bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Micromorphological differences of the implant‐abutment junction and in vitro load testing for three different titanium abutments on Straumann tissue level implants
Authors: Mattheos N. , Larsson C. , Ma L. , Fokas G. , Chronopoulos V. , Janda M. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractBackgroundThe aim of this study was to investigate the micromorphological differences among three commercially available titanium abutments on Straumann implants. Furthermore, the possible impact of functional loading on the micromorphology and potential complications was investigated with the use of in vitro testing.Material and methodsThree groups of Titanium abutments (A: Straumann Variobase n = 5, B: EBI best Duo n = 5, and C: Implant Direct n = 5) were torqued on Straumann RN implants, as according to each of the manufacturer's instructions. The implant–abutment units were scanned with Micro‐CT. Three units of each group were directly sliced in the microtome and photographed under different magnifications (10×–500×) through a Scanning Electron Microscope. Six units (two from each group) were restored with cement‐retained crowns, subjected to 2000,000 load cycles with loads between 30 and 300 N at 2 Hz, examined through Micro‐CT and finally sliced and photographed as described above. The micromorphology of each unit was studied, and the total length of tight contact (<3 μm) was calculated between the implant, abutment and screw contact areas.ResultsMajor morphological differences were identified between the three units, as well as differences in the extent of tight contact in all areas examined. Despite the morphological differences, the 2M cycles of loading via in vitro test did not result in any noticeable complications although some changes in the micromorphology were observed.ConclusionThe examined implant–abutment units presented with major morphological differences. Two million cycles of in vitro loading did not appear to affect the stability of the units despite the micromorphological changes. These results need to be interpreted however under the limitations of the small sample size and the specific set‐up of the in vitro testing.
Rhesus CE expression on patient red blood cells is an independent prognostic factor for adenocarcinoma of the lung
Authors: Schulze A. B. , Schmidt L. H. , Baie L. , Heitkötter B. , Kuemmel A. , Mohr M. , Buhl R. , Hillmann H. , Geißler G. , Kelsch R. , Görlich D. , Berdel W. E. , Hartmann W. , Wiewrodt R. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractObjectivesThe influence of blood group antigens on cancerogenesis is shown for distinct tumor types, yet the impact of Rhesus blood group antigens in lung cancer is not clarified.Materials and MethodsTo investigate the impact of Rhesus blood groups a non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) collective (n = 1047) was analyzed retrospectively. Using a second cohort of n = 340 primarily operated stage I‐III NSCLC patients, we evaluated immunohistochemistry of CD47‐antibody stained tissue samples in correlation to histopathologic subtype and Rhesus blood group.Results and ConclusionIn 516 of 1047 patients blood group data were available. Seven different RhCE phenotypes were grouped as “··ee,” “ccE·,” and “C·E·.” Adenocarcinoma patients with Rh “··ee” revealed improved overall survival (29 (21.2‐36.8) m; HR 1.00 [index]) compared with Rh “ccE·” (19 (1.9‐36.1) m; HR 1.76 [1.15‐2.70]) and Rh “C·E·” (10 (7.4‐12.6) m; HR 2.65 [1.70‐4.12]) univariately (P < .001) and multivariately (P < .001). Rh “··ee” showed reduced incidence of CNS‐metastasis (P = .014) and metastasis count (P = .032) in stage IV adenocarcinoma. Immunohistochemistry associated CD47‐positivity with adenocarcinomas (n = 340, P = .048). In n = 51 cases blood group data were available. The prognostic effect of Rh “··ee” compared with Rh “ccE·” and Rh “C·E·” was stated (P = .001), foremost in CD47‐positive adenocarcinomas (Rh “··ee” vs. Rh “ccE·” and Rh “C·E·,” P = .008). Inversely Rh “ccE·” or Rh “C·E·” was found beneficial in CD47‐negative non‐adenocarcinomas (P = .046). Phenotypic RhCE expression may be an independent prognostic factor for overall survival in adeno‐NSCLC. We hypothesize an erythrocytic‐immunologic interaction with tumor tissue, possibly altered by RhCE and CD47, resulting in a metastatic prone condition.
Encouraging E‐Textbook Adoption: Merging Two Models
Authors: Gerhart Natalie , Peak Daniel , Prybutok Victor R. 
Published: April 2017

ABSTRACTThis research builds a new model by drawing upon e‐textbook adoption models developed in two recent publications, which share similarities but have different findings. Although they both achieve positive results, these two prior e‐textbook studies employ different methods and background theories. This research bridges these earlier models and develops a third, parsimonious, blended model for e‐textbook adoption.Using a survey of undergraduate students, the authors first assess each model independently. Broadening the diversity of the sample population yields results that are similar, yet slightly different from those found in the prior two studies. Next, this study develops a single blended, parsimonious model that explains a higher proportion of the variance than the prior studies with just three constructs: perceived usefulness, hedonic motivation, and habit. In addition to developing and testing a new parsimonious model, this research provides theoretical and practical guidance for e‐textbook usage.
Differential responses of Scots pine stilbene synthase and chalcone synthase genes to Heterobasidion annosum infection
Authors: Kovalchuk A. , Zhu L. , Keriö S. , Asiegbu F. O. 
Published: April 2017

SummaryPhenolic compounds are essential components of the defensive chemical arsenal of conifer trees. This chemically diverse group encompasses stilbenoids, flavonoids, isoflavonoids, proanthocyanidins and lignans. All of them are produced from the common precursors, CoA esters of the phenylpropanoids: p‐coumaroyl‐CoA, cinnamoyl‐CoA, caffeoyl‐CoA and feruloyl‐CoA. Two classes of enzymes, stilbene synthases and chalcone synthases, play important roles in the biosynthesis of plant phenolics, such as the conversion of the phenylpropanoid‐CoA esters into stilbenoids and flavonoids, respectively. In this study, we investigated the transcriptional responses of the Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) genes encoding stilbene and chalcone synthases to the infection by the fungal pathogen Heterobasidion annosum. The experiments were performed on pine seedlings and mature trees. Our results show that the stilbene synthase gene is strongly induced in both age groups, but the level of induction in adult trees varied considerably among individual trees. Systemic induction in needles and hypocotyl regions was documented in young seedlings following fungal inoculation in root region. Concurrent changes in the expression of the chalcone synthase gene in response to fungal infection were much less pronounced. Our data confirm previous observations on the differential regulation of these enzymes in Scots pine and emphasize the role of stilbene synthase in the induced response to fungal infection.
Female mate choice and male–male competition in Tonkean macaques: Who decides?
Authors: Rebout Nancy , Thierry Bernard , Sanna Andrea , Cozzolino Roberto , Aujard Fabienne , De Marco Arianna 
Published: April 2017

AbstractThe theory of sexual selection predicts that females should be discriminatory in the choice of sexual partners. Females can express their choice in two ways. In direct mate choice, they show preferences for certain partners. In indirect mate choice, they select partners by displaying sexually attractive traits, thus eliciting contest competition between males. We focused on a primate species in which females advertise the timing of their ovulation and studied the balance between these two choice strategies. We tested predictions related to three hypotheses about direct and indirect female choice, namely the best‐male, graded‐signal and weak‐selectivity hypotheses. We investigated the sexual and agonistic interactions occurring during oestrous periods in five captive groups of Tonkean macaques (Macaca tonkeana). The results showed that dominant males used mate guarding to monopolise sexual access to parous females that were in the fertile stage of their reproductive cycle, while lower‐ranking males monitored only nulliparous females. The distribution of sexual presentations indicated that females accepted different types of partners, supporting the weak‐selectivity hypothesis regarding direct mate choice. The analysis of behavioural sequences revealed that mate‐guarding males used mild coercive behaviours to prevent females from mating with other males at conception time. The distribution of mounts showed that females mainly mated with dominant males, which leads us to argue that the best‐male hypothesis provides the most parsimonious explanation regarding indirect mate choice in Tonkean macaques. At the individual level, it may be concluded that male competitive strategies prevented females from exercising direct mate choice. At the evolutionary level, however, female sexual advertising and thus indirect choice promoted competition between males. The outcome is that indirect mate choice appears more important than direct mate choice in female Tonkean macaques.
Individuality of distress and discomfort calls in neonates with bass voices: Wild‐living goitred gazelles (Gazella subgutturosa) and saiga antelopes (Saiga tatarica)
Authors: Volodin Ilya A. , Sibiryakova Olga V. , Frey Roland , Efremova Kseniya O. , Soldatova Natalia V. , Zuther Steffen , Kisebaev Talgat B. , Salemgareev Albert R. , Volodina Elena V. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractNeonate ruminants produce distress calls when captured by a predator and discomfort milk begging calls when hungry. In many neonate ruminants, the distress and discomfort calls are high‐frequency vocalizations, in which the fundamental frequency is the key variable for recognition of their emotional arousal by caregivers. In contrast, in this study, we examine the low‐frequency open‐mouth distress and discomfort calls in the neonates of two species of wild‐living ungulates, which clearly highlight vocal tract resonances (formants). In the goitred gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa), the distress calls were higher in fundamental frequency (f0) and in the first and third formants than the discomfort calls. The accuracy of classifying individuals by variables of distress calls with discriminant function analysis (67%) was significantly lower than that of discomfort calls (85%). In the saiga (Saiga tatarica), only the third formant was higher in the distress calls than in the discomfort calls. The accuracy of classifying individuals by variables of distress calls (89%) did not differ significantly from that of discomfort calls (94%). Thus, the use of acoustic cues to vocal identity and to the degree of arousal differs between the two species. Calls were significantly more individualistic in the saiga, probably because this species lives in large herds and neonates use a ‘following’ antipredatory strategy, in which vocal individuality is crucial for mother–offspring communication. In contrast, goitred gazelles live in smaller groups and neonates use a ‘hiding’ antipredatory strategy. Accordingly, mothers can rely on additional environmental cues for spotting their young and this may decrease the necessity for individualization of the calls of neonates.
Frog breeding pond selection in response to predators and conspecific cues
Authors: Buxton Valerie L. , Ward Michael P. , Sperry Jinelle H. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractPredators are a major influence on the breeding site selection decisions of anurans. Many species actively avoid breeding in habitat with predators when given the choice between predator and predator‐free sites. However, certain factors such as site fidelity or conflicting cues may preclude avoidance behavior. We conducted two experiments examining how western chorus frogs, Pseudacris triseriata, respond to predators, western mosquitofish, Gambusia affinis, using an array of artificial ponds located at two field sites. In one experiment, we added G. affinis to half of our experimental ponds and monitored subsequent colonization by frogs. We found that frogs laid significantly fewer eggs in ponds with fish compared to fishless ponds. In another experiment, we introduced an additional cue to complicate the decision‐making process and monitored colonization of ponds in response to treatments of conspecific breeding cues only (eggs), predators (G. affinis) only, and conspecific cues and predators. We found no significant differences in number of eggs deposited among these three treatments. Based on these results, P. triseriata does not always exhibit complete avoidance of fish predators, and avoidance may vary based on factors such as site fidelity or dispersal costs. This study represents a step toward understanding how multiple biotic factors at a breeding pond may influence anuran site selection behavior in the field.
Transformational change and the vacuum of performance measurement: How a story of success became a failure
Authors: Ramberg Ulf 
Published: April 2017

AbstractSome local government organisations stand out in terms of their capability to adopt and use management accounting innovations and become a model for those struggling with issues such as performance measurement (PM). But what happens to the innovations if the organisation is forced into transformational change? This longitudinal case study is based on the theory that the use and impact of PM is influenced by (a) its contractibility and (b) how the performance management systems in place are configured and used. One conclusion is that transformational change can result in a vacuum of PM, even with a high degree of contractibility.
The association between organizational culture and the use of management initiatives in the public sector
Authors: Baird Kevin M. , Harrison Graeme L. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractThis paper examines the association between five factors in O'Reilly et al. (1991) Organizational Culture Profile and the use of Activity Management (AM), Total Quality Management (TQM) and Employee Empowerment within public sector organizations. The results show that the use of AM and TQM is lower in public sector organizations than in their private sector counterparts, and is facilitated by an organizational culture of Outcome Orientation and Attention to Detail. The extent of use of Employee Empowerment is similar across the two sectors, and is facilitated when public sector organizations exhibit higher Respect for People and Innovation.
Proterozoic microbial mats and their constraints on environments of silicification
Authors: Manning‐Berg A. R. , Kah L. C. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractThe occurrence of microfossiliferous, early diagenetic chert in Proterozoic successions is broadly restricted to peritidal marine environments. Such coastal environments are amongst the most environmentally variable of marine environments, experiencing both enhanced evaporation and potential influx of terrestrial freshwaters. To better understand potential conditions under which silicification occurs, we focus on microfossiliferous early diagenetic chert from the Mesoproterozoic Bylot Supergroup, northern Baffin Island. Spectacular preservation of silicified microbial mats, their associated mineral phases, and the petrographic fabrics of the chert itself require that silicification occurred at the sediment–water interface, penecontemporaneously with mat growth. In some cases, silica is the primary precipitated mineral phase and is not associated with replacement of precursor mineral phases. In other cases, silica deposition includes the mimetic replacement of carbonate, gypsum, and halite mineral phases. These petrographic constraints suggest that silicification potentially occurred under a range of fluid chemistries associated with environmental variability in nearshore peritidal environments. Here we provide the first direct thermodynamic modeling of hypothetical Proterozoic seawater solutions, seawater‐derived brines, and mixed seawater‐freshwater solutions, and demonstrate that peritidal environments are capable of providing a wide range of fluid chemistries under which early diagenetic silica can both precipitate and replace primary mineralogical phases. Despite the thermodynamic potential for silica deposition under a wide range of fluid compositions, chert is not ubiquitous in Proterozoic nearshore environments, suggesting that the kinetics of silica polymerization exert a primary control over deposition.
A geochemical study of the Ediacaran discoidal fossil Aspidella preserved in limestones: Implications for its taphonomy and paleoecology
Authors: Bykova N. , Gill B. C. , Grazhdankin D. , Rogov V. , Xiao S. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractThe Ediacara biota features the rise of macroscopic complex life immediately before the Cambrian explosion. One of the most abundant and widely distributed elements of the Ediacara biota is the discoidal fossil Aspidella, which is interpreted as a subsurface holdfast possibly anchoring a frondose epibenthic organism. It is a morphologically simple fossil preserved mainly in siliciclastic rocks, which are unsuitable for comprehensive stable isotope geochemical analyses to decipher its taphonomy and paleoecology. In this regard, three‐dimensionally preserved Aspidella fossils from upper Ediacaran limestones of the Khatyspyt Formation in the Olenek Uplift of northern Siberia offer a rare opportunity to leverage geochemistry for insights into their taphonomy and paleoecology. To take advantage of this opportunity, we analyzed δ13Ccarb, δ18Ocarb, δ13Corg, δ34Spyr, and iron speciation of the Khatyspyt Aspidella fossils and surrounding sediment matrix in order to investigate whether they hosted microbial symbionts, how they were fossilized, and the redox conditions of their ecological environments. Aspidella holdfasts and surrounding sediment matrix show indistinguishable δ13Corg values, suggesting they did not host and derive significant amount of nutrients from microbial symbionts such as methanogens, methylotrophs, or sulfide‐oxidizing bacteria. δ13Ccarb, δ18Ocarb, and δ34Spyr data, along with petrographic observations, suggest that microbial sulfate reduction facilitated the preservation of Aspidella by promoting early authigenic calcite cementation in the holdfasts before matrix cementation and sediment compaction. Iron speciation data are equivocal, largely because of the low total iron concentrations. However, consideration of published sulfur isotope and biomarker data suggests that Aspidella likely lived in non‐euxinic waters. It is possible that Aspidella was an opportunistic organism, colonizing the seafloor in large numbers when paleoenvironments were favorable. This study demonstrates that geochemical data of Ediacaran fossils preserved in limestones can offer important insights into the taphonomy and paleoecology of these enigmatic organisms living on the eve of the Cambrian explosion.
Soil carbon sequestration potential of permanent pasture and continuous cropping soils in New Zealand
Authors: McNally Sam R. , Beare Mike H. , Curtin Denis , Meenken Esther D. , Kelliher Francis M. , Calvelo Pereira Roberto , Shen Qinhua , Baldock Jeff 
Published: April 2017

AbstractUnderstanding soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration is important to develop strategies to increase the SOC stock and, thereby, offset some of the increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide. Although the capacity of soils to store SOC in a stable form is commonly attributed to the fine (clay + fine silt) fraction, the properties of the fine fraction that determine the SOC stabilization capacity are poorly known. The aim of this study was to develop an improved model to estimate the SOC stabilization capacity of Allophanic (Andisols) and non‐Allophanic topsoils (0–15 cm) and, as a case study, to apply the model to predict the sequestration potential of pastoral soils across New Zealand. A quantile (90th) regression model, based on the specific surface area and extractable aluminium (pyrophosphate) content of soils, provided the best prediction of the upper limit of fine fraction carbon (FFC) (i.e. the stabilization capacity), but with different coefficients for Allophanic and non‐Allophanic soils. The carbon (C) saturation deficit was estimated as the difference between the stabilization capacity of individual soils and their current C concentration. For long‐term pastures, the mean saturation deficit of Allophanic soils (20.3 mg C g−1) was greater than that of non‐Allophanic soils (16.3 mg C g−1). The saturation deficit of cropped soils was 1.14–1.89 times that of pasture soils. The sequestration potential of pasture soils ranged from 10 t C ha−1 (Ultic soils) to 42 t C ha−1 (Melanic soils). Although meeting the estimated national soil C sequestration potential (124 Mt C) is unrealistic, improved management practices targeted to those soils with the greatest sequestration potential could contribute significantly to off‐setting New Zealand's greenhouse gas emissions. As the first national‐scale estimate of SOC sequestration potential that encompasses both Allophanic and non‐Allophanic soils, this serves as an informative case study for the international community.
Morphological and physiological responses and the recovery ability of Paspalum accessions to water deficit and waterlogging
Authors: Beloni T. , Pezzopane C. G. , Rovadoscki G. A. , Fávero A. P. , Dias‐Filho M. B. , Santos P. M. 
Published: April 2017

AbstractLimited knowledge about the agronomic potential of Paspalum species from the Americas hinders their use in pastures. The response mechanisms to water deficit and waterlogging were studied in five accessions of Paspalum sp. (P. regnellii cv. BRS Guará and BGP 397, P. conspersum BGP 402 and P. malacophyllum BGP 289 and BGP 293) and Urochloa brizantha cv. Marandu. Morphological and physiological traits at the end of the stress and after the recovery period were measured. All Paspalum accessions, especially BGP 289, BGP 402 and BGP 397, and also cv. Marandu, showed survival mechanisms to water deficit. BRS Guará showed adaptive features to waterlogging, although had with a low survival rate to water deficit. Under waterlogging, BGP 289 and cv. Marandu showed reduced growth, and after the recovery period, they presented low plant survival and root recovery. Although growth of BGP 293 was reduced during waterlogging, it presented high tiller survival rate. BGP 293, BGP 402 and BGP 397 showed adaptive potential strategies for waterlogging and water deficit. There is genetic variability among the evaluated accessions for water deficit and waterlogging stresses, suggesting that they may be used per se or as progenitors in crosses with other genotypes in breeding programmes.