bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Phenotypic differentiation of the Solidago virgaurea complex along an elevational gradient: Insights from a common garden experiment and population genetics
Authors: Hirano Masaaki , Sakaguchi Shota , Takahashi Koichi 
Published: July 2017

AbstractPlant species distributed along wide elevational or latitudinal gradients show phenotypic variation due to their heterogeneous habitats. This study investigated whether phenotypic variation in populations of the Solidago virgaurea complex along an elevational gradient is caused by genetic differentiation. A common garden experiment was based on seeds collected from nine populations of the S. virgaurea complex growing at elevations from 1,597 m to 2,779 m a.s.l. on Mt. Norikura in central Japan. Population genetic analyses with microsatellite markers were used to infer the genetic structure and levels of gene flow between populations. Leaf mass per area was lower, while leaf nitrogen and chlorophyll concentrations were greater for higher elevations at which seeds were originally collected. For reproductive traits, plants derived from higher elevations had larger flower heads on shorter stems and flowering started earlier. These elevational changes in morphology were consistent with the clines in the field, indicating that phenotypic variation along the elevational gradient would have been caused by genetic differentiation. However, population genetic analysis using 16 microsatellite loci suggested an extremely low level of genetic differentiation of neutral genes among the nine populations. Analysis of molecular variance also indicated that most genetic variation was partitioned into individuals within a population, and the genetic differentiation among the populations was not significant. This study suggests that genome regions responsible for adaptive traits may differ among the populations despite the existence of gene flow and that phenotypic variation of the S. virgaurea complex along the elevational gradient is maintained by strong selection pressure.
Fitness landscapes and life‐table response experiments predict the importance of local areas to population dynamics
Authors: Kane Kristin , Sedinger James S. , Gibson Daniel , Blomberg Erik , Atamian Michael 
Published: July 2017

AbstractAnimal resource requirements differ among life‐history stages, and thus, habitat is most appropriately thought of as specific to a particular life stage. Accordingly, different habitats may vary in their significance as functions of (1) the sensitivity of population growth to the life stage for which the habitat is most important, (2) spatial association of each habitat to other habitats, and (3) the abundance of the habitat in question. We used an analogy to a life‐table response experiment to develop spatial models linking key habitats to rates of population increase in Greater Sage‐grouse. We parameterized models linking demographic rates to vegetation and physical attributes of habitats, including spatial association of some habitats to others, using a decade‐long study of Greater Sage‐grouse in central Nevada. We modeled the contribution of each pixel in the landscape to regional λ (finite rate of population increase) using functional relationships between demographic rates and the attributes of that pixel, and the sensitivity of λ to each demographic rate. We incorporated the following demographic rates into our model: female nesting success, survival of chicks from hatching to 45 d, and adult female annual survival. We also incorporated the probability a site was used for nesting. Chick survival (62%) and nest site selection (21%) explained most of the variance in lambda. We found that only ~8% of all habitat for Greater Sage‐grouse contributed to λ > 1. Habitat supporting population growth occurred in mid‐high elevation areas with moderate slopes, and a high percent cover of sagebrush, and in nesting areas close to late‐brood habitat. Our models indicate that a relatively small proportion of habitat available to Greater Sage‐grouse in central Nevada is responsible for maintenance of the population in our study system. We suggest that the general approach we describe here can be used to improve understanding of habitats most likely to regulate populations in other systems, providing an important tool in ecology and conservation.
Summer and winter drought drive the initiation and spread of spruce beetle outbreak
Authors: Hart Sarah J. , Veblen Thomas T. , Schneider Dominik , Molotch Noah P. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractThis study used Landsat‐based detection of spruce beetle (Dendroctonus rufipennis) outbreak over the years 2000–2014 across the Southern Rocky Mountain Ecoregion to examine the spatiotemporal patterns of outbreak and assess the influence of temperature, drought, forest characteristics, and previous spruce beetle activity on outbreak development. During the 1999–2013 period, time series of spruce beetle activity were highly spatially correlated (r > 0.5) at distances <5 km, but remained weakly correlated (r = 0.08) at distances >400 km. Furthermore, cluster analysis on time series of outbreak activity revealed the outbreak developed at multiple incipient locations and spread to unaffected forest, highlighting the importance of both local‐scale dispersal and regional‐scale drivers in synchronizing spruce beetle outbreak. Spatial overlay analysis and Random Forest modeling of outbreak development show that outbreaks initiate in areas characterized by summer, winter, and multi‐year drought and that outbreak spread is strongly linked to the proximity and extent of nearby outbreak, but remains associated with drought. Notably, we find that spruce beetle outbreak is associated with low peak snow water equivalent, not just summer drought. As such, future alterations to both winter and summer precipitation regimes are likely to drive important changes in subalpine forests.
Serum N‐glycans outperform CA19‐9 in diagnosis of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma
Authors: Wang Mengmeng , Fang Meng , Zhu Jianhui , Feng Huijuan , Warner Elisa , Yi Changhong , Ji Jun , Gu Xing , Gao Chunfang 
Published: July 2017

AbstractExtensive efforts have been devoted to improve the diagnosis of extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ECCA) due to its silent clinical character and lack of effective diagnostic biomarkers. Specific alterations in N‐glycosylation of glycoproteins are considered a key component in cancer progression, which can serve as a distinct molecular signature for cancer detection. This study aims to find potential serum N‐glycan markers for ECCA. In total, 255 serum samples from patients with ECCA (n = 106), benign bile tract disease (BBD, n = 60) and healthy controls (HC, n = 89) were recruited. Only 2 μL of serum from individual patients was used in this assay where the N‐glycome of serum glycoproteins was profiled by DNA sequencer‐assisted fluorophore‐assisted capillary electrophoresis (DSA‐FACE) technology. Multi‐parameter models were constructed by combining the N‐glycans and carbohydrate antigen 19‐9 (CA19‐9) which is currently used clinically. Quantitative analyses showed that among 13 N‐glycan structures, the bifucosylated triantennary N‐glycan (peak10, NA3F2) presented the best diagnostic performance for distinguishing ECCA from BBD and HC. Two diagnostic models (Glycotest1 and Glycotest2) performed better than single N‐glycan or CA19‐9. Additionally, two N‐glycan structures (peak9, NA3Fb; peak12, NA4Fb) were tightly related to lymph node metastasis in ECCA patients. In conclusion, sera of ECCA showed relatively specific N‐glycome profiling patterns. Serum N‐glycan markers and models are novel, valuable and noninvasive alternatives in ECCA diagnosis and progression monitoring.
System identification and modeling of a dynamically tested and gradually damaged 10‐story reinforced concrete building
Authors: Yousefianmoghadam Seyedsina , Behmanesh Iman , Stavridis Andreas , Moaveni Babak , Nozari Amin , Sacco Andrea 
Published: July 2017

SummaryThis paper discusses the dynamic tests, system identification, and modeling of a 10‐story reinforced concrete building. Six infill walls were demolished in 3 stages during the tests to introduce damage. In each damage stage, dynamic tests were conducted by using an eccentric‐mass shaker. Accelerometers were installed to record the torsional and translational responses of the building to the induced excitation, as well as its ambient vibration. The modal properties in all damage states are identified using 2 operational modal analysis methods that can capture the effect of the wall demolition. The modal identification is facilitated by a finite element model of the building. In turn, the model is validated through the comparison of the numerically and experimentally obtained modal parameters. The validated model is used in a parametric study to estimate the influence of structural and nonstructural elements on the dynamic properties of the building and to assess the validity of commonly used empirical formulas found in building codes. Issues related to the applicability and feasibility of system identification on complex structures, as well as considerations for the development of accurate, yet efficient, finite element models are also discussed.
The relationship between subcortical brain volume and striatal dopamine D2/3 receptor availability in healthy humans assessed with [11C]‐raclopride and [11C]‐(+)‐PHNO PET
Authors: Caravaggio Fernando , Ku Chung Jun , Plitman Eric , Boileau Isabelle , Gerretsen Philip , Kim Julia , Iwata Yusuke , Patel Raihaan , Chakravarty M. Mallar , Remington Gary , Graff‐Guerrero Ariel 
Published: July 2017

AbstractBackgroundAbnormalities in dopamine (DA) and brain morphology are observed in several neuropsychiatric disorders. However, it is not fully understood how these abnormalities may relate to one another. For such in vivo findings to be used as biomarkers for neuropsychiatric disease, it must be understood how variability in DA relates to brain structure under healthy conditions. We explored how the availability of striatal DA D2/3 receptors (D2/3R) is related to the volume of subcortical brain structures in a sample of healthy humans. Differences in D2/3R availability measured with an antagonist radiotracer ([11C]‐raclopride) versus an agonist radiotracer ([11C]‐(+)‐PHNO) were examined.MethodsData from 62 subjects scanned with [11C]‐raclopride (mean age = 38.98 ± 14.45; 23 female) and 68 subjects scanned with [11C]‐(+)‐PHNO (mean age = 38.54 ± 14.59; 25 female) were used. Subcortical volumes were extracted from T1‐weighted images using the Multiple Automatically Generated Templates (MAGeT‐Brain) algorithm. Partial correlations were used controlling for age, gender, and total brain volume.ResultsFor [11C]‐(+)‐PHNO, ventral caudate volumes were positively correlated with BPND in the dorsal caudate and globus pallidus (GP). Ventral striatum (VS) volumes were positively correlated with BPND in the VS. With [11C]‐raclopride, BPND in the VS was negatively correlated with subiculum volume of the hippocampus. Moreover, BPND in the GP was negatively correlated with the volume of the lateral posterior nucleus of the thalamus.ConclusionFindings are purely exploratory and presented corrected and uncorrected for multiple comparisons. We hope they will help inform the interpretation of future PET studies where concurrent changes in D2/3R and brain morphology are observed. Hum Brain Mapp 38:5519–5534, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Quantifying temporal variations in water resources of a vulnerable middle eastern transboundary aquifer system
Authors: Fallatah Othman Abdurrahman , Ahmed Mohamed , Save Himanshu , Akanda Ali S. 
Published: July 2017

AbstractFreshwater resources in the arid Arabian Peninsula, especially transboundary aquifers shared by Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq, are of critical environmental and geopolitical significance. Monthly Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE) satellite‐derived gravity field solutions acquired over the expansive Saq transboundary aquifer system were analysed and spatiotemporally correlated with relevant land surface model outputs, remote sensing observations, and field data to quantify temporal variations in regional water resources and to identify the controlling factors affecting these resources. Our results show substantial GRACE‐derived terrestrial water storage (TWS) and groundwater storage (GWS) depletion rates of −9.05 ± 0.25 mm/year (−4.84 ± 0.13 km3/year) and −6.52 ± 0.29 mm/year (−3.49 ± 0.15 km3/year), respectively. The rapid decline is attributed to both climatic and anthropogenic factors; observed TWS depletion is partially related to a decline in regional rainfall, while GWS depletions are highly correlated with increasing groundwater extraction for irrigation and observed water level declines in regional supply wells.
Glacier retreat and its impact on summertime run‐off in a high‐altitude ungauged catchment
Authors: Wang Rui , Yao Zhijun , Wu Shanshan , Liu Zhaofei 
Published: July 2017

AbstractGlaciers are significant freshwater storage systems in western China and contribute substantially to the summertime run‐off of many large rivers in the Tibetan Plateau. Under the scenario of climate change, discussions of glacier variability and melting contributions in alpine basins are important for understanding the run‐off composition and ensuring that water resources are adequately managed and protected in the downstream areas. Based on the multisource spatial data and long‐term ground observation of climatic and hydrologic data, using the remote sensing interpretation, degree‐day model, and ice volume method, we presented a comprehensive study of the glacier changes in number, area, and termini and their impacts on summertime run‐off and water resource in the Tuotuo River basin, located in the source region of the Yangtze River. The results indicated that climate change, especially rising temperature, accelerated the glacier melting and consequently led to hydrological change. From 1969 to 2009, the glacier retreat showed an absolutely dominant tendency with 13 reduced glaciers and lost glacier area of 45.05 km2, accompanied by limited growing glaciers in the study area. Meanwhile, it indicated that annual glacial run‐off was averagely 0.38 × 108 m3, accounting for 4.96% of the total summertime run‐off, followed by the supply from precipitation and snowmelt. The reliability of this magnitude was assessed by the classic volume method, which also showed that the water resources from glacier melting in the Tuotuo River basin increased by approximate 17.11 × 108 m3, accounting for about 3.77% of the total run‐off over the whole period of 1969–2009. Findings from this study will serve as a reference for future research about glacier hydrology in regions where observational data are deficient. Also, it can help the planning of future water management strategies in the source region of the Yangtze River.
Mandatory waiting periods and biased abortion counseling in Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Hoctor Leah , Lamačková Adriana 
Published: July 2017

AbstractSeveral Central and Eastern European countries have recently enacted retrogressive laws and policies introducing new preconditions that women must fulfill before they can obtain legal abortion services. Mandatory waiting periods and biased counseling and information requirements are particularly common examples of these new prerequisites. The present article considers these requirements in light of international human rights standards and public health guidelines, and outlines the manner in which, by imposing regressive barriers on women's access to legal abortion services, these new laws and policies undermine women's health and well‐being, fail to respect women's human rights, and reinforce harmful gender stereotypes and abortion stigma.
Erythropoietin prevents the effect of chronic restraint stress on the number of hippocampal CA3c dendritic terminals—relation to expression of genes involved in synaptic plasticity, angiogenesis, inflammation, and oxidative stress in male rats
Authors: Aalling Nadia , Hageman Ida , Miskowiak Kamilla , Orlowski Dariusz , Wegener Gregers , Wortwein Gitta 
Published: July 2017

AbstractStress‐induced allostatic load affects a variety of biological processes including synaptic plasticity, angiogenesis, oxidative stress, and inflammation in the brain, especially in the hippocampus. Erythropoietin (EPO) is a pleiotropic cytokine that has shown promising neuroprotective effects. Recombinant human EPO is currently highlighted as a new candidate treatment for cognitive impairment in neuropsychiatric disorders. Because EPO enhances synaptic plasticity, attenuates oxidative stress, and inhibits generation of proinflammatory cytokines, EPO may be able to modulate the effects of stress‐induced allostatic load at the molecular level. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate how EPO and repeated restraint stress, separately and combined, influence (i) behavior in the novelty‐suppressed feeding test of depression/anxiety‐related behavior; (ii) mRNA levels of genes encoding proteins involved in synaptic plasticity, angiogenesis, oxidative stress, and inflammation; and (iii) remodeling of the dendritic structure of the CA3c area of the hippocampus in male rats. As expected, chronic restraint stress lowered the number of CA3c apical dendritic terminals, and EPO treatment reversed this effect. Interestingly, these effects seemed to be mechanistically distinct, as stress and EPO had differential effects on gene expression. While chronic restraint stress lowered the expression of spinophilin, tumor necrosis factor α, and heat shock protein 72, EPO increased expression of hypoxia‐inducible factor‐2α and lowered the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor in hippocampus. These findings indicate that the effects of treatment with EPO follow different molecular pathways and do not directly counteract the effects of stress in the hippocampus.
Raman spectroscopy characterization of 10‐cash productions from the late Chinese emperors to the Republic
Authors: Montoya Noemí , Montagna Elena , Lee Yu , Doménech‐Carbó María Teresa , Doménech‐Carbó Antonio 
Published: July 2017

The use of Raman spectroscopy for discriminating monetary emissions, a recurrent problem in much archaeological studies, is described. The method involves the record of Raman signatures of tenorite and crystalline and defective cuprite in the patina based on the idea that subtle, mint‐characteristic variations in the composition and metallography of the base metal during the manufacturing process are reflected in the variation in depth of the composition and crystallinity of the corrosion patina. The technique was applied to a series of 10‐cash copper coins produced around the transition between the Kuang Hsü and Hsüan T'ung last Chinese emperors and the first Republic whose averaged composition was 95 ± 1% wt Cu plus 5 ± 1% wt Zn often accompanied by traces of Sn and Pb. Raman data, corroborated by focusing ion beam‐field emission scanning electron microscopy and voltammetry of immobilized particles measurements, suggested the possibility of discerning between different provincial and regular unified currency productions.
Utility and reproducibility of 3‐dimensional printed models in pre‐operative planning of complex thoracic tumors
Authors: George Elizabeth , Barile Maria , Tang Anji , Wiesel Ory , Coppolino Antonio , Giannopoulos Andreas , Mentzer Steven , Jaklitsch Michael , Hunsaker Andetta , Mitsouras Dimitrios 
Published: July 2017

Background and Objectives3D‐printed models are increasingly used for surgical planning. We assessed the utility, accuracy, and reproducibility of 3D printing to assist visualization of complex thoracic tumors for surgical planning.MethodsModels were created from pre‐operative images for three patients using a standard radiology 3D workstation. Operating surgeons assessed model utility using the Gillespie scale (1 = inferior to 4 = superior), and accuracy compared to intraoperative findings. Model variability was assessed for one patient for whom two models were created independently. The models were compared subjectively by surgeons and quantitatively based on overlap of depicted tissues, and differences in tumor volume and proximity to tissues.ResultsModels were superior to imaging and 3D visualization for surgical planning (mean score = 3.4), particularly for determining surgical approach (score = 4) and resectability (score = 3.7). Model accuracy was good to excellent. In the two models created for one patient, tissue volumes overlapped by >86.5%, and tumor volume and area of tissues ≤1 mm to the tumor differed by <15% and <1.8 cm2, respectively. Surgeons considered these differences to have negligible effect on surgical planning.Conclusion3D printing assists surgical planning for complex thoracic tumors. Models can be created by radiologists using routine practice tools with sufficient accuracy and clinically negligible variability.
Temporal variation in survival and recovery rates of lesser scaup: A response
Authors: Arnold Todd W. , Afton Alan D. , Anteau Michael J. , Koons David N. , Nicolai Chris A. 
Published: July 2017

ABSTRACTWe recently analyzed long‐term (1951–2011) continental band‐recovery data from lesser scaup (Aythya affinis) and demonstrated that harvest rates declined through time, but annual survival rates exhibited no such trends; moreover, annual harvest and survival rates were uncorrelated for all age‐sex classes. We therefore concluded that declining fecundity was most likely responsible for recent population declines, rather than changes in harvest or survival. Lindberg et al. () critiqued our conclusions, arguing that we did little more than fail to reject a null hypothesis of compensatory mortality, postulated ecologically unrealistic changes in fecundity, and failed to give sufficient consideration to additive harvest mortality. Herein, we re‐summarize our original evidence indicating that harvest has been compensatory, or at most weakly additive, and demonstrate that our analysis had sufficient power to detect strongly additive mortality if it occurred. We further demonstrate that our conclusions were not confounded by population size, band loss, or individual heterogeneity, as suggested by Lindberg et al. (), and we provide additional support for our conjecture that low fecundity played a major role in declining scaup populations during 1983–2006. We therefore reiterate our original management recommendations: given low harvest rates and lack of demonstrable effect on scaup survival, harvest regulations could return to more liberal frameworks, and waterfowl biologists should work together to continue banding lesser scaup and use these data to explore alternative hypotheses to identify the true ecological causes of population change, given that it is unlikely to be excessive harvest. © 2017 The Wildlife Society.