bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Overview of the American Petroleum Institute (API) Joint Industry Task Force Subsea Dispersant Injection Project
Authors: Nedwed Tim
Published: December 2017

ABSTRACT 2017-330

Oil spill response is a challenging task, especially for a deep water well release. The efficiency of mechanical recovery equipment deployed at the sea surface may be reduced due to challenges with detecting oil and then deploying equipment while slicks are continuing to move, weather, break apart, and spread. In-situ burning may have similar limitations. The ability to use dispersants could provide significant benefits when other response techniques have reduced efficiency. Subsea injection of dispersants offers some significant benefits for oil spill response including access to the freshest and non-emulsified oil in a high turbulence environment, ability to reduce the amount of dispersant by injecting it directly into the oil stream, ability to operate day and night under a wider range of weather conditions, and availability of a large water volume to rapidly decrease the concentration of a dispersed oil plume.

The American Petroleum Institute has sponsored research on subsea dispersant injection for over 5 years. Project teams are looking into subsea dispersant injection effectiveness, fate and effects, subsea plume monitoring, and numerical modeling. The information from these projects along with information in the literature are being used to conduct a comparative risk assessment on a hypothetical blowout assuming different response strategies. This effort is ongoing.

As a result of this research, the body of knowledge regarding subsea dispersant injection has grown. Laboratory studies have demonstrated the utility of directly injecting dispersants at the source of a blowout. Work has begun to understand the biodegradation potential and toxicity of a subsea plume to deep-water organisms. Additionally, progress has been made on enhancing numerical models to predict the fate of oil dispersed subsea. This paper provides an update of the recent progress made on this research.
THE DOSE-RESPONSE HILL SLOPE USED IN THE AQUATIC TOXICITY MODULE OF OIL SPILL MODELS SHOULD BE MUCH STEEPER
Authors: Kubitz J. A. , Goodrum P. , Bohrmann T.
Published: December 2017

One useful tool for assessing the potential adverse effects of oil spills on aquatic and marine environments are computational models that calculate the transport, fate and effects of substances. The use of computational models is authorized by 43 CFR 11, and has been codified in the Natural Resources Damage Assessment for Coastal and Marine Environments (NRDAM/CME). The code in the NRDAM/CME is incorporated into modules that compute how a spilled substance moves through a marine environment and affects biological resources. This paper describes an apparent error in one module of the NRDAM code, the one that calculates the mortality rate of exposed organisms to concentrations that are less than the medial lethal concentration (LC50) of a mixture of dissolved petroleum hydrocarbons. Based on a review of the original publication, we have concluded the original mean “hill slopes” range from 4.34 to 24.16, which are much greater than the slope (functions) of 1.1 to 1.7 that are used in a module of the NRDAM/CME code. The use of a probit slope function as a logistic slope has the effect of overestimating the mortality rate for marine species exposed to low hydrocarbon concentrations and underestimating mortality of marine species exposed to concentrations greater than the LC50. The “shallow” slope function also calculates a much lower threshold concentration at which adverse effects are expected, than is supported by slope values indicated by the original source. The error in the slope of this module may also explain, in part, why field personnel have not observed fish kills when the NRDAM/CME has predicted mortalities occurred.
Damage‐Based Time‐Dependent Modeling of Paraglacial to Postglacial Progressive Failure of Large Rock Slopes
Authors: Riva Federico , Agliardi Federico , Amitrano David , Crosta Giovanni B.
Published: December 2017

Large alpine rock slopes undergo long‐term evolution in paraglacial to postglacial environments. Rock mass weakening and increased permeability associated with the progressive failure of deglaciated slopes promote the development of potentially catastrophic rockslides. We captured the entire life cycle of alpine slopes in one damage‐based, time‐dependent 2‐D model of brittle creep, including deglaciation, damage‐dependent fluid occurrence, and rock mass property upscaling. We applied the model to the Spriana rock slope (Central Alps), affected by long‐term instability after Last Glacial Maximum and representing an active threat. We simulated the evolution of the slope from glaciated conditions to present day and calibrated the model using site investigation data and available temporal constraints. The model tracks the entire progressive failure path of the slope from deglaciation to rockslide development, without a priori assumptions on shear zone geometry and hydraulic conditions. Complete rockslide differentiation occurs through the transition from dilatant damage to a compacting basal shear zone, accounting for observed hydraulic barrier effects and perched aquifer formation. Our model investigates the mechanical role of deglaciation and damage‐controlled fluid distribution in the development of alpine rockslides. The absolute simulated timing of rock slope instability development supports a very long “paraglacial” period of subcritical rock mass damage. After initial damage localization during the Lateglacial, rockslide nucleation initiates soon after the onset of Holocene, whereas full mechanical and hydraulic rockslide differentiation occurs during Mid‐Holocene, supporting a key role of long‐term damage in the reported occurrence of widespread rockslide clusters of these ages.
Prussian Blue@MoS2Layer Composites as Highly Efficient Cathodes for Sodium‐ and Potassium‐Ion Batteries
Authors: Morant‐Giner Marc , Sanchis‐Gual Roger , Romero Jorge , Alberola Antonio , García‐Cruz Leticia , Agouram Said , Galbiati Marta , Padial Natalia M. , Waerenborgh João C. , Martí‐Gastaldo Carlos , Tatay Sergio , Forment‐Aliaga Alicia , Coronado Eugenio
Published: December 2017

Prussian blue (PB) represents a simple, economical, and eco‐friendly system as cathode material for sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). However, structural problems usually worsen its experimental performance thus motivating the search for alternative synthetic strategies and the formation of composites that compensate these deficiencies. Herein, a straightforward approach for the preparation of PB/MoS2‐based nanocomposites is presented. MoS2provides a 2D active support for the homogeneous nucleation of porous PB nanocrystals, which feature superior surface areas than those obtained by other methodologies, giving rise to a compact PB shell covering the full flake. The nanocomposite exhibits an excellent performance as cathode for SIBs with discharge capacity values up to 177 mA h g−1and a specific capacitance of 354 F g−1. These values are even larger for the intercalation of K+ions (up to 215 mA h g−1, reaching a specific capacitance of 489 F g−1). Compared to similar composites, superior performance can be ascribed to a synergistic effect of the coordination compound with the 2D material.
Heparinization of Beta Tricalcium Phosphate: Osteo‐immunomodulatory Effects
Authors: Diez‐Escudero Anna , Espanol Montserrat , Bonany Mar , Lu Xi , Persson Cecilia , Ginebra Maria‐Pau
Published: December 2017

Immune cells play a vital role in regulating bone dynamics. This has boosted the interest in developing biomaterials that can modulate both the immune and skeletal systems. In this study, calcium phosphates discs (i.e., beta‐tricalcium phosphate, β‐TCP) are functionalized with heparin to investigate the effects on immune and stem cell responses. The results show that the functionalized surfaces downregulate the release of hydrogen peroxide and proinflammatory cytokines (tumor necrosis factor alpha and interleukin 1 beta) from human monocytes and neutrophils, compared to nonfunctionalized discs. The macrophages show both elongated and round shapes on the two ceramic substrates, but the morphology of cells on heparinized β‐TCP tends toward a higher elongation after 72 h. The heparinized substrates support rat mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) adhesion and proliferation, and anticipate the differentiation toward the osteoblastic lineage as compared to β‐TCP and control. The coupling between the inflammatory response and osteogenesis is assessed by culturing MSCs with the macrophage supernatants. The downregulation of inflammation in contact with the heparinized substrates induces higher expression of bone‐related markers by MSCs.
3D Carbon Scaffolds for Neural Stem Cell Culture and Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Authors: Fuhrer Erwin , Bäcker Anne , Kraft Stephanie , Gruhl Friederike J. , Kirsch Matthias , MacKinnon Neil , Korvink Jan G. , Sharma Swati
Published: December 2017

3D glassy carbon structures with percolated macropores are obtained by pyrolysis of chemically synthesized cryogels featuring tunable porosity. These batch‐fabricated structures are used as scaffolds for culturing neural stem cells (NSCs) and are characterized by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). With the aid of MRI, the successful cultivation of NSCs on a glassy carbon surface and the precise 3D locations of these cell clusters within the opaque scaffold are demonstrated. MRI also yields pore morphology and porosity analyses, pre‐ and post‐pyrolysis. This integrated approach yields a complete 3D dataset of the NSC network, which enables the visual inspection of the morphological details of individual cell clusters without disturbing them or destroying the scaffold. Reported experimental methodology is expected to have an impact on studies designed to understand the mechanism of neurodegenerative disease (ND) development, and can serve as a protocol for the culture of various other types of cells that display compatibility with glassy carbon surfaces.
Alkali Metal Doping for Improved CH3NH3PbI3 Perovskite Solar Cells
Authors: Zhao Wangen , Yao Zhun , Yu Fengyang , Yang Dong , Liu Shengzhong (Frank)
Published: December 2017

Organic–inorganic hybrid halide perovskites are proven to be a promising semiconductor material as the absorber layer of solar cells. However, the perovskite films always suffer from nonuniform coverage or high trap state density due to the polycrystalline characteristics, which degrade the photoelectric properties of thin films. Herein, the alkali metal ions which are stable against oxidation and reduction are used in the perovskite precursor solution to induce the process of crystallization and nucleation, then affect the properties of the perovskite film. It is found that the addition of the alkali metal ions clearly improves the quality of perovskite film: enlarges the grain sizes, reduces the defect state density, passivates the grain boundaries, increases the built‐in potential (V
bi), resulting to the enhancement in the power conversion efficiency of perovskite thin film solar cell.
Microbiome‐Germline Interactions and Their Transgenerational Implications
Authors: Elgart Michael , Soen Yoav
Published: December 2017

It is becoming increasingly clear that most, if not all, animals and plants are associated with a diverse array of resident gut microbiota. This symbiosis is regulated by host‐microbiome interactions which influence the development, homeostasis, adaptation and evolution of the host. Recent evidence indicated that these interactions can also affect the host germline and have a potential of supporting transgenerational effects, including inheritance of acquired characteristics. Taken together, the influence of gut bacteria on the host soma and germline could potentially give rise to emergent phenotypes, which may be partially inherited by three distinguishable modes of transgenerational influence of gut bacteria: 1) “soma‐to‐soma” 2) “soma‐to‐germline” and 3) “soma‐germline‐soma”. Here, we discuss these possibilities in light of evidence supporting bacterial‐mediated modes of transgenerational inheritance.
High circulating miR‐18a, miR‐20a, and miR‐92a expression correlates with poor prognosis in patients with non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Xu Xiaoxiao , Zhu Shan , Tao Zhaowu , Ye Shenglan
Published: December 2017

The purpose of this study was to assess the predictive value of angiogenic miRNAs for disease‐free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) of patients with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In total, 196 patients with NSCLC (tumor lymph nodes metastasis (TNM) stage I–III) were enrolled and peripheral blood samples were collected. Total RNA was extracted from blood samples, and the relative expression levels of candidate miRNAs were evaluated by real time‐polymerase chain reaction (RT‐PCR). The median follow‐up period was 56.7 months, and the final follow‐up date was in August 2016. The median DFS of all patients was 30.0 (14.0–49.0) months, whereas the median OS was 41.5 (23.0–58.0) months. Furthermore, the 5‐year DFS and OS rates were 11.3% and 32.3%, respectively. Kaplan–Meier (K–M) curves showed that high plasma miR‐18a (P < 0.001), miR‐20a (P < 0.001), miR‐92a (P < 0.001), miR‐126 (P < 0.001), miR‐210 (P = 0.003), and miR‐19a (P = 0.027) expressions levels correlated with a worse DFS. Moreover, patients with high plasma miR‐18a, miR‐20a, miR‐92a, miR‐210, and miR‐126 expression levels had a shorter OS than patients with low expression levels of these miRNAs (all P <= 0.001). Furthermore, multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that high plasma expression levels of miR‐18a, miR‐20a, and miR‐92a as well as lymphatic node metastasis (all P < 0.001) were independent risk factors for both DFS and OS in patients with NSCLC. Thus, the circulating miR‐18a, miR‐20a, and miR‐92a levels may serve as novel and promising prognostic biomarkers in patients with NSCLC.
Paradoxical effects of famous music in retail venues
Authors: Petruzzellis Luca , Chebat Jean‐Charles , Palumbo Ada
Published: December 2017

The present study analyzes the effects of famous versus nonfamous ambient music in retail venues on actual shoppers' emotions and cognitions, which, in turn, affect buying intention and brand images. Our theoretical model was basically validated by the data collected in actual shopping venues in 2 studies. Study 1 explores the effects of music famousness on buying intention through the mediation of affect, self‐congruity, and product quality (N = 304). Study 2 explores the effects of music famousness on perceived brand quality through the mediation of self‐congruity and store attitude (N = 351). As expected, famous music has positive effects on shoppers' responses according to the mediating role of affective and cognitive responses and their sequential mediating effects. Paradoxically, famous music has also negative effects on these variables because it distracts consumers from their shopping, reducing cognitive activities. We draw theoretical and managerial conclusions from these findings.
Don't harm children by shaming them for obesity; stigma doesn't work, says AAP
Authors: Knopf Alison
Published: December 2017

While it is beneficial to health to lose weight if one is obese, “weight stigma” does not help, a recent article in Pediatrics states. In fact, stigmatization of people with obesity, especially young people, causes harm. The Section on Obesity of the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) released a policy statement on weight stigma, noting that words can harm, in an article published online Nov. 20 in Pediatrics.
Low testosterone at first prostate‐specific antigen failure and assessment of risk of death in men with unfavorable‐risk prostate cancer treated on prospective clinical trials
Authors: Atkins Katelyn M. , Chen Ming‐Hui , Wu Jing , Renshaw Andrew A. , Loffredo Marian , Kantoff Philip W. , Small Eric J. , D'Amico Anthony V.
Published: December 2017

BACKGROUND

Low testosterone at the time of diagnosis of prostate cancer has been associated with a worse prognosis. Whether this is true and how to define the best treatment approach at the time of first prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) failure to the authors' knowledge has not been elucidated to date and was studied herein.

METHODS

Between 1995 and 2001, a total of 58 men with unfavorable‐risk PC who were treated on clinical trials with radiotherapy and androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) had available testosterone levels at the time of PSA failure. Cox and Fine and Gray regressions were performed to ascertain whether low versus normal testosterone was associated with the risk of PC‐specific mortality, other‐cause mortality, and all‐cause mortality adjusting for age, salvage ADT, and known PC prognostic factors.

RESULTS

After a median follow‐up of 6.68 years after PSA failure, 31 men (53.4%) had died; 10 of PC (32.3%), of which 8 of 11 (72.7%) versus 2 of 47 (4.3%) deaths occurred in men with low versus normal testosterone at the time of PSA failure, respectively. A significant increase in the risk of all‐cause mortality (adjusted hazard ratio [AHR], 2.54; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 1.04‐6.21 [P= .04]) and PC‐specific mortality (AHR, 13.71; 95% CI, 2.4‐78.16 [P= .003]), with a reciprocal trend toward a decreased risk of other‐cause mortality (AHR, 0.18; 95% CI, 0.02‐1.55 [P= .12]) was observed in men with low versus normal testosterone.

CONCLUSIONS

Low, but not necessarily castrate, testosterone levels at the time of PSA failure confer a very poor prognosis. These observations provide evidence to support testosterone testing at the time of PSA failure. Given prolonged survival when abiraterone or docetaxel is added to ADT in men with castrate‐sensitive metastatic PC and possibly localized high‐risk PC provides a rationale supporting their use with ADT in men with low testosterone in the setting of a phase 2 trial.Cancer2018;124:1383‐90.©2017 American Cancer Society.
Experimental stress during molt suggests the evolution of condition‐dependent and condition‐independent ornaments in the king penguin
Authors: Schull Quentin , Robin Jean‐Patrice , Dobson F. Stephen , Saadaoui Hédi , Viblanc Vincent A. , Bize Pierre
Published: December 2017

Sexual selection and social selection are two important theories proposed for explaining the evolution of colorful ornamental traits in animals. Understanding signal honesty requires studying how environmental and physiological factors during development influence the showy nature of sexual and social ornaments. We experimentally manipulated physiological stress and immunity status during the molt in adult king penguins (Aptenodytes patagonicus), and studied the consequences of our treatments on colourful ornaments (yellow‐orange and UV beak spots and yellow‐orange auricular feather patches) known to be used in sexual and social contexts in this species. Whereas some ornamental features showed strong condition‐dependence (yellow auricular feather chroma, yellow and UV chroma of the beak), others were condition‐independent and remained highly correlated before and after the molt (auricular patch size and beak UV hue). Our study provides a rare examination of the links between ornament determinism and selection processes in the wild. We highlight the coexistence of ornaments costly to produce that may be honest signals used in mate choice, and ornaments for which honesty may be enforced by social mediation or rely on genetic constraints.
Long‐distance dispersal or postglacial contraction? Insights into disjunction between Himalaya–Hengduan Mountains and Taiwan in a cold‐adapted herbaceous genus, Triplostegia
Authors: Niu Yan‐Ting , Ye Jian‐Fei , Zhang Jin‐Long , Wan Ji‐Zhong , Yang Tuo , Wei Xiao‐Xin , Lu Li‐Min , Li Jian‐Hua , Chen Zhi‐Duan
Published: December 2017

Current disjunct patterns can result from long‐distance dispersal or postglacial contraction. We herein investigate the evolutionary history of Triplostegia to elucidate the disjunction between the Himalaya–Hengduan Mountain region (HHM) and Taiwan (TW). Genetic structure of Triplostegia was investigated for 48 populations using sequences from five chloroplast loci and the ribosomal nuclear internal transcribed spacer. Divergence time estimation, ancestral area reconstruction, and species distribution modeling (SDM) were employed to examine the biogeographic history of Triplostegia. Substantial genetic differentiation among populations from southwestern China (SW), Central China (CC), and TW was detected. Triplostegia was inferred to have originated in SW, and diversification began during the late Miocene; CC was colonized in the mid‐Pliocene, and TW was finally colonized in the early Pleistocene. SDM suggested an expansion of climatically suitable areas during the Last Glacial Maximum and range contraction during the Last interglacial in Triplostegia. Disjunction between HHM and TW in Triplostegia is most likely the consequence of topographic isolation and postglacial contraction. The potential climatic suitability areas for Triplostegia by 2070s (2061–2080) are predicted to slightly shrink and move northward. With continued global warming and human‐induced deforestation, extinction risk may increase for the cold‐adapted species, and appropriate strategies should be employed for ecosystem conservation.
Traits and climate are associated with first flowering day in herbaceous species along elevational gradients
Authors: Bucher Solveig Franziska , König Patrizia , Menzel Annette , Migliavacca Mirco , Ewald Jörg , Römermann Christine
Published: December 2017

Phenological responses to changing temperatures are known as “fingerprints of climate change,” yet these reactions are highly species specific. To assess whether different plant characteristics are related to these species‐specific responses in flowering phenology, we observed the first flowering day (FFD) of ten herbaceous species along two elevational gradients, representing temperature gradients. On the same populations, we measured traits being associated with (1) plant performance (specific leaf area), (2) leaf biochemistry (leaf C, N, P, K, and Mg content), and (3) water‐use efficiency (stomatal pore area index and stable carbon isotopes concentration). We found that as elevation increased, FFD was delayed for all species with a highly species‐specific rate. Populations at higher elevations needed less temperature accumulation to start flowering than populations of the same species at lower elevations. Surprisingly, traits explained a higher proportion of variance in the phenological data than elevation. Earlier flowering was associated with higher water‐use efficiency, higher leaf C, and lower leaf P content. In addition to that, the intensity of shifts in FFD was related to leaf N and K. These results propose that traits have a high potential in explaining phenological variations, which even surpassed the effect of temperature changes in our study. Therefore, they have a high potential to be included in future analyses studying the effects of climate change and will help to improve predictions of vegetation changes.
Size advantage for male function and size‐dependent sex allocation inAmbrosia artemisiifolia, a wind‐pollinated plant
Authors: Nakahara Toru , Fukano Yuya , Hirota Shun K , Yahara Tetsukazu
Published: December 2017

In wind‐pollinated plants, male‐biased sex allocation is often positively associated with plant size and height. However, effects of size (biomass or reproductive investment) and height were not separated in most previous studies. Here, using experimental populations of monoecious plants,Ambrosia altemisiifolia,we examined (1) how male and female reproductive investments (MRIandFRI) change with biomass and height, (2) howMRIand height affect male reproductive success (MRS) and pollen dispersal, and (3) how height affects seed production. Pollen dispersal kernel and selection gradients onMRSwere estimated by 2,102 seeds using six microsatellite markers. First,MRIincreased with height, butFRIdid not, suggesting that sex allocation is more male‐biased with increasing plant height. On the other hand, bothMRIandFRIincreased with biomass but often more greatly forFRI, and consequently, sex allocation was often female‐biased with biomass. Second,MRSincreased with both height andMRI, the latter having the same or larger effect onMRS. Estimated pollen dispersal kernel was fat‐tailed, with the maximum distance between mates tending to increase withMRIbut not with height. Third, the number of seeds did not increase with height. Those findings showed that the male‐biased sex allocation in taller plants ofA. artemisiifoliais explained by a direct effect of height onMRS.
Impact of long‐term chromosomal shuffling on the multispecies coalescent analysis of two anthropoid primate lineages
Authors: Schrago Carlos G. , Mello Beatriz , Pereira Anieli G. , Furtado Carolina , Seuánez Hector N.
Published: December 2017

Multispecies coalescent (MSC) theory assumes that gene trees inferred from individual loci are independent trials of the MSC process. As genes might be physically close in syntenic associations spanning along chromosome regions, these assumptions might be flawed in evolutionary lineages with substantial karyotypic shuffling. Neotropical primates (NP) represent an ideal case for assessing the performance of MSC methods in such scenarios because chromosome diploid number varies significantly in this lineage. To this end, we investigated the effect of sequence length on the theoretical expectations of MSC model, as well as the results of coalescent‐based tree inference methods. This was carried out by comparing NP with hominids, a lineage in which chromosome macrostructure has been stable for at least 15 million years. We found that departure from the MSC model in Neotropical primates decreased with smaller sequence fragments, where sites sharing the same evolutionary history were more frequently found than in longer fragments. This scenario probably resulted from extensive karyotypic rearrangement occurring during the radiation of NP, contrary to the comparatively stable chromosome evolution in hominids.
Ecological effects of sex differ with trophic positions in a simple food web
Authors: Kawatsu Kazutaka
Published: December 2017

Sexual differences in parental investment, predation pressure, and foraging efforts are common in nature and affect the trophic flow in food webs. Specifically, the sexual differences in predator and prey behavior change in trophic inflow and outflow, respectively, while those in parental investment alter the reproductive allocation of acquired resources in the population. Consequently, these factors may play an important role in determining the system structure and persistence. However, few studies have examined how sexual differences in trophic flow affect food web dynamics. In this study, I show the ecological role of sex by explicitly incorporating sexual differences in trophic flow into a three‐species food web model. The results demonstrated that the ecological waste of males, that is, the amount of trophic inflow into males with less parental investment, plays an important role in system persistence and structure. In particular, the synergy between sexual differences in parental investment and trophic inflows and outflows is important in determining web persistence: Significant impacts of male‐biased trophic flows require the condition of anisogamy. In addition, the dynamic effects of the ecological waste of males differ with trophic level: The coexistence of a food web occurs more frequently with biased inflows into predator males, but occurs less frequently with biased inflows into consumer males. The model analysis indicates that investigating the pattern of sexual differences among trophic positions can enrich our understanding of food web persistence and structure in the real world.
ATLANTIC BIRDS: a data set of bird species from the Brazilian Atlantic Forest
Authors: Hasui Érica , Metzger Jean Paul , Pimentel Rafael G. , Silveira Luís Fábio , Bovo Alex A. d. A. , Martensen Alexandre C. , Uezu Alexandre , Regolin André L. , Bispo de Oliveira Arthur Â. , Gatto Cassiano A. F. R. , Duca Charles , Andretti Christian B. , Banks‐Leite Cristina , Luz Daniela , Mariz Daniele , Alexandrino Eduardo R. , de Barros Fabio M. , Martello Felipe , Pereira Iolanda M. d. S. , da Silva José N. , Ferraz Katia M. P. M. d. B. , Naka Luciano N. , dos Anjos Luiz , Efe Márcio A. , Pizo Marco Aurélio , Pichorim Mauro , Gonçalves Maycon Sanyvan S. , Cordeiro Paulo Henrique Chaves , Dias Rafael A. , Muylaert Renata d. L. , Rodrigues Rodolpho C. , da Costa Thiago V. V. , Cavarzere Vagner , Tonetti Vinicius R. , Silva Wesley R. , Jenkins Clinton N. , Galetti Mauro , Ribeiro Milton C.
Published: December 2017

South America holds 30% of the world's avifauna, with the Atlantic Forest representing one of the richest regions of the Neotropics. Here we have compiled a data set on Brazilian Atlantic Forest bird occurrence (150,423) and abundance samples (N = 832 bird species; 33,119 bird individuals) using multiple methods, including qualitative surveys, mist nets, point counts, and line transects). We used four main sources of data: museum collections, on‐line databases, literature sources, and unpublished reports. The data set comprises 4,122 localities and data from 1815 to 2017. Most studies were conducted in the Florestas de Interior (1,510 localities) and Serra do Mar (1,280 localities) biogeographic sub‐regions. Considering the three main quantitative methods (mist net, point count, and line transect), we compiled abundance data for 745 species in 576 communities. In the data set, the most frequent species were Basileuterus culicivorus, Cyclaris gujanensis, and Conophaga lineata. There were 71 singletons, such as Lipaugus conditus and Calyptura cristata. We suggest that this small number of records reinforces the critical situation of these taxa in the Atlantic Forest. The information provided in this data set can be used for macroecological studies and to foster conservation strategies in this biodiversity hotspot. No copyright restrictions are associated with the data set. Please cite this Data Paper if data are used in publications and teaching events.
Reagent‐Regulated Oxidative O‐Demethylation of a Ferrous Complex Stabilized by a Tetradentate N Ligand with a Methoxyphenyl Substituent
Authors: Suseelan Anjana Sarala , Varghese Babu , Edamana Prasad , Murthy Narasimha N.
Published: December 2017

A ferrous complex FeIILOMeCl2, 1, where LOMe is 2‐methoxy‐N,N‐bis(pyridin‐2‐ylmethyl) aniline, has been synthesized and studies on its structure, spectral properties, and reactivity have been carried out. The complex has rich spectral properties and shows a well‐defined paramagnetic 1H NMR spectrum with sharp and hyperfine shifted signals, which were assigned with the help of a combination of 1H–1H COSY and T1 and T2 relaxation time measurements. Though stable to air, complex 1 underwent oxidation in the presence of AgClO4, which resulted in the formation of a symmetric diferric oxo complex [(LOMeFeIIICl)2O](ClO4)2, 2. However, on reaction with strong oxidants such as tBuOOH, complex 1 yielded a mixture of an unsymmetric diferric oxo complex LOMeFeIIIClOFeIIICl3, 3, and a mononuclear ferric complex LO–FeIIICl2, 4, with a modified phenoxide ligand LO–, which is formed as a result of the demethylation of LOMe during oxidation. The factors affecting O‐demethylation were studied and a possible mechanistic pathway involving a high‐valent iron‐oxo species is proposed.
Stage of development affects dry weight mercury concentrations in bird eggs: Laboratory evidence and adjustment method
Authors: Dolgova Svetlana , Crump Doug , Porter Emily , Williams Kim , Hebert Craig E.
Published: December 2017

Bird eggs are often used to monitor levels and trends of mercury (Hg) in the environment. Logistical issues in such studies sometimes require the use of eggs at different stages of development. Therefore, it is important to understand how embryonic age may affect egg Hg concentrations. Studies using dry weight Hg concentrations in eggs assume that dry mass (e.g., lipids) does not change through embryonic development and thus expressing concentrations on a dry weight basis adjusts for any changes that may occur in egg mass throughout development. That assumption is tested in the present study by injecting chicken eggs with Hg and measuring Hg concentrations in embryonic contents at different stages of artificial incubation. The results indicate that dry weight Hg concentrations in eggs at later stages of development are statistically greater than in undeveloped eggs. To address this issue, we developed a method of standardizing egg Hg concentrations for embryonic age based on egg contents density (egg contents mass/egg contents volume). A combined dataset (n = 225) from precocial and semi-precocial birds was used to demonstrate that egg contents density declines with increasing embryonic development. Based on this finding, we applied a formula to adjust egg dry weight Hg concentrations for stage of development: adjusted egg [Hg] = unadjusted [Hg] × (egg contents density). The application of this approach to adjust data from the chicken egg Hg injection study resulted in there being no statistically significant difference in dry weight Hg levels in eggs at different stages of embryonic development. The adjustment approach described in the present study is a straightforward method to account for stage of development when assessing Hg levels in avian eggs and should be widely applicable to studies of this nature. Environ Toxicol Chem 2018;37:1168–1174. © 2017 SETAC
Mobile assisted directional paging for 5G communications
Authors: Agiwal Mamta , Saxena Navrati , Roy Abhishek
Published: December 2017

Directional fifth‐generation communication is expected to be a paradigm shift from previous wireless generations under the flagship of very high millimeter‐wave carrier frequencies. In a directional millimeter‐wave air interface, communication takes place through multiple transmitting/receiving beams, as one beam can only provide a limited coverage. However, Long‐Term Evolution/Long‐Term Evolution Advanced is primarily designed and optimized for omnidirectional air interface. In a directional interface, transmitting the same paging information through multiple transmitting beams would substantially increase the downlink resource overheads of the network. We propose a mobile assisted directional paging (MDP) as an effective solution to mitigate the problem of an overwhelming paging resource requirement in directional fifth‐generation communications. We also propose to improve power saving at user equipment in an MDP‐based idle‐state discontinuous reception. By capturing various paging rates, we perform a numerical analysis of paging capacity. The MDP achieves around 20% to 90% gain, respectively, for 16 to 256 number of beams compared with a directional paging without any assistance from the mobiles. The analytical results are validated through simulations on the real traffic trace.
Volatility forecasting of crude oil market: A new hybrid method
Authors: Zhang Yue‐Jun , Zhang Jin‐Liang
Published: December 2017

Given the complex characteristics of crude oil price volatility, a new hybrid forecasting method based on the hidden Markov, exponential generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity, and least squares support vector machine models is proposed, and the forecasting performance of the new method is compared with that of well‐recognized generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity class and other related forecasting methods. The results indicate that the new hybrid forecasting method can significantly improve forecasting accuracy of crude oil price volatility. Furthermore, the new method has been demonstrated to be more accurate for the forecast of crude oil price volatility particularly in a longer time horizon.
The remarkable activity of template‐containing Mg/MCM‐41 and Ni/MCM‐41 in CO2 sequestration
Authors: Pirouzmand Mahtab , Asadi Mehdi , Mohammadi Arina
Published: December 2017

Magnesium and nickel incorporated MCM‐41 were prepared by two approaches: direct synthesis (DS) and wet impregnation (WI). The ionic template was removed by calcination. In some experiments, the ionic template was removed by calcination process and in the others it was preserved to investigate the template effect. For comparison, MgO and NiO nanoparticles were also synthesized. The catalysts were characterized by XRD, EDX‐SEM, and FT‐IR. The catalysts obtained were evaluated for hydration of CO2 and its precipitation as CaCO3 at room temperature. The results showed that template‐containing Mg/MCM‐41 and Ni/MCM‐41 prepared by the DS approach have high CO2 hydration activity. This high activity is due to the presence of strong basic sites. Nano MgO and NiO also exhibited a high yield of CaCO3. It was also found that template‐containing MCM‐41 can be recovered easily from the reaction mixture and reused without deactivation. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
MiR‐320 promotes B cell proliferation and the production of aberrant glycosylated IgA1 in IgA nephropathy
Authors: Li Chunmei , Shi Jie , Zhao Yu
Published: December 2017

IgA nephropathy (IgAN) is one of the most common primary glomerulonephritis. However, the etiology of this disease is complex and the pathogenesis of IgAN is still unknown. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in a lot of pathological and physiological processes. In this study, we showed that the expression of miR‐320 was significantly upregulated in renal tissues and urinary of IgAN patients. Moreover, the intra‐renal expression level of miR‐320 had significant correlation with miR‐320 expression in the urinary of IgAN patients. Overexpression of miR‐320 increased B cell proliferation and promoted cyclin D1 expression. Furthermore, we identified that PTEN was direct target gene of miR‐320 in the B cell. Ectopic expression of miR‐320 suppressed PTEN expression. Overexpression of miR‐320 decreased Cosmc expression in the B cell. In addition, we demonstrated that Cosmc expression was significantly downregulated in the renal tissues and urinary of IgAN patients. The intra‐renal expression level of Cosmc had significant correlation with Cosmc expression of urinary in IgAN patients. We proved that the expression level of Cosmc was negatively correlated with the expression of miR‐320 in the renal tissues of IgAN patients. Overexpression of miR‐320 promoted the B cell proliferation through suppressing PTEN expression. Taken together, these data suggested that miR‐320 acted an important role in the development of IgAN.
PPARγ activation mitigates glucocorticoid receptor‐induced excessive lipolysis in adipocytes via homeostatic crosstalk
Authors: Hasan Arif U. , Ohmori Koji , Hashimoto Takeshi , Kamitori Kazuyo , Yamaguchi Fuminori , Rahman Asadur , Tokuda Masaaki , Kobori Hiroyuki
Published: December 2017

Proper balance between lipolysis and lipogenesis in adipocytes determines the release of free fatty acids (FFA) and glycerol, which is crucial for whole body lipid homeostasis. Although, dysregulation of lipid homeostasis contributes to various metabolic complications such as insulin resistance, the regulatory mechanism remains elusive. This study clarified the individual and combined roles for glucocorticoid receptor (GCR) and peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor (PPAR)γ pathways in lipid metabolism of adipocytes. In mature 3T3‐L1 adipocytes, GCR activation using dexamethasone upregulated adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) and downregulated phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK), resulting in enhanced glycerol release into the medium. In contrast, PPARγ ligand pioglitazone modestly upregulated ATGL and hormone sensitive lipase (HSL), but markedly enhanced PEPCK and glycerol kinase (GK), thereby suppressed glycerol release. Dexamethasone showed permissive like effect on PPARγ target genes including perilipin A and aP2, therefore co‐administration of dexamethasone and pioglitazone demonstrated synergistic upregulation of these enzymes excepting PEPCK, of which downregulation by dexamethasone was abolished by pioglitazone to the level above control. Thus, the excessive glycerol release was prevented as the net outcome of the co‐administration. Consistently, the bodipy stain demonstrated that dexamethasone reduced the amount of cytosolic lipid, which was preserved in co‐treated adipocytes. Moreover, silencing of PPARγ suppressed the synergistic effects of co‐treatment on the lipolytic and lipogenic genes, and therefore the GCR pathway indeed involves PPARγ. In conclusion, crosstalk between GCR and PPARγ is largely synergistic but counter‐regulatory in lipogenic genes, of which enhancement prevents excessive glycerol and possibly FFA release by glucocorticoids into the circulation.
Modified Laguerre collocation method for solving 1‐dimensional parabolic convection‐diffusion problems
Authors: Gürbüz Burcu , Sezer Mehmet
Published: December 2017

In this study, we propose a modified Laguerre collocation method based on operational matrix technique to solve 1‐dimensional parabolic convection‐diffusion problems arising in applied sciences. The method transforms the equation and mixed conditions of problem into a matrix equation with unknown Laguerre coefficients by means of collocation points and operational matrices. The solution of this matrix equation yields the Laguerre coefficients of the solution function. Thereby, the approximate solution is obtained in the truncated Laguerre series form. Also, to illustrate the usefulness and applicability of the method, we apply it to a test problem together with residual error estimation and compare the results with existing ones. Besides, the algorithm of the present method is given to represent the calculation of approximate solution.
Hypertonic saline inhalations in bronchiolitis—A cumulative meta‐analysis
Authors: Heikkilä Paula , Renko Marjo , Korppi Matti
Published: December 2017

We undertook a cumulative meta‐analysis for the efficacy of hypertonic saline (HS) compared to normal saline (NS) inhalations or no inhalations as controls in bronchiolitis. We performed literature searches from PubMed, Scopus, and by hand search until 20 June 2017. We accepted published randomized controlled trials of HS inhalations in children with bronchiolitis aged <24 months. We evaluated the differences between treatment group with HS and control group without HS inhalations for the length‐of‐stay in hospital (LOS) by cumulative mean difference (MD) and in hospitalization rate by cumulative risk ratio (RR). We identified 18 studies including 2102 children treated in hospital, and the cumulative MD in LOS was −0.471 days (95% confidence interval [CI] −0.765 to −0.177, Higgins heterogeneity test [I2] 72.9%). The cumulative MD reduced in more recently published papers. In studies with the upper age limit of 12 months, the cumulative MD was −0.408 days (95%CI −0.733 to −0.083) without any important heterogeneity (I2 = 0%). If only studies with a very low risk of bias were included, the cumulative MD was 0.034 (95%CI −0.361 to 0.293) without any important heterogeneity (I2 = 0%). We identified eight studies including 1834 children in the outpatient setting, and the cumulative risk ratio for hospitalization was 0.771 (95%CI 0.619‐0.959, I2 55.8%). In conclusion, HS inhalations offered only limited clinical benefits, though the differences between HS and control groups were statistically significant. The heterogeneity between the studies was substantial. Further studies are warranted with consistent definitions of bronchiolitis and comparable research frames.
The dynamics of transnational family relations and remittance flow in Ethiopia
Authors: Adugna Girmachew
Published: December 2017

This paper examines the dynamics of family relations among Ethiopian transnational families with particular emphasis on how the use of communication media shapes remittance flows and helps maintain family ties. The study is grounded on a survey conducted on 544 households in Gondar, a northern Ethiopian city, which has been an important source of emigrants since the late 1970s, when the country's first wave of emigration occurred as a result of war and political repression. The respondents of the survey are transnational families who maintained strong ties through the use of diverse communication methods such as telephone, email, SMS messaging, and face‐to‐face visits. The transnational social field is a space increasingly used to advance emotional well‐being and to transfer skills and knowledge at family level. The characteristics of transnational families and their ability to access new communication media determines the types of media used which in turn influences the frequency and intensity of family contact. This also explains why Ethiopian emigrants often adopt multiple media links. Migration and remittances were found to significantly improve access to new technologies by migrant households. As the results of this study show, families and communities left behind are not passive recipients of remittances but as proactive agents who co‐construct and reconstruct transnational networks. Their role in influencing the monetary and nonmonetary diaspora resource flows is also significant. This paper seeks to make a contribution to the transnational migration literature by examining how origin communities shape and influence the dynamics of these transnational social spaces.
Ecological Balance of Oral Microbiota Is Required to Maintain Oral Mesenchymal Stem Cell Homeostasis
Authors: Su Yingying , Chen Chider , Guo Lijia , Du Juan , Li Xiaoyan , Liu Yi
Published: December 2017

Oral microbiome is essential for maintenance of oral cavity health. Imbalanced oral microbiome causes periodontal and other diseases. It is unknown whether oral microbiome affect oral stem cells function. This study used a common clinical antibiotic treatment approach to alter oral microbiome ecology and examine whether oral mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are affected. We found that altered oral microbiome resulted gingival MSCs deficiency, leading to a delayed wound healing in male mice. Mechanistically, oral microbiome release lipopolysaccharide (LPS) that stimulates the expression of microRNA-21 (miR-21) and then impair the normal function of gingival MSCs and wound healing process through miR-21/Sp1/telomerase reverse transcriptase pathway. This is the first study indicate that interplay between oral microbiome and MSCs homeostasis in male mice.
Analysis of Hopf bifurcations in differential equations with state‐dependent delays via multiple scales method
Authors: Pei Lijun , Wang Shuo , Wiercigroch Marian
Published: December 2017

In this paper, a multiple scales method (MMS) is employed to analyze Hopf bifurcations in differential equations with two linearly state‐dependent time delays. Firstly, the linear stability of the linearized equation near the only equilibrium (the trivial equilibrium) is performed analytically. Then, the case for which the coefficients of the delayed terms are small, the method of multiple scales (MMS) bypassing the need to use center manifold reduction allows the normal form to be easily obtained. Furthermore, the stability and bifurcation analysis are undertaken for the normal form to determine the types of the Hopf bifurcation. The proposed method can not only determine the direction of Hopf bifurcation but also its type. The numerical simulation results agree well with the analytical predictions. This suggests that the MMS employed in this paper provides a simple, accurate and effective means of analyzing Hopf bifurcations in the state‐dependent delayed differential equations.