bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Impact of climate change on biodiversity and associated key ecosystem services in Africa: a systematic review
Authors: Sintayehu Dejene W. 
Published: October 2018

ABSTRACT

Introduction:
Biodiversity and biodiversity-based ecosystems services are intrinsically dependent on the climate. During the twentieth century, climate change has posed major threats to biodiversity in Africa, and impacts are expected to increase as climate change continues and perhaps even accelerates.
Outcomes:
Our review shows that the multiple components of climate change are projected to affect all levels of biodiversity, from genes over species to biome level. Loss of biodiversity as a result of climate change can alter the structures and functions of African ecological systems. As a result, the provision of biodiversity-based ecosystem services and the well-being of people that rely on these services are being modified. Of particular concerns are “tipping points” where the exceedance of ecosystem thresholds will possibly lead to irreversible shifts of the structure of ecosystems and their services. In recent years, climate prediction models have portended continued warming and more frequent extreme weather events across the region. Such weather-related disturbances such as El Niño will place a premium on biodiversity and biodiversity-based ecosystem services that people rely on.
Conclusion:
As biodiversity underlies all goods and services provided by ecosystems that are crucial for human survival and well-being, this paper synthesizes and discusses observed and anticipated impacts of climate change on biodiversity and biodiversity-based ecosystem service provision and livelihoods, and what strategies might be employed to decrease current and future risks on the well-being of human in Africa.
Adsorption and diffusion of F2 molecules on pristine graphene*
Authors: Yang Yong , Liu Fu-Chi , Kawazoe Yoshiyuki 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
The adsorption and diffusion of F2 molecules on pristine graphene are studied by using first-principles calculations. For the diffusion of F2 from molecular state in gas phase to the dissociative adsorption state on graphene surface, a kinetic barrier is identified, which explains the inertness of graphene in molecular F2 at room temperature, and its reactivity with F2 at higher temperatures. Study of the diffusion of F2 molecules on graphene surface determines the energy barrier along the optimal diffusion pathway, which conduces to the understanding of the high stability of fluorographene.
The Role of Peer Effects in Natural Resource Appropriation – The Case of Groundwater
Authors: Sampson Gabriel S. , Perry Edward D. 
Published: October 2018

AbstractSpatially mediated peer effects are increasingly recognized as an important driver of technology adoption. In this paper, we isolate the role of peer effects from environmental factors in the acquisition of groundwater rights for agricultural irrigation in Kansas. We find strong evidence of peer effects influencing farmers’ decisions to adopt groundwater irrigation. Using a rich dataset on groundwater rights for the period 1943–2014 and a nearest neighbor peer group definition, we find that one additional neighbor adopting groundwater for irrigation increases groundwater adoption by an average of 0.25 percentage points. We also find that the average marginal effect of one additional peer is reduced by distance and diminishes as the total number of neighbors adopting groundwater increases. Using our model estimates to simulate a counterfactual without peer effects, we find that water rights appropriation stemming from peer effects accounted for about 11 million acre‐feet of extraction from the Kansas High Plains Aquifer. This amounts to about three years of typical annual extraction. Our results provide evidence that peer effects can “speed up” resource extraction and can help inform policy makers in designing exploitation control rules.
General Relative Rate Models for the Analysis of Studies Using Case-Cohort Designs
Authors: Richardson David B , Langholz Bryan , Kelly-Reif Kaitlin 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
A standard approach to analysis of case-cohort data involves fitting log-linear models. In this paper, we describe how standard statistical software can be used to fit a broad class of general relative rate models to case-cohort data and derive confidence intervals. We focus on a case-cohort design in which a roster has been assembled and events ascertained but additional information needs to be collected on explanatory variables. The additional information is ascertained just for persons who experience the event of interest and for a sample of the cohort members enumerated at study entry. One appeal of such a case-cohort design is that this sample of the cohort may be used to support analyses of several outcomes. The ability to fit general relative rate models to case-cohort data may allow an investigator to reduce model misspecification in exposure-response analyses, fit models in which some factors have effects that are additive and others multiplicative, and facilitate estimation of relative excess risk due to interaction. We address model fitting for simple random sampling study designs as well as stratified designs. Data on lung cancer among radon-exposed men (Colorado Plateau uranium miners, 1950–1990) are used to illustrate these methods.
The Public’s Perception on Breast and Nipple Reconstruction: A Crowdsourcing-Based Assessment
Authors: Azadgoli Beina , Gould Daniel J , Vartanian Emma , Patel Ketan M 
Published: October 2018

Abstract

Background
Breast reconstruction outcomes have traditionally been measured by evaluating the opinions of patients and surgeons.

Objectives
Our goal was to assess the views of the general public.

Methods
A survey was designed and distributed through a crowdsourcing website called Amazon Mechanical Turk. Questions assessed participant demographics, personal experience with breast reconstruction, perceptions on breast reconstruction, and opinions regarding aesthetics results. Responses were analyzed using chi-square test.

Results
A total of 992 responses were collected. Most participants were female (56.1%), white (32.1%), aged 30 to 39 years (40.4%), and had a bachelor’s degree (42.0%). A total of 44.2% had personal experience with breast reconstruction and 25.8% with nipple reconstruction. Several aesthetic and reconstructive factors were significantly favored over others across sex, ethnicity, age group, education level, and personal experience with breast reconstruction. For instance, women were more likely to prefer reconstructed nipples (P < 0.0001), view a breast without a nipple as complete (P = 0.024) and place less importance on nipple shape (P = 0.002). Additionally, those who personally experienced nipple reconstruction were willing to undergo more procedures for a complete nipple-areola complex (P < 0.0001), to increase aesthetic results (P = 0.018), and to increase chances of nipple survival (P = 0.002).

Conclusions
Crowdsourcing can be useful in plastic surgery and has helped identify several key findings. The importance of the nipple in reconstruction has been validated; almost three-quarters of respondents did not view a breast without a nipple as complete. The aesthetic preferences seem to support bilateral nipple-sparing reconstruction when possible. Most importantly, the respondents helped elucidate key differences in perception of aesthetic outcomes.
Dating admixture events is unsolved problem in multi-way admixed populations
Authors: Chimusa Emile R , Defo Joel , Thami Prisca K , Awany Denis , Mulisa Delesa D , Allali Imane , Ghazal Hassan , Moussa Ahmed , Mazandu Gaston K 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Advances in human sequencing technologies, coupled with statistical and computational tools, have fostered the development of methods for dating admixture events. These methods have merits and drawbacks in estimating admixture events in multi-way admixed populations. Here, we first provide a comprehensive review and comparison of current methods pertinent to dating admixture events. Second, we assess various admixture dating tools. We do so by performing various simulations. Third, we apply the top two assessed methods to real data of a uniquely admixed population from South Africa. Results reveal that current dating admixture models are not sufficiently equipped to estimate ancient admixtures events and to identify multi-faceted admixture events in complex multi-way admixed populations. We conclude with a discussion of research areas where further work on dating admixture-based methods is needed.
Focused ultrasound thalamotomy location determines clinical benefits in patients with essential tremor
Authors: Boutet Alexandre , Ranjan Manish , Zhong Jidan , Germann Jurgen , Xu David , Schwartz Michael L , Lipsman Nir , Hynynen Kullervo , Devenyi Gabriel A , Chakravarty Mallar , Hlasny Eugen , Llinas Maheleth , Lozano Christopher S , Elias Gavin J B , Chan Jason , Coblentz Ailish , Fasano Alfonso , Kucharczyk Walter , Hodaie Mojgan , Lozano Andres M 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Magnetic resonance guided focused ultrasound (MRgFUS) thalamotomy is a novel and minimally invasive ablative treatment for essential tremor. The size and location of therapeutic lesions producing the optimal clinical benefits while minimizing adverse effects are not known. We examined these relationships in patients with essential tremor undergoing MRgFUS. We studied 66 patients with essential tremor who underwent MRgFUS between 2012 and 2017. We assessed the Clinical Rating Scale for Tremor (CRST) scores at 3 months after the procedure and tracked the adverse effects (sensory, motor, speech, gait, and dysmetria) 1 day (acute) and 3 months after the procedure. Clinical data associated with the postoperative Day 1 lesions were used to correlate the size and location of lesions with tremor benefit and acute adverse effects. Diffusion-weighted imaging was used to assess whether acute adverse effects were related to lesions encroaching on nearby major white matter tracts (medial lemniscus, pyramidal, and dentato-rubro-thalamic). The area of optimal tremor response at 3 months after the procedure was identified at the posterior portion of the ventral intermediate nucleus. Lesions extending beyond the posterior region of the ventral intermediate nucleus and lateral to the lateral thalamic border were associated with increased risk of acute adverse sensory and motor effects, respectively. Acute adverse effects on gait and dysmetria occurred with lesions inferolateral to the thalamus. Lesions inferolateral to the thalamus or medial to the ventral intermediate nucleus were also associated with acute adverse speech effects. Diffusion-weighted imaging revealed that lesions associated with adverse sensory and gait/dysmetria effects compromised the medial lemniscus and dentato-rubro-thalamic tracts, respectively. Lesions associated with adverse motor and speech effects encroached on the pyramidal tract. Lesions larger than 170 mm3 were associated with an increased risk of acute adverse effects. Tremor improvement and acute adverse effects of MRgFUS for essential tremor are highly dependent on the location and size of lesions. These novel findings could refine current MRgFUS treatment planning and targeting, thereby improving clinical outcomes in patients.
Chronic exposure to cadmium is associated with a marked reduction in glomerular filtration rate
Authors: Satarug Soisungwan , Boonprasert Kanyarat , Gobe Glenda C , Ruenweerayut Ronnatrai , Johnson David W , Na-Bangchang Kesara , Vesey David A 
Published: October 2018

Abstract

Background
Urinary 20-hydroxyeicosatetraenoic acid (20-HETE) has been associated with hypertension in women with elevated urinary cadmium (Cd) excretion rates. The present study investigates the urinary Cd and 20-HETE levels in relation to the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albumin excretion in men and women.

Methods
A population-based, cross-sectional study, which included 225 women and 84 men aged 33–55 years, was conducted in a rural area known to be polluted with Cd.

Results
In all subjects, lower eGFR values were associated with higher urinary Cd excretion (P = 0.030), and tubulopathy markers N-acetyl-β-d-glucosaminidase (P < 0.001) and β2-microglobulin (β2-MG) (P < 0.001). On average, the hypertensive subjects with the highest quartile of urinary Cd had eGFR values of 12 and 17 mL/min/1.73 m2 lower than that in the hypertensive (P = 0.009) and normotensive subjects (P < 0.001) with the lowest quartile of urinary Cd, respectively. In men, urinary albumin was inversely associated with 20-HETE (β = −0.384, P < 0.001), while showing a moderately positive association with systolic blood pressure (SBP) (β = 0.302, P = 0.037). In women, urinary albumin was not associated with 20-HETE (P = 0.776), but was associated with tubulopathy, reflected by elevated urinary excretion of β2-MG (β = 0.231, P = 0.002).

Conclusions
Tubulopathy is a determinant of albumin excretion in women, while 20-HETE and SBP are determinants of urinary albumin excretion in men. Associations of chronic exposure to Cd with marked eGFR decline and renal tubular injury seen in both Cd-exposed men and women add to mounting research data that links Cd to the risk of developing chronic kidney disease.
Soluble Factors Released From Activated T Lymphocytes Regulate C2C12 Myoblast Proliferation and Cellular Signaling, but Effects Are Blunted in the Elderly
Authors: Al-Dabbagh Sarah , McPhee Jamie S , Piasecki Mathew , Stewart Claire E , Al-Shanti Nasser 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
The key objective of this work was to investigate the impact of young and old human lymphocyte secretomes on C2C12 myoblasts regeneration. Conditioned media were harvested from isolated young and older lymphocytes treated with (activated [AC]) or without (nonactivated [NA]), anti-CD3/CD28 activators for 4 days. AC conditioned media from older lymphocytes had decreased levels of amphiregulin (367 ± 208 pg/mL vs 904 ± 323 pg/mL; p = .018) and IGF-I (845 ± 88 ng/mL vs 1100 ± 48 ng/mL; p = .032) compared with younger AC lymphocytes. AC older versus younger lymphocytes had reduced expression of CD25 (24.6 ± 5.5%; p = .0003) and increased expression of FoxP3 (35 ± 15.7%; p = .032). Treatment of C2C12 myoblasts with young AC lymphocytes resulted in decreased expression of MyoD (0.46 ± 0.12; p =.004) and Myogenin (0.34 ± 0.05; p = .010) mRNA, increased activation of MEk1 (724 ± 140 mean fluorescent intensity [MFI]; p =.001) and ERK1/2 (3768 ± 314 MFI; p =.001), and a decreased activation of Akt (74.5 ± 4 MFI; p = .009) and mTOR (61.8 ± 7 MFI; p = .001) compared with old AC lymphocytes. By contrast, C2C12 myoblasts treated with older AC lymphocytes displayed increased expression of MyoD (0.7 ± 0.08; p =.004) and Myogenin (0.68 ± 0.05; p =.010) mRNA, decreased phosphorylation of MEk1 and ERK1/2 (528 ± 80 MFI; p = .008, and 1141 ± 668 MFI; p = .001, respectively), and increased Akt/mTOR activation (171 ± 35 MFI; p = .009, and 184 ± 33 MFI; p = .001, respectively). These data provide new evidence that differences between older and younger lymphocyte secretomes contribute to differential responses of C2C12 myoblasts in culture.
Clarifying mandates for marine ecosystem-based management
Authors: Link Jason S , Dickey-Collas Mark , Rudd Murray , McLaughlin Richard , Macdonald Nicol M , Thiele Torsten , Ferretti Johanna , Johannesen Ellen , Rae Margaret 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
Mandates to execute ecosystem-based management exist but are not implemented sufficiently enough to reap the benefits of a growing blue economy.
A priori and a posteriori error estimates for a virtual element spectral analysis for the elasticity equations
Authors: Mora David , Rivera Gonzalo 
Published: October 2018

AbstractWe present a priori and a posteriori error analyses of a virtual element method (VEM) to approximate the vibration frequencies and modes of an elastic solid. We analyse a variational formulation relying only on the solid displacement and propose an $H^{1}(\Omega )$-conforming discretization by means of the VEM. Under standard assumptions on the computational domain, we show that the resulting scheme provides a correct approximation of the spectrum and prove an optimal–order error estimate for the eigenfunctions and a double order for the eigenvalues. Since the VEM has the advantage of using general polygonal meshes, which allows efficient implementation of mesh refinement strategies, we also introduce a residual-type a posteriori error estimator and prove its reliability and efficiency. We use the corresponding error estimator to drive an adaptive scheme. Finally, we report the results of a couple of numerical tests that allow us to assess the performance of this approach.
Society semantics for four-valued Łukasiewicz logic
Authors: Bezerra Edson Vinícius 
Published: October 2018

AbstractWe argue that many-valued logics (MVLs) can be useful in analysing informational conflicts by using society semantics (SSs). This work concentrates on four-valued Łukasiewicz logic. SSs were proposed by Carnielli and Lima-Marques (1999, Advances in Contemporary Logic and Computer Science, 235, 33–52) to deal with conflicts of information involving rational agents that make judgements about propositions according to a given logic within a society, where a society is understood as a collection $\mathcal{A}$ of agents. The interesting point of such semantics is that a new logic can be obtained by combining the logic of the agents under some appropriate rules. Carnielli and Lima-Marques (1999, Advances in Contemporary Logic and Computer Science, 235, 33–52) defined SSs for the three-valued logics $I^{1}$ and $P^{1}$. In this kind of semantics, all the agents reason according to classical logic (CL) and the molecular formulas behave in the same way as in CL (the non-classical character of these logics only appears at the propositional level). Marcos (unpublished data) provided SSs with classical agents for the three-valued Łukasiewicz logic Ł$_{3}$, but in this case, the molecular formulas do not behave classically. We prove here that one can characterize Ł$_{4}^{\prime}$, a conservative extension of Ł$_{4}$ obtained by adding a connective $\blacktriangledown$, by means of a closed society where the agents reason according to Ł$_{3}$. We shall emphasize the importance of recovery operators in the construction of this class of societies. Moreover, we shall relate this semantics to Suszko’s view on the ‘two-valuedness’ of logic.
Non-involutive twist-structures
Authors: Rivieccio Umberto , Maia Paulo , Jung Achim 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
A recent paper by Jakl, Jung and Pultr (2016, Electron. Notes Theor. Comput. Sci., 325, 201–219) succeeded for the first time in establishing a very natural link between bilattice logic and the duality theory of d-frames and bitopological spaces. In this paper we further exploit, extend and investigate this link from an algebraic and a logical point of view. In particular, we introduce classes of algebras that extend bilattices, d-frames and N4-lattices (the algebraic counterpart of Nelson’s paraconsistent logic) to a setting in which the negation is not necessarily involutive, and we study corresponding logics. We provide product representation theorems for these algebras, as well as completeness, algebraizability (and some non-algebraizability) results for the corresponding logics.
Fraïssé’s theorem for logics of formal inconsistency
Authors: Mendonça Bruno R , Carnielli Walter A 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
We prove that the minimal Logic of Formal Inconsistency (LFI) $\mathsf{QmbC}$ (basic quantified logic of formal inconsistency) validates a weaker version of Fraïssé’s theorem (FT). LFIs are paraconsistent logics that relativize the Principle of Explosion only to consistent formulas. Now, despite the recent interest in LFIs, their model-theoretic properties are still not fully understood. Our aim in this paper is to investigate the situation. Our interest in FT has to do with its fruitfulness; the preservation of FT indicates that a number of other classical semantic properties can be also salvaged in LFIs. Further, given that FT depends on truth-functionality (a property that, in general, fails in LFIs), whether full FT holds for $\mathsf{QmbC}$ becomes a challenging question.
PLSDB: a resource of complete bacterial plasmids
Authors: Galata Valentina , Fehlmann Tobias , Backes Christina , Keller Andreas 
Published: October 2018

Abstract
The study of bacterial isolates or communities requires the analysis of the therein included plasmids in order to provide an extensive characterization of the organisms. Plasmids harboring resistance and virulence factors are of especial interest as they contribute to the dissemination of antibiotic resistance. As the number of newly sequenced bacterial genomes is growing a comprehensive resource is required which will allow to browse and filter the available plasmids, and to perform sequence analyses. Here, we present PLSDB, a resource containing 13 789 plasmid records collected from the NCBI nucleotide database. The web server provides an interactive view of all obtained plasmids with additional meta information such as sequence characteristics, sample-related information and taxonomy. Moreover, nucleotide sequence data can be uploaded to search for short nucleotide sequences (e.g. specific genes) in the plasmids, to compare a given plasmid to the records in the collection or to determine whether a sample contains one or multiple of the known plasmids (containment analysis). The resource is freely accessible under https://ccb-microbe.cs.uni-saarland.de/plsdb/.
Ultra-Early (<12 Hours) Surgery Correlates With Higher Rate of American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale Conversion After Cervical Spinal Cord Injury
Authors: Burke John F , Yue John K , Ngwenya Laura B , Winkler Ethan A , Talbott Jason F , Pan Jonathan Z , Ferguson Adam R , Beattie Michael S , Bresnahan Jacqueline C , Haefeli Jenny , Whetstone William D , Suen Catherine G , Huang Michael C , Manley Geoffrey T , Tarapore Phiroz E , Dhall Sanjay S 
Published: October 2018

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Cervical spinal cord injury (SCI) is a devastating condition with very few treatment options. It remains unclear if early surgery correlated with conversion of American Spinal Injury Association Impairment Scale (AIS) grade A injuries to higher grades.

OBJECTIVE
To determine the optimal time to surgery after cervical SCI through retrospective analysis.

METHODS
We collected data from 48 patients with cervical SCI. Based on the time from Emergency Department (ED) presentation to surgical decompression, we grouped patients into ultra-early (decompression within 12 h of presentation), early (within 12-24 h), and late groups (>24 h). We compared the improvement in AIS grade from admission to discharge, controlling for confounding factors such as AIS grade on admission, injury severity, and age. The mean time from injury to ED for this group of patients was 17 min.

RESULTS
Patients who received surgery within 12 h after presentation had a relative improvement in AIS grade from admission to discharge: the ultra-early group improved on average 1.3. AIS grades compared to 0.5 in the early group (P = .02). In addition, 88.8% of patients with an AIS grade A converted to a higher grade (AIS B or better) in the ultra-early group, compared to 38.4% in the early and late groups (P = .054).

CONCLUSION
These data suggest that surgical decompression after SCI that takes place within 12 h may lead to a relative improved neurological recovery compared to surgery that takes place after 12 h.