bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantitative PCR assays for detection of five Arctic fish species:Lota lota, Cottus cognatus, Salvelinus alpinus, Salvelinus malma, andThymallus arcticusfrom environmental DNA
Authors: Rodgers Torrey W. , Olson John. R. , Klobucar Stephen L. , Mock Karen. E. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractThe North Slope of Alaska contains arctic fish populations that are important for subsistence of local human populations, and are under threat from natural resource extraction and climate change. We designed and evaluated four quantitative PCR assays for the detection of environmental DNA from five Alaskan fish species present on the North Slope of Alaska: burbot (Lota lota), arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma), arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus), and slimy sculpin (Cottus cognatus). All assays were designed and tested for species specificity and sensitivity, and all assays detected target species from filtered water samples collected from the field. These assays will enable efficient and economical detection and monitoring of these species in lakes and rivers. This in turn will provide managers with improved knowledge of current distributions and future range shifts associated with climate and development threats, enabling more timely management.
Unexpected recalcitrant course of drug‐induced erythema multiforme‐like eruption and interstitial pneumonia sequentially occurring after nivolumab therapy
Authors: Nomura Hisashi , Takahashi Hayato , Suzuki Satsuki , Kurihara Yuichi , Chubachi Shotaro , Kawada Ichiro , Yasuda Hiroyuki , Betsuyaku Tomoko , Amagai Masayuki , Funakoshi Takeru 
Published: March 2017

AbstractVemurafenib improves survival of melanoma patients. However, cutaneous side‐effects commonly occur in them. Nivolumab and ipilimumab are monoclonal antibodies against programmed death 1 and cytotoxic T‐lymphocyte‐associated antigen 4, both of which regulate excessive T‐cell activation. Although these agents induce antitumor immunity against melanoma, the modified immune condition may result in an unexpected adverse reaction which has not been observed previously. Herein, we report a case who manifested severe erythema multiforme‐like eruption with mucosal involvement associated with vemurafenib following nivolumab. The patient also subsequently suffered from ipilimumab‐induced interstitial pneumonia with refractory course. Such a case has never been reported. This case suggested that dermatologists should pay special attention to unexpected adverse events of these drugs, and carefully observe cutaneous and respiratory status of patients during the treatment of melanoma.
Case of harlequin ichthyosis with a favorable outcome: Early treatment and novel, differentially expressed, alternatively spliced transcripts of the ATP‐binding cassette subfamily A member 12 gene
Authors: Washio Ken , Sumi Mayuko , Nakata Kaori , Fukunaga Atsushi , Yamana Keiji , Koda Tsubasa , Morioka Ichiro , Nishigori Chikako , Yamanishi Kiyofumi 
Published: March 2017

AbstractHarlequin ichthyosis (HI) is the most severe form of autosomal recessive congenital ichthyosis, with a high mortality rate. Recent advances in neonatal care and the early administration of retinoids have improved the survival rate of HI. Here, we present a case of HI who was successfully treated with early administration of etretinate and showed good prognosis. Next‐generation sequencing identified novel mutations of the ATP‐binding cassette subfamily A member 12 gene (ABCA12), c.5884+4_+5delAA and c.7239G>A, which caused skipping of exons 39 and 48, respectively. Transcripts with exon 48 skipping, which cause a deletion in the second ATP‐binding cassette of ABCA12, were dominantly expressed in the skin. Besides the early administration of etretinate, the differential expression of the mutant protein with limited segmental deletion of ABCA12 may be related to the favorable outcome of our patient.
Serum carcinoembryonic antigen specifically increases among various serum markers of adenocarcinoma in hypohidrosis or conditions related to hypohidrosis
Authors: Honma Masaru , Nozaki Hiroyoshi , Nagahata Hiroko , Fujii Mizue , Shibuya Takashi , Kanno Kyoko , Minami‐Hori Masako , Ishida‐Yamamoto Akemi 
Published: March 2017

AbstractAnhidrosis/hypohidrosis are conditions presenting various level of sweating dysfunction. Among them, acquired idiopathic generalized anhidrosis (AIGA) presents inadequate decrease or loss of sweating without apparent neurological and dermatological symptoms except cholinergic urticaria. Recently, serum level of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), one of the most well‐known tumor markers, has been proposed as a clinical marker reflecting activity of AIGA. This study was performed to verify the specificity and independence of serum CEA level from the other serum tumor markers especially related to adenocarcinoma. The expression of various tumor markers in the serum collected from three healthy control subjects, four AIGA cases, and a cholinergic urticaria (CU) case with elevation of serum CEA level and history of hyperthermia was analyzed using a membrane‐based antibody array. In all AIGA and CU cases, the intensity of CEA was significantly increased (7.60–15.9 times compared with that of control), relatively well‐reflecting the serum CEA level, and the mean intensity of CEA was 11.8 times higher than the control subjects (P = 0.0011). On the other hand, the ratio of carbohydrate antigen (CA)125 and CA19‐9 was 1.93 and 0.23 times compared with the mean intensity of the control subjects, respectively, and there was no statistical significance. Immunohistochemistry on 10 AIGA cases showed increased expression of CEA but not CA19‐9 and CA125 in the eccrine sweat glands. In conclusion, the elevation of serum CEA level was independent from the other tumor markers in hypohidrotic condition represented by AIGA.
Neighbour effects on tree architecture: functional trade‐offs balancing crown competitiveness with wind resistance
Authors: MacFarlane David W. , Kane Brian 
Published: March 2017

Summary

The architecture of trees is the result of constrained, morphologically plastic growth – constrained by an underlying architectural model embedded in their genome, the structure of which can be significantly altered during growth to match the changing environmental conditions to which the tree is exposed. Here, we examined the hypothesis that crowding from neighbours should cause trees to optimize traits for light competition at the expense of wind resistance, with the reverse being true for trees lacking neighbours. Previous studies have examined the influence of light competition or wind resistance on shaping tree architecture, but few, if any, have simultaneously addressed trade‐offs for optimizing these traits in response to crowding from neighbouring trees in forests, as compared to open‐grown conditions.

We studied the response of tree‐ and branch‐level architectural traits of temperate, broad‐leaved, deciduous tree species of differing shade tolerance and wood strength from multiple locations across the north‐eastern United States. Trees ranged in size (4–83 cm diameter at 1·3 m) and crowding conditions (open‐ and forest‐grown) and occupied different canopy positions. The open‐grown trees represented a null condition, where the lack of neighbouring trees to shape architectural traits could be contrasted with the influence of different levels of crowding in forests.

Our results show strong evidence for a tree neighbourhood‐induced convergence of architectural traits across species and conditions, even when trees are growing in urban rather than natural forest conditions. After accounting for crowding, the effects of species and sample location contributed very little to explaining variation in architectural traits. One exception was crown dimensions, for which species‐specific differences explained about 15% of the residual variation.

Under open‐grown conditions, alleviation of light competition caused trees to develop relatively large crowns and branches and a squat growth form suitable to resist greater wind exposure. By contrast, increasing shading from neighbouring trees caused forest‐grown trees to become increasingly more spindly in the main stem, with slender branches sparsely distributed over a disproportionately large crown volume – presumably to maximize light capture. Although the latter is an intrinsically less wind‐stable form, it can be adopted to increase light capture because neighbouring trees reduce exposure to the wind, which should greatly reduce the likelihood of stem breakage or uprooting under critical wind pressures.

A lay summary is available for this article.
Restored tallgrass prairies have reduced phylogenetic diversity compared with remnants
Authors: Barak Rebecca S. , Williams Evelyn W. , Hipp Andrew L. , Bowles Marlin L. , Carr Gabriela M. , Sherman Robert , Larkin Daniel J. 
Published: March 2017

SummaryEcological restoration is critical for mitigating habitat loss and providing ecosystem services. However, restorations often have lower diversity than remnant, reference sites. Phylogenetic diversity is an important component of biodiversity and ecosystem function that has only recently been used to evaluate restoration outcomes. To move towards prediction in the restoration of biodiversity, it is necessary to understand how phylogenetic diversity of restorations compares with that of reference sites, and where deficits are found, to evaluate factors constraining phylogenetic diversity.We quantified plant taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity in eastern tallgrass prairie, one of the most endangered ecosystems on earth. We measured diversity at large (site) and small (plot) scales in 19 restored prairies and compared patterns with those from 41 remnant prairies. To evaluate how environmental conditions and management actions influence outcomes, we tested the effects of soil properties and seed mix composition on diversity of restorations.Restored prairies were less phylogenetically diverse than remnants at both spatial scales. On the other hand, the total species richness of remnant and restored prairies did not significantly differ, but remnants had higher native richness. Restored communities were taxonomically and phylogenetically distinct from remnants.Soil properties (moisture andpH) influenced phylogenetic diversity and composition. There were positive relationships between the taxonomic and phylogenetic diversity of seed mixes and resulting diversity of planted assemblages (excluding volunteer species). Species in seed mixes were more closely related than expected by chance, and several clades found in remnant prairies were missing from seed mixes.Synthesis and applications. Restored tallgrass prairies had lower phylogenetic diversity than remnant prairies, which may contribute to the widely observed phenomenon of restorations not being functionally equivalent to reference sites. It is encouraging for restoration efforts that seed mix phylogenetic diversity predicted phylogenetic diversity of planted assemblages. This indicates that designing phylogenetically diverse seed mixes for restoration is beneficial. In addition, clades found in reference sites that are missing from restoration seed mixes could be added to new or existing restorations to reduce gaps in phylogenetic diversity. Further work on the effects of management on phylogenetic diversity is needed to advance restoration of biodiversity.
Incorporating intraspecific trait variation into functional diversity: Impacts of selective logging on birds in Borneo
Authors: Ross Samuel R. P.‐J. , Hassall Christopher , Hoppitt William J. E. , Edwards Felicity A. , Edwards David P. , Hamer Keith C. 
Published: March 2017

Summary

As conservation increasingly recognizes the importance of species’ functional roles in ecosystem processes, studies are shifting away from measuring species richness towards measures that account for the functional differences between species in a community. These functional diversity (FD) indices have received much recent attention and refinement, but their greatest limitation remains their inability to incorporate information about intraspecific trait variation (ITV).

We use an individual‐based model to account for ITV when calculating the functional diversity of two avian communities in Borneo; one in primary (unlogged) forest and one in selectively logged forest. We deal with the scarcity of trait data for individual species by developing a simulation approach, taking data from the literature where necessary. Using a bootstrapping procedure, we produce a range of ecologically feasible FD values taking account of ITV for five commonly used FD indices, and we quantify the confidence that can be placed in these values, using a newly developed bootstrapping method: btFD.

We find that incorporating ITV significantly alters the FD values of all indices used in our models. The rank order of FD for the two communities, indicating whether diversity was higher in primary or selectively logged forest, is largely unchanged by the inclusion of ITV. However, by accounting for ITV, we are able to reveal previously unrecognized impacts of selective logging on avian functional diversity through a narrower dispersion of individuals in functional trait space in logged forest.

Our results highlight the importance of incorporating ITV into measures of functional diversity, whilst our simulation approach addresses the frequently encountered difficulty of working with sparse trait data and quantifies the confidence that should be placed in such findings.
Long‐term future risk of severe exacerbations: Distinct 5‐year trajectories of problematic asthma
Authors: Yii A. C. A. , Tan J. H. Y. , Lapperre T. S. , Chan A. K. W. , Low S. Y. , Ong T. H. , Tan K. L. , Chotirmall S. H. , Sterk P. J. , Koh M. S. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractBackgroundAssessing future risk of exacerbations is an important component of asthma management. Existing studies have investigated short‐ but not long‐term risk. Problematic asthma patients with unfavorable long‐term disease trajectory and persistently frequent severe exacerbations need to be identified early to guide treatment.AimTo identify distinct trajectories of severe exacerbation rates among “problematic asthma” patients and develop a risk score to predict the most unfavorable trajectory.MethodsSevere exacerbation rates over five years for 177 “problematic asthma” patients presenting to a specialist asthma clinic were tracked. Distinct trajectories of severe exacerbation rates were identified using group‐based trajectory modeling. Baseline predictors of trajectory were identified and used to develop a clinical risk score for predicting the most unfavorable trajectory.ResultsThree distinct trajectories were found: 58.5% had rare intermittent severe exacerbations (“infrequent”), 32.0% had frequent severe exacerbations at baseline but improved subsequently (“nonpersistently frequent”), and 9.5% exhibited persistently frequent severe exacerbations, with the highest incidence of near‐fatal asthma (“persistently frequent”). A clinical risk score composed of ≥2 severe exacerbations in the past year (+2 points), history of near‐fatal asthma (+1 point), body mass index ≥25kg/m2 (+1 point), obstructive sleep apnea (+1 point), gastroesophageal reflux (+1 point), and depression (+1 point) was predictive of the “persistently frequent” trajectory (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve: 0.84, sensitivity 72.2%, specificity 81.1% using cutoff ≥3 points). The trajectories and clinical risk score had excellent performance in an independent validation cohort.ConclusionsPatients with problematic asthma follow distinct illness trajectories over a period of five years. We have derived and validated a clinical risk score that accurately identifies patients who will have persistently frequent severe exacerbations in the future.
Identification of first‐stage labor arrest by electromyography in term nulliparous women after induction of labor
Authors: Vasak Blanka , Graatsma Elisabeth M. , Hekman‐Drost Elske , Eijkemans Marinus J. , Schagen van Leeuwen Jules H. , Visser Gerard H.A. , Jacod Benoit C. 
Published: March 2017

AbstractIntroductionWorldwide induction and cesarean delivery rates have increased rapidly, with consequences for subsequent pregnancies. The majority of intrapartum cesarean deliveries are performed for failure to progress, typically in nulliparous women at term. Current uterine registration techniques fail to identify inefficient contractions leading to first‐stage labor arrest. An alternative technique, uterine electromyography has been shown to identify inefficient contractions leading to first‐stage arrest of labor in nulliparous women with spontaneous onset of labor at term. The objective of this study was to determine whether this finding can be reproduced in induction of labor.Material and methodsUterine activity was measured in 141 nulliparous women with singleton term pregnancies and a fetus in cephalic position during induced labor. Electrical activity of the myometrium during contractions was characterized by its power density spectrum.ResultsNo significant differences were found in contraction characteristics between women with induced labor delivering vaginally with or without oxytocin and women with arrested labor with subsequent cesarean delivery.ConclusionUterine electromyography shows no correlation with progression of labor in induced labor, which is in contrast to spontaneous labor.
Antecedents and neuroimaging patterns in cerebral palsy with epilepsy and cognitive impairment: a population‐based study in children born at term
Authors: Ahlin Kristina , Jacobsson Bo , Nilsson Staffan , Himmelmann Kate 
Published: March 2017

AbstractIntroductionAntecedents of accompanying impairments in cerebral palsy and their relation to neuroimaging patterns need to be explored.Material and methodsA population‐based study of 309 children with cerebral palsy born at term between 1983 and 1994. Prepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum variables previously studied as antecedents of cerebral palsy type and motor severity were analyzed in children with cerebral palsy and cognitive impairment and/or epilepsy, and in children with cerebral palsy without these accompanying impairments. Neuroimaging patterns and their relation to identified antecedents were analyzed. Data were retrieved from the cerebral palsy register of western Sweden, and from obstetric and neonatal records.ResultsChildren with cerebral palsy and accompanying impairments more often had low birthweight (kg) (odds ratio 0.5, 95% confidence interval 0.3–0.8), brain maldevelopment known at birth (p = 0.007, odds ratio ∞) and neonatal infection (odds ratio 5.4, 95% confidence interval 1.04–28.4). Moreover, neuroimaging patterns of maldevelopment (odds ratio 7.2, 95% confidence interval 2.9–17.2), cortical/subcortical lesions (odds ratio 5.3, 95% confidence interval 2.3–12.2) and basal ganglia lesions (odds ratio 7.6, 95% confidence interval 1.4–41.3) were more common, wheras white matter injury was found significantly less often (odds ratio 0.2, 95% confidence interval 0.1–0.5). In most children with maldevelopment, the intrapartum and postpartum periods were uneventful (p < 0.05). Cerebral maldevelopment was associated with prepartum antecedents, whereas subcortical/cortical and basal ganglia lesions were associated with intrapartum and postpartum antecedents.ConclusionNo additional factor other than those related to motor impairment was associated with epilepsy and cognitive impairment in cerebral palsy. Timing of antecedents deemed important for the development of cerebral palsy with accompanying impairments were supported by neuroimaging patterns.
Probiotics and antimicrobial protein and peptide levels in preterm infants
Authors: Strunk Tobias , Hibbert Julie , Doherty Dorota , Granland Caitlyn , Trend Stephanie , Simmer Karen , Burgner David , Patole Sanjay , Currie Andrew 
Published: March 2017

AbstractAimTo characterise the secreted and inducible antimicrobial protein and peptide (APP) levels in a prospective cohort of preterm infants (<30 weeks gestational age) with or without Bifidobacterium breve M16V supplementation during the first month of life.MethodsWe analysed serial biosamples of infants who did (n = 13) or did not receive (n = 62) B. breve (3 × 109 cfu/day). Peripheral blood was obtained on days 1, 14 and 28, and infant stool prior to commencement of probiotic supplementation and on day 21. Levels of APP (bactericidal/permeability inducing protein (BPI), beta defensins 1 and 2, lactoferrin, human cathelicidin, secretory phospholipase A2) in plasma and stool were determined. Further, we characterised induced APP levels in whole blood cultured with live S. epidermidis or with agonists of Toll‐like receptors 2/6 and 4.ResultsStool, plasma and stimulated blood APP levels changed significantly during the first month of life. Supplementation with B. breve did not affect basal or stimulated APP levels except for a transient increase in inducible BPI.ConclusionSupplementation with B. breve does not appear to act via modulation of systemic or enteric APP expression in preterm infants although small effects cannot be excluded. Further work with other probiotic preparations is warranted.
Systematic review of nonpharmacological analgesic interventions for common needle‐related procedure in newborn infants and development of evidence‐based clinical guidelines
Authors: Lago Paola , Garetti Elisabetta , Bellieni Carlo Valerio , Merazzi Daniele , Savant Levet Patrizia , Ancora Gina , Pirelli Anna ,   the Pain Study Group of the Italian Society of Neonatology
Published: March 2017

AbstractThe aim of this literature review was to develop clinical guidelines for the prevention and control of needle‐related pain in newborn infants. The guidelines were developed by the Italian Society of Neonatology, using the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation approach, based on the assessment of 232 papers published between 1986 and 2015. The quality of the evidence was high or moderate for some behavioural and nonpharmacological interventions.ConclusionThere was sufficient evidence to strongly support the use of nonpharmacological interventions for common needle‐related procedures in newborn infants. Combined interventions seemed to be more effective in relieving procedural pain.
Higher growth, fat and fat‐free masses correlate with larger cerebellar volumes in preterm infants at term
Authors: Paviotti Giulia , De Cunto Angela , Zennaro Floriana , Boz Giulia , Travan Laura , Cont Gabriele , Bua Jenny , Demarini Sergio 
Published: March 2017

AbstractAimSmaller cerebellar volumes in very low‐birthweight (VLBW) infants at term have been related to adverse cognitive outcomes, and this study evaluated whether these volumes were associated with a growth in body composition during hospital stays.MethodsWe prospectively recruited 42 VLBW infants from an Italian neonatal unit between January 2013 and August 2015. Cerebellar volumes and body composition were measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and air‐displacement plethysmography, respectively, at 40 weeks of gestational age and anthropometric and nutritional data were collected. We also included 20 term‐born controls.ResultsThe mean gestational age and birthweight of the VLBW infants were 29.4 (±1.9) weeks and 1120 (±290) g. There was a positive correlation between cerebellar volumes and daily weight gain from birth to term (R2 = 0.26, p = 0.001), weight (R2 = 0.25, p = 0.001), length (R2 = 0.16, p = 0.01), fat mass (R2 = 0.15, p = 0.01) and fat‐free mass at term (R2 = 0.20, p = 0.003). In multiple regression analysis, daily weight gain, mechanical ventilation and postconceptional age at MRI were independently associated with cerebellar volumes. Anthropometric data and cerebellar volumes were similar between VLBW and control infants.ConclusionHigher growth, higher fat mass and fat‐free mass were associated with larger cerebellar volumes in VLBW infants at term.