bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Using co-occurrence information and trait composition to understand individual plant performance in grassland communities
Authors: Breitschwerdt Eva , Jandt Ute , Bruelheide Helge 
Published: June 2018

AbstractDepending on the strength of environmental filtering and competitive exclusion, successful colonizers of plant communities show varying degrees of similarity to resident species with respect to functional traits. For the present study, colonizer’s performance was assessed in relation to the degree of fit with the resident community, and in addition, in relation to the community’s trait profile and the environmental factors at the study locations. The two-year field experiment investigated the relative growth rates of 130 species that had been transplanted into German grassland communities varying in intensities of land-use. The transplanted species were selected in accordance with the following scenarios: species with highly similar or dissimilar traits to residents, species with highest degree of co-occurrence with resident species and species chosen randomly from the local species pool. The performance of transplanted phytometers depended on the scenario according to which the species were selected, on community trait diversity, and in addition, often on the interaction of both and on land use intensity. The total amount of explained variance in performance was low, but increased considerably when species identity was taken into account. In general, individuals in the co-occurrence scenario performed better than those selected based on trait information or those selected randomly. Different predictors were important in different seasons, demonstrating a limited temporal validity of performance models.
Real Time Imaging and Dynamics of Hippocampal Zn2+ under Epileptic Condition Using a Ratiometric Fluorescent Probe
Authors: Santhakumar Hema , Nair Resmi. V. , Philips Divya Susan , Shenoy Sachin J. , Thekkuveettil Anoopkumar , Ajayaghosh Ayyappanpillai , Jayasree Ramapurath. S. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractZinc, the essential trace element in human body exists either in the bound or free state, for both structural and functional roles. Insights on Zn2+ distribution and its dynamics are essential in view of the fact that Zn2+ dyshomeostasis is a risk factor for epileptic seizures, Alzheimer’s disease, depression, etc. Herein, a bipyridine bridged bispyrrole (BP) probe is used for ratiometric imaging and quantification of Zn2+ in hippocampal slices. The green fluorescence emission of BP shifts towards red in the presence of Zn2+. The probe is used to detect and quantify the exogenous and endogenous Zn2+ in glioma cells and hippocampal slices. The dynamics of chelatable zinc ions during epileptic condition is studied in the hippocampal neurons, in vitro wherein the translocation of Zn2+ from presynaptic to postsynaptic neuronal bodies is imaged and ratiometrically quantified. Raman mapping technique is used to confirm the dynamics of Zn2+ under epileptic condition. Finally, the Zn2+ distribution was imaged in vivo in epileptic rats and the total Zn2+ in rat brain was quantified. The results favour the use of BP as an excellent Zn2+ imaging probe in biological system to understand the zinc associated diseases and their management.
Complete Anopheles funestus mitogenomes reveal an ancient history of mitochondrial lineages and their distribution in southern and central Africa
Authors: Jones Christine M. , Lee Yoosook , Kitchen Andrew , Collier Travis , Pringle Julia C. , Muleba Mbanga , Irish Seth , Stevenson Jennifer C. , Coetzee Maureen , Cornel Anthony J. , Norris Douglas E. , Carpi Giovanna 
Published: June 2018

AbstractAnopheles funestus s.s. is a primary vector of malaria in sub-Saharan Africa. Despite its important role in human Plasmodium transmission, evolutionary history, genetic diversity, and population structure of An. funestus in southern and central Africa remains understudied. We deep sequenced, assembled, and annotated the complete mitochondrial genome of An. funestus s.s. for the first time, providing a foundation for further genetic research of this important malaria vector species. We further analyzed the complete mitochondrial genomes of 43 An. funestus s.s. from three sites in Zambia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Tanzania. From these 43 mitogenomes we identified 41 unique haplotypes that comprised 567 polymorphic sites. Bayesian phylogenetic reconstruction confirmed the co-existence of two highly divergent An. funestus maternal lineages, herein defined as lineages I and II, in Zambia and Tanzania. The estimated coalescence time of these two mitochondrial lineages is ~500,000 years ago (95% HPD 426,000–594,000 years ago) with subsequent independent diversification. Haplotype network and phylogenetic analysis revealed two major clusters within lineage I, and genetic relatedness of samples with deep branching in lineage II. At this time, data suggest that the lineages are partially sympatric. This study illustrates that accurate retrieval of full mitogenomes of Anopheles vectors enables fine-resolution studies of intraspecies genetic relationships, population differentiation, and demographic history. Further investigations on whether An. funestus mitochondrial lineages represent biologically meaningful populations and their potential implications for malaria vector control are warranted.
Spatial and Environmental Variation of the Human Hair Microbiota
Authors: Brinkac Lauren , Clarke Thomas H. , Singh Harinder , Greco Chris , Gomez Andres , Torralba Manolito G. , Frank Bryan , Nelson Karen E. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe skin is a complex living ecosystem harboring diverse microbial communities. Its highly variable properties and influence of intrinsic and extrinsic factors creates unique microenvironments where niche-specific microbes thrive. As part of the skin, hair supports its own microbial habitat that is also intra and inter-personal variable. This little explored substrate has significant potential in forensics microbiome research due to the unique signatures that are available on an individual. To further investigate this, we explored the hair microbiota from scalp and pubic regions in healthy adults to investigate how the hair shaft microenvironment varies microbially. Our results suggest that there are distinct differences between the microbial communities identified on hair shafts originating from different parts of the body. The taxonomic composition of the communities from different hair sources are most reminiscent of those identified from their associated cutaneous region. We further demonstrate that the hair microbiota varies by geographical origin and has the potential to be used to predict the source location of the hair.
Prolonged photo-carriers generated in a massive-and-anisotropic Dirac material
Authors: Nurmamat Munisa , Ishida Yukiaki , Yori Ryohei , Sumida Kazuki , Zhu Siyuan , Nakatake Masashi , Ueda Yoshifumi , Taniguchi Masaki , Shin Shik , Akahama Yuichi , Kimura Akio 
Published: June 2018

AbstractTransient electron-hole pairs generated in semiconductors can exhibit unconventional excitonic condensation. Anisotropy in the carrier mass is considered as the key to elongate the life time of the pairs, and hence to stabilize the condensation. Here we employ time- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy to explore the dynamics of photo-generated carriers in black phosphorus. The electronic structure above the Fermi level has been successfully observed, and a massive-and-anisotropic Dirac-type dispersions are confirmed; more importantly, we directly observe that the photo-carriers generated across the direct band gap have the life time exceeding 400 ps. Our finding confirms that black phosphorus is a suitable platform for excitonic condensations, and also open an avenue for future applications in broadband mid-infrared BP-based optoelectronic devices.
On modelling the relationship between vegetation greenness and water balance and land use change
Authors: Berry Sandra L. , Mackey Brendan 
Published: June 2018

AbstractHere we sought a biologically meaningful, climate variable that captures water-energy availability and is suitable for high resolution (250 m × 250 m) modelling of the fraction of photosynthetically active radiation intercepted by the sunlit canopy (F
V
) derived from a 10-year (July 2000 – June 2010) time series of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) satellite imagery for Australia. The long-term mean annual evaporation deficit, and mean annual water availability indices all yielded strong linear relationships with mean F
V
($$\overline{{{\boldsymbol{F}}}_{{\boldsymbol{V}}}}$$

F

V

¯

, %). We hypothesised whether some of the scatter about the relationships was related to land-use changes that have disrupted the vegetation-climate-soil equilibrium. Using continental-scale spatial data layers of protected area status and vegetation condition classes we repeated our analyses with restricted datasets. $$\overline{{{\boldsymbol{F}}}_{{\boldsymbol{V}}}}$$

F

V

¯

of intact native vegetation within protected areas was greater than all modified vegetation classes. There was a consistent decline in the slopes of the regression relationships with increasing intensity of woody vegetation clearing and livestock grazing. Where native vegetation has been transformed by land use there was a 25% reduction in predicted $$\overline{{{\boldsymbol{F}}}_{{\boldsymbol{V}}}}$$

F

V

¯

.
Measurement and Evaluation of Quantitative Performance of PET/CT Images before a Multicenter Clinical Trial
Authors: Zhu Yanjia , Geng Caizheng , Huang Jia , Liu Juzhen , Wu Ning , Xin Jun , Xu Hao , Yu Lijuan , Geng Jianhua 
Published: June 2018

AbstractTo ensure the reliability of the planned multi-center clinical trial, we assessed the consistence and comparability of the quantitative parameters of the eight PET/CT units that will be used in this trial. PET/CT images were scanned using a PET NEMA image quality phantom (Biodex) on the eight units of Discovery PET/CT 690 from GE Healthcare. The scanning parameters were the same with the ones to be used in the planned trial. The 18F-NaF concentration in the background was 5.3 kBq/ml, while the ones in the spheres of diameter 37 mm, 22 mm, 17 mm and 10 mm were 8:1 as to that of the background and the ones in the spheres of diameter 28 mm and 13 mm were 0 kBq/ml. The consistency of hot sphere recovery coefficient (HRC), cold sphere recovery coefficient (CRC), hot sphere contrast (QH) and cold sphere contrast (Qc) among these 8 PET/CTs was analyzed. The variation of the main quantitative parameters of the eight PET/CT systems was within 10%, which is acceptable for the clinical trial.
Grassland ecosystem responses to climate change and human activities within the Three-River Headwaters region of China
Authors: Han Ze , Song Wei , Deng Xiangzheng , Xu Xinliang 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe Three-River Headwaters region (TRHR) of China is an important part of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Although the TRHR is rich in grassland resources, the ecosystem of this area is extremely fragile. Natural and artificial interference have been key to the development of grassland ecosystem spatiotemporal heterogeneity, although the intensity and mode of their influence on ecological processes varies depending on scale; analyses in this area are therefore also scale-dependent. We use multi-scale nested data to analyze the mechanisms underlying the influence of climate change and human activities on grassland net primary productivity (NPP) by applying a multi-level modeling approach. The results of this study show that: (1) The annual grassland NPP of the TRHR has risen in a wavelike pattern over time, increasing by 39.88% overall; (2) Differences of 54.9% and 41.1% in temporal grassland NPP can be attributed to variations between these watersheds as well as county characteristics, and; (3) Although the ‘warm and moist’ climate trend seen over the course of this study has proved beneficial in enhancing grassland NPP, the rate of increase has tended to be faster in relatively dry and warm regions. Economic development and population growth have both exerted negative impacts on grassland NPP.
DNA barcoding and a precise morphological comparison revealed a cryptic species in the Nippolachnus piri complex (Hemiptera: Aphididae: Lachninae)
Authors: Kanturski Mariusz , Lee Yerim , Choi Jinyeong , Lee Seunghwan 
Published: June 2018

AbstractNippolachnusis a small Palaearctic-Oriental genus of very characteristic aphids that live on the leaves of woody Rosaceae. One species,N.piri, has hitherto been regarded to be widely distributed and relatively polyphagous. Members of this genus are considered to be easy to recognize due to the absence of the ocular tubercle and triommatidia on the head. We conducted research on the morphology and generic characters ofNippolachnus piricomplex using scanning electron microscopy (for the first time) and DNA barcoding. We analyzedN.piripopulations onPyrusand other plants (Eriobotrya,RhaphiolepisandSorbus) in Japan and the Republic of Korea. Specifically, a high genetic divergence value was found between theN.piripopulations associated with different host plants. SEM investigation of the head capsule revealed that a triommatidium is present under the compound eye, despite their lack of an ocular tubercle. We proposeNippolachnus micromeliShinji, 1924stat. nov. as a cryptic species in theN.piricomplex based on a morphological comparison, DNA barcoding and different host-plant associations. Illustrations and descriptions of studied species are given. Morphological keys to the apterae and alatae of all known species of the genusNippolachnusare also provided.
Synthesis, antimicrobial activity and conformational analysis of the class IIa bacteriocin pediocin PA-1 and analogs thereof
Authors: Bédard François , Hammami Riadh , Zirah Séverine , Rebuffat Sylvie , Fliss Ismail , Biron Eric 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThe antimicrobial peptide pediocin PA-1 is a class IIa bacteriocin that inhibits several clinically relevant pathogens including Listeria spp. Here we report the synthesis and characterization of whole pediocin PA-1 and novel analogs thereof using a combination of solid- and solution-phase strategies to overcome difficulties due to instability and undesired reactions. Pediocin PA-1 thus synthesized was a potent inhibitor of Listeria monocytogenes (MIC = 6.8 nM), similar to the bacteriocin produced naturally by Pediococcus acidilactici. Of particular interest is that linear analogs lacking both of the disulfide bridges characterizing pediocin PA-1 were as potent. One linear analog was also a strong inhibitor of Clostridium perfringens, another important food-borne pathogen. These results are discussed in light of conformational information derived from circular dichroism, solution NMR spectroscopy and structure-activity relationship studies.
Circadian clock component PERIOD2 regulates diurnal expression of Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor-1 and its scaffolding function
Authors: Tsurudome Yuya , Koyanagi Satoru , Kanemitsu Takumi , Katamune Chiharu , Oda Masayuki , Kanado Yuki , Kato Mizuki , Morita Akari , Tahara Yu , Matsunaga Naoya , Shibata Shigenobu , Ohdo Shigehiro 
Published: June 2018

AbstractA number of diverse cell-surface proteins are anchored to the cytoskeleton via scaffold proteins. Na+/H+ exchanger regulatory factor-1 (NHERF1), encoded by the Slc9a3r1 gene, functions as a scaffold protein, which is implicated in the regulation of membrane expression of various cell-surface proteins. Here, we demonstrate that the circadian clock component PERIOD2 (PER2) modulates transcription of the mouse Slc9a3r1 gene, generating diurnal accumulation of NHERF1 in the mouse liver. Basal expression of Slc9a3r1 was dependent on transcriptional activation by p65/p50. PER2 bound to p65 protein and prevented p65/p50-mediated transactivation of Slc9a3r1. The time-dependent interaction between PER2 and p65 underlay diurnal oscillation in the hepatic expression of Slc9a3r1/NHERF1. The results of immunoprecipitation experiments and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis of mouse liver revealed that NHERF1 time-dependently interacted with fatty acid transport protein-5 (FATP5). Temporary accumulation of NHERF1 protein stabilized plasmalemmal localization of FATP5, thereby enhancing hepatic uptake of fatty acids at certain times of the day. Our results suggest an unacknowledged role for PER2 in regulating the diurnal expression of NHERF1 in mouse liver. This machinery also contributed to diurnal changes in the ability of hepatic cells to uptake fatty acids.
Optimisation of Substrate Angles for Multi-material and Multi-functional Inkjet Printing
Authors: Vaithilingam Jayasheelan , Saleh Ehab , Wildman Ricky D. , Hague Richard J. M. , Tuck Christopher J. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractThree dimensional inkjet printing of multiple materials for electronics applications are challenging due to the limited material availability, inconsistencies in layer thickness between dissimilar materials and the need to expose the printed tracks of metal nanoparticles to temperature above 100 °C for sintering. It is envisaged that instead of printing a dielectric and a conductive material on the same plane, by printing conductive tracks on an angled dielectric surface, the required number of silver layers and consequently, the exposure of the polymer to high temperature and the build time of the component can be significantly reduced. Conductive tracks printed with a fixed print height (FH) showed significantly better resolution for all angles than the fixed slope (FS) sample where the print height varied to maintain the slope length. The electrical resistance of the tracks remained under 10Ω up to 60° for FH; whereas for the FS samples, the resistance remained under 10Ω for samples up to 45°. Thus by fixing the print height to 4 mm, precise tracks with low resistance can be printed at substrate angles up to 60°. By adopting this approach, the build height “Z” can be quickly attained with less exposure of the polymer to high temperature.
Improving Rice Modeling Success Rate with Ternary Non-structural Fertilizer Response Model
Authors: Li Juan , Zhang Mingqing , Chen Fang , Yao Baoquan 
Published: June 2018

AbstractFertilizer response modelling is an important technical approach to realize metrological fertilization on rice. With the goal of solving the problems of a low success rate of a ternary quadratic polynomial model (TPFM) and to expand the model’s applicability, this paper established a ternary non-structural fertilizer response model (TNFM) based on the experimental results from N, P and K fertilized rice fields. Our research results showed that the TNFM significantly improved the modelling success rate by addressing problems arising from setting the bias and multicollinearity in a TPFM. The results from 88 rice field trials in China indicated that the proportion of typical TNFMs that satisfy the general fertilizer response law of plant nutrition was 40.9%, while the analogous proportion of TPFMs was only 26.1%. The recommended fertilization showed a significant positive linear correlation between the two models, and the parameters N0, P0 and K0 that estimated the value of soil supplying nutrient equivalents can be used as better indicators of yield potential in plots where no N or P or K fertilizer was applied. The theoretical analysis showed that the new model has a higher fitting accuracy and a wider application range.
Bimorph material/structure designs for high sensitivity flexible surface acoustic wave temperature sensors
Authors: Tao R. , Hasan S. A. , Wang H. Z. , Zhou J. , Luo J. T. , McHale G. , Gibson D. , Canyelles-Pericas P. , Cooke M. D. , Wood D. , Liu Y. , Wu Q. , Ng W. P. , Franke T. , Fu Y. Q. 
Published: June 2018

AbstractA fundamental challenge for surface acoustic wave (SAW) temperature sensors is the detection of small temperature changes on non-planar, often curved, surfaces. In this work, we present a new design methodology for SAW devices based on flexible substrate and bimorph material/structures, which can maximize the temperature coefficient of frequency (TCF). We performed finite element analysis simulations and obtained theoretical TCF values for SAW sensors made of ZnO thin films (~5 μm thick) coated aluminum (Al) foil and Al plate substrates with thicknesses varied from 1 to 1600 μm. Based on the simulation results, SAW devices with selected Al foil or plate thicknesses were fabricated. The experimentally measured TCF values were in excellent agreements with the simulation results. A normalized wavelength parameter (e.g., the ratio between wavelength and sample thickness, λ/h) was applied to successfully describe changes in the TCF values, and the TCF readings of the ZnO/Al SAW devices showed dramatic increases when the normalized wavelength λ/h was larger than 1. Using this design approach, we obtained the highest reported TCF value of −760 ppm/K for a SAW device made of ZnO thin film coated on Al foils (50 μm thick), thereby enabling low cost temperature sensor applications to be realized on flexible substrates.
The impact of the Deepwater Horizon blowout on historic shipwreck-associated sediment microbiomes in the northern Gulf of Mexico
Authors: Hamdan Leila J. , Salerno Jennifer L. , Reed Allen , Joye Samantha B. , Damour Melanie 
Published: June 2018

AbstractMore than 2,000 historic shipwrecks spanning 500 years of history, rest on the Gulf of Mexico seafloor. Shipwrecks serve as artificial reefs and hotspots of biodiversity by providing hard substrate, something rare in deep ocean regions. The Deepwater Horizon (DWH) spill discharged crude oil into the deep Gulf. Because of physical, biological, and chemical interactions, DWH oil was deposited on the seafloor, where historic shipwrecks are present. This study examined sediment microbiomes at seven historic shipwrecks. Steel-hulled, World War II-era shipwrecks and wooden-hulled, 19th century shipwrecks within and outside of the surface oiled area and subsurface plume were examined. Analysis of 16S rRNA sequence libraries, sediment radiocarbon age data, sedimentation rates, and hydrocarbons revealed that the German U-boat U-166 and the wooden-hulled sailing vessel known as the Mardi Gras Wreck, both in the Mississippi Canyon leasing area, were exposed to deposited oil during a rapid sedimentation event. Impacts to shipwreck microbiomes included a significant increase in Piscirickettsiaceae-related sequences in surface sediments, and reduced biodiversity relative to unimpacted sites. This study is the first to address the impact of the spill on shipwreck-associated microbiomes, and to explore how shipwrecks themselves influence microbiome diversity in the deep sea.