bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Discovery and biological evaluation of novel G protein‐coupled receptor 119 agonists for type 2 diabetes
Authors: Zhou Ying , Wang Youzhi , Zhang Leilei , Tang Chunlei , Feng Bainian 
Published: February 2019

AbstractG protein‐coupled receptor 119 (GPR119) is a member of the GPCR family promising to be the target for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) treatment. In this work, 30 novel compounds were designed, synthesized, and evaluated by in vitro cAMP activation assay, where compounds II–14 and II–18 showed the best potency with EC50 values of 69 and 99 nM, respectively. In the oral glucose tolerance test, compound II–18 showed even more efficacious activity in lowering blood excursions than MBX‐2982 at a fixed dose of 30 mg/kg. Here, we report that compound II–18 with its excellent agonistic activity and its orally effective activity in decreasing blood glucose deviations may serve as a potent GPR119 agonist for the treatment of T2DM.
Investigating the bioavailabilities of olerciamide A via the rat's hepatic, gastric and intestinal first‐pass effect models
Authors: Zhao Chengcheng , Ying Zheming , Hao Dong , Zhang Wenjie , Ying Xixiang , Yang Guanlin 
Published: February 2019

AbstractOlerciamide A (OA) is a new alkaloid isolated from Portulaca oleracea L. that has been proved to possess a low bioavailability (F) after oral administration in rats in our previous study. Hence, to clarify the reasons for its low bioavailability, hepatic, gastric and intestinal first‐pass effect models were established, and a rapid, sensitive UHPLC method was validated and applied for the determination after dosing via the femoral, portal, gastric and intestinal routes. As inhibitors of CYP3A and P‐gp, verapamil, midazolam and borneol in low and high dose groups were selected to improve the low bioavailability of olerciamide A. Moreover, a rectal administration method was also carried out to improve the bioavailability of olerciamide A. The results showed that the bioavailability of olerciamide A using hepatic, gastric and intestinal routes were 92.16%, 84.88% and 5.76%, respectively. The areas under the plasma concentration–time curve from zero to infinity (AUC0 → ∞) were increased a little after being dosed with 10 and 30 mg/kg verapamil (p > 0.05), but markedly increased after being dosed with 0.4 and 1.2 mg/kg midazolam as well as 8 and 24 mg/kg borneol (p < 0.05). Besides, the AUC0 → ∞ values after the lower and upper rectal administrations were separately similar to the intravenous and intraportal administrations. Our study showed that the intestinal first‐pass effect mainly contributed to the low bioavailability of olerciamide A in rats due to it being a substrate of CYP3A and P‐gp as well as to its poor intestinal absorption.
Marginal false discovery rate control for likelihood‐based penalized regression models
Authors: Miller Ryan E. , Breheny Patrick 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThe popularity of penalized regression in high‐dimensional data analysis has led to a demand for new inferential tools for these models. False discovery rate control is widely used in high‐dimensional hypothesis testing, but has only recently been considered in the context of penalized regression. Almost all of this work, however, has focused on lasso‐penalized linear regression. In this paper, we derive a general method for controlling the marginal false discovery rate that can be applied to any penalized likelihood‐based model, such as logistic regression and Cox regression. Our approach is fast, flexible and can be used with a variety of penalty functions including lasso, elastic net, MCP, and MNet. We derive theoretical results under which the proposed method is valid, and use simulation studies to demonstrate that the approach is reasonably robust, albeit slightly conservative, when these assumptions are violated. Despite being conservative, we show that our method often offers more power to select causally important features than existing approaches. Finally, the practical utility of the method is demonstrated on gene expression datasets with binary and time‐to‐event outcomes.
Neural responses to children’s faces: Test–retest reliability of structural and functional MRI
Authors: Heckendorf Esther , Bakermans‐Kranenburg Marian J. , van Ijzendoorn Marinus H. , Huffmeijer Rens 
Published: February 2019

AbstractIntroductionFunctional MRI (fMRI) is commonly used to investigate the neural mechanisms underlying psychological processes and behavioral responses. However, to draw well‐founded conclusions from fMRI studies, more research on the reliability of fMRI is needed.MethodsWe invited a sample of 41 female students to participate in two identical fMRI sessions, separated by 5 weeks on average. To investigate the potential effect of left‐handedness on the stability of neural activity, we oversampled left‐handed participants (N = 20). Inside the scanner, we presented photographs of familiar and unfamiliar children's faces preceded by neutral and threatening primes to the participants. We calculated intraclass correlations (ICCs) to investigate the test–retest reliability of peak activity in areas that showed significant activity during the first session (primary visual cortex, fusiform face area, inferior frontal gyrus, and superior temporal gyrus). In addition, we examined how many trials were needed to reliably measure the effects.ResultsAcross all participants, only fusiform face area activity in response to faces showed good test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.71). All other test–retest reliabilities were low (0.01 ≤ ICC ≤ 0.35). Reliabilities varied only slightly with increasing numbers of trials, with no consistent increase in ICCs. Test–retest reliabilities for left‐handed participants (0.28 ≤ ICC ≤0.66) were generally somewhat higher than for right‐handed participants (−0.13 ≤ ICC ≤0.75), but not statistically significant.ConclusionOur study shows good test–retest reliability for fusiform facer area activity in response to faces, but low test–retest reliability for other contrasts and areas.
Determinants of materiality disclosure quality in integrated reporting: Empirical evidence from an international setting
Authors: Gerwanski Jannik , Kordsachia Othar , Velte Patrick 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThis study examines determinants of materiality disclosure quality (MDQ) in integrated reporting (IR) in an international setting. To this purpose, we constructed a novel, hand‐collected MDQ score in line with the <IR> guiding principles introduced by the International Integrated Reporting Council. On the basis of a cross‐national sample consisting of 359 firm‐year observations between 2013 and 2016, we find that MDQ is positively associated with learning effects, gender diversity, and the assurance of nonfinancial information in the integrated report. On the other hand, we find that IR readability, listing in the Dow Jones Sustainability Index, and earnings management do not affect MDQ. Our results are robust to different statistical models. We expand on earlier empirical findings on IR disclosure quality and provide valuable insights for research, practice, and standard setting.
The role of innovation in the implementation of green supply chain management practices
Authors: Silva Graça Miranda , Gomes Paulo J. , Sarkis Joseph 
Published: February 2019

AbstractHow organizational green practices become routinely embedded in supply chains remains underexplored in the literature. Based on the practice‐based view and normalization process theory, this study adopts a novel perspective on green supply chain management (GSCM) practices implementation and suggests that innovation is a crucial mechanism in such process. Specifically, we theorize and test the mediating effect of product and process innovation on the relationship between GSCM practices and sustainability performance. Survey data from 173 manufacturing firms were used to test the model hypotheses. Our findings show that product and process innovation mediate the relationship between GSCM practices and sustainability performance. The findings also suggest that the relevance of different innovation mechanisms depends on the stage of the operational lifecycle within which the practices are implemented. Our study provides insights for managers and scholars seeking to define innovation strategies to ensure the successful implementation of GSCM practices.
Total Synthesis of α‐Tocopherol through Enantioselective Iridium‐Catalyzed Fragmentation of a Spiro‐Cyclobutanol Intermediate
Authors: Ratsch Friederike , Schlundt Waldemar , Albat Dominik , Zimmer Anne , Neudörfl Jörg‐Martin , Netscher Thomas , Schmalz Hans‐Günther 
Published: February 2019

AbstractA conceptionally new strategy for the asymmetric (2R‐selective) synthesis of α‐tocopherol (vitamin E) was developed. In the stereocontrolled key step, a prochiral spiro[chromane‐2,3′‐cyclobutanol] unit is effectively desymmetrized under C−C bond activation in an unprecedented iridium‐catalyzed transformation using (S)‐DTBM‐SegPhos as a chiral ligand (e.r. 97:3). To complete the synthesis, the side chain was attached through Ru‐catalyzed cross‐metathesis employing an alkene derived from (R,R)‐hexahydrofarnesol. To suppress epimerization during the final hydrogenation, PtO2 had to be used as a catalyst instead of Pd/C. In an alternative approach (employing a propargyl‐substituted spiro‐cyclobutanol), the side chain was constructed prior to the Ir‐catalyzed ring fragmentation (>99:1 d.r.) through enyne cross‐metathesis (using an alkene derived from (R)‐dihydrocitronellal) followed by Cr‐catalyzed 1,4‐hydrogenation and (diastereoselective) Pfaltz hydrogenation of the resulting triple‐substituted olefin. The work demonstrates the potential of iridium catalysis for enantioselective C−C bond activation.
RSA reactivity in response to viewing bullying film and adolescent social adjustment
Authors: Cui Lixian , Zhang Xutong , Houltberg Benjamin J. , Criss Michael M. , Morris Amanda S. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThis study assessed adolescent respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) reactivity while watching a bullying film clip from Boyz'n the Hood. We emphasized the importance of considering measurement context of RSA and examined whether RSA reactivity moderated the links between environmental factors (i.e., neighborhood violence, parental psychological control, and parental acceptance) and adolescent social adjustment. Data were collected from 57 adolescents and their primary caregivers. Electrocardiogram (ECG) and respiration data were obtained from adolescents. Results indicated that neighborhood violence was positively associated with aggressive behavior but only among adolescents showing RSA augmentation, not suppression. Among youth displaying RSA suppression, parental acceptance was positively linked to prosocial behavior. We propose that, in the specific context of watching a bullying film clip, RSA suppression may relate to physiological regulation of emotion, which may differentially influence adolescents' responses to socialization.
Animal Scanner: Software for classifying humans, animals, and empty frames in camera trap images
Authors: Yousif Hayder , Yuan Jianhe , Kays Roland , He Zhihai 
Published: February 2019

AbstractCamera traps are a popular tool to sample animal populations because they are noninvasive, detect a variety of species, and can record many thousands of animal detections per deployment. Cameras are typically set to take bursts of multiple photographs for each detection and are deployed in arrays of dozens or hundreds of sites, often resulting in millions of photographs per study. The task of converting photographs to animal detection records from such large image collections is daunting, and made worse by situations that generate copious empty pictures from false triggers (e.g., camera malfunction or moving vegetation) or pictures of humans. We developed computer vision algorithms to detect and classify moving objects to aid the first step of camera trap image filtering—separating the animal detections from the empty frames and pictures of humans. Our new work couples foreground object segmentation through background subtraction with deep learning classification to provide a fast and accurate scheme for human–animal detection. We provide these programs as both Matlab GUI and command prompt developed with C++. The software reads folders of camera trap images and outputs images annotated with bounding boxes around moving objects and a text file summary of results. This software maintains high accuracy while reducing the execution time by 14 times. It takes about 6 seconds to process a sequence of ten frames (on a 2.6 GHZ CPU computer). For those cameras with excessive empty frames due to camera malfunction or blowing vegetation automatically removes 54% of the false‐triggers sequences without influencing the human/animal sequences. We achieve 99.58% on image‐level empty versus object classification of Serengeti dataset. We offer the first computer vision tool for processing camera trap images providing substantial time savings for processing large image datasets, thus improving our ability to monitor wildlife across large scales with camera traps.
Scent of death: Evolution from sea to land of an extreme collective attraction to conspecific death
Authors: Valdes Leah , Laidre Mark E. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractAll living organisms must eventually die, though in some cases their death can bring life‐giving opportunities. Few studies, however, have experimentally tested how animals capitalize on conspecific death and why this specialization would evolve. Here, we conducted experiments on the phylogenetically most closely‐related marine and terrestrial hermit crabs to investigate the evolution of responses to death during the sea‐to‐land transition. In the sea, death of both conspecifics and heterospecifics generates unremodeled shells needed by marine hermit crabs. In contrast, on land, terrestrial hermit crabs are specialized to live in architecturally remodeled shells, and the sole opportunity to acquire these essential resources is conspecific death. We experimentally tested these different species’ responsiveness to the scent of conspecific versus heterospecific death, predicting that conspecific death would have special attractive value for the terrestrial species. We found the terrestrial species was overwhelmingly attracted to conspecific death, rapidly approaching and forming social groupings around conspecific death sites that dwarfed those around heterospecific death sites. This differential responsiveness to conspecific versus heterospecific death was absent in marine species. Our results thus reveal that on land a reliance on resources associated exclusively with conspecifics has favored the evolution of an extreme collective attraction to conspecific death.
Multiple abiotic and biotic pathways shape biomass demographic processes in temperate forests
Authors: Yuan Zuoqiang , Ali Arshad , Jucker Tommaso , Ruiz‐Benito Paloma , Wang Shaopeng , Jiang Lin , Wang Xugao , Lin Fei , Ye Ji , Hao Zhanqing , Loreau Michel 
Published: February 2019

AbstractForests play a key role in regulating the global carbon cycle, and yet the abiotic and biotic conditions that drive the demographic processes that underpin forest carbon dynamics remain poorly understood in natural ecosystems. To address this knowledge gap, we used repeat forest inventory data from 92,285 trees across four large permanent plots (4–25 ha in size) in temperate mixed forests in northeast China to ask the following questions: (1) How do soil conditions and stand age drive biomass demographic processes? (2) How do vegetation quality (i.e., functional trait diversity and composition) and quantity (i.e., initial biomass stocks) influence biomass demographic processes independently from soil conditions and stand age? (3) What is the relative contribution of growth, recruitment, and mortality to net biomass change? Using structural equation modeling, we showed that all three demographic processes were jointly constrained by multiple abiotic and biotic factors and that mortality was the strongest determinant on net biomass change over time. Growth and mortality, as well as functional trait diversity and the community‐weighted mean of specific leaf area (CWMSLA), declined with stand age. By contrast, high soil phosphorous concentrations were associated with greater functional diversity and faster dynamics (i.e., high growth and mortality rates), but associated with lower CWMSLA and initial biomass stock. More functionally diverse communities also had higher recruitment rates, but did not exhibit faster growth and mortality. Instead, initial biomass stocks and CWMSLA were stronger predictors of biomass growth and mortality, respectively. By integrating the full spectrum of abiotic and biotic drivers of forest biomass dynamics, our study provides critical system‐level insights needed to predict the possible consequences of regional changes in forest diversity, composition, structure and function in the context of global change.
Bayesian hierarchical nonlinear models for estimating coral growth parameters
Authors: Cafarelli B. , Calculli C. , Cocchi D. 
Published: February 2019

AbstractIn ecology, the standard tool for investigating the growth of marine species is the von Bertalanffy growth function (VBGF). The parameters of this function are usually estimated by methods that might induce bias in the results because the VBGF neither distinguishes between the variability at individual or population levels nor takes into account the contribution of site‐specific environmental factors. A major problem arises when environmental measures are not directly linked to data because they are observed at different spatial locations, scales, or times. In this case, the association between site‐specific environmental features and individual data might be forced. A Bayesian hierarchical nonlinear model (BHNLM) is proposed to provide reliable estimation of the VBGF parameters while taking into account biological information and site variability. We illustrate the advantages of the hierarchical structure that allow us to capture the differences among species and sites when environmental information is ignored. The proposal is assessed through a case study concerning two Mediterranean corals, Balanophyllia europaea and Leptopsammia pruvoti, improving both the statistical accuracy and the quantification of uncertainties affecting marine species growth.
The effects of hydrolysis condition on antioxidant activity of protein hydrolyzate from quinoa
Authors: Mahdavi‐Yekta Mina , Nouri Leila , Azizi Mohammad Hossein 
Published: February 2019

AbstractIn the present study, quinoa protein hydrolyzate was prepared using alcalase and pepsin enzymes. Then, the effect of different temperatures (40, 45, 50, and 55°C), periods of time (60, 120, 150, 180, and 210 min), and the ratio of enzyme to substrate (30, 60, and 90 Anson unit/kg protein) on degree of hydrolysis were examined. Also, the antioxidant activity was assessed using DPPH radical scavenging test, and investigated using a completely randomized design. According to results, the optimum condition to produce hydrolyzates with the highest degree of hydrolysis (24.65%) was 55°C, 210 min, with ratio of enzyme to substrate of 60 Anson unit/kg protein, The highest antioxidant activity (35.44) of protein hydrolyzed was achieved at 150 min, 50°C, and the ratio of enzyme to substrate 60 (Anson unit/kg protein). Moreover, there was no significant (p > 0.05) between the level of hydrolysis and the antioxidant activity was among different time and temperatures. In conclusion, the peptide derived from quinoa protein showed a sufficient antioxidant activity to be incorporated in food products.
Gouda cheese spoilage prevention: Biodegradable coating induced by Bunium persicum essential oil and lactoperoxidase system
Authors: Saravani Morteza , Ehsani Ali , Aliakbarlu Javad , Ghasempour Zahra 
Published: February 2019

AbstractThis study aimed to prepare an inhibitory edible coating for Gouda cheese based on whey protein containing lactoperoxidase system (LPOS) and Bunium persicum essential oil (EO) in order to control postpasteurization contamination. Using a full factorial design, the effects of LPOS and EO on microbiological characteristics and chemical indices of manufactured Gouda cheeses were evaluated during 90 days of storage time. Listeria, lactic acid bacteria, Enterobacter, Escherichia, and Pseudomonas species were considered as potential pathogenic and spoilage indicators of produced Gouda cheese samples. Chemical properties of cheeses were assessed using the free fatty acid, peroxide value, and thiobarbituric acid experiments. The results showed that bacteria counts remained constant in cheese samples coated with EO and also EO–LPOS. However, the survival of gram‐positive lactic acid bacteria and Enterobacter spp. was more pronounced in LPOS‐based coating. The most effective treatments on oxidation stability parameters in cheese samples were EO‐ and EO–LPOS coatings. By the addition of B. persicum EO and LPOS, further inhibition of the lipid oxidation of the cheese samples was achieved. Lipolysis, as a result of lipid degradation, was more pronounced in the control, whey‐coated, and whey–LPOS‐coated samples in comparison with whey–EO‐ and whey–EO–LPOS‐coated samples during the final days of storage time. These results indicate that antibacterial, lipid oxidation, and oxygen barrier properties of the coatings were developed by the addition of B. persicum EO and LPOS.
Early detection of the PAX3‐FOXO1 fusion gene in circulating tumor‐derived DNA in a case of alveolar rhabdomyosarcoma
Authors: Eguchi‐Ishimae Minenori , Tezuka Mari , Kokeguchi Tomoki , Nagai Kozo , Moritani Kyoko , Yonezawa Sachiko , Tauchi Hisamichi , Tokuda Kiriko , Ishida Yasushi , Ishii Eiichi , Eguchi Mariko 
Published: February 2019

AbstractCell‐free DNA (cfDNA), which are small DNA fragments in blood derived from dead cells including tumor cells, could serve as useful biomarkers and provide valuable genetic information about the tumors. cfDNA is now used for the genetic analysis of several types of cancers, as a surrogate for tumor biopsy, designated as “liquid biopsy.” Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS), the most frequent soft tissue tumor in childhood, can arise in any part of the body, and radiological imaging is the only available method for estimating the tumor burden, because no useful specific biological markers are present in the blood. Because tumor volume is one of the determinants of treatment response and outcome, early detection at diagnosis as well as relapse is essential for improving the treatment outcome. A 15‐year‐old male patient was diagnosed with alveolar RMS of prostate origin with bone marrow invasion. The PAX3‐FOXO1 fusion was identified in the tumor cells in the bone marrow. After the diagnosis, cfDNA was serially collected to detect the PAX3‐FOXO1 fusion sequence as a tumor marker. cfDNA could be an appropriate source for detecting the fusion gene; assays using cfDNA have proved to be useful for the early detection of tumor progression/recurrence. Additionally, the fusion gene dosage estimated by quantitative polymerase chain reaction reflected the tumor volume during the course of the treatment. We suggest that for fusion gene‐positive RMSs, and other soft tissue tumors, the fusion sequence should be used for monitoring the tumor burden in the body to determine the diagnosis and treatment options for the patients.