bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Large carnivore expansion in Europe is associated with human population density and land cover changes
Authors: Cimatti Marta , Ranc Nathan , Benítez‐López Ana , Maiorano Luigi , Boitani Luigi , Cagnacci Francesca , Čengić Mirza , Ciucci Paolo , Huijbregts Mark A. J. , Krofel Miha , López‐Bao José Vicente , Selva Nuria , Andren Henrik , Bautista Carlos , Ćirović Duško , Hemmingmoore Heather , Reinhardt Ilka , Marenče Miha , Mertzanis Yorgos , Pedrotti Luca , Trbojević Igor , Zetterberg Andreas , Zwijacz‐Kozica Tomasz , Santini Luca 
Published: January 2021

AbstractAimThe recent recovery of large carnivores in Europe has been explained as resulting from a decrease in human persecution driven by widespread rural land abandonment, paralleled by forest cover increase and the consequent increase in availability of shelter and prey. We investigated whether land cover and human population density changes are related to the relative probability of occurrence of three European large carnivores: the grey wolf (Canis lupus), the Eurasian lynx (Lynx lynx) and the brown bear (Ursus arctos).LocationEurope, west of 64° longitude.MethodsWe fitted multi‐temporal species distribution models using >50,000 occurrence points with time series of land cover, landscape configuration, protected areas, hunting regulations and human population density covering a 24‐year period (1992–2015). Within the temporal window considered, we then predicted changes in habitat suitability for large carnivores throughout Europe.ResultsBetween 1992 and 2015, the habitat suitability for the three species increased in Eastern Europe, the Balkans, North‐West Iberian Peninsula and Northern Scandinavia, but showed mixed trends in Western and Southern Europe. These trends were primarily associated with increases in forest cover and decreases in human population density, and, additionally, with decreases in the cover of mosaics of cropland and natural vegetation.Main conclusionsRecent land cover and human population changes appear to have altered the habitat suitability pattern for large carnivores in Europe, whereas protection level did not play a role. While projected changes largely match the observed recovery of large carnivore populations, we found mismatches with the recent expansion of wolves in Central and Southern Europe, where factors not included in our models may have played a dominant role. This suggests that large carnivores’ co‐existence with humans in European landscapes is not limited by habitat availability, but other factors such as favourable human tolerance and policy.
Microbial memories: Sex‐dependent impact of the gut microbiome on hippocampal plasticity
Authors: Darch Henry T. , Collins Michael K. , O’Riordan Kenneth J. , Cryan John F. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractGerm‐free rodents, raised in the absence of a measurable gut microbiome, have been a key model to study the microbiome‐gut‐brain axis. Germ‐free mice exhibit marked behavioural and neurochemical differences to their conventionally raised counterparts. It is as yet unclear how these neurochemical differences lead to the behavioural differences. Here, we test the electrophysiological properties of hippocampal plasticity in adult germ‐free mice and compare them to conventionally raised counterparts. Whilst basal synaptic efficacy and pre‐synaptic short‐term plasticity appear normal, we find a striking alteration of hippocampal long‐term potentiation specifically in male germ‐free slices. However, the spike output of these neurons remains normal along with altered input‐output coupling, potentially indicating homeostatic compensatory mechanisms, or an altered excitation/inhibition balance. To our knowledge this is the first time the electrophysiological properties of the hippocampus have been assessed in a microbiome deficient animal. Our data indicate that the absence of a microbiome alters integration of dendritic signalling in the CA1 region in mice.
Diagnosis, risk assessment, and treatment decisions for tooth wear in daily practice: a case presentation survey among Belgian dentists
Authors: Kanaan Mireille , Brabant Alain , Hara Anderson T. , Carvalho Joana C. 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThis survey assessed the use of current concepts for tooth wear diagnosis, risk assessment, and treatment decisions in daily practice, and identified factors of significance for treatment decisions. A total of 104 dentists were presented with 10 cases representing varying degrees of tooth wear. The dentists were asked to answer six questions pertaining to the diagnosis, risk assessment, and treatment of each case. A benchmark was established by three experts and the agreement between dentists and the benchmark was calculated. At dentition level, the agreement was moderate for diagnosis (κ = 0.55) and risk assessment (κ = 0.54). At tooth/surface level, the agreement for clinical and radiographic severity of wear was moderate (κ = 0.57) and substantial (κ = 0.65), respectively. The agreement for treatment decision was fair (κ = 0.35). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that treatment decisions for operative treatment were associated with moderate to high case risk (OR = 10.1; 95% CI: 5.4–18.9). Belgian dentists performed reasonably well in applying current concepts and strategies for tooth wear diagnosis and risk assessments at dentition level, as well as for assessment of wear severity at tooth/surface level. Improvement is warranted concerning treatment decisions. This survey could be a useful tool for disseminating and improving current knowledge of tooth wear, and for training dentists in daily practice.
The dark side of shareholder litigation: Evidence from corporate takeovers
Authors: Chu Yongqiang , Zhao Yijia (Eddie) 
Published: January 2021

AbstractExploiting staggered adoption of the universal demand (UD) laws by 23 states between 1989 and 2005 that makes filing shareholder derivative litigations more difficult, we show that reduced litigation threats improve corporate takeover efficiency. Using a difference‐in‐differences approach, we find that acquirers experience higher announcement returns and better postmerger operating performance after the UD laws. Further analysis suggests that acquirers make suboptimal merger decisions to avoid litigation. Taken together, we show that litigation risk can distort managers’ incentives and destroy value ex ante.
Space‐for‐time inferences about range‐edge dynamics of tree species can be influenced by sampling biases
Authors: Ni Ming , Vellend Mark 
Published: January 2021

AbstractDifferences between the distributions of tree saplings and adults in geographic or niche space have been used to infer climate change effects on tree range dynamics. Previous studies have reported narrower latitudinal or climatic niche ranges of juvenile trees compared to adults, concluding that tree ranges are contracting, contradicting climate‐based predictions. However, more comprehensive sampling of adult trees than juvenile trees in most regional forest inventories could potentially bias ontogenetic comparisons. Here we first report spatial simulations showing that reduced sampling intensity can result in underestimates of range and niche limits, but that resampling the same number of individuals of different life stages can eliminate this bias. We then reanalyzed the U.S. Forest Inventory and Analysis data, comparing the range and niche limits between adult trees and saplings of 92 tree species, both using the original data and two resampling procedures. Resampling aimed to reduce sampling biases by controlling for either sampling area or the number of individuals sampled. Overall, these resampling procedures had a major influence on the estimation of range limits, most often by reducing, eliminating, or even reversing the tendency in the original analyses for saplings to have broader distributions than adult trees. These results indicate that previous conclusions that the distributions of juvenile trees were contracting in response to climate change were potentially artifacts of sampling in the underlying data. More generally, sampling effects involved in the estimation of geographic ranges and environmental niche widths need to be taken into account in studies comparing different life stages, and also likely in other types of distribution comparisons.
Rensch’s rule—Definitions and statistics
Authors: Meiri Shai , Liang Tao 
Published: January 2021

AbstractIssueSexual size dimorphism is thought to vary in a predictable manner with overall body size, a pattern named “Rensch's rule”. The rule is thought to suggest different predictions for taxa with female‐ and male‐biased dimorphism. This leaves taxa where both types of dimorphism are common in limbo. Rensch's rule is usually estimated using the reduced major axis (RMA) slope of a regression of male size on female size. A slope steeper than one shows support for the rule.EvidenceWe show that the predictions of Rensch's rule for male‐ and female‐biased taxa are, in fact, the same and offer a unified definition of the rule. Using numerical examples and data from the literature, we show that RMA and ordinary least squares (OLS) methods of line fitting can produce conflicting results, suggesting that RMA is a less conservative way to test the rule.ConclusionWe recommend that both line‐fitting methods are used to estimate Rensch's rule, with strong support being claimed only when the results of both agree with each other. Alternatively, we suggest that tests are conducted in a way that agrees with the definition of the rule (i.e., that size dimorphism is regressed on the mean size of males and females of the species).
Performance evaluation of coaguchek pro II in comparison with coaguchek XS plus and sta‐r Max using a sta‐neoplastine CI plus
Authors: Nam Minjeong , Hur Mina , Kim Hanah , Yoon Sumi , Lee Seungho , Shin Seonhyeon , Moon Hee‐Won , Yun Yeo‐Min 
Published: January 2021

AbstractIntroductionWe evaluated the analytical performance of CoaguChek Pro II (Roche Diagnostics GmbH, Mannheim, Germany), a new point‐of‐care device measuring the international normalized ratio (INR) values, in comparison with CoaguChek XS Plus (Roche Diagnostics GmbH) and STA‐R Max using STA‐Neoplastine CI Plus (Diagnostica Stago SAS, Asnières‐sur‐Seine, France).MethodsThe precision of Pro II was analyzed, according to the Clinical and Laboratory Standards Institute guidelines (CLSI POCT14‐A2 and EP15‐A3). In 105 clinical samples, the Pro II INR values were compared with those of XS Plus and STA‐R Max using STA‐Neoplastine CI Plus (CLSI EP09‐A3 and EP35). We also compared the Pro II INR values between capillary blood (CB) and venous blood (VB; CLSI EP35).ResultsThe precision of Pro II was acceptable (within‐run and between‐run CV%: 2.71% and 3.28% at normal level; 1.52% and 4.47% at abnormal level, respectively). The Pro II INR values showed very high correlation and almost perfect agreement with those of XS Plus and STA‐R Max using STA‐Neoplastine CI Plus (r = .97 and κ = .94; r = .95 and κ = .91). The mean difference between Pro II and STA‐R Max using STA‐Neoplastine CI Plus increased as INR values increased, with 60% of samples showing differences >0.5 in the supratherapeutic range. The Pro II INR values showed very high correlation between CB and VB (r = .98).ConclusionPro II INR values are accurate and reliable using both CB and VB; however, they should be confirmed by laboratory analyzers in the supratherapeutic range.
Features of serum complement C3 and C4 levels in autoimmune hemolytic anemia patients
Authors: Wang Zhao , Bo Lijin , Xu Yan , Liu Huijuan , Zhao Yuping 
Published: January 2021

AbstractIntroductionAbnormally activated complement system induces erythrolysis in a part of autoimmune hemolytic anemia (AIHA) patients. However, the alterations in serum complement levels in these patients are seldom reported. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the serum complement features of AIHA patients according to different clinical and laboratory characteristics and to find relationships between complement levels and hemolysis‐associated laboratory indexes.MethodsA retrospective analysis of 146 AIHA patients was performed, and serum complement C3 and C4 levels were compared between control subjects and AIHA patients with different subtypes. Correlations of serum C3/C4 levels with titers of cold agglutinin test (CAT), direct antiglobulin test (DAT), and serological indexes were assessed. Spearman correlation analysis was performed to analyze the relationship between serum complement levels and other laboratory indexes.ResultsAutoimmune hemolytic anemia patients showed reduced serum C3 levels, while serum C4 levels tended to be lower in DAT‐positive AIHA patients but not in DAT‐negative AIHA patients. Patients with warm AIHA secondary to connective tissue diseases and cold agglutinin disease/cold agglutinin syndrome had the lowest serum C3/C4 levels. Serum C4 levels were negatively correlated with CAT (P = .004) and DAT (anti‐C3d) (P = .007) titers. In patients with positive CAT and/or DAT (anti‐C3d) but negative DAT (anti‐IgG), serum C3/C4 levels were negatively correlated with indirect bilirubin (P = .017 and =.026, respectively).ConclusionThe study findings may be helpful in not only unraveling the mechanism underlying hemolysis in AIHA but also diagnosing AIHA and selecting targeted treatment strategies.
Does the Long‐Contested Question of Orthodox Ecumenism Remain Open after Crete?
Authors: Cohen Will 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe article explores whether the Orthodox Council of Crete (2016) resolved longstanding tensions within Orthodoxy over ecumenism. The article first attempts to pinpoint the substance of the disagreement. The anti‐ecumenist position, the article claims, rests on a dogmatic belief that a communion formally separated from the Orthodox Church can only continue to lose grace and the ecclesial gifts of the Spirit, while ecumenists hold that another communion might recover or increase in such gifts even prior to formal reunification with Orthodoxy. The article then explores the much‐disputed use of the word ‘church’ for other Christian communions in the document ‘Relations of the Orthodox Church with the Rest of the Christian World’. If it is true, as many on both sides of the controversy have suggested, that the Council formally affirmed the pro‐ecumenist position, does this make anti‐ecumenism a no longer viable Orthodox stance? This depends on the Council’s status, a further contested matter on which the article concludes with some tentative reflections.
Father, Mother, Brother, Sister: Primacy and Familial Language
Authors: Siecienski A. Edward 
Published: January 2021

AbstractFrom its inception Christianity has employed familial language to help believers frame their relationships, first to God, who was their common ‘Father’, and to one another. In the early church this was also true of bishops, and especially to the Patriarchs of Rome and Constantinople, where one is struck by the frequent use of fraternal language in order to establish their respective positions within the church. However, by the medieval period a shift took place whereby Rome began to reference itself not as the ‘brother’ or ‘sister’ of other churches but as ‘mother’ and ‘father’. Calls to reunion were thus increasingly framed in terms of filial obedience, with the return of the prodigal son becoming the West’s chief paradigm for understanding reunion. This continued for centuries, until the mid‐twentieth century, when Rome once again began to employ fraternal language in its dealings with the Orthodox.
The Category of ‘Ethical Apophaticism’ in Modern Orthodox Theology
Authors: Torrance Alexis 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThis article begins by summarizing the concept of ethical apophaticism in the theology of John Zizioulas and Christos Yannaras. The impetus for this concept, namely a desire to maintain the irreducibility of the human person to extrinsic ethical categories, is noted and celebrated. However, it is proposed that to do fuller justice to the understanding of the ethical and moral life in the Orthodox tradition, a certain ‘ethical cataphaticsm’ needs to be brought into the discussion. Some potential lineaments of what this might entail for these authors are highlighted (repentance and love) before seeking to supplement them with a discussion of the commandments of Christ through the lens of the theology of Sophrony Sakharov. It is argued that Christ’s commandments provide the sure path to developing an ethical cataphaticism that can work in tandem with the insights of the category of ethical apophaticism offered by Zizioulas and Yannaras.
Initialization of Hidden Markov and Semi‐Markov Models: A Critical Evaluation of Several Strategies
Authors: Maruotti Antonello , Punzo Antonio 
Published: January 2021

SummaryThe expectation–maximization (EM) algorithm is a familiar tool for computing the maximum likelihood estimate of the parameters in hidden Markov and semi‐Markov models. This paper carries out a detailed study on the influence that the initial values of the parameters impose on the results produced by the algorithm. We compare random starts and partitional and model‐based strategies for choosing the initial values for the EM algorithm in the case of multivariate Gaussian emission distributions (EDs) and assess the performance of each strategy with different assessment criteria. Several data generation settings are considered with varying number of latent states, of variables as well as of the level of fuzziness in the data, and discussion on how each factor influences the obtained results is provided. Simulation results show that different initialization strategies may lead to different log‐likelihood values and, accordingly, to different estimated partitions. A clear indication of which strategies should be preferred is given. We further include two real‐data examples, widely analysed in the hidden semi‐Markov model literature.
Efficacy of 0.1% cyclosporine eye drops in Sjögren syndrome dry eye
Authors: Kim Seonjoo , Sook Hwang You , Hyang Chung So 
Published: January 2021

AbstractPurposeTo investigate the efficacy of the 0.1% cycloporin A (Ikervis®) are compared with those of the conventional 0.1% cycloporin A emulsion (Restasis®) in primary Sjögren syndrome dry eye.MethodsThis study included 50 eyes of 25 patients diagnosed with primary SS. Patients had been using 0.05% cyclosporin eye drops (Restasis®) administered twice daily for more than 6 months with artificial tears and their ocular surface stain scoring was more than 3 by SICCA (풀어서 써 주세요) grading. The patients were instructed to change 0.05% cyclosporin A emulsion (Restasis®) twice into 0.1% cycloporin A (Ikervis®) once a day with maintenance of same artificial tears. The changes from baseline in dry eye parameters including tear breakup time (BUT), Schirmer I value, corneal staining score, and conjunctival staining score by The Sjögren's International Collaborative Clinical Alliance (SICCA) and Ocular Surface Disease Index (OSDI) at 3 months were evaluated.ResultsPatients were all women and mean age were 53.4 ± 10.1 years. At 3 months, BUT was improved from 3.81 to 4.10 seconds with no significant difference (p = 0.41). Schirmer I value and OSDI did not significantly change from baseline. Corneal and conjunctival staining scores were significantly improved after change of Restasis® into Ikervis® in SS dry eyes (p = 0.001 and p = 0.022, respectively).ConclusionsTreatment with 0.1% cyclosporine Ikervis® might be more effective to alleviate ocular surface staining scores than 0.05% cyclosporine Restasis® in primary SS dry eye. Further study with longer treatment would be needed.
Fundus image quality assessment for an eye model with cataract using adapted illumination patterns
Authors: Link Dietmar , Klee Sascha 
Published: January 2021

PurposeIn recent years, different methods have been developed to improve fundus image quality in eyes with cataract. For stray light reduction, we have introduced a segmented LED light source. To analyze the effect of different illumination patterns at different cataract characteristics, we developed an optical cataract eye model. Accordingly, we performed fundus imaging using a fundus camera equipped with a LED light source controlled by a Raspberry Pi.MethodsA customized 24‐fold segmented LED light source was connected to a fundus camera. The eye model consists of a plano‐convex lens, a cover glass, and a test chart with five black‐white test fields. The pupil diameter was set to 7 mm. To test the influence of variable illumination patterns, four different cortical cataract patterns were produced by sand blasting the cover glasses. Three spoke‐like (1Spoke, 4S, 7S) patterns and one crescent‐shaped/CS pattern were realized. To analyze the effect of adapted illumination conditions, the gray‐level co‐occurrence matrix (GLCM) contrasts were calculated. At that, one image was taken at standard annular illumination (all LEDs on) as baseline followed by seven defined adapted configurations, for each type of cataract.ResultsFor the four types of cataracts, the baseline GLCM contrast values were 0.21 (1S), 0.18 (4S), 0.17 (7S), and 0.22 (CS). In each cataract type, the best‐fitting illumination pattern resulted in 0.23 (1S), 0.29 (4S), 0.22 (7S), and 0.23 (CS). Compared to the baseline values, the increases of the GLCM contrasts were 9.5% (1S), 61% (4S), 29% (7S), and 4.5% (CS).ConclusionsWe successfully performed structured LED illumination for different cortical cataract types using an optical eye model. An improvement of fundus image quality could be determined in all investigated cases using the gray‐level co‐occurrence matrix contrast.
c.‐61G>A in OVOL2 is a pathogenic variant in posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy 1—a case report
Authors: Janeschitz‐Kriegl Lucas , Rivolta Carlo , György Bence , Quinodoz Mathieu , Meyer Peter , Wild Andreas , Escher Pascal , Scholl Hendrik , Goldblum David 
Published: January 2021

AbstractPurposeTo investigate the clinical and genetic features of a man and his daughter with Posterior polymorphous corneal dystrophy 1 (PPCD1), referred to our clinic for Descemet's Membrane Endothelial Keratoplasty (DMEK). No other known relatives were affected, including the index patient's spouse and their son.MethodsClinical examination was performed by best‐corrected visual acuity (BCVA) testing, slit‐lamp examination (SLE), anterior‐segment optical coherency tomography (OCT) and specular microscopy. Histologic testing and electron microscopy were done. Genetic testing was carried out by means of Whole‐Exome Sequencing (WES), and variant analysis was achieved by an internal in silico pipeline.ResultsSlowly progressive blurred vision was reported from childhood by the daughter. The father's symptoms started approximately ten years prior to consultation. BCVA was 0.2 in both eyes in the father and 0.2/0.4 in the right/left eye in the daughter. SLE in both patients revealed bilateral corneal clouding with focal grey endothelial spots. Corneal edema with Descemet's folds was present. DMEK was performed uneventfully. Histology and electron microscopy showed layered Descemet's membrane and pleomorphic endothelial cells with vacuoles but no microvilli. Genetic analysis revealed the c. ‐61G>A variant in the 5′UTR region of the OVOL2 gene heterozygously, in both patients. This change was not present in the unaffected members of the family.ConclusionsPPCD1 has been linked to mutations in the promoter and the 5′UTR region of OVOL2. The NM_021220.4:c.‐61G>A DNA change was previously reported as a variant of unknown pathogenicity, despite having been identified in another patient with PPCD1. Based on perfect familial co‐segregation, complete absence of this change in all public databases of normal controls, and its identification in two additional individuals with PPCD1, we conclude that c.‐61G>A is a truly pathogenic mutation for this condition.