bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Size‐specific effects of bighead carp predation across the zooplankton size spectra
Authors: Collins Scott F. , Wahl David H. 
Published: April 2018

Abstract

Bigheaded carp (Cyprinidae: Hypophthalmichthys spp.) were brought to North America for aquaculture and eventually escaped captivity. Since their liberation, they have dispersed northward through the Mississippi River Basin and its tributaries. Although bigheaded carp are omnivorous filter‐feeding planktivores, their predatory effects on zooplankton are of principal concern because many native fishes feed on planktonic invertebrates during some phase of their life history. The aim of our study was to quantify the magnitude of effect of bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) on zooplankton body size and daily secondary production across a range of body lengths.

We conducted an experiment where we compared responses of zooplankton in the presence of a native fish assemblage (control, n = 5 ponds) and a native fish assemblage plus bighead carp (invaded, n = 5 ponds). The experiment lasted 3 months (June–September, 2014) and was conducted in clay‐lined ponds (0.04 ha. wetted area; 1.5–1.75 m water depths). We quantified the predatory effects of bighead carp on overall changes to the size structure of zooplankton assemblages, body lengths of zooplankton taxa and taxa‐specific changes to standing crop biomass and daily secondary production.

The size structure of zooplankton assemblage shifted towards smaller invertebrates in the presence of bighead carp. Bighead carp reduced the individual body sizes of Diaphanosoma (Sididae) (−19%) and Daphnia (Daphniidae) (−9%) after 3 months. Moreover, the standing crop biomass (−92% to 98%) and daily production (−65% to 74%) of Diaphanosoma, Daphnia and Calanoida were reduced in the presence of bighead carp. Bighead carp reduced immature copepod nauplii by 75% when compared to controls and may have affected recruitment to the adult stage.

Our experiment indicated that the magnitude of predation by bighead carp increased with zooplankton body size, although rotifers and nauplii were exceptions to this pattern. The combined effects of reduced body sizes of some taxa and direct predation on immature and adult life stages of larger taxa suggest that bighead carp may be affecting zooplankton demographics through additional mechanisms such as reduced egg production, mate limitation, and recruitment.
Pasture intensification is insufficient to relieve pressure on conservation priority areas in open agricultural markets
Authors: Kreidenweis Ulrich , Humpenöder Florian , Kehoe Laura , Kuemmerle Tobias , Bodirsky Benjamin Leon , Lotze‐Campen Hermann , Popp Alexander 
Published: April 2018

AbstractAgricultural expansion is a leading driver of biodiversity loss across the world, but little is known on how future land‐use change may encroach on remaining natural vegetation. This uncertainty is, in part, due to unknown levels of future agricultural intensification and international trade. Using an economic land‐use model, we assessed potential future losses of natural vegetation with a focus on how these may threaten biodiversity hotspots and intact forest landscapes. We analysed agricultural expansion under proactive and reactive biodiversity protection scenarios, and for different rates of pasture intensification. We found growing food demand to lead to a significant expansion of cropland at the expense of pastures and natural vegetation. In our reference scenario, global cropland area increased by more than 400 Mha between 2015 and 2050, mostly in Africa and Latin America. Grazing intensification was a main determinant of future land‐use change. In Africa, higher rates of pasture intensification resulted in smaller losses of natural vegetation, and reduced pressure on biodiversity hotspots and intact forest landscapes. Investments into raising pasture productivity in conjunction with proactive land‐use planning appear essential in Africa to reduce further losses of areas with high conservation value. In Latin America, in contrast, higher pasture productivity resulted in increased livestock exports, highlighting that unchecked trade can reduce the land savings of pasture intensification. Reactive protection of sensitive areas significantly reduced the conversion of natural ecosystems in Latin America. We conclude that protection strategies need to adapt to region‐specific trade positions. In regions with a high involvement in international trade, area‐based conservation measures should be preferred over strategies aimed at increasing pasture productivity, which by themselves might not be sufficient to protect biodiversity effectively.
Effect of silage inoculants on the quality of baled whole‐crop wheat silages and milking cow performance
Authors: Ben‐Meir Yehoshav A. , Jami Elie , Portnik Yuri , Ya'acoby Shamay , Chen Yaira , Ogunade Ibukun M. , Adesogan Adegbola T. , Weinberg Zwi G. 
Published: April 2018

AbstractThe objective of the current experiment was to study the effect of lactic acid bacteria silage inoculants on baled whole‐crop wheat silages and on performance parameters of high milking cows that were fed these bales. Treatments included control (no additive), Lacobacillus buchneri 40788 (LB), Lactobacillus plantarum MTD1 40027 (LP) and Pediococcus pentosaceus 30168 (PP), each applied at 106 CFU g−1 fresh matter. Nine kg (dry matter) silages and 20 kg of dry premix were included in the total mix ration (TMR) of 32 high milking Holstein cows in a controlled feeding experiment. In the initial 10 days all cows received the control silage only, followed by 25 days during which the cows received either the control or one of the treated silages in their rations (eight cows/group). All baled silages were of good quality. The daily milk yields in the last week of the experiment were 43.3, 46.5, 44.7 and 44.5 kg, for the control, LB, LP and PP, respectively. The percent milk fat for the respective treatments was 3.39, 3.23, 3.31 and 3.39, and the percent milk protein 3.27, 3.25, 3.31 and 3.28. Among the inoculants used, LB resulted in the largest enhancement of lactating cows performance.
Effects of plateau pika disturbance levels on the plant diversity and biomass of an alpine meadow
Authors: Pang Xiao Pan , Guo Zheng Gang 
Published: April 2018

AbstractThe plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) is known to influence the plant diversity and biomass of the alpine meadow, and it is regarded as a pest. The species has been subject to extensive controls without a clear target density in the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau. We investigated the effects of different plateau pika disturbance levels on plant composition, species diversity and biomass. The density of active burrow entrances was used as an index of disturbance levels I, II, III and IV (corresponding to 8, 19, 27 and 39 active burrow entrances per 625 m2). We found that the plant community composition differed with different disturbance levels. The plant replacements were mainly related to associate plants rather than dominant plants. With the increase in the plateau pika disturbance levels, the plant cover decreased, and the plant height first increased and then decreased. The plant evenness index was higher in the levels II and III disturbance conditions, while the plant diversity index and plant richness index were highest in the level IV disturbance condition. The disturbance levels had no effect on the total plant biomass; however, the intermediate disturbance levels (II and III) increased the palatable plant biomass. The total plant biomass was mainly dependent on the unpalatable plant biomass. The total plant biomass showed a positive correlation with the richness index and a negative correlation with the evenness index. The palatable plant biomass showed a positive correlation with the evenness index and a negative correlation with the richness index. These results imply that the intermediate disturbance levels are beneficial to livestock production as they increase the alpine meadow quality, and the higher disturbance level is better for plant diversity conservation in the alpine meadows of the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau.
Beyond it all: Surveying the intersections of modern American Indian, environmental, and western histories
Authors: Allison James R. 
Published: April 2018

AbstractAt the close of the twentieth century, the related fields of American Indian, environmental, and western history produced the discipline's most dynamic historiographies. For all their collective insights, however, these works rarely crossed into the twentieth century to examine modern Indians in the American West. This is no longer the case. This essay, thus, first explores the social and political conditions that produced the “New Indian History” and the “New Western History” by the 1990s, and then examines recent work that incorporates “post‐colonial” and “settler colonialism” approaches to reveal a more nuanced picture of the recent Indian past and the meanings indigenous people attach to it. Finally, the analysis turns to calls for a new historiography—labeled variously as the “indigenous paradigm” or the “writing back” approach—and details the benefits and challenges it poses to the study of history. Throughout, the essay demonstrates the fundamental connection between the ever‐changing present and our evolving understandings of the past.
New directions in health sciences libraries in China
Authors: Xie Zhiyun , Zhang Jianjing 
Published: April 2018

AbstractThis article briefly describes the services provided by Chinese health science libraries and the factors which influence service provision. Driven by new technologies and national initiatives, the key services delivered by Chinese health libraries in the last 10 years have been research support services (such as research impact assessment, support for data management), evidence‐based medicine, systematic reviews, the promotion of health information literacy, and the development of institutional repositories.J.M.
MiR‐193a‐3p functions as a tumour suppressor in human aldosterone‐producing adrenocortical adenoma by down‐regulating CYP11B2
Authors: Zhang Guoxi , Zou Xiaofeng , Liu Quanliang , Xie Tianpeng , Huang Ruohui , Kang Huan , Lai Changfu , Zhu Jiaxing 
Published: April 2018

SummaryThe mechanism of aldosterone‐producing adrenocortical adenoma (APA) pathogenesis and the role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in APA pathogenesis have not been completely clarified. We examined the expression and function of miR‐140‐3p, miR‐193a‐3p and miR‐22‐3p, which have binding sites in CYP11B2. Expression of miRNAs and CYP11B2 mRNA was measured by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT‐PCR). Cell proliferation was monitored by colorimetric analysis, and cell apoptosis and cell cycle progression were analysed by flow cytometry. ELISA was carried out to detect aldosterone levels in cell culture supernatants. Luciferase reporter assays, qRT‐PCR and Western blotting were performed to identify CYP11B2 as a target of miR‐193a‐3p. Of the three miRNAs examined, miR‐193a‐3p exhibited a significant decrease and CYP11B2 mRNA exhibited a significant increase in expression in APA compared with adjacent normal adrenal gland tissue. Transfection of miR‐193a‐3p mimic into the human adrenocortical cell line H295R showed that elevated miR‐193a‐3p expression inhibits proliferation and aldosterone secretion, induces G1‐phase arrest and promotes apoptosis in H295R cells. Furthermore, in luciferase reporter assays, overexpression of miR‐193a‐3p in H295R cells significantly reduced the luciferase activity of the wild‐type CYP11B2 3ʹ‐UTR construct, which could be reversed by mutation of the miR‐193a‐3p‐binding site. Moreover, miR‐193a‐3p overexpression downregulated CYP11B2 mRNA and protein expression. Finally, overexpression of CYP11B2 diminished the effects of miR‐193a‐3p on H295R cells. Taken together, our results suggest that CYP11B2 levels may be modulated by miR‐193a‐3p in APA, which could explain, at least partially, why downregulation of miR‐193a‐3p during APA formation may promote cell growth and suppress apoptosis.
Dissolution of BaZrO3 refractory in titanium melt
Authors: Chen Guangyao , Kang Juyun , Gao Pengyue , Qin Ziwei , Lu Xionggang , Li Chonghe 
Published: April 2018

AbstractAlthough numerous investigations have studied BaZrO3 as a crucible refractory for melting titanium alloys, the interaction mechanism between them has not been clarified. In this study, a set of three designed alloys with different Ti composition (TiNi, Ti1.5Ni, and Ti2Ni) were melted in the BaZrO3 crucibles. By using the X‐ray diffraction, optical, and scanning electron microscopy analysis, the interactions between the BaZrO3 crucibles and the titanium melts were investigated. It was found that dissolution of the BaZrO3 refractory into the titanium melts resulted in the crucible erosion and the melt contamination, the degree of which were both increased with the increasing of Ti content in the melts. The dissolution reaction could be determined as follows: . The oxygen content dissolved in TiNi, Ti1.5Ni, and Ti2Ni melts was thermodynamically calculated as 0.0055, 0.1922, and 0.2263 wt%, respectively, which were in agreement with the experimental results.
The management of livedoid vasculopathy focused on direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs): four case reports successfully treated with rivaroxaban
Authors: Franco Marques Gabriela , Criado Paulo Ricardo , Alves Batista Morita Thâmara Cristiane , Cajas García María Salomé 
Published: April 2018

AbstractLivedoid vasculopathy (LV) is a thrombotic skin disease characterized by episodic painful ulcerations of the distal aspects of the legs. Its healing process typically leaves small porcelain‐white scars called atrophie blanche as a result of the occlusion of cutaneous microcirculation. The main goals of the treatment are pain management and the prevention of ulceration and of progressive scarring in the malleolar area. The therapeutic management is still a challenge, however, and most treatments were based on anecdotal off‐label protocols. Over such context, direct oral anticoagulants (DOACS) arise as a potential treatment for this disease. This class of medications became an alternative from initial large studies applied on different pathologic scenarios regarding thromboembolic events. In that line, recent case series using DOACS, including rivaroxaban, started to emerge in the literature related to LV and reported successful prevention of cutaneous infarctions and ulcerations, providing physicians with a new promising alternative. The current report describes four cases of long‐term recalcitrant LV, in which rivaroxaban monotherapy effectively reduced pain and cutaneous ulcerations in a few weeks of treatment without relevant side effects. The authors also review therapy management of the disease, focused on DOACS, and suggest a step‐by‐step approach to treat these patients, taking into consideration different resource profiles of each level of local health centers, the gravity of the cases, and risks/benefits for patients.
Associations of chronic urticaria with atopic and autoimmune comorbidities: a nationwide population‐based study
Authors: Chiu Hsien‐Yi , Muo Chih‐Hsin , Sung Fung‐Chang 
Published: April 2018

AbstractBackgroundMost cases of chronic urticaria (CU) are idiopathic. Circumstantial evidence suggests that some CU cases have an autoimmune pathogenesis. Previous research indicates that a substantial percentage of patients with CU have an atopic background.ObjectivesThis study aims to examine the association between CU, and atopic and autoimmune diseases.MethodsThis population‐based retrospective cohort study identified 9,332 patients with CU and 37,328 controls matched for age, sex, and number of dermatological clinic visits from the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database for 2004–2009. Using multiple logistic regression, we estimated odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) for associations of CU with atopic and autoimmune diseases.ResultsCU was most strongly associated with Kawasaki disease (modified OR, 2.76; 95% CI 1.15–6.63), followed by Henoch–Schönlein purpura (HSP), atopic dermatitis (AD), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), allergic rhinitis (AR), autoimmune thyroid diseases, Sjögren syndrome, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and asthma, which had the lowest adjusted OR (1.11; 95% CI 1.01–1.22) among comorbidities significantly associated with CU. The associations varied in relation to age, group, and sex. Among women, CU was significantly associated with AD, AR, autoimmune thyroid diseases, SLE, vitiligo, and HSP. Among men, CU was significantly associated with AD, AR, autoimmune thyroid diseases, Kawasaki disease, and IBD.ConclusionCU is associated with atopic/autoimmune diseases. Increased awareness of atopic and autoimmune comorbidities may be warranted for patients with CU.
Effects of low‐temperature conditioning and cold storage on development of chilling injuries and the transcriptome of ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate fruit
Authors: Kashash Yael , Doron‐Faigenboim Adi , Holland Doron , Porat Ron 
Published: April 2018

SummaryWe recently developed a postharvest low‐temperature‐conditioning (LTC) treatment for ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate fruits that involve prestorage exposure to 15 °C for 10 days, and it markedly enhanced chilling tolerance. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in the fruit responses to LTC, we conducted RNA‐Seq analysis of ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate inner membrane tissue at four different time points: (i) immediately after harvest; (ii) after the LTC treatment; (iii) after 2 weeks of cold storage at 1 °C; and (iv) after LTC + 2 weeks at 1 °C. Pairwise comparisons revealed that 7798 transcripts were significantly (P ≤ 0.05) induced or repressed by a factor of at least four in the chilling treatment (2422 upregulated and 5376 downregulated) as compared with just 1997 transcripts in the LTC + chilling treatment (974 upregulated and 1023 downregulated). Thus, application of LTC mitigated the overall changes in transcript levels associated with cold storage. Furthermore, the LTC + chilling affected gene expression patterns related to regulatory and stress mechanisms, including modification of specific transcription factor, signalling and stress‐related genes.
Circannual variation in relative weight of children 5 to 16 years of age
Authors: Bhutani S. , Hanrahan L. P. , Vanwormer J. , Schoeller D. A. 
Published: April 2018

SummaryBackgroundSummer weight gain in children has been reported; however, this is usually based on two time points. Our objective was to investigate monthly variation in weight status.MethodsCross‐sectional, de‐identified health records including height, weight and demographics, collected between 2007 and 2012 from South Central Wisconsin in 70 531 children age 5–16 years were analysed. The monthly averages in body mass index (BMI) z‐score were analysed cross‐sectionally followed by a paired analysis for a subset with one visit each during school and summer months.ResultsBMI z‐scores during the summer months (June–August) were lower than values during the school year (September–May). Of note, there was a rapid decrease in BMI z‐scores from May to June, with June BMI z‐score values being 0.065 units less (95% CI 0.046–0.085) than those in May, little change from June to August and a rapid increase between the August and September BMI z‐scores.ConclusionThe monthly pattern does not fully agree with previous two‐point school‐based studies. Results raise concern that the use of two time point measures of BMIs (early fall and late spring) is suboptimal for evaluation of circannual variation. We suggest that future evaluation of the effect of school‐based or summer interventions utilizes additional measures in those periods so that a seasonal analysis can be performed.
Historical Memory and the Resurrection of Jesus: Encountering the Risen Christ
Authors: Levering Matthew 
Published: April 2018

AbstractWhy did the risen Christ only impart the truth of his resurrection to future generations indirectly? Why risk the distortion and eventual loss of contact with the truth and reality of his risen life that could result? Moreover, granted he uses mediation to preserve his presence among humankind, what means does he use? This article argues that Christ employs two principal means to preserve the knowledge and saving presence of his risen life in his church, namely: the historical memory preserved in the Gospels and the church's liturgical remembrance. The first part of this work examines the existence and reliability of eyewitness testimony in the Gospels in dialogue with the work of Richard Bauckham. The second part examines the path of liturgical remembrance through active participation in the life of the crucified and risen Christ.
Ressourcement or Aggiornamento? An Assessment of Modern Liturgical Reforms
Authors: Denysenko Nicholas 
Published: April 2018

AbstractThis article assesses the liturgical reforms attributed to Alexander Schmemann and New Skete monastery. A close examination of these reforms demonstrates that they were primarily pastoral attempts to continue the work inaugurated by the Moscow Council of 1917–18 (Schmemann), and to restore monastic stewardship of venerable liturgical traditions (New Skete). The author suggests that it would be more fruitful to approach the question of renewing tradition on the basis of the goals of liturgical renewal, which happen to be common to both the Catholic and Orthodox churches, namely liturgical theosis, or divinization of the people through liturgical events.
Silencing of Apis mellifera dorsal genes reveals their role in expression of the antimicrobial peptide defensin‐1
Authors: Lourenço A. P. , Florecki M. M. , Simões Z. L. P. , Evans J. D. 
Published: April 2018

Abstract
Like all other insects, two key signalling pathways [Toll and immune deficiency (Imd)] regulate the induction of honey bee immune effectors that target microbial pathogens. Amongst these effectors are antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) that are presumed to be produced by the nuclear factors kappa B (NF‐κB) Dorsal and Relish from the Toll and Imd pathways, respectively. Using in silico analysis, we previously proposed that the honey bee AMP defensin‐1 was regulated by the Toll pathway, whereas hymenoptaecin was regulated by Imd and abaecin by both the Toll and Imd pathways. Here we use an RNA interference (RNAi) assay to determine the role of Dorsal in regulating abaecin and defensin‐1. Honey bees have two dorsal genes (dorsal‐1 and dorsal‐2) and two splicing isoforms of dorsal‐1 (dorsal‐1A and dorsal‐1B). Accordingly, we used both single and multiple (double or triple) isoform knockdown strategies to clarify the roles of dorsal proteins and their isoforms. Down‐regulation of defensin‐1 was observed for dorsal‐1A and dorsal‐2 knockdowns, but abaecin expression was not affected by dorsal RNAi. We conclude that defensin‐1 is regulated by Dorsal (Toll pathway).