bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Emergence of weak‐intransitive competition through adaptive diversification and eco‐evolutionary feedbacks
Authors: Gallien Laure , Landi Pietro , Hui Cang , Richardson David M. 
Published: April 2018

Abstract

Indirect biotic interactions—such as intransitive competition—are increasingly recognized as being important in shaping ecological patterns in natural systems. Over long time‐scales, such indirect interactions may affect the evolution of species phenotypes, which in turn can modify these interactions, thereby begetting eco‐evolutionary feedbacks. If indirect intransitive interactions can emerge in situ during lineage diversification, they could profoundly affect species’ phenotypic diversity, temporal stability, and subsequent diversification rates.

We address these questions by investigating the conditions under which indirect intransitive competition can emerge from a lineage diversifying in sympatry. We use an adaptive dynamics model to study the ecological and evolutionary properties of this lineage under different scenarios where competition for resources between phenotypes varies in strength and (a)symmetry.

Results show that weak‐intransitive competition can emerge during the sympatric diversification of a single lineage. “Weak‐intransitivity” here refers to situations where species interactions are not perfectly transitive, that is, there is no strict hierarchy in species competitive abilities. The strength of such weak‐intransitivity increases when the competition between phenotypes increases in strength and asymmetry. The strength of intransitivity also correlates with other system properties. We notably found that the strength of intransitivity increases with the number of phenotypes, and that greater intransitivity correlates with the evolution of greater functional trait divergences between phenotypes, greater resistance to invasion by new phenotypes but lower resistance to disturbances as well as slower evolutionary rates.

Synthesis. This theoretical exploration of the evolution of intransitive competition provides the first formal bridge between the ecological and evolutionary aspects of intransitive competition. We show that, when competitive interactions are strong enough, weak‐intransitive competition is more likely to emerge through adaptive diversification than from a random community assembly. Intransitive competition is, therefore, not only restricted to between‐species interactions but can also function as a regulator of diversification within species, thereby affecting lineage functional diversity, and ecological and evolutionary stability.
At, with and beyond risk: expectations of living with the possibility of future dementia
Authors: Milne Richard , Diaz Ana , Badger Shirlene , Bunnik Eline , Fauria Karine , Wells Katie 
Published: April 2018

AbstractBiomedical research aimed at the development of therapies for chronic and late‐onset conditions increasingly concentrates on the early treatment of symptom‐less disease. This broad trend is evidenced in prominent shifts in contemporary dementia research. Revised diagnostic criteria and new approaches to clinical trials propose a focus on earlier stages of disease and prompt concerns about the implications of communicating test results associated with the risk of developing dementia when no effective treatments are available. This article examines expectations of the implications of learning test results related to dementia risk, based on focus group research conducted in the UK and Spain. It points to the extended social and temporal aspects of the dementia risk experience. Three key dimensions of this risk experience are elaborated: living ‘at risk’, represented in efforts to reduce risk and plan for the future; ‘with risk’, through vigilance towards cognitive health and earlier or prolonged contact with healthcare services; and finally, ‘beyond risk’ through a cessation of the self in its current social, legal and financial form. A virtual abstract of this paper can be viewed at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_979cmCmR9rLrKuD7z0ycA
Patterns of statin use and long‐term adherence and persistence among older adults with diabetes
Authors: Ofori‐Asenso Richard , Ilomäki Jenni , Tacey Mark , Zomer Ella , Curtis Andrea J. , Bell J. Simon , Zoungas Sophia , Liew Danny 
Published: April 2018

AbstractBackgroundStatins reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with diabetes. This study examined the prevalence of statin use and assessed long‐term adherence and persistence among people aged ≥65 years with diabetes.MethodsPharmaceutical Benefits Scheme data covering a 10% random sample of the Australian population were analyzed. Among older adults with diabetes, the yearly prevalence of statin use was compared via Poisson regression modeling using 2006 as the reference year. A cohort of 7400 new statin users (mean age 72.9 years; 46.2% female) was followed longitudinally. Adherence was assessed via the proportion of days covered (PDC). Statin discontinuation was defined as the first ≥90 days without statin coverage.ResultsThe prevalence of statin use increased from 52.0% in 2006 to 71.2% in 2016 (age and sex‐adjusted rate ratio 1.37; 95% confidence interval 1.33–1.41). No gender differences in statin use were observed, but the likelihood of being dispensed statin decreased with increasing age. Among the longitudinal cohort, the proportion adherent (PDC ≥0.80) decreased from 54.0% at 6 months to 37.0% at 9 years. Over a mean follow‐up of 4.9 years, 66.8% discontinued, and the likelihood of stopping statin medication within the first year was 42.7%. No age or gender differences in statin discontinuation were evident.ConclusionsStatin use has increased among older adults with diabetes. However, adherence is low and discontinuation is high. Further investigations into the factors associated with non‐adherence or discontinuation of statins are important so as to optimize statin use towards achieving the intended cardiovascular benefits among older people with diabetes.
Scene‐specific convolutional neural networks for video‐based biodiversity detection
Authors: Weinstein Ben G. 
Published: April 2018

Abstract

Finding, counting and identifying animals is a central challenge in ecology. Most studies are limited by the time and cost of fieldwork by human observers. To increase the spatial and temporal breadth of sampling, ecologists are adopting passive image‐based monitoring approaches. While passive monitoring can expand data collection, a remaining obstacle is finding the small proportion of images containing ecological objects among the majority of frames containing only background scenes.

I proposed a scene‐specific convolutional neural network for detecting animals of interest within long duration time‐lapse videos. Convolutional neural networks are a type of deep learning algorithm that have recently made significant advances in image classification.

The approach was tested on videos of floral visitation by hummingbirds. Despite low frame rates, poor image quality, and complex video conditions, the model correctly classified over 90% of frames containing hummingbirds. Combining motion detection and image classification can substantially reduce the time investment in scoring images from passive monitoring studies.

These results underscore the promise of deep learning to lead ecology into greater automation using passive image analysis. To help facilitate future applications, I created a desktop executable that can be used to apply pre‐trained models to videos, as well as reproducible scripts for training new models on local and cloud environments.
Development of a Tissue‐Engineered Artificial Ligament: Reconstruction of Injured Rabbit Medial Collateral Ligament With Elastin‐Collagen and Ligament Cell Composite Artificial Ligament
Authors: Hirukawa Masaki , Katayama Shingo , Sato Tatsuya , Inoue Kota , Niwa Kosuke , Ito Naoya , Hattori Tetsuya , Hosoi Takashi , Unno Hironori , Suzuki Yoshiaki , Hasegawa Masahiro , Miyamoto Keiichi , Horiuchi Takashi 
Published: April 2018

AbstractLigament reconstruction using a tissue‐engineered artificial ligament (TEAL) requires regeneration of the ligament‐bone junction such that fixation devices such as screws and end buttons do not have to be used. The objective of this study was to develop a TEAL consisting of elastin‐coated polydioxanone (PDS) sutures covered with elastin and collagen fibers preseeded with ligament cells. In a pilot study, a ring‐type PDS suture with a 2.5 mm (width) bone insertion was constructed with/without elastin coating (Ela‐coat and Non‐coat) and implanted into two bone tunnels, diameter 2.4 mm, in the rabbit tibia (6 cases each) to access the effect of elastin on the bond strength. PDS specimens taken together with the tibia at 6 weeks after implantation indicated growth of bone‐like hard tissues around bone tunnels accompanied with narrowing of the tunnels in the Ela‐coat group and not in the Non‐coat group. The drawout load of the Ela‐coat group was significantly higher (28.0 ± 15.1 N, n = 4) than that of the Non‐coat group (7.6 ± 4.6 N, n = 5). These data can improve the mechanical bulk property of TEAL through extracellular matrix formation. To achieve this TEAL model, 4.5 × 106 ligament cells were seeded on elastin and collagen fibers (2.5 cm × 2.5 cm × 80 µm) prior to coil formation around the elastin‐coated PDS core sutures having ball‐shape ends with a diameter of 2.5 mm. Cell‐seeded and cell‐free TEALs were implanted across the femur and the tibia through bone tunnels with a diameter of 2.4 mm (6 cases each). There was no incidence of TEAL being pulled in 6 weeks. Regardless of the remarkable degradation of PDS observed in the cell‐seeded group, both the elastic modulus and breaking load of the cell‐seeded group (n = 3) were comparable to those of the sham‐operation group (n = 8) (elastic modulus: 15.4 ± 1.3 MPa and 18.5 ± 5.7 MPa; breaking load: 73.0 ± 23.4 N and 104.8 ± 21.8 N, respectively) and higher than those of the cell‐free group (n = 5) (elastic modulus: 5.7 ± 3.6 MPa; breaking load: 48.1 ± 11.3 N) accompanied with narrowed bone tunnels and cartilage matrix formation. These data suggest that elastin increased the bond strength of TEAL and bone. Furthermore, our newly developed TEAL from elastin, collagen, and ligament cells maintained the strength of the TEAL even if PDS was degraded.
Predictors of visual outcomes in patients with neovascular age‐related macular degeneration treated with anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor therapy: post hoc analysis of the VIEW studies
Authors: Lanzetta Paolo , Cruess Alan F. , Cohen Salomon Y. , Slakter Jason S. , Katz Todd , Sowade Olaf , Zeitz Oliver , Ahlers Christiane , Mitchell Paul 
Published: April 2018

AbstractPurposeIdentify predictors for response to anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapy in patients with neovascular (wet) age‐related macular degeneration (nAMD).MethodsRetrospective, post hoc analysis of VIEW 1/2. Patients were randomized 1:1:1:1 to 0.5 mg intravitreal aflibercept (IVT‐AFL) injection every 4 weeks (0.5q4); 2 mg IVT‐AFL every 4 weeks (2q4); 2 mg IVT‐AFL every 8 weeks (2q8) after an initial three injections at weeks 0, 4 and 8 or 0.5 mg intravitreal ranibizumab every 4 weeks (0.5q4).Results1815 patients [IVT‐AFL 2q4 (n = 613); IVT‐AFL 2q8 (n = 607); ranibizumab 0.5q4 (n = 595)] were included. Baseline demographics/characteristics were evenly balanced. Younger age (49–69 years), lower visual acuity (VA) [10.0–≤45.0 Early Treatment Diabetic Retinopathy Study (ETDRS) letters] and smaller choroidal neovascularization (CNV) size [0.0–≤3.1 disc areas (DA)] at baseline were associated with the most vision gain (≥15 letters) over 52 weeks (all nominal p < 0.0001).Younger age, higher baseline VA (>64.0–≤83.0 letters) and smaller CNV size were associated with a VA ≥20/40 at week 52. Predominantly classic CNV at baseline (nominal p = 0.0007), older age (≥90 years), lower baseline VA (10.0–≤ 45.0 ETDRS letters) and larger CNV size (>10.1–≤32.6 DA) were all associated with a VA ≤20/200 at week 52 (all nominal p < 0.0001). Along with treatment (nominal p < 0.0001), lower VA (p = 0.0166) and smaller central retinal thickness (both nominal p = 0.0190) were predictors for dry retina development.ConclusionYounger age, lower VA and smaller CNV size at baseline were all associated with greater vision gains over 52 weeks while younger age, higher VA and smaller CNV size at treatment start were more likely to achieve best‐corrected VA 20/40 or better after a year's treatment, suggesting the benefit of early anti‐VEGF treatment.
Autophagy—A key pathway for cardiac health and longevity
Authors: Woodall B. P. , Gustafsson Å. B. 
Published: April 2018

AbstractAs average life expectancy continues to rise in the developed world, age‐associated pathologies are increasing in prevalence. The hallmarks of cardiac ageing include cardiomyocyte loss, fibrosis and hypertrophy, all of which contribute to an increased incidence of cardiac disease. At the molecular level, cellular ageing is characterized by increased ROS production, mitochondrial dysfunction and the accumulation of damaged proteins and organelles. Cardiomyocytes and other senescent cell types rely upon autophagy, a lysosome‐mediated degradation pathway, to remove potentially toxic protein aggregates and damaged organelles from the cellular milieu. However, increasing lines of evidence point to an age‐associated decrease in cardiomyocyte autophagy, with predictably negative consequences for cardiac function and health. Conversely, stimulation of autophagy has been shown to improve cellular health and cardiac function and to increase lifespan in numerous model organisms. Clearly, autophagy represents a critical pathway for cellular vitality, as well as a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of age‐related cardiac pathologies. In this review, we will discuss the mechanism of autophagy and its regulation in the cell, the role of autophagy in the ageing heart, and how the autophagy pathway might be targeted to improve cardiac health.
Side Effects of Long‐Term Proton Pump Inhibitor Use: A Review
Authors: Haastrup Peter Fentz , Thompson Wade , Søndergaard Jens , Jarbøl Dorte Ejg 
Published: April 2018

AbstractProton pump inhibitors (PPIs) are widely used, and concerns about overuse have been raised. Therefore, side effects are important to be aware of and several suggested side effects of long‐term use have been studied. In this MiniReview, we sum up the evidence of side effects related to long‐term PPI treatment. Suspected side effects are mainly related to increased susceptibility to infections, secondary hypergastrinaemia, impeded absorption of micronutrients or idiosyncratic reactions. Most of the potential side effects have only been evaluated in observational studies demonstrating conflicting and weak associations with a substantial risk of confounding. However, a high probability of causality seems to be established for the side effects increased risk of gastrointestinal infections and rebound acid hypersecretion following discontinuation of treatment due to secondary hypergastrinaemia. The risk of side effects should not be a reason to withhold PPIs from patients with a true indication, and worry about poorly proven side effects should not lead to unnecessary discontinuation. The most important safety issue regarding PPI therapy is to critically evaluate the indication when initiating treatment and reconsidering the indication in long‐term‐treated patients.
Intrapersonal Emotion Regulation Processes Influence What Children Remember About Their Emotional Experiences
Authors: Parsafar Parisa , Davis Elizabeth L. 
Published: April 2018

Little work has tested how emotion regulation (ER) processes influence children's memory for negative experiences. We investigated how two intrapersonal ER processes (affect‐biased attention and changes in negative feelings) predicted children's (N = 184, 93 girls, ages 3–11) memory. Recall of a sad or scary film was tested after a delay. The way discrete emotional information was remembered varied with ER and children's age. Older children with greater affect‐biased attention or less reduction of fear demonstrated privileged memory for central information from the scary film. Older children with greater affect‐biased attention but greater reductions in sadness recalled more from the sad film overall. Findings suggest ER processes should be considered when examining children's memory for negative emotional information.
Evaluation of membrane-bound and soluble forms of human leucocyte antigen-G in systemic sclerosis
Authors: Contini P , Negrini S , Murdaca G , Borro M , Puppo F 
Published: April 2018

SummarySystemic sclerosis (SSc) is a complex disease characterized by immune dysregulation, extensive vascular damage and widespread fibrosis. Human leucocyte antigen-G (HLA-G) is a non-classic class I major histocompatibility complex (MHC) molecule characterized by complex immunomodulating properties. HLA-G is expressed on the membrane of different cell lineages in both physiological and pathological conditions. HLA-G is also detectable in soluble form (sHLA-G) deriving from the shedding of surface isoforms (sHLA-G1) or the secretion of soluble isoforms (HLA-G5). Several immunosuppressive functions have been attributed to both membrane-bound and soluble HLA-G molecules. The plasma levels of sHLA-G were higher in SSc patients (444·27 ± 304·84 U/ml) compared to controls (16·74 ± 20·58 U/ml) (P &lt; 0·0001). The plasma levels of transforming growth factor (TGF)-β were higher in SSc patients (18 937 ± 15 217 pg/ml) compared to controls (11 099 ± 6081 pg/ml; P = 0·003), and a significant correlation was found between TGF-β and the plasma levels of total sHLA-G (r = 0·65; P &lt; 0·01), sHLA-G1 (r = 0·60; P = 0·003) and HLA-G5 (r = 0·47; P = 0·02). The percentage of HLA-G-positive monocytes (0·98 ± 1·72), CD4+ (0·37 ± 0·68), CD8+ (2·05 ± 3·74) and CD4+CD8+ double-positive cells (14·53 ± 16·88) was higher in SSc patients than in controls (0·11 ± 0·08, 0·01 ± 0·01, 0·01 ± 0·01 and 0·39 ± 0·40, respectively) (P &lt; 0·0001). These data indicate that in SSc the secretion and/or shedding of soluble HLA-G molecules and the membrane expression of HLA-G by peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) is clearly elevated, suggesting an involvement of HLA-G molecules in the immune dysregulation of SSc.
Wrestling with the complexity of evaluation for organizations at the boundary of science, policy, and practice
Authors: Pitt R. , Wyborn C. , Page G. , Hutton J. , Sawmy M. Virah , Ryan M. , Gallagher L. 
Published: April 2018

AbstractBoundary organizations are situated between science, policy, and practice and have a goal of supporting communication and collaboration among these sectors. They have been promoted as a way to improve the effectiveness of conservation efforts by building stronger relationships between scientists, policy makers, industry, and practitioners (Cook et al. 2013). Although their promise has been discussed in theory, the work of and expectations for boundary organizations are less defined in practice. Biodiversity conservation is characterized by complexity, uncertainty, dissent, and tight budgets, so boundary organizations face the challenging task of demonstrating their value to diverse stakeholders. We examined the challenges boundary organizations face when seeking to evaluate their work and thus aimed to encourage more productive conversations about evaluation of boundary organizations and their projects. Although no off‐the‐shelf solution is available for a given boundary organization, we identified 4 principles that will support effective evaluation for boundary organizations: engage diverse stakeholders, support learning and reflection, assess contribution to change, and align evaluation with assumption and values.
Clinical and Functional Relevance of the Monocarboxylate Transporter Family in Disease Pathophysiology and Drug Therapy
Authors: Fisel Pascale , Schaeffeler Elke , Schwab Matthias 
Published: April 2018

AbstractThe solute carrier (SLC) SLC16 gene family comprises 14 members and encodes for monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs), which mediate the absorption and distribution of monocarboxylic compounds across plasma membranes. As the knowledge about their physiological function, activity, and regulation increases, their involvement and contribution to cancer and other diseases become increasingly evident. Moreover, promising opportunities for therapeutic interventions by directly targeting their endogenous functions or by exploiting their ability to deliver drugs to specific organ sites emerge.
Does bilingualism increase brain or cognitive reserve in patients with temporal lobe epilepsy?
Authors: Reyes Anny , Paul Brianna M. , Marshall Anisa , Chang Yu‐Hsuan A. , Bahrami Naeim , Kansal Leena , Iragui Vicente J. , Tecoma Evelyn S. , Gollan Tamar H. , McDonald Carrie R. 
Published: April 2018

SummaryObjectiveBilingual healthy adults have been shown to exhibit an advantage in executive functioning (EF) that is associated with microstructural changes in white matter (WM) networks. Patients with temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) often show EF deficits that are associated with WM compromise. In this study, we investigate whether bilingualism can increase cognitive reserve and/or brain reserve in bilingual patients with TLE, mitigating EF impairment and WM compromise.MethodsDiffusion tensor imaging was obtained in 19 bilingual and 26 monolingual patients with TLE, 12 bilingual healthy controls (HC), and 21 monolingual HC. Fractional anisotropy (FA) and mean diffusivity (MD) were calculated for the uncinate fasciculus (Unc) and cingulum (Cing), superior frontostriatal tract (SFS), and inferior frontostriatal tract (IFS). Measures of EF included Trail Making Test‐B (TMT‐B) and Delis‐Kaplan Executive Function System Color‐Word Inhibition/Switching. Analyses of covariance were conducted to compare FA and MD of the Unc, Cing, SFS, and IFS and EF performance across groups.ResultsIn bilingual patients, FA was lower in the ipsilateral Cing and Unc compared to all other groups. For both patient groups, MD of the ipsilateral Unc was higher relative to HC. Despite more pronounced reductions in WM integrity, bilingual patients performed similarly to monolingual TLE and both HC groups on EF measures. By contrast, monolingual patients performed worse than HC on TMT‐B. In addition, differences in group means between bilingual and monolingual patients on TMT‐B approached significance when controlling for the extent of WM damage (P = .071; d = 0.62), suggesting a tendency toward higher performance for bilingual patients.SignificanceDespite poorer integrity of regional frontal lobe WM, bilingual patients performed similarly to monolingual patients and HC on EF measures. These findings align with studies suggesting that bilingualism may provide a protective factor for individuals with neurological disease, potentially through reorganization of EF networks that promote greater cognitive reserve.
A proposed mechanism for central centrifugal cicatricial alopecia
Authors: Subash Jacob , Alexander Tiffany , Beamer Victoria , McMichael Amy 
Published: April 2018

AbstractCentral centrifugal cicatricial alopecia (CCCA) has an unknown mechanism. Analyzing other scarring diseases (lichen planopilaris, fibrotic kidney disease and scleroderma) may help to clarify the mechanism of scarring in CCCA. These diseases were chosen for comparison due to either their location of disease (skin or scalp specifically), or prominence in patients of African descent. Genetics, possible triggers, an autoimmune lymphocytic response, and epithelial to mesenchymal transition are potentially involved. Possible common pathways in scarring diseases and a better understanding of the CCCA mechanism will lead to further research into the pathogenesis and potential treatments of CCCA.