bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Spatial analysis of Listronotus maculicollis immature stages demonstrates strong associations with conspecifics and turfgrass damage but not with optimal hosts on golf course fairways
Authors: McGraw Benjamin A. , Koppenhöfer Albrecht M. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractFor insects that develop on few hosts and/or have immobile immature stages, optimal oviposition theory suggests that females should seek high‐quality hosts that maximize larval development and reduce competition from conspecifics. However, there is a growing amount of evidence that suggests female choice may often be at odds with their offspring's development. Listronotus maculicollis (Kirby) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) is a serious pest of golf course turfgrass in eastern North America. The weevil develops on few hosts and demonstrates improved fitness traits when developing on Poa annua L. (Poaceae). However, previous population studies observed either weak or no correlations between the spatial dispersion of larval populations and P. annua in the field. In this study, populations on three golf course fairways were monitored over a 4‐year period (2009–2012) to determine whether the lack of spatial associations between preferred hosts and immatures was a result of spatial scale or the density and distribution of conspecifics. Spatial Analysis by Distance IndicEs (SADIE) was used to characterize the spatial dispersion of populations of individual stages (larvae and pupae), P. annua, and turfgrass damage. Life stages were aggregated in each observation, independent of population density or the spatial dispersion of hosts. The distribution of consecutive and non‐consecutive immature stages was found to be correlated in all years, suggesting that females do not avoid patches already occupied by conspecific eggs. Surprisingly, significant spatial associations were not found between larvae and P. annua when the host plant was relatively abundant. Hence, multiple mechanisms may drive L. maculicollis oviposition site‐selection behavior, and a flexible strategy may allow the weevil to persist in areas where P. annua is not the dominant species. Future studies are required to determine what other factors (e.g., natural enemy‐free space, egg or time limitations) influence oviposition behavior.
Chemogenetic manipulation of ventral pallidal neurons impairs acquisition of sign‐tracking in rats
Authors: Chang Stephen E. , Todd Travis P. , Bucci David J. , Smith Kyle S. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractCues associated with rewarding events acquire value themselves as a result of the incentive value of the reward being transferred to the cue. Consequently, presentation of a reward‐paired cue can trigger reward‐seeking behaviours towards the cue itself (i.e. sign‐tracking). The ventral pallidum (VP) has been demonstrated to be involved in a number of motivated behaviours, both conditioned and unconditioned. However, its contribution to the acquisition of incentive value is unknown. Using a discriminative autoshaping procedure with levers, the effects of disrupting VP activity in rats on the emergence of sign‐tracking was investigated using chemogenetics, i.e. Designer Receptors Exclusively Activated by Designer Drugs (DREADDs). Transient disruption of VP neurons [activation of the inhibitory hM4D(Gi) DREADD through systemic injections of clozapine N‐oxide (CNO) prior to each autoshaping session] impaired acquisition of sign‐tracking (lever press rate) without having any effect on approach to the site of reward delivery (i.e. goal‐tracking) or on the expression of sign‐tracking after it was acquired. In addition, electrophysiological recordings were conducted in freely behaving rats following VP DREADD activation. The majority of VP units that were responsive to CNO injections exhibited rapid inhibition relative to baseline, a subset of CNO‐responsive units showed delayed excitation, and a smaller subset displayed a mixed response of inhibition and excitation following CNO injections. It is argued that disruption of VP during autoshaping specifically disrupted the transfer of incentive value that was attributed to the lever cue, suggesting a surprisingly fundamental role for the VP in acquiring, compared with expressing, Pavlovian incentive values.
Sexual selection drives asymmetric introgression in wall lizards
Authors: While Geoffrey M. , Michaelides Sozos , Heathcote Robert J. P. , MacGregor Hannah E. A. , Zajac Natalia , Beninde Joscha , Carazo Pau , Pérez i de Lanuza Guillem , Sacchi Roberto , Zuffi Marco A.L. , Horváthová Terézia , Fresnillo Belén , Schulte Ulrich , Veith Michael , Hochkirch Axel , Uller Tobias 
Published: October 2015

AbstractHybridisation is increasingly recognised as an important cause of diversification and adaptation. Here, we show how divergence in male secondary sexual characters between two lineages of the common wall lizard (Podarcis muralis) gives rise to strong asymmetries in male competitive ability and mating success, resulting in asymmetric hybridisation upon secondary contact. Combined with no negative effects of hybridisation on survival or reproductive characters in F1‐hybrids, these results suggest that introgression should be asymmetric, resulting in the displacement of sexual characters of the sub‐dominant lineage. This prediction was confirmed in two types of secondary contact, across a natural contact zone and in two introduced populations. Our study illustrates how divergence in sexually selected traits via male competition can determine the direction and extent of introgression, contributing to geographic patterns of genetic and phenotypic diversity.
The Long Shadow of Port Infrastructure in Germany: Cause or Consequence of Regional Economic Prosperity?
Authors: Breidenbach Philipp , Mitze Timo 
Published: October 2015

AbstractTransport infrastructure is conceived as an important determinant of regional economic development. While this prediction especially holds from a theoretical perspective on the premises of endogenous growth theories, from an empirical perspective it is not that easy to verify this causal link, though. Measuring whether transport infrastructure indeed fosters regional development or if it is merely an endogenous reflection of the higher transportation demand in prospering regions is a challenging task. This paper analyzes the long‐run effects of port facilities on regional income levels in Germany. Since it is very likely that results from standard least square estimations suffer from endogeneity problems, we base the identification on exogenous long‐run instruments. In particular, port facilities built before the industrial revolution provide an adequate instrument for current port infrastructure since they are exogenous to recent economic development but the natural requirements of a port site form an experimental character of their locations. Results from German district‐level data for 1991–2008 hint at a positive correlation between port locations and gross domestic product per capita, but do not provide evidence for a causal relationship regarding the instrumental variable approach. Further robustness checks with population distribution as outcome hint at positive long‐run persistence effects of port infrastructure.
The use of vascular access audit and infections in home hemodialysis
Authors: Rousseau‐Gagnon Mathieu , Faratro Rose , D'Gama Celine , Fung Stella , Wong Elizabeth , Chan Christopher T. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractVascular access‐related infection is an important adverse event in home hemodialysis (HHD). We hypothesize that errors in self‐cannulation or manipulation of dialysis vascular access are associated with increased incidence of access‐related infection. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of all prevalent HHD patients at the University Health Network. All vascular access‐related infections were recorded from 2006 to 2013. Errors in dialysis access were ascertained by nurse‐administered vascular access checklist. Ninety‐two patients had completed at least one vascular access audit. Median HHD vintage was 2.3 (0.9–5.0) years in patients with appropriate vascular access technique and 5.8 (1.5–9.4) years in patients with erroneous vascular access technique. The overall rate of infection between patients with and without appropriate vascular access technique was similar (0.27 and 0.28 infections per year, P = 0.166). Among patients who were identified with errors in dialysis access manipulation, patients with five or more errors were associated with higher rate of access‐related infection (mean of 0.47 vs. 0.16 infection per patient‐year, P < 0.001). The use of vascular access audit is a feasible strategy, which can identify errors in vascular access technique. Patients with a longer median HHD vintage are associated with higher risk of inappropriate vascular access technique. Patients with multiple errors in vascular access technique are associated with a higher risk of dialysis access‐related infection. Prospective evaluation of the impact of vascular access audit on adverse vascular access events is warranted.
Effect of a chlorhexidine‐containing brush‐on gel on peri‐implant mucositis
Authors: Hallström H , Lindgren S , Twetman S 
Published: October 2015

AbstractObjectiveThe aim was to evaluate the effect of a chlorhexidine‐containing brush‐on gel when used as supplement to oral hygiene instructions and mechanical debridement, on peri‐implant mucositis in adults.Materials and methodsThe study group consisted of 38 adults (48–87 years.) with peri‐implant mucositis that were consecutively enrolled in three private clinics after informed consent. The study employed a double‐blind controlled design with two parallel arms. After baseline registrations, oral hygiene reinforcement and mechanical debridement, the patients were randomly allocated to either a test group with once daily tooth brushing with an oral care brush‐on gel containing 0.2% chlorhexidine digluconate (Cervitec Gel) or a control gel group. The duration of the intervention was 12 weeks. The primary outcome was bleeding on probing (BOP) and secondary endpoints were local plaque score (LPS) and pocket probing depth (PPD).ResultsThe groups were balanced at baseline. The daily use of the chlorhexidine‐containing gel resulted in reduced BOP after 4 and 12 weeks compared with the control group (P < 0.05). The PPD was significantly reduced (P < 0.05) after 12 weeks compared to baseline in the test group, but not in the control group. No side effects or adverse events were reported.ConclusionThe present findings indicated moderate but significant improvements of clinical parameters when mechanical debridement was combined with a self‐applied oral care brush‐on gel for the management of peri‐implant mucositis.
Lack of adaptation from standing genetic variation despite the presence of putatively adaptive alleles in introduced sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum)
Authors: Gould B. , Geber M. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractPopulation genetic theory predicts that the availability of appropriate standing genetic variation should facilitate rapid evolution when species are introduced to new environments. However, few tests of rapid evolution have been paired with empirical surveys for the presence of previously identified adaptive genetic variants in natural populations. In this study, we examined local adaptation to soil Al toxicity in the introduced range of sweet vernal grass (Anthoxanthum odoratum), and we genotyped populations for the presence of Al tolerance alleles previously identified at the long‐term ecological Park Grass Experiment (PGE, Harpenden, UK) in the species native range. We found that markers associated with Al tolerance at the PGE were present at appreciable frequency in introduced populations. Despite this, there was no strong evidence of local adaptation to soil Al toxicity among populations. Populations demonstrated significantly different intrinsic root growth rates in the absence of Al. This suggests that selection on correlated root growth traits may constrain the ability of populations to evolve significantly different root growth responses to Al. Our results demonstrate that genotype–phenotype associations may differ substantially between the native and introduced parts of a species range and that adaptive alleles from a native species range may not necessarily promote phenotypic differentiation in the introduced range.
Genetic diversity for mycorrhizal symbiosis and phosphate transporters in rice
Authors: Jeong Kwanho , Mattes Nicolas , Catausan Sheryl , Chin Joong Hyoun , Paszkowski Uta , Heuer Sigrid 
Published: October 2015

AbstractPhosphorus (P) is a major plant nutrient and developing crops with higher P‐use efficiency is an important breeding goal. In this context we have conducted a comparative study of irrigated and rainfed rice varieties to assess genotypic differences in colonization with arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi and expression of different P transporter genes. Plants were grown in three different soil samples from a rice farm in the Philippines. The data show that AM symbiosis in all varieties was established after 4 weeks of growth under aerobic conditions and that, in soil derived from a rice paddy, natural AM populations recovered within 6 weeks. The analysis of AM marker genes (AM1, AM3, AM14) and P transporter genes for the direct Pi uptake (PT2, PT6) and AM‐mediated pathway (PT11, PT13) were largely in agreement with the observed root AM colonization providing a useful tool for diversity studies. Interestingly, delayed AM colonization was observed in the aus‐type rice varieties which might be due to their different root structure and might confer an advantage for weed competition in the field. The data further showed that P‐starvation induced root growth and expression of the high‐affinity P transporter PT6 was highest in the irrigated variety IR66 which also maintained grain yield under P‐deficient field conditions.
European sea bass gill pathology after exposure to cadmium and terbuthylazine: expert versus fractal analysis
Authors: MANERA M. , GIARI L. , DEPASQUALE J.A. , DEZFULI B.S. 
Published: October 2015

SummaryThe objective of this study was to compare expert versus fractal analysis as new methods to evaluate branchial lamellar pathology in European sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax (Linnaeus, 1758) experimentally exposed to cadmium and to terbuthylazine. In particular, guided expert quantitative and fractal analysis were performed on selected images from semithin sections to test possible differences according to exposure class (unexposed, cadmium exposed, or terbuthylazine exposed) and the discrimination power of the two methods. With respect to guided expert quantitative analysis, the following elementary pathological features were assessed according to pre‐determined cover classes: ‘epithelial lifting’, ‘epithelial shrinkage’, ‘epithelial swelling’, ‘pillar cells coarctation’, ‘pillar cells detachment’, ‘channels fusion’, ‘chloride cells swelling’ and ‘chloride cells invasion’. Considering fractal analysis, DB (box dimension), DM (mass dimension), (mean fractal dimension) as fractal dimensions and lacunarity from DM and scan types were calculated both from the outlined and skeletonized (one pixel wide lines) images. Despite significant differences among experimental classes, only expert analysis provided good discrimination with correct classification of 91.7 % of the original cases, and of 87.5 % of the cross‐validated cases, with a sensitivity of 95.45 % and 91.3 %, respectively, and a specificity of 75 % in both cases. Guided expert quantitative analysis appears to be a reliable method to objectively characterize fish gill pathology and may represent a powerful tool in environmental biomonitoring to ensure proper standardization and reproducibility. Though fractal analysis did not equal the discrimination power of the expert method, it certainly warrants further study to evaluate local variations in complexity or possible multiple scaling rules.
Framework for morphometric classification of cells in imaging flow cytometry
Authors: GOPAKUMAR G. , JAGANNADH VEERENDRA KALYAN , GORTHI SAI SIVA , SUBRAHMANYAM GORTHI. R. K. SAI 
Published: October 2015

SummaryImaging flow cytometry is an emerging technology that combines the statistical power of flow cytometry with spatial and quantitative morphology of digital microscopy. It allows high‐throughput imaging of cells with good spatial resolution, while they are in flow. This paper proposes a general framework for the processing/classification of cells imaged using imaging flow cytometer. Each cell is localized by finding an accurate cell contour. Then, features reflecting cell size, circularity and complexity are extracted for the classification using SVM. Unlike the conventional iterative, semi‐automatic segmentation algorithms such as active contour, we propose a noniterative, fully automatic graph‐based cell localization. In order to evaluate the performance of the proposed framework, we have successfully classified unstained label‐free leukaemia cell‐lines MOLT, K562 and HL60 from video streams captured using custom fabricated cost‐effective microfluidics‐based imaging flow cytometer. The proposed system is a significant development in the direction of building a cost‐effective cell analysis platform that would facilitate affordable mass screening camps looking cellular morphology for disease diagnosis.
Development of the ventral body wall in the human embryo
Authors: Mekonen Hayelom K. , Hikspoors Jill P. J. M. , Mommen Greet , Köhler S. Eleonore , Lamers Wouter H. 
Published: October 2015

AbstractMigratory failure of somitic cells is the commonest explanation for ventral body wall defects. However, the embryo increases ~ 25‐fold in volume in the period that the ventral body wall forms, so that differential growth may, instead, account for the observed changes in topography. Human embryos between 4 and 10 weeks of development were studied, using amira® reconstruction and cinema 4D® remodeling software for visualization. Initially, vertebrae and ribs had formed medially, and primordia of sternum and hypaxial flank muscle primordium laterally in the body wall at Carnegie Stage (CS)15 (5.5 weeks). The next week, ribs and muscle primordium expanded in ventrolateral direction only. At CS18 (6.5 weeks), separate intercostal and abdominal wall muscles differentiated, and ribs, sterna, and muscles began to expand ventromedially and caudally, with the bilateral sternal bars fusing in the midline after CS20 (7 weeks) and the rectus muscles reaching the umbilicus at CS23 (8 weeks). The near‐constant absolute distance between both rectus muscles and approximately fivefold decline of this distance relative to body circumference between 6 and 10 weeks identified dorsoventral growth in the dorsal body wall as determinant of the ‘closure’ of the ventral body wall. Concomitant with the straightening of the embryonic body axis after the 6th week, the abdominal muscles expanded ventrally and caudally to form the infraumbilical body wall. Our data, therefore, show that the ventral body wall is formed by differential dorsoventral growth in the dorsal part of the body.
An exploration of partnership through interactions between young ‘expert’ patients with cystic fibrosis and healthcare professionals
Authors: MacDonald Kath , Irvine Lindesay , Smith Margaret Coulter 
Published: October 2015

Aims and objectivesTo explore how young ‘expert patients’ living with Cystic Fibrosis and the healthcare professionals with whom they interact perceive partnership and negotiate care.BackgroundModern healthcare policy encourages partnership, engagement and self‐management of long‐term conditions. This philosophy is congruent with the model adopted in the care of those with Cystic Fibrosis, where self‐management, trust and mutual respect are perceived to be integral to the development of the ongoing patient/professional relationship. Self‐management is associated with the term; ‘expert patient’; an individual with a long‐term condition whose knowledge and skills are valued and used in partnership with healthcare professionals. However, the term ‘expert patient’ is debated in the literature as are the motivation for its use and the assumptions implicit in the term.DesignA qualitative exploratory design informed by Interpretivism and Symbolic Interactionism was conducted.MethodsThirty‐four consultations were observed and 23 semi‐structured interviews conducted between 10 patients, 2 carers and 12 healthcare professionals. Data were analysed thematically using the five stages of ‘Framework’ a matrix‐based qualitative data analysis approach and were subject to peer review and respondent validation. The study received full ethical approval.ResultsThree main themes emerged; experiences of partnership, attributes of the expert patient and constructions of illness. Sub‐themes of the ‘ceremonial order of the clinic’, negotiation and trust in relationships and perceptions of the expert patient are presented.ConclusionsThe model of consultation may be a barrier to person‐centred care. Healthcare professionals show leniency in negotiations, but do not always trust patients' accounts. The term ‘expert patient’ is unpopular and remains contested.Relevance to clinical practiceGaining insight into structures and processes that enable or inhibit partnership can lead to a collaborative approach to service redesign and a revision of the consultation model.
Windfall of Low Interest Payments and Fiscal Sustainability in the Euro Area: Analysis through Panel Fiscal Reaction Functions
Authors: Ciżkowicz Piotr , Rzońca Andrzej , Trzeciakowski Rafał 
Published: October 2015

SummaryWe estimate various panel fiscal reaction functions, including those of the main categories of general government revenue and expenditure for 12 Euro area member states over the 1970‐2013 period. We find that in the peripheral countries where sovereign bond yields decreased sharply in the years 1996‐2007, fiscal stance ceased to respond to sovereign debt accumulation. This was due to lack of sufficient adjustment in government current expenditure and direct taxes. In contrast, in the core member states, which did not benefit from yields’ convergence related to the Euro area establishment, responsiveness of fiscal stance to inherited sovereign debt increased during 1996‐2007. This was achieved mainly through pronounced adjustments in government current expenditure. The findings are robust to various changes in modelling approach.
What Drives the Gender Gap? An Analysis Using Sexual Orientation
Authors: Montag Josef 
Published: October 2015

SummaryGender differences in productivity, if any, that are unobserved to researchers may produce an omitted variable bias in gender gap studies. Finding a subpopulation with less acute differences in unobserved characteristics would allow this concern to be addressed. This paper shows that gays and lesbians are one such interesting group—for the intra‐household division of labor and its effects on market productivity cannot be sex‐determined in this subpopulation. Indeed, there are substantial intra‐household variations in labor market outcomes and other characteristics; the patterns and magnitudes are similar to different‐sex households. Simultaneously, the gender wage gap between gays and lesbians is much smaller than in the heterosexual population; in specifications that control for geographic location it is near zero. These findings suggest that the intra‐household division of labor is an important factor driving gender differences in labor market outcomes. Such an interpretation is consistent with recent studies that control for productivity.