bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Fitness and fur colouration: Testing the camouflage and thermoregulation hypotheses in an Arctic mammal
Authors: Di Bernardi Cecilia , Thierry Anne‐Mathilde , Eide Nina E. , Bowler Diana E. , Rød‐Eriksen Lars , Blumentrath Stefan , Tietgen Lukas , Sandercock Brett K. , Flagstad Øystein , Landa Arild 
Published: March 2021

Abstract

Selection for crypsis has been recognized as an important ecological driver of animal colouration, whereas the relative importance of thermoregulation is more contentious with mixed empirical support. A potential thermal advantage of darker individuals has been observed in a wide range of animal species. Arctic animals that exhibit colour polymorphisms and undergo seasonal colour moults are interesting study subjects for testing the two alternative hypotheses: demographic performance of different colour morphs might be differentially affected by snow cover with a cryptic advantage for lighter morphs, or conversely by winter temperature with a thermal advantage for darker morphs.

In this study, we explored whether camouflage and thermoregulation might explain differences in reproduction and survival between the white and blue colour morphs of the Arctic fox Vulpes lagopus under natural conditions.

Juvenile and adult survival, breeding propensity and litter size were measured for 798 captive‐bred and released or wild‐born Arctic foxes monitored during an 11‐year period (2007–2017) in two subpopulations in south‐central Norway. We investigated the proportion of the two colour morphs and compared their demographic performance in relation to spatial variation in duration of snow cover, onset of snow season and winter temperatures.

After population re‐establishment, a higher proportion of blue individuals was observed among wild‐born Arctic foxes compared to the proportion of blue foxes released from the captive population. Our field study provides the first evidence for an effect of colour morph on the reproductive performance of Arctic foxes under natural conditions, with a higher breeding propensity of the blue morph compared to the white one. Performance of the two colour morphs was not differentially affected by the climatic variables, except for juvenile survival. Blue morph juveniles showed a tendency for higher survival under colder winter temperatures but lower survival under warmer temperatures compared to white morph juveniles.

Overall, our findings do not consistently support predictions of the camouflage or the thermoregulation hypotheses. The higher success of blue foxes suggests an advantage of the dark morph not directly related to disruptive selection by crypsis or thermoregulation. Our results rather point to physiological adaptations and behavioural traits not necessarily connected to thermoregulation, such as stress response, immune function, sexual behaviour and aggressiveness. Our findings highlight the need to explore the potential role of genetic linkage or pleiotropy in influencing the fitness of white and blue Arctic foxes as well as other species with colour polymorphisms.
Oral mycophenolate mofetil in the treatment of acquired dermal macular hyperpigmentation: An open‐label pilot study
Authors: Bishnoi Anuradha , Vinay Keshavamurthy , Parsad Davinder , Kumar Sheetanshu , Chatterjee Debajyoti , Nahar Saikia Uma , Sendhil Kumaran Muthu 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundLiterature on treating acquired dermal macular hyperpigmentation is sparse.Aims and objectivesTo assess treatment response of mycophenolate mofetil in patients having acquired dermal macular hyperpigmentation.Material and MethodsIn this open‐label, pilot study, patients of acquired dermal macular hyperpigmentation affecting at least the face and/or neck were included. Each participant was treated with mycophenolate mofetil 2 g/day for 24 weeks, with a follow‐up of 12 weeks. Two aspects of disease severity were measured: activity (appearance of new lesions/extension of existing lesions), and degree of hyperpigmentation (measured using ‘dermal pigmentation area and severity index’). Patient satisfaction was assessed on a scale of 0–10.ResultsForty‐three of 46 patients who were prescribed mycophenolate, completed the study (40 females, 6 males; mean disease duration 2.8 ± 1.4 years). Amongst 20 (43.5%) patients with active disease, stability was achieved in 17, after a mean duration of 6.1 ± 2.5 weeks (range 4–12 weeks; median 4; IQR 4 weeks). Mean dermal pigmentation area and severity index at baseline was 18.8 ± 7.1 and decreased to 13.7 ± 6.3 at 24th week (27.5 ± 14.7%; P < 0.001). A significant decreasing trend in dermal pigmentation area and severity index (P < 0.001) was observed, and first significant difference from baseline was noted at the 16th week (P 0.008). Less than 10%, >10–20%, >20%–30%, >30%–40%, >40%–50%, and >50% reduction in dermal pigmentation area and severity index was observed in 8, 5, 4, 15, 10 and 1 patients/patient respectively. The maximum mean grade of pre‐treatment dermatoscopic severity was 3 ± 0.7, and decreased to 2.1 ± 0.8 on the face (P < 0.001) and 2.4 ± 0.7 on the neck (P < 0.001) post‐treatment. There were 9 (20.1%) non‐responders. Self‐assessment scores of the rest of the patients fell in the range of moderate/fair improvement (>5 to 7). No significant correlation was seen between patient satisfaction score and degree of reduction in dermal pigmentation area and severity index (r −0.39). Three developed adverse effects (leucopenia, n = 1; transaminitis and hyperbilirubinemia, n = 2) that resolved following discontinuation of mycophenolate.ConclusionMycophenolate mofetil appears to be a promising treatment option in acquired dermal macular hyperpigmentation.
Long‐term antihypertensive drug use and risk of cancer: The Japan Public Health Center‐based prospective study
Authors: Matsui Satoshi , Sobue Tomotaka , Zha Ling , Kitamura Tetsuhisa , Sawada Norie , Iwasaki Motoki , Shimazu Taichi , Tsugane Shoichiro 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAntihypertensive drugs have been reported as both promotors and suppressors of cancers and this relationship has been known for several decades. We examined a large‐scale prospective cohort study in Japan to assess the relationship between long‐term antihypertensive drug use, for 10 y, and carcinogenesis. We divided participants into 4 categories according to the period of antihypertensive drug use, and calculated the hazard ratios (HRs), 95% confidence intervals (CIs), and P trends using the Cox proportional hazard model. In all cancers, there was a significant difference in the medication period and the adjusted HR, as well as a significant difference in the P trend. Furthermore, more than 10 y use of antihypertensive drugs significantly increased the adjusted HR in colorectal cancer (multivariable HR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.01‐1.37 in the >10 y use group; P for trend = .033) and renal cancer (multivariable HR: 3.76, 95% CI: 2.32‐6.10 in the 5‐10 y use group; multivariable HR: 2.14, 95% CI: 1.29‐3.56 in the >10 y use group; P for trend < .001). The highest adjusted HR in renal cancer among antihypertensive drug users was observed in the analysis performed on patients in which the outcomes were calculated from 3 y after the 10‐y follow‐up survey and by sex. A large‐scale cohort study in Japan suggested that long‐term use of antihypertensive drugs may be associated with an increased incidence of colorectal and renal cancer.
Impact of carboxylesterase 1 genetic polymorphism on trandolapril activation in human liver and the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in healthy volunteers
Authors: Wang Xinwen , Her Lucy , Xiao Jingcheng , Shi Jian , Wu Audrey H. , Bleske Barry E. , Zhu Hao‐Jie 
Published: March 2021

AbstractTrandolapril, an angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor prodrug, needs to be activated by carboxylesterase 1 (CES1) in the liver to exert its intended therapeutic effect. A previous in vitro study demonstrated that the CES1 genetic variant G143E (rs71647871) abolished CES1‐mediated trandolapril activation in cells transfected with the variant. This study aimed to determine the effect of the G143E variant on trandolapril activation in human livers and the pharmacokinetics (PKs) and pharmacodynamics (PDs) in human subjects. We performed an in vitro incubation study to assess trandolapril activation in human livers (5 G143E heterozygotes and 97 noncarriers) and conducted a single‐dose (1 mg) PK and PD study of trandolapril in healthy volunteers (8 G143E heterozygotes and 11 noncarriers). The incubation study revealed that the mean trandolapril activation rate in G143E heterozygous livers was 42% of those not carrying the variant (p = 0.0015). The clinical study showed that, relative to noncarriers, G143E carriers exhibited 20% and 15% decreases, respectively, in the peak concentration (Cmax) and area under the curve from 0 to 72 h (AUC0–72 h) of the active metabolite trandolaprilat, although the differences were not statistically significant. Additionally, the average maximum reductions of systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure in carriers were ~ 22% and 23% less than in noncarriers, respectively, but the differences did not reach a statistically significant level. In summary, the CES1 G143E variant markedly impaired trandolapril activation in the human liver under the in vitro incubation conditions; however, this variant had only a modest impact on the PK and PD of trandolapril in healthy human subjects.
Reducing climate impacts of beef production: A synthesis of life cycle assessments across management systems and global regions
Authors: Cusack Daniela F. , Kazanski Clare E. , Hedgpeth Alexandra , Chow Kenyon , Cordeiro Amanda L. , Karpman Jason , Ryals Rebecca 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe global demand for beef is rapidly increasing (FAO, 2019), raising concern about climate change impacts (Clark et al., 2020; Leip et al., 2015; Springmann et al., 2018). Beef and dairy contribute over 70% of livestock greenhouse gas emissions (GHG), which collectively contribute ~6.3 Gt CO2‐eq/year (Gerber et al., 2013; Herrero et al., 2016) and account for 14%–18% of human GHG emissions (Friedlingstein et al., 2019; Gerber et al., 2013). The utility of beef GHG mitigation strategies, such as land‐based carbon (C) sequestration and increased production efficiency, are actively debated (Garnett et al., 2017). We compiled 292 local comparisons of “improved” versus “conventional” beef production systems across global regions, assessing net GHG emission data from Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) studies. Our results indicate that net beef GHG emissions could be reduced substantially via changes in management. Overall, a 46 % reduction in net GHG emissions per unit of beef was achieved at sites using carbon (C) sequestration management strategies on grazed lands, and an 8% reduction in net GHGs was achieved at sites using growth efficiency strategies. However, net‐zero emissions were only achieved in 2% of studies. Among regions, studies from Brazil had the greatest improvement, with management strategies for C sequestration and efficiency reducing beef GHG emissions by 57%. In the United States, C sequestration strategies reduced beef GHG emissions by over 100% (net‐zero emissions) in a few grazing systems, whereas efficiency strategies were not successful at reducing GHGs, possibly because of high baseline efficiency in the region. This meta‐analysis offers insight into pathways to substantially reduce beef production's global GHG emissions. Nonetheless, even if these improved land‐based and efficiency management strategies could be fully applied globally, the trajectory of growth in beef demand will likely more than offset GHG emissions reductions and lead to further warming unless there is also reduced beef consumption.
Certified Nurse‐Midwives in Rural Kansas Hospitals: A Survey of Senior Hospital Administrators
Authors: Koschwanez Heidi , Harrington Jamie , Fischer Mary L , Beck Emma , Kennedy Michael 
Published: March 2021

IntroductionLittle is known about the nurse‐midwifery workforce in rural Kansas hospitals, despite Kansas facing a shortage of primary care physicians providing maternity care rurally. This study investigated the current number of hospitals with certified nurse‐midwives (CNMs) with privileges to attend births in Kansas hospitals located in frontier, rural, and densely settled rural counties and anticipated trends in the size of the CNM workforce at hospitals over the next 5 years.MethodsElectronic surveys were distributed to senior hospital administrators at 94 hospitals in rural Kansas from June to July 2019. The survey included both open and closed‐ended questions related to scope of CNM privileges, collaborative agreements, and forecasted trends in the CNM workforce in rural Kansas.ResultsFifty‐six hospitals completed the survey. Only one hospital reported having CNM‐attended births. Twenty‐eight of 37 hospital administrators agreed CNMs should have collaborative agreements with physicians. Most respondents did not anticipate the number of CNMs with privileges to increase at their hospitals over the next 5 years.DiscussionFuture research should focus on understanding the factors limiting CNM expansion in rural Kansas, because CNMs represent an untapped, additional maternity care workforce for rural Kansas.
Implementing Full‐Body Movements in a Verbal Memory Task: Searching for Benefits but Finding Mainly Costs
Authors: Amico Gianluca , Schaefer Sabine 
Published: March 2021

ABSTRACTStudies on “embodiment” show that moving your body can enhance cognition. We investigated such effects in a verbal memory task across age. In Study 1, children, adolescents, and young adults (N = 148) were tested in group sessions and reproduced number series of increasing length. In the “embodied” condition, subjects walked to numbered gymnastic mats. In the “sitting” condition, the numbers were presented visually. All age groups, except the youngest, showed a deterioration of verbal memory performance in the embodied condition compared to sitting. In Study 2, young adults (n = 33, Mage = 24.5 years) and children (n = 28, Mage = 7.3 years) were tested individually, with smaller target fields. There were no differences in verbal memory performance between the conditions. This indicates that “embodiment” does not always lead to performance enhancements. Instead, moving through space while thinking represents a dual‐task situation, causing performance decrements across age.
Developing a Nicotiana benthamiana transgenic platform for high‐value diterpene production and candidate gene evaluation
Authors: Forestier Edith C.F. , Czechowski Tomasz , Cording Amy C. , Gilday Alison D. , King Andrew J. , Brown Geoffrey D. , Graham Ian A. 
Published: March 2021

SummaryTo engineer Nicotiana benthamiana to produce novel diterpenoids, we first aimed to increase production of the diterpenoid precursor geranylgeranyl pyrophosphate (GGPP) by up‐regulation of key genes of the non‐mevalonate (MEP) pathway sourced from Arabidopsis thaliana. We used transient expression to evaluate combinations of the eight MEP pathway genes plus GGPP synthase and a Jatropha curcas casbene synthase (JcCAS) to identify an optimal combination for production of casbene from GGPP. AtDXS and AtHDR together with AtGGPPS and JcCAS gave a 410% increase in casbene production compared to transient expression of JcCAS alone. This combination was cloned into a single construct using the MoClo toolkit, and stably integrated into the N. benthamiana genome. We also created multigene constructs for stable transformation of two J. curcas cytochrome P450 genes, JcCYP726A20 and JcCYP71D495 that produce the more complex diterpenoid jolkinol C from casbene when expressed transiently with JcCAS in N. benthamiana. Stable transformation of JcCYP726A20, JcCYP71D495 and JcCAS did not produce any detectable jolkinol C until these genes were co‐transformed with the optimal set of precursor‐pathway genes. One such stable homozygous line was used to evaluate by transient expression the involvement of an ‘alkenal reductase’‐like family of four genes in the further conversion of jolkinol C, leading to the demonstration that one of these performs reduction of the 12,13‐double bond in jolkinol C. This work highlights the need to optimize precursor supply for production of complex diterpenoids in stable transformants and the value of such lines for novel gene discovery.
Racial Discrimination and Street‐Level Managers: Performance, Publicness, and Group Bias
Authors: Oberfield Zachary W. , Incantalupo Matthew B. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThis article broadens our understanding of street‐level governance by examining how citizen performance, organizational publicness, and group bias moderate racial discrimination among street‐level managers (SLMs). We examine this topic with an experiment in which we requested enrollment information from public and charter school principals while randomly assigning a putative student's race and ability. As expected, SLMs discriminated based on race, and positive performance information mitigated this discrimination. Surprisingly, negative performance information also reduced discrimination. Turning to publicness, we find no evidence that less public organizations (charter schools) exacerbated anti‐Black discrimination. Finally, we show that White SLMs discriminated against Black citizens. However, Black SLMs worked in more administratively difficult settings and, perhaps as a result, responded at lower rates; thus, Black citizens were equally likely to receive responses from White and Black SLMs. Therefore, improving access to public agencies may require representativeness and support for SLMs working in challenging organizational environments.
A pilot study of the effect of rivaroxaban in sickle cell anemia
Authors: Ataga Kenneth I. , Elsherif Laila , Wichlan David , Wogu Adane F. , Matsui Neil , Pawlinski Rafal , Cai Jianwen , Key Nigel S. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIntroductionThe contribution of coagulation activation to the pathogenesis of sickle cell disease (SCD) remains incompletely defined. We evaluated the efficacy and safety of rivaroxaban, an oral direct factor Xa inhibitor, in subjects with sickle cell anemia.Materials and MethodsIn this pilot, single‐center, randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, crossover study, eligible subjects with sickle cell anemia received rivaroxaban or placebo. The effect of rivaroxaban on coagulation activation, endothelial activation, inflammation, and microvascular blood flow was evaluated.ResultsFourteen patients (HbSS – 14; females – 9) with mean age of 38 ± 10.6 years were randomized to receive rivaroxaban 20 mg daily or placebo for 4 weeks and, following a 2‐week washout phase, were “crossed‐over” to the treatment arm opposite to which they were initially assigned. Mean adherence to treatment with rivaroxaban, assessed by pill counts, was 85.6% in the first treatment period and 93.6% in the second period. Treatment with rivaroxaban resulted in a decrease from baseline of thrombin‐antithrombin complex versus placebo (−34.4 ug/L [95% CI: −69.4, 0.53] vs. 0.35 ug/L [95% CI: −3.8, 4.5], p = .08), but the difference was not statistically significant. No significant differences were observed in changes from baseline of D‐dimer, inflammatory, and endothelial activation markers or measures of microvascular blood flow. Rivaroxaban was well tolerated.ConclusionsRivaroxaban was safe but did not significantly decrease coagulation activation, endothelial activation, or inflammation. Rivaroxaban did not improve microvascular blood flow. Adequately powered studies are required to further evaluate the efficacy of rivaroxaban in SCD. Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier: NCT02072668.
Narrativas sobre diversidad cultural y migración en escuelas de Chile
Authors: Stang-Alva María Fernanda , Riedemann-Fuentes Andrea Maureen , Stefoni-Espinoza Carolina , Corvalán-Rodríguez Javier 
Published: March 2021

Este artículo de investigación explora,desde la interculturalidad crítica,los principales enunciados de las tramas narrativas de diferentes actores escolares chilenos (docentes, asistentes y directores) con respecto a los desafíos que la multiculturalidad representa para su práctica pedagógica, a partir de un estudio cualitativo desarrollado en cinco escuelas de tres comunas de la Región Metropolitana (Independencia, Recoleta y Quilicura). Se identifican enunciados enmarcados en dos tipos generales de discurso: uno asimilacionista y universalizador, y otro de la tolerancia y la hibridez.Se concluye que ambos suponen una mirada funcional de la interculturalidad que es preciso problematizar,considerando las prácticas pedagógicas en que se materializan.
Implementation of a Comprehensive Vectorization System for Engineering Drawings
Authors: Das Atish K. , Langrana Noshir A. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
A large number of engineering drawings which are being used in the industry today are old drawings which were created manually on paper using conventional drafting methods. The benefits of the existing CAD/CAM systems are not available to these drawings since these drawings were created on paper. Hence, an automated system which will scan and convert these drawings into CAD files recognizable by the existing CAD/CAM systems is very desirable. An important element in the conversion process is the automatic recognition of dimensional information which is used to denote the exact size and location of the various entities in the drawing. This paper discusses a system which has been developed to recognize the dimension sets from the vectorized image. The recognized dimension sets are then integrated with the geometry of the object using a variational geometry approach to rectify the errors which are introduced during scanning and initial vectorization of the drawing. The drawing obtained after processing consists of an accurate vectorized representation of the geometry in terms of lines, arcs, and circles and a vectorized representation of the dimension sets.
A Generic Framework for the Integration of Mechanical and Electrical CAD Tools for Concurrent Design of Consumer Electronic Products
Authors: Wang Fu-Chung , Richards Brian , Wright Paul K. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
Most consumer or commercial electronic products are electro-mechanical systems consisting of mechanical components such as structures, enclosures, driving systems and mechanisms, combined with electrical components such as printed circuit boards (PCBs), power supply, wires (harness) and switches. The design of such multidisciplinary products involves high coordination and cooperation between the two different engineering fields of mechanical and electrical design. However, in spite of the advancements of CAD tool development in design automation technology within each field, a gap still exists for good communication between the designers in these two fields during the course of the design. This gap makes the design process of such products time-consuming and error prone. This paper describes a research effort that facilitates multidisciplinary concurrent design for consumer electronic products. The focus is on how to integrate mechanical and electrical CAD tools into a more flexible and extensible concurrent design environment to share and communicate critical design information during the design process. A multidisciplinary concurrent design environment based on the CAD framework concept is described. Approaches for integrating the design data and information in such a multidisciplinary design environment are discussed. A prototyping system for the concurrent design of consumer electronic products is also presented.