bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Future temperature and salinity do not exert selection pressure on cyst germination of a toxic phytoplankton species
Authors: Jerney Jacqueline , Suikkanen Sanna , Lindehoff Elin , Kremp Anke 
Published: April 2019

AbstractEnvironmental conditions regulate the germination of phytoplankton resting stages. While some factors lead to synchronous germination, others stimulate germination of only a small fraction of the resting stages. This suggests that habitat filters may act on the germination level and thus affect selection of blooming strains. Benthic “seed banks” of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium ostenfeldii from the Baltic Sea are genetically and phenotypically diverse, indicating a high potential for adaptation by selection on standing genetic variation. Here, we experimentally tested the role of climate‐related salinity and temperature as selection filters during germination and subsequent establishment of A. ostenfeldii strains. A representative resting cyst population was isolated from sediment samples, and germination and reciprocal transplantation experiments were carried out, including four treatments: Average present day germination conditions and three potential future conditions: high temperature, low salinity, and high temperature in combination with low salinity. We found that the final germination success of A. ostenfeldii resting cysts was unaffected by temperature and salinity in the range tested. A high germination success of more than 80% in all treatments indicates that strains are not selected by temperature and salinity during germination, but selection becomes more important shortly after germination, in the vegetative stage of the life cycle. Moreover, strains were not adapted to germination conditions. Instead, highly plastic responses occurred after transplantation and significantly higher growth rates were observed at higher temperature. High variability of strain‐specific responses has probably masked the overall effect of the treatments, highlighting the importance of testing the effect of environmental factors on many strains. It is likely that A. ostenfeldii populations can persist in the future, because suitable strains, which are able to germinate and grow well at potential future climate conditions, are part of the highly diverse cyst population.OPEN RESEARCH BADGES

This article has earned an Open Data Badge for making publicly available the digitally‐shareable data necessary to reproduce the reported results. The data is available at https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.c8c83nr.
Latitudinal variation and coevolutionary diversification of sexually dimorphic traits in the false blister beetle Oedemera sexualis
Authors: Satomi Daisuke , Koshio Chiharu , Tatsuta Haruki , Kudo Shin‐ichi , Takami Yasuoki 
Published: April 2019

AbstractSexual traits are subject to evolutionary forces that maximize reproductive benefits and minimize survival costs, both of which can depend on environmental conditions. Latitude explains substantial variation in environmental conditions. However, little is known about the relationship between sexual trait variation and latitude, although body size often correlates with latitude. We examined latitudinal variation in male and female sexual traits in 22 populations of the false blister beetle Oedemera sexualis in the Japanese Archipelago. Males possess massive hind legs that function as a female‐grasping apparatus, while females possess slender hind legs that are used to dislodge mounting males. Morphometric analyses revealed that male and female body size (elytron length), length and width of the hind femur and tibia, and allometric slopes of these four hind leg dimensions differed significantly among populations. Of these, three traits showed latitudinal variation, namely, male hind femur was stouter; female hind tibia was slenderer, and female body was smaller at lower latitudes than at higher latitudes. Hind leg sizes and shapes, as measured by principal component analysis of these four hind leg dimensions in each sex, covaried significantly between sexes, suggesting coevolutionary diversification in sexual traits. Covariation between sexes was weaker when variation in these traits with latitude was removed. These results suggest that coevolutionary diversification between male and female sexual traits is mediated by environmental conditions that vary with latitude.
Impacts of invasive annuals on soil carbon and nitrogen storage in southern California depend on the identity of the invader
Authors: Caspi Tal , Hartz Lauren A. , Soto Villa Alondra E. , Loesberg Jenna A. , Robins Colin R. , Meyer Wallace M. 
Published: April 2019

AbstractNon‐native plant invasions can alter nutrient cycling processes and contribute to global climate change. In southern California, California sage scrub (hereafter sage scrub), a native shrub‐dominated habitat type in lowland areas, has decreased to <10% of its original distribution. Postdisturbance type‐conversion to non‐native annual grassland, and increasingly to mustard‐dominated invasive forbland, is a key contributor to sage scrub loss. To better understand how type‐conversion by common invasive annuals impacts carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) storage in surface soils, we examined how the identity of the invader (non‐native grasses, Bromus spp.; and non‐native forbs, Brassica nigra), microbial concentrations, and soil properties interact to influence soil nutrient storage in adjacent native and invasive habitat types at nine sites along a coast to inland gradient. We found that the impact of type‐conversion on nutrient storage was contingent upon the invasive plant type. Sage scrub soils stored more C and N than non‐native grasslands, whereas non‐native forblands had nutrient storage similar to or higher than sage scrub. We calculate that >940 t C km−2 and >60 t N km−2 are lost when sage scrub converts to grass‐dominated habitat, demonstrating that grass invasions are significant regional contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. We found that sites with greater total C and N storage were associated with high cation exchange capacities and bacterial concentrations. Non‐native grassland habitat type was a predictor of lower total C, and soil pH, which was greatest in invasive habitats, was a predictor of lower total N. We demonstrate that modeling regional nutrient storage requires accurate classification of habitat type and fine‐scale quantification of cation exchange capacity, pH, and bacterial abundance. Our results provide evidence that efforts to restore and conserve sage scrub enhance nutrient storage, a key ecosystem service reducing atmospheric CO2 concentrations.
Conservation genetics of the pond bat (Myotis dasycneme) with special focus on the populations in northwestern Germany and in Jutland, Denmark
Authors: Andersen Liselotte Wesley , Dirksen Ronja , Nikulina Elena A. , Baagøe Hans J. , Petersons Gunars , Estók Péter , Orlov Oleg L. , Orlova Maria V. , Gloza‐Rausch Florian , Göttsche Matthias , Fjederholt Esben Terp , Krüger Frauke , Elmeros Morten 
Published: April 2019

AbstractConservation genetics is important in the management of endangered species, helping to understand their connectivity and long‐term viability, thus identifying populations of importance for conservation. The pond bat (Myotis dasycneme) is a rare species classified as “Near Threatened” with a wide but patchy Palearctic distribution. A total of 277 samples representing populations in Denmark, Germany, Latvia, Hungary, and Russia were used in the genetic analyses; 224 samples representing Denmark, Germany, and Russia were analyzed at 10 microsatellite loci; 241 samples representing all areas were analyzed using mitochondrial D‐loop and cytochrome B sequences. A Bayesian clustering approach revealed two poorly resolved clusters, one representing the Danish and German groups and the other the Russian group. However, significantly different pairwise FST and DEST estimates were observed between the Danish and German groups and between the Danish and Russian groups suggesting a recent population structure. These conflicting results might be attributed to the effect of migration or low resolution due to the number of microsatellite markers used. After concatenating the two mitochondrial sequences, analysis detected significant genetic differentiation between all populations, probably due to genetic drift combined with a founder event. The phylogenetic tree suggested a closer relationship between the Russian and Northern European populations compared to the Hungarian population, implying that the latter belongs to an older ancestral population. This was supported by the observed haplotype network and higher nucleotide diversity in this population. The genetic structuring observed in the Danish/German pond bat stresses the need for a cross‐border management between the two countries. Further, the pronounced mtDNA structuring, together with the indicated migration between nearby populations suggest philopatric female behavior but male migration, emphasizes the importance of protecting suitable habitat mosaics to maintain a continuum of patches with dense pond bat populations across the species' distribution range.
Can marine reserves restore lost ecosystem functioning? A global synthesis
Authors: Cheng Brian S. , Altieri Andrew H. , Torchin Mark E. , Ruiz Gregory M. 
Published: April 2019

Abstract
Marine protected areas (MPAs) have grown exponentially, emerging as a widespread tool to conserve biodiversity and enhance fisheries production. Although numerous empirical studies and global syntheses have evaluated the effects of MPAs on community structure (e.g., biodiversity), no broad assessment concerning their capacity to influence ecological processes (e.g., species interactions) exists. Here, we present meta‐analyses that compare rates of predation and herbivory on a combined 32 species across 30 MPAs spanning 85° of latitude. Our analyses synthesize the fate of 15,225 field experiment assays, and demonstrate that MPAs greatly increased predation intensity on animals but not herbivory on macroalgae or seagrass. Predation risk, quantified as the odds of prey being eaten, was largely determined by predator abundance and biomass within reserves. At MPAs with the greatest predator accumulation, the odds of predation increased to nearly 49:1, as opposed to 1:1 at MPAs where predators actually declined. Surprisingly, we also found evidence that predation risk declined with increased sea‐surface temperature. Greater predation risk within MPAs was consistent with predator and prey population abundance estimates, where predators increased 4.4‐fold within MPAs, whereas prey decreased 2.2‐fold. For herbivory, the lack of change may have been driven by functional redundancy and the inability of reserves to increase herbivore abundance relative to fished zones in our sample. Overall, this work highlights the capacity of MPAs to restore a critical ecosystem function such as predation, which mediates energy flows and community assembly within natural systems. However, our review of the literature also uncovers relatively few studies that have quantified the effects of MPAs on ecosystem function, highlighting a key gap in our understanding of how protected areas may alter ecological processes and deliver ecosystem services. From a historical perspective, these findings suggest that modern levels of predation in the coastal oceans may currently only be a fraction of the baseline prior to human exploitation.
Resolving misaligned spatial data with integrated species distribution models
Authors: Pacifici Krishna , Reich Brian J. , Miller David A. W. , Pease Brent S. 
Published: April 2019

AbstractAdvances in species distribution modeling continue to be driven by a need to predict species responses to environmental change coupled with increasing data availability. Recent work has focused on development of methods that integrate multiple streams of data to model species distributions. Combining sources of information increases spatial coverage and can improve accuracy in estimates of species distributions. However, when fusing multiple streams of data, the temporal and spatial resolutions of data sources may be mismatched. This occurs when data sources have fluctuating geographic coverage, varying spatial scales and resolutions, and differing sources of bias and sparsity. It is well documented in the spatial statistics literature that ignoring the misalignment of different data sources will result in bias in both the point estimates and uncertainty. This will ultimately lead to inaccurate predictions of species distributions. Here, we examine the issue of misaligned data as it relates specifically to integrated species distribution models. We then provide a general solution that builds off work in the statistical literature for the change‐of‐support problem. Specifically, we leverage spatial correlation and repeat observations at multiple scales to make statistically valid predictions at the ecologically relevant scale of inference. An added feature of the approach is that addressing differences in spatial resolution between data sets can allow for the evaluation and calibration of lesser‐quality sources in many instances. Using both simulations and data examples, we highlight the utility of this modeling approach and the consequences of not reconciling misaligned spatial data. We conclude with a brief discussion of the upcoming challenges and obstacles for species distribution modeling via data fusion.
Invasive perennial forb effects on gross soil nitrogen cycling and nitrous oxide fluxes depend on phenology
Authors: Portier Evan , Silver Whendee L. , Yang Wendy H. 
Published: April 2019

AbstractInvasive plants can increase soil nitrogen (N) pools and accelerate soil N cycling rates, but their effect on gross N cycling and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions has rarely been studied. We hypothesized that perennial pepperweed (Lepidium latifolium) invasion would increase rates of N cycling and gaseous N loss, thereby depleting ecosystem N and causing a negative feedback on invasion. We measured a suite of gross N cycling rates and net N2O fluxes in invaded and uninvaded areas of an annual grassland in the Sacramento‐San Joaquin River Delta region of northern California. During the growing season, pepperweed‐invaded soils had lower microbial biomass N, gross N mineralization, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), and denitrification‐derived net N2O fluxes (P < 0.02 for all). During pepperweed dormancy, gross N mineralization, DNRA, and denitrification‐derived net N2O fluxes were stimulated in pepperweed‐invaded plots, presumably by N‐rich litter inputs and decreased competition between microbes and plants for N (P < 0.04 for all). Soil organic carbon and total N concentrations, which reflect pepperweed effects integrated over longer time scales, were lower in pepperweed‐invaded soils (P < 0.001 and P = 0.04, respectively). Overall, pepperweed invasion had a net negative effect on ecosystem N status, depleting soil total N to potentially cause a negative feedback to invasion in the long term.
Coordinated operation of a battery energy storage system and thermal generators for supply–demand balance maintenance and efficient use of photovoltaic energy
Authors: Kobayashi Daiki , Masuta Taisuke , Ohtake Hideaki 
Published: April 2019

AbstractIn future power systems with extremely large integration of photovoltaic (PV) generation, it is necessary to not only properly maintain supply–demand balance without power shortfall but also utilize as much PV energy as possible. The application of PV power forecast and energy storage devices to power system operation is necessary. In this study, we propose a method for determining and modifying the charging and discharging schedule of a battery energy storage system (BESS) and the unit commitment of thermal generators based on the PV power forecast. The proposed method is evaluated by numerical simulations for one year. The results show that both the energy shortfall and PV curtailment can be reduced by the proposed method.
The potential use of bromelain as a natural oral medicine having anticarcinogenic activities
Authors: Lee Jung‐Ha , Lee Jin‐Tae , Park Hae‐Ryoun , Kim Jin‐Bom 
Published: April 2019

AbstractBromelain (BR), a protease extracted from Ananas comosus, reportedly possesses pharmacological activities including the reduction of thrombogenesis, and antihypertensive, and antimicrobial effects. This study aimed to investigate the potential effects of BR on oral cancer cells. The effect of BR on the viability of Ca9‐22 and SCC25 cells was determined using the MTT assay. These cells were also treated with different doses of BR, and Western blotting was conducted to monitor apoptosis. Finally, flow cytometry analysis was performed to identify sub‐G1 populations of oral cancer cells. After treatment, the viability of both Ca9‐22 and SCC25 cells was markedly reduced, in a dose‐dependent manner. BR induced poly (ADP‐ribose) polymerase (PARP) and lamin A/C degradation, and generated cleavage products. Flow cytometry analysis showed that BR treatment significantly increased the sub‐G1 population. Our findings therefore indicate that BR has potential as a novel, natural anticarcinogenic medicine.
Mo‐doped CeO2 Synthesized by the Combustion Method for Carbon‐Air Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (CA‐SOFC) Applications
Authors: Díaz‐Aburto I. , Gracia F. , Colet‐Lagrille M. 
Published: April 2019

AbstractMolybdenum(Mo)‐doped ceria (CMO) nanoparticles were synthesized by the combustion method with three different Mo compositions: 5 wt.%, 7 wt.%, and 10 wt.%. The catalytic activity of CMO for wet gasification of carbon was studied in a fluidized bed reactor, while the mechanical and electrical properties of this material were characterized using dense sintered CMO pellets.The Young's modulus was found to increase with the Mo content; the higher value measured was 289.4 GPa for CMO with 10 wt.% Mo. Measurements of Vickers microhardness demonstrated that an increase in the Mo content produces a decrease in the microhardness of the material, suggesting that Mo confers semi‐metallic characteristics to CMO. The higher fracture toughness value, determined by the Niihara equation, was 4.39 MPa m0.5 for CMO with 10 wt.% Mo. In addition, an increase in the molybdenum content produced an increase in the electrical conductivity under air and H2 atmospheres. The maximum electrical conductivities under air and H2 were found for CMO with 10 wt.% Mo at 800 °C: 1.87 × 10−3 S cm−1 and 9.37 × 10−1 S cm−1, correspondingly. Finally, CMO with 10 wt.% Mo exhibited good catalytic activity for carbon gasification, which renders it a promising material for a combined fluidized bed‐SOFC system.
How does birth weight affect health and human capital? A short‐ and long‐term evaluation
Authors: Baguet Marie , Dumas Christelle 
Published: April 2019

AbstractIn utero shocks have been shown to have long‐lasting consequences. However, we hardly know whether these effects tend to fade out over time and whether they can be compensated by post‐natal investments. This paper examines the effect of birth endowment over time by employing a long panel of individuals born in 1983 in Cebu (Philippines) that includes relevant information on the pregnancy. We build a refined health endowment measure netted out from prenatal investments. We find that initial endowments affect trajectories both through the human capital production function and subsequent parental investment. The effect of birth endowment remains until adulthood and the fading out is very limited for health outcomes but more pronounced for educational outcomes. We also find that parents tend to reinforce initial health endowments, but the effect of this behaviour has almost no effect on final outcomes.
Identification of novel diagnostic markers for sinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma
Authors: Takahashi Yoko , Gleber‐Netto Frederico O. , Bell Diana , Roberts Dianna , Xie Tong‐Xin , Abdelmeguid Ahmed S. , Pickering Curtis , Myers Jeffrey N. , Hanna Ehab Y. 
Published: April 2019

AbstractBackgroundSinonasal undifferentiated carcinoma (SNUC) is a rare, highly aggressive cancer. It is often difficult to determine whether SNUC is a distinct pathologic entity with poorly differentiated neuroendocrine features or it represents an undifferentiated tumor of squamous lineage. Also, reliable histopathologic markers that distinguish SNUC from poorly differentiated sinonasal squamous cell carcinoma (SNSCC) are lacking. Therefore, identification of new diagnostic molecular markers for SNUC is needed.MethodsTreatment‐naïve tumor specimens obtained from 15 SNUC and 6 SNSCC patients were used. Gene expression analysis was performed using an oncology panel.ResultsAn unsupervised cluster analysis divided the patients into the one with only SNUCs and the one with mainly SNSCCs. Of 132 differentially expressed genes, 7 genes completely distinguished SNUCs from SNSCCs. SNUCs were enriched in sets of genes related to DNA repair, synthesis/replication, and cell division.ConclusionsOur study identified new diagnostic markers and potential therapeutic targets for SNUC.
Exploring Crystal Structure in Ethyne‐Substituted Pentacenes, and Their Elaboration into Crystalline Dehydro[18]annulenes
Authors: Bruzek Matthew J. , Holland Emma K. , Hailey Anna K. , Parkin Sean R. , Loo Yueh‐Lin , Anthony John E. 
Published: April 2019

AbstractApproaches to control the self‐assembly of aromatic structures to enhance intermolecular electronic coupling are the key to the development of new electronic and photonic materials. Acenes in particular have proven simple to functionalize to induce strong π‐stacking interactions, although finer control of intermolecular π‐overlap has proven more difficult to accomplish. In this report, we describe how very weak hydrogen bonding interactions can exert profound impact on solid‐state order in solubilized pentacenes, inducing self‐assembly in either head‐to‐tail motifs with strong 2‐D π‐stacking, or head‐to‐head orientations with much weaker, 1‐D π‐stacking arrangements. In order to achieve 3‐D π‐stacking useful for photovoltaic applications, we elaborated a series of diethynyl pentacenes to their trimeric dehydro[18]annulene forms. These large, strongly interacting structures did indeed behave as acceptors in polymer photovoltaic devices.
Relationship between vulvar symptoms and incidence of vulvar cancer in women referred to a rapid access clinic
Authors: Wiggans Alison , Coleridge Sarah , Bryant Andrew , Morrison Jo 
Published: April 2019

AbstractObjectiveWe performed a study to estimate incidence of vulvar cancer in women with vulvar symptoms (irritation, pain, bleeding +/− presence of lesion) referred to a secondary care, rapid‐access clinic.MethodsProspective data collection of all direct referrals from a primary to a secondary care gynecological oncology clinic from 2011 to 2016, for women with suspicious vulvar symptoms.Results32/393 (8.1%) women had vulvar cancer, and 24/393 (6.1%) had a premalignant lesion. Multivariate logistic regression showed that women referred without a specific lesion had considerably lower odds of a diagnosis of vulvar cancer than those with a lesion (OR=0.11, 95% CI: 0.03–0.49). In total, 30/234 (12.8%) women with a vulvar lesion (mass or ulcer), had vulvar cancer, compared with 2/159 (1.3%) of those referred without a lesion (these patients had vulvar irritation and bleeding but had a visible lesion on examination). None of the 140 women with irritation alone, in the absence of a visible lesion or bleeding, had pre‐invasive disease or cancer.ConclusionPresence of a vulvar lesion, especially if painful/bleeding, has a high positive predictive value for vulvar cancer and 12.8% of women presenting with any vulvar lesion to secondary care had cancer.