bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Downstream migration dynamics of female and male silver eels (Anguilla anguilla L.) in the regulated German lowland Warnow River
Authors: Reckordt Melanie , Ubl Claus , Wagner Carola , Frankowski Jens , Dorow Malte 
Published: July 2013

AbstractIn the light of the European wide efforts to increase the spawning biomass of the European eel, a reliable measurement of the escapement of mature silver eel is necessary to prove the effectiveness of the conservation management measures. The seaward migration of mature eel is commonly viewed as a seasonal phenomenon with concentrated migration peaks occurring in spring and autumn. To verify the assumed seasonal silver eel migration events for regulated lowland rivers, a stow‐net system was installed in the Warnow River located in north‐eastern Germany. Between 2008 and 2011, the stow‐net system was operated from March to December each year. The eel harvest was documented on a weekly base including the documentation of weight and length, the silvering stage and the tissue sampling for the molecular identification of the eel species. During the 4 year monitoring period, a continuous downstream migration of female and male silver eels was observed. Additionally, single migration peaks were recorded in each year occurring between April and December. Moreover, female and male silver eels showed varying downstream migration dynamics. Based on a Chi‐squared Automatic Interaction Detection (CHAID) tree analysis, it was shown that during periods of a daily minimum air temperature over 10.4 °C, increased discharge levels and increased wind speeds, higher weekly migration rates of silver eels were likely. Furthermore, the results indicated that both sexes differed in their responses to migration triggering environmental factors. The presented results might be helpful to design more efficient eel conservation management strategies in regulated lowland rivers.
Evolution of dispersal and life history interact to drive accelerating spread of an invasive species
Authors: Alex Perkins T. , Phillips Benjamin L. , Baskett Marissa L. , Hastings Alan 
Published: July 2013

AbstractPopulations on the edge of an expanding range are subject to unique evolutionary pressures acting on their life‐history and dispersal traits. Empirical evidence and theory suggest that traits there can evolve rapidly enough to interact with ecological dynamics, potentially giving rise to accelerating spread. Nevertheless, which of several evolutionary mechanisms drive this interaction between evolution and spread remains an open question. We propose an integrated theoretical framework for partitioning the contributions of different evolutionary mechanisms to accelerating spread, and we apply this model to invasive cane toads in northern Australia. In doing so, we identify a previously unrecognised evolutionary process that involves an interaction between life‐history and dispersal evolution during range shift. In roughly equal parts, life‐history evolution, dispersal evolution and their interaction led to a doubling of distance spread by cane toads in our model, highlighting the potential importance of multiple evolutionary processes in the dynamics of range expansion.
Diversification under sexual selection: the relative roles of mate preference strength and the degree of divergence in mate preferences
Authors: Rodríguez Rafael L. , Boughman Janette W. , Gray David A. , Hebets Eileen A. , Höbel Gerlinde , Symes Laurel B. 
Published: July 2013

AbstractThe contribution of sexual selection to diversification remains poorly understood after decades of research. This may be in part because studies have focused predominantly on the strength of sexual selection, which offers an incomplete view of selection regimes. By contrast, students of natural selection focus on environmental differences that help compare selection regimes across populations. To ask how this disparity in focus may affect the conclusions of evolutionary research, we relate the amount of diversification in mating displays to quantitative descriptions of the strength and the amount of divergence in mate preferences across a diverse set of case studies of mate choice. We find that display diversification is better explained by preference divergence rather than preference strength; the effect of the latter is more subtle, and is best revealed as an interaction with the former. Our findings cast the action of sexual selection (and selection in general) in a novel light: the strength of selection influences the rate of evolution, and how divergent selection is determines how much diversification can occur. Adopting this view will enhance tests of the relative role of natural and sexual selection in processes such as speciation.
Increased resting functional connectivity in spike‐wave epilepsy in WAG/Rij rats
Authors: Mishra Asht M. , Bai Xiaoxiao , Motelow Joshua E. , DeSalvo Matthew N. , Danielson Nathan , Sanganahalli Basavaraju G. , Hyder Fahmeed , Blumenfeld Hal 
Published: July 2013

SummaryPurposeFunctional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI)–based resting functional connectivity is well suited for measuring slow correlated activity throughout brain networks. Epilepsy involves chronic changes in normal brain networks, and recent work demonstrated enhanced resting fMRI connectivity between the hemispheres in childhood absence epilepsy. An animal model of this phenomenon would be valuable for investigating fundamental mechanisms and testing therapeutic interventions.MethodsWe used fMRI‐based resting functional connectivity for studying brain networks involved in absence epilepsy. Wistar Albino Glaxo rats from Rijswijk (WAG/Rij) exhibit spontaneous episodes of staring and unresponsiveness accompanied by spike‐wave discharges (SWDs) resembling human absence seizures in behavior and electroencephalography (EEG). Simultaneous EEG‐fMRI data in epileptic WAG/Rij rats in comparison to nonepileptic Wistar controls were acquired at 9.4 T. Regions showing cortical fMRI increases during SWDs were used to define reference regions for connectivity analysis to investigate whether chronic seizure activity is associated with changes in network resting functional connectivity.Key FindingsWe observed high degrees of cortical–cortical correlations in all WAG/Rij rats at rest (when no SWDs were present), but not in nonepileptic controls. Strongest connectivity was seen between regions most intensely involved in seizures, mainly in the bilateral somatosensory and adjacent cortices. Group statistics revealed that resting interhemispheric cortical–cortical correlations were significantly higher in WAG/Rij rats compared to nonepileptic controls.SignificanceThese findings suggest that activity‐dependent plasticity may lead to long‐term changes in epileptic networks even at rest. The results show a marked difference between the epileptic and nonepileptic animals in cortical–cortical connectivity, indicating that this may be a useful interictal biomarker associated with the epileptic state.
Contrast‐enhanced computed tomographic evaluation of the deep digital flexor tendon in the equine foot compared to macroscopic and histological findings in 23 limbs
Authors: van Hamel S. E. , Bergman H. J. , Puchalski S. M. , de Groot M. W. , van Weeren P. R. 
Published: July 2013

SummaryReasons for performing the studyDistal deep digital flexor tendinopathy is an important cause of foot lameness in horses that is difficult to diagnose with radiography and ultrasonography. Magnetic resonance imaging is a well‐accepted and validated technique for the identification of deep digital flexor tendon (DDFT) lesions, but has some practical and financial drawbacks. Contrast‐enhanced computed tomography (CECT) has been proposed as a suitable alternative, but validation studies are currently lacking.ObjectiveTo assess the accuracy of CECT for the identification and characterisation of deep digital flexor tendinopathy.Study designDescriptive study of CT, macroscopic and histological findings of the DDFT.MethodsPlain and CECT scans were acquired of 23 limbs of 16 horses with clinical lameness localised to the foot. All horses had lesions of the DDFT that were identified and characterised with CT and CECT with respect to their anatomic location and extent. All horses underwent post mortem examination and gross abnormalities were described. Samples of the DDFT were taken at specific sites (lesion and nonlesion) for histological evaluation. Macroscopic and histological outcomes were compared with CECT findings.ResultsOf 67 sites in 23 DDFTs that were evaluated, 42 sites in 18 tendons had lesions on CECT images. These 42 sites also had lesions on macroscopic evaluation. There were 3 false negative and 3 false positive results identified on CECT. The sensitivity of CECT for diagnosing lesions of the DDFT in the equine foot was 93%.ConclusionCECT is an effective adjunct to the more commonly used diagnostic techniques in equine foot pain.
Temporal trends in in vitro antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacteria isolated from foals with sepsis: 1979–2010
Authors: Theelen M. J. P. , Wilson W. D. , Edman J. M. , Magdesian K. G. , Kass P. H. 
Published: July 2013

SummaryReasons for performing the studyMonitoring the development of antimicrobial resistance is important for the rational selection of appropriate antimicrobial drugs to initiate treatment of foals with sepsis.ObjectivesTo identify temporal trends in antimicrobial susceptibility patterns of bacteria isolated from foals with sepsis.Study designRetrospective review of medical records.MethodsFoals aged <30 days with a diagnosis of sepsis, confirmed by culture of bacteria, were included. Susceptibility data, expressed as minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) (MIC50, MIC90, MIC range) and percent of isolates that were susceptible to a particular antimicrobial drug, were compared for bacteria isolated from foals during 3 different time periods: 1979–1990, 1991–1997 and 1998–2010. The Cochran‐Armitage trend test and the Jonckheere‐Terpstra test were used for statistical analysis.ResultsA total of 1091 bacterial isolates were cultured from 588 foals. Enterobacteriaceae, Actinobacillus spp. and β‐haemolytic Streptococcus spp. showed a decrease in percent of isolates susceptible to gentamicin over time. Enterobacteriaceae, Actinobacillus spp. and β‐haemolytic Streptococcus spp. showed an increase in MIC values for amikacin. Enterobacteriaceae showed a decrease in percent of isolates susceptible to ceftiofur. Enterococcus spp. and Pseudomonas spp. showed increased MIC values to ceftiofur. Enterobacteriaceae showed increased MIC values to ceftizoxime. Enterococcus spp. became more resistant to imipenem and showed increased MIC values to ticarcillin/clavulanic acid. In contrast, several trends in increased susceptibility were also seen.ConclusionsBased on these in vitro results, the combination of amikacin and ampicillin remains an appropriate choice for initiating treatment of sepsis in foals while awaiting culture and susceptibility test results, although increasing development of resistance to amikacin was demonstrated. The decrease in in vitro activity of ceftiofur against Enterobacteriaceae is of concern. Similarly, the development of resistance of Enterococcus spp. to imipenem is an important finding that warrants monitoring in the future. Judicious use of antimicrobials is therefore crucial.
The Design and Use of Management Accounting Systems in Process Oriented Health Care – An Explorative Study
Authors: Kastberg Gustaf , Siverbo Sven 
Published: July 2013

AbstractProcess orientation has made its entrance in Health Care Organizations (HCOs). The purpose is to improve patients’ journeys through the health care system. One factor that potentially affects process orientation is the design and use of Management Accounting Systems (MAS). In the literature there are worries that process orientation often is not supported by a well designed and used MAS but, on the contrary, is counteracted by a MAS designed for other purposes than supporting processes. This study contributes to the existing knowledge in that it shows how the introduction of process orientation within health care is accompanied by the development of horizontally oriented MAS (HMAS) which is used in different ways and by different actors. Generally, the use of HMAS for diagnostic control is limited. The main use of HMAS is for the purpose of mastering the events and interactive control, and the main users are the persons connected to the processes. The observation in earlier research that the existence of vertically oriented MAS may be a threat to process orientation is to some extent corroborated in the paper.
Auditee Perceptions of External Evaluations of the Use of Resources by Local Authorities
Authors: Abu Hasan Haslida , Frecknall‐Hughes Jane , Heald David , Hodges Ron 
Published: July 2013

AbstractThe research reported in this paper takes up Michael Power's challenge that accounting researchers should pay more attention to the perceptions of auditees and how they respond to audit regimes. The setting of the study is the intense performance assessment regime imposed on local authorities in England from 2002 to 2009, one part of which – the Use of Resources (UoR) assessment – rated the financial management capability and performance of each English local authority. The perceptions of senior local authority finance officers within the Yorkshire and the Humber region are reported, using a written questionnaire and an interview to explore the reasoning behind the chosen responses. The results are more nuanced than suggested by either the official rhetoric justifying the UoR system or by those critics who view such systems as dysfunctional. Respondents portray themselves as intelligent actors, not as passive recipients. Most learned to use the UoR process to drive performance improvement, though there is some ambiguity as to whether the improvements were genuine or solely a product of the scoring system. Though adding to workload, UoR was regarded as one of the external pressures to be managed and its requirements largely represented professional views of best practice. Three of the types of control that characterise ‘regulation inside government’ (Hood et al., 1999) – oversight, competition and contrived randomness – are seen through the perceptions of the auditees. There is some evidence of the fourth style, mutuality – working through professional networks to help local authorities improve their actual and reported performance.
Information Processing and the Challenges Facing Lean Healthcare
Authors: Kinder Tony , Burgoyne Trelawney 
Published: July 2013

AbstractRadnor and Walley (2008) and others have identified a high failure rate in NHS lean rapid improvement events. This paper explores one reason why these failures occur: from the perspective of information processing (Galbraith, 1974), it explores the difficulties facing lean healthcare projects. Using qualitative method (pre‐understanding and interviews) with analysis triangulating between data, general theory and sense‐making we investigate two lean projects currently running at a Scottish hospital to identity how the absence of adequate information affects the projects. We find that the projects are critically hampered by the absence of project‐level, inter‐unit level and organisational level information. The practical implications of our research are to suggest that before embarking upon lean projects, hospital leaderships should explore the adequacy and integratedness of their information systems, decision‐taking structures and inter‐unit coordination mechanisms.
The Marketisation of Early Childhood Education and Care (ECEC) in Australia: A Structured Response
Authors: Newberry Susan , Brennan Deborah 
Published: July 2013

AbstractThe marketisation of early childhood education and care (ECEC) offers opportunities to test assumptions about the benefits of a market framework. In Australia, where marketisation included reshaping, extending, and increasing government subsidies, one major listed company (ABC Learning Limited) emerged to dominate child care. Child care prices increased rapidly to become an election issue, and government subsidies increased. ABC acknowledged its economic dependence on government policy and subsidies. Until its collapse in 2008, ABC was the world's largest listed child care operator, and operating internationally. ABC's structured business model separated child care properties (propco) from child care operations (opco). ABC was the opco and leased the child care properties from propcos. As ABC grew and replicated its structured model to other forms of property including intangible assets, the rising child care prices and government subsidies supported a growing array of other enterprises all seeking profitable operations. This paper explains the structured opco‐propco model, identifies its interaction with accounting and lessons to be learned from marketisation.
Downregulated adaptor protein p66Shc mitigates autophagy process by low nutrient and enhances apoptotic resistance in human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells
Authors: Zheng Zhichao , Yang Jie , Zhao Dan , Gao Dan , Yan Xiaojie , Yao Zhi , Liu Zhe , Ma Zhenyi 
Published: July 2013

Macroautophagy or autophagy is a lysosome‐dependent process in which enzymatic degradation and recycling of cytosolic components occur in stressful contexts. The mechanisms underlying the signaling from starvation to the regulation of autophagy are not fully understood. We previously showed that the Src family member p66Shc (focal adhesion‐associated 66 kDa isoform of the Src homology and collagen) promotes anoikis and suppresses tumor metastasis via k‐Ras‐dependent control of proliferation and survival. However, the role of p66Shc in low‐nutrient‐induced autophagy‐related pathways remains elusive. In this work, human lung adenocarcinoma A549 cells were used to further investigate the biological effects of p66Shc on autophagy and apoptotic resistance. Here, we show that deficiency of p66Shc mitigates the low‐nutrient‐induced autophagy process in the levels of microtubule‐associated protein 1A light chain protein 3B (LC3B) conversion, in the number of autophagic vacuoles and in p62/sequestosome 1 protein degradation. However, autophagy‐related protein Beclin 1 was not significantly changed during low‐nutrient treatment. Furthermore, we found that prolonged phosphorylation of extracellular signaling‐regulated kinase (Erk)1/2, but not phosphorylation of Akt is significantly sustained when p66Shc expression is inhibited by shRNA. In addition, cleavage of caspase 7 and poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase, but not caspase 6 and 9 are retarded with this effect compared to the shRNA control cells. Together, these findings suggest the possibility that p66Shc plays a pivotal role in coordinately regulating autophagy process and apoptotic resistance in A549 cells under nutrient‐limited conditions.
miR‐144 downregulation increases bladder cancer cell proliferation by targeting EZH2 and regulating Wnt signaling
Authors: Guo Yuwen , Ying Liang , Tian Ye , Yang Peiqian , Zhu Yichen , Wang Zhipeng , Qiu Feng , Lin Jun 
Published: July 2013

microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proposed to be key regulators of diverse biological processes such as transcriptional regulation, cell growth and tumorigenesis. Wnt signaling plays an important role in the regulation of tumorigenesis and cancer progression. However, little is known about whether miR‐144 regulates bladder cancer cell proliferation by controlling Wnt signaling. In this study, we found that the miR‐144 expression level is significantly decreased in bladder cancer cell lines as well as in clinical cancer tissues. miR‐144 inhibitor blocks the expression of endogenous miR‐144 and promotes cancer cell proliferation, whereas miR‐144 overexpression is sufficient to inhibit cell proliferation. We further demonstrated that enhancer of zeste homolog 2 (EZH2) is a target gene of miR‐144. miR‐144 downregulation relieves miR‐144‐mediated repression of EZH2, which results in activation of Wnt/β‐catenin signaling and subsequent cell proliferation. These data suggest miR‐144 is an essential mediator of bladder cancer cell proliferation, thus offering a new target for the development of therapeutic agents against bladder cancer.
Changes in biocrust cover drive carbon cycle responses to climate change in drylands
Authors: Maestre Fernando T. , Escolar Cristina , de Guevara Mónica Ladrón , Quero José L. , Lázaro Roberto , Delgado‐Baquerizo Manuel , Ochoa Victoria , Berdugo Miguel , Gozalo Beatriz , Gallardo Antonio 
Published: July 2013

AbstractDryland ecosystems account for ca. 27% of global soil organic carbon (C) reserves, yet it is largely unknown how climate change will impact C cycling and storage in these areas. In drylands, soil C concentrates at the surface, making it particularly sensitive to the activity of organisms inhabiting the soil uppermost levels, such as communities dominated by lichens, mosses, bacteria and fungi (biocrusts). We conducted a full factorial warming and rainfall exclusion experiment at two semiarid sites in Spain to show how an average increase of air temperature of 2–3 °C promoted a drastic reduction in biocrust cover (ca. 44% in 4 years). Warming significantly increased soil CO2 efflux, and reduced soil net CO2 uptake, in biocrust‐dominated microsites. Losses of biocrust cover with warming through time were paralleled by increases in recalcitrant C sources, such as aromatic compounds, and in the abundance of fungi relative to bacteria. The dramatic reduction in biocrust cover with warming will lessen the capacity of drylands to sequester atmospheric CO2. This decrease may act synergistically with other warming‐induced effects, such as the increase in soil CO2 efflux and the changes in microbial communities to alter C cycling in drylands, and to reduce soil C stocks in the mid to long term.
Larval carry‐over effects from ocean acidification persist in the natural environment
Authors: Hettinger Annaliese , Sanford Eric , Hill Tessa M. , Lenz Elizabeth A. , Russell Ann D. , Gaylord Brian 
Published: July 2013

AbstractAn extensive body of work suggests that altered marine carbonate chemistry can negatively influence marine invertebrates, but few studies have examined how effects are moderated and persist in the natural environment. A particularly important question is whether impacts initiated in early life might be exacerbated or attenuated over time in the presence or absence of other stressors in the field. We reared Olympia oyster (Ostrea lurida) larvae in laboratory cultures under control and elevated seawater pCO2 concentrations, quantified settlement success and size at metamorphosis, then outplanted juveniles to Tomales Bay, California, in the mid intertidal zone where emersion and temperature stress were higher, and in the low intertidal zone where conditions were more benign. We tracked survival and growth of outplanted juveniles for 4 months, halfway to reproductive age. Survival to metamorphosis in the laboratory was strongly affected by larval exposure to elevated pCO2 conditions. Survival of juvenile outplants was reduced dramatically at mid shore compared to low shore levels regardless of the pCO2 level that oysters experienced as larvae. However, juveniles that were exposed to elevated pCO2 as larvae grew less than control individuals, representing a larval carry‐over effect. Although juveniles grew less at mid shore than low shore levels, there was no evidence of an interaction between the larval carry‐over effect and shore level, suggesting little modulation of acidification impacts by emersion or temperature stress. Importantly, the carry‐over effects of larval exposure to ocean acidification remained unabated 4 months later with no evidence of compensatory growth, even under benign conditions. This latter result points to the potential for extended consequences of brief exposures to altered seawater chemistry with potential consequences for population dynamics.