bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Genotype‐temperature interactions on larval performance shape population structure in hybridogenetic water frogs (Pelophylax esculentuscomplex)
Authors: Pruvost Nicolas B. M. , Hollinger Daniel , Reyer Heinz‐Ulrich 
Published: January 2013

SummaryThe evolutionary potential and ecological importance of interspecific hybrids continues to be a controversial issue. Traditionally, hybridization – often associated with polyploidy and clonal reproduction – was considered an important mechanism for speciation in plants, but not in animals. More recently, investigations have shifted to the question: Under which genetic and ecological conditions do hybrid taxa and different ploidies arise and succeed, and when and where do they fail? Finding answers to this question is aggravated by the fact that suitable taxa for such studies are often far apart on the phylogenetic tree. Hence, results are influenced by many confounding variables.In this study, we reduce this problem by investigating the fitness within a complex of three closely related water frog taxa consisting of the two sexually reproducing parental speciesPelophylax lessonae(genotypeLL) andP. ridibundus(RR) plus their interspecific hybridP. esculentuswhich comes in three ploidy types (LR,LLRandLRR), as well as with sexual and hemiclonal reproduction. Offspring of all five genotypes were produced by artificially crossing adults sampled from populations in Slovakia, Germany and Switzerland. This created genetic variation. They were then raised at two temperature levels: 18 and 24 °C. This created ecological variation. Larval performance under the two temperature regimes was analysed with respect to three fitness‐related parameters: survival rate, days to metamorphosis and weight at tail resorption.Survival rate was significantly higher for offspring of the three hybrid types (LR,LLRandLRR) compared with those of the parental species (LL,RR), at both rearing temperatures. For days to metamorphosis and weight at metamorphosis, we found an interaction between offspring type and temperature. In both cases, performance of hybrid and parental offspring did not differ at 24 °C, but at 18 °C hybrids metamorphosed faster and at a lower weight than parentals.We discuss these results in relation to those from other studies and conclude that under cold conditions hybrids (especially the two triploid types) have higher fitness than both parental species. This genotype × environment interaction could be one reason why all‐hybrid populations mainly occur at the cooler northern range of the water frog distribution.
Ontogeny of constitutive immunity: maternal vs. endogenous influences
Authors: Arriero Elena , Majewska Ania , Martin Thomas E. 
Published: January 2013

SummaryVariation in ontogeny and strength of immune defence mechanisms can be integrally related to variation in life‐history strategies and determined by trade‐offs during development. However, little is known about the ontogeny of immune function in wild birds, especially in altricial birds and in a comparative context across altricial species with diverse life‐history strategies.In this study, we examined the ontogeny of constitutive immunity in a group of 22 passerine species sampled in tropicalVenezuela and north temperateArizona.Our results show activity of constitutive components of the immune defence at 1–3 days posthatching and an increase in immune activity with age. Interspecific variation in immune activity at hatching was mainly explained by extrinsic factors mediated by the mother (egg size and egg temperature), suggesting an important role of maternal effects on offspring immunity at hatching. In contrast, the increase in agglutination activity with age suggests that immune function in older nestlings reflects intrinsic development. The increase in immune activity was greater in species that hatched with lower initial levels, and was somewhat negatively related to growth rate across species.Our results suggest slower intrinsic development of immune function may be compensated by larger maternal contributions. Slower intrinsic development of immune function, in turn, may reflect a trade‐off with faster somatic growth. Our study highlights the importance of both maternal (extrinsic) and endogenous (intrinsic) contributions to variation in immune function across altricial species that may reflect an important axis of developmental strategies.
Does community‐level floral abundance affect the pollination success of a rewardless orchid, Calanthe reflexaMaxim.?
Authors: Sakata Yuzu , Sakaguchi Shota , Yamasaki Michimasa 
Published: January 2013

AbstractDecreases in pollinator abundance may particularly constrain plants that lack floral rewards, since they are poor competitors for pollinators in the plant community. Here, we documented the pollination ecology of a rewardless orchid, Calanthe reflexa Maxim., and examined effects of forest understory degradation by deer browsing on pollination success of the species in the light of a change in the abundance of neighboring flowering plants in 2010 and 2011. Bombus species were the only pollinators at each site and the flowering phenology of C. reflexa did not overlap with that of other rewarding plants. Pollinator visit rates (assessed by time‐lapse photography), and pollinia removal rate were higher in the undegraded understory site than the degraded site in both years, while the fruit set ratio did not differ between the sites in 2011. Coverage by neighboring flowering plants was extremely low in the degraded site. Our results suggest that, although its flowering phenology and consequently lower interspecific competition of C. reflexa with rewarding plants for attracting bumblebees, neighboring flowering plants may play an important role for maintaining the visitation frequency of bumblebees of C. reflexa and contribute to its pollination success.
The Impact of Profitability of Hospital Admissions on Mortality
Authors: Lindrooth Richard C. , Konetzka R. Tamara , Navathe Amol S. , Zhu Jingsan , Chen Wei , Volpp Kevin 
Published: January 2013

BackgroundFiscal constraints faced by Medicare are leading to policies designed to reduce expenditures. Evidence of the effect of reduced reimbursement on the mortality of Medicare patients discharged from all major hospital service lines is limited.MethodsWe modeled risk‐adjusted 30‐day mortality of patients discharged from 21 hospital service lines as a function of service line profitability, service line time trends, and hospital service line and year‐fixed effects. We simulated the effect of alternative revenue‐neutral reimbursement policies on mortality. Our sample included all Medicare discharges from PPS‐eligible hospitals (1997, 2001, and 2005).ResultsThe results reveal a statistically significant inverse relationship between changes in profitability and mortality. A $0.19 average reduction in profit per $1.00 of costs led to a 0.010–0.020 percentage‐point increase in mortality rates (p < .001). Mortality in newly unprofitable service lines is significantly more sensitive to reduced payment generosity than in service lines that remain profitable. Policy simulations that target service line inequities in payment generosity result in lower mortality rates, roughly 700–13,000 fewer deaths nationally.ConclusionsThe policy simulations raise questions about the trade‐offs implicit in universal reductions in reimbursement. The effect of reduced payment generosity on mortality could be mitigated by targeting highly profitable services only for lower reimbursement.
Resource Use Trajectories for Aged Medicare Beneficiaries with Complex Coronary Conditions
Authors: Federspiel Jerome J. , Stearns Sally C. , D'Arcy Laura P. , Geissler Kimberley H. , Beadles Christopher A. , Crespin Daniel J. , Carey Timothy S. , Rossi Joseph S. , Sheridan Brett C. 
Published: January 2013

ObjectiveTo use coronary revascularization choice to illustrate the application of a method simulating a treatment's effect on subsequent resource use.Data SourcesMedicare inpatient and outpatient claims from 2002 to 2008 for patients receiving multivessel revascularization for symptomatic coronary disease in 2003–2004.Study DesignThis retrospective cohort study of 102,877 beneficiaries assessed survival, days in institutional settings, and Medicare payments for up to 6 years following receipt of percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) or coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG).MethodsA three‐part estimator designed to provide robust estimates of a treatment's effect in the setting of mortality and censored follow‐up was used. The estimator decomposes the treatment effect into effects attributable to survival differences versus treatment‐related intensity of resource use.Principal FindingsAfter adjustment, on averageCABGrecipients survived 23 days longer, spent an 11 additional days in institutional settings, and had cumulative Medicare payments that were $12,834 higher thanPCIrecipients. The majority of the differences in institutional days and payments were due to intensity rather than survival effects.ConclusionsIn this example, the survival benefit fromCABGwas modest and the resource implications were substantial, although further adjustments for treatment selection are needed.
Genetic diversity in morphological characters and phenolic acids content resulting from an interspecific cross between eggplant, Solanum melongena, and its wild ancestor (S. incanum)
Authors: Prohens J. , Whitaker B.D. , Plazas M. , Vilanova S. , Hurtado M. , Blasco M. , Gramazio P. , Stommel J.R. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractSolanum incanum, the wild ancestor of eggplant, Solanum melongena, has been considered as a source of variation for high content of phenolic acid conjugates in breeding programmes aimed at improving the functional quality of eggplant. We have evaluated the morphological and phenolic acids content in an interspecific family including S. incanum (P1), S. melongena (P2), their interspecific hybrid (F1), progeny from the selfing of the F1 (F2) and the backcross of the F1 to P2 (BC1P2). Many morphological differences were found between parents, while the F1 was intermediate for most traits. However, F1 plants were taller and pricklier and presented higher fruit flesh browning than any of the parents. F2 and BC1P2 were morphologically highly variable and the results obtained suggest that a rapid recovery of the characteristic combination of S. melongena traits can be achieved in a few backcross generations. Segregation for prickliness was found to be compatible with simple genetic control, prickliness being dominant over non‐prickliness. A total of 16 phenolic acid conjugates were studied, of which chlorogenic acid (5‐O‐(E)‐caffeoylquinic acid) was the most common compound in all samples, averaging 77.8% of all hydroxycinnamic acid derivatives. Contents of total phenolic acid conjugates were much higher in S. incanum than in S. melongena fruit flesh, and no major differences were found in the profile of phenolic acids among parents. The interspecific hybrid (F1) was intermediate between the two parents in phenolic acids content. Non‐segregating generations presented considerable variation in phenolic acids content, but the range of variation was wider in segregating F2 and BC1P2 generations. Additive genetic effects were the most important in explaining the results obtained for the phenolic acids content. A number of BC1P2 plants presented a good combination of phenolic acids content and fruit weight or flesh browning. Overall, the results demonstrate that improvement of functional quality in S. melongena can be obtained using S. incanum as a donor of alleles for high phenolic acids content.
Increased frequency of skin-infiltrating FoxP3+ regulatory T cells as a diagnostic indicator of severe atopic dermatitis from cutaneous T cell lymphoma
Authors: Hanafusa T , Matsui S , Murota H , Tani M , Igawa K , Katayama I 
Published: January 2013

Summary
Differential diagnosis of cutaneous T cell lymphoma (CTCL) and severe atopic dermatitis (AD) is often difficult because of the similarity in their skin manifestations. However, such differentiation is extremely important because of the differences in remedy and prognosis. The aim of this study was to investigate new, helpful diagnostic aids for distinguishing CTCL from AD. The frequency of forkhead box protein 3+ (FoxP3+) regulatory T cells (Tregs) in cutaneous lesions was evaluated among the three populations. Serum-soluble interleukin-2 receptor (sIL-2R), immunoglobulin (Ig)E-radioimmunosorbent test, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and blood eosinophil count were measured in 11 CTCL patients (including three CTCL patients misdiagnosed previously with intractable AD), 10 adult AD patients and nine psoriasis patients. The frequency of Tregs was increased significantly in cutaneous lesions of AD compared with those of CTCL. Serum IgE and LDH levels were also elevated significantly in AD compared with CTCL, whereas there were no significant differences in serum sIL-2R levels between CTCL and AD. In the three CTCL patients who were misdiagnosed with intractable AD, IgE and LDH levels were lower than in AD patients, whereas serum sIL-2R levels were as high as in AD patients and higher than in the other eight CTCL patients. The higher frequency of Tregs in the cutaneous lesions of patients with AD than in those with CTCL and higher serum IgE and LDH levels in patients with AD than in those with CTCL might be helpful reference values for the differential diagnosis of these two diseases.
The UK national evaluation of the development and impact of Early Intervention Services (the National EDEN studies): study rationale, design and baseline characteristics
Authors: Birchwood Max , Lester Helen , McCarthy Linda , Jones Peter , Fowler David , Amos Tim , Freemantle Nick , Sharma Vimal , Lavis Anna , Singh Swaran , Marshall Max 
Published: January 2013

AbstractAimsNational EDEN aims to evaluate the implementation and impact on key outcomes of somewhat differently configured Early Intervention Services (EIS) across sites in England and to develop a model of variance in patient outcomes that includes key variables of duration of untreated psychosis (DUP), fidelity to the EIS model and service engagement. The cohort is being followed up for two further years as patients are discharged, to observe the stability of change and the impact of the discharge settings.MethodsA longitudinal cohort study of patients with a first episode of a psychosis, managed by EIS in six services across England. Patients are followed up 12 months after inception, then up to 2 years following discharge. Measures of DUP, psychosis, social functioning and relapse were taken. User and carer experience of EIS were monitored over time; as was the fidelity of each EIS to national guidelines. Service use is costed for a health economic evaluation.Results1027 people consented to the study of which 75% were successfully followed up at 12 months, with almost 100% data on treatment, relapse and recovery and service use.ConclusionsNational EDEN is the largest cohort study of young people with psychosis receiving care under EIS. It will be able definitively to indicate whether this major investment in the United Kingdom in EI is achieving meaningful change for its users in practice and provide indications concerning who does well under this approach and who does not, and the long‐term stability of any improvements.
Help seeking by Aboriginal men who are mentally unwell: a pilot study
Authors: Isaacs Anton N. , Maybery Darryl , Gruis Hilton 
Published: January 2013

AbstractAimsMental illness is widespread among Aboriginal men in Australia. However, they do not access mental health services in proportion to their need. Although several reports implicate cultural differences of mental health services as the cause of underutilization, very little is known about help seeking by Aboriginal men who are mentally unwell. This study explores the help‐seeking behaviour of Aboriginal men who are mentally unwell in a rural Victorian community.MethodsThe study was carried out using a combination of culturally appropriate research methodologies. Within a Qualitative Description design, semi‐structured interviews were conducted with a range of Aboriginal people including men, carers and those involved in service delivery. A total of 17 Aboriginal people were interviewed, of whom 15 were men. Data were analysed thematically.ResultsFour themes emerged from the data collected. They included ‘Difficulty in recognizing mental health problems’, ‘Barriers to disclosing one's problems’, ‘Reluctance to contact services’ and ‘Alternate coping strategies’.ConclusionsThese findings suggest that there is a need for programmes that aim to improve mental health literacy and promote help seeking among Aboriginal men who are mentally unwell. Such programmes need to be developed jointly by mental health services as well as Aboriginal stakeholders, and implemented in a culturally sensitive and acceptable way.
Viral transduction of the neonatal brain delivers controllable genetic mosaicism for visualising and manipulating neuronal circuits in vivo
Authors: Kim Ji‐Yoen , Ash Ryan T. , Ceballos‐Diaz Carolina , Levites Yona , Golde Todd E. , Smirnakis Stelios M. , Jankowsky Joanna L. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractThe neonatal intraventricular injection of adeno‐associated virus has been shown to transduce neurons widely throughout the brain, but its full potential for experimental neuroscience has not been adequately explored. We report a detailed analysis of the method's versatility with an emphasis on experimental applications where tools for genetic manipulation are currently lacking. Viral injection into the neonatal mouse brain is fast, easy, and accesses regions of the brain including the cerebellum and brainstem that have been difficult to target with other techniques such as electroporation. We show that viral transduction produces an inherently mosaic expression pattern that can be exploited by varying the titer to transduce isolated neurons or densely‐packed populations. We demonstrate that the expression of virally‐encoded proteins is active much sooner than previously believed, allowing genetic perturbation during critical periods of neuronal plasticity, but is also long‐lasting and stable, allowing chronic studies of aging. We harness these features to visualise and manipulate neurons in the hindbrain that have been recalcitrant to approaches commonly applied in the cortex. We show that viral labeling aids the analysis of postnatal dendritic maturation in cerebellar Purkinje neurons by allowing individual cells to be readily distinguished, and then demonstrate that the same sparse labeling allows live in vivo imaging of mature Purkinje neurons at a resolution sufficient for complete analytical reconstruction. Given the rising availability of viral constructs, packaging services, and genetically modified animals, these techniques should facilitate a wide range of experiments into brain development, function, and degeneration.
Alpine cushion plants inhibit the loss of phylogenetic diversity in severe environments
Authors: Butterfield B. J. , Cavieres L. A. , Callaway R. M. , Cook B. J. , Kikvidze Z. , Lortie C. J. , Michalet R. , Pugnaire F. I. , Schöb C. , Xiao S. , Zaitchek B. , Anthelme F. , Björk R. G. , Dickinson K. , Gavilán R. , Kanka R. , Maalouf J.‐P. , Noroozi J. , Parajuli R. , Phoenix G. K. , Reid A. , Ridenour W. , Rixen C. , Wipf S. , Zhao L. , Brooker R. W. 
Published: January 2013

AbstractBiotic interactions can shape phylogenetic community structure (PCS). However, we do not know how the asymmetric effects of foundation species on communities extend to effects on PCS. We assessed PCS of alpine plant communities around the world, both within cushion plant foundation species and adjacent open ground, and compared the effects of foundation species and climate on alpha (within‐microsite), beta (between open and cushion) and gamma (open and cushion combined) PCS. In the open, alpha PCS shifted from highly related to distantly related with increasing potential productivity. However, we found no relationship between gamma PCS and climate, due to divergence in phylogenetic composition between cushion and open sub‐communities in severe environments, as demonstrated by increasing phylo‐beta diversity. Thus, foundation species functioned as micro‐refugia by facilitating less stress‐tolerant lineages in severe environments, erasing a global productivity – phylogenetic diversity relationship that would go undetected without accounting for this important biotic interaction.
Health‐related quality of life as an independent predictor of long‐term disability for patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis
Authors: Baumstarck K. , Pelletier J. , Butzkueven H. , Fernández O. , Flachenecker P. , Idiman E. , Stecchi S. , Boucekine M. , Auquier P. ,   for the MusiQoL study group
Published: January 2013

Background and purposePredictive factors of long‐term disability in patients with relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RR‐MS) are well known, but the weight of these factors does not explain the entire change of disability. Few studies have examined the predictive value of quality of life (QoL).ObjectivesTo determine the value of the initial level of QoL to predict changes in the disability status of patients with MS and to determine if specific‐MS questionnaires predict more accuracy in these changes than generic questionnaires.MethodsDesign: multicenter, multi‐regional, and longitudinal study. Main inclusion criteria: patients with RR‐MS subtype and an Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) score lower than 7.0. Sociodemographic and clinical data were recorded at baseline. Every 6 months up to month 24, QoL (MusiQoL and SF‐36) was recorded. At 24 months, individuals were defined into two ‘disability change’ groups: the worsened and not worsened patients.ResultsFive‐hundred and twenty‐six patients were enrolled: 386 (83.7%) not worsened and 75 (16.3%) worsened patients at 24 months. The activity of daily living and the relationship with healthcare workers dimensions of MusiQoL questionnaire were independent predictors of change in the EDSS score after 24 months. The physical‐functioning dimension of the SF‐36 questionnaire predicted independently disability change after 24 months.ConclusionsPatient‐reported baseline QoL levels provide additional prognostic information on MS disability beyond traditional clinical or sociodemographic factors. These findings reinforce the importance of incorporating a patient's evaluation of their own QoL level during patient monitoring and the assessment of treatment effects.
Investigating the Social Aspects Early Medieval Mortuary Practice
Authors: Sayer Duncan 
Published: January 2013

AbstractPre‐Christian early medieval cemeteries are rich archaeological sites; they contained burials with weapons, jewellery and pottery vessels. These sites also show some structured organisation – clusters of rich inhumations, rows of graves or differently oriented burials positioned adjacent to earlier features. But the interpretation of these sites has not always been holistic; archaeologists across Europe have developed different theoretical traditions and emphasised different types of evidence. This paper will describe some of these traditions as they relate to social interpretations while emphasising the multi‐scaled nature of early medieval culture. Indeed individuals, sites and regional level interpretations are all important ways to understand the social aspects of mortuary practice and it is by combining evidence and learning from different traditions that it might be possible to understand the human experience of the ancient past.