bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
3DFluorescence Spectroscopy and Its Applications
Authors: Locquet Nathalie , Aït‐Kaddour Abderrahmane , Cordella Christophe B.Y. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThis article focuses on 3D fluorescence spectroscopy. After defining its principle, we then look at the factors which influence the phenomenon of fluorescence. There follows a brief discussion of the principal chemometric techniques implemented to manipulate and exploit fluorescence data, which have different and specific properties. A new article will describe the main endogenous fluorophores found in certain food, biological and environmental matrices, as well as exogenous fluorophores. Frontal fluorescence has seen considerable development during the past 15 years in a wide variety of fields, which is why we shall also be focusing on its principal applications in terms of the objectives of different studies: classification, authentication, quality control or process monitoring indicators. Fluorescence data generate a spectral fingerprint that can characterise samples within a very large space of variability, such as that which is inherent in food samples. Fluorescence spectroscopy can thus be used in a broad range of applications involving biological samples, animal tissues or environmental samples. Most of these applications are still qualitative, although quantitative methods are available. It is generally acknowledged that 3D fluorescence fingerprinting is more suitable for recognition, classification or detection processes when there is a need to save time and achieve optimum sensitivity. With the recent development of big data and BI, frontal fluorescence spectroscopy will soon benefit from the considerable power of artificial intelligence technologies.
Ultra‐low dose CT colonography with automatic tube current modulation and sinogram‐affirmed iterative reconstruction: Effects on radiation exposure and image quality
Authors: Cianci Roberta , Delli Pizzi Andrea , Esposito Gianluigi , Timpani Mauro , Tavoletta Alessandra , Pulsone Pierluigi , Basilico Raffaella , Cotroneo Antonio Raffaele , Filippone Antonella 
Published: December 2018

AbstractObjectiveTo assess the radiation dose and image quality of ultra‐low dose (ULD)‐CT colonography (CTC) obtained with the combined use of automatic tube current (mAs) modulation with a quality reference mAs of 25 and sinogram‐affirmed iterative reconstruction (SAFIRE), compared to low‐dose (LD) CTC acquired with a quality reference mAs of 55 and reconstructed with filtered back projection (FBP).MethodsEighty‐two patients underwent ULD‐CTC acquisition in prone position and LD‐CTC acquisition in supine position. Both ULD‐CTC and LD‐CTC protocols were compared in terms of radiation dose [weighted volume computed tomography dose index (CTDIvol) and effective dose], image noise, image quality, and polyp detection.ResultsThe mean effective dose of ULD‐CTC was significantly lower than that of LD‐CTC (0.98 and 2.69 mSv respectively, P < 0.0001) with an overall dose reduction of 63.2%. Image noise was comparable between ULD‐CTC and LD‐CTC (28.6 and 29.8 respectively, P = 0.09). There was no relevant difference when comparing image quality scores and polyp detection for both 2D and 3D images.ConclusionULD‐CTC allows to significantly reduce the radiation dose without meaningful image quality degradation compared to LD‐CTC.
Current status of minimally invasive esophagectomy for esophageal cancer: Is it truly less invasive?
Authors: Oshikiri Taro , Takiguchi Gosuke , Miura Susumu , Takase Nobuhisa , Hasegawa Hiroshi , Yamamoto Masashi , Kanaji Shingo , Yamashita Kimihiro , Matsuda Yoshiko , Matsuda Takeru , Nakamura Tetsu , Suzuki Satoshi , Kakeji Yoshihiro 
Published: December 2018

AbstractEsophagectomy with extended lymphadenectomy remains the mainstay of treatment for localized esophageal cancer. However, it is one of the most invasive procedures with high morbidity. To reduce invasiveness, minimally invasive esophagectomy (MIE), which includes thoracoscopic, laparoscopic, mediastinoscopic, and robotic surgery, is becoming popular worldwide. Thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the prone position is ergonomic for the surgeon and has better perioperative arterial oxygen pressure/fraction of inspired oxygen (P/F) ratio. Thoracoscopic esophagectomy in the left decubitus position is easy to introduce because it is similar to standard right posterolateral open esophagectomy (OE) in position. It has a relatively short operative time. Laparoscopic approach could potentially have a substantial effect on pneumonia prevention under the condition of thoracotomy. Mediastinoscopic surgery has the potential to reduce pulmonary complications because it can avoid a transthoracic procedure. In robotic surgery, in the future, less recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy will be expected as a result of polyarticular fine maneuvering without human tremors. In studies comparing MIE with OE, mediastinoscopic surgery and robotic surgery are usually not included; these studies show that MIE has a longer operative time and less blood loss than OE. MIE is particularly beneficial in reducing postoperative respiratory complications such as atelectasis, despite no dramatic decrease in pneumonia. Reoperation might occur more frequently with MIE. There is no significant difference in mortality rate between MIE and OE. It is important to recognize that the advantages of MIE, particularly “less invasiveness”, can be of benefit at facilities with experienced medical personnel.
A sensitive UPLC–MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of polyphenols and theaflavins in rat plasma: Application to a pharmacokinetic study of Da Hong Pao tea
Authors: Wang Lin , Yan Ting , Zhang Kexia , Li Feifeng , Jia Jingming , Hu Gaosheng 
Published: December 2018

AbstractA method based on ultra‐performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry has been developed for the rapid and simultaneous determination of five catechins and four theaflavins in rat plasma using ethyl gallate as internal standard. The pharmacokinetic profiles of these compounds were compared after oral administration of five kinds of Da Hong Pao tea to rats. Biosamples processed with a mixture of β‐glucuronidase and sulfatase were extracted with ethyl acetate–isopropanol. Chromatographic separation was achieved by gradient elution using 10 mm HCOONH4 solution and methanol as the mobile phase. Analytes were detected using negative ion electrospray ionization in multiple reaction monitoring mode. The lower limits of quantification were 1.0, 0.74 and 0.5 ng/mL for theaflavins, two catechins and three catechins, respectively. The validation parameters were well within acceptable limits. The average half‐lives (t1/2) in blood of the reference solution group was much shorter than those of tea samples. The values of AUC0–t and Cmax of the polyphenols and theaflavins exhibited linear pharmacokinetic characteristics which were related to the dose concentration.
Impact of baseline thrombocytopenia on the long‐term outcome of patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention: An analysis of 9,897 consecutive patients
Authors: Liu Shuai , Song Chenxi , Zhao Yanyan , Guan Changdong , Zhu Chenggang , Feng Lei , Xu Bo , Dou Kefei 
Published: December 2018

AbstractObjectivesThis study aimed to investigate the association between baseline thrombocytopenia and long‐term clinical outcomes among patients undergoing elective percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).BackgroundThrombocytopenia (TP) commonly occurs among patients undergoing PCI. However, whether TP has any influence on the outcome of PCI patients remains controversial.MethodsWe examined 9,897 consecutive patients who underwent elective PCI in Fuwai Hospital from January 2013 to December 2013. Baseline thrombocytopenia was defined as platelet count <150 × 109/L. We compared data on demographic, clinical, laboratory, and 30‐month outcomes between nonthrombocytopenic and thrombocytopenic patients. The primary outcome was death and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) during the 30‐month follow‐up. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify risk factors of baseline thrombocytopenia.ResultsBaseline thrombocytopenia developed in 1263 (12.76%) patients; of these, 1,172 (11.84%) patients had mild thrombocytopenia and 91 (0.92%) had the moderate or severe type. No differences in all‐cause mortality, stent thrombosis, target vessel revascularization, MACE, or bleeding complications were detected between patients with and without thrombocytopenia. Further, advanced age, male sex, previous PCI history, previous myocardial infarction history, and diabetes mellitus history were found to be risk factors of baseline thrombocytopenia.ConclusionsAlthough baseline thrombocytopenia was common among patients who underwent elective PCI, it did not appear to have a clinically significant effect on long‐term adverse outcomes, particular bleeding risk. Our results indicated that it seems to be feasible for patients with mild to moderate thrombocytopenia to receive elective PCI as well as guideline‐recommended duration of anti‐platelet therapy.
Phosphine‐Catalyzed Interrupted Morita–Baylis–Hillman Reaction and Switchable Domino Reactions of α‐Substituted Activated Olefins with Formaldehyde and Mechanism Elucidation
Authors: Gu Jing , Xiao Ben‐Xian , Ouyang Qin , Du Wei , Chen Ying‐Chun 
Published: December 2018

Summary of main observation and conclusion3‐Olefinic oxindoles can undergo interrupted Morita‐Baylis‐Hillman reaction with formaldehyde. Apart from the previous reported dephosphoration to access reductive aldol‐type products, here we uncovered that completely different pathways were followed by tuning the substitutions of 3‐olefinic oxindoles. In combination with formalin, an unexpected domino phosphorus‐ylide formation, aldol‐type addition, hemeacetal formation and O‐substitution process was observed to produce 1,3‐dioxolane derivatives. Moreover, a switchable sequence to produce formate derivatives via a key hydride transfer process was furnished by simply replacing formalin with paraformaldehyde. Density functional theory calculations were conducted to well elucidate the catalytic reaction mechanism.
Space use and genetic structure do not maintain color polymorphism in a species with alternative behavioral strategies
Authors: Yewers Madeleine St Clair , Stuart‐Fox Devi , McLean Claire Alice 
Published: December 2018

AbstractSpace use including territoriality and spatial arrangement within a population can reveal important information on the nature, dynamics, and evolutionary maintenance of alternative strategies in color polymorphic species. Despite the prevalence of color polymorphic species as model systems in evolutionary biology, the interaction between space use and genetic structuring of morphs within populations has rarely been examined. Here, we assess the spatial and genetic structure of male throat color morphs within a population of the tawny dragon lizard, Ctenophorus decresii. Male color morphs do not differ in morphology but differ in aggressive and antipredator behaviors as well as androgen levels. Despite these behavioral and endocrine differences, we find that color morphs do not differ in territory size, with their spatial arrangement being essentially random with respect to each other. There were no differences in genetic diversity or relatedness between morphs; however, there was significant, albeit weak, genetic differentiation between morphs, which was unrelated to geographic distance between individuals. Our results indicate potential weak barriers to gene flow between some morphs, potentially due to nonrandom pre‐ or postcopulatory mate choice or postzygotic genetic incompatibilities. However, space use, spatial structure, and nonrandom mating do not appear to be primary mechanisms maintaining color polymorphism in this system, highlighting the complexity and variation in alternative strategies associated with color polymorphism.
A comparative analysis of complete plastid genomes fromPrangos fedtschenkoiandPrangos lipskyi(Apiaceae)
Authors: Mustafina Feruza U. , Yi Dong‐Keun , Choi Kyung , Shin Chang Ho , Tojibaev Komiljon Sh. , Downie Stephen R. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractPrangos fedtschenkoi(Regel & Schmalh.) Korovin andP. lipskyiKorovin (Apiaceae) are rare plant species endemic to mountainous regions of Middle Asia. Both are edificators of biotic communities and valuable resource plants. The results of recent phylogenetic analyses place them inPrangossubgen.Koelzella(M. Hiroe) Lyskov & Pimenov and suggest they may possibly represent sister species. To aid in development of molecular markers useful for intraspecific phylogeographic and population‐level genetic studies of these ecologically and economically important plants, we determined their complete plastid genome sequences and compared the results obtained to several previously published plastomes of Apiaceae. The plastomes ofP. fedtschenkoiandP. lipskyiare typical of Apiaceae and most other higher plant plastid DNAs in their sizes (153,626 and 154,143 bp, respectively), structural organization, gene arrangement, and gene content (with 113 unique genes). A total of 49 and 48 short sequence repeat (SSR) loci of 10 bp or longer were detected inP. fedtschenkoiandP. lipskyiplastomes, respectively, representing 42–43 mononucleotides and 6 AT dinucleotides. Seven tandem repeats of 30 bp or longer with a sequence identity ≥90% were identified in each plastome. Further comparisons revealed 319 polymorphic sites between the plastomes (IR, 21; LSC, 234; SSC, 64), representing 43.8% transitions (Ts), 56.1% transversions (Tv), and a Ts/Tv ratio of 0.78. Within genic regions, two indel events were observed inrpoA (6 and 51 bp) andycf1 (3 and 12 bp), and one inndhF (6 bp). The most variable intergenic spacer region was that ofaccD/psaI, with 21.1% nucleotide divergence. EachPrangosspecies possessed one of two separate inversions (either 5 bp inndhB intron or 9 bp inpetB intron), and these were predicted to form hairpin structures with flanking repeat sequences of 18 and 19 bp, respectively. Both species have also incorporated novel DNA in the LSC region adjacent to the LSC/IRa junction, and BLAST searches revealed it had a 100 bp match (86% sequence identity) to noncoding mitochondrial DNA.Prangos‐specific primers were developed for the variableaccD/psaI intergenic spacer and preliminary PCR‐surveys suggest that this region will be useful for future phylogeographic and population‐level studies.
Environmental variation shapes genetic variation in Bouteloua gracilis: Implications for restoration management of natural populations and cultivated varieties in the southwestern United States
Authors: Tso Katrina L. , Allan Gerard J. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractWith the increasing frequency of large‐scale restoration efforts, the need to understand the adaptive genetic structure of natural plant populations and their relation to heavily utilized cultivars is critical. Bouteloua gracilis (blue grama) is a wind‐dispersed, perennial grass consisting of several cytotypes (2n = 2×–6×) with a widespread distribution in western North America. The species is locally dominant and used regularly in restoration treatments. Using amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) and cpDNA analyses, we assessed the genetic variability and adaptive genetic structure of blue grama within and among 44 sampling sites that are representative of the species’ environmental and habitat diversity in the southwestern United States. Five cultivars were also included to investigate genetic diversity and differentiation in natural versus cultivated populations. Three main findings resulted from this study: (a) Ninety‐four polymorphic AFLP markers distinguished two population clusters defined largely by samples on and off the Colorado Plateau; (b) substructure of samples on the Colorado Plateau was indicated by genetic divergence between boundary and interior regions, and was supported by cytotype distribution and cpDNA analysis; and (c) six AFLP markers were identified as “outliers,” consistent with being under selection. These loci were significantly correlated to mean annual temperature, mean annual precipitation, precipitation of driest quarter, and precipitation of wettest quarter in natural populations, but not in cultivated samples. Marker × environment relationships were found to be largely influenced by cytotype and cultivar development. Our results demonstrate that blue grama is genetically variable, and exhibits genetic structure, which is shaped, in part, by environmental variability across the Colorado Plateau. Information from our study can be used to guide the selection of seed source populations for commercial development and long‐term conservation management of B. gracilis, which could include genetic assessments of diversity and the adaptive potential of both natural and cultivated populations for wildland restoration.
Divergent patterns of telomere shortening in tropical compared to temperate stonechats
Authors: Apfelbeck Beate , Haussmann Mark F. , Boner Winnie , Flinks Heiner , Griffiths Kate , Illera Juan Carlos , Mortega Kim G. , Sisson Zachary , Smiddy Patrick , Helm Barbara 
Published: December 2018

AbstractTelomeres have emerged as important biomarkers of health and senescence as they predict chances of survival in various species. Tropical birds live in more benign environments with lower extrinsic mortality and higher juvenile and adult survival than temperate birds. Therefore, telomere biology may play a more important role in tropical compared to temperate birds. We measured mean telomere length of male stonechats (Saxicola spp.) at four age classes from tropical African and temperate European breeding regions. Tropical and temperate stonechats had similarly long telomeres as nestlings. However, while in tropical stonechats pre‐breeding first‐years had longer telomeres than nestlings, in temperate stonechats pre‐breeding first‐years had shorter telomeres than nestlings. During their first breeding season, telomere length was again similar between tropical and temperate stonechats. These patterns may indicate differential survival of high‐quality juveniles in tropical environments. Alternatively, more favorable environmental conditions, that is, extended parental care, may enable tropical juveniles to minimize telomere shortening. As suggested by previous studies, our results imply that variation in life history and life span may be reflected in different patterns of telomere shortening rather than telomere length. Our data provide first evidence that distinct selective pressures in tropical and temperate environments may be reflected in diverging patterns of telomere loss in birds.
No evidence of handling‐induced mortality in Serengeti's African wild dog population
Authors: Jackson Craig R. , Masenga Emmanuel H. , Mjingo Ernest E. , Davies Andrew B. , Fossøy Frode , Fyumagwa Robert D. , Røskaft Eivin , May Roel F. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThe disappearance of an endangered African wild dog population from Serengeti National Park (SNP) led to international debate centered around one question: were researchers to blame? The “Burrows' hypothesis” postulated that stress induced by research‐related immobilization and handling reactivated a latent rabies virus, eliminating the population. Insufficient data inhibited hypothesis testing, but since wild dogs persisted alongside SNP and have been studied since 2005, the hypothesis can be tested 25 years after its proposition. To be supported, wild dog immobilization interventions should have resulted in high mortality rates. However, 87.6% of 121 handled wild dogs (2006–2016) survived >12 months post‐handling. Some argued that viral reactivation would necessitate long‐term stress. Following immobilization, 67 animals were captured, transported, and held in a translocation enclosure. Despite the longer‐term stress, 95.5% survived >12 months. Furthermore, the stable number of wild dog packs in the ecosystem over the past decade, and lack of recolonization of SNP, strongly oppose Burrows' hypothesis. Instead, factors such as heightened levels of interspecific competition are likely to have contributed to the wild dog disappearance and subsequent avoidance of the Serengeti plains. Handling and radio telemetry are invaluable when studying elusive endangered species, yielding information pertinent to their conservation and management, and had no effect on Serengeti wild dog survival.
Repurposing population genetics data to discern genomic architecture: A case study of linkage cohort detection in mountain pine beetle (Dendroctonus ponderosae)
Authors: Trevoy Stephen A. L. , Janes Jasmine K. , Muirhead Kevin , Sperling Felix A. H. 
Published: December 2018

AbstractGenetic surveys of the population structure of species can be used as resources for exploring their genomic architecture. By adjusting filtering assumptions, genome‐wide single‐nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) datasets can be reused to give new insights into the genetic basis of divergence and speciation without targeted resampling of specimens. Filtering only for missing data and minor allele frequency, we used a combination of principal components analysis and linkage disequilibrium network analysis to distinguish three cohorts of variable SNPs in the mountain pine beetle in western Canada, including one that was sex‐linked and one that was geographically associated. These marker cohorts indicate genomically localized differentiation, and their detection demonstrates an accessible and intuitive method for discovering potential islands of genomic divergence without a priori knowledge of a species’ genomic architecture. Thus, this method has utility for directly addressing the genomic architecture of species and generating new hypotheses for functional research.
Review on development of devices for amplifying human olfaction: Approaches using real and virtual concentration method
Authors: Matsukura Haruka , Ishida Hiroshi 
Published: December 2018

AbstractThis paper reports on olfactory amplifying systems and reviews related technologies. We have developed two types of olfactory amplifying systems that allow the user to sense smells with amplified sensitivities. In the first system, odor molecules drifting in the air are collected using an adsorbent material. The concentrated odor vapor is generated and presented to the user by thermal desorption of the collected odor molecules. The second system is a virtual odor concentrator. An odor with an amplified intensity is presented to the user when the presence of a volatile organic compound in the air is detected using a gas sensor. These systems can be viewed as olfactory versions of augmented reality systems. The user's perception of the world is altered by modifying the olfactory stimuli perceived by the user's nose. Ongoing research efforts toward the development of the olfactory amplifying systems are presented in this paper and their potential applications are discussed.