bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Habitat management favouring hunted waterbird species prevents distribution changes in response to climate warming
Authors: Gaget E. , Galewski T. , Brommer J. E. , Le Viol I. , Jiguet F. , Baccetti N. , Langendoen T. , Molina B. , Moniz F. , Moussy C. , Zenatello M. , Guillemain M. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractClimate warming is driving species to shift their geographical distribution poleward to track suitable climatic conditions. Two strategies have been suggested to help species respond to climate warming: facilitating distribution change or improving persistence. We questioned whether habitat management in favour of duck hunting activities interacted with duck responses to climate warming. We studied non‐breeding waterbird community changes (110 species) over 28 years at 851 sites in South‐West Europe, where habitat management is a common practice to attract and hunt ducks. We hypothesized that duck species targeted by habitat management do not need to track temperature changes as much as non‐hunted species, because of the availability of suitable habitats provided by hunting land managers. We used the community temperature index (CTI) to assess the temporal responses of communities and species to climate warming. We compared the effect of hunting status with other functional traits on species responses, controlling for phylogenetic relatedness. The CTI trend has increased over the study period, indicating a community adjustment to climate warming. However, hunted ducks contributed to almost 40% of the negative contributions to this community adjustment, suggesting that hunted ducks do not shift their distribution as much as the other waterbirds do. Winter fidelity associated with the provision of attractive feeding grounds might explain why ducks did not seem to shift their distribution in response to climate warming. This study suggests the broad impact of human activities on wildlife, including on large‐scale distribution processes, and questions the long‐term consequences on duck populations.
Biological control of weeds in Australia: the last 120 years
Authors: Cullen J. M. , Palmer W. A. , Sheppard A. W. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThe development of the field of biological control of weeds in Australia is described, from the first attempts in 1903 to the present day. The interest sparked by the obvious success of prickly pear program, apparent from 1930 to 1935, resulted in several programs during the next 20 years, followed by a decline in activity until the 1970s when activity increased enormously following the success of the skeleton weed program and the effective use of a plant pathogen for the first time. This momentum was maintained until the beginning of the present century with several successes and was marked by several important advances in genetic profiling, host‐specificity testing, economic evaluation, conflict of interest resolution and the ecology of insect/plant interactions, including evaluation of the effectiveness of individual introductions. Biological control has proved to be a valuable and effective approach to weed management in Australia with 39% of all programs considered to produce complete or near‐complete control, 30.5% partial control and an average benefit–cost ratio of 23:1. Funding for research has been variable with a decline from the late 1990s but with a significant increase again since 2020.
Identification of pathogenic deep intronic variant and exonic LINE‐1 insertion in a patient with Meckel syndrome
Authors: Miyamoto Sachiko , Nakamura Kazuyuki , Kato Mitsuhiro , Nakashima Mitsuko , Saitsu Hirotomo 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBiallelic CC2D2A variants are associated with a wide range of neurodevelopmental disorders including Meckel syndrome. Here we report a Japanese girl with Meckel syndrome harboring a pathogenic deep intronic variant (NM_001378615.1:c.1149+3569A>G) and an exonic LINE‐1 insertion, which was predicted to cause aberrant splicing by SpliceAI and was detected by TEMP2 program, respectively. RNA analysis using urine‐derived cells (UDCs) showed retention of 149‐bp intronic sequences, leading to frameshift. Immunoblotting showed marked reduction of CC2D2A protein in the patient. Our report demonstrated that utilization of transposon detection tool and functional analysis using UDCs will increase diagnostic yield of genome sequencing.
Academic dermatology in Australia and New Zealand between 2017 and 2022: A cross‐sectional bibliometric analysis
Authors: Pham James P. , Yang Anes , Frew John W. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractIntroductionAcademic dermatologists in Australia and New Zealand provide high‐quality and meaningful contributions to the understanding of disease and therapeutic translational research. Concerns have been raised by the Australian Medical Association regarding the decline of clinical academics in Australia as a whole, however, such trends in scholarly output have not previously been analysed for Australasian dermatologists.MethodsA bibliometric analysis of dermatologists in Australia and New Zealand was conducted in January and February 2023. Available Scopus profiles for all dermatologists were used to measure lifetime H index, scholarly output, citation counts and field‐weighted citation impact (FWCI) in the last 5 years (2017–2022). Trends in output over time were measured using non‐parametric tests.Differences in output between subgroups stratified by gender and academic leadership positions (associate professor or professor) were measured using Wilcoxon rank‐sum and one‐way ANOVA tests. The scholarly output of recent College graduates was also analysed as a subgroup, comparing the same bibliographic variables in the 5 years preceding and 5 years following awarding of their fellowships.ResultsFrom the 463 practising dermatologists in Australia and New Zealand, 372 (80%) were successfully matched to Scopus researcher profiles. Of these dermatologists, 167 were male (45%) and 205 (55%) were female, and 31 (8%) held academic leadership positions. Most dermatologists (67%) published at least one paper in the last 5 years. The median lifetime H index was 4, and between 2017 and 2022 median scholarly output was 3, the median citations were 14 and the median FWCI was 0.64.There was a non‐significant trend towards fewer publications per year, however, citation count and FWCI decreased significantly. By subgroups, female dermatologists published significantly more papers between 2017 and 2022, and other bibliographic variables were comparable to male dermatologists. However, women were underrepresented in positions of academic leadership—comprising only 32% of this cohort despite representing 55% of dermatologists. Professors were also significantly more likely to have higher bibliographic outcomes than associate professors. Finally, analysis of recent College graduates highlighted a significant decline in bibliometric outcomes pre‐ and post‐fellowship.ConclusionOverall, our analysis identifies a trend towards decreased research output by dermatologists in Australia and New Zealand in the last 5 years. Strategies to support dermatologists in research endeavours, particularly women and recent graduates, will be essential in maintaining strong scholarly output among Australasian dermatologists and thereby sustaining optimal evidence‐based patient care.
The impact of assisted reproductive technology and ovulation induction on breech presentation: A whole of population‐based cohort study
Authors: Chen Angela X. , Hunt Rod W. , Palmer Kirsten R. , Bull Claudia F. , Callander Emily J. 
Published: March 2023

AimsMultiple studies have suggested a likely association between breech presentation and assisted reproductive technology (ART) for conception. The aims were to determine whether conception via in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and ovulation induction (OI) is associated with fetal malpresentation at birth and to ascertain what mediating factors most significantly contribute to fetal malpresentation.MethodsThis whole‐population‐based cohort study included 355 990 singleton pregnancies born in Queensland, Australia, between July 2012 and July 2018. Multinomial logistic regression models estimated the adjusted odds of breech, transverse/shoulder and face/brow malpresentations in pregnancies conceived via spontaneous conception, OI (OI group) and IVF with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ART group).ResultsAfter adjustment for potential confounding factors, breech presentation occurred approximately 20% more often in singleton pregnancies conceived via both ART (adjusted odds ratio: 1.20, 95% confidence interval: 1.10–1.30, P < 0.001) and OI (1.21, 95% confidence interval: 1.04–1.39, P < 0.05). No significant associations were observed between the three modes of conception and transverse/shoulder or face/brow presentations. Low birthweight was found to be the most significant mediating factor for breech presentation in pregnancies conceived via ART and OI.ConclusionsSimilar levels of increased odds of breech presentation are present in pregnancies conceived via OI and ART, suggesting a shared underlying mechanism for the aetiology of breech presentation. For women who are considering or have conceived via these methods, counselling with respect to this increased risk is recommended.
The impact of COVID‐19 on a specialised menopause clinic: Changes in practice and women's experiences
Authors: Kozica‐Olenski Samantha L. , Ghelani Drishti P. , Boyle Jacqueline A. , Vincent Amanda J. 
Published: March 2023

AimsThe COVID‐19 pandemic necessitated the rapid change in a dedicated multidisciplinary menopause clinic from in‐person consultations to telehealth. The aim of this study was to explore the impact of COVID‐19 on menopause service delivery and consumer experiences.MethodsTwo‐part study involving the following. (i) Clinical audit conducted June–July 2019 (pre‐COVID‐19) and June–July 2020 (COVID‐19) assessing practice and service delivery changes. Assessment outcomes included: patient demographics, cause of menopause, presence of menopause symptoms, appointment attendance, medical history, investigations and menopause treatments. (ii) A post‐clinic online survey exploring the acceptability and experience of telehealth, once telehealth models of care had been routinely used in the menopause service (2021).ResultsPre‐COVID (n = 156) and COVID‐19 (n = 150) clinic consultations were audited. Menopause care delivery changed significantly from 100% face‐to‐face consultations in 2019 to 95.4% telehealth consultations in 2020. In 2020, fewer women had investigations performed vs 2019 (P < 0.001), although use of menopausal therapies was similar (P < 0.05). Ninety‐four women completed the online survey. Most women (70%) were satisfied with their telehealth consultation and perceived that the doctor effectively communicated with them (76%). Women preferred face‐to‐face consultations for their first menopause clinic visit (69%) and telehealth for review consultations (65%). The majority of women (62%) viewed the continuation of telehealth consultations as ‘moderately’ to ‘extremely useful’ post‐pandemic.ConclusionThe COVID‐19 pandemic caused significant changes to menopause service delivery. Telehealth was perceived as feasible and acceptable by women, supporting the continuation of a hybrid service delivery model incorporating telehealth and face‐to‐face consultation to meet the needs of women.
Prolonged Ca2+ release refractoriness and T‐tubule disruption as determinants of increased propensity to cardiac alternans in the hypertensive heart disease
Authors: Mariángelo Juan Ignacio Elio , Di Marzio Gabriel Darío , Gonano Luis Alberto , Said Matilde , Mundiña‐Weilenmann Cecilia 
Published: March 2023

AbstractAimCardiac alternans is a dynamical phenomenon linked to the genesis of severe arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death. It has been proposed that alternans is caused by alterations in Ca2+ handling by the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), in both the SR Ca2+ uptake and release processes. The hypertrophic myocardium is particularly prone to alternans, but the precise mechanisms underlying its increased vulnerability are not known.MethodsMechanical alternans (intact hearts) and Ca2+ alternans (cardiac myocytes) were studied in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) during the first year of age after the onset of hypertension and compared with age‐matched normotensive rats. Subcellular Ca2+ alternans, T‐tubule organization, SR Ca2+ uptake, and Ca2+ release refractoriness were measured.ResultsThe increased susceptibility of SHR to high‐frequency‐induced mechanical and Ca2+ alternans appeared when the hypertrophy developed, associated with an adverse remodeling of the T‐tubule network (6 mo). At the subcellular level, Ca2+ discordant alternans was also observed. From 6 mo of age, SHR myocytes showed a prolongation of Ca2+ release refractoriness without alterations in the capacity of SR Ca2+ removal, measured by the frequency‐dependent acceleration of relaxation. Sensitizing SR Ca2+ release channels (RyR2) by a low dose of caffeine or by an increase in extracellular Ca2+ concentration, shortened refractoriness of SR Ca2+ release, and reduced alternans in SHR hearts.ConclusionsThe tuning of SR Ca2+ release refractoriness is a crucial target to prevent cardiac alternans in a hypertrophic myocardium with an adverse T‐tubule remodeling.
The combination of the enhanced liver fibrosis and FIB‐4 scores to determine significant fibrosis in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease
Authors: Younossi Zobair M. , Stepanova Maria , Felix Sean , Jeffers Thomas , Younossi Elena , Goodman Zachary , Racila Andrei , Lam Brian P. , Henry Linda 
Published: March 2023

SummaryBackgroundThe presence of fibrosis in NAFLD is the most significant risk factor for adverse outcomes. We determined the cutoff scores of two non‐invasive te sts (NITs) to rule in and rule out significant fibrosis among NAFLD patients.MethodsClinical data and liver biopsies were used for NAFLD patients included in this analysis (2001–2020). The enhanced liver fibrosis (ELF) and FIB‐4 NITs were calculated. Liver biopsies were read by a single hematopathologist and scored by the NASH CRN criteria. Significant fibrosis was defined as stage F2–F4.ResultsThere were 463 NAFLD patients included: 48 ± 13 years old, 31% male, 35% type 2 diabetes; 39% had significant fibrosis; mean ELF score was 9.0 ± 1.2, mean FIB‐4 score was 1.22 ± 1.05. Patients with significant fibrosis were older, more commonly male, had lower BMI but more components of metabolic syndrome, higher ELF and FIB‐4 (p < 0.0001). The performance of the two NITs in identifying significant fibrosis was: AUC (95% CI) = 0.78 (0.74–0.82) for ELF, 0.79 (0.75–0.83) for FIB‐4. The combination of ELF score ≥9.8 and FIB‐4 ≥ 1.96 returned a positive predictive value of 95% which can reliably rule in significant fibrosis (sensitivity 22%, specificity >99%), while an ELF score ≤7.7 or FIB‐4 ≤ 0.30 had a negative predictive value of 95% ruling out significant fibrosis (sensitivity 98%, specificity 22%).ConclusionsThe combination of ELF and FIB‐4 may provide practitioners with easily obtained information to risk stratify patients with NAFLD who could be referred to specialists or for enrollment in clinical trials.
Metabolic phenotyping of pilomotor seizures in autoimmune encephalitis
Authors: Sun Yueqian , Zhao Xiaobin , Ai Lin , Wang Qun 
Published: March 2023

AbstractObjectivesIctal piloerection (IP) is an uncommon symptom in focal epilepsy and is associated with autoimmune encephalitis (AE). However, the networks involved in AE‐associated IP are still unclear. To have a better understanding of IP underlying mechanisms, the current study investigated whole‐brain metabolic networks for the analysis of AE‐associated IP.MethodsPatients with AE and IP diagnosed at our Institute between 2018 and 2022 were selected. We then investigated the brain regions associated with AE‐associated IP using positron emission tomography (PET). Anatomometabolic changes (interictal 18F fluorodeoxyglucose PET) in AE patients with IP were compared with those of AE patients of similar age without IP (p‐voxel <0.001, uncorrected).ResultsSixteen patients showed significant IP. The overall IP prevalence was 4.09% of patients with AE and 12.9% of patients with limbic encephalitis. The most common autoantibodies were against LGI1 (68.8%) followed by GAD65 (6.3%), NMDA (6.3%), GABAb (6.3%), CASPR2 (6.3%), and antibodies recognizing both GAD65 and mGLUR5 (6.3%). Most patients responded well to immunotherapy. Analysis of the imaging results at the voxel level showed that patients with IP had hypermetabolic changes in the right inferior temporal gyrus, suggesting involvement of this brain region in IP.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that IP as an uncommon AE‐associated manifestations should be recognized. We observed that the metabolic pattern of IP was conspicuous in the right inferior temporal gyrus.
Mismatch between conservation needs and actual representation of lions from West and Central Africa in in situ and ex situ conservation
Authors: Visser Fleur , Drouilly Marine , Moodley Yoshan , Michaux Johan R. , Somers Michael J. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractMismatches between conservation action and conservation needs have been highlighted for diverse species. Lion (Panthera leo) conservation is no exception, raising the question of whether current conservation strategies are always adequate to ensure the long‐term persistence of threatened taxa.To investigate the representation of different lion Evolutionary Significant Units in field research, captive populations, funding allocation, and education, we carried out a literature review and sent an online questionnaire to zoos worldwide. Over 75% of the publications focused on southern and eastern African populations. Uplisting the West African lion to Critically Endangered did not change this result. We received 88 responses from zoos, which reported 346 lions in 83 zoos. Only 14 individuals have West and Central African origins. Over 70% of the respondents reported that they do not include any information on the conservation status or taxonomy of lions from West and Central Africa in their education programs. The minority of zoos funding in situ lion projects did so in Eastern and Southern Africa. We provide recommendations to encourage role‐players involved in lion and other threatened species conservation to address this mismatch by shifting some of their attention and funding to West and Central Africa.
Firm outward direct investment and multinational activity under domestic taxes
Authors: Fan Haichao , Liu Yu , Tian Suhua , Wang Xuan 
Published: March 2023

AbstractWe study the effect of domestic corporate tax on firms' outward direct investment (ODI) decisions. We exploit a tax unification reform in China that raises corporate income tax rates on foreign‐funded firms but reduces those on domestic Chinese firms. Using a difference‐in‐differences estimator that compares the ODI of foreign affiliates and joint ventures with private domestic firms before and after the reform, we find that a higher domestic corporate tax rate increased the ODI of foreign firms, particularly for joint ventures with Chinese majority shareholders. We show evidence that the increases in firm ODI reflect production relocation out of China.
A frontoparietal network for volitional control of gaze following
Authors: Breu M. S. , Ramezanpour H. , Dicke P. W. , Thier P. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractGaze following is a major element of non‐verbal communication and important for successful social interactions. Human gaze following is a fast and almost reflex‐like behaviour, yet it can be volitionally controlled and suppressed to some extent if inappropriate or unnecessary, given the social context. In order to identify the neural basis of the cognitive control of gaze following, we carried out an event‐related fMRI experiment, in which human subjects' eye movements were tracked while they were exposed to gaze cues in two distinct contexts: A baseline gaze following condition in which subjects were instructed to use gaze cues to shift their attention to a gazed‐at spatial target and a control condition in which the subjects were required to ignore the gaze cue and instead to shift their attention to a distinct spatial target to be selected based on a colour mapping rule, requiring the suppression of gaze following. We could identify a suppression‐related blood‐oxygen‐level‐dependent (BOLD) response in a frontoparietal network comprising dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC), orbitofrontal cortex (OFC), the anterior insula, precuneus, and posterior parietal cortex (PPC). These findings suggest that overexcitation of frontoparietal circuits in turn suppressing the gaze following patch might be a potential cause of gaze following deficits in clinical populations.
Sex hormones differentially contribute to Parkinson disease in males: A multimodal biomarker study
Authors: Bovenzi Roberta , Sancesario Giulia Maria , Conti Matteo , Grillo Piergiorgio , Cerroni Rocco , Bissacco Jacopo , Forti Paolo , Giannella Emilia , Pieri Massimo , Minosse Silvia , Ferrazzoli Valentina , Pucci Noemi , Laudazi Mario , Floris Roberto , Garaci Francesco , Pierantozzi Mariangela , Stefani Alessandro , Mercuri Nicola Biagio , Picchi Eliseo , Di Giuliano Francesca , Schirinzi Tommaso 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBackground and purposeParkinson disease (PD) presents relevant sex‐related differences in epidemiology, pathophysiology, and clinical features, with males being more vulnerable to the disease. Sex hormones might have a role, as the experimental models suggest; however, human‐based evidence is scarce. Here, we integrated multimodal biomarkers to investigate the relationships between circulating sex hormones and clinical–pathological features in male PD patients.MethodsA cohort of 63 male PD patients underwent comprehensive clinical evaluation of motor and nonmotor disturbances; measurement of estradiol, testosterone, follicle‐stimulating hormone (FSH), and luteinizing hormone (LH) blood levels; and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) assay of total α‐synuclein, amyloid‐β‐42, amyloid‐β‐40, total tau, and phosphorylated‐181 tau levels. A subgroup of 47 PD patients underwent brain volumetry by 3‐T magnetic resonance imaging for further correlations. A control group of 56 age‐matched individuals was enrolled for comparative analyses.ResultsMale PD patients had higher estradiol and testosterone levels than controls. Estradiol had independent inverse associations with Movement Disorder Society–Unified Parkinson's Disease Rating Scale Part 3 score and disease duration; it was also lower in nonfluctuating patients. Testosterone had inverse independent correlations with CSF α‐synuclein and right globus pallidus volume. FSH and LH had age‐dependent correlations with cognitive impairment and CSF amyloid‐β‐42/amyloid‐β‐40 ratio.ConclusionsThe study suggested that sex hormones could differentially contribute to clinical–pathological features of PD in male patients. Whereas estradiol might have a protective role in motor impairment, testosterone might be involved in male vulnerability to PD neuropathology. Gonadotropins instead might mediate age‐dependent phenomena of amyloidopathy and cognitive decline.
A mesoscopic numerical method for fracture energy of concrete
Authors: Zeng Ming‐Hui , Wu Zhi‐Min , Zheng Jian‐Jun , Yu Rena C. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractThis paper develops a mesoscopic numerical method for evaluating the fracture energy of concrete. In this method, concrete is modeled as a three‐phase composite material, composed of mortar, coarse aggregate, and the interface between them. The actual mixed‐mode I–II crack growth path in mode I fracture tests is traced by applying crack propagation criteria. After verifying the numerical method by a series of three‐point bending tests, the effects of aggregate location, aggregate size, and crack propagation path on the fracture energy of concrete are evaluated. It is found that for the fracture mode of crack bypassing aggregates, the actual fracture energy of concrete is significantly affected by the aggregate location but independent of the aggregate size and the crack propagation path.