bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Forest degradation impacts on carbon stocks, tree density and regeneration status in banj oak forests of Central Himalaya
Authors: Pandey Anvita , Arunachalam Kusum , Thadani Rajesh , Singh Vishal 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe oak forests of the Himalaya are an important repository of carbon. Forest degradation, in terms of loss in biomass and carbon, is a more pressing problem than loss of forest area in the Himalaya. The altitudinal gradient between 1,000 m and 2,200 m is dominated by chir pine and banj oak forest. As a result of small‐scale chronic disturbances the structure and function of banj oak forest is rapidly changing, leaving few pristine patches. Forty permanent plots of 400 m2 in four disturbance categories of Central Himalayas (1,400 m–2,300 m asl) were studied over 3 years (2015, 2016 and 2017) to understand the impact of disturbance on banj oak forests. The study indicates that tree biomass declined by 62% from undisturbed to degraded forests, carbon sequestration rate declined by 73% and was maximum for Moderately disturbed‐A forests, total soil carbon dropped by 79% and mycorrhizal sporocarps declined by 78% from undisturbed to degraded forests. There was an overall decline in tree density by 56% from undisturbed forests to degraded forests. In degraded forests, the invasion of pine, a species tolerant of disturbance, helps in maintaining the forest status but the population structure changes and significant decline in carbon sequestration rate and total biomass stocks (above ground biomass and below ground biomass) was observed. The study indicates that moderate level disturbance promotes better carbon sequestration rates, tree density and the survival of seedlings.
Structural insight into bi‐functional malonyl‐CoA reductase
Authors: Son Hyeoncheol Francis , Kim Sangwoo , Seo Hogyun , Hong Jiyeon , Lee Donghoon , Jin Kyeong Sik , Park Sunghoon , Kim Kyung‐Jin 
Published: December 2019

SummaryThe bi‐functional malonyl‐CoA reductase is a key enzyme of the 3‐hydroxypropionate bi‐cycle for bacterial CO2 fixation, catalysing the reduction of malonyl‐CoA to malonate semialdehyde and further reduction to 3‐hydroxypropionate. Here, we report the crystal structure and the full‐length architecture of malonyl‐CoA reductase from Porphyrobacter dokdonensis. The malonyl‐CoA reductase monomer of 1230 amino acids consists of four tandemly arranged short‐chain dehydrogenases/reductases, with two catalytic and two non‐catalytic short‐chain dehydrogenases/reductases, and forms a homodimer through paring contact of two malonyl‐CoA reductase monomers. The complex structures with its cofactors and substrates revealed that the malonyl‐CoA substrate site is formed by the cooperation of two short‐chain dehydrogenases/reductases and one novel extra domain, while only one catalytic short‐chain dehydrogenase/reductase contributes to the formation of the malonic semialdehyde‐binding site. The phylogenetic and structural analyses also suggest that the bacterial bi‐functional malonyl‐CoA has a structural origin that is completely different from the archaeal mono‐functional malonyl‐CoA and malonic semialdehyde reductase, and thereby constitute an efficient enzyme.
Chromobacterium violaceum delivers violacein, a hydrophobic antibiotic, to other microbes in membrane vesicles
Authors: Choi Seong Yeol , Lim Sungbin , Cho Gayoung , Kwon Jisoo , Mun Wonsik , Im Hansol , Mitchell Robert J. 
Published: December 2019

SummaryThis study describes Chromobacterium violaceum's use of extracellular membrane vesicles (MVs) to both solubilize and transport violacein to other microorganisms. Violacein is a hydrophobic bisindole with known antibiotic activities against other microorganisms. Characterization of the MVs found they carried more violacein than protein (1.37 ± 0.19‐fold), suggesting they may act as a reservoir for this compound. However, MVs are not produced in response to violacein – a ΔvioA isogenic mutant, which is incapable of making violacein, actually produced significantly more MVs (3.2‐fold) than the wild‐type strain. Although violacein is insoluble in water (Log Poctanol:water = 3.34), 79.5% remained in the aqueous phase when it was present within the C. violaceum MVs, an increase in solubility of 1740‐fold. Moreover, tests with a strain of Staphylococcus aureus showed MV‐associated violacein is bactericidal, with 3.1 mg/l killing 90% of S. aureus in 6 h. Tests with the ΔvioA MVs found no loss in the S. aureus viability, even when its MVs were added at much higher concentrations, demonstrating violacein is the active component within the wild‐type MVs. In conclusion, our study clearly demonstrates C. violaceum produces MVs and uses them as vehicles to solubilize violacein and transport this hydrophobic antibiotic to other microbes.
The Impact of Discontinuation of the Medical Examiner System: Cases of Drowning in the Bathtub at Home
Authors: Kakiuchi Yasuhiro , Nagao Ryoko , Ochiai Eriko , Kakimoto Yu , Osawa Motoki 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThe incidence of death by drowning greatly varies among different prefectures in Japan, mainly due to climate difference. However, there could be other factors affecting the incidence of deaths besides climate, for example, differences in regional death investigation systems. Here, we aimed to elucidate other such factors affecting the mortality data of drowning in the bathtub, especially the effects of discontinuing the medical examiner system. Police data in Kyoto and ambulatory care information in Yokohama were used. Data on cases of elderly individuals found dying or dead in the bathtub at home in winter 2014–2015 were obtained. The following data were collected for each case: age, gender, presence/absence of ambulatory transport, performance of autopsy, and cause of death. The autopsy and drowning rates in Kyoto were 0%, whereas both values in Yokohama were significantly higher at 93.1% and 89.4%, respectively (the denominator of each of the rates is the total number of elderly (aged 65 or over) individuals found dying or dead in the bathtub at home in each city during each winter). Despite no significant difference of incidence of total bath‐related death, the proportion of drowning‐related deaths was overwhelmingly higher in Yokohama than in Kyoto. The difference can be attributed to the difference in autopsy rates between the two cities, mainly caused by the presence/absence of a medical examiner system. Therefore, we should pay careful attention to future changes in autopsy/drowning rates in Yokohama, and ascertain whether the change might be continuously influenced by the abolishment of this system.
Drivers of liking for reduced sodium potato chips and puffed rice
Authors: Buechler Aimee E. , Lee Soo‐Yeun 
Published: December 2019

AbstractReducing the amount of sodium in food products is necessary in decreasing the prevalence of hypertension, heart attack, and stroke. There is a lack of information on sodium reduction in potato chips and puffed rice, which comprise a large percentage of salty snack sales, and the use of flavor enhancers to maintain consumer acceptability of these products. The objective of this study was to identify drivers of liking for potato chip and puffed rice samples seasoned with differing sodium and flavor enhancer concentrations using sensory descriptive analysis and acceptance data. Eleven trained panelists evaluated the snacks and found eight significantly different attributes for potato chips and seven significantly different attributes for puffed rice. To better understand how these differences in samples play a role in sample liking, the descriptive analysis data were correlated with the data from a consumer test through preference mapping. For potato chips, consumers liked samples characterized by meaty aftertaste, aroma, aroma‐by‐mouth, and umami aftertaste. Consumers disliked samples with a strong raw potato aroma. For puffed rice, consumers liked samples with attributes of crunchy texture, garlic aftertaste, and savory aftertaste and disliked bitter aftertaste and chili powder aroma‐by‐mouth. These findings imply acceptance of sodium‐reduced potato chips and puffed rice is possible by focusing on these identified drivers of liking.Practical ApplicationOur findings suggest the addition of flavor enhancers maintains or improves the palatability of reduced sodium products with eight attributes influencing liking of potato chips and seven attributes influencing liking of puffed rice. Understanding the sensory attributes that impact the acceptance of reduced sodium products will allow for these attributes to be the focus during product development, which may result in increased sales of reduced sodium snacks, thus decreasing sodium consumption from snack products.
Modeling community occupancy from line transect data: a case study with large mammals in post‐war Angola
Authors: Petracca L. S. , Funston P. J. , Henschel P. , Cohen J. B. , Maclennan S. , Frair J. L. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractHuman disturbance can have a profound effect on the occurrence and distribution of wildlife. Such disturbance often extends into protected areas (PAs), particularly in countries that have undergone civil strife and lack the institutional capacity to effectively mitigate anthropogenic threats. We demonstrate the first application of a multi‐species hierarchical occupancy model to spatially correlated detections from vehicle‐based spoor transects, estimating species richness and species‐specific drivers of occurrence of a large mammal community comprising five large carnivores [cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus), leopard (Panthera pardus), lion (Panthera leo), spotted hyena (Crocuta crocuta), and wild dog (Lycaon pictus)] and six large herbivores [buffalo (Syncerus caffer), eland (Taurotragus oryx), elephant (Loxodonta africana), giraffe (Giraffa giraffa), roan (Hippotragus equinus), and sable (Hippotragus niger)] in Luengue‐Luiana and Mavinga National Parks, Angola. This area is the largest contiguous national park complex within a single African country and part of the largest transfrontier conservation area in the world, and is still recovering from the effects of civil war. In this post‐war landscape, the most substantive drivers of community‐level occupancy were anthropogenic, with occupancy associated with lower frequency of human sign, proximity to adjacent national park, and distance away from human settlement. In contrast, ecological variables (precipitation, vegetation cover, seasonal water availability) had less explanatory value. Our results highlight the deleterious effects of human incursion into PAs on the richness and distribution of large mammal species, underscoring the need for intensive mitigation of anthropogenic threats (e.g. poaching, bushmeat hunting) to maintain species of high conservation value in areas impacted by war.
The Ghosts of Mining Past: A Settler Colonial Story
Authors: Stern Pamela 
Published: December 2019

SummaryEthnographic reports of ghosts, spirits, and other nonhuman agents are portrayed as very different entities depending upon whether the people perceiving them are recognized as indigenous or nonindigenous. The nonhuman agents apprehended by indigenous peoples are nearly always described as ontological, while ethnographers tend to treat ghosts and other spirits among nonindigenous peoples as a form of protest. Using ethnographic data from the former silver mining settler community of Cobalt, Ontario Canada, I challenge this dichotomization. Instead, I argue ghostly encounters may arise from the social practices of emplacement, which may be indigenous or nonindigenous. In Cobalt, heritage work and nostalgia for an earlier time causes some residents to envision ghosts or spirits of long ended mining.
Successful minimally invasive two‐stage operation for rare synchronous cancers of the esophagus and the pancreatic head: A case report
Authors: Ozawa Hiroki , Kawakubo Hirofumi , Kitago Minoru , Mayanagi Shuhei , Fukuda Kazumasa , Nakamura Rieko , Suda Koichi , Wada Norihito , Kitagawa Yuko 
Published: December 2019

AbstractWe report the case of a 70‐year‐old woman with synchronous advanced esophageal cancer and pancreatic head cancer. To reduce the surgical invasiveness, we performed a two‐stage operation that included percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy and minimally invasive esophagectomy. In the first stage, we performed a percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy, a thoracoscopic esophagectomy with cervical and mediastinal lymph node dissection, and an esophagostomy without a laparotomy. The second stage, which was performed 28 days after the first operation, consisted of a total gastrectomy, pancreaticoduodenectomy, colonic reconstruction, and jejunostomy. Fifty days after the second operation, the patient was discharged from the hospital. A two‐stage operation that includes minimally invasive esophagectomy seems to be useful for avoiding serious postoperative complications, even in patients with rare, synchronous advanced cancers of the esophagus and the pancreatic head.
The effect of perazine on the CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 phenotypes as measured by the dextromethorphan and mephenytoin tests in psychiatric patients
Authors: Baumann Pierre , Eap Chin B. , Gastpar Markus 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThere is evidence that the antipsychotic drug perazine is an inhibitor of CYP2D6. This study aimed at evaluating its effect on CYP2D6 and CYP2C19 activities in submitting psychiatric patients to phenotyping with dextromethorphan and mephenytoin, respectively, substrates of these enzymes, before and during a treatment with perazine. A total of 31 patients were phenotyped with dextromethorphan (CYP2D6) and mephenytoin (CYP2C19) before and after a 2‐week treatment with 450 ± 51 mg/day (mean ± sd) perazine. At baseline, five patients appeared to be poor metabolizers (PM) of dextromethorphan and two patients of mephenytoin. The metabolic ratio (MR) of dextromethorphan/dextrorphan as determined in collected urine increased significantly (Wilcoxon; P < .0001) from baseline (0.39 ± 1.38 [mean ± sd]) till day 14 (1.46 ± 2.22). In 19 out of 26 extensive metabolizers (EM) of dextromethorphan, the phenotype changed from EM to PM. This suggests an almost complete inhibition of CYP2D6 by perazine and/or its metabolites. On the other hand, perazine (or some of its metabolites) did seemingly not inhibit CYP2C19. In conclusion, this study suggests that in patients treated with perazine and co‐medicated with CYP2D6 substrates, there could be an increased risk of adverse effects as a consequence of a pharmacokinetic interaction.
Initiation of injectable opioid agonist treatment in hospital: A case report
Authors: McAdam Matthew , Brar Rupinder , Young Samantha 
Published: December 2019

AbstractUncontrolled opioid withdrawal and pain often drive inpatients with opioid use disorder to leave hospital against medical advice, resulting in suboptimal medical and addiction treatment. When oral opioid agonist treatments such as methadone and buprenorphine/naloxone fail for management of craving and withdrawal, injectable opioid agonist treatment may serve to retain patients in care and link them to addiction services. We describe the case of a 47‐year‐old man with a severe, active opioid use disorder and daily use of illicitly manufactured fentanyl, who was re‐admitted to hospital for post‐operative management after leaving against medical advice due to uncontrolled opioid withdrawal. Intravenous hydromorphone was used to retain him in care, allowing for completion of his antibiotics and enrolment in ongoing community injectable opioid agonist treatment.
The Smart Servicescape Framework in Smart Home Healthcare Service Experience
Authors: Kang Hyo‐Jin , Kim Bora , Kwon Gyu Hyun 
Published: December 2019

The dramatic advancement of Internet of Things technology and smart services has encouraged the integration of smart home and healthcare service. Despite various research studies on the technology of smart home healthcare services, it is essential to approach those services from the service experience perspective. Moreover, it would be significant to consider the context and environment of smart services, namely, “smart servicescapes,” as they can influence users’ perceptions and experiences. With this background, the aim of this study was to examine the smart servicescape framework that was developed based on the smart home services in the prior study from the domain of smart home healthcare services and to ameliorate the framework to better reflect the characteristics of smart services.During the qualitative analysis of 21 user‐scenario movie clips on smart home healthcare services, the smart servicescape elements were recategorized and relabeled, and the structure of smart servicescape framework was modified. The values of the improved smart servicescape framework can be identified in two aspects. First, the framework can demonstrate the characteristics of smart services, namely, the omnipresence of Datascape and Connection infra and the mediating role of artificial intelligence. Second, this framework can be used to establish design requirements about service elements, relationships, and interactions when the smart service experiences, including smart home healthcare, are designed.
Cytomegalovirus reactivation after bortezomib treatment for multiple myeloma and light chain amyloidosis
Authors: Sharpley Faye A , De‐Silva Dunnya , Mahmood Shameem , Sachchithanantham Sajitha , Ramsay Isobel , Garcia Mingo Ana , Worthington Sarah , Hughes Derralynn , Mehta Atul , Kyriakou Charalampian , Griffiths Paul D. , Wechalekar Ashutosh D. 
Published: December 2019

AbstractObjectiveCytomegalovirus (CMV) is an opportunistic herpesvirus, and reactivation of infection is possible in immunocompromised patients. Historically, the risk for haematology patients is restricted to those treated with an allogeneic transplant or T‐cell depleting agents. Bortezomib is a highly efficacious proteasome inhibitor widely used to treat multiple myeloma and light chain (AL) amyloidosis patients. The objective of this small prospective study was to quantify the risk of CMV reactivation associated with bortezomib treatment.MethodsFifty‐seven consecutive multiple myeloma or AL amyloidosis patients commencing bortezomib‐based therapy were included. Viral copy numbers were established at baseline and then at fortnightly intervals during treatment. Pre‐emptive anti‐viral treatment was initiated in patients with a viral load >7500 copies/mL.ResultsReactivation of CMV was detected in 39% (n = 12/31) of seropositive bortezomib treated patients compared with 0% of CMV seronegative patients. Detectable DNAemia developed during the first two cycles of treatment in 83% (n = 10/12) patients. Anti‐viral treatment was initiated in 42% (n = 5/12), but no cases of active CMV disease were seen.ConclusionThis study suggests that there is a substantial risk of CMV reactivation in CMV‐seropositive plasma cell dyscrasia patients treated with bortezomib.
Digital Module 10: Rasch Measurement Theory https://ncme.elevate.commpartners.com
Authors: Wang Jue , Engelhard George 
Published: December 2019

AbstractIn this digital ITEMS module, Dr. Jue Wang and Dr. George Engelhard Jr. describe the Rasch measurement framework for the construction and evaluation of new measures and scales. From a theoretical perspective, they discuss the historical and philosophical perspectives on measurement with a focus on Rasch's concept of specific objectivity and invariant measurement. Specifically, they introduce the origins of Rasch measurement theory, the development of model‐data fit indices, as well as commonly used Rasch measurement models. From an applied perspective, they discuss best practices in constructing, estimating, evaluating, and interpreting a Rasch scale using empirical examples. They provide an overview of a specialized Rasch software program (Winsteps) and an R program embedded within Shiny (Shiny_ERMA) for conducting the Rasch model analyses. The module is designed to be relevant for students, researchers, and data scientists in various disciplines such as psychology, sociology, education, business, health, and other social sciences. It contains audio‐narrated slides, sample data, syntax files, access to Shiny_ERMA program, diagnostic quiz questions, data‐based activities, curated resources, and a glossary.
Atrophy of optic nerve detected by transorbital sonography in patients with demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system
Authors: Schroeder C. , Katsanos A. H. , Ayzenberg I. , Schwake C. , Gahlen A. , Tsivgoulis G. , Voumvourakis K. , Gold R. , Krogias C. 
Published: December 2019

Background and purposeTransorbital sonography (TOS) has emerged as promising imaging method for the diagnosis and follow‐up of acute optic neuritis (ON). Available studies report an increase in the optic nerve diameter (OND) and the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) in the case of a first episode of ON in the affected eye compared to either the contralateral unaffected eye or controls. However, the utility of TOS in the case of recurrent episodes of ON has never been assessed.MethodsIn our prospective cohort study, the diagnostic utility of TOS in patients with demyelinating diseases of the central nervous system was assessed, and the association between TOS, optical coherence tomography (OCT) and visual evoked potentials was examined further.ResultsSeventy‐eight patients with a history of demyelinating disorders of the central nervous system (mean age 38.2 ± 14.2 years; 24% with acute ON) were included. No differences in the OND (3.2 ± 0.5 mm vs. 3.2 ± 0.4 mm) and ONSD (5.1 ± 0.8 mm vs. 5.1 ± 0.7 mm) measurements were found between patients with and without acute ON. Papillary swelling was more frequent in patients with acute ON (14.2% vs. 1.5%, P = 0.002). Patients with a history of previous ON were found to have lower OND (P < 0.001) and ONSD (P = 0.007) compared to patients without a history of previous ON. TOS measurements were inversely associated with disease duration and positively correlated with OCT findings. No association with visual evoked potential measurements was found.ConclusionNo evidence was found for TOS‐sensitive differences in the OND and ONSD of patients with demyelinating diseases, according to the presence of acute ON. The association between TOS and OCT measurements deserves further investigation.
An efficient neurodynamic model to solve nonconvex nonlinear optimization problems and its applications
Authors: Moghaddas Mohammad , Tohidi Ghasem 
Published: December 2019

AbstractThis paper presents a recurrent neural network for solving nonconvex nonlinear optimization problems subject to nonlinear inequality constraints. First, the p‐power transformation is exploited for local convexification of the Lagrangian function in nonconvex nonlinear optimization problem. Next, the proposed neural network is constructed based on the Karush–Kuhn–Tucker (KKT) optimality conditions and the projection function. An important property of this neural network is that its equilibrium point corresponds to the optimal solution of the original problem. By utilizing an appropriate Lyapunov function, it is shown that the proposed neural network is stable in the sense of Lyapunov and convergent to the global optimal solution of the original problem. Also, the sensitivity of the convergence is analysed by changing the scaling factors. Compared with other existing neural networks for such problem, the proposed neural network has more advantages such as high accuracy of the obtained solutions, fast convergence, and low complexity. Finally, simulation results are provided to show the benefits of the proposed model, which compare to or outperform existing models.