bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Higher copeptin levels are associated with worse outcome in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy
Authors: Sahin Irfan , Gungor Baris , Ozkaynak Berk , Uzun Fatih , Küçük Suat Hayri , Avci Ilhan Iker , Ozal Ender , Ayça Burak , Cetın Sukru , Okuyan Ertugrul , Dinckal Mustafa Hakan 
Published: October 2016

BackgroundCorrelation of increased copeptin levels with various cardiovascular diseases has been described. The clinical use of copeptin levels in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) has not been investigated before.HypothesisIn this study, we aimed to investigate the prognostic value of copeptin levels in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM).Methods
HCM was defined as presence of left ventricular wall thickness ≥15 mm in a subject without any concomitant disease that may cause left ventricular hypertrophy. Levels of copeptin and plasma N‐terminal probrain natriuretic peptide (NT‐proBNP) were evaluated prospectively in 24 obstructive HCM patients, 36 nonobstructive HCM patients, and 36 age‐ and sex‐matched control subjects. Blood samples were collected in the morning between 7 and 9 am after overnight fasting. Patients were followed for 24 months. Hospitalization with diagnosis of heart failure/arrhythmia, implantable cardioverter‐defibrillator implantation, and cardiac mortality were accepted as adverse cardiac events.ResultsCopeptin and NT‐proBNP levels were higher in the HCM group compared with controls (14.1 vs 8.4 pmol/L, P < 0.01; and 383 vs 44 pg/mL, P < 0.01, respectively). Copeptin and NT‐proBNP levels were higher in the obstructive HCM subgroup compared with the nonobstructive HCM subgroup (18.3 vs 13.1 pmol/L, P < 0.01; and 717 vs 223 pg/mL, P < 0.01, respectively). In multivariable logistic regression analysis, copeptin and NT‐proBNP levels remained as independent predictors of heart failure (P < 0.01 for both) and adverse cardiac events (P < 0.01 for both).ConclusionsCopeptin and NT‐proBNP levels were significantly higher in patients with obstructive HCM, and higher levels were associated with worse outcome.
Capacity Decay Mitigation by Asymmetric Positive/Negative Electrolyte Volumes in Vanadium Redox Flow Batteries
Authors: Park Jong Ho , Park Jung Jin , Park O Ok , Yang Jung Hoon 
Published: October 2016

AbstractCapacity decay in vanadium redox flow batteries during charge–discharge cycling has become an important issue because it lowers the practical energy density of the battery. The battery capacity tends to drop rapidly within the first tens of cycles and then drops more gradually over subsequent cycles during long‐term operation. This paper analyzes and discusses the reasons for this early capacity decay. The imbalanced crossover rate of vanadium species was found to remain high until the total difference in vanadium concentration between the positive and negative electrolytes reached almost 1 mol dm−3. To minimize the initial crossover imbalance, we introduced an asymmetric volume ratio between the positive and negative electrolytes during cell operation. Changing this ratio significantly reduced the capacity fading rate of the battery during the early cycles and improved its capacity retention at steady state. As an example, the practical energy density of the battery increased from 15.5 to 25.2 Wh L−1 simply after reduction of the positive volume by 25 %.
Forest management scenarios in a changing climate: trade‐offs between carbon, timber, and old forest
Authors: Creutzburg Megan K. , Scheller Robert M. , Lucash Melissa S. , LeDuc Stephen D. , Johnson Mark G. 
Published: October 2016

AbstractBalancing economic, ecological, and social values has long been a challenge in the forests of the Pacific Northwest, where conflict over timber harvest and old‐growth habitat on public lands has been contentious for the past several decades. The Northwest Forest Plan, adopted two decades ago to guide management on federal lands, is currently being revised as the region searches for a balance between sustainable timber yields and habitat for sensitive species. In addition, climate change imposes a high degree of uncertainty on future forest productivity, sustainability of timber harvest, wildfire risk, and species habitat. We evaluated the long‐term, landscape‐scale trade‐offs among carbon (C) storage, timber yield, and old forest habitat given projected climate change and shifts in forest management policy across 2.1 million hectares of forests in the Oregon Coast Range. Projections highlight the divergence between private and public lands under business‐as‐usual forest management, where private industrial forests are heavily harvested and many public (especially federal) lands increase C and old forest over time but provide little timber. Three alternative management scenarios altering the amount and type of timber harvest show widely varying levels of ecosystem C and old‐forest habitat. On federal lands, ecological forestry practices also allowed a simultaneous increase in old forest and natural early‐seral habitat. The ecosystem C implications of shifts away from current practices were large, with current practices retaining up to 105 Tg more C than the alternative scenarios by the end of the century. Our results suggest climate change is likely to increase forest productivity by 30–41% and total ecosystem C storage by 11–15% over the next century as warmer winter temperatures allow greater forest productivity in cooler months. These gains in C storage are unlikely to be offset by wildfire under climate change, due to the legacy of management and effective fire suppression. Our scenarios of future conditions can inform policy makers, land managers, and the public about the potential effects of land management alternatives, climate change, and the trade‐offs that are inherent to management and policy in the region.
Outcomes of three universal eating disorder risk reduction programs by participants with higher and lower baseline shape and weight concern
Authors: Wilksch Simon M. , Paxton Susan J. , Byrne Susan M. , Austin S. Bryn , O'Shea Anne , Wade Tracey D. 
Published: October 2016

ABSTRACTObjectiveTo investigate if baseline shape and weight concern (SWC) moderated outcomes in Prevention Across the Spectrum, a randomized‐controlled trial (RCT) of 3 school‐based programs aimed at reducing eating disorder and obesity risk factors.MethodN = 1,316 Grade 7 and 8 girls and boys (M age = 13.21 years) across three Australian states were randomly allocated to: Media Smart; Life Smart; Helping, Encouraging, Listening and Protecting Peers Initiative (HELPP) or control (usual school class). Moderation was explored by testing interaction effects for group (Media Smart; Life Smart; HELPP; Control) × moderator (SWC: higher‐SWC; lower‐SWC) × time (post‐program; 6‐month follow‐up; 12‐month follow‐up), with baseline risk factor scores entered as covariates.ResultsModeration effects were found for shape concern, weight concern, eating concern, regular eating (i.e., meal skipping), physical activity, body dissatisfaction, dieting, and perfectionism. Post‐hoc testing found eating concern at post‐program was the only variable where higher‐SWC Media Smart participants experienced a reduction in risk relative to controls. Both higher‐SWC Life Smart and HELPP participants reported an increase in eating concern relative to controls and both groups were skipping more meals than controls at 12‐month follow‐up. Amongst lower‐SWC participants, Media Smart was the only group to experience a benefit relative to controls (physical activity).ConclusionsThis study highlights the need for moderator analyses to become more routinely conducted in universal trials, to ensure that participants across baseline risk levels are benefiting and not harmed from program participation. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2017; 50:66–75)
Dispersal and group formation dynamics in a rare and endangered temperate forest bat (Nyctalus lasiopterus, Chiroptera: Vespertilionidae)
Authors: Santos João D. , Meyer Christoph F. J. , Ibáñez Carlos , Popa‐Lisseanu Ana G. , Juste Javier 
Published: October 2016

AbstractFor elusive mammals like bats, colonization of new areas and colony formation are poorly understood, as is their relationship with the genetic structure of populations. Understanding dispersal and group formation behaviors is critical not only for a better comprehension of mammalian social dynamics, but also for guiding conservation efforts of rare and endangered species. Using nuclear and mitochondrial markers, we studied patterns of genetic diversity and differentiation among and within breeding colonies of giant noctule bats (Nyctalus lasiopterus), their relation to a new colony still in formation, and the impact of this ongoing process on the regionwide genetic makeup. Nuclear differentiation among colonies was relatively low and mostly nonsignificant. Mitochondrial variation followed this pattern, contrasting with findings for other temperate bat species. Our results suggest that this may indicate a recent population expansion. On average, female giant noctules were not more closely related to other colony members than to foreign individuals. This was also true for members of the newly forming colony and those of another, older group sampled shortly after its formation, suggesting that contrary to findings for other temperate bats, giant noctule colonies are not founded by relatives. However, mother–daughter pairs were found in the same populations more often than expected under random dispersal. Given this indication of philopatry, the lack of mitochondrial differentiation among most colonies in the region is probably due to the combination of a recent population expansion and group formation events.
Diversity and resilience of the wood‐feeding higher termite Mironasutitermes shangchengensis gut microbiota in response to temporal and diet variations
Authors: Wang Ying , Su Lijuan , Huang Shi , Bo Cunpei , Yang Sen , Li Yan , Wang Fengqin , Xie Hui , Xu Jian , Song Andong 
Published: October 2016

AbstractTermites are considered among the most efficient bioreactors, with high capacities for lignocellulose degradation and utilization. Recently, several studies have characterized the gut microbiota of diverse termites. However, the temporal dynamics of the gut microbiota within a given termite with dietary diversity are poorly understood. Here, we employed 16S rDNA barcoded pyrosequencing analysis to investigate temporal changes in bacterial diversity and richness of the gut microbiota of wood‐feeding higher termite Mironasutitermes shangchengensis under three lignocellulose content‐based diets that feature wood, corn stalks, and filter paper. Compositions of the predominant termite gut residents were largely constant among the gut microbiomes under different diets, but each diet caused specific changes in the bacterial composition over time. Notably, microbial communities exhibited an unexpectedly strong resilience during continuous feeding on both corn stalks and filter paper. Members of five bacterial phyla, that is, Spirochaetes, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, Tenericutes, and Acidobacteria, were strongly associated with the resilience. These findings provide insights into the stability of the gut microbiota in higher termites and have important implications for the future design of robust bioreactors for lignocellulose degradation and utilization.
Putting the behavior into animal movement modeling: Improved activity budgets from use of ancillary tag information
Authors: Bestley Sophie , Jonsen Ian , Harcourt Robert G. , Hindell Mark A. , Gales Nicholas J. 
Published: October 2016

AbstractAnimal movement research relies on biotelemetry, and telemetry‐based locations are increasingly augmented with ancillary information. This presents an underutilized opportunity to enhance movement process models. Given tags designed to record specific behaviors, efforts are increasing to update movement models beyond reliance solely upon horizontal movement information to improve inference of space use and activity budgets. We present two state‐space models adapted to incorporate ancillary data to inform three discrete movement states: directed, resident, and an activity state. These were developed for two case studies: (1) a “haulout” model for Weddell seals, and (2) an “activity” model for Antarctic fur seals which intersperse periods of diving activity and inactivity. The methodology is easily implementable with any ancillary data that can be expressed as a proportion (or binary) indicator. A comparison of the models augmented with ancillary information and unaugmented models confirmed that many behavioral states appeared mischaracterized in the latter. Important changes in subsequent activity budgets occurred. Haulout accounted for 0.17 of the overall Weddell seal time budget, with the estimated proportion of time spent in a resident state reduced from a posterior median of 0.69 (0.65–0.73; 95% HPDI) to 0.54 (0.50–0.58 HPDI). The drop was more dramatic in the Antarctic fur seal case, from 0.57 (0.52–0.63 HPDI) to 0.22 (0.20–0.25 HPDI), with 0.35 (0.31–0.39 HPDI) of time spent in the inactive (nondiving) state. These findings reinforce previously raised contentions about the drawbacks of behavioral states inferred solely from horizontal movements. Our findings have implications for assessing habitat requirements; estimating energetics and consumption; and management efforts such as mitigating fisheries interactions. Combining multiple sources of information within integrated frameworks should improve inference of relationships between movement decisions and fitness, the interplay between resource and habitat dependencies, and their changes at the population and landscape level.
Host‐mediated shift in the cold tolerance of an invasive insect
Authors: Morey Amy C. , Venette Robert C. , Nystrom Santacruz Erica C. , Mosca Laurel A. , Hutchison W. D. 
Published: October 2016

AbstractWhile many insects cannot survive the formation of ice within their bodies, a few species can. On the evolutionary continuum from freeze‐intolerant (i.e., freeze‐avoidant) to freeze‐tolerant insects, intermediates likely exist that can withstand some ice formation, but not enough to be considered fully freeze tolerant. Theory suggests that freeze tolerance should be favored over freeze avoidance among individuals that have low relative fitness before exposure to cold. For phytophagous insects, numerous studies have shown that host (or nutrition) can affect fitness and cold‐tolerance strategy, respectively, but no research has investigated whether changes in fitness caused by different hosts of polyphagous species could lead to systematic changes in cold‐tolerance strategy. We tested this relationship with the invasive, polyphagous moth, Epiphyas postvittana (Walker). Host affected components of fitness, such as larval survivorship rates, pupal mass, and immature developmental times. Host species also caused a dramatic change in survival of late‐instar larvae after the onset of freezing—from less than 8% to nearly 80%. The degree of survival after the onset of freezing was inversely correlated with components of fitness in the absence of cold exposure. Our research is the first empirical evidence of an evolutionary mechanism that may drive changes in cold‐tolerance strategies. Additionally, characterizing the effects of host plants on insect cold tolerance will enhance forecasts of invasive species dynamics, especially under climate change.
Light and nutrient supply mediate intraspecific variation in the nutrient stoichiometry of juvenile fish
Authors: Downs Kelsea N. , Hayes Nicole M. , Rock Amber M. , Vanni Michael J. , González María J. 
Published: October 2016

AbstractIntraspecific variation in the nutrient stoichiometry of animals and their waste products can be substantial, but the factors mediating this variation are unclear. We experimentally manipulated light, nutrient supply, and nutrient ratio (N:P) in a field experiment to generate variation in algal quantity and elemental composition, and assessed the stoichiometric responses of juvenile carnivorous fish (bluegill, Lepomis macrochirus). Algal quantity (primary production) and stoichiometry (ratios of carbon [C], nitrogen [N], and phosphorus [P]) varied greatly in response to manipulations, as did bluegill body and excretion stoichiometry. Algal primary production (PPr) was greatest at high light and high P supply (HL HP). Algal stoichiometry responded in accordance with the light:nutrient hypothesis; that is, C:P ratios were highest at HL LP and lowest at LL HP. Variation in fish body stoichiometry was strongly related to basal resource supply (PPr), while excretion stoichiometry was driven by both PPr and algal stoichiometry. Bluegill growth and body C and N concentrations were highest at HL HN and lowest at LL LN, whereas body P showed the opposite pattern. Thus, bluegill body C:P, C:N, and N:P were highest under HL HN and lowest under LL LN. Per capita excretion rates of bluegill were strongly related to body mass and hence were highest at HL HN, where fish grew largest. However, P excretion rates normalized for body mass increased with phytoplankton P and zooplankton production. In accordance with ecological stoichiometry theory, N:P excretion ratio increased with basal resource (algal) N:P and decreased with estimated bluegill P ingestion. Variation in both body and excretion stoichiometry in this single cohort of fish was comparable to or exceeded variation observed in other studies of bluegill stoichiometry across multiple ecosystems. Our results illustrate the pronounced intraspecific variation in carnivore nutrient stoichiometry as a function of basal resource quantity and quality.
Temporal segmentation of animal trajectories informed by habitat use
Authors: van Toor Mariëlle L. , Newman Scott H. , Takekawa John Y. , Wegmann Martin , Safi Kamran 
Published: October 2016

AbstractMost animals live in seasonal environments and experience very different conditions throughout the year. Behavioral strategies like migration, hibernation, and a life cycle adapted to the local seasonality help to cope with fluctuations in environmental conditions. Thus, how an individual utilizes the environment depends both on the current availability of habitat and the behavioral prerequisites of the individual at that time. While the increasing availability and richness of animal movement data has facilitated the development of algorithms that classify behavior by movement geometry, changes in the environmental correlates of animal movement have so far not been exploited for a behavioral annotation. Here, we suggest a method that uses these changes in individual–environment associations to divide animal location data into segments of higher ecological coherence, which we term niche segmentation. We use time series of random forest models to evaluate the transferability of habitat use over time to cluster observational data accordingly. We show that our method is able to identify relevant changes in habitat use corresponding to both changes in the availability of habitat and how it was used using simulated data, and apply our method to a tracking data set of common teal (Anas crecca). The niche segmentation proved to be robust, and segmented habitat suitability outperformed models neglecting the temporal dynamics of habitat use. Overall, we show that it is possible to classify animal trajectories based on changes of habitat use similar to geometric segmentation algorithms. We conclude that such an environmentally informed classification of animal trajectories can provide new insights into an individuals' behavior and enables us to make sensible predictions of how suitable areas might be connected by movement in space and time.
Exploration of conditioned pain modulation effect on long‐term potentiation‐like pain amplification in humans
Authors: Xia W. , Mørch C.D. , Matre D. , Andersen O.K. 
Published: October 2016

AbstractBackgroundThis study aimed to explore conditioned pain modulation (CPM) effect on long‐term potentiation (LTP)‐like pain amplification induced by cutaneous 10‐Hz conditioning electrical stimulation (CES).MethodsConditioned pain modulation was induced by cold pressor conditioning stimulus (CPCS) (4 °C) which was applied immediately before CES in the active session. In the control session, water with a temperature of 32 °C was used. Twenty subjects participated in two sessions in a randomized crossover design with at least 1‐week interval. Perceptual intensity ratings to single electrical stimulation (SES) at the conditioned skin site and to pinprick and light‐stroking stimuli in the immediate vicinity of the CES electrodes were measured . Superficial blood flow (SBF), skin temperature (ST) and heat pain threshold (HPT) were measured covering both homotopic and heterotopic skin. The pain intensities during CES process were measured and short‐form McGill Pain Questionnaire (SF‐MPQ) was used for assessing CES pain experience.ResultsCold pressor conditioning stimulus reduced pain perception increments to weak pinprick and light‐stroking stimuli after 10‐Hz CES compared with the control session. Moreover, CPCS resulted in lower pain intensity ratings during CES process but without affecting the SF‐MPQ scores between two sessions. The SBF and ST increased after CES and then gradually declined but without differences between CPCS and control sessions. CPM did not affect HPT and pain intensity increments to SES.ConclusionsThe CPCS inhibited heterotopic perception amplification to weak mechanical stimuli after CES. The results indicate that endogenous descending inhibitory systems might play a role against development of non‐nociceptive perception amplificatory states (e.g. allodynia).SignificanceConditioned pain modulation (CPM) may play a role in inhibiting the pain amplificatory process at the central nervous system and prompting central desensitization. CPM has a special inhibition effect for the development of perception amplification to non‐painful mechanical stimuli.
Applicant characteristics associated with successful matching into otolaryngology
Authors: Hauser Leah J. , Gebhard Grant M. , Blumhagen Rachel , Carlson Nichole E. , Cabrera‐Muffly Cristina 
Published: October 2016

ObjectiveTo identify resident applicant characteristics that increase the odds of matching to otolaryngology residency.Study DesignCross‐sectional analysis.MethodsResidency applications to our institution from 2009 through 2013 were reviewed. The available data represented 81.1% of applicants to otolaryngology programs nationwide. Online public records were searched to determine whether an applicant matched to an otolaryngology residency position. Factors that were significantly associated with the odds of matching were determined using logistic regression.ResultsA total of 1,479 unique applications were analyzed. On univariate analysis, 27 demographic, academic, personal, medical school, prior training, and application‐specific factors were associated with the odds of matching into otolaryngology. On multivariate analysis, indicators of academic achievement, such as Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society (AOA) status, whether applicant received awards, and publications, were significantly associated with the odds of matching (odds ratio [OR] 2.03, 1.39, 1.66, respectively). The odds of matching increased with increasing step 1 scores (P < 0.001). Attending a medical school ranked by the U.S. News & World Report and being a U.S. citizen born in the United States significantly increased the odds of matching (OR 1.55 and 2.04, respectively), whereas being a non‐U.S. senior medical student significantly decreased the odds of matching (OR 0.33).ConclusionMultiple factors are associated with successfully matching into an otolaryngology residency. Although this information allows medical students to determine the strength of their application, these criteria have not been correlated with resident success. We urge selection committees to begin identifying applicant selection methods that reflect the values we want to cultivate in our future colleagues.Level of EvidenceN/A. Laryngoscope, 127:1052–1057, 2017