bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Avian Health across the Landscape: Nestling Immunity Covaries with Changing Landcover
Authors: Merrill L , Stewart Merrill T E , Barger A M , Benson T J 
Published: May 2019

AbstractThe landscape composition of an organism’s home range or territory should influence aspects of its condition, including measures of immune function. Changes in immunocompetence arising from variation in landcover may provide important links between habitat changes and patterns of disease spread. To establish a baseline understanding for whether immune measures covary with changes in landcover, we examined associations between immunological parameters and landcover composition for adults and nestlings of five shrubland bird species. Specifically, we examined the bacteria-killing ability (BKA) of the blood plasma and profiles of the five avian leukocytes as our measures of immune function, and assessed the proportion of area around each bird’s nest that was composed of the four major landcover types in the Midwestern USA: row crop agriculture, developed, forest, and grass/shrub. We performed landcover assessments at 100 and 1000 m radius buffers to identify whether associations between habitat and immune function differed at the two spatial scales. As part of this work, we examined age and species-related immunological variation, as well as associations among the immune parameters. There was little evidence linking variation in immune function to landcover composition for the adults at either spatial scale, but there were numerous associations for nestlings, and these were stronger at the 1000 than 100 m spatial scale. The proportion of grass/shrub around the nest had the largest impact on immune function, although the effect varied by immune parameter and species. BKA and basophils were inversely associated with grass/shrub for all species, whereas lymphocytes were positively associated with grass/shrub for all species. We also documented species-level differences among adults and nestlings for BKA and all leukocytes except monocytes. As expected, we found that nestlings had reduced levels of BKA, lymphocytes, monocytes, and elevated heterophils compared with adults (except for field sparrow-Spizella pusilla-nestlings, which had higher lymphocytes). Basophils generally did not differ by age class, and eosinophils exhibited species-specific patterns, in which they were higher for nestling American robins (Turdus migratorius) and gray catbirds (Dumetella carolinensis) compared with adults, but lower in the other nestlings. Heterophils and lymphocytes were inversely associated for all species and age classes, and basophil levels were positively associated with BKA across species and age classes. Together, these findings bolster our understanding of age and species-specific variation in immune function, and provide evidence that immune measures can covary with changes in landcover.
Evolution of Insect Iridescence: Origins of Three-Dimensional Photonic Crystals in Weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea)
Authors: Seago Ainsley E , Oberprieler Rolf , Saranathan Vinod Kumar 
Published: May 2019

Abstract
A variety of photonic mechanisms give rise to iridescence and other structural colors in insects. In weevils (Coleoptera: Curculionoidea), iridescence is created by the most complex of these mechanisms, the three-dimensional photonic crystal. These self-assembling crystals take the form of triply periodic networks with single diamond or single gyroid symmetries and have been the subject of many descriptive studies based on individual species (often on a single specimen). To determine how these extraordinary nanostructures have evolved, we conduct the first comparative study of photonic crystals and setal nanostructure across Curculionoidea. By integrating structural data with newly available phylogenetic information, we demonstrate that—despite their widespread geographical and taxonomic distribution—three-dimensional photonic crystals appear to have evolved only once in weevils, in the common ancestor of a clade comprising the current subfamilies Entiminae and Cyclominae. Flattened, hollow setae with an unordered, spongy network in the lumen appear to be a necessary precursor to three-dimensional photonic crystals; we propose an evolutionary pathway by which this transformation has occurred.
Elliptic Fibrations and the Hilbert Property
Authors: Demeio Julian Lawrence 
Published: May 2019

AbstractFor a number field $K$, an algebraic variety $X/K$ is said to have the Hilbert Property if $X(K)$ is not thin. We are going to describe some examples of algebraic varieties, for which the Hilbert Property is a new result. The first class of examples is that of smooth cubic hypersurfaces with a $K$-rational point in ${\mathbb{P}}_n/K$, for $n \geq 3$. These fall in the class of unirational varieties, for which the Hilbert Property was conjectured by Colliot-Thélène and Sansuc. We then provide a sufficient condition for which a surface endowed with multiple elliptic fibrations has the Hilbert Property. As an application, we prove the Hilbert Property of a class of K3 surfaces, and some Kummer surfaces.
Asymptotically Optimal Multi-Paving
Authors: Ravichandran Mohan , Srivastava Nikhil 
Published: May 2019

Abstract
Anderson’s paving conjecture, now known to be true [14], asserts that every zero-diagonal matrix admits a nontrivial paving with dimension independent bounds. We study this problem for a collection of matrices and show that given $k$ zero-diagonal $n\times n$ Hermitian matrices $A_1,\ldots ,A_k$ and $\epsilon&gt;0$ there are diagonal projections $P_1,\ldots ,P_r$ with $\sum _{j\le r} P_j=I$ such that $||P_{j}A_iP_{j}||\le \epsilon ||A_i||$ for $i\le k, j\le r$, that is, a simultaneous paving of the matrices, with $r\le 18k/\epsilon ^2$. As a consequence, we get the optimal asymptotic estimates for paving a single zero-diagonal (not necessarily Hermitian) matrix: every square zero-diagonal complex matrix can be $\epsilon -$paved using $O(\epsilon ^{-2})$ blocks, improving the previously known bound of $O(\epsilon ^{-8})$. We use our result to strengthen a result of Johnson–Ozawa–Schechtman on commutator representations of zero trace matrices.
Potentiation of β-lactam antibiotics and β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations against MDR and XDR Pseudomonas aeruginosa using non-ribosomal tobramycin–cyclam conjugates
Authors: Idowu Temilolu , Ammeter Derek , Arthur Gilbert , Zhanel George G , Schweizer Frank 
Published: May 2019

Abstract

Objectives
To develop a multifunctional adjuvant molecule that can rescue β-lactam antibiotics and β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitor combinations from resistance in carbapenem-resistant Pseudomonas aeruginosa clinical isolates.

Methods
Preparation of adjuvant was guided by structure–activity relationships, following standard protocols. Susceptibility and chequerboard studies were assessed using serial 2-fold dilution assays. Toxicity was evaluated against porcine erythrocytes, human embryonic kidney (HEK293) cells and liver carcinoma (HepG2) cells via MTS assay. Preliminary in vivo efficacy was evaluated using a Galleria mellonella infection model.

Results
Conjugation of tobramycin and cyclam abrogates the ribosomal effects of tobramycin but confers a potent adjuvant property that restores full antibiotic activity of meropenem and aztreonam against carbapenem-resistant P. aeruginosa. Therapeutic levels of susceptibility, as determined by CLSI susceptibility breakpoints, were attained in several MDR clinical isolates, and time–kill assays revealed a synergistic dose-dependent pharmacodynamic relationship. A triple combination of the adjuvant with ceftazidime/avibactam (approved), aztreonam/avibactam (Phase III) and meropenem/avibactam enhances the efficacies of β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors against recalcitrant strains, suggesting rapid access of the combination to their periplasmic targets. The newly developed adjuvants, and their combinations, were non-haemolytic and non-cytotoxic, and preliminary in vivo evaluation in G. mellonella suggests therapeutic potential for the double and triple combinations.

Conclusions
Non-ribosomal tobramycin–cyclam conjugate mitigates the effect of OprD/OprF porin loss in P. aeruginosa and potentiates β-lactam/β-lactamase inhibitors against carbapenem-resistant clinical isolates, highlighting the complexity of resistance to β-lactam antibiotics. Our strategy presents an avenue to further preserve the therapeutic utility of β-lactam antibiotics.
Evaluation of interventions to improve inpatient hospital documentation within electronic health records: a systematic review
Authors: Wiebe Natalie , Otero Varela Lucia , Niven Daniel J , Ronksley Paul E , Iragorri Nicolas , Quan Hude 
Published: May 2019

Abstract

Objective
Despite the widespread and increasing use of electronic health records (EHRs), the quality of EHRs is problematic. Efforts have been made to address reasons for poor EHR documentation quality. Previous systematic reviews have assessed intervention effectiveness within the outpatient setting or paper documentation. The purpose of this systematic review was to assess the effectiveness of interventions seeking to improve EHR documentation within an inpatient setting.

Materials and Methods
A search strategy was developed based on elaborated inclusion/exclusion criteria. Four databases, gray literature, and reference lists were searched. A REDCap data capture form was used for data extraction, and study quality was assessed using a customized tool. Data were analyzed and synthesized in a narrative, semiquantitative manner.

Results
Twenty-four studies were included in this systematic review. Owing to high heterogeneity, quantitative comparison was not possible. However, statistically significant results in interventions and affected outcomes were analyzed and discussed. Education and implementation of a new EHR reporting system were the most successful interventions, as evidenced by significantly improved EHR documentation.

Discussion
Heterogeneity of interventions, outcomes, document type, EHR user, and other variables led to difficulty in measuring EHR documentation quality and effectiveness of interventions. However, the use of education as a primary intervention aligned closely with existing literature in similar fields.

Conclusions
Interventions implemented to enhance EHR documentation are highly variable and require standardization. Emphasis should be placed on this novel area of research to improve communication between healthcare providers and facilitate data sharing between centers and countries.

PROSPERO Registration Number: CRD42017083494.
Impact of weaning age on rumen development in artificially reared lambs1
Authors: Carballo Omar Cristobal , Khan Muhammad Ajmal , Knol Frederik Willem , Lewis Sarah Jeanne , Stevens David Robert , Laven Richard Anthony , McCoard Susan Anne 
Published: May 2019

AbstractABSTRACT: This study examined the impact of weaning age (4 vs. 6 wk) on rumen morphological and metabolic development in artificially reared lambs. Thirty-two mixed-sex lambs (2 to 5 d old) were randomly allocated to 1 of 2 weaning groups: early weaning (EW; 4 wk) and control (Ctrl; 6 wk). Lambs were individually penned and fed milk replacer (MR; 24% CP and 25% fat, DM basis) at 20% of their corresponding initial BW. Weaning was achieved by gradual reduction of MR allowance over a period of 3 wk using a step-down procedure. Concentrate and meadow hay were offered ad libitum from 1 d of the study until 6 wk, when lambs were transferred to a mixed sward pasture. At week 4, individual DMI were recorded and blood samples collected to measure β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA) and NEFA. Eight animals per group were euthanized at week 4 and 16 to evaluate short chain fatty acids (SCFA) and histomorphometry of the rumen walls: dorsal (DS), ventral (VS), dorsal blind (DBS), and ventral blind (VBS) sacs. Linear mixed models were used to analyze the effect of weaning treatments at week 4 and 16, and to compare between timepoints and between rumen sites. Dry matter intake and rumen SCFA profiles were similar between groups (P > 0.10) at week 4 and 16. Plasma concentrations of BHBA were greater (P = 0.03) in EW than in Ctrl lambs, while NEFA did not differ (P > 0.10) between groups at week 4. No effect of weaning age on rumen empty weight, and papillae density, length, width, surface area ratio, and muscle layer thickness at any of the 4 rumen sites was found (P > 0.10) at either week 4 or week 16, except for greater (P = 0.02) papillae epithelium thickness in the DBS at week 4 in EW than Ctrl lambs. Papillae morphology and muscular thickness differed across rumen sites at week 4 and week 16 (P < 0.05), except for papillae density and surface area ratio at 4 week (P > 0.10). Rumen papillae length, width, and muscle layer thickness increased while papillae density and surface area ratio decreased (P < 0.05) between 4 and 16 wk. The results of this study indicate that morphological and physiological development of the rumen can be accelerated to support weaning of artificially reared lambs at 4 wk, using a step-down weaning system. Morphological differences between rumen sacs denote that future studies in lambs evaluating the impact of different diets should involve representative sampling across the rumen rather than a single site to more accurately study rumen development and ontogenic changes.
State Contingent Debt as Insurance for Euro Area Sovereigns
Authors: Demertzis Maria , Zenios Stavros A 
Published: May 2019

Abstract
The authors provide a novel angle to the ongoing discussions by the G20 on sovereign contingent debt and argue that contingent debt could provide market-based insurance to protect the euro area from future debt crises. Risk-sharing with the markets is a practical way forward in the context of the Franco-German debate on risk-sharing among EU member states vs system-wide risk reduction. The financial innovation of contingent debt is a feasible euro area reform that would not introduce risk-sharing between states or require institutional reforms or Treaty changes. However, coordination would be needed. The authors’ suggestion fills a gap in the proposals on the completion of the banking union and the possible establishment of a European Monetary Fund (EMF). These proposals offer institutions-based solutions to crises, with the banking union providing safety regulations that will make banking institutions more resilient, while the EMF will be a ‘fire brigade’ to be called on in emergencies. What has not been tapped are the markets, whose tolerant behaviour to sovereign demands encouraged the build up of debt, while their finicky response exacerbated the crisis.
Variation in Tense and Aspect, and the Temporal Interpretation of Complement Clauses
Authors: Bochnak M Ryan , Hohaus Vera , Mucha Anne 
Published: May 2019

AbstractIn this paper, we investigate the temporal interpretation of propositional attitude complement clauses in four typologically unrelated languages: Washo (language isolate), Medumba (Niger-Congo), Hausa (Afro-Asiatic), and Samoan (Austronesian). Of these languages, Washo and Medumba are optional-tense languages, while Hausa and Samoan are tenseless. Just like in obligatory-tense languages, we observe variation among these languages when it comes to the availability of so-called simultaneous and backward-shifted readings of complement clauses. For our optional-tense languages, we argue that a Sequence of Tense parameter is active in these languages, just as in obligatory-tense languages. However, for completely tenseless clauses, we need something more. We argue that there is variation in the degree to which languages make recourse to res-movement, or a similar mechanism that manipulates LF structures to derive backward-shifted readings in tenseless complement clauses. We additionally appeal to cross-linguistic variation in the lexical semantics of perfective aspect to derive or block certain readings. The result is that the typological classification of a language as tensed, optionally tensed, or tenseless, does not alone determine the temporal interpretation possibilities for complement clauses. Rather, structural parameters of variation cross-cut these broad classes of languages to deliver the observed cross-linguistic picture.
Changes in productivity and carbon storage of grasslands in China under future global warming scenarios of 1.5°C and 2°C
Authors: Wang Zhaoqi , Chang Jinfeng , Peng Shushi , Piao Shilong , Ciais Philippe , Betts Richard 
Published: May 2019

Abstract

Aims
The impacts of future global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C on the productivity and carbon (C) storage of grasslands in China are not clear yet, although grasslands in China support ~45 million agricultural populations and more than 238 million livestock populations, and are sensitive to global warming.

Methods
This study used a process-based terrestrial ecosystem model named ORCHIDEE to simulate C cycle of alpine meadows and temperate grasslands in China. This model was driven by high-resolution (0.5° × 0.5°) climate of global specific warming levels (SWL) of 1.5°C and 2°C (warmer than pre-industrial level), which is downscaled by EC-EARTH3-HR v3.1 with sea surface temperature and sea-ice concentration as boundary conditions from IPSL-CM5-LR (low spatial resolution, 2.5° × 1.5°) Earth system model (ESM).

Important Findings
Compared with baseline (1971–2005), the mean annual air temperature over Chinese grasslands increased by 2.5°C and 3.7°C under SWL1.5 and SWL2, respectively. The increase in temperature in the alpine meadow was higher than that in the temperate grassland under both SWL1.5 and SWL2. Precipitation was also shown an increasing trend under SWL2 over most of the Chinese grasslands. Strong increases in gross primary productivity (GPP) were simulated in the Chinese grasslands, and the mean annual GPP (GPPMA) increased by 19.32% and 43.62% under SWL1.5 and SWL2, respectively. The C storage increased by 0.64 Pg C and 1.37 Pg C under SWL1.5 and SWL2 for 50 years simulations. The GPPMA was 0.670.390.88 (0.82) (model meanminmax (this study)), 0.850.451.24 (0.97) and 0.940.611.30 (1.17) Pg C year−1 under baseline, SWL1.5 and SWL2 modeled by four CMIP5 ESMs (phase 5 of the Coupled Model Inter-comparison Project Earth System Models). In contrast, the mean annual net biome productivity was −18.55−40.374.47 (−3.61),18.65−2.0364.03 (10.29) and 24.158.3838.77 (24.93) Tg C year−1 under baseline, SWL1.5 and SWL2 modeled by the four CMIP5 ESMs. Our results indicated that the Chinese grasslands would have higher productivity than the baseline and can mitigate climate change through increased C sequestration under future global warming of 1.5°C and 2°C with the increase of precipitation and the global increase of atmospheric CO2 concentration.
The dipole of the galaxy bispectrum
Authors: Clarkson Chris , de Weerd Eline M , Jolicoeur Sheean , Maartens Roy , Umeh Obinna 
Published: May 2019

ABSTRACT
The bispectrum will play an important role in future galaxy surveys. On large scales it is a key probe for measuring primordial non-Gaussianity which can help differentiate between different inflationary models and other theories of the early universe. On these scales a variety of relativistic effects come into play once the galaxy number-count fluctuation is projected on to our past light-cone. We show for the first time that the leading relativistic correction from these distortions in the galaxy bispectrum generates a significant dipole, mainly from relativistic redshift space distortions. The amplitude of the dipole can be more than 10 per cent of the monopole even on equality scales. Such a dipole is absent in the Newtonian approximation to the redshift space bispectrum, so it offers a clear signature of relativistic effects on cosmological scales in large-scale structure.
Potential roles of aquaporin 9 in the pathogenesis of endometriosis
Authors: Choi Young Sik , Park Ji Hyun , Yoon Jeong-Kee , Yoon Ji Sun , Kim Jung Sook , Lee Jae Hoon , Yun Bo Hyun , Park Joo Hyun , Seo Seok Kyo , Cho SiHyun , Lee Byung Seok , Taylor Hugh S 
Published: May 2019

AbstractAquaporins (AQPs) are involved in cell migration, proliferation and carcinogenesis in tumor development and physiologic inflammatory processes, but their associations with endometriosis have not been fully evaluated. In this study, tissue samples were obtained from women undergoing laparoscopic surgery for endometriosis and other benign conditions. Analysis of expressions of AQP subtypes in eutopic and ectopic endometrium of patients with endometriosis (Eu-EMS and Ect-EMS, respectively) and eutopic endometrium of control patients without endometriosis (Eu-CTL) were performed using the NanoString nCounter System and western blotting. Human endometrial stromal cells (HESCs) were cultured and transfected with the siRNA of the AQP of interest. Among the AQP1–9 subtypes, endometrial expression of AQP2 and AQP8 was significantly increased, whereas AQP9 expression was significantly decreased in the Eu-EMS group compared to the Eu-CTL group. Comparison of expression of AQP2, AQP8 and AQP9 among Eu-EMS, Ect-EMS and Eu-CTL groups revealed significant differences for only AQP9. Expression of AQP9 in the Eu-EMS group was decreased compared with that in Eu-CTL. After transfection of AQP9 siRNA in HESCs, expressions of MMP2 and MMP9 were significantly elevated. Increased expression of phosphorylated ERK 1/2 and phosphorylated p38 MAPK proteins after transfection was also confirmed using western blot analysis. Increased migration and invasion potentials of HESCs after transfection were determined by migration and wound healing assays. These findings suggest that AQP9 may be involved in the pathogenesis of endometriosis and warrant further investigation as a potential therapeutic target for treating endometriosis.
CHOPCHOP v3: expanding the CRISPR web toolbox beyond genome editing
Authors: Labun Kornel , Montague Tessa G , Krause Maximilian , Torres Cleuren Yamila N , Tjeldnes Håkon , Valen Eivind 
Published: May 2019

Abstract
The CRISPR–Cas system is a powerful genome editing tool that functions in a diverse array of organisms and cell types. The technology was initially developed to induce targeted mutations in DNA, but CRISPR–Cas has now been adapted to target nucleic acids for a range of purposes. CHOPCHOP is a web tool for identifying CRISPR–Cas single guide RNA (sgRNA) targets. In this major update of CHOPCHOP, we expand our toolbox beyond knockouts. We introduce functionality for targeting RNA with Cas13, which includes support for alternative transcript isoforms and RNA accessibility predictions. We incorporate new DNA targeting modes, including CRISPR activation/repression, targeted enrichment of loci for long-read sequencing, and prediction of Cas9 repair outcomes. Finally, we expand our results page visualization to reveal alternative isoforms and downstream ATG sites, which will aid users in avoiding the expression of truncated proteins. The CHOPCHOP web tool now supports over 200 genomes and we have released a command-line script for running larger jobs and handling unsupported genomes. CHOPCHOP v3 can be found at https://chopchop.cbu.uib.no