bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Prey‐specific impact of cold pre‐exposure on kill rate and reproduction
Authors: Jensen Kim , Toft Søren , Sigsgaard Lene , Sørensen Jesper G. , Holmstrup Martin 
Published: October 2018

Abstract

Temperature influences biological processes of ectotherms including ecological interactions, but interaction strengths may depend on species‐specific traits. Furthermore, ectotherms acclimate to prevailing thermal conditions by adjusting physiological parameters, which often implies costs to other fitness‐related parameters. Both predators and prey may therefore pay thermal acclimation costs following exposure to suboptimal temperatures. However, these costs may be asymmetrical between predator and prey, and between the predator and different species of concurrent prey.

We investigated whether thermal pre‐exposure affected subsequent kill rate and predator fitness when foraging on prey that differ in ease of capture, and whether changes were primarily caused by predator or by prey pre‐exposure effects. Specifically, we were interested in whether there were interactions between predator pre‐exposed temperature and specific prey.

Using the mesostigmatid mite Gaeolaelaps aculeifer as a generalist predator and the collembolans Folsomia candida and Protaphorura fimata as prey, we measured the impact of present temperature, predator pre‐exposure temperature, prey pre‐exposure temperature (all 10 or 20°C), prey species, and all interactions on prey numbers killed, predator eggs produced, and exploitation of killed prey in a full factorial design.

Mites killed P. fimata in equal numbers independent of the presence of F. candida, but killed F. candida when P. fimata was absent. Mite kill rate and reproduction were significantly affected by mite pre‐exposure temperature and test temperature, but not by prey pre‐exposure temperature. Significantly more of the slower prey was killed than of the quicker prey. Importantly, we found significant synergistic negative interaction effects between predator cold pre‐exposure and hunting prey of higher agility on predator kill rate and reproduction.

Our findings show that the negative effects of cold and cold pre‐exposure on kill rate and reproduction may be more severe when predators forage on quick prey. The study implies that predator cold exposure has consequences for specific prey survival following cold due to altered predation pressures, which in nature should influence the specific prey population dynamics and apparent competition outcomes. The findings exemplify how not only current but also preceding conditions affect ecological interactions, and that effect strength depends on the species involved.
A systematic review of transparency in the methods of expert knowledge use
Authors: Drescher Michael , Edwards Rachael C. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractThe use of expert knowledge (EK) as an alternative to empirical data is increasing in the ecological disciplines in response to the growing need for rapid decisions that are embraced by local communities and implemented under strong resource constraints. Despite this increasing use, the validity of EK as a data source is still questioned by some who label it as biased or unreliable. Transparency in the methods applied in the use of EK allows confirmation of methodological rigour and study repeatability; key steps towards promoting the acceptance of EK as a valid data source. However, the practiced levels of methodological transparency in EK use are currently unknown in the ecological disciplines.To fill this knowledge gap, we performed a systematic review of transparency in methods applied in the use of EK, focusing on research in forest ecology and management as a case study. Covering the period from 1990 to 2016, we identified 296 publications that employed EK, which were assessed for their reporting on 15 methodological criteria of EK use.Our results indicate that transparency in the use of EK is generally very low, with only three out of 15 methodological criteria addressed in more than 50% of publications. Nevertheless, overall reporting on EK methods, and the reporting of four individual methodological criteria, were positively affected by publication year, suggesting that researchers increasingly recognize the importance of transparency in the use of EK methods.Synthesis and applications. Given the growing use of expert knowledge (EK) in the ecological disciplines, there is an urgent need to further its acceptance as a valid data source. To achieve this goal, researchers need to be more diligent in following best practices and reporting on EK methods. We therefore present a proposed set of guidelines for the reporting of EK methods. However, journal editors and reviewers also can play an important role in reaching this goal by requiring authors to transparently report on EK methods, just as they would expect for the use of empirical data.
Debt administration in Small Island‐States
Authors: Moloney Kim 
Published: October 2018

AbstractPublic debt management is an infrequent focus of public administration studies. Yet without appropriate debt management, administrators have few financial resources for public service provision. Island‐state administrators face an enhanced service provision challenge. The peculiarity of island‐state economies, the unpredictability of exogenous events and the state's endogenous choices increase debt administration's importance. Via its focus on debt management office location and the administrative constraints posed by brain drain, transparency and regionalization, this paper goes beyond typical debt management studies to engage debt administration spaces. The result is a framework for studies of debt administration in Small Island‐States.
Social jetlag, sleep‐related parameters, and glycemic control in adults with type 1 diabetes: Results of a cross‐sectional study
Authors: Rusu Adriana , Ciobanu Dana , Bala Cornelia , Cerghizan Anca , Roman Gabriela 
Published: October 2018

AbstractBackgroundSocial jetlag (SJL) is a small recurrent circadian rhythm disruption and the most frequent form of circadian rhythm misalignment. The main aim of this study was to investigate the effect of SJL on glycemic control, as assessed by HbA1c, in real‐life settings.MethodsIn all, 115 consecutive patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) were analyzed cross‐sectionally. Data on bedtime, sleep onset latency, and wake up time on weekdays and weekends during the previous month were collected from all participants and used to calculate SJL, chronotype, and sleep duration. Sleep quality was assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI). A PSQI score > 5 was considered as an indicator of poor sleep quality.ResultsPatients with SJL ≥ 1 hour had significantly higher adjusted values of HbA1c than those with SJL <1 hour (8.7% vs 8.0%; P = 0.029). In unadjusted multivariate regression analysis, SJL ≥ 1 hour and poor sleep quality were significant predictors of HbA1c values, explaining 22.7% and 23.5%, respectively, of the increase in HbA1c. After adjusting for age, sex, diabetes duration, insulin dose (kg/d), insulin regimen and body mass index, only SJL ≥ 1 hour remained associated with HbA1c (β = 0.253; P = 0.026). There was no significant interaction between SJL ≥ 1 hour and poor sleep quality in either the unadjusted or adjusted models (Pinteraction = 0.914).ConclusionsIn patients with T1D, SJL is associated with poor glycemic control, acting independently of sleep quality, sleep duration, and chronotype to exert a deleterious effect on glycemic control.
Automatic acoustic detection of birds through deep learning: The first Bird Audio Detection challenge
Authors: Stowell Dan , Wood Michael D. , Pamuła Hanna , Stylianou Yannis , Glotin Hervé 
Published: October 2018

Abstract

Assessing the presence and abundance of birds is important for monitoring specific species as well as overall ecosystem health. Many birds are most readily detected by their sounds, and thus, passive acoustic monitoring is highly appropriate. Yet acoustic monitoring is often held back by practical limitations such as the need for manual configuration, reliance on example sound libraries, low accuracy, low robustness, and limited ability to generalise to novel acoustic conditions.

Here, we report outcomes from a collaborative data challenge. We present new acoustic monitoring datasets, summarise the machine learning techniques proposed by challenge teams, conduct detailed performance evaluation, and discuss how such approaches to detection can be integrated into remote monitoring projects.

Multiple methods were able to attain performance of around 88% area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), much higher performance than previous general‐purpose methods.

With modern machine learning, including deep learning, general‐purpose acoustic bird detection can achieve very high retrieval rates in remote monitoring data, with no manual recalibration, and no pretraining of the detector for the target species or the acoustic conditions in the target environment.
Dysregulated homeostatic pathways in sarcopenia among frail older adults
Authors: Ng Tze Pin , Lu Yanxia , Choo Robin Wai Mun , Tan Crystal Tze Ying , Nyunt Ma Shwe Z. , Gao Qi , Mok Esther Wing Hei , Larbi Anis 
Published: October 2018

AbstractSarcopenia, a core feature of the physical frailty syndrome, is characterized by multisystem physiological dysregulation. No study has explored qualitatively the hierarchical network of relationships among different dysregulated pathways involved in the pathogenesis of sarcopenia. We used 40 blood biomarkers belonging to community‐dwelling prefrail and frail older persons to derive measures of multiple physiological pathways, and structural equation modeling to generate path network models of the multisystem physiological dysregulations associated with muscle mass and function (MMF). Insulin–leptin signaling and energy regulation, anabolic sex steroid regulation (testosterone, leptin), and tissue oxygenation (hemoglobin, red cell count) appear to be primary mediating factors exerting direct influences on MMF. There was additionally secondary mediatory involvement of myocyte‐ and adipocyte‐derived cytokines, hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) stress hormones (cortisol, DHEAS), glomerular function, and immune cell regulatory and inflammatory cytokines and glycoproteins. We conclude that within a hierarchical network of multisystem physiological dysregulations in sarcopenia, dysregulated anabolic and catabolic pathways via sex steroids and insulin–leptin dual signaling and tissue hypoxemia are primary physiological dysregulations responsible for sarcopenia and frailty.
Autophagy gene ATG5 knockdown upregulates apoptotic cell death during Candida albicans infection in human vaginal epithelial cells
Authors: Shroff Ankit , Reddy Kudumula Venkata Rami 
Published: October 2018

ProblemCandida albicans infection induces damage in host cells that results in the activation of cell death pathways such as apoptosis and necrosis. Autophagy acts as a pro‐survival mechanism during various infections and has cross talks with apoptosis. The objective of our study was to delineate the effect of autophagy knockdown in human vaginal epithelial cells (VECs) during Candida infection‐induced apoptosis.Method of studyWe overexpressed wild‐type or mutant form of autophagy‐related gene 5 (ATG5) in human VECs and determined the levels of autophagy and lysosome marker genes upon C. albicans infection. We analyzed the expression of apoptosis and necrosis markers using confocal microscopy and flow cytometry.ResultsMutant ATG5 overexpressing VECs were unable to form Atg5‐Atg12 complex, which is required for functional autophagy pathway. Upon Candida albicans infection, wild‐type ATG5 overexpressing cells showed upregulation of autophagy marker genes, ATG5, LC3‐I, LC3‐II, and LAMP‐1. Mutant ATG5 overexpressing cells could not upregulate LC3‐II and LAMP‐1 expression, indicating a defective autophagy pathway. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry results revealed that wild‐type ATG5 overexpressing VECs showed significantly lower number of apoptotic and necrotic cells as compared to mutant ATG5 overexpressing cells.ConclusionVaginal epithelial cells with active autophagy were able to survive the damage caused by C. albicans infection, whereas those with defective autophagy succumbed to the infection. This suggests that autophagy plays a critical role in human VECs survival during C. albicans infection.
Paramedicine in Australia and New Zealand: A comparative overview
Authors: O'Meara Peter , Duthie Sharon 
Published: October 2018

AbstractParamedic services in Australia and New Zealand (Australasia) share many characteristics, with both offering versions of the Anglo‐American system of emergency medical response. Their industry and professional bodies are transnational and as a result have similar industry standards and professional expectations. The major difference been the two countries is their sources of funding, with Australian paramedic services generally receiving more government funding than those in New Zealand. Both countries provide a range of services that use a mix of volunteer and professional staff and employ state‐of‐the‐art communications and medical technology to provide high‐level clinical services. In common with other higher income countries, they face the challenge of rising usage associated with ageing populations. Both countries are adapting to this through broadening their response models, from a focus on emergency medical response to the provision of a mobile health service that will see the emergence of more practitioners paramedic roles. These emerging models challenge the core missions of paramedic services, as well as the professional identity of paramedics. Despite these trends towards higher level and well‐integrated paramedic services in Australia and New Zealand, communities and many other health professionals have limited knowledge or understanding of how paramedic services are organised, the characteristics of paramedics and allied staff and limited appreciation of their potential to make greater contributions to the health and well‐being of communities. This article provides an introduction to how paramedics, as members of multidisciplinary teams, are well placed to contribute to improvements in health outcomes.
Embryo donation or embryo adoption? Conceptual and normative issues
Authors: Hallich Oliver 
Published: October 2018

AbstractA central question in the ethical debate on the practice of relinquishing in vitro fertilization surplus embryos for family building is whether we ought to think of it more in terms of donating these embryos or in terms of having them adopted. Deciding between these two alternatives is more than a matter of mere terminology. It has an impact on normative questions, e.g., on the question of what criteria for parent selection ought to be applied to the recipients of the embryos, and on the moral evaluation of the act of ‘donating’ the embryo or ‘having it adopted’. In this article, I defend the view that we should conceptualize the relinquishment of spare embryos according to the adoption model, not as a donation. Section 2 sketches the outline of the argument by making clear how we may ground a defense of the adoption model in a theory of parental responsibility without implicitly elevating the moral status of the embryo. Section 3 contains a preliminary defense of the adoption model that draws on geneticism as what seems to me the most persuasive theory of parental responsibility. In section 4, I examine three objections to geneticism and either rebut them or, insofar as they are justified, try to accommodate them into my view. In section 5, I point out some features that distinguish embryo adoption from the adoption of (born) children. I contend, however, that these differences are compatible with the adoption model. Section 6 is concerned with the normative ramifications of this view.
On the reconceptualization of Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Schermer Maartje H. N. , Richard Edo 
Published: October 2018

AbstractIn the hope of future treatments to prevent or slow down the disease, there is a strong movement towards an ever‐earlier detection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In conjunction with scientific developments, this has prompted a reconceptualization of AD, as a slowly progressive pathological process with a long asymptomatic phase. New concepts such as ‘preclinical’ and ‘prodromal’ AD have been introduced, raising a number of conceptual and ethical questions. We evaluate whether these new concepts are theoretically defensible, in light of theories of health and disease, and whether they should be understood as disease or as an at‐risk state. We introduce a pragmatic view on disease concepts and argue that an evaluation of the reconceptualization of AD should also take its aims and effects into account, and assess their ethical acceptability. The reconceptualization of AD is useful to coordinate research into preventive strategies, and may potentially benefit future patients. However, in the short term, early detection and labelling of ‘preclinical AD’ can potentially harm people. Since there is no treatment available and the predictive value is unclear, it may only create a group of ‘patients‐in‐waiting’ who may suffer from anxiety, uncertainty and stigmatization, but will never actually develop dementia. We conclude that only if the promise of preventive medication materializes, will the reconceptualization of AD turn out unequivocally to be for the better. Otherwise, the reconceptualization may do more harm than good.
Shades of Authoritarianism and State–Labour Relations in China
Authors: Howell Jude , Pringle Tim 
Published: October 2018

AbstractAttempts to analyse authoritarianism in China tend towards a static focus on the state that is homogeneous across time. We argue for a more nuanced approach that captures the dynamism and contours of state–civil society relations, and state–labour relations, in particular, in authoritarian states. Taking state–labour relations as a bellweather, we conceptualize ‘shades of authoritarianism’ as a framework for better understanding the complexities and evolution of state–society relations in authoritarian states. We illustrate this through the case of China, distinguishing different shades of authoritarianism in the Hu‐Wen era (2002–2012) and in the current regime of Xi Jinping
BOS is associated with decreased HDAC2 from steroid resistant lymphocytes in the small airways
Authors: Hodge G , Hodge S , Yeo A , Nguyen P , Hopkins E , Liu H , Holmes-Liew C L , Holmes M 
Published: October 2018

Summary
Immunosuppression therapies including corticosteroids fail to prevent bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS), primarily a disease of the small airways, following lung transplantation. We reported increases in steroid-resistant proinflammatory lymphocytes and their loss of histone deacetylase 2 (HDAC2), an important mediator of steroid action, in the blood of stable lung transplant recipients. We noted similar increases in the steroid-resistant lymphocytes in both the blood and small airways in BOS compared with the large airways. We hypothesized that these small airway cells would also exhibit a loss of HDAC2, and that these changes could be reversed by treatment with theophylline (HDAC2 activator). Blood, bronchoalveolar lavage and large and small airway brushings were collected from lung transplant patients with BOS (n = 12) or stable lung function (n = 18) and healthy aged-matched controls (n = 13). Intracellular proinflammatory cytokines [interferon (IFN-γ) and tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-α and HDAC2 were measured in CD8+ T, natural killer (NK) T-like and NK cells from cultured small airway brushings ± 5 mg/l theophylline ± 1 µM prednisolone using flow cytometry. Increased small airway CD8 T, NK T-like and NK cells were identified in BOS versus stable transplant and controls. In BOS, these cells exhibited increased IFN-γ/TNF-α and a loss of HDAC2. HDAC2 expression by small airway CD8+ T cells correlated with forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (R = 0·880, P = 0·031). Theophylline and prednisolone synergistically up-regulated HDAC2 in CD8+ T cells. BOS is associated with loss of HDAC2 from steroid-resistant proinflammatory CD8+ T, NK T-like and NK cells in the small airways. Therapeutically increasing HDAC2 in these lymphocytes may reduce steroid resistance and improve graft survival.
Harm reduction strategies related to dosing and their relation to harms among festival attendees who use multiple drugs
Authors: Fernández‐Calderón Fermín , Díaz‐Batanero Carmen , Barratt Monica J. , Palamar Joseph J. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractIntroduction and AimsPolysubstance users are a high‐risk population for negative health‐related consequences. Although some studies have described harm reduction strategies adopted by polysubstance users, studies have not examined their effectiveness in minimising health‐related consequences. We aimed to identify dosing‐related harm reduction strategies in a sample of polysubstance‐using dance festival attendees, and explore the relationship between harm reduction strategies and self‐reported adverse health consequences.Design and MethodsData were examined for 1226 past‐year dance festival attendees who self‐identified as past‐year multiple drug users. We conducted bivariable and multivariable analyses to explore relationships between six dosing‐related harm reduction strategies and 13 self‐reported adverse consequences.ResultsSelf‐reported use of dosing‐related harm reduction strategies was prevalent, mainly avoidance of mixing depressants (69.2%) and setting limits on quantity (62.2%). Frequent users of harm reduction strategies reported experiencing fewer adverse health consequences (P values < 0.05). Those who reportedly set limits on quantity were at decreased odds of experiencing a bad mood after drug use, sexual difficulties while under drug influence, injuries or fractures while under drug influence, and involvement in fights or being attacked while under drug influence (P values < 0.05). Moreover, those who report frequently avoid mixing depressants were at decreased odds of experiencing headache, loss of consciousness, drop in blood pressure, injuries of fractures, and fights or attacks (P values < 0.05).Discussion and ConclusionsAdoption of dosing‐related harm reduction strategies appears to be associated with less drug‐related harm among polysubstance‐using festival attendees. Findings may inform organisations and policymakers in the designing of harm reduction interventions with this population.
Why principals tolerate biases of inaccurate agents
Authors: Terai Kimiko , Glazer Amihai 
Published: October 2018

AbstractSome agents are more accurate than others in estimating the best policy. The more accurately an agent estimates a policy's effects, the more he will resist biases, such as bribes from a special interest. Thus, a special interest needs to pay a larger bribe to an accurate agent than to an inaccurate agent. The accurate agent who is biased will then more likely cause harm than does an inaccurate agent who favors the special interest. Therefore, the principal may gain more from controlling biases of an accurate agent than of an inaccurate one. Thus, high ability of public officials may be associated with little corruption.