTL) and candidate genes for both of these traits in the Beijing Black Pig are not yet known. In the present study, number of vertebrae and number of teats were obtained for 891 individuals of the Beijing Black Pig and genotyped using the Illumina Porcine 50 K BeadChip. Genome scanning was performed to detect associated variants and candidate genes for both traits using a genome‐wide association study by tassel software. For vertebral number, 15 significant SNPs were located on SSC7. According to linkage disequilibrium analysis on SSC7, a haplotype block of 221 kb from 97.4 to 97.6 Mb was shown to contain a good candidate gene ABCD4. Interestingly, on SSC12, we recorded a novel QTL containing three significant SNPs and 34 annotated genes from 24.0 to 25.7 Mb for vertebral number. Of the 34 genes, nine Hox family genes (HOXB 1–7, 9, and 13) were found to be good candidate genes. Using the 34 genes, a gene ontology analysis was performed to detect enrichment of anterior/posterior pattern specification. For teat number, a novel chromosome‐wide significant QTL was identified on SSC10. In this QTL region, one significant SNP was identified. The nearest gene, NTRK2, was regarded as a candidate gene. The present results expanded the QTL for vertebral and teat numbers and provided useful molecular markers for breeding in the Beijing Black Pig population.
Using quantitative fetal fibronectin to predict term labour onset in Australian rural women: A pilot study
Authors: North Robert , Geraghty Anthony , Luscombe Georgina , Frakking Thuy 
Published: July 2021

BackgroundMany women living in rural and remote Australia are required to travel large distances to birth in a hospital with maternity facilities, incurring considerable financial, social and emotional burden for them and their families. No studies to date have investigated the use of quantitative fetal fibronectin (qfFN) to predict term labour in asymptomatic pregnant women. A tool which is able to more accurately predict term labour has the potential to guide informed travel decision‐making for women and healthcare professionals in rural and remote Australia.AimThe aim of this study is to determine if qfFN can reliably predict term labour in asymptomatic women from rural and remote areas.Materials and MethodsThirty‐nine women from rural Australia provided 71 fFN samples between June 2016 and October 2018, from 37 weeks’ gestation, with at least one week between samples for those providing multiple samples. Days from fFN sampling until spontaneous onset of labour were recorded. Using generalised estimating equation modelling we examined the utility of fFN as a predictor for onset of labour at term after adjusting for confounders.ResultsThere was a small‐to‐moderate negative correlation (rs −0.27, P < 0.05) between time until labour and fFN. Quantitative fFN was observed to be a significant predictor of time until labour after adjusting for confounding variables (P < 0.001).ConclusionfFN levels may play a role in predicting term labour in rural women; however, future studies with a larger sample size are required to validate the findings of our pilot study.
UN Peacekeeping and Households' Well‐Being in Civil Wars
Authors: Bove Vincenzo , Salvatore Jessica Di , Elia Leandro 
Published: July 2021

AbstractCivil wars affect the economic conditions of households by disrupting economic transactions and harming their psychological well‐being. To restore basic conditions for local economic recovery in conflict‐torn regions, the international community has only a limited number of tools at its disposal. We ask whether UN peacekeeping is one instrument to mitigate the negative effect of conflict on households' economic well‐being. We argue that, by reducing violence and heightening perceptions of safety, UN missions (i) encourage labor provision and economic exchanges, and (ii) instill confidence by reducing the psychological impact of daily stressors. Combining high‐frequency household survey data and information on subnational deployment of UN peacekeepers in South Sudan, we show that peacekeepers' military presence improves security (observed and perceived), which in turn revitalizes local economies and households' subjective well‐being. These improvements ultimately boost households' consumption, partially countering the negative effect of ongoing civil wars by keeping local communities' economy afloat.
Rebel Strategies and the Prospects for Peace
Authors: Qiu Xiaoyan 
Published: July 2021

AbstractProminent formal theories of conflict provide considerable insight into how civil wars begin and end, but offer little understanding of how they proceed during wartime. One prevalent pattern is that rebel strategies vary significantly within conflicts over time, from guerrilla to conventional tactics. Why do rebels switch between different fighting strategies? How does the transition affect civil war negotiations? I develop a model of rebel–government negotiation in which rebels choose fighting strategies throughout a multiperiod war. The analysis shows that rebels switch from guerrilla to conventional tactics after gaining strength, and the expectation of growth delays rebels' transition to conventional fighting. The potential switch between different fighting strategies hurts the prospects for peace and prolongs civil wars. I identify the generic conditions under which peace is infeasible, no matter how belligerents negotiate. These conditions characterize the incipient stages of many rebellions, thereby explaining the lack of serious negotiations early on.
Effects of dipyrone and acetylsalicylic acid on contractions of distal cauda epididymis duct, serum testosterone and sperm count in rats
Authors: Martins Ana Beatriz Melo , Bezerra Mayara Samala , da Costa Gomes Luana Talinne , Trajano Francisco Mateus Gonçalves , Dantas Pedro Brüch , de Sena Maele Oliveira , Gavioli Elaine Cristina , da Silva Junior Edilson Dantas 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe effects of dipyrone and acetylsalicylic acid (ASA) on male fertility are still not fully understood, mainly considering the epididymis as a putative target for their anti‐fertility effects. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of dipyrone and ASA on the contractions of distal cauda epididymis duct, serum testosterone levels and sperm parameters in rats. Firstly, we checked the in vitro effects of dipyrone and ASA (10–1000 μM) on the contractions of distal cauda epididymis duct by pharmacological experiments. We also evaluated the effects of in vivo treatment with dipyrone and ASA 100 mg/kg (p.o.) for 15 days on epididymal duct contractions, serum testosterone levels and sperm parameters. In vitro dipyrone or ASA decreased the epididymal duct contractions induced by phenylephrine or carbachol. We observed that in vivo treatment with both drugs decreased the daily sperm production, serum testosterone levels and sperm count through epididymis without altering the epididymal duct contractions and sperm transit time through epididymis. In conclusion, in vitro dipyrone and ASA were able to diminish the contractions of epididymal duct, whilst in vivo administration decreased the sperm count throughout epididymis as a consequence of a low sperm production caused by reduced testosterone levels.
The association between modifiable perioperative parameters and renal function after nephrectomy
Authors: Mano Roy , Tin Amy L. , Silagy Andrew W. , Haywood Samuel C. , Huang Chun , Benfante Nicole E. , Fischer Gregory W. , Vickers Andrew J. , Russo Paul , Coleman Jonathan A. , McCormick Patrick J. , Mincer Joshua S. , Ari Hakimi Abraham 
Published: July 2021

ObjectiveTo evaluate the association between intraoperative anaesthetic parameters, primarily intraoperative hypotension, and postoperative renal function in patients undergoing nephrectomy.Patients and MethodsWe reviewed data from 3240 consecutive patients who underwent nephrectomy between 2010 and 2018. Anaesthetic parameters evaluated included duration of hypotension, tachycardia, hypothermia, volatile anaesthetic use and mean arterial pressure in the post‐anaesthesia care unit. Outcomes included acute kidney injury (AKI) and estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) within the first year after nephrectomy. Associations between anaesthetic parameters and outcomes were evaluated with multivariable logistic regression and generalised estimating equation, respectively, adjusted for predictors of renal function after nephrectomy.ResultsBefore nephrectomy, 677 (21%) patients had moderate–severe chronic kidney disease. A quarter of patients (n = 809) had postoperative AKI and 35% (n = 746) had Stage ≥3 chronic kidney disease 12‐months after surgery. Only 12% of patients (n = 386) had >5 min of intraoperative hypotension. While not statistically significant, longer duration of intraoperative hypotension was associated with slightly higher rates of AKI (odds ratio [OR] per 10‐min 1.14, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.98, 1.32). Prolonged hypothermia was associated with increased rate of AKI (OR per 10‐min 1.02, 95% CI 1.00, 1.04), and decreased eGFR (change in eGFR per 10‐min −0.19, 95% CI −0.27, −0.12); however, these results have limited clinical significance.ConclusionsUnder current practice, intraoperative anaesthetic parameters are tightly maintained, restricting the significance of their effect on postoperative renal function. Future studies should evaluate whether haemodynamic parameters during the early postoperative period, when they are monitored less frequently, are associated with renal functional outcome.
Application of single cell genomics to focal epilepsies: A call to action
Authors: Khoshkhoo Sattar , Lal Dennis , Walsh Christopher A. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractFocal epilepsies are the largest epilepsy subtype and associated with significant morbidity. Somatic variation is a newly recognized genetic mechanism underlying a subset of focal epilepsies, but little is known about the processes through which somatic mosaicism causes seizures, the cell types carrying the pathogenic variants, or their developmental origin. Meanwhile, the inception of single cell biology has completely revolutionized the study of neurological diseases and has the potential to answer some of these key questions. Focusing on single cell genomics, transcriptomics, and epigenomics in focal epilepsy research, circumvents the averaging artifact associated with studying bulk brain tissue and offers the kind of granularity that is needed for investigating the consequences of somatic mosaicism. Here we have provided a brief overview of some of the most developed single cell techniques and the major considerations around applying them to focal epilepsy research.
Does etiology really matter for epilepsy surgery outcome?
Authors: Jehi Lara , Braun Kees 
Published: July 2021

AbstractMultiple factors influence the outcomes of epilepsy surgery. Prognostic indicators varying from clinical characteristics, imaging findings, ictal, and interictal electrophysiological activity have been linked to surgical outcomes. In this review, we focus on the relatively under‐studied role of the underlying epilepsy histopathology in driving post‐surgical outcomes, specifically focusing on the broad categories of seizure outcomes and cognitive outcomes. For each of these two outcomes of interest, we answer two questions: 1)‐ does etiology matter? and 2)‐ how could it matter? The goal is to review the existing literature on the relationship between etiology and surgical outcomes to provide the best possible judgment as to whether a causal relationship exists between histopathology and the ultimate surgical outcome as an initial step. Then, we delve into the possible mechanisms via which such relationships can be explained. We conclude with a call to action to the epilepsy surgery and histopathology research community to push the mechanistic understanding of the pathology‐outcome interaction and identify actionable knowledge and biomarkers that could inform patient care in a timely fashion.