bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mechanisms by which growth and succession limit the impact of fire—A comment on Zylstra et al.'s model
Authors: McCaw Lachlan 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Zylstra et al. (2023) hypothesise that ecological controls contribute to a decline in the potential behaviour and severity of fires burning in tall open eucalypt forests unburnt for multi‐decadal periods (>52 years). They model potential flame height in forests dominated by Eucalyptus jacksonii in southwestern Australia and argue that self‐thinning of understorey shrubs leads to a decline in suspended litter (woody necromass), which in turn leads to reduced flame heights in older fuels.

Forest floor and suspended litter were not sampled as part of their field survey, and instead they describe the dynamics of these fuel components by fitting equations to data reported from previous studies. The form of equation they use to describe the accumulation of suspended litter does not account for the contributions of woody necromass other than from understorey shrubs. In particular, twig fall from the forest overstorey is likely to make an important contribution to suspended litter and is much slower to decompose than leaves and necromass from understorey shrubs.

Their assumption of a decline in suspended litter is inconsistent with published research on fuel dynamics in tall open forests in southwestern Australia, which demonstrates that dead fine fuel loadings do not decline when the forest remains unburnt.

In the absence of field data to support their assumption of decline in suspended litter, the broader conclusions of Zylstra et al. (2023) regarding changes in potential behaviour and severity of fires in E. jacksonii dominant forest unburnt for >52 years remain open to question.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Spider waste enhances soil nutrient content, soil respiration, and plant growth
Authors: Wilder Shawn M. , Barnes Cody L. , Smith Gabriella , Youssef Noha H. , Hawlena Dror 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Predators can alter the movement of nutrients through ecosystems by depositing waste products following predation. Whilst the benefits of predator waste for large predators (e.g. bears) or dense accumulations of predators (e.g. seabirds on islands) seem clear, less is known about whether smaller, solitary predators can have measurable effects on local ecosystem processes.

In separate experiments with web‐building and wandering spiders, we tested if the presence of predators affected soil nutrient content, soil respiration, soil microbial communities, and plant growth.

In the first experiment with black widow spiders, total nitrogen and nitrate were not affected by spider presence, but ammonia and phosphorus were higher from soil under the edge of the spider web than soil away from the spider. Soil respiration and plant growth were both higher in soil collected from under the spider retreat compared with soil collected away from the spider web.

In a second experiment with wolf spiders, we tested for interactions between spiders and soil microbial communities. There were positive effects of wolf spider presence on all soil nutrients and there were interactions between spiders and soil type (i.e. field‐collected versus autoclaved) for total carbon, total nitrogen, nitrate, and pH. Spider presence and soil type also affected soil respiration and spider presence had a large effect on the composition of the microbial community of the soil. There were also positive effects of wolf spider presence on plant biomass and plant height, with a significant interaction between spiders and soil type for plant height.

Overall, our results show that two spiders with different life histories (i.e. web‐building and wandering) both have significant positive effects on plant growth through the deposition of their waste products. These effects may occur through the direct deposition of nutrients and changes in soil microbial communities. Although, further work is needed to resolve these interactions.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Testing the contribution of vertebrate predators and leaf traits to mainland–island differences in insect herbivory on oaks
Authors: Vázquez‐González Carla , Abdala‐Roberts Luis , Lago‐Núñez Beatriz , Dean Lydia S. , Capó Miquel , de la Mata Raúl , Tack Ayco J. M. , Stenberg Johan A. , Covelo Felisa , Cao Ana , Cursach Joana , Hernández‐Serrano Ana , Hansen Finn , Mooney Kailen A. , Moreira Xoaquín 
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Ecological theory predicts that herbivory should be weaker on islands than on mainland based on the assumption that islands have lower herbivore abundance and diversity. However, empirical tests of this prediction are rare, especially for insect herbivores, and those few tests often fail to address the mechanisms behind island–mainland divergence in herbivory. In particular, past studies have not addressed the relative contribution of top‐down (i.e. predator‐driven) and bottom‐up (i.e. plant‐driven) factors to these dynamics.

To address this, we experimentally excluded insectivorous vertebrate predators (e.g. birds, bats) and measured leaf traits associated with herbivory in 52 populations of 12 oak (Quercus) species in three island–mainland sites: The Channel Islands of California vs. mainland California, Balearic Islands vs. mainland Spain, and the island Bornholm vs. mainland Sweden (N = 204 trees). In each site, at the end of the growing season, we measured leaf damage by insect herbivores on control vs. predator‐excluded branches and measured leaf traits, namely: phenolic compounds, specific leaf area, and nitrogen and phosphorous content. In addition, we obtained climatic and soil data for island and mainland populations using global databases. Specifically, we tested for island–mainland differences in herbivory, and whether differences in vertebrate predator effects or leaf traits between islands and mainland contributed to explaining the observed herbivory patterns.

Supporting predictions, herbivory was lower on islands than on mainland, but only in the case of Mediterranean sites (California and Spain). We found no evidence for vertebrate predator effects on herbivory on either islands or mainland in any study site. In addition, while insularity affected leaf traits in some of the study sites (Sweden‐Bornholm and California), these effects were seemingly unrelated to differences in herbivory.

Synthesis. Our results suggest that vertebrate predation and the studied leaf traits did not contribute to island–mainland variation patterns in herbivory, calling for more nuanced and comprehensive investigations of predator and plant trait effects, including measurements of other plant traits and assessments of predation by different groups of natural enemies.
Teacher perspectives and barriers in implementing inclusive education for Indian children with special needs: A pilot study
Authors: Kaur Ramandeep , Salian Raveena H. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractInclusive education is crucial for integrating children with special needs into mainstream educational settings. This pilot study explores the attitudes of teachers in India toward providing inclusive education to children with disabilities, and the challenges they face. As the Indian education system continues to evolve, there are significant gaps in teacher preparedness and the availability of resources, especially given the socio‐cultural and economic diversity of the country. The study aims to assess the perspectives of 30 primary and secondary school teachers regarding their experiences with inclusive education, focusing on their attitudes, challenges, and the resources available for supporting students with special needs. A mixed‐methods approach was employed, utilising surveys and interviews to gather both quantitative and qualitative data. The results indicate that while many teachers hold a positive attitude toward inclusive education, they face numerous challenges in its implementation, including a lack of specialised training, insufficient support services and inadequate teaching materials. Teachers expressed particular difficulty in supporting students with severe disabilities due to the lack of behavioural and psychological services in schools. This study emphasises the importance of continued teacher training and infrastructure improvements to foster effective inclusive education. It also highlights the need for policy changes, such as the integration of the Samagra Shiksha scheme and recognition of the 2016 Rights of Persons with Disabilities Act, to support teachers in overcoming the barriers they face. The findings from this pilot study will inform a larger, more comprehensive study, and provide the foundation for future reforms of inclusive education in India.
Therapeutic plasma exchange without anticoagulation: Single‐center experience
Authors: Zúñiga‐Rodríguez Eduardo , Peña Danna , Mantilla Juliana , Castellanos‐De La Hoz Juan Camilo , Carvajal‐Abril Maria Patricia , Saravia Bermeo Isabel Cristina , Molano‐Triviño Alejandra 
Published: November 2024

AbstractBackgroundMembrane therapeutic plasma exchange (mTPE) is indicated for treating autoimmune, neurological, hematological, and renal diseases. Few studies have assessed the effectiveness and safety of this technique, especially when no anticoagulants are added. This study evaluated the outcomes of mTPE without anticoagulation at a single center.MethodsBased on registry data, this retrospective cohort study included adult patients treated with mTPE without anticoagulants for different indications.ResultsFrom October 2021 to October 2022, 46 patients received 385 mTPE treatments. The primary diagnosis leading to the intervention was humoral rejection of the kidney transplant (59.2%). Most procedures (62.1%) were performed in the inpatient department. The complication rate was 1.3%, with 2.1% of patients experiencing device coagulation. Only five patients experienced mild adverse events. There were no cases of mortality.ConclusionsWhen indicated, mTPE without anticoagulation is a safe hospital technique. Protocols are needed to guide the use and monitoring of this therapy.
Predicting the risk of treatment‐requiring retinopathy of prematurity in preterm infants in Greece. External validation of DIGIROP prognostic models
Authors: Moutzouri Stella , Pivodic Aldina , Haidich Anna‐Bettina , Seliniotaki Aikaterini K. , Lithoxopoulou Maria , Tsakalidis Christos , Hellström Ann , Ziakas Nikolaos , Mataftsi Asimina 
Published: November 2024

AbstractPurposeTo assess the predictive performance of DIGIROP‐v1.0 models in identifying treatment‐requiring ROP among infants undergoing ROP screening at a tertiary neonatal intensive care unit in Greece.MethodsRetrospective cohort analysis of 640 consecutive screened preterm infants with gestational age (GA) 240/7 to 306/7 weeks and known ROP outcome in the 2nd Neonatology Department of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (2009–2021). The primary outcome was the development of type 1 ROP according to the Early Treatment of ROP criteria or treatment based on the ophthalmologist's judgement. Sensitivity, specificity, area under the curve (AUC) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) and calibration plots for the DIGIROP‐v1.0 models were displayed.ResultsThe DIGIROP‐Birth‐v1.0 model correctly identified 35/43 treated infants (sensitivity 81.4% [95% CI, 66.6%–91.6%], specificity 61.5% [95% CI, 57.4%–65.4%], AUC 0.82 [95% CI, 0.75–0.90]). During the postnatal weeks 6–14 the sensitivity of the DIGIROP‐Screen‐v1.0 model ranged from 82.6% to 100%. Eleven infants, all with severe comorbidities, that is, congenital malformation(s), syndrome(s), hydrocephalus or history of intestinal surgery, that were treated, were missed by the model, but met criteria for screening according to DIGIROP‐v1.0 models' recommendations, and to our unit's routine standards.ConclusionThe DIGIROP‐v1.0 models resulted in lower sensitivity and higher specificity in this Greek cohort compared with the Swedish development group. Despite higher GA and BW, infants in our cohort had higher incidence of treated ROP than in Sweden, resulting in an under‐estimation of their risk for treatment‐requiring ROP. Further validation of the DIGIROP‐v2.0 models and potential adjusting are recommended to maximize generalizability in populations with different characteristics.
Dichloroacetate, a pyruvate dehydrogenase activator, alleviates high‐fat‐induced impairment of myogenic differentiation in skeletal muscles
Authors: Huang Chuang‐Yen , Han I‐Shan , Hsieh Po‐Shiuan , Tsai Min‐Chien , Chien Hung‐Che 
Published: November 2024

AbstractObesity‐induced impairment of myogenic differentiation leads to muscle loss and sarcopenia. Pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) plays a crucial role in glucose metabolism and is associated with muscle differentiation. However, the effect of dichloroacetate (DCA), a PDH activator, on obesity‐induced impairment of myogenic differentiation remains unknown. Here, we evaluated the effects of DCA treatment on high‐fat intake‐induced impairment of myogenic differentiation in C2C12 cells and C57BL/6 mice. In C2C12 cells, DCA treatment improved PDH activity that was reduced by palmitate (PAL) and decreased the lactate concentrations in the media. Additionally, DCA reversed PAL‐ and high‐fat diet (HFD)‐induced decrease in the expression of myoblast determination protein 1 (MyoD), myogenin (MyoG) and myosin heavy chain (MyHC) in C2C12 cells and C57BL/6 mice. To explore the possible mechanism, DCA treatment restored the levels of p‐Akt, p‐FoxO1, p‐FoxO3a and p‐p38 MAPK levels in PAL‐treated C2C12 cells. Moreover, the protective effects of DCA were reversed by treatment with the Akt inhibitor MK2206 in C2C12 cells. In summary, DCA treatment alleviated high‐fat intake‐induced impairment of myogenic differentiation via Akt signalling, suggesting its potential in treating obesity‐associated muscle loss and sarcopenia.
Menstruation experiences and its association with psychological distress among school‐going adolescent girls of Nepal: A cross‐sectional study
Authors: Niroula Sadikshya , Paudel Shishir , Chalise Anisha , Acharya Sophiya , Marasine Nirmal Raj 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThis study aimed to assess the relationship between menstruation‐related attributes and mental distress in adolescent girls. A cross‐sectional study was conducted in Rangeli Municipality, Nepal, among 270 adolescent girls. Data were collected using a self‐administered questionnaire. Unadjusted and adjusted odds ratios (aOR) were calculated at a 5% level of significance to identify factors associated with depression, anxiety and stress. Of 270 adolescent girls, 28.9% (95% CI: 23.5%–35.2%) experienced anxiety, 14.4% (95% CI: 10.0%–18.5%) experienced stress and 32.2% (95% CI: 26.6%–37.4%) experienced depression. Low perceived family support during menstruation (aOR: 2.87, 95% CI: 1.03–7.97), low perceived support from friends during menstruation (aOR: 4.09, 95% CI: 1.66–10.07) and experiencing moderate/severe dysmenorrhea (aOR: 2.31, 95% CI: 1.105–5.08) were associated with anxiety. Those with moderate/severe dysmenorrhoea had higher odds (aOR: 5.60, 95% CI: 1.56–20.05) of experiencing stress. Low perceived family support (aOR: 3.07, 95% CI: 1.08–8.67), low perceived support from friends (aOR: 2.77, 95% CI: 1.11–6.89) and experiencing moderate to severe dysmenorrhoea (aOR: 3.56, 95% CI: 1.63–7.79) were associated with depression. The findings underscore the importance of proper management of dysmenorrhoea and need for social support from both family and friends during menstruation as these factors are associated with psychological distress among adolescent girls.
Impact Findings From a Randomized Controlled Trial of a Supportive Housing Demonstration Programme for Homeless, Child Welfare–Involved Families
Authors: Lery Bridgette , Rhodes Emily , Thompson Douglas , Haight Jennifer 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTA “Housing First” approach to homelessness, showing promise for single adults, might also be effective for families whose homelessness combined with other challenges bring them to the attention of the child welfare system. This paper reports impact findings from the evaluation of a randomized, controlled trial in San Francisco that tested the effectiveness of an intervention designed to provide permanent housing and supportive services to such families, with the goal of safely reducing the use of foster care. Compared with families in the control group (33 families with 60 children), we found no significant impact on the likelihood of out‐of‐home placement up to 2 years after randomization. For families whose children were already in foster care, children in the treatment group (43 families with 63 children) reunified faster than those in the control group (42 families with 68 children), although nearly always before being housed. There was no difference between groups in time to case closure or likelihood of subsequent child welfare involvement. We discuss these findings in the context of important implementation challenges that have implications for further testing this intervention in tight housing markets.
Inverting Cognitive Models With Neural Networks to Infer Preferences From Fixations
Authors: Russek Evan M. , Callaway Frederick , Griffiths Thomas L. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractInferring an individual's preferences from their observable behavior is a key step in the development of assistive decision‐making technology. Although machine learning models such as neural networks could in principle be deployed toward this inference, a large amount of data is required to train such models. Here, we present an approach in which a cognitive model generates simulated data to augment limited human data. Using these data, we train a neural network to invert the model, making it possible to infer preferences from behavior. We show how this approach can be used to infer the value that people assign to food items from their eye movements when choosing between those items. We demonstrate first that neural networks can infer the latent preferences used by the model to generate simulated fixations, and second that simulated data can be beneficial in pretraining a network for predicting human‐reported preferences from real fixations. Compared to inferring preferences from choice alone, this approach confers a slight improvement in predicting preferences and also allows prediction to take place prior to the choice being made. Overall, our results suggest that using a combination of neural networks and model‐simulated training data is a promising approach for developing technology that infers human preferences.
Inhibition of cytokine‐like protein 1 transcription hinders wound‐healing process in diabetic rats
Authors: Xu Jie , Tong Yun , Lin Manman , Zhang Zikai , Li Tian , Zhang Fan 
Published: November 2024

AbstractAimThis study explored the function and mechanism of cytokine‐like protein 1 (CYTL1) in regulating the wound‐healing process of rats with diabetes mellitus (DM).MethodsA wound was made in diabetic rats, in which CYTL1 overexpression or HDAC1 expression‐interfering adenovirus was injected. The wound area on day 0, 7, 14 and 21 was observed and photographed to calculate the wound‐healing rate. The wound tissues were collected for H&E, Masson staining and CD31 immunohistochemistry. The HDAC1 and CYTL1 mRNA and protein expressions in wound tissues were detected by RT‐qPCR and western blot. The regulation of HDAC1 on CYTL1 was predicted by hTFtarget and AnimalTFDB database. The H3K27Ac level in the CYTL1 promoter was detected by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP).ResultsDiabetic rats with CYTL1 overexpression or interfered HDAC1 expression had accelerated the wound‐healing rate, in which massive fibroblasts, attenuated inflammatory infiltration and increased collagen and microvessel density were observed. Further experiments found that HDAC1 can inhibit CYTL1 transcription and expression by inhibiting H3K27Ac expression in CYTL1 promoter.ConclusionCollected evidence showed HDAC1 can inhibit CYTL1 transcription by down‐regulating the H3K27Ac level in CYTL1 promoter to slow down the wound‐healing process in diabetic ulcer rats.
The Role of 2, 4, and 5‐dimensional Cardiac Flow MRI for Evaluation of Valvulopathies: A Literature Review
Authors: Fässler Sara , Falcão Mariana B. L. , de Marchi Stefano F. , Roy Christopher W. , Rutz Tobias 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTAimTwo‐dimensional phase‐contrast magnetic resonance imaging (2D flow MRI) and its multidimensional alternatives, 4D and 5D flow MRI, measure blood flow in the heart and great vessels. While 2D flow MRI is the standard technique, it has limitations regarding need for precise image plane prescribing and long scan time. In contrast, 4D and 5D flow MRI acquire 3D volumes, enabling retrospective assessment of all vessels. This review evaluates these three techniques for quantification of blood flow of the aortic and pulmonary valves in congenital heart disease.MethodsA systematic literature search was conducted in August 2024 using the PUBMED database, including articles comparing 2D, 4D, and 5D flow MRI.ResultsFifteen articles comparing 2D and 4D, one comparing 2D and 5D and three articles comparing 4D and 5D flow MRI were included. No study compared all three techniques. 2D, 4D and 5D flow MRI demonstrated a good agreement for flow quantification. 4D flow MRI, however, tends to present a better accuracy and internal consistency than 2D flow MRI for determination of peak velocities and flow in stenotic lesions, particularly when comparing velocities to echocardiography. 4D and 5D flow MRI are associated with shorter scan times than 2D flow MRI.Conclusions4D and 5D flow MRI appear to offer promising alternatives to 2D flow MRI with the advantage of reduced scan times. Larger and prospective studies including echocardiography are needed to evaluate the potential of 4D and 5D to replace 2D flow MRI for flow quantification and peak velocity determination.
Disabled 2 (Dab2) Regulates Tumour Progression in Skin Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Roy Sayoni , Mehta Darshan , Sawant Suruchi , Waghmare Sanjeev K. 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTDab2 is an endocytic adaptor protein involved in various physiological processes and signaling pathways. Dab2 is deregulated in various cancers; however, its role in skin squamous cell carcinoma ( SCC) has not been elucidated yet. In the present study, we used the DMBA/TPA induced murine skin carcinogenesis model to examine the role of Dab2 in skin tumour progression. We generated tamoxifen inducible Dab2 conditional knockout system for our study. Loss of Dab2 led to delayed papilloma initiation and reduced papilloma burden. Delayed papilloma initiation was due to reduce proliferative potential of the papillomas due to Dab2 loss. Furthermore, while the WT papillomas progressed to SCC, the papillomas formed in Dab2 cKO mice failed to undergo malignant conversion to SCC. Dab2 cKO tumours showed reduced expression of K8, a marker for aggressive tumour. Moreover, Dab2 ckO tumours failed to undergo EMT as shown by reduced expression of Vimentin and Twist1. Dab2 cKO tumours also showed reduced expression of Sox2, a stem cell marker. Furthermore, qPCR analysis showed upregulation of Dab2 expression in the human skin cancer cell lines as compared to normal human skin keratinocytes. In patients, TCGA data analysis of skin cancer melanoma (SKCM) showed a trend where high levels of Dab2 correlated with poor overall survival. The present study shows that Dab2 promotes tumour progression in skin SCC.