bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bumblebee attraction toMatthiola lividaflowers is altered by combined water stress and insect herbivory
Authors: Salman Ibrahim N. A. , Cna'ani Alon , Tzin Vered , Seifan Merav 
Published: June 2022

AbstractFloral volatiles are among the well‐known cues that mediate plant‐pollinator interactions. Understanding plant‐pollinator interactions is especially important in arid regions, where the low abundance of pollinators limits their visiting frequency and, thus, constraints the reproductive success of many plant species. Moreover, plants in such arid habitats are exposed to abiotic stress, particularly to water shortage. Plants in arid habitats are also prone to suffer from multiple stress factors, such as the addition of pathogen and herbivore attacks. All these stress factors induce disruptions in the plant metabolism and increase physiological costs that may lead to changes in floral volatiles, thus affecting the communication between the plant and its pollinators, consequently intensifying the constraints on the plants' reproductive success. To explore this general hypothesis, we used as a modelMatthiola livida(Delile) DC. (Brassicaceae), a common native plant species in arid regions of the Middle East. We first tested whether water shortage and insect herbivory, inflicted by whiteflies,Bemisia tabaci(Gennadius) (Hemiptera: Aleyrodidae), caused stress inM. livida, based on the change in carbohydrates and starch content, and examined whether the plants produced distinct volatile composition in response to these stressors. Then, we tested whether bumblebees,Bombus terrestris(L.) (Hymenoptera: Apidae), common pollinators ofM. livida, were able to differentiate between plants suffering from water shortage and insect herbivory based only on volatile emission. We found that both water shortage and insect herbivory caused stress in the plants. We also found that the plants produced a distinct volatile composition in relation to the specific stress they were exposed to. Specifically, in comparison to control plants, insect herbivory increased the amounts of volatile alkanes, aldehydes, and alcohols, and reduced the amounts of esters, benzenoids, and phenylpropanoids. Water shortage reduced the amount of aldehyde volatiles and increased the amount of alcohol volatiles. Moreover, using choice experiments, we found that bumblebees differentiated between stressed and non‐stressed plants based on their volatile compositions, and preferred less stressed ones. Our study indicated that pollinators may use floral volatiles in their foraging decisions and are highly sensitive to variation in the plant conditions. This suggests that volatile cues may create a constraint on the ability of the plants to secure their reproductive success in arid habitats, that are added to the direct stress created by the arid conditions themselves.
Differential survival and dispersal of avian feather mites with contrasting host specificities
Authors: Matthews Alix E. , Barnett Cody J. , Boves Than J. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractHost specificity is a fundamental life history trait of symbionts and exists on a broad continuum from symbionts that are specific to one or a few hosts (host specialists), to those associated with multiple different host species (host generalists). However, the biological mechanisms underlying the complexity and wide variation in symbiont host specificity are poorly understood from both the symbiont and host perspectives across many symbiotic systems.Feather mites are common avian symbionts that vary in their host specificity from extreme host generalists to host specialists, even among species within the same genus.Here, we measured and compared survival probability and rate of dispersal to determine how these traits differ between two species of feather mites in the same genus: one host generalist associated with 17 host species (Amerodectes ischyros) and one host specialist with only one known host (A. protonotaria).We initially predicted that the host generalist would live longer and disperse more rapidly but discovered that while the host generalist mite survived longer, the host specialist mite dispersed more quickly.The differing environmental and ecological conditions in which the hosts of these mites are associated may explain the survival and dispersal patterns we uncovered, as differential microclimates may have led to different selective pressures on each species of mite. We also noted mite behavioural observations and suggest experiments to extend our understanding of feather mite ecology and evolution.
Modeling Slipping Effects in a Large‐Scale Assessment with Innovative Item Formats
Authors: Cuhadar Ismail , Binici Salih 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThis study employs the 4‐parameter logistic item response theory model to account for the unexpected incorrect responses or slipping effects observed in a large‐scale Algebra 1 End‐of‐Course assessment, including several innovative item formats. It investigates whether modeling the misfit at the upper asymptote has any practical impact on the parameter estimates. With a simulation study, it also investigates the amount of bias in the parameter estimates when the slipping effects are ignored. Findings from the empirical data indicate that the impact of ignoring slipping effects is negligible when the abilities are evaluated within the context of classification of students into performance levels; however, it is present toward the extreme ends of ability continuum within the context of individual abilities. Findings from the simulations reveal that when the proportion of items with the slipping effects is small (20%), ignoring misfit does not have practical importance; however, when the proportion of items with the slipping effects is moderate to large (50%–80%), the abilities are generally underestimated at both ends of ability scale. When an upper asymptote parameter was used for modeling the slipping effects, the items became easier and more discriminative in general than the model ignoring the slipping effects.
Global increase in methane production under future warming of lake bottom waters
Authors: Jansen Joachim , Woolway Richard Iestyn , Kraemer Benjamin M. , Albergel Clément , Bastviken David , Weyhenmeyer Gesa A. , Marcé Rafael , Sharma Sapna , Sobek Sebastian , Tranvik Lars J. , Perroud Marjorie , Golub Malgorzata , Moore Tadhg N. , Råman Vinnå Love , La Fuente Sofia , Grant Luke , Pierson Don C. , Thiery Wim , Jennings Eleanor 
Published: June 2022

AbstractLakes are significant emitters of methane to the atmosphere, and thus are important components of the global methane budget. Methane is typically produced in lake sediments, with the rate of methane production being strongly temperature dependent. Local and regional studies highlight the risk of increasing methane production under future climate change, but a global estimate is not currently available. Here, we project changes in global lake bottom temperatures and sediment methane production rates from 1901 to 2099. By the end of the 21st century, lake bottom temperatures are projected to increase globally, by an average of 0.86–2.60°C under Representative Concentration Pathways (RCPs) 2.6–8.5, with greater warming projected at lower latitudes. This future warming of bottom waters will likely result in an increase in methane production rates of 13%–40% by the end of the century, with many low‐latitude lakes experiencing an increase of up to 17 times the historical (1970–1999) global average under RCP 8.5. The projected increase in methane production will likely lead to higher emissions from lakes, although the exact magnitude of the emission increase requires more detailed regional studies.
Global networks in national governance? Changes of professional expertise in Amazon environmental governance
Authors: Maglia Cristiana 
Published: June 2022

AbstractIn 2019, wildfires in the Amazon renewed international concern about Brazilian environmental policy, led by Jair Bolsonaro. As one of the biggest repositories of the world's biodiversity, the Amazon Rainforest has been a source of concern in global environmental governance. Given this salience, one would expect that domestic governance would be highly permeated by professionals with international circulation and that transnational ties would be a central target of Bolsonaro's populist nationalistic perspective. In this article, I seek to understand whether and how professionals involved in policymaking in the Brazilian Ministry of the Environment are connected to national and international organizations, by analyzing the networks of career paths of high‐ranking staff in the Rousseff, Temer and Bolsonaro administrations. The data show a consistently low percentage of ties between professionals and international organizations. However, the types of international experience and knowledge that are deemed important shifted significantly under Bolsonaro.
Flexible versus committed and specific versus uniform: wholesale price contracting in a supply chain with downstream process innovation
Authors: Yan Shuangqi , Xiong Yu , Lin Zhibin , Zhou Yu 
Published: June 2022

AbstractIf buyers are asymmetric in terms of their operating costs, researchers and managers broadly agree that the supplier can optimize her/his own profit by offering the more efficient buyer a higher price. In this paper, we develop a game theoretical model to investigate the interaction between one supplier and two asymmetric buyers within a supply chain. We formulate buyers' operating costs as a function of their process innovation levels, which implies that they can reduce the unit operating cost via investments in process innovation in the long run. Our research demonstrates that the uniform wholesale price (UWP) is always preferred over the buyer‐specific wholesale price by the supplier because of the effect of innovation stimulation. The optimal timing of pricing is contingent on the level of market demand variance. If two buyers have the same ability to reduce their operating costs via process innovation, the UWP strategy forms a win‐win situation to the supplier and two buyers. Our results provide the supplier with suggestions regarding when to adopt the UWP strategy and how to enhance downstream innovation performance within the supply chain.
Transient left phrenic nerve paralysis after ethanol infusion into the vein of Marshall
Authors: Sasaki Wataru , Nakatani Yosuke , Take Yutaka , Kishi Shohei , Naito Shigeto 
Published: June 2022

AbstractAn 80‐year‐old man underwent catheter ablation for atrial tachycardia (AT), which developed after catheter ablation for atrial fibrillation. The AT was diagnosed as dual‐loop tachycardia, which included peri‐mitral and roof‐dependent ATs. An ethanol infusion into the vein of Marshall resulted in left phrenic nerve paralysis. During the procedure, the phrenic nerve paralysis was completely relieved.
Automated detection of atrial fibrillation based on vocal features analysis
Authors: Golovchiner Gregory , Glikson Michael , Swissa Moshe , Sela Yaron , Abelow Aryeh , Morelli Olga , Beker Amir 
Published: June 2022

AbstractIntroductionEarly detection of atrial fibrillation (AF) is desirable but challenging due to the often‐asymptomatic nature of AF. Known screening methods are limited and most of them depend of electrocardiography or other techniques with direct contact with the skin. Analysis of voice signals from natural speech has been reported for several applications in medicine.The study goal was to evaluate the usefulness of vocal features analysis for the detection of AF.MethodsThis prospective study was performed in two medical centers. Patients with persistent AF admitted for cardioversion were enrolled. The patients pronounced the vowels “Ahh” and “Ohh” were recorded synchronously with an ECG tracing. An algorithm was developed to provide an “AF indicator” for detection of AF from the speech signal.ResultsA total of 158 patients were recruited. The final analysis of “Ahh” and “Ohh” syllables was performed on 143 and 142 patients, respectively. The mean age was 71.4 ± 9.3 and 43% of patients were females. The developed AF indicator was reliable. Its numerical value decreased significantly in sinus rhythm (SR) after the cardioversion (“Ahh”: from 13.98 ± 3.10 to 7.49 ± 1.58; “Ohh”: from 11.39 ± 2.99 to 2.99 ± 1.61). The values at SR were significantly more homogenous compared to AF as indicated by a lower standard deviation. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was >0.98 and >0.89 (“Ahh” and “Ohh,” respectively, p < .001). The AF indicator sensitivity is 95% with 82% specificity.ConclusionThis study is the first report to demonstrate feasibility and reliability of the identification of AF episodes using voice analysis with acceptable accuracy, within the identified limitations of our study methods. The developed AF indicator has higher accuracy using the “Ahh” syllable versus “Ohh.”
Integrated analysis of pivotal biomarker of LSM1, immune cell infiltration and therapeutic drugs in breast cancer
Authors: Tzeng Yen‐Dun Tony , Tsui Kuan‐Hao , Tseng Ling‐Ming , Hou Ming‐Feng , Chu Pei‐Yi , Sheu Jim Jinn‐Chyuan , Li Chia‐Jung 
Published: June 2022

AbstractThe discovery of early diagnosis and prognostic markers for breast cancer can significantly improve survival and reduce mortality. LSM1 is known to be involved in the general process of mRNA degradation in complexes containing LSm subunits, but the molecular and biological functions in breast cancer remain unclear. Here, the expression of LSM1 mRNA in breast cancer was estimated using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Oncomine, TIMER and bc‐GenExMiner databases. We found that functional LSM1 inactivation caused by mutations and profound deletions predicted poor prognosis in breast cancer (BRCA) patients. LSM1 was highly expressed in both BRCA tissues and cells compared to normal breast tissues/cells. High LSM1 expression is associated with poorer overall survival and disease‐free survival. The association between LSM1 and immune infiltration of breast cancer was assessed by TIMER and CIBERSORT algorithms. LSM1 showed a strong correlation with various immune marker sets. Most importantly, pharmacogenetic analysis of BRCA cell lines revealed that LSM1 inactivation was associated with increased sensitivity to refametinib and trametinib. However, both drugs could mimic the effects of LSM1 inhibition and their drug sensitivity was associated with MEK molecules. Therefore, we investigated the clinical application of LSM1 to provide a basis for sensitive diagnosis, prognosis and targeted treatment of breast cancer.
Correlated evolution between orb weaver glue droplets and supporting fibres maintains their distinct biomechanical roles in adhesion
Authors: Kelly Sean D. , Opell Brent D. , Correa‐Garwhal Sandra M. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractOrb weaving spiders employ a ‘silken toolkit’ to accomplish a range of tasks, including retaining prey that strike their webs. This is accomplished by a viscous capture spiral thread that features tiny glue droplets, supported by a pair of elastic flagelliform fibres. Each droplet contains a glycoprotein core responsible for adhesion. However, prey retention relies on the integrated performance of multiple glue droplets and their supporting fibres, with previous studies demonstrating that a suspension bridge forms, whose biomechanics sum the adhesive forces of multiple droplets while dissipating the energy of the struggling insect. While the interdependence of the droplet's glycoprotein and flagelliform fibres for functional adhesion is acknowledged, there has been no direct test of this hypothesized linkage between the material properties of each component. Spider mass, which differs greatly across orb weaving species, also has the potential to affect flagelliform fibre and glycoprotein material properties. Previous studies have linked spider mass to capture thread performance but have not examined the relationship between spider mass and thread material properties. We extend earlier studies to examine these relationships in 16 orb weaving species using phylogenetic generalized least squares. This analysis revealed that glycoprotein stiffness (elastic modulus) was correlated with flagelliform fibre stiffness, and that spider mass was related to the glycoprotein volume, flagelliform fibre cross‐sectional area and droplets per unit thread length. By shaping the elastic moduli of glycoprotein adhesive and flagelliform fibres, natural selection has maintained the biomechanical integration of this adhesive system.
Functional and cognitive outcomes after suprapubic catheter placement in nursing home residents: A national cohort study
Authors: Chou Wesley H. , Covinsky Kenneth , Zhao Shoujun , Boscardin W. John , Finlayson Emily , Suskind Anne M. 
Published: June 2022

AbstractBackgroundLong‐term functional and cognitive outcomes in nursing home residents after procedures are poorly understood. Our objective was to evaluate these outcomes after suprapubic tube (SPT) placement.MethodsWe performed a retrospective, cohort study in the nursing home setting. Participants were long‐term nursing home residents who underwent SPT placement from 2014 to 2016 in the United States. SPT placements were identified in Medicare Inpatient, Outpatient, and Carrier files using International Classification of Diseases and Current Procedural Terminology codes. Residents were identified through the Minimum Data Set (MDS) 3.0 for Nursing Home Residents. MDS Activities of Daily Living (MDS‐ADL) and Brief Interview for Mental Status (BIMS) scores were used to assess function and cognition, respectively. Outcomes of interest were worsening MDS‐ADL and BIMS scores at 1 year postoperatively, 30‐day postoperative complications, and 1‐year mortality. Functional and cognitive trajectories were modeled to 1 year postoperatively using mixed‐effect spline models.ResultsFrom 2014 to 2016, 9647 residents with a mean age of 80.9 (SD 8.1) years underwent SPT placement. At 1 year postoperatively, 37.6% of residents died, while of survivors, 33.7% had worsening MDS‐ADL and 36.2% worsened BIMS. Residents had steeper postoperative rates of functional decline compared to relatively stable preoperative trends that never recovered to baseline status. However, robustly characterizing an association between SPT placement and functional decline would require a propensity score matched cohort without SPT placement. Decline in cognitive status was not clearly associated with SPT placement, suggesting either the natural course of a vulnerable population or limitations of BIMS scores.ConclusionsOutcomes important to older adults, such as functional ability and cognitive status, do not show improvement after SPT placement. These findings emphasize that this “minor” procedure should be considered with caution in this population and primarily for palliation.
Thoracolumbar stenosis and neurologic symptoms: Quantitative MRI in achondroplasia
Authors: Calandrelli Rosalinda , Pilato Fabio , Massimi Luca , Onesimo Roberta , D'Apolito Gabriella , Tenore Lorenzo , Leoni Chiara , Zampino Giuseppe , Colosimo Cesare 
Published: June 2022

AbstractBackground and PurposeWhole‐spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies, to identify structural abnormalities associated with the development of symptomatic spinal stenosis in achondroplasia.MethodsForty‐two subjects with achondroplasia were grouped into four age‐related categories. Congenital spinal deformities (vertebral body and disc height, interpedicular distance), acquired spinal degenerative changes, thoracic kyphotic (TK) angle, thoracolumbar kyphotic (TLK) angle, spinal canal widths were evaluated by MRI.ResultsPatients in the first three groups were asymptomatic and younger (group 1: 4.4 ± 0.78 years; group 2: 8.18 ± 0.60 years; group 3: 10.95 ± 0.93 years) than the symptomatic group (group 4: 23 ± 1.30 years). Patients showed height of vertebral bodies, whole canal width, and average lumbar interpedicular distance reduced. Discs degeneration was more pronounced in the lumbar region and in symptomatic adult patients. TK and TLK angles showed a positive correlation with age (p < .05, r = .42; p < .05, r = .41), whereas thoracic and thoracolumbar canal width had a negative correlation (p < .05, r = −.69; p < .05, r = −.58). A negative correlation between lumbar discs degeneration and canal width was found only at L1‐L3 level (p < .05, r = −.35). At L1‐L3, the canal width cutoff value of .59 allowed the differentiation between asymptomatic and symptomatic patients (area under the curve of .966, p < .0001).ConclusionIn achondroplasia, the spinal canal narrowing, due to accelerated degenerative changes, is a predisposing factor of symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis. Lumbar canal MRI is a helpful tool to detect the risk of the development of neurological symptoms; in adult patients, a stenosis higher than 60% of upper lumbar canal could be a critical value for the onset of neurological symptoms.
Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide affects the angiogenic function of endothelial progenitor cells via Akt/FoxO1 signaling
Authors: Deng Hui , Gong Yixuan , Chen Yuan , Zhang Guigui , Chen Hui , Cheng Tianfan , Jin Lijian , Wang Yi 
Published: June 2022

AbstractAimsEndothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) function as the angiogenic switch of many physiological and pathological conditions. We aimed to investigate the effects of Porphyromonas gingivalis lipopolysaccharide on the angiogenic capacity of EPCs and delineate the underlying mechanisms.Materials and MethodsEPCs were isolated from human umbilical blood. CCK‐8 assay was undertaken to analyze the cell viability. The migration and tube formation capacity were assessed by wound healing and tube formation, respectively. The protein expression of Akt/p‐Akt, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS)/p‐eNOS, and Forkhead box O1 (FoxO1)/p‐FoxO1 was determined by Western blot. The intracellular localization of FoxO1 was evaluated by immunofluorescent staining.ResultsP. gingivalis LPS at 10 μg/ml significantly increased the viability (10.9 ± 2.9%), migration (16.3 ± 3.1%), and tube formation (38.6 ± 5.5%) of EPCs, along with increased phosphorylation of Akt, eNOS, and FoxO1. Mechanistically, Akt inhibition by specific inhibitor wortmannin and FoxO1 forced expression by adenovirus transfection in EPCs markedly attenuated the P. gingivalis LPS‐induced eNOS activation, tube formation, and migration. Moreover, P. gingivalis LPS‐induced phosphorylation and nuclear exclusion of FoxO1 were blunted by Akt inhibition.ConclusionsThe present study suggests that P. gingivalis LPS could affect the angiogenic function of EPCs through the Akt/FoxO1 signaling. The current findings may shed light on the clinical association of periodontitis with aberrant angiogenesis seen in atherosclerotic plaque rupture.
The secreted ribonuclease T2 protein FoRnt2 contributes to Fusarium oxysporum virulence
Authors: Qian Hengwei , Wang Lulu , Wang Baoshan , Liang Wenxing 
Published: June 2022

AbstractSecreted RNase proteins have been reported from only a few pathogens, and relatively little is known about their biological functions. Fusarium oxysporum is a soilborne fungal pathogen that causes Fusarium wilt, one of the most important diseases on tomato. During the infection of F. oxysporum, some proteins are secreted that modulate host plant immunity and promote pathogen invasion. In this study, we identify an RNase, FoRnt2, from the F. oxysporum secretome that belongs to the ribonuclease T2 family. FoRnt2 possesses an N‐terminal signal peptide and can be secreted from F. oxysporum. FoRnt2 exhibited ribonuclease activity and was able to degrade the host plant total RNA in vitro dependent on the active site residues H80 and H142. Deletion of the FoRnt2 gene reduced fungal virulence but had no obvious effect on mycelial growth and conidial production. The expression of FoRnt2 in tomato significantly enhanced plant susceptibility to pathogens. These data indicate that FoRnt2 is an important contributor to the virulence of F. oxysporum, possibly through the degradation of plant RNA.