bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Wood traits explain microbial but not termite‐driven decay in Australian tropical rainforest and savanna
Authors: Law Stephanie , Flores‐Moreno Habacuc , Cheesman Alexander W. , Clement Rebecca , Rosenfield Marc , Yatsko Abbey , Cernusak Lucas A. , Dalling James W. , Canam Thomas , Iqsaysa Isra Abo , Duan Elizabeth S. , Allison Steven D. , Eggleton Paul , Zanne Amy E. 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Variation in decay rates across woody species is a key uncertainty in predicting the fate of carbon stored in deadwood, especially in the tropics. Quantifying the relative contributions of biotic decay agents, particularly microbes and termites, under different climates and across species with diverse wood traits could help explain this variation.

To fill this knowledge gap, we deployed woody stems from 16 plant species native to either rainforest (n = 10) or savanna (n = 6) in northeast Australia, with and without termite access. For comparison, we also deployed standardized, non‐native pine blocks at both sites. We hypothesized that termites would increase rates of deadwood decay under conditions that limit microbial activity. Specifically, termite contributions to wood decay should be greater under dry conditions and in wood species with traits that constrain microbial decomposers.

Termite discovery of stems was surprisingly low with only 17.6% and 22.6% of accessible native stems discovered in the rainforest and savanna respectively. Contrary to our hypothesis, stems discovered by termites decomposed faster only in the rainforest. Termites discovered and decayed pine blocks at higher rates than native stems in both the rainforest and savanna.

We found significant variation in termite discovery and microbial decay rates across native wood species within the same site. Although wood traits explained 85% of the variation in microbial decay, they did not explain termite‐driven decay. For stems undiscovered by termites, decay rates were greater in species with higher wood nutrient concentrations and syringyl:guiacyl lignin ratios but lower carbon concentrations and wood densities.

Synthesis. Ecosystem‐scale predictions of deadwood turnover and carbon storage should account for the impact of wood traits on decomposer communities. In tropical Australia, termite‐driven decay was lower than expected for native wood on the ground. Even if termites are present, they may not always increase decomposition rates of fallen native wood in tropical forests. Our study shows how the drivers of wood decay differ between Australian tropical rainforest and savanna; further research should test whether such differences apply world‐wide.
The role of plant diversity and facilitation during tropical dry forest restoration
Authors: Fagundes Marina V. , Mazzochini Guilherme G. , Ganade Gislene 
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Restoration programmes that promote the functioning of restored ecosystems are in urgent demand. Although several biodiversity and ecosystem functioning (BEF) experiments have demonstrated the importance of functional complementarity in enhancing plant community performance, no biodiversity experiment has yet manipulated facilitation to test its contribution to how the complementarity effect (CE) modulates community performance.

We built a restoration experiment manipulating diversity and facilitation potential in a tropical semi‐arid forest. We planted 4704 seedlings of 16 native tree species to assemble 147 experimental communities with 45 different compositions comprising 1, 2, 4, 8 or 16 species. Facilitation potential was included in the experimental design by creating a gradient of communities from low to high facilitation potential (based on prior research). We measured functional dispersion and functional identity using species above‐ and below‐ground traits to investigate how they modulate the effects of species diversity and facilitation potential on leaf biomass production, using the additive partition biodiversity effects CE and selection effect (SE).

The joint influence of diversity and facilitation potential was tested separately for leaf biomass production and net biodiversity effect using linear mixed models (LMMs). We subsequently ran LMMs including functional dispersion and functional identity. We hypothesised that facilitation potential would increase community productivity and functioning and that functional dispersion and functional identity related to above‐ and below‐ground traits would explain facilitation performance.

Facilitation potential positively influenced leaf biomass production as predicted, but unexpectedly, neither of the functional traits were important for modulating the facilitation process. Positive values for CE showed that plants performed better in mixtures in comparison to monocultures. SE negative values, showed that species with below average performance in monocultures, performed better in mixtures. Unexpectedly, CE did not increase as species diversity or facilitation potential increased. The SE was influenced negatively by facilitation potential leading to a more equal distribution of biomass production between species in mixtures.

Synthesis. Facilitation improves biomass production in restored communities and increases biomass equitability among plant species and thus ecosystem reliability. To improve restoration success, plant communities should be built using a combination of facilitative species.
Case report of new‐onset ulcerative colitis after MVC‐COVI1901 vaccine injection for SARS‐CoV‐2
Authors: Kuo Hsuan Li , Lin Ting Yu , Leong Pui‐Ying 
Published: March 2023

AbstractA 23‐year‐old man suffered from diarrhea after receiving the MVC‐COVI1901 vaccine. The patient then presented to our emergency department due to swelling and pain in his right knee. Synovial effusion studies of the right knee revealed inflammation. Gram and acid‐fast stains reported negative results and no crystals were found under a polarized light microscope. During his hospitalization, the patient underwent a colonoscopy and computed tomography (CT) due to bloody stool. Pancolitis was suspected under colonoscopy and an abdominal CT scan supported our diagnosis showing wall thickening and mucosal enhancement. Pathology showed distorted crypt architecture and acute cryptitis with abscesses. After excluding other causes of ulcerative colitis (UC), the patient was diagnosed with MVC‐COV1901 vaccine‐related UC and inflammatory bowel disease arthropathy. Subsequent presentation of UC and inflammatory bowel disease‐related arthropathy after receiving the MVC‐COVI1901 vaccine has not previously been reported. We speculate that the pathogenesis could be correlated to the vaccine's components (spike protein S‐2P adjuvanted with CpG 1018 and aluminum hydroxide) through the combination of 2 effects: the activation of Toll‐like receptor (TLR) 4 by S‐2P, and the activation of TLR9 and expression of interleukin‐13 by CpG‐1018 adjuvant. In conclusion, it is remarkable that the MVC‐COVI1901 vaccine may lead to the incidence of autoinflammatory diseases such as UC.
Analysis of circular RNA expression profile of pathological bone formation in ankylosing spondylitis
Authors: Zou Yu‐Cong , Wu Juan , Zhao Chang , Luo Zi‐Rui 
Published: March 2023

AbstractObjectiveTo screen and analyze the function of specific CircRNAs involved in pathological bone formation in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).MethodsFrom September 2019 to October 2020, hip capsule tissues obtained from 3 patients with AS developed hip joint fusion and 3 patients with femoral neck fracture (FNF) were obtained. The circular RNA expressions of hip capsule were analyzed by Arraystar CircRNA chip. qRT‐PCR analysis wan performed to identify the expression patterns of differentially expression CircRNAs.ResultsOur findings showed that there were 25 up‐regulated and 39 down‐regulated differential CircRNAs. Among these CircRNAs, we screened 10 highest up‐regulatedCircRNAs and 13 lowest down‐regulated CircRNAs (Fold Change≥2,P<0.05). In further verification analysis, hsa_circ_0067103, hsa_circ_0004496, and hsa_circ_0002649, ACTG1 were significantly upregulated, while hsa_circ_0020273, hsa_circ_0005699, and hsa_circ_0048764 were markly downregulated in AS tissue than FNF controls.ConclusionThe expression of CircRNAs involved of pathological bone formation in AS were significantly different from those of control group. These differentially expressed Circular RNAs may be closely related to the occurrence and development of pathological bone formation in AS.
Disparities in emergency department and urgent care opioid prescribing before and after randomized clinician feedback interventions
Authors: Crowley Aidan P. , Sun Chuxuan , Yan Xiaowei (Sherry) , Navathe Amol , Liao Joshua M. , Patel Mitesh S. , Pagnotti David , Shen Zijun , Delgado M. Kit 
Published: March 2023

AbstractObjectivesRacial and ethnic minorities receive opioid prescriptions at lower rates and dosages than White patients. Though opioid stewardship interventions can improve or exacerbate these disparities, there is little evidence about these effects. We conducted a secondary analysis of a cluster‐randomized controlled trial conducted among 438 clinicians from 21 emergency departments and 27 urgent care clinics. Our objective was to determine whether randomly allocated opioid stewardship clinician feedback interventions that were designed to reduce opioid prescriptions had unintended effects on disparities in prescribing by patient race and ethnicity.MethodsThe primary outcome was likelihood of receiving a low‐pill prescription (low ≤10 pills, medium 11–19 pills, high ≥20 pills). Generalized mixed‐effects models were used to determine patient characteristics associated with low‐pill prescriptions during the baseline period. These models were then used to determine whether receipt of a low‐pill prescription varied by patient race or ethnicity during the intervention period between usual care and three opioid stewardship interventions: (1) individual audit feedback, (2) peer comparison feedback, and (3) combined (individual audit + peer comparison) feedback.ResultsCompared with White patients, Black patients were more likely to receive a low‐pill prescription during the baseline (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 1.18, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06–1.31, p = 0.002) and intervention (adjusted OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.07–1.91, p = 0.015). While combined feedback was associated with an overall increase in low‐pill prescriptions as intended (adjusted OR 1.89, 95% CI 1.28–2.78, p = 0.001), there were no significant differences in treatment effects of any of the interventions by patient race and ethnicity.ConclusionsCombined individual audit and peer comparison feedback was associated with fewer opioid pills per prescription equally by patient race and ethnicity. However, the intervention did not significantly close the baseline disparity in prescribing by race.
Daily impulsivity and alcohol expectancies: A multilevel examination of the acquired preparedness model
Authors: Stamates Amy L. , Lau‐Barraco Cathy , Braitman Abby L. 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBackgroundThe acquired preparedness model (APM) integrates personality traits and psychosocial learning to posit amechanism whereby individuals initiate and continue alcohol use. The present study examined within‐person associations between impulsivity, alcohol expectancies, alcohol use, and alcohol problems to inform daily process models of drinking and test the APM.MethodsParticipants were 89 college student drinkers who completed momentary reports (three random and two user‐initiated reports) for 14 days. Multilevel mediation analyses examined whether daily associations between impulsivity and alcohol use and problems were mediated by positive and negative expectancies.ResultsDaily impulsivity was positively associated with daily positive expectancies, prior to drinking. Greater daily positive expectancies were associated with more alcohol consumed and alcohol problems that day. The indirect effects were significant, indicating greater than usual impulsivity was associated with greater alcohol use and alcohol problems through greater positive expectancies. Impulsivity was positively associated with negative expectancies at the within‐subject and between‐subject levels, but negative expectancies did not serve as a mediator between impulsivity and either alcohol outcome.ConclusionsThis is the first study to test the APM at the day level. Findings supported daily fluctuations in beliefs regarding the positive effects of alcohol as a salient mechanism explaining the link between daily impulsivity and level of alcohol use. Because impulsivity was linked to changes in expectancy states that were proximal to drinking that day, this information may be used to develop prevention and intervention programs to reduce alcohol harms.
Fat‐free mass accounts for most of the variance in alcohol elimination rate in women
Authors: Seyedsadjadi Neda , Ramchandani Vijay A. , Plawecki Martin H. , Kosobud Ann E. K. , O'Connor Sean , Rowitz Blair , Pepino Marta Yanina 
Published: March 2023

AbstractBackgroundUnderstanding how blood alcohol concentrations (BAC) achieved after drinking are determined is critical to predicting alcohol exposure to the brain and other organs and alcohol's effects. However, predicting end‐organ exposures is challenging, as there is wide variation in BAC achieved after drinking a specified volume of alcohol. This variation is partly due to differences in body composition and alcohol elimination rates (AER), but there are limited data on how obesity affects AER. Here, we assess associations between obesity, fat‐free mass (FFM), and AER in women and examine whether bariatric surgeries, which are linked to an increased risk of alcohol misuse, affect these associations.MethodsWe analyzed data from three studies that used similar intravenous alcohol clamping procedures to estimate AER in 143 women (21 to 64 years old) with a wide range of body mass index (BMI; 18.5 to 48.4 kg/m2). Body composition was measured in a subgroup using dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry (n = 42) or Bioimpedance (n = 60), and 19 of the women underwent bariatric surgery 2.1 ± 0.3 years before participation. We analyzed data using multiple linear regression analyses.ResultsObesity and older age were associated with a faster AER (BMI: rs = 0.70 and age: rs = 0.61, both p < 0.001). Compared to women with normal weight, AER was 52% faster (95% Confidence Interval: 42% to 61%) in women with obesity. However, BMI lost predictive value when adding fat‐free mass (FFM) to the regression model. Age, FFM, and its interaction explained 72% of individual variance in AER (F (4, 97) = 64.3, p < 0.001). AER was faster in women with higher FFM, particularly women in the top tertile of age. After controlling for FFM and age, bariatric surgery was not associated with differences in AER (p = 0.74).ConclusionsObesity is associated with a faster AER, but this association is mediated by an obesity‐related increase in FFM, particularly in older women. Previous findings of a reduced alcohol clearance following bariatric surgery compared with prior to surgery are likely explained by a reduction in FFM post‐surgery.
Muscle shape changes in Parkinson's disease impair function during rapid contractions
Authors: Monte Andrea , Magris Riccardo , Nardello Francesca , Bombieri Federica , Zamparo Paola 
Published: March 2023

AbstractAimParkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized, among the others, by muscle weakness. PD patients reach lower values of peak torque during maximal voluntary contractions but also slower rates of torque development (RTD) during explosive contractions. The aim of this study was to better understand how an impairment in structural/mechanical (peripheral) factors could explain the difficulty of PD patients to raise torque rapidly.MethodsParticipants (PD patients and healthy matched controls) performed maximum voluntary explosive fixed‐end contraction of the knee extensor muscles during which dynamic muscle shape changes (in muscle thickness, pennation angle, and belly gearing: the ratio between muscle belly velocity and fascicle velocity), muscle‐tendon unit (MTU) stiffness and EMG activity of the vastus lateralis (VL) were investigated. Both the affected (PDA) and less affected limb (PDNA) were investigated in patients.ResultsControl participants reached higher values of peak torque and showed a better capacity to express force rapidly compared to patients (PDA and PDNA). EMG activity was observed to differ between patients (PDA) and controls, but not between controls and PDNA. This suggests a specific neural/nervous effect on the most affected side. On the contrary, MTU stiffness and dynamic muscle shape changes were found to differ between controls and patients, but not between PDA and PDNA. Both sides are thus similarly affected by the pathology.ConclusionThe higher MTU stiffness in PD patients is likely responsible for the impaired muscle capability to change in shape which, in turn, negatively affects the torque rise.
Using ethnomethodology as an approach to explore human–animal interaction
Authors: Arathoon Jamie 
Published: March 2023

AbstractAnimal geographies is going through methodological change, moving towards a variety of methodological approaches that enliven inquiry into nonhuman animals' lives. Despite this move, there is still a clear need to develop approaches to explore human–animal interaction that centre animals in geographical inquiry. This paper aims to build on lively debates in animal geographies to offer ethnomethodology as one such approach. Ethnomethodology, an approach rather than a method, has had only brief engagement with human geography, but this paper will argue that ethnomethodology has various characteristics that align with traditional geographical enquiry and that can help grapple with the many ontological and epistemological challenges animal geographers face. These characteristics: an attention to place‐based practices; a focus on agency and subjectivity; and an understanding of practices as a relational, offer points of interest for geography and ethnomethodology to converge. I expand on these facets and outline ethnomethodological engagement with animals before turning to my own example of human‐assistance‐dog training to illustrate how an ethnomethodological approach is useful to animal geographers. Overall, this paper suggests that ethnomethodology offers animal geographers: a focus on embodied senses; a concern with forms of agency and subjectivity within space and place; and a rich descriptive approach to practical detail. The paper concludes with a discussion towards geographical ethnomethodological futures.
A Synthetic Data Integration Framework to Leverage External Summary-Level Information from Heterogeneous Populations
Authors: Gu Tian , Taylor Jeremy Michael George , Mukherjee Bhramar 
Published: March 2023

Abstract
There is a growing need for flexible general frameworks that integrate individual-level data with external summary information for improved statistical inference. External information relevant for a risk prediction model may come in multiple forms, through regression coefficient estimates or predicted values of the outcome variable. Different external models may use different sets of predictors and the algorithm they used to predict the outcome Y given these predictors may or may not be known. The underlying populations corresponding to each external model may be different from each other and from the internal study population. Motivated by a prostate cancer risk prediction problem where novel biomarkers are measured only in the internal study, this paper proposes an imputation-based methodology, where the goal is to fit a target regression model with all available predictors in the internal study while utilizing summary information from external models that may have used only a subset of the predictors. The method allows for heterogeneity of covariate effects across the external populations. The proposed approach generates synthetic outcome data in each external population, uses stacked multiple imputation to create a long dataset with complete covariate information. The final analysis of the stacked imputed data is conducted by weighted regression. This flexible and unified approach can improve statistical efficiency of the estimated coefficients in the internal study, improve predictions by utilizing even partial information available from models that use a subset of the full set of covariates used in the internal study, and provide statistical inference for the external population with potentially different covariate effects from the internal population.
Accessibility and utilization of antenatal care services insub‐SaharanAfrica during theCOVID‐19 pandemic: A rapid review
Authors: Murewanhema Grant , Mpabuka Etienne , Moyo Enos , Tungwarara Nigel , Chitungo Itai , Mataruka Kidson , Gwanzura Chipo , Musuka Godfrey , Dzinamarira Tafadzwa 
Published: March 2023

AbstractControl measures for the COVID‐19 pandemic brought unprecedented challenges to health care delivery. Some countries in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) stopped the provision of essential health care except for those services that were deemed emergencies or life‐threatening. A rapid review was conducted on March 18, 2022, on the accessibility and utilization of antenatal care services in sub‐Saharan Africa during the COVID‐19 pandemic. PubMed, Google Scholar, SCOPUS, and the World Health Organization library databases were searched for relevant studies. A modified Population, Intervention, Control, and Outcomes (PICO) framework informed the development of the search strategy. The review included studies conducted within Africa that described the availability, access, and utilization of antenatal services during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Eighteen studies met the inclusion criteria. This review revealed a reduction in access to ANC services, an increase in the number of home deliveries, and a reduction in the number of women attending ANC visits during the COVID‐19 pandemic. A decrease in ANC service utilization was reported in some studies in the review. Barriers to ANC access and utilization during the COVID‐19 pandemic included movement restrictions, limited transport access, fear of contracting COVID‐19 at the health facilities, and facility barriers. The use of telemedicine needs to be improved in African countries to allow for the continued provision of health services during pandemics. In addition, there should strengthening of community involvement in the provision of maternal health services post‐COVID‐19 so that services may be able to better withstand future public health emergencies.