bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Climate‐induced yellow‐cedar decline on the island archipelago of Haida Gwaii
Authors: Comeau Vanessa M. , Daniels Lori D. , Zeglen Stefan 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe global rise in temperature and associated changes in climate have led to decline of forests around the globe, across multiple species and ecosystems. Yellow‐cedar (Callitropsis nootkatensis) decline is one of the most severe in North America. We found abundant evidence of tree decline and mortality on Haida Gwaii across multiple watersheds and over a range of elevations. This decline on Haida Gwaii parallels the broader yellow‐cedar decline in terms of spatial distribution, symptoms, magnitude, and timing. However, Haida Gwaii has a more temperate climate and ephemeral snowpack than declining yellow‐cedar forests in Alaska where the link to climate was first uncovered. Given these important differences, we investigated several possible drivers both at the local and at the regional scale, using population demography, dendrochronology, and daily weather data. We explored stand dynamics as a driver and tested the known link to climate. Our results are inconsistent with stand dynamics as a driver of elevated decline and mortality. Neither increased competition nor aging of a cohort explains the decline. Alternatively, the magnitude and timing of the decline are consistent with well‐documented long‐term directional trends in regional climate. Onset of basal area increment decline and mortality have been accumulating over time, with increased rates since the 1980s. Our sites were located at the edge of the expected range of mortality, and we found only four thaw–freeze events over the past ~80 yrs. However, superposed epoch analysis using daily weather data revealed that mortality and onset of decline events were associated with warmer winter conditions, consistent with the drivers from Alaska. Rather than isolated extreme thaw–freeze events, warmer winter temperatures on Haida Gwaii may mean less cold hardening throughout the winter, which exposes yellow‐cedar’s fine roots to varying degrees of freezing damage over multiple winter thaw–freeze cycles, causing physiological stress, tree decline, and eventual death.
Exploration of the 2016 Yellowstone River fish kill and proliferative kidney disease in wild fish populations
Authors: Hutchins Patrick R. , Sepulveda Adam J. , Hartikainen Hanna , Staigmiller Ken D. , Opitz Scott T. , Yamamoto Renee M. , Huttinger Amberly , Cordes Rick J. , Weiss Tammy , Hopper Lacey R. , Purcell Maureen K. , Okamura Beth 
Published: March 2021

AbstractProliferative kidney disease (PKD) is an emerging disease that recently resulted in a large mortality event of salmonids in the Yellowstone River (Montana, USA). Total PKD fish mortalities in the Yellowstone River were estimated in the tens of thousands, which resulted in a multi‐week river closure and an estimated economic loss of US$500,000. This event shocked scientists, managers, and the public, as this was the first occurrence of the disease in the Yellowstone River, the only reported occurrence of the disease in Montana in the past 25 yr, and arguably the largest wild PKD fish kill in the world. To understand why the Yellowstone River fish kill occurred, we used molecular and historical data to evaluate evidence for several hypotheses: Was the causative parasite Tetracapsuloides bryosalmonae a novel invader, was the fish kill associated with a unique parasite strain, and/or was the outbreak caused by unprecedented environmental conditions? We found that T. bryosalmonae is widely distributed in Montana and have documented occurrence of this parasite in archived fish collected in the Yellowstone River prior to the fish kill. T. bryosalmonae had minimal phylogeographic population structure, as the DNA of parasites sampled from the Yellowstone River and distant water bodies were very similar. These results suggest that T. bryosalmonae could be endemic in Montana. Due to data limitations, we could not reject the hypothesis that the fish kill was caused by a novel and more virulent genetic strain of the parasite. Finally, we found that single‐year environmental conditions are insufficient to explain the cause of the 2016 Yellowstone River PKD outbreak. Other regional rivers where we documented T. bryosalmonae had similar or even more extreme conditions than the Yellowstone River and similar or more extreme conditions have occurred in the Yellowstone River in the recent past, yet mass PKD mortalities have not been documented in either instance. We conclude by placing these results and unresolved hypotheses into the broader context of international research on T. bryosalmonae and PKD, which strongly suggests that a better understanding of bryozoans, the primary host of T. bryosalmonae, is required for better ecosystem understanding.
Incidence and clinical/laboratory correlates of early hypotension in takotsubo syndrome
Authors: Ong Gao Jing , Girolamo Olivia , Stansborough Jeanette , Nguyen Thanh Ha , Horowitz John David 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAimsTakotsubo syndrome (TTS) is a form of acute myocardial inflammation, often triggered by catecholamine release surges, which accounts for approximately 10% of ‘myocardial infarctions’ in female patients above the age of 50. Its associated substantial risk of in‐hospital mortality is mainly driven by the development of hypotension and shock. While hypotension is induced largely by factors other than low cardiac output, its precise cause is unknown, and clinical parameters associated with hypotension have not been identified previously. We therefore sought to identify the incidence and clinical/laboratory correlates of early hypotension in TTS.Methods and resultsWe analysed the in‐hospital data of patients recruited to the South Australian TTS Registry. Associations between the development of hypotension, patient demographics, severity of the acute TTS attack, and key biochemical markers were sought. One hundred thirteen out of 319 patients (35%) were hypotensive (median systolic blood pressure 80 mmHg) during their index hospitalization. Development of hypotension preceded all in‐hospital deaths (n = 8). On univariate analyses, patients who developed hypotension had lower left ventricular ejection fraction (P = 0.009), and higher plasma N‐terminal pro brain natriuretic peptide and troponin‐T concentrations (P = 0.046 and 0.008, respectively), all markers of severity of the TTS attack; hypotension also occurred less commonly in male than in female patients (P = 0.014). On multivariate linear regression analysis, female sex and lower left ventricular ejection fraction were independent correlates of the development of hypotension (P = 0.009 and 0.010, respectively).ConclusionsEarly development of hypotension is very common in TTS, and its presence is associated with a substantial risk of in‐hospital mortality. Hypotension is a marker of severe TTS attacks and occurs more commonly in female TTS patients.
Visual illusions modulate body perception disturbance and pain in Complex Regional Pain Syndrome: A randomized trial
Authors: Lewis Jennifer S. , Newport Roger , Taylor Gordon , Smith Mike , McCabe Candida S. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundEffective treatment of longstanding Complex Regional Pain Syndrome (CRPS) is a challenge, as causal mechanisms remain elusive. People with CRPS frequently report distorted subjective perceptions of their affected limb. Evidence of pain reduction when the affected limb is visually altered in size suggests that visual illusions used to target central processing could restore coherence of this disrupted limb representation. We hypothesized that using virtual reality that alters hand image to match the patient's desired hand appearance would improve body perception disturbance and pain. Also, repeated exposure would maintain any therapeutic effect.MethodsA blinded randomized controlled trial of 45 participants with refractory upper‐limb CRPS and body perception disturbance (BPD) viewed a digital image of their affected hand for 1 min. The image was digitally altered according to the patient's description of how they desired their hand to look in the experimental group and unaltered in the control group. BPD and pain were measured pre‐ and post‐intervention. A subgroup was followed up 2 weeks after a course of repeated interventions.ResultsBPD (mean‐6, ±SD 7.9, p = 0.036, effect size [ES] = 0.6) and pain intensity (mean‐0.43, ±SD 1.3, p = 0.047, ES = 0.5) reduced in 23 participants after single exposure compared to controls (n = 22). At follow‐up, the subgroup (experimental n = 21; control n = 18) showed sustained pain reduction only (p = 0.037, ±SD 1.9, ES = 0.7), with an overall 1.2 decrease on an 11‐point scale.ConclusionsVisually changing the CRPS hand to a desired appearance modulates BPD and pain suggesting therapeutic potential for those with refractory CRPS. Further research to optimize this therapeutic effect is required.SignificanceVisual bodily illusions that change the shape and appearance of the painful CRPS hand to that desired by the patient result in a rapid amelioration of pain and body perception disturbance in people with longstanding CRPS. These findings highlight the future potential of this drug‐free approach in the treatment of refractory CRPS.
Human surrogate models of central sensitization: A critical review and practical guide
Authors: Quesada Charles , Kostenko Anna , Ho Idy , Leone Caterina , Nochi Zahra , Stouffs Alexandre , Wittayer Matthias , Caspani Ombretta , Brix Finnerup Nanna , Mouraux André , Pickering Gisèle , Tracey Irene , Truini Andrea , Treede Rolf‐Detlef , Garcia‐Larrea Luis 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundAs in other fields of medicine, development of new medications for management of neuropathic pain has been difficult since preclinical rodent models do not necessarily translate to the clinics. Aside from ongoing pain with burning or shock‐like qualities, neuropathic pain is often characterized by pain hypersensitivity (hyperalgesia and allodynia), most often towards mechanical stimuli, reflecting sensitization of neural transmission.Data treatmentWe therefore performed a systematic literature review (PubMed‐Medline, Cochrane, WoS, ClinicalTrials) and semi‐quantitative meta‐analysis of human pain models that aim to induce central sensitization, and generate hyperalgesia surrounding a real or simulated injury.ResultsFrom an initial set of 1569 reports, we identified and analysed 269 studies using more than a dozen human models of sensitization. Five of these models (intradermal or topical capsaicin, low‐ or high‐frequency electrical stimulation, thermode‐induced heat‐injury) were found to reliably induce secondary hyperalgesia to pinprick and have been implemented in multiple laboratories. The ability of these models to induce dynamic mechanical allodynia was however substantially lower. The proportion of subjects who developed hypersensitivity was rarely provided, giving rise to significant reporting bias. In four of these models pharmacological profiles allowed to verify similarity to some clinical conditions, and therefore may inform basic research for new drug development.ConclusionsWhile there is no single “optimal” model of central sensitization, the range of validated and easy‐to‐use procedures in humans should be able to inform preclinical researchers on helpful potential biomarkers, thereby narrowing the translation gap between basic and clinical data.SignificanceBeing able to mimic aspects of pathological pain directly in humans has a huge potential to understand pathophysiology and provide animal research with translatable biomarkers for drug development. One group of human surrogate models has proven to have excellent predictive validity: they respond to clinically active medications and do not respond to clinically inactive medications, including some that worked in animals but failed in the clinics. They should therefore inform basic research for new drug development.
Indigenous Fish–Based Assessment of Genotoxic Potentials of the Helong Reservoir in Guangzhou, China
Authors: Xian Hongyi , Tang Meilin , Chen Ying , Lian Zhenwei , Li Yanfeng , Peng Xiaowu , Hu Dalin 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
The present study was conducted to assess the genotoxic potential of water from the Helong Reservoir, which was designated as a strategic drinking water source by the Guangdong Provincial Government of China in October 2016. Four kinds of common indigenous fish samples (Labeo rohita, Cirrhinus molitorella, red tilapia, and Oreochromis niloticus) were collected at 6 sampling sites during the period from July to November 2020. Fish from the clean drinking water source of the upper reaches of the Liuxihe Reservoir in Guangzhou were collected as the control. Both the alkaline single cell gel electrophoresis assay and the micronucleus test were used to detect DNA damage and the micronucleus rate in erythrocytes of fish samples, respectively. The results indicated that there was a significant increase in comet tail length, Olive tail moment, and micronucleus rates of all fish samples compared with those of the control (p &lt; 0.05). The order of sensitivity to DNA damage and micronucleus formation was Labeo rohita &gt; Cirrhinus molitorella &gt; red tilapia &gt; Oreochromis niloticus. The results of the 2 kinds of experiments were in perfect agreement with each other. We conclude that there are obvious genotoxic effects from the water in the Helong Reservoir. As a strategic drinking water source, the safety of the Reservoir water quality should be considered. The local government should put the restoration of the Helong Reservoir water quality on the agenda as soon as possible. Environ Toxicol Chem 2021;40:1917–1925. © 2021 SETAC
Joint relay and channel selection in relay‐aided anti‐jamming system: A reinforcement learning approach
Authors: Huang Luying , Xu Tao , Chen Xueqiang , Xu Yitao , Zhang Xiao , Fang Gui 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this article, a joint relay and channel selection problem is investigated in multi‐relay anti‐jamming communication system. Considering the jamming pattern and the relay node (RN) location distribution are unknown, the relay and channel selection problem is formulated as Markov decision processes (MDPs). Different from the existing research on anti‐jamming communication, in this article, the source node (SN) and all RNs are considered as agents who collaboratively learn the environment and make anti‐jamming decisions. A reinforcement‐learning‐based joint relay and channel selection method is proposed to achieve relay‐aided anti‐jamming communication. Specifically, the SN tries to make the optimal selection of relay which is under the least jamming threat, while the RN will access the jamming‐free channels. Various simulation results show that the algorithm can quickly learn the unknown changing pattern of the jamming environment, and make the effective joint relay and channel decisions to obtain high communication throughput which is close to the optimal.
Advancing irrigation development in the European Union*
Authors: Cvejić Rozalija , Pintar Marina , Zupanc Vesna 
Published: March 2021

AbstractLarge‐scale irrigation systems (LIS) are massively utilized in agriculture worldwide to ensure food security and mitigate the effect of global warming. LIS face unpredictable changes in climate, technologies, and societal tendencies during their lifetime, potentially becoming unusable or insufficient. In this case study of Slovenia, the evolution of LIS was divided into five characteristic periods in terms of motivation, mechanisms, and the key stakeholders. The heyday of LIS development in the late 1980s was followed by denationalization and privatization, and construction was replaced by measures for improving the status irrigation at the state level. Simultaneously, there was a shift in global development towards modernization as LIS should be adaptive to changes throughout their existence in order to preserve their functionality. The construction of LIS resumed less intensively in the European Union during 2007–2013, with recognition of effective LIS functioning as necessity. This study confirms that irrigation development follows the global imperative focus on more effective use of the existing LIS along with simultaneous reduction in the environmental impact of agricultural production through smarter use of water, nutrients, and plant protection products. This should be achieved by organized LIS users, increased knowledge, efficient LIS maintenance and management, and improved connections to the local markets.
Acute and subacute inhalation toxicity assessment of WS‐23 in Sprague–Dawley rats
Authors: Wu Ze‐Hong , Liu Yue‐Song , Li Xin‐Duo , Xu Te , Xu Jing , Yang Xue‐Min , Ma Ren‐Qiang , Jiang Xing‐Tao 
Published: March 2021

Abstract2‐isopropyl‐N,2,3‐trimethylbutyramide (WS‐23) is a well‐known artificial synthesis cooling agent widely used in foods, medicines, and tobaccos. As a commonly cooling agent in e‐cigarette liquids, WS‐23 has led to concerns about the inhalation toxicity with the prosperous of e‐cigarettes in recent years. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess the acute and subacute inhalation toxicity of WS‐23 in Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats according to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) guidelines. In the acute toxicity study, there was no mortality and behavioral signs of toxicity at the limit test dose level (340.0 mg/m3) in the exposure period and the following 14‐day observation period. In the subacute inhalation toxicity study, there was no significant difference observed in the body weights, feed consumption, and relative organ weights. Haematological, serum biochemical, urine, and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) analysis revealed the non‐adverse effects after 28‐day repeated WS‐23 inhalation (342.85 mg/m3), accompanied by slight changes in few parameters which returned to normal during the 28‐day recovery period. The histopathologic examination also did not show any differences in vital organs. In conclusion, the maximum tolerated dose for WS‐23 acute inhalation is not less than 340.0 mg/m3, and the No Observed Adverse Effect Level (NOAEL) of WS‐23 subacute inhalation was determined to be over 342.85 mg/m3.
microRNA‐186 alleviates oxygen‐glucose deprivation/reoxygenation‐induced injury by directly targeting hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α
Authors: Li Shengnan , Wang Yajun , Wang Mengxu , Chen Linfa , Chen Shaofeng , Deng Fu , Zhu Peiyi , Hu Weidong , Chen Xinglan , Zhao Bin , Ma Guoda , Li You 
Published: March 2021

AbstractPrevious studies have suggested that microRNA‐186 (miR‐186) can be induced under hypoxic conditions, and is associated with apoptosis. This study was undertaken to explore the exact role of this microRNA (miRNA) in the apoptotic death of neurons during cerebral ischemic/reperfusion (I/R) injury. To model cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injuries, we utilized a transient middle cerebral artery occlusion approach in rats, as well as a model of oxygen‐glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) in Neuro2a cells. We found that in both in vitro and in vivo models of cerebral I/R injuries, levels of miR‐186 were markedly decreased. When we overexpressed miR‐186, this was associated with a reduction in the apoptotic death of neuroblastoma cells in the OGD/R model system, whereas the opposite was true when this miRNA was instead inhibited. We further found miR‐186 to directly target hypoxia‐inducible factor 1α (HIF‐1α) by interacting with the 3′‐untranslated region of this mRNA. When we knocked down HIF‐1α, this partially overcame the apoptotic death of cells in response to OGD/R injury and associated miR‐186 downregulation. Our findings indicate that miR‐186 is able to reduce ischemic injury to neurons at least in part through downregulating HIF‐1α, suggesting that the miR‐186/HIF‐1α axis is a potential therapeutic target for the treatment of ischemic stroke.
Development of quantum dot‐based fluorescence lateral flow immunoassay strip for rapid and quantitative detection of serum interleukin‐6
Authors: Tang Jinsong , Wu Lili , Lin Jingtao , Zhang Erying , Luo Yong 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundInterleukin‐6 (IL‐6) is an inflammatory factor that increases rapidly in response to infectious diseases including sepsis. The aim of this study is to develop a quantum dot (QD)‐based fluorescence lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) strip that can rapidly and accurately detect IL‐6 levels.MethodsQD‐based LFIA strips were fabricated by conjugating CdSe/ZnS QDs to the IL‐6 antibody. Performance verification and clinical sample analysis were carried out to evaluate the newly developed strip.ResultsQD‐based LFIA strips were successfully fabricated. The test strip's linear range was 10–4000 pg/ml, with a linear correlation coefficient of R2 ≥ .959. The sensitivity of the test strip was 1.995 pg/ml. The recovery rate was 95.72%–102.63%, indicating satisfying accuracy. The coefficient of variation (CV) of the intra‐assay was 2.148%–3.903%, while the inter‐assay was 2.412%–5.293%, verifying the strip's high precision. The cross‐reaction rates with various interleukins (IL‐1α, IL‐1β, IL‐2, IL‐4, and IL‐8) and interferon‐γ (IFN‐γ) were all <0.1%. When the strip was placed in a 50°C oven for 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks, the test results were not significantly altered compared to storage at room temperature. Furthermore, 200 clinical serum samples were analyzed to compare the strip with the Beckman chemiluminescence immunoassay (CLIA) kit, which revealed a high correlation (n = 200, R2 = .9971) for the detection of IL‐6.ConclusionsThe QD‐based test strip can rapidly and quantitatively detect IL‐6 levels, thus meeting the requirement of point‐of‐care test (POCT) and showing excellent clinical prospects.
Modelling of a bioelectrochemical system for metal‐polluted wastewater treatment and sequential metal recovery
Authors: León‐Fernandez Luis Fernando , Rodríguez Romero Luis , Fernández‐Morales Francisco Jesús , Villaseñor Camacho José 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBACKGROUNDThis work develops a simplified mathematical model to predict the performance of a bioelectrochemical system (BES), first working as a microbial fuel cell (MFC) and then as a microbial electrolysis cell (MEC), for the recovery of dissolved metals (Fe, Cu, Sn, and Ni) from simulated industrial wastewater. Experimental data from a previous work were used as starting points for mathematical modelling. Wastewater was used as the catholyte and contained Cu2+ and Fe3+ (500 mg L−1) as well as Sn2+ and Ni2+ (50 mg L−1), while the anolyte was composed of sodium acetate. Two mixed microbial populations were considered in the anode compartment (electrogenic and non‐electrogenic biomass). Dissolved metal ions were the electron acceptors in the electrogenic mechanism: Cu2+ and Fe3+ under MFC mode and then Fe2+, Ni2+, and Sn2+ under MEC mode.RESULTSThe model predicted the organic substrate and microbial biomass (anode chamber) and Fe3+ and Cu2+ (cathode chamber) concentrations during MFC operation. Monod kinetic and stoichiometric parameters were calibrated, and it was observed that most of the organic substrate underwent a non‐electrogenic mechanism. The generation of electric current until electron acceptors were removed was also predicted. Concentration profiles and first‐rate constant values for the decreased Sn2+, Ni2+, and Fe2+ concentrations during the subsequent MEC operation were also obtained. The model was then used for simulations under different experimental conditions.CONCLUSIONThis work offers a single grey‐box model proposal that is easy to implement, and it can be used as a practical tool for testing the removal of dissolved metals in BESs. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry (SCI).