bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Climatic variation modulates the indirect effects of large herbivores on small‐mammal habitat use
Authors: Long Ryan A. , Wambua Alois , Goheen Jacob R. , Palmer Todd M. , Pringle Robert M. 
Published: March 2017

Summary

Large mammalian herbivores (LMH) strongly shape the composition and architecture of plant communities. A growing literature shows that negative direct effects of LMH on vegetation frequently propagate to suppress the abundance of smaller consumers. Indirect effects of LMH on the behaviour of these consumers, however, have received comparatively little attention despite their potential ecological significance.

We sought to understand (i) how LMH indirectly shape small‐mammal habitat use by altering the density and distribution of understorey plants; (ii) how these effects vary with climatic context (here, seasonality in rainfall); and (iii) the extent to which behavioural responses of small mammals are contingent upon small‐mammal density.

We tested the effects of a diverse LMH community on small‐mammal habitat use using 4 years of spatially explicit small‐mammal trapping and vegetation data from the UHURU Experiment, a replicated set of LMH exclosures in semi‐arid Kenyan savanna.

Small‐mammal habitat use was positively associated with tree density and negatively associated with bare (unvegetated) patches in all plots and seasons. In the presence of LMH, and especially during the dry season, small mammals consistently selected tree cover and avoided bare patches. In contrast, when LMH were excluded, small mammals were weakly associated with tree cover and did not avoid bare patches as strongly. These behavioural responses of small mammals were largely unaffected by changes in small‐mammal density associated with LMH exclusion.

Our results show that LMH indirectly affect small‐mammal behaviour, and that these effects are influenced by climate and can arise via density‐independent mechanisms. This raises the possibility that anthropogenic LMH declines might interact with changing patterns of rainfall to alter small‐mammal distribution and behaviour, independent of numerical responses by small mammals to these perturbations. For example, increased rainfall in East Africa (as predicted in many recent climate‐model simulations) may relax constraints on small‐mammal distribution where LMH are rare or absent, whereas increased aridity and/or drought frequency may tighten them.
Effects of predatory ants within and across ecosystems in bromeliad food webs
Authors: Gonçalves Ana Z. , Srivastava Diane S. , Oliveira Paulo S. , Romero Gustavo Q. 
Published: March 2017

Summary

Predation is one of the most fundamental ecological processes affecting biotic communities. Terrestrial predators that live at ecosystem boundaries may alter the diversity of terrestrial organisms, but they may also have cross‐ecosystem cascading effects when they feed on organisms with complex life cycles (i.e. organisms that shift from aquatic juvenile stages to terrestrial adult stages) or inhibit female oviposition in the aquatic environment.

The predatory ant Odontomachus hastatus establishes its colonies among roots of Vriesea procera, an epiphytic bromeliad species with water‐filled tanks that shelters many terrestrial and aquatic organisms. Ants may impact terrestrial communities and deter adult insects from ovipositing in the water of bromeliads via consumptive and non‐consumptive effects. Ants do not forage within the aquatic environment; thus, they may be more efficient predators on terrestrial organisms. Therefore, we predict that ants will have stronger effects on terrestrial than aquatic food webs. However, such effects may also be site contingent and depend on the local composition of food webs.

To test our hypothesis, we surveyed bromeliads with and without O. hastatus colonies from three different coastal field sites in the Atlantic Forest of southeast Brazil, and quantified the effect of this predatory ant on the composition, density and richness of aquatic and terrestrial metazoans found in these bromeliads.

We found that ants changed the composition and reduced the overall density of aquatic and terrestrial metazoans in bromeliad ecosystems. However, effects of ants on species diversity were contingent on site. In general terms, the effects of the ant on aquatic and terrestrial metazoan communities were similar in strength and magnitude. Ants reduced the density of virtually all aquatic functional groups, especially detritivore insects as well as metazoans that reach bromeliads through phoresy on the skin of terrestrial animals (i.e. Ostracoda and Helobdella sp.).

Our results suggest that the cross‐ecosystem effect of this terrestrial predator on the aquatic metazoans was at least as strong as its within‐ecosystem effect on the terrestrial ecosystem, and demonstrates that the same predator can simultaneously initiate cascades in multiple ecosystems.
The Situations of Urban Inquiry: Thinking Problematically about the City
Authors: Barnett Clive , Bridge Gary 
Published: March 2017

AbstractIn the context of debates about the epistemological and ontological coherence of concepts of critical urban studies, we argue that urban concepts should be conceptualized problematically. We do so by aligning Michel Foucault's genealogical work on problematization with John Dewey's pragmatist understanding of problem formation and responsiveness. This approach brings into view the degree to which debates about urban futures are shaped by a variety of critical perspectives that extend beyond the academy and activism. We elaborate this argument through examples of global urban policy formation and practices of neighbourhood change. Approaching urban concepts problematically suggests a move away from the idea of critique as a form of scholastic correction towards an appreciation of the contested fields of practice in and through which critical understandings of urban problems emerge.
Exploring the hypothesis of differential care for African immigrant and native women in France with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy: a qualitative study
Authors: Sauvegrain P , Azria E , Chiesa‐Dubruille C , Deneux‐Tharaux C 
Published: March 2017

ObjectiveTo analyse whether prenatal care trajectories among women with hypertensive disorders during pregnancy in France differ between immigrants from sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) and native French women.DesignQualitative interview study.SettingThree public maternity units in the Paris region.PopulationWomen born in SSA or in France of French parents and treated for hypertension or pre‐eclampsia during their pregnancy.MethodsA sociologist conducted semi‐structured in‐depth interviews of 33 women during their postpartum hospitalisation and collected data from their medical files. n’vivo 10 (QSR International) was used for line‐by‐line coding of the transcriptions, to identify emerging themes. Strauss's concept of illness trajectories was then applied to these data.Main outcome measuresThemes derived from interviews.ResultsWomen reported during the interviews that the blood pressure measurement procedures used by hospital staff varied between the two groups, and their medical records supported this finding. Repeated urinary dipstick testing of proteinuria before laboratory testing was more frequent for African women, as was the failure to further test proteinuria levels requiring additional action. The two groups received similar standardised care after severe complications. Other findings showed that African women were less likely to rely on healthcare services.ConclusionsThese results suggest non‐medically justified differential prenatal care between African and native women that may have helped delay the diagnosis of hypertension or pre‐eclampsia. This study suggests hypotheses for further quantitative studies to explore the potential involvement of this differential care in the higher frequency of severe complications in this subgroup, concordantly reported in European countries hosting SSA migrants.Tweetable abstractDifferential prenatal care may delay diagnosis of pre‐eclampsia among African compared with native French women.
Transferable Antibiotic Resistances in Marketed Edible Grasshoppers (Locusta migratoria migratorioides)
Authors: Osimani Andrea , Garofalo Cristiana , Aquilanti Lucia , Milanović Vesna , Cardinali Federica , Taccari Manuela , Pasquini Marina , Tavoletti Stefano , Clementi Francesca 
Published: March 2017

AbstractGrasshoppers are the most commonly eaten insects by humans worldwide, as they are rich in proteins and micronutrients. This study aimed to assess the occurrence of transferable antibiotic resistance genes in commercialized edible grasshoppers. To this end, the prevalence of 12 selected genes [aac(6’)‐Ie aph(2″)‐Ia, blaZ, erm(A), erm(B), erm(C), mecA, tet(M), tet(O), tet(S), tet(K), vanA, vanB] coding for resistance to antibiotics conventionally used in clinical practice was determined. The majority of samples were positive for tet(M) (70.0%), tet(K) (83.3%) and blaZ (83.3%). A low percentage of samples were positive for erm(B) (16.7%), erm(C) (26.7%), and aac(6’)‐Ie aph(2″)‐Ia (13.3%), whereas no samples were positive for erm(A), vanA, vanB, tet(O), and mecA. Cluster analysis identified 4 main clusters, allowing a separation of samples on the basis of their country of origin.
Diagnostic performance of confocal laser endomicroscopy for atrophy and gastric intestinal metaplasia: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Bai Tao , Zhang Lei , Sharma Stuti , Jiang Yu Dong , Xia Jing , Wang Huan , Qian Wei , Song Jun , Hou Xiao Hua 
Published: March 2017

OBJECTIVETo systematically evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of confocal laser endomicroscopy (CLE) for gastric atrophy (GA) and gastric intestinal metaplasia (GIM).METHODSLiterature search was performed in PubMed and the Cochrane Library for CLE, GA and GIM. The sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic odds ratio (DOR) in diagnosing GA and GIM were pooled for analysis. A summary receiver operating curve (SROC) was documented and the area under the curve was calculated.RESULTSOf the 10 studies included in this current analysis, the pooled sensitivity, specificity and DOR of CLE to diagnose GA and GIM were found to be 88%, 98% and 330.85, and 93%, 98% and 439.97, respectively. The area under the SROC were 0.9491 and 0.9812 for the diagnosis of GA and GIM, respectively. Higher sensitivity and specificity of this technique in diagnosing GA and GIM were found in patients without representative disease spectrum and those received pCLE by subgroup analysis.CONCLUSIONCLE is of great value and may be considered an alternative modality for the early diagnosis of GA and GIM.
Combination of growth pattern and tumor regression identifies a high‐risk group in neoadjuvant treated rectal cancer patients
Authors: Jessberger Jonas , Erlenbach‐Wünsch Katharina , Posselt Rebecca , Haderlein Marlen , Agaimy Abbas , Fietkau Rainer , Hartmann Arndt , Distel Luitpold 
Published: March 2017

OBJECTIVETo analyze the prognostic effect of E‐cadherin expression, the growth pattern of the tumor and the regression grade in a rectal cancer cohort treated with neoadjuvant radiochemotherapy (RCT).METHODSA total of 223 patients with rectal cancer treated with neoadjuvant RCT followed by surgery were included. Altogether 88 biopsies prior to RCT and 213 tumor resections in an average of 55 days post‐RCT were investigated. Protein expression of E‐cadherin and tumor growth pattern (solid glandular vs single‐cell pattern) was assessed by staining tissue microarrays. The regression grade at the invasion front was determined according to the Dworak scale.RESULTSThere was a significant decrease of E‐cadherin expression (P = 0.002) and a significant increased single‐cell growth (P < 0.001) at the invasion front in tumor samples after RCT compared with primary biopsies of the tumor. A low E‐cadherin expression in the biopsy was related to a longer metastasis‐free survival (P = 0.033) and tumor‐specific survival (P = 0.030). Post‐RCT single‐cell growth at the tumor invasion front was a prognostic factor for longer tumor‐specific survival (P = 0.021). A combination of growth pattern and the Dworak regression grade was an independent prognostic parameter for tumor‐specific survival (P = 0.015).CONCLUSIONSLoss of E‐cadherin protein expression in the pretreatment biopsy of rectal cancer is associated with fewer metastases and improved survival. Furthermore, the growth pattern in the post‐RCT resection specimen has a prognostic value for survival. A combination of growth pattern and tumor regression score (the RegPat score) showed the highest discriminatory power to identify high‐risk patients.
gesp: A computer program for modelling genetic effective population size, inbreeding and divergence in substructured populations
Authors: Olsson Fredrik , Laikre Linda , Hössjer Ola , Ryman Nils 
Published: March 2017

AbstractThe genetically effective population size (Ne) is of key importance for quantifying rates of inbreeding and genetic drift and is often used in conservation management to set targets for genetic viability. The concept was developed for single, isolated populations and the mathematical means for analysing the expected Ne in complex, subdivided populations have previously not been available. We recently developed such analytical theory and central parts of that work have now been incorporated into a freely available software tool presented here. gesp (Genetic Effective population size, inbreeding and divergence in Substructured Populations) is R‐based and designed to model short‐ and long‐term patterns of genetic differentiation and effective population size of subdivided populations. The algorithms performed by gesp allow exact computation of global and local inbreeding and eigenvalue effective population size, predictions of genetic divergence among populations (GST) as well as departures from random mating (FIS, FIT) while varying (i) subpopulation census and effective size, separately or including trend of the global population size, (ii) rate and direction of migration between all pairs of subpopulations, (iii) degree of relatedness and divergence among subpopulations, (iv) ploidy (haploid or diploid) and (v) degree of selfing. Here, we describe gesp and exemplify its use in conservation genetics modelling.
Career Development Awards in Emergency Medicine: Resources and Challenges
Authors: Mumma Bryn E. , Chang Anna Marie , Kea Bory , Ranney Megan L. ,   the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Research Committee
Published: March 2017

AbstractObjectivesIn the United States, emergency medicine (EM) researchers hold proportionately fewer federal career development awards than researchers in other specialties. Others hypothesize that this deficit may partly be attributed to lack of mentors, departmental resources, and qualified applicants. Our objectives were to examine the association between departmental and institutional resources and career development awards and to describe the barriers to conducting research and btaining grants in EM.MethodsWe conducted an online, cross‐sectional survey study of vice chairs for research and research directors at academic emergency departments in the United States in January and February 2016. Participants provided quantitative information regarding their department's demographics, available research resources, number of funded independent investigators, and number of career development awards. They were also asked about the perceived adequacy of departmental and institutional resources and perceived barriers to research and grant success. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariable linear regression, as appropriate.ResultsOf 178 eligible participants, 103 (58%) completed the survey. Most departments reported some infrastructure for research and grant submission, including research coordinator(s) (n = 75/99; 76%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 66%–84%), research associates (69/99; 70%, 95% CI = 60%–79%), and administrative/secretarial research support (79/101; 78%, 95% CI = 69%–86%). The majority of departments (56/103; 49%, 95% CI = 44%–64%) had no R01‐funded researchers, and only 15 (15%, 95% CI = 8%–23%) had three or more R01‐funded researchers. The most frequently reported challenge to junior faculty applying for grants was low motivation for applying (62/103; 60%, 95% CI = 50%–70%), followed closely by insufficient mentorship (50/103; 49%, 95% CI = 39%–59%) and discouragement from low funding rates (50/103; 49%, 95% CI = 39%–59%). In the multivariable model, only the number of departmental R‐level–funded researchers was associated with the number of departmental career development awards (coefficient = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.39–1.11; R2 = 0.57).ConclusionsWhile more multiple departmental and institutional resources correlated with a greater number of funded career development awards, the single greatest predictor was the number of R‐level–funded researchers in the department. Low motivation and insufficient mentorship were the most frequently reported barriers to junior faculty applying for career development awards. Further studies are needed to describe junior faculty perspectives on these issues and to explore strategies for overcoming these barriers.
Academic Difficulties in Children with Prenatal Alcohol Exposure: Presence, Profile, and Neural Correlates
Authors: Glass Leila , Moore Eileen M. , Akshoomoff Natacha , Jones Kenneth Lyons , Riley Edward P. , Mattson Sarah N. 
Published: March 2017

BackgroundAcademic achievement was evaluated in children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure to determine potential strengths and weaknesses, evaluate the utility of different definitions for identifying low academic performance, and explore the neural correlates that may underlie academic performance.MethodsChildren (8 to 16 years) were assessed using the WIAT‐II. Patterns of performance were examined in 2 subject groups: children with heavy prenatal alcohol exposure (n = 67) and controls (n = 61). A repeated‐measures MANCOVA examining group differences on academic domain (reading, spelling, math) scores was conducted. Post hoc comparisons examined within‐group profiles. Numbers and percentage of children with low achievement were calculated using several criteria. In a subsample (n = 42), neural correlates were analyzed using FreeSurfer v5.3 to examine relations between cortical structure (thickness and surface area) and performance.ResultsThe alcohol‐exposed group performed worse than controls on all domains and had a unique academic profile, supported by a significant group × academic domain interaction (p < 0.001). For the alcohol‐exposed group, math reasoning was significantly lower than numerical operations, which was significantly lower than spelling and word reading. Over half of the alcohol‐exposed group (58.2%) demonstrated low achievement on 1 or more academic domains. The number and percentage of children meeting criteria for low achievement varied based on the domain and definition used. The imaging analysis identified several surface area clusters that were differentially related to math (L superior parietal and R lateral/middle occipital) and spelling (bilateral inferior and medial temporal) performance by group, with no relations for the other academic domains. Generally, scores improved as surface area decreased in controls, whereas no relation or a positive relation was observed in the alcohol‐exposed group.ConclusionsAlcohol‐exposed children demonstrated deficits in academic performance across domains and definitions, with a relative weakness in math functioning. Atypical brain development may contribute to these impairments in academic achievement. Understanding academic difficulties can assist in advocating effectively for alcohol‐exposed children.
Psychopathology and personality traits associated with driving while intoxicated in Beijing, China: Implications for interventions
Authors: Zhao Rong‐Jiang , Sun Wei , Zhang Li‐Li , Bao Yan‐Ping , Huang Liang , Dong Ping , Zhou Shuang‐Jiang , Wang Zhi‐Qing , Kosten Thomas R. , Sun Hong‐Qiang 
Published: March 2017

Background and ObjectivesDriving while intoxicated (DWI) represents an area of grave concern in China, yet little research has focused on it or on the personality traits and psychiatric disorders among these drivers.MethodsWe enrolled 325 of 382 residents charged with DWI in a compulsory detention center in Beijing, China. And 351 male drivers who had never had any alcohol arrests as control participants. All were screened for Axis I disorders using the Chinese version of the Structured Clinical Interview for the Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV‐TR (SCID), the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI‐2), and the Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16PF).ResultsThe subjects were all males with a mean (±SD) age of 34.41 ± 8.48 years, and almost 30% met DSM‐IV criteria for alcohol abuse or dependence (n = 92). Compared to normal controls they showed greater Social Boldness, Abstractedness, Apprehension, Liveliness and Tension, and poorer Reasoning, Vigilance, Openness to Change, and Self‐reliance. On the MMPI‐2, DWI subjects showed greater Hypochondriasis, Psychopathic Deviate, Paranoia, Psychasthenia, Schizophrenia and Hypomania; and lower Social introversion.Conclusions and Scientific SignificanceSevere alcohol problems are more common in Beijing's drunk drivers than in the Chinese general population. These DWI drivers also have a broad variety of traits that increase their tendency to be venturesome and socially bold while enjoying excitement and risk‐taking. (Am J Addict 2017;26:374–378)
Treatment of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis with a combination of povidone‐iodine 1.0% and dexamethasone 0.1% drops: a clinical prospective controlled randomized study
Authors: Kovalyuk Natalya , Kaiserman Igor , Mimouni Michael , Cohen Ornit , Levartovsky Shmuel , Sherbany Hilda , Mandelboim Michal 
Published: March 2017

AbstractPurposeTo determine the efficacy of combination povidone‐iodine (PVP‐I) 1.0% eyedrops and dexamethasone 0.1% eyedrops in the treatment of adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis.Materials and methodsIn a prospective, randomized, controlled, double‐blinded clinical trial patients with recent adenoviral keratoconjunctivitis (diagnosed clinically and confirmed by PCR), we randomly divided into three treatment groups: study group – received PVP‐I 1.0% and dexamethasone 0.1%, control 1 group – received dexamethasone 0.1% and control 2 group – received lubricating eyedrops (hypromellose 0.3%). The treatment was administered four times a day in each group. All patients were examined and filled a questionnaire before treatment and on the 3rd, 5th and 7th days of treatment.ResultsWe included in the study 78 eyes (26 in each group). Adenovirus type 8 was the most common pathogen (83% of cases). The fastest improvement in patients red eyes, discharge, superficial punctate keratitis and pseudomembranes was observed in the study group (p < 0.001). Those patients reached a near complete recovery in 5–7 days, which was also confirmed by reduction in Adenovirus titres by PCR. The slowest improvement was in the control 2 group. Subepithelial infiltrates (SEI) were observed in 44% of the control 1 group, 20% of the control 2 group and in 0% of the study group. The rate of reduction in Adenovirus titres was the slowest in the control 1 group.ConclusionThe combination of PVP‐I 1.0% and dexamethasone 0.1% four times a day can reduce symptoms and expedite recovery in epidemic keratoconjunctivitis patients.