bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Daphnia magna microRNAs respond to nutritional stress and ageing but are not transgenerational
Authors: Hearn Jack , Chow Franklin Wang‐Ngai , Barton Harriet , Tung Matthew , Wilson Philip J. , Blaxter Mark , Buck Amy , Little Tom J. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractMaternal effects, where the performance of offspring is determined by the condition of their mother, are widespread and may in some cases be adaptive. The crustacean Daphnia magna shows strong maternal effects: offspring size at birth and other proxies for fitness are altered when their mothers are older or when mothers have experienced dietary restriction. The mechanisms for this transgenerational transmission of maternal experience are unknown, but could include changes in epigenetic patterning. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regulators of gene expression that have been shown to play roles in intergenerational information transfer, and here, we test whether miRNAs are involved in D. magna maternal effects. We found that miRNAs were differentially expressed in mothers of different ages or nutritional state. We then examined miRNA expression in their eggs, their adult daughters and great granddaughters, which did not experience any treatments. The maternal (treatment) generation exhibited differential expression of miRNAs, as did their eggs, but this was reduced in adult daughters and lost by great granddaughters. Thus, miRNAs are a component of maternal provisioning, but do not appear to be the cause of transgenerational responses under these experimental conditions. MicroRNAs may act in tandem with egg provisioning (e.g., with carbohydrates or fats), and possibly other small RNAs or epigenetic modifications.
Flickers of speciation: Sympatric colour morphs of the arc‐eye hawkfish,Paracirrhites arcatus, reveal key elements of divergence with gene flow
Authors: Whitney Jonathan L. , Bowen Brian W. , Karl Stephen A. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractOne of the primary challenges of evolutionary research is to identify ecological factors that favour reproductive isolation. Therefore, studying partially isolated taxa has the potential to provide novel insight into the mechanisms of evolutionary divergence. Our study utilizes an adaptive colour polymorphism in the arc‐eye hawkfish (Paracirrhites arcatus) to explore the evolution of reproductive barriers in the absence of geographic isolation. Dark and light morphs are ecologically partitioned into basaltic and coral microhabitats a few metres apart. To test whether ecological barriers have reduced gene flow among dark and light phenotypes, we evaluated genetic variation at 30 microsatellite loci and a nuclear exon (Mc1r) associated with melanistic coloration. We report low, but significant microsatellite differentiation among colour morphs and stronger divergence in the coding region ofMc1rindicating signatures of selection. Critically, we observed greater genetic divergence between colour morphs on the same reefs than that between the same morphs in different geographic locations. We hypothesize that adaptation to the contrasting microhabitats is overriding gene flow and is responsible for the partial reproductive isolation observed between sympatric colour morphs. Combined with complementary studies of hawkfish ecology and behaviour, these genetic results indicate an ecological barrier to gene flow initiated by habitat selection and enhanced by assortative mating. Hence, the arc‐eye hawkfish fulfil theoretical expectations for the earliest phase of speciation with gene flow.
A novel approach to wildlife transcriptomics provides evidence of disease‐mediated differential expression and changes to the microbiome of amphibian populations
Authors: Campbell Lewis J. , Hammond Stewart A. , Price Stephen J. , Sharma Manmohan D. , Garner Trenton W. J. , Birol Inanc , Helbing Caren C. , Wilfert Lena , Griffiths Amber G. F. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractRanaviruses are responsible for a lethal, emerging infectious disease in amphibians and threaten their populations throughout the world. Despite this, little is known about how amphibian populations respond to ranaviral infection. In the United Kingdom, ranaviruses impact the common frog (Rana temporaria). Extensive public engagement in the study of ranaviruses in the UK has led to the formation of a unique system of field sites containing frog populations of known ranaviral disease history. Within this unique natural field system, we used RNA sequencing (RNA‐Seq) to compare the gene expression profiles of R. temporaria populations with a history of ranaviral disease and those without. We have applied a RNA read‐filtering protocol that incorporates Bloom filters, previously used in clinical settings, to limit the potential for contamination that comes with the use of RNA‐Seq in nonlaboratory systems. We have identified a suite of 407 transcripts that are differentially expressed between populations of different ranaviral disease history. This suite contains genes with functions related to immunity, development, protein transport and olfactory reception among others. A large proportion of potential noncoding RNA transcripts present in our differentially expressed set provide first evidence of a possible role for long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) in amphibian response to viruses. Our read‐filtering approach also removed significantly more bacterial reads from libraries generated from positive disease history populations. Subsequent analysis revealed these bacterial read sets to represent distinct communities of bacterial species, which is suggestive of an interaction between ranavirus and the host microbiome in the wild.
Description and classification of Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea) whistles recorded off the Sindhudurg coast of Maharashtra, India
Authors: Bopardikar Isha , Sutaria Dipani , Sule Mihir , Jog Ketki , Patankar Vardhan , Klinck Holger 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe Indian Ocean humpback dolphin (Sousa plumbea), a common cetacean species in India, has a diverse vocal repertoire, which to date has not been described in detail. This study focused on analyzing their whistle vocalizations. Humpback dolphins were recorded off the Sindhudurg coast of Maharashtra, India, and 2,260 whistles were analyzed for their acoustic characteristics. Whistles spanned a wide frequency range between 2.3 kHz and 33.0 kHz, with durations ranging from 0.01 s to 1.60 s. Whistles were categorized into seven contour classes based on their qualitative properties. A classification and regression tree (CART) analysis was used to quantify variability between the seven contour classes using the measured acoustic features. Based on the CART analysis, frequency gradient, minimum slope, maximum slope, beginning and ending slope accounted for most variability between whistle types. CART resulted in an overall classification accuracy of 89.5%. This study provides a detailed description of acoustic features and qualitative properties of humpback dolphin whistles from the northwestern coast of India. Further comparisons of acoustic data from Sousa populations along the Indian coast are necessary to determine possible geographic variations in whistle characteristics and whether the variations are driven by environmental or genetic factors or a combination of both.
Identifying critical habitat of the endangered vaquita (Phocoena sinus) with regional δ13C and δ15N isoscapes of the Upper Gulf of California, Mexico
Authors: Rodríguez‐Pérez Mónica Y. , Aurioles‐Gamboa David , Sánchez‐Velásco Laura , Lavín Miguel F. , Newsome Seth D. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe vaquita (Phocoena sinus) is the world's most endangered cetacean and has experienced a 60% reduction in the size of its population in the past decade. Knowledge of its basic ecology is essential for developing successful management plans to protect and conserve this species. In this study, we identified vaquita foraging areas by creating an isoscape of the Upper Gulf of California (UGC) based on sediment and zooplankton carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope values. Our results confirm that this species is confined to the western region of the UGC, which is characterized by relatively high δ15N values (sediments: 10.2‰ ± 2.0‰, zooplankton: 15.8‰ ± 1.3‰), higher sea surface temperatures (∼16°C–25°C), higher concentrations of silt in sediments, and the highest turbidity. In contrast, the eastern region of the UGC had relatively low sediment (7.7‰ ± 2.4‰) and zooplankton (14.6‰ ± 1.0‰) δ15N values, and the highest concentrations of sand in sediments. Our approach is an effective use of marine isoscapes over a small spatial scale (<200 km) to identify the environmental characteristics that define the critical habitat for an extremely endangered marine mammal.
Schoenberg's Opus 33B and the Problem of its Contrasting ‘Continuation’ and Second Theme
Authors: BOSS JACK 
Published: February 2018

ABSTRACTSchoenberg's Piano Piece Op. 33b can be interpreted fruitfully using the composer's notion of ‘musical idea’, in which a problem or conflict is introduced at the beginning, elaborated during the piece and resolved near the end. Previous studies of the piece disagree about whether bars 5b–11a should be understood as the continuation of the first theme's sentence or as a second theme, because of differences between the tetrachordal row partitions of bars 1–5a and the trichordal partitions of bars 5b–11a, and the marked dissimilarities in set‐class content, interval successions (including <−2, −2> in the trichordal partitions), rhythm and heard metre that result. These differences introduce the work's ‘problem’, which the piece then elaborates in bars 21–28 by taking an element from the transitional bars following the ‘continuation’, <+2, +2> and <−2, −2> interval successions paired together in vertical symmetry, and further developing that element to create hexachords that are not equivalent to contiguous hexachords of the source row.The solution to the problem occurs gradually after bar 32, in two ways: first, the set classes, interval successions, pitches and rhythms associated with each kind of partition are shown to be generable by the other partition; second, after bar 57 both kinds of partition project themselves simultaneously on a single row form, demonstrating intervallic, pitch and rhythmic similarities between the elements of the contrasting partitions.
The Explanatory Ambitions of Moral Principles
Authors: Berker Selim 
Published: February 2018

AbstractMoral properties are explained by other properties. And moral principles tell us about moral properties. How are these two ideas related? In particular, is the truth of a given moral principle part of what explains why a given action has a given moral property? I argue “No.” If moral principles are merely concerned with the extension of moral properties across all possible worlds, then they cannot be partial explainers of facts about the instantiation of those properties, since in general necessitation does not suffice for explanation. And if moral principles are themselves about what explains the moral properties under their purview, then by their own lights they are not needed in order to explain those moral properties’ instantiation—unless, that is, the principles exhibit an objectionable form of metaphysical circularity. So moral principles cannot explain why individual actions have moral properties. Nor, I also argue, can they explain why certain other factors explain why those actions have the moral properties that they do, or in some other way govern or mediate such first‐order explanations of particular moral facts. When it comes to the explanation of an individual action's specific moral features, moral principles are explanatorily idle.
Activating biochar by manipulating the bacterial and fungal microbiome through pre‐conditioning
Authors: Jaiswal Amit K. , Elad Yigal , Cytryn Eddie , Graber Ellen R. , Frenkel Omer 
Published: February 2018

Summary

Biochar can enhance plant growth and reduce diseases, but frequently the optimal doses for these two benefits do not coincide. An approach is needed that will extend the range of biochar doses resulting in a concurrence of maximum benefits for both plant productivity and disease suppression.

A biochar‐amended growth medium was pre‐conditioned by pre‐planting fertigation in order to enhance the indigenous microbial community structure and activity. Cucumber plant performance and resistance against damping‐off caused by Pythium aphanidermatum were monitored. Soil microbial activity, as well as bacterial and fungal community structure, were assessed by high‐throughput 16S rRNA and ITS1 gene amplicon sequencing.

Pre‐conditioning enhanced the efficacy of biochar for improving plant performance and suppressing soilborne disease through enriching the medium in beneficial soil microorganisms, increasing microbial and fungal diversity and activity, and eliminating biochar phytotoxic compounds.

The pre‐conditioning process brought dose–response curves for both growth and disease resistance into sync, resulting in maximum benefits for both. These findings suggest that pre‐conditioning should be incorporated as an important stage during biochar application in soil and soilless media.
Supererogation
Authors: Archer Alfred 
Published: February 2018

AbstractIt is a recognizable feature of commonsense morality that some actions are beyond the call of duty or supererogatory. Acts of supererogation raise a number of interesting philosophical questions and debates. This article will provide an overview of three of these debates. First, I will provide an overview of the debate about whether or not acts of supererogation exist. Next, I will investigate the issue of how to define the supererogatory. I will finish by examining a problem known as the Paradox of Supererogation.
Wittgenstein and von Wright on Goodness
Authors: Klagge James C. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractIs “good” a family‐resemblance concept? Wittgenstein holds it is, since cases of goodness may not have anything in common, but there may be a continuous transition from some cases to others. Von Wright and Hacker argue it is not. They hold that family‐resemblance concepts satisfy two conditions that goodness does not satisfy. I assess their arguments and then present a constitutivist account of goodness that Wittgenstein seems to endorse. The constitutivist account is what one would expect if goodness was a family‐resemblance concept. Finally, I note that Wittgenstein's nod towards non‐descriptivism in the Investigations is paralleled by Stevenson's ethical emotivism.
Effects of Repeated UVA Irradiation on Human Skin Fibroblasts Embedded in 3D Tense Collagen Matrix
Authors: Nakyai Wongnapa , Tissot Marion , Humbert Philippe , Grandmottet François , Viyoch Jarupa , Viennet Céline 
Published: February 2018

AbstractSkin photoaging is caused by cumulative UVA exposure that leads to dermal matrix alterations associated with impaired fibroblast functions. In this study, we evaluated the effects of repeated UVA irradiation on mechanically stressed fibroblasts which were embedded in 3D tense collagen matrix. By comparison to 2D monolayer culture, we investigated the expressions of alpha‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) cytoskeleton and α2 subunit of integrin receptors, as well as the collagen metabolism, focusing to MMP‐1 and collagen type‐I expressions. We found that UVA exposure reduces collagen levels in both culture conditions. However, concerning integrin α2 and α‐SMA expression, UVA irradiation had no effect on 2D culture, whereas in tense 3D culture, it had an inhibitory effect. In UVA‐irradiated 3D culture, fibroblasts acquired elongated shape and lost their dynamic interaction with collagen fibers through a decrease in integrin α2 and α‐SMA. Fibroblast responses to UVA irradiation were different in 2D versus 3D environment, highlighting the importance of collagen environment in the regulation of mechanical activities. The behavior of fibroblast upon mechanical stimulation closely mimics stressed extracellular environment. The model of UVA‐irradiated fibroblasts cultured in tense 3D collagen gel illustrated the in vivo situation of both mechanically stressed and photoaged human skin.
High Surface Area SnO2–Ta2O5 Composite for Visible Light‐driven Photocatalytic Degradation of an Organic Dye
Authors: Velaga Bharath , Shanbogh Pradeep P. , Swain Diptikanta , Narayana Chandrabhas , Sundaram Nalini G. 
Published: February 2018

AbstractSnO2–Ta2O5 nanocomposite was synthesized by a facile coprecipitation method and further calcined to obtain crystalline powder. Phase formation, morphology, bandgap and photocatalytic properties were analyzed using powder X‐ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, UV‐Vis diffused reflectance spectroscopy, BET surface area and Raman spectroscopy, respectively. Effect of calcination temperature on the crystallinity of the composite was studied. The as‐prepared samples of SnO2, Ta2O5 and SnO2‐10wt%Ta2O5 composite as well as the calcined composite sample were tested for photocatalytic activity for methylene blue dye degradation under visible light. Photocatalytic studies reveal that the as‐prepared SnO2‐10wt%Ta2O5 composite showed the best photocatalytic activity for the degradation of methylene blue (MB) by harvesting visible‐light radiation efficiently. Further mineralization of methylene blue, estimated by COD analysis, is found to have degraded with an efficiency of 91.6%. The study demonstrates that heterostructure of SnO2–Ta2O5 nanocomposite could be applied in photocatalytic purification of organic pollutants.
Is Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy Effective for Microbial Load Reduction in Peri‐implantitis Treatment? A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Fraga Renato Silva , Antunes Lívia Azeredo Alves , Fontes Karla Bianca Fernandes da Costa , Küchler Erika Calvano , Iorio Natalia Lopes Pontes Póvoa , Antunes Leonardo Santos 
Published: February 2018

AbstractThe systematic review and meta‐analysis were undertaken to evaluate the effectiveness of antimicrobial photodynamic therapy (aPDT) in the microbiological alteration beneficial to peri‐implantitis treatment. This study is registered with PROSPERO, number CRD42017064215. Bibliographic databases including Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Scopus and PubMed were searched from inception to 8 January 2017. The search strategy was assembled from the following MeSH Terms: “Photochemotherapy,” “Dental Implants” and “Peri‐Implantitis.” Unspecific free‐text words and related terms were also included. The Cochrane Collaboration's tool was used to evaluate the risk of bias of included studies. The random‐effect model was chosen, and heterogeneity was evaluated using the I2 test. Three studies met the inclusion criteria. Meta‐analysis demonstrated an association between aPDT and reduction in viable bacteria counts for: Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans (OR = 1.31; confidence interval = 1.13, 1.49; P < 0.00001), Porphyromonas gingivalis (OR = 4.08; confidence interval = 3.22, 4.94; P < 0.00001) and Prevotella intermedia (OR = 1.66; confidence interval = 1.06, 2.26; P < 0.00001). A aPDT appears to be effective in bacterial load reduction in peri‐implantitis and has a positive potential as an alternative therapy for peri‐implantitis.
Antimicrobial Photodynamic Therapy as a Co‐adjuvant in Endodontic Treatment of Deciduous Teeth: Case Series
Authors: Okamoto Camila Basilio , Motta Lara Jansiski , Prates Renato Araujo , da Mota Ana Carolina Costa , Gonçalves Marcela Leticia Leal , Horliana Anna Carolina Ratto Tempestini , Mesquita Ferrari Raquel Agnelli , Fernandes Kristianne Porta Santos , Bussadori Sandra Kalil 
Published: February 2018

AbstractTo assure the success of endodontic treatment, the root canal must be completely decontaminated. Thus, some methods have been researched in an attempt to effectively eliminate microorganisms from the interior of the root canal system. Among them is conventional endodontic therapy in conjunction with photodynamic therapy (PDT). Five anterior deciduous teeth were treated endodontically with the conventional technique and PDT. For PDT, 0.005% methylene blue was used as a photosensitizer and a 660 nm laser. After the conventional endodontic therapy, the photosensitizer was applied inside the root canal, 3 min of pre‐irradiation time, and then, the laser was applied for 40s with an energy of 4J. Afterward, the canal was irrigated with saline solution and the sealing material of the root canal was placed. The microbiological analysis of the samples was collected before and after the treatments were performed. Observing the results obtained in this case series, which showed a bacterial reduction from 37.57% to 100%, and the clear difficulty in the success of endodontic treatment of deciduous teeth, antimicrobial photodynamic therapy can be considered an alternative of easy application that does not generate microbial resistance, to act as a support in the decontamination of the root canals.
Gun Talk Online: Canadian Tools, American Values*
Authors: McLean Dylan S. 
Published: February 2018

ObjectiveThe objective of this study is to address the following question: Why has the United States been so reluctant to embrace the type of comprehensive gun control that is in place in every other developed democracy?MethodThe method used to address this question is a computerized content analysis on nearly 18 million words that were extracted from online political discussions of Canadian and American gun enthusiasts. A comparison of these discussions was guided by three theories on the character and origins of Canadian–American political difference.ResultsThe results demonstrate that the instrumental components of gun ownership are more relevant for Canadian gun enthusiasts, while American gun enthusiasts view their arms as physical manifestations of political values. These values are consistent with a widely perceived American ideology that centers on individual freedom and antipathy toward government.ConclusionThis leads to the conclusion that U.S. gun rights groups are naturally advantaged in the gun control debate because their rhetoric finds fertile soil beyond the gun enthusiast segment, and helps explain the intensity of their opposition to gun control.
Carcinosarcoma mimicking a feline injection‐site sarcoma in a cat
Authors: Sapierzyński Rafał 
Published: February 2018

AbstractA 15‐year‐old spayed female domestic short‐haired cat with cutaneous/subcutaneous well‐circumscribed, alopecic mass approximately 25 × 30 mm in diameter, localized to the left shoulder region was brought to the veterinary surgery department. Despite the suggestive location and macroscopic appearance, feline injection‐site sarcoma was not suspected based on the cytologic examination of fine‐needle aspirates. The tumor was surgically resected, and tissue sections were evaluated microscopically. The tumor was found to be nonencapsulated with a distinct border between the neoplastic parenchyma and surrounding connective tissue. The neoplastic tissue consisted of 2 cell populations: elongated to spindle‐shaped cells arranged in bands and cords and malignant epithelial‐like cells. Both populations showed microscopic features of malignancy. Multinucleate giant cells with irregular cytoplasm were scattered among the neoplastic cells. The spindle‐shaped cells strongly expressed vimentin but did not express α‐smooth muscle actin (α‐SMA) or cytokeratin. Desmin was strongly expressed in about 0‐5% of cells. Epithelial‐like cells expressed cytokeratin, but not vimentin, desmin, or α‐SMA. Multinucleate giant cells expressed vimentin, but did not α‐SMA, desmin, or cytokeratin. Based on microscopic observations and IHC results, the final diagnosis was carcinosarcoma with histologic features compatible with feline injection‐site sarcoma, but without the clinical aggressiveness of this tumor.