bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Spathian to Aegean (upper Lower Triassic to lower Middle Triassic) carbon isotope stratigraphy constrained by the conodont biostratigraphy of carbonates on top of a mid‐oceanic seamount formed in the Panthalassic Ocean
Authors: Ha Thuy Thi Nhu , Maekawa Takumi , Takayanagi Hideko , Iryu Yasufumi 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe Taho Formation in western Shikoku Island, Japan, consists of Triassic carbonates that formed on a seamount in the Panthalassic Ocean. In order to investigate the stratigraphy and paleoceanography of this carbonate succession, we analyzed the biostratigraphy and chemostratigraphy of a 17.6 m‐thick section of the upper Taho Formation at the stratotype area in Tahokamigumi, Seiyo City. This section comprises bioclastic limestone containing Triassic bivalves, ammonoids, and conodonts. We recognized six conodont zones (in ascending order): the Novispathodus pingdingshanensis, Novispathodus brevissimus, Triassospathodus symmetricus, Triassospathodus homeri, Chiosella timorensis, and Magnigondolella cf. alexanderi zones. Thus, the studied carbonate succession is latest Smithian to Aegean in age. A δ13C profile of this section shows elevated values during the lowest Spathian followed by a gradual negative excursion, a subsequent positive excursion near the Spathian–Aegean boundary, and relatively constant values during the Aegean. The characteristic series of negative and positive excursions correlates with other δ13C records for this period, including the peak of the upper Smithian–lowest Spathian positive excursion (P3), lower to middle Spathian negative excursion (N4), and middle Spathian–lowest Aegean positive excursion (P4). This represents a new high‐resolution Spathian–Aegean δ13C record of the Panthalassic Ocean, for which ages are constrained by conodont biostratigraphy. The Taho δ13C profile exhibits a consistent positive offset of ~2 ‰ as compared with those from other regions (i.e., mostly in the Tethyan Ocean). This can be explained by preferential removal of 12C from seawater during photosynthesis and calcification by marine organisms over the platform, and/or the relatively high δ13C values of dissolved inorganic carbon in the Panthalassic Ocean due to less influence of 12C‐enriched terrestrial waters and high marine organic production/burial as compared with the more restricted Tethyan Ocean.
Knowledge gaps and biases in the Pantanal indicate future directions for ornithological research in large wetlands
Authors: Fernández‐Arellano Gilberto J. , Teixido Alberto L. , Bernardon Bianca , Bueno Elaine R. , Ferreira Tiago V. , Gonçalves Stela R. A. , Jesus Moisés , Thomas Kamila P. C. S. , Zucchetto Mayara , Piacentini Vítor Q. , Pinho João B. 
Published: January 2021

While taxonomic and biogeographical biases are often acknowledged, those for certain biological responses and species traits are routinely overlooked, generating major gaps in knowledge and conservation of biodiversity. Biases in research on birds ‒ an over‐sampled, diverse vertebrate class ‒ may be readily detectable, and wetlands are important species‐rich ecosystems in which to identify biases and research gaps for birds. The Pantanal, one of the world’s largest wetlands, is globally relevant for bird conservation. In this wetland, we determined spatial, temporal, taxonomic and biological response‐related biases in ornithological studies to guide future research in this ecosystem and, ultimately, in major global wetlands. Avian research was geographically biased, with 61 studies conducted in the Brazilian Pantanal and only one in Bolivia. Most studies were concentrated near urban centres, with poorly explored areas in the central Pantanal. Research was also over‐represented during the dry season when field conditions are more favourable, but such temporal bias may hamper migration studies. Considering their richness, some families were studied disproportionately more (e.g. Jacanidae) or less (e.g. Tyrannidae). Some species (e.g. Wood Stork Mycteria americana and Yellow‐billed Cardinal Paroaria capitata) were included in > 25% of studies, whereas a relatively low number of threatened bird species were studied. Behaviour was the most studied response, followed by abundance and reproduction, which were considered for > 65% of species studied. We conclude that further research needs to be focused on unexplored areas and periods, less detectable species, and ecological processes (e.g. interspecific interactions). Additionally, our results can provide useful information to better address future work and bird conservation actions in other large wetlands. For example, major gaps detected here constitute a primary roadmap to guide research in under‐sampled regions, such as the Canadian peatlands and Tonlé Sap Lake. Specifically, more studies on waterbirds in highly diverse wetlands from low‐income countries (e.g. Okavango and Sundarban Delta) may help to disentangle the essential functional role provided for these species and to prioritize conservation actions in regions with limited research capacity.
STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF TULLOCK CONTESTS WITH AN APPLICATION TO U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES ELECTIONS
Authors: Huang Yangguang , He Ming 
Published: January 2021

AbstractWe study the econometrics of an asymmetric Tullock contest model with incomplete information. Identification results are established for parameters in the asymmetric contest success function and for the quantile functions of players' private costs. We propose the corresponding estimators, derive the asymptotic properties, and demonstrate their good finite sample performances by simulation. We also propose an easy‐to‐implement parametric estimation method that can incorporate contest‐specific covariates. Our method is used to study U.S. House of Representatives elections. We quantify the incumbency advantages and conduct policy experiments to evaluate how imposing a term limit or launching campaign finance reforms affects incumbency advantage.
A unifying concept of animal breeding programmes
Authors: Simianer Henner , Büttgen Lisa , Ganesan Amudha , Ha Ngoc Thuy , Pook Torsten 
Published: January 2021

AbstractModern animal breeding programmes are constantly evolving with advances in breeding theory, biotechnology and genetics. Surprisingly, there seems to be no generally accepted succinct definition of what exactly a breeding programme is, neither is there a unified language to describe breeding programmes in a comprehensive, unambiguous and reproducible way. In this work, we try to fill this gap by suggesting a general definition of breeding programmes that also pertains to cases where genetic progress is not achieved through selection, but, for example, through transgenic technologies, or the aim is not to generate genetic progress, but, for example, to maintain genetic diversity. The key idea of the underlying concept is to represent a breeding programme in modular form as a directed graph that is composed of nodes and edges, where nodes represent cohorts of breeding units, usually individuals, and edges represent breeding activities, like “selection” or “reproduction.” We claim, that by defining a comprehensive set of nodes and edges, it is possible to represent any breeding programme of arbitrary complexity by such a graph, which thus comprises a full description of the breeding programme. This concept is implemented in a web‐based tool (MoBPSweb, available at www.mobps.de) and has a link to the R‐package MoBPS (Modular Breeding Program Simulator) to simulate the described breeding programmes. The approach is illustrated by showcasing three different breeding programmes of increasing complexity. The concept allows a formal description of breeding programmes, which is requested, for example, in legal regulations of the European Union, but so far cannot be provided in a standardized format. In the discussion, we point out potential limitations of the concept and argue that the general approach can be easily extended to account for novel breeding technologies, to breeding of crops or experimental species, but also to modelling diversity dynamics in natural populations.
High‐phosphorus diet controlled for sodium elevates blood pressure in healthy adults via volume expansion
Authors: Zhang Jia‐ying , You Huai‐zhou , Wang Meng‐jing , Zhang Qian , Dong Xin‐yu , Liu Jing‐fang , Chen Jing 
Published: January 2021

AbstractWhether increasing exposure to dietary phosphorus can lead to adverse clinical outcomes in healthy people is not clear. In this open‐label prospective cross‐over study, we are to explore the impact of various dietary phosphorus intake on mineral, sodium metabolisms and blood pressure in young healthy adults. There were 3 separate study periods of 5 days, each with a 5 days washout period between different diets interventions. Six young healthy male volunteers with normal nutrition status were recruited in Phase I Clinical Research Center and sequentially exposed to the following diets: (a) normal‐phosphorus diet (NPD): 1500 mg/d, (b) low‐phosphorus diet (LPD): 500 mg/d, (c) high‐phosphorus diet (HPD): 2300 mg/d. HPD induced a significant rise in daily average serum phosphate (1.47 ± 0.02 mmol/L [4.56 ± 0.06 mg/dl]) compared to NPD (1.34 ± 0.02 mmol/L [4.15 ± 0.06 mg/dL]) and LPD (1.17 ± 0.02 mmol/L [3.63 ± 0.06 mg/dL]) (p < .05). Daily average levels of serum parathyroid hormone and fibroblast growth factor 23 in HPD were significantly higher, and serum 1,25(OH)2D3 was remarkably lower than those in LPD. HPD induced a significant decrease in daily average serum aldosterone and an increase in daily average atrial natriuretic peptide level compared to LPD. The 24‐hour urine volume in HPD subjects was less than that in LPD subjects. HPD significantly increased daily average systolic blood pressure by 6.02 ± 1.24 mm Hg compared to NPD and by 8.58 ± 1.24mm Hg compared to LPD (p < .05). Our study provides the first evidence that 5‐day high‐phosphorus diet can induce elevation in SBP in young healthy adults, which may due to volume expansion.
LKB1IP promotes pathological cardiac hypertrophy by targeting PTEN/Akt signalling pathway
Authors: Tian Mi , Jiang Xiuxin , Li Xinyun , Yang Jianmin , Zhang Cheng , Zhang Wencheng 
Published: January 2021

AbstractPathological cardiac hypertrophy represents a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Liver kinase B1 interacting protein 1 (LKB1IP) was identified as the binding protein of tumour suppressor LKB1. However, the role of LKB1IP in the development of pathological cardiac hypertrophy has not been explored. The aim of this study was to investigate the function of LKB1IP in cardiac hypertrophy in response to hypertrophic stimuli. We investigated the cardiac level of LKB1IP in samples from patients with heart failure and mice with cardiac hypertrophy induced by isoproterenol (ISO) or transverse aortic constriction (TAC). LKB1IP knockout mice were generated and challenged with ISO injection or TAC surgery. Cardiac function, hypertrophy and fibrosis were then examined. LKB1IP expression was significantly up‐regulated on hypertrophic stimuli in both human and mouse cardiac samples. LKB1IP knockout markedly protected mouse hearts against ISO‐ or TAC‐induced cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis. LKB1IP overexpression aggravated ISO‐induced cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, and its inhibition attenuated hypertrophy in vitro. Mechanistically, LKB1IP activated Akt signalling by directly targeting PTEN and then inhibiting its phosphatase activity. In conclusion, LKB1IP may be a potential target for pathological cardiac hypertrophy.
Cryptic diversity within endemic Italian barbels: revalidation and description of new Barbus species (Teleostei: Cyprinidae)
Authors: Lorenzoni Massimo , Carosi Antonella , Quadroni Silvia , De Santis Vanessa , Vanetti Isabella , Delmastro Giovanni B. , Zaccara Serena 
Published: January 2021

AbstractTwo fluviolacustrine lineages (SI1 Barbus and SI2 Barbus) of the Barbus genus have been recently detected in the Apulia‐Campania ichthyogeographic district (southern Italy). The aim of this study was to determine the taxonomic status of these lineages by comparing them with the two already‐established Italian fluviolacustrine species Barbus plebejus and Barbus tyberinus through a more in‐depth molecular and morphological investigation. Genetic analyses were performed on both mitochondrial (cytochrome b) and nuclear (growth hormone paralog 2) DNA markers, and morphological analyses were carried out on specific age classes and purebred populations. Molecular analyses detected four evolutionary lineages at the mitochondrial level, whereas the nuclear data set highlighted the strict evolutionary relation between B. plebejus sensu stricto and the new lineages, converged in the B. plebejus complex clade. The morphological analyses allowed us to discriminate SI1 Barbus and SI2 Barbus from both B. plebejus and B. tyberinus. The new taxa could be discriminated by the greatest maximum body height and the longest pre‐orbital distance, respectively. Both the new lineages have longer ventral and pectoral fins than B. plebejus and B. tyberinus, a larger caudal fin than B. tyberinus and a lower number of scales along the lateral line than B. plebejus. Both molecular and morphological results suggested the two southern Italian lineages could be considered as distinct endemic species: the formal description of the new species Barbus samniticus sp. nov. (i.e., SI1 Barbus) and the revalidation of Barbus fucini Costa, 1853 (i.e., SI2 Barbus) were thus proposed, and, for both species, molecular and morphological diagnosis were provided.
Application of the FTA elute card coupled with visual colorimetric loop‐mediated isothermal amplification for the rapid diagnosis of Streptococcus agalactiae in farmed tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus)
Authors: Pepey Elodie , Taukhid Taukhid , Keck Nicolas , Lusiastuti Angela , Avarre Jean‐Christophe , Sundari Gusnia , Sarter Samira , Caruso Domenico 
Published: January 2021

AbstractA method combining the FTA Elute card and visual colorimetric loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (FTA‐e/LAMP) was tested to diagnose Streptococcus agalactiae infections in vitro and in vivo. FTA‐e/LAMP consists of two main steps: first, the FTA card is used to extract DNA and then a colorimetric loop‐mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) reaction is carried out on the extracted DNA. In vitro sensitivity was 1.9 x 102 CFU/mL, and regarding specificity, all nine S. agalactiae strains tested positive. All Streptococcus spp. tested negative, except for S. dysgalactiae, thereby indicating the need for another set of primers to distinguish this species from S. agalactiae. To diagnose S. agalactiae infections using FTA‐e/LAMP in vivo, two experimental trials on juvenile Oreochromis niloticus infected with bovine or piscine strains were carried out. Sensitivity in symptomatic fish was 100%, and 50.7% of fish without signs were positive. All negative control fish tested negative (n = 28). No bacteria were detected after 16 days post‐infection (dpi). Accuracy during the first week (1–7 dpi) was 89% and decreased to 44% thereafter (10–22 dpi). FTA‐e/LAMP results suggest that this method is a promising tool for early and fast diagnosis of S. agalactiae on tilapia farms.
Evaluating learning spaces in flood risk management in Germany: Lessons for governance research
Authors: Witting Antje , Brandenstein Frederik , Kochskämper Elisa 
Published: January 2021

AbstractEfforts to collaboratively manage the risk of flooding are ultimately based on individuals learning about risks, the decision process, and the effectiveness of decisions made in prior situations. This article argues that much can be learned about a governance setting by explicitly evaluating the relationships through which influential individuals and their immediate contacts receive and send information to one another. We define these individuals as “brokers,” and the networks that emerge from their interactions as “learning spaces.” The aim of this article is to develop strategies to identify and evaluate the properties of a broker's learning space that are indicative of a collaborative flood risk management arrangement. The first part of this article introduces a set of indicators, and presents strategies to employ this list so as to systematically identify brokers, and compare their learning spaces. The second part outlines the lessons from an evaluation that explored cases in two distinct flood risk management settings in Germany. The results show differences in the observed brokers' learning spaces. The contacts and interactions of the broker in Baden‐Württemberg imply a collaborative setting. In contrast, learning space of the broker in North Rhine‐Westphalia lacks the same level of diversity and polycentricity.
Dopamine and relapse to drug seeking
Authors: Liu Yu , McNally Gavan P. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe actions of dopamine are essential to relapse to drug seeking but we still lack a precise understanding of how dopamine achieves these effects. Here we review recent advances from animal models in understanding how dopamine controls relapse to drug seeking. These advances have been enabled by important developments in understanding the basic neurochemical, molecular, anatomical, physiological and functional properties of the major dopamine pathways in the mammalian brain. The literature shows that although different forms of relapse to seeking different drugs of abuse each depend on dopamine, there are distinct dopamine mechanisms for relapse. Different circuit‐level mechanisms, different populations of dopamine neurons and different activity profiles within these dopamine neurons, are important for driving different forms of relapse. This diversity highlights the need to better understand when, where and how dopamine contributes to relapse behaviours.
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Is bank staff interaction associated with customer saving behavior in banks?
Authors: Birkenmaier Julie , Fu Qiang John 
Published: January 2021

AbstractMajor changes are underway in the U.S. retail banking sector toward heavy investments in technology and fewer in personnel. Using the 2017 survey of household economics and decision‐making (SHED) (n= 11,359), we examine the relationship between saving behavior related to emergency, long‐term and periodic expenses and personal, technological, and hybrid bank account access methods. Binary logistic regression models were used to estimate the odds of reporting various saving behaviors in relation to various banking access methods. Findings suggest that the personal access method is positively associated with savings behavior for periodic expenses for the general population, and negatively associated with emergency savings in people with lower education attainment. Technology is associated with all types of saving behavior, while the hybrid access method is associated only with saving for periodic expenses. As investments in self‐service technology increase, the importance of access methods to savings behavior must be considered.
Aesthetic and therapeutic outcome of fat grafting for localized Scleroderma treatment: From basic study to clinical application
Authors: Wang Hayson Chenyu , Dong Ruijia , Long Xiao , Wang Xiaojun 
Published: January 2021

AbstractBackgroundLocalized scleroderma (LoS) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by skin fibrosis and subcutaneous tissue atrophy, resulting in aesthetic impairment on patients. Fat grafting has been used to treat LoS patients, achieving aesthetic and therapeutic improvement.AimsThis article summarized the epidemiology and pathophysiology of LoS and the current progress and thorny questions of basic and clinical research on fat grafting treating LoS.MethodsThe literature of the last 20 years concerning fat grafting of treating LoS was reviewed.ResultsFat grafting has been proved to produce aesthetic and therapeutic outcomes on LoS patients, including the improvement of soft tissue atrophy, skin fibrosis and pigmentation. Due to the inflammatory microenvironment of scleroderma, however, fat grafting still faces many difficulties, such as low fat retention. Novel fat grafting methods in order to supplement the deficiency of adipose‐derived stem cells and improve fat retention in LoS groups have been proposed whose effectiveness and feasibility is still needed further study.ConclusionCurrently, fat grafting has been regarded as an effective treatment with a combination of aesthetic and therapeutic outcomes on LoS patients.
Impact of professional commitment on professional capability improvement and care quality dimensions: A multi‐wave study
Authors: Chang Hao‐Yuan , Huang Tzu‐Ling , Lee I‐Chen , Shyu Yea‐Ing Lotus , Wong May‐Kuen , Lun‐Hui Ho , Tseng Hsien‐Wei , Teng Ching‐I 
Published: January 2021

AbstractAims and objectivesTo examine how the three dimensions of professional commitment impact professional capabilities improvement and five key dimensions of care quality.BackgroundWhile professional commitment is known to retain nurses, we do not know how its three dimensions—affective, continuance and normative commitment—formulate five care quality dimensions: assurance, reliability, responsiveness, empathy and tangibles.DesignWe used a three‐wave, follow‐up design to follow a sample of nurse participants.MethodsWe collected responses from 430 nurses who worked for a medical centre in Northern Taiwan during 2017–2019. Most (78.9%) of the respondents had an age between 20–40 years. We used Professional Commitment Scale of Meyer et al. (Journal of Applied Psychology, 1993, 78, 538) and Care Quality Scale of Teng et al. (Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 2010, 41, 301). STROBE statement was chosen as EQUATOR checklist.ResultsWe found that affective professional commitment is positively related to intention to improve professional capabilities, action to improve professional capabilities and thus to four dimensions of care quality: assurance, reliability, responsiveness and empathy.ConclusionsOur model explains how three key dimensions of professional commitment contribute to care quality. Our findings support the link between action to improve professional capabilities and dimensions of care quality.Relevance to clinical practiceNursing managers can inform nurses of positive patient feedback, thus enhancing nurses' affective professional commitment, which would likely motivate their devotion to upgrading their professional capabilities, thus further contributing to the quality of the care they provide.
Construction of virtual intercuspal occlusion: Considering tooth displacement
Authors: Li Linlin , Chen Hu , Wang Yong , Sun Yuchun 
Published: January 2021

AbstractCommon impressions cannot accurately duplicate the dental occlusion under occlusal force due to tooth displacement and mandibular deformation. To establish new methods to construct virtual intercuspal occlusion and assess their construction accuracy. The intraoral occlusal contacts of posterior teeth of 15 subjects were recorded with 8 μm and 100 μm articulating paper, respectively, and the marked teeth and buccal bite data were scanned with an intraoral scanner. The virtual dental occlusions were separately determined by buccal bite registration (BBR) method, and 3 new methods, namely segmented tooth registration (STR), occlusal contact areas (marked by 8 μm articulating paper) registration (OCR) and mixing registration (MR) methods. With the intraoral contact areas marked by 100 μm articulating paper set as reference and contact areas of the 4 virtual occlusions as tests, sensitivity, positive predictive value (PPV) and the ratio of overlapping areas were calculated. Kruskal‐Wallis test or 1‐way ANOVA was used to analyse the difference among groups. The sensitivity ranged from 0.69 to 0.94 and the PPV from 0.67 to 0.90. Sensitivity of OCR group and PPV of STR and OCR groups were different from that of BBR group at overlapping threshold of 50% (P = .028, .028 and .006). There was statistical difference of the ratio of overlapping areas over reference areas, and the values of STR and OCR groups were higher than that of BBR group (P = .045 and .021). The ability of STR and OCR methods to construct virtual intercuspal occlusion was better than BBR method.