bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
How individual Montagu's Harriers cope with Moreau's Paradox during the Sahelian winter
Authors: Schlaich Almut Ellinor , Klaassen Raymond H. G. , Bouten Willem , Bretagnolle Vincent , Koks Ben Johannes , Villers Alexandre , Both Christiaan 
Published: September 2016

SummaryHundreds of millions of Afro‐Palaearctic migrants winter in the Sahel, a semi‐arid belt south of the Sahara desert, where they experience deteriorating ecological conditions during their overwintering stay and have to prepare for spring migration when conditions are worst. This well‐known phenomenon was first described by R.E. Moreau and is known ever since as Moreau's Paradox. However, empirical evidence of the deteriorating seasonal ecological conditions is limited and little is known on how birds respond.Montagu's HarriersCircus pygargusspend 6 months of the year in their wintering areas in the Sahel. Within the wintering season, birds move gradually to the south, visiting several distinct sites to which they are site‐faithful in consecutive years. At the last wintering site, birds find themselves at the southern edge of the Sahelian zone and have no other options than facing deteriorating conditions.We tracked 36 Montagu's Harriers withGPStrackers to study their habitat use and behaviour during winter and collected data on the abundance of their main prey, grasshoppers, in Senegal. Since grasshopper abundance was positively related to vegetation greenness (measured as normalized difference vegetation index,NDVI), we usedNDVIvalues as a proxy for prey abundance in areas where no field data were collected. Prey abundance (grasshopper counts and vegetation greenness) at wintering sites of Montagu's Harriers decreased during the wintering period.Montagu's Harriers responded to decreasing food availability by increasing their flight time during the second half of the winter. Individuals increased flight time more in areas with stronger declines inNDVIvalues, suggesting that lower food abundance required more intense foraging to achieve energy requirements. The apparent consequence was that Montagu's Harriers departed later in spring when their final wintering site had lowerNDVIvalues and presumably lower food abundance and consequently arrived later at their breeding site.Our results confirmed the suggestions Moreau made 40 years ago: the late wintering period might be a bottleneck during the annual cycle with possible carry‐over effects to the breeding season. Ongoing climate change with less rainfall in the Sahel region paired with increased human pressure on natural and agricultural habitats resulting in degradation and desertification is likely to make this period more demanding, which may negatively impact populations of migratory birds using the Sahel.
Woody plant biomass and carbon exchange depend on elephant‐fire interactions across a productivity gradient in African savanna
Authors: Pellegrini Adam F. A. , Pringle Robert M. , Govender Navashni , Hedin Lars. O. 
Published: September 2016

Summary

Elephants and fire are individually well‐known disturbance agents within savanna ecosystems, but their interactive role in governing tree‐cover dynamics and savanna–forest biome boundaries remains unresolved. Of central importance are the mechanisms by which elephants vs. fire affect tree biomass and cover, and how – over long time periods – both factors interact with rainfall and soils to govern tree biomass and carbon dynamics.

Here, we evaluated the response of woody vegetation to 56 years of fire manipulation in South Africa's Kruger National Park, with three fire regimes (annual, triennial and unburned) replicated across a productivity gradient and subject to two periods of contrasting elephant abundances (generated by the cessation of culling in 1994).

Higher fire frequencies had a negative effect on woody biomass in the low‐elephant period, but this effect was weak to negligible in the high‐elephant period as the difference among fire treatments diminished. Moreover, elephants removed increasing amounts of woody biomass as productivity increased across study sites, but fire did not. We infer that elephant‐induced tree mortality could overcome increases in woody‐plant productivity, while fire‐induced mortality alone could not.

Elephants caused woody‐plant carbon to shift from a sink to a source; this effect was independent of fire treatment, with highest rates of net carbon removal in the wettest and most productive site.

Synthesis. Our results reveal a context‐dependent interaction between fire and elephants as disturbance agents in savanna: the influence of fire on woody plants was sensitive to the abundance of elephants and diminished with increased plant productivity. In contrast, elephants were capable of shifting landscapes from relatively dense woodland to open savanna, even in unburned sites, and exerted strong impacts irrespective of site conditions and plant productivity.
Word catheter and marsupialisation in women with a cyst or abscess of the Bartholin gland (WoMan‐trial): a randomised clinical trial
Authors: Kroese JA , van der Velde M , Morssink LP , Zafarmand MH , Geomini P , van Kesteren PJM , Radder CM , van der Voet LF , Roovers JPWR , Graziosi GCM , van Baal WM , van Bavel J , Catshoek R , Klinkert ER , Huirne JAF , Clark TJ , Mol BWJ , Reesink‐Peters N 
Published: September 2016

ObjectiveTo compare recurrence of a cyst or abscess of the Bartholin gland after surgical treatment using a Word catheter or marsupialisation.DesignMulticentre, open‐label, randomised controlled trial.SettingEighteen hospitals in the Netherlands and one hospital in England.PopulationWomen with a symptomatic cyst or abscess of the Bartholin gland.MethodsWomen were randomised to treatment with Word catheter or marsupialisation.Main outcome measuresThe primary outcome was recurrence of the cyst or abscess within 1 year of treatment. The secondary outcomes included pain during and after treatment (measured on a 10‐point scale), use of analgesics, and time from diagnosis to treatment. Analysis was by intention‐to‐treat. To assess whether marsupialisation would reduce the recurrence rate by 5% (from 20 to 15%) we needed to include 160 women (alpha error 0.05, beta error 0.2).ResultsOne hundred and sixty‐one women were randomly allocated to treatment by Word catheter (n = 82) or marsupialisation (n = 79) between August 2010 and May 2014. Baseline characteristics were comparable. Recurrence occurred in 10 women (12%) allocated to Word catheter versus eight women (10%) allocated to marsupialisation: relative risk (RR) 1.1, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.64–1.91; P = 0.70. Pain scores after treatment were also comparable. In the first 24 hours after treatment, 33% used analgesics in the Word catheter group versus 74% in the marsupialisation group (P < 0.001). Time from diagnosis to treatment was 1 hour for placement of Word catheter versus 4 hours for marsupialisation (P = 0.001).ConclusionsIn women with an abscess or cyst of the Bartholin gland, treatment with Word catheter and marsupialisation results in comparable recurrence rates.Tweetable abstractComparable recurrence rates for treatment of Bartholinic abscess/cyst with Word catheter and marsupialisation.
Fiscal consolidation under electoral risk
Authors: HÜBSCHER EVELYNE , SATTLER THOMAS 
Published: September 2016

AbstractThe European debt crisis has uncovered serious tension between democratic politics and market pressure in contemporary democracies. This tension arises when governments implement unpopular fiscal consolidation packages in order to raise their macroeconomic credibility among financial investors. Nonetheless, the dominant view in current research is that governments should not find it difficult to balance demands from voters and investors because the economic and political costs of fiscal consolidations are low. This would leave governments with sufficient room to promote fiscal consolidation according to their ideological agenda. This article re‐examines this proposition by studying how the risk of governments to be replaced in office affects the probability and timing of fiscal consolidation policies. The results show that governments associate significant electoral risk with consolidations because electorally vulnerable governments strategically avoid consolidations towards the end of the legislative term in order to minimise electoral punishment. Specifically, the predicted probability of consolidation decreases from 40 per cent after an election to 13 per cent towards the end of the term when the government's margin of victory is small. When the electoral margin is large, the probability of consolidation is roughly stable at around 35 per cent. Electoral concerns are the most important political determinant of consolidations, leaving only a minor role for ideological concerns. Governments, hence, find it more difficult to reconcile political and economic pressures on fiscal policy than previous, influential research implies. The results suggest that existing studies under‐estimate the electoral risk associated with consolidations because they ignore the strategic behaviour that is established in this analysis.
Trends in fluid consumption and beverage choices among adults reveal preferences for ayran and black tea in central Turkey
Authors: Nergiz‐Unal Reyhan , Akal Yildiz Emine , Samur Gülhan , Besler H. Tanju , Rakicioğlu Neslisşah 
Published: September 2016

AimBeverages are globally significant sources of water in the diet. There is a lack of knowledge about fluid intake from beverage and water consumption in Turkey. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine the type of drinks preferred at meals and snacks as well as the daily fluid, beverage and water intakes based on age and gender.MethodsA cross‐sectional survey was administered to 3411 randomly chosen adult participants (n = 1522 male, n = 1919 female) representing the general profile of central Turkey. The survey consisted of a demographic/personal information questionnaire, 24‐hour dietary recalls and mealtime‐based beverage frequency questionnaires. Body weights and heights were measured.ResultsDaily average total fluid consumption was 2270 mL/day, of which water was 1470 mL/day, and other beverages were 800 mL/day. More than 90% of the participants drank black tea at breakfast and snacks. For lunch and dinner, young participants’ major choices were carbonated soft drinks followed by ayran (diluted salty plain yoghurt); middle aged and older participants’ choices were ayran followed by black tea. Carbonated soft drinks were preferred over ayran in subjects aged 19–39 years.ConclusionsOlder participants prefer healthy, traditional choices such as ayran and black tea, but younger participants prefer high energy‐containing drinks with low nutritional value. Thus, this unique information contributes to the data on beverage consumption patterns in different countries and might be useful for increasing consumption of nutritious fluids and decreasing sugar usage in Turkey.
Shared Decision Making in the Emergency Department Among Patients With Limited Health Literacy: Beyond Slower and Louder
Authors: Griffey Richard T. , McNaughton Candace D. , McCarthy Danielle M. , Shelton Erica , Castaneda‐Guarderas Ana , Young‐Brinn Angela , Fowler Donna , Grudszen Corita 
Published: September 2016

AbstractAlthough studies suggest that patients with limited health literacy and/or low numeracy skills may stand to gain the most from shared decision making (SDM), the impact of these conditions on the effective implementation of SDM in the emergency department (ED) is not well understood. In this article from the proceedings of the 2016 Academic Emergency Medicine Consensus Conference on Shared Decision Making in the Emergency Department we discuss knowledge gaps identified and propose consensus‐driven research priorities to help guide future work to improve SDM for this patient population in the ED.
First records of Uroleucon erigeronense (Hemiptera: Aphididae) on Conyza (Asteraceae) from Australia, with descriptions of morphological variation, biological notes and an update for commonly used keys
Authors: Brumley Cameron , Watson Luke 
Published: September 2016

AbstractWe provide the first records of the aphid Uroleucon (Lambersius) erigeronense (Thomas, 1878) on Conyza (Asteraceae) from Australia, within New South Wales (including Norfolk Island), the Australian Capital Territory, Victoria and Western Australia. This is the second recorded species of the genus Uroleucon and the first recorded species of the subgenus Lambersius from Australia. We also present biological and morphological information on these Australian records, collate known geographic distribution and known host plants, suggest changes to widely used identification keys and discuss the potential impact of the aphid in Australia.
Effects of testosterone on the transgender male voice
Authors: Irwig M. S. , Childs K. , Hancock A. B. 
Published: September 2016

SummaryThere is sparse prospective data on the effects of testosterone therapy on the voices of transgender men (also referred to as trans men or female‐to‐male transsexuals). Our aim was to investigate the timing and degree of voice deepening over 12 months among an ethnically diverse sample of transgender men. This was a prospective 12‐month study at an academic outpatient endocrinology clinic and speech and voice center. The participants were seven transgender men naïve to testosterone therapy. All patients received two voice assessments at baseline and one assessment at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months while on intramuscular testosterone esters. Serum testosterone and estradiol concentrations were measured at baseline and every 3 months. All seven transgender men reached a cisgender male mean fundamental frequency (MF0) within 6 months of testosterone therapy and four continued to experience a decrease after 6 months. The mean decrease in MF0 after 12 months of testosterone therapy was 6.4 semitones (49 Hz). Several patterns emerged regarding the extent and timing. For example, some participants showed no decrease in MF0 within the first 3 months of testosterone therapy, whereas others showed their greatest decrease in MF0. We concluded that transgender men who start testosterone therapy display different patterns of voice lowering. Clinicians should counsel transgender men that they may or may not experience voice lowering within the first 3 months of testosterone therapy and that the majority of voice deepening will occur within 6–9 months.
The inter‐relationship of symptom severity and quality of life in 2055 patients with primary biliary cholangitis
Authors: Dyson J. K , Wilkinson N. , Jopson L. , Mells G. , Bathgate A. , Heneghan M. A. , Neuberger J. , Hirschfield G. M. , Ducker S. J. ,   The UK‐PBC Consortium, Sandford R. , Alexander G. , Stocken D. , Jones D. E. J. 
Published: September 2016

SummaryBackgroundAge at presentation with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is associated with differential response to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) therapy. Younger‐presenting patients are less likely to respond to treatment and more likely to need transplant or die from the disease. PBC has a complex impact on quality of life (QoL), with systemic symptoms often having significant impact.AimTo explain the impact of age at presentation on perceived QoL and the inter‐related symptoms which impact upon it.MethodsUsing the UK‐PBC cohort, symptoms were assessed using the PBC‐40 and other validated tools. Data were available on 2055 patients.ResultsOf the 1990 patients reporting a global PBC‐QoL score, 66% reported good/neutral scores and 34% reported poor scores. Each 10‐year increase in age at presentation was associated with a 14% decrease in risk of poor perceived QoL (OR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.75–0.98, P < 0.05). All symptom domains were similarly age‐associated (P < 0.01). Social dysfunction was the symptom factor with the greatest impact on QoL. Median (interquartile range) PBC‐40 social scores for patients with good perceived QoL were 18 (14–23) compared with 34 (29–39) for those with poor QoL.ConclusionThe majority of patients with primary biliary cholangitis do not feel their QoL is impaired, although impairment is reported by a sizeable minority. Age at presentation is associated with impact on perceived QoL and the symptoms impairing it, with younger patients being more affected. Social dysfunction makes the greatest contribution to QoL impairment, and it should be targeted in trials aimed at improving life quality.
Population pharmacokinetics and dosing recommendations for the use of deferiprone in children younger than 6 years
Authors: Bellanti Francesco , Del Vecchio Giovanni C. , Putti Maria C. , Maggio Aurelio , Filosa Aldo , Cosmi Carlo , Mangiarini Laura , Spino Michael , Connelly John , Ceci Adriana , Della Pasqua Oscar ,   on behalf of the Consortium DEferiprone Evaluation in Paediatrics (DEEP)
Published: September 2016

AimsDespite long clinical experience with deferiprone, there is limited information on its pharmacokinetics in children aged <6 years. Here we assess the impact of developmental growth on the pharmacokinetics of deferiprone in this population using a population approach. Based on pharmacokinetic bridging concepts, we also evaluate whether the recommended doses yield appropriate systemic exposure in this group of patients.MethodsData from a study in which 18 paediatric patients were enrolled were available for the purposes of this analysis. Patients were randomised to three deferiprone dose levels (8.3, 16.7 and 33.3 mg kg−1). Blood samples were collected according to an optimised sampling scheme in which each patient contributed to a maximum of five samples. A population pharmacokinetic model was developed using NONMEM v.7.2. Model selection criteria were based on graphical and statistical summaries.ResultsA one‐compartment model with first‐order absorption and first‐order elimination best described the pharmacokinetics of deferiprone. Drug disposition parameters were affected by body weight, with both clearance and volume increasing allometrically with size. Simulation scenarios show that comparable systemic exposure (AUC) is achieved in children and adults after similar dose levels in mg kg−1, with median (5–95th quantiles) AUC values, respectively, of 340.6 (223.2–520.0) μmol l−1 h and 318.5 (200.4–499.0) μmol l−1 h at 75 mg kg−1 day–1, and 453.7 (297.3–693.0) μmol l−1 h and 424.2 (266.9–664.0) μmol l−1 h at 100 mg kg−1 day–1 given as three times daily (t.i.d.) doses.ConclusionsBased on the current findings, a dosing regimen of 25 mg kg−1 t.i.d. is recommended in children aged <6 years, with the possibility of titration up to 33.3 mg kg−1 t.i.d.
Virtual Inflation of the Cerebral Artery Wall for the Integrated Exploration of OCT and Histology Data
Authors: Glaßer S. , Hoffmann T. , Boese A. , Voß S. , Kalinski T. , Skalej M. , Preim B. 
Published: September 2016

AbstractIntravascular imaging provides new insights into the condition of vessel walls. This is crucial for cerebrovascular diseases including stroke and cerebral aneurysms, where it may present an important factor for indication of therapy. In this work, we provide new information of cerebral artery walls by combining ex vivo optical coherence tomography (OCT) imaging with histology data sets. To overcome the obstacles of deflated and collapsed vessels due to the missing blood pressure, the lack of co‐alignment as well as the geometrical shape deformations due to catheter probing, we developed the new image processing method virtual inflation. We locally sample the vessel wall thickness based on the (deflated) vessel lumen border instead of the vessel's centerline. Our method is embedded in a multi‐view framework where correspondences between OCT and histology can be highlighted via brushing and linking yielding OCT signal characteristics of the cerebral artery wall and its pathologies. Finally, we enrich the data views with a hierarchical clustering representation which is linked via virtual inflation and further supports the deduction of vessel wall pathologies.
Conservation implications of physiological carry‐over effects in bats recovering from white‐nose syndrome
Authors: Davy Christina M. , Mastromonaco Gabriela F. , Riley Julia L. , Baxter‐Gilbert James H. , Mayberry Heather , Willis Craig K.R. 
Published: September 2016

AbstractAlthough it is well documented that infectious diseases can pose threats to biodiversity, the potential long‐term consequences of pathogen exposure on individual fitness and its effects on population viability have rarely been studied. We tested the hypothesis that pathogen exposure causes physiological carry‐over effects with a pathogen that is uniquely suited to this question because the infection period is specific and time limited. The fungus Pseudogymnoascus destructans causes white‐nose syndrome (WNS) in hibernating bats, which either die due to the infection while hibernating or recover following emergence from hibernation. The fungus infects all exposed individuals in an overwintering site simultaneously, and bats that survive infection during hibernation clear the pathogen within a few weeks following emergence. We quantified chronic stress during the active season, when bats are not infected, by measuring cortisol in bat claws. Free‐ranging Myotis lucifugus who survived previous exposure to P. destructans had significantly higher levels of claw cortisol than naïve individuals. Thus, cryptic physiological carry‐over effects of pathogen exposure may persist in asymptomatic, recovered individuals. If these effects result in reduced survival or reproductive success, they could also affect population viability and even act as a third stream in the extinction vortex. For example, significant increases in chronic stress, such as those indicated here, are correlated with reduced reproductive success in a number of species. Future research should directly explore the link between pathogen exposure and the viability of apparently recovered populations to improve understanding of the true impacts of infectious diseases on threatened populations.
Cerebrospinal fluid viral load and biomarkers of neuronal and glial cells in Ramsay Hunt syndrome
Authors: Lindström Johan , Grahn Anna , Zetterberg Henrik , Studahl Marie 
Published: September 2016

AbstractReactivation of varicella zoster virus (VZV) can manifest with facial palsy diagnosed as Ramsay Hunt Syndrome (RHS) or Ramsay Hunt Syndrome zoster sine herpete (RHS‐ZSH). These syndromes are associated with poor prognosis despite treatment with antivirals and corticosteroids. Concentrations of biomarkers such as neurofilament protein (NFL), S‐100β protein and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAp) have previously been measured in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) to assess neuronal damage and glial pathology. We employed immunochemical methods to measure concentrations of NFL, S‐100β protein and GFAp in CSF from patients with RHS (n = 15) and RHS‐ZSH (n = 13) diagnosed by detection of VZV DNA in the CSF by quantitative PCR, and compared with a control group (n = 52). The biomarker concentrations were correlated with CSF viral load and outcome measured by House‐Brackmann score. NFL and GFAp concentrations were increased compared with controls (P = 0.008 and P = 0.04), while S‐100β levels were decreased. This pattern was more pronounced in patients with RHS compared to the patients with RHS‐ZSH (NS and P = 0.028). The amount of viral DNA in CSF correlated with increased GFAp (P = 0.003) and NFL (P = 0.006). No correlations were found between biomarker concentrations and patient outcome. Patients with facial palsy caused by VZV had biochemical signs of neuronal damage and astrogliosis. High amounts of viral DNA may be associated with the degree of damage on neuronal and astroglial cells. Prospective studies are warranted to elucidate the association of elevated biomarkers in the CSF and outcome assessed by more sensitive tests.