bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Circadian rhythms enable efficient resource selection in a human‐modified landscape
Authors: Fischer Manuela , Di Stefano Julian , Gras Pierre , Kramer‐Schadt Stephanie , Sutherland Duncan R. , Coulson Graeme , Stillfried Milena 
Published: June 2019

AbstractAnimals access resources such as food and shelter, and acquiring these resources has varying risks and benefits, depending on the suitability of the landscape. Some animals change their patterns of resource selection in space and time to optimize the trade‐off between risks and benefits. We examine the circadian variation in resource selection of swamp wallabies (Wallabia bicolor) within a human‐modified landscape, an environment of varying suitability. We used GPS data from 48 swamp wallabies to compare the use of landscape features such as woodland and scrub, housing estates, farmland, coastal areas, wetlands, waterbodies, and roads to their availability using generalized linear mixed models. We investigated which features were selected by wallabies and determined whether the distance to different landscape features changed, depending on the time of the day. During the day, wallabies were more likely to be found within or near natural landscape features such as woodlands and scrub, wetlands, and coastal vegetation, while avoiding landscape features that may be perceived as more risky (roads, housing, waterbodies, and farmland), but those features were selected more at night. Finally, we mapped our results to predict habitat suitability for swamp wallabies in human‐modified landscapes. We showed that wallabies living in a human‐modified landscape selected different landscape features during day or night. Changing circadian patterns of resource selection might enhance the persistence of species in landscapes where resources are fragmented and disturbed.
Tree density influences ecohydrological drivers of plant–water relations in a larch boreal forest in Siberia
Authors: Kropp Heather , Loranty Michael M. , Natali Susan M. , Kholodov Alexander L. , Alexander Heather D. , Zimov Nikita S. , Mack Michelle C. , Spawn Seth A. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractTranspiration and stomatal conductance in deciduous needleleaf boreal forests of northern Siberia can be highly sensitive to water stress, permafrost thaw, and atmospheric dryness. Additionally, north‐eastern Siberian boreal forests are fire‐driven, and larch (Larix spp.) are the sole tree species. We examined differences in tree water use, stand characteristics, and stomatal responses to environmental drivers between high and low tree density stands that burned 76 years ago in north‐eastern Siberia. Our results provide process‐level insight to climate feedbacks related to boreal forest productivity, water cycles, and permafrost across Arctic regions. The high density stand had shallower permafrost thaw depths and deeper moss layers than the low density stand. Rooting depths and shallow root biomass were similar between stands. Daily transpiration was higher on average in the high‐density stand 0.12 L m−2 day−1 (SE: 0.004) compared with the low density stand 0.10 L m−2 day−1 (SE: 0.001) throughout the abnormally wet summer of 2016. Transpiration rates tended to be similar at both stands during the dry period in 2017 in both stands of 0.10 L m−2 day−1 (SE: 0.002). The timing of precipitation impacted stomatal responses to environmental drivers, and the high density stand was more dependent on antecedent precipitation that occurred over longer periods in the past compared with the low density stand. Post‐fire tree density differences in plant–water relations may lead to different trajectories in plant mortality, water stress, and ecosystem water cycles across Siberian landscapes.
BSA‐Polysaccharide Interactions at Negatively Charged Electrode Surface. Effects of Current Density.
Authors: Černocká Hana , Izadi Nasim , Ostatná Veronika , Strmečki Slađana 
Published: June 2019

AbstractConstant current chronopotentiometric stripping (CPS) peak H due to catalytic hydrogen evolution reaction on Hg‐containing electrodes appeared useful in the analysis of protein complexes with single‐stranded and double‐stranded DNA as well as with peptides. In dependence on stripping current (Istr), structural transition of the protein alone or in complexes can be followed as a result of the protein exposure to electric field effects. For the first time we show here that the CPS analysis can be used for the study of the interaction of BSA with a polysaccharide namely sodium alginate (SA). BSA‐SA complex formation was accompanied by the shift of the structural transition of BSA to lower ‐Istr intensities. Another polysaccharide dextran did not alter Istr‐dependent structural transition of BSA. BSA‐SA complex can be disturbed by an electric field effect or high ionic strength confirming the electrostatic nature of BSA‐SA interaction.
Quantification of inherent energy resilience of process systems for optimization of energy usage
Authors: Guha Sirshendu 
Published: June 2019

AbstractThis study shows how inherent energy resilience for process systems can be conceptualized from the perspectives of material resilience. Equations are derived to assess inherent energy resilience properties of constituent process systems of a gas sweetening unit (GSU). A new method is introduced for identifying thermodynamically efficient operating capacity regime for optimization of energy usage in GSU. It is found that the GSU operating capacity range of 80–100% is the most thermodynamically efficient operating capacity regime. It is evaluated that operation of the GSU below 80% of its design capacity will incur higher percentage of wastage of valuable work in spite of spending lesser total work. Process simulator, Pro/II has been utilized for this study.
Rabin's paradox for health outcomes
Authors: Lipman Stefan A. , Attema Arthur E. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractMany health economic studies assume expected utility maximisation, with typically a concave utility function to capture risk aversion. Given these assumptions, Rabin's paradox (RP) involves preferences over mixed gambles yielding moderate outcomes, where turning down such gambles imply absurd levels of risk aversion. Although RP is considered a classic critique of expected utility, no paper has as of yet fully tested its preferences within individuals. In an experiment we report a direct test of RP in the health domain, which was previously only considered in the economic literature, showing it may have pervasive implications here too. Our paper supports the shift towards alternative, empirically valid models, such as prospect theory, also in the health domain. These alternative models are able to accommodate Rabin's paradox by allowing reference‐dependence and loss aversion.
Stimulant expectancy questionnaire for men who have sex with men: A measure of substance‐related beliefs
Authors: Mullens Amy B. , Fein Erich C. , Young Ross McD. , Dunne Michael P. , Norton Graham , Daken Kirstie 
Published: June 2019

AbstractIssue addressedStimulant use has been identified as a key risk factor for sexual behaviours leading to HIV transmission. Substance‐related expectancies are associated with substance use and postsubstance use thoughts, feelings and behaviours. Expectancies held by specific cultural subgroups have rarely been investigated, particularly regarding a range of commonly used stimulants.MethodThe Stimulant Expectancy Questionnaire for Men who have Sex with Men (SEQ‐MSM) was initially generated through consumer panel and interviews regarding the most commonly used stimulants among MSM in Australia (methamphetamine, amphetamines and ecstasy), with initial administration among 98 MSM to facilitate item reduction. A community sample of 427 MSM was used to validate the SEQ‐MSM, with exploratory factor analysis (EFA; n = 202) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA; n = 225).ResultsEFA revealed three distinct substance reinforcement domains (‘Enhanced sexual experience’, ‘Sexual communication and negotiation’ and ‘Cognitive impairment’). The scale was associated with stimulant consumption patterns (including greater expectancies regarding sexual enhancement among methamphetamine users), and the factor structure, comprising a final form of the MSM‐SEQ, was confirmed through CFA.ConclusionsThe SEQ‐MSM represents a reliable measure of outcome expectancies related to the range of commonly used stimulants among Australian MSM. Development of applied validation studies with the SEQ‐MSM is a key next step in advancing health promotion, clinical interventions and research efforts to reduce harm (eg, HIV transmission) associated with stimulant use (particularly methamphetamine) among MSM.So what?Objectives: This research maps expectancies specific among gay and men who have sex with men (MSM), and relationships between expectancies and stimulant use patterns and behaviours postuse – including sexual activity (eg, condomless anal sex).
A new linearly constrained minimum variance beamformer for reconstructing EEG sparse sources
Authors: Samadzadehaghdam Nasser , Makkiabadi Bahador , Masjoodi Sadegh , Mohammadi Mohammad , Mohagheghian Fahimeh 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBrain source imaging based on EEG aims to reconstruct the neural activities producing the scalp potentials. This includes solving the forward and inverse problems. The aim of the inverse problem is to estimate the activity of the brain sources based on the measured data and leadfield matrix computed in the forward step. Spatial filtering, also known as beamforming, is an inverse method that reconstructs the time course of the source at a particular location by weighting and linearly combining the sensor data. In this paper, we considered a temporal assumption related to the time course of the source, namely sparsity, in the Linearly Constrained Minimum Variance (LCMV) beamformer. This assumption sounds reasonable since not all brain sources are active all the time such as epileptic spikes and also some experimental protocols such as electrical stimulations of a peripheral nerve can be sparse in time. Developing the sparse beamformer is done by incorporating L1‐norm regularization of the beamformer output in the relevant cost function while obtaining the filter weights. We called this new beamformer SParse LCMV (SP‐LCMV). We compared the performance of the SP‐LCMV with that of LCMV for both superficial and deep sources with different amplitudes using synthetic EEG signals. Also, we compared them in localization and reconstruction of sources underlying electric median nerve stimulation. Results show that the proposed sparse beamformer can enhance reconstruction of sparse sources especially in the case of sources with high amplitude spikes.
Retracted: LncRNA‐LET relieves hypoxia‐induced injury in H9c2 cells through regulation of miR‐138
Authors: Li Yugeng , Li Jianwei , Zhang Pengzhen , Jiang Xiaoying , Pan Zhenrui , Zheng Wenjian , Lin Hongli 
Published: June 2019

AbstractIschemic heart disease (IHD) is a common cardiovascular disease, occurs when coronary artery blood circularity cannot match with the heart's need. The present work attempted to study the effects of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) low expression in tumor (LET) on the progression of IHD. H9c2 cells were injured by hypoxia to mimic a cell model of IHD. The effects of lncRNA‐LET on hypoxia‐injured H9c2 cells were tested by using cell counting kit‐8 assay, flow cytometry, and Western blot analysis. MicroRNA‐138 (miR‐138) expression was tested by a quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction, and the expression of c‐Jun N‐terminal kinase (JNK) and p38MAPK (p38–mitogen‐activated protein kinase) proteins was measured by Western blot analysis. We found that hypoxia exposure significantly repressed the viability of H9c2 cells, and induced apoptosis. Meanwhile, phosphorylation of JNK and p38MAPK was enhanced by hypoxia. The expression of lncRNA‐LET was repressed by hypoxia. Overexpression of lncRNA‐LET attenuated hypoxia‐induced injury in H9c2 cells. Moreover, miR‐138 was a downstream effector of lncRNA‐LET, that miR‐138 was highly expressed in lncRNA‐LET‐overexpressed cell. The cardioprotective effects of lncRNA‐LET were abolished when miR‐138 was silenced. In conclusion, this study revealed the cardioprotective function of lncRNA‐LET. lncRNA‐LET conferred its cardioprotective effects possibly via upregulation of miR‐138 and thus repressing the JNK and p38MAPK pathways.
Colour in bivalve shells: Using resonance Raman spectroscopy to compare pigments at different phylogenetic levels
Authors: Wade Jessica , Pugh Hazel , Nightingale James , Kim Ji‐Seon , Williams Suzanne T. 
Published: June 2019

AbstractSeveral studies have suggested that shell colour may be phylogenetically distributed within the phylum Mollusca, but this pattern is confounded by our ignorance of the homology of colour and lack of understanding about the identity of most molluscan pigments. We use resonance Raman spectroscopy to address this problem by examining bivalve pigments producing a range of colours and compare spectra from taxa at different phylogenetic levels. The spectra of most shell pigments exhibited a skeletal signature typical of partially methylated polyenes, possibly modified carotenoids, with the strongest peaks occurring between 1,501–1,540 cm−1 and 1,117–1,144 cm−1 due to the C═C (ν1) and C–C (ν2) stretching modes, respectively. Neither pigment class nor mineral structure differentiated Imparidentia and Pteriomorphia. Spectral acquisitions for purple pigments for two species of Asaphis suggest that identical or nearly identical pigments are shared within this genus, and some red pigments from distantly related species have similar spectra. Conversely, two species with brown shells have distinctly different pigments, highlighting the difficulty in determining the homology of colour even within a single class of pigments. Curiously, we were unable to detect any Raman activity for green‐coloured shell or pigment peaks for the yellow area of Codakia paytenorum, suggesting that these colours are due to structural elements or a pigment that is quite different from those observed in other taxa examined to date. Our results are consistent with the idea that classes of pigments are evolutionarily ancient but heritable modifications may be specific to clades.
Relationship between the characteristics of rigor‐mortis‐related actomyosin and muscle fiber types in the ordinary muscle of various fishes
Authors: Wang Yao , Wang Qin , Hirasaka Katsuya , Hara Kenji , Taniyama Shigeto , Tachibana Katsuyasu 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBACKGROUNDRigor mortis occurs when muscle extension vanishes through the irresistible coupling of actin and myosin by the consumption of adenosine triphosphate as energy. To clarify the cause of the differences in the progression of rigor mortis, seven fish species were used as samples. The superprecipitation reaction and Mg2+‐ATPase activity of actomyosin in dorsal ordinary muscle were measured, and the slope of the regression line between these two variables was calculated for each fish specimen. The fiber types of the dorsal ordinary muscle in each sample fish were discriminated by the stability of actomyosin ATPase at acid and alkaline preincubations.RESULTPositive correlations were found between Mg2+‐ATPase activity and the superprecipitation reaction of actomyosin in all 27 fish specimens. The slopes of the regression lines were different not only between fish species but also in fish specimens within the same species. The area ratios of pink muscle fibers and the IIa and/or IIb subtypes of white muscle fibers in the dorsal ordinary muscle were also different between fish species, as well as in specimens within the same fish species. A positive correlation was found between the area ratios of pink muscle fibers in dorsal ordinary muscle and the slopes of the regression line.CONCLUSIONIt was suggested that the differences in characteristics of rigor‐mortis‐related actomyosin of fish might have been caused by the differences in the interposition ratio of muscle fiber types, especially of the pink muscle fiber type, in the dorsal ordinary muscle. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Giant cell tumors combined with secondary aneurysmal bone cysts are more likely to develop postoperative recurrence: A retrospective study of 256 cases
Authors: Tang HaiJun , Moro Abu , Feng WenYu , Lai YinJuan , Xiao ZengMing , Liu Yun , Wang Kun 
Published: June 2019

AbstractPurposeThe epidemiology and clinicopathology of aneurysmal bone cysts (ABCs) secondary to giant cell tumors of bone (GCTBs) have been well documented in the previous literature. However, reports on whether secondary ABCs could affect the postoperative recurrence of GCTBs are rare. This study analyzed the effects of secondary ABCs and other relevant clinical factors on the postoperative recurrence of GCTBs of the extremities.MethodsWe retrospectively analyzed 256 cases of GCTBs of the extremities that were treated surgically at our institution. Among them, there were 60 patients diagnosed with GCTBs combined with secondary ABCs and 196 patients diagnosed with simple GCTBs. Intralesional curettage and tumor resection were performed in 136 and 120 cases, respectively. Univariate analysis, Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis, and multivariate regression analysis were used to assess the factors for postoperative recurrence. The follow‐up period was at least 24 months.ResultsThe total postoperative recurrence rate was 32%. The recurrence rate in the secondary ABCs group was significantly higher than that in the simple GCTBs group (53.3% vs 25.5%, P < 0.05). Curettage was associated with a higher recurrence rate than tumor resection (42.5% vs 20%, P < 0.05). Kaplan‐Meier survival analysis showed that patients with GCTBs combined with secondary ABCs and who were treated by intralesional curettage had a decreased disease‐free survival rate. The hazard ratio was 2.18 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.15‐4.13) for the group of GCTB combined with ABCs (
P = 0.01) and 1.97 (95% CI, 1.22‐7.50) for the curettage group (
P = 0.01), respectively. Multivariate regression analysis revealed that the presence of secondary ABCs and curettage were independent factors for recurrence of GCTBs.ConclusionAccording to the results of this study, the presence of secondary ABCs is a potential risk factor for postoperative relapse of GCTBs.
Postoperative venous thromboembolism and mortality in patients with pancreatic surgery
Authors: Majmudar Kaushal , Quintero Luis D. , Fuentes Harry E. , Stocker Susan , Tafur Alfonso J. , Lee Cheong J. , Talamonti Mark 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBackground and ObjectivesPancreatic cancer is strongly associated with thrombosis. We investigated early postoperative venous thromboembolism (PVTE) mortality among patients with pancreatic surgery and compared outcomes in adenocarcinoma pancreatic cancer (ACPC) to non‐adenocarcinoma pancreatic neoplasm (NACPN).MethodsWe analyzed a prospectively collected database of patients who underwent pancreatic cancer or neoplasm‐related surgery. As NACPN is underrepresented in other studies, we selected NACPN patients and a random sample of ACPC patients. PVTE was defined as VTE occurring within 3 months of surgical intervention. Statistical analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards regression.ResultsA total of 441 pancreatic surgery patients were included, with 331 ACPC and 110 NACPN. Median follow‐up was 449 days during which 90 (20.4%) patients developed VTE. PVTE occurred in 53 (12.0%) patients, including 41 (12.4%) ACPC patients and 12 (10.9%) NACPN patients. Those with PVTE had 60% higher mortality rate. A multivariable analysis found that PVTE is an independent predictor of increased mortality (HR Adj, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1‐2.2; P < .01). The mortality impact was not consistent between ACPC (HR, 3.2; 95% CI, 1.3‐7.9) and NACPN groups (HR, 1.3; 95% CI, 0.9‐1.8).ConclusionsPostoperative venous thromboembolism is an independent predictor of increased mortality in pancreatic surgery, specifically in adenocarcinoma pancreatic cancer surgery.
Visualizing Cholesterol Uptake by Self‐Assembling Rhodamine B‐Labeled Polymer Inside Living Cells via FLIM‐FRET Microscopy
Authors: Doll Franziska , Keckeis Philipp , Scheel Patricia , Cölfen Helmut 
Published: June 2019

AbstractAtherosclerosis is a widespread and hazardous disease characterized by the formation of arterial plaques mostly composed of fat, cholesterol, and calcium ions. The direct solubilization of cholesterol represents a promising, atheroprotective strategy to subside lipid blood levels and reverse atherosclerosis. This study deals with the in‐depth analysis of polymer‐mediated cholesterol dissolution inside living human cells. To this end, a recently described multifunctional block‐polymer is labeled with Rhodamine B (RhoB) to investigate its interaction with cells via fluorescence microscopy. This gives insight into the cellular internalization process of the polymer, which appears to be clathrin‐ and caveolae/raft‐dependent endocytosis. In cell single particle tracking reveals an active transport of RhoB polymer including structures. Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) measurements of cells treated with a fluorophore‐tagged cholesterol derivative and the RhoB polymer indicates the uptake of cholesterol by the polymeric particles. Hence, these results present a first step toward possible applications of cholesterol‐absorbing polymers for treating atherosclerosis.
STAT3 signaling pathway plays importantly genetic and functional roles in HCV infection
Authors: Song Yuzhu , Yang Xianyao , Shen Yunsong , Wang Yiqian , Xia Xueshan , Zhang A‐Mei 
Published: June 2019

AbstractBackgroundHepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is an extensive health problem, which leads to serious liver diseases. Host genetic polymorphisms were associated with HCV infection, progression, and treatment effect of patients. Signal transducers and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling pathway was important to HCV infection, but no genetic association was studied between STAT3 signaling pathway and HCV infection.MethodsTo investigate the genetic and functional roles of the STAT3 signaling pathway, we collected 394 HCV patients and 395 normal controls to genotype 25 signal nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of six genes (Interleukin 6 [IL6, OMIM 147620], Interleukin 6 receptor [IL6R, OMIM 147880], Hepatocyte nuclear factor 1 alpha [HNF1A, OMIM 142410], Hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha [HNF4A, OMIM 600281], STAT3 [OMIM 102582], and ATP binding cassette subfamily C member 2 [ABCC2, OMIM 601107]). Then expression level of these genes were analyzed in HCV infected cells with or without IL6 transfection.ResultsOur results identified that the SNPs in STAT3 signaling pathway were associated with HCV infection or biochemical features of Yunnan HCV patients. Genotype AA of rs4075015 (IL6R) and GG of rs3212172 (HNF4A) increased the risk of HCV infection (p = 0.024 and 0.029), but the genotype AA of rs7553796 (IL6R) played a protective role in HCV infection (p = 0.0008). High‐density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL‐C) and Glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) level were associated with genotypes of rs4845617 (IL6R, p = 0.045) and rs1053023 (STAT3, p = 0.034), respectively. Cell assays suggested that IL6 transfection could suppress HCV proliferation. RNA and protein levels of the IL6R, HNF1A, STAT3, and ABCC2 genes significantly increased after HCV infection.ConclusionWe identified STAT3 signaling pathway influenced HCV infection and biochemical characteristics of HCV patients through genetic and functional aspects.