bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Design, Synthesis, and Characterization of Macrocyclic Inhibitors of the Proprotein Convertase Furin
Authors: Van Lam van Thuy , Ivanova Teodora , Hardes Kornelia , Heindl Miriam Ruth , Morty Rory E. , Böttcher‐Friebertshäuser Eva , Lindberg Iris , Than Manuel E. , Dahms Sven O. , Steinmetzer Torsten 
Published: January 2019

AbstractThe activation of viral glycoproteins by the host protease furin is an essential step in the replication of numerous pathogenic viruses. Thus, effective inhibitors of furin could serve as broad‐spectrum antiviral drugs. A crystal structure of an inhibitory hexapeptide derivative in complex with furin served as template for the rational design of various types of new cyclic inhibitors. Most of the prepared derivatives are relatively potent furin inhibitors with inhibition constants in the low nanomolar or even sub‐nanomolar range. For seven derivatives the crystal structures in complex with furin could be determined. In three complexes, electron density was found for the entire inhibitor. In the other cases the structures could be determined only for the P6/P5‐P1 segments, which directly interact with furin. The cyclic derivatives together with two non‐cyclic reference compounds were tested as inhibitors of the proteolytic activation and replication of respiratory syncytial virus in cells. Significant antiviral activity was found for both linear reference inhibitors, whereas a negligible efficacy was determined for the cyclic derivatives.
Developmental changes in interkinetic nuclear migration dynamics with respect to cell‐cycle progression in the mouse cerebral cortex ventricular zone
Authors: Fousse Julie , Gautier Elodie , Patti Dorothée , Dehay Colette 
Published: January 2019

AbstractWe have examined the relationship between interkinetic nuclear migration (INM) and cell‐cycle progression of apical progenitors in the ventricular zone (VZ) at different stages of mouse cerebral corticogenesis. We report stage‐specific changes in INM due to a significant alteration of the nuclear apical movement dynamics with respect to cell‐cycle phases. While at early stages, the apical nuclear movement corresponds to the G2 phase, cell‐cycle phase specific immunostaining and real‐time imaging of PCNA expressing apical progenitors revealed that at midcorticogenesis, the nuclear apical movement is initiated well before the entry into G2, during S phase. We observed that the S phase and G2 phase segments of the nuclear apical movement exhibit different velocities. Experimental shortening of cell‐cycle duration via cyclin E overexpression in APs at midcorticogenesis leads to congruent INM behavior changes. This suggests that INM dynamics are under cell‐cycle related constraints.
Sensor interpixel correlation analysis and reduction for color filter array high dynamic range image reconstruction
Authors: Lindstrand Mikael 
Published: January 2019

AbstractHigh dynamic range imaging (HDRI) by bracketing of low dynamic range (LDR) images is demanding, as the sensor is deliberately operated at saturation. This exacerbates any crosstalk, interpixel capacitance, blooming and smear, all causing interpixel correlations (IC) and a deteriorated modulation transfer function (MTF). Established HDRI algorithms exclude saturated pixels, but generally overlook IC. This work presents a calibration method to estimate the affected region from saturated pixels for a color filter array (CFA) sensor, using the native CFA as a matched filter. The method minimizes color crosstalk given a set of candidates for proximity regions, and requires no special setup. Results are shown for a 21‐bit HDR output image with improved color fidelity and reduced noise. The calibration reduces IC in the LDR images and is performed only once for a given sensor. The improvement is applicable to any HDRI algorithm based on CFA image bracketing, irrespective of sensor technology. Generalizations to subsaturated and supersaturated pixels are described, facilitating a suggested irradiance‐exposure dependent point spread function charge repatriation strategy.
Web‐based GIS for live GV of land generation through utilitarian association rule mining and multiple regression analysis for Chennai district
Authors: Srinivasan K. , Murugasan R. 
Published: January 2019

SummaryIn this paper, the Guideline Value (GV) of land is automatically generated via a utilitarian model, which consists of a multilevel regression predictor and an association rule. The utilitarian model generates GV for the Chennai area land in Tamil Nadu, India. In the existing system, the land GV is fixed based on the market price. The GV is revised according to market analysis, every 2 years, and creates an anomaly in price, causing loss to the government of Tamil Nadu. In the utilitarian GV pricing model, with the survey number or the street name entered in the website, the GV generates automatically. The automatic generation of the GV in the website is based on the real‐time calculation of the distance between the spatial and environmental parameters and the type of land use collected through a geographical information system. From the result, the utilitarian model provides 85% accuracy in the automated GV generation of land. The accuracy is evaluated through the Buyer Acceptance Testing (BAT) for the present and utilitarian guideline value.
Hydrogen Isotope Absorption in Unary Oxides and Nitrides with Anion Vacancies and Substitution
Authors: Watanabe Takumi , Kunisada Yuji , Sakaguchi Norihito 
Published: January 2019

AbstractThe absorption states of hydrogen isotopes in various ceramic materials were investigated by density functional theory. For pristine ceramic materials, main‐group oxides do not form any bond with a hydrogen atom. However, transition metal oxides form hydroxyl groups and absorb hydrogen atoms. Main‐group and transition metal nitrides form ionic bonds between a hydrogen atom and the surrounded cation. For anion‐deficient ceramic materials, hydrogen atoms are negatively charged because of excess electrons induced by anion vacancies, and ionic bonds form with the surrounded cation, which stabilizes the hydrogen absorption state. N substitutional doping into oxides introduces an electron hole, while O substitutional doping into the nitrides introduces an excess of electrons. Therefore, hydrogen isotopes form covalent bonds in N‐substituted oxides, and form hydride ions in O‐substituted nitrides. Thus, Al2O3, SiO2, CrN, and TiN are promising materials as hydrogen permeation barriers.
Systemic inflammatory burden and local inflammation in periodontitis: What is the link between inflammatory biomarkers in serum and gingival crevicular fluid?
Authors: Zekeridou Alkisti , Mombelli Andrea , Cancela Jose , Courvoisier Delphine , Giannopoulou Catherine 
Published: January 2019

AbstractIn periodontitis patients, high levels of several inflammatory markers may be expressed in serum, reflecting the effect of local disease on the general health. The objective of the present analysis was to compare cytokine levels assessed in peripheral blood with those in the gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and evaluate the impact of nonsurgical periodontal therapy on the incidence of high levels of 12 biomarkers in serum. Twenty‐four patients with chronic periodontitis (Group P) contributed with serum and GCF samples at baseline (BL) and 1 and 3 months after periodontal treatment (M1 and M3). Samples were assessed for 12 cytokines using the Bio‐Plex bead array multianalyte detection system. For each analyte, peak values were calculated as greater than the mean + 2SD of the one found in 60 periodontally healthy participants. Significant correlations between serum and GCF values were obtained in the periodontitis group for interleukin (IL) 1ra, IL‐6, and interferon γ at BL and for macrophage inflammatory protein 1β at M3 after treatment. Periodontitis subjects were found to exhibit high peaks for several inflammatory markers in serum. The highest incidence of peaks at BL was found for interferon γ (37.5% of the periodontitis subjects). For the four biomarkers with a detection frequency of >75% at BL (IL‐1ra, IL‐8, macrophage inflammatory protein 1β, and vascular endothelial growth factor), no significant difference was observed over time for the P group or between the two groups at BL. The significant correlation found between the serum and the GCF for certain cytokines and the fact that periodontitis subjects exhibit high peaks for several inflammatory markers in serum may support the hypothesis that the inflammatory reaction due to periodontitis is not restricted to the diseased sites. Within the limitations of the study, periodontal therapy did not seem to have any significant impact on the systemic cytokine levels.
A Prospective Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Monomer Synthesis: Comparison of Biocatalytic and Oxidative Chemistry
Authors: Delgove Marie A. F. , Laurent Achille‐B. , Woodley John M. , De Wildeman Stefaan M. A. , Bernaerts Katrien V. , van der Meer Yvonne 
Published: January 2019

AbstractBiotechnological processes are typically perceived to be greener than chemical processes. A life cycle assessment (LCA) was performed to compare the chemical and biochemical synthesis of lactones obtained by Baeyer–Villiger oxidation. The LCA is prospective (based on experiments at a small scale with primary data) because the process is at an early stage. The results show that the synthesis route has no significant effect on the climate change impact [(1.65±0.59) kg gproduct−1vs. (1.64±0.67) kg gproduct−1]. Key process performance metrics affecting the environmental impact were evaluated by performing a sensitivity analysis. Recycling of solvents and enzyme were shown to provide an advantage to the enzymatic synthesis. Additionally, the climate change impact was decreased by 71 % if renewable electricity was used. The study shows that comparative LCAs can be used to usefully support decisions at an early stage of process development.
Gonadal steroid hormone secretion during the juvenile period depends on host‐specific microbiota and contributes to the development of odor preference
Authors: Kamimura Itsuka , Watarai Akiyuki , Takamura Takuma , Takeo Atsushi , Miura Kyoko , Morita Hidetoshi , Mogi Kazutaka , Kikusui Takefumi 
Published: January 2019

AbstractThe host microbial community is thought to have an important role in the host endocrine system and behavioral phenotype. We investigated chronological changes of levels of gonadal hormones and corticosterone in the feces of 4‐ to 8‐week‐old female germ‐free (GF) mice, and conducted odor preference test at 8 weeks of age. We further evaluated the developmental impact of the microbial community by analyzing 4‐week‐old GF mice orally administered the fecal microbiota of specific pathogen‐free (SPF) mice or guinea pigs (GF‐SPF mice or GF‐Guinea pig mice). The fecal estradiol, progesterone, and corticosterone levels of GF mice were lower than those of SPF mice. Furthermore, the increased levels in GF mice were suggested to be caused by colonization of microbiota of SPF mice or guinea pigs. However, the degree of recovery of progesterone and corticosterone by microbiota of guinea pigs was lower than that by SPF mice. In odor preference tests, interestingly, female GF mice preferred female odors to male odors, although this preference was not seen in other mice. These findings suggested that the microbial community plays an important role in the development of the host endocrine system for gonadal hormones and corticosterone, and odor preference in mice.
The role of ecotype‐environment interactions in intraspecific trophic niche partitioning subsequent to stocking
Authors: Morissette O. , Sirois P. , Wilson C. C. , Laporte M. , Bernatchez L. 
Published: January 2019

AbstractWorldwide, stocking of fish represents a valuable tool for conservation and maintenance of species exploited by recreational fishing. Releases of hatchery‐reared fish are more and more recognized to have numerous demographic, ecological, and genetic impacts on wild populations. However, consequences on intraspecific trophic relationships have rarely been investigated. In this study, we assessed the impacts of supplementation stocking and resulting introgressive hybridization on the trophic niches occupied by stocked, local, and hybrid lake trout (Salvelinus namaycush) within populations of piscivorous and planktivorous ecotypes stocked from a wild piscivorous source population. We compared trophic niches using stable isotope analysis (δ13C and δ15N) and trophic position among the three genetic origins. Putative genetic effects were tested with phenotype–genotype association of “life history” ecological traits (body size, growth rate, condition index, and trophic niche) and genotypes (RADseq SNP markers) using redundant discriminant analysis (RDA). Results showed that sympatry resulting from the stocking of contrasting ecotypes is a risk factor for niche partitioning. Planktivorous populations are more susceptible to niche partitioning, by competitive exclusion of the local fish from a littoral niche to an alternative pelagic/profundal niche. Observed niche partitioning is probably a manifestation of competitive interactions between ecotypes. Our results emphasize that ecotypic variation should be considered for more efficient management and conservation practices and in order to mitigate negative impact of supplementation stocking.
Does biocrust successional stage determine the degradation of vascular vegetation via alterations in its hydrological roles in semi‐arid ecosystem?
Authors: Guan Hongjie , Liu Xinyu 
Published: January 2019

AbstractBiocrusts may influence soil moisture by changing soil hydrological properties and thus affect the growth of vascular vegetation. However, their effects on soil moisture and vascular vegetation have not been sufficiently evaluated. In this study, five treatments, including bare land with sporadic cyanobacterial biocrusts (BL), lichen‐dominated biocrusts, Artemisia ordosica (AO), A. ordosica with moss biocrusts, and old‐aged A. ordosica with moss biocrusts (OAMB), were established to evaluate the effects of biocrusts on soil hydrological properties and shrub growth. Our results showed that the field capacity (θf) and saturated soil moisture (θs) for the OAMB treatment was higher than that for the BL treatment, although the difference between the five treatments was insignificant. The OAMB treatment deceased soil moisture 8.7% on average due to their significant lower saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) (82.9%), compared with the BL treatment. The OAMB treatment protected against soil water loss during the beginning stages of evaporation and facilitated soil evaporation during the late stages. Interestingly, the soil water condition underneath the OAMB treatment was not improved after the degradation of AO. The A. ordosica with moss biocrusts treatment had 12.7% lower aboveground biomass and 46.0% lower twig biomass than that for the AO treatment, suggesting the negative effects of biocrusts on the growth of artificially planted shrubs. The findings have important implications for the competitive relationships between biocrusts and vascular vegetation and managing artificial planted shrubs.
Site‐specific differences in the spatial ecology of northern cottonmouths
Authors: Delisle Zackary J. , Ransom Dean , Lutterschmidt William I. , Delgado‐Acevedo Johanna 
Published: January 2019

AbstractWe conducted a yearlong telemetric study on 44 northern cottonmouths (Agkistrodon piscivorus) and recorded their weekly spatial position and use at two different and unconnected wetlands: Cooper Wildlife Management Area (Cooper WMA) and Texas A&M Commerce Wetland Area (Commerce WA). These wetland sites differed in size, but were nearly identical in general locality, structure, hydrology, vegetative composition, available resources, and biodiversity. Home ranges for male cottonmouths at the larger Cooper WMA (n = 16; 95% kernel density estimate (KDE) = 54.69 ha ± 9.36; 100% minimum convex polygon (MCP) = 22.9 ha ± 4.19) were significantly larger than those at the smaller Commerce WA (n = 10; 95% KDE = 19.88 ha ± 4.71; 100% MCP = 8.98 ha ± 2.27). The home ranges of males (n = 26; 95% KDE = 41.3 ha ± 6.84; 100% MCP = 17.55 ha ± 3.00) were also significantly larger than those of females (n = 7; 95% KDE = 7.04 ha ± 1.81; 100% MCP = 3.08 ha ± 0.82) at both sites. We found no relationship between body size and home range size at either study site. Average weekly distance traveled by males ( = 110.07 m ± 10.80) was significantly greater than that of females ( = 45.04 m ± 4.34), and male movement rates were bimodal in distribution with peaks of movement in the spring and fall. These peaks in movement rates coincided with the spring and fall migrations for mating, thermoregulation, parturition, and access to hibernacula and food resources. We found home ranges within these two‐dimensional wetlands to be larger than those reported for linear or one‐dimensional riparian sites. We discuss how wetland size and the size‐dependent dispersion of potential resources within similar wetlands may influence movement patterns and home range sizes. Such information may serve to evaluate effective wetland size for the conservation and management of wetland species.
Artificial reforestation produces less diverse soil nitrogen‐cycling genes than natural restoration
Authors: Wang Yun , Zheng Hua , Chen Falin , Yang Yunfeng , Zeng Jing , D. Van Nostrand Joy , Zhou Jizhong , Ouyang Zhiyun 
Published: January 2019

AbstractReforestation is effective in restoring ecosystem functions and enhancing ecosystem services of degraded land. The three most commonly employed reforestation methods of natural reforestation, artificial reforestation with native Masson pine, and introduced slash pine plantations were equally successful in biomass yield in southern China. However, it is not known whether soil ecosystem functions, such as nitrogen (N) cycling, are also successfully restored. Here, we employed a functional microarray to illustrate soil N‐cycling. The composition of N‐cycling genes in soils varied significantly with reforestation method and varied with constructive species identity and plant diversity. Artificial reforestation had less superior organization of N‐cycling genes than natural reforestation, as indicated by the less diverse and less stable pathways to perform the biogeochemical N‐cycling processes. Besides, artificial reforestation had lower functional potential (abundance of ammonification, denitrification, assimilatory, and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium genes) in soils than natural method. Evaluations of the abundance and interactions of N‐cycling genes in soils showed that plantations, especially artificial reforestation with slash pine plantations, possessed a smaller range of ecosystem functions that provide a less diverse array of N‐related substrates and nutrients to microbial communities compared with natural restoration. This might lead to a lower independence of N‐cycling, which indicated a higher risk of N release in plantations. The unfavorable N‐cycling conditions in plantations were corroborated by the lower contents of available N, ammonium N, and nitrate N. These findings demonstrate that reforestation methods could have broad regional and possibly global implications for N‐cycling.
Recoupling fire and grazing reduces wildland fuel loads on rangelands
Authors: Starns Heath D. , Fuhlendorf Samuel D. , Elmore R. Dwayne , Twidwell Dirac , Thacker Eric T. , Hovick Torre J. , Luttbeg Barney 
Published: January 2019

AbstractFire suppression and exclusion, the historically dominant paradigm of fire management, has resulted in major modifications of fire‐dependent ecosystems worldwide. These changes are partially credited with a recent increase in wildfire number and extent, as well as more extreme fire behavior. Fire and herbivory historically interacted, and research has shown that the interaction creates a unique mosaic of vegetation heterogeneity that each disturbance alone does not create. Because fire and grazing have largely been decoupled in modern times, the degree to which the interaction affects fuels and fire regimes has not yet been quantified. We evaluated effects of fire‐only and pyric herbivory on rangeland fuels and fire behavior simulated using BehavePlus at four sites across the southern Great Plains. We predicted patches managed via pyric herbivory would maintain lower fuel loads, and less intense simulated fire behavior than fire alone. We found that time since fire was a significant predictor of fuel loads and simulated fire behavior characteristics at all sites. Fuel loads and simulated fire behavior characteristics (flame length and rate of spread) increased with increasing time since fire in all simulated weather scenarios. Pyric herbivory mediated fuel accumulation at all sites. Mean fuel loads in fire‐only treatments exceeded 5000 kg/ha within 24 months, but pyric herbivory treatments remained below 5000 kg/ha for approximately 36 months. Simulated flame lengths in fire‐only treatments were consistently higher (up to 3 × ) than in pyric herbivory treatments. Similarly, fire spread rates were higher in fire‐only than in pyric herbivory treatments in all simulated weather conditions. Although all sites had potential to burn in the most extreme weather conditions, pyric herbivory reduced fuel accumulations, flame lengths, and rates of spread across all weather patterns simulated. These reductions extended the amount of time standard wildland firefighting techniques remain effective. Therefore, incorporating pyric herbivory into fuel management practices, in areas of high herbaceous productivity, increases the effectiveness of fuel treatments.
Pancreatic safety of vildagliptin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A European, noninterventional, postauthorization safety study
Authors: Williams Rachael , Kothny Wolfgang , Serban Carmen , Lopez‐Leon Sandra , Schlienger Raymond 
Published: January 2019

AbstractThis cohort study assessed the pancreatic safety of vildagliptin versus other noninsulin antidiabetic drugs (NIADs) based on data from five European electronic health care databases. Patients with type 2 diabetes aged ≥18 years on NIAD treatment were enrolled. Adjusted incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated separately for acute pancreatitis and pancreatic cancer for vildagliptin (± other NIADs) compared with other NIADs using negative binomial regression. Approximately 2.8% of the enrolled patients (n = 738 054) used vildagliptin during the study, with an average follow‐up time of 1.4 years. For acute pancreatitis, adjusted IRRs ranged between 0.89 andt 2.58 with all corresponding 95% CIs crossing 1. For pancreatic cancer adjusted IRRs ranged from 0.56 to 3.64, with the lower limit of 95% CIs >1 in some analyses. Post hoc sensitivity analyses taking latency time into account markedly lowered the risk estimates with corresponding 95% CIs crossing 1. Overall, the results do not suggest an increased pancreatitis risk with vildagliptin, while the observation for pancreatic cancer have to be interpreted carefully as this study was not designed to assess pancreatic cancer and rather be explained by certain underlying limitations including latency ‐time, chance findings and/or bias and confounding.