bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Circular RNA in colorectal cancer
Authors: Li Toni , Wang Wei Cen , McAlister Vivian , Zhou Qinfeng , Zheng Xiufen 
Published: March 2021

AbstractCircular RNA (circRNA) is a highly abundant type of single‐stranded non‐coding RNA. Novel research has discovered many roles of circRNA in colorectal cancer (CRC) including proliferation, metastasis and apoptosis. Furthermore, circRNAs also play a role in the development of drug resistance and have unique associations with tumour size, staging and overall survival in CRC that lend circRNAs the potential to serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Among cancers worldwide, CRC ranks second in mortality and third in incidence. In order to have a better understanding of the influence of circRNA on CRC development and progression, this review summarizes the role of specific circRNAs in CRC and evaluates their potential value as therapeutic targets and biomarkers for CRC. We aim to provide insight in the development of therapy and clinical decision‐making.
Selfing rates vary with floral display, pollinator visitation and plant density in natural populations of Mimulusringens
Authors: Christopher Dorothy A. , Karron Jeffrey D. , Semski Wendy R. , Smallwood Patrick A. , Trapnell Dorset W. , Mitchell Randall J. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractVariation in selfing rates within and among populations of hermaphroditic flowering plants can strongly influence the evolution of reproductive strategies and the genetic structure of populations. This intraspecific variation in mating patterns may reflect both genetic and ecological factors, but the relative importance of these factors remains poorly understood. Here, we explore how selfing in 13 natural populations of the perennial wildflower Mimulus ringens is influenced by (a) pollinator visitation, an ecological factor, and (b) floral display, a trait with a genetic component that also responds to environmental variation. We also explore whether genetically based floral traits, including herkogamy, affect selfing. We found substantial variation among populations in selfing rate (0.13–0.55). Selfing increased strongly and significantly with floral display, among as well as within populations. Selfing also increased at sites with lower pollinator visitation and low plant density. However, selfing was not correlated with floral morphology. Overall, these results suggest that pollinator visitation and floral display, two factors that interact to affect geitonogamous pollinator movements, can influence the selfing rate. This study identifies mechanisms that may play a role in maintaining selfing rate variation among populations.
Social organization in ungulates: Revisiting Jarman’s hypotheses
Authors: Szemán Karola , Liker András , Székely Tamás 
Published: March 2021

AbstractUngulates (antelopes, deer and relatives) have some of the most diverse social systems among mammals. To understand the evolution of ungulate social organization, Jarman (1974) proposed an ecological scenario of how distribution of resources, habitat and feeding style may have influenced social organization. Although Jarman's scenario makes intuitive sense and remains a textbook example of social evolution, it has not been scrutinized using modern phylogenetic comparative methods. Here we use 230 ungulate species from ten families to test Jarman's hypotheses using phylogenetic analyses. Consistent with Jarman's proposition, both habitat and feeding style predict group size, since grazing ungulates typically live in open habitats and form large herds. Group size, in turn, has a knock‐on effect on mating systems and sexual size dimorphism, since ungulates that live in large herds exhibit polygamy and extensive sexual size dimorphism. Phylogenetic confirmatory path analyses suggest that evolutionary changes in habitat type, feeding style and body size directly (or indirectly) induce shifts in social organization. Taken together, these phylogenetic comparative analyses confirm Jarman's conjectures, although they also uncover novel relationships between ecology and social organization. Further studies are needed to explore the relevance of Jarman (1974) scenario for mammals beyond ungulates.
Organization of R&D outsourcing: Asymmetric cross‐effects between locations
Authors: García‐Vega María , Huergo Elena 
Published: March 2021

AbstractWhen companies acquire R&D from external national providers, would they benefit if they also acquired knowledge from foreign providers? And the other way around? These questions are important for the organization of firm knowledge‐based activies and R&D governance. In this paper, we try to answer these questions by empirically examining the cross‐effects of international and national R&D outsourcing to generate innovation. Using a panel database of about 10,000 Spanish firms, we show that there is asymmetry in the effectiveness of the combined adoption of R&D outsourcing locations: international R&D outsourcing reinforces national R&D outsourcing, but national outsourcing does not reinforce international outsourcing. Therefore, the order of adoption matters; that is, on average, companies are more innovative if they acquire R&D first from external domestic providers and afterwards from foreign providers. We also find that the mechanism for these effects is related to organizational and management changes in sharing responsibilities and decision‐making.
Spouted bed drying of milk–blackberry mixture: Material thermal properties and process energy aspects
Authors: Braga Matheus B. , Martins Tiago D. , Louzi Vitor C. A. , Giannella Rafael L. , Fujita Vitor K. , Rocha Sandra C. S. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThis work presents the determination of the thermal properties of a milk–blackberry pulp mixture (25–75%, vol/vol), and of the powder obtained by spouted bed drying. Based on the experimental data, polynomial and artificial neural networks (ANNs) correlations were proposed to predict the specific heat as a function of temperature. The effects of operating variables (air temperature, atomization pressure, and feed flow rate), on the energy efficiency (EE) and on the specific consumption of energy (ε) were evaluated using a 23‐factorial design. Afterward, the effects of feeding mode (atomization or dripping), on energy aspects were analyzed. The fusion of powder fat crystals occurred at 1°C and at 16°C, glass transition between 27°C and 34°C, and proteins denaturation starting at 87°C. The ANNs presented higher accuracy in the specific heat prediction, with mean deviation as low as 0.5%. The inlet air temperature and the feed flow rate have affected the energy parameters, but the atomization pressure and the interaction among these variables did not. The EE ranged from 7.3 to 23.2% and the ε from 10.6 to 33.8 MJ/kg. Besides the reuse of the outlet air, the drip‐feeding mode could be an alternative to decrease the net energy consumption of the drying process.Practical ApplicationsThis work presents the determination of melting and glass transition temperatures, melting enthalpy, and specific heat of the paste milk–blackberry pulp (25%:75%, vol/vol) and/or powder, which are important characteristics for equipment dimensioning, process control, product quality, and to determine storage conditions. We also proposed ANN‐based correlations to relate the specific heat of the paste and powder as a function of temperature. The ANNs equations showed high accuracy and were used in the analysis of the energy aspects of the spouted bed drying process. Statistical analysis of energy aspects as a function of operating variables was performed and two linear response models were obtained, allowing to predict the specific consumption of energy and energy efficiency of the process. Herein, we suggest the potential use of DSC analysis and ANN techniques as a powerful combination to obtain information about food products and process design.
Exploring neighborhood‐level resilience to flooding: Why the context and scale matter
Authors: Bukvic Anamaria , Borate Aishwarya , Hughes Shereen , Weaver Ross , Imburgia David , Stiles William A. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThis article explores the role of contextual neighborhood‐level considerations in community resilience planning in coastal urban locations. A comparative case study analysis was conducted in three different locations in the City of Hampton, Virginia, that all share a common challenge of coastal flooding but have distinctly different neighborhood‐level circumstances that shape their flood impacts and resilience building options. The research approach utilizes a co‐production of knowledge and descriptive statistics to identify the overall flood risk and socioeconomic attributes of each locality that may influence broader citywide resilience investments within the realm of three overarching options: protection, accommodation, and relocation. It then applies a geospatial network analysis to determine which study neighborhoods will have significantly reduced access to critical facilities such as emergency services, medical facilities, and schools due to accelerated sea level rise as one of the key coastal hazards in this low‐lying region. The results show that each case study location has its own unique contextual circumstances that define its preferences for different resilience strategies regardless of the actual flood risk. The results also highlight the importance of holistic assessment of granular conditions that play a critical role in prioritization of resource allocation and interventions in coastal municipalities.
Housing Movements and the Politics of Worthiness in São Paulo
Authors: Kopper Moisés , Richmond Matthew A. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBased on research with current and former housing activists in São Paulo, this article identifies the concept of “politics of worthiness” as central to the moral justification and technical legitimation of social movements. Attributions of worthiness have long upheld the relationship between institutionalized grassroots organizations and the state but are equally present in everyday life and social distinctions among Brazil's popular classes. By examining contrasting constructions of worthiness among both present‐day housing movements and residents of areas that are the product of past mobilizations, the article contends that collective experiences of mobilization in dialogue with myriad external influences produce diverse and often ambivalent political subjectivities. The politics of worthiness sheds light on how these actors organize themselves, experience participation, and square universalist demands with the contingent solidarities and changing social, institutional, and political realities that they inhabit.
Pharmacokinetic properties of abamectin after oral administration in dogs
Authors: Singh Preet Mohinder , Jacob Antony , Kathleen Parton 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAs the introduction of concentrated cattle pour‐on products containing abamectin, there have been veterinary reports of both fatal and non‐fatal poisoning in New Zealand working dogs. Because these products are highly palatable to dogs, a toxic dose is readily ingested. The pharmacokinetic properties of abamectin in dogs are not published in the public domain. This information is important in understanding the processes of absorption and elimination when treating poisoned dogs and is useful in determining an appropriate treatment for poisoned dogs. The pharmacokinetic properties of abamectin administered orally to six healthy dogs (3 male and 3 female) at a dose of 0.2 mg/kg were established. Plasma concentrations of abamectin were determined by high‐performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) coupled with a fluorescence detector. The maximum plasma concentration (Cmax) for abamectin was 135.52 ± 38.6 ng/ml at 3.16 ± 0.75 h. The elimination half‐life (T1/2 elim (h)) was 26.51 ± 6.86 h. The area under the curve (AUC 0‐∞) was 3723.50 ± 1213.08 ng h/ml. The mean residence time (MRT) was 38.82 ± 8.93 h. These pharmacokinetic data provide helpful information regarding the treatment of poisoned dogs.
Is there spatial segregation between reproductive groups of southern right whales along the coastline of southern Brazil?
Authors: Renault‐Braga Eduardo P. , Groch Karina R. , Simões‐Lopes Paulo C. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractSanta Catarina State, in southern Brazil, is an important breeding ground for the southern right whale and it is possible to record mother‐calf pairs and unaccompanied adults that migrate to this coast to either give birth, mate, or socialize. From the geographical position of the sightings, spatial segregation was evaluated between mother‐calf pairs and unaccompanied whales. Using GAM, we analyzed 15 years of aerial survey data from 2003 to 2018. The study area (780 km2) was divided into 500 × 500 m grid cells. Whale count per grid cell was modeled using a set of explanatory variables. The explanatory variables of latitude, coast distance, seabed, and maximum SST were selected for both classes. However, coast type was also selected for unaccompanied whales, while coast linearity and bathymetric slope were additionally selected for mother‐calf pairs. The response curves fitted by models indicated a certain degree of spatial segregation, by which mother‐calf pairs remained closer to the coast, where the curve peak is reached at 500 m from the coast, compared to unaccompanied whales where the curve peaked near 1,000 m from the coast. Also, unaccompanied whales more frequently appeared in the southern boundaries of the study area, at latitudes south from 28.4°S.
A new take on organelle‐mediated stress sensing in plants
Authors: Dopp Isaac J. , Yang Xiaodong , Mackenzie Sally A. 
Published: March 2021

SummaryPlants are able to adjust phenotype in response to changes in the environment. This system depends on an internal capacity to sense environmental conditions and to process this information to plant response. Recent studies have pointed to mitochondria and plastids as important environmental sensors, capable of perceiving stressful conditions and triggering gene expression, epigenomic, metabolic and phytohormone changes in the plant. These processes involve integrated gene networks that ultimately modulate the energy balance between growth and plant defense. This review attempts to link several unusual recent findings into a comprehensive hypothesis for the regulation of plant phenotypic plasticity.
Colonic diverticulitis in children: A retrospective study of 16 patients
Authors: Hatakeyama Tadashi , Okata Yuichi , Miyauchi Harunori , Hisamatsu Chieko , Nakatani Taichi , Nakai Yumiko , Bitoh Yuko 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundPediatric colonic diverticulitis (CD) is a rare entity. This study aimed to investigate the clinical features of CD in children.MethodsWe performed a retrospective chart review of children aged ≤15 years who were diagnosed with CD in our institution from May 2006 to November 2016.ResultsSixteen patients were diagnosed with CD. All CD cases were observed to be solitary cecal diverticulitis; 14 cases were detected using ultrasound and the other two cases were diagnosed by computed tomography. Five patients were male (31.3%), and the median age was 12 years (range, 8–15 years). Initial symptoms were fever (temperature >38°C) in six (37.5%) patients, right lower quadrant abdominal pain in 16 (100%), anorexia in eight (50%), and nausea / vomiting in five (31.3%). A patient experienced persistent constipation; however, diarrhea was not observed as a clinical symptom in any patient. The median duration from symptom onset to admission was 1 day (range, 0–4 days), and the median length of hospital stay was 6 days (range, 4–10 days). All CD cases were treated with intravenous antibiotics. The median follow‐up period was 90 months (range, 37–163 months), and during this period, recurrence of CD was observed in three (18.8%) patients. At recurrence, antibiotics were administered in all cases.ConclusionsIn this study, all cases of CD were solitary cecal diverticulitis, and ultrasound was useful for the diagnosis of cecal diverticulitis in children. Non‐operative treatment should be recommended as an initial treatment for CD in children.
What we know about poleroviruses: Advances in understanding the functions of polerovirus proteins
Authors: Delfosse Verónica C. , Barrios Barón Maria P. , Distéfano Ana J. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractPoleroviruses are economically important plant viruses that infect cereal, vegetable, and fruit crops, and cause serious yield and quality losses worldwide. In this review we summarize the current knowledge of the function and regulation of polerovirus proteins and mention the methods employed by the different bodies of research that have produced these advances. Major biochemical and biological properties of these viral proteins are discussed in the order in which their open reading frames are organized in the genome.
Evaluation of the susceptibility of modern, wild, ancestral, and mutational wheat lines to Septoria tritici blotch disease
Authors: Ajaz Sobia , Benbow Harriet R. , Christodoulou Thalia , Uauy Cristobal , Doohan Fiona M. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractGlobally, bread wheat production is threatened by fungal diseases, including the devastating disease Septoria tritici blotch (STB). Given the global importance of STB, and the difficulty in identifying novel sources of resistance to this disease, we screened a variety of wheat genotypes, including wild, ancestral, and mutagenized lines, for their STB response. This delineated a panel of wild wheat relatives and Watkins collection lines with exceptional resistance to a range of Zymoseptoria tritici isolates, some of which are highly virulent on modern, elite wheat varieties. Additionally, we characterized the STB susceptibility of 500 lines of the wheat cultivar Cadenza TILLING population and developed backcross derivatives of two TILLING lines that show dominant partial resistance to STB. These backcross lines are partially resistant to multiple isolates of Z. tritici, and, with the wild and ancestral lines identified, provide a useful reservoir of STB‐resistant germplasm for use in wheat breeding programmes.
Two Places for Causees in Productive IsiXhosa Morphological Causatives
Authors: Myler Neil , Mali Zoliswa O. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractProductive morphological causatives in isiXhosa exhibit a case alternation with respect to the causee: it can be unmarked or instrumental. Much recent literature on similar alternations in causative constructions in other languages analyzes them as involving differences in the size or category of the constituent selected by the causative morpheme. We show that such an analysis cannot be extended to isiXhosa and that both alternants are verb‐selecting causatives. We propose instead that the alternation actually concerns the place in the structure in which the causee is introduced: in the specifier of the causative head itself in the unmarked‐causee construction, in a PP adjoined to the embedded verb phrase in the instrumental‐causee construction. This article thus adds to a growing body of evidence that the same thematic roles are not always assigned in the same syntactic positions.
Voice and Little v and VO–OV Word‐Order Variation in Chinese Languages
Authors: Sybesma Rint 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThis article addresses some issues related to Voice and little v. It does so by discussing and analyzing the variation that exists in the Chinese language family with respect to object placement (VO versus OV). It turns out that this variation can be accounted for straightforwardly as long as we assume, first, that Voice and v are sometimes split and sometimes bundled, even within one language, and, second, that Voice does not always select vP; it can also select VP.
Plasma pooling in combination with amotosalen/UVA pathogen inactivation to increase standardisation and safety of therapeutic plasma units
Authors: Bubinski Michal , Gronowska Agnieszka , Szykula Pawel , Kluska Kamila , Kuleta Ilona , Ciesielska Emilia , Picard‐Maureau Marcus , Lachert Elzbieta 
Published: March 2021

AbstractObjectivesAssessment of the impact of pooling five single‐donor plasma (SDP) units to obtain six pathogen‐reduced therapeutic plasma (PTP) units on standardisation and the retention of labile coagulation factors.BackgroundSDP shows a high inter‐donor variability with potential implications for the clinical treatment outcome. Additionally, there is still an existing risk for window‐period transmissions of blood borne pathogens including newly emerging pathogens.Methods/MaterialsFive ABO‐identical SDP units were pooled, treated with the INTERTCEPT™ Blood System (Cerus Corporation, U.S.A.) and split into six PTP units which were frozen and thawed after 30 days. The variability in volume, labile coagulation factor retention and activity was assessed.ResultsThe variability of volumes between the PTP units was reduced by 46% compared to SDP units. The variability in coagulation factor content between the PTP units was reduced by 63% compared to SDP units. Moderate, but significant losses of coagulation factors (except for vWF) were observed in PTPs compared to SDPs.ConclusionThe pooling of five SDP units to obtain six PTP units significantly increases product standardisation with potential implications for safety, economics as well as transfusion‐transmitted pathogen safety, making it an interesting alternative to quarantine SDP (qSDP) and pathogen‐reduced SDP.
Variant genotypes associated with reduced expression of RhCE antigens among Brazilian blood donors
Authors: Dezan Marcia Regina , Oliveira Valéria B. , Conrado Marina C. A. V. , da Rocha Mateus Cardoso , Luz Fabio , Gallucci Antonio , Pereira Alexandre C. , Krieger José E. , Rocha Vanderson , Mendrone‐Junior Alfredo , Dinardo Carla Luana 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundThe genetic diversity of the RHCE gene locus has been explored in diverse populations of different racial backgrounds. Data referring to the diversity of RHCE encoding weakened expression of C, c, E, and e in multiethnic populations is still incomplete.MethodsSamples from Brazilian blood donors presenting reduced expression of C, c, E, or e on gel method were selected for the study. All exons and flanking introns of RHCE were genotyped though direct Sanger sequencing for the included donors.ResultsSixty‐six donors were included: 23 with weak C, 22 with weak c, 6 with weak E, 14 with weak e, and 1 with weak c and E. Among the samples with weak C, the following altered RH*C were encountered: RHCE*CeMA (n = 3), RHCE*Ce941C (n = 1), and RHCE*CeVA (n = 1). RHD*D‐CE(4–7)‐D was detected in six cases, RHCE*CE was presumably present in five cases, and seven cases were unexplained. Two altered alleles underlay the weak c phenotype: RHCE*ceJAL (n = 20) and RHCE*ce340T (n = 2), and two altered RHCE justified weak e: RHCE*ceMO (n = 6) and RHCE*ceJAL (n = 8). Three variant RHCE were associated with weak E: RHCE*cEJU (n = 4), RHCE*cE382C (n = 1), and RHCE*cEIV (n = 1). The RHCE*cE905A justified one case of weak c and E.ConclusionWe describe the distribution of RHCE variants found in association with weak expression of C, c, E, and e in blood donors of multiethnic origin, which differs in comparison to that previously reported for people of African or Caucasian descent.