bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Nutrients in fruits as determinants of resource tracking by birds
Authors: Blendinger Pedro G. , Giannini Norberto P. , Zampini Iris C. , Ordoñez Roxana , Torres Sebastián , Sayago Jorge E. , Ruggera Román A. , Isla María Inés 
Published: April 2015

Fruit pulp is an important source of nutrients for many bird species. Fruit‐eating birds use a variety of strategies to cope with changes in the availability of fruits, exhibiting a remarkable ability to track resources. We assessed the role of nutrient availability in the fruiting environment as a factor driving resource tracking by fruit‐eating birds. Fruit consumption by the four most common frugivorous species in a 6‐ha plot in the Southern Yungas montane forest of Argentina was assessed. We determined the content of selected nutrients (soluble carbohydrates, proteins, phenols, ascorbic acid and essential minerals) in 22 fruiting plant species eaten by birds, and measured fruit–frugivore interactions and the availability of nutrients and dry fruit pulp mass over 2 years. There was strong temporal covariation in the availability of the selected nutrients in fruits across the study period. Similarly, the availability of nutrients in the fruiting environment covaried with pulp mass. Fruit consumption by the four commonest bird species and the abundance of most species were positively associated with nutrient availability and dry pulp mass. Nutrient availability was a good predictor of temporal fruit tracking by three of the four commonest frugivores. Despite large differences in particular nutrient concentrations in fruits, overall nutrient (and pulp) quantity in the fruiting environment played a greater role in fruit tracking than did the nutritional quality of individual fruits. While overall nutrient availability (i.e. across fruit) and total pulp mass were important determinants of fruit tracking, we suggest that plant species‐specific differences in fruit nutrient concentration may be important in short‐term foraging decisions involved in fruit choice and nutritional balance of birds.
A Facile and Fast Gelation Process to Prepare Highly Spherical Millimeter‐Sized Silica Aerogel Beads
Authors: Yu Yuxi , Guo Deqian , Fang Jiyu 
Published: April 2015

Millimeter‐sized silica aerogel beads were successfully prepared by a facile fast gelation process, in which silica sol beads were generated by extruding preformed silica sol through multiple nozzles into oil phase and then transformed into silica alcogel beads, followed by supercritical drying. The transition process from the silica sol to the silica alcogel beads was finished at a 97.6% conversion rate. The resultant silica aerogel beads have an average diameter of ~1.5 mm with a good sphericity, and an average pore size of ~12 nm with topical porous three‐dimensional network structures.
Prognostic value of preoperative pyuria in patients with non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer
Authors: Satake Naoya , Ohno Yoshio , Nakashima Jun , Ohori Makoto , Tachibana Masaaki 
Published: April 2015

ObjectivesTo investigate the prognostic value of preoperative pyuria in patients with non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer.MethodsWe retrospectively reviewed data from 237 patients diagnosed with non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer. Pyuria was defined as urine containing ≥5 white blood cells per high power field. The association between clinicopathological factors and recurrence was assessed by Cox univariate and multivariate analyses.ResultsPreoperative pyuria was found in 116 (49.0%) patients. Pyuria was significantly associated with advanced age, positive cytology, multiple tumors, large tumor size, non‐papillary tumors, T1 tumors and high‐grade tumors. In univariate analysis of the entire patient population, pyuria, positive urine cytology, multiple tumors, pT1 tumors and no bacillus Calmette–Guérin were significantly associated with recurrence. Multivariate analysis showed that pyuria was an independent predictor of recurrence (hazard ratio 3.332, 95% confidence interval 2.052–5.410; P < 0.001), along with positive urine cytology, multiple tumors and no bacillus Calmette–Guérin therapy. Subanalysis of the patients who underwent bacillus Calmette–Guérin therapy also showed that pyuria was an independent predictor of recurrence (hazard ratio 2.062, 95% confidence interval 1.085–3.918, P = 0.027). The 2‐year recurrence‐free survival rate for patients with pyuria was significantly lower than for patients without pyuria (65.5% vs 80.7%; P = 0.027).ConclusionsPreoperative pyuria seems to be significantly associated with recurrence in patients with non‐muscle‐invasive bladder cancer, and it might be a useful predictor for recurrence after bacillus Calmette–Guérin therapy.
Sex allocation according to multiple sexually dimorphic traits of both parents in the barn swallow (Hirundo rustica)
Authors: Romano A. , Romano M. , Caprioli M. , Costanzo A. , Parolini M. , Rubolini D. , Saino N. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractParents should differentially invest in sons or daughters depending on the sex‐specific fitness returns from male and female offspring. In species with sexually selected heritable male characters, highly ornamented fathers should overproduce sons, which will be more sexually attractive than sons of less ornamented fathers. Because of genetic correlations between the sexes, females that express traits which are under selection in males should also overproduce sons. However, sex allocation strategies may consist in reaction norms leading to spatiotemporal variation in the association between offspring sex ratio (SR) and parental phenotype. We analysed offspringSRin barn swallows (Hirundo rustica) over 8 years in relation to two sexually dimorphic traits: tail length and melanin‐based ventral plumage coloration. The proportion of sons increased with maternal plumage darkness and paternal tail length, consistently with sexual dimorphism in these traits. The size of the effect of these parental traits on SR was large compared to other studies of offspringSRin birds. Barn swallows thus manipulate offspringSRto overproduce ‘sexy sons’ and potentially to mitigate the costs of intralocus sexually antagonistic selection. Interannual variation in the relationships between offspringSRand parental traits was observed which may suggest phenotypic plasticity in sex allocation and provides a proximate explanation for inconsistent results of studies of sex allocation in relation to sexual ornamentation in birds.
Adaptation of the Mishel Uncertainty of Illness Scale (MUIS) for chronic patients in Italy
Authors: Giammanco Maria Daniela , Gitto Lara , Barberis Nadia , Santoro Domenico 
Published: April 2015

AbstractRationale, aims and objectivesUncertainty is a component of the illness experience and is likely to increase the burden of managing chronic illness, as cardiac pathologies and renal diseases. The impact of uncertainty should be taken into account and addressed with targeted intervention programmes. The purpose of this study is to contribute to the diffusion of the assessment of uncertainty in illness by validating the Mishel uncertainty in illness scale (MUIS) on chronic Italian patients.MethodThe MUIS questionnaire was administered to 200 patients suffering from cardiac diseases and 50 patients with renal diseases. A confirmatory factor analysis was run for each of the MUIS dimensions (ambiguity, inconsistency, complexity and unpredictability).ResultsAfter some item reduction, three of the four MUIS scales, namely, ambiguity, inconsistency and complexity, exhibited satisfactory reliability coefficients (with Cronbach's alphas of, respectively, 0.796, 0.778 and 0.705), highly significant standardized regression weights and satisfactory/highly satisfactory fit indexes. Nevertheless, as the correlations among the scales mentioned earlier were high (all above 0.8) and statistically significant, the three subsets of ambiguity, complexity and inconsistency items were allowed to load onto a new single factor. A monodimensional uncertainty construct, grouping the majority of the items encompassed by these three MUIS scales, was successfully validated.ConclusionsThis study provides researchers with an easy‐to‐administer instrument which is useful to investigate a crucial aspect related with patients' quality of life. Although a unique uncertainty construct is proposed, the in‐depth analysis of the replies to each single item of the MUIS could help to monitor patients' emotional responses to the diagnosis and to the course of this disease and it might be useful to define appropriate strategies of coping and to focus on patients' quests for simplicity and clarity of treatment.
Synaptic vesicle exocytosis and increased cytosolic calcium are both necessary but not sufficient for activity‐dependent bulk endocytosis
Authors: Morton Andrew , Marland Jamie R. K. , Cousin Michael A. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractActivity‐dependent bulk endocytosis (ADBE) is the dominant synaptic vesicle (SV) endocytosis mode in central nerve terminals during intense neuronal activity. By definition this mode is triggered by neuronal activity; however, key questions regarding its mechanism of activation remain unaddressed. To determine the basic requirements for ADBE triggering in central nerve terminals, we decoupled SV fusion events from activity‐dependent calcium influx using either clostridial neurotoxins or buffering of intracellular calcium. ADBE was monitored both optically and morphologically by observing uptake of the fluid phase markers tetramethylrhodamine‐dextran and horse radish peroxidase respectively. Ablation of SV fusion with tetanus toxin resulted in the arrest of ADBE, but had no effect on other calcium‐dependent events such as activity‐dependent dynamin I dephosphorylation, indicating that SV exocytosis is necessary for triggering. Furthermore, the calcium chelator EGTA abolished ADBE while leaving SV exocytosis intact, demonstrating that ADBE is triggered by intracellular free calcium increases outside the active zone. Activity‐dependent dynamin I dephosphorylation was also arrested in EGTA‐treated neurons, consistent with its proposed role in triggering ADBE. Thus, SV fusion and increased cytoplasmic free calcium are both necessary but not sufficient individually to trigger ADBE.imageActivity‐dependent bulk endocytosis (ADBE) is the dominant synaptic vesicle (SV) endocytosis mode in central nerve terminals during intense neuronal activity. To determine the minimal requirements for ADBE triggering, we decoupled SV fusion events from activity‐dependent calcium influx using either clostridial neurotoxins or buffering of intracellular calcium. We found that SV fusion and increased cytoplasmic free calcium are both necessary but not sufficient to trigger ADBE.
Deconstructing cartilage shape and size into contributions from embryogenesis, metamorphosis, and tadpole and frog growth
Authors: Rose Christopher S. , Murawinski Danny , Horne Virginia 
Published: April 2015

AbstractUnderstanding skeletal diversification involves knowing not only how skeletal rudiments are shaped embryonically, but also how skeletal shape changes throughout life. The pharyngeal arch (PA) skeleton of metamorphosing amphibians persists largely as cartilage and undergoes two phases of development (embryogenesis and metamorphosis) and two phases of growth (larval and post‐metamorphic). Though embryogenesis and metamorphosis produce species‐specific features of PA cartilage shape, the extents to which shape and size change during growth and metamorphosis remain unaddressed. This study uses allometric equations and thin‐plate spline, relative warp and elliptic Fourier analyses to describe shape and size trajectories for the ventral PA cartilages of the frog Xenopus laevis in tadpole and frog growth and metamorphosis. Cartilage sizes scale negatively with body size in both growth phases and cartilage shapes scale isometrically or close to it. This implies that most species‐specific aspects of cartilage shape arise in embryogenesis and metamorphosis. Contributions from growth are limited to minor changes in lower jaw (LJ) curvature that produce relative gape narrowing and widening in tadpoles and frogs, respectively, and most cartilages becoming relatively thinner. Metamorphosis involves previously unreported decreases in cartilage size as well as changes in cartilage shape. The LJ becomes slightly longer, narrower and more curved, and the adult ceratohyal emerges from deep within the resorbing tadpole ceratohyal. This contrast in shape and size changes suggests a fundamental difference in the underlying cellular pathways. The observation that variation in PA cartilage shape decreases with tadpole growth supports the hypothesis that isometric growth is required for the metamorphic remodeling of PA cartilages. It also supports the existence of shape‐regulating mechanisms that are specific to PA cartilages and that resist local adaptation and phenotypic plasticity.
Form and function of the mammalian inner ear
Authors: Ekdale Eric G. 
Published: April 2015

AbstractThe inner ear of mammals consists of the cochlea, which is involved with the sense of hearing, and the vestibule and three semicircular canals, which are involved with the sense of balance. Although different regions of the inner ear contribute to different functions, the bony chambers and membranous ducts are morphologically continuous. The gross anatomy of the cochlea that has been related to auditory physiologies includes overall size of the structure, including volume and total spiral length, development of internal cochlear structures, including the primary and secondary bony laminae, morphology of the spiral nerve ganglion, and the nature of cochlear coiling, including total number of turns completed by the cochlear canal and the relative diameters of the basal and apical turns. The overall sizes, shapes, and orientations of the semicircular canals are related to sensitivity to head rotations and possibly locomotor behaviors. Intraspecific variation, primarily in the shape and orientation of the semicircular canals, may provide additional clues to help us better understand form and function of the inner ear.
Can resilience be developed at work? A meta‐analytic review of resilience‐building programme effectiveness
Authors: Vanhove Adam J. , Herian Mitchel N. , Perez Alycia L. U. , Harms Peter D. , Lester Paul B. 
Published: April 2015

Organizations have increasingly sought to adopt resilience‐building programmes to prevent absenteeism, counterproductive work behaviour, and other stress‐related issues. However, the effectiveness of these programmes remains unclear as a comprehensive review of existing primary evidence has not been undertaken. Using 42 independent samples across 37 studies, the present meta‐analysis sought to address this limitation in the literature by summarizing the effectiveness of resilience‐building programmes implemented in organizational contexts. Results demonstrated that the overall effect of such programmes was small (d = 0.21) and that programme effects diminish over time (dproximal = 0.26 vs. ddistal = 0.07). Alternatively, moderator analyses revealed that programmes targeting individuals thought to be at greater risk of experiencing stress and lacking core protective factors showed the opposite effect over time. Programmes employing a one‐on‐one delivery format (e.g., coaching) were most effective, followed by the classroom‐based group delivery format. Programmes using train‐the‐trainer and computer‐based delivery formats were least effective. Finally, substantially stronger effects were observed among studies employing single‐group within‐participant designs, in comparison with studies utilizing between‐participant designs. Taken together, these findings provide important theoretical and practical implications for advancing the study and use of resilience‐building in the workplace.Practitioner points

Resilience‐building programmes have had a modest effect in the workplace. The effect is weaker than that associated with secondary prevention techniques, but similar to those shown for other primary prevention techniques.

Across primary studies, programme effects diminished substantially from proximal (≤1 month post‐intervention) to distal time points (>1 month). However, among those at greater risk of experiencing stress or who lack protective resources, weak proximal effects became stronger when measured distally. To optimize the effectiveness of resilience‐building programmes, developers should carefully conduct needs assessments, identifying individuals at elevated risk.

Methodological decisions (i.e., the use of within‐ vs. between‐participant designs) may have a substantial impact on the conclusions researchers draw regarding the effectiveness of resilience‐building programmes. When evaluating the effectiveness of resilience‐building programmes, researchers and practitioners should compare observed effects to estimates of mean effects across studies using similar evaluative designs.
Psychometric evaluation of the Indonesian version of the Impact of Event Scale‐Revised
Authors: Warsini S. , Buettner P. , Mills J. , West C. , Usher K. 
Published: April 2015

Accessible summary
The Impact of Event Scale‐Revised (IES‐R) was translated into Indonesian with consideration of content and linguistic equivalence.
The study demonstrated the reliability and validity of the Indonesian version of the IES‐R for measuring the psychological impact of natural disasters.
This is the first study to demonstrate that the Indonesian IES‐R is a valid and reliable tool for measuring the psychosocial impact of disasters among Indonesian survivors.
AbstractThe purpose of this research was to translate and to test an Indonesian version of the Impact of Event Scale‐Revised (I‐IES‐R) as a measurement of psychological distress following a natural disaster. Sample of 30 Mt. Merapi residents participated in pilot testing and 110 survivors completed the test‐retest of the I‐IES‐R. Exploratory factor analysis was used to determine construct validity, and Cronbach's alpha was used to assess reliability. The results of the translational phase of the study indicated that the Indonesian version of the IES‐R captures the content of the original tool with appropriate adaptation for cultural differences. The Indonesian IES‐R revealed a Cronbach's alpha of 0.90 for test and 0.92 for retest for the total score. In addition, the Cronbach alpha for subscales intrusion, avoidance and hyper arousal in the initial scale testing were 0.85, 0.75, and 0.74, respectively, and for the retest 0.88, 0.79, and 0.82, respectively. The reliability coefficient of the test‐retest results was 0.75 [95% confidence interval = (0.64, 0.83)], and exploratory factor analysis identified three underlying factors: intrusion, avoidance, and hyper arousal. The I‐IES‐R can be considered a useful screening tool that can be used by mental health nurses to assess the psychological impact of natural disasters on survivors in Indonesia.
Poor sleep quality is associated with a negative cognitive bias and decreased sustained attention
Authors: Gobin Christina M. , Banks Jonathan B. , Fins Ana I. , Tartar Jaime L. 
Published: April 2015

SummaryPoor sleep quality has been demonstrated to diminish cognitive performance, impair psychosocial functioning and alter the perception of stress. At present, however, there is little understanding of how sleep quality affects emotion processing. The aim of the present study was to determine the extent to which sleep quality, measured through the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, influences affective symptoms as well as the interaction between stress and performance on an emotional memory test and sustained attention task. To that end, 154 undergraduate students (mean age: 21.27 years, standard deviation = 4.03) completed a series of measures, including the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index, the Sustained Attention to Response Task, an emotion picture recognition task and affective symptom questionnaires following either a control or physical stress manipulation, the cold pressor test. As sleep quality and psychosocial functioning differ among chronotypes, we also included chronotype and time of day as variables of interest to ensure that the effects of sleep quality on the emotional and non‐emotional tasks were not attributed to these related factors. We found that poor sleep quality is related to greater depressive symptoms, anxiety and mood disturbances. While an overall relationship between global Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index score and emotion and attention measures was not supported, poor sleep quality, as an independent component, was associated with better memory for negative stimuli and a deficit in sustained attention to non‐emotional stimuli. Importantly, these effects were not sensitive to stress, chronotype or time of day. Combined, these results suggest that individuals with poor sleep quality show an increase in affective symptomatology as well as a negative cognitive bias with a concomitant decrease in sustained attention to non‐emotional stimuli.
Analysis of change in anti‐acetylcholine receptor antibody and effect on myasthenia gravis symptoms by adjusting tacrolimus dosage according to the blood concentration
Authors: Yokota Keisuke , Fujii Yoshitaka , Shitara Masayuki , Hikosaka Yu , Okuda Katsuhiro , Moriyama Satoru , Sasaki Hidefumi , Yano Motoki 
Published: April 2015

AbstractBackgroundSince its introduction, tacrolimus has been widely used in myasthenia gravis (MG) patients. However, the correlation between the blood concentration level of the drug, the change in anti‐acetylcholine receptor (AChR) antibody and the effect of the drug has not been reported.AimWe sought to evaluate the correlation between the dose of tacrolimus and the blood concentration, change in anti‐AChR antibody, and the effect on MG symptoms.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed the data of 28 patients who were treated with tacrolimus. Steroid dose was not changed during the tacrolimus treatment. Change in the dose and the blood concentration of tacrolimus, the level of anti‐AChR antibody, and Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Clinical Classification were analyzed.ResultsThe anti‐AChR antibody level decreased in 19 patients (19/26; 73%). There was a positive correlation between the dosage of tacrolimus and the blood concentration at the latest observation. The mean antibody level was reduced from 153.4 ± 278.2 nmol/L to 83.2 ± 148.7 nmol/L, (P = 0.013). Regarding the Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Clinical Classification, the score improved in 22 patients (22/28; 79%). There was a significant positive correlation between the change in the anti‐AChR antibody titers and the change in Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America Clinical Classification.ConclusionTacrolimus is useful for treatment of MG patients. However, because the blood level of the drug at the same dosage varies among patients, a careful adjustment of the dose according to the blood concentration is necessary.