bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Review of the effects of barred owls on spotted owls
Authors: Long Linda L. , Wolfe Jared D. 
Published: July 2019

ABSTRACTBarred owls (Strix varia) are forest‐dwelling owls, native to eastern North America, with populations that expanded westward into the range of the spotted owl (Strix occidentalis). Barred owls exert an overwhelmingly negative influence on spotted owls, thereby threatening spotted owl population viability where the species co‐occur. In this review, we provide an overview of the barred owl's range expansion and detail and synthesize previously published literature on spotted and barred owls within the range of the spotted owl as related to potential future outcomes for the northern spotted owl (S. o. caurina). We include research on diet, habitat use and selection, effects of barred owls on spotted owl demography and behavior, hybridization with spotted owls, parasites, contemporary management, and future research needs for spotted owl populations given continued barred owl expansion throughout western North America. Our literature review and synthesis should provide managers with the information necessary to develop strategies that mitigate deleterious effects of barred owls at local and landscape scales. © 2019 The Wildlife Society.
Motor function and the probability of prodromal Parkinson's disease in older adults
Authors: Maraki Maria I. , Stefanis Leonidas , Yannakoulia Mary , Kosmidis Mary H. , Xiromerisiou Georgia , Dardiotis Efthimios , Hadjigeorgiou Georgios M. , Sakka Paraskevi , Scarmeas Nikolaos , Stamelou Maria 
Published: July 2019

AbstractBackgroundIdentification and characterization of Parkinson's disease (PD) in its prodromal stage is crucial.ObjectiveThe objective of this study was to investigate the association between motor function and the probability of prodromal PD in a community‐dwelling older population.MethodsWe used data from a population‐based cohort of older adults (HELIAD study). Subjective motor function was evaluated with a 12‐item motor symptoms questionnaire and objective motor function indirectly with a physical activity questionnaire and two gait speed tests. The probability of prodromal PD was calculated according to the Movement Disorder Society research criteria for n = 1731 without PD. Regression multiadjusted models were used to investigate the associations between each motor measure and prodromal PD probability.ResultsFor each unit increase in motor symptoms score and for each kcal/kg/day lower energy expenditure (corresponding to 20 minutes of light walking/day for a 75‐kg man) there was a 27% and 3% higher probability for prodromal PD, respectively (P < 0.001). Having at least one subjective motor symptom increased the odds of having possible/probable prodromal PD (n = 49; P < 0.05). Including subjective and indirect motor variables in the same model showed that both (symptoms and physical activity) contributed significantly to the model (P < 0.01). Excluding subthreshold parkinsonism from the calculation showed that gait speed less than 0.8 m/s was also associated with a higher prodromal PD probability score (P < 0.001).ConclusionsSubjective motor symptoms as well as simple objective motor measures of physical activity or gait speed are associated with a higher probability of prodromal PD in older adults. These data may serve to enable the early identification of prodromal PD cohorts, particularly if they are confirmed in longitudinal studies. © 2019 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society
Treatment with 6‐Gingerol Regulates Dendritic Cell Activity and Ameliorates the Severity of Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Authors: Han Juan‐Juan , Li Xing , Ye Ze‐Qing , Lu Xin‐Yu , Yang Ting , Tian Jing , Wang Yu‐Qian , Zhu Lin , Wang Zhe‐Zhi , Zhang Yuan 
Published: July 2019

ScopeMultiple sclerosis (MS) is an inflammatory demyelinating autoimmune disorder, with increasing incidence worldwide but unknown etiology. 6‐Gingerol (6‐GIN), a major dietary compound found in ginger rhizome, has immunomodulatory activity. However, its role in autoimmune diseases, as well as the underlying mechanisms, are unclear. In this study, it is evaluated if 6‐GIN can effectively ameliorate the clinical disease severity of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis, an animal model of MS.Methods and resultsClinical scores of experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) mice are recorded daily. Inflammation of periphery and neuroinflammation of EAE mice are determined by flow cytometry analysis, ELISA, and histopathological analysis, and results show that 6‐GIN significantly inhibits inflammatory cell infiltration from the periphery into the central nervous system and reduces neuroinflammation and demyelination. Flow cytometry analysis, ELISA, and quantitative PCR show that 6‐GIN could suppress lipolysaccharide‐induced dendritic cell (DC) activation and induce the tolerogenic DCs. Immunoblot analysis reveals that the phosphorylation of nuclear factor‐κB and mitogen‐activated protein kinase, two critical regulators of inflammatory signaling, are significantly inhibited in 6‐GIN‐treated DCs.ConclusionThe results of this study demonstrate that 6‐GIN has significant potential as a novel anti‐inflammatory agent for the treatment of autoimmune diseases such as MS via direct modulatory effects on DCs.
An improved dual‐band shared aperture waveguide slot array antenna
Authors: Zong Yao , Ding Jun , Guo Chenjiang 
Published: July 2019

AbstractIn this article, an improved C/X band shared aperture waveguide slot array antenna with orthogonal polarizations is designed. The waveguide narrow‐edged inclined slots are used to realize the X‐band antenna array located in the upper layer. The waveguide wide‐edged longitudinal slots are used to realize the C‐band array located in the lower layer. A novel T‐shaped transition cavity is placed in the middle of two antennas to reduce the shadowing effect of X‐band on C‐band antenna. To verify the design method, a 3 × 3 C‐band array integrated with a 16 × 30 X‐band array is discussed in detail. The measured −10 dB return loss bandwidth of C‐band antenna is 300 MHz. The maximum gain is 17.6 dB at 5.5 GHz with the aperture efficiency of 85%. The good agreements between simulations and experiments demonstrate that the proposed C/X band shared aperture array antenna is a novel and effective method for dual‐frequency waveguide slot array. It presents an excellent candidate for dual frequency antenna with large frequency ratio and high power capacity.
Hyper‐reflective foci segmentation in SD‐OCT retinal images with diabetic retinopathy using deep convolutional neural networks
Authors: Yu Chenchen , Xie Sha , Niu Sijie , Ji Zexuan , Fan Wen , Yuan Songtao , Liu Qinghuai , Chen Qiang 
Published: July 2019

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to automatically and accurately segment hyper‐reflective foci (HRF) in spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT) images with diabetic retinopathy (DR) using deep convolutional neural networks.MethodsAn automatic HRF segmentation model for SD‐OCT images based on deep networks was constructed. The model segmented small lesions through pixel‐wise predictions based on small image patches. We used an approach for discriminative features extraction for small patches by introducing small kernels and strides in convolutional and pooling layers, which was applied on the state‐of‐the‐art deep classification networks (GoogLeNet and ResNet). The features extracted by the adapted deep networks were fed into a softmax layer to produce the probabilities of HRF. We trained different models on a dataset with 16 HRF eyes by using different sizes of patches, and then, we fused these models to generate optimal results.ResultsExperimental results on 18 eyes demonstrated that our method is effective for the HRF segmentation. The dice similarity coefficient (DSC) for the foci area in B‐scan, projection images, and foci amount in B‐scan images reaches 67.81%, 74.09%, and 72.45%, respectively.ConclusionsThe proposed segmentation model can accurately segment HRF in SD‐OCT images with DR and outperforms traditional methods. Our model may provide reliable segmentations for small lesions in SD‐OCT images and may be helpful in the clinical diagnosis of diseases.
Solid‐state NMR studies of the acidity of functionalized metal–organic framework UiO‐66 materials
Authors: Tang Jing , Li Shenhui , Chu Yueying , Xiao Yuqing , Xu Jun , Deng Feng 
Published: July 2019

AbstractThe acid strength of metal–organic frameworks plays a key role in their catalytic performance such as activity and selectivity during catalytic reactions. Solid‐state nuclear magnetic resonance in combination with probe molecules including 2‐13C‐acetone and pyridine‐d5 was employed to characterize the acid strength of UiO‐66‐X (X = ‐H, ‐2COOH, ‐SO3H). It was found that after introduction of the functional groups, the acid strength of UiO‐66‐2COOH and UiO‐66‐SO3H is considerably enhanced compared with that of parent UiO‐66, with that of the former being similar to that of zeolite H‐ZSM‐5, and with that of the latter being slightly stronger than that of the former. Even though the acid density can efficiently be modified through changing the relative ratio in multivariate functionalized UiO‐66‐X, no significant alternation for the acid strength could be discerned in the MTV‐UiO‐66‐X compared with acidic same‐link counterpart. Theoretical calculations were employed to further confirm the acid strength of UiO‐66‐SO3H and UiO‐66‐2COOH.
Bayesian model selection for sand with generalization ability evaluation
Authors: Jin Yin‐Fu , Yin Zhen‐Yu , Zhou Wan‐Huan , Shao Jian‐Fu 
Published: July 2019

SummaryCurrent studies have focused on selecting constitutive models using optimization methods or selecting simple formulas or models using Bayesian methods. In contrast, this paper deals with the challenge to propose an effective Bayesian‐based selection method for advanced soil models accounting for the soil uncertainty. Four representative critical state‐based advanced sand models are chosen as database of constitutive model. Triaxial tests on Hostun sand are selected as training and testing data. The Bayesian method is enhanced based on transitional Markov chain Monte Carlo method, whereby the generalization ability for each model is simultaneously evaluated, for the model selection. The most plausible/suitable model in terms of predictive ability, generalization ability, and model complexity is selected using training data. The performance of the method is then validated by testing data. Finally, a series of drained triaxial tests on Karlsruhe sand is used for further evaluating the performance.
A hybrid adaptive finite element phase‐field method for quasi‐static and dynamic brittle fracture
Authors: Tian Fucheng , Tang Xiaoliang , Xu Tingyu , Yang Junsheng , Li Liangbin 
Published: July 2019

SummaryThe phase‐field approach has unique advantages in describing fracture phenomena, which has received extensive attention in the past decade. Nevertheless, the phase‐field modeling of fracture is computationally demanding, due to the high temporal‐spatial resolution required for crack tracking. In this contribution, a novel hybrid adaptive finite element phase‐field method (ha‐PFM) is developed to solve brittle fracture problems under quasi‐static and dynamic loading. ha‐PFM can dynamically track the propagation of the cracks and adaptively refine the meshes based on a novel crack tip identification strategy. Afterward, the refined meshes in the noncrack progression region are reconverted into coarse meshes. This scheme prominently reduces the computational cost, eg, CPU time and memory usage. Unlike the previous adaptive phase‐field method, multilevel hybrid triangular and quadrilateral elements were developed to discretize the computational domain, which eliminates hanging nodes and ensures that the meshes in the vicinity of the crack tip are highly isotropic. Several representative benchmarks containing quasi‐static and dynamic fracture were reinvestigated with ha‐PFM, and its excellent performance is substantiated by comparison with the standard phase‐field method and literature results.
Rapid identification of dragon blood samples from Daemonorops draco, Dracaena cinnabari and Dracaena cochinchinensis by MALDI‐TOF mass spectrometry
Authors: Wu Chunhung , Cai Xin‐Qi , Chang Yu , Chen Chueh‐Hsuan , Ho Tsung‐Jung , Lai Shang‐Chih , Chen Hao‐Ping 
Published: July 2019

AbstractIntroductionDragon blood is a deep‐red plant resin which has been used as folk medicine for more than a thousand years. It can be produced from at least four entirely different plant families: Asparagaceae, Arecaceae, Chamaesyce, and Fabaceae. Current pharmacopeia states that the only “authentic” source of dragon blood is the palm tree, Daemonorops draco.ObjectiveThe present study aims to find a high‐throughput method to screen and identify the plant sources of commercial dragon blood products.MethodologyA matrix‐assisted laser desorption ionisation time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry (MALDI‐TOF MS) based method for rapid screening of dracorhodin in commercial dragon blood samples was established in this study.ResultsWell‐resolved peaks of dracorhodin in spectra were observed in the crude extracts of samples. Dragon blood samples from two other plant species, Dracaena cinnabari and Dracaena cochinchinensis, were also examined. Their indicator compounds, loureirin A and B, were detected in these plants.ConclusionA MALDI‐TOF based method for preliminarily examination of commercial dragon blood samples is reported here. In contrast to MALDI‐TOF, liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC‐MS) is a time‐consuming and costly method, not ideal for routine and large‐scale screening of commercial samples.
Green extraction of oil from Carum carvi seeds using bio‐based solvent and supercritical fluid: Evaluation of its antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities
Authors: Bourgou Soumaya , Bettaieb Rebey Iness , Dakhlaoui Sarra , Msaada Kamel , Saidani Tounsi Moufida , Ksouri Riadh , Fauconnier Marie‐Laure , Hamrouni‐Sellami Ibtissem 
Published: July 2019

AbstractIntroductionThe consumption of health‐promoting products such as oil seeds may improve human health and prevent certain diseases. Carvi seeds have the potential to produce oil with nutritional and functional properties rich in active compounds.ObjectiveTo extract bioactive lipids from Carum carvi seeds using green methodologies.Material and methodsSupercritical‐carbon dioxide (Sc‐CO2) and ethanol as co‐solvent and bio‐based solvent 2‐methyltetrahydrofuran (MeTHF) were used to extract the oil from Carum carvi. The yield, the chemical composition, as well as antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory activities of green extracted oils were investigated and compared to those obtained with conventional methods (hexane and Folch system).ResultsMeTHF extraction gave higher oil yield than that obtained by hexane. Fatty acids composition of the two obtained green extracted oils was similar to conventional extracted ones where petroselinic (39–43%), linoleic (29–31%) and oleic (19–21%) acids were the major compounds. Furthermore, MeTHF and Sc‐CO2 green extracted oils were enriched of bioactive compounds including sterols (5.4 and 7.3 mg/g oil) and total polyphenols (9.3 and 7.6 mg GAE/g oil) which were correlated to enhanced antiradical capacity. Moreover, the green extracted oils exhibited high anti‐inflammatory capacity inhibiting nitric oxide (NO) release in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)‐induced RAW 264.7 macrophages with IC50 values of 28 and 24 μg/mL.ConclusionGreen solvents are a good alternative to petroleum solvents to recover oil from carvi seeds with high amount of nutritionally important fatty acids, along with significant antioxidant and anti‐inflammatory potential.
Short self‐assembling cationic antimicrobial peptide mimetics based on a 3,5‐diaminobenzoic acid scaffold
Authors: Thota Chaitanya K. , Berger Allison A. , Harms Björn , Seidel Maria , Böttcher Christoph , von Berlepsch Hans , Xie Chaunxiong , Süssmuth Roderich , Roth Christian , Koksch Beate 
Published: July 2019

AbstractInfections caused by Staphylococcal and Micrococcal species represent a major public health burden. Although treatments do exist, these tend to be associated with cytotoxic effects; furthermore, the emergence of antimicrobial resistance presents an immediate challenge. New classes of active compounds are required to address these threats to human health. Here we present a de novo peptidomimetic strategy that produces self‐assembling cationic antimicrobials. To identify a candidate compound with bactericidal activity, a small library of 8 peptidomimetics comprising ultrashort peptide sequences attached to a 3,5‐diaminobenzoic acid scaffold was generated and tested against Micrococcus luteus and Staphylococcus aureus. Self‐assembly appears to be the driving force for increased potency, likely by contributing to increased local surface charge density and peptide mass and producing a multivalent effect that enhances electrostatic interactions with negatively charged bacterial membranes, causing membrane disruption. The most active library member C7 forms patched micellar nanoparticles and has an activity higher than that of known natural antimicrobial peptides against M luteus. C7 also shows activity comparable to that of gramicidin S and the standard antibiotic vancomycin used in antibacterial therapy, but with a greater selectivity index. Importantly, C7 is also nontoxic and nonhemolytic, unlike the currently administered vancomycin, which can cause acute renal failure, and gramicidin S, which is highly hemolytic in nature. The short sequence length, ease of design, convenient synthesis strategy, and presence of a substitutable hydrophobic residue that enables self‐assembly into different nanostructures make this model compound highly attractive for generating cost‐effective, rapid‐acting peptide‐based antimicrobials.
PEGylated polylysine derived copolymers with reduction‐responsive side chains for anticancer drug delivery
Authors: Yao Jiuxu , He Pan , Zhang Yu , Zhang Hongyu , Zhang Peng , Deng Mingxiao , Xiao Chunsheng 
Published: July 2019

AbstractReduction‐responsive drug delivery systems have recently gained intense attention in intracellular delivery of anticancer drugs. In this study, we developed a PEGylated polypeptide, poly(ethylene glycol)‐block‐poly(ϵ‐propargyloxycarbonyl‐l‐lysine) (PEG113‐b‐PPAL), as a novel clickable substrate for conjugation of reduction‐responsive side chains for antineoplastic drug delivery. PEG113‐b‐PPAL was synthesized through ring‐opening polymerization of alkyne‐containing N‐carboxyanhydride monomers. A designed disulfide‐containing side chain was introduced onto the PEGylated polypeptide by click reaction. The obtained copolymer PEG113‐b‐P(Lys‐DSA) formed micelles by self‐assembly, which exhibited reduction‐responsive behavior under the stimulus of 10 mmol L–1 glutathione (GSH) in water. A small molecule intermediate, compound 2, was used as a model to investigate the thiol reduction mechanism of PEG113‐b‐P(Lys‐DSA) copolymers. The anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) was then loaded into the micelles with a drug loading content of 6.73 wt% and a loading efficiency of 40.3%. Both the blank and the drug‐loaded micelles (DOX‐loaded polylysine derived polymeric micelles (LMs/DOX)) adopted a spherical morphology, with average diameters of 48.0 ± 13.1 and 63.8 ± 20.0 nm, respectively. The in vitro drug release results indicated that DOX could be released faster from the micelles by the trigger of GSH in phosphate buffered saline. Confocal laser scanning microscopy and flow cytometer analysis further proved the intracellular delivery of DOX by LMs/DOX and their GSH‐sensitive release behavior. A 3‐(4,5‐dimethyl‐thiazol‐2‐yl)‐2,5‐diphenyl tetrazolium bromide assay showed that the polymers exhibited negligible cytotoxicity towards normal L929 cells or cancer MCF‐7 cells with a treated concentration up to 1.0 mg mL–1. In conclusion, our synthesized biocompatible and biodegradable PEGylated polypeptides hold great promise for intracellular antineoplastic drug delivery. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry
Physiological instability after respiratory pauses in preterm infants
Authors: Marshall Andrew P. , Lim Kathleen , Ali Sanoj K. , Gale Timothy J. , Dargaville Peter A. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractBackgroundThe factors influencing the severity of apnea‐related hypoxemia and bradycardia are incompletely characterized, especially in infants receiving noninvasive respiratory support.ObjectivesTo identify the frequency and predictors of physiological instability (hypoxemia—oxygen saturation (SpO2) <80%, or bradycardia—heart rate (HR) < 100 bpm) following respiratory pauses in infants receiving noninvasive respiratory support.MethodsRespiratory pause duration, derived from capsule pneumography, was measured in 30 preterm infants of gestation 30 (24‐32) weeks [median (interquartile range)] receiving noninvasive respiratory support and supplemental oxygen. For identified pauses of 5 to 29 seconds duration, we measured the magnitude and duration of SpO2 and HR reductions over a period starting at the pause onset and ending 60 seconds after resumption of breathing. Temporally clustered pauses (<60 seconds separation) were analyzed separately. The relative contribution of respiratory pauses to overall physiological instability was determined, and predictors of instability were sought in regression analysis, including demographic, clinical and situational variables as inputs.ResultsIn total, 17 105 isolated and 9180 clustered pauses were identified. Hypoxemia and bradycardia were more likely after longer duration and temporally‐clustered pauses. However, the majority of such episodes occurred after 5 to 9 second pauses given their numerical preponderance, and short‐lived pauses made a substantial contribution to physiological instability overall. Birth gestation, hemoglobin concentration, form of respiratory support, caffeine treatment, respiratory pause duration and temporal clustering were identified as predictors of instability.ConclusionsBrief respiratory pauses, especially when clustered, contribute substantially to hypoxemia and bradycardia in preterm infants.
Ethnicity and neighbourhood attainment in England and Wales: A study of second generations' spatial integration
Authors: Zuccotti Carolina V. 
Published: July 2019

AbstractEthnic minorities' spatial concentration and their predominance in deprived areas are two well‐known patterns that characterise Britain's social landscape. However, little is known about ethnic minorities' opportunities for spatial integration, especially those of the second generations. Using a large‐scale longitudinal data set of England and Wales covering a 40‐year period (1971–2011), in combination with aggregated census data, the article examines ethnic inequalities in access to neighbourhoods with varying levels of ethnic concentration and deprivation. On equality of individual, social origin, and childhood neighbourhood characteristics, second generation ethnic minorities are less likely than White British individuals to reside in “whiter” and less deprived neighbourhoods. For most minorities, these differences reduce among those with higher education and a higher social class, in line with weak place stratification/ethnic enclave. Growing up in areas with high ethnic concentration and high deprivation has a particularly strong “retention effect” among second generation Asians. The study shows that ethnic spatial segregation is, in part, the product of time‐persisting ethnic inequalities in the access to neighbourhoods and that these inequalities are conditioned both by childhood and by adult resources.