bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Treatment‐emergent hypertension and efficacy in the phase 3 Study of (E7080) lenvatinib in differentiated cancer of the thyroid (SELECT)
Authors: Wirth Lori J. , Tahara Makoto , Robinson Bruce , Francis Sanjeev , Brose Marcia S. , Habra Mouhammed Amir , Newbold Kate , Kiyota Naomi , Dutcus Corina E. , Mathias Elton , Guo Matthew , Sherman Steven I. , Schlumberger Martin
Published: April 2018

BACKGROUND

Hypertension (HTN) is an established class effect of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor (VEGFR) inhibition. In the phase 3 Study of (E7080) Lenvatinib in Differentiated Cancer of the Thyroid (SELECT) trial, HTN was the most frequent adverse event of lenvatinib, an inhibitor of VEGFR1, VEGFR2, VEGFR3, fibroblast growth factor receptor 1 (FGFR1), FGFR2, FGFR3, FGFR4, platelet‐derived growth factor receptor α (PDGFRα), ret proto‐oncogene (RET), and stem cell factor receptor (KIT). This exploratory analysis examined treatment‐emergent hypertension (TE‐HTN) and its relation with lenvatinib efficacy and safety in SELECT.

METHODS

In the multicenter, double‐blind SELECT trial, 392 patients with progressive radioiodine‐refractory differentiated thyroid cancer (RR‐DTC) were randomized 2:1 to lenvatinib (24 mg/d on a 28‐day cycle) or placebo. Survival endpoints were assessed with Kaplan‐Meier estimates and log‐rank tests. The influence of TE‐HTN on progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) was analyzed with univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models.

RESULTS

Overall, 73% of lenvatinib‐treated patients and 15% of placebo‐treated patients experienced TE‐HTN. The median PFS for lenvatinib‐treated patients with (n = 190) and without TE‐HTN (n = 71) was 18.8 and 12.9 months, respectively (hazard ratio [HR], 0.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.39‐0.88; P = .0085). For lenvatinib‐treated patients, the objective response rate was 69% with TE‐HTN and 56% without TE‐HTN (odds ratio, 1.72; 95% CI, 0.98‐3.01). The median change in tumor size for patients with and without TE‐HTN was −45% and −40%, respectively (P = .2). The median OS was not reached for patients with TE‐HTN; for those without TE‐HTN, it was 21.7 months (HR, 0.43; 95% CI, 0.27‐0.69; P = .0003).

CONCLUSIONS

Although HTN is a clinically significant adverse event that warrants monitoring and management, TE‐HTN was significantly correlated with improved outcomes in patients with RR‐DTC, indicating that HTN may be predictive for lenvatinib efficacy in this population. Cancer 2018;124:2365‐72. © 2018 American Cancer Society.
A strategy toward spectral and colorimetric color reproduction using ordinary digital cameras
Authors: Maali Amiri Morteza , Fairchild Mark D
Published: April 2018

In this work, a methodology is introduced to use ordinary digital RGB cameras for the purpose of spectral and colorimetric color reproduction. First, it is attempted to recover the spectral reflectance from RGB camera response using different approaches, among which, it is shown that weighted nonlinear regression as performed better than other approaches. After analyzing the results, it is realized that although spectrally the results are satisfactory, there is still a significant colorimetric error left, that should be addressed. Therefore, in the second part of the article, different linear and nonlinear matrix transforms are used to change the RGB camera response to CIEXYZ tristimulus values under a specific condition. It is concluded that colorimetric error of the recovery can be reduced significantly when a separate path is used for colorimetric color reproduction.
Impact of fluorescent whitening agent excitation on White Balance Algorithms
Authors: Chen Siyuan , Wei Minchen
Published: April 2018

Various white balance algorithms, based either on the Gray World assumption or on the Retinex theory, have been developed to remove the color cast of illumination in images. Though most man‐made white objects contain different amount of fluorescent whitening agents (FWAs) to enhance and create different degrees of whiteness appearance, the FWA excitation has seldom been considered in white balance algorithms. In this study, four illuminants, comprising 2 levels of CCT and 2 levels of UV/violet radiations, were produced to illuminate a setup, which included a Macbeth ColorChecker and a calibrated whiteness standard. Three whiteness standards containing different amount of FWAs were used under each illuminant, with one present each time. It was found the FWA excitation generally caused little color difference to the algorithms based on the Gray World assumption, which was likely due to the small size of the whiteness standard in the image. In contrast, the performance of the algorithms based on the Retinex theory was largely affected by the FWA excitation, as the FWA excitation affected the RGB values of the pixels for adjusting the gain factors. Given the wide usage of blue‐pumped white LEDs that contained little UV/violet radiation for enhancing luminous efficacy in general illumination, the impact of the FWAs is not trivial and should be considered in developing white balance algorithms.
Large dataset summarization with automatic parameter optimization and parallel processing for local outlier detection
Authors: Shou Zhaoyu , Li Simin
Published: April 2018

As one of the most important research problems of data analytics and data mining, outlier detection from large datasets has drawn many research attentions in recent years. In this paper, we investigate the interesting research problem of summarizing large datasets for supporting efficient local outlier detection. To summarize large datasets, efficient summarization algorithms are proposed that produce a highly compact summary of the original dataset, which can be applied to detect local outliers from future similar datasets. A novel automatic parameter optimization method is proposed to produce the optimal setup of the key parameters used in the summarization algorithm. Parallel processing methods are also proposed to accelerate significantly the summarization process. The experimental evaluation results demonstrate that our proposed algorithms are highly scalable for large datasets and effective in producing dataset summary for local outlier detection.
Distributed geometric nonnegative matrix factorization and hierarchical alternating least squares–based nonnegative tensor factorization with the MapReduce paradigm
Authors: Zdunek Rafał , Fonał Krzysztof
Published: April 2018

Nonnegative matrix factorization and its multilinear extension known as nonnegative tensor factorization are commonly used methods in machine learning and data analysis for feature extraction and dimensionality reduction for nonnegative high‐dimensional data. Dimensionality reduction for massive amounts of data usually involves distributed computation across multi‐node computer architectures. In this study, we propose various computational strategies for parallel and distributed computation of the latent factors in both factorization models, all of which are based on partitioning the computational tasks according to the MapReduce paradigm. We extend the previously reported distributed hierarchical alternating least squares algorithm to the multi‐way array factorization model, where we assume that the observed multi‐way data can be partitioned into chunks along one mode. Moreover, we propose a new geometry‐based distributed computational strategy for solving nonnegative matrix factorization problems. Numerical experiments performed using various large‐scale data sets demonstrated that these algorithms are efficient and robust to noisy data.
Cloud access control authentication system using dynamic accelerometers data
Authors: Zhu Biaokai , Zhao Jumin , Li Dengao , Wang Hong , Bai Ruiqin , Li Yanxia , Wu Hao
Published: April 2018

The main challenge of access control system is how to allow authorized users to access quickly and accurately. In reality, most access control system cannot run smoothly with the adverse impact of a security problem, it is because the access control card is easy to duplicate. To improve system security, recent efforts introduced biological technologies, such as fingerprint identification, facial recognition, and iris recognition. However, these methods are costly for installation and later maintenance. In this paper, we introduce a cloud access control system that employs the ability of sensing acceleration of Wireless Identification and Sensing Platform (WISP) tags combined with customized motions. Users are allowed to pass the access control system only if they operate user‐defined motions correctly. Authorized users can define the authentication motions by themselves, which not only facilitates the daily use but also improves the security of the cloud access control system. We conduct intensive experimental measurements. The experimental results verify the effectiveness of our proposed system.
Two‐Photon‐Absorption Properties of Pyrene‐Based Dipolar D‐π‐A Fluorophores
Authors: Wang Chuan‐Zeng , Zhang Ruoyao , Sakaguchi Koya , Feng Xing , Yu Xiaoqiang , Elsegood Mark R. J. , Teat Simon J. , Redshaw Carl , Yamato Takehiko
Published: April 2018

Two‐photon absorption (TPA) properties of pyrene‐based derivatives are rare as a result of the limited number of controllable synthetic methods to prepare them. However, these materials are in great demand given their potential practical application in photics and biological imaging. Herein, we present a set of pyrene‐based dipolar donor‐π‐acceptor (D‐π‐A) fluorophores with a wide‐range of color tuning and large TPA cross‐sections (up to 2200 GM at 780 nm) by regioselective substitution at the 1,3‐ and 6,8‐positions under the perspective of theoretical analysis. The linear and nonlinear optical properties of these compounds have been studied. The near‐identical emission wavelengths between the two‐photon‐excited fluorescence (TPEF) and one‐photon excited fluorescence (OPEF) indicated that they are generated from the same fluorescent excited state by either one‐ or two‐photon excitation. With the exception of the strong donor [N(CH3)2] appended fluorophore, the TPEF exhibited a large red‐shift compared with the OPEF spectra as a result of the complicated working mechanisms in operation, including intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) and twisted intramolecular charge transfer (TICT). All fluorophores exhibit high two‐photon cross‐sections (or two‐photon brightness, δΦ), especially for 1348 GM, which indicated that these materials can be used as colorants for probe and bioimaging applications.
Moderating effect of innovation on corporate social responsibility and firm performance in realm of sustainable development
Authors: Anser Muhammad Khalid , Zhang Zhihe , Kanwal Lubna
Published: April 2018

Pakistan is a developing country making efforts to become compatible to foreign industry for smooth economic activities. A developmental wave of China Pakistan Economic Corridor puts pressure on Pakistan corporate industrial sector to speed up its strategical & developmental implementation process to remains in or surpass competition. For this Pakistan industry is gradually moving towards Corporate Social Responsible actions while China is leading from front.

The intention of this paper is to examine moderating and direct impact of innovation on corporate social responsibility and firm performance in manufacturing industry of Pakistan. For this; panel data of three years was collected. Theoretical framework is based on two theories that are resource based and institutional theory.

The direct and moderating effect was test by using multiple regression technique. The results was that significant direct relationship exist among CSR, Innovation and Firm Performance while moderating effect of innovation is absent between CSR and Firm performance.
Does family control explain why corporate social responsibility affects investment efficiency?
Authors: Shahzad Faisal , Rehman Ijaz Ur , Nawaz Faisal , Nawab Noman
Published: April 2018

Drawing on stakeholder and socioemotional wealth theories, we empirically examine the influence of corporate social responsibility performance on investment efficiency in family‐controlled businesses versus non‐family‐controlled businesses. Our panel dataset consists of 190 Pakistani firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange over the period of 2007–2016. We use feasible generalized least square regression for model estimation. Our results suggest that firms with higher corporate social responsibility performance invest efficiently compared with firms with lower corporate social responsibility performance. Furthermore, the impact of corporate social responsibility performance on investment efficiency is higher in the family firms. The results suggest that family‐controlled businesses are more willing to engage in social responsibility activities to achieve their non‐economic goals, i.e. family image and trans‐generational control. Overall, our results indicate that corporate social responsibility is beneficial for the organization, and its implication is more fruitful in the context of family‐controlled businesses.
Boosting employee retention through CSR: A configurational analysis
Authors: Lee Leemen , Chen Li‐Fei
Published: April 2018

Internal stakeholders' perception of corporate social responsibility (CSR) plays a crucial role for organizations in pursuing innovative, sustainability‐based business models. The majority of research on CSR has examined its effects on organizations' financial performance or external stakeholders' behavior toward CSR. However, little attention has been devoted to employees' behavior toward CSR. The current study investigated how organizations' CSR initiatives and the fulfillment of employee job needs (existence, relatedness and growth, or ERG) affect employees' job satisfaction and retention intention. Methodologically, the study applied the fuzzy‐set qualitative comparative analysis method to capture the integrative effects of explanatory factors on the outcomes by examining the case of a leading chain department store in Asia. The results revealed that an organization's efforts on CSR could enhance the fulfillment of employees' ERG needs. Moreover, the perceived CSR initiatives could generate positive effects on employees' satisfaction and retention intention by fulfilling employees' ERG needs.
Integrating Desalination and Energy Storage using a Saltwater‐based Hybrid Sodium‐ion Supercapacitor
Authors: Guo Zhaowei , Ma Yuanyuan , Dong Xiaoli , Hou Mengyan , Wang Yonggang , Xia Yongyao
Published: April 2018

Ever‐increasing freshwater scarcity and energy crisis problems require efficient seawater desalination and energy storage technologies; however, each target is generally considered separately. Herein, a hybrid sodium‐ion supercapacitor, involving a carbon‐coated nano‐NaTi2(PO4)3‐based battery anode and an activated‐carbon‐based capacitive cathode, is developed to combine desalination and energy storage in one device. On charge, the supercapacitor removes salt in a flowing saltwater electrolyte through Cl− electrochemical adsorption at the cathode and Na+ intercalation at the anode. Discharge delivers useful electric energy and regenerates the electrodes. This supercapacitor can be used not only for energy storage with promising electrochemical performance (i.e., high power, high efficiency, and long cycle life), but also as a desalination device with desalination capacity of 146.8 mg g−1, much higher than most reported capacitive and battery desalination devices. Finally, we demonstrate renewables to usable electric energy and desalted water through combining commercial photovoltaics and this hybrid supercapacitor.
First Attempt of Glycidol‐to‐Monoalkyl Glyceryl Ethers Conversion by Acid Heterogeneous Catalysis: Synthesis and Simplified Sustainability Assessment
Authors: Ricciardi Maria , Passarini Fabrizio , Capacchione Carmine , Proto Antonio , Barrault Joel , Cucciniello Raffaele , Cespi Daniele
Published: April 2018

The selective preparation of monoalkylglyceryl ethers (MAGEs) is a task for researchers owing to their broad range of applications. In this work, green feedstocks such as glycidol and alcohols were used to prepare MAGEs under mild reaction conditions (80 °C, 3 h, 0.5 mol % catalyst) in the presence of acid heterogeneous catalysts. Nafion shows the best performances in terms of conversion and selectivity to MAGES and also high stability. A comparison of the environmental performances with the most consolidated pathway from glycerol has shown that the usage of glycidol (recovered as a value‐added product from Epicerol process) and Nafion leads to a lower impact on ecosystems. In addition, results achieved from a simplified socio‐economic analysis show that the innovative route here proposed has potential (at the laboratory scale) of enhancing potential gains and of reducing the social implications resulting from externalities associated with environmental impacts (e.g., CO2 equivalents).
Adenocarcinoma in situ admixed with small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the cervix: A case report with cytological features
Authors: Nishiumi Yukimi , Nishimura Toshiyuki , Kashu Ippei , Aoki Takayuki , Itoh Ryoji , Tsuta Koji , Ishida Mitsuaki
Published: April 2018

Primary cervical small cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (SCNEC) is a rare and aggressive tumor. Herein, we describe the first cytological case of adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) admixed with SCNEC. A 65‐year‐old postmenopausal Japanese female presented with abnormal genital bleeding. The Papanicolaou smear of the cervix demonstrated the presence of 2 distinct neoplastic components in an inflammatory background. One component consisted of aggregates of small round cells with a high nuclear/cytoplasmic ratio and round to oval nuclei with powdery chromatin, and inconspicuous nucleoli. Nuclear molding was characteristic. The other component consisted of irregular overlapping clusters of tall columnar cells with large round to oval nuclei containing coarse chromatin, and relatively rich cytoplasm. Accordingly, AIS admixed with SCNEC was suspected. Although the cytological features of cervical SCNEC are characteristic, the cytodiagnosis of this type of tumor may be difficult because of the rarity of the tumor. The presence of non‐neuroendocrine tumor components in cervical SCNEC is not unusual, therefore careful observation is needed not to miss SCNEC components in the diagnosis of squamous cell carcinoma and/or adenocarcinoma in cervical cytological specimens.
Personality and performance are affected by age and early life parameters in a small primate
Authors: Zablocki‐Thomas Pauline B. , Herrel Anthony , Hardy Isabelle , Rabardel Lucile , Perret Martine , Aujard Fabienne , Pouydebat Emmanuelle
Published: April 2018

A whole suite of parameters is likely to influence the behavior and performance of individuals as adults, including correlations between phenotypic traits or an individual's developmental context. Here, we ask the question whether behavior and physical performance traits are correlated and how early life parameters such as birth weight, litter size, and growth can influence these traits as measured during adulthood. We studied 486 captive gray mouse lemurs (Microcebus murinus) and measured two behavioral traits and two performance traits potentially involved in two functions: exploration behavior with pull strength and agitation score with bite force. We checked for the existence of behavioral consistency in behaviors and explored correlations between behavior, performance, morphology. We analyzed the effect of birth weight, growth, and litter size, while controlling for age, sex, and body weight. Behavior and performance were not correlated with one another, but were both influenced by age. Growth rate had a positive effect on adult morphology, and birth weight significantly affected emergence latency and bite force. Grip strength was not directly affected by early life traits, but bite performance and exploration behavior were impacted by birth weight. This study shows how early life parameters impact personality and performance.
Survival of the feces: Does a nematode lungworm adaptively manipulate the behavior of its cane toad host?
Authors: Finnerty Patrick B. , Shine Richard , Brown Gregory P.
Published: April 2018

Parasites can enhance their fitness by modifying the behavior of their hosts in ways that increase rates of production and transmission of parasite larvae. We used an antihelminthic drug to experimentally alter infections of lungworms (Rhabdias pseudosphaerocephala) in cane toads (Rhinella marina). We then compared subsequent behaviors of dewormed toads versus toads that retained infections. Both in the laboratory and in the field, the presence of parasites induced hosts to select higher body temperatures (thereby increasing rates of lungworm egg production), to defecate in moister sites, and to produce feces with higher moisture content (thereby enhancing survival of larvae shed in feces). Because those behavioral modifications enhance rather than decrease parasite fitness, they are likely to have arisen as adaptive manipulations of host behavior rather than as host adaptations to combat infection or as nonadaptive consequences of infection on host physiology. However, the mechanisms by which lungworms alter cane toad thermal preference and defecation are not known. Although many examples of host manipulation by parasites involve intermediate hosts facilitating their own demise, our findings indicate that manipulation of definitive hosts can be as subtle as when and where to defecate.
Exploring the evolution of multicellularity in Saccharomyces cerevisiae under bacteria environment: An experimental phylogenetics approach
Authors: Quintero‐Galvis Julian F. , Paleo‐López Rocío , Solano‐Iguaran Jaiber J. , Poupin María Josefina , Ledger Thomas , Gaitan‐Espitia Juan Diego , Antoł Andrzej , Travisano Michael , Nespolo Roberto F.
Published: April 2018

There have been over 25 independent unicellular to multicellular evolutionary transitions, which have been transformational in the complexity of life. All of these transitions likely occurred in communities numerically dominated by unicellular organisms, mostly bacteria. Hence, it is reasonable to expect that bacteria were involved in generating the ecological conditions that promoted the stability and proliferation of the first multicellular forms as protective units. In this study, we addressed this problem by analyzing the occurrence of multicellularity in an experimental phylogeny of yeasts (Sacharomyces cerevisiae) a model organism that is unicellular but can generate multicellular clusters under some conditions. We exposed a single ancestral population to periodic divergences, coevolving with a cocktail of environmental bacteria that were inoculated to the environment of the ancestor, and compared to a control (no bacteria). We quantified culturable microorganisms to the level of genera, finding up to 20 taxa (all bacteria) that competed with the yeasts during diversification. After 600 generations of coevolution, the yeasts produced two types of multicellular clusters: clonal and aggregative. Whereas clonal clusters were present in both treatments, aggregative clusters were only present under the bacteria treatment and showed significant phylogenetic signal. However, clonal clusters showed different properties if bacteria were present as follows: They were more abundant and significantly smaller than in the control. These results indicate that bacteria are important modulators of the occurrence of multicellularity, providing support to the idea that they generated the ecological conditions‐promoting multicellularity.
Function‐related Drivers of Skull Morphometric Variation and Sexual Size Dimorphism in a Subterranean Rodent, Plateau Zokor (Eospalax baileyi)
Authors: Su Junhu , Hegab Ibrahim M. , Ji Weihong , Nan Zhibiao
Published: April 2018

Sexual dimorphism is prevalent in most living organisms. The difference in size between sexes of a given species is generally known as sexual size dimorphism (SSD). The magnitude of the SSD is determined by Rensch's rule where size dimorphism increases with increasing body size when the male is the larger sex and decreases with increasing average body size when the female is the larger sex. The unique underground environment that zokors (Eospalax baileyi) live under in the severe habitat of the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau (QTP) could create SSD selection pressures that may or may not be supported by Rensch's rule, making this scientific question worthy of investigation. In this study, we investigated the individual variation between sexes in body size and SSD of plateau zokors using measurements of 19 morphological traits. We also investigated the evolutionary mechanisms underlying SSD in plateau zokors. Moreover, we applied Rensch's rule to all extant zokor species. Our results showed male‐biased SSD in plateau zokors: The body‐ and head‐related measurements were greater in males than in females. Linear regression analysis between body length, body weight, and carcass weight showed significant relationships with some traits such as skull length, lower incisor length, and tympanic bulla width, which might support our prediction that males have faster growth rates than females. Further, the SSD pattern corroborated the assumption of Rensch's rule in plateau zokors but not in the other zokor species. Our findings suggest that the natural underground habitat and behavioral differences between sexes can generate selection pressures on male traits and contribute to the evolution of SSD in plateau zokors.
Low acclimation capacity of narrow‐ranging thermal specialists exposes susceptibility to global climate change
Authors: Markle Tricia M. , Kozak Kenneth H.
Published: April 2018

Thermal acclimation is hypothesized to offer a selective advantage in seasonal habitats and may underlie disparities in geographic range size among closely‐related species with similar ecologies. Understanding this relationship is also critical for identifying species that are more sensitive to warming climates. Here, we study North American plethodontid salamanders to investigate whether acclimation ability is associated with species’ latitudinal extents and the thermal range of the environments they inhabit. We quantified variation in thermal physiology by measuring standard metabolic rate (SMR) at different test and acclimation temperatures for 16 species of salamanders with varying latitudinal extents. A phylogenetically‐controlled Markov chain Monte Carlo generalized linear mixed model (MCMCglmm) was then employed to determine whether there are differences inSMRbetween wide‐ and narrow‐ranging species at different acclimation temperatures. In addition, we tested for a relationship between the acclimation ability of species and the environmental temperature ranges they inhabit. Further, we investigated if there is a trade‐off between critical thermal maximum (CTMax) and thermal acclimation ability.MCMCglmm results show a significant difference in acclimation ability between wide and narrow‐ranging temperate salamanders. Salamanders with wide latitudinal distributions maintain or slightly increaseSMRwhen subjected to higher test and acclimation temperatures, whereas several narrow‐ranging species show significant metabolic depression. We also found significant, positive relationships between acclimation ability and environmental thermal range, and between acclimation ability andCTMax. Wide‐ranging salamander species exhibit a greater capacity for thermal acclimation than narrow‐ranging species, suggesting that selection for acclimation ability may have been a key factor enabling geographic expansion into areas with greater thermal variability. Further, given that narrow‐ranging salamanders are found to have both poor acclimation ability and lower tolerance to warm temperatures, they are likely to be more susceptible to environmental warming associated with anthropogenic climate change.
Roads to isolation: Similar genomic history patterns in two species of freshwater crabs with contrasting environmental tolerances and range sizes
Authors: Tay Ywee Chieh , Ng Daniel Jia Jun , Loo Jun Bin , Huang Danwei , Cai Yixiong , Yeo Darren Chong Jinn , Meier Rudolf
Published: April 2018

Freshwater species often show high levels of endemism and risk of extinction owing to their limited dispersal abilities. This is exemplified by the stenotopic freshwater crab, Johora singaporensis which is one of the world's 100 most threatened species, and currently inhabits less than 0.01 km2 of five low order hill streams within the highly urbanized island city‐state of Singapore. We compared populations of J. singaporensis with that of the non‐threatened, widespread, abundant, and eurytopic freshwater crab, Parathelphusa maculata, and found surprisingly high congruence between their population genomic histories. Based on 2,617 and 2,470 genome‐wide SNPs mined via the double‐digest restriction‐associated DNA sequencing method for ~90 individuals of J. singaporensis and P. maculata, respectively, the populations are strongly isolated (FST = 0.146–0.371), have low genetic diversity for both species (also for COI), and show signatures of recent genetic bottlenecks. The most genetically isolated populations for both species are separated from other populations by one of the oldest roads in Singapore. These results suggest that anthropogenic developments may have impacted stream‐dependent species in a uniform manner, regardless of ubiquity, habitat preference, or dispersal modes of the species. While signs of inbreeding were not detected for the critically endangered species, the genetic distinctiveness and low diversity of the populations call for genetic rescue and connecting corridors between the remaining fragments of the natural habitat.
ShapeRotator: An R tool for standardized rigid rotations of articulated three‐dimensional structures with application for geometric morphometrics
Authors: Vidal‐García Marta , Bandara Lashi , Keogh J. Scott
Published: April 2018

The quantification of complex morphological patterns typically involves comprehensive shape and size analyses, usually obtained by gathering morphological data from all the structures that capture the phenotypic diversity of an organism or object. Articulated structures are a critical component of overall phenotypic diversity, but data gathered from these structures are difficult to incorporate into modern analyses because of the complexities associated with jointly quantifying 3D shape in multiple structures. While there are existing methods for analyzing shape variation in articulated structures in two‐dimensional (2D) space, these methods do not work in 3D, a rapidly growing area of capability and research. Here, we describe a simple geometric rigid rotation approach that removes the effect of random translation and rotation, enabling the morphological analysis of 3D articulated structures. Our method is based on Cartesian coordinates in 3D space, so it can be applied to any morphometric problem that also uses 3D coordinates (e.g., spherical harmonics). We demonstrate the method by applying it to a landmark‐based dataset for analyzing shape variation using geometric morphometrics. We have developed an R tool (ShapeRotator) so that the method can be easily implemented in the commonly used R package geomorph and MorphoJ software. This method will be a valuable tool for 3D morphological analyses in articulated structures by allowing an exhaustive examination of shape and size diversity.
Assessing the impacts of imperfect detection on estimates of diversity and community structure through multispecies occupancy modeling
Authors: Benoit David , Jackson Donald A. , Ridgway Mark S.
Published: April 2018

Detecting all species in a given survey is challenging, regardless of sampling effort. This issue, more commonly known as imperfect detection, can have negative impacts on data quality and interpretation, most notably leading to false absences for rare or difficult‐to‐detect species. It is important that this issue be addressed, as estimates of species richness are critical to many areas of ecological research and management. In this study, we set out to determine the impacts of imperfect detection, and decisions about thresholds for inclusion in occupancy, on estimates of species richness and community structure. We collected data from a stream fish assemblage in Algonquin Provincial Park to be used as a representation of ecological communities. We then used multispecies occupancy modeling to estimate species‐specific occurrence probabilities while accounting for imperfect detection, thus creating a more informed dataset. This dataset was then compared to the original to see where differences occurred. In our analyses, we demonstrated that imperfect detection can lead to large changes in estimates of species richness at the site level and summarized differences in the community structure and sampling locations, represented through correspondence analyses.
Do the fluorescent red eyes of the marine fish Tripterygion delaisi stand out? In situ and in vivo measurements at two depths
Authors: Harant Ulrike K. , Santon Matteo , Bitton Pierre‐Paul , Wehrberger Florian , Griessler Thomas , Meadows Melissa G. , Champ Connor M. , Michiels Nico K.
Published: April 2018

Since the discovery of red fluorescence in fish, much effort has been invested to elucidate its potential functions, one of them being signaling. This implies that the combination of red fluorescence and reflection should generate a visible contrast against the background. Here, we present in vivo iris radiance measurements of Tripterygion delaisi under natural light conditions at 5 and 20 m depth. We also measured substrate radiance of shaded and exposed foraging sites at those depths. To assess the visual contrast of the red iris against these substrates, we used the receptor noise model for chromatic contrasts and Michelson contrast for achromatic calculations. At 20 m depth, T. delaisi iris radiance generated strong achromatic contrasts against substrate radiance, regardless of exposure, and despite substrate fluorescence. Given that downwelling light above 600 nm is negligible at this depth, we can attribute this effect to iris fluorescence. Contrasts were weaker in 5 m. Yet, the pooled radiance caused by red reflection and fluorescence still exceeded substrate radiance for all substrates under shaded conditions and all but Jania rubens and Padina pavonia under exposed conditions. Due to the negative effects of anesthesia on iris fluorescence, these estimates are conservative. We conclude that the requirements to create visual brightness contrasts are fulfilled for a wide range of conditions in the natural environment of T. delaisi.
Changes in intestinal microbiota across an altitudinal gradient in the lizard Phrynocephalus vlangalii
Authors: Zhang Wenya , Li Na , Tang Xiaolong , Liu Naifa , Zhao Wei
Published: April 2018

High altitude is an important driving force in animal evolution. However, the effect of altitude on gut microbial communities in reptiles has not been examined in detail. Here, we investigated the intestinal microbiota of three populations of the lizard Phrynocephalus vlangalii living at different altitudes using 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Bacteroidetes, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria were the most abundant phyla. Bacteroides, Odoribacter, and Parabacteroides were the most abundant genera. Significant differences in the intestinal microbiota composition were found among the three populations from different altitudes. The proportions of Verrucomicrobia and Akkermansia decreased, whereas Bacteroides increased significantly with altitude. Greater abundance of Bacteroides at higher altitude led to the fractional increase in the phylum Bacteroides relative to other phyla. Hypoxia may be the main factor that caused intestinal microbiota variation in P. vlangalii along the altitude gradient. Overall, our study suggested that the community composition and structure of intestinal microbiota of the lizard P. vlangalii varied along altitudes, and such differences likely play a certain role in highland adaptation. Our findings warrant a further study that would determine whether ambient and body temperatures play a key role in the modulation of intestinal microbiota in reptiles.
Chesson's coexistence theory
Authors: Barabás György , D'Andrea Rafael , Stump Simon Maccracken
Published: April 2018

We give a comprehensive review of Chesson's coexistence theory, summarizing, for the first time, all its fundamental details in one single document. Our goal is for both theoretical and empirical ecologists to be able to use the theory to interpret their findings, and to get a precise sense of the limits of its applicability. To this end, we introduce an explicit handling of limiting factors, and a new way of defining the scaling factors that partition invasion growth rates into the different mechanisms contributing to coexistence. We explain terminology such as relative nonlinearity, storage effect, and growth‐density covariance, both in a formal setting and through their biological interpretation. We review the theory's applications and contributions to our current understanding of species coexistence. While the theory is very general, it is not well suited to all problems, so we carefully point out its limitations. Finally, we critique the paradigm of decomposing invasion growth rates into stabilizing and equalizing components: we argue that these concepts are useful when used judiciously, but have often been employed in an overly simplified way to justify false claims.
Genetic variation determines which feedbacks drive and alter predator–prey eco‐evolutionary cycles
Authors: Cortez Michael H.
Published: April 2018

Evolution can alter the ecological dynamics of communities, but the effects depend on the magnitudes of standing genetic variation in the evolving species. Using an eco‐coevolutionary predator–prey model, I identify how the magnitudes of prey and predator standing genetic variation determine when ecological, evolutionary, and eco‐evolutionary feedbacks influence system stability and the phase lags in predator–prey cycles. Here, feedbacks are defined by subsystems, i.e., the dynamics of a subset of the components of the whole system when the other components are held fixed; ecological (evolutionary) feedbacks involve the direct and indirect effects between population densities (species traits) and eco‐evolutionary feedbacks involve the direct and indirect effects between population densities and traits. When genetic variation is low in both species, ecological feedbacks and eco‐evolutionary feedbacks involving either the predator or the prey trait have the strongest effects on system stability, when genetic variation is high in one species, evolutionary and eco‐evolutionary feedbacks involving that species’ trait have the strongest effects, and, when genetic variation is high in both species, evolutionary feedbacks involving one or both traits and eco‐coevolutionary feedbacks involving both traits have the strongest effects. I present the biological conditions under which each feedback can destabilize the whole system and cause predator–prey cycles. Predator–prey cycles can also arise when all feedbacks are stabilizing. This counterintuitive outcome occurs when feedbacks involving many variables are more stabilizing than feedbacks involving fewer variables or vice versa. I also identify how the indirect effects of prey and predator density on the predator dynamics (mediated by evolutionary responses in one or both species) alter the phase lags in predator–prey cycles. I present conditions under which the trait‐mediated indirect effects introduce delays that cause the lag between prey and predator peaks to increase. This work explains and unifies empirical and theoretical studies on how predator–prey coevolution alters the dynamics of predator–prey systems and how those effects depend on the magnitudes of prey and predator standing genetic variation.
Efficient Artificial Nucleases for Mediating DNA Cleavage Based on Tuning the Steric Effect in the Pyridyl Derivatives of Tripod Tetraamine‐Cobalt(II) Complexes
Authors: Kettenmann Sebastian Doniz , Louka Febee R. , Marine Elise , Fischer Roland C. , Mautner Franz A. , Kulak Nora , Massoud Salah S.
Published: April 2018

Four cobalt(II) complexes [Co(L1)Cl]PF6/ClO4 (C1‐PF6/C1‐ClO4), [Co(L2)Cl]PF6 (C2‐PF6), [Co(L3)Cl]PF6/ClO4·H2O·CH3OH (C3‐PF6/C3‐ClO4·H2O·CH3OH) and [Co(L4)Cl]PF6·2H2O (C4‐PF6·2H2O), in which L1–L4 refer to [(3,5‐dimethyl‐4‐methoxy‐2‐pyridylmethyl)bis(2‐pyridylmethyl)]amine, [(3,4‐dimethoxy‐2‐pyridylmethyl)‐(2‐pyridylmethyl)]amine, [bis(3,5‐dimethyl‐4‐methoxy‐2‐pyridylmethyl)‐(2‐pyridylmethyl)]amine and {[bis(3,4‐dimethoxy‐2‐pyridyl)methyl]‐(2‐pyridylmethyl)}amine, respectively, were synthesized and structurally characterized. Single‐crystal X‐ray crystallography confirmed the trigonal bipyramidal geometries of the complexes. In aqueous acetonitrile solution, the green complexes dissolve with the formation of a yellow solution with biphasic kinetic behavior. In 60 % H2O/CH3CN (by volume) and 25 °C, the first step corresponds to the rapid formation of [Co(L)(CH3CN)]2+ (ka = 0.16–2.0 min–1) followed by a slow conversion into [Co(L)(H2O)]2+ (kb = 6.3 × 10–3–0.10 min–1), where the two species exist in equilibrium. The spectrophotometric and conductometric titrations of the complexes were consistent with the proposed equilibrium. The coordinated H2O in the aqua complexes, [Co(L)(H2O)]2+ have pKa values ranging from 8.3 to 8.5 at 25 °C. All complexes cleaved plasmid DNA at micromolar concentrations within 2 h at 37 °C and pH 7.0 under hydrolytic conditions. Compared to the uncatalyzed cleavage of DNA, rate enhancements of up to 100 million were achieved in case of complex C4‐PF6.
Metal‐Catalyzed Photooxidation of Flavones in Aqueous Media
Authors: Abdolahzadeh Shaghayegh , Boyle Nicola M. , Hage Ronald , de Boer Johannes W. , Browne Wesley R.
Published: April 2018

Soluble model compounds, such as flavones, are frequently employed in initial and mechanistic studies under homogeneous conditions in the search for effective bleaching catalysts for raw cotton. The relevance of model substrates, such as morin and chrysin, and especially their reactivity with manganese catalysts [i.e. in combination with 1,4,7‐triazacyclononane (tacn) based ligands] applied in raw cotton bleaching with H2O2 in alkaline solutions is examined. We show that morin, used frequently as a model, is highly sensitive to oxidation with O2, by processes catalyzed by trace metal ions, that can be accelerated photochemically, although not involve generation of 1O2. The structurally related chrysin is not susceptible to such photo‐accelerated oxidation with O2. Furthermore, chrysin is oxidized by H2O2 only in the presence of a Mn‐tacn based catalyst, and does not undergo oxidation with O2 as terminal oxidant. Chrysin mimics the behavior of raw cotton's chromophores in their catalyzed oxidation with H2O2, and is likely a mechanistically relevant model compound for the study of transition metal catalysts for dye bleaching catalysts under homogeneous conditions.
Unusual Heteronuclear Uranyl Clusters with Aliphatic Monocarboxylate Ligands and Coordination Modes of Crotonate, Butyrate, and Valerate Ions
Authors: Savchenkov Anton V. , Vologzhanina Anna V. , Pushkin Denis V. , Serezhkina Larisa B.
Published: April 2018

Invited for the cover of this issue is Anton Savchenkov from Samara National Research University, Russian Federation. The cover image shows the heteronuclear uranyl clusters evolving from a typical mononuclear anionic complex unit with aliphatic monocarboxylate ligands.
A Ring‐Distortion Strategy from Marine Natural Product Ilimaquinone Leads to Quorum Sensing Modulators
Authors: Evanno Laurent , Lachkar David , Lamali Assia , Boufridi Asmaa , Séon‐Méniel Blandine , Tintillier Florent , Saulnier Denis , Denis Stéphanie , Genta‐Jouve Grégory , Jullian Jean‐Christophe , Leblanc Karine , Beniddir Mehdi A. , Petek Sylvain , Debitus Cécile , Poupon Erwan
Published: April 2018

We report herein a ring‐distortion strategy applied to marine natural substances ilimaquinone and 5‐epi‐ilimaquinone. A chemically diverse library of molecules was synthesised that included rearrangements of the sesquiterpene moiety and original reorganisations of the quinone ring. Chemoinformatic analyses evaluated the rise of structural diversity and the exploration of chemical space. Some focussed biological activities of this library were also investigated; quorum sensing activity of Vibrio harveyi was envisaged and some of the new compounds were shown to be good quorum sensing inhibitor candidates, whereas others were activators. Toxicities were also evaluated and some products showed micromolar activities against human umbilical vein endothelium, human hepatocellular carcinoma and human lung carcinoma (A549) cells.
Substituted α‐Sulfur Methyl Carbanions: Effective Homologating Agents for the Chemoselective Preparation of β‐Oxo Thioethers from Weinreb Amides
Authors: Senatore Raffaele , Ielo Laura , Urban Ernst , Holzer Wolfgang , Pace Vittorio
Published: April 2018

The proper generation of α‐thiomethyllithium reagents via reductive lithiation or deprotonation followed by reaction with variously functionalized Weinreb amides represents an excellent method to access β‐oxo thioethers. The procedure is adaptable to alkyl‐ or aryl‐ thiomethyllithium conjugates. It has the advantages of conceptual simplicity and versatility of the addition of organometallics to Weinreb amides with the possibility to fully preserve the optical information contained in the starting materials.
Air‐Stable CpCoI–Phosphite–Fumarate Precatalyst in Cyclization Reactions: Comparing Different Methods of Energy Supply
Authors: Fischer Fabian , Hapke Marko
Published: April 2018

The robust CoI precatalyst [CpCo(P{OEt}3)(trans‐MeO2CHC=CHCO2Me)] was investigated in cyclotrimerizations, furnishing benzenes and pyridines from triynes, diynes and nitriles, comparing the influence of different ways of energy supply; namely, irradiation and conventional (thermal) or microwave heating. The precatalyst was found to work under all conditions, including the possibility to catalyze cyclotrimerizations at room temperature under photochemical conditions at longer reaction times. Performance of the reactions in a microwave reactor proved to be the most time‐efficient way to rapidly assemble the expected reaction products; however, careful selection of reaction conditions can be required. The synthesis of pyridines and isoquinolines successfully involved the utilization of versatile functionalized nitriles, affording structurally interesting reaction products. Comparison with the known and often applied precatalyst CpCo(CO)2 demonstrated the significantly higher reactivity of the CpCoI–phosphite–olefin precatalyst.
Oxidative α‐Acetoxylation of a β‐Oxime Ester with (Diacetoxyiodo)benzene Catalyzed by ScIII Salts: An Approach to the Docetaxel Side Chain
Authors: Miyamoto Kazunori , Hoque Md. Mahbubul , Senoh Yuhki , Ali Mohammad Idrish , Nemoto Hisao , Mandai Tadakatsu
Published: April 2018

Hypervalent iodine(III) compounds have emerged as reagents of choice for α‐oxidation of various ketones under mild reaction conditions. We report herein a simple method for α‐hydroxylation of a β‐oxime ester, which involves an oxidative α‐acetoxylation using PhI(OAc)2 with a catalytic amount of Sc(OTf)3 or Sc2O3‐TMSOTf, followed by careful hydrolysis. The scandium(III) salt serves as an excellent reusable catalyst in this system.