bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Physiology and ecology together regulate host and vector importance for Ross River virus and other vector-borne diseases
Authors: Kain Morgan P. , Skinner Eloise B. , van den Hurk Andrew F. , McCallum Hamish , Mordecai Erin A. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractIdentifying the key vector and host species driving transmission is notoriously difficult for vector-borne zoonoses, but critical for disease control. Here, we present a general approach for quantifying the role hosts and vectors play in transmission that integrates species’ physiological competence with their ecological traits. We apply this model to the medically important arbovirus Ross River virus (RRV), in Brisbane, Australia. We found that vertebrate species with high physiological competence weren’t the most important for community transmission. Instead, we estimated that humans (previously overlooked as epidemiologically important hosts) potentially play an important role in RRV transmission, in part, because highly competent vectors readily feed on them and are highly abundant. By contrast, vectors with high physiological competence were also important for community transmission. Finally, we uncovered two potential transmission cycles: an enzootic cycle involving birds and an urban cycle involving humans. This modelling approach has direct application to other zoonotic arboviruses.
Another mystery snail in the Adirondacks: DNA barcoding reveals the first record ofSinotaiacf.quadrata(Caenogastropoda: Viviparidae) from North America
Authors: O’Leary Ethan , Jojo Donovan , David Andrew A. 
Published: January 2021

ABSTRACTAlien molluscs pose a serious threat to global freshwater diversity and have been implicated in many ecosystem-altering invasion events over the past few decades. Biomonitoring surveys are therefore a key tool for ensuring biosecurity in diversity hotspots and vulnerable habitats. In this study, we use DNA barcoding to provide the first record of the viviparid,Sinotaiacf.quadratafrom North America. Reciprocal monophyly and low genetic divergence (uncorrected p-distance: 0.004) with aBellamya quadrataindividual from the type region (China) provides strong support for this identification. The species was recovered as part of a routine biomonitoring survey of the Adirondack region of northern New York. Only three adults were recovered (no populations or juveniles) indicating that the discovery represents a very recent arrival. Considering the proximity of the sampling site from the massive St. Lawrence River, it is likely thatS. cf.quadratawas introduced into the St. Lawrence, probably via the aquarium plant trade, and was able to spread into smaller river system in northern New York and possibly other border states. This record represents the fourth alien viviparid, the third of which is of Asian origin, that have made its way to New York waters. Future biomonitoring efforts for the upcoming summer period will involve targeted searches forS. cf.quadratato determine the extent of its spread in the region.
RNAi and Ino80 complex control rate limiting translocation step that moves rDNA to eroding telomeres
Authors: Apte Manasi S. , Masuda Hirohisa , Wheeler David Lee , Cooper Julia Promisel 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe discovery of HAATIrDNA, a mode of telomerase-negative survival in which canonical telomeres are replaced with ribosomal DNA (rDNA) repeats that acquire chromosome end-protection capability, raised crucial questions as to how rDNA tracts ‘jump’ to eroding, nonhomologous chromosome ends. Here we show that HAATIrDNAformation is initiated and limited by a single translocation that juxtaposes rDNA from Chromosome (Chr) III onto subtelomeric elements (STE) on Chr I or II; this rare reaction requires the RNAi pathway and the Ino80 nucleosome remodeling complex (Ino80C), thus defining an unforeseen relationship between these two machineries. The unique STE-rDNA junction created by this initial translocation is efficiently copied to the remaining STE chromosome ends, without the need for RNAi or Ino80C, forming HAATIrDNA. Intriguingly, both the RNAi and Ino80C machineries contain a component that plays dual roles in HAATI subtype choice. Dcr1 of the RNAi pathway and Iec1 of the Ino80C both promote HAATIrDNAformation as part of their respective canonical machineries, but both also inhibit formation of the exceedingly rare HAATISTE(in which STE sequences mobilize throughout the genome and assume chromosome end protection capacity) in non-canonical, pathway-independent manners. This work provides a glimpse into a previously unrecognized crosstalk between RNAi and Ino80C in controlling unusual translocation reactions that establish telomere-free linear chromosome ends.
Development of spike receptor-binding domain nanoparticle as a vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 infection in ferrets
Authors: Kim Young-Il , Kim Dokyun , Yu Kwang-Min , Seo Hogyu David , Lee Shin-Ae , Casel Mark Anthony B. , Jang Seung-Gyu , Kim Stephanie , Jung WooRam , Lai Chih-Jen , Choi Young Ki , Jung Jae U. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractSevere acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a causative agent of COVID-19 pandemic, enters host cells via the interaction of its Receptor-Binding Domain (RBD) of Spike protein with host Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme 2 (ACE2). Therefore, RBD is a promising vaccine target to induce protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 infection. In this study, we report the development of RBD protein-based vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2 using self-assembling H. pylori-bullfrog ferritin nanoparticles as an antigen delivery. RBD-ferritin protein purified from mammalian cells efficiently assembled into 24-mer nanoparticles. 16-20 months-old ferrets were vaccinated with RBD-ferritin nanoparticles (RBD-nanoparticles) by intramuscular or intranasal inoculation. All vaccinated ferrets with RBD-nanoparticles produced potent neutralizing antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Strikingly, vaccinated ferrets demonstrated efficient protection from SARS-CoV-2 challenge, showing no fever, body weight loss and clinical symptoms. Furthermore, vaccinated ferrets showed rapid clearance of infectious viruses in nasal washes and lungs as well as viral RNA in respiratory organs. This study demonstrates the Spike RBD-nanoparticle as an effective protein vaccine candidate against SARS-CoV-2.
Gut microbiome profile in psoriatic patients treated and untreated with biologic therapy
Authors: Valentini Virginia , Silvestri Valentina , Marraffa Federica , Greco Giulia , Bucalo Agostino , Grassi Sara , Gagliardi Antonella , Mazzotta Annamaria , Ottini Laura , Richetta Antonio Giovanni 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThere are increasing data about the role of the gut microbiome in various autoimmune diseases, including psoriasis, a chronic inflammatory and immune‐mediated disease. Current treatment strategies in psoriasis include immunomodulating biologic agents. A variable response to this type of therapy has been reported in psoriatic patients. A possible effect of biologic therapy on the gut microbiome composition has been suggested, but data are still limited. The aim of this study was to compare the gut microbiome composition between psoriatic patients treated and untreated with biologic drugs in order to identify differences which may highlight the potential impact of the treatment on the gut microbiome. 16S rRNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses were performed on the fecal samples of 30 psoriatic patients with similar clinicopathological features, 10 of whom were undergoing biologic therapy and 20 not receiving systemic therapy. Alpha and beta diversity significantly differed between the two groups of patients. A reduced bacterial biodiversity in the group of treated patients compared with the group of untreated patients was observed. Differential relative abundances of key gut microbial communities, including Akkermansia muciniphila and Bacteroides plebeius, were identified between the two groups of patients. This study showed that biologic therapy may have an impact on the composition of the gut microbiome of psoriatic patients. Gut microbiome composition could be used as an indicator of response to therapy and the modulation of the microbial composition could help to restore the intestinal symbiosis in psoriatic patients.
Incubation temperature as a constraint on clutch size evolution
Authors: Hope Sydney F. , DuRant Sarah E. , Hallagan John J. , Beck Michelle L. , Kennamer Robert A. , Hopkins William A. 
Published: January 2021

Abstract

Elucidating factors that limit the number of offspring produced is fundamental to understanding life‐history evolution. Here, we examine the hypothesis that parental ability to maintain an optimal physical developmental environment for all offspring constrains clutch size via effects on offspring quality.

Experimental laboratory studies of birds have shown that a <1°C difference in average incubation temperature has diverse effects on fitness‐related post‐hatching offspring phenotypes. Thus, the inability of parents to maintain optimal incubation temperatures could constrain clutch sizes.

A fundamental question that has not been sufficiently addressed is whether larger clutch sizes lead to within nest variation in egg temperature that is large enough to produce offspring with different phenotypes within a brood. This could lead to differential survival among offspring, and could create a trade‐off between offspring number and quality.

We manipulated clutch size in nests of free‐living wood ducks and measured incubation temperature among and within clutches using multiple temperature loggers.

As clutch size increased, average incubation temperatures were lower and more variable, and eggs took longer to hatch. Notably, the range in average incubation temperature among eggs within nests increased with clutch size and exceeded 1°C in large clutches. Clutch size did not affect hatch success.

In conjunction with our companion laboratory studies that used artificial incubation to document the effects of temperature variation on fitness‐related traits in this species, our work suggests that suboptimal incubation temperatures could be a factor that limits clutch size through diminishing returns on post‐hatch offspring quality.

A free plain language summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Quantifying temporal variation in dietary niche to reveal drivers of past population declines
Authors: Cheeseman Amanda E. , Tanis Brian P. , Finck Elmer J. 
Published: January 2021

Abstract

Given the long and dynamic history of anthropogenic disturbances to ecosystems, it is difficult to determine the drivers of past population declines. These uncertainties dilute the efficacy of conservation efforts and might hinder species and ecosystem recovery.

Niche quantification can be a useful tool for understanding drivers of past population declines. Niche parameters reflect key resources used, providing insight into the conditions needed to achieve population stability. By reconstructing a population's niche position and space over a period of decline and comparing to historic baselines, shifts in the realized niche of a species can be assessed. Comparing shifts to historic information on resource availability and timing of declines can allow practitioners to identify probable drivers of species decline.

We demonstrated the utility of this technique by reconstructing parameters of isotopic dietary niche over a 130‐year period and comparing isotopic niche reconstructions to land use and crop harvests during this same period via regression and Bayesian standard ellipsoid (SIBER) analyses. We use a formerly widespread but now endangered species, the eastern spotted skunk Spilogale putorius, addressing the hypothesis that land use change and agricultural intensification led to a historical collapse of key dietary resources which correlates with population declines in this species. To help control for isotopic variability unrelated to population decline, we compare trends to those of a secure, but ecologically similar generalist mesocarnivore, the striped skunk Mephitis mephitis, across the same spatiotemporal scale.

We present evidence that historic dietary changes occurred in spotted skunks in the early 1900s but not to the same degree in striped skunks. Changes in isotopic composition correspond with the temporal period of decline and are explained by concurrent changes in land use. These results support the hypothesis that loss of key dietary resources as a result of land use change and agricultural intensification played a significant role in population declines of spotted skunks in this region.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Biomass responses of widely and less‐widely naturalized alien plants to artificial light at night
Authors: Speißer Benedikt , Liu Yanjie , van Kleunen Mark 
Published: January 2021

Abstract

Artificial light at night has rapidly increased during the last century, and could potentially affect many ecological processes, from individuals via communities to entire ecosystems. Recent research has shown that artificial light at night may not only affect the behaviour of animals but also growth of plants and vegetation composition. However, it is not known yet whether artificial light at night may also affect other global change components such as plant invasions.

Here, we tested how naturalized alien plants respond to artificial light at night, and particularly whether widely naturalized species differ from less‐widely naturalized species in their response to artificial light at night. We grew nine taxonomically related pairs of widely naturalized and less‐widely naturalized species alone and in competition, with native plants with and without artificial light at night.

We found that in the competition treatment, artificial light at night significantly increased the total biomass production per pot, but not the biomass ratio between the naturalized alien plants and the native competitors. Interestingly, although the less‐widely naturalized species produced overall significantly less biomass than the widely naturalized species, there was a trend that the less‐widely naturalized species increased their biomass more strongly in response to artificial light at night than the widely naturalized species did (p = 0.07).

Synthesis. Our study shows that although widely naturalized plants produce more biomass than less‐widely naturalized plants across different environmental conditions, they took less advantage of artificial light at night. This suggests that artificial light at night might lead to increased spread of currently less‐widely naturalized species, at least when artificial light at night continues to increase.
Chemical signals driving bacterial–fungal interactions
Authors: Khalid Saima , Keller Nancy P. 
Published: January 2021

SummaryMicroorganisms reside in diverse environmental communities where interactions become indispensable due to close physical associations. These interactions are driven by chemical communication among different microbial kingdoms, particularly between fungi and bacteria. Knowledge about these communication signals provides useful information about the nature of microbial interactions and allows predictions of community development in diverse environments. Here, we provide an update on the role of small signalling molecules in fungal–bacterial interactions with focus on agricultural and medicinal environments. This review highlights the range of – and response to – diverse biochemicals produced by both kingdoms with view to harnessing their properties towards drug discovery applications.
How inequality hurts growth: Revisiting the Galor–Zeira model using the Korean case
Authors: Jun Bogang , Kaltenberg Mary , Hwang Won‐Sik 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThis paper aims to show that the level of inequality increases via the human capital channel, with credit market imperfections generating negative effects on economic growth. We expand the model presented by Galor and Zeira (Galor and Zeira, Review of Economic Studies, 1993, 60, 35–52) to represent the fact that the economy benefits from endogenous technological progress and that the government provides financial aid to reduce the financial hurdles for human capital accumulation. We use Korean data from 1998 to 2008 to empirically confirm that education plays a significant role in the divergence of household wealth over time and that the government's financial aid the form of the new student loans programme positively influences equality and short‐run economic growth by promoting the number of skilled workers.
A different type of disaster response digital volunteer: Looking behind the scenes to reveal coordinating actions of disaster knowledge workers
Authors: Smith William Roth , W. Robertson Brett , K. Stephens Keri , Murthy Dhiraj 
Published: January 2021

AbstractResearchers have established the prominent role digital volunteers play during crises and disasters. From self‐organizing to annotating public data, these volunteers are now a fixture in disaster research. However, we know much less about how these volunteers function, behind the public scene, when using private social media as a disaster unfolds and people need to be rescued. This qualitative study identified the emergent helping roles along with the skillsets and abilities that helped volunteers perform these behind‐the‐scene roles during the Hurricane Harvey flooding in 2017. Using in‐depth interviews along with captured images in private social media, we find these volunteers resembled organizational knowledge workers. We identify nine specific communicating and coordinating actions that these disaster knowledge workers performed. The contributions of these findings centre on implications for disaster response and management.
Quantification of methadone and its metabolites: EDDP and EMDP determined in autopsy cases using LC‐MS/MS
Authors: Nowak Karolina , Szpot Paweł , Jurek Tomasz , Zawadzki Marcin 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe paper presents a method for the determination of methadone, EDDP, and EMDP in postmortem biological materials using liquid‐liquid extraction with ethyl acetate (pH9) and UHPLC‐MS/MS technique. Methadone‐d9 and EDDP‐d3 were used as the internal standards. The method validation results for blood and urine were as follows: linearity: 0.5–1000 ng/ml; R2 > 0.9993 for methadone, EDDP and R2 > 0.9944 for EMDP. Intra‐ and inter‐day precision: 0.1%–7.5% and 0.3%–8.6%, respectively; intra‐ and inter‐day accuracy: −11.8% to 13.9% and −9.3 to 14.8%, respectively; recovery: 91.5%–123.0%; matrix effect: 83.5%–123.9%. This study also describes 18 postmortem cases, where methadone concentrations ranged 2.3–1180 ng/ml in blood (n = 17), from 11.0 to >10,000 ng/ml in urine (n = 13) and 135.2–409.0 in vitreous humor (VH, n = 3). EDDP concentrations ranged from not detectable to 180 ng/mL in blood, from 42.4 to >10,000 ng/ml in urine and 18.3–36.5 in VH. EMDP concentrations were found in four cases in blood from below LLOQ to 1.8 ng/ml and in seven cases in urine, ranged 2.1–243.0 ng/ml. EMDP was not detected in VH samples. The EDDP/methadone ratios and blood/urine ratios for methadone and EDDP in EMDP‐positive and negative cases were performed. The paper presents mass spectra of other methadone metabolites, than EDDP and EMDP (ring hydroxylated methadone, ring hydroxylated EDDP, ring hydroxylated EMDP, methadol, and DDP). Simultaneous determination of methadone and its metabolites in order to unequivocally interpret the results of toxicological tests seems to be useful in cases related to prescription/illicit use of methadone.
Power Structure Dynamics in Growing Multilateral Development Banks: The Case of the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank
Authors: Luo Hang , Yang Lize , Houshmand Kourosh 
Published: January 2021

AbstractAs the first multilateral development bank (MDB) initiated by China, the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has been growing rapidly, and within three years of its establishment, has become the second largest multilateral development bank after the World Bank. With the assistance of the supercomputer (Weiming‐1) and combing the method of generating functions, we measured precisely the voting power of each member of the AIIB (analysis which has been done for the first time for an organization with more than 80 members and more than 1 million distributed votes). We find that a host of member countries other than China have outsized power to prevent action on significant matters, but their power to initiate action are quite modest and closely distributed. Furthermore, the power structures in the AIIB are relatively even or ‘democratic’ on substantive matters when compared to procedural matters. More interestingly, we analyzed the dynamics of voting power of major members like China, India, Russia, Germany, the UK and France with the admission of new members. While the voting weights of all existing members decreased monotonously and proportionally, the voting power of some members in some cases even increased. We find that the requirements of voting rules, and the size of new and existing members, all affect how members’ power evolve. Lastly, we measured the balance of power and the decision‐making efficiency of the AIIB as a whole organization beyond individual members and discussed relationships between them. Our analysis aims to provide insights into the allocation of voting weights, the design of voting rules and importantly, the choice of membership expansions for growing multilateral development banks.
Improving Landsat predictions of rangeland fractional cover with multitask learning and uncertainty
Authors: Allred Brady W. , Bestelmeyer Brandon T. , Boyd Chad S. , Brown Christopher , Davies Kirk W. , Duniway Michael C. , Ellsworth Lisa M. , Erickson Tyler A. , Fuhlendorf Samuel D. , Griffiths Timothy V. , Jansen Vincent , Jones Matthew O. , Karl Jason , Knight Anna , Maestas Jeremy D. , Maynard Jonathan J. , McCord Sarah E. , Naugle David E. , Starns Heath D. , Twidwell Dirac , Uden Daniel R. 
Published: January 2021

Abstract

Operational satellite remote sensing products are transforming rangeland management and science. Advancements in computation, data storage and processing have removed barriers that previously blocked or hindered the development and use of remote sensing products. When combined with local data and knowledge, remote sensing products can inform decision‐making at multiple scales.

We used temporal convolutional networks to produce a fractional cover product that spans western United States rangelands. We trained the model with 52,012 on‐the‐ground vegetation plots to simultaneously predict fractional cover for annual forbs and grasses, perennial forbs and grasses, shrubs, trees, litter and bare ground. To assist interpretation and to provide a measure of prediction confidence, we also produced spatiotemporal‐explicit, pixel‐level estimates of uncertainty. We evaluated the model with 5,780 on‐the‐ground vegetation plots removed from the training data.

Model evaluation averaged 6.3% mean absolute error and 9.6% root mean squared error. Evaluation with additional datasets that were not part of the training dataset, and that varied in geographic range, method of collection, scope and size, revealed similar metrics. Model performance increased across all functional groups compared to the previously produced fractional product.

The advancements achieved with the new rangeland fractional cover product expand the management toolbox with improved predictions of fractional cover and pixel‐level uncertainty. The new product is available on the Rangeland Analysis Platform (https://rangelands.app/), an interactive web application that tracks rangeland vegetation through time. This product is intended to be used alongside local on‐the‐ground data, expert knowledge, land use history, scientific literature and other sources of information when making interpretations. When being used to inform decision‐making, remotely sensed products should be evaluated and utilized according to the context of the decision and not be used in isolation.