bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Differences in population size structures characterize grass response to long‐term livestock removal
Authors: Nota Ginevra , Anselmetto Nicolò , Gorlier Alessandra , McClaran Mitchel P. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractQuestionsHow does desert grassland vegetation respond to long‐term grazing removal? Is grass response the result of differences in the number or the size of plants? Does the response differ over time and in relation to precipitation patterns?LocationSanta Rita Experimental Range, southwestern United States.MethodsFour times between 2011 and 2020, we measured the cover of woody plants and native and non‐native perennial grasses, and the density, size, and biomass of individual perennial grasses on 40 permanent transects inside and outside 10 long‐term (88–104 years old) livestock exclosures (0.1–4.0 ha) occurring on the same ecological site. We used linear mixed models to compare vegetation variables in grazed vs ungrazed transects through time and calculated the cumulative frequency distributions of grass plant diameters.ResultsThe cover of woody plants did not differ by grazing treatment. Instead, the exclosures had a greater cover, density, and biomass of native grasses and cover and biomass of the most abundant native grass Arizona cottontop (Digitaria californica). Moreover, ungrazed populations of natives and Arizona cottontop showed a plant size structure skewed to larger sizes. Non‐native grasses showed no differences between grazing treatments. Patterns of inter‐annual precipitation influenced woody and grass plant abundance, but not their response to livestock removal.ConclusionsLong‐term grazing removal in desert grasslands affected native grass abundance, but not that of non‐native grasses and woody plants. Response of native grasses to livestock removal was characterized more by plant size rather than the number of plants, and, importantly, the population size structure skewed to smaller plants in grazed areas suggests that grazing limits plant vigor and longevity. Absence of a non‐native grass response likely reflects lower palatability and greater grazing resistance of non‐natives. Absence of woody plant response is due to their low palatability and the permeability of exclosures to seed dispersal.
Interactive technology use and child development: A systematic review
Authors: Arabiat Diana , Al Jabery Mohammad , Robinson Sue , Whitehead Lisa , Mörelius Evalotte 
Published: November 2022

AbstractBackgroundThere is mixed evidence regarding the impact of interactive digital devices on child development. Tentatively some studies suggested that the use of digital devices may correlate negatively with language, executive function, and motor skills. However, attempts to amalgamate this evidence has been limited related to the available number of experimental and cohort studies that have evaluated the impact of digital technology use on child development. We conducted this review to determine the impact of interactive digital devices on child development among children aged 7 years or younger. Interactive technology has been defined as methods, tools, or devices that users interact with in order to achieve specific tasks.Data sourceTo carry out this systematic review, databases CINAHL, MEDLINE, Embase, PsychINFO, Scopus and Google Scholar were searched for relevant studies.Study selectionWe used the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology for systematic reviews.Data extractionData extraction and synthesis was carried out by two reviewers and checked by a third reviewer. Studies were stratified into tiers depending on the level of evidence provided and the domain of development assessed.ResultsFifty‐three studies were eligible for inclusion in the review, 39 Tier 1 (randomized controlled trials and quasi‐experimental studies) and 16 Tier 2 (descriptive studies). Children's use of interactive digital technology was positively associated with receptive language and executive function and negatively associated or unrelated to motor proficiency. Other critical aspects informing the evidence, such as dose of exposure, intensity, or duration, were inconsistently reported, making estimates of exposure tentative and imprecise.ConclusionThe studies included in this review were predominantly correlational or comparative in nature and focuses on cognitive domains of learning rather than a specific developmental outcome. It is difficult to generalize our findings beyond the digital devices or applications that have been evaluated by earlier studies. The contextual factors that may moderate the relationship require elaboration in future studies.
The impact of genetic variability in urate transporters on oxypurinol pharmacokinetics
Authors: Hishe Hailemichael Z. , Stocker Sophie L. , Stamp Lisa K. , Dalbeth Nicola , Merriman Tony R. , Phipps‐Green Amanda , Wright Daniel F. B. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractThe genetic determinants of the allopurinol dose‐concentration relationship have not been extensively studied. We aimed to clarify what factors, including genetic variation in urate transporters, influence oxypurinol pharmacokinetics (PKs). A population PK model for oxypurinol was developed with NONMEM (version 7.3). The influence of urate transporter genetic variants for ABCG2 (rs2231142 and rs10011796), SLC2A9/GLUT9 (rs11942223), SLC17A1/NPT1 (rs1183201), SLC22A12/URAT1 (rs3825018), SLC22A11/OAT4 (rs17300741), and ABCC4/MRP4 (rs4148500), as well as other participant factors on oxypurinol PKs was assessed. Data from 325 people with gout were available. The presence of the T allele for ABCG2 (rs2231142) and SLC17A1/NPT1 (rs1183201) was associated with a 24% and 22% increase in oxypurinol clearance, respectively, in univariate analysis. This effect was not significant in the multivariate analysis. In the final model, oxypurinol PKs were predicted by creatinine clearance, diuretic use, ethnicity, and body weight. We have found that genetic variability in the transporters examined does not appear to influence oxypurinol PKs.
Organ‐specific effects on target binding due to knockout of thyroid hormone receptor α during Xenopus metamorphosis
Authors: Tanizaki Yuta , Zhang Hongen , Shibata Yuki , Shi Yun‐Bo 
Published: November 2022

AbstractThyroid hormone (T3) is essential for normal development and metabolism, especially during postembryonic development, a period around birth in mammals when plasma T3 levels reach their peak. T3 functions through two T3 receptors, TRα and TRβ. However, little is known about the tissue‐specific functions of TRs during postembryonic development because of maternal influence and difficulty in manipulation of mammalian models. We have studied Xenopus tropicalis metamorphosis as a model for human postembryonic development. By using TRα knockout (Xtr·thratmshi) tadpoles, we have previously shown that TRα is important for T3‐dependent intestinal remodeling and hindlimb development but not tail resorption during metamorphosis. Here, we have identified genes bound by TR in premetamorphic wild‐type and Xtr·thratmshi tails with or without T3 treatment by using chromatin immunoprecipitation–sequencing and compared them with those in the intestine and hindlimb. Compared to other organs, the tail has much fewer genes bound by TR or affected by TRα knockout. Bioinformatic analyses revealed that among the genes bound by TR in wild‐type but not Xtr·thratmshi organs, fewer gene ontology (GO) terms or biological pathways related to metamorphosis were enriched in the tail compared to those in the intestine and hindlimb. This difference likely underlies the drastic effects of TRα knockout on the metamorphosis of the intestine and hindlimb but not the tail. Thus, TRα has tissue‐specific roles in regulating T3‐dependent anuran metamorphosis by directly targeting the pathways and GO terms important for metamorphosis.
Family's roles as a welfare pillar: The case of older persons living in extreme poverty in Bangladesh
Authors: Akram Owasim , Maîtrot Mathilde 
Published: November 2022

SummaryMotivationMany mainstream welfare theories developed by social scientists and applied by economists and policy‐makers underestimate families' roles in providing welfare to citizens. This is surprising given that the family constitutes one of the main welfare pillars across typologies of the welfare state.PurposeThis article seeks to explore the role of the family as a welfare pillar with an ageing perspective. We aimed to test whether the family serves as a space for negotiations to improve wellbeing and achieve security in the absence of effective formal mechanismsMethods and approachApplying the framework of “informal security regimes,” this article draws on 37 life‐history interviews collected from older persons living in extreme poverty in Bangladesh. Recurring themes are identified and analysed to explore the relationship between family and wellbeing/security.FindingsWe find that family relationships are often central in the pursuit of security. This shows how welfare delivery in low and middle‐income countries (LMICs), in this case Bangladesh, is deeply rooted in reciprocal family systems where all members actively fulfil moral and material expectations. Pursuing this collective goal can take different forms relative to each member's physical and mental capacity, position, gender, and age. Building on the empirical evidence, we propose the concept of “relational security” as a crucial marker and shaper of wellbeing.Policy implicationsTo be effective, welfare policies need to better consider how the conception and experiences of wellbeing and security, especially for the older persons living in extreme poverty, are deeply embedded within the complex functioning of the relationships that can shape welfare outcomes in different directions.
Residual effects of intra‐articular betamethasone and triamcinolone acetonide in an equine acute synovitis model
Authors: Partridge Emma , Adam Emma , Wood Courtney , Parker Jordan , Johnson Mackenzie , Horohov David , Page Allen 
Published: November 2022

AbstractBackgroundIntra‐articular (IA) corticosteroids are regularly used in equine athletes for the control of joint inflammation.ObjectivesThe goal of this study was to use an acute synovitis inflammation model to determine the residual effects of IA betamethasone and triamcinolone acetonide on various inflammatory parameters and lameness.Study designCrossover randomised trial.MethodsFive mixed‐breed, 2‐year‐old horses were randomly allocated to an IA treatment of the radiocarpal joint with 9 mg of either betamethasone or triamcinolone acetonide. Two weeks following treatment, horses were injected with 1 μg of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) diluted in 1 ml of saline. Following LPS injection, horses were crossed‐over and both sets of injections were repeated after a washout period. Blood samples were collected at multiple time points for mRNA analysis, as well as serum amyloid A (SAA) and cortisol determination. At each time point, lameness was also subjectively scored. Additional injections with saline‐only or LPS‐only (twice) were conducted as negative and positive controls, respectively. Two‐way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to analyse all data.ResultsCorticosteroid‐only treatments result in significant mRNA expression differences, as well as significant and prolonged cortisol suppression. Following LPS injection, there was a residual treatment effect with triamcinolone evidenced by a significant treatment effect on IL‐6 and PTGS1 (cyclooxygenase‐1), lameness, SAA and cortisol concentrations, while only IL‐6 expression was affected by betamethasone.Main limitationsThe acute synovitis model used here results in significant inflammation and is not representative of the low‐grade inflammation seen with typical joint disease and residual anti‐inflammatory effects may be more profound in naturally occurring joint disease.ConclusionsCurrent regulatory guidelines may be insufficient if the concern is residual anti‐inflammatory effects. Additionally, intra‐articular corticosteroid administration is not without risk, as evidenced by a significant suppression of serum cortisol concentration and, as such, the benefits of their administration should be weighed against those risks.
Experimental study of fatigue load effect on the hydraulic fracturing behavior of granite
Authors: Su Xiaoli , Li Diyuan , Zhu Quanqi , Ma Jinyin 
Published: November 2022

AbstractRock masses around fluid injection projects are usually subject to complex stress states, including hydraulic pressure, in situ stresses, and fatigue loads. Thus, a series of hydraulic fracturing experiments were performed on granite to simulate such stress states using the true triaxial dynamic testing system. Computed tomographic (CT) imaging was performed to identify the fatigue effects on hydraulic fractures. The results indicate that the increasing amplitudes of cyclic load applied on the minimum principal stress direction will change fracture initiation pressure and generate nonplanar and narrow fractures. When the disturbance direction was changed to the intermediate principal stress, the higher amplitude corresponds to the lower breakdown pressure and the shorter pressurize duration and leads to wider fractures. With the increasing disturbance frequency, complex fatigue cracks were generated, which might weaken the rock strength. The present experiments can enhance the understanding of the hazard of fatigue loads on hydraulic fracturing.
Quantifying long‐term phenological patterns of aerial insectivores roosting in the Great Lakes region using weather surveillance radar
Authors: Deng Yuting , Belotti Maria Carolina T. D. , Zhao Wenlong , Cheng Zezhou , Perez Gustavo , Tielens Elske , Simons Victoria F. , Sheldon Daniel R. , Maji Subhransu , Kelly Jeffrey F. , Horton Kyle G. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractOrganisms have been shifting their timing of life history events (phenology) in response to changes in the emergence of resources induced by climate change. Yet understanding these patterns at large scales and across long time series is often challenging. Here we used the US weather surveillance radar network to collect data on the timing of communal swallow and martin roosts and evaluate the scale of phenological shifts and its potential association with temperature. The discrete morning departures of these aggregated aerial insectivores from ground‐based roosting locations are detected by radars around sunrise. For the first time, we applied a machine learning algorithm to automatically detect and track these large‐scale behaviors. We used 21 years of data from 12 weather surveillance radar stations in the Great Lakes region to quantify the phenology in roosting behavior of aerial insectivores at three spatial levels: local roost cluster, radar station, and across the Great Lakes region. We show that their peak roosting activity timing has advanced by 2.26 days per decade at the regional scale. Similar signals of advancement were found at the station scale, but not at the local roost cluster scale. Air temperature trends in the Great Lakes region during the active roosting period were predictive of later stages of roosting phenology trends (75% and 90% passage dates). Our study represents one of the longest‐term broad‐scale phenology examinations of avian aerial insectivore species responding to environmental change and provides a stepping stone for examining potential phenological mismatches across trophic levels at broad spatial scales.
Effect of population size and selection on Toll‐like receptor diversity in populations of Galápagos mockingbirds
Authors: Vlček Jakub , Miláček Matěj , Vinkler Michal , Štefka Jan 
Published: November 2022

AbstractThe interactions of evolutionary forces are difficult to analyse in free‐living populations. However, when properly understood, they provide valuable insights into evolutionary biology and conservation genetics. This is particularly important for the interplay of genetic drift and natural selection in immune genes that confer resistance to disease. The Galápagos Islands are inhabited by four closely related species of mockingbirds (Mimus spp.). We used 12 different‐sized populations of Galápagos mockingbirds and one population of their continental relative northern mockingbird (Mimus polyglottos) to study the effects of genetic drift on the molecular evolution of immune genes, the Toll‐like receptors (TLRs: TLR1B, TLR4 and TLR15). We found that neutral genetic diversity was positively correlated with island size, indicating an important effect of genetic drift. However, for TLR1B and TLR4, there was little correlation between functional (e.g., protein) diversity and island size, and protein structural properties were largely conserved, indicating only a limited effect of genetic drift on molecular phenotype. By contrast, TLR15 was less conserved and even its putative functional polymorphism correlated with island size. The patterns observed for the three genes suggest that genetic drift does not necessarily dominate selection even in relatively small populations, but that the final outcome depends on the degree of selection constraint that is specific for each TLR locus.
Anticoagulant effects of rivaroxaban, prednisone, alone and in combination, in healthy dogs
Authors: Hafner Paige M. , Mackin Andrew J. , Wills Robert W. , Brooks Marjory B. , Thomason John M. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractBackgroundThe potential effects of glucocorticoid administration on rivaroxaban's anticoagulant bioactivity in dogs, and an appropriate rivaroxaban dosage regimen for dogs receiving glucocorticoid therapy are unknown.Hypothesis/ObjectivesThe objective was to determine whether glucocorticoid administration influences the anticoagulant effects of rivaroxaban in healthy dogs. We hypothesized that administration of rivaroxaban and prednisone would reduce the anticoagulant intensity compared with rivaroxaban alone.AnimalsNine healthy dogs.MethodsRandomized, cross‐over study. Dogs were administered prednisone (2 mg/kg, PO, q24h), rivaroxaban (1.5 mg/kg, PO, q24h), or prednisone and rivaroxaban, and the coagulation status was evaluated using prothrombin time (PT), and rivaroxaban‐calibrated anti‐Xa activity (RIVA, results were log10 transformed for analysis), before drug administration and on days 2, 4, and 8. Linear mixed models and correlation were used to evaluate associations in variables (P < .05 was considered significant).ResultsThere were no differences in RIVA results for the rivaroxaban and prednisone/rivaroxaban groups on day 8 (P = .599, median 87 [range 45‐156] to 167 [56‐333], respectively, median difference 90 ng/mL [95% CI:87.3‐161.8]) There was a strong correlation between RIVA and PT results when days 2, 4, and 8 were combined (r = .846, P < .001), and increased during drug administration, day 2 (r = .810, P < .001), day 4 (r = .863, P < .001), and day 8 (r = .885, P < .001).Conclusions and Clinical ImportanceClotting times in the PT correlate with rivaroxaban levels and may prove useful for drug monitoring. Prednisone administration had no apparent influence on the anticoagulant effects of rivaroxaban in healthy dogs, suggesting that combined therapy will not require dosage adjustments.
Development of a novel head and neck squamous cell carcinoma prognostic signature by bulk/single‐cell sequencing data integration
Authors: Dai Yibin , Li Jin , Huang Rong , Yao Qin , Shi Yawei , Guo Songsong , Wang Yanling , Cheng Jie 
Published: November 2022

AbstractBackgroundIdentifying cell subpopulations conferring unfavorable prognosis in cancer holds clinical significance. Here, we sought to identify prognostic cell subsets and develop a novel, prognostic signature for head neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC).MethodsHighly prognostic cell subpopulations in HNSCC were identified by integrating single‐cell and bulk transcriptomic datasets. The prognostic signature and nomogram were developed by least absolute shrinkage and selection operator and multivariate Cox regression analyses based on significantly upregulated genes in this specific cell subpopulation, respectively. The qRT‐PCR experiments were utilized for independent validation in our patient cohort.ResultsA specific cancer cell subset associated with unfavorable prognoses was identified. Functional dissections revealed that its transcriptional programs were significantly enriched in E2F, epithelial‐to‐mesenchymal transition, and glycolysis. A novel prognostic signature comprising six genes was developed and further validated. Risk scores based on qRT‐PCR data robustly stratified patients into subgroups with distinct prognoses. A nomogram integrated from this signature and clinical stage had superior performance.ConclusionOur model derived from integrative analyses of single‐cell and bulk RNA‐sequencing is a novel, robust prognostic biomarker for HNSCC.
Sequencing of Camelina neglecta, a diploid progenitor of the hexaploid oilseed Camelina sativa
Authors: Chaudhary Raju , Koh Chu Shin , Perumal Sampath , Jin Lingling , Higgins Erin E. , Kagale Sateesh , Smith Mark A. , Sharpe Andrew G. , Parkin Isobel A. P. 
Published: November 2022

SummaryCamelina neglecta is a diploid species from the genus Camelina, which includes the versatile oilseed Camelina sativa. These species are closely related to Arabidopsis thaliana and the economically important Brassica crop species, making this genus a useful platform to dissect traits of agronomic importance while providing a tool to study the evolution of polyploids. A highly contiguous chromosome‐level genome sequence of C. neglecta with an N50 size of 29.1 Mb was generated utilizing Pacific Biosciences (PacBio, Menlo Park, CA) long‐read sequencing followed by chromosome conformation phasing. Comparison of the genome with that of C. sativa shows remarkable coincidence with subgenome 1 of the hexaploid, with only one major chromosomal rearrangement separating the two. Synonymous substitution rate analysis of the predicted 34 061 genes suggested subgenome 1 of C. sativa directly descended from C. neglecta around 1.2 mya. Higher functional divergence of genes in the hexaploid as evidenced by the greater number of unique orthogroups, and differential composition of resistant gene analogs, might suggest an immediate adaptation strategy after genome merger. The absence of genome bias in gene fractionation among the subgenomes of C. sativa in comparison with C. neglecta, and the complete lack of fractionation of meiosis‐specific genes attests to the neopolyploid status of C. sativa. The assembled genome will provide a tool to further study genome evolution processes in the Camelina genus and potentially allow for the identification and exploitation of novel variation for Camelina crop improvement.
Ask and They Will Listen: Economic Justice, Political Agency, and a Right to Health in Uganda
Authors: Boyd Lydia 
Published: November 2022

AbstractOver the last two decades, courts have emerged as increasingly important fields of struggle in the fight for maternal health rights. While the success of litigation has been celebrated as a sign of the strength of rights‐based platforms as advocacy tools, critics of this approach have highlighted how these cases may do little to permanently address the systemic inequality that drives poor maternal health outcomes. Such critiques highlight persistent questions regarding the efficacy of human rights to address issues of economic inequality. This article explores these tensions by examining a legal case and associated advocacy for health rights in Uganda. By drawing on Ugandan political norms that emphasize the ways rights are collective and shaped by mutual obligations, activists have helped to draw the state back into debates over resource allocation even as neoliberal reforms have worked to sideline state investment in healthcare in the region. This article explores how African cultural frameworks for political advocacy may be effective in positioning the problem of economic inequality as a human rights issue in ways Western frameworks have not been.