bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Human development and climate affect hibernation in a large carnivore with implications for human–carnivore conflicts
Authors: Johnson Heather E. , Lewis David L. , Verzuh Tana L. , Wallace Cody F. , Much Rebecca M. , Willmarth Lyle K. , Breck Stewart W. 
Published: October 2017

Abstract

Expanding human development and climate change are dramatically altering habitat conditions for wildlife. While the initial response of wildlife to changing environmental conditions is typically a shift in behaviour, little is known about the effects of these stressors on hibernation behaviour, an important life‐history trait that can subsequently affect animal physiology, demography, interspecific interactions and human‐wildlife interactions. Given future trajectories of land use and climate change, it is important that wildlife professionals understand how animals that hibernate are adapting to altered landscape conditions so that management activities can be appropriately tailored.

We investigated the influence of human development and weather on hibernation in black bears (Ursus americanus), a species of high management concern, whose behaviour is strongly tied to natural food availability, anthropogenic foods around development and variation in annual weather conditions. Using GPS collar data from 131 den events of adult female bears (n = 51), we employed fine‐scale, animal‐specific habitat information to evaluate the relative and cumulative influence of natural food availability, anthropogenic food and weather on the start, duration and end of hibernation.

We found that weather and food availability (both natural and human) additively shaped black bear hibernation behaviour. Of the habitat variables we examined, warmer temperatures were most strongly associated with denning chronology, reducing the duration of hibernation and expediting emergence in the spring. Bears appeared to respond to natural and anthropogenic foods similarly, as more natural foods, and greater use of human foods around development, both postponed hibernation in the fall and decreased its duration.

Synthesis and applications. Warmer temperatures and use of anthropogenic food subsides additively reduced black bear hibernation, suggesting that future changes in climate and land use may further alter bear behaviour and increase the length of their active season. We speculate that longer active periods for bears will result in subsequent increases in human–bear conflicts and human‐caused bear mortalities. These metrics are commonly used by wildlife agencies to index trends in bear populations, but have the potential to be misleading when bear behaviour dynamically adapts to changing environmental conditions, and should be substituted with reliable demographic methods.
Species wood density and the location of planted seedlings drive early‐stage seedling survival during tropical forest restoration
Authors: Charles Lachlan S. , Dwyer John M. , Smith Tobias J. , Connors Sophie , Marschner Petra , Mayfield Margaret M. 
Published: October 2017

Abstract

The success of restoration projects is known to vary widely, with outcomes relating to numerous biotic and abiotic factors. Though many studies have examined the factors associated with long‐term restoration success, few have examined which factors impact the establishment of restoration plantings.

In Australia's Wet Tropics, we used a large replicated restoration experiment to assess seedling survival for 24 native rainforest species commonly used in local restoration efforts. The experiment allowed for a rigorous assessment of the effects of species functional traits, planting conditions, and landscape‐ and local‐scale biotic and abiotic factors on seedling survival. This study reports on seedling survival between three different time periods of 0–4, 4–9 and 9–31 months post planting.

The probability of seedling survival was influenced by multiple factors, varying in importance over time. Across the whole study period, seedlings with high wood density and which were planted closer to intact forest consistently displayed the highest probabilities of survival. Transient factors affecting seedling survival across the three time periods included plot aspect (0–4 months only), the identity of the planter and slope (4–9 and 9–31 months). Overall, species survival did not differ between the low (6 species) and high (24 species) diversity treatments, but was significantly lower in monocultures of Flindersia brayleyana by the end of the study.

We demonstrate that early‐stage seedling survival depends on species wood density and planting location. Our results support the use of species with more conservative growth strategies when limited funds are available for follow‐up plantings. High wood density species had significantly higher survival than lower wood density, early successional species typically used in rainforest restoration plantings.

Synthesis and applications. Our study highlights the importance of wood density and landscape structure to the initial survival of rainforest plantings. Factors influencing seedling survival shifted over time but, most importantly, our results highlight that, when planting into abandoned pastures, it may be preferable to select species with higher wood densities to maximize survival during the crucial early stages of establishment and growth.
Policy Implications from Multi‐scale Watershed Models of Biofuel Crop Adoption across the Corn Belt
Authors: Kling Catherine L. , Chaubey Indrajeet , Cibin Raj , Gassman Philip W. , Panagopoulos Yiannis 
Published: October 2017

AbstractThe implications and value of Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT)‐based simulations of the productive potential and water quality impacts associated with switchgrass, Miscanthus, or corn stover removal biofuel cropping systems are discussed. Specifically, the three accompanying studies describe the water quality implications of adopting the three biofuel‐cropping systems via large‐scale conversion of cropland or targeting to marginal lands for three smaller watersheds located in the western or eastern Corn Belt, or across the Upper Mississippi and Ohio‐Tennessee River Basins. Other results such as climate change related impacts for two eastern Corn Belt watersheds are also discussed. These studies are supported by the CenUSA Bioenergy coordinated agricultural project funded by the USDA to develop a regional system for producing cellulosic biofuels. A description of the evolving federal policy related to cellulosic biofuel production and consumption is provided as are other potential drivers for encouraging the adoption of stover removal, switchgrass, and Miscanthus as perennial feedstocks. Findings from the SWAT studies and their implications for environmental and economic performance in their respective agroecosystems are discussed, and commonalities and divergences in results are identified. The potential for policy design to improve the performance of these systems based on the findings of these modeling studies, and continuing research needs and directions for improved policy design are discussed. Editor's note: This paper is part of the featured series on SWAT Applications for Emerging Hydrologic and Water Quality Challenges. See the February 2017 issue for the introduction and background to the series.
Water Quality Assessment of Large‐scale Bioenergy Cropping Scenarios for the Upper Mississippi and Ohio‐Tennessee River Basins
Authors: Panagopoulos Yiannis , Gassman Philip W. , Kling Catherine L. , Cibin Raj , Chaubey Indrajeet 
Published: October 2017

AbstractThe Upper Mississippi River Basin and Ohio‐Tennessee River Basin comprise the majority of the United States Corn Belt region, resulting in degraded Mississippi River and Gulf of Mexico water quality. To address the water quality implications of increased biofuel production, biofuel scenarios were tested with a Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model revision featuring improved biofuel crop representation. Scenarios included corn stover removal and the inclusion of two perennial bioenergy crops, switchgrass and Miscanthus, grown on marginal lands (slopes >2% and erosion rates >2 t/ha) and nonmarginal lands. The SWAT model estimates show water quality is not very sensitive to stover removal. The perennial bioenergy crops reduce simulated sediment, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P) yields by up to 60%. Simulated sediment and P reductions in marginal lands were generally twice that occurring in the nonmarginal lands. The highest unit area reductions of N occurred in the less sloping tile‐drained lands. Productivity showed corn grain yield was independent from stover removal, while yields of the two perennial bioenergy crops were similar in the marginal and nonmarginal lands. The results suggest planning for biofuel production in the Corn Belt could include the removal of stover in productive corn areas, and the planting of perennial bioenergy crops in marginal land and in low‐sloped tile‐drained areas characterized by high N pollution. Editor's note: This paper is part of the featured series on SWAT Applications for Emerging Hydrologic and Water Quality Challenges. See the February 2017 issue for the introduction and background to the series.
Infrared Red Intubation System (IRRIS) guided flexile videoscope assisted difficult airway management
Authors: Kristensen M. S. , Fried E. , Biro P. 
Published: October 2017

BackgroundTracheal intubation with a flexible scope is a cornerstone technique in patients with severely difficult airways, but may fail. We report on a technique, Infrared Red Intubation System (IRRIS), that seems to facilitate the identification of the glottis.MethodsThe IRRIS is placed over the patient's cricothyroid membrane and emits blinking infrared light through the patient's skin into the subglottic space. When a flexible videoscope (one that does not filter infrared light) is introduced into the airway, it will display this as a blinking white light emerging from the glottis, retrograde transillumination, showing the pathway to the trachea. We have introduced this as an adjunct when managing our patients with difficult airways. We describe the technique and retrospectively report on the first ten patients where it was used.ResultsAll ten patients had significant pathology in the airway, radiation therapy, predictors for difficult intubation and/or morbid obesity. In all cases the blinking light was visible during the flexible endoscopy and provided unambiguous identification of the glottis, from a distance. The blinking nature of the light from the IRRIS helped to distinguish it from the reflections in the mucosa that inevitably arise when the mucosa is hit by the light from the flexible scope itself.ConclusionThe addition of the IRRIS technique to intubation with flexible videoscopes may be a tool that will make intubation of the most difficult airways easier and may be of special help to the clinician who only rarely uses flexible videoscopes for tracheal intubation.
Insertion methods comparison for The Streamlined Liner of the Pharynx Airway in children by novice
Authors: Chen Y. , Bai J. , Wang R. 
Published: October 2017

BackgroundThe Streamlined Liner of the Pharynx Airway (SLIPA™) is a popular supraglottic airway device used for pediatric anesthesia. However, based on the anatomical features of pediatric patients, novice residents are expected to have difficulties inserting the device. The objective of this work was to improve the SLIPA insertion by modifying the device.MethodsA total of 134 children were randomized into two groups. Anesthesia was standardized among all patients except for the way in which the SLIPA was inserted. One group underwent the conventional method of insertion (Group C), while the modified group received a SLIPA that was bent120° at the ‘bridge’ point with an intubating stylet (Group M). The primary outcome was insertion success rate, and the secondary outcomes included insertion time, incidence of complications and hemodynamic responses to insertion.ResultsThe insertion success rate was significantly higher in Group M than Group C (94% vs. 73%, Χ2 = 10.659, P = 0.001). The insertion time for Group M [29.31 (25.91–35.60) seconds] was shorter than for Group C [34.72 (26.81–42.58) seconds] (Z = −2.381, P = 0.017). Trends in heart rate (F = 0.260, P = 0.794), mean blood pressure (F = 0.167, P = 0.683) did not significantly differ between the two groups over time. In terms of complications, we found no significant differences between groups (P > 0.05).ConclusionThe 120° bend improved SLIPA insertion when performed by novice, as reflected by higher insertion success rates and shorter insertion times, with no statistical differences in hemodynamic response to insertion or the incidence rates of complications between the two groups.
A fungal endophyte of a palatable grass affects preference of large herbivores
Authors: Hernández‐Agramonte Ignacio M. , Semmartin María , Omacini Marina , Durante Martín , Gundel Pedro E. , De Battista José 
Published: October 2017

AbstractTemperate grasses frequently acquire resistance to herbivores through a symbiosis with epichloid fungi that produces alkaloids of variable deterrent effects. However, in those cases without apparent endophyte negative effects on domestic herbivores, it is not clear whether plant consumption or preference is affected or not. We performed three experiments with 1‐year‐old steers (Bos taurus, Aberdeen Angus) and the annual grass Lolium multiflorum, infected or not by Epichloë occultans to evaluate preference and to identify the underlying tolerance mechanisms. The first experiment evaluated steer preference for L. multiflorum cultivated in plots with three endophyte infection frequencies (low, medium and high), and investigated the role of canopy structure and plant nutritional traits on preference. The second experiment evaluated preference for chopped grass, offered in individual trays with contrasting infection frequencies (low and high), to discard possible effects associated with canopy structure and to focus on nutritional traits. The third experiment was performed with a tray + basket design that separated visual and olfactory stimuli from nutritional traits. High endophyte infection frequencies reduced consistently animal preference, even after short (~10 min) feeding events. However, we did not find significant evidence of plant structural, nutritional, visual or olfactory traits. Our results discarded several potential mechanisms; therefore, the dissuasive effect of fungal endophytes on animal consumption might be related to other mechanisms, including, likely, alkaloids and changes on grass metabolome.
Marijuana commercialization and adolescent substance treatment outcomes in Colorado
Authors: LeNoue Sean R. , Salomonsen‐Sautel Stacy , Min Sung‐Joon , Thurstone Christian 
Published: October 2017

Background and ObjectivesIn Colorado, marijuana was legalized for medical use in 2000, commercialized in 2009, and approved for recreational purposes in 2012. Little is known about the association between recent policy changes and adolescent substance treatment outcomes measured by urine drug screens (UDS). This study addressed this research gap.MethodsParticipants were youth (N = 523) aged 11–19 years who were enrolled in an outpatient motivational interviewing (MI)/cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) plus contingency management (CM) in Denver, Colorado from October 2007 to June 2014. The measures included UDS collected during weekly treatment sessions and sent to a commercial laboratory for quantitative analysis of tetrahydrocannabinol (THC)/Creatinine (Cr). Linear regression models and logistic regression models using a Generalized Estimating Equations (GEE) approach for repeated measures were completed to answer the study aims.ResultsMales, but not females, had a marginally significant increasing trend over time in monthly average THC/Cr (β = 1.99, p = 0.046). There was a significant increasing trend over time (per 30 days) in the odds of having a negative UDS within 6 sessions (OR = 1.02, 95%CI = 1.003–1.04, p = 0.006).Conclusions and Scientific SignificanceBased on these data, substance treatment outcomes from MI and CBT are mixed, but overall treatment appears to remain effective in a state with legalized marijuana. (Am J Addict 2017;26:802–806)
High‐risk squamous cell carcinoma masquerading as dense inflammation on Mohs frozen sections
Authors: Leow Liang Joo 
Published: October 2017

AbstractHigh‐risk squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) can present a unique challenge in Mohs surgery. This case report describes how high‐risk SCC may masquerade as only a dense inflammation on frozen sections. This feature should raise the index of suspicion for hidden SCC and be a routine indication for further processing by paraffin sections and immunohistochemistry.
Sentinel lymph node biopsy status is not the most powerful predictor of prognosis in cutaneous melanoma
Authors: Zagarella Samuel , Lee Stephen , Heenan Peter 
Published: October 2017

AbstractSentinel lymph node (SLN) status has been advocated in several recently published articles as the single most valuable prognostic marker for melanoma, and of greater prognostic importance than more established parameters such as Breslow thickness. A careful examination of the evidence for these claims, however, indicates that they are not substantiated by the available data, are somewhat misleading and suggest misinterpretation of the statistical analysis of the papers to which they refer. We will examine the basis for these claims and show why they are invalid.
Early discharge and post‐discharge outcomes in patients undergoing radical cystectomy for bladder cancer
Authors: Xia Leilei , Taylor Benjamin L. , Newton Andrew D. , Malhotra Aseem , Pulido Jose E. , Strother Marshall C. , Guzzo Thomas J. 
Published: October 2017

ObjectiveTo assess whether discharging patients early after radical cystectomy (RC) is associated with an increased risk of readmission and post‐discharge complications.Materials and MethodsThe National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried to identify patients who underwent an elective RC from 2012 to 2015. Patients were stratified into two groups: those with a length of hospital stay (LOS) of 4–5 days (early‐discharge group) and those with an LOS of 6–9 days (routine‐discharge group). We used multivariable logistic regression analyses to assess the impact of early discharge on 30‐day readmission and post‐discharge complication rates. Sensitivity analyses and subgroup analyses were performed to validate the robustness of our primary analyses.ResultsA total of 3 311 patients were included. Unadjusted outcomes comparison showed no difference in readmission rate (21.6% vs 23.0%) or post‐discharge complication rate (17.7% vs 19.6%) between the early‐discharge and the routine‐discharge group. Multivariable logistic regression also showed that early discharge was not associated with increased odds of readmission (odds ratio [OR] 1.00, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.82–1.22; P = 1.000) or post‐discharge complications (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.77–1.17; P = 0.616). Two‐step sensitivity analyses (excluding patients with LOS of 8–9 days, followed by patients with any pre‐discharge adverse event) validated the robustness of our primary analyses. Subgroup analyses also yielded similar results in all subgroups except for the subgroup of patients aged ≥85 years.ConclusionsEarly discharge after RC was not associated with increased readmissions or post‐discharge complications. Future prospective studies, with defined peri‐operative care pathways, are needed to identify potential components that may enable hospitals to discharge patients early without compromising post‐discharge outcomes.
Identifying candidates for super‐extended staging pelvic lymph node dissection among patients with high‐risk prostate cancer
Authors: Gandaglia Giorgio , Zaffuto Emanuele , Fossati Nicola , Bandini Marco , Suardi Nazareno , Mazzone Elio , Dell'Oglio Paolo , Stabile Armando , Freschi Massimo , Montorsi Francesco , Briganti Alberto 
Published: October 2017

ObjectivesTo assess if the preoperative lymph node invasion (LNI) risk could be used to tailor the extent of pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND) according to individual profile in patients with prostate cancer (PCa) undergoing radical prostatectomy (RP), and to identify those who would benefit from the removal of the common iliac and pre‐sacral nodes.Patients and MethodsA total of 471 patients with high‐risk PCa treated with RP and a super‐extended PLND that included the removal of the pre‐sacral and common iliac nodes between 2006 and 2016 were identified. The risk of LNI was calculated according to the Briganti nomogram. Multivariable logistic regression analyses assessed the association between LNI risk and involvement of the common iliac and pre‐sacral regions. The risk of positive common iliac and pre‐sacral nodes was plotted over the LNI risk using the LOWESS‐smoothed fit curve.ResultsThe median preoperative LNI risk was 25.5%. The median number of nodes removed was 23, and 171 (36.3%) patients had LNI. Overall, 61 (13.0%) and 28 patients (5.9%), respectively, had positive common iliac and pre‐sacral nodes alone or in combination with other sites. The LNI risk was associated with the involvement of the common iliac and pre‐sacral regions (all P < 0.001). The proportion of patients with positive common iliac and pre‐sacral nodes progressively increased according to the LNI risk. The adoption of a 30% threshold would result in avoiding the removal of the common iliac and pre‐sacral nodes in >60% cases, with a risk of missing LNI in these regions of <5%.ConclusionsFewer than 5% of patients with an LNI risk of <30% harbour positive common iliac and pre‐sacral nodes. A super‐extended PLND that includes the dissection of these regions should be considered exclusively in patients with an LNI risk ≥30%.
Adaptive social impact management for conservation and environmental management
Authors: Kaplan‐Hallam Maery , Bennett Nathan J. 
Published: October 2017

AbstractConcerns about the social consequences of conservation have spurred increased attention the monitoring and evaluation of the social impacts of conservation projects. This has resulted in a growing body of research that demonstrates how conservation can produce both positive and negative social, economic, cultural, health, and governance consequences for local communities. Yet, the results of social monitoring efforts are seldom applied to adaptively manage conservation projects. Greater attention is needed to incorporating the results of social impact assessments in long‐term conservation management to minimize negative social consequences and maximize social benefits. We bring together insights from social impact assessment, adaptive management, social learning, knowledge coproduction, cross‐scale governance, and environmental planning to propose a definition and framework for adaptive social impact management (ASIM). We define ASIM as the cyclical process of monitoring and adaptively managing social impacts over the life‐span of an initiative through the 4 stages of profiling, learning, planning, and implementing. We outline 14 steps associated with the 4 stages of the ASIM cycle and provide guidance and potential methods for social‐indicator development, predictive assessments of social impacts, monitoring and evaluation, communication of results, and identification and prioritization of management responses. Successful ASIM will be aided by engaging with best practices – including local engagement and collaboration in the process, transparent communication of results to stakeholders, collective deliberation on and choice of interventions, documentation of shared learning at the site level, and the scaling up of insights to inform higher‐level conservation policies‐to increase accountability, trust, and perceived legitimacy among stakeholders. The ASIM process is broadly applicable to conservation, environmental management, and development initiatives at various scales and in different contexts.