bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Novel reproductive behavior in an Asian frog: sex‐reversed inguinal amplexus
Authors: Sung Yik‐Hei , Lee Wing‐Ho , Ng Ho‐Nam , Crump Martha L. , Karraker Nancy E. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAmphibians exhibit diverse reproductive behaviors, including nine documented types of amplexus, the behavior in which male and female frogs position themselves for courtship, oviposition, and fertilization. All known forms of amplexus involve the male on top of or in line horizontally (cloacal apposition) with the female. Here, we report a novel form of amplexus observed in Lau’s leaf litter toad (Leptobrachella laui; Megophryidae) in Hong Kong, China. Termed “sex‐reversed inguinal amplexus,” the female climbs on top of a male and the male transports the female to a concealed breeding site. We were unable to determine whether this was the amplectant position in which frogs engaged during oviposition or solely during courtship and prior to oviposition, but there are a number of possible evolutionary drivers that may have given rise to this behavior, including limiting suitable oviposition sites or strong competition for males among females. Further research will be necessary to understand the evolutionary origins of this novel reproductive behavior.
Migration distance and maternal resource allocation determine timing of birth in a large herbivore
Authors: Aikens Ellen O. , Dwinnell Samantha P.H. , LaSharr Tayler N. , Jakopak Rhiannon P. , Fralick Gary L. , Randall Jill , Kaiser Rusty , Thonhoff Mark , Kauffman Matthew J. , Monteith Kevin L. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBirth timing is a key life‐history characteristic that influences fitness and population performance. For migratory animals, however, appropriately timing birth on one seasonal range may be constrained by events occurring during other parts of the migratory cycle. We investigated how the use of capital and income resources may facilitate flexibility in reproductive phenology of migratory mule deer in western Wyoming, USA, over a 5‐yr period (2015–2019). Specifically, we examined how seasonal interactions affected three interrelated life‐history characteristics: fetal development, birth mass, and birth timing. Females in good nutritional condition at the onset of winter and those that migrated short distances had more developed fetuses (measured as fetal eye diameter in March). Variation in parturition date was explained largely by fetal development; however, there were up to 16 d of plasticity in expected birth date. Plasticity in expected birth date was shaped by income resources in the form of exposure to spring green‐up. Although individuals that experienced greater exposure to spring green‐up were able to advance expected birth date, being born early or late with respect to fetal development had no effect on birth mass of offspring. Furthermore, we investigated the trade‐offs migrating mule deer face by evaluating support for existing theory that predicts that births should be matched to local peaks in resource availability at the birth site. In contrast to this prediction, only long‐distance migrants that paced migration with the flush of spring green‐up, giving birth shortly after ending migration, were able to match birth with spring green‐up. Shorter‐distance migrants completed migration sooner and gave birth earlier, seemingly trading off more time for offspring to grow and develop over greater access to resources. Thus, movement tactic had profound downstream effects on birth timing. These findings highlight a need to reconsider classical theory on optimal birth timing, which has focused solely on conditions at the birth site.
Excluding mammalian predators increases bird densities and seed dispersal in fenced ecosanctuaries
Authors: Bombaci Sara P. , Innes John , Kelly Dave , Flaherty Victoria , Pejchar Liba 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIslands are epicenters of animal extinctions and population declines. These losses exacerbate biodiversity loss and disrupt ecological services in areas of high endemism. Island defaunation is primarily driven by invasive mammalian predators, and mammal eradications are reversing population declines for some island species. Invasive mammal eradications may also have the capacity to restore ecological interactions, along with the recovery of island fauna. Here we show that invasive mammal eradication in fenced ecosanctuaries results in higher rates of bird foraging on fruit, and higher bird‐mediated seed dispersal, than in similar forests without mammal eradication. We further show that higher foraging and seed dispersal is related to higher densities of native bird species, after accounting for natural variation in fruit availability. For the many other systems globally that are under threat from invasive mammals, New Zealand’s fenced ecosanctuary model offers a promising tool for restoring biodiversity and ecosystem services.
Feasibility randomized‐controlled trial of online acceptance and commitment therapy for painful peripheral neuropathy in people living with HIV: The OPEN study
Authors: Scott Whitney , Guildford Beth J. , Badenoch James , Driscoll Elizabeth , Chilcot Joseph , Norton Sam , Kemp Harriet I. , Lee Ming J. , Lwanga Julianne , Boffito Marta , Moyle Graeme , Post Frank A. , Campbell Lucy , Josh Jo , Clift Paul , C de C Williams Amanda , Rice Andrew SC , McCracken Lance M 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundNeuropathic pain negatively affects quality of life among people living with HIV (PLWH). This study examined the feasibility of conducting a full‐scale randomized‐controlled trial of online acceptance and commitment therapy (“ACT OPEN”) for neuropathic pain in PLWH.MethodsUsing a parallel‐groups design, thirty‐eight participants were randomized to ACT OPEN or a waitlist control (2:1). Participants completed standard self‐report outcome measures at baseline, and two‐ and five‐months post‐randomization. Participants were aware of their allocation, but assessment was blinded.ResultsTwenty‐five participants were randomized to ACT OPEN and 13 to the control (of 133 referrals). ACT OPEN completion was 69% and two‐month trial retention was 82%. Treatment credibility and satisfaction scores for ACT OPEN were comparable to scores reported in previous trials of cognitive‐behavioural treatments for pain. Four adverse events were reported during the study, including one serious adverse event; all of these were unrelated to the research procedures. Small to moderate effects and 95% confidence intervals suggest that the true effect may favour ACT OPEN for improvements in pain intensity/interference and depression.ConclusionsA full‐scale RCT of online ACT for pain management in PLWH may be feasible with refinements to trial design to facilitate recruitment.SignificanceResearch on pain management in people living with HIV has primarily focused on pharmacological treatments with limited success. This is the first study to show the potential feasibility of a psychological treatment based on acceptance and commitment therapy delivered online and tailored for pain management in people with HIV (“ACT OPEN”). ACT OPEN may be a promising treatment in this population and further evaluation in a full‐scale randomized‐controlled trial appears warranted.Trial Registration: The trial was registered (clinicaltrials.gov; NCT03584412).
Mexican Small-Scale Fisheries Reveal New Insights into Low-Carbon Seafood and “Climate-Friendly” Fisheries Management
Authors: Ferrer Erica M , Aburto-Oropeza Octavio , Jiménez-Esquivel Victoria , Cota-Nieto Juan José , Mascareñas-Osorio Ismael , López-Sagástegui Catalina 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
As a society, we are confronted with the question of how best to feed an expanding human population, and some have pointed to seafood as a “climate-friendly” option. To date, the contributions of small-scale fisheries (SSFs) have been largely excluded from studies on food footprint. Here, we calculated the Emission Intensity profiles for seven seafood types generated by Mexican SSFs. Based on these results—which indicate that there exist several low-carbon SSFs in Northwestern Mexico—we provide a coarse approximation for the total carbon footprint of Mexico’s motorized small-scale fleet. Finally, we scrutinize the utility of non-fuel data (such as GPS data) in predicting fuel consumption/carbon emissions across SSFs. To our knowledge, this is the first life-cycle assessment to compare multiple seafood products generated by Mexican SSFs, and the first published link between tracking data and carbon accounting for SSFs specifically. We discuss how these results, in combination with insights gained from monitoring efforts in Northwestern Mexico, might be used to inform and incentivize “climate-friendly” fisheries management. While carbon footprint represents just one component of sustainability, this article serves as a helpful case study for those preoccupied with carbon accounting and fishers sustainability in traditionally data-limited scenarios.
The effect of British Columbia's Pharmacare coverage expansion for opioid agonist treatment
Authors: Hongdilokkul Natt , Krebs Emanuel , Zang Xiao , Zhou Haoxuan , Homayra Fahmida , Min Jeong Eun , Nosyk Bohdan 
Published: March 2021

AbstractOpioid agonist treatment (OAT) is the evidence‐based standard of care for people with opioid use disorder. In British Columbia, Canada, only social assistance registrants received full coverage for OAT prior to the introduction of the Pharmacare Plan G coverage expansion on February 1st, 2017. We aimed to determine the effect of the coverage expansion on OAT initiation, re‐initiation, and retention. Using linked population‐level data, we executed a difference‐in‐differences analysis to compare outcomes of individuals eligible for the additional coverage and social assistance registrants already receiving the most generous coverage for OAT prior to the policy change, adjusting for individual and prescriber characteristics. We found Plan G coverage expansion significantly increased OAT retention. Specifically, coverage expansion decreased the number of OAT episode discontinuations by 12.8% (95% CI: 8.4%, 17.2%).
Evaluating sedimentary PAH bioavailability based on equilibrium partitioning and passive sampling at the Dover Gas Light Superfund Site (Dover, Delaware, USA)
Authors: Burgess Robert M. , Grossman Scott , Ball Gerald , Kady Thomas , Sprenger Mark , Nevshehirlian Stepan 
Published: March 2021

Abstract
From 1859 to 1948, the Dover Gas Light plant produced combustible gas for industrial, commercial, and residential applications using pine resin, coking coal, oil, and wood, and finally, a coal–gas process. Waste coal tar was discharged into the St. Jones River in Dover, Delaware (USA), via a ditch and culvert and, following plant closure in the 1940s, through groundwater flow from structures buried on the site. By the end of the 20th century, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) contamination of the sediments in the St. Jones River was suspected to have occurred, and state and federal agencies initiated environmental assessments of the newly designated Superfund site. The current study investigated the spatial distributions of total PAHs in St. Jones River sediments adjacent to the site and evaluated their bioavailability. In 2017, 34 sediment cores were collected, sectioned, and analyzed using an on-site fluorometric screening technology indicating total PAH sediment concentrations ranging from 0.1 to 15 000 mg/kg (wet). A subset of cores involving 20 samples of various depths was selected and further analyzed by conventional GC/MS analysis for 16 parent PAHs. In addition, a 34-day in situ deployment of polyethylene passive samplers was performed to measure vertical bioavailability profiles of parent PAHs in sediments at three locations and overlying waters at four stations. Freely dissolved concentrations (C free) of total PAHs were estimated based on equilibrium partitioning (EqP) of the GC/MS results and the passive sampling findings. C free values were used to calculate acute and chronic toxic units ranging from 1.4 to 56, based on EqP and 1.3 to 15 based on passive sampling. For six samples where comparative data were available, EqP calculations overestimated bioavailability by &lt; 2- to 54-fold. Combining rapid field measurements with more accurate analyses of sediment concentrations and bioavailability in a tiered framework supported a time-efficient and cost-effective site investigation. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2021;17:1215–1228. © Published 2021. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
KEY POINTS
Applied a combination of screening technology, analytical analyses, and passive sampling to assess a sediment site contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). Equilibrium partitioning (EqP) and passive sampling used to determine and compare freely dissolved concentrations (C free) and toxic units. Tiered approach provided time- and cost-effective and scientifically robust decision-making framework.
The problem of annual inflation rate indicator
Authors: Arlt Josef 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn economic practice, the annual inflation rate is commonly used. As a one‐sided moving average of the annualized inflation rate, it is approximately 6 months behind the annualized and monthly inflation rates and the CPI. The annual rate of inflation is, in fact, a smoothing transformation that removes the seasonal component from the annualized inflation rate, assuming the presence of all seasonal unit roots. In reality, however, the CPIs, and thus the annualized inflation rates, do not contain most of seasonal unit roots, resulting in spurious cycles of annual inflation rates, which pose difficulties in assessing and interpreting their development dynamics. Their practical applications in econometric analyses are limited because the unit root tests too often do not reject the zero hypothesis of the presence of unit roots when annual inflation rates are actually stationary. Parameter estimates of the annual inflation rate models are biased and inaccurate, allowing only incorrect short‐term forecasts. The above facts make use of the annual inflation rate indicator in real economic situations questionable.
A novel colorimetric chemosensor for selective and highly sensitive determination of thiourea: An approach toward a molecular keypad lock
Authors: Tavallali Hossein , Rahimi Eisa , Deilamy‐Rad Gohar , Karimi Mohammad Ali , Tavallali Maryam 
Published: March 2021

AbstractA novel simple reversible colorimetric chemosensor has been designed and developed using 4‐(2‐pridylazo) resorcinol (PAR). The colorimetric receptor PAR has been successfully applied for the determination of Hg2+ ions, and then the PAR‐Hg2+ complex has been used for thiourea (TU) measurements in aqueous‐buffer medium. This chemosensor exhibited an obvious color change from yellow to bright red in the presence of Hg2+ in aqueous solution. In addition, the resulting PAR‐Hg2+ complex sensed TU through naked‐eye, showing recovery from PAR‐Hg2+ to PAR, in aqueous solution. The detection limits reached up to 3.01 nmol/L for Hg2+ and 8.5 nmol/L for TU. The operational simplicity and cost‐effectiveness of colorimetric measurements using PAR and Hg2+ were achieved. Based on this, the designed method was well used to determine the analytes in industrial and environmental samples. The molecular switching between two chemical inputs (Hg2+, TU) consequences in the IMPLICATION molecular logic gate, which has been integrated sequentially to procedure a sequential information processing device.
Distribution of urinary N‐acetyl‐beta‐D‐glucosaminidase and the establishment of reference intervals in healthy adults
Authors: Liu Qian , Zong Ruyuan , Li Huan , Yin Xiaoxiao , Fu Mei , Yao Li , Sun Jin , Yang Fumeng 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundUrinary N‐acetyl‐beta‐D‐glucosaminidase (NAG) plays an important role in the early diagnosis and progression of diseases related to renal tubular injury. We detected the urinary NAG concentration, assessed the preliminary statistics of its distribution, and established reference intervals for healthy adults in China using the rate method.MethodsA total of 1,095 reference individuals (aged 20 to 79 years) met the requirements for inclusion in this study. Urinary NAG concentrations were detected using an AU5800 automatic biochemical analyzer with its matched reagents. The Kolmogorov‐Smirnov test was used to analyze the normality of the data. According to the guidelines of C28‐A3 and WS/T 402‐2012, the reference intervals of urinary NAG were established using the nonparametric percentile method (unilateral 95th percentile).ResultsThe urinary NAG data showed a non‐normal distribution. The distribution of urinary NAG was significantly different by sex and age. Therefore, the reference intervals of urinary NAG were established using the rate method: males (aged 20–59 years) <19.4 U/L (90% CI: 18.0–20.3 U/L); males (aged 60–79 years) <22.3 U/L (90% CI: 20.2–22.6 U/L); females (aged 20–59 years) <15.7 U/L (90% CI: 15.2–16.5 U/L); and females (aged 60–79 years) <21.4 U/L (90% CI: 20.3–22.3 U/L).ConclusionsWe established preliminary reference intervals of urinary NAG for healthy adults in China to provide guidance for health screening, auxiliary diagnosis, and treatment monitoring of renal tubule‐related diseases.
On 3‐polytopes with non‐Hamiltonian prisms
Authors: Ikegami Daiki , Maezawa Shun‐ichi , Zamfirescu Carol T. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractŠpacapan recently showed that there exist 3‐polytopes with non‐Hamiltonian prisms, disproving a conjecture of Rosenfeld and Barnette. By adapting Špacapan's approach we strengthen his result in several directions. We prove that there exists an infinite family of counterexamples to the Rosenfeld–Barnette conjecture, each member of which has maximum degree 37, is of girth 4, and contains no odd‐length face with length less than for a given odd integer . We also show that for any given 3‐polytope there is a counterexample containing as an induced subgraph. This yields an infinite family of non‐Hamiltonian 4‐polytopes in which the proportion of quartic vertices tends to 1. However, Barnette's conjecture stating that every 4‐polytope in which all vertices are quartic is Hamiltonian still stands. Finally, we prove that the Grünbaum–Walther shortness coefficient of the family of all prisms of 3‐polytopes is at most 59/60.
Response of drylands' water‐cycle to the global warming
Authors: Luo Min , Liu Yuzhi , Shao Tianbin 
Published: March 2021

AbstractDrylands occupy about 41% of land surface and feed 38% of the world's population, where understanding drylands' water‐cycle is in urgent need. In this study, response of water‐cycle over the drylands to global warming from 1980 to 2015 and its mechanisms have been investigated in detail. The results show that, with the global surface air temperature (SAT) increasing at a rate of 0.03 K⋅year−1 over the drylands, an increased evaporation is found; however, the net water vapour transport over the global drylands appears an overall decreased rate of −0.24 mm⋅year−1. Due to global warming and atmospheric circulation anomalies, the evaporation increases by 1.1 mm⋅year−1, while the precipitation and runoff decrease by −2.32 and −0.8 mm⋅year−1, respectively. In addition, the precipitation conversion rate (PCR) tends to decrease during this period, while the precipitation recycling rate (PRR) shows slightly increasing trend, implying a more dependence of the precipitation on the local evaporation over the drylands. Overall, except the drylands of Africa, it indicates a weakened water‐cycle over the global drylands from 1980 to 2015. Though some findings have been revealed, there still remains some uncertainties due to the observation limitation on the water‐cycle components. Therefore, a comprehensive study including multi‐sourced data and model simulation is expected in the future.
The correlation between experimental polarized Raman spectra and their density functional theory prediction in the LCAO framework: The R3c LiNbO3 crystal as a test case
Authors: Nogueira Bernardo A. , Milani Alberto , Castiglioni Chiara , Fausto Rui 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this study, the polarized Raman spectra of the R3c LiNbO3 crystal are used as a benchmark test for density functional theory (DFT) full periodic boundary conditions linear combination of atomic orbitals (LCAO) calculation of the Raman tensors, according to the implementation in the CRYSTAL software. The theoretical approach used proved to provide excellent results regarding wavenumbers and relative intensities predictions for the transverse optical modes of both A1 and E symmetry, considerably improving over previously reported data based on the plane waves approach. Overall, the present investigation demonstrates that the LCAO approach, as implemented in the CRYSTAL software, gives excellent results regarding the calculation of Raman tensors and polarized Raman spectra. The possibility to put in correspondence the individual Raman tensors components and bands intensities in the different back‐scattering experimental configurations revealed that the computed Raman tensors are very accurate, not only considering their average values (tensors invariant in the combination suitable for the description of Raman scattering of isotropic materials) but also when the tensors individual components are considered. Based on the present results, a reassignment of the E (TO) modes of the R3c LiNbO3 crystal is proposed, in particular for the 2 E and 9 E modes, which have been a matter of discussion in the recent years.
Comparative study of sugar extraction procedures forHPLCanalysis and proposal of an ethanolic extraction method for plant‐based high‐protein ingredients
Authors: Hoehnel Andrea , Salas García Jairo , Coffey Christine , Zannini Emanuele , Arendt Elke K 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBACKGROUNDThe increasing importance of plant‐based proteins in the food sector makes a reliable compositional analysis of plant‐based high‐protein ingredients a necessity. Specifically, the quantification of short‐chain carbohydrates is relevant for multiple areas, including food product development, food labelling and fundamental food chemistry and food technology research. Commonly used extraction procedures for subsequent high‐performance liquid chromatographic separation and quantification of short‐chain carbohydrates have been discussed controversially regarding a range of complications that can potentially lead to inaccurate sugar determination. The present study compares the sugar levels in wheat flour and wholemeal wheat flour determined with different aqueous and ethanolic extraction procedures. These procedures included measures to prevent enzyme activity and microbial growth, which represent two of the most relevant challenges in sugar extraction from food samples.RESULTSDifferences in sugar levels (sum of sucrose/maltose, glucose and fructose) as high as 1.8% dry matter (wheat flour) were observed between the employed extraction procedures. Ethanolic extraction (80% ethanol in ultrapure water) with the use of the antimicrobial agent sodium azide but without Carrez clarification was identified as most promising for sugar determination in plant‐based high‐protein ingredients.CONCLUSIONA screening of high‐protein ingredients derived from cereals (wheat gluten), pseudocereals (quinoa, amaranth, buckwheat) and legumes (soy, pea, lupin, lentil, carob, chickpea, faba bean) concerning their levels of sucrose, maltose, glucose and fructose confirmed the applicability of the chosen extraction procedure. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry.