bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantitative analysis of 11‐dehydrocorticosterone and corticosterone for preclinical studies by liquid chromatography/triple quadrupole mass spectrometry
Authors: Verma Manu , Sooy Karen , Just George , Nixon Mark , Morgan Ruth , Andrew Ruth , Chapman Karen E. , Homer Natalie Z.M. 
Published: November 2019

RationaleThe activity of the glucocorticoid activating enzyme 11β‐hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type‐1 (11βHSD1) is altered in diseases such as obesity, inflammation and psychiatric disorders. In rodents 11βHSD1 converts inert 11‐dehydrocorticosterone (11‐DHC) into the active form, corticosterone (CORT). A sensitive, specific liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method was sought to simultaneously quantify total 11‐DHC and total and free CORT in murine plasma for simple assessment of 11βHSD1 activity in murine models.MethodsMass spectrometry parameters were optimised and a method for the chromatographic separation of CORT and 11‐DHC was developed. Murine plasma was prepared by 10:1 chloroform liquid–liquid extraction (LLE) for analysis. Limits of quantitation (LOQs), linearity and other method criteria were assessed, according to bioanalytical method validation guidelines.ResultsReliable separation of 11‐DHC and CORT was achieved using an ACE Excel 2 C18‐AR (2.1 × 150 mm; 2 μm) fused core column at 25°C, with an acidified water/acetonitrile gradient over 10 min. Analytes were detected by multiple reaction monitoring after positive electrospray ionisation (m/z 345.1.1 ➔ 121.2, m/z 347.1 ➔ 121.1 for 11‐DHC and CORT, respectively). The LOQs were 0.25 and 0.20 ng/mL for 11‐DHC and CORT, respectively.ConclusionsThis LC/MS method is suitable for the reliable analysis of 11‐DHC and CORT following simple LLE of murine plasma, bringing preclinical analysis in line with recommendations for clinical endocrinology and biochemistry.
An inductively coupled plasma study and an ion cyclotron resonance matrix‐assisted laser/desorption study at high mass resolution of two ancient Maya greenstone artifacts from Pacbitun, Belize, and two decorative jade specimens
Authors: March Raymond E. 
Published: November 2019

AbstractRationaleTwo Early Classic period (ca 250–600 CE) Maya carved, greenstone jade pendants, Specimens A and B, were recovered from the Pacbitun site in Belize in 1987. Mass scans of resolution ~600,000 were obtained for the jade pendants and two British Columbia jade ornaments.MethodsPolyatomic ions from jade grit have been observed using Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (FTICR‐MS), specifically the Bruker Daltonics, SolariX XR, combined with matrix‐assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI); the matrix material was α‐cyano‐4‐hydroxycinnamicacid.ResultsPresented here is an interpretation of the mass spectrometric observations from multiplicities of silicate materials. Observation of novel polyatomic ion species of m/z 800–1400 indicate the ejection of charged ensembles composed of 60–180 atoms from jade grit. The charged ensembles represent minute regions of jade grit that have retained many of the spatial relationships of atoms within the jade; the required ejection energy is provided by laser photons accumulated in the matrix. Acid solutions of grit from Specimens A and ornament KMM were analyzed by inductively‐coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The novelty of this application of mass spectrometry to jade was reported in the Journal of Archaeological Science: Reports.ConclusionsIsotopic fine structure analysis can yield elemental compositions for ions composed of base isotopes together with stable isotope intensities arising from ions with one and two additional neutrons. The analysis is challenging as jade is a multiplicity of similar solid solutions; thus, a multiple isotopic fine structure approach has been explored. Attempts to compose ensembles of atoms, of those elements found normally in coloured silicates, to match the observed ion mass/charge ratios were unsuccessful without the addition of multiple hydrogen atoms. The production of polyatomic ions of siliceous material may permit impinging fine glass coatings onto construction materials for protection against fire and weather.
Flowers of European pear release common and uncommon volatiles that can be detected by honey bee pollinators
Authors: Lukas Kathrin , Harig Tim , Schulz Stefan , Hadersdorfer Johannes , Dötterl Stefan 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Floral scents are important pollinator attractants, but there is limited knowledge about the importance of single components in plant–pollinator interactions. This especially is true in crop pollination systems. The aim of this study is to identify floral volatiles of several European pear cultivars (Pyrus communis L.), and to determine their potential in eliciting physiological responses in antennae of honey bees (Apis mellifera L.), the most important pollinators of pear. Volatiles were collected by dynamic headspace and analysed by (high resolution) gas chromatography coupled to mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Antennal responses were investigated by GC coupled to electroantennographic detection (GC/EAD). We trapped in the mean 256 ng of scent per flower and hour (flower−1 h−1) from the different cultivars with either linalool + methyl benzoate or methyl 2-hydroxy-3-methylpentanoate as most abundant compounds. Of the 108 detected pear floral scent components, 17 were electrophysiologically active in honey bee antennae. Among these compounds were (E)-N-(2-methylbutyl)- and (E)-N-(3-methylbutyl)-1-(pyridin-3-yl)methanimine, which were not known from nature before to the best of our knowledge. Most other compounds identified as flower scent in pear are widespread compounds, known from flowers of various other species. Our results provide new insights in the floral volatile chemistry of an important insect-pollinated crop and show for the first time that honey bees have the olfactory ability to detect several pear floral volatiles. These data are an important basis for more detailed studies of the olfactory communication between honey bees and European pear flowers and might in the long term be used to manipulate the attractiveness of pear to obtain optimal fruit set.
Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Alzheimer’s Disease are not Causal Factors of Bone Mineral Density: A Mendelian Randomization Analysis
Authors: Cui Zhiyong , Meng Xiangyu , Zhuang Siying , Liu Zhaorui , Zhou Fang , Tian Yun 
Published: November 2019

AbstractUntil recently, it remains unclear whether schizophrenia, bipolar disorder (BD), and Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is associated with bone mineral density (BMD). We aimed to investigate the causal effects of schizophrenia, BD and AD on BMD with Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) strongly associated with these three neuropsychiatric diseases as instrumental variables were selected from genome-wide association studies in the MR Base database. We analyzed the effects of these SNPs on the femoral neck BMD (FN-BMD), lumbar spine BMD (LS-BMD) and forearm BMD (FA-BMD), and evaluated the heterogeneities and pleiotropy of these genetic variants. We also evaluated the potential confounding factors in the association between these three neuropsychiatric diseases and the BMD level. It was found that none of these genetic variants were significantly associated with BMD or confounding factors. Using these genetic variants, we did not find statistically significant causal effects of per unit increase in the log-odds of having schizophrenia, BD or AD with FN-BMD, LS-BMD and FA-BMD changes (e.g. schizophrenia and FN-BMD, MR-Egger OR 0.9673, 95% CI 0.8382 to 1.1163, p = 0.6519). The MR results also revealed that directional pleiotropy was unlikely to bias the causality (e.g., schizophrenia and FN-BMD, intercept = 0.0023, p = 0.6887), and no evidence of heterogeneity was found between the genetic variants (e.g., schizophrenia and FN-BMD, MR-Egger Q = 46.1502, I2 = 0.0899, p = 0.3047). Our MR study did not support causal effects of increased risk of schizophrenia, BD and AD status with BMD level.
Application of a compositional rotatable plan in modeling the propylene content in a vinyl chloride/propylene copolymer
Authors: Wiener Marzena , Gawdzik Andrzej 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Using a fractional rotatable plan, the effect of five input parameters of the conduct of the copolymerization process on the amount of propylene built into the copolymer, obtained as a result of free radical suspension copolymerization of vinyl chloride with propylene in a batch suspension polymerization reactor, was analyzed. Using the results obtained, the analysis of variance was carried out and the influence of particular factors and their interactions on the product properties was determined. Thus, it was determined that the greatest influence on the amount of the incorporated propylene in the copolymer is exerted by the amount of propylene introduced into the system, while the effect of the initiator on the product properties analyzed was found to be negligible. A mathematical model was also made, and then it was improved through the use of stepwise regression and verification with the results of laboratory experiments. The adequacy of the achieved model was confirmed using the Fisher–Snedecor test. It was obtained the conformity of the constructed model with the analysis of the influence of particular factors on the propylene content in the copolymer.
Computational study on the haemodynamic and mechanical performance of electrospun polyurethane dialysis grafts
Authors: Quicken Sjeng , de Bruin Yeshi , Mees Barend , Tordoir Jan , Delhaas Tammo , Huberts Wouter 
Published: November 2019

AbstractCompliance mismatch between an arteriovenous dialysis graft (AVG) and the connected vein is believed to result in disturbed haemodynamics around the graft–vein anastomosis and increased mechanical loading of the vein. Both phenomena are associated with neointimal hyperplasia development, which is the main reason for AVG patency loss. In this study, we use a patient-specific fluid structure interaction AVG model to assess whether AVG haemodynamics and mechanical loading can be optimised by using novel electrospun polyurethane (ePU) grafts, since their compliance can be better tuned to match that of the native veins, compared to gold standard, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) grafts. It was observed that the magnitude of flow disturbances in the vein and the size of anastomotic areas exposed to highly oscillatory shear ($$\hbox {OSI} >0.25$$OSI>0.25) and very high wall shear stress ($$>40 \hbox { Pa}$$>40Pa) were largest for the ePTFE graft. Median strain and von Mises stress in the vein were similar for both graft types, whereas highest stress and strain were observed in the anastomosis of the ePU graft. Since haemodynamics were most favourable for the ePU graft simulation, AVG longevity might be improved by the use of ePU grafts.
Specification-driven predictive business process monitoring
Authors: Santoso Ario , Felderer Michael 
Published: November 2019

AbstractPredictive analysis in business process monitoring aims at forecasting the future information of a running business process. The prediction is typically made based on the model extracted from historical process execution logs (event logs). In practice, different business domains might require different kinds of predictions. Hence, it is important to have a means for properly specifying the desired prediction tasks, and a mechanism to deal with these various prediction tasks. Although there have been many studies in this area, they mostly focus on a specific prediction task. This work introduces a language for specifying the desired prediction tasks, and this language allows us to express various kinds of prediction tasks. This work also presents a mechanism for automatically creating the corresponding prediction model based on the given specification. Differently from previous studies, instead of focusing on a particular prediction task, we present an approach to deal with various prediction tasks based on the given specification of the desired prediction tasks. We also provide an implementation of the approach which is used to conduct experiments using real-life event logs.
Vessel co-option in glioblastoma: emerging insights and opportunities
Authors: Seano Giorgio , Jain Rakesh K. 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Vessel co-option is the movement of cancer cells towards and along the pre-existing vasculature and is an alternative to angiogenesis to gain access to nutrients. Vessel co-option has been shown as a strategy employed by some glioblastoma (GBM) cells to invade further into the brain, leading to one of the greatest challenges in treating GBM. In GBM, vessel co-option may be an intrinsic feature or an acquired mechanism of resistance to anti-angiogenic treatment. Here, we describe the histological features and the dynamics visualized through intravital microscopy of vessel co-option in GBM, as well as the molecular players discovered until now. We also highlight key unanswered questions, as answering these is critical to improve understanding of GBM progression and for developing more effective approaches for GBM treatment.
Assessing the effects of land use on biodiversity in the world’s drylands and Mediterranean environments
Authors: García-Vega Diego , Newbold Tim 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
Biodiversity models make an important contribution to our understanding of global biodiversity changes. The effects of different land uses vary across ecosystem types, yet most broad-scale models have failed to account for this variation. The effects of land use may be different in systems characterized by low water availability because of the unusual conditions within these systems. Drylands are expanding, currently occupying over 40% of the terrestrial land, while Mediterranean systems are highly endangered biodiversity hotspots. However, the impact of land use on biodiversity in these biomes is yet to be assessed. Using a database of local biodiversity surveys, we assess the effects of land use on biodiversity in the world’s drylands and Mediterranean ecosystems. We compare the average species richness, total abundance, species diversity, ecological dominance, endemism rates, and compositional turnover across different land uses. In drylands, there was a strong turnover in species composition in disturbed land uses compared with undisturbed natural habitat (primary vegetation), but other measures of biodiversity did not respond significantly. However, it is important to note that the sample size for drylands was very low, a gap which should be filled promptly. Mediterranean environments showed a very high sensitivity of biodiversity to land uses. In this biome, even habitat recovering after past disturbance (secondary vegetation) had substantially reduced biodiversity and altered community composition compared with primary vegetation. In an effort to maintain original biodiversity and the ecosystem functions it supports within Mediterranean biomes, conservation measures should therefore prioritize the preservation of remaining primary vegetation.
The Information Role of Earnings Conference Call Tone: Evidence from Stock Price Crash Risk
Authors: Fu Xi , Wu Xiaoxi , Zhang Zhifang 
Published: November 2019

AbstractThis paper investigates whether and how the disclosure tone of earnings conference calls predicts future stock price crash risk. Using US public firms’ conference call transcripts from 2010 to 2015, we find that firms with less optimistic tone of year-end conference calls experience higher stock price crash risk in the following year. Additional analyses reveal that the predictive power of tone is more pronounced among firms with better information environment and lower managerial equity incentives, suggesting that extrinsic motivations for truthful disclosure partially explain the predictive power of conference call tone. Our results shed light on the long-term information role of conference call tone by exploring the setting of extreme future downside risk, when managers have conflicting incentives either to unethically manipulate disclosure tone to hide bad news or to engage in ethical and truthful communication.
Household Fire Protection Practices in Relation to Socio-demographic Characteristics: Evidence from a Swedish National Survey
Authors: Nilson Finn , Bonander Carl 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
The sociodemographic inequalities in the ownership of residential fire safety equipment, fire prevention practices and fire protection knowledge was studied using an inductive and data-driven approach based on the responses to a national Swedish survey containing individual-level data on several dimensions of home fire safety practices (n = 7507). Cluster analysis was used to summarise home fire safety data and sociodemographic characteristics of the sample were then regressed on the data ordinal regression analysis. The results showed significant correlations between the level of fire protection and a range of factors (sex, age, family composition, income, housing type and country of birth), suggesting a positive effect of socioeconomic success. Further, the results imply that having experienced a residential fire has a positive impact on future fire protection practices, and that higher levels of fire protection interest increases the probability of having a functional smoke detector.
Thermal analysis of halogenated rubber cured with a new cross-linking system
Authors: Dziemidkiewicz Anna , Maciejewska Magdalena , Pingot Martyna 
Published: November 2019

Abstract
The aim of this work was to examine the influence of new curing agents proposed for brominated butyl rubber (BIIR) on the cross-linking process of rubber compounds and the thermal behavior of the vulcanizates. Rubber blends that were filled with carbon black and contained acetylacetonates of different transition metals in the presence of triethanolamine (TEOA) as new cross-linking agents were prepared. The performed studies showed that metal acetylacetonates (Me(acac)) are effective cross-linking agents for BIIR, which was confirmed by high values of the torque increment (∆M) and significant cross-linking degree of the vulcanizates (α(T)). The most active curing agent seems to be iron acetylacetonate (Fe(acac)). Its application results in a shorter optimal vulcanization time, lower onset vulcanization temperature and similar vulcanization enthalpy compared to the BIIR cured with a sulfur curing system. The BIIR vulcanizates cured with Me(acac) reveal good mechanical properties with tensile strengths in the range of 9–14 MPa and better damping properties comparing to the sulfur-cured rubber. The proposed curing agents do not significantly affect the thermal stability of the BIIR vulcanizates.
The construct validity and responsiveness of the EQ-5D-5L, AQL-5D and a bespoke TTO in acute asthmatics
Authors: Crossman-Barnes Christina-Jane , Sach Tracey , Wilson Andrew , Barton Garry 
Published: November 2019

AbstractPurposeMeasuring quality of life in acute asthmatics is challenging, especially when asthma attacks can occur sporadically. Several questionnaires can be used to measure quality of life in this patient group; however, psychometric testing is limited on questionnaires that can be used to estimate Quality Adjusted Life years. The objective of this study is to assess the construct validity (convergent and discriminative validity) and responsiveness of the EuroQol-5-Dimensions 5-Level (EQ-5D-5L), Asthma Quality of Life Utility Index-5 Dimensions (AQL-5D) and Time Trade-Off (TTO) in acute asthma patients.MethodsData from a prospective cohort study were used to test the validity and responsiveness of the EQ-5D-5L, AQL-5D and TTO in asthma patients who were recruited from UK accident & emergency departments or hospital wards. The spearman’s rank correlation coefficient, the Kruskal–Wallis test statistic and the standardized response mean were used to test for convergent validity, discriminative validity and responsiveness, respectively.ResultsOne hundred and twenty-one participants were included in the available case analysis. The EQ-5D-5L and AQL-5D showed moderate to strong correlations for convergent validity at baseline, week 4 and week 8. The AQL-5D and TTO showed moderate correlations at week 4 and week 8. No statistical significance was observed for discriminative validity at baseline. Both the EQ-5D-5L and the AQL-5D also showed that they were sensitive to change for the recovery responses.ConclusionsThe EQ-5D-5L and AQL-5D showed stronger construct validity and responsiveness compared to the TTO. Therefore, both the EQ-5D-5L and AQL-5D should be considered for use in future economic evaluations.
Approximation and sampling of multivariate probability distributions in the tensor train decomposition
Authors: Dolgov Sergey , Anaya-Izquierdo Karim , Fox Colin , Scheichl Robert 
Published: November 2019

AbstractGeneral multivariate distributions are notoriously expensive to sample from, particularly the high-dimensional posterior distributions in PDE-constrained inverse problems. This paper develops a sampler for arbitrary continuous multivariate distributions that is based on low-rank surrogates in the tensor train format, a methodology that has been exploited for many years for scalable, high-dimensional density function approximation in quantum physics and chemistry. We build upon recent developments of the cross approximation algorithms in linear algebra to construct a tensor train approximation to the target probability density function using a small number of function evaluations. For sufficiently smooth distributions, the storage required for accurate tensor train approximations is moderate, scaling linearly with dimension. In turn, the structure of the tensor train surrogate allows sampling by an efficient conditional distribution method since marginal distributions are computable with linear complexity in dimension. Expected values of non-smooth quantities of interest, with respect to the surrogate distribution, can be estimated using transformed independent uniformly-random seeds that provide Monte Carlo quadrature or transformed points from a quasi-Monte Carlo lattice to give more efficient quasi-Monte Carlo quadrature. Unbiased estimates may be calculated by correcting the transformed random seeds using a Metropolis–Hastings accept/reject step, while the quasi-Monte Carlo quadrature may be corrected either by a control-variate strategy or by importance weighting. We show that the error in the tensor train approximation propagates linearly into the Metropolis–Hastings rejection rate and the integrated autocorrelation time of the resulting Markov chain; thus, the integrated autocorrelation time may be made arbitrarily close to 1, implying that, asymptotic in sample size, the cost per effectively independent sample is one target density evaluation plus the cheap tensor train surrogate proposal that has linear cost with dimension. These methods are demonstrated in three computed examples: fitting failure time of shock absorbers; a PDE-constrained inverse diffusion problem; and sampling from the Rosenbrock distribution. The delayed rejection adaptive Metropolis (DRAM) algorithm is used as a benchmark. In all computed examples, the importance weight-corrected quasi-Monte Carlo quadrature performs best and is more efficient than DRAM by orders of magnitude across a wide range of approximation accuracies and sample sizes. Indeed, all the methods developed here significantly outperform DRAM in all computed examples.