bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
An extirpated lineage of a threatened frog species resurfaces in southern California
Authors: Backlin Adam R. , Richmond Jonathan Q. , Gallegos Elizabeth A. , Christensen Clinton K. , Fisher Robert N. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractSouthern California has experienced widespread amphibian declines since the 1960s. One species, the Vulnerable California red-legged frogRana draytonii, is now considered to be extirpated from most of southern California. In February 2017 a population ofR. draytoniiwas discovered in the southern foothills of the San Bernardino Mountains of Riverside County, California, near the edge of the species’ historical distribution. This population belongs to an mtDNA lineage that was presumed to be extirpated within the USA but is still extant in Baja California, Mexico. This discovery increases the potential for future, evolutionarily informed translocations within the southern portion of this species’ range in California.
Developing biodiversity indicators for African birds
Authors: Wotton S.R. , Eaton M.A. , Sheehan D. , Munyekenye F. Barasa , Burfield I.J. , Butchart S.H.M. , Moleofi K. , Nalwanga-Wabwire D. , Ndang'ang'a P.K. , Pomeroy D. , Senyatso K.J. , Gregory R.D. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractBiodiversity indicators are essential for monitoring the impacts of pressures on the state of nature, determining the effectiveness of policy responses, and tracking progress towards biodiversity targets and sustainable development goals. Indicators based on trends in the abundance of birds are widely used for these purposes in Europe and have been identified as priorities for development elsewhere. To facilitate this we established bird population monitoring schemes in three African countries, based on citizen science approaches used in Europe, aiming to monitor population trends in common and widespread species. We recorded > 500 bird species from c. 450 2-km transects in Botswana, > 750 species from c. 120 transects in Uganda, and > 630 species from c. 90 transects in Kenya. Provisional Wild Bird Indices indicate a strong increase in bird populations in Botswana and a small decrease in Uganda. We also provide comparisons between trends of habitat generalists and specialists, of birds within and outside protected areas, and between Afro-Palearctic migrants and resident birds. Challenges encountered included recruiting, training and retaining volunteer surveyors, and securing long-term funding. However, we show that with technical support and modest investment (c. USD 30,000 per scheme per year), meaningful biodiversity indicators can be generated and used in African countries. Sustained resourcing for the existing schemes, and replication elsewhere, would be a cost-effective way to improve our understanding of biodiversity trends globally, and measure progress towards environmental goals.
Population density estimates and conservation concern for clouded leopards Neofelis nebulosa, marbled cats Pardofelis marmorata and tigers Panthera tigris in Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary, Sagaing, Myanmar
Authors: Naing Hla , Ross Joanna , Burnham Dawn , Htun Saw , Macdonald David W. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThe clouded leopard Neofelis nebulosa is a potent ambassador species for conservation, occurring from the Himalayan foothills eastwards to Indochina, between which Myanmar is a biogeographical land bridge. In Myanmar's Northern Forest Complex, the species co-occurs with the tiger Panthera tigris, leopard Panthera pardus, marbled cat Pardofelis marmorata, golden cat Catopuma temminckii and leopard cat Prionailurus bengalensis. We deployed cameras within the Htamanthi Wildlife Sanctuary over 2 consecutive years. In 2014–2015 we deployed 82 camera stations around the Nam Pa Gon stream (Catchment 1) for 7,365 trap days. In 2015–2016 we deployed 80 camera stations around the Nam E Zu stream (Catchment 2) for 7,192 trap days. In Catchment 1 we identified five tigers from 26 detections, five clouded leopards from 41 detections (68 photographs) and 11 marbled cats from 13 detections. Using Bayesian-based spatial capture–recapture we estimated the densities of tigers and clouded leopards to be 0.81 ± SD 0.40 and 0.60 ± SD 0.24 individuals per 100 km2, respectively. In Catchment 2 we identified two tigers from three detections, nine clouded leopards from 55 detections and 12 marbled cats from 37 detections. Densities of clouded leopards and marbled cats were 3.05 ± SD 1.03 and 8.80 ± SD 2.06 individuals per 100 km2, respectively. These differences suggest that human activities, in particular gold mining, are affecting felid populations, and these are a paramount concern in Htamanthi. We demonstrate the importance of Htamanthi within the Northern Forest Complex and highlight the Yawbawmee corridor as a candidate for protection.
The effects of a national highway on the Endangered golden-brown mouse lemurMicrocebus ravelobensisin Ankarafantsika National Park, Madagascar
Authors: Ramsay Malcolm S. , Razafindrakoto Andriamahery , Lehman Shawn M. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractAlthough roads are often assumed to be barriers to the dispersal of arboreal species, there has been little empirical testing of this assumption. If arboreal animals are unable to cross roads, population subdivision may occur, or resources may become inaccessible. We tested the hypothesis that Route Nationale 4 (RN4), a paved highway, was a barrier to movement and dispersal of the Endangered golden-brown mouse lemurMicrocebus ravelobensisin Ankarafantsika National Park, in north-west Madagascar. During June–August 2015 we conducted a capture–mark–recapture study at three sites: two adjacent to RN4 and one within intact forest without a potential barrier. During 2,294 trap nights we captured 120 golden-brown mouse lemurs 1,032 times. In roadside habitats we captured significantly more males than females, whereas the opposite was the case in interior forest habitat. We detected eighteen crossings of highway transects by nine individuals; however, all potential dispersal events involved males. In roadside habitat, movement was significantly inhibited in both males and females. We present some of the first data on the effects of roads on movement patterns in arboreal Malagasy mammals, showing species- and sex-biased effects of roads as dispersal barriers. Our findings indicate that roads may not be complete barriers to dispersal in lemurs. We recommend that conservation managers and scientists examine explicitly the effects of roads and natural arboreal bridges in Madagascar in future studies.
Sex similarities and differences in risk factors for recurrence of major depression
Authors: van Loo Hanna M. , Aggen Steven H. , Gardner Charles O. , Kendler Kenneth S. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractBackgroundMajor depression (MD) occurs about twice as often in women as in men, but it is unclear whether sex differences subsist after disease onset. This study aims to elucidate potential sex differences in rates and risk factors for MD recurrence, in order to improve prediction of course of illness and understanding of its underlying mechanisms.MethodsWe used prospective data from a general population sample (n= 653) that experienced a recent episode of MD. A diverse set of potential risk factors for recurrence of MD was analyzed using Cox models subject to elastic net regularization for males and females separately. Accuracy of the prediction models was tested in same-sex and opposite-sex test data. Additionally, interactions between sex and each of the risk factors were investigated to identify potential sex differences.ResultsRecurrence rates and the impact of most risk factors were similar for men and women. For both sexes, prediction models were highly multifactorial including risk factors such as comorbid anxiety, early traumas, and family history. Some subtle sex differences were detected: for men, prediction models included more risk factors concerning characteristics of the depressive episode and family history of MD and generalized anxiety, whereas for women, models included more risk factors concerning early and recent adverse life events and socioeconomic problems.ConclusionsNo prominent sex differences in risk factors for recurrence of MD were found, potentially indicating similar disease maintaining mechanisms for both sexes. Course of MD is a multifactorial phenomenon for both males and females.
‘There was an elephant in the court room’: Reflections on the role of Judge Sir Percy Spender (1897–1985) in theSouth West Africa Cases(1960–1966) after half a century
Authors: KATTAN VICTOR 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThis article argues that theSouth West Africa Caseswere brought to an ignominious end because the cases were about self-determination as much as they were about apartheid. For liberals like Judge Sir Percy Spender, the President of the Court, political systems based on majority rule looked suspiciously like authoritarian regimes modelled on the Soviet Union during the Cold War. It is submitted that, given the controversy surrounding self-determination in international law, Sir Percy wanted to avoid addressing the merits of the cases. Self-determination was the proverbial ‘elephant in the court room’ that Sir Percy wanted to avoid at all costs. This article builds upon earlier archival research on theSouth West Africa Casesby taking a closer look at Sir Percy's role in the cases and his views on self-determination. It is argued that what ‘killed’ the cases was Sir Percy's belief that Ethiopia and Liberia were seeking to ‘legalize’ self-determination with a view to further uniting the Afro-Asian bloc at the United Nations with the Soviet Union against the West.
Evidence of multiple intraspecific transmission routes forLeptospiraacquisition in Norway rats (Rattus norvegicus)
Authors: MINTER A. , DIGGLE P. J. , COSTA F. , CHILDS J. , KO A. I. , BEGON M. 
Published: November 2017

SUMMARYInfectious diseases frequently have multiple potential routes of intraspecific transmission of pathogens within wildlife and other populations. For pathogens causing zoonotic diseases, knowing whether these transmission routes occur in the wild and their relative importance, is critical for understanding maintenance, improving control measures and ultimately preventing human disease. The Norway rat (Rattus norvegicus) is the primary reservoir of leptospirosis in the urban slums of Salvador, Brazil. There is biological evidence for potentially three different transmission routes of leptospire infection occurring in the rodent population. Using newly obtained prevalence data from rodents trapped at an urban slum field site, we present changes in cumulative risk of infection in relation to age-dependent transmission routes to infer which intra-specific transmission routes occur in the wild. We found that a significant proportion of animals leave the nest with infection and that the risk of infection increases throughout the lifetime of Norway rats. We did not observe a significant effect of sexual maturity on the risk of infection. In conclusion, our results suggest that vertical and environmental transmission of leptospirosis both occur in wild populations of Norway rats.
First phylogenetic analysis of dengue virus serotype 4 circulating in Espírito Santo state, Brazil, in 2013 and 2014
Authors: VICENTE C. R. , PANNUTI C. S. , URBANO P. R. , FELIX A. C. , CERUTTI JUNIOR C. , HERBINGER K.-H. , FRÖSCHL G. , ROMANO C. M. 
Published: November 2017

SUMMARYThe purpose of the present study was to reconstruct the phylogeny of dengue virus serotype 4 (DENV-4) that was circulating in Espírito Santo state, Brazil, in 2013 and 2014, and to discuss the epidemiological implications associated with this evolutionary hypothesis. Partial envelope gene of eight DENV-4 samples from Espírito Santo state were sequenced and aligned with 72 worldwide DENV-4 reference sequences from GenBank. A phylogenetic tree was reconstructed through Bayesian Inference and the Time of the Most Recent Common Ancestor was estimated. The study detected the circulation of DENV-4 genotype II in Espírito Santo state, which was closely related to strains from the states of Mato Grosso collected in 2012 and of São Paulo sampled in 2015. This cluster emerged around 2011, approximately 4 years after the entry of the genotype II in Brazil through its northern states, possibly imported from Venezuela and Colombia. This is so far the first phylogenetic study of the DENV-4 circulating in Espírito Santo state and shows the importance of an internal route of dengue viral circulation in Brazil to the introduction of the virus into this state.
Delaying meiotic resumption during transportation of bovine cumulus–oocyte complexes: effects on development, apoptosis and caspases activity of in vitro-produced embryos
Authors: Dall'Acqua Priscila Chediek , Leão Beatriz Caetano da Silva , Rocha-Frigoni Nathália Alves de Souza , Gottardi Fernanda Patrícia , Mingoti Gisele Zoccal 
Published: November 2017

SummaryThis study examined the effects of meiosis inhibition during bovine oocyte transportation on developmental competence and quality of produced embryos. The transportation medium was supplemented with: 100 μM butyrolactone I (BL), 500 μM IBMX + 100 μM forskolin (mSPOM), 100 μM milrinone (MR) or follicular fluid (bFF), and was carried out in a portable incubator for 6 h. Next, oocytes were in vitro matured (IVM) for 18 h, without the meiotic inhibitors, with the exception of mSPOM group, in which was added 20 μM cilostamide. The three control groups were IVM with 10% fetal calf serum (FCS) (Control Lab FCS) or 0.6% bovine serum albumin (BSA) (Control Lab BSA) in a CO2 in air incubator or in the portable incubator with 0.6% BSA (Control Transp BSA). Higher cleavage rates (P < 0.05) were obtained in the Control Lab FCS group (84.5 ± 5.3%) compared with the other groups (59.6 ± 3.4% to 70.9 ± 2.3%). Embryonic development was higher (P < 0.05) in the Control Lab FCS group (39.8 ± 4.7%) than in the Control Transp BSA (22.7 ± 3.4%) and MR (21.6 ± 2.3%) groups. However, they were similar (P > 0.05) to the other groups (23.6 ± 3.3% to 28.8 ± 2.7%). The total number of blastomeres was higher (P < 0.05) in the Control Lab FCS group (85.2 ± 5.6) than in Control Lab BSA (53.6 ± 2.9), Control Transp BSA (55.5 ± 4.4), BL (58.2 ± 3.0), mSPOM (57.9 ± 4.9) and MR (59.2 ± 3.9), but all these treatments did not differ (P > 0.05) from bFF (67.7 ± 4.2). No differences (P > 0.05) were found in apoptosis by the activity of caspases (139.0 ± 3.2 to 152.4 ± 6.5, expressed in fluorescence intensity) as well as the percentage of TUNEL-positive cells (12.3 ± 2.0% to 15.7 ± 1.7%). In conclusion, the transportation of oocytes over 6 h with BL, mSPOM or bFF enabled the acquisition of developmental competence at similar rates to the Control Lab FCS group.
Association between overweight/obesity and eating habits while watching television among primary-school children in the city of Shiraz, Iran
Authors: Ghobadi Saeed , Totosy de Zepetnek Julia O , Hemmatdar Zeinab , Bellissimo Nick , Barati Reza , Ahmadnia Hoda , Salehi-Marzijarani Mohammad , Faghih Shiva 
Published: November 2017

AbstractObjectiveIt has been reported that television (TV) viewing is associated with childhood obesity in Western countries. The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between obesity and eating habits while watching TV among primary-school children in the Middle East.DesignCross-sectional.SettingChildren were recruited from primary schools of four educational districts in Shiraz, Iran. Anthropometric indices of mass (kg) and height (m) were measured, and BMI (percentile) was calculated. Demographic characteristics, TV viewing behaviours and physical activity data were collected from parents during face-to-face interviews and a 3d dietary record was completed.SubjectChildren (n607) aged 6–10 years.ResultsMean (sd) age of children was 8·16 (1·37) years, of whom 9·1 and 8·4 % were overweight and obese, respectively. Children who spent ≥2 h watching TV on weekdays (OR=1·99; 95 % CI 1·09, 3·60) and weekend days (OR=1·86; 95 % CI 1·01, 3·43) had higher odds of being obese, even after adjusting for physical activity. Children who ate breakfast while watching TV had higher odds of being overweightv. those who did not watch TV while eating breakfast (OR=2·70; 95 % CI 1·02, 7·60). There were no associations between TV viewing during other meals (lunch and dinner) and overweight/obesity.ConclusionsTV viewing for ≥2 h daily increases the risk of being obese in Iranian children aged 6–10 years, independent of physical activity. Further, breakfast consumption while watching TV may increase the risk of overweight/obesity, independent of total TV viewing time.
Testing Hypotheses About Social Targets
Authors: Capellini Roberta , Sacchi Simona , Cherubini Paolo 
Published: November 2017

Abstract. The information search process is a critical cognitive activity in many domains, such as in legal investigations and criminal judgments. Previous research focused on leading strategies, in particular on the use of open and matching questions. The present research aimed to explore the use of asymmetric questions, namely dichotomous queries for which the “yes” and “no” answers are not equally diagnostic, during social hypothesis testing. In Study 1 (N = 253) participants were asked to select questions to assess a social target on some moral and nonmoral attributes. Explicit instructions to avoid asymmetric strategies were introduced. In Study 2 (N = 98) participants were asked to play the role of a judge who is supposed to be impartial. Results showed that, although people spontaneously use asymmetric yes-no format questions during the information search on moral traits, in certain conditions the use of such strategies could be monitored. Practical implications of these findings are discussed.
Unusual scaling laws for plasmonic nanolasers beyond the diffraction limit
Authors: Wang Suo , Wang Xing-Yuan , Li Bo , Chen Hua-Zhou , Wang Yi-Lun , Dai Lun , Oulton Rupert F. , Ma Ren-Min 
Published: November 2017

AbstractPlasmonic nanolasers are a new class of amplifiers that generate coherent light well below the diffraction barrier bringing fundamentally new capabilities to biochemical sensing, super-resolution imaging, and on-chip optical communication. However, a debate about whether metals can enhance the performance of lasers has persisted due to the unavoidable fact that metallic absorption intrinsically scales with field confinement. Here, we report plasmonic nanolasers with extremely low thresholds on the order of 10 kW cm−2 at room temperature, which are comparable to those found in modern laser diodes. More importantly, we find unusual scaling laws allowing plasmonic lasers to be more compact and faster with lower threshold and power consumption than photonic lasers when the cavity size approaches or surpasses the diffraction limit. This clarifies the long-standing debate over the viability of metal confinement and feedback strategies in laser technology and identifies situations where plasmonic lasers can have clear practical advantage.
Inverted activity patterns in ventromedial prefrontal cortex during value-guided decision-making in a less-is-more task
Authors: Papageorgiou Georgios K. , Sallet Jerome , Wittmann Marco K. , Chau Bolton K. H. , Schüffelgen Urs , Buckley Mark J. , Rushworth Matthew F. S. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractVentromedial prefrontal cortex has been linked to choice evaluation and decision-making in humans but understanding the role it plays is complicated by the fact that little is known about the corresponding area of the macaque brain. We recorded activity in macaques using functional magnetic resonance imaging during two very different value-guided decision-making tasks. In both cases ventromedial prefrontal cortex activity reflected subjective choice values during decision-making just as in humans but the relationship between the blood oxygen level-dependent signal and both decision-making and choice value was inverted and opposite to the relationship seen in humans. In order to test whether the ventromedial prefrontal cortex activity related to choice values is important for decision-making we conducted an additional lesion experiment; lesions that included the same ventromedial prefrontal cortex region disrupted normal subjective evaluation of choices during decision-making.
Proton gradients and pH oscillations emerge from heat flow at the microscale
Authors: Keil Lorenz M. R. , Möller Friederike M. , Kieß Michael , Kudella Patrick W. , Mast Christof B. 
Published: November 2017

AbstractProton gradients are essential for biological systems. They not only drive the synthesis of ATP, but initiate molecule degradation and recycling inside lysosomes. However, the high mobility and permeability of protons through membranes make pH gradients very hard to sustain in vitro. Here we report that heat flow across a water-filled chamber forms and sustains stable pH gradients. Charged molecules accumulate by convection and thermophoresis better than uncharged species. In a dissociation reaction, this imbalances the reaction equilibrium and creates a difference in pH. In solutions of amino acids, phosphate, or nucleotides, we achieve pH differences of up to 2 pH units. The same mechanism cycles biomolecules by convection in the created proton gradient. This implements a feedback between biomolecules and a cyclic variation of the pH. The finding provides a mechanism to create a self-sustained proton gradient to drive biochemical reactions.
Sigma frequency dependent motor learning in Williams syndrome
Authors: Berencsi Andrea , Bódizs Róbert , Gombos Ferenc , László Szandra , Kovács Ilona 
Published: November 2017

AbstractThere are two basic stages of fine motor learning: performance gain might occur during practice (online learning), and improvement might take place without any further practice (offline learning). Offline learning, also called consolidation, has a sleep-dependent stage in terms of both speed and accuracy of the learned movement. Sleep spindle or sigma band characteristics affect motor learning in typically developing individuals. Here we ask whether the earlier found, altered sigma activity in a neurodevelopmental disorder (Williams syndrome, WS) predicts motor learning. TD and WS participants practiced in a sequential finger tapping (FT) task for two days. Although WS participants started out at a lower performance level, TD and WS participants had a comparable amount of online and offline learning in terms of the accuracy of movement. Spectral analysis of WS sleep EEG recordings revealed that motor accuracy improvement is intricately related to WS-specific NREM sleep EEG features in the 8–16 Hz range profiles: higher 11–13.5 Hz z-transformed power is associated with higher offline FT accuracy improvement; and higher oscillatory peak frequencies are associated with lower offline accuracy improvements. These findings indicate a fundamental relationship between sleep spindle (or sigma band) activity and motor learning in WS.